Bassmaster College Series takes on Lay Lake for last-chance championship qualifier
College teams from around the country will compete on Lay Lake June 9-10 at the 2023 Strike King Bassmaster College Series Wild Card presented by Bass Pro Shops.
Photo by Kyle Jessie/B.A.S.S.
June 1, 2023
SHELBY COUNTY, Ala. — For the third year in a row, the Strike King Bassmaster College Series Wild Card presented by Bass Pro Shops will return to the Coosa River. This time anglers will take on Lay Lake, and Bassmaster Elite Series rookie David Gaston believes consistency will be the key to success.
“There will be a lot of mixing up of the standings from Day 1 to Day 2,” Gaston said. “If you have 15 a day, you will do really well. I’m sure there will be one or two 20-pound bags, but they can’t back that up two days in a row.”
Competition days will be June 9-10 with teams taking off from Beeswax Creek Park each day at 5:30 a.m. CT and returning to the park at 1:30 p.m. for weigh-in. Full coverage will be available on Bassmaster.com.
With the four regular-season events complete, this will be the last chance for anglers to punch their tickets to the 2023 Strike King Bassmaster College Series National Championship at Pickwick Lake presented by Bass Pro Shops August 10-12.
Lay Lake has played host to several historic moments in Bassmaster history, and earlier this year, the Elite Series made its return to the fishery that features spotted and largemouth bass. Most of these bass will be keying on shad, although the bass on the upper end of the lake will target crawfish.
When the college teams hit the water, Gaston anticipates the bass will be at the beginning of their summer patterns.
“This time of year, it is either won with all largemouth or with a good mixed bag,” Gaston said. “Unless someone figures it out around the dam and they are able to catch 15 or 16 pounds a day doing it.”
Offshore, Gaston said you will find largemouth and spotted bass in the same areas. Shallow ledges and gravel bars will be key areas, and further down south, there is standing timber and stump fields the bass will relate to.
Traditional ledge baits like football head jigs, shaky heads, big worms and crankbaits have been historically productive at the beginning of June, while LiveScope will be key to dialing in the deep timber bite.
“It isn’t real deep stuff either,” he said. “The ledges are between 3 and 6 feet on the top, so you aren’t fishing very deep.”
Depending on rainfall and water levels, the tailrace of the Logan Martin Dam could also come into play. But if low-water conditions are present, Gaston said it will be too shallow to safely navigate.
“Whether you are on the upper end of the lake or the lower end of the lake, current will play an important role,” Gaston said.
The largemouth will also gravitate to healthy willow grass, although Gaston said this can be hard to come by depending on how much lake management has sprayed. Flipping and pitching will come into play in the grass, and a frog and swim jig could also play early in the morning.
Throwback Thursday - Season at a Glance: 1970 Bass Master Trail - Part 1
By Terry Battisti - Bass Fishing Archives
Editor’s note: This is part one of a two-part series on the 1970 Bass Master Trail. Part one will cover the first three events of the season while part two will cover the last four events.
The 1970 Bass Master Trail was the third full year of Bass Master tournament competition and would be the year of a number of firsts. To start off it was the year when the Bass Master Angler of the Year would begin. Although this award didn’t offer much more than bragging rights and a nice piece of hardware, it’s become arguably the most-cherished award on any tour.
Second, it would be the first year where a single angler would win three events in the season. For those of you that know your history, I’m sure you can figure that one out pretty easily. But for those of you who either don’t remember or just don’t know, I’ll save it for later.
Third, and this would become pretty significant, was that Roland Martin would make his Bass Master tournament debut. Martin’s debut almost didn’t happen after he saw the weights posted at the Eufaula National in 1969. It took some cajoling from Ray Scott to get Martin to test the waters that year – Martin never looked back.
The 1970 Bass Master Trail would feature seven events starting in the state of Texas and finishing in Missouri. To date, it was the most tournaments held by the fledgling Bass Anglers Sportsman Society in one year. 1969 had six events and 1968 featured only four. Here’s a chronological list of the tournaments:
- January 29-31, 1970 – Toledo Bend Invitational, Many, LA
- March 19-21, 1970 – Seminole Lunker Hunt, Bainbridge, GA
- April 30 – May 2, 1970 – Rebel Invitational Ross Barnett, Jackson, MS
- June 11-13, 1970 – Lake Eufaula Henshall Memorial, Florence Landing, GA
- August 5-7, 1970 – Oklahoma National Lake Eufaula, Eufaula, OK
- September 24-26, 1970 – Texas National Sam Rayburn Reservoir, Jasper, TX
- November 12-14, 1970 – All-American Table Rock Lake, Kimberling, MO
Back in the 1970 time frame, Bassmaster Magazine was a quarterly publication. It focused on teaching anglers to be better bass fishermen. Unfortunately, its tournament coverage doesn’t provide much knowledge of the anglers other than the winners. Still, we’ll give you what we know of the events from reading the reports.
Toledo Bend Reservoir, dubbed as the “hottest bass lake in the country,” would kick off the 1970 Bass Master Trail season with 79 contestants. It’s reported that the weather had been cold but turned for the better with three “June in January days.” This played a significant role in the outcome of the event.
Local angler Mike Bono would catch his limit all three days of the tournament (45 fish total) and take the top honors with 94-04. Bono, not only knew the fish at Toledo Bend, he also knew the lake probably better than anyone in the derby, having walked the lake countless times prior to its being filled. He won the event fishing in 55 feet of water using silver jigging spoons and Fliptail worms.
For his efforts, Bono won $2000 worth of cash and prizes, which included a new Skeeter Hawk boat powered by an 85-hp Chrysler motor and a V.E.T. trailer.
In the second spot was rookie angler Roland Martin of Cross, SC with a total of 77-06. There are two things that stick out in that sentence. One, the word rookie and two, he hailed from South Carolina. Martin would show bass anglers that year he was far from a rookie and the next year he would move from South Carolina to Montgomery, AL. Martin would become somewhat of a nomad, living all over the United States in order to learn as much as he could about bass and their habits.
Third place went to B.A.S.S. veteran Gerald Blanchard (TN) with 72-10, Carlos Mayo (AR) took 4th-place honors with 70-15. Rounding out the top 5 was Elroy Krueger (TX) with 69-00.
Unfortunately, Bass Master Magazine didn’t post the results below 20th place. At this time B.A.S.S. was giving 10 points per ounce and live fish were not worth any extra points.
Tournament totals for the Toledo Bend event were 1791 bass that weighed 2715-08. Gerald Blanchard took big fish with a 7-15 largemouth.
The top 20 for the Toledo Bend Invitational are shown in the table below.
SEMINOLE LUNKER HUNT – WHO ELSE?
The title of the Spring issue of Bass Master Magazine’s Tournament Trail report says it all. “Roland Martin Bright New Star On BASS Horizon.” In his second event, Roland Martin would become B.A.S.S.’s new star. He followed up his second-place finish at Toledo Bend with a win at Seminole against 115 other pros from 19 states.
Roland Martin didn’t do it wire-to-wire by no means, though. He wasn’t even in the top 20 on the first day of the event. But on the second day, he caught the tournament’s only 15-fish limit and propelled himself into the number-1 spot. On the last day, he brought 13 bass to the scales and took top honors by over 3-1/2 pounds.
After the dust had settled, Martin weighed 32 fish for 53-14. He reported catching spawning fish in water 18 inches or less on black Mann’s Jelly worms and a local topwater bait known as a Diamond Eye Rattler made by Capt. Jim Strader. He won $2000 in cash along with Motor Guide foot-controlled trolling motor.
Second place went to R. C. Billingsley (AR) with 50-03 and third place went Howard Holmes (MO) with 48-10. In the fourth spot was veteran Bill Dance with 47-14 and the fifth spot was taken by Mac B. Greer (AL). Greer also caught big fish each day of the event, a first at the time and may still be. His big fish were 6-13, 8-05 and 8-05.
Overall, there were 1109 fish weighed for a total of 1956-02. The top 20 anglers from the Seminole Lunker Hunt are presented below.
REBEL INVITATIONAL ROSS BARNETT – DANCE ON TOP AGAIN
In 1970, AOY standings were not even a consideration. But this would change at the end of the year with what has become a bit of a controversy. If one were tracking AOY at this time, by the start of the third tournament, rookie Roland Martin leading by nearly 5000 points over 2nd-place angler Bill Dance. But Dance wouldn’t be a pushover this year. He would make Martin work for his acclaim on the trail.
The Ross Barnett tournament featured a new twist to bass tournaments with a non-professional division. From the “letters to the editor” in the 1969 and ’70 Bass Master Magazines, anglers had been complaining that the pro entry fees were too high for the weekend angler and B.A.S.S. complied by making another division. There is no mention of what the cost was for the non-pro entry or whether or not the non-pros fished with pros. Maybe someone out there knows and can clear that up for us.
The tournament report about the first two days of the event provided little information other than Bill Dance was in a “disappointing 11th place” at the start of day 3. It also mentions he had weighed “almost limits” (15 fish) the two prior days.
The last day featured nasty weather, which kept many of the anglers off the areas they’d fished the prior two days. But Dance had an ace up his sleeve. He’d located fish on both ends of the lake and on the last day caught his limit within sight of the tournament launch. His 15-fish limit that day went 33-12 and gave him a 2-03 lead over the second-place angler, New Orleans Saints Football player, Harold Hays (TX).
In all, Dance weighed 43 fish for a total of 75-12. He caught his fish on a blue plastic worm fished with the “weedless slip-sinker rig in a ditch located with his depthfinder.” It was his 5th Bass Master win at the time.
As stated previously, Harold Hays took the 2nd-place honors with 73-09 and local favorite Bob Ponds, Pete Ponds’ father) took third with 72-09. Fourth place went to Ralph Polly with 65-00 and Emmett Chiles rounded out the top 5 for the pros with 63-14.
Pete Henson (GA) won big bass with a 7-09 largemouth. He won $75 and a “Herschede Clock Company (Motor Guide) foot-controlled electric trolling motor.”
In the non-professional category, Jess Farmer (IL) took top honors with 26-15. He beat out Ron Johnson who weighed 23-03 for second. Third place went to John Stacey (OH) with 22-00 and Earl Williamson (OH) took 4th place with 21-13. The fifth spot was taken by Fred Looper (TN) 19-15. For his win, Farmer earned a 4-day trip to Dick Malloy’s Club de Pasca Novillo in Mexico along with a Lowrance Fish Lo-K-Tor, Fishthometer, a lifetime membership to B.A.S.S. and the $125 entry into the next professional tournament.
By the end of the Ross Barnett event, Dance had racked up $16,025 in B.A.S.S. winnings. The highest winnings of anyone on the Trail. He was also the first repeat champion on the same lake – he’d also won the 1968 tournament on Ross Barnett.
After the event, Dance announced that he’d be leaving the Creme Worm Company. He moved on with Charles Spence as a partner with the Strike King Lure Company.
Overall results for the event showed 129 anglers (pros and non-pros) from 18 states weighed 1617 bass for 2787-14. There were only 18 limits weighed throughout the event.
It was also stated in the tournament report that by now the public had started complaining that professional tournaments were hurting the fish populations at lakes. B.A.S.S. stated that “To further protect against the loss of young fish, the BASS tournament rules have been strengthened to ‘issue penalty points’ for any undersized fish checked in. The Society imposes a special 12-inch minimum limit on all tournament bass.”
The top 20 for the Ross Barnett event are shown in the table below. Also shown are the AOY standings through the third event of the season as far as we could figure out.
In Part Two of the Season at a Glance: 1970 Bass Master Trail we’ll talk about the second half of the season, which included the events held at Eufaula, GA, Lake Eufaula, OK, Sam Rayburn, TX and Table Rock, AR.
Why Swindle loves The Sabine and Orange, Texas
Courtesy of Alan McGuckin - Dynamic Sponsorships
Orange, Texas, population 20,000, situated along Interstate 10 between Beaumont and Lake Charles. A blue-collar town where ship building and the lumber industry keep the bills paid, and people are absolutely crazy about bass fishing and the outdoors.
Bassmaster Elite Series weigh-in crowds have historically resembled outdoor festivals headlined by local country music stars like Tracy Byrd and Mark Chessnut back in the day. And based on the number of folks begging for a photo with Team Toyota’s Gerald Swindle in a rainstorm, as he wrapped practice Wednesday, this year will be a party along the Sabine too.
“That’s why I love it here,” smiled Swindle as rain poured down. “The guy who wins here Sunday will probably only average 10 or 11 pounds a day, but when we pull into to weigh-in, these folks don’t care how big the weights are, they just want to cheer us on,” he says.
Swindle should know. He’s been to Orange numerous times in his highly decorated career, and he gave winner Greg Hackney a darn good run for his money before finishing second here in 2018.
A slow rising tide will push dingy water back into tournament waters this week to heighten the challenge, so Swindle plans to spend a lot of time pitching a Zoom Z Craw Jr. and a 3/8-ounce black-blue Buckeye Ballin’ Out jig.
“Not every Elite Series tournament can offer up 100-pounds of bass in four days like Lake Fork or the St. Lawrence River. Don’t get me wrong, that’s cool. But so is weighing-in in front of thousands of fans,” says Swindle.
Heck, even the t-shirt he’s wearing in the photo was custom made for him by locally owned Pink Rooster Treasures. Why? Because like Swindle says, everybody in Orange loves when the Bassmaster Elite Series comes to town, and that includes the local businesses too.
Bass Fishing Archives, Half Past First Cast Newest Angler’s Channel Contributors
COLUMBIA, S.C. — The two leading websites for fishing travel and bass fishing history — Half Past First Cast and the Bass Fishing Archives — have joined Anglers Channel to provide more content opportunities for the top tournament site in the country.
“We’re excited to add Terry, Pete and Hanna to our growing AC Insider content offerings,” said Danny Blandford, Director of Business Development for Anglers Channel. “They have strong, deep backgrounds in the bass fishing world, along with cool experiences fishing for other species, and I know will provide more benefit to our site’s visitors. We’re always looking for ways to add more to Anglers Channel.”
Terry Battisti and the team at Bass Fishing Archives chronicle the history of bass fishing. It is the only site dedicated to the history of the sport. It has scads of old advertisements, catalogs, and stories from some of the biggest names with a great depth of institutional knowledge. From the big bass wars and new techniques of the West Coast to the origins of lures from small companies that grew into behemoths, Bass Fishing Archives has the details.
"When Danny approached me about a collaboration between our sites, I thought it would be a great opportunity for both the Bass Fishing Archives and the Anglers Channel," Battisti said. "It gives the Bass Fishing Archives a chance to reach a wider audience who may not know about us and gives the Anglers Channel some historical content, too.
"Our sport has a lineage that dates back to the late 1800s. Most anglers today can't even name the stars of the ‘70s and ‘80s, much less the giants from the turn of the 19th century through the 1950s. Having a platform like Anglers Channel hopefully will show the younger anglers how important the history of their sport is."
Pete and Hanna Robbins have taken Half Past First Cast to new heights with tried-and-true information about fishing-related travel including tackle, lures, apparel and more. They visit El Salto in Mexico a couple of times a year, along with other trips for saltwater species including sailfish and deepwater fish. They’ve tangled with everything from thumb-rasping smallmouth on the Niagara River and Lake Erie to muskies in the Midwest, bass across the border and more.
Their Half Past First Cast motto is, "Providing you with the tools and information to keep fishing fun and make the most of your remaining casts, through travel hacks, equipment advice, trip reports and unfiltered opinions." They seek the best operators on the best fisheries at the best times, and are keen on enjoying life experiences while also sharing them with others.
“Through my connections in the world of bass fishing, I'd seen the power of AnglersChannel and we are eager to spread our word through similar-minded outlets,” Pete said. “After nearly 20 fishing trips to Mexico, I realized no one had written extensively about how to make the most of that experience, so we set out to do that with Half Past First Cast. Also, I became a much better and much more satisfied bass angler when I started chasing other species. It made me appreciate all the things that are great about bass fishing through a decent lens.”
A trip to Panama for big tuna on giant topwater poppers almost made Robbins lose his bass-fishing soul. But it was more of an awakening than anything.
“When we came back from popping for tuna in Panama, I told Hanna that I'd sell my bass boat if I could do that 30 days a year,” he said, laughing. “Fortunately, it didn't come to that. But it made me realize that there are lots of fishing experiences I've yet to try that are on my ever-growing bucket list.
Hanna agrees, and says their goal is to help others on Anglers Channel with new information, destinations and booking the trip to get there for a successful, fun adventure.
“I love seeing some of the places we go through newcomers' eyes — introducing them not just to the fishing, but also to the culture, the food and everything we've grown to love about places like Mexico, Panama, Guatemala and Alaska,” she said. “My goal is to make your travel as easy as possible. We have trips for a variety of budgets and physical abilities, and we only work with the best of the best. I am particularly interested in getting women involved in the sport. As someone who came to fishing relatively late in life, I know that you need a mentor or two and a helping hand to get started.”
Georgia Boater Buddy Benson Leads Day 1 of Phoenix All-American Presented by T-H Marine at Lake Hartwell
Bulldog Division Angler Catches 19-Pound, 9-Ounce Limit to Take Early lead
SENECA, S.C. (May 31, 2023) – Cool weather greeted anglers Wednesday morning at Lake Hartwell and the bite started out slow, but after the scales were closed one angler stood alone atop the leaderboard at the 40th annual Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American Championship on Lake Hartwell Presented by T-H Marine in Seneca, South Carolina. Anchored by a stout 5-pound largemouth, 18-year-old boater Elijah “Buddy” Benson of Dahlonega, Georgia, brought a five-bass limit to the scale Wednesday weighing 19 pounds, 9 ounces, to jump out to the early lead.
Benson, who competes in the Bulldog Presented by Mystik Lubricants division, will start Day 2 with a slim 1-pound, 7-ounce advantage over second place boater Emil Wagner of Marietta, Georgia, who caught five bass totaling 18 pounds, 2 ounces. Of the 98 competitors – 49 boaters and 49 Strike King co-anglers – competing in the event, 50 anglers weighed in a five-bass limit.
The three-day tournament, hosted by Visit Oconee SC, showcases the nation’s best weekend grassroots anglers, and awards the winning boater a top prize of up to $120,000, and a top prize of $50,000 for the winning Strike King co-angler.
“I caught most of my fish early – before 10 o’clock – just running and gunning down the lake on brush,” said Benson, who said he fishes Hartwell a couple of times every week and calls it his home water.
Benson said he caught most of his bass on main-lake points and humps with topwater baits and a swimbait.
“The weather was perfect for what I was doing today,” Benson said. “I’m hoping I can repeat it. I’m hoping I can stay consistent at 18 plus (pounds) a day.”
Second-place angler Emil Wagner got off to a shaky start, but quickly adjusted to Hartwell’s conditions, and his day turned around with the change in approach.
“It started off super slow, and I did my typical missing fish and losing fish,” Wagner said. “I filled a limit really quick – between 8:30 and 9. Around noon I made a critical adjustment and culled out almost everything I had. I lost quite a few big ones, too. I think I know what to do for tomorrow.”
Wagner, who guides on Lake Lanier, said he spent a lot of time searching for “special” offshore spots with his graph. Those spots, along with a knowledge of Lake Hartwell, kept him within striking distance of the lead.
“I fish up here a decent bit,” Wagner said. “I wouldn’t say I’m a local, but I have fished here quite a bit. I feel really good about (tomorrow). I had some motor issues today, and as long as they don’t impair me the next two days, I think I can be pretty consistent.
“I said it would take around mid-50s to win it, so I think if I catch 18 a day and maybe catch 20 one of the days, I’ll be pretty close,” Wagner added.
The top 20 boaters after Day 1 of the All-American on Lake Hartwell are:
1st: Buddy Benson, Dahlonega, Ga., five bass, 19-9
2nd: Emil Wagner, Marietta, Ga., five bass, 18-2
3rd: Anthony Johnson, Excelsior Springs, Mo., five bass, 18-1
4th: Matthew O’Connell, Brooks, Ga., five bass, 17-4
5th: Jesse Wiggins, Addison, Ala., five bass, 14-11
6th: Tyler Trent, Nathalie, Va., five bass, 14-1
7th: Cade Laufenberg, Onalaska, Wis., five bass, 14-0
8th: Jimmy Neece, Jr., Bristol, Tenn., five bass, 13-8
9th: Nick Ubelhor, Jasper, Ind., five bass, 13-1
10th: Jeremy Lawyer, Sarcoxie, Mo., five bass, 13-0
11th: Ian Leybas, McAlester, Okla., five bass, 12-15
11th: Brian Laclair, Denton, Md., five bass, 12-15
13th: Jack Daniel Williams, Kingsport, Tenn., five bass, 12-14
14th: Jeremy York, Conyers, Ga., five bass, 12-5
15th: Andy Fryer, Sidney, Ohio, five bass, 12-3
16th: Chandler Todd, Wake Forest, N.C., five bass, 12-2
17th: Travis Harriman, Huntsville, Ark., five bass, 12-1
17th: Dave Hodges, Farmington, Ark, five bass, 12-1
19th: Edward Gettys, Dover, Tenn., five bass, 12-0
19th: Keith Estes, Spring Grove, Va., five bass, 12-0
A full list of results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
Overall, there were 218 bass weighing 500 pounds, 6 ounces caught by 47 boaters Wednesday. The catch included 37 five-bass limits.
Larry Taylor of Seaford, Delaware, leads the Strike King Co-angler Division at Lake Hartwell after Day 1 with four bass weighing 11 pounds, 1 ounce. Taylor will begin Day 2 of competition on Thursday with a 1-pound, 2-ounce advantage over second-place co-angler Safulla Rana of Warrenton, Virginia, who weighed in five bass totaling 9 pounds, 15 ounces.
Taylor was paired with Day 1 third-place boater Anthony Johnson, who caught fish early in the day. Taylor, however, struggled to boat a bass until mid-morning, when he caught his first fish – a 2½-pound spotted bass.
“All day I was fan casting around,” Taylor said. “I caught my last two at the end of the day when Anthony was helping me and telling me some places to cast. The key was fishing really slow and making long casts. You also had to weed through all of the stripers – this place is full of them.
“I thought I had around 9 pounds,” Taylor added. “The big fish weighed more than I thought. We went to a shoal and I cast way up on it and caught the 5-11. It was a tough day, though.
Tylor qualified for the All-American through the TBF by winning the semifinal on his home river, the Nanticoke River in Seaford, Delaware. He then finished fifth on Lake of the Ozarks and won the Mid-Atlantic Division.
“The only reason this is even happing was because my buddy back home, Jason Vaughn, needed a co-angler to guarantee his spot as a boater in the TBF,” Taylor said. “It’s crazy to be here, and all of this is just a bonus.”
The top 20 Strike King co-anglers after Day 1 of the All-American on Lake Hartwell are:
1st: Larry Taylor, Seaford, Del., four bass, 11-1
2nd: Safulla Rana, Warrenton, Va., five bass, 9-15
3rd: Brandon Bell, Starkville, Miss., five bass, 9-10
3rd: Joshua Jernigan, Rocky Top, Tenn., five bass, 9-10
5th: Chris Bunk, Sullivan, Mo., five bass, 9-4
6th: Benjie Winkler, Cleveland, Ga., five bass, 9-2
7th: Chris Wilson, Easley, S.C., five bass, 8-14
8th: Keith Gunsauls, Dandridge, Tenn., five bass, 8-10
9th: Gary Haraguchi, Murfreesboro, Tenn., five bass, 8-7
10th: Brent Jones, Okeana, Ohio, five bass, 7-14
11th: Branden Hardesty, Nineveh, Ind., three bass, 7-10
12th: Aaron Calvert, Russellville, Ark., five bass, 7-3
12th: Daniel Bryant, Scott, La., three bass, 7-3
12th: Bobby Simmons, Chancellor, Ala., five bass, 7-3
15th: Chuck Davis, Farmington, Ill., four bass, 6-8
16th: Joe Harmon, Wooster, Ohio, five bass, 6-7
16th: Daren Tindle, Owensboro, Ky., five bass, 6-7
18th: Mekye Barnes, Raleigh, N.C., three bass, 5-9
19th: Christopher Stites Jr., La Vergne, Tenn., four bass, 5-2
20th: John Robinson, Montpelier, Va., three bass, 5-0
Overall, there were 124 bass weighing 215 pounds, 15 ounces caught by 43 Strike King co-anglers on Wednesday. The catch included 13 five-bass limits.
The full field of 49 boaters and 49 Strike King co-anglers compete on Days 1 (Wednesday) and 2 (Thursday) of the event. After two days of competition, the field is cut to just the top 10 boaters and co-anglers, based on two-day total cumulative weight, and the final 10 anglers compete on Championship Friday. The boater and co-angler that catch the heaviest three-day total weight will be crowned the 40th Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American Champions.
Anglers will launch each day at 6:30 a.m. ET from the Seneca Creek Boat Ramp, located at 280 Seneca Creek Road in Seneca. Weigh-in each day will be held at the boat ramp and will begin at 2:30 p.m. Fans are welcome to attend all launch and weigh-in events and encouraged to follow the event’s online coverage at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
The 2022 Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine was a 24-division circuit devoted to weekend anglers, with 128 tournaments throughout the season, five qualifying events in each division. The top 45 boaters and Strike King co-anglers from each division, along with the five winners of the qualifying events, advanced to one of six Regional Championships where they competed to finish in the top six, which then advanced them to compete in the Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American.
Television coverage of the 2023 Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American will premiere November 11 on CBS Sports and the Sportsman Channel. The full television air schedule can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
Proud sponsors of the 2023 MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine include: 13 Fishing, Abu Garcia, B&W Trailer Hitches, Berkley, Black Rifle Coffee, E3, Epic Baits, Favorite Fishing, General Tire, Grundéns, Gill, Lew’s, Lowrance, Mercury, Mossy Oak, Mystik Lubricants, Onyx, Phoenix, Polaris, Power-Pole, Strike King, Tackle Warehouse, T-H Marine, Toyota, Wiley X and YETI.
For complete details and updated tournament information, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular Bass Fishing League updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF5’s social media outlets at Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.
Stracner not fishing Bassmaster Elite at Sabine River
May 31, 2023
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Elite Series pro Josh Stracner of Vandiver, Ala., will not be fishing this week’s Folds of Honor Bassmaster Elite at Sabine River. B.A.S.S. officials have ruled him ineligible for the sixth stop of the 2023 Bassmaster Elite Series season because he is unable to secure the required Texas fishing license.
Bassmaster Elite Rule C6. IV, for Sportsmanship states: “In both official practice and competition, competitors are required to have all licenses and permits required on the tournament waters in which they fish.”
After contacting the Texas Parks & Wildlife Department in an attempt to resolve the issue, Stracner notified B.A.S.S. officials in advance of the tournament.
Major League Fishing Combines Technology and Conservation to Host Bass Pro Tour on Cayuga Lake Prior to Fishing Season Start
Unique MLF Catch-Weigh-Immediate Release Format Brings the Favorite Fishing Stage Five Presented by ATG + Wrangler to Union Springs, N.Y., June 6-11
UNION SPRINGS, N.Y. (May 30, 2023) – Major League Fishing (MLF) and the Bass Pro Tour, featuring the top professional anglers in bass fishing, is set to return to Union Springs, New York, and Cayuga Lake next week, June 6-11, for the fifth event of the 2023 Bass Pro Tour season – the Favorite Fishing Stage Five at Cayuga Lake Presented by ATG + Wrangler.
Cayuga Lake has hosted hundreds of bass tournaments over the years, including the Bass Pro Tour in 2022. However, the June timeline for this event is extremely unique. The traditional bass season officially start until June 15, yet the catch and immediate-release season runs from Dec. 1-June 14 on inland waters in New York. MLF received confirmation from the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation that the Bass Pro Tour format of catch, weigh, immediate release is compliant under state guidelines.
The six-day tournament will feature a field of 80 professional anglers, including bass-fishing superstars like Kevin VanDam, REDCREST 2023 Champion Bryan Thrift, reigning back-to-back Bally Bet Angler of the Year (AOY) Jacob Wheeler, Jordan Lee, and last year’s Cayuga Lake Champion, Alabama’s Dustin Connell. They’ll be competing for a purse of more than $805,000, including a top payout of $100,000 and valuable Angler of the Year (AOY) points in hopes of qualifying for the General Tire Heavy Hitters All-Star event and REDCREST 2024, the Bass Pro Tour championship.
“The Village of Union Springs is excited and looking forward to once again hosting our friends from Major League Fishing,” said Robert Thurston, Jr, Mayor of the Village of Union Springs. “Village residents and our neighboring communities appreciate MLF for bringing some of the most talented and friendliest athletes to our community. We are looking forward to the tournament and wish all MLF anglers a safe and successful tournament.”
In June of 2022, angler Thomas Russell Jr. caught an 8-pound, 6-ounce smallmouth on Cayuga Lake to set the New York state record. Pro Dustin Connell, who won the 2022 Bass Pro Tour stop on the lake, believes Russell’s record could be in danger during the event.
“There are so many 5- to 7-pound smallmouth in there and some that are much bigger,” Connell said. “Sight fishing should be a big factor, and I wouldn’t be surprised if someone catches a new record. It will be fun – the lake is full of big bass, and most of them will be up shallow.”
Traditionally, largemouth have been the way to win, but Connell changed that mindset with his victory with smallmouth in 2022. This time, he expects a split and says both can produce a winning total.
“It’ll be a battle between the species and nobody knows how it’s going to turn out,” Connell said. “Fishing for big smallmouth may be a good option, but you can also go down a stretch and catch a bunch of largemouth. The grass should just be starting to grow, and the fishing should be incredible no matter which species you decide on.”
Anglers will launch each day at 7:30 a.m. CT each day from Frontenac Park, located at 15 Creamery Road in Union Springs. Each day’s General Tire Takeout will be held at the park beginning at 4 p.m. Fans are welcome to attend all launch and takeout events and also encouraged to follow the event online throughout the day on the MLF NOW! live stream and SCORETRACKER coverage at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
Fans are encouraged to attend Meet The Pros Night on Saturday, June 3 from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Bass Pro Tour anglers will be onsite at the Bass Pro Shops, located at 1579 Clark Street Road in Auburn, New York, to meet fans, sign autographs and take photos.
Also, as part of the event, on Saturday, June 10 and Sunday, June 11 the MLF Fan Experience will be taking place at the Bass Pro Shops in Auburn from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. MLF will welcome fans of all ages to celebrate fishing and the outdoors. Fans can hang out and watch the pros live on the MLF NOW! big screen during the MLF Watch Party. On Sunday at 5 p.m., the final 10 Championship Round Bass Pro Tour anglers will be on hand for the trophy celebration and to meet and greet fans, sign autographs, and take selfies.
The Favorite Fishing Stage Five at Cayuga Lake Presented by ATG + Wrangler will feature pros competing using the MLF catch, weigh, immediate-release format, with each angler’s five (5) heaviest bass per day tallied as their day’s weight. Anglers strive to catch their heaviest five fish each day, while also feeling the pressure and intensity of the live scoring SCORETRACKER® leaderboard. Minimum weights are determined individually for each competition waters that the Bass Pro Tour visits, based on the productivity, bass population and anticipated average size of fish in each fishery.
The 2023 MLF Bass Pro Tour features a field of 80 of the top professional anglers in the world competing across seven regular-season tournaments around the country, fishing for millions of dollars and valuable points to qualify for the annual General Tire Heavy Hitters all-star event and REDCREST 2024, the Bass Pro Tour championship, held March 13-17, 2024, on Lay Lake in Birmingham, Alabama.
The 40 Anglers in Group A compete in their two-day qualifying round on Tuesday and Thursday – the 40 anglers in Group B on Wednesday and Friday. After each two-day qualifying round is complete, the top 20 anglers from each group advance to Saturday’s Knockout Round. In the Knockout Round, weights are zeroed, and the remaining 40 anglers compete to finish in the top 10 to advance to the Championship Round. In Sunday’s final day Championship Round, weight carries over from the Knockout Round and the angler with the heaviest two-day total wins the top prize of $100,000.
The MLF NOW! broadcast team of Chad McKee, Marty Stone and J.T. Kenney will break down the extended action live on all six days of competition from 7:45 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. ET. MLF NOW!® will be live streamed on MajorLeagueFishing.com and the MyOutdoorTV (MOTV) app.
Television coverage of the Favorite Fishing Stage Five at Cayuga Lake Presented by ATG + Wrangler will air as two, two-hour episodes starting at 7 a.m. ET, on Saturday, Oct. 21 and Saturday, Oct. 28 on the Discovery Channel. New MLF episodes premiere each Saturday morning on Discovery, with re-airings on the Outdoor Channel.
Proud sponsors of the 2023 MLF Bass Pro Tour include: 13 Fishing, Abu Garcia, Ark Fishing, ATG + Wrangler, B&W Trailer Hitches, Bally Bet, Bass Cat Boats, Bass Pro Shops, Berkley, Black Rifle Coffee, Daiwa, Epic Baits, Favorite Fishing, Ferguson, Fox Rent A Car, General Tire, Grundéns, Humminbird, Lowrance, Minn Kota, Mercury, Mossy Oak, Onyx, Power-Pole, Rapala, Star tron, T-H Marine, TORO, Toyota, U.S. Air Force, Yellowstone Bourbon, Yo-Zuri and Zoom Baits.
For complete details and updated information on Major League Fishing and the Bass Pro Tour, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF’s social media outlets at Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.
Bassmaster Kayak Series returns to Possum Kingdom
Mark Pendergraf, who won the 2021 Bassmaster Kayak Series National Championship, will be among the field at the Yamaha Rightwaters Bassmaster Kayak Series powered by TourneyX at Possum Kingdom Lake June 3-4.
Photo by Mark Cisneros/B.A.S.S.
May 30, 2023
GRAFORD, Texas — For just the second time in its young history, the Yamaha Rightwaters Bassmaster Kayak Series powered by TourneyX will head to Possum Kingdom Lake June 3-4 — and while Texas angler Mark Pendergraf thinks the bass might be in a postspawn funk when they arrive, anglers will still have the opportunity to catch big bass.
Located east of Fort Worth, Possum Kingdom flies under the radar compared to some of the other powerhouse lakes in Texas. But, as kayak anglers proved during the 2021 National Championship that Pendergraf won, Possum Kingdom has impressive numbers of lunker bass.
This will be the third of five regular-season Kayak Series events in 2023, and anglers will be competing for Dakota Lithium Bassmaster Kayak Series Angler of the Year points as well as a spot in the 2024 Bassmaster Kayak Series National Championship.
Those who fished the 2021 Championship will likely have to come up with a different strategy for this event, as that tournament was fished under high-water conditions.
Overall, Possum Kingdom is a rocky reservoir and it features all three major species of black bass. Largemouth, however, are the only species likely to help anglers win tournaments.
Compared to other reservoirs in Texas, the Brazos River impoundment is much deeper. That means the bass tend to spawn later in the year, and when kayak anglers arrive for tournament competition, they will find the lake in transition from spawn to summer patterns.
“It will be about the secondary points and docks. We are looking at the transition into the postspawn,” Pendergraf said. “There are tons of creek channels with secondary points they will stack up on and they will stack up on the boathouses on the main channel. They will be everywhere.”
With only a little bit of vegetation, the bass will mostly be set up on hard cover like docks, standing timber, bluffs and rock. As more of a postspawn event — and with different water conditions — Pendergraf anticipates the bass to be more spread out than during the 2021 event.
“The bass will still stage in the usual spots, but there won’t be the piles of fish like I and a couple of other people ran into,” Pendergraf said. “There (likely) won’t be flooding and they won’t have to tuck up under things.”
Many of the bass will be targeting gizzard shad. Those shad could be spawning depending on how the weather is trending.
Big, ribbon-tailed worms are a popular choice that time of year for anglers, as well as crankbaits and stickworms. Topwater baits like poppers will catch fish in the morning hours.
With 484 points after two regular-season events, Rus Snyders is leading the Dakota Lithium Bassmaster Kayak Series Angler of the Year standings by just one point over Nick Dyer. 2022 Bassmaster Kayak Series national champion Eric Siddiqi and Bassmaster Elite Series pro Greg DiPalma are both sitting in third place with 481 points.
The event will follow a catch-measure-release format. The live leaderboard can be found on Bassmaster.com throughout the tournament with the awards streaming live on the Bassmaster YouTube channel June 4 at 4 p.m. CT.
It's Tournament Week on Pickwick - Minn Kota Owners Tournament
If you haven't already, it's time to get registered for the first Annual Minn Kota and Humminbird Owners Tournament to be held this weekend at Pickwick Landing State Park, June 3-4, 2023.
Minn Kota and Humminbird Owners Tournament presented by Hardin County - $150,000+ Guaranteed Prizes & Payouts
2 DAY EVENT (SATURDAY & SUNDAY)
Entry Fee:
Two Day $175 | One Day $125 (Entry fees are per angler)
Start fishing time (first cast) will be announced the week of the tournament.
Click here to see rules and qualifications for entering the tournament
Location:
Pickwick Lake, Tennessee
The states of Tennessee, Alabama and Mississippi have a reciprocal agreement for fishing at Pickwick Lake. It is the anglers responsibility to know the law and acquire the correct license, based on where they plan to fish.
Tennessee License Info: https://www.tn.gov/twra/license-sales.html
Alabama License Info: https://www.outdooralabama.com/license-information
Mississippi License Info: https://www.mdwfp.com/license/
Weigh in Site:
Pickwick Landing State Park, 120 Playground Loop, Counce, TN 38326
Click here for park details.
Guaranteed Overall Grand Prize: $50,000
1st Place for the largest bass of the tournament.
Overall Prizes: $13,000+
2nd Place Overall: Minn Kota Ultrex 52" Trolling Motor.
3rd Place Overall: Minn Kota Ultrex 52" Trolling Motor.
4th Place Overall: Minn Kota Ultrex 52" Trolling Motor.
5th Place Overall: Minn Kota Ultrex 52" Trolling Motor.
Draw Prizes: $15,000+
Minn Kota, Humminbird, and Raptor draw prizes. Drawing will be Friday June 2nd at the dinner/meeting from 5-8pm. (Must be present to win draw prizes)
Guaranteed Total Hourly Paybacks: $42,350
1st: $1000, 2nd: $500, 3rd: $300, 4th: $250, 5th: $225, 6th: $200, 7th: $175, 8th: $150, 9th: $125, 10th: $100
Early Entry Prizes: $30,000+
The first 200 online two day entrants will receive a LakeMaster chip Southeast States V1 from Humminbird. A one-day entry is not eligible for the early entry prize.
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Early entry LakeMaster chips may be picked up at the dinner/meeting on Friday June 2nd from 5 – 8 PM. Chips are gone when counter on the website shows zero. We will post the date the counter goes to zero on the site. *Another angler may pick up your chip for you if you're unable to be present.
LakeMaster Chip Product Description:
LakeMaster cartography map with coverage of the Southeast region of the U.S.. These new charts feature VX technology, providing exceptional map performance and customizable color palettes. It also includes SmartStrike, chart presets, depth highlights, and shallow water highlights.
Event Registration:
Registration to fish the Event closes at 5 pm Friday June 2nd, 2023. There will be no morning registration on any days of the Event.
Pre-Tournament Meeting/Dinner:
On Friday June 2nd from 5-8 pm, We will host a dinner and meeting for all anglers. (One angler per boat must attend the meeting). Meeting will be at The Lodge at Pickwick Landing, 120 Playground Loop, Counce, TN 38326.
Eligibility:
Each boat owner (“captain”) must own either one Minn Kota product and/or one Humminbird product (trolling motor, shallow water anchor, electronics and/or battery charger). Each captain is allowed to be accompanied by up to two participants who are not owners of either a Minn Kota or Humminbird product. Each captain will be checked by a tournament official on site for such product(s).
Text System:
You may enter yourself in the text system for this event by texting the word minnkota to the number 90294. We will enter your number in the system, but some carriers block this type of message, so by entering yourself this will prevent the chance of being blocked.
Start Time:
Due to the varying times of year that we host our tournaments, we will notify every one of the start time the week of the tournament. We will notify you via text message. Start time (first cast) for each tournament will be safe light and set by the tournament director. You may launch and be on the water, but you may not begin fishing until we notify you of first cast. Please do not call our offices related to start time. We will post start fishing time on this page and text out the time the week of the event. You will also be sent a live leaderboard link once the event starts.
Weigh in Times:
All days of event. 7-8am, 8-9am, 9-10am, 10-11am, 11am-12pm, 12-1pm, 1-2pm
Lake Off Limits:
The Event off-limits time begins at 4:00 p.m. June 2nd, 2023. Participants must be off the water on or before 4:00 p.m. on the day prior to the Event and may not begin fishing until the official Event start time on the following day, which will be announced via text message the morning of the Event. The Event Lake is off-limits to fishing after 2:00 p.m. on the first day of the Event. ALL participants must follow the off-limits rules for the previous day(s), even if you're not fishing all both days of the event. Participants may return to their respective launch site by boat but are not allowed to fish or use electronics and/or other devices (including lights) or attempt to locate or mark, for the purposes of finding fish, after the off-limits time.
Permitted Fishing Waters: See map below
Pickwick Dam (North West), Bay Springs Dam (South West), Hwy 72 (South) and Wilson Dam (East). Locking at any time during the event is prohibited.
Auburn University’s Smith & Marbut Win the 2023 BoatUS Collegiate Bass Fishing Championship
Hemby & Minor from Carson-Newman take 2nd, Emmanuel College anglers Campbell & Guy finish 3rd
Anderson, SC (May 26, 2023) –The 2023 BoatUS Collegiate Bass Fishing Championship presented by Bass Pro Shops is in the books. The Association of Collegiate Anglers’ 18th annual National Championship awarded over $30,000 in prizes and contingencies, crowned a National Champion, and named a number one team in the Bass Pro Shops School of the Year presented by Abu Garcia. Tucker Smith and Hayden Marbut from 2nd ranked Auburn University take top honors with 35.24 pounds. Carson-Newman University anglers Drake Hemby and Ewing Minor finish in 2nd place, and Tyler Campbell and Parker Guy of Emmanuel College wind up in 3rd.
