The Personal Rewards of Fishing

Forestville, WI (November 6, 2023) – Why do you fish, or why would you want to try fishing? The short answer is that it's "fun". But it's not that simple. We're all about science and research, so let's take a moment to reveal the deeper meaning of the "fun" of fishing into defined areas of "personal rewards".

We're programmed to fish: Believe it or not, some say fishing is part of our DNA and who we are as Paleo-hunters because it fulfills our instinct of pursuing and catching our own food. Besides making us more sustainable as a human on Planet Earth (if you consume some of the fish you catch), fishing both calms and excites our senses. Some say the excitement comes from feeling that shock in your hands when a fish strikes, while others think it’s the thrill of reeling in a thrashing fish fighting on the end of your line. So fulfilling some primal and exciting interaction with something wild is a personal reward.

Create Lasting Memories: Studies show that many people equate "happiness" with creating and recalling treasured memories. That makes sense, right? When most people recall a memory of something "fun" or special in their lives, it often includes several key elements: 1) interacting with nature in the outdoors. 2) bonding with family and friends. 3) a first-time experience with something new. Fishing of course checks all those boxes. But so do a lot of things that fail to generate lasting treasured memories.

Here's a simple test; ask five people if they remember catching their first baseball, swinging a golf club or hooping their first basket. Chances are few or none will recall those foggy memories of their favorite "sporting pastime". Now ask the same people if they remember catching their first fish. Betcha get a very different response. So, yeah, fishing creates lasting memories that equate to happiness for many people.

One of several related classroom lesson plans.

A Great Way to Unwind: Let’s admit it. Chores around the house, school homework, and the stress of growing up in a world full of ADULTS can sometimes make kids go coyote crazy with stress. The cure? Fishing is your passport to a stress-free world where you can simply enjoy being outdoors, breathing fresh air, and waiting for a lunker to bite. Some experts believe that fishing brings on a special sense of being free and alive while interacting with nature on the water. Now that’s a sure-fire combo for unwinding.

Creating Social Bonds: Look, you can Facebook your way around cyberspace until your thumbs fall off. But nothing forms stronger relationships than face-to-face time with genuine family and friends. And fishing with family and friends can cement bonds that last a lifetime. Besides, who better to help you land that big fish than your parents or peeps?

If you like “The Personal Rewards of Fishing,” be sure to check out FAF’s entire online series at Into the Outdoors, or on television in the educational blocks offered on PBS nationwide and other over the air networks. Here you’ll also find shorter, custom video segments complete with lesson plans, for sharing in classroom or fishing club settings.


Chad Mrazek Wins 2023 Toyota Series Championship Presented by Simms on Table Rock Lake

Montgomery, Texas Pro Earns First Major Career Win by 7 ounces, Takes Home $200,000 and Automatic Berth in REDCREST 2024

BRANSON, Mo. (Nov. 4, 2023) – The third time was certainly a charm for pro Chad Mrazek of Montgomery, Texas, who brought a  five-bass limit weighing 16 pounds even to the scales Saturday to win the 2023 Toyota Series Championship at Table Rock Lake Presented by Simms in Branson, Missouri. Major League Fishing’s signature fall tournament marked the third Toyota Series Championship appearance for the Texas pro, who walked away with the top award of $200,000 and an invitation to compete in REDCREST 2024 – Major League Fishing’s most prestigious event.

After finishing the first day of competition in 22nd place, Mrazek jumped to second place on Day 2 with a five-bass limit weighing 17 pounds, 7 ounces – the second-largest bag of the event. Mrazek backed up the Day 2 limit with another five-bass limit on the final day of competition, weighing 16-0 to catapult to the top of the leaderboard and earn the 2023 Toyota Series Championship win and $200,000. His three-day total of 47 pounds, 2 ounces gave him a slim 7-ounce margin over 2023 All-American champion Emil Wagner of Marietta, Georgia , who brought a five-bass limit to the scale Saturday weighing 16-11, for a three-day total of 46 pounds, 11 ounces, good for second place and $61,300.

Saturday’s final weigh-in marked the finale of the 2023 Toyota Series Presented by Phoenix Boats season, which featured thousands of anglers from around the world competing for millions in cash and prizes.

“I have no words,” said Mrazek. “It’s been a really long season and I’ve worked so hard and have so many people to thank, I don’t even know where to start. The 17-pound bag yesterday definitely helped me. I decided to fish comfortably today and fish in a way that I knew could catch a big bag, but I didn’t have a single fish today until about noon, and only had one fish until about 1 p.m.

“Toward the end of the day, I just had this feeling, and I went over to a little drain I’d found just up the river. I caught a 3-pounder and a 4½ -pound smallmouth, and everything just started falling into place. I honestly still wasn’t sure if it was my time or not at that point, but it felt good when it came together.”

Mrazek said he began the event working his LiveScope in water hundreds of feet deep with everyone else, but didn’t believe that pattern would be the winning ticket for him.

“I just wasn’t comfortable doing that,” said Mrazek. “I brought in a decent bag – 13 pounds and some change – but on Day 2 I knew I needed to make some adjustments if I really wanted to make a run at this thing.”

That adjustment meant finding shallow drains, which Mrazek said were few and far between on Table Rock Lake.

“I fished those shallow drains, just like I like to fish back home in Texas, but there aren’t many of them out here, so I only had about 4 to 5 spots to rotate through,” Mrazek said. “I rotated through them all yesterday and weighed in 17-7, then rotated through them all again today, and thankfully it worked out.”

Mrazek’s key bait was a 7/16-ounce football jig with half a 6th Sense Clout as a trailer – a bait Mrazek is super comfortable with and is part of his LiveScope rotation.

“I’ve been scoping with that bait for a while now,” he said. “I used 16-pound Sunline Sniper, and I  just can’t break it. There were trees everywhere around most of my better drains, so you’re going to get wrapped up, but I think I only lost two fish all week.”

After a tough rookie year on the Tackle Warehouse Invitationals in 2023, Mrazek’s showing in the 2023 Toyota Series has been a career-saver for the Texas pro.

“This win truly means the world to me,” Mrazek said. “At the beginning of this season, I had some misfortune with a title sponsor backing out on me – it wasn’t anybody’s fault, it’s just the way things go – but since January I’ve been literally fishing paycheck to paycheck. I’ve been cashing a check just to get to the next event, and if it wasn’t for the first few good events this season, I would have been in trouble.

“Those events and those paychecks kept me going. It slowed down a little bit mid-season, but then it picked back up with the Northern Division of the Toyota Series, where I finished strong, and that helped me get here. I think this win might help a little bit as well. I just really want to thank my family and everyone who has supported me since I was five years old and had this crazy dream – everyone who has pushed me to be my best up to this point.

“Hopefully we can keep this momentum going,” Mrazek continued. “I’ve got a lot of big things lined up for next year, sponsor-wise, so I’m excited for the coming year and how this win will continue to help boost those opportunities.”

The top 25 pros at the 2023 Toyota Series Championship on Table Rock Lake finished:

1st             Chad Mrazek of Montgomery, Texas, 15 bass, 47-2, $202,500
2nd:          Emil Wagner of Marietta, Ga., 15 bass, 46-11, $61,300
3rd:          Drew Gill of Mount Carmel, Ill., 15 bass, 44-12, $40,000
4th:           Jeremy Gordon of Rutledge, Tenn., 15 bass, 44-4, $25,000
5th:           Colby Miller of Elmer, La., 15 bass, 43-7, $30,000
6th:           Jacob Walker of Springville, Ala., 15 bass, 43-2, $14,000
7th:           Christian Ostrander of Turlock, Calif., 15 bass, 43-1, $23,000
8th:         Brody Campbell of Oxford, Ohio, 15 bass, 42-12, $12,200
9th:         Mike Raber of Elkhart, Ind., 15 bass, 42-11, $21,000
10th:      Evan Kung of Pickering, Ontario, 15 bass, 42-9, $20,000
11th:    Alec Morrison of Peru, N.Y., 15 bass, 42-2, $14,500
12th:     Erik Luzak of Fenelon Falls, Ontario, 15 bass, 42-2, $4,500
13th:     Dakota Ebare of Brookeland, Texas, 15 bass, 42-0, $4,500
14th:     Justin Lucas of Guntersville, Ala., 15 bass, 41-15, $4,500
15th:    Cole Breeden of Lebanon, Mo., 15 bass, 41-10, $4,500
16th:     Jason Gramada of Les Cedres, Québec, 15 bass, 40-8, $3,500
17th:     Rick Harris of Kingsland, Texas, 15 bass, 40-1, $3,500
18th:     Brian Green of North Augusta, Ontario, 15 bass, 40-1, $3,500
19th:     Jacob Welch of Jefferson City, Mo., 13 bass, 39-14, $3,500
20th:    Travis Harriman of Huntsville, Ark., 14 bass, 39-11, $3,500
21st:      Jacob Keenom of Wellston, Okla., 15 bass, 39-2, $3,000
22nd:    Martin Villa of Charlottesville, Va., 15 bass, 37-6, $3,000
23rd:    Derik Hudson of Concord, Va., 15 bass, 37-1, $3,000
24th:    Ken Thompson of Roaring Springs, Pa., 15 bass, 36-3, $3,000
25th:     Brad Jelinek of Lincoln, Mo., 11 bass, 29-0, $3,000
For a full list of results visit MajorLeagueFishing.com.

Overall, there were 120 bass weighing 326 pounds, 1 ounce caught Saturday. The catch included 23 five-bass limits.

Al Hopkins of Pendleton, Indiana, weighed in five bass totaling 10 pounds, 14 ounces, Saturday to win the top Strike King co-angler prize of a new Phoenix 518 pro bass boat with a 115-horsepower Mercury outboard engine, with a three-day total of 12 bass weighing 25-10. Second place went to co-angler Will Lancett of Jacksonville, Arkansas , who weighed in a three-day total of 7 bass weighing 19-3, good for second place and $12,500.

The top 25 Strike King co-anglers at the 2023 Toyota Series Championship on Table Rock Lake finished:

1st:           Al Hopkins of Pendleton, Ind., 12 bass, 25-10, Phoenix 518 Pro bass boat w/115-horsepower Mercury outboard
2nd:          Will Lancett of Jacksonville, Ark., seven bass, 19-3, $12,500
3rd:          Zack Barrera of Morriston, Fla., seven bass, 17-9, $10,000
4th:           Paul Gelles of Pingree, Idaho, eight bass, 16-13, $7,500
5th:           David Matual of Chicago, Ill., eight bass, 16-12, $5,000
6th:           Levi Allgeier of Bardstown, Ky., seven bass, 16-7, $4,000
7th:           Casey McCommons of Ina, Ill., seven bass, 16-6, $3,500
8th:           Nycholas Swanson of Cedar Falls, Ind., six bass, 16-4, $3,000
9th:         Bruce Harris of Oakdale, Calif., six bass, 16-1, $2,500
10th:      Zack Eggleston of Goleta, Calif., seven bass, 16-1, $2,000
11th:    Pop Catalin of Cookeville, Tenn., seven bass, 15-7, $1,500
12th:     Justin Curnutte of Grove, Okla., seven bass, 14-10, $1,500
13th:      James Fender of Hanahan, S.C., six bass, 14-9, $1,500
14th:     Brett Robbins of Solvang, Calif., seven bass, 14-1, $1,500
15th:     Morgan White of Jasper, Texas, six bass, 13-6, $1,500
16th:     Sakae Ushio of Tonawanda, N.Y., six bass, 13-3, $1,000
17th:     Kirk Marshall of Discovery Bay, Calif., six bass, 13-2, $1,000
18th:      Robert Griswold of Lincolnton, N.C., five bass, 13-0, $1,350
19th:      Robert Massey of Calhoun, La., five bass, 12-12, $1,000
20th:      Benjie Winkler of Cleveland, Ga., six bass, 11-13, $1,000
21st:     Scott Spencer of Raleigh, N.C., five bass, 11-8, $900
22nd:    Kenneth Heckel of Santa Claus, Ind., five bass, 11-5, $900
23rd:     William Lewis of Jacksonville, Fla., four bass, 11-2, $900
24th:     Riley Nielsen of Murray, Utah, four bass, 10-4, $900
25th:     Chad Garton of Des Moines, Iowa, five bass, 9-15, $900
The 2023 Toyota Series Championship Presented by Simms at Table Rock Lake was hosted by ExploreBranson.com. The three-day, no entry fee tournament featured a field of over 400 pros and co-anglers from around the world, competing for a top cash award of up to $235,000, plus multiple contingency bonuses.

The 2023 Toyota Series Championship Presented by Simms will premiere on CBS Sports in 2024.

The full field of anglers competed on Days 1 and 2 of the event, with the top 25 pros and top 25 Strike King co-anglers based on cumulative weight from the first two days continuing to the third and final day. The 2023 Toyota Series champions were determined by the heaviest three-day total weight.

The 2023 Toyota Series Presented by Phoenix Boats consisted of six divisions – Central, Northern, Plains, Southern, Southwestern and Western – each holding three regular-season events, along with the International division and the Wild Card. The highest finishing pro from each division at the championship will claim a $10,000 bonus. The bonus will go to the second-highest finishing pro in the division represented by the overall champion.

The 2023 Toyota Series Championship field featured the top 25 pros, top 25 Strike King co-anglers and tournament winners from each of the six divisions; the top 25 pros and 25 co-anglers from the Wild Card division plus tournament winners; the highest finishing boater and co-angler from each of the six Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine Regionals and the TBF at the All-American; the top three teams from the College Fishing National Championship; High School Fishing National Champions; TBF National Champions; and MLF International anglers from Canada, Central Europe, Italy, Korea, Mexico, Namibia, Portugal, South Africa, Spain and Zimbabwe.

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.


Raber Maintains Lead After Day 2 of Toyota Series Championship Presented by Simms on Table Rock Lake

 

Elkhart, Indiana Pro Leads by Slim 5-Ounce Margin, Top 25 Set in the Battle for up to $235,000

BRANSON, Mo. (Nov. 3, 2023) – Anglers were faced with another day of tough fishing conditions at the 2023 Toyota Series Championship at Table Rock Lake Presented by Simms in Branson, Missouri on Friday. Pro Mike Raber of Elkhart, Indiana , brought a five-bass limit to the stage weighing 13 pounds, 11 ounces to maintain the lead after Day 2 of the long-running championship event. Raber’s two-day total of 10 bass weighing 31 pounds, 7 ounces gives him a slim 5-ounce lead over charging pro Chad Mrazek of Montgomery, Texas, who brought 17 pounds, 7 ounces to the scale – the largest bag of the day – for a two-day total of 31-2, good for second place.

Hosted by ExploreBranson.com, the championship event features more than 400 pros and co-anglers from around the world, competing for a top cash award of up to $235,000. The field is now cut to just the top 25 pros and Strike King co-anglers heading into the final day of competition, the culmination of the 2023 Toyota Series Presented by Phoenix Boats season.

Raber said he only caught six keepers throughout the entire second day, and as the day neared its end, he had just three fish with only 25 minutes remaining in the competition day.

“Today was a lot tougher,” said Raber. “I mixed up my rotation a little bit and I honestly think that made me fish a little too quickly. I rotated a lot, and it just wasn’t really happening for me this morning – I didn’t catch a keeper for more than two hours.

“As the day went on, I started to get back in the groove. I caught a few to build some momentum and got a few good bites at the end to save me.”

The Indiana native said he spent the day doing a lot of the same things he did on the first day of competition, but conditions were rapidly changing throughout the day.

“I’m basically running two different patterns – I’m doing some of the LiveScope stuff, just like everybody else. That is how I caught a lot of my bigger fish, but I’ve also mixed it up with some shallow-water patterns,” said Raber. “I’m just flying by the seat of my pants at the moment and don’t really know where my next bite is coming from, so I’m trying to stay on my toes and have things ready to go.”

Although Raber had hoped to have a better understanding of the fishery and the patterns the fish were running after the second day of competition, he said he ended the day just as confused as he was on Day 1 of the championship event.

“I’ve been on this lake for almost a week now, but I still can’t really figure out a rhyme or reason as to why the fish are biting in one area and not in another,” said Raber. “I’ll think I’ve crossed a spot off, then the next day that same spot will be firing. It was like that in practice for me too. So, I could pull up on the right section tomorrow and get it done, or we could stumble really bad, like it felt like we were about to do this morning.”

Raber said he weighed in four largemouth and a spotted bass on Day 2 of the event.

“I caught a couple bass on one pattern and the rest on a second pattern,” said Raber. “Going into the final day, I’m not really sure what I’m better off spending my time on. When it’s right, it’s very obvious what I should be doing, but when I do that for a couple hours and don’t catch anything, I feel like I’m wasting time.

“That’s really the balance I’ve got to find tomorrow if I’m going to survive and do well at all,” Raber continued. “It’s going to be a struggle, but I definitely feel optimistic, and this is a great opportunity. It’s not often that you get to go fish one full day with $200,000 on the line, so I’m super pumped. The possibility of me catching enough to win is definitely there, but it will not come easy.”

The top 25 pros that advanced to the final day of competition on Table Rock Lake are:

1st:           Mike Raber of Elkhart, Ind., 10 bass, 31-7
2nd:          Chad Mrazek of Montgomery, Texas, 10 bass, 31-2
3rd:          Colby Miller of Elmer, La., 10 bass, 30-13
4th:           Travis Harriman of Huntsville, Ark., 10 bass, 30-8
5th:           Drew Gill of Mount Carmel, Ill., 10 bass, 30-4
6th:           Jeremy Gordon of Rutledge, Tenn., 10 bass, 30-1
7th:           Emil Wagner of Marietta, Ga., 10 bass, 30-0
8th:           Jacob Walker of Springville, Ala., 10 bass, 29-4
9th:           Christian Ostrander of Turlock, Calif., 10 bass, 28-11
10th:        Dakota Ebare of Brookeland, Texas, 10 bass, 28-8

11th:         Justin Lucas of Guntersville, Ala., 10 bass, 28 – 07

12th:         Alec Morrison of Peru, N.Y., 10 bass, 27 - 13

13th:         Evan Kung of Pickering, Ontario, 10 bass, 27 - 13

14th:         Rick Harris of Kingsland, Texas, 10 bass, 27 - 06

15th:         Brian Green of North Augusta, Ontario, 10 bass, 27 - 01

16th:         Jason Gramada of Les Cedres, Québec, 10 bass, 26 - 15

17th:         Brad Jelinek of Lincoln, Mo., 10 bass, 26 - 12

18th:         Erik Luzak of Fenelon Falls, Ontario, 10 bass, 26 - 11

19th:         Brody Campbell of Oxford, Ohio, 10 bass, 26 - 10

20th:         Jacob Welch of Jefferson City, Mo., eight bass, 26 - 08

21st:          Cole Breeden of Lebanon, Mo., 10 bass, 26 - 07

22nd:        Derik Hudson of Concord, Va., 10 bass, 26 - 06

23rd:         Jacob Keenom of Wellston, Okla., 10 bass, 26 - 02

24th:         Ken Thompson of Roaring Springs, Pa., 10 bass, 25 - 13

25th:         Martin Villa of Charlottesville, Va., 10 bass, 25 - 12

For a full list of results visit MajorLeagueFishing.com.

Overall, there were 564 bass weighing 1.387 pounds, 2 ounces caught Friday. The catch included 72 five-bass limits.

Levi Allgeier of Bardstown, Kentucky, leads the Strike King co-angler division with seven bass weighing 16 pounds, 7 ounces, followed by Will Lancett of Jacksonville, Arkansas , who weighed in six bass totaling 15 pounds, 10 ounces, to secure his second-place position. Strike King co-anglers are competing for a new Phoenix 518 Pro bass boat with a 115-horsepower Mercury outboard.

The top 25 Strike King co-anglers that will fish the final day on Table Rock Lake are:

1st:           Levi Allgeier of Bardstown, Ky., seven bass, 16-7
2nd:          Will Lancett of Jacksonville, Ark., six bass, 15-10
3rd:          Zack Barrera of Morriston, Fla., six bass, 15-10
4th:           Al Hopkins of Pendleton, Ind., seven bass, 14-12
5th:           Justin Curnutte of Grove, Okla., seven bass, 14-10
6th:           Brett Robbins of Solvang, Calif., seven bass, 14-1
7th:           Morgan White of Jasper, Texas, six bass, 13-6
8th:           Casey McCommons of Ina, Ill., six bass, 13-4
9th:           David Matual of Chicago, Ill., six bass, 12-12
10th:        James Fender of Hanahan, S.C., five bass, 12-0

11th:        Benjie Winkler of Cleveland, Ga., six bass, 11 - 13

12th:        Scott Spencer of Raleigh, N.C., five bass, 11 - 08

13th:         Kenneth Heckel of Santa Claus, Ind., five bass, 11 - 05

14th:         Pop Catalin of Cookeville, Tenn., five bass, 11 - 04

15th:         Nycholas Swanson of Cedar Falls, Ind., four bass, 11 - 03

16th:         William Lewis of Jacksonville, Fla., four bass, 11 - 02

17th:         Robert Griswold of Lincolnton, N.C., four bass, 10 - 15

18th:         Kirk Marshall of Discovery Bay, Calif., five bass, 10 - 14

19th:         Sakae Ushio of Tonawanda, N.Y., five bass, 10 - 14

20th:         Paul Gelles of Pingree, Idaho, five bass, 10 - 13

21st:          Bruce Harris of Oakdale, Calif., four bass, 10 - 12

22nd:        Riley Nielsen of Murray, Utah, four bass, 10 - 04

23rd:         Zack Eggleston of Goleta, Calif., four bass, 10 - 02

24th:         Chad Garton of Des Moines, Iowa, five bass, 9 - 15

25th:         Robert Massey of Calhoun, La., four bass, 9 - 14

The final 25 pros and Strike King co-anglers will take off Saturday at 7:30 a.m. CT from Table Rock State Park Marina, located at 380 State Park Marina Road, in Branson. Saturday’s Championship weigh-in will also be held at the marina and will begin at 3:30 p.m. Fans are welcome to attend the daily takeoffs and weigh-ins and also follow the action online through the “MLF Live” weigh-in broadcasts and daily coverage at MajorLeagueFishing.com. The 2023 Toyota Series Championship Presented by Simms will premiere on CBS Sports in 2024.

The full field of anglers competed on Days 1 and 2 of the event, with the top 25 pros and top 25 Strike King co-anglers based on cumulative weight from the first two days continuing to the third and final day on Saturday. The 2023 Toyota Series champions will be determined by the heaviest three-day total weight.

Pros and co-anglers can qualify for multiple contingency awards based on final standings in the championship, including the lucrative $35,000 Phoenix MLF Bonus for pros. The winning Strike King co-angler will earn a new Phoenix 518 Pro bass boat with a 115-horsepower Mercury outboard motor.

The 2023 Toyota Series Presented by Phoenix Boats consisted of six divisions – Central, Northern, Plains, Southern, Southwestern and Western – each holding three regular-season events, along with the International division and the Wild Card. The highest finishing pro from each division at the championship will claim a $10,000 bonus. The bonus will go to the second-highest finishing pro in the division represented by the overall champion.

The 2023 Toyota Series Championship field features the top 25 pros, top 25 Strike King co-anglers and tournament winners from each of the six divisions; the top 25 pros and 25 co-anglers from the Wild Card division plus tournament winners; the highest finishing boater and co-angler from each of the six Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine Regionals and the TBF at the All-American; the top three teams from the College Fishing National Championship; High School Fishing National Champions; TBF National Champions; and MLF International anglers from Canada, Central Europe, Italy, Korea, Mexico, Namibia, Portugal, South Africa, Spain and Zimbabwe.

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.


Bassmaster events make economic waves in Tennessee and South Carolina

The Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic and Strike King Bassmaster High School Championship presented by Academy Sports + Outdoors combined to generate more than $38.2 million for their host communities, earning honors in the Sports Destination Management 2023 Champions of Economic Impact in Sports Tourism awards. 

Photo by Breanne Jackson/B.A.S.S.

November 3, 2023

Bassmaster events make economic waves in Tennessee and South Carolina

SDM_2023_AwardsLogo.jpgBIRMINGHAM, Ala. — The 2023 Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic and the 2023 Strike King Bassmaster High School Championship presented by Academy Sports + Outdoors have been recognized by Sports Destination Management after generating a combined economic impact of more than $38.2 million.

“We are so proud to have the positive economic impact of the iconic Bassmaster Classic recognized again, but also to highlight the incredible draw of our High School National Championship,” said B.A.S.S. CEO Chase Anderson. “Through extensive media coverage of our exciting tournaments on the sport’s biggest platform and by attracting our signature large, enthusiastic crowds to a fishery, it is our goal to make every B.A.S.S. tournament an economic win for our host cities.”

The Bassmaster Classic, hosted by the Visit Knoxville Sports Commission, has proven itself as one of the best investments in sports, earning recognition as a 2023 Champion of Economic Impact in Sports Tourism (Mid-Market Division). The Super Bowl of Bass Fishing welcomed a staggering crowd of 163,914 fans to Classic Week activities. According to numbers released by Visit Knoxville, the Bassmaster Classic generated an economic windfall of more than $35.5 million for the community. In addition to producing more than $2.85 million in state and local tax revenue, including taxes on sales, restaurant purchases and lodging, the 2023 Bassmaster Classic and associated activities supported a total of 12,698 jobs. Fans traveling from across the nation and from as far away as Australia and Japan also accounted for 31,525 room nights at hotels across Knox County. Tournament coverage reached 4.5 million viewers across the two days of FOX and FS1 coverage.

 

The Bassmaster Classic was also recently honored as the “Best Professional Event” at the annual SportsTravel Awards.

 

2022 marked the first time the Bassmaster High School National Championship was held on Lake Hartwell in Anderson, S.C., and this year’s event enjoyed massive growth among participants and fans, earning the distinction of Sports Tourism Hero in the 2023 Champions of Economic Impact awards. Young anglers from 35 states and Ontario, Canada, qualified for the 480-plus-boat field. The tournament accounted for more than 10,000 room nights and had a total economic impact of $2.73 million for Anderson County.

“The Bassmaster High School Championship has been on our radar since 2016 as a must-have event for our community,” said Neil Paul, executive director of Visit Anderson, which hosted the event. “We knew the impact of this event would be major given the growth pattern of high school fishing and the continued development of high school fishing within the Bassmaster platform. The leadership of Anderson County has provided us with a tremendous facility in Green Pond Landing and the resources to be able to host events such as the Bassmaster High School Championship. This event, with 481 boats, was a landmark event for Anderson County, Green Pond Landing and Lake Hartwell!”

Sports Destination Management is the leading publication with the largest circulation of sports event planners and tournament directors in the sports tourism market.

“Bass fishing events are some of the heaviest hitters in the travel sports industry in terms of economic impact, bringing in not just dollars and hotel business, but new attention to destinations that can host events or just attract amateur anglers for a weekend of fishing,” said Mary Helen Sprecher, managing editor at Sports Destination Management.

The 2023 Champions of Economic Impact in Sports Tourism awards included a variety of sporting events across small, mid and large market


Indiana Pro Mike Raber Leads Day One of the Toyota Series Championship Presented by Simms on Table Rock Lake

Elkhart, Indiana Angler Leads by 1-Pound, 5-Ounce Margin After Opening Day of Competition for up to $235,000

BRANSON, Mo. (Nov. 2, 2023) – After several frigid days of practice on Table Rock Lake, over 400 anglers welcomed a bit of a warming trend Thursday to begin the three-day competition for a top cash award of up to $235,000 at the 2023 Toyota Series Championship at Table Rock Lake Presented by Simms in Branson, Missouri.

The long-running bass-fishing championship, hosted by ExploreBranson.com, features the nation’s best Toyota Series pros and international anglers, and is the culmination of the 2023 Toyota Series Presented by Phoenix Boats season.

Pro Mike Raber of Elkhart, Indiana, weighed a five-bass limit totaling 17 pounds, 12 ounces to take the early lead after Day 1 of the three-day event. Raber holds a 1-pound, 5-ounce lead over pro Emil Wagner of Marietta, Georgia, who caught five bass weighing 16 pounds, 7 ounces, good for second place. Wagner was followed closely by local pro Brad Jelinek of Lincoln, Missouri, who weighed a five-bass limit totaling 15-12 to finish the day in third place.

After a vicious cold front swept through the Ozark region earlier in the week, warmer temperatures on Thursday seemed to be shaking things up on the Missouri fishery.

“I didn’t expect this outcome at all when I started out this morning,” said Raber. “I caught a couple fish today that were a caliber I never saw in practice, so I think the conditions are starting to change out there. Hopefully that’s going to continue throughout the tournament.

“The warmer weather today really got the fish more mobile,” Raber continued. “I caught about 10 keepers today, nothing too crazy, and not a ton of fish. I think they are pretty pressured, and bites are at a premium right now.”

With hundreds of anglers spread out across Table Rock Lake trying to figure out the bite in the changing conditions, Day 1 began with a wide array of game plans throughout the field.

“I started my morning on one pattern and caught a big one doing that, then transitioned a little throughout the day,” said Raber. “I covered a lot of water – a couple places were firing, and a whole lot of places weren’t. The fishing’s not easy out there – it was brutal – and I think anyone in the field would tell you that right now.”

Raber said the championship event is the first time he’s visited Table Rock Lake, or even fished anywhere near the region, but despite that, the Indiana pro was definitely a force to be reckoned with on Thursday.

“I fished the four days of practice here, but I’ve never fished a lake that looks like this, or even seen a highland reservoir until this week,” said Raber. “It took some getting used to, especially the first couple days of practice – it was like being on the moon. Where I’m from, largemouth fishing is grass, and there’s none of that here – there’s not even moss on the rocks. I’m a smallmouth guy too though, so that helped. But it’s definitely a different type of fishery for me.”

Raber said he caught a mixed bag of fish throughout the day, including spotted, smallmouth and largemouth bass.

“I caught mostly spotted bass, but my big ones were largemouth,” said Raber. “I don’t really have areas for each species, they just kind of caught me by surprise today – especially the places where I found smallmouth. There weren’t smallmouth in those spots earlier in the week.

“This is my very first season fishing the Toyota Series, so I just feel extremely blessed to be here, and doubly blessed for the day today,” Raber continued. “God has given me more than I deserve, so we’ll see what happens. Pulling off a win would obviously mean the world to me, but win, lose or draw, we’re going to go out there and try to do things the right way and see what we can get done.”

The top 20 pros after Day One on Table Rock Lake are:

1st:           Mike Raber of Elkhart, Ind., five bass, 17-12
2nd:          Emil Wagner of Marietta, Ga., five bass, 16-7
3rd:          Brad Jelinek of Lincoln, Mo., five bass, 15-12
4th:           Alec Morrison of Peru, N.Y., five bass, 15-4
5th:           Evan Kung of Pickering, Ontario, five bass, 15-2
6th:           Ken Thompson of Roaring Springs, Pa., five bass, 15-0
7th:           Colby Miller of Elmer, La., five bass, 14-11
8th:           Kyle Cortiana of Broken Arrow, Okla., five bass, 14-9
9th:           Jacob Keenom of Wellston, Okla., five bass, 14-9
10th:        Jeremy Gordon of Rutledge, Tenn., five bass, 14-6
11th:        Charlie Weyer of Branson West, Mo., five bass, 14-5
12th:        Jacob Welch of Jefferson City, Mo., four bass, 14-3
13th:        Derik Hudson of Concord, Va., five bass, 14-0
14th:        Erik Luzak of Fenelon Falls, Ontario, five bass, 13-15
14th:        Ish Monroe of Oakdale, Calif., five bass, 13-15
16th:        Dakota Ebare, Brookeland, Texas, five bass, 13-14
17th:        Travis Harriman of Huntsville, Ark., five bass, 13-13
17th:        Brian LaClair of Denton, Md., five bass, 13-13
17th:        Justin Lucas of Guntersville, Ala., five bass, 13-13
17th:        Andrew Ready of Auburndale, Fla., five bass, 13-13
For a full list of results visit MajorLeagueFishing.com.

Overall, there were 745 bass weighing 1767 pounds caught by 196 pros Thursday. The catch included 97 five-bass limits.

Will Lancett of Jacksonville, Arkansas, leads the Strike King co-angler division with four bass weighing 11 pounds, 12 ounces, followed by Al Hopkins of Pendleton, Indiana, who weighed five bass totaling 10-3 to end the day in second place. Co-anglers are competing for a new Phoenix 518 Pro bass boat with a 115-horsepower Mercury outboard.

The top 20 Strike King co-anglers after Day One on Table Rock Lake are:

1st:           Will Lancett of Jacksonville, Ark., four bass, 11-12
2nd:          Al Hopkins of Pendleton, Ind., five bass, 10-3
3rd:          Brett Robbins of Solvang, Calif., five bass, 10-2
4th:           Larry Taylor of Seaford, Del., five bass, 9-8
5th:           Paul Gelles of Pingree, Idaho, four bass, 8-14
6th:           Morgan White of Jasper, Texas, four bass, 8-12
7th:           Chad Garton of Des Moines, Iowa, four bass, 7-11
7th:           Bruce Harris of Oakdale, Calif., three bass, 7-11
9th:           Alex Berry of Pomona Harare, Zimbabwe, four bass, 7-10
10th:        Andrew Harper of Shelbyville, Ill., three bass, 7-6
11th:        Cole Semler of Dalbo, Minn., three bass, 7-4
12th:        Kirk Marshall of Discovery Bay, Calif., three bass, 7-1
12th:        Nycholas Swanson of Cedar Falls, Iowa, two bass, 7-1
12th:        Todd Woods of Long Beach, Calif., three bass, 7-1
15th:        Leigh Lutz of Concord, Calif., three bass, 6-8
16th:        Mason Chapman of Lenexa, Kan., three bass, 6-5
16th:        Chase Johnson of Quincy, Ill., three bass, 6-5
18th:        Sakae Ushio of Tonawanda, N.Y., three bass, 6-0
19th:        Akira Okuyama of Forest Hills, N.Y., three bass, 5-11
19th:        Chad Roorda of Palm Desert, Calif., three bass, 5-11
19th:        Toon Van Ham of Merksplas, Belgium, three bass, 5-11
Anglers will take off daily at 7:30 a.m. CT from Table Rock State Park Marina, located at 380 State Park Marina Road, in Branson. Weigh-ins will also be held at the marina and will begin at 3:30 p.m. Fans are welcome to attend the daily takeoffs and weigh-ins and also follow the action online through the “MLF Live” weigh-in broadcasts and daily coverage at MajorLeagueFishing.com. The 2023 Toyota Series Championship Presented by Simms will premiere on CBS Sports in 2024.

The full field of anglers compete on Days 1 and 2 of the event, with the top 10 pros and top 10 Strike King co-anglers based on cumulative weight from the first two days continuing to the third and final day. The 2023 Toyota Series champions will be determined by the heaviest three-day total weight.

Pros and co-anglers can qualify for multiple contingency awards based on final standings in the championship, including the lucrative $35,000 Phoenix MLF Bonus for pros. The winning Strike King co-angler will earn a new Phoenix 518 Pro bass boat with a 115-horsepower Mercury outboard motor.

The 2023 Toyota Series Presented by Phoenix Boats consisted of six divisions – Central, Northern, Plains, Southern, Southwestern and Western – each holding three regular-season events, along with the International division and the Wild Card. The highest finishing pro from each division at the championship will claim a $10,000 bonus. The bonus will go to the second-highest finishing pro in the division represented by the overall champion.

The 2023 Toyota Series Championship field features the top 25 pros, top 25 Strike King co-anglers and tournament winners from each of the six divisions; the top 25 pros and 25 co-anglers from the Wild Card division plus tournament winners; the highest finishing boater and co-angler from each of the six Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine Regionals and the TBF at the All-American; the top three teams from the College Fishing National Championship; High School Fishing National Champions; TBF National Champions; and MLF International anglers from Canada, Central Europe, Italy, Korea, Mexico, Namibia, Portugal, South Africa, Spain and Zimbabwe.

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.


Anglers Channel Bass Wrap Up Show, Brought to you by Sportsman’s Warehouse, Premiers Saturday!

Columbia, SC (November 3, 2023) - The Angler’s Channel Bass Wrap Up show brought to you by Sportsman's Warehouse, entering its 14th Season, is set to premiere this Saturday, November 4, 2023 on the Discovery Network at 6:30 am EST. The Angler’s Channel Bass Wrap Up show is an informative recap of professional, amateur, and grassroots-level bass fishing tournaments across the country. Bringing tournament trails of all sizes to the spotlight, by capturing the anglers who fish and finish well in these events. The program also mixes in informative segments on new techniques, new products, and share useful information to help the weekend angler achieve their goals of learning about all things fishing.

The Anglers Channel kicks off the season at the Inaugural Minn Kota / Humminbird Owner’s Tournament, from Pickwick Lake. Anglers Channel was there to cover the event and capture some Humminbird Highlights and document the festivities and fishing. $50,000 was up for grabs for the largest bass of the weekend, as well as countless other prizes, and first-class treatment for customers from across the country.

According to John Byrne, Anglers Channel CEO, “We’re excited to launch our 14th season of the program on the Discovery Network. Each year we work to improve the program and we’re looking forward to our best season yet. After the premieres on Discovery, we’ll also be airing on Pursuit in Q1 and Q2, and we’ve bolstered digital delivery, so we’ll be reaching more anglers than ever with our Anglers Channel Bass Wrap Up Show.”

In addition to the Discovery premiere and runs on Pursuit, The Anglers Channel Bass Wrap Up Show, Presented by Sportsman’s Warehouse, will also be available digitally via OutdoorActionTV.com as well as the network streaming services. Outdoor Action is a 24/7 streaming network that’s free to download on any connected device or to watch on a variety of channels. You’ll find your favorite hunting, fishing, outdoor programming, and more. This platform was built for the avid outdoorsmen and women who crave adventures, stories, tournaments, tips, and tricks from the field and on the water! Currently available via Roku, Amazon Fire, Apple TV, iOS, and Android as well as www.OutdoorAction.com, this is the go-to place for desired outdoor content, on-demand at no cost to the viewer. You can also find Outdoor Action on the TCL Channel and Sports.TV streaming apps for 24×7 entertainment. If you want to catch the action as it unfolds, or see previous episodes, visit www.AnglersChannel.com, and be sure to follow along on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok.

About AnglersChannel.com
AnglersChannel.com multimedia platform combines the web, social media platforms, podcasts, on-site event coverage and The Anglers Channel Bass Wrap Up Show on Discovery to bring you the No. 1 resource in tournament bass fishing. Anglers Channel features the web’s most robust tournament database, used by thousands of anglers daily, including schedules, results and searchable details by body of water. Anglers Channel also delivers industry news as it happens, along with coverage of all tournament bass fishing, from BASS and Major League Fishing to the weekend warriors. Visit Anglers Channel via the web, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and TikTok.

