Seviin Features I’m liking right out of the box!
By AC Insider, Danny Blandford
The folks behind the legendary St. Croix brand have been in business for over seven decades now and we all know of their iconic reputation as rod builders and passionate anglers. Now, they are bringing all that experience to the world of fishing reels under the brand name Seviin. I’ve gotten my hands on two of their new GF Series baitcasting reels and plan to put them to work for some fall fishing. I’m pairing a GFC811 (8.1:1) with fluorocarbon and my flipping stick, and a GFC731 (7.3:1) with braid and a topwater rod.
Now admittedly, I’m writing about these prior to putting them through the paces, but I’ve handled a ton of reels over the years, and have slung plenty of baits, so this first review is just that “new out of the box impression.”
Here are “Seviin” features I’m digging after getting my hands on the GF Series of baitcasters
I: Fit and finish – This thing is rock solid! The frame is listed as “reinforced composite” and you can feel it in both the material used and the way the frame is all tied together. I put some pressure on it from side to side, as well as a firm twisting motion to see if the torque would show up as weakness somewhere, and I couldn’t find any flex in the frame or components. It also has a nice matte finish that should wear well and hold up to the elements with no problems.
II: Overall size – I don’t have big bearpaw hands by any means, yet these reels are very easy to comfortably wrap my hands around. The frame mentioned above lays in a way that my thumb naturally contacts the reel for the full length and I find that my index finger wants to wrap around the front side as well. My other models of reels don’t lend themselves to this grip, which I think I’m going to really prefer, especially on my flipping set up. I feel like the more contact I have with the reel and rod seat, the better I feel the “tick tick”.
III: Easy adjustment and access – Your magnetic brake dial is easy to see, feel, and hear adjustments and the mechanism itself feels solid. As far as getting to the guts, I really like the latch system for the side plate. It’s tucked into a convenient spot on the side and it makes getting in to clean, lube, and/or swap spools simple. This is also where you’re magnetic braking components are and that side is very clean and self-contained. There are no pins or internal settings to mess with or malfunction, and all your adjustments can be done externally with a large easy to read and hear dial.
IV: Easy ID system – Not a critical thing, but it does show that “anglers” have put a lot of thought into the Seviins. Each reel has a gear ratio stamp in bold lettering right on the back side, so when you have several set ups on the deck like I do, knowing which is which can come in handy. Likewise, they have a smart little line indicator tucked away right there with it. It was tough on my “middle-aged” eyes, but still very useful. It can be dialed to whatever line size you are using so you’ll know what you’re picking up. In my case I keep a couple identical crankbait combos on the deck, but one is rigged with 10 and one is rigged with 12 lb. line, for different applications. This makes identifying those types of things simple, and I’m a big fan of KISS - “Keep it simple, stupid”.
V: Solid handle/drag combination – I didn’t think I’d care about a “carbon fiber” handle, but I have to admit, it’s a nice feature. It was thicker than I was expecting and that results in a very rigid feel, which I like, especially the way it looks like I’ll be gripping this reel for flipping. The locknut system seems like it should be solid and worry free, and the EVA foam grips feel good to the touch and should provide a good grip. Regardless of where your hand is on the handle, it’s an easy reach to the drag star, so making adjustments in the heat of battle feels natural. You can also hear the drag adjustments with audible clicks as you work the star, and I like that.
VI: The drag itself – I’ve mentioned audible adjustments on the side, which I like, but the carbon fiber/stainless steel drag system itself is also audible, like we’re accustomed to on spinning reels. Now, I haven’t had the opportunity to test that out on the water yet, but hopefully it’s coming soon. I’m “thinking” I’m going to like that too. Hearing that drag should be a good indication of how much heat I’m putting on a fish, or better yet, how much heat it is putting on me, and I’d think it would help with making adjustments on the fly…we’ll have to see, but I’m optimistic on this one!
VII: The price! I was recently on the $100-$120 reel hunt with my young nephew prior to the introduction of the Seviin. Undoubtedly, we had a lot to choose from and we didn’t come away empty handed, but I’m not sure that we got the bang for our buck that comes with these new GF Series of baitcasting reels. He and I will be on the water together this weekend and I’m looking forward to slinging some baits with both and getting a real world feel for the Seviin.
In today’s world a hundred bucks doesn’t get you very far, but my first impression is that it goes farther with these Seviins than it does with some of the other products out there. More to come after we get ‘em wet and put them through the paces!
Here are the full specs:
• One-piece reinforced composite frame and side covers
• 4 + 1 stainless steel bearing system
• Rock-solid one-way clutch anti-reverse
• 32MM forged aluminum spool holds 110 yards of 12 lb mono
• Custom designed carbon fiber handle with EVA grips
• Multi-stack carbon fiber drag / stainless steel drag system
• Micro-adjustable magnetic cast control
• Precision hobbed hard brass pinion and drive gear
• Line memo indicator dial
Check out the website HERE
Tenkiller to host Bassmaster Kayak Series National Championship
Lake Tenkiller in Tahlequah, Okla., will host the Yamaha Rightwaters Bassmaster Kayak Series Championship powered by TourneyX March 20-21, 2024.
Photo by Mark Cisneros/B.A.S.S.
September 22, 2023
Tenkiller to host Bassmaster Kayak Series National Championship
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — For just the second time in the series’ history, the country’s best kayak anglers are heading to Oklahoma, this time competing for a National Championship on Lake Tenkiller. The Yamaha Rightwaters Bassmaster Kayak Series Championship powered by TourneyX will be held on Lake Tenkiller in Tahlequah, Okla., as part of the festivities surrounding the 2024 Academy Sports + Outdoor Bassmaster Classic presented by Toyota in Tulsa.
The championship at Lake Tenkiller will be a two-day event, March 20-21, 2024. The awards ceremony will be held on the Bassmaster Classic stage at the BOK Center in downtown Tulsa March 22 prior to the Day 1 Classic weigh-in.
“On behalf of Tour Tahlequah and Explore Cherokee County, Oklahoma Tourism, we gladly welcome Bassmaster back to the beautiful Lake Tenkiller,” said Greater Tenkiller Area Association Executive Director Kenyatta Wright. “We are so excited to have the opportunity of sharing our beautiful lake with fellow anglers from all over the nation. Welcome to Lake Tenkiller and Tahlequah!”
The last time the Bassmaster Kayak Series visited the Sooner State, Drew Gregory bested the field at Grand Lake O’ the Cherokees en route to winning the Dakota Lithium Bassmaster Kayak Series Angler of the Year race. With one event left in the 2023 season, Gregory is currently in 10th place in the AOY standings. 2023 Kayak Series Championship winner Rus Snyders (733 points), Nick Dyer (727 points) and Elite Series pro Greg DiPalma (726 points) hold the top three spots heading into the last tournament.
Anglers will take to the waters of Pennsylvania’s Susquehanna River October 7-8 for one last chance to qualify for the championship. Competitors can register for the event through September 29 at Bassmaster.com.
The Yamaha Rightwaters Bassmaster Kayak Series Championship presented by TourneyX is being hosted by Tour Tahlequah, Explore Cherokee County, Okla., and the Greater Tenkiller Area Association.
For more information, visit Bassmaster.com/kayak.
MLF Announces Schedules for 2024 Abu Garcia College Fishing and High School Fishing Programs
| BENTON, Ky. (Sept. 21, 2023) – Major League Fishing (MLF), the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization, announced today the schedules for the 2024 Abu Garcia College Fishing Presented by YETI season and the High School Fishing season, with each circuit providing numerous prizes, scholarships and advancement opportunities for qualified teams.
"As we make our offseason preparations for the 16th season of College Fishing and 14th season of High School Fishing, we are excited to release the very competitive 2024 College Fishing and High School Fishing schedules," said Kevin Hunt, MLF Senior Director of Tournament Operations, College and High School Fishing. “It has been so exciting and rewarding to see the level of competition increase every year. These circuits, while challenging, are a fantastic way to provide student anglers the opportunity to compete on the water for scholarships and prizes. We can’t wait to kick off the season in early January down in Florida.” In 2024, MLF Abu Garcia College Fishing teams can compete in up to nine qualifying tournaments around the country. The top 12% of teams from each event will advance to the 2025 College Fishing National Championship. The 2024 MLF High School Fishing circuit will feature teams competing in seven open tournaments, with the majority held in conjunction with Abu Garcia College Fishing events to allow students and parents to network with prospective college teams and coaches during college weigh-ins. MLF High School Fishing Opens are two-person (team) events for students in grades 7-12, and open to any Student Angler Federation (SAF)-affiliated high school club in the United States. The top 10% of teams in each tournament advance to the High School Fishing National Championship. 2024 MLF Abu Garcia College Fishing Presented by YETI Schedule: |
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2024 MLF High School Fishing Opens Schedule: Jan. 6 Harris Chain of Lakes Leesburg, Fla. April 6 Table Rock Lake Branson, Mo. April 27 Lake Guntersville Guntersville, Ala. May 5 Lake Havasu Lake Havasu City, Ariz. June 8 California Delta Oakley, Calif. June 19 -21 NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP at Lake Hartwell Anderson, S.C. Sept. 28 Sam Rayburn Reservoir Brookeland, Texas Oct. 19 Lake Chickamauga Dayton, Tenn. Complete rules and entry dates for both the 2024 MLF Abu Garcia College Fishing Presented by YETI and MLF High School Fishing programs will be announced later this fall. For complete details and updated tournament information, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular College and High School Fishing updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF’s social media outlets at Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. |
Lester Previews Pickwick Ahead of Toyota Owners Tournament
Courtesy of Luke Stoner - Dynamic Sponsorships
With the 12th annual Toyota Bonus Bucks Owners Tournament returning to Pickwick Lake next month, we caught up with Tennessee River expert Brandon Lester to pick his brain on what anglers attending the event should expect from a fishing and fellowship standpoint.
Lester took home his first blue trophy the last time the Elite Series visited Pickwick in June of 2022 and he was loading up his family to go camping and crappie fishing on another TVA impoundment, Lake Guntersville, when I called. Few professional anglers spend more time on the water during the offseason than Lester, and a large majority of his fall trips find the Team Toyota pro traveling to one of the famous fisheries on the Tennessee River Chain.
Lester is the perfect person to preview Pickwick ahead of the Toyota Owners Tournament and he was happy to provide a few useful suggestions.
“My first tip, honestly, is to register and to do everything you can to make it to this event,” Lester said sincerely. “If you own a 2019 or newer Toyota tow-vehicle, or you have a buddy that does, you really ought to get to Pickwick next month. That weekend is more about fun and camaraderie than it is a hardcore tournament and it’s something my whole family looks forward to every year. It’s like a mini vacation. It’s free to enter, competitors get piles of free gear, plus we all get to hang out and talk fishing. It’s a win-win.”
Lester nailed it. While there is a $5,000 guaranteed first-place prize on the line and payouts to the top 31 teams, this no-entry fee tournament is far more about community than cutthroat competition. It’s the perfect event to fish as a husband-and-wife team, to take your young kids or parents to, or to register and fish with an old friend while you catch up.
Registration will be held at McFarland Park in Florence, Alabama on Saturday, October 21st and the tournament takes place Sunday the 22nd. From a fishing perspective, if Lester was fishing this event he’d be focused on one of two predominant patterns: the tailrace or grass.
“You can’t overlook the Wilson Dam tailrace on Pickwick right near where you’ll launch,” Lester explained. “The tailrace is always a player with both smallmouth and largemouth, even though it gets a lot of pressure. You can bet you’ll be fishing around a lot of boats, but you just have to commit to the area if you have confidence. The key is doing something a little different. Whether that’s a unique bait, using something lighter or heavier than the norm, or finding a special drift. You want to do something different than the crowd.”
Historically, there have been a lot of tournaments won in the few-mile-stretch of river near the tailrace. If fishing current and staying close to the ramp isn’t your cup of tea, Lester advisestargeting aquatic vegetation on Pickwick.
“The other thing I’d be thinking about and trying to key in on is fishing grass,” Lester offered. “I think the grass is really healthyright now down around Kogers Island and the Natchez Trace Bridge. There should be some hydrilla and other species of grass mixed in which is always a good place to catch bass, especially in the fall. It’s a great place to start your search anyway.”
The Tennessee native said without any pre-practice he’d be logging onto MidwayUSA’s website to stock up on topwater walking baits, soft plastic jerkbaits, and some 1/4 to 3/8-ounce jigheads to outfit with small three- or four-inch swimbaits for Pickwick in late October.
Registration closes October 13th, so there is still time to register for this yearly celebration of all things Toyota and bass fishing. To learn more and get signed-up, follow this link: https://ownersevent.toyotatrucksbonusbucks.com/ or send an email to [email protected].
The Power-Pole Move ZR Wins the 2023 Anglers' Choice Award
Anglers everywhere were invited to experience the excitement of ICAST and vote for this award competition
Alexandria, Va. – September 20, 2023 –Last month, anglers everywhere voted for their favorite new fishing product in the second annual Anglers’ Choice Award competition. Of the 37 New Product Showcase Best of Category products that debuted at ICAST 2023, Power-Pole's new trolling motor - the Move ZR - is the winner.
Produced by the American Sportfishing Association (ASA), ICAST – the International Convention of Allied Sportfishing Trades – draws thousands of tackle buyers and media members each July to the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Fla. for the world’s largest sportfishing trade show. It’s where hundreds of manufacturers debut tackle, gear, accessories and apparel in the highly anticipated New Product Showcase.
The dedicated display area on the show floor showcases hundreds of the best of the best in new fishing product innovation; all competing against each other to take home one of 37 “Best of Category” trophies and the overall “Best of Show” award. The Power-Pole Move ZR was this year’s winner in the Best Motorized Boating Accessory category.
"The New Product Showcase is the recreational fishing industry's equivalent of the Oscars,” said Blake Swango, ASA’s vice president for Trade Show and Membership. "Because ICAST is a trade event and not open to the public, we decided to launch the Anglers’ Choice Award giving everyone with a passion for fishing a chance to join in the excitement that defines ICAST.”
“It’s my pleasure to congratulate Power-Pole's Move ZR for winning the second annual Anglers’ Choice Award.”
“We won the Best of Category award at ICAST for Best Motorized Boating Accessory but this is extra special” said Robert Shamblin, vice president, Sales and Marketing, for Power-Pole. “We couldn't be more excited.”
CELEBRATE BASS FISHING WEEK’ ONLINE AUCTION GOES LIVE TO SUPPORT BASS FISHING HALL OF FAME’S CELEBRATE-PROMOTE-PRESERVE MISSION
Begins at 9 a.m. Friday, Sept. 22
SPRINGFIELD, MO – For Immediate Release – Sept. 21, 2023 – If bass fishing is your thing, you can have all kinds of fun this coming week even if you don’t get on the water. Bass fishing enthusiasts in both the U.S. and Canada have a great opportunity to not only bid on tackle, lures and gear, tournament pro jerseys, exclusive fishing trips with expert anglers and more, but also support the Bass Fishing Hall of Fame’s mission by participating in the ‘Celebrate Bass Fishing Week’ online auction presented by Major League Fishing. Simply log in with your smartphone, tablet or computer to https://one.bidpal.net/bfhof/browse/all to access the auction-dedicated website or text BFHOF to 243-725.
The website will be ‘live’ from 9 a.m. EST Friday, Sept. 22 through 9 p.m. EST on Thursday, Sept. 28, the night when many involved in the bass fishing world will be gathered to celebrate the induction of Glen Andrews, Bruce Holt, and Michael Iaconelli into the Bass Fishing Hall of Fame, located within Johnny Morris’ Wonders of Wildlife Aquarium & Museum.
The auction is loaded with tournament jerseys from dozens of pro anglers along with rods, reels, lure assortments and technical clothing, not to mention unique items, experiences and fishing and hunting trips to some premier destinations. Here’s a sampling of what’s up for grabs:
- Fishing trips – alongside noted tournament bass pros or Bass Fishing HOF inductees, to famed waters like Clear Lake, Lake O.H. Ivie, Lake Amistad, Lake Guntersville, Lake Tenkiller, Table Rock Lake, the St. Lawrence River, Lake St. Clair, and Lake Havasu.
- One angler, along with a friend who is so very lucky, will spend a day on the water with the legendary Bill Dance.
- An extremely unique experience fishing and filming with the staff from Wire2fish in northern Minnesota, including dinner with the W2F crew and two-nights lodging at the Timberlake Hotel in Grand Rapids, MN; or how about being the co-host on the popular Bass Talk Live podcast with Matt Pangrac, who then will take you fishing for trophy crappie and send you home with a freezer bag full of cleaned filets.
- Interested in hunting? There’s a black bear trip and turkey hunt in eastern Oklahoma, and even a night-vision ‘Sasquatch Hunt’ with pro angler Greg Hackney at his camp in south Mississippi. You’ll need to log into the ‘Celebrate Bass Fishing Week’ online auction to read all the interesting info on this trip.
“There are more than 200 packages to bid on, and we will continue to add a few more items during the week,” said BFHOF inductee Steve Bowman, who also volunteers on the BFHOF Board of Directors as chair of its Development/Fundraising committee. “We made it a point to have a nice assortment of tackle and assorted fishing gear that may go for a great price, along with many considered ‘bucket list’ items. Those interested will bid them up into the thousands, and in part contribute to the conservation grants and scholarship program administered by the Board, along with our induction ceremony and efforts at tournament and other industry events.”
The Bass Fishing Hall of Fame acknowledges the major sponsorship support from Major League Fishing, B.A.S.S., Phoenix Boats, Bass Cat, PRADCO Brands, Bass Pro Shops/Cabela’s, Wired2fish, Daiwa, Yamaha, Rather Outdoors, Shimano, Rapala, AFTCO, the Bass Fishing Archives, Sunline, the Costa Compete + Conserve program, Simms, and St. Croix.
Any problems in accessing the online auction site - https://one.bidpal.net/bfhof/browse/all - please contact the Hall’s Executive Director Barbara Bowman at [email protected]– or text your inquiry to 501.541.6660. Visit the Bass Fishing Hall of Fame website for more information on the Hall and its inductees, articles about the history of bass fishing, details on the BFHOF conservation grants and scholarship at https://www.bassfishinghof.com – or check out the Hall on both Facebook and Instagram.
MLF Toyota Series Set to Close Plains Division with Tournament at Lake of the Ozarks
OSAGE BEACH, Mo. (Sept. 20, 2023) – The Major League Fishing (MLF) Toyota Series Presented by Phoenix Boats is set to visit Osage Beach, and the Lake of the Ozarks next week, Sept. 28-30, for the third and final event in the Toyota Series Plains Division – the Toyota Series at Lake of the Ozarks Presented by FVP.
The three-day tournament, hosted by the Tri-County Lodging Association, will feature the region’s best bass-fishing pros and Strike King co-anglers competing for a top prize of up to $100,000 in the pro division and a new Phoenix 518 Pro boat with a 115-horsepower Mercury outboard motor in the co-angler division.
“Lake of the Ozarks has been fishing really good, and over the next couple of weeks it’s only going to get better and better,” said pro Payden Hibdon of Versailles, Missouri, who has three top-10 finishes on Lake of the Ozarks in MLF competition. “The fish are loosening up a bit and guys are going to be able to catch them how they want, deep or shallow. There is no limit – it’s going to be typical, fall Ozarks fishing.”
Hibdon said that despite the topwater bite not ever coming to fruition in the BFL Super Tournament on Lake of the Ozarks last weekend, he expects that bite to be a big player in this one.
“I expect we’re going to be able to catch them better on topwater, next week,” Hibdon said. “That bite went away during the Super Tournament, which was odd, because we had been catching them on topwater leading up to that event. So I think that bite is coming back and by next weekend it should be busted wide open.
“The key is going to be getting 1 or 2 of the ‘right’ bites, and then having a decent limit to go along with them,” Hibdon continued. “I think 16 pounds a day is the goal – if you can catch 16 pounds a day you’ll be right there at the end, and I predict it’ll take 48 pounds to win this thing.”
Hibdon, who will be competing in this tournament, said he’ll be throwing his family’s signature jig.
“This time of year, we always throw the Hibdon Hammer jig – a ¾-ounce out deep, and 3/8- and ½-ounce for skipping boat docks,” Hibdon said. “I’ll start out the mornings fishing topwater – buzzbaits, Whopper Ploppers, Zara Spooks – then spend the rest of the day with the jig.”
Anglers will launch at 7 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 beach and will begin at 3 p.m. Fans are welcome to attend and encouraged to follow the event online through the “MLF Live” weigh-in broadcasts and daily coverage at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
In Toyota Series regular-season competition, payouts are based on the number of participants competing in the event, scaling up for every 20 boats over 160 and scaling down for every boat below 160. With a 160-boat field, pros fish for a top prize of $40,000, plus an extra $35,000 if Phoenix MLF Bonus qualified. Strike King co-anglers cast for the top prize of a new Phoenix 518 Pro bass boat with a 115-horsepower Mercury outboard (valued at $33,500). With a 260-boat field, pros fish for a top award of $65,000, plus an extra $35,000 if Phoenix MLF Bonus qualified. Strike King co-anglers cast for the top prize of a new Phoenix 518 Pro bass boat with a 115-horsepower outboard (valued at $33,500) plus $5,000 cash.
The 2023 Toyota Series Presented by Phoenix Boats consists of six divisions – Central, Northern Division Presented by Rabid Baits, Plains, Southern, Southwestern and the Western Division Presented by Tackle Warehouse – each holding three regular-season events, along with the International and Wild Card divisions. Anglers who fish in any of the six divisions or the Wild Card division and finish in the top 25 will qualify for the no-entry-fee Toyota Series Championship for a shot at winning up to $235,000 and a qualification to REDCREST 2024. The winning Strike King co-angler at the championship earns a new Phoenix 518 Pro bass boat with a 115-horsepower Mercury outboard. The 2023 Toyota Series Championship will be held Nov. 2-4 on Table Rock Lake in Branson, Missouri, and is hosted by ExploreBranson.com.
Proud sponsors of the 2023 MLF Toyota Series include: 13 Fishing, Abu Garcia, B&W Trailer Hitches, Black Rifle Coffee Company, E3, Favorite Fishing, Fox Rent a Car, General Tire, Gill, Grundéns, Lew’s, Lowrance, Mercury, Mossy Oak, Next Gen Lithium, Onyx, Phoenix, Polaris, Power-Pole, Strike King, Tackle Warehouse, T-H Marine, Wiley X and YETI.
For complete details and updated information visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular Toyota Series updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow the MLF5 social media outlets at Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.
MLF Announces Schedule for 2024 Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine
Cherokee Lake in Jefferson County, Tennessee Revealed as Site of 2024 All-American
BENTON, Ky. (September 20, 2023) – Major League Fishing announced today the schedule for the 2024 Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine , the premier grassroots tournament circuit for weekend anglers. The Phoenix Bass Fishing League offers grassroots tournament anglers the best payouts, media coverage and advancement opportunities for the lowest entry fees available in the sport and provides anglers a clear path to the Toyota Series Presented by Phoenix Boats, Tackle Warehouse Invitationals and ultimately the Bass Pro Tour.
“As we unveil the 2024 Phoenix Bass Fishing League schedule, I’m thrilled to welcome anglers from across the nation to a season filled with passion, camaraderie and unmatched opportunities,” said Kathy Fennel, MLF Executive Vice President and General Manager. “This year’s robust schedule offers weekend anglers not only the best payouts in the sport, but the opportunity to experience the essence of competitive bass fishing close to home, with advancement opportunitiesto the All-American, Toyota Series Championship and REDCREST – the Bass Pro Tour Championship.”
The 2024 regular season will kick off in early January at Sam Rayburn Reservoir in Brookeland, Texas, and run through late September when it wraps up at Lake Cherokee in Jefferson City, Tennessee.
After six regional tournaments featuring payouts over 200 percent, the 2024 Phoenix Bass Fishing League season will culminate with the prestigious All-American, the pinnacle of grassroots competition and one of the longest-running championships in bass-fishing history. The 2024 All-American will take place May 29-31, at Cherokee Lake in Jefferson County, Tennessee, hosted by Visit Jefferson County, TN.
“We are thrilled to once again welcome Major League Fishing back to Jefferson County and Lakeside of the Smokies for the All-American Championship,” said Lauren Hurdle, Visit Jefferson County Tourism Director. “This time anglers will fish the waters of Cherokee Lake, located in Jefferson City, and we can’t wait to see how the best weekend anglers from across the country showcase our amazing smallmouth fishery.”
Full program rules, entry dates and details for the 2024 Phoenix Bass Fishing League will be announced later this year.
2024 Phoenix Bass Fishing League Schedule:
Arkie Division
March 2 Lake Ouachita, Mount Ida, Ark.
March 23 Greers Ferry, Greers Ferry, Ark.
April 20 DeGray Lake, Arkadelphia, Ark.
June 8 Lake Dardanelle, Russellville, Ark.
Sept. 21-22 Bull Shoals Lake, Bull Shoals, Ark.
Bama Division
Feb. 24 Lake Martin, Alexander City, Ala.
April 20 Lake Mitchell, Clanton, Ala.
May 4 Lake Demopolis, Demopolis, Ala.
July 20 Neely Henry, Gadsden, Ala.
Sept. 14-15 Alabama River, Prattville, Ala.
Buckeye Division
May 18 Ohio River-Tanners Creek, Lawrenceburg, Ind.
June 8 Mosquito Lake, Cortland, Ohio
June 29 Ohio River-Tanners Creek, Lawrenceburg, Ind.
Aug. 3 Lake Erie, Sandusky, Ohio
Sept. 14-15 Indian Lake, Lakeview, Ohio
Bulldog Division
Feb. 17 Lake Lanier, Gainesville, Ga.
March 9 Lake Lanier, Gainesville, Ga.
April 6 Lake Eufaula, Eufaula, Ala.
April 27 Lake Sinclair, Milledgeville, Ga.
Sept. 21-22 Lake Oconee, Buckhead, Ga.
Choo Choo Division
Feb. 10 Lake Guntersville, Scottsboro, Ala.
March 23 Pickwick Lake, Florence, Ala.
April 13 Lake Guntersville, Scottsboro, Ala.
July 13 Neely Henry, Gadsden, Ala.
Sept. 28-29 Wheeler Lake, Rogersville, Ala.
Cowboy Division
Jan. 6 Sam Rayburn Reservoir, Brookeland, Texas
Jan. 27 Lake of the Pines, Jefferson, Texas
March 9 Toledo Bend Lake, Zwolle, La.
April 6 Sam Rayburn Reservoir, Brookeland, Texas
Sept. 7-8 Sam Rayburn Reservoir, Brookeland, Texas
Gator Division
Jan. 20 Harris Chain of Lakes, Leesburg, Fla.
Feb. 10 Lake Toho, Kissimmee, Fla.
March 2 Harris Chain of Lakes, Leesburg, Fla.
April 20 Lake Okeechobee, Clewiston, Fla.
Sept. 28-29 Lake Okeechobee, Clewiston, Fla.
Great Lakes Division
April 27 Mississippi River-La Crosse, La Crosse, Wis.
May 18 Mississippi River-La Crosse, La Crosse, Wis.
June 15 Wolf River Chain, Winneconne, Wis.
Aug. 17 Mississippi River-Prairie du Chien, Prairie du Chien, Wis.
Sept. 21-22 Mississippi River-La Crosse, La Crosse, Wis.
Hoosier Division
April 13 Lake Patoka, Birdseye, Ind.
May 11 Ohio River-Rocky Point, Cannelton, Ind.
June 15 Ohio River-Tanners Creek, Lawrenceburg, Ind.
July 27 Lake Monroe, Bloomington, Ind.
Sept. 28-29 Ohio River-Tanners Creek, Lawrenceburg, Ind.
Illini Division
May 18 Lake Shelbyville, Shelbyville, Ill.
June 29 Rend Lake, Sesser, Ill.
July 13 Ohio River, Paducah, Ky.
Aug. 3 Lake Shelbyville, Shelbyville, Ill.
Sept. 7-8 Rend Lake, Sesser, Ill.
LBL Division
Feb. 24 Kentucky-Barkley Lake, Gilbertsville, Ky.
April 6 Kentucky-Barkley Lake, Gilbertsville, Ky.
May 4 Kentucky-Barkley Lake, Gilbertsville, Ky.
July 20 Kentucky-Barkley Lake, Gilbertsville, Ky.
Aug. 24-25 Kentucky-Barkley Lake, Buchanan, Tenn.
Michigan Division
June 29 Detroit River, Trenton, Mich.
July 13 Detroit River, Trenton, Mich.
Aug. 10 Detroit River, Trenton, Mich.
Aug. 24 Detroit River, Trenton, Mich.
Sept. 21-22 Detroit River, Trenton, Mich.
Mississippi Division
March 23 Ross Barnett Reservoir, Ridgeland, Miss.
April 20 Grenada Lake, Grenada, Miss.
May 11 Lake Sardis, Sardis, Miss.
July 20 Lake Ferguson, Greenville, Miss.
Sept. 21-22 Pickwick Lake, Iuka, Miss.
Mountain Division
March 2 Dale Hollow Lake, Byrdstown, Tenn.
March 23 Dale Hollow Lake, Byrdstown, Tenn.
April 13 Lake Cumberland, Monticello, Ky.
June 22 Barren River, Scottsville, Ky.
Sept. 14-15 Lake Cumberland, Monticello, Ky.
Music City Division
March 24 Dale Hollow Lake, Byrdstown, Tenn.
April 20 Tims Ford, Winchester, Tenn.
May 11 Center Hill, Sparta, Tenn.
June 15 Old Hickory Lake, Gallatin, Tenn.
Sept. 7-8 Dale Hollow Lake, Byrdstown, Tenn.
North Carolina Division
Feb. 24 Lake Norman, Huntersville, N.C.
April 13 Kerr Lake, Henderson, N.C.
May 4 Kerr Lake, Henderson, N.C.
June 15 High Rock Lake, Lexington, N.C.
Sept. 28-29 Lake Norman, Mooresville, N.C.
Northeast Division
May 18 Potomac River, Marbury, Md.
June 29 Lake Oneida, Brewerton, N.Y.
July 20 St. Lawrence River, Massena, N.Y.
Aug. 17 Lake Champlain, Plattsburgh, N.Y.
Sept. 14-15 Potomac River, Marbury, Md.
Okie Division
Feb. 10 Grand Lake, Grove, Okla.
March 16 Lake Eufaula, Eufaula, Okla.
April 27 Fort Gibson Lake, Wagoner, Okla.
June 22 Arkansas River, Muskogee, Okla.
Sept. 14-15 Grand Lake, Grove, Okla.
Ozark Division
Feb. 17 Table Rock Lake, Kimberling City, Mo.
March 30 Lake of the Ozarks, Osage Beach, Mo.
May 4 Lake of the Ozarks, Osage Beach, Mo.
June 15 Truman Lake, Warsaw, Mo.
Sept. 7-8 Table Rock Lake, Kimberling City, Mo.
Piedmont Division
March 9 Smith Mountain Lake, Huddleston, Va.
April 27 Kerr Lake, Henderson, N.C.
June 8 High Rock Lake, Lexington, N.C.
Aug. 3 James River, Henrico, Va.
Sept. 21-22 Kerr Lake, Henderson, N.C.
Savannah River Division
Jan. 27 Lake Keowee, Seneca, S.C.
Feb. 24 Lake Hartwell, Anderson, S.C.
April 13 Lake Hartwell, Lavonia, Ga.
June 15 Clarks Hill, Appling, Ga.
Aug. 24-25 Lake Hartwell, Anderson, S.C.
Shenandoah Division
April 6 Smith Mountain Lake, Huddleston, Va.
May 11 Potomac River, Marbury, Md.
June 22 Potomac River, Marbury, Md.
July 27 James River, Henrico, Va.
Sept. 7-8 James River, Henrico, Va.
South Carolina Division
March 9 Lake Hartwell, Seneca, S.C.
April 6 Santee Cooper Lakes, Summerton, S.C.
April 27 Lake Hartwell, Seneca, S.C.
June 22 Clarks Hill, Appling, Ga.
Sept. 7-8 Lake Murray, Prosperity, S.C.
Volunteer Division
March 9 Norris Lake, Andersonville, Tenn.
April 20 South Holston Lake, Bristol, Tenn.
May 11 Douglas Lake, Dandridge, Tenn.
June 8 Watts Bar Lake, Spring City, Tenn.
Sept. 28-29 Lake Cherokee, Jefferson City, Tenn.
2024 Regional Tournaments:
Oct. 3-5 Pickwick Lake, Counce, Tenn.
Divisions: LBL, Mountain, Ozark & Savannah River
Hosted by Hardin County Convention & Visitors Bureau
Oct. 3-5 Kerr Lake, Henderson, N.C.
Divisions: Buckeye, Northeast, Shenandoah & South Carolina
Hosted by Vance County Tourism Development Authority
Oct. 10-12 Mississippi River, Quad Cities, Ill.
Divisions: Great Lakes, Hoosier, Illini & Michigan
Hosted by Visit Quad Cities
Oct. 10-12 Santee Cooper Lakes, Clarendon County, S.C.
Divisions: Bama, Bulldog, Gator & North Carolina
Hosted by Clarendon County Chamber of Commerce
Oct. 17-19 Clarks Hill Lake, Appling, Ga.
Divisions: Choo Choo, Music City, Piedmont & Volunteer
Hosted by Columbia County, Georgia
Oct. 17-19 Wright Patman Lake, Texarkana, Texas
Divisions: Arkie, Cowboy, Mississippi & Okie
Hosted by City of Texarkana, Texas
Oct. 25-26 Wild Card: TBA
2024 All-American:
May 29-31 Cherokee Lake, Jefferson County, Tenn.
Hosted by Visit Jefferson County, Tenn.
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.
Abu Garcia Revo SX-SS Low Profile Casting Reel
Abu Garcia’s addition to the Revo reel lineup is perfect for anglers who love to skip
COLUMBIA, S.C. (Sept. 26, 2023) – Pitchers, flippers, and skippers rejoice with the all-new Abu Garcia Revo SX-SS. An extension of the Abu Garcia Revo SX family, the Revo SX-SS is built for anglers who love to flip, pitch and skip. Featuring a shallow spool design, the Revo SX-SS makes it easier for anglers who like to skip docks, and has the perfect amount of line for anglers who love to flip and pitch.
KEY FEATURES:
• 9+1 stainless steel bearing system
• Asymmetric X2-Craftic alloy frame that allows for a more ergonomic platform
• EXD concept for improved casting distance
• IVCB-6 braking system
• Power stack carbon matrix drag: 22lbs
• DuraGear Gen II gear system
• Shallow spool design for skipping, pitching, flipping, topwater, and lighter braid applications
• 90mm bowed aluminum handle w/ oversized handle knobs
• 8.1:1 gear ratio for fast line pick up
MSRP: $189.95
Available: September 2023
Swindle predicted Welcher would win AOY
Courtesy of Alan McGuckin - Dynamic Sponsorships
It’s doubtful you’ll see Team Toyota’s Gerald Swindle working as a fortune teller at your local county fair this fall, but after choosing fellow Alabamian Kyle Welcher to win the Progressive Bassmaster Angler of the Year title six months prior to it coming true, perhaps we should all pay close attention when Swindle makes his AOY predictions for next year.