View the final tournament standings here.
Along with the crowning of a new National Champion, collegiate bass fishing history was made as the University of Montevallo won the Bass Pro Shops School of the Year presented by Abu Garcia. Montevallo becomes the first team to win college fishing’s most prestigious title three times, as well as having done so in three straight seasons. The University of Montevallo edged out 2nd ranked Auburn University by over 3,700 points and Carson-Newman University finished the season ranked 3rd.
Hundreds of college fishing’s most elite anglers competed for two days on Lake Hartwell in Anderson, SC. The early summer months present some great fish catching conditions for anglers to target both largemouth and spotted bass on this famed fishery. Following the spring spawn, the abundant bass population in Lake Hartwell was spread out in a variety of accessible areas. From schooling bass chasing herring on main lake points, to largemouth bass roaming the shallows near bream beds, fish hanging out close to docks, and even bass locked on deep structure, this field of elite anglers found success with many different patterns.
Tucker Smith and Hayden Marbut from 2nd ranked Auburn University bested the elite field of 200 teams to win the 18th BoatUS Collegiate Bass Fishing Championship presented by Bass Pro Shops. Smith and Marbut keyed in on a pattern targeting both largemouth and spotted bass with a variety of baits that produced 35.24 pounds of bass over two days.
Along with the $5,000 cash prize that is awarded to 1st place, the Auburn University anglers claimed the $500 Garmin Tournament Rewards contingency bonus and the $1,000 ACA logo contingency. Smith is also registered for the Nitro Tournament Rewards, which would pay out up to an additional $8,000. All total, the duo’s earnings for the week could exceed $14,000 at the no-entry-fee ACA National Championship.
Finishing in second place at the 2023 BoatUS Collegiate Bass Fishing Championship presented by Bass Pro Shops are Drake Hemby and Ewing Minor from 3rd ranked Carson-Newman University. The duo weighed in a two-day total of 33.47 pounds to finish just under a pound and a half behind first place. After sitting in 2nd place following Day 1, Hemby and Minor held serve to claim 2nd place in this prestigious National Championship event. The pair earns $2,500 cash for their finish amongst the field of close to 400 elite anglers.
Rounding out the Top 3 at the ACA’s season-ending National Championship event are Tyler Campbell and Parker Guy from Emmanuel College with a two-day total weight of 32.50 pounds. Entering Day 2 in 33rd place, Campbell and Guy weighed in a limit worth 20.89 pound to jump 30 places all the way up to third. The Top 3 finish pays out $1,500.
WALTERS WINS IT ALL ON SANTEE COOPER
Story by Justin Brouillard | Photos by Tanner & Travis Lyons
The most consistent angler all week, Patrick Walterswins the National Professional Fishing League stop number three on Santee Cooper Lakes with a total weight of 67 pounds, 12 ounces. Walters caught 22 pounds, 8 ounces on day one, 24 pounds even on day two, and a final round weight of 21 pounds, 4 ounces to seal his second NPFL victory in two years.
Go fishing and have fun. That was the mentality of Patrick Walters on his home body of water where being stubborn has cost him some good finishes in the past.
“It worked out,” said Walters. I knew the weather was going to affect us out here and I played it smart and didn’t run around like I could have. Typically, you do things on your home pond and I was not going to let that happen this week.”
Walters mixed up his approach on day one to get off to a good start but key adjustments on days two and three put him in a position to redeem himself after a tough Elite Series event earlier this spring.
“I fished mainly offshore and caught mostly post-spawn bass. Some came off brim beds but the last two days were all about the brush,” added Walters. “When the little things go right, that makes all the difference. I fished clean this week and landed some fish that had one treble hook; that is the difference in winning these bigger events.”
With a short turnaround before his next professional event, being successful on a lake he knows so much about will help his confidence going into the second half of the NPFL season.
“It feels pretty darn good; I am not going to lie,” he concluded. “Coming off the lowest of lows and a really bad event, having that good finish gets me back into it. I made the right calls, lost no fish and that was the difference.”
Walters takes home $100,000 and the National Professional Fishing League shield for his efforts this week on Santee Cooper.
Todd Goade
Making a run for his first NPFL victory, Todd Goadefinished the event on Santee Cooper Lakes in the second-place spot with a three-day total of 62 pounds, 2 ounces. Goade caught 18 pounds, 14 ounces on day one, 22 pounds on day two, and a final day weight of 21 pounds, 4 ounces for his highest finish with the NPFL.
Goade had located several productive areas in practice and continued to dial in his approach each day. With lots of excellent-looking cypress trees all over, he learned that the best trees had 3 or more feet of water on them.
“I found so many really good-looking trees but they were in 2 feet. I never got bit on any of those, and they were all on the 3-foot trees,” said Goade. “I also learned that the big fish were on the right side of the trees, and every fish I caught was sitting on that side and my line would swim out away from it.”
Goade did his work this week without forward-facing sonar and mainly relied on 2D sonar and mapping to keep in the right areas and depth and avoid extra sonar pinging to spook fish.
“I love forward-facing sonar, but I didn’t need it here and anything you can do to avoid spooking the bass is helpful,” he said. “Rather than potentially spook any fish, I just left it off all week.”
Goade is having a great season with the NPFL logging 10th place, 5th place, and now a 2nd place finish. Except for Reams, he is one to watch for as the Progressive Angler of the Year and championship becomes more in the picture.
“I am having a great year,” he added. “Looking bigger picture, the AOY and the championship, you want to keep the momentum going and keep making good decisions. Fishing is all highs and lows, and when you’re riding high, you have to ride the wave, or ‘keep rolling the hot dice’ as I like to say.”
Will Harkins
Starting the day in second place, Will Harkins caught 11 pounds, 14 ounces on day three to finish the event with a total weight of 55 pounds, 1 ounce. Harkins caught 20 pounds, 4 ounces on day one and 22 pounds, 15 ounces on day two, and with one bass shy of a limit on the final day, his brush pile pattern was enough to remain in the top five in the third-place spot.
“All my offshore timber and brush fizzled on me today but I was able to run some midrange brush piles and catch them today,” said Harkins. “I was also fishing some eel grass clumps and caught a few. 95% of this event I was staring at my Garmin Livescope; it was really fun.”
This week was the first time he had fished Santee Cooper and his highest NPFL finish is a great outcome.
“I was questioning this one coming in as I had never seen this lake, but I will take it,” he added. “I kind of wish today went better for me but I am happy with my finish and look forward to getting up North to Saginaw Bay.”
Timmy Reams
With a three-day total weight of 53 pounds, 14 ounces, Timmy Reams, the Progressive Angler of the Yearleader, did what he has done all season and found a way to stay consistent for three days. He added 16 pounds on the final day to his day one weight of 16 pounds, 6 ounces, and day two weight of 21 pounds, 8 ounces, and finishes the event in fourth place.
Coming into day one after a tough practice, Reams was not sure what to expect. After day one and seeing other guys in the top ten fishing around him, he knew the quality bass were in his area and settled down.
“On day two, I knew there were good ones and I focused on getting five bites and upgraded as much as I could,” said Reams. “Today, I told myself to go out and catch five fishing the grass and then try to catch a few key fish to upgrade.”
One of eight anglers who weighed in a five fish limit each day, Reams did what he had to do to stay atop the points race and collected yet another top ten check. This week, his focus was on grass with a spinnerbait and chatterbait and then moving to the trees to upgrade.
“I was flipping and pitching a wacky rig on the timber but it got tough with the wind,” he added. “I had to find new trees each day and it all worked out for me this week.”
On the AOY race, Reams is going to take one event at a time and take advantage when the opportunity knocks.
“You try not to think about the points, but you definitely have to plan around it. You have to pick your battles and catch fish to stay in the hunt, but also, I am fishing to win each event,” he concluded.
Kevin Martin
After catching just 13-pounds, 9 ounces on day one, Kevin Martin added 20 pounds, 13 ounces on day two and 18-pounds, 11 ounces on day three to finish in the fifth-place spot with a three-day total weight of 53-pounds, 1 ounce.
Rest of the best:
Darrel Robertson 51-0
Jesse Wise 50-15
Matt Massey 47-10
John Cox (FL) 47-1
Brad Staley 46-8
ANNOUNCEMENT: SHOWDOWN SATURDAY POSTPONED
Due to wind forecast for Saturday on Santee Cooper Lakes in Clarendon Co, the NPFL will be postponing Championship day 3 to Sunday. Forecasts show winds gusting to 40 mph with steady 20 plus. Safety of the anglers is paramount and the NPFL’s main concern. Stay tuned for more.
WALTERS TAKES OVER ON SANTEE COOPER LAKES
South Carolina angler Patrick Walters takes over the lead at Santee Cooper heading to Showdown Saturday.
Story by Justin Brouillard | Photos by Tanner & Travis Lyons
With a two-day total of 46 pounds, 8 ounces, South Carolina angler Patrick Walters takes over the lead at Santee Cooper. His 22-pound, 8-ounce day one weight had him in second place after day one, but his biggest bag of the tournament of 24-pounds even gives him a 3-pound, 5-ounce advantage going into Showdown Saturday.
Walters managed a stingy Santee Cooper and increased his bites from seven to over 12 on day two. He is rotating through several spots and baits and fishing what feels right.
“I caught them on a bunch of stuff and had a little flurry where I caught two good fish,” said Walters. “Once the cold front hit me at like one, they shut down and stopped biting.”
As for the final day, more of the same from the South Carolina angler looking to redeem himself from a less-than-stellar Elite Series event earlier in the season.
“I am going to fish a few areas tomorrow,” added Walters. “I may run across the lake and just let things develop as I have been.”
Will Harkins
Adding 22 pounds, 15 ounces to his 20-pound, 4-ounce limit on day one, Will Harkins moves into the second-place spot on Santee Cooper with a two-day weight of 43 pounds, 3 ounces.
With a goal of 20 pounds when he left the dock this morning, Harkins was unsure if he would get enough bites to hit his target weight. With one fish in the box early, he stuck with his offshore brush game and rotated through several bites to catch quality bass.
“I have still not hardly touched my main area,” said Harkins. “The wind has been bad and today was mostly plan B for me. I caught them on a variety of baits trying to fire them up and this afternoon I did cull twice on the main lake.
His plan for the final day is simple. Start where he has been fishing to get a solid limit, and then move to his main area and try to catch as many as possible.
Todd Goade
Adding 22 pounds to his day one weight of 18 pounds, 14 ounces, Todd Goade moves into the third-place spot with a two-day total of 40 pounds, 14 ounces.
Goade is fishing a mix of areas with different cover and relying on timely decisions that have been paying off. Going into the final day, he hopes to keep taking advantage of timing and expand on his four main areas.
“This week has been all about good decisions and timing,” said Goade. “I found a new area on google earth that looked like it has the right stuff and culled a couple of times in there. And, with 20 minutes left before check-in, I went back to where I lost that big fish yesterday, made the same flip, and put a 5-pounder in the boat.”
He is looking forward to the final day and plans on sampling all four of his productive areas.
“When I am in contention but not leading, it lets me fish freely, and combined with how this week has gone, I cannot wait to go again tomorrow,” he added.
Timmy Reams
The Progressive Angler of the Year leader Timmy Reamsstarted the event with a 16-pound, 6-ounce bag on day one which had him outside the top ten looking in. Reams showed his consistency by making a comeback on day two with 21-pounds, 8-ounces and moved into the fourth-place spot.
After a tough practice, Reams survived a tougher day one and continue to explore new water each day. His “whatever looks good” pattern has moved him to the top of the leaderboard and taken the pressure off for Angler of the Year.
“From yesterday to today, I just got some bigger bites,” said Reams. “That is the difference in weight. The wind is not affecting me at all so that helps, but I just explored more around places from practice and fished anything that looked good.”
“With the AOY now out of mind, I am looking forward to getting out and just going fishing.”
Quentin Cappo
With only two fish for 5 pounds on day one, Quentin Cappo dropped the “dirty thirty” on day two on Santee Cooper. His two-day total of 35 pounds has him in the fifth-place spot going into the final day.
Rest of the best:
Kevin Martin 34-6
Nick Brown 33-10
Randy Sullivan 33-5
Sheldon Collings 31-12
Darrel Robertson 31-11
Leveraging early action, Walton wins B.A.S.S. Nation Regional on Douglas
Kevin Walton of Norfolk, Va., has won the 2023 TNT Fireworks B.A.S.S. Nation Southeast Regional at Douglas Lake with a three-day total of 42 pounds, 7 ounces.
Photo by Logan Crumley/B.A.S.S.
May 26, 2023
JEFFERSON COUNTY, Tenn. — Talk about a memorable debut.
Kevin Walton of Norfolk, Va., made the most of his first time fishing Douglas Lake by catching a three-day total of 42 pounds, 7 ounces to win the TNT Fireworks B.A.S.S. Nation Southeast Regional at Douglas Lake.
After a Day 1 limit of 14-14 put Walton an ounce off the lead set by Jordan Card of Knoxville, Tenn., Walton stepped on the Day 2 gas pedal and caught 15-0 — the event’s biggest bag — to enter Championship Friday 1-13 ahead of Card.
His final limit of 12-9 pushed him across the finish line by the same margin over second-place Zeke Gossett of Pell City, Ala. Walton took home a top prize of $5,000.
The top boater and the top nonboater from each of the 10 participating state teams earned a spot in the TNT Fireworks B.A.S.S. Nation Championship Oct. 18-20 at Lake Hartwell.
“It was better than I expected it to be because I had a horrible practice,” said Walton, who had fished only as a nonboater before this season. “This was definitely my biggest win.
“They bit pretty well today. Not the size I’ve been catching all week, but (my nonboater and I) caught a ton of fish.”
Walton did all of his work on a 150-yard upstream stretch of the French Broad River, which flows through Douglas. Positioning proved critical to extending his window of opportunity.
“The shade was key,” Walton said. “Other people were fishing the right side of the river, and the left side where I was fishing stayed shaded longer. So, the shad spawn lasted two to three hours, when the main-lake shad spawn only lasted 30 minutes (after takeoff).”
Targeting bushes in 8 to 10 feet of water, Walton mirrored his previous steps, but found the final morning offered a much more vibrant scenario. While Day 1 presented an active shad spawn, the second morning saw the baitfish gone.
Remaining in the area throughout the second day, Walton found his current-tuned river fish less keen on moving, even without baitfish present. Day 3 was game on.
“Today there was bait everywhere,” Walton said. “There were bombs going off in the bushes.”
Walton started Day 1 with a black Spro Bronzeye popping frog on 65-pound PowerPro braid. When that bait succumbed to the violent attacks, he switched to a black Booyah Pad Crasher. Each day, Walton added one of his weight fish on a Lobina Rico popper in a shad pattern.
“They didn’t want the frog moving slowly,” Walton said. “I couldn’t twitch the frog fast enough. They were coming out of the bushes and gulping it.”
Walton said he caught eight of the 15 fish he weighed out of one tree.
“I don’t know if the fish were coming out of the bay and coming to that tree, but that tree produced a bunch of fish,” Walton said. “My co-anglers caught fish on that tree and I caught the majority of mine on that tree.”
Attributing his success to trusting his spot and sticking with it through changing scenarios, Walton said his final day seemed like it was one of those meant-to-be days. With a nearly flawless performance, he left nothing significant on the water.
“I lost one fish on (Friday) that might have given me a 1/4-pound upgrade. But for the whole tournament, I never lost another fish that would have helped me.
“Usually, in those bushes you lose quite a few, but they were eating it so good they were staying pinned.”
Gossett turned in daily limits of 13-12, 12-13 and 14-1 for a tournament total of 40-10.
“I looked for a shad spawn early, but I didn’t catch anything there, so I started swimming a 3/8-ounce white Strike King Hack Attack Swim Jig with a white Strike King Rage Menace in the bushes and caught 8 to 9 pounds,” Gossett said. “After that, I spent the rest of the day out deep.”
Gossett caught most of his bass on a Strike King 6XD crankbait. He also caught keepers on a Strike King 10XD and boated his biggest Day 3 fish — approximately 4 pounds — on a 3/4-ounce Strike King football jig with a Rage Menace.
“I was reeling the swim jig pretty fast near the surface and I had to reel the crankbaits pretty fast to get them to react,” Gossett said. “The biggest thing offshore was finding the right angle. They changed all three days.”
With daily weights of 14-15, 13-2 and 11-2, Card finished third at 39-3. Despite coming up short, he said he was happy to achieve a season-long objective.
“The goal coming here was just to make that National Championship,” said Card, whose younger brother, Brandon, fishes the Bassmaster Elite Series. “To win would have been nice, but it didn’t work out.”
Card spent all day offshore and rotated through several spots. He caught his bass on Strike King 6XD and 10XD crankbaits, along with a small swimbait on a 3/8-ounce ball head.
All week, Card had been looking for fish that were closer to the bottom. Day 3 found most of his fish suspended — a more challenging scenario.
“When they’re feeding, they’re close to the bottom and they’re waiting for the bait to come by,” Card said. “When they’re suspended, they’re less aggressive.
“I did catch one suspended fish today on the swimbait, but when they’re up off the bottom, they’re a whole lot harder to catch.”
Chuck Howard of Elloree, S.C., won the $500 Big Bass award with a 5-6 he caught on Day 1.
Gossett won the $500 Garmin Tournament Rewards bonus.
Matt Summers of Gassaway, W.Va., won the nonboater division with 21-11. Catching daily limits of 6-1, 6-14 and 8-12, Summers took home the $2,500 top prize and earned a spot in the championship.
2023 TNT Fireworks B.A.S.S. Nation Southeast Regional at Douglas Lake 5/24-5/26
Douglas Lake, Jefferson County TN.
(BOATER) Standings Day 3
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Pts Total $$$
1. Kevin Walton Norfolk, VA (VA) 15 42-07 0
2. Zeke Gossett Pell City, AL (AL) 15 40-10 0
3. Jordan Card Knoxville, TN (TN) 15 39-03 0
4. Jacob Lee Lynchburg, VA (VA) 15 36-01 0
5. Brad Johnson Salem, AL (AL) 15 35-12 0
6. Dustin Hollen Buckhannon, WV (WV) 15 35-10 0
7. Chris Moody Brooks, GA (GA) 15 35-02 0
8. Gary Pope Georgetown, SC (SC) 15 35-00 0
9. Josh Oliver Ohatchee, AL (AL) 15 34-09 0
10. Mark Pierce Cadiz, KY (TN) 15 34-09 0
11. Richard Young Jr Melbourne, KY (KY) 15 33-13 0
12. Hootie Smith Cecilia, KY (KY) 15 32-09 0
13. Marc Leech Kings Mountian , NC (NC 15 32-02 0
14. Adam Richardson Littleton, NC (VA) 15 31-12 0
15. Brad Weese Petersburg, WV (VA) 15 31-10 0
16. Chuck Howard Elloree, SC (SC) 15 31-06 0
17. Dave Frost Mount Dora, FL (FL) 14 30-11 0
18. Chris Beaudrie Princeton, KY (KY) 15 30-10 0
19. Chad Dorland Dunnellon, FL (FL) 15 30-08 0
20. Chad Warnol Moss Point, MS (MS) 15 30-08 0
21. Jason Cheek Eatonton, GA (GA) 15 29-12 0
22. Jon Williams Clayton, NC (NC) 15 29-06 0
23. Mikey Batten Jr Grantsville, WV (WV) 15 29-04 0
24. Ryan West Hartsville, SC (SC) 15 28-11 0
25. Sam Jenkins Abita Springs, LA (MS) 15 27-03 0
26. Lee Byrd Jr. Pell City, AL (AL) 11 23-14 0
27. Brian Carroll Manitou, KY (KY) 10 21-06 0
28. Pat Westbrook West Union, SC (SC) 10 21-04 0
29. Corey Smith Clermont, FL (FL) 10 20-12 0
30. Travis Lugar North Chesterfield, VA 10 20-11 0
31. Chris Jones Conway, SC (SC) 10 20-10 0
32. Nick Coleman Kuttawa, KY (KY) 10 20-10 0
33. Jad Willis Jr Fountain Inn, SC (SC) 10 20-10 0
34. Keith Broyles Jackson, TN (TN) 10 20-04 0
35. James Graves III Syria, VA (VA) 10 20-04 0
36. Craig Owens Chesapeake, VA (VA) 10 20-02 0
37. Michael Belter Reidsville, NC (NC) 10 20-01 0
38. Peter Bayerle Lexington, KY (KY) 10 20-01 0
39. Jerry Shawver II Jacksonville, FL (FL) 10 19-05 0
40. Lane Bailey Granite Falls, NC (NC) 10 19-04 0
41. Michael Catt Jacksonville, FL (FL) 10 19-03 0
42. Dalton Eury Oakboro, NC (NC) 9 19-02 0
43. Eric Cerny Cumming, GA (GA) 10 18-15 0
44. David Ottman Terry, MS (MS) 10 18-14 0
45. Greg Phillips Alamo, TN (TN) 10 18-11 0
46. Gregg Fogner Conway, SC (SC) 10 18-08 0
47. Mark Jones Meadville, MS (MS) 10 18-08 0
48. Ted Milby Greensburg, KY (KY) 10 18-07 0
49. Jack White Vance, AL (AL) 10 18-07 0
50. Skipper Smith Jr Pearl, MS (MS) 10 18-06 0
51. Brian Baker Olmstead, KY (TN) 10 17-15 0
52. John Mayo Maiden, NC (NC) 10 17-15 0
53. David Morton Sugar Hill, GA (GA) 10 17-10 0
54. Ed Powell Sandyville, WV (WV) 10 17-10 0
55. Eric Silverstrim Indian Mound, TN (TN) 10 17-07 0
56. Myles Palmer Alexander City, AL (AL) 10 17-06 0
57. John Wiese Charlotte, NC (NC) 10 17-05 0
58. Brandon Pritchett Goode, AL (VA) 10 17-05 0
59. John Holtman Jr Rydal, GA (GA) 10 17-04 0
60. Reid McDowell Galivants Ferry, SC (SC 10 17-02 0
61. Nathan Dellinger Hickory, NC (NC) 10 17-00 0
62. David Presley Kingston , TN (TN) 10 17-00 0
63. Eric Holder Cumming, GA (GA) 10 17-00 0
64. Richard Meuth Henderson, KY (KY) 10 16-15 0
65. Mark Bell Fisherville, KY (KY) 9 16-13 0
66. Adam Haithcock Butner , NC (NC) 10 16-13 0
67. Daniel Jackson Townville, SC (SC) 10 16-10 0
68. Brandon Wolf Cincinnati, OH (KY) 10 16-09 0
69. Christopher Brummitt Palmetto, GA (GA) 10 16-08 0
70. Keith Glasgow Guin, AL (AL) 8 16-07 0
71. Lyle Atkins Culloden, WV (WV) 10 16-04 0
72. Andrew Vitu Alexander City, AL (AL) 10 16-01 0
73. Waine Pittman Villa Rica, GA (GA) 10 16-00 0
74. Mark Blevins Palatka, FL (FL) 10 15-14 0
75. Wil Dieffenbauch III Hundred, WV (WV) 9 15-08 0
76. Jeff Kitchens Auburn, AL (AL) 8 15-03 0
77. Johnathan Harris Moody, AL (AL) 10 15-03 0
78. David Kucish Fairmont, WV (WV) 8 15-00 0
79. Kenneth Ellis Bowman, SC (SC) 10 14-15 0
80. Caleb McCaffery Mccomb, MS (MS) 10 14-13 0
81. Sidney Ryan Bracey, VA (VA) 10 14-06 0
82. Dave Carson Burnsville, WV (WV) 10 14-04 0
83. Joel Noble Laurel, MS (MS) 9 14-03 0
84. Nick Godwin Benson, NC (NC) 9 14-03 0
85. Mel Biggs Jr Kingston, TN (TN) 9 13-11 0
86. Blaine Partee Oviedo, FL (FL) 8 13-09 0
87. Jeffery Lawson Ellisville, MS (MS) 10 13-08 0
88. Justin Durham Madison, GA (GA) 8 12-15 0
89. Abe Collins Parkersburg, WV (WV) 10 12-15 0
90. Zeke Abegg Clarksville, TN (TN) 10 12-14 0
91. Jimbo Collins Holden, WV (WV) 9 12-12 0
92. Bill Rosch Michie, TN (TN) 10 12-11 0
93. Mike Jackson San Mateo, FL (FL) 8 12-10 0
94. Richard Hodges IV Camden, NC (VA) 7 11-10 0
95. Gary Little Soso, MS (MS) 8 11-06 0
96. Brad McCarthy Columbus, GA (GA) 6 10-04 0
97. Eric Stong Apopka, FL (FL) 5 09-01 0
98. Robert Stumpe Palatka, FL (FL) 5 08-05 0
99. Christopher Childress Charleston, WV (WV) 4 06-00 0
100. Adam Brewer Ellisville, MS (MS) 4 04-02 0
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Totals
Day #Limits #Fish Weight
1 93 482 939-07
2 83 468 871-10
3 24 125 246-10
----------------------------------
200 1075 2057-11
TEAM STANDINGS Day 3
----------------------------------
State Lbs-Oz
1 VIRGINIA 358-12
2 ALABAMA 338-14
3 SOUTH CAROLINA 336-13
4 NORTH CAROLINA 332-00
5 KENTUCKY 319-05
6 TENNESSEE 315-14
7 WEST VIRGINIA 309-11
8 GEORGIA 284-05
9 FLORIDA 271-02
10 MISSISSIPPI 257-13
INDIVIDUAL STANDINGS Day 3
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
VIRGINIA
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Kevin Walton Norfolk, VA 15 42-07 0
2 Jacob Lee Lynchburg, VA 15 36-01 0
3 Adam Richardson Littleton, NC 15 31-12 0
4 Brad Weese Petersburg, WV 15 31-10 0
5 Travis Lugar North Chesterfield, VA 10 20-11 0
6 James Graves III Syria, VA 10 20-04 0
7 Craig Owens Chesapeake, VA 10 20-02 0
8 Brandon Pritchett Goode, AL 10 17-05 0
9 Sidney Ryan Bracey, VA 10 14-06 0
10 Richard Hodges IV Camden, NC 7 11-10 0
WEST VIRGINIA
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Dustin Hollen Buckhannon, WV 15 35-10 0
2 Mikey Batten Jr Grantsville, WV 15 29-04 0
3 Ed Powell Sandyville, WV 10 17-10 0
4 Lyle Atkins Culloden, WV 10 16-04 0
5 Wil Dieffenbauch III Hundred, WV 9 15-08 0
6 David Kucish Fairmont, WV 8 15-00 0
7 Dave Carson Burnsville, WV 10 14-04 0
8 Abe Collins Parkersburg, WV 10 12-15 0
9 Jimbo Collins Holden, WV 9 12-12 0
10 Christopher Childress Charleston, WV 4 06-00 0
MISSISSIPPI
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Chad Warnol Moss Point, MS 15 30-08 0
2 Sam Jenkins Abita Springs, LA 15 27-03 0
3 David Ottman Terry, MS 10 18-14 0
4 Mark Jones Meadville, MS 10 18-08 0
5 Skipper Smith Jr Pearl, MS 10 18-06 0
6 Caleb McCaffery Mccomb, MS 10 14-13 0
7 Joel Noble Laurel, MS 9 14-03 0
8 Jeffery Lawson Ellisville, MS 10 13-08 0
9 Gary Little Soso, MS 8 11-06 0
10 Adam Brewer Ellisville, MS 4 04-02 0
GEORGIA
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Chris Moody Brooks, GA 15 35-02 0
2 Jason Cheek Eatonton, GA 15 29-12 0
3 Eric Cerny Cumming, GA 10 18-15 0
4 David Morton Sugar Hill, GA 10 17-10 0
5 John Holtman Jr Rydal, GA 10 17-04 0
6 Eric Holder Cumming, GA 10 17-00 0
7 Christopher Brummitt Palmetto, GA 10 16-08 0
8 Waine Pittman Villa Rica, GA 10 16-00 0
9 Justin Durham Madison, GA 8 12-15 0
10 Brad McCarthy Columbus, GA 6 10-04 0
SOUTH CAROLINA
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Gary Pope Georgetown, SC 15 35-00 0
2 Chuck Howard Elloree, SC 15 31-06 0
3 Ryan West Hartsville, SC 15 28-11 0
4 Pat Westbrook West Union, SC 10 21-04 0
5 Chris Jones Conway, SC 10 20-10 0
6 Jad Willis Jr Fountain Inn, SC 10 20-10 0
7 Gregg Fogner Conway, SC 10 18-08 0
8 Reid McDowell Galivants Ferry, SC 10 17-02 0
9 Daniel Jackson Townville, SC 10 16-10 0
10 Kenneth Ellis Bowman, SC 10 14-15 0
FLORIDA
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Dave Frost Mount Dora, FL 14 30-11 0
2 Chad Dorland Dunnellon, FL 15 30-08 0
3 Corey Smith Clermont, FL 10 20-12 0
4 Jerry Shawver II Jacksonville, FL 10 19-05 0
5 Michael Catt Jacksonville, FL 10 19-03 0
6 Mark Blevins Palatka, FL 10 15-14 0
7 Blaine Partee Oviedo, FL 8 13-09 0
8 Mike Jackson San Mateo, FL 8 12-10 0
9 Eric Stong Apopka, FL 5 09-01 0
10 Robert Stumpe Palatka, FL 5 08-05 0
ALABAMA
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Zeke Gossett Pell City, AL 15 40-10 0
2 Brad Johnson Salem, AL 15 35-12 0
3 Josh Oliver Ohatchee, AL 15 34-09 0
4 Lee Byrd Jr. Pell City, AL 11 23-14 0
5 Jack White Vance, AL 10 18-07 0
6 Myles Palmer Alexander City, AL 10 17-06 0
7 Keith Glasgow Guin, AL 8 16-07 0
8 Andrew Vitu Alexander City, AL 10 16-01 0
9 Jeff Kitchens Auburn, AL 8 15-03 0
10 Johnathan Harris Moody, AL 10 15-03 0
NORTH CAROLINA
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Marc Leech Kings Mountian , NC 15 32-02 0
2 Jon Williams Clayton, NC 15 29-06 0
3 Michael Belter Reidsville, NC 10 20-01 0
4 Lane Bailey Granite Falls, NC 10 19-04 0
5 Dalton Eury Oakboro, NC 9 19-02 0
6 John Mayo Maiden, NC 10 17-15 0
7 John Wiese Charlotte, NC 10 17-05 0
8 Nathan Dellinger Hickory, NC 10 17-00 0
9 Adam Haithcock Butner , NC 10 16-13 0
10 Nick Godwin Benson, NC 9 14-03 0
KENTUCKY
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Richard Young Jr Melbourne, KY 15 33-13 0
2 Hootie Smith Cecilia, KY 15 32-09 0
3 Chris Beaudrie Princeton, KY 15 30-10 0
4 Brian Carroll Manitou, KY 10 21-06 0
5 Nick Coleman Kuttawa, KY 10 20-10 0
6 Peter Bayerle Lexington, KY 10 20-01 0
7 Ted Milby Greensburg, KY 10 18-07 0
8 Richard Meuth Henderson, KY 10 16-15 0
9 Mark Bell Fisherville, KY 9 16-13 0
10 Brandon Wolf Cincinnati, OH 10 16-09 0
TENNESSEE
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Jordan Card Knoxville, TN 15 39-03 0
2 Mark Pierce Cadiz, KY 15 34-09 0
3 Keith Broyles Jackson, TN 10 20-04 0
4 Greg Phillips Alamo, TN 10 18-11 0
5 Brian Baker Olmstead, KY 10 17-15 0
6 Eric Silverstrim Indian Mound, TN 10 17-07 0
7 David Presley Kingston , TN 10 17-00 0
8 Mel Biggs Jr Kingston, TN 9 13-11 0
9 Zeke Abegg Clarksville, TN 10 12-14 0
10 Bill Rosch Michie, TN 10 12-11 0
2023 TNT Fireworks B.A.S.S. Nation Southeast Regional at Douglas Lake 5/24-5/26
Douglas Lake, Jefferson County TN.
(NON_BOATER) Standings Day 3
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Pts Total $$$
1. Matt Summers Gassaway, WV (WV) 9 21-11 0
2. Larry Witt Evington, VA (VA) 9 20-04 0
3. Tristen Boyd Monteagle, TN (TN) 9 20-04 0
4. Grant Harris Maiden, NC (NC) 9 19-06 0
5. Will Sigmon Elkview, WV (WV) 9 19-03 0
6. Zach Leech Bessemer City, NC (NC) 9 19-03 0
7. Josh Ankrom Williamstown, WV (WV) 9 19-03 0
8. Tristan Garriga Lucedale, MS (MS) 9 18-11 0
9. Dale Robertson Ponchatoula, LA (MS) 9 18-11 0
10. Edward Owens Hemingway, SC (SC) 9 18-11 0
11. Brian Hill Red House, WV (WV) 9 18-09 0
12. Richard White Alexander City, AL (AL) 9 18-05 0
13. JJ Morse Mooresville, NC (NC) 9 18-01 0
14. Bryden Mugleston Mount Juliet, TN (TN) 9 17-14 0
15. Hunter Silverstrim Indian Mound, TN (TN) 9 17-07 0
16. Claude Loftin Jacksonville, FL (FL) 9 17-07 0
17. James Crook Jr Jefferson, SC (SC) 9 16-13 0
18. Matt Luken Independence, KY (KY) 9 16-10 0
19. Brad Gandee Mcdonough, GA (GA) 9 16-05 0
20. Joshua Hall Palmyra, VA (VA) 9 16-05 0
21. Jeff Gauspohl Dayton, KY (KY) 9 16-03 0
22. Chase Martin Conover, NC (NC) 9 15-11 0
23. Geanpaolo Amendola Barbieri Fayetteville, GA (GA) 9 15-09 0
24. Michael Davis Lake Wales, FL (FL) 8 14-08 0
25. Jarrett Hughes Conway, SC (SC) 7 14-00 0
26. Curtis Gossett Pell City, AL (AL) 7 13-05 0
27. Dean Jones Eustis, FL (FL) 6 11-12 0
28. Mark Ochkie California, PA (WV) 6 11-11 0
29. Charles Anderson Grimesland, NC (NC) 6 11-07 0
30. Christopher Curvin Piedmont, AL (AL) 6 11-04 0
31. Dylan Cornelius Guin, AL (AL) 6 11-01 0
32. Randy Gibson Jr Moncks Corner, SC (SC) 6 10-12 0
33. Randy Huffman Charleston, WV (WV) 6 10-10 0
34. Kim Giddens Eclectic, AL (AL) 6 10-10 0
35. Danny Hayes Wilson, NC (NC) 6 10-09 0
36. Derek Lilley Charlotte, NC (NC) 6 10-08 0
37. Brian Guckert Chesapeake, VA (VA) 6 10-08 0
38. John Roth III Kuttawa, KY (KY) 6 10-08 0
39. James Gregg III Powhatan, VA (VA) 6 10-07 0
40. Brian Howard Andrews, SC (SC) 6 10-05 0
41. Ed Rios Clarksville, TN (TN) 6 10-04 0
42. Ethan Monk Mountain Rest, SC (SC) 6 10-03 0
42. Benjamin Sarno Canton, GA (GA) 6 10-03 0
44. Robin Rogers III Pinopolis, SC (SC) 6 10-02 0
45. Mike Burchett Pulaski, VA (VA) 5 10-01 0
46. Rich Jordan Cecilia, KY (KY) 6 10-01 0
47. Parker Brogan Moneta, VA (VA) 6 10-01 0
48. Travis Culbreth Alexander City, AL (AL) 4 09-14 0
49. Bobby Johnson Hemingway, SC (SC) 6 09-13 0
50. Ray Trudeau Saint Cloud, FL (FL) 6 09-13 0
51. Jeff Poplin Franklin, VA (VA) 6 09-09 0
52. Chris Shrader Niceville, WY (FL) 6 09-07 0
53. Jermane Robinson Louisville, KY (KY) 6 09-06 0
54. Wyatt Powell Parkersburg, WV (WV) 6 09-06 0
55. Justin Stamm Sherrills Ford, NC (NC) 5 09-05 0
56. Lucas Thornton Hoover, AL (AL) 5 09-03 0
57. Zack Lemaster Hardy, VA (VA) 6 09-03 0
58. Heath Willard Brookhaven, MS (MS) 6 09-02 0
59. Rod Gentry White House, TN (TN) 5 09-01 0
60. Tom Borish Clarksville, TN (TN) 5 09-01 0
61. Mike Goff Clendenin, WV (WV) 5 08-15 0
62. Josh Milam Elkview, WV (WV) 6 08-15 0
63. Cole Huff Youngstown, FL (FL) 6 08-13 0
64. Josh Hosford Dudley, GA (GA) 6 08-11 0
65. Johndale Robertson Ponchatoula, LA (MS) 5 08-08 0
66. Larry Carter Lucedale, MS (MS) 4 08-05 0
67. Roland Burton North Prince George, VA 6 08-05 0
68. David Oney Harrogate, TN (TN) 5 08-05 0
69. Jason Brown Salem, KY (KY) 4 08-04 0
70. Jeff Williamon Newnan, GA (GA) 5 08-03 0
71. Cole Wiliams Jackson’S Gap , AL (AL) 6 08-03 0
72. Ryan Stewart Brookhaven, GA (GA) 6 08-02 0
73. Chris Lanier Clarksville, TN (TN) 6 08-01 0
74. Beau Terrell Jr Auburn, AL (AL) 4 07-13 0
75. Sam Terry Nathalie, VA (VA) 5 07-13 0
76. Craig Monnin Cumming, GA (GA) 5 07-13 0
77. Keith Thompson Mooresville, NC (NC) 4 07-10 0
78. Evan Newell Lakeland, FL (FL) 3 07-07 0
79. Todd Mallicoat Tazewell, TN (TN) 6 07-07 0
80. Emile Gennaro Sr Wesson, MS (MS) 6 07-06 0
81. Shane Godwin Clayton, NC (NC) 4 07-01 0
82. Jayson Hooven Hudson, FL (FL) 5 07-00 0
83. Ethan Wheeler Water Valley, KY (KY) 4 06-05 0
84. Gary Ross II Rosemont, WV (WV) 6 06-05 0
85. Kourtney Funk Jamestown, KY (KY) 4 06-04 0
86. Rodger Mcpherson Jr Douglasville, GA (GA) 4 06-03 0
87. David Wheat Philadelphia, MS (MS) 5 06-03 0
88. Lee Foster Inman, SC (SC) 4 06-02 0
89. James Kilby Jr. Tifton, GA (GA) 4 06-02 0
90. Joseph Batton Moody, AL (AL) 4 05-12 0
91. Ryan Bearden Canton, GA (GA) 3 05-12 0
92. Jacob Crapyou Portsmouth, OH (KY) 4 05-07 0
93. Jeremy Willis Fountain Inn, SC (SC) 3 05-04 0
94. Jeremy Barbour Lucedale, MS (MS) 3 04-09 0
95. Cypress Robertson Ponchatoula, LA (MS) 3 04-01 0
96. Tommy Thompson Counce, TN (TN) 4 03-13 0
97. Scott LaFave Okeechobee, FL (FL) 2 03-03 0
98. Nolan Bunnell Louisville, KY (KY) 2 02-08 0
99. Teance Blackburn Vernon, FL (FL) 2 01-14 0
100. Rick Lewis Madison, MS (MS) 1 00-14 0
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Totals
Day #Limits #Fish Weight
1 86 276 483-11
2 0 251 449-09
3 23 73 133-10
----------------------------------
109 600 1066-14
TEAM STANDINGS Day 3
----------------------------------
State Lbs-Oz
1 VIRGINIA 358-12
2 ALABAMA 338-14
3 SOUTH CAROLINA 336-13
4 NORTH CAROLINA 332-00
5 KENTUCKY 319-05
6 TENNESSEE 315-14
7 WEST VIRGINIA 309-11
8 GEORGIA 284-05
9 FLORIDA 271-02
10 MISSISSIPPI 257-13
INDIVIDUAL STANDINGS Day 3
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
VIRGINIA
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Larry Witt Evington, VA 9 20-04 0
2 Joshua Hall Palmyra, VA 9 16-05 0
3 Brian Guckert Chesapeake, VA 6 10-08 0
4 James Gregg III Powhatan, VA 6 10-07 0
5 Mike Burchett Pulaski, VA 5 10-01 0
6 Parker Brogan Moneta, VA 6 10-01 0
7 Jeff Poplin Franklin, VA 6 09-09 0
8 Zack Lemaster Hardy, VA 6 09-03 0
9 Roland Burton North Prince George, VA 6 08-05 0
10 Sam Terry Nathalie, VA 5 07-13 0
WEST VIRGINIA
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Matt Summers Gassaway, WV 9 21-11 0
2 Will Sigmon Elkview, WV 9 19-03 0
3 Josh Ankrom Williamstown, WV 9 19-03 0
4 Brian Hill Red House, WV 9 18-09 0
5 Mark Ochkie California, PA 6 11-11 0
6 Randy Huffman Charleston, WV 6 10-10 0
7 Wyatt Powell Parkersburg, WV 6 09-06 0
8 Mike Goff Clendenin, WV 5 08-15 0
9 Josh Milam Elkview, WV 6 08-15 0
10 Gary Ross II Rosemont, WV 6 06-05 0
MISSISSIPPI
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Tristan Garriga Lucedale, MS 9 18-11 0
1 Dale Robertson Ponchatoula, LA 9 18-11 0
3 Heath Willard Brookhaven, MS 6 09-02 0
4 Johndale Robertson Ponchatoula, LA 5 08-08 0
5 Larry Carter Lucedale, MS 4 08-05 0
6 Emile Gennaro Sr Wesson, MS 6 07-06 0
7 David Wheat Philadelphia, MS 5 06-03 0
8 Jeremy Barbour Lucedale, MS 3 04-09 0
9 Cypress Robertson Ponchatoula, LA 3 04-01 0
10 Rick Lewis Madison, MS 1 00-14 0
GEORGIA
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Brad Gandee Mcdonough, GA 9 16-05 0
2 Geanpaolo Amendola Barbieri Fayetteville, GA 9 15-09 0
3 Benjamin Sarno Canton, GA 6 10-03 0
4 Josh Hosford Dudley, GA 6 08-11 0
5 Jeff Williamon Newnan, GA 5 08-03 0
6 Ryan Stewart Brookhaven, GA 6 08-02 0
7 Craig Monnin Cumming, GA 5 07-13 0
8 Rodger Mcpherson Jr Douglasville, GA 4 06-03 0
9 James Kilby Jr. Tifton, GA 4 06-02 0
10 Ryan Bearden Canton, GA 3 05-12 0
SOUTH CAROLINA
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Edward Owens Hemingway, SC 9 18-11 0
2 James Crook Jr Jefferson, SC 9 16-13 0
3 Jarrett Hughes Conway, SC 7 14-00 0
4 Randy Gibson Jr Moncks Corner, SC 6 10-12 0
5 Brian Howard Andrews, SC 6 10-05 0
6 Ethan Monk Mountain Rest, SC 6 10-03 0
7 Robin Rogers III Pinopolis, SC 6 10-02 0
8 Bobby Johnson Hemingway, SC 6 09-13 0
9 Lee Foster Inman, SC 4 06-02 0
10 Jeremy Willis Fountain Inn, SC 3 05-04 0
FLORIDA
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Claude Loftin Jacksonville, FL 9 17-07 0
2 Michael Davis Lake Wales, FL 8 14-08 0
3 Dean Jones Eustis, FL 6 11-12 0
4 Ray Trudeau Saint Cloud, FL 6 09-13 0
5 Chris Shrader Niceville, WY 6 09-07 0
6 Cole Huff Youngstown, FL 6 08-13 0
7 Evan Newell Lakeland, FL 3 07-07 0
8 Jayson Hooven Hudson, FL 5 07-00 0
9 Scott LaFave Okeechobee, FL 2 03-03 0
10 Teance Blackburn Vernon, FL 2 01-14 0
ALABAMA
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Richard White Alexander City, AL 9 18-05 0
2 Curtis Gossett Pell City, AL 7 13-05 0
3 Christopher Curvin Piedmont, AL 6 11-04 0
4 Dylan Cornelius Guin, AL 6 11-01 0
5 Kim Giddens Eclectic, AL 6 10-10 0
6 Travis Culbreth Alexander City, AL 4 09-14 0
7 Lucas Thornton Hoover, AL 5 09-03 0
8 Cole Wiliams Jackson’S Gap , AL 6 08-03 0
9 Beau Terrell Jr Auburn, AL 4 07-13 0
10 Joseph Batton Moody, AL 4 05-12 0
NORTH CAROLINA
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Grant Harris Maiden, NC 9 19-06 0
2 Zach Leech Bessemer City, NC 9 19-03 0
3 JJ Morse Mooresville, NC 9 18-01 0
4 Chase Martin Conover, NC 9 15-11 0
5 Charles Anderson Grimesland, NC 6 11-07 0
6 Danny Hayes Wilson, NC 6 10-09 0
7 Derek Lilley Charlotte, NC 6 10-08 0
8 Justin Stamm Sherrills Ford, NC 5 09-05 0
9 Keith Thompson Mooresville, NC 4 07-10 0
10 Shane Godwin Clayton, NC 4 07-01 0
KENTUCKY
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Matt Luken Independence, KY 9 16-10 0
2 Jeff Gauspohl Dayton, KY 9 16-03 0
3 John Roth III Kuttawa, KY 6 10-08 0
4 Rich Jordan Cecilia, KY 6 10-01 0
5 Jermane Robinson Louisville, KY 6 09-06 0
6 Jason Brown Salem, KY 4 08-04 0
7 Ethan Wheeler Water Valley, KY 4 06-05 0
8 Kourtney Funk Jamestown, KY 4 06-04 0
9 Jacob Crapyou Portsmouth, OH 4 05-07 0
10 Nolan Bunnell Louisville, KY 2 02-08 0
TENNESSEE
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Tristen Boyd Monteagle, TN 9 20-04 0
2 Bryden Mugleston Mount Juliet, TN 9 17-14 0
3 Hunter Silverstrim Indian Mound, TN 9 17-07 0
4 Ed Rios Clarksville, TN 6 10-04 0
5 Rod Gentry White House, TN 5 09-01 0
6 Tom Borish Clarksville, TN 5 09-01 0
7 David Oney Harrogate, TN 5 08-05 0
8 Chris Lanier Clarksville, TN 6 08-01 0
9 Todd Mallicoat Tazewell, TN 6 07-07 0
10 Tommy Thompson Counce, TN 4 03-13 0
“Forget the Sales. Remember the Fallen.” with SITKA this Memorial Day
The industry leader in hunting gear once again partners with Folds of Honor to raise funds and awareness.