For more information contact Danny Blandford at danny@anglerschannel.com


Boasting Unmatched Power, Control, and Reliability; The Minn Kota Ultrex QUEST is Now Shipping

After being released in the summer of 2023, the Minn Kota Ultrex QUEST has stood out as one of the most powerful and efficient trolling motors ever created – featuring a more robust and powerful brushless motor built for the harshest conditions.

Redesigned from the ground up, the Minn Kota® Ultrex QUEST™ is packed with many key new features revolutionizing the world of bow mount trolling motors. The customizable preset One-Boat Network™ Button on the Ultrex foot pedal gives anglers quick access to their most important functions such as Mark A Waypoint, Auto Pilot, and the capability to stow and deploy Minn Kota Raptor or Talon shallow water anchors.

After using the new Ultrex QUEST for the latter half of the 2023 season, Humminbird and Minn Kota Pro Chad Pipkens stated, “The One-Boat Network Button is absolutely the feature that stands out most to me on the new Ultrex QUEST. Being able to deploy my raptors from my foot pedal saves me time and helps me land fish more efficiently.”

Photo: Shane Durrance/B.A.S.S.

The revolutionary Ultrex QUEST is loaded with upgrades that will help keep anglers on the water who demand the best from their equipment. Along with a programmable One-Boat Network button, the Ultrex QUEST has a redesigned and upgraded mount, a carbon fiber infused shaft, and updated propellers to maximize strength and speed without compromising flexibility.

“The Ultrex QUEST is so durable you can feel the difference as soon as you deploy the motor. The simple things like the auto straight ahead and the smoothness impressed me right away. Along with the durability, the new lift-assist assembly makes stowing and deploying the motor effortless.” added Pipkens.

Photo: Andy Crawford/B.A.S.S.

2023 Bassmaster Classic champion and Humminbird and Minn Kota pro Jeff Gustafson, used his new Ultrex QUEST during the final stretch of the 2023 Bassmaster Elite Series season on Lake Champlain and the St. Lawrence River. During competition, anglers were faced with high winds and large waves, creating conditions that demand the best from their equipment and the Ultrex QUEST conquered it all.

“Throughout the Northern swing of the Bassmaster Elite Series we got hit with as tough of conditions for a trolling motor as you can, big water on Lake Champlain, along with the biggest waves I was in all year on Lake Ontario. I was able to use the Ultrex QUEST under these stressful conditions and it performed flawlessly.” said Gustafson.

The fully redesigned Ultrex QUEST and the entire line-up of QUEST trolling motors from Minn Kota will offer new and upgraded features for anglers of all skill levels. All new Ultrex and Terrova motors are available now, while Ulterra and Instinct motors will begin shipping in November. The Ultrex QUEST is built to withstand the harshest environments with an astonishing 30% longer runtime on a given charge and up to 50% more torque*. With precise boat control and industry-leading power, the Ultrex QUEST provides anglers with the confidence to navigate any fishing scenario effortlessly.

*When run on 24 volts compared to a 24-volt brushed motor at maximum speed setting.


Wade Fishing Insurance Policy

 

EGO Fishing Wade Nets are critical to lake, stream, and river shore/wade fishing success

Caldwell, ID (November 2, 2023) – Idaho, USA-based fishing accessories designer and manufacturer, EGO Fishing, offers 17 different nets to meet the wade-fishing needs of anglers across the globe.

Whether you’re fishing springfed, back-country trout streams, larger rivers, lake public access points, salty flats, or anywhere in between, EGO Fishing has the solution for you. Choose from three different sizes (small, medium, and large); various netting types including traditional nylon, rubber-coated nylon, clear/black rubber, or PVC-coated netting; and two different handles, either fixed length or Kryptek extending handle.

We know one thing (from lots of experience): nothing ends a happy fishing story like a fish dumped because we forgot the net. Whether the fish was intended for the table, a quick water’s surface release photo, or a high-hold to demonstrate prowess to throngs of other wading anglers, a good wading net is critical.

And especially this time of year, what with ongoing salmon and steelhead runs through winter; warm-water discharge river smallmouth bass bites; fluff-chucking for big brown trout; chasing minnow-gorging walleyes on smaller rivers; the fall/winter wade bite list goes on.

CLEAR RUBBER MESH

BLACK RUBBER MESH

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

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

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

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

While there are countless net options on the market—specifically fly fishing nets—EGO Fishing is likely the only company who spent the time talking with wade anglers of all walks to offer a wide range of options specifically for wade fishing—fly, spinning, center-pinning, you-name-it.

Two immediate benefits of EGO Fishing Wade Nets? First, they float – and second, many feature 11” handles.

EGO Fishing’s Three Net Hoop Sizes – An Option For Every Species

EGO Fishing offers three primary wade net sizes. All feature 11” handles but vary from small, medium, to large with 11” to 20” hoop depth in the small size; 20” to 28” hoop depth in the medium size; and 20” to 31” in large hook depth—all dependent on the netting material chosen.

Small wade nets feature a 14” x 16” hoop; medium measure 17” x 19”; and large comes in at 19” x 21”.

PVC NETTING

EGO Fishing Netting Material Options for Today’s Wade Angler

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

We’re big fans of clear rubber mesh wade net material for three reasons: 1) It doesn’t spook fish; 2) It preserves fish slime coating for healthy release; 3) and last, it resists hook snags. It costs a little bit more than other EGO Fishing netting material options, but is worth the small upcharge. Specifically, many on our staff use the EGO Wade – Large Clear Rubber Net, which was bestowed Fish Alaska’s Editors’ Choice Award in 2019. This net features a lightweight, durable hexagonal extruded aluminum handle, innovative grip design, and an 11” elastic adjustable/removable tether. Features an 11” flat bottom bag depth, 19” x 21” hoop size, and 11” handle.

COATED NYLON MESH

However, all wade anglers have their favorites—and depending on the species and locale—other options may be better suited to the application.

For example, some anglers like black rubber mesh, which is also very soft on the fish’s slime-like coating and fins. It also will not knot up when being used.

The downside to both clear and black rubber mesh is the material has the most water drag and isn’t quite as durable as some of EGO Fishing’s other options.

For anglers chasing toothy critters like pike, EGO Fishing Founder, Grant Corbett, recommends EGO’s PVC material, a woven fabric that’s completely encased in another coating of PVC rubber. Like rubber mesh, PVC nets do not knot up.

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

Other pluses to PVC net material? First, less water drag than rubber and it’s slightly less expensive. If there’s a downside, it’s that PVC net material is not quite as “hook friendly” as EGO Fishing’s clear or black rubber mesh options.

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

EGO Fishing also offers traditional nylon and coated nylonwade nets, the latter which prevents most hook snags, especially if you’re flinging flies and not using baits with multiple treble hooks. The other benefit with nylon EGO Fishing wade fishing net options is they’re extremely affordable.


Premier Weekend is Coming! - Sneak Peek

The Anglers Channel Bass Wrap Up Show, Presented by Sportsman's Warehouse is premiering this weekend on Discovery!  We'll be on Saturday morning, at 6:30 am EST, so be sure to check out our trip to the Minn Kota / Humminbird Owner's Tournament and more.  Here's a little sneak peek to get you thinking about the weekend!


Barefooted, Jig-Man Williams Collects Power Pay Bonuses

Courtesy of Alan McGuckin. - Dynamic Sponsorships

With an average snowfall of six feet annually, Maine is probably not a place most think of first when it comes to lighthearted barefoot fun. But that’s exactly how 21-year-old Tyler Williams treated life in the Bassmaster Opens, a long way from his hometown of Belgrade.

This season he amassed an astonishing four Top 10s, including a victory at Watts Barr, a 2024 Bassmaster Classic® qualification, and an Elite Series qualification. On top of that, he earned $5,000 in Yamaha Power Pay bonuses, mostly all with one lure – a ¾ ounce jig with a living rubber skirt.

“Whether I’m in Maine, Florida, Tennessee or wherever, I just feel comfortable and confident when I have that jig in my hands. I don’t know if it’s the jig, or how I work it, but whether I’m dragging it or hopping it, I’m going to trim it with a Yamamoto Flappin’ Hog, and it accounted for about 90 percent of the fish I weighed-in this season,” smiles Williams.

Often asked how a kid from Maine showed such domination throughout the South, Williams explains that he fished just about daily as a kid. In fact, his parents, who own a fence company, would often drop him off at one of the dozens of lakes surrounding their home in Belgrade, as they headed off to the next fence installation project each morning.

Fishing as frequently as Williams does, demands relentless reliability from his equipment. He says that why he bought a Yamaha powered Skeeter and signed up for Yamaha Power Pay.

“I ran a competitive brand of engine before, and so did my buddies, but we had too many mechanical issues. So, we switched to Yamaha because it does its job every day. The Power Pay bonus on top of that kind of reliability makes running a Yamaha a no-brainer,” says Williams.

As the saying goes, “No Shoes, No Problems.” In Williams’ case it seems to be the perfect mantra for a phenomenal young pro bass fishing career anchored in a fun attitude and a ¾-ounce rubber skirted jig.

To learn how you too can cash-in on Yamaha Power Pay money like the young New Englander, please visit https://yamahapowerpay.com/.


Travel Tuesday - Go While It's Good

By Pete Robbins - Half Past FIrst Cast

If you’re as anal and compulsive as I am about scheduling, you probably have some big trips planned for the long term future. I don’t mean the deposits-paid-written-in-ink kind of plan, but rather a general expectation of something to come.

As in: “When the kids all graduate, we’ll go on an African safari.”

Or: “In five more years I’ll treat myself to a trout-by-helicopter adventure in Patagonia.”

I have more goals than I can possibly fulfill, but I’m going to try like hell to achieve as many as I can. I think it’s healthy. So long as you don’t discount being present in your day-to-day life, these goals allow you to celebrate milestones and the long horizon gives you time for planning and $aving.

At the same time, you need to be ready to change those plans, no matter how dear you hold them to your heart.

First, environmental or political forces can wreak havoc on those intentions. For example, if years ago you’d intended to travel to the interior of Venezuela for payara, that eventually became a non-starter. Or if five years ago you’d put Lake Okeechobee on your bucket list for 2020, seeing some of the recent tournament results might lead you to turn your focus elsewhere.

On the flip side, sometimes it pays to move your dreams FORWARD. I’m not saying that you should mortgage your house and sell grandma’s jewelry to do it, but if you infer from reputable sources that a place is peaking, it can make sense to pull the trigger.

I know this from experience. I fished the famous Elite Series event on Falcon in 2008. It was so good that on Day One the tournament director told competitors not to weigh any fish clearly under 10 pounds for the big fish award. During practice with Jeff Kriet, he had to make a phone call, so he set me down on a school of 2- and 3-pounders and let me catch dozens of them, noting that they’d be worthless during competition. After that event, I made an effort to go back every year and it seemed to get a little bit worse each time. By 2012, it seemed every boat was doodling little 4-inch worms. I was so glad that I had been during the heyday, but that time was over. [Note: I continue to monitor the fishing at Falcon through Facebook accounts of Matt Reed and others, and it appears that it has rebounded somewhat. I’m due for a trip sometime in the near future.]

Learning from that lesson, I’d always been curious about ice fishing and had heard about the big stocked brown trout in Lake Michigan. In fact, the IGFA world record had been caught right in Milwaukee Harbor. Those trout were non-reproducing, and when we heard that the state was ending or severely reducing the trout stocking plans going forward, we made plans to be there as soon as the ice was thick enough and we had a free weekend. But for the catalyst of that news, we likely would not have done it that soon, if at all. [Note: After this was initially written, the state of Wisconsin increased stocking numbers to 450,000 fish annually.]

The point is, if you have reason to believe that a particular opportunity may go away, or at least decrease substantially in quality, screw your plan – get there while the getting is good. If it doesn’t get worse you can always go again.

If you want to know where the bite is hot, or you want to know the best time to go to one of our favorite locations, check out www.halfpastfirstcast.com or email us at fishmore@halfpastfirstcast.com.


AC Insider Podcast - A Look Into Kayak Bass Fishing

The guys team up and talk kayak bass fishing in this week's episode of the AC Insider Podcast.  They are joined by Steve Owens, Tournament Director for the Bassmaster Kayak Series, to catch up on his first year as captain of the ship, as well as what we can look forward to in 2024.  The guys then are joined by Drew Gregory.  Drew won AOY in BOTH the Bassmaster AND Hobie Kayak Series, while notching 6 professional wins in 2022!  Now he has his sights set on a new endeavor, The Kayak Adventure Series, designed to allow the anglers to "Choose Their Adventure".  Check it out!


Fish with John Crews on the St. John’s Sweepstakes from Missile Baits

Salem, Va. – October 30, 2023Missile Baits is offering the opportunity to fish with John Crews on the St. John’s River in Florida in April 2024 through a sweepstakes running from October 30 to November 19, 2023. The winner will get a full day of fishing with their guest and John Crews after the BASS Elite in April, travel expenses for two people, accommodations for two people, and a product assortment worth over $200. The promotion is featuring a limited run merch drop of Missile Baits and Missile Jigs apparel only on www.missilebaits.com during the three week sweepstakes period.

Missile Baits owner and pro angler, John Crews, explains, “The St. John’s River is a special fishery to me because of my BASS Elite win in 2022, other high finishes, and it is where I caught my biggest bass ever. I can’t think of a better place to share an amazing day on the water with another angler and their guest. It’s going to be so much fun.”  

To enter the sweepstakes, entrants will be able to enter online and through the mail. To enter online, entrants will get one entry per dollar spent on a limited run of new Missile apparel on www.missilebaits.com during the sweepstakes time period. To enter by mail and read all the rules, click on the following link: https://missilebaits.store/pages/sweepstakes-rules . The winner will be randomly selected through an independent service after the sweepstakes time period concludes.


Major League Fishing Wraps Final General Tire Team Series Qualifier in Longview, Texas

MLF Completes Builders FirstSource Qualifier Presented by Berkley Television Shoot on Local Lakes with Nine Three-Man Teams Competing to Advance to Bass Pro Shops Team Series Championship

LONGVIEW, Texas (Oct. 30, 2023) – Major League Fishing (MLF) and 27 of the top pro anglers in the world officially wrapped production Friday at the third and final regular season event of the 2024 General Tire Team Series season – the Builders FirstSource Qualifier Presented by Berkley in Longview, Texas. The competition was filmed entirely for television broadcast and shot over six days last week, featuring nine teams of three anglers competing to finish in the top three and advance to the Bass Pro Shops Team Series Championship.

The event featured professional anglers visiting East Texas to compete in select areas of Lake O’ the Pines, Lake Bob Sandlin, Brady Branch Reservoir and Martin Creek Lake. The competition waters for each day of the event were not disclosed until the anglers arrived at the launch ramp each morning, creating a reality-based television episode that showcases how the top anglers in the world work with their teammates to break down new and unfamiliar waters.

The nine teams that competed in the General Tire Team Series Builders FirstSource Qualifier Presented by Berkley in Texas were:

Team B&W Trailer Hitches:
Randall Tharp, Port Saint Joe, Fla.
Gerald Spohrer, Gonzales, La.
Russ Lane, Prattville, Ala.

Team Builders FirstSource:
Jesse Wiggins, Addison, Ala.
Kyle Hall, Granbury, Texas
Gary Klein, Mingus, Texas

Team Crockett Creek:
Ott DeFoe, Blaine, Tenn.
Andy Montgomery, Blacksburg, S.C.
Brandon Coulter, Knoxville, Tenn.

Team Ferguson:
Stephen Browning, Hot Springs, Ark.
Anthony Gagliardi, Prosperity, S.C.
Keith Poche, Pike Road, Ala.

Team Knighten Industries:
Michael Neal, Dayton, Tenn.
Takahiro Omori, Tokyo, Japan
Dean Rojas, Lake Havasu City, Ariz.

Team Kubota:
Alton Jones, Jr., Waco, Texas
Nick LeBrun, Bossier City, La.
Britt Myers, Lake Wylie, S.C.

Team Smokey Mountain Herbal Snuff & Pouches:
Josh Bertrand, Queen Creek, Ariz.
Edwin Evers, Talala, Okla.
Marty Robinson, Lyman, S.C.

Team Sqwincher:
Mark Daniels, Jr., Tuskegee, Ala.
Randy Howell, Guntersville, Ala.
Cliff Crochet, Pierre Part, La.

Team Star brite:
Alton Jones, Lorena, Texas
Brent Chapman, Lake Quivira, Kan.
Dave Lefebre, Erie, Pa.

The MLF General Tire Team Series Builders FirstSource Qualifier Presented by Berkey will air on Outdoor Channel as six, two-hour original episodes each Saturday afternoon starting March 30, 2024, airing from 2 to 4 p.m. EDT. The full television schedule can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com/tv-schedule.

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

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

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

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


“Can’t Miss” Event

Registration Now Open for NPAA Annual Conference In Fort Myers, FL.

Forestville, WI (October 30, 2023) – The dates and location have been announced and anticipation is already on the rise for the National Professional Anglers Association (NPAA) 2024 Annual Conference. The premier event for all sportfishing industry professionals ranging from tournament anglers and guides, to tackle shop staff, service crews and industry representatives will commence on Friday, January 5th, and run through Sunday, January 7th, at Southwest Florida’s newly renovated Crown Plaza Fort Myers Gulf Coast, an IHG Hotel.

“This is an awesome venue, and we are really looking forward to this event,” says NPAA president, Patrick Neu. Located just five minutes from the SW Florida Regional Airport (RSW), which offers direct flights daily to/from most major cities across the country, the conference promises to be informative, fun and convenient to attend while focusing on its “Passion to Profession” theme.

“An NPAA Conference attendee can learn more about making a living in this industry in a weekend at this event than they can in 10 years on their own, just ask anyone who has attended a conference over its 15-year history," states Neu. “The event will zero-in on what it really takes to make a successful transition from passionate angler to a sportfishing industry professional. Speaking from years of experience, I can tell you, it’s a journey that’s a lot easier and faster to undertake if you have a little inside knowledge – which is exactly what the NPAA’s high-power panel of successful industry pros plan to impart through professional workshops, partner and educational breakout sessions, meet and greet parties, networking lunches, banquets and more.”

According to Neu, the conference will focus on providing attendees with an understanding of the tools needed to be successful on a professional level in this industry. The early January timing, he adds, is perfect for attendees to sample the amazing fishing opportunities available in this part of the Sunshine State or extend their visit to find out why Southwest Florida is a destination for millions of visitors each year.

NPAA’s robust line-up of featured speakers includes a mix of top-level professional anglers and industry leading executives covering subjects you really need to comprehend whether just starting out in the recreational fishing industry or looking to climb to the next level. Among others, you’ll hear from Elite Series bass angler and 2018 Toyota Bassmaster Angler of the Year, Justin Lucas, angling podcast host and sportfishing author Sid Dobrin, Tall Pines Tackle VP of Business Development, Eric Naig, will also step up to the podium, as will Mike Leonard, VP of Government Affairs at the American Sportfishing Association, and Freshwater Fishing Hall of Famer, walleye expert and TV personality, Keith Kavajecz, along with many others whose combined knowledge of the sportfishing industry is both comprehensive and compelling.

Featured Educational Workshops and breakouts include titles such as Crafting Impactful 1-Minute Videos, Women Anglers Taking Their Passion to a Profession, Taxes Done Right, Passion Drives Professionalism as a Guide, How to Gain and Retain Sponsorships, Boat Financing in Today’s Market, Maximizing Customer Acquisition & Retention, Batteries: Wet, AGM, Lithium and Why, Safe Boating Practices Save Lives, and more.

In addition to superior networking opportunities, sportfishing advocacy and promoting entry into the sport, NPAA offers a monthly member newsletter, a weekly industry NewsBLAST, and access to significant discounts on gear and services provided by many of its nearly 80 supporting partners.

The NPAA 2024 Annual Conference is expected to sell out quickly as registration is limited to the first 200 registrants. Registration is now open to any angler looking to take the step from “Passion to Profession”. The registration fee of $300 for Non-Members and $250 for Members includes all activities, meals, and one ticket for the Future Anglers Foundation (FAF Banquet). More information on registration can be found on the NPAA Conference Page.

(Note: Non-Members who pre-register for the Conference and opt to join the association prior to the end of the Conference will receive a $50 rebate on their Conference Registration Fee.)

For more information on joining the NPAA, attending the Annual Conference, and exploring the many benefits membership provides, visit www.npaa.net.


Dawson County High School Wins MLF High School Fishing Open Tournament on Lake Hartwell

ANDERSON, S.C. (Oct. 30, 2023) – Dawsonville, Georgia’s, Dawson County High School team of Carter Cunningham and Landon Glander, both of Dawsonville, Georgia, brought five bass to the scale Saturday weighing 15 pounds, 15 ounces, to win the MLF High School Fishing Presented by Favorite Fishing Open at Lake Hartwell in Anderson, South Carolina.

A field of 85 teams competed in the no-entry fee tournament, which was hosted by the Anderson Convention and Visitors Bureau. In MLF High School Fishing competition, the top 10 percent of teams competing advance to the High School Fishing National Championship.

The top eight teams that advanced to the 2024 High School Fishing National Championship are:

1st: Dawson County High School, Dawsonville, Ga. – Carter Cunningham and Landon Glander, five bass, 15-15
2nd: Greenbrier High School, Evans, Ga. – Landon Brazier and Austin Fulghum, five bass, 14-3
3rd: Cherokee High School, Canton, Ga. – Noah Dzyuba and Lane Parker, five bass, 13-7
4th: South Forsyth High School, Cumming, Ga. – Maddox Ferrell and Grady Williamson, five bass, 13-0
5th: Pickens High School, Pickens. S.C. – Anders Fernstrom and Carter McCollum, five bass, 12-0
6th: Palmetto High School, Williamston, S.C. – Ethan Evatt and Bryson Gurley, five bass, 11-15
7th: Cherokee High School, Canton, Ga. – Hudson Howell and Logan Parker, five bass, 11-15
8th: Dawson County High School, Dawsonville, Ga. – Reed Rooke and Hayden Seabolt, five bass, 11-14

Rounding out the top 10 teams were:

9th: York County High School, York, S.C. – Fielding Faulkenberry and Greyden Hovis, five bass, 11-12
10th: Madison County High School, Danielsville, Ga. – Brady Garrison and Riley Haney, five bass, 11-10

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

MLF High School Fishing presented by Favorite Fishing tournaments are free, two-person (team) events for students in grades 7-12 and are open to any MLF and TBF Student Angler Federation-affiliated high school club. The top 10 percent of teams at each Open event, along with the TBF High School Fishing state championships, advanced to the 2024 High School Fishing National Championship held on Lake Hartwell in Anderson, South Carolina, June 19, hosted by the Anderson Convention and Visitors Bureau.

Proud sponsors of the 2023 MLF High School Fishing Presented by Favorite Fishing 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 High School Fishing updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF5’s social media outlets at Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.


Lander University Wins MLF Abu Garcia College Fishing Tournament on Lake Hartwell

ANDERSON, S.C. (Oct. 30, 2023) – The Lander University duo of Kaleb Brown of Greenwood, South Carolina, and Cole Moulton of Enfield, New Hampshire, bested a full field of 250 boats – the fourth-largest collegiate field in MLF history –  to win the MLF Abu Garcia College Fishing Presented by YETI event on Lake Hartwell Friday with a five-bass limit weighing 17 pounds, 1 ounce. The victory earned the Bearcats’ bass club $2,000 and a qualification into the 2024 MLF College Fishing National Championship.

“We spent a lot of time out here the last couple of weeks because the lake is pretty close to school,” said Moulton, a sophomore. “We found a spot in practice on Thursday morning where we caught 16 pounds in 15 minutes.

“We drew a boat number in the middle of the pack and made a run, and nobody was sitting on our spot,” Moulton continued. “We started off the day with a spotted bass that was just shy of 4 pounds and a couple of 2-pounders off that spot in the first 35 minutes. So that got us some momentum going.”

Moulton said the team used a 7/16- and 5/8-ounce Beast Coast Tungsten Compound Baby Dozer Jig and rotated through a couple of spots, but didn’t catch fish. High temperatures and sunny conditions combined to make tough tournament conditions, so they relocated to a spot they hadn’t fished in three weeks hoping their luck would change.

“Kaleb threw out there with his jig and set his hook, and it was another 4-pound spotted bass,” Moulton said. “We filled our limit there and had 11 pounds, but we had three small ones.”

Moulton said they moved around trying to cull their three smaller fish and ran to a spot where they had found schooling fish previously. As soon as they stopped the boat the fish turned on, and Moulton caught a 3-pound largemouth.

“Largemouth were rare for us all week – we hadn’t caught any in practice – so that largemouth was a bonus fish,” Moulton said.

Brown added another 3¼-pound largemouth and one more spotted bass just shy of 3 pounds to the livewell to set the team’s final weight for the day.

“We didn’t feel confident for a win with a full moon and the way the tournament was setting up, especially with a lot of local hammers here,” Brown said. “We figured we might squeeze out a top-10 finish. As we were running up the lake it dawned on us that we might have a shot at this one.

“With me being a senior, and Cole’s accomplishments as a decorated High School Fishing angler … I’ve been chasing my win for so long; to finally get it is just incredible,” Brown added. “It’s everything I’ve wanted.”

The top 10 teams at the Abu Garcia College Fishing Presented by YETI event on Lake Hartwell are:

1st: Lander University – Kaleb Brown, Greenwood, S.C., and Cole Moulton, Enfield, N.H., five bass, 17-1, $2,000
2nd: University of South Carolina-Union – Jacob Butts, Starr, S.C., and Mark Kershaw, Fort Mill, S.C., five bass, 15-13, $1,000
3rd: Emmanuel College – Brooks Anderson, Marietta, Ga., and Max Heaton, Hartwell, Ga., five bass, 15-12, $700
4th: Emmanuel College – Dawson Carden, Canon, Ga., and Colby Elliott, Blairsville, Ga., five bass, 15-3, $600
5th: Georgia College – Trice Cannon, Milledgeville, Ga., and Josh Finnerty, Alpharetta, Ga., five bass, 14-12, $500
6th: Emmanuel College – Scooter Ligon, Dahlonega, Ga., and Levi Seagraves, Comer, Ga., five bass, 14-10
7th: University of North Alabama – Nathan Reynolds, Nashville, Tenn., and Banks Shaw, Harrison, Tenn., five bass, 14-5
8th: Bethel University – David Gummow, New Roads, La., and Coleman Self, Shelby, N.C., five bass, 14-4
9th: Emmanuel University – Tyler Campbell, Martin, Ga., and Parker Guy, Ocilla, Ga., five bass, 13-15
10th: Auburn University – Carson Maddux, Hoover, Ala., and Bennett Slinkard, Huntsville, Ala., five bass, 13-14

Complete results for the entire field, including all 24 MLF College Fishing National Championship qualifiers, can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

The Abu Garcia College Fishing Presented by YETI event on Lake Hartwell was hosted by the Anderson Convention and Visitors Bureau.

The 2023 MLF Abu Garcia College Fishing Presented by YETI features college teams from across the country competing in nine regular-season tournaments. The top 12 percent of teams from each regular-season tournament advance to the Abu Garcia College Fishing Presented by YETI National Championship. The Abu Garcia College Fishing Presented by YETI National Championship will be held Jan. 9-11, 2024, at Lake Tohopekaliga (Toho) in Kissimmee, Florida, and is hosted by the Kissimmee Sports Commission.

Proud sponsors of the 2023 MLF Abu Garcia College Fishing Presented by YETI 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 College Fishing updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF5’s social media outlets at Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.


SITKA’s Diverge 12 photo contest celebrates honest and inspiring photos that expand what hunting photography can look like

Submit your entry and be part of the storytelling legacy.

BOZEMAN, Mont. (October 30, 2023) - SITKA Gear, a pioneer in the outdoor apparel industry, presents Diverge 12, the annual photo contest with a unique platform created to deepen the art of hunting storytelling and portray the lives of hunters in an honest and inspiring way. This contest, now in its 12th year, shifts focus from the harvest of game species to the broader, more authentic hunting experience.

Instead of focusing on “grip-and-grin” photos, SITKA Gear’s Diverge 12 photo contest addresses the need to share the “moments in between” that accurately depict and celebrate the hunting experience. It expands the definition of "trophy" to encompass any experience in the field that is hard-earned, ethically considered and mindful of future generations. It's about presenting hunting stories that inspire and honor our shared hunting heritage.

"Capturing the holistic hunting experience is a powerful way to convey the true spirit and beauty of hunting and the outdoors," said Todd Barker, Marketing Director at SITKA Gear. "The SITKA Diverge Photo Contest encourages hunters and photographers to share the real, unfiltered stories from their pursuits."

SITKA Gear invites all hunters and outdoor enthusiasts to participate in Diverge 12 by sharing their moments of triumph, suffering, reflection and adventure.

Contest Categories: Big Game, Whitetail, Waterfowl, Turkey, The Life, and Roughcuts

Category winners, as well as the grand prize winner, will receive exciting prizes from SITKA Gear and participating brand partners.

How to Enter:
Participants can enter the SITKA Diverge Photo Contest through Instagram by using the hashtag #Diverge12, or by submitting their entries online at www.sitkagear.com/diverge.

The submission period for this year's contest is from October 2, 2023, to January 15, 2024.

To learn more about the Diverge 12 Contest or SITKA Gear products, visit the website at www.sitkagear.com/diverge

SITKA Diverge Hall of Fame Link: www.sitkagear.com/experience/diverge-hall-of-fame
Diverge 12 YouTube Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fZZLQkXbP9I


Myers and Chivas close the deal on Redfish Cup Championship at Winyah Bay

Fred Myers III and Cody Chivas have won the 2023 Yamaha Bassmaster Redfish Cup Championship presented by Skeeter Boats on Winyah Bay with a three-day total of 36 pounds, 7 ounces.

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

October 29, 2023

GEORGETOWN, S.C. — Teamwork made the difference for Fred Myers III and Cody Chivas, who systematically executed a game plan that delivered a three-day total of 36 pounds, 7 ounces to win the Yamaha Bassmaster Redfish Cup Championship presented by Skeeter Boats at Winyah Bay.
Myers and Chivas turned in daily weights of 8-8, 12-6 and 15-9 — Championship Sunday’s biggest bag — and won by a margin of 1-7 over Elite Redfish Series pros Travis Land and Jeremy Reeves. They won the $75,000 top prize and an automatic invitation to the 2024 event.

“This means the world to us,” Myers said. “I follow a couple of close friends of mine that fish the Bassmaster Elites and to be here on their stage, in their atmosphere, it’s just awesome to compete at this level.”

The tournament included a 10-boat field with a mix of championship-caliber professional redfish teams along with four all-star teams featuring Bassmaster Elite Series pros paired with redfish pros.
Hailing from of Panama City, Fla., and Indian Shores, Fla., respectively, Myers and Chivas qualified for this week’s event through the 2023 Redfish World Series Championship Sept. 27-30 in Lake Charles, La. Chivas said claiming back-to-back wins was overwhelming.

“We came off another big win before we came here, and we were driving home from (the Redfish World Series Championship) trying to figure out what we were going to do,” Chivas said. “This is as good as it gets.”

Myers and Chivas spent most of the tournament working around a marsh island south of takeoff. Dialing in the island’s sweet spots daily, the anglers caught the majority of their fish on popping cork rigs with Berkley Gulp! Shrimp on 1/8-ounce ball-head jigs.

On Days 1 and 2, Myers also used a 4-inch Saltwater Assassin Elite Shiner swimbait rigged weedless on a 4/0, 3/16-ounce belly-weighted hook to target fish over oyster bars.

“We used 25-pound AFTCO Saiko Pro 100% fluorocarbon for leaders on our popping cork rigs, and that is the strongest fluorocarbon I’ve ever used,” Chivas said. “Today, I had a fish completely (entangled) in the marsh grass and I was able to pull him out. I don’t think I could have done that with any other 25-pound fluorocarbon.”

The tournament format allowed anglers to keep redfish measuring between 17 and 23 inches. Each angler could weigh in up to two fish per day for a total of four fish per team. After catching only half a limit on Day 1, Myers and Chivas connected the key details and filled their four-fish limits on the second and final days.
“What we learned was that when you get a bite, you have to get right back in there,” Chivas said of casting discipline. “These tides move so fast here that the bite windows are really short.”

Chivas referenced Winyah Bay’s huge tidal swing of 5 to 7 feet, which is created by the Georgia Bight — a large coastal indentation starting around Cape Hatteras, N.C., and extending to Cape Canaveral, Fla. With rising tides moving farther inward, water piles high and then recedes at a rapid pace.

By comparison, last year’s event in Port Aransas, Texas, saw tides of 1 to 1 1/2 feet.

Given this challenging tidal scenario — accelerated by the influence of Saturday’s full moon — most teams struggled to find “slot” fish. Like their competitors, Myers and Chivas had little trouble getting bites, but picking off legal catches amid the many “shorts” and “overs” required patience and persistence.

“There was one key to targeting those slot fish — you gotta have numbers and you've got to be able to go through those fish and keep going, keep going, keep going because each one is a clue,” Myers said. “We’d catch a bunch of unders and then we’d catch an over, then another over and another over.

“On (Saturday), I caught eight overs, but that made us stay there. Today, we Power-Poled down in a place right after Cody had caught two good ones. I caught a 4-pound slot fish right after I had just caught about 12 shorts. Then we went around the corner, and I caught another slot fish that sealed the deal.”

Hailing from Sequin, Texas, and Orange, Texas, respectively, Land and Reeves finished second with 35 pounds. A lean first round left them with a lone slot fish that weighed 3-7. But with half of the field blanking, they placed fourth.
Land and Reeves rebounded with a Day 2 limit of 16-6 — the event’s heaviest bag —and moved into second. The Texas duo added a final-round limit of 15-3.

“We stuck with our game plan,” Land said. “We were fishing oyster points with water moving over the top of them and (drains) every 25 to 50 yards. We stayed on those all day long.”

Using the same mix of baits that fueled their Day 2 surge, Land and Reeves caught their fish on Berkley Gulp! Shrimp and Paddle Tail Minnows on 1/4-ounce jigheads and a 5-inch Berkley Hollow Belly swimbait rigged weedless on a 1/4-ounce jighead.
“We really needed to make long casts, but the retrieve was the biggest thing to us,” Reeves said. “If you bounced that lure and the fish was anywhere close, he was going to spook. You had to glide that bait slowly and methodically over that oyster bar or over that sand to get that fish to bite.”

Elite Redfish Series pro Dwayne Eschete from Lake Jackson, Texas, and Bassmaster Elite Series pro Drew Cook from Cairo, Ga., finished third with 29-5. Eschete and Cook got off to a blistering start by catching the first round’s only limit — a bag of 16-4 that nearly doubled Myers and Chivas’s starting effort.

The anglers got most of their Day 1 weight in a protected lagoon with a low bridge challenging their entry on the morning high tide and then hastening their falling-tide exit. They would finish the opening limit on a marsh island edge.

Eschete and Cook struggled the next two days with one 3-2 fish on Day 2 and two fish for 9-15 in the final round. Berkley Gulp! Shrimp on 1/4-ounce jigheads produced all of their fish.

The 2023 Yamaha Bassmaster Redfish Cup Championship presented by Skeeter Boats was hosted by Georgetown County, S.C.

2023 Yamaha Bassmaster Redfish Cup Championship
presented by Skeeter Boats 10/27-10/29
Winyah Bay, Winyah Bay SC.
(BOATER) Standings Day 3

Angler Club/School Pts

1. Fred Myers III - Cody Chivas
Day 1: 2 08-08 Day 2: 4 12-06 Day 3: 4 15-09 Total: 10 36-07 $ 75,000.00
2. Travis Land - Jeremy Reeves
Day 1: 1 03-07 Day 2: 4 16-06 Day 3: 4 15-03 Total: 9 35-00 $ 6,000.00
3. Drew Cook - Dwayne Eschete
Day 1: 4 16-04 Day 2: 1 03-02 Day 3: 2 09-15 Total: 7 29-05 $ 4,000.00
4. Pat Schlapper - Ben Powers
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 3 11-08 Day 3: 3 12-11 Total: 6 24-03 $ 3,500.00
5. Eddie Adams IV - Sean O'Connell
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 3 13-15 Day 3: 1 04-07 Total: 4 18-06 $ 3,000.00
6. Scott Canterbury - Krista Miller
Day 1: 1 02-07 Day 2: 2 07-14 Day 3: 1 04-00 Total: 4 14-05 $ 2,500.00
7. Justin Atkins - Ryan Rickard
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 2 09-15 Day 3: 1 02-06 Total: 3 12-05 $ 2,000.00
8. Aaron Salazar - Ben Human
Day 1: 1 04-03 Day 2: 0 00-00 Day 3: 1 03-12 Total: 2 07-15 $ 1,500.00
9. Jeff Mullett - Ken Mullett
Day 1: 0 -01-00 Day 2: 2 06-13 Day 3: 0 00-00 Total: 2 05-13 $ 1,500.00
10. Gary Moreno - Tony Viator
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00 Day 3: 1 02-09 Total: 1 02-09 $ 1,000.00
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Totals
Day #Limits #Fish Weight
1 1 9 33-13
2 2 21 81-15
3 2 18 70-08
----------------------------------
5 48 186-04


WALTERS CLAIMS NPFL VICTORY AT LAKE LANIER, GOADE WINS PROGRESSIVE AOY

Story by Justin Brouillard | Photos by Tanner & Travis Lyons

Patrick Walters wraps up his third NPFL victory with the winning three-day total weight of 57 pounds, 5 ounces in the season finale on Lake Lanier.

“I just want to thank the NPFL, this is truly a family-oriented league and I can’t thank you all enough,” said Walters. “To my mom, dad, and beautiful wife, I can’t thank you all enough for the support, and thanks for coming up for the weigh-in.”

Walters, who led after Day 2, complemented his first two limits of 19 pounds, 13 ounces, and 20 pounds, 1 ounce with a Day 3 bag that weighed 17 pounds, 7 ounces to seal the victory over Will Harkins.

Like most of the field, Walters was keying in on the vast amount of brush that Lake Lanier has to offer. The big difference in getting bigger fish to bite each day, and surviving the local pressure, was targeting piles with a larger group of fish than normal.

“You had to find brush with a lot of fish, and they had to be set up right within,” he said. “Usually, they didn’t get set up until later in the morning and it was really hard to trick five or ten bass. If you found a pile with twenty, you could get them to compete for it and bite.”

Walters estimated fishing around fifty brush piles on Showdown Saturday and was physically tired from lifting and deploying the trolling motor all day. While he located some key piles in practice, he credits new water for his final two days’ weight leading to his third win.

“I was literally making 2 or 3 casts per spot this afternoon, and it was exhausting. I ran the Falcon/Mercury all over the lake this week. The majority of my bites came in the new brush; I just went fishing and rotated between the Zoom Super Fluke and Zoom Magnum Shakey Head worm each day,” he added.