His spot-on prognostication occurred in late February at Lake Seminole when asked to hypothetically choose an angler he’d team up with for the best chance to win the AOY points title.
Swindle chose Welcher based on his love of Welcher’s dry sense of humor, and his ability to think outside the box as an angler. Sure enough, seven events later, there stood Swindle with a congratulatory arm around Welcher as he held the AOY trophy backstage on the banks of the St. Lawrence River.
“I talked to Kyle last winter before the season started, and I could tell he was pretty mad at himself for not fishing well in the 2022. When he showed up at Okeechobee for the first event of this season, I could tell he was rifle focused, and when you couple that with his natural talent and out-of-the-box thinking, you’ve got a dangerous young competitor on your hands,” reflects Swindle, one of the few men in history to win more than one Bassmaster AOY title.
Swindle says Welcher’s versatility reminds him a lot of his own, and that the 30-year old’s exceptional analytical thought process enables him to break-down a fishery in a manner that often puts him ahead of the competition.
“The nickname “Stone Cold Kyle Welcher” fits him well. He’s an ice water in his veins kind of competitor, and that will carry you a really long way in a sport that’s filled with so many natural highs and lows,” reasons Swindle.
“His approach to our sport reminds me a lot of myself, especially when I was his age. But I gotta tell ya, he’s got way better hair than I did back then,” laughs Swindle.
It seems Swindle’s prediction was actually far more a case of “it takes one to know one” than a lucky guess six months ago when it comes to knowing what constitutes an angler’s chances of winning a Bassmaster Angler of the Year title.
Swindle would certainly know. He’s got two of them.
How the Global DAIWA Bass Team Dominated
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U.S.A.’s Patrick Walters takes tops (105 lbs.) at the St. Lawrence River B.A.S.S. Elite; Canada’s Chris Johnston finishes second (103-12); Japan’s Kyoya Fujita places third (102-5) – a DAIWA Bass Pro trifecta win. |
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FOOTHILL RANCH, CA (September 19, 2023) – I there’s one thing anglers have learned in professional bass fishing over the past decade or so, it’s that the ability to catch smallmouth bass can pay huge dividends. Yes, long gone are the days of cashing big checks solely with the time-proven formula of power fishing, structure flipping, and running shorelines/docks. With a very diverse roadmap of tournament locations across the United States, B.A.S.S. has chosen numerous bodies of waters with healthy smallmouth bass populations. Thus, today’s well-rounded pro bass angler cannot only pull green fish from junk and shallow waters, they must dial in deeper, offshore brown (and green) fish bites. Case in point: Gussy’s Classic win. Such was the case at the recent B.A.S.S. Elite event on the St. Lawrence River where DAIWA pros representing the U.S., Canada, and Japan finished first, second, and third, respectively, all with 100-plus-pound bags of giant Great Lakes bronzebacks. The three DAIWA bass pros earned Century Club belts, an outstanding achievement, especially with 100% smallmouth bass weighed. |
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Patrick Walters (Photo courtesy of B.A.S.S.) |
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On Patrick Walters’ Win 29-year-old Eutawville, South Carolina native and DAIWA bass pro, Patrick Walters, says for the longest time he couldn’t catch smallmouths to save his life. “I used to pull up on a bunch of two-pounders and catch ‘em for an hour or two and think I was doing good. After all, that would be a good day for us down south. But that’s not how you play the game competing on big smallmouth waters with competitors like the Johnston brothers, Gussy, and the other Northern guys who really know how to catch big smallmouths,” relays Walters. “Growing up in South Carolina, we don't have access to smallmouth fishing on big water. We caught some, sure, but they were smaller fish from river streams. I just didn’t grow up fishing smallies at the level it takes to compete now. We don’t fish ‘em like that in the south. I had to learn from other guys on tour.” Walters says it’s hard to believe just how good the Johnston brothers and Gussy are at catching big smallmouth bass. “I love fishing with them and against them because it makes all the anglers better as a whole, because they are going to catch them, and competition drives success. Bass fishing is just like college football. If Alabama plays a small school they might not bring out their best. But if they're playing LSU, everybody shows up and plays. Same for fishing: you play toward your competition and competition drives success. You must up your game fishing against the best smallmouth bass anglers in the world. It took me three seasons on the Elite Series to go from zero smallmouth skills to where I’m at today. I had no idea how to target big smallies on large bodies of water. I listened to what these guys had to say and learned to be better from the absolute best in the game.” |
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“The new Tatula MQ LT spinning reel is the best reel on the market—and that comes from someone who also owns more expensive models. For $200, you just can’t go wrong. Absolutely tournament-grade. And no-fail. The drag is so smooth the fish almost fight longer because they don’t feel anything. It’s not jerky, it’s super smooth,” remarks Walters. |
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Specifically, what did you learn from these guys about catching smallies on big waters? “First, If you're not catching them, you're not around them. That’s probably the biggest thing. They group up by size. However, you must find ‘em, so you have to cover a lot of water—and find out what kind of structure they’re relating to and what forage they’re eating. That’s the biggest thing,” shares Walters. Walters says he also learned to keep moving until he finds aggressive fish. “Dave Mercer helped me a lot because he was like, ‘Patrick, you're gonna be really good at smallmouth someday’ and he recommended I go out and fish like I normally fish and avoid overthinking it. So, fishing big-water smallies has become fun for me. It’s almost like saltwater fishing. Once you find the bait and you find the right structure, the fish are there every single time. So just move until you find the aggressive fish.” Walters, an alum of the University of South Carolina bass fishing team, won the 2015 National Championship (Lake Murray), and his progression onto the national B.A.S.S. tour and Elite Series since 2019 has been outstanding from the get-go. Still, and again admittedly, he had trouble catching the caliber of smallmouths needed to compete at some events. “I have a history of struggling on the St. Lawrence,” divulges Walters. “But I learned a lot over time from the guys who are good at catching big smallies, like fellow DAIWA pro, Chris Johnston. So, to capitalize on what was a real deficiency in my game feels good now—even better that I weighed over 100 pounds at this Elite and earned my third Century Belt.” Not only did Walters surpass the 100 pound mark, he did it with a surplus of five pounders for an even 105 pounds weight, the heaviest finish with all smallmouth bass in B.A.S.S. Elite tournament history. “I told my wife afterwards, ‘I’ve got no complaints on the win whatsoever, but why can’t we win a typical 80-pound tournament?’” |
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Photo courtesy of B.A.S.S. |
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Pre-Fishing the St. Lawrence/Lake Ontario Turns out Walters only had two-and-a-half days of practice prior to the recent St. Lawrence Elite event. “I caught a good one the first day, but ran 138 miles around Lake Ontario looking for the right fish. But I didn’t dial anything in. And the wind steadily picked up, so I decided to play it safe and find fish in the St. Lawrence river,” says Walters. “Honestly, I don’t like fishing the river. It’s a good fishery, but the lake is one of my top three favorite fisheries in the world. And both fish completely different. So, I did what I do and that’s fish to the conditions and not history. By 1 pm the first day I had 17 pounds, and it was really windy. I wanted to get out and hunker down on the lake but just didn’t do it. I was nervous at 1 pm. I was shooting for 20 pounds. So, I moved to another spot. I was fishing down a shoal and could see fish, but they wouldn’t bite. Then all of a sudden a big one followed my bait to the boat and that got my hopes up. I dropped straight down, and it weighed 6-1. I was like ‘here we go, we got us a big fish!’ I had a 2-10 and a 3-5 in the livewell so all I needed was two more good fish. Walters decided to run farther upriver to a hump he’d marked on his map during pre-fishing—and caught fish on a couple years prior. One of his first few casts he was rewarded with a 4-12, leaving him in need of one more big fish. With about 30 minutes to weigh-in he kept casting, knowing the ride back to the launch would take him 15 minutes. He proceeded to catch four 12-inch fish and was almost ready to call it quits when something told him to drop his bait down again quick. Good thing. Walters hoisted a 5-1. “It was like everything was just meant to be. So, I pulled up to the next hump with just minutes to fish and caught three right away, including a 4-14. I pulled up the trolling motor and told my marshal, a French-Canadian named Pierre, that we were heading in and all he could do was cheer. It was pretty cool. So, we went from 17 to 24 pounds in 45 minutes. That’s just how it goes sometimes.” Walters ran back out to the spot on Day 2, but it was vacant of any activity until he pulled right on top of the hump and caught a 3-pounder. “So, I Spot-Locked and caught four fish in a row right on top, bringing my weight to 17-19. Then all I needed was a five-pounder. Then by 10:30 – in two and a half hours – I had 27 pounds. On Day 1 I had 24 and tied for ninth, then caught 27 on Day 2. So, I felt like we reached our goal weight. So, I spent the rest of day just pre-fishing around,” recalls Walters. |
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Patrick Walters (Photo courtesy of B.A.S.S.) |
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On Day 3, Walters returned to the spot, but it was no longer loaded. “Thinking about it now, I could have caught more on Day 2 if I had leaned into them, but smallies move around and you just don’t know what they’re going to do. Still, on Day 3, I caught 24 or 25 pounds off the spot and thought that was pretty good. Then, every time I’d pull up to a new spot, I’d catch a 5-pounder, ending up at 28-5 on Day 3. I mean, I culled a 5-2 and a 5-3; you just don’t do that. I was triple-checking weights. It was nerve-racking. But it was magical. I was literally giggling,” recounts Walters. Walters returned to the weigh-in an hour early and we knew we were sitting good. “You don’t really cull after you catch 28-5 in smallmouths,” says Walters. He says the fourth day was pretty touch with an east wind and something possibly going on with barometric pressure and currents changing. “I went to my main area right away because I knew I needed 20 pounds to break the Century mark and a possible win. One of my first spots had a ton of 4-and-a-half pounders on it. I caught a couple and ended up hitting 20 pounds by 10:30. Then I hit 21 by 1 pm and finished the day on a point where Chris Johnston and Fujita both set up on, too, probably 50 to 100 yards from me. Then Corey Johnston pulls up and there are four of us all working the same point. Then, with 45 minutes remaining I hit 23 pounds. Then Chris caught a 5-4 right in front of me. I could hear his heavy breaking and hollered at him to quiet down. That’s how close we were. I was just giving him a hard time; really respect those guys a lot. So, I turned the corner of the point and caught another good one that put me on top. Again, it was just magical. It’s hard to explain how everything went; it was almost like it was meant to be. Everything just lined up perfectly.” |
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Chris Johnston |
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Forage, Techniques, and Tackle While there are many different forage types available to fish on Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence River, Walters thinks the fish he was targeting were feeding primarily on round gobies. That said, bottom-baits were in order: Ned Rigs, tubes, and in Walters’ case, shorter leader drop-shot rigs. “Without a doubt, the drop-shot is the number one smallmouth tournament presentation out there. It’s just super-efficient. In later fall you might want to throw a bladebait or Rattle Trap but for me, the drop-shot was key.” Walters had eight rod & reel combos on deck during the event: two drop-shots on reserve and two that he alternated between while casting. Walters’ Main Drop-Shot Rod, Reel, Line, & Tackle: DAIWA 7’ Tatula Elite AGS Medium-Light Power Cody Meyers “Finesse” Drop Shot Spinning Rod (BLXSG6101LFS); DAIWA Tatula MQ LT 4000; 8-lb. Sufix 832 braid (blue color) to 8-lb. Sufix Advance fluorocarbon; VMC Finesse Neko Hook; VMC 3/8-ounce tungsten tear drop drop-shot weight; various minnow- and creature-style soft plastics. “The new Tatula MQ LT spinning reel is the best reel on the market—and that comes from someone who also owns more expensive models. For $200, you just can’t go wrong. Absolutely tournament-grade. And no-fail. The drag is so smooth the fish almost fight longer because they don’t feel anything. It’s not jerky, it’s super smooth,” remarks Walters. Walters’ Finesse Drop-Shot Rod, Reel, Line, & Tackle: DAIWA 6’10” BLX Light Power, Fast Action Spinning Rod (BLXSG6101LFS); DAIWA Tatula MQ LT 4000; 6-lb. Sufix 832 braid (blue color) to 6-lb. Sufix Advance fluorocarbon; VMC Finesse Neko Hook; VMC 3/8-ounce tungsten tear drop drop-shot weight; various small minnow- and creature-style soft plastics. “The 6’10” BLX Light Action Power Spinning Rod is the same stick the Johnston brothers use,” divulges Walters. “While its power is rated light, it’s super light. I use it to catch bream and shad at home in South Carolina. Anyway, they got me hooked on it about two years ago. While it’s a light power rod, you can hook fish and never lose one. And I use the same Tatula MQ LT 4000 reel with it. I like the larger spool for farther casts, the fact that its size also prevents fluoro from coiling, and overall, it just balances with the rod better. I come from the saltwater school, so I’ve always loved bigger reels. With this rig I’ll nose-hook smaller baits when smallies are finicky. It’s the perfect set-up for that.” |
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Kyoya Fujita (Photo courtesy of B.A.S.S.) |
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Advice To Young, Aspiring Bass Pros Although there was no high school bass fishing team at the time of Walters primary schooling, he did sign up for the University of South Carolina bass fishing team on his first day of college. Still a young man himself at 27 years old, Walters has some words of wisdom for up-and-coming young bass anglers. “The first thing is fish and enjoy it. Get your education and don’t be too worried about trying to make it professionally, getting sponsors, and all of that. Just have fun. If you’re good at it, bass fishing will take you where you need to be. But make your education top priority,” advises Walters. “But never miss a tournament. I always operated on the notion that you can always retake a class, but you can’t ever retake a tournament. And if a teacher won’t let you out of class, I’d tell them you’ll see them next semester. At least for me, I wasn’t going to miss a single tournament. That’s just how it was,” continues Walters. A Word From DAIWA DAIWA Seinor Marketing Manager, Marc Mills, concludes: “This was an historical event for Daiwa and professional bass fishing. We feel very honored to have what we feel is the strongest professional bass team in the industry—and I think this recent Elite event on the St. Lawrence illustrates that. Patrick (USA) took first, Chris Johnston (CANADA) finished second, and Kyoya Fujita (JAPAN) placed third – and all with over 100 pounds of Great Lakes smallmouth bass, hitting the Century Mark in one event. It just illustrates that DAIWA is a global fishing manufacturer catering to the high-end needs of anglers from around the world, whether they’re top-performing pro anglers or those just starting up with the sport.” |
Travel Tuesday - The Ten Commandments of Tough Times - El Salto Edition
By Pete Robbins - Half Past First Cast
Lake El Salto is a remarkably fertile and prolific fishery, but that doesn’t mean you can throw out just any lure at any time and expect to get blasted by your new PB. There are times when it may seem that way, and the Florida-strain bass can be voracious, but they don’t grow big by being dumb. Furthermore, there are times when the bite is tough. Fortunately, that’s not often. In approximately 20 fishing trips South of the Border, we’ve had approximately 10 that were “trips of a lifetime,” maybe seven that were very good to exceptional, and three where we had to work for our bite. Unfortunately, the one we just completed was in that last trio.
While I just characterized the trip as “tough,” that statement deserves a bit of context. One day on this last trip, Hanna and I caught 70 bass, including one almost 8 pounds. Our new friend Sara Smith caught an 8+ PB on her first cast, and then beat it with an 8-15 a short time later. Two other members of our group topped the 9 pound mark. What it came down to was that the bite existed in windows and you had to offer up the right presentation at the proper time in the perfect place to have some success.
I hope that your next trip to Mexico is as good as or better than one of our best ones, but in case it’s not – here’s how to turn unmet expectations into a successful trip.
FIRST, remember that the fish didn’t go anywhere. At some point during each day you will be within a long cast or two of a double digit, possibly a teener. You can sulk over the fact that the bite is tougher than usual, or you can put that energy into positive thoughts and focus.
SECOND, pay MORE attention than usual. On our June 2013 trip to El Salto we stopped taking pictures of fish under 6 or 7 pounds after a few days because they were taking time away from keeping our baits wet. On those types of trips, you can take a few chances with your gear. On a trip like this one, however, where every five-plus is a reason to high-five, it’s easy to get distracted and fail to retie or change lures or set the hook properly. That inattention will bite you in the ass, because just when you least expect it, that’s when gigantor will strike.
THIRD, trust your guide. Some of them may be quiet and non-demonstrative, but they want you to catch fish. Their livelihood literally depends upon it. They all know the lake well after years of guiding it. Some of them even walked the lake’s floor before it was impounded. You may think they’re fishing too fast, too slow, too deep or too shallow, and indeed it might not be your preferred pace or strategy, but their methods are time-tested. More often than not they’re doing it right.
FOURTH, start early and stay late. On this most recent trip, 80 percent of our fish came on soft plastics fished slowly. Each morning and evening, though, there was a brief window when a few big’uns would absolutely crush a Rio Rico or in some cases a smartly-presented jerkbait. Those who dicked around too long at breakfast or came in early for happy hour often ended up missing those chances – and those time periods often produced the biggest fish of the day or the trip.
FIFTH, if you’re gonna upsize, you’ve gotta mean it. If you’ve got balls the size of grapefruits, one strategy for combatting a tough bite is to go exclusively to really big baits – giant swimbaits and the like – in search of one or two mega-bites. It sounds good on paper, but it’s a commitment physically and mentally. Are you prepared to go back to dinner, or back home after the trip, and tell everyone that you blanked? Or had one blowup that clobbered it and got off? If so, go for it. If not, steer clear.
SIXTH, remember that finesse has variations. We caught lots of fish this week on smallish baits like 5-inch Senkos and even shakey heads, but that doesn’t mean you could throw little plastics at every bank and expect to get consistent bites. Hanna did better on the shakey head than on the Senko, while I found the opposite to be true. Our friends Sara and Stuart Smith switched from green pumpkin and watermelon Senkos to blue ones, and suddenly their catch rate increased. Others found that they had to use some tungsten to get the desired fall rate, but anything more than an 1/8 ounce was less effective. Don’t go crazy, but don’t get stagnant, either.
SEVENTH, remember that finesse has limitations. We were throwing our shakey heads on 17-pound test line. I’ve never gone lower than 14 there. I suppose that you could, but the size and strength of the fish, combined with their razor-sharp (by bass standards) teeth and the abundance of heavy cover, would make me nervous to go any lower. I’m sure that there are times you could massage a giant or two through the trees, but I feel like it’s more apt to end in heartbreak.
EIGHTH, don’t suck the energy out of the camp with your negativity. Yes, I know that your friend just caught his PB. The group before you averaged over a hundred a day. You didn’t expect it to be this tough. If you’re a Negative Nancy, though, it’s going to screw things up for everyone. Not only does it make you less likely to succeed (for the reasons explained in Number Two, above), but it detracts from everyone else’s enjoyment. You’re on site, you’ve planned for this event, now make the most of what’s in front of you. To be totally honest, I need to follow my own advice on this one. I don’t get pissy or angry when the bite is tough, but I tend to get inside myself and stew quietly. I’ve been lucky to go to one of the greatest bass fisheries on earth a ridiculous number of times and if I never catch another bass I’ll still be equally fortunate.
NINTH, an actual fishing tip: Give your lure a little stop n go. I have caught dozens of El Salto fish on a Carolina Rig as I reeled it back to the boat, usually when I made a quick pause. At other times I’ve lost them on that semi-unexpected strike when I failed to pause. Even when I’m fishing the Rico fast, I’ll integrate some stoppages. The best jerkbait bite this past week came on long pauses. I’m not sure what it is about these fish, but many of them are late to commit and you can use that to your advantage.
TENTH, just because it was tough at this particular time, under these particular conditions, don’t avoid rebooking at the same time. This is a weird lake, in a good way. There’s not necessarily a magic formula – strong wind, no wind, high water, low water, etc. – that causes excellence or struggles. There’s a reason it’s booked year after year and most of the clients are return customers.
Remember, most of the time El Salto is like pizza and sex – even when it’s “bad” it’s good. If you’d like to book a trip and see for yourself, email us today and we’ll get you there.
INTRODUCING THE 1912 PERFECT FLY REEL BY HARDY FLY FISHING
A tribute to Timeless Craftsmanship and Heritage
COLUMBIA, S.C. (Sept. 19, 2023) — Hardy Fly Fishing, a name synonymous with innovation and master craftsmanship, is proud to announce the release of its latest masterpiece: The 1912 Perfect Fly Reel. A modern rendition of an iconic reel, this piece is set to captivate both anglers and collectors alike.
Crafted in the heart of Alnwick, England, by the renowned Hardy Bros master craftsmen, the 1912 Perfect Fly Reel embodies over a century of fly fishing expertise and passion. This reel is not just a fishing tool; it's a piece of history brought to life in the hands of modern anglers.
“In every turn and click of the 1912 Perfect Fly Reel, you’ll find a seamless blend of history and modern innovation. At Hardy, our commitment to unparalleled craftsmanship and dedication to the sport is unwavering,” said Jim Murphy, Director of Fly Fishing for Hardy. “This reel is a testament to our journey over the years, capturing the essence of our heritage and the vision for the future in one exquisite piece. It's more than just a reel; it’s a part of the Hardy legacy.”
Since its inception, Hardy Fly Fishing has been at the forefront of fly fishing innovation. The original 1912 Perfect reel is a reflection of this legacy — a reel that, in its time, set the standard for reliability and craftsmanship. The reimagined 1912 Perfect Fly Reel is not just a nod to our illustrious past; it’s a celebration of a rich heritage that continues to inspire and shape the future of fly fishing.
KEY FEATURES:
- Iconic 1912 Check Mechanism: A testament to its original design, providing an unparalleled user experience.
- Red Agate Line Guard: A nod to the quality and craftsmanship owned only by Hardy
- Classic Narrow Spool Design: Faithfully capturing the timeless aesthetics of its predecessor.
- Deep Anodized Gunmetal Finish: A robust, sleek finish that ensures longevity and elegance.
- Material Excellence: Engineered from bar stock aluminum with a naval brass 1-piece spindle, this reel boasts not only beauty but durability.
- Available in both left and right-hand models to cater to all angling enthusiasts.
- Authentic Hardy Reel Pouch: Each reel is supplied in a soft leather, sheepskin-lined Hardy reel pouch, a luxurious touch for safe storage and transport.
MSRP: The 1912 Perfect Fly Reel is available immediately with an MSRP of $895.
For anglers and collectors who cherish the history and legacy of fly fishing, the 1912 Perfect Fly Reel is more than just a reel; it's an embodiment of tradition and innovation, capturing the soul of Hardy Fly Fishing.
The Next Bite TV Educating the Fishing Masses Powered by X2Power Batteries
The Next Bite TV crew has partnered with X2Power Batteries and will be educating their fanbase on how to best use their premium AGM and lithium batteries
HARTLAND, Wisc. (Sept. 19, 2023) – X2Power Batteries, a trailblazer in advanced battery solutions, is proud to announce a groundbreaking partnership with The Next Bite TV, a leading name in fishing entertainment and education. This collaboration is set to redefine the fishing industry by introducing state-of-the-art battery technology to power the next generation of angling adventures.
The partnership between X2Power Batteries and The Next Bite TV is driven by a shared commitment to education, sustainability, and enhancing the angler's experience. X2Power Batteries brings to the table a range of high-performing lithium and AGM batteries designed to exceed the demands of any angler or boater. In parallel, The Next Bite TV, a respected authority in fishing entertainment, is dedicated to educating and entertaining anglers of all skill levels. By integrating X2Power's battery technology into their fishing expeditions, The Next Bite TV will showcase the advantages of these batteries in real-world fishing scenarios. Viewers can look forward to insightful content that highlights the ways in which X2Power's batteries can elevate their fishing experiences.
"We are thrilled to embark on this partnership with The Next Bite TV," said Shawn Budiac, VP of Category Management of X2Power Batteries. "As we continue to support anglers and boaters alike, we recognize the importance of collaborating with a visionary partner like The Next Bite TV. Together, we will assist in educating anglers on how to best and most efficiently power their vessel."
In response, Chase Parsons, host of The Next Bite TV, expressed excitement about the collaboration. "At The Next Bite TV, we're always seeking ways to enhance the fishing experience for our audience.Partnering with X2Power Batteries aligns perfectly with our mission. We can't wait to demonstrate the advantages of these batteries in our fishing adventures and share the benefits with our viewers."
Dowell Posts Win at Two-Day Phoenix Bass Fishing League Super Tournament on Old Hickory Lake
GALLATIN, Tenn. (Sept. 18, 2023) – Boater Ryan Dowell of Brandenburg, Kentucky, caught 10 bass weighing 31 pounds, 2 ounces, to win the two-day MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine on Old Hickory Lake in Gallatin, Tennessee. The tournament, hosted by Sumner County Tourism, was the fifth and final regular-season event for the Bass Fishing League Music City Division. Dowell earned $4,944 for his victory.
“I practiced Thursday up the river and caught most of my fish on topwater,” Dowell said. “I found a creek that had a few good fish in it, and I didn’t hook very many of them in practice; I kind of left them alone. I didn’t really know what it would turn into. But, on Saturday, I went there and got my limit pretty quickly, and ended up picking up a big one on the main river.
“Sunday, I went there, caught my limit, culled two or three times, and had what I had,” Dowell went on to say.
Dowell said he never left the creek during the tournament and relied on a buzzbait and spinnerbait thrown near any wood, with the bigger bass coming from cover hanging over water 5 to 6 feet deep. Dowell said he approached the final weigh-in doubtful of his chances for a win.
“I had a bad feeling when I came in that I didn’t have enough,” Dowell said. “I thought I needed one more kicker. But I had a little bit more weight than I thought I had.”
Dowell’s fears of not having enough weight turned out to be unfounded, as he won by more than 4 pounds.
“This win is a relief,” Dowell said. “You never know if you’re good enough to win or not. Being able to get it done feels really good.”
The top 10 boaters finished the tournament in:
2nd: Josh Womack, Gallatin, Tenn., 10 bass, 26-11, $2,372
3rd: Brandon Edel, Hendersonville, Tenn., 10 bass, 26-6, $1,579
4th: Anthony Guffie, Lafayette, Tenn., 10 bass, 25-15, $1,107
5th: Preston Henson, College Grove, Tenn., nine bass, 23-3, $949
6th: Gavin Daniels, Kingston, Tenn., 10 bass, 21-10, $870
7th: Garrett Albert, Winchester, Tenn., nine bass, 20-15, $791
8th: Beau Grissim, Lebanon, Tenn., 10 bass, 20-5, $712
9th: Brady Duncan, Lebanon, Tenn., nine bass, 20-4, $633
10th: Wade Werner, Portland, Tenn., 10 bass, 19-14, $1,123
Wade Werner of Portland, Tennessee, had a bass that weighed 5 pounds, 3 ounces that was the heaviest of the event in the Boater Division and earned the Berkley Big Bass Boater award of $570.
The top 10 Strike King co-anglers were:
2nd: Rocky Williams, Portland, Tenn., eight bass, 19-8, $1,660
3rd: Eric White, Cullman, Ala., eight bass, 16-10, $790
4th: Gilbert Jolley, Livingston, Tenn., eight bass, 14-11, $552
5th: Kenny Botts, Alvaton, Ky., six bass, 12-9, $473
6th: Larry Billings, Murfreesboro, Tenn., seven bass, 12-5, $434
7th: Lamar Oxford, Dale, Ind., six bass, 11-10, $394
8th: Darren Kelly, Wartburg, Tenn., six bass, 11-9, $505
9th: Mark Talbert, Dickson, Tenn., five bass, 9-9, $315
10th: Justin Clark, White House, Tenn., four bass, 8-14, $276
With the regular season now complete, boater Josh Womack of Gallatin, Tennessee, won the 2023 Bass Fishing League Music City Division Boater Angler of the Year (AOY) race with a five-event total of 1,308 points to earn the $1,000 boater AOY award. Rocky Williams of Portland, Tennessee, won the 2023 Strike King Co-Angler Music City Division AOY race with 1,350 points and earned the $500 Strike King Co-angler of the Year award.
Now, the top 45 boaters and co-anglers in the division based on point standings, along with the five winners of each qualifying event, will advance to compete in the Oct. 12-14 Bass Fishing League Regional Championship on Lake Eufaula in Eufaula, Alabama. Boaters will fish for a top award of $60,000, including a new Phoenix 819 Pro with a 200-horsepower Mercury outboard and $10,000, while co-anglers will compete for a top award of $50,000, including a new Phoenix 819 Pro with a 200-horsepower Mercury outboard.
The 2023 Phoenix BFL Presented by T-H Marine is a 24-division circuit devoted to weekend anglers, with 128 events throughout the season, five qualifying tournaments in each division. The top 45 boaters and Strike King co-anglers from each division, along with the five qualifying event winners, will advance to one of six BFL Regional tournaments where they are competing to finish in the top six, which then qualifies them for one of the longest-running championships in all of competitive bass fishing – the BFL All-American.
The top 45 boaters and Strike King co-anglers plus tournament winners from each Phoenix Bass Fishing League division will also earn priority entry into the MLF Toyota Series, the pathway to the MLF Tackle Warehouse Invitationals and ultimately the MLF Bass Pro Tour.
Proud sponsors of the 2023 MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine include: 13 Fishing, Abu Garcia, B&W Trailer Hitches, Berkley, Black Rifle Coffee, E3, Epic Baits, Favorite Fishing, General Tire, Grundéns, Gill, Lew’s, Lowrance, Mercury, Mossy Oak, Mystik Lubricants, Onyx, Phoenix, Polaris, Power-Pole, Strike King, Tackle Warehouse, T-H Marine, Toyota, Wiley X and YETI.
For complete details and updated tournament information, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular Bass Fishing League updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF5’s social media outlets at Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.
Mohn Records Back-to-Back Wins With Two-Day Phoenix Bass Fishing League Super Tournament on Mississippi River at La Crosse
LA CROSSE, Wis. (Sept. 18, 2023) – Boater Dan Mohn of Lansing, Iowa, caught 10 bass weighing 37 pounds, 4 ounces, to win the two-day MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine on the Mississippi River at La Crosse Presented by FVP in La Crosse, Wisconsin. The tournament, hosted by Explore La Crosse, was the fifth and final regular-season event for the Bass Fishing League Great Lakes Division. Mohn earned $7,534 for his victory.
Mohn has been hot as of late, and his Super Tournament win comes on the heels of a BFL win on the Mississippi River at Prairie du Chien on Aug. 19.
“The fish are starting to move into the current a little more, into more of a fall-transition period,” Mohn said. “I was looking for a mix of grass and rock, and if it had some wood nearby, that was even better. The big thing was that what I was fishing just needed some bait around it. It was a typical fall, find-the-bait, find-the-fish type of thing.”
Although he fished in both Pool 8 and Pool 9, Mohn said his bigger fish came out of Pool 8 both days. He employed a variety of baits during the tournament, including a SPRO topwater walking bait, a jig tipped with a Big Bite Baits College Craw trailer, a SPRO Essential Series Aruku Shad Lipless Crankbait , a SPRO Mike McClelland McStick 115 Jerkbait, and a Missile Baits D Bomb Creature Bait. His tactics produced a mixed bag, composed of primarily largemouth.
“The fall pattern really plays to my strengths,” Mohn said. “I’ve had a really great run coming off my last BFL win. I’ve had a couple of other wins in some other events recently. My confidence is sky-high right now. I got a new boat after the last BFL win, and it’s been treating me well so far.”
The top 10 boaters finished the tournament in:
2nd: Jeff Ritter, Prairie du Chien, Wis., 10 bass, 33-0, $3,102
3rd: Fernando Lobato, Sparta, Wis., 10 bass, 31-5, $2,404 (includes $500 Phoenix MLF Contingency Bonus)
4th: Cade Laufenberg, Onalaska, Wis., 10 bass, 30-14, $1,331
5th: Chris Aswegan, Tiffin, Iowa, 10 bass, 29-10, $1,141
6th: Brandon Gann, Sparta, Wis., 10 bass, 29-9, $1,046
7th: Kyle Seubert, Chaseburg, Wis., 10 bass, 29-1, $951
8th: Severin Tubbin, Viroqua, Wis., 10 bass, 28-14, $856
9th: Brandyn Baum, La Crosse, Wis., 10 bass, 28-1, $1,139
10th: Casey Goode, La Crosse, Wis., 10 bass, 27-9, $665
Mike Brueggen and Brandyn Baum, both of La Crosse, Wisconsin, both had bass that weighed 4 pounds, 11 ounces that were the heaviest of the event in the Boater Division. Each angler earned a Berkley Big Bass Boater award of $378.
Justin Oppegard of Eagen, Minnesota, won the Strike King Co-angler Division and $2,852 Sunday after catching a two-day total of eight bass weighing 19 pounds, 13 ounces.
The top 10 Strike King co-anglers were:
2nd: Will Ahnen, Fennimore, Wis., eight bass, 19-6, $1,576
3rd: Logan Sullivan, Waunakee, Wis., eight bass, 18-15, $950
4th: Jason Swanson, Waterloo, Iowa, nine bass, 18-9, $666
5th: Chris Stelter, Chisago, Minn., eight bass, 18-8, $570
6th: Richard Conrad, Arcadia, Wis., nine bass, 18-5, $923
7th: Thad Vettrus, Chippewa Falls, Wis., eight bass, 16-13, $475
8th: Brian Brecka, Alma, Wis., eight bass, 16-9, $428
9th: Brad Juen, La Crosse, Wis., eight bass, 16-2, $380
10th: Shane Kuehn, Bennington, Neb., seven bass, 14-10, $333
With the regular season now complete, boater Jeff Ritter of Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin, won the 2023 Bass Fishing League Great Lakes Division Boater Angler of the Year (AOY) race with a five-event total of 1,349 points to earn the $1,000 boater AOY award. Hertz Skaer of Holmen, Wisconsin, won the 2023 Strike King Co-Angler Great Lakes Division AOY race with 1,322 points and earned the $500 Strike King Co-angler of the Year award.
Now, the top 45 boaters and co-anglers in the division based on point standings, along with the five winners of each qualifying event, will advance to compete in the Oct. 19-21 Bass Fishing League Regional Championship on Lake of the Ozarks in Osage Beach, Missouri. Boaters will fish for a top award of $60,000, including a new Phoenix 819 Pro with a 200-horsepower Mercury outboard and $10,000, while co-anglers will compete for a top award of $50,000, including a new Phoenix 819 Pro with a 200-horsepower Mercury outboard.