BOZEMAN, MT (May 25, 2023) – This Memorial Day SITKA Gear will once again hit pause on its online and retail sales and will instead honor those who paid the ultimate sacrifice by partnering with Folds of Honor, a nonprofit organization which helps provide life-changing scholarships to the spouses and children of America's fallen and disabled military.
SITKA’s “Forget the Sales. Remember the Fallen.” initiative is an important reminder that Memorial Day was created to remember and honor the legacy of Armed Forces veterans who lost their lives defending our freedom. SITKA will promote awareness, respect and gratitude on Monday, May 29th, by shutting down the SITKA Gear e-commerce site and the SITKA Depot retail store for the day and instead redirecting visitors to Folds of Honor. Last year, SITKA’s efforts and generosity resulted in eight scholarships for the families of our nation’s heroes through this important nonprofit organization.
“Memorial Day wasn’t created for buying new gear or shopping sales,” said Steve DelRosso, Business Leader and General Manager of SITKA Gear. “Last year our efforts on this day supported 8 scholarships to the family members of fallen soldiers. The lives impacted by our efforts in 2022 inspired us to continue this initiative and hopefully inspire other businesses to stand with us. So this year we’re asking everyone to help us spread the word to forget the sales and remember the fallen on this special day.”
Added Col Nick Nichols, President Folds of Honor Foundation, “Folds of Honor is proud to partner with SITKA, and we are beyond grateful for their generosity and support. As a combat veteran, I am especially proud of how SITKA honors our fallen heroes on Memorial Day by directing all of their website traffic to Folds of Honor. In their words, ’TODAY IS ABOUT THE FALLEN NOT ABOUT SALES’. Together we will ensure these military families achieve their educational dreams. Beyond thankful!”
On Memorial Day, Monday, May 29th, SITKA is asking more people to join in raising awareness for the critical work done by Folds of Honor, supporting educational opportunities for the families of fallen and disabled military members. Sharing the collaboration with others and posting about the initiative on individual and company social media channels will directly impact children of Gold Star families pursuing educational disciples supporting wild things and wild places.
To donate, please visit the SITKA Gear websiteor donate directly at Folds of Honor.
Tucker Smith and Hayden Marbut From Auburn University Take Day 1 Lead at BoatUS Collegiate Bass Fishing Championship
Anderson, SC (May 25, 2023) – Day 1 of tournament competition is complete at the 18th annual BoatUS Collegiate Bass Fishing Championship presented by Bass Pro Shops. College fishing’s longest-running National Championship event saw nearly 400 of the top collegiate anglers in the nation take out on to Lake Hartwell from Green Pond Landing. Teams are in search of the best five bass limits they can bring to the scales, in pursuit of a National Championship title and the coveted Bass Pro Shops School of the Year presented by Abu Garcia.
Tucker Smith and Hayden Marbut, of Auburn University, staked claim to the Day 1 lead with a five bass limit weighing 21.06 lbs. Carson-Newman University anglers, Drake Hemby and Ewing Minor are in second with 19.46 lbs. Anglers Kai Barnett and Tucker Siminak, from McKendree University, weighed in 17.09 lbs. to secure third place.
181 teams, comprised of the top elite college anglers, competed on Day 1 of the tournament. Following a week of stable conditions, anglers were greeted once again by a mix of clouds and sun, with manageable winds. Anglers were able to take advantage of a variety of patterns, targeting schooling bass up shallow on a herring bite, working their way down the bank with their confidence baits, as well as using electronics to locate quality largemouth and spotted bass out over deep and shallow structure. Lake Hartwell produced enough bass to send 170 teams out of 181 teams across the stage to weigh in their catches.
The 2023 BoatUS Collegiate Bass Fishing Championship presented by Bass Pro Shops is the final event of the season in the race for Bass Pro Shops School of the Year presented by Abu Garcia. 23 of the nation’s Top 25 teams are on-hand to compete in this triple points event. Following Day 1 of competition, numerous boats representing the top teams are near the top of the standings. With Auburn currently in second place for school of the year, a victory here could certainly tighten the race. Current SOY leaders, University of Montevallo also has three teams inside the current Top 20, after Day 1, so the final results may come down to Friday’s competition. Following the conclusion of Day 2 weigh-in tomorrow, the ACA will finalize the points standings for this season; awarding the Bass Pro Shops School of the Year presented by Abu Garcia, acknowledging the Top 3 on-site at Green Pond Landing, and announcing the Top 25 ranked teams.
The full field will take off from Green Pond Landing on Friday, with the first flight starting at 6:00 AM (ET). Live blog coverage will begin first thing tomorrow morning, and live weigh-in coverage will be on Outdoor Action beginning at 2:00 PM (ET).
SHELDON COLLINGS TAKES DAY ONE LEAD AT SANTEE COOPER
Story by Justin Brouillard | Photos by Tanner & Travis Lyons
After a tough practice period, Oklahoma angler Sheldon Collings takes the lead on Santee Cooper with a day-one weight of 23 pounds, 12 ounces. Focusing his efforts shallow for most of the practice, it was a short time fishing offshore that turned his event around.
“I fished shallow and had 6 bites over three days,” said Collings. “The one area that produced gave me four keepers this morning and then I just went fishing. I fished some cypress trees that looked good and caught the big one, and then fished a creek I had located some offshore stuff and caught two more big ones there.”
Unsure about tomorrow and forecasted high winds, Collings will plan on doing more of the same by getting an early limit and moving to more isolated structure as the day progresses.
“I’ll do what feels right,” he added. “I love fishing offshore and watching them eat. When I do get bit, they are the right size.”
Patrick Walters
With plenty of history on Santee and experience fishing under tough conditions, Patrick Walters did what he does best and hunkered down in an area and just fished. His 22-pound, 8-ounce effort on day one landed him in the second-place spot with two days remaining.
“It was typical Santee for me today,” said Walters. “I only got seven bites and moved all around to catch them. I caught fish shallow, caught fish chasing bait, caught some on structure, and fished both shallow and deep.”
Walters’ plan for day two is simple.
“I will just keep fishing around where I am comfortable and do what feels right,” he added.
Will Harkins
With 20 pounds, 4 ounces on the day, Will Harkins relied on “off the wall” areas to catch his fish. He rotated through 10 or 12 keepers to cull up to his final weight and ended the day in the third-place spot.
“I found some different type of stuff in practice and I also fished shallow with not much luck,” he said. “Today, I hunkered in an area where I got a couple of bites and it worked out for me.”
With wind expected tomorrow, Harkins will keep fishing with two rods on his deck and expand on his area. He noted his is fishing very specific and is not mixing up his approach too much.
Tim Cales
With a limit weighing 19-pounds, 15 ounces, Tim Calessits in the fourth-place spot after day one on Santee Cooper
Todd Goade
Todd Goade caught a five-bass limit on day one weighing 18 pounds, 14 ounces which has him in the fifth–place spot. He spent his Sunday practice period learning how to catch five bass. The other two days, after one or two bites in an area, he put the rods down and tried to dial in other productive spots close by,
“Once I got a few bites, I was done fishing,” said Goade. “This place is like Florida where if you get bitten, you need to hunker down, and that’s exactly what I did today.”
Goade protected his area by getting a quick limit for over 17 pounds and leaving lots of productive water alone. His goal was to catch five a day and then go practice as much as he could. His one mistake on the day was making a cast he knew would be dangerous.
“I flipped in there and knew I shouldn’t have,” he said. “The boat was in the wrong position and it was just a weird angle. As soon as it hit the bottom, she ate it and I did my best but with everything the way it was, it pulled off – it was over 6 pounds.”
Goade is dialed in his approach and has two rods on deck. The first is an ARK Reinforcer 7’ 1” MH with a Gravity 7 reel, and the other is an ARK Randy Tharp King Cobra series rod and Ark Gravity 5 reel. Both were paired with Zoom worms and a 15-pound Seaguar line.
Rest of the best:
Dan Blackert 17-14
Randy Sullivan 17-12
Nick Brown 17-9
Louis Fernandes – 17-8
John Cox (FL) 17-4
Bassmaster Elite Series pros eager to capitalize on Sabine River opportunities
Orange, Texas, will host the Folds of Honor Bassmaster Elite at Sabine River June 1-4. The last Elite event in 2021 drew a total 40,107 fans to the four-day event while generating more than $2.5 million in revenue for local businesses.
Photo by Dalton Tumblin/B.A.S.S.
May 25, 2023
ORANGE, Texas — Jason Christie is looking forward to another shot at Lone Star glory, but he’s expecting significantly more resistance during the upcoming Folds of Honor Bassmaster Elite at Sabine River.
Competition days will be June 1-4 with daily takeoffs from the City of Orange Boat Ramp at 6 a.m. CT and weigh-ins each day at the ramp at 3 p.m. Full coverage will be available on Bassmaster.com.
When the Bassmaster Elite Series last visited Sabine in 2021, Christie was fishing his first season back on tour after a two-year absence. While notching a win just four events into his return gifted him a special memory he’d like to repeat, he’s mentally preparing himself for a much more challenging scenario.
“I think one thing that’s gonna throw a lot of us for a loop this time is that we’re going way later than we’ve ever been,” Christie said. “For one thing, it should be miserably hot. It’s going to be, by far, the hottest event of the year and I think the fishing is going to be different from how it has been in years past.
“We’ve always been there around the spawn. When the fish are around the spawn, they’re kind of congregated in certain areas, either going up to spawn or coming off the spawn or getting ready. This time, we’re going to be a couple of months after the spawn, so I can see the fish being spread out.”
Christie said this scenario has the potential to be one of the season’s toughest events. On the other hand, he’s wondering if the timing might so greatly disperse the fish that it spreads the field, as opposed to the typically crowded spring groupings.
With the tournament site close to the Intracoastal Waterway, Gulf of Mexico tides impact most of the eligible waters, although tidal influence decreases the farther upriver you travel. With tournament boundaries reaching up to the Toledo Bend Dam, outfall current from this major Sabine River reservoir could bring positive impacts for anyone fishing north.
“Toledo Bend is a little above what we normally are (this time of year) but not too bad,” said third-year Elite Darold Gleason, who lives and guides on Toledo Bend. “It might just make (the upper end of tournament waters) slightly dirtier, but it shouldn’t be too negative. It will probably help some anglers to have some current.”
As Christie explained, the event’s playing field, plus the Sabine’s seasonal pattern, will weigh heavily in this event’s outcome. With tournament waters comprising both sides of the Sabine, all publicly accessible tributaries (Texas side only), the Intracoastal and the Houston area, competitors have a lot of water at their disposal.
In 2021, Christie ran approximately two hours upriver to a backwater creek just below the Toledo Bend Dam. On the opposite extreme, a handful of competitors — including Mississippi pro Brock Mosley, who led Day 1 of the 2021 event and ultimately finished second — made the long run west to the Houston area.
Making the trip the first three days, Mosley ran approximately 110 miles through the Intracoastal Waterway and across Galveston Bay. Despite having to allow time for fuel stops and enduring rough water when crossing the bay on a windy Day 2, Mosley’s gamble nearly paid off. At the very least, he had his areas in Clear Creek all to himself.
Comparing the two extremes, Christie said his and Mosley’s strategies exemplified a common theme that will likely confront the entire field. Options may be many, but decisions must be cautiously made.
“The thing about that place, it’s not like a lake where you might say, ‘I’m going to run down here by the dam and fish deep and if it doesn’t work out, then I’ll run midlake and try something different,’” Christie said. “Whenever you leave the boat ramp (on the Sabine), you’re pretty much locked in to where you’re going.
“The main areas are so spread out. You run 20 minutes down the river and then you run 20 minutes up another river. It’s not like you can run out and run back and go up another place. You’re committed.”
Wherever anglers fish, competition days will likely see more quantity than quality. The Sabine River definitely holds big bass (Georgia’s Micah Frazierwon the 2021 Phoenix Boats Big Bass award with a 6-6), but those opportunities are few and far between.
“This fishery has some good ones in it, but it doesn’t seem to have a lot of them, especially when we’re confined to Texas waters,” Christie said. “A lot of the Louisiana waters have more of the marsh habitat where you’d think that probably some bigger fish could live.
“You just have to focus from start to finish, not only hoping that you’re going to get an above-average bite, but being ready for it and landing it. If you get an above-average bite, chances are you’re not going to get two of them, so you don’t want to mess that up.”
Capitalizing on day-making opportunities always bodes well, but even more so on lean fisheries like the Sabine River.
“One big bite there can swing you 50 places (in the standings),” Christie said. “You catch four keepers and you put a 4-pounder in there and that can be a big difference.”
Given the full-on summer patterns that will dominate this event, Christie expects anglers to focus on shallow wood, vegetation and docks. Predicting a 30-pound threshold to make the Top 10 and 43 pounds to win, he said spinnerbaits, topwaters, squarebills and Texas-rigged plastics will see a lot of playing time.
“By June, those fish have seen a lot of baits, they’ve seen a lot of traffic, and they’re going to be educated,” Christie said. “It’s going to be a tough event, but everybody knows that — everybody knows it’s going to be a grinder.
“This is going to be the fifth time we’ve been there, so there’s not really any secrets left. It’s gonna happen in a lot of different areas and now you’re just going to have to figure out how to out-fish those guys that are fishing the same area you’re fishing.”
Despite the “everything’s bigger in Texas” notion, it’s likely someone will fare well with finesse standbys like the venerable wacky rig or a drop shot.
Notably, 2021 saw Japanese superstar Taku Ito showcase his skill and patience by catching several of his third-place fish during the afternoon heat when the tide went slack — basically, one of bass fishing’s most challenging scenarios. While others threw moving baits in hopes of triggering reactions, Ito Neko rigged a Nories Sankaku-T-San, a T-shaped soft-plastic bait, and used painfully long presentations to coax key bites.
With the long-term forecast showing daytime highs in the upper 80s for tournament week, it’s likely that the most successful anglers will be the ones who make the right location decisions, exercise the most patience and make the most of those big-fish opportunities.
Going into the sixth event of the nine-event Elite season, Greenwood, S.C., pro Brandon Cobb leads the Progressive Insurance Bassmaster Angler of the Year race with 485 points. Georgia pro Drew Cook is second with 436 points, followed by Louisiana’s Tyler Rivet in third with 415, Florida’s John Coxin fourth with 414 and Alabama’s Kyle Welcher in fifth with 413.
Alabama rookie Will Davis Jr. — winner of the last Elite event — leads the Dakota Lithium Bassmaster Rookie of the Year race with 383 points, followed by fellow Alabama pro David Gaston in second with 369 and California pro Bryant Smith in third, also with 369.
In addition to the popular Bassmaster Outdoors Expo and daily weigh-ins, fans can enjoy four days of festivities, including live music, at the Orange County River Festival.
New for 2023, fans can enjoy predictions, conditions and live hits from the lake as part of the LIVE Preview show streaming on Bassmaster.comWednesday, May 31 at 8 a.m. CT. Bassmaster LIVE kicks off tournament coverage Thursday and Friday mornings at 7 a.m. on Bassmaster.com, Tubi and the FOX Sports platforms while FS1 will broadcast live with the tournament leaders Saturday and Sunday.
The Folds of Honor Bassmaster Elite at Sabine River is being hosted by the Greater Orange Chamber of Commerce.
Seneca and Lake Hartwell Ready for 40th Annual Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American Presented by T-H Marine
Major League Fishing’s Annual Grassroots Bass-Fishing Championship to Take Place Next Week at Seneca Creek Boat Ramp, REDCREST 2024 Qualification Up for Grabs
SENECA, S.C. (May 25, 2023) – Major League Fishing (MLF) is set to return to South Carolina, next week, May 31-June 2, for the 40th annual Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American Championship Presented by T-H Marine on Lake Hartwell. The three-day tournament, hosted by Visit Oconee SC , will showcase the nation’s best weekend grassroots anglers, and awards the winning boater a top prize of up to $120,000, and an automatic qualification into REDCREST 2024, MLF’s most prestigious event.
In addition to the automatic REDCREST qualification, the highest-finishing boaters and co-anglers from each of the seven regionals at the All-American advance to the 2023 Toyota Series Championship.
“We are very excited to have the opportunity to host the Phoenix BFL All-American in Oconee County, South Carolina on Lake Hartwell at the new Seneca Creek Boat Ramp,” said Ken Sloan, President & CEO of Visit Oconee SC. “This will be the inaugural opening of the Seneca Creek Boat Ramp, and that would not have been possible without the vision, leadership and hard work from Oconee County Parks, Recreation and Tourism and the support of the City of Seneca.
“We have worked with Major League Fishing and their BFL series on multiple events throughout the years and their professionalism is unmatched. To that end, we look forward to another successful event and our continued partnership with MLF.”
The BFL All-American championship was previously held on Lake Hartwell in 2020, however that event launched out of Anderson. The All-American often serves as a steppingstone for anglers who wish to advance to the Toyota Series, Tackle Warehouse Invitationals and ultimately the Bass Pro Tour. Former All-American champions who currently compete on the Bass Pro Tour and the Tackle Warehouse Invitationals include Shaw Grigsby (1984), Stephen Browning (1996), Jacob Wheeler (2011), Jeremy Lawyer (2016), Nick LeBrun (2018) and Connor Cunningham (2022).
“This is going to be a fun event and we’re going to see a lot of fish caught from Lake Hartwell next week,” said Bass Pro Tour angler Casey Ashley of Donalds, South Carolina. “They’ll be catching fish a lot of different ways, too. Out deep with a drop-shot rig, up shallow targeting bream beds with a topwater, and the docks will play too. It’s going to be interesting to see what patterns are strongest in this one.
“A lot of it will depend on the weather,” Ashley continued. “I think it’ll likely take a mixed bag every day – largemouth and spots. Something like working the brushpiles early, then throwing a shallow topwater during the afternoon. Or opposite – starting shallow early and then moving deep. Playing the weather is going to be the key.”
Ashley said that if he was fishing the event, he’d make sure that he had a Lucky Craft Sammy, a Zoom Super Fluke and a shaky-head rig tied on.
“I think if a guy can catch 16 or 17 pounds a day next week they’ll be right there at the end,” Ashley went on to say. “The three-day winner is going to have right around 50 to 52 pounds, I predict.”
Anglers will launch each day at 6:30 a.m. CT from the Seneca Creek Boat Ramp, located at 280 Seneca Creek Road in Seneca. Weigh-in each day will be held at the boat ramp and will begin at 2:30 p.m. Fans are welcome to attend all launch and weigh-in events and encouraged to follow the event’s online coverage at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
The full field of 49 boaters and 49 Strike King co-anglers will compete on Days 1 (Wednesday) and 2 (Thursday) of the event. After two days of competition, the field is cut to just the top 10 boaters and co-anglers, based on two-day total cumulative weight, and the final 10 anglers compete on Championship Friday. The boater and co-angler that catch the heaviest three-day total weight will be crowned the 40th Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American Champions.
The 2022 Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine was a 24-division circuit devoted to weekend anglers, with 128 tournaments throughout the season, five qualifying events in each division. The top 45 boaters and Strike King co-anglers from each division, along with the five winners of the qualifying events, advanced to one of six Regional Championships where they competed to finish in the top six, which then advanced them to compete in the Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American.
Television coverage of the 2023 Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American will premiere November 11 on CBS Sports and the Sportsman Channel. The full television air schedule can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
Proud sponsors of the 2023 MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine include: 13 Fishing, Abu Garcia, B&W Trailer Hitches, Berkley, Black Rifle Coffee, E3, Epic Baits, Favorite Fishing, General Tire, Grundéns, Gill, Lew’s, Lowrance, Mercury, Mossy Oak, Mystik Lubricants, Onyx, Phoenix, Polaris, Power-Pole, Strike King, Tackle Warehouse, T-H Marine, Toyota, Wiley X and YETI.
For complete details and updated tournament information, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular Bass Fishing League updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF5’s social media outlets at Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.
Throwback Thursday - The Advent of the Football Head
By Terry Battisti - Bass Fishing Archives
Along around the 2000 timeframe, I was reading an article in In-Fisherman regarding a “new style” leadhead called the Rocker Head. As I read about how this jig would rock-and-roll over rocky structures and fall straight to the bottom quickly, I thought of a jig that I’d grown up fishing and had all these same attributes. A few paragraphs into the article, I came to realize that the jig they were describing was indeed the jig that had been invented in the mid-60s in southern California – the football head.
I’d always assumed that the football head was invented by a close friend of mine, Rip Nunnery, who owned Bandit Bass Tackle. It wasn’t until I started this website and began talking to the old timers of southern California fishing lore that I found out who actually came up with the head. Recently I was talking with one of southern California’s early bass heroes, Pete Gardner, and we got on the subject of early jig fishing. Talk eventually led to the football head and that’s when he told me of Larry McCain – the person who developed the football head.
Pete gave me Larry’s contact information and I quickly called to talk with him. What transpired out of our conversation was a definite learning experience for me and I hope you enjoy reading this bit of bass fishing history.
McCain’s History
football head on the bottom left and the barrel head in the upper right. Photo Winter issue
of Western Bass Magazine.
McCain started bass fishing while in junior high school in the early 50s with close friend Don Siefert. By the time the two were in their early 20s, they’d gone from fishing Reseda Park to Lake Sherwood, another close by lake in the Valley.
By the early 60s they began meeting other bass anglers, two of which would become instrumental in their bass fishing, Norm Dye (operator at Lake Sherwood) and Bud
Walsh, the local bass expert. “Bud was the most advanced angler of all of us at the time,” McCain said. “He’d fish the lake for a month at a time and he learned so much about the structure of the lake. This was before the time of depth finders and he wouldn’t tell us anything unless we figured it out on our own first. When we got our first depthfinders, the Lowrance Green Box, it opened up everything that was going on under water. I got my first one when I was 30 years old around 1967.
“We fished a lot of jigs back in those days and Bud made a twin spin called the Jungle Bum that was a little heavier than the Shannon. He made his own molds out of potatoes. “We primarily fished pork on the jigs back then,” he said. “We used Pedigo and the only place we could get it was at Lake Isabella (about 250 miles from his home). We’d but 25 or 30 cases at a time all in black and purple.
“Around the mid-60s, Siefert and Dye began asking the local anglers if they’d be interested in starting a bass club. They got enough interest and we formed the Southern California Bass Club – or SoCal Bass. Before this time, the anglers wouldn’t talk to each other or share any of their knowledge. After forming the club, anglers began teaching each other within the club what they’d learned over the years.”
designed on a unique head and named after his daughter, Madeline or Matty. Photo Terry
Battisti.
Development of the Football Head
Other than teaching each other bass tactics, they’d also get together and make lures. “I was the only machinist in the group and because of that I’d make molds for pouring leadheads,” McCain said. “We’d get a bunch of guys to come over to my garage at night and we’d set up an assembly line for pouring. One guy would load the molds with wire weedguards and hooks, another would pour and another would pull the heads and trim them.
“One of the early molds I made was a barrel head. That mold didn’t last too long, though, because it was difficult to pull the head from the mold. That’s when I decided to taper the barrel head, in order to allow it to release from the mold easier. “I got the mold done and had the guys over for a pouring session. When the first few heads came out of the mold, one of the guys said, ‘That looks like a football.’” The name stuck. This was around 1965.
“We started fishing the head and noticed that it wobbled when it fell and when it came across the bottom. Those first heads were around 5/8 ounce, which was the most popular head size during those days.
“By the late 60s and early 70s I was making molds for Rip (Nunnery) and the Miller brothers (Mike and Dick) for their tackle companies. The Millers made a single-spin jig called The Boober and Rip had me make him a mold for his twin spin called the Double Bass Boober. Each guy wanted something slightly different in their heads and I’d make them the way they wanted. For example, some guys wanted the eye of the hook more forward in the head and others wanted eyeballs. Each configuration, especially the hook eye placement, made the jig fish differently."
McCain is now 76 years old and lives in Florida. Not only is he credited with the development of the football head, he and partner Jack Loyd were the winners of the first Western Bass Fishing Association TriState team championship in 1976. “I live in Florida now and fish whenever I can,” he said. “I just grab some worms, put them in my bag, get on my bicycle and fish pond to pond. I went out the other day and my first couple of fish were 2-pounders and then I caught a 4-1/2 and then followed that with three more 4-pounders.” Asked how he feels about his head, he said; “All these years later the football head has become a big deal. To us, it was just a jig head. It caught fish and that’s all we cared about.”
Want more history of how we got to here?? Check out Bass Fishing Archives
T-H Marine Partners with Captains For Clean Water, Pledges Donations
Partnership adds onto efforts with conservation products and event support.
Fort Myers, FL – May 25, 2023 – T-H Marine Supplies, LLC, of Huntsville, Alabama, a division of OneWater Marine (ONEW), is announcing it has partnered with Captains For Clean Water, of Fort Myers, Florida, in an expansion of its conservation initiatives. Funding for the initiative will be provided as both a flat donation and a percentage from all Atlas Awards membership proceeds.
“Captains For Clean Water is truly a remarkable force of conservation and habitat restoration,” T-H Marine CEO, Jeff Huntley said. “From the individual fishing guides who started it to the progress they’ve already made, they provide an amazing example of natural resource stewardship and we’re proud to join them.”
Beginning in 2016 when a couple fishing guides decided they had enough of poor water management practices devastating the estuaries they relied on, Captains For Clean Water was formed as a grassroots 501(c)3 nonprofit organization that fights for water resources.
Since forming, they’ve worked to unite the outdoor industry, environmental groups, the business community, and concerned citizens around science-based solutions for cleaner waterways. This laid the foundation for policies and projects that have resulted in measurable improvements in the volume and quality of fresh water flowing through estuaries along with natural habitat restoration.
“We’re super fortunate to have T-H Marine’s support,” Captains For Clean Water Co-Founder Daniel Andrews said. “We know they’ve long-demonstrated concern for the worthy cause of conservation and we’re glad to have them involved in the fight to save the Everglades.”
T-H Marine’s commitment with Captains For Clean Water is structured to be an ongoing effort where the company has dedicated 10% of all Atlas Awards Membership proceeds along with designated donations from T-H Marine’s general fund. This adds onto the company’s existing sustainability efforts that include event sponsorship, catch and release tournament products, and round-up dollars on purchases.
Known as a trusted manufacturer of fishing and boating products that can outfit a boat from TRANSOM TO TROLLING MOTOR®, T-H Marine has product lines that are available in retail stores across the globe. To see the full line, including a growing assortment of conservation-minded fishing products and gear for just about any boat, be sure to visit thmarine.com/products.
For fishing and boating tips, company news, and information about T-H Marine products that lower fish morbidity rates, visit thmarine.com/Conservation and follow T-H Marine Supplies (@thmarineteam) on social media.
BoatUS Collegiate Bass Fishing Championship, presented by Bass Pro Shops - First Class Treatment on a First Class Fishery
Anderson, SC (May 24, 2023) – The nation’s top ranked college fishermen have gathered in Anderson, SC to compete for the title of National Champion. The Association of Collegiate Anglers (ACA), and their sponsors, welcomed 400 collegiate anglers, coaches, as well as top touring professionals to Green Pond Landing, on the shores of Lake Hartwell for the first time. The 18th edition of the BoatUS Collegiate Bass Fishing Championship, Presented by Bass Pro Shops will kick off at 6 am Thursday, May 25, and a full field of 200 teams will fish both Thursday and Friday.
The red carpets were rolled out Wednesday night at the annual Angler & Sponsor Appreciation Banquet, thanks to the ACA and the sponsors of the Bass Pro Shops Collegiate Bass Fishing Series. Anglers were treated to a great meal, courtesy of Visit Anderson, that included a pre-game pep talk from Bass Pro Shops touring pro, Andy Montgomery. Festivities also included the royal treatment from sponsors.
The Abu Garcia “Trade-in and Trade-up” program swapped out used reels, for the all new Revo Rockets, so every angler will be hitting the water with a new reel. Sunline was also on hand, spooling up any make or model and made sure no spools left empty. Anglers were also loaded up with giveaways, from AFTCO, Bajio, Bass Pro Shops, Big Bite Baits, Bob’s Machine Shop, Denali, Garmin, Power Pole Rapala/VMC/Suffix, Spro, TH Marine, Yamaha, as well as other vendors.
Although the anglers loaded up on shore Wednesday, the support doesn’t stop there. TowBoatUS will be providing on the water support for this year’s event, and the Yamaha Service Crew and the Bass Pro Shops/White River Marine Group Service Team has the anglers covered in the event of mechanical troubles during the event. In addition, anglers also have opportunities to earn additional prizes and merchandise with programs such as the AFTCO Bank Bag program, where every bag of trash collected is worth a $25 gift card for AFTCO products.
On the line this week are two of the most prestigious titles in collegiate bass fishing. A National Champion will be crowned for the BoatUS Collegiate Bass Fishing Championship presented by Bass Pro Shops, and school will be named the number one team in the Bass Pro Shops School of the Year presented by Abu Garcia.
College fishing’s longest-running National Championship will pay out the Top 40 places in the overall standings, as well as numerous exact place finishes. The total payout and merchandise awards for this no-entry-fee event will total over $30,000. Additional payout contingency awards include Bass Pro Shops, Ranger Cup, Triton Gold, Nitro Rewards, ACA, Yamaha PowerPay, as well as Garmin Tournament Rewards. Overall big bass for the tournament will also earn a new Power-Pole unit.
Tournament coverage will begin bright and early Thursday morning with the Live Blog on CollegiateBassChampionship.com starting prior to official takeoff. Official weigh-in will be covered live on the Outdoor Action TV app starting at 2:00 PM EST.
Folds of Honor named title sponsor of Bassmaster Elite on Sabine River
May 24, 2023
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Those who protect our freedoms and our families will take center stage when the Bassmaster Elite Series heads to Texas following Memorial Day. The Folds of Honor Bassmaster Elite at Sabine River will be held June 1-4 in Orange, Texas.
Since 2007, Folds of Honor has provided more than 44,000 life-changing scholarships totaling nearly $200 million to the spouses and children of America’s fallen or disabled military and first responders. The scholarship recipients are as diverse as the place they call home. Minority recipients represent 41% of all scholarships awarded.
“Folds of Honor takes great pride in partnering with the proud patriots of Bassmaster and the Bassmaster Elite at the Sabine River,” said Diane D. Nemecek, the Folds of Honor senior director of chapter relations. “We have a longstanding relationship with Bassmaster, and the fans have always been a tremendous support of our noble and worthy mission. This Elite Series event takes place just after Memorial Day, and we consider the timing a blessing and a salute to all veterans and service members of the armed forces. Bassmaster fans have a history and reputation built on patriotism, and anglers witness our country in its rarest form. From sunrise to sunset, outdoorsmen are able to enjoy the tranquil waters thanks to those who preserve and protect the land we hold dear.”
The extraordinary work of Folds of Honor will be highlighted at one of the Elite Series’ best-attended events.
When the Elite Series last visited Orange in 2021, the event generated more than $2.5 million in revenue for local businesses and drew a record-breaking total of 40,107 fans to four days of festivities, including live music at the Orange County River Festival, the popular Bassmaster Outdoors Expo and daily weigh-ins.
Full coverage from all four days of the Folds of Honor Bassmaster Elite at Sabine River will be available on Bassmaster.com, Tubi and the FOX Sports digital platforms. FS1 will also broadcast live with the tournament leaders on Saturday and Sunday. For more information and a viewing schedule, visit Bassmaster.com.
Potomac River primed to shine for B.A.S.S. Nation Northeast Regional
Charles County, Md., will host the 2023 TNT Fireworks B.A.S.S. Nation Northeast Regional at Potomac River June 7-9.
Photo by Seigo Saito/B.A.S.S.
May 24, 2023
CHARLES COUNTY, Md. — Anglers qualified for the TNT Fireworks B.A.S.S. Nation Northeast Regional June 7-9 will need to dial in the tide at the Potomac River — and with the right timing, Bassmaster Elite Series pro Jacob Powroznik thinks there will be plenty of opportunities to catch a winning bag.
“I think it will be awesome,” the Virginia pro said. “The fish will be just getting done with the spawn and there will be a lot of topwater and frog action along with swim jigs, ChatterBaits and flipping. It will be a really good tournament.”
The Northeast Regional will feature teams from Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and Vermont. Anglers will launch out of Smallwood State Park each day at 5:30 a.m. ET, returning at 1:30 p.m. for weigh-in. The full field will compete on Days 1 and 2, while Day 3 will feature the Top 24 boaters and nonboaters along with the top two boaters and nonboaters from each state if they are not already in the Top 24. Full coverage will be available on Bassmaster.com.
The last time the Bassmaster Tournament Trail visited eastern Maryland in 2016, Justin Lucas took home an Elite Series trophy with a winning weight of 72-14. After that event, Powroznik said the Potomac has had a couple of down years but is now on the rebound.
“The Potomac hasn’t been very good the last three years, but it has been getting better and better,” he said. “This year, there have been a lot of 22-, 23- (and) 24-pound bags weighed in there. It is coming back around, and I am anxious to see what the grass does and see how it goes.”
The tide on the Potomac has about a 2- to 4-foot tide swing, making it a little less impactful than somewhere like the Delaware River which has 7-foot swings. Still, it's enough of a change in water level to keep the bass moving.
Powroznik also points out that a certain section of the river will tend to hold the biggest population of bass, but the bass will pull up in different areas from year to year.
Much of the production in the Potomac River revolves around the amount of grass in the fishery. Powroznik believes the amount of grass in the system is back on the rise. At the moment, there is more hydrilla in the river, but milfoil tends to be the most productive type of vegetation. There is also eelgrass.
As long as the tide is moving, whether that is outgoing or incoming, the bass will bite in the grass. Rotating through baits as the water rises and falls will be key and Powroznik said there will be certain windows where the bite will be best.
“All grass is good, but some is better than others,” he said. “As long as the water is moving, you just have to figure out if they are biting on the three-hour window, the four-hour window, the five-hour window or right before slack tide. If the tide is way up, a swim jig and ChatterBait will come into play. As the tide drops, that will create mats and that’s when the frog will come into play.”
Pitching Senkos and plastic worms into the holes in the grass will also be a productive way to catch these fish.
Along with the vegetation, there is a good selection of wood cover, laydowns and docks. Low tide tends to be best for fishing these types of cover. The bass will be in more predictable places with less water around.
“The lower the tide, the better they are going to bite,” Powroznik said. “They can get somewhere that they need to be.”
The top-finishing boater and co-angler from each state represented in this tournament will earn a spot in the 2023 TNT Fireworks B.A.S.S. Nation Championship on legendary Lake Hartwell Oct. 18-20.
Trust My Strengths
Bassmaster Elite Series angler and current Angler of the Year race leader Brandon Cobb joins to talk about the almost unreal start to his 2023 season and how he got to where he is today
Triple-Time Duty from EGO® Fishing
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The new Kryptek FISH/WEIGH-IN COOLER functions to keep fish lively for weigh-in, put fish on ice, and is a triple threat multiuse cooler. |
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Caldwell, ID (May 23, 2023) – You’ve heard the stories over the years. So-and-so would have won the big-money tournament if it hadn’t been for a dead fish at weigh-in. A solution to similar sad stories, EGO is proud to offer the affordable and easy-to-carry FISH/WEIGH-IN COOLER, designed from the ground up to provide a safe and friendly way for the tournament angler to transport fish to tournament weigh-ins, as well as ice fish for dinner, even chill beverages. |
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Large enough to contain a limit of bass—even kickers—EGO’s FISH/WEIGH-IN COOLER spans 21” (L) x 4” (W) x 22” (H) and weighs a mere two pounds. The Kryptek FISH/WEIGH-IN COOLER comes standard with an aerator pocket so oxygen levels in the water can be maintained to help keep fish healthy. In terms of construction, its soft but durable TPU performance fabric is the most advanced dry fabric available. You’ll love the technical feel and appreciate its strength. |
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The cooler’s lid zips shut with an advanced zipper that seals the contents and is easily opened and closed with an oversized and rugged zipper pull. There’s a handle on top, too, for a quick grab-and-go, as well as a pair of fabric side handles for humping it around when its full. You’ll also welcome the FISH/WEIGH-IN COOLER’s robust adjustable and removable shoulder sling, which features a sliding pad. Free up your hands for carrying rods and other gear. Even cooler… pardon the pun… is the product’s dual use as a soft icebox/kill bag for the day’s catch. Load with some ice before you hit the water, then spike, kill, and bleed your catch for the cleanest, blood-free fillets possible. |
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Moreover, the FISH/WEIGH-IN COOLER triple-times to house beverages, lunch, and snacks with the addition of gel cold packs or frozen water bottles. The roominess is simply impressive. So, when it’s beach or bonfire time, you already own the perfect utilitarian cooler. In summary, EGO’s FISH/WEIGH-IN COOLER transports fish live to the tournament stage, doubles as an icebox/kill bag for the fish harvest, and triples as an all-around premium food and beverage cooler. Doubt you can find a better multiuse investment… |
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FEATURES:
MSRP $189.99 Aerator not included |
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Harris Chain reels in 2023 Bassmaster Team Championship event
Florida's Harris Chain of Lakes will host the 2023 Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Team Championship December 6-9.
Photo by James Overstreet/B.A.S.S.
May 23, 2023
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — The 2023 Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Team Championship will be held on the Harris Chain of Lakes in Leesburg, Fla.,December 6-9, filling the last spot in the 2024 Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic presented by Toyota. The Harris Chain last hosted this event in 2020.