Walters wanted to credit one of his good friends and travel partner Trent Palmer, and Sonar Pros for getting the Falcon dialed for the season. With all of the tournaments in 2023, it was relaxing to fish with Trent and Mike at the NPFL and stay fresh all season long all over the country.

“Trent, Mike, and I share everything to break down water,” he said before receiving his NPFL trophy. “I don’t know where we all finished in this event, but we had a phenomenal season and it was a pleasure traveling with those guys. We just need Mike to get a trophy next season.”

 

 

Will Harkins

After leading on Day 1 with 20 pounds, 6 ounces, Harkins added 18 pounds, 9 ounces on Day 2 — the second biggest bag of the day — and a Showdown Saturday bag that weighed 13 pounds, 9 ounces. With a three-day total of 52 pounds, 8 ounces, Harkins wraps up a phenomenal season with back-to-back second-place finishes, runner-up in the Progressive Angler of the Year, and an NPFL championship qualification.

Leading after day one, Harkins is familiar with Lake Lanier and spent the majority of his time on certain brush piles on high-percentage schooling points and rotating through nearly fifty per day. His two-bait approach this week included pulling out an old reliable bait from the tackle.

“I was not fishing anything special by Lanier standards, but it was off the path enough for most of the field,” he said. “Each day I would typically hit fifty spots and then rotate my best five of those spots later in the day. I was fishing a really old Bomber Wake Bait, and I don’t even know what it’s called.”

When the brush fishing got slow, Harkins hit the bank and targeted small groups of spotted bass chasing baitfish along the bank. His bait of choice, similar to Walters, was a Zoom Super Fluke.

“I would troll down the bank and throw that Fluke at them feeding towards the surface and get them to bite. Today four of the five I weighed in came on the Fluke; on days one and two, it was the wake bait that yielded the best luck,” he added.

With added pressure from over 200 boats on the lake, coupled with high skies and no wind, his bite was tough to execute and it just didn’t work out.

“You really need to have some cloud or wind to mask the bait a little otherwise they get too good a look at it,” he said.” Today with the pressure, I could only fish four of the main places, but it was still a great week.

“Overall, the season was a lot better than I could have expected. I had no expectations, but in the first two events I was too stressed, and then I decided to have fun and fish and ended with a run of 3rd, 7th, 2nd, and 2nd, which put me right behind Todd in the Angler of the Year and qualified me for the Championship. No complaints, it’s been an awesome year and I have an amazing support group.

Todd Goade

With the mentality of simply doing his job every day, Todd Goade closed out a storybook fishing season with a third-place finish in the season finale on Lake Lanier, and wrapped up the 2023 Progressive Angler of the Year award on a body of water he knows so well.

 

 

With a three-day total of 48 pounds, 10 ounces, Goade did what he does best and saved his 17 pounds, 15 pounds biggest bag of the week for the final day. He began the week with 17 pounds, 10 ounces on day one, and survived day two with 13 pounds, 1 ounce which set him up for a final day comeback.

“It really was a storybook ending for the season,” said an emotional Goade with his wife on stage. “I said I had to do my job all year, and I am not going to lie, when I caught that last 3.5 pounder this morning I hollered, and I knew I had done it. “It’s what you dream about and work for. I love Lake Lanier and Spotted Bass; it was an incredible way to end the season.”

Although he doesn’t reside in Georgia any longer, Goade’s experience and history with Lanier runs deep, and today he was able to enjoy a lot of the time he spent with good friends in the past.

“I have so many memories on this lake it was amazing to have caught them by 9 AM this morning. I was able to just go fishing and enjoy the day. I went down memory lane fishing some places from the past, and some new places,” he said.

As far as how he caught his bass this week, Goade relied on a bait he feels is one of the best spotted bass baits ever made – Zoom Magnum Shakey head Worm in Green Pumpkin Green color.

“The deep fish didn’t bite for me on day two, but I was able to survive,” he said. “I saw them all, and today it was stupid – I culled a limit of 15 pounds. I still don’t know why yesterday was tough but today was incredible and the Mag Shakey Head Worm fished alongside brush piles was key. I caught fish from 10 to 35 feet.”

Goade was revisiting brush piles from the past as well as lots of new ones in Lanier. After a year of good decisions and making the right moves, first thing this morning Goade had another right call to get his Showdown Saturday off to a great start.

“This morning, I was headed to a spot they have been schooling and I noticed another good spot was open,” he added. “I peeled off and caught them quickly, two of my bigger fish. It’s those kinds of decisions that lead to good finishes and winning the AOY.

“I want to thank my wife for being my rock and biggest fan and supporter. She puts up with all of this and I am glad she could be here today. Also, I have to thank all of my sponsors, family, and friends. I just looked and I have 176 texts on my phone,” he laughed.

Billy Hackworth

With his biggest bag of the day on the final day, Billy Hackworth finished at Lake Lanier with a three-day total of 46 pounds, 8 ounces. Increasing his weights each day, Hackworth started with 14 pounds, 7 ounces on day one, added 15 pounds, 15 ounces on day two, and 16 pounds, 2 ounces on the final day.

Ryan Satterfield 46-7

Increasing his weight each day, Ryan Satterfield added a final day limit weighing 16 pounds, 13 ounces to his day one weight of 13 pounds, 6 ounces and day two weight of 16 pounds, 4 ounces to finish at Lake Lanier in fifth place with a total weight of 46 pounds, 7 ounces.

Like the other, Satterfield rotated through different brush piles using Livescope to locate fish around the edges. He started on day one catching fish with a drop shot but had to change as the lake pressure increased.

“I swapped to a shakey head yesterday and today,” he said. “The bait had to sit on the bottom and shake, but not move. Eventually one would grab it.”

As the pressure increased from local traffic, Satterfield eventually ended up not making a cast until he saw a fish he felt might bite, to allow him to move quicker and cover more water.

“I kept running as many as I could find to find feeding fish. I could tell what fish might be in the mood but they were so finicky it had to be still. The other thing, some of these piles had twenty big ones, but you could only catch one out of each. After 2 PM this afternoon, I culled almost everything which allowed me to slide up to fifth.”

Rest of the Best:
Keith Carson 43-11
Reagan Nelson 42-11
Mike Corbishley 42-6
Hunter Baughman 40-4
Quentin Cappo 40-1


Myers and Chivas play it smart to take Day 2 lead at Redfish Cup Championship

Fred Myers III and Cody Chivas are leading after Day 2 of the 2023 Yamaha Bassmaster Redfish Cup Championship presented by Skeeter Boats on Winyah Bay with a two-day total of 20 pounds, 14 ounces.

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

October 28,2023

GEORGETOWN, S.C. — Efficiency and adjustment proved foundational for Fred Myers III of Panama City, Fla., and Cody Chivas of Indian Shores, Fla., who took over the Day 2 lead at the Yamaha Bassmaster Redfish Cup Championship presented by Skeeter Boats at Winyah Bay with a two-day total of 20 pounds, 14 ounces.
Myers and Chivas, the 2023 Redfish World Series champions, placed second on Day 1 with two fish for 8-8. The second round was more generous, with both anglers filling their two-fish limits and tallying a team total of four redfish that weighed 12-6.
The leaders edged Elite Redfish Series pros Travis Land and Jeremy Reeves by 1-1.
“We caught a lot of fish yesterday and only came in with two, so we were kinda scratching our heads,” Chivas said. “Today was just as tough. I caught two (keepers) back to back, then we went 2 1/2 hours with Fred on the bow and he did the same thing — boom-boom.”
The tournament format allows anglers to keep redfish measuring between 17 and 23 inches. Each angler can weigh up to two fish per day for a total of four fish per team.
“We just have to do the same thing tomorrow,” Chivas said. “This fishery is actually very good; there’s a ton of fish here. We’ve caught more fish here the last two days than we did all year fishing Texas, Louisiana and Florida.”
The leaders returned to the same marsh island they fished on Day 1 and expanded their game to capitalize on both ends of the tide.
“The bite was a little slower this morning, but once the tide started to turn a little bit, we caught more of the bigger fish today,” Chivas said. “We really only had about one hour where we didn’t catch fish. The slot fish are just tough to come by.”
As Myers explained, securing two angler limits required him and Chivas to fish two different patterns.
“We had a deep-water bite and a shallow-water bite,” he said. “That was the key, in my opinion. Instead of wasting a lot of boat running time, we would just trolling motor over to the next bank.”
During the higher water period, Chivas caught his two keepers on a Berkley Gulp! Shrimp under a popping cork. When the water was lower, Myers got his two on a 4-inch Saltwater Assassin Elite Shiner swimbait rigged weedless on a 4/0, 3/16-ounce belly-weighted hook.
“We sat with the Power-Poles down the majority of the day, waiting for the tide to get right,” Myers said. “We just had fish coming to us.
“Tomorrow, we may not have the fish to win, but we learned a lot about the area, and I believe we can finally target some of those slot fish. The high-water bite, we’re just catching whatever will bite, but the shallow-water fish seem to fit that slot a little better.”
Chivas said he and Myers will start on the same water they’ve fished for two days. But if needed, they have a tempting backup.
“We have some fish in another area that may have been our best day of pre-fishing, but it’s a longer run,” Chivas said. “We haven’t done it because we’re catching fish (closer). The last couple of days, when it got slow, we’ll ask ourselves, ‘Do we make a move?’
“We were going to make a move this morning, but I’m glad we stayed.”
Myers agreed: “It’s hard to leave fish to find fish.”
Hailing from Sequin, Texas, and Orange, Texas, respectively, Land and Reeves placed fourth on Day 1 with a single 3-7 slot fish. The second round saw them step on the gas and sack up a team limit of four redfish that weighed 16-6 — the event’s heaviest bag — for a 19-13 total.
Land said he and Reeves fished the hard edge of oyster bars close to marsh grass. Targeting tidal drains was their main strategy.
Reeves caught his fish on Berkley Gulp! Shrimp and Paddle Tail Minnows on 1/4-ounce jigheads, while Land found success with a 5-inch Berkley Hollow Belly swimbait rigged weedless on a 1/4-ounce jighead.
“We made a small adjustment (in location), but we surely didn’t know what was there,” Reeves said. “We said, ‘Why don’t we go over there and try it,’ and we caught a bunch of fish.”
Land said the area he and Reeves transitioned to rewarded them with astounding action.
“I feel better than I’ve felt in a long time about a redfish tournament,” he said. “We left them biting. That spot is absolutely loaded; we were catching them right off the trolling motor.”
Dwayne Eschete, the Elite Redfish Series pro from Lake Jackson, Texas, and Drew Cook, a Bassmaster Elite Series pro from Cairo, Ga., placed third with 19-6. After topping the first day with the opening round’s only four-fish limit — 16-4 — they added one keeper Saturday that went 3-2.
Seeking to repeat the game plan that served them well in the opening round, Eschete and Cook struggled through a painfully slow day that saw their main spot fizzle.
“Fishing can be weird sometimes,” Eschete said. “We actually put eyes on fish today all around us and they just wouldn’t eat.
“Yesterday, we got the bites. Today, we caught maybe five or six fish and some big flounder. We just didn’t get the slot fish today. But tomorrow we’re going to go back and do the same thing we did today and yesterday, because tomorrow might be another day like Day 1.”
Transitioning to their second area, which produced one of their slot fish on Day 1, Eschete and Cook continued to struggle finding slot fish until Cook nabbed their one keeper about 5 minutes before they had to leave. That fish ate a Berkley Gulp! Shrimp on a 1/4-ounce jighead.
Sunday’s takeoff is scheduled for 7:15 a.m. ET at East Bay Public Ramp. The weigh-in will be held at Francis Marion Park at 3 p.m. Coverage will be simulcast on FS1 and Bassmaster.com beginning at 8 a.m.
The 2023 Yamaha Bassmaster Redfish Cup Championship presented by Skeeter Boats is being hosted by Georgetown County, S.C.

2023 Yamaha Bassmaster Redfish Cup Championship
presented by Skeeter Boats 10/27-10/29
Winyah Bay, Winyah Bay SC.
(BOATER) Standings Day 2

Angler Club/School Pts

1. Fred Myers III - Cody Chivas 0
Day 1: 2 08-08 Day 2: 4 12-06 Total: 6 20-14
2. Travis Land - Jeremy Reeves 0
Day 1: 1 03-07 Day 2: 4 16-06 Total: 5 19-13
3. Drew Cook - Dwayne Eschete 0
Day 1: 4 16-04 Day 2: 1 03-02 Total: 5 19-06
4. Eddie Adams IV - Sean O'Connell 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 3 13-15 Total: 3 13-15
5. Pat Schlapper - Ben Powers 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 3 11-08 Total: 3 11-08
6. Scott Canterbury - Krista Miller 0
Day 1: 1 02-07 Day 2: 2 07-14 Total: 3 10-05
7. Justin Atkins - Ryan Rickard 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 2 09-15 Total: 2 09-15
8. Jeff Mullett - Ken Mullett 0
Day 1: 0 -01-00 Day 2: 2 06-13 Total: 2 05-13
9. Aaron Salazar - Ben Human 0
Day 1: 1 04-03 Day 2: 0 00-00 Total: 1 04-03
10. Gary Moreno - Tony Viator 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Totals
Day #Limits #Fish Weight
1 1 9 33-13
2 2 21 81-15
----------------------------------
3 30 115-12


PATRICK WALTERS GRABS NPFL LEAD AT LAKE LANIER

Story by Justin Brouillard | Photos by Tanner & Travis Lyons

With his biggest bag of the event on day two, Patrick Walters takes over the lead on Lake Lanier with a two-day total of 39 pounds, 14 ounces. He began the day in second place with a bag of 19 pounds, 13 ounces on day one, and his 20-pound, 1-ounce weight today gives him a 15-ounce lead going into the final day.

“It was a good day,” said Walters. “I found some new stuff this afternoon and ran a lot of new water today; I like what I saw, it was good.”

Dealing with changing conditions and finicky fish, he knows that being in the right rotation is key, and with added lake pressure today, and four events on the lake tomorrow, covering water and being efficient will make or break the day.

“I had to throw the kitchen sink today, and will be doing more of it tomorrow,” he said. “You have to keep moving and figure out if you can get some bites. If you’re in a bad rotation, it doesn’t take long to figure that out. You can tell when a spot looks really good and assume you may get a bite, but even when it doesn’t look good, they may still bite.

Will Harkins

Adding 18 pounds, 9 ounces on day two to his day one leading weight of 20 pounds, 6 ounces, Georgia pro Will Harkins goes into Showdown Saturday in second place with a two-day total of 38 pounds, 15 ounces. Despite great bags at the scales, the fishing on day two got tougher for Harkins.

“I only did the ‘Harky’ once today, it was slow overall,” laughed Harkins. “We still have one more day and a lot can happen, we will see. With several close calls in 2023, it would be amazing to get it done here on Lanier. This season, I circled this event; it was one of the reasons I signed up for this year,” he added.

Harkins was seen on live roaming around looking at live sonar, but his pattern is a bit more dialed than that. His bait of choice, which he chose not to go into detail on yet, is something he has confidence in to get some bigger more aggressive fish to commit.

“It’s just a small bait, nothing special, and it seems to be something that will trigger a bite,” he said. “I am around brush, but not necessarily fishing in it much. I am looking for groups of fish that are feeding up and willing to bite.”

With over 2000 waypoints on Lanier from the past, Harkins has no shortage of water to run, but with a big local derby scheduled for Showdown, getting into the right rotation could make or break his final day.

“If you have the right rotation, you are golden. If not, you can be in trouble,” he added. Tomorrow we will have more pressure and we have to see what the pressure does to the fish; anything can happen on the final day.”

Mike Corbishley

In the third-place spot going into the final day, Mike Corbishley added 14 pounds, 4 ounces on day two to his day one bag 17 pounds, 15 ounces. His two-day weight of 32 pounds, 3 ounces once again keeps him at the top of the leaderboard with an outside shot at victory.

“This one feels like Saginaw,” laughed Corbishley. “I am in third and 7-pounds back. It’s crazy, I can shoot for a second again. But in reality, I am in third and will not complain. I feel fortunate to have caught my weight today and the bite has been changing.”

As things change, and the weekend pressure starts to take effect, Corbishley knows he has to adjust on the final day to keep his position.

“It’s changing, and tomorrow I need to adapt. I will keep running as much as I can trying for a good bag. I am staring at my Lowrance and just running the Phoenix/Mercury to as many spots as I can.”

Trent Palmer

Sonar Pros pro Trent Palmer goes into Showdown Saturday in the fourth-place spot with a two-day total of 31 pounds, 10 ounces. Palmer started with 17 pounds, 10 ounces on day one, and added 14 pounds on a much tougher day two.

“This lake is all about timing and making good decisions, and I got into a bad rotation,” he said. “I have fished here for ten years and this is my least favorite time to fish the lake, but they are biting and my goal has now shifted, I want to get a good finish this week. I made the championship with my win (at Saginaw), now we’re just going for a good check.”

It’s no secret that ‘the house’ works together to break down water but when timing becomes so key, it’s easy to miss the window.

“I ran into those guys a few times today and could feel like I was behind on the spots,” he added. “Tomorrow I am going to swap a few things up and try to find some fresh fish. Today, my afternoon bite didn’t really pan out, but I still had some opportunities at fish that missed my plug. Hopefully tomorrow I can combine the limit fish with executing in the afternoon and see what happens.”

John Cox

Beginning the day in eighth with 15 pounds, 15 ounces on day one, Florida pro John Cox slides into the fifth-place spot with 15 pounds, 4 ounces on day two, and a total weight of 31 pounds, 3 ounces. Cox, the only angler at the top not relying on electronics, caught some late schooling fish today to salvage his day.

“I have been throwing the new Berkley Nessie, and the one bait they have been eating I skipped up to a dock this morning and broke it up,” laughed Cox. “I almost cried. I can get them to follow the Berkley CullShad, but they won’t commit.”

Cox was running back near the take-off this afternoon with an hour left to go and saw a school start busting bait. Within ten minutes he filled his limit and caught his day’s weight.

“I shut the engine off and fired up there while the boat was still moving and got bit,” he said. “They actually schooled there yesterday and I caught one, but today it saved me, and I am going to spend the day there tomorrow waiting for them to come up.”

Rest of the Best:
Todd Goade 30-11
Billy Hackworth 30-6
Ryan Satterfield 29-10
Reagan Nelson 28-9
Quentin Cappo 28-0


Eschete and Cook use day’s lone limit to take lead at Redfish Cup Championship

2023 Redfish Day 1 leaders.jpg
The all-star team of Drew Cook and Dwayne Eschete are leading after Day 1 of the 2023 Yamaha Bassmaster Redfish Cup Championship presented by Skeeter Boats on Winyah Bay with 16 pounds, 4 ounces.

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

October 27, 2023

GEORGETOWN, S.C. — On a day marked by grueling leanness and treacherous tides, the all-star team of Elite Redfish Tour pro Dwayne Eschete and Bassmaster Elite Series pro Drew Cook executed perfectly and caught a four-fish limit of 16 pounds, 4 ounces to lead Day 1 of the Yamaha Bassmaster Redfish Cup Championship presented by Skeeter Boats at Winyah Bay.
The only team to catch their boat limit, Eschete and Cook topped second-place Fred Myers III and Cody Chivas by 7-12.
“The key to our area was deep water,” Cook said. “The fish could stay in there even when the tide dropped. We just had to know when to get out of there so we didn’t get stuck.
“We left them biting — that was so hard to do. But the tide was falling and we had to go.”
Eschete said marsh grass edges comprised their spot’s main habitat feature. As the morning’s high tide fell, the redfish pulled out of the cover and settled into a deeper trough adjacent to the vegetation. The leaders caught their fish on Berkley GULP! Shrimp on light jigheads.
“Once we got in there, it turned out really good because we probably caught 10 to 12 fish in that spot,” Eschete said. “The first fish we caught was our biggest one, so I was feeling pretty good.
“After that, Drew caught two fish back to back. Actually, he caught the second fish that we put in the boat while I was measuring the first fish. He caught his second fish, then the water started getting low and we were like, ‘Man, we need to get out of this creek.’”
After leaving their starting spot, the leaders found their fourth fish — Eschete’s second.
Tournament format allows anglers to keep redfish within South Carolina’s 17- to 23-inch slot limit. Each angler can weigh up to two fish per day for a total of four fish per team.
Cook, who placed third at last year’s event alongside Kevin Akin, said he’s found several similarities between bass and redfish. However, for a bass pro accustomed to seeking five keepers with constant upgrading effort, this year’s tournament format has taken some adjustment.
“I think I caught my second fish at 10:30, so I was done; I just sat there,” Cook said. “That was so hard to do. Whenever we got to another area, I couldn’t stand it. I was just throwing out in the middle and I actually caught a 19-incher that would have helped. Had he caught that one, we would have come in.
“Luckily, on his last cast, Dwayne caught a 22-incher, so it all worked out perfectly. Hopefully, tomorrow, we can get into our area and be able to stay in there a little bit longer. Maybe we can catch our four really quickly, and then we’ll just come in and eat pizza at the dock.”
Hailing from Panama City, Fla., and Indian Shores, Fla., respectively, Myers and Chivas are in second place with a two-fish bag that went 8-8. Targeting a small marsh island, the anglers expected to find the fish in a series of small depressions, but they actually found them on the perimeter.
“Right off the bat this morning, we caught a 15-inch fish and that kind of gave us a clue that they were not in the middle,” Chivas said. “We made a couple of laps around that island and caught a couple more fish — one was just a little too big.
“Then we went down a bank, worked that for about a quarter mile and caught probably 20 fish.”
Berkley GULP! Shrimp under popping corks did much of their work, but when Myers and Chivas found fish feeding over shallow oyster bars, a Bass Assassin jerkbait rigged weedless on a weighted wide-gap hook allowed them to fish right across the snag-prone structure.
“We caught so many fish, just a lot of little fish — 13 to 15 inches,” Chivas said. “We caught a few that were oversized. Fred caught a fish today that was a little over 6 pounds and it was 23 1/4 inches.
“That could have changed our whole weekend for us. It would be easy to get down about that, but we were around a lot of fish. We just have to get on a little roll tomorrow. This place is tough, but we’re gonna keep grinding and hopefully, we can catch ‘em.”
Aaron Salazar and Ben Human of Corpus Christi, Texas, are in third place with one redfish that went 4-3. After starting at the upper end of tournament waters and working their way south with the tides, Salazar and Human caught several fish that did not measure but found their critical keeper in the last hour of their day within sight of the check-in.
“We were fishing a deep bank with some flats, so we wanted to come back to that at the end of the day,” Salazar said. “We’ve caught fish on high tide and low tide (near the weigh-in site).”
A Berkley GULP! Mantis Shrimp fished on a 1/8-ounce jighead produced that lone keeper for Salazar and Human.
South Carolina’s high tides and perilous outgoing cycles created timing challenges for anglers who had to quickly identify bite windows and adjust on the fly. Moreover, the falling water, plus numerous bars made of soft, sticky “pluff mud,” presented daunting navigational challenges.
Defending champions Eddie Adams of Metairie, La., and Sean O’Connell of Mandeville, La., ran aground on a muddy bar and missed the weigh-in. According to BassTrakk’s unofficial standings, Adams and O’Connell would have placed third with two fish that weighed 7 pounds.
IFA Redfish Tour standout Ryan Rickard of Wimauma, Fla., and Elite pro Justin Atkins of Florence, Ala., suffered a similar fate, although they had no keepers for the day. (Rickard won the 2021 event and placed second in 2022, alongside Elite Chris Zaldain).
Saturday’s takeoff is scheduled for 7:15 a.m. ET at East Bay Public Ramp. The weigh-in will be held at Francis Marion Park at 3 p.m. Coverage will be simulcast on FS1 and Bassmaster.com beginning at 8 a.m.

The 2023 Yamaha Bassmaster Redfish Cup Championship presented by Skeeter Boats is being hosted by Georgetown County, S.C.

2023 Yamaha Bassmaster Redfish Cup Championship presented by Skeeter Boats 10/27-10/29
Winyah Bay, Winyah Bay SC.
(BOATER) Standings Day 1

Angler Club/School Pts

1. Drew Cook - Dwayne Eschete 0
Day 1: 4 16-04 Total: 4 16-04
2. Fred Myers III - Cody Chivas 0
Day 1: 2 08-08 Total: 2 08-08
3. Aaron Salazar - Ben Human 0
Day 1: 1 04-03 Total: 1 04-03
4. Travis Land - Jeremy Reeves 0
Day 1: 1 03-07 Total: 1 03-07
5. Scott Canterbury - Krista Miller 0
Day 1: 1 02-07 Total: 1 02-07
6. Eddie Adams IV - Sean O'Connell 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
6. Justin Atkins - Ryan Rickard 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
6. Gary Moreno - Tony Viator 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
6. Pat Schlapper - Ben Powers 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
10. Jeff Mullett - Ken Mullett 0
Day 1: 0 -01-00 Total: 0 -1-00
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Totals
Day #Limits #Fish Weight
1 1 9 33-13
----------------------------------
1 9 33-13


AC Extra - Costa Compete & Conserve

Winning CASH and protecting BASS!  Now that is something we support.  Check out this AnglersChannel.com Extra, featuring a Costa Compete and Conserve highlight with B.A.S.S. National Conservation Director, Gene Gilliland.  Over $72,000 and counting has been awarded to conservation efforts across the country on behalf of Costa anglers.  Anglers choose from a list of projects, including: American Rivers, Bass Fishing Hall of Fame, Friends of Reservoirs, National Fish & Wildlife Foundation, and the Johnny Morris Conservation Foundation.  It's as simple as - Own Costa Sunglasses - Register at Compete & Conserve - Win - Donate.  Time to #seewhatsoutthere


THE NATIONAL PROFESSIONAL FISHING LEAGUE ANNOUNCES 2024 SCHEDULE

Story by Justin Brouillard | Photos by Tanner & Travis Lyons

WILKESVILLE, OH (OCTOBER 26, 2023) — The National Professional Fishing League (NPFL) announces its 2024 season that kicks off in early February with a stop in Alabama at Lake Logan Martin. The schedule brings anglers to new venues as well as some constants for the NPFL.

With stops ranging from Alabama to South Carolina, and Tennessee to Michigan and Florida, as well as a trip to the Midwest, the League is excited to continue to expand its reach in the fishing industry.

Said Brad Fuller, President of the NPFL. “We dedicated tremendous effort to preserving the essence and identity of The National Professional Fishing League in our 2024 schedule. This is a truly diverse schedule that covers the full spectrum of bass fishing throughout the entire year and the angler who secures the title of Angler of the Year will undoubtedly prove themselves as the most consistently well-rounded contender on our circuit. We’re thrilled to revisit some of the cherished stops from our history while also exploring exciting new venues. It’s of utmost importance that we leverage our schedule to continually expand the League’s brand and introduce ‘The League’ to bass havens around the country.”

Stop number one kicks off in February on Alabama’s Lake Logan Martin where the anglers get the season started on the Coosa River. The 49-mile playing field features over 26 square miles of Spotted and Largemouth bass-filled waters.

Following stop one, the 2024 season pauses briefly for the 2023 NPFL championship. Lake Amistad and the City of Del Rio, Texas, play host to the top anglers from the 2023 Progressive Angler of the Year race on March 7-9. With a $200,000 total purse and a $100,000 first-place prize, the event in Texas will make for a fun tournament.

“The City of Del Rio, Texas is excited to host the quantity and quality of people coming in with the NPFL Championship next spring,” said Blanca Larson, Executive Director of Explore Del Rio Amistad Oasis. “In addition to the financial impact on the local economy, we look forward to the NPFL showcasing all that Del Rio has to offer, on and off the water. We are excited to showcase the value of coming to Del Rio, TX to fish historic Lake Amistad.”

After the 2023 NPFL championship in March, the season resumes, and the anglers return to Anderson, South Carolina for stop number two, and the second trip to Lake Hartwell for ‘The League,’ on May 16 through 18. In 2022, Drew Six took the victory with a three-day total of 51 pounds, 5 ounces, edging out Patrick Walters who weighed 46 pounds, 14 ounces.

“We are thrilled to welcome the NPFL back to Anderson County’s Green Pond Landing and Lake Hartwell! The leadership of Anderson County has provided us with the necessary resources to bring high-level events to our facilities that create an economic impact in our community, and the NPFL delivers,” said Neil Paul, TMP, Executive Director of Visit Anderson. “From their Angler Roundtables, their Community Spotlights, and their Community Service Projects, they go above and beyond in leaving their mark on a host community, and we’re looking forward to the opportunity to welcome them back to Anderson County in 2024!”

From South Carolina, stop three brings the anglers and their families back to the Tennessee River and Pickwick Lake. The City of Counce, Tennessee plays host July 11 – 13, and this marks the third trip to the Tennessee River in four seasons. In 2021, Brandon Perkins took the victory with 55 pounds, 11 ounces. To begin this season, Perkins also took a win on Pickwick with a total of 66 pounds, 3 ounces.

For stop four, the league returns to the North to Bay City, Michigan, and the big water of Lake Huron, on August 29 – 31. This will mark the third consecutive trip to Bay City for the NPFL with Gary Adkins taking the victory in 2022 with 51 pounds, 13 ounces, and this season, Trent Palmer claimed the victory with 62 pounds, 12 ounces.

“Bay City is excited to welcome back The National Professional Fishing League in 2024,” said Ed Clements, Bay City Fishing Committee. “The end of August should provide an excellent event for competitors and fans; weights should be close and the winner will come right down to the wire. Look for largemouth to play a bigger role than ever on Saginaw Bay and river.”

After the trip to the North, the anglers will head South to none only than the St. Johns River. The City of Deland, Florida plays host for stop five on the famed river in the early fall, September 26-28. The NPFL returns to Florida for the third time in four years for the 2024 season. In 2021, the league visited the Harris Chain of Lakes in June with John Soukup winning his second trophy of the season with a total weight of 61 pounds, 15 ounces. In 2022, Taylor Watkins took the victory on the Kissimmee Chain of Lakes in November with 69 pounds, 14 ounces.

Stop number six will bring the anglers to the Midwest in October with details TBD.   

2024 National Professional Fishing League Schedule

Stop 1 – Lake Logan Martin: Oxford, Alabama, February 1 – 3
2023 NPFL Championship – Lake Amistad: Del Rio, Texas, March 7-9
Stop 2 – Lake Hartwell: Anderson, South Carolina, May 16 – 18
Stop 3 – Pickwick Lake: Counce, Tennessee, July 11 – 13
Stop 4 – Saginaw Bay: Bay City, Michigan, August 29 – 31
Stop 5 – St. Johns River, Deland, Florida, September 26-28
Stop 6 – TBD: Midwest, October


WILL HARKINS GRABS DAY ONE LEAD AT LAKE LANIER

Story by Justin Brouillard | Photos by Tanner & Travis Lyons

With a 6-pound, 12-ounce lunker to anchor his weight, Will Harkins brought a tournament-leading 20-pound, 6-ounce bag to the scales on day one at Lake Lanier. Despite a tie at Lake Eufaula which resulted in a second-place finish after tie-breakers, Harkins bounced back in a big way on a familiar body of water at the NPFL season finale.

“You have to have a short-term memory in these events and just roll into the next one,” said Harkins. “I have a lot of history here and it is fishing tough, the key is execution. We may have 10-pounds, or we may have 20-pounds.”

Harkins is fishing in his comfort zone this week and focusing on various schools of fish all over the lake. As he noted before, execution is key on a lake such as Lanier.

“I have a deck full of rods and you can get them to bite, but you have to get them in the boat,” he added. “I did lose two 5-pounder fish today but that is how it goes. I have two more days and have to execute.”

Patrick Walters

Getting off to a fast start, NPFL pro Patrick Waltersbrought a five-bass limit of 19-pounds, 13-ounces with a 5-pound, 4-ounce lunker to the scales to finish day one at Lake Lanier in second place.

After a tougher practice than he expected, Walters was thrilled to have a solid day one this week with two tournament days remaining.

“We will take it; it was a good day,” said Walters. “I got these two good ones, and another good largemouth, and after an iffy practice, it was good. I hit about ¼ of my water today so we got some more stuff for this week.”

Mike Corbishley

After a near miss at victory in Oklahoma the last event at Lake Eufaula, Mike Corbishley finished day one in third place with a limit weighing 17-pounds, 15-ounces.

“I have fished Lanier a few times with Trent, but overall have not been here much,” said Corbishley. “I have had some close calls this year and I really want to win one of these things; the best way I know how is to do what I do – I ran my Pheonix Boats/Mercury all over and looked at them on my Lowrance Active Target 2 and caught what I could.”

Trent Palmer

With 17-pounds, 10-ounces on day one, Sonar Pros Pro Trent Palmer goes into day two tied with Todd Goade in fourth place.

“This lake is about execution and I did not do that today,” said Palmer. “I had the opportunity this afternoon for a 20-pound bag but that’s how it goes. I didn’t have a fish until 11 AM this morning so I am looking forward to figuring them out a little sooner tomorrow and seeing what happens.”

Despite the lost fish, Palmer is happy the ‘house’ is doing well so far in the tournament but is looking to make up some ground on day two.

“I am happy to see the house do well; they begged me for info and it looks like the tips worked out well,” he laughed.

Todd Goade

As seen on live coverage, Progressive AOY leader Todd Goade finishes day one tied for fourth place with a 17-pound, 10-ounce bag. Starting the event with a 12-point lead over Jesse Wise, Goade “did his job” once again despite a day-one charge by Wise, and leader Will Harkins.

“Today started with a bang but got tough on me after lunch,” said Goade. “I know Fat Cat and Luke won’t like it, but I did my job today, and I have to do it two more days out here. I want to thank everyone who tuned in on the Live Coverage today and watched me fish; thanks for the support.”

Rest of the best:
Hunter Baughman 16-15
Quentin Cappo 16-4
John Cox 15-15
Richard Cooper 15-10
Jesse Wise 15-9


B.A.S.S. boosts Opens with new investment, including expanded live coverage

All nine 2024 St. Croix Bassmaster Opens Series tournaments will feature live coverage, while anglers will compete for increased payouts and a new Angler of the Year purse. 

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

October 26, 2023

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — As buzz continues around the St. Croix Bassmaster Opens, B.A.S.S. officials announced increased payouts and widely expanded coverage for 2024. These enhancements not only reinforce the longstanding stability and popularity of the Opens format, but also highlight the organization's commitment to leadership in serving the bass fishing community.

Live coverage from all nine Bassmaster Opens will be streamed on Bassmaster.com, with expanded coverage for the 2024 season on FS1, FS2, Tubi and the Fox Sports digital platforms. The newly expanded live coverage on multiple platforms will allow fishing fans to follow the intense competition and see every hookset, battle and weigh-in as they get to know the sport’s rising stars.

“B.A.S.S. continues our commitment to fueling a passion for fishing by entertaining and educating fans as well as serving anglers, who pour their time and efforts into our events. We have been exploring opportunities to further support our Opens Series, and after listening to anglers, fans and industry partners, we are thrilled to announce these exciting changes,” said Chase Anderson, B.A.S.S. CEO. “Providing the best possible platform for anglers is a top priority for us, and showcasing all levels of Bassmaster tournament fishing only helps to strengthen the entire sport.”

With nearly 1 million fans tuning in to live, final-day broadcasts of three Opens tournaments on FS1 in 2023, it's clear the fierce competition and dramatic fight for Elite Series invitations resonated with viewers. In total, fishing fans eagerly devoured more than 38.8 million minutes of live Opens coverage across all platforms.

Also beginning in 2024, Bassmaster Opens Elite Qualifiers Division anglers will be competing for a combined Angler of the Year purse of $110,000, which includes an increased first-place cash prize of $45,000. The prize payouts for every tournament will also increase, with the top 45 anglers — one in five competitors — in each event earning a check.

Based on a full field of 225 anglers in the pro division, the payout for each Opens event will total more than $332,500. Alongside the new AOY purse, that totals a prize purse of more than $3.1 million over the course of the season.

The EQ Division designation goes to those anglers who are competing in all nine St. Croix Bassmaster Opens and is the only path to earning an Elite Series invitation through the Opens.

“The EQ model is as close as you can get to competing at the Elite level in terms of the diverse skill set, travel, time and financial commitment needed to succeed,” said Executive Director of Tournaments Hank Weldon. “B.A.S.S. is not only bringing even more attention to the skills and incredible commitment made by Opens anglers, but I’m excited that the organization is also honoring and rewarding the anglers financially by backing an Angler of the Year purse with cash payouts to the Top 10 and increasing the overall field payouts.

“It’s impossible to overstate how well-received the new Opens EQ format was last season and the drama that built as anglers fought for coveted Classic berths and spots in the Elite Series field. Now, with an even bigger stage and greater financial awards — both backed by the stability and longevity of B.A.S.S. — I expect the Opens to be even more popular.”

Registration for B.A.S.S. Nation and Life members who want to compete in the Bassmaster Opens EQs opens November 7. For full registration information, visit Bassmaster.com.

2024 St. Croix Bassmaster Opens

 

Division 1

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

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

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

 

Division 2

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

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

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

 

Division 3

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

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

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


Humminbird Highlight - Breaking down a bluff bank with Side Imaging

AnglersChannel.com had the pleasure of covering the Humminbird/Minn Kota Owners Tournament this year.  Check out this Humminbird Highlight with AC Insider, Vance McCullough, and Humminbird Pro Staffer Bill Wilcox.  They were idling a bluff wall being fished by several anglers and Bill shows us what he looks for in identifying sweet spots using his Side Scan technology.


Branson Readies for Toyota Series Championship on Table Rock Lake Presented by Simms

More Than 400 Bass Anglers Set to Compete for Top Prize of Up to $235,000 + REDCREST Qualification in 2023 Toyota Series Finale

BRANSON, Mo. (Oct. 24, 2023) – The 2023 Toyota Series Championship at Table Rock Lake Presented by Simms will take place next week in Branson, Missouri, Nov. 2-4, where the nation’s best Toyota Series pros and international anglers will compete for a top award of up to $235,000 cash, including the lucrative $35,000 Phoenix MLF Bonus, and an invitation to REDCREST 2024 – Major League Fishing’s most prestigious event. Hosted by ExploreBranson.com, the three-day, no-entry-fee Toyota Series Championship is the culmination of the 2023 Toyota Series Presented by Phoenix Boats season, a six-division circuit that offers a path to the 2024 Tackle Warehouse Invitationals and ultimately the Bass Pro Tour.

“I would like to welcome the championship field of anglers and their families to the Branson/Lakes Area,” said Jonas Arjes, Interim President and CEO of Branson/Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce and Convention & Visitors Bureau. “After a great day of fishing on Table Rock Lake, I hope anglers and fans will take time to enjoy some of our live music shows and family attractions. There’s family fun for everyone in Branson.”

