Last Minute Cull Gives Louisiana’s Tyler Stewart the Win at Tackle Warehouse Invitational Stop 2
Dubach pro catches clutch 3½-pounder in final 10 minutes to jump to top of leaderboard and take home $80,000 top prize
LAGRANGE, Ga. (March 3, 2024) – The final day of the Major League Fishing (MLF) Tackle Warehouse Invitational Stop 2 Presented by Suzuki on West Point Lake was as dramatic as anticipated. With the clock ticking down, none of the leaders had pulled clearly ahead or had spectacular days, until Tyler Stewart of Dubach, Louisiana, iced it with a last-minute kicker fish.
“Honestly, I was hoping to catch a 2½-pound spotted bass, to get a few more pounds, because I knew it was going to be so close,” Stewart said of his final fish. “There was a dock that I caught one 2-pounder on in practice, in front of the ramp. I rolled up to that dock with 10 minutes left, slung a ChatterBait under it and caught a 3½-pounder and culled out a 1-pounder. When it’s meant to be, it’s gonna happen.”
That fish bumped Stewart up to 14 pounds, 4 ounces on the day, enough to clear Todd Walters of Kernersville, North Carolina, by 7 ounces and win his first Tackle Warehouse Invitationals event with a three-day total of 45-3. For the win, Stewart takes home the top prize of $80,000 and a coveted spot in REDCREST 2025.
Having fished as a pro on the FLW Tour and its various iterations since 2018, Stewart has fished the Forrest Wood Cup and the Tackle Warehouse TITLE Championship and been in the hunt to win before. A winner in college in 2016, Stewart fished at the University of Louisiana-Monroe, and has since fished his way around the country.
This week, he took a couple of clues from practice, added some veteran savvy, and put together a win.
“The first day of practice, I caught an 8-pounder, or about that, on the docks I fished the first day,” he said. “It ate that ChatterBait, and that was the only big bite I had. I said ‘Well, there’s big ones around here, I might as well start here.’ I went down that stretch first thing on Day 1 and caught 15 pounds.”
From there, Stewart was able to let his skills take it the rest of the way.
“When I got bit doing that in practice, I was excited, because I’ve done well in tournaments where that (dock bite) was going on,” he said. “Clarks Hill last year, I had a bad second day, but the first day I did the exact same thing on docks and caught 16 or 17 pounds real quick. I love doing it, I do it a lot back home – the Ouachita River has a bunch of marinas and I catch them like that all the time on it.
“Most of those docks were in 15 or 20 feet. The fish were definitely sitting under the floats, like a foot under the water. I was slow rolling it through there, trying to get one to react.”
Fishing some laydowns as well, and catching a few spotted bass off rock places, the bread and butter for Stewart was a ChatterBait and docks, either along shorelines or in marinas. His bait of choice was a 1/2-ounce Z-Man Evergreen ChatterBait JackHammer with a shad trailer, which he threw on a 7-foot, 5-inch, medium heavy Favorite Hex, with 17-pound P-Line Tactical .
On the final day, Stewart caught two kicker largemouth, one early, one late, and that was the difference maker. Combined with a stellar Day 1, which saw him catch the biggest bag of the event, it was just enough to get the job done.
“I haven’t won since college, it’s so hard to do it,” Stewart said. “Leading a day is one thing, but finishing it out, I’ll just be honest, I’m not really a closer. I usually catch them really good, and then fall off. This feels really good.”
It also sets him up for a run at Bass Pro Tour qualification – MLF’s most prestigious circuit. After finishing 66th at Sam Rayburn to start the year, he’s now 23rd in the points.
“I’m excited about it,” he said. “Last year, I had a couple unfortunate things happen that might have cost me the Bass Pro Tour qualification. But, I’m going to try to be more responsible this year, make sure to charge my batteries before the second day, and stuff like that. The schedule looks like a lot of fun, I’ve been doing it eight years now, and I’ve been to all these places other than where we’re at right now.”
The top 30 pros at the Tackle Warehouse Invitational Stop 2 Presented by Suzuki at West Point Lake finished:
1st: Tyler Stewart, Dubach, La., 15 bass, 45-3, $80,000
2nd: Todd Walters, Kernersville, N.C., 15 bass, 44-12, $50,000
3rd: Derik Hudson, Concord, Va., 15 bass, 43-8, $20,300
4th: Colby Miller, Elmer, La., 15 bass, 41-14, $18,000
5th: Drew Gill, Mount Carmel, Ill., 15 bass, 41-6, $17,000
6th: Cole Breeden, Lebanon, Mo., 15 bass, 41-1, $16,000
7th: Jake Lawrence, Buchanan, Tenn., 15 bass, 40-5, $15,000
8th: Ethan Greene, Eufaula, Ala., 15 bass, 40-2, $14,000
9th: Troy Stokes, Trenton, Mich., 15 bass, 39-13, $13,000
10th: Ken Thompson, Roaring Springs, Penn., 15 bass, 39-12, $12,000
11th: Brody Campbell, Oxford, Ohio, 15 bass, 39-12, $10,000
12th: Alec Morrison, Peru, N.Y., 15 bass, 39-10, $10,000
13th: Charlie Williams, LaGrange, Ga., 15 bass, 38-13, $10,000
14th: Marshall Hughes, Hemphill, Texas, 15 bass, 38-8, $10,000
15th: Taylor Parker, Lake View, Ala., 15 bass, 37-13, $10,000
16th: Jack Daniel Williams, Kingsport, Tenn., 15 bass, 37-13, $10,000
17th: Alex Davis, Albertville, Ala., 15 bass, 37-12, $10,000
18th: Keith Poche, Pike Road, Ala., 15 bass, 37-11, $10,000
19th: Brock Reinkemeyer, Warsaw, Mo., 15 bass, 36-14, $10,000
20th: Cameron Mattison, Benton, La., 15 bass, 36-12, $10,000
21st: Bobby Padgett, LaGrange, Ga., 15 bass, 36-3, $10,000
22nd: Michael Harlin, Sunrise Beach, Mo., 15 bass, 36-2, $10,000
23rd: Keith Carson, DeBary, Fla., 15 bass, 35-15, $10,000
24th: Brett Carnright, Plattsburgh, N.Y., 15 bass, 35-15, $10,000
25th: Spike Stoker, Cisco, Texas, 15 bass, 35-13, $10,000
26th: Brian Gay, LaGrange, Ga., 15 bass, 35-8, $10,000
27th: Chris Blair, Newnan, Ga., 15 bass, 35-7, $10,000
28th: Kyle Cortiana, Broken Arrow, Okla., 15 bass, 35-3, $10,000
29th: Brad Jelinek, Lincoln, Mo., 15 bass, 34-6, $10,000
30th: Kelly Jordon, Flint, Texas, 11 bass, 28-4, $10,000
Complete results for the entire field can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
Overall, there were 146 bass weighing 333 pounds even caught by 30 pros Sunday. The catch included 29 five-bass limits.
The three-day tournament, hosted by Visit LaGrange , featured a roster of 150 anglers competing for a top prize of up to $115,000 and an invitation to compete at REDCREST 2025. The next Tackle Warehouse Invitational event will take place April 19-21 at the Tackle Warehouse Invitational Stop 3 Presented by Phoenix Boats on Kentucky-Barkley Lake in Calvert City, Kentucky.
In Tackle Warehouse Invitational competition, the full field of 150 anglers competed in the two-day opening round on Friday and Saturday in a five-fish, weigh-in format. Only the top 30 pros, based on their two-day cumulative weight, advanced to the final round on Championship Sunday. The winner of the Tackle Warehouse Invitational Stop 2 at West Point Lake Presented by Suzuki was determined by the heaviest three-day cumulative weight and now receives an invitation to compete at REDCREST 2025 on Lake Guntersville in Huntsville, Alabama.
Television coverage of the MLF Tackle Warehouse Invitationals Stop 2 at West Point Lake Presented by Suzuki will air as a two-hour episode, premiering at 9 a.m. ET, on Saturday, Oct. 12 on CBS Sports Network.
Tackle Warehouse Invitationals anglers will compete throughout the 2024 season for the prestigious Fishing Clash Angler of the Year award, its $50,000 payday and qualification for the 2025 Bass Pro Tour. After Stop 2 Presented by Suzuki on West Point Lake, pro Drew Gill of Mount Carmel, Illinois, sits in first place with 396 points. Pro Jake Lawrence of Buchanan, Tennessee, sits in second place just 3 points behind Gill with 393 points.
Fishing Clash – an interactive 3D fishing simulation game that’s played by more than 80 million people worldwide – is the official AOY sponsor of the Bass Pro Tour, Tackle Warehouse Invitationals, Toyota Series and Phoenix Bass Fishing League. You can download Fishing Clash for free in the App Store and on Google Play or log on to www.fishingclash.game for more information.
Proud sponsors of the 2024 MLF Tackle Warehouse Invitationals include: 7Brew, Abu Garcia, B&W Trailer Hitches, Berkley, BUBBA, E3, Epic Baits, Fishing Clash, FX Custom Rods, General Tire, Lew’s, Mercury, Mossy Oak Fishing, Onyx, Phoenix Boats, Polaris, Power-Pole, Strike King, Suzuki Marine, Tackle Warehouse, T-H Marine, Toyota and YETI.
For complete details and updated information on Major League Fishing and the Tackle Warehouse Invitationals, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com . For regular Tackle Warehouse Invitational updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow the MLF5 social media outlets at Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.
About Major League Fishing
Major League Fishing (MLF) is the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization, producing more than 250 events annually at some of the most prestigious fisheries in the world, while broadcasting to America’s living rooms on CBS, Discovery Channel, Outdoor Channel, CBS Sports Network, World Fishing Network and on demand on MyOutdoorTV (MOTV). Headquartered in Benton, Kentucky, the MLF roster of bass anglers includes the world’s top pros and more than 30,000 competitors in all 50 states and 17 countries. Since its founding in 2011, MLF has advanced the sport of competitive fishing through its premier television broadcasts and livestreams and is dedicated to improving the quality of life for bass through research, education, fisheries enhancement and fish care.
McKinney wins Bassmaster Elite Series event at Lake Fork with fourth-highest weight ever caught
March 3, 2024
McKinney wins Bassmaster Elite Series event at Lake Fork with fourth-highest weight ever caught
YANTIS, Texas – Trey McKinney made history, with authority, on Championship Sunday at the AFTCO Bassmaster Elite at Lake Fork.
The Carbondale, Ill., native, exactly one week removed from his 19th birthday, finished with a four-day total of 20 bass weighing 130 pounds, 15 ounces, outlasting the field of 103 anglers in what was one of the most productive tournaments in the history of competitive bass fishing.
He became the youngest winner in Elite Series history and earned $100,000, while missing the all-time record for total weight in a four-day B.A.S.S. event — set by Paul Elias on Falcon Lake in Texas in 2008 — by just 1 pound, 9 ounces.
“This is crazy to even be up here, much less come that close to setting the all-time tournament record,” McKinney said. “To think, that one more fish and I could have had it. I lost a 7 1/2-pounder yesterday that would have given me 33 pounds and enough weight to break it.
“But I couldn’t be happier. This lake is just awesome. It was stressful and I had adrenaline. I was really spinning out today when I had 28 pounds and didn’t know if I had enough to win. I knew I had to have more.”
McKinney’s total was the fourth-highest produced in a four-day tournament in B.A.S.S. history, trailing Elias and two other angler who each caught more than 131 pounds at that historic 2008 event at Falcon.
The tournament on Lake Fork was only McKinney’s second since qualifying for the Elite Series. The rookie caught more than 30 pounds each day (the only angler to do so this week), posting totals of 33-11, 33-10 and 30-0 before closing with another 33-10 limit to clinch the win on Championship Sunday.
McKinney figured he could get the extra weight in his favored spot of the week, but it was filled with locals when he arrived there Sunday morning, compounding his stress. Then, showing a maturity beyond his age, he slowed down and considered his options.
He settled into a small pocket just a stone’s throw from the Caney Point Recreation Area where daily takeoffs and weigh-ins were held. He noticed the small cove earlier in the week, but didn’t rely on it until the final minutes of the tournament.
What a choice.
“It was just loaded in there,” he said. “I finally wound up catching one more that weighed 7-6 and that put me over 33 pounds overall with 30 minutes left to fish. I had a feeling it was gonna happen right there, and it just worked out perfectly.”
McKinney adjusted to rapidly changing conditions on Championship Sunday, just like every other day of the shootout on Fork. He caught his Day 4 bass using a Strike King KVD Ocho stickbait with 8-pound Seaguar Tatsu line on a St. Croix 7-foot medium-heavy Legend X rod. Earlier in the week, he hooked his biggest bass using a St. Croix Physyx 7-1 medium rod with a Strike King Z Too lure on 10-pound Seaguar Tatsu line.
“The Lowrance ActiveTarget was essential to finding these fish up on the shallow flats, too,” McKinney said. “I started the tournament fishing in 20 to 30 feet of water and then today, I was in 4 feet … They were moving off the timber toward the bank. I had to follow them.”
Each of the 10 Elites who survived the final Phoenix Boats Cutline became members of the Century Club, meaning they caught more than 100 pounds of bass over four days. It was only the second time in history that has happened, with the historic 2008 tournament on Falcon the only comparison. A total of 12 competitors surpassed the 100-pound mark in the Falcon event, which featured a final-day cut of 12 instead of 10.
McKinney, who led here after Day 2 and Day 3, fell from atop the leaderboard early on Sunday, but he regained the upper hand when he hooked a 6-7 largemouth just after noon. Justin Hamner, of Northport, Ala., jumped into second place soon after with a gigantic 11-7 largemouth that pulled him within 18 ounces of the lead.
But then McKinney closed with his 7-13 and pulled away again.
Tyler Rivet, of Raceland, La., finished second with 125-9. Hamner finished third with 124-10 and his 11-7 was the Phoenix Boats Big Bass of the day and the tournament, earning him an additional $3,000 in prize money.
Rivet’s 125-9 is the eighth-highest four-day weight in B.A.S.S history. Hamner’s 124-10 is ninth all-time and Tyler Williams’ 124-9 is 10th.
Lake Fork has now produced 19 Century Club members, passing Falcon (15) for most in B.A.S.S. history.
With only two of the nine Elite Series tournaments completed, the race for Progressive Insurance Bassmaster Angler of the Year is just beginning.
After his victory, McKinney tied Texas pro Ben Milliken for the AOY lead with 195 points and Patrick Walters of South Carolina follows closely with 194 points.
McKinney and Milliken also lead the race for Dakota Lithium Rookie of the Year.
Japan's Taku Ito won the Rapala CrushCity Monster Bag of the tournament for his 39-1 Day 1 catch, earning him an additional $2,000.
McKinney earned an extra $4,000 for the Yamaha Power Pay contingency award while Williams earned a $2,500 bonus.
McKinney also earned $3,000 in Toyota Bonus Bucks, second-place Rivet earned $2,000 in Bonus Bucks.
This event was hosted by Wood County Texas.
2024 Bassmaster Elite Series Platinum Sponsor: Toyota
2024 Bassmaster Elite Series Premier Sponsors: Bass Pro Shops, Dakota Lithium, Humminbird, Mercury, Minn Kota, Nitro Boats, Power-Pole, Progressive Insurance, Ranger Boats, Rapala, Skeeter Boats, Yamaha
2024 Bassmaster Elite Series Supporting Sponsors: AFTCO, Daiwa, Garmin, Lew's, Lowrance, Marathon, Triton Boats, VMC
About B.A.S.S.B.A.S.S., which encompasses the Bassmaster tournament leagues, events and media platforms, is the worldwide authority on bass fishing and keeper of the culture of the sport, providing cutting-edge content on bass fishing whenever, wherever and however bass fishing fans want to use it. Headquartered in Birmingham, Ala., the 500,000-member organization’s fully integrated media platforms include the industry’s leading magazines (Bassmaster and B.A.S.S. Times), website (Bassmaster.com), TV show, radio show, social media programs and events. For more than 50 years, B.A.S.S. has been dedicated to access, conservation and youth fishing.
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Media Contact: Mandy Pascal, Managing Editor, 205-313-0955, mpascal@
2024 AFTCO Bassmaster Elite at Lake Fork 2/29-3/3
Lake Fork, Yantis TX.
(PROFESSIONAL) Standings Day 4
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Pts Total $$$
1. Trey McKinney Carbondale, IL 20 130-15 103 $101,000.00
Day 1: 5 33-11 Day 2: 5 33-10 Day 3: 5 30-00 Day 4: 5 33-10
2. Tyler Rivet Raceland, LA 20 125-09 102 $35,000.00
Day 1: 5 31-05 Day 2: 5 29-13 Day 3: 5 31-13 Day 4: 5 32-10
3. Justin Hamner Northport, AL 20 124-10 101 $33,000.00
Day 1: 5 33-05 Day 2: 5 27-08 Day 3: 5 30-06 Day 4: 5 33-07
4. Tyler Williams Belgrade, ME 20 124-09 100 $25,000.00
Day 1: 5 30-04 Day 2: 5 30-09 Day 3: 5 33-14 Day 4: 5 29-14
5. Justin Atkins Florence, AL 20 117-12 99 $20,000.00
Day 1: 5 32-11 Day 2: 5 29-02 Day 3: 5 28-03 Day 4: 5 27-12
6. Stetson Blaylock Benton, AR 20 117-11 98 $19,000.00
Day 1: 5 37-06 Day 2: 5 19-04 Day 3: 5 35-13 Day 4: 5 25-04
7. Wesley Gore Clanton, AL 20 115-09 97 $19,000.00
Day 1: 5 32-02 Day 2: 5 26-14 Day 3: 5 27-05 Day 4: 5 29-04
8. Ben Milliken New Caney, TX 20 113-12 96 $18,000.00
Day 1: 5 32-13 Day 2: 5 25-04 Day 3: 5 29-02 Day 4: 5 26-09
9. Kyle Patrick Cooperstown, NY 20 111-14 95 $16,000.00
Day 1: 5 31-15 Day 2: 5 28-05 Day 3: 5 30-01 Day 4: 5 21-09
10. Cooper Gallant Bowmanville Ontario CAN 17 100-07 94 $15,000.00
Day 1: 4 28-04 Day 2: 5 30-13 Day 3: 5 28-15 Day 4: 3 12-07
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PHOENIX BOATS BIG BASS
Day
1 Wesley Gore Clanton, AL 10-09 $1,000.00
2 JT Thompkins Myrtle Beach, SC 09-13 $1,000.00
3 Ben Milliken New Caney, TX 09-10 $1,000.00
4 Justin Hamner Northport, AL 11-07 $1,000.00
------------------------------
PHOENIX BOATS BIG BASS
Justin Hamner Northport, AL 11-07 $2,000.00
CRUSHCITY MONSTER BAG
Taku Ito Dalton, GA 39-01 $2,000.00
------------------------------
Totals
Day #Limits #Fish Weight
1 83 474 2224-07
2 81 464 2126-14
3 48 246 1204-14
4 9 48 272-06
------------------------------
221 1232 5828-09
North Carolina’s Todd Walters Leaps Ahead to Lead Day 2 at Tackle Warehouse Invitational Stop 2
North Carolina pro brings 5-ounce lead into final day of competition
LAGRANGE, Ga. (March 2, 2024) – Weighing 18 pounds, 15 ounces on Day 2, Todd Walters of Kernersville, North Carolina, rocketed up from 32nd place to take the lead Saturday at the Major League Fishing (MLF) Tackle Warehouse Invitational Stop 2 Presented by Suzuki on West Point Lake. With a total of 31 pounds, 10 ounces, Walters is 5 ounces ahead of Concord, Virginia's Derik Hudson and 11 ounces ahead of Day 1 leader Tyler Stewart of Dubach, Louisiana, entering Championship Sunday. Less than 4 pounds separates first place from ninth, so the final day of the event promises to be thrilling.
The three-day tournament, hosted by Visit LaGrange , featured a roster of 150 anglers competing for a top prize of up to $115,000 and an invitation to compete at REDCREST 2025. The field is now trimmed to 30 and the winner will be determined on Championship Sunday by heaviest three-day cumulative weight.
Dock talk entering the event suggested that big largemouth would be key for the top performers, though perhaps difficult to find consistently. That has proven to be the case through the first two days, with each of the top four pros in the hunt thanks to one strong day keyed by big largemouth.
On Day 1, Walters weighed two largemouth and three spotted bass for 12-11. Today, he blasted up the leaderboard with four largemouth and one spot.
“I dedicated myself to staying shallow,” he said of Day 2. “I was trying to fish brushpiles and crank and throw moving baits and stuff. But dead slick calm like today, there was only one way to catch them. You could see them in the trees and the brushpiles and stuff, just targeting them with LiveScope, and you could throw different stuff to them. I could see them go down for it — a lot of them are going down for it, but not a lot of them are getting it.”
Fishing shallow wood for the most part, Walters did most of his damage on a homemade jig, a Reaction Innovations Sweet Beaver and a Neko rig. According to the North Carolina pro, a big key is fishing in the right water clarity, which has changed a lot since practice, as the lake is clearing in some places and further muddying in others.
“I think I’ve got something figured out, but the water clarity is changing throughout the lake,” he said. “So, I’m trying to stay in the right water clarity. It seems like the fish are more active, more aggressive, feeding better in the right stuff. It’s right in between — if it’s too clear, they won’t commit to the bait. They’ll go down to it, but they won’t commit. If it’s the right clarity, they’ll go down to it, and 50 percent of them will bite.”
Though Walters is one of many in the field who had never been to West Point prior to this week, he likened it to some of the lakes along the Yadkin River in North Carolina. He’s optimistic about his ability to stay steady tomorrow, which has been tricky for the leaders so far.
“They’re around; I just have to get them to bite,” he said. “I might have to switch up and do more finesse stuff tomorrow. I noticed late in the day they were reacting to the Neko better. I just need to do what I’ve been doing. I need to just fish and trust my instincts. That’s been the biggest thing, not relying on a specific spot or a specific lure, just knowing that I’m around the right group of fish and figuring out through the day how to catch them.”
The top 30 pros advancing to the final day of competition on West Point Lake are:
1st: Todd Walters, Kernersville, N.C., 10 bass, 31-10
2nd: Derik Hudson, Concord, Va., 10 bass, 31-5
3rd: Tyler Stewart, Dubach, La., 10 bass, 30-15
4th: Ethan Greene, Eufaula, Ala., 10 bass, 29-12
5th: Colby Miller, Elmer, La., 10 bass, 29-5
6th: Troy Stokes, Trenton, Mich., 10 bass, 29-1
7th: Drew Gill, Mount Carmel, Ill., 10 bass, 28-15
8th: Ken Thompson, Roaring Springs, Penn., 10 bass, 28-14
9th: Jake Lawrence, Buchanan, Tenn., 10 bass, 28-6
10th: Taylor Parker, Lake View, Ala., 10 bass, 27-12
11th: Alex Davis, Albertville, Ala., 10 bass, 27-7
12th: Keith Carson, DeBary, Fla., 10 bass, 27-0
13th: Cameron Mattison, Benton, La., 10 bass, 27-0
14th: Alec Morrison, Peru, N.Y., 10 bass, 26-14
15th: Cole Breeden, Lebanon, Mo., 10 bass, 26-13
16th: Brody Campbell, Oxford, Ohio, 10 bass, 26-12
17th: Jack Daniel Williams, Kingsport, Tenn., 10 bass, 26-11
18th: Chris Blair, Newnan, Ga., 10 bass, 26-8
19th: Brock Reinkemeyer, Warsaw, Mo., 10 bass, 26-8
20th: Kelly Jordon, Flint, Texas, 10 bass, 26-4
21st: Keith Poche, Pike Road, Ala., 10 bass, 25-10
22nd: Kyle Cortiana, Broken Arrow, Okla., 10 bass, 25-8
23rd: Brian Gay, LaGrange, Ga., 10 bass, 25-7
24th: Spike Stoker, Cisco, Texas, 10 bass, 25-4
25th: Marshall Hughes, Hemphill, Texas, 10 bass, 25-2
26th: Brett Carnright, Plattsburgh, N.Y., 10 bass, 25-1
27th: Charlie Williams, LaGrange, Ga., 10 bass, 24-15
28th: Michael Harlin, Sunrise Beach, Mo., 10 bass, 24-13
29th: Bobby Padgett, LaGrange, Ga., 10 bass, 24-12
30th: Brad Jelinek, Lincoln, Mo., 10 bass, 24-10
Complete results for the entire field can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
Jeff Harper of Fleming Island, Florida, earned Saturday’s $1,000 Berkley Big Bass award with a largemouth bass that weighed in at 7 pounds, 7 ounces.
Overall, there were 637 bass weighing 1,361 pounds even caught by 136 pros Saturday. The catch included 109 five-bass limits.
In Tackle Warehouse Invitational competition, the full field of 150 anglers competed in the two-day opening round on Friday and Saturday in a five-fish, weigh-in format. Only the top 30 pros, based on their two-day cumulative weight, now advance to the final round on Championship Sunday, where they will compete for the grand prize of up to $115,000. The winner of the Tackle Warehouse Invitational Stop 2 at West Point Lake Presented by Suzuki will be determined by the heaviest three-day cumulative weight and will receive an invitation to compete at REDCREST 2025 on Lake Guntersville in Huntsville, Alabama.
The final 30 anglers will launch at 7 a.m. ET Sunday from the Pyne Road Park Mega Ramp, located at 4481 Roanoke Road in LaGrange. Sunday’s Championship weigh-in will also be held at the ramp and will begin at 3 p.m. Fans are welcome to attend all launch and weigh-in events and also encouraged to follow the event online throughout the day on the MLFNOW!® live stream and coverage at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
The MLFNOW! broadcast team of Chad McKee and Rob Newell will break down the extended action live on Championship Sunday from 7:30 a.m. to 2:45 p.m. ET. MLFNOW! will be live streamed on MajorLeagueFishing.com and the MyOutdoorTV (MOTV) app.
Television coverage of the MLF Tackle Warehouse Invitationals Stop 2 at West Point Lake Presented by Suzuki will air as a two-hour episode, premiering at 9 a.m. ET, on Saturday, Oct. 12 on CBS Sports Network.
Tackle Warehouse Invitationals anglers will compete throughout the 2024 season for the prestigious Fishing Clash Angler of the Year award and its $50,000 payday. After Stop 1 Presented by Power-Pole MOVE on Sam Rayburn, pro Drew Gill of Mount Carmel, Illinois, is in the lead.
Fishing Clash – an interactive 3D fishing simulation game that’s played by more than 80 million people worldwide – is the official AOY sponsor of the Bass Pro Tour, Tackle Warehouse Invitationals, Toyota Series and Phoenix Bass Fishing League. You can download Fishing Clash for free in the App Store and on Google Play or log on to www.fishingclash.game for more information.
Proud sponsors of the 2024 MLF Tackle Warehouse Invitationals include: 7Brew, Abu Garcia, B&W Trailer Hitches, Berkley, BUBBA, E3, Epic Baits, Fishing Clash, FX Custom Rods, General Tire, Lew’s, Mercury, Mossy Oak Fishing, Onyx, Phoenix Boats, Polaris, Power-Pole, Strike King, Suzuki Marine, Tackle Warehouse, T-H Marine, Toyota and YETI.
For complete details and updated information on Major League Fishing and the Tackle Warehouse Invitationals, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com . For regular Tackle Warehouse Invitational updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow the MLF5 social media outlets at Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.
About Major League Fishing
Major League Fishing (MLF) is the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization, producing more than 250 events annually at some of the most prestigious fisheries in the world, while broadcasting to America’s living rooms on CBS, Discovery Channel, Outdoor Channel, CBS Sports Network, World Fishing Network and on demand on MyOutdoorTV (MOTV). Headquartered in Benton, Kentucky, the MLF roster of bass anglers includes the world’s top pros and more than 30,000 competitors in all 50 states and 17 countries. Since its founding in 2011, MLF has advanced the sport of competitive fishing through its premier television broadcasts and livestreams and is dedicated to improving the quality of life for bass through research, education, fisheries enhancement and fish care.
Another big day puts McKinney on the verge of history in Bassmaster Elite Series event at Lake Fork
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Louisiana’s Tyler Stewart Leads Day 1 at Tackle Warehouse Invitational Stop 2 Presented by Suzuki at West Point Lake
Dubach pro takes 2-pound, 2-ounce lead into second day of competition Saturday
LAGRANGE, Ga. (March 1, 2024) – According to the locals, Day 1 of the MLF Tackle Warehouse Invitational Stop 2 Presented by Suzuki on West Point Lake went about as planned. For Dubach, Louisiana, pro Tyler Stewart, it went a lot better than he’d planned. With 21 pounds, 5 ounces, Stewart is squarely in the lead as the only pro to crack the 20-pound barrier. Still, the event is far from over – keeping up the pace figures to be a challenge at West Point and the rest of the Top 10 is packed pretty tight.
Stewart brought a five-bass limit to the scale Friday weighing 21 pounds, 5 ounces, to take the early lead on Day 1, holding a 2-pound, 2-ounce lead over pro Derik Hudson of Concord, Virginia, who sacked 19-3 to end the day in second. Albertville, Alabama, pro Alex Davis sits in third with 18-13 and Troy Stokes of Trenton, Michigan, is fourth with 17-3. Behind them are a handful of 14- and 15-pound bags, and 12 pounds goes all the way down to 40th – which is really strong for West Point Lake, though there’s obviously very limited recent tournament history to compare to.
