AnglersChannel

Fisheries Managers Need to Keep a Watchful Eye on Forward-Facing Sonar

New fish-finding technology has changed the way many fish.

Forestville, WI (October 3, 2023) – Recreational anglers have long benefited from advancements in technology. From fully-rigged fishing boats filled with high-tech electronics to amazing reels, rods, lures and even superlines, better tech has equated to more effective, fun, and productive results. But there is concern among some anglers about one of the latest and most incredible advances to hit the fishing scene. It is called forward-facing sonar (FFS), and angling experts are heralding it as far superior to any recreational fishing electronics feature ever created.

“This technology has been around for about three years now and it is truly amazing,” says Patrick Neu, president of the National Professional Anglers Association (NPAA). “It is, quite frankly, far superior to any fish-finding electronics I’ve ever used, and therein lies the concern,” states Neu. “As the technology comes down in price and even more anglers utilize it to find and catch greater numbers of fish in both freshwater and saltwater, there will be much higher catch rates. In species that are targeted for harvest, especially, higher catch rates ultimately lead to more stress on the fisheries.”

For this reason, continues Neu, the National Professional Anglers Association feels it is important to do its part as steward of the resource to help fisheries managers understand the effect this technology may have on fish stocks. “We need to help fisheries managers across the country understand how effective this new technology can be, and we need to assist them in any way we can as they begin to look into the effects of increased catches due to this new technology.”

Essentially, FFS allows anglers to scan 360-degrees around the boat (or under the ice), finding fish with amazing efficiency and watching how they react to a lure or live bait in real time. This technology makes the fish infinitely easier to find and follow, even in open water, whether suspended, on the bottom, or tucked into structure. FFS is a game changer for anglers who embrace the technology and learn to use it effectively. As of now, only a small percentage of anglers have this technology on their boats, points out Neu, which is no surprise since the current systems run approximately $4,000 per unit. But as with all technology, the price is likely to come down in the next few years. “I wouldn’t be surprised to see this technology available at or near $1,000 in the next 3-4 years,” says Neu.

NPAA President Pat Neu being inducted into the Freshwater Fishing Hall of Fame by longtime NPAA and FFHoF member Al Lindner.

INSIGHTS AND OBSERVATIONS FROM A FISHING LEGEND

Freshwater Fishing Hall of Famer and a Lifetime NPAA member Al Lindner agrees, noting he already sees FFS making a substantial difference on some of the waters he fishes. “Technology never goes backwards,” states Lindner, “so this is not going away. It has been a real revelation in terms of learning about fish movement and their reaction to lures and baits. It shows the number of fish in various locations and the direction they are moving. It allows anglers to uncover and explore what used to be hidden sanctuary locations where we never suspected the fish might hold. The technology is amazing. It is changing the way people fish and making them more productive than ever before. That brings up the question of if we are putting too much pressure on the fish stocks we pursue when employing forward-facing sonar?”

Overall, says Lindner, it is too early to fully comprehend the magnitude of what we are dealing with, but he has already seen at least two fishing situations where it has clearly demonstrated a negative impact. “The harvest levels and damage to crappie populations on some very popular waters around the country have been staggering because the fish can no longer escape our vision,” he explains, “especially when they winter in tight schools. It used to take some effort to stay on crappies when they moved. That is no longer the case when you use FFS. Some crappie populations have been greatly impacted.”

Muskie is another species taking a hit, expands Lindner. “These used to be the fish of 1,000 casts. Now, you move around with your trolling motor, look at the screen and they stick out like a sore thumb because they are so big. You cannot miss them – and when you find them you many times catch them!”

According to Lindner, many people in the fishing industry are seeing similar results – and he, like Neu, believes that FFS technology is now beginning to take a bite out of the walleye fishery as well. Both agree the time for fisheries managers to act is now, preemptively, before the effects of FFS technology are compounded by greater availability, additional improvements, and more usage. “It’s been my experience that state agencies and fisheries managers usually don’t move until fisheries collapse,” states Lindner. “We need to get out in front of this before it becomes a genuine problem. There is no time to waste.”

To be sure, neither Neu nor Lindner want to ban this technology. The genie is already out of the bottle, and FFS is a significant improvement that will help anglers at every level catch more fish. “What we need right now is to make the appropriate state agencies and fishery managers aware of the extra stress and possible increased mortality rate this new advancement may have on specific fish populations in both freshwater and saltwater environments in the near future,” says Neu. “At NPAA, we believe the time to act is now. Open seasons for harvest, possession limits and length regulations all need to be analyzed for the species that are proving most vulnerable to this new technology, and we need to adjust those parameters accordingly.”

In other words, concludes Neu, this is a true case of better safe than sorry. “It is clear that appropriate changes to fisheries management need to be in place before FFS technology explodes on the scene. It is my hope that technology may become a critical part of fisheries management in the near future as well. I envision cell phone applications that can help fisheries managers gather data, and the use of artificial intelligence that will help guide them to quickly adjust harvest rates to protect and allow the fisheries to flourish into the future.”

NPAA represents all who make a living in the sportfishing industry. Membership includes everyone from guides and captains to tournament anglers, fishing department associates/management/shop owners, manufacturing personnel, engine mechanics, and professional rep groups. In addition to superior networking opportunities, sportfishing advocacy and promoting entry into the sport, the organization offers a monthly member newsletter, a weekly industry NewsBLAST, and access to significant discounts on gear and services provided by many of its nearly 80 supporting partners.

For more information on joining the NPAA and exploring the many benefits memberships provide, visit npaa.net.

by AnglersChannel

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

by AnglersChannel

Fothergill outlasts Smith to win Bassmaster College Classic Bracket

University of Montevallo angler Easton Fothergill, a native of Grand Rapids, Minn., has won the 2023 Bassmaster College Classic Bracket presented by Lew's at Milford Lake.

Photo by Tommy Sendek/B.A.S.S.

October 2, 2023

JUNCTION CITY, Kan. — Throughout his young fishing career, several unfortunate incidents have ruined Easton Fothergill’s chances at winning tournaments he felt confident about.

Whether it was a mechanical issue or things he simply defined as “dumb stuff,” something always got in the way.

In mid-August, the University of Montevallo junior thought he would be adding emergency brain surgery to the list of misfortunes that derailed his path to success. But it turns out life works in mysterious ways.

“Now I know what God’s vision was,” he said.

Just over a month after undergoing surgery to remove an infected abscess on his brain, Fothergill won the 2023 Bassmaster College Classic Bracket presented by Lew’s by catching 11 pounds, 13 ounces on the final day at Milford Lake, defeating Auburn University’s Tucker Smith (9-8).

“I can’t really put into words what it means to me yet,” said Fothergill. “This is something I never thought I would be capable of. I never saw myself doing something like this. It is crazy special. The fact I wasn’t even planning on being here and then winning it, I really can’t put it into words.”

The Grand Rapids, Minn., native earned a spot in the 2024 Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic presented by Toyota scheduled for Grand Lake O’ the Cherokees near Tulsa, Okla., March 22-24. Fothergill also earned paid entry fees into a division of the St. Croix Bassmaster Opens with the use of a fully rigged Toyota Tundra and Nitro Boat.

After qualifying for the College Classic Bracket by winning the Bassmaster College Team of the Year title with partner Nick Dumke, Fothergill caught 10-15 in the opening round to advance to the semifinal round over Montevallo teammate Jack Alexander (9-8). Fothergill then landed 9-1 on the second day to cruise past Auburn’s Hayden Marbut (6-11) before catching the tournament’s biggest bag on the final day. Fothergill caught mostly smallmouth, but he caught a key largemouth each day of the tournament.

While he hails from northern Minnesota, the section of the state most people identify with when discussing its fishing superlatives, Fothergill often ventured to the southern part of the state for high school tournaments.

He didn’t know it at the time, but those lakes set up much like Milford Lake and that past experience helped Fothergill break down his areas this week.

“In northern Minnesota where I’m from, you can see the bottom in 20 feet of water,” he explained. “You go to southern Minnesota, there is a lot of dirty water like Milford has. I had a couple of high school tournaments where we went down to those types of lakes and it was a huge learning experience, which now I think prepared me for this. I didn’t know it at the time, but it prepared me for the future.”

As he recovered from surgery, Fothergill studied Google Earth for days, looking for oddities in the rock-lined banks. He discovered there were bigger boulders in several specific spots on the lake. Those boulders turned out to be the key, as Fothergill caught nearly all of his bass around bigger rock.

“It was basketball-sized boulders, not the slab rock that the lake is littered with,” he said. “In the morning, they wanted the slow tapering banks and then a sharp break. The bass were in inches of water.

“Most of the spots I found were while I was recuperating and resting at home.”

A mix of baits contributed to his success. On Day 1, Fothergill tossed an underspin with a 3-inch swimbait along with a 3/8-ounce double-willow spinnerbait with a translucent skirt. As the tournament progressed, a homemade finesse football jig (made by his father) paired with a Strike King Rage Menace Grub played an important role as well as a 3.5-inch Strike King Coffee Tube rigged on either a 1/4-ounce or 3/8-ounce jighead.

While the spinnerbait bite fizzled some on Day 2, it fired back up on the final day.

The wind howled over Milford Lake from the moment anglers arrived this week and that played right into Fothergill’s strategy.

“My bite was wind-driven. Especially with smallmouth, you always want to chase the wind and if possible, you want the wind blowing in on your stuff,” he said. “My starting spot, the wind wasn’t blowing into it, but it was blowing over the point. I positioned my boat on the downwind side so I would cast into the wind so it looked more natural.”

The first two days of the tournament, Fothergill achieved a quick limit and Championship Monday was no different, as he filled a limit for just over 8 pounds within the first two hours.

“Last night I knew I had to brainstorm and come up with something new. I hopped on Google Earth and found two spots that could be promising for my morning pattern,” he said. “I tried my areas I had fished the first two tournament days and didn’t get a bite. I went to the stuff I found on Google Earth and immediately caught a keeper and then one of my bigger ones, a 2-7.”

From there, Fothergill rotated through several areas, catching smallmouth on spots where he had yet to get a bite. But it was a return to his Day 1 starting spot that proved to be the difference, as he landed three bass close to 2 1/2 pounds in a 20-minute flurry during the early afternoon.

“I was planning on hitting my main starting spot a bunch of times today. I knew what quality lived there if I could just get a couple of bites,” he said. “As soon as I left that spot this morning, there were a bunch of catfish guys walking down the bank. About an hour later I came back by and there were trotlines and four bobbers littered on my point. I was like, ‘What is going on?’ I checked it two more times and they were still there.

“Finally, after the (midday) break they were gone and that’s when I stopped in there and caught the three upgrades, which ended up winning the tournament for me.”

While Smith achieved a limit shortly after Fothergill and even led for a good portion of the mid-morning and early afternoon, the Auburn junior from Shoal Creek, Ala., could not find a true kicker bass. Fothergill never knew what Smith had in his bag, but felt as though he needed one more bite to solidify his spot in the Bassmaster Classic.

“I knew I had the biggest bag of my week, so I knew I made Tucker earn it if he did beat me,” Fothergill said. “I had this feeling I was one fish away the whole afternoon. I just had a feeling, but it worked out.”

by AnglersChannel

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

by AnglersChannel

Missile Baits Partners with Outdoor Brand Team

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

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

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

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

by AnglersChannel

Henley Edges Field to Win Two-Day Phoenix Bass Fishing League Super Tournament on Cherokee Lake

Yocum Tops Strike King Co-Angler Division

JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. (Oct. 2, 2023) – Boater Chase Henley of Kingston, Tennessee, caught 10 bass weighing 25 pounds, 4 ounces, to win the two-day MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine on Cherokee Lake in Jefferson City, Tennessee. The tournament, hosted by the Jefferson County Department of Tourism, was the fifth and final regular-season event for the Bass Fishing League Volunteer Division. Henley earned $13,517 for his victory, including the lucrative $7,000 Phoenix MLF contingency bonus.

Henley said he approached the tournament looking to fish what he was most comfortable with - shallow water that would produce quality bass, including pockets with bait and trees he could flip into.

“I just went fishing,” said Henley. “I fished what was in front of me and had a good time. Basically, I just flew down the banks and covered as much water as I could with a Reaction Innovations Sweet Beaver. I keep it simple.”

Henley said he adjusted the weight used with the Sweet Beaver to adjust the fall rate depending on water clarity. He said he didn’t focus on a certain area of Cherokee; he fished from the low end of the lake all the way to the river on the north end.

“I’d catch a fish on the lower end and then wouldn’t get another until I got to Highway 25E, then I’d catch one in the river, then I’d be all the way back down to the dam and catch another one,” said Henley. “It was as scattered as scattered gets.”

Henley said he stopped fishing at 1 p.m. Saturday because he was confident in his weight, and he spent the rest of the day planning for Sunday’s round of fishing. Sunday morning started off well for Henley with three good keepers, and his confidence was high for the rest of the day against a tough field of competitors.

“East Tennessee has some of the best fishermen around,” Henley continued. “They’re versatile. They’re not good at just one thing, they’re good at all of it. So, this win means a lot.”

The top 10 boaters finished the tournament in:

1st: Chase Henley, Kingston, Tenn., 10 bass, 25-4, $13,517 (includes $7,000 Phoenix MLF Contingency Bonus)
2nd:        Isaac Peavyhouse, Jamestown, Tenn., 10 bass, 24-7, $3,239
3rd: Jacob Woods, Loudon, Tenn., 10 bass, 23-10, $1,939
4th:         Jimbo Harris, Soddy Daisy, Tenn., 10 bass, 23-7, $1,357
5th:         Nick Huff, Bean Station, Tenn., 10 bass, 23-1, $1,163
6th:         Dale Pelfrey, Rockwood, Tenn., eight bass, 20-15, $1,066
7th:         Bill Humbard, New Market, Tenn., nine bass, 20-9, $970
8th:         Casey Majni, Knoxville, Tenn., 10 bass, 20-3, $873
9th:         Corey Neece, Bristol, Tenn., 10 bass, 19-8, $776
10th: Christian Nash, Allons, Tenn., eight bass, 19-0, $679

Complete results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

Dylan Wright of Murfreesboro, Tennessee, caught a bass weighing 5 pounds, 1 ounce that was the heaviest of the event in the Boater Division to earn the Berkley Big Bass Boater award of $772.

Joseph Yocum of Strawberry Plains, Tennessee, won the Strike King Co-angler Division and $2,664 Sunday after catching a two-day total of seven bass weighing 16 pounds, 9 ounces.

The top 10 Strike King co-anglers were:

1st:          Joseph Yocum, Strawberry Plains, Tenn., seven bass, 16-9, $2,664
2nd:        Ryan Lee, Pound, Va., five bass, 10-1, $1,332
3rd: Robert Ford, Boones Mill, Va., four bass, 9-0, $1,089
4th:         Brandon Hartgrove, Hiltons, Va., two bass, 8-10, $963
5th:         Dewayne Drummonds, Gray, Ky., three bass, 7-9, $533
6th:         Todd Adkins, Knoxville, Tenn., three bass, 6-14, $488
7th:         John Nickerson, Mooresburg, Tenn., two bass, 6-13, $444
8th:         Kevin Powers, Unicoi, Tenn., three bass, 6-12, $600
9th:         Ronaldo Garcia, Louisville, Ky., two bass, 6-4, $355
10th: Billy Hughes, Eubank, Ky., four bass, 6-3, $311

Brandon Hartgrove of Hiltons, Virginia, caught the largest bass in the Strike King Co-angler Division, a fish weighing in at 4 pounds, 15 ounces. The catch earned him the Berkley Big Bass Co-angler award of $341.

With the regular season now complete, boater Dillon Falardeau of Hixson, Tennessee, won the 2023 Bass Fishing League Volunteer Division Boater Angler of the Year (AOY) race with a five-event total of 1,260 points to earn the $1,000 boater AOY award. Lenny Bays of Dayton, Kentucky, won the 2023 Strike King Co-Angler Volunteer Division AOY race with 1,286 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 Dale Hollow Lake in Byrdstown, Tennessee. 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.

by AnglersChannel

Davenport Rides Buzzbait Bite to Win Two-Day Phoenix Bass Fishing League Super Tournament on the Alabama River

Girdner Tops Strike King Co-Angler Division

PRATTVILLE, Ala. (Oct. 2, 2023) – Boater Blake Davenport of Jemison, Alabama, caught 10 bass weighing 26 pounds, 10 ounces, to win the two-day MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine on the Alabama River Presented by Southern Petroleum Services in Prattville, Alabama. The tournament, hosted by the City of Prattville, was the fifth and final regular-season event for the Bass Fishing League Bama Division Presented by Mystik Lubricants. Davenport earned $4,668 for his victory.

“I found something up the river on channel swings where the fish were up, and I caught them all on a white ¼-ounce Crusher Lures Crusher Pro Buzzbait,” Davenport said.

Davenport said the buzzbait accounted for 15 to 20 keepers Saturday and 30 to 40 keepers on the second day of competition. He said he lives 40 minutes from the river, and he felt his familiarity with the fishery gave him confidence in the tournament.

“When I culled the last time with a 3-pounder, I thought the tournament was over,” said Davenport. “I’ve worked so hard for this, and it’s finally come to fruition. What went down this weekend was nothing short of special.”

The top 10 boaters finished the tournament in:

1st:          Blake Davenport, Jemison, Ala., 10 bass, 26-10, $4,668
2nd:        Kyle Dorsett, Springville, Ala., 10 bass, 23-1, $2,334
3rd:        Keith Poche, Pike Road, Ala., 10 bass, 22-5, $1,857
4th:         Cal Burton, Dadeville, Ala., 10 bass, 21-15, $1,089
5th:         Jason Nixon, Wetumpka, Ala., 10 bass, 20-13, $934
6th:         Chris Payne, Vance, Ala., eight bass, 20-4, $1,356 (includes $500 Phoenix MLF Contingency Bonus)
7th:         David Wesson, Southside, Ala., 10 bass, 19-3, $778
8th:         Jake Akin, Heflin, Ala., 10 bass, 18-3, $1,247
9th:         Chad Boykin, Robertsdale, Ala., 10 bass, 17-8, $622
10th:      Henry McPherson, Tuscaloosa, Ala., nine bass, 16-4, $545

Complete results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

Jake Akin of Heflin, Alabama, caught a bass weighing 5 pounds even that was the heaviest of the event in the Boater Division to earn the Berkley Big Bass Boater award of $547.

Justin Girdner of Wetumpka, Alabama, won the Strike King Co-angler Division and $2,270 Sunday after catching a two-day total of eight bass weighing 14 pounds, 15 ounces.

The top 10 Strike King co-anglers were:

1st:          Justin Girdner, Wetumpka, Ala., eight bass, 14-15, $2,270
2nd:        Chad Macks, Robertsdale, Ala., six bass, 13-12, $1,401
3rd:        Michael Petras, Biloxi, Miss., seven bass, 11-3, $550
4th:         Johhny Albritton, Cullman, Ala., five bass, 10-8, $530
5th:         Danny Smith, Tyrone, Ga., seven bass, 10-0, $454
6th:         Ethan McDonald, Livingston, Tenn., six bass, 9-0, $416
7th:         Ben Caldwell, Hartselle, Ala., six bass, 8-8, $378
8th:         Michael McLaurin, Chickamauga, Ga., six bass, 7-11, $341
9th:         Gunter Williams, Linden, Ala., six bass, 7-7, $303
10th:      Bobby Biggun, Cleveland, Ga., four bass, 7-6, $265

Chad Macks of Robertsdale, Alabama, caught the largest bass in the Strike King Co-angler Division, a fish weighing in at 4 pounds, 1 ounce. The catch earned him the Berkley Big Bass Co-angler award of $266.

With the regular season now complete, boater Chris Payne of Vance, Alabama, won the 2023 Bass Fishing League Bama Division Presented by Mystik Lubricants Boater Angler of the Year (AOY) race with a five-event total of 1,282 points to earn the $1,000 boater AOY award. Chad Macks of Robertsdale, Alabama, won the 2023 Strike King Co-Angler Bama Division Presented by Mystik Lubricants AOY race with 1,329 points and earned the $500 Strike King Co-angler of the Year award.

by AnglersChannel

O’Connell Rides Blueback Bite to Win Two-Day Phoenix Bass Fishing League Super Tournament on Lake Hartwell

Mullins Tops Strike King Co-Angler Division

LAVONIA, Ga. (Oct. 2, 2023) – Boater Matt O’Connell of Brooks, Georgia, caught 10 bass weighing 31 pounds, 5 ounces, to win the two-day MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine on Lake Hartwell Presented by Harrison Oil Company in Lavonia, Georgia. The tournament, hosted by the City of Lavonia, was the fifth and final regular-season event for the Bass Fishing League South Carolina Division Presented by Mystik Lubricants. O’Connell earned $14,448 for his victory, including the lucrative $7,000 Phoenix MLF contingency bonus.

“I got to Hartwell on Thursday and started looking around to see how things were setting up,” said O’Connell, who finished second in the Phoenix Bass Fishing League 2023 All-American Championship at Lake Hartwell in June. “I found some big schools set up in places, and that led me down the path I would continue on for the rest of the weekend. I just picked up all the different blueback (herring) style baits and ran all over the lake fishing the big schools and brush piles and dialing it in as the weekend continued.”

O’Connell said he caught more keepers than short fish during the two-day event but never felt confident his weight would be enough for a win.

“I thought after Day 1 if I could duplicate that weight, I might have a shot at a win,” O’Connell said. “My goal was to get the same weight, basically. But at Hartwell, anybody can catch 20 pounds, and a bunch of guys had 11, 12, and 13 pounds after the first day, so I was super worried.

“This win definitely feels good,” O’Connell continued. “I’ve fished close to a hundred BFLs and hadn’t won one, and it definitely feels a little different than when you finish second or third.”

The top 10 boaters finished the tournament in:

1st:        Matt O’Connell, Brooks, Ga., 10 bass, 31-5, $14,448 (includes $7,000 Phoenix MLF Contingency Bonus)
2nd:       Joe Anders, Easley, S.C., 10 bass, 28-14, $2,824
3rd:       Emil Wagner, Marietta, Ga., 10 bass, 27-2, $1,882
4th:        Robert Clarke III, Pineville, S.C., 10 bass, 26-11, $1,318
5th:        Bradford Beavers, Summerville, S.C., 10 bass, 25-4, $1,130
6th:        Scott Hamrick, Denver, N.C., 10 bass, 24-8, $1,035
7th:        Troy Morrow, Eastanollee, Ga., 10 bass, 24-7, $1,691
8th:        Chris Dover, Blacksburg, S.C., 10 bass, 23-4, $847
9th:        Brad Benfield, Demorest, Ga., 10 bass, 23-1, $753
10th:     Jeremy Bouldin, Kings Mountain, N.C., 10 bass, 23-0, $659

Complete results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

Troy Morrow of Eastanollee, Georgia, had a bass that weighed 4 pounds, 10 ounces that was the heaviest of the event in the Boater Division and earned the Berkley Big Bass Boater award of $750.

Wesley Mullins of Guyton, Georgia, won the Strike King Co-angler Division and $3,199 Sunday after catching a two-day total of 10 bass weighing 20 pounds, 15 ounces.

The top 10 Strike King co-anglers were:

1st:        Wesley Mullins, Guyton, Ga., 10 bass, 20-15, $3,199
2nd:       Bobby Henderson, Charlotte, N.C., 10 bass, 17-9, $1,812
3rd:       Thomas Pennell III, Boiling Springs, S.C., 10 bass, 17-7, $940
4th:        Kevin Henderson, Honea Path, S.C., 10 bass, 15-5, $659
5th:        Ashley Klaus, Thomson, Ga., nine bass, 15-4, $565
6th:        Dylan Locklear, Elgin, S.C., seven bass, 14-13, $518
7th:        Jacob Yaden, Evans, Ga., 10 bass, 14-13, $621
8th:        Mark Garrett, Walhalla, S.C., 10 bass, 14-1, $424
9th:        Rob Nicholson, Union Mills, N.C., nine bass, 13-13, $377
10th:     Lonnie Drusch, Sumter, S.C., nine bass, 13-9, $329

Mullins also caught the largest bass in the Strike King Co-angler Division, a fish weighing in at 5 pounds, 14 ounces. The catch earned him the Berkley Big Bass Co-angler award of $375.

