AnglersChannel

Justin Lucas Paces Knockout Round at Suzuki Marine Stage 4 Presented by Plano

Alabama pro races to 19 bass for 64-2 to win Knockout Round and advance, final 10 now set for Championship Day shootout on Lake Brownwood for $125,000

EARLY, Texas (March 28, 2026) – Prior to the start of Suzuki Marine Stage 4 Presented by Plano , Lake O.H. Ivie had the reputation as a destination fishery thanks to its track record of producing giant bass. But neighboring Lake Brownwood showed that it shouldn’t be overlooked.

Saturday’s Knockout Round took the Bass Pro Tour field to Brownwood after O.H. Ivie hosted the two-day Qualifying Round. It didn’t take long for the fishery to start producing big bass – the very first fish to hit SCORETRACKER® was a 7-pound, 14-ounce lunker caught by Brent Ehrler. That was one of 11 bass over 6 pounds caught on the day, with the biggest being a 9-13 tank wrangled by Matt Becker. Becker’s fish not only won Berkley Big Bass honors for the day, it weighed more than anything caught on O.H. Ivie.

Meanwhile, Justin Lucas started stacking weight at a blistering rate and didn’t slow down until he decided to. Lucas rocketed to the lead with 30-2 on nine scorable bass in Period 1, then backed it up with another nine for 28-14 in the second frame before transitioning into scout mode for the rest of the day. His total of 64-2 on 19 scorable bass easily paced the field, 18-5 ahead of Drew Gill in second.

Lucas and the rest of the top nine finishers from the Knockout Round will join Qualifying Round winner Jacob Wheeler on Brownwood for Sunday’s Championship Round.

Lucas came into Saturday with high expectations for Brownwood – just not necessarily for himself. He didn’t spend any of the three-day official practice period prior to Stage 4 on the fishery, so he admitted he didn’t see his excellent day coming.

“I knew this was a really good lake, and I was expecting it to be pretty good,” he said. “I just didn’t expect it for myself.”

Lucas spent two days competing on Brownwood at the 2024 Patriot Cup, a Fishing Clash Team Series event in which he competed alongside Ehrler (who also made the Championship Round). He said that experience helped in the sense that he knew how the lake set up and where to find similar water once he established a bite. But he launched for the Knockout Round with no real plan in place. He thinks that worked to his advantage.

“It’s been several days now since we were able to be on Brownwood (during practice),” Lucas said. “I feel like a lot has changed, and it’s continuing to change. It just let me keep a real fresh mind about the lake instead of feeling like I need to go back to something that I already saw.”

Lucas’ results didn’t indicate his lack of a game plan. It took him about 20 minutes to post his first scorable bass to SCORETRACKER® – a 6-6. Over the next 40 or so minutes, he boated six more to bring his total to 22-12 and take a lead he would never relinquish. He kept up the pace throughout the second period before deciding to back off to conserve fish for the Championship Round. Not only did he catch the most scorable bass of anyone in the field with 19, but he also landed seven over 4 pounds.

Lucas did most of his damage in one area, but he was able to replicate his pattern in other spots, too, which has him optimistic for Sunday. And while he only added one scorable bass during the third period, he gleaned some insight that he thinks will help his quest for his second career Bass Pro Tour win.

“Definitely felt like it was a productive third period even though I only put one fish on SCORETRACKER®,” he said.

The big variable Lucas (and everyone else) will have to account for Sunday is a change in conditions. Whereas Saturday brought chilly weather and cloud cover, the temperature is supposed to climb about 30 degrees on Sunday, with the forecast calling for a high in the 80s, sunny skies and a south wind.

With little prior experience on Brownwood, Lucas isn’t sure how the conditions will impact the bass.

“It’s going to change,” he said. “I’m not sure how it’s going to change yet. But that’s what we’re going to have to figure out tomorrow.”

Having made 15 Top 10s since his lone BPT win, which came on Sturgeon Bay to close the 2020 season, Lucas feels overdue to hoist another trophy. He predicted it will take about 60 pounds to do so on Sunday. After he hit that mark in just two periods during the Knockout Round, he’s confident about his chances. But he’s also endured enough close calls to know that nothing is guaranteed.

“I really want (another win),” he said. “But I’ve done this long enough to know you can’t force it. So, as much as I want one. I don’t want to try and force a win, because that’s when I’ve had my worst tournaments and worst seasons. So, I’ve just got to keep doing what I’m doing, keep knocking on the door, and hopefully it will come eventually.”

Like Lucas, Gill didn’t spend any practice time on Brownwood. And since he didn’t compete in the 2024 Patriot Cup, he’d never seen the lake prior to Saturday.

Yet it didn’t take long for him to take a liking to the fishery. After two days of hunting for bass in the flooded forest that is O.H. Ivie, he said being able to identify a piece of cover that looked good and catch a bass off it was “refreshing.”

“I knew it was a good lake, but it honestly felt kind of easy,” Gill said. “Not saying that you could just catch one anywhere. But it felt straightforward. When you got a bite, you could repeat it. After Ivie, being able to intentionally go around and say, ‘That looks good, I should get a bite there’ was really refreshing.

“I caught two 7s, I caught a 5 1/2-pounder on a swim jig, I caught a couple 4s – today was just awesome.”

As is often the case for the 23-year-old phenom, Gill did most of his damage during his lone period using forward-facing sonar. He opted to utilize the technology in Period 2 once he’d gotten a better feel for the fishery, and he totaled more than 30 pounds on seven scorable bass during that frame. That included a pair of 7-pounders – although he didn’t actually see the first one on his Garmin LiveScope screen until after it bit.

“The first 7 I caught, I just pitched my Neko at the bank, and I was literally just crawling down the bank,” Gill said. “Pitched it over there, and I was just shaking it, and my line went ‘bonk,’ and I look over on ‘Scope, and there’s a whale of one swimming off with it.”

It’s a bit surprising, then, to hear Gill say that he feels as confident as he ever has about his two periods without forward-facing sonar entering Championship Sunday, but he’s not sure he can replicate his success with the technology. He caught three scorable bass for 10 pounds without LiveScope in Period 1, and he’s optimistic he can bump that to 15 pounds tomorrow. Figuring, like Lucas, that it will take about 60 pounds to win, he knows he needs another 30-pound forward-facing sonar period, but he’s going to have to piece that together on the fly.

“I didn’t find any areas that I felt like I could settle into ‘Scope-wise,” he said. “So, I’m going to have to improvise in my ‘Scope period tomorrow a little bit. But I did find a couple more stretches for no-Scope that I can go through and catch a handful. My no-Scope deal, I feel about as good as I can feel about it.”

Then again, Gill knows Mother Nature could throw a wrench in his plans. He plans to enter the Championship Round with an open mind just like he did Saturday.

“I’ve never seen the lake under the conditions we had today, and I’ve never seen the lake under the conditions we’re going to have tomorrow,” he said. “I would presume that the morning bite that happened this morning, where it was a little bit easier to catch them, probably is not going to happen as strong tomorrow. But we’ll find out.”

The pros that now advance to Championship Sunday on Lake Brownwood are:

1st:          Justin Lucas, Guntersville, Ala., 19 bass, 64-2
2nd:        Drew Gill, Mount Carmel, Ill., 12 bass, 45-13
3rd: Zack Birge, Blanchard, Okla., 14 bass, 37-0
4th:         Brent Ehrler, Redlands, Calif., 10 bass, 36-6
5th:         Mitchell Robinson, Landrum, S.C., 10 bass, 33-15
6th:         Michael Neal, Dayton, Tenn., 12 bass, 33-3
7th:         Wesley Strader, Spring City, Tenn., 11 bass, 31-12
8th:         Alton Jones Jr., Lorena, Texas, eight bass, 27-14
9th:         Adrian Avena, Marmora, N.J., 10 bass, 26-12
*QR Winner: Jacob Wheeler, Birchwood, Tenn.

Eliminated from competition are:
11th:      Brent Chapman, Lenexa, Kan., eight bass, 26-7, $15,900
12th:      James Elam, Cleveland, Okla., nine bass, 23-12, $15,800
13th:      Casey Ashley, Donalds, S.C., eight bass, 23-5, $15,700
14th:      Takahiro Omori, Emory, Texas, eight bass, 22-11, $15,600
15th:      Bradley Roy, Lancaster, Ky., eight bass, 21-10, $15,500
16th:      Cole Floyd, Leesburg, Ohio, five bass, 20-3, $15,400
17th:      Marshall Hughes, Hemphill, Texas, six bass, 19-12, $15,300
18th:      Matt Becker, Ten Mile, Tenn., five bass, 19-3, $15,200
19th:      David Dudley, Lynchburg, Va., seven bass, 17-13, $15,100
20th:      Jeff Sprague, Wills Point, Texas, five bass, 17-9, $15,000
21st:      Greg Vinson, Wetumpka, Ala., six bass, 17-7, $15,000
22nd: Ron Nelson, Berrien Springs, Mich., six bass, 16-10, $15,000
23rd: Mark Rose, Wynne, Ark., five bass, 16-0, $15,000
24th:      Jacob Walker, Springville, Ala., three bass, 9-4, $15,000
25th:      Bryan Thrift, Shelby, N.C., three bass, 8-4, $15,000

A complete list of results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

Overall, there were 198 bass weighing 616 pounds, 11 ounces, caught by the 24 Bass Pro Tour anglers on Saturday.

Saturday’s $1,000 Berkley Big Bass Award was earned by Matt Becker of Ten Mile, Tennessee, who caught a 9-pound, 13-ounce largemouth in the third period. Berkley awards $1,000 to the angler who weighs the heaviest bass each day.

Hosted by Visit Early, t he four-day tournament features 51 of the world’s top professional anglers competing for a $125,000 top prize and their share of a $600,000 purse, along with valuable Fishing Clash Angler of the Year (AOY) points in hopes of qualifying for REDCREST 2027 – the Bass Pro Tour championship – and the Kubota Heavy Hitters all-star event.

The full field of anglers competed in the two-day Qualifying Round on Thursday and Friday on O.H. Ivie. After the two-day Qualifying Round was complete, the pro with the heaviest two-day total – Jacob Wheeler – advanced directly to Sunday’s Championship Round. Anglers that finished 2nd through 25th competed in Saturday’s Knockout Round on Lake Brownwood. In the Knockout Round, weights were zeroed, and the remaining anglers competed to finish in the top nine to advance to Sunday’s Championship Round. In the final-day Championship Round on Lake Brownwood, weights are again zeroed, and the highest one-day total wins the top prize of $125,000.

The final 10 anglers will arrive Sunday morning at 6:15 a.m. CT to the Brownwood Reservoir Public Boat Ramp, located at 621 Spillway Road in Brownwood, Texas. Anglers will return to Brownwood Reservoir Public Boat Ramp Sunday evening following the end of competition at 3:45 p.m. Fans are welcome to attend all launch and takeout events and also encouraged to watch the event live online throughout the day on the MLFNOW!® livestream and follow along with SCORETRACKER® coverage at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

The MLFNOW!® broadcast team of Chad McKee and J.T. Kenney will break down the extended action live on Championship Sunday from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. CT. MLFNOW!® will be livestreamed on MajorLeagueFishing.com , the MyOutdoorTV (MOTV) app and Rumble.

On Sunday, March 29, from 3–6 p.m., MLF invites fans of all ages to the Early Town Center, located at 109 Kelcy Way in Early, for the MLF Fan Experience & Watch Party. Fans can watch the Bass Pro Tour pros live on the MLFNOW!® big screen, enjoy free food for the first 100 fans, enter hourly giveaways, browse MLF merchandise and the bargain bait bin, and cheer on their favorite anglers. Youth of all ages can take part in a fishing derby (gear and bait provided, weather permitting) and a casting contest. Live music with C.J. Briscoe and Caleb Wilbourn begins at 4 p.m., followed by Top 10 angler interviews and the trophy presentation at 5 p.m., including autographs and photos with Bass Pro Tour finalists. The first 50 kids ages 14 and under will receive a free rod and reel.

The Suzuki Marine Stage 4 at O.H. Ivie and Lake Brownwood Presented by Plano features anglers competing with a 2-pound minimum weight requirement for a bass to be deemed scorable. The MLF Fisheries Management Division determines minimum weights for each body of water that the Bass Pro Tour visits, based on the productivity, bass population and anticipated average size of fish in each fishery.

The 2026 Bass Pro Tour features a field of 51 of the best professional anglers in the world, competing across seven regular-season tournaments around the country for millions of dollars and valuable points to qualify for the annual Kubota Heavy Hitters all-star event and the REDCREST 2027 championship.

Television coverage of the Suzuki Marine Stage 4 at O.H. Ivie and Lake Brownwood Presented by Plano will premiere as a two-hour episode starting at 7 a.m. ET, on Saturday, Sept. 12, on Discovery. New MLF episodes premiere each Saturday morning on Discovery, with re-airings on Outdoor Channel.

Proud sponsors of the MLF Bass Pro Tour include: Abu Garcia, Athletic Brewing Co., Bass Force, B&W Trailer Hitches, Bass Force, Bass Pro Shops, Berkley, Black Buffalo, BUBBA, Cigars International, Epic Baits, Fishing Clash, Grizzly, Lowrance, Mercury, MillerTech, NITRO Boats, OFF! Deep Woods, O’Reilly Auto Parts, Power-Pole, Ranger Boats, Rapala, Star brite, Suzuki Marine, Toyota, Yuengling and Zenni.

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

About Major League Fishing
Major League Fishing (MLF) is the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization, producing more than 250 events annually at some of the most prestigious fisheries in the world, while broadcasting to America’s living rooms on CBS, Discovery, Outdoor Channel, VICE, World Fishing Network, RFD-TV, Game & Fish TV and Rumble, and on demand on MyOutdoorTV (MOTV). Headquartered in Benton, Kentucky, the MLF roster of bass anglers includes the world’s top pros and more than 30,000 competitors in all 50 states and 20 countries. Since its founding in 2011, MLF has advanced the sport of competitive fishing through its premier television broadcasts and livestreams and is dedicated to improving the quality of life for bass through research, education, fisheries enhancement and fish care.

by AnglersChannel

Christie climbs into the lead In Bassmaster Elite at Tenn-Tom

COLUMBUS, Miss. — His opening game plan may not have panned out, but after a second day of impressive consistency, Jason Christie took over the Day 3 lead in the Mountain Dew Bassmaster Elite at Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway with a three-day total of 45 pounds, 9 ounces.

The decorated veteran from Dry Creek, Okla., made a big first-day run that included two locks and caught a limit of 12-5 that left him tied with Brandon Cobb for 37th place. Day 2 saw Christie adjust his focus to closer waters where a limit of 16-10 lifted him to fifth.

Repeating his program on Semifinal Saturday, Christie added another bag of 16-10 and moved into the top spot. Heading into Championship Sunday with a margin of 1-4 over Day 2 leader Wesley Gore, Christie said he’s doing his best to capitalize on unpredictable opportunity.

“I’ve just been lucky and getting a few good bites,” Christie said. “You don’t know when that’s gonna happen, or where it’s gonna happen. All I know is I’m putting my bait in front of the right ones and I’m landing them.

“I think that’s gonna be key tomorrow. Whoever wins is gonna get two or three good bites, he’s gonna land them and he’s gonna win $100,000. Hopefully, it’s me.”

Christie, who has eight Bassmaster wins to his credit — including the 2022 Bassmaster Classic at Lake Hartwell — said location was the key to faring well on this system known as the Tenn-Tom.

“It was just getting in the right area,” he said. “On a river system like this, everything is different, so it’s hard to run a pattern. You have to be able to find an area that has ’em and, so far, I’ve gotten lucky and found that.”

Christie’s fishing a shallow backwater area with a mix of submersed and emergent aquatic vegetation and various wood cover. This area, he said, appeals to fish in all stages of the spring bass cycle.

“It has a little drain in it and it has everything they want for prespawn, postspawn and spawning,” he said. “I found one other area like it and that’s where I fished the first day and for some reason, that fizzled out. This one, I just feel like there’s some fish in there.”

A cold front that blew into the area last night brought little precipitation, but a significant temperature drop, along with big winds. This muddied parts of Christie’s waters, but he encountered a mix of clarities.

Consistency, Christie said, required frequent adjustment.

“I bounced in and out, based on the conditions,” he said. “I got up on the bank some, I got out some. It’s funny, in these drains, the water will be dirty and you go 50 yards and it’s clear.”

Christie caught most of his fish on a 1/2-ounce white/blue/chartreuse Booyah Covert Spinnerbait with a single gold Colorado blade and a white YUM Covert Spinnerbait Trailer and a 1/2-ounce Booyah Mobster swim jig with a YUM Craw Chunk trailer. He also added a few keepers by flipping a Texas-rigged YUM Wooly Booger.

With Championship Sunday’s weather outlook showing a warming trend and partly cloudy skies contrasting today’s high-pressure “bluebird” complexion, Christie’s optimistic about the final round.

“I know the weights are tight, but there is the potential for someone to catch 15-20 pounds and win this thing,” he said.

Hailing from Clanton, Ala., Gore is in second place with 44-5. Keeping himself in the conversation from the start, Gore placed fifth on Day 1 with 16-8, then took over the top spot with a second-round bag that went 17-5.

Day 3 proved challenging for Gore and with a smaller limit of 9-14, he slipped to second. Despite a slower third day, Gore’s convinced that staying in local waters and maximizing his fishing time is the right call.

“I felt like the winning fish were here; in practice, they were a little bigger,” Gore said. “Everyday is hard; it’s a new challenge. I knew today would be very challenging for me.

“I’m not catching any fish flipping or pitching, I’m catching all my fish on reaction baits, so the cold front definitely had an effect on that. I had six keeper bites today, but never had a big bite.”

When Gore determined that his main pattern of targeting largemouth bass in shallow grass was not producing as he needed, he ran farther north in Columbus Lake and filled his limit with spotted bass.

Gore’s has caught most of his fish on a green pumpkin swim jig with a chartreuse trailer and a Texas-rigged 8-inch swimming lizard on a 5/0 Superline EWG hook with a 1/8-ounce pegged weight. He caught his spotted bass on a crankbait.

“I used the swimming lizard because everybody’s kinda doing the same thing,” Gore said. “That’s also why I’m throwing a green pumpkin swim jig with a chartreuse trailer. It’s still a shad imitator. Everyone’s throwing white on white and I was able to go behind people and get some bites.”

Seth Feider of New Market, Minn., is in third place with 42-14. His daily weights were 15-9, 13-6 and 13-5.

Feider fished the same backwater area as Christie and did most of his work with a 3/8-ounce Black Sheep Custom Tackle swim jig with a prototype Z-man trailer. He also caught keepers by flipping that same Z-Man bait on a light Texas rig.

Persistence, he said, was essential for a fishery that’s not known for giving up big numbers.

“You just have to grind all day, keep your head it in and you just gotta get lucky,” Feider said. “I had a really slow morning. Most of the mornings, I was catching pretty good weigh right away, but today I had two little tiny ones early in the morning.

“I went another three or four hours without a bite, but I stayed in it and they started biting midday. Every bite I’ve gotten this week has been around grass.”

Justin Atkins of Florence, Ala. holds the Phoenix Boats Big Bass lead with a 6-4.

John Garrett of Union City, Tenn. leads the Progressive Bassmaster Angler of the Year points with 264. Trey McKinney of Carbondale, Ill., is second with 262, followed by Cory Johnston of Otonabee, Canada with 258, Dakota Ebare of Brookeland, Texas with 251, and Brock Mosley of Collinsville, Miss., with 244.

Sunday’s takeoff is scheduled for 7 a.m. CT at Columbus Marina. The weigh-in will be held at the marina at 3 p.m.

Championship Sunday action can be found on FS1 from 8-11 a.m. before heading to Bassmaster.com for afternoon coverage. All weigh-ins will be available live on Bassmaster.com starting at 4 p.m. ET.

Visit Columbus is hosting this event.

2026 Bassmaster Elite Series Title Sponsor: Progressive

2026 Bassmaster Elite Series Platinum Sponsor: Progressive, Toyota
2026 Bassmaster Elite Series Premier Sponsors: Bass Pro Shops, Humminbird, Mercury, Mountain Dew, Minn Kota, Nitro Boats, Ranger Boats, Rapala, Skeeter Boats, Yamaha
2026 Bassmaster Elite Series Supporting Sponsors: AFTCO, Daiwa, Lew's, Lowrance, Phoenix Boats, VMC, Yokohama

About B.A.S.S.

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

The Bassmaster Tournament Trail includes the most prestigious events at each level of competition, including the Progressive Bassmaster Elite Series, Turtlebox Bassmaster Opens Series presented by Battery Tender, Nitro Boats Bassmaster Elite Qualifiers Series presented by Bass Pro Shops, Mercury B.A.S.S. Nation Qualifier Series presented by Lowrance, Strike King Bassmaster College Series presented by Bass Pro Shops, Strike King Bassmaster High School Series, Tackle Warehouse Bassmaster Junior Series, TNT Fireworks Bassmaster Team Championship, Newport Bassmaster Kayak Series presented by Native Watercraft, Bassmaster College Kayak Series, Yamaha Bassmaster Redfish Cup Championship presented by Skeeter and the ultimate celebration of competitive fishing, the Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Classic presented by Under Armour.

-30-

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

Media Contact: Mandy Pascal, Communications Manager, 334-414-8677, [email protected]

2026 Bassmaster Elite Series at Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway 3/26-3/29
Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway, Columbus MS.
(PROFESSIONAL) Standings Day 3

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

1. Jason Christie Dry Creek, OK 15 45-09 101
Day 1: 5 12-05 Day 2: 5 16-10 Day 3: 5 16-10
2. Wesley Gore Clanton, AL 15 44-05 100
Day 1: 5 16-08 Day 2: 5 17-15 Day 3: 5 09-14
3. Seth Feider Elko New Market, MN 15 42-14 99
Day 1: 5 15-09 Day 2: 5 13-06 Day 3: 5 13-15
4. Dakota Ebare Brookeland, TX 15 42-08 98
Day 1: 5 13-10 Day 2: 5 18-06 Day 3: 5 10-08
5. Mark Menendez Paducah, KY 15 40-07 97 $1,000.00
Day 1: 5 12-10 Day 2: 5 13-01 Day 3: 5 14-12
6. John Garrett Union City, TN 15 40-03 96
Day 1: 5 12-06 Day 2: 5 17-00 Day 3: 5 10-13
7. Tucker Smith Birmingham, AL 15 40-03 95 $1,000.00
Day 1: 5 12-03 Day 2: 5 15-02 Day 3: 5 12-14
8. Michael Iaconelli Pitts Grove, NJ 15 39-13 94
Day 1: 5 17-11 Day 2: 5 11-01 Day 3: 5 11-01
9. Jordan Lee Cullman, AL 14 39-13 93
Day 1: 5 15-13 Day 2: 4 09-11 Day 3: 5 14-05
10. Cole Sands Johnson City, TN 15 39-11 92
Day 1: 5 13-05 Day 2: 5 11-10 Day 3: 5 14-12
11. Lee Livesay Longview, TX 15 39-11 91 $7,000.00
Day 1: 5 13-03 Day 2: 5 12-15 Day 3: 5 13-09
12. Justin Atkins Florence, AL 15 39-00 90 $8,000.00
Day 1: 5 15-07 Day 2: 5 12-05 Day 3: 5 11-04
13. Hunter Shryock Ooltewah, TN 15 38-14 89 $7,000.00
Day 1: 5 11-14 Day 2: 5 14-15 Day 3: 5 12-01
14. Kyoya Fujita Yamanashi CA JAPAN 15 38-13 88 $7,000.00
Day 1: 5 12-04 Day 2: 5 13-04 Day 3: 5 13-05
15. Trey McKinney Carbondale, IL 15 38-12 87 $7,000.00
Day 1: 5 10-08 Day 2: 5 11-15 Day 3: 5 16-05
16. Tyler Rivet Raceland, LA 15 38-11 86 $6,500.00
Day 1: 5 10-10 Day 2: 5 16-09 Day 3: 5 11-08
17. Jeff Gustafson Kenora, ON Ontario CANA 15 38-09 85 $6,500.00
Day 1: 5 12-00 Day 2: 5 11-12 Day 3: 5 14-13
18. Jay Przekurat Stevens Point, WI 15 38-08 84 $6,500.00
Day 1: 5 10-01 Day 2: 5 12-11 Day 3: 5 15-12
19. Brandon Cobb Greenwood, SC 15 38-07 83 $6,500.00
Day 1: 5 12-05 Day 2: 5 14-08 Day 3: 5 11-10
20. Shane LeHew Catawba, NC 15 38-03 82 $6,500.00
Day 1: 5 13-09 Day 2: 5 14-02 Day 3: 5 10-08
21. Buddy Gross Chattanooga, TN 14 37-07 81 $6,000.00
Day 1: 5 13-10 Day 2: 5 15-09 Day 3: 4 08-04
22. Luke Palmer Atoka, OK 15 37-01 80 $6,000.00
Day 1: 5 12-09 Day 2: 5 15-11 Day 3: 5 08-13
23. Keith Combs Huntington, TX 15 37-00 79 $6,000.00
Day 1: 5 12-11 Day 2: 5 14-12 Day 3: 5 09-09
24. Cory Johnston Otonabee CANADA 15 36-11 78 $6,000.00
Day 1: 5 10-14 Day 2: 5 14-00 Day 3: 5 11-13
25. Randy Howell Guntersville, AL 14 36-10 77 $6,000.00
Day 1: 5 17-12 Day 2: 5 10-11 Day 3: 4 08-03
26. Tyler Williams Barnett, MO 14 36-08 76 $5,500.00
Day 1: 5 14-07 Day 2: 5 09-13 Day 3: 4 12-04
27. Gregory DiPalma Millville, NJ 13 36-04 75 $5,500.00
Day 1: 5 13-08 Day 2: 5 13-04 Day 3: 3 09-08
28. Chris Johnston Peterborough Ontario CA 15 36-04 74 $5,500.00
Day 1: 5 11-04 Day 2: 5 12-10 Day 3: 5 12-06
29. Paul Marks Cumming, GA 14 36-02 73 $5,500.00
Day 1: 5 14-10 Day 2: 5 12-00 Day 3: 4 09-08
30. David Mullins Mt Carmel, TN 15 36-02 72 $5,500.00
Day 1: 5 12-03 Day 2: 5 13-13 Day 3: 5 10-02
31. Austin Felix Eden Prairie, MN 15 35-05 71 $5,500.00
Day 1: 5 12-14 Day 2: 5 11-14 Day 3: 5 10-09
32. Brock Mosley Collinsville, MS 15 35-00 70 $5,500.00
Day 1: 5 13-06 Day 2: 5 11-00 Day 3: 5 10-10
33. Drew Cook Cairo, GA 15 35-00 69 $5,500.00
Day 1: 5 13-05 Day 2: 5 11-08 Day 3: 5 10-03
34. Drew Benton Panama City, FL 15 34-12 68 $5,500.00
Day 1: 5 14-07 Day 2: 5 09-03 Day 3: 5 11-02
35. Brandon Palaniuk Rathdrum, ID 14 34-11 67 $5,500.00
Day 1: 5 16-15 Day 2: 5 08-02 Day 3: 4 09-10
36. Carl Jocumsen Queensland TN AUSTRALIA 14 34-04 66 $5,500.00
Day 1: 5 12-07 Day 2: 4 10-12 Day 3: 5 11-01
37. Scott Canterbury Odenville, AL 15 34-02 65 $5,500.00
Day 1: 5 11-03 Day 2: 5 11-05 Day 3: 5 11-10
38. Andrew Loberg Guntersville, AL 13 33-15 64 $5,500.00
Day 1: 5 13-02 Day 2: 5 11-04 Day 3: 3 09-09
39. JT Thompkins Myrtle Beach, SC 15 33-13 63 $5,500.00
Day 1: 5 10-03 Day 2: 5 12-07 Day 3: 5 11-03
40. Pake South Winnsboro, TX 13 33-02 62 $5,500.00
Day 1: 5 16-02 Day 2: 5 12-04 Day 3: 3 04-12
41. Jacob Powroznik North Prince George, VA 13 32-10 61 $5,500.00
Day 1: 5 11-03 Day 2: 5 14-11 Day 3: 3 06-12
42. Bob Downey Detroit Lakes, MN 14 32-07 60 $5,500.00
Day 1: 5 11-03 Day 2: 5 12-07 Day 3: 4 08-13
43. Bill Lowen Brookville, IN 13 32-05 59 $5,500.00
Day 1: 5 17-14 Day 2: 5 10-06 Day 3: 3 04-01
44. Cliff Pace Ovett, MS 14 32-02 58 $5,500.00
Day 1: 5 13-13 Day 2: 5 12-05 Day 3: 4 06-00
45. Steve Kennedy Auburn, AL 14 31-15 57 $5,500.00
Day 1: 5 13-15 Day 2: 5 10-03 Day 3: 4 07-13
46. Russ Lane Prattville, AL 13 31-05 56 $5,500.00
Day 1: 5 11-05 Day 2: 5 13-03 Day 3: 3 06-13
47. Caleb Hudson Lincolnton, GA 13 30-07 55 $5,500.00
Day 1: 5 10-08 Day 2: 5 13-13 Day 3: 3 06-02
48. Cody Meyer Eagle, ID 12 28-13 54 $5,500.00
Day 1: 5 14-03 Day 2: 5 09-14 Day 3: 2 04-12
49. Wes Logan Springville, AL 12 28-04 53 $5,500.00
Day 1: 5 10-07 Day 2: 5 14-10 Day 3: 2 03-03
50. David Gaston Sylacauga, AL 11 26-07 52 $5,500.00
Day 1: 5 12-06 Day 2: 5 11-02 Day 3: 1 02-15
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

PHOENIX BOATS BIG BASS
Day
1 Justin Atkins Florence, AL 06-04 $1,000.00
2 Tucker Smith Birmingham, AL 05-09 $1,000.00
3 Mark Menendez Paducah, KY 06-00 $1,000.00

-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Totals
Day #Limits #Fish Weight
1 87 476 1138-10
2 80 462 1097-06
3 32 218 518-02
----------------------------------
199 1156 2754-02

by AnglersChannel

Wheeler Secures Championship Berth with Qualifying Round Win at Suzuki Marine Stage 4 Presented by Plano

Tennessee pro advances directly to Championship Round with two-day total of 26 bass weighing 78-12 on O.H. Ivie, 2nd through 25th advance to Saturday’s Knockout Round on Lake Brownwood

EARLY, Texas (March 27, 2026) – When Jacob Wheeler launched on Lake O.H. Ivie for the second day of the Qualifying Round at the Major League Fishing (MLF) Bass Pro Tour Suzuki Marine Stage 4 Presented by Plano , the Day 1 leader was unsure whether he wanted to try to win the round and earn the automatic trip to the Championship Round.

Eight hours later, after lines out, Wheeler joked that he was “still unsure.” But while he never fully committed to holding the top spot on SCORETRACKER®, the bass made his decision for him.

Wheeler added 13 scorable bass for 24 pounds, 12 ounces on Friday to win the Qualifying Round with a two-day total of 78-12. That cleared second-place Wesley Strader by more than 12 pounds.

“I was just like, the hell with it,” Wheeler said. “When you can get a good finish, take a guaranteed good finish.”

As a result, Wheeler will skip Saturday’s Knockout Round, which will pit the rest of the Top 25 finishers on a new fishery in Lake Brownwood. Wheeler will join the top nine anglers from that round in Sunday’s Championship Round, where he’ll try to extend his Bass Pro Tour-best win total to 11.

Wheeler may have wrestled with the decision, but said he ultimately caught enough fish to keep himself atop the leaderboard all day Friday because he doesn’t know Lake Brownwood well enough to guarantee he’d make the Top 10 via the Knockout Round. He thinks spending Saturday on the fishery, which is about 75 miles northwest of O.H. Ivie, would help his chances of winning the event. Then again, you can’t win if you’re not in the final-day field, and he’s now guaranteed that.

“If I was super dialed in on Brownwood, I probably would have just laid up today, because I would have caught them (Saturday morning), and then I would have been able to go practice,” Wheeler explained. “But I’m not super dialed.”

He won’t be entering the Championship Round blind, though. Wheeler fished two days on Brownwood during the 2024 Patriot Cup, a Fishing Clash Team Series event in which he competed alongside Dustin Connell. He also spent about seven hours of the three-day official practice window on the lake.

“I have enough stuff there that I feel like I’ll catch some bass, and I know the lake well enough because I fished two days of a Team Series event there,” he said. “So, I know how it sets up. I'll be able to go run around a little bit, which will be important.”

Wheeler also said he won the round because he couldn’t resist the topwater frog bite he found Friday morning.

Late on Day 1, Wheeler spied a school of bass busting on shad, and he quickly caught four scorable bass on a frog and a swim jig. He returned to that spot Friday morning and was able to generate some explosive blowups as he stacked nine scorable bass for 23-11 on SCORETRACKER® in the first 70 minutes.

“I’m a topwater addict,” Wheeler said. “I love throwing topwater baits. If I could only have one bait to throw the rest of my life, it would have to be a topwater. So, when I get the opportunity to throw a frog in heavy cover, and they’re blowing it out of the water and eating it and coming 4 foot out of the water with it, you can’t ask for anything more. It was a lot of fun.”

Wheeler solved a tricky bite on O.H. Ivie with a two-pronged approach. He caught most of his weight on Day 1 flipping a Rapala CrushCity Bronco Bug to flooded bushes in 5 to 8 feet of water, targeting spawning bass in doing so.

“Those fish were spawning a little bit deeper on those bushes, and that was definitely the best deal,” he said. “Really taking your time and fishing around slowly – trying to pitch to the outside of the bush first, then fish the center of it. Because the center of it, you’re going to get the bite, but typically you’re going to lose them. So, being methodical, being smart about the entry and the exit helped me throughout the week.”

That bite faded as the tournament progressed. Wheeler attributed that to the fish being in between spawning waves, so more were leaving the beds than arriving. He adjusted by targeting schools feeding on shad with the aforementioned reaction baits – a pattern several anglers exploited for hot starts on Day 2.

Taking advantage of the morning bite proved pivotal, as the action slowed for everyone as the sun got higher and the wind gained steam. Wheeler amassed 48-11 of his 78-12 total during the opening periods on Thursday and Friday.

“You had a little bit of a shad spawn in the morning, and also you just were able to fish those bushes so much more efficiently without the wind,” Wheeler said.

Wheeler will spend Saturday strategizing for his 41st Championship Round in 63 career Bass Pro Tour events. But that’s not all he has on the docket. He’s also hoping to pull off a last-minute turkey hunt, followed by a hunt for his first win of 2026 on Sunday.

Weights were stacked tight around the Lucas Oil Cut Line throughout the two Qualifying Round days, and for the second event in a row, the final spot in the Knockout Round field (and the last $15,000 check) was decided by tiebreaker.

Mitchell Robinson and Colby Miller both finished with 33-2, but Robinson won the tiebreaker thanks to his 7-1 big bass. He also caught a 6-14 on Friday, and those two big bites accounted for more than 40 percent of his total. Anthony Gagliardi and Nick LeBrun also finished one scorable bass shy of making the cut.

None of the double-digit giants that O.H. Ivie has been known to produce made an appearance at this event, but we did see two 8-pounders on Friday. Jacob Walker earned Berkley Big Bass honors for an 8-7 brute. That narrowly edged Wesley Strader, who caught an 8-4 as part of a furious start that saw him catch nine scorable bass for 31-2 in the first 35 minutes after lines in.

The top 25 pros that now advance in competition at Suzuki Marine Stage 4 Presented by Plano are:

*1st: Jacob Wheeler, Birchwood, Tenn., 26 bass, 78-12 – ADVANCES TO CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND
2nd:        Wesley Strader, Spring City, Tenn., 23 bass, 66-10
3rd: Marshall Hughes, Hemphill, Texas, 22 bass, 59-15
4th:         Michael Neal, Dayton, Tenn., 16 bass, 54-0
5th:         Bradley Roy, Lancaster, Ky., 17 bass, 48-5
6th:         Ron Nelson, Berrien Springs, Mich., 12 bass, 45-15
7th:         Takahiro Omori, Emory, Texas, 14 bass, 45-13
8th:         Brent Chapman, Lenexa, Kan., 16 bass, 45-6
9th:         David Dudley, Lynchburg, Va., 17 bass, 45-6
10th: Zack Birge, Blanchard, Okla., 18 bass, 44-6
11th: Greg Vinson, Wetumpka, Ala., 16 bass, 44-0
12th: Mark Rose, Wynne, Ark., 12 bass, 40-14
13th: Drew Gill, Mount Carmel, Ill., 13 bass, 40-14
14th: Adrian Avena, Marmora, N.J., 12 bass, 40-7
15th: Matt Becker, Ten Mile, Tenn., 12 bass, 39-10
16th: Bryan Thrift, Shelby, N.C., 14 bass, 38-14
17th: Brent Ehrler, Redlands, Calif., 13 bass, 38-1
18th: Jeff Sprague, Wills Point, Texas, 12 bass, 38-0
19th: James Elam, Cleveland, Okla., 15 bass, 37-15
20th: Jacob Walker, Springville, Ala., 12 bass, 37-11
21st: Alton Jones Jr., Lorena, Texas, nine bass, 37-9
22nd: Cole Floyd, Leesburg, Ohio, 12 bass, 36-8
23rd: Casey Ashley, Donalds, S.C., 11 bass, 35-7
24th: Justin Lucas, Guntersville, Ala., 14 bass, 34-7
25th: Mitchell Robinson, Landrum, S.C., eight bass, 33-2

A complete list of results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

Overall, there were 262 bass weighing 788 pounds, 8 ounces, caught by the 51 Bass Pro Tour anglers on Friday.

Friday’s $1,000 Berkley Big Bass Award was earned by Jacob Walker of Springville, Alabama, who caught an 8-pound, 7-ounce largemouth in the first period on a jighead minnow. Berkley awards $1,000 to the angler who weighs the heaviest bass each day.

The full field of anglers competed in the two-day Qualifying Round on Thursday and Friday on O.H. Ivie. With the two-day Qualifying Round now complete, the pro with the heaviest two-day total – Jacob Wheeler – now advances directly to Sunday’s Championship Round. Anglers that finished 2nd through 25th now advance to Saturday’s Knockout Round on Lake Brownwood. In the Knockout Round, weights are zeroed, and the remaining anglers compete to finish in the top nine to advance to Sunday’s Championship Round. In the final-day Championship Round on Lake Brownwood, weights are zeroed, and the highest one-day total wins the top prize of $125,000.

Anglers will arrive Saturday and Sunday (March 28-29) at 6:15 a.m. CT to the Brownwood Reservoir Public Boat Ramp, located at 621 Spillway Road in Brownwood, Texas. Anglers will return to Brownwood Reservoir Public Boat Ramp each evening following the end of competition at 3:45 p.m. Fans are welcome to attend all launch and takeout events and also encouraged to watch the event live online throughout the day on the MLFNOW!® livestream and follow along with SCORETRACKER® coverage at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

The MLFNOW!® broadcast team of Chad McKee and J.T. Kenney will break down the extended action live each day of competition from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. CT. MLFNOW!® will be livestreamed on MajorLeagueFishing.com , the MyOutdoorTV (MOTV) app and Rumble.

On Saturday and Sunday, March 28-29, from 3–6 p.m., MLF invites fans of all ages to the Early Town Center, located at 109 Kelcy Way in Early, for the MLF Fan Experience & Watch Party. Fans can watch the Bass Pro Tour pros live on the MLFNOW!® big screen, enjoy free food for the first 100 fans each day, enter hourly giveaways, browse MLF merchandise and the bargain bait bin, and cheer on their favorite anglers. Youth of all ages can take part in a fishing derby (gear and bait provided, weather permitting) and a casting contest. Live music with C.J. Briscoe and Caleb Wilbourn begins at 4 p.m., followed by Top 10 angler interviews and the trophy presentation at 5 p.m., including autographs and photos with Bass Pro Tour finalists. The first 50 kids ages 14 and under will receive a free rod and reel each day.

Student anglers from 6th grade through college are invited to join MLF pros at the free Columbia PFG Student Angler Clinic on Saturday, March 28, from 2–6 p.m. The clinic will also be held at Early Town Center, located at 109 Kelcy Way in Early, and offers a unique opportunity for students to learn from Bass Pro Tour pros, gain hands-on fishing instruction and compete in the national MLF Casting Competition. Click HERE for more details and to register for the event.

by AnglersChannel

Gore gets it done for Bassmaster Elite lead at the Tenn-Tom

COLUMBUS, Miss. — Wesley Gore knew he had options, but his commitment to local waters delivered a limit of 17 pounds, 15 ounces that moved him atop the leaderboard at the Mountain Dew Bassmaster Elite at Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway.