The full field of 150 anglers will conclude the two-day opening round on Saturday, with only the top 30 pros based on their two-day cumulative weight advancing to Championship Sunday. The three-day tournament, hosted by Visit LaGrange , features a roster of 150 anglers competing for a top prize of up to $115,000 and an invitation to compete at REDCREST 2025.
Weighing three largemouth over 4 pounds, Stewart turned around a miserable practice in a big way.
“My roommates are gonna call me sandbagger so bad,” Stewart joked. “I told them yesterday that if I have 10 pounds, I’ll be pretty happy. I don’t know if they just bit really good in the rain (today), but it was a lot better than I was expecting.
“It was just one of those days where you couldn’t make a wrong decision,” he added. “I had a terrible practice and just went out with a clear mind and put my head down. I ran into a couple good areas with some big fish and got them in the boat.”
The smallest lake on the schedule, there’s not much you can do to get away from other anglers. That could be cause for concern as the week goes on as pressure might get to the fishing in a big way. Still, Stewart hopes he can replicate what worked on Day 1 (maybe not to 20 pounds again, but to some degree).
“There’s a lot of fish in the areas I’m fishing; I think they could definitely replenish, because fish are moving in and out of those areas,” he said. “I got a lot of bites today that I didn’t hook, fish just slapping the bait and stuff, so I know there’s more fish in the area.”
Worst case scenario, Stewart thinks he’s got some backup spotted bass figured out.
“This afternoon, I went and targeted some spotted bass,” he said. “I caught four or five and some 2-pounders I had to throw back. My game plan tomorrow is to go and try to catch a few big ones, and if I have to go catch some spots, I don’t know that I will, but I feel like I can.”
The top 20 pros after Day 1 on West Point Lake are:
1st: Tyler Stewart, Dubach, La., five bass, 21-5
2nd: Derik Hudson, Concord, Va., five bass, 19-3
3rd: Alex Davis, Albertville, Ala., five bass, 18-13
4th: Troy Stokes, Trenton, Mich., five bass, 17-3
5th: Brad Jelinek, Lincoln, Mo., five bass, 15-15
6th: Brock Reinkemeyer, Warsaw, Mo., five bass, 15-8
7th: Charlie Williams, LaGrange, Ga., five bass, 15-6
8th: Keith Carson, DeBary, Fla., five bass, 15-3
9th: Colby Miller, Elmer, La., five bass, 14-15
10th: Jake Lawrence, Buchanan, Tenn., five bass, 14-13
11th: Alec Morrison, Peru, N.Y., five bass, 14-10
11th: Darrell Ivey Jr., Lebanon, Mo., five bass, 14-10
13th: Jaden Parrish, Liberty, Texas, five bass, 14-5
14th: Brian Gay, LaGrange, Ga., five bass, 13-12
15th: Matt Baty, Bainbridge, Ga., five bass, 13-8
16th: Kelly Jordon, Flint, Texas, five bass, 13-7
17th: Taylor Parker, Lake View, Ala., five bass, 13-6
17th: Kyle Cortiana, Broken Arrow, Okla., five bass, 13-6
17th: Drew Gill, Mount Carmel, Ill, five bass, 13-6
20th: Ryan Armstrong, Robinson, Ill., five bass, 13-5
Complete results for the entire field can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
Baty earned Friday’s $1,000 Berkley Big Bass award with a largemouth bass that weighed in at 6 pounds, 9 ounces.
Overall, there were 662 bass weighing 1,420 pounds, 13 ounces caught by 143 pros Friday. The catch included 117 five-bass limits.
In Tackle Warehouse Invitational competition, the full field of 150 anglers compete in the two-day opening round on Friday and Saturday in a five-fish, weigh-in format. Only the top 30 pros, based on their two-day cumulative weight, advance to the final round on Championship Sunday, where they will compete for the grand prize of up to $115,000. The winner of the Tackle Warehouse Invitational Stop 2 at West Point Lake Presented by Suzuki will be determined by the heaviest three-day cumulative weight and will receive an invitation to compete at REDCREST 2025 on Lake Guntersville in Huntsville, Alabama.
Anglers will launch at 7 a.m. ET each day from the Pyne Road Park Mega Ramp, located at 4481 Roanoke Road in LaGrange. Weigh-ins will also be held at the ramp and will begin at 3 p.m. Fans are welcome to attend all launch and weigh-in events and also encouraged to follow the event online throughout the day on the MLFNOW!® live stream and coverage at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
The MLFNOW! broadcast team of Chad McKee and Rob Newell will break down the extended action live all three days of competition from 7:30 a.m. to 2:45 p.m. ET. MLFNOW! will be live streamed on MajorLeagueFishing.com and the MyOutdoorTV (MOTV) app.
Television coverage of the MLF Tackle Warehouse Invitationals Stop 2 at West Point Lake Presented by Suzuki will air as a two-hour episode, premiering at 9 a.m. ET, on Saturday, Oct. 12 on CBS Sports Network.
Tackle Warehouse Invitationals anglers will compete throughout the 2024 season for the prestigious Fishing Clash Angler of the Year award and its $50,000 payday. After Stop 1 Presented by Power-Pole MOVE on Sam Rayburn, pro Drew Gill of Mount Carmel, Illinois, is in the lead.
Fishing Clash – an interactive 3D fishing simulation game that’s played by more than 80 million people worldwide – is the official AOY sponsor of the Bass Pro Tour, Tackle Warehouse Invitationals, Toyota Series and Phoenix Bass Fishing League. You can download Fishing Clash for free in the App Store and on Google Play or log on to www.fishingclash.game for more information.
Proud sponsors of the 2024 MLF Tackle Warehouse Invitationals include: 7Brew, Abu Garcia, B&W Trailer Hitches, Berkley, BUBBA, E3, Epic Baits, Fishing Clash, FX Custom Rods, General Tire, Lew’s, Mercury, Mossy Oak Fishing, Onyx, Phoenix Boats, Polaris, Power-Pole, Strike King, Suzuki Marine, Tackle Warehouse, T-H Marine, Toyota and YETI.
For complete details and updated information on Major League Fishing and the Tackle Warehouse Invitationals, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com . For regular Tackle Warehouse Invitational updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow the MLF5 social media outlets at Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.
About Major League Fishing
Major League Fishing (MLF) is the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization, producing more than 250 events annually at some of the most prestigious fisheries in the world, while broadcasting to America’s living rooms on CBS, Discovery Channel, Outdoor Channel, CBS Sports Network, World Fishing Network and on demand on MyOutdoorTV (MOTV). Headquartered in Benton, Kentucky, the MLF roster of bass anglers includes the world’s top pros and more than 30,000 competitors in all 50 states and 17 countries. Since its founding in 2011, MLF has advanced the sport of competitive fishing through its premier television broadcasts and livestreams and is dedicated to improving the quality of life for bass through research, education, fisheries enhancement and fish care.
Another big catch gives McKinney the lead at Bassmaster Elite Series event on Lake Fork
March 1, 2024
Another big catch gives McKinney the lead at Bassmaster Elite Series event on Lake Fork
YANTIS, Texas — Just when you thought the fishing at the AFTCO Bassmaster Elite at Lake Fork couldn’t get better, it did.
Fifteen of the 103 anglers in the field caught 30 pounds or more on Day 2 of this four-day derby in the northeast corner of the Lone Star State. That was up from a total of 14 who caught 30 pounds or more on Thursday to start competition on the 27,000-acre fishery.
Trey McKinney, the 19-year-old wunderkind from Carbondale, Ill., leads with 10 bass totaling 67 pounds, 5 ounces. He was in fourth place after Day 1 with a 33-11 limit and held steady with a nearly identical 33-10 limit a day later.
McKinney is an Elite Series rookie who qualified for the tour through the 2023 St. Croix Bassmaster Opens presented by SEVIIN. After finishing third in the Tackle Warehouse Elite Qualifiers division of the Opens, he’s the youngest angler to ever qualify for the Elites — and he’s already displaying a mastery beyond his years.
Not only does he have the lead at the halfway point of this tournament, but he has the best story of the derby to date, too.
It happened early Friday when a heavy 5-pounder broke off one of his favored jerkbaits. The misfortune briefly dampened the 19-year-old’s spirits. But an hour later, he caught the same bass, adding nearly 6 pounds to his Day 2 total.
He also got his jerkbait back — part of another amazing day for the teenager on this fabled fishery.
“I grabbed his lip and my jerkbait is staring me in the face,” McKinney said, shaking his head in near disbelief. “And I caught him the second time on the same kind of jerkbait. It was crazy. He had two baits in his mouth. He could barely fit the second one in there, but he was determined.”
McKinney didn’t offer specifics about which jerkbaits he’s using, but he did say he’s deploying them in two different ways.
“I’ve got one that sinks and one that suspends” he said. “It just depends on what kind of mood they’re in. You have to read them to know which one to use … It’s a feeling really. For the less active fish, I like to use the suspended one.”
McKinney also said he’s opting occasionally for a Strike King Z Too to excite Fork’s best bass.
Friday began much like Day 1, with temperatures in the 40s. The weather warmed throughout the day, however, and by midday, it was in the mid-60s and Day 1’s stiff winds had dissipated.
“Today, I think the fish were feeling the pressure,” McKinney said. “These conditions have been crazy, so the fish are moving around a lot. They want the bank, but they can’t quite get there. So, these next two days are going to be very interesting. We’ll have to make some changes, no question. Hopefully I make the right ones.”
Matty Wong, who was in sixth place after Day 1, caught his second 30-pound limit in as many days, and is in second place with 63-10. The 36-year-old Honolulu native caught 33-2 on Thursday and was hoping for some of the same cold and blustery weather that aided his bite.
Warmer temps and bluebird skies didn’t hurt his bite one bit, though, as he tacked on a 30-8 limit Friday. A personal best of 9-3, which he caught just before 10 a.m., anchored his Day 2 bag.
“I’m keying on prespawning fish and I think these cold mornings have got them up where they need to be,” Wong said. “These fish are trying to feed up their eggs, and I think I’m cutting them off as they move in … And there are more fish coming. I dumped two really good ones today that could’ve given me 40 pounds.”
Justin Atkins, a 33-year-old pro from Florence, Ala., is in third place with 61-13. He followed a 32-11 total on Thursday with 29-2 on Friday.
“The wind made it harder to fish, but I think it got them more active,” Atkins said of the main difference he saw between the first two days of the derby.
“When you get your bait out there by them, they seem a little more anxious to just get it. But today, I really had to coax them. The biggest one I caught, I bet my bait had been out there more than a minute before it finally bit. The slick conditions today just made them come up, get high on the timber, get on the bed — all the things you want. I’ll take these conditions the next two days, without a doubt.”
Wesley Gore, of Clanton, Ala., maintains his lead for the Phoenix Boats Big Bass prize with the 10-9 largemouth he caught on Day 1. Rookie JT Thompkins, of Myrtle Beach, S.C., had the big bass on Day 2 (a 9-13 lunker).
Four Elite Series rookies are in the Top 10 heading into Semifinal Saturday, including six of the Top 12. The Top 50 anglers after Friday’s action survived the Phoenix Boats Cutline and will fish on Day 3.
After Saturday’s competition, the Top 10 will advance to Championship Sunday to fish for the tournament title and the accompanying $100,000 prize.
Follow all the live action on FS1 from 8-11:30 a.m. and on Bassmaster.com from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. On Championship Sunday, watch live coverage on FS1 from 8-11 a.m. and on Bassmaster.com again from 9-4 p.m.
This event is being hosted by Wood County Texas.
2024 Bassmaster Elite Series Platinum Sponsor: Toyota
2024 Bassmaster Elite Series Premier Sponsors: Bass Pro Shops, Dakota Lithium, Humminbird, Mercury, Minn Kota, Nitro Boats, Power-Pole, Progressive Insurance, Ranger Boats, Rapala, Skeeter Boats, Yamaha
2024 Bassmaster Elite Series Supporting Sponsors: AFTCO, Daiwa, Garmin, Lew's, Lowrance, Marathon, Triton Boats, VMC
About B.A.S.S.B.A.S.S., which encompasses the Bassmaster tournament leagues, events and media platforms, is the worldwide authority on bass fishing and keeper of the culture of the sport, providing cutting-edge content on bass fishing whenever, wherever and however bass fishing fans want to use it. Headquartered in Birmingham, Ala., the 500,000-member organization’s fully integrated media platforms include the industry’s leading magazines (Bassmaster and B.A.S.S. Times), website (Bassmaster.com), TV show, radio show, social media programs and events. For more than 50 years, B.A.S.S. has been dedicated to access, conservation and youth fishing.
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Media Contact: Mandy Pascal, Managing Editor, 205-313-0955, mpascal@
2024 AFTCO Bassmaster Elite at Lake Fork 2/29-3/3
Lake Fork, Yantis TX.
(PROFESSIONAL) Standings Day 2
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Pts Total $$$
1. Trey McKinney Carbondale, IL 10 67-05 103
Day 1: 5 33-11 Day 2: 5 33-10
2. Matty Wong Honolulu, HI 10 63-10 102
Day 1: 5 33-02 Day 2: 5 30-08
3. Justin Atkins Florence, AL 10 61-13 101
Day 1: 5 32-11 Day 2: 5 29-02
4. Taku Ito Dalton GA JAPAN 10 61-10 100
Day 1: 5 39-01 Day 2: 5 22-09
5. Tyler Rivet Raceland, LA 10 61-02 99
Day 1: 5 31-05 Day 2: 5 29-13
6. JT Thompkins Myrtle Beach, SC 10 60-14 98 $1,000.00
Day 1: 5 25-13 Day 2: 5 35-01
7. Justin Hamner Northport, AL 10 60-13 97
Day 1: 5 33-05 Day 2: 5 27-08
8. Tyler Williams Belgrade, ME 10 60-13 96
Day 1: 5 30-04 Day 2: 5 30-09
9. Kyle Patrick Cooperstown, NY 10 60-04 95
Day 1: 5 31-15 Day 2: 5 28-05
10. Cooper Gallant Bowmanville Ontario CAN 9 59-01 94
Day 1: 4 28-04 Day 2: 5 30-13
11. Wesley Gore Clanton, AL 10 59-00 93 $1,000.00
Day 1: 5 32-02 Day 2: 5 26-14
12. Ben Milliken New Caney, TX 10 58-01 92
Day 1: 5 32-13 Day 2: 5 25-04
13. Cory Johnston Otonabee CANADA 10 57-05 91
Day 1: 5 29-12 Day 2: 5 27-09
14. Stetson Blaylock Benton, AR 10 56-10 90
Day 1: 5 37-06 Day 2: 5 19-04
15. Will Davis Jr Sylacauga, AL 10 56-10 89
Day 1: 5 29-09 Day 2: 5 27-01
16. Paul Mueller Naugatuck, CT 10 55-15 88
Day 1: 5 24-11 Day 2: 5 31-04
17. Chris Johnston Otonabee Ontario CANADA 10 55-12 87
Day 1: 5 20-01 Day 2: 5 35-11
18. Jacob Foutz Charleston, TN 10 55-10 86
Day 1: 5 26-01 Day 2: 5 29-09
19. Jordan Lee Cullman, AL 10 54-03 85
Day 1: 5 21-05 Day 2: 5 32-14
20. Kyle Welcher Valley, AL 10 54-01 84
Day 1: 5 20-15 Day 2: 5 33-02
21. Logan Parks Auburn, AL 10 53-14 83
Day 1: 5 23-04 Day 2: 5 30-10
22. Kyle Norsetter Cottage Grove, WI 9 52-03 82
Day 1: 5 35-08 Day 2: 4 16-11
23. Kyoya Fujita Yamanashi CA JAPAN 10 51-11 81
Day 1: 5 29-06 Day 2: 5 22-05
24. Brandon Card Salisbury, NC 9 51-09 80
Day 1: 4 28-05 Day 2: 5 23-04
25. John Garrett Union City, TN 9 50-15 79
Day 1: 4 20-11 Day 2: 5 30-04
26. Jonathan Kelley Old Forge, PA 10 50-15 78
Day 1: 5 25-10 Day 2: 5 25-05
27. Patrick Walters Eutawville, SC 10 50-14 77
Day 1: 5 18-06 Day 2: 5 32-08
28. Brandon Palaniuk Rathdrum, ID 10 50-06 76
Day 1: 5 26-02 Day 2: 5 24-04
29. Brandon Cobb Greenwood, SC 10 49-12 75
Day 1: 5 19-10 Day 2: 5 30-02
30. Seth Feider New Market, MN 10 49-04 74
Day 1: 5 24-08 Day 2: 5 24-12
31. Keith Combs Huntington, TX 10 49-02 73
Day 1: 5 31-04 Day 2: 5 17-14
32. Jacob Powroznik North Prince George, VA 10 48-11 72
Day 1: 5 24-01 Day 2: 5 24-10
33. Derek Hudnall Zachary, LA 10 48-08 71
Day 1: 5 29-05 Day 2: 5 19-03
34. Hank Cherry Jr Lincolnton, NC 10 47-09 70
Day 1: 5 21-15 Day 2: 5 25-10
35. Shane LeHew Catawba, NC 10 47-05 69
Day 1: 5 21-04 Day 2: 5 26-01
36. KJ Queen Catawba, NC 10 47-00 68
Day 1: 5 22-15 Day 2: 5 24-01
37. Drew Cook Cairo, GA 10 46-15 67
Day 1: 5 25-12 Day 2: 5 21-03
38. Hunter Shryock Ooltewah, TN 10 46-10 66
Day 1: 5 30-11 Day 2: 5 15-15
39. Jay Przekurat Plover, WI 10 46-01 65
Day 1: 5 21-09 Day 2: 5 24-08
40. Buddy Gross Chattanooga, TN 9 45-13 64
Day 1: 4 14-13 Day 2: 5 31-00
41. Cody Huff Ava, MO 9 45-06 63
Day 1: 4 12-01 Day 2: 5 33-05
42. Greg Hackney Gonzales, LA 10 45-06 62
Day 1: 5 23-02 Day 2: 5 22-04
43. Chris Zaldain Fort Worth, TX 10 44-15 61
Day 1: 5 21-15 Day 2: 5 23-00
44. Jason Williamson Aiken, SC 10 44-13 60
Day 1: 5 23-13 Day 2: 5 21-00
45. Mark Menendez Paducah, KY 10 44-05 59
Day 1: 5 27-07 Day 2: 5 16-14
46. Matt Arey Shelby, NC 10 44-04 58
Day 1: 5 25-00 Day 2: 5 19-04
47. Drew Benton Panama City, FL 10 44-04 57
Day 1: 5 20-15 Day 2: 5 23-05
48. Brock Mosley Collinsville, MS 10 43-10 56
Day 1: 5 20-01 Day 2: 5 23-09
49. Bryant Smith Roseville, CA 9 43-03 55
Day 1: 4 13-01 Day 2: 5 30-02
50. Cole Sands Calhoun , TN 10 42-15 54
Day 1: 5 14-10 Day 2: 5 28-05
51. Bill Lowen Brookville, IN 10 42-05 53 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 17-03 Day 2: 5 25-02
52. Frank Talley Belton, TX 10 42-04 52 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 26-01 Day 2: 5 16-03
53. Scott Martin Clewiston, FL 10 42-01 51 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 24-01 Day 2: 5 18-00
54. Bryan Schmitt Deale, MD 10 41-15 50 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 21-10 Day 2: 5 20-05
55. Jamie Hartman Newport, NY 10 41-12 49 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 23-02 Day 2: 5 18-10
56. Koby Kreiger Alva, FL 10 41-10 48 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 13-11 Day 2: 5 27-15
57. Wes Logan Springville, AL 10 41-10 47 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 25-05 Day 2: 5 16-05
58. Brandon Lester Fayetteville, TN 10 41-05 46 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 27-14 Day 2: 5 13-07
59. Jeff Gustafson Kenora, ON Ontario CANA 10 41-00 45 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 20-14 Day 2: 5 20-02
60. Caleb Sumrall New Iberia, LA 10 40-15 44 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 22-12 Day 2: 5 18-03
61. Alex Redwine Blue Ash, OH 8 40-10 43 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 25-05 Day 2: 3 15-05
62. David Gaston Sylacauga, AL 10 40-10 42 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 20-01 Day 2: 5 20-09
63. Kenta Kimura Osaka OK JAPAN 10 40-06 41 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 20-12 Day 2: 5 19-10
64. Matt Herren Ashville, AL 10 40-04 40 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 21-09 Day 2: 5 18-11
65. Bryan New Leesville, SC 10 39-00 39 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 21-02 Day 2: 5 17-14
66. Marc Frazier Newnan, GA 8 38-08 38 $2,500.00
Day 1: 3 11-00 Day 2: 5 27-08
67. Michael Iaconelli Pitts Grove, NJ 10 38-03 37 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 21-14 Day 2: 5 16-05
68. Jason Christie Dry Creek, OK 10 38-03 36 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 19-14 Day 2: 5 18-05
69. Luke Palmer Coalgate, OK 10 38-00 35 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 21-11 Day 2: 5 16-05
70. Timothy Dube Nashua , NH 9 36-14 34 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 20-09 Day 2: 4 16-05
71. John Cox Debary, FL 10 36-09 33 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 19-00 Day 2: 5 17-09
72. Todd Auten Clover, SC 10 36-06 32 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 19-03 Day 2: 5 17-03
73. John Soukup Sapulpa, OK 8 36-05 31 $2,500.00
Day 1: 3 11-12 Day 2: 5 24-09
74. Clark Wendlandt Leander, TX 10 36-05 30 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 20-00 Day 2: 5 16-05
75. Scott Canterbury Odenville, AL 10 35-13 29 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 19-05 Day 2: 5 16-08
76. Gregory DiPalma Millville, NJ 7 35-12 28
Day 1: 5 26-09 Day 2: 2 09-03
77. Jake Whitaker Hendersonville, NC 10 35-12 27
Day 1: 5 19-13 Day 2: 5 15-15
78. Chad Pipkens Dewitt, MI 9 35-07 26
Day 1: 5 23-11 Day 2: 4 11-12
79. Pat Schlapper Eleva, WI 8 34-13 25
Day 1: 5 23-13 Day 2: 3 11-00
80. Mike Huff London, KY 9 34-03 24
Day 1: 5 21-03 Day 2: 4 13-00
81. Ray Hanselman Jr Del Rio, TX 10 33-12 23
Day 1: 5 17-07 Day 2: 5 16-05
82. Lee Livesay Longview, TX 8 32-10 22
Day 1: 3 08-04 Day 2: 5 24-06
83. Steve Kennedy Auburn, AL 10 32-04 21
Day 1: 5 20-07 Day 2: 5 11-13
84. Brad Whatley Bivins, TX 8 31-10 20
Day 1: 5 22-00 Day 2: 3 09-10
85. Joey Cifuentes III Clinton, AR 8 30-13 19
Day 1: 3 07-11 Day 2: 5 23-02
86. Logan Latuso Gonzales, LA 7 29-02 18
Day 1: 4 15-06 Day 2: 3 13-12
87. Robert Gee Knoxville, TN 6 28-10 17
Day 1: 1 02-09 Day 2: 5 26-01
88. Bob Downey Detroit Lakes, MN 9 28-10 16
Day 1: 5 20-06 Day 2: 4 08-04
89. John Crews Jr Salem, VA 8 28-07 15
Day 1: 5 22-09 Day 2: 3 05-14
90. Carl Jocumsen Queensland TN AUSTRALIA 7 28-05 14
Day 1: 2 08-03 Day 2: 5 20-02
91. Bernie Schultz Gainesville, FL 6 28-00 13
Day 1: 5 19-00 Day 2: 1 09-00
92. Rick Clunn Ava, MO 7 26-03 12
Day 1: 5 19-11 Day 2: 2 06-08
93. Gerald Swindle Guntersville, AL 7 26-01 11
Day 1: 3 08-00 Day 2: 4 18-01
94. Austin Felix Eden Prairie, MN 7 24-15 10
Day 1: 5 16-14 Day 2: 2 08-01
95. Caleb Kuphall Mukwonago, WI 8 24-11 9
Day 1: 3 07-13 Day 2: 5 16-14
96. Cliff Prince Palatka, FL 7 24-09 8
Day 1: 3 09-06 Day 2: 4 15-03
97. Joseph Webster Hamilton, AL 7 22-14 7
Day 1: 5 18-12 Day 2: 2 04-02
98. Alex Wetherell Middletown, CT 6 22-09 6
Day 1: 1 04-02 Day 2: 5 18-07
99. Clent Davis Montevallo, AL 6 18-15 5
Day 1: 5 16-13 Day 2: 1 02-02
100. Ed Loughran III Richmond, VA 5 18-01 4
Day 1: 1 05-15 Day 2: 4 12-02
101. Matt Robertson Kuttawa, KY 5 16-08 3
Day 1: 5 16-08 Day 2: 0 00-00
102. Clifford Pirch Payson, AZ 4 12-00 2
Day 1: 2 06-08 Day 2: 2 05-08
103. David Mullins Mt Carmel, TN 3 08-06 1
Day 1: 3 08-06 Day 2: 0 00-00
------------------------------
PHOENIX BOATS BIG BASS
Day
1 Wesley Gore Clanton, AL 10-09 $1,000.00
2 JT Thompkins Myrtle Beach, SC 09-13 $1,000.00
------------------------------
Totals
Day #Limits #Fish Weight
1 83 474 2224-07
2 81 464 2126-14
------------------------------
164 938 4351-05
Prespawn contest on tap for College Series event at Douglas Lake
Tennessee's Douglas Lake will host the 2024 Strike King Bassmaster College Series presented by Bass Pro Shops March 7-8.
Photo by Andy Crawford/B.A.S.S.
March 1, 2024
JEFFERSON, Tenn. — When anglers come to Douglas Lake, they can always expect to catch lots of bass.
But when anglers visit March 7-8 for the Strike King Bassmaster College Series presented by Bass Pro Shops, Tennessee pro Robert Gee believes their timing could be perfect.
“This is usually the time of year when they start biting really good,” said Gee, a rookie on the Bassmaster Elite Series this year. “That is usually prime time when you need to be going. It won’t be a tournament where people are looking to just catch one. Most everyone should have a limit, but they might all be 12-inchers. A 3-pounder is definitely a good one at Douglas.”
Douglas Lake is one of the many popular fisheries in eastern Tennessee and provides the opportunity to catch quality largemouth and smallmouth bass. Douglas has played host to several major Bassmaster events in recent history, including a 2021 Open that was won by Japanese pro Daisuke Aoki with a three-day total of 43 pounds, 13 ounces.
Daily takeoffs for the College Series event will be held at 7 a.m. ET from Dandridge Boat Dock with weigh-ins back at the dock each day at 3 p.m. This is the second of three College Series events in the Lunkers Division, and teams will be fighting to punch their tickets to the College Series National Championship, details of which will be released at a later date.
Largemouth bass are the showcase species at Douglas, but smallmouth also play a role in most events. Both species, depending on how warm it gets, should be entering the prespawn phase.
“Usually, when the water starts warming up a little bit into the lower to mid-50s, they’re likely to rush the bank,” Gee said. “We get a lot of rain from late February into mid-March. That’s been on display in the (Bassmaster) Classics on Loudoun.”
With the lake still in the midst of a drastic drawdown, most of the wood cover along the shoreline will not come into play. But that still leaves lots of rock and rock transitions for anglers to target.
In stained areas, Gee anticipates a shallow crankbait bite will present itself. In clearer areas, a jerkbait will be an important tool.
“The typical east Tennessee players will shine in this tournament,” Gee said. “That’s usually the time of year I break out a Magdraft (swimbait) too. The swimbait bite is pretty good. I think the team that will win will be up shallow throwing a crankbait, ChatterBait or lipless.”
Gee also believes several teams will have success fishing offshore points and humps.
“There are usually a lot of bass offshore. You can go and catch a lot of numbers off the bank, but that’s not really where the big ones live,” he said. “The Damiki stuff could still be a player. Douglas is similar to Cherokee, just not as many smallmouth.”
After a day off on March 9, the Bassmaster Junior Series and Strike King Bassmaster High School Series will hold one-day events on Douglas Lake March 10.
These events are being hosted by Visit Jefferson County, TN.
2024 Bassmaster College Series Title Sponsor: Strike King
2024 Bassmaster College Series Presenting Sponsor: Bass Pro Shops
2024 Bassmaster College Series Platinum Sponsor: Toyota
2024 Bassmaster College Series Premier Sponsors: Dakota Lithium, Humminbird, Mercury, Minn Kota, Nitro Boats, Power-Pole, Progressive Insurance, Ranger Boats, Rapala, Skeeter Boats, Yamaha
2024 Bassmaster College Series Supporting Sponsors: AFTCO, Daiwa, Garmin, Lew's, Lowrance, Marathon, Triton Boats, VMC
2024 Bassmaster College Series Youth Sponsors: Seaguar, Shimano
About B.A.S.S.B.A.S.S., which encompasses the Bassmaster tournament leagues, events and media platforms, is the worldwide authority on bass fishing and keeper of the culture of the sport, providing cutting-edge content on bass fishing whenever, wherever and however bass fishing fans want to use it. Headquartered in Birmingham, Ala., the 500,000-member organization’s fully integrated media platforms include the industry’s leading magazines (Bassmaster and B.A.S.S. Times), website (Bassmaster.com), TV show, radio show, social media programs and events. For more than 50 years, B.A.S.S. has been dedicated to access, conservation and youth fishing.