The 2023 Phoenix BFL Presented by T-H Marine is a 24-division circuit devoted to weekend anglers, with 128 events throughout the season, five qualifying tournaments in each division. The top 45 boaters and Strike King co-anglers from each division, along with the five qualifying event winners, will advance to one of six BFL Regional tournaments where they are competing to finish in the top six, which then qualifies them for one of the longest-running championships in all of competitive bass fishing – the BFL All-American.
The top 45 boaters and Strike King co-anglers plus tournament winners from each Phoenix Bass Fishing League division will also earn priority entry into the MLF Toyota Series, the pathway to the MLF Tackle Warehouse Invitationals and ultimately the MLF Bass Pro Tour.
Proud sponsors of the 2023 MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine include: 13 Fishing, Abu Garcia, B&W Trailer Hitches, Berkley, Black Rifle Coffee, E3, Epic Baits, Favorite Fishing, General Tire, Grundéns, Gill, Lew’s, Lowrance, Mercury, Mossy Oak, Mystik Lubricants, Onyx, Phoenix, Polaris, Power-Pole, Strike King, Tackle Warehouse, T-H Marine, Toyota, Wiley X and YETI.
For complete details and updated tournament information, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular Bass Fishing League updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF5’s social media outlets at Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.
Stalvey Probes Home-Waters to Win at Two-Day Phoenix Bass Fishing League Super Tournament on the St. Johns River
PALATKA, Fla. (Sept. 18, 2023) – Boater Lee Stalvey of Palatka, Florida, caught 10 bass weighing 43 pounds, 6 ounces, to win the two-day MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine on the St. Johns River in Palatka, Florida. The tournament, hosted by the Putnam County Tourist Development Council, was the fifth and final regular-season event for the Bass Fishing League Gator Division. Stalvey earned $6,362 for his victory.
“I went south the first day,” Stalvey said. “It went good, but it didn’t pan out like I’d planned. I had a big group of fish found, but I only caught one fish out of it. So, I didn’t feel really confident about going back to them.
“So, I went north this morning and stayed close to the ramp, but went to a ton of places,” Stalvey continued. “I was just checking different shell beds, docks and seawalls. I’ve fished this place for 35 years, so there’s tons of places I know. I ended up getting a couple of lucky big bites.”
Stalvey said he fished a variety of baits and techniques, including topwater in the morning, crankbaits, a Carolina rig, and a big worm. Stalvey said he hooked a large bass, an 8-pound, 3-ounce largemouth, that changed his outlook on the event.
“That fish really changed the ballgame,” Stalvey said. “I was rolling down the river and said, ‘You know what, I had some fish here in practice.’ There had been boats all over the spot Saturday, and then on Sunday nobody was there. I saw fish on the spot, and they were good ones. It hit my third cast with a ChatterBait. It was the only bite I got on a ChatterBait.”
Stalvey’s son, Parker, finished third in the tournament, and Stalvey said that fact made the win even more special for him.
“I’d been saying all along I’d love for him to win and for me to finish second,” Stalvey said.
The top 10 boaters finished the tournament in:
2nd: Lonnie Cercy, Middleburg, Fla., 10 bass, 39-14, $3,181
3rd: Parker Stalvey, Green Cove Springs, Fla., 10 bass, 39-8, $2,122
4th: Austin Black, East Palatka, Fla., 10 bass, 39-4, $1,485
5th: Tracen Phillips, Lake Placid, Fla., 10 bass, 33-11, $1,272
6th: Ryan Crowley, Fleming Island, Fla., 10 bass, 31-8, $1,166
7th: Joey Bloom, Winter Springs, Fla., 10 bass, 31-2, $1,560 (includes $500 Phoenix MLF Contingency Bonus)
8th: Aaron Yavorsky, Palm Harbor, Fla., 10 bass, 28-13, $954
9th: Cliff Prince, Palatka, Fla., 10 bass, 28-13, $848
10th: Allen Hopper, San Mateo, Fla., 10 bass, 28-13, $742
Earl Garcia of Tampa, Florida, had a bass that weighed 7 pounds, 3 ounces that was the heaviest of the event in the Boater Division and earned the Berkley Big Bass Boater award of $900.
The top 10 Strike King co-anglers were:
2nd: Garrett Gomes, Dunnellon, Fla., eight bass, 23-3, $1,591
3rd: Pat Herolt, Citrus Springs, Fla., 10 bass, 22-7, $1,061
4th: Tyler Lewis, Geneva, Fla., six bass, 17-2, $742
5th: Rodney Yavorsky, Palm Harbor, Fla., 10 bass, 16-11, $636
6th: Luke Cocke, Valdosta, Ga., six bass, 16-5, $783
7th: Dean Haughey, Babson Park, Fla., seven bass, 16-1, $530
8th: Doug Back, Monticello, Fla., eight bass, 13-5, $627
9th: Ben Arnold, LaFollette, Tenn., seven bass, 13-2, $424
10th: Chris Westhelle, Sanford, Fla., eight bass, 13-0, $371
With the regular season now complete, boater Brandon Medlock of Lake Placid, Florida, won the 2023 Bass Fishing League Gator Division Boater Angler of the Year (AOY) race with a five-event total of 1,254 points to earn the $1,000 boater AOY award. Tyler Nekolny of Coral Springs, Florida, won the 2023 Strike King Co-Angler Gator Division AOY race with 1,305 points and earned the $500 Strike King Co-angler of the Year award.
Now, the top 45 boaters and co-anglers in the division based on point standings, along with the five winners of each qualifying event, will advance to compete in the Oct. 12-14 Bass Fishing League Regional Championship on Lake Eufaula in Eufaula, Alabama. Boaters will fish for a top award of $60,000, including a new Phoenix 819 Pro with a 200-horsepower Mercury outboard and $10,000, while co-anglers will compete for a top award of $50,000, including a new Phoenix 819 Pro with a 200-horsepower Mercury outboard.
The 2023 Phoenix BFL Presented by T-H Marine is a 24-division circuit devoted to weekend anglers, with 128 events throughout the season, five qualifying tournaments in each division. The top 45 boaters and Strike King co-anglers from each division, along with the five qualifying event winners, will advance to one of six BFL Regional tournaments where they are competing to finish in the top six, which then qualifies them for one of the longest-running championships in all of competitive bass fishing – the BFL All-American.
The top 45 boaters and Strike King co-anglers plus tournament winners from each Phoenix Bass Fishing League division will also earn priority entry into the MLF Toyota Series, the pathway to the MLF Tackle Warehouse Invitationals and ultimately the MLF Bass Pro Tour.
Proud sponsors of the 2023 MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine include: 13 Fishing, Abu Garcia, B&W Trailer Hitches, Berkley, Black Rifle Coffee, E3, Epic Baits, Favorite Fishing, General Tire, Grundéns, Gill, Lew’s, Lowrance, Mercury, Mossy Oak, Mystik Lubricants, Onyx, Phoenix, Polaris, Power-Pole, Strike King, Tackle Warehouse, T-H Marine, Toyota, Wiley X and YETI.
For complete details and updated tournament information, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular Bass Fishing League updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF5’s social media outlets at Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.
Stoupa ‘Stays Put’, Wins Two-Day Phoenix Bass Fishing League Super Tournament on the Potomac River
Prince George Angler Also Earns Season-Long Angler of the Year Title
MARBURY, Md. (Sept. 18, 2023) – Boater Zachary Stoupa of Prince George, Virginia, caught 10 bass weighing 29 pounds, 1 ounce, to win the two-day MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine on the Potomac River in Marbury, Maryland. The tournament, hosted by the Charles County Board of Commissioners, was the fifth and final regular-season event for the Bass Fishing League Shenandoah Division. Stoupa earned $5,575 for his victory. Stoupa also secured the 2023 Bass Fishing League Shenandoah Division Boater Angler of the Year (AOY) race Sunday.
“Going into this event, I had a good lead in the Angler of the Year race, so my plan was to try and fish kind of close, so I didn’t have to make a long run anywhere,” Stoupa said. “I did a lot of damage in Mattawoman Creek, and that really worked out in my favor. I didn’t have to run very long to secure Angler of the Year and picked up a win in the process.”
Stoupa said he focused his efforts on grass where he had gotten bites in practice. Stoupa’s bait of choice for his mid-river fish was a vibrating jig. He said the key was “staying put and not running around” and sticking to where he knew he had located fish.
“I didn’t boat my first fish until about 11 o’clock,” Stoupa said. “It took off from there. I never really got nervous, though, because I knew I had locked up the Angler of the Year title, and that was my main goal this week. Making the second day of the tournament I knew I couldn’t finish worse than 19th, so that was a bonus.
“It’s been a great season,” Stoupa went on to say. “I can’t even find words for it. My worst finish was at Smith Mountain Lake, where I finished 14th, and I’ve had four top-10s. It’s just been a great year.”
The top 10 boaters finished the tournament in:
2nd: Myles Paugh, Aurora, W.V., 10 bass, 28-0, $2,787
3rd: Robert Henderson, King George, Va., 10 bass, 27-10, $1,860
4th: Adam Harkness, Hebron, Md., 10 bass, 27-4, $1,301
5th: Nathan Grose, Morgantown, W.V., 10 bass, 25-2, $1,615 (includes $500 Phoenix MLF Contingency Bonus)
6th: Frank Poirer, North Prince George, Va., 10 bass, 24-11, $1,022
7th: Nolan Gaskin, Broussard, La., 10 bass, 24-1, $929
8th: Fred Chandler, Mount Airy, Md., 10 bass, 23-10, $1,166
9th: Ron Ruosseau, Raleigh, N.C., 10 bass, 22-10, $743
10th: Chris Brummett, Lynch Station, Va., nine bass, 22-8, $1,150
Larry Freeman, Jr., of La Crosse, Virginia, won the Strike King Co-angler Division and $2,788 Sunday after catching a two-day total of 10 bass weighing 24 pounds, 2 ounces.
The top 10 Strike King co-anglers were:
2nd: Richard Williams, Sutherland, Va., nine bass, 22-3, $1,394
3rd: David Lewis, Abingdon, Md., seven bass, 19-10, $1,293
4th: Ted Kephart, Phillipsburg, Pa., nine bass, 19-4, $650
5th: Jeff Turner, Morris, Ill., nine bass, 19-0, $758
6th: Roland Gittings, Perryville, Md., eight bass, 18-3, $711
7th: Joseph Beckler, Great Mills, Md., nine bass, 18-1, $465
8th: Sean Lane, Culpeper, Va., 10 bass, 17-9, $418
9th: Todd Hurst, Copper Hill, Va., eight bass, 17-0, $372
10th: Robert Wedding, Welcome, Md., seven bass, 14-9, $325
Now, the top 45 boaters and co-anglers in the division based on point standings, along with the five winners of each qualifying event, will advance to compete in the Oct. 19-21 Bass Fishing League Regional Championship on Lake Norman in Huntersville, North Carolina. Boaters will fish for a top award of $60,000, including a new Phoenix 819 Pro with a 200-horsepower Mercury outboard and $10,000, while co-anglers will compete for a top award of $50,000, including a new Phoenix 819 Pro with a 200-horsepower Mercury outboard.
The 2023 Phoenix BFL Presented by T-H Marine is a 24-division circuit devoted to weekend anglers, with 128 events throughout the season, five qualifying tournaments in each division. The top 45 boaters and Strike King co-anglers from each division, along with the five qualifying event winners, will advance to one of six BFL Regional tournaments where they are competing to finish in the top six, which then qualifies them for one of the longest-running championships in all of competitive bass fishing – the BFL All-American.
The top 45 boaters and Strike King co-anglers plus tournament winners from each Phoenix Bass Fishing League division will also earn priority entry into the MLF Toyota Series, the pathway to the MLF Tackle Warehouse Invitationals and ultimately the MLF Bass Pro Tour.
Proud sponsors of the 2023 MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine include: 13 Fishing, Abu Garcia, B&W Trailer Hitches, Berkley, Black Rifle Coffee, E3, Epic Baits, Favorite Fishing, General Tire, Grundéns, Gill, Lew’s, Lowrance, Mercury, Mossy Oak, Mystik Lubricants, Onyx, Phoenix, Polaris, Power-Pole, Strike King, Tackle Warehouse, T-H Marine, Toyota, Wiley X and YETI.
For complete details and updated tournament information, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular Bass Fishing League updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF5’s social media outlets at Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.
Lawson Hibdon Scrambles, Secures ‘Surprise’ Victory at Two-Day Phoenix Bass Fishing League Super Tournament on Lake of the Ozarks
OSAGE BEACH, Mo. (Sept. 18, 2023) – Boater Lawson Hibdon of Versailles, Missouri, caught 10 bass weighing 32 pounds, 12 ounces, to win the two-day MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine on Lake of the Ozarks in Osage Beach, Missouri. The tournament, hosted by the Tri-County Loding Association, was the fifth and final regular-season event for the Bass Fishing League Ozark Division. Hibdon earned $7,695 for his victory.
The tournament was noted as a family affair for the Hibdon family – in addition to Lawson’s victory, father Dion finished the event in fourth place, while brother Payden ended the tournament in 10th.
“On Saturday, I caught 18 pounds in the first hour and a half,” Hibdon said. “Most of the day I shook them off because I knew that I’d be fishing on the second day. I shook off maybe 15 or so that I thought were good bites.
“I went back through that stuff on the second day and didn’t even get a bite; It was miserable,” Hibdon went on to say. “I was excited because the sun was supposed to come out and put the fish under the boat docks, like it’s supposed to do. But it wasn’t like that.”
Hibdon said he kept a 9/16-ounce Hibdon Hammer jig in his hand almost the entire tournament and admitted he threw a buzzbait “way too much.” He also relied on a 7-inch Bojangles Trickster worm on a shaky-head rig to catch bass.
“I didn’t get to practice at all, so when I got out there and saw how good it was, I was pretty excited,” Hibdon said. “I burned a full tank of gas the first day trying to figure out where I could catch them, and a full tank the second day trying to relocate them.”
Hibdon said he fished about three miles outside of the Grand Glaize area Sunday, then ran 45 miles into the Osage River.
“I had shaken a bunch off there the day before, and that’s where I really like to fish, and I got back there, and bites were non-existent,” Hibdon said. “I bailed and came back down the lake.
“I was just scrambling around trying to figure something out because I knew somebody was going to really catch them,” Hibdon said. “Somebody will always catch them here. This win was definitely a surprise. But it all turned out, and that’s all that matters.”
The top 10 boaters finished the tournament in:
2nd: Michael Harlin, Sunrise Beach, Mo., 10 bass, 31-15, $3,848
3rd: Brandon Ackerson, Afton, Okla., 10 bass, 30-10, $3,065 (includes $500 Phoenix MLF Contingency Bonus)
4th: Dion Hibdon, Versailles, Mo., 10 bass, 30-6, $1,796
5th: Jeremy Medina, Louisburg, Mo., 10 bass, 29-9, $1,539
6th: Nick Ault, Gravois Mills, Mo., 10 bass, 27-11, $1,411
7th: James Lewis, Osage Beach, Mo., 10 bass, 27-6, $1,283
8th: Ben Verhoef, Osage Beach, Mo., 10 bass, 26-15, $1,154
9th: Corey Cook, Lebanon, Mo., 10 bass, 26-14, $1,026
10th: Payden Hibdon, Versailles, Mo., 10 bass, 26-12, $898
Darrell Ivey, Jr., of Lebanon, Missouri, caught a bass weighing 6 pounds, 4 ounces that was the heaviest of the event in the Boater Division to earn the Berkley Big Bass Boater award of $1,200.
The top 10 Strike King co-anglers were:
2nd: Trenton White, Tipton, Mo., eight bass, 18-8, $1,924
3rd: Austin Chandler, Ketchum, Okla., nine bass, 16-3, $1,281
4th: Kevin Mahlke, Wentzville, Mo., six bass, 16-3, $898
5th: Christopher Fierce, Dixon, Mo., six bass, 15-8, $770
6th: Chris McClellan, Desoto, Mo., 10 bass, 15-2, $905
7th: Craig Rose, Olathe, Kansas, six bass, 14-15, $641
8th: Koby Murrell, Lebanon, Mo., seven bass, 14-2, $577
9th: Justin Layton, Kirbyville, Mo., seven bass, 14-0, $513
10th: Gary St. Clair, Hamilton, Mo., seven bass, 13-13, $449
With the regular season now complete, boater Brandon Ackerson of Afton, Oklahoma, won the 2023 Bass Fishing League Ozark Division Boater Angler of the Year (AOY) race with a five-event total of 1,265 points to earn the $1,000 boater AOY award. Adler Odle of Willow Springs, Missouri, won the 2023 Strike King Co-Angler Ozark Division AOY race with 1,245 points and earned the $500 Strike King Co-angler of the Year award.
Now, the top 45 boaters and co-anglers in the division based on point standings, along with the five winners of each qualifying event, will advance to compete in the Oct. 5-7 Bass Fishing League Regional Championship on Lake Eufaula in Eufaula, Oklahoma. Boaters will fish for a top award of $60,000, including a new Phoenix 819 Pro with a 200-horsepower Mercury outboard and $10,000, while co-anglers will compete for a top award of $50,000, including a new Phoenix 819 Pro with a 200-horsepower Mercury outboard.
The 2023 Phoenix BFL Presented by T-H Marine is a 24-division circuit devoted to weekend anglers, with 128 events throughout the season, five qualifying tournaments in each division. The top 45 boaters and Strike King co-anglers from each division, along with the five qualifying event winners, will advance to one of six BFL Regional tournaments where they are competing to finish in the top six, which then qualifies them for one of the longest-running championships in all of competitive bass fishing – the BFL All-American.
The top 45 boaters and Strike King co-anglers plus tournament winners from each Phoenix Bass Fishing League division will also earn priority entry into the MLF Toyota Series, the pathway to the MLF Tackle Warehouse Invitationals and ultimately the MLF Bass Pro Tour.
Proud sponsors of the 2023 MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine include: 13 Fishing, Abu Garcia, B&W Trailer Hitches, Berkley, Black Rifle Coffee, E3, Epic Baits, Favorite Fishing, General Tire, Grundéns, Gill, Lew’s, Lowrance, Mercury, Mossy Oak, Mystik Lubricants, Onyx, Phoenix, Polaris, Power-Pole, Strike King, Tackle Warehouse, T-H Marine, Toyota, Wiley X and YETI.
For complete details and updated tournament information, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular Bass Fishing League updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF5’s social media outlets at Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.
Illinois’ McNamara claims overall title at 2023 Skeeter Bassmaster High School Combine
Eli French of Lucedale, Miss., (Technical Challenge), Joe McNamara of Rockford, Ill., (Technical Challenge & Overall), Dylan Sorrells of Dallas, Texas, (Casting Accuracy) and Tanner Hamilton of Winter Park, Fla., (Long-Distance Casting) took home awards at the 2023 Skeeter Boats Bassmaster High School Combine.
Photos by Kyle Jessie/B.A.S.S.
September 18, 2023
DECATUR, Ala. — Talented high school anglers from across the U.S. gathered for the third Skeeter Boats Bassmaster High School Combine on Wheeler Lake in Decatur, Ala., for a weekend combining skills challenges and recruiting visits in hopes of reeling in college fishing offers. After three challenges — Long-Distance Casting, Technical and Casting Accuracy — the Combine’s overall points winner was Joe McNamara of Rockford, Ill.
With a three-event total of 368 points, the junior at Boylan Catholic High School took home the Overall Skills Competition trophy. In addition to the Overall trophy, McNamara also tied for the win in the Technical Challenge with fellow competitor Eli French of Lucedale, Miss.
When McNamara heard about the Bassmaster High School Combine early last year, he knew he wanted to be a part of the event to help put his fishing career on the fast track to success.
“There’s really no other event like this,” McNamara said. “We signed up the day that registration opened just to make sure we could be here.”
The Illinois angler took full advantage of being exposed to the top college fishing programs in the country by finishing inside the Top 10 in all three skills challenges and winning the Overall Skills Challenge by a convincing margin of 21 points.
“I just wanted to go out and do my best,” he said. “I knew that I had a chance to do pretty well, but I really didn’t expect to win.”
Despite his impressive numbers overall, McNamara didn’t get off to a great start with the three bonus-points challenges, which tested one-cast accuracy, knot tying and boater safety, but picked up momentum in a big way once he went to the Casting Accuracy Challenge.
“I missed my first flip and then made every single flip after that one to finish in under 50 seconds,” he said in regard to getting the momentum back in his favor. “Then I got to the Long-Distance Casting (Challenge) and got off three casts before the time expired, with the longest cast being almost 68 yards, which I was happy about.”
McNamara ended his day on a high note by tying for the fastest score in the Technical Challenge, where he maneuvered the provided Skeeter FX20 to knock down the casting targets in just 13 seconds.
“I knew that I was doing pretty good before I got to the Technical Challenge, but didn’t realize how good,” he said. “I put the trolling motor on 100 and hit the targets pretty fast. I knew that if I was casting at the targets before I got up super-close to them then I would have a chance to be quicker than everyone else.
“I grew up fishing docks and shallow cover, so I consider my ability to fish shallow to be a big reason that I was able to have success in the casting challenges.”
Taking home hardware is certainly an accomplishment at the High School Combine, but McNamara feels that what he gained through interaction with coaches from the top college fishing teams across the country is what will help to continue his fishing journey.
“I didn’t really know what to expect from interacting with the colleges, but it really opened my eyes to what the colleges look for in high schoolers,” he said. “I think the biggest takeaway from the Combine is that I’m looking at schools that I may not have considered otherwise.”
Technical Challenge
French was the co-champion of the Technical Challenge, tying McNamara’s time of 13 seconds. The 11th grader used his fishing strengths to his advantage to take home the trophy.
“The way we fish rivers back home is to put the trolling motor on high and cover as much water as possible,” said French. “We usually have to keep the trolling motor on 7 to 10 and make precise casts and flips to individual targets, so I felt right at home with the Technical Challenge.”
Much like McNamara, French put the trolling motor on 10 and focused on making pinpoint casts to knock down the targets quickly.
“I made three total flips to the targets,” he said. “I was more worried about making precise casts to the targets rather than rushing up to the targets and making short flips.”
Long-Distance Casting
With a cast measuring 72 yards, Tanner Hamilton of Winter Park, Fla., took home first place in the Long-Distance Casting challenge. Third cast was the charm for Hamilton, as he used his ProFISHiency rod and reel to air out his longest cast of the competition on his third and final attempt.
Hamilton loves to fish offshore, so casting long distances is a big part of his game.
“I pretty much strictly fish offshore,” said the junior at Chain of Lakes Collegiate High School. “I live on the Harris Chain, so I’m pretty much always making long casts at shellbars, brushpiles and other offshore cover.”
Hamilton paid close attention to his competitors in hopes of figuring out the key to making the longest cast possible.
“I was constantly taking notes on how the wind was working,” he said. “My first two casts were pretty bad, but I opened the reel up and let it fly on the last cast.”
Casting Accuracy
With a blazing speed of 32 seconds, Dylan Sorrells of Dallas, Texas, took home the top spot in the Casting Accuracy Challenge. As a shallow-water power fisherman, Sorrells felt right at home making accurate casts when the challenge came around.
“I love flipping docks and laydowns, so that’s why I was able to have success flipping and pitching to the buckets,” said Sorrells, a junior at Highland Park High School who just notched a Top 20 finish at the Strike King Bassmaster High School Championship presented by Academy Sports + Outdoors. “I was able to practice a little bit before, but I was honestly shocked that I was able to make it in each bucket as quickly as I did. It just seemed surreal.”
At the end of the weekend, seven anglers signed with three different schools — Faulkner University, Murray State College and Troy University. In the first two years of the Combine, more than $4.5 million in scholarships have been awarded to participating anglers.
The 2023 Skeeter Bassmaster High School Combine was hosted by Decatur Morgan County Tourism.
2023 Skeeter Boats Bassmaster High School Combine Points Totals
|
Casting Accuracy
|
Technical
|
Long Cast
|
Bonus Points |
Total Points
|
|||
|
1
|
Joe McNamara | Rockford, IL | 118 | 125 | 119 | 6 | 368 |
|
2
|
Ridge Faircloth | Bristol, FL | 103 | 112 | 122 | 10 | 347 |
|
3
|
Jon Foster | Maiden, NC | 123 | 121 | 91 | 9 | 344 |
|
4
|
Dylan Sorrells | Dallas, TX | 125 | 120 | 90 | 7 | 342 |
|
5
|
Briley West | Lakeland, FL | 124 | 91 | 114 | 8 | 337 |
| 6 | Joey Cotromano | Yulee, FL | 105 | 112 | 111 | 8 | 336 |
|
7
|
Landon Rollison | Cross City, FL | 114 | 115 | 92 | 10 | 331 |
|
8
|
Drew Turnbull | Crane Hill, AL | 78 | 120 | 123 | 8 | 329 |
|
9
|
Chase McCarter | Sevierville, TN | 120 | 101 | 96 | 8 | 325 |
| 10 | Caden Alexander | Huntington, TX | 117 | 123 | 76 | 8 | 324 |
| 10 | David Robinson | Vancleave, MS | 123 | 120 | 66 | 11 | 320 |
| 12 | RJ Sanger | Lakeland, FL | 114 | 115 | 80 | 10 | 319 |
|
13
|
Landon Loper | Semmes, AL | 83 | 123 | 102 | 9 | 317 |
|
14
|
Braylon Carden | Valley, AL | 103 | 91 | 116 | 7 | 317 |
|
15
|
Carsen Adcock | Haughton, LA | 87 | 101 | 117 | 9 | 314 |
|
15
|
Carson Owen
|
Ardmore, OK | 75 | 120 | 105 | 10 | 310 |
| 17 | Tanner Hamilton | Winter Haven, FL | 75 | 101 | 125 | 7 | 308 |
| 18 | Hunter Stuckey | Kilgore, TX | 78 | 112 | 112 | 5 | 307 |
| 19 | Eli French | Lucedale, MS | 93 | 125 | 79 | 8 | 305 |
| 20 | Rowdie Thacker | Denham Springs, LA | 108 | 83 | 105 | 7 | 303 |
| 21 | Will Shepherd | Overland Park, KS | 85 | 83 | 124 | 10 | 302 |
| 22 | Zach Knight | Gallatin, TN | 110 | 101 | 82 | 8 | 301 |
| 23 | Griffin Ralph | Hot Springs, AR | 106 | 112 | 72 | 9 | 299 |
| 24 | Kaden Dorman | Lake City, IA | 63 | 112 | 113 | 10 | 298 |
| 25 | Hayden Barnett | Kingston, TN | 112 | 60 | 115 | 10 | 297 |
Logan Parks Fishing Foundation Announces High-Stakes Bass Fishing Tournament for College and High School Anglers
COLUMBIA, S.C. (Sept. 18, 2023) – The Logan Parks Fishing Foundation, founded by tournament angler Logan Parks, is thrilled to announce the inaugural High School/College Chaos Tournament presented by Abu Garcia. Set to take place Wednesday, November 8th to Sunday, November 12th in Auburn, Alabama, this event is a golden opportunity for high school anglers to showcase their talent and for college teams to scout the next generation of fishing stars. This tournament, run through the Fishing Chaos App and its software, will bring together high school and college anglers for a unique, competitive fishing experience on Lake Martin. Student anglers will have the opportunity to compete for over $100,000 in cash, scholarships, and prizes.
The Logan Parks Fishing Foundation, with its mission to empower the future of competitive anglers by nurturing the talents of high school and college anglers, has designed an entirely new tournament format. Rooted from a deep commitment to giving back to the fishing community and encouraging growth within the sport, this event promises an unforgettable experience for young anglers.
The tournament format is designed to challenge and prepare young anglers for success. Each team consists of a college angler, who will serve as the boater, and a high school angler who will be the co-angler. This unique format encourages collaboration and mentorship, fostering a sense of camaraderie among participants. The tournament operates utilizing a catch, weigh, photo, Fishing Chaos app submission, and release format, where bass weighing at least one pound will count towards your total. A live leaderboard will track each team’s progress, visible to both participants and spectators.
The event consists of three rounds with two 15-minute breaks in between rounds:
• Round 1 (6:30 am - 10 am):
• After Round 1, the top 75 teams advance to the SURVIVAL round while the bottom 50 advance to SUDDEN DEATH, with total weights carrying over.
• Round 2 (10:15 am - 1 pm)
• Round 2 sees the top 15 SURVIVAL teams and the top 5 SUDDEN DEATH teams advancing to the CHAMPIONSHIP round, while others enter the CONSOLATION or LAST CHANCE rounds.
• CHAOS Round (1:15 pm - 3 pm): Teams aim to avoid elimination by racing against time and competitors.
• In Round 3 (CHAOS), all weights reset, and teams compete within their respective brackets, with the live leaderboard disabled. After a 1 hour 45-minute shootout, anglers will return to Auburn, AL to uncover the winner.
"We're excited to bring this innovative format to the high school and college bass fishing community," said Logan Parks, Founder of the Logan Parks Fishing Foundation. "It's a unique way to truly test the skills of even the most experienced student anglers. We're confident that this tournament will be a fun addition for the sport and create some unforgettable moments on the water for the anglers."
The High School/College Chaos Tournament, presented by Abu Garcia, is all about empowering the next generation of competitive bass fishing stars. This tournament is more than just a competition; it's a platform where high school anglers can showcase their talents and aspirations to some of the top college fishing programs in the nation. This event provides a rare opportunity for high school anglers to make a name for themselves, and for college coaches, presidents, and teams to discover and recruit the next generation of fishing prodigies.
"The High School/College Chaos Tournament is not just a competition; it's a stage for young anglers to shine and for college programs to discover hidden talent," said Marc Kempter, VP Marketing Communications for Abu Garcia. "We believe in the potential of young anglers to shape the future of competitive bass fishing and are excited to be partnering with Logan Parks for this tournament. It is our hope that tournaments like this can create meaningful opportunities for these individuals, ensuring that their passion for the sport can flourish into successful careers."
Key Highlights of the High School/College Chaos Tournament:
1. Generous Payouts and Prizes: Thanks to the support of title sponsor Abu Garcia, this tournament offers massive payouts and incredible prizes that will provide a valuable boost to young anglers' education and fishing careers. This event offers a larger payout than any other high school or college fishing tournament.
2. Education and Networking: Participants will have the opportunity to attend angler training classes, campus tours, college networking events, and engage with guest speakers, enhancing both their fishing skills and education.
3. Scholarships: High school anglers have the chance to win scholarships towards their college tuition, further aligning the tournament with the foundation's commitment to education.
The tournament kicks off with official practice on November 8th - 10th, followed by Draft Day on November 11th, where college anglers will select their high school teammates. On November 12th, the action begins with a 6:00 am blast-off at a public boat launch on Lake Martin, continuing until 4:30 pm in Auburn, where the trophy presentation will take place.
"We're incredibly excited to host this tournament and create a platform for young anglers to showcase their skills," said Parks. "It's an opportunity for them to take their passion for bass fishing to new heights and a chance for the community to come together and support these rising stars."
The Logan Parks Fishing Foundation extends its gratitude to Abu Garcia and all sponsors for their support in making this event a reality. With their support, the foundation is casting a brighter future for the world of competitive bass fishing, one angler at a time.
Registration for the tournament is now open on a first come first serve basis and will be capped at 125 boats. For more information on the High School/ College Chaos Tournament, please visit https://app.fishingchaos.com/tournament/2023-lpff-hscc
Williams’ versatility delivers win at Bassmaster Open on Watts Bar Reservoir
Tyler Williams of Belgrade, Maine, has won the 2023 St. Croix Bassmaster Open at Watts Bar Reservoir with a three-day total of 41 pounds, 4 ounces.
Photo by Andy Crawford/B.A.S.S.
September 16, 2023
KINGSTON, Tenn. — Tyler Williams makes no bones about his narrowly focused bait preference, but he’s no one-trick pony.
Proving his versatility, the angler from Belgrade, Maine, won the St. Croix Bassmaster Open at Watts Bar Reservoir with a three-day total of 41 pounds, 4 ounces.
Williams placed second on Day 1 with 14-15 and added a second-round limit of 14-6 to take the lead on Day 2. Then with a Championship Saturday limit of 11-15, Williams edged South Carolina pro JT Thompkins by 2-7.
For his efforts, Williams won $42,267 and earned an automatic berth in the 2024 Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic presented by Toyotascheduled for March 22-24 on Grand Lake O’ the Cherokees near Tulsa.
“This is exciting,” Williams said. “It will probably hit me on the drive to (next week’s Opens Series event at) Lake of the Ozarks.”
Williams caught most of his bass by targeting isolated current-washed cover with a 3/4-ounce Greenfish Tackle living rubber jig fitted with a Yamamoto Flappin' Hog trailer. When Day 3 brought overcast skies, wind, afternoon rains and minimal current, Williams stuck with his go-to bait but adjusted his presentations to target fish holding higher in the water column.
“I fished exactly how I like to fish this week,” Williams said of his trusty jig. “That jig is a good search bait; I can read fish really well with it (on forward-facing sonar).
“I worked it almost like a hair jig, so I think that living rubber skirt gave it some extra action and triggered some of those fish.”
As Williams explained, the final round’s dimmer conditions and lack of water movement contrasted the first two days in which partly sunny skies and dependable afternoon current positioned fish in predictable feeding positions.
“I was crawling the jig until today, and today the fish wanted to suspend more with no current and clouds,” Williams said. “I would reel the jig really quickly and get it to hop off the bottom, then hit my (reel’s thumb bar) and let it free spool and they’d eat it.”
Williams’ road to victory began with a Day 1 disaster. On his first spot, his trolling motor and shallow-water anchors malfunctioned, thereby depriving him of key boat positioning strategies.
Drifting through key areas, Williams would lean over his bow to manually adjust his forward-facing sonar transducer. Despite this severe limitation, he made the most of his casting angles and sacked up his best bag of the event.
“Once I got my trolling motor running (for Day 2), I was able to run some schooling fish,” he said. “Today, I had a spot that I think had 1,000 fish on it. That jig was really effective.
“Sometimes, I’d speed reel it, kill it, speed reel it, kill it, speed reel it, kill it and then I’d let it sit there and they’d eat it.”
Hailing from Myrtle Beach, S.C., Thompkins placed 17th on Day 1 with 11-13 and, despite several key fish losses, he moved into third with a Day 2 limit of 13-5. Closing with the final round’s biggest bag — 13-11 — Thompkins settled at second with 38-13.
Earlier in the event, Thompkins caught his bass on a Strike King Sexy Dog topwater and an Outkast Tackle Juice jig with a Strike King Rage Bug trailer. The final round saw him stepping up the aggression.
“My buddy Tyler (Williams) outfished me Day 1 and Day 2, but I didn’t want him to outfish me again on Day 3, so I put a Garage Hyper Shad glidebait, along with an Outkast Tackle jig and a Strike King Sexy Dawg in my hand and I just had fun all day,” Thompkins said. “This was one of the most fun days of fishing I’ve ever had.”
Thompkins’ final-round limit included the day’s biggest bass — a 5-1. He caught that bass on a jig.