After placing fifth on Day 1 with 16-8, the Clanton, Ala., pro went on to tally 34-7. Gore heads into Semifinal Saturday with a lead of 2-7 over Dakota Ebare.

“I had another great day on the water,” Gore said. “It was a grind. I had seven keeper bites again, but I feel like I’m doing the right thing to win.”

While many of his competitors locked up and down from the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway’s Columbus Pool, where the tournament is based, Gore again took locking off the table and afforded himself maximum fishing time.

“I really wasn’t on anything,” Gore said of his practice results. “I felt like I could run down to Aliceville and catch 8-10 pounds, but I felt like if I stayed in Columbus, I might not catch a limit, but I would catch one or two big ones.

“I took that gamble the first day and slowly but surely, we have put it together every day. Hopefully, we can put it back together tomorrow and see where it goes.”

Gore said his day was a mix of yesterday’s water and a few new spots.

“I made a slight adjustment today and I moved areas,” Gore said. “The place I caught them yesterday, I only left there with two fish, but they were both 5-pounders.

“I went to some of my other areas and filled my limit with some small keepers and then went into a place where I had a decent bite in practice and culled two more. I had one really nice one, almost a 4-pounder, and a 2-pounder.”

Gore said he’s fishing backwater areas and catching his fish around grass. Some of his areas have standing timber, but the wood is purely incidental.

“I actually wish it wasn’t there,” Gore said of the timber. “It just gets in the way.”

While he kept his details brief, Gore said he’s using two moving baits, both of which have uniquely appealing visual features that seem to be helping him entice fish in the stained water.

“I’m fishing slowly, but quick,” Gore said. “I’m moving very slowly, but making a lot of casts and fishing fast-moving baits, trying to trigger those bigger bites.”

Gore said he’s planning to open his third day by picking up where he left off, but he’s mindful of the impending weather impacts that likely will shuffle the deck.

“We have a big front coming in and it’s gonna blow really hard out of the north and the temperature is gonna drop,” he said. “Tomorrow is gonna be a very challenging day and we gotta keep an open mind, get out there and hopefully catch a few of the right ones.

“It’s gonna be cold and, in the springtime, they don’t like that. If it’s meant to be, it’ll happen.”

Ebare, who makes his home in Brookeland, Texas, is in second place with 32 pounds. Coming off a ninth-place finish at the Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Classic presented by Under Armour, Ebare caught a Day 1 limit of 13-10 and tied Buddy Gross for 16th place.

The second round of competition saw him add 18-6 — the day’s heaviest bag — and make a significant move up the leaderboard.

“I had a couple of big bites yesterday that I just missed my bait, so I had an opportunity to have a big bag yesterday,” Ebare said. “Today, I was just able to capitalize on a few bites that I got.

“I feel like there’s some good quality around me, but I’m not getting a lot of bites. I’m just having to keep my head down, stay positive and keep fishing.”

Ebare said he’s has been locking down one pool and catching his fish on a technique that’s different from his nearby competitors. Timing, he said, has been the most important detail.

“You can definitely fish through an area, turn around and fish right back through it and get bit,” he said. “This morning, I caught my first keeper on a stretch I had just fished. I didn’t get bit so I turned right back around and I caught one.

“It’s just staying positive and having fun with it. You know it’s gonna be tough, but that’s just a river system.”

John Garrett of Union City, Tenn., is in third place with 29-6. His daily weights were 12-6 and 17-0.

“It started good and ended good; I caught good fish all day long,” Garrett said of his day. “I had 10 quality bites.”

Garrett said he returned to the same general area he fished on Day 1, but he targeted different stretches. A change in wind direction muddied some of what he fished a day prior, so he moved around to locate favorable clarity.

“I fished shallow and catch them on jigs, crankbaits and flipping baits,” Garrett said. “I’m just targeting good cover. You have a lot of grass, you have a lot of cypress trees, but I’m targeting the better grass, the better cypress trees — stuff that has 1-2 feet of water on it.

“You have a lot of cover here that’s in less than a foot and you have some cover that has too much water on it. So finding the right depth zone with cover is key.”

Justin Atkins of Florence, Ala., holds the Phoenix Boats Big Bass lead with a 6-4.

Garrett leads the Progressive Bassmaster Angler of the Year points with 267. Ebare is in second with 253, followed by Cory Johnston of Otonabee, Canada with 251, Brock Mosley of Collinsville, Miss., with 241, and Drew Cook of Cairo, Ga., with 235.

Saturday’s takeoff is scheduled for 7 a.m. CT at Columbus Marina. The weigh-in will be held at the marina at 3 p.m.

Saturday's Bassmaster LIVE action will be available on FS1 from 8-11 a.m. ET before heading to Fox from Noon-3 p.m. On Sunday, March 29 action can be found on FS1 from 8-11 a.m. before heading to Bassmaster.com for afternoon coverage. All weigh-ins will be available live on Bassmaster.com starting at 4 p.m. ET.

Visit Columbus is hosting this event.

2026 Bassmaster Elite Series Title Sponsor: Progressive

About B.A.S.S.

-30-

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

Media Contact: Mandy Pascal, Communications Manager, 334-414-8677, [email protected]

2026 Bassmaster Elite Series at Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway 3/26-3/29
Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway, Columbus MS.
(PROFESSIONAL) Standings Day 2

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

1. Wesley Gore Clanton, AL 10 34-07 101
Day 1: 5 16-08 Day 2: 5 17-15
2. Dakota Ebare Brookeland, TX 10 32-00 100
Day 1: 5 13-10 Day 2: 5 18-06
3. John Garrett Union City, TN 10 29-06 99
Day 1: 5 12-06 Day 2: 5 17-00
4. Buddy Gross Chattanooga, TN 10 29-03 98
Day 1: 5 13-10 Day 2: 5 15-09
5. Jason Christie Dry Creek, OK 10 28-15 97
Day 1: 5 12-05 Day 2: 5 16-10
6. Seth Feider Elko New Market, MN 10 28-15 96
Day 1: 5 15-09 Day 2: 5 13-06
7. Michael Iaconelli Pitts Grove, NJ 10 28-12 95
Day 1: 5 17-11 Day 2: 5 11-01
8. Randy Howell Guntersville, AL 10 28-07 94
Day 1: 5 17-12 Day 2: 5 10-11
9. Pake South Winnsboro, TX 10 28-06 93
Day 1: 5 16-02 Day 2: 5 12-04
10. Bill Lowen Brookville, IN 10 28-04 92
Day 1: 5 17-14 Day 2: 5 10-06
11. Luke Palmer Atoka, OK 10 28-04 91
Day 1: 5 12-09 Day 2: 5 15-11
12. Justin Atkins Florence, AL 10 27-12 90 $1,000.00
Day 1: 5 15-07 Day 2: 5 12-05
13. Shane LeHew Catawba, NC 10 27-11 89
Day 1: 5 13-09 Day 2: 5 14-02
14. Keith Combs Huntington, TX 10 27-07 88
Day 1: 5 12-11 Day 2: 5 14-12
15. Tucker Smith Birmingham, AL 10 27-05 87 $1,000.00
Day 1: 5 12-03 Day 2: 5 15-02
16. Tyler Rivet Raceland, LA 10 27-03 86
Day 1: 5 10-10 Day 2: 5 16-09
17. Hunter Shryock Ooltewah, TN 10 26-13 85
Day 1: 5 11-14 Day 2: 5 14-15
18. Brandon Cobb Greenwood, SC 10 26-13 84
Day 1: 5 12-05 Day 2: 5 14-08
19. Gregory DiPalma Millville, NJ 10 26-12 83
Day 1: 5 13-08 Day 2: 5 13-04
20. Paul Marks Cumming, GA 10 26-10 82
Day 1: 5 14-10 Day 2: 5 12-00
21. Cliff Pace Ovett, MS 10 26-02 81
Day 1: 5 13-13 Day 2: 5 12-05
22. Lee Livesay Longview, TX 10 26-02 80
Day 1: 5 13-03 Day 2: 5 12-15
23. David Mullins Mt Carmel, TN 10 26-00 79
Day 1: 5 12-03 Day 2: 5 13-13
24. Jacob Powroznik North Prince George, VA 10 25-14 78
Day 1: 5 11-03 Day 2: 5 14-11
25. Mark Menendez Paducah, KY 10 25-11 77
Day 1: 5 12-10 Day 2: 5 13-01
26. Jordan Lee Cullman, AL 9 25-08 76
Day 1: 5 15-13 Day 2: 4 09-11
27. Kyoya Fujita Yamanashi CA JAPAN 10 25-08 75
Day 1: 5 12-04 Day 2: 5 13-04
28. Brandon Palaniuk Rathdrum, ID 10 25-01 74
Day 1: 5 16-15 Day 2: 5 08-02
29. Wes Logan Springville, AL 10 25-01 73
Day 1: 5 10-07 Day 2: 5 14-10
30. Cole Sands Johnson City, TN 10 24-15 72
Day 1: 5 13-05 Day 2: 5 11-10
31. Cory Johnston Otonabee CANADA 10 24-14 71
Day 1: 5 10-14 Day 2: 5 14-00
32. Drew Cook Cairo, GA 10 24-13 70
Day 1: 5 13-05 Day 2: 5 11-08
33. Austin Felix Eden Prairie, MN 10 24-12 69
Day 1: 5 12-14 Day 2: 5 11-14
34. Russ Lane Prattville, AL 10 24-08 68
Day 1: 5 11-05 Day 2: 5 13-03
35. Brock Mosley Collinsville, MS 10 24-06 67
Day 1: 5 13-06 Day 2: 5 11-00
36. Andrew Loberg Guntersville, AL 10 24-06 66
Day 1: 5 13-02 Day 2: 5 11-04
37. Caleb Hudson Lincolnton, GA 10 24-05 65
Day 1: 5 10-08 Day 2: 5 13-13
38. Tyler Williams Barnett, MO 10 24-04 64
Day 1: 5 14-07 Day 2: 5 09-13
39. Steve Kennedy Auburn, AL 10 24-02 63
Day 1: 5 13-15 Day 2: 5 10-03
40. Cody Meyer Eagle, ID 10 24-01 62
Day 1: 5 14-03 Day 2: 5 09-14
41. Chris Johnston Peterborough Ontario CA 10 23-14 61
Day 1: 5 11-04 Day 2: 5 12-10
42. Jeff Gustafson Kenora, ON Ontario CANA 10 23-12 60
Day 1: 5 12-00 Day 2: 5 11-12
43. Drew Benton Panama City, FL 10 23-10 59
Day 1: 5 14-07 Day 2: 5 09-03
44. Bob Downey Detroit Lakes, MN 10 23-10 58
Day 1: 5 11-03 Day 2: 5 12-07
45. David Gaston Sylacauga, AL 10 23-08 57
Day 1: 5 12-06 Day 2: 5 11-02
46. Carl Jocumsen Queensland TN AUSTRALIA 9 23-03 56
Day 1: 5 12-07 Day 2: 4 10-12
47. Jay Przekurat Stevens Point, WI 10 22-12 55
Day 1: 5 10-01 Day 2: 5 12-11
48. JT Thompkins Myrtle Beach, SC 10 22-10 54
Day 1: 5 10-03 Day 2: 5 12-07
49. Scott Canterbury Odenville, AL 10 22-08 53
Day 1: 5 11-03 Day 2: 5 11-05
50. Trey McKinney Carbondale, IL 10 22-07 52
Day 1: 5 10-08 Day 2: 5 11-15
51. Brandon Lester Fayetteville, TN 10 22-03 51
Day 1: 5 10-03 Day 2: 5 12-00
52. John Cox Debary, FL 9 21-14 50
Day 1: 5 11-13 Day 2: 4 10-01
53. Beau Browning Hot Springs, AR 10 21-14 49
Day 1: 5 11-06 Day 2: 5 10-08
54. Jacob Foutz Philadelphia, TN 10 21-11 48
Day 1: 5 11-02 Day 2: 5 10-09
55. John Crews Jr Salem, VA 10 21-11 47
Day 1: 5 11-01 Day 2: 5 10-10
56. Easton Fothergill Grand Rapids , MN 10 21-09 46
Day 1: 5 11-02 Day 2: 5 10-07
57. Matt Arey Shelby, NC 10 21-06 45
Day 1: 5 11-03 Day 2: 5 10-03
58. Chris Zaldain Boyd, TX 10 21-04 44
Day 1: 5 08-15 Day 2: 5 12-05
59. Robert Gee Knoxville, TN 9 21-02 43
Day 1: 4 08-14 Day 2: 5 12-04
60. Bryant Smith Roseville, CA 10 21-01 42
Day 1: 5 11-01 Day 2: 5 10-00
61. Tristan McCormick Bon Aqua, TN 9 21-00 41
Day 1: 4 09-03 Day 2: 5 11-13
62. Bryan New Leesville, SC 8 21-00 40
Day 1: 3 09-04 Day 2: 5 11-12
63. Jason Williamson Aiken, SC 10 21-00 39
Day 1: 5 11-06 Day 2: 5 09-10
64. Alex Redwine Blue Ash, OH 10 20-15 38
Day 1: 5 09-12 Day 2: 5 11-03
65. KJ Queen Catawba, NC 10 20-15 37
Day 1: 5 10-08 Day 2: 5 10-07
66. Emil Wagner Marietta, GA 9 20-14 36
Day 1: 5 11-15 Day 2: 4 08-15
67. Nick Trim Galesville, WI 10 20-08 35
Day 1: 5 10-13 Day 2: 5 09-11
68. Sam Hanggi Knoxville, TN 10 20-08 34
Day 1: 5 09-14 Day 2: 5 10-10
69. Patrick Walters Eutawville, SC 10 20-04 33
Day 1: 5 10-03 Day 2: 5 10-01
70. Taku Ito Dalton GA JAPAN 9 20-03 32
Day 1: 5 13-04 Day 2: 4 06-15
71. Cody Huff Ava, MO 8 19-15 31
Day 1: 5 13-05 Day 2: 3 06-10
72. Kyle Patrick Cooperstown, NY 10 19-13 30

by AnglersChannel

Lowen plays familiar game for Bassmaster Elite lead at Tenn-Tom

COLUMBUS, Miss. — Bill Lowen may not have the full picture in sight, but the Brookville, Ind., pro found enough clarity to sack up a 5-bass limit of 17 pounds, 14 ounces and lead Day 1 of the Mountain Dew Bassmaster Elite at Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway.

Holding a 2-ounce lead over Randy Howell, Lowen said this week’s fishery, aka the “Tenn-Tom,” fits squarely in his wheelhouse.

“I don’t know if I figured it out; I’ve never been here before,” Lowen said. “The first day of practice, I just (randomly selected an area) and just fished where I know the fish are going to.

“My first three spots I fished in practice, I had a lot of bites. I went to two of those today and caught what I caught. I didn’t feel like I needed to go to the other stuff because I didn’t want to burn any just keeper bass.”

Lowen locked up from the local pool and stuck with two main areas where he was able to fish in solitude. He didn’t catch a significant number of fish, but he managed to find glimmers of quality.

“It was a fun day; I love fishing rivers, I love fishing shallow and I’m fishing the way I love to fish,” Lowen said. “I was fortunate to get three of the right bites. It’s not easy to get those big bites.

“The biggest fish I caught in practice was probably not even 3 pounds. So to get three of those bites today, I was pretty surprised.”

Essential to that goal was Lowen’s comfort level. Knowing he’d have to break down a new and sprawling fishery, Lowen put himself in familiar territory.

“When you have three days of practice on somewhere you’ve never been, I try to make a body of water fit me,” Lowen said. “This pool (where the event is located) and the next one down are massive. They have a tremendous amount of backwaters and creeks. The next pool up, to me, didn’t have a lot, so it was more manageable.

“I felt like I needed to find key little stretches in that pool that had bites on them. That’s the big thing on this river — the fish aren’t everywhere. They’re in key little areas, 100-yard stretches, and if you can find enough of those, I think you’ll be in good shape.”

The best areas, Lowen said, were hard bottom patches that served the fish’s current spawning needs.

Lowen held his cards low on bait selection, but he said he caught all of his fish on a single reaction lure. Presentation was also classified, but Lowen said a particular detail was the linchpin to his success.

“I caught fish all throughout the day until it was time to come back,” he said. “When I locked back through, I culled one time that helped.”

As for Day 2, Lowen said he’ll return to where he caught his first-round fish. He’s optimistic that he left plenty of untouched potential, along with a few missed opportunities that might be in a more committal mood.

“I missed a lot of fish early this morning in the low light; no giants, but good, solid 2 1/2- to 2 3/4-pound fish,” Lowen said. “I probably had an opportunity at a dozen more that just didn’t get the bait.

“The biggest fish I caught — almost 6 pounds — she missed my bait. I circled back about 10 minutes later and she got it.”

Hailing from Guntersville, Ala., Howell is in second place with 17-12. Locking to the next pool down from Columbus, Howell’s productivity exceeded his expectations.

“It was a good day; I didn’t have a giant, but I was very blessed to catch some good quality fish,” Howell said. “I had a 4 1/2- and one almost 4, and it’s usually hard to catch much more than that on this place, with all the people fishing around you.

“Throughout the day, I caught three more that were 3- to 3 1/4 pounds in about an hour, so it was really a good little flurry I had. I knew the area I was in had the potential for a bag like that and everything worked out perfectly to catch it. I just timed it right and it all just worked out.”

Howell was targeting bed fish, but his area’s lower water clarity prevented sight fishing. Targeting hard bottom and grass patches, he fished a mix of Yamamoto Flappin’ Hog, Yamamoto Senko, a Hawg Caller Spinnerbait and a Livingston topwater.

“It seems like anywhere you’d get one or two fish, you’d get a lot of fish in the one spot,” Howell said. “All my fish came out of two small areas.”

Mike Iaconelli of Pittsgrove, N.J., is in third place with 17-11. Noting that a key environmental factor significantly impacted his area, Iaconelli attributes his opening-round success to adjustment.

“Some guys are going through one, two, even three locks, but I wrote that off; I said, ‘I want to stay close,’” Iaconelli said. “The water level dropped (several) inches from when I practice this area. When I got in there, I went a couple hours and didn’t have a keeper.”

Iaconelli surmised that with several anglers locking elsewhere, the water drawn through the locks to transport boats to the next pool decreased the local water level. Once he determined that this depth change was the likely culprit, Iaconelli made a key move and started catching fish.

“I made an adjustment to an area that was close to my starting area, but it was the first deep water access near this area and they all went there,” Iaconelli said. “It worked in my favor because they were scattered before, when the water was up 4-6 inches, but now, they were more concentrated.

“My three best ones that I caught today were literally back-to-back-to-back casts. There were a lot of boats fishing around me and I don’t think some of those guys pick up on that little adjustment. It was just a good game-time decision.”

Iaconelli caught his fish with flipping and winding presentations. The latter produced his better bites.

Justin Atkins of Florence, Ala., holds the Phoenix Boats Big Bass lead with a 6-4.

Brock Mosley of Collinsville, Miss., leads the Progressive Bassmaster Angler of the Year points with 255. Cody Meyer of Eagle, Idaho, is in second with 251, followed by Drew Cook or Cairo, Ga. with 245, Dakota Ebare or Brookeland, Texas with 239 and John Garrett of Union City, Tenn. with 235.

Friday’s takeoff is scheduled for 7 a.m. CT at Columbus Marina. The weigh-in will be held at the marina at 3 p.m.

Bassmaster LIVE will be available all four days of the event, starting on Bassmaster.com and Roku March 26 and March 27. FS1 will host the morning session on March 28 from 8-11 a.m. ET before heading to FOX from Noon-3 p.m. On Sunday, March 29 action can be found on FS1 from 8-11 a.m. before heading to Bassmaster.com for afternoon coverage. All weigh-ins will be available live on Bassmaster.com starting at 4 p.m. ET.

Visit Columbus is this event.

2026 Bassmaster Elite Series Title Sponsor: Progressive

About B.A.S.S.

-30-

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

Media Contact: Mandy Pascal, Communications Manager, 334-414-8677, [email protected]

2026 Bassmaster Elite Series at Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway 3/26-3/29
Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway, Columbus MS.
(PROFESSIONAL) Standings Day 1

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

1. Bill Lowen Brookville, IN 5 17-14 101
Day 1: 5 17-14
2. Randy Howell Guntersville, AL 5 17-12 100
Day 1: 5 17-12
3. Michael Iaconelli Pitts Grove, NJ 5 17-11 99
Day 1: 5 17-11
4. Brandon Palaniuk Rathdrum, ID 5 16-15 98
Day 1: 5 16-15
5. Wesley Gore Clanton, AL 5 16-08 97
Day 1: 5 16-08
6. Pake South Winnsboro, TX 5 16-02 96
Day 1: 5 16-02
7. Jordan Lee Cullman, AL 5 15-13 95
Day 1: 5 15-13
8. Seth Feider Elko New Market, MN 5 15-09 94
Day 1: 5 15-09
9. Justin Atkins Florence, AL 5 15-07 93 $1,000.00
Day 1: 5 15-07
10. Paul Marks Cumming, GA 5 14-10 92
Day 1: 5 14-10
11. Drew Benton Panama City, FL 5 14-07 91
Day 1: 5 14-07
11. Tyler Williams Barnett, MO 5 14-07 91
Day 1: 5 14-07
13. Cody Meyer Eagle, ID 5 14-03 89
Day 1: 5 14-03
14. Steve Kennedy Auburn, AL 5 13-15 88
Day 1: 5 13-15
15. Cliff Pace Ovett, MS 5 13-13 87
Day 1: 5 13-13
16. Dakota Ebare Brookeland, TX 5 13-10 86
Day 1: 5 13-10
16. Buddy Gross Chattanooga, TN 5 13-10 86
Day 1: 5 13-10
18. Shane LeHew Catawba, NC 5 13-09 84
Day 1: 5 13-09
18. Kyle Norsetter Cottage Grove, WI 5 13-09 84
Day 1: 5 13-09
20. Gregory DiPalma Millville, NJ 5 13-08 82
Day 1: 5 13-08
21. Brock Mosley Collinsville, MS 5 13-06 81
Day 1: 5 13-06
22. Drew Cook Cairo, GA 5 13-05 80
Day 1: 5 13-05
22. Cody Huff Ava, MO 5 13-05 80
Day 1: 5 13-05
22. Cole Sands Johnson City, TN 5 13-05 80
Day 1: 5 13-05
25. Taku Ito Dalton GA JAPAN 5 13-04 77
Day 1: 5 13-04
26. Lee Livesay Longview, TX 5 13-03 76
Day 1: 5 13-03
27. Andrew Loberg Guntersville, AL 5 13-02 75
Day 1: 5 13-02
28. Austin Felix Eden Prairie, MN 5 12-14 74
Day 1: 5 12-14
29. Keith Combs Huntington, TX 5 12-11 73
Day 1: 5 12-11
30. Justin Hamner Northport, AL 5 12-10 72
Day 1: 5 12-10
30. Mark Menendez Paducah, KY 5 12-10 72
Day 1: 5 12-10
32. Luke Palmer Atoka, OK 5 12-09 70
Day 1: 5 12-09
33. Brad Whatley Bivins, TX 5 12-08 69
Day 1: 5 12-08
34. Carl Jocumsen Queensland TN AUSTRALIA 5 12-07 68
Day 1: 5 12-07
35. John Garrett Union City, TN 5 12-06 67
Day 1: 5 12-06
35. David Gaston Sylacauga, AL 5 12-06 67
Day 1: 5 12-06
37. Jason Christie Dry Creek, OK 5 12-05 65
Day 1: 5 12-05
37. Brandon Cobb Greenwood, SC 5 12-05 65
Day 1: 5 12-05
39. Kyoya Fujita Yamanashi CA JAPAN 5 12-04 63
Day 1: 5 12-04
40. Tucker Smith Birmingham, AL 5 12-03 62
Day 1: 5 12-03
41. David Mullins Mt Carmel, TN 5 12-03 61
Day 1: 5 12-03
42. Jeff Gustafson Kenora, ON Ontario CANA 5 12-00 60
Day 1: 5 12-00
43. Emil Wagner Marietta, GA 5 11-15 59
Day 1: 5 11-15
44. Hunter Shryock Ooltewah, TN 5 11-14 58
Day 1: 5 11-14
45. John Cox Debary, FL 5 11-13 57
Day 1: 5 11-13
46. Bryan Schmitt Deale, MD 5 11-08 56
Day 1: 5 11-08
47. Beau Browning Hot Springs, AR 5 11-06 55
Day 1: 5 11-06
47. Brandon Card Salisbury, NC 5 11-06 55
Day 1: 5 11-06
47. Jason Williamson Aiken, SC 5 11-06 55
Day 1: 5 11-06
50. Russ Lane Prattville, AL 5 11-05 52
Day 1: 5 11-05
51. Chris Johnston Peterborough Ontario CA 5 11-04 51
Day 1: 5 11-04
52. Matt Arey Shelby, NC 5 11-03 50
Day 1: 5 11-03
52. Scott Canterbury Odenville, AL 5 11-03 50
Day 1: 5 11-03
52. Bob Downey Detroit Lakes, MN 5 11-03 50
Day 1: 5 11-03
52. Jacob Powroznik North Prince George, VA 5 11-03 50
Day 1: 5 11-03
56. Easton Fothergill Grand Rapids , MN 5 11-02 46
Day 1: 5 11-02
56. Jacob Foutz Philadelphia, TN 5 11-02 46
Day 1: 5 11-02
58. John Crews Jr Salem, VA 5 11-01 44
Day 1: 5 11-01
58. Bryant Smith Roseville, CA 5 11-01 44
Day 1: 5 11-01
60. Will Davis Jr Sylacauga, AL 5 11-00 42
Day 1: 5 11-00
61. Cory Johnston Otonabee CANADA 5 10-14 41
Day 1: 5 10-14
62. Nick Trim Galesville, WI 5 10-13 40
Day 1: 5 10-13
63. Jake Whitaker Hendersonville, NC 5 10-11 39
Day 1: 5 10-11
64. Tyler Rivet Raceland, LA 5 10-10 38
Day 1: 5 10-10
65. Caleb Hudson Lincolnton, GA 5 10-08 37
Day 1: 5 10-08
65. Trey McKinney Carbondale, IL 5 10-08 37
Day 1: 5 10-08
65. KJ Queen Catawba, NC 5 10-08 37
Day 1: 5 10-08
68. Wes Logan Springville, AL 5 10-07 34
Day 1: 5 10-07
69. Brandon Lester Fayetteville, TN 5 10-03 33
Day 1: 5 10-03
69. JT Thompkins Myrtle Beach, SC 5 10-03 33
Day 1: 5 10-03
69. Patrick Walters Eutawville, SC 5 10-03 33
Day 1: 5 10-03
72. Pat Schlapper Eleva, WI 5 10-02 30
Day 1: 5 10-02
73. Clifford Pirch Payson, AZ 5 10-01 29
Day 1: 5 10-01
73. Jay Przekurat Stevens Point, WI 5 10-01 29
Day 1: 5 10-01
75. Aaron Jagdfeld Rochester Hills, MI 5 10-00 27
Day 1: 5 10-00
76. Logan Parks Auburn, AL 5 09-15 26
Day 1: 5 09-15
77. Sam Hanggi Knoxville, TN 5 09-14 25
Day 1: 5 09-14
78. Alex Redwine Blue Ash, OH 5 09-12 24
Day 1: 5 09-12
79. Hank Cherry Jr Lincolnton, NC 4 09-08 23
Day 1: 4 09-08
80. Fisher Anaya Eva, AL 5 09-07 22
Day 1: 5 09-07
81. Stetson Blaylock Benton, AR 5 09-05 21
Day 1: 5 09-05
81. Brock Reinkemeyer Warsaw, MO 5 09-05 21
Day 1: 5 09-05
83. Blake Capps Muskogee, OK 3 09-05 19
Day 1: 3 09-05
84. Bryan New Leesville, SC 3 09-04 18
Day 1: 3 09-04
85. Tristan McCormick Bon Aqua, TN 4 09-03 17
Day 1: 4 09-03
86. Joey Cifuentes III Clinton, AR 5 09-02 16
Day 1: 5 09-02
86. Kyle Welcher Valley, AL 5 09-02 16
Day 1: 5 09-02
88. Chris Zaldain Boyd, TX 5 08-15 14
Day 1: 5 08-15
89. Robert Gee Knoxville, TN 4 08-14 13
Day 1: 4 08-14
90. Kyle Patrick Cooperstown, NY 5 08-13 12
Day 1: 5 08-13
91. Gerald Swindle Guntersville, AL 5 08-04 11
Day 1: 5 08-04
92. Matt Robertson Kuttawa, KY 5 07-15 10
Day 1: 5 07-15
93. Jamie Hartman Newport, NY 4 07-06 9
Day 1: 4 07-06
94. Austin Cranford Oklahoma City, OK 4 07-03 8
Day 1: 4 07-03
95. Kenta Kimura Osaka OK JAPAN 3 04-13 7
Day 1: 3 04-13
95. Caleb Sumrall New Iberia, LA 3 04-13 7
Day 1: 3 04-13
97. Caleb Kuphall Mukwonago, WI 3 04-11 5
Day 1: 3 04-11
98. Greg Hackney Gonzales, LA 2 04-06 4
Day 1: 2 04-06
99. Matt Messer Warfield, KY 2 03-15 3
Day 1: 2 03-15
100. Cooper Gallant Bowmanville Ontario CAN 2 03-10 2
Day 1: 2 03-10
101. Evan Kung Pickering Ontario CANAD 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

PHOENIX BOATS BIG BASS
Day
1 Justin Atkins Florence, AL 06-04 $1,000.00

-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Totals
Day #Limits #Fish Weight
1 87 476 1138-10
----------------------------------
87 476 1138-10

by AnglersChannel

Wheeler Leads After Day 1 at MLF Bass Pro Tour Suzuki Marine Stage 4 Presented by Plano

Tennessee pro catches 13 bass weighing 44 pounds even on O.H. Ivie to grab early lead, full field to compete in Friday’s Qualifying Round

EARLY, Texas (March 26, 2026) – Lake O.H. Ivie is known as a giant bass factory, but the first time Major League Fishing (MLF) anglers competed there – in the 2024 Patriot Cup as part of the Fishing Clash Team Series – the lake’s lunker largemouth remained elusive. Across three days of competition on O.H. Ivie, only two bass over 3 pounds hit SCORETRACKER®.

Hopes were higher when the Bass Pro Tour returned this week for Suzuki Marine Stage 4 Presented by Plano given the March timing and the fact that anglers were allowed to practice on the cover-filled lake. This time, it took all of 2 minutes for the first big one to show up.

Jacob Wheeler kicked off Day 1 of the Qualifying Round by boating a 7-pounder. While not quite one of the double-digit giants O.H. Ivie has been known to produce, that was one of three bass over 7 pounds and one of 23 over 5 caught by the 51-angler field on Thursday.

It also gave Wheeler the early lead. Though he traded the top spot with a few other pros throughout the day, that’s where he ended up. Wheeler totaled 44 pounds even on 13 scorable bass, which leads Brent Ehrler by 8-1. Behind him, the weights are tight, with less than 10 pounds separating Ehrler from Adrian Avena in eighth.

After practicing on O.H. Ivie, Wheeler knew he’d be around some fish, but he didn’t really know what to expect, having shaken off most of his bites.

When his first pitch with a Rapala CrushCity Bronco Bug to a fish he’d marked on a spawning bed yielded the 7-pounder, he figured he was in for a good day – the norm for the 10-time Bass Pro Tour champion.

“I started there, and first pitch, Bronco Bug, boom,” he said. “Set the hook, she came flying out of the water, 7-pounder. I’m like, ‘uhh, yeah. This is going to be a fun day.’”

Wheeler continued his strong start by adding a 4-2, a 5-3 and a 5-14 – all in the first period. At the end of the opening frame, he led with 25-0 on five bass. He noted that his day could have been even better, as he hooked and lost a couple scorable bass, although he chalked that up to the reality of fishing amid the flooded forest that is O.H. Ivie.

“I think I was batting 75% or something like that flipping, which is not horrible,” he said. “I made a couple mistakes. One of them is sort of part of it; the other one, I shouldn’t have pulled on it as hard as I did. But everybody lost fish today. You just know it’s part of it. You can’t get too frustrated and flustered when you lose them.”

Wheeler spent most of his day slowly and steadily picking apart timber with the Bronco Bug. With about an hour left before lines out, he found a flurry in which he was able to use reaction baits to catch four scorable bass for 8-8 in the span of 10 minutes. That proved to be the difference between Wheeler and his pursuers. Wheeler admitted that was just “good fortune.”

“I’m not going to sit here and tell you I knew it was going to happen,” he said. “But it was a combination of being in the right place at the right time and being in a quality area that had a good number of fish.”

Now, it’s decision time for Wheeler. While most anglers would likely jump at the opportunity to win the Qualifying Round, which comes with an automatic berth in Sunday’s Championship Round, Wheeler remains unsure whether that’s in his best interests.

On one hand, the guaranteed Top 10 finish would help his quest for a fifth Fishing Clash Angler of the Year title in the past six years. He entered Stage 4 tied for second place in the standings, 4 points back of leader Zack Birge . But he thinks his chances of claiming BPT win No. 11 are better if he gets a feel for Lake Brownwood, which will host both the Knockout and Championship Rounds, prior to the final day.

The numbers back that up. In 10 previous BPT events held across multiple fisheries, no Qualifying Round winner has gone on to hoist the trophy.

“Probably a day on the water on Brownwood would be nice, because I feel like the odds of winning the tournament not spending a day out there, it would be tough,” Wheeler said. “But I'm not laying up. I really haven’t got into it, to be honest with you.”

The top 25 pros after Day 1 on O.H. Ivie are:

1st:          Jacob Wheeler, Birchwood, Tenn., 13 bass, 44-0
2nd:        Brent Ehrler, Redlands, Calif., 12 bass, 35-15
3rd: James Elam, Cleveland, Okla., 13 bass, 33-7
4th:         Bradley Roy, Lancaster, Ky., 12 bass, 31-8
5th:         Wesley Strader, Spring City, Tenn., 11 bass, 28-10
6th:         Matt Becker, Ten Mile, Tenn., eight bass, 27-10
7th:         Brent Chapman, Lenexa, Kan., nine bass, 27-7
8th:         Adrian Avena, Marmora, N.J., eight bass, 26-7
9th:         Alton Jones Jr., Lorena, Texas, six bass, 25-10
10th: David Dudley, Lynchburg, Va., nine bass, 24-12
11th: Greg Vinson, Wetumpka, Ala., nine bass, 24-4
12th: Spencer Shuffield, Hot Springs, Ark., eight bass, 23-14
13th: Jeff Sprague, Wills Point, Texas, seven bass, 23-10
14th: Bryan Thrift, Shelby, N.C., nine bass, 23-10
15th: Mitchell Robinson, Landrum, S.C., five bass, 21-11
16th: Ron Nelson, Berrien Springs, Mich., five bass, 20-8
17th: Zack Birge, Blanchard, Okla., nine bass, 20-5
18th: Dylan Hays, Pearcy, Ark., five bass, 19-13
19th: Takahiro Omori, Emory, Texas, five bass, 19-13
20th: Bobby Lane, Lakeland, Fla., seven bass, 19-7
21st: Fletcher Shryock, Cleveland, Tenn., eight bass, 19-2
22nd: Alton Jones, Lorena, Texas, seven bass, 18-10
23rd: Keith Carson, DeBary, Fla., seven bass, 18-4
24th: Drew Gill, Mount Carmel, Ill., six bass, 17-14
25th: Casey Ashley, Donalds, S.C., five bass, 17-12

A complete list of results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

Overall, there were 307 bass caught weighing 898 pounds, 11 ounces, caught by the 51 Bass Pro Tour anglers on Thursday.

Thursday’s Berkley Big Bass Award ended in a tie, with both Casey Ashley of Donalds, South Carolina, and Mitchell Robinson of Landrum, South Carolina, catching a 7-pound, 1-ounce largemouth in the first period to take home $500 each. Berkley awards $1,000 to the angler who weighs the heaviest bass each day.

The full field of anglers will compete in the two-day Qualifying Round on Thursday and Friday on O.H. Ivie. After the two-day Qualifying Round is complete, the pro with the heaviest two-day total will advance directly to Sunday’s Championship Round. Anglers who finish 2nd through 25th will advance to Saturday’s Knockout Round on Lake Brownwood. In the Knockout Round, weights are zeroed, and the remaining anglers compete to finish in the top nine to advance to Sunday’s Championship Round. In the final-day Championship Round on Lake Brownwood, weights are zeroed, and the highest one-day total wins the top prize of $125,000.

Anglers will arrive Friday (March 27) at 6:15 a.m. CT to Elm Creek Marina, located at 457 Recreation Road #10 in Voss, Texas, and Saturday and Sunday (March 28-29) at 6:15 a.m. CT to the Brownwood Reservoir Public Boat Ramp, located at 621 Spillway Road in Brownwood, Texas. Anglers will return to the morning launch location each evening following the end of competition at 3:45 p.m. Fans are welcome to attend all launch and takeout events and also encouraged to watch the event live online throughout the day on the MLFNOW!® livestream and follow along with SCORETRACKER® coverage at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

The MLFNOW!® broadcast team of Chad McKee and J.T. Kenney will break down the extended action live on all four days of competition from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. CT. MLFNOW!® will be livestreamed on MajorLeagueFishing.com , the MyOutdoorTV (MOTV) app and Rumble.

by AnglersChannel

GIANTS BENEATH: MDJ BRACES FOR BREAKOUT AT O.H. IVEY

By Walker Smith, Courtesy of Dynamic Sponsorship

The Bass Pro Tour doesn’t hand out easy ones and Stage 4 on O.H. Ivey might be one of the most unpredictable events yet. Big-fish factories carry an air of mystery and when you combine fluctuating water levels, spawning transitions and relentless fishing pressure, you get the kind of tournament that rewards instinct over history. For Team Toyota pro Mark Daniels Jr., that’s exactly the kind of challenge he’s preparing to face.

O.H. Ivey has built a reputation over the years as a place where double-digit bass aren’t just possible but expected. Though reputation doesn’t always translate into easy fishing, especially when the tournament clock starts. MDJ knows this better than most and his practice reflected just how fickle the bite can be.

“I had a few bites in practice but to be honest, it was very random. I’m not just saying that, either. There are a couple areas on this lake that have more fish than others but of course, those are the ones getting the most pressure.”

Pressure will be a defining theme this week. In a body of water known for producing giants, the obvious areas rarely stay secret for long. The result is a fishery where the biggest bass exist but accessing them consistently is another story entirely. Add the unique structure of the lake and the challenge only intensifies.

“I’ve never seen so much cover in my life. I think that’s why they get so big here because they’re simply inaccessible for part of year. This is truly the land of the giants.”

That statement captures the essence of O.H. Ivey. Vast amounts of submerged timber, brush and vegetation create a sanctuary for bass to grow old. Where fish can avoid pressure for months at a time, only to briefly reappear during seasonal windows. Right now, that window is tied closely to the spawn.

Water temperatures hovering in the upper 60s have positioned the fish squarely in a transitional phase. Some bass are committed to spawning, while others are staging or already slipping away. That in-between period can be one of the toughest to pattern, especially when water clarity doesn’t always cooperate.

“The water temperature is anywhere from 66 to 70 degrees. A lot of fish are spawning right now but the problem is, you can’t see a bunch of them on bed. This is a very clear lake when it comes to water clarity and the really big ones are spawning in seven feet of water or more.”

That last detail is critical. In many spring tournaments, sight fishing dominates headlines. Anglers cruise shallow flats, visually target bedding fish and pick them apart. But at O.H. Ivey, the biggest bass are holding just deep enough to stay hidden. Seven to ten feet might not sound deep but when visibility and angle come into play, those fish can disappear. That’s where modern technology could tip the scales.

“That’s why I think the forward-facing sonar may play a big role. Because in that 7- to 10-foot range, they’re laying on beds and it’s hard to see that without FFS.”

Being able to scan ahead, identify subtle movements and pinpoint fish that would otherwise go unseen could be the difference between a decent day and a leaderboard surge. Still, even with cutting-edge tools, execution remains everything. For MDJ, the approach is less about chasing unicorns and more about building consistency. In a format where every scorable bass counts, numbers usually outweigh size.

“I’m going to roll with it and go with my instincts. I’m fishing the areas in which I can get the most bites possible. I’m not really fishing for giants.”

That might sound counterintuitive on a lake like O.H. Ivey, but it reflects a seasoned understanding of the BPT format. While a single massive fish can swing momentum, a steady stream of keepers often creates the foundation for success.

Even with challenging conditions, O.H. Ivey doesn’t lose its identity. The potential for explosive catches looms over every cast, especially for anglers willing to commit to techniques designed for bigger bites.