In addition to the top award of up to $235,000, the signature fall championship hands out thousands in awards to top finishers in each division, while introducing international qualifiers to tournament bass-fishing stateside. The long-running championship also provides advancement opportunities for anglers across the globe, furthering their reach and amplifying their fishing platforms.

The reigning Toyota Series champion, pro Kyle Hall of Granbury, Texas, won the event on Lake Guntersville in 2022. A regular atop the leaderboard in his young career, Hall has an impressive career résumé with four top-10 finishes, a 2018 Toyota Series win at 1000 Islands, Rookie of the Year (ROY) honors in 2020, and a 2022 Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit win at Lake Champlain. Hall said the Toyota Series Championship, however, has been his most lucrative career win to date.

“I started fishing the Toyota Series events in 2018, mostly to figure out new bodies of water and to get a feel for tournament fishing away from home,” said Hall. “Going into that event, I didn’t really have much going for me – I had only caught a couple bass on one bait during practice – but I ended up winning the entire tournament on that one bait.

“That win wasn’t something I was expecting at all, but when it happened, it meant the world to me, especially because I was in the process of buying a house,” Hall continued. “Winning that event helped me to purchase the house and pay cash for it, so that was a big step for me and for the future of my fishing career.

“Since the pandemic, sponsors have definitely been pulling back more, but I was able to add a few important sponsors last year and I have a lot more in the works this year, all in direct correlation to that championship win,” said Hall. “I feel like this tournament provides ‘local anglers’ the opportunity to branch out and compete on new fisheries, while strengthening their personal brand and providing significant advancement opportunities to the Tackle Warehouse Invitationals.”

Pro Travis Harriman currently resides in Huntsville, Arkansas, but grew up on Table Rock Lake and said he’s spent more time on the fishery than anywhere else over the past five years. Harriman qualified for the championship after his recent win at the Toyota Series Plains Division finale on Lake of the Ozarks .

“The great thing about Table Rock Lake is that guys can really fish their strengths,” said Harriman. “I think we’ll see a mix of different techniques throughout this event, with guys running up the rivers, fishing both deep and shallow.

“I do expect the fishery to shift a bit before we get there next week,” Harriman continued. “They’re forecasting a cold front, which will really change things up and provide more opportunities for a lot of guys. I expect the shallow game will be strong, with guys throwing buzzbaits, ploppers and jigs. And of course forward-facing sonar is going to be in play as well – Table Rock Lake is a deep, clear lake that sets up well for that.”

Harriman said he expects to see daily weights around the mid- to upper-teens, and a winning weight up around 50 pounds, especially if the shallow bite kicks off.

“The spotted bass are big enough that you can get 16 or 17 pounds easily with just spots,” said Harriman. “I think the coolest part is that you can throw three casts in a row and catch three different species of bass.

“There are particular brush piles, points, cedar trees and other locations that hold fish year to year, and this event has the potential to be a junk fisherman’s paradise,” Harriman continued. “They could catch one on the bank with a plopper-style bait, hit a brush pile or a point with a different bait – that will definitely be the local advantage, knowing which locations hold fish and which baits to throw in each spot.

“There are so many bass in this place – any given creek could fire up at any moment, and you can really win anywhere on the lake,” said Harriman. “That’s what’s a little scary about this fishery. You might write an area off, but someone else might be able to get it firing. No one will be able to really let off the gas during this event.”

Anglers will take off daily at 7:30 a.m. CT from Table Rock State Park Marina, located at 380 State Park Marina Road, in Branson. Weigh-ins will also be held at the marina and will begin at 3:30 p.m. Fans are welcome to attend the daily takeoffs and weigh-ins and also follow the action online through the “MLF Live” weigh-in broadcasts and daily coverage at MajorLeagueFishing.com. The 2023 Toyota Series Championship Presented by Simms will premiere on CBS Sports in 2024.

The full field of anglers will compete on Days 1 and 2 of the event, with the top 10 pros and top 10 Strike King co-anglers based on cumulative weight from the first two days continuing to the third and final day. The 2023 Toyota Series champions will be determined by the heaviest three-day total weight.

Pros and co-anglers can qualify for multiple contingency awards based on final standings in the championship, including the lucrative $35,000 Phoenix MLF Bonus for pros. The winning Strike King co-angler will earn a new Phoenix 518 Pro bass boat with a 115-horsepower Mercury outboard motor.

The 2023 Toyota Series Presented by Phoenix Boats consisted of six divisions – Central, Northern, Plains, Southern, Southwestern and Western – each holding three regular-season events, along with the International division and the Wild Card. The highest finishing pro from each division at the championship will claim a $10,000 bonus. The bonus will go to the second-highest finishing pro in the division represented by the overall champion.

The 2023 Toyota Series Championship field features the top 25 pros, top 25 Strike King co-anglers and tournament winners from each of the six divisions; the top 25 pros and 25 co-anglers from the Wild Card division plus tournament winners; the highest finishing boater and co-angler from each of the six Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine Regionals and the TBF at the All-American; the top three teams from the College Fishing National Championship; High School Fishing National Champions; TBF National Champions; and MLF International anglers from Canada, Central Europe, Italy, Korea, Mexico, Namibia, Portugal, South Africa, Spain and Zimbabwe.

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.


Terry Tucker and Jeremy Green win ABT Championship

By Jason Duran

Leesburg, AL Oct. 21—The Alabama Bass Trail concluded the 10th season with the Championship on Weiss Lake. This event was a no entry fee event consisting of two days of fishing by the top 75 teams from the north division, the top 75 teams from the south division, and qualifying couples, student and college teams. The event paid out over $100,000 through 25 places. The team of Terry Tucker and Jeremy Green took home $50,000 cash for their first-place finish.

 

 

After two days of fishing, Terry Tucker and Jeremy Green were crowned the 10th team champion of the Alabama Bass Trail making them part of a small group of anglers than can call themselves among the best of the best when it comes to team fishing. Their day one weight was 12.74-pounds, and on day two, they brough the biggest bag of the event to the scales with 19-pounds adding up to a two-day total of 31.74-pounds. In practice the key was “trying to figure out what areas had enough fish to get us through day one in order to really hammer down on day two. We don’t think we really figured it out; it just happened for us.”

“On day one, we went to an area where we knew we could get a limit hoping to get a big bite out of that area. We got a limit, but the big bite never developed. We then moved to other areas, and we lost one good fish which hurt us, but we hoped it wouldn’t kill us. We knew we needed at least 15 to 16-pounds a day to win it. Today, we regrouped, made a different round and changed up the timing of our areas, and it worked out good today. We caught fish today where we didn’t catch them yesterday.”

They said their pattern was to target isolated big fish and move around a lot. On day two, “we caught our first fish at 9:00, and we knew then what was going to happen from there. We didn’t catch a lot of fish, but it was because we weren’t targeting numbers. Instead, we were looking for the bigger fish. When we caught the last fish that moved us up to our final weight, we decided to head back an hour early to make sure we got back in time for weigh in. We caught everything we weighed in on a white spinner bait, but the key was for us to throw a different size- a 1/2 oz. and a 3/8 oz. Throwing different sizes allowed us to target the whole water column.”

 

 

The second-place team of CJ Knight and Anthony Goggins reported, “ on day one we had a primary area that was about three miles long in the mid-lake area. We felt like we had some decent fish in practice that would be pulling up shallow on tournament day, but we didn’t get a bite till 11:00, and within an hour, we caught all our day one wight of 14.10 pounds by just continuing to rotate that area. We spent the rest of the day practicing, and we lost one fish that would have moved us up to around 16-pounds. We continued to dial in our area a little more on day one with the hope of expanding it on day two. On day two, we knew the bite was going to be a little later, so we went to an area where we could just catch keepers and fill out our limit. That built our confidence to go to our main area with a limit and upgrade. The fish just bit better on day two. We targeted a lot of wood and docks that seemed to hold fish. One of our key baits was a Shad Rap that we fished really fast in areas that looked good to us. We covered lots of water, and because of the cold front, we noticed we got lots of short strikes where the fish missed the bait, but we didn’t give up. Another key bait for us was a 9/16 ADL Jig in brown made by Jason Howard at the Tackle Box in Oxford, AL. It is a flipping jig, and the key is a hand tied skirt. It doesn’t hang boat dock cross members, and it has a great hook. We also caught some on small crank baits. We knew we needed to catch a big fish each day. On the first day we caught a 5.50, and on the second day we caught a 4-pound fish off the same stump.” The key  “was a staying in the area we caught big fish in during practice and not giving up on the area.” They weighed in a total of 28.50 for a pay day of $10,000 and add to that winning a $2,500 Phoenix Boats Pay Day bonus and a $500 Garmin Bonus.

 

 

The Third-place team of Michael Wooley and Joe Wooley weighed in a total of 28.03 and collected $5,000. “We didn’t have a good practice, but on the last day late in practice, we found a spot way upriver that was holding fish around laydowns and stumps. We spent day one fishing any wood we could find, and we caught a lot of fish including one that weighed 4.30 pounds and another 4.20 that helped us cull up. We caught all our fish on a green pumpkin 1/8 oz Ned Rig. The boat traffic in our areas on day two seemed to affect the fish some. We worked it the best we could and caught six keepers off one lay down. We caught another big one 4.30 in another area. We made our final cull at 4:10 pm that moved us up to third place with 28.03. The team has qualified to fish the BASS Team Championship and have set the goal to make the Bassmaster Classic.

The Top 10 places are below for a complete list of standings visit:

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, and this week will feature the winners 2023 ABT Champs

The sponsors of the 2023 Alabama Bass Trail include: Phoenix Boats, Academy Sports, Alabama

Power, America’s First Federal Credit Union, American Trailer Rental Group, BAJIO, Big Bite

Baits, Bill Penney Automotive, Black Rifle Coffee Company, Anheuser – Bush, Inc., E3 Sports

Apparel, Fish Neely Henry Lake.com, Garmin, Jack’s, Lew’s, Mountain Dew, Alabama Mountain

Lakes Tourist Association, Power-Pole, Strike King, Sweet Home Alabama, T-H Marine,  Yamaha,

YETI Coolers


Ruler of Topwater Frogs – the Berkley Swamp Lord

A hollow belly topwater frog that elicits explosive bites from big bass in the nastiest of environments

COLUMBIA, SC. (OCT. 24, 2023) – Every angler knows just how much fun a topwater frog bite can be. But not all frogs are made the same. Designed by Berkley Labs in partnership with expert frog fisherman and 2022 Major League Fishing Redcrest Champion Bobby Lane, the Berkley Swamp Lord is the true frog king of fishing.

The Berkley Swamp Lord features optimally angled, sticky sharp Berkley Fusion19 hooks and a soft, yet extremely durable material that easily collapses – maximizing an angler’s hookup ratio. The sealed hook shank allows for a tighter fit with the body of the bait, reducing water intrusion for uninterrupted fishing. Available in both standard and popping models, the Swamp Lord conquers any environment to elicit only the most explosive of topwater blowups.

 

 

KEY FEATURES
• Optimized system to increase hook-up ratio
• Ultra soft body and design allows for quick collapse
• Sealed hook shank, body chamber reduces water intrusion
• Optimally angled sticky sharp Berkley Fusion19 hook
• Standard & popping models

Colors: Maverick • Honey Shad • Potomac • Copperhead • Green Pumpkin • Burnt Bone • Bone • Chartreuse Perch • MF Bluegill • Spring Frog • Bully • Voodoo Black

MSRP: $9.99
Available: September, 2023

 


Ranger Boats Under the Lid - A BOATLOAD of Storage with Bryan Thrift

We caught up with Ranger Boats / Sportsman's Warehouse Pro Bryan Thrift, the 2023 MLF Redcrest Champion.  In this Ranger Under the Lid Series, Bryan is going to walk us through his Ranger Z520 R and how he sets it up for domination out there on tour.  In this episode, he shows us a few tips and tricks on how he carries everything he can think of in the bow of his 20 foot Ranger.  If it works for a champion, it's sure to work for us!


Brumnett Wins Phoenix Bass Fishing League Regional Tournament on Lake of the Ozarks

 


Micah Frazier retiring from Bassmaster Elite Series

October 23, 2023

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — After fishing nine seasons on the Bassmaster Elite Series, Micah Frazierof Newnan, Ga., is stepping away from professional fishing. Over the course of his B.A.S.S. career, Frazier has earned one Elite win, nine Top 10 finishes and 34 Top 30 finishes.

Although Frazier has experienced consistent success in the Elite Series, he felt as if now was the right time to step away for his family and future endeavors.

“This has been a decision that has been two or three years in the making,” said Frazier. “My family has always been able to travel with me, but with my son (Huck) about to start kindergarten, I just can’t come to peace with leaving them so often when they start school.

“I keep reminding myself that if I fish for another 10 years how much time I would miss with my kids, and I truly think that if you gave me the chance at the end of those 10 years, I would absolutely buy that time back.”

The five-time Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic qualifier also feels as if some of the business opportunities he’s passionate about have forced him to step back from providing bass fishing the attention it demands to be successful.

“I’ve really had to come to grips with the fact that I simply can’t do everything I want to do,” he said. “I feel like I have to free up some space in my life and in my mind. I haven’t been giving fishing the attention it deserves.”

Frazier fished his first St. Croix Bassmaster Open in 2013 and has since given bass fishing everything he has. Over the course of time, he’s made relationships that will never be broken and experienced things that most anglers never get to experience.

One of those things is to mentor his brother Marc through his young Elite Series career.

“I’m really proud of my brother and all he’s been able to accomplish in a really short amount of time,” he said. “Not many people get the chance to share those kinds of memories with their siblings. Leaving Marc out there (on the Elite Series) is one of the main reasons this decision was so difficult to make.”

Like all Elite pros, Frazier knows how much of a sacrifice being a professional angler is, and doing it without the support of his wife Anna, parents, friends, sponsors and fans would make it impossible.

“I’ve really been blown away by all the comments and support that I’ve been given since I made the announcement,” he said. “I know I’m doing the right thing. It’s a bittersweet decision, and there are going to be times that I miss it, but it just doesn’t sit in my life the same way it used to.

“The filter in which I see things now and my reason for living is my family and my kids, and it just doesn’t suit them as much as it suits me, which is a big part of the reason I’ve made this decision.”


Pickwick 9-pounder anchors Bonus Bucks Owners victory

Courtesy of Alan McGuckin - Dynamic Sponsorships

Smallmouth tend to have the same mystical qualities at Pickwick as the many iconic hit songs recorded in the surrounding Shoals region, but on a gorgeous late October Sunday it was a 9-pound largemouth that became the top hit at the 12th annual Toyota Bonus Bucks Owners event.

Jake Lawrence and Monty Williams, both of Northwest Tennessee, leveraged Lawrence’s supreme knowledge of forward-facing sonar to catch the green beast that highlighted their mighty impressive 26 pound 10 ounce limit, and seven pound margin of victory over second place.

“Our boat was in 15-feet of water, but our keepers were swimming in the top third of the water column about 5-feet below the surface,” says Lawrence, a full-time fishing guide who provides forward facing sonar tutorials to his clients.

“The fact this is a no entry fee event is awesome, but it’s the catered food, hanging out with all the top Toyota pros, and hundreds of people walking around smiling that make it so special. Toyota just does so much for people who love to fish, and that played a big role in buying a brand-new Highlander for my wife last week,” added Lawrence, who tows with a Tundra.  

Second and third place showed strong reflection of the unique family and fellowship aspect of the Toyota Bonus Bucks event, as husband and wife teams posted very impressive limits. Maddison and Triston Crowder finished second, and Keith and Penny Miller finished third, with 19-pound limits each.

However, you don’t have to be in the Top 3 to go home smiling from this annual event. The 15th place team scored a $1,000 Bass Pro Shops gift card, and the first team outside the guaranteed paycheck line got $1,000 from Yamaha for their 31st place finish.

Simply said, it pays to tow with a Toyota and sign-up for Bonus Bucks. Not only can you win cash throughout the year, but this annual no-entry fee event provides all the good vibes of a #1 song as well.

To learn more, and get signed up, please visit https://www.toyotatrucksbonusbucks.com/.


Davis makes history as first back-to-back winner of B.A.S.S. Nation Championship

Will Davis Jr. of Sylacauga, Ala., has become the first angler in history to win back-to-back B.A.S.S. Nation Championships, winning the 2023 TNT Fireworks B.A.S.S. Nation Championship at Lake Hartwell with a three-day total of 45 pounds, 6 ounces.

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

October 20, 2023

Davis makes history as first back-to-back winner of B.A.S.S. Nation Championship

ANDERSON, S.C. — Will Davis Jr. made history Friday when he won the TNT Fireworks B.A.S.S. Nation Championship for the second consecutive year.

Not only did the 31-year-old Sylacauga, Ala., resident become the first angler to win the event in back-to-back seasons, but he started a chain reaction that helped two other anglers receive a bit of B.A.S.S. glory as well.

Davis weighed a five-bass limit of 15 pounds, 1 ounce on Day 3, giving him an overall weight of 15 bass for 45-6. That was nearly 4 pounds more than any other angler competing in this three-day derby on Lake Hartwell, and it guaranteed him a spot in the 2024 Bassmaster Elite Series.

Thing is, Davis had already qualified for next year’s Elite Series, so his double qualification opened the door for New Hampshire’s Tim Dube, who finished second at Hartwell, to earn a spot in the Elite Series in 2024.

Davis’ win also had a ripple effect on the 2024 Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic, which will be held March 22-24 on Grand Lake O’ the Cherokees near Tulsa, Okla.

The Top 3 anglers in the B.A.S.S. Nation Championship earn spots in the 2024 Classic. But with Davis already having punched his ticket to the sport’s biggest tournament through the 2023 Progressive Insurance Bassmaster Angler of the Year standings, B.A.S.S. officials said his berth would go to the first Elite out in those rankings.

That lucky angler is Elite Series pro David Gaston, who ironically also hails from Sylacauga, Ala., and who now slides into the 2024 Bassmaster Classic courtesy of his 43rd-place finish in the AOY race and Davis’ victory at Hartwell.

“I had a feeling this week,” Davis said. “I did a lot of praying on it ... I even keep a Bible in the boat, and I’ll read a verse to calm me down.”

Unlike last year, when he had to mount a come-from-behind win on Pickwick Lake to hoist the Bryan V. Kerchal Memorial Trophy, Davis had more than 3 pounds of cushion heading into the final day on Hartwell.

Davis ended Day 1 with a 16-1 limit, only 2 ounces behind Dube for the tournament lead, and he seized it on Day 2 with a 14-4 limit to take the lead. The weather changed overnight, and intermittent rain and steady winds moved through the area Friday morning.

But Davis didn’t blink. He had the big bag of the day and collected $20,000 for the win.

Despite having already secured his spot in the Classic and Elite Series, Davis said he fishes to win every tournament.

And at one point on Friday, Davis said he felt his nerves getting shaky. He switched to a Davis Bait Company spinnerbait (in the peacock color) early, anticipating it would work better in the windy weather. But he only had 9 pounds in his livewell as morning turned to afternoon.

“At that point, I went back to the (Davis) Wood Jig and headed to a hump that was in about 40 feet of water. I hadn’t fished it before, and I could see fish down there at about 35 feet. I dropped the Wood Jig right by them and prayed they’d hit it. I was able to get three big hits in a short amount of time and those few extra pounds made the difference.”

Davis rode last year’s Nation Championship to success in the Elite Series, winning a tournament on Lay Lake in May and finishing fifth in the Dakota Lithium Bassmaster Rookie of the Year standings. He wasn’t necessarily expecting to repeat as the B.A.S.S. Nation champ, but he’ll certainly take the victory.

“Last year was more emotional, but every win is sweet,” he said.

Dube, who finished second with a three-day total of 41-11, was amazed by his good fortune. He knew a Bassmaster Classic berth could be in the mix, but the chance to fish the 2024 Elite Series had the 29-year-old searching for words. A $15,000 check for finishing second in the tournament, plus $16,000 to cover Elite Series entry fees should he choose to compete, added to his amazement.

“This is all a dream,” Dube said. “I don’t know if you can say no to it. I’m just a rollercoaster of emotions.”

Dube caught a 14-8 limit on Friday, opting for spinnerbaits in choppy water.

“I’d pull up and bomb a 3/4-ounce spinner as far as I could,” he said. “It was shad color with silver blades. They’d come up and knock it out of the water.”

Wisconsin’s Josh Wiesner finished third with 37 pounds at Lake Hartwell. The performance secured him a Classic bid, as well as $10,000 for a podium finish on this storied fishery.

“This is unbelievable,” he said. “I thought I was maybe seventh place. To pull off a third? Unreal.”

Wiesner caught his best bass on a Hartwell Hammer Custom Rapala Jigging Rap and a 1/4-ounce shaky head with a Bass Assassin Tapout worm (peanut butter and jelly color).

A total of 113 anglers (58 boaters, 55 nonboaters) began the tournament on this 56,000-acre fishery straddling the South Carolina-Georgia border. They hailed from 48 states and eight foreign countries, earning their way into the field with their showings at one of five B.A.S.S. Nation regionals held across the country this year.

Arizona's Hayden Spradling won the nonboater title on Thursday with 10 fish for 18 pounds. He earned $10,000 and was invited to fish in Friday’s final round, finishing with a three-day total of 29-4.

Georgia’s Chris Moody caught the Big Bass of the Tournament among boaters and earned a $1,000 prize. Kansas’ Kyle Klein had the Big Bass among nonboaters (4-8) and won a $500 prize.

Dube also won $500 for being the angler using Garmin electronics who finished highest in the overall boater standings.

The field split a total purse of $96,500.

Visit Anderson hosted the event.

2023 TNT Fireworks B.A.S.S. Nation Championship 10/18-10/20
Lake Hartwell, Anderson  SC.
(BOATER) Standings Day 3

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

1.  Will Davis Jr          Sylacauga, AL           15  45-06    0  $20,000.00
Day 1: 5   16-01     Day 2: 5   14-04     Day 3: 5   15-01
2.  Timothy Dube           Nashua, NH              15  41-11    0  $15,500.00
Day 1: 5   16-03     Day 2: 5   11-00     Day 3: 5   14-08
3.  Josh Wiesner           Fon du Lac, WI          15  37-00    0  $10,000.00
Day 1: 5   13-08     Day 2: 5   13-12     Day 3: 5   09-12
4.  Zach Taylor            Kimberly, ID            15  36-14    0   $5,000.00
Day 1: 5   14-00     Day 2: 5   12-11     Day 3: 5   10-03
5.  Nic Rand               Kalamazoo, MI           15  36-00    0   $4,000.00
Day 1: 5   14-05     Day 2: 5   12-09     Day 3: 5   09-02
6.  Andrew Nienaber        Cape Town Western Cape  15  35-10    0   $3,000.00
Day 1: 5   14-07     Day 2: 5   11-14     Day 3: 5   09-05
7.  Zeke Gossett           Pell City, AL           15  35-05    0   $2,000.00
Day 1: 5   11-04     Day 2: 5   13-07     Day 3: 5   10-10
8.  Cole Findley           Forsyth, MO             15  33-13    0   $1,000.00
Day 1: 5   11-15     Day 2: 5   13-07     Day 3: 5   08-07
9.  Brian La Clair         Denton, MD              15  32-12    0   $1,000.00
Day 1: 5   10-09     Day 2: 5   15-08     Day 3: 5   06-11
10. Cody Steckel           Las Vegas, NV           15  32-12    0   $1,000.00
Day 1: 5   11-01     Day 2: 5   12-04     Day 3: 5   09-07
11. Nate Caldwell          Fort Collins, CO        15  31-14    0     $500.00
Day 1: 5   12-04     Day 2: 5   11-00     Day 3: 5   08-10
12. Jonathan Carter        Portland, ME            14  31-10    0     $500.00
Day 1: 5   12-08     Day 2: 5   11-02     Day 3: 4   08-00
13. Hayden Spradling       Gilbert, AZ             15  29-04    0  $10,000.00
Day 1: 5   09-07     Day 2: 5   08-09     Day 3: 5   11-04
14. Taylor Umland          Carlock, IL             10  23-08    0
Day 1: 5   12-13     Day 2: 5   10-11     Day 3: 0   00-00
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
BIG BASS OF TOURN
Chris Moody              Brooks, GA          04-04          $0.00
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Totals
Day   #Limits    #Fish      Weight
1        48       268       541-09
2        46       264       504-14
3        12        64       131-00
----------------------------------
106       596      1177-07


Productive fall conditions await Redfish Cup Championship field at Winyah Bay

The 2022 defending champions Edward Adams and Sean O'Connell will be among the field when the 2023 Yamaha Bassmaster Redfish Cup Championship presented by Skeeter Boats takes on South Carolina's Winyah Bay Oct. 27-29.
Photo by Andy Crawford/B.A.S.S.
October 20, 2023

GEORGETOWN, S.C. — During the 18th century, pirates staked out hidden bays and coastal islands in hopes of capturing their cut of the wealth flowing in and out of Georgetown’s deep-water port.

For three autumn days, 20 anglers will be snooping around some of the same areas in hopes of capturing the winning weight for the Yamaha Bassmaster Redfish Cup Championship presented by Skeeter Boats at Winyah Bay.

Competition days will be Oct. 27-29 with daily takeoffs from East Bay Public Ramp at 7:15 a.m. ET and weigh-ins each day at Francis Marion Park at 3 p.m. Fans can catch Bassmaster Redfish LIVE coverage all three days of the tournament on Bassmaster.com. FS1 will broadcast live Oct. 28-29 beginning at 8 a.m. ET.

“It should be a great time of year to be out there,” said Ryan Rickard, the Tampa, Fla., angler who won the 2021 Championship alongside Bassmaster Elite Series pro Chris Zaldain. (The pair placed second in 2022.) “The water temperatures have probably cooled down enough to make fish a lot more active than their summer patterns.”

Boasting a history rich with rice and indigo production, Georgetown’s commerce attracted marauding types such as Blackbeard, Anne Bonney, Mary Read and Calico Jack Rackham. The tournament will host a far more congenial group with 10 two-angler teams — six top-tier redfish duos and four all-star teams comprising Bassmaster Elite pros and talented redfish anglers.

Leading the all-star lineup, Rickard is the only angler who has competed both of the past two years. He will pair with Elite pro Justin Atkins, a past Forrest Wood Cup and St. Croix Bassmaster Opens champion hailing from Florence, Ala.

Leading the pure redfish teams will be Louisiana pros Sean O’Connell and Edward Adams, the Redfish World Series champions that won last year’s Redfish Cup Championship in Port Aransas, Texas. Adams said he’s hoping his vast experience guiding the Mississippi Delta marsh will translate into South Carolina success.

Making his first fishing trip to the Palmetto State, Adams expects to gather critical practice recon during the lowest tidal periods. This is when the sea draws back its curtain to reveal key details like oyster bars, rocks and subtle marsh drains.

“I would think a lot of these fish will be in the creeks or little (backwater) pools,” Adams said. “It’s easy to target these spots during low tide, but when they’re covered with water, I’d think you’ll have to blind fish them with spinnerbaits or popping corks (a jig or shrimp suspended beneath a noisy rattling cork).”

The East Coast’s fourth-largest estuary, Winyah Bay marks the southern end of South Carolina’s famous beaches known as the Grand Strand. The bay is fed from the north by the confluence of the Black and the Great Pee Dee rivers and the Waccamaw River, while the Sampit River inflows from the west, through Georgetown.

As Rickard points out, tournament days will start with high tides that slowly drop throughout the competition hours. Outgoing to low tides are generally considered favorable for redfish, as they pull food sources out of hiding.

Falling water also drains shallow arteries and Rickard said this unyielding truth should not be taken lightly.

“This year will be very different, because we’re fishing a lot more tidal flow,” Rickard said. “We’re fishing 6- to 7-foot tidal swings (as opposed to approximately 1 1/2 feet in coastal Texas). A lot of that style fishing is creek fishing and fishing on the Intracoastal Waterway, so you have to be sure that you’re in and out of areas quickly so you don’t get stuck for the rest of the day.”

Notably, the Winyah Bay area also holds a tremendous largemouth bass fishery that has twice attracted Bassmaster Elite Series events (2016 and 2019). Scott Canterbury, the 2019 Progressive Insurance Bassmaster Angler of the Year who partners with veteran redfish angler and charter captain Krista Miller, will be seeking to leverage his Winyah Bay knowledge.

“I am hoping the redfish on the South Carolina coast act like the largemouth bass,” Canterbury said. “I finished second in the 2019 Elite out of there and hope that my knowledge of tides pays off. Being able to run the tide at the right times is definitely going to be key.”

The previous two Redfish Cup Championship events, both held in Port Aransas, Texas, saw a mix of tried-and-true redfish baits and tactics and several traditional bass strategies produce competitive catches. While this event may see a similar mixing of styles, there will be a noticeable departure from the larger, more aggressive presentations that tempt giant reds.

“We won’t be throwing a lot of the same things we were throwing in Texas,” Rickard said. “You’re not targeting the bigger fish. You’re targeting a 23-inch fish, so you’ll probably downsize your bait quite a bit.”

As Rickard alluded, tournament anglers will be targeting redfish in South Carolina’s 17- to 23-inch slot. Each angler can weigh up to two fish per day for a total of four fish per team. These parameters contrast the previous two years’ events in which teams were allowed to weigh a total of two fish between 20 and 28 inches.

Although he and O’Connell clearly demonstrated their ability to put big redfish in the boat, Adams believes his background could provide a Winyah Bay advantage.

“In most of the tournaments I fish, we’re trying to catch 27- or 28-inch redfish (depending on state regulations), so trying to catch 23-inch redfish will be different,” Adams admits. “But that’s pretty much what I target every day when I’m guiding. When people are looking for fish to eat, that’s the size you want.

“Those smaller fish are usually in groups and they’re usually all the same size. There’s usually more of those little fish around than those big ones."

Given the South Carolina slot size, plus Atlantic water that’s relatively cooler than the warm Gulf brine, Rickard expects much of the field to use smaller jigs with soft-plastic jerkbaits, Ned-style rigs and artificial shrimp baits. Other likely baits include topwaters, bladed jigs and gold spoons, as well as those popping cork rigs and spinnerbaits Adams mentioned.

“If someone has the knowledge of that place, I think the entire area could be in play, but my gut tells me the majority of the field is going to run south (through the Intracoastal Waterway) to McClellanville and Isle of Palms,” Rickard said. “To me, it’s better habitat, plus, the Winyah Bay area gets a lot of guide pressure, so I think a lot of us will be trying to get away from that.

“I think, given how the fishery allows you to fish, it would shock me if a team won in one area. You may have one area with multiple spots, but I think you’re going to have to cover a lot of water.”


Fishin' Tip Friday - Greg Hackney on the Head Banger Buzzbait

We're dropping a preview of an upcoming Strike King Gear Review for this week's Fishin' TIp.  Greg breaks down his set up for the Hack Attack Select Head Banger Buzz Bait and gives us a few trailer tips that'll come in handy.  Catch this and many more tips and tricks on the upcoming Anglers Channel Bass Wrap Up Show.  We're premiering on Discovery this fall!


Davis takes lead, eyes repeat at B.A.S.S. Nation Championship on Lake Hartwell

Will Davis Jr. of Sylacauga, Ala., is leading after Day 2 of the 2023 TNT Fireworks B.A.S.S. Nation Championship at Lake Hartwell with a two-day total of 30 pounds, 5 ounces.

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

October 19, 2023

ANDERSON, S.C. — Will Davis Jr. hoisted the Bryan V. Kerchal Memorial Trophy a year ago, and by all accounts, it looks like he wants to hold on to the hardware that is awarded annually to the winner of the TNT Fireworks B.A.S.S. Nation Championship.

Davis, in second place after Day 1 with 16 pounds, 1 ounce, jumped into the pole position Thursday on Lake Hartwell with another five-bass limit, this one weighing 14-4. That gives the 31-year-old Sylacauga, Ala., resident a two-day total of 30-5 and a 3-pound cushion as the derby heads into the final day on this storied 56,000-acre fishery.

Davis is trying to defend the B.A.S.S. Nation title he won a year ago on Pickwick Lake in his home state. That win earned him a spot in the 2023 Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic in Knoxville and entry into the 2023 Bassmaster Elite Series. Davis impressed there, winning on Lay Lake in May and finishing fifth in the Dakota Lithium Bassmaster Rookie of the Year standings.

He's continued his hot hand at Hartwell.

“I spent a lot of time after winning the championship last year getting used to forward-facing sonar,” Davis said. “You have to be able to do it in the Elite Series, and it’s definitely played a role this week.”

Davis only had eight bites on Day 2, catching six Hartwell spotted bass, but they were quality catches. All came on the same Davis Bait Company Wood Jig he used for his best bass a day earlier.

“That Wood Jig is my go-to for big bass,” he said. “I’m not catching a lot of fish, which is frustrating. But I’m getting the right bites.”

Friday’s weather is supposed to be rainy and windy, which Davis said might force him to change tactics.

“I’ll probably have to throw out a spinnerbait more tomorrow,” he said. “But I won’t change up too much. I think I’m on the right fish. I just have to get them to bite.”

The field of 58 boaters was whittled to 10 after the Day 2 weigh-in at Green Pond Landing.

Wisconsin’s Josh Wiesner jumped from ninth place to second in the boater division, courtesy of a 13-12 limit on Thursday, giving him 27-4 for the tournament.

“The bite was fairly steady throughout the day, but it really started getting active at the end of the day when the wind picked up,” Wiesner said. “I caught my biggest one with about a minute to go today. It was about 3 3/4 pounds and probably a 2-pound upgrade for me.”

Day 1 leader Tim Dube fell to third place in the angler division Thursday after catching an 11-pound limit to give him a two-day total of 27-3.

Unlike Wednesday, when hard-hitting spotted bass were gobbling Dube’s lures, Thursday was much more difficult for the 29-year-old New Hampshire resident.

“They weren’t committing to the bait today,” he said. “Every fish I hooked, it was in the corner of the mouth or barely in the lip. I lost more fish than I can count. But I’m getting past that. It’s good to know the fish are still there.

“I like the way tomorrow’s weather is looking for my bite. I want some cloud cover because they’ll school better.”

Rounding out the Top 10 boaters fishing Friday are Michigan’s Nic Rand, 26-14; fifth, Zach Taylor, who’s fishing for Wyoming, 26-11; sixth, South Africa’s Andrew Nienaber, 26-5; seventh, Brian La Clair, fishing for Delaware, 26-1; eighth, Missouri’s Cole Findley, 25-6; ninth, Alabama’s Zeke Gossett, 24-11; and 10th, Maine’s Jonathan Carter, 23-10.

Hayden Spradling of Gilbert, Ariz., won the nonboater title Thursday with a two-day total of 10 bass weighing 18 pounds. He collected the Louis “Pee Wee” Powers Memorial Trophy for being the top nonboater, as well as a $10,000 prize and a spot in Friday’s final round.

It’s the second time Spradling has competed in the B.A.S.S. Nation Championship, having qualified previously in 2020.

“That experience made me a lot more headstrong about getting to this point, to be able to win,” he said. “I had to throw a little bit of everything this week to win the nonboater (division) and give myself a chance to fish on the last day.”

Kyle Klein, of Kansas, won $500 for the Big Bass among nonboaters (a 4-8 he hooked Wednesday.)

Nevada’s Cody Steckel (12th overall, 23-5) and Colorado’s Nate Caldwell (13th, 23-4) also will fish on Friday, after leading their respective regionals in the Hartwell boater standings.

A total of 113 B.A.S.S. Nation anglers from 48 states and eight other countries are competing at Hartwell.

The remaining 13 anglers will start the third and final day of the TNT Fireworks B.A.S.S. Nation Championship at 7:30 a.m. ET from Green Pond Landing. Weigh-in is scheduled to begin at 3:30 p.m. Full coverage will be available on Bassmaster.com.

The top three anglers will earn berths in the 2024 Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic, which is scheduled for March 22-24 on Grand Lake O’ the Cherokees near Tulsa, Okla. The champion will also receive an invitation to fish the 2024 Bassmaster Elite Series. The second- and third-place finishers and Spradling will each earn paid entry fees for all divisions of the St. Croix Bassmaster Opens with the opportunity to qualify for the Elites.