Trey McKinney of Carbondale, Ill., placed third with 37-10. He turned in daily weights of 12-4, 16-2 and 9-4.
McKinney spent most of his time offshore, where he worked isolated targets in 20 to 30 feet. He caught his bass on a Strike King Caffeine Shad in the glacier color and a 3/8-ounce Strike King Baby Structure jig in black and blue or peanut butter and jelly with a green pumpkin Strike King Menace trailer.
“I used the Baby Menace for deep water and the full-sized Menace for shallow water,” McKinney said. “I want my jig to sink fast, so that’s why I go with the Baby Menace offshore.”
McKinney now owns three second-place finishes in St. Croix Bassmaster Open competition this season. He also was runner-up at Toledo Bend and Lake Eufaula (Okla). He earned an additional $500 as the highest-finishing registered pro fishing St. Croix rods thanks to the St. Croix Rod Rewards program.
Ninth-place finisher Ish Monroe of Oakdale, Calif., won the $750 Phoenix Boats Big Bass award for his 5-2.
As part of the Yamaha Power Pay program, Williams took home a $2,000 bonus.
Thompkins leads the St. Croix Bassmaster Open Elite Qualifiers standings with 1,286. Tennessee's John Garret is in second with 1,263 points. McKinney is in third with 1,232 points. The top nine finishers in the EQ Division will earn invitations to the 2024 Elite Series. For full standings, visit Bassmaster.com.
2023 St. Croix Bassmaster Open at Watts Bar 9/14-9/16
Watts Bar Reservoir, Kingston TN.
(BOATER) Standings Day 3
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Pts Total $$$
1. Tyler Williams Belgrade, ME 15 41-04 200 $42,267.00
Day 1: 5 14-15 Day 2: 5 14-06 Day 3: 5 11-15
2. JT Thompkins Myrtle Beach, SC 15 38-13 199 $20,287.00
Day 1: 5 11-13 Day 2: 5 13-05 Day 3: 5 13-11
3. Trey McKinney Carbondale, IL 14 37-10 198 $14,320.00
Day 1: 5 12-04 Day 2: 5 16-02 Day 3: 4 09-04
4. Greg Bohannan Bentonville, AR 15 36-11 197 $11,933.00
Day 1: 5 10-02 Day 2: 5 14-07 Day 3: 5 12-02
5. John Garrett Union City, TN 15 36-04 196 $10,382.00
Day 1: 5 13-01 Day 2: 5 11-11 Day 3: 5 11-08
6. Jason Lambert Savannah, TN 15 35-00 195 $9,547.00
Day 1: 5 12-11 Day 2: 5 11-01 Day 3: 5 11-04
7. Chase Henley Kingston, TN 13 34-05 194 $8,950.00
Day 1: 4 07-01 Day 2: 5 16-13 Day 3: 4 10-07
8. Wesley Gore Clanton, AL 15 34-03 193 $8,353.00
Day 1: 5 12-02 Day 2: 5 11-07 Day 3: 5 10-10
9. Ish Monroe Oakdale, CA 12 31-02 192 $7,313.00
Day 1: 4 08-07 Day 2: 5 15-08 Day 3: 3 07-03
10. Bobby Lane Jr. Lakeland, FL 13 30-05 191 $5,370.00
Day 1: 5 15-02 Day 2: 5 09-01 Day 3: 3 06-02
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
PHOENIX BOATS BIG BASS
Ish Monroe Oakdale, CA 05-02 $750.00
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Totals
Day #Limits #Fish Weight
1 61 569 1212-08
2 53 552 1203-02
3 6 44 104-02
----------------------------------
120 1165 2519-12
Williams moves into lead at Bassmaster Open on Watts Bar Reservoir
Tyler Williams of Belgrade, Maine, is leading after Day 2 of the 2023 St. Croix Bassmaster Open at Watts Bar Reservoir with a two-day total of 29 pounds, 5 ounces.
Photo by Andy Crawford/B.A.S.S.
September 15, 2023
KINGSTON, Tenn. — After limping his way through Day 1, Tyler Williams enjoyed full use of his equipment Friday and tallied a two-day total of 29 pounds, 5 ounces to lead the St. Croix Bassmaster Open at Watts Bar Reservoir.
Williams, a Belgrade, Maine, angler who entered the day 3 ounces out of the lead, will now head into Championship Saturday with a lead of 15 ounces over Trey McKinney of Carbondale, Ill.
“When my trolling motor clicked on this morning, I’ve never been so happy to hear that sound,” said Williams, whose trolling motor and shallow-water anchors went down on Day 1. “Everything worked fine today.”
Williams actually caught a little more on Day 1 with 14-15, but Friday’s 14-6 was harder to come by. While Day 1 saw a modest front bring cooler temperatures, clouds and wind, the second round brought warm, mostly still conditions, which seemed to return the bass to their generally challenging late-summer disposition.
“It takes a certain way to get them to bite and you have to keep moving until you find ones that want to eat,” Williams said. “It’s a lot of angles and speed. I’m reading fish on my Garmin LiveScope to see how they react.”
Noting that he was fishing “near the bank, but off the bank,” Williams said he was targeting isolated structure. He basically did the same thing on Day 1, but with his trolling motor down, he had significantly less ability to pan his forward-facing sonar transducer.
“Yesterday, I could just make one shot and hope for the best,” he said. “That was almost a blessing because I didn’t fish any of my really good spots. Today, I got to hit those and it was fresh water.”
Williams said he caught all of his bass on a single bait. He kept the details under wraps but said he was fishing a slow presentation.
“It’s timing,” he said. “I was trying to time my areas perfectly. It seemed like I have my rotation okay, but the morning is pretty slow because they’re not pulling any current.”
Williams said he fished the entire length of the lake. For safety, he started at the lower end and worked his way back up. In the event of another mechanical issue, he wanted to make sure he was closer to other competitors later in the day.
But Williams said he enjoyed strategic solitude most of the day.
“I have a lot of water to myself,” he said. “I haven’t seen many boats, other than driving by people.
“This lake spreads people out. I think (most) people are fishing shallow and I’m fishing offshore.
Williams said he’s all in for the same pattern on Championship Saturday. Should all of his decisions align perfectly, he believes a 20-pound bag is not unrealistic.
“If I get my timing right, it could get scary,” he said. “I caught two 6-pounders on Tuesday.”
McKinney placed 13th on Day 1 with 12-4. In the second round, he added 16-2 — the tournament’s second-largest bag — for a 28-6 total.
When McKinney found himself with no fish at 2 p.m., he thought he had blown his day.
“I was spinning out and my mind was going in all different directions,” he said. “I passed (Williams) and he gave me the confidence to get it done.”
Fortunately, the afternoon power generation schedule brought a current increase that triggered the fish. McKinney capitalized on the flurry that spanned the last two hours of his day.
“I went and found some new stuff. I caught a 3-pound smallmouth and my confidence skyrocketed,” he said. “It was one of those comeback days you dream of.”
McKinney caught his fish by dragging a Strike King Structure jig with a Strike King Rodent trailer over offshore structure. Current positioned the bass in predictable feeding spots.
JT Thompkins of Myrtle Beach, S.C., endured a frustrating day that left him with no keepers at 1 p.m. The afternoon current also aided Thompkins, who sacked up 13-5 and moved into third with 25-2.
Thompkins, who placed 17th on Day 1 with 11-13, said his morning brought multiple heartbreaks.
“I lost a 4 1/2- and a 4-pound smallmouth this morning and I tried to boat flip a 3 that came off at the boat,” he said. “I ended up catching all of my weight in the last three hours. I caught a 4-pounder in the last 15 minutes.
“Everything just worked out, even though it shouldn’t have. I’m just super blessed to be here.”
Thompkins threw a topwater and a jig earlier in the day. He ended up catching his fish on a jig with a Strike King Rage Bug trailer.
Ish Monroe of Oakdale, Calif., is in the lead for Phoenix Boats Big Bass honors with a 5-2.
Sakae Ushio of Tonawanda, N.Y., won the nonboater division with a two-day total of 14-6. His daily weights were 5-8 and 8-14 — the event’s largest nonboater bag.
Ushio won his second of three nonboater titles three months ago at Lake Eufaula. He also won the 2022 title at Lake Hartwell.
Ushio caught his Day 2 fish on a Geecrack Imo Kemushi 95 (a 3.75-inch worm). On Day 1, he used a free-rigged Berkley MaxScent Critter Hawg. The key to his success was making the difficult casts.
“As a (nonboater), it’s very difficult to fish shallow because of the boat angle,” Ushio said. “Three years ago, I worked on becoming ambidextrous, so I can make those difficult casts.
“Also, I was using a Daiwa Zillion 10:1 reel, so I could reel up quickly after each cast.”
Ushio won the $250 Phoenix Boats Big Bass prize among nonboaters with a 4-8.
Saturday’s takeoff is scheduled for 7:15 a.m. CT at Kingston Boat Ramp. The weigh-in will be held at the Kingston Boat Ramp at 3:15 p.m. FS1 will broadcast live with the leaders beginning at 8 a.m. with continuing coverage on Bassmaster.com.
2023 St. Croix Bassmaster Open at Watts Bar 9/14-9/16
Watts Bar Reservoir, Kingston TN.
(BOATER) Standings Day 2
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Pts Total $$$
1. Tyler Williams Belgrade, ME 10 29-05 200
Day 1: 5 14-15 Day 2: 5 14-06
2. Trey McKinney Carbondale, IL 10 28-06 199
Day 1: 5 12-04 Day 2: 5 16-02
3. JT Thompkins Myrtle Beach, SC 10 25-02 198
Day 1: 5 11-13 Day 2: 5 13-05
4. John Garrett Union City, TN 10 24-12 197
Day 1: 5 13-01 Day 2: 5 11-11
5. Greg Bohannan Bentonville, AR 10 24-09 196
Day 1: 5 10-02 Day 2: 5 14-07
6. Bobby Lane Jr. Lakeland, FL 10 24-03 195
Day 1: 5 15-02 Day 2: 5 09-01
7. Ish Monroe Oakdale, CA 9 23-15 194
Day 1: 4 08-07 Day 2: 5 15-08
8. Chase Henley Kingston, TN 9 23-14 193
Day 1: 4 07-01 Day 2: 5 16-13
9. Jason Lambert Savannah, TN 10 23-12 192
Day 1: 5 12-11 Day 2: 5 11-01
10. Wesley Gore Clanton, AL 10 23-09 191
Day 1: 5 12-02 Day 2: 5 11-07
11. Dale Hightower Mannford, OK 9 23-06 190 $4,773.00
Day 1: 5 14-08 Day 2: 4 08-14
12. Jason Abram Piney Flats, TN 10 22-12 189 $4,177.00
Day 1: 5 13-00 Day 2: 5 09-12
13. Brett Cannon Willis, TX 10 22-10 188 $3,282.00
Day 1: 5 10-07 Day 2: 5 12-03
14. Miles Burghoff Dayton, TN 8 22-03 187 $3,282.00
Day 1: 3 08-00 Day 2: 5 14-03
15. Jeff Salmon Mechanicsville, VA 9 21-04 186 $3,282.00
Day 1: 5 11-06 Day 2: 4 09-14
16. Rob Digh Denver, NC 8 21-01 185 $3,282.00
Day 1: 4 10-09 Day 2: 4 10-08
17. Zeke Gossett Pell City, AL 10 20-15 184 $3,282.00
Day 1: 5 09-14 Day 2: 5 11-01
18. Kurt Mitchell Milford, DE 9 20-10 183 $3,282.00
Day 1: 4 08-08 Day 2: 5 12-02
19. John Soukup Sapulpa, OK 10 20-09 182 $3,282.00
Day 1: 5 09-04 Day 2: 5 11-05
20. Michael Vanosdale Knoxville, TN 6 20-06 181 $3,282.00
Day 1: 1 04-11 Day 2: 5 15-11
21. Adam Rasmussen Sturgeon Bay, WI 9 20-05 180 $2,983.00
Day 1: 5 12-09 Day 2: 4 07-12
22. Kyle Patrick Cooperstown, NY 9 20-05 179 $2,983.00
Day 1: 5 11-07 Day 2: 4 08-14
23. Chris Dillow Waynesboro, VA 9 20-04 178 $2,983.00
Day 1: 4 09-00 Day 2: 5 11-04
24. Tommy Brown Louisville, TN 8 20-03 177 $2,983.00
Day 1: 3 05-08 Day 2: 5 14-11
25. Kyle Austin Ridgeville, SC 9 20-03 176 $2,983.00
Day 1: 5 12-03 Day 2: 4 08-00
26. Jacob Thompkins Myrtle Beach, SC 8 20-02 175 $2,745.00
Day 1: 3 09-08 Day 2: 5 10-10
27. Andrew Upshaw Hemphill, TX 10 20-01 174 $2,745.00
Day 1: 5 09-14 Day 2: 5 10-03
28. Blake Sylvester Plaquemine, LA 9 19-15 173 $2,745.00
Day 1: 4 07-00 Day 2: 5 12-15
29. Kyle Monti Okeechobee, FL 9 19-15 172 $2,745.00
Day 1: 5 10-12 Day 2: 4 09-03
30. Matt Messer Warfield, KY 7 19-13 171 $2,745.00
Day 1: 2 06-02 Day 2: 5 13-11
31. Lucas Murphy West Columbia, MI 9 19-13 170 $2,745.00
Day 1: 5 12-00 Day 2: 4 07-13
32. Josh Hubbard Dunnellon, FL 10 19-13 169 $2,745.00
Day 1: 5 08-13 Day 2: 5 11-00
33. Alex Heintze Denham Springs, LA 9 19-13 168 $2,745.00
Day 1: 5 09-02 Day 2: 4 10-11
34. Casey Scanlon Eldon, MO 8 19-12 167 $2,745.00
Day 1: 3 05-12 Day 2: 5 14-00
35. Shane Lineberger Lincolnton, NC 10 19-10 166 $2,745.00
Day 1: 5 10-05 Day 2: 5 09-05
36. Lafe Messer Warfield, KY 9 19-07 165 $2,745.00
Day 1: 5 11-04 Day 2: 4 08-03
37. Chad Warren Sand Springs, OK 9 19-06 164 $2,745.00
Day 1: 5 11-12 Day 2: 4 07-10
38. Ryan Broughman Corapeake, NC 10 19-04 163 $2,745.00
Day 1: 5 09-09 Day 2: 5 09-11
39. Louis Monetti Brielle, NJ 9 19-03 162 $2,745.00
Day 1: 4 08-05 Day 2: 5 10-14
40. Logan Parks Auburn, AL 9 18-11 161 $2,745.00
Day 1: 4 09-01 Day 2: 5 09-10
41. Jacob Bigelow Cecil, WI 7 18-08 160
Day 1: 5 13-07 Day 2: 2 05-01
42. Charlie Hartley Grove City, OH 10 18-06 159
Day 1: 5 08-13 Day 2: 5 09-09
43. Robert Gee Knoxville, TN 10 18-05 158
Day 1: 5 09-10 Day 2: 5 08-11
44. Griffin Phillips Mount Olive, AL 8 18-04 157
Day 1: 3 05-08 Day 2: 5 12-12
45. Destin DeMarion Harborcreek, PA 9 18-04 156
Day 1: 4 08-02 Day 2: 5 10-02
46. Taylor Watkins Clinton, TN 7 18-03 155
Day 1: 3 08-00 Day 2: 4 10-03
47. John Conway Jr Henrico, VA 9 18-00 154
Day 1: 5 09-15 Day 2: 4 08-01
48. David Williams Newton, NC 8 17-15 153
Day 1: 5 11-08 Day 2: 3 06-07
49. Brad Knight Lancing, TN 9 17-14 152
Day 1: 5 09-04 Day 2: 4 08-10
50. Sam George Athens, AL 7 17-13 151
Day 1: 5 12-13 Day 2: 2 05-00
51. Shaine Campbell Brookeland, TX 9 17-12 150
Day 1: 5 10-09 Day 2: 4 07-03
52. Allan Nail Sand Springs, OK 8 17-09 149
Day 1: 5 09-13 Day 2: 3 07-12
53. Logan Johnson Jasper, AL 8 17-08 148
Day 1: 4 09-15 Day 2: 4 07-09
54. Tucker Veronee Gilbert, SC 7 17-07 147
Day 1: 5 13-14 Day 2: 2 03-09
55. Jason Meninger Yulee, FL 7 17-04 146
Day 1: 2 06-00 Day 2: 5 11-04
56. Kenta Kimura Osaka JAPAN 6 17-04 145
Day 1: 2 06-05 Day 2: 4 10-15
57. Keith Tuma Brainerd, MN 9 17-04 144
Day 1: 5 09-05 Day 2: 4 07-15
58. Matt Pangrac Shawnee, OK 10 17-02 143
Day 1: 5 08-07 Day 2: 5 08-11
59. Denny Fiedler Wabasha, MN 7 17-00 142
Day 1: 3 07-14 Day 2: 4 09-02
60. Alex Murray Lake Charles, LA 8 16-15 141
Day 1: 5 10-04 Day 2: 3 06-11
61. Hunter Sales Blaine, TN 8 16-14 140
Day 1: 5 10-00 Day 2: 3 06-14
62. Yusuke Miyazaki Forney, TX 8 16-11 139
Day 1: 5 11-03 Day 2: 3 05-08
63. B.J. Usie Bourg, LA 7 16-09 138
Day 1: 2 04-09 Day 2: 5 12-00
64. Wil Dieffenbauch III Hundred, WV 6 16-08 137
Day 1: 4 11-05 Day 2: 2 05-03
65. Trey Swindle Cleveland, AL 9 16-07 136
Day 1: 4 06-04 Day 2: 5 10-03
66. Tripp Noojin Bryant, AL 7 16-06 135
Day 1: 2 05-08 Day 2: 5 10-14
67. Jake Maddux Birmingham, AL 8 16-06 134
Day 1: 5 10-12 Day 2: 3 05-10
68. Dane Mitchell Ten Mile, TN 8 16-05 133
Day 1: 3 05-05 Day 2: 5 11-00
69. Harvey Horne Bella Vista, AR 7 16-02 132
Day 1: 5 11-11 Day 2: 2 04-07
70. Jack York Emory, TX 6 16-02 131
Day 1: 3 10-03 Day 2: 3 05-15
71. Christian Shoda Homosassa, FL 7 16-01 130
Day 1: 3 06-12 Day 2: 4 09-05
72. Jason Carpenter Castle Pines, CO 6 15-13 129
Day 1: 5 12-07 Day 2: 1 03-06
73. Scott Hamrick Denver, NC 8 15-13 128
Day 1: 3 05-05 Day 2: 5 10-08
74. Billy McDonald Greenwood, IN 8 15-13 127
Day 1: 3 05-12 Day 2: 5 10-01
75. Chase Clarke Virginia Beach, VA 8 15-13 126
Day 1: 5 09-12 Day 2: 3 06-01
76. Paul Browning Pecos, TX 7 15-12 125
Day 1: 4 10-00 Day 2: 3 05-12
77. Johnathan Crossland Chapin, SC 7 15-11 124
Day 1: 2 03-10 Day 2: 5 12-01
78. Tim Frederick Leesburg, FL 8 15-11 123
Day 1: 3 05-12 Day 2: 5 09-15
79. Julius Mazy Phoenix, AZ 9 15-11 122
Day 1: 5 08-11 Day 2: 4 07-00
80. Brayden Rakes Winston Salem, NC 7 15-08 121
Day 1: 4 08-11 Day 2: 3 06-13
81. Mike Surman Boca Raton, FL 7 15-06 120
Day 1: 5 13-04 Day 2: 2 02-02
82. Chris Dover Blacksburg, SC 8 15-04 119
Day 1: 3 05-15 Day 2: 5 09-05
83. Ben Milliken New Caney, TX 7 15-02 118
Day 1: 2 04-04 Day 2: 5 10-14
84. Ty Faber Pagosa Springs, CO 7 14-14 117
Day 1: 4 08-05 Day 2: 3 06-09
85. Blake Smith Lakeland, FL 8 14-12 116
Day 1: 5 09-15 Day 2: 3 04-13
86. Paul Bouvier Kingston CANADA 6 14-06 115
Day 1: 1 02-00 Day 2: 5 12-06
87. Austin Cranford Norman, OK 8 14-04 114
Day 1: 5 09-01 Day 2: 3 05-03
88. Keith Brumfield Vicksburg, MS 7 14-02 113
Day 1: 4 07-09 Day 2: 3 06-09
89. Brad Leuthner Victoria, MN 8 14-02 112
Day 1: 4 06-10 Day 2: 4 07-08
90. Daisuke Kita Ostu Shiga JAPAN 7 14-01 111
Day 1: 5 11-05 Day 2: 2 02-12
91. Chris Whitson Louisville, TN 7 14-00 110
Day 1: 4 07-06 Day 2: 3 06-10
92. Clark Reehm Elm Grove, LA 6 13-15 109
Day 1: 4 10-02 Day 2: 2 03-13
93. Cole Drummond Effingham, SC 8 13-14 108
Day 1: 4 06-12 Day 2: 4 07-02
94. Chris Kingree Inverness, FL 6 13-12 107
Day 1: 5 11-01 Day 2: 1 02-11
95. JT Russell Mc Calla, AL 7 13-12 106
Day 1: 3 05-05 Day 2: 4 08-07
96. Powell Kemp Scotland Neck, NC 7 13-12 105
Day 1: 3 07-06 Day 2: 4 06-06
97. Brandon Tallhamer Parkersburg, WV 7 13-12 104
Day 1: 4 06-14 Day 2: 3 06-14
98. Cody Stahl Barnsville, GA 7 13-10 103
Day 1: 2 03-15 Day 2: 5 09-11
99. Cody Detweiler Guntersville, AL 7 13-09 102
Day 1: 5 09-11 Day 2: 2 03-14
100. Matt Henry Milledgeville, GA 7 13-08 101
Day 1: 4 07-06 Day 2: 3 06-02
101. Takayuki Koike Otsu-City JAPAN 6 13-04 100
Day 1: 5 10-14 Day 2: 1 02-06
102. Kenji Yamada Hixson, TN 8 13-03 99
Day 1: 5 09-07 Day 2: 3 03-12
103. Jonathan Dietz Corry, PA 6 13-00 98
Day 1: 5 10-13 Day 2: 1 02-03
104. Bryan Bickell Newcastle CANADA 7 12-14 97
Day 1: 2 03-06 Day 2: 5 09-08
105. Victor Alford Kingston, TN 8 12-14 96
Day 1: 5 08-14 Day 2: 3 04-00
106. Darrell Davis Dover, FL 6 12-13 95
Day 1: 1 02-07 Day 2: 5 10-06
107. Trevor McKinney Benton, IL 6 12-10 94
Day 1: 1 01-12 Day 2: 5 10-14
108. David Perdue Wirtz, VA 7 12-10 93
Day 1: 2 03-06 Day 2: 5 09-04
109. Joey Nania Cropwell, AL 7 12-09 92
Day 1: 3 05-01 Day 2: 4 07-08
110. Chris Hellebuyck White Lake, MI 6 12-08 91
Day 1: 5 10-02 Day 2: 1 02-06
111. Tyler Lubbat Wheeling, IL 6 12-05 90
Day 1: 3 06-00 Day 2: 3 06-05
112. Pete Gluszek Mount Laurel, NJ 6 12-03 89
Day 1: 5 10-03 Day 2: 1 02-00
113. Jimmy Washam Stantonville, TN 5 12-03 88
Day 1: 1 04-05 Day 2: 4 07-14
114. Kyle Goltz Cornell, WI 6 12-03 87
Day 1: 3 06-02 Day 2: 3 06-01
115. Jack Dice Lynchburg, VA 6 12-02 86
Day 1: 5 09-15 Day 2: 1 02-03
116. Tommy Williams Shepherdsville, KY 6 11-13 85
Day 1: 4 08-06 Day 2: 2 03-07
117. Teb Jones Yalaha, MS 5 11-05 84
Day 1: 4 08-11 Day 2: 1 02-10
118. Brandon McMillan Clewiston, FL 6 11-03 83
Day 1: 5 09-02 Day 2: 1 02-01
119. James Niggemeyer Van, TX 6 11-03 82
Day 1: 3 05-02 Day 2: 3 06-01
120. Andrew Mlotek Indianapolis, IN 6 11-02 81
Day 1: 4 07-06 Day 2: 2 03-12
121. Joey Hanna Corsicana, TX 6 11-02 80
Day 1: 3 05-04 Day 2: 3 05-14
122. Jamie Bruce Kenora Ontario CANADA 5 11-01 79
Day 1: 3 06-12 Day 2: 2 04-05
123. Whitney Stephens Waverly, OH 5 10-13 78
Day 1: 1 01-15 Day 2: 4 08-14
124. Scott Kerslake Okeechobee, FL 5 10-13 77
Day 1: 3 04-03 Day 2: 2 06-10
125. Bo Thomas Edwardsburg, MI 6 10-11 76
Day 1: 5 08-10 Day 2: 1 02-01
126. Jonathan Bowling Harriman, TN 6 10-08 75
Day 1: 1 01-10 Day 2: 5 08-14
127. Chad Grigsby Maple Grove, MN 6 10-08 74
Day 1: 3 04-15 Day 2: 3 05-09
128. Chris Keeble Lenoir City, TN 5 10-03 73
Day 1: 2 04-13 Day 2: 3 05-06
129. Casey Smith Victor, NY 5 09-12 72
Day 1: 3 05-15 Day 2: 2 03-13
130. Andrew Harp Linden, TX 4 09-12 71
Day 1: 2 05-14 Day 2: 2 03-14
131. Brady Vernon Sterrett, AL 4 09-10 70
Day 1: 3 07-01 Day 2: 1 02-09
132. Rich Ortiz Fort Ann, NY 6 09-08 69
Day 1: 4 07-03 Day 2: 2 02-05
133. Justin Kimmel Athens, GA 5 09-02 68
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 5 09-02
134. Scout Echols Monticello, AR 4 08-15 67
Day 1: 2 03-08 Day 2: 2 05-07
135. Lucas Bogosian Harrington Park, NJ 5 08-14 66
Day 1: 1 02-05 Day 2: 4 06-09
136. Tom Frink Southside, AL 4 08-14 65
Day 1: 2 04-01 Day 2: 2 04-13
137. Derek Lehtonen Woodruff, SC 5 08-09 64
Day 1: 1 -00-05 Day 2: 4 08-14
138. Phil Killian Solomon, AZ 5 08-06 63
Day 1: 4 05-13 Day 2: 1 02-09
139. Buck Mallory Lawton, MI 4 08-04 62
Day 1: 3 06-03 Day 2: 1 02-01
140. Danny Ramsey Trinidad, TX 4 08-03 61
Day 1: 2 04-01 Day 2: 2 04-02
141. Shayne Berlo Mclean, VA 4 08-00 60
Day 1: 3 05-03 Day 2: 1 02-13
142. Angela Mayo Maiden, NC 4 07-11 59
Day 1: 1 01-10 Day 2: 3 06-01
143. Evan Kung Pickering Ontario CANAD 4 07-06 58
Day 1: 1 01-13 Day 2: 3 05-09
144. Jason Tibbetts Centreville, VA 4 07-06 57
Day 1: 2 03-04 Day 2: 2 04-02
145. Craig Chambers Midland, NC 3 07-05 56
Day 1: 3 07-05 Day 2: 0 00-00
146. Brian Post Janesville, WI 4 07-03 55
Day 1: 1 01-10 Day 2: 3 05-09
147. Chris Blanchette Edisto Island, SC 3 07-03 54
Day 1: 1 03-00 Day 2: 2 04-03
148. Daniel Valois Gomez Caracas FL VENEZUELA 3 06-04 53
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 3 06-04
149. Chancy Walters West Des Moines, IA 3 06-03 52
Day 1: 2 04-02 Day 2: 1 02-01
150. Wesley Cashwell Roanoke Rapids, NC 2 06-01 51
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 2 06-01
151. Bronk Mcdaniel Alexandria, LA 2 05-10 50
Day 1: 2 05-10 Day 2: 0 00-00
152. Flash Butts Roanoke Rapids, NC 3 05-07 49
Day 1: 1 01-12 Day 2: 2 03-11
153. Brock Belik Orchard, NE 3 05-06 48
Day 1: 1 01-12 Day 2: 2 03-10
154. Lance Owen Greer, SC 3 05-05 47
Day 1: 1 01-13 Day 2: 2 03-08
155. Josh Bragg Fayetteville, GA 4 05-01 46
Day 1: 3 02-13 Day 2: 1 02-04
156. Stacey Jefferson Conway, SC 2 04-07 45
Day 1: 1 01-14 Day 2: 1 02-09
157. John Murray Spring City, TN 2 04-06 44
Day 1: 2 04-06 Day 2: 0 00-00
158. Chad Pipkens Dewitt, MI 2 04-03 43
Day 1: 1 01-15 Day 2: 1 02-04
159. Andrew Hargrove Moody, TX 2 04-01 42
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 2 04-01
159. Brian Mullaney Ijamsville, MD 2 04-01 42
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 2 04-01
161. Steve Tennison Lexington, OK 2 04-00 40
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 2 04-00
162. Clay Samples South Boston, VA 2 03-12 39
Day 1: 2 03-12 Day 2: 0 00-00
163. A.J. Menssen Bloomington, IL 1 03-12 38
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 1 03-12
164. Scott Isaacs Ladonia, TX 2 03-04 37
Day 1: 2 03-04 Day 2: 0 00-00
165. Ryan Clark Whitby Ontario CANADA 2 02-08 36
Day 1: 0 -01-00 Day 2: 2 03-08
166. Chris Beaudrie Princeton, KY 1 02-04 35
Day 1: 1 02-04 Day 2: 0 00-00
166. Jonathan Reames Helena, AL 1 02-04 35
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 1 02-04
168. Destry Ford Tuscaloosa, AL 1 02-03 33
Day 1: 1 02-03 Day 2: 0 00-00
169. Mike Mayo Athens, TX 1 02-00 32
Day 1: 1 02-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
169. Jenny Nevans Dayton, TN 1 02-00 32
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 1 02-00
171. Jack Tindel III Orange, TX 1 01-15 30
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 1 01-15
172. Evan Barnes Dardanelle, AR 1 01-13 29
Day 1: 1 01-13 Day 2: 0 00-00
172. Zack Williams Nashville, TN 1 01-13 29
Day 1: 1 01-13 Day 2: 0 00-00
174. Jerry Gallogly Jr North Tazewell, VA 1 01-11 27
Day 1: 1 01-11 Day 2: 0 00-00
175. Tony Dumitras Winston, GA 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
175. Jeff Mcbeth New Phila, OH 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
175. Jordan Sanderlin Kill Devil Hills, NC 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
175. William Patrick Turner Crossville, TN 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
179. John Watts Jr Flushing, MI 0 -1-00 0
Day 1: 0 -01-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Totals
Day #Limits #Fish Weight
1 61 569 1212-08
2 53 552 1203-02
----------------------------------
114 1121 2415-10
2023 St. Croix Bassmaster Open at Watts Bar 9/14-9/16
Watts Bar Reservoir, Kingston TN.