With the regular season now complete, boater Troy Morrow of Eastanollee, Georgia, won the 2023 Bass Fishing League South Carolina Division Presented by Mystik Lubricants Boater Angler of the Year (AOY) race with a five-event total of 1,275 points to earn the $1,000 boater AOY award. Wesley Mullins of Guyton, Georgia, won the 2023 Strike King Co-Angler South Carolina Division Presented by Mystik Lubricants AOY race with 1,310 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.

by AnglersChannel

Lawrence Posts Second Win in Four Weeks at Two-Day Phoenix Bass Fishing League Super Tournament on Kentucky-Barkley Lakes

Workman Tops Strike King Co-Angler Division

BUCHANAN, Tenn. (Oct. 2, 2023) – Boater Jake Lawrence of Paris, Tennessee, caught 10 bass weighing 36 pounds, 14 ounces, to win the two-day MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine on Kentucky-Barkley Lakes in Buchanan, Tennessee. The tournament, hosted by the Henry County-Tourism Authority, was the fifth and final regular-season event for the Bass Fishing League LBL Division. Lawrence earned $6,398 for his victory.

“There are a lot of fish out there, but they’re just not in a good mood,” Lawrence said. “I’ve never in my life had so many fish come up and follow my bait and not finish the deal.”

Lawrence said a cool snap a couple of weeks before the tournament dropped the water temperature by about eight degrees to near 70, and a recent warm trend raised temps back up to around 80. He said he thinks if the warmer temps had held off, tournament weights would have been better.

“I really had to make the most of what I had,” Lawrence said. “I didn’t have a specific area or spot. I had a generalized pattern, but I was more or less covering a tremendous amount of water to come across them. The key this week was to find more than one bass.

“I could find single bass all over the place, but I could not get them to bite,” Lawrence continued. “So, I would cover ground until I found a little wolfpack of two to six fish. I could get those to bite. Once one went after it, the others would try to take the bait from them.”

Lawrence said he spent the first of competition fishing 15 miles in either direction of the Paris area but felt he couldn’t go back to the same water Sunday.

“Once they get wise to you, they’re done,” Lawrence said. “So, Sunday I ran up to the Moors area and spent half my time up there. It really didn’t pan out the way I had envisioned up there, so I ran back to the Paris area and finished it out fishing new ground.”

Lawrence said he caught the majority of his fish on an unnamed Jenko Fishing prototype bait that is slated for a spring release, although he did catch one of his weigh fish on a Jenko Fishing Booty Shaker Swimbait.

“I don’t know if that bait needs to be a prototype bait much longer after winning a couple of events here recently,” said Lawrence, who also won the Phoenix Bass Fishing League Pickwick Lake Super Tournament on Sept. 10. “This week just topped off a few good weeks for me. I really enjoyed this tournament. I didn’t know if I was going to win this one. Every win is special, and this was just a cool way for things to work out lately.”

The top 10 boaters finished the tournament in:

1st:        Jake Lawrence, Paris, Tenn., 10 bass, 36-14, $6,398
2nd:       Matteo Turano, Puryear, Tenn., 10 bass, 36-1, $2,824
3rd:       Dustin Vaal, Farmington, Ky., 10 bass, 33-0, $1,882
4th:        Clint Knight, Lewisburg, Ky., 10 bass, 31-1, $1,518
5th:        Harrison Terry, Burns, Tenn., nine bass, 30-12, $1,630 (includes $500 Phoenix MLF Contingency Bonus)
6th:        Richard Meuth, Henderson, Ky., 10 bass, 25-7, $1,035
7th:        Hunter Fillmore, Waynesville, Ohio, 10 bass, 25-1, $941
8th:        Toby Corn, Paducah, Ky., eight bass, 25-1, $847
9th:        Sam Boss, Paducah, Ky., 10 bass, 24-13, $753
10th:     Bill Schroeder III, Benton, Ky., seven bass, 23-14, $659

Complete results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

Lawrence also had a bass that weighed 5 pounds, 13 ounces that was the heaviest of the event in the Boater Division and earned the Berkley Big Bass Boater award of $750.

David Workman of Harrisburg, Illinois, won the Strike King Co-angler Division and $2,995 Sunday after catching a two-day total of eight bass weighing 17 pounds, 11 ounces.

The top 10 Strike King co-anglers were:

1st:        David Workman, Harrisburg, Ill., eight bass, 17-11, $2,995
2nd:       Jeff Akers, Benton, Ky., eight bass, 17-9, $1,422
3rd:       Ryan Luper, Bowling Green, Ky., five bass, 14-14, $948
4th:        Todd House, Hawesville, Ky., six bass, 13-15, $864
5th:        Ethan Wheeler, Water Valley, Ky., three bass, 10-12, $1,140
6th:        Jedidiah Baggett, Tennessee Ridge, Tenn., three bass, 9-6, $522
7th:        Sean Obrien, McKenzie, Tenn., five bass, 8-13, $474
8th:        Rodney Childerson, Pocahontas, Ill., three bass, 8-3, $427
9th:        Matt Chumbler, Carbondale, Ill., three bass, 8-3, $379
10th:     Dennis Taylor, Murray, Ky., three bass, 7-3, $332

Ethan Wheeler of Water Valley, Kentucky, caught the largest bass in the Strike King Co-angler Division, a fish weighing in at 4 pounds, 10 ounces. The catch earned him the Berkley Big Bass Co-angler award of $371.

With the regular season now complete, boater Clint Knight of Lewisburg, Kentucky, won the 2023 Bass Fishing League LBL Division Boater Angler of the Year (AOY) race with a five-event total of 1,324 points to earn the $1,000 boater AOY award. Sean O’Brien of McKenzie, Tennessee, won the 2023 Strike King Co-Angler LBL Division AOY race with 1,326 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.

by AnglersChannel

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

by AnglersChannel

Travis Harriman Wins MLF Toyota Series Plains Division Finale on Lake of the Ozarks

Huntsville Pro Catches Only One Bass on Final Day, Enough to Hang on at Final Plains Division Tournament of Season

OSAGE BEACH, Mo. (Oct. 2, 2023) – Pro Travis Harriman of Huntsville, Arkansas, only brought one bass weighing 4 pounds, 4 ounces to the scale Saturday, but it was still enough to hang and win the third and final event in the Major League Fishing (MLF) Toyota Series Plains Division – the Toyota Series at Lake of the Ozarks Presented by FVP and earn the top payout of $45,000.

“I’m in disbelief,” Harriman said. “When I checked in I thought for sure the writing was on the wall. I thought there was no shot one bass would bring it home.

“They say when it’s your time, it’s your time. Today is truly a testament of it. Thank the Lord above I got the one right bite that I needed.”

It truly was a dramatic week for Harriman from the start.

Initially, he just came into the event hoping to secure a berth into the Toyota Series Championship on his home waters of Table Rock Lake. Then he located an area of docks up the Niangua arm of the lake that had a significant amount of bait on them that seemed to change everything.

First thing in the morning he’d hit some deeper docks, which produced a 5-pound bite within minutes each of the first two mornings. Then he’d run some shallower docks where he noticed shad were flicking and bluegill were roaming around.

Around the deeper docks, he went with a 3/4-ounce Jewel Football Jig (green pumpkin purple flash) and a Strike King Rage Scounbug trailer. Up shallow, it was a 1/2-ounce Jewel J-Lock Flip’N’ Jig in the same color with the same trailer. Both were tossed on 7-foot VIRTUS|Jewel Red Diamond rods, going with the flip/pitch model for the football jig and the Titan model for the J-Lock. He said the rod choice was key to be able to skip his jig to “where the sun don’t ever shine.” To get his fish out from the darkest recesses, he used 25-pound Strike King Tour Grade Fluorocarbon.

Considering his fast starts meant he barely touched all his good stuff, he was more than pumped to “burn it all down” on the final morning. Problem is, local anglers got there first, as he said almost all his initial starting docks had people fishing them first thing this morning.

“That really got me off my rotation,” Harriman said. “I ended up going shallow a lot earlier than I had been, and I figured I’d have plenty of time to catch a limit.”

An entire day of fishing later, he’d only had two bites, and he lost the first one. That fish, for sure, was one he felt would haunt him.

“I was kicking myself over that lost fish,” Harriman said. “I’d fished clean all week long. You’re not supposed get them all out from under docks, but I had up until that one. I thought that one was going to cost me.

“What do you say? I’m glad it didn’t.”

The top 10 pros on Lake of the Ozarks finished:

1^st:          Travis Harriman, Huntsville, Ark., 15 bass, 42-12, $40,000
2^nd:         Cody Huff, Ava, Mo., 15 bass, 41-14, $15,500
3^rd:         Joe Grafeman, Camdenton, Mo., 15 bass, 41-14, $13,200 (includes $1,000 Phoenix MLF Bonus)
4^th:         Jim Stamper, Montreal, Mo., 15 bass, 41-4, $10,000
5^th:         Kirk Smith, Edmond, Okla., 15 bass, 40-11, $9,000
6^th:         Adam Boehle, Warrenton, Mo., 15 bass, 40-7, $8,000
7^th:         Drew Gill, Mount Carmel, Ill., 15 bass, 40-2, $7,000
8^th:         Corey Cook, Lebanon, Mo., 15 bass, 40-1, $6,000
9^th:         Michael Harlin, Sunrise Beach, Mo., 15 bass, 39-7, $5,000
10^th:       Brad Jelinek, Lincoln, Mo., 12 bass, 37-13, $4,500

Complete results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

On Thursday, pro Brad Jelinek earned the $500 Day 1 Berkley Big Bass award in the pro division with a bass weighing 6 pounds, 8 ounces. On Friday pro Cody Spetz earned the $500 Berkley Big Bass prize with a largemouth weighing in at 6 pounds, 2 ounces.

Scott Parsons of Rogers, Arkansas, won the Strike King Co-angler Division Saturday with a three-day total of 13 bass weighing 28 pounds, 12 ounces. Parsons took home the top co-angler prize package worth $33,500, including a new Phoenix 518 Pro bass boat with a 115-horsepower Mercury outboard motor.

The top 10 Strike King co-anglers on Lake of the Ozarks finished:

1^st:          Scott Parsons, Rogers, Ark., 13 bass, 28-12, Phoenix 518 Pro boat w/115-hp Mercury outboard
2^nd:         Brian Lopp, Springfield, Ill., 14 bass, 27-4, $5,000
3^rd:         Anthony Scoma, Spring Hill, Kan., 11 bass, 24-6, $4,000
4^th:         Sakae Ushio, Tonawanda, N.Y., 10 bass, 22-7, $3,500
5^th:         Justin Layton, Kirbyville, Mo., 11 bass, 21-9, $3,000
6^th:         Nycholas Swanson, Cedar Falls, Iowa, nine bass, 21-2, $2,500
7^th:         Bill Ramsey, Huntsville, Ark., eight bass, 20-15, $2,150
8^th:         Mike Youngblood, St. Louis, Mo., nine bass, 20-9, $1,750
9^th:         Rick Dahlman, Mokena, Ill., eight bass, 20-7, $1,500
10^th:       Chris Bunk, Sullivan, Mo., nine bass, 18-14, $1,250

Pro Todd Mowery of Madison, Alabama, earned Thursday’s $150 Berkley Big Bass co-angler award after weighing in a 6-pound, 4-ounce largemouth, while Friday’s Day 2 $150 co-angler award went to Bill Ramsey who weighed in a bass that totaled 5 pounds, 13 ounces.

With the three regular-season events in the Toyota Series Presented by Phoenix Boats Plains Division now complete, pro Drew Gill of Mount Carmel, Illinois, was crowned the 2023 Plains Division Pro Angler of the Year (AOY) and earned the $5,000 AOY bonus with a total of 762 points. Alan Bernicky of Joliet, Illinois, won the 2023 Plains Division Strike King Co-angler AOY race and the $2,000 AOY bonus with 745 points.

The Toyota Series Presented by Phoenix Boats at Lake of the Ozarks Presented by FVP was hosted by the Tri-County Lodging Association. It was the third and final regular-season event for the Toyota Series Plains Division. The next event for the top 25 anglers in the Toyota Series Plains Division AOY standings will be the Toyota Series Championship at Table Rock Lake, Nov. 2-4, in Branson, Missouri. For a complete schedule of events, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com.

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.

by AnglersChannel

FERNANDES CAPTURES NPFL VICTORY AT LAKE EUFAULA

Story by Justin Brouillard | Photos by Tanner Lyons & Ben Kennedy

In true “Bass Warrior” fashion, Louis Fernandes did what he does best this week in Oklahoma at stop number five of the NPFL season. With his largest bag of the week on the final day at 15 pounds, he becomes an NPFL Champion earning $100,000 and the NPFL Sheild.

With his weights increasing each day, Fernandes started with 11 pounds, 9 ounces on day one, added 13-pounds on day two, and came from behind with his best day of the week on Showdown Saturday to slam the door shut with a three-day total of 39-pounds, 9-ounces.

Will Harkins

Coming into the event, Will Harkins had one goal to give himself a shot at the Progressive AOY going into his home Lake Lanier. With a three-day total of 39 pounds, 9 ounces, finished the event in second place moving him up in the AOY standings and going back to Georgia to end the season.

Harkins started the event with 13 pounds, 15 ounces on day one, added 12 pounds on day two, and caught another 13-pound, 10-ounce bag on the final day to move into second, tied with winner Louis Fernandes, but lost the tiebreaker.

“Fishing offshore like that is my favorite way to fish,” said Harkins. “At the final weigh-in, I knew it was going to be close, but not that close”

Harkins started on docks each of the first two mornings before going to his offshore area but opted against it for day three. He made a right turn and ended up in a pocket with schooling fish which got his day started quickly and took some pressure off.

“I was culling early in there but they were 2-pounders and I left them to look for bigger fish,” he added. “I ran some brush, and I got away from the normal stuff and fished off the beaten path a little bit. I caught that big one and culled twice more.”

Despite fishing offshore and around brush, most of the bigger bass were not in the brush, but cruising around, and he was able to target them with a drop shot and a jig to get some key bites.

“I was casting the jig around blind and catching them and used the drop shot when I could see one.”

Patrick Walters

Patrick Walters added 12 pounds, 12 ounces on the final day at Eufaula to finish the event in the third-place spot with a three-day total of 36 pounds, 9 ounces. Walters started on day one with 11 pounds, 13 ounces, and added 12 pounds on day two to slide into the top ten going into the final day.

Marc Schilling

Despite his weight dropping each day, Marc Schillingfinished the event in fourth place spot with a total weight of 36 pounds, 8 ounces. Schilling caught 13 pounds on day one, 12 pounds, 13 ounces, and added another five-bass limit on day three weighing 10 pounds, 11 ounces.

Brandon Perkins

Brandon Perkins began the event in sixth place overall in the AOY race and helped his cause yet again this week in Oklahoma where he has a decent track record. He started the event on day one with 15 pounds, 14 ounces, added 9 pounds and, 11 ounces on day two, and another limit of bass today weighing 10 pounds, 10 ounces. He finished the event in fifth place with a total weight of 36 pounds, 3 ounces.

At the end of the day, Brandon Perkins is happy with a top-five finish at a tough event fishing how he wanted to fish, but looking back, the opportunity to steal another win was there.

“First off, I had some quality brush pile this week I was saving and I never fished them,” said Perkins. “And this morning, I had pick of my starting spot and I opted to start where I had been all week. In the back of my mind, I knew I should go to the back where my biggest fish of day one came, and I broke one off yesterday too. I never went.”

Fishing is all about decisions, and it’s hard to argue with yourself after the season he has had, winning an event and sitting securely within the championship cut line in AOY. Despite missed opportunities, he made a decision and will live with it.

“I felt like this afternoon I was going to catch some bigger fish and it just didn’t happen. I fished for a check and that’s what I got. The win was right there today, but I did not know that until after. It is what it is; I enjoyed fishing docks and it was a good week,” he added.

Rest of the best:
Jason Wilson 35-0
Stephanie Hemphill –Pellerin 33-10
Jesse Wise 33-4
John Cox 32-10
Todd Goade 32-7

by AnglersChannel

Smith, Fothergill advance to final day of Bassmaster College Classic Bracket

Auburn University angler Tucker Smith and Easton Fothergill of the University of Montevallo have advanced to Day 3 of competition at the 2023 Bassmaster College Classic Bracket presented by Lew's at Milford Lake.

Photo by Tommy Sendek/B.A.S.S.

October 1, 2023

JUNCTION CITY, Kan. — At the halftime break on Day 2 of the Bassmaster College Classic Bracket presented by Lew’s, Tucker Smith had only landed three keeper bass. But thanks to an afternoon rally that saw the Auburn senior land the biggest bass of the tournament so far, Smith finished with a limit weighing 11 pounds, 2 ounces to advance past the University of Montevallo’s Brody Robison (9-0) and into the final round.

This will be Smith’s second trip to the Championship round after he finished second to Tristan McCormick by 3 ounces at the Alabama River in 2021. Smith will now face University of Montevallo senior Easton Fothergill in the final round after Fothergill landed 9-1 to defeat Auburn’s Hayden Marbut (6-11).

The winner will punch their ticket to the 2024 Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic presented by Toyota scheduled for March 22-24 in Tulsa, Okla.

“I found one area today I could catch them out of and the other areas didn’t seem to have them today,” Smith said. “I got really blessed with that big one. Hopefully, we can get another big bite tomorrow. It was definitely a grind, though. I was sweating it at the halftime break.”

On Day 1, Smith caught close to 30 bass to upgrade to his 8-11 total, but many of those were small and he narrowly defeated Bethel’s Matthew Cummings to advance to the semifinal round.

“A lot of those fish were a pound or less than a pound,” Smith said.

The morning started particularly slow for Smith, who fished several different areas with a topwater first thing without much success. After landing three bass for just over 6 pounds before the midday break, Smith hooked up with the biggest bass of the tournament so far, a 4-8 smallmouth that keyed him into a particular area.

“I was surprised it was a bass for sure. I had been catching some drum, and I caught a buffalo carp today too, so I wasn’t sure at first if it was a bass,” he said. “But when it came up, I saw it jump and started to freak out a little.”

From there, the 2023 Bassmaster College Series National Champion milked the area and filled out his limit before making several key upgrades that put him out of reach of Robison.

“I don’t think I had any other bass over 2 pounds today, but when that one came up, I knew it was the one I needed. If I got it in the boat, I knew I had a good chance at making it tomorrow,” Smith explained.

Throughout the week, Smith said he has attempted to pattern the lake as best as he can, but there is very little that is consistent from day to day except the heavy winds. He has seen smallmouth that are relating to structure, but has also seen some pelagic smallmouth that are chasing bait.

A Ned rig and a topwater have been his two most consistent baits.

“It has been really tough to catch good ones. In practice, it seemed a lot easier to catch fish over 2 pounds. But since the tournament started it has been really tough,” Smith said.

Fothergill paced the field on Day 1 by catching 10-15 to advance past his teammate Jack Alexander — and while his best spot from Day 1 didn’t pan out like he hoped on Day 2, he still managed to fill his limit of 9-1 within the first two hours.

“I started where I did yesterday, but as expected, it wasn’t as special. I left there with two bass I believe,” Fothergill said. “I looked for spots on Google Earth last night that were set up like that and I found two areas. I went to one of those and caught two quickly, one good one. From there, it was a grind.”

The afternoon hours, however, left Fothergill scratching his head as he was unable to upgrade. His smallest bass weighed 1-7 and at one point, he caught three straight bass that weighed 1-6.

“I’ll definitely be doing a lot of brainstorming tonight to figure out how I can catch them in the afternoon,” Fothergill said. “If I can figure out how to catch some consistently in the afternoon, I could be pretty dangerous.”

Two baits were the most productive for Fothergill, who added another largemouth to his tally on Day 2. He has also noticed several distinct bite windows. His map study after the Day 1 weigh-in paid off in the morning hours, and he hopes he can find another spot or two on the map tonight that will help carry him to victory on Monday.

With a chance to make the Bassmaster Classic on the horizon, Fothergill knows there will be some anxious moments before the final takeoff.

“I’ve been thinking about fishing for a spot in the Classic for a long time, but for it to actually become a reality is something really special, no matter how it shakes out,” he said. “I’m looking forward to it and am ready to get things rolling.”

Fothergill and Smith will launch from Farnum Creek Boat Ramp at Acorns Resort beginning at 7 a.m. CT and end their fishing day at 3 p.m. The final weights will be revealed at the boat ramp at 3:30 p.m. Bassmaster LIVE will be broadcasting live starting at 7 a.m. on Bassmaster.com and will broadcast the final results live.

In addition to the Classic berth, the College Classic Bracket winner will receive a prize package that includes full use of a Toyota Tundra, Nitro boat and paid entry fees into the St. Croix Bassmaster Opens.

2023 Bassmaster College Bracket presented by Lew's 9/30-10/2
Milford Lake, Junction City KS.
(BOATER) Standings Day 2

Angler Club/School

Tucker Smith Auburn University
Day 1: 5 08-11 Day 2: 5 11-02 Total: 5 11-02
Brody Robison University of Montevallo
Day 1: 5 10-11 Day 2: 5 09-00 Total: 5 09-00

Easton Fothergill University of Montevallo
Day 1: 5 10-15 Day 2: 5 09-01 Total: 5 09-01
Hayden Marbut Auburn University
Day 1: 5 10-12 Day 2: 5 06-11 Total: 5 06-11

-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Totals
Day #Limits #Fish Weight
1 8 40 76-14
2 4 20 35-14
----------------------------------
12 60 112-12

by AnglersChannel

Weeks after brain surgery, Fothergill puts up impressive Day 1 performance at Bassmaster College Classic Bracket

Tucker Smith, Hayden Marbut, Easton Fothergill and Brody Robison have advanced to Day 2 of competition at the 2023 Bassmaster College Classic Bracket presented by Lew's at Milford Lake.

Photo by Tommy Sendek/B.A.S.S.

September 30, 2023

JUNCTION CITY, Kan. — Several weeks before the start of the 2023 Bassmaster College Classic Bracket presented by Lew’s, Easton Fothergill was lying in a hospital bed in Alabama after undergoing emergency surgery to remove part of an infected abscess on his brain, wondering if he would be feeling well enough to make the trip to Milford Lake in Kansas for a chance at making a dream come true.

Not only has Fothergill made almost a full recovery, the University of Montevallo senior was the top performer in the opening round of the College Classic Bracket with a five-bass limit weighing 10 pounds, 15 ounces. He defeated fellow Montevallo angler Jack Alexander (9-8) to move into the semifinal round.

“There were a lot of emotions this morning,” he said. “I had a feeling that I had never felt before when we were leaving the ramp. The nerves I had were something I had never experienced. It was a crazy feeling. I was a little worried I would be trigger-happy on my first fish, but I was able to catch a couple that calmed me down pretty quickly.”

Fothergill will face off against Auburn University’s Hayden Marbut on Sunday while Auburn’s Tucker Smith and Montevallo’s Brody Robison go head-to-head on the opposite side of the bracket.

The winner of the College Classic Bracket will punch his ticket to the Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic presented by Toyota scheduled for March 22-24 on Grand Lake O’ the Cherokees near Tulsa.

A whirlwind of emotions greeted Fothergill before takeoff. But once he arrived at his starting spot, he quickly filled a limit, catching mostly smallmouth. He also landed one nice largemouth, and while that may have been surprising for some watching Bassmaster LIVE on FS1, Fothergill said he caught two green fish in practice that were significantly bigger.