“We’re happy to welcome back the Bassmaster Team Championship to Lake County,” said Ryan Ritchie, director of Discover Lake County (Fla.). “The Harris Chain of Lakes continues to provide a thriving environment for fish and an exciting area for anglers to compete. We couldn’t be more excited to keep showing Bassmaster all there is to offer in Lake County.”
Battling for that coveted berth in the Bassmaster Classic will be the grass-roots anglers competing at the Bassmaster Team Championship. The team portion of the event will be held Dec. 6-7 and will feature anglers from across the country. The winning duo will not only win a cash prize, but they’ll also lead the charge into the Classic Fish-Off which will take place Dec. 8-9.
“As a Commissioner and a resident, I am thrilled to welcome the 2023 Bassmaster Team Championship to our community,” said Commissioner Douglas B. Shields, Lake County Board of County Commissioners. “We look forward to showcasing Lake County's natural beauty, excellent bass fishing and local hospitality to the visitors and anglers traveling for the competition.”
The Top 3 teams through Day 2 — six anglers in all — will have their weights zeroed and then compete individually in the Fish-Off. The competitor with the heaviest two-day total of the group will earn their spot in the Classic.
In 2022, that honor went to 27-year-old grounds foreman Collin Smith, who along with his 5 Alive Sunday Series teammate Brady Kimbrell, also won the team title and the $25,000 cash prize.
Since it was launched in 2014, the Team Championship has seen tremendous growth. Originally, 38 trails were signed up. That number grew to 62 trails (with more than 11,500 members) last season when the annual Team Championship drew 250 two-angler teams to South Carolina’s historic Lake Hartwell.
The Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Team Championship is being hosted by Visit Lake, the City of Leesburg and the Greater Orlando Sports Commission
ACA Championship + BIG Payouts from Nitro, Ranger, Triton Boat Brands
SAN ANTONIO, TX (May 23, 2023) – College Anglers competing in the 18th BoatUS Collegiate Bass Fishing Championship presented by Bass Pro Shops will again have the opportunity to cash in on tournament contingency bonuses offered by the White River Marine Group. The Championship, part of the Association of Collegiate Anglers (ACA) series, will be contested next week on Lake Hartwell | Anderson, SC. The contingency programs available to these top anglers will be Nitro Rewards, Ranger Cup, and Triton Gold. Qualified anglers will have the chance to take home up to $8,000 in either of these three contingency bonuses, based upon their eligibility and finish in the final standings.
“These new programs are great news for tournament anglers!” 4-time Bassmaster Classic winner and 3-time Major League Fishing Cup champion Kevin VanDam said. “They’re the best contingency programs currently on the market with more eligible tournaments, higher payouts, and free to enter. They’re paying you to win!”
Find out more details about each tournament contingency program and sign up to participate at the links below:
To qualify for these bigger-than-ever cash bonus prizes, winning anglers are required to fish in a Triton, Ranger or Nitro boat that is 4 years old or newer. These contingency programs are free, meaning no entry fee is required to participate, and there is no cap on the number of winnings an angler can achieve.
White River Marine Group’s parent-company, Bass Pro Shops, and its boat brands have a long-standing history of supporting and incentivizing amateur anglers to continue to elevate the sport of fishing. In 2021, Bass Pro Shops held an amateur series tournament, the US Open National Bass Fishing Amateur Team Championships, exclusive to its boat owners with a payout of more than $4.6 million in cash and prizes.
Flagship Product Represents the Future of Boat Care
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SRD20’s Graphene Ceramic Spray Coating and Protectant infused with nanotechnology to provide ultimate performance. |
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Lafayette, LA (May 23, 2023) – It all sounds easy until you try it. Wax on, wax off. That’s the recipe for keeping boats looking showroom ready, right? Well, sort of. You do need to apply a protectant to keep your outer shell sharp and spiffy. It’s just that few boat owners realize traditional waxes require heavy elbow grease and buffing to apply properly and perform at their best – and even then, they rarely live up to expectations. |
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“It shouldn’t be hard work,” says Stewart Delcambre, founder of SRD20 boat washes and protectants that represent the future of boat care. “Most boat care products on the market lack modern technology,” explains Delcambre. “We wanted to put out something that rivaled the automobile industry in terms of ease of use, overall performance, and long-lasting protection. In short, we set out to create a line of boat cleaning and protectant products infused with cutting edge nanotechnology that works at a micro level to provide ultimate performance.” It took several years of exhaustive research, investment and laboratory testing to get the formulas just right, but the end result has been the launch of SRD20’s product line, including its increasingly popular flagship product, SRD20 Graphene Ceramic Spray Coating and Protectant. Though made available for purchase less than two years ago, the new line, which also includes SRD20 Waterless Wash & Wax with SiO2 Ceramic and SRD20 Pink Soap for Boats, is already turning heads with its ability to clean, shine and protect virtually any watercraft for months at a time while requiring minimum effort to apply. |
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According to Delcambre, the key to keeping your hull, deck and cockpit sparkling is to start with the best protectant possible. That’s where SRD20 Graphene Ceramic Spray Coating and Protectant really shines. Outperforming traditional waxes, spray ceramic polymers and sealants, its advanced liquid formulation allows it to be easily applied. Simply spray it on, spread it evenly with an applicator pad or folded microfiber, let flash, and buff dry to leave behind a protective ceramic coating that lasts for months – no hard buffing or machines required. “It really is an amazing formula,” says Delcambre. “This is your base coat of protection. It’s essentially SiO2 (silicon dioxide) mixed with graphene to create a surface protection that is more durable than typical wax. It causes a lot of beading when struck by water, and you’ll notice those beads are particularly small. It works great on fiberglass gelcoat, bass boats, aluminum boats, pontoon boats, jet skis, kayaks and more. It can be used on all parts of the hull, above or below deck, and can even be applied in full sun.” SIDEBAR: Graphene is an allotrope (different physical forms that coexist) of carbon consisting of a single layer of atoms arranged in a hexagonal lattice nanostructure. |
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It’s also easy to apply and remove. Unlike typical waxes and sealants, SRD20 Graphene Ceramic Spray Coating and Protectant doesn’t build up on itself after reapplication or leave hard-to-remove white chalk seen when applying other boat wax and polymer products. It simply shines and protects surfaces from contaminants such as salt and freshwater, acid rain, bird and spider droppings, and UV rays. You can apply it to almost any hard, non-porous surface on your boat. When you see those tiny beads of water, you’ll instantly realize it’s a big improvement. Of course, you’ll want to incorporate SRD20 Waterless Wash & Wax with SiO2 Ceramic and SRD20 Pink Soap for Boats into your maintenance routine and apply as needed throughout the boating season. Using all three products in unison provides a cleaning and protection synergy that takes a beating and keeps on shining. In the end, SRD20 products require less work to apply while providing greater protection for your investment and, ultimately, more time for fun on the water. “That,” concludes Delcambre, “is exactly the point.” |
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Iaconelli’s three favorite lures for terribly tough fisheries
Courtesy of Alan McGuckin - Dynamic Sponsorships
Team Toyota’s Mike Iaconelli began his competitive fishing career in the early 1990s on the Delaware River where catching a 9-pound limit made you look like a superstar.
So, the recent stinginess “Ike” and other pros encountered at Lay Lake, and what is sure to be a brutally tough Sabine River at the upcoming Elite Series event in Orange, Texas, are the sort of tests he’s been preparing for and passing most of his fishing life.
“We’ve been on the Sabine during the spawn, and a 12-pound limit was great. How tough is that place going to be when we get there next week in the heat of early summer?” ponders Iaconelli.
The Sabine is sure to be the toughest test of the 2023 Bassmaster Elite Series season, and Iaconelli says the same three lures that carried him through Lay Lake to sit 7th in the Angler of the Year standings will also be in play at the Sabine.
Old school 4” French Fry
Speaking of the Delaware River, this is a lure a fellow angler named Sam showed young Iaconelli during their B.A.S.S. Nation days as amateurs on the Philadelphia-area waterway.
“The key is to put a little nail weight in the tail and rig it with a light wire hook, and make sure the flat side of the French fry is facing downward. It glides around habitat backwards like the old Flying Lure they sold on TV,” smiles Iaconelli.
Tiny black buzzbait
Perhaps the most overlooked lure in the recent Bass Fishing Hall of Fame electee’s tackle box is an inexpensive little black buzzbait with a silver blade. He’s never kept it a secret, but its subtleness seldom steals the spotlight despite the number of high finishes he’s scored with it.
“Subtle is definitely the best way to describe it, and that’s the magic of it. It’s small in size, the black color isn’t too bold, and that small silver blade gives fish that are reluctant to eat just enough flash to look like a bite-sized shad,” he reasons.
Wacky General
Lastly in Ike’s “tough to get a bite” arsenal is a 5” Berkley General rigged wacky style with a VMC weedless Neko hook. “There’s nothing new or surprising about this one, but the reason it’s so popular is because it gets bites even when fishing is brutal,” says Ike.
And that’s the name of the game. Choose lures that are subtle and sneaky, but proven to generate bites on America’s toughest fisheries, from the industrial Delaware River in Philadelphia, all the way down to the Sabine River near the Texas Gulf Coast.
Travel Tuesday - Why Should a Bass Angler Go Popping for Tuna?
By Pete Robbins - Half Past First Cast
I get it, you’re a hard-core basser. You drink Bait Fuel and breathe metalflake.
I was once in your shoes. I couldn’t think about, or even consider another species. I lived from derby to derby. All of my friends were bass anglers. It was my identity.
I was happy – but eventually, you get to a point where you’ve seen a lot and done a lot. I was never going to be Kevin VanDam, Brandon Palaniuk or even a lower-level tour pro. I was ok with that, but I needed something to fire me up about fishing again, and I found it in topwater tuna fishing.
Imagine the biggest strike you’ve ever seen on a Whopper Plopper or a Spook or a buzzbait and multiply it by a hundred. Make the fish 20 or 30 times bigger, too. And imagine acres of them blowing up everywhere. That’s my drug. I didn’t know it until I was 51 years old and had spent a lifetime chasing bass, but only after experiencing it multiple times did I realize how much it helped rekindle my love of bass fishing.
Remember the first time you found the winning tournament fish in practice? And then you drew out boat number one? Racing down the lake at 70 miles per hour, you knew you were going to have them all to yourself and it was going to be amazing. That’s the feeling I get when the captain in Panama sees birds diving on bait three miles away, yells “Hold on!” and guns the outboards to get there – heart pumping through my chest, can barely breathe, sweat behind my knees. Then you get there, and maybe you hook up on the first pop, or maybe the fish go down and you have to chase them another three or four miles, and then do it again.
After the first trip, I told my wife Hanna that I’d sell my bass boat if I could do the tuna deal 30 days out of the year. Fortunately, it didn’t come to that, but it takes a special experience to even get me to say that. Even if you’re a hard core bass-head, I guarantee this trip will reinvigorate you and help you be a better tournament angler. Here are some of the lessons that got drilled into me:
- The critical importance of making the first cast count. Even when fish seem to be feeding indiscriminately, a simple change of mood can end the frenzy. Don’t push the panic button;
- The value of matching the hatch. For the same reasons, sometimes it may look like the fish willveat anything that moves, but you’ll be surprised at how often they won’t;
- The need to master spinning gear. I know you’re a Bubbafied power angler with a trained thumb. You may not even own any spinning rods. Now that I’ve conquered big tuna, sailfish and other far more powerful species with the old eggbeater, I know what they can do. I never would have caught my PB 6.40 pound smallmouth in October of 2021 if I hadn’t gone tuna fishing first; and finally
- The need to keep fishing fresh and new. Seeing the sport through new eyes, in new places, where you may not have any expertise at all, makes it fun and keeps you mentally and physically ready. Besides, if you don’t like topwater fishing I don’t want to be your friend. I’ve caught big peacock bass in the Amazon on them, but they don’t hold a candle to a hard-charging 80 pound yellowfin.
I hope that my excitement is infectious. I’ve taken three groups of bass anglers to Panama and most have committed to go back, or are trying to figure out how to get there. If you’d like more information or want to join us in May of 2024 (PRIME POPPING SEASON) email me at [email protected] and let’s talk tuna.
Walker Hangs on for Win at Phoenix Bass Fishing League Event at Patoka Lake
BIRDSEYE, Ind. (May 22, 2023) – Boater Chad Walker of Morgantown, Indiana, caught four bass weighing 16 pounds, 15 ounces, Saturday to win the MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League (BFL) Presented by T-H Marine on Patoka Lake . The tournament was the second event of the season for the BFL Hoosier Division. Walker earned $5,024 for his victory.
“I had a horrible practice on Friday,” said Walker. “I fished the main lake for post-spawners and didn’t really find anything. So, on Saturday I ran up the Little Patoka as far as I could go and got on some spawners.”
Walker said he targeted grass just off the bank in 2 feet of water and flipped it with a Secret Lures Stupid Tube. The method proved good for six total bites during the day, but Walker lost two of those fish.
“I thought it would take 20 pounds to win,” Walker said. “I lost one that was easily 6 pounds right at the boat. We were getting ready to net it, and it came up and spit the tube out. When I lost it, I thought, ‘That was it.’
“This feels great, but I was nervous,” Walker added. “I’ve got three kids, and I would rank this win right up there with having children as far as how nervous I was. I was in the first flight, and I had to sit there and watch everybody weigh in. It really hasn’t even sunk in yet.”
The top 10 boaters finished the tournament:
2nd: Brody Campbell, Oxford, Ohio, five bass, 16-1, $2,917
3rd: Kevin Meunier, Lamar, Ind., five bass, 14-9, $1,464
4th: Blake Knies, Jasper, Ind., five bass, 14-6, $1,275
5th: Dustin Davis, Richmond, Ind., five bass, 12-9, $879
6th: Chris Martinkovic, Hamilton, Ohio, three bass, 12-7, $768
6th: Russ Sproessig, Columbus, Ind., five bass, 12-7, $1,268 (includes $500 Phoenix MLF Contingency Bonus)
8th: Mike Quinlin, Mooresville, Ind., four bass, 12-4, $659
9th: Nick Uebelhor, Jasper, Ind., four bass, 11-13, $586
10th: Thomas Foster, Terre Haute, Ind., five bass, 11-10, $513
Walker also caught a bass weighing 5 pounds, 8 ounces to earn the Berkley Big Bass Boater award of $630.
The top 10 Strike King co-anglers finished:
2nd: Chad Jackson, Indianapolis, Ind., three bass, 10-13, $1,096
3rd: Andrew Matuszak, Washington, Ind., four bass, 10-11, $730
4th: Kyle Lambeck, Santa Claus, Ind., three bass, 9-0, $512
5th: Nathaniel Hester, Indianapolis, Ind., two bass, 8-4, $439
6th: David Rector, Brazil, Ind., three bass, 8-3, $402
7th: Eric Case, Lexington, Ky., two bass, 7-3, $365
8th: Scott Standafer, Felicity, Ohio, two bass, 6-11, $329
9th: Larry Turner, Jr., Marion, Ind., two bass, 6-8, $492
10th: Derek Jackson, New Albany, Ind., two bass, 6-6, $256
After two events, Mike Quinlin of Mooresville, Indiana, leads the BFL Hoosier Division Boater Angler of the Year (AOY) race with 492 points, while Andrew Matuszak of Washington, Indiana, leads the Strike King Co-Angler Division AOY race with 495 points.
The top 45 boaters and co-anglers in the region based on point standings, along with the five tournament winners of each qualifying event, will qualify for the Oct. 19-21 BFL Regional tournament on Lake of the Ozarks in Osage Beach, Missouri. Boaters will fish for a top award of $60,000, including a new Phoenix 819 Pro with a 200-horsepower Mercury outboard and $10,000, while co-anglers will compete for a top award of $50,000, including a new Phoenix 819 Pro with a 200-horsepower Mercury outboard.
The 2023 Phoenix BFL Presented by T-H Marine is a 24-division circuit devoted to weekend anglers, with 128 events throughout the season, five qualifying tournaments in each division. The top 45 boaters and Strike King co-anglers from each division, along with the five qualifying event winners, will advance to one of six BFL Regional tournaments where they are competing to finish in the top six, which then qualifies them for one of the longest-running championships in all of competitive bass fishing – the BFL All-American. The 2023 All-American event will take place May 31-June 2, on Lake Hartwell in Seneca, South Carolina. The event is hosted by Visit Oconee SC.
Proud sponsors of the 2023 MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine include: 13 Fishing, Abu Garcia, B&W Trailer Hitches, Berkley, Black Rifle Coffee, E3, Epic Baits, Favorite Fishing, General Tire, Grundéns, Gill, Lew’s, Lowrance, Mercury, Mossy Oak, Mystik Lubricants, Onyx, Phoenix, Polaris, Power-Pole, Strike King, Tackle Warehouse, T-H Marine, Toyota, Wiley X and YETI.
For complete details and updated tournament information, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular Bass Fishing League updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF5’s social media outlets at Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.
Laufenberg Notches 10th Career Win at Phoenix Bass Fishing League Event at the Mississippi River at La Crosse
Conrad Claims Strike King Co-Angler Division
LA CROSSE, Wis. (May 22, 2023) – Boater Cade Laufenberg of Onalaska, Wisconsin, caught a five-bass limit weighing 20 pounds, 2 ounces, Saturday to win the MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League (BFL) Presented by T-H Marine on the Mississippi River at La Crosse . The tournament, hosted by Explore La Crosse, was the first event of the season for the BFL Great Lakes Division. Laufenberg earned $13,298, including the lucrative $7,000 Phoenix MLF Contingency Bonus, for his victory.
“In practice I clued in on the smallmouth that had finished spawning and were starting to pull out,” said Laufenberg. “They were really finicky, so I had to fish super slow and a little deeper than what most people were fishing. I committed to fishing for those smallmouth.”
Laufenberg said he fished 10- to 20-yard stretches for a half an hour to 45 minutes each with a light Texas rig for a quality bite. The stretches consisted of mostly sand bottom with a little bit of wood. To entice wary smallmouth, Laufenberg said he used a 1/8-ounce weight with a green pumpkin Strike King Rage Bug. His approach paid off with 15 keepers during the course of the day.
“This is my 10th win with Major League Fishing, and it feels really good,” Laufenberg said. “I’m really happy to have that milestone. The Phoenix Contingency money has been amazing to me.
“And to add another top-10 finish to my resume and to be leading the points … I couldn’t be happier,” Laufenberg added.
The top 10 boaters finished the tournament:
2nd: Kevin Ruh, Onalaska, Wis., five bass, 18-3, $2,309
3rd: Justin Drljaca, Cape Coral, Fla., five bass, 17-14, $1,539
4th: Clayton Reitz, Morton, Ill., five bass, 16-13, $1,078
5th: Dan Mohn, Lansing, Iowa, five bass, 16-4, $1,644
6th: Nick Trim, Galesville, Wis., five bass, 16-3, $847
7th: Josh Fitzgerald, La Crosse, Wis., five bass, 15-9, $770
8th: Brandon Gann, Sparta, Wis., five bass, 15-6, $693
9th: Austin Brimeyer, Dubuque, Iowa, five bass, 15-2, $616
10th: Curtis Samo, Rochelle, Ill., five bass, 15-0, $762
10th: Mike Brueggen, La Crosse, Wis., five bass, 15-0, $512
Richard Conrad of Arcadia, Wisconsin, won the Strike King co-angler division and a total of $3,055 Saturday, after bringing five bass to the scale that totaled 14 pounds, 13 ounces.
The top 10 Strike King co-anglers finished:
2nd: Nick Kramersmeier, Johnston, Iowa, five bass, 13-2, $1,152
3rd: Thad Vettrus, Chippewa Falls, Wis., five bass, 12-6, $768
4th: Thad Krippendorf, Stockton, Ill., five bass, 12-4, $538
5th: Hertz Skaer, Holmen, Wis., five bass, 12-2, $461
6th: C.J. Reitz, Morton, Ill., five bass, 12-1, $758
7th: Justin Oppegard, Eagan, Minn., five bass, 11-13, $365
7th: Matthew Tinsman, Peoria, Ill., five bass, 11-13, $365
9th: Timothy Wittren, Ontario, Wis., five bass, 11-10, $307
10th: Ron Mairet, Columbus Junction, Iowa, five bass, 11-7, $269
The top 45 boaters and co-anglers in the region based on point standings, along with the five tournament winners of each qualifying event, will qualify for the Oct. 19-21 BFL Regional tournament on Lake of the Ozarks in Osage Beach, Missouri. Boaters will fish for a top award of $60,000, including a new Phoenix 819 Pro with a 200-horsepower Mercury outboard and $10,000, while co-anglers will compete for a top award of $50,000, including a new Phoenix 819 Pro with a 200-horsepower Mercury outboard.
The 2023 Phoenix BFL Presented by T-H Marine is a 24-division circuit devoted to weekend anglers, with 128 events throughout the season, five qualifying tournaments in each division. The top 45 boaters and Strike King co-anglers from each division, along with the five qualifying event winners, will advance to one of six BFL Regional tournaments where they are competing to finish in the top six, which then qualifies them for one of the longest-running championships in all of competitive bass fishing – the BFL All-American. The 2023 All-American event will take place May 31-June 2, on Lake Hartwell in Seneca, South Carolina. The event is hosted by Visit Oconee SC.
Proud sponsors of the 2023 MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine include: 13 Fishing, Abu Garcia, B&W Trailer Hitches, Berkley, Black Rifle Coffee, E3, Epic Baits, Favorite Fishing, General Tire, Grundéns, Gill, Lew’s, Lowrance, Mercury, Mossy Oak, Mystik Lubricants, Onyx, Phoenix, Polaris, Power-Pole, Strike King, Tackle Warehouse, T-H Marine, Toyota, Wiley X and YETI.
For complete details and updated tournament information, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular Bass Fishing League updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF5’s social media outlets at Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.
Trim Targets Bedding Bass, Claims Victory at Second Phoenix Bass Fishing League Event at the Mississippi River of Weekend in La Crosse
LA CROSSE, Wis. (May 22, 2023) – Boater Nick Trim of Galesville, Wisconsin, caught a five-bass limit weighing 19 pounds, 1 ounce, Sunday to win the MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League (BFL) Presented by T-H Marine on the Mississippi River at La Crosse . The tournament, hosted by Explore La Crosse, was the second event of the season for the BFL Great Lakes Division. Trim earned $13,024, including the lucrative $7,000 Phoenix MLF Contingency Bonus, for his victory.
“First thing this morning, I wanted to lock into Pool 7, but there was a barge in the lock, so I pulled into a dead-end pocket and caught a couple of largemouth,” said Trim, who notched his third BFL win.
Trim said a half hour later he locked into Pool No. 7, where he had 10 bed fish he had found in practice and marked on his electronics.
“I went to them and basically picked them off one at a time,” Trim said.
Trim said his largemouth approach consisted of a black and blue Missile Baits D Bomb Creature Bait on a ¼-ounce tungsten weight. The D Bomb also produced three smallmouth for Trim.
Trim said he used his Garmin Livescope in water that was too dirty to be able to see the bedded fish.
“I watched my biggest fish of the day on my Livescope swim away every time the bait hit the bed,” Trim said. “I fished it for 45 minutes, finally hooked up, and then lost it. So, I left, came back later, and tried again. About 20 minutes went by; she finally bit, and it ended up being the big bass of the day.
“I love the spawn and I love fishing beds,” Trim added. “It’s something I’m really confident in. So, this win feels really good.”
The top 10 boaters finished the tournament:
2nd: Cade Laufenberg, Onalaska, Wis., five bass, 18-11, $2,197
3rd: Austin Bartholomew, Keosauqua, Iowa, five bass, 15-1, $1,464
4th: Dan Mohn, Lansing, Iowa, five bass, 15-0, $1,745
5th: Jeff Ritter, Prairie Du Chien, Wis., five bass, 14-9, $879
6th: Ben Potaracke, La Crosse, Wis., five bass, 14-7, $805
7th: Aidan Brown, Bangor, Wis., five bass, 14-5, $732
8th: Max Ford, Genoa, Wis., five bass, 14-4, $659
9th: Brent Schroeder, Caledonia, Minn., five bass, 14-3, $549
9th: Austin Brimeyer, Dubuque, Iowa, five bass, 14-3, $549
Trim also caught a bass weighing 4 pounds, 7 ounces to earn the Berkley Big Bass Boater award of $630.
The top 10 Strike King co-anglers finished:
2nd: Kenny Nachtman, Bellevue, Iowa, five bass, 14-0, $1,098
3rd: C.J. Reitz, Morton, Ill., five bass, 12-9, $733
4th: Hertz Skaer, Holmen, Wis., five bass, 12-8, $513
5th: Craig Fanning, Elwood, Ill., five bass, 12-6, $754
6th: Bernard Campos, Round Lake Beach, Ill., five bass, 11-14, $403
7th: Logan Sullivan, Waunakee, Wis., five bass, 11-12, $366
8th: Maddox Cejka, Prairie Du Chien, Wis., five bass, 11-3, $311
8th: Lance Olson, Necedah, Wis., five bass, 11-3, $311
10th: Troy Jutting, Savage, Minn., five bass, 10-15, $256
After two events, Cade Laufenberg of Onalaska, Wisconsin, leads the BFL Great Lakes Division Boater Angler of the Year (AOY) race with 499 points, while Hertz Skaer of Holmen, Wisconsin, leads the Strike King Co-Angler Division AOY race with 493 points.
The top 45 boaters and co-anglers in the region based on point standings, along with the five tournament winners of each qualifying event, will qualify for the Oct. 19-21 BFL Regional tournament on Lake of the Ozarks in Osage Beach, Missouri. Boaters will fish for a top award of $60,000, including a new Phoenix 819 Pro with a 200-horsepower Mercury outboard and $10,000, while co-anglers will compete for a top award of $50,000, including a new Phoenix 819 Pro with a 200-horsepower Mercury outboard.
The 2023 Phoenix BFL Presented by T-H Marine is a 24-division circuit devoted to weekend anglers, with 128 events throughout the season, five qualifying tournaments in each division. The top 45 boaters and Strike King co-anglers from each division, along with the five qualifying event winners, will advance to one of six BFL Regional tournaments where they are competing to finish in the top six, which then qualifies them for one of the longest-running championships in all of competitive bass fishing – the BFL All-American. The 2023 All-American event will take place May 31-June 2, on Lake Hartwell in Seneca, South Carolina. The event is hosted by Visit Oconee SC.
Proud sponsors of the 2023 MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine include: 13 Fishing, Abu Garcia, B&W Trailer Hitches, Berkley, Black Rifle Coffee, E3, Epic Baits, Favorite Fishing, General Tire, Grundéns, Gill, Lew’s, Lowrance, Mercury, Mossy Oak, Mystik Lubricants, Onyx, Phoenix, Polaris, Power-Pole, Strike King, Tackle Warehouse, T-H Marine, Toyota, Wiley X and YETI.
For complete details and updated tournament information, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular Bass Fishing League updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF5’s social media outlets at Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.
Ryan Davidson Tops Field at Phoenix Bass Fishing League Event at South Holston Lake
Ray Wins Strike King Co-Angler Division
BRISTOL, Tenn. (May 22, 2023) – Boater Ryan Davidson of Branchland, West Virginia, caught a five-bass limit weighing 19 pounds, 15 ounces, Saturday to win the MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League (BFL) Presented by T-H Marine on South Holston Lake. The tournament was the third event of the season for the BFL Volunteer Division. Davidson earned $14,300, including the lucrative $7,000 Phoenix MLF Contingency Bonus, for his victory.
“There was a shad spawn going on first thing in the morning,” said Davidson. “I caught probably 13 pounds of smallmouth in the first 30 minutes. It was overcast and drizzling rain, and that extended the shad spawn until about 9:30, and I culled up to around 15 pounds.”
Davidson said after the shad spawn bite ended he targeted largemouth around shallow wood cover with a Reaction Innovations Sweet Beaver. The lake level had recently risen, and Davidson said he believes late spawners took advantage of the water level and moved up to spawn. Davis said he caught 30 keepers during the course of the day, and his final weigh bag consisted of three largemouth and two smallmouth bass.
“At 10 o’clock I had around 18½ pounds,” Davidson said. “I had a 2½-pounder in my bag at that time. I figured if I could get rid of that fish, I could give myself a good shot to win.”
The Volunteer Division event was the first time Davidson had fished South Holston Lake, but he said he had a good idea of what to expect going into the competition.
“I’m real familiar with highland reservoirs,” Davidson said. “I cut my teeth at Dale Hollow and Lake Cumberland. I understand what the fish do and when they do it. With the water rising, I think it helped to have a fresh set of eyes with no past experience here. I had no preconceived notions of what to do and I fished the conditions.”
The top 10 boaters finished the tournament:
1st: Ryan Davidson, Branchland, W. Va., five bass, 19-15, $14,300 (includes $7,000 Phoenix MLF Contingency Bonus)
2nd: Clark Warren, Mason, Jefferson City, Tenn., five bass, 15-10, $2,305
3rd: Greg McDavid, Blountville, Tenn., five bass, 15-9, $1,536
4th: Donavan Carson, Bluff City, Tenn., five bass, 15-4, $1,076
5th: Jimmy Neece Jr., Bristol, Tenn., five bass, 14-14, $922
6th: Jacob Woods, Loudon, Tenn., five bass, 14-7, $845
7th: Corey Neece, Bristol, Tenn., five bass, 14-6, $729
7th: Trent Adkins, East Bernstadt, Ky., five bass, 14-6, $729
9th: Tyler Altizer, Abingdon, Va., five bass, 14-4, $615
10th: Cody Seeber, Powell, Tenn., five bass, 14-2, $511
10th: Blaine Miller, Rosedale, Va., five bass, 14-2, $511
Complete results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
Davidson also caught a bass that weighed 6 pounds, 8 ounces, and earned the Berkley Big Bass Boater award of $670.
Derek Ray of Swords Creek, Virginia, won the Strike King co-angler division and a total of $2,552 Saturday, after bringing five bass to the scale that totaled 14 pounds, 7 ounces.
The top 10 Strike King co-anglers finished:
1st: Derek Ray, Swords Creek, Va., five bass, 14-7, $2,552
2nd: James Warren, Flat Lick, Ky., five bass, 14-4, $1,116
3rd: Konnor Sweet, Abingdon, Va., five bass, 13-1, $743
4th: Brad Barton, Middlesboro, Ky., five bass, 12-14, $721
5th: Dewayne Drummonds, Gray, Ky., five bass, 12-6, $446
6th: Joe Wasson, Campbellsville, Ky., five bass, 12-5, $409
7th: Garick Robinson, Greenback, Tenn., five bass, 12-4, $372
8th: David Rhea, Meadowview, Va., four bass, 11-11, $335
9th: Bryan Morton, Knoxville, Tenn., four bass, 10-15, $298
10th: Ricky Crider, Dwale, Ky., five bass, 10-6, $410
Ray also earned the Berkley Big Bass co-angler award of $320, catching a bass that weighed in at 4 pounds, 5 ounces – the largest co-angler catch of the day.
After three events, Ryan Davidson of Branchland, West Virginia, leads the BFL Volunteer Division Boater Angler of the Year (AOY) race with 700 points, while Ricky Crider of Dwale, Kentucky, leads the Strike King Co-Angler Division AOY race with 715 points.
The top 45 boaters and co-anglers in the region based on point standings, along with the five tournament winners of each qualifying event, will qualify for the Oct. 12-14 BFL Regional tournament on Dale Hollow Lake in Byrdstown, Tennessee. Boaters will fish for a top award of $60,000, including a new Phoenix 819 Pro with a 200-horsepower Mercury outboard and $10,000, while co-anglers will compete for a top award of $50,000, including a new Phoenix 819 Pro with a 200-horsepower Mercury outboard.
The 2023 Phoenix BFL Presented by T-H Marine is a 24-division circuit devoted to weekend anglers, with 128 events throughout the season, five qualifying tournaments in each division. The top 45 boaters and Strike King co-anglers from each division, along with the five qualifying event winners, will advance to one of six BFL Regional tournaments where they are competing to finish in the top six, which then qualifies them for one of the longest-running championships in all of competitive bass fishing – the BFL All-American. The 2023 All-American event will take place May 31-June 2, on Lake Hartwell in Seneca, South Carolina. The event is hosted by Visit Oconee SC.
Proud sponsors of the 2023 MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine include: 13 Fishing, Abu Garcia, B&W Trailer Hitches, Berkley, Black Rifle Coffee, E3, Epic Baits, Favorite Fishing, General Tire, Grundéns, Gill, Lew’s, Lowrance, Mercury, Mossy Oak, Mystik Lubricants, Onyx, Phoenix, Polaris, Power-Pole, Strike King, Tackle Warehouse, T-H Marine, Toyota, Wiley X and YETI.
For complete details and updated tournament information, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular Bass Fishing League updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF5’s social media outlets at Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.
Davidson Wins Phoenix Bass Fishing League Event at Columbus Pool
Mast Tops Strike King Co-Angler Division
COLUMBUS, Miss. (May 22, 2023) – Boater Hunter Davidson of Reform, Alabama, caught a five-bass limit weighing 17 pounds, 11 ounces, Saturday to win the MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League (BFL) Presented by T-H Marine on the Columbus Pool. The tournament, hosted by Visit Columbus, was the fourth event of the season for the BFL Mississippi Division. Davidson earned $3,637 for his victory.
“I started catching them right off the bat on a shad spawn,” said Davidson. “I caught all of my weight pretty quick – around 9 o’clock I had the fish I weighed in. At that point I thought that I might have a chance to win, but I kept fishing hard all day.”
Davidson, who calls the Columbus Pool his home water, said he caught 15 bass during the course of the day on a black, blue and white Dirty Jigs Swim Jig.
“This win was a blast,” Davidson said. “I’ve wanted to win a BFL for a while. I fish all of the events in the Bama Division, and I saw this one that was close to my house on the schedule, so I it was looking forward to it. I was just blessed to get the win.”
The top 10 boaters finished the tournament:
1st: Hunter Davidson, Reform, Ala., five bass, 17-11, $3,637
2nd: T.J. Free, Carrollton, Ala., five bass, 13-15, $1,623
3rd: Andrew Gordon, Steens, Miss., five bass, 13-7, $1,082
4th: Randy Craft, Seminary, Miss., five bass, 12-7, $758
5th: Barrett Saunders, Hammond, La., five bass, 12-6, $2,119 (includes $500 Phoenix MLF Contingency Bonus)
6th: Bill Harrison, Columbus, Miss., five bass, 11-15, $595
7th: Justin McKee, Pheba, Miss., five bass, 11-12, $541
8th: Steve Hatch, Long Beach, Miss., four bass, 11-11, $487
9th: Danny Walden, Columbus, Miss., five bass, 11-7, $433
10th: Dakota Shaw, Millport, Ala., five bass, 11-0, $379
Complete results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
Davidson also caught a bass that weighed 5 pounds, 2 ounces, and earned the Berkley Big Bass Boater award of $390.
Brandon Mast of Sturgis, Mississippi, won the Strike King co-angler division and a total of $1,623 Saturday, after bringing five bass to the scale that totaled 10 pounds, 1 ounce.
The top 10 Strike King co-anglers finished:
1st: Brandon Mast, Sturgis, Miss., five bass, 10-1, $1,623
2nd: Bubba Wright, Ridgeland, Miss., four bass, 7-15, $812
3rd: Lance Jackson, Starkville, Miss., three bass, 6-7, $541
4th: Cameron Wagner, Hoover, Ala., two bass, 6-0, $379
5th: Larry McWilliams, Florence, Miss., three bass, 5-14, $325
6th: Anthony Rasberry, New Albany, Miss., two bass, 5-1, $498
7th: Thomas Sanderson, Amory, Miss., two bass, 4-13, $271
8th: Hunter Averett, Carriere, Miss., two bass, 4-11, $244
9th: Caleb Gwaltney, Athens, Ala., one bass, 4-10, $411
10th: Steve Ruth, Columbus, Miss., two bass, 4-8, $179
10th: Jack Danozsky, West Point, Miss., two bass, 4-8, $179
Caleb Gwaltney of Athens, Alabama, earned the Berkley Big Bass co-angler award of $195, catching a bass that weighed in at 4 pounds, 10 ounces – the largest co-angler catch of the day.
After four events, Randy Craft of Seminary, Mississippi, leads the BFL Mississippi Division Boater Angler of the Year (AOY) race with 941 points, while Hunter Averett of Carriere, Mississippi, leads the Strike King Co-Angler Division AOY race with 967 points.
The top 45 boaters and co-anglers in the region based on point standings, along with the five tournament winners of each qualifying event, will qualify for the Oct. 5-7 BFL Regional tournament on Lake Eufaula in Eufaula, Oklahoma. Boaters will fish for a top award of $60,000, including a new Phoenix 819 Pro with a 200-horsepower Mercury outboard and $10,000, while co-anglers will compete for a top award of $50,000, including a new Phoenix 819 Pro with a 200-horsepower Mercury outboard.
The 2023 Phoenix BFL Presented by T-H Marine is a 24-division circuit devoted to weekend anglers, with 128 events throughout the season, five qualifying tournaments in each division. The top 45 boaters and Strike King co-anglers from each division, along with the five qualifying event winners, will advance to one of six BFL Regional tournaments where they are competing to finish in the top six, which then qualifies them for one of the longest-running championships in all of competitive bass fishing – the BFL All-American. The 2023 All-American event will take place May 31-June 2, on Lake Hartwell in Seneca, South Carolina. The event is hosted by Visit Oconee SC.
Proud sponsors of the 2023 MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine include: 13 Fishing, Abu Garcia, B&W Trailer Hitches, Berkley, Black Rifle Coffee, E3, Epic Baits, Favorite Fishing, General Tire, Grundéns, Gill, Lew’s, Lowrance, Mercury, Mossy Oak, Mystik Lubricants, Onyx, Phoenix, Polaris, Power-Pole, Strike King, Tackle Warehouse, T-H Marine, Toyota, Wiley X and YETI.
For complete details and updated tournament information, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular Bass Fishing League updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF5’s social media outlets at Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.
Davis Claims Victory at Phoenix Bass Fishing League Event at Lake Sinclair
Collins Wins Strike King Co-Angler Division
MILLEDGEVILLE, Ga. (May 22, 2023) – Boater Flint Davis of Leesburg, Georgia, caught a five-bass limit weighing 20 pounds even Saturday to win the MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League (BFL) Presented by T-H Marine on Lake Sinclair Presented by Brown Oil Company. The tournament was the fourth event of the season for the BFL Bulldog Presented by Mystik Lubricants Division. Davis earned $4,889 for his victory.
“I fished for a couple of hours during practice, but couldn’t get anything going on,” said Davis. “I just ran down the lake for the first couple of hours trying to find a shad spawn and never had a bite for two hours.”
Davis said he switched tactics and began running bream bed pockets in search of his first bite.
“The first fish is a crazy story,” Davis said. “The first one was a 6-pounder, and I hooked it, and it swam under a dock and got wrapped around some concrete posts for five minutes. I figured there was no way possible I was getting that fish in. I was about to break my line, and I felt it kick one more time. I let all my slack out, and the fish swam out from under the dock and floated right to me. I thought, ‘Today might be one of those days.’”
Davis continued to run bream beds in clear water and targeted fish on his Garmin Livescope. He added two 4-pounders to the livewell, and continued fishing topwater baits in shade to fill his weigh bag.
“It’s been a slow season for me, but I finally turned things around,” said Davis. “It’s been one of those years where everything that could go wrong has, so it feels good to finally get everything to flow and it happened the way it’s supposed to this week.”
The top 10 boaters finished the tournament:
1st: Flint Davis, Leesburg, Ga., five bass, 20-0, $4,889
2nd: Matthew O’Connell, Brooks, Ga., five bass, 18-2, $2,744 (includes $500 Phoenix MLF Contingency Bonus)
3rd: Mark Burns, Good Hope, Ga., five bass, 16-6, $1,297
4th: Noah Armstrong, Fayetteville, Ga., five bass, 16-4, $907
5th: Chris Blair, Newnan, Ga., five bass, 14-8, $778
6th: Kip Carter, Eatonton, Ga., five bass, 14-7, $713
7th: Emil Wagner, Marietta, Ga., five bass, 13-8, $648
8th: Shane Salisbury, Cumming, Ga., five bass, 13-5, $583
9th: Pete Fargo, Acworth, Ga., five bass, 13-0, $486
9th: Jimmy Cassity, Auburn, Ga., five bass, 13-0, $486
Complete results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
Noah Cobb of Canton, Georgia, caught a bass that weighed 8 pounds, 1 ounce, and earned the Berkley Big Bass Boater award of $525.
Demetrice Collins of Thomson, Georgia, won the Strike King co-angler division and a total of $1,944 Saturday, after bringing five bass to the scale that totaled 13 pounds, 7 ounces.
The top 10 Strike King co-anglers finished:
1st: Demetrice Collins, Thomson, Ga., five bass, 13-7, $1,944
2nd: Conery Williams, Macon, Ga., five bass, 10-2, $972
3rd: Rodney Soles, Dublin, Ga., five bass, 10-0, $649
4th: Tyler Mangum, Canton, Ga., five bass, 9-9, $454
5th: Ryan Soles, Dublin, Ga., five bass, 9-7, $389
6th: Gerald Bennett, Dallas, Ga., five bass, 8-13, $340
6th: Benjie Winkler, Cleveland, Ga., five bass, 8-13, $340
8th: Garry Hutchison, Sharpsburg, Ga., five bass, 8-10, $292
9th: Deondre Cooksey, Thomasville, Ga., five bass, 8-0, $259
10th: Chandler White, Covington, Ga., five bass, 7-14, $227
Colby Matthews of Madison, Georgia, earned the Berkley Big Bass co-angler award of $262, catching a bass that weighed in at 5 pounds, 2 ounces – the largest co-angler catch of the day.