(NON_BOATER) Standings Day 2
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Pts Total $$$
1. Sakae Ushio Tonawanda, NY 6 14-06 200 $10,450.00
Day 1: 3 05-08 Day 2: 3 08-14
2. Darren Kelly Wartburg, TN 5 11-12 199 $2,400.00
Day 1: 3 06-14 Day 2: 2 04-14
3. Alex Reece Greenville, SC 5 10-06 198 $1,800.00
Day 1: 3 06-09 Day 2: 2 03-13
4. Curtis Crooke Washburn, TN 5 09-09 197 $1,350.00
Day 1: 3 04-10 Day 2: 2 04-15
5. David Waack Cary, NC 5 09-07 196 $1,260.00
Day 1: 3 05-10 Day 2: 2 03-13
6. Brandon Smith Knightdale, NC 4 09-02 195 $1,200.00
Day 1: 2 04-10 Day 2: 2 04-08
7. Gary Haraguchi Murfreesboro, TN 5 08-09 194 $1,140.00
Day 1: 2 02-10 Day 2: 3 05-15
8. Chad Stahl Barnesville, GA 4 08-04 193 $1,080.00
Day 1: 2 04-11 Day 2: 2 03-09
9. Akira Okuyama Forest Hills, NY 4 08-01 192 $990.00
Day 1: 3 05-09 Day 2: 1 02-08
10. Travis Nelson Wartburg, TN 4 07-02 191 $900.00
Day 1: 3 05-04 Day 2: 1 01-14
11. Joe Tucker Osceola, MO 3 07-00 190 $840.00
Day 1: 2 04-10 Day 2: 1 02-06
12. David Chamberlain Hampton, VA 4 07-00 189 $780.00
Day 1: 2 03-08 Day 2: 2 03-08
13. Russell Nicewander Bluefield, WV 4 06-15 188 $660.00
Day 1: 2 03-04 Day 2: 2 03-11
14. Gary Hall Wardville, OK 3 06-10 187 $570.00
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 3 06-10
14. Bird Jones Loxahatchee, FL 3 06-10 187 $570.00
Day 1: 3 06-10 Day 2: 0 00-00
16. Harold Addison Columbia, SC 3 06-08 185 $480.00
Day 1: 3 06-08 Day 2: 0 00-00
17. Ryan Patterson Scott Township, PA 2 06-06 184 $450.00
Day 1: 1 01-15 Day 2: 1 04-07
18. Perry See Rochester, MN 2 06-04 183 $450.00
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 2 06-04
19. Steven Robbins Piketon, OH 3 06-04 182 $450.00
Day 1: 2 04-06 Day 2: 1 01-14
20. Mark Guhne Hixson, TN 3 05-12 181 $450.00
Day 1: 1 01-14 Day 2: 2 03-14
21. Johnnie Garrett Union City, TN 2 05-11 180 $420.00
Day 1: 1 01-08 Day 2: 1 04-03
22. John Sanderlin Chesapeake, VA 3 05-10 179 $420.00
Day 1: 2 04-00 Day 2: 1 01-10
23. Alex Watts Salem, VA 3 05-08 178 $420.00
Day 1: 3 05-08 Day 2: 0 00-00
24. Joe Lineberry Ramseaur,, NC 2 05-08 177 $420.00
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 2 05-08
25. Ray Lehrman Spring City, TN 2 05-06 176 $420.00
Day 1: 2 05-06 Day 2: 0 00-00
26. Robert Bruguiere Roseland, VA 3 05-06 175 $360.00
Day 1: 1 02-02 Day 2: 2 03-04
27. Riley Nielsen Murray, UT 3 05-02 174 $360.00
Day 1: 2 02-12 Day 2: 1 02-06
28. Levi Allgeier Bardstown, KY 3 04-14 173 $360.00
Day 1: 3 04-14 Day 2: 0 00-00
29. Bryant Bradley Murfreesboro, TN 2 04-10 172 $360.00
Day 1: 1 01-11 Day 2: 1 02-15
30. Nick Melcher Gypsum, CO 2 04-09 171 $360.00
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 2 04-09
31. David Booth Erin, TN 2 04-09 170 $330.00
Day 1: 1 01-12 Day 2: 1 02-13
32. Todd Mowery Madison, AL 2 04-07 169 $330.00
Day 1: 1 01-11 Day 2: 1 02-12
33. George Malcolm Gainesville, FL 2 04-01 168 $330.00
Day 1: 2 04-01 Day 2: 0 00-00
34. Ricky Fulk Shenandoah, VA 2 04-00 167 $330.00
Day 1: 1 02-03 Day 2: 1 01-13
35. Keith Gunsauls Dandridge, TN 2 03-15 166 $330.00
Day 1: 2 03-15 Day 2: 0 00-00
36. David Booth Tazewell, TN 2 03-15 165 $330.00
Day 1: 1 02-02 Day 2: 1 01-13
37. Josh Roberts Ocala, FL 2 03-15 164 $330.00
Day 1: 1 02-01 Day 2: 1 01-14
38. Joshua Torres Port Tobacco, MD 2 03-14 163 $330.00
Day 1: 1 01-07 Day 2: 1 02-07
39. James Roten West Jefferson, NC 2 03-14 162 $330.00
Day 1: 1 02-00 Day 2: 1 01-14
40. RD Roulston Little Rock, AR 2 03-13 161 $330.00
Day 1: 1 01-10 Day 2: 1 02-03
41. Joseph Essary Knoxville, TN 2 03-12 160
Day 1: 2 03-12 Day 2: 0 00-00
42. Melvin Fults Hendersonville, TN 3 03-11 159
Day 1: 2 01-13 Day 2: 1 01-14
43. Rick Cheatham Carterville, IL 2 03-10 158
Day 1: 2 03-10 Day 2: 0 00-00
44. Tim Kellam Crittenden, KY 2 03-09 157
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 2 03-09
44. Michael Leach Shenandoah, TX 2 03-09 157
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 2 03-09
44. Harvey Reece Chesterfield, VA 2 03-09 157
Day 1: 2 03-09 Day 2: 0 00-00
47. Colin Cooper Roanoke, VA 2 03-07 154
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 2 03-07
48. George Headden Oakdale, TN 2 03-05 153
Day 1: 1 01-07 Day 2: 1 01-14
49. Tristan Bramblett Tiger, GA 2 03-05 152
Day 1: 1 01-12 Day 2: 1 01-09
50. Scott Peters Knoxville, TN 2 03-04 151
Day 1: 2 03-04 Day 2: 0 00-00
51. Dennis Lane Rutledge, TN 1 03-03 150
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 1 03-03
52. John Higginbotham Slaughter, LA 1 03-00 149
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 1 03-00
53. Nathan Isaacs Knoxville, TN 1 02-15 148
Day 1: 1 02-15 Day 2: 0 00-00
54. Dylan Mayo Athens, TX 1 02-10 147
Day 1: 1 02-10 Day 2: 0 00-00
55. Eric White Vinemont, AL 1 02-09 146
Day 1: 1 02-09 Day 2: 0 00-00
56. Don Bible II Knoxville, TN 1 02-07 145
Day 1: 1 02-07 Day 2: 0 00-00
57. Alicia Raytrowsky Delaware CANADA 1 02-04 144
Day 1: 1 02-04 Day 2: 0 00-00
58. Randy Tallhamer Brandenton, FL 1 02-02 143
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 1 02-02
59. Dean Gibbs North Chesterfield, VA 1 02-01 142
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 1 02-01
59. Dalton Munsey Washburn, TN 1 02-01 142
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 1 02-01
61. Travis Branstetter Deer Lodge, TN 1 02-00 140
Day 1: 1 02-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
62. Sergio Render Crockett, VA 1 01-15 139
Day 1: 1 01-15 Day 2: 0 00-00
62. Avery Williams Murrells Inlt, SC 1 01-15 139
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 1 01-15
64. Wesley Carroll Wartburg, TN 1 01-14 137
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 1 01-14
64. Scott Walker Morristown, IN 1 01-14 137
Day 1: 1 01-14 Day 2: 0 00-00
66. Laz Durham Dumfries, VA 1 01-13 135
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 1 01-13
67. Travis Turcotte Pembroke CANADA 1 01-11 134
Day 1: 1 01-11 Day 2: 0 00-00
68. Bob Harper Lombard, IL 1 01-06 133
Day 1: 1 01-06 Day 2: 0 00-00
69. Peter Bates Dayton, TN 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
69. Charlie Beasley Maryville, TN 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
69. Charles Bowman II Kernersville, NC 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
69. Cole Burdine Dandridge, TN 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
69. Michael Cochran Mount Pleasant, SC 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
69. Marrell Deering Rome, GA 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
69. Dustin Dyer Johnson City, TN 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
69. Terry Ford Harriman, TN 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
69. Jason George Farragut, TN 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
69. Anthony Glassco Powhatan, VA 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
69. Dj Holland Murfreesboro, TN 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
69. Yu Kawamura Kashiwashi JAPAN 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
69. Ty Kenyon Dodgeville, WI 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
69. Kevin Mallow Kansas, OK 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
69. Ed Mlotek Naperville, IL 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
69. Kenneth Ott Manahawkin, NJ 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
69. Steve Ouellette Knoxville, TN 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
69. John Rico Daisytown, PA 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
69. Jim Short Liberty Twp, OH 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
69. Tyler Smith Portage, MI 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
69. Tim White Welaka, FL 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
90. Thomas Crosswhite Hartwell, GA 0 -1-00 0
Day 1: 0 -01-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Totals
Day #Limits #Fish Weight
1 11 92 175-03
2 3 69 153-04
----------------------------------
14 161 328-07
Major League Fishing General Tire Team Series Wraps Production at First Event of 2024 Season in Grand Rapids, Michigan
Bass Fishing Event Completes Week-Long Television Shoot in Grand Rapids, Michigan, with Nine Three-Man Teams Competing to Advance to Bass Pro Shops Team Series Championship
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (Sept. 15, 2023) – Major League Fishing (MLF) and 27 of the best pro anglers in the world officially wrapped production this week at the first event of the 2024 General Tire Team Series – the Lucas Oil Qualifier Presented by B&W Trailer Hitches in Grand Rapids, Michigan. The competition was filmed entirely for television broadcast and shot over six days this past week, featuring nine teams of three anglers competing to finish in the top three to advance to the Bass Pro Shops Team Series Championship.
The General Tire Team Series Lucas Oil Qualifier Presented by B&W Trailer Hitches event marked the first time that MLF had visited the Grand Rapids, Michigan, area with an event that showcases the catch, weigh and immediate-release tournament format.
The event featured professional anglers visiting the Grand Rapids area to compete on one of three fisheries on each day of competition: Muskegon and Bear Lakes, White Lake and Grand River. 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 Lucas Oil Qualifier Presented by B&W Trailer Hitches in Grand Rapids, Michigan, were:
Team B&W Trailer Hitches:
Adrian Avena, Vineland, N.J.
Spencer Shuffield, Hot Springs, Ark.
Ryan Salzman, Huntsville, Ala.
Team Builders FirstSource:
Zack Birge, Blanchard, Okla.
Mark Rose, Wynne, Ark.
Cliff Pace, Petal, Miss.
Team Crockett Creek:
Jonathon VanDam, Kalamazoo, Mich.
James Elam, Tulsa, Okla.
Matt Lee, Cullman, Ala.
Team Ferguson:
Dakota Ebare, Brookeland, Texas
Justin Cooper, Zwolle, La.
Tommy Biffle, Wagoner, Okla.
Team Knighten Industries:
Wesley Strader, Spring City, Tenn.
Scott Suggs, Alexander, Ark.
Matt Becker, Ten Mile, Tenn.
Team Kubota:
Jacob Wheeler, Harrison, Tenn.
Dylan Hays, Hot Springs, Ark.
Boyd Duckett, Guntersville, Ala.
Team Smokey Mountain Herbal Snuff & Pouches:
Bryan Thrift, Shelby, N.C.
Luke Clausen, Spokane, Wash.
Josh Butler, Hayden, Ala.
Team Sqwincher:
Dustin Connell, Clanton, Ala.
Cole Floyd, Leesburg, Ohio
Roy Hawk, Lake Havasu City, Ariz.
Team Star brite:
Chris Lane, Guntersville, Ala.
Jared Lintner, Covington, Ga.
John Hunter, Shelbyville, Ky.
The MLF General Tire Team Series Lucas Oil Qualifier Presented by B&W Trailer Hitches will air on Outdoor Channel as six, two-hour original episodes each Saturday afternoon starting Jan. 6, 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.
En Fuego!
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DAIWA launches “significantly changed”, high-performing FUEGO mid-price spinning reel. |
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FOOTHILL RANCH, CA (September 15, 2023) – We know a lot of fishing guides who swear by the current DAIWA FUEGO LT, even though they could fish with any spinning reel in DAIWA’s line-up. For example, Minnesota’s National Freshwater Fishing Hall of Famer, Tom Neustrom, who’s still guiding in his mid-70s. “The FUEGO just gets the job done. Day-in, day-out, it’s a reel I can trust to fish walleyes, bass, pike, whatever—as well as my clients—because it’s smooth, provides great drag performance, and stands up to real-world fishing. It should cost a whole lot more, I’ll tell you that,” says Neustrom. |
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Well, guides like Neustrom and everyone else are going to be even more impressed with the performance of DAIWA’s improved FUEGO. Looking at the new DAIWA FUEGO—compared to the existing FUEGO LT generation—the design changes are significant. “First,” says DAIWA Senior Marketing Manager, Marc Mills, “we went to a true ZAION V carbon-fiber body, not a nylon-based plastic that you see in other manufacturers’ reels at this price. The new FUEGO stands alone in the marketplace at this price. You get some weight reduction because of this material design change. We also went to an AIRDRIVE ROTOR that reduces weight, too, and incorporated a solid AIRDRIVE BAIL versus a tubular design. The reason for that is the metal we’re using is very strong, rigid, and doesn’t bend—yet, it’s thinner and lighter. Our goal was to reduce the weight of the rotation, which decreases the weight of the reel as well. It also makes it easier to turn the handle. We’re making the performance better and better with each generation of FUEGO.” |
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“The other big deal with the FUEGO redesign is we added true 5000- and 6000-size reels, which allows us to step into the inshore market, especially with northeast anglers chasing striped bass,” Mills adds. |
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DAIWA FUEGO Features:
MSRP $109.99-$129.99 |
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Fishin' Tip Friday - Shaw Grigsby on the Swimming Worm
By Vance McCullough
“One of my favorite lures to have any time, any place is a plastic worm,” declares Shaw Grigsby, member of the Bass Fishing Hall of Fame.
“You can rig it weedless. It comes through all types of cover. You catch them everywhere with a worm,” continues the host of the ‘One More Cast with Shaw Grigsby’ TV show, brandishing a Strike King Mag Cut R Worm that features a beefy body and a sickle-shaped ‘cut’ tail.
“That tail is going to paddle and wiggle. It’s got a lot of kick and that makes it good for a swimming worm technique, similar to a swimming jig.”
His rig is simple. “I put a little 1/16 ounce, or 1/8 ounce tungsten sinker in front, put it on 17-to-20lb fluorocarbon or maybe 30lb or 40lb braid, put a big ole TK120 hook in there (made by Trokar).”
As for the technique, “You’re just going to throw it, and the cool thing about a plastic worm is you can let it sit and guess what – they eat it! You can put it on the bottom and guess what – they eat it. But where it really works with that light weights is you just swim it. Keep your rod tip at about 10 o’clock so that when one eats it you can drop your rod, reel the slack and then hammer them!
“That’s the trick with a swimming worm – don’t just pull into them immediately. Drop your rod, hammer them hard and you’ve got them!”
Dallas Welcomes SITKA Gear's Newest Retail Location for Outdoor Enthusiasts
BOZEMAN, Mont. (Sept. 26, 2023) - SITKA Gear, the industry leader in technical hunting and outdoor gear, announces the opening of their brick-and-mortar storefront in Dallas, Texas. The SITKA Dallas storefront is located at 4438 McKinney Ave #200 Dallas, TX and will be hosting Grand Opening festivities for the Dallas community on September 30th, 2023, with a special meet and greet with Dallas Cowboys Linebacker Leighton Vander Esch from 4:00 PM to 5:00 PM, where fans can stop by for a photo opportunity.
In addition to the meet and greet, the Grand Opening of the Dallas store will feature exclusive in-store promotions, giveaways, and a chance to engage with SITKA Gear's ambassadors. Whether embarking on a hunting trip or simply embracing the great outdoors, SITKA Gear's newest retail location is poised to become the go-to destination for gear that's engineered to excel in any environment.
As the second retail location for SITKA Gear, and the first outside their hometown of Bozeman, MT, this venture marks a significant milestone in the brand's journey.
"We're excited to bring SITKA to our Texas and Southern customers," said Alley Ray, Retail Experience Manager."Our gear is designed to elevate outdoor experiences, and with our new Dallas store, we're providing enthusiasts with a hands-on opportunity to completely understand the difference our gear can make."
Visitors to the new Dallas store can expect to be immersed in the complete SITKA Gear experience showcasing the brand's dedication to high-quality, functional gear, mirroring the rugged yet refined nature of the products themselves. Knowledgeable staff members will be on hand to guide customers through SITKA’s product line, helping them find the ideal pieces for their specific activities.
Schedule of events:
10:00 AM: SITKA Store Opens
4:00 - 5:00 PM: Leighton Vander Esch Meet and Greet for fans
4:00 - 7:00 PM: Grand Opening Festivities with live music from The Swon Brothers and Texas BBQ
For more information, visit the new SITKA Dallas store at 4438 McKinney Ave #200 Dallas, TX, or explore the brand online at sitkagear.com. Join SITKA Gear in celebrating this remarkable milestone and discover a new era of outdoor gear excellence on September 30th, 2023.
Lane leverages key spot for Bassmaster Open lead on Watts Bar Reservoir
Bobby Lane of Lakeland, Fla., is leading after Day 1 of the 2023 St. Croix Bassmaster Open at Watts Bar Reservoir with 15 pounds, 2 ounces.
Photo by Andy Crawford/B.A.S.S.
September 14, 2023
KINGSTON, Tenn. — Bobby Lane didn’t want to overstay his welcome, but protecting a special spot allowed the Lakeland, Fla., pro to bag a limit of 15 pounds, 2 ounces to lead Day 1 of the St. Croix Bassmaster Open at Watts Bar Reservoir.
In a tight Top 10 with 2-7 separating first place from 10th, Lane leads second-place Tyler Williams by 3 ounces.
“The problem with where I was this morning was I caught ‘em quick and there were about eight boats around, so I couldn’t leave the spot,” Lane said. “That was where the fish were and the minute I left they would go right there because no one was catching anything around me.
“I would have loved to have had the place to myself where I could have caught five and gotten out of there. As tough as it is to get bit out here right now, I really wish I could have saved some of those fish for Day 2, but I couldn’t leave as early as I wanted to.”
Having grown up fishing Florida’s grassy lakes, Lane said he enjoyed fishing familiar habitat, although he had to adjust his Sunshine State tactics for local scenarios.
“I felt at home, but it doesn’t fish like home,” Lane said. “The grass fishes differently and it sets up differently. There are so many different kinds of grass here. Back in Okeechobee, we have hydrilla and eelgrass. Up here, you have coontail, you have hydrilla, you have milfoil, you have this leafy grass and it’s all mixed together.
“A lot of it’s matted up and some of it’s thin and you kind of had to fish your way through in practice to figure out which grass they wanted. After today, I decided they didn’t care which grass it was. You just had to fish your backside off.”
An early topwater bite with the new Berkley Swamp Lord popping frog in the copperhead color yielded seven keepers, two of which crossed the weigh-in stage. Lane ended up filling his limit by fishing Texas-rigged Berkley Powerbait plastics.
“I hadn’t caught many on topwater this week,” he said. “But this morning, one of those big ones came on the frog. Right after that, one came up schooling, so I threw over there and caught it. It was a 2 1/2-pounder.”
Notably, Lane said he initially had not planned on fishing what turned out to be a surprisingly productive area.
“It finally clicked today. It was a tough practice, and I only had a limit one day,” Lane said. “I shook a few fish off (in practice) and I said, ‘Man, I've got to go back.’
“I put that Power-Pole Move trolling motor on about 10 and just cruised through that grass.”
Lane said the key to maximizing his main area’s productivity was dialing in a specific habitat element. Once he finally yielded his spot, he did so for the purpose of checking on a possible Plan B that might serve his Day 2 objective.
“I left one little area alone today. I ran into it, made one cast, caught one almost 3 pounds and left,” Lane said. “I’m hoping that will pan out for tomorrow.”
Hailing from Belgrade, Maine, Williams is in second place with 14-15. He did most of his work without his trolling motor and Power-Poles, which stopped functioning early into his day.
Anchoring his bag with a 4-12, Williams salvaged his day by drifting across promising areas and doing his best to fish as many isolated targets as he could. Defining resilience, Williams overcame what he termed the most mentally taxing day he’s ever spent on the water and made the best of what he had to work with.
“I don’t get spun out on the water and I was getting spun out today,” Williams said. “I nearly gave up this morning, but I sat down, ate some Jack’s Links beef jerky — the barbecue flavor — and gave myself a pep talk.
“I figured the best thing to do was to fish areas with these isolated targets — a stump, a brushpile, a grass clump — but because I couldn’t use my trolling motor, I couldn’t turn my (forward-facing sonar transducer), so I had to lean over the bow and turn it by hand. I nearly fell in three times.”
Dale Hightower of Mannford, Okla., is in third place with 14-8. Similar to Lane’s story, Hightower was not planning to fish the area that carried his first-round effort, but a last-minute decision delivered surprisingly favorable results.
“I almost didn’t go to this spot, but then I thought, ‘No better than what my practice was, I’d better go,’” Hightower said. “I never really keyed in on a topwater bite all through practice. It happens early and it’s only a short window. In practice, I don’t think I was getting out there early enough to cover enough water to see.
“I got 15 bites doing that today. Later in the day, I just went fishing in the area where I’d caught some fish in practice. I just slowed down and caught them on finesse baits.”
Jason Abram of Piney Flats, Tenn., is in the lead for Phoenix Boats Big Bass honors with his 4-14.
Darren Kelly of Wartburg, Tenn., leads the co-angler division with 6-14. With a 3-pounder boosting his day’s efforts, Kelly said diversity was the key to his success.
“We did a little bit of everything today,” Kelly said. “I had a fish on every bait I threw. I’d catch one flipping, then I’d turn around and catch one on a shaky head, then I’d turn around and catch one on a ChatterBait.
“I was rotating a lot of rods and the good Lord gave me three keepers. That’s what I needed.”
Kelly caught his big fish around 12:30 p.m. by flipping a Berkley Havoc Pit Boss with a 5/16-ounce tungsten weight.
Harold Addison of Columbia, S.C., holds the Phoenix Boats Big Bass lead among co-anglers with a 3-4.
Friday’s takeoff is scheduled for 7:15 a.m. CT at Kingston Boat Ramp. The weigh-in will be held at the ramp at 3:15 p.m. Full coverage will be available on Bassmaster.com.
2023 St. Croix Bassmaster Open at Watts Bar 9/14-9/16
Watts Bar Reservoir, Kingston TN.
(BOATER) Standings Day 1
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Pts Total $$$
1. Bobby Lane Jr. Lakeland, FL 5 15-02 200
Day 1: 5 15-02
2. Tyler Williams Belgrade, ME 5 14-15 199
Day 1: 5 14-15
3. Dale Hightower Mannford, OK 5 14-08 198
Day 1: 5 14-08
4. Tucker Veronee Gilbert, SC 5 13-14 197
Day 1: 5 13-14
5. Jacob Bigelow Cecil, WI 5 13-07 196
Day 1: 5 13-07
6. Mike Surman Boca Raton, FL 5 13-04 195
Day 1: 5 13-04
7. John Garrett Union City, TN 5 13-01 194
Day 1: 5 13-01
8. Jason Abram Piney Flats, TN 5 13-00 193
Day 1: 5 13-00
9. Sam George Athens, AL 5 12-13 192
Day 1: 5 12-13
10. Jason Lambert Savannah, TN 5 12-11 191
Day 1: 5 12-11
11. Adam Rasmussen Sturgeon Bay, WI 5 12-09 190
Day 1: 5 12-09
12. Jason Carpenter Castle Pines, CO 5 12-07 189
Day 1: 5 12-07
13. Trey McKinney Carbondale, IL 5 12-04 188
Day 1: 5 12-04
14. Kyle Austin Ridgeville, SC 5 12-03 187
Day 1: 5 12-03
15. Wesley Gore Clanton, AL 5 12-02 186
Day 1: 5 12-02
16. Lucas Murphy West Columbia, MI 5 12-00 185
Day 1: 5 12-00
17. JT Thompkins Myrtle Beach, SC 5 11-13 184
Day 1: 5 11-13
18. Chad Warren Sand Springs, OK 5 11-12 183
Day 1: 5 11-12
19. Harvey Horne Bella Vista, AR 5 11-11 182
Day 1: 5 11-11
20. David Williams Newton, NC 5 11-08 181
Day 1: 5 11-08
21. Kyle Patrick Cooperstown, NY 5 11-07 180
Day 1: 5 11-07
22. Jeff Salmon Mechanicsville, VA 5 11-06 179
Day 1: 5 11-06
23. Daisuke Kita Ostu Shiga JAPAN 5 11-05 178
Day 1: 5 11-05
24. Wil Dieffenbauch III Hundred, WV 4 11-05 177
Day 1: 4 11-05
25. Lafe Messer Warfield, KY 5 11-04 176
Day 1: 5 11-04
26. Yusuke Miyazaki Forney, TX 5 11-03 175
Day 1: 5 11-03
27. Chris Kingree Inverness, FL 5 11-01 174
Day 1: 5 11-01
28. Takayuki Koike Otsu-City JAPAN 5 10-14 173
Day 1: 5 10-14
29. Jonathan Dietz Corry, PA 5 10-13 172
Day 1: 5 10-13
30. Jake Maddux Birmingham, AL 5 10-12 171
Day 1: 5 10-12
30. Kyle Monti Okeechobee, FL 5 10-12 171
Day 1: 5 10-12
32. Shaine Campbell Brookeland, TX 5 10-09 169
Day 1: 5 10-09
33. Rob Digh Denver, NC 4 10-09 168
Day 1: 4 10-09
34. Brett Cannon Willis, TX 5 10-07 167
Day 1: 5 10-07
35. Shane Lineberger Lincolnton, NC 5 10-05 166
Day 1: 5 10-05
36. Alex Murray Lake Charles, LA 5 10-04 165
Day 1: 5 10-04
37. Pete Gluszek Mount Laurel, NJ 5 10-03 164
Day 1: 5 10-03
38. Jack York Emory, TX 3 10-03 163
Day 1: 3 10-03
39. Greg Bohannan Bentonville, AR 5 10-02 162
Day 1: 5 10-02
39. Chris Hellebuyck White Lake, MI 5 10-02 162
Day 1: 5 10-02
41. Clark Reehm Elm Grove, LA 4 10-02 160
Day 1: 4 10-02
42. Hunter Sales Blaine, TN 5 10-00 159
Day 1: 5 10-00
43. Paul Browning Pecos, TX 4 10-00 158
Day 1: 4 10-00
44. John Conway Jr Henrico, VA 5 09-15 157
Day 1: 5 09-15
44. Jack Dice Lynchburg, VA 5 09-15 157
Day 1: 5 09-15
46. Blake Smith Lakeland, FL 5 09-15 155
Day 1: 5 09-15
47. Logan Johnson Jasper, AL 4 09-15 154
Day 1: 4 09-15
48. Zeke Gossett Pell City, AL 5 09-14 153
Day 1: 5 09-14
48. Andrew Upshaw Hemphill, TX 5 09-14 153
Day 1: 5 09-14
50. Allan Nail Sand Springs, OK 5 09-13 151
Day 1: 5 09-13
51. Chase Clarke Virginia Beach, VA 5 09-12 150
Day 1: 5 09-12
52. Cody Detweiler Guntersville, AL 5 09-11 149
Day 1: 5 09-11
53. Robert Gee Knoxville, TN 5 09-10 148
Day 1: 5 09-10
54. Ryan Broughman Corapeake, NC 5 09-09 147
Day 1: 5 09-09
55. Jacob Thompkins Myrtle Beach, SC 3 09-08 146
Day 1: 3 09-08
56. Kenji Yamada Hixson, TN 5 09-07 145
Day 1: 5 09-07
57. Keith Tuma Brainerd, MN 5 09-05 144
Day 1: 5 09-05
58. Brad Knight Lancing, TN 5 09-04 143
Day 1: 5 09-04
58. John Soukup Sapulpa, OK 5 09-04 143
Day 1: 5 09-04
60. Alex Heintze Denham Springs, LA 5 09-02 141
Day 1: 5 09-02
60. Brandon McMillan Clewiston, FL 5 09-02 141
Day 1: 5 09-02
62. Austin Cranford Norman, OK 5 09-01 139
Day 1: 5 09-01
63. Logan Parks Auburn, AL 4 09-01 138
Day 1: 4 09-01
64. Chris Dillow Waynesboro, VA 4 09-00 137
Day 1: 4 09-00
65. Victor Alford Kingston, TN 5 08-14 136
Day 1: 5 08-14
66. Charlie Hartley Grove City, OH 5 08-13 135
Day 1: 5 08-13
66. Josh Hubbard Dunnellon, FL 5 08-13 135
Day 1: 5 08-13
68. Julius Mazy Phoenix, AZ 5 08-11 133
Day 1: 5 08-11
69. Teb Jones Yalaha, MS 4 08-11 132
Day 1: 4 08-11
69. Brayden Rakes Winston Salem, NC 4 08-11 132
Day 1: 4 08-11
71. Bo Thomas Edwardsburg, MI 5 08-10 130
Day 1: 5 08-10
72. Kurt Mitchell Milford, DE 4 08-08 129
Day 1: 4 08-08
73. Matt Pangrac Shawnee, OK 5 08-07 128
Day 1: 5 08-07
74. Ish Monroe Oakdale, CA 4 08-07 127
Day 1: 4 08-07
75. Tommy Williams Shepherdsville, KY 4 08-06 126
Day 1: 4 08-06
76. Ty Faber Pagosa Springs, CO 4 08-05 125
Day 1: 4 08-05
76. Louis Monetti Brielle, NJ 4 08-05 125
Day 1: 4 08-05
78. Destin DeMarion Harborcreek, PA 4 08-02 123
Day 1: 4 08-02
79. Miles Burghoff Dayton, TN 3 08-00 122
Day 1: 3 08-00
79. Taylor Watkins Clinton, TN 3 08-00 122
Day 1: 3 08-00
81. Denny Fiedler Wabasha, MN 3 07-14 120
Day 1: 3 07-14
82. Keith Brumfield Vicksburg, MS 4 07-09 119
Day 1: 4 07-09
83. Matt Henry Milledgeville, GA 4 07-06 118
Day 1: 4 07-06
83. Andrew Mlotek Indianapolis, IN 4 07-06 118
Day 1: 4 07-06
85. Chris Whitson Louisville, TN 4 07-06 116
Day 1: 4 07-06
86. Powell Kemp Scotland Neck, NC 3 07-06 115
Day 1: 3 07-06
87. Craig Chambers Midland, NC 3 07-05 114
Day 1: 3 07-05
88. Rich Ortiz Fort Ann, NY 4 07-03 113
Day 1: 4 07-03
89. Chase Henley Kingston, TN 4 07-01 112
Day 1: 4 07-01
90. Brady Vernon Sterrett, AL 3 07-01 111
Day 1: 3 07-01
91. Blake Sylvester Plaquemine, LA 4 07-00 110
Day 1: 4 07-00
92. Brandon Tallhamer Parkersburg, WV 4 06-14 109
Day 1: 4 06-14
93. Cole Drummond Effingham, SC 4 06-12 108
Day 1: 4 06-12
94. Jamie Bruce Kenora Ontario CANADA 3 06-12 107
Day 1: 3 06-12
94. Christian Shoda Homosassa, FL 3 06-12 107
Day 1: 3 06-12
96. Brad Leuthner Victoria, MN 4 06-10 105
Day 1: 4 06-10
97. Kenta Kimura Osaka JAPAN 2 06-05 104
Day 1: 2 06-05
98. Trey Swindle Cleveland, AL 4 06-04 103
Day 1: 4 06-04
99. Buck Mallory Lawton, MI 3 06-03 102
Day 1: 3 06-03
100. Kyle Goltz Cornell, WI 3 06-02 101
Day 1: 3 06-02
101. Matt Messer Warfield, KY 2 06-02 100
Day 1: 2 06-02
102. Tyler Lubbat Wheeling, IL 3 06-00 99
Day 1: 3 06-00
103. Jason Meninger Yulee, FL 2 06-00 98
Day 1: 2 06-00
104. Chris Dover Blacksburg, SC 3 05-15 97
Day 1: 3 05-15
104. Casey Smith Victor, NY 3 05-15 97
Day 1: 3 05-15
106. Andrew Harp Linden, TX 2 05-14 95
Day 1: 2 05-14
107. Phil Killian Solomon, AZ 4 05-13 94
Day 1: 4 05-13
108. Tim Frederick Leesburg, FL 3 05-12 93
Day 1: 3 05-12
108. Billy McDonald Greenwood, IN 3 05-12 93
Day 1: 3 05-12
108. Casey Scanlon Eldon, MO 3 05-12 93
Day 1: 3 05-12
111. Bronk Mcdaniel Alexandria, LA 2 05-10 90
Day 1: 2 05-10
112. Tommy Brown Louisville, TN 3 05-08 89
Day 1: 3 05-08
112. Griffin Phillips Mount Olive, AL 3 05-08 89
Day 1: 3 05-08
114. Tripp Noojin Bryant, AL 2 05-08 87
Day 1: 2 05-08
115. Scott Hamrick Denver, NC 3 05-05 86
Day 1: 3 05-05
115. Dane Mitchell Ten Mile, TN 3 05-05 86
Day 1: 3 05-05
115. JT Russell Mc Calla, AL 3 05-05 86
Day 1: 3 05-05
118. Joey Hanna Corsicana, TX 3 05-04 83
Day 1: 3 05-04
119. Shayne Berlo Mclean, VA 3 05-03 82
Day 1: 3 05-03
120. James Niggemeyer Van, TX 3 05-02 81
Day 1: 3 05-02
121. Joey Nania Cropwell, AL 3 05-01 80
Day 1: 3 05-01
122. Chad Grigsby Maple Grove, MN 3 04-15 79
Day 1: 3 04-15
123. Chris Keeble Lenoir City, TN 2 04-13 78
Day 1: 2 04-13
124. Michael Vanosdale Knoxville, TN 1 04-11 77
Day 1: 1 04-11
125. B.J. Usie Bourg, LA 2 04-09 76
Day 1: 2 04-09
126. John Murray Spring City, TN 2 04-06 75
Day 1: 2 04-06
127. Jimmy Washam Stantonville, TN 1 04-05 74
Day 1: 1 04-05
128. Ben Milliken New Caney, TX 2 04-04 73
Day 1: 2 04-04
129. Scott Kerslake Okeechobee, FL 3 04-03 72
Day 1: 3 04-03
130. Chancy Walters West Des Moines, IA 2 04-02 71
Day 1: 2 04-02
131. Tom Frink Southside, AL 2 04-01 70
Day 1: 2 04-01
131. Danny Ramsey Trinidad, TX 2 04-01 70
Day 1: 2 04-01
133. Cody Stahl Barnsville, GA 2 03-15 68
Day 1: 2 03-15
134. Clay Samples South Boston, VA 2 03-12 67
Day 1: 2 03-12
135. Johnathan Crossland Chapin, SC 2 03-10 66
Day 1: 2 03-10
136. Scout Echols Monticello, AR 2 03-08 65
Day 1: 2 03-08
137. Bryan Bickell Newcastle CANADA 2 03-06 64
Day 1: 2 03-06
137. David Perdue Wirtz, VA 2 03-06 64
Day 1: 2 03-06
139. Jason Tibbetts Centreville, VA 2 03-04 62
Day 1: 2 03-04
140. Scott Isaacs Ladonia, TX 2 03-04 61
Day 1: 2 03-04
141. Chris Blanchette Edisto Island, SC 1 03-00 60
Day 1: 1 03-00
142. Josh Bragg Fayetteville, GA 3 02-13 59
Day 1: 3 02-13
143. Darrell Davis Dover, FL 1 02-07 58
Day 1: 1 02-07
144. Lucas Bogosian Harrington Park, NJ 1 02-05 57
Day 1: 1 02-05
145. Chris Beaudrie Princeton, KY 1 02-04 56
Day 1: 1 02-04
146. Destry Ford Tuscaloosa, AL 1 02-03 55
Day 1: 1 02-03
147. Paul Bouvier Kingston CANADA 1 02-00 54
Day 1: 1 02-00
147. Mike Mayo Athens, TX 1 02-00 54
Day 1: 1 02-00
149. Chad Pipkens Dewitt, MI 1 01-15 52
Day 1: 1 01-15
149. Whitney Stephens Waverly, OH 1 01-15 52
Day 1: 1 01-15
151. Stacey Jefferson Conway, SC 1 01-14 50
Day 1: 1 01-14
152. Evan Barnes Dardanelle, AR 1 01-13 49
Day 1: 1 01-13
152. Evan Kung Pickering Ontario CANAD 1 01-13 49
Day 1: 1 01-13
152. Lance Owen Greer, SC 1 01-13 49
Day 1: 1 01-13
152. Zack Williams Nashville, TN 1 01-13 49
Day 1: 1 01-13
156. Brock Belik Orchard, NE 1 01-12 45
Day 1: 1 01-12
156. Flash Butts Roanoke Rapids, NC 1 01-12 45
Day 1: 1 01-12
156. Trevor McKinney Benton, IL 1 01-12 45
Day 1: 1 01-12
159. Jerry Gallogly Jr North Tazewell, VA 1 01-11 42
Day 1: 1 01-11
160. Jonathan Bowling Harriman, TN 1 01-10 41
Day 1: 1 01-10
160. Angela Mayo Maiden, NC 1 01-10 41
Day 1: 1 01-10
160. Brian Post Janesville, WI 1 01-10 41
Day 1: 1 01-10
163. Wesley Cashwell Roanoke Rapids, NC 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
163. Tony Dumitras Winston, GA 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
163. Andrew Hargrove Moody, TX 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
163. Justin Kimmel Athens, GA 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
163. Jeff Mcbeth New Phila, OH 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
163. A.J. Menssen Bloomington, IL 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
163. Brian Mullaney Ijamsville, MD 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
163. Jenny Nevans Dayton, TN 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
163. Jonathan Reames Helena, AL 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
163. Jordan Sanderlin Kill Devil Hills, NC 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
163. Steve Tennison Lexington, OK 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
163. Jack Tindel III Orange, TX 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
163. William Patrick Turner Crossville, TN 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
163. Daniel Valois Gomez Caracas FL VENEZUELA 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
177. Derek Lehtonen Woodruff, SC 1 -0-05 24
Day 1: 1 -00-05
178. Ryan Clark Whitby Ontario CANADA 0 -1-00 0
Day 1: 0 -01-00
178. John Watts Jr Flushing, MI 0 -1-00 0
Day 1: 0 -01-00
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Totals
Day #Limits #Fish Weight
1 61 569 1212-08
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61 569 1212-08
2023 St. Croix Bassmaster Open at Watts Bar 9/14-9/16
Watts Bar Reservoir, Kingston TN.