The bass he caught in the morning bit in inches of water and were relating to a specific type of rock that Fothergill searched for most of practice. Three different baits were responsible for his bites on Day 1.

His productive morning was particularly surprising after only managing to catch what he defined as two tournament-quality bass each day of practice.

“That calmed my nerves. I knew I was sitting good after that and I was way ahead of schedule,” Fothergill explained. “I could just calm down and do my thing the rest of the day. I felt like I only needed a couple more bites when I left that spot.

“Almost everything I caught today was on these tiny rock patches that are different from everything around it.”

As the day progressed, Fothergill made several key culls along a windblown bluff wall, adding a key 2-pound smallmouth to his total with just a couple hours of fishing left.

“I’ve noticed as the day progresses they start to slide off the drops a little,” Fothergill said.

Marbut, who will be Fothergill’s Day 2 opponent, caught the second-biggest bag of the day, a limit of smallmouth weighing 10-12. He anchored that bag with a smallmouth weighing over 3 pounds, a bass that ultimately lifted him over Bethel’s Levi Mullins (10-1).

Unlike Fothergill, the Auburn junior suffered a slow start, filling out a small limit before the halftime break.

“I had been getting some good bites every morning of practice and thought I would be able to run that, but didn’t end up catching a whole lot. I think I caught one bass doing what I initially thought I could do to catch a limit,” Marbut said. “I think I had 6 pounds or so at halftime and knew that wasn’t going to cut it. I was able to make a couple of adjustments and catch a few more.”

Most of his bites came between 12 and 15 feet of water. His afternoon adjustment also yielded his biggest bite, a smallmouth he saw on his forward-facing sonar.

“That fish saved my day and really helped me go to the next round,” Marbut said. “I was fishing a little rock place I found in practice and didn’t see a whole lot. I fished it for 10 or 15 minutes and finally saw one on my LiveScope. I threw over to it and it nosed down on my bait and ate it. I didn’t even know if it was a bass after catching so many little ones. It felt so big.”

Robison, meanwhile, caught 10-11 to advance past Montevallo’s Nick Dumke, who landed an 8-1 limit. Smith, an Auburn senior, caught 8-11 to narrowly defeat Bethel’s Matthew Cummings, who caught 8-3 in the opening round.

The remaining four anglers will launch from Farnum Creek Boat Ramp at Acorns Resort beginning at 7 a.m. CT and end their fishing day at 3 p.m. The final weights will be revealed at the boat ramp at 3:30 p.m. Bassmaster LIVE will be broadcasting live on FS1 starting at 7 a.m. CT until 10 a.m. before shifting to Bassmaster.com for the afternoon session from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m.

Sunday’s matchups

(1) Easton Fothergill vs. (4) Hayden Marbut

(3) Tucker Smith vs. (7) Brody Robison

by AnglersChannel

Forecasted winds force cancellation of Bassmaster College Bracket seeding day

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

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

September 29, 2023

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

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

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

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

Here are the matchups for Day 1:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

by AnglersChannel

Gill North America Names Sportsco Marketing as its Sales Group

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

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

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

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

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

For more information, please email Fishing Marketing Manager, Michele Eichstead (michele.eichstead@gillna.com)

by AnglersChannel

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

by AnglersChannel

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

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

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

September 28, 2023

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

For more information, visit Bassmaster.com/Opens.

2024 St. Croix Bassmaster Opens

Division 1

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

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

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

Division 2

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

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

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

Division 3

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

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

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

by AnglersChannel

Crappie fishing is giving Scroggins a Ph. D. in FFS

Courtesy of Alan McGuckin - Dynamic Sponsorships

Team Toyota’s Terry “Big Show” Scroggins believes that in order to keep his illustrious pro career of two decades competitive, having a professor’s level of knowledge regarding forward-facing sonar is imperative. So, he’s been utilizing dozens of crappie fishing trips on his home waters of the St. Johns River to dial-in his understanding of “FFS” with great precision.

“When forward facing sonar first came out, I didn’t pay a lot of attention to it. Early on, I’d say only about 30% of the pros were using it, and it was mostly when we went to northern smallmouth fisheries. Now, it’s a player in every region of the country. Whether you’re scanning cypress trees in 4-feet of water in South Carolina or throwing a drop shot 30-feet deep in New York … you’d better be using it,” emphasizes Scroggins.

Recent crappie fishing trips have taught “Big Show” three valuable forward-facing sonar lessons he graciously shares to help all FFS users be more efficient.

Set the range to 25-feet when you’re around fish

Rather than leave the transducer’s beam to range out 100 feet all the time, or even closer at 50 feet, Scroggins has learned when he knows he’s around fish, to reduce the range down to 25 feet, which in turn provides a far more detailed look at how the fish are behaving, and reacting to his lure.

“When I set the range at 25-feet, not only can I see exactly where my tiny little 1/32 ounce crappie jig is in relation to the fish or brushpile, but I can also literally see their tail fins moving, and tell whether they’re swimming toward my jig or away from it,” insist Scroggins.

Choose your screen’s color schemes carefully

All brands of modern-day sonar units offer anglers their choice of various color shades on the screen. However, the color that one person’s eyes see best, may differ from their fishing buddy’s. So, try various shades until you’re confident you’re seeing the most detail.

“I like the black emerald color scheme a ton. It’s probably my favorite most days. But I also like midnight blue and orange crawfish. It all depends on your individual vision, clouds versus sun, and even the shade of lens in your sunglasses. So, utilize the color pallet that shows the most detail for your eyes, based on all those factors,” he suggests.

Turn your other sonar units off

One of the many peculiar observances Scroggins has made amid his in-depth study of FFS is the manner in which too many transducer signals making a “pinging” or “clicking” noise under the water, spooks fish.

“There’s no doubt in my mind, when you’ve got two, three, or four sonar units all turned on at the same time, all that pinging noise from the transducers spooks fish. I’ve watched it happen. So, when I’m working on catching a school of them, I turn all the sonar off, except for the one unit I’m looking at,” says Scroggins.

So, whether you’re still considering adopting forward facing sonar, or simply trying to learn how to use it better, surely Scroggins’ detailed observances while crappie fishing will lead you to catching more bass too, just as it has for him in recent months.

by AnglersChannel

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

As reported by Makiya Seminera - Charlotte Observer

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

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

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

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

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

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

by AnglersChannel

Kayak anglers visit smallmouth paradise on Susquehanna to wrap Bassmaster season

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

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

September 27, 2023

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

by AnglersChannel

Your Guide to Landing Net Material

EGO Fishing helps anglers choose the right netting material for every sportfishing situation—from bank fishing to big waters.

Caldwell, ID (September 27, 2023) – Idaho, USA-based fishing accessories designer and manufacturer, EGO Fishing, offers several netting material options to provide anglers with exactly the right net for every fishing application.

Honestly, there’s a lot of confusion among anglers with what type of landing net to buy. All they know is they don’t want to spend time pulling out tangled trebles, yet want something strong and streamlined, and also something that’s easy on a fish for hearty and healthy trophy releases.

“Over the last six or seven years there’s been a growing trend toward anglers choosing rubber mesh landing net material, especially clear rubber mesh,” says Grant Corbett, EGO Fishing Founder.

“We have two options: clear rubber mesh and black rubber mesh. Steelhead anglers and other clear-water anglers believe that the clear rubber mesh doesn’t spook fish,” volunteers Corbett.

“For years, bass and walleye anglers have gravitated to our black rubber mesh because—like our clear rubber mesh—hooks don't get snagged in it. And if you fish catch & release, it's very soft on the fish. It doesn’t remove the protective slime coating on many fish species and fins don’t get damaged. It also resists knotting up like some inferior mesh-based landing net materials,” says Corbett.

The downside to rubber mesh—clear or black—says Corbett, is it’s more expensive than other netting material options. It also has the most water drag and isn’t as durable as PVC options.

Rubber mesh works exceptionally for fish without fangs, like largemouth and smallmouth bass, and panfish. Releasing healthy fish is major tenet in bass fishing. Rubber mesh is gentle on their fins and doesn’t wipe away the slime.

“If you’re fishing for walleyes and you tie into a giant pike or muskie, it's possible that the pike might slip through the bottom of a rubber mesh net because their teeth are so sharp. Pike can literally cut through rubber. If you’re fishing pike, rubber mesh is not the best option. However, we do have the right net for the job,” continues Corbett.

For pike, muskies, and toothy saltwater species, Corbett recommends EGO Fishing’s PVC net material options. EGO’s PVC material is a woven fabric that’s completely encased in another coating of PVC rubber. Like rubber mesh, PVC nets do not knot up.

“Another bonus is that PVC net material is pretty easy on fish health for catch & release fishing. Plus, the woven fabric is a very difficult thing for pike, muskies, and saltwater fish to cut through. So, PVC is one of the most durable landing net material options out there,” notes Corbett.

Other pluses to PVC net material? First, less water drag than rubber and it’s slightly less expensive. So, if you're dealing with pike or other fish species with sharp teetch, PVC is your best option.

If there’s a downside, it’s that PVC net material somewhat less “hook friendly” as EGO Fishing’s clear or black rubber mesh options.

“With our PVC net material, panels are put together with seams, and if your hook gets into one of the seams, there’s a possibility of getting snagged. But the seams don’t run throughout the entire net mesh, and the PVC coating tends to keep hookpoints away,” offers Corbett.

“In terms of sales, we sell more PVC netting than any other mesh type. It is the most common and popular landing net materiaol out there,” concludes Corbett.

EGO Fishing Net Material Types

Clear Rubber

Pro: Doesn’t spook fish
Pro: Excellent hook-snag resistance
Pro: Easy on fish for catch & release
Pro: Doesn’t knot up
Con: Some water drag
Con: Most expensive option

Black Rubber

Pro: Excellent hook-snag resistance
Pro: Easy on fish for catch & release
Pro: Doesn’t knot up
Con: Some water drag
Con: Most expensive option

PVC

Pro: PVC woven netting material with additional PVC coating
Pro: Easy on fish for catch & release
Pro: Most durable netting material option available
Pro: Most popular net material option on-the-water
Con: Possibility of hooking a seam

Traditional Nylon

Pro: Thinner nylon string construction
Pro: Super lightweight
Pro: Very minimal water drag
Con: Prone to knots
Con: Hard on fish for catch & release fishing
Con: Snag-prone, especially with treble hooks

Coated Nylon

Pro: Thinner nylon string construction
Pro: Super lightweight
Pro: Very minimal water drag
Pro: Coating prevents most hook snags
Pro: Easier on fish than traditional nylon for catch & release
Con: Harder on fish than rubber or PVC options
Con: Snag-prone, especially with treble hooks

Black Rubber Mesh

Proper Landing Net Use

“Our nets were designed so you could reach out in real-time, net the fish, and then retract the handle before you ever put full lifting loads on the product. That does two things: First, it brings the weight way back closer to your body, so it's way easier to lift. Second, the handle is retracted and in its strongest position and the angler can lift the weight more vertically rather than perpendicular to the body or shoulder,” instructs Corbett.

Corbett says if you use a landing net as explained above, you can land really big fish with no error or equipment failure.

“Bill Dance landed a catfish that was close to 70-pound using an EGO S2 Slider net as described above. That’s a pretty big fish! So, they are designed to land big fish, but you can’t abuse your landing net. You have to use it right.”

“One of the biggest problems involves anglers extending their landing net all the way out and then lifting the fish and net perpendicular to their body. Some anglers will also try to use a landing net like a shovel. Used in these two manners, the tip thread can break or cause another failure. Of course, then the angler thinks the net is defective, when it’s actually been misused,” observes Corbett.

Bigger Fish Call For Bigger EGO Landing Nets

Corbett says there’s also been a trend of anglers looking for nets with bigger hoops than 24-27 inches. Many are looking for 33-inch, 36-inch, and even bigger hoops.

“We’re at a place right now where we’re designing nets with extendable handles but hoops and netting material options in these requested, gigantuan sizes. It’s a smaller market, but we like to cater to all angers, so we are working on them. In the meantime, we do have the EGO Big Game Series with hoop frames up to 36 inches. They’re very popular with your big fish crowd,” says Corbett.

Wade Net with Clear Rubber Mesh

Best of the Best: EGO Fishing Netting Construction Materials

“In terms of the construction materials, what we’ve strived to do from day one is find the best balance between strength, lightness, durability, and cost, because you have to kind of juggle all those factors. We could go all out and design an all-carbon fiber landing net, but its cost would be approximately $300. And then how big is your market? And then how big is your market? So we’ve focused on delivering durability, strength, and quality without our customers having to break the bank to buy a reliable landing net,” offers Corbett.

In terms of actual construction materials, EGO fishing utilizes aluminum, corrosion-resistant stainless steel parts, and polypropylene-injected molded parts, besides the obvious netting materials composed of clear and black rubber, PVC, nylon, and coated nylon.

by AnglersChannel

Potomac River Set to Host Phoenix Bass Fishing League Regional Tournament

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

MARBURY, Md. (Sept. 26, 2023) – The Phoenix Bass Fishing League (BFL) Presented by T-H Marine’s Buckeye, North Carolina, Northeast and Piedmont divisions will wrap up their 2023 season in Marbury, Maryland next week, Oct. 5-7, with the Phoenix BFL Presented by T-H Marine Regional Event at the Potomac River.

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

“The Potomac was fishing a little bit tough for the Toyota Series tournament last weekend, but I expect it will get better,” said pro Grae Buck of Green Lane, Pennsylvania, who finished that tournament in seventh place – his third career top-10 finish on the Potomac River. “The tropical storm will have cleared up, and it should clear up the water as well.

“There was a lot of grass, and it’s going to clear away some of the hydrilla and take away some of the punch bite,” Buck continued. “But, that’ll open up more winding baits – Rat-L-Traps and ChatterBait JackHammers will both be strong players.”

Buck said he expects the fish will be stacked up, and guys are going to have to fish in a crowd to likely do well.

“The whole river will be in play – down south, all the way to D.C.,” Buck continued. “But the guys that do well are going to find the areas that have a large population of fish, and they’re likely going to have to out-fish the crowd. It’s going to be important to determine what those fish are wanting to eat, before your competitors do.

“I think 50 pounds is going to be really strong,” Buck went on to say. “If you can catch 17 pounds a day average, you should be right there at the end.”

Anglers will launch at 7 a.m. ET each morning 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 the event or follow the action online through the “MLF Live” weigh-in broadcasts at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

by AnglersChannel

Phoenix Bass Fishing League Regional Tournament Set for Lake Eufaula

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

EUFAULA, Okla. (Sept. 26, 2023) – The Phoenix Bass Fishing League (BFL) Presented by T-H Marine’s Arkie, Cowboy, Mississippi and Ozark divisions will finish out the 2023 season in Eufaula, Oklahoma, Oct. 5-7, with the Phoenix BFL Presented by T-H Marine Regional Event at Lake Eufaula.

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

“The water levels on Lake Eufaula are always important to watch leading up to the event,” said pro Kelly Jordon of Flint, Texas, who won on the Tackle Warehouse Invitational tournament on Lake Eufaula earlier this season. “The water is at full pool right now, which really isn’t high. But watch the weather leading up to the event – if there is any rain or the water comes up, you’ll have to get to town on the bank.

“Water clarity is very important, too,” Jordon continued. “There is plenty of muddy water, but I expect most anglers will likely concentrate on the clear water on the lower end of the lake. It’s fall, so the fish are chasing shad. The main-lake bite could be tough – the fish offshore are scattered. But with forward-facing sonar, someone can find those fish and really pick them apart.”

Jordon said that he expects shallow-water pros to be beating the bank throwing spinnerbaits, crankbaits and topwater baits, while anglers fishing offshore will be throwing jerkbaits, swimbaits and Alabama rigs.

“The A-rig shines in the fall,” Jordon said. “That could definitely be a big player in this tournament. And it’s Oklahoma – the spinnerbait is going to play. I usually downsize the blades this time of year.

“It’s a great fishery and full of really good fish – 20 pounds a day is always doable there,” Jordon said. “That being said, fall can be really funky and it’s usually a feast or a famine. I think the winner of this one is going to weigh in right around 50 pounds over the three days.”

Anglers will launch at 7:30 a.m. CT each morning from the South Point-Nichols Point landing, located at 400 Lakeshore Drive, in Eufaula. Weigh-ins will also be held at the landing and will begin at 3:30 p.m. Fans are welcome to attend the event or follow the action online through the “MLF Live” weigh-in broadcasts at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

by AnglersChannel

Big Bass Tour - Berkley Lake Breakdown - Best Baits for Douglas Lake

By Pete Robbins

Ott DeFoe, the 2019 Bassmaster Classic champion, has spent thousands of hours on Douglas Lake, and has seen it change over the past few years. While the fish population remains healthy, there aren’t as many 6- and 7-pounders as in years past.

Despite that, he said that big baits will be the way to go at the upcoming Big Bass Tour event from October 6-8.

“The lake hasn’t gotten clear,” he said. “But a lot of guys are winning these days on glide baits and big topwaters. That big stuff is producing.” In a five-fish tournament, he’d lean on them heavily especially in the case of cloudy and/or windy conditions, but in a one-fish event like this one, the weather matters less. He’d choose one or two and glue those rods in his hands. “It could happen anytime, anywhere.”

He believes that more of the 5-pound and larger bass live in the mid- to lower section of the lake. As you go up the rivers, and fish shallower and with more traditional lures, “the chance of a 5 goes down, but the chance of a 3 ½ or 4 goes up. You’ll still get paid, but maybe you won’t win the boat.”

The other thing that has changed for him is where the bass live. Of course, as the water drops he’d focus on transition banks and isolated pieces of wood with water on them. However, whereas 20 years ago he “wouldn’t slow the boat down” to fish a boat dock, now they’ve become “the thing.” There are increasing numbers of them, and the key is figuring out which ones consistently hold bass.

If you’re committed to the topwater game, he recommends either a big walking bait or a plopper style bait, usually in bone.

For those anglers who can’t bring themselves to do the big bait thing, he recommends a rock jig or football jig.

“There’s always a population of crawfish-oriented bass,” he explained. “They’ll eat that, and day in, day out those fish will be better than average. The water is clean but not clear, so I’d recommend something brown or green pumpkin with orange, nothing crazy.”

Expect there to be multiple bass in the 5- to 6-pound class. Indeed, A fish under 6 pounds has won the Douglas BBT the last three years. In 2019, there was a 6.09 and there were 7+-pound bass weighed in every year from 2015 through 2017. One of those giants could show up again, and it would be a shame to waste a 5- or even 6-pounder against it. Make sure to pay attention to the live leaderboard if you’re angling for big money, or even if you just want to slide in and get an hourly check. This is a great opportunity to catch a lot of fish and get paid.

Berkley Picks for Douglas

Anglers fishing the Big Bass Tour at Douglas will have a lot of options, but big baits are playing an outsized role in recent events there. If you can get your hands on one, consider the Berkley Powerbait Nessie or Cull Shad. They’re new, so the fish won’t have seen them. Glue that rod in your hand and cover water.

Alternatively, big topwaters should bring bass up from the depths. Try a Berkley Choppo in Bone or HD Threadfin Shad. If the skies are dark, Maverick is a good choice. Another great surface option is the Berkley Drift Walker – thanks to its three trebles it hooks slashing bass and keeps them pinned throughout the fight.

If you’re headed up the river to escape boat traffic, a Berkley Slobberknocker will get the job done, but if you’re staying down toward the dam, pick out a non-bladed jig that fits your needs – everything from the Skippin’ Jig for docks to the Football Jig for rocks.

by AnglersChannel

Catch Bassmaster College Classic Bracket coverage live from Kansas

Tucker Smith and Hayden Marbut from Auburn University, who won the 2023 Strike King Bassmaster College National Championship presented by Bass Pro Shops, will be among the eight competitors at the Bassmaster College Classic Bracket presented by Lew's Sept. 29-Oct. 2 on Lake Milford.
Photo by Chase Sansom/B.A.S.S.

September 26, 2023

JUNCTION CITY, Kan. — Fishing fans and college sports enthusiasts alike will have three days to catch live coverage of the Bassmaster College Classic Bracket presented by Lew's on Milford Lake from Junction City, Kan., Sept. 29-Oct. 2

The event pits the season’s eight top college anglers against one another for a coveted spot in the 2024 Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic presented by Toyota. On Day 1 of the event, all eight anglers will compete individually to determine seeding and set the bracket for head-to-head competition.

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

The 2023 Bassmaster College Team of the Year — Easton Fothergill and Nick Dumke from the University of Montevallo — automatically punched their ticket to the College Classic Bracket to compete alongside the Top 3 teams from the Strike King Bassmaster College Series National Championship presented by Bass Pro Shops in this individual, elimination-style tournament.

Fothergill has endured a harrowing few weeks, undergoing emergency surgery to remove a brain abscess just days after finishing fifth at the National Championship. After enduring what he described as the scariest moments of his life, Fothergill was medically cleared to compete in the Bracket last week.

“When this all happened, my first thought was, ‘Oh my gosh, I put all this work in and finally made it to the Bracket, and I’m not going to be able to fish it,’” Fothergill said. “I was really down in the hospital thinking about it. But, luckily, I came through and all the doctors came together and got me feeling up to it.”

Joining Fothergill and Dumke will be national champions Hayden Marbut and Tucker Smith from Auburn University, Levi Mullins and Matthew Cummings from Bethel University and a second Montevallo team, Brody Robison and Jack Alexander.

This is the second trip to the College Classic Bracket for Smith, who finished second by just 3 ounces in 2021.

The event is being hosted by the Geary County, Kansas Convention and Visitors Bureau.

Date	Time (All times Central)	Network
Saturday, September 30	7 a.m. – 11 a.m.	FS1; FOX Sports Digital; Bassmaster.com
	12 p.m. – 2 p.m.	Bassmaster.com
	3:30 p.m. – 4 p.m.	Bassmaster.com
Sunday, October 1	7 a.m. – 10 a.m.	FS1; FOX Sports Digital; Bassmaster.com
	11 a.m. – 2 p.m.	Bassmaster.com
	3:30 p.m. – 4 p.m.	Bassmaster.com
Monday, October 2	7 a.m. – 11 a.m.	Bassmaster.com
	12 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.	Bassmaster.com

by AnglersChannel

Vaal Wins Two-Day Phoenix Bass Fishing League Super Tournament on Kentucky and Barkley Lakes

Bowlin Earns Strike King Co-Angler Division Victory

CALVERT CITY, Ky. (Sept. 25, 2023) – Boater Dustin Vaal of Farmington, Kentucky, caught 10 bass weighing 32 pounds, 1 ounce, to win the two-day MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League (BFL) Presented by T-H Marine on Kentucky and Barkley Lakes Presented by Country Boy Brewing in Calvert City, Kentucky. The tournament, hosted by the Kentucky Lake Convention & Visitors Bureau, was the fifth and final regular-season event for the Bass Fishing League Illini Division. Vaal earned $6,137 for the win, his first career BFL victory.

“This feels really good. I’ve been close a lot of times in these September tournaments, and this time around I finally kept enough on to win, so it feels great,” Vaal said.

“The lake is in a hardcore fall transition right now,” Vaal continued. “The shad are anywhere from 22-feet-deep all the way up to 2-feet. So, you can find them deep, you can find them shallow, and they’re all in the mix. We had a little bit of warm weather over the weekend that had them kind of funky. In the morning it was pretty good, but then you’d have to grind to get the remainder of your bites the rest of the day.”

Vaal said that he mainly threw moving baits but was forced to slow things down later in the day.

“It was pretty much like it used to be ledge fishing – you had to alternate through the baits to get them to bite,” Vaal said. “I caught them on topwater, spinnerbaits, jerkbaits – a wide variety of things. Once you got them fired up, you could keep catching them for a little bit, and then you’d have to move spots after you wore them out.”