After four events, Matthew O’Connell of Brooks, Georgia, leads the BFL Bulldog Presented by Mystik Lubricants Division Boater Angler of the Year (AOY) race with 938 points, while Benjie Winkler of Cleveland, Georgia, leads the Strike King Co-Angler Division AOY race with 930 points.
The top 45 boaters and co-anglers in the region based on point standings, along with the five tournament winners of each qualifying event, will qualify for the Oct. 19-21 BFL Regional tournament on Lake Norman in Huntersville, North Carolina. Boaters will fish for a top award of $60,000, including a new Phoenix 819 Pro with a 200-horsepower Mercury outboard and $10,000, while co-anglers will compete for a top award of $50,000, including a new Phoenix 819 Pro with a 200-horsepower Mercury outboard.
The 2023 Phoenix BFL Presented by T-H Marine is a 24-division circuit devoted to weekend anglers, with 128 events throughout the season, five qualifying tournaments in each division. The top 45 boaters and Strike King co-anglers from each division, along with the five qualifying event winners, will advance to one of six BFL Regional tournaments where they are competing to finish in the top six, which then qualifies them for one of the longest-running championships in all of competitive bass fishing – the BFL All-American. The 2023 All-American event will take place May 31-June 2, on Lake Hartwell in Seneca, South Carolina. The event is hosted by Visit Oconee SC.
Proud sponsors of the 2023 MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine include: 13 Fishing, Abu Garcia, B&W Trailer Hitches, Berkley, Black Rifle Coffee, E3, Epic Baits, Favorite Fishing, General Tire, Grundéns, Gill, Lew’s, Lowrance, Mercury, Mossy Oak, Mystik Lubricants, Onyx, Phoenix, Polaris, Power-Pole, Strike King, Tackle Warehouse, T-H Marine, Toyota, Wiley X and YETI.
For complete details and updated tournament information, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular Bass Fishing League updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF5’s social media outlets at Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.
Foster Bradley and Nick Harris Win ABT Logan Martin Lake
By Jason Duran
The fourth stop of the Alabama Bass Trail South Division was held on Logan Martin Lake. The lake host was the city of Lincoln that developed a premier tournament facility in Lincoln’s Landing. With over 350 parking spaces for trailers and trucks, a very spacious multilane boat ramp, and dock space, Lincoln’s Landing provides ample space for the 225 ABT teams. Logan Martin Lake is also a great lake for teams to catch largemouth and spotted bass. The spotted bass population is in abundance and provides anglers of all ages a fun opportunity to catch fish. Teams competed for the top prize of $10,000 and Angler of the Year points.
Foster Bradley and Nick Harris finished in first place. “After practice, we started this morning down the lake using top water baits. Based on practice, we felt this area was going to be productive for us, but we only caught around 7-pounds fishing down lake. We knew the schedule said they were going to start pulling water around 8 am, so we decided to make a move and head back up the lake to fish. As we started back up, we noticed the current was flowing which helped position the fish in areas where we needed them to be. The retrieve for us was the key. We targeted very shallow grass areas using a Davis Baits Swim jig in a couple different colors including black and blue and white and brim colors. We paired the jig with a Hammer 7-foot heavy rod with 65-pound braid. We have a lot of confidence in that bait, and when we caught a couple of fish using it today, it helped our confidence to keep using it and clued us in more on what we needed to keep doing. We caught about 20 fish today with a mixture of spotted bass and largemouth. This afternoon we culled out all the spotted bass and upgraded them with largemouth. We felt like we needed around 17-18 pounds to win this event, and at the end of our day, thought we were still one bite away. We had a 2-pound fish and spent the last hour and a half trying to cull out with no success.” When the scales closed, 16.66 pounds was enough for first place and $10,000.
The team of Mark McCaig and Tim Hurts finished in second place with 15.86 pounds and a big fish of a 5.85 largemouth. The team has fished Logan Martin Lake for many years. Tim lives on the lake and knows it very well. The key for Mark and Tim was to “fish for largemouth all day long. There are places on this lake you can go and catch spotted bass all day in the 2.5-3- pound range, but you cannot waste time doing that if you want to win tournaments. We knew if we focused on largemouth, we would not get as many bites. However, the bites we did get would be the ones needed to win. We caught the big one, but we needed one more to cull out our small one that was around 2 pounds. Looking back at tournaments here, the teams winning always have big, largemouth to win. We decided that was what we needed to do, so we focused on that all day. We fished four or five big areas targeting fish 5-6 feet or less. The fish are done spawning here, so we tried to fish areas where the fish were coming through headed out towards the ledge. The baits that were productive for us were Shakey Head and Crankbaits. The big fish came one a green pumpkin Senko. With this win, they collected a $5,000 payday plus a $2,500 Phoenix Boats payday bonus, and a $500 Big Fish Bonus.
The third-place team of Ethan King and Fletcher Phillips caught 15.36 pounds. “In practice, we looked around for a shad spawn and found an area to start on tournament day. We were boat 126 and ran to a spot we found in practice about 3 or 4 miles in the back of a creek where we found the shad spawn. When we got there this morning, the shad spawn was still going on and no other boats were on the spot. We were hoping this area would be productive for us and provide a good largemouth. The shad spawn lasted about an hour.” They fished this area “swimming a Dirty Jigs swim jig in white and Jackall Kaera Frog. After the shad spawn, we moved out to fish docks and river ledges fishing a War Eagle ½ oz ball head jig and Rapala DT 6 and 10 Crank Bait in Disco Shad. We caught about 20 fish, about 11 pounds, on the shad spawn and 30-40 fish came the rest of the day on docks and river ledge” to help cull up to the third-place weight of 15.36 pounds. Prior to this event, they were in 15th place in AOY standings and moved into 5th place with a good opportunity to make the AOY top 9 to qualify for the BASS Team Championship. With their third-place finish they earned a $4,000 payday.
The top five standings are below for a complete list of standings please visit:
https://www.alabamabasstrail.org/logan-martin-lake/results/
With only one event left here are the current AOY Standings for the South Division:
PLACE ANGLERS POINTS
1 Chris Rutland/Coby Carden 834
2 Jacob George/Ryan Sweeney 807
3 Rob Lee/Steve Winslett 805
4 Mike Freeman/Zac Freeman 796
5 Ethan King/Fletcher Phillips 793
6 Lanier Burton/Kelly Jaye 791
7 Justin Mott/Randal Hamilton 787
8 Josh Chapple/Paul Davis 784
9 CJ Knight/Anthony Goggins 771
10 Robert Medas /Carlton Alford 769
11 Mark Mccaig/Tim Hurst 764
12 Brian Adamson/Ryan Lloyd 763
Download and listen to the ABT Podcast on your favorite Podcast app by searching for “Alabama Bass Trail Podcast.” The Podcast is released each week on Tuesday.
For Live coverage from this event and others visit https://www.youtube.com/@alabamabasstrailtv
Wheeler Earns Win at MLF Bass Pro Tour Toro Stage Four on Lake Guntersville
Harrison, Tennessee, Pro Catches Limit Weighing 54-15 to Win by 9-Pound 7-Ounce Margin and Earn $100,000 Top Prize
GUNTERSVILLE, Ala. (May 21, 2023) – Reigning Bally Bet Angler of the Year (AOY) Jacob Wheeler of Harrison, Tennessee, has six Bass Pro Tour wins – more than any other angler in Major League Fishing History – but he hasn’t hoisted a trophy since Stage Six of 2021. However, Wheeler caught 13 scorable bass Sunday, with his best five weighing 25 pounds, 6 ounces, to win the Major League Fishing (MLF) Bass Pro Tour Toro Stage Four at Lake Guntersville Presented by Bass Cat Boats and earn the top payout of $100,000.
Wheeler’s two-day total of 10 bass weighing 54 pounds, 15 ounces, gave him the victory by a 9-pound, 7-ounce margin over second-place finisher Jacob Wall of New Hope, Alabama, who weighed in 10 bass totaling 45-8, good for $45,000.
“It’s truly special to win this event,” Wheeler said. “The Tennessee River holds a very special place in my heart. It’s been good to me.”
Lake Guntersville has changed in recent years from a lake that featured typical TVA current, when baits such as a football-head jig and a crankbait were the norm. Eel grass has become prevalent, and it has cleared up the water – to the point where the bottom is visible in 7 to 8 feet of water in some places. Wheeler adjusted and went to a lighter finesse rig and dominated the field.
“I had a couple of places in my back pocket that I knew if I needed to get a bite, I could get one,” Wheeler said. “If I had 25 places, I bet you I caught a bass on 20 of them.”
Wheeler said he relied on a 7-foot medium-action Duckett spinning rod, a Shimano Vanford 2500 spinning reel, 8-pound-test Sufix NanoBraid Nanofilament Braid, and a Sufix fluorocarbon leader to boat his bass during the event. Wheeler said he also relied heavily on a bait he kept secret all week – a bait he said accounted for “99 percent” of his bass.
“I developed a soft plastic line with a company, and it’s really impressive,” Wheeler said. “The Freeloader has a really unique action. I spent a lot of time on this bait to get it to do exactly what I wanted it to do with the action. It has a shad profile, and a lot of these fish were eating threadfin shad. That bait did a phenomenal job of matching the hatch. It’s a fish catcher.”
The soft plastic Freeloader features a VMC hybrid jig head and a hybrid Spro hook. According to Wheeler, the bait will debut at ICAST in July and be available to the public sometime in the fall.
“It triggers big ones into biting,” Wheeler said. “And that really was the key this week. You throw it out and ‘shake and bake it’. The action of that bait just triggers the big fish.”
While Wheeler will savor the long-awaited victory, he isn’t going to be content with a lone win in 2023.
“I had a really great season last year and won Angler of the Year, but I never won an event,” Wheeler said. “And the goal every single year is to win an event. If you win an event, you try to win two, and if you win two, you try to win three… every single win is special.”
The final 10 pros from the Toro Stage Four at Lake Guntersville Presented by Bass Cat Boats are:
1st: Jacob Wheeler, Harrison, Tenn., 10 bass, 54-15, $100,000
2nd: Jacob Wall, New Hope, Ala., 10 bass, 45-8, $45,000
3rd: Adrian Avena, Vineland, N.J., 10 bass, 43-11, $38,000
4th: David Dudley, Lynchburg, Va., 10 bass, 43-8, $32,000
5th: Matt Becker, Ten Mile, Tenn., 10 bass, 43-0, $30,000
6th: Edwin Evers, Talala, Okla., 10 bass, 41-5, $26,000
7th: Takahiro Omori, Tokyo, Japan, 10 bass, 37-0, $23,000
8th: Bradley Roy, Lancaster, Ky., eight bass, 28-11, $21,000
9th: Randall Tharp, Port Saint Joe, Fla., six bass, 25-4, $19,000
10th: Ott Defoe, Blaine, Tenn., five bass, 24-8, $16,000
Full results for entire field can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
Overall, there were 77 scorable bass weighing 253 pounds, 11 ounces caught by nine pros Sunday.
Wheeler also earned Sunday’s Championship Round $1,000 Berkley Big Bass award with a 6-pound, 2-ounce bass he caught on the Freeloader in Period 2. David Dudley of Lynchburg, Virginia, earned the $3,000 Berkley Big Bass award for the largest bass of the overall event with his 7-pound, 9-ounce largemouth that he weighed on Day 4 of competition.
After four events in the Bass Pro Tour regular season, Ott DeFoe of Blaine, Tennessee, is the leader in the 2023 Bass Pro Tour Bally Bet Angler of the Year (AOY) standings with 302 points. Pro Edwin Evers of Talala, Oklahoma, sits in second place with 260 points, while Dakota Ebare of Brookeland, Texas , rounds out the top three with 254 points. Bally Bet will award $100,000 to the 2023 Bass Pro Tour Bally Bet Angler of the Year winner.
The next regular season Bass Pro Tour event will take place next month – the Favorite Fishing Stage Five at Cayuga Lake Presented by ATG x Wrangler, June 6-11, at Cayuga Lake in Union Springs, New York.
The Toro Stage Four at Lake Guntersville Presented by Bass Cat Boats featured pros competing using the MLF catch, weigh, immediate-release format, with each angler’s five (5) heaviest bass per day tallied as their day’s weight. Anglers strive to catch their heaviest five fish each day, while also feeling the pressure and intensity of the live scoring SCORETRACKER® leaderboard. Minimum weights are determined individually for each competition waters that the Bass Pro Tour visits, based on the productivity, bass population and anticipated average size of fish in each fishery.
The six-day event, hosted by Marshall County Tourism & Sports, showcased a field of 80 of the top professional anglers in the world, competing for a purse of more than $805,000, including a top payout of $100,000 and valuable Angler of the Year (AOY) points in hopes of qualifying for the General Tire Heavy Hitters All-Star event and REDCREST 2024, the Bass Pro Tour championship.
Television coverage of the Toro Stage Four at Lake Guntersville Presented by Bass Cat Boats will air as two, two-hour episodes starting at 7 a.m. ET, on Saturday, Oct. 7 and Saturday, Oct. 14 on the Discovery Channel. New MLF episodes premiere each Saturday morning on Discovery, with re-airings on the Outdoor Channel.
Proud sponsors of the 2023 MLF Bass Pro Tour include: 13 Fishing, Abu Garcia, Ark Fishing, ATG + Wrangler, B&W Trailer Hitches, Bally Bet, Bass Cat Boats, Bass Pro Shops, Berkley, Black Rifle Coffee, Daiwa, Epic Baits, Favorite Fishing, Ferguson, Fox Rent A Car, General Tire, Grundéns, Humminbird, Lowrance, Minn Kota, Mercury, Mossy Oak, Onyx, Power-Pole, Rapala, Star tron, T-H Marine, TORO, Toyota, U.S. Air Force, Yellowstone Bourbon, Yo-Zuri and Zoom Baits.
For complete details and updated information on Major League Fishing and the Bass Pro Tour, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF’s social media outlets at Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.
Alec Morrison Wins MLF Toyota Series Southwestern Division Finale on Sam Rayburn Reservoir
New York Pro Sets New Toyota Series All-Time Record for Largest Winning Margin with 24-Pound Victory over Tater Reynolds
BROOKELAND, Texas (May 21, 2023) – Pro Alec Morrison of Peru, New York, brought five bass to the scale, Saturday, totaling 16 pounds, 3 ounces, to win the Toyota Series at Sam Rayburn Reservoir and earn the top payout of $70,975, including the lucrative $35,000 Phoenix MLF Bonus. The unique thing about that, though, is that Morrison could have taken the day off.
Morrison’s three-day total of 15 bass weighing 73-5 earned him the victory by a jaw-dropping 24-pound margin – the largest margin of victory in MLF (and FLW) Toyota Series history. The previous largest winning margin was 17-15 and belonged to Ken Howden, a mark he set in 2011 on Roosevelt Lake.
“Despite the lead I had coming into today, I didn’t sleep at all last night,” Morrison admitted. “I was extremely nervous this morning and all day until I caught my one big one. It was just so hard for me to believe that it was actually coming true, I don’t think my nerves have let up even still.”
The 23-year-old angler started his Day 3 the same way he had all week – ‘scoping out deeper brush piles looking for big ones. That strategy proved extremely effective the first two days, as that’s how the bulk of Morrison’s impressive bags were caught. But on Saturday, Morrison’s pattern took a while to get going.
“It was a slower start to the morning, but I stuck with the same strategy,” Morrison explained. “What I thought was my primary spot going into today didn’t really work out. It was great the first two days, but nothing happened there today. I didn’t freak out, I just ran around a lot and hit some other spots and was able to find what I needed to.”
Morrison was able to hunker down and fill his limit around 9:30 a.m., and then culled a few times to get him up to 16-3 for the day. A few variations of soft plastic worms were the winning bait combinations including a drop-shot, a free rig and a Texas rig with a sliding football head. However, Morrison insists that it was more about the spots he had picked out than any specific bait.
The New York kid now prepares to make the long trek back to upstate New York near the banks of Lake Champlain with a trophy and big check in tow. He has plans to fish a few of the Northern Division stops this summer to prepare himself for his Toyota Series Championship appearance in November.
The top 10 pros on Sam Rayburn Reservoir finished:
1st: Alec Morrison, Peru, N.Y., 15 bass, 73-5, $70,975 (includes $35,000 Phoenix MLF Bonus)
2nd: Tater Reynolds, Florien, La., 15 bass, 49-5, $14,240
3rd: Cody Huff, Ava, Mo., 15 bass, 48-12, $10,793
4th: Jeff Reynolds, Calera, Okla., 15 bass, 48-1, $8,994
5th: Jaden Parrish, Liberty, Texas, 15 bass, 47-13, $8,594
6th: Kris Wilson, Montgomery, Texas, 15 bass, 47-9, $7,695
7th: Keith Combs, Huntington, Texas, 15 bass, 45-5, $6,296
8th: Brett Preuett, Monroe, La., 15 bass, 44-13, $5,396
9th: Matt Reed, Madisonville, Texas, 15 bass, 44-13, $4,497
10th: Marshall Hughes, Hemphill, Texas, 15 bass, 44-7, $3,598
Complete results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
On Thursday, pro Jeff Reynolds earned the $500 Day 1 Berkley Big Bass award in the pro division with a bass weighing 10 pounds, 10 ounces. On Friday pro Matt Reed earned the $500 Berkley Big Bass prize with a largemouth weighing in at 8 pounds, 15 ounces.
Chance Shelby of Denim Springs, Louisiana, won the Strike King Co-angler Division Saturday with a three-day total of 15 bass weighing 31 pounds, 9 ounces. Shelby took home the top co-angler prize package worth $33,500, including a new Phoenix 518 Pro bass boat with a 115-horsepower Mercury outboard motor.
The top 10 Strike King co-anglers on Sam Rayburn Reservoir finished:
1st: Chance Shelby, Denim Springs, La., 15 bass, 31-9, Phoenix 518 Pro boat w/115-hp Mercury outboard
2nd: Morgan White, Jasper, Texas, 12 bass, 31-2, $4,549
3rd: Robert Davis, Lufkin, Texas, 15 bass, 30-0, $3,639
4th: Robert Williams, Houston, Texas, 15 bass, 29-15, $3,184
5th: William Easley, Pollok, Texas, 11 bass, 29-4, $2,729
6th: Zack Nick, Lufkin, Texas, 15 bass, 29-3, $2,274
7th: Cedric Jackson, Sicily Island, La., 15 bass, 29-2, $1,819
8th: Casey McCommons, Ina, Ill., 14 bass, 28-13, $1,667
9th: Bryan Hester, Bossier City, La., 11 bass, 26-9, $1,440
10th: Nick Stanislaus, Porter, Texas, 15 bass, 25-11, $1,337
Sloan earned Thursday’s $150 Berkley Big Bass co-angler award after weighing in a 7-pound, 14-ounce largemouth, while Friday’s Day 2 $150 co-angler award was split between Casey McCommons and Bryan Hester, who both weighed in a bass that totaled 7 pounds, 2 ounces.
The three-day tournament was hosted by the Jasper-Lake Sam Rayburn Area Chamber of Commerce, and was the third and final regular-season event for the 2023 Toyota Series Southwestern Division.
With the three regular-season events in the Toyota Series Presented by Phoenix Boats Southwestern Division now complete, pro Todd Castledine of Nacogdoches, Texas, was crowned the 2023 Southwestern Division Pro Angler of the Year (AOY) and earned the $5,000 AOY bonus with a total of 743 points. Cedric Jackson of Sicily Island, Louisiana, won the 2023 Southwestern Division Strike King Co-angler AOY race and the $2,000 AOY bonus with 757 points.
The Toyota Series Presented by Phoenix Boats at Sam Rayburn Reservoir was hosted by the Jasper-Lake Sam Rayburn Area Chamber of Commerce. It was the third and final regular-season event for the Toyota Series Southwestern Division. The next event for the top 25 anglers in the Toyota Series Southwestern Division AOY standings will be the Toyota Series Championship at Table Rock Lake, Nov. 2-4, in Branson, Missouri. For a complete schedule of events, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com.
The 2023 Toyota Series Presented by Phoenix Boats consists of six divisions – Central, Northern, Plains, Southern, Southwestern and the Western Division Presented by Tackle Warehouse – each holding three regular-season events, along with the International and Wild Card divisions. Anglers who fish in any of the six divisions or the Wild Card division and finish in the top 25 will qualify for the no-entry-fee Toyota Series Championship for a shot at winning up to $235,000 and a qualification to REDCREST 2024. The winning Strike King co-angler at the championship earns a new Phoenix 518 Pro bass boat with a 115-horsepower Mercury outboard. The 2023 Toyota Series Championship on Table Rock Lake in Branson, Missouri, is hosted by ExploreBranson.com.
Proud sponsors of the 2023 MLF Toyota Series include: 13 Fishing, Abu Garcia, B&W Trailer Hitches, Black Rifle Coffee Company, E3, Favorite Fishing, Fox Rent a Car, General Tire, Gill, Grundéns, Lew’s, Lowrance, Mercury, Mossy Oak, Next Gen Lithium, Onyx, Phoenix, Polaris, Power-Pole, Strike King, Tackle Warehouse, T-H Marine, Wiley X and YETI.
For complete details and updated information visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular Toyota Series updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow the MLF5 social media outlets at Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.
Wheeler Leads Going into Final Day at MLF Bass Pro Tour Toro Stage Four on Lake Guntersville
Tennessee Pro Catches Five Largemouth Weighing 29 Pounds, 9 Ounces to Pace Knockout Round Field, Final 10 Anglers Set for Championship Sunday and Shootout for $100,000
GUNTERSVILLE, Ala. (May 20, 2023) – Reigning Bally Bet Angler of the Year (AOY) Jacob Wheeler of Harrison, Tennessee, caught 21 scorable bass Saturday, with his best five weighing 29 pounds, 9 ounces, to lead the 40-angler Knockout Round and advance along with the top 10 anglers to Sunday’s final day Championship Round at the Major League Fishing (MLF) Bass Pro Tour Toro Stage Four at Lake Guntersville Presented by Bass Cat Boats.
Wheeler will bring a sizeable 5-pound, 1-ounce advantage over second-place pro Ott Defoe of Blaine, Tennessee, who weighed in five bass totaling 24-8 to end the day in second place. Pro Adrian Avena of Vineland, New Jersey, sits in third place with five bass weighing 23-12, while Edwin Evers of Talala, Oklahoma , weighed in five bass totaling 23-11 to finish the day in fourth. Lynchburg, Virginia’s, David Dudley caught five bass weighing 23-1 to round out the top five.
Sunday’s final standings are still up in the air – a 30-pound bag is always a possibility at Guntersville – and less than nine pounds separates the 10 remaining anglers. Competition resumes Sunday morning with the Championship Round, where weight carries over from the Knockout Round and the angler with the heaviest two-day total will win the top prize of $100,000.
“I had a great day on the water, and you live for those days,” Wheeler said. “It was one of those days where every decision I made seemed like the right one.”
Wheeler is known for his tendency to bounce from spot to spot to cover water, but he said recreational boat traffic kept him stationary during part of the day.
“I was bouncing around a little bit,” Wheeler said. “I would spend some time in some zones, but I didn’t spend all my time in those areas. It was tough to get around on a Saturday in some places, so I squatted a little bit more than I would. As the rain hit, things opened up, and I was able to bounce around a little bit.”
Rain fell in the afternoon for 20 to 30 minutes, and the bite turned on as the rain approached. The rain, combined with a slowdown in recreational boat traffic, allowed fish to set back up on schools. As a result, a large number of fish turned on to feed and were caught during that period.
Wheeler said four of his five biggest bass of the day came on a yet-to-be released bait he designed called the Hitchhiker that will debut at ICAST in July. Wheeler’s Saturday catch included nine bass over four pounds – including three that weighed more than six pounds.
“Lake Guntersville is impressive,” Wheeler said. “It might be the best Tennessee River bass-fishing lake in the country. It just pumps them out every single day. There are more 3- to 5-pounders in this lake than just about anywhere else that I’ve ever been.
“Obviously it was a really good day,” Wheeler added. “Better than I anticipated. I was fortunate to get a couple of the right bites, got them in the boat, and hopefully, I can repeat that tomorrow. Anybody can drop a 30-pound bag at any point in time, so I’m definitely not safe. I think I need to catch another 25 pounds to have a real good shot at taking this one home.”
The top 10 pros that now advance to Sunday’s Championship Round on Lake Guntersville are:
1st: Jacob Wheeler, Harrison, Tenn., five bass, 29-9
2nd: Ott Defoe, Blaine, Tenn., five bass, 24-8
3rd: Adrian Avena, Vineland, N.J., five bass, 23-12
4th: Edwin Evers, Talala, Okla., five bass, 23-11
5th: David Dudley, Lynchburg, Va., five bass, 23-1
6th: Randall Tharp, Port Saint Joe, Fla, five bass, 22-7
7th: Matt Becker, Ten Mile, Tenn., five bass, 21-7
8th: Jacob Wall, New Hope, Ala., five bass, 21-2
9th: Bradley Roy, Lancaster, Ky., five bass, 21-1
10th: Takahiro Omori, Tokyo, Japan, five bass, 20-12
Finishing in 11th through 40th are:
11th: Alton Jones, Jr., Waco, Texas, five bass, 20-2, $10,000
12th: Michael Neal, Dayton, Tenn., five bass, 19-6, $10,000
13th: Brent Ehrler, Redlands, Calif., five bass, 19-0, $10,000
14th: Dustin Connell, Clanton, Ala., five bass, 18-12, $10,000
15th: Bryan Thrift, Shelby, N.C., five bass, 18-7, $10,000
16th: Jesse Wiggins, Addison, Ala., five bass, 18-2, $10,000
17th: Jordan Lee, Cullman, Ala., five bass, 17-8, $10,000
18th: James Elam, Tulsa, Okla., five bass, 17-4, $10,000
19th: Josh Butler, Hayden, Ala., five bass, 17-3, $10,000
20th: Cody Meyer, Star, Idaho, five bass, 17-0, $10,000
21st: James Watson, Lampe, Mo., five bass, 16-12, $10,000
22nd: Gerald Spohrer, Gonzales, La., five bass, 15-12, $10,000
23rd: Greg Vinson, Wetumpka, Ala., five bass, 15-10, $10,000
24th: Dakota Ebare, Brookeland, Texas, five bass, 15-0, $10,000
25th: Todd Faircloth, Jasper, Ala., five bass, 15-0, $10,000
26th: Spencer Shuffield, Hot Springs, Ark., five bass, 14-15, $10,000
27th: Zack Birge, Blanchard, Okla., five bass, 13-15, $10,000
28th: Stephen Browning, Hot Springs, Ark., five bass, 13-11, $10,000
29th: Kelly Jordon, Flint, Texas, five bass, 13-11, $10,000
30th: Brett Hite, Phoenix, Ariz., five bass, 13-6, $10,000
31st: Marty Robinson, Lyman, S.C., five bass, 12-11, $10,000
32nd: Mark Daniels, Jr., Tuskegee, Ala., five bass, 12-11, $10,000
33rd: Shin Fukae, Osaka, Japan, five bass, 12-1, $10,000
34th: Anthony Gagliardi, Prosperity, S.C., five bass, 12-0, $10,000
35th: Justin Lucas, Guntersville, Ala., four bass, 11-9, $10,000
36th: Jonathon VanDam, Kalamazoo, Mich., four bass, 11-3, $10,000
37th: Timmy Horton, Muscle Shoals, Ala., three bass, 9-2, $10,000
38th: Dylan Hays, Hot Springs, Ark., two bass, 6-4, $10,000
39th: Scott Suggs, Alexander, Ark., two bass, 4-14, $10,000
40th: Matt Lee, Cullman, Ala., one bass, 4-10, $10,000
A complete list of results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
Overall, there were 334 scorable bass weighing 1,031 pounds, 8 ounces caught by the 40 pros Saturday, which included 13 5-pounders, 10 6-pounders and one 7-pounder.
Saturday’s $1,000 Berkley Big Bass Award went to pro Bryan Thrift of Shelby, North Carolina, who caught a 7-pound, 6-ounce largemouth in Period 1 on a Texas-rigged ribbon-tail worm to earn the payout. Berkley awards $1,000 to the angler who weighs the heaviest bass each day, and a $3,000 bonus to the angler who weighs the heaviest bass of the tournament.
The six-day event, hosted by Marshall County Tourism & Sports, showcases 80 of the top professional anglers in the world, competing for a purse of more than $805,000, including a top payout of $100,000 and valuable Angler of the Year (AOY) points in hopes of qualifying for the General Tire Heavy Hitters All-Star event and REDCREST 2024, the Bass Pro Tour championship.
The 40 Anglers in Group A competed in their two-day qualifying round on Tuesday and Thursday – the 40 anglers in Group B on Wednesday and Friday. After the two-day qualifying round, the top 20 anglers from each group advanced to Saturday’s Knockout Round. In the Knockout Round, weights were zeroed, and the remaining 40 anglers competed to finish in the top 10 to advance to the Championship Round. In the Championship Round on Sunday, weight carries over from the Knockout Round and the angler with the heaviest two-day total will win the top prize of $100,000.
The final 10 anglers will launch at 7:30 a.m. CT Sunday from the Guntersville Civitan Park, located at 1130 Sunset Drive in Guntersville. The General Tire Takeout will be held at the park beginning at 4 p.m. Fans are welcome to attend all launch and takeout events and also encouraged to follow the event online throughout the day on the MLF NOW!® live stream and SCORETRACKER® coverage at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
As part of the event, on Sunday, May 21 the MLF Fan Experience will be taking place at Civitan Park in Guntersville from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. MLF will welcome fans of all ages to celebrate fishing and the outdoors with concerts in the park, hosted by Explore Lake Guntersville, featuring country music artist Jackson Chase. Food and drinks will be available from local food trucks and fans can check out the latest gear and offerings from MLF and MLF sponsors including Toyota, Favorite Fishing, Kubota, U.S. Air Force, and The Fallen Outdoors. Fans can hang out and watch the pros live on the MLF NOW! big screen during the MLF Watch Party, and the final 10 Championship Round Bass Pro Tour anglers will be on hand at the trophy celebration to meet and greet fans, sign autographs, and take selfies.
The Toro Stage Four at Lake Guntersville Presented by Bass Cat Boats will feature pros competing using the MLF catch, weigh, immediate-release format, with each angler’s five (5) heaviest bass per day tallied as their day’s weight. Anglers strive to catch their heaviest five fish each day, while also feeling the pressure and intensity of the live scoring SCORETRACKER® leaderboard. Minimum weights are determined individually for each competition waters that the Bass Pro Tour visits, based on the productivity, bass population and anticipated average size of fish in each fishery.
The 2023 MLF Bass Pro Tour features a field of 80 of the top professional anglers in the world competing across seven regular-season tournaments around the country, fishing for millions of dollars and valuable points to qualify for the annual General Tire Heavy Hitters all-star event and REDCREST 2024, the Bass Pro Tour championship, held March 13-17, 2024, on Lay Lake in Birmingham, Alabama.
The MLF NOW!® broadcast team of Chad McKee, Marty Stone and J.T. Kenney will break down the extended action live on all six days of competition from 7:45 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. CT. MLF NOW!® will be live streamed on MajorLeagueFishing.com and the MyOutdoorTV (MOTV) app.
Television coverage of the Toro Stage Four at Lake Guntersville Presented by Bass Cat Boats will air as two, two-hour episodes starting at 7 a.m. ET, on Saturday, Oct. 7 and Saturday, Oct. 14 on the Discovery Channel. New MLF episodes premiere each Saturday morning on Discovery, with re-airings on the Outdoor Channel.
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Huge morning rally lifts Rasmussen to Bassmaster Open win at Wheeler Lake
Adam Rasmussen of Sturgeon Bay, Wis., has won the 2023 St. Croix Bassmaster Open at Wheeler Lake with a three-day total of 54 pounds, 15 ounces.
Photo by Andy Crawford/B.A.S.S.
May 20, 2023
DECATUR, Ala. — Adam Rasmussen proved that good things do indeed come to those that wait.
The pro from Sturgeon Bay, Wis., leveraged a blistering morning bite to complete a three-day total of 54 pounds, 15 ounces and claim a close victory in the St. Croix Bassmaster Open at Wheeler Lake.
After placing seventh on Day 1 with 19-2, Rasmussen added a second-round limit of 14-2 and held his position. Then Championship Saturday saw him weigh in 21-11 — the final round’s heaviest bag and the second-heaviest of the tournament.
Edging Bassmaster Elite Series star Brandon Palaniuk of Rathdrum, Idaho, by 7 ounces, Rasmussen notched his first B.A.S.S. win. He earned $51,567 and qualified for the 2024 Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic presented by Toyota March 22-24 in Tulsa, Okla., with fishing on Grand Lake O’ the Cherokees.
“I was telling my buddy (fellow Bassmaster Opens Elite Qualifier pro) Brad Leuthner, 'I’ve never been to a Classic. I’ve never worked one (for sponsors). I’m not going until I fish one,’” Rasmussen said. “Now I’m going to Grand Lake. It’s awesome.”
After enduring the frustrations of a crowded fishery, Day 3 saw Rasmussen finally able to fish one of his intended targets. As it turned out, he could have trailered his boat in time for breakfast, sat out the rainy, blustery day and still won the tournament.
“It was a spot I didn’t get to fish all week because there were too many boats on it,” Rasmussen said. “There were probably 8 to 10 boats on it every morning, but with only the Top 10 boats out there today, I was able to fish it.
“This was some of the best stuff I found in practice, but I just had bad boat numbers where I couldn’t get there. It was wide open this morning and I landed on them.”
Rasmussen described his key spot as an offshore shellbed on the popular Decatur Flats. Hosting a vigorous morning shad spawn, the structure topped off in 2 1/2 feet.
“I caught everything I had in the first hour and a half — and thank God because it was not good after that,” Rasmussen said. “I looked at the clock after I had just caught an upper 5-pound fish and told my marshal, ‘I think I just won this tournament.’”
Rasmussen caught his shad-spawn fish on a 1/2-ounce Z-Man JackHammer ChatterBait with a new straight-tail trailer that will be released at ICAST. He also used this bait to catch his Day 1 fish on a different shad-spawn location.
Day 2 saw Rasmussen unsuccessfully try to capitalize on the early morning shad spawn. When it was clear that this plan was not going to pay off, he turned his attention to grass and offshore ledges and collected his limit with a VMC Swinging Rugby Head and a craw bait (also set for ICAST release).
“I grew up as a walleye fisherman, so I’m fairly new at this sport,” Rasmussen said. “I just started competitively fishing for bass a few years ago, but you watch all your heroes at the Bassmaster Classic and I finally got to the point in my life where I can stretch my neck out and do this.
“Now I’m going to the Bassmaster Classic. It’s a dream come true.”
Coming off his second-place finish at the Whataburger Bassmaster Elite at Lay Lake last week, Palaniuk placed 56th on Day 1 with a modest five-bass limit of 14 pounds. Adding a second-day limit of 19-9, Palaniuk gained 50 spots to sixth. With a Championship Saturday limit that went 20-15, the reigning Progressive Insurance Bassmaster Angler of the Year made a serious run at the top spot but fell just short with 54-8.
“I only got a day and a half of practice out here, so I can’t complain,” Palaniuk said. “I was still figuring them out on Day 1, then I got clued in enough that I was able to continue to dial it in a little bit better.”
Spending most of his time on the Decatur Flats, Palaniuk caught his bass on two Megabass jerkbaits — the Vision OneTen and the hulking Kanata 160 — the same bait Palaniuk used during his fifth-place finish at the AFTCO Bassmaster Elite at Santee Cooper Lakes in April.
Austin Cranford of Norman, Okla., finished third with 53-7. He turned in daily weights of 18-9, 16-13 and 18-1. Cranford anchored his final limit with a 6-10 largemouth.
“My practice was not that great,” Cranford said. “I was on about 12 to 13 pounds a day and they just kind of showed up.”
Cranford noted that the weather impacted his options. On Day 1, he caught his bass on a jerkbait and a drop shot on the main river channel, but the strong winds of Day 2 killed that game plan.
“I went to the bank and landed on ‘em,” Cranford said. “There was a shad spawn on a small grass clump. I threw a ChatterBait over it and on five casts in a row, I caught (nearly) 17 pounds.”
In the final round, Cranford returned to his magic grass clump and caught most of his limit, including the big fish. He finished his day offshore, where he made a couple of small culls.
As part of the Yamaha Power Pay program, Palaniuk took home an additional $2,000.
Bobby Lanham of Eddyville, Ky., won the $750 Phoenix Boats Big Bass honors with the 6-14 he caught on Day 1.
Cranford won the $500 Garmin Tournament Rewards contingency.
During the 2023 Opens season, only anglers who fish all nine events on the schedule will be eligible to earn a spot on the 2024 Bassmaster Elite Series.
Through the first four events, Tennessee pro John Garrett leads the Elite Qualifiers standings with 755 points. Elite Series pro Kenta Kimura of Japan is second with 725 points, followed by Trey McKinney of Illinois with 722, Georgia’s Matt Henry with 706 and South Carolina’s JT Thompkins with 706. Rounding out the Top 9 are Brett Cannon, Keith Tuma, Logan Parks and Ben Milliken.
2023 St. Croix Bassmaster Open at Wheeler Lake 5/18-5/20
Wheeler Lake, Decatur AL.
(BOATER) Standings Day 3
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Pts Total $$$
1. Adam Rasmussen Sturgeon Bay, WI 15 54-15 200 $51,567.00
Day 1: 5 19-02 Day 2: 5 14-02 Day 3: 5 21-11
2. Brandon Palaniuk Rathdrum, ID 15 54-08 199 $25,047.00
Day 1: 5 14-00 Day 2: 5 19-09 Day 3: 5 20-15
3. Austin Cranford Norman, OK 15 53-07 198 $18,180.00
Day 1: 5 18-09 Day 2: 5 16-13 Day 3: 5 18-01
4. Sam George Athens, AL 15 52-05 197 $14,733.00
Day 1: 5 17-07 Day 2: 5 19-08 Day 3: 5 15-06
5. Clark Wendlandt Leander, TX 15 51-02 196 $12,818.00
Day 1: 5 18-10 Day 2: 5 16-07 Day 3: 5 16-01
6. JT Russell Mc Calla, AL 15 51-02 195 $11,787.00
Day 1: 5 17-11 Day 2: 5 17-14 Day 3: 5 15-09
7. Trey McKinney Carbondale, IL 15 50-01 194 $11,050.00
Day 1: 5 21-15 Day 2: 5 12-08 Day 3: 5 15-10
8. Harry Peyton Guntersville, AL 15 49-15 193 $10,313.00
Day 1: 5 15-01 Day 2: 5 17-11 Day 3: 5 17-03
9. Justin Kimmel Athens, GA 15 47-09 192 $8,103.00
Day 1: 5 16-08 Day 2: 5 16-10 Day 3: 5 14-07
10. Allen Johnson Trinity, AL 15 46-12 191 $6,630.00
Day 1: 5 18-05 Day 2: 5 14-12 Day 3: 5 13-11
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
BIG BASS OF TOURNAMENT
Bobby Lanham Eddyville, KY 06-14 $750.00
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Totals
Day #Limits #Fish Weight
1 181 1016 2513-09
2 175 970 2160-01
3 10 50 168-10
----------------------------------
366 2036 4842-04
George overcomes hardship to lead Bassmaster Open at Wheeler Lake
Sam George of Athens, Ala., is leading after Day 2 of the 2023 St. Croix Bassmaster Open at Wheeler Lake with a two-day total of 36 pounds, 15 ounces.
Photo by Andy Crawford/B.A.S.S.
May 19, 2023
DECATUR, Ala. — Despite a demoralizing drought, plus a mechanical issue that threatened to doom his day, Sam George of Athens, Ala., persevered and tallied a two-day total of 36 pounds, 15 ounces to take over the lead at the St. Croix Bassmaster Open at Wheeler Lake.
In a tight Top 10, where 4-3 separates first and 10th places, George added 19-8 to his 16th-place Day 1 limit of 17-7. Currently sitting in 28th place in the Bassmaster Opens Elite Qualifier standings, George heads into Championship Saturday with a lead of 1-6 over fellow Alabamian JT Russell.
“Man, it was one of those days — I struggled, I struggled bad,” George said. “I caught a big one right off the bat, but I was hung up on four fish forever.”
Complicating his challenge, George experienced a bilge pump failure — not a good thing when strong winds whip the lake into a frothy chop.
“I had to come back in, but the service guys saved me big time,” George said. “I was scared to get back out in that big water, taking waves over the front and I couldn’t get water out of the boat.
“They fixed me in 30 minutes and I was able to get out there in the crowd (on the popular Decatur Flats). I was finally able to get on a little place and caught nearly everything I had in seven casts. I went from about 11 pounds to 19 pretty quickly.”
George said his early fish was likely one he shook off during practice. The bass bit a swim jig on the same cast he had made before the event.
“I’m pretty sure she was spawning up there,” George said. “This lake has so much going on right now — there are fish shallow and deep; just offshore in general. Most of it is offshore, but you’re fishing shallow spots offshore.”
On the Decatur Flats, George worked a depression with reaction baits. With minimal lake current, the day’s strong east wind actually created enough water movement to stimulate the fish utilizing that low spot.
Looking ahead to Saturday’s final round, George said he’ll likely give his Day 2 spot a good look. That being said, he’s considering dipping into his deep well of local experience to see if he can seal the deal on his first Bassmaster win.
“I have some tricks up my sleeve, so I’m going to run places where I’ve always caught a bass,” George said. “I’m going to keep some places honest because I know what can happen if they show up.
“This is where I learned to fish, so it would mean a lot to win here.”
Hailing from McCalla, Ala., Russell is in second place with 35-9. Turning in a consistent performance, Russell placed 14th on Day 1 with 17-11 and made a big move with Friday’s limit of 17-14.
“Yesterday, I didn’t catch a fish until 8:30. This morning, I just went straight to fishing shallow,” Russell said. “I caught two or three good ones right off the bat and then it turned into an absolute grind.
“I ended up catching one more good one at 12 o’clock on the dot and I caught my last good one with three minutes left. I slung the trolling motor and came back over (to check in). I caught fish all day, but the big ones were definitely a lot tougher to come by.”