(NON_BOATER) Standings Day 1
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Pts Total $$$
1. Darren Kelly Wartburg, TN 3 06-14 200
Day 1: 3 06-14
2. Bird Jones Loxahatchee, FL 3 06-10 199
Day 1: 3 06-10
3. Alex Reece Greenville, SC 3 06-09 198
Day 1: 3 06-09
4. Harold Addison Columbia, SC 3 06-08 197
Day 1: 3 06-08
5. David Waack Cary, NC 3 05-10 196
Day 1: 3 05-10
6. Akira Okuyama Forest Hills, NY 3 05-09 195
Day 1: 3 05-09
7. Sakae Ushio Tonawanda, NY 3 05-08 194
Day 1: 3 05-08
7. Alex Watts Salem, VA 3 05-08 194
Day 1: 3 05-08
9. Ray Lehrman Spring City, TN 2 05-06 192
Day 1: 2 05-06
10. Travis Nelson Wartburg, TN 3 05-04 191
Day 1: 3 05-04
11. Levi Allgeier Bardstown, KY 3 04-14 190
Day 1: 3 04-14
12. Chad Stahl Barnesville, GA 2 04-11 189
Day 1: 2 04-11
13. Curtis Crooke Washburn, TN 3 04-10 188
Day 1: 3 04-10
14. Brandon Smith Knightdale, NC 2 04-10 187
Day 1: 2 04-10
14. Joe Tucker Osceola, MO 2 04-10 187
Day 1: 2 04-10
16. Steven Robbins Piketon, OH 2 04-06 185
Day 1: 2 04-06
17. George Malcolm Gainesville, FL 2 04-01 184
Day 1: 2 04-01
18. John Sanderlin Chesapeake, VA 2 04-00 183
Day 1: 2 04-00
19. Keith Gunsauls Dandridge, TN 2 03-15 182
Day 1: 2 03-15
20. Joseph Essary Knoxville, TN 2 03-12 181
Day 1: 2 03-12
21. Rick Cheatham Carterville, IL 2 03-10 180
Day 1: 2 03-10
22. Harvey Reece Chesterfield, VA 2 03-09 179
Day 1: 2 03-09
23. David Chamberlain Hampton, VA 2 03-08 178
Day 1: 2 03-08
24. Russell Nicewander Bluefield, WV 2 03-04 177
Day 1: 2 03-04
24. Scott Peters Knoxville, TN 2 03-04 177
Day 1: 2 03-04
26. Nathan Isaacs Knoxville, TN 1 02-15 175
Day 1: 1 02-15
27. Riley Nielsen Murray, UT 2 02-12 174
Day 1: 2 02-12
28. Gary Haraguchi Murfreesboro, TN 2 02-10 173
Day 1: 2 02-10
29. Dylan Mayo Athens, TX 1 02-10 172
Day 1: 1 02-10
30. Eric White Vinemont, AL 1 02-09 171
Day 1: 1 02-09
31. Don Bible II Knoxville, TN 1 02-07 170
Day 1: 1 02-07
32. Alicia Raytrowsky Delaware CANADA 1 02-04 169
Day 1: 1 02-04
33. Ricky Fulk Shenandoah, VA 1 02-03 168
Day 1: 1 02-03
34. David Booth Tazewell, TN 1 02-02 167
Day 1: 1 02-02
34. Robert Bruguiere Roseland, VA 1 02-02 167
Day 1: 1 02-02
36. Josh Roberts Ocala, FL 1 02-01 165
Day 1: 1 02-01
37. Travis Branstetter Deer Lodge, TN 1 02-00 164
Day 1: 1 02-00
37. James Roten West Jefferson, NC 1 02-00 164
Day 1: 1 02-00
39. Ryan Patterson Scott Township, PA 1 01-15 162
Day 1: 1 01-15
39. Sergio Render Crockett, VA 1 01-15 162
Day 1: 1 01-15
41. Mark Guhne Hixson, TN 1 01-14 160
Day 1: 1 01-14
41. Scott Walker Morristown, IN 1 01-14 160
Day 1: 1 01-14
43. Melvin Fults Hendersonville, TN 2 01-13 158
Day 1: 2 01-13
44. David Booth Erin, TN 1 01-12 157
Day 1: 1 01-12
44. Tristan Bramblett Tiger, GA 1 01-12 157
Day 1: 1 01-12
46. Bryant Bradley Murfreesboro, TN 1 01-11 155
Day 1: 1 01-11
46. Todd Mowery Madison, AL 1 01-11 155
Day 1: 1 01-11
46. Travis Turcotte Pembroke CANADA 1 01-11 155
Day 1: 1 01-11
49. RD Roulston Little Rock, AR 1 01-10 152
Day 1: 1 01-10
50. Johnnie Garrett Union City, TN 1 01-08 151
Day 1: 1 01-08
51. George Headden Oakdale, TN 1 01-07 150
Day 1: 1 01-07
51. Joshua Torres Port Tobacco, MD 1 01-07 150
Day 1: 1 01-07
53. Bob Harper Lombard, IL 1 01-06 148
Day 1: 1 01-06
54. Peter Bates Dayton, TN 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
54. Charlie Beasley Maryville, TN 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
54. Charles Bowman II Kernersville, NC 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
54. Cole Burdine Dandridge, TN 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
54. Wesley Carroll Wartburg, TN 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
54. Michael Cochran Mount Pleasant, SC 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
54. Colin Cooper Roanoke, VA 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
54. Marrell Deering Rome, GA 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
54. Laz Durham Dumfries, VA 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
54. Dustin Dyer Johnson City, TN 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
54. Terry Ford Harriman, TN 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
54. Jason George Farragut, TN 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
54. Dean Gibbs North Chesterfield, VA 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
54. Anthony Glassco Powhatan, VA 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
54. Gary Hall Wardville, OK 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
54. John Higginbotham Slaughter, LA 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
54. Dj Holland Murfreesboro, TN 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
54. Yu Kawamura Kashiwashi JAPAN 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
54. Tim Kellam Crittenden, KY 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
54. Ty Kenyon Dodgeville, WI 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
54. Dennis Lane Rutledge, TN 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
54. Michael Leach Shenandoah, TX 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
54. Joe Lineberry Ramseaur,, NC 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
54. Kevin Mallow Kansas, OK 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
54. Nick Melcher Gypsum, CO 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
54. Ed Mlotek Naperville, IL 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
54. Dalton Munsey Washburn, TN 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
54. Kenneth Ott Manahawkin, NJ 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
54. Steve Ouellette Knoxville, TN 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
54. John Rico Daisytown, PA 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
54. Perry See Rochester, MN 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
54. Jim Short Liberty Twp, OH 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
54. Tyler Smith Portage, MI 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
54. Randy Tallhamer Brandenton, FL 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
54. Tim White Welaka, FL 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
54. Avery Williams Murrells Inlt, SC 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
90. Thomas Crosswhite Hartwell, GA 0 -1-00 0
Day 1: 0 -01-00
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Totals
Day #Limits #Fish Weight
1 11 92 175-03
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11 92 175-03
Excellent bass population could counter boat traffic for Bassmaster Open at Lake of the Ozarks
Current Bassmaster Opens EQ leader JT Thompkins will try to hold on to his top spot at the 2023 St. Croix Bassmaster Open at Lake of the Ozarks Sept. 22-24.
Photo by Andy Crawford/B.A.S.S.
September 14, 2023
OSAGE BEACH, Mo. — Lake of the Ozarks has much to offer, but during the St. Croix Bassmaster Open Division 2 event on the 54,000-acre Osage River impoundment, Elite Series pro Cody Huff said anglers have to take the good with the not-so-good.
Competition days will be Sept. 22-24 with daily takeoffs from Public Beach #2 at 7 a.m. CT and weigh-ins each day at 3 p.m. Full coverage will be available on Bassmaster.com with FS1 broadcasting live with the leaders on Sunday morning beginning at 7 a.m.
Huff, who hails from Ava, Mo., said the combination of a 93-mile-long waterway and the seasonably pleasant boating weather will present the most formidable challenge for competitors seeking to uncover the largemouth treasure that lives here.
“If we get warm, sunny, pretty conditions, the pleasure boaters are going to absolutely trash some of the areas anglers want to fish,” Huff explained. “Their wakes are going to make it super-hard to get around, and they’re going to make it super-hard to get back (to weigh-ins) in the afternoon.
“People are going to make a nice, long run in the morning; it’s going to be nice and slick, and then, after that, there are going to be a lot of giant boats on the water. You’re going to have to be very careful.”
As Huff notes, recreational boating traffic won’t necessarily deter bass feeding activity. The fish see this every summer, so they’re used to it. The challenge, he said, is safely and efficiently fishing the lake’s primary cover — docks.
“The boat wakes won’t mess up any of the fishing. It’s just going to make it pretty hard for guys to get around without beating up their equipment,” Huff said. “They’re going to be trying to fit into small spaces and skip a bait back behind docks.
“When you have big waves, it’s hard to make that jig go where you want it to. The boat wakes will make it hard for them to get to the targets they want to fish a lot of the time.”
On the upside, Lake of the Ozarks offers plenty of areas where anglers can flee the main-lake mayhem. Even departing the main tributary arms and fishing smaller creeks and pockets will offer relief from the daily increasing wave action.
“This lake is absolutely huge, so they can get into some more protected areas where they can fish,” Huff said. “It bends and twists and you can run as far as you want. It’ll just be hard to get back.
“That will be something to consider in practice. You’ll want to have some stuff to fish if it does get busy out there.”
About a week prior to the tournament, the Lake of the Ozarks water level stood at approximately 1.85 feet below full pool. Huff said he’s not expecting any dramatic changes — and considering this lake’s annual drawdown typically starts in December, significant fluctuation is unlikely.
Rainfall can bear some degree of impact, mostly via the runoff that can affect the river section and the lake’s numerous major and secondary creek arms. The long-range forecast suggests thunderstorms just before the start of the event, but duration and volume will determine their effects.
Fortunately, no major weather changes are expected, so Huff predicts the usual summer reservoir scenario.
“From everything I’ve been hearing, it should be pretty normal,” he said. “When you get up the river, the water is going to have some stain to it. Down at the lower end, you’ll have probably 4 to 6 feet of visibility, while up the river, you’ll have 2 to 3 feet.”
While points, laydowns and various offshore sneaky spots will factor into this event’s action, those docks will see most of the attention. As Huff observes, Lake of the Ozarks offers an enormous number of structures, but time efficiency will require anglers to dial in the high-value targets.
“It can be kind of overwhelming,” Huff said. “You have to get on a pattern on that lake and run with it. You might get on a pattern where you fish the first three docks in a pocket, or it might be the last three docks in the back of a pocket.
“The docks with the best brushpiles will be the most productive. You’ll see some guys catching them behind docks, but most of it will be on stuff you can’t see.”
In addition to skipping docks with jigs, Huff looks for Texas-rigged plastics, shaky heads and buzzbaits to produce. Crankbaits and swimbaits could play into the equation, and if the bite gets tough, someone may figure out a finesse pattern to save the day.
Overall, Huff said he’s looking for a strong showing. With plenty of 5-pounders and the occasional 6-plus making an appearance, Lake of the Ozarks is well known for its big-bag potential. Huff predicts 18 pounds a day will make the Top 10 cut and 20 pounds a day will win.
“I’ve been seeing some weights from local tournaments, and they are smashing them,” he said. “It looks like they’re biting, so it will be a fun tournament.”
The Puppet's First Pitch
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Limited supply of Northland® Fishing Tackle's Pitchin’ Puppetavailable now! |
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BEMIDJI, Minn. (September 14, 2023) – The new Pitchin’ Puppet was originally planned as an early 2024 introduction. But there was a problem. Fishing fandom was unwilling to wait. The bait looked too cool. The technique is so wickedly effective. In response, Northland stepped on the gas, sped up production, and now, anglers have immediate access to this incredible lure. The Pitchin’ Puppet features a lead frame with an over-molded resin exterior and fin, giving it a lifelike translucent baitfish appearance with exceptional durability. When jigged, snapped, or ripped, the Pitchin’ Puppet darts and rolls to trigger strikes. A wide-gap rear hook – and absence of a front nose hook – make this lure perfect for darting across the bottom, and the split-ring connected treble hook keeps fish pinned all the way back to the boat. |
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GREEN PERCH |
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Old School Puppetry Longtime Minnesota fishing guide, Brian “Bro” Brosdahl, has been fishing glide baits for walleyes since word spread after Kim “Chief” Papineau took 2nd place fishing heavy glide baits in open-water at a 2001 In-Fisherman Professional Walleye Trail (PMT) tournament on the Detroit River. Unable to keep his winning ice-bait tactic a secret given the bumper boats, Chief’s walleye lure hack spread like wildfire, Ron and Al Lindner eventually taking the technique into a whole new realm. “I had glide baits in my ice fishing box and started playing with them in open-water pretty early on,” says Brosdahl. “They’ve put tons of fish in the boat for me and my clients over the years. However, the problem has always been that front nose hook, which tends to foul-hook as many fish as it catches, and frequently snags everything from rocks to wood to weeds. The original glide baits on the market were not designed for casting; they were designed for vertical jigging.” Not to say various tackle manufacturers haven’t tried to fix the issue. There are a number of retail-pegged baits out there sans nose hook, but none have caught on to the level of original glide bait designs. |
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New School Puppetry Mille Lacs Lake guide, Brad Hawthorne, helped prototype the new Northland Pitchin’ Puppet and has put countless hours on the odometer chasing marble eyes around the Big Pond (Mille Lacs), putting various design iterations to the test over the past two years. “The technology is awesome,” says Hawthorne. “The encasing—whatever they’re calling it—is the most durable finish I’ve ever seen on a glide bait. You might get a few scratches working it through the rocks, but get it wet, and it goes right back to normal,” notes Hawthorne. He says the bait is designed to be “ripped and ripped and ripped some more. It’s a fast-thinking deal to get in front of fish.” The other thing he likes about the new Northland Pitchin’ Puppet design is it eliminates having to cut off nose hooks from three-hook glide bait designs. “You can catch fish on just about any glide bait on the market, but they lack a well-designed hooking system. That’s what took us the longest with this new design. We knew it needed a perfect rear hook, something with a wide gap to pierce meat and bone and keep fish pinned. Fact is, your glide bait standards were designed for ice, not casting or pitching. If everyone was being honest, they’d admit that one out of three walleyes are snagged on a traditional minnow-style glide bait. Not the case with the new Pitchin’ Puppet; fish are inhaling this lure.” For Hawthorne, he says working the Pitchin’ Puppet is a “rinse and repeat kind of thing.” “I like to set the bow-mount trolling motor to .8 to 1 mph and pitch the bait out 60 to 70 feet behind the boat and just sit, pop, and snap jig it,” shares Hawthorne. With walleyes well into mid-summer patterns, Hawthorne has been fishing the middle 2-3/8”, 5/8-ouncer a lot in deeper waters. “It’s basically your old’ #7, but a little bit more compact and lacking the nose hook.” Hawthorne also likes the bait for running rocks. “Without the nose hook you don’t get snagged nearly as often as with most glide bait designs. So, I’ve replaced all the glide baits in my boat with Pitchin’ Puppets. It’s not unheard of to fish four or five different bottom substrates on a given day, everything from rock, sand, to mud. Now I don’t have to clip the front hook off to do my job and make things easier for clients. It comes right out of the package ready-to-fish.” |
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SILVER RACECAR |
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GOLD SHINER |
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SUPER-GLO WHITE |
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SUPER-GLO PERCH |
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Brilliant Forward-Facing Sonar Returns As more and more anglers invest in forward-facing sonar to chase $9.99/lb. fillets, it’s worth mentioning that the new Pitchin’ Puppet has an incredible forward-facing sonar signature. “The bait shows up like a beam of light on forward-facing sonar,” says Hawthorne. “There’s no mistaking that you’re throwing a brand-new bait with a much-improved sonar return. It really lights up.” Pitchin’ Puppet Proponent 21-year-old ace guide, trophy walleye hunter, TikTok creator, and Pitchin’ Puppet tester, Michael Showalter, has been fishing the bait extensively everywhere from the St. Croix River to northern Ontario—where his family operates the oldest fly-in outfit in the province, Showalter’s Fly-In Outposts. “It’s been crazy, man. Just nuts. We’ve caught 16 fish 30-inches or bigger already this year, most of them on the new Pitchin Puppet,” says Showalter. |
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SUPER-GLO CHUB |
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PINK TIGER |
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SUPER-GLO REDFISH |
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PARROT |
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Showalter’s program? “I start out looking for walleyes with LiveScope and once I spot ‘em, it’s pretty much game over. If they're stationary, I move right on top of them and drop the Pitchin’ Puppet down and let it hit bottom. I bring the Puppet back up, give it a wrist snap and then let it descend on what I call a ‘controlled fall.’ A lot of times they'll hit it when you first drop it down or after a few snaps. If I can’t get the fish to go within 30 to 45 seconds, I move on and find another one,” notes Showalter. Besides his current deepwater vertical jigging program, Showalter also spends plenty of time pitching the bait, which jibes with the new lure design. Anytime walleyes are moving, pitching is Showalter’s program. “Here’s the thing, though. I don't like to pitch more than 60-feet because it’s harder to get a good hookset. But, yeah, if the walleyes are moving around, I'll Spot-Lock in the general area and pitch over to them here and there.” Showalter continues: “Right now, I’m fishing anywhere from 25 to 35 feet, so I’m using the 5/8-ouncer. Color doesn't seem to matter too much, but I do like the brighter colors on brighter days and dark, natural colors on darker days.” In terms of 2023 open-water PBs, Showalter has scooped sixteen 30-inchers and one client recently landed a 31.5” on an orange, 5/8-ounce Pitchin’ Puppet. |
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PURPLE RACECAR |
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GOLDEN PERCH |
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WONDERBREAD |
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PURPLE WONDER |
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SNEEZE |
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Showalter’s Puppetry Gear Given the deeper waters Showalter’s fishing right now, he opts for 10-pound fluorocarbon, bucking the trend of either braid to fluoro leader or the straight-up monofilament used by many glide bait anglers. “I like fluorocarbon because it still has some stretch to it to absorb trophy walleye headshakes,” offers Showalter. His rod and reel choice is nothing out-of-the-box: a 7’1” medium-power, fast-action spinning rod paired with a 2500-size reel. Fewer Hook Fouls Given Northland’s two hook, nose hookless bait design, Showalter says he’s snagging “way fewer” walleyes on the new minnow glide bait. “Walleyes are inhaling these baits. Honestly, I don't think I've snagged a fish with a Pitchin’ Puppet. Seems like everybody is worried about that front hook being excluded, but the wide-gapped rear hook gets ‘em every time. Set the hook and there’s no coming off. I really like that about them. It’s big fish insurance for me and my guests.” The other plus? Showalter says his live bait expenses have gone way down. “I don’t have to spend a bunch of money on live bait when I can pitch or vertical jig the Pitchin' Puppet and catch the big ones.” |
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The Pattern Guiding on Lake Pakwash, Ontario, and nearby Lac Seul, Showalter says some Canadian walleyes are currently on a cisco feed, with fish belching up giant forage. “We caught a 30-incher the other day that had a 15-inch cisco in its throat. I couldn’t believe it. But I saw that big ol’ tail sticking out of there, so I pulled it out. We measured it at over a footlong.” Showalter has been targeting deep rock structure, typically positioning his big ‘glass tiller off the structure and along hard bottom-to-mud substrate transitions. “I’m catching most of my fish in that 2-foot from the bottom zone, not suspended way up in the water column,” adds Showalter. And when he does mark fish suspended over deeper basin areas, he says it can be hard to get those fish to commit because they’re moving off structure to digest their food, not necessarily to chase down another meal. Then, once they’ve digested their prey, they move back on or slightly off nearby structure where Showalter says you can “get a few to go, that’s for sure.” Details: Pitchin’ Puppet For decades now, anglers have been using vertical jigging lures like the Northland Puppet Minnow® for casting—and with great success. Now Northland has designed a bait specifically for the job. The Pitchin’ Puppet features a lead frame with an over-molded resin exterior and fin, giving it a lifelike translucent baitfish appearance with exceptional durability. When jigged, snapped, or ripped, the Pitchin’ Puppet darts and rolls to trigger strikes. A wide-gap rear hook – and absence of a front nose hook – make this lure perfect for darting across the bottom, and the split-ring connected treble hook keeps fish pinned all the way back to the boat.
MSRP $9.99 |
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Two Firsts at KVD’s Final Tournament
Courtesy of Luke Stoner - Dynamic Sponsorships
While Minn Kota Stage Seven may have been the last regular-season event of Kevin VanDam’s unparalleled competitive career, the 33-year tournament veteran still experienced a couple of firsts during his swan song last month. KVD won his first $3,000 bonus from Costa’s popular Compete + Conserve contingency program and was the first angler to wear Costa’s brand new, award-winning King Tide sunglasses at Saginaw Bay.
VanDam was the highest finishing angler wearing Costa Sunglasses with his second-place effort, which awarded him the Compete + Conserve prize and allowed him to choose a conservation partner to receive an additional $500 donation. The money that’s donated to one of five program cause partners directly benefits the freshwater ecosystems we all enjoy. KVD made his donation to The Bass Fishing Hall of Fame.
Anglers of all levels can take advantage of this contingency program if you own a pair of Costas, register online for free, and compete in one of the over 300+ supported events including high school, college, team trails, or professional tournaments. Of course, the opportunity to win bonus money is appealing, but the included conservation payout is what really gets VanDamexcited about Compete + Conserve.
“Throughout my career I’ve always placed a lot of value in partnering with brands who support conservation,” VanDamsaid. “Costa is the ultimate example of that. They champion a myriad of efforts like Kick Plastic, #OneCoast, and the Untangled Series to name a few and they’ve done something really special with Compete + Conserve for us bass fishermen. They don’t just talk the talk; they walk the walk.”
Stage Seven also served as the coming out party for Costa’s new King Tide Sunglasses. The king of tournament bass fishing for the past three decades was honored to be among the first to wear these sunglasses in competition. Two kings rode together on Saginaw Bay.
VanDam first got his hands on the frames at ICAST in July. After trying out a pair during a round of golf, VanDam was so impressed that he immediately struck up a conversation with one of Costa’s engineers and talked him out of a pair of the King Tide 8s with Sunrise Silver Mirror glass lens.
“Even though I figured we’d be well past the spawn at Stage Seven, sight fishing is always key to the way I like to fish in Michigan,” VanDam explained. “The new King Tides (size 8) fit my face like a glove with the full wrap and added side shields to block out light. I knew they would give me an advantage on the water. They only had one or two pairs with the Sunrise Silver lens at ICAST and I just had to have one. I’m glad I did… they are amazing.”
KVD’s intuition proved spot on, as his primary pattern on Saginaw Bay was power-fishing flats for smallmouth with a Strike King Thunder Cricket and a KVD Spinnerbait. His best areas were too shallow to find structure using only electronics, so he relied on his eyes in practice to find isolated rock vanes and weed clumps holding fish.
In fact, VanDam insists that his eyes and new King Tides were crucial in finding the specific spot that produced over 20-lbs of smallmouth at the start of the Knockout Round.
“I was driving my boat across a big flat and I saw one small prime looking weed clump,” VanDam said. “I marked the spot on my Humminbirds and started on that waypoint in the Knockout Round. I ended up catching like 17 fish in 19 casts or something crazy like that. It was magic, and exactly the kind of thing that can happen if you keep your eyes open.”
The Team Toyota pro has produced a lot of magic over the course of his legendary career, and certainly has more in his future during what promises to be an active retirement. The King Tides are officially available on Costas website, www.costadelmar.com, and for information on the Compete + Conserve website follow this link www.costacompeteandconserve.com/.
Bassmaster Redfish Cup heads to South Carolina’s Winyah Bay for 2023
The 2022 defending champions Edward Adams and Sean O'Connell will be among the field when the 2023 Yamaha Bassmaster Redfish Cup Championship presented by Skeeter Boats takes on South Carolina's Winyah Bay Oct. 27-29.
Photo by Andy Crawford/B.A.S.S.
September 14, 2023
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Ten teams will compete for their share of a $100,000 purse when the 2023 Yamaha Bassmaster Redfish Cup Championship presented by Skeeter Boats travels to Winyah Bay in Georgetown, S.C., Oct. 27-29.
“We’re excited to bring the Redfish Cup to Georgetown for the first time,” said Tournament Director Hank Weldon. “This is always such a compelling fishery for bass competition, and we expect nothing less for this event. Over the past two years, it's been fun to see a mix of inshore and bass tactics being used, and the competitors, sportfishing fans and viewers have all really embraced this format.”
This made-for-television tournament has been a hit with fishing fans, who streamed a whopping 22.5 million minutes of Redfish Cup coverage in 2022 and can once more look forward to live coverage on both Bassmaster.com and FS1.
Redfish World Series champions Sean O’Connell and Edward Adams took the title last year in Texas, edging out the 2021 Redfish Cup winning team of Bassmaster Elite Series veteran Chris Zaldain and IFA Redfish Tour standout Ryan Rickard.
“The stage that we were fishing and the platform that B.A.S.S. created is unparalleled by anything I’ve ever fished in redfishing,” O’Connell said of the 2022 Redfish Cup event. “We’ve never been able to fish live and have the BassTrakk live standings. People now get to see what we do. This brought redfishing to a new stage, and I can’t thank B.A.S.S. enough.”
In a twist to the format for 2023, each angler can weigh in up to two fish in the 17- to 23-inch slot per day for a total of four fish per team.
Once more the contest will feature a mix of championship-caliber professional redfish teams along with four all-star teams featuring Bassmaster Elite Series pro anglers paired with redfish pros.
Forrest Wood Cup and St. Croix Bassmaster Opens champion Justin Atkins and 2023 Redfish World Series qualifier Rickard, who finished third in the Power-Pole Pro Redfish Tour Team of the Year standings and has two Top 2 finishes in the Bassmaster Redfish Cup.
2019 Progressive Insurance Bassmaster Angler of the Year Scott Canterbury and veteran redfish angler and charter captain Krista Miller, known in many circles as “Krista Redfish.”
Two-time Bassmaster Classic qualifier Ray Hanselman and former FLW Redfish Championship winner Dwayne Eschete, who is making his second appearance on a Bassmaster Redfish Cup all-star team.
2020 TNT B.A.S.S. Nation Champion Pat Schlapper and Charleston-native and popular charter captain, Ben Powers.
These all-star teams will not only be joined by the returning champions O’Connell and Adams, but five additional redfish teams representing the Professional Redfish League, Elite Redfish Series and Power-Pole Pro Redfish Tour will compete as well. Aaron Salazar and Ben Human edged out the team of Ken and Jeff Mullett by five points to win the Power-Pole Pro Redfish Team of the Year title. The remaining teams will be announced at a later date.
Fans can catch Bassmaster Redfish LIVE coverage all three days of the tournament on Bassmaster.com. FS1 will broadcast live Oct. 28-29 beginning at 8 a.m. ET.
The 2023 Yamaha Bassmaster Redfish Cup Championship presented by Skeeter Boats is being hosted by Georgetown County, S.C. This is the event’s first visit to South Carolina since its revival in 2021 after a 12-year hiatus.
"Georgetown County began working with B.A.S.S. in 2015,” said Beth Goodale, director of recreation and community services for Georgetown County. “Since that first event, we have continued to enjoy working with B.A.S.S. and welcome all levels of bass fishing events to our unique coastal fishery. This year, we are thrilled to have the opportunity to welcome this relatively new version of the Bassmaster Redfish Cup to Georgetown County."
Deep Dive with Bernie Schultz - Dissecting Vegetation
This week we wrangled Bassmaster Elite Series Angler Bernie Schultz. Bernie has had a long successful career and one common denominator has been vegetation, so we dive all the way to the "root" of his tips and techniques in this week's AC Insider "Deep Dive". Check it out!
MDJ’s treasured week at sea with no cell service
Courtesy of Alan McGuckin - Dynamic Sponsorships
Team Toyota’s Mark Daniels Jr. fell in love with fishing as a kid with his dad, while growing up a short cast from San Francisco Bay. In fact, the first 10 years or so of his angling lifestyle had almost nothing to do with largemouth, and everything to do with saltwater.
So, the recent opportunity to finally partake in a ‘long range’ saltwater trip with his close friend Josh, and two dozen other electrician buddies of Josh’s, aboard an 86-foot long boat for a solid week, is an experience the now Alabama resident is still celebrating.
“Josh has been inviting me on this annual late summer trip for at least five years, but my tournament schedule always had a conflict. This year it finally worked out, and I’m already calling it the trip of a lifetime,” says Daniels.
The long-distance trip was a total of seven days, the first two of which were spent running 80 miles to the magical location in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. Once there, all heck broke loose as a school of 30 to 60-pound yellowfin tuna tore apart the party’s offering of sardines on weightless lines to the point of tangling a few, before “MDJ” eventually landed the biggest one of the trip. A 59-pounder.
That fish earned him a treasured keepsake in the form of a belt buckle trophy created to honor and remember a gentleman named Kyle who was once a part of the trip, prior to a tragic ATV accident that claimed his life. His parents not only chose to remember Kyle’s love of the trip through the commemorative ‘jackpot fish’ buckle, but actually joined the group as two of the 24 anglers on board.
“Kyle’s parents are obviously pretty special people, and our crew even had photos of him displayed on the boat throughout the trip. We definitely felt his presence,” reflected Daniels.
By the trip’s end, MDJ had landed more than 600 total pounds of fish, which is all being processed and shipped to his South Alabama home. Although, because he adheres to a plant-based diet, he will gladly share most of the formerly finned protein with friends.
“It was 100-percent a trip filled with lessons in fellowship, and the greater meaning of life. Especially with Kyle’s parents on board. Plus,learning how to live at sea for a week with nearly two dozen people I had never met,” he says.
“But the part of the trip that also keeps resonating on me was not having any cell phone service. Social media is a monster that constantly needs to be fed. So, I’m not gonna lie, being able to totally disconnect from it for seven days was something I absolutely treasured too,” says Daniels.
What an incredible week for the lifetime angler. Seven days at sea. Six hundred pounds of fish. A commemorative belt buckle. And an immeasurable amount of soulful peace that precipitated from a week of separation from a digital device most of us think we can’t live without.
Costa Sunglasses casts global release of King Tide, the crowning achievement of Costa’s 40 years on the water
Continuing momentum from its premiere, sold out limited edition release, and ‘Best in Show’ Award at ICAST, the full line of King Tide is now available
JUPITER, Fla. (Sept. 12, 2023) – Building off of the success of its limited pre-release, Costa Sunglasses, manufacturer of the first color-enhancing all-polarized glass sunglass lens, launches the full collection of King Tide, its most advanced and technical sunglass frame to date. Five years in the making, King Tide is a celebration of Costa’s 40 year history on the water, and the culmination of every frame that came before it.
Now available on CostaSunglasses.com and retail partners worldwide, King Tide is built for those who seek performance from their eyewear both on and off the water. For the first time in Costa’s history, this frame is available in two styles – King Tide 6, a six-base frame with a straighter wrap and King Tide 8, a full wrap-around eight base version, giving elite watermen and anglers a choice in style and fit at the highest level of functionality.
Technical specs on both frames include removable side shields for optimal use on and off the water, shark inspired venting to achieve a near impossible zero-fog effect, top of the line sweat management, and the introduction of non-skid hooding to keep your frames exactly where you set them, no matter the conditions. For a behind the scenes look at how these frames came to life, check out the King Tide video here.
Captain Chris Wittman, Co-Founder of Captains for Clean Water, was one of the first pros to put King Tide through the paces in Hawaii, here is what he had to say: “The features, fit, and functionality are second to none, and excelled in every scenario we put them through. From walking bonefish flats, to trolling for wahoo offshore, it is extremely apparent these frames were thoughtfully crafted with the most hardcore anglers and adventurers in mind. From pinnacle products, to supporting an organization rooted in community, Costa does it best. King Tide is a homerun and will be hard to top for years to come.”
This global launch marks the third and final wave of the 40 year celebratory King Tide release, which started in July 2023. King Tide was first available as an avant premiere at select VIP specialty retailers, as a nod to the brick and mortar stores that helped build the Costa brand.
Shortly thereafter, Costa dropped a 40th Anniversary Limited Edition King Tide in a black gold frame and never before seen 580G gold lens. With only 40 frames made in both King Tide 6 and King Tide 8, the $700 collectors items sold out in just over 12 hours. The same week, Costa debuted King Tide at ICAST 2023, where it took home the Best in Show Award in the eyewear category. The coveted award recognizes the sportfishing industry’s innovative and entrepreneurial spirit, and rewards that ingenuity with awards in several categories, including eyewear.
"The moment we've been waiting for all summer is finally here," said John Sanchez, Vice President of Global Product Strategy for Costa Sunglasses. "This frame has been five years in the making and is the product of every lesson we've learned in our 40 year history on the water. The success of our initial launch was more than we could have imagined, as well as the level of psych from pros, partners and the media - it's all been a wild ride, ending in the global release. This frame, and how well it’s been received, is why we love what we do. We are a proud Costa community, united by the water and by a thirst to explore everything it has to offer.”
King Tide is equipped with Costa's cutting-edge polarized 580® glass lens technology, providing exceptional clarity and color enhancement. These scratch-resistant lenses effectively reduce haze and blur, while boosting essential colors for superior definition. Built with Costa's proprietary Bio-Resin, King Tide is also lightweight and maintains the durability necessary for any watery adventure.
MSRP for King Tide 6 and King Tide 8 starts at $329. For more information about King Tide and Costa’s complete collection of award-winning performance, lifestyle and optical frames, visit Costasunglasses.com.
MLF Toyota Series Set to Close Out Northern Division with Event at Potomac River
MARBURY, Md. (Sept. 12, 2023) – The Major League Fishing (MLF) Toyota Series Presented by Phoenix Boats is set to return to Marbury, Maryland, and the Potomac River next week, Sept. 21-23, for the third and final event in the Toyota Series Northern Division Presented by Rabid Baits – the Toyota Series at the Potomac River Presented by Rabid Baits.