Kentucky-Barkley Lakes to Host MLF Toyota Series Presented by Phoenix Boats Plains Division Season Opener
CALVERT CITY, Ky. (Feb. 29, 2024) – The Major League Fishing (MLF) Toyota Series Presented by Phoenix Boats is set to return to Kentucky and Barkley lakes next week, March 7-9, to open the 2024 Plains Division with the Toyota Series at Kentucky Lake.
The three-day competition, hosted by the Kentucky Lake Convention & Visitors Bureau, will feature a roster of the region’s best bass-fishing pros and Strike King co-anglers competing for a top prize of up to $100,000 in the pro division and a new Phoenix 518 Pro boat with a 115-horsepower outboard motor plus $5,000 in the co-angler division.
“This is going to be a really fun tournament,” said pro Jake Lawrence of Buchanan, Tennessee, who has two career Toyota Series victories on Kentucky and Barkley lakes. “Last year, with the way everything set up and the timing of everything the event was right in the middle of the smallmouth spawn. Things were a little funky, and a little bit off. This year, we’re about six weeks earlier than last year, and there a lot of fish coming out of their winter patterns and are in the prespawn staging areas near the bank.
“I think overall the weights will be similar to last year – I believe it’ll take 59 to 63 pounds to win this one – but the weights are going to be a lot better a lot further down into the field,” Lawrence continued.
One major difference that Lawrence expects to see this year – Lake Barkley being a much bigger factor for tournament anglers to consider.
“(Lake) Barkley hasn’t been talked about much the last few years, but this is the time of the year that it really plays,” Lawrence said. “There is so much natural wood there – laydowns and logs – any bass that wants to be on a piece of cover is going to be caught on Barkley. I’m not sure the tournament will be won there, but it is definitely going to play a big role and I think that we could see up to half of the top 10 end up coming out of Barkley.“
Lawrence said that he expects standard prespawn baits to be the most popular baits thrown by tournament anglers.
“I think Rat-L-Traps, spinnerbaits, and ChatterBaits will all be pretty strong,” Lawrence said. “I predict it’s going to be more of a pattern-type event rather than finding a mega school of bass. They exist, but they’re so hard to predict. I think the winner going to have to juke and jive and fish the conditions, and target whatever looks right.”
Anglers will launch at 6:30 a.m. CT each day from the Kentucky Dam Marina, located at 466 Marina Drive in Gilbertsville. Weigh-ins will also be held at the marina and will begin at 2:30 p.m. Fans are welcome to attend and encouraged to follow the event online through the “MLF Live” weigh-in broadcasts and daily coverage at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
In Toyota Series regular-season competition, payouts are based on the number of participants competing in the event, scaling up for every 20 boats over 160 and scaling down for every boat below 160. With a 160-boat field, pros fish for a top prize of up to $75,000, if Phoenix MLF Bonus qualified. Strike King co-anglers cast for the top prize of a new Phoenix 518 Pro bass boat with a 115-horsepower Mercury or Suzuki outboard (valued at $33,500). With a 260-boat field, pros fish for a top award of up to $100,000, if Phoenix MLF Bonus qualified. Strike King co-anglers cast for the top prize of a new Phoenix 518 Pro bass boat with a 115-horsepower Mercury or Suzuki outboard plus $5,000 cash.
The 2024 Toyota Series Presented by Phoenix Boats consists of six divisions – Central, Northern, Plains, Southern, Southwestern and the Western Division Presented by Tackle Warehouse – each holding three regular-season events, along with the International and Wild Card divisions. Anglers who fish in any of the six divisions or the Wild Card division and finish in the top 25 will qualify for the no-entry-fee Toyota Series Championship for a shot at winning up to $235,000 and a qualification to REDCREST 2025. The winning Strike King co-angler at the championship earns a new Phoenix 518 Pro bass boat with a 115-horsepower Mercury outboard. The 2024 Toyota Series Championship will be held Nov. 7-9 on Wheeler Lake in Huntsville, Alabama, and is hosted by the Huntsville/Madison County Convention & Visitors Bureau, the Madison County Commission, and the Huntsville Sports Commission.
Proud sponsors of the 2024 MLF Toyota Series include: 7Brew, Abu Garcia, B&W Trailer Hitches, Berkley, BUBBA, E3, Epic Baits, FX Custom Rods, General Tire, Lew’s, Mercury, Mossy Oak, Onyx, Phoenix, Polaris, Power-Pole, Strike King, Suzuki, Tackle Warehouse, T-H Marine, Toyota and YETI.
For complete details and updated information visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular Toyota Series updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow the MLF5 social media outlets at Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.
About Major League Fishing
Major League Fishing (MLF) is the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization, producing more than 250 events annually at some of the most prestigious fisheries in the world, while broadcasting to America’s living rooms on CBS, Discovery Channel, Outdoor Channel, CBS Sports Network, World Fishing Network and on demand on MyOutdoorTV (MOTV). Headquartered in Benton, Kentucky, the MLF roster of bass anglers includes the world’s top pros and more than 30,000 competitors in all 50 states and 17 countries. Since its founding in 2011, MLF has advanced the sport of competitive fishing through its premier television broadcasts and livestreams and is dedicated to improving the quality of life for bass through research, education, fisheries enhancement and fish care.
Ito takes early lead as giants emerge on Day 1 of the Bassmaster Elite Series event at Lake Fork
February 29, 2024
Ito takes early lead as giants emerge on Day 1 of the Bassmaster Elite Series event at Lake Fork
YANTIS, Texas — Just about everyone expected to see big bags of bass this week at the AFTCO Bassmaster Elite at Lake Fork.
Few, however, could have predicted the absolute slugfest that took place Thursday on this 27,000-acre jewel in the northeast corner of the Lone Star State.
A whopping 14 of the 103 anglers in the field caught 30 pound or better on Day 1 of the four-day tournament. Taku Ito, of Chiba, Japan, led the way with a five-bass total of 39 pounds, 1 ounce, including a personal best 10-5 lunker largemouth he brought to the stage at Caney Point Recreation Area.
His previous best was a 10-pounder he caught in Japan.
“Today was an incredible day,” Ito said. “I caught the big one about 10 a.m. I was throwing many types of baits — a jighead, a jerkbait, Texas rigs, drop shots. I was in different kinds of water, from 25 feet to about 5 feet.”
It was an unexpected turnaround for the 37-year-old Elite pro, who said he struggled mightily during his practice days on Fork.
“It was terrible,” he said. “I had four fish in one practice. Then I had three fish one day and two on another day. But today, I caught a bunch. Everything worked for me today.”
Ito wasn’t expecting Thursday’s cold and windy weather to help his cause, either, though it certainly did. Temperatures plummeted into the 40s on Wednesday, from the mid-80s a day earlier, and they stayed that way on Day 1 of this derby.
The weather is predicted to slowly warm throughout the the tournament, though Friday morning could be cold and windy again. The rapidly changing conditions make Ito uncertain he can come close to repeating the phenomenal 39-1 he caught Thursday.
“It’ll be hard,” he said. “The weather today helped me. I will go to the same places and try the same things.”
Stetson Blaylock, of Benton, Ark., is in second place with 37-6. He had a strong start, with bass weighing 6-10, 8-6 and 9-10 coming from the same small spot in the opening hours. Blaylock went cold for more than three hours, though, and didn’t catch his fourth and fifth bass until much later in the day.
He said unpredictable weather has him thinking he’ll try something new on Friday. And yes, he realizes it’s not too often you catch 37-6 and change tactics.
“This weather made the fish weird,” he said. “I found that one little area that really produced this morning. I knew it would be good, but I didn’t know it’d be that good … I don’t think I go there tomorrow … Things are gonna flip-flop. With the amount of 30-pound stringers caught today, I know I can go other places in the lake and catch big fish.”
Second-year Elite Kyle Norsetter, of Cottage Grove, Wis., is in third place with 35-8. He too said he struggled during practice, but a midday change of scenery helped him mount a strong Day 1 finish.
“We had about 35 bed fish marked, but I pulled into my first spot, and I only caught a 3-11,” he said. “I thought it was gonna be a decent day. I hit my spots, about six of them, and they were gone … I caught only one bedding fish today.
“So, I ended up switching gears,” Norsetter continued. “I saw something and made a cast, got it. Then I started LiveScoping. From there, everything went right. There were a lot of fish and some really nice fish, too. It was encouraging after having a really tough, draining practice.”
Trey McKinney, of Carbondale, Ill., is fourth after Day 1 with 33-11. Justin Hammer, of Northport, Ala., is fifth with 33-5. A total of 92 Elites had double-digit totals on Thursday and 69 of them caught at least 20 pounds.
Wesley Gore, of Clanton, Ala., caught the Phoenix Boats Big Bass on Thursday — a 10-9 giant he hooked just before 9 a.m.
Big bags are nothing new at Lake Fork. Texas pro Lee Livesay won the past two Elite derbies held here, cracking the Century mark both times — 112-5 in 2021 and 113-11 a year later. There were a total of six Century Club performances in those two tournaments.
The entire field will fish again Friday, with only the Top 50 advancing to Semifinal Saturday. The Top 10 will compete for the blue trophy and $100,000 first-place prize on Championship Sunday.
Bassmaster LIVE will be streaming on Bassmaster.com all four days, and coverage will also be available on FS1 on Saturday and Sunday.
This event is being hosted by Wood County Texas.
2024 Bassmaster Elite Series Platinum Sponsor: Toyota
2024 Bassmaster Elite Series Premier Sponsors: Bass Pro Shops, Dakota Lithium, Humminbird, Mercury, Minn Kota, Nitro Boats, Power-Pole, Progressive Insurance, Ranger Boats, Rapala, Skeeter Boats, Yamaha
2024 Bassmaster Elite Series Supporting Sponsors: AFTCO, Daiwa, Garmin, Lew's, Lowrance, Marathon, Triton Boats, VMC
About B.A.S.S.B.A.S.S., which encompasses the Bassmaster tournament leagues, events and media platforms, is the worldwide authority on bass fishing and keeper of the culture of the sport, providing cutting-edge content on bass fishing whenever, wherever and however bass fishing fans want to use it. Headquartered in Birmingham, Ala., the 500,000-member organization’s fully integrated media platforms include the industry’s leading magazines (Bassmaster and B.A.S.S. Times), website (Bassmaster.com), TV show, radio show, social media programs and events. For more than 50 years, B.A.S.S. has been dedicated to access, conservation and youth fishing.
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Connect with #Bassmaster on Facebook, Instagram, Twitte
Media Contact: Mandy Pascal, Managing Editor, 205-313-0955, mpascal@
Iaconelli: crawfish cranks and crazy socks
By Alan McGuckin - Dynamic Sponsorships
The Bassmaster Elite at Lake Fork is starting out raw. Cloudy, 46-degrees, and lots of cold rain that’s only comfortable if you’re a duck.
However, Team Toyota’s Mike Iaconelli seemed happy as a drake mallard to begin the day, and a new pair of crazy socks, along with a mindset of doing things his way in the day ahead seemed to be the major reasons why.
Knowing the recent Bass Fishing Hall of Fame inductee had a penchant for crazy socks, I couldn’t help but buy him a pair embossed with largemouth when I spotted them on a recent trip to a Skiatook, OK boutique with my bride.
I gave them to him prior to Day 1 take-off Thursday morning, and you’d have thought I handed him a hundred bucks. The lover of fashion and life itself was genuinely thrilled to get them and promised to wear them this weekend when the weather gets better.
“My love of silly socks began when I was in high school. My mom got me my first pair. I have at least 100 pairs of crazy socks. I have some with beer on them, others with flying pigs, and some with magic mushrooms. My sock drawer at home is busting open, because I have so many,” smiles Iaconelli.
His wife Becky confirms he’s not exaggerating and passed along a current image of his sock drawer back home in New Jersey. “The guy loves socks! Even in the middle of summer, he’s likely to wear some sort of crazy socks pulled up over his ankles. Family members are always competing to see who can buy Mike the silliest socks – from sasquatch to rubber duckies – he’s got tons,” says Becky.
He’s also got tons of tight wobbling, thin bodied, red-orange crawfish colored shallow crankbaits like the Berkley Frittside. “The water’s still cold here, and when this major cold front rolled-in to Fork two days ago, a lot of those big bass that had moved shallow to spawn, backed off a bit. They didn’t swim three miles away. They just back off. My job today is to intercept them, and there’s no better lure to do that than a red crawfish crankbait!” exclaims Iaconelli.
His plan to stay shallow and crank without staring at a sonar screen got off to a great start. According to Bassmaster’s BassTrakk, his first bite of the day weighed 6-pounds.
That makes for a really happy Iaconelli. Happy like the hundreds of socks stuffed in his drawer back home in Jersey, that will soon have a pair of largemouth prints added to his beloved collection.
Rig Your Fishing Electronics Right with GRAPH POWER® PRO
Connect-Ease® GRAPH POWER® PRO Provides Anglers With A Quick, Easy, and Problem-Free System For Rigging Today’s Advanced Fishing Electronics
PRIOR LAKE, MN (February 28, 2024) – If you haven’t prepped your boat, it’s time to get your ride ready for great spring bites.
Some anglers may be looking at a recently-purchased boat wondering how best to rig it themselves, while others are talking with independent or marine dealership rigging staff and picking out the best rigging and power solutions.
Other anglers may be upgrading an older boat with new electronics for the year, staring down a maze of wires wondering just where to start…
Whether you plan to fish out of a new boat or a seasoned rig this spring, it’s critical today’s fishing electronics are rigged properly, have enough power, and are ready for hassle-free fishing. After all, nobody wants to be out on the water during a hot bite and end up messing around with amateur or problem-prone rigging—we just want our graphs and other electronics to work when we need them.
Along those lines, Connect-Ease is proud to offer GRAPH POWER PRO, a bullet-proof rigging system designed specifically for powering today’s sophisticated graphs at the console or tiller position and on the bow, whether an angler uses Garmin, Humminbird, Lowrance, or a combination of brands.
Whether you’re going to rig a new boat, re-rig an older boat—either on your own or with the help of professional riggers—Connect-Ease products promise problem-free operation of today’s sophisticated electronics.
Wisconsin-based pro walleye angler and Connect-Ease pro staffer, Brett King, has been fishing tournaments for over 25 years. During this time, he's seen a lot of fads come and go. What hasn't changed over time is Brett's need for pure, clean, and reliable power in his boat to fish long days and cash checks. To rig and power his network of graphs, live imaging, and forward-facing sonar, Brett is a huge believer in the ease of Connect-Ease GRAPH POWER PRO.
Connect-Ease Founder, Cal Munkvold, remarks: “I’ve been an outdoorsman and big-water angler my entire life, so I knew there had to be a better way to rig electronics for everyone from the weekend warrior to the serious tournament angler. So we sat down and designed the trouble-free solution we would want to buy and install. The result became Connect-Ease products that allow easy, hassle-free rigging and powering of trolling motors, as well as GRAPH POWER PRO for today’s advanced fish-finders, including all types of forward-facing sonar.”
ABOUT GRAPH POWER PRO
From the get-go, GRAPH POWER PRO was designed to solve the connections and power issues associated with running today’s sophisticated fishing electronics common on today’s boats, providing clear, clean power and direct connections.
GRAPH POWER PRO is designed to work with all manufacturers of fresh- and saltwater marine electronics. GRAPH POWER PRO features marine-grade sheathed wire with multiple fused connections for your console and bow electronics.
It’s plug & play. Rigging that used to take hours now takes minutes.
Connect-Ease uses the best marine-grade connections and heat-shrinkable crimped connections that are waterproof, reject RF interference, and stay connected on big water and waves. There is a 30 amp fuse at the battery and your choice of 3 or 5 amp fuses to use at the graph connections.
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GRAPH POWER PRO FEATURES (19’-22’ CONSOLE BOAT KIT)
GRAPH POWER “RIGGER” FEATURES (14’-18’ RIGGER BOAT KIT)
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Not only do Connect-Ease GRAPH POWER PRO kits make rigging fast and simple, they provides protection and limits RF interference to power your graphs, pucks, GPS, and NMEA boxes directly from your battery to meet manufacturer recommendations.
The result?
Not only is rigging faster and trouble-free, you get the best possible clear and defined imaging on your graphs once installed, especially helpful with side-, down-, and forward-looking sonar technologies. GRAPH POWER PRO was designed to provide clean, reliable power to the critical and power-hungry electronics found on today’s tournament boats, so that translates to the very best rigging solution for every customer, no matter how often you’re on the water.
Our pro anglers and guides have learned through years of experience that to get the best performance out of today’s electronics, it’s best to use a GRAPH POWER PRO kit connected directly to its own dedicated lithium battery.
Anglers can also visit Connect-Ease in person at the Bassmaster Classic Expo, Booth #116, March 22-24, in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Or visit www.connect-ease.com
GRAPH POWER PRO kits are also available for tiller models.
Clear Lake Expected to Show Out at MLF Toyota Series Western Division Presented by Tackle Warehouse Season Opener
LAKEPORT, Calif. (Feb. 28, 2024) – The Major League Fishing (MLF) Toyota Series Presented by Phoenix Boats is set to visit Lakeport, California, next week, March 6-8, for the 2024 Western Division Presented by Tackle Warehouse season opener – the Toyota Series at Clear Lake.
The three-day tournament, hosted by the Konocti Vista Casino Resort & Marina, will feature a roster of the region’s best bass-fishing pros and Strike King co-anglers competing for a top prize of up to $75,000 in the pro division and a new Phoenix 518 Pro boat with a 115-horsepower outboard motor in the co-angler division.
“I am super excited for this event – after seeing how well the local team tournaments have been doing the last month, I expect that we are going to see some giant weights,” said Rancho Santa Margarita, California, pro Kyle Grover, who has four career top-10 finishes and a 2019 win on Clear Lake in Toyota Series competition. “I think it’s going to take 85 to 100 pounds over the three days to win this one. I can’t wait to get there.”
Grover said the water levels on Clear Lake are extremely high, and with more rain and even a little bit of snow being forecast for this upcoming weekend, he expects anglers are going to have to slow down and work hard to locate the biggest schools.
“Clear Lake is a pretty simple fishery, and they usually always bite the same stuff,” Grover said. “The key is finding them – we call it the biomass. The fish there like to group up, and when you find those big schools you can usually get on that one spot and smash them. Most of the time it’s a one-boat, one-cast type deal.
“You’ll be able to tell who found the schools pretty quickly,” Grover continued. “There will be a handful of guys at the top of the leaderboard that weigh in some massive limits, and then you’ll see the weights taper off pretty quickly.”
With schools of fish being the key Grover said that he expects forward-facing sonar to play a big role in this tournament, although not with the minnow-type soft plastics that are winning events across the south.
“The fish here like the bigger baits, so I think we’ll see a lot of swimbaits, umbrella rigs, (Lucky Craft) LV 500s – I think the tournament will likely be won on one of those three baits,” Grover went on to say. “But there will be guys catching them on the south end of the lake, too, throwing crankbaits and big jigs.”
Anglers will launch at 6:30 a.m. PT each day from the Konocti Vista Casino Resort & Marina, located at 2755 Mission Rancheria Road in Lakeport. Weigh-ins will also be held at the marina and will begin at 2:30 p.m. Fans are welcome to attend and encouraged to follow the event online through the “MLF Live” weigh-in broadcasts and daily coverage at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
In Toyota Series regular-season competition, payouts are based on the number of participants competing in the event, scaling up for every 20 boats over 160 and scaling down for every boat below 160. With a 160-boat field, pros fish for a top prize of up to $75,000, if Phoenix MLF Bonus qualified. Strike King co-anglers cast for the top prize of a new Phoenix 518 Pro bass boat with a 115-horsepower Mercury or Suzuki outboard (valued at $33,500). With a 260-boat field, pros fish for a top award of up to $100,000, if Phoenix MLF Bonus qualified. Strike King co-anglers cast for the top prize of a new Phoenix 518 Pro bass boat with a 115-horsepower Mercury or Suzuki outboard plus $5,000 cash.
The 2024 Toyota Series Presented by Phoenix Boats consists of six divisions – Central, Northern, Plains, Southern, Southwestern and the Western Division Presented by Tackle Warehouse – each holding three regular-season events, along with the International and Wild Card divisions. Anglers who fish in any of the six divisions or the Wild Card division and finish in the top 25 will qualify for the no-entry-fee Toyota Series Championship for a shot at winning up to $235,000 and a qualification to REDCREST 2025. The winning Strike King co-angler at the championship earns a new Phoenix 518 Pro bass boat with a 115-horsepower Mercury outboard. The 2024 Toyota Series Championship will be held Nov. 7-9 on Wheeler Lake in Huntsville, Alabama, and is hosted by the Huntsville/Madison County Convention & Visitors Bureau, the Madison County Commission, and the Huntsville Sports Commission.
Proud sponsors of the 2024 MLF Toyota Series include: 7Brew, Abu Garcia, B&W Trailer Hitches, Berkley, BUBBA, E3, Epic Baits, FX Custom Rods, General Tire, Lew’s, Mercury, Mossy Oak, Onyx, Phoenix, Polaris, Power-Pole, Strike King, Suzuki, Tackle Warehouse, T-H Marine, Toyota and YETI.
For complete details and updated information visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular Toyota Series updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow the MLF5 social media outlets at Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.
About Major League Fishing
Major League Fishing (MLF) is the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization, producing more than 250 events annually at some of the most prestigious fisheries in the world, while broadcasting to America’s living rooms on CBS, Discovery Channel, Outdoor Channel, CBS Sports Network, World Fishing Network and on demand on MyOutdoorTV (MOTV). Headquartered in Benton, Kentucky, the MLF roster of bass anglers includes the world’s top pros and more than 30,000 competitors in all 50 states and 13 countries. Since its founding in 2011, MLF has advanced the sport of competitive fishing through its premier television broadcasts and livestreams and is dedicated to improving the quality of life for bass through research, education, fisheries enhancement and fish care.
Lesson learned, Lester will be looking shallow on Fork
By Alan McGuckin - Dynamic Sponsorships
Team Toyota’s Brandon Lester has made eight Bassmaster Classics in 11 years as a pro, he’s considered one of pro bass fishing’s most consistent check cashers, but last week at the Elite Series event on Toledo Bend he’s never been so mad at himself.
“When I got off my boat at the end of Day 2 last week at Toledo Bend, I was never at such a low point in my career. I had spent all day staring at a sonar screen. I never made a cast at the bank, and I knew I was about to miss the Day 3 cut as a result. That’s not me, and that’s not happening this week on Lake Fork,” says Lester.
Hence, when asked what two lures he plans to serve up a ton on Fork this week, he named a ChatterBait and a small creature bait. While a blustery cold front that rolled across middle America Wednesday may have put Lake Fork’s largemouth in a temporary bad mood, the always approachable Tennessee pro says the lake’s in great condition, and the first two days of practice told him not only what areas of the lake are surrendering bites, but also that there’s plenty of Lake Fork bass heading shallow toward the bank to spawn. Water temps are 58-66, the lake is pretty much at full pool, there’s tons of shallow water habitat, water clarity is healthy, and a few bass had already started to spawn prior to Wednesday’s big cold front.
Thursday will bring more raw weather, but the weekend forecast calls for a warming trend that could create fireworks. “Fishing pressure is always a factor at Lake Fork, but I fish Guntersville a ton, and fishing pressure is massive there too. These fish just seem to adapt, and thank heavens, still bite. You might only get 10 bites a day here, but one of them might weigh 10-pounds, and 20-pound daily limits are the standard here,” says Lester.
This event may also be won with forward facing sonar, but Lester is confident they’ll be plenty of Top 10 finishers who kick it aside on Fork. One of them will be his close friend and roommate John Cox. “Cox still doesn’t have forward facing sonar on his boat, so he dang sure won’t be using it, and if I spend 15% of my time looking at it this week, I’ll be surprised,” says Lester.
Any more than that, and he’ll likely wind-up disappointed in himself, but that’s not happening again this week.
Toyota and B.A.S.S. extend partnership through 2026
February 28, 2024
Toyota and B.A.S.S. extend partnership through 2026
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — On the 20th anniversary of the partnership between B.A.S.S., the world’s largest fishing organization, and Toyota Motor North America, the long-standing official truck of bass fishing, the two organizations have announced the extension of their partnership through 2026. Toyota will remain the exclusive truck and automotive partner of Bassmaster and the myriad events run by the organization, from the high school level to the Elite Series to the Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Classic presented by Jockey Outdoors. Toyota will remain at the Platinum Partner level of B.A.S.S. and will also sponsor an exciting new female initiative, BassmastHER, to be rolled out in 2024.
“Toyota is very excited to not only extend our long-term partnership with B.A.S.S., but to amplify our support for anglers through this new agreement,” said Steve Appelbaum, national manager, sponsorship integration, Toyota Motor North America. “We recognize and identify with the passion of bass anglers and the fans that follow the Bassmaster tournament trails and look forward to continuing our support of the bass fishing community and empowering more people to enjoy the outdoors.”
As in years past, the agreement includes Toyota’s sponsorship of the Bassmaster Elite Series, the St. Croix Bassmaster Opens Series presented by SEVIIN, the Strike King Bassmaster College Series presented by Bass Pro Shops, the Strike King Bassmaster High School Series, the Bassmaster Junior Series and the Mercury B.A.S.S. Nation Qualifier Series presented by Lowrance. Of course, Toyota will continue as a premier sponsor of the 2024 Bassmaster Classic to be held in Tulsa, Okla., March 22-24 on Grand Lake O’ the Cherokees.
The very popular Toyota Bonus Bucks program will also continue, awarding cash prizes to Toyota owners participating in Bassmaster events (based on performance).
An exciting new addition to the Toyota sponsorship agreement is the incorporation of the new BassmastHER female initiative. This new program is dedicated to supporting the goals and aspirations of female anglers. Three educational workshops focusing on the fundamentals of bass fishing will be held in conjunction with 2024 Elite Series events. Furthermore, Toyota will sponsor three female anglers participating in Bassmaster events, and their journeys will be shared through the expansive B.A.S.S. media apparatus. The aim is to not only inspire other females to engage in the sport, but also to foster a supportive community moving forward. You can find more information about this initiative at Bassmaster.com/bassmasther.
“Toyota’s enduring partnership with B.A.S.S. extends beyond mere support; it reflects their unwavering commitment to both the angling community and the industry,” said Chase Anderson, CEO of B.A.S.S. “We are excited to spotlight Toyota’s passion for bass anglers through not only our events, but through the new BassmastHER initiative as well. Our organizations put a premium on quality, and together we will deliver amazing events, content and educational opportunities to anglers across all skill levels.”
About Toyota
Toyota (NYSE:TM), creator of the Prius hybrid and the Mirai fuel cell vehicle, is committed to building vehicles for the way people live through our Toyota and Lexus brands, and directly employs more than 63,000 people in North America (more than 49,000 in the U.S.).
Over the past 65 years, Toyota has assembled nearly 47 million cars and trucks in North America at the company’s 13 manufacturing plants. By 2025, the company’s 14th plant in North Carolina will begin to manufacture automotive batteries for electrified vehicles.
Through our more than 1,800 North American dealerships (nearly 1,500 in the U.S.), Toyota sold more than 2.6 million cars and trucks (more than 2.2 million in the U.S.) in 2023, of which more than one quarter were electrified vehicles (full battery, hybrid, plug-in hybrid and fuel cell).
About B.A.S.S.
B.A.S.S., which encompasses the Bassmaster tournament leagues, events and media platforms, is the worldwide authority on bass fishing and keeper of the culture of the sport, providing cutting-edge content on bass fishing whenever, wherever and however bass fishing fans want to use it. Headquartered in Birmingham, Ala., the 500,000-member organization’s fully integrated media platforms include the industry’s leading magazines (Bassmaster and B.A.S.S. Times), website (Bassmaster.com), TV show, radio show, social media programs and events. For more than 50 years, B.A.S.S. has been dedicated to access, conservation and youth fishing.
The Bassmaster Tournament Trail includes the most prestigious events at each level of competition, including the Bassmaster Elite Series, St. Croix Bassmaster Opens Series presented by SEVIIN, Mercury B.A.S.S. Nation Qualifier Series presented by Lowrance, Strike King Bassmaster College Series presented by Bass Pro Shops, Strike King Bassmaster High School Series, Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Team Championship, Yamaha Rightwaters Bassmaster Kayak Series scored by TourneyX, Yamaha Bassmaster Redfish Cup Championship presented by Skeeter and the ultimate celebration of competitive fishing, the Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Classic presented by Jockey Outdoors.
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Connect with #Bassmaster on Facebook, Instagram, Twitte
Media Contact: Mandy Pascal, Managing Editor, 205-313-0955, [email protected]
Spring dynamic could be on display for Bassmaster Open at Santee Cooper Lakes
South Carolina's Santee Cooper Lakes will host the 2024 St. Croix Bassmaster Open presented by SEVIIN tournament March 7-9.
Photo by Craig Lamb/B.A.S.S.
February 28, 2024
CLARENDON COUNTY, S.C. — Bassmaster Elite Series pro Bryan New is certain there will be plenty of bass to catch during the St. Croix Bassmaster Open at Santee Cooper Lakes presented by SEVIIN. The Saluda, S.C., angler is just not certain how he and his competitors will catch them.
Competition days will be March 7-9 with daily takeoffs from the John C Land III Sports Fishing Facility at 6:30 a.m. ET and weigh-ins each day at the same location at 2:30 p.m.