Russell caught his shallow fish on a mix of moving baits and flipping presentations. Offshore, he threw a jig and a Texas-rigged 10-inch worm.
Austin Cranford of Norman, Okla., placed third with 35-6. After placing 10th with 18-9 Thursday, he improved his position by adding a limit of 16-13 Friday.
“I tried to start out doing what I did to catch them yesterday, but the wind was blowing so bad I couldn’t see the fish (on forward-facing sonar) and keep the trolling motor in the water,” Cranford said. “So, I ran around and fished shallow. I kinda found a one-cast deal on the back end of a shad spawn.”
Bobby Lanham of Eddyville, Ky., is in the lead for Phoenix Boats Big Bass honors with the 6-14 he caught on Day 1.
Tommy Wood of Sippy Downs, Australia, won the co-angler division with 20-8. In only his third U.S. tournament, Wood led Day 1 with 10-1 and added a second-round limit of 10-7.
“I had no expectations at all,” Wood said. “I just came to the U.S. to learn. This win has made the world so much better. It’s just amazing.”
After catching his Day 1 fish on a jig, Wood got his final morning going early by catching a 4-pounder on a Strike King spinnerbait. He then added another keeper on a wacky-rigged green pumpkin Yamamoto Senko, before closing the deal with another solid fish on a swim jig.
“I caught two early — one was that 4-pounder — and then I didn’t get my third fish for ages,” Wood said. “I ended up catching my third one up shallow. It’s so much fun watching those big fish come up in the willow grass and eat that swim jig.”
Thanking fellow Aussie and Bassmaster Elite Series pro Carl Jocumsen, along with Canadian Elite Jeff Gustafson, for their support and encouragement, Wood said he’s pleased with his progress.
“Two months ago, I hadn’t even caught a bass, so it’s been a steep learning curve,” Wood said. “I got a 15th at my first event at Toledo Bend and at Buggs Island, I got a 21st, so it’s been good.”
Ashton Smith of Lake Helen, Fla., and Travis Turcotte of Pembroke, Canada, tied for the Phoenix Boats Big Bass award among co-anglers, each with a 4-13. Smith and Turcotte split the $250 prize.
The remaining Top 10 anglers will take off at 6 a.m. CT Saturday from Ingalls Harbor. The final weigh-in will be held back at Ingalls Harbor at 2 p.m. Full coverage will be available on Bassmaster.com.
2023 St. Croix Bassmaster Open at Wheeler Lake 5/18-5/20
Wheeler Lake, Decatur AL.
(BOATER) Standings Day 2
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Pts Total $$$
1. Sam George Athens, AL 10 36-15 200
Day 1: 5 17-07 Day 2: 5 19-08
2. JT Russell McCalla, AL 10 35-09 199
Day 1: 5 17-11 Day 2: 5 17-14
3. Austin Cranford Norman, OK 10 35-06 198
Day 1: 5 18-09 Day 2: 5 16-13
4. Clark Wendlandt Leander, TX 10 35-01 197
Day 1: 5 18-10 Day 2: 5 16-07
5. Trey McKinney Carbondale, IL 10 34-07 196
Day 1: 5 21-15 Day 2: 5 12-08
6. Brandon Palaniuk Rathdrum, ID 10 33-09 195
Day 1: 5 14-00 Day 2: 5 19-09
7. Adam Rasmussen Sturgeon Bay, WI 10 33-04 194
Day 1: 5 19-02 Day 2: 5 14-02
8. Justin Kimmel Athens, GA 10 33-02 193
Day 1: 5 16-08 Day 2: 5 16-10
9. Allen Johnson Trinity, AL 10 33-01 192
Day 1: 5 18-05 Day 2: 5 14-12
10. Harry Peyton Guntersville, AL 10 32-12 191
Day 1: 5 15-01 Day 2: 5 17-11
11. JT Thompkins Myrtle Beach, SC 10 32-11 190 $5,893.00
Day 1: 5 15-11 Day 2: 5 17-00
12. Josh Bragg Fayetteville, GA 10 32-10 189 $5,157.00
Day 1: 5 20-04 Day 2: 5 12-06
13. Trevor McKinney Benton, IL 10 32-04 188 $4,052.00
Day 1: 5 13-04 Day 2: 5 19-00
14. James Niggemeyer Van, TX 10 31-12 187 $4,052.00
Day 1: 5 15-13 Day 2: 5 15-15
15. Kenta Kimura Osaka JAPAN 10 31-04 186 $4,052.00
Day 1: 5 15-08 Day 2: 5 15-12
16. Brett Cannon Willis, TX 10 30-12 185 $4,052.00
Day 1: 5 09-15 Day 2: 5 20-13
17. Brayden Rakes Winston Salem, NC 10 30-12 184 $4,052.00
Day 1: 5 18-13 Day 2: 5 11-15
18. Timmy Thompkins Myrtle Beach, SC 10 30-08 183 $4,052.00
Day 1: 5 13-06 Day 2: 5 17-02
19. Trevor Fitzgerald Belleview, FL 10 30-07 182 $4,052.00
Day 1: 5 16-03 Day 2: 5 14-04
20. Robert Gee Knoxville, TN 10 29-15 181 $4,052.00
Day 1: 5 13-15 Day 2: 5 16-00
21. Jacob Bigelow Cecil, WI 10 29-14 180 $3,683.00
Day 1: 5 13-10 Day 2: 5 16-04
22. Garrett Paquette Canton, MI 10 29-12 179 $3,683.00
Day 1: 5 16-07 Day 2: 5 13-05
23. John Garrett Union City, TN 10 29-09 178 $3,683.00
Day 1: 5 18-08 Day 2: 5 11-01
24. Derek Lehtonen Woodruff, SC 10 29-08 177 $3,683.00
Day 1: 5 17-09 Day 2: 5 11-15
25. Greg Hackney Gonzales, LA 10 29-07 176 $3,683.00
Day 1: 5 15-10 Day 2: 5 13-13
26. Kurt Mitchell Milford, DE 10 29-05 175 $3,389.00
Day 1: 5 19-14 Day 2: 5 09-07
27. Tyler Williams Belgrade, ME 10 29-04 174 $3,389.00
Day 1: 5 14-05 Day 2: 5 14-15
28. Keith Tuma Brainerd, MN 10 28-12 173 $3,389.00
Day 1: 5 15-07 Day 2: 5 13-05
29. Daniel Valois Gomez Caracas FL VENEZUELA 10 28-11 172 $3,389.00
Day 1: 5 14-11 Day 2: 5 14-00
30. Andrew Upshaw Hemphill, TX 10 28-09 171 $3,389.00
Day 1: 5 16-06 Day 2: 5 12-03
31. Bobby Lane Jr. Lakeland, FL 10 28-07 170 $3,389.00
Day 1: 5 15-00 Day 2: 5 13-07
32. Joey Nania Cropwell, AL 10 28-04 169 $3,389.00
Day 1: 5 19-11 Day 2: 5 08-09
33. Chris Blanchette Edisto Island, SC 10 28-04 168 $3,389.00
Day 1: 5 16-05 Day 2: 5 11-15
33. Shaine Campbell Brookeland, TX 10 28-04 168 $3,389.00
Day 1: 5 11-15 Day 2: 5 16-05
35. Jake Maddux Birmingham, AL 10 28-02 166 $3,389.00
Day 1: 5 12-02 Day 2: 5 16-00
36. Dale Hightower Mannford, OK 10 28-01 165 $3,389.00
Day 1: 5 15-14 Day 2: 5 12-03
37. Kyle Patrick Cooperstown, NY 10 28-00 164 $3,389.00
Day 1: 5 13-12 Day 2: 5 14-04
38. Clark Reehm Elm Grove, LA 10 27-12 163 $3,389.00
Day 1: 5 19-12 Day 2: 5 08-00
39. Logan Parks Auburn, AL 10 27-12 162 $3,389.00
Day 1: 5 12-13 Day 2: 5 14-15
40. Matt Henry Milledgeville, GA 10 27-10 161 $3,389.00
Day 1: 5 15-07 Day 2: 5 12-03
41. Danny McGarry Newcastle CANADA 10 27-10 160
Day 1: 5 15-04 Day 2: 5 12-06
42. Logan Anderson Catawba, NC 10 27-06 159
Day 1: 5 16-12 Day 2: 5 10-10
43. Jeff Magee Simpson Co., MS 10 27-06 158
Day 1: 5 15-07 Day 2: 5 11-15
44. Steve Tennison Lexington, OK 10 27-05 157
Day 1: 5 11-14 Day 2: 5 15-07
45. Danny Ramsey Trinidad, TX 10 27-01 156
Day 1: 5 13-08 Day 2: 5 13-09
46. Jamie Bruce Kenora Ontario CANADA 10 27-00 155
Day 1: 5 14-05 Day 2: 5 12-11
47. Griffin Phillips Mount Olive, AL 10 26-13 154
Day 1: 5 14-01 Day 2: 5 12-12
48. Tucker Smith Shoal Creek, AL 10 26-13 153
Day 1: 5 13-14 Day 2: 5 12-15
49. Logan Johnson Jasper, AL 9 26-12 152
Day 1: 5 20-11 Day 2: 4 06-01
50. Andrew Hargrove Moody, TX 10 26-12 151
Day 1: 5 14-07 Day 2: 5 12-05
51. Cole Drummond Effingham, SC 10 26-11 150
Day 1: 5 12-05 Day 2: 5 14-06
52. Bailey Boutries Springfield, MO 10 26-10 149
Day 1: 5 13-03 Day 2: 5 13-07
53. Cody Stahl Barnsville, GA 10 26-09 148
Day 1: 5 13-14 Day 2: 5 12-11
54. Takayuki Koike Otsu-City JAPAN 10 26-06 147
Day 1: 5 12-12 Day 2: 5 13-10
55. Trey Swindle Cleveland, AL 10 26-04 146
Day 1: 5 14-09 Day 2: 5 11-11
56. Bryan New Saluda, SC 10 26-03 145
Day 1: 5 14-13 Day 2: 5 11-06
57. Chad Grigsby Maple Grove, MN 10 26-00 144
Day 1: 5 09-02 Day 2: 5 16-14
58. Jimmy Washam Stantonville, TN 10 26-00 143
Day 1: 5 14-13 Day 2: 5 11-03
59. Marc Schilling Carrollton, TX 10 26-00 142
Day 1: 5 14-12 Day 2: 5 11-04
60. Hunter Sales Blaine, TN 10 25-14 141
Day 1: 5 16-11 Day 2: 5 09-03
61. Yusuke Miyazaki Forney, TX 10 25-13 140
Day 1: 5 12-05 Day 2: 5 13-08
62. Bronk Mcdaniel Alexandria, LA 10 25-12 139
Day 1: 5 14-00 Day 2: 5 11-12
63. Clayton Batts Butler, GA 10 25-12 138
Day 1: 5 12-01 Day 2: 5 13-11
64. Ben Milliken New Caney, TX 10 25-10 137
Day 1: 5 18-04 Day 2: 5 07-06
65. Kenny Mittelstaedt Minnetonka, MN 9 25-08 136
Day 1: 4 11-03 Day 2: 5 14-05
66. Greg Bohannan Bentonville, AR 10 25-06 135
Day 1: 5 13-04 Day 2: 5 12-02
67. Miles Burghoff Dayton, TN 10 25-06 134
Day 1: 5 12-11 Day 2: 5 12-11
68. Christian Shoda Homosassa, FL 10 25-05 133
Day 1: 5 14-07 Day 2: 5 10-14
69. Steve Morella Townshend, VT 10 25-05 132
Day 1: 5 14-05 Day 2: 5 11-00
70. Kyle Austin Ridgeville, SC 10 25-01 131
Day 1: 5 13-12 Day 2: 5 11-05
71. Jack York Emory, TX 10 25-00 130
Day 1: 5 10-15 Day 2: 5 14-01
72. Blake Sylvester Plaquemine, LA 10 24-15 129
Day 1: 5 15-14 Day 2: 5 09-01
73. Alex Murray Lake Charles, LA 10 24-12 128
Day 1: 5 14-09 Day 2: 5 10-03
74. Ty Faber Pagosa Springs, CO 10 24-11 127
Day 1: 5 14-08 Day 2: 5 10-03
75. Paul Browning Pecos, TX 10 24-11 126
Day 1: 5 13-14 Day 2: 5 10-13
76. Mike Surman Boca Raton, FL 10 24-11 125
Day 1: 5 11-07 Day 2: 5 13-04
77. Billy McDonald Greenwood, IN 10 24-09 124
Day 1: 5 11-06 Day 2: 5 13-03
78. Jaxon Sullivan Reagan, TN 10 24-08 123
Day 1: 5 14-15 Day 2: 5 09-09
79. Scout Echols Monticello, AR 10 24-08 122
Day 1: 5 13-15 Day 2: 5 10-09
80. Daisuke Kita Ostu Shiga JAPAN 10 24-07 121
Day 1: 5 16-04 Day 2: 5 08-03
81. Casey Scanlon Eldon, MO 10 24-04 120
Day 1: 5 10-06 Day 2: 5 13-14
82. Harvey Horne Bella Vista, AR 10 24-01 119
Day 1: 5 12-03 Day 2: 5 11-14
83. Alex Heintze Denham Springs, LA 10 24-00 118
Day 1: 5 10-11 Day 2: 5 13-05
84. Destin DeMarion Harborcreek, PA 10 23-14 117
Day 1: 5 12-05 Day 2: 5 11-09
85. Brandon Tallhamer Parkersburg, WV 10 23-13 116
Day 1: 5 15-03 Day 2: 5 08-10
86. Brandon Lester Fayetteville, TN 10 23-13 115
Day 1: 5 11-07 Day 2: 5 12-06
87. Kyle Goltz Cornell, WI 10 23-11 114
Day 1: 5 13-11 Day 2: 5 10-00
88. Zeke Gossett Pell City, AL 10 23-11 113
Day 1: 5 12-13 Day 2: 5 10-14
89. Tommy Williams Shepherdsville, KY 10 23-10 112
Day 1: 5 13-00 Day 2: 5 10-10
90. Chad Warren Sand Springs, OK 10 23-09 111
Day 1: 5 09-08 Day 2: 5 14-01
91. Caleb Gibson Locust Grove, OK 9 23-08 110
Day 1: 4 09-04 Day 2: 5 14-04
92. Jon Canada Helena, AL 10 23-00 109
Day 1: 5 10-12 Day 2: 5 12-04
93. Caiden Sinclair Logan, AL 10 22-15 108
Day 1: 5 10-11 Day 2: 5 12-04
94. Darrell Davis Dover, FL 10 22-14 107
Day 1: 5 13-02 Day 2: 5 09-12
95. Wesley Gore Clanton, AL 10 22-14 106
Day 1: 5 10-05 Day 2: 5 12-09
96. Buck Mallory Lawton, MI 10 22-09 105
Day 1: 5 13-04 Day 2: 5 09-05
97. Bo Thomas Edwardsburg, MI 10 22-09 104
Day 1: 5 11-13 Day 2: 5 10-12
98. Blake Smith Lakeland, FL 10 22-06 103
Day 1: 5 10-08 Day 2: 5 11-14
99. Mike Oncale Port Allen, LA 10 22-02 102
Day 1: 5 12-14 Day 2: 5 09-04
100. Mark Cook Guntersville, AL 10 22-02 101
Day 1: 5 12-04 Day 2: 5 09-14
101. Brian Post Janesville, WI 10 22-01 100
Day 1: 5 10-11 Day 2: 5 11-06
102. Brock Belik Orchard, NE 10 22-00 99
Day 1: 5 12-00 Day 2: 5 10-00
103. Frank Ramsey Spring Grove, IL 10 21-15 98
Day 1: 5 08-12 Day 2: 5 13-03
104. Jack Dice Lynchburg, VA 10 21-15 97
Day 1: 5 09-07 Day 2: 5 12-08
105. Sterling Bougher Mannford, OK 10 21-15 96
Day 1: 5 11-10 Day 2: 5 10-05
106. Drew Cook Cairo, GA 10 21-15 95
Day 1: 5 11-05 Day 2: 5 10-10
107. Evan Barnes Dardanelle, AR 10 21-14 94
Day 1: 5 15-01 Day 2: 5 06-13
108. Jason Meninger Yulee, FL 10 21-14 93
Day 1: 5 08-13 Day 2: 5 13-01
109. B.J. Usie Bourg, LA 10 21-13 92
Day 1: 5 12-01 Day 2: 5 09-12
110. Ish Monroe Oakdale, CA 10 21-12 91
Day 1: 5 09-11 Day 2: 5 12-01
111. Jack Tindel III Orange, TX 10 21-12 90
Day 1: 5 10-12 Day 2: 5 11-00
112. Erik Brztowski Lemont, IL 10 21-09 89
Day 1: 5 11-09 Day 2: 5 10-00
113. Jonathan Dietz Corry, PA 10 21-05 88
Day 1: 5 12-04 Day 2: 5 09-01
114. Bobby Lanham Eddyville, KY 9 21-04 87
Day 1: 4 13-00 Day 2: 5 08-04
115. Lafe Messer Warfield, KY 9 21-04 86
Day 1: 5 12-10 Day 2: 4 08-10
116. Bart Stanisz Austin, TX 10 21-03 85
Day 1: 5 11-15 Day 2: 5 09-04
117. Evan Kung Pickering Ontario CANAD 10 21-03 84
Day 1: 5 11-06 Day 2: 5 09-13
118. Matt Pangrac Shawnee, OK 10 20-15 83
Day 1: 5 10-14 Day 2: 5 10-01
119. Keith Brumfield Vicksburg, MS 10 20-13 82
Day 1: 5 10-15 Day 2: 5 09-14
120. Shane Lineberger Lincolnton, NC 9 20-11 81
Day 1: 5 15-09 Day 2: 4 05-02
121. David Wootton Collierville, TN 10 20-09 80
Day 1: 5 12-11 Day 2: 5 07-14
122. Chad Prough Chipley, FL 10 20-09 79
Day 1: 5 11-10 Day 2: 5 08-15
123. Justin Barnes Ellaville, GA 10 20-08 78
Day 1: 5 10-08 Day 2: 5 10-00
124. Scott Isaacs Ladonia, TX 9 20-06 77
Day 1: 4 07-02 Day 2: 5 13-04
125. Wil Dieffenbauch III Hundred, WV 10 20-05 76
Day 1: 5 08-02 Day 2: 5 12-03
126. Kyle Gelles Pingree, ID 10 20-04 75
Day 1: 5 10-00 Day 2: 5 10-04
127. Keith Bardolf Abbeville, AL 10 20-03 74
Day 1: 5 12-11 Day 2: 5 07-08
128. Brandon McMillan Clewiston, FL 10 20-03 73
Day 1: 5 09-11 Day 2: 5 10-08
129. Ron Ryals Jr Live Oak, FL 10 19-15 72
Day 1: 5 11-02 Day 2: 5 08-13
130. Steve Kennedy Auburn, AL 10 19-14 71
Day 1: 5 12-08 Day 2: 5 07-06
131. Allan Nail Sand Springs, OK 10 19-14 70
Day 1: 5 08-01 Day 2: 5 11-13
132. David Perdue Wirtz, VA 10 19-14 69
Day 1: 5 10-11 Day 2: 5 09-03
133. Kyle Monti Okeechobee, FL 10 19-12 68
Day 1: 5 10-15 Day 2: 5 08-13
134. Andrew Harp Linden, TX 10 19-10 67
Day 1: 5 09-07 Day 2: 5 10-03
135. Phil Killian Solomon, AZ 9 19-09 66
Day 1: 4 07-13 Day 2: 5 11-12
136. Chase Clarke Virginia Beach, VA 9 19-08 65
Day 1: 5 11-12 Day 2: 4 07-12
137. Chris Kingree Inverness, FL 8 19-07 64
Day 1: 4 08-04 Day 2: 4 11-03
138. Tim Arnold Crane Hill, AL 10 19-04 63
Day 1: 5 11-11 Day 2: 5 07-09
139. Jim Dillard West Monroe, LA 10 19-04 62
Day 1: 5 09-07 Day 2: 5 09-13
140. Hugh Cosculluela Spring, TX 10 19-03 61
Day 1: 5 10-06 Day 2: 5 08-13
141. Christopher Simmons Decatur, AL 10 18-13 60
Day 1: 5 12-11 Day 2: 5 06-02
142. Charlie Hartley Grove City, OH 10 18-12 59
Day 1: 5 09-08 Day 2: 5 09-04
143. Jimmy Steed Zapata, TX 10 18-10 58
Day 1: 5 12-04 Day 2: 5 06-06
144. Chris Keeble Lenoir City, TN 10 18-10 57
Day 1: 5 09-04 Day 2: 5 09-06
145. Chris Beaudrie Princeton, KY 10 18-09 56
Day 1: 5 06-14 Day 2: 5 11-11
146. Briana Tucker Trinity, AL 10 18-09 55
Day 1: 5 10-00 Day 2: 5 08-09
147. Dave Turner Citrus Springs, FL 10 18-08 54
Day 1: 5 09-04 Day 2: 5 09-04
148. Lance Owen Greer, SC 9 18-07 53
Day 1: 4 09-03 Day 2: 5 09-04
149. Rick Mitchell Naples, FL 10 18-03 52
Day 1: 5 11-00 Day 2: 5 07-03
150. Ryan Clark Whitby Ontario CANADA 10 18-03 51
Day 1: 5 08-13 Day 2: 5 09-06
151. Dalton Dowdy Newberry, SC 10 18-02 50
Day 1: 5 08-04 Day 2: 5 09-14
152. Julius Mazy Phoenix, AZ 6 17-15 49
Day 1: 5 17-02 Day 2: 1 00-13
153. Joe Labarbera Montrose, PA 10 17-14 48
Day 1: 5 08-02 Day 2: 5 09-12
154. Jason Lambert Savannah, TN 9 17-13 47
Day 1: 4 09-15 Day 2: 5 07-14
155. Jerry Lawler Athens, AL 9 17-13 46
Day 1: 5 09-04 Day 2: 4 08-09
156. Jason Tibbetts Centreville, VA 10 17-13 45
Day 1: 5 08-11 Day 2: 5 09-02
157. Tripp Noojin Bryant, AL 7 17-11 44
Day 1: 3 06-14 Day 2: 4 10-13
158. Bo Collins Robbinsville, NC 9 17-11 43
Day 1: 4 09-06 Day 2: 5 08-05
159. A.J. Menssen Bloomington, IL 7 17-07 42
Day 1: 3 10-02 Day 2: 4 07-05
160. Reece Tremaglio Dunkirk, MD 10 17-07 41
Day 1: 5 09-15 Day 2: 5 07-08
161. Steve Sennikoff Edgewood, TX 10 17-06 40
Day 1: 5 11-03 Day 2: 5 06-03
162. Kenji Yamada Hixson, TN 9 17-06 39
Day 1: 4 06-12 Day 2: 5 10-10
163. Keith Nemcek St Charles, IL 8 17-05 38
Day 1: 4 09-04 Day 2: 4 08-01
164. Brady Vernon Sterrett, AL 10 17-04 37
Day 1: 5 09-06 Day 2: 5 07-14
165. Clayton Barnes Clanton, AL 10 17-04 36
Day 1: 5 08-04 Day 2: 5 09-00
166. Jess Beihoffer Soddy Daisy, TN 8 17-03 35
Day 1: 5 10-11 Day 2: 3 06-08
167. Chancy Walters West Des Moines, IA 10 17-02 34
Day 1: 5 10-06 Day 2: 5 06-12
168. Joey Hanna Corsicana, TX 10 17-01 33
Day 1: 5 08-14 Day 2: 5 08-03
169. Scott Kerslake Okeechobee, FL 10 16-13 32
Day 1: 5 08-12 Day 2: 5 08-01
170. Randall Carter Maplesville, AL 8 16-11 31
Day 1: 3 05-00 Day 2: 5 11-11
171. Josh Hubbard Dunnellon, FL 8 16-11 30
Day 1: 5 11-10 Day 2: 3 05-01
172. Jason Abram Piney Flats, TN 10 16-07 29
Day 1: 5 07-15 Day 2: 5 08-08
173. Destry Ford Tuscaloosa, AL 7 16-05 28
Day 1: 2 04-13 Day 2: 5 11-08
174. Jacob Thompkins Myrtle Beach, SC 9 16-05 27
Day 1: 5 10-08 Day 2: 4 05-13
175. Koby Kreiger Alva, FL 9 16-04 26
Day 1: 4 06-06 Day 2: 5 09-14
176. Brian Mullaney Ijamsville, MD 8 16-03 25
Day 1: 3 04-07 Day 2: 5 11-12
177. Seiji Kato Outsu Shiga JAPAN 6 16-01 24
Day 1: 1 02-12 Day 2: 5 13-05
178. Taylor Watkins Clinton, TN 10 15-15 23
Day 1: 5 08-15 Day 2: 5 07-00
179. Cliff Overstreet Dothan, AL 9 15-12 22
Day 1: 4 10-04 Day 2: 5 05-08
180. Nikki Jo Hatten Clanton, AL 7 15-10 21
Day 1: 4 09-03 Day 2: 3 06-07
181. Cody Detweiler Guntersville, AL 9 15-09 20
Day 1: 4 09-03 Day 2: 5 06-06
182. Paul Bouvier Kingston CANADA 7 15-02 19
Day 1: 5 11-06 Day 2: 2 03-12
183. David Kilgore Jasper, AL 8 15-02 18
Day 1: 5 11-00 Day 2: 3 04-02
184. Brad Leuthner Victoria, MN 10 15-01 17
Day 1: 5 08-03 Day 2: 5 06-14
185. Jason Carpenter Castle Pines, CO 10 15-01 16
Day 1: 5 07-10 Day 2: 5 07-07
186. Parker Mott Winter Garden, FL 9 14-15 15
Day 1: 5 09-00 Day 2: 4 05-15
187. Tyler Lubbat Wheeling, IL 7 14-12 14
Day 1: 2 04-13 Day 2: 5 09-15
188. Louis Monetti Brielle, NJ 10 14-09 13
Day 1: 5 07-00 Day 2: 5 07-09
189. Tucker Veronee Gilbert, SC 7 14-07 12
Day 1: 5 11-10 Day 2: 2 02-13
190. Tom Frink Southside, AL 7 13-04 11
Day 1: 5 10-00 Day 2: 2 03-04
191. Tim Frederick Leesburg, FL 6 13-03 10
Day 1: 5 11-13 Day 2: 1 01-06
192. Scott Gibbs Rome, GA 8 12-15 9
Day 1: 5 08-15 Day 2: 3 04-00
193. Hunter Bland Williston, FL 6 12-13 8
Day 1: 5 10-00 Day 2: 1 02-13
194. Jamie Horton Centerville, AL 5 12-08 7
Day 1: 5 12-08 Day 2: 0 00-00
195. Frank Talley Temple, TX 5 12-06 6
Day 1: 5 12-06 Day 2: 0 00-00
196. Michael Johnson Talking Rock, GA 5 12-03 5
Day 1: 5 12-03 Day 2: 0 00-00
197. Matt Messer Warfield, KY 8 11-12 4
Day 1: 4 04-06 Day 2: 4 07-06
198. Denny Fiedler Wabasha, MN 5 11-01 3
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 5 11-01
199. Jerry Riddle Jr Summit, MS 7 10-13 2
Day 1: 5 09-03 Day 2: 2 01-10
200. James Meers Rome, GA 5 10-12 1
Day 1: 5 10-12 Day 2: 0 00-00
201. Scott Allgood Fair Play, SC 7 10-12 0
Day 1: 5 06-07 Day 2: 2 04-05
202. Colby Robertson Summerfield, FL 7 10-11 0
Day 1: 2 02-15 Day 2: 5 07-12
203. Craig Chambers Midland, NC 7 09-09 0
Day 1: 4 05-11 Day 2: 3 03-14
204. Tony Dumitras Winston, GA 5 09-07 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 5 09-07
205. Guy Eaker Cherryville, NC 5 09-05 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 5 09-05
206. Derek Hicks Rocky Face, GA 5 09-04 0
Day 1: 5 09-04 Day 2: 0 00-00
207. Teb Jones Yalaha, MS 5 09-01 0
Day 1: 1 01-14 Day 2: 4 07-03
208. Frank Williams Mountain Home, AR 6 08-15 0
Day 1: 3 05-06 Day 2: 3 03-09
209. Allen Brooks Canton, GA 5 08-09 0
Day 1: 5 08-09 Day 2: 0 00-00
210. Michael Wooten White House, TN 5 08-04 0
Day 1: 5 08-04 Day 2: 0 00-00
211. Jeremy Bogard Wilkesboro, NC 6 08-01 0
Day 1: 2 03-04 Day 2: 4 04-13
212. Danny Hardy Cantonment, FL 4 07-15 0
Day 1: 4 07-15 Day 2: 0 00-00
213. Clay Dyer Fayetteville, TN 5 07-05 0
Day 1: 5 07-05 Day 2: 0 00-00
214. Mike Mayo Athens, TX 3 06-12 0
Day 1: 3 06-12 Day 2: 0 00-00
215. Daniel Rogers Morriston, FL 3 06-11 0
Day 1: 3 06-11 Day 2: 0 00-00
216. Cody Bertrand Dyer, IN 4 06-01 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 4 06-01
217. Paul Tabisz Whitmore Lake, MI 3 04-14 0
Day 1: 3 04-14 Day 2: 0 00-00
218. Willy Dennison Willoughby Hills, OH 3 04-14 0
Day 1: 2 03-05 Day 2: 1 01-09
219. Gary Caruso Baton Rouge, LA 3 04-06 0
Day 1: 3 04-06 Day 2: 0 00-00
220. Currey Holley Madison, AL 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
220. Matt Mollohan Batesburg, SC 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Totals
Day #Limits #Fish Weight
1 181 1016 2513-09
2 175 970 2160-01
----------------------------------
356 1986 4673-10
2023 St. Croix Bassmaster Open at Wheeler Lake 5/18-5/20
Wheeler Lake, Decatur AL.
(NON_BOATER) Standings Day 2
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Pts Total $$$
1. Tommy Wood Sippy Downs AUSTRALIA 6 20-08 200 $12,127.00
Day 1: 3 10-01 Day 2: 3 10-07
2. Jeremy Duke Gautier, MS 6 17-11 199 $2,854.00
Day 1: 3 09-04 Day 2: 3 08-07
3. Ashton Smith Lake Helen, FL 6 17-03 198 $2,265.00
Day 1: 3 08-07 Day 2: 3 08-12
4. Ray Hill Lake City, FL 6 16-03 197 $1,605.00
Day 1: 3 09-04 Day 2: 3 06-15
5. Dusty Wood Belton, SC 6 15-15 196 $1,498.00
Day 1: 3 09-04 Day 2: 3 06-11
6. Clyde Roberts Marshall, NC 6 15-08 195 $1,427.00
Day 1: 3 05-15 Day 2: 3 09-09
7. Jimmy Brumfield Madison, MS 6 14-12 194 $1,356.00
Day 1: 3 08-10 Day 2: 3 06-02
8. Allen Heston Pittsburg, TX 6 14-09 193 $1,284.00
Day 1: 3 06-02 Day 2: 3 08-07
9. Chad Stahl Barnesville, GA 6 14-08 192 $1,177.00
Day 1: 3 06-08 Day 2: 3 08-00
10. Kyle Tonione Earleton, FL 6 14-04 191 $1,070.00
Day 1: 3 07-07 Day 2: 3 06-13
11. Nick Richey Aledo, TX 6 14-03 190 $999.00
Day 1: 3 05-06 Day 2: 3 08-13
12. Tristan Bramblett Tiger, GA 6 14-01 189 $928.00
Day 1: 3 06-02 Day 2: 3 07-15
13. Barney Boutries Mobile, AL 4 13-08 188 $785.00
Day 1: 3 09-11 Day 2: 1 03-13
14. Ryan Shriber Franklin, TN 6 13-04 187 $713.00
Day 1: 3 07-09 Day 2: 3 05-11
15. Brad Goetz Waunakee, WI 6 13-04 186 $642.00
Day 1: 3 06-08 Day 2: 3 06-12
16. Perry See Rochester, MN 6 12-14 185 $571.00
Day 1: 3 05-14 Day 2: 3 07-00
17. Dawson Wisner Palatka, FL 5 12-10 184 $535.00
Day 1: 2 05-08 Day 2: 3 07-02
18. John Higginbotham Slaughter, LA 6 12-03 183 $535.00
Day 1: 3 05-02 Day 2: 3 07-01
19. Jon Jezierski Troy, MI 6 12-00 182 $535.00
Day 1: 3 07-03 Day 2: 3 04-13
20. Eric Melton Flowood, MS 6 12-00 181 $535.00
Day 1: 3 06-06 Day 2: 3 05-10
21. Skyler Anderson Harlem, GA 6 11-13 180 $499.00
Day 1: 3 07-06 Day 2: 3 04-07
22. Steven Doolittle Chelsea, OK 6 11-13 179 $499.00
Day 1: 3 06-03 Day 2: 3 05-10
23. Corey Yaden Grovetown, GA 6 11-12 178 $499.00
Day 1: 3 04-15 Day 2: 3 06-13
24. Gary Haraguchi Murfreesboro, TN 6 11-10 177 $499.00
Day 1: 3 05-11 Day 2: 3 05-15
25. Mark Moore Freeport, FL 5 11-09 176 $499.00
Day 1: 2 05-03 Day 2: 3 06-06
26. Greg Sloan Chipley, FL 6 11-06 175 $428.00
Day 1: 3 07-01 Day 2: 3 04-05
27. Dylan Mayo Athens, TX 6 11-01 174 $428.00
Day 1: 3 03-14 Day 2: 3 07-03
28. Sakae Ushio Tonawanda, NY 6 11-00 173 $428.00
Day 1: 3 05-09 Day 2: 3 05-07
29. Troy Mims Suwanee, GA 4 10-12 172 $428.00
Day 1: 2 06-01 Day 2: 2 04-11
30. John Goul Philadelphia, MS 5 10-11 171 $428.00
Day 1: 3 06-10 Day 2: 2 04-01
31. Bobby Williams Salisbury, NC 6 10-09 170 $393.00
Day 1: 3 07-05 Day 2: 3 03-04
32. Philip Morris Jr Raleigh, NC 6 10-08 169 $393.00
Day 1: 3 04-09 Day 2: 3 05-15
33. Joe Stokes Kentwood, LA 5 10-06 168 $393.00
Day 1: 2 03-07 Day 2: 3 06-15
34. Darrell Hille Springfield, TN 4 10-06 167 $393.00
Day 1: 2 04-12 Day 2: 2 05-10
35. Marrell Deering Rome, GA 5 10-05 166 $393.00
Day 1: 2 03-05 Day 2: 3 07-00
36. Steven Smith Logan, OH 6 10-02 165 $393.00
Day 1: 3 05-13 Day 2: 3 04-05
37. Johnnie Garrett Union City, TN 5 10-01 164 $393.00
Day 1: 3 07-09 Day 2: 2 02-08
38. John Gaivin Decatur, AL 5 10-00 163 $393.00
Day 1: 2 04-00 Day 2: 3 06-00
39. Ralph Gibson Locust Grove, OK 5 09-15 162 $393.00
Day 1: 3 07-08 Day 2: 2 02-07
40. David Booth Erin, TN 4 09-13 161 $393.00
Day 1: 3 08-10 Day 2: 1 01-03
41. Wes Kinard Fosters, AL 6 09-12 160
Day 1: 3 05-12 Day 2: 3 04-00
41. Daniel Myers Harvest, AL 6 09-12 160
Day 1: 3 05-12 Day 2: 3 04-00
43. Cody Koehler Acworth, GA 4 09-09 158
Day 1: 1 02-00 Day 2: 3 07-09
44. Travis Turcotte Pembroke CANADA 4 09-09 157 $125.00
Day 1: 1 04-13 Day 2: 3 04-12
45. Christopher Dirgo Athens , AL 5 09-08 156
Day 1: 3 06-06 Day 2: 2 03-02
46. Carl Hunter Snellville, GA 4 09-02 155
Day 1: 1 02-04 Day 2: 3 06-14
47. Jonathan Barnette Jasper, AL 6 09-01 154
Day 1: 3 05-02 Day 2: 3 03-15
48. Mike Spears Jasper, AL 3 08-15 153
Day 1: 3 08-15 Day 2: 0 00-00
49. Eric White Vinemont, AL 4 08-14 152
Day 1: 1 01-12 Day 2: 3 07-02
50. Charles Reed Batesville, MS 4 08-12 151
Day 1: 3 05-02 Day 2: 1 03-10
51. Kenneth Ott Manahawkin, NJ 6 08-12 150
Day 1: 3 04-02 Day 2: 3 04-10
52. Louie Parkman Jr Brandon, MS 5 08-11 149
Day 1: 2 04-13 Day 2: 3 03-14
53. Donney Rorie Rienzi, MS 5 08-07 148
Day 1: 3 06-12 Day 2: 2 01-11
54. Chas Mobbs Decatur, AL 4 08-07 147
Day 1: 3 06-06 Day 2: 1 02-01
55. Rick Cheatham Carterville, IL 6 08-06 146
Day 1: 3 04-13 Day 2: 3 03-09
56. Kris Mccarter Pheba, MS 5 08-05 145
Day 1: 3 05-15 Day 2: 2 02-06
57. Eric Camarote The Villages, FL 4 08-04 144
Day 1: 1 02-00 Day 2: 3 06-04
58. Dehn Ganey Bonneau, SC 6 08-04 143
Day 1: 3 04-12 Day 2: 3 03-08
59. Mark Hughes Saegertown, PA 3 08-02 142
Day 1: 3 08-02 Day 2: 0 00-00
60. Randy Tallhamer Brandenton, FL 4 08-02 141
Day 1: 1 02-13 Day 2: 3 05-05
61. Bradley Mealer Columbia, TN 5 08-01 140
Day 1: 2 04-01 Day 2: 3 04-00
62. Elliott Malone Tanner, AL 3 07-15 139
Day 1: 3 07-15 Day 2: 0 00-00
63. Archie Eslinger Paris, IL 3 07-11 138
Day 1: 1 01-15 Day 2: 2 05-12
64. Thomas Crosswhite Hartwell, GA 4 07-10 137
Day 1: 2 04-07 Day 2: 2 03-03
65. Michael Leach Shenandoah, TX 5 07-09 136
Day 1: 3 04-07 Day 2: 2 03-02
66. Joe Tucker Osceola, MO 4 07-08 135
Day 1: 3 06-14 Day 2: 1 00-10
67. Gary Bates Athens, AL 4 07-08 134
Day 1: 1 01-07 Day 2: 3 06-01
68. Byron Hill Miami, FL 3 07-07 133
Day 1: 3 07-07 Day 2: 0 00-00
69. Randy Lawrence Pensacola, FL 3 07-03 132
Day 1: 1 04-11 Day 2: 2 02-08
70. Matthew Rogers Chiefland, FL 4 07-01 131
Day 1: 2 04-02 Day 2: 2 02-15
71. Austin Howard Granby, CO 4 07-01 130
Day 1: 1 03-00 Day 2: 3 04-01
72. Ronald Young New Braunfels, TX 3 07-00 129
Day 1: 3 07-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
73. Lynn Hoeffer Chesapeake, VA 3 06-14 128
Day 1: 3 06-14 Day 2: 0 00-00
74. Todd Lee Jasper, AL 3 06-08 127
Day 1: 3 06-08 Day 2: 0 00-00
75. WK Luckett Jr Ridgeland, MS 4 06-08 126
Day 1: 3 04-11 Day 2: 1 01-13
76. Bob Morin Seymour, TN 3 06-06 125
Day 1: 3 06-06 Day 2: 0 00-00
77. Jim O'Connell Jr Castle Rock, CO 3 06-04 124
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 3 06-04
78. Eric Kingery Chillicothe, OH 4 06-04 123
Day 1: 1 02-05 Day 2: 3 03-15
79. Jordan McDonald Jackson, GA 4 06-03 122
Day 1: 3 05-01 Day 2: 1 01-02
80. Steven Fischer Pace, FL 2 06-01 121
Day 1: 2 06-01 Day 2: 0 00-00
81. Clifford Wagner Huntsville, AL 4 05-14 120
Day 1: 1 01-08 Day 2: 3 04-06
82. Chad Sims Brownsburg, IN 3 05-13 119
Day 1: 2 04-02 Day 2: 1 01-11
83. David Fischer Broken Arrow, OK 4 05-10 118
Day 1: 2 03-13 Day 2: 2 01-13
84. Kevin Mallow Kansas, OK 3 05-07 117
Day 1: 1 02-04 Day 2: 2 03-03
85. Bill Bruce Hendersonville, TN 3 05-06 116
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 3 05-06
86. Steve Deyton Forest City, NC 3 05-03 115
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 3 05-03
87. Cole Johnson Seymour, IN 3 05-02 114
Day 1: 2 03-13 Day 2: 1 01-05
88. Hiro Yasumoto Higasikagawashi, Kagawa 3 05-01 113
Day 1: 3 05-01 Day 2: 0 00-00
89. Wesley Klees Huntsville, AL 3 05-01 112
Day 1: 1 02-09 Day 2: 2 02-08
90. Austin Nelson Apopka, FL 4 04-15 111
Day 1: 1 01-05 Day 2: 3 03-10
91. AJ Jones Lutz, FL 4 04-11 110
Day 1: 2 03-00 Day 2: 2 01-11
92. Billy Limerick Chandler, TX 3 03-15 109
Day 1: 2 03-15 Day 2: 1 00-00
93. Bill Hutchison Jr. Bessemer, AL 2 03-15 108
Day 1: 2 03-15 Day 2: 0 00-00
94. David Stout Fair Play, SC 2 03-13 107
Day 1: 2 03-13 Day 2: 0 00-00
95. Shawn Martin Weirsdale, FL 2 03-11 106
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 2 03-11
96. Byong Lee Stedman, NC 2 03-09 105
Day 1: 2 03-09 Day 2: 0 00-00
97. Jim Williams Winter Springs, GA 1 03-08 104
Day 1: 1 03-08 Day 2: 0 00-00
98. Avery Williams Murrells Inlt, SC 3 03-06 103
Day 1: 2 02-05 Day 2: 1 01-01
99. Cody Richardson Gautier, MS 1 02-07 102
Day 1: 1 02-07 Day 2: 0 00-00
100. Chris Earles Lady Lake, FL 1 01-15 101
Day 1: 1 01-15 Day 2: 0 00-00
101. Samuel Sharp Hillsboro, AL 1 01-14 100
Day 1: 1 01-14 Day 2: 0 00-00
102. George Dirgo Rosamond, CA 1 01-04 99
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 1 01-04
103. Thomas Abraham Winchester, TN 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
103. Larry Mcneil Meridianville, AL 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
103. Landon Smith Decatur, AL 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
103. Johnny Ward Jr Ludowici, GA 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
103. Matthew Williams Westminster, SC 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Totals
Day #Limits #Fish Weight
1 57 232 510-00
2 55 213 405-04
----------------------------------
112 445 915-04
Becker Wins Group B Qualifying Round at MLF Bass Pro Tour Toro Stage Four on Lake Guntersville
Tennessee Rookie Tops Group B Qualifying Round, Field of 40 Set for Saturday’s Knockout Round
GUNTERSVILLE, Ala. (May 19, 2023) – Bass Pro Tour rookie Matt Becker of Ten Mile, Tennessee, weighed a five-bass limit totaling 16 pounds, 4 ounces, to maintain his lead throughout the day and win the Qualifying Round for Group B Friday at the Major League Fishing (MLF) Bass Pro Tour Toro Stage Four at Lake Guntersville Presented by Bass Cat Boats . Over two days, Becker caught 10 bass weighing 46 pounds, 13 ounces to earn the first Qualifying Round victory of his career and advance to Saturday’s Knockout Round.