The top 10 boaters finished the tournament in:

1st:        Dustin Vaal, Farmington, Ky., 10 bass, 32-1, $6,137
2nd:       Garrett McDowell, Windsor, Ill., 10 bass, 29-0, $2,899
3rd:       Levi Kohl, Edinburg, Ill., 10 bass, 26-6, $1,712
4th:        Billy Schroeder, Paducah, Ky., nine bass, 26-5, $1,199
5th:        Jeff Defew, Benton, Ky., 10 bass, 25-11, $1,027
6th:        Bobby McMullin, Pevely, Mo., eight bass, 23-8, $942
7th:        Jerry Hall, Ledbetter, Ky., 10 bass, 21-8, $856
8th:        Brennon McCord, Thompsonville, Ill., eight bass, 20-11, $1,271 (includes $500 Phoenix Bonus)
9th:        David Carroll, Manitou, Ky., nine bass, 20-7, $685
10th:     Keith Amerson, Selmer, Tenn., six bass, 19-15, $599

Complete results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

Kevin Meunier of Lamar, Indiana, caught a bass that weighed 5 pounds, 5 ounces – the heaviest bass weighed in the boater division – and earned the Berkley Big Bass Boater award of $645.

Jordan Bowlin of Benton, Illinois, won the Strike King Co-angler Division and $2,891 Sunday after catching a two-day total of six bass weighing 20 pounds, 2 ounces.

The top 10 Strike King co-anglers were:

1st:        Jordan Bowlin, Benton, Ill., six bass, 20-2, $2,891
2nd:       Aaron Arning, Walnut Hill, Ill., seven bass, 18-8, $1,284
3rd:       Jason Gosnell, Paris, Ill., six bass, 14-4, $858
4th:        Bill Kissinger, Obion, Tenn., four bass, 10-6, $599
5th:        Mike Swetland, Tamaroa, Ill., four bass, 10-3, $864
6th:        Brady Kendall, Paducah, Ky., four bass, 9-2, $471
7th:        Brad Thacher, Hardin, Ky., four bass, 8-13, $428
8th:        Jimmy Null, Bethalto, Ill., four bass, 8-12, $385
9th:        Joe Andres, Effingham, Ill., four bass, 8-11, $342
10th:     Brandon Depew, Odin, Ill., three bass, 7-7, $300

Bowlin also caught the largest bass in the Strike King Co-angler Division, a fish weighing 4 pounds, 7 ounces. The catch earned him the Berkley Big Bass Co-angler award of $322.

With the regular season now complete, boater Garrett McDowell of Windsor, Illinois, won the 2023 Bass Fishing League Illini Division Boater Angler of the Year (AOY) race with a five-event total of 1,347 points to earn the $1,000 boater AOY award. Aaron Arning of Walnut Hill, Illinois, won the 2023 Strike King Co-Angler Illini Division AOY race with 1,310 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 Tournament on Dale Hollow Lake in Byrdstown, Tennessee. 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.

by AnglersChannel

California Transplant Phillip Dutra Earns Victory at Two-Day Phoenix Bass Fishing League Super Tournament on Lake Guntersville

Davenport Wins Strike King Co-Angler Division

SCOTTSBORO, Ala. (Sept. 25, 2023) – Boater Phillip Dutra of Arab, Alabama, caught 10 bass weighing 39 pounds, 10 ounces to win the two-day MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League (BFL) Presented by T-H Marine on Lake Guntersville in Scottsboro, Alabama. The tournament, hosted by the Mountain Lake Chamber of Commerce, was the fifth and final regular-season event for the Bass Fishing League Choo Choo Division. Dutra earned $7,717 for his victory.

“I fished a mixture of baits, mainly topwater and flipping,” said Dutra, who earned his first career victory after eight previous top-10 finishes in MLF competition. “I fished up and down the lake and located a couple of areas that had quality fish. Then I just cycled through those areas.”

A longtime Toyota Series Western division pro, Dutra recently moved to Alabama and was competing in his first ever Phoenix BFL tournament.

“I think that was the key to my win – pretty much just fishing the way I used to fish out west at the California Delta,” Dutra said. “I covered a lot of water and fished all throughout the lake. I didn’t have one spot, or one area.”

Dutra estimated that he had around 15 bites on Day 1, and around nine or 10 on Day 2.

“I threw quite a few different baits, but a Damiki Rambler, Damiki Knockout, a Snag Proof Bobby’s Perfect Frog and a Bobby D Buzzbait all got me some bites,” Dutra said. “I was using the brand new SEVIIN reels from St. Croix and was blown away at how far my casts were going. I paired that with 50-pound P-Line X-Braid for my topwater and flipping, and my equipment, no doubt, made a huge difference in how I ended up.”

The top 10 boaters finished the tournament in:

1st:        Phillip Dutra, Arab, Ala., 10 bass, 39-10, $7,717
2nd:       Alex Davis, Albertville, Ala., 10 bass, 38-10, $3,709
3rd:       Terry Fisher, Decatur, Ala., 10 bass, 37-12, $2,674
4th:        Logan Dyar, Cleveland, Ala., 10 bass, 35-6, $1,731
5th:        Fisher Anaya, Eva, Ala., 10 bass, 35-2, $1,115, $1,483
6th:        Scott Wiley, Jr., Bay Minette, Ala., 10 bass, 33-15, $1,360
7th:        Kent Ware, Guntersville, Ala., 10 bass, 33-7, $1,736 (includes $500 Phoenix Bonus)
8th:        Jordan Lee, Cullman, Ala., 10 bass, 33-5, $1,113
9th:        Ryan Salzman, Huntsville, Ala., 10 bass, 33-2, $989
10th:     Chandler Brewer, Meridianville, Ala, 10 bass, 32-11, $865

Complete results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

John Janick of Adams, Tennessee, caught the heaviest bass in the boater division, a bass that weighed 6 pounds, 13 ounces to win the Berkley Big Bass Boater award of $1,132.

John Davenport of Huntsville, Alabama, won the Strike King Co-angler Division and $3,652 Sunday after catching a two-day total of nine bass weighing 30 pounds, 8 ounces.

The top 10 Strike King co-anglers were:

1st:        John Davenport, Huntsville, Ala., nine bass, 20-1, $3,652
2nd:       Cy Matlock, Crump, Tenn., seven bass, 17-15, $1,826
3rd:       Rich Frey, Guntersville, Ala., seven bass, 16-11, $1,218
4th:        Scott Mascadri, Southside, Ala., five bass, 14-1, $852
5th:        Chris Allen, Bremen, Ga., seven bass, 13-7, $730
6th:        Toby Lawson, Trussville, Ala., five bass, 13-7, $669
7th:        Tony Pendley, Oakman, Ala., five bass, 13-4, $609
8th:        Christian Jones, Cadiz, Ky., five bass, 11-13, $548
9th:        Larry Franks, Jr., Wilsonville, Ala., five bass, 11-0, $487
10th:     Jamie Bladow, Houston, Ala., four bass, 9-4, $426

Alex Ross of Murfreesboro, Tennessee, and Brian Carroll of Glencoe, Alabama, tie for the largest bass in the Strike King Co-angler Division, as each caught a bass weighing 5 pounds, 3 ounces. They split the $550 Berkley Big Bass Co-angler award and each brought home $275.

With the regular season now complete, boater Jordan Lee of Cullman, Alabama, won the 2023 Bass Fishing League Choo Choo Division Boater Angler of the Year (AOY) race with a five-event total of 1,305 points to earn the $1,000 boater AOY award. Justin Stephenson of Jasper, Alabama, won the 2023 Strike King Co-Angler Choo Choo Division AOY race with 1,328 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.

by AnglersChannel

Black Targets Schooling Fish to Win Two-Day Phoenix Bass Fishing League Super Tournament on Lake Hamilton

Leland Nixon Earns Strike King Co-Angler Division Victory

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. (Sept. 25, 2023) – Boater Jamey Black of Sheridan, Arkansas, caught 10 bass weighing 23 pounds even to win the two-day MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League (BFL) Presented by T-H Marine on Lake Hamilton in Hot Springs, Arkansas. The tournament was the fifth and final regular-season event for the Bass Fishing League Arkie Division. Black earned $8,075 for his victory, including a $2,500 Phoenix contingency bonus.

“I found a couple of good areas that had schooling fish, and I just tried to stay in those areas following them around,” said Black, who has 18 top-10 finishes in BFL competition. “I mainly fished mid-lake and down. They were following big bait balls around, so I just tried to follow them as best as I could with (Garmin) LiveScope and threw a topwater at them whenever they would come up schooling.”

Black said his schools were deep – anywhere from 20 to 50 feet – but they would surface wherever the bait was. He credited a big fish that he caught on a frog late in the day on Day 1 as being the key to his strong finish.

“I had a decent stringer on Sunday, but I never would have even had the opportunity if it weren’t for that frog fish on Saturday afternoon,” Black went on to say. “I’m just so very happy to win this one. It’s been since 2006 since I last earned one of these winner trophies, so this win, against this level of competition, feels really, really good.”

The top 10 boaters finished the tournament in:

1st:        Jamey Black, Sheridan, Ark., 10 bass, 23-0, $8,075 (includes $2,500 Phoenix Bonus)
2nd:       Larry Selig, Alexander, Ark., 10 bass, 22-1, $2,787
3rd:       Brian Bean, Hot Springs, Ark., 10 bass, 21-12, $1,860
4th:        Spencer Shuffield, Hot Springs, Ark., 10 bass, 21-9, $1,301
5th:        Chris Darby, Hot Springs, Ark., 10 bass, 21-5, $1,115
6th:        James Stricklin, Jr., Fort Smith, Ark., 10 bass, 21-0, $1,022
7th:        Bryce Boatright, Sheridan, Ark., 10 bass, 19-5, $1,656
8th:        Ben Blaschke, Roland, Okla., 10 bass, 19-0, $836
9th:        Austin Johnston, Mena, Ark., 10 bass, 18-13, $743
10th:     Jeremiah Kindy, Benton, Ark., 10 bass, 18-9, $650

Complete results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

Bryce Boatright of Sheridan, Arkansas, caught a bass that weighed 5 pounds even – the heaviest bass weighed in the boater division – and earned the Berkley Big Bass Boater award of $727.

Leland Nixon of Bee Branch, Arkansas, won the Strike King Co-angler Division and $2,694 Sunday after catching a two-day total of 10 bass weighing 20 pounds, 1 ounce.

The top 10 Strike King co-anglers were:

1st:        Leland Nixon, Bee Branch, Ark., 10 bass, 20-1, $2,694
2nd:       Brock Krohne, Belton, Mo., 10 bass, 17-15, $1,347
3rd:       Michael Massey, Amity, Ark., nine bass, 16-11, $899
4th:        Clayton Self, Benton, Ark., eight bass, 14-1, $1,178
5th:        Jason Baggett, Mansfield, Ark., seven bass, 13-7, $539
6th:        Aaron Calvert, Russellville, Ark., 10 bass, 13-7, $494
7th:        Todd Garner, Spiro, Okla., nine bass, 13-4, $449
8th:        John McCullar, Benton, Ark., six bass, 11-13, $404
9th:        Derek Dixon, Hot Springs, Ark., seven bass, 11-0, $359
10th:     Nathan Hall, Hensley, Ark., seven bass, 9-4, $314

Randy Allen of Russellville, Arkansas, caught the largest bass in the Strike King Co-angler Division, a fish weighing 3 pounds, 3 ounces. The catch earned him the Berkley Big Bass Co-angler award of $345.

With the regular season now complete, boater Wayne Dixon of Morrilton, Arkansas, won the 2023 Bass Fishing League Arkie Division Boater Angler of the Year (AOY) race with a five-event total of 1,297 points to earn the $1,000 boater AOY award. Blake Defoor of Waldron, Arkansas, won the 2023 Strike King Co-Angler Arkie Division AOY race with 1,303 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.

by AnglersChannel

Ramsey Wins Two-Day Phoenix Bass Fishing League Super Tournament on Detroit River

Porento Tops Strike King Co-Angler Division

TRENTON, Mich. (Sept. 25, 2023) – Boater Randy Ramsey of Burlington, Michigan, caught 10 bass weighing 44 pounds, 6 ounces, to win the two-day MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine on Detroit River Presented by FVP in Trenton, Michigan. The tournament was the fifth and final regular-season event for the Bass Fishing League Michigan Division. Ramsey earned $5,875 for his victory.

Ramsey said he caught the majority of his fish in about 19 feet of water, fairly close to shore, on a drop-shot rig.

“Anything that is made of floating plastic is key, the trick is to have that lure floating up off the bottom,” said Ramsey. “I was also throwing a Ned rig in between rocks and a Texas-rigged creature bait. I could let that creature bait really get down into the rocks, which made a huge difference on Day 2 of the event.

“After some rough rides and big waves, the bite was really slow, so we just had to be patient,” Ramsey continued. “I was working lures along the bottom, and I had to just barely crawl them over the rocks. Most of the time if I popped them off a rock, I’d get bit.”

Ramsey said the changing weather conditions during the two-day event certainly impacted his game plan.

“The water clarity was a lot better on Day 1 – on the second day of competition I could barely see down to my trolling motor,” said Ramsey. “The southeast winds stirred the shoreline sediment up pretty good, so when the winds shifted to the northeast, it pulled that sediment off the shore and muddied up my area, which changed the bite drastically from day to day.”

The top 10 boaters finished the tournament in:

1^st:           Randy Ramsey, Burlington, Mich., 10 bass, 44-6, $5,875
2^nd:          Michael Sitko, Pinckney, Mich., 10 bass, 42-12, $3,844
3^rd:          Patrick Goodman, Sturgis, Mich., 10 bass, 42-11, $1,860
4^th:           Nicholas Seitz, Maumee, Ohio, 10 bass, 41-9, $1,301
5^th:           Brayden Federer, Adrian, Mich., 10 bass, 41-8, $1,115
6^th:           Jeremy Antrup, Fremont, Ind., 10 bass, 41-0, $1,022
7^th:           Wilson Burton, Findlay, Ohio, 10 bass, 39-2, $$1,629 (includes $500 Phoenix MLF Contingency Bonus)
8^th:           Heath Wagner, Angola, Ind., 10 bass, 38-13, $836
9^th:           Evan Eldred, Gaines, Mich., 10 bass, 38-7, $993
10^th:        Austin Anderson, Ashley, Ind., 10 bass, 36-4, $650

Complete results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

Michael Sitko of Pinckney, Michigan, caught a bass weighing 7 pounds, 12 ounces that was the heaviest of the event in the Boater Division to earn the Berkley Big Bass Boater award of $727.

Paul Porento of Lowell, Indiana, won the Strike King Co-angler Division and $2,788 Sunday after catching a two-day total of 10 bass weighing 37 pounds, 6 ounces.

The top 10 Strike King co-anglers were:

1^st:           Paul Porento, Lowell, Ind., 10 bass, 37-6, $2,788
2^nd:          Ryan Legg, Parma, Ohio, 10 bass, 34-12, $1,394
3^rd:          Jason Hayward, Otsego, Mich., 10 bass, 34-5, $929
4^th:           Richard Jarasun, Taylor, Mich., 10 bass, 33-12, $650
5^th:           Evan Ellis, Greentown, Ind., 10 bass, 33-9, $558
6^th:           Bill Miller, Metamora, Mich., 10 bass, 33-7, $511
7^th:           John Wall, Western Springs, Ill., 10 bass, 33-6, $465
8^th:           Scott Davis, Morenci, Mich., nine bass, 33-3, $418
9^th:           Scott Lutz, Bremen, Ind., 10 bass, 31-15, $522
10^th:        Alex Newman, Celina, Ohio, 10 bass, 31-10, $325

Daniel Dumais of Trenton, Michigan, caught the largest bass in the Strike King Co-angler Division, a fish weighing in at 5 pounds, 5 ounces. The catch earned him the Berkley Big Bass Co-angler award of $364.

With the regular season now complete, boater Patrick Goodman of Sturgis, Michigan, won the 2023 Bass Fishing League Michigan Division Boater Angler of the Year (AOY) race with a five-event total of 1,345 points to earn the $1,000 boater AOY award. Gavin Weted of Muont, Michigan, won the 2023 Strike King Co-Angler Michigan Division AOY race with 1,293 points and earned the $500 Strike King Co-angler of the Year award.

by AnglersChannel

Hoyle Posts Win at Two-Day Phoenix Bass Fishing League Super Tournament on Lake Norman

Deciucis Tops Strike King Co-Angler Division

MOORESVILLE, N.C. (Sept. 25, 2023) – Boater Cody Hoyle of Rutherfordton, North Carolina, caught 10 bass weighing 29 pounds, 9 ounces, to win the two-day MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine on Lake Norman in Mooresville, N.C. The tournament, hosted by the Mooresville Convention and Visitors Bureau, was the fifth and final regular-season event for the Bass Fishing League North Carolina Division. Hoyle earned $5,446 for his victory.

“This win feels pretty good,” said Hoyle. “I wasn’t really expecting it, but everything just lined up for me today.”

Hoyle said he caught his fish mid-lake on a custom-made green pumpkin and red jig and felt his key to victory was keeping the trolling motor wide open throughout the day.

Hoyle said he is planning to fish the three-day Phoenix Bass Fishing League Regional at Lake Norman Oct. 19-21 and opted not to reveal further information about his success on the fishery in this event.

The top 10 boaters finished the tournament in:

1st:          Cody Hoyle, Rutherfordton, N.C., 10 bass, 29-9, $5,446
2^nd:          Scott Hamrick, Denver, N.C., 10 bass, 28-6, $2,723
3^rd:          Chad Poteat, Mount Airy, N.C., 10 bass, 26-10, $3,396 (includes $500 Phoenix MLF Contingency Bonus)
4^th:           David Cooke, Mooresville, N.C., 10 bass, 26-7, $1,271
5^th:           Michael Stephens, Gastonia, N.C., 10 bass, 25-8, $1,089
6^th:           Dalton Eury, Oakboro, N.C., 10 bass, 25-8, $998
7^th:           Isaac Ledford, Dallas, N.C., 10 bass, 24-14, $908
8^th:           Aaron Digh, Denver, N.C., 10 bass, 24-12, $1,514
9^th:           Tyler Trent, Nathalie, Va., 10 bass, 23-12, $726
10^th:        Conrad Manuel, Pilot Mountain, N.C., nine bass, 23-4, $635

Complete results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

Aaron Digh of Denver, North Carolina, caught a bass weighing 4 pounds, 11 ounces that was the heaviest of the event in the Boater Division to earn the Berkley Big Bass Boater award of $697.

David Deciucis of Chester, Virginia, won the Strike King Co-angler Division and $3,272 Sunday after catching a two-day total of 10 bass weighing 23 pounds, 1 ounce.

The top 10 Strike King co-anglers were:

1^st:           David Deciucis, Chester, Va., 10 bass, 23-1, $3,272
2^nd:          Jonathan Strickland, Graham, N.C., 10 bass, 19-0, $1,361
3^rd:          Samuel Dunson, Chapel Hill, N.C., nine bass, 18-15, $908
4^th:           Eric Tressel, Cornelius, N.C., eight bass, 18-2, $635
5^th:           George Hirapetian, Charlotte, N.C., nine bass, 17-14, $545
6^th:           Wayne Smelser, Wytheville, Va., eight bass, 16-11, $499
7^th:           Bobby Henderson, Charlotee, N.C., nine bass, 16-5, $654
8^th:           Wes House, Knightdale, N.C., nine bass, 15-13, $408
9^th:           Hunter Carpenter, Lincolnton, N.C., eight bass, 15-9, $363
10^th:        Greg Fox, Hudson, N.C., eight bass, 15-0, $318

Deciucis caught the largest bass in the Strike King Co-angler Division, a fish weighing in at 5 pounds, 12 ounces. The catch earned him the Berkley Big Bass Co-angler award of $349.

With the regular season now complete, boater Jason Barnes of Concord, North Carolina, won the 2023 Bass Fishing League North Carolina Division Boater Angler of the Year (AOY) race with a five-event total of 1,310 points to earn the $1,000 boater AOY award. Wes House of Knightdale, North Carolina, won the 2023 Strike King Co-Angler North Carolina Division AOY race with 1,337 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 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.

by AnglersChannel

Country Music Superstar Cody Johnson Announces Concert in Birmingham during REDCREST 2024; MLF To Give Away Pair of Front-Row Tickets

Win Tickets Before They Go On Sale! Register now at MajorLeagueFishing.com/Promos to Win a Pair of Front-Row Tickets!

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (Sept. 25, 2023) –Country music superstar Cody Johnson, with special guests Justin Moore and Dillon Carmichael, today announced a concert in Birmingham on Saturday, March 16, 2024, and Major League Fishing is offering a sweepstakes to win two front row tickets to the show before they go on sale to the public. Both the concert, at the Legacy Arena, and the REDCREST Outdoor Sports Expo, will be held at the Birmingham-Jefferson Convention Complex.

“REDCREST is a massive celebration and has quickly become one of the biggest parties in the outdoor industry,” said Michael Mulone, Vice President of Marketing & Business Development at MLF. “The three-day Outdoor Sports Expo is going to be jam packed with fun, and the Saturday evening concert will be a wonderful addition to the weekend’s festivities.”

Starting today, MLF fans can enter a sweepstakes at MajorLeagueFishing.com to win a pair of front-row seats to the show on Saturday night, before they go on sale to the public. Fans can enter the contest daily, through Wednesday, Oct. 4. Tickets for the show go on-sale to the general public beginning Friday, Oct. 6.

Known for his explosive live shows and electrifying stage presence, Cody Johnson has established a following of passionately loyal fans who regularly sell out shows across the country. The Tennessean claimed, “Cody Johnson showcases rising mastery of his country craft. When decent will no longer cut the mustard, and excellence makes you an award-winner, then ‘burgeoning mastery of the craft’ becomes the standard that defines why and how you achieve your following accomplishments.” That performance is included among the 40 concerts Johnson sold-out in 2022.

Johnson’s new studio album, Leather, is the follow up to his 2019 Ain’t Nothin’ To It studio album and 2021’s Human The Double Album. His major label catalog also includes Cody Johnson & The Rockin’ CJB Live and A Cody Johnson Christmas.

REDCREST, the world championship of professional bass fishing, showcases the top Major League Fishing anglers competing for the REDCREST Championship trophy and a top prize of $300,000. Anglers compete using the MLF catch, weigh, immediate-release live-scoring format, with on-the-water tournament action livestreamed to create the biggest watch party in bass fishing. The MLF Outdoor Sports Expo will be held March 15-17, 2024, at the Birmingham-Jefferson Convention Complex in Birmingham.

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

by AnglersChannel

Figuring Out Transition Bass

Sharpen your early fall bass game with these tips from SRD20’s Jackson Perry.

Lafayette, LA (September 25, 2023) – No matter where they target bass, the fall transition period can be a difficult one for anglers ranging from beginners to pros. “The temperature is falling, the winds pick up and bait is on the move, so it’s little wonder there are some tough days this time of year,” says SRD20 affiliate, Jackson Perry. “I’ll tell you what, though; find the bait and you’ll find the fish just like any other time of year.”

That may be true, but where do you start? Perry suggests keying on shad if they are available. “Fall offers the chance for your biggest bass of the year,” says the 26-year-old winner of the Cabela’s Big Bass Tour event held on the Mississippi River in La Crosse, WI, back in August. Unlike traditional bass fishing tournaments where anglers weigh in five bass at the end of each day, this format provides the opportunity to win multiple daily payouts during seven hourly weigh-ins that pay ten cash payouts each. That’s 210 hourly cash payouts over the three-day events – with the angler entering the largest bass overall taking home the Grand Prize of a brand new, fully rigged Nitro Z18 powered by Mercury^® 150HP valued at $52,000. Perry weighed the two largest bass at the event.