“There’s going to be fish spawning and some prespawn,” New said. “The fish will still do the same thing, but where do they do it? I’m sure some fish will be staging on grass, on trees, in ditches — and some will be spawning in backwater ponds.”
Santee Cooper Lakes include the 110,600-acre Lake Marion, impounded by the Santee Dam, and Lake Moultrie, which runs down to the Pinopolis Dam. A 6.5-mile diversion canal links the two lakes and, while there’s no lock to control access, running to Moultrie from the tournament site on Marion’s northeast side requires careful time management — especially if a windy day slows travel time.
Fed by the confluence of the Wateree and Congaree rivers, Marion’s best known for the upper end’s riverine cypress swamp, but includes a mix of docks, lily pads, stumps and grass. Moultrie has traditionally been more of an offshore deal, with brushpiles, bamboo piles and concrete rubble reef sites placed by the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources dominating the scene.
With good numbers of stocked Florida-strain largemouth bass, Santee Cooper Lakes are a well-renowned giant factory with a reputation for kicking out impressive numbers. During last year’s AFTCO Bassmaster Elite at Santee Cooper Lakes, 10th-place finisher Matt Robertson of Kentucky sacked up the event’s biggest bag — 28 pounds, 1 ounce — while Oklahoma pro Luke Palmer averaged just over 24 pounds a day, as he won and almost earned a century belt with 96-14.
That late April Elite tournament fell toward the end of the Santee Cooper spawn, but the upcoming Division 1 Open will likely comprise a mix of early-season action. With the bass at their heaviest weights of the year and still in a snappy kind of mood, the stage is set for a potential slugfest.
“Somebody could blow it away,” said Elite pro Todd Auten, who hails from Lake Wylie, S.C. “I’ve seen 45-pound bags there. If you hit it right when the fish are up spawning, you can catch 9- to 10-pounders off beds.”
As New points out, water clarity could suppress some of the fishery’s potential. Recent rains have muddied the waters and, while the fish still feel their seasonal prompting, lower visibility shrinks the strike zone.
“Both lakes are very dirty,” New said. “It’s rare that the Lower Lake gets dirty, but before (the off-limits period), I talked to a friend who said it’s dirtier than he has ever seen it.”
With more rain forecast for the tournament week, turbidity will likely continue to factor, particularly for Marion, which is first to receive major inflows. New notes that grass-filtered backwater areas away from the main flows could see cleaner water, but water staining might also bring benefits.
“Water color can be a good thing; we may be catching spawners we can’t see,” he said.
Wind could also play a significant role in how this event unfolds. As New points out, spring’s fickle nature often meddles with competitive game plans.
“You have to ask yourself, ‘Can I get to where I want to go? Will the wind dirty the water up? Will it cool the water down?’” he said.
New said an increase in aquatic vegetation will certainly impact the fishing — likely in a positive manner. Much of this is due to the SCDNR’s habitat enhancement efforts, which transplanted water willow from the lakes’ vast growth areas to more barren zones, while also bringing eelgrass plantings from Lake Greenwood (two hours northwest of Marion).
“Last year, we had eelgrass that was starting to come in pretty good,” Auten said. “This year, there’s also hydrilla and milfoil. That’s going to be a game changer for somebody, somewhere.
“The last few years, there’s been like no grass in the Lower Lake and those prespawn fish would stage out on brush or a drop. Now, the fish can really be about anywhere in that grass. They can spread out a lot more and have a lot more places to hide until they move up to spawn.”
More grass means more opportunities, but it also will require more searching. While a good stretch of open water might separate a brushpile or reef site from the spawning grounds, a healthy grassbed could provide cover and feeding opportunities right up to the areas where fish may bed.
Auten expects lipless baits, spinnerbaits, bladed jigs, big worms and flipping jigs to produce competitive fish. New adds squarebills and wacky rigs to that mix. Both agree that surface presentations from frogs to buzzbaits could deliver big.
“A topwater might come into play if the water temperature gets up there,” Auten said. “I know they’re catching some shallow already, and it’s only going to get better.”
Tournament weekend brings a new moon and, while typically not as strong as the full moon’s affect, this phase is known to spur spawning movements, provided water temperatures are warm enough. Noting that seasonal progression will be inching closer to go-time, Auten expects the Santee Cooper Lakes to make a strong showing.
“To make the Top 10 cut, it’s probably going to take about 35 pounds,” Auten said. “If somebody can catch 25 to 26 pounds a day, they’ll probably win.”
The final day of competition will be broadcast live on FS1 Saturday morning beginning at 8:00 a.m. ET, with streaming available on Bassmaster.com, as well as FS2 and the FOX Sports digital platforms.
This event is being hosted by Clarendon County in association with Santee Cooper Country and the Town of Santee.
2024 Bassmaster Opens Series Title Sponsor: St. Croix
2024 Bassmaster Opens Series Presenting Sponsor: SEVIIN
2024 Bassmaster Opens Series Platinum Sponsor: Toyota
2024 Bassmaster Opens Series Premier Sponsors: Bass Pro Shops, Dakota Lithium, Humminbird, Mercury, Minn Kota, Nitro Boats, Power-Pole, Progressive Insurance, Ranger Boats, Rapala, Skeeter Boats, Yamaha
2024 Bassmaster Opens Series Supporting Sponsors: AFTCO, Daiwa, Garmin, Lew's, Lowrance, Marathon, Triton Boats, VMC
About B.A.S.S.B.A.S.S., which encompasses the Bassmaster tournament leagues, events and media platforms, is the worldwide authority on bass fishing and keeper of the culture of the sport, providing cutting-edge content on bass fishing whenever, wherever and however bass fishing fans want to use it. Headquartered in Birmingham, Ala., the 500,000-member organization’s fully integrated media platforms include the industry’s leading magazines (Bassmaster and B.A.S.S. Times), website (Bassmaster.com), TV show, radio show, social media programs and events. For more than 50 years, B.A.S.S. has been dedicated to access, conservation and youth fishing.
BAM Tournament Trail Announces Sponsorship with StorQuest Self Storage for 2024 Season
Dixon, CA – February 22, 2024 – BAM Tournament Trail, a premier name in bass fishing tournaments, is proud to announce a significant sponsorship for the 2024 season with StorQuest®, a leading national self storage brand.
StorQuest Self Storage, well known for its national portfolio of beautiful high-tech facilities, featuring a wide range of storage offerings, is dedicated to helping customers make room for whatever life has in store. StorQuest prides itself on its exceptional customer service, catering to a diverse clientele including outdoor enthusiasts, local community residents, and small business owners.
Bill Hobin, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of The William Warren Group, owner and operator of StorQuest Self Storage portfolio, expressed enthusiasm about the collaboration stating, "The sponsorship with BAM Tournament Trail is a natural fit. Many bass anglers require storage space for their extensive gear, boats, kayaks, or everyday personal belongings and StorQuest's state-of-the-art facilities are perfectly equipped to meet these needs."
Mark Lassagne, a prominent figure in the bass fishing community, also shared his excitement about the sponsorship. "Bringing a consumer-facing real estate company like StorQuest into the bass fishing world is crucial for the growth of both our circuit and the sport at large. We are thrilled about this venture and foresee a great sponsorship that will benefit both parties for years to come."
This sponsorship marks a significant step in bringing together the worlds of outdoor sports and practical storage solutions. StorQuest's involvement in the bass fishing community through the BAM Tournament Trail highlights its commitment to supporting the lifestyles and passions of its guests.
About The William Warren Group (WWG) & StorQuest® Self Storage.
The William Warren Group, Inc. (WWG) is a privately held, entrepreneurial self storage development, acquisition, property and asset management company based in Santa Monica, CA. Since inception in 1994, the company’s focus has been on investments in major metro markets across the United States that offer significant cash flow and long-term capital appreciation opportunities. To learn more, visit www.williamwarren.com.
StorQuest Self Storage, StorQuest Express and StorQuest Economy Storage are registered trademarks, and owned assets of WWG’s national portfolio of self storage facilities. The StorQuest family of brands deliver best-in-class customer support with simple, easy-to-use technology - built on a foundation that is focused on a guest-centric service approach. To learn more visit: www.storquest.com.
Palmer Pockets Bonus Bucks at Toledo Bend
By Luke Stoner - Dynamic Sponsorships
Bassmaster Elite Series pro Luke Palmer had what most would call a breakout season in 2023. The part-time manager of his families’ hardware store in Coalgate, Oklahoma notched his first Elite Series win at Santee Cooper and followed it up with a 2 nd place at Lake St. Clair en route to qualifying for the Bassmaster Classic on Grand Lake in his home state.
Palmer is keeping his momentum rolling in 2024 after starting the season off with a 6 th place finish at Toledo Bend. Palmer’s efforts were enough to earn him an extra $3,000 from Toyota Bonus Bucks for being the highest placing angler driving a 2020 or newer Toyota tow vehicle. The fourth-year full-time pro bought a 2023 Tundra this off-season in hopes to cash in on the popular contingency program. After the first Elite Series tournament of the year, that aspiration is already coming to fruition.
“This is my first Toyota tow vehicle. I bought this truck because of Toyota’s reliability reputation, the longevity of the vehicle itself and its value, and then definitely because of Bonus
Bucks,” Palmer said with a soft smile. Palmer knew he left some money on the table in 2023, as his performance on the water would have resulted in a lot of bonus money had he been driving an eligible vehicle. His hunch proved correct, and his new Toyota purchase is already paying off.
“I have been driving diesel trucks the past few years, so I was admittedly a little worried switching to a gas truck, but this thing pulls outstanding,” Palmer said. “It tows my boat great,
handles really well and I can park it anywhere which I really like.” Palmer employed a 4-inch YUM FF Sonar Minnow on a ¼-ounce jig head and a spinning rod to
catch most of the over 86-lbs of Toledo Bend largemouth he brought to the scales over the course of four days.
Like most of his fellow top ten finishers, Palmer used forward-facing sonar to find and pick off individual fish, including a bass over nine pounds on day one of the event, roaming in ten to twenty-five feet of water.
You don’t have to be a professional angler or catch 9-lbers like Palmer to win extra money through Toyota Bonus Bucks. Hundreds of bass tournaments, as well as walleye and kayak
derbies are sanctioned for payouts through the program and it’s 100% free to register. For more information, a full list of events or to get signed up follow this link: https://www.toyotatrucksbonusbucks.com/.
Swindle determined to not let FFS take the F-U-N out of fishing
By Alan McGuckin - Dynamic Sponsorships
Team Toyota’s Gerald Swindle returned to the boat ramp Tuesday evening at Lake Fork following another long day of practice with a torn-up transducer and healthy heart for the woman he loves.
“I spent 80% of my first day of practice here staring at the sonar screen, and then 45 minutes into today, I broke off a transducer. So, I went to the bank and swam a jig, and my head’s a lot freer now,” said Swindle, as the sun slipped deep in the Northeast Texas sky.
Swindle has spent the past two years working on his forward-facing sonar game, he wants fans to know he’s not harshly opposed to the technology, but he’s also a realist and a 2-time Bassmaster Angler of the Year winner who knows you simply can’t ditch the girl who brought you to the dance to chase the popular queen.
“Forward-facing sonar has become so dominating you feel forced to commit to it, but I’m just not ready to fully retrain my mind to ignoring the techniques and intuition that built my career,” he says.
Call it conflict or contemplation, the hilarious but introspective Alabama pro simply doesn’t want to lose sight of the moments that makes days on the water special because he was too busy looking down.
“You can’t see birds, you can’t see that Texas flag blowing in the wind, and you can’t see the elderly couple I saw crappie fishing in a boat together last week on Toledo Bend if you’re too focused on a sonar screen. Those are the kinds of things I love seeing in my workday, and I don’t want to miss those moments,” he explains.
That elderly couple got Swindle’s attention. She was in the boat because she likely wanted to share time with her husband, and he wanted her to join him, simply because his life is always more complete when she’s near. That’s the life Swindle strives for with his bride “Lulu” – and it has nothing to do with a sonar debate.
“I’m caught up trying not to stress about a new technology, and the only thing that couple was worried about was if their minnow was still alive, and how long it’d be before their cork went under the surface,” smiles the 20-time Bassmaster Classic qualifier.
“I just don’t want forward-facing sonar to take the fun out of fishing. I’m just not sure staring at a sonar screen will ever be as fun as slack-lining a swim jig tied to a complete element of surprise, much like that couple watching that bobber on Toledo Bend,” concludes Swindle.
The last time the Elite Series visited Lake Fork was in May of 2022. Swindle finished third with an amazing 102 pounds of bass in four days. Only the days ahead will reveal how and what he catches this week, but nobody would be opposed to him slack-lining another century belt’s worth of Lake Fork largemouth without staring at a screen.
Especially he, Lulu, and dare we say, the couple in the crappie fishing boat at Toledo Bend.
AC Insider Podcast - Catching up with Bassmaster Elite Pro, John Cox
In this week's episode of the AC Insider Podcast, the guys catch up with John Cox, prior to hitting the road. John has 2 Bassmaster Elite Series events, the Major League Fishing Redcrest, the Bassmaster Classic, the NPFL Championship AND a new high stakes, limited electronics event...just for fun, all in the next 6 weeks! The guys discuss what's in store for shallow water guys like John with the advancements in technology, how he keeps up his schedule, and much more. Give a listen!
Greg Gutierrez Grabs Inaugural BAM Tournament Trail Trophy at Lake Shasta
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REDDING, Calif. – In a come-from-behind victory, Frenzy Baits pro Greg “Double G” Gutierrez, of Red Bluff, Calif. brought in the big bag of Championship day, eclipsing the nearest five-fish limit by more than two-pounds. Over the course of the three-day event, Gutierrez consistently climbed the leaderboard. He trailed by six-pounds from his starting point of 11th on Day One with 12.74. On Day Two, he increased the weight of his bag by little more than a half-pound with 13.35, however it was enough to secure a spot in the top-10 cutline. Blasting off in 8th place on the final day of competition, Double G pushed past the remaining field when he added 14.88, sacking up a tournament total of 40.97, and claiming the crown as the first-ever BAM Tournament Trail Pro/Am Champion on his home waters of Lake Shasta. “This is an accomplishment,” Gutierrez exclaimed. “There will never be another first BAM Tournament and that means a lot. That and the fact that I’m fishing against some real hammers out here and I came back from 11th place to win it; so, it feels awesome.” Gutierrez started the day believing he needed to catch 15 pounds, but wanting to get 16, just to be safe. “The whole (top-10) field was separated by three-pounds, so to make a move like I did is a big deal on Shasta,” he said. Fishing The Weather Conditions At ShastaThe condition change from rain and cloud cover to bluebird skies challenged many of the anglers; however, Gutierrez banked on it.” “I knew I could catch ‘em in this weather and I figured it would shut everyone else down,” he shared. “And there is another issue right now, the water is dropping. They’re pullin’ the plug on the lake and it’s dropping a foot or a 1 foot and a half per day.” Although the flux in the water hit some anglers hard, Gutierrez had staged for it. The first day, he worked spots up the McCloud arm and back down into the main lake. Day two, he returned on his path up the McCloud after boating a few key fish on bridge pilings and hopping around to cull out his early limit. For Day Three, it was a whole other strategy. “I knew there was a club tournament going out of the other ramp and I knew one of the other anglers would be on the bridge pilings, but I went ahead and fished it,” he said. It was a good stop for Gutierrez as he stuck a Shasta big about four-pounds first thing in the morning. A few casts later and he had another 2 ½ in the box. It started the day off on a good note. “Then, I made a run up to the Sacramento,” he said. “I caught a couple fish that helped; but I came back down.” The Baits To Catch Shasta BassFrenzy Baits Nail Shakey Head (Green Pumpkin) Double G revealed he had two rods on deck. One was an IROD tied up with a Frenzy Baits Nail on six-pound-test “The IROD has the tip to really get the worm to work; but still get a good backbone set fishing in brush and deeper water,” he explained. “When I would hit a bridge piling, it was a G2 Ultra-Finesse, with a custom dart head that I make. This is probably what caught the lion’s share of it today.” Credit for both presentations went to five-inch worms. Reaction Innovations Flirt Worm Green Pumpkin “I’m throwin’ Reaction Innovations; but some of the colors that I usually use were just too shiny,” he said. “I used duller worms and kept getting short bit to the point that they got to 3 ½ inches and then, the fish started eating it. The whole day, I was just really blessed.” |
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Chris Trumbell Tops Shasta Co-Angler FieldCo-angler Chris Trumbull of nearby Shingle Town towered over the non-boater field in the draw event with a three-day cumulative weight of 42.12. He bested the backseater side by more than five pounds over his nearest competitor and more than a pound over the pro side. Trumbull’s take of the prize purse was $4,284. “It’s good to get the first one; no one else can get the first one,” Trumbull said of his win. He noted all three of the pros that he was paired with were throwing reaction baits. “And I was just dragging behind them; nothing special, just doing the exact opposite of what they were doing,” he added. “I stayed on the bottom in the deep channel.” Ironically two of his pro-anglers fished the same small area, which kept Trumbull in a familiar target spot for most of the event. “I was there the first day with Scott (the first day leader) and then again today with Jodie (the leader after Day Two),” he shared. “I think it helped me out quite a bit because I knew what the bottom was. I knew where logs were. I knew where stumps were, and I was purposely not casting into the trees where they were.” Trumbull reported his better weigh fish fell to Z-Man Worms and Bobby D Jigs that he fished on Phenix M1 rods mated to Abu Garcia reels spooled with Seaguar line. Top-10 ProsPLACE PRO DAY 1 WEIGHT DAY 2 WEIGHT DAY 3 WEIGHT TOTAL WEIGHT TOTAL PAYOUT 1 Greg Gutierrez 12.74 13.35 14.88 40.97 $9,937.99 Top-10 Co-AnglersPLACE CO DAY 1 WEIGHT DAY 2 WEIGHT DAY 3 WEIGHT TOTAL WEIGHT TOTAL PAYOUT 1 Chris Trumbull 12.88 13.82 15.42 42.12 $4,284.00 -BAM Tournament Trail 2024 Lake Shasta Pro/Am Complete Results and Payout-The Bass Angler Magazine Tournament Trail (BAM TT), offers an unparalleled platform for sponsors, combining vast exposure opportunities with a celebration of the skills of western anglers. The circuit garners extensive coverage across print and online magazines, websites, videos, television, and multiple social media channels. 2024 BAM Trail Pro/Am Next StopAfter the debut of the BAM Tournament Trail on Lake Shasta, the next stop for the circuit’s Pro/Am events will be at Lake Oroville on March 15. Registration is underway. BAM Trail Full Event ScheduleBAM Shasta Event Sponsors:The Shasta tournament proudly welcomes a diverse array of sponsors including Bass Boat Technologies, Tackle Warehouse, Strike King, Storquest, Bridge Bay Marina, Huff’s Choose Redding, and our dedicated conservation sponsor, Fisherman’s Warehouse. BAM Lake Shasta Pro / Am Tournament DetailsThe BAM Tournament Trail features the BAM Pro Tour, Pro-Am, and Kayak events, each designed to test the determination of western anglers in a competitive and environmentally-conscious format. About BAM Tournament TrailThe Bass Angler Magazine Tournament Trail (BAM TT) is an exclusive west coast pro level tournament circuit. BAM TT delivers multiple opportunities to showcase the talents of western anglers on several professional platforms. As BAM TT continues to provide and refine a platform of elite events for competitive anglers, it creates a logical avenue for sponsors to have direct contact with our west coast anglers. BAM TT is dedicated to creating a complete package of advertising opportunities including on-site activation, internet/social media, and a YouTube and TV series that reaches a large number of viewers each day. Proud sponsors for the BAM Trail: Bass Boat Technologies, Tackle Warehouse, Storquest, Garmin, Dish, Bass Cat Boats, Accel Marketing, Power Pole, Mercury Outboards, Bob’s machine, Wood Bros, Sticky Graphics, City of Oakley, Lake Almanor Chamber, Jean Deleonardi Real Estate, Ford Fairfield, Valley Outdoors, Boardman Chamber, Feather River Tourism Association, Eternal Lithium, Oakley Ace Hardware, Alpha Angler Rods and Fisherman’s Warehouse as our conservation sponsor. Tournament events include BAM Pro Tour, Pro-Am and a Kayak Tour with a no entry Championship can be viewed on YouTube. Learn more here: BAM TRAIL, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Media / Advertising Contact Mark Lassagne #bamtrail #bassanglermagazine #bamprotour |
Huntersville’s Hammond Gets Elusive Win at Phoenix Bass Fishing League Event at Lake Norman
HUNTERSVILLE, N.C. (Feb. 26, 2024) – Boater Will Hammond of Huntersville, North Carolina, caught a five-bass limit weighing 16 pounds, 13 ounces, Saturday to win the MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League (BFL) Presented by T-H Marine on Lake Norman . Hosted by Visit Lake Norman, the tournament was the first event of the season for the BFL North Carolina Division. Hammond earned $4,359 for his victory.
“I started in a place where I really caught them in practice, but I didn’t catch them there – or on the next four or five spots – and at 11:30, I didn’t have a fish,” said Hammond, who said he lives five minutes from Lake Norman. “So, I started scrambling and caught one that weighed 3½ (pounds) on a Luhr Jensen Speed Trap on a boat ramp.
“I ran back down and fished some things I knew from the past and went to work on it with an Alabama rig,” Hammond added. “I caught two good ones, ran a bit more, and caught two more good ones. That’s the only five bites I had all day.”
Hammond said he focused on mid-lake areas and said at 1 o’clock he had only three fish for 10½ pounds and was worried about his chances for a good tournament finish. He hoped to just fill out a limit to earn a check.
“The last two months it’s been taking 19 or 20 pounds to win every Saturday, but it was tougher than I thought it was going to be,” Hammond said. “I’ve been working on getting a win here for several years, so to get this done feels very good.”
The top 10 boaters finished the tournament:
2nd: Chris Carnes, York, S.C., five bass, 16-0, $2,479
3rd: Logan Anderson, Catawba, N.C., five bass, 15-10, $1,952 (includes $500 Phoenix MLF Contingency Bonus)
4th: Tommy Jones, Salisbury, N.C., five bass, 15-6, $1,017
5th: Brian Morgan, Maiden, N.C., five bass, 15-5, $872
6th: Chad Sims, Lancaster, S.C., five bass, 15-2, $799
7th: David Bright, Mooresville, N.C., five bass, 15-1, $726
8th: Cody Hoyle, Mooresboro, N.C., five bass, 14-6, $617
8th: Lucas Murphy, West Columbia, S.C., five bass, 14-6, $617
10th: Kevin Toler, Statesville, N.C., five bass, 14-2, $509
Scott Beattie of Sherrills Ford, North Carolina, caught a bass that weighed 4 pounds, 9 ounces, and earned the Berkley Big Bass Boater award of $625.
Keith Wood of Mooresville, North Carolina, won the Strike King co-angler division and $2,778 Saturday, after bringing five bass to the scale that totaled 15 pounds, 10 ounces.
The top 10 Strike King co-anglers finished:
2nd: Damon Phillips, Anderson, S.C., five bass, 14-14, $1,090
3rd: Jared Jones, Denver, N.C., five bass, 13-12, $725
4th: Hunter Alexander, China Grove, N.C., five bass, 13-10, $509
5th: Jean Lacerte, Elm City, N.C., five bass, 12-10, $436
6th: Jonathan Williams, Marshville, N.C., five bass, 12-2, $400
7th: Joel Cerv, North Wilkesboro, N.C., five bass, 10-15, $363
8th: Jerry Morris, Charlotte, N.C., four bass, 10-9, $477
9th: Nicholas Burke, Maiden, N.C., five bass, 10-6, $291
10th: Keyshawn Bratcher, Altamonte Springs, Fla., five bass, 10-2, $254
The next event for BFL North Carolina Division anglers will be held April 13, at Kerr Lake in Henderson, North Carolina. To register for the event as a boater or a co-angler, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com or call (270)-252-1000.
The top 45 boaters and co-anglers in the region based on point standings, along with the five tournament winners of each qualifying event, will qualify for the Oct. 10-12 BFL Regional tournament on the Santee Cooper Lakes in Clarendon County, South Carolina. Boaters will fish for a top award of $60,000, including a new Phoenix 819 Pro with a 200-horsepower Mercury or Suzuki outboard and $10,000, while co-anglers will compete for a top award of $50,000, including a new Phoenix 819 Pro with a 200-horsepower Mercury or Suzuki outboard.
The 2024 Phoenix BFL Presented by T-H Marine is a 24-division circuit devoted to weekend anglers, with 128 events throughout the season, five qualifying tournaments in each division. The top 45 boaters and Strike King co-anglers from each division, along with the five qualifying event winners, will advance to one of six BFL Regional tournaments where they are competing to finish in the top six, which then qualifies them for one of the longest-running championships in all of competitive bass fishing – the BFL All-American.
Proud sponsors of the 2024 MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine include: 7Brew, Abu Garcia, B&W Trailer Hitches, Berkley, BUBBA, E3, Epic Baits, Fishing Clash, General Tire, GSM Outdoors, Lew’s, Mercury, Mossy Oak, Onyx, Phoenix, Polaris, Power-Pole, Strike King, Suzuki, Tackle Warehouse, T-H Marine, Toyota and YETI.
For complete details and updated tournament information, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular Bass Fishing League updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF5’s social media outlets at Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.
About Major League Fishing
Major League Fishing (MLF) is the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization, producing more than 250 events annually at some of the most prestigious fisheries in the world, while broadcasting to America’s living rooms on CBS, Discovery Channel, Outdoor Channel, CBS Sports Network, World Fishing Network and on demand on MyOutdoorTV (MOTV). Headquartered in Benton, Kentucky, the MLF roster of bass anglers includes the world’s top pros and more than 30,000 competitors in all 50 states and 17 countries. Since its founding in 2011, MLF has advanced the sport of competitive fishing through its premier television broadcasts and livestreams and is dedicated to improving the quality of life for bass through research, education, fisheries enhancement and fish care.
Georgia’s Heaton Notches Second Lake Hartwell Win at Phoenix Bass Fishing League Event
ANDERSON, S.C. (Feb. 26, 2024) – Boater Max Heaton of Hartwell, Georgia, caught a five-bass limit weighing 19 pounds, 10 ounces, Saturday to win the MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League (BFL) Presented by T-H Marine on Lake Hartwell . Hosted by the Anderson Convention & Visitors Bureau, the tournament was the second event of the season for the BFL Savannah River Division. Heaton earned $3,632 for his victory.
“I practiced Friday all day and didn’t end up swinging on many, but ended up catching 21 pounds,” Heaton said. “So, I knew where some of the bigger largemouth were setting up. I knew I just had to stay around them on tournament day.”
Heaton said he began fishing up the lake near Tugaloo State Park and caught 12 pounds quickly. A relocation back down the lake produced two 5½-pounders within 15 minutes of each other. Heaton then returned to the Tugaloo area to finish his day culling bass and said he landed a total of 15 keepers during the tournament.
“I knew I had over 19 pounds at 10 o’clock - maybe even pushing 20 - but I knew I had a pretty good bag,” Heaton said. “I was fishing a Damiki rig; it was the only rod I had on my deck. I was targeting pods of bass in timber from 40 to 60 feet of water.
“This is my second BFL win on Lake Hartwell,” Heaton said, who notched his first in 2023. “Ever since I won that one, I wanted to do it again. I won it about the same time last year doing the same stuff.”
The top 10 boaters finished the tournament:
2nd: Dylan Atkins, Flowery Branch, Ga., five bass, 18-3, $1,816
3rd: Derek Lehtonen, Woodruff, S.C., five bass, 18-2, $2,175 (includes $500 Phoenix MLF Contingency Bonus)
4th: Jeff Culpepper, Nicholson, Ga., five bass, 17-11, $847
5th: Tab Anderson, Pendleton, S.C., five bass, 16-13, $851
6th: Justin Raines, Easley, S.C., five bass, 16-7, $966
7th: Tallis Morrison, Royston, Ga., five bass, 16-2, $605
8th: Will Hart, Danielsville, Ga., five bass, 16-1, $545
9th: Andrew Allen, Waterloo, S.C., five bass, 15-14, $484
10th: Peyton Dunn, Fitzgerald, Ga., five bass, 15-10, $424
Derek Lehtonen of Woodruff, South Carolina, caught a bass that weighed 6 pounds, 10 ounces, and earned the Berkley Big Bass Boater award of $465.
Barry Huffman of Young Harris, Georgia, won the Strike King co-angler division and $1,816 Saturday, after bringing five bass to the scale that totaled 13 pounds, 8 ounces.
The top 10 Strike King co-anglers finished:
2nd: Nicholas Gurkin, Simpsonville, S.C., five bass, 12-1, $908
3rd: Colby Matthews, Newborn, Ga., five bass, 12-0, $706
4th: Gage Coley, Molena, Ga., five bass, 11-15, $424
5th: Trey Paul, Anderson, S.C., five bass, 11-14, $363
6th: J.D. Carter, Honea Park, S.C., five bass, 11-12, $565
7th: Todd Huntley, Inman, S.C., five bass, 11-9, $303
8th: Deion Latimer, Belton, S.C., five bass, 11-8, $272
9th: William Thomas Cowart, Danielsville, Ga., five bass, 11-7, $242
10th: Logan Brown, Fletcher, N.C., four bass, 9-13, $212
After two events, Joe Anders of Easley, South Carolina, leads the BFL Savannah River Division Boater Angler of the Year (AOY) race with 480 points, while Colby Matthews of Newborn, Georgia, leads the Strike King Co-Angler Division AOY race with 495 points.