“I’m definitely happy to win the Qualifying Round, but I realize this is just the beginning,” Becker said in his post-game interview. “It’s going to be an absolute slugfest here this weekend, and it’s going to take some serious weight. Hopefully we’ve found enough, but I’m not sure. I’m not feeling too good about it after this afternoon – those guys behind me were catching some big fish.”
Although Becker didn’t come close to matching his 30-pound total from the first day of competition Friday, he also did not fish his best areas. He spent his day covering new water with a Carolina rig, trying to find more options for the weekend.
“I didn’t go to my best stuff today – there really was no reason for me to,” Becker said. “I was pretty much moving on to the Knockout Round no matter what, today, so I drove past some of it to look, but I didn’t go there.
“It’s probably going to be a boat race to the areas with a couple of guys tomorrow,” Becker continued. “It’s kind of a community hole, so we’re really going to have to lighten up the boat and get ready to race in the morning.”
Becker had no problem finding fish, but he struggled to get any bites until he switched to a bait that he doesn’t typically throw – a Carolina rig.
“Today, it was all about the Carolina rig, which if you know me you know that is not me at all,” Becker said. “That was the only thing that I could really get them to bite today. I used a ½-ounce Epic Tungsten Carolina-rig weight, tied to a swivel with a couple of beads, and then running that down to a Trokar TK100 5/0 standard worm hook. I’m throwing it on 15-pound Seaguar Tatsu fluorocarbon line with a Favorite (Fishing) Hex 7-foot, 6-inch heavy rod.
“Just dragging that around today I was able to catch a couple of fish, which was cool, but I really don’t feel very confident going into the Championship Round,” Becker went on to say. “I kind of beat up the fish that I’d been fishing for, and these guys behind me are catching a lot of big ones. It’ll take some serious weight to move onto the Championship round, so I’m going to have to adjust and hopefully find some new ones tomorrow.”
Reigning Bally Bet Angler of the Year (AOY) Jacob Wheeler of Harrison, Tennessee, caught a two-day total of 10 bass weighing 43-7 to finish the round in second place, while Lynchburg, Virginia pro David Dudley ended the round in third place with a two-day total of 10 bass weighing 42-12. Brent Ehrler of Redlands, California, caught 10 bass weighing 42-10 to land in fourth, while Bryan Thrift of Shelby, North Carolina, will advance to the Knockout Round with a two-day total of 10 bass weighing 41 pounds, 8 ounces to round out the top five.
The remaining 40 anglers – the top 20 from each group – now advance to Saturday’s Knockout Round, where weights are zeroed, and the anglers compete to finish in the top 10 to advance to the Championship Round on Sunday. Weights will carry over from the Knockout Round into the Championship Round, which will feature the final 10 anglers competing for the heaviest two-day cumulative total and the top prize of $100,000.
The top 20 pros from Group A that now advance to Saturday’s Knockout Round on Lake Guntersville are:
1st: Matt Becker, Ten Mile, Tenn., 10 bass, 46-13
2nd: Jacob Wheeler, Harrison, Tenn., 10 bass, 43-7
3rd: David Dudley, Lynchburg, Va., 10 bass, 42-12
4th: Brent Ehrler, Redlands, Calif., 10 bass, 42-10
5th: Bryan Thrift, Shelby, N.C., 10 bass, 41-8
6th: Shin Fukae, Osaka, Japan, 10 bass, 40-8
7th: Jordan Lee, Cullman, Ala., 10 bass, 40-5
8th: Jonathon VanDam, Kalamazoo, Mich., 10 bass, 40-0
9th: Anthony Gagliardi, Prosperity, S.C., 10 bass, 36-15
10th: Dakota Ebare, Brookeland, Texas, 10 bass, 36-13
11th: Scott Suggs, Alexander, Ark., 10 bass, 36-10
12th: Brett Hite, Phoenix, Ariz., 10 bass, 36-2
13th: Todd Faircloth, Jasper, Ala., 10 bass, 35-5
14th: Matt Lee, Cullman, Ala., 10 bass, 35-4
15th: Gerald Spohrer, Gonzales, La., 10 bass, 34-14
16th: Mark Daniels, Jr., Tuskegee, Ala., 10 bass, 34-0
17th: Dylan Hays, Hot Springs, Ark., 10 bass, 33-15
18th: James Elam, Tulsa, Okla., 10 bass, 33-14
19th: Marty Robinson, Lyman, S.C., 10 bass, 33-12
20th: Bradley Roy, Lancaster, Ky., 10 bass, 33-5
Eliminated from competition are:
21st: David Walker, Sevierville, Tenn., 10 bass, 33-2
22nd: Mark Rose, Wynne, Ark., 10 bass, 32-3
23rd: John Hunter, Shelbyville, Ky., nine bass, 32-1
24th: Alton Jones, Sr., Lorena, Texas, 10 bass, 31-13
25th: Keith Poche, Pike Road, Ala., 10 bass, 30-6
26th: Boyd Duckett, Guntersville, Ala., 10 bass, 30-3
27th: Cole Floyd, Leesburg, Ohio, 10 bass, 30-3
28th: Britt Myers, Lake Wylie, S.C., 10 bass, 29-4
29th: Casey Ashley, Donalds, S.C., 10 bass, 29-3
30th: Jeremy Lawyer, Sarcoxie, Mo., 10 bass, 28-3
31st: Mitch Crane, Columbus, Miss., 10 bass, 27-8
32nd: Jared Lintner, Covington, Ga., eight bass, 26-12
33rd: Brent Chapman, Lake Quivira, Kan., eight bass, 26-5
34th: Jeff Kriet, Ardmore, Okla., 10 bass, 25-7
35th: Fred Roumbanis, Russellville, Ark., 10 bass, 23-11
36th: John Murray, Spring City, Tenn., 10 bass, 22-15
37th: Brandon Coulter, Knoxville, Tenn., eight bass, 21-14
38th: Andy Montgomery, Blacksburg, S.C., nine bass, 21-14
39th: Gary Klein, Mingus, Texas, seven bass, 16-1
40th: Tommy Biffle, Wagoner, Okla., four bass, 8-0
A complete list of results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
Overall, there were 323 scorable bass weighing 943 pounds, 3 ounces caught by the 40 pros Friday, which included 15 5-pounders, one 6-pounder and two 7-pounders.
Friday’s $1,000 Berkley Big Bass Award was awarded to pro David Dudley, who weighed in a 7-pound, 9-ounce largemouth which bit his signature Perfection Lures Wacky Worm in Period 2. Berkley awards $1,000 to the angler who weighs the heaviest bass each day, and a $3,000 bonus to the angler who weighs the heaviest bass of the tournament.
The six-day event, hosted by Marshall County Tourism & Sports, showcases 80 of the top professional anglers in the world, competing for a purse of more than $805,000, including a top payout of $100,000 and valuable Angler of the Year (AOY) points in hopes of qualifying for the General Tire Heavy Hitters All-Star event and REDCREST 2024, the Bass Pro Tour championship.
The 40 Anglers in Group A competed in their two-day qualifying round on Tuesday and Thursday – the 40 anglers in Group B on Wednesday and Friday. Now that each two-day qualifying round is complete, the top 20 anglers from each group advance to Saturday’s Knockout Round. In the Knockout Round, weights are zeroed, and the remaining 40 anglers compete to finish in the top 10 to advance to the Championship Round. In Sunday’s final day Championship Round, weight carries over from the Knockout Round and the angler with the heaviest two-day total wins the top prize of $100,000.
Anglers will launch each day at 7:30 a.m. CT each day from the Guntersville Civitan Park, located at 1130 Sunset Drive in Guntersville. Each day’s General Tire Takeout will be held at the launch locations, beginning at 4 p.m. Fans are welcome to attend all launch and takeout events and also encouraged to follow the event online throughout the day on the MLF NOW!® live stream and SCORETRACKER® coverage at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
As part of the event, on Saturday, May 20 and Sunday, May 21 the MLF Fan Experience will be taking place at Civitan Park in Guntersville from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. MLF will welcome fans of all ages to celebrate fishing and the outdoors with concerts in the park, hosted by Explore Lake Guntersville, featuring JUICE on Saturday and Jackson Chase on Sunday. Food and drinks will be available from local food trucks and fans can check out the latest gear and offerings from MLF and MLF sponsors including Toyota, Favorite Fishing, Kubota, U.S. Air Force, and The Fallen Outdoors. On Sunday, fans can hang out and watch the pros live on the MLF NOW! big screen during the MLF Watch Party. The final 10 Championship Round Bass Pro Tour anglers will be on hand at the trophy celebration to meet and greet fans, sign autographs, and take selfies.
The Toro Stage Four at Lake Guntersville Presented by Bass Cat Boats will feature pros competing using the MLF catch, weigh, immediate-release format, with each angler’s five (5) heaviest bass per day tallied as their day’s weight. Anglers strive to catch their heaviest five fish each day, while also feeling the pressure and intensity of the live scoring SCORETRACKER® leaderboard. Minimum weights are determined individually for each competition waters that the Bass Pro Tour visits, based on the productivity, bass population and anticipated average size of fish in each fishery.
The 2023 MLF Bass Pro Tour features a field of 80 of the top professional anglers in the world competing across seven regular-season tournaments around the country, fishing for millions of dollars and valuable points to qualify for the annual General Tire Heavy Hitters all-star event and REDCREST 2024, the Bass Pro Tour championship, held March 13-17, 2024, on Lay Lake in Birmingham, Alabama.
The MLF NOW!® broadcast team of Chad McKee, Marty Stone and J.T. Kenney will break down the extended action live on all six days of competition from 7:45 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. CT. MLF NOW!® will be live streamed on MajorLeagueFishing.com and the MyOutdoorTV (MOTV) app.
Television coverage of the Toro Stage Four at Lake Guntersville Presented by Bass Cat Boats will air as two, two-hour episodes starting at 7 a.m. ET, on Saturday, Oct. 7 and Saturday, Oct. 14 on the Discovery Channel. New MLF episodes premiere each Saturday morning on Discovery, with re-airings on the Outdoor Channel.
Proud sponsors of the 2023 MLF Bass Pro Tour include: 13 Fishing, Abu Garcia, Ark Fishing, ATG + Wrangler, B&W Trailer Hitches, Bally Bet, Bass Cat Boats, Bass Pro Shops, Berkley, Black Rifle Coffee, Daiwa, Epic Baits, Favorite Fishing, Ferguson, Fox Rent A Car, General Tire, Grundéns, Humminbird, Lowrance, Minn Kota, Mercury, Mossy Oak, Onyx, Power-Pole, Rapala, Star tron, T-H Marine, TORO, Toyota, U.S. Air Force, Yellowstone Bourbon, Yo-Zuri and Zoom Baits.
For complete details and updated information on Major League Fishing and the Bass Pro Tour, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF’s social media outlets at Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.
McKinney hunts down the lead at Bassmaster Open on Wheeler Lake
Trey McKinney of Carbondale, Ill., is leading after Day 1 of the 2023 St. Croix Bassmaster Open at Wheeler Lake with 21 pounds, 15 ounces.
Photo by Andy Crawford/B.A.S.S.
May 18, 202
DECATUR, Ala. — Trey McKinney of Carbondale, Ill., had no problem finding fish, but making sure he found the right ones proved essential to sacking up a limit of 21 pounds, 15 ounces and leading Day 1 of the St. Croix Bassmaster Open at Wheeler Lake.
Currently sixth in the Bassmaster Opens Elite Qualifier standings, McKinney divided his time among a few key areas, including the Decatur Flats, where he got bit in practice. Working specific spots within larger areas, he utilized his forward-facing sonar skills to discern bass from other Tennessee River dwellers.
“You have so many drum and catfish on this river, so if they’re not relating to cover, it’s hard to tell (the species),” McKinney explained. “I looked for fish relating to something. If you put several bass in a swimming pool and you put one rock in there, 90% of them are going to relate to that.
“On the flats, it’s the same thing — there’s so much flat bottom. So anytime you get an isolated piece of cover, it’s a high-percentage area. I was looking for stumps, rocks — anything that’s out of the ordinary. I was just covering as much water as I could with my Garmin LiveScope and looking for the right dots.”
After taking off in one of the middle flights, McKinney looked for an early shad spawn. But by the time he reached his area, this overnight/early morning frenzy had subsided. Once he realized that opportunity had fizzled, he transitioned to search mode.
“The shad spawn happens quickly when it does and, today, I really didn’t get it going,” he said. “I started on a spot where I thought I would do it, but the shad spawn is just kinda iffy.
“I might have missed it because I didn’t get there early enough, but they just hang out in the same area. I just put my trolling motor on 5 or 6 and hunted.”
McKinney caught a couple of keepers on a Strike King jig, but he tempted most of his bass on a finesse worm wacky rigged on a 2/0 Gamakatsu G-Finesse hook. He found the action of his 7-foot medium St. Croix Legend X spinning rod ideal for precise casts to submerged targets.
“I don’t know if my weights are going to be consistent for the next day because hunting is one of those things — if you come across them, you come across them,” McKinney said. “It’s not a guaranteed thing. But hopefully, I can get back in that area and see what I can make happen.
“I think they’re in that postspawn funk right now. They’re very inactive. Hopefully, I can see the right dots tomorrow and it can go. If not, we’ll just have to scrounge it out.”
Logan Johnson of Jasper, Ala., is in second place with 20-11. Boat traffic prevented him from starting where he had originally planned, but persistence served him well, as he eventually got into a rhythm of efficiently rotating through areas.
“I was just fishing ledges, hard spots and typical Tennessee River stuff,” Johnson said. “I caught fish from 10 feet out to deeper than that and all over the board.
“I caught fish on a mix of baits. The typical ledge stuff — crankbait, big worm, big bladed jig on the shallower spots. It seemed like you’d pull up on one of those ledges and you’d have to fire a full rotation (of baits) until you finally got one of them to bite.”
Johnson said he never got his ledge fish to fire up. Hot weather, high fishing pressure and low current flow were all likely contributors. As for Day 2, Johnson said he’ll be looking for early opportunities.
“I was boat 197, so I didn’t get any of the shad spawn today,” he said. “I’ll have an earlier boat number tomorrow so hopefully I’ll get some of it.”
Josh Bragg of Fayetteville, Ga., is in third place with 20-4. Fishing offshore ledges and getting off to a quick start, Bragg steadily caught fish throughout the day and eventually worked his way into a solid opening effort.
“I caught quite a few fish early and I had a small limit of 12 to 13 pounds,” Bragg said. “Periodically throughout the day, I just picked up one here and there. The shad spawn is fading away for me. I’m just starting on places where I saw shad spawning in practice. I think the fish are still hanging around.”
Bragg said he started with slower presentations and mostly stuck with that all day. As he noted, intense fishing pressure has the bass extremely wary, so he did best with dragging-style baits.
Bobby Lanham of Eddyville, Ky., is in the lead for Phoenix Boats Big Bass honors with his 6-14.
Tommy Wood of Sippy Downs, Australia, leads the co-angler division with 10-1.
Ashton Smith of Lake Helen, Fla., and Travis Turcotte of Pembroke, Canada, are tied for the Phoenix Boats Big Bass lead among co-anglers with a 4-13.
Friday’s takeoff is scheduled for 6 a.m. CT from Ingalls Harbor. The weigh-in will be held back at Ingalls Harbor at 2 p.m. Full coverage will be available on Bassmaster.com.
2023 St. Croix Bassmaster Open at Wheeler Lake 5/18-5/20
Wheeler Lake, Decatur AL.
(BOATER) Standings Day 1
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Pts Total $$$
1. Trey McKinney Carbondale, IL 5 21-15 200
Day 1: 5 21-15
2. Logan Johnson Jasper, AL 5 20-11 199
Day 1: 5 20-11
3. Josh Bragg Fayetteville, GA 5 20-04 198
Day 1: 5 20-04
4. Kurt Mitchell Milford, DE 5 19-14 197
Day 1: 5 19-14
5. Clark Reehm Elm Grove, LA 5 19-12 196
Day 1: 5 19-12
6. Joey Nania Cropwell, AL 5 19-11 195
Day 1: 5 19-11
7. Adam Rasmussen Sturgeon Bay, WI 5 19-02 194
Day 1: 5 19-02
8. Brayden Rakes Winston Salem, NC 5 18-13 193
Day 1: 5 18-13
9. Clark Wendlandt Leander, TX 5 18-10 192
Day 1: 5 18-10
10. Austin Cranford Norman, OK 5 18-09 191
Day 1: 5 18-09
11. John Garrett Union City, TN 5 18-08 190
Day 1: 5 18-08
12. Allen Johnson Trinity, AL 5 18-05 189
Day 1: 5 18-05
13. Ben Milliken New Caney, TX 5 18-04 188
Day 1: 5 18-04
14. JT Russell Mc Calla, AL 5 17-11 187
Day 1: 5 17-11
15. Derek Lehtonen Woodruff, SC 5 17-09 186
Day 1: 5 17-09
16. Sam George Athens, AL 5 17-07 185
Day 1: 5 17-07
17. Julius Mazy Phoenix, AZ 5 17-02 184
Day 1: 5 17-02
18. Logan Anderson Catawba, NC 5 16-12 183
Day 1: 5 16-12
19. Hunter Sales Blaine, TN 5 16-11 182
Day 1: 5 16-11
20. Justin Kimmel Athens, GA 5 16-08 181
Day 1: 5 16-08
21. Garrett Paquette Canton, MI 5 16-07 180
Day 1: 5 16-07
22. Andrew Upshaw Hemphill, TX 5 16-06 179
Day 1: 5 16-06
23. Chris Blanchette Edisto Island, SC 5 16-05 178
Day 1: 5 16-05
24. Daisuke Kita Ostu Shiga JAPAN 5 16-04 177
Day 1: 5 16-04
25. Trevor Fitzgerald Belleview, FL 5 16-03 176
Day 1: 5 16-03
26. Dale Hightower Mannford, OK 5 15-14 175
Day 1: 5 15-14
26. Blake Sylvester Plaquemine, LA 5 15-14 175
Day 1: 5 15-14
28. James Niggemeyer Van, TX 5 15-13 173
Day 1: 5 15-13
29. JT Thompkins Myrtle Beach, SC 5 15-11 172
Day 1: 5 15-11
30. Greg Hackney Gonzales, LA 5 15-10 171
Day 1: 5 15-10
31. Shane Lineberger Lincolnton, NC 5 15-09 170
Day 1: 5 15-09
32. Kenta Kimura Osaka JAPAN 5 15-08 169
Day 1: 5 15-08
33. Matt Henry Milledgeville, GA 5 15-07 168
Day 1: 5 15-07
33. Jeff Magee Simpson Co., MS 5 15-07 168
Day 1: 5 15-07
33. Keith Tuma Brainerd, MN 5 15-07 168
Day 1: 5 15-07
36. Danny McGarry Newcastle CANADA 5 15-04 165
Day 1: 5 15-04
37. Brandon Tallhamer Parkersburg, WV 5 15-03 164
Day 1: 5 15-03
38. Evan Barnes Dardanelle, AR 5 15-01 163
Day 1: 5 15-01
39. Harry Peyton Guntersville, AL 5 15-01 162
Day 1: 5 15-01
40. Bobby Lane Jr. Lakeland, FL 5 15-00 161
Day 1: 5 15-00
41. Jaxon Sullivan Reagan, TN 5 14-15 160
Day 1: 5 14-15
42. Bryan New Saluda, SC 5 14-13 159
Day 1: 5 14-13
42. Jimmy Washam Stantonville, TN 5 14-13 159
Day 1: 5 14-13
44. Marc Schilling Carrollton, TX 5 14-12 157
Day 1: 5 14-12
45. Daniel Valois Gomez Caracas FL VENEZUELA 5 14-11 156
Day 1: 5 14-11
46. Alex Murray Lake Charles, LA 5 14-09 155
Day 1: 5 14-09
46. Trey Swindle Cleveland, AL 5 14-09 155
Day 1: 5 14-09
48. Ty Faber Pagosa Springs, CO 5 14-08 153
Day 1: 5 14-08
49. Andrew Hargrove Moody, TX 5 14-07 152
Day 1: 5 14-07
49. Christian Shoda Homosassa, FL 5 14-07 152
Day 1: 5 14-07
51. Jamie Bruce Kenora Ontario CANADA 5 14-05 150
Day 1: 5 14-05
51. Steve Morella Townshend, VT 5 14-05 150
Day 1: 5 14-05
51. Tyler Williams Belgrade, ME 5 14-05 150
Day 1: 5 14-05
54. Griffin Phillips Mount Olive, AL 5 14-01 147
Day 1: 5 14-01
55. Bronk Mcdaniel Alexandria, LA 5 14-00 146
Day 1: 5 14-00
56. Brandon Palaniuk Rathdrum, ID 5 14-00 145
Day 1: 5 14-00
57. Scout Echols Monticello, AR 5 13-15 144
Day 1: 5 13-15
57. Robert Gee Knoxville, TN 5 13-15 144
Day 1: 5 13-15
59. Cody Stahl Barnsville, GA 5 13-14 142
Day 1: 5 13-14
60. Paul Browning Pecos, TX 5 13-14 141
Day 1: 5 13-14
60. Tucker Smith Shoal Creek, AL 5 13-14 141
Day 1: 5 13-14
62. Kyle Austin Ridgeville, SC 5 13-12 139
Day 1: 5 13-12
62. Kyle Patrick Cooperstown, NY 5 13-12 139
Day 1: 5 13-12
64. Kyle Goltz Cornell, WI 5 13-11 137
Day 1: 5 13-11
65. Jacob Bigelow Cecil, WI 5 13-10 136
Day 1: 5 13-10
66. Danny Ramsey Trinidad, TX 5 13-08 135
Day 1: 5 13-08
67. Timmy Thompkins Myrtle Beach, SC 5 13-06 134
Day 1: 5 13-06
68. Buck Mallory Lawton, MI 5 13-04 133
Day 1: 5 13-04
68. Trevor McKinney Benton, IL 5 13-04 133
Day 1: 5 13-04
70. Greg Bohannan Bentonville, AR 5 13-04 131
Day 1: 5 13-04
71. Bailey Boutries Springfield, MO 5 13-03 130
Day 1: 5 13-03
72. Darrell Davis Dover, FL 5 13-02 129
Day 1: 5 13-02
73. Tommy Williams Shepherdsville, KY 5 13-00 128
Day 1: 5 13-00
74. Bobby Lanham Eddyville, KY 4 13-00 127
Day 1: 4 13-00
75. Mike Oncale Port Allen, LA 5 12-14 126
Day 1: 5 12-14
76. Logan Parks Auburn, AL 5 12-13 125
Day 1: 5 12-13
77. Zeke Gossett Pell City, AL 5 12-13 124
Day 1: 5 12-13
78. Takayuki Koike Otsu-City JAPAN 5 12-12 123
Day 1: 5 12-12
79. Keith Bardolf Abbeville, AL 5 12-11 122
Day 1: 5 12-11
79. Miles Burghoff Dayton, TN 5 12-11 122
Day 1: 5 12-11
79. Christopher Simmons Decatur, AL 5 12-11 122
Day 1: 5 12-11
79. David Wootton Collierville, TN 5 12-11 122
Day 1: 5 12-11
83. Lafe Messer Warfield, KY 5 12-10 118
Day 1: 5 12-10
84. Jamie Horton Centerville, AL 5 12-08 117
Day 1: 5 12-08
84. Steve Kennedy Auburn, AL 5 12-08 117
Day 1: 5 12-08
86. Frank Talley Temple, TX 5 12-06 115
Day 1: 5 12-06
87. Yusuke Miyazaki Forney, TX 5 12-05 114
Day 1: 5 12-05
88. Destin DeMarion Harborcreek, PA 5 12-05 113
Day 1: 5 12-05
88. Cole Drummond Effingham, SC 5 12-05 113
Day 1: 5 12-05
90. Mark Cook Guntersville, AL 5 12-04 111
Day 1: 5 12-04
90. Jimmy Steed Zapata, TX 5 12-04 111
Day 1: 5 12-04
92. Jonathan Dietz Corry, PA 5 12-04 109
Day 1: 5 12-04
93. Michael Johnson Talking Rock, GA 5 12-03 108
Day 1: 5 12-03
94. Harvey Horne Bella Vista, AR 5 12-03 107
Day 1: 5 12-03
95. Jake Maddux Birmingham, AL 5 12-02 106
Day 1: 5 12-02
96. Clayton Batts Butler, GA 5 12-01 105
Day 1: 5 12-01
96. B.J. Usie Bourg, LA 5 12-01 105
Day 1: 5 12-01
98. Brock Belik Orchard, NE 5 12-00 103
Day 1: 5 12-00
99. Shaine Campbell Brookeland, TX 5 11-15 102
Day 1: 5 11-15
99. Bart Stanisz Austin, TX 5 11-15 102
Day 1: 5 11-15
101. Steve Tennison Lexington, OK 5 11-14 100
Day 1: 5 11-14
102. Tim Frederick Leesburg, FL 5 11-13 99
Day 1: 5 11-13
102. Bo Thomas Edwardsburg, MI 5 11-13 99
Day 1: 5 11-13
104. Chase Clarke Virginia Beach, VA 5 11-12 97
Day 1: 5 11-12
105. Tim Arnold Crane Hill, AL 5 11-11 96
Day 1: 5 11-11
106. Sterling Bougher Mannford, OK 5 11-10 95
Day 1: 5 11-10
106. Josh Hubbard Dunnellon, FL 5 11-10 95
Day 1: 5 11-10
106. Chad Prough Chipley, FL 5 11-10 95
Day 1: 5 11-10
106. Tucker Veronee Gilbert, SC 5 11-10 95
Day 1: 5 11-10
110. Erik Brztowski Lemont, IL 5 11-09 91
Day 1: 5 11-09
111. Brandon Lester Fayetteville, TN 5 11-07 90
Day 1: 5 11-07
111. Mike Surman Boca Raton, FL 5 11-07 90
Day 1: 5 11-07
113. Paul Bouvier Kingston CANADA 5 11-06 88
Day 1: 5 11-06
113. Billy McDonald Greenwood, IN 5 11-06 88
Day 1: 5 11-06
115. Evan Kung Pickering Ontario CANAD 5 11-06 86
Day 1: 5 11-06
116. Drew Cook Cairo, GA 5 11-05 85
Day 1: 5 11-05
117. Steve Sennikoff Edgewood, TX 5 11-03 84
Day 1: 5 11-03
118. Kenny Mittelstaedt Minnetonka, MN 4 11-03 83
Day 1: 4 11-03
119. Ron Ryals Jr Live Oak, FL 5 11-02 82
Day 1: 5 11-02
120. David Kilgore Jasper, AL 5 11-00 81
Day 1: 5 11-00
120. Rick Mitchell Naples, FL 5 11-00 81
Day 1: 5 11-00
122. Kyle Monti Okeechobee, FL 5 10-15 79
Day 1: 5 10-15
122. Jack York Emory, TX 5 10-15 79
Day 1: 5 10-15
124. Keith Brumfield Vicksburg, MS 5 10-15 77
Day 1: 5 10-15
125. Matt Pangrac Shawnee, OK 5 10-14 76
Day 1: 5 10-14
126. Jon Canada Helena, AL 5 10-12 75
Day 1: 5 10-12
126. James Meers Rome, GA 5 10-12 75
Day 1: 5 10-12
126. Jack Tindel III Orange, TX 5 10-12 75
Day 1: 5 10-12
129. Jess Beihoffer Soddy Daisy, TN 5 10-11 72
Day 1: 5 10-11
129. Alex Heintze Denham Springs, LA 5 10-11 72
Day 1: 5 10-11
129. Brian Post Janesville, WI 5 10-11 72
Day 1: 5 10-11
129. Caiden Sinclair Logan, AL 5 10-11 72
Day 1: 5 10-11
133. David Perdue Wirtz, VA 5 10-11 68
Day 1: 5 10-11
134. Justin Barnes Ellaville, GA 5 10-08 67
Day 1: 5 10-08
134. Blake Smith Lakeland, FL 5 10-08 67
Day 1: 5 10-08
136. Jacob Thompkins Myrtle Beach, SC 5 10-08 65
Day 1: 5 10-08
137. Hugh Cosculluela Spring, TX 5 10-06 64
Day 1: 5 10-06
137. Casey Scanlon Eldon, MO 5 10-06 64
Day 1: 5 10-06
137. Chancy Walters West Des Moines, IA 5 10-06 64
Day 1: 5 10-06
140. Wesley Gore Clanton, AL 5 10-05 61
Day 1: 5 10-05
141. Cliff Overstreet Dothan, AL 4 10-04 60
Day 1: 4 10-04
142. A.J. Menssen Bloomington, IL 3 10-02 59
Day 1: 3 10-02
143. Hunter Bland Williston, FL 5 10-00 58
Day 1: 5 10-00
143. Briana Tucker Trinity, AL 5 10-00 58
Day 1: 5 10-00
145. Tom Frink Southside, AL 5 10-00 56
Day 1: 5 10-00
145. Kyle Gelles Pingree, ID 5 10-00 56
Day 1: 5 10-00
147. Brett Cannon Willis, TX 5 09-15 54
Day 1: 5 09-15
147. Reece Tremaglio Dunkirk, MD 5 09-15 54
Day 1: 5 09-15
149. Jason Lambert Savannah, TN 4 09-15 52
Day 1: 4 09-15
150. Brandon McMillan Clewiston, FL 5 09-11 51
Day 1: 5 09-11
150. Ish Monroe Oakdale, CA 5 09-11 51
Day 1: 5 09-11
152. Charlie Hartley Grove City, OH 5 09-08 49
Day 1: 5 09-08
152. Chad Warren Sand Springs, OK 5 09-08 49
Day 1: 5 09-08
154. Jim Dillard West Monroe, LA 5 09-07 47
Day 1: 5 09-07
154. Andrew Harp Linden, TX 5 09-07 47
Day 1: 5 09-07
156. Jack Dice Lynchburg, VA 5 09-07 45
Day 1: 5 09-07
157. Brady Vernon Sterrett, AL 5 09-06 44
Day 1: 5 09-06
158. Bo Collins Robbinsville, NC 4 09-06 43
Day 1: 4 09-06
159. Derek Hicks Rocky Face, GA 5 09-04 42
Day 1: 5 09-04
159. Jerry Lawler Athens, AL 5 09-04 42
Day 1: 5 09-04
159. Dave Turner Citrus Springs, FL 5 09-04 42
Day 1: 5 09-04
162. Chris Keeble Lenoir City, TN 5 09-04 39
Day 1: 5 09-04
163. Keith Nemcek St Charles, IL 4 09-04 38
Day 1: 4 09-04
164. Caleb Gibson Locust Grove, OK 4 09-04 37
Day 1: 4 09-04
165. Jerry Riddle Jr Summit, MS 5 09-03 36
Day 1: 5 09-03
166. Cody Detweiler Guntersville, AL 4 09-03 35
Day 1: 4 09-03
166. Nikki Jo Hatten Clanton, AL 4 09-03 35
Day 1: 4 09-03
166. Lance Owen Greer, SC 4 09-03 35
Day 1: 4 09-03
169. Chad Grigsby Maple Grove, MN 5 09-02 32
Day 1: 5 09-02
170. Parker Mott Winter Garden, FL 5 09-00 31
Day 1: 5 09-00
171. Scott Gibbs Rome, GA 5 08-15 30
Day 1: 5 08-15
171. Taylor Watkins Clinton, TN 5 08-15 30
Day 1: 5 08-15
173. Joey Hanna Corsicana, TX 5 08-14 28
Day 1: 5 08-14
174. Ryan Clark Whitby Ontario CANADA 5 08-13 27
Day 1: 5 08-13
174. Jason Meninger Yulee, FL 5 08-13 27
Day 1: 5 08-13
176. Scott Kerslake Okeechobee, FL 5 08-12 25
Day 1: 5 08-12
177. Frank Ramsey Spring Grove, IL 5 08-12 24
Day 1: 5 08-12
178. Jason Tibbetts Centreville, VA 5 08-11 23
Day 1: 5 08-11
179. Allen Brooks Canton, GA 5 08-09 22
Day 1: 5 08-09
180. Dalton Dowdy Newberry, SC 5 08-04 21
Day 1: 5 08-04
180. Michael Wooten White House, TN 5 08-04 21
Day 1: 5 08-04
182. Clayton Barnes Clanton, AL 5 08-04 19
Day 1: 5 08-04
183. Chris Kingree Inverness, FL 4 08-04 18
Day 1: 4 08-04
184. Brad Leuthner Victoria, MN 5 08-03 17
Day 1: 5 08-03
185. Joe Labarbera Montrose, PA 5 08-02 16
Day 1: 5 08-02
186. Wil Dieffenbauch III Hundred, WV 5 08-02 15
Day 1: 5 08-02
187. Allan Nail Sand Springs, OK 5 08-01 14
Day 1: 5 08-01
188. Jason Abram Piney Flats, TN 5 07-15 13
Day 1: 5 07-15
189. Danny Hardy Cantonment, FL 4 07-15 12
Day 1: 4 07-15
190. Phil Killian Solomon, AZ 4 07-13 11
Day 1: 4 07-13
191. Jason Carpenter Castle Pines, CO 5 07-10 10
Day 1: 5 07-10
192. Clay Dyer Fayetteville, TN 5 07-05 9
Day 1: 5 07-05
193. Scott Isaacs Ladonia, TX 4 07-02 8
Day 1: 4 07-02
194. Louis Monetti Brielle, NJ 5 07-00 7
Day 1: 5 07-00
195. Chris Beaudrie Princeton, KY 5 06-14 6
Day 1: 5 06-14
196. Tripp Noojin Bryant, AL 3 06-14 5
Day 1: 3 06-14
197. Kenji Yamada Hixson, TN 4 06-12 4
Day 1: 4 06-12
198. Mike Mayo Athens, TX 3 06-12 3
Day 1: 3 06-12
199. Daniel Rogers Morriston, FL 3 06-11 2
Day 1: 3 06-11
200. Scott Allgood Fair Play, SC 5 06-07 1
Day 1: 5 06-07
201. Koby Kreiger Alva, FL 4 06-06 0
Day 1: 4 06-06
202. Craig Chambers Midland, NC 4 05-11 0
Day 1: 4 05-11
203. Frank Williams Mountain Home, AR 3 05-06 0
Day 1: 3 05-06
204. Randall Carter Maplesville, AL 3 05-00 0
Day 1: 3 05-00
205. Paul Tabisz Whitmore Lake, MI 3 04-14 0
Day 1: 3 04-14
206. Destry Ford Tuscaloosa, AL 2 04-13 0
Day 1: 2 04-13
206. Tyler Lubbat Wheeling, IL 2 04-13 0
Day 1: 2 04-13
208. Brian Mullaney Ijamsville, MD 3 04-07 0
Day 1: 3 04-07
209. Matt Messer Warfield, KY 4 04-06 0
Day 1: 4 04-06
210. Gary Caruso Baton Rouge, LA 3 04-06 0
Day 1: 3 04-06
211. Willy Dennison Willoughby Hills, OH 2 03-05 0
Day 1: 2 03-05
212. Jeremy Bogard Wilkesboro, NC 2 03-04 0
Day 1: 2 03-04
213. Colby Robertson Summerfield, FL 2 02-15 0
Day 1: 2 02-15
214. Seiji Kato Outsu Shiga JAPAN 1 02-12 0
Day 1: 1 02-12
215. Teb Jones Yalaha, MS 1 01-14 0
Day 1: 1 01-14
216. Cody Bertrand Dyer, IN 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
216. Tony Dumitras Winston, GA 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
216. Guy Eaker Cherryville, NC 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
216. Denny Fiedler Wabasha, MN 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
216. Currey Holley Madison, AL 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
216. Matt Mollohan Batesburg, SC 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Totals
Day #Limits #Fish Weight
1 181 1016 2513-09
----------------------------------
181 1016 2513-09
2023 St. Croix Bassmaster Open at Wheeler Lake 5/18-5/20
Wheeler Lake, Decatur AL.