“That really was a breakthrough performance for me,” says Perry, who admits it’s taken some time to grow familiar with his new settings after moving to Wisconsin from Kentucky two years ago. “One thing that has really helped me find the fish in these new waters has been making sure to key on the bait – and I think that becomes even more important than ever as the bass transition from their late summer haunts to their fall hangouts. While this time of year can sometimes be frustrating, fall is when the biggest bags get weighed on the Mississippi, and in most areas I’ve fished over the years. The bass now are super-healthy as they bulk up for winter and they can really pack on a lot of weight. Especially in the north, fall is your chance to catch a true giant.”

According to Perry, bass in most waters by this point are intent on bulking-up for the long winter ahead, and that usually means they’ll be keying on larger baitfish. Shad, where available, are the primary target for the biggest bass this time of year, he believes, although some fish will continue to prey on crayfish, too. The important thing to remember, he suggests, is that to look for baitfish that are either holding around structure or pocketed in areas of current.

“The point to keep in mind is that the baitfish are transitioning, too,” advises Perry. “Fall shad are considerably larger than they were back in the summer, so they need more water to live. Rather than holding on shallow flats in lakes or tight to the bottom in deeper river pockets, as they might in summer, they are moving to more open water and greater depths. That means you may have to search a lot to pin them down – but it’s worth the effort. Having side-imaging electronics really helps pick out submerged bait schools. If you don’t have electronics look for areas where riffles give away sand bars and cast to the back where the water drops off.”

Perry’s idea of the perfect river habitat to fish on big bait in the fall is an area with a lot of current running over a sand drop with a deep hole on the backside. Under those conditions, he’s throwing a lipless crankbait, such as a Bill Lewis Rat-L-Trap®, as far up onto the flat as possible before bringing it off the edge where the sand drops into the deep hole. It’s right on the slope, he says, that the strikes usually happen.

“I really like Rat-L-Traps because they let me cover a lot of water quickly at various depths, and they come through the weeds pretty good, too” reveals Perry. “Depending on the conditions and mood of the fish, I might also toss a Carolina rig, a ChatterBait^®, or a swim jig if I suspect the bass are still feeding on craws.”

Of course, every day is a little different during the fall. One day the bass want the lure moving slowly toward the surface and the next it might be a straight retrieve that does the trick – so keep experimenting and let the fish tell you what they really want.

When casting around big fall baits Perry favors a 7’10” medium-heavy custom composite rod built by Kistler Rods. He spools up with 14-pound-test Suffix Advanced Fluorocarbon line on a Shimano Metanium 7:1 gear ratio casting reel. The long rod, he notes, allows for far casts so he can keep the boat away from his quarry.

“Fall fish are skittish fish and they don’t want to feel the boat at all,” he reveals. “I always throw my lipless crankbaits with a composite rod that has a lot of parabolic bend because these lures carry treble hooks that require both significant power to drive the points home and some give in the stick to keep the fish buttoned up on the way to the boat. The 14-pound-test fluorocarbon line also provides plenty of power when setting the hook. With this setup, I don’t drop many fish.”

Like most bassin’ sharpies, Perry is particular about keeping his tackle and gear in tip-top shape, and the same goes for his boat. “A clean boat is a confident boat,” he states, “and SRD20 products are what I use to keep mine looking sharp. From their Pink Boat Soap to Graphene Ceramic Spray Coating and Protectant, Waterless Wash & Wax, and Vinyl Protectant, I’ve been impressed with their ease of use and effectiveness.”

The first thing Perry noticed when he tried SRD20’s popular Pink Boat Soap, was how the calcium scum line came right off the hull with little labor. “I also like their Graphene Ceramic Spray Coating and Protectant,” continues Perry. “It has an unobtrusive glossy finish that doesn’t streak. Some competing products I’ve used streaked heavily around the motor cowlings. SRD20 has been a real game-changer for me in that regard. If you are going to hold up a big fish for the camera, you want to do it in a great-looking boat!”

by AnglersChannel

Patrick notches surprising win at Bassmaster Open on Lake of the Ozarks

Kyle Patrick of Cooperstown, N.Y., has won the 2023 St. Croix Bassmaster Open at Lake of the Ozarks with a three-day total of 53 pounds, 11 ounces.

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

September 24, 2023

OSAGE BEACH, Mo. — No one was surprised that Kyle Patrick won the St. Croix Bassmaster Open at Lake of the Ozarks.

Except for Kyle Patrick himself.

The pro from Cooperstown, N.Y., put together a stellar week of work that yielded a three-day total of 53 pounds, 11 ounces. Admittedly, Patrick did so on a lake where he never would have anticipated winning.

“It’s hard to take it in right now; it really is, because this is the last place I would think this would happen,” Patrick said. “People always say, when it’s your time, it’s your time. I genuinely could not do anything wrong this week.

“I had my prop go (on Day 2). I had a lower unit issue in practice. I had all these things stack up, but I just kept catching them.”

Patrick started strong by turning in a Day 1 limit of 19-15 and sharing the lead with JT Thompkins of Myrtle Beach, S.C. Adding a second-round limit of 15-6, Patrick slipped to second, just 1 ounce off the lead.

Championship Sunday saw Patrick step on the gas with a limit of 18-6 that secured the win by a margin of 3-4 over Japanese stick Daisuke Kita. Patrick won $44,134 and earned an automatic berth in the 2024 Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic presented by Toyota scheduled for March 22-24on Grand Lake O’ the Cherokees near Tulsa, Okla.

“It wasn’t like I was doing anything special, I was throwing a jig and a dropshot around brushpiles and docks,” Patrick said. “I guess I just found the right spots.”

Patrick said he caught a few keepers each day on a dropshot with a Missile Baits Magic Worm, but a 3/4-ounce football jig with a Missile Baits Chunky D trailer tempted all of his limit fish.

As he explained, flexibility and an open mind were essential to his final round success. Starting on a spot where he had caught fish the day before, Patrick nabbed two 4 1/2-pounders right off the bat. After that, he just went fishing.

“I did not fish any of the same water, other than that one hole,” Patrick said. “I had seen bait pushing into this area (earlier in the event), but the fish weren’t loaded in there. There were just two big ones on brushpiles.”

Patrick caught one more fish on that spot — a barely legal keeper — and decided to pull the plug.

“I pulled into another spot where I had gotten bit in practice, and it was very different from the docks I was fishing earlier in the week,” he said. “It was a flatter bank underneath the dock and then a pretty good drop right at the end of the dock. I ran that pattern the rest of the day and caught my fish.”

Hailing from Ostu Shiga, Japan, Kita kept himself near the top all week and finished second with 50-7. He placed seventh on Day 1 with an 18-pound limit, then added 13-10 to make the cut in 10th place. On Championship Sunday, Kita caught his biggest bag — 18-13.

Banking on big bites from fall bass looking to start their seasonal gluttony, Kita committed to a DRT Tiny Klash glidebait. Fishing this hefty bait around docks, Kita said he hit approximately 200 spots on Day 3.

“I couldn’t get bit more than once at each spot,” Kita said with translation assistance.

For much of the day, Kita held the bottom spot with one small keeper. An afternoon flurry would deliver a scorching run that saw him boat two 5-pounders within about five minutes.

“It was slow in the morning because of the cloudy skies,” he said. “But when the sun came out, the fish moved closer to the docks and I was able to catch them.”

John Garrett of Union City, Tenn., placed third with 47-12. His daily weights were 16-6, 15-6 and 16-0.

Coming off a fifth-place finish at last week’s Open on Watts Bar Reservoir, Garrett leveraged the momentum that he partially credits to his expanded family.

“My wife (Morgan) and I had a baby girl last month and my wife told me (my momentum) is because I have a new girl,” Garrett said. “I told her, if that’s the case, we’ll have one every year if I keep catching them.”

Garrett said he caught all of his fish on a dropshot with a Strike King Filler Worm and a Texas-rigged Strike King Rage Cut-R-Worm. He fished from 20 to 50 feet.

Bassmaster Elite Series pro Luke Palmer of Coalgate, Okla., tied Darold Gleason of Many, La., for the Phoenix Boats Big Bass award. Each angler caught a bass weighing 6-5 and received $375.

As part of the Yamaha Power Pay program, Garrett took home a $2,000 bonus.

Patrick won the $500 Garmin Tournament Rewards bonus.

Thompkins leads the Bassmaster Open Elite Qualifiers standings with 1,480 points. He is followed by Garrett (1,461), Trey McKinney of Carbondale, Ill., (1,417), Robert Gee of Knoxville, Tenn., (1,372) and Japanese pro Kenta Kimura (1,355). The top nine anglers in the Opens EQ standings will receive an invitation to compete in the Elite Series.

For complete EQ standings, visit Bassmaster.com.

2023 St. Croix Bassmaster Open at Lake of the Ozarks 9/22-9/24
Lake of the Ozarks, Osage Beach MO.
(BOATER) Standings Day 3

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

1. Kyle Patrick Cooperstown, NY 15 53-11 200 $44,134.00
Day 1: 5 19-15 Day 2: 5 15-06 Day 3: 5 18-06
2. Daisuke Kita Ostu Shiga JAPAN 15 50-07 199 $21,194.00
Day 1: 5 18-00 Day 2: 5 13-10 Day 3: 5 18-13
3. John Garrett Union City, TN 15 47-12 198 $14,960.00
Day 1: 5 16-06 Day 2: 5 15-06 Day 3: 5 16-00
4. Andy Newcomb Camdenton, MO 15 47-00 197 $12,467.00
Day 1: 5 16-06 Day 2: 5 16-14 Day 3: 5 13-12
5. Robert Gee Knoxville, TN 15 46-14 196 $10,846.00
Day 1: 5 13-12 Day 2: 5 18-15 Day 3: 5 14-03
6. Brad Jelinek Lincoln, MO 15 46-14 195 $9,973.00
Day 1: 5 16-01 Day 2: 5 15-10 Day 3: 5 15-03
7. JT Thompkins Myrtle Beach, SC 15 44-14 194 $9,350.00
Day 1: 5 19-15 Day 2: 5 13-06 Day 3: 5 11-09
8. Tyler Williams Belgrade, ME 15 43-11 193 $8,727.00
Day 1: 5 16-00 Day 2: 5 17-02 Day 3: 5 10-09
9. Jamie Bruce Kenora Ontario CANADA 14 41-09 192 $6,857.00
Day 1: 5 18-09 Day 2: 5 16-13 Day 3: 4 06-03
10. Andrew Hargrove Moody, TX 12 40-07 191 $5,610.00
Day 1: 5 18-02 Day 2: 5 15-11 Day 3: 2 06-10
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
PHOENIX BOATS BIG BASS
Darold Gleason Many, LA 06-05 $375.00
Luke Palmer Coalgate, OK 06-05 $375.00
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Totals
Day #Limits #Fish Weight
1 117 776 1918-14
2 104 712 1726-09
3 8 46 131-04
----------------------------------
229 1534 3776-11

by AnglersChannel

Sportsman's Warehouse Grand Opening - Fredericksburg, VA

We had the pleasure of getting to see Sportsman's Warehouse's newest and LARGEST location, Fredericksburg, VA, for ourselves over the Grand Opening Weekend. WOW, may be an understatement. It was like it's own mini-mall of all things outdoors, and the bass fishing section was hard to beat.

Anglers can find aisle after aisle of all the big names, with a wide variety within each category. They aren't just stocking bass gear of course, there are sections for crappie and pan fisherman, fly fishing as well as saltwater/inshore.

Here is an interview with the Fishing Manager, who gives us all the details:

https://youtu.be/8BlIbRQx3B0

The hunter and outdoorsman certainly has plenty to check out as well. We saw everything you need to get set up for bow season, a day at the target range, or a weekend of camping.

Check out the store page here. You'll find everything you need to plan your visit.

by AnglersChannel

Bruce takes razor-thin lead on Day 2 of Bassmaster Open at Lake of the Ozarks

Jamie Bruce of Kenora, Ontario, Canada, is leading after Day 2 of the 2023 St. Croix Bassmaster Open at Lake of the Ozarks with a two-day total of 35 pounds, 6 ounces.

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

September 23, 2023

OSAGE BEACH, Mo. — No one’s calling Jamie Bruce a fibber, but for a guy who claims to be making his first visit to Lake of the Ozarks, he sure isn’t acting like it.

After placing fourth with an opening-round limit of 18 pounds, 9 ounces, the pro from Kenora, Ontario, added 16-13 and leads Day 2 of the St. Croix Bassmaster Open at Lake of the Ozarks with 35-6.

Bruce heads into Championship Sunday with a 1-ounce lead over Kyle Patrick of Cooperstown, N.Y.

“This lake is a lot of fun,” Bruce said. “I can catch more largemouth in a day than I can catch in a week in Canada.”

The first day of competition saw Bruce delivering the goods on the locally favored tactic of dock skipping — something he had never done in a tournament. Day 2 required adjustments, but Bruce made the right decisions and secured his second Top 10 of the season. He also had a third-place finish at the St. Lawrence River.

“Yesterday, all of my fish were on the backs of the docks, but today, they were out deeper,” Bruce said. “I had one good stretch that I can get a good bite on, and I’ve been lucky enough to get that bite early enough to clue me in.

“That’s the only spot I can go to and (definitely) catch a fish. Then I just take that and fish a bunch of new water.”

After giving the dock bite a good look, Bruce determined that deeper brush was the day’s preference. Some of the brush was located near docks, while others were free-standing in deeper water. Long points were one of Bruce’s most productive scenarios.

Bruce caught all of his bass on a homemade 3/4-ounce jig with a green pumpkin Z-Man Turbo CrawZ. The heavier weight, he said, boosted his efficiency.

“I can fish that jig faster,” Bruce said. “When you really don’t know where you’re going, efficiency and speed are key.”

After a good start, Bruce experienced a mechanical issue that limited his day.

“I had a battery go down at 1 o’clock today and I had about 15 pounds,” Bruce said. “I went and changed it out. By the time I did that, I was way back down the lake and I underestimated the boat traffic out there.

“I couldn’t run back up to where I was (before the battery issue), so I fished down here, ran the same pattern and caught a few more quality fish.”

Bruce caught all of his fish on a 7-foot, 3-inch medium-heavy 13 Fishing Envy rod with 20-pound fluorocarbon. He chose his tackle based on his personal style.

“I like to swing really hard, so I have to gear it down a little bit instead of using a pool cue,” Bruce said. “I wanted to go to 25-pound line in practice, but I couldn’t skip good enough, so I’ve been sticking with 20-pound, and I boat flipped every one of my fish.”

Patrick turned in a Day 1 limit of 19-15 and backed that up with a second-round catch that weighed 15-6. Starting Day 2 with a ton of momentum, Patrick’s morning began with an equipment mishap.

“While I was running to my first spot, I threw a prop ear,” Patrick said. “I went to the shore and tried to use my prop wrench to get it off, but it was too tight. The Mercury service crew was able to help me.

“I burned about 45 minutes, and I was a little worried. I felt a little rushed, but I knew that if I just settled down and (fished diligently) I could get some keeper bites.”

As fortune would have it, Patrick experienced a mid-morning flurry that delivered all of his weight in less than an hour. A 3/4-ounce football jig with a Missile Baits Chunky D trailer earned all of his bites.

“I had three small fish around 11 a.m. when I pulled into a creek near the takeoff, and in like 45 minutes, I got all my weight,” Patrick said. “Yesterday, when my jig was falling, they would really chase it. Today, they were more lethargic and they bit when I was dragging my jig across the bottom.”

Andrew Hargrove of Moody, Texas, placed third with 33-13. After placing sixth on Day 1 with 18-2, Hargrove added 15-11.

Hargrove said his first-round action followed perfectly with what he had found in practice, but Day 2 brought frustration.

“Yesterday, I didn’t lose any fish that would have helped me and everything went like it was supposed to,” he said. “Today, I lost (two good fish) that broke my line under a dock. That’s how my day started.”

After running a few more spots, Hargrove got his day turned around when a 4 1/4-pounder bit his dropshot and made it into the livewell. After that, Hargrove scratched up four more keepers to fill his limit.

Hargrove caught three of his bass on a dropshot with a Roboworm in the morning dawn color. The other two bit a 1/2-ounce finesse jig with a Zoom Speed Craw trailer.

Bassmaster Elite Series pro Luke Palmer of Coalgate, Okla., tied Darold Gleason of Many, La., for the lead in Phoenix Boats Big Bass standings with a 6-5.

Aaron Lorenz of Reeds Spring, Mo., won the nonboater division with a two-day total of 22-15. Lorenz led Day 1 with a limit of 13-5, which he anchored with a 5-pounder.

Adding 9-10 on Day 2 pushed Lorenz across the finish line by a margin of 4-10 over Jacob Collins of Hillsboro, Ill. Lorenz won the top prize of $13,940.

Lorenz caught his Day 1 bass on a Berkley Choppo, a Texas-rigged green pumpkin Zoom Brush Hog and a 1/2-ounce black and blue Crock-O-Gator jig with a creature bait trailer. The latter two baits produced his second-round limit.

“I caught some on docks, but I also caught some dragging out on points,” Lorenz said. “Some of my fish were super shallow and some were in 15 to 20 feet.

“It seemed like slowly dragging my baits was the key today. I made a couple of good culls with the jig about 2 o’clock this afternoon.”

Chad Stahl of Barnesville, Ga., won the $250 Phoenix Boats Big Bass title among nonboaters with a 6-3.

Sunday’s takeoff is scheduled for 7 a.m. CT at Public Beach #2 in Osage Beach with weigh-in back at the launch site at 3:15 p.m. Live coverage of Championship Sunday action will be broadcast on FS1 and streamed on Bassmaster.com beginning at 7 a.m.

2023 St. Croix Bassmaster Open at Lake of the Ozarks 9/22-9/24
Lake of the Ozarks, Osage Beach MO.
(BOATER) Standings Day 2