The next event for BFL Savannah River Division anglers will be held April 13, at Lake Hartwell in Lavonia, Georgia. To register for the event as a boater or a co-angler, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com or call (270)-252-1000.
The top 45 boaters and co-anglers in the region based on point standings, along with the five tournament winners of each qualifying event, will qualify for the Oct. 3-5 BFL Regional tournament on Pickwick Lake in Counce, Tennessee. Boaters will fish for a top award of $60,000, including a new Phoenix 819 Pro with a 200-horsepower Mercury or Suzuki outboard and $10,000, while co-anglers will compete for a top award of $50,000, including a new Phoenix 819 Pro with a 200-horsepower Mercury or Suzuki outboard.
The 2024 Phoenix BFL Presented by T-H Marine is a 24-division circuit devoted to weekend anglers, with 128 events throughout the season, five qualifying tournaments in each division. The top 45 boaters and Strike King co-anglers from each division, along with the five qualifying event winners, will advance to one of six BFL Regional tournaments where they are competing to finish in the top six, which then qualifies them for one of the longest-running championships in all of competitive bass fishing – the BFL All-American.
Proud sponsors of the 2024 MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine include: 7Brew, Abu Garcia, B&W Trailer Hitches, Berkley, BUBBA, E3, Epic Baits, Fishing Clash, General Tire, GSM Outdoors, Lew’s, Mercury, Mossy Oak, Onyx, Phoenix, Polaris, Power-Pole, Strike King, Suzuki, Tackle Warehouse, T-H Marine, Toyota and YETI.
For complete details and updated tournament information, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular Bass Fishing League updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF5’s social media outlets at Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.
About Major League Fishing
Major League Fishing (MLF) is the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization, producing more than 250 events annually at some of the most prestigious fisheries in the world, while broadcasting to America’s living rooms on CBS, Discovery Channel, Outdoor Channel, CBS Sports Network, World Fishing Network and on demand on MyOutdoorTV (MOTV). Headquartered in Benton, Kentucky, the MLF roster of bass anglers includes the world’s top pros and more than 30,000 competitors in all 50 states and 17 countries. Since its founding in 2011, MLF has advanced the sport of competitive fishing through its premier television broadcasts and livestreams and is dedicated to improving the quality of life for bass through research, education, fisheries enhancement and fish care.
Springville’s Dorsett Scopes His Way to Victory at Phoenix Bass Fishing League Event at Lake Martin
ALEXANDER CITY, Ala. (Feb. 26, 2024) – Boater Kyle Dorsett of Springville, Alabama, caught a five-bass limit weighing 16 pounds, 12 ounces, Saturday to win the MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League (BFL) Presented by T-H Marine on Lake Martin . Hosted by the Alexander City Chamber of Commerce, the tournament was the first event of the season for the BFL Bama Division. Dorsett earned $4,009 for his victory.
“My day started off kind of slow,” Dorsett said. “I found an area that had some fish in it Thursday in practice, so I ran 20 minutes down the lake and hunkered down and fished.
“Lake Martin can be a weird lake to fish,” Dorsett added. “They can be here today, gone tomorrow. But they hung around and I kept catching them. The wind blew 30 miles an hour, and when you get weather like that on Martin, the fish tend to bite.”
Dorsett said he relied on a Garmin LiveScope to target fish and presented both a jerkbait and a Damiki rig to larger bass staying close to balls of baitfish. Dorsett said he knows Martin “fairly well” and has spent a good amount of time fishing there in January and February for the past three or four years.
“I’ve spent quite a bit of time on Martin this time of year,” said Dorsett. “It took 16 pounds to win a local tournament there the weekend before the BFL. So, when I had 14 pounds at 12 o’clock, I thought I had a shot at winning.
“I was pretty excited to win this,” Dorsett said. “I’ve won some big events on the Coosa lakes, but never one this big on Martin. I’ve never even done that well there, to be honest.”
The top 10 boaters finished the tournament:
2nd: Stihl Smith, Alexander, Ala., five bass, 14-4, $2,555
3rd: James Willoughby, Gulfport, Miss., five bass, 13-5, $1,336
4th: Donald Griffith, Robertsdale, Ala., five bass, 12-7, $935
5th: Marty Giddens, Eclectic, Ala., five bass, 11-13, $802
6th: Blake Tomlin, Greenville, Ga., five bass, 11-4, $701
6th: Carson Maddux, Hoover, Ala., five bass, 11-4, $701
8th: Connor Jacob, Peoria, Ill., five bass, 11-1, $568
8th: Blake Davenport, Jemison, Ala., five bass, 11-1, $568
10th: Tim Ferguson, Pelham, Ala., five bass, 11-0, $468
Stihl Smith of Alexander, Alabama, caught a bass that weighed 5 pounds, 10 ounces, and earned the Berkley Big Bass Boater award of $550.
Jeff Huddleston of Anniston, Alabama, won the Strike King co-angler division and $2,005 Saturday, after bringing five bass to the scale that totaled 10 pounds, 4 ounces.
The top 10 Strike King co-anglers finished:
2nd: Jeffery McCoy, Montgomery, Ala., five bass, 9-12, $1,277
3rd: Gary Marlowe, Montgomery, Ala., five bass, 9-6, $768
4th: Colt Hinson, Andalusia, Ala., five bass, 9-2, $468
5th: Derek Wood, Albertville, Ala., five bass, 8-15, $401
6th: Zac Smith, Demopolis, Ala., five bass, 8-11, $368
7th: Randall Norton, Ashland, Ala., five bass, 8-10, $334
8th: Caleb Gwaltney, Athens, Ala., five bass, 8-7, $284
8th: Thomas Eyler, Ashford, Ala., five bass, 8-7, $284
10th: Mason Bryan, Carrollton, Ga., five bass, 8-6, $234
The next event for BFL Bama Division anglers will be held April 20, at Lake Mitchell in Clanton, Alabama. To register for the event as a boater or a co-angler, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com or call (270)-252-1000.
The top 45 boaters and co-anglers in the region based on point standings, along with the five tournament winners of each qualifying event, will qualify for the Oct. 10-12 BFL Regional tournament on Santee Cooper Lakes in Clarendon County, South Carolina. Boaters will fish for a top award of $60,000, including a new Phoenix 819 Pro with a 200-horsepower Mercury or Suzuki outboard and $10,000, while co-anglers will compete for a top award of $50,000, including a new Phoenix 819 Pro with a 200-horsepower Mercury or Suzuki outboard.
The 2024 Phoenix BFL Presented by T-H Marine is a 24-division circuit devoted to weekend anglers, with 128 events throughout the season, five qualifying tournaments in each division. The top 45 boaters and Strike King co-anglers from each division, along with the five qualifying event winners, will advance to one of six BFL Regional tournaments where they are competing to finish in the top six, which then qualifies them for one of the longest-running championships in all of competitive bass fishing – the BFL All-American.
Proud sponsors of the 2024 MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine include: 7Brew, Abu Garcia, B&W Trailer Hitches, Berkley, BUBBA, E3, Epic Baits, Fishing Clash, General Tire, GSM Outdoors, Lew’s, Mercury, Mossy Oak, Onyx, Phoenix, Polaris, Power-Pole, Strike King, Suzuki, Tackle Warehouse, T-H Marine, Toyota and YETI.
For complete details and updated tournament information, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular Bass Fishing League updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF5’s social media outlets at Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.
About Major League Fishing
Major League Fishing (MLF) is the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization, producing more than 250 events annually at some of the most prestigious fisheries in the world, while broadcasting to America’s living rooms on CBS, Discovery Channel, Outdoor Channel, CBS Sports Network, World Fishing Network and on demand on MyOutdoorTV (MOTV). Headquartered in Benton, Kentucky, the MLF roster of bass anglers includes the world’s top pros and more than 30,000 competitors in all 50 states and 17 countries. Since its founding in 2011, MLF has advanced the sport of competitive fishing through its premier television broadcasts and livestreams and is dedicated to improving the quality of life for bass through research, education, fisheries enhancement and fish care.
Dexter’s Stone Gets Surprise Win at Phoenix Bass Fishing League Event at Kentucky-Barkley Lakes
GILBERTSVILLE, Ky. (Feb. 26, 2024) – Boater Randy Stone of Dexter, Kentucky, caught a five-bass limit weighing 23 pounds even Saturday to win the MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League (BFL) Presented by T-H Marine on Kentucky-Barkley Lakes . Hosted by the Kentucky Lake Convention & Visitors Bureau, the tournament was the first event of the season for the BFL LBL Division. Stone earned $5,133 for his victory.
“The water was very rough this morning when I ran down to my first stop,” Stone said. “I didn’t catch a fish there, so I decided to run to a bank where I had been catching them, near Paris Landing, and I caught a few there. I still didn’t know what to do; it was so rough there wasn’t really any good place to fish.”
Stone said he then began hitting old spots he’d fished in the past and said every spot he hit produced fish. Stone said he was targeting flats and caught 10 keepers with a Z-Man Original Chatterbait, a Bill Lewis Rat-L-Trap and crankbaits.
“I never thought I had a chance to have enough weight to win this,” Stone said. “I needed two really nice fish to finish up, so I threw up to the bank and caught two really nice smallmouth, and that ended up putting me over the top.
“This win is just crazy,” Stone added. “I didn’t have a clue that I could end up winning. I thought my co-angler had caught enough for a win, but I didn’t think I had.”
Stone’s co-angler, Greg Warren, went on to win the co-angler division, as the duo swept the event.
The top 10 boaters finished the tournament:
2nd: Billy Schroeder, Paducah, Ky., five bass, 22-8, $2,566
3rd: Brad Kell, Benton, Ky., five bass, 21-10, $1,710
4th: Stephen Barga, Benton, Ky., five bass, 21-2, $1,198
5th: Ethan Fields, Breese, Ill., five bass, 20-15, $1,027
6th: Jake Lawrence, Buchanan, Tenn., five bass, 20-10, $1,441 (includes $500 Phoenix MLF Contingency Bonus)
7th: Zachary Martin, Murray, Ky., five bass, 20-2, $855
8th: Clint Knight, Lewisburg, Ky., five bass, 18-3, $770
9th: Sam Moll, Hershey, Pa., five bass, 18-2, $684
10th: Lloyd Pickett, Jr., Bartlett, Tenn., five bass, 18-1, $599
Justin Berger of Murray, Kentucky, caught a bass that weighed 6 pounds, 2 ounces, and earned the Berkley Big Bass Boater award of $800.
Greg Warren of Rosiclare, Illinois, won the Strike King co-angler division and $2,966 Saturday, after bringing five bass to the scale that totaled 20 pounds, 4 ounces.
The top 10 Strike King co-anglers finished:
2nd: Alan Spell, Cincinnati, Ohio, five bass, 14-15, $1,283
3rd: Peyton Nolen, Lexington, Tenn., five bass, 14-9, $855
4th: Gage Elder, Decatur, Ill., five bass, 14-6, $599
5th: Jim Elmore, Independence, Ky., five bass, 14-3, $513
6th: Tim Rampaul, Dickson, Tenn., five bass, 13-14, $571
7th: Conner Hughart, Goreville, Ill., five bass, 13-6, $428
8th: Logan Sutherland, Elizabeth, Ind., five bass, 13-1, $385
9th: Bill Olson, Barrington, Ill., four bass, 13-0, $342
10th: Hunter Holguin, Knoxville, Tenn, five bass, 12-15, $299
The next event for BFL LBL Division anglers will be held April 6, at Kentucky-Barkley Lakes in Gilbertsville, Kentucky. To register for the event as a boater or a co-angler, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com or call (270)-252-1000.
The top 45 boaters and co-anglers in the region based on point standings, along with the five tournament winners of each qualifying event, will qualify for the Oct. 3-5 BFL Regional tournament on Pickwick Lake in Counce, Tennessee. Boaters will fish for a top award of $60,000, including a new Phoenix 819 Pro with a 200-horsepower Mercury or Suzuki outboard and $10,000, while co-anglers will compete for a top award of $50,000, including a new Phoenix 819 Pro with a 200-horsepower Mercury or Suzuki outboard.
The 2024 Phoenix BFL Presented by T-H Marine is a 24-division circuit devoted to weekend anglers, with 128 events throughout the season, five qualifying tournaments in each division. The top 45 boaters and Strike King co-anglers from each division, along with the five qualifying event winners, will advance to one of six BFL Regional tournaments where they are competing to finish in the top six, which then qualifies them for one of the longest-running championships in all of competitive bass fishing – the BFL All-American.
Proud sponsors of the 2024 MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine include: 7Brew, Abu Garcia, B&W Trailer Hitches, Berkley, BUBBA, E3, Epic Baits, Fishing Clash, General Tire, GSM Outdoors, Lew’s, Mercury, Mossy Oak, Onyx, Phoenix, Polaris, Power-Pole, Strike King, Suzuki, Tackle Warehouse, T-H Marine, Toyota and YETI.
For complete details and updated tournament information, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular Bass Fishing League updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF5’s social media outlets at Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.
About Major League Fishing
Major League Fishing (MLF) is the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization, producing more than 250 events annually at some of the most prestigious fisheries in the world, while broadcasting to America’s living rooms on CBS, Discovery Channel, Outdoor Channel, CBS Sports Network, World Fishing Network and on demand on MyOutdoorTV (MOTV). Headquartered in Benton, Kentucky, the MLF roster of bass anglers includes the world’s top pros and more than 30,000 competitors in all 50 states and 17 countries. Since its founding in 2011, MLF has advanced the sport of competitive fishing through its premier television broadcasts and livestreams and is dedicated to improving the quality of life for bass through research, education, fisheries enhancement and fish care.
Colossal Line Capacity
By popular demand, DAIWA’s new LX HD 500 is engineered for long casts with big baits to pelagic predators and inland muskies.
FOOTHILL RANCH, CA (February 26, 2024) – Ever been spooled? Your story retold countless times about that fabled leviathan peeling away every inch of line, never to be seen again. We can’t verify that your story is true, but it does happen. Either the spool’s line capacity simply couldn’t accommodate the fish’s run toward the horizon, or the gear was undersized, perhaps inferior, and not up to the task.
DAIWA listened to its saltwater and muskie-fishing faithful about their line-capacity needs. They requested a super-capacity spool on a full-figured but pristinely performing baitcasting reel. DAIWA answered with the new LEXA HD 500.
“They’ve been waiting for this size,” said DAIWA Marketing Manager and offshore saltwater ace, Marc Mills, about west coast anglers wanting a larger, low-profile baitcaster to hurl large baits to species like wahoo, yellowtail, and a surging population of bluefin tuna. Top west coast offshore and inshore captains Duane Diego and Gerry Mahieu have been asking for this reel. Now they have it.”
“These guys and gals are chucking big baits like wahoo bombs, poppers, stickbaits, and surface iron (huge flat-sided spoons screamed across the surface) to some seriously big fish. The LEXA HD 500’s upsized spool provides the capacity needed for long casts and even longer runs.” How big? Mills says DAIWA’s new LEXA HD 500 is built to bring 40- to 200 lb. fish boatside.
“And what’s totally impressive is the LEXA HD 500 still casts like a 400,” said Mills about not losing any performance with the increased size.
How much line capacity are we talking about? “With 60-lb. braid, which is a common weight, that’s more than three football fields!” In fact, it’s technically a whopping 380-yards. (Full chart below.)
Across the heartland to the east coast, Mills said there’s a growing army of anglers parking their spinning gear and reaching for low-profile baitcasters. “More and more Florida anglers are throwing swimbaits for species like snook and tarpon and graduating to baitcasting gear.” Same is true up the Atlantic coast for striped bass, he added.
And now for something completely different… The LEXA series in general has gained fame with freshwater muskie anglers. And they, too, were asking for something larger. Tailormade for long-bombing upsized bucktails, jerkbaits, and super-sized plastics, the DAIWA LEXA HD 500 is sure to be a hit in the north.
Beyond its super-capacity spool, the LEXA HD 500 is fraught with exclusive DAIWA features and technologies:
ADVANCED TOURNAMENT DRAG (ATD)
DAIWA’s ATD uses an improved drag grease that exhibits a low viscosity at rest yet becomes more viscous immediately after drag start up. This reduces initial drag start-up inertia and results in a smoother drag from the hook up.
ROBUST CONSTRUCTION
In concert with its exceptional performance in saltwater, the LEXA HD 500 features a full aluminum frame and sideplates, as well as a strong clutch for engaging powerful gamefish.
MAGFORCE CAST CONTROL
DAIWA Magforce spools feature a dynamic rotor that can adjust out and back from the spool. As you start a cast and the spool approaches maximum speed, the spool's rotor is kicked out towards the magnets, creating a smooth braking pressure to prevent overrun.
6CRBB, 1RB
Lasting 12 times longer than standard stainless steel bearings, DAIWA’s corrosion resistant ball bearings feature specially treated stainless steel and a protective shield on the bearing race that seals out sand, fine grit, salt crystals, and other abrasives. The result is a longer lasting bearing that’s protected from the corrosive elements that destroy traditional bearings.
Rounding out the LX HD 500’s features are its aluminum frame and side cover, generous 120mm swept handle, and stainless steel gears throughout.
LX HD 500 FEATURES:
- Super-Sized Spool
- Aluminum Frame and Side Cover
- T-Wing System
- Magforce Cast Control
- Ultimate Tournament Drag (UTD
- 120mm Swept Handle
- Stainless Steel Gears – Main and Pinion
MSRP $449.99
For Daiwa’s latest color catalog and/or information on Daiwa dealers in your area, call Daiwa’s Customer Service Department at 562-375-6800 or e-mail inquiries to: [email protected]. The URL for Daiwa’s web site is daiwa.us
Coucoules claims victory at Bassmaster Kayak Series event on Lake Murray
Jake Coucoules has won the 2024 Yamaha Rightwaters Bassmaster Kayak Series at Lake Murray scored by TourneyX with a two-day total of 188.75 inches.
February 26, 2024
COLUMBIA, S.C. — It wasn’t broken, so Jake Coucoules didn’t fix it.
That decision to stick with his area helped the Maple Shade N.J., pro post a Day 2 score of 89 inches and win the Yamaha Rightwaters Bassmaster Kayak Series at Lake Murray scored by TourneyX. His two-day total of 188.75 edged Ryan Matylewicz of Tunkhannock, Penn., by 4.75 inches and took home the $13,400 top prize.
“This is pretty surreal, but it’s the best moment of my life,” Coucoules said. “I have to thank God because that’s the only way this weekend was possible. I don’t know how everything worked so perfectly for me.”
After leading Day 1 with 99.75 inches, Coucoules’ Top 5 Day 2 bass measured 19.5, 19, 17.5, 16.5 and 16.5.
Day 1 saw Coucoules make a spontaneous decision to fish an area he had not originally intended to visit. Doing so gave him the lead by a 3.75-inch margin. Coucoules returned to the area for the final round and found what he needed to close the deal.
Fishing from a 12-foot Hobie Outback pedal drive, Coucoules opted to fish Lake Murray’s mid-lake region, as he had developed the most confidence in that area during his three prior visits to this Saluda River reservoir.
Coucoules described his key area as a series of islands, which offered leeward protection from the weekend’s big winds. Coucoules fished the first island on Day 1 and switched to the second for Day 2. Targeting mostly grass and wood, he fished in 7 to 8 feet the first day and 9 to 10 the second.
“That second island was a little steeper and the first one was flatter,” he said. “Also, that second island had stumps [on the perimeter] and that’s mostly what the fish were relating to.”
Coucoules said he caught all of his bass both days with power-fishing techniques. His bait selection included a River2Sea Tactical DD Crank in the bluegill color, a Rapala DT-10 in demon, a 3/4-ounce Dirty Jigs wobblehead with a green pumpkin Strike King Rage Craw and a 3/4-ounce Z-Man ChatterBait JackHammer with a Hog Farmer Spunk Shad trailer.
Describing a unique presentation style, Coucoules said, “I was mostly yo-yoing that JackHammer like we do for fluke in Barnegat Bay (New Jersey).”
Despite entering the final round with a lead of 3.75 inches, Coucoules said a slower second day proved stressful until the waning hours.
“I caught my biggest fish (19.5) with an hour and a half left to fish,” he said. “That was the first time I thought I had a chance to win.”
Coucoules said his victory was the culmination of commitment and sacrifice inspired over two decades ago by a fellow New Jersey angler who’d become an industry icon.
“This has been my life since I was 5 years old,” he said. “I saw (Bassmaster Elite Series pro) Mike Iaconelli win the (2003) Bassmaster Classic and this is literally all I’ve ever wanted to do.
“I skipped parties and proms for this. I’ve slept in my car and I didn’t eat for days to afford the entry fees. I’ve put my entire life into this, so for it to all work out is amazing. It’s gotta be God watching over me. I’m just so happy.”
Matylewicz finished second with 184 inches. Adding to his first-round total of 89.25, Matylewicz recorded Day 2 catches of 19.5, 19.5, 18.75, 18.5, and 18.5 for a total of 94.75.
Mentioning that the big winds proved challenging for traversing open water and staying on his spots, Matylewicz said his Old Town Auto Pilot, which integrates Minn Kota's Spot-Lock technology proved invaluable.
“It was no joke,” Matylewicz said. “It was Great Lakes-style waves out there. That Autopilot made me feel safe and kept me (on my spots).
“Yesterday was a little more of a struggle. I tried to cover a whole lot of water. Today, I focused on one area and ended up with a bigger bag.”
Matylewicz caught all of his bass by power fishing an Alabama Rig.
“I was just looking for fish that were getting ready to move up and spawn,” he said. “I was just locating them and trying to force feed them. I had a lot of followers today, but I caught enough of them that mattered.”
Bailey Eigbrett of Cheektowaga, N.Y. finished third with 183.5 inches. After scoring 87.5 on Day 1, Eigbrett turned in the best performance of Day 2 with 96 inches, comprising five bass that measured 23.5, 20.75, 19, 16.5 and 16.25.
Describing his big bass as the largest he’s ever measured in a tournament, Eigbrett said, “I caught him on 6-pound test, so when he came up wallowing, my heartbeat was going!”
Chad Walden of Graniteville, S.C., won the $500 Big Bass award for his 23.5-incher. Walden’s 21-incher broke the big-fish tie with Eigbrett.
The Top 5 finishers qualified to fish the 2025 Yamaha Rightwaters Bassmaster Kayak Series Championship.
This week’s event was hosted by Capital City Lake Murray Country.
Full results from the 2024 Yamaha Righwaters Bassmaster Kayak Series at Lake Murray scored by TourneyX can be found here.
2024 Bassmaster Kayak Series Title Sponsor: Yamaha Rightwaters2024 Bassmaster Kayak Series Partner: MotorGuide, YakGear2024 Bassmaster Kayak Series Angler of the Year Sponsor: Dakota Lithium
The Perfect Jig for Spring Crappies
Northland® Fishing Tackle’s Tungsten Crappie King Jigs bring expertly-designed, faster-falling baits for crappies in transition.
BEMIDJI, Minn. (February 26, 2024) – Angler are already on some awesome crappie bites in the south and mid-states. An early ice-out appears not only possible, but already happening in the southern latitudes of the Ice Belt.
Yep, best get your spring panfish gear in check. Besides prepping rods, reels, maybe spooling on some new line, make sure to assemble a tackle kit that’s sure to catch crappies at all depths as they transition from late-winter haunts toward spawning grounds.
While lead jigs have done the trick for years, tungsten is thing this spring – most notably Northland’s new Tungsten Crappie King. Available in two sizes—1/16 oz. (#8 hook) & 1/8 oz. (#6 hook)—for versatility intercepting crappies as they start migrating from deeper basins, to mid-depths, and then into shallow-water bays, coves, and other spawning areas. There’s no depth during the spring crappie migration that Tungsten Crappie King Jigs haven’t caught fish—at least according to the following panfish experts…
OLIVE
Bro: The ‘Perfect’ Crappie Jig?
Longtime fishing guide and panfish aficionado, Brian “Bro” Brosdahl, calls the Northland Tungsten Crappie King Jigs “perfect”.
“The first thing I like is the fast fall to get the bait repeatedly in the strike zone, no matter what depth spring crappies are in, which can be painfully slow with small lead panfish jigs. Secondly, they have a quiver action. It’s easy to make ‘em shimmy, which in my experience, gets more bites,” relates Bro.
Plus, Bro says the new tungsten micro-jigs simply fish easier and better than their lead counterparts.
“Get a little wind and you can still cast these jigs straight. They cast much farther than lead and you have better control and sensitivity when using light line. Another benefit of being able to maintain a straight line to the jig is you feel bites better and hooksets are solid.”
Bro also nods his head to the new Tungsten Crappie King’s head shape.
“Northland spent a lot of time getting just the right jig head shape. While it does have a vertical line-tie, the flatter head tips a bit when you work it—plus you get the big red eye—which make crappies bite.”
“Fishing plastics is great for crappies on the feed, but if I think live bait is the ticket in the spring. I’ll dorsal- or nose-hook a crappie minnow. Or a couple waxies are deadly—one threaded up the hook shank and another flopping off the back—for light-biting crappies and big bluegills.”
Technique-wise, Bro says he generally pitches the jig without a bobber, but also uses a slip or fixed float at times.
“As crappies start moving from deeper water toward weededges and flats, standing vegetation, etc.—and then in and out depth-wise depending on weather—and then into shallow, spawning areas—the Tungsten Crappie King works, whether you’re using electronics or not.”
Transitionally, Bro adds that crappies will move into hard-bottom bulrush and pencil weed beds when water temps reach the upper ‘50s, and he likes the Tungsten Flat Fry Jig under a slip float, no weight, no swivel. “The ‘rushes up north are often tangled with canary grass, brush, maiden cane, etc., so I want to avoid snags. The tungsten jig itself is enough to make a slip float system work great without any additional hardware.”
Bro concludes: “If I’m going out with clients and they want to keep a few fish for the frying pan, it’s a no-brainer. The Tungsten Crappie King is exactly what we’re fishing to get the job done.”
Nelson’s ‘Go-To’ Jig & Set-Up
Northland Pro-Staffer, angling educator, and panfish expert, Joel Nelson, says the Tungsten Crappie King Jig quickly became his “go-to” jig for both crappies and bluegills after the first beta-tests many moons ago.
“For the most part, it's replaced all the other jigs in my line-up. One thing I like is it fishes well below a pencil float without any need for anything but the weight of the jig. The jig keeps the float upright where it needs to be for bite detection, no crimping additional split-shots on,” notes Nelson.
In terms of dressing the jig for early ice-out crappies (and bluegills), Nelson starts with larvae left over from late-ice fishing, then switches over to the Tungsten Crappie King Fly bait-less as the water warms and crappies push into shallow spawning areas.
Nelson says part of his success fishing the Tungsten Crappie King Jig using the right rod, reel, and line.
“To make long casts with such a small jig and float, I like a 7’3” medium-light power, extra-fast action St. Croix AVID Panfish Rod, a 1000 size reel—and this is where I differ from anglers fishing light superline to a fluoro leader—I spool up completely with 4- or 6-pound Seaguar InvizX Fluorocarbon which doesn’t jump off the spool in a coiled spring like some fluoro.”
WHITE
BLACK
SUPER-GLO PINKY
PARAKEET
BUBBLEGUM
SUPER-GLO MOONLIGHT
SUNRISE
The Trampe Duo Talks Tungsten
Last fall, Tyler and Sara Trampe of Sportsman’s Journal first put Tungsten Crappie King Jigs to the test, plying crappies out of brush piles in 15-20 feet of water.
“The tungsten got down to the fish fast and the wider gap hook kept the fish on. They’re also super dense and easy to see on forward-facing sonar,” notes Tyler Trampe.
“So, as that first open-water appears this spring, we’ll fish these jigs as the crappies move from deeper to shallow waters, “continues Tyler.
Sara Trampe adds that they’re fans of soft-plastics whenever possible for faster fishing without constantly re-baiting.
“Tungsten is great to get down to the fish, but once there, we like a soft plastic with more appendages to slow the fall a bit when we’re working it. The Northland Impulse Mayfly is a good example.”
“When crappies are deeper after first ice-out, we’ll use forward-facing sonar and no float at all. Then, when they’re shallow in clear water—especially in sunlight—they can be a bit spooky, we can cast these jigs really far on 7-foot-plus extra-fast action rods and superline to fluoro leader under a float, keeping the bait just above their heads.,” concludes Sara.
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Designed specifically for panfish anglers, the Tungsten Crappie King Jig is designed to fish fast, accept your favorite soft plastic, or live bait, and stay horizontal with its vertical line tie but still rock when twitched. It also features an ultra-sharp, perfectly-proportioned hook designed for the delicate mouths of panfish. It’s modified aspirin-head shape cuts through the water and the large, red 3D holographic eyes attract crappies from afar.
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Wheeler Earns Seventh Major League Fishing Bass Pro Tour Victory at Suzuki Stage Two
wo-Time Fishing Clash Angler of the Year catches 15 bass totaling 47-4 to earn $100,000 top prize and extend BPT career wins record with seventh career victory
CLARENDON COUNTY, S.C. (Feb. 25, 2024) – During the final period of the final day of Suzuki Stage Two Presented by Fenwick, the Santee Cooper lakes that had churned out chunky bass all week simply shut down. At one point, the 10 pros duking it out during the Championship Round went 45 minutes without boating a scorable bass. They combined to catch just 18 fish, none breaking the 4-pound mark, during the final frame.