(NON_BOATER) Standings Day 1
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Pts Total $$$
1. Tommy Wood Sippy Downs AUSTRALIA 3 10-01 200
Day 1: 3 10-01
2. Barney Boutries Mobile, AL 3 09-11 199
Day 1: 3 09-11
3. Jeremy Duke Gautier, MS 3 09-04 198
Day 1: 3 09-04
3. Ray Hill Lake City, FL 3 09-04 198
Day 1: 3 09-04
3. Dusty Wood Belton, SC 3 09-04 198
Day 1: 3 09-04
6. Mike Spears Jasper, AL 3 08-15 195
Day 1: 3 08-15
7. David Booth Erin, TN 3 08-10 194
Day 1: 3 08-10
7. Jimmy Brumfield Madison, MS 3 08-10 194
Day 1: 3 08-10
9. Ashton Smith Lake Helen, FL 3 08-07 192
Day 1: 3 08-07
10. Mark Hughes Saegertown, PA 3 08-02 191
Day 1: 3 08-02
11. Elliott Malone Tanner, AL 3 07-15 190
Day 1: 3 07-15
12. Johnnie Garrett Union City, TN 3 07-09 189
Day 1: 3 07-09
12. Ryan Shriber Franklin, TN 3 07-09 189
Day 1: 3 07-09
14. Ralph Gibson Locust Grove, OK 3 07-08 187
Day 1: 3 07-08
15. Byron Hill Miami, FL 3 07-07 186
Day 1: 3 07-07
15. Kyle Tonione Earleton, FL 3 07-07 186
Day 1: 3 07-07
17. Skyler Anderson Harlem, GA 3 07-06 184
Day 1: 3 07-06
18. Bobby Williams Salisbury, NC 3 07-05 183
Day 1: 3 07-05
19. Jon Jezierski Troy, MI 3 07-03 182
Day 1: 3 07-03
20. Greg Sloan Chipley, FL 3 07-01 181
Day 1: 3 07-01
21. Ronald Young New Braunfels, TX 3 07-00 180
Day 1: 3 07-00
22. Lynn Hoeffer Chesapeake, VA 3 06-14 179
Day 1: 3 06-14
22. Joe Tucker Osceola, MO 3 06-14 179
Day 1: 3 06-14
24. Donney Rorie Rienzi, MS 3 06-12 177
Day 1: 3 06-12
25. John Goul Philadelphia, MS 3 06-10 176
Day 1: 3 06-10
26. Brad Goetz Waunakee, WI 3 06-08 175
Day 1: 3 06-08
26. Todd Lee Jasper, AL 3 06-08 175
Day 1: 3 06-08
26. Chad Stahl Barnesville, GA 3 06-08 175
Day 1: 3 06-08
29. Christopher Dirgo Athens , AL 3 06-06 172
Day 1: 3 06-06
29. Eric Melton Flowood, MS 3 06-06 172
Day 1: 3 06-06
29. Chas Mobbs Decatur, AL 3 06-06 172
Day 1: 3 06-06
29. Bob Morin Seymour, TN 3 06-06 172
Day 1: 3 06-06
33. Steven Doolittle Chelsea, OK 3 06-03 168
Day 1: 3 06-03
34. Tristan Bramblett Tiger, GA 3 06-02 167
Day 1: 3 06-02
34. Allen Heston Pittsburg, TX 3 06-02 167
Day 1: 3 06-02
36. Steven Fischer Pace, FL 2 06-01 165
Day 1: 2 06-01
36. Troy Mims Suwanee, GA 2 06-01 165
Day 1: 2 06-01
38. Clyde Roberts Marshall, NC 3 05-15 163
Day 1: 3 05-15
39. Kris Mccarter Pheba, MS 3 05-15 162
Day 1: 3 05-15
40. Perry See Rochester, MN 3 05-14 161
Day 1: 3 05-14
41. Steven Smith Logan, OH 3 05-13 160
Day 1: 3 05-13
42. Wes Kinard Fosters, AL 3 05-12 159
Day 1: 3 05-12
42. Daniel Myers Harvest, AL 3 05-12 159
Day 1: 3 05-12
44. Gary Haraguchi Murfreesboro, TN 3 05-11 157
Day 1: 3 05-11
45. Sakae Ushio Tonawanda, NY 3 05-09 156
Day 1: 3 05-09
46. Dawson Wisner Palatka, FL 2 05-08 155
Day 1: 2 05-08
47. Nick Richey Aledo, TX 3 05-06 154
Day 1: 3 05-06
48. Mark Moore Freeport, FL 2 05-03 153
Day 1: 2 05-03
49. Jonathan Barnette Jasper, AL 3 05-02 152
Day 1: 3 05-02
49. John Higginbotham Slaughter, LA 3 05-02 152
Day 1: 3 05-02
51. Charles Reed Batesville, MS 3 05-02 150
Day 1: 3 05-02
52. Jordan McDonald Jackson, GA 3 05-01 149
Day 1: 3 05-01
52. Hiro Yasumoto Higasikagawashi, Kagawa 3 05-01 149
Day 1: 3 05-01
54. Corey Yaden Grovetown, GA 3 04-15 147
Day 1: 3 04-15
55. Rick Cheatham Carterville, IL 3 04-13 146
Day 1: 3 04-13
56. Louie Parkman Jr Brandon, MS 2 04-13 145
Day 1: 2 04-13
57. Travis Turcotte Pembroke CANADA 1 04-13 144
Day 1: 1 04-13
58. Dehn Ganey Bonneau, SC 3 04-12 143
Day 1: 3 04-12
59. Darrell Hille Springfield, TN 2 04-12 142
Day 1: 2 04-12
60. WK Luckett Jr Ridgeland, MS 3 04-11 141
Day 1: 3 04-11
61. Randy Lawrence Pensacola, FL 1 04-11 140
Day 1: 1 04-11
62. Philip Morris Jr Raleigh, NC 3 04-09 139
Day 1: 3 04-09
63. Michael Leach Shenandoah, TX 3 04-07 138
Day 1: 3 04-07
64. Thomas Crosswhite Hartwell, GA 2 04-07 137
Day 1: 2 04-07
65. Kenneth Ott Manahawkin, NJ 3 04-02 136
Day 1: 3 04-02
66. Matthew Rogers Chiefland, FL 2 04-02 135
Day 1: 2 04-02
66. Chad Sims Brownsburg, IN 2 04-02 135
Day 1: 2 04-02
68. Bradley Mealer Columbia, TN 2 04-01 133
Day 1: 2 04-01
69. John Gaivin Decatur, AL 2 04-00 132
Day 1: 2 04-00
70. Bill Hutchison Jr. Bessemer, AL 2 03-15 131
Day 1: 2 03-15
70. Billy Limerick Chandler, TX 2 03-15 131
Day 1: 2 03-15
72. Dylan Mayo Athens, TX 3 03-14 129
Day 1: 3 03-14
73. David Fischer Broken Arrow, OK 2 03-13 128
Day 1: 2 03-13
73. Cole Johnson Seymour, IN 2 03-13 128
Day 1: 2 03-13
73. David Stout Fair Play, SC 2 03-13 128
Day 1: 2 03-13
76. Byong Lee Stedman, NC 2 03-09 125
Day 1: 2 03-09
77. Jim Williams Winter Springs, GA 1 03-08 124
Day 1: 1 03-08
78. Joe Stokes Kentwood, LA 2 03-07 123
Day 1: 2 03-07
79. Marrell Deering Rome, GA 2 03-05 122
Day 1: 2 03-05
80. AJ Jones Lutz, FL 2 03-00 121
Day 1: 2 03-00
81. Austin Howard Granby, CO 1 03-00 120
Day 1: 1 03-00
82. Randy Tallhamer Brandenton, FL 1 02-13 119
Day 1: 1 02-13
83. Wesley Klees Huntsville, AL 1 02-09 118
Day 1: 1 02-09
84. Cody Richardson Gautier, MS 1 02-07 117
Day 1: 1 02-07
85. Avery Williams Murrells Inlt, SC 2 02-05 116
Day 1: 2 02-05
86. Eric Kingery Chillicothe, OH 1 02-05 115
Day 1: 1 02-05
87. Carl Hunter Snellville, GA 1 02-04 114
Day 1: 1 02-04
87. Kevin Mallow Kansas, OK 1 02-04 114
Day 1: 1 02-04
89. Eric Camarote The Villages, FL 1 02-00 112
Day 1: 1 02-00
89. Cody Koehler Acworth, GA 1 02-00 112
Day 1: 1 02-00
91. Chris Earles Lady Lake, FL 1 01-15 110
Day 1: 1 01-15
91. Archie Eslinger Paris, IL 1 01-15 110
Day 1: 1 01-15
93. Samuel Sharp Hillsboro, AL 1 01-14 108
Day 1: 1 01-14
94. Eric White Vinemont, AL 1 01-12 107
Day 1: 1 01-12
95. Clifford Wagner Huntsville, AL 1 01-08 106
Day 1: 1 01-08
96. Gary Bates Athens, AL 1 01-07 105
Day 1: 1 01-07
97. Austin Nelson Apopka, FL 1 01-05 104
Day 1: 1 01-05
98. Thomas Abraham Winchester, TN 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
98. Bill Bruce Hendersonville, TN 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
98. Steve Deyton Forest City, NC 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
98. George Dirgo Rosamond, CA 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
98. Shawn Martin Weirsdale, FL 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
98. Larry Mcneil Meridianville, AL 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
98. Jim O'Connell Jr Castle Rock, CO 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
98. Landon Smith Decatur, AL 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
98. Johnny Ward Jr Ludowici, GA 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
98. Matthew Williams Westminster, SC 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Totals
Day #Limits #Fish Weight
1 57 232 510-00
----------------------------------
57 232 510-00
Rookie Jacob Wall Coasts to Qualifying Round Win at MLF Bass Pro Tour Toro Stage Four on Lake Guntersville
New Hope, Alabama Pro Catches Two-Day Total of 10 Bass Weighing 47-13 to Win Group A Qualifying Round, Top 20 Anglers Advance to Saturday’s Knockout Round
GUNTERSVILLE, Ala. (May 18, 2023) – Bass Pro Tour Rookie Jacob Wall of New Hope, Alabama, launched his boat Thursday morning with a 2-pound, 12-ounce lead, and he never looked back. Wall boated 12 scorable bass Thursday, with his best five weighing 21 pounds, 5 ounces, to easily win the Qualifying Round for Group A at the Major League Fishing (MLF) Bass Pro Tour Toro Stage Four at Lake Guntersville Presented by Bass Cat Boats.
Wall’s two-day total of 10 bass weighing 47 pounds, 13 ounces earned him the win by a 5-pound, 9-ounce margin over Addison, Alabama pro Jesse Wiggins, who finished the round in second place with a two-day catch of 10 bass totaling 42-4. Pro Zack Birge of Blanchard, Oklahoma, boated a two-day total of 10 bass weighing 41-9 to end the round in third place, while Berkley pro Adrian Avena of Vineland, New Jersey , finished in fourth place with a two-day total of 10 bass for 39-13. General Tire Heavy Hitters Champion Alton Jones, Jr., of Waco, Texas, rounded out the top five with a two-day total of 10 bass weighing 39-10.
The top 20 anglers advancing from Group A will now have an off day from competition Friday, while the 40 anglers competing in Group B will complete their two-day Qualifying Round. The top 20 anglers from each group advance to Saturday’s Knockout Round. In the Knockout Round, weights are zeroed, and the remaining 40 anglers compete to finish in the top 10 to advance to the Championship Round. In Sunday’s final day Championship Round, weight carries over from the Knockout Round and the angler with the heaviest two-day total wins the top prize of $100,000.
“What an awesome day,” Wall said in his post-game interview. “Winning today isn’t giving me anything extra or any sort of advantage, but it is an awesome feeling to be atop this phenomenal group of 40 anglers after two days of fishing on such a world-famous fishery. I have put in a lot of time out here over the last 4½ years since I moved here, and to be here on top amongst not only these really great names, but a lot of phenomenal local anglers – Ryan Salzman, Josh Butler, Chris Lane – a bunch of really big names. And to be on top right now – I’m just. so happy, and so thankful.”
Like Day 1, Wall spent the day targeting fish offshore early with a Nichols Lures Ben Parker Magnum Spoon. He said he pretty much stopped fishing at noon each day, spending the rest of his time scouting locations for the next day of competition.
“I did it again, today, on the spoons,” Wall said. “That has definitely been the key bait for me over the last couple of days, and hopefully they will be for the next couple of days going into the Knockout and Championship rounds.
“I’m throwing two different sizes,” Wall continued. “I’m throwing a big spoon on a little bit bigger, 8-foot Phenix M1 rod, and throwing the little bit smaller spoon on a 7-foot 8-inch medium-heavy Phenix M1. That rod is so versatile – I throw the spoons on it, but I also use it for a lot of other offshore baits this time of the year in the summer. The spoon has definitely been the deal for me this week, though.
“I’ve learned some cool stuff over the last couple of days that has me excited to go out and lay the hammer down on them Saturday in the Knockout Round, because I’ve been holding back the last two days around 11:30 to noon because I didn’t want to burn up too many fish,” Wall went on to say. “I’m excited to get back out there and see what I can catch.”
The top 20 pros from Group A that now advance to Saturday’s Knockout Round on Lake Guntersville are:
1st: Jacob Wall, New Hope, Ala., 10 bass, 47-13
2nd: Jesse Wiggins, Addison, Ala., 10 bass, 42-4
3rd: Zack Birge, Blanchard, Okla., 10 bass, 41-9
4th: Adrian Avena, Vineland, N.J., 10 bass, 39-13
5th: Alton Jones, Jr., Waco, Texas, 10 bass, 39-10
6th: Michael Neal, Dayton, Tenn., 10 bass, 38-11
7th: Justin Lucas, Guntersville, Ala., 10 bass, 36-8
8th: Spencer Shuffield, Hot Springs, Ark., 10 bass, 36-4
9th: Takahiro Omori, Tokyo, Japan, 10 bass, 36-3
10th: Ott DeFoe, Blaine, Tenn., nine bass, 35-11
11th: Edwin Evers, Talala, Okla., 10 bass, 35-8
12th: Dustin Connell, Clanton, Ala., 10 bass, 35-0
13th: Kelly Jordon, Flint, Texas, 10 bass, 33-13
14th: Timmy Horton, Muscle Shoals, Ala., nine bass, 33-9
15th: James Watson, Lampe, Mo., 10 bass, 33-7
16th: Josh Butler, Hayden, Ala., 10 bass, 33-5
17th: Greg Vinson, Wetumpka, Ala., 10 bass, 32-14
18th: Randall Tharp, Port Saint Joe, Fla., 10 bass, 32-13
19th: Cody Meyer, Star, Idaho, 10 bass, 32-9
20th: Stephen Browning, Hot Springs, Ark., 10 bass, 32-1
Eliminated from competition are:
21st: Jeff Sprague, Wills Point, Texas, 10 bass, 31-12
22nd: Ryan Salzman, Huntsville, Ala., 10 bass, 31-8
23rd: Dean Rojas, Lake Havasu City, Ariz., 10 bass, 31-8
24th: Nick LeBrun, Bossier City, La., nine bass, 30-14
25th: Chris Lane, Guntersville, Ala., 10 bass, 30-5
26th: Cliff Pace, Petal, Miss., 10 bass, 29-13
27th: Fletcher Shryock, Guntersville, Ala., 10 bass, 29-4
28th: Luke Clausen, Spokane, Wash., 10 bass, 29-0
29th: Andy Morgan, Dayton, Tenn., 10 bass, 28-15
30th: Randy Howell, Guntersville, Ala., nine bass, 28-4
31st: Josh Bertrand, Queen Creek, Ariz., 10 bass, 28-4
32nd: Skeet Reese, Auburn, Calif., 10 bass, 28-3
33rd: Mark Davis, Mount Ida, Ark., 10 bass, 27-7
34th: Kevin VanDam, Kalamazoo, Mich., 10 bass, 27-6
35th: Cliff Crochet, Pierre Part, La., eight bass, 26-1
36th: Terry Scroggins, San Mateo, Fla., 10 bass, 25-0
37th: Wesley Strader, Spring City, Tenn., eight bass, 23-10
38th: Russ Lane, Prattville, Ala., six bass, 21-5
39th: Dave Lefebre, Erie, Pa., eight bass, 20-3
40th: Roy Hawk, Lake Havasu City, Ariz., six bass, 15-15
A complete list of results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
Overall, there were 311 scorable bass weighing 929 pounds, 9 ounces caught by the 40 pros Thursday, which included 11 5-pounders and one 6-pounder.
Pro Ott DeFoe of Blaine, Tennessee, caught the most weight for the day – 24 pounds, 15 ounces – and he also earned Thursday’s $1,000 Berkley Big Bass Award with a 6-pound, 10-ounce largemouth bass that he caught fishing a medium-diving crankbait late in Period 3. Berkley awards $1,000 to the angler who weighs the heaviest bass each day, and a $3,000 bonus to the angler who weighs the heaviest bass of the tournament.
The six-day tournament, hosted by Marshall County Tourism & Sports, showcases 80 of the top professional anglers in the world, competing for a purse of more than $805,000, including a top payout of $100,000 and valuable Angler of the Year (AOY) points in hopes of qualifying for the General Tire Heavy Hitters All-Star event and REDCREST 2024 at Birmingham, Alabama’s Lay Lake, the Bass Pro Tour championship.
The 40 Anglers in Group A competed in their two-day qualifying round on Tuesday and Thursday – the 40 anglers in Group B on Wednesday and Friday. After each two-day qualifying round is complete, the top 20 anglers from each group advance to Saturday’s Knockout Round. In the Knockout Round, weights are zeroed, and the remaining 40 anglers compete to finish in the top 10 to advance to the Championship Round. In Sunday’s final day Championship Round, weight carries over from the Knockout Round and the angler with the heaviest two-day total wins the top prize of $100,000.
Anglers will launch each morning at 7:30 a.m. CT each day from the Guntersville Civitan Park, located at 1130 Sunset Drive in Guntersville. Each day’s General Tire Takeout will be held at the launch locations, beginning at 4 p.m. Fans are welcome to attend all launch and takeout events and also encouraged to follow the event online throughout the day on the MLF NOW!® live stream and SCORETRACKER® coverage at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
As part of the event, on Saturday, May 20 and Sunday, May 21 the MLF Fan Experience will be taking place at Civitan Park in Guntersville from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. MLF will welcome fans of all ages to celebrate fishing and the outdoors with concerts in the park, hosted by Explore Lake Guntersville, featuring JUICE on Saturday and Jackson Chase on Sunday. Food and drinks will be available from local food trucks and fans can check out the latest gear and offerings from MLF and MLF sponsors including Toyota, Favorite Fishing, Kubota, U.S. Air Force, and The Fallen Outdoors. On Sunday, fans can hang out and watch the pros live on the MLF NOW! big screen during the MLF Watch Party. The final 10 Championship Round Bass Pro Tour anglers will be on hand at the trophy celebration to meet and greet fans, sign autographs, and take selfies.
The Toro Stage Four at Lake Guntersville Presented by Bass Cat Boats features pros competing using the MLF catch, weigh, immediate-release format, with each angler’s five (5) heaviest bass per day tallied as their day’s weight. Anglers strive to catch their heaviest five fish each day, while also feeling the pressure and intensity of the live scoring SCORETRACKER® leaderboard. Minimum weights are determined individually for each competition waters that the Bass Pro Tour visits, based on the productivity, bass population and anticipated average size of fish in each fishery.
The 2023 MLF Bass Pro Tour features a field of 80 of the top professional anglers in the world competing across seven regular-season tournaments around the country, fishing for millions of dollars and valuable points to qualify for the annual General Tire Heavy Hitters all-star event and REDCREST 2024, the Bass Pro Tour championship, held March 13-17, 2024, on Lay Lake in Birmingham, Alabama.
The MLF NOW!® broadcast team of Chad McKee, Marty Stone and J.T. Kenney will break down the extended action live on all six days of competition from 7:45 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. CT. MLF NOW!® will be live streamed on MajorLeagueFishing.com and the MyOutdoorTV (MOTV) app.
Television coverage of the Toro Stage Four at Lake Guntersville Presented by Bass Cat Boats will air as two, two-hour episodes starting at 7 a.m. ET, on Saturday, Oct. 7 and Saturday, Oct. 14 on the Discovery Channel. New MLF episodes premiere each Saturday morning on Discovery, with re-airings on the Outdoor Channel.
Proud sponsors of the 2023 MLF Bass Pro Tour include: 13 Fishing, Abu Garcia, Ark Fishing, ATG + Wrangler, B&W Trailer Hitches, Bally Bet, Bass Cat Boats, Bass Pro Shops, Berkley, Black Rifle Coffee, Daiwa, Epic Baits, Favorite Fishing, Ferguson, Fox Rent A Car, General Tire, Grundéns, Humminbird, Lowrance, Minn Kota, Mercury, Mossy Oak, Onyx, Power-Pole, Rapala, Star tron, T-H Marine, TORO, Toyota, U.S. Air Force, Yellowstone Bourbon, Yo-Zuri and Zoom Baits.
For complete details and updated information on Major League Fishing and the Bass Pro Tour, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF’s social media outlets at Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.
B.A.S.S. Nation Southeast Regional takes on Douglas Lake
Jefferson County, Tenn., will host the 2023 TNT Fireworks B.A.S.S. Nation Southeast Regional at Douglas Lake May 24-26.
Photo by Andy Crawford/B.A.S.S.
May 18, 2023
JEFFERSON COUNTY, Tenn. — Teams from 10 states across the Southeast will converge in east Tennessee May 24-26 for the TNT Fireworks B.A.S.S. Nation Southeast Regional at Douglas Lake, and Bassmaster Elite Series pro Skylar Hamilton believes plenty of bass will be caught.
“You can catch 12 pounds in 30 feet of water or catch 12 pounds flipping shallow or fishing up the river. Whatever you want to do, you can catch 12 pounds,” the Dandridge, Tenn., native said. “A 4-pounder is like gold on Douglas. It will be a fun but frustrating time of year. You will catch a lot of fish, but size will (be hard to come by).”
Nestled in the hills of Jefferson County, Douglas Lake provides the opportunity to catch quality largemouth and spotted bass. Douglas has played host to several B.A.S.S. events, most recently the 2021 St. Croix Bassmaster Southern Open won by Daisuke Aoki with 43 pounds, 13 ounces.
The Southeast Regional will feature teams from Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia. Anglers will launch out of the Dandridge Dock Boat Ramp each day at 6:30 a.m. ET, returning to the harbor at 2:30 p.m. for weigh-in. The full field will compete on Days 1 and 2, while Day 3 will feature the Top 16 boaters and nonboaters along with the top two boaters and nonboaters from each state if they are not already in the Top 16. Full coverage will be available on Bassmaster.com.
Smallmouth and largemouth bass are the showcase species at Douglas Lake, and both will likely play a big role. The bass will be targeting gizzard and threadfin shad, as well as bluegill and crawfish.
The end of May historically is the time a lot of the bass will make their move to their offshore areas, Hamilton said. Both largemouth and smallmouth will congregate in these areas, which are long points that have slate and gravel patches, brushpiles and rockpiles as well as ledges and dropoffs.
“It’s when the females that just got done spawning are recuperating offshore,” Hamilton said. “That is prime time. The good thing about Douglas is, they don't have far to swim. There isn’t a big migration. They are up in a bush one day, and the next day they can be out on the ledge in 25 feet of water.”
These bass can be caught with the regular assortment of offshore techniques like deep-diving crankbaits, football jigs, spoons and big worms. Finesse presentations have also become popular choices on Douglas. With limited amounts of cover, forward-facing sonar will likely play a big role.
“Those fish get pressured so fast,” Hamilton added. “It will be (whoever) finds a group of fish that isn’t as pressured or rotates as many spots as they can.”
At the same time, there are plenty of bass that stay shallow as well. What those fish will be on will be determined by the water level, which will still be rising up to summer pool. A big rain event could send the water into the bushes, which will provide more cover and opportunity for ambush points.
“The way things are now, you can fish shallow on Douglas and do just as well if not better than someone who is offshore,” Hamilton said. “Anything on Douglas that is shallow can hold a fish. We don’t have any grass, so if there is something in the water up shallow there will likely be a fish next to it.”
It will be the angler's choice on how they want to catch these shallow bass. Topwaters, squarebills and spinnerbaits will likely play a role, as well as swimbaits.
The top-finishing boater and co-angler from each state represented in this tournament will earn a spot in the 2023 TNT Fireworks B.A.S.S. Nation Championship on legendary Lake Hartwell Oct. 18-20.
Garrett Omnipresent in Bassmaster® Opens Points Race
Courtesy of Luke Stoner - Dynamic Sponsorships
**Photo provided by Dalton Tumblin / B.A.S.S. **
If you follow competitive bass fishing, there’s a good chance you’ve heard the name John Garrett. At only twenty-six yearsold, the Bassmaster Opens EQ competitor has an impressive tournament resume, which includes holding the leader positionof the 2023 St. Croix Opens EQ points standings.
In 2016, Garrett won the Bassmaster® College Series Classic Bracket, earning a spot in the 2017 Bassmaster Classic® as a sophomore in college. After a solid showing in the Classic, Garrett went on to lead the points race in the Central division of the Bassmaster Opens until the final tournament of the season.
Ultimately, he finished one spot out of achieving his dream of qualifying for the Bassmaster Elite Series that year, and then took 2018-19 off from Opens competition to focus on his education and graduate from Bethel University.
Garrett came back to the Opens with a vengeance in 2020, finishing in fifth place overall in the points standings. However, only the top four received Elite invites. In 2021, the Skeeter-Yamaha pro heartbreakingly fell one single point short of qualifying for the Elite Series.
Last year Garrett once again finished in the top ten in the Opens points race, but not high enough to take the next step in his professional fishing career. Garrett has proven his fishing prowess repeatedly at the college and Opens level. Now three tournaments in to the 2023 Opens EQ season, it looks as though he’ll have a chance to knock at the door of Elite Series qualification once again.
The Tennessee native started his 2023 Opens EQ campaign with back-to-back fourth place finishes before ending the Buggs Island tournament in 18th place. In the process, Garrett earned $3,000 of bonus money from Yamaha’s popular Power Pay program.
“That money goes a long way for a guy like me at the Opens level,” explained Garrett. “It’s hard to get a lot of sponsorship support fishing the Opens, and I have a wife with a child on the way, so every single dollar I can earn means the world to our family.”
Garrett was the highest finishing Power Pay eligible angler at the Lake Eufaula Open and the second highest finisher running a 2019 or newer Yamaha Outboard at Toledo Bend, collecting a Power Pay check at each tournament.
“I’ve been a big proponent of the Power Pay program since it was announced, but I’ve had a Yamaha on the back of every boat I’ve owned because of the quality and reliability,” said Garrett. “The first boat I bought my senior year of high school was a used Skeeter powered by a Yamaha. I’ve run a 250-horsepower Yamaha V MAX SHO® on a Skeeter in the Opens competitions since 2020, and I have Yamahas on both of my G3 aluminum boats for my duck guiding business.”
Garrett’s fondness of the Yamaha brand runs deep, beginning in his youth when he would help at his grandpa’s boat dealership, Union City Marine in northwest Tennessee. It’s hard to not wish for continued success for Garrett, who remains humble and steady throughout the peaks and valleys of his young career.
Ideally, he’ll continue to cash in a few more Power Pay bonuses as he continues to work toward achieving his ultimate goal of qualifying for the Elite Series at the end of the 2023 season.
Yamaha Power Pay supports hundreds of tournaments from the high school level to team tournament trails, and all the way up to the professional ranks. For a full list of events and payouts or for more information head to www.yamahapowerpay.com/
Throwback Thursday - Flippin’: A Concept Not Just A Technique – Part 3
By Terry Battisti - Bass Fishing Archives
This is part three of a three-part series on the concept of flipping and the effect it had on the sport. In this final installment, we talked with Hank Parker and Denny Brauer about how the technique changed their careers. To read Part One click here and to read Part Two click here.
Hank Parker
Although Hank Parker may not have designed a lure or piece of equipment having to do with flipping, he is arguably the angler who put the technique on the map for good.
Up until the ’79 Classic on Lake Texoma, flipping wasn’t much more than something serious anglers kept to themselves. Yes, it had been the determining technique to win national events and had been written about in Bass Master Magazine – a six-part series in 1976 –still few anglers had adopted the long rod into their repertoire.
That all changed when Parker won the ’79 Classic – flipping had finally come of age. Parker’s introduction to flipping came early. He was first introduced to it in 1976 when, as he says, “Klein was still in diapers.”
“I saw Dave Gliebe catch 95-15 on Lake Okeechobee in an American Bass event in 1976,” he said. “The conditions for that tournament were horrible and it blew my mind that he could catch that much weight.
“Then six weeks later he won another event on Kentucky Lake under perfect conditions and that really made me think twice about the technique. It was something that worked in all conditions. “After those two events, I started doing a lot of research on the technique and found out that it was invented by Dee Thomas."
“What really intrigued me about it was how well the technique could illicit a reaction strike,” he said. “My dad had always taught me that fish won’t chase a bait down all the time. Sometimes you have to hit them on the head and make them strike out of aggression or territorial rights. Plus, in muddy water, where their field of vision is limited, you sometimes have to hit them on the head – get in their face. There’s never been a better method than flipping for doing that."
“A lot of times during cold-front conditions, the fish bury themselves in the cover and they’re not in an aggressive mood. Back before flipping, who knew you could take a 7- or 8-foot rod and place a lure right on top of their head and get a reaction strike out of them?”
As stated earlier, Parker’s ’79 Classic victory put flipping on the national map. Although Basil Bacon got second, also flipping, the event could have had a different result for a couple of reasons.
“That Classic would have turned out a lot differently if not for two events,” Parker said. “First, the water was perfect for throwing a blade and that’s a bait I’d had great success with over the years."
"I’d been throwing it without much success and then I ran into Forrest Wood. He told me he’d caught two fish flipping and lost a couple of others. After that, I fished an incredible area and didn’t get a bite on the blade. I thought to myself, ‘They had to be there.’ I went back and flipped the same area I’d just gone through and caught three fish on four
flips. I had 11 or 12 pounds which was amazing for Texoma at the time."
“By 10:30 in the morning, I had 16 pounds and left it alone. In the process, I’d also broken my only flipping stick, a prototype that I was testing, and had to switch to a 6-foot pistol-grip rod. I caught a couple fish using that rod but it was by no means the right equipment."
“After the weigh-in, I went to Harold Sharp and asked him if I could get another rod. Back in those days, you were given a weight limit on tackle and a limit on the number of rods you could use. Because I had brought a flipping stick with me, Harold decided it would be okay if I went out and got another rod. Back then, though, you couldn’t find a flipping stick at most tackle shops."
“I knew Gary [Klein] had a few so I went and asked him if I could borrow one of his. He said yes and that’s what helped me win. Gary really came to my rescue. I really doubt I could have won it if I had to fish that 6-foot rod.”
Denny Brauer
1984.
Dee Thomas may have invented the technique, Dave Gliebe may have been the first person to really utilize it east of the Mississippi, Gary Klein and Basil Bacon may have made strides in tackle developed specifically for the technique and Hank Parker may have been the angler who really cemented its place in the sport. It would be tough to argue, though, if there’s ever been another angler over the course of time that’s made more money flipping than Denny Brauer. He’s third on the all-time winners list with 17 Bass Master victories and 37 top-3 finishes. Not only that, he designed the first tube specifically for flipping.
Brauer’s career started in Nebraska as a Federation angler and fishing the now-defunct U.S. Bass circuit in the mid-to late-70s. He learned of the flipping technique from a six-part series published in Bass Master Magazine written by Dee Thomas and Dave Gliebe through Dave Myers. Although he wouldn’t know it for some time, that series would change his life.
“Flipping first came to my attention in Bass Master Magazine around 1976,” he said. “I couldn’t get a Flippin’ Stik but a friend of mine made a couple of them out of long rods and I went out with him in his boat and used one. Then I bought my first flipping stick, a Bass Pro Shops rod called The Dabbler."
“There weren’t many people around here that flipped so I had no choice but to learn it on my own through trial and error,” he said. “I practiced flipping and pitching a bunch and within a year got fairly decent at it. It played a part in a lot of bass club wins right off the bat. “It was deadly on the chain of lakes I was fishing at the time,” he said. “I was fishing for fish that a lot of anglers weren’t targeting."
"The watersheds lakes we competed on in Nebraska back then had lots of cover and were great for the flipping method.”
The technique helped him make the ’78 and ’80 Federation Nationals, which is what jump-started his national debut with BASS. It’d take him two years to make the Classic and another two to win his first event but he was sold on the power of flipping.
“When I started fishing the BASS events in 1980, almost everyone was flipping,” he said. “I remember the first national event I won on Sam Rayburn (TX, 1984). All the fish I caught were on flipping and pitching techniques. The fish were on the deeper willows and you had to be really precise. I landed a very high percentage of my bites that event”
Brauer was never content with the status quo with the technique, though. “The main baits we used back in the early days were jigs, worms, and lizards,” he said. “Tubes were out but no one liked to fish them because they were too short and they were single-walled baits and that didn’t stay on the hook very well. They’d always want to slide down the hook. You had to improvise a lot in order for them to be effective."
“Then I won the ‘98 Classic on High Rock and that changed everything. “I’d been on a good flip bite with jigs and worms before the lake went off limits but when I went back for the one-day official practice, the fish wouldn’t eat the jig. I don’t know what happened but the fish changed. It really surprised me because the fish were locked on the jig the month before."
“I changed up to a tube and they ate it. The forage the fish were eating was the same size as the tube and they keyed in on that size difference. “After the Classic, I met with the folks down at Strike King and they let me design the first flipping tube.”
The ’98 season provided more than his Classic win, though. In all, he won four BassMaster events in which flipping played a role in two of them. He became known as the preeminent flipper. During the interview, I had a chance to ask him how he felt the technique has changed over the years.
“The gear has made it a lot easier to flip all day compared to what we had when I first started,” he said. “My first actual flipping stick was that Bass Pro Shops Dabbler.’ I broke that rod so many times but it was a great rod. The only problem was it was so heavy. You had to be in shape to fish it all day long. The funny thing right now is I’m meeting with a major retailer about a new line of rods I’m launching with Ardent. They’re so much lighter than that old Dabbler. Today’s rods are at a completely new level now compared to the old days."
“Also back then there was only one flipping stick size, action, and power. Today anglers can choose from a number of different rods to fit what they need at the time. For example, I’ve designed four separate flipping sticks for Ardent ranging from a 7’-4” light flipping stick to a 7’-10” heavy action rod."
“The reels have also come a long way,” he said. “The Ardent F700 has a Perma-Lock Drag System and nose cone (no level wind) that allows anglers to pitch a jig a lot farther than a standard-style reel. Plus, the narrow spool doesn’t waste a lot of line."
“With the tackle today anglers are spoiled with how light, sensitive and responsive the gear is. It used to be the rod would work against you.”
Brauer will forever be known in the world of bass fishing as one of the best flippers the sport has ever produced. I was interested in hearing from him how he felt the technique played a role in his career.
“Without a doubt, it did a lot for me,” he said. “Not just for winning and placing but it also played a major role in marketing myself. Flipping has made my career a lot easier. In fact, when I started out I figured I’d be a blade guy. I guess it didn’t turn out that way.”
Matt Becker Smacks 30½-Pound Limit to Lead Group B at MLF Bass Pro Tour Toro Stage Four on Lake Guntersville
Ten Mile, Tennessee Pro Catches 30-9 To Lead Big Early for Group B, Group A Anglers to Wrap Qualifying Round Thursday
GUNTERSVILLE, Ala. (May 17, 2023) – For the second day in a row, the young talent on the Bass Pro Tour is shining bright. After rookie pro Jacob Wall of New Hope, Alabama, took the lead for Group A on Tuesday, fellow Bass Pro Tour rookie Matt Becker of Ten Mile, Tennessee, followed suit on Wednesday. Becker caught 15 scorable bass Wednesday, with his top five weighing 30 pounds, 9 ounces, to jump out to the early lead for Qualifying Group B at the Major League Fishing (MLF) Bass Pro Tour Toro Stage Four at Lake Guntersville Presented by Bass Cat Boats. Becker will bring a comfortable 7-pound, 15-ounce advantage into Day 2 of competition on Friday over second-place angler Anthony Gagliardi of Prosperity, South Carolina, who weighed in five bass totaling 22-10 to end the day in second place.
The six-day event, hosted by Marshall County Tourism & Sports, showcases 80 of the top professional anglers in the world, competing for a purse of more than $805,000, including a top payout of $100,000 and valuable Angler of the Year (AOY) points in hopes of qualifying for the General Tire Heavy Hitters All-Star event and REDCREST 2024, the Bass Pro Tour championship.
The 40 anglers in Group B will now have an off day on Thursday, while the 40 anglers competing in Group A will complete their two-day Qualifying Round of competition. Group B will conclude their Qualifying Round on Friday.
“That was the biggest bag of fish that I have ever caught in my life,” Becker said in his post-game interview. “I can’t believe that happened. That was just incredible. The Lord is so good, and he blessed me so much today. He put me to the test this morning – he really tested my patience. I could not get them to bite. I was looking at them on the graph and I could see them there, but they weren’t biting. Then I broke a couple of off… he was just testing me and putting me through it. And then he gave me a half hour towards the end of the day that was absolutely incredible.”
Becker said he struggled for the majority of the day before his exciting afternoon.
“I struggled pretty much all day,” he said. “I caught a limit in the first period for like 13 pounds, and then just very slowly upgraded. And then at 2:45 I caught a 6-pounder, and that’s when the magic started happening.
“I caught a 6-pounder and it got me to like 18 pounds, and then I decided I’m going to pull the trolling motor and go somewhere else. I ran down to this other spot, and it was mayhem for about 5 minutes. That got me up to 30 pounds, and it was absolutely incredible.”
Of the five fish that Becker scored Wednesday, three came on a crankbait and two came on a white hair jig.
“I had a ton of rods on my deck, and threw a bunch of different baits,” Becker said. “The key bait for me today, though, was the hair jig – a ledge staple and one of my favorite ways to catch them. It’s so much fun when they load up on the hair jig. I was throwing it on my Favorite Signature MDJ Hex rod – it’s a pretty big rod for big fish, 7-foot, 8-inch, heavy – with 15-pound Seaguar Invisx Fluorocarbon line and an 8.1:1 gear ratio reel.
“I’m very excited to have the lead, but I know that the work isn’t done,” Becker went on to say. “There is a lot of work left to do on Friday. Hopefully we can make the Knockout Round and go from there.”
The standings for the 40 pros in Group B after Day 1 on Lake Guntersville are:
1st: Matt Becker, Ten Mile, Tenn., five bass, 30-9
2nd: Anthony Gagliardi, Prosperity, S.C., five bass, 22-10
3rd: Shin Fukae, Osaka, Japan, five bass, 22-6
4th: John Hunter, Shelbyville, Ky., five bass, 21-14
5th: Jordan Lee, Cullman, Ala., five bass, 21-4
6th: David Dudley, Lynchburg, Va., five bass, 20-15
7th: Jacob Wheeler, Harrison, Tenn., five bass, 20-15
8th: Brett Hite, Phoenix, Ariz., five bass, 20-14
9th: Bryan Thrift, Shelby, N.C., five bass, 19-14
10th: Brent Ehrler, Redlands, Calif., three bass, 19-6
11th: Dakota Ebare, Brookeland, Texas, five bass, 19-1
12th: Gerald Spohrer, Gonzales, La., five bass, 18-9
13th: Todd Faircloth, Jasper, Ala., five bass, 18-9
14th: Scott Suggs, Alexander, Ark., five bass, 18-6
15th: Alton Jones, Sr., Lorena, Texas, five bass, 17-10
16th: Brent Chapman, Lake Quivira, Kan., five bass, 17-4
17th: Matt Lee, Cullman, Ala., five bass, 16-14
18th: Marty Robinson, Lyman, S.C., five bass, 16-10
19th: Bradley Roy, Lancaster, Ky., five bass, 16-1
20th: James Elam, Tulsa, Okla., five bass, 15-15
21st: David Walker, Sevierville, Tenn., five bass, 15-15
22nd: Cole Floyd, Leesburg, Ohio, five bass, 15-14
23rd: Keith Poche, Pike Road, Ala., five bass, 15-11
24th: Casey Ashley, Donalds, S.C., five bass, 15-8
25th: Jonathon VanDam, Kalamazoo, Mich., five bass, 15-2
26th: Jeremy Lawyer, Sarcoxie, Mo., five bass, 14-11
27th: Mark Daniels, Jr., Tuskegee, Ala., five bass, 14-5
28th: Boyd Duckett, Guntersville, Ala., five bass, 13-10
29th: Mark Rose, Wynne, Ark., three bass, 13-5
30th: Mitch Crane, Columbus, Miss., five bass, 12-14
31st: Dylan Hays, Hot Springs, Ark., five bass, 12-11
32nd: Brandon Coulter, Knoxville, Tenn., five bass, 12-8
33rd: Britt Myers, Lake Wylie, S.C., five bass, 11-9
34th: Gary Klein, Mingus, Texas, five bass, 11-9
35th: Fred Roumbanis, Russellville, Ark., five bass, 11-2
36th: John Murray, Spring City, Tenn., five bass, 11-1
37th: Jared Lintner, Covington, Ga., three bass, 10-15
38th: Jeff Kriet, Ardmore, Okla., five bass, 10-10
39th: Andy Montgomery, Blacksburg, S.C., four bass, 10-1
40th: Tommy Biffle, Wagoner, Okla., three bass, 5-11
A complete list of results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
Overall, there were 344 scorable bass weighing 993 pounds, 10 ounces caught by the 40 pros Wednesday, which included 16 5-pounders and six 6-pounders.
Becker and pro Brett Hite of Phoenix, Arizona, shared Wednesday’s $1,000 Berkley Big Bass Award, as each weighed in a bass totaling 6-pounds, 13-ounces to split the daily prize. Berkley awards $1,000 to the angler who weighs the heaviest bass each day, and a $3,000 bonus to the angler who weighs the heaviest bass of the tournament.
The 40 Anglers in Group A compete in their two-day qualifying round on Tuesday and Thursday – the 40 anglers in Group B on Wednesday and Friday. After each two-day qualifying round is complete, the top 20 anglers from each group advance to Saturday’s Knockout Round. In the Knockout Round, weights are zeroed, and the remaining 40 anglers compete to finish in the top 10 to advance to the Championship Round. In Sunday’s final day Championship Round, weight carries over from the Knockout Round and the angler with the heaviest two-day total wins the top prize of $100,000.
Anglers will launch each day at 7:30 a.m. CT each day from the Guntersville Civitan Park, located at 1130 Sunset Drive in Guntersville. Each day’s General Tire Takeout will be held at the launch locations, beginning at 4 p.m. Fans are welcome to attend all launch and takeout events and also encouraged to follow the event online throughout the day on the MLF NOW!® live stream and SCORETRACKER® coverage at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
As part of the event, on Saturday, May 20 and Sunday, May 21 the MLF Fan Experience will be taking place at Civitan Park in Guntersville from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. MLF will welcome fans of all ages to celebrate fishing and the outdoors with concerts in the park, hosted by Explore Lake Guntersville, featuring JUICE on Saturday and Jackson Chase on Sunday. Food and drinks will be available from local food trucks and fans can check out the latest gear and offerings from MLF and MLF sponsors including Toyota, Favorite Fishing, Kubota, U.S. Air Force, and The Fallen Outdoors. On Sunday, fans can hang out and watch the pros live on the MLF NOW! big screen during the MLF Watch Party. The final 10 Championship Round Bass Pro Tour anglers will be on hand at the trophy celebration to meet and greet fans, sign autographs, and take selfies.
The Toro Stage Four at Lake Guntersville Presented by Bass Cat Boats will feature pros competing using the MLF catch, weigh, immediate-release format, with each angler’s five (5) heaviest bass per day tallied as their day’s weight. Anglers strive to catch their heaviest five fish each day, while also feeling the pressure and intensity of the live scoring SCORETRACKER® leaderboard. Minimum weights are determined individually for each competition waters that the Bass Pro Tour visits, based on the productivity, bass population and anticipated average size of fish in each fishery.
The 2023 MLF Bass Pro Tour features a field of 80 of the top professional anglers in the world competing across seven regular-season tournaments around the country, fishing for millions of dollars and valuable points to qualify for the annual General Tire Heavy Hitters all-star event and REDCREST 2024, the Bass Pro Tour championship, held March 13-17, 2024, on Lay Lake in Birmingham, Alabama.
The MLF NOW!® broadcast team of Chad McKee, Marty Stone and J.T. Kenney will break down the extended action live on all six days of competition from 7:45 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. CT. MLF NOW!® will be live streamed on MajorLeagueFishing.com and the MyOutdoorTV (MOTV) app.
Television coverage of the Toro Stage Four at Lake Guntersville Presented by Bass Cat Boats will air as two, two-hour episodes starting at 7 a.m. ET, on Saturday, Oct. 7 and Saturday, Oct. 14 on the Discovery Channel. New MLF episodes premiere each Saturday morning on Discovery, with re-airings on the Outdoor Channel.
Proud sponsors of the 2023 MLF Bass Pro Tour include: 13 Fishing, Abu Garcia, Ark Fishing, ATG + Wrangler, B&W Trailer Hitches, Bally Bet, Bass Cat Boats, Bass Pro Shops, Berkley, Black Rifle Coffee, Daiwa, Epic Baits, Favorite Fishing, Ferguson, Fox Rent A Car, General Tire, Grundéns, Humminbird, Lowrance, Minn Kota, Mercury, Mossy Oak, Onyx, Power-Pole, Rapala, Star tron, T-H Marine, TORO, Toyota, U.S. Air Force, Yellowstone Bourbon, Yo-Zuri and Zoom Baits.
For complete details and updated information on Major League Fishing and the Bass Pro Tour, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF’s social media outlets at Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.
Davis vs Goliath
The latest winner of the Bassmaster Elite Series, Will Davis Jr, talks about fishing on his home pond and what it means to represent the BASS Nation fishing at the top level