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

1. Jamie Bruce Kenora Ontario CANADA 10 35-06 200
Day 1: 5 18-09 Day 2: 5 16-13
2. Kyle Patrick Cooperstown, NY 10 35-05 199
Day 1: 5 19-15 Day 2: 5 15-06
3. Andrew Hargrove Moody, TX 10 33-13 198
Day 1: 5 18-02 Day 2: 5 15-11
4. JT Thompkins Myrtle Beach, SC 10 33-05 197
Day 1: 5 19-15 Day 2: 5 13-06
5. Andy Newcomb Camdenton, MO 10 33-04 196
Day 1: 5 16-06 Day 2: 5 16-14
6. Tyler Williams Belgrade, ME 10 33-02 195
Day 1: 5 16-00 Day 2: 5 17-02
7. Robert Gee Knoxville, TN 10 32-11 194
Day 1: 5 13-12 Day 2: 5 18-15
8. John Garrett Union City, TN 10 31-12 193
Day 1: 5 16-06 Day 2: 5 15-06
9. Brad Jelinek Lincoln, MO 10 31-11 192
Day 1: 5 16-01 Day 2: 5 15-10
10. Daisuke Kita Ostu Shiga JAPAN 10 31-10 191
Day 1: 5 18-00 Day 2: 5 13-10
11. Logan Johnson Jasper, AL 10 31-08 190 $4,987.00
Day 1: 5 16-10 Day 2: 5 14-14
12. Jack Dice Lynchburg, VA 10 31-07 189 $4,363.00
Day 1: 5 14-04 Day 2: 5 17-03
13. Aaron Johnson Shreveport, LA 10 31-04 188 $3,428.00
Day 1: 5 15-05 Day 2: 5 15-15
14. Darold Gleason Many, LA 10 30-12 187 $3,428.00
Day 1: 5 19-14 Day 2: 5 10-14
15. Keith Brumfield Vicksburg, MS 10 29-15 186 $3,428.00
Day 1: 5 15-14 Day 2: 5 14-01
16. Trey McKinney Carbondale, IL 10 29-08 185 $3,428.00
Day 1: 5 18-03 Day 2: 5 11-05
17. Matt Mollohan Batesburg, SC 10 29-06 184 $3,428.00
Day 1: 5 15-08 Day 2: 5 13-14
18. Dillon Saffle Eureka, MO 10 29-05 183 $3,428.00
Day 1: 5 15-13 Day 2: 5 13-08
19. Blake Smith Lakeland, FL 10 29-04 182 $3,428.00
Day 1: 5 15-06 Day 2: 5 13-14
20. Scout Echols Monticello, AR 10 29-02 181 $3,428.00
Day 1: 5 10-04 Day 2: 5 18-14
21. Chad Grigsby Maple Grove, MN 10 29-02 180 $3,117.00
Day 1: 5 17-00 Day 2: 5 12-02
22. Blake Sylvester Plaquemine, LA 10 28-15 179 $3,117.00
Day 1: 5 14-12 Day 2: 5 14-03
23. Bailey Boutries Springfield, MO 10 28-06 178 $3,117.00
Day 1: 5 16-03 Day 2: 5 12-03
24. Logan Parks Auburn, AL 10 28-02 177 $3,117.00
Day 1: 5 16-02 Day 2: 5 12-00
25. Luke Palmer Coalgate, OK 10 28-02 176 $3,117.00
Day 1: 5 13-08 Day 2: 5 14-10
26. Lafe Messer Warfield, KY 10 27-14 175 $2,867.00
Day 1: 5 16-13 Day 2: 5 11-01
27. Mamoru Kagiya Amagun Aichi JAPAN 10 27-13 174 $2,867.00
Day 1: 5 16-10 Day 2: 5 11-03
28. Joey Nania Cropwell, AL 10 27-09 173 $2,867.00
Day 1: 5 15-07 Day 2: 5 12-02
29. Derek Lehtonen Woodruff, SC 10 27-08 172 $2,867.00
Day 1: 5 13-07 Day 2: 5 14-01
30. Dale Hightower Mannford, OK 10 27-05 171 $2,867.00
Day 1: 5 12-15 Day 2: 5 14-06
31. Greg Bohannan Bentonville, AR 10 27-01 170 $2,867.00
Day 1: 5 12-13 Day 2: 5 14-04
32. Miles Burghoff Dayton, TN 10 26-14 169 $2,867.00
Day 1: 5 16-04 Day 2: 5 10-10
33. Alex Heintze Denham Springs, LA 10 26-10 168 $2,867.00
Day 1: 5 11-08 Day 2: 5 15-02
34. Tim Frederick Leesburg, FL 10 26-09 167 $2,867.00
Day 1: 5 10-13 Day 2: 5 15-12
35. Craig Danna West Monroe, LA 8 26-05 166 $2,867.00
Day 1: 3 08-10 Day 2: 5 17-11
36. Billy Billeaud Lafayette, LA 9 26-02 165 $2,867.00
Day 1: 4 11-03 Day 2: 5 14-15
37. Keith Poche Pike Road, AL 10 25-15 164 $2,867.00
Day 1: 5 11-13 Day 2: 5 14-02
38. Gary Clouse Winchester, TN 9 25-13 163 $2,867.00
Day 1: 4 12-04 Day 2: 5 13-09
39. Adam Rasmussen Sturgeon Bay, WI 10 25-10 162 $2,867.00
Day 1: 5 13-08 Day 2: 5 12-02
40. Jeremy Johnson Kansas City, KS 10 25-10 161 $2,867.00
Day 1: 5 13-04 Day 2: 5 12-06
41. Sam George Athens, AL 10 25-09 160
Day 1: 5 13-04 Day 2: 5 12-05
42. Cody Huff Ava, MO 10 25-08 159
Day 1: 5 12-01 Day 2: 5 13-07
43. Trevor McKinney Benton, IL 10 25-07 158
Day 1: 5 10-12 Day 2: 5 14-11
44. Phil Killian Solomon, AZ 10 25-06 157
Day 1: 5 14-11 Day 2: 5 10-11
45. Kyle Goltz Cornell, WI 10 25-01 156
Day 1: 5 11-01 Day 2: 5 14-00
46. Ben Milliken New Caney, TX 10 25-01 155
Day 1: 5 12-13 Day 2: 5 12-04
47. Cole Drummond Effingham, SC 10 24-15 154
Day 1: 5 10-09 Day 2: 5 14-06
48. Keith Brashers Rogers, AR 10 24-15 153
Day 1: 5 13-10 Day 2: 5 11-05
49. Austin Cranford Norman, OK 10 24-15 152
Day 1: 5 13-02 Day 2: 5 11-13
50. Kyle Metzger Pearl River, LA 10 24-13 151
Day 1: 5 08-04 Day 2: 5 16-09
51. Jimmy Washam Stantonville, TN 10 24-13 150
Day 1: 5 14-08 Day 2: 5 10-05
52. Casey Scanlon Eldon, MO 10 24-08 149
Day 1: 5 15-02 Day 2: 5 09-06
53. Kyle Austin Ridgeville, SC 10 24-08 148
Day 1: 5 11-04 Day 2: 5 13-04
54. Craig Chambers Midland, NC 9 24-07 147
Day 1: 4 09-11 Day 2: 5 14-12
55. Brian Maloney Osage Beach, MO 10 24-06 146
Day 1: 5 16-03 Day 2: 5 08-03
56. Yusuke Miyazaki Forney, TX 10 24-06 145
Day 1: 5 13-09 Day 2: 5 10-13
57. Bobby Lane Jr. Lakeland, FL 10 24-03 144
Day 1: 5 13-01 Day 2: 5 11-02
58. Michael Scalise Port Allen, LA 9 24-02 143
Day 1: 4 10-11 Day 2: 5 13-07
59. Cody Stahl Barnsville, GA 10 23-15 142
Day 1: 5 09-02 Day 2: 5 14-13
60. Matt Pangrac Shawnee, OK 10 23-15 141
Day 1: 5 10-06 Day 2: 5 13-09
61. Brian Post Janesville, WI 8 23-14 140
Day 1: 3 05-08 Day 2: 5 18-06
62. Brady Vernon Sterrett, AL 9 23-12 139
Day 1: 4 09-06 Day 2: 5 14-06
63. Louis Monetti Brielle, NJ 10 23-03 138
Day 1: 5 14-09 Day 2: 5 08-10
64. Clark Reehm Elm Grove, LA 9 23-03 137
Day 1: 4 11-00 Day 2: 5 12-03
65. Chris Blanchette Edisto Island, SC 10 23-02 136
Day 1: 5 12-03 Day 2: 5 10-15
66. Wyatt Ryan Ada, OK 9 22-15 135
Day 1: 5 13-02 Day 2: 4 09-13
67. Chad Warren Sand Springs, OK 10 22-13 134
Day 1: 5 09-02 Day 2: 5 13-11
68. Taylor Watkins Clinton, TN 9 22-10 133
Day 1: 5 14-05 Day 2: 4 08-05
69. John Soukup Sapulpa, OK 10 22-10 132
Day 1: 5 10-08 Day 2: 5 12-02
70. Stephen Browning Hot Springs, AR 8 22-04 131
Day 1: 5 17-01 Day 2: 3 05-03
71. Kenta Kimura Osaka JAPAN 9 22-04 130
Day 1: 4 11-11 Day 2: 5 10-09
72. Buck Mallory Lawton, MI 10 22-00 129
Day 1: 5 11-11 Day 2: 5 10-05
73. Shaine Campbell Brookeland, TX 9 21-13 128
Day 1: 5 14-14 Day 2: 4 06-15
74. Steven Caldwell Whitesboro, TX 10 21-12 127
Day 1: 5 11-02 Day 2: 5 10-10
75. Jonathan Dietz Corry, PA 10 21-10 126
Day 1: 5 13-08 Day 2: 5 08-02
76. Paul Browning Pecos, TX 8 21-08 125
Day 1: 5 15-10 Day 2: 3 05-14
77. Kyle Monti Okeechobee, FL 8 21-07 124
Day 1: 3 07-12 Day 2: 5 13-11
78. Brian Mullaney Ijamsville, MD 8 21-02 123
Day 1: 5 14-04 Day 2: 3 06-14
79. Jason Lambert Savannah, TN 8 21-02 122
Day 1: 5 13-10 Day 2: 3 07-08
80. Kenji Yamada Hixson, TN 10 21-01 121
Day 1: 5 10-05 Day 2: 5 10-12
81. JT Russell Mc Calla, AL 9 20-15 120
Day 1: 4 08-09 Day 2: 5 12-06
82. Tyler Lubbat Wheeling, IL 9 20-12 119
Day 1: 4 09-12 Day 2: 5 11-00
83. Wesley Gore Clanton, AL 8 20-11 118
Day 1: 4 11-01 Day 2: 4 09-10
84. Teb Jones Yalaha, MS 9 20-10 117
Day 1: 5 11-05 Day 2: 4 09-05
85. Cody Bird Granbury, TX 9 20-07 116
Day 1: 4 10-03 Day 2: 5 10-04
86. Jordan Knutson Saint Croix Falls, WI 10 20-04 115
Day 1: 5 09-05 Day 2: 5 10-15
87. Ty Faber Pagosa Springs, CO 10 20-03 114
Day 1: 5 08-13 Day 2: 5 11-06
88. Troy O'Rourke Bentonville, AR 10 20-03 113
Day 1: 5 10-09 Day 2: 5 09-10
89. Andrew Harp Linden, TX 10 20-01 112
Day 1: 5 11-03 Day 2: 5 08-14
90. Paul Bouvier Kingston CANADA 10 20-01 111
Day 1: 5 11-01 Day 2: 5 09-00
91. Lucas Bradley Flippin, AR 10 20-01 110
Day 1: 5 10-02 Day 2: 5 09-15
92. Jason Meninger Yulee, FL 10 20-00 109
Day 1: 5 11-07 Day 2: 5 08-09
93. Julius Mazy Phoenix, AZ 7 19-14 108
Day 1: 5 14-03 Day 2: 2 05-11
94. Todd Castledine Nacogdoches, TX 10 19-14 107
Day 1: 5 09-11 Day 2: 5 10-03
95. Bronk Mcdaniel Alexandria, LA 10 19-12 106
Day 1: 5 09-11 Day 2: 5 10-01
96. Cole Mcfarland Lake Ozark, MO 10 19-12 105
Day 1: 5 09-13 Day 2: 5 09-15
97. Brent Shores Boise, ID 10 19-08 104
Day 1: 5 10-01 Day 2: 5 09-07
98. Destin DeMarion Harborcreek, PA 10 19-06 103
Day 1: 5 10-05 Day 2: 5 09-01
99. Denny Fiedler Wabasha, MN 7 19-05 102
Day 1: 5 14-13 Day 2: 2 04-08
100. Shane Lineberger Lincolnton, NC 8 19-05 101
Day 1: 5 11-15 Day 2: 3 07-06
101. Zeke Gossett Pell City, AL 10 19-03 100
Day 1: 5 10-04 Day 2: 5 08-15
102. Christian Shoda Homosassa, FL 9 19-02 99
Day 1: 5 10-10 Day 2: 4 08-08
103. Chris Beaudrie Princeton, KY 10 19-01 98
Day 1: 5 07-06 Day 2: 5 11-11
104. Wil Dieffenbauch III Hundred, WV 8 18-15 97
Day 1: 5 11-06 Day 2: 3 07-09
105. Terry Peacock Royse City, TX 8 18-13 96
Day 1: 4 10-07 Day 2: 4 08-06
106. Jacob Bigelow Cecil, WI 8 18-12 95
Day 1: 5 11-14 Day 2: 3 06-14
107. Jack Tindel III Orange, TX 8 18-11 94
Day 1: 5 13-03 Day 2: 3 05-08
108. Alex Murray Lake Charles, LA 8 18-11 93
Day 1: 4 09-15 Day 2: 4 08-12
109. Cory Leita Victoria, TX 7 18-10 92
Day 1: 5 11-15 Day 2: 2 06-11
110. Andrew Upshaw Hemphill, TX 10 18-10 91
Day 1: 5 07-13 Day 2: 5 10-13
111. James Niggemeyer Van, TX 8 18-08 90
Day 1: 5 11-11 Day 2: 3 06-13
112. Christopher Whisenant Bonner Springs, KS 7 18-01 89
Day 1: 3 06-00 Day 2: 4 12-01
113. Josh Hubbard Dunnellon, FL 9 17-12 88
Day 1: 4 08-04 Day 2: 5 09-08
114. Scott Ashmore Broken Arrow, OK 8 17-10 87
Day 1: 3 06-02 Day 2: 5 11-08
115. Steve Tennison Lexington, OK 6 17-08 86
Day 1: 3 07-12 Day 2: 3 09-12
116. Evan Kung Pickering Ontario CANAD 8 17-07 85
Day 1: 5 11-04 Day 2: 3 06-03
117. Kurt Mitchell Milford, DE 9 17-06 84
Day 1: 5 08-07 Day 2: 4 08-15
118. Chancy Walters West Des Moines, IA 8 17-02 83
Day 1: 5 09-15 Day 2: 3 07-03
119. Kelly Rebel Rifle, CO 8 16-15 82
Day 1: 3 05-12 Day 2: 5 11-03
120. Takayuki Koike Otsu-City JAPAN 8 16-14 81
Day 1: 5 08-11 Day 2: 3 08-03
121. Bo Thomas Edwardsburg, MI 5 16-13 80
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 5 16-13
122. Robbie Latuso Gonzales, LA 9 16-13 79
Day 1: 5 08-08 Day 2: 4 08-05
123. Charlie Hartley Grove City, OH 8 16-10 78
Day 1: 3 06-01 Day 2: 5 10-09
124. Tripp Noojin Bryant, AL 7 16-09 77
Day 1: 2 06-06 Day 2: 5 10-03
125. Keltyn Hendrix Maysville, OK 9 16-09 76
Day 1: 5 09-10 Day 2: 4 06-15
126. Justin Kimmel Athens, GA 7 16-08 75
Day 1: 5 11-02 Day 2: 2 05-06
127. Jack York Emory, TX 8 16-06 74
Day 1: 3 06-10 Day 2: 5 09-12
128. Chandler Stewart Canyon Lake, TX 8 16-06 73
Day 1: 5 09-02 Day 2: 3 07-04
129. Harvey Horne Bella Vista, AR 8 16-02 72
Day 1: 4 08-07 Day 2: 4 07-11
130. Billy McDonald Greenwood, IN 7 16-00 71
Day 1: 5 11-04 Day 2: 2 04-12
131. Griffin Phillips Mount Olive, AL 8 16-00 70
Day 1: 4 07-12 Day 2: 4 08-04
132. Brandon McMillan Clewiston, FL 8 15-11 69
Day 1: 3 06-05 Day 2: 5 09-06
133. Rick Clunn Ava, MO 8 15-09 68
Day 1: 4 09-00 Day 2: 4 06-09
134. Allan Nail Sand Springs, OK 7 15-09 67
Day 1: 4 08-11 Day 2: 3 06-14
135. Darrell Davis Dover, FL 8 15-08 66
Day 1: 4 07-05 Day 2: 4 08-03
136. Josh Bragg Fayetteville, GA 8 15-06 65
Day 1: 5 11-09 Day 2: 3 03-13
137. B.J. Usie Bourg, LA 5 15-03 64
Day 1: 3 06-06 Day 2: 2 08-13
138. Keith Tuma Brainerd, MN 7 14-12 63
Day 1: 4 08-07 Day 2: 3 06-05
139. Kevin Ledoux Choctaw, OK 7 14-08 62
Day 1: 2 03-13 Day 2: 5 10-11
140. Jake Maddux Birmingham, AL 6 14-06 61
Day 1: 3 07-09 Day 2: 3 06-13
141. Kazuki Kitajima Corinth, TX 8 14-03 60
Day 1: 5 08-10 Day 2: 3 05-09
142. Dave Holbrook Lake Ozark, MO 6 14-02 59
Day 1: 3 04-15 Day 2: 3 09-03
143. Joey Hanna Corsicana, TX 7 14-00 58
Day 1: 2 03-12 Day 2: 5 10-04
144. Matt Henry Milledgeville, GA 8 13-11 57
Day 1: 5 10-07 Day 2: 3 03-04
145. Brock Belik Orchard, NE 4 13-10 56
Day 1: 2 06-13 Day 2: 2 06-13
146. David Perdue Wirtz, VA 7 13-09 55
Day 1: 5 10-06 Day 2: 2 03-03
147. Brett Cannon Kiln, MS 6 13-09 54
Day 1: 5 09-12 Day 2: 1 03-13
148. Dane Thibodeaux Lake Charles, LA 5 13-04 53
Day 1: 5 13-04 Day 2: 0 00-00
149. Chris Kingree Inverness, FL 7 13-01 52
Day 1: 2 03-08 Day 2: 5 09-09
150. Chris Miller Spirit Lake, IA 4 13-01 51
Day 1: 2 05-07 Day 2: 2 07-10
151. Andy Beloat Montgomery, TX 7 12-09 50
Day 1: 4 07-06 Day 2: 3 05-03
152. Matt Messer Warfield, KY 5 12-06 49
Day 1: 5 12-06 Day 2: 0 00-00
153. Scott Kerslake Okeechobee, FL 3 12-05 48
Day 1: 2 10-02 Day 2: 1 02-03
154. David Wootton Collierville, TN 7 12-00 47
Day 1: 5 08-03 Day 2: 2 03-13
155. Jacob Thompkins Myrtle Beach, SC 6 11-15 46
Day 1: 3 06-05 Day 2: 3 05-10
156. Billy Smith Montgomery, TX 5 11-08 45
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 5 11-08
157. Cody Detweiler Guntersville, AL 5 11-08 44
Day 1: 3 08-02 Day 2: 2 03-06
158. Ryan Melcher Rifle, CO 6 11-06 43
Day 1: 3 06-04 Day 2: 3 05-02
159. Jim Dillard West Monroe, LA 5 11-05 42
Day 1: 5 11-05 Day 2: 0 00-00
160. Lance Owen Greer, SC 5 11-04 41
Day 1: 3 06-01 Day 2: 2 05-03
161. Kyle Dowdy El Paso, IL 5 10-15 40
Day 1: 2 03-15 Day 2: 3 07-00
162. Philip Roesener Choctaw, OK 5 10-15 39
Day 1: 2 04-14 Day 2: 3 06-01
163. Mark Watson Victoria, TX 5 10-12 38
Day 1: 1 03-01 Day 2: 4 07-11
164. Trey Swindle Cleveland, AL 5 10-03 37
Day 1: 5 10-03 Day 2: 0 00-00
165. Ryan Clark Whitby Ontario CANADA 7 10-03 36
Day 1: 4 07-00 Day 2: 3 03-03
166. Brad Leuthner Victoria, MN 5 10-02 35
Day 1: 5 10-02 Day 2: 0 00-00
167. Chase Clarke Virginia Beach, VA 5 09-10 34
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 5 09-10
168. Danny Ramsey Trinidad, TX 4 09-10 33
Day 1: 2 05-09 Day 2: 2 04-01
169. Brad Hillebrandt Florien, LA 4 09-09 32
Day 1: 4 09-09 Day 2: 0 00-00
170. Tony Dumitras Winston, GA 4 09-06 31
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 4 09-06
171. Jason Carpenter Castle Pines, CO 5 09-03 30
Day 1: 3 04-00 Day 2: 2 05-03
172. Ish Monroe Oakdale, CA 5 09-02 29
Day 1: 5 09-02 Day 2: 0 00-00
173. Daniel Valois Gomez Caracas FL VENEZUELA 4 08-09 28
Day 1: 2 03-15 Day 2: 2 04-10
174. A.J. Menssen Bloomington, IL 4 08-02 27
Day 1: 2 03-02 Day 2: 2 05-00
175. Brayden Rakes Winston Salem, NC 4 07-10 26
Day 1: 2 03-04 Day 2: 2 04-06
176. Lucas Ragusa Gonzales, LA 4 07-08 25
Day 1: 4 07-08 Day 2: 0 00-00
177. Jacopo Gallelli Horton AL ITALY 4 07-06 24
Day 1: 4 08-06 Day 2: 0 -01-00
178. Corey Stewart Lees Summit, MO 5 06-03 23
Day 1: 5 06-03 Day 2: 0 00-00
179. Frank Williams Mountain Home, AR 3 05-11 22
Day 1: 3 05-11 Day 2: 0 00-00
180. Curtis King Plaquemine, LA 2 05-06 21
Day 1: 2 05-06 Day 2: 0 00-00
181. Michelle Jalaba Waterford, MI 2 04-04 20
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 2 04-04
182. Scott Isaacs Ladonia, TX 1 02-13 19
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 1 02-13
183. Hunter Sales Blaine, TN 2 02-08 18
Day 1: 2 02-08 Day 2: 0 00-00
184. Mike Mayo Athens, TX 1 02-08 17
Day 1: 1 02-08 Day 2: 0 00-00
185. Travis Ledford Tuttle, OK 1 02-04 16
Day 1: 1 02-04 Day 2: 0 00-00
186. Jeremy Simmons Argyle, MO 1 01-05 15
Day 1: 1 01-05 Day 2: 0 00-00
187. Matt Robertson Kuttawa, KY 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Totals
Day #Limits #Fish Weight
1 117 776 1918-14
2 104 712 1726-09
----------------------------------
221 1488 3645-07
2023 St. Croix Bassmaster Open at Lake of the Ozarks 9/22-9/24
Lake of the Ozarks, Osage Beach MO.
(NON_BOATER) Standings Day 2