The three-day tournament, hosted by the Charles County Board of Commissioners, will feature a roster of the region’s best bass-fishing pros and Strike King co-anglers competing for a top prize of up to $100,000 in the pro division and a new Phoenix 518 Pro boat with a 115-horsepower Mercury outboard motor in the co-angler division.
“I feel like we’ll see some big bags in this tournament but putting it together for three days in a row is going to be the biggest challenge,” said MLF pro Martin Villa of Charlottesville, Virginia, who has two top-10 finishes – including a 4th place showing last year – at the Potomac River. “From everything that I’ve been hearing, the fishing is going to be a little bit tougher on the river this year.
“This time of year it always toughens up, but this year we’ve had a lot of late summer heat and we haven’t had much rain, so the river has high salinity,” Villa continued. “This means that some of the grass will really be blooming out, and some of it will already be dying off. I don’t think you’re going to be able to win this tournament one way, or off of one spot.”
Villa said that he expects he’ll be using his Douglas Bladed Swimjig rod and his Douglas Punching rods extensively, as swimjigs and punching baits will be strong players. He also mentioned that he will have a couple of topwater baits tied on, including a frog.
“It’s going to be a pretty standard September tournament on the Potomac… just a little bit tougher,” Villa went on to say. “If a guy can catch 13 to 14 pounds a day, he’ll do very well. I think if someone can catch 45 pounds over three days, they’ll walk away with it.”
Anglers will launch at 7 a.m. ET each day from Smallwood State Park, located at 2750 Sweden Point Road in Marbury. Weigh-ins will also be held at the State Park and will begin at 3 p.m. Fans are welcome to attend and encouraged to follow the event online through the “MLF Live” weigh-in broadcasts and daily coverage at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
In Toyota Series regular-season competition, payouts are based on the number of participants competing in the event, scaling up for every 20 boats over 160 and scaling down for every boat below 160. With a 160-boat field, pros fish for a top prize of $40,000, plus an extra $35,000 if Phoenix MLF Bonus qualified. Strike King co-anglers cast for the top prize of a new Phoenix 518 Pro bass boat with a 115-horsepower Mercury outboard (valued at $33,500). With a 260-boat field, pros fish for a top award of $65,000, plus an extra $35,000 if Phoenix MLF Bonus qualified. Strike King co-anglers cast for the top prize of a new Phoenix 518 Pro bass boat with a 115-horsepower outboard (valued at $33,500) plus $5,000 cash.
The 2023 Toyota Series Presented by Phoenix Boats consists of six divisions – Central, Northern Division Presented by Rabid Baits, Plains, Southern, Southwestern and the Western Division Presented by Tackle Warehouse – each holding three regular-season events, along with the International and Wild Card divisions. Anglers who fish in any of the six divisions or the Wild Card division and finish in the top 25 will qualify for the no-entry-fee Toyota Series Championship for a shot at winning up to $235,000 and a qualification to REDCREST 2024. The winning Strike King co-angler at the championship earns a new Phoenix 518 Pro bass boat with a 115-horsepower Mercury outboard. The 2023 Toyota Series Championship will be held Nov. 2-4 on Table Rock Lake in Branson, Missouri, and is hosted by ExploreBranson.com.
Proud sponsors of the 2023 MLF Toyota Series include: 13 Fishing, Abu Garcia, B&W Trailer Hitches, Black Rifle Coffee Company, E3, Favorite Fishing, Fox Rent a Car, General Tire, Gill, Grundéns, Lew’s, Lowrance, Mercury, Mossy Oak, Next Gen Lithium, Onyx, Phoenix, Polaris, Power-Pole, Strike King, Tackle Warehouse, T-H Marine, Wiley X and YETI.
For complete details and updated information visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular Toyota Series updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow the MLF5 social media outlets at Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.
MLF Pro Matt Becker Secures Major League Fishing’s 2023 Angler Of the Year Title
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Epic Baits Designed by Becker Propel Him to the Coveted AOY Title Imagine chasing an Angler Of the Year (AOY) title all season, and waiting until the final minutes of the last tournament of the season before realizing you not only won the last event, but also the coveted MLF Bass Pro Tour AOY title you’d been chasing all year! Quite an achievement amidst a rousing chase amongst the top anglers on tour. Matt Becker’s recent 2023 MLF Bass Pro Tour Angler of the Year title didn’t come without some added stress. It came down to the last minute of the last event before he felt that the AOY title was secured. As Becker explains, “It wasn’t until I could see on the score tracker as the time clock ran down that I had finally won”. Becker’s primary concern going into the last MLF event was that he didn’t necessarily control his own destiny, relaying, “I really wasn’t in control of the outcome because no matter how high I finished, if Jacob Wheeler finished 4th place or higher, he would win the AOY. I really couldn’t relax and let my guard down and it really didn’t even hit me that I’d actually won until we were driving back to the boat ramp”. |
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As if that weren’t stressful enough, legendary angler Kevin Van Dam was finishing his pro career on a tear in that last event, racking up heavy bags of smallmouth bass to make a late surge for a storybook ending of winning his last event. As time expired on the tournament and the season, Becker not only held off Van Dam to secure the win at the Minn Kota Stage Seven presented by Suzuki event on Saginaw Bay, but he had the coveted AOY title in his pocket, as well. Prior to the start of the season, Becker reviewed the schedule. He felt like many of the events fit his wheelhouse. “I really liked the schedule right off the bat, especially the events that were up north, like St. Claire, Cayuga, and Saginaw Bay. I had experience on most of the lakes, so I felt like it set up well for my style of fishing”. “The one event I was most concerned about was the Kissimmee Chain in Florida because Florida lakes are just so hit or miss. It was my worst event of the season, but still landed a 47th-place finish.” If there was a key technique during his 2023 AOY run, it was the drop shot, as he fished it both shallow and deep throughout the year. “The drop shot was the most impactful technique for me all season. I put it into play in 5 of the 7 events, and the Epic tungsten tear drop shot weight was what I used in all of them. I like the ¼, ⅜, and ½ oz, depending upon the situation. I caught a lot of spawners on the drop shot but mostly fished it out on deep drop-offs and ledges. It’s such a versatile technique that you can use a drop shot all over the lake. I generally prefer to fish offshore, so that’s what I usually look for, but the drop shot played a factor from the bank to the middle of the lake for me in ‘23”. |
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When fishing the drop shot for smallmouths, Becker prefers the Yamamoto Shad Shape worm, relying on his own custom color when presenting to smallmouth, Becker’s Magic Juice. As he explains, “That color is available exclusively at FishUSA.comand I used it a lot at Saginaw, Bay, and Cayuga to catch smallmouths on beds. I really like the profile of the Shad Shape Worm for smallmouths. For largemouths, I’ll typically go with a longer profile like the Yamamoto Pro Senko”. The other lure Becker relied upon during his AOY run was the Epic Compact Swim Jig. As he describes, “There were a few key fish at Saginaw Bay on the Epic Compact Swim Jig, but that jig also accounted for some good fish for me at Kissimmee”. The Epic Compact Swim Jig has a strong 3/0-4/0 Gamakatsu hook with a 30-degree angle, giving the jig a smaller, more weedless profile that comes through heavy cover well, be it wood or vegetation. Black Back Shad and Bone Crusher are the two colors Becker utilized for his swim jig catches in ‘23. The 2024 Bass Pro Tour dates have already been announced and you can bet Matt Becker will have drop shot and swim jig in hand for most every event on the schedule. |
MASSIVE Outdoors Online Auction
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Online Auction Includes Bucket List Trips, Fishing/Hunting Gear, and Much More |
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Rogers, Minn. (September 12, 2023) — MN-FISH is proud to announce the “World’s Greatest Fishing & Hunting Auction.” This online-only auction boasts more than 40 items, including one-of-a-kind experiences, outdoor gear and much more! Bidding starts at 10:00 a.m. CST, Tuesday, September 12, at MN-FISH.com and closes Sunday, September 17, at 9:00 PM CST. All funds raised will support MN-FISH’s legislative work. Earlier this year, MN-FISH helped secure an historic $98.1 million state investment benefitting Minnesota anglers. The funding will help modernize the state’s aging fish hatcheries and boat accesses, as well as improve shorefishing opportunities for urban anglers, fight the live bait shortage and expansion of Invasive carp in the state, and more. |
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Per MN-FISH president Ron Schara: “We made some huge advances in influencing the state’s allocation of funds to improve fishing infrastructure, but our work is far from done and proceeds from this auction are dedicated to continuing our efforts at the legislature and DNR.” Along those lines, MN-Fish has been working diligently with its growing community of supporters, everyone from state anglers, bait shops, manufacturers, outdoor TV/radio/social media personalities, fishing guides, manufacturers, to bring a unified voice to St. Paul to the benefit of state anglers across all ages, genders, and ethnicities. |
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“What better way to raise funds than by bringing together Minnesota anglers and other outdoor enthusiasts, guides, manufacturers and others who care about the future of Minnesota fishing. Their support of MN-FISH is what gives us the strength to get things done in St. Paul,” said Mark Holsten, MN-FISH Executive Director and former DNR commissioner. “This auction just proves how much Minnesota’s natural resources mean to Minnesotans and others across the country who travel here to fish,” said MN-FISH board member Steve Pennaz. “This auction will not only help raise funds to continue MN-FISH work, it also offers enthusiasts experiences that are not available anywhere else. |
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Here are just a few MN-Fish Auction Items Include (updates being made daily):
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“We’re very grateful for support on all sides,” said MN-Fish executive director Mark Holsten. “Since its launch, the main goal of MN-FISH has been to improve the quality of fishing throughout the state. From day one, several members of the state’s fishing community have volunteered to bring anglers’ voices to the Capitol through non-profit MN-FISH, and it is working.” “Governor Walz and Commissioner Strommen listened to what our collective voices had to say—and they’ve responded in a huge way. This is a great moment that demonstrates policy makers’ commitment to making sure Minnesota’s reputation as one of the top recreational fishing states in the nation continues to hold true." |
BASS FISHING HOF TO HONOR ‘23 INDUCTEES – KICKS OFF ‘CELEBRATE BASS FISHING WEEK’ LATER THIS MONTH
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – For Immediate Release – September 11, 2023 – The Bass Fishing Hall of Fame invites anyone who has a passion for the sport of bass fishing to its ‘Celebrate Bass Fishing Week’ activities. The week of activities will culminate on Thursday, September 28th with an induction ceremony honoring Glen Andrews for his early tournament efforts, the late Bruce Holt for his work on modern-day bass rod development and expanding the bass fishing world, and accomplished pro bass angler Michael Iaconelli for his impact on the sport. They will be formally enshrined into the Hall that evening at Johnny Morris’ Wonders of Wildlife Museum & Aquarium. The activities on September 28th include a special plaque-unveiling ceremony sponsored by Phoenix Boats within the Hall’s venue at WOW, a meet and greet reception with past inductees, dinner sponsored by B.A.S.S. at the White River Conference Center, followed by acceptance speeches by inductees or their family representatives.
“Since the Bass Fishing Hall of Fame established a home within Wonders of Wildlife in 2017, the Hall’s annual induction ceremony and all of our activities surrounding it have become a prominent event in the sportfishing world,” said BFHOF Board President John Mazurkiewicz. “Not only do past Hall inductees, current pro anglers on the B.A.S.S. and MLF circuits, and many of the leading fishing and marine brands support the event, our efforts in growing the prominence of the Hall because of it has enabled the HOF Board to do more in supporting conservation projects to benefit bass fishing and bass anglers. We’ve also been able to encourage high school and college students to pursue fishery management careers with our scholarship program. Our past and new Hall inductees can take credit that their efforts in the sport of bass fishing will only help it continue to grow.”
To support the Hall’s ‘Celebrate – Promote – Preserve’ mission in the bass fishing world, along with honoring Andrews, Holt, and Iaconelli for their efforts in the sport, anglers throughout the U.S. and Canada can participate in its ‘Celebrate Bass Fishing’ online auction sponsored by Major League Fishing starting on Friday, September 22nd (https://bit.ly/AuctionHOF). Here’s just a short list of some of the major items up for bid:
- ‘Bucket List’ fishing trip with bass fishing legend and HOF’er Bill Dance.
- Tournament jerseys from leading professional bass anglers.
- Original artwork from noted fishing/wildlife illustrator Doug Schermer.
- Fishing trips with leading MLF pro anglers including BFHOF inductees Tommy Biffle and Mark Davis, reigning Bass Pro Tour Angler-of-the-Year and Rookie-of-the-Year Matt Becker, Skeet Reese, Mark Rose, Jeremy Lawyer, Roy Hawk, Jacob Wall, Ryan Salzman, Fred Roumbanis, Jonathon VanDam, Alex Davis, and Kyle Hall, along with 2023 Bassmaster Classic winner ‘Gussy’ Gustafson, and Brandon Palaniuk among others.
- Rods, reels and lures from leading brands including Daiwa, Strike King, Lew’s, PRADCO brands, Rapala, Big Bite Baits, SPRO, Sunline, St. Croix, Shimano, Googan Baits, Bass Mafia, American Tackle, Mustad, Abu Garcia, Berkley, Plano, Falcon Rods, Trika, and Bizz Baits.
- Technical fishing clothing from AFTCO, Simms, HUK, and Marsh Wear, plus apparel from Mossy Oak, Toyota and Mercury Marine.
- Coolers and drinkware from PacBak, Yeti, Igloo, and Dometic.
- Fishing adventures including big bass action and a gator hunt at Grosse Savanne Resort in Louisiana, smallmouth bass fishing trips on Lake St. Clair, the St. Lawrence River and Cayuga Lake, and snakehead fishing on the Potomac River with Fat Cat Newton,
- Unique tour packages from the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio and the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto, along with a VIP experience at an upcoming Whiskey Myers concert.
- Hunting items from Burris Optics, Sig Sauer, Summit Treestands, Moultrie, and more.
The online auction can be accessed by bass fishing enthusiasts throughout the U.S. and Canada on their smartphones by texting bfhof to 243-725 or BidPal.net/bfhof
The Bass Fishing Hall of Fame wishes to acknowledge the generous financial support provided by presenting sponsors B.A.S.S., Major League Fishing, Phoenix Boats; gold sponsors Bass Pro Shops/Cabela’s, PRADCO Outdoor Brands, Wired2fish and; silver sponsors AFTCO, Daiwa, Rapala, Rather Outdoors, and Shimano; and bronze sponsors St. Croix, Simms Fishing, Sunline, Bass Fishing Archives, Yamaha Marine, and Costa Compete & Conserve.
A limited number of tickets to the HOF induction ceremonies and dinner remain available until Friday, September 22nd , or until the White River Conference Center facility reaches its capacity limits. To purchase tickets and/or tables – visit bidpal.net/bfhof - or contact Barbara Bowman at [email protected] or call 501.541.6601.
Louisiana’s Riverdale Academy Bassmasters Wins MLF High School Fishing Open Tournament on Sam Rayburn Reservoir
A field of 49 teams competed in the no-entry fee tournament, which was hosted by the Jasper County Development District. In MLF High School Fishing competition, the top 10 percent of teams competing advance to the High School Fishing National Championship.
The top four teams that advanced to the 2024 High School Fishing National Championship are:
2nd: Hornbeck High School, Hornbeck, La. – Brayden Jett and Carter Ward, two bass, 11-4
3rd: East Beauregard High School, DeRidder, La. – Collin Nortman and Dalton Watson, five bass, 11-3
4th: Highland Park High School, Dallas, Texas – Cullum Brown and Dylan Sorrells, five bass, 11-2
6th: Melissa High School, Melissa, Texas – Camden Sarrett and Andrew Waters, five bass, 10-3
7th: Ruston High School, Ruston, La. – Zachary McMillan and Ethan Thrash, five bass, 9-3
8th: Broken Bow High School, Broken Bow, La. – Levi Lawrence and Aaron Willis, five bass, 8-14
9th: Caldwell Parish High School, Columbia, La. – Courtney Martinez and Jackson McClanahan, four bass, 8-14
10th: McCracken County High School, Paducah, Ky. – Nick Hayes and Harley Valerius, five bass, 8-13
MLF High School Fishing presented by Favorite Fishing tournaments are free, two-person (team) events for students in grades 7-12 and are open to any MLF and TBF Student Angler Federation-affiliated high school club. The top 10 percent of teams at each Open event, along with the TBF High School Fishing state championships, advance to the 2024 High School Fishing National Championship.
The High School Fishing National Champions each receive a $5,000 college scholarship to the school of their choice and advance to the 2024 MLF Toyota Series Championship to compete as co-anglers.
Proud sponsors of the 2023 MLF High School Fishing Presented by Favorite Fishing include: 13 Fishing, Abu Garcia, B&W Trailer Hitches, Black Rifle Coffee Company, E3, Favorite Fishing, Fox Rent a Car, General Tire, Grundens, Lawless Lures, Lew’s, Lowrance, Mercury, Mossy Oak, Onyx, Phoenix, 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 High School Fishing updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF5’s social media outlets at Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.
LSU-Shreveport Wins MLF Abu Garcia College Fishing Tournament on Sam Rayburn Reservoir
“Our morning spot didn’t really work out,” said Tew. “We caught two little ones there. We had a bunch of brush piles we were going to run throughout the day, so we ended up hitting them pretty early.”
Tew said the team targeted brush piles in 15 to 20 feet of water in the San Augustine Park area of Rayburn, and fished their targets slowly with a Zoom Magnum Trick Worm on a shaky-head rig. Their tactic produced eight bass during the tournament – all keepers.
“We caught a 5-pounder and a 6-pounder when we got to our first brush piles,” Tew said. “We kind of beat around for the fifth fish and finally caught it. We weeded through a bunch of 2-pounders, and about 11 o’clock we went back to where we caught the two big ones and caught a 6½-pounder.
“It felt good to start the season off with a win, and it’s a real credit to the whole team - my teammates and our coach, as well as my family,” Tew added.
The teams that qualified to compete at the 2024 College Fishing National Championship are:
2nd: McKendree University – Grant Olsen, Gardner, Ill., and Evan Sutton, Highland, Ill., five bass, 18-5, $1,000
3rd: Tarleton State-Stephenville – Sam Semper, Parker, Texas, five bass, 17-2, $700
4th: Tarleton State-Stephenville – Clayton Easter and Trevor Easter, both of Morgan, Texas, five bass, 17-0, $600
5th: Arkansas Tech University – Kanon Harmon, Benton, Ark., and Cody McEntire, Walnut Ridge, Ark., five bass, 16-3, $500
6th: Louisiana Tech University – Colby Dark, West Monroe, La., five bass, 15-5
7th: Tarleton State-Stephenville – Garett Cadenhead, Fort Worth, Texas, and Jared Mizell, Pearland, Texas, five bass, 14-12
8th: Northeastern State University-Tahlequah – Grayson Hudson, Keifer, Okla., and Matthew Huffman, Park Hill, Okla., five bass, 14-11
9th: Texas A&M – Reid Farris, Adkins, Texas, and Sid Wallace, San Angelo, Texas, five bass, 14-5
10th: Stephen F. Austin – Ben Burns, Lucas, Texas, and Ian Nash, Melissa, Texas, five bass, 14-4
The Abu Garcia College Fishing Presented by YETI event on Sam Rayburn Reservoir was hosted by the Jasper County Development District. The next event for College Fishing anglers will be the Abu Garcia College Fishing Presented by YETI event on Lake Hartwell, Oct. 27 in Anderson, South Carolina.
The 2023 MLF Abu Garcia College Fishing Presented by YETI season features college teams from across the country competing in nine regular-season tournaments. The top 12 percent of teams from each regular-season tournament advance to the 2024 Abu Garcia College Fishing Presented by YETI National Championship.
Proud sponsors of the 2023 MLF Abu Garcia College Fishing Presented by YETI include: 13 Fishing, Abu Garcia, B&W Trailer Hitches, Black Rifle Coffee Company, E3, Favorite Fishing, Fox Rent a Car, General Tire, Grundens, Lawless Lures, Lew’s, Lowrance, Mercury, Mossy Oak, Onyx, Phoenix, 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 College Fishing updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF5’s social media outlets at Facebook, Instagram and YouTube
Hudson Posts Long-Awaited Victory at Two-Day Phoenix Bass Fishing League Super Tournament on Kerr Lake
HENDERSON, N.C. (Sept. 11, 2023) – Boater Derik Hudson of Concord, Virginia, caught 10 bass weighing 31 pounds, 10 ounces, to win the two-day MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine on Kerr Lake in Henderson, North Carolina. The tournament was the fifth and final regular-season event for the Phoenix Bass Fishing League Piedmont Division. Hudson earned $7,017 for his victory.
“I got to practice Friday, but I didn’t find anything that was really awesome,” said Hudson, who has posted 22 top-10 finishes in MLF events. “I know this place fishes tough, so I felt good that I found some fish.
“On the first day, I went to a spot and caught three fish, one of which was a 3½-pound spotted bass,” Hudson added. “I was headed up the lake and saw fish bust in front of me. I felt the Lord was leading me there, so I turned around and caught just about all of my 16 pounds the first day on that spot – a spot I had never fished before.”
Hudson said he returned to the same spot on the second day of competition, but it produced no bass. He didn’t panic; he relied on his faith to keep him calm. His next spot produced the 15 pounds he weighed Sunday.
Hudson said he fished mid-lake – from the dam to just above Rudd’s Creek Recreation area – and targeted bass with a Missile Baits Magic Worm in the Missile Morning color on a drop-shot rig. A Heddon Zara Spook and soft jerkbaits were also key baits for Hudson.
“Anything is possible on Kerr Lake, but when I culled my last bass, I knew someone would have to really catch them to beat me,” Hudson said. “If I finished second, third or fourth, I could not have complained about this tournament. I had a phenomenal two days of fishing.
“I’ve heard so many stories of ‘when it’s your time it’s your time,’” Hudson added. “The Lord provided. To fish 100 tournaments with MLF and then win the 101st … to finally get that win … wow. It’s amazing.”
The top 10 boaters finished the tournament in:
2nd: Brandon Gray, Bullock, N.C., 10 bass, 26-15, $2,759
3rd: Bryan Elrod, Mechanicsville, Va., 10 bass, 26-7, $1,839
4th: Tommy Jones, Salisbury, N.C., 10 bass, 26-4, $1,287
5th: Tyler Trent, Nathalie, Va., 10 bass, 26-3, $1,603 (includes $500 Phoenix MLF Contingency Bonus)
6th: Michael Birr, Franklinton, N.C., 10 bass, 26-0, $1,012
7th: Chad Poteat, Mount Airy, N.C., 10 bass, 25-10, $1,500
8th: Tyler Purcell, Townsville, N.C., 10 bass, 23-12, $828
9th: Richard Hodges, Jr., Camden, N.C., eight bass, 23-11, $736
10th: Logan Odum, Lumberton, N.C., nine bass, 21-13, $644
Steven Lahr of Port Charlotte, Florida, had a bass that weighed 6 pounds, 7 ounces that was the heaviest of the event in the Boater Division and earned the Berkley Big Bass Boater award of $720.
The top 10 Strike King co-anglers were:
2nd: Dustin Riddle, Hiwassee, Va., nine bass, 19-8, $1,379
3rd: Robert Wedding, Welcome, Md., six bass, 17-0, $1,469
4th: Tim Privette Jr., Wendell, N.C., six bass, 15-7, $644
5th: Cornell Badra, Clarksburg, Md., five bass, 13-2, $552
6th: Wes House, Knightdale, N.C., six bass, 12-13, $506
7th: Tony Toombs, Drakes Branch, Va., six bass, 12-11, $460
8th: Craig Ferguson, Emporia, Va., six bass, 11-10, $414
9th: Kristofer Goin, Farmville, Va., six bass, 11-5, $368
10th: Bud Amend, Pleasant Garden, N.C., five bass, 10-10, $322
With the regular season now complete, boater Evan White of Roanoke Rapids, North Carolina, won the 2023 Bass Fishing League Piedmont Division Boater Angler of the Year (AOY) race with a five-event total of 1,328 points to earn the $1,000 boater AOY award. Robert Wedding of Welcome, Maryland, won the 2023 Strike King Co-Angler Piedmont Division AOY race with 1,333 points and earned the $500 Strike King Co-angler of the Year award.
Now, the top 45 boaters and co-anglers in the division based on point standings, along with the five winners of each qualifying event, will advance to compete in the Oct. 5-7 Bass Fishing League Regional Championship on the Potomac River in Marbury, Maryland. Boaters will fish for a top award of $60,000, including a new Phoenix 819 Pro with a 200-horsepower Mercury outboard and $10,000, while co-anglers will compete for a top award of $50,000, including a new Phoenix 819 Pro with a 200-horsepower Mercury outboard.
The 2023 Phoenix BFL Presented by T-H Marine is a 24-division circuit devoted to weekend anglers, with 128 events throughout the season, five qualifying tournaments in each division. The top 45 boaters and Strike King co-anglers from each division, along with the five qualifying event winners, will advance to one of six BFL Regional tournaments where they are competing to finish in the top six, which then qualifies them for one of the longest-running championships in all of competitive bass fishing – the BFL All-American.
The top 45 boaters and Strike King co-anglers plus tournament winners from each Phoenix Bass Fishing League division will also earn priority entry into the MLF Toyota Series, the pathway to the MLF Tackle Warehouse Invitationals and ultimately the MLF Bass Pro Tour.
Proud sponsors of the 2023 MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine include: 13 Fishing, Abu Garcia, B&W Trailer Hitches, Berkley, Black Rifle Coffee, E3, Epic Baits, Favorite Fishing, General Tire, Grundéns, Gill, Lew’s, Lowrance, Mercury, Mossy Oak, Mystik Lubricants, Onyx, Phoenix, Polaris, Power-Pole, Strike King, Tackle Warehouse, T-H Marine, Toyota, Wiley X and YETI.
For complete details and updated tournament information, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular Bass Fishing League updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF5’s social media outlets at Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.
Lawrence Dominates Two-Day Phoenix Bass Fishing League Super Tournament on Pickwick Lake
IUKA, Miss. (Sept. 11, 2023) – Boater Jake Lawrence of Paris, Tennessee, caught 10 bass weighing 51 pounds, 2 ounces, to win the two-day MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine on Pickwick Lake in Iuka, Mississippi, by more than 20 pounds over the second-place finisher. The tournament was the fifth and final regular-season event for the Bass Fishing League Mississippi Division. Lawrence earned $5,690 for his victory.
Lawrence’s 20-pound, 11-ounce margin of victory was the second-largest winning margin in BFL history. Only Anthony Sharp’s 21-5 margin at Sam Rayburn Reservoir in 2020 was higher.
“It’s well known that Pickwick is fishing tough,” Lawrence said. “These fish are somewhere; they don’t just disappear. In my mind, when you have a big tournament with this caliber of anglers in it, and the weights are low, we’re just not fishing around them. So, I came into this with an open mind and tried not to fish like I generally do. And that’s what led me to the pattern I eventually ended up fishing. It was focused on where the bait was.”
Lawrence said he caught bass in depths from 5 feet to 28 feet in various locations, but one factor remained constant – the bass were found where baitfish were present.
“You just have to cover a lot of water in a situation like that,” Lawrence said. “It’s tough to put a finger on where you even start like that. I just put the trolling motor down and it just kind of led me to what it was. It wasn’t one specific area.”
Lawrence said he fished water from Bear Creek to the dam, but did not focus on a particular or recurring feature or pattern. His bait of choice was a 4-inch Jenko Fishing Booty Shaker Swimbaitin no particular color.
“It seemed like I could catch every 3.20- to 3.80-pound fish in the lake, but when I finally came across a 5-pounder he would just follow my swimbait until he got to the trolling motor,” Lawrence said. “There was an acre or two out there where the bait was just kind of hanging out. And you could find those little zones, and they would be packed. There was no specific target; I was out there hunting and pecking.”
Lawrence posted a Toyota Series win at Kentucky-Barkley Lakes in April and has finished first in other local tournaments this year as well.
“It’s been a fun year,” Lawrence said. “I’m looking forward to the future.”
The top 10 boaters finished the tournament in:
2nd: Banks Shaw, Harrison, Tenn., 10 bass, 30-7, $2,845
3rd: Chaz McMahan, Saint Joseph, Tenn., 10 bass, 28-13, $1,897
4th: Justin Bussey, Fulton, Miss., 10 bass, 28-10, $1,328
5th: Charles Watts, Corinth, Miss., 10 bass, 28-3, $1,138
6th: Trent Suratt, Lawrenceburg, Tenn., 10 bass, 27-11, $1,043
7th: Ty Cox, Iuka, Miss., nine bass, 27-10, $948
8th: Justin Atkins, Florence, Ala., nine bass, 27-8, $853
9th: Carl Lovett, Mt. Pleasant, Tenn., nine bass, 27-3, $759
10th: Monty Yeager, Florence, Ala., nine bass, 25-10, $664
Larry Jenkins of Memphis, Tennessee, had a bass that weighed 5 pounds, 11 ounces that was the heaviest of the event in the Boater Division and earned the Berkley Big Bass Boater award of $742.
The top 10 Strike King co-anglers were:
2nd: Johnny Suratt, Lawrenceburg, Tenn., eight bass, 20-5, $1,299
3rd: Scott Kirk, Houston, Miss., seven bass, 19-2, $867
4th: Daniel Corkern, Florence, Miss., six bass, 18-10, $956
5th: Vernon Hearn, Lena, Miss., four bass, 13-6, $520
6th: C.J. Holbrook, Smithville, Miss., four bass, 13-0, $476
7th: Lewis Ritchie, Bogalusa, La., five bass, 11-3, $433
8th: Nathan Moore, Coffeeville, Miss., six bass, 10-14, $390
9th: Todd South, Florence, Ala., three bass, 9-5, $346
10th: Reggie Thornton, Columbus, Miss., three bass, 8-12, $303
With the regular season now complete, boater Taurian Parks of Clinton, Mississippi, won the 2023 Bass Fishing League Mississippi Division Boater Angler of the Year (AOY) race with a five-event total of 1,273 points to earn the $1,000 boater AOY award. Hunter Averett of Carriere, Mississippi, won the 2023 Strike King Co-Angler Mississippi Division AOY race with 1,321 points and earned the $500 Strike King Co-angler of the Year award.
Now, the top 45 boaters and co-anglers in the division based on point standings, along with the five winners of each qualifying event, will advance to compete in the Oct. 5-7 Bass Fishing League Regional Championship on Lake Eufaula in Eufaula, Oklahoma. Boaters will fish for a top award of $60,000, including a new Phoenix 819 Pro with a 200-horsepower Mercury outboard and $10,000, while co-anglers will compete for a top award of $50,000, including a new Phoenix 819 Pro with a 200-horsepower Mercury outboard.
The 2023 Phoenix BFL Presented by T-H Marine is a 24-division circuit devoted to weekend anglers, with 128 events throughout the season, five qualifying tournaments in each division. The top 45 boaters and Strike King co-anglers from each division, along with the five qualifying event winners, will advance to one of six BFL Regional tournaments where they are competing to finish in the top six, which then qualifies them for one of the longest-running championships in all of competitive bass fishing – the BFL All-American.
The top 45 boaters and Strike King co-anglers plus tournament winners from each Phoenix Bass Fishing League division will also earn priority entry into the MLF Toyota Series, the pathway to the MLF Tackle Warehouse Invitationals and ultimately the MLF Bass Pro Tour.
Proud sponsors of the 2023 MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine include: 13 Fishing, Abu Garcia, B&W Trailer Hitches, Berkley, Black Rifle Coffee, E3, Epic Baits, Favorite Fishing, General Tire, Grundéns, Gill, Lew’s, Lowrance, Mercury, Mossy Oak, Mystik Lubricants, Onyx, Phoenix, Polaris, Power-Pole, Strike King, Tackle Warehouse, T-H Marine, Toyota, Wiley X and YETI.
For complete details and updated tournament information, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular Bass Fishing League updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF5’s social media outlets at Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.
Thompson Adapts to Conditions, Wins Two-Day Phoenix Bass Fishing League Super Tournament on the St. Lawrence River
MASSENA, N.Y. (Sept. 11, 2023) – Boater Joseph Thompson of Coatesville, Pennsylvania, caught 10 bass weighing 44 pounds, 5 ounces, to win the two-day MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine on the St. Lawrence River in Massena, New York. The tournament was the fifth and final regular-season event for the Bass Fishing League Northeast Division. Thompson earned $12,806 for his victory, including the lucrative $7,000 Phoenix MLF contingency bonus.
“The conditions on the days of competition for the tournament were unlike any of the practice days,” Thompson said. “Practice was sunny, with good wind direction, and then the tournament was overcast with a northeast wind. It really backed the current up. It had fish positioned a little differently, and the first couple of hours each morning it took me a bit to figure it out and see how they had repositioned.”
Thompson said he didn’t land his first bass Sunday until 10 a.m., and caught most of his weigh fish between 10 and 1 p.m. He fished the Brockville area and relied primarily on a Carolina rig and a drop-shot rig for his bass around steep ledges off points in 30 feet of water.
Thompson entered the Super Tournament needing the win to secure his second-consecutive Northeast Division Angler of the Year title.
“I thought I was going to be a little short when it was all said and done, to be honest with you,” Thompson said. “I was surprised when I won.
“The win feels so good,” Thompson added. “The caliber of fishermen in the BFLs is unbelievable. Everywhere you go it’s the best of the local guys fishing in them. It’s an unbelievable talent pool.”
The top 10 boaters finished the tournament in:
2nd: Ethan Carr, Massena, N.Y., 10 bass, 41-0, $2,403
3rd: Kent Compo, Brasherfalls, N.Y., 10 bass, 40-15, $1,603
4th: Lane Olson, Forest Grove, Ore., 10 bass, 40-10, $1,121
5th: Christopher Sperling, Cato, N.Y., 10 bass, 40-2, $961
6th: Clay Reece, Lexington, Ky., 10 bass, 39-12, $881
7th: Brett Carnright, Plattsburgh, N.Y., 10 bass, 38-10, $1,378
8th: Douglas Reed, Bridgeton, N.J., 10 bass, 38-8, $721
9th: Ethan McMahon, Swanton, Vt., nine bass, 38-4, $641
10th: Jonathan Robla, Lisbon, N.Y., 10 bass, 37-11, $561
Brett Carnright of Plattsburgh, New York, had a bass that weighed 5 pounds, 10 ounces that was the heaviest of the event in the Boater Division and earned the Berkley Big Bass Boater award of $577.