“I think someone is going to catch a few giants on big glide baits. But I think it’ll be won flipping big tubes and plastics. It’s going to be a great tournament to watch unfold over the next few days. I’m ready to get after ‘em.”

by AnglersChannel

Luke Johns Goes Wire-to-Wire to Win BAM Bass Boat Technologies Super 60 Lake Havasu

Lake Havasu, Ariz. – Luke Johns of Folsom, Calif., completed a dominant wire-to-wire performance to win the 2026 BAM Super 60 Duel on the Desert at Lake Havasu. His final day weight of 18.13 secured the $50,000 top prize against a stacked field of 69 anglers in the televised event presented by Anderson Toyota, Tackle Warehouse, and conservation sponsor Fisherman’s Warehouse.

“I did lead all three days, wire to wire, baby,” he said.

NOTE: Luke Johns is the first angler to win a Super 60 event wire-to-wire!

While the first two days came together smoothly, Championship Sunday was a different story. Johns closed out the victory with a final-day effort that proved far tougher than the previous two days, as shown in the weights of the angler’s five-fish limits.

“I mean, I'll be completely honest, the first two days it wasn't hard,” he shared. “Today was an absolute grind. I mean I caught a handful of fish, I caught way less fish than I caught all week and gambled on a couple fish that really made a difference for me.”

Johns made a critical decision to leave a key fish late in the day, a moment he thought might cost him the tournament. Despite the uncertainty, his earlier decisions held up.

“There was one more that’s still swimming out there on her bed, and I really thought that would be the difference-maker for me,” he shared. “I left that fish at like 1 o'clock and I never caught a fish after that.”

Changing conditions played a major role throughout the event, forcing Johns to adapt daily. He relied heavily on a finesse approach to secure the victory.

“The dropshot was probably 95 percent of it, and then I was throwing a Spro Bronze-Eye Poppin' Frog, the 60 size,” he said.

The dropshot carried the load across a wide range of conditions with 6” Robo worm in Morning Dawn and Missile Baits Magic Worm in Missile Morning

“I was anywhere from, I mean, 5- to 25-feet,” he said. “It was 100 percent a very target-related fishing week for me. Definitely had to use Garmin LiveScope every day, that's, you know, pretty much the only reason I caught a lot of those fish.”

While the dropshot did most of the work, one instinct-driven decision produced a key moment early in the event.

“I don't know why I threw the frog,” he said. “I just had a funny feeling that it was going to work. I threw that thing up there and that big one came out and smoked it.”

For Johns, the victory reflected one of those rare tournaments where everything comes together.

“You hear it almost every time somebody wins, they say when it's their time, it's their time, and clearly it just worked out for me,” he said. “It's amazing. Winning one of these things never gets old. I don't think it ever could. It's just insane.”

Cloutier Senkos His Way To Second

Nicholas Cloutier of Oakley, Calif., came to the scales with five for 17.63 to secure the runner-up position at just over a pound behind Johns.

Cloutier came in with the strategy of qualifying for the final day by keepers.

“I ended up finding a lot of bed fish – a lot of smallmouth, a couple largemouth,” he said.

“The whole day on the first day I was seeing roamers, and when I see roamers I throw a five-inch Senko.”

For the most part, Cloutier leaned on that Yamamoto Senko in Baby Bass color on a Phenix M1 7’2” medium rod through Championship Sunday.

“I was using 20-pound P-Line No Fade Braid with a 10-pound and 8-pound fluorocarbon leader,” he said. “I started with lighter line; on the first day I was throwing eight. I switched over to 10-pound.”

His efforts netted a second-place payout of $8,348.00.

Smith’s Big Bite Boosts Him To Third

Frazier Park, Calif., pro Daylon Smith qualified for his first Super 60 top-10 with his most productive baits dropshotting a custom, 3 ¾-inch hand-pour worm in a morning dawn-type of color and a white Strike King Baby Rage Tail Craw.

He threw them both on Stealth Stixx fishing rods paired with Daiwa Tatula reels, spooled with Sunlinefishing line.

His biggest on Day Three came as a 5.5 off a bed around 10 a.m. He had waypointed the bed in a pocket off the main lake earlier in the event.

“It was just a fresh pair, a male and a female that had moved up,” he said. “She was able to bite relatively quickly, and we got her in the boat. It was a pretty cool moment that gave me some good momentum going into the rest of the day.”

The female fell to his Texas-rigged Rage Craw.

“I was pitchin’ it on to the bed and she ate it,” he recalled. “It was a pretty good fight, and I got her in the boat.”

Smith ended the event in the top-trio with 16.90, earning $6,750 for his time on Havasu.

2026 BAM Super 60 Havasu Top-10 & Payout

1. Luke Johns Folsom, CA 18.89 $50,000.00 $500.00 $50,500.00

2. Nicholas Cloutier Oakley, CA 17.63 $8,348.00 $8,348.00

3. Daylon Smith Frazier Park, CA 16.9 $6,758.00 $6,758.00

4. Austin Bonjour Templeton, CA 16.87 $5,963.00 $5,963.00

5. Joe Mariani Winters, CA 15.8 $5,466.00 $5,466.00

6. Tai Au Glendale, AZ 14.94 $5,168.00 $1,000.00 $6,168.00

7. Adam Deakin Boise, ID 14.93 $4,969.00 $4,969.00

8. Justin Campbell Pasco, WA 12.23 $4,571.00 $4,571.00

9. Greg Gutierrez Red Bluff, CA 10.91 $4,373.00 $4,373.00

10.Aaron Britt Yuba City, CA 5.41 $4,273.00 $4,273.00

Anglers Welcome to Havasu!

Beyond the fishing itself, Hawk also emphasized the welcoming environment that Lake Havasu offers visiting anglers and fans, along with the support of local sponsors who help make events like this possible.

“We're happy to have everyone come to Havasu,” Hawk said. “We’re thankful for Anderson Toyota to be there and be able to have our sign up there.”

He also noted how the entire community is built around life on the water.

“The whole town's set up for the boating community,” Hawk said. “I welcome everyone to come and it's going to be a blast.”

by AnglersChannel

Final Reminder: March 31 Deadline for AOY Registration for The Ultimate Angler Championship

Scottsboro, AL — The Ultimate Angler Championship is issuing a final reminder to anglers across all sanctioned trails: March 31, 2026 is the final day to register for Angler of the Year (AOY) qualification eligibility.

Anglers competing in major circuits including the Bass Pro Tour, Bassmaster Elite Series, National Professional Fishing League, Bass Fishing League, as well as other approved sanctioned trails such as the Big Bucks Bass Trail and Southern Bass League, must be registered with Unified Pros by the deadline in order to utilize AOY standings as a qualification pathway.

In addition to AOY qualification, the highest-finishing angler in each Bass Fishing League division will also earn qualification into The Ultimate Angler Championship—provided they are properly registered before the March 31 deadline.

The Ultimate Angler Championship—hosted in Alabama on Lake Guntersville—brings together the top anglers from across all major leagues to compete for one of the largest payouts in competitive bass fishing, including a $500,000 first-place prize.

AOY points and division-leading finishes represent two of the most competitive and prestigious pathways into the championship field. However, only anglers with an active Unified Pros membership prior to the March 31 deadline will be eligible to qualify through these pathways.

“AOY and division qualification are among the most respected ways to earn your spot in The Ultimate Angler Championship,” said event organizers. “We want to ensure every angler has the opportunity—but that opportunity ends March 31.”

Anglers who registered in previous seasons are encouraged to confirm their membership is still active, as memberships are valid for 365 days from the date of purchase.

The 2026 Ultimate Angler Championship continues to build momentum as a true cross-league world championship event, uniting the best competitors in the sport on one stage.

For registration details, eligibility requirements, and more information, visit www.theultimateangler.org

Media Contact:

Unified Pros / The Ultimate Angler Championship

Lori Waller

[email protected]

(256)613-3193

by AnglersChannel

The Association of Collegiate Anglers Announces Schedule for 2027 Bass Pro Shops Collegiate Bass Fishing Series

2027 will mark ACA’s 22^nd season hosting no-entry-fee, nationally televised major college fishing events

The Association of Collegiate Anglers is excited to announce the schedule for its 2027 season on the Bass Pro Shops Collegiate Bass Fishing Series. The 2027 schedule will consist of three regular season major events, and the annual National Championship tournament.

Hartwell Slam

April 3-4, 2027

Lake Hartwell – Anderson, SC

Hosted by: Visit Anderson

Collegiate Bass Fishing Championship presented by Bass Pro Shops

May 27-28, 2027

Pickwick Lake – Florence, AL

Hosted by: Florence-Lauderdale Convention & Visitors Bureau

Bass Pro Shops Big Bass Bash presented by Berkley

September 18-19, 2027

Kentucky Lake – Henry County & Paris, TN

Hosted by: Henry County Tourism Authority

AFTCO Collegiate Bass Open

October 9-10, 2027

Lake Dardanelle – Russellville, AR

Hosted by: Russellville Tourism

2027 will mark the 22^nd season for the Association of Collegiate Anglers. Each event contested on the Bass Pro Shops Collegiate Bass Fishing Series features no-entry-fee and no membership. These tournaments are nationally televised, as well as stReam for free 24/7 on Outdoor Action and the collegiate bass fishing series YouTube Channel.

At each tournament in 2027, anglers will be competing for valuable prizes & contingencies, National Championship qualifications, valuable points to count towards the Bass Pro Shops School of the Year presented by Abu Garcia, and more. Stay tuned for more exciting news and announcements as we roll out new programs and opportunities for 2027 and beyond.

Read the full article.

by AnglersChannel

Dylan Nutt Classic Champion – $10,000 More Reasons to Drive a Toyota

Courtesy of Dynamic Sponsorships / Photo:

If you didn’t know Dylan Nutt’s name before the 2026 Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Classic presented by Under Armour began, that changed by the end of the weekend when the 22-year-old hoisted the iconic Ray Scott trophy and took the famed boat ride around the Thompson-Boling Arena behind his Toyota Tundra.

Nutt’s performance, poise, and bravado caught the attention of the bass fishing world while he was busy capturing the title of Classic Champion. The young angler from Nashville, Tennessee qualified for the 2026 Classic through the B.A.S.S. Nation and ensured the trophy stayed in the Volunteer State.

Nutt’s 2025 Tundra, which he purchased from Singing River Toyota in Alabama, earned the Classic champion an additional $10,000 payout from Toyota Bonus Bucks. Both Dylan and his twin brother Carter tow their boats with Tundras and have struck up a partnership with the Singing River Toyota dealership near Pickwick Lake and the University of North Alabama, their home pond + alma mater.

“We had an older V8 Tundra in the past and absolutely loved that truck,” Nutt said. “Carter and I took that thing all over the country for college tournaments and it was bullet proof. We knew we needed new tow vehicles this season, so we hooked up with Singing River Toyota to buy our new Tundras. You really can’t beat Toyota’s reliability or Bonus Bucks. Plus; it drives smooth and tows my boat great… these trucks are bitchin’.”

The Nutt brothers relied on a 2020 Tundra as their college fishing rig. The twins and their parents ultimately purchased that first Tundra due to Toyota’s support of bass fishing, reliability, and the opportunity to earn extra money through Bonus Bucks – College Series.

The duo earned plenty of Bonus Bucks as college anglers, but they also gained the freedom of knowing their truck would get them and their boat to their destination, whether that was a tournament or fishing trip, regardless of the number of miles between them and the water.

While excelling at the college level, Dylan competed in as many regional tournaments as possible on the Tennessee River, including the B.A.S.S. Nation qualifier on Pickwick Lake in March of 2025. Nutt was well-known as a local to watch, so it surprised few when the 21-year-old won the event in dominating fashion. That win qualified Dylan to compete in the B.A.S.S. Nation Championship on the Mississippi River out of La Crosse, Wisconsin.

The fishing in La Crosse was much different than the Tennessee River haunts Nutt was used to, but he scraped and clawed his way to a third-place finish. Securing the final Classic qualification spot awarded to B.A.S.S. Nation competitors. Nutt’s victory on Loudoun-Tellico marked the first time a Nation qualifier has won the Bassmaster Classic since the late Bryan Kerchal conquered the feat in 1994.

“It means so much to me to have qualified through the Nation enroute to winning this Classic,” Nutt offered. “I made it here on a $200 entry fee. I showed up to Pickwick last March just to jump in a big tournament. I paid my $200 and won the event. That sent me up to Wisconsin where I qualified for the freaking Classic. It’s the hardest way to qualify but, man, it is achievable. If I can do it, anyone can.”

The B.A.S.S. Nation, and certainly his Bassmaster Classic win, have changed Dylan Nutt’s life forever. Nutt has been honing his craft and tournament fishing most of his young life. While it wouldn’t be fair to say this career-defining win was a surprise, it came ahead of schedule.

Nutt’s Classic victory will help pave the way for the next generation of aspiring tournament anglers and is a testament to what can be accomplished with hard work, a few dollars for an entry fee and confidence.

Whether you have dreams of competing in the Classic or you fish locally around your house on the weekends, you can reap the rewards of Toyota Bonus Bucks. If you drive a 2022 or newer Toyota tow vehicle you are eligible for payouts in over 620+ events each year, and you don’t need to win the tournament like Dylan Nutt to win bonus money, you simply must be the highest placing Bonus Bucks participant.

Bonus Bucks is free to join, register today or learn more about the popular program here: https://www.toyotatrucksbonusbucks.com/overview or send an email to [email protected].

by AnglersChannel

Benton’s Paulovich Catches Last-Minute Bass to Win Phoenix Bass Fishing League Event at Lake Ouachita Presented by Suzuki Marine

Dardanelle’s Bernicky Earns Victory in Co-Angler Division

MOUNT IDA, Ark. (March 23, 2026) – Boater Jon Paulovich of Benton, Arkansas, caught a total of five bass weighing 18 pounds, 1 ounce, to win the MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League (BFL) Presented by T-H Marine on Lake Ouachita Presented by Suzuki Marine. The tournament was the second of five events of the season for the BFL Arkie Division. Paulovich earned $3,640 for his victory.

Paulovich’s strategy for the event changed over the course of three days of practice before the tournament. He looked at fishing for spawning fish on the beds but decided he wouldn’t be able to win the tournament that way. So, he relied on a pattern that presented itself just before competition began.

“I found something late Friday where I could catch a few fish pretty quickly,” Paulovich said. “So, I ran to that first thing and picked up four fish doing that.

“I caught a 6-pounder Wednesday on some inside grasslines, so I went back out to the main lake and started doing that again, and that’s when I caught the big one that went 6-12,” Paulovich went on to say. “I didn’t catch that one until 12:20, and that was my fifth fish. Then I just upgraded from there. It was a really good day.”

Paulovich caught his biggest bass on a Carolina rig, but he preferred not to reveal his specific bait.

“It’s something people around here don’t throw, I can tell you that,” Paulovich said. “It’s something I picked up when I was fishing a tournament down at (Sam) Rayburn 10 years ago. And for whatever reason, it just works. I think it’s because the fish just don’t see it here. It’s not the typical lizard that everybody throws around here.”

Paulovich said he also found a Megabass Magdraft Swimbait, a bait that typically produces big bites, to be productive.

“At the very end of the day I was running back to weigh-in and I saw a point where the wind was blowing on it,” Paulovich said. “I pulled up and threw the Magdraft on the point, and one just crushed it. As I was culling out a fish I told my co-angler, ‘Put your life jacket on. We have got to go.’ And that’s the fish that won it for me. I culled up a pound with that one.”

The top 10 boaters finished the tournament:

1st:        Jon Paulovich, Benton, Ark., five bass, 18-1, $3,640
2nd:      Scott Hardin, Little Rock, Ark., five bass, 17-13, $1,680
3rd:       Chris Darby, Hot Springs, Ark., five bass, 17-1, $850
4th:        Matt Baker, Glenwood, Ark., five bass, 16-12, $930
5th:        Kevin Brown, Hot Springs, Ark., five bass, 16-7, $600
6th:        Justin Bean, Benton, Ark., five bass, 15-14, $1,020 (includes $500 Phoenix bonus)
7th:        Keith Green, Hot Springs, Ark., five bass, 15-6, $500
8th:        Bobby Ammons, Waldron, Ark., five bass, 14-9, $480
9th:        Derek Sandlin, Mount Ida, Ark., five bass, 14-8, $460
10th:     Timmy Cook, Haskell, Ark., five bass, 14-0, $430

Complete results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

Paulovich’s 6-pound, 12-ounce lunker was the biggest of the day and earned the $200 Berkley Big Bass Boater award.

Alan Bernicky of Dardanelle, Arkansas, won the co-angler division and the top prize of $1,970 Saturday after bringing three bass to the scale that totaled 9 pounds, 15 ounces.

The top 10 co-anglers finished:

1st:        Alan Bernicky, Dardanelle, Ark., three bass, 9-15, $1,970
2nd:      Derek Dixon, Pearcy, Ark., three bass, 9-5, $840
3rd:       Jason Phillips, Rison, Ark., three bass, 9-4, $525
4th:        Michael Brown, Arkadelphia, Ark., three bass, 8-10, $340
5th:        Mark King, Gurdon, Ark., three bass, 8-9, $300
6th:        Blake Ward, Sherwood, Ark., three bass, 7-15, $260
7th:        Christian Knight, Alexander, Ark., three bass, 7-11, $250
8th:        Edward Hendricks, Conway, Ark., three bass, 7-10, $240
9th:        Buddy Rudolph, Hot Springs, Ark., three bass, 7-0, $230
10th:     Jimmy Welch, Hot Springs, Ark., three bass, 6-14, $215

Jason Phillips of Rison, Arkansas, earned the Berkley Big Bass co-angler award after landing a 4-pound, 12-ounce bass worth $100.

After two events, Matt Baker of Glenwood, Arkansas, now leads the 7 Brew Arkie Division Angler of the Year (AOY) race with 497 points, while Alan Bernicky of Dardanelle, Arkansas, leads the Arkie Division Co-Angler of the Year race with 500 points.

The top 45 boaters and co-anglers in the division based on point standings, along with the five tournament winners of each qualifying event, will qualify for the Oct. 22-24 BFL Regional tournament on Grand Lake in Grove, Oklahoma. Boaters will fish for a top award of a new Phoenix 819 Pro with a 200-horsepower Mercury or Suzuki outboard worth $50,000, while co-anglers will compete for a top prize of a new Phoenix 518 pro with a 115-horsepower Mercury or Suzuki outboard, worth $33,500.

The 2026 Phoenix BFL Presented by T-H Marine is a 24-division circuit devoted to weekend anglers, with 128 events throughout the season, five qualifying tournaments in each division. The top 45 boaters and co-anglers from each division, along with the five qualifying tournament winners, will advance to one of six BFL Regional tournaments where they are competing to finish in the top seven, which then qualifies them for one of the longest-running championships in all of competitive bass fishing – the BFL All-American. The 2026 BFL All-American will take place May 28-30, at Lake Murray in Columbia, South Carolina, and is hosted by Capital City Lake Murray Country Regional Tourism.

Proud sponsors of the 2026 MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine include: 7 Brew, Abu Garcia, Athletic Brewing, B&W Trailer Hitches, Berkley, Black Buffalo, BUBBA, Cigars International, Epic Baits, Grizzly, Mercury, MillerTech, Mystik Lubricants, OFF! Deep Woods, Onyx, O’Reilly Auto Parts, Phoenix Boats, PirahnO2, Power-Pole, Precision Sonar, Suzuki Marine, Tackle Warehouse, T-H Marine, Toyota, VOSKER, YETI and Yuengling.

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

by AnglersChannel

Cleveland’s Drake Holds Off Field for Victory at Phoenix Bass Fishing League Event at Lake Chickamauga

Georgia’s Graham Tops Leaderboard in Co-Angler Division

DAYTON, Tenn. (March 23, 2026) – Boater Kevin Drake of Cleveland, Tennessee, caught a total of five bass weighing 23 pounds, 15 ounces, to win the MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League (BFL) Presented by T-H Marine on Lake Chickamauga . The tournament, hosted by Rhea County Department of Tourism - Fish Dayton, was the first of five events of the season for the BFL Volunteer Division. Drake earned $4,910, including a $2,500 Phoenix bonus, for his victory.

Drake’s tournament on Chickamauga didn’t exactly go as he had scripted it. He had planned on stocking his livewell with a quick limit and then spend the rest of the day looking for big fish.

“During practice I had a couple of areas that were loading with fish,” Drake said. “I wouldn’t say big fish, but they were loading with fish. So, I decided to start on both of those areas if there weren’t boats on them.”

Drake fished the main-lake areas and neither he nor his co-angler got a bite, so he knew he would have to rethink his strategy.

“I just had a bad feeling,” Drake said. “Before takeoff, I checked the TVA app, and they had cut the water off Friday night. They had been flowing 35,000 (cubic feet per second) out of the dam for the last month straight, but they cut it off the night before the tournament.”

Drake made the decision to run upriver and turn on his Garmin LiveScope to try out some spots that held big fish. Drake said he attacked main-lake points, river bars and flats with a 6-inch solid white swimbait, which was the bait he threw all day. After he turned on electronics at 9 a.m. he caught a bass that was about 5 pounds and over the course of an hour added three more to boost his weight to 15 pounds. Bites and catches were few and far between, and he said he caught only two more keepers, one of which was his largest bass, after his LiveScope period ended.

“It was overall a very, very tough day of fishing compared to what it was through the previous weeks,” Drake said. “I was pretty much down and out all day. So, this win was unexpected and a big sigh of relief.”

The top 10 boaters finished the tournament:

1st:        Kevin Drake, Cleveland, Tenn., five bass, 23-15, $4,910 (includes $2,500 Phoenix bonus)
2nd:      Seth Davis, Dayton, Tenn., five bass, 23-4, $1,250
3rd:       Jimmy Neece Jr., Bristol, Tenn., five bass, 19-13, $670
4th:        Brian Vicchio, Gray, Tenn., four bass, 18-4, $550
5th:        Turner Tharpe, Dayton, Tenn., five bass, 17-11, $590
6th:        Zachary Francis, Abingdon, Va., five bass, 17-9, $430
7th:        Clark Warren, Jefferson, Tenn., five bass, 16-8, $420
8th:        Colton Kees, Oliver Springs, Tenn., four bass, 15-0, $610
9th:        Blake Wheat, Rockwood, Tenn., five bass, 14-15, $390
10th:     Jacob Foutz, Philadelphia, Tenn., five bass, 14-7, $380

Complete results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

Colton Kees of Oliver Springs, Tennessee, earned the Berkley Big Bass Boater award after landing an 8-pound, 5-ounce bass, good for $200.

Chris Graham of McCaysville, Georgia, won the co-angler division and the top prize of $1,305 Saturday after bringing three bass to the scale that totaled 20 pounds, 13 ounces.

The top 10 co-anglers finished:

1st:        Chris Graham, McCaysville, Ga., three bass, 20-13, $1,305
2nd:      Randy Wilson, Murfreesboro, Tenn., three bass, 13-14, $625
3rd:       Keith Gunsauls, Dandridge, Tenn., three bass, 12-2, $335
4th:        Bud McKelvey, Knoxville, Tenn., three bass, 10-10, $275
5th:        Lynn Spears, Athens, Tenn., three bass, 7-6, $245
6th:        Caleb Edgerton, Dayton, Ohio, two bass, 6-15, $315
7th:        Sean Warriner, Sweetwater, Tenn., two bass, 6-10, $210
8th:        Gordon Benedict, Cookeville, Tenn., two bass, 6-4, $255
9th:        Clinton Harrison, Georgetown, Tenn., two bass, 5-12, $200
10th:     Michael Lowe, Clinton, Tenn., three bass, 5-8, $190

Graham also earned the Berkley Big Bass co-angler award after landing a 9-pound, 9-ounce bass, worth $100.

The top 45 boaters and co-anglers in the division based on point standings, along with the five tournament winners of each qualifying event, will qualify for the Oct. 15-17 BFL Regional tournament on Clarks Hill Lake in Appling, Georgia. Boaters will fish for a top award of a new Phoenix 819 Pro with a 200-horsepower Mercury or Suzuki outboard worth $50,000, while co-anglers will compete for a top prize of a new Phoenix 518 pro with a 115-horsepower Mercury or Suzuki outboard, worth $33,500.

by AnglersChannel

Georgia’s Akins Gets Elusive Win at Phoenix Bass Fishing League Event at Lake Hartwell

Appling’s Marin Earns Victory in Co-Angler Division

ANDERSON, S.C. (March 23, 2026) – Boater Dylan Akins of Flowery Branch, Georgia, caught five bass totaling 18 pounds, 2 ounces, to win the MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League (BFL) Presented by T-H Marine on Lake Hartwell. The tournament, hosted by Visit Anderson, was the second of five events of the season for the BFL Savannah River Division. Akins earned $2,510 for his victory.

Recent low temperatures at Hartwell had many anglers re-thinking their plan of attack for the tournament, and Akins was no exception. He knew bass had moved deeper after the temperature dropped and planned accordingly.

“I used my (Garmin) LiveScope period the first three hours of the day,” Akins said. “I pretty much ran prespawn areas like flats and points to get up to about 15 pounds.”

Akins said those prespawn areas featured baitfish that the bass were focusing on, and he used a Strike King KVD 200 Jerkbait as well as a Neko rig to entice bites.

“I caught fish pretty consistently during my ’Scope period,” Akins said. But I’d catch two on one spot and then none on the next spot.”

After his LiveScope period came to an end, Akins said he switched his focus to docks and flats that required very long casts. Akins skipped the Neko rig under docks in shade and then added his largest bass – a 5-6 that took the Berkley Big Bass Boater award of the tournament – as well as a 3-pounder. His big bass came on the jerkbait in Pro Blue color.

“During my no-’Scope period, I didn’t catch many fish, but I caught big ones,” Akins said. “I figured somebody was going to get into fish that had pulled up to spawn. I knew after I caught my big one I would be in check range, but I never expected to get the win. I mean, you’re looking at the last week of March on Hartwell. You don’t expect it to be this tough. But I think with that last cold front we had when the temperature dipped down into the 30s it made those fish just really tough to catch. There just wasn’t much spawning going on.”

In 2024 and 2025 Akins posted finishes of 2nd-, 4th-, and 5th-place at Hartwell, and he was hungry for a win.

“I felt like I had been chasing a win on Hartwell for the last two years,” Akins said. “I had been so close. It felt good to finally get this win.”

The top 10 boaters finished the tournament:

1st:        Dylan Akins, Flowery Branch, Ga., five bass, 18-2, $2,510
2nd:      Tim Watson, Martin, Ga., five bass, 16-14, $1,250
3rd:       Tallis Morrison, Royston, Ga., five bass, 16-13, $1,170 (includes $500 Phoenix bonus)
4th:        Lane Clark, Anderson, S.C., five bass, 16-11, $550
5th:        Donnie Davis, Greer, S.C., five bass, 15-2, $490
6th:        Brooks Anderson, Marietta, Ga., five bass, 14-7, $425
6th:        Aspen Martin, White, Ga., five bass, 14-7, $425
8th:        Kyle Herrman, Topeka, Kan., five bass, 14-4, $410
9th:        Daniel Atkins, Anderson, S.C., five bass, 14-3, $590
10th:     Joe Eubanks, Marietta, Ga., five bass, 14-0, $380

Complete results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

Akins also earned the Berkley Big Bass Boater award with a 5-pound, 6-ounce bass, worth $200.

Dan Marin of Appling, Georgia, won the co-angler division and the top prize of $1,205 Saturday after bringing three bass to the scale that totaled 9 pounds, 9 ounces.

The top 10 co-anglers finished:

1st:        Dan Marin, Appling, Ga., three bass, 9-9, $1,205
2nd:      Benjie Winkler, Cleveland, Ga., three bass, 9-8, $625
3rd:       Chris Coleman, Ware Shoals, S.C., three bass, 9-0, $335
4th:        James Ezell, Mountain Rest, S.C., three bass, 8-15, $275
5th:        Todd Huntley, Inman, S.C., three bass, 8-14, $295
6th:        Mark Garrett, Six Mile, S.C., three bass, 8-8, $215
7th:        Adam Johnson, Duluth, Ga., three bass, 8-1, $210
8th:        Mark Meadows, Hendersonville, N.C., three bass, 7-13, $205
9th:        Matthew Stewart, Cleveland, Ga., three bass, 7-5, $200
10th:     Tyler Smith, Florence, S.C., three bass, 7-3, $190

Chuck Bagwell of Laurens, South Carolina, earned the Berkley Big Bass co-angler award after landing a 5-pound, 5-ounce bass worth $100.

After two events, Tim Watson of Martin, Georgia, now leads the 7 Brew Savannah River Division Angler of the Year (AOY) race with 496 points, while Chris Coleman of Ware Shoals, South Carolina, leads the Savannah River Division Co-Angler of the Year race with 497 points.

The top 45 boaters and co-anglers in the division based on point standings, along with the five tournament winners of each qualifying event, will qualify for the Oct. 22-24 BFL Regional tournament on Watts Bar Lake in Spring City, Tennessee. Boaters will fish for a top award of a new Phoenix 819 Pro with a 200-horsepower Mercury or Suzuki outboard worth $50,000, while co-anglers will compete for a top prize of a new Phoenix 518 pro with a 115-horsepower Mercury or Suzuki outboard, worth $33,500.

by AnglersChannel

Dry Fork’s Stallings Earns First BFL Victory at Phoenix Bass Fishing League Event at Smith Mountain Lake

New Jersey’s Tracy Wins Co-Angler Division

HUDDLESTON, Va. (March 23, 2026) – Boater Greg Stallings of Dry Fork, Virginia, caught five bass weighing 24 pounds, 5 ounces, to win the MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League (BFL) Presented by T-H Marine on Smith Mountain Lake. The tournament was the first of five events of the season for the BFL Piedmont Division. Stallings earned $3,530 for his victory.

“I practiced for two days, and I was on them,” Stallings said. “I went in there Friday and had five good bites. So, Saturday I went in there and fished for an hour and never got a bite. So, I left there and started hitting spots that have always been good to me.”

Stallings began adding fish to the livewell – first a 2-pounder, then a 3-pounder and then his day got interesting.

“I got a bite, and I caught a 7-1,” Stallings said. “That was my third fish. I kept catching fish and added a couple of 5-pounders, and that was it. I had that weight at 2 o’clock.”

Stallings said he focused on Smith Mountain’s lower-lake docks and caught two of his weigh-in fish on a jig and three on a spinnerbait, but he never thought the weight he had in his livewell was enough for a win.

“You can come in with 24 pounds on this lake and finish fourth or fifth,” said Stallings, who earned his first career BFL win in 55 attempts. “When I had my 24 pounds my co-angler said, ‘Man, you’ve got this thing won.’ I said, ‘Man, you don’t know this lake.’”

“This win is a monkey off my back,” Stallings said.

The top 10 boaters finished the tournament:

1st:        Greg Stallings, Dry Fork, Va., five bass, 24-5, $3,530
2nd:      Louis Monetti, Huntersville, N.C., five bass, 20-14, $1,770
3rd:       Shannon Breeding, Moneta, Va., five bass, 19-9, $990
4th:        William Croteau, Hiwassee, Va., five bass, 19-3, $710
5th:        Matt McCluskey, Ashburn, Va., five bass, 18-13, $630
6th:        Christopher Milton, Prince George, Va., five bass, 18-7, $540
7th:        Steve Allender, Fallston, Md., five bass, 16-14, $520
8th:        Todd Langford, Great Falls, Va., five bass, 16-8, $490
9th:        Travis Donaldson, Cleveland, N.C., five bass, 15-11, $470
10th:     Ron Rousseau III, Raleigh, N.C., five bass, 15-10, $450

Complete results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

Tim Macknair of Guntersville, Alabama, earned the Berkley Big Bass Boater award after landing a 7-pound, 3-ounce bass worth $200.

Ronald Tracy of Marlton, New Jersey, won the co-angler division and the top prize of $1,915 Saturday after bringing three bass to the scale that totaled 16 pounds, 2 ounces.

The top 10 co-anglers finished:

1st:        Ronald Tracy, Marlton, N.J., three bass, 16-2, $1,915
2nd:      Zach Picucci, Powhatan, Va., three bass, 12-13, $885
3rd:       Richard Williams, Sutherland, Va., three bass, 10-1, $445
4th:        Scott Howard, Bedford, Va., three bass, 9-10, $355
5th:        Ben Meisinger, West Chester, Pa., three bass, 9-6, $315
6th:        Jim Freeland, Youngsville, N.C., two bass, 8-10, $270
7th:        Andrew Hostler, Tyrone, Pa., three bass, 8-1, $260
8th:        Johnnie Hopkins, Greensboro, N.C., three bass, 7-14, $245
9th:        Timothy King, Fallston, Md., three bass, 7-13, $240
10th:     Troy Mitten, Cumberland, Va., three bass, 7-5, $225

Ronald Tracy of Marlton, New Jersey, earned the Berkley Big Bass co-angler award catching a 7-pound, 15-ounce bass, good for $100.

The top 45 boaters and co-anglers in the division based on point standings, along with the five tournament winners of each qualifying event, will qualify for the Oct. 8-10 BFL Regional tournament on the Potomac River in Marbury, Maryland. Boaters will fish for a top award of a new Phoenix 819 Pro with a 200-horsepower Mercury or Suzuki outboard worth $50,000, while co-anglers will compete for a top prize of a new Phoenix 518 pro with a 115-horsepower Mercury or Suzuki outboard, worth $33,500.

by AnglersChannel

NPFL: BUOYGATE!

Leesburg, Florida—On the third and final day of the National Professional Fishing League’s 2026 season, a string of floating buoys briefly took center stage and might have impacted the result of the tournament.

Zack Birge had a commanding 5-pound lead after two days and was looking to close the door on his competition and earn a $100,000 payday. Unfortunately for the Oklahoma pro, when he arrived at his key area, he found it blocked by a buoy line that had not been there during official practice or on the first two days of competition.

Birge had no idea whether the buoys were lawfully placed or improperly placed, and in an effort to avoid the appearance of impropriety, he elected to fish elsewhere.

That’s when NPFL President Brad Fuller began contacting local authorities including county law enforcement, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) and the St. Johns River Water Management District (WMD).

“We needed to determine whether the buoys were lawfully placed and whether Zack’s fishing in the area was permitted,” Fuller said. “He made a significant part of his catch there, and we needed clarity.”

Fuller learned that the buoys were put into place by the WMD, but had been removed by unknown persons sometime before Friday, March 13. That was at least two days before official practice for the tournament and before Birge would have been on the water.

According to local authorities, the buoy line was removed by local persons and Birge could not have known of its existence prior to the final round of the tournament on Saturday, March 21st.

“Zack is a true sportsman,” Fuller added, “and he did nothing wrong. He did not know he was fishing in a prohibited area, but we also could not allow him to go in there once we realized it was off limits. Fortunately for Zack, he was able to win the tournament without fishing what had been his key area.”

In addition to being cleared by local authorities, Birge successfully passed an independent polygraph test administered to all NPFL tournament winners at the conclusion of the event.

The NPFL’s next event will be on Wright Patman Lake out of Texarkana, Texas, April 23–25. By virtue of his win on the Harris Chain of Lakes, Birge has qualified for the 2027 NPFL Championship and earned a $100,000 payday.

by AnglersChannel

Birge Seals the Deal on the Harris Chain

Oklahoma pro stays consistent all three days to claim his first NPFL victory at Stop One

It came down to the wire on the Harris Chain, where consistency proved to be the difference-maker. Changing weather, long runs to Lake Apopka, and a last-minute adjustment after losing access to his starting area all played a role — but in the end, Oklahoma angler Zack Birge made the right moves at the right time to earn his first NPFL victory.

Birge started strong on Day One, boating 22-6 to kick things off in third place. He moved into the lead on Day Two with 21-14 and was the only angler to eclipse 20 pounds on both of the first two days. On the final day, fending off a charging Todd Auten, Birge added 17-14 to secure the win, besting the veteran by a mere 5 ounces.

Making a charge on the final day, Todd Auten was not going down without a fight. His best bags of the week came on Day One and Showdown Saturday. He started the event in second place with 25-3, dropped slightly on Day Two with 12-3, and then surged with the biggest bag of the tournament on the final day — 24-7 — ultimately finishing in second place, just short of the NPFL victory in his first event.

In third place, Derek Lehtonen was perhaps the most consistent angler all week, but lacked a true giant bass across his three days. Still, his 51-0 total moved him up on the final day, earning a solid payday and valuable points toward the 2027 Work Sharp NPFL Championship.

While many predicted a double-digit bass in this event, it was a 9-0 kicker caught by Greg Vinson on Day One that earned Big Bass honors. A slower Day Three dropped him to 25th overall, but Vinson still walked away with a solid check for his efforts.

Birge Adjusts for the Win

Wrapping up his second tour-level victory of the season, Zack Birge is on a tear in 2026. Birge took the win at the MLF BPT event earlier this month and is now a first time NPFL Champion. Fishing both leagues the last couple of seasons has been tough, and missing practice and tournament days caused him to miss the 2026 Epic Baits Championship by just a few points. Now, he’s a lock for the 2027 Championship by way of his win, and he kicks off the NPFL season leading the Work Sharp Angler of the Year race.

“It sure feels great,” Birge said. “I’m sure tomorrow, making the drive home, it’ll set in more, but I’m tired. This was a long week, and today was super stressful. Right off this morning things got tough, having to change my day around, and I felt like I was stuck in Apopka for a little while.”

Luckily, Birge had a Plan B. When his flipping bite only produced one small keeper, it was time to make a big decision — abandon ship early and head back toward Harris, or figure something out in Apopka to get the day back on track and kill some time.

Viewers on Live were watching the struggle while simultaneously watching Todd Auten boat three big fish in a short window. Birge kept his cool and made a decision.

“I was planning on fishing another little canal in Apopka, but I couldn’t really get in there,” he said. “I was stressing big time. I was idling around the mouth of the lake and there were boats everywhere, but I noticed this one canal and it just looked good. There were no boats in there so I started fishing up through and got a bite pretty quickly.”

That bite gave him confidence that there were fish around. With a swim jig in hand, he got back in the game with a 6-pounder, giving him two fish on the day. Soon after, a 4-pounder gave him his third bass of the day.

“Those two fish were huge. I was able to fill a small limit for about 15 pounds, but I knew I needed a few more fish to have a chance,” Birge said. “I caught a lot of fish on the chatterbait the first two days, but today the wind wasn’t blowing — it was hot and sunny. The swim jig just felt right. Every fish I caught was tight to cover and the grass mats. I was getting bit along the edges or reeling it over the top and killing it.”

On the way out of the canal, Birge caught one more bass, culling out a smaller fish. His plan was to lock back around 2:45, giving him time to fish a couple spots on the way. He is glad he saved time to do just that.

“I was spun out this morning. Really, I was just trying to find something to kill time. I didn’t want to head back after making that run, so I settled in and made something happen,” he added. “From there, I got back to Dora and fished a spot I have history with. Knowing things were going to be tight, I knew I needed to catch a couple more fish.”

On his second cast, he added 3 ounces to his total — the difference in the win. On Day Two, Birge culled with a big fish back in Harris before check-in. Both last-minute fish proved critical in holding off the field.

“It all worked out, but man, it was a close one,” he said. “I caught all my fish on either the chatterbait or the swim jig. I threw both today, but the swim jig just felt right. I had confidence in what I was doing, and to overcome the start this morning is a huge relief.”

Auten Comes Up Just Short

Auten has been hit or miss in Florida in the past, but his last visit to Leesburg came during an Elite Series event a few years back. While the timing was different and the pattern he used for a top-30 finish revolved more around a shad spawn, it still clued him into key areas that produced most of his big fish this week.

“You know, I had no clue the potential of those areas until Day One,” he said. “I caught some nice fish in practice but never really fished anything that hard. I think I caught one good fish in practice on that canal and a couple in the lake, but those lake fish never really panned out.”

A bladed jig is one of Auten’s favorite ways to fish, and he executed nearly flawlessly. Despite a slower Day Two, he surged on the final day to finish second, just ounces shy of the win.

“I love fishing a chatterbait and a spinnerbait, and I have a lot of confidence in both,” he said. “To me, that bladed jig got more bites, as it seemed the fish were high up in the water column. I rigged a Zoom Z Craw Jr. on the back, and while I tried several different colors, the best was a white/chartreuse jig with a white trailer.”

Auten credited his bait placement for the quality fish he caught. Making tough casts under docks and around posts and crossbars can be a recipe for disaster, but he lost very few fish all week, even on Day Two.

“I never lost a fish on Day Two — it just wasn’t happening for me at all,” he said. “I think maybe the west wind blowing in there helped on days one and three, but day two it was just an off day. It is what it is. The other key for me today was my timing. On Day Two, I figured I’d start in the canal and it didn’t work out, but today I started elsewhere and came in later.”