2023 TNT Fireworks B.A.S.S. Nation Championship 10/18-10/20
Lake Hartwell, Anderson  SC.
(BOATER) Standings Day 2

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

1.  Will Davis Jr          Sylacauga, AL           10  30-05    0
Day 1: 5   16-01     Day 2: 5   14-04
2.  Josh Wiesner           Fon du Lac, WI          10  27-04    0
Day 1: 5   13-08     Day 2: 5   13-12
3.  Timothy Dube           Nashua, NH              10  27-03    0
Day 1: 5   16-03     Day 2: 5   11-00
4.  Nic Rand               Kalamazoo, MI           10  26-14    0
Day 1: 5   14-05     Day 2: 5   12-09
5.  Zach Taylor            Kimberly, ID            10  26-11    0
Day 1: 5   14-00     Day 2: 5   12-11
6.  Andrew Nienaber        Cape Town Western Cape  10  26-05    0
Day 1: 5   14-07     Day 2: 5   11-14
7.  Brian La Clair         Denton, MD              10  26-01    0
Day 1: 5   10-09     Day 2: 5   15-08
8.  Cole Findley           Forsyth, MO             10  25-06    0
Day 1: 5   11-15     Day 2: 5   13-07
9.  Zeke Gossett           Pell City, AL           10  24-11    0
Day 1: 5   11-04     Day 2: 5   13-07
10. Jonathan Carter        Portland, ME            10  23-10    0
Day 1: 5   12-08     Day 2: 5   11-02
11. Taylor Umland          Carlock, IL             10  23-08    0
Day 1: 5   12-13     Day 2: 5   10-11
12. Cody Steckel           Las Vegas, NV           10  23-05    0
Day 1: 5   11-01     Day 2: 5   12-04
13. Nate Caldwell          Fort Collins, CO        10  23-04    0
Day 1: 5   12-04     Day 2: 5   11-00
14. Aaron Green            Everett, PA             10  22-08    0
Day 1: 5   11-07     Day 2: 5   11-01
15. Andrew Sams            Easton, MD              10  22-06    0
Day 1: 5   14-08     Day 2: 5   07-14
16. Riley Nielsen          Murray, UT              10  21-12    0
Day 1: 5   11-13     Day 2: 5   09-15
17. Austin Bonjour         Templeton, CA           10  21-01    0
Day 1: 5   10-10     Day 2: 5   10-07
18. Dave Frost             Mount Dora, FL          10  20-15    0
Day 1: 5   10-00     Day 2: 5   10-15
19. Troy Diede             Sioux Falls, SD         10  20-14    0
Day 1: 5   09-14     Day 2: 5   11-00
20. Chris Moody            Brooks, GA              10  20-10    0
Day 1: 5   14-03     Day 2: 5   06-07
21. Jess Pottenger         Harrison, ID            10  20-10    0
Day 1: 5   10-13     Day 2: 5   09-13
22. BJ Baxter              Willshire, OH           10  20-09    0
Day 1: 5   11-01     Day 2: 5   09-08
23. Jordan Card            Knoxville, TN           10  20-03    0
Day 1: 5   11-01     Day 2: 5   09-02
24. Tyler Darling          Rapid City, SD           9  19-15    0
Day 1: 5   13-12     Day 2: 4   06-03
25. Matthew Abeyta         Albuquerque, NM         10  19-14    0
Day 1: 5   09-04     Day 2: 5   10-10
26. Kevin Walton           Norfolk, VA             10  19-13    0
Day 1: 5   10-15     Day 2: 5   08-14
27. Tyler Ramsey           Sand Springs, OK        10  19-07    0
Day 1: 5   11-10     Day 2: 5   07-13
28. Blake Wilson           Benton, AR              10  19-02    0
Day 1: 5   12-00     Day 2: 5   07-02
29. Gary Pope              Georgetown, SC          10  18-01    0
Day 1: 5   09-07     Day 2: 5   08-10
30. Marc Leech             Kings Mountian , NC     10  17-15    0
Day 1: 5   07-15     Day 2: 5   10-00
31. Cody Hollen            Beaverton, OR           10  17-14    0
Day 1: 5   10-02     Day 2: 5   07-12
32. Frankie Mueller        Kingman, AZ             10  17-11    0
Day 1: 5   08-00     Day 2: 5   09-11
33. Jerry  Pape            Bella Vista, AR         10  16-15    0
Day 1: 5   05-10     Day 2: 5   11-05
34. Adam Hamann            Prairie Du Chien, IA     9  16-13    0
Day 1: 5   09-03     Day 2: 4   07-10
35. Dustin Hollen          Buckhannon, WV          10  16-10    0
Day 1: 5   06-13     Day 2: 5   09-13
36. Jay Swanson            Lakeville, MN           10  16-10    0
Day 1: 5   08-10     Day 2: 5   08-00
37. Jurgen Geiger          Luxury Hill Windoek  NA 10  16-08    0
Day 1: 5   08-05     Day 2: 5   08-03
38. Manuel Cruz            Clifton, NJ             10  16-07    0
Day 1: 5   08-12     Day 2: 5   07-11
39. Luis Tavares Mendes    Cernache Do Bonjardim P 10  15-06    0
Day 1: 5   06-11     Day 2: 5   08-11
40. Byron Albrecht         Waco, TX                 9  15-03    0
Day 1: 5   08-12     Day 2: 4   06-07
41. Brian Hensley          Edwardsburg, MI         10  15-02    0
Day 1: 5   08-05     Day 2: 5   06-13
42. Matthew Nobile         Sorrento, LA            10  14-13    0
Day 1: 5   08-00     Day 2: 5   06-13
43. Sean Andrachick        Marion, MT               9  14-12    0
Day 1: 4   05-10     Day 2: 5   09-02
44. Ken Day                Kennewick, WA           10  14-07    0
Day 1: 5   07-00     Day 2: 5   07-07
45. Andrej Chowaniec       Beeton Ontario CANADA    8  12-05    0
Day 1: 5   09-06     Day 2: 3   02-15
46. Michael Mello Jr       Manville, RI             7  11-13    0
Day 1: 5   09-00     Day 2: 2   02-13
47. Lukas Matt             Syracuse, NY            10  11-11    0
Day 1: 5   05-02     Day 2: 5   06-09
48. Chad Warnol            Moss Point, MS           7  10-13    0
Day 1: 2   03-06     Day 2: 5   07-07
49. Thomas Waltz           St. Albans, VT           6  10-01    0
Day 1: 1   01-05     Day 2: 5   08-12
50. Yoshi Komada           Nishinomiya JAPAN        6  09-14    0
Day 1: 1   01-01     Day 2: 5   08-13
51. Mickey Soler           Newington, CT            7  09-10    0
Day 1: 3   03-11     Day 2: 4   05-15
52. Andre Kondonis         Harare ZIMBABWE          6  09-07    0
Day 1: 4   06-10     Day 2: 2   02-13
53. Jacob Marcantonio      Moosup, CT               7  08-06    0
Day 1: 5   05-11     Day 2: 2   02-11
54. Jorge Trapero Barraza  Culiac n Rosales TX MEX  5  07-11    0
Day 1: 2   02-11     Day 2: 3   05-00
55. Richard Young Jr       Melbourne, KY            6  06-12    0
Day 1: 4   03-15     Day 2: 2   02-13
56. Oscar Gonzalez         Barcelona SPAIN          4  06-06    0
Day 1: 2   02-11     Day 2: 2   03-11
57. Andy Gill              Wellsville, KS           4  04-15    0
Day 1: 3   04-00     Day 2: 1   00-15
58. Jackie Barber          West, TX                 3  03-06    0
Day 1: 2   02-09     Day 2: 1   00-13
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Totals
Day   #Limits    #Fish      Weight
1        47       263       532-02
2        45       259       496-05
----------------------------------
92       522      1028-07

2023 TNT Fireworks B.A.S.S. Nation Championship 10/18-10/20
Lake Hartwell, Anderson  SC.
(NON_BOATER) Standings Day 2

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

1.  Hayden Spradling       Gilbert, AZ             10  18-00    0  $10,000.00
Day 1: 5   09-07     Day 2: 5   08-09
2.  Richard White          Alexander City, AL      10  17-13    0   $7,500.00
Day 1: 5   10-04     Day 2: 5   07-09
3.  Tristan Garriga        Lucedale, MS            10  16-11    0   $5,000.00
Day 1: 5   06-15     Day 2: 5   09-12
4.  Cooper Haase           Duncannon, PA           10  16-07    0   $2,500.00
Day 1: 5   07-00     Day 2: 5   09-07
5.  Larry Witt             Evington, VA             8  16-01    0   $2,000.00
Day 1: 5   11-11     Day 2: 3   04-06
6.  James D'Ambra          Hanover, MA             10  15-13    0   $1,500.00
Day 1: 5   07-11     Day 2: 5   08-02
7.  Kyle Klein             Hutchinson, KS           8  15-08    0   $1,500.00
Day 1: 5   10-15     Day 2: 3   04-09
8.  Gary Belanger          Plainville, CT          10  14-15    0     $500.00
Day 1: 5   06-02     Day 2: 5   08-13
9.  Cole Buser             Moscow, ID               7  14-08    0     $500.00
Day 1: 5   13-00     Day 2: 2   01-08
10. Marshal Allen          Greeley, CO              7  14-07    0     $500.00
Day 1: 4   07-15     Day 2: 3   06-08
11. Zachary Queeney        Atco, NJ                 9  14-01    0     $250.00
Day 1: 5   08-13     Day 2: 4   05-04
12. Edward Owens           Hemingway, SC            8  14-00    0     $250.00
Day 1: 3   05-10     Day 2: 5   08-06
13. Ron Stierstorfer       Middle River, MD         9  13-14    0
Day 1: 4   07-15     Day 2: 5   05-15
14. Keisuke Sakamoto       Shiga JAPAN              8  13-10    0
Day 1: 4   07-00     Day 2: 4   06-10
15. Colten Hutson          Edmond, OK               8  12-14    0
Day 1: 5   06-07     Day 2: 3   06-07
16. Joe Whelan             Ozark, MO                9  12-02    0
Day 1: 5   06-10     Day 2: 4   05-08
17. Robert Rull Jr         Coventry, RI             7  12-00    0
Day 1: 2   01-13     Day 2: 5   10-03
18. Grant Aumiller         Danville, KY             6  11-15    0
Day 1: 5   10-05     Day 2: 1   01-10
19. Kin Pui Wong           Bakersfield, CA          9  11-15    0
Day 1: 4   05-07     Day 2: 5   06-08
20. Dez Ruffin             Tukwila, WA              7  11-11    0
Day 1: 2   01-13     Day 2: 5   09-14
21. Hunter Frederickson    Redford, MI             10  11-11    0
Day 1: 5   06-10     Day 2: 5   05-01
22. James Seymour          Oglesby, TX              8  11-03    0
Day 1: 3   04-05     Day 2: 5   06-14
23. Christian Hanson       Rathdrum, ID             5  11-02    0
Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 5   11-02
24. Dave Roberts           Sisters, OR              8  11-02    0
Day 1: 5   08-06     Day 2: 3   02-12
25. Tristen Boyd           Monteagle, TN            8  11-01    0
Day 1: 4   06-08     Day 2: 4   04-09
26. Andrew Sayles          Middleton, ID            9  10-13    0
Day 1: 5   06-10     Day 2: 4   04-03
27. Matt Summers           Gassaway, WV             8  10-06    0
Day 1: 3   03-13     Day 2: 5   06-09
28. Matt Luken             Independence, KY         7  09-10    0
Day 1: 4   06-09     Day 2: 3   03-01
29. Dean Yamagata          Las Vegas, NV            5  09-04    0
Day 1: 2   03-00     Day 2: 3   06-04
30. Jason Campbell         Berwick, LA              7  08-13    0
Day 1: 3   03-08     Day 2: 4   05-05
31. Jesus Morales          Apodaca Nuevo Leon  MEX  6  08-13    0
Day 1: 3   04-11     Day 2: 3   04-02
32. David Pfeiffer         Milton Mills, NH         5  08-06    0
Day 1: 1   01-05     Day 2: 4   07-01
33. Greg Pink              Montrose, CO             5  08-00    0
Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 5   08-00
34. Fernando Henriques Henriques Cernache Do Bonjardim P  5  07-08    0
Day 1: 1   00-15     Day 2: 4   06-09
35. Alex Ellerbrock        Sugar Grove, IL          5  07-04    0
Day 1: 2   02-06     Day 2: 3   04-14
36. Mike Bell              Ogdensburg, NY           4  07-02    0
Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 4   07-02
37. Will Presley Jr        Grove City, OH           5  06-12    0
Day 1: 2   02-02     Day 2: 3   04-10
38. Eric Moulton           Enfield, NH              5  06-12    0
Day 1: 2   02-10     Day 2: 3   04-02
39. Bryan Schumacher       Sparta, WI               4  06-10    0
Day 1: 4   06-10     Day 2: 0   00-00
40. Garrett Sicely         Albany, VT               5  05-12    0
Day 1: 1   01-09     Day 2: 4   04-03
41. Miles Lausch           Lakeville, MN            6  05-10    0
Day 1: 2   01-10     Day 2: 4   04-00
42. Tyler Guthmiller       Yankton, SD              5  04-13    0
Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 5   04-13
43. Agustin  Pintado Salas El Burgo Del Ebro, Zara  3  04-07    0
Day 1: 3   04-07     Day 2: 0   00-00
44. Blake Macumber         Elkhorn, NE              2  04-06    0
Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 2   04-06
45. Neels Beneke           Amanzimtoti SOUTH AFRIC  3  03-15    0
Day 1: 1   01-14     Day 2: 2   02-01
46. Brad Gandee            Mcdonough, GA            3  03-09    0
Day 1: 2   01-10     Day 2: 1   01-15
47. Roger Foraker          Magnolia, DE             2  02-15    0
Day 1: 1   01-12     Day 2: 1   01-03
48. Carl Bowser            Indianapolis, IN         2  02-00    0
Day 1: 1   01-06     Day 2: 1   00-10
49. Leray Anderson  II     Crofton, NE              2  01-13    0
Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 2   01-13
50. Jeremiah Proulx        Cherokee Village, AR     1  01-11    0
Day 1: 1   01-11     Day 2: 0   00-00
51. Andrew Krauss          Seabright CANADA         1  01-03    0
Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 1   01-03
52. Grant Harris           Maiden, NC               1  01-00    0
Day 1: 1   01-00     Day 2: 0   00-00
53. Gavin Fraser           Bulawayo ZIMBABWE        1  00-14    0
Day 1: 1   00-14     Day 2: 0   00-00
54. Jerry Duncklee         Fayette, IA              0  00-00    0
Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 0   00-00
54. Claude Loftin          Jacksonville, FL         0  00-00    0
Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 0   00-00
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Totals
Day   #Limits    #Fish      Weight
1        16       151       240-10
2        17       175       263-15
----------------------------------
33       326       504-09


PLANO EDGE 3700 SWIMBAIT BOX

The new EDGE Swimbait Box is the ultimate solution for organized and protected baits

COLUMBIA, S.C. (Oct. 19, 2023) —  Engineered with meticulous attention to detail and designed for the needs of serious swimbait anglers, the innovative Plano EDGE 3700 Swimbait box sets a new standard for protecting and organizing swimbaits. Revolutionizing swimbait storage, the Plano EDGE 3700 Swimbait box provides a reliable and secure environment for storing and protecting up to 24 swimbaits in the horizontal position and 10 in the vertical position. The box utilizes gravity to suspend swimbaits and glide baits, keeping them separated and shielded from tail deformation and preserving bait action during transit and storage.

Equipped with Plano's advanced Rustrictor corrosion and rust-preventive technology to deliver 360 degrees of rust and moisture preventative protection, the EDGE Swimbait box safeguards your baits against the elements to help extend their lifespan. The Dri-Loc O-ring watertight seal guarantees the box remains waterproof when closed, and moisture is no longer a concern, as the WaterWick divider with a moisture-wicking packet protects both wet and dry baits, maintaining their integrity and functionality.

Convenience is at the forefront of the design, with the EZ Label system facilitating effortless organization of your swimbaits. The DuraView crystal-clear transparent polycarbonate lid allows for quick identification of contents, saving you valuable time on the water.

Built to withstand the rigors of angling adventures, the Plano EDGE 3700 Swimbait Box features durable components such as steel pin hinges and a one-hand latch for secure opening and closing. With the Plano EDGE 3700 Swimbait Box, anglers can have peace of mind, knowing that their swimbaits are protected, organized, and always readily accessible when the water is calling.

Key Features
●  Dri-Loc O-Ring watertight seal
●  WaterWick divider with a moisture-wicking packet
●  EZ Label system for effortless organization
●  DuraView transparent polycarbonate lid
●  360 degrees of Rustrictor rust prevention technology

Dimensions: 14"L x 9"W x 2.63"H
MSRP: $49.99
Available: October 2023


MLF Announces Entry Dates for 2024 Tackle Warehouse Invitationals, Toyota Series, Phoenix Bass Fishing League, Abu Garcia College Fishing and High School Fishing Programs

BENTON, Ky. (Oct. 19, 2023) – Major League Fishing (MLF), the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization, announced today the complete rules and entry dates for the 2024 Tackle Warehouse Invitationals, Toyota Series Presented by Phoenix Boats, Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine, Abu Garcia College Fishing Presented by YETI and High School Fishing seasons.

Tackle Warehouse Invitationals:
With national television coverage on CBS Sports, daily MLFNOW! on-the-water livestreams, a top award of $115,000 (including a $35,000 Phoenix MLF Bonus), and advancement to REDCREST 2025 on the line at every stop, the Tackle Warehouse Invitationals are a lucrative proving ground for anglers looking to qualify for the 2025 Bass Pro Tour where they will fish as part of an exclusive field of 50 pros competing for the sport’s most lucrative payouts. Invitations will be distributed this week to qualified anglers from the 2023 Toyota Series, Tackle Warehouse Invitationals and Bass Pro Tour.

The complete 2024 Tackle Warehouse Invitational schedule, rules and payouts are available online at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

Toyota Series Presented by Phoenix Boats:
Offering the biggest payouts for the lowest entry fees of any national tournament trail, the Toyota Series Presented by Phoenix Boats gives anglers the opportunity to fish close to home for incredible awards and advancement to the nationally televised Toyota Series Championship where pros compete for up to $235,000, including a $35,000 Phoenix MLF Bonus, and co-anglers compete for a $33,500 Phoenix 518 Pro bass boat powered by a 115hp outboard.

The winning pro at the Toyota Series Championship qualifies for REDCREST 2025 for the chance to win $300,000, and the highest-finishing pro from each division, including the Wild Card, at the Toyota Series Championship receives a $10,000 bonus.

The 2024 Toyota Series Championship, hosted by the Huntsville/Madison County Convention & Visitors Bureau, the Madison County Commission and the Huntsville Sports Commission, is scheduled for Nov. 7-9, at Wheeler Lake in Huntsville, Alabama. The championship field will feature the top 25 pros and co-anglers from each of the six U.S. Toyota Series divisions and the Wild Card division plus tournament winners; the highest finishing boater and co-angler from each of the six Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine Regionals and the TBF from the All-American; the top three teams from the Abu Garcia College Fishing National Championship; the High School Fishing National Champions; the TBF National Champions; and up to two pros from each MLF International country.

Every Toyota Series tournament features live weigh-in coverage and the Toyota Series Championship will be nationally televised on CBS Sports. New for 2024, the Toyota Series Championship will also include MLFNOW! on-the-water livestream during the final day of competition.

The top five pros from each U.S. division in Angler of the Year standings qualify for the MLF Invitationals. If a top-five pro declines his or her bid or earns qualification through the Invitationals or Bass Pro Tour, the next eligible pro qualifies. This process continues through the top 10 pros in each division.

The Anglers of the Year and Strike King Co-anglers of the Year will also be awarded $5,000 and $2,000, respectively, in each of the six U.S. divisions.

Entry fees are unchanged for 2024 at $1,700 per tournament for pros and $550 per tournament for co-anglers. Anglers can register for the 2024 Toyota Series season at MajorLeagueFishing.com or by calling 270.252.1000, beginning at 8 a.m. CT on the dates listed below:

  • Entries from the top 25 pros and co-anglers and tournament winners from each division of the 2023 Toyota Series and the top 45 boaters and co-anglers from each division of the 2023 Phoenix Bass Fishing League – plus the winner of each 2023 Bass Fishing League tournament (who paid an entry fee for all five tournaments in a division and fished at least two tournaments in the same division) and the top 10 anglers from the 2023 College Fishing National Championship – will be accepted beginning November 6. These anglers have until November 27 to secure their priority entry position.
  • Phoenix boat owners (Phoenix owners with current registrations or confirmation of a boat order who will use their Phoenix boat in Toyota Series competition) may enter beginning November 28.
  • Anglers who fished a full division of the 2023 Toyota Series or a full division of the 2023 Bass Fishing League may enter beginning November 29.
  • TBF members may enter beginning November 30.
  • All other entries will be accepted beginning December 1.

The complete 2024 Toyota Series Presented by Phoenix Boats schedule, rules and payouts are available online at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine:
The Phoenix Bass Fishing League (BFL) Presented by T-H Marine is the premier grassroots tournament circuit for weekend anglers, maintaining the best payouts and advancement opportunities for the lowest entry fees available in the sport. The BFL is the only circuit offering weekend anglers the opportunity to advance to the prestigious All-American, Toyota Series Championship and REDCREST 2025 for a shot at winning top boater awards of $120,000, $235,000 and $300,000, respectively, including lucrative Phoenix MLF Bonuses.

The 2024 Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American will be hosted by Visit Jefferson County, TN on May 29-31 at Cherokee Lake in Jefferson County, Tennessee. The top six boaters and co-anglers from each of six Regional tournaments and the Wild Card will qualify. The highest-finishing boater and co-angler from each Regional and the Wild Card at the All-American advance to the Toyota Series Championship for a shot at winning $235,000 (including a $35,000 Phoenix MLF Bonus). Beat just five anglers from your regional and advance to a second no-entry-fee championship for a shot at one of the sport’s biggest paydays. The All-American boater champion will also advance to REDCREST 2025 for a shot at winning $300,000.

With every tournament featuring livestreamed weigh-in coverage, the Phoenix Bass Fishing League allows anglers to fish close to home – creating a clear path to the Toyota Series, the MLF Invitationals and ultimately the Bass Pro Tour – while placing anglers in front of the sport’s largest fan base. This also provides grassroots anglers the opportunity to showcase their talents to more than 5 million visitors on MajorLeagueFishing.com and 2.3 million followers on MLF’s social media outlets, as well as coverage in Bass Fishing magazine and in dedicated public relations outreach that generates a potential reach of up to 5.5 billion impressions annually across all MLF circuits.

The Phoenix MLF Bonus contingency award will continue for the 2024 season, enhancing payouts from $500 to $7,000 for registered Phoenix boat owners in every qualifier, super-tournament and regional tournament, an additional $20,000 in the All-American, and $35,000 in the Toyota Series Championship.

Each qualifying tournament will continue to offer a top boater award of up to $13,000, including a $7,000 Phoenix MLF Bonus, and a top Strike King co-angler award of $3,000. Top awards jump up to $16,000 for boaters, including a $7,000 Phoenix MLF Bonus, and $4,500 for Strike King co-anglers in super tournaments.

The top 45 boaters and Strike King co-anglers, plus the five tournament winners in each division, advance to a Regional. Boaters in each Regional compete for a $67,000 top award, including a Phoenix 819 Pro with 200hp outboard and $10,000 plus a $7,000 Phoenix MLF Bonus for qualified anglers. Co-anglers in each Regional compete for a $50,000 Phoenix 819 Pro with 200hp outboard. Additionally, the highest finishing boater from each division in each Regional receives a $1,000 bonus and the highest finishing co-angler from each division receives a $500 bonus – you only have to beat 49 anglers from your division to win big. Each Regional also features a $1,000 boater and $500 co-angler Berkley Big Bass award.

Entry fees will remain the same in 2024 – $220 per boater and $110 per co-angler for one-day qualifying tournaments, and $330 per boater and $165 per co-angler in two-day Super Tournaments and Regional events.
.
The Wild Card will maintain its $13,000 top boater award, including Phoenix MLF Bonus, and a top co-angler award of $3,000. Enter all five events in a division, fish at least two and automatically advance to the Wild Card if you are not qualified for a Regional. The top six boaters and co-anglers from each Regional and the Wild Card advance to the All-American.

The 2024 All-American will be nationally televised on CBS Sports, offering Bass Fishing League anglers unmatched media exposure. New for 2024, the All-American will also include MLFNOW! on-the-water livestream during the final day of competition.

Anglers can register for the 2024 Phoenix Bass Fishing League season at MajorLeagueFishing.comor by calling 270.252.1000, beginning at 8 a.m. CT on the dates listed below:

Dec. 4, 2023 – Bama, Choo Choo, Cowboy, Gator and Savannah River.
Dec. 5, 2023 – Arkie, Bulldog, North Carolina, South Carolina and Volunteer.
Dec. 6, 2023 – LBL, Mississippi, Okie, Ozark and Piedmont.
Dec. 7, 2023 – Great Lakes, Hoosier, Mountain, Music City and Shenandoah.
Dec. 8, 2023 – Buckeye, Illini, Michigan and Northeast.

Phoenix boat owners (Phoenix owners with current registrations or confirmation of a boat on order who will use their Phoenix boat in Bass Fishing League competition) and TBF members may enter all divisions by phone starting Dec. 1, 2023.

The complete 2024 Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine schedule, rules and payouts are available online at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

Abu Garcia College Fishing Presented by YETI:
The winning team at the 2024 Abu Garcia College Fishing National Championship will receive $43,500, including a $33,500 Phoenix 518 Pro powered by a 115hp outboard and $10,000. The winning team also advances to the 2024 Toyota Series Championship to compete as pros for a shot at winning as much as $235,000. The highest finishing team member at the Toyota Series Championship advances to REDCREST 2025. The runner-up at the 2024 College Fishing National Championship will receive a $33,500 Phoenix 518 Pro powered by a 115hp outboard. The team will also advance to the 2024 Toyota Series Championship to compete as pros. Third place at the 2024 National Championship will receive $4,000 and advance to the 2024 Toyota Series Championship to compete as co-anglers for the chance to win a $33,500 Phoenix 518 Pro powered by a 115hp outboard. Fourth and fifth place will receive $3,000 and $2,000, respectively, with sixth through 10th receiving $1,000 each.

Each angler finishing in the top 10 at the 2024 College Fishing National Championship will receive priority entry into the 2025 Toyota Series, the pathway to the MLF Invitationals and the Bass Pro Tour. Every tournament will feature live weigh-in coverage and the National Championship will receive national television coverage on CBS Sports. New for 2024, the College Fishing National Championship will also include MLFNOW! on-the-water livestream during the final day of competition.

MLF will recognize the top performing school with the Tackle Warehouse School of the Year Presented by QuikTrip title, which includes a $10,000 award. Each school receives the total points earned by its top two teams in each tournament. School of the Year is awarded to the school with the highest point total from its three best tournaments.

Abu Garcia College Fishing teams can compete in up to nine qualifying tournaments around the country. The top 12 percent of teams from each event will advance to the following year’s College Fishing National Championship.

Registration for the 2024 season opens at 8 a.m. CT on Dec. 11, 2023. Fields are capped at 250 boats per tournament, so teams are encouraged to enter at their earliest opportunity. Teams can register at MajorLeagueFishing.com or by calling 270.252.1000. The entry fee is unchanged at $100 per team.

The complete 2024 Abu Garcia College Fishing schedule, rules and payouts are available online at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

MLF High School Fishing:
The 2024 MLF High School Fishing circuit will feature teams competing in seven open events held in conjunction with Abu Garcia College Fishing events so students and parents can network with prospective college teams and coaches during college weigh-ins. MLF High School Fishing Opens are two-person (team) events for students in grades 7-12 and open to any Student Angler Federation (SAF)-affiliated high school club in the United States. The top 10 percent of teams in each tournament advance to the High School Fishing National Championship. Tournaments held on or before May 6, 2024, advance teams to the 2024 National Championship. Tournaments held after May 6, 2024, advance teams to the 2025 National Championship.

Both members of the winning team at the 2024 High School Fishing National Championship, held simultaneously with the TBF High School Fishing World Finals, are guaranteed $5,000 scholarships to the school of their choice, plus the opportunity to compete for a share of more than $3 million in scholarships and prizes. The 2024 High School Fishing National Champions will also advance to the 2024 Toyota Series Championship as co-anglers to compete on national television for a Phoenix 518 Pro powered by a 115hp outboard.

Registration for the 2024 MLF High School Fishing Opens will begin at 8 a.m. CT on Dec. 13, 2023. Teams can register at MajorLeagueFishing.com or by calling 270.252.1000. There is no entry fee for high school anglers to compete in any MLF or TBF High School Fishing tournament. Both anglers must, however, be a member of the Student Angler Federation (SAF). There is no limit to the number of teams accepted into a tournament from each school or club, but the maximum field size is 250 boats. Teams are encouraged to enter at their earliest opportunity.

The complete 2024 High School Fishing schedule, rules and payouts are available online at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

MLF High School Fishing Camp:
The extremely popular MLF High School Fishing Camp for students and parents will be held July 10-12 at Murray State University in Murray, Kentucky. The three-day camp experience immerses passionate young anglers and coaches into the world of bass fishing. Students and coaches learn techniques from top MLF pros in small groups, and receive a glimpse into the inner workings of the fishing industry through interaction with MLF staff and special guests. Registration for the 2024 MLF High School Fishing Camp will begin at 8 a.m. CT on Nov. 30, 2023. Visit MajorLeagueFishing.com/camp for details.

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


2024 B.A.S.S. Nation qualifier schedule announced

The 2024 TNT Fireworks B.A.S.S. Nation Series includes four national qualifying events in Alabama, Oklahoma, Wisconsin and New York.

Photo by Mark Cisneros/B.A.S.S. 

October 19, 2023

Nation_TNT_4C.pngBIRMINGHAM, Ala. — The 2024 TNT Fireworks B.A.S.S. Nation Series schedule features four national qualifiers on some of the country’s best bass fisheries along with a new format giving grass-roots anglers more opportunities to qualify for the B.A.S.S. Nation Championship and a shot at a berth in the iconic Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic.

Beginning in 2024, both individual B.A.S.S. Nation anglers and club members from each state will be able to enter national qualifier events, with the Top 20 finishers advancing to the B.A.S.S. Nation Championship. Additionally, club anglers will be able to qualify directly from their state tournaments to the championship.

“Our goal is to give the everyday angler more chances to make it to the B.A.S.S. Nation Championship, whether they get in via a state-run event or a national qualifier,” said GL Compton, tournament director for the B.A.S.S. Nation. “We know that for many anglers — especially when you’re working or in college — joining a local club isn’t practical, so opening our regional qualifying events to unaffiliated individuals is a way to accommodate those competitors. But, if you’re a club angler, now you’ll have two paths to qualify for the Nation Championship. It really is an all-around win for grass-roots anglers.”

The schedule will kick off early next year on Lake Eufaula in Eufaula, Ala., February 7-9. Known as the “Bass Fishing Capital of the World” and the hometown of late fishing industry legend Tom Mann, the brushpile-laden Chattahoochee River fishery has hosted 18 major B.A.S.S. events since 1968.

After a stop in Muskogee, Okla., April 3-5, the schedule will swing to the upper region of the United States in May with a qualifier on the Mississippi River May 8-10 in La Crosse, Wis.

Just weeks before the Elite Series heads to New York, the final national qualifier event will take place July 24-26 on Lake Champlain in Plattsburgh, N.Y. One of the most picturesque fisheries the B.A.S.S. events visit, this 435-square-mile natural lake straddling the New York/Vermont border delights anglers with the bass fishing trifecta — diversity, quantity and quality.

“We're excited to roll out the welcome mat for the B.A.S.S. Nation Series on Lake Champlain in 2024,” said Alyssa Senecal, assistant director of tourism and marketing for the North Country Chamber of Commerce. “Our beautiful lake has been serving up big bass and good times for ages, making it a beloved hotspot for anglers and outdoor enthusiasts alike. Get ready for a 'reel' adventure as we proudly showcase our backyard to fellow lake-loving tournament participants who, like us, can't resist the lure of some seriously epic bass action!”

The B.A.S.S. Nation Championship tournament will feature qualifiers from the states and the national qualifier tournaments, as well as international anglers and the Paralyzed Veterans of America Angler of the Year.

Not only will the Top 3 anglers from the overall standings realize a dream of competing in the 2025 Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic, the winning angler will also be named the Nation’s Best, punch their ticket to the 2025 Elite Series and enjoy the use of a fully-rigged Nitro Boat and Toyota Tundra. The second- and third-place finishers and nonboater champion will each earn paid entry fees for all divisions of the St. Croix Bassmaster Opens with the opportunity to qualify for the Elites.

“The B.A.S.S. Nation local clubs have been the foundation of our organization for more than five decades and mean so much to so many different people,” said GL Compton, tournament director for the B.A.S.S. Nation. “As someone who grew up fishing with the South Carolina B.A.S.S. Nation, I know that these clubs add so much to the culture and growth of our sport through their conservation efforts and youth events and initiatives.”

For more information on registration, visit Bassmaster.com/b-a-s-s-nation.

2024 TNT Fireworks B.A.S.S. Nation Qualifier Schedule

Southeast Qualifier: February 7-9, Lake Eufaula, Eufaula, Ala.
Central Qualifier: April 3-5, Arkansas River, Muskogee, Okla.
Northern Qualifier: May 8-10,
Mississippi River, La Crosse, Wis.
Northeast Qualifier:
 July 24-26, Lake Champlain, Plattsburgh, N.Y.


Costa Sunglasses pioneers first recorded billfish research tagging mission completed on fly

The ultimate culmination of community and conservation, Costa’s Marlin Fly Project benefits the Striped Marlin fishery in Magdalena Bay, Mexico and the people who depend on it

JUPITER, Fla. (Oct. 19, 2023) – Focused on conservation and driven by its community-based ethos, Costa Sunglasses is announcing the Marlin Fly Project, the first recorded billfish research mission solely using fly tackle. In partnership with the locals of San Carlos, Mexico, The Billfish Foundation (TBF) and International Game Fish Association (IGFA), the Marlin Fly Project team successfully deployed 15 satellite tags in two days to better understand and protect this understudied billfish species.

The project, which took place in Southwestern Baja, Mexico, December 2022, stands as the ultimate culmination of community and conservation. Led by Costa, it brought together Costa Pros (professional anglers and fishing guides), leading billfish scientists, conservation organizations, and community partners to pursue this mission in tandem with local captains, guides and the San Carlos community.

“The epic fishing tales coming out of Magdalena “Mag” Bay alone attracted us to the region in 2021, but what we found there was an authentic community, rich with culture, built alongside an untamed ecosystem,” said Jed Larkin, Brand Director for Costa Sunglasses. “That trip sparked a trailblazing idea – what if we brought our global community of scientists, partners and pros together with the local community of San Carlos to research and protect this special resource? And that’s how Marlin Fly was born. Rooted in both community and conservation, this project is everything we stand for as a brand.”

An eight minute documentary on the Marlin Fly Project can be seen HERE.

“There’s no place on earth with an ecosystem quite like Mag Bay. Every year anglers from around the world travel to this unique destination to experience one of the most incredible billfish fisheries on the planet,” said Dr. Bruce Pohlot, IGFA Conservation Director. “But the reality is, there has not been a lot of scientific research done on this population of Striped Marlin in the Eastern Pacific. That’s why the IGFA was happy to jump on board with our longtime partners at Costa when they started asking questions about what can be done to protect this magnificent resource.”

Of the 15 short and long term satellite tags that were deployed during the project, Costa resourced three tags to support IGFA’s Great Marlin Race, and seven were donated by TBF. The tags will track post release survivability, migrational patterns, swimming depth, and water temperature. An additional 20 spaghetti tags were deployed, which will provide important ongoing recapture data. The discoveries from Costa’s Marlin Fly Project will help fill crucial data gaps and aid in global and local efforts to conserve this highly migratory species (HMS).

Scientists from The Billfish Foundation, International Game Fish Association, and the University of Southern Mississippi Center for Fisheries Research & Development, vetted all landed fish to make sure they were viable candidates prior to tagging. All landed and tagged fish were healthy and swam off strong.

"Through this collaboration, Costa's Marlin Fly Project is set to collect unparalleled data about Striped Marlin that will help play a pivotal role in supporting conservation and enhancing fisheries management efforts,”  said Peter Chaibongsai, Director of Conservation Programs at The Billfish Foundation. “We’re honored to be a part of such a unique project that puts community at the forefront. The strong bond forged with the locals not only enables them, but also fosters a sense of advocacy. This ensures that the project's impact extends far beyond scientific research – it creates a network of passionate advocates dedicated to conserving this resource for years to come.”

Costa has spent the past four decades carrying out its ‘higher calling’ to protect the waters we love, connect those who come to life on the water, and to conserve the life within. The Marlin Fly Project is an extension of that commitment. In addition to the history-making, field-science study, the project served the local community through the following initiatives.

Community-first nonprofit and original Costa-born project, Indifly, joined the mission to meet with the community of San Carlos and assess a potential social impact project. Inspired by both the people and operation, Indifly plans to collaborate with San Carlos, the Marlin Fly Project, and Los Locos to innovate ways for this vital community to write their own future.

Costa partnered with Los Locos Mag Bay, a unique fly-fishing operation that employs and works directly with the locals of San Carlos, Mexico to support this one-of-a-kind community through angling tourism.

Building on Costa’s One Coast initiative for emergency preparedness, partner Finns West outfitted the Los Locos operation and guideboats with safety equipment and medical training.

Costa partnered with Travel Creel, who hosted cooking classes in the community, and sourced produce, meats and seafood from local fisherman and farmers to prepare dinners each night to feed the crew.

The Marlin Fly team participated in organized clean ups along San Carlos’ coastline, and on the final night hosted local guide families for a celebration, in gratitude for their hospitality and guidance.

The Marlin Fly Project will continue its mission to create advocates for the Striped Marlin fishery, both locally and globally, by fostering dynamic relationships and supporting this ecosystem and the people who depend on it.

In honor of its 40th Anniversary, Costa Sunglasses will release its Second Edition: Protect Purpose Report next month. Led by the success of the Marlin Fly Project, The Protect Report highlights Costa’s commitment to conservation, community and sustainability in 2021-2022.

For more information on Costa’s ongoing work to ‘protect what’s out there,’ as well as its complete collection of award-winning performance, optical and lifestyle frames, visit Costasunglasses.com.

About Costa Sunglasses

As the first manufacturer of color-enhancing all-polarized glass sunglass lenses, Costa combines superior lens technology with unparalleled fit and durability. Costa has made the highest quality, best-performing sunglasses and prescription sunglasses (Rx) for outdoor enthusiasts since 1983, and now its product portfolio includes optical frames. Costa’s growing cult-brand status ties directly to its purpose to provide high-quality products with a focus on sustainability and conservation as the company works hard to protect the waters it calls home. From the use of sustainable and water-friendly materials to its Kick Plastic initiative, IndiFly Foundation, and meaningful partnerships with mission-aligned organizations, Costa encourages people to help protect the Earth’s natural resources in any way they can. Find out more on Costa’s website and join the conversation on Facebook,Instagram, or Twitter at @CostaSunglasses.


Kyle Grover Wins 2023 WON BASS U.S. Open in Wire-to-Wire Fashion

Patrick Touey Rallies to Second Place, Anthony Hunt Wins AAA Division

Laughlin, Nev. – October 18, 2023 – Once again, the final day theme of the 2023 Bass Cat / Mercury WON BASS U.S. Open presented by Laughlin Tourism Commissionand Visit Laughlin turned out to be change.  While the weather remained warm as it had been the first two days of competition, the field was treated to stiff breezes that spun the speed gauges up to 25 miles per hour.

Wind can be an angler’s friend, or in the case of precision casting with Forward Facing Sonar and finesse tactics, it can be a massive frustration.  With many of the leaders using those type of tactics, the anxiety level of said anglers was elevated with concern of being able to present light lures to their prey.

As day three commenced, the anglers atop the leaderboard were separated by less than five pounds and day two leader Kyle Grover of Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif, and second place pro Spencer Shuffield of Hot Springs, Ark. had a scant .51 pounds as their margin as the day began.  With such a tight grouping atop the leaderboard, it really was possible for anyone in the top five to take the victory.

It almost happened.

When fifth place pro Patrick Touey of Santa Maria, Calif. weighed 19.93 pounds to take the lead with four anglers remaining, the story got really interesting.  Garrett Howard of Riverside, Calif. fell short with 13.18 pounds. Roseville, Calif. pro Bryant Smith just missed the mark with 17.98 pounds and Shuffield had an atypical off day with 11.98 pounds leaving only Grover to erase Touey’s Cinderella story.

Feeling he had fallen short himself, Grover needed 16.25 pounds to tie Touey, but when the scales bottomed out to 16.49 pounds, Grover erupted in celebration and Touey emotionally left the stage after the pair embraced.

 

Grover won the 2023 WON Bass U.S. Open in wire-to-wire fashion with a three-day total weight of 56.75 pounds, with a .24-pound winning margin over runner up Touey. Smith retained his third-place position with a total weight of 55.36 pounds.  Shuffield finished fourth with 51.73 pounds and Howard rounded out the top five with 50.01 pounds.