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

1. Aaron Lorenz Reeds Spring, MO 6 22-15 200 $13,940.00
Day 1: 3 13-05 Day 2: 3 09-10
2. Jacob Collins Hillsboro, IL 6 18-05 199 $3,280.00
Day 1: 3 08-12 Day 2: 3 09-09
3. Sakae Ushio Tonawanda, NY 6 17-09 198 $2,460.00
Day 1: 3 07-15 Day 2: 3 09-10
4. Bradley Pierce Gretna, NE 6 16-08 197 $1,845.00
Day 1: 3 06-07 Day 2: 3 10-01
5. John Wixson Kansas City, MO 5 15-11 196 $1,722.00
Day 1: 3 09-08 Day 2: 2 06-03
6. Cory Weaver Ankeny, IA 6 14-15 195 $1,640.00
Day 1: 3 09-04 Day 2: 3 05-11
7. Mao Matsuzaki Tokoname-Shi JAPAN 6 13-14 194 $1,558.00
Day 1: 3 08-15 Day 2: 3 04-15
8. Darren Gates Macon, IL 5 13-12 193 $1,476.00
Day 1: 3 06-15 Day 2: 2 06-13
9. Hiroya Hyodo Funabashi city Chibaken 5 13-03 192 $1,353.00
Day 1: 2 06-05 Day 2: 3 06-14
10. Jason Fontenot Lake Charles, LA 5 13-01 191 $1,230.00
Day 1: 3 05-14 Day 2: 2 07-03
11. John Goul Philadelphia, MS 4 12-11 190 $1,148.00
Day 1: 3 07-07 Day 2: 1 05-04
12. Brian Forcier Akron, IA 6 12-09 189 $1,066.00
Day 1: 3 05-00 Day 2: 3 07-09
13. Dee Sheperd Mountain View, OK 6 12-06 188 $902.00
Day 1: 3 04-06 Day 2: 3 08-00
14. Gary Haraguchi Murfreesboro, TN 6 12-05 187 $820.00
Day 1: 3 04-14 Day 2: 3 07-07
15. Avery Williams Murrells Inlt, SC 6 12-04 186 $738.00
Day 1: 3 06-11 Day 2: 3 05-09
16. Matt Molitor Canton, IL 5 12-03 185 $656.00
Day 1: 2 05-10 Day 2: 3 06-09
17. Trey Gulley Alton, TX 5 12-02 184 $615.00
Day 1: 3 08-01 Day 2: 2 04-01
18. Nick Melcher Gypsum, CO 6 12-01 183 $615.00
Day 1: 3 06-08 Day 2: 3 05-09
19. Scott Rice Cobden, IL 5 12-00 182 $615.00
Day 1: 2 04-10 Day 2: 3 07-06
20. Steve Jarrett Fenton, MO 6 11-04 181 $615.00
Day 1: 3 05-06 Day 2: 3 05-14
21. Mike Daley Taylorville, IL 6 11-02 180 $574.00
Day 1: 3 04-06 Day 2: 3 06-12
22. Tyler Boyet Imperial, MO 5 10-15 179 $574.00
Day 1: 2 05-02 Day 2: 3 05-13
23. Riley Nielsen Murray, UT 4 10-12 178 $574.00
Day 1: 3 07-01 Day 2: 1 03-11
24. David Riggs Highland, IL 5 10-11 177 $574.00
Day 1: 2 05-07 Day 2: 3 05-04
25. Chad Stahl Barnesville, GA 3 10-09 176 $824.00
Day 1: 1 06-03 Day 2: 2 04-06
26. Jerry Gonzalez Rivero Torreon Coah MEXICO 5 10-07 175 $492.00
Day 1: 3 06-10 Day 2: 2 03-13
27. Robert Hunt Ozark, MO 6 10-06 174 $492.00
Day 1: 3 05-13 Day 2: 3 04-09
28. Garry Torpea St. Louis, MO 4 10-02 173 $492.00
Day 1: 2 04-15 Day 2: 2 05-03
29. Allen Williford West Frankfort, IL 4 10-01 172 $492.00
Day 1: 3 08-11 Day 2: 1 01-06
30. Sean Fullerton Bixby, OK 4 09-11 171 $492.00
Day 1: 3 07-13 Day 2: 1 01-14
31. Yu Kawamura Kashiwashi JAPAN 5 09-08 170 $451.00
Day 1: 2 04-02 Day 2: 3 05-06
32. Eugene Kim Lindenhurst, IL 4 09-08 169 $451.00
Day 1: 2 04-02 Day 2: 2 05-06
33. Joel Johnson Kansas City, KS 4 09-01 168 $451.00
Day 1: 1 01-03 Day 2: 3 07-14
34. Joe Cantrell Lone Jack, MO 3 08-15 167 $451.00
Day 1: 3 08-15 Day 2: 0 00-00
35. Alex Ferguson St James, MO 4 08-15 166 $451.00
Day 1: 1 01-04 Day 2: 3 07-11
36. Mark Ripp Belmont, WI 4 08-11 165 $451.00
Day 1: 1 02-00 Day 2: 3 06-11
37. John Matt Roach, MO 3 08-08 164 $451.00
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 3 08-08
38. John Stewart Lone Jack, MO 3 08-06 163 $451.00
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 3 08-06
39. John Hammersmith Branson, MO 3 07-13 162 $451.00
Day 1: 2 06-05 Day 2: 1 01-08
40. Larry Beauboeuf Bossier City, LA 4 07-12 161 $451.00
Day 1: 3 05-15 Day 2: 1 01-13
41. Dwain Vogelpohl Cambridge, MN 2 07-09 160
Day 1: 2 07-09 Day 2: 0 00-00
42. Joe Tucker Osceola, MO 4 07-09 159
Day 1: 1 02-01 Day 2: 3 05-08
43. Rick Cheatham Carterville, IL 3 07-08 158
Day 1: 1 02-04 Day 2: 2 05-04
44. Chris Gaudin East Camden, AR 4 07-07 157
Day 1: 2 02-15 Day 2: 2 04-08
45. Ray Larson Springfield, IL 4 07-06 156
Day 1: 3 06-07 Day 2: 1 00-15
46. Wyatt Wisian Ardmore, OK 4 07-04 155
Day 1: 3 06-04 Day 2: 1 01-00
47. Bobby Ketcher Wilburton, OK 4 07-03 154
Day 1: 2 04-09 Day 2: 2 02-10
48. John Higginbotham Slaughter, LA 3 07-02 153
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 3 07-02
49. Allen Heston Pittsburg, TX 3 06-14 152
Day 1: 3 06-14 Day 2: 0 00-00
49. Keith Ketcher Stark City, MO 3 06-14 152
Day 1: 3 06-14 Day 2: 0 00-00
51. Shane Kuehn Bennington, NE 3 06-13 150
Day 1: 1 02-00 Day 2: 2 04-13
52. Jason Switzer Sapulpa, OK 4 06-13 149
Day 1: 3 04-11 Day 2: 1 02-02
53. Hunter Neuville New Iberia, LA 4 06-10 148
Day 1: 3 05-07 Day 2: 1 01-03
54. Jon Akers Mt.Vernon, IA 4 06-10 147
Day 1: 2 02-15 Day 2: 2 03-11
55. Mark Cowart Kearney, MO 2 06-07 146
Day 1: 1 03-06 Day 2: 1 03-01
56. Gary Bates Athens, AL 3 06-06 145
Day 1: 2 03-11 Day 2: 1 02-11
57. Adam Tims Royse City, TX 3 06-04 144
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 3 06-04
58. Mike Dempsey Wentzville, MO 4 06-04 143
Day 1: 3 04-05 Day 2: 1 01-15
59. Scott Nielsen Murray, UT 2 06-04 142
Day 1: 1 02-00 Day 2: 1 04-04
60. Logan Slaughter Coppell, TX 3 06-00 141
Day 1: 1 01-06 Day 2: 2 04-10
61. Dylan Mayo Athens, TX 2 05-14 140
Day 1: 1 03-07 Day 2: 1 02-07
62. Michael Foelsch Ofallon, MO 2 05-11 139
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 2 05-11
63. Derek Felton Willard, MO 3 05-11 138
Day 1: 1 02-06 Day 2: 2 03-05
64. Jacob Roark Plattsmouth, NE 3 05-11 137
Day 1: 1 02-11 Day 2: 2 03-00
65. Drew Boehle Saint Peters, MO 2 05-10 136
Day 1: 2 05-10 Day 2: 0 00-00
66. Tray Amsden Centerville, MO 3 05-10 135
Day 1: 2 03-08 Day 2: 1 02-02
67. Perry See Rochester, MN 3 05-09 134
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 3 05-09
68. Willy Becker Kansas City, MO 2 05-09 133
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 2 05-09
69. Chris Gebhardt Columbia, MO 2 05-09 132
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 2 05-09
70. Garret Akers Wichita, KS 3 05-07 131
Day 1: 3 05-07 Day 2: 0 00-00
71. Michael Otway Gainesville, TX 2 05-06 130
Day 1: 1 03-01 Day 2: 1 02-05
72. Steven Doolittle Chelsea, OK 2 05-06 129
Day 1: 1 02-13 Day 2: 1 02-09
73. Jason Barber Gun Barrel City, TX 3 05-05 128
Day 1: 3 06-05 Day 2: 0 -01-00
74. Scott Gower Pleasant Hill, MO 3 05-01 127
Day 1: 2 02-05 Day 2: 1 02-12
75. Oliver Siebert Fenton, MO 4 05-00 126
Day 1: 1 00-09 Day 2: 3 04-07
76. Skip Rayborn Hammond, LA 2 04-15 125
Day 1: 1 02-12 Day 2: 1 02-03
77. Marco Flores Topeka, KS 3 04-13 124
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 3 04-13
78. Will Major Port Allen, LA 2 04-10 123
Day 1: 2 04-10 Day 2: 0 00-00
79. Mason Chambers Galena, MO 2 04-07 122
Day 1: 2 04-07 Day 2: 0 00-00
80. Tony Delgado Whittier, CA 2 04-06 121
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 2 04-06
81. Troy Enmeier Enid, OK 2 04-02 120
Day 1: 0 -01-00 Day 2: 2 05-02
82. Christopher Lemon Martinsville, IN 2 04-01 119
Day 1: 1 02-02 Day 2: 1 01-15
83. David Booth Erin, TN 1 03-14 118
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 1 03-14
84. Gary Hall Wardville, OK 2 03-12 117
Day 1: 2 03-12 Day 2: 0 00-00
85. Justin Blackert Olathe, KS 3 03-11 116
Day 1: 3 04-11 Day 2: 0 -01-00
86. Jay Budde Foley, MO 1 03-11 115
Day 1: 1 03-11 Day 2: 0 00-00
87. Tiffany Leal Austin, TX 2 03-09 114
Day 1: 1 01-15 Day 2: 1 01-10
88. Jack Ferrell Jefferson City, MO 2 03-02 113
Day 1: 1 01-04 Day 2: 1 01-14
89. Takaaki Kojima Temecula CA JAPAN 2 02-15 112
Day 1: 1 01-14 Day 2: 1 01-01
90. Bob Burgess Millington, TN 1 02-12 111
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 1 02-12
91. Ronald Bentley Lees Summit, MO 2 02-10 110
Day 1: 1 01-04 Day 2: 1 01-06
92. Brian Mcelyea Camdenton, MO 2 02-07 109
Day 1: 2 02-07 Day 2: 0 00-00
93. Ken Sanders Point Blank, TX 1 02-06 108
Day 1: 1 02-06 Day 2: 0 00-00
94. Stewart Bigelow Linn Creek, MO 1 02-05 107
Day 1: 1 02-05 Day 2: 0 00-00
94. Gene Mitchell Stuart, OK 1 02-05 107
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 1 02-05
96. Steve Kline Hilltop Lakes, TX 1 02-04 105
Day 1: 1 02-04 Day 2: 0 00-00
97. Jacob Altman Edgewood, TX 1 02-01 104
Day 1: 1 02-01 Day 2: 0 00-00
97. Cody Sheeler La Porte, IN 1 02-01 104
Day 1: 1 02-01 Day 2: 0 00-00
99. Larry Davis Gladewater, TX 1 02-00 102
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 1 02-00
99. Kirk Stickler Eden, UT 1 02-00 102
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 1 02-00
101. Jimmy Fellegy Mustang, OK 1 01-13 100
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 1 01-13
102. Steve Duncan Amarillo, TX 1 01-08 99
Day 1: 1 01-08 Day 2: 0 00-00
103. Matt Holder Chillicothe, MO 1 01-02 98
Day 1: 1 01-02 Day 2: 0 00-00
104. David Brand Dittmer, MO 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
104. Matthew Brown Mclouth, KS 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
104. Steve Byrd Coalgate, OK 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
104. Morgan Ellingson Stevens Point, WI 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
104. Johnnie Garrett Union City, TN 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
104. Jordan Gautreaux Walker , LA 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
104. Kyle Gentry Stronghurst, IL 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
104. Nathan Harbison Jasper, TX 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
104. Ty Kenyon Dodgeville, WI 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
104. Erik Knutson Saint Croix Falls, WI 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
104. Jordan Lane Conroe, TX 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
104. Shane Morgan Littleton, CO 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
104. James Rackers Jefferson City, MO 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
104. Johnny Ramos Odessa, TX 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
104. Paul Reutlinger Mineola, TX 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
104. Craig Schmidt Prague, NE 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
104. Jarod Shelton Centralia, MO 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
104. Scott Troutt Corinth, TX 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
104. Kyle Wilcox Littleton, CO 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
123. Scott Hill Osage Beach , MO 0 -1-00 0
Day 1: 0 -01-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Totals
Day #Limits #Fish Weight
1 35 177 398-00
2 31 166 379-11
----------------------------------
66 343 777-11

by AnglersChannel

Florida Angler Christian Greico Wins Weather-Shortened MLF Toyota Series Northern Division Finale at Potomac River

MARBURY, Md. (Aug. 23, 2023) – Tropical Storm Ophelia blew into the Marbury area Saturday morning, forcing the cancellation of the final day of competition at the Toyota Series Presented by Phoenix Boats at Potomac River Presented by Rabid Baits. Due to the weather-shortened event, Day 2 winner and pro Christian Greico of Tampa, Florida, took home the win with a two-day total of 10 bass weighing 33 pounds, 10 ounces, earning him the top payout of $40,345. Greico held a 1-pound, 3-ounce margin over Michigan’s Ron Nelson, who finished second with a two-day total of 10 bass weighing 32-7, good for $15,436.

Despite the unexpected win, Greico’s narrow advantage didn’t come easy on Day 2, with the Florida pro reeling in a 3-pounder in the last 10 minutes to finish the day on top.

“This win feels good, a little anticlimactic, but I’ll take a win where I can get a win,” said Greico. “On Day 2, I just tried to stay calm the whole day because I knew if I could get five fish in the boat I would have the weight I needed.”

Greico said he spent both days of competition flipping matted grass in the back of Mattawoman Creek.

“I won a BFL on Okeechobee, and caught every single fish punching,” said Greico. “At the Harris Chain, I spent the final day flipping. Ultimately, all three of my wins have come with the big stick, so it’s definitely been good to me. If there’s a flipping bite, then I’m happy.”

While Greico said he caught one keeper on a white frog, every other fish was caught punching a 1 ½-ounce Epic Tungsten Flipping Weight and a Googan Bandito Bug in Bama Bug on 65-pound braid. Greico said he fished with a 13 Fishing Concept A2 in the 8.3:1 gear ratio and a prototype 13 Fishing Muse Black rod.

“On Day 2 I was able to find the same fish I ended up catching the first day of practice, but I got maybe three bites,” said Greico. “I just figured if I went back in there and exploited the area I might come up with something. One of the fish I hooked was a 4-pounder, so I knew that the quality was there.

“There’s a lot of matted grass right now, but a lot of it tapers off, or there’s not a good canopy. The mats I was targeting had a good canopy and I think that was really key.”

The top 10 pros on the Potomac River finished:

1^st:           Christian Greico, Tampa, Fla., 10 bass, 33-10, $40,345
2^nd:          Ron Nelson, Berrien Springs, Mich., 10 bass, 32-7, $15,436
3^rd:          Chase Serafin, White Lake, Michigan, 10 bass, 27-1, $12,563
4^th:           Bryan Schmitt, Deale, Md., 10 bass, 26-13, $9,636
5^th:           Jim Vitaro, Wooster, Ohio, 10 bass, 26-10, $8,673
6^th:           Todd Langford, Great Falls, Va., 10 bass, 26-5, $7,709
7^th:           Grae Buck, Green Lane, Pa., 10 bass, 26-3, $6,745
8^th:           Connor MacDougall, Cape Coral, Fla., 10 bass, 25-11, $5,782
9^th:           Jacob Powroznik, North Prince George, Va., 10 bass, 25-11, $4,818
10^th:        Britt Myers, Lake Wylie, S.C., 10 bass, 25-11, $3,854

Complete results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

Pro Jarrett Martin of Mansfield, Ohio won the $500 Day 1 Berkley Big Bass award in the pro division Thursday with a bass weighing 6 pounds, 1 ounce. On Friday, pro Ron Nelson of Berrien Springs, Michigan, earned the $500 Berkley Big Bass prize after bringing a 5-pound, 8-ounce bass to the scale.

Chase Serafin of White Lake, Michigan, took home an extra $1,000 as the highest finishing Phoenix MLF Bonus member. Boaters are eligible to win up to an extra $35,000 per event in each Toyota Series tournament if all requirements are met. More information on the Phoenix MLF Bonus contingency program can be found at PhoenixBassBoats.com.

Stephen Hosken of Barrington, New Hampshire, won the Strike King Co-angler Division with a two-day total of 10 bass weighing 23 pounds, 14 ounces. Stephen took home the top prize package worth $33,500, including a new Phoenix 518 Pro bass boat with a 115-horsepower Mercury outboard motor.

The top 10 Strike King co-anglers on the Potomac River finished:

1^st:           Stephen Hosken, Barrington, N.H., 10 bass, 23-14, Phoenix 518 Pro boat w/115-hp Mercury outboard
2^nd:          Luke Shrader, Monticello, Ky., 10 bass, 20-1, $4,986
3^rd:          Anthony Bell Jr., Cincinnati, Ohio, 10 bass, 19-13, $3,868
4^th:           Cooper Jett, Norton Shores, Mich., 10 bass, 19-13, $3,385
5^th:           Alex Bradley, Wellford, S.C., nine bass, 19-3, $2,901
6^th:           Jacob Rice, Osceola Mills, Pa., 10 bass, 18-14, $2,418
7^th:           Rumnea Kelly, Boyds, Md., eight bass, 18-14, $1,934
8^th:           Anthony Buzzeo, Bel Alton, Md., 10 bass, 18-13, $1,692
9^th:           Adam Lester, Huddleston, Va., nine bass, 18-1, $1,451
10^th:        Logan Kaplon, Rural Valley, Pa., seven bass, 17-14, $1,209

Lee Moore of Aldie, Virginia, was the Berkley Big Bass $150 award winner in the Strike King co-angler division, Thursday, with a 4-pound, 10-ounce bass, while the Day 2 $150 award went to Shannon Probst of Lock Haven, Pennsylvania, with a 5-pound, 9-ounce fish.

The three regular-season events in the Toyota Series Northern Division are now complete, closing out the Northern Division Angler of the Year (AOY) race. Pros Alec Morrison of Peru, New York, and Ben McCann of Bradenton, Florida, both finished with 707 points, however, Morrison won the total weight tiebreaker and was crowned the 2023 Northern Division Pro Angler of the Year and awarded the $5,000 AOY bonus. Cooper Jett of Norton Shores, Michigan won the 2023 Northern Division Strike King Co-angler AOY race and the $2,000 AOY bonus with 743 points.

The Toyota Series Presented by Phoenix Boats at Potomac River was hosted by the Charles County Board of Commissioners. It was the third and final regular-season event for the Toyota Series Northern Division. The next event for the top 25 anglers in the Toyota Series Northern Division AOY standings will be the Toyota Series Championship at Table Rock Lake, Nov. 2-4, in Branson, Missouri. For a complete schedule of events, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com.

The 2023 Toyota Series Presented by Phoenix Boats consists of six divisions – Central, Northern, Plains, Southern, Southwestern and the Western Division Presented by Tackle Warehouse – each holding three regular-season events, along with the International and Wild Card divisions. Anglers who fish in any of the six divisions or the Wild Card division and finish in the top 25 will qualify for the no-entry-fee Toyota Series Championship for a shot at winning up to $235,000 and a qualification to REDCREST V. 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: 4WP, 13 Fishing, Abu Garcia, B&W Trailer Hitches, Black Rifle Coffee Company, E3, Epic Baits, 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.

by AnglersChannel

Patrick and Thompkins tie for lead at Bassmaster Open on Lake of the Ozarks

Kyle Patrick of Cooperstown, N.Y., and JT Thompkins of Myrtle Beach, S.C., are tied for the lead after Day 1 of the 2023 St. Croix Bassmaster Open at Lake of the Ozarks with 19 pounds, 15 ounces.

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

September 22, 2023

OSAGE BEACH, Mo. — They took different courses, but Kyle Patrick and JT Thompkins tied for the Day 1 lead of the St. Croix Bassmaster Open at Lake of the Ozarks with limits weighing 19 pounds, 15 ounces.

The leaders head into Day 2 with a 1-ounce lead over Darold Gleason of Many, La.

Patrick of Cooperstown, N.Y., struck first with a limit that included a 5-6. While he fished new water, Patrick said he mirrored the productive scenario he found late in his practice.

“The last hour of the last day, I caught one 4-pounder and said, ‘I’m going to start here (on Day 1),’” Patrick said. “I pull into this one little area that was close to where I practiced, and I catch a 4, a 5 and a 5-6. I was like, ‘Holy smokes! This is going to be a good day.’

“I left there around 10:30 to save some fish so I can go back up there tomorrow.”

Patrick said his practice had been spread out until he happened upon a promising scenario upriver from the tournament site. Getting that one big bite encouraged him to cement his game plan.

“I felt the most confident with how I got the bite, which was flipping a jig in brush; and the brush has to be a little off the dock,” Patrick said. “The fish are mostly suspended off the brush, but some are down in it.

“I’m seeing the fish on (Garmin) LiveScope and they’re eating the jig either on the fall, or I’ll let it hit the bottom and then I’ll reel it really quickly and they eat it. It was a reaction bite either way.”

Patrick caught his fish on a 3/4-ounce football jig with a Missile Baits Chunky D trailer. The football head proved helpful in smoothly traversing the rocky bottom where brush was anchored, but occasional entanglements actually worked to his advantage.

“One of my bites came when I got hung in the brush,” Patrick said. “When I pulled it out, a fish smoked it. I saw it all on LiveScope.”

Coming off a second-place finish in last week’s Open at Watts Bar Reservoir, Thompkins of Myrtle Beach, S.C., said his prepractice back in July helped him dial in a 3-mile area with what he considered the greatest potential. Concentrating on this region during the event’s official practice allowed him to dial in exactly where he wanted to fish.

“I was focusing on an area of the lake that I felt confident had the biggest concentration of fish,” Thompkins said. “I knew I was around big ones. I just had to put it in front of as many as I could throughout the day.

“I ended up getting a good bit of bites. I was culling 2 1/4- and 2 1/2-pounders. Hopefully, we can get out there and do it again tomorrow.”

Fishing midlake, Thompkins threw a 3/4-ounce jig with a Strike King Baby Rage Craw trailer and targeted a mix of rocks, brushpiles, docks, cables and concrete blocks. Most of his bites were in less than 15 feet of water, although one came out of 25.

“Two of the fish I caught today came off of spots I fished in prepractice,” Thompkins said. “I had a limit at 9:30, and I had 16 pounds by 11:30. I made my final cull in the last 45 minutes of my day.”

Sitting in third with 19-14, Gleason anchored his bag with a 6-5. That catch, he said, was one of those meant-to-be moments.

“That 6-5 was my second bass today, around 9:30 or 10,” Gleason said. “That fish bit a 1/2-ounce V&M jig with a V&M J-Bug trailer 10 feet from the boat. It was amazing I was able to get it in. I don’t know how I was able to keep it together, but I’m grateful I did.”

Gleason stuck with the jig all day and focused his efforts on docks and brush. Covering a lot of water was essential to his plan.

“It’s September and I haven’t seen a lot of fish in any one place. It’s amazing, you’ll run into one pocket and catch two or three and then you’ll run five pockets and not get a bite.”

Gleason is in the lead for Phoenix Boats Big Bass honors with his 6-5.

Aaron Lorenz of Reeds Spring, Mo., leads the nonboater division with 13-5. Lorenz anchored his bag with a 5-pounder and had another around 4-11.

“One (of my limit fish) was really shallow, one was on a steep wall and one was on a dock,” Lorenz said.

Chad Stahl of Barnesville, Ga., holds the Phoenix Boats Big Bass lead among nonboaters with a 6-3.

Saturday’s takeoff is scheduled for 7 a.m. CT at Public Beach #2 in Osage Beach with weigh-in back at the launch site at 3:15 p.m. Full coverage can be found at Bassmaster.com.

2023 St. Croix Bassmaster Open at Lake of the Ozarks 9/22-9/24
Lake of the Ozarks, Osage Beach MO.
(BOATER) Standings Day 1