As soon as he made that move, things came together. Starting in the lake this morning, he returned to his canal and started getting bites right away before hitting a magical flurry — boating a 7-, 6-, and 5-pounder, all while on Live coverage.

“I still had one 2-pound fish in my bag,” he said. “I also broke one off that would have been several pounds, but overall it was a really great week and a good way to start the season. I was tickled to catch four big ones today. I just kept things simple this week, and it almost worked out. I’m looking forward to Wright Patman.”

Lehtonen Moves to Third

Derek Lehtonen was slow and steady all week, bringing in three straight bags over 16 pounds — 17-7 on Day One, 16-6 on Day Two, and 17-3 on Day Three — for a three-day total of 51-0, moving him up to third place and wrapping up a solid week.

Top Ten:

Zack Birge 62-2
Todd Auten 61-13
Derek Lehtonen 51-0
Jason Williamson 50-13
Jacob Powroznik 50-5
Randall Tharp 49-13
Brock Mosley 46-10
Chad Grigsby 46-4
Kyle Glasgow 46-3
KJ Queen 45-14

by AnglersChannel

Banks Shaw Comes from Behind to Win Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit Stop 3 Presented by Suzuki Marine on Wheeler Lake

DECATUR, Ala. (March 21, 2026) – Harrison, Tennessee’s Banks Shaw looked mortal at the last Bass Pro Tour event, where he finished 48th at Lake Whitney in Texas. A couple weeks later, fishing on the familiar Tennessee River, Shaw has righted the ship, knocking down the win Saturday in Stop 3 Presented by Suzuki Marine on Wheeler Lake.

With 21 pounds, 1 ounce on the final day of the third Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit Presented by MillerTech regular-season event, Shaw totaled up an even 62 pounds to cash in for $100,000. It’s his second MLF win of the year, and his ninth Top-10 finish the Tackle Warehouse Invitationals or Pro Circuit since the start of 2025. Behind Shaw, Broderick Luckey of Lynchburg, Virginia, surged from 11th place to second with 61-5. Lebanon, Tennessee’s Drew Boggs finished third with 60-12, and Matt Becker of Ten Mile, Tennessee, slipped down the leaderboard to fourth. The leader going into Day 3, Grant, Alabama’s Cal Lane only managed one keeper and dropped down to 18th – good for a $10,000 payday.

This event also produced some serious shakeup in the points standings, as the three leaders heading into the week all turned in rough finishes. With the win, Shaw moved into the lead for 7 Brew Angler of the Year, and Ryan Lachniet and Carter Nutt both have 556 points in second and third respectively.

Going into the final day of the event, Lane and Becker were both ahead of the field by a decent margin, and with a good day, either could have walked to victory. However, both struggled to various degrees – Lane couldn’t generate bites, and Becker never connected with a kicker.

“I didn’t think I had a shot with what I had, I thought possibly, if I had 22 pounds, I could have a shot if these guys stumbled,” said Shaw, who started the day in fourth. “I had a feeling throughout the day, it seemed like it was a little tougher. I was like, ‘Man, I know this place.’ It can easily happen where you only catch 15 pounds. I knew that’s what I needed those guys to catch – if Matt just caught one more, or Cal put a limit in the box, they could have easily won.”

However, the leaders failed to finish strong on the final day, and if you leave Shaw an opening, the odds are good he’ll be there to fill it. At home on the Tennessee River, Shaw has won at the College Fishing, Toyota Series and Pro Circuit levels on Pickwick, Chickamauga and Kentucky Lake – and now Wheeler.

“I recently had my worst pro level tournament at the Bass Pro Tour at Lake Whitney,” said Shaw. “It definitely bothered me. To turn it around like this, it definitely gets my hopes back up, my confidence back up.”

Weights on Wheeler Lake were exceptional for this event, but it rarely came easy and the event was all about adjustments. Lots of anglers thought they had something figured out, only for it to desert them the next day, or the next hour. Shaw simply figured out the next thing better than anyone else.

“It’s definitely a tricky fishery,” he said. “They’re super scattered out right now, and I had to locate new fish throughout the entire tournament. I spent all my practice on the Decatur Flats, and I thought I could have 20 pounds pretty easily fishing on the flats. [Day 1] I spent about 2 hours out there and only had one 3½-pounder. I scratched it right away and caught like two more in my forward-facing period the first day. Then I stumbled on a drop-shot bite, fishing current breaks and barge ties.”

In 22nd after Day 1, Shaw kept on the hunt when he rolled out of takeoff on Day 2.

“I knew I had to get on a forward-facing bite of some sort, so I ran down to some stuff I found for the Toyota Series Championship a few years ago – it’s all structure and pea gravel banks,” he said. “I pulled up on my best place in the Toyota Series Championship and caught a 4-pounder first-thing and then blasted 20 pounds pretty quick.”

Shaw replicated his Day 2 success on the final day, but added in a largemouth wrinkle.

“Today I did the same thing – I pulled up on the area I caught them yesterday and caught a 4½ and a 3¾, and then I left there and went to one creek where I knew there was a good population of largemouth,” he explained. “I knew I needed one of those heads, I hadn’t caught a 5-pounder all week, and in the last 5 minutes of forward-facing I caught a 5¼ and that’s what did it.”

Of the youth movement, Shaw is probably the best combination of forward-facing sonar prowess, and skill when the screens are off. On Day 1, his three biggest fish came after he’d shut his sonar off, and he weighed one fish each of the final two days that he caught without ‘Scope.

For tackle, Shaw put a 7- foot, 1-inch, medium fast 13 Fishing Myth spinning stick through its paces. Paired with a 14-pound Sufix Advance leader and 10-pound Sufix 832 line, he did damage with a 4 ½-inch Rapala CrushCity Mooch Minnow on a 1/8-ounce head and a 1/8-ounce drop-shot with several creature baits.

For his ‘Scope fish, he targeted staging and spawning areas, and mostly caught smallmouth.

“You had to find a bank that had good structure for fish to live on and pea gravel for them to spawn on,” said Shaw. “They weren’t really using the structure, I caught some sitting on little bitty sticks, but for the most part they were swimming around it. I definitely caught a couple off of beds – Day 2 I fished for one for about 15 minutes that was sitting on a little tiny piece of wood.”

When he had to go dark, Shaw stuck to the basics.

“I was completely changing it up,’ he said of his non-forward-facing pattern. “I knew I couldn’t target the fish I was catching on forward-facing. I knew I could keep my bait around fish on visible structure, so I was targeting logs, visible stumps, barge ties, anything that makes a current break. I had one barge tie that produced my three biggest fish on Day 1.”

Catching his limits quickly each of the last two days, Shaw made hard things look easy, as he so often does. No longer a rookie, he has a target on his back whenever he launches the boat, and so far, he’s proving equal to the pressure.

The top 20 pros at the Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit Stop 3 on Wheeler Lake Presented by Suzuki Marine finished:

1st:        Banks Shaw, Harrison, Tenn., 15 bass, 62-0, $100,000
2nd:      Broderick Luckey, Lynchburg, Va., 15 bass, 61-5, $23,900
3rd:       Drew Boggs, Lebanon, Tenn., 15 bass, 60-12, $19,300
4th:       Matt Becker, Ten Mile, Tenn., 15 bass, 60-9, $17,400
5th:       Carter Nutt, Nashville, Tenn., 15 bass, 54-5, $16,500
6th:       Kyle Austin, Ridgeville, S.C., 14 bass, 52-6, $15,600
7th:       Marshall Hughes, Hemphill, Texas, 15 bass, 51-10, $14,700
8th:       Connor Jacob, Peoria, Ill., 15 bass, 51-8, $13,700
9th:       Jackson Ryley, Clinton, Ind., 15 bass, 51-7, $12,800
10th:     Clint Knight, Russellville, Ky., 15 bass, 50-13, $11,900
11th:     Kennie Steverson, Umatilla, Fla., 15 bass, 50-13, $10,000
12th:     Ryan Lachniet, Gum Spring, Va., 15 bass, 50-11, $10,000
13th:     Drew Gill, Mount Carmel, Ill., 15 bass, 50-5, $10,000
14th:     Kyle Cortiana, Broken Arrow, Okla., 15 bass, 50-2, $10,000
15th:     Hayden O’Barr, Scottsboro, Ala., 15 bass, 49-13, $10,000
16th:     Matteo Turano, Puryear, Tenn., 15 bass, 49-10, $10,000
17th:     Bobby Bakewell, Orlando, Fla., 15 bass, 49-8, $10,000
18th:     Cal Lane, Grant, Ala., 11 bass, 49-6, $10,000
19th:     Will Harkins, Blairsville, Ga., 15 bass, 49-2, $10,000
20th:     Hunter Mills, Mayfield, Ky., 15 bass, 49-1, $10,000

Complete results for the event can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

Overall, there were 210 bass weighing 590 pounds, 12 ounces caught by the final 50 pros on Saturday. The catch included 37 five-bass limits.

The Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit Presented by MillerTech at Wheeler Lake Presented by Suzuki Marine was hosted by Decatur Morgan County Tourism.

The full field of pros competed in the two-day opening round on Thursday and Friday in a five-fish, weigh-in format. Only the top 50 pros, based on their two-day cumulative weight, advanced to the final round on Championship Saturday. The winner was determined by heaviest cumulative weight from all three days and awarded the grand prize of up to $135,000.

Television coverage of the MLF Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit Presented by MillerTech Stop 3 on Wheeler Lake Presented by Suzuki Marine will air as a two-hour episode, premiering at 9 a.m. ET, on Saturday, Sept. 20 on Vice TV.

The 2026 Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit Presented by MillerTech features a field of up to 150 professional anglers competing across six tournaments around the country, for a total purse of $3.8 million and valuable 7 Brew Angler of the Year (AOY) points to qualify for the Pro Circuit Championship, set for Sept. 18-20 on the Kissimmee Chain of Lakes in Kissimmee, Florida, and a coveted spot on the MLF Bass Pro Tour – the sport’s premier circuit.

The next event for 2026 is the MLF Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit Stop 4 at Douglas Lake Presented by Phoenix Boats, set for May 8-10 in Jefferson County, Tennessee.

Proud sponsors of the 2026 MLF Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit Presented by MillerTech include: 7 Brew, Abu Garcia, Athletic Brewing, B&W Trailer Hitches, Berkley, Black Buffalo, Bubba, Cigars International, Epic Baits, Grizzly, Mercury, MillerTech, OFF! Deep Woods, Onyx, O’Reilly Auto Parts, Phoenix Boats, PirahnO2, Power-Pole, Precision Sonar, Suzuki Marine, Tackle Warehouse, T-H Marine, Toyota, VOSKER, YETI and Yuengling.

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

by AnglersChannel

Lane’s Lead Tightens After Day 2 of Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit Stop 3 Presented by Suzuki Marine on Wheeler Lake

DECATUR, Ala. (March 20, 2026) – Day 2 of Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit Presented by MillerTech Stop 3 Presented by Suzuki Marine on Wheeler Lake shook up the leaderboard, with four pros dropping out of the Top 10, and a lot of movement inside the cutline. Day 1 leader pro Cal Lane of Grant, Alabama, stayed on top, though, weighing 20 pounds, 4 ounces for a 46-6 total. Bass Pro Tour angler Matt Becker of Ten Mile, Tennessee, is in second with 44-14, Lebanon, Tennessee’s Drew Boggs tallied 41-7 for third, and three other pros are over the 40-pound mark and very much in striking distance.

Saturday’s Day 3 on MLFNOW! promises high drama and should showcase everything Wheeler Lake has to offer. From the current at the tailrace, to smallmouth on ‘Scope and flipping wood, it’s all going down on Championship Saturday.

With four bass in the livewell for a long time, it looked like Lane would relinquish his lead at weigh-in (or, at least have it shrunk down to nothing). But the Alabama pro boated a 6-pound kicker late in the day to put himself back in control of the event.

“I’m excited to go tomorrow,’ Lane said. “I don’t know how many fish are left, but I’ve kind of got one option, and I’m going to stick to it.”

That option is the tailrace of the Guntersville Dam, and this week, Lane was really the only pro to make it work.

“I know the time of the year and what happens up there,” he said. “I practiced two days up there, and I hardly saw any boats. That kind of gave me my decision to go, because I didn’t see many guys at all.”

Fishing a few different current breaks, Lane lost two big fish on Day 2, and had his Day 1 bag of 26-2 quickly on Thursday. While it looks like he’s surviving by the skin of his teeth, appearances could be a little deceiving.

“Several bites I had today were the same cast as yesterday,” Lane said. “I feel like I’m realizing what’s dead and what’s productive. They’re there, 100 percent, the fish are there to win. It’s just if you can get them to bite. They have a continues buffet of shad, they’re not forced to eat when a bait comes past them – they’re sitting there constantly looking at bait coming past them.”

A master of the close call, Lane has been in position to win several times in the last year alone. This time, he’d like to close it out.

“I’m excited to go tomorrow,” he said. “I’m trying to keep coolheaded and go with the flow.”

Meanwhile, as seasoned as any pro in the field, Matt Becker is not a guy you want chasing you, especially if there are smallmouth bass to be caught. Fishing at the opposite end of the lake from Lane, Becker has stacked big fish on top of productive ‘Scope periods.

“I didn’t feel good about this tournament at all coming into it, it’s just pieced together as the tournament goes on,” he said. “I’m starting the morning targeting smallmouth, and catching a few largemouth mixed in, but mainly targeting smallmouth. I caught a few of them this morning, but I actually ended up weighing three I caught after my ‘Scope period. I don’t have a plan, I’m just piecing it together.”

His starting plan has been a jerkbait.

“It’s shallow, main lake flats, with little stumps and brush piles on them,” he said. “Today, it seemed like they were congregated in a little drain, and that’s where the bulk of the big smallmouth came from. But, really it’s a section of the lake, maybe 2 miles, that I’ve been hunkering down in during my ‘Scope period.”

From there, he’s doing at little bit of everything.

“I tried to fish for those fish without ‘Scope for a little bit, but it’s really hard to target them without ‘Scope,” he said. “I caught two big largemouth cranking, and I caught a smallmouth on a jig. I’m literally junk fishing, just going down the bank.”

The top 20 pros after Day 2 on Wheeler Lake are:

1st:        Cal Lane, Grant, Ala., 10 bass, 46-6
2nd:      Matt Becker, Ten Mile, Tenn., 10 bass, 44-14
3rd:       Drew Boggs, Lebanon, Tenn., 10 bass, 41-7
4th:       Banks Shaw, Harrison, Tenn., 10 bass, 40-15
5th:       Preston Kolisek, Loretto, Tenn., 10 bass, 40-11
6th:       Kyle Austin, Ridgeville, S.C., 10 bass, 40-6
7th:       Clint Knight, Russellville, Ky., 10 bass, 38-4
8th:       Carter Nutt, Nashville, Tenn., 10 bass, 37-11
9th:       Ryan Lachniet, Gum Spring, Va., 10 bass, 37-5
10th:     Kyle Cortiana, Broken Arrow, Okla., 10 bass, 37-5
11th:     Broderick Luckey, Lynchburg, Va., 10 bass, 36-14
12th:     Caz Anderson, Haysville, N.C., nine bass, 35-14
13th:     Connor Jacob, Peoria, Ill., 10 bass, 35-12
14th:     Marshall Hughes, Hemphill, Texas, 10 bass, 35-8
15th:     Ethan Fields, Breese, Ill., 10 bass, 35-6
16th:     Hunter Mills, Mayfield, Ky., 10 bass, 35-5
17th:     Colby Schrumpf, Highland, Ill., 10 bass, 35-3
18th:     Brent Chapman, Lenexa, Kan., 10 bass, 35-1
19th:     Tripp Berlinsky, Florence, Ala., 10 bass, 35-0
20th:     Hayden O’Barr, Scottsboro, Ala., 10 bass, 34-15

To see all 50 anglers that advance to the final day of competition, plus complete results for the entire event, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com.

Overall, there were 587 bass weighing 1,583 pounds, 2 ounces caught by 129 pros Friday. The catch included 103 five-bass limits.

The Day 2 Berkley Big Bass award of $500 went to pro Louis Fernandes of Santa Maria, California, who weighed in a bass totaling 6 pounds, 12 ounces – the largest of the day – to earn the day’s award.

In Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit competition, the full field of pros competed in the two-day opening round on Thursday and Friday in a five-fish, weigh-in format. Only the top 50 pros, based on their two-day cumulative weight, now advance to the final round on Championship Saturday. The winner is determined by heaviest cumulative weight from all three days and they will be awarded the grand prize of up to $135,000. Forward-facing and/or 360-degree sonar is limited to only 3 hours of competition each day.

The final 50 pros will launch at 7 a.m. CT Saturday from Ingalls Harbor, located at 701 Market St. NW in Decatur, Alabama. The Championship weigh-in will also be held at Ingalls Harbor and will begin at 3 p.m. Fans are welcome to attend all launch and weigh-in events and also encouraged to follow the event online throughout the day on the MLFNOW!® live stream and coverage at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

The Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit Presented by MillerTech at Wheeler Lake Presented by Suzuki Marine is hosted by Decatur Morgan County Tourism.

The MLFNOW! broadcast team of Chad McKee and Rob Newell will break down the extended action live on Championship Saturday from 7:30 a.m. to 2:45 p.m. CT. MLFNOW! is live streamed on MajorLeagueFishing.com, the MyOutdoorTV (MOTV) app and Rumble.

by AnglersChannel

Alabama’s Cal Lane Leads Slugfest After Day 1 of Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit Stop 3 Presented by Suzuki Marine on Wheeler Lake

DECATUR, Ala. (March 19, 2026) – When the entire Top 10 weighs in at least 20 pounds out of the gate, you know you’ve got a good one going on Wheeler Lake. Day 1 of Stop 3 Presented by Suzuki Marine of the Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit Presented by MillerTech was a banger, and pro Cal Lane of Grant, Alabama, highlighted it by catching 26 pounds, 2 ounces for the early lead. Behind Lane, Gum Spring, Virginia’s Ryan Lachniet tallied 23-5 and pro Preston Kolisek of Loretto, Tennesse, put 22-11 on the scale to get things rolling.

With 15 pounds extending to 67th place on Day 1, the fishing was certainly fantastic. Maybe the storyline of the day is how unimportant forward-facing sonar was, though. The top two pros barely caught any fish with it, and though there will be plenty of ‘Scope fish caught on MLFNOW! the rest of the way, this event may end up offering some of the best fishing of the season so far with the graphs off.

Another big watch in this one is the 7 Brew Angler of the Year race, which looks to be headed for a major shakeup. On Day 1, the top the three in points are all sitting in the 70s or worse – not the way to start Stop 3. Unofficially, Lachniet has moved from fifth into the top spot, and Nashville, Tennessee’s Carter Nutt is probably looking at the runner-up spot.

Catching an 8-4 for Berkley Big Bass (and four other big fish to boot) Lane put together a massive start.

“It was an unbelievable day,” said the Alabama pro. “I think I caught six keepers before I left my area, and those six weighed 26. I said, ‘I better get out of here.’”

For Lane, who doesn’t fish Wheeler much at all, the big day was a shock.

“I think I caught two keepers all of practice,” he said. “I had the worst practice I’ve ever had of my life. I swear; I had two bites.”

Catching only one fish on forward-facing sonar on Day 1, Lane said he leaned on an Ignite swimbait. As for doing it again, we’ll find out tomorrow.

“I’m pretty nervous about tomorrow, really – I might not catch a bass,” Lane said. “I’m just thankful they bit today.”

When it comes to excellence with modern sonar, Lachniet is one of the best in the field, which is saying a lot. Trained on the shallow wood at the James River, he’s perfectly suited to do well at Wheeler Lake, and he showed it today.

“I started on the flats, ‘Scoping right away,” he said. “I had a bunch marked from yesterday, and I didn’t find the area yesterday until about 11 or 12 o’clock. But, I didn’t catch anything today until about 11, so, I think they just don’t pull up until the afternoon.

“I ‘Scoped for a while and didn’t catch much of anything, one good one,” he said. “Then I had to turn my ‘Scope off, and I just stuck around and kept fishing and they seemed to pull up later in the day.”

Fishing a Big Bite Baits Nekorama on a shaky head, Lachniet drilled them once he turned his ‘Scope off, culling out basically everything he had to stack up 23 pounds.

“I thought it was possible; I shook off a couple big ones yesterday without ‘Scope,” he said. “But I thought I was going to catch them pretty quick with it. It was nice to catch them without it. I turned my ‘Scope off with about 13 pounds. I was pretty worried about it then.”

Armed with another day of knowledge about Wheeler, Lachniet could be one to watch on Day 2.

A business major at the University of North Alabama, Kolisek stubbed his toe in the opener at the Harris Chain and cashed a $10,000 check at Santee Cooper. Now, he’s in the hunt for a lot more.

“I pulled up to my first spot and caught three small ones, fished around, caught a limit, and then culled two small ones with a 5 and a 4-14,” he said. “I wound up catching them before my ‘Scope period ended, and after it ended, I didn’t have a bite.”

Catching over 20 pounds each of the last two practice days, Kolisek thought things could go well.

“I was hoping I could get above 20; that was the goal today,” he said. “I think I’ve got plenty of fish, but I don’t know about the size. It seems like that’s running out.”

The top 20 pros after Day 1 on Wheeler Lake are:

1st:        Cal Lane, Grant, Ala., five bass, 26-2
2nd:      Ryan Lachniet, Gum Spring, Va., five bass, 23-5
3rd:       Preston Kolisek, Loretto, Tenn., five bass, 22-11
4th:       Matt Becker, Ten Mile, Tenn., five bass, 21-12
5th:       Kyle Cortiana, Broken Arrow, Okla., five bass, 20-13
5th:       Broderick Luckey, Lynchburg, Va., five bass, 20-13
7th:       Drew Boggs, Lebanon, Tenn., five bass, 20-10
8th:       Matteo Turano, Puryear, Tenn., five bass, 20-8
9th:       Steve Lopez, Oconomowoc, Wis., five bass, 20-5
10th:     Hunter Mills, Mayfield, Ky., five bass, 20-3
10th:     Carter Nutt, Nashville, Tenn., five bass, 20-3
12th:     Tripp Berlinsky, Florence, Ala., five bass, 19-12
13th:     Kyle Austin, Ridgeville, S.C., five bass, 19-11
14th:     Mark Condron, Murfreesboro, Tenn., five bass, 19-9
15th:     Clint Knight, Russellville, Ky., five bass, 19-6
16th:     Richard Kee, Somerville, Tenn., three bass, 19-5
17th:     Brent Chapman, Lenexa, Kan., five bass, 19-2
18th:     Chris Blanchette, Chapin, S.C., four bass, 19-1
18th:     Colby Schrumpf, Highland, Ill., five bass, 19-1
20th:     Ethan Fields, Breese, Ill., five bass, 19-0
20th:     Marshall Hughes, Hemphill, Texas, five bass, 19-0

Complete results for the entire field can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

Overall, there were 636 bass weighing 1,979 pounds, 2 ounces caught by 136 pros Thursday. The catch included 117 five-bass limits.

Pro Cal Lane also earned the Day 1 Berkley Big Bass award of $500 after bringing a bass that weighed 8 pounds, 4 ounces to the scale.

In Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit competition, the full field of pros compete in the two-day opening round on Thursday and Friday in a five-fish, weigh-in format. Only the top 50 pros, based on their two-day cumulative weight, advance to the final round on Championship Saturday. The winner is determined by heaviest cumulative weight from all three days and they will be awarded the grand prize of up to $135,000. Forward-facing and/or 360-degree sonar is limited to only 3 hours of competition each day.

Anglers will launch at 7 a.m. CT each day from Ingalls Harbor, located at 701 Market St. NW in Decatur, Alabama. Weigh-ins will also be held at Ingalls Harbor and will begin at 3 p.m. Fans are welcome to attend all launch and weigh-in events and also encouraged to follow the event online throughout the day on the MLFNOW!® live stream and coverage at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

The Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit Presented by MillerTech at Wheeler Lake Presented by Suzuki Marine is hosted by Decatur Morgan County Tourism.

The MLFNOW! broadcast team of Chad McKee and Rob Newell will break down the extended action live all three days of competition from 7:30 a.m. to 2:45 p.m. CT. MLFNOW! is live streamed on MajorLeagueFishing.com, the MyOutdoorTV (MOTV) app and Rumble.

by AnglersChannel

Anglers looking to connect with big bites in Bassmaster Elite at “Tenn-Tom”

COLUMBUS, Miss. — It’s all about connectivity. That’s the name of the game for a unique fishery, as well as those who’ll compete there during the Mountain Dew Bassmaster Elite at Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway.

Competition days will be March 26-29 with daily takeoffs from Columbus Marina at 7 a.m. CT and weigh-ins each day at the Marina at 3 p.m.

To set the stage, the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway, often referred to as the “Tenn-Tom,” is a 234-mile canal that connects the Tennessee River to the Tombigbee River. Completed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in 1984, the waterway begins with a 175-foot-deep Divide Cut coming out of Yellow Creek on Pickwick Lake (a Tennessee River reservoir) and includes 10 locks and dams separating major pools.

With the Tombigbee River running to the Gulf of Mexico (via its merger with the Alabama River, which flows into Mobile Bay), the Tenn-Tom connects commercial navigation from inland ports to oceanic shipping lanes. Progressive Bassmaster Elite Series pro Justin Atkins, who grew up in the event’s host city of Columbus, Miss., said this waterway also has the potential to connect anglers with competitive bass limits.

“I’d say to make the Top 10, you’ll need 36 pounds after 3 days and it won’t take a lot less than that to make a check,” Atkins said. “You might need 10 to 11 a day to get a check, but if you get 12 a day, I believe you’ll make the Top 10."

Predicting a winning weight of 60 pounds, Atkins said that, while the Tenn-Tom rarely produces the double-digit giants that often make crowd-pleasing appearances at Florida and Texas events, this fishery holds plenty of quality fish. Day-makers in the 5-plus-pound range may not be common, but Atkins expects the field to find a handful of impressive bass.

“There will be a couple of 6-pounders caught,” he said. “My dad had a 10 several years ago and I have caught a couple of 8-pound spawners.”

Atkins said the Tenn-Tom’s habitat assortment includes stumps, submersed grasses, primrose, hyacinth, water willow, timber, riprap, docks and laydowns. This event will see anglers throwing a mix of swim jigs, spinnerbaits and frogs, while sight fishing for spawning fish will also come into play.

"It’s a typical shallow water river,” Atkins said. “Sure, It can be challenging at times, but sometimes it will make you look good.”

In the classic risk-reward premise, this fishery offers tremendous habitat diversity throughout the different pools, but anglers will need to carefully calculate their travel times. Locking decisions always matter, but compared to the Upper Mississippi River, a familiar fishery for Bassmaster Elite and Turtlebox Bassmaster Opens presented by Battery Tender events running out of La Crosse, Wis., locking on the Tenn-Tom will present a different scenario.

“When you lock from Pool 8 to Pool 9 (on the Mississippi River), you fall approximately 4 feet, so it’s a pretty quick little deal,” Atkins said. “When you lock on the Tenn-Tom, it’s a 30-minute endeavor.

“When a barge gets involved in that 30-minute turnaround, it extends that wait. There is a lot of barge traffic on the Tenn-Tom, so locking can be risky here. I’ve never felt in danger (of losing too much time) on the Mississippi River. Here, I’ve only been burned one time, but it will get you.”

As Atkins explained, the defining factor is elevation. The greater the difference from one pool to the next, the longer it takes the lock operators to safely move boats through these control structures.

“The (Tenn-Tom locks) rise and fall roughly 18 to 25 feet, depending on the section of the waterway,” Atkins said. “If you are traveling north, they rise; if you are traveling south they fall.

“The waterway travels through a part of the country that has significant sea level change in parts of it, so the locks are closer together. The more the water level has to rise or fall in the lock the more of a commitment it is.”

Lock hopping will help some and hurt others. In some cases, anglers will make long runs up or downstream only to find that better opportunities were waiting elsewhere. Elsewhere, tournament history has seen cringeworthy cases of anglers locking down or up, catching big limits, but failing to make it back to weigh-ins on time.

“If somebody can string a couple of locks together during the day and have some time to fish and get back, that could be the recipe to do well; it could also be the recipe for disaster,” Atkins said. “The guy that stays close and figures out how to catch ’em with the pressure, could have the recipe for success, but he could also burn his fish out by Day 2 and that could be the recipe for disaster.”

Stating what he believes to be the key to Tenn-Tom success, Atkins said: “Good decision making, to include time management and good use of fish. I think limits could be difficult, because if guys try to lock a bunch of items, it’ll shorten their days and they’ll have to generate bites.

“This is an ultimate tournament venue because it’s a little tough and it has a lot of options. I don’t think it can be won doing one thing, so making good decisions will be critical.”

Visit Columbus is hosting this event.

2026 Bassmaster Elite Series Title Sponsor: Progressive

About B.A.S.S.

by AnglersChannel

Fishing Clash Renews with Major League Fishing for 2026

BENTON, Ky. (March 19, 2026) – Major League Fishing (MLF), the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization, announced today that Ten Square Games, the creators of the globally popular mobile game Fishing Clash, has renewed its title sponsorship of the prestigious Bass Pro Tour (BPT) Angler of the Year (AOY) award.

The renewal marks the third consecutive season that Fishing Clash has partnered with MLF as AOY sponsor, following successful collaborations in 2024 and 2025. The agreement also ensures that the MLF brand will continue to be licensed and featured inside the Fishing Clash game throughout 2026, connecting millions of players to the excitement of MLF and the Bass Pro Tour.

As the 2026 BPT season moves into its fourth event next week, the Fishing Clash Angler of the Year race is already taking shape, with the sport’s top pros battling for one of competitive fishing’s most coveted titles. The AOY award honors the most consistent angler across the entire seven-event season – a true test of versatility, decision-making and performance under pressure.

“Fishing Clash has been an outstanding partner, and we’re excited to continue building on the momentum we’ve created together,” said Michael Mulone, MLF Vice President of Sponsorship and Business Development. “The Angler of the Year race represents the very best of what the Bass Pro Tour is all about – consistency, strategy and competing against the best anglers in the world. Fishing Clash understands that competitive spirit, and their global gaming audience aligns perfectly with our passionate fan base.”

Through the partnership, Fishing Clash players will once again have opportunities to compete in MLF-themed in-game events tied to real-world Bass Pro Tour stops. MLF will also collaborate with Fishing Clash on custom-branded content across its digital and social platforms throughout the season, spotlighting anglers, storytelling and key AOY storylines.

In 2026, these efforts will be taken a step further with new activations focused on bringing the Major League Fishing audience into Fishing Clash. The game will feature four custom tutorial videos with a Bass Pro Tour angler, designed to guide MLF fans as they begin their journey in-game. Additionally, dedicated MLF activities will introduce events where players can explore fisheries at their own pace, collect MLF-themed bonuses, and compete for exclusive MLF rewards.

Fishing Clash will be prominently integrated throughout the Bass Pro Tour season, with the Angler of the Year logo featured on official angler jerseys and boats. MLF will also award exclusive prize packs to select Fishing Clash players during the 2026 season, further strengthening the connection between the virtual and on-the-water fishing communities. In addition, Bass Pro Tour anglers will be highlighted in Fishing Clash social media video content, providing both brands with exposure to their respective audiences.

“Our partnership with Major League Fishing continues to bridge the gap between digital and real-world fishing,” said Tom Westall, Product Owner of Fishing Clash. “The Bass Pro Tour Angler of the Year race is a compelling, season-long competition that mirrors the strategy and excitement our players experience every day in Fishing Clash. We’re proud to continue supporting the AOY program and to bring MLF action directly into our game for millions of players worldwide.”

The Fishing Clash Angler of the Year will be crowned at the conclusion of the 2026 Bass Pro Tour season, earning a $100,000 award and solidifying their place in the sport’s history book.

For more information about the Bass Pro Tour and current AOY standings, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. To learn more about Fishing Clash, visit FishingClash.game or download the app on iOS and Android. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF’s social media outlets at Facebook, X, Instagram and YouTube.

About Ten Square Games
Ten Square Games Group is one of the largest Polish producers of mobile games in the free-to-play model and the leader in the outdoor hobbies mobile-game segment (fishing and hunting). The Group includes the Rortos studio in Verona and holds a minority stake in Kraków-based Gamesture. The Group portfolio features titles such as Fishing Clash – one of the world’s most popular 3D fishing games, Hunting Clash – a realistic hunting simulator, Real Flight Simulator, and the fast-growing Wings of Heroes. In 2025, the TSG Group launched two new titles globally: Trophy Hunter and Real Combat Simulator. With a team of around 330 specialists, the company continues to raise the bar in the mobile gaming industry, creating engaging and realistic experiences for millions of players worldwide.

by AnglersChannel

MLF Bass Pro Tour Stays in Texas for Suzuki Marine Stage 4 at O.H. Ivie and Lake Brownwood Presented by Plano

Fourth event of the season to feature 51 pros competing for $600,000 purse across two premier Lone Star fisheries

EARLY, Texas (March 18, 2026) – The Major League Fishing (MLF) Bass Pro Tour (BPT) returns to Texas next week, March 26-29, as Suzuki Marine Stage 4 Presented by Plano sets the stage for a high-stakes showdown across the storied waters of O.H. Ivie and Lake Brownwood. With big bass potential, shifting spring conditions and a field packed with the sport’s top talent, the first-ever Bass Pro Tour visit to these Lone Star fisheries promises to deliver heavy drama, explosive catches and a defining moment in the 2026 season.

Hosted by Visit Early, the four-day tournament will feature 51 of the world’s top professional anglers competing for a $125,000 top prize and their share of a $600,000 purse, along with valuable Fishing Clash Angler of the Year (AOY) points in hopes of qualifying for REDCREST 2027 – the Bass Pro Tour championship – and the Kubota Heavy Hitters all-star event. Competition will unfold under MLF’s catch, weigh, immediate-release format, where every bass over the 2-pound minimum counts and SCORETRACKER® – the MLF live leaderboard – keeps the pressure on throughout the day.

“We are excited to welcome Major League Fishing and the Bass Pro Tour to Early, Texas, and to showcase the incredible fishing opportunities that O.H. Ivie and Lake Brownwood have to offer,” said Denise Hudson-Brian, Tourism Director at Visit Early. “Hosting an event of this caliber not only highlights our community's commitment to outdoor recreation but also positions Early as a premier destination for anglers and fishing enthusiasts.

“I want to express my gratitude to the mayor, council and city leadership for their support in bringing this event to our community,” continued Hudson-Brian. “And a special thank you to the dedicated city staff and volunteers who have worked tirelessly to ensure this event's success.”

The field showcases a powerful mix of proven stars and emerging momentum, led by reigning Bass Pro Tour Angler of the Year and 10-time tour winner Jacob Wheeler and back-to-back REDCREST champion Dustin Connell. Established winners and fan favorites like Zack Birge, Edwin Evers and Ott DeFoe continue to anchor the field, but they’ve been pushed early and often by a hungry new class.

That rookie group has wasted no time making an impact on the Bass Pro Tour stage. Mitchell Robinson, Jacob Walker , Banks Shaw and Dustin Smith have each shown flashes through the opening events, led by Walker’s pair of runner-up finishes and Shaw’s back-to-back top-five results at Stage 1 and Stage 2. With three events in the books and momentum beginning to take shape, the mix of seasoned champions and confident newcomers is already producing one of the most competitive starts to a Bass Pro Tour season in recent memory.

Suzuki Marine Stage 4 Presented by Plano will usher in a new chapter for the Bass Pro Tour, marking the first visit to both O.H. Ivie and Lake Brownwood. In fact, only one previous MLF event has been contested across the two fisheries – the 2024 MLF Fishing Clash Team Series Patriot Cup, where Jeff Sprague and Bryan Thrift emerged victorious. While the lakes are relatively new to the Tour, O.H. Ivie has built a reputation as a trophy bass factory, producing more Toyota ShareLunkers – bass exceeding 13 pounds – than any other Texas fishery over the past five years. With the two-day Qualifying Round set for Ivie, anglers are expected to find bass actively transitioning toward the spawn, creating even greater opportunities to capitalize on the lake’s renowned size potential.

Lake Brownwood, which will host the Knockout and Championship Rounds, is expected to provide a contrast in style, typically offering higher catch rates and rewarding a more traditional, shallow-water approach. With an abundance of shoreline cover – including water willow, rock banks and docks – and less reliance on forward-facing sonar, Brownwood could play right into the hands of anglers looking to fish instinctively and rack up numbers when it matters most.

Sprague brings both experience and perspective into the event, having already found success on these fisheries with the 2024 Team Series Patriot Cup win. While that event was won in the fall, Sprague expects a much different look this time around.

“O.H. Ivie didn’t really show its truest potential in the fall, but it still showed the number of fish that can be caught in that fishery,” said Sprague. “I look forward to it being a different story entirely next week.”

With a warm winter followed by late cold snaps across Texas, the Wills Point, Texas pro said he believes the fish are still in a transitional phase and may not be fully committed to the spawn.

“I really expected the fish to be wide open into the spawn when we got to Lake Whitney for Stage 3 two weeks ago, and they were not,” Sprague said. “Ivie’s a bit similar – it’s a deep, rocky impoundment – but I still think there will be a lot of prespawn fish caught. The majority of them will still be prespawn, but they’ll weigh as heavy as they’re going to weigh. I do think we’ll see some double-digit fish caught, especially on O.H. Ivie.”

As for how the event may unfold, Sprague expects a balance of forward-facing sonar and traditional patterns, with multiple ways to compete in the Bass Pro Tour’s every-fish-counts format.

“This event at this time of year, on these fisheries, lines up perfectly for guys to fish however they want to,” he said. “There’ll be some ‘scoping that takes place – a lot of offshore staging areas, roadbeds, foundations and creek swings where fish will start to pile up to spawn now that the lake is low.”

At the same time, Sprague noted the lakes’ unique cover could reward anglers willing to slow down.

“These lakes are going to fish differently than we typically fish on the Bass Pro Tour, due to the amount of structure in the water. Lake Brownwood will have a variety of rock, docks and wood to fish, but O.H. Ivie is all sagebrush, mesquites and salt cedars, and that stuff is hard to fish. It’s tedious and you’re not going to be moving around a whole lot. You’ve got to get in there and really pick it apart.”

While O.H. Ivie has earned national attention for producing giant bass, Sprague doesn’t expect anglers to rely solely on isolating single big bites.

“Those fish are typically caught by sitting out there and targeting one fish at a time, and I don’t think that’s how this event will play out,” he said. “Between Ivie and Brownwood, I think we’ll see some good numbers and some really tremendous weights – the kind you’d expect from five-fish limits – and guys having a lot of fun both scoping and fishing shallow, especially at Brownwood.”

Anglers will arrive Thursday and Friday (March 26-27) at 6:15 a.m. CT to Elm Creek Marina, located at 457 Recreation Road #10 in Voss, Texas, and Saturday and Sunday (March 28-29) at 6:15 a.m. CT to the Brownwood Reservoir Public Boat Ramp, located at 621 Spillway Road in Brownwood, Texas. Anglers will return to the morning launch location each evening following the end of competition at 3:45 p.m. Fans are welcome to attend all launch and takeout events and also encouraged to watch the event live online throughout the day on the MLFNOW!® livestream and follow along with SCORETRACKER® coverage at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

On Saturday and Sunday, March 28-29, from 3–6 p.m., MLF invites fans of all ages to Early Town Center located at 109 Kelcy Way in Early, for the MLF Fan Experience & Watch Party. Fans can watch the Bass Pro Tour pros live on the MLFNOW!® big screen, enjoy free food for the first 100 fans each day, enter hourly giveaways, browse MLF merchandise and the bargain bait bin, and cheer on their favorite anglers. Youth of all ages can take part in a fishing derby (gear and bait provided, weather permitting) and a casting contest. Live music with C.J. Briscoe and Caleb Wilbourn begins at 4 p.m., followed by Top 10 angler interviews and the trophy presentation at 5 p.m., including autographs and photos with Bass Pro Tour finalists. The first 50 kids ages 14 and under will receive a free rod and reel each day.

The Suzuki Marine Stage 4 at O.H. Ivie and Lake Brownwood Presented by Plano will feature anglers competing with a 2-pound minimum weight requirement for a bass to be deemed scorable. The MLF Fisheries Management Division determines minimum weights for each body of water that the Bass Pro Tour visits, based on the productivity, bass population and anticipated average size of fish in each fishery.

by AnglersChannel

Yamaha Power Pay: Dylan Nutt Dominates the 2026 Bassmaster Classic

Courtesy of Dynamic Sponsorships

Dylan Nutt, a 22-year-old angler from Nashville, Tenn., is the 2026 Bassmaster Classic® champion after catching 66 pound, 13 ounces over the three-day. Nutt qualified to fish the 56^th edition of the “Super Bowl of Bass Fishing” through the B.A.S.S. Nation, Bassmaster’s premier grassroots tournament circuit.