The one angler who managed to manufacture consistent action – Rapala pro Jacob Wheeler of Harrison, Tennessee. Wheeler accounted for five of those bass, which combined to weigh 14 pounds, 2 ounces. That boosted his final-day total to 47-4, lifting him past Suzuki pro Dean Rojas of Lake Havasu City, Arizona, by 5 pounds for his seventh career Bass Pro Tour victory.
Bucking conventional Santee Cooper tactics by fishing offshore with a jighead minnow, Wheeler did what he’s done for the past six years, seemingly willing bites into existence. He started the third period 2-8 back of Rojas but promptly took the lead with a 3-12 largemouth. A little more than an hour later, with everyone else at a standstill, he boated three fish over 2-pounds in about 10 minutes. After Rojas closed within 2-6 in the final 30 minutes, Wheeler ran across Lake Marion to hit one more spot, where he added a 2-10 to all but seal the victory.
“I stuck to my game plan this whole week, and I stayed out offshore and I tried to fish isolated stuff," Wheeler said. “It really came down to just keeping my head down and keeping my rotation going. I tried to make other tactics work, but those last two periods really came down to throwing that Freeloader, locking it in my hand. I’ve got so much confidence in it; I know it’s going to generate the bites if they are going to bite at all.”
Both Wheeler and Rojas, who pulled away from the rest of the pack Sunday, largely ignored the fishery’s innumerable cypress trees, with Wheeler fishing offshore and Rojas skipping boat docks.
Wheeler said he had 30 to 40 spots that he cycled through during the event, mostly located in the middle and lower sections of Lake Marion. He primarily targeted brushpiles but also found a few productive locations that featured stumps or hard spots on the bottom.
“I didn’t feel like it was the winning pattern,” Wheeler said. “But I basically was able to find enough stuff that I could keep to myself and rotate on myself and really manage that it ended up being that way. And it was a combination of the right bait, the right area, the right stuff.”
While most of the field focused on cypress trees or submerged vegetation, Wheeler wasn’t the only angler in the Championship Round fishing offshore. Justin Lucas stacked up 42-6 on six bass doing virtually the same thing during the Knockout Round.
What separated Wheeler was his ability to generate strikes amid the tough, postfrontal conditions that greeted the field on Sunday.
His final-period flurry will likely be remembered as the winning moment, but surviving the first period might have been more important for Wheeler. The morning brought chilly, windy conditions that made fishing offshore difficult. Seeing that fish were tucked tighter to the bottom, Wheeler pulled out a jig and used it to catch his first bass of the day, a 5-10. Without that fish, his biggest of the day, he would’ve fallen 10 ounces shy of Rojas’ total.
“I just felt like the fish were on the bottom,” he said. “When the wind blows, a lot of times, those fish will suck down to the bottom. Basically, all I was using ActiveTarget for then was just making the right casts.”
As the wind died down and the water warmed, Wheeler turned to the Rapala CrushCity Freeloader, a soft-plastic, pintail minnow of his own design. The Freeloader has become a confidence bait for Wheeler — no surprise considering he’d already won one Bass Pro Tour event, 2023 Stage Four on Lake Guntersville, with it.
He came into the week unsure whether it would be effective in Santee Cooper’s shallow, off-color water. But as the event progressed, he found that bass that would eat a jerkbait earlier in the week could still be enticed by a Freeloader — even Sunday afternoon, when no one else in the field could get bit consistently.
“The water’s starting to clean up a little bit, the fish were definitely really fickle,” he said. “When the water was a little bit dirtier, you could catch ‘em on a spinnerbait, you could catch ‘em on a jerkbait; it was a lot better. And then as the water slowly cleared, it became a deal where I had to change up. And that was the key.”
Wheeler’s latest triumph adds to an already sterling Bass Pro Tour resume. He’s now amassed seven wins and 29 Top-10 finishes in his first 43 BPT events — both easily the most among his peers on tour. He’s already claimed two Fishing Clash Angler of the Year titles and is back in the driver’s seat to add a third.
So, has all that success gotten old yet? Not a chance.
“My little girl, she’s sort of like me, she always likes to win,” Wheeler said with a laugh. “And she told me, ‘Daddy, you don’t let (roommates) DC and Adrian win this week. You’ve got to bring home the trophy.’ So, we’re bringing home the trophy, darling.”
The top 10 pros from the Suzuki Stage Two Presented by Fenwick at Santee Cooper Lakes finished:
1st: Jacob Wheeler, Harrison, Tenn., 15 bass, 47-4, $100,000
2nd: Dean Rojas, Lake Havasu City, Ariz., 17 bass, 42-4, $45,000
3rd: Jesse Wiggins, Cullman, Ala., nine bass, 29-14, $38,000
4th: Matt Becker, Ten Mile, Tenn., four bass, 19-10, $32,000
5th: Dylan Hays, Hot Springs, Ark., five bass, 18-12, $30,000
6th: Casey Ashley, Donalds, S.C., six bass, 16-8, $26,000
7th: Dave Lefebre, Erie, Pa., five bass, 15-5, $23,000
8th: Cole Floyd, Leesburg, Ohio, five bass, 11-5, $21,000
9th: James Watson, Lampe, Mo., three bass, 7-13, $19,000
10th: Justin Lucas, Guntersville, Ala, one bass, 4-8, $16,000
A complete list of results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
Overall, there were 70 bass weighing 213 pounds, 3 ounces caught by the final 10 pros Sunday. The catch included four 5-pounders, one 6-pounder, and one 8-pounder.
Reigning Fishing Clash Angler of the Year (AOY) Matt Becker of Ten Mile, Tennessee, won Championship Sunday’s Berkley Big Bass Award, with a largemouth totaling 8 pounds even in the first period. Berkley awards $1,000 to the angler who weighs the heaviest bass each day, and a $3,000 bonus to the angler who weighs the heaviest bass of the tournament. Pro David Dudley of Lynchburg, Virginia, earned the $3,000 Berkley Big Bass award for the overall largest bass of the event with his 9-pound, 11-ounce largemouth that was weighed on Day 4 of competition.
The Suzuki Stage Two at Santee Cooper Lakes Presented by Fenwick featured the MLF catch, weigh, immediate-release format, in which anglers caught as much weight as they could each day, while also feeling the pressure and intensity of the SCORETRACKER® leaderboard. The tournament featured anglers competing with a 1-pound, 8-ounce minimum weight requirement for a bass to be deemed scorable. The MLF Fisheries Management Division determines minimum weights for each body of water that the Bass Pro Tour visits, based on the productivity, bass population and anticipated average size of fish in each fishery.
The six-day tournament, hosted by the Clarendon County Chamber of Commerce, showcased 80 of the top professional anglers in the world, competing for a purse of $659,000, including a top payout of $100,000 and valuable Fishing Clash Angler of the Year (AOY) points in hopes of qualifying for the General Tire Heavy Hitters all-star event and REDCREST 2025, the Bass Pro Tour championship.
The Bass Pro Tour features a field of 80 of the top professional anglers in the world, competing across seven regular-season tournaments around the country, for millions of dollars and valuable points to qualify for the annual General Tire Heavy Hitters all-star event and the REDCREST 2025 championship.
Bass Pro Tour anglers also compete throughout the 2024 season for the prestigious Fishing Clash Angler of the Year (AOY) award and its $100,000 payday. After two events in the 2024 season, Jacob Wheeler leads the AOY race with 157 points. Jesse Wiggins of Addison, Alabama, moved into second place with 150 points, while defending AOY Matt Becker of Ten Mile, Tennessee, sits in third, two points back of Wiggins with 148 points.
Television coverage of the Suzuki Stage Two at Santee Cooper Lakes Presented by Fenwick will premiere as a two-hour episode starting at 7 a.m. ET, on Saturday, Sept. 21 on Discovery, with the Championship Round premiering the following Saturday on Sept. 28. New MLF episodes premiere each Saturday morning on Discovery, with re-airings on Outdoor Channel.
Proud sponsors of the 2024 MLF Bass Pro Tour include: Abu Garcia, B&W Trailer Hitches, Bass Pro Shops, Berkley, BUBBA, Epic Baits, Fishing Clash, Garmin, General Tire, Humminbird, Lowrance, Mercury, MillerTech, Minn Kota, Mossy Oak Fishing, NITRO, Onyx, Plano, Power-Pole, Rapala, StarBrite, Suzuki, Toyota and U.S. Air Force.
For complete details and updated information on Major League Fishing and the Bass Pro Tour, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF’s social media outlets at Facebook, X, Instagram and YouTube.
About Major League Fishing
Major League Fishing (MLF) is the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization, producing more than 250 events annually at some of the most prestigious fisheries in the world, while broadcasting to America’s living rooms on CBS, Discovery Channel, Outdoor Channel, CBS Sports Network, World Fishing Network and on demand on MyOutdoorTV (MOTV). Headquartered in Benton, Kentucky, the MLF roster of bass anglers includes the world’s top pros and more than 30,000 competitors in all 50 states and 17 countries. Since its founding in 2011, MLF has advanced the sport of competitive fishing through its premier television broadcasts and livestreams and is dedicated to improving the quality of life for bass through research, education, fisheries enhancement and fish care.
Fujita’s furious comeback leads to Bassmaster Elite Series victory at Toledo Bend
February 25, 2024
Fujita’s furious comeback leads to Bassmaster Elite Series victory at Toledo Bend
MANY, La. — Kyoya Fujita’s ultimate goal for 2024 is to win the Progressive Insurance Bassmaster Angler of the Year award.
Winning the first tournament of the season is certainly an impressive way to start that campaign.
With 100 pounds, 13 ounces, Fujita claimed the victory at the Gamakatsu Bassmaster Elite at Toledo Bend. Along with the coveted century belt — an exclusive award given only to those who catch at least 100 pounds of bass in a four-day event — the Elite Series sophomore earned the $100,000 top prize and a blue trophy.
“I was surprised,” Fujita said with the assistance of a translator. “I am looking to make every Championship Sunday this season. But winning tournaments are really hard things to do. I have been champion in Japan, but I know how hard it is to do. I’m happy with how it worked out. It’s a very good start.”
Entering the day 6 pounds behind Wisconsin pro Pat Schlapper, Fujita made a furious comeback in the final round by catching 28-13 — a bag almost entirely made up of 6-pounders and a total he wasn’t expecting after struggling the previous day.
“I thought there was a chance for me to win if Pat caught only 16 or 17 pounds and I could catch 22 or 23 pounds,” Fujita said. “If I can locate the bass, I am confident I can catch those bass. In my brain, my tactics, my fishing and my heart, I believe in myself.”
This win only adds reinforces his hard-earned nickname “Prince of Japanese Angling.” This is Fujita’s second Elite Series title in 10 events, with the first coming at Lake Champlain last August. Before coming to America, he won four Angler of the Year titles in Japan as well as six major tournaments.
Most of the week, Fujita stayed in one offshore spot in the mouth of Housen Bay and targeted prespawn bass suspended in deep standing timber. As the fishing pressure from Elite anglers and locals began to build, the bite began to suffer.
When that spot began to fizzle on Day 3, he moved to the creek right above Housen and caught suspended bass in 10 feet of water using his forward-facing sonar in the mouth of that creek. That spot produced multiple 6-pounders the final two days, several of which he believed to be postspawners.
“I practiced there and found some 3-pounders, but nothing special,” he said. “I think because of the wind situation (on Day 4), the bass came up there.”
In both areas, Fujita used a Jackall Drift Fry and a Deps Sakamata Shad and rigged them on either a 1/8-ounce or 3/16-ounce Keitech Super Round Jighead. When he located a bass on Garmin LiveScope, he would cast to it and then lightly shake the bait in front of the bass until it bit.
He rigged both baits on a 6-foot, 5-inch medium-light Daiwa Steez Real Control spinning rod paired with a Daiwa Exist reel which he spooled with 30-pound Daiwa braid main line and 16-pound fluorocarbon leader.
Fujita took the lead on Day 1 by catching 31-3 — a five-bass limit that earned him $2,000 for as the Rapala CrushCity Monster Bag of the Tournament. He fell to second after a Day 2 bag of 24-3 and then to third after catching 16-10 on Day 3.
During his Day 3 struggles, however, Fujita caught a late 6-pounder that pointed him in the right direction for Championship Sunday.
Fujita returned to his primary spot to open the final round — and while there weren’t many bass left in the area, he started the morning by landing a 6- and 5-pounder in the first two hours. He caught two more keepers in that area, but he could not manufacture another bite.
“I caught four nice ones at the first main area,” Fujita said. “There weren’t many bass this morning either, but there were less boats. Nobody was fishing around me. So, I was able to see them. When I saw the four big fish, I caught all of them. I didn’t fish for the smaller ones. After I caught those four, I didn’t see anything.”
After mid-morning, Fujita made a move to his secondary spot and landed another 6-pounder to fill his limit. His day only got better from there as he landed several more 6-pounders in the last three hours to seal his victory.
South Carolina pro Patrick Walters caught 29-0, the biggest bag of the final day, to jump into second place with a four-day total of 95-15. He anchored his big Sunday bag with an 8-4 largemouth that claimed Phoenix Boats Big Bass of the Day honors.
Walters opened the tournament with 19-11 before bringing 30-5 and 16-5 to the scales on Days 2 and 3. While a good start to his season, he had mixed feelings about the way the final day unfolded.
“It started out slow,” he said. “It took all day long. I caught my biggest one on my last cast. It was one here and one there and it took forever. But I had the bites to crack the biggest bag I’ve ever had in my life. I lost two hammers — two absolute giants — and a 4-pounder. I’m happy with the start, though.”
Using forward-facing sonar, Walters focused on a major creek channel and searched for bass in a wide area. The key was keeping the trolling motor down and covering water until he saw something he liked. A 3/16-ounce Damiki rig with a Fluke-style bait and a Neko-rigged Zoom Magnum Swamp Crawler were his key baits.
“I wouldn’t pick my trolling motor up for 5 miles,” Walters said. “I would follow the creek channel and then move to the flat. I would move to wherever I thought they were going.”
Entering the final day with the lead, Schlapper fell to third with a four-day total of 93-8 after landing just 14-14 on Sunday. The Wisconsin pro had three great days, landing 27-4 on Day 1 before adding 28-5 and 22-7 the next two days.
“I knew I was in trouble when I didn’t catch a couple good ones early,” he said. “It is what it is. I ran out of bass and didn’t adjust.”
Schlapper spent most of his time this week fishing the deep edge of a grass flat in Housen Bay. The majority of the bass he caught this week were roaming between 10 and 30 feet of water. While he combed a large area, Schlapper keyed on one particular sweet spot that produced multiple big bites each of the first three days.
“There was a drain that went in, a little gap they were funneling into,” he said. “The majority of the big ones I caught were within a 100 yards of the mouth of that drain. I think those bass were either in the grass or timber and would come out to that edge and sun themselves. All of the big ones I caught were up high in the water column, like 10 feet down.”
He caught almost every bass this week using a Damiki rig with a Queen Tackle tungsten jighead and a minnow-style bait. Garmin LiveScope was an important contributor as well.
Schlapper said he did not see nearly as many bass as he’d seen the previous three days. The quality bass he did see on his forward-facing sonar did not bite. With a small limit and time running out, he punted and moved to a shallow grass flat and caught several nice bass with a bladed jig to salvage the day.
Fujita took the early lead in the Angler of the Year standings with 103 points, followed by Walters in second with 102. Schlapper is third with 101 points, followed by Tennessee rookie Robert Gee in fourth with 100 and Texas rookie Ben Milliken in fifth with 99.
Gee and Milliken sit atop the Dakota Lithium Rookie of the Year standings, followed by Alabama’s Wesley Gore in third with 93 points, Trey McKinney of Illinois in fourth with 92 and Maine’s Tyler Williams in fifth with 85.
South Carolina’s Bryan New earned a total of $3,000 for catching the Phoenix Boats Big Bass of the Tournament, a 9-8 largemouth he landed on Day 1.
Virginia pro Ed Loughran III took home the $1,000 BassTrakk contingency bonus for most accurate weight recording this week.
Fujita earned an extra $4,000 for the Yamaha Power Pay contingency award while Walters earned a $2,500 bonus.
Oklahoma pro Luke Palmer earned $3,000 in Toyota Bonus Bucks, while rookie McKinney earned $2,000 in Bonus Bucks.
The event was hosted by Toledo Bend Lake Country and the Louisiana Office of Tourism.
2024 Bassmaster Elite Series Platinum Sponsor: Toyota
2024 Bassmaster Elite Series Premier Sponsors: Bass Pro Shops, Dakota Lithium, Humminbird, Mercury, Minn Kota, Nitro Boats, Power-Pole, Progressive Insurance, Ranger Boats, Rapala, Skeeter Boats, Yamaha
2024 Bassmaster Elite Series Supporting Sponsors: AFTCO, Daiwa, Garmin, Lew's, Lowrance, Marathon, Triton Boats, VMC
About B.A.S.S.B.A.S.S., which encompasses the Bassmaster tournament leagues, events and media platforms, is the worldwide authority on bass fishing and keeper of the culture of the sport, providing cutting-edge content on bass fishing whenever, wherever and however bass fishing fans want to use it. Headquartered in Birmingham, Ala., the 500,000-member organization’s fully integrated media platforms include the industry’s leading magazines (Bassmaster and B.A.S.S. Times), website (Bassmaster.com), TV show, radio show, social media programs and events. For more than 50 years, B.A.S.S. has been dedicated to access, conservation and youth fishing.
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2024 Elite #1 Toledo Bend Reservoir 2/22-2/25
Toledo Bend Reservoir, Many LA.
(PROFESSIONAL) Standings Day 4
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Pts Total $$$
1. Kyoya Fujita Yamanashi CA JAPAN 20 100-13 103 $103,000.00
Day 1: 5 31-03 Day 2: 5 24-03 Day 3: 5 16-10 Day 4: 5 28-13
2. Patrick Walters Eutawville, SC 20 95-15 102 $36,000.00
Day 1: 5 19-11 Day 2: 5 30-05 Day 3: 5 16-15 Day 4: 5 29-00
3. Pat Schlapper Eleva, WI 20 93-08 101 $30,000.00
Day 1: 5 27-04 Day 2: 5 28-05 Day 3: 5 22-07 Day 4: 5 15-08
4. Robert Gee Knoxville, TN 20 90-05 100 $25,000.00
Day 1: 5 29-00 Day 2: 5 22-10 Day 3: 5 17-13 Day 4: 5 20-14
5. Ben Milliken New Caney, TX 20 89-11 99 $20,000.00
Day 1: 5 22-09 Day 2: 5 18-00 Day 3: 5 26-13 Day 4: 5 22-05
6. Luke Palmer Coalgate, OK 20 86-04 98 $19,000.00
Day 1: 5 25-01 Day 2: 5 20-02 Day 3: 5 22-15 Day 4: 5 18-02
7. Chris Johnston Otonabee Ontario CANADA 20 79-14 97 $19,000.00
Day 1: 5 18-15 Day 2: 5 26-08 Day 3: 5 18-01 Day 4: 5 16-06
8. Cooper Gallant Bowmanville Ontario CAN 20 76-14 96 $17,000.00
Day 1: 5 17-04 Day 2: 5 19-01 Day 3: 5 24-09 Day 4: 5 16-00
9. Jordan Lee Cullman, AL 20 75-08 95 $16,000.00
Day 1: 5 22-12 Day 2: 5 23-14 Day 3: 5 14-02 Day 4: 5 14-12
10. Alex Wetherell Middletown, CT 20 73-08 94 $15,000.00
Day 1: 5 21-14 Day 2: 5 19-13 Day 3: 5 19-10 Day 4: 5 12-03
------------------------------
PHOENIX BOATS BIG BASS
Day
1 Bryan New Leesville, SC 09-08 $1,000.00
2 Chris Johnston Otonabee Ontario CANADA09-03 $1,000.00
3 Jay Przekurat Plover, WI 07-15 $1,000.00
4 Patrick Walters Eutawville, SC 08-04 $1,000.00
------------------------------
PHOENIX BOATS BIG BASS
Bryan New Leesville, SC 09-08 $2,000.00
CRUSHCITY MONSTER BAG
Kyoya Fujita Lake Forest, CA 31-03 $2,000.00
------------------------------
Totals
Day #Limits #Fish Weight
1 96 501 1726-01
2 88 484 1602-02
3 48 248 833-06
4 10 50 193-15
------------------------------
242 1283 4355-08
Louisiana’s Colby Miller Wins MLF Toyota Series at Sam Rayburn Reservoir
Hammering out 27 pounds, 4 ounces on Day 1, Miller followed it up with 24-15 and 25-4 on Days 2 and 3, respectively, to tally 77-7 for the win at the Toyota Series Presented by Phoenix Boats Southwestern Division opener. The 24-year-old pro took home $72,809, including the Phoenix MLF Bonus, for the win.
Winning with a 14-14 margin, Miller dominated the event, and he did it off several places and with a lot of good decisions, using all his considerable skills and Texas knowledge.
Each morning, he started on a one-cast grass spot.
“It’s a little depression in the grass; I think it’s only an early morning deal,” he said. “All three days I went back midday, and only yesterday I was able to get bit. It’s a one-cast deal. I could see them sitting in the little depression on LiveScope – it was just getting them to bite. Today, it was slick calm, and I pulled out a wacky rig and was able to get some to bite.”
Most mornings, he plucked them with a Strike King Hybrid Hunter or a vibrating jig, running the bait repeatedly though a key area that was half a foot deeper than the rest of the grass bed.
“It’s grass, but very dirty water – you really had to get it on their nose,” he said. “Making the same cast over and over was key. I spent at least an hour there every morning. If I got lucky, I caught a big one, but it would settle me down and get me a limit.”
On Day 1, Miller mixed things up and even plucked a big one he found suspended on a tree in practice. On the latter two days, he caught his big ones in fairly shallow staging areas, laying the wood with an umbrella rig and a 6th Sense Crush 300DD. Fishing places with stumps and grass near spawning areas, Miller concentrated in 6 to 12 feet and “saw” most of his big ones on LiveScope.
On Day 3, after a lackluster start, his staging program got him right.
“My starting spot kind of went dry on me,” said Miller of the final day. “I caught four there – like three 3-pounders and a 1 1/2. Then, I ran a couple spots and went to where I’ve been waiting for them to pull in all week. They were there in practice. I caught a 6 and had an 8 at the side of the boat. In practice, I saw four or five great big ones swimming around. Since then, it’s just been buck bass. I knew with the full moon coming, the weather being 80, I knew they were coming. I just hoped that they made it before the tournament ended.
“Today, when I rolled in, I didn’t make it no piece,” he said. “I saw the first one, caught it, it was a 6 1/2. Then, I got to the little stretch they normally hang up at, and as soon as I got to it, I caught another right at 6, and then another.”
Fishing the Pro Circuit or the Tackle Warehouse Invitationals since 2020, Miller did well around the house in his teens, though it took him a while to see success nationally – his first two years on tour saw him bank triple-digit finishes. In 2023, things began to turn his way, and the Toledo Bend crappie guide has been on fire since the Toyota Series Championship on Table Rock.
Since a Phoenix Bass Fishing League (BFL) win this winter, he’s fished to the peak of his talents.
“I’ve never been a winner, ever,” he said. “I’ve just been a so-so, middle-of-the-pack kind of guy. Ever since I won that BFL, it’s changed my game. It changed my mindset, ever since then, I don’t go looking for a check. I go looking for a win.”
Still, win No. 2 didn’t come easy, as Miller’s second staging spot of the day knocked him off his roll in a big way.
“When I pulled in there today, there were giants everywhere swimming around,” he said. “I hooked two big ones and lost them both, and I literally thought I lost my shot right there. The rest of the day, I couldn’t do anything right. I’d make a short cast at a big one, or land on top of it; I couldn’t do anything right.”
But, about halfway through weigh-in, an emotional Miller realized things might have actually turned his way.
“I really started doubting myself,” said Miller of his early national experience. “I just continuously put 110% of effort in, and tried my hardest every time. And now it’s paying off.”
The top 10 pros on Sam Rayburn Reservoir finished:
2nd: Wyatt Fankens, Corrigan, Texas, 15 bass, 62-9, $14,651
3rd: Chad Mrazek, Montgomery, Texas, 15 bass, 60-8, $11,343
4th: Cole Moore, Anacoco, La., 15 bass, 60-7, $9,452
5th: Ty Faber, Pagosa Springs, Colo., 15 bass, 57-8, $8,507
6th: Dakota Ebare, Brookeland, Texas, 15 bass, 57-0, $8,062
7th: Levi Thibodaux, Thibodaux, La., 15 bass, 56-13, $6,617
8th: Brett Clark, Center, Texas, 15 bass, 56-8, $5,671
9th: Blake Schroeder, Whitehouse, Texas, 15 bass, 56-2, $4,726
10th: Kyle Hall, Granbury, Texas, 15 bass, 55-10, $3,781
Pro Kaden Mueck of Livinsgston, Texas, won the $500 Day 1 Berkley Big Bass award in the pro division Wednesday with a bass weighing 8 pounds, 11 ounces. On Thursday, pro Dakota Ebare of Brookeland, Texas, earned the $500 Berkley Big Bass prize after bringing a 10-pound, 12-ounce bass to the scale.
Miller took home an extra $35,000 as the highest finishing Phoenix MLF Bonus member. Boaters are eligible to win up to an extra $35,000 per event in each Toyota Series tournament if all requirements are met. More information on the Phoenix MLF Bonus contingency program can be found at PhoenixBassBoats.com.
Ben Faucheaux of Natchitoches, Louisiana, won the Strike King Co-angler Division Friday with a three-day total of 12 bass weighing 36 pounds, 2 ounces. Faucheaux took home the top prize package worth $33,500, including a new Phoenix 518 Pro bass boat with a 115-horsepower Mercury outboard motor.
The top 10 Strike King co-anglers on Sam Rayburn Reservoir finished:
2nd: Sakae Ushio, Tonawanda, N.Y., 14 bass, 35-6, $4,729
3rd: James Allen Pruitt, Houston, Texas, 12 bass, 34-7, $3,783
4th: Tyler Medica, Boyce, La., 13 bass, 31-0, $3,310
5th: Robert Davis, Lufkin, Texas, 15 bass, 30-14, $2,837
6th: James Nelson, Long Branch, Texas, 14 bass, 29-15, $2,364
7th: Robert Massey, Calhoun, La., 14 bass, 29-6, $1,891
8th: John Moon, Brookeland, Texas, 15 bass, 28-15, $1,655
9th: David Bozarth, Montgomery, Texas, 15 bass, 28-6, $1,419
10th: Michael Leach, Shenandoah, Texas, 13 bass, 26-13, $1,332
The Toyota Series at Sam Rayburn Presented by FX Custom Rods was hosted by the Jasper – Lake Sam Rayburn Area Chamber of Commerce, and was the first of three regular-season events for the Toyota Series Southwestern Division. The next event for Toyota Series anglers will be the Toyota Series at Toledo Bend Reservoir, March 26-28, in Many, Louisiana. For a complete schedule of events, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com.
The 2024 Toyota Series Presented by Phoenix Boats consists of six divisions – Central, Northern, Plains, Southern, Southwestern and the Western Division Presented by Tackle Warehouse – each holding three regular-season events, along with the International and Wild Card divisions. Anglers who fish in any of the six divisions or the Wild Card division and finish in the top 25 will qualify for the no-entry-fee Toyota Series Championship for a shot at winning up to $235,000 and a qualification to REDCREST 2025. The winning Strike King co-angler at the championship earns a new Phoenix 518 Pro bass boat with a 115-horsepower Mercury outboard. The 2024 Toyota Series Championship will be held Nov. 7-9 on Wheeler Lake in Huntsville, Alabama, and is hosted by the Huntsville Sports Commission.
Proud sponsors of the 2024 MLF Toyota Series include: 7Brew, Abu Garcia, B&W Trailer Hitches, Berkley, BUBBA, E3, Epic Baits, Fishing Clash, FX Custom Rods, General Tire, Lew’s, Mercury, Mossy Oak Fishing, Onyx, Phoenix Boats, Polaris, Power-Pole, Strike King, Suzuki Marine, Tackle Warehouse, T-H Marine, Toyota and YETI.
For complete details and updated information on Major League Fishing and the Toyota Series, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular Tackle Warehouse Invitational updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow the MLF5 social media outlets at Facebook , Instagram and YouTube.
About Major League Fishing
Major League Fishing (MLF) is the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization, producing more than 250 events annually at some of the most prestigious fisheries in the world, while broadcasting to America’s living rooms on CBS, Discovery Channel, Outdoor Channel, CBS Sports Network, World Fishing Network and on demand on MyOutdoorTV (MOTV). Headquartered in Benton, Kentucky, the MLF roster of bass anglers includes the world’s top pros and more than 30,000 competitors in all 50 states and 17 countries. Since its founding in 2011, MLF has advanced the sport of competitive fishing through its premier television broadcasts and livestreams and is dedicated to improving the quality of life for bass through research, education, fisheries enhancement and fish care.
Schlapper increases lead on Day 3 of Bassmaster Elite Series 2024 opener at Toledo Bend
February 24, 2024
Schlapper increases lead on Day 3 of Bassmaster Elite Series 2024 opener at Toledo Bend
MANY, La. — Before this week, Pat Schlapper had never led a day of Bassmaster Elite Series competition. The Wisconsin pro has now led two-straight days of the Gamakatsu Bassmaster Elite at Toledo Bend and will hold the pole position heading into Championship Sunday with a three-day total of 78 pounds.