As he took the microphone from WON Bass tournament director Bill Egan, Grover exclaimed that he saw a fish move late in the day his AAA partner caught that made the difference.  “I saw a good smallmouth bolt under the bow of my Ranger Boat and head towards the back,” he said.  “I told him to drop behind the boat, he did and caught it.  It was a two pounder that culled us up a half of a pound, and that was the difference.”

Grover said that he spent his competition in the Upper Basin between Cottonwood and the power lines and had three areas that produced.  “I had a deep spot that had a school of smallmouth on it, and I caught a couple off of it each day,” he said.  “My other spots were guts and pockets that the fish were roaming in chasing shad, which was key, there had to be shad in those pockets.”

 

Grover used a pair of dropshot baits thrown on 7’3” medium-light St. Croix Legend Elite pinning rods matched with Daiwa Certate reels.  He spooled them with 10-pound-test Sunline braid and 6-pound-test Seaguar Tatsu Fluorocarbon leader.  He alternated between a 4.5-inch Straight Tailed Roboworm in Morning Dawn color or a Berkley Flatnose Minnow in Brownback Color.  He rigged them both on size 1 Gamakatsu Split Shot / Dropshot Hooks and alternated between 1/4 to 3/8-ounce teardrop tungsten dropshot weights depending on depth. Lowrance Active Target 2 was also instrumental in his victory, reporting that he used the Forward Facing technology to catch the majority of his weight.

He said he could not believe he was a U.S. Open Champion.  “I remember fishing my first U.S. Open on Lake Mead thinking I was hot stuff, and blanking,” he said.  “I realized how tough this tournament was then and watched as guys like Aaron Martens – who has always been my favorite angler – won this trophy, and now I have one of my own; I am so happy, but stunned, it’s a dream come true.”

For his efforts, Grover earned the keys to a 2024 Bass Cat Cougar FTD, Mercury 250 ProXS combo from Bass Cat Boats’ president Rick Pierce, that when rigged with Lithium Pro batteries and charger, a Power-Pole Total Boat Control 8’ Blade, trolling motor and electronics will be valued at $82,000.  He also earned a cash prize of $74,000, bringing the Champion’s purse to $156,000.

Touey said that the tale of his tournament would come down to lost fish.  He reported having a good practice period but had to adjust with the pressure.  “I fished above Cottonwood in the Upper Basin and caught them on a crankbait, a tube and a dropshot,” he said.  “I lost 10 pounds of culls that would have closed this out easily, and you just can’t do that in tournaments and expect to win.”

He fished a Bill Norman Little N in Chartreuse Shad color early in the week. that he threw on an iRod Crank Jr Rd, with 10-pound-test Fluorocarbon, but had to turn to finesse tactics more as the event progressed.  He chose iRod 722 Air spinning rods with 10-pound-test braid and 6-pound-test leader and a pair of finesse baits, a green pumpkin tube on a tube jig and Berkley Maxscent Flatworm in Green Pumpkin rigged on a dropshot rig with a 3/8-ounce weight.

Anthony Hunt, of Clovis, Calif. earned the title of AAA Champion by moving from fourth place with a 10.39-pound limit to bring his three-day total weight to 41.29 on the final day to take the victory in the AAA Division. The AAA Champions said that he was stunned.  “I have fished my whole life, but had to stop for quite a while, and I’ve just gotten back into recently with my father-in-law,” he said.  “I love to fish and knew that this was the biggest tournament out here, I can’t believe I’ve won it.”

Hunt reported using a variety of baits to catch fish.  “I caught some on finesse baits and some on reaction baits this week, and had a great week with my pros, I’m absolutely in shock.”  Hunt earned $8,500 cash and an ATV worth an additional $8,000.

He was followed by Markos Avalos of Las Vegas, Nev. in second place with 40.05 pounds.  Third place AAA went to Quincy Lewis, of San Diego, Calif. with 39.98 pounds, fourth place went to Travis Hargis of Chula Vista, Calif. with 38.98 pounds and Bo McNeely of Rancho Cucamonga, Calif. rounded out the top five in the AAA Division with 39.19 pounds.

That concludes the 2023 Bass Cat / Mercury WON BASS U.S. Open presented by Laughlin Tourism Commissionand Visit Laughlin. Takeoffs and weigh-ins of 183 pro and AAA anglers occurred daily at Katherine Landing at Lake Mohave Marina located at 2690 Katherine Spur, Bullhead City, AZ 86429.

Complete Standings of both divisions can be found below:

For event news and results look to wonbassevents.comand WONews.com along with WON BASS and Western Outdoor News social media platforms on https://www.facebook.com/WONBassTournaments and https://www.instagram.com/wonbass/ for event details, livestreams and updates of future events.

The 41st Anniversary 2023 WON BASS U.S. Open is presented by the following sponsors; Bass Cat Boats, Mercury Marine, Berkley, Costa, Abu Garcia, Bridgford Foods, Daiwa, Gamakatsu, Phenix, Power-Pole Total Boat Control, Eagle Claw TroKar, Lithium Pros, Lowrance, Anderson Toyota, Loco’s Bar and Cocina, DD26, Top This, Johnon’s Bait and Tackle, LTC Laughlin Tourism Commission, Last Chance Performance Marine, Yamamoto Baits, Huntington Beach Honda, Peregrine 250, Livingston Lures, Roboworm, Trika Premium Fishing Gear, Liqui Moly Marine, Anglers Marine, Stealth Stix, Smokey Mountain Herbal Snuff and Pouches, KUIU, Signature Gate Systems and Welding, Sure Life, Visit Laughlin and Western Outdoor News.

2023 Won Bass U.S. Open

Pro Final Results

Angler

Hometown

Fish

Wght

Pnlty

Day 1

Day 2

Day 3

Total

1

Kyle Grover

RCHO STA MARG CA

15-15

56.75

20.70

19.56

16.49

56.75

2

Patrick Touey

Santa Maria CA

15-15

56.51

17.74

18.84

19.93

56.51

3

Bryant Smith

Roseville CA

15-15

55.36

18.40

18.98

17.98

55.36

4

Spencer Shuffield

Hot Springs AR

15-15

51.73

20.17

19.58

11.98

51.73

5

Garrett Howard

Riverside CA

15-15

50.01

19.26

17.57

13.18

50.01

6

Chris Zaldain

Fort Worth TX

14-14

48.65

18.83

15.39

14.43

48.65

7

Roy Hawk

Lake Havasu City AZ

15-15

45.23

9.60

18.97

16.66

45.23

8

Zach VerBrugge

Lake Havasu AZ

13-13

43.71

18.94

16.03

8.74

43.71

9

Evan Barnes

Dardanelle AR

11-11

43.41

20.58

14.54

8.29

43.41

10

Jim Vretzos

El Dorodo Hills CA

12-12

41.52

20.23

11.77

9.52

41.52

11

Luke Johns

Folsom CA

14-14

40.54

12.56

9.66

18.32

40.54

12

Max Hernandez

Queen Creek AZ

13-13

40.30

18.30

6.31

15.69

40.30

13

Josh Bertrand

San Tan Valley AZ

14-14

39.73

10.74

14.71

14.28

39.73

14

Joe Uribe, Jr.

Surprise AZ

13-13

39.62

12.98

12.12

14.52

39.62

15

Scott Hellesen

Paso Robles CA

13-12

39.82

0.50

15.87

10.38

13.07

39.32

16

Ray Arbesu

Henderson NV

15-15

38.01

13.31

16.55

8.15

38.01

17

Jon Bell

Campo CA

13-13

37.96

4.33

15.09

18.54

37.96

18

Jonathan Schuyler

Las Vegas NV

11-11

37.66

6.45

14.00

17.21

37.66

19

Randy McAbee, Jr.

Bakersfield CA

11-11

37.07

15.68

17.33

4.06

37.07

20

Robert Nakatomi

Sacramento CA

15-15

36.63

10.83

13.80

12.00

36.63

21

Gary Clouse

Winchester TN

13-13

35.55

11.79

14.60

9.16

35.55

22

Kevin Short

Fairfield Bay AR

13-12

35.78

0.50

14.25

9.21

11.82

35.28

23

Matthew Becker

Finleyville PA

12-12

35.00

17.81

2.70

14.49

35.00

24

Clifford Pirch

Payson AZ

12-12

34.92

7.49

17.31

10.12

34.92

25

Chip Gilbert

Yuma AZ

14-14

34.73

14.93

6.97

12.83

34.73

26

Tai Au

Glendale AZ

11-11

34.71

16.59

12.38

5.74

34.71

27

Todd Kline

San Clemente CA

14-14

34.21

14.90

10.52

8.79

34.21

28

Jeff Baird

Washington UT

11-11

33.77

18.04

3.85

11.88

33.77

29

Justin Kerr

Lake Havasu City AZ

14-14

33.42

11.06

12.65

9.71

33.42

30

Shane Edgar

Glendale AZ

11-11

33.23

18.66

7.26

7.31

33.23

31

Bill Brown

Grand Junction CO

14-14

33.22

14.90

7.43

10.89

33.22

32

Jim Moynagh

Shakopee MN

14-14

33.02

6.81

11.99

14.22

33.02

33

Luke Clausen

Otis Orchards WA

11-10

33.26

0.50

16.95

11.55

4.26

32.76

34

Jason Bryan

Henderson NV

13-13

31.40

12.09

12.22

7.09

31.40

35

Cody Kurz

Oxnard CA

13-12

31.19

0.50

10.39

11.82

8.48

30.69

36

Shane Spinning

Canyon Lake CA

13-13

30.54

9.57

12.05

8.92

30.54

37

Justin Patti

Peoria AZ

15-15

30.35

11.98

10.60

7.77

30.35

38

Matt Shura

Gilbert AZ

12-12

30.19

12.25

14.05

3.89

30.19

39

Bill O'Shinn

Auburn CA

15-15

29.99

9.86

11.66

8.47

29.99

40

Daylon Smith

Frazier Park CA

15-15

29.93

11.12

8.24

10.57

29.93

41

Andrew Napoleon

Mesa AZ

11-11

29.57

15.25

10.82

3.50

29.57

42

Mike Luiere

Henderson NV

14-14

29.51

8.36

10.46

10.69

29.51

43

Brian Tressen

Corona CA

10-10

29.28

15.63

7.43

6.22

29.28

44

Brett Leber

Dixon CA

14-14

29.00

12.20

9.08

7.72

29.00

45

Chris Kinley

Lake Havasu City AZ

13-13

28.64

15.97

4.32

8.35

28.64

46

Jerry Ballesteros

Rancho Cucamonga CA

9-8

29.10

0.50

19.52

4.64

4.44

28.60

47

Dylan Maxon

Pioera AZ

12-12

28.52

16.11

4.90

7.51

28.52

48

Jeff Giffen

Phoenix AZ

11-10

28.98

0.50

14.81

3.93

9.74

28.48

49

Ryan Yamagata

Las Vegas NV

14-14

28.20

13.54

6.20

8.46

28.20

50

Steve Molinari

Waddell AZ

11-11

27.94

8.52

11.79

7.63

27.94

51

Connor Jacob

Auburn AL

12-12

27.94

7.05

11.24

9.65

27.94

52

Darius Arberry

Las Vegas NV

11-11

27.30

15.59

3.11

8.60

27.30

53

Mike Caruso

Peoria AZ

11-11

26.84

15.10

10.30

1.44

26.84

54

Anthony Salazar

Henderson NV

11-11

26.21

8.42

6.99

10.80

26.21

55

Tom White Jr.

Tustin CA

8-8

25.76

17.63

1.26

6.87

25.76

56

Colby Pearson

Rogue River OR

10-10

25.67

4.45

8.80

12.42

25.67

57

Dick Watson

Boulder City NV

10-9

26.10

0.50

12.18

3.09

10.33

25.60

58

Tyler Ivie

West Haven UT

12-12

25.50

7.77

7.95

9.78

25.50

59

Ron Hammett

La Mesa CA

7-7

25.22

7.85

13.81

3.56

25.22

60

Matthew Luna

Santee CA

15-15

25.19

8.33

10.04

6.82

25.19

61

Robert Morales

Williams AZ

10-10

25.08

2.90

13.26

8.92

25.08

62

Adam Cacal

Las Vegas NV

10-10

24.37

13.43

5.80

5.14

24.37

63

Sean Coffey

Mesa AZ

7-7

23.58

5.20

6.34

12.04

23.58

64

John Murray

Spring City TN

12-12

22.98

5.47

9.41

8.10

22.98

65

Joe Cole

Coalville UT

13-13

22.92

7.80

11.96

3.16

22.92

66

Mark Lassagne

San Ramon CA

11-10

23.03

0.50

6.03

11.91

4.59

22.53

67

Tim Klinger

Boulder City NV

11-11

22.48

11.95

6.73

3.80

22.48

68

Greg Halliman

Littlerock CA

10-10

22.39

6.47

10.33

5.59

22.39

69

CJ Hinkle

Fort Mohave AZ

10-10

22.36

7.58

8.94

5.84

22.36

70

Rusty Salewske

Alpine CA

12-12

21.85

11.53

4.94

5.38

21.85

71

Johnny Johnson

Lakeside AZ

10-10

21.70

13.70

1.98

6.02

21.70

72

Jeff Rutt

Lake Havasu City AZ

9-9

21.58

12.42

3.64

5.52

21.58

73

Austin Melville

Gilbert AZ

11-11

21.34

11.00

4.73

5.61

21.34

74

Christopher Allen

Grand Junction CO

10-10

21.29

12.40

1.12

7.77

21.29

75

Pete Marino

Moreno Valley CA

12-12

21.20

7.12

5.10

8.98

21.20

76

Scooter Griffith

Mesa AZ

10-10

21.00

4.99

10.25

5.76

21.00

77

John Basmadjian

Canyon Lakw CA

11-11

20.76

6.14

8.49

6.13

20.76

78

Westly Gritts

Folsom CA

8-8

20.58

13.19

1.52

5.87

20.58

79

Travis Jewell

Tyler TX

9-9

20.35

13.03

2.87

4.45

20.35

80

David Kemper

Tempe AZ

7-7

20.28

9.70

10.58

20.28

81

James Salazar

Chandler AZ

10-10

20.20

11.37

8.83

20.20

82

Randy Pierson

Oakdale CA

8-8

20.11

6.55

11.79

1.77

20.11

83

Mark Dotterer

Phoenix AZ

9-9

19.91

12.78

2.98

4.15

19.91

84

Trace Myers

Santaquin UT

7-7

19.60

11.52

8.08

19.60

85

Tony Lain

Lake Havasu City AZ

6-6

19.59

9.27

8.00

2.32

19.59

86

Marvin Finley

Peoria AZ

6-6

19.49

1.94

4.74

12.81

19.49

87

Micah Jones

Kingman AZ

9-5

21.36

2.00

13.25

6.11

19.36

88

Shawn Herring

Las Vegas NV

9-9

19.33

3.35

8.11

7.87

19.33

89

Todd Woods

Long Beach CA

6-6

19.23

4.41

3.83

10.99

19.23

90

Dan Frazier

Paso Robles CA

11-11

18.72

6.43

5.83

6.46

18.72

91

Dave Davis

Mesa AZ

11-11

18.64

7.46

8.35

2.83

18.64

92

Jeff Hudson

Las Vegas NV

9-9

18.63

8.78

5.94

3.91

18.63

93

Chris Harvey

Idaho Falls ID

7-6

19.10

0.50

3.35

7.80

7.45

18.60

94

Levi Samz

Rock Springs WY

7-7

18.35

1.54

11.57

5.24

18.35

95

Chris Ricci

Ignacio CO

11-10

18.67

0.50

8.68

8.79

0.70

18.17

96

Douglas Jones

North Las vegas NV

10-10

18.05

7.66

10.39

18.05

97

Cameron Karber

Munds Park AZ

9-9

18.04

9.99

6.35

1.70

18.04

98

Victor Azevedo

Filer ID

9-9

17.85

9.33

4.86

3.66

17.85

99

Rodney Reed

Chelan WA

10-10

17.84

9.10

5.33

3.41

17.84

100

Tom Leedom

Escondido CA

11-11

16.91

1.29

8.24

7.38

16.91

101

Matt Thomas

Scottsdale AZ

6-6

16.87

8.25

4.16

4.46

16.87

102

Gary Klein

Mingus TX

9-9

16.75

4.77

10.46

1.52

16.75

103

Jordan Collom

Canyon Lake CA

8-8

16.52

9.38

7.14

16.52

104

Kazuki Kodama

Tokyo Japan

9-9

16.43

8.68

6.51

1.24

16.43

105

Mike Bird

Tonopah NV

9-9

15.97

5.99

3.32

6.66

15.97

106

Dung Van Vu

Paramount CA

8-7

16.41

0.50

9.69

2.99

3.23

15.91

107

Joshua Advocate

Fort Mohave AZ

6-6

15.78

1.52

12.73

1.53

15.78

108

Brandon Gaither

Oakdale CA

9-9

15.69

9.19

2.59

3.91

15.69

109

Jesse A. Marquez

Lake Havasu City AZ

8-8

15.54

1.66

7.86

6.02

15.54

110

Eric Inman

West Jordan UT

7-7

16.21

1.00

12.07

3.14

15.21

111

Shane Noel

California City CA

6-6

14.83

6.15

4.55

4.13

14.83

112

Christopher Owen

Poway CA

8-8

14.78

3.63

3.47

7.68

14.78

113

Phillip Emery

Oxnard CA

5-5

14.66

3.93

9.53

1.20

14.66

114

Darren Wilson

Las Vegas NV

6-6

14.45

2.39

12.06

14.45

115

Clayton Meyer

Henderson NV

6-6

14.41

6.45

3.61

4.35

14.41

116

Joe Ahrens

San Diego CA

8-8

14.35

3.20

6.43

4.72

14.35

117

Rick Correa

Wilsonville OR

4-4

14.19

6.58

3.21

4.40

14.19

118

Daymond Allen

Murrieta CA

6-6

13.99

11.03

2.96

13.99

119

Scott Davis

Preston ID

9-9

13.52

4.41

5.06

4.05

13.52

120

David Meza

Camarillo CA

4-4

13.44

5.85

7.59

13.44

121

Kevin Hugo

Canyon Lake CA

5-5

13.33

13.33

13.33

122

John Morrow

Kingman AZ

8-8

13.30

6.01

1.12

6.17

13.30

123

Nick Young

Lake Havasu City AZ

6-6

13.23

6.34

6.89

13.23

124

Brandon Morton

San Tan Valley AZ

6-6

12.83

3.72

9.11

12.83

125

Matty Wong

Collinsville TX

6-6

12.80

4.19

4.83

3.78

12.80

126

Brian Nunn

Bakersfield CA

6-6

12.75

5.69

1.76

5.30

12.75

127

David Gliebe

Manteca CA

6-6

12.62

2.17

10.45

12.62

128

Jesse Halstead

Bonney Lake WA

8-8

12.44

2.93

8.29

1.22

12.44

129

Russ Barger

Boise ID

6-6

12.39

4.13

4.66

3.60

12.39

130

Mason McAbee

Bakersfield CA

5-5

12.33

9.91

2.42

12.33

131

Allen Clark

Florence AZ

6-6

12.26

7.68

4.58

12.26

132

Jonathan Jackson

Las Vegas NV

7-7

12.18

6.89

2.96

2.33

12.18

133

Steven Bowlin

Atlanta TX

6-6

11.92

4.21

7.71

11.92

134

Craig Taylor

Oceanside CA

7-7

11.86

6.67

5.19

11.86

135

Ken Whalen

Lompoc CA

6-6

11.82

7.86

3.96

11.82

136

Tyson Christman

Glendale AZ

5-5

11.72

8.96

2.76

11.72

137

Keith Nighswonger

La Habra CA

6-6

11.55

9.86

1.69

11.55

138

Brad Szarkowski

Santa Clarita CA

4-3

11.93

0.50

7.70

3.73

11.43

139

Kevin Caruso

Glendale AZ

5-5

11.25

6.18

5.07

11.25

140

Matt Bradley

Henderson CA

6-6

11.06

3.76

2.70

4.60

11.06

141

James Wirts

Mesa AZ

4-4

10.87

1.55

3.86

5.46

10.87

142

Ricky Shabazz

La Mesa CA

4-4

10.76

6.73

4.03

10.76

143

Carl Limbrick, Jr.

Bonita CA

4-4

10.76

5.88

4.88

10.76

144

Josh Albee

Golden Valley AZ

5-5

10.60

9.12

1.48

10.60

145

James Wilcox

Reno CA

4-4

10.34

3.94

6.40

10.34

146

Andy Manahl

Mesa AZ

5-5

10.32

4.92

3.91

1.49

10.32

147

Guy Williams

Perris CA

7-7

10.21

1.43

1.16

7.62

10.21

148

Jeff Stuart

Las Vegas NV

5-5

9.44

7.81

1.63

9.44

149

Kevin Wiggins

Winterheaven CA

5-5

9.10

9.10

9.10

150

Jimmy Reese

Ukiah CA

5-5

8.96

4.05

3.07

1.84

8.96

151

Kyle Richins

Washington UT

3-3

8.88

8.88

8.88

152

Dave Kiesgen

Peorea AZ

6-6

8.87

2.73

6.14

8.87

153

Lowell Mickelson

Anahiem CA

6-6

8.84

6.37

1.02

1.45

8.84

154

Kevin Finley

Phoenix AZ

4-4

8.55

5.92

2.63

8.55

155

David Baca

Humboldt AZ

4-4

8.22

6.98

1.24

8.22

156

Cory Kerber

Madera CA

4-4

7.80

3.35

3.14

1.31

7.80

157

Jeremy Mann

San Jose CA

4-4

6.84

3.10

3.74

6.84

158

Robert Yelland

Coeur d Alene ID

3-3

6.51

2.00

4.51

6.51

159

Philip Roesener

Choctaw OK

3-3

6.27

6.27

6.27

160

Jamie Shaw

Coolidge AZ

4-4

6.22

6.22

6.22

161

George Sholl

Washington UT

2-2

6.04

2.17

3.87

6.04

162

Byron Velvick

Boerne TX

2-2

5.94

5.94

5.94

163

Brett Hite

Phoenix AZ

2-2

5.78

5.78

5.78

164

Gary Martlage

Pheonix AZ

3-3

5.73

3.52

2.21

5.73

165

Paul Ojala

Glendale AZ

3-3

5.62

3.65

1.97

5.62

166

Conrad Demecs

New River AZ

2-2

5.05

5.05

5.05

167

Mark Poe

Coolidge AZ

2-2

4.92

2.67

2.25

4.92

168

Joe Patz

Surprise AZ

3-3

4.81

4.81

4.81

169

Dan Davis

Hurrican UT

2-2

4.52

4.52

4.52

170

Greg Garcia

Cibola AZ

3-3

4.37

1.34

3.03

4.37

171

Dan Merchant

Canyon Lake CA

2-2

4.02

4.02

4.02

172

John Martinez

Las Vegas NV

2-2

3.68

1.30

2.38

3.68

173

Billy Hines

Vacaville CA

3-3

3.56

2.46

1.10

3.56

174

Eslam Moursi

Torrance CA

1-1

3.39

3.39

3.39

175

Mike Huseman

Bullhead City AZ

2-2

3.27

3.27

3.27

176

James Weaver

Lehi UT

2-2

2.88

2.88

2.88

177

Melvin Williams

Chula Vista CA

1-1

1.97

1.97

1.97

178

Jeffery Klicka

Brawley CA

1-1

1.54

1.54

1.54

179

Rob Sanford

San Diego CA

1-1

1.23

1.23

1.23

180

Jerren Slaton

Afton TX

0-0

0.00

0.00

181

Jiggs Benn

Myrtle Creek OR

0-0

0.00

0.00

182

Rick Clunn

Ava MO

0-0

0.00

0.00

183

Rick Mason

Glendale AZ

0-0

0.00

0.00

2023 Won Bass U.S. Open

AAA Final Results

Angler

Hometown

Fish

Wght

Pnlty

Day 1

Day 2

Day 3

Total

1

Anthony Hunt

Clovis CA

15-15

41.28

17.63

13.26

10.39

41.28

2

Markus Avalos

Las Vegas NV

12-12

40.05

18.66

3.07

18.32

40.05

3

Quincy Lewis

San Diego CA

13-13

39.98

20.70

5.06

14.22

39.98

4

Travis Hargis

Chula Vista CA

12-12

38.98

20.23

10.46

8.29

38.98

5

Bo McNeely

Rancho Cucamunga CA

15-14

39.19

0.50

12.18

11.99

14.52

38.69

6

Brian Reaves

Bullhead City AZ

13-12

38.83

0.50

14.90

18.84

4.59

38.33

7

Tony Witt

Orange CA

15-15

37.72

11.79

17.33

8.60

37.72

8

Christopher Tobin

Lompoc CA

13-13

37.25

18.40

7.86

10.99

37.25

9

Steven Cook

Willow AK

11-11

36.35

18.83

16.03

1.49

36.35

10

Robert Murrin

Buelton CA

12-12

35.70

7.81

18.97

8.92

35.70

11

Garrett Ott

Huntington Beach CA

12-12

34.42

13.54

14.71

6.17

34.42

12

Donald Lugert

Needles CA

10-10

34.33

18.94

15.39

34.33

13

Joel Chin

Rosemead CA

13-13

34.18

13.03

10.82

10.33

34.18

14

Andrew Packard

Fresno CA

10-9

33.32

0.50

14.81

10.38

7.63

32.82

15

Ellison Hubbard

LAS VEGAS NV

12-12

32.82

11.00

17.31

4.51

32.82

16

Todd Tobiasson

Las Vegas NV

11-11

32.74

12.09

4.16

16.49

32.74

17

David Childress

Bakersfield CA

14-14

32.49

16.95

5.83

9.71

32.49

18

David Stanberry

Wasilla AK

12-12

32.41

6.01

12.12

14.28

32.41

19

Antonio Paniccia

Phoenix AZ

11-11

32.39

17.74

10.52

4.13

32.39

20

Tim Domingues

San Jose CA

11-11

32.02

6.73

8.08

17.21

32.02

21

John Bitting

Kingman AZ

12-12

31.78

10.83

11.79

9.16

31.78

22

Mike McMillan

Burbank CA

15-15

31.65

13.70

10.33

7.62

31.65

23

Kyle Gelles

Pingree ID

11-11

30.95

15.63

5.80

9.52

30.95

24

Joseph Johnson

Goodyear AZ

13-13

30.85

13.31

10.45

7.09

30.85

25

Makoto Otani

Japan

11-10

31.29

0.50

6.43

11.55

12.81

30.79

26

Brian Pappalardo

Corona CA

8-8

30.75

20.17

10.58

30.75

27

Tom Nokes

Riverton UT

13-13

30.57

13.19

13.33

4.05

30.57

28

Chris White

Clayton CA

10-10

30.54

9.27

2.73

18.54

30.54

29

Greg Wheeler

Atascadero CA

9-9

30.46

18.04

12.42

30.46

30

Tom Creasy

Covina CA

15-15

30.39

7.80

9.41

13.18

30.39

31

Tim Demecs

Pheonix AZ

10-10

30.28

15.68

14.60

30.28

32

Kevin A. Smith

Phoenix AZ

12-12

30.13

12.20

11.91

6.02

30.13

33

Coy Mott

Fruitland ID

8-8

30.11

20.58

9.53

30.11

34

Dylan Watson

Hayward CA

8-8

29.69

2.17

7.59

19.93

29.69

35

Dayne Mendes

Hilmar CA

12-11

30.09

0.50

10.39

12.06

7.14

29.59

36

Michael Croft

Alcoa TN

9-9

29.38

1.66

18.98

8.74

29.38

37

Sean Slonski

Buckeye AZ

8-7

29.64

0.50

19.52

3.86

5.76

29.14

38

Kyle Clark

Port Orchard WA

10-10

29.09

7.12

17.57

4.40

29.09

39

R. Stephen
Gustafson

Santa Monica CA

13-13

29.01

13.43

7.43

8.15

29.01

40

Steve Jenkins

Apache Junction AZ

12-12

28.88

6.58

12.65

9.65

28.88

41

Tyler Ford

Tucson AZ

15-15

28.63

11.37

10.60

6.66

28.63

42

Geoff Peterson

Huntington Beach CA

10-10

28.62

19.26

5.10

4.26

28.62

43

Shawn Carnahan

Gilbert AZ

10-10

28.34

18.30

10.04

28.34

44

Ronnie Orbaker

Madera CA

12-11

28.76

0.50

12.56

2.63

13.07

28.26

45

Shawn Wagner

Glendale AZ

12-12

28.26

15.87

3.93

8.46

28.26

46

Mandy Myers

Santaquin UT

12-12

28.10

12.40

4.90

10.80

28.10

47

Wyatt Hansen

Oakdale CA

13-13

27.99

12.78

4.32

10.89

27.99

48

Randy Bruno

Huntington Beach CA

10-10

27.96

3.63

6.35

17.98

27.96

49

David Shearrer

Trabuco Canyon CA

11-11

27.58

5.92

9.66

12.00

27.58

50

Mike Hawkins

Boulder City NV

9-9

27.35

19.58

7.77

27.35

51

Anthony Souza

Rio Vista CA

11-11

27.19

2.17

16.55

8.47

27.19

52

John D. Helm

Tempe AZ

10-10

27.11

14.90

8.80

3.41

27.11

53

Brett Robbins

Solvang CA

11-11

25.89

11.53

10.30

4.06

25.89

54

Daniel Martinez

Murrieta CA

9-9

25.89

9.70

13.81

2.38

25.89

55

Mike Kizis

Belle River ON

9-9

25.70

15.59

6.51

3.60

25.70

56

Noah Sanford

Boulder City NV

12-12

25.44

7.05

9.91

8.48

25.44

57

Randall Coyle

Eagle Mountain UT

9-9

25.40

16.59

4.66

4.15

25.40

58

James Clayton

Prescott AZ

11-11

25.23

6.98

15.09

3.16

25.23

59

Mike Rasso

Phoenix AZ

13-13

25.20

5.47

11.96

7.77

25.20

60

Damon Motley

Orange CA

11-11

24.79

11.03

8.24

5.52

24.79

61

Eric Hammer

Peoria AZ

10-9

24.91

0.50

14.25

8.94

1.22

24.41

62

Andrew Bell

San Tan Valley AZ

11-11

24.03

6.03

9.08

8.92

24.03

63

Bryan Davis

Goleta CA

8-8

23.97

4.41

19.56

23.97

64

Jonathan Emmons

Surprise AZ

9-9

23.81

4.21

12.73

6.87

23.81

65

Zack Hayes

Blythe CA

11-11

23.77

8.68

3.11

11.98

23.77

66

Bill Eastes

Boulder Creek CA

9-9

23.69

5.78

10.46

7.45

23.69

67

Vincent Alcantara

Phoenix AZ

10-10

23.52

6.14

4.55

12.83

23.52

68

Ray Kawabata

Bothel WA

13-13

23.42

7.46

12.05

3.91

23.42

69

Robbie Espinosa

Yorba Linda CA

9-9

23.28

8.88

3.83

10.57

23.28

70

Rick Mikla

Discovery Bay CA

11-11

23.27

9.86

7.95

5.46

23.27

71

Fred Buelna

Chandler AZ

10-10

22.74

11.06

3.21

8.47

22.74

72

Bobby Tidd

Mesa AZ

11-11

22.71

3.76

8.83

10.12

22.71

73

Ron Morrison

Lompoc CA

8-8

22.38

1.23

9.11

12.04

22.38

74

Greg Prather

Mesa AZ

7-7

22.03

6.34

15.69

22.03

75

Hayden Metz

Eastvalle CA

8-8

21.39

11.52

4.03

5.84

21.39

76

Greg Wood

Branson MO

9-9

21.39

14.93

6.46

21.39

77

Robert Gower

Lake Forest CA

8-8

21.34

7.77

1.69

11.88

21.34

78

Mike Gabrielson

Bullhead City AZ

10-10

21.12

9.33

11.79

21.12

79

Rocky Luiere

Henderson NV

11-11

20.97

8.78

4.81

7.38

20.97

80

Paul Gelles

Pingree ID

9-8

21.33

0.50

8.36

11.77

0.70

20.83

81

Jonathan Green

San Pablo CA

8-8

20.82

3.27

14.05

3.50

20.82

82

Gavin Hammer

Peoria AZ

9-9

21.79

1.00

3.65

14.00

3.14

20.79

83

Jacob Crawford

San Pedro CA

11-11

20.76

3.72

11.66

5.38

20.76

84

Todd Belzner

Cave Creek AZ

9-9

20.47

8.25

12.22

20.47

85

Jay Witecki

North Las Vegas NV

9-9

20.43

9.19

3.14

8.10

20.43

86

Donnie Scroggins

Kingman AZ

9-9

20.42

11.98

2.70

5.74

20.42

87

Mike Dailey

Reno NV

8-8

20.35

6.55

13.80

20.35

88

Kirk Marshall

Discovery Bay CA

8-4

22.24

2.00

13.25

6.99

20.24

89

David Sloane

Tousand Oaks CA

6-6

20.17

3.93

14.54

1.70

20.17

90

Daniel Lutz

Las Vegas NV

11-11

20.07

9.10

4.83

6.14

20.07

91

Kevin McBean

Shafter CA

8-8

20.04

15.10

4.94

20.04

92

Joe Aldridge

Escondido CA

5-5

19.67

7.85

11.82

19.67

93

William Duncan

Hollister CA

6-6

19.57

17.81

1.76

19.57

94

Mike Olsen

Bullhead AZ

7-7

19.55

16.11

1.12

2.32

19.55

95

David Hutto

Escondido CA

10-10

19.39

9.12

2.76

7.51

19.39

96

Joseph Lineberry

Ramseur NC

8-8

19.25

8.52

4.86

5.87

19.25

97

Brian Bullis Jr.

Anthem AZ

9-9

19.17

12.98

1.12

5.07

19.17

98

Robert Munoz

Hollister CA

7-7

18.95

15.97

2.98

18.95

99

Mike Crothers

Chandler AZ

7-7

18.78

12.07

3.32

3.39

18.78

100

Jade Larson

Pleasant Grove UT

9-9

18.74

3.35

10.25

5.14

18.74

101

James Darling

Glendale AZ

9-9

18.33

8.42

6.11

3.80

18.33

102

Alex Martinez

Menifee CA

11-11

18.24

5.20

6.22

6.82

18.24

103

Kenny Johnson

Eager AZ

7-7

18.12

15.25

2.87

18.12

104

Steve W. Clark

Fresno CA

6-6

18.02

6.45

11.57

18.02

105

Mike Gowey

Snowflake AZ

9-9

17.98

8.24

9.74

17.98

106

James Murphy

Gilbert AZ

10-10

17.92

9.57

8.35

17.92

107

Chris Beverly

Queen Creek AZ

8-8

17.75

8.96

1.48

7.31

17.75

108

John Carroll

Phoenix AZ

6-6

17.61

1.94

1.24

14.43

17.61

109

Landon Allen

Grand Junction CO

8-8

17.55

5.94

6.89

4.72

17.55

110

Michael McCarville

Lae Havasu City AZ

7-7

17.42

2.93

14.49

17.42

111

Tom Kruse

Cayucos CA

9-8

17.73

0.50

6.37

2.99

7.87

17.23

112

Scott Johnson

Vacaville CA

9-9

17.17

8.68

3.91

4.58

17.17

113

Chris Carpenter

Grants Pass OR

7-6

17.53

0.50

7.70

4.88

4.45

17.03

114

Ken Hromada

Gilbert AZ

8-8

16.79

7.58

9.21

16.79

115

Curtis Tara

Hayward CA

5-5

16.66

16.66

16.66

116

Ethan Hammer

Peoria AZ

7-7

16.55

11.95

4.60

16.55

117

Charlie Crawford

Peoria AZ

7-7

16.51

4.13

12.38

16.51

118

Ron Reed

Boulder City NV

8-8

16.33

12.42

3.91

16.33

119

Nathan Hill

Henderson NV

10-10

16.32

6.67

1.30

8.35

16.32

120

Mario Caporuscio

Las Vegas NZ

8-8

16.17

6.47

1.98

7.72

16.17

121

Fisher Griffith

Mesa AZ

9-9

16.17

6.15

8.49

1.53

16.17

122

Dylan Moore

Bakersfield CA

8-8

16.12

9.99

3.47

2.66

16.12

123

Dave Cole

Roy UT

9-9

16.11

9.38

6.73

16.11

124

Tom Warren

Maricopa AZ

9-9

16.04

4.92

8.79

2.33

16.04

125

Bryan Colby

Prescott AZ

10-10

15.77

8.33

6.20

1.24

15.77

126

Ryan Vilmur

Oakdale CA

7-7

15.75

4.05

7.26

4.44

15.75

127

Kevin Holmgreen

Lake Havasu City AZ

8-8

15.54

4.45

7.43

3.66

15.54

128

Thomas Hanes

Lemoore CA

7-7

15.36

1.52

7.71

6.13

15.36

129

William Penrod

Salome AZ

7-7

15.35

7.86

6.18

1.31

15.35

130

Tom White, Sr.