Nutt became just the second person to win the Classic after qualifying through the B.A.S.S. Nation, joining the late Bryan Kerchal who won the 1994 Classic, ten years before Nutt was born.

Along with the sport’s most iconic trophy, Nutt boated a $20,000 payout from Yamaha Power Pay for being the highest finishing angler running a Yamaha outboard motor purchased within the past 60 months. Nutt’s vessel of choice for the 2026 season is a Yamaha V MAX SHO® 250 on the back of a Caymus Boat.

“This is my first year running my own boat and I’ve always heard good things about Yamaha outboards,” Nutt said. “I had to give Yamaha a try, and I’ve been loving this thing. I’ve put over 180-hours on that motor this year and haven’t had the first issue. Then through Power Pay I can earn bonus money in nearly all the events I planned to fish. It’s just awesome.”

Nutt signed up for the free-to-register program a few days before Classic competition began, making the incredible $20,000 bonus his first payday through Yamaha’s popular contingency program. It’s fair to say it won’t be his last.

While he’s young, Nutt’s on-the-water abilities and prowess have been well documented. He and his twin brother Carter have been winning tournaments up and down the Tennessee River for several years.

“I was making about a 25 to 35-minute run each morning about halfway down Fort Louden,” Nutt explained. “It wasn’t a super long run as far as the Tennessee River is concerned, but it was long enough that I was happy to be in a Caymus with a Yamaha behind me.”

Dylan excelled fishing at the college level and his recent Classic win has given him the opportunity to fill his schedule with “as many tournaments as possible” for the remainder of 2026.

Lucky for Nutt and all other Yamaha owners, Power Pay supports over 600 bass, walleye, and saltwater events per year. Giving the new Classic champion several opportunities to win additional Power Pay rewards, on top of the legendary reliability anglers have come to trust Yamaha for.

For more information or to get registered today and start earning extra winnings like Dylan Nutt, follow this link: https://yamahapowerpay.com/ or send an email to [email protected].

by AnglersChannel

Louisiana’s Caskey Survives Lost Fish, Secures Win at Phoenix Bass Fishing League Event at Sam Rayburn Reservoir

Texas’ Armstrong Earns Victory in Co-Angler Division

BROOKELAND, Texas (March 16, 2026) – Eighteen-year-old oater Colton Caskey of Campti, Louisiana, caught a total of five bass weighing 23 pounds, 15 ounces, Sunday, to win the MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League (BFL) Presented by T-H Marine on Sam Rayburn Reservoir . The tournament, hosted by Jasper County Development District, was the fourth of five events of the season for the BFL Cowboy Division and the second of a back-to-back BFL tournament weekend at Sam Rayburn Reservoir. After finishing in 46th place and missing a payout in the first event on Saturday, Caskey earned $3,830 for his victory on Sunday.

“I made a long run in the morning and started off fishing some shallow timber without the (Garmin Live)’Scope ,” Caskey said. “I was catching a bunch of males –small ones. I had a limit of maybe 4 or 5 pounds. So, I decided to pull out off the bank and fish a couple of hard spots. I pulled up on one in 15 feet of water I hadn’t fished in a long time and cast up there with a jig and had one about 6 pounds that came off at the boat. Then I had another about 5 pounds that came off at the boat. So, I had lost two big ones on this one spot.

“So, I decided to turn on my ’Scope on to see what was there,” Caskey added. “And there was a good many of them. And I caught my first big one, an 8-14.”

Caskey continued to throw his ¾-ounce V&M Cliff Pace the Flatline Pacemaker Football Jig with a V&M J-Bug trailer as well as a Carolina rig with a V&M Swamp Hog and added another 6-pounder, one that weighed 4 pounds and then lost two more that he estimated at between 5 and 6 pounds.

The lost fish weighed heavily on Caskey, and he feared he had blown his chances of a good finish in the tournament.

“It was rough,” Caskey said. “I lost a lot of fish right at the boat and was having problems with the net. I thought there was no chance I was going to win. They were biting really well today. Rayburn is typically a 30-pounds-to-win type of lake. And I weighed in a fish that was barely over a pound.

“I was very surprised,” Caskey went on to say about the win. “I’ve not been catching them very good out there. I caught one really big one in practice was all. I was grateful to have what I had.”

The top 10 boaters finished the tournament:

1st: Colton Caskey, Campti, La., five bass, 23-15, $3,830
2nd: Jaden Parrish, Liberty, Texas, five bass, 19-10, $2,270 (includes $500 Phoenix bonus)
3rd: Zack Fogle, Longview, Texas, five bass, 18-9, $890
4th:         Cole Moore, Anacoco, La., five bass, 16-13, $710
5th:         Robert Laird Jr, Livingston, Texas, five bass, 16-9, $630
6th:         Justin Parchman, Oologah, Okla., five bass, 16-3, $540
7th:         Ricky Guy, Humble, Texas, five bass, 14-12, $520
8th:         Daniel Bryant, Scott, La., five bass, 14-11, $490
9th:         Bryan McDonough, Brookeland, Texas, five bass, 14-5, $460
9th:         Kaden Mueck, Livingston, Texas, five bass, 14-5, $460

Complete results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

Caskey also earned the Berkley Big Bass Boater award after landing an 8-pound, 14-ounce bass, worth $200.

Demarcus Armstrong of Pittsburgh, Texas won the co-angler division and the top prize of $1,865 Sunday after bringing three bass to the scale that totaled 10 pounds, 8 ounces.

The top 10 co-anglers finished:

1st: Demarcus Armstrong, Pittsburgh, Texas, three bass, 10-8, $1,865
2nd: Chris Harrell, Conroe, Texas, three bass, 9-12, $885
3rd: Maximillian Stevens, Lafayette, La., three bass, 8-9, $445
4th:         Aaron Uncapher, Tyler, Texas, three bass, 8-8, $355
5th:         Anthony Jones, Irving, Texas, three bass, 8-4, $315
6th:         Collin Kelly, Montgomery, Texas, three bass, 8-0, $270
7th:         David Gandaria, Hemphill, Texas, three bass, 7-14, $310
8th:         Dwight Minogue, Many, La., three bass, 7-12, $245
9th:         James Grizzle, Many, La., three bass, 7-11, $232
9th:         William Easley, Pollok, Texas, three bass, 7-11, $232

Armstrong also earned the Berkley Big Bass co-angler award after landing a 7-pound, 1-ounce bass worth $100.

After four events, Cole Moore of Anacoco, Louisiana, now leads the 7 Brew Cowboy Division Angler of the Year (AOY) race with 978 points, while James Grizzle of Many, Louisiana, leads the Cowboy Division Co-Angler of the Year race with 929 points.

About Major League Fishing
Major League Fishing (MLF) is the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization, producing more than 250 events annually at some of the most prestigious fisheries in the world, while broadcasting to America’s living rooms on CBS, Discovery, Outdoor Channel, VICE, CBS Sports Network, World Fishing Network, RFD-TV, Game & Fish TV and Rumble, and on demand on MyOutdoorTV (MOTV). Headquartered in Benton, Kentucky, the MLF roster of bass anglers includes the world’s top pros and more than 30,000 competitors in all 50 states and 20 countries. Since its founding in 2011, MLF has advanced the sport of competitive fishing through its premier television broadcasts and livestreams and is dedicated to improving the quality of life for bass through research, education, fisheries enhancement and fish care.

by AnglersChannel

Moncks Corner’s Elsey Earns Win at Phoenix Bass Fishing League Event at Santee Cooper Lakes

South Carolina’s Ries Tops Co-Angler Division

SUMMERTON, S.C. (March 16, 2026) – Boater Gary Elsey of Moncks Corner, South Carolina, caught a total of five bass weighing 26 pounds, 10 ounces, to win the MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League (BFL) Presented by T-H Marine on Santee Cooper Lakes. The tournament, hosted by Clarendon County Chamber of Commerce, was the second of five events of the season for the BFL South Carolina Division. Elsey earned $2,960 for his victory.

Elsey started the tournament on the lower lake, caught a few fish, then at 9:30 decided to relocate. That’s when things got interesting.

“I ran to the lower lake and caught some fish on stumps and then made a move and my motor blew up,” Elsey said. “I just started fishing for some bed fish. We stayed right there in the same little area and caught some fish off of the bed. I told my co-angler, ‘Well, this is it. This is where we’re going to fish for the day. You paid your money and I paid mine, so let’s just have a good time.’

“We had a cold front yesterday, and temperatures got to freezing, and the fish pulled out, but with the warmer weather we had overnight they seemed to be pulling back up,” Elsey said.

Elsey methodically targeted his bass with a drop-shot rig and a green pumpkin/candy red trick worm. His setup produced 11 keepers during the course of the tournament.

Despite the motor malfunction, Elsey remained confident in his chances of success Saturday.

“I called the tournament director and talked to him about what I needed to do, and he said I had to get another competitor to give me a ride and bring my fish to weigh-in,” Elsey said.

Fellow competitor Cecil Wolfe, who finished the tournament in third place, gave Elsey a ride back to weigh-in.

“I think everything worked out for the good,” Elsey said. “I thank Cecil Wolfe for coming and getting me, because he lost an hour of fishing time to help me.”

The top 10 boaters finished the tournament:

1st: Gary Elsey, Moncks Corner, S.C., five bass, 26-10, $2,960
2nd: Matthew Gunn, Savannah, Ga., five bass, 26-0, $1,600
3rd: Cecil Wolfe, Summerton, S.C., five bass, 25-15, $770
4th:         Ronnie McCoy, Lamar, S.C., five bass, 25-8, $585
4th:         Wade Grooms, Bonneau, S.C., five bass, 25-8, $585
6th:         T.J. McKenzie, Georgetown, S.C., five bass, 23-5, $680
7th:         Michael Craven, Walterboro, S.C., five bass, 22-4, $460
8th:         Wendell Causey Jr., Irmo, S.C., five bass, 21-5, $440
9th:         Mark Hutson, Moncks Corner, S.C., five bass, 20-10, $420
10th: J.W. Smith, Goose Creek, S.C., five bass, 19-14, $410

Complete results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

T.J. McKenzie of Georgetown, South Carolina, earned the Berkley Big Bass Boater award after landing a 7-pound, 15-ounce bass worth $200.

Jason Ries of Columbia, South Carolina, won the co-angler division and the top prize of $1,480 Saturday after bringing three bass to the scale that totaled 10 pounds, 15 ounces.

The top 10 co-anglers finished:

1st: Jason Ries, Columbia, S.C., three bass, 10-15, $1,480
2nd: Rob Burris, Lexington, S.C., three bass, 10-5, $800
3rd: Danny Bickley, Chapin, S.C., two bass, 9-14, $485
4th:         Davy Goodman, Sumter, S.C., three bass, 9-7, $292
4th:         Rashaun Wilson, Charlotte, N.C., three bass, 9-7, $292
6th:         Jack Hoy, Hollywood, S.C., three bass, 8-8, $240
7th:         Tommy Bennett, Columbia, S.C., three bass, 8-4, $230
8th:         Travis Ruff, Connelly Springs, N.C., three bass, 7-12, $220
9th:         Thomas Pennell III, Boiling Springs, S.C, three bass, 7-11, $210
10th: Mack Martin, Clinton, S.C., three bass, 7-5, $205

Danny Bickley of Chapin, South Carolina, earned the Berkley Big Bass co-angler award after landing a 5-pound, 14-ounce bass worth $100.

After two events, Chad Sims of Lancaster, South Carolina, now leads the 7 Brew South Carolina Division Angler of the Year (AOY) race with 477 points, while Jason Ries of Columbia, South Carolina, leads the South Carolina Division Co-Angler of the Year race with 498 points.

The top 45 boaters and co-anglers in the division based on point standings, along with the five tournament winners of each qualifying event, will qualify for the Oct. 8-10 BFL Regional tournament on Lake Eufaula in Eufaula, Alabama. Boaters will fish for a top award of a new Phoenix 819 Pro with a 200-horsepower Mercury or Suzuki outboard worth $50,000, while co-anglers will compete for a top prize of a new Phoenix 518 pro with a 115-horsepower Mercury or Suzuki outboard, worth $33,500.

About Major League Fishing
Major League Fishing (MLF) is the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization, producing more than 250 events annually at some of the most prestigious fisheries in the world, while broadcasting to America’s living rooms on CBS, Discovery, Outdoor Channel, VICE, CBS Sports Network, World Fishing Network, RFD-TV, Game & Fish TV and Rumble, and on demand on MyOutdoorTV (MOTV). Headquartered in Benton, Kentucky, the MLF roster of bass anglers includes the world’s top pros and more than 30,000 competitors in all 50 states and 20 countries. Since its founding in 2011, MLF has advanced the sport of competitive fishing through its premier television broadcasts and livestreams and is dedicated to improving the quality of life for bass through research, education, fisheries enhancement and fish care.

by AnglersChannel

Livingston’s Mueck Notches Win at Phoenix Bass Fishing League Event at Sam Rayburn Reservoir

Texas’ Gorzsas Earns Victory in Co-Angler Division

BROOKELAND, Texas (March 16, 2026) – Boater Kaden Mueck of Livingston, Texas, caught a total of five bass weighing 23 pounds, 4 ounces, to win the MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League (BFL) Presented by T-H Marine on Sam Rayburn Reservoir . The tournament, hosted by Jasper County Development District, was the third of five events of the season for the BFL Cowboy Division. Mueck earned $10,530, including the lucrative $7,000 Phoenix MLF bonus, for his victory.

“I had a little better hopes for the morning,” Mueck said. “I thought I could catch more fish (Garmin) LiveScoping to carry me throughout the day, but I only lucked out with one 6-pounder to start with. I had that one and a 4½, and that was about all I did ’Scoping.

“The rest of my damage I did was by dragging some shallow hard spots and secondary points, stuff like that,” Mueck went on to say. “I caught a lot of fish. I probably caught 50 to 60 fish throughout the day and gradually culled up, little by little.”

Mueck said he started his day in Buck Bay and planned to go up the lake in search of fish, but wind changed his mind, and he fished the majority of his day in the Ayish Bayou arm. Mueck said his LiveScope fish, including the big bass that came off of a laydown at 8:30, came on a minnow. The rest of the day he relied on a Carolina rig with a 1-ounce weight and a Berkley Powerbait Pit Boss.

“I thought it would take 25 to 28 pounds, maybe even 30 today,” Mueck said. “I was thinking if I could catch three big ones in the morning, I would be alright, but that didn’t go my way. I was pretty antsy. I figured I was going to get bumped out at weigh-in.

“I’ve always wanted to win one of these trophies with the fish on it. I’ve always thought they were really cool trophies.” Mueck added. “I’ve been close. I’ve ended up second and everything else, so this felt really good. Now I’m looking to win another one.”

The top 10 boaters finished the tournament:

1st:        Kaden Mueck, Livingston, Texas, five bass, 23-4, $10,530 (includes $7,000 Phoenix bonus)
2nd:      Wyatt Frankens, Corrigan, Texas, five bass, 19-9, $1,770
3rd:       Dwight Abshire, Santa Fe, Texas, five bass, 19-3, $890
4th:        Daniel Bryant, Scott, La., five bass, 18-6, $710
5th:        River Lee, Diboll, Texas, five bass, 18-4, $630
6th:        Joshua Teply, Harrah, Okla., five bass, 17-12, $540
7th:        Cole Moore, Anacoco, La., five bass, 16-6, $520
8th:        Nikalos Tarkington, Gladewater, Texas, three bass, 16-3, $690
9th:        Louis Ferguson, Woodville, Texas, five bass, 15-13, $470
10th:     Dicky Newberry, Houston, Texas, five bass, 15-11, $550

Complete results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

Nikalos Tarkington of Gladewater, Texas, earned the Berkley Big Bass Boater award after landing a 7-pound, 8-ounce bass worth $200.

Paul Gorzsas of Marshall, Texas, won the co-angler division and the top prize of $1,915 Saturday after bringing three bass to the scale that totaled 12 pounds, 1 ounce.

The top 10 co-anglers finished:

1st:        Paul Gorzsas, Marshall, Texas, three bass, 12-1, $1,915
2nd:      Eddy Gilder, Sulpher, La., three bass, 10-8, $885
3rd:       Kaleb Cryer, Montgomery, Texas, three bass, 9-15, $445
4th:        David Gandaria, Hemphill, Texas, three bass, 8-14, $355
5th:        Daniel Robertson, Gladewater, Texas, three bass, 8-5, $315
6th:        Camden Cordray, Center, Texas, three bass, 8-4, $270
7th:        Cole Allen, Carlisle, Ark., two bass, 8-2, $360
8th:        Caleb Wilson, Broussard, La., three bass, 8-0, $245
9th:        James Waller, Center, Texas, three bass, 7-15, $240
10th:     Lee Anne Powell, Lake Jackson, Texas, three bass, 7-13, $187
10th:     Velin Sims, Spring, Texas, three bass, 7-13, $187

Paul Gorzsas of Marshall, Texas, earned the Berkley Big Bass co-angler award after landing an 8-pound, 5-ounce bass worth $100.

After three events, Wyatt Frankens of Corrigan, Texas, now leads the 7 Brew Cowboy Division Angler of the Year (AOY) race with 744 points, while Lee Anne Powell of Lake Jackson, Texas, leads the Cowboy Division Co-Angler of the Year race with 691 points.

About Major League Fishing
Major League Fishing (MLF) is the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization, producing more than 250 events annually at some of the most prestigious fisheries in the world, while broadcasting to America’s living rooms on CBS, Discovery, Outdoor Channel, VICE, CBS Sports Network, World Fishing Network, RFD-TV, Game & Fish TV and Rumble, and on demand on MyOutdoorTV (MOTV). Headquartered in Benton, Kentucky, the MLF roster of bass anglers includes the world’s top pros and more than 30,000 competitors in all 50 states and 20 countries. Since its founding in 2011, MLF has advanced the sport of competitive fishing through its premier television broadcasts and livestreams and is dedicated to improving the quality of life for bass through research, education, fisheries enhancement and fish care.

by AnglersChannel

Alabama’s Harrison Edges Field for Win at Phoenix Bass Fishing League Event at Pickwick Lake

Tennessee’s Towry Earns Victory in Co-Angler Division

IUKA, Miss. (March 16, 2026) – Boater Cody Harrison of Muscle Shoals, Alabama, caught five bass weighing 22 pounds, 8 ounces, to win the MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League (BFL) Presented by T-H Marine on Pickwick Lake . The tournament was the second of five events of the season for the BFL Mississippi Division. Harrison earned $2,320 for his victory.

“I ran downriver today and didn’t stop until I got to the Natchez Trace bridge,” Harrison said. “I started out cranking some current breaks and caught two fish pretty quick. But I really didn’t get on anything until I stopped just shy of the dam.”

Harrison said he continued to fish current breaks and around 10 a.m. changed the color of his swimbait from a Citron color to a Green Bean color. That’s when his luck changed.

“On the first cast I made with the new color I caught a 4-6,” Harrison said. “I knew I had figured out the color. So, I made a few drifts and culled up to 19 pounds. I bounced around to let the spot rest, then I went back and fished it hard, but I didn’t get a fish that would help me.”

“I didn’t start (Garmin) LiveScope until 1:00 when I pulled up into a little sneaky place,” Harrison went on to say. “I could see the fish down there, and I knew something was about to happen.”

Harrison said he tried an Alabama rig and could see fish following it, so he switched back to the True Bass Hollow Body Swimbait 4.5 with a ¾-ounce True Bass True Lock Swimbait Jig Head and promptly caught a 5-pound, 7-ounce bass, one that weighed 4-14 and one that went 3-6 to cull up to more than 21 pounds. Harrison opted for a ¾-ounce jig head instead of his usual ½-ounce head for use in the high current.

“I really didn’t think I would win,” Harrison said. “I thought a top 5 was possible. I knew I had 22 pounds and some change, so I felt like that was pretty solid. I lost two fish, and whenever you lose one… I mean, you have to fish clean to win, so I thought losing those two was going to be a killer. I thought a win was out of the question.

“So, I was really glad to get a win on this lake,” Harrison went on to say. “I’m here all the time and I know so much about this place it usually burns me. I have too much water, and I kind of get spaced out too much. The last Toyota Series event I fished here I had fish from one end to the other and I didn’t know where to start and I just bombed. I’m just glad I got to redeem myself after the last Toyota event I fished here.”

The top 10 boaters finished the tournament:

1st: Cody Harrison, Muscle Shoals, Ala., five bass, 22-8, $2,320
2nd: Clayton Ellis, Saltillo, Miss., five bass, 21-5, $1,360
3rd: Donny Beck, Killen, Ala., five bass, 18-6, $630
4th:         Skip Howell, Okolona, Miss., five bass, 17-13, $530
5th:         Blake Daugherty, Pope, Miss., five bass, 17-9, $470
6th:         Trent Suratt, Lawrenceburg, Tenn., four bass, 16-14, $915 (includes $500 Phoenix bonus)
6th:         Corban Knight, Somerville, Tenn., five bass, 16-14, $415
8th:         Charles Watts, Corinth, Miss., five bass, 16-9, $390
9th:         Shane Cox, Iuka, Miss., four bass, 16-5, $380
10th: JR Dukes, Tillatoba, Miss., five bass, 16-2, $520

Complete results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

Clayton Ellis of Saltillo, Mississippi, earned the Berkley Big Bass Boater award after landing a 7-pound, 1-ounce bass worth $200.

Scott Towry of Lawrenceburg, Tennessee, won the co-angler division and the top prize of $1,160 Saturday after bringing three bass to the scale that totaled 10 pounds, 6 ounces.

The top 10 co-anglers finished:

1st: Scott Towry, Lawrenceburg, Tenn., three bass, 10-6, $1,160
2nd: Christopher Beach, Brookhaven, Miss., three bass, 8-14, $580
3rd: Wade Mitchell, Woodland, Miss., three bass, 8-12, $315
4th:         Bill Goldman, Tylertown, Miss., three bass, 8-5, $265
5th:         Thomas Alexander, Austin, Ark., three bass, 7-11, $235
6th:         John Higginbotham, Denham Springs, La., three bass, 7-5, $210
7th:         Larry Stewart Jr., Brandon, Miss., one bass, 6-1, $302
7th:         Johnny Suratt, Lawrenceburg, Tenn., two bass, 6-1, $202
9th:         Ansel Davis, Tylertown, Miss, one bass, 5-4, $190
10th: Jeff Porter, Southaven, Miss., two bass, 5-1, $185

Larry Stewart Jr. of Brandon, Mississippi, earned the Berkley Big Bass co-angler award after landing a 6-pound, 1-ounce bass worth $100.

After two events, Blake Daugherty of Pope, Mississippi, now leads the 7 Brew Mississippi Division Angler of the Year (AOY) race with 495 points, while John Higginbotham of Denham Springs, Louisiana, leads the Mississippi Division Co-Angler of the Year race with 485 points.

The top 45 boaters and co-anglers in the division based on point standings, along with the five tournament winners of each qualifying event, will qualify for the Oct. 8-10 BFL Regional tournament on Lake Eufaula in Eufaula, Alabama. Boaters will fish for a top award of a new Phoenix 819 Pro with a 200-horsepower Mercury or Suzuki outboard worth $50,000, while co-anglers will compete for a top prize of a new Phoenix 518 pro with a 115-horsepower Mercury or Suzuki outboard, worth $33,500.

About Major League Fishing
Major League Fishing (MLF) is the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization, producing more than 250 events annually at some of the most prestigious fisheries in the world, while broadcasting to America’s living rooms on CBS, Discovery, Outdoor Channel, VICE, CBS Sports Network, World Fishing Network, RFD-TV, Game & Fish TV and Rumble, and on demand on MyOutdoorTV (MOTV). Headquartered in Benton, Kentucky, the MLF roster of bass anglers includes the world’s top pros and more than 30,000 competitors in all 50 states and 20 countries. Since its founding in 2011, MLF has advanced the sport of competitive fishing through its premier television broadcasts and livestreams and is dedicated to improving the quality of life for bass through research, education, fisheries enhancement and fish care.

by AnglersChannel

Fondren, Stewart Tie for Win at Phoenix Bass Fishing League Event at Percy Priest

Kentucky’s Jones Tops Co-Angler Division

ANTIOCH, Tenn. (March 16, 2026) – Boaters Chris Fondren of Lebanon, Tennessee, and Logan Stewart of Nashville, Tennessee, each caught five bass weighing 19 pounds, 8 ounces, to tie for the win at the MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League (BFL) Presented by T-H Marine on Percy Priest. The tournament was the first of five events of the season for the BFL Music City Division. Fondren earned $9,100, including a $7,000 Phoenix bonus, and Stewart earned $2,200.

“There was a lot of boat traffic on the lake,” Fondren said. “The bigger fish seemed to be closer to the river channel, so I just tried to go wherever there wasn’t a boat and try to catch bigger-than-average fish. I tried to stay closer to deep water.”

Fondren said he stayed midlake and focused on broken chunk rock and channel swings with a crankbait, jerkbait and swimbait.

“I pretty much junk fished my way through the day using all of those baits and managed to weigh in a 6-11,” Fondren said.

Fondren found his fish came in flurries and he culled all day long. He was still culling with five minutes to go in the tournament.

“As soon as I caught that big one at 10:00 I had right at 18 pounds with a mega-big fish in the box, which is one of the hardest ones to catch. I thought if I caught another 4- or 5-pounder I would be tough to beat,” Fondren said.

Unlike Fondren, Stewart said he fished “all over the lake” and found his fish also came in flurries.

“That lake can fish a little small at times, but I was able to run into (fish) and capitalized on a couple of bite windows,” Stewart said.

Stewart’s bass came during two different bite windows: from 9 to 10 a.m., and again around 1 p.m.

“Late in the day I was fortunate to catch a kicker on a Carolina rig out deep, and that was a key fish for sure,” Stewart said. “It was then I realized I had an outside shot.”

The top 10 boaters finished the tournament:

1st: Chris Fondren, Lebanon, Tenn., five bass, 19-8, $9,100 (includes $7,000 Phoenix bonus)
1st: Logan Stewart, Nashville, Tenn., five bass, 19-8, $2,200
3rd: Scott Brummett, Brentwood, Tenn., five bass, 19-1, $740
4th:         Austin True, Dickson, Tenn., five bass, 17-14, $600
5th:         Mike Suddoth, Dickson, Tenn., three bass, 17-2, $730
6th:         Michael Stout, Gallatin, Tenn., five bass, 16-1, $460
7th:         Josh Womack, Gallatin, Tenn., five bass, 15-10, $450
8th:         Drew Boggs, Lebanon, Tenn., five bass, 15-8, $430
9th:         Pete Balishin, Sharps Chapel, Tenn., five bass, 15-6, $410
10th: Zach Hedges, Utica, Ky., five bass, 14-15, $400

Complete results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

Mike Suddoth of Dickson, Tennessee, earned the Berkley Big Bass Boater award after landing a 7-pound, 3-ounce bass worth $200.

Kevin Jones of Fort Campbell, Kentucky, won the co-angler division and the top prize of $1,490 Saturday after bringing three bass to the scale that totaled 12 pounds, 5 ounces.

The top 10 co-anglers finished:

1st: Kevin Jones, Fort Campbell, Ky., three bass, 12-5, $1,490
2nd: Mason Moore, Waynesburg, Ky., three bass, 11-3, $710
3rd: Mitchell Adams Sr, Smyrna, Tenn., three bass, 10-15, $370
4th:         Redd Reynolds, Flintville, Tenn., three bass, 10-2, $300
5th:         Dylan Beard, Dickson, Tenn., three bass, 9-11, $265
6th:         David Marr, Cleveland, Tenn., three bass, 9-7, $230
7th:         David Wiley, Greenbrier, Tenn., three bass, 9-1, $230
8th:         Bradley Miller, Russelville, Ky., three bass, 8-15, $215
9th:         Pop Catalin, Cookeville, Tenn, three bass, 8-14, $210
10th: Omar de Jesus, Goodlettsville, Tenn., three bass, 8-12, $200

Kevin Jones of Fort Campbell, Kentucky, earned the Berkley Big Bass co-angler award after landing a 5-pound, 3-ounce bass worth $100.

The top 45 boaters and co-anglers in the division based on point standings, along with the five tournament winners of each qualifying event, will qualify for the Oct. 15-17 BFL Regional tournament on Kentucky-Barkley Lake in Calvert City, Kentucky. Boaters will fish for a top award of a new Phoenix 819 Pro with a 200-horsepower Mercury or Suzuki outboard worth $50,000, while co-anglers will compete for a top prize of a new Phoenix 518 pro with a 115-horsepower Mercury or Suzuki outboard, worth $33,500.

About Major League Fishing
Major League Fishing (MLF) is the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization, producing more than 250 events annually at some of the most prestigious fisheries in the world, while broadcasting to America’s living rooms on CBS, Discovery, Outdoor Channel, VICE, CBS Sports Network, World Fishing Network, RFD-TV, Game & Fish TV and Rumble, and on demand on MyOutdoorTV (MOTV). Headquartered in Benton, Kentucky, the MLF roster of bass anglers includes the world’s top pros and more than 30,000 competitors in all 50 states and 20 countries. Since its founding in 2011, MLF has advanced the sport of competitive fishing through its premier television broadcasts and livestreams and is dedicated to improving the quality of life for bass through research, education, fisheries enhancement and fish care.

by AnglersChannel

Longwood’s Panzironi Holds Off Field for Victory at Phoenix Bass Fishing League Event at Lake Toho

Florida’s Pabon Earns Win in Co-Angler Division

KISSIMMEE, Fla. (March 16, 2026) – Boater Eric Panzironi of Longwood, Florida, caught a total of five bass weighing 26 pounds, 6 ounces, to win the MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League (BFL) Presented by T-H Marine on Lake Toho. The tournament, hosted by Experience Kissimmee, was the third of five events of the season for the BFL Gator Division Presented by Merman’s Revenge. Panzironi earned $5,040 for his victory.

Panzironi recently competed in the Toyota Series event at the Kissimmee Chain of Lakes earlier this month and finished 12th, so he had a good idea of his plan of attack for the BFL tournament.

“I knew it was going to be tough,” Panzironi said. “The guys in the Toyota Series were really catching them, and fishing really slowed down after that event.

“I had a spot in Toho that I ran to and caught a 13- or 14-pound limit in the first 30 minutes,” Panzironi went on to say. “That bite slowed down pretty fast, so I knew I wanted to go to Kissimmee because I knew where some big ones were that I couldn’t get to bite during the Toyota Series event.”

Panzironi made the run to Kissimmee where he had located bass holding on brushpiles and proceeded to target post-spawn bass.

“They were in the brushpiles, and I threw a big worm at them and put it in their faces, and they ate it,” Panzironi said. “I got lucky. I think it was a timing deal. I hit them at the right time, caught them, and that was pretty much it.”

Panzironi targeted hydrilla and milfoil with a golden shad-colored Z-Man Chatterbait Elite EVO on Toho and used his 3-hour electronic period at Kissimmee, where he caught three good-sized bass he weighed in.

“This win feels great,” Panzironi said. “The last two years have been pretty rough. I lost my dad and I haven’t been able to get things together in tournaments, so it feels good to get a nice check in the Toyota Series and then come right back and win this one. I put my time in down there and worked my butt off, and it paid off finally.”

The top 10 boaters finished the tournament:

1st:        Eric Panzironi, Longwood, Fla., five bass, 26-6, $5,040
2nd:      Anthony Cilladi, Oviedo, Fla., five bass, 22-9, $2,480
3rd:       Shelton Smith, St. Cloud, Fla., five bass, 20-0, $1,200
4th:        Kyle Fox, Lakeland, Fla., five bass, 19-10, $885
4th:        Tanner Seabolt, Okeechobee, Fla., five bass, 19-10, $885
6th:        Danny Inabnett, De Leon Springs, Fla., five bass, 18-12, $690
7th:        Matt Wieteha, Miami, Fla., five bass, 18-10, $760
8th:        Brady Lunsmann, Citrus Springs, Fla., five bass, 18-4, $630
9th:        Dan Weber, Palm Bay, Fla., five bass, 17-12, $790
10th:     Andrew Ready, Auburndale, Fla., five bass, 17-8, $560

Complete results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

Dan Weber of Palm Bay, Florida, earned the Berkley Big Bass Boater award after landing an 8-pound, 8-ounce bass worth $200.

Brandon Pabon of Deltona, Florida, won the co-angler division and the top prize of $2,620 Saturday after bringing three bass to the scale that totaled 14 pounds, 5 ounces.

The top 10 co-anglers finished:

1st:        Brandon Pabon, Deltona, Fla., three bass, 14-5, $2,620
2nd:      Sabin Griffis, Indiantown, Fla., three bass, 13-0, $1,240
3rd:       Lenny Leibold III, Franklin, Pa., three bass, 11-11, $600
4th:        Larry Austin, The Villages, Fla., three bass, 11-4, $475
5th:        Tim Endris, Salt Springs, Fla., three bass, 11-2, $410
6th:        Pat Herolt, Citrus Springs, Fla., three bass, 11-1, $345
7th:        William Lewis, Jacksonville, Fla., three bass, 10-5, $330
8th:        Chris Westhelle, Sanford, Fla., three bass, 10-2, $315
9th:        Robert Burnette, Lakeland, Fla, three bass, 10-1, $300
10th:     Andrew Cruz, Lakeland, Fla., three bass, 9-14, $193
10th:     Aaron Doll, Palm Bay, Fla., three bass, 9-14, $193

Pabon also earned the Berkley Big Bass co-angler award after landing a 7-pound, 4-ounce bass worth $100.

After three events, Dylan Quilatan of Windermere, Florida, now leads the 7 Brew Gator Division Presented by Merman’s Revenge Angler of the Year (AOY) race with 722 points, while Chris Westhelle of Sanford, Florida, leads the Gator Division Presented by Merman’s Revenge Co-Angler of the Year race with 699 points.

The top 45 boaters and co-anglers in the division based on point standings, along with the five tournament winners of each qualifying event, will qualify for the Oct. 8-10 BFL Regional tournament on Lake Eufaula in Eufaula, Alabama. Boaters will fish for a top award of a new Phoenix 819 Pro with a 200-horsepower Mercury or Suzuki outboard worth $50,000, while co-anglers will compete for a top prize of a new Phoenix 518 pro with a 115-horsepower Mercury or Suzuki outboard, worth $33,500.

About Major League Fishing
Major League Fishing (MLF) is the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization, producing more than 250 events annually at some of the most prestigious fisheries in the world, while broadcasting to America’s living rooms on CBS, Discovery, Outdoor Channel, VICE, CBS Sports Network, World Fishing Network, RFD-TV, Game & Fish TV and Rumble, and on demand on MyOutdoorTV (MOTV). Headquartered in Benton, Kentucky, the MLF roster of bass anglers includes the world’s top pros and more than 30,000 competitors in all 50 states and 20 countries. Since its founding in 2011, MLF has advanced the sport of competitive fishing through its premier television broadcasts and livestreams and is dedicated to improving the quality of life for bass through research, education, fisheries enhancement and fish care.

by AnglersChannel

Mobile’s Marston Edges Field to Win at Phoenix Bass Fishing League Event at Lake Mitchell

Alabama’s Wiggins Tops Leaderboard in Co-Angler Division

CLANTON, Ala. (March 16, 2026) – Boater Keith Marston of Mobile, Alabama, caught a total of five bass weighing 18 pounds even to win the MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League (BFL) Presented by T-H Marine on Lake Mitchell. The tournament was the third of five events of the season for the BFL Bama Division. Marston earned $3,260 for his victory.

“I’ve fished Mitchell for about 15 years,” Marston said. “It’s just a fun place to fish where you can always go catch a lot of fish. I usually go up there this time of year and spend a couple of days there.

“I prefished Thursday afternoon in a gale-force wind and didn’t learn much of anything,” Marston continued. “The temperature fell overnight and the water temperature fell six or seven degrees, so Friday I didn’t learn much, neither.”

Marston said his plan for tournament day was to make a run up to a creek mouth, near the dam where he caught a good fish in practice. After an hour of fog delay, the field was released to fish and Marston headed for the creek mouth. The spot didn’t produce, however, and Marston was forced to run back south to some islands below the dam he had never fished before.

“I threw my shaky head up there on the point of an island that had current running around it, and I caught a 6-5 largemouth,” Marston said. “It was just being at the right place at the right time. It was a fight on a spinning rod.”

Marston’s shaky head rig consisted of an Owner Shakey Ultrahead and a Zoom Ultra Vibe Speed Craw. Marston also mixed up his presentation with a Reaction Innovations Smallie Beaver.

After 30 minutes of inactivity, Marston returned to midlake to fish rocks and bulkheads. That strategy paid off, as Marston finished his limit then began to run the lake trying to cull smaller fish. Moving water forced Marston to go heavier with his bait, and he chose a War Eagle jig.

“We had about an hour to go and I knew I had about 16½ pounds, and I asked my co-angler if he wanted to run back up to the creek mouth below the dam,” Marston said. “We ran up there and he culled a fish and then I stuck one about 3¼ pounds. I culled out a 2 ½-pounder, and it gave me just enough to eke out a win.”

The top 10 boaters finished the tournament:

1st:        Keith Marston, Mobile, Alabama., five bass, 18-0, $3,260
2nd:      Blake Davenport, Jemison, Ala., five bass, 17-13, $1,500
3rd:       James Willoughby, Gulfport, Miss., five bass, 16-8, $770
4th:        Robert Pelt II, Montgomery, Ala., five bass, 16-7, $585
4th:        Tyler Wesley, Pinson, Ala., five bass, 16-7, $585
6th:        Kevin Jackson, Eufaula, Ala., five bass, 15-9, $480
7th:        Mark McCaig, Oxford, Ala., five bass, 15-6, $960 (includes $500 Phoenix bonus)
8th:        David Parsons, Dothan, Ala., five bass, 15-5, $440
9th:        Chris Allen, Wedowee, Ala., five bass, 14-3, $420
10th:     Phillip Herring, Richton, Miss., five bass, 13-15, $410

Complete results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

Marston earned the Berkley Big Bass Boater award with his 6-pound, 5-ounce bass, worth an extra $200.

Randy Wiggins of Birmingham, Alabama, won the co-angler division and the top prize of $1,440 Saturday after bringing three bass to the scale that totaled 10 pounds, 1 ounce.

The top 10 co-anglers finished:

1st:        Randy Wiggins, Birmingham, Ala., three bass, 10-1, $1,440
2nd:      Michael Donaldson, Thorsby, Ala., three bass, 9-11, $710
3rd:       Jim Jeter, Birmingham, Ala., three bass, 9-5, $370
4th:        John Bryan, Carrollton, Ga., three bass, 9-0, $265
4th:        Raymond Sturz, Opelika, Ala., three bass, 9-0, $265
4th:        Phillip Easterling, Clanton, Ala., three bass, 9-0, $265
7th:        Rodney Graham, Childersburg, Ala., three bass, 8-12, $230
8th:        David Rhudy, Calera, Ala., three bass, 8-11, $215
9th:        Jeffrey Ford, Trion, Ga, three bass, 8-9, $210
10th:     Scott Noles, Woodland, Ala., three bass, 8-8, $200

Brian Lasiter of Kinston, Alabama, earned the Berkley Big Bass co-angler award after landing a 3-pound, 15-ounce bass worth $100.

After three events, Blake Davenport of Jemison, Alabama, now leads the 7 Brew Bama Division Angler of the Year (AOY) race with 724 points, while Jeffrey Ford of Trion, Georgia, leads the Bama Division Co-Angler of the Year race with 736 points.

The top 45 boaters and co-anglers in the division based on point standings, along with the five tournament winners of each qualifying event, will qualify for the Oct. 22-24 BFL Regional tournament on Watts Bar Lake in Spring City, Tennessee. Boaters will fish for a top award of a new Phoenix 819 Pro with a 200-horsepower Mercury or Suzuki outboard worth $50,000, while co-anglers will compete for a top prize of a new Phoenix 518 pro with a 115-horsepower Mercury or Suzuki outboard, worth $33,500.