Schlapper caught 22 pounds, 7 ounces on Day 3 to add to his 27-4 and 28-5 marks from the first two days. Japanese pro Kyoya Fujita follows in second with 72-0 and Tennessee rookie Robert Gee is third with 69-7.
“I’m very thankful to have the bag I got. I worked hard for it. I’m happy to be in the position to have a chance,” Schlapper said. “It feels really good. I want to win so badly. It is so hard to get into a position to win.
“Last year, I had one opportunity on Seminole and I had a bad first day. So, I’m trying to concentrate and fish to the best of my ability and win. That is all that’s in my mind.”
Throughout the week, Schlapper has targeted bass roaming offshore on a warming Toledo Bend using his Garmin LiveScope, with one particular spot producing the bulk of his weight. He found that spot during his pre-fishing trip last month and then dialed in an exact pattern during practice this week.
The majority of his bass have been caught on one bait in 15 to 30 feet of water.
“Where I am at, a lot of fish are just passing through there,” he said. “So, every day I see new fish. I don’t think I’ve casted at the same fish in three days. They are constantly moving around, or they’re buried in the grass and then come out.”
Each day has gotten tougher for Schlapper. Not only has the amount of local pressure increased in the area, the bass are also in transition as sunny skies and air temperatures over 70 degrees in the afternoons have warmed the waters.
As the tournament has progressed, though, he has put more pressure on his best area.
“I’ve had a sweet spot the whole time, but I didn’t want people to know exactly where it was,” he said. “But today I had to really saturate it. There were so many high school anglers and competitors out there. I had to hang out there today, which paid off because I got two big ones.
“The majority of my big ones have been in that couple-100-yard area.”
By milking that sweet spot, Schlapper was able to generate bites early on Semifinal Saturday. He filled his limit and caught his two biggest bass, including a 6-pounder, before 9 a.m. From there, the bite slowed tremendously as the fishing pressure increased.
“It started out decent,” Schlapper said. “I was able to get a couple good ones pretty early and secure a decent limit to where I knew I was going to make the cut. From there, I picked one up here and there. I got one key cull at the end of the day and lost a really big one.”
With the idea that new bass are moving through every day, Schlapper will be all in on his primary area on the final day. He has other spots where he feels he can catch a bass, but none that have produced as many big bites.
Although he has a sizable lead, the three-time qualifier for the Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Classic presented by Jockey Outdoors feels he needs 25 pounds to secure his first Elite Series victory.
“If that area doesn’t produce, we are going to be hurting,” Schlapper said. “I’m 100% committed and I knew that coming into the tournament. I didn’t want any other thought in my mind. If I’m going to win this tournament, this is what I have to do.”
After leading on Day 1 with 31-3 — the Rapala CrushCity Monster Bag of the Tournament to this point — Fujita caught 24-3 on Day 2 before stumbling Saturday with 16-10. Most of the week, the four-time Japanese Angler of the Year has targeted one area of standing timber. He has caught the majority of his bass on a Jackall Drift Fry using after identifying them on Garmin LiveScope.
On Saturday, Fujita returned to his primary spot but did not see the numbers of bass he had witnessed the first two days. The colder morning, along with an increase in fishing pressure around him, contributed to this tough day.
“Changes in lake condition (also). I find many fish in practice. But today, no fish,” he said. “I went to same area, many boat area, in the morning.”
At 10 a.m., Fujita began searching for new bass and slowly worked his way to a limit. His final bass of the day was a 6-pounder, which came from an offshore area he found during his practice period.
“I hit 10 spots today, but no fish,” he said. “In the afternoon, I catch a 6-pounder in a new area. Six-pounder spot, (I will) try tomorrow.”
With a big deficit to overcome, Fujita believes he needs a minimum of 25 pounds to have a shot at his second Elite Series title.
In his first-ever Elite event, Gee qualified for Championship Sunday with bags of 29-0, 22-10 and 17-13. He has bounced back and forth between offshore areas this week, using a Crock-O-Gator Slide Shad.
“It is wild. I never expected to make (the final day),” he said. “I had a gut feeling I might have a good tournament because before I got down here, everything that could go wrong was going wrong. My trailer messed up on the way down here and I had to fix it for four hours on the side of the highway. But it happened for me (on the water) this week. I hope I have one more blessed day.
“Hopefully I can bring in 30 pounds tomorrow. That would be cool.”
Day 3 started well for Gee as he caught a limit in the first 45 minutes. From there, Gee went through his rotation of six or seven areas, but only found bass in two or three of them.
“They are definitely leaving where I am fishing,” he said. “I am going to have to make a change,” he said. “It was a pretty tough day, especially this evening. I didn’t see very many and they were hard to hit.”
With bass leaving his areas, and water temperatures over 60 degrees in places, Gee believes he will have to move shallow at some point Sunday to have a shot at victory. He has an idea of where the bass he was targeting early in the week are going next.
Wisconsin’s Jay Przekurat caught the Phoenix Boats Big Bass of the Day, a 7-15 largemouth. But South Carolina pro Bryan New still holds the lead in the race for Phoenix Boats Big Bass of the Tournament with the 9-8 largemouth he landed on Day 1.
The Top 10 remaining anglers will launch from Cypress Bend Park beginning at 7 a.m. CT Sunday and return for weigh-in at 3 p.m. The winner will earn a coveted blue trophy and the $100,000 top prize. All anglers are earning points toward the Progressive Insurance Bassmaster Angler of the Year race.
Bassmaster LIVE will be available on FS1 on Sunday from 7-10 a.m. CT before moving to Bassmaster.com for the afternoon session.
Those wanting to attend will be able to enjoy the “B.A.S.S. on the ’Bend” festival on Sunday at Cypress Bend Park before weigh-in. The festival will feature live music and many local vendors.
The event is being hosted by Toledo Bend Lake Country and the Louisiana Office of Tourism.
2024 Bassmaster Elite Series Platinum Sponsor: Toyota
2024 Bassmaster Elite Series Premier Sponsors: Bass Pro Shops, Dakota Lithium, Humminbird, Mercury, Minn Kota, Nitro Boats, Power-Pole, Progressive Insurance, Ranger Boats, Rapala, Skeeter Boats, Yamaha
2024 Bassmaster Elite Series Supporting Sponsors: AFTCO, Daiwa, Garmin, Lew's, Lowrance, Marathon, Triton Boats, VMC
About B.A.S.S.B.A.S.S., which encompasses the Bassmaster tournament leagues, events and media platforms, is the worldwide authority on bass fishing and keeper of the culture of the sport, providing cutting-edge content on bass fishing whenever, wherever and however bass fishing fans want to use it. Headquartered in Birmingham, Ala., the 500,000-member organization’s fully integrated media platforms include the industry’s leading magazines (Bassmaster and B.A.S.S. Times), website (Bassmaster.com), TV show, radio show, social media programs and events. For more than 50 years, B.A.S.S. has been dedicated to access, conservation and youth fishing.
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Connect with #Bassmaster on Facebook, Instagram, Twitte
Media Contact: Mandy Pascal, Managing Editor, 205-313-0955, mpascal@
2024 Elite #1 Toledo Bend Reservoir 2/22-2/25
Toledo Bend Reservoir, Many LA.
(PROFESSIONAL) Standings Day 3
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Pts Total $$$
1. Pat Schlapper Eleva, WI 15 78-00 103
Day 1: 5 27-04 Day 2: 5 28-05 Day 3: 5 22-07
2. Kyoya Fujita Yamanashi CA JAPAN 15 72-00 102
Day 1: 5 31-03 Day 2: 5 24-03 Day 3: 5 16-10
3. Robert Gee Knoxville, TN 15 69-07 101
Day 1: 5 29-00 Day 2: 5 22-10 Day 3: 5 17-13
4. Luke Palmer Coalgate, OK 15 68-02 100
Day 1: 5 25-01 Day 2: 5 20-02 Day 3: 5 22-15
5. Ben Milliken New Caney, TX 15 67-06 99
Day 1: 5 22-09 Day 2: 5 18-00 Day 3: 5 26-13
6. Patrick Walters Eutawville, SC 15 66-15 98
Day 1: 5 19-11 Day 2: 5 30-05 Day 3: 5 16-15
7. Chris Johnston Otonabee Ontario CANADA 15 63-08 97 $1,000.00
Day 1: 5 18-15 Day 2: 5 26-08 Day 3: 5 18-01
8. Alex Wetherell Middletown, CT 15 61-05 96
Day 1: 5 21-14 Day 2: 5 19-13 Day 3: 5 19-10
9. Cooper Gallant Bowmanville Ontario CAN 15 60-14 95
Day 1: 5 17-04 Day 2: 5 19-01 Day 3: 5 24-09
10. Jordan Lee Cullman, AL 15 60-12 94
Day 1: 5 22-12 Day 2: 5 23-14 Day 3: 5 14-02
11. Wesley Gore Clanton, AL 15 60-05 93 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 22-08 Day 2: 5 14-07 Day 3: 5 23-06
12. Trey McKinney Carbondale, IL 15 60-01 92 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 20-14 Day 2: 5 20-02 Day 3: 5 19-01
13. Cory Johnston Otonabee CANADA 15 59-04 91 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 19-11 Day 2: 5 18-02 Day 3: 5 21-07
14. Justin Hamner Northport, AL 15 58-09 90 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 20-05 Day 2: 5 21-08 Day 3: 5 16-12
15. Stetson Blaylock Benton, AR 15 58-02 89 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 24-00 Day 2: 5 19-07 Day 3: 5 14-11
16. Bryan New Leesville, SC 15 57-10 88 $11,000.00
Day 1: 5 22-01 Day 2: 5 18-06 Day 3: 5 17-03
17. Austin Felix Eden Prairie, MN 15 57-07 87 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 22-06 Day 2: 5 13-05 Day 3: 5 21-12
18. Hunter Shryock Ooltewah, TN 15 56-02 86 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 21-01 Day 2: 5 18-08 Day 3: 5 16-09
19. Tyler Williams Belgrade, ME 15 55-15 85 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 20-04 Day 2: 5 17-07 Day 3: 5 18-04
20. Logan Parks Auburn, AL 15 55-02 84 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 21-10 Day 2: 5 20-10 Day 3: 5 12-14
21. Kyle Patrick Cooperstown, NY 15 54-05 83 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 21-09 Day 2: 5 17-04 Day 3: 5 15-08
22. David Mullins Mt Carmel, TN 15 54-03 82 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 18-07 Day 2: 5 21-15 Day 3: 5 13-13
23. Chris Zaldain Fort Worth, TX 15 54-03 81 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 19-00 Day 2: 5 17-01 Day 3: 5 18-02
24. Jeff Gustafson Kenora, ON Ontario CANA 15 54-01 80 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 16-03 Day 2: 5 21-01 Day 3: 5 16-13
25. Jay Przekurat Plover, WI 15 53-06 79 $11,000.00
Day 1: 5 19-02 Day 2: 5 15-13 Day 3: 5 18-07
26. Cody Huff Ava, MO 15 53-04 78 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 23-09 Day 2: 5 11-14 Day 3: 5 17-13
27. Taku Ito Dalton GA JAPAN 15 53-02 77 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 15-00 Day 2: 5 19-01 Day 3: 5 19-01
28. Jacob Foutz Charleston, TN 15 53-00 76 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 18-00 Day 2: 5 16-04 Day 3: 5 18-12
29. Derek Hudnall Zachary, LA 14 52-14 75 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 12-05 Day 2: 5 20-06 Day 3: 4 20-03
30. JT Thompkins Myrtle Beach, SC 15 52-14 74 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 19-15 Day 2: 5 16-06 Day 3: 5 16-09
31. Caleb Sumrall New Iberia, LA 14 52-08 73 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 21-00 Day 2: 4 14-08 Day 3: 5 17-00
32. Shane LeHew Catawba, NC 15 52-05 72 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 15-11 Day 2: 5 20-12 Day 3: 5 15-14
33. Koby Kreiger Alva, FL 15 51-12 71 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 23-07 Day 2: 5 10-09 Day 3: 5 17-12
34. Brandon Card Salisbury, NC 15 51-05 70 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 13-02 Day 2: 5 21-05 Day 3: 5 16-14
35. Matt Arey Shelby, NC 15 51-01 69 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 18-02 Day 2: 5 22-12 Day 3: 5 10-03
36. Timothy Dube Nashua , NH 13 50-04 68 $10,000.00
Day 1: 3 10-15 Day 2: 5 21-11 Day 3: 5 17-10
37. Carl Jocumsen Queensland TN AUSTRALIA 15 50-03 67 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 17-04 Day 2: 5 19-06 Day 3: 5 13-09
38. John Soukup Sapulpa, OK 15 49-15 66 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 14-07 Day 2: 5 23-12 Day 3: 5 11-12
39. Jamie Hartman Newport, NY 15 49-13 65 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 18-13 Day 2: 5 14-10 Day 3: 5 16-06
40. Jonathan Kelley Old Forge, PA 15 49-13 64 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 17-09 Day 2: 5 18-10 Day 3: 5 13-10
41. Kyle Norsetter Cottage Grove, WI 15 48-12 63 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 21-08 Day 2: 5 14-12 Day 3: 5 12-08
42. Kenta Kimura Osaka OK JAPAN 15 48-01 62 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 14-04 Day 2: 5 19-14 Day 3: 5 13-15
43. Lee Livesay Longview, TX 15 47-09 61 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 16-09 Day 2: 5 17-03 Day 3: 5 13-13
44. Drew Benton Panama City, FL 15 46-15 60 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 21-02 Day 2: 5 13-07 Day 3: 5 12-06
45. Clark Wendlandt Leander, TX 15 46-14 59 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 16-07 Day 2: 5 16-12 Day 3: 5 13-11
46. Hank Cherry Jr Lincolnton, NC 15 46-11 58 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 15-13 Day 2: 5 19-03 Day 3: 5 11-11
47. Scott Canterbury Odenville, AL 15 46-05 57 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 12-01 Day 2: 5 21-10 Day 3: 5 12-10
48. Matty Wong Honolulu, HI 15 45-10 56 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 19-10 Day 2: 5 13-10 Day 3: 5 12-06
49. Joseph Webster Hamilton, AL 15 45-01 55 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 17-09 Day 2: 5 15-14 Day 3: 5 11-10
50. Jake Whitaker Hendersonville, NC 14 44-09 54 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 15-00 Day 2: 5 18-06 Day 3: 4 11-03
------------------------------
PHOENIX BOATS BIG BASS
Day
1 Bryan New Leesville, SC 09-08 $1,000.00
2 Chris Johnston Otonabee Ontario CANADA09-03 $1,000.00
3 Jay Przekurat Plover, WI 07-15 $1,000.00
------------------------------
Totals
Day #Limits #Fish Weight
1 96 501 1726-01
2 88 484 1602-02
3 48 248 833-06
------------------------------
232 1233 4161-09
Final 10 Anglers Set for Championship Sunday at Major League Fishing Suzuki Stage Two
Ohio pro Cole Floyd catches 14 bass weighing 46-9 to pace Saturday’s Knockout Round, final 10 anglers set for Championship Sunday
CLARENDON COUNTY, S.C. (Feb. 24, 2024) – For most of his first three days on the water at the Suzuki Stage Two Presented by Fenwick at the Santee Cooper lakes, pro Cole Floyd of Leesburg, Ohio , lurked just behind the leaders – safe from the cut line but never really threatening to overtake for the top spot on SCORETRACKER®. He qualified for Saturday’s Knockout Round by finishing ninth in Group A, then hovered in the middle of the Top 10 throughout Saturday’s action.
Until the final few hours, that is.
During an explosive Period 3 that saw Santee Cooper’s big bass start snapping for just about everyone in the field, Floyd boated eight bass weighing a combined 28 pounds, 6 ounces. That brought his total on the day to 46-9, vaulted him into the top spot on the leaderboard and sent a clear message to the rest of the field that he’s not to be overlooked during Sunday’s Championship Round.
Seeking his first win as a touring pro, Floyd will have his work cut out for him. Looming within the top five were pros Justin Lucas of Guntersville, Alabama, who stacked up an epic 42-6 on just six bass; Jacob Wheeler of Harrison, Tennessee, the six-time Bass Pro Tour champion; and pro James Watson of Lampe, Missouri, who caught a pair of 8-plus-pounders Saturday.
The final 10 anglers are now set, and competition resumes Sunday morning with the Championship Round. In the Championship Round, weights are zeroed, and the highest one-day total wins the top prize of $100,000.
Floyd, who hasn’t had a camera in his boat all week, doesn’t mind operating outside the spotlight. He said he relishes the underdog role.
In fact, he wasn’t necessarily trying to finish the Knockout Round in first place. He spent much of Saturday running new water, and he just happened to hit a productive area in Lake Marion during the final couple hours. He added to his total as he sampled the bass population living there.
“Every time I got off pad with my boat, it seemed like I could get a bite,” Floyd said. “Everything was just kind of going my way.”
Like much of the field, Floyd has caught his fish winding a bladed jig – in his case, a Strike King Thunder Cricket – around cypress trees, “trying to cover as much water as [he] can.” He believes the key to his hot afternoon was the west wind, which picked up speed as the day progressed and pushed water into his section.
“The wind just seemed to blow in all that mud, that dirty water from the other side of the lake, and it just helped my area a lot more,” Floyd explained. “Stained it up and got it more active.”
Floyd is optimistic that the area he found has plenty of bass to carry him through the Championship Round. However, the forecast – sunny skies, cooler temperatures and a light breeze out of the north – has him concerned that he might have to switch up techniques.
“Obviously, I had a good day today,” he said. “I feel like I’m in a good area to possibly win it, but I feel like the weather is going to hurt me more than anything. I think it’s going to be calmer tomorrow, and it’ll just make the bite tougher.”
Floyd, who will compete in his second career BPT Championship Round, is no stranger to tournament success. He won multiple events at the college level, plus took home three straight Angler of the Year titles in the LBL Division of the Phoenix Bass Fishing League from 2017-2019.
A BPT victory, however, would represent a whole new frontier. Floyd called the prospect of landing his first national win “life-changing.”
“It would be a dream come true," he said. “I’ve worked my ass off – I’m not super old – my whole life just to have this opportunity, so it would be something very special, that’s for sure.”
The top 10 pros from Saturday’s Knockout Round that now advance to the final day Championship Round on Santee Cooper Lakes are:
1st: Cole Floyd, Leesburg, Ohio, 14 bass, 46-9
2nd: Justin Lucas, Guntersville, Ala, six bass, 42-6
3rd: Dylan Hays, Hot Springs, Ark., 10 bass, 39-14
4th: Jacob Wheeler, Harrison, Tenn., 11 bass, 34-1
5th: James Watson, Lampe, Mo., seven bass, 32-3
6th: Dean Rojas, Lake Havasu City, Ariz., 12 bass, 30-8
7th: Dave Lefebre, Erie, Pa., nine bass, 29-0
8th: Matt Becker, Ten Mile, Tenn., 10 bass, 28-4
9th: Casey Ashley, Donalds, S.C., 10 bass, 28-0
10th: Jesse Wiggins, Cullman, Ala., 10 bass, 26-14
Eliminated from competition are:
11th: David Dudley, Lynchburg, Va., six bass, 25-8
12th: Alton Jones, Jr., Waco, Texas, six bass, 25-1
13th: Gerald Spohrer, Gonzales, La., nine bass, 22-0
14th: Nick LeBrun, Bossier City, La., six bass, 21-13
15th: Dustin Connell, Clanton, Ala., three bass, 14-14
16th: Ron Nelson, Berrien Springs, Mich., four bass, 13-1
17th: Zack Birge, Blanchard, Okla., three bass, 12-6
18th: Brent Ehrler, Redlands, Calif., five bass, 11-4
19th: Bobby Lane, Lakeland, Fla., four bass, 6-10
20th: Marshall Robinson, Landrum, S.C., zero bass, 0-0
A complete list of results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
Overall, there were 145 bass weighing 490 pounds, 4 ounces caught by 19 pros Saturday. The catch included six 6-pounders, three 7-pounders, and five 8-pounders.
Pros Justin Lucas of Guntersville, Alabama, and James Watson of Lampe, Missouri, tied for Saturday’s $1,000 Berkley Big Bass Award, as each weighed in a largemouth totaling 8 pounds, 15 ounces. Berkley awards $1,000 to the angler who weighs the heaviest bass each day, and a $3,000 bonus to the angler who weighs the heaviest bass of the tournament.
The six-day tournament, hosted by the Clarendon County Chamber of Commerce, showcases 80 of the top professional anglers in the world, competing for a purse of $659,000, including a top payout of $100,000 and valuable Fishing Clash Angler of the Year (AOY) points in hopes of qualifying for the General Tire Heavy Hitters all-star event and REDCREST 2025, the Bass Pro Tour championship.
The 40 Anglers in Group A competed in their two-day Qualifying Round on Tuesday and Thursday – the 40 anglers in Group B on Wednesday and Friday. After the two-day Qualifying Round was complete, the anglers that finished first through 10th from both groups advanced to Saturday’s Knockout Round. In the Knockout Round, weights were zeroed, and the remaining 20 anglers competed to finish in the top 10 to advance to Sunday’s Championship Round. Sunday, in the final-day Championship Round, weights are zeroed, and the highest one-day total wins the top prize of $100,000.
On Sunday, Feb. 25, from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. MLF welcomes fans of all ages to visit the John C. Land III landing for the MLF Watch Party. Fans can watch the pros live on the MLFNOW! big screen, enjoy free food, enter to win hourly giveaways and cheer on their favorite pros. The first 50 kids 14 and under will receive a free rod and reel from Pure Fishing, and the final 10 Championship Round Bass Pro Tour anglers will be on hand at the trophy celebration on Championship Sunday to meet and greet fans, sign autographs and take selfies.
The final 10 anglers will launch at 7:30 a.m. ET Sunday from the John C. Land III Landing, located at 4404 Greenall Road in Summerton. Sunday’s General Tire Takeout and Championship Celebration will be held at the park, beginning at 4 p.m. Fans are welcome to attend all launch and takeout events and also encouraged to follow the event online throughout the day on the MLFNOW!® live stream and SCORETRACKER® coverage at MajorLeagueFishing.com .
The MLFNOW!® broadcast team of Chad McKee and J.T. Kenney will break down the extended action live on the final day of competition from 7:45 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. ET. MLFNOW!® is live streamed on MajorLeagueFishing.com and the MyOutdoorTV (MOTV) app.
The Suzuki Stage Two at Santee Cooper Lakes Presented by Fenwick features the MLF catch, weigh, immediate-release format, in which anglers catch as much weight as they can each day, while also feeling the pressure and intensity of the SCORETRACKER® leaderboard. The tournament features anglers competing with a 1-pound, 8-ounce minimum weight requirement for a bass to be deemed scorable. The MLF Fisheries Management Division determines minimum weights for each body of water that the Bass Pro Tour visits, based on the productivity, bass population and anticipated average size of fish in each fishery.
The Bass Pro Tour features a field of 80 of the top professional anglers in the world, competing across seven regular-season tournaments around the country, for millions of dollars and valuable points to qualify for the annual General Tire Heavy Hitters all-star event and the REDCREST 2025 championship.
Bass Pro Tour anglers also compete throughout the 2024 season for the prestigious Fishing Clash Angler of the Year (AOY) award and its $100,000 payday. Fishing Clash – an interactive 3D fishing simulation game that’s played by more than 80 million people worldwide – is the official AOY sponsor of the Bass Pro Tour, Tackle Warehouse Invitationals, Toyota Series and Phoenix Bass Fishing League.
Television coverage of the Suzuki Stage Two at Santee Cooper Lakes Presented by Fenwick will premiere as a two-hour episode starting at 7 a.m. ET, on Saturday, Sept. 21 on Discovery, with the Championship Round premiering the following Saturday on Sept. 28. New MLF episodes premiere each Saturday morning on Discovery, with re-airings on Outdoor Channel.
Proud sponsors of the 2024 MLF Bass Pro Tour include: Abu Garcia, B&W Trailer Hitches, Bass Pro Shops, Berkley, BUBBA, Epic Baits, Fishing Clash, Garmin, General Tire, Humminbird, Lowrance, Mercury, MillerTech, Minn Kota, Mossy Oak Fishing, NITRO, Onyx, Plano, Power-Pole, Rapala, StarBrite, Suzuki, Toyota and U.S. Air Force.
For complete details and updated information on Major League Fishing and the Bass Pro Tour, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF’s social media outlets at Facebook, X, Instagram and YouTube.
About Major League Fishing
Major League Fishing (MLF) is the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization, producing more than 250 events annually at some of the most prestigious fisheries in the world, while broadcasting to America’s living rooms on CBS, Discovery Channel, Outdoor Channel, CBS Sports Network, World Fishing Network and on demand on MyOutdoorTV (MOTV). Headquartered in Benton, Kentucky, the MLF roster of bass anglers includes the world’s top pros and more than 30,000 competitors in all 50 states and 17 countries. Since its founding in 2011, MLF has advanced the sport of competitive fishing through its premier television broadcasts and livestreams and is dedicated to improving the quality of life for bass through research, education, fisheries enhancement and fish care.
Arey Acclimates to FFS Era
Courtesy of Luke Stoner, Dynamic Sponsorships
Team Toyota’s Matt Arey took it as a point of pride when he realized he was the elder statesmen amongst the group of anglers near the top of the leaderboard heading into semi-final Saturday of the Gamakatsu Bassmaster Elite on Toledo Bend. At forty-three years young, Arey is far from old, but he would classify his fishing roots as old-school. The always-consistent
North Carolina pro finished Friday in 13th place and was somewhat surprisingly the oldest angler positioned in the top twenty.
It's hard to ignore the impressive wave of young fishing talent at the top level of competitive bass fishing the past few years, thanks large in part to the ever-evolving forward facing sonar technology that has dominated national tournaments as of late. Arey is proving a middle-aged dog can learn plenty of new tricks, as he’s employed FFS to the tune of a paycheck and a shot at fishing Championship Sunday.
“Whether you call it pinging a minnow, moping, scoping, or damiki-rigging; it’s been a big deal for several years now but it’s definitely not flying under the radar in the world of tournament fishing anymore,” Arey said. “I call it crappie fishing for bass because that’s what it reminds me of. It’s all about your electronics and finesse presentations. I used my Lowrance Active Target 2, a couple spinning rods, light line, and a few minnow style soft plastics on a jig head exclusively to catch my weight on days one and two.”
No matter what you’ve read on social media or believe from watching live coverage, this style of fishing is not nearly as easy as professional anglers make it look. Arey explained that accurate casts have been extremely important on Toledo Bend. He and other pros are trying to land small, lightweight lures directly on a fish’s head in high winds and big waves with a spinning rod.
That’s difficult to do on a relaxed day of fun fishing with your buddy. You add in the stress, emotion, and intensity of an Elite Series tournament and you have a pressure cooker that can
affect even the most seasoned anglers. Arey credits much of his success this week to committing to FFS in practice, knowing it was going to play a major role in this first stop of the
2024 season.
“As more of an old school fisherman I’ve had to embrace the idea of leaning into FFS during practice in order to overcome how I would have traditionally fished this lake,” Arey admitted. “I hate to say it, but I truly believed if I tried to rely on instincts, patterns, or junk fishing on Toledo Bend this week I would get whooped.
“So, I committed 96% of my practice to focusing on FFS and it’s paid off. Whether I like it or don’t like it doesn’t matter. I gotta embrace it and keep getting better at this style of fishing if I want to keep up with the next generation of anglers.”
Arey has proven to do more than just keep up with the young guns on Toledo Bend. He’s been a full-time pro for over 12-years now and just like he’s done throughout his entire career, he’ll continue to adapt and improve at his craft no matter the technique. As he and other veteran pros continue to acclimate to the FFS era of tournament bass fishing, they’ll make their
presence felt at the top of the leaderboard no matter the conditions or prevalent fishing style.
Dean Rojas Paces Field to Win Group B Qualifying Round at Major League Fishing Suzuki Stage Two
Suzuki pro boats two-day total of 76-1 to win Group B Qualifying Round, field of 20 set for Saturday’s Knockout Round
CLARENDON COUNTY, S.C. (Feb. 23, 2024) – For the first two hours of Group B’s second day on the water Friday at Suzuki Stage Two Presented by Fenwick, pro Dean Rojas of Lake Havasu City, Arizona, struggled to recapture his Day 1 success. Rojas had stacked 16 bass weighing 48 pounds, 14 ounces on SCORETRACKER® during his first day on the Santee Cooper lakes, but he went more than two hours Friday morning without boating a scorable fish.
Once Rojas relocated a population of fish, though, the action heated up in a hurry. He got on the board with a 5-pounder, then caught another 11 bass, bringing his two-day total to 76-1. He finished atop the leaderboard for Group B, a mere 10 ounces ahead of pro Brent Ehrler of Redlands, California.
Rojas’ day summed up the action across lakes Marion and Moultrie. A morning that started slow ended with two bass over 9 pounds, and 20 over 6 pounds hitting the scales. Despite many of the top anglers using the afternoon to scout new water, the field combined to catch 249 scorable bass for 824 pounds, 14 ounces – easily the biggest totals of any day so far.
The remaining 20 anglers – the top 10 from each group – now advance to Saturday’s Knockout Round, where weights are zeroed, and anglers compete to finish in the top 10 to advance to the Championship Round on Sunday. In Sunday’s final day Championship Round, weights are zeroed, and the highest one-day total wins the top prize of $100,000.