The top 10 Strike King co-anglers were:
2nd: Eric Baba, Plainville, Ct., 10 bass, 35-10, $1,186
3rd: Justin Harant, Havertown, Pa., 10 bass, 35-9, $792
4th: Matt Hummel, Dillsburg, Pa., 10 bass, 35-4, $838
5th: Cory Germano, Staatsburg, N.Y., 10 bass, 32-5, $624
6th: Michael Bahnweg, Union Dale, Pa., nine bass, 29-9, $435
7th: John Alexander, Mt. Airy, Md., nine bass, 29-8, $395
8th: Jimmy Papineau, Staatsburg, N.Y., 10 bass, 29-1, $356
9th: Alexandre Jelev, Petawawa, Ont., 10 bass, 27-14, $316
10th: Avery Shoemaker, Oakwood, Ga., 10 bass, 27-0, $277
With the regular season now complete, boater Joseph Thompson of Coatesville, Pennsylvania, won the 2023 Bass Fishing League Northeast Division Boater Angler of the Year (AOY) race with a five-event total of 1,274 points to earn the $1,000 boater AOY award. Michael Bahnweg of Union Dale, Pennsylvania, won the 2023 Strike King Co-Angler Northeast Division AOY race with 1,281 points and earned the $500 Strike King Co-angler of the Year award.
Now, the top 45 boaters and co-anglers in the division based on point standings, along with the five winners of each qualifying event, will advance to compete in the Oct. 5-7 Bass Fishing League Regional Championship on the Potomac River in Marbury, Maryland. Boaters will fish for a top award of $60,000, including a new Phoenix 819 Pro with a 200-horsepower Mercury outboard and $10,000, while co-anglers will compete for a top award of $50,000, including a new Phoenix 819 Pro with a 200-horsepower Mercury outboard.
The 2023 Phoenix BFL Presented by T-H Marine is a 24-division circuit devoted to weekend anglers, with 128 events throughout the season, five qualifying tournaments in each division. The top 45 boaters and Strike King co-anglers from each division, along with the five qualifying event winners, will advance to one of six BFL Regional tournaments where they are competing to finish in the top six, which then qualifies them for one of the longest-running championships in all of competitive bass fishing – the BFL All-American.
The top 45 boaters and Strike King co-anglers plus tournament winners from each Phoenix Bass Fishing League division will also earn priority entry into the MLF Toyota Series, the pathway to the MLF Tackle Warehouse Invitationals and ultimately the MLF Bass Pro Tour.
Proud sponsors of the 2023 MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine include: 13 Fishing, Abu Garcia, B&W Trailer Hitches, Berkley, Black Rifle Coffee, E3, Epic Baits, Favorite Fishing, General Tire, Grundéns, Gill, Lew’s, Lowrance, Mercury, Mossy Oak, Mystik Lubricants, Onyx, Phoenix, Polaris, Power-Pole, Strike King, Tackle Warehouse, T-H Marine, Toyota, Wiley X and YETI.
For complete details and updated tournament information, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular Bass Fishing League updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF5’s social media outlets at Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.
Redwine Wins Two-Day Phoenix Bass Fishing League Super Tournament on Lake Erie
SANDUSKY, Ohio (Sept. 11, 2023) – Boater Alex Redwine of Cincinnati, Ohio, caught 10 bass weighing 43 pounds, 9 ounces, to win the two-day MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine on Lake Erie Presented by Rabid Baits in Sandusky, Ohio. The tournament was the fifth and final regular-season event for the Bass Fishing League Buckeye Division Presented by Rabid Baits. Redwine earned $6,121 for his victory.
“I didn’t really know how the first day was going to go, because it was very windy,” said Redwine. “There was a lot of north wind making 4- and 5-foot waves, and it took me a while to get to my area where I was fishing. Once I got there, I was able to bounce around three places where I caught key fish.
“Day 2 was a lot calmer and there wasn’t as much sun, which made the bite a little more difficult,” Redwine went on to say. “I was still around the right size of fish; I just couldn’t get them to bite as well. I did find one new area where I caught two or three key fish.”
Redwine said he focused his efforts on an island and fished 15 to 25 feet deep and targeted patches of rock or isolated boulders where baitfish were present. He said he switched between a Ned rig and a drop-shot rig to catch his bass.
“I thought once I got over 20 pounds that I had a pretty good shot at winning and guys would have to really catch them to beat me,” Redwine said. “The guy that came in second by one ounce, Jeremy, is a long-time best friend of mine, so that was pretty cool for us to finish 1-2. We’ve both put a lot of time on the water here, and for us to both do really good was just awesome.”
The top 10 boaters finished the tournament in:
2nd: Jeremy Reese, Powell, Ohio, 10 bass, 43-8, $3,560 (includes $500 Phoenix MLF Contingency Bonus)
3rd: Dick Parker, Lorain, Ohio, 10 bass, 40-3, $2,291
4th: Sean Wieda, Alexandria, Ky., 10 bass, 36-14, $1,428
5th: Wilson Burton, Findlay, Ohio., 10 bass, 34-5, $1,724
6th: Chris King, South Amherst, Ohio, 10 bass, 33-15, $1,122
7th: Lawrence Clontz, Trenton, Ohio, 10 bass, 33-11, $1,020
8th: Dan Fry, Marysville, Ohio, 10 bass, 29-0, $2,088
9th: Bob Logan, Waynesfield, Ohio, 10 bass, 28-5, $816
10th: Dakota Stiltner, Sheffield Lake, Ohio, 10 bass, 28-0, $714
Dan Fry of Marysville, Ohio, had a bass that weighed 5 pounds, 1 ounce that was the heaviest of the event in the Boater Division and earned the Berkley Big Bass Boater award of $840.
The top 10 Strike King co-anglers were:
2nd: Tyler Land, Coatsville, Ind., 10 bass, 33-4, $1,530
3rd: Dayton Land, Coatsville, Ind., 10 bass, 27-8, $1,020
4th: Adam Radovic, Brecksville, Ohio, 10 bass, 24-11, $714
5th: Logan Kaplon, Rural Valley, Pa., 10 bass, 23-14, $612
6th: Terry Bucciarelli, Ypsilanti, Mich., nine bass, 22-14, $1,331
7th: Drew Crawford, Knightstown, Ind., 10 bass, 22-12, $510
8th: Walter Hammond, Lees Summit, Mo., eight bass, 21-12, $659
9th: Colten Didion, Port Clinton, Ohio, nine bass, 21-6, $408
10th: Dylan Sibley, Strasburg, Ohio, six bass, 21-2, $357
With the regular season now complete, boater Chris Martinkovic of Hamilton, Ohio, won the 2023 Bass Fishing League Buckeye Division Presented by Rabid Baits Boater Angler of the Year (AOY) race with a five-event total of 1,266 points to earn the $1,000 boater AOY award. Steve Sorrell of Beavercreek, Ohio, won the 2023 Strike King Co-Angler Buckeye Division Presented by Rabid Baits AOY race with 1,276 points and earned the $500 Strike King Co-angler of the Year award.
Now, the top 45 boaters and co-anglers in the division based on point standings, along with the five winners of each qualifying event, will advance to compete in the Oct. 5-7 Bass Fishing League Regional Championship on the Potomac River in Marbury, Maryland. Boaters will fish for a top award of $60,000, including a new Phoenix 819 Pro with a 200-horsepower Mercury outboard and $10,000, while co-anglers will compete for a top award of $50,000, including a new Phoenix 819 Pro with a 200-horsepower Mercury outboard.
The 2023 Phoenix BFL Presented by T-H Marine is a 24-division circuit devoted to weekend anglers, with 128 events throughout the season, five qualifying tournaments in each division. The top 45 boaters and Strike King co-anglers from each division, along with the five qualifying event winners, will advance to one of six BFL Regional tournaments where they are competing to finish in the top six, which then qualifies them for one of the longest-running championships in all of competitive bass fishing – the BFL All-American.
The top 45 boaters and Strike King co-anglers plus tournament winners from each Phoenix Bass Fishing League division will also earn priority entry into the MLF Toyota Series, the pathway to the MLF Tackle Warehouse Invitationals and ultimately the MLF Bass Pro Tour.
Proud sponsors of the 2023 MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine include: 13 Fishing, Abu Garcia, B&W Trailer Hitches, Berkley, Black Rifle Coffee, E3, Epic Baits, Favorite Fishing, General Tire, Grundéns, Gill, Lew’s, Lowrance, Mercury, Mossy Oak, Mystik Lubricants, Onyx, Phoenix, Polaris, Power-Pole, Strike King, Tackle Warehouse, T-H Marine, Toyota, Wiley X and YETI.
For complete details and updated tournament information, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular Bass Fishing League updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF5’s social media outlets at Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.
19-Year-Old Lachniet Posts Second Victory at Two-Day Phoenix Bass Fishing League Super Tournament on Dale Hollow Lake
BYRDSTOWN, Tenn. (Sept. 11, 2023) – Boater Ryan Lachniet of Gum Spring, Virginia, caught six bass weighing 25 pounds, 5 ounces, to win the two-day MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine on Dale Hollow Lake in Byrdstown, Tennessee. The tournament was the fifth and final regular-season event for the Bass Fishing League Mountain Division. Lachniet earned $5,387 for his victory.
“This was a good tournament for me,” said the 19-year-old Lachniet, who now has two BFL wins under his belt. “Sunday, at 8 o’clock, I caught a big smallmouth that weighed 4-14. I knew that if I could catch just two more 4-pounders I would probably win it. It took all day, but I eventually caught those two 4s.”
Lachniet said he focused the majority of his fishing near Sulphur Creek Resort and targeted suspended fish with a 3.3-inch Keitech Swing Impact FAT Swimbait. Lachniet said his method produced 25 to 30 bass between 2½ and 4 pounds each day of the tournament.
“Once I culled out a 3½-pounder with a 4-1, I was pretty confident,” Lachniet said. “I knew it was going to be close, but I was hoping I had enough.
“This win is pretty awesome,” Lachniet added. “I’ve been fishing BFLs for two years now and fished my first one when I was 17 on the James River.”
The top 10 boaters finished the tournament in:
2nd: Jacob Woods, Louden, Tenn., six bass, 24-12, $2,694
3rd: Evan Fields, Shelbyville, Ky., six bass, 24-9, $1,795
4th: Ryan Davidson, Branchland, W.V., six bass, 24-6, $2,637 (includes $500 Phoenix MLF Contingency Bonus)
5th: Tanner Rich, Byrdstown, Tenn., six bass, 23-7, $1,077
6th: Tony Eckler, Lebanon, Tenn., six bass, 22-15, $988
7th: Isaac Peavyhouse, Jamestown, Tenn., six bass, 22-8, $898
8th: Bailey Gay, Union, Ky., six bass, 22-2, $808
9th: Christian Nash, Allons, Tenn., six bass, 21-10, $718
10th: Andrew Napier, Fisherville, Ky., six bass, 21-7, $628
Mark Towe of Gallatin, Tennessee, had a bass that weighed 6 pounds, 9 ounces that was the heaviest of the event in the Boater Division and earned the Berkley Big Bass Boater award of $690.
The top 10 Strike King co-anglers were:
2nd: Barry King, Liberty, Ky., five bass, 14-9, $1,332
3rd: Billy Hughes, Eubank, Ky., five bass, 13-15, $889
4th: Nicole Abrams, Greenfork, Ind., five bass, 13-8, $622
5th: Andrew Devere, Paint Lick, Ky., six bass, 13-5, $533
6th: Allen Neal, Whitley City, Ky., five bass, 13-1, $488
7th: Garret Moon, Albany, Ky., four bass, 12-13, $444
8th: Keith Bridges, Spring City, Tenn., four bass, 11-2, $400
9th: Teddy Baggett, Nashville, Tenn., five bass, 10-8, $355
10th: Pop Catalin, Cookeville, Tenn., three bass, 9-8, $311
With the regular season now complete, boater Christian Nash of Allons, Tennessee, won the 2023 Bass Fishing League Mountain Division Boater Angler of the Year (AOY) race with a five-event total of 1,320 points to earn the $1,000 boater AOY award. Allen Neal of Whitley City, Kentucky, won the 2023 Strike King Co-Angler Mountain Division AOY race with 1,288 points and earned the $500 Strike King Co-angler of the Year award.
Now, the top 45 boaters and co-anglers in the division based on point standings, along with the five winners of each qualifying event, will advance to compete in the Oct. 19-21 Bass Fishing League Regional Championship on Lake Norman in Huntersville, North Carolina. Boaters will fish for a top award of $60,000, including a new Phoenix 819 Pro with a 200-horsepower Mercury outboard and $10,000, while co-anglers will compete for a top award of $50,000, including a new Phoenix 819 Pro with a 200-horsepower Mercury outboard.
The 2023 Phoenix BFL Presented by T-H Marine is a 24-division circuit devoted to weekend anglers, with 128 events throughout the season, five qualifying tournaments in each division. The top 45 boaters and Strike King co-anglers from each division, along with the five qualifying event winners, will advance to one of six BFL Regional tournaments where they are competing to finish in the top six, which then qualifies them for one of the longest-running championships in all of competitive bass fishing – the BFL All-American.
The top 45 boaters and Strike King co-anglers plus tournament winners from each Phoenix Bass Fishing League division will also earn priority entry into the MLF Toyota Series, the pathway to the MLF Tackle Warehouse Invitationals and ultimately the MLF Bass Pro Tour.
Proud sponsors of the 2023 MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine include: 13 Fishing, Abu Garcia, B&W Trailer Hitches, Berkley, Black Rifle Coffee, E3, Epic Baits, Favorite Fishing, General Tire, Grundéns, Gill, Lew’s, Lowrance, Mercury, Mossy Oak, Mystik Lubricants, Onyx, Phoenix, Polaris, Power-Pole, Strike King, Tackle Warehouse, T-H Marine, Toyota, Wiley X and YETI.
For complete details and updated tournament information, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular Bass Fishing League updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF5’s social media outlets at Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.
Tassi Keeps Calm, Fishes On for Win at Two-Day Phoenix Bass Fishing League Super Tournament on Grand Lake
GROVE, Okla. (Sept. 11, 2023) – Boater Scott Tassi of Arma, Kansas, caught 10 bass weighing 36 pounds, 10 ounces, to win the two-day MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine on Grand Lake in Grove, Oklahoma. The tournament was the fifth and final regular-season event for the Bass Fishing League Okie Division Presented by Mystik Lubricants. Tassi earned $8,735 for his victory.
“I found some fish shallow on topwater and squarebill crankbaits during practice Thursday and Friday, but nothing great,” Tassi said. “It was just scrounging up five fish a day.”
Tassi received a late boat draw for the tournament, and said his starting spots were taken, so he started out running his shallow pattern where he could. With only one fish at 9:30 Saturday morning, Tassi said his approach just wasn’t working out for the tournament.
“I just had to punt, basically,” Tassi said. “I had to go back to where I’d caught a few fish offshore in practice, but that wasn’t something that I thought would be viable. At 1 o’clock Saturday I still had just one fish. So, I thought, ‘I’ve got to go big, or I’m going home.’”
Tassi said he stumbled onto something on his mid-lake offshore spots. Something good enough for a good limit both Saturday and Sunday, in fact. While most of his bass fell for a ¾-ounce Motion Fishing Company Football Jig, Tassi said he caught a few on a worm in stained water in 12 to 17 feet of water.
“I think the biggest key for me this weekend was just being patient,” Tassi said. “Instead of pulling up and throwing 15 or 20 casts and saying, ‘No, they’re not here,’ I stuck with it and ground it out. I knew if I calmed down and fished slowly it would happen.
“It was very stressful and very eventful,” Tassi added. “If you fish, you know two-day tournaments are hard to win, and three-day tournaments are near impossible to win on just a couple of schools of fish. Everything just worked out right. They bit, and everything that bit I got into the boat. It just turns out that where I had caught one fish in practice turned out to be the mother lode.”
The top 10 boaters finished the tournament in:
2nd: Joshua Tepley, Harrah, Okla., 10 bass, 29-2, $3,652
3rd: Bradley Sullivan, Shawnee, Okla., 10 bass, 26-10, $2,433
4th: Andy Newcomb, Camdenton, Mo., 10 bass, 26-9, $2,504 (includes $500 Phoenix MLF Contingency Bonus)
5th: Andy Carroll, Greenwood, Ark., 10 bass, 25-11, $1,461
6th: Brian Thurber, Siloam Springs, Ark., nine bass, 25-3, $1,339
7th: Dalton Warrington, Tishomingo, Okla., 10 bass, 25-2, $1,217
8th: Dennis Berhost, Summit, Mo., 10 bass, 24-10, $1,096
9th: T.J. Martin, Claremore, Okla., 10 bass, 24-8, $974
10th: Caleb Black, McAlester, Okla., 10 bass, 24-7, $852
Tassi also had a bass that weighed 5 pounds, 7 ounces that was the heaviest of the event in the Boater Division and earned the Berkley Big Bass Boater award of $1,102.
The top 10 Strike King co-anglers were:
2nd: Justin Parchman, Oologah, Okla., eight bass, 19-15, $1,813
3rd: Kaleb O’Brien, Wagoner, Okla., seven bass, 19-5, $1,209
4th: Wesley Bissett, Broken Arrow, Okla., eight bass, 18-3, $846
5th: J.P. Northcutt, Grove, Okla., seven bass, 17-6, $725
6th: Blake Denny, Crowder, Okla., eight bass, 17-2, $665
7th: Michael Shinstine, Springdale, Ark., eight bass, 17-1, $604
8th: Brock Krohne, Belton, Mo., seven bass, 16-5, $544
9th: Timothy Cartwright, Sand Springs, Okla., seven bass, 16-4, $484
10th: Patrick Weir, Park Hill, Okla., seven bass, 15-12, $423
With the regular season now complete, boater T.J. Martin of Claremore, Oklahoma, won the 2023 Bass Fishing League Okie Division Presented by Mystik Lubricants Boater Angler of the Year (AOY) race with a five-event total of 1,286 points to earn the $1,000 boater AOY award. Danny Giacomo of McAlester, Oklahoma, won the 2023 Strike King Co-Angler Okie Division Presented by Mystik Lubricants AOY race with 1,237 points and earned the $500 Strike King Co-angler of the Year award.
Now, the top 45 boaters and co-anglers in the division based on point standings, along with the five winners of each qualifying event, will advance to compete in the Oct. 19-21 Bass Fishing League Regional Championship on Lake of the Ozarks in Osage Beach, Missouri. Boaters will fish for a top award of $60,000, including a new Phoenix 819 Pro with a 200-horsepower Mercury outboard and $10,000, while co-anglers will compete for a top award of $50,000, including a new Phoenix 819 Pro with a 200-horsepower Mercury outboard.
The 2023 Phoenix BFL Presented by T-H Marine is a 24-division circuit devoted to weekend anglers, with 128 events throughout the season, five qualifying tournaments in each division. The top 45 boaters and Strike King co-anglers from each division, along with the five qualifying event winners, will advance to one of six BFL Regional tournaments where they are competing to finish in the top six, which then qualifies them for one of the longest-running championships in all of competitive bass fishing – the BFL All-American.
The top 45 boaters and Strike King co-anglers plus tournament winners from each Phoenix Bass Fishing League division will also earn priority entry into the MLF Toyota Series, the pathway to the MLF Tackle Warehouse Invitationals and ultimately the MLF Bass Pro Tour.
Proud sponsors of the 2023 MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine include: 13 Fishing, Abu Garcia, B&W Trailer Hitches, Berkley, Black Rifle Coffee, E3, Epic Baits, Favorite Fishing, General Tire, Grundéns, Gill, Lew’s, Lowrance, Mercury, Mossy Oak, Mystik Lubricants, Onyx, Phoenix, Polaris, Power-Pole, Strike King, Tackle Warehouse, T-H Marine, Toyota, Wiley X and YETI.
For complete details and updated tournament information, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular Bass Fishing League updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF5’s social media outlets at Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.
Bassmaster High School Combine connects students and college fishing coaches
High school anglers from 22 states will participate in the Skeeter Bassmaster High School Combine Sept. 15-17 in Decatur, Ala.
September 8, 2023
DECATUR, Ala. — After the first two events generated more than $4.5 million in scholarship offers, 112 anglers from 22 states hope to continue that trend by reeling in big-time offers from college coaches when the third annual Skeeter Bassmaster High School Combine kicks off on Sept. 15. The three-day event will be held on Wheeler Lake in Decatur, Ala.
“B.A.S.S. is constantly looking for ways to grow the High School and College platforms and give young anglers opportunities to excel not only in the sport, but also in the industry,” said Glenn Cale, B.A.S.S. tournament manager for the College, High School and Junior Series. “This has truly become the preeminent event for colleges looking to find and recruit talent from across the U.S.”
The opportunity to meet individually with prospective anglers and evaluate talent from a wider swath of the country is critical for coaches.
“There is no way — even in a two- or three-year span — that a high school angler could visit, in person, all the universities that are brought to them at the High School Combine essentially in one location, in one weekend,” said Coach Todd Gill of Illinois' Wabash Valley College. “Likewise, universities are provided an opportunity to sell their college and all it has to offer to anglers who might not otherwise be considering their program.”
Anglers like Jonathan Waschek, a junior from Apple Valley, Minn., are taking full advantage of having coaches in one location to advance their college search and test themselves against championship-caliber competition.
“We live up in Minnesota, so we would have to travel a lot to meet this many coaches at the colleges,” said Waschek. “This is a way to introduce myself to several coaches, learn about programs in one trip ... and narrow down the list of colleges I want to look at this fall. I’ve enjoyed the tournament fishing experience and the opportunity to compete with other students from around my state, but look forward to the opportunity to use what I’ve learned to compete in new parts of the country.”
At the High School Combine, anglers will perform multiple tasks — Casting Distance, Technical and Casting Accuracy — to show their skill set not only on the water, but also to display their knowledge of the sport as a whole. Each of the disciplines will operate on a point system and will be timed by an official judge. After the first day, colleges will have the opportunity to select anglers for a “second look” where they can further explore everything that angler has to offer and see if they would be the perfect fit for their fishing program.
“I will be looking for positive attitudes and how the kids interact with each other. Team dynamic is very crucial to success. I'm looking for anglers that complement my program, not hinder it,” said Campbellsville University Coach Tony Miracle. “I want anglers that work hard to be successful, so good grades are very important to me. It tells me that they take pride in their lives. That turns into pride for your team. Wins mean nothing to me ... I look for consistency. Top 20 finishes will get you qualified for Nationals; the more teams you have at Nationals the better your chance to win.”
Similarly, the student anglers are hoping to leverage time at the Combine to determine where they want to spend the next stage of their careers.
“Currently, I have dialogue with around 10 programs. The Combine is a great opportunity to meet coaches in person and start the process of determining where I fit from a goal and cultural perspective. I’m hoping to find three to five programs that are a good fit for me and start building a relationship with the coaches and team members so I can make an informed decision,” said Dylan Sorrells of Dallas, Texas, who finished in the Top 20 at the 2023 Strike King Bassmaster High School National Championship presented by Academy Sports + Outdoors. “I’m excited to test my technical skills against serious anglers who plan to pursue fishing in college. As a junior, it allows me to compare my skills against some of the best and provides feedback on what I need to improve on over the next two years.”
The following schools have committed to participating in the Bassmaster High School Combine:
- Auburn University (Auburn, Ala.)
- Bethel University (McKenzie, Tenn.)
- Blue Mountain Christian University (Blue Mountain, Miss.)
- Bryan College (Dayton, Tenn.)
- Campbellsville University (Campbellsville, Ky.)
- Carson-Newman University (Jefferson City, Tenn.)
- Catawba Valley Community College (Hickory, N.C.)
- Dallas Baptist University (Dallas, Texas)
- Drury University (Springfield, Mo.)
- East Texas Baptist University (Marshall, Texas)
- Emmanuel University (Franklin Springs, Ga.)
- Erskine College (Due West, S.C.)
- Faulkner University (Montgomery, Ala.)
- Kentucky Christian University (Grayson, Ky.)
- Lander University (Greenwood, S.C.)
- Louisiana State University Shreveport (Shreveport, La.)
- Murray State College (Tishomingo, Okla.)
- Southeastern University (Lakeland, Fla.)
- Troy University (Troy, Ala.)
- University of Alabama (Tuscaloosa, Ala.)
- University of Florida (Gainesville, Fla.)
- University of Montevallo (Montevallo, Ala.)
- University of North Alabama (Florence, Ala.)
- Wabash Valley College (Mt. Carmel, Ill.)
- Webber International University (Babson Park, Fla.)
The 2023 Skeeter Bassmaster High School Combine is being hosted by Decatur Morgan County Tourism.
Proclaiming the Significance of NPAA
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Mark Copley knows the Rather Outdoors’ fishing brands reap the rewards of investing in NPAA. |
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Forestville, WI (September 8, 2023) – The fishing industry has a select group of folks that “everybody knows”. Rather Outdoors Mark Copley is one of them. Just visit the Rather Outdoors booth at ICAST. Copley is swarmed with media, pros, and upstarts who want to be on the inside looking out. His fishing industry journey began 17-years ago with Strike King, in August of 2007, when Copley was tapped to produce television’s Strike King’s Pro Team Journal, which airs to this day under the title Pro Team Journal, and folds in Rather’s family brands Lew’s and Strike King. In his production capacity, Copley managed three unique television shows, including a program dedicated to Academy Outdoors. Copley climbed the corporate ladder at Strike King, and was named Marketing Manager in 2011, a position he held until 2018 when Strike King was sold to Peak Rock Investments, who also had purchased Lew’s and Hunters Specialties, eventually leading to the formation of Rather Outdoors and piling up of several other fishing brands, to include Mr. Crappie, Salmo, and others. In 2019, Copley became Director of Pro Staff and Media Relations for all the North American brands. And in 2020, he added the assignment of Tradeshow Manager, which he maintains with proficiency to this day. |
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Introduction to NPAA Strike King stormed the walleye market in 2016. With decades of momentum in the bass fishing market, Copley knew Strike King needed new weaponry to make a mark with walleye anglers. That’s when he met Pat…Pat Neu, President of NPAA. “I really got to know Pat, and appreciated all NPAA was doing for the walleye market,” said Copley. “So, in 2016, Strike King joined as a Silver Partner. It was a real no-brainer for us.” “Mark immediately saw the value in aligning their brands with an organization that was working to help angler influencers become better at promoting themselves, the sport and their sponsors products on and off the water,” said Neu. Copley continued: “NPAA is all about getting product in the right hands – the individual members. These guys and gals aren’t your everyday anglers – they make a living from fishing and are very influential. There’s no better way for a company to get products used by anglers of influence.” “It’s a win-win for us. We utilize a channel to sell our products at a discount to fishing professionals, and they get a deal just by being an NPAA member. Think about it. If a guide or tournament angler had to pay full price all the time, running a profitable business would be nearly impossible.” |
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NPAA is also able to distribute Rather Outdoors’ content. “With NPAA’s weekly NewsBLAST and other member communications, we can share product and company news instantly, and with the right people,” said Copley. Copley came in with walleyes on the brain, but quickly realized NPAA’s multispecies reach. “I know NPAA started as a group of professional walleye anglers, but it’s become so much more. Members include professional bass anglers, saltwater guides, muskie and ice fishing maniacs, and about every category of professional angler out there.” “Companies are missing sales and not connecting with legitimate influencers if they don’t support NPAA. And for the individual pros and student anglers out there, if you’re not a member, you’re passing up on amazing deals from some of fishing’s biggest brands. $100 a year for a Pro and $50 for Student Anglers. Seriously? That’s a steal...” concluded Copley. Neu adds, “The partnership that the NPAA has developed with the team at Rather Outdoors is one of many meaningful and long-term partnerships that the NPAA has established. We rarely lose a partner, and our exceptionally large list of partners continues to grow because the value of a partnership with NPAA is one of the best marketing spends in the industry. We thank all our partners for their support and look forward to continuing to develop more long-term partnerships within the industry.” |
Top Fall Bass Fishing Tips
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WHITEWATER® pro staffer B.A.S.S. Elite angler, Jay Przekurat, talks tactics and tech for more bass this coming fall season. |
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By Jim Edlund |
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MUSKEGON, Mich. (September 7, 2023) – The last hurrah has faded into another marked-up calendar. Lakes, rivers, and reservoirs have quieted down. The party barges and annoying personal watercraft are gone, a Natty Light box the only remnants of another raucous Labor Day. Good thing, too, there’s nothing like trying to fish during party-time, every primary and secondary point, sandbar, and island anchored up with a bunch of Kenny Powers look-alikes blasting Motley Crew and “Baby Got Back” from hot-rodded, marine-rigged stereos, tattooed cousins and girlfriends/wives slurping ungodly, boozy concoctions out of giant travel glasses with bendy straws. With summer over and cooler temps finally in the forecast, now is the time to start talking fall bass patterns. That said, we gave B.A.S.S. Elite WHITEWATER pro, Jay Przekurat, a call. He’s always a wealth of green fish information. The youngest pro bass angler to ever win a B.A.S.S. Elite event, 23-year-old Wisconsin-based Jay Przekurat took home top honors in 2022 with the heaviest bag of smallmouths ever weighed in a B.A.S.S. event. |
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The Fall River Bass Bite “Come fall and the rivers start cooling off, typically marked by a few rainfalls and colder nights. It’s during this time that I like to say rivers ‘turnover’. The fish just start biting. They get into an active mood because they know winter is coming,” says the young Przekurat. “To prep for fall I get all my moving baits organized: topwaters, swim jigs, crankbaits, A-rigs—basically any moving, reaction-bite based bait. On rivers, late summer through winter is the best time to be on the water because fish know winter is coming and they put on the feedbag.” Besides moving baits that rock the upper two-thirds of the water column, Przekurat also makes sure he has plenty of baits to work bottom. As the water gets progressively colder, bass key into bottom-dwelling forage, so you can find Jay slinging a lot of Texas Rigged soft plastics and tubes, too. “On rivers, bass will focus on baitfish earlier in the fall and then transition to feeding on crawfish and other bottom critters. They get lazier as the water gets colder. That’s when I switch over from cranks, swim jigs, and all that to Texas Rigs and tubes,” notes Przekurat. |
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Fish-Holding River Structure: Fall “The main deal is rock, but sand and wood holds a lot of bass, too. Current seams, obviously. And more than rock, which gets hit hard by lots of anglers, I like to find wood and sand. Bass will group up on sand, especially if there’s a current break around that’s holding food. Ideally, I want to find that straight riverbank with sand and wood. And that’s more so with smallies. You can find largies all the way from the creek mouths to the vary backs of the creek arms. I’m constantly looking for green vegetaition, like eelgrass and milfoil, wood, all that visual stuff. So, I’m generally flipping isolated cover for largemouths, whether it’s with a Texas Rig or swimming a jig.” In terms of specific locations, Jay spent his youth exploring the Wolf River and Mississippi River systems. “I really like Mississippi Pools 5, 5A, 7, and 9 for fishing river largemouths. 7 is probably the best for numbers, but you can put together a 20-pound bag together there, too. Fall Bass on Reservoirs Przekurat says a lot of anglers fish too shallow on reservoirs in autumn. “Look for fish grouping up offshore. You can find some largemouths shallow but the smallies especially will generally stay a little bit deeper.” That’s when Jay pulls out Alabama rigs, swimbaits, and tubes. Basically, you’re going to break out the tackle you used in the spring. Moving baits are key to catching fall bass in reservoirs, just like in rivers. Fish are starting to get active and starting to feed. Spinnerbaits and ChatterBaits can produce, too. And you’d be surprised, fall bass will rise to eat topwater plugs and buzzbaits, too, even if the water temps are in the high-50s to lower 60s.” Natural Lakes in Autumn For the most part, bass will return shallow in fall. They won’t be as shallow as they are on rivers, but you’ll still find ‘em in some skinny water. Investigate bays, docks, etc. “So, I’m fishing fall bass in natural lakes shallow. Remember, bass are bluegill eaters, so they’re cruising around remaining green weeds and isolated structure looking for food. I’ll keep an eye out for good, green grass all the way up to ice up in the north” |
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Jay’s 3 Must-Have Bass Set-Ups 1) Texas Rig Rod & Reel: “I use a 7’3” Lew’s Pro rod paired with a Lew’s Custom baitcasting reel and 30- to 50-pound braid. And I’ll fish anything from a ¼- to ½-ounce bullet weight depending on the situation. 99% of the time I have a Rage Bug tied on in one or two colors. I like a blue craw, but often switch to black and blue if the water is dirty. I keep it simple.” 2) Alabama Rig Rod & Reel: “I like rolling A-rigs slow and deep along bottom in fall, something most guys don’t do. I use a 7’11” Lew’s baitcasting rod, a 5.2:1 low gear ratio Lew’s baitcaster, and heavier fluorocarbon to keep the bait deeper and invisible. In terms of baits, I like the Strike King Tour Grade Bladed Titanium Umbrella A-Rig rigged with 1/8-ounce jig heads threaded with Strike King Rage Swimmers. I’ll use 3.25” plastics on the inner arms and 3.75” on the jig arm in the back, sticking to standard shad colors, nothing crazy.” 3) Swim Jig Rod & Reel: “I fish swim jigs on a 7’3” Lew’s medium-heavy power baitcasting rod paired with a Lew’s Custom Pro Reel spooled with 15- to 17-pound fluorocarbon. In terms of jig weight, it’s usually a ¼- to 5/16-ounce Strike King Tour Grade swim jig threaded with a Striking Menace, which is my favorite trailer. In terms of color, I’m throwing white or green pumpkin; occasionally black and blue if the water has lots of stain to it. But falls bass are eating baitfish, bluegills, or crawfish, so green pumpkin and white pretty much covers all the bases.” |
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Dressing For Cold Conditions Fall fishing weather—whether you’re chasing bass like Jay, river walleyes, steelhead or salmon, or other species—can be completely unpredictable with frequent snow, rain, sleet, and wind—as well as sub-freezing temps. Along those lines, we asked Jay what he’ll be wearing to keep his mind on fishing—and not how to stay warm and dry—at the upcoming Classic on the Tennessee River. “I’m going to have everything on. I’ll be wearing the WHITEWATER Softshell Tamer Jacket and Bib on when it’s not raining and the heavy-duty, water-repellant WHITEWATER Buoy Fishing Hoodie on underneath that. I love the Tamer jacket and bib. You can throw it on, and it doesn’t even feel like you’re wearing bibs. And it keeps you warm all day,” remarks Przekurat. He continues: “When it’s raining, I’ll have the WHITEWATER Great Lakes Jacket and Bib on, so it’s going to be a back-and-forth between that and the Tamer. I’ll definitely have the hoodieon 100% of the time because it doesn’t look like it’s going to crack 60-degrees up until tournament day and even then, the morning is projected to be 40-degrees.” |
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WHITEWATER Tamer Softshell Jacket
MSRP: $219.99 (SM-3XL) |
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MSRP: $219.99 (SM-3XL) |
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WHITEWATER Buoy Fishing Hoodie
MSRP: $99.99 (SM-3XL) |
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MSRP: $269.99 (SM-3X) |
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MSRP: $269.99 (SM-3X) |