Fountain Valley CA

8-8

15.28

11.12

2.96

1.20

15.28

131

James Denny

Apache Junction AZ

8-8

15.17

1.55

4.64

8.98

15.17

132

David Thies

Lake Havasu City CA

8-8

14.94

4.99

8.11

1.84

14.94

133

Rick Melead

Yorba Linda CA

8-8

14.93

1.54

3.61

9.78

14.93

134

Craig Miller

Las Vegas NV

8-8

14.73

3.35

2.59

8.79

14.73

135

Randy Weber

Phelan CA

7-7

14.70

10.74

1.54

2.42

14.70

136

Christopher Irigoyen

Henderson NV

7-7

14.69

9.10

5.59

14.69

137

Mike Faherty

Lake Havasu City AZ

7-6

15.19

0.50

6.89

7.80

14.69

138

Rob Copple

Pahrump NV

4-4

14.22

8.00

6.22

14.22

139

Mike Peterson

Hemet CA

6-6

14.21

2.39

11.82

14.21

140

Travis Smith

Canyon Lake CA

6-6

14.03

6.45

1.97

5.61

14.03

141

Len Scinto

Santa Clarita CA

7-7

13.99

7.49

4.73

1.77

13.99

142

Ron Goldshine

Los Angeles CA

7-7

13.54

9.69

1.02

2.83

13.54

143

Benjamin Green

Jasper TN

8-8

13.47

1.29

7.66

4.52

13.47

144

Chance Gammon

Bakersfield CA

6-6

12.73

1.97

4.74

6.02

12.73

145

Joseph Riordan

Bullhead City AZ

7-7

12.68

9.60

1.63

1.45

12.68

146

Cole Daniel

Salinas CA

7-7

12.39

2.46

2.25

7.68

12.39

147

Chad Prochaska

Blythe CA

6-6

12.34

5.94

6.40

12.34

148

Jason Abernathy

Goodyear AZ

7-7

12.28

5.69

2.70

3.89

12.28

149

Jonathan Baker

Boulder City NV

5-5

12.25

12.25

12.25

150

Kevin Gross

Redding CA

6-6

12.21

1.52

10.69

12.21

151

Jordan Werner

Hurricane UT

7-7

12.07

8.29

3.78

12.07

152

Richard Craft

Puyallup WA

6-6

12.02

5.05

6.97

12.02

153

Dave Phillips

Nampa ID

5-5

11.60

3.94

3.64

4.02

11.60

154

Eric Stanley

Antioch CA

3-3

11.24

11.24

11.24

155

Ruben Sandoval

Blythe CA

4-4

11.24

5.85

3.87

1.52

11.24

156

Adam Spies

Costa Mesa CA

6-6

10.64

4.33

6.31

10.64

157

JP Brandvig

Chandler AZ

5-5

10.08

6.34

3.74

10.08

158

Brian P. Day

San Diego CA

4-4

9.99

6.43

3.56

9.99

159

Scott Holman

Orange CA

6-6

9.90

6.81

3.09

9.90

160

Brent Johnson

S. Lake Tahoe CA

5-5

9.89

7.68

2.21

9.89

161

Jay Cranney

Rockford TN

5-5

9.86

9.86

9.86

162

Ray Gauerke

Porterville CA

4-4

9.65

1.34

3.85

4.46

9.65

163

Patrick S. Donoho

Las Vegas NV

3-3

9.61

5.88

3.73

9.61

164

Darin Guglielmo

Santa Barbara CA

6-6

9.52

4.19

5.33

9.52

165

Jacob Yates

Flagstaff AZ

6-6

9.39

4.77

4.62

9.39

166

Justin Sperle

Queen Creek AZ

3-3

9.22

5.99

3.23

9.22

167

Ty Crofts

Cedar City UT

4-4

9.07

2.67

1.10

5.30

9.07

168

Gary Freeman

Las Vegas NV

5-5

8.97

4.62

4.35

8.97

169

Gary Volpe

Payson AZ

4-4

8.76

3.52

5.24

8.76

170

Brian Avila

Lenmoore CA

5-5

7.07

2.88

1.16

3.03

7.07

171

Joe Feola

Riverside CA

4-4

6.63

5.19

1.44

6.63

172

Ralph Wells

Lake Havasu City AZ

8-8

6.31

3.35

2.96

6.31

173

Chuck Turner

Golden Valley AZ

3-3

6.27

6.27

6.27

174

Kevin Burgess

Kingman AZ

2-2

4.41

4.41

4.41

175

Junior Barajas

Las Vegas NV

3-3

4.16

2.90

1.26

4.16

176

Kanin Fife

Mesa AZ

7-7

4.02

3.10

0.92

4.02

177

Scott Robertson

Norco CA

2-2

3.96

3.96

3.96

178

Rick Moore

Salinas CA

2-2

3.20

3.20

3.20

179

Chris Gritts

Folsom CA

1-1

2.00

2.00

2.00


Big limit of spotted bass lifts Dube to lead at B.A.S.S. Nation Championship on Lake Hartwell

Tim Dube of Nashua, N. H., is leading after Day 1 of the 2023 TNT Fireworks B.A.S.S. Nation Championship at Lake Hartwell with 16 pounds, 3 ounces.

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

October 18, 2023

ANDERSON, S.C. — Tim Dube had never fished a competitive round on Lake Hartwell prior to Wednesday's start of the TNT Fireworks B.A.S.S. Nation Championship.

But he went out and treated the place like home water.

Dube, a 29-year-old New Hampshire resident, caught a limit of five spotted bass for a total of 16 pounds, 3 ounces. That was enough to give him a 2-ounce lead over defending B.A.S.S. Nation Champion and Bassmaster Elite Series pro Will Davis Jr., who finished Day 1 with 16-1.

"It was tough to even get fish to bite in practice," Dube said. "But I got a tip from my co-angler from New Hampshire, and I ran some stuff I found in pre-practices. I just got the right ones to bite today. And I had room to grow, too. I had a 5-pounder break off at the boat."

Dube was tightlipped when it came to the lures he used to hook Day 1's big bag, but he indicated he's covering a lot of water and power fishing.

"I'm doing something different, and I don't have any boats around me," he said. "(The key) has been finding the right brushpiles and the canepiles. The fish need to be set up on them right and to be unpressured, if there is such a thing here."

Dube said he'll continue with the tactics that helped him climb into the pole position on Day 1.

"I could get 8 pounds and I could get 18 pounds," he said. "The good thing is the fish seem to reload every day. There are so many fish in this lake. It's just a matter of getting them to bite."

Davis, 31, already knows what it takes to win a B.A.S.S. Nation Championship, having won the 2022 title on Pickwick Lake. That got the Sylacauga, Ala., resident into the 2023 Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic in Knoxville (he finished 40th of 55 anglers). It also earned him a spot on the 2023 Bassmaster Elite Series, and he impressed there, winning a derby on Lay Lake back in May and finishing fifth in the Dakota Lithium Bassmaster Rookie of the Year standings.

Davis said those experiences have given him plenty of confidence.

"It got my mind right to compete at another level,” he said. “Fishing is all about confidence. If you don’t have it, you might as well not even put a boat in the water.

“And Hartwell fits my style pretty well. I know the way the spotted bass behave some days. But they'll change up on you. I must've fished 50 spots today and I only caught fish on four of them."

Davis said three of his keepers came on a Davis Bait Company Wood Jig, and one each on a Davis 1/2-ounce spinnerbait (peacock color) and a Davis Shaky Head.

"That Wood Jig is a bad dude," he said. "It's a phenomenal bait when you power fish and want to cover a lot of water.”

Maryland’s Andrew Sams is third in the boater division with 14-8. South Africa’s Andrew Nienaber is fourth with 14-7 and Michigan’s Nic Rand is fifth with 14-5. Georgia’s Chris Moody, who’s in sixth place with 14-3, caught the heaviest bass in the boater field (4-4).

Cole Buser, who’s representing New Mexico, leads the nonboater field with a limit that weighed 13 pounds. Virginia’s Larry Witt is second with 11-11 and Kansas’ Kyle Klein is third with 10-15. Klein’s 4-8 spot was the heavy on Wednesday.

A total of 113 B.A.S.S. Nation anglers from 48 states and eight foreign countries are competing at Hartwell — the storied 56,000-acre reservoir straddling the South Carolina-Georgia border. Fifty-eight competitors are in the boater field and another 55 are nonboaters. Each finished atop their state standings at one of five B.A.S.S. Nation regionals this year to qualify for the championship.

Davis is fishing alone, as is customary for the defending champion. So are Jurgen Geiger of Namibia and Texas’ Jack Barber, who is representing the Paralyzed Veterans of America.

Besides the U.S. and Namibia, other countries represented this week include Canada, Japan, Mexico, Portugal, Spain, Japan, South Africa and Zimbabwe.

The field will be cut after the Day 2 weigh-in, with the Top 10 boaters advancing to the third and final day of competition. Anglers from each of the five B.A.S.S Nation regions that don’t have a Top 10 weight after Day 2 also will advance to the final round, as will any nonboater whose weight is equal to or greater than any boater in the Top 10.

The Top 10 in each field will split a cash purse of $96,500, including Big Bass awards ($1,000 to the boater and $500 to the nonboater), as well as a $500 award to the angler using Garmin Electronics who finishes highest in the boater field.

The top three boaters will earn a spot in the 2024 Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic on Grand Lake o’ the Cherokees near Tulsa, Okla., scheduled for March 22-24. The winner will qualify for the 2024 Bassmaster Elite Series.

Day 2 of the B.A.S.S. Nation Championship will begin with a 7:30 a.m. ET takeoff from Green Pond Landing. Weigh-in is scheduled to begin at 3:30 p.m. Follow all the action on Bassmaster.com.

Visit Anderson is hosting the event.

2023 TNT Fireworks B.A.S.S. Nation Championship 10/18-10/20
Lake Hartwell, Anderson  SC.
(BOATER) Standings Day 1

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

1.  Timothy Dube           Nashua, NH               5  16-03    0
Day 1: 5   16-03
2.  Will Davis Jr          Sylacauga, AL            5  16-01    0
Day 1: 5   16-01
3.  Andrew Sams            Easton, MD               5  14-08    0
Day 1: 5   14-08
4.  Andrew Nienaber        Cape Town Western Cape   5  14-07    0
Day 1: 5   14-07
5.  Nic Rand               Kalamazoo, MI            5  14-05    0
Day 1: 5   14-05
6.  Chris Moody            Brooks, GA               5  14-03    0
Day 1: 5   14-03
7.  Zach Taylor            Kimberly, ID             5  14-00    0
Day 1: 5   14-00
8.  Tyler Darling          Rapid City, SD           5  13-12    0
Day 1: 5   13-12
9.  Josh Wiesner           Fon du Lac, WI           5  13-08    0
Day 1: 5   13-08
10. Taylor Umland          Carlock, IL              5  12-13    0
Day 1: 5   12-13
11. Jonathan Carter        Portland, ME             5  12-08    0
Day 1: 5   12-08
12. Nate Caldwell          Fort Collins, CO         5  12-04    0
Day 1: 5   12-04
13. Blake Wilson           Benton, AR               5  12-00    0
Day 1: 5   12-00
14. Cole Findley           Forsyth, MO              5  11-15    0
Day 1: 5   11-15
15. Riley Nielsen          Murray, UT               5  11-13    0
Day 1: 5   11-13
16. Tyler Ramsey           Sand Springs, OK         5  11-10    0
Day 1: 5   11-10
17. Aaron Green            Everett, PA              5  11-07    0
Day 1: 5   11-07
18. Zeke Gossett           Pell City, AL            5  11-04    0
Day 1: 5   11-04
19. BJ Baxter              Willshire, OH            5  11-01    0
Day 1: 5   11-01
19. Jordan Card            Knoxville, TN            5  11-01    0
Day 1: 5   11-01
19. Cody Steckel           Las Vegas, NV            5  11-01    0
Day 1: 5   11-01
22. Kevin Walton           Norfolk, VA              5  10-15    0
Day 1: 5   10-15
23. Jess Pottenger         Harrison, ID             5  10-13    0
Day 1: 5   10-13
24. Austin Bonjour         Templeton, CA            5  10-10    0
Day 1: 5   10-10
25. Brian La Clair         Denton, MD               5  10-09    0
Day 1: 5   10-09
26. Cody Hollen            Beaverton, OR            5  10-02    0
Day 1: 5   10-02
27. Dave Frost             Mount Dora, FL           5  10-00    0
Day 1: 5   10-00
28. Troy Diede             Sioux Falls, SD          5  09-14    0
Day 1: 5   09-14
29. Gary Pope              Georgetown, SC           5  09-07    0
Day 1: 5   09-07
30. Andrej Chowaniec       Beeton Ontario CANADA    5  09-06    0
Day 1: 5   09-06
31. Matthew Abeyta         Albuquerque, NM          5  09-04    0
Day 1: 5   09-04
32. Adam Hamann            Prairie Du Chien, IA     5  09-03    0
Day 1: 5   09-03
33. Michael Mello Jr       Manville, RI             5  09-00    0
Day 1: 5   09-00
34. Byron Albrecht         Waco, TX                 5  08-12    0
Day 1: 5   08-12
34. Manuel Cruz            Clifton, NJ              5  08-12    0
Day 1: 5   08-12
36. Jay Swanson            Lakeville, MN            5  08-10    0
Day 1: 5   08-10
37. Jurgen Geiger          Luxury Hill Windoek  NA  5  08-05    0
Day 1: 5   08-05
37. Brian Hensley          Edwardsburg, MI          5  08-05    0
Day 1: 5   08-05
39. Frankie Mueller        Kingman, AZ              5  08-00    0
Day 1: 5   08-00
39. Matthew Nobile         Sorrento, LA             5  08-00    0
Day 1: 5   08-00
41. Marc Leech             Kings Mountian , NC      5  07-15    0
Day 1: 5   07-15
42. Ken Day                Kennewick, WA            5  07-00    0
Day 1: 5   07-00
43. Dustin Hollen          Buckhannon, WV           5  06-13    0
Day 1: 5   06-13
44. Luis Tavares Mendes    Cernache Do Bonjardim P  5  06-11    0
Day 1: 5   06-11
45. Andre Kondonis         Harare ZIMBABWE          4  06-10    0
Day 1: 4   06-10
46. Jacob Marcantonio      Moosup, CT               5  05-11    0
Day 1: 5   05-11
47. Jerry  Pape            Bella Vista, AR          5  05-10    0
Day 1: 5   05-10
48. Sean Andrachick        Marion, MT               4  05-10    0
Day 1: 4   05-10
49. Lukas Matt             Syracuse, NY             5  05-02    0
Day 1: 5   05-02
50. Andy Gill              Wellsville, KS           3  04-00    0
Day 1: 3   04-00
51. Richard Young Jr       Melbourne, KY            4  03-15    0
Day 1: 4   03-15
52. Mickey Soler           Newington, CT            3  03-11    0
Day 1: 3   03-11
53. Chad Warnol            Moss Point, MS           2  03-06    0
Day 1: 2   03-06
54. Oscar Gonzalez         Barcelona SPAIN          2  02-11    0
Day 1: 2   02-11
54. Jorge Trapero Barraza  Culiac n Rosales TX MEX  2  02-11    0
Day 1: 2   02-11
56. Jackie Barber          West , TX                2  02-09    0
Day 1: 2   02-09
57. Thomas Waltz           St. Albans, VT           1  01-05    0
Day 1: 1   01-05
58. Yoshi Komada           Nishinomiya JAPAN        1  01-01    0
Day 1: 1   01-01
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Totals
Day   #Limits    #Fish      Weight
1        47       263       532-02
----------------------------------
47       263       532-02
2023 TNT Fireworks B.A.S.S. Nation Championship 10/18-10/20
Lake Hartwell, Anderson  SC.
(NON_BOATER) Standings Day 1

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

1.  Cole Buser             Moscow, ID               5  13-00    0
Day 1: 5   13-00
2.  Larry Witt             Evington, VA             5  11-11    0
Day 1: 5   11-11
3.  Kyle Klein             Hutchinson, KS           5  10-15    0
Day 1: 5   10-15
4.  Grant Aumiller         Danville, KY             5  10-05    0
Day 1: 5   10-05
5.  Richard White          Alexander City, AL       5  10-04    0
Day 1: 5   10-04
6.  Hayden Spradling       Gilbert, AZ              5  09-07    0
Day 1: 5   09-07
7.  Zachary Queeney        Atco, NJ                 5  08-13    0
Day 1: 5   08-13
8.  Dave Roberts           Sisters, OR              5  08-06    0
Day 1: 5   08-06
9.  Marshal Allen          Greeley, CO              4  07-15    0
Day 1: 4   07-15
9.  Ron Stierstorfer       Middle River, MD         4  07-15    0
Day 1: 4   07-15
11. James D'Ambra          Hanover, MA              5  07-11    0
Day 1: 5   07-11
12. Cooper Haase           Duncannon, PA            5  07-00    0
Day 1: 5   07-00
13. Keisuke Sakamoto       Shiga JAPAN              4  07-00    0
Day 1: 4   07-00
14. Tristan Garriga        Lucedale, MS             5  06-15    0
Day 1: 5   06-15
15. Hunter Frederickson    Redford, MI              5  06-10    0
Day 1: 5   06-10
15. Andrew Sayles          Middleton, ID            5  06-10    0
Day 1: 5   06-10
15. Joe Whelan             Ozark, MO                5  06-10    0
Day 1: 5   06-10
18. Bryan Schumacher       Sparta, WI               4  06-10    0
Day 1: 4   06-10
19. Matt Luken             Independence, KY         4  06-09    0
Day 1: 4   06-09
20. Tristen Boyd           Monteagle, TN            4  06-08    0
Day 1: 4   06-08
21. Colten Hutson          Edmond, OK               5  06-07    0
Day 1: 5   06-07
22. Gary Belanger          Plainville, CT           5  06-02    0
Day 1: 5   06-02
23. Edward Owens           Hemingway, SC            3  05-10    0
Day 1: 3   05-10
24. Kin Pui Wong           Bakersfield, CA          4  05-07    0
Day 1: 4   05-07
25. Jesus Morales          Apodaca Nuevo Leon  MEX  3  04-11    0
Day 1: 3   04-11
26. Agustin  Pintado Salas El Burgo Del Ebro, Zara  3  04-07    0
Day 1: 3   04-07
27. James Seymour          Oglesby, TX              3  04-05    0
Day 1: 3   04-05
28. Matt Summers           Gassaway, WV             3  03-13    0
Day 1: 3   03-13
29. Jason Campbell         Berwick, LA              3  03-08    0
Day 1: 3   03-08
30. Dean Yamagata          Las Vegas, NV            2  03-00    0
Day 1: 2   03-00
31. Eric Moulton           Enfield, NH              2  02-10    0
Day 1: 2   02-10
32. Alex Ellerbrock        Sugar Grove, IL          2  02-06    0
Day 1: 2   02-06
33. Will Presley Jr        Grove City, OH           2  02-02    0
Day 1: 2   02-02
34. Neels Beneke           Amanzimtoti SOUTH AFRIC  1  01-14    0
Day 1: 1   01-14
35. Dez Ruffin             Tukwila, WA              2  01-13    0
Day 1: 2   01-13
35. Robert Rull Jr         Coventry, RI             2  01-13    0
Day 1: 2   01-13
37. Roger Foraker          Magnolia, DE             1  01-12    0
Day 1: 1   01-12
38. Jeremiah Proulx        Cherokee Village, AR     1  01-11    0
Day 1: 1   01-11
39. Brad Gandee            Mcdonough, GA            2  01-10    0
Day 1: 2   01-10
39. Miles Lausch           Lakeville, MN            2  01-10    0
Day 1: 2   01-10
41. Garrett Sicely         Albany, VT               1  01-09    0
Day 1: 1   01-09
42. Carl Bowser            Indianapolis, IN         1  01-06    0
Day 1: 1   01-06
43. David Pfeiffer         Milton Mills, NH         1  01-05    0
Day 1: 1   01-05
44. Grant Harris           Maiden, NC               1  01-00    0
Day 1: 1   01-00
45. Fernando Henriques Henriques Cernache Do Bonjardim P  1  00-15    0
Day 1: 1   00-15
46. Gavin Fraser           Bulawayo ZIMBABWE        1  00-14    0
Day 1: 1   00-14
47. Leray Anderson  II     Crofton, NE              0  00-00    0
Day 1: 0   00-00
47. Mike Bell              Ogdensburg, NY           0  00-00    0
Day 1: 0   00-00
47. Jerry Duncklee         Fayette, IA              0  00-00    0
Day 1: 0   00-00
47. Tyler Guthmiller       Yankton, SD              0  00-00    0
Day 1: 0   00-00
47. Christian Hanson       Rathdrum, ID             0  00-00    0
Day 1: 0   00-00
47. Andrew Krauss          Seabright CANADA         0  00-00    0
Day 1: 0   00-00
47. Claude Loftin          Jacksonville, FL         0  00-00    0
Day 1: 0   00-00
47. Blake Macumber         Elkhorn, NE              0  00-00    0
Day 1: 0   00-00
47. Greg Pink              Montrose, CO             0  00-00    0
Day 1: 0   00-00
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Totals
Day   #Limits    #Fish      Weight
1        16       151       240-10
----------------------------------
16       151       240-10


Flagship Quality and Features

DAIWA's new SOL AGS inshore saltwater spinning rods now available.

FOOTHILL RANCH, CA (October 18, 2023) – Providing its best in sensitivity and durability blank construction and featuring flagship series components, DAIWA offers the right spinning rod for avid inshore saltwater anglers with its new SOL AGS spinning rods. A six-rod lineup to target everything from redfish, sea trout, snook, permit and ever tarpon, the one-piece, fast action rods are offered in three 7’ models in medium-light and medium-heavy powers, and three 7’6” rods in medium-light, medium-heavy and heavy action powers.

“Our main goal with the SOL AGS rods is to bring all the advancements DAIWA has made in rod development over the five years to the inshore saltwater market,” said DAIWA’s Marc Mills. “Anglers will quickly notice the advantages of our own AGS guides and micro pitch blank construction for inshore action that provides both sensitivity and the needed durability.”

DAIWA uses its HVF NANOPLUS carbon technology to reinforce the blank through a micro-level arrangement of material in the plastic resin, creating a smaller, lighter, and rigid yet powerful blank with impressive fish-stopping power. The Braiding X and X-45 Bias construction processes add better hoop strength for pulling on fish, plus prevents rod twisting and ovalization to contribute to longer, accurate casts.

DAIWA also includes its exclusive carbon framed Air Guide System (AGS) guides, considered some of the lightest and most sensitive on the market, on the SOL AGS rods. These lightweight carbon framed guides provide both more rigidity and sensitivity by intensifying vibrations during the cast to provide anglers with a quicker response and feel for increased lure action sensitivity.

Noted west coast Florida saltwater guide – and DAIWA pro staffer – Captain Geoff Page was involved in the early stages of the SOL AGS rod development. “These rods have an ideal slim and lightweight design, and yet are so powerful,” said Page. “Depending on the model, they are great for live bait situations, and perfect for casting a wide range of topwater plugs, jigs, crankbaits and spinnerbaits.”

Page favors the SOL AGS 7’6” medium-heavy power rod paired with a DAIWA Certate LT 5000, along with the 7’6” medium power with a KAGE MQ 4000 spinning reel to target species on his home waters in around the greater Sarasota, Fla. area.

Mills notes the new 7’ and 7’6” SOL AGS rods also match up well with its 2500, 3000 and 4000 size Saltist MQ and BG MQ spinning reels, where the Monocoque (MQ) solid one-piece frame reduces flex and gear binding – a welcomed bonus when hooked up with big redfish or tarpon.

SOL AGS FEATURES:

  • DAIWA’s Exclusive Air Guide System (AGS)
  • X45® Bias Construction High
  • Volume Fiber (HVF) Construction
  • BRAIDING-X Carbon Fiber Braiding
  • Technology Daiwa’s Exclusive Air Sensor Reel Seats
  • Micro Pitch Blanks
  • Limited Lifetime Warranty

MSRP $349.99


Kyle Grover Holds onto Lead on Day Two of 2023 WON BASS U.S. Open

Spencer Shuffield Moves into Second Place, Steven Cook Leads AAA Division

Laughlin, Nev. – October 17, 2023 – There is one constant that can be counted on in the world of professional bass fishing, and that is… change.  When the field for the 2023 WON Bass U.S. Open left Katherine Landing at Lake Mohave Marina, they were greeted with warm, slick-calm environment that contrasted the breezy day one conditions.  How that would affect the fishing on the bathwater clear Lake Mohave fishery was at question.

While the 28,000 surface acres of Lake Mohave should provide plenty of real estate to target, the body of water tends to fish small, couple that with high skies, and flat winds, and the result was a high probability of change atop the leaderboard.  As the day two weigh-n began, it appeared that the day’s conditions may have an effect on the anglers, as several saw opposite results of their opening round performance.

For opening round leader Kyle Grover from Anaheim, Calif., that was not the case as he backed up his 20.70-pounds limit that gave him the day one lead with a 19.56-pound limit to bring his total weight to 40.26 pounds, enabling him to maintain his lead on day two.

Grover holds a slim .51-pound lead over Hot Springs, Ark. pro Spencer Shuffield who brought 19.58-pound limit of smallmouth to bring his total weight to 39.75 pounds.   Bryant Smith of Roseville, Calif. matched his day one 18-pound limit with 18.98 pounds to end the day in third place with 37.38 pounds, while Garrett Howard, from Riverside, Calif. added 17.57 to finish day two in fourth place with 36.83 pounds, and rounding out the top five is Patrick Touey, from Santa Maria, Calif. who brought 18.84 pounds to the scales for a total of 36.58 pounds.

Grover reported having the majority of his day’s weight at 11:00AM but made one key cull in the waning moments of the day that made the difference.  He had met the four and a half pounder the day before.  “I stopped on this point a couple of miles from takeoff yesterday and made a cast at her, she bit, and I broke her off on the hookset,” he said.  “I made the same stop today and she was sitting in the same spot, made the same cast, he bit, and this time I landed her; she culled a three pounder.”

He said he knows there are plenty of fish in his areas but is unsure how they will respond.  “I threw at around a hundred fish today and got eight or ten to bite,” he said.  “I know I need to back it up with a big bag, I’m just not sure that I’ll be able to; tomorrow is going to be interesting.  Winning the U.S. Open would mean so much to me, I’m going to go out and do everything I can to close it out tomorrow.”

 

Shuffield said he threw at more fish than the leader and managed to catch a few more but is also concerned about what the conditions will do to his ability to present to the fish.  “I’m fishing fairly deep, and my main areas are expected to be in heavy winds tomorrow,” he said.  “I know the fish are there and I hope I can make them eat, but we’ll have to see how tomorrow goes; I’d love to get this done tomorrow.”

In the AAA Division, Steven Cook of Willow, Alaska weighed 16.03 pounds to take the day one lead with 34.86 pounds.  Second place on the AAA side is held by Donald Lugert from Needles, Calif. added 15.39 to bring his total to 34.33 pounds. Bullhead City, Arizona’s Brian Reaves moved into third place in the AAA Division with 18.84 pounds to bring his total to 33.74 pounds. Anthony Hunt of Clovis, Calif. ended the day in fourth place with 30.89 pounds after adding 13.26 pounds on day two.  Travis Hargis of Chula Vista, Calif. added 10.46 pounds to bring his total to 30.69 pounds to round out the top five.

Complete Standings of both divisions can be found below:

Day three of the 2023 Bass Cat / Mercury WON BASS U.S. Open presented by Laughlin Tourism Commission and Visit Laughlin will commence tomorrow with a champion being crowned Wednesday at the conclusion of the final weigh-in. Takeoff with 183 pro and AAA anglers will commence at safe light and weigh-ins will occur at 3:00PM daily. Takeoff and weigh-ins will be held at Katherine Landing at Lake Mohave Marina located at 2690 Katherine Spur, Bullhead City, AZ 86429.

WON Bass has reserved Thursday October 19 and Friday October 20 in case any day of the event is postponed due to unsafe conditions by the National Parks Service.

Join us for an historic event and look to wonbassevents.com and WONews.com along with WON BASS and Western Outdoor News social media platforms on https://www.facebook.com/WONBassTournaments and https://www.instagram.com/wonbass/ for event details, livestreams and updates.

The 41st Anniversary 2023 WON BASS U.S. Open is presented by the following sponsors; Bass Cat Boats, Mercury Marine, Berkley, Costa, Abu Garcia, Bridgford Foods, Daiwa, Gamakatsu, Phenix, Power-Pole Total Boat Control, Eagle Claw TroKar, Lithium Pros, Lowrance, Anderson Toyota, Loco’s Bar and Cocina, DD26, Top This, Johnon’s Bait and Tackle, LTC Laughlin Tourism Commission, Last Chance Performance Marine, Yamamoto Baits, Huntington Beach Honda, Peregrine 250, Livingston Lures, Roboworm, Trika Premium Fishing Gear, Liqui Moly Marine, Anglers Marine, Stealth Stix, Smokey Mountain Herbal Snuff and Pouches, KUIU, Signature Gate Systems and Welding, Sure Life, Visit Laughlinand Western Outdoor News.

2023 WON Bass U.S. Open

Day 2 Pro Standings

Pro Angler

Hometown

Fish

Wght

Pnlty

B/B

Day 1

Day 2

Total

1

Kyle Grover

RCHO STA MARG CA

10-10

40.26

4.74

20.70

19.56

40.26

2

Spencer Shuffield

Hot Springs AR

10-10

39.75

4.88

20.17

19.58

39.75

3

Bryant Smith

Roseville CA

10-10

37.38

18.40

18.98

37.38

4

Garrett Howard

Riverside CA

10-10

36.83

6.49

19.26

17.57

36.83

5

Patrick Touey

Santa Maria CA

10-10

36.58

4.82

17.74

18.84

36.58

6

Evan Barnes

Dardanelle AR

9-9

35.12

4.58

20.58

14.54

35.12

7

Zach VerBrugge

Lake Havasu AZ

10-10

34.97

4.74

18.94

16.03

34.97

8

Chris Zaldain

Fort Worth TX

10-10

34.22

4.88

18.83

15.39

34.22

9

Randy McAbee, Jr.

Bakersfield CA

10-10

33.01

15.68

17.33

33.01

10

Jim Vretzos

El Dorodo Hills CA

9-9

32.00

20.23

11.77

32.00

11

Ray Arbesu

Henderson NV

10-10

29.86

4.23

13.31

16.55

29.86

12

Tai Au

Glendale AZ

9-9

28.97

16.59

12.38

28.97

13

Roy Hawk

Lake Havasu City AZ

10-10

28.57

4.14

9.60

18.97

28.57

14

Luke Clausen

Otis Orchards WA

9-8

29.00

0.50

4.57

16.95

11.55

28.50

15

Gary Clouse

Winchester TN

10-10

26.39

11.79

14.60

26.39

16

Matt Shura

Gilbert AZ

10-10

26.30

4.52

12.25

14.05

26.30

17

Scott Hellesen

Paso Robles CA

8-8

26.25

15.87

10.38

26.25

18

Andrew Napoleon

Mesa AZ

10-10

26.07

5.70

15.25

10.82

26.07

19

Shane Edgar

Glendale AZ

8-8

25.92

4.59

18.66

7.26

25.92

20

Josh Bertrand

San Tan Valley AZ

9-9

25.45

10.74

14.71

25.45

21

Todd Kline

San Clemente CA

10-10

25.42

14.90

10.52

25.42

22

Mike Caruso

Peoria AZ

10-10

25.40

4.27

15.10

10.30

25.40

23

Joe Uribe, Jr.

Surprise AZ

8-8

25.10

4.40

12.98

12.12

25.10

24

Clifford Pirch

Payson AZ

8-8

24.80

4.75

7.49

17.31

24.80

25

Robert Nakatomi

Sacramento CA

10-10

24.63

3.93

10.83

13.80

24.63

26

Max Hernandez

Queen Creek AZ

8-8

24.61

4.63

18.30

6.31

24.61

27

Jason Bryan

Henderson NV

10-10

24.31

12.09

12.22

24.31

28

Jerry Ballesteros

Rancho Cucamonga CA

7-6

24.66

0.50

19.52

4.64

24.16

29

Justin Kerr

Lake Havasu City AZ

9-9

23.71

11.06

12.65

23.71

30

Kevin Short

Fairfield Bay AR

10-9

23.96

0.50

14.25

9.21

23.46

31

Brian Tressen

Corona CA

8-8

23.06

15.63

7.43

23.06

32

Justin Patti

Peoria AZ

10-10

22.58

11.98

10.60

22.58

33

Bill Brown

Grand Junction CO

9-9

22.33

4.77

14.90

7.43

22.33

34

Luke Johns

Folsom CA

9-9

22.22

12.56

9.66

22.22

35

Cody Kurz

Oxnard CA

9-8

22.71

0.50

4.70

10.39

11.82

22.21

36

Chip Gilbert

Yuma AZ

9-9

21.90

14.93

6.97

21.90

37

Jeff Baird

Washington UT

7-7

21.89

5.44

18.04

3.85

21.89

38

Ron Hammett

La Mesa CA

6-6

21.66

3.99

7.85

13.81

21.66

39

Shane Spinning

Canyon Lake CA

10-10

21.62

4.02

9.57

12.05

21.62

40

Bill O'Shinn

Auburn CA

10-10

21.52

3.86

9.86

11.66

21.52

41

Brett Leber

Dixon CA

10-10

21.28

12.20

9.08

21.28

42

Dylan Maxon

Pioera AZ

7-7

21.01

16.11

4.90

21.01

43

Matthew Becker

Finleyville PA

7-7

20.51

17.81

2.70

20.51

44

Jonathan Schuyler

Las Vegas NV

6-6

20.45

5.08

6.45

14.00

20.45

45

Steve Molinari

Waddell AZ

9-9

20.31

4.15

8.52

11.79

20.31

46

Chris Kinley

Lake Havasu City AZ

8-8

20.29

5.25

15.97

4.32

20.29

47

James Salazar

Chandler AZ

10-10

20.20

11.37

8.83

20.20

48

Joe Cole

Coalville UT

10-10

19.76

7.80

11.96

19.76

49

Ryan Yamagata

Las Vegas NV

9-9

19.74

5.31

13.54

6.20

19.74

50

Trace Myers

Santaquin UT

7-7

19.60

11.52

8.08

19.60

51

Jon Bell

Campo CA

8-8

19.42

4.09

4.33

15.09

19.42

52

Daylon Smith

Frazier Park CA

10-10

19.36

11.12

8.24

19.36

52

Micah Jones

Kingman AZ

9-5

21.36

2.00

13.25

6.11

19.36

54

Adam Cacal

Las Vegas NV

8-8

19.23

13.43

5.80

19.23

55

Tom White Jr.

Tustin CA

6-6

18.89

5.62

17.63

1.26

18.89

56

Mike Luiere

Henderson NV

9-9

18.82

8.36

10.46

18.82

57

Jim Moynagh

Shakopee MN

9-9

18.80

3.88

6.81

11.99

18.80

58

Jeff Giffen

Phoenix AZ

7-6

19.24

0.50

14.81

3.93

18.74

59

Darius Arberry

Las Vegas NV

6-6

18.70

15.59

3.11

18.70

60

Tim Klinger

Boulder City NV

9-9

18.68

5.57

11.95

6.73

18.68

61

Matthew Luna

Santee CA

10-10

18.37

8.33

10.04

18.37

62

Randy Pierson

Oakdale CA

7-7

18.34

6.55

11.79

18.34

63

Connor Jacob

Auburn AL

7-7

18.29

7.05

11.24

18.29

64

Mark Lassagne

San Ramon CA

8-8

17.94

6.03

11.91

17.94

65

Chris Ricci

Ignacio CO

10-10

17.47

8.68

8.79

17.47

66

Tony Lain

Lake Havasu City AZ

5-5

17.27

4.89

9.27

8.00

17.27

67

Greg Halliman

Littlerock CA

8-8

16.80

3.76

6.47

10.33

16.80

68

CJ Hinkle

Fort Mohave AZ

7-7

16.52

7.58

8.94

16.52

69

Rusty Salewske

Alpine CA

8-8

16.47

11.53

4.94

16.47

70

Cameron Karber

Munds Park AZ

8-8

16.34

9.99

6.35

16.34

71

Robert Morales

Williams AZ

7-7

16.16

2.90

13.26

16.16

72

Jeff Rutt

Lake Havasu City AZ

7-7

16.06

12.42

3.64

16.06

73

Travis Jewell

Tyler TX

7-7

15.90

13.03

2.87

15.90

74

Dave Davis

Mesa AZ

10-10

15.81

7.46

8.35

15.81

75

Mark Dotterer

Phoenix AZ

7-7

15.76

12.78

2.98

15.76

76

Austin Melville

Gilbert AZ

8-8

15.73

11.00

4.73

15.73

77

Tyler Ivie

West Haven UT

7-7

15.72

3.92

7.77

7.95

15.72

78

Johnny Johnson

Lakeside AZ

6-6

15.68

3.93

13.70

1.98

15.68

79

Anthony Salazar

Henderson NV

6-6

15.41

3.10

8.42

6.99

15.41

80

Dick Watson

Boulder City NV

7-6

15.77

0.50

12.18

3.09

15.27

81

Scooter Griffith

Mesa AZ

8-8

15.24

3.83

4.99

10.25

15.24

82

Gary Klein

Mingus TX

8-8

15.23

4.77

10.46

15.23

83

Kazuki Kodama

Tokyo Japan

8-8

15.19

8.68

6.51

15.19

84

John Murray

Spring City TN

8-8

14.88

5.47

9.41

14.88

85

Jeff Hudson

Las Vegas NV

6-6

14.72

8.78

5.94

14.72

86

Westly Gritts

Folsom CA

6-6

14.71

13.19

1.52

14.71

87

John Basmadjian

Canyon Lakw CA

8-8

14.63

6.14

8.49

14.63

88

Darren Wilson

Las Vegas NV

6-6

14.45

2.39

12.06

14.45

89

Rodney Reed

Chelan WA

9-9

14.43

9.10

5.33

14.43

90

Joshua Advocate

Fort Mohave AZ

5-5

14.25

4.25

1.52

12.73

14.25

91

Victor Azevedo

Filer ID

7-7

14.19

9.33

4.86

14.19

92

Daymond Allen

Murrieta CA

6-6

13.99

11.03

2.96

13.99

93

Christopher Allen

Grand Junction CO

6-6

13.52

12.40

1.12

13.52

94

Phillip Emery

Oxnard CA

4-4

13.46

3.93

9.53

13.46

95

David Meza

Camarillo CA

4-4

13.44

5.85

7.59

13.44

96

Kevin Hugo

Canyon Lake CA

5-5

13.33

13.33

13.33

97

Colby Pearson

Rogue River OR

6-6

13.25

4.75

4.45

8.80

13.25

98

Nick Young

Lake Havasu City AZ

6-6

13.23

6.34

6.89

13.23

99

Levi Samz

Rock Springs WY

5-5

13.11

4.32

1.54

11.57

13.11

100

Brandon Morton

San Tan Valley AZ

6-6

12.83

3.72

9.11

12.83

101

Dung Van Vu

Paramount CA

7-6

13.18

0.50

3.68

9.69

2.99

12.68

102

David Gliebe

Manteca CA

6-6

12.62

3.00

2.17

10.45

12.62

103

Matt Thomas

Scottsdale AZ

5-5

12.41

4.16

8.25

4.16

12.41

104

Dan Frazier

Paso Robles CA

7-7

12.26

6.43

5.83

12.26

105

Pete Marino

Moreno Valley CA

7-7

12.22

7.12

5.10

12.22

106

Eric Inman

West Jordan UT

4-4

12.07

12.07

12.07

107

Steven Bowlin

Atlanta TX

6-6

11.92

4.21

7.71

11.92

108

Craig Taylor

Oceanside CA

7-7

11.86

6.67

5.19

11.86

109

Ken Whalen

Lompoc CA

6-6

11.82

7.86

3.96

11.82

110

Brandon Gaither

Oakdale CA

6-6

11.78

9.19

2.59

11.78

111

Tyson Christman

Glendale AZ

5-5

11.72

8.96

2.76

11.72

112

Keith Nighswonger

La Habra CA

6-6

11.55

3.80

9.86

1.69

11.55

113

Sean Coffey

Mesa AZ

4-4

11.54

5.20

6.34

11.54

114

Shawn Herring

Las Vegas NV

6-6

11.46

3.35

8.11

11.46

115

Brad Szarkowski

Santa Clarita CA

4-3

11.93

0.50

7.70

3.73

11.43

116

Jesse Halstead

Bonney Lake WA

7-7

11.22

2.93

8.29

11.22

117

Chris Harvey

Idaho Falls ID

5-4

11.65

0.50

4.24

3.35

7.80

11.15

118

Ricky Shabazz

La Mesa CA

4-4

10.76

4.03

6.73

4.03

10.76

118

Carl Limbrick, Jr.