About Major League Fishing
Major League Fishing (MLF) is the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization, producing more than 250 events annually at some of the most prestigious fisheries in the world, while broadcasting to America’s living rooms on CBS, Discovery, Outdoor Channel, VICE, CBS Sports Network, World Fishing Network, RFD-TV, Game & Fish TV and Rumble, and on demand on MyOutdoorTV (MOTV). Headquartered in Benton, Kentucky, the MLF roster of bass anglers includes the world’s top pros and more than 30,000 competitors in all 50 states and 20 countries. Since its founding in 2011, MLF has advanced the sport of competitive fishing through its premier television broadcasts and livestreams and is dedicated to improving the quality of life for bass through research, education, fisheries enhancement and fish care.

by AnglersChannel

Spain Park High School Wins MLF Abu Garcia High School Fishing Presented by Tackle Warehouse Open on Lake Eufaula Presented by Columbia PFG

EUFAULA, Ala. (March 16, 2026) – The MLF High School Fishing team of James Monson and Greyson Price, representing Spain Park High School of Hoover, Alabama, brought five bass to the scale Saturday weighing 20 pounds, 1 ounce to win the MLF Abu Garcia High School Fishing Presented by Tackle Warehouse Open on Lake Eufaula Presented by Columbia PFG in Eufaula, Alabama.

The no-entry fee tournament was hosted by the Eufaula Barbour County Chamber of Commerce. In MLF Abu Garcia High School Fishing competition, the top 10% of teams competing advance to the High School Fishing National Championship.

The top two teams that now advance to the 2026 High School Fishing National Championship are:

1st: Spain Park High School, Hoover, Ala. – James Monson and Greyson Price, five bass, 20-1
2nd: Lawton Chiles High School, Tallahassee, Fla. – Jackson Crawford and Bo Pearson, five bass, 15-1

Rounding out the Top 10 teams were:

3rd:        The Complete Student, Port Royal, S.C. – Brady Jones and Parker Jones, five bass, 15-0
4th:         Lumpkin County High School, Dahlonega, Ga. – Lyndsey Gailey and Audrey Gailey, five bass, 12-10
5th:         Alma Bryant High School, Irvington, Ala. – Wyatt Johnson and Connor Strachan, five bass, 12-8
6th:         Walton High School, Defuniak Springs, Fla. – Chase Bohannon and Peyton Infinger, four bass, 12-6
7th:         Mt. Zion, Carrollton, Ga. – Ian Rivers and Leelyn Spruill, five bass, 12-2
8th:         Columbus High School, Columbus, Ga. – Lane Chesser and Paxton Wyatt, five bass, 12-0
9th:         Garden State Student Anglers, N.J. – James Pearly and Jack Weissenburger, five bass, 11-13
10th:      Coffee High School, Douglas, Ga. – Hoyt English and Stallen Faulkner, five bass, 10-14

Complete results from the event can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

MLF Abu Garcia High School Fishing presented by Tackle Warehouse tournaments are free, two-person (team) events for students in grades 7-12 and are open to any MLF and TBF Student Angler Federation-affiliated high school club. The top 10% of teams at each Open event, along with the TBF High School Fishing state championships, advance to the High School Fishing National Championship. Tournaments held on or before May 2, 2026, advance teams to the 2026 National Championship. Tournaments held after May 2, 2026, advance teams to the 2027 National Championship.

Proud sponsors of the 2026 MLF Abu Garcia High School Fishing Presented by Tackle Warehouse include: 7 Brew, Abu Garcia, B&W Trailer Hitches, Berkley, BUBBA, Columbia PFG, Epic Baits, Mercury, MillerTech, OFF! Deep Woods, Onyx, O’Reilly Auto Parts, Phoenix Boats, PirahnO2, Power-Pole, Precision Sonar, Suzuki Marine, Tackle Warehouse, T-H Marine, Toyota, VOSKER and YETI.

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

About Major League Fishing
Major League Fishing (MLF) is the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization, producing more than 250 events annually at some of the most prestigious fisheries in the world, while broadcasting to America’s living rooms on CBS, Discovery, Outdoor Channel, VICE, CBS Sports Network, World Fishing Network, RFD-TV, Game & Fish TV and Rumble, and on demand on MyOutdoorTV (MOTV). Headquartered in Benton, Kentucky, the MLF roster of bass anglers includes the world’s top pros and more than 30,000 competitors in all 50 states and 20 countries. Since its founding in 2011, MLF has advanced the sport of competitive fishing through its premier television broadcasts and livestreams and is dedicated to improving the quality of life for bass through research, education, fisheries enhancement and fish care.

by AnglersChannel

McKendree University Stays Shallow for Win at Columbia PFG College Fishing Presented by Abu Garcia Tournament on Lake Eufaula

EUFAULA, Ala. (March 16, 2026) – The McKendree University duo of seniors Jaxson Freeman of Loda, Illinois, and Evan Sutton of Highland, Illinois, won the MLF Columbia PFG College Fishing Presented by Abu Garcia event on Lake Eufaula Friday with a five-bass limit weighing 25 pounds, 5 ounces. The victory earned the Bearcats’ bass club $2,000 and a qualification into the 2027 MLF College Fishing National Championship.

“We took off and had a shallow bite going around the state park where we took off,” Freeman said. “It was a frogging and buzzbait type of deal.

“We did that for about 30 minutes and didn’t get any fish at all,” Freeman continued. “So, we ran down the lake about 20 miles and got into our brush and they were not eating a Neko rig. And that’s basically what we had been catching them on in practice.”

Sutton said the Bearcats teammates drew boat number 179 and started their day not too far from takeoff but ended up focusing their efforts most of the day near the dam and focused on shallow flats with brush. Knowing they needed a spark to get their day kickstarted, Sutton tried an Alabama rig and quickly caught a bass that weighed 6-8.

“From there on out we caught 60-plus fish on the A-rig,” Freeman said. “We just rotated about 20 brushpiles the entire day.”

Ten minutes after the 6-pound, 8-ounce bass was landed the team boated a fish that weighed 6-11.

“We were sitting at 20 pounds with three 2-pounders in the box, so we were thinking all we need is is two more big bites,” Sutton said. “We had six hours (left) at that point, and we were trying to get those two big bites to get up to that 25-pound range, which is what we predicted it would take to win.”

“This win feels amazing,” Sutton went on to say. “It makes me want to continue pursuing fishing after college.”

The top 10 teams finished:

1st: McKendree University – Jaxson Freeman, Loda, Ill., and Evan Sutton, Highland, Ill., five bass, 25-5, $2,000
2nd: University of Montevallo – Trace Antunes, Henderson, Texas, and Garrett Ring, Greenbrier, Ark., five bass, 24-14, $1,000
3rd: University of Montevallo – Storm Clark, Ellerslie, Ga., and Elisha Colley, Fort Payne, Ala., five bass, 23-4, $700
4th: Emmanuel University – Jackson Thomas, Cumming, Ga., and Will Wester, Royston, Ga., five bass, 22-10, $600
5th: University of Montevallo – Hudson Choquette, Montevallo, Ala., and Wyatt Wood, Senioa, Ga., five bass, 22-8, $500
6th: McKendree University – Carson Belville, Rushville, Ill., and Tucker Siminak, Trevor, Wis., five bass, 21-11
7th: University of Montevallo – Michael Markham, Tallassee, Ala., and Brody Mitchell, Huntsville, Ala., five bass, 21-11
8th: Adrian College –Mattix Durst, Harmony, Pa., and Jack Kropp, Mount Clemens, Mich., five bass, 21-6
9th: McKendree University – Kai Barnett, Lebanon, Ill., and Jack Stephens, St. Louis, Mo., five bass, 21-3
10th: University of Montevallo – Connor Bell, Lisbon, N.Y., and Tucker McCoy, Warrior, Ala., five bass, 20-15

Complete results for the entire field, along with the full list of National Championship Qualifier teams can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

The MLF Columbia PFG College Fishing Presented by Abu Garcia event on Lake Eufaula was hosted by the Eufaula Barbour County Chamber of Commerce. The next tournament for MLF College Fishing anglers will be the Columbia PFG College Fishing Presented by Abu Garcia event on Table Rock Lake Presented by Suzuki Marine, April 10 in Branson, Missouri.

The 2026 MLF Columbia PFG College Fishing Presented by Abu Garcia season features college teams from across the country competing in six regular-season open tournaments, plus the Columbia PFG College Fishing Heavy Hitters all-star event. The top 15 percent of teams from each regular-season tournament advance to the 2027 Columbia PFG College Fishing Presented by Abu Garcia National Championship.

Proud sponsors of MLF Columbia PFG College Fishing Presented by Abu Garcia include: 7 Brew, Abu Garcia, B&W Trailer Hitches, Berkley, BUBBA, Columbia PFG, Epic Baits, Mercury, MillerTech, OFF! Deep Woods, Onyx, O’Reilly Auto Parts, Phoenix Boats, PirahnO2, Power-Pole, Precision Sonar, Suzuki Marine, Tackle Warehouse, T-H Marine, Toyota, VOSKER and YETI.

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

About Major League Fishing
Major League Fishing (MLF) is the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization, producing more than 250 events annually at some of the most prestigious fisheries in the world, while broadcasting to America’s living rooms on CBS, Discovery, Outdoor Channel, VICE, CBS Sports Network, World Fishing Network, RFD-TV, Game & Fish TV and Rumble, and on demand on MyOutdoorTV (MOTV). Headquartered in Benton, Kentucky, the MLF roster of bass anglers includes the world’s top pros and more than 30,000 competitors in all 50 states and 20 countries. Since its founding in 2011, MLF has advanced the sport of competitive fishing through its premier television broadcasts and livestreams and is dedicated to improving the quality of life for bass through research, education, fisheries enhancement and fish care.

by AnglersChannel

Andy Newcomb Wins Toyota Series Plains Division Season Opener at Lake of the Ozarks

OSAGE BEACH, Mo. (March 13, 2026) – With major weather changes every day of the event, the Toyota Series Presented by Phoenix Boats Plains Division opener on Lake of the Ozarks set up well for an adaptable local expert to succeed. Few fit that description better than Andy Newcomb of Camdenton, Missouri – the 2021 Plains Division Angler of the Year (AOY), Newcomb has fished all over the country and has five previous top-six finishes in Toyota Series events on his home lake. This time, after years of “almost” and “next time,” the affable Missouri angler sealed the deal.

Weighing the biggest bag of the final day of competition on Thursday (19 pounds, 5 ounces) Newcomb rocketed up from eighth place to get the win. With a three-day total of 50-7, he edged last year’s champ, Cole Breeden , by slightly more than a pound. For the win, he pocketed $59,795 and also qualified for the Toyota Series Championship this fall.

A favorite every time he launches the boat on Lake of the Ozarks, Newcomb put together the perfect event this week. Never weighing in less than 15 pounds, he kept himself in the hunt and walloped a big bag on the final day.

“I’ve worked very hard for this one; I’ve fished every inch of this lake,” said the Missouri, pro. “When I have a day that’s fun fishing, I go somewhere I’m not familiar with or haven’t been, and I just try to learn every bit of it. That way, when the conditions arise, I feel comfortable everywhere I go.

“On the last day, I tend to throw caution to the wind, and go for the absolute biggest bag I can, even if that means not catching a bass. That’s what I did today – I went to a part of the lake I hadn’t been to at all in the tournament and just fished some history and fished the conditions. I just did what I used to do.”

Finally a winner on his home lake, Newcomb wasn’t sure he had it when Day 2 leader David Brand put his fish on the scale.

“I literally told a buddy of mine as we were standing there, he said ‘Did you have a good day?’ I said, ‘I had a good day, I’m sure just good enough to be in the top three.’ I wasn’t sure until David put his fish on there, so, it’s pretty cool.

“It really feels good to put in all that time and effort and have it come to fruition,” Newcomb added. “Lake of the Ozarks is a super special place to a lot of people. It’s given me the opportunity to fish for a living. To win a big one here, you can’t put it into words – or, I can’t; my vocabulary isn’t big enough.”

More than probably any other lake that isn’t filled with grass, Lake of the Ozarks has remained a holdout in the era of high-level forward-facing sonar use. Not that bass can’t be caught with forward-facing sonar, but, many times, it’s not emphatically the way to win. Newcomb proved that again this week, weighing only a couple of fish on ‘Scope the first days, but using it for a 5-pounder and a few other key bites on the final day.

On Day 1, Newcomb went up the lake and threw a jerkbait, and he finished the day out with a 4-pounder on a spinnerbait in dirty water.

“Day 2, I started in the dirty water – I caught a heavy 2-, a 4-pounder, and lost a big one,” he said. “That kind of hurt me – it kept me in the stained water way too long. When I finally made the move and left, I started catching them immediately. I told my co-angler, ‘Man, those guys in the clean water smashed them today’ and they did.”

On the final day, Newcomb had some decisions to make.

“Wednesday night I really struggled with where I wanted to go,” he said. “Until Thursday morning, I didn’t know – I was rigged up for both situations. I got the gut feeling that I needed to go downlake, and that’s what we did. I threw a jerkbait to begin with, and they didn’t seem to want it. So, I picked up an A-rig and that’s what they wanted – I weighed every fish on an Alabama rig today.”

Kicking on his sonar early helped Newcomb dial in the winning combination.

“I would say I weighed two, maybe three on ‘Scope today,’ he said. “I did do some culling. I used my ‘Scope a lot earlier today. Yesterday I didn’t turn it on until about 1 o’clock. Today, I fished for about half an hour and then went ahead and turned it on, to try to get a vibe for the mood of the fish after that cold night. I wanted to see how they were reacting, if they were there and not biting, or just not even there.”

Newcomb used a variety of Ozark staples to get it done. His jerkbait of choice was a Megabass Vision 110 in clown, wakasagi and a custom pattern. For his spinnerbait, he used a chartreuse and white, 5/8-ounce Zorro Bango Blade with a 4-inch X Zone Swammer as a trailer. His umbrella rig was the venerable YUM YUMbrella Flash Mob Jr., which he paired with some Keitech dummies and three 3.8-inch Bait Cave Customs Cave Swimmers on 1/16-ounce Apex Tackle Pro Series Deaver Swimbait Heads. Of course, he used Daiwa rods and reels, as well as Daiwa line.

The light heads on his umbrella rig were a key move according to Newcomb.

“The fish were following it for a long ways before they would bite it,” he outlined. “I felt like if I used a heavier head, they would lose interest and swim away. I threw those lighter heads – you didn’t get all of them to bite, but I feel like I got more to bite because of that.”

Earning the win, Newcomb did a little bit of everything you can do at Lake of the Ozarks, and he mostly did it at the right times and in the right places, which is exactly how tournaments should be won.

“The first two days, I never even threw my bait near a dock,” he said. “Today, I weighed one over 5, and another that was probably 3 3/4 off a dock.

“I just pieced it together as I went. My game plan on Day 1 turned into something else, and then that was my gameplan on Day 2 until halfway through the day,” Newcomb said. “It was one of those tournaments where I did what I thought I should do at the moment. It was the way I should win.”

The top 10 pros at the Toyota Series at Lake of the Ozarks finished:

1st:          Andy Newcomb, Camdenton, Mo., 15 bass, 50-7, $59,795 (includes $35,000 Phoenix MLF bonus)
2nd:        Cole Breeden, Lebanon, Mo., 15 bass, 49-2, $9,608
3rd: Brad Jelinek, Lincoln, Mo., 15 bass, 48-3, $7,438
4th:         David Brand, Dittmer, Mo., 15 bass, 47-8, $6,199
5th:         Chad Satterlee, Walshville, Ill., 15 bass, 47-6, $5,579
6th:         Harmon Marien, Eagle River, Wis., 15 bass, 46-11, $5,959
7th:         Michael Harlin, Sunrise Beach, Mo., 15 bass, 46-9, $4,339
8th:         Tyler Weberg, Eugene, Mo., 15 bass, 46-7, $3,719
9th:         Adam Boehle, Warrenton, Mo., 15 bass, 45-12, $3,099
10th: Jeremy Johnson, Leavenworth, Kan., 15 bass, 45-4, $2,479

Complete results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

Pro Joe Bennett of Ashland, Missouri, earned Tuesday’s $500 Berkley Big Bass Award with a bass weighing 5 pounds, 12 ounces, while pro Cory Steckler of Rocky Mount, Missouri, won Wednesday’s $500 Berkley Big Bass, weighing in a 6-pound, 9-ounce bass to earn the award.

Freeland Peterson of Henley, Missouri, won the co-angler division Thursday at Lake of the Ozarks with a three-day total of 12 bass weighing 32 pounds, 10 ounces. Peterson earned the top co-angler prize package worth $33,500, including a new Phoenix 518 Pro bass boat with a 115-horsepower outboard motor.

The top 10 co-anglers at the Toyota Series at Lake of the Ozarks finished:

1st:          Freeland Peterson, Henley, Mo., 12 bass 32-10, Phoenix 518 Pro boat w/115-hp Mercury outboard
2nd:        Jason Sandidge, Centerton, Ark., 15 bass, 32-3, $3,318
3rd: Ben Mathis, Murray, Ky., 13 bass, 31-8, $2,574
4th:         Chase Johnson, Quincy, Ill., 10 bass, 29-3, $2,252
5th:         Justin Girton, Overland Park, Kan., 12 bass, 29-1, $1,931
6th:         Oliver Siebert, Fenton, Mo., 12 bass, 28-9, $1,609
7th:         Tyler Neis, Imperial, Mo., 11 bass, 27-10, $1,287
8th:         Tyler Branson, Jefferson City, Mo., 11 bass, 26-1, $1,126
9th:         Dillon Saffle, Eureka, Mo., 12 bass, 24-1, $965
10th: Alex Thomas, Fulton, Mo., nine bass, 23-8, $804

Co-angler Ryan Stagner of Robertsville, Missouri, earned the first Berkley Big Bass co-angler award of the week on Tuesday with a 5-pound, 4-ounce bass to earn the $150 prize, while Wednesday’s Day 2 $150 co-angler award went to Jeff Moss of Oronogo, Missouri, who weighed in a bass totaling 4 pounds, 11 ounces.

The Toyota Series Presented by Phoenix Boats at Lake of the Ozarks was hosted by the City of Osage Beach. It was the first of three regular-season tournaments for the Toyota Series Plains Division. The next event for Toyota Series anglers will be the Toyota Series at Grand Lake , March 26-28, in Grove, Oklahoma. For a complete schedule of events, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com.

The 2026 Toyota Series Presented by Phoenix Boats consists of five divisions – Central, Northern, Plains, Southern and Southwestern – each holding three regular-season events, along with the International and Wild Card divisions. Anglers who fish in any of the five divisions or the Wild Card division and finish in the top 25 will qualify for the no-entry-fee Toyota Series Championship for a shot at winning up to $235,000 and a qualification to REDCREST 2027. The winning co-angler at the championship earns a new Phoenix 518 Pro bass boat with a 115-horsepower outboard. The 2026 Toyota Series Championship will be held Nov. 5-7 on Pickwick Lake in Counce, Tennessee, and is hosted by Explore Pickwick Lake & Hardin County Tourism.

Proud sponsors of the 2026 MLF Toyota Series include: 7Brew, Abu Garcia, Athletic Brewing, B&W Trailer Hitches, Berkley, Black Buffalo, BUBBA, Cigars International, Epic Baits, Grizzly, Mercury, MillerTech, OFF! Deep Woods, Onyx, O’Reilly Auto Parts, Phoenix Boats, PiranhO2, Power-Pole, Precision Sonar, Suzuki Marine, Tackle Warehouse, T-H Marine, Toyota, VOSKER, YETI and Yuengling.

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

About Major League Fishing
Major League Fishing (MLF) is the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization, producing more than 250 events annually at some of the most prestigious fisheries in the world, while broadcasting to America’s living rooms on CBS, Discovery, Outdoor Channel, VICE, CBS Sports Network, World Fishing Network, RFD-TV, Game & Fish TV and Rumble, and on demand on MyOutdoorTV (MOTV). Headquartered in Benton, Kentucky, the MLF roster of bass anglers includes the world’s top pros and more than 30,000 competitors in all 50 states and 20 countries. Since its founding in 2011, MLF has advanced the sport of competitive fishing through its premier television broadcasts and livestreams and is dedicated to improving the quality of life for bass through research, education, fisheries enhancement and fish care.

by AnglersChannel

Nutt puts the Nation back on top, wins 56th Bassmaster Classic

Nutt puts the Nation back on top, wins 56th Bassmaster Classic
2025_BMC_BPS-title_UAPresenting_vFinal@4x 1.png

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — For the first time in 32 years and only the second time ever, a B.A.S.S. Nation qualifier wears the crown of the biggest title in bass fishing. Dylan Nutt, the 22-year-old phenom from Nashville, Tenn., won the 2026 Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Classic presented by Under Armour in front of a giant home-state crowd at Food City Arena in Knoxville.

He follows in the footsteps of Bassmaster legend Bryan Kerchal, who won the 1994 Classic after qualifying through the Nation. Nutt earned his invite to this year’s Super Bowl of Bass Fishing by finishing third at the 2025 Mercury B.A.S.S. Nation Championship at the Upper Mississippi River presented by Lowrance.

After the crowning moment, Nutt was still processing what it means to follow in Kerchal’s footsteps.

“I haven’t had the chance to think about it. I’ve got so many things in my head right now. I don’t know what I’m thinking,” he said.

“It [the Classic] has always been the pinnacle of bass fishing to us, and I mean, heck, the last Classic that I went to was the one here, back in 2023, and I never would’ve thought next time I went to a Classic I’d be in it and holding the trophy at the end of it.”

After catching 19-5 on Day 1 and a tournament-best 26-11 on Day 2, Nutt led the Top 25 anglers out onto the Tennessee River from Volunteer Landing this morning firmly ahead of second-place pro Drew Cook by nearly 4 pounds. The University of North Alabama (UNA) senior wasted little time extending his margin. Fishing in Fort Loudoun Reservoir, he caught a keeper on his second cast, boxed up a limit by about 9 a.m. and had culled to roughly 19 pounds by a few minutes after 10.

When B.A.S.S. froze the BassTrakk unofficial leaderboard at 1 p.m., Nutt was up by an estimated 10 pounds over fellow twenty-something wunderkind Trey McKinney. Still, nothing was guaranteed at that point. All week, the afternoon hours have been key. On Day 2, several 5-plus-pound bass were caught in the afternoon. And as we saw on Saturday, the Loudoun-Tellico system has some giants, including a pair of 6-pounders Nutt landed to get into the lead and a 7-5 giant caught by Cook that was the biggest bass of the tournament. With Cook, reigning Classic champ Easton Fothergill and a slew of other hammers still within reach, there was enough drama to attract a packed house to the final Bassmaster Classic weigh-in driven by Yokohama.

But in the end, no one could keep up with Nutt’s pace. He caught a Day 3 limit of 20 pounds, 13 ounces for a three-day total of 66-13 and a winning margin over runner-up McKinney of 9 pounds, 5 ounces. For his win, Nutt earned the $300,000 top prize.

Time on the water made the difference for Nutt. His pre-tournament preparation began as soon as he qualified last fall, but he ramped things up dramatically during the pre-practice period before Loudoun-Tellico went off limits.

“I spent a month up here fishing every day just trying to get as much of an advantage as I could,” he said. “And it paid off.

“I feel like I know this place better than my home lake, and it showed this week. I put my time in out here, and I worked really hard at it and was able to pull it off.”

Some of the areas he found in Fort Loudoun during pre-practice still held fish during the official practice earlier this week, and he was able to pick up where he left off once the tournament began. He said he chose to focus on Loudoun because it fishes more like a river, with current positioning his fish on key spots.

“I’m very confident in my ability to catch them on the rivers like this, and the way they were setting up, it was in my wheelhouse,” he said.

“I was fishing a lot of prespawn staging areas. It was largemouth and smallmouth just kind of moving in and out. And I was catching them on a minnow using forward-facing sonar.”

His go-to soft-plastic minnow was a Berkley prototype bait. He fished it using a 6-10 medium-light Abu Garcia Fantasista X rod, an Abu Garcia Zenon X spinning reel, 8-pound-test Berkley X5 braided line and a 15-pound-test Berkley GinClear leader. Nutt rigged the minnow on a 3/16-ounce jighead.

“I was fishing anywhere from about a foot and a half [deep] to about 8 feet. I did figure out a pattern this week,” Nutt added. “It kind of progressed throughout the tournament, catching smallmouth on pea gravel banks and stuff like that.”

The one exception was on Day 2, when he caught his biggest bag in the back of a creek. That limit included four largemouth — the most of any of his three daily limits — that were set up essentially where they’ll soon spawn.

“It was just an area that had a lot of big ones,” he said. “There were a lot of areas like it out there, but not many of them have fish. It was a lot flatter than some of the other creeks. There were a lot of shoals in there. It just seemed like it was almost like a little lake in there.”

After his initial flurry during Sunday’s final round, Nutt experienced a lull that lasted a couple of hours. But he kept his head down and kept grinding, knowing he’d eventually run across them.

At around 1:30, it happened. With about 10 of his closest friends from the UNA bass club plus other spectators watching on, Nutt made a couple of final culls that were met with whoops and hollers. It was the final push; the last bit he needed to feel confident going to weigh-in that he’d done everything he needed to do to be a Bassmaster Classic champion.

In the process, he reminded the world just how good his generation of anglers is. He’s the ninth angler to win the Classic in their first appearance and third-youngest Classic champ ever. And though he’s young, Nutt showed exactly what he and his twin brother, Carter, have been preparing for their entire lives — the very thing they’ve been talking about and dreaming about since they were old enough to hold a rod.

After Dylan was handed the Ray Scott Bassmaster Classic Trophy, an emotional Carter was the first to embrace him on stage, followed by their entire family, including their parents, Michael and Emily, younger brother, Garrett, and Dylan’s girlfriend, Braleigh Jackson.

“Me and him have spent so much time together learning, and it all prepared us for moments like this,” Dylan said about Carter.

“Fishing’s been the only thing I’ve thought about for as long as I can remember. It wasn’t until I got to college that I started thinking about girls or anything like that. It was just fishing.”

Just fishing and whole lot of talent — the potent combination that produced the new Classic champion.

Once again, McKinney found himself in contention for a major title, but once again, he came up short. The Illinois pro finished runner-up for the second consecutive year. That’s in addition to his back-to-back second-place finishes in Progressive Bassmaster Elite Series Angler of the Year standings.

Despite coming up short, McKinney is pleased with his performance. He improved each day of the tournament, weighing in limits of 16-10, 18-13 and 22-1. His Day 3 limit was Sunday’s heaviest weight.

“I felt lost at the beginning, and we just kept finding our way, and at the end of the tournament we ended up with a big bag,” he said. “So it was definitely a good feeling to kind of get stronger throughout the week.

“Today was unbelievable. It was one of those days you just wait for.”

McKinney said he caught fish from the time he put his trolling motor down until he got ready to head back to Volunteer Landing for check-in. He was culling fish for ounces at a time most of the morning, but a 5 1/2-pounder shortly before noon vaulted him up the standings and into second.

“I flipped up there, and she hit it going away from me, and as soon as she hit it she started stripping drag. I literally just held it and I was like, ‘Oh my gosh. This is her.’ And she came up and jumped, and I was like … good night. So it was a blessing for sure.”

All throughout the tournament, McKinney targeted fish in groups and clusters on hard clay or sand breaks along main-lake banks swept with current where he found schools of bait.

“The deepest I caught one today was probably 8 or 9 feet, but they could be over 20. They could be over 30.”

The only thing that might’ve held McKinney back from challenging Nutt was his decision to fish Tellico on Day 1. He thought he was on at least 20 pounds, but it didn’t happen.

“The fish are so smart, they got wise to all the boat pressure, all the spectator boats,” he added. “They just got really smart. And then the second day I ran up there, I was like, I’m gonna give it a fair shot and see if they’ll bite. They didn’t.”

He spent the rest of his tournament trying to climb back into contention on Loudoun. Different baits did the bulk of the damage each day, including a 2.7-inch 6th Sense Divine swimbait, a prototype 6th Sense jig and a minnow-style bait.

Japan’s Yui Aoki finished the tournament in third place with a three-day total of 57 pounds, 3 ounces. Aoki, who qualified for the Classic by winning a Turtlebox Bassmaster Open presented by Battery Tender on Kentucky Lake, is well known as a forward-facing sonar expert, and he put his knowledge to work this week, improving his weight each day of the tournament, culminating in a 19-3 limit today.

Aoki spent the entire tournament on Loudoun and caught his fish on a Dstyle 4-inch minnow and Dstyle 4-inch Geelacanth soft-plastic lure.

“Day one and day two, smallmouth was better, but today largemouth was good,” said Aoki. “[I caught] four largemouth and one smallmouth today.”

Current was the key for Aoki. He targeted areas where the current swept the bank, where fish were set up on any kind of structure or cover that deflected the flow. His key depth range was 5 to 10 feet.

Stealth was vital, said Aoki. He had to approach “very, very slowly” to avoid spooking the fish.

“I’m so happy,” he added. “I want to come back here. I want to win here.”

Rounding out the Top 10 are Easton Fothergill, of Grand Rapids, Minn., in fourth with 56-2; JT Thompkins, of Myrtle Beach, S.C., in fifth with 55-5; Justin Atkins, of Florence, Ala., in sixth with 55-0; Drew Cook, of Cairo, Ga., in seventh with 54-4; Jordan Lee, of Cullman, Ala., in eighth with 52-12; Dakota Ebare, of Brookeland, Texas, in ninth with 50-0; and Wesley Gore, of Clanton, Ala., in 10th with 48-11.

The $2,500 Mercury Big Bass Award for the biggest fish of the tournament went to Drew Cook for his 7-pound, 5-ounce bass on Day 2. JT Thompkins won the Day 3 Big Bass award of $1,000 for a bass that weighed 5-11.

For weighing in a limit worth 26-11 on Day 2 — the heaviest limit of the tournament — Dylan Nutt earned the Rapala CrushCity Monster Bag and its $7,000 prize.

As the highest-placing entrant in the Toyota Bonus Bucks program and the Classic winner, Nutt also took home an additional $10,000, while Easton Fothergill received $5,00 for being the second-highest-finishing entrant.

Nutt also won the $20,000 Yamaha Power Pay award for being the highest-finishing eligible angler.

Bassmaster paid a $1,000 BassTrakk Contingency Prize to Thompkins for providing a BassTrakk weight estimate closest to his official weight.

Visit Knoxville Sports Commission hosted this event.

2026 Bassmaster Classic Title Sponsor: Bass Pro Shops

2026 Bassmaster Classic Presenting Sponsor: Under Armour

2026 Bassmaster Classic Platinum Sponsor: Toyota, Progressive

2026 Bassmaster Classic Premier Sponsors: Bass Pro Shops, Humminbird, Mercury, Minn Kota, Mountain Dew, Nitro Boats, Ranger Boats, Rapala, Skeeter Boats, Yamaha

2026 Bassmaster Classic Outdoors Expo Presenting Sponsor: TNT Fireworks

2026 Bassmaster Classic Local Partner: TNT Fireworks, Calhoun’s, TN Tourism, TVA, Whataburger

2026 Bassmaster Classic Youth Forum Sponsor: U.S. Army

2026 Bassmaster Classic Takeoff Sponsor: Melin

2026 Bassmaster Classic Weigh-In Sponsor: Yokohama

2026 Bassmaster Classic Kickoff Party Title Sponsor: Daiwa

2026 Bassmaster Classic Kickoff Party Presenting Sponsor: TNT Fireworks

2026 Bassmaster Classic Tailgate Title Sponsor: Progressive

2026 Bassmaster Classic Tailgate Presenting Sponsor: Maxam Tire

2026 Bassmaster Classic Celebrity Pro-Am Title Sponsor: Progressive

2026 Bassmaster Classic Celebrity Pro-Am Presenting Sponsor: Yokohama Tire

2026 Bassmaster Classic Fishing Pond Sponsor: Zebco

2026 Bassmaster Classic Host: Visit Knoxville Sports Commission

About B.A.S.S.

-30-

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

Media Contact: Mandy Pascal, Communications Manager, 334-414-8677, [email protected]

2026 Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Classic presented by Under Armour 3/13-3/15
Tennessee River, Knoxville TN.
(ANGLER) Standings Day 3

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

1. Dylan Nutt Nashville, TN 15 66-13 0 $307,000.00
Day 1: 5 19-05 Day 2: 5 26-11 Day 3: 5 20-13
2. Trey McKinney Carbondale, IL 15 57-08 0 $50,000.00
Day 1: 5 16-10 Day 2: 5 18-13 Day 3: 5 22-01
3. Yui Aoki Minamitsurugun JAPAN 15 57-03 0 $40,000.00
Day 1: 5 18-11 Day 2: 5 19-03 Day 3: 5 19-05
4. Easton Fothergill Grand Rapids , MN 15 56-02 0 $30,000.00
Day 1: 5 21-08 Day 2: 5 18-14 Day 3: 5 15-12
5. JT Thompkins Myrtle Beach, SC 15 55-05 0 $27,000.00
Day 1: 5 18-15 Day 2: 5 19-02 Day 3: 5 17-04
6. Justin Atkins Florence, AL 15 55-00 0 $22,000.00
Day 1: 5 15-06 Day 2: 5 22-10 Day 3: 5 17-00
7. Drew Cook Cairo, GA 14 54-04 0 $25,000.00
Day 1: 5 19-09 Day 2: 5 22-08 Day 3: 4 12-03
8. Jordan Lee Cullman, AL 15 52-12 0 $21,000.00
Day 1: 5 15-00 Day 2: 5 20-15 Day 3: 5 16-13
9. Dakota Ebare Brookeland, TX 15 50-00 0 $20,500.00
Day 1: 5 17-03 Day 2: 5 20-10 Day 3: 5 12-03
10. Wesley Gore Clanton, AL 15 48-11 0 $20,000.00
Day 1: 5 17-00 Day 2: 5 15-09 Day 3: 5 16-02
11. Kyle Welcher Valley, AL 15 46-10 0 $15,000.00
Day 1: 5 13-01 Day 2: 5 18-04 Day 3: 5 15-05
12. Chris Johnston Otonabee Ontario CANADA 15 46-08 0 $15,000.00
Day 1: 5 16-05 Day 2: 5 13-12 Day 3: 5 16-07
13. Fisher Anaya Eva, AL 15 46-07 0 $13,500.00
Day 1: 5 20-15 Day 2: 5 14-07 Day 3: 5 11-01
14. Paul Marks Cumming, GA 15 46-02 0 $13,000.00
Day 1: 5 18-10 Day 2: 5 12-12 Day 3: 5 14-12
15. Jay Przekurat Plover, WI 15 45-05 0 $12,500.00
Day 1: 5 14-02 Day 2: 5 17-04 Day 3: 5 13-15
16. Tyler Williams Barnett, MO 15 45-02 0 $12,000.00
Day 1: 5 14-02 Day 2: 5 17-06 Day 3: 5 13-10
17. Tripp Berlinsky Florence, AL 15 45-01 0 $12,000.00
Day 1: 5 16-05 Day 2: 5 15-09 Day 3: 5 13-03
18. Brock Mosley Collinsville, MS 15 44-03 0 $12,000.00
Day 1: 5 13-14 Day 2: 5 11-14 Day 3: 5 18-07
19. Alex Redwine Blue Ash, OH 15 43-14 0 $12,000.00
Day 1: 5 14-15 Day 2: 5 11-14 Day 3: 5 17-01
20. Noah Winslow Naugatuck, CT 15 42-15 0 $12,000.00
Day 1: 5 15-05 Day 2: 5 14-10 Day 3: 5 13-00
21. Patrick Walters Eutawville, SC 13 41-05 0 $12,000.00
Day 1: 5 19-10 Day 2: 5 15-02 Day 3: 3 06-09
22. Brandon Palaniuk Rathdrum, ID 15 40-14 0 $12,000.00
Day 1: 5 13-04 Day 2: 5 13-00 Day 3: 5 14-10
23. Andrew Loberg Guntersville, AL 15 39-05 0 $12,000.00
Day 1: 5 10-14 Day 2: 5 14-14 Day 3: 5 13-09
24. Dillon Falardeau Hixson, TN 13 37-01 0 $12,000.00
Day 1: 3 06-13 Day 2: 5 20-11 Day 3: 5 09-09
25. Caleb Hudson Lincolnton, GA 13 30-09 0 $12,000.00
Day 1: 5 16-04 Day 2: 4 10-01 Day 3: 4 04-04
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

BIG BASS
Day
1 Chris Johnston Otonabee Ontario CANADA05-09 $1,000.00
2 Drew Cook Cairo, GA 07-05 $1,000.00
3 JT Thompkins Myrtle Beach, SC 05-11 $1,000.00

-----------------------------------------------------------------------
MERCURY BIG BASS
Drew Cook Cairo, GA 07-05 $2,500.00
RAPALA CRUSHCITY MONSTER BAG

Dylan Nutt Nashville, TN 26-11 $7,000.00

-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Totals
Day #Limits #Fish Weight
1 41 246 721-05
2 38 240 726-05
3 22 121 364-14
----------------------------------
101 607 1812-08

by AnglersChannel

Nation qualifier Nutt storms into Classic lead with 26-11 limit

2025_BMC_BPS-title_UAPresenting_vFinal@4x 1.png

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — The Tennessee River showed out today. So did Tennessee’s own Dylan and Carter Nutt.

The brothers from Nashville once again made it quite clear that they’re a force on some of the most famous reservoirs in this region of the country. Carter and his tournament partner, Bryce Dimauro, fishing for the University of North Alabama (UNA), won the 2026 Strike King Bassmaster College Classic Exhibition presented by Bass Pro Shops on Watts Bar Reservoir with a five-bass limit for 15 pounds, 7 ounces.

Meanwhile, over on Fort Loudoun Reservoir, Dylan hauled in the heaviest limit thus far in the 2026 Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Classic presented by Under Armour. In fact, his 26-pound, 11-ounce limit is the heaviest catch of any of the three Classics held on the Loudoun-Tellico system out of Knoxville, Tenn., and it vaulted Dylan into the lead going into Championship Sunday with a two-day total of 46 pounds even.

The 22-year-old struggled to put into words the emotions he feels now leading the biggest tournament in bass fishing.

“Man, I’m feeling … I don’t know. It’s been unreal,” he said.

Coming into the tournament, there were rumors that Dylan was on some giant fish. Word had been circulating that he’d caught a 25- or 26-pound limit in practice. His Day 1 weight of 19-5 was not indicative of the quality of bass he was around.

“The wind was blowing really, really hard yesterday, and I waited until the end of the day to go into the area I caught ’em at today and caught that big bag in practice,” he said. “I wasn’t able to work my bait right and couldn’t really stay on the fish. I went in there today and they wanted to bite.”

When he went into that area at around 11:30, Dylan already had a solid limit of about 22 pounds, which would’ve had him nearly even with second-place pro Drew Cook’s two-day weight. But then his entire tournament changed in the course of two key bites.

“I was fishing an area that I had caught some in practice, and I saw something on the graph that looked good, so I trolled over there and panned my LiveScope out there. I looked out there and there was a school of 6-pounders sitting there, and sure enough, first cast [I caught a] 6 3/4. Then I threw back in there and had some more giant ones follow it, and a cast after that I caught a 6 1/4. It looked like there were a bunch of giant ones there.”

The rest of the fish scattered, but the boost was enough to move him into the lead by nearly 4 pounds.

“It took it from great to excellent,” he said. “I can’t ask for anything much more.”

Dylan, who says he’s a “senior-ish” geography major at UNA, caught most of his fish on a Berkley prototype bait that he says fishing fans might get to see very soon.

As for tomorrow, don’t expect him to let his foot off the gas. Dylan says the area he’s fishing in Fort Loudoun fishes a lot like Pickwick Lake, where he’s had a ton of tournament success in the past. He’s comfortable there. It fits into his wheelhouse. And he’s around the caliber of fish to turn in another incredible day.

Should he win, he’d be the first angler since Bryan Kerchal (1994) to win a Classic for which he qualified via the B.A.S.S. Nation. He earned his spot in the Classic by finishing third in the 2025 Mercury B.A.S.S. Nation Championship at Upper Mississippi River presented by Lowrance.

Hoping to keep Dylan Nutt off the top of the podium is Cairo, Ga., pro Drew Cook, who weighed in a Day 2 limit of 22 pounds, 8 ounces for a two-day total of 42-1. At 31, Cook is one of the more veteran pros in the Top 10, and one of only two anglers over the age of 30 to make the Super Six. On a tournament day studded with giant bass, Cook weighed in the biggest of them all — a 7-pound, 5-ounce kicker that earned him the $1,000 Big Bass prize. That fish turned around a slow morning.

“I caught one nice one off my starting spot,” he said, “and then I kind of had to bob and weave and go fishing; go try some new stuff. Around lunchtime, I ran into a good little deal and caught, you know, a great big one, a 7-5, and then another 4-pounder and another 4-pounder.

“I had said this yesterday, I wish I’d leaned on them a little bit more [on Day 1], but we saved enough for tomorrow.”

Cook thinks the lack of wind was to blame for his tough start today. Changing areas steered him to the fish that turned things around and bumped him up from fourth place into second.