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

1. Kyle Patrick Cooperstown, NY 5 19-15 200
Day 1: 5 19-15
1. JT Thompkins Myrtle Beach, SC 5 19-15 200
Day 1: 5 19-15
3. Darold Gleason Many, LA 5 19-14 198
Day 1: 5 19-14
4. Jamie Bruce Kenora Ontario CANADA 5 18-09 197
Day 1: 5 18-09
5. Trey McKinney Carbondale, IL 5 18-03 196
Day 1: 5 18-03
6. Andrew Hargrove Moody, TX 5 18-02 195
Day 1: 5 18-02
7. Daisuke Kita Ostu Shiga JAPAN 5 18-00 194
Day 1: 5 18-00
8. Stephen Browning Hot Springs, AR 5 17-01 193
Day 1: 5 17-01
9. Chad Grigsby Maple Grove, MN 5 17-00 192
Day 1: 5 17-00
10. Lafe Messer Warfield, KY 5 16-13 191
Day 1: 5 16-13
11. Logan Johnson Jasper, AL 5 16-10 190
Day 1: 5 16-10
11. Mamoru Kagiya Amagun Aichi JAPAN 5 16-10 190
Day 1: 5 16-10
13. John Garrett Union City, TN 5 16-06 188
Day 1: 5 16-06
13. Andy Newcomb Camdenton, MO 5 16-06 188
Day 1: 5 16-06
15. Miles Burghoff Dayton, TN 5 16-04 186
Day 1: 5 16-04
16. Bailey Boutries Springfield, MO 5 16-03 185
Day 1: 5 16-03
16. Brian Maloney Osage Beach, MO 5 16-03 185
Day 1: 5 16-03
18. Logan Parks Auburn, AL 5 16-02 183
Day 1: 5 16-02
19. Brad Jelinek Lincoln, MO 5 16-01 182
Day 1: 5 16-01
20. Tyler Williams Belgrade, ME 5 16-00 181
Day 1: 5 16-00
21. Keith Brumfield Vicksburg, MS 5 15-14 180
Day 1: 5 15-14
22. Dillon Saffle Eureka, MO 5 15-13 179
Day 1: 5 15-13
23. Paul Browning Pecos, TX 5 15-10 178
Day 1: 5 15-10
24. Matt Mollohan Batesburg, SC 5 15-08 177
Day 1: 5 15-08
25. Joey Nania Cropwell, AL 5 15-07 176
Day 1: 5 15-07
26. Blake Smith Lakeland, FL 5 15-06 175
Day 1: 5 15-06
27. Aaron Johnson Shreveport, LA 5 15-05 174
Day 1: 5 15-05
28. Casey Scanlon Eldon, MO 5 15-02 173
Day 1: 5 15-02
29. Shaine Campbell Brookeland, TX 5 14-14 172
Day 1: 5 14-14
30. Denny Fiedler Wabasha, MN 5 14-13 171
Day 1: 5 14-13
31. Blake Sylvester Plaquemine, LA 5 14-12 170
Day 1: 5 14-12
32. Phil Killian Solomon, AZ 5 14-11 169
Day 1: 5 14-11
33. Louis Monetti Brielle, NJ 5 14-09 168
Day 1: 5 14-09
34. Jimmy Washam Stantonville, TN 5 14-08 167
Day 1: 5 14-08
35. Taylor Watkins Clinton, TN 5 14-05 166
Day 1: 5 14-05
36. Jack Dice Lynchburg, VA 5 14-04 165
Day 1: 5 14-04
36. Brian Mullaney Ijamsville, MD 5 14-04 165
Day 1: 5 14-04
38. Julius Mazy Phoenix, AZ 5 14-03 163
Day 1: 5 14-03
39. Robert Gee Knoxville, TN 5 13-12 162
Day 1: 5 13-12
40. Keith Brashers Rogers, AR 5 13-10 161
Day 1: 5 13-10
40. Jason Lambert Savannah, TN 5 13-10 161
Day 1: 5 13-10
42. Yusuke Miyazaki Forney, TX 5 13-09 159
Day 1: 5 13-09
43. Jonathan Dietz Corry, PA 5 13-08 158
Day 1: 5 13-08
43. Luke Palmer Coalgate, OK 5 13-08 158
Day 1: 5 13-08
43. Adam Rasmussen Sturgeon Bay, WI 5 13-08 158
Day 1: 5 13-08
46. Derek Lehtonen Woodruff, SC 5 13-07 155
Day 1: 5 13-07
47. Sam George Athens, AL 5 13-04 154
Day 1: 5 13-04
47. Jeremy Johnson Kansas City, KS 5 13-04 154
Day 1: 5 13-04
47. Dane Thibodeaux Lake Charles, LA 5 13-04 154
Day 1: 5 13-04
50. Jack Tindel III Orange, TX 5 13-03 151
Day 1: 5 13-03
51. Austin Cranford Norman, OK 5 13-02 150
Day 1: 5 13-02
51. Wyatt Ryan Ada, OK 5 13-02 150
Day 1: 5 13-02
53. Bobby Lane Jr. Lakeland, FL 5 13-01 148
Day 1: 5 13-01
54. Dale Hightower Mannford, OK 5 12-15 147
Day 1: 5 12-15
55. Greg Bohannan Bentonville, AR 5 12-13 146
Day 1: 5 12-13
56. Ben Milliken New Caney, TX 5 12-13 145
Day 1: 5 12-13
57. Matt Messer Warfield, KY 5 12-06 144
Day 1: 5 12-06
58. Gary Clouse Winchester, TN 4 12-04 143
Day 1: 4 12-04
59. Chris Blanchette Edisto Island, SC 5 12-03 142
Day 1: 5 12-03
60. Cody Huff Ava, MO 5 12-01 141
Day 1: 5 12-01
61. Cory Leita Victoria, TX 5 11-15 140
Day 1: 5 11-15
61. Shane Lineberger Lincolnton, NC 5 11-15 140
Day 1: 5 11-15
63. Jacob Bigelow Cecil, WI 5 11-14 138
Day 1: 5 11-14
64. Keith Poche Pike Road, AL 5 11-13 137
Day 1: 5 11-13
65. Buck Mallory Lawton, MI 5 11-11 136
Day 1: 5 11-11
65. James Niggemeyer Van, TX 5 11-11 136
Day 1: 5 11-11
67. Kenta Kimura Osaka JAPAN 4 11-11 134
Day 1: 4 11-11
68. Josh Bragg Fayetteville, GA 5 11-09 133
Day 1: 5 11-09
69. Alex Heintze Denham Springs, LA 5 11-08 132
Day 1: 5 11-08
70. Jason Meninger Yulee, FL 5 11-07 131
Day 1: 5 11-07
71. Wil Dieffenbauch III Hundred, WV 5 11-06 130
Day 1: 5 11-06
72. Jim Dillard West Monroe, LA 5 11-05 129
Day 1: 5 11-05
72. Teb Jones Yalaha, MS 5 11-05 129
Day 1: 5 11-05
74. Kyle Austin Ridgeville, SC 5 11-04 127
Day 1: 5 11-04
74. Evan Kung Pickering Ontario CANAD 5 11-04 127
Day 1: 5 11-04
74. Billy McDonald Greenwood, IN 5 11-04 127
Day 1: 5 11-04
77. Andrew Harp Linden, TX 5 11-03 124
Day 1: 5 11-03
78. Billy Billeaud Lafayette, LA 4 11-03 123
Day 1: 4 11-03
79. Steven Caldwell Whitesboro, TX 5 11-02 122
Day 1: 5 11-02
79. Justin Kimmel Athens, GA 5 11-02 122
Day 1: 5 11-02
81. Paul Bouvier Kingston CANADA 5 11-01 120
Day 1: 5 11-01
81. Kyle Goltz Cornell, WI 5 11-01 120
Day 1: 5 11-01
83. Wesley Gore Clanton, AL 4 11-01 118
Day 1: 4 11-01
84. Clark Reehm Elm Grove, LA 4 11-00 117
Day 1: 4 11-00
85. Tim Frederick Leesburg, FL 5 10-13 116
Day 1: 5 10-13
86. Trevor McKinney Benton, IL 5 10-12 115
Day 1: 5 10-12
87. Michael Scalise Port Allen, LA 4 10-11 114
Day 1: 4 10-11
88. Christian Shoda Homosassa, FL 5 10-10 113
Day 1: 5 10-10
89. Cole Drummond Effingham, SC 5 10-09 112
Day 1: 5 10-09
89. Troy O'Rourke Bentonville, AR 5 10-09 112
Day 1: 5 10-09
91. John Soukup Sapulpa, OK 5 10-08 110
Day 1: 5 10-08
92. Matt Henry Milledgeville, GA 5 10-07 109
Day 1: 5 10-07
93. Terry Peacock Royse City, TX 4 10-07 108
Day 1: 4 10-07
94. Matt Pangrac Shawnee, OK 5 10-06 107
Day 1: 5 10-06
94. David Perdue Wirtz, VA 5 10-06 107
Day 1: 5 10-06
96. Destin DeMarion Harborcreek, PA 5 10-05 105
Day 1: 5 10-05
96. Kenji Yamada Hixson, TN 5 10-05 105
Day 1: 5 10-05
98. Scout Echols Monticello, AR 5 10-04 103
Day 1: 5 10-04
98. Zeke Gossett Pell City, AL 5 10-04 103
Day 1: 5 10-04
100. Trey Swindle Cleveland, AL 5 10-03 101
Day 1: 5 10-03
101. Cody Bird Granbury, TX 4 10-03 100
Day 1: 4 10-03
102. Lucas Bradley Flippin, AR 5 10-02 99
Day 1: 5 10-02
102. Brad Leuthner Victoria, MN 5 10-02 99
Day 1: 5 10-02
104. Scott Kerslake Okeechobee, FL 2 10-02 97
Day 1: 2 10-02
105. Brent Shores Boise, ID 5 10-01 96
Day 1: 5 10-01
106. Chancy Walters West Des Moines, IA 5 09-15 95
Day 1: 5 09-15
107. Alex Murray Lake Charles, LA 4 09-15 94
Day 1: 4 09-15
108. Cole Mcfarland Lake Ozark, MO 5 09-13 93
Day 1: 5 09-13
109. Brett Cannon Kiln, MS 5 09-12 92
Day 1: 5 09-12
110. Tyler Lubbat Wheeling, IL 4 09-12 91
Day 1: 4 09-12
111. Todd Castledine Nacogdoches, TX 5 09-11 90
Day 1: 5 09-11
111. Bronk Mcdaniel Alexandria, LA 5 09-11 90
Day 1: 5 09-11
113. Craig Chambers Midland, NC 4 09-11 88
Day 1: 4 09-11
114. Keltyn Hendrix Maysville, OK 5 09-10 87
Day 1: 5 09-10
115. Brad Hillebrandt Florien, LA 4 09-09 86
Day 1: 4 09-09
116. Brady Vernon Sterrett, AL 4 09-06 85
Day 1: 4 09-06
117. Jordan Knutson Saint Croix Falls, WI 5 09-05 84
Day 1: 5 09-05
118. Ish Monroe Oakdale, CA 5 09-02 83
Day 1: 5 09-02
118. Cody Stahl Barnsville, GA 5 09-02 83
Day 1: 5 09-02
118. Chandler Stewart Canyon Lake, TX 5 09-02 83
Day 1: 5 09-02
118. Chad Warren Sand Springs, OK 5 09-02 83
Day 1: 5 09-02
122. Rick Clunn Ava, MO 4 09-00 79
Day 1: 4 09-00
123. Ty Faber Pagosa Springs, CO 5 08-13 78
Day 1: 5 08-13
124. Takayuki Koike Otsu-City JAPAN 5 08-11 77
Day 1: 5 08-11
125. Allan Nail Sand Springs, OK 4 08-11 76
Day 1: 4 08-11
126. Kazuki Kitajima Corinth, TX 5 08-10 75
Day 1: 5 08-10
127. Craig Danna West Monroe, LA 3 08-10 74
Day 1: 3 08-10
128. JT Russell Mc Calla, AL 4 08-09 73
Day 1: 4 08-09
129. Robbie Latuso Gonzales, LA 5 08-08 72
Day 1: 5 08-08
130. Kurt Mitchell Milford, DE 5 08-07 71
Day 1: 5 08-07
131. Harvey Horne Bella Vista, AR 4 08-07 70
Day 1: 4 08-07
131. Keith Tuma Brainerd, MN 4 08-07 70
Day 1: 4 08-07
133. Jacopo Gallelli Horton AL ITALY 4 08-06 68
Day 1: 4 08-06
134. Kyle Metzger Pearl River, LA 5 08-04 67
Day 1: 5 08-04
135. Josh Hubbard Dunnellon, FL 4 08-04 66
Day 1: 4 08-04
136. David Wootton Collierville, TN 5 08-03 65
Day 1: 5 08-03
137. Cody Detweiler Guntersville, AL 3 08-02 64
Day 1: 3 08-02
138. Andrew Upshaw Hemphill, TX 5 07-13 63
Day 1: 5 07-13
139. Griffin Phillips Mount Olive, AL 4 07-12 62
Day 1: 4 07-12
140. Kyle Monti Okeechobee, FL 3 07-12 61
Day 1: 3 07-12
140. Steve Tennison Lexington, OK 3 07-12 61
Day 1: 3 07-12
142. Jake Maddux Birmingham, AL 3 07-09 59
Day 1: 3 07-09
143. Lucas Ragusa Gonzales, LA 4 07-08 58
Day 1: 4 07-08
144. Chris Beaudrie Princeton, KY 5 07-06 57
Day 1: 5 07-06
145. Andy Beloat Montgomery, TX 4 07-06 56
Day 1: 4 07-06
146. Darrell Davis Dover, FL 4 07-05 55
Day 1: 4 07-05
147. Ryan Clark Whitby Ontario CANADA 4 07-00 54
Day 1: 4 07-00
148. Brock Belik Orchard, NE 2 06-13 53
Day 1: 2 06-13
149. Jack York Emory, TX 3 06-10 52
Day 1: 3 06-10
150. B.J. Usie Bourg, LA 3 06-06 51
Day 1: 3 06-06
151. Tripp Noojin Bryant, AL 2 06-06 50
Day 1: 2 06-06
152. Brandon McMillan Clewiston, FL 3 06-05 49
Day 1: 3 06-05
152. Jacob Thompkins Myrtle Beach, SC 3 06-05 49
Day 1: 3 06-05
154. Ryan Melcher Rifle, CO 3 06-04 47
Day 1: 3 06-04
155. Corey Stewart Lees Summit, MO 5 06-03 46
Day 1: 5 06-03
156. Scott Ashmore Broken Arrow, OK 3 06-02 45
Day 1: 3 06-02
157. Charlie Hartley Grove City, OH 3 06-01 44
Day 1: 3 06-01
157. Lance Owen Greer, SC 3 06-01 44
Day 1: 3 06-01
159. Christopher Whisenant Bonner Springs, KS 3 06-00 42
Day 1: 3 06-00
160. Kelly Rebel Rifle, CO 3 05-12 41
Day 1: 3 05-12
161. Frank Williams Mountain Home, AR 3 05-11 40
Day 1: 3 05-11
162. Danny Ramsey Trinidad, TX 2 05-09 39
Day 1: 2 05-09
163. Brian Post Janesville, WI 3 05-08 38
Day 1: 3 05-08
164. Chris Miller Spirit Lake, IA 2 05-07 37
Day 1: 2 05-07
165. Curtis King Plaquemine, LA 2 05-06 36
Day 1: 2 05-06
166. Dave Holbrook Lake Ozark, MO 3 04-15 35
Day 1: 3 04-15
167. Philip Roesener Choctaw, OK 2 04-14 34
Day 1: 2 04-14
168. Jason Carpenter Castle Pines, CO 3 04-00 33
Day 1: 3 04-00
169. Kyle Dowdy El Paso, IL 2 03-15 32
Day 1: 2 03-15
169. Daniel Valois Gomez Caracas FL VENEZUELA 2 03-15 32
Day 1: 2 03-15
171. Kevin Ledoux Choctaw, OK 2 03-13 30
Day 1: 2 03-13
172. Joey Hanna Corsicana, TX 2 03-12 29
Day 1: 2 03-12
173. Chris Kingree Inverness, FL 2 03-08 28
Day 1: 2 03-08
174. Brayden Rakes Winston Salem, NC 2 03-04 27
Day 1: 2 03-04
175. A.J. Menssen Bloomington, IL 2 03-02 26
Day 1: 2 03-02
176. Mark Watson Victoria, TX 1 03-01 25
Day 1: 1 03-01
177. Hunter Sales Blaine, TN 2 02-08 24
Day 1: 2 02-08
178. Mike Mayo Athens, TX 1 02-08 23
Day 1: 1 02-08
179. Travis Ledford Tuttle, OK 1 02-04 22
Day 1: 1 02-04
180. Jeremy Simmons Argyle, MO 1 01-05 21
Day 1: 1 01-05
181. Chase Clarke Virginia Beach, VA 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
181. Tony Dumitras Winston, GA 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
181. Scott Isaacs Ladonia, TX 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
181. Michelle Jalaba Waterford, MI 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
181. Matt Robertson Kuttawa, KY 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
181. Billy Smith Montgomery, TX 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
181. Bo Thomas Edwardsburg, MI 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Totals
Day #Limits #Fish Weight
1 117 776 1918-14
----------------------------------
117 776 1918-14
2023 St. Croix Bassmaster Open at Lake of the Ozarks 9/22-9/24
Lake of the Ozarks, Osage Beach MO.
(NON_BOATER) Standings Day 1

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

1. Aaron Lorenz Reeds Spring, MO 3 13-05 200
Day 1: 3 13-05
2. John Wixson Kansas City, MO 3 09-08 199
Day 1: 3 09-08
3. Cory Weaver Ankeny, IA 3 09-04 198
Day 1: 3 09-04
4. Joe Cantrell Lone Jack, MO 3 08-15 197
Day 1: 3 08-15
4. Mao Matsuzaki Tokoname-Shi JAPAN 3 08-15 197
Day 1: 3 08-15
6. Jacob Collins Hillsboro, IL 3 08-12 195
Day 1: 3 08-12
7. Allen Williford West Frankfort, IL 3 08-11 194
Day 1: 3 08-11
8. Trey Gulley Alton, TX 3 08-01 193
Day 1: 3 08-01
9. Sakae Ushio Tonawanda, NY 3 07-15 192
Day 1: 3 07-15
10. Sean Fullerton Bixby, OK 3 07-13 191
Day 1: 3 07-13
11. Dwain Vogelpohl Cambridge, MN 2 07-09 190
Day 1: 2 07-09
12. John Goul Philadelphia, MS 3 07-07 189
Day 1: 3 07-07
13. Riley Nielsen Murray, UT 3 07-01 188
Day 1: 3 07-01
14. Darren Gates Macon, IL 3 06-15 187
Day 1: 3 06-15
15. Allen Heston Pittsburg, TX 3 06-14 186
Day 1: 3 06-14
15. Keith Ketcher Stark City, MO 3 06-14 186
Day 1: 3 06-14
17. Avery Williams Murrells Inlt, SC 3 06-11 184
Day 1: 3 06-11
18. Jerry Gonzalez Rivero Torreon Coah MEXICO 3 06-10 183
Day 1: 3 06-10
19. Nick Melcher Gypsum, CO 3 06-08 182
Day 1: 3 06-08
20. Ray Larson Springfield, IL 3 06-07 181
Day 1: 3 06-07
20. Bradley Pierce Gretna, NE 3 06-07 181
Day 1: 3 06-07
22. Jason Barber Gun Barrel City, TX 3 06-05 179
Day 1: 3 06-05
23. John Hammersmith Branson, MO 2 06-05 178
Day 1: 2 06-05
23. Hiroya Hyodo Funabashi city Chibaken 2 06-05 178
Day 1: 2 06-05
25. Wyatt Wisian Ardmore, OK 3 06-04 176
Day 1: 3 06-04
26. Chad Stahl Barnesville, GA 1 06-03 175
Day 1: 1 06-03
27. Larry Beauboeuf Bossier City, LA 3 05-15 174
Day 1: 3 05-15
28. Jason Fontenot Lake Charles, LA 3 05-14 173
Day 1: 3 05-14
29. Robert Hunt Ozark, MO 3 05-13 172
Day 1: 3 05-13
30. Drew Boehle Saint Peters, MO 2 05-10 171
Day 1: 2 05-10
30. Matt Molitor Canton, IL 2 05-10 171
Day 1: 2 05-10
32. Garret Akers Wichita, KS 3 05-07 169
Day 1: 3 05-07
32. Hunter Neuville New Iberia, LA 3 05-07 169
Day 1: 3 05-07
34. David Riggs Highland, IL 2 05-07 167
Day 1: 2 05-07
35. Steve Jarrett Fenton, MO 3 05-06 166
Day 1: 3 05-06
36. Tyler Boyet Imperial, MO 2 05-02 165
Day 1: 2 05-02
37. Brian Forcier Akron, IA 3 05-00 164
Day 1: 3 05-00
38. Garry Torpea St. Louis, MO 2 04-15 163
Day 1: 2 04-15
39. Gary Haraguchi Murfreesboro, TN 3 04-14 162
Day 1: 3 04-14
40. Justin Blackert Olathe, KS 3 04-11 161
Day 1: 3 04-11
40. Jason Switzer Sapulpa, OK 3 04-11 161
Day 1: 3 04-11
42. Will Major Port Allen, LA 2 04-10 159
Day 1: 2 04-10
42. Scott Rice Cobden, IL 2 04-10 159
Day 1: 2 04-10
44. Bobby Ketcher Wilburton, OK 2 04-09 157
Day 1: 2 04-09
45. Mason Chambers Galena, MO 2 04-07 156
Day 1: 2 04-07
46. Mike Daley Taylorville, IL 3 04-06 155
Day 1: 3 04-06
46. Dee Sheperd Mountain View, OK 3 04-06 155
Day 1: 3 04-06
48. Mike Dempsey Wentzville, MO 3 04-05 153
Day 1: 3 04-05
49. Yu Kawamura Kashiwashi JAPAN 2 04-02 152
Day 1: 2 04-02
49. Eugene Kim Lindenhurst, IL 2 04-02 152
Day 1: 2 04-02
51. Gary Hall Wardville, OK 2 03-12 150
Day 1: 2 03-12
52. Gary Bates Athens, AL 2 03-11 149
Day 1: 2 03-11
53. Jay Budde Foley, MO 1 03-11 148
Day 1: 1 03-11
54. Tray Amsden Centerville, MO 2 03-08 147
Day 1: 2 03-08
55. Dylan Mayo Athens, TX 1 03-07 146
Day 1: 1 03-07
56. Mark Cowart Kearney, MO 1 03-06 145
Day 1: 1 03-06
57. Michael Otway Gainesville, TX 1 03-01 144
Day 1: 1 03-01
58. Jon Akers Mt.Vernon, IA 2 02-15 143
Day 1: 2 02-15
58. Chris Gaudin East Camden, AR 2 02-15 143
Day 1: 2 02-15
60. Steven Doolittle Chelsea, OK 1 02-13 141
Day 1: 1 02-13
61. Skip Rayborn Hammond, LA 1 02-12 140
Day 1: 1 02-12
62. Jacob Roark Plattsmouth, NE 1 02-11 139
Day 1: 1 02-11
63. Brian Mcelyea Camdenton, MO 2 02-07 138
Day 1: 2 02-07
64. Derek Felton Willard, MO 1 02-06 137
Day 1: 1 02-06
64. Ken Sanders Point Blank, TX 1 02-06 137
Day 1: 1 02-06
66. Scott Gower Pleasant Hill, MO 2 02-05 135
Day 1: 2 02-05
67. Stewart Bigelow Linn Creek, MO 1 02-05 134
Day 1: 1 02-05
68. Rick Cheatham Carterville, IL 1 02-04 133
Day 1: 1 02-04
68. Steve Kline Hilltop Lakes, TX 1 02-04 133
Day 1: 1 02-04
70. Christopher Lemon Martinsville, IN 1 02-02 131
Day 1: 1 02-02
71. Jacob Altman Edgewood, TX 1 02-01 130
Day 1: 1 02-01
71. Cody Sheeler La Porte, IN 1 02-01 130
Day 1: 1 02-01
71. Joe Tucker Osceola, MO 1 02-01 130
Day 1: 1 02-01
74. Shane Kuehn Bennington, NE 1 02-00 127
Day 1: 1 02-00
74. Scott Nielsen Murray, UT 1 02-00 127
Day 1: 1 02-00
74. Mark Ripp Belmont, WI 1 02-00 127
Day 1: 1 02-00
77. Tiffany Leal Austin, TX 1 01-15 124
Day 1: 1 01-15
78. Takaaki Kojima Temecula CA JAPAN 1 01-14 123
Day 1: 1 01-14
79. Steve Duncan Amarillo, TX 1 01-08 122
Day 1: 1 01-08
80. Logan Slaughter Coppell, TX 1 01-06 121
Day 1: 1 01-06
81. Ronald Bentley Lees Summit, MO 1 01-04 120
Day 1: 1 01-04
81. Alex Ferguson St James, MO 1 01-04 120
Day 1: 1 01-04
81. Jack Ferrell Jefferson City, MO 1 01-04 120
Day 1: 1 01-04
84. Joel Johnson Kansas City, KS 1 01-03 117
Day 1: 1 01-03
85. Matt Holder Chillicothe, MO 1 01-02 116
Day 1: 1 01-02
86. Oliver Siebert Fenton, MO 1 00-09 115
Day 1: 1 00-09
87. Willy Becker Kansas City, MO 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
87. David Booth Erin, TN 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
87. David Brand Dittmer, MO 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
87. Matthew Brown Mclouth, KS 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
87. Bob Burgess Millington, TN 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
87. Steve Byrd Coalgate, OK 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
87. Larry Davis Gladewater, TX 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
87. Tony Delgado Whittier, CA 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
87. Morgan Ellingson Stevens Point, WI 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
87. Jimmy Fellegy Mustang, OK 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
87. Marco Flores Topeka, KS 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
87. Michael Foelsch Ofallon, MO 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
87. Johnnie Garrett Union City, TN 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
87. Jordan Gautreaux Walker , LA 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
87. Chris Gebhardt Columbia, MO 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
87. Kyle Gentry Stronghurst, IL 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
87. Nathan Harbison Jasper, TX 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
87. John Higginbotham Slaughter, LA 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
87. Ty Kenyon Dodgeville, WI 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
87. Erik Knutson Saint Croix Falls, WI 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
87. Jordan Lane Conroe, TX 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
87. John Matt Roach, MO 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
87. Gene Mitchell Stuart, OK 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
87. Shane Morgan Littleton, CO 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
87. James Rackers Jefferson City, MO 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
87. Johnny Ramos Odessa, TX 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
87. Paul Reutlinger Mineola, TX 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
87. Craig Schmidt Prague, NE 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
87. Perry See Rochester, MN 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
87. Jarod Shelton Centralia, MO 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
87. John Stewart Lone Jack, MO 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
87. Kirk Stickler Eden, UT 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
87. Adam Tims Royse City, TX 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
87. Scott Troutt Corinth, TX 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
87. Kyle Wilcox Littleton, CO 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
122. Troy Enmeier Enid, OK 0 -1-00 0
Day 1: 0 -01-00
122. Scott Hill Osage Beach , MO 0 -1-00 0
Day 1: 0 -01-00
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Totals
Day #Limits #Fish Weight
1 35 177 398-00
----------------------------------
35 177 398-00

by AnglersChannel

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

by AnglersChannel

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.

by AnglersChannel

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:
Jan. 5 Harris Chain of Lakes                                                    Leesburg, Fla.
Jan. 9-11              NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP at Lake Toho Kissimmee, Fla.
March 8               Clear Lake Lakeport, Calif.
April 5 Table Rock Lake Branson, Mo.
April 26 Lake Guntersville Guntersville, Ala.
May 5                   Lake Havasu Lake Havasu City, Ariz.
June 8 California Delta Oakley, Calif..
Aug. 25 St. Lawrence River Massena, N.Y.
Sept. 27               Sam Rayburn Reservoir Brookeland, Texas
Oct. 18 Lake Chickamauga Dayton, Tenn.

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.

by AnglersChannel

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 bonusbucks@dynamicsponsorships.com.

by AnglersChannel

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.”

by AnglersChannel

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 bbowman@bassfishinghof.com– 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.

by AnglersChannel

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.

by AnglersChannel

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.

by AnglersChannel

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

by AnglersChannel

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.

by AnglersChannel

How the Global DAIWA Bass Team Dominated

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.

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.

Patrick Walters (Photo courtesy of B.A.S.S.)

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.”

“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.

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?’”

Photo courtesy of B.A.S.S.

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.

Patrick Walters (Photo courtesy of B.A.S.S.)

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.”

Chris Johnston

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.

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.”

Kyoya Fujita (Photo courtesy of B.A.S.S.)

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.”

by AnglersChannel

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.

by AnglersChannel

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.

by AnglersChannel

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