Bonita CA

4-4

10.76

5.88

4.88

10.76

120

Shane Noel

California City CA

5-5

10.70

6.15

4.55

10.70

121

Josh Albee

Golden Valley AZ

5-5

10.60

9.12

1.48

10.60

122

Clayton Meyer

Henderson NV

4-4

10.06

6.45

3.61

10.06

123

Mason McAbee

Bakersfield CA

4-4

9.91

9.91

9.91

124

Jonathan Jackson

Las Vegas NV

5-5

9.85

6.89

2.96

9.85

125

Rick Correa

Wilsonville OR

3-3

9.79

6.58

3.21

9.79

126

David Kemper

Tempe AZ

4-4

9.70

4.10

9.70

9.70

127

Joe Ahrens

San Diego CA

5-5

9.63

3.20

6.43

9.63

128

Tom Leedom

Escondido CA

6-6

9.53

1.29

8.24

9.53

129

Jesse A. Marquez

Lake Havasu City AZ

6-6

9.52

1.66

7.86

9.52

130

Scott Davis

Preston ID

6-6

9.47

4.41

5.06

9.47

131

Jeff Stuart

Las Vegas NV

5-5

9.44

7.81

1.63

9.44

132

Jordan Collom

Canyon Lake CA

5-5

9.38

9.38

9.38

133

Mike Bird

Tonopah NV

4-4

9.31

5.99

3.32

9.31

134

Kevin Wiggins

Winterheaven CA

5-5

9.10

9.10

9.10

135

Matty Wong

Collinsville TX

4-4

9.02

4.19

4.83

9.02

136

Kyle Richins

Washington UT

3-3

8.88

4.51

8.88

8.88

137

Andy Manahl

Mesa AZ

4-4

8.83

4.20

4.92

3.91

8.83

138

Russ Barger

Boise ID

5-5

8.79

3.46

4.13

4.66

8.79

139

Kevin Finley

Phoenix AZ

4-4

8.55

5.92

2.63

8.55

140

Todd Woods

Long Beach CA

3-3

8.24

4.41

3.83

8.24

141

David Baca

Humboldt AZ

4-4

8.22

6.98

1.24

8.22

142

Allen Clark

Florence AZ

4-4

7.68

7.68

7.68

143

Douglas Jones

North Las vegas NV

5-5

7.66

7.66

7.66

144

Brian Nunn

Bakersfield CA

4-4

7.45

5.69

1.76

7.45

145

Lowell Mickelson

Anahiem CA

5-5

7.39

6.37

1.02

7.39

146

John Morrow

Kingman AZ

5-5

7.13

6.01

1.12

7.13

147

Jimmy Reese

Ukiah CA

4-4

7.12

4.05

3.07

7.12

148

Christopher Owen

Poway CA

4-4

7.10

3.63

3.47

7.10

149

Marvin Finley

Peoria AZ

2-2

6.68

4.74

1.94

4.74

6.68

150

Cory Kerber

Madera CA

3-3

6.49

3.35

3.14

6.49

151

Matt Bradley

Henderson CA

4-4

6.46

3.76

2.70

6.46

152

Philip Roesener

Choctaw OK

3-3

6.27

6.27

6.27

153

Jamie Shaw

Coolidge AZ

4-4

6.22

6.22

6.22

154

Kevin Caruso

Glendale AZ

2-2

6.18

6.18

6.18

155

George Sholl

Washington UT

2-2

6.04

3.87

2.17

3.87

6.04

156

Byron Velvick

Boerne TX

2-2

5.94

5.94

5.94

157

Brett Hite

Phoenix AZ

2-2

5.78

4.68

5.78

5.78

158

Gary Martlage

Pheonix AZ

3-3

5.73

3.52

2.21

5.73

159

Paul Ojala

Glendale AZ

3-3

5.62

3.65

1.97

5.62

160

James Wirts

Mesa AZ

2-2

5.41

1.55

3.86

5.41

161

Conrad Demecs

New River AZ

2-2

5.05

5.05

5.05

162

Mark Poe

Coolidge AZ

2-2

4.92

2.67

2.25

4.92

163

Joe Patz

Surprise AZ

3-3

4.81

4.81

4.81

164

Gary Freeman

Las Vegas NV

3-3

4.62

4.62

4.62

165

James Wilcox

Reno CA

1-1

3.94

3.94

3.94

166

Billy Hines

Vacaville CA

3-3

3.56

2.46

1.10

3.56

167

Mike Huseman

Bullhead City AZ

2-2

3.27

3.27

3.27

168

Jeremy Mann

San Jose CA

2-2

3.10

3.10

3.10

169

James Weaver

Lehi UT

2-2

2.88

2.88

2.88

170

Dave Kiesgen

Peorea AZ

2-2

2.73

2.73

2.73

171

Guy Williams

Perris CA

2-2

2.59

1.43

1.16

2.59

172

Robert Yelland

Coeur d Alene ID

1-1

2.00

2.00

2.00

173

Melvin Williams

Chula Vista CA

1-1

1.97

1.97

1.97

174

Jeffery Klicka

Brawley CA

1-1

1.54

1.54

1.54

175

Greg Garcia

Cibola AZ

1-1

1.34

1.34

1.34

176

John Martinez

Las Vegas NV

1-1

1.30

1.30

1.30

177

Rob Sanford

San Diego CA

1-1

1.23

1.23

1.23

178

Dan Davis

Hurrican UT

0-0

0.00

0.00

178

Dan Merchant

Canyon Lake CA

0-0

0.00

0.00

178

Jerren Slaton

Afton TX

0-0

0.00

0.00

178

Jiggs Benn

Myrtle Creek OR

0-0

0.00

0.00

178

Rick Clunn

Ava MO

0-0

0.00

0.00

178

Rick Mason

Glendale AZ

0-0

0.00

0.00

178

Eslam Moursi

Torrance CA

0-0

0.00

0.00

2023 Won Bass U.S. Open

Day 2 AAA Standings

Angler

Hometown

Fish

Wght

Pnlty

B/B

Day 1

Day 2

Total

1

Steven Cook

Willow AK

10-10

34.86

18.83

16.03

34.86

2

Donald Lugert

Needles CA

10-10

34.33

4.48

18.94

15.39

34.33

3

Brian Reaves

Bullhead City AZ

10-10

33.74

4.11

14.90

18.84

33.74

4

Anthony Hunt

Clovis CA

10-10

30.89

4.16

17.63

13.26

30.89

5

Travis Hargis

Chula Vista CA

10-10

30.69

4.98

20.23

10.46

30.69

6

Tim Demecs

Pheonix AZ

10-10

30.28

4.89

15.68

14.60

30.28

7

Coy Mott

Fruitland ID

8-8

30.11

4.77

20.58

9.53

30.11

8

Tony Witt

Orange CA

10-10

29.12

3.06

11.79

17.33

29.12

9

Shawn Carnahan

Gilbert AZ

10-10

28.34

18.30

10.04

28.34

10

Ellison Hubbard

LAS VEGAS NV

10-10

28.31

2.89

11.00

17.31

28.31

11

Antonio Paniccia

Phoenix AZ

10-10

28.26

17.74

10.52

28.26

12

Garrett Ott

Huntington Beach CA

9-9

28.25

13.54

14.71

28.25

13

Robert Murrin

Buelton CA

9-9

26.78

4.45

7.81

18.97

26.78

14

Tom Nokes

Riverton UT

10-10

26.52

4.31

13.19

13.33

26.52

15

Christopher Tobin

Lompoc CA

10-10

26.26

18.40

7.86

26.26

16

Quincy Lewis

San Diego CA

8-8

25.76

20.70

5.06

25.76

17

Andrew Packard

Fresno CA

8-7

25.69

0.50

4.19

14.81

10.38

25.19

18

Kyle Clark

Port Orchard WA

9-9

24.69

7.12

17.57

24.69

19

Geoff Peterson

Huntington Beach CA

8-8

24.36

19.26

5.10

24.36

20

Bo McNeely

Rancho Cucamunga CA

10-9

24.67

0.50

12.18

11.99

24.17

21

Kevin A. Smith

Phoenix AZ

10-10

24.11

3.68

12.20

11.91

24.11

22

Mike McMillan

Burbank CA

10-10

24.03

13.70

10.33

24.03

23

Bryan Davis

Goleta CA

8-8

23.97

4.41

19.56

23.97

24

Joel Chin

Rosemead CA

10-10

23.85

5.05

13.03

10.82

23.85

25

Joseph Johnson

Goodyear AZ

10-10

23.76

2.99

13.31

10.45

23.76

26

John D. Helm

Tempe AZ

9-9

23.70

14.90

8.80

23.70

27

Daniel Martinez

Murrieta CA

8-8

23.51

5.86

9.70

13.81

23.51

28

Sean Slonski

Buckeye AZ

6-5

23.88

0.50

3.86

19.52

3.86

23.38

29

Eric Hammer

Peoria AZ

9-8

23.69

0.50

4.11

14.25

8.94

23.19

30

David Childress

Bakersfield CA

9-9

22.78

4.27

16.95

5.83

22.78

31

John Bitting

Kingman AZ

9-9

22.62

4.77

10.83

11.79

22.62

32

Dayne Mendes

Hilmar CA

9-8

22.95

0.50

10.39

12.06

22.45

33

Mike Kizis

Belle River ON

8-8

22.10

5.07

15.59

6.51

22.10

34

James Clayton

Prescott AZ

8-8

22.07

6.98

15.09

22.07

35

Tyler Ford

Tucson AZ

10-10

21.97

11.37

10.60

21.97

36

Brett Robbins

Solvang CA

10-10

21.83

11.53

10.30

21.83

37

Markus Avalos

Las Vegas NV

7-7

21.73

18.66

3.07

21.73

38

Kyle Gelles

Pingree ID

8-8

21.43

3.63

15.63

5.80

21.43

39

Randall Coyle

Eagle Mountain UT

7-7

21.25

16.59

4.66

21.25

40

Mike Gabrielson

Bullhead City AZ

10-10

21.12

9.33

11.79

21.12

41

R. Stephen
Gustafson

Santa Monica CA

8-8

20.86

13.43

7.43

20.86

42

Michael Croft

Alcoa TN

6-6

20.64

4.63

1.66

18.98

20.64

43

Todd Belzner

Cave Creek AZ

9-9

20.47

8.25

12.22

20.47

44

Mike Dailey

Reno NV

8-8

20.35

6.55

13.80

20.35

45

Kirk Marshall

Discovery Bay CA

8-4

22.24

2.00

13.25

6.99

20.24

46

Brian Pappalardo

Corona CA

5-5

20.17

20.17

20.17

47

Paul Gelles

Pingree ID

8-8

20.13

8.36

11.77

20.13

48

Kevin McBean

Shafter CA

8-8

20.04

15.10

4.94

20.04

49

Shawn Wagner

Glendale AZ

7-7

19.80

3.80

15.87

3.93

19.80

50

Mike Hawkins

Boulder City NV

5-5

19.58

19.58

19.58

51

William Duncan

Hollister CA

6-6

19.57

17.81

1.76

19.57

52

Ray Kawabata

Bothel WA

10-10

19.51

7.46

12.05

19.51

53

Damon Motley

Orange CA

9-9

19.27

3.76

11.03

8.24

19.27

54

Steve Jenkins

Apache Junction AZ

7-7

19.23

6.58

12.65

19.23

55

Robert Munoz

Hollister CA

7-7

18.95

15.97

2.98

18.95

56

Anthony Souza

Rio Vista CA

6-6

18.72

4.03

2.17

16.55

18.72

57

David Sloane

Tousand Oaks CA

5-5

18.47

4.70

3.93

14.54

18.47

58

David Stanberry

Wasilla AK

7-7

18.13

6.01

12.12

18.13

59

Kenny Johnson

Eager AZ

7-7

18.12

15.25

2.87

18.12

60

Greg Wheeler

Atascadero CA

5-5

18.04

18.04

18.04

61

Steve W. Clark

Fresno CA

6-6

18.02

4.94

6.45

11.57

18.02

62

Makoto Otani

Japan

7-6

18.48

0.50

6.43

11.55

17.98

63

James Murphy

Gilbert AZ

10-10

17.92

9.57

8.35

17.92

64

Rick Mikla

Discovery Bay CA

9-9

17.81

9.86

7.95

17.81

65

Gavin Hammer

Peoria AZ

6-6

17.65

3.65

14.00

17.65

66

Mike Rasso

Phoenix AZ

8-8

17.43

5.47

11.96

17.43

67

Jonathan Green

San Pablo CA

7-7

17.32

2.91

3.27

14.05

17.32

68

Mandy Myers

Santaquin UT

7-7

17.30

12.40

4.90

17.30

69

Mike Olsen

Bullhead AZ

6-6

17.23

16.11

1.12

17.23

70

Tom Creasy

Covina CA

10-10

17.21

7.80

9.41

17.21

71

Wyatt Hansen

Oakdale CA

8-8

17.10

4.28

12.78

4.32

17.10

72

Noah Sanford

Boulder City NV

8-8

16.96

7.05

9.91

16.96

73

Jonathan Emmons

Surprise AZ

7-7

16.94

4.21

12.73

16.94

74

Ken Hromada

Gilbert AZ

8-8

16.79

7.58

9.21

16.79

75

Charlie Crawford

Peoria AZ

7-7

16.51

3.93

4.13

12.38

16.51

76

Todd Tobiasson

Las Vegas NV

6-6

16.25

12.09

4.16

16.25

77

Bill Eastes

Boulder Creek CA

7-7

16.24

5.78

10.46

16.24

78

Dave Cole

Roy UT

9-9

16.11

9.38

6.73

16.11

79

David Shearrer

Trabuco Canyon CA

6-6

15.58

3.92

5.92

9.66

15.58

80

Hayden Metz

Eastvalle CA

5-5

15.55

4.62

11.52

4.03

15.55

81

Mike Crothers

Chandler AZ

6-6

15.39

12.07

3.32

15.39

82

Jacob Crawford

San Pedro CA

7-7

15.38

3.72

11.66

15.38

83

Ronnie Orbaker

Madera CA

7-7

15.19

12.56

2.63

15.19

84

Andrew Bell

San Tan Valley AZ

8-8

15.11

6.03

9.08

15.11

85

Greg Wood

Branson MO

5-5

14.93

4.67

14.93

14.93

86

Tim Domingues

San Jose CA

6-6

14.81

6.73

8.08

14.81

87

Mike Faherty

Lake Havasu City AZ

7-6

15.19

0.50

6.89

7.80

14.69

88

Donnie Scroggins

Kingman AZ

7-7

14.68

11.98

2.70

14.68

89

Fisher Griffith

Mesa AZ

8-8

14.64

6.15

8.49

14.64

90

James Darling

Glendale AZ

7-7

14.53

8.42

6.11

14.53

90

Bryan Colby

Prescott AZ

9-9

14.53

8.33

6.20

14.53

92

Fred Buelna

Chandler AZ

5-5

14.27

11.06

3.21

14.27

93

Mike Peterson

Hemet CA

6-6

14.21

2.39

11.82

14.21

94

Brian Bullis Jr.

Anthem AZ

6-6

14.10

12.98

1.12

14.10

95

Tom White, Sr.

Fountain Valley CA

7-7

14.08

11.12

2.96

14.08

96

William Penrod

Salome AZ

6-6

14.04

7.86

6.18

14.04

97

Daniel Lutz

Las Vegas NV

7-7

13.93

9.10

4.83

13.93

98

Tom Warren

Maricopa AZ

7-7

13.71

4.92

8.79

13.71

99

Jade Larson

Pleasant Grove UT

7-7

13.60

3.35

10.25

13.60

100

Rocky Luiere

Henderson NV

6-6

13.59

8.78

4.81

13.59

101

Dylan Moore

Bakersfield CA

7-7

13.46

9.99

3.47

13.46

102

Joseph Lineberry

Ramseur NC

6-6

13.38

8.52

4.86

13.38

103

David Thies

Lake Havasu City CA

7-7

13.10

4.99

8.11

13.10

104

Landon Allen

Grand Junction CO

5-5

12.83

4.29

5.94

6.89

12.83

105

Robbie Espinosa

Yorba Linda CA

4-4

12.71

3.83

8.88

3.83

12.71

106

Bobby Tidd

Mesa AZ

7-7

12.59

3.76

8.83

12.59

106

Scott Johnson

Vacaville CA

7-7

12.59

8.68

3.91

12.59

108

Chris Carpenter

Grants Pass OR

5-4

13.08

0.50

4.16

7.70

4.88

12.58

109

Ron Reed

Boulder City NV

5-5

12.42

12.42

12.42

110

Jay Witecki

North Las Vegas NV

5-5

12.33

9.19

3.14

12.33

111

Randy Weber

Phelan CA

6-6

12.28

10.74

1.54

12.28

112

Jonathan Baker

Boulder City NV

5-5

12.25

12.25

12.25

113

Len Scinto

Santa Clarita CA

6-6

12.22

7.49

4.73

12.22

114

Richard Craft

Puyallup WA

6-6

12.02

5.05

6.97

12.02

115

Chris White

Clayton CA

5-5

12.00

9.27

2.73

12.00

116

Ethan Hammer

Peoria AZ

5-5

11.95

11.95

11.95

117

David Hutto

Escondido CA

5-5

11.88

9.12

2.76

11.88

117

Kevin Holmgreen

Lake Havasu City AZ

6-6

11.88

4.45

7.43

11.88

119

Zack Hayes

Blythe CA

6-6

11.79

8.68

3.11

11.79

120

Alex Martinez

Menifee CA

6-6

11.42

5.20

6.22

11.42

121

Ryan Vilmur

Oakdale CA

5-5

11.31

3.90

4.05

7.26

11.31

122

Eric Stanley

Antioch CA

3-3

11.24

11.24

11.24

123

Joseph Riordan

Bullhead City AZ

6-6

11.23

9.60

1.63

11.23

124

Ron Goldshine

Los Angeles CA

6-6

10.71

9.69

1.02

10.71

125

Vincent Alcantara

Phoenix AZ

5-5

10.69

6.14

4.55

10.69

126

Adam Spies

Costa Mesa CA

6-6

10.64

4.33

6.31

10.64

127

Chris Beverly

Queen Creek AZ

5-5

10.44

8.96

1.48

10.44

128

Ron Morrison

Lompoc CA

5-5

10.34

1.23

9.11

10.34

129

Randy Bruno

Huntington Beach CA

5-5

9.98

3.63

6.35

9.98

130

Scott Holman

Orange CA

6-6

9.90

3.25

6.81

3.09

9.90

131

Brent Johnson

S. Lake Tahoe CA

5-5

9.89

7.68

2.21

9.89

132

Jay Cranney

Rockford TN

5-5

9.86

9.86

9.86

133

Dylan Watson

Hayward CA

3-3

9.76

4.83

2.17

7.59

9.76

134

Ruben Sandoval

Blythe CA

3-3

9.72

5.85

3.87

9.72

135

Patrick S. Donoho

Las Vegas NV

3-3

9.61

3.91

5.88

3.73

9.61

136

Darin Guglielmo

Santa Barbara CA

6-6

9.52

4.19

5.33

9.52

137

Robert Gower

Lake Forest CA

4-4

9.46

7.77

1.69

9.46

138

Jacob Yates

Flagstaff AZ

6-6

9.39

4.77

4.62

9.39

139

Tom Kruse

Cayucos CA

6-5

9.86

0.50

6.37

2.99

9.36

140

Thomas Hanes

Lemoore CA

4-4

9.23

1.52

7.71

9.23

141

Christopher Irigoyen

Henderson NV

5-5

9.10

9.10

9.10

142

Benjamin Green

Jasper TN

6-6

8.95

1.29

7.66

8.95

143

Mario Caporuscio

Las Vegas NZ

4-4

8.45

6.47

1.98

8.45

144

Travis Smith

Canyon Lake CA

3-3

8.42

6.45

1.97

8.42

145

Jason Abernathy

Goodyear AZ

5-5

8.39

5.69

2.70

8.39

146

Jordan Werner

Hurricane UT

5-5

8.29

8.29

8.29

147

Mike Gowey

Snowflake AZ

5-5

8.24

8.24

8.24

148

Rob Copple

Pahrump NV

2-2

8.00

8.00

8.00

149

Nathan Hill

Henderson NV

5-5

7.97

6.67

1.30

7.97

150

Joe Aldridge

Escondido CA

2-2

7.85

7.85

7.85

151

Dave Phillips

Nampa ID

3-3

7.58

3.94

3.64

7.58

152

Chance Gammon

Bakersfield CA

2-2

6.71

1.97

4.74

6.71

153

Brian P. Day

San Diego CA

3-3

6.43

6.43

6.43

154

JP Brandvig

Chandler AZ

3-3

6.34

6.34

6.34

154

Greg Prather

Mesa AZ

2-2

6.34

6.34

6.34

156

Ralph Wells

Lake Havasu City AZ

3-3

6.31

3.35

2.96

6.31

157

Chuck Turner

Golden Valley AZ

3-3

6.27

6.27

6.27

158

James Denny

Apache Junction AZ

3-3

6.19

1.55

4.64

6.19

159

Justin Sperle

Queen Creek AZ

2-2

5.99

5.99

5.99

160

Craig Miller

Las Vegas NV

4-4

5.94

3.35

2.59

5.94

160

Chad Prochaska

Blythe CA

3-3

5.94

5.94

5.94

162

Ray Gauerke

Porterville CA

3-3

5.19

1.34

3.85

5.19

162

Joe Feola

Riverside CA

3-3

5.19

5.19

5.19

164

Rick Melead

Yorba Linda CA

3-3

5.15

1.54

3.61

5.15

165

Cole Daniel

Salinas CA

3-3

4.71

2.46

2.25

4.71

166

Kevin Burgess

Kingman AZ

2-2

4.41

4.41

4.41

167

Junior Barajas

Las Vegas NV

3-3

4.16

2.90

1.26

4.16

168

Brian Avila

Lenmoore CA

3-3

4.04

2.88

1.16

4.04

169

Scott Robertson

Norco CA

2-2

3.96

3.96

3.96

170

Ty Crofts

Cedar City UT

2-2

3.77

2.67

1.10

3.77

171

Gary Volpe

Payson AZ

2-2

3.52

3.52

3.52

172

Rick Moore

Salinas CA

2-2

3.20

3.20

3.20

173

John Carroll

Phoenix AZ

2-2

3.18

1.94

1.24

3.18

174

Kanin Fife

Mesa AZ

2-2

3.10

3.10

3.10

175

Michael McCarville

Lae Havasu City AZ

2-2

2.93

2.93

2.93

176

Chris Gritts

Folsom CA

1-1

2.00

2.00

2.00

177

Kevin Gross

Redding CA

1-1

1.52

1.52

1.52

178

Don Dethloff

Rathdrum ID

1-1

1.43

1.43

1.43

179

Lawrence Bryan

Mohave Valley AZ

0-0

0.00

0.00

179

Curtis Tara

Hayward CA

0-0

0.00

0.00

179

Jose Aguilera

Peoria AZ

0-0

0.00

0.00

179

David King

Compton CA

0-0

0.00

0.00

179

Filler Pro

2-2

0.00

0.00

179

Filler AAA

2-2

0.00

0.00


MLF Announces Strategic Plan for 2024 Bass Pro Tour and Beyond

MLF Returns to Its Roots, Reinstates “Every Fish Counts” Format on the Bass Pro Tour, Announces Exclusive Field of 50 Anglers in 2025 to Showcase Top Performers

BENTON, Ky. (Oct. 17, 2023) – Major League Fishing (MLF), the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization, today announced long-term plans for the Bass Pro Tour, including an investment in increased livestreaming of MLF competition, a return to the “every fish counts” scoring format, and an exclusive roster of 50 anglers for the Bass Pro Tour in 2025 to increase visibility and showcase top performers.

2025 Bass Pro Tour:
The 2025 Bass Pro Tour field will feature an all-star roster of 50 anglers comprised of the top 35 pros from the 2024 Bass Pro Tour lifetime Angler of the Year (AOY) standings, the top 10 anglers from the 2024 Bass Pro Tour single-year standings that did not qualify via the top 35 lifetime AOY standings, and the top five (5) anglers from the 2024 Tackle Warehouse Invitationals.

Each regular-season 2025 Bass Pro Tour event will be four days with every angler competing the first two days. The top 20 anglers based on two-day cumulative weight will advance to the Knockout Round (Day 3).  Weights will reset in the Knockout Round, and the top 10 anglers will advance to the Championship Round (Day 4). Winners will be determined by heaviest cumulative weight from the Knockout and Championship rounds.

“The future of our sport is livestreaming, catch-weigh-immediate release and every fish counts,” said MLF President and CEO Boyd Duckett. “By focusing on 50 anglers in a more compact event that’s easy for both die-hard and casual fans alike to follow, we’ll do what other successful leagues have done to grow – focus on a small group of the highest performers and make them the most visible personalities in the sport. It also allows us to enhance what are already the sport’s best payouts.”

Each Stage on the 2025 Bass Pro Tour will pay $130,000 to the winner and $2,000 through 50th place. REDCREST will feature the sport’s top award of $300,000 with $10,000 through 20th place and $5,000 through last place. Heavy Hitters will feature $100,000 for a win with big bass awards in each round of $25,000, $50,000 and $100,000.

Not only does the Bass Pro Tour feature the sport’s best payouts and biggest media platform, its anglers graduate through the sport’s most lucrative qualifying circuits – the nationally-televised and livestreamed Tackle Warehouse Invitationals, Toyota Series Presented by Phoenix Boats, Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine, and Abu Garcia College Fishing Presented by YETI.

Reinstating “Every Fish Counts” Scoring:
Scoring on the Bass Pro Tour will return to the “every fish counts” format in 2024. After scoring each anglers’ five biggest bass per day in 2023, the change will recapture the excitement and pressure of the Tour’s original format.

“We responded in 2023 to fans and anglers that wanted to see how five-fish scoring would work with our SCORETRACKER® live leaderboard,” said MLF Executive Vice President and General Manager Kathy Fennel. “Unfortunately, viewership growth was stagnant. The Bass Pro Tour thrives on intense competition, and the scoring change affected the Tour’s competitiveness in an unexpected way. By reinstating the every fish counts scoring structure and having fewer anglers in the Knockout Round, pros will no longer be able to let their guard down without the risk of being overtaken by someone climbing SCORETRACKER®.”

2024 Bass Pro Tour Tournament Format:
In addition to the scoring change, the format of each Bass Pro Tour event in 2024 will also be adjusted. Forty anglers in Group A will compete on Days 1 & 3 and 40 anglers in Group B will compete on Days 2 & 4. Only the top 10 anglers from each group – based on the two-day, heaviest cumulative weight – will advance to the Knockout Round (Day 5). Weights will be zeroed for the Knockout Round, and the top 10 anglers will advance to the Championship Round (Day 6). Weights from the Knockout Round will carry over into the Championship Round, and the winner of each event will be decided by the heaviest Knockout and Championship round two-day cumulative weight.

The complete 2024 Bass Pro Tour schedule is available at MajorLeagueFishing.com.


AFTCO Bass Boot Camp Is Back

SANTA ANA, Ca., October 19, 2023- AFTCO is on the hunt for the next B.A.S.S. Opens EQ angler to feature in their YouTube series Bass Boot Camp. This opportunity is open to all registered 2024 B.A.S.S. Opens EQ anglers. If selected, AFTCO will pay your B.A.S.S. Opens EQ entry fees and provide a full product sponsorship. Tournament bass fishing fans can follow your behind-the-scenes journey in a 9-episode vlog series on the AFTCO YouTube channel.

To be eligible for the 2024 AFTCO Bass Boot Camp, simply fill out the application form and produce a 5 minute video telling us why you should be the next Bass Boot Camp recruit. Be creative, unique, and yourself. Show us what sets you apart from the roster and why you should represent AFTCO throughout the 2024 B.A.S.S. Opens EQ tournament season.

The application period is open from Oct 15, 2023 to December 31, 2023. The winner will be selected January 17th, 2024. Applicants must be registered to fish the 2024 B.A.s.S. Opens EQ in their own boat and be able to film, edit, and create their own videos. Video and basic editing skills are a requirement.

Apply here: www.aftco.com/bootcamp

Also, any angler registered to fish the entire Bassmaster Opens in 2024 can sign up for the Best On Tour Buck$ContingencyProgram to gain eligibility for a contingency bonus check of $1,000 that will be paid to the top registered angler after each Opens EQ tournament. Even if you don't get selected as the 2024 AFTCO Bass Boot Camp recruit, you still have an opportunity to get an additional $1,000 payday from Best OnTour.

Best On Tour Buck$ Contingency Program: https://bestontour.net/contingency/


Thompkins takes Bassmaster Opens EQ points title, eight others punch Elite Series ticket

Nine new anglers have earned invitations to fish the 2024 Bassmaster Elite Series after competing in all nine St. Croix Bassmaster Opens tournaments as part of the new Elite Qualifiers Division. 

Photos by Andy Crawford/B.A.S.S.

October 17, 2023

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — The goal for JT Thompkins entering the 2023 St. Croix Bassmaster Opens season was simply to qualify for the 2024 Bassmaster Elite Series. But as the season unfolded and an Elite Series berth became more and more likely, Thompkins shifted his focus solely to winning the Opens Elite Qualifiers Division Angler of the Year title.

“Honestly, about two tournaments ago, I completely forgot about the Elite race. It was no longer a thought in my mind,” he explained. “It switched to the AOY race. That is why I have been shooting for the win in the last couple of events.”

Capping off an incredible season with his seventh Top 25 finish of the season, Thompkins clinched the Angler of the Year title in the inaugural season of the Elite Qualifiers Division format by accumulating 1,659 points. Along with the $10,000 cash prize, the Myrtle Beach, S.C., native will be heading to the Bassmaster Elite Series.

Union City, Tenn., pro John Garrett finished second, followed by Illinois’ Trey McKinney in third. Robert GeeTyler WilliamsWesley GoreLogan ParksBen Milliken and Kyle Patrick all earned Elite Series berths as well. Elite Series pro Kenta Kimura finished fifth in the EQ standings. Since Kimura double-qualified for the 2024 Elite Series, that allowed one additional angler to earn an Elite invitation.

“This has been one of the most stacked Opens fields of all time,” Thompkins said. “I have always thought about when I did make it to the Elites, I wanted to win Rookie of the Year. Just knowing I have done it once, I’ve beaten all the incoming rookies this year, it gives me confidence I can do it again next year.”

Eight of the nine anglers moving on to the Elite Series are under the age of 30, with Thompkins (21), Williams (21) and McKinney (18) being the three youngest of the group. While the 2022 Elite Series rookie class was heralded as one of the best ever, Thompkins believes this incoming group has a chance to be even better.

“When all us were standing there with our medallions, and me and John Garrett were in the front, that was when a lot of it set in,” he said. “When you talk to all the guys who qualified, none of them are scared. Everyone is saying, ‘We are going to go over there and dominate.’ They are all talking about winning.”

With a 19-point lead over Garrett going into the final tournament, Thompkins was as stressed as he has been this season knowing he needed to keep the momentum going for one more event.

“This week, I’ve been more stressed out than any other week of the year. I had cold sores, I couldn’t sleep, but when I saw that trophy at registration on Wednesday, everything came into focus,” Thompkins said during the cancellation day Thursday. “I have been pretty stressed about it, but usually the more stress I put on myself, the better I do. The more (stressed I am, the more) confident I feel about going out and catching them.”

With a strong performance on Day 1, Thompkins felt another limit on Day 2 would seal the deal. On the final day, Thompkins hooked up with a 4-pounder on a jerkbait, but his first couple turns of the reel collected his microphone cable and, for a moment, Thompkins was worried that bass would come off.

“I leaned into it, and the way I fish, my reel will hit my pocket, and when it did, the mic got wrapped up in it and I couldn’t reel,” he said. “Then all of sudden, the fish jumped in the air with complete slack in the line, and after losing two or three big ones already, I thought I was going to lose that one too. But the way he was hooked, I’m not sure he ever would have gotten off. It worked out. That fish was super-important.”

Once that bass entered the livewell, Thompkins felt he had put it out of reach, but another cull late in the day provided the biggest sigh of relief.

“I threw back a 1-pounder for a 2-pounder,” Thompkins said. “That put me up another pound and I knew for 100% that it was over. John would have needed a 30-pound bag to come back.”

The Angler of the Year title caps off an incredible year for Thompkins. Last September, he notched his first career victory at the Upper Chesapeake Bay, which led to a 24th-place finish at the 2023 Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic.

Leaving Knoxville with a competitive finish gave Thompkins a ton of confidence heading into the bulk of the Opens season.

“A lot of fishing is confidence,” said Thompkins. “When you get back in the boat each morning with the confidence that you are doing it a lot better than a lot of people, it gives you confidence to stick with it knowing that, if you do, you’ll come out on top. That is what has helped me a lot this year ... being able to stick to a deal more and longer than everyone else around me because I have the confidence I’ll be able to catch them. It has worked out this year perfectly.”

Thompkins spends close to 300 days on the water a year. Other than travel and boat maintenance days, Thompkins said he will be on the water from daylight to dark, scanning and searching for winning spots and techniques. Practice makes perfect, and that’s the philosophy Thompkins has adopted throughout his journey to the Elite Series.

Now, Thompkins will look ahead to the Elite Series schedule. He is most looking forward to the Northern swing at the end of the season, but a return trip to the Harris Chain of Lakes has him intrigued as well. Remarkably, the event in his home state, Lake Murray, is a lake he has only visited a handful of times.

“I’m excited for a lot of tournaments,” he said. “Harris Chain is a big one I’m looking forward to if the grass is right and the water clarity is right. I’m also looking forward to Lake Champlain and St. Lawrence River. I’ve probably spent more time on Champlain than (the) St. Lawrence River. I’m pretty excited for Wheeler Lake and Smith Lake too.”

The Elite Series season kicks off Feb. 22-25 on Toledo Bend in Many, La.

Bassmaster Opens Elite Qualifiers Division
Final Standings

Finish Name Hometown Total Points
1 JT Thompkins Myrtle Beach, SC 1,659
2 John Garrett Union City, TN 1,644
3 Trey McKinney Carbondale, IL 1,594
4 Robert Gee Knoxville, TN 1,526
5 Kenta Kimura Hirakata, Japan 1,502
6 Tyler Williams Belgrade, ME 1,463
7 Wesley Gore Clanton, AL 1,455
8 Logan Parks Auburn, AL 1,435
9 Ben Milliken New Caney, TX 1,430
10 Kyle Patrick Cooperstown, NY 1,426
11 Bobby Lane Lakeland, FL 1,403
12 Kyle Austin Ridgeville, SC 1,400
13 Brett Cannon Kiln, MS 1,396
14 Keith Tuma Brainerd, MN 1,396
15 Jamie Bruce Kenora, Canada 1,367
16 Sam George Athens, AL 1,364
17 Cody Stahl Barnsville, GA 1,343
18 Joey Nania Cropwell, AL 1,342
19 Shaine Campbell Brookeland, TX 1,341
20 Trevor McKinney Benton, IL 1,334
21 Jacob Bigelow Cecil, WI 1,334
22 Logan Johnson Jasper, AL 1,330
23 Dale Hightower Mannford, OK 1,328
24 Kurt Mitchell Milford, DE 1,326
25 Adam Rasmussen Sturgeon Bay, WI 1,294
26 Blake Smith Lakeland, FL 1,274
27 Matt Henry Milledgeville, GA 1,270
28 Jack Dice Lynchburg, VA 1,254
29 Casey Scanlon Eldon, MO 1,250
30 Blake Sylvester Plaquemine, LA 1,242
31 Greg Bohannan Bentonville, AR 1,225
32 Jack York Emory, TX 1,221
33 Chris Blanchette Edisto Island, SC 1,212
34 Chad Warren Sand Springs, OK 1,198
35 Derek Lehtonen Woodruff, SC 1,190
36 Clark Reehm Elm Grove, LA 1,182
37 Andrew Upshaw Hemphill, TX 1,171
38 Austin Cranford Norman, OK 1,166
39 Josh Bragg Fayetteville, GA 1,163
40 Jimmy Washam Stantonville, TN 1,131
41 Ish Monroe Oakdale, CA 1,124
42 Jonathan Dietz Corry, PA 1,123
43 Jake Maddux Birmingham, AL 1,116
44 Ty Faber Pagosa Springs, CO 1,099
45 Miles Burghoff Dayton, TN 1,096
46 Andrew Hargrove Moody, TX 1,088
47 Scout Echols Monticello, AR 1,083
48 Jason Lambert Savannah, TN 1,070
49 Jason Meninger Yulee, FL 1,049
50 Kyle Goltz Cornell, WI 1,045

 


BG Means Big Game

FOOTHILL RANCH, CA (October 17, 2023) – Sometimes, choosing what reel size to buy is a headscratcher. Do you get something in the 2000 range for smaller catches and light-action battles? Up in that 6500 realm for serious lunkers? Or perhaps a do-it-all 3500 size?

DAIWA is giving you stab at winning the entire BG spinning reel collection, from the petite 1500-size to the 8000-size kraken.

Winner or not, anglers are encouraged to check out the affordably priced, feature laden DAIWA BG. With models ranging from ultralight freshwater to heavy big game saltwater options, DAIWA’s BG series is designed to handle every conceivable fishing scenario. The reel’s solid black anodized machined aluminum housing, coupled with a secure screw-in handle, guarantees exceptional rigidity and longevity. Lightweight and incredibly strong, aluminum yields the strength and feathery weight without the cost and corrosion issues of other metals.

The BG Series isn't just tough; it's technologically advanced. Featuring DIGIGEAR technology, BG reels come equipped with gears 20% to 40% larger than the competition. The gears’ larger tooth pattern significantly extends their lifespan, making BG’s one to three times more durable than rival reels.

AIR ROTOR

Lighter, stronger, and more balanced than any rotor system that’s come before, ‘Air Rotor’ delivers a great leap forward in rotor design and function and delivers the ultimate reel sensitivity and rotational balance.

ATD DRAG

DAIWA’s Automatic Tournament Drag uses an improved drag grease that exhibits low viscosity at rest yet becomes more viscous immediately after drag start up. This reduces initial drag start-up inertia, and combined with the structural changes of the ATD Drag System, results in a smoother drag from the initial hook up.

DIGIGEAR

Daiwa’s first generation of digitally engineered gear design ensures a perfect mesh between ultra-tough drive gear and pinion gears for optimized speed, power, durability, and smoothness.

MSRP starting at $129.99