“I did not think it was a bass, to be perfectly honest with you,” he said about his 7-5 kicker, which he could see perched atop a stump on his sonar. “Then whenever it came up, I saw its mouth, and I thought, ‘Dang, that’s a 5-pounder.’ And then whenever I grabbed it on the side of the boat, I was like, Jesus, it’s a giant. And then it was a giant, especially for here. I mean it’s a big one anywhere, but it’s a giant here.”

The flurry not only helped Cook settle down, but it keyed him in on what he should be doing tomorrow. He was confident after weigh-in but understandably guarded about what he’d figured out.

If it holds up and he can catch another mid-20s limit tomorrow, Cook is in position to make a run at Dylan Nutt’s lead.

Day 1 leader Easton Fothergill had a slower day today. He weighed in 18 pounds, 14 ounces for a two-day total of 40-6. The defending Classic champ will head out in third place on Championship Sunday.

“It was just slow and steady all day long,” Fothergill said. “I ended up with a couple small ones that really tanked my bag. I broke off a nice one, and I kind of needed one more of the mid-4-pound class or bigger to really put me where I need to be.”

Fothergill ran a similar pattern as he did on Day 1, far from takeoff on the opposite end of Tellico. He’s hoping a change in conditions tomorrow will provide the spark he needs to get them to bite.

“I did find one new area that I didn’t get to fish much because I found it so late,” Fothergill added. “I’m looking forward to tomorrow [and the] changing conditions once again. It looks like some cloud cover and some wind, so I’m super excited to get back out there.

“I have a couple giant schools … I’m definitely looking forward to getting a lot of bites again tomorrow.”

As for his drop from first to third in the standings, Fothergill isn’t letting it bother him. He knows exactly what’s needed to make history once again.

“I know last year when I was in the lead going into the last day, I had a lot of pressure on myself, so I’d much rather be the hunter than the hunted. So I’m kind of excited to be in this position, to kind of fish free tomorrow, and looking forward to seeing what we can do.”

JT Thompkins, of Myrtle Beach, S.C., weighed in 19-2 for a two-day total of 38-1, good for fourth place. In fifth is Justin Atkins, of Florence, Ala., who weighed in 22-10 for a two-day total of 38-0.

The Top 25 anglers will fish on Sunday’s final day of competition. Among the field will be anglers representing all Classic-qualification routes, including the Progressive Bassmaster Elite Series, Turtlebox Bassmaster Opens presented by Battery Tender, Mercury B.A.S.S. Nation Series presented by Lowrance, Strike King Bassmaster College Series presented by Bass Pro Shops and the reigning Bassmaster Classic champion. Tomorrow, they’ll settle the true world championship of bass fishing on what is sure to be a memorable final day.

The Day 3 melin Bassmaster Classic Takeoff is scheduled for 7:45 a.m. ET from Volunteer Landing in downtown Knoxville. The Bassmaster Classic Weigh-in driven by Yokohama begins at 4:15 p.m. at Food City Center on the University of Tennessee campus.

You can watch all the final-day action during Bassmaster LIVE from 8 to 11 a.m. on Bassmaster.com and the Bassmaster FAST channel, available on Roku and Plex. Catch full coverage of the final day and weigh-in live on FOX from 2:30 to 6:30 p.m.

Fans are also invited to attend the Progressive Bassmaster Classic Tailgate presented by Maxam Tire from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. outside the Knoxville Convention Center. The Bassmaster Classic Outdoors Expo presented by TNT Fireworks will be in the convention center and the adjacent World’s Fair Exhibition Hall from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. All Classic events are free to the public.

Visit Knoxville Sports Commission is hosting the event.

2026 Bassmaster Classic Title Sponsor: Bass Pro Shops

2026 Bassmaster Classic Presenting Sponsor: Under Armour

2026 Bassmaster Classic Platinum Sponsor: Toyota, Progressive

2026 Bassmaster Classic Premier Sponsors: Bass Pro Shops, Humminbird, Mercury, Minn Kota, Mountain Dew, Nitro Boats, Ranger Boats, Rapala, Skeeter Boats, Yamaha

2026 Bassmaster Classic Outdoors Expo Presenting Sponsor: TNT Fireworks

2026 Bassmaster Classic Local Partner: TNT Fireworks, Calhoun’s, TN Tourism, TVA, Whataburger

2026 Bassmaster Classic Youth Forum Sponsor: U.S. Army

2026 Bassmaster Classic Takeoff Sponsor: Melin

2026 Bassmaster Classic Weigh-In Sponsor: Yokohama

2026 Bassmaster Classic Kickoff Party Title Sponsor: Daiwa

2026 Bassmaster Classic Kickoff Party Presenting Sponsor: TNT Fireworks

2026 Bassmaster Classic Tailgate Title Sponsor: Progressive

2026 Bassmaster Classic Tailgate Presenting Sponsor: Maxam Tire

2026 Bassmaster Classic Celebrity Pro-Am Title Sponsor: Progressive

2026 Bassmaster Classic Celebrity Pro-Am Presenting Sponsor: Yokohama Tire

2026 Bassmaster Classic Fishing Pond Sponsor: Zebco

2026 Bassmaster Classic Host: Visit Knoxville Sports Commission

About B.A.S.S.

by AnglersChannel

Fothergill looks to defend his title, leads Day 1 of the 2026 Classic

2025_BMC_BPS-title_UAPresenting_vFinal@4x 1.png

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — With one day in the books at the 2026 Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Classic presented by Under Armour, the storyline for much of the field is change. Anglers enjoyed warm flip-flop weather during pre-tournament practice days in Knoxville, Tenn. Since then, the weather and water conditions have done the flip-flopping, bringing frost at takeoff, wind and muddy water to the Tennessee River.

The one thing that hasn’t changed is the name atop the Classic standings. Easton Fothergill, the reigning Classic champ from Grand Rapids, Minn., best navigated the shifting conditions to jump into the Day 1 lead with a limit of five smallmouth bass weighing 21 pounds, 8 ounces.

Like the weather recently, Fothergill’s day was up and down. He had to adjust, and he had to cover water. In fact, he ran 124 miles throughout Friday’s first day of competition.

Fothergill started the day running far into Tellico Reservoir, which connects to the Tennessee River’s Fort Loudoun Reservoir via a canal near both lakes’ lower ends.

“It’s just where I personally found the most consistent bigger fish,” he said. “I did have some fish in Loudoun, but by the time I made the right adjustment I didn’t have time to check those fish.”

Fans watching Bassmaster LIVE saw Fothergill make that adjustment in real time. He opened the morning by breaking off a good fish and only had about 9 pounds at noon. Then he made a shift to a different type of structure, landed on a good spot and caught a pair of 4-pounders.

“That’s when the lightbulb went off,” Fothergill said. “Then I duplicated it on another spot and filled my limit with the rest of the big ones.”

Those big ones were a trio of 4-pound-class fish that he landed in a rapid nine-minute flurry that started at about 1:30 p.m. Prior to his “lightbulb moment,” Fothergill was running spots he’d found in practice, but he had to abandon those areas because changes in current and water clarity caused his fish to reposition. He actually ran all new water to catch the five fish he brought to weigh-in at the Food City Center on the University of Tennessee campus.

“I just told myself if you run enough stuff, you’ll eventually land on them,” he said. “And that’s exactly what happened. I got a clue on one place, and then I started running new water, and sure enough there they were.”

Though it’s still early in the tournament, there’s no ignoring the potential history of Fothergill’s attempt at back-to-back Classic wins. Only Rick Clunn (1976, 1977), Kevin VanDam (2010, 2011), Jordan Lee (2017, 2018) and Hank Cherry (2020, 2021) have won two in a row. Fothergill, just 23 years old, is known for his outwardly calm, focused demeaner, but even he can’t escape the pressure completely.

“I’m definitely a little nervous, but I know if I can just put a couple more puzzle pieces together as we go on in the tournament, I’ll get more and more dangerous,” Fothergill said. “So that’s just what I’m telling myself is keep an open mind. Even though I had a good day today, I know that tomorrow is a new day and [I need to] continue adjusting. I think if I do that, I’ll be right where I need to be.”

Just 9 ounces behind Fothergill is 20-year-old phenom Fisher Anaya. The Eva, Ala., pro is fresh off a victory at the Lippert Bassmaster Elite at Lake Martin. He opened the Classic with 20 pounds, 15 ounces.

Anaya ran an hour and 15 minutes from takeoff into an area of Tellico that he believed coming in could produce a 20- to 25-pound limit.

“It lays out more like back home,” he said of that stretch of Tellico. “There’s contour lines. There’s less current. It lays out more like a TVA lake should. I feel more comfortable down there. The water was cleaner. The fish set up on more isolated cover and bars and stuff like that. It’s offshore fishing; just more my game.”

While Anaya’s morning started quickly with him putting 16 pounds in the boat, he found his better fish had moved away from a couple of key areas. He hopped around through a half dozen spots with no luck before finally landing on a key stretch that produced two of his best fish.

“On my way back up, I stopped on one little deep school that hasn’t moved all week, and they were still there, and I caught one out of it and then I ran back in,” he said. “I just didn’t see that many today. But there are enough there to do it I think three days in a row. I’ve just gotta get lucky and catch those 4 1/2- to 5-pounders instead of 3-pounders.”

Anaya had four smallmouth bass in his limit today and believes he’s found enough quality fish to make a run at the win with two limits of smallies over the weekend. As for what it feels like to be in contention in the Classic at just 20 years old, Anaya says he’s trying not to think about it.

“After practice, I knew I had a shot at it. I just had to make them bite, and I was fortunate enough to catch five of them, so nerves are high,” he said. “I’m going to have to find some way to sleep tonight. I don’t know if I can do it or not, but I’ve gotta try to find a way to get some rest.”

In third place is Eutawville, S.C., pro Patrick Walters with 19 pounds, 10 ounces. Prior to the Classic, Bassmaster LIVE host Mark Zona commented about how a Ray Scott Bassmaster Classic Trophy is the one piece of hardware that Walters still needs to lay hands on to punctuate an already great career. The 31-year-old put himself in prime position to make a run at the title this weekend.

Walters said he spent his entire day in Fort Loudoun and has no plans to change that this weekend.

“It was a good day,” Walters said. “I made a decent run down lake to my farthest stop. I caught four fish off my first stretch, then went to my next spot and caught my limit. I was fishing how I like fishing.”

The changing conditions definitely impacted Walters today. He thinks the dirty water filtering into his areas will improve his chances once the fish adjust and start biting in the mud. But more importantly, he’s hoping for calmer conditions tomorrow.

“I did not fish some of my better stuff I feel like, mainly because it’s about accurate casting — pinpoint stuff — and by the time I got to it, the wind was gassing,” Walters said. “Then I could hardly even cast. So I saved a good bit of stuff. I’m ready to go tomorrow.”

Rounding out the Top 5 on Day 1 are Drew Cook, of Cairo, Ga., in fourth place with a limit weighing 19-9, and Dylan Nutt, of Nashville, Tenn., in fifth place with 19-5.

Chris Johnston, of Otonabee, Ontario, Canada, won the Day 1 Big Bass award of $1,000 for a largemouth bass that weighed 5 pounds, 9 ounces.

The Day 2 melin Bassmaster Classic Takeoff is scheduled for 7:45 a.m. ET from Volunteer Landing in downtown Knoxville. The Bassmaster Classic Weigh-in driven by Yokohama begins at 4:15 p.m. at Food City Arena.

You can watch all the action during Bassmaster LIVE from 8 a.m. to Noon on Bassmaster.com and the Bassmaster FAST channel, available on Roku and Plex. The action picks up from Noon to 3 p.m. on FS1. Day 2 weigh-in will also be streamed on Bassmaster.com

Visit Knoxville Sports Commission is hosting the event.

2026 Bassmaster Classic Title Sponsor: Bass Pro Shops

2026 Bassmaster Classic Presenting Sponsor: Under Armour

2026 Bassmaster Classic Platinum Sponsor: Toyota, Progressive

2026 Bassmaster Classic Premier Sponsors: Bass Pro Shops, Humminbird, Mercury, Minn Kota, Mountain Dew, Nitro Boats, Ranger Boats, Rapala, Skeeter Boats, Yamaha

2026 Bassmaster Classic Outdoors Expo Presenting Sponsor: TNT Fireworks

2026 Bassmaster Classic Local Partner: TNT Fireworks, Calhoun’s, TN Tourism, TVA, Whataburger

2026 Bassmaster Classic Youth Forum Sponsor: U.S. Army

2026 Bassmaster Classic Takeoff Sponsor: Melin

2026 Bassmaster Classic Weigh-In Sponsor: Yokohama

2026 Bassmaster Classic Kickoff Party Title Sponsor: Daiwa

2026 Bassmaster Classic Kickoff Party Presenting Sponsor: TNT Fireworks

2026 Bassmaster Classic Tailgate Title Sponsor: Progressive

2026 Bassmaster Classic Tailgate Presenting Sponsor: Maxam Tire

2026 Bassmaster Classic Celebrity Pro-Am Title Sponsor: Progressive

2026 Bassmaster Classic Celebrity Pro-Am Presenting Sponsor: Yokohama Tire

2026 Bassmaster Classic Fishing Pond Sponsor: Zebco

2026 Bassmaster Classic Host: Visit Knoxville Sports Commission

About B.A.S.S.

by AnglersChannel

Dyer’s magic area produces Kayak National Championship victory

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — When Nick Dyer planned his trip to the Newport Bassmaster Kayak Series Championship at Chickamauga and Nickajack Lakes presented by Native Watercraft, he didn’t take off Friday, thinking he likely wouldn’t finish well enough to make the Top 10.

On Thursday afternoon, the Phenix City, Ala., pro had to call his bosses and ask for another day off, which they graciously granted to him so he could hoist a trophy in Food City Arena.

Dyer claimed the National Championship title with a two day total of 200.75 inches to earn the $20,000 first-place prize and a blue trophy, outlasting a final day charge from Tennessee’s Joshua Sharp.

“I was supposed to be back at work today,” he said. “This is amazing. I’ve won a few local events and a B.A.S.S. Nation event but hadn’t got a blue trophy until now. The group of anglers we have is so good, and the reality is, it’s not often you get in a position to have this opportunity.

“To win my first national event, and for it to be this event … dreams came true and prayers were answered. It has been the best week of fishing I’ve ever had in my life.”

He controlled the tournament from the jump, opening the tournament with 101.25 inches, a limit that included a 22-inch largemouth and four smallmouth over 19.5 inches. On the second day, he landed 99.5 inches made up of four brown fish and a largemouth.

A Chattahoochee River rat at heart, Dyer spent both days of the tournament below the Watts Bar tailrace, targeting bass stacked up in two specific sweet spots. One of those sweets spots was a hard point at the mouth of a tributary where the current and wind was trapping baitfish.

“Part of it was a lack of pressure. I think it got looked over by a lot of people,” Dyer said. “There was a little bit of a mud line and current. The wind was a big factor too. It was pushing in the area and keeping that bait trapped. The rain did blow out one of my areas, but the secondary area I had was better after the rain.

“It was a magic spot and magical timing.”

A Spro RkCrawler was the only bait Dyer could get a bite on during his two days of fishing. He worked that bait between 8 and 12 feet of water, and the bait had to bounce off the bottom to get a bite. Several different colors produced bites.

“There was something about a RkCrawler that triggered the bites,” he said. “When you get the right bites and none of them get off, (it’s a great thing). The smallmouth were in a feeding frenzy. It was a perfect storm, and I found the perfect bait.

Dyer’s first cast on the second day was a 19-inch smallmouth, which told him the bass were still exactly where he needed them to be.

“That helped settle the nerves. I knew it was going down,” he said. “A huge weight was lifted off my shoulders. I landed a 20.75-incher not too long after in front of the camera boat and then caught another 20.75-incher.”

He proceeded to fill out a quick limit and added key bass throughout the day. While these two lakes house giant bass, Dyer knew stronger winds and the heavy rain that fell overnight before Day 2 would mess some anglers up.

“I knew there were people that could catch me, but they would have had to put up a bag to do it,” Dyer said.

Sharp finished second with a two-day total weighing 197 inches. The Tennessee angler landed 94.25 inches on Day 1 before landing 102.75 inches on the final day, the biggest limit of the tournament.

After a productive practice frog fishing, Sharp targeted prespawn largemouth around vegetation on Nickajack Lake. On Day 1, he was joined by four other anglers on what he felt was his best spot, but made a 4-mile run to his secondary area after a couple hours without a bite.

“It was another little spawning pocket, and I filled out a limit quickly. I left it alone for a little bit, let them reset and came back and culled twice,” Sharp explained. “On Day 2 I went straight there and had 92 inches in an hour. I left it alone for two hours, came back and caught a 24-incher.”

That 24-incher earned Big Bass of the Tournament honors. All of his bass ate a ChatterBait in less than 4 feet of water.

With limits measuring 98.5 and 94.25, two-time Bassmaster Classic qualifier Mark Kile finished third with a total of 189.5 inches. The Arizona native targeted a grassy pocket in Nickajack where he found spawning largemouth in practice. Unfortunately, the cold front and rain pushed his spawners back.

“I was still able to catch good bass,” Kile said. “My first bass on Day 1 was a 23.5-incher that I found on a bed. If it had stayed warmer, it would have been a different story. There were some big bass in there.”

While he was able to land some spawning bass, he caught the majority of his bass using a ChatterBait and a spinnerbait.

“On one end of the bay, you had to pull the ChatterBait off the bottom and let it fall and they’d eat it off the bottom,” Kile explained. “On the other end, you had to burn the spinnerbait over the top of the grass and they’d come up and swirl on it.”

Final results from the Newport Bassmaster Kayak Series Championship presented by Native Watercraft can be found here.

The tournament was hosted by The Chattanooga Tourism Co.

2026 Bassmaster Classic Title Sponsor: Bass Pro Shops

2026 Bassmaster Classic Presenting Sponsor: Under Armour

2026 Bassmaster Classic Platinum Sponsor: Toyota, Progressive

2026 Bassmaster Classic Premier Sponsors: Bass Pro Shops, Humminbird, Mercury, Minn Kota, Mountain Dew, Nitro Boats, Ranger Boats, Rapala, Skeeter Boats, Yamaha

2026 Bassmaster Classic Outdoors Expo Presenting Sponsor: TNT Fireworks

2026 Bassmaster Classic Local Partner: TNT Fireworks, Calhoun’s, TN Tourism, TVA, Whataburger

2026 Bassmaster Classic Youth Forum Sponsor: U.S. Army

2026 Bassmaster Classic Takeoff Sponsor: Melin

2026 Bassmaster Classic Weigh-In Sponsor: Yokohama

2026 Bassmaster Classic Kickoff Party Title Sponsor: Daiwa

2026 Bassmaster Classic Kickoff Party Presenting Sponsor: TNT Fireworks

2026 Bassmaster Classic Tailgate Title Sponsor: Progressive

2026 Bassmaster Classic Tailgate Presenting Sponsor: Maxam Tire

2026 Bassmaster Classic Celebrity Pro-Am Title Sponsor: Progressive

2026 Bassmaster Classic Celebrity Pro-Am Presenting Sponsor: Yokohama Tire

2026 Bassmaster Classic Fishing Pond Sponsor: Zebco

2026 Bassmaster Classic Host: Visit Knoxville Sports Commission

About B.A.S.S.

by AnglersChannel

Third times the charm for Chastain at Celebrity Pro-Am

2025_BMC_BPS-title_UAPresenting_vFinal@4x 1.png

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — They say three times a charm, and that was the case for NASCAR driver Ross Chastain, who won the Progressive Bassmaster Classic Celebrity Pro-Am driven by Yokohama in his third attempt.

Chastain and Progressive Bassmaster Elite Series pro David Mullins landed a limit weighing 18 pounds, 2 ounces of Douglas Lake bass to win the annual event, beating the second-place duo of Tyler Rivet and country music star Koe Wetzel by over 2 pounds.

“This was a great day,” Chastain said. “Once the sun came out, the fishing changed a little and (David) adjusted well.”

Mullins, an east Tennessee native, wasn’t expecting it to take that much weight to win the tournament.

“(Ross) did a heck of a job today,” Mullins said. “All the local stuff has taken 14 or 15 pounds to win, and it has been a long time since someone has weighed in 20 pounds, so 18 is really good.”

The start of the day was exceptionally cold, as anglers got a dose of rain and snow on their way to the lake. The weather didn’t hamper the fishing too much though, as Chastain caught the first 3-pound keeper 20 minutes into the fishing day. The duo quickly landed four of their five bass, but it took a while to land their fifth keeper.

“That last one took a little while. We finally got one that filled out the limit, and from there we just kept casting,” Chastain said.

With 20 minutes to go, Mullins took the duo into a pocket that four-time Classic champion Rick Clunn had just finished fishing. After making sure Clunn was finished in the pocket, the duo of Mullins and Chastain started fishing and Chastain caught a 4-6, the biggest bass of the bag.

“I didn’t think anyone else was going to be in there, and there sits Rick Clunn,” Mullins said. “There was a little point just behind him, and he let me go around him. Ross made one cast on that point and caught that 4-6 and that sealed the deal for us.”

Mullins and Chastain stayed close to the bank most of the day, mostly fishing wind-blown banks with smaller crankbaits and ChatterBaits. Heavy rains overnight blew out some of the areas Mullins felt would be productive, but he was able to adjust quickly to find the right areas.

Twenty-five teams competed in the 2026 Celebrity Pro-Am, and 21 of those teams landed limits. Rivet and Wetzel finished second with 15-10 followed by Elite Series veteran Randy Howell and NFL Hall of Famer Tedy Bruschi in third with 15-0. Rivet and Wetzel also landed the Big Bass of the Tournament, a 4-9.

For more information on the 2026 Celebrity Pro-Am and the 2026 Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Classic presented by Under Armour visit Bassmaster.com.

2026 Bassmaster Classic Title Sponsor: Bass Pro Shops

2026 Bassmaster Classic Presenting Sponsor: Under Armour

2026 Bassmaster Classic Platinum Sponsor: Toyota, Progressive

2026 Bassmaster Classic Premier Sponsors: Bass Pro Shops, Humminbird, Mercury, Minn Kota, Mountain Dew, Nitro Boats, Ranger Boats, Rapala, Skeeter Boats, Yamaha

2026 Bassmaster Classic Outdoors Expo Presenting Sponsor: TNT Fireworks

2026 Bassmaster Classic Local Partner: TNT Fireworks, Calhoun’s, TN Tourism, TVA, Whataburger

2026 Bassmaster Classic Youth Forum Sponsor: U.S. Army

2026 Bassmaster Classic Takeoff Sponsor: Melin

2026 Bassmaster Classic Weigh-In Sponsor: Yokohama

2026 Bassmaster Classic Kickoff Party Title Sponsor: Daiwa

2026 Bassmaster Classic Kickoff Party Presenting Sponsor: TNT Fireworks

2026 Bassmaster Classic Tailgate Title Sponsor: Progressive

2026 Bassmaster Classic Tailgate Presenting Sponsor: Maxam Tire

2026 Bassmaster Classic Celebrity Pro-Am Title Sponsor: Progressive

2026 Bassmaster Classic Celebrity Pro-Am Presenting Sponsor: Yokohama Tire

2026 Bassmaster Classic Fishing Pond Sponsor: Zebco

2026 Bassmaster Classic Host: Visit Knoxville Sports Commission

About B.A.S.S.

-30-

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

Media Contact: Mandy Pascal, Communications Manager, 334-414-8677, [email protected]

2026 Progressive Celebrity Pro-Am Driven By Yokohama 3/12-3/12
Douglas Lake, Knoxville TN.
(BOATER) Standings Day 1

Angler Club/School Pts

1. David Mullins - Ross Chastain 0
Day 1: 5 18-02 Total: 5 18-02
2. Tyler Rivet - Koe Wetzel 0
Day 1: 5 15-10 Total: 5 15-10
3. Randy Howell - Tedy Bruschi 0
Day 1: 5 15-00 Total: 5 15-00
4. Sam Hanggi - Matthew Golden 0
Day 1: 5 13-11 Total: 5 13-11
5. Maggie Carsello - Lee Ellis 0
Day 1: 5 13-03 Total: 5 13-03
6. Hunter Shryock - Randy Moss 0
Day 1: 5 12-14 Total: 5 12-14
7. Robert Gee - Lavell Crawford 0
Day 1: 5 12-13 Total: 5 12-13
8. Chris Zaldain - Tony D'Angelo 0
Day 1: 5 12-06 Total: 5 12-06
9. Beau Browning - Blake Grupe 0
Day 1: 5 12-05 Total: 5 12-05
10. John Garrett - Tim Montana 0
Day 1: 5 12-03 Total: 5 12-03
11. Caleb Sumrall - Bronson Steiner 0
Day 1: 5 12-00 Total: 5 12-00
12. Joey Cifuentes III - Chris Bee 0
Day 1: 5 11-13 Total: 5 11-13
13. Tristan McCormick - Levi Kitchen 0
Day 1: 5 11-09 Total: 5 11-09
14. Gerald Swindle - Justin Martin 0
Day 1: 5 11-01 Total: 5 11-01
15. Garrett Walters - Andrew Bishop 0
Day 1: 5 11-00 Total: 5 11-00
16. Carl Jocumsen - Brody Malone 0
Day 1: 5 10-15 Total: 5 10-15
17. Kyle Patrick - King Pedford 0
Day 1: 5 10-10 Total: 5 10-10
18. Steve Kennedy - Clay Guida 0
Day 1: 5 10-06 Total: 5 10-06
19. Jacob Foutz - Darryl Moore 0
Day 1: 5 10-04 Total: 5 10-04
20. Drew Benton - Jeffrey Simmons 0
Day 1: 5 09-14 Total: 5 09-14
21. Michael Iaconelli - Ronnie Adams 0
Day 1: 5 08-11 Total: 5 08-11
22. Matt Messer - Casey Currie 0
Day 1: 4 08-07 Total: 4 08-07
23. Blake Capps - Luke Wessman 0
Day 1: 3 07-04 Total: 3 07-04
24. Rick Clunn - Will Anderson Jr 0
Day 1: 3 05-00 Total: 3 05-00
25. Matt Arey - Patrick Queen 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Totals
Day #Limits #Fish Weight
1 21 115 277-01
----------------------------------
21 115 277-01

by AnglersChannel

Palaniuk Poised for the Classic Puzzle

Courtesy of Dynamic Sponsorships

Three good days on the water and fifteen bass away from fishing immortality. Brandon Palaniuk knows well what’s at stake this week and how an achievement he’s dreamed of since before his career began is within reach.

That dream will come true for one of the 58 anglers competing in the 2026 Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Classic presented by Under Armour. This is the 14^th Classic Palaniuk has competed in, including the two previous events held here on the Tennessee River.

The Idaho native is familiar with the host town of Knoxville, this fishery, and the hefty schedule that comes along with Classic week for contenders. Palaniuk has often spoke of ‘controlling the controllables’ in tournament fishing, something that’s magnified during the Classic.

Part of what makes the Classic so special is watching how competitors deal with the added media, events, and scheduling logistics that come along with the Super Bowl of Bass Fishing. While important and necessary, Palaniuk knows this hoopla can be a distraction from the three days on the water, far away from the bright lights and big stage.

“You can’t get caught up in all the off-the-water Classic chaos,” Palaniuk offered. “I’ve learned you have to maximize your time and the little moments during Classic week. It seems insignificant but taking five minutes to re-spool a couple reels instead of shooting the bull in your boat matters in this event. Take every minute to stay mechanically and mentally sharp.”

Palaniuk went on to say he makes every effort to normalize the week and keep his mind focused on the ultimate goal, winning this tournament. He speaks like a veteran because he is one. While he still carries the moniker of “The Prodigy”, Palaniuk is now a 16-year tour veteran on the Elites.

The Team Toyota pro has a Federation Nation, multiple Elite Series, and two Angler of the Year titles at home on his mantel. The only hardware missing from his trophy case is the Bassmaster Classic, and Palaniuk aims to do everything in his power to add ‘Classic champion’ to his long list of accolades.

More than just the X’s and O’s of fishing techniques and effectiveness with his equipment, Palaniuk stands out as someone who has spent time honing the mental side of his craft. A major part of tournament fishing plays out in the few inches in between these anglers’ ears, something Palaniuk is constantly working through.

According to Palaniuk, his mental approach changes for the Classic.

“This event in and of itself is made to swing for the fences,” Palaniuk said. “There are no points at play whatsoever. A top ten finish is great, but in this tournament it truly doesn’t matter. I always try to practice to win, whether it’s an Elite or team tournament or whatever, but during the Classic I find myself more willing to gamble. It’ll still be a calculated gamble, but you can’t be scared to finish last in an effort to finish first.”

Like Kenny Rogers sang, any good gambler has to know when to hold ‘em and know when to fold ‘em. There will be no folding from Palaniuk this week on the Tennessee River, he’s just biding time until his moment to push his chips to the middle.

Like many of his competitors, Brandon wasn’t too caught up with what he saw during the initial three days of practice on Fort Louden and Tellico lakes. Palaniuk leans again on experience here. He knows a lot is likely to change in a weeks’ time during the month of March when bass are staging to spawn.

What he and his peers learned last weekend helps to set the blueprint for success, but the puzzle must be put together today during the final day of official practice and in the event itself. For Palaniuk, instead of getting spun out or making him nervous, he welcomes this challenge.

“Our first few days of practice for a Classic mean very little in the grand scheme of things,” Palaniuk said. “It’s spring, air and water temperatures are up and down, and the bass want to move. A lot is going to change before my first cast Friday morning, but I do think the weights will be higher than we’ve seen out of this stretch of the (TN) River. The water is warmer; the river is healthy and the fish are further along than we’ve seen here before. It’s going to be a great event to watch.”

The stage is set and the energy is palpable throughout Rocky Top. Palaniuk knows there are a lot of hurdles to overcome if he is to conquer the puzzle that is the Bassmaster Classic. The preparation and game planning is finished. A lifelong dream and the most iconic trophy in bass fishing is merely fifteen bass away from reality.

by AnglersChannel

Feider looking for Classic “buckets” in dad’s old jacket

If Seth Feider wins the 56^th annual Bassmaster Classic, his Vexus® will likely be in dirt shallow water catching largemouth he refers to as “buckets” on a Rapala squarebill or perhaps a spinnerbait, and it will absolutely be fueled with sentimental motivation in the form of his dad’s old Bass Fever Bassmasters jacket from 1985.

“Dad’s in his 70s now, he’s not coming to Knoxville, so I figured it’d be cool to bring his old bass club jacket with me this week,” says the always laid-back Feider.

The Minnesota pro says his dad Pete and he fished together more so when Seth was really young, but by the time he was about 12, his dad would turn him loose alone for the day in a jon boat.

“You can tell by the jacket he obviously loved to fish back in the day, but hunting has always been his real passion. When it came to bass fishing, Dad was typically gonna drag a grape Producto plastic worm around. He had a two-tone beige Plano tackle box full of jars of pork frogs that had rusty lids on them,” smiles Feider.

Seth’s definitely an old school basser who loves the sport’s history, so don’t be shocked if he flips a jig and pork frog of his own around on Fort Loudoun Lake this week. He’s a bit concerned about Friday morning’s forecast for freezing temps but is hopeful that because most of these largemouth live shallow, they’ll stay shallow no matter the weather.

“I like it here. I think Knoxville is the best Classic venue in the country because everything is so close. The launch, the weigh-in, the Expo, hotels, and the river are all pretty much in walking distance of one another, and the fishing is solid. I think fans can expect fish to be caught from 4 inches to 40 feet of water, and it’ll come down to the final hours on Sunday. I don’t see anybody running away with this one,” says Feider.

Hopefully his seventh shot at a Classic title will yield the win he’s dreamed of since back when he was a boy fishing from a jon boat, and his dad was sewing patches on his bass club jacket.

by AnglersChannel

From College Champion to the Classic: Tripp Berlinsky Embraces a Dream Week

By Walker Smith, Courtesy of Dynamic Sponsorships

At just 20-years-young, Tripp Berlinsky is stepping onto bass fishing’s biggest stage with equal parts excitement, disbelief and nerves. The reigning Bassmaster College Series Classic Bracket champion earned his spot in this week’s Bassmaster Classic the hard way, battling through a field of the best collegiate anglers in the country. Now, the young angler from St. Cloud, Florida finds himself preparing to compete against the biggest names in professional bass fishing.

For Berlinski, the entire journey has felt surreal.

“This experience has been absolutely unreal. That’s the only way I can describe it,” Berlinsky said. “The opportunities with which I’ve been presented have been such a blessing.”

Winning the College Classic Bracket not only secured Berlinsky a spot in the Classic field. It also provided a yearlong use of a brand-new Toyota Tundra and Nitro Z20 bass boat. For a young angler who spends countless hours towing his rig across the country, that truck has quickly become one of the most appreciated perks of his victory.

“This new Tundra has been fantastic,” Berlinsky said. “It tows my boat well and it looks great, too. I can hardly feel this Nitro boat behind me as I’m going down the highway.”

The truck has already logged plenty of miles as Berlinsky balances tournament fishing and Classic preparation. Pulling his rig across state lines has become routine as he chases the dream he first discovered years ago in central Florida. Long before Classic qualifications and national exposure, Berlinsky was simply a kid fishing the waters close to home.

“I grew up fishing the Kissimmee Chain,” he said, referring to the famed Kissimmee Chain of Lakes. “I started fishing tournaments in the 6th grade and somehow, the first one I fished, I won. I fell in love with it. Charlie Harrelson was my mentor and he’s one of the best in that area. He took me under his wing and taught me a lot.”

Those early tournament wins lit a fire that never went out. From high-school events to collegiate competition, Berlinsky steadily sharpened his skills, particularly when it came to modern electronics and advanced sonar techniques. That skillset played a key role in his breakthrough victory last fall at Watauga Lake.

“I won the College Classic Bracket at Watauga and I was using forward-facing sonar in really shallow water around docks and rock,” Berlinsky explained. “It was one of the most fun tournaments I’ve ever fished.”

The win proved he could compete under pressure which is something he’ll need plenty of this week against a Classic field stacked with legends and seasoned pros. Still, Berlinsky isn’t pretending the moment isn’t intimidating.

“I’m just 20 years old and I’m very nervous, to be real about it,” he admitted. “I’m as nervous as I could be. But I’m even more excited than I am nervous. It doesn’t feel real to me.”

Classic nerves are nothing new, even for veteran anglers. But the biggest challenge may not be the spotlight. This year, it sounds like it could be the fish themselves. Springtime bass fishing can be unpredictable, especially when cold fronts and warming trends collide during the prespawn period. After several days of practice, Berlinsky says the fish are keeping anglers guessing.

“Practice has been both good and bad,” Berlinsky offered. “It’s been pretty weird, if I’m being honest. For one hour, I think I’m on something really good but then I won’t catch a single fish for a couple hours.”

That inconsistency has made it difficult to lock onto one reliable pattern which is something Berlinsky believes will ultimately define the tournament.

“I think this Bassmaster Classic will be about the guy who can make the adjustments quickly,” he said. “Things change fast this time of year because the bass want to be shallow but the early spring weather fronts will knock them back deeper in a matter of one night. If you can go out there and stay flexible and not get stuck on one specific pattern, I think you can do well.”

Even with fluctuating conditions, Berlinsky expects technology to play a major role in how the event unfolds.

“This Classic is going to be a forward-facing event,” he said. “There’s no doubt about that. It will consist of mainly largemouth with some smallmouth mixed in. I think it will be predominately prespawn because water temperatures are anywhere around 53 to 55 degrees.”

For Berlinsky, adapting quickly and trusting his instincts will be crucial. It’s the same mindset that helped him rise through the collegiate ranks and earn his shot at the sport’s grandest title. But beyond competing this week, the young angler also understands the opportunity he represents for the next generation of tournament fishermen. His path, starting in local events, learning from mentors and simply spending time on the water, is one he hopes other aspiring anglers will follow.

“To younger anglers, I would say to take advantage of every opportunity that comes your way,” Berlinsky said. “Fish as much as humanly possible. You can’t replace time on the water. There are no shortcuts.”

That philosophy has already taken him further than most anglers reach in a lifetime. Now, with a supportive team behind him, a reliable Toyota truck pulling his boat down the highway and the biggest stage in bass fishing waiting, Berlinsky is embracing every moment of the ride. Whether or not he hoists the Classic trophy this week, one thing is certain: the journey has only just begun for one of bass fishing’s brightest young talents.

by AnglersChannel

FOTHERGILL ISN’T SATISFIED: DEFENDING CHAMP EYES ANOTHER CLASSIC TITLE

By Walker Smith, Courtesy of Dynamic Sponsorships

The spotlight of professional bass fishing once again burns bright now that the Bassmaster Classic returns to Knoxville, Tennessee. With the Tennessee River system serving as the playing field and thousands of passionate fans expected to pack the weigh-ins, the sport’s biggest stage is set for another unforgettable showdown that is the 2026 Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Classic presented by Under Armour.

Standing squarely in the middle of that spotlight is defending champion Easton Fothergill.

The young pro has spent the last year experiencing a whirlwind few anglers ever get to know. This includes media appearances, sponsor obligations and the reality that comes with hoisting bass fishing’s most coveted trophy. As the Classic returns, Fothergill’s mindset isn’t focused on reliving last year’s triumph. Instead, the Skeeter-Yamaha pro is laser-focused on something even harder to accomplish. Winning this event again.

Heading into Classic week, Fothergill’s early impressions of the fishery have been positive, even if they haven’t produced fireworks yet.

“This has been a pretty good practice so far,” Fothergill said. “It hasn’t been anything mind blowing but I think the fish are in a good position right now to make this a fun Classic for all of the fans to watch.”

That statement alone should excite fans. Early spring on the Tennessee River often produces a blend of staging prespawn bass, fluctuating water conditions and multiple viable patterns from shallow power fishing to offshore structure. In other words, it’s exactly the kind of scenario where creativity and adaptability can separate contenders from the rest of the field. For a young angler who has already proven he can rise to the moment, the unpredictability of the system could play right into his hands.

Winning the Classic changes everything. Careers are launched, expectations grow and every event suddenly carries a different level of scrutiny. For Fothergill, the experience has been overwhelmingly positive.

“Being the defending Classic champion this past year has been so much fun,” Fothergill said. “All of the BASS employees and fans have been awesome. But I’ve always heard that once you win one, you get even hungrier for the second one. That’s kind of where I am, to be honest. That doesn’t come with any sense of arrogance or anything. I just really want to win another one.”

That hunger is a common thread among the sport’s most dominant competitors. Once anglers prove they can win the Classic, the desire to repeat intensifies. History shows just how difficult that task can be. The Classic field is stacked with the best anglers in the world, and each competitor arrives with the same dream.

Following his Classic victory, Fothergill carried expectations few anglers his age have ever experienced. As a rising star early in his professional career, every finish suddenly seemed magnified.

“This past season after I won the Classic, I feel like I did have a lot of pressure on me,” he said. “I’m well aware of how the first couple years are for the longevity of your career. It’s a tricky balance, but I started fishing to win eventually and honestly, it changed everything for me.”

That mental shift can separate consistent pros from championship contenders. It’s also a mindset that tends to flourish on the Classic stage, where conservative strategies rarely produce the winning weight. One of the biggest challenges Classic competitors face is the chaos surrounding the event. Massive crowds, constant media attention and packed boat yards create distractions that can impact performance.

“I don’t really feel any extra pressure right now,” he said. “I just want to win like crazy. I’ve experienced the Classic so I’m familiar with the atmosphere and the madness that surrounds it.”

For Fothergill, that experience may free him to focus entirely on locating and catching bass rather than managing the spectacle around him. Despite already achieving one of the sport’s highest honors, Fothergill remains committed to learning from veterans who have navigated the professional circuit for decades.

One of the anglers who has recently provided guidance is fellow Toyota standout Brandon Palaniuk.

“I’m about to turn 24 years old,” Fothergill said. “I know I have a lot to learn and I will always be humble in my pursuit of another title. But I’ve been talking to Brandon (Palaniuk) and he has taught me a lot about the importance of damage control. You have to get your points when you can. I failed to do that in Florida last year and it tanked me in the AOY standings. But he has been teaching me that backup plans are very important.”

Just like every angler, Elite Series pros encounter difficult tournaments and minimizing those setbacks can ultimately determine career trajectories. Learning that lesson early will pay dividends for Fothergill both this season and beyond.

Off the water, Fothergill continues to benefit from one of the fishing industry’s most popular contingency programs, Toyota Bonus Bucks.

The program rewards anglers at every level from grassroots competitors to touring professionals for their tournament success while running Toyota vehicles. For Fothergill, the program represents something very important.

“Toyota Bonus Bucks is the best contingency program going right now,” he said. “They’re the best trucks on the market and you can get paid to run one. I love how much it supports anglers around the country. It’s so vital to our industry and it has blessed me in ways I couldn’t otherwise imagine.”

Programs like Bonus Bucks have become a cornerstone of tournament fishing, helping both weekend anglers and pros offset the costs of competing.

As the Classic week unfolds in Knoxville, storylines will emerge across the leaderboard. Veterans chasing another title. Rising stars hunting for their first. Somewhere on the Tennessee River, this defending champion will quietly pursue history.

At just 23 years old, Fothergill still has countless tournaments ahead of him. Yet his mindset already reflects the blend of humility, hunger and confidence often seen in the sport’s most enduring champions. If his practice assessment proves accurate and the fish cooperate, the fans in Knoxville might just witness something special. The defending champion isn’t satisfied with just one Classic trophy.

by AnglersChannel

Classic Q & A with Cox

John Cox is always fun to chat with, even amid the most pressure-packed week in bass fishing. We caught up with him Tuesday under the 266-feet tall Sunsphere in Knoxville, home to this week’s 56^th Bassmaster Classic.

Q: You’ve done well here before. Including a 5^th place finish at the 2023 Bassmaster Classic. What is it about Fort Loudon Lake and you that kind of click?

Cox: I love it because it truly fishes like a river, which means most of the bass live shallow, and that puts them right where I love to fish in about 4-feet of water or less.

Q: So, what will be the biggest challenge of this event?

Cox: For this Florida boy it’ll be the 35-degree temps on Friday morning on Day 1 of the derby and trying to catch one of those 5-pound or bigger “difference maker” kind of largemouth.

Q: What kind of drinks and snacks do you have riding in your insulated fiberglass Vexus® cooler?

Cox: So, this is crazy, but that Vexus cooler holds ice so long that I’ve already packed it with ice and drinks for the tournament. I’ve got water, Cokes, and Celsius energy drinks, but no food. You gotta fish ‘hungry’.

Q: There will be a lot of crankbaits thrown in this event. What is the ultimate John Cox cranking system for the week ahead?

Cox: A Berkley Frittside tied to 15-pound 100% Trilene fluorocarbon on a 6.8:1 Abu Zenon reel, and a 7’ 1” Fenwick HMG medium extra fast rod.

Q: You’ve won a lot of big tournaments including championships, what would it mean to win the Bassmaster Classic?

Cox: Oh gosh! It’s hard to describe what it’d be like to win the event I’ve been dreaming about winning since I was a kid in the 1990s watching guys like Denny Brauer, Davy Hite and Woo Daves win it when I was fishing club tournaments on Lake Talmadge in jon boat tournaments.

by AnglersChannel

NPFL Partners with Work Sharp on League’s Most Prestigious Title

WILKESVILLE, Ohio—The National Professional Fishing League (NPFL) is proud to announce a partnership with Work Sharp, a leader and innovator in the cutlery and sharpening industry. The relationship includes extensive branding and content opportunities, including the naming of the NPFL’s Angler of the Year award.

“We’re extremely proud to have Work Sharp as the sponsor of our Angler of the Year program,” says NPFL President Brad Fuller. “AOY is our most coveted title, and it’s earned over the course of an entire season. To earn the gold shield that goes with it, an angler has to stay sharp all season long, and that ties in perfectly with the products and mission that Work Sharp offers and lives by. It’s a terrific fit for us, and we’re looking forward to working with this great American company and to presenting the Work Sharp Angler of the Year award to our sharpest angler in 2026.”

Matt Elliott, Chief Commercial Officer at Work Sharp, adds “We’re thrilled to sponsor the National Professional Fishing League’s Angler of the Year race. As the world’s leader in high-performance knife sharpeners and now also a manufacturer of high-performance knives, we equip dedicated hunters and anglers with the tools they need to stay sharp. This partnership perfectly aligns with our commitment to precision, performance, and preparedness, and with the fans of the sport and their approach to the outdoors.”

Check out the full lineup of Work Sharp products here.

About the National Professional Fishing League

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

Media Contact: Ken Duke — (407) 574-1898 or [email protected].

by AnglersChannel

Grove’s Littlejohn Holds on for First Career Win at Phoenix Bass Fishing League Event at Grand Lake

Oklahoma’s Fielder Earns Victory in Co-Angler Division

GROVE, Okla. (March 9, 2026) – Boater Micah Littlejohn of Grove, Oklahoma, caught five bass weighing 21 pounds, 10 ounces, to win the MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League (BFL) Presented by T-H Marine on Grand Lake . The tournament, hosted by the City of Grove, was the opening event of the season for the BFL Okie Division. Littlejohn earned $4,200 for his victory.

Although Littlejohn didn’t get to practice for the Grand Lake tournament, he used his prior experience on the body of water to formulate a game plan.

“I know this lake pretty good, so I started off shallow and elected to not use (Garmin) LiveScope until later in the day,” Littlejohn said. “And that decision worked out pretty good, because my first fish came on my third cast, and it was a 4½-pounder. Then I lost a 4-pounder. I had a 12-pound limit in the first 30 minutes.”

Littlejohn said he then made a 15-minute run down the lake but couldn’t locate fish, so he returned to the mid-lake area from Shangri-La to Drowning Creek and turned on his LiveScope to target shallow main-lake spots.

“Once I did that, I caught four more fish around the 4-pound range,” Littlejohn said. “I caught my last fish with about five minutes left to go in the LiveScope period. I ended up culling out a 3-pounder with a 4-pounder right at the end.”

Only one of Littlejohn’s weigh fish came on a crankbait; the rest were caught on an Alabama rig.

“I lost three fish over four pounds, and I was really bummed,” Littlejohn said. “I kept saying, ‘Man, I blew this. I gave this tournament away because of the lost fish.’ Whenever I got to 18 or 19 pounds I thought if I could get one more big bite I’d be good. I never did get that big bite.”

Littlejohn didn’t need the big bite after all, and he ended up securing his first career win.

“This feels great,” Littlejohn said. “It’s always really hard to win on this lake. To be able to beat these guys and hold that trophy … that was a good feeling.”

The top 10 boaters finished the tournament:

1st:         Micah Littlejohn, Grove, Okla., five bass, 21-10, $4,200
2nd: Billy Lemon, Sand Springs, Okla., five bass, 20-7, $2,540 (includes $500 Phoenix MLF bonus)
3rd: T.J. Martin, Claremore, Okla., five bass, 18-13, $1,010
4th:         Dillon Roberts, Oologah, Okla., five bass, 17-15, $800
5th:         Nathan Luce, Claremore, Okla., five bass, 17-13, $700
6th:         James West, Spiro, Okla., five bass, 17-3, $600
7th:         Toby Hartsell, Afton, Okla., five bass, 16-14, $575
8th:         Tim Hickson, Cleveland, Okla., five bass, 16-12, $550
9th:         Kacey Moreland, Porter, Okla., five bass, 16-9, $525
10th: Roger Hughes, Nowata, Okla., five bass, 16-6, $500

Complete results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

Allen Musser of Ada, Oklahoma, earned the Berkley Big Bass Boater award after landing a 6-pound, 4-ounce bass worth $200.

Fred Fielder of Afton, Oklahoma, won the co-angler division and the top prize of $2,100 Saturday after bringing three bass to the scale that totaled 12 pounds, 2 ounces.

The top 10 co-anglers finished:

1st:         Fred Fielder, Afton, Okla., three bass, 12-2, $2,100
2nd: Nathan Chuculate, Broken Arrow, Okla., three bass, 11-13, $1,020
3rd: Shane Pelt, Columbus, Kan., three bass, 11-9, $505
4th:         Zack Holt, Yukon, Okla., three bass, 10-5, $400
5th:         Noah Vessar, Joplin, Mo., three bass, 10-2, $350
6th:         Mark Taylor, Oklahoma City, Okla., three bass, 9-13, $450
7th:         Alan Bernicky, Dardanelle, Ark., three bass, 9-7, $290
8th:         Brock Krohne, Belton, Mo., three bass, 9-6, $275
9th:         Orion Williams, Claremore, Okla., three bass, 9-5, $260
10th: Jimmy Lee, Reeds, Mo., three bass, 9-0, $250

Fred Fielder of Afton, Oklahoma, and Harold Frazier of Okmulgee, Oklahoma, split the Berkley Big Bass $100 co-angler award after each landed a 6-pound, 3-ounce bass.

The top 45 boaters and co-anglers in the division based on point standings, along with the five tournament winners of each qualifying event, will qualify for the Oct. 15-17 BFL Regional tournament on Kentucky-Barkley Lake in Calvert City, Kentucky. Boaters will fish for a top award of a new Phoenix 819 Pro with a 200-horsepower Mercury or Suzuki outboard worth $50,000, while co-anglers will compete for a top prize of a new Phoenix 518 pro with a 115-horsepower Mercury or Suzuki outboard, worth $33,500.

About Major League Fishing
Major League Fishing (MLF) is the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization, producing more than 250 events annually at some of the most prestigious fisheries in the world, while broadcasting to America’s living rooms on CBS, Discovery, Outdoor Channel, VICE, CBS Sports Network, World Fishing Network, RFD-TV, Game & Fish TV and Rumble, and on demand on MyOutdoorTV (MOTV). Headquartered in Benton, Kentucky, the MLF roster of bass anglers includes the world’s top pros and more than 30,000 competitors in all 50 states and 20 countries. Since its founding in 2011, MLF has advanced the sport of competitive fishing through its premier television broadcasts and livestreams and is dedicated to improving the quality of life for bass through research, education, fisheries enhancement and fish care.

by AnglersChannel

Kentucky’s Lamb Edges Field for Victory at Second Phoenix Bass Fishing League Event Sunday at Lake Guntersville

Tennessee’s Suratt Wins Co-Angler Division

GUNTERSVILLE, Ala. (March 9, 2026) – Boater Luke Lamb of Nicholasville, Kentucky, caught a total of five bass weighing 26 pounds, 8 ounces, Sunday, to win the MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League (BFL) Presented by T-H Marine on Lake Guntersville. The tournament, hosted by Marshall County Tourism and Sports, was a rescheduled event from earlier this season and the second of back-to-back events at Lake Guntersville on the weekend – the third event of the season for the BFL Choo Choo Division. Lamb earned $6,510 for his victory.

Lamb said he had devised a winning strategy for the tournament and wasted no time in executing his plan.

“I went to some fish first thing I had found in practice, and they just weren’t there,” Lamb said. “So, I scrambled around for a little bit. But in the back of my mind I knew they were going to be there at some point. With the Daylight Savings Time change and it being cloudy, we were out on the water a lot earlier and it was darker out, and I think the fish were still just scattered.

“I had to give it a little bit of time,” Lamb added. “I knew if I was going to win the tournament those would be the fish I would have to catch.”

Lamb said he fished around for a while and returned to his starting spot mid-morning, and the fish were there.

“I did quite a bit of damage pretty quick,” Lamb said. “It slowed down just a little bit with a couple times of flurried action, but overall, it was pretty steady. I leaned on that area the rest of the day. I caught a lot of fish.”

Lamb said his mid-lake area produced 40 to 50 keepers for him during the tournament, most of them more than four pounds. His bass mainly came on an Alabama rig as well as a minnow. He targeted big female prespawn fish getting ready to make the transition.

“This lake has so many fish in it I knew I was going to have to find the big prespawn fish to be able to hang,” Lamb said. “I thought I had the potential to win, but it’s Guntersville, and anyone can have a really big bag, especially with that many boats on the water. But I never thought that I was safe (to win).

“This win feels great,” Lamb went on to say. “I’ve had a lot of close calls in tournaments in the past, so I never get my hopes up until weigh-in is over. Especially here. Someone can catch two giants during the day and beat you at any time.”

The top 10 boaters finished the tournament:

1st: Luke Lamb, Nicholasville, Ky., five bass, 26-8, $6,510
2nd: Evan Horne, Tuscumbia, Ala., five bass, 26-5, $3,150
3rd: Matthew Bennett, Eclectic, Ala., five bass, 25-15, $1,470
4th:         David Cagle, Athens, Ala., five bass, 24-8, $1,330
5th:         Dawson Lenz, Senoia, Ga., five bass, 24-6, $885
5th:         Cal Lane, Grant, Ala., five bass, 24-6, $1,385 (includes $500 Phoenix bonus)
7th:         Connor Morris, Boaz, Ala., five bass, 24-1, $760
8th:         Anthony Goggins, Chelsea, Ala., five bass, 24-0, $710
9th:         Wayne Christopher, Huntsville, Ala., five bass, 23-12, $670
10th: Jimmy Neece Jr., Bristol, Tenn., five bass, 23-9, $630

Complete results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

David Cagle of Athens, Alabama, earned the Berkley Big Bass Boater award after landing a 7-pound, 1-ounce bass worth $200.

Kade Suratt of Lawrenceburg, Tennessee, won the co-angler division and the top prize of $3,355 Sunday after bringing three bass to the scale that totaled 16 pounds, 3 ounces.

The top 10 co-anglers finished:

1st:         Kade Suratt, Lawrenceburg, Tenn., three bass, 16-3, $3,355
2nd: Randy Wiggins, Birmingham, Ala., three bass, 15-6, $1,625
3rd: Nick Clowdus, Hayden, Ala., three bass, 14-5, $735
4th:         Roderick Green, Columbia, Tenn., three bass, 13-12, $565
5th:         Craig Childers, Taft, Tenn., three bass, 13-11, $485
6th:         Pop Catalin, Cookeville, Tenn., three bass, 12-12, $400
7th:         Tommy Pritchard, Bargersville, Ind., three bass, 12-9, $380
8th:         Jeffrey Eshelman, Owens Cross Roads, Ala., three bass, 12-8, $355
9th:         Tim Campbell, Ardmore, Ala, three bass, 12-6, $340
10th: Billy Crider Jr., Kettering, Ohio, three bass, 12-1, $315

Kade Suratt of Lawrenceburg, Tennessee, earned the Berkley Big Bass co-angler award after landing a 7-pound, 7-ounce bass worth $100.

After three events, Hunter Davidson of Reform, Alabama, now leads the 7 Brew Choo Choo Division Angler of the Year (AOY) race with 714 points, while Payton Reed of Elora, Tennessee, leads the Choo Choo Division Co-Angler of the Year race with 685 points.

The top 45 boaters and co-anglers in the division based on point standings, along with the five tournament winners of each qualifying event, will qualify for the Oct. 8-10 BFL Regional tournament on Lake Eufaula in Eufaula, Alabama. Boaters will fish for a top award of a new Phoenix 819 Pro with a 200-horsepower Mercury or Suzuki outboard worth $50,000, while co-anglers will compete for a top prize of a new Phoenix 518 pro with a 115-horsepower Mercury or Suzuki outboard, worth $33,500.

About Major League Fishing
Major League Fishing (MLF) is the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization, producing more than 250 events annually at some of the most prestigious fisheries in the world, while broadcasting to America’s living rooms on CBS, Discovery, Outdoor Channel, VICE, CBS Sports Network, World Fishing Network, RFD-TV, Game & Fish TV and Rumble, and on demand on MyOutdoorTV (MOTV). Headquartered in Benton, Kentucky, the MLF roster of bass anglers includes the world’s top pros and more than 30,000 competitors in all 50 states and 20 countries. Since its founding in 2011, MLF has advanced the sport of competitive fishing through its premier television broadcasts and livestreams and is dedicated to improving the quality of life for bass through research, education, fisheries enhancement and fish care.

by AnglersChannel

Rock Hill’s Winters Uses Home-Water Knowledge to Win Phoenix Bass Fishing League Event at Lake Wylie

North Carolina’s Lee Earns Victory in Co-Angler Division

YORK, S.C. (March 9, 2026) – Boater David Winters of Rock Hill, South Carolina, caught a total of five bass weighing 19 pounds, 1 ounce, to win the MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League (BFL) Presented by T-H Marine on Lake Wylie. The tournament, hosted by Visit York County, was the second of five events of the season for the BFL North Carolina Division. Winters earned $2,780 for his victory.

Winters said he focused his efforts on the lower end of Lake Wylie, between Nivens Creek and Allison Creek Park.

“My practice wasn’t so great,” Winters said. “I found a few areas that showed promise, but I never got any bites to amount to anything in practice.

“I ran straight to my first area where I had found them schooling the day before, and the first fish I caught was a 4-pounder,” Winters went on to say. “That was a good start to get me motivated and get me going.”

Winters said he left that area with a limit of 12 pounds on a jerkbait and headed to his second area, but Winters found the fishing slow there. He switched baits to an old favorite to try to change his luck.

“I changed to a Rapala Shad Rap 5 Crankbait, which is an old-school bait everybody kind of laughs about and nobody really throws anymore. I caught a 5-pounder and culled a couple of more times.”

Winters said his attack was a hodge-podge of springtime shallow-water fishing tactics, and he finished up his day throwing a jig when the sun popped out.

“I was looking for shallow bait,” Winters said. “Most of the bait right now is holding on gravel and clay banks. I know the lake; I’ve fished here for 20 years. I was just moving from spot to spot.

“I’ve been close to winning so many times and couldn’t get to the top, but this time it all panned out,” Winters added. “Honestly, I don’t know this has set in for me yet. It feels good. Now I just want to get the next win.”

The top 10 boaters finished the tournament:

1st:        David Winters, Rock Hill, S.C., five bass, 19-1, $2,780
2nd:      Daniel Sparks, Kingstown, N.C., five bass, 16-9, $1,420
3rd:       Ron Farrow, Rock Hill, S.C., five bass, 16-8, $740
4th:       Kaden Buchmann, Troutman, N.C., five bass, 15-14, $700
5th:       Michael Stephens, Gastonia, N.C., five bass, 15-12, $530
6th:       Keith Roberts, Hurt, Va., five bass, 15-9, $460
7th:       Jake Monti, Mooresville, N.C., five bass, 14-5, $950 (includes $500 Phoenix bonus)
8th:       Logan Anderson, Sherrills Ford, N.C., five bass, 14-2, $430
9th:       Travis Donaldson, Cleveland, N.C., five bass, 13-15, $410
10th:     Joey Outlaw, Camden, S.C., five bass, 13-14, $400

Complete results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

Chad Sims of Lancaster, South Carolina, earned the Berkley Big Bass Boater award after landing a 5-pound, 14-ounce bass worth $200.

Mark Lee of Gastonia, North Carolina, won the co-angler division and the top prize of $1,540 Saturday after bringing three bass to the scale that totaled 11 pounds, 9 ounces.

The top 10 co-anglers finished:

1st:        Mark Lee, Gastonia, N.C., three bass, 11-9, $1,540
2nd:      Justin Bach, Kannapolis, N.C., three bass, 10-1, $710
3rd:       James Roten, West Jefferson, N.C., three bass, 9-10, $370
4th:       Dustan Hudson, Grover, N.C., three bass, 8-14, $300
5th:       Colby Shuping, Boomer, N.C., three bass, 8-5, $247
5th:       Riley Smallwood, Shallotte, N.C., three bass, 8-5, $247
7th:       Marvin Godard, Charlotte, N.C., three bass, 7-15, $322
7th:       Thomas Pennell III, Boiling Springs, S.C., three bass, 7-15, $222
9th:       Brandon Lawson, Union, S.C., three bass, 6-13, $210
10th:     Dale Surrett, Midland, N.C., three bass, 6-8, $175
10th:     Todd Huntley, Inman, S.C., three bass, 6-8, $175

Mark Lee of Gastonia, North Carolina, earned the Berkley Big Bass co-angler award after landing a 5-pound, 5-ounce bass worth $100.

After two events, Kaden Buchmann of Troutman, North Carolina, now leads the 7 Brew North Carolina Division Angler of the Year (AOY) race with 497 points, while Todd Huntley of Inman, South Carolina, leads the North Carolina Division Co-Angler of the Year race with 491 points.

About Major League Fishing
Major League Fishing (MLF) is the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization, producing more than 250 events annually at some of the most prestigious fisheries in the world, while broadcasting to America’s living rooms on CBS, Discovery, Outdoor Channel, VICE, CBS Sports Network, World Fishing Network, RFD-TV, Game & Fish TV and Rumble, and on demand on MyOutdoorTV (MOTV). Headquartered in Benton, Kentucky, the MLF roster of bass anglers includes the world’s top pros and more than 30,000 competitors in all 50 states and 20 countries. Since its founding in 2011, MLF has advanced the sport of competitive fishing through its premier television broadcasts and livestreams and is dedicated to improving the quality of life for bass through research, education, fisheries enhancement and fish care.

by AnglersChannel

Cleveland’s Dyar Gets Elusive Kicker to Secure Victory at Phoenix Bass Fishing League Event at Lake Guntersville

Alabama’s Brewer Tops Co-Angler Division

GUNTERSVILLE, Ala. (March 9, 2026) – Boater Logan Dyar of Cleveland, Alabama, caught five bass weighing 28 pounds, 10 ounces, to win the MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League (BFL) Presented by T-H Marine on Lake Guntersville . The tournament, hosted by Marshall County Tourism and Sports, was the first of a back-to-back BFL tournament weekend at Lake Guntersville and the second event of the season for the BFL Choo Choo Division. Dyar earned $13,690, including the lucrative $7,000 Phoenix MLF bonus, for his victory.

“I had two grass areas on the south end of the lake I focused on,” Dyar said. “I wanted to start there in the morning and then rotate fishing a couple of bridges and then use the last three hours of the day to use my (Garmin) LiveScope.”

Dyar, who said he fishes Guntersville once or twice a week, relied on a jerkbait as well as a minnow to land his bass, although he weighed in a 9-pound Guntersville giant that fell for a Bill Lewis Rat-L-Trap . The 9-pounder came around 10 a.m. and Dyar felt good about his day after the bass was in the livewell.

“I told my co-angler, ‘I’ve been looking for a bite like this for a long time, and I finally got a kicker. If I’m going to win, today’s going to be the day.’”

Dyar then turned his LiveScope on and said he caught three 5-pound bass, one over four pounds and quite a few over three pounds.

“I knew it was going to be hard to beat me with what I had,” Dyar said. “I haven’t been fishing BFLs that long, and everybody is chasing a win. BFLs are a hard win. It’s just a one-day shootout. Somebody’s going to smack them no matter what.”

The top 10 boaters finished the tournament:

1st: Logan Dyar, Cleveland, Ala., five bass, 28-10, $13,690 (includes $7,000 Phoenix MLF bonus)
2nd: Luke Lamb, Nicholasville, Ky., five bass, 27-3, $2,365
2nd: Kyle Goldstein, Paso Robles, Calif., five bass, 27-3, $2,365
4th:         Zach Lemmond, Hartselle, Ala., five bass, 24-7, $1,150
5th:         L.J. Brown, Hokes Bluff, Ala., five bass, 23-11, $980
6th:         Hunter Davidson, Reform, Ala., five bass, 23-8, $810
7th:         Connor Morris, Boaz, Ala., five bass, 22-8, $770
8th:         Jed Lamb, Guntersville, Ala., five bass, 21-13, $820
9th:         Carson Calvert, Jasper, Ala., five bass, 21-8, $680
10th: Westin Moss, Jasper, Tenn., five bass, 21-3, $640

Complete results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

James Swindle of Parrish, Alabama, earned the Berkley Big Bass Boater award after landing a 9-pound, 2-ounce bass worth $200.

Zac Brewer of Scottsboro, Alabama, won the co-angler division and the top prize of $3,345 Saturday after bringing three bass to the scale that totaled 14 pounds, 13 ounces.

The top 10 co-anglers finished:

1st: Zac Brewer, Scottsboro, Ala., three bass, 14-13, $3,345
2nd: Austin Thomas, Jasper, Ala., three bass, 14-4, $1,615
3rd: Nathan Hunhoff, Jasper, Ind., three bass, 14-3, $750
4th:         Mark Lyons, Marion, Ind., three bass, 13-1, $575
5th:         Grant Frazier, Manchester, Tenn., three bass, 12-10, $490
6th:         John Bates, Hartselle, Ala., three bass, 12-5, $397
6th:         Anthony Elliott, Hanceville, Ala., three bass, 12-5, $447
8th:         Shane Overly, Brentwood, Tenn., three bass, 12-2, $360
9th:         Jonathan Osborn, Cullman, Ala., three bass, 12-1, $340
10th: Trent Wright, Birmingham, Ala., three bass, 11-10, $320

Curtis Brown of Scottsboro, Alabama, earned the Berkley Big Bass co-angler award after landing a 9-pound, 3-ounce bass worth $100.

The top 45 boaters and co-anglers in the division based on point standings, along with the five tournament winners of each qualifying event, will qualify for the Oct. 8-10 BFL Regional tournament on Lake Eufaula in Eufaula, Alabama. Boaters will fish for a top award of a new Phoenix 819 Pro with a 200-horsepower Mercury or Suzuki outboard worth $50,000, while co-anglers will compete for a top prize of a new Phoenix 518 pro with a 115-horsepower Mercury or Suzuki outboard, worth $33,500.

About Major League Fishing
Major League Fishing (MLF) is the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization, producing more than 250 events annually at some of the most prestigious fisheries in the world, while broadcasting to America’s living rooms on CBS, Discovery, Outdoor Channel, VICE, CBS Sports Network, World Fishing Network, RFD-TV, Game & Fish TV and Rumble, and on demand on MyOutdoorTV (MOTV). Headquartered in Benton, Kentucky, the MLF roster of bass anglers includes the world’s top pros and more than 30,000 competitors in all 50 states and 20 countries. Since its founding in 2011, MLF has advanced the sport of competitive fishing through its premier television broadcasts and livestreams and is dedicated to improving the quality of life for bass through research, education, fisheries enhancement and fish care.

by AnglersChannel

KVD Previews the 2026 Bassmaster Classic

Courtesy of Dynamic Sponsorships

Few people in the sport of bass fishing carry as much weight as Kevin VanDam, especially when we’re talking about the Bassmaster Classic. The Team Toyota pro qualified for an incredible 28 Bassmaster Classics and won the title four times during his iconic career before retiring from full-time tournament fishing in 2023.

VanDam understands every nuance and detail of this event from a competitor’s standpoint, but his passion for the sport, and this tournament in particular, burns just as hot as a fan. As a lifelong student of fishing, he still studies the patterns, the anglers, and the weather conditions leading into the Classic.

For KVD, the Classic is more than just another tournament. It’s the one week of the year when the entire bass fishing world stops and pays attention. The field is smaller, the pressure is higher, and every decision is amplified.

Before breaking down his fishing predictions, KVD explained why the 2026 Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Classic presented by Under Armour is one every fishing fan should try to attend.

“Knoxville and the Tennessee River setup as one of the very best Classic venues that exist,” VanDam offered. “Based on the proximity of the launch location, the Outdoor Expo, the weigh-in; everything is within a five-minute walk or drive. It allows fishing fans to be there for every big moment, which is truly special. If you’ve never felt the energy of a morning blast off at the Classic or at the weigh-in on Championship Sunday… there is nothing like it.”

VanDam went on to explain another reason this venue makes for such a great fan experience; it’ll be a competitive event. What KVD means by that is, this fishery sets up for a tight-weight tournament with multiple anglers in the mix throughout the three-day competition.

Like any great sporting event, you want to see the eventual winner earn the title of Classic champion versus a blow-out, runaway result. According to VanDam, this fishery sets up perfect for back-and-forth battle that’ll come down to the final hour.

VanDam released a comprehensive preview of the 2026 Classic on his YouTube channel, where he went into even more detail, but he believes fishing fans are in for the highest weights we’ve ever seen from an event on Fort Louden and Tellico.

“I’m betting it’ll take somewhere around 18-lbs per day to win this Classic,” VanDam offered. “Which is much higher than the past two times the Classic has come to Knoxville. For one, forward-facing-sonar changes the game and will help guys catch bigger than average fish. But more than that, the weather is setting up just about perfect.

“There is a 7-to-10 day warming trend with plenty of warm spring rains leading up to day one. Rain means current which is a great thing on the Tennessee River. They’re calling for a little cold front during the weekend, but I think the fish will have already responded. The largemouth will be fat, prespawn and staging. The smallmouth may be spawning already, and all species are going to be aggressive.”

Smallmouth were key to Jeff Gustafson’s win here in 2023 and this year anglers will be able to keep 15-inch smallmouth, while only 18-inch or larger Tennessee River bronze backs were qualified as keepers in 2019 and 2023. Even with this rule being updated, VanDam believes largemouth will be the key to victory this year.

“Smallmouth will absolutely be a factor, but you aren’t going to win this tournament with 15-inch smallmouth, or largemouth for that matter,” VanDam proposed. “It’s going to take bigguns this time. The fishery is healthier than ever, electronics are more dialed than ever, and the weather is lining up to maximize the Tennessee River’s potential.”

While he knows FFS and minnow imitators on a jighead will be part of the conversation, VanDam believes power fishing will play a huge role in the 2026 Classic. With traditional east-Tennessee stalwarts like flat sided crankbaits, lipless crankbaits, jerkbaits and bladed jigs getting the nod to make VanDam’s starting team if he was competing this week.

VanDam has famously notched wins on other TVA impoundments like Kentucky Lake, Guntersville, and Chickamauga. While this stretch of the Tennessee River has some similarities to those fisheries, it does have some notable differences. In his experience, the bass in Louden and Tellico like to position shallower than other TVA lakes.

VanDam believes this could be an ideal setup for springtime power fishing.

“Lures like a Red Eye Shad or a flat sided crankbait like the Hard Liner 35 have been catching bass in that part of the country for decades,” VanDam said. “And for a reason! Those fish like to position on shallow ledges or river bars that you can’t always see on your electronics. You have to fish your way through them and cranking is one of the best ways to do that.

“A jerkbait is another technique you’re going to have to have tied on. With the cold winter we had and the water being a little cleaner than usual, a jerkbait and FFS are going to be a weapon. Especially on a system like this.”

When he’s not busy at the Outdoors Expo presented by TNT Fireworks, VanDam will be locked onto tournament coverage this weekend. If there’s one thing KVD knows for certain about the Bassmaster Classic, it’s that one angler’s life will be forever changed when they hoist that trophy over their head on Sunday afternoon.

by AnglersChannel

Zack Birge Wins MLF Bass Pro Tour Champion Teamwear Stage 3 Presented by MillerTech at Lake Whitney and Lake Waco

Blanchard, Oklahoma pro catches 27 scorable bass weighing 75 pounds, 1 ounce to win by 30-pound, 5-ounce margin and earn second career BPT victory and top prize of $125,000

WACO, Texas (March 8, 2026) – When he launched his boat onto Lake Waco for Saturday’s Knockout Round at Champion Teamwear Stage 3 Presented by MillerTech, pro Zack Birge of Blanchard, Oklahoma , knew next to nothing about the fishery. He’d never competed there before, and he spent all three days of official practice prior to the event on Lake Whitney, which hosted the two-day Qualifying Round.

All Birge knew was that he’d spotted a juicy-looking backwater pond on the north end of the lake on Google Earth. His game plan in a nutshell: head there and hope for the best.

“I didn’t even come over here in practice; I just looked at Google Earth and thought this looked good,” Birge said following Sunday’s Championship Round. “I literally told my official yesterday, I showed it to him on Google Earth, and I said, ‘Man, this pond back here looks good.’

“Little did I know. I know now, though.”

Birge used the area not only to qualify for the Championship Round but to win it in dominant fashion. He spent all day Sunday in the spot known to locals as the “Atkinson Hole” and totaled 75 pounds, 1 ounce on 27 scorable bass. That topped runner-up Edwin Evers of Talala, Oklahoma, by more than 30 pounds and represented the biggest single-day total of the event by more than 20.

Birge’s second career Bass Pro Tour victory earned him $125,000. He also took over the lead in the Fishing Clash Angler of the Year (AOY) standings. Four points behind him, four-time AOY winner Jacob Wheeler and Spencer Shuffield are tied for second.

As excited as Birge was about the backwater area, he didn’t actually reach it until midway through the competition Saturday – and by then, he worried it was too late.

Evers, too, started the Knockout Round by running right to the old pond. Seeing that, Birge let him have it first and spent the first period fishing a different creek on the upper end of the fishery – without much success. Then, his jack plate got stuck, so he couldn’t run to the area; instead, he had to troll all the way there. By the time he made it, the competition day was already more than halfway over.

Still, Birge knew that Evers had fared well in the area, so he stayed positive. With two hours left in the Knockout Round, Birge had amassed just 12-3 and found himself nearly 7 pounds back of the Lucas Oil Cut Line. He proceeded to stack up 12 scorable bass for more than 30 pounds to finish the round in second, just 8 ounces back of Evers.

“Once I got over there, I started catching them,” Birge said. “It just took me a while to get over there and get rolling. And then once I got in there, I saw (Evers) to the left; I just went to the right. I knew he had caught some fish, so it kind of gave me a positive mindset moving forward.”

Birge said the backwater pond leapt out at him on Google Earth because it had clean water compared to the rest of the upper end of Lake Waco and because it would be sheltered from the wind. He found it loaded with baitfish, resident bass that were feeding on them and other bass on spawning beds.

“I don’t know why it had so many fish, to be honest with you, but it had a bunch of them in there,” he said. “It had a little bit of a shad spawn that was going on in the middle of the day. I’m sure there were some spawning fish in there I couldn’t see. It kind of seemed like a place that may just have a lot of resident fish in it, too. So, I think there was a whole lot of a little bit of everything going on.”

The honey hole produced the bulk of the weight for both Birge and Evers on Saturday and Sunday – they finished first and second on SCORETRACKER® both days. After his Knockout Round rally, Birge knew it held the winning fish. His only concern was whether it could withstand two days of pressure from both him and Evers.

“I just didn’t know if him or I could have the opportunity to win because we were both in there,” he said. “That was the only thing that kind of worried me.”

To reach the backwater pond, Birge had to navigate his boat around and over a maze of laydowns and other debris. It took until about 20 minutes after lines in on Sunday for him to start making casts.

This time, he didn’t take long to assert himself. Within 10 minutes, he’d boated three scorable bass totaling 9-3, including his first of two 5-3s on the day. In less than 30 minutes, he had six for 17-4.

“They hadn’t been pressured yet, so there were fresh fish swimming around,” Birge said. “I knew the first pass would probably be pretty good. And thankfully, it was.”

That gave Birge the top spot on SCORETRACKER®, which he would never relinquish. It also put Evers on the defensive. Evers hadn’t yet caught a scorable bass at that point. While he eventually gained his footing, a couple times pulling within 10 pounds of Birge, he could never quite dig out of the early hole.

Birge credited his strong start in part to his bait selection. His first 14 scorable bass all ate a ¼-ounce white swim jig with a matching trailer. With most of the field struggling to get Lake Waco’s largemouth to eat moving baits, that boosted Birge’s efficiency.

“I just figured a swim jig would be good,” Birge said. “I had caught some over at Whitney on it. I kind of tried different baits throughout (Saturday) morning, and I kind of got a few more bites with the swim jig, so I kept throwing that more. And then once I got in there and got around those fish, they were eating it like crazy. So, I locked it in my hand yesterday and went with it, and I locked it in my hand for a long time today, too.”

As the day progressed and conditions changed, Birge adjusted by picking up a Texas-rigged creature bait and flipping the flooded bushes that lined the shallows. He used the same tackle setup as his swim jig: A 7-foot-3, medium-heavy Alpha Angler Zilla rod with an 8:1 gear-ratio reel and 40-pound Yo-Zuri SuperBraid. Within minutes, he was rewarded with a second 5-3.

“It just slicked off and got real bright and warm, and I thought, ‘Man, they might swim back into the edge of these bushes again,’” Birge explained. “‘Let me just try to flip and slow down a little bit.’”

That fish brought Birge’s total to 47-9 and all but sealed the win. It extended his lead over Evers back to double digits. Not long afterward, Evers decided to leave the loaded backwater area in a Hail Mary attempt to catch Birge.
Birge went on to add another 12 scorable bass to keep it from ever getting too suspenseful again. His ability to avoid a long lull between bites separated him from the rest of the field. Other anglers caught bigger bass (including Dustin Connell, who landed two over 8 pounds for the second day in a row), but no one came close to matching Birge’s tally of 27 scorable bass caught.

Birge said he didn’t see this victory coming. After all, he had zero prior experience on the fishery hosting the Knockout and Championship Rounds. However, given how many times he’s put himself in contention in recent years, it also seemed inevitable.

This marked Birge’s ninth Top 10 in 19 BPT events since the start of the 2024 season. Since his last victory, in 2024 on Oklahoma’s Lake Eufaula, he’d finished in the top five three times. Birge attributed the hot streak to good decision making and confidence, which has only increased with each strong finish.

“The confidence is everything,” he said. “When you’re making good decisions and everything is happening the right way, it just seems like it snowballs.”

Birge said winning his first career AOY title is “of course” a goal now that he’s leading the points, but he hasn’t given it much thought yet. For now, he’s focused on celebrating the win. He knows as well as anyone that they don’t come easy.

“The first one felt great,” he said. “I think it made me even more hungry for another win. And of course, we’ve been close a few times since then. It feels really good to win one.”

The top 10 pros at the Champion Teamwear Stage 3 Presented by MillerTech on Lake Whitney and Lake Waco finished:

1st:        Zack Birge, Blanchard, Okla., 27 bass, 75-1
2nd:      Edwin Evers, Talala, Okla., 15 bass, 44-12
3rd:       Dustin Connell, Clanton, Ala., 10 bass, 43-10
4th:       Spencer Shuffield, Hot Springs, Ark., 11 bass, 31-3
5th:       Drew Gill, Mount Carmel, Ill., 14 bass, 27-13
6th:       Chris Lane, Guntersville, Ala., nine bass, 23-12
7th:       Nick LeBrun, Bossier City, La., seven bass, 22-4
8th:       Mark Davis, Mount Ida, Ark., eight bass, 20-13
9th:       Jesse Wiggins, Logan, Ala., six bass, 17-3
10th:     Justin Lucas, Guntersville, Ala., six bass, 12-3

A complete list of results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

Overall, there were 113 bass caught weighing 318 pounds, 10 ounces, caught by the final 10 Bass Pro Tour anglers on Sunday.

The final $1,000 Berkley Big Bass Award of the week went to pro Dustin Connell, who also won in Saturday’s Knockout Round. On Sunday, Connell boated a 9-pound, 1-ounce largemouth during the second period on a Rapala Crush City Janitor worm. Berkley awards $1,000 to the angler who weighs the heaviest bass each day.

The four-day Champion Teamwear Stage 3 at Lake Whitney and Lake Waco Presented by MillerTech was hosted by the City of Waco, the Greater Waco Sports Commission and the Waco Tourism Public Improvement District (TPID). The event featured a field of 51 of the top professional anglers in the world competing for a $125,000 top prize and their share of the $600,000 purse, along with valuable Fishing Clash Angler of the Year (AOY) points in hopes of qualifying for the MLF Heavy Hitters all-star event and REDCREST 2027, the Bass Pro Tour championship.

The next event for Bass Pro Tour anglers will be Suzuki Marine Stage 4 at O.H. Ivie and Lake Brownwood, March 26-29, in Early, Texas.

The 2026 Bass Pro Tour features a field of 51 of the best professional anglers in the world, competing across seven regular-season tournaments around the country for millions of dollars and valuable points to qualify for the annual Heavy Hitters all-star event and the REDCREST 2027 championship.

Television coverage of Champion Teamwear Stage 3 at Lake Whitney and Lake Waco Presented by MillerTech will premiere as a two-hour episode starting at 7 a.m. ET Saturday, Sept. 5, on Discovery. New MLF episodes premiere each Saturday morning on Discovery, with re-airings on Outdoor Channel.

Proud sponsors of the MLF Bass Pro Tour include: Abu Garcia, Athletic Brewing Co., Bass Force, B&W Trailer Hitches, Bass Pro Shops, Berkley, Black Buffalo, BUBBA, Cigars International, Epic Baits, Fishing Clash, Grizzly, Lowrance, Mercury, MillerTech, NITRO Boats, OFF! Deep Woods, O’Reilly Auto Parts, Power-Pole, Ranger Boats, Rapala, Star brite, Suzuki Marine, Toyota, Yuengling and Zenni.

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

About Major League Fishing
Major League Fishing (MLF) is the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization, producing more than 250 events annually at some of the most prestigious fisheries in the world, while broadcasting to America’s living rooms on CBS, Discovery, Outdoor Channel, VICE, CBS Sports Network, World Fishing Network, RFD-TV, Game & Fish TV and Rumble, and on demand on MyOutdoorTV (MOTV). Headquartered in Benton, Kentucky, the MLF roster of bass anglers includes the world’s top pros and more than 30,000 competitors in all 50 states and 20 countries. Since its founding in 2011, MLF has advanced the sport of competitive fishing through its premier television broadcasts and livestreams and is dedicated to improving the quality of life for bass through research, education, fisheries enhancement and fish care.

by AnglersChannel

JOIN THE CIRCUS

Get everything Bass Fishing from Anglers Channel, straight to your inbox.

About

AC

Resources