Having put plenty of distance between himself and the cut line on Wednesday, Rojas, too, used his second day of competition to explore new water on the massive 170,000-acre playing field that is Santee Cooper. He never returned to the area where he caught his Day 1 bag, instead scouting a few other spots where he’d gotten bit during practice.
“The stuff I fished today was just secondary stuff that I had,” he explained. “It’s not my main stuff. I caught ‘em really good the first day, so there was no sense in working on those fish anymore.”
Rojas is doing something a bit different than the majority of anglers, not spending much time around the fishery’s many cypress trees. He didn’t want to reveal much about his tactics but said he’s focusing on areas where bass are moving up to stage.
“There’s probably a few that are up there (spawning), and there’s some that are coming,” Rojas said. “It’s still the very first beginnings of it.”
While he found plenty of fish, Rojas didn’t catch the same quality on Friday, boating just one bass bigger than 3 pounds. As a result, he still plans to return to his Day 1 area during what figures to be an explosive Knockout Round.
Still, he sees the day as a success, having eliminated some water and added more to his arsenal should he have to veer from Plan A.
“I have lots of options,” he said. “I feel very comfortable. The stuff that I fished today I can fish again tomorrow, and the stuff that I didn’t fish today, I can still go back again tomorrow.”
As for what it will take to make the Championship Round, Rojas speculated that the cut will fall around 45 pounds – although he admitted that could be way off. Santee Cooper has proven fickle this week, with lots of anglers putting together impressive bags but few doing so on consecutive days. The only safe bet seems to be that whoever does unlock the bite will have a chance to land some big ones.
“I have no idea,” Rojas said. “I’m going to try and catch every single bass I can tomorrow.”
The top 10 pros in Group B that now advance to Saturday’s Knockout Round on Santee Cooper Lakes are:
1st: Dean Rojas, Lake Havasu City, Ariz., 28 bass, 76-1
2nd: Brent Ehrler, Redlands, Calif., 21 bass, 75-7
3rd: Nick LeBrun, Bossier City, La., 21 bass, 75-2
4th: Casey Ashley, Donalds, S.C., 21 bass, 74-2
5th: Justin Lucas, Guntersville, Ala, 18 bass, 65-1
6th: Jacob Wheeler, Harrison, Tenn., 15 bass, 60-12
7th: Marshall Robinson, Landrum, S.C., 17 bass, 58-9
8th: Zack Birge, Blanchard, Okla., 13 bass, 55-11
9th: David Dudley, Lynchburg, Va., 18 bass, 53-13
10th: Bobby Lane, Lakeland, Fla., 14 bass, 51-2
Eliminated from competition are:
11th: Fred Roumbanis, Russellville, Ark., 10 bass, 49-2
12th: Fletcher Shryock, Guntersville, Ala., 17 bass, 48-9
13th: Luke Clausen, Spokane, Wash., 14 bass, 48-4
14th: Edwin Evers, Talala, Okla., 12 bass, 46-4
15th: Keith Poche, Pike Road, Ala., 19 bass, 45-5
16th: Mark Davis, Mount Ida, Ark., 12 bass, 43-7
17th: Bradley Roy, Lancaster, Ky., 14 bass, 43-2
18th: Ott DeFoe, Blaine, Tenn., 14 bass, 42-6
19th: Wesley Strader, Spring City, Tenn., 14 bass, 38-10
20th: Spencer Shuffield, Hot Springs, Ark., 11 bass, 36-13
21st: Jeremy Lawyer, Sarcoxie, Mo., 12 bass, 36-4
22nd: Todd Faircloth, Jasper, Texas, 10 bass, 36-3
23rd: Drew Gill, Mount Carmel, Ill., 14 bass, 36-2
24th: Justin Cooper, Zwolle, La., 10 bass, 34-15
25th: Joshua Weaver, Macon, Ga., 10 bass, 32-9
26th: Martin Villa, Charlottesville, Va., 13 bass, 32-2
27th: Alton Jones, Lorena, Texas, nine bass, 30-4
28th: Stephen Browning, Hot Springs, Ark., eight bass, 28-3
29th: James Elam, Tulsa, Okla., six bass, 21-10
30th: Keith Carson, DeBary, Fla., seven bass, 19-7
31st: Jonathon VanDam, Kalamazoo, Mich., six bass, 19-4
32nd: Boyd Duckett, Guntersville, Ala., seven bass, 18-11
33rd: Scott Suggs, Alexander, Ark., six bass, 18-0
34th: Ryan Salzman, Huntsville, Ala., six bass, 17-11
35th: Gary Klein, Mingus, Texas, six bass, 15-5
36th: Kelly Jordon, Flint, Texas, six bass, 14-9
37th: Cliff Crochet, Pierre Part, La., five bass, 14-3
38th: John Hunter, Shelbyville, Ky., four bass, 13-1
39th: Bryan Thrift, Shelby, N.C, three bass, 12-13
40th: Andy Montgomery, Blacksburg, S.C., three bass, 7-13
A complete list of results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
Overall, there were 249 bass weighing 824 pounds, 14 ounces caught by 39 pros Friday. The catch included 14 6-pounders, three 7-pounders, one 8-pounder and two 9-pounders.
Pro David Dudley of Lynchburg, Virginia, won the $1,000 Berkley Big Bass Award Friday with a fat 9-pound, 11-ounce largemouth that he caught on a Dudley’s Digger Blade from Treeshaker Tackle during Period 3. Berkley awards $1,000 to the angler who weighs the heaviest bass each day, and a $3,000 bonus to the angler who weighs the heaviest bass of the tournament.
The six-day tournament, hosted by the Clarendon County Chamber of Commerce, showcases 80 of the top professional anglers in the world, competing for a purse of $659,000, including a top payout of $100,000 and valuable Fishing Clash Angler of the Year (AOY) points in hopes of qualifying for the General Tire Heavy Hitters all-star event and REDCREST 2025, the Bass Pro Tour championship.
The 40 Anglers in Group A competed in their two-day Qualifying Round on Tuesday and Thursday – the 40 anglers in Group B on Wednesday and Friday. Now that each group’s two-day Qualifying Round is complete, the anglers that finished first through 10th from both groups advance to Saturday’s Knockout Round. In the Knockout Round, weights are zeroed, and the remaining 20 anglers compete to finish in the top 10 to advance to Sunday’s Championship Round. In the final-day Championship Round, weights are zeroed, and the highest one-day total wins the top prize of $100,000.
Anglers will launch at 7:30 a.m. ET each day from the John C. Land III Landing, located at 4404 Greenall Road in Summerton. Each day’s General Tire Takeout will be held at the park, beginning at 4 p.m. Fans are welcome to attend all launch and takeout events and also encouraged to follow the event online throughout the day on the MLFNOW!® live stream and SCORETRACKER® coverage at MajorLeagueFishing.com .
The MLFNOW!® broadcast team of Chad McKee and J.T. Kenney will break down the extended action live on the final four days of competition from 7:45 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. ET. MLFNOW!® is live streamed on MajorLeagueFishing.com and the MyOutdoorTV (MOTV) app.
On Saturday and Sunday, Feb. 24-25, from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. MLF welcomes fans of all ages to visit the John C. Land III landing for the MLF Watch Party. Fans can watch the pros live on the MLFNOW! big screen, enjoy free food, enter to win hourly giveaways and cheer on their favorite pros. The first 50 kids 14 and under will receive a free rod and reel from Pure Fishing each day. The final 10 Championship Round Bass Pro Tour anglers will be on hand at the trophy celebration on Championship Sunday to meet and greet fans, sign autographs and take selfies.
The Suzuki Stage Two at Santee Cooper Lakes Presented by Fenwick features the MLF catch, weigh, immediate-release format, in which anglers catch as much weight as they can each day, while also feeling the pressure and intensity of the SCORETRACKER® leaderboard. The tournament features anglers competing with a 1-pound, 8-ounce minimum weight requirement for a bass to be deemed scorable. The MLF Fisheries Management Division determines minimum weights for each body of water that the Bass Pro Tour visits, based on the productivity, bass population and anticipated average size of fish in each fishery.
The Bass Pro Tour features a field of 80 of the top professional anglers in the world, competing across seven regular-season tournaments around the country, for millions of dollars and valuable points to qualify for the annual General Tire Heavy Hitters all-star event and the REDCREST 2025 championship.
Bass Pro Tour anglers also compete throughout the 2024 season for the prestigious Fishing Clash Angler of the Year (AOY) award and its $100,000 payday. Fishing Clash – an interactive 3D fishing simulation game that’s played by more than 80 million people worldwide – is the official AOY sponsor of the Bass Pro Tour, Tackle Warehouse Invitationals, Toyota Series and Phoenix Bass Fishing League.
Television coverage of the Suzuki Stage Two at Santee Cooper Lakes Presented by Fenwick will premiere as a two-hour episode starting at 7 a.m. ET, on Saturday, Sept. 21 on Discovery, with the Championship Round premiering the following Saturday on Sept. 28. New MLF episodes premiere each Saturday morning on Discovery, with re-airings on Outdoor Channel.
Proud sponsors of the 2024 MLF Bass Pro Tour include: Abu Garcia, B&W Trailer Hitches, Bass Pro Shops, Berkley, BUBBA, Epic Baits, Fishing Clash, Garmin, General Tire, Humminbird, Lowrance, Mercury, MillerTech, Minn Kota, Mossy Oak Fishing, NITRO, Onyx, Plano, Power-Pole, Rapala, StarBrite, Suzuki, Toyota and U.S. Air Force.
For complete details and updated information on Major League Fishing and the Bass Pro Tour, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF’s social media outlets at Facebook, X, Instagram and YouTube.
About Major League Fishing
Major League Fishing (MLF) is the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization, producing more than 250 events annually at some of the most prestigious fisheries in the world, while broadcasting to America’s living rooms on CBS, Discovery Channel, Outdoor Channel, CBS Sports Network, World Fishing Network and on demand on MyOutdoorTV (MOTV). Headquartered in Benton, Kentucky, the MLF roster of bass anglers includes the world’s top pros and more than 30,000 competitors in all 50 states and 17 countries. Since its founding in 2011, MLF has advanced the sport of competitive fishing through its premier television broadcasts and livestreams and is dedicated to improving the quality of life for bass through research, education, fisheries enhancement and fish care.
Pat Schlapper captures kicker bass to take Day 2 lead in Bassmaster Elite Series event at Toledo Bend
February 23, 2024
Pat Schlapper captures kicker bass to take Day 2 lead in Bassmaster Elite Series event at Toledo Bend
MANY, La. — With the help of an 8-6 largemouth, Pat Schlapper caught 28 pounds, 5 ounces on Day 2 of the Gamakatsu Bassmaster Elite at Toledo Bend to jump into the lead with a two-day total of 55-9.
The pro from Eleva, Wis., holds a 3-ounce advantage over Day 1 leader Kyoya Fujita, who is second with a two-day mark of 55-6. Tennessee’s Robert Gee is third with 51-10.
“There were some really fun moments today,” Schlapper said. “It was tougher than yesterday, honestly. I didn’t get that many bites, and the bass are either leaving or getting picked off. I still had three really good bites.”
After finding a rhythm late in the day Thursday, the three-time Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Classic presented by Jockey Outdoors qualifier returned to one of his most productive areas and targeted roaming bass in 15 to 30 feet of water. He used the same bait he caught the majority of his bass on yesterday with the help of his Garmin LiveScope.
Despite the increase in boat pressure in the area, Schlapper immediately started catching bass and filled out his limit around 9:30 a.m. before landing his biggest bass of the day.
“I saw the bass on LiveScope, but it looked too big. I made a good cast and it came up on it, bit it and I missed it,” Schlapper said. “I cast up there again; the way it came up I thought it was a bass. Then, the way it fought, I knew it was a bass. I was lucky I (that) missed it the first time and then (it) ate it again. It was awesome.”
Late in the day, he returned to that same area and caught another kicker bass, a largemouth that weighed just under 8 pounds.
“I had a good bag fairly early, but then it was a long time before I caught anything else,” he said. “I came back at the end of the day when everyone was gone and caught another that was almost 8.”
Schlapper, however, is a bit concerned about how the rest of the tournament will play out in his primary area. With the weekend starting, boat pressure will likely only increase. He has also noticed the water temperature rising, which could mean the bass will move toward the bank and away from his area.
“There aren’t many bass left there. There were a lot of spectators and other competitors really messing with them,” he said. “If another wave kind of moves through, we might be alright. If not, it might be tough. There’s a chance I can throw (it) in front of five big ones tomorrow. I think there is less of a chance than there was today and the day before.
“But I’m sticking with it.”
After landing the Rapala CrushCity Monster Bag of the Tournament on Day 1 at 31-3, Fujita landed 24-3 to drop into second place. The Japanese pro returned to his primary spot from Day 1 and, while he filled out a limit in the first three hours, he struggled to generate big bites until the afternoon. His biggest bass, logged as a 6-0 on BassTrakk, came after 1 p.m. He caught all of his bass on a Jackall Drift Fry around standing timber in 30 feet of water.
Boat pressure was the main reason for the tougher bite, he said.
“Yesterday in the morning, it was fish, fish, fish, and then in the afternoon, there was fishing pressure and no bites,” Fujita said with the help of a translator. “Today was tough.”
Despite the increased pressure, Fujita still saw plenty of bass on his LiveScope. He plans on returning to the same area in the morning and will evaluate how many other boats are around. If he isn’t liking what he sees, he will move to a different spot on the lake.
Gee added 22-10 to his 29-0 Day 1 bag to increase his two-day total to 51-10. While he lost a 4-pounder early in the day, the Knoxville, Tenn., rookie filled a limit quickly but struggled to find quality.
“I started where I could get a limit early,” he said. “It seemed like the bigger ones were leaving. I didn’t catch any really big ones, and everywhere I went it seemed like fish were leaving me. I feel like they are making a push up shallow with this full moon coming tomorrow night.”
Late in the day, Gee moved to his big-bass spot from yesterday and caught his two biggest of the day.
“I understood what I was doing wrong, so I went in closer to where the bass wanted to be going,” Gee said. “I was still in a basin, so I was in 35 feet of water instead of 50 feet.”
So far this week, Gee has caught the majority of his bass on a Crock-O-Gator Slide Shad and has changed the jighead size based on the depth he’s fishing and the wind speed. Forward-facing sonar has played a big role in his success.
With the bass leaving his areas, Gee feels like he will need to start making a move to the shallows. He didn’t have much success fishing shallow in practice, but he has an idea where his deep bass may move to in the coming days.
“I’m just going to have to adjust and fish new water,” he said.
Canadian pro Chris Johnston caught a 9-3 largemouth on Day 2 to claim the Phoenix Boats Big Bass of the Day. South Carolina’s Bryan New currently holds the Phoenix Boats Big Bass of the Tournament, a 9-8 largemouth he caught on Day 1.
The Top 50 anglers will launch from Cypress Bend Park beginning at 7 a.m. CT and return for weigh-in at 3 p.m. The Top 10 will advance to Championship Sunday to compete for the blue trophy and $100,000 top prize. All anglers are earning points toward the Progressive Insurance Bassmaster Angler of the Year race.
Bassmaster LIVE will be available on FS1 on Saturday morning beginning at 8 a.m. ET through 11:30 a.m. before moving to Bassmaster.com for the afternoon session.
Those wanting to attend will be able to enjoy the “B.A.S.S. on the ’Bend” festival on Saturday and Sunday at Cypress Bend Park before weigh-in. The festival will feature live music and many local vendors.
The event is being hosted by Toledo Bend Lake Country and the Louisiana Office of Tourism.
2024 Bassmaster Elite Series Platinum Sponsor: Toyota
2024 Bassmaster Elite Series Premier Sponsors: Bass Pro Shops, Dakota Lithium, Humminbird, Mercury, Minn Kota, Nitro Boats, Power-Pole, Progressive Insurance, Ranger Boats, Rapala, Skeeter Boats, Yamaha
2024 Bassmaster Elite Series Supporting Sponsors: AFTCO, Daiwa, Garmin, Lew's, Lowrance, Marathon, Triton Boats, VMC
About B.A.S.S.B.A.S.S., which encompasses the Bassmaster tournament leagues, events and media platforms, is the worldwide authority on bass fishing and keeper of the culture of the sport, providing cutting-edge content on bass fishing whenever, wherever and however bass fishing fans want to use it. Headquartered in Birmingham, Ala., the 500,000-member organization’s fully integrated media platforms include the industry’s leading magazines (Bassmaster and B.A.S.S. Times), website (Bassmaster.com), TV show, radio show, social media programs and events. For more than 50 years, B.A.S.S. has been dedicated to access, conservation and youth fishing.
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Media Contact: Mandy Pascal, Managing Editor, 205-313-0955, mpascal@
2024 Elite #1 Toledo Bend Reservoir 2/22-2/25
Toledo Bend Reservoir, Many LA.
(PROFESSIONAL) Standings Day 2
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Pts Total $$$
1. Pat Schlapper Eleva, WI 10 55-09 103
Day 1: 5 27-04 Day 2: 5 28-05
2. Kyoya Fujita Yamanashi CA JAPAN 10 55-06 102
Day 1: 5 31-03 Day 2: 5 24-03
3. Robert Gee Knoxville, TN 10 51-10 101
Day 1: 5 29-00 Day 2: 5 22-10
4. Patrick Walters Eutawville, SC 10 50-00 100
Day 1: 5 19-11 Day 2: 5 30-05
5. Jordan Lee Cullman, AL 10 46-10 99
Day 1: 5 22-12 Day 2: 5 23-14
6. Chris Johnston Otonabee Ontario CANADA 10 45-07 98 $1,000.00
Day 1: 5 18-15 Day 2: 5 26-08
7. Luke Palmer Coalgate, OK 10 45-03 97
Day 1: 5 25-01 Day 2: 5 20-02
8. Stetson Blaylock Benton, AR 10 43-07 96
Day 1: 5 24-00 Day 2: 5 19-07
9. Logan Parks Auburn, AL 10 42-04 95
Day 1: 5 21-10 Day 2: 5 20-10
10. Justin Hamner Northport, AL 10 41-13 94
Day 1: 5 20-05 Day 2: 5 21-08
11. Alex Wetherell Middletown, CT 10 41-11 93
Day 1: 5 21-14 Day 2: 5 19-13
12. Trey McKinney Carbondale, IL 10 41-00 92
Day 1: 5 20-14 Day 2: 5 20-02
13. Matt Arey Shelby, NC 10 40-14 91
Day 1: 5 18-02 Day 2: 5 22-12
14. Ben Milliken New Caney, TX 10 40-09 90
Day 1: 5 22-09 Day 2: 5 18-00
15. Bryan New Leesville, SC 10 40-07 89 $1,000.00
Day 1: 5 22-01 Day 2: 5 18-06
16. David Mullins Mt Carmel, TN 10 40-06 88
Day 1: 5 18-07 Day 2: 5 21-15
17. Hunter Shryock Ooltewah, TN 10 39-09 87
Day 1: 5 21-01 Day 2: 5 18-08
18. Kyle Patrick Cooperstown, NY 10 38-13 86
Day 1: 5 21-09 Day 2: 5 17-04
19. John Soukup Sapulpa, OK 10 38-03 85
Day 1: 5 14-07 Day 2: 5 23-12
20. Cory Johnston Otonabee CANADA 10 37-13 84
Day 1: 5 19-11 Day 2: 5 18-02
21. Tyler Williams Belgrade, ME 10 37-11 83
Day 1: 5 20-04 Day 2: 5 17-07
22. Jeff Gustafson Kenora, ON Ontario CANA 10 37-04 82
Day 1: 5 16-03 Day 2: 5 21-01
23. Wesley Gore Clanton, AL 10 36-15 81
Day 1: 5 22-08 Day 2: 5 14-07
24. Carl Jocumsen Queensland TN AUSTRALIA 10 36-10 80
Day 1: 5 17-04 Day 2: 5 19-06
25. Shane LeHew Catawba, NC 10 36-07 79
Day 1: 5 15-11 Day 2: 5 20-12
26. JT Thompkins Myrtle Beach, SC 10 36-05 78
Day 1: 5 19-15 Day 2: 5 16-06
27. Cooper Gallant Bowmanville Ontario CAN 10 36-05 77
Day 1: 5 17-04 Day 2: 5 19-01
28. Kyle Norsetter Cottage Grove, WI 10 36-04 76
Day 1: 5 21-08 Day 2: 5 14-12
29. Jonathan Kelley Old Forge, PA 10 36-03 75
Day 1: 5 17-09 Day 2: 5 18-10
30. Chris Zaldain Fort Worth, TX 10 36-01 74
Day 1: 5 19-00 Day 2: 5 17-01
31. Austin Felix Eden Prairie, MN 10 35-11 73
Day 1: 5 22-06 Day 2: 5 13-05
32. Caleb Sumrall New Iberia, LA 9 35-08 72
Day 1: 5 21-00 Day 2: 4 14-08
33. Cody Huff Ava, MO 10 35-07 71
Day 1: 5 23-09 Day 2: 5 11-14
34. Hank Cherry Jr Lincolnton, NC 10 35-00 70
Day 1: 5 15-13 Day 2: 5 19-03
35. Jay Przekurat Plover, WI 10 34-15 69
Day 1: 5 19-02 Day 2: 5 15-13
36. Drew Benton Panama City, FL 10 34-09 68
Day 1: 5 21-02 Day 2: 5 13-07
37. Brandon Card Salisbury, NC 10 34-07 67
Day 1: 5 13-02 Day 2: 5 21-05
38. Jacob Foutz Charleston, TN 10 34-04 66
Day 1: 5 18-00 Day 2: 5 16-04
39. Kenta Kimura Osaka OK JAPAN 10 34-02 65
Day 1: 5 14-04 Day 2: 5 19-14
40. Taku Ito Dalton GA JAPAN 10 34-01 64
Day 1: 5 15-00 Day 2: 5 19-01
41. Koby Kreiger Alva, FL 10 34-00 63
Day 1: 5 23-07 Day 2: 5 10-09
42. Lee Livesay Longview, TX 10 33-12 62
Day 1: 5 16-09 Day 2: 5 17-03
43. Scott Canterbury Odenville, AL 10 33-11 61
Day 1: 5 12-01 Day 2: 5 21-10
44. Jamie Hartman Newport, NY 10 33-07 60
Day 1: 5 18-13 Day 2: 5 14-10
45. Joseph Webster Hamilton, AL 10 33-07 59
Day 1: 5 17-09 Day 2: 5 15-14
46. Jake Whitaker Hendersonville, NC 10 33-06 58
Day 1: 5 15-00 Day 2: 5 18-06
47. Matty Wong Honolulu, HI 10 33-04 57
Day 1: 5 19-10 Day 2: 5 13-10
48. Clark Wendlandt Leander, TX 10 33-03 56
Day 1: 5 16-07 Day 2: 5 16-12
49. Derek Hudnall Zachary, LA 10 32-11 55
Day 1: 5 12-05 Day 2: 5 20-06
50. Timothy Dube Nashua , NH 8 32-10 54
Day 1: 3 10-15 Day 2: 5 21-11
51. Steve Kennedy Auburn, AL 10 32-10 53 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 20-07 Day 2: 5 12-03
52. Jason Williamson Aiken, SC 10 32-10 52 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 16-09 Day 2: 5 16-01
53. Matt Herren Ashville, AL 10 32-09 51 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 15-10 Day 2: 5 16-15
54. Bryan Schmitt Deale, MD 9 32-03 50 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 18-04 Day 2: 4 13-15
55. Tyler Rivet Raceland, LA 10 32-00 49 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 15-05 Day 2: 5 16-11
56. John Cox Debary, FL 10 31-10 48 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 20-04 Day 2: 5 11-06
57. Drew Cook Cairo, GA 10 31-10 47 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 17-11 Day 2: 5 13-15
58. Justin Atkins Florence, AL 10 31-07 46 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 15-08 Day 2: 5 15-15
59. Brandon Lester Fayetteville, TN 10 31-05 45 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 15-14 Day 2: 5 15-07
60. Brandon Palaniuk Rathdrum, ID 10 31-05 44 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 15-11 Day 2: 5 15-10
61. Matt Robertson Kuttawa, KY 10 31-01 43 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 14-01 Day 2: 5 17-00
62. Marc Frazier Newnan, GA 9 31-00 42 $2,500.00
Day 1: 4 10-01 Day 2: 5 20-15
63. John Garrett Union City, TN 10 31-00 41 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 17-14 Day 2: 5 13-02
64. Will Davis Jr Sylacauga, AL 10 30-04 40 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 13-06 Day 2: 5 16-14
65. Joey Cifuentes III Clinton, AR 10 30-02 39 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 15-10 Day 2: 5 14-08
66. Mark Menendez Paducah, KY 10 30-00 38 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 17-08 Day 2: 5 12-08
67. Bill Lowen Brookville, IN 10 29-13 37 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 14-10 Day 2: 5 15-03
68. Bob Downey Detroit Lakes, MN 10 29-12 36 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 15-11 Day 2: 5 14-01
69. Gerald Swindle Guntersville, AL 10 29-11 35 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 11-15 Day 2: 5 17-12
70. Caleb Kuphall Mukwonago, WI 10 29-08 34 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 14-15 Day 2: 5 14-09
71. Seth Feider New Market, MN 10 29-05 33 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 13-12 Day 2: 5 15-09
72. Keith Combs Huntington, TX 10 29-00 32 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 15-09 Day 2: 5 13-07
73. Jason Christie Dry Creek, OK 10 28-10 31 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 15-04 Day 2: 5 13-06
74. Paul Mueller Naugatuck, CT 10 28-05 30 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 15-10 Day 2: 5 12-11
75. Cliff Prince Palatka, FL 10 28-02 29 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 11-04 Day 2: 5 16-14
76. Todd Auten Clover, SC 10 27-13 28
Day 1: 5 16-00 Day 2: 5 11-13
77. Logan Latuso Gonzales, LA 10 27-10 27
Day 1: 5 14-11 Day 2: 5 12-15
78. Brock Mosley Collinsville, MS 10 27-10 26
Day 1: 5 13-11 Day 2: 5 13-15
79. Cole Sands Calhoun , TN 10 27-09 25
Day 1: 5 12-05 Day 2: 5 15-04
80. Alex Redwine Blue Ash, OH 10 27-06 24
Day 1: 5 13-10 Day 2: 5 13-12
81. Wes Logan Springville, AL 9 27-02 23
Day 1: 5 18-07 Day 2: 4 08-11
82. Clifford Pirch Payson, AZ 10 27-00 22
Day 1: 5 15-04 Day 2: 5 11-12
83. Scott Martin Clewiston, FL 8 26-11 21
Day 1: 5 17-13 Day 2: 3 08-14
84. Jacob Powroznik North Prince George, VA 10 26-03 20
Day 1: 5 16-01 Day 2: 5 10-02
85. David Gaston Sylacauga, AL 10 26-02 19
Day 1: 5 15-06 Day 2: 5 10-12
86. Chad Pipkens Dewitt, MI 7 25-15 18
Day 1: 5 21-02 Day 2: 2 04-13
87. Brandon Cobb Greenwood, SC 8 25-15 17
Day 1: 3 10-06 Day 2: 5 15-09
88. Kyle Welcher Valley, AL 9 25-01 16
Day 1: 5 15-05 Day 2: 4 09-12
89. Brad Whatley Bivins, TX 7 24-09 15
Day 1: 5 16-11 Day 2: 2 07-14
90. Michael Iaconelli Pitts Grove, NJ 10 24-09 14
Day 1: 5 10-14 Day 2: 5 13-11
91. Frank Talley Belton, TX 10 23-14 13
Day 1: 5 10-06 Day 2: 5 13-08
92. Ed Loughran III Richmond, VA 10 23-01 12
Day 1: 5 09-09 Day 2: 5 13-08
93. Greg Hackney Gonzales, LA 10 22-15 11
Day 1: 5 12-09 Day 2: 5 10-06
94. John Crews Jr Salem, VA 9 22-04 10
Day 1: 5 13-04 Day 2: 4 09-00
95. Rick Clunn Ava, MO 10 21-07 9
Day 1: 5 09-07 Day 2: 5 12-00
96. Clent Davis Montevallo, AL 7 20-04 8
Day 1: 3 11-13 Day 2: 4 08-07
97. Mike Huff London, KY 10 20-02 7
Day 1: 5 10-08 Day 2: 5 09-10
98. Gregory DiPalma Millville, NJ 8 19-15 6
Day 1: 4 11-04 Day 2: 4 08-11
99. Bryant Smith Roseville, CA 8 19-10 5
Day 1: 5 11-13 Day 2: 3 07-13
100. Bernie Schultz Gainesville, FL 5 15-09 4
Day 1: 2 09-05 Day 2: 3 06-04
101. Buddy Gross Chattanooga, TN 6 15-04 3
Day 1: 5 13-05 Day 2: 1 01-15
102. KJ Queen Catawba, NC 4 09-15 2
Day 1: 2 05-07 Day 2: 2 04-08
103. Ray Hanselman Jr Del Rio, TX 5 07-12 1
Day 1: 5 07-12 Day 2: 0 00-00
------------------------------
PHOENIX BOATS BIG BASS
Day
1 Bryan New Leesville, SC 09-08 $1,000.00
2 Chris Johnston Otonabee Ontario CANADA09-03 $1,000.00
------------------------------
Totals
Day #Limits #Fish Weight
1 96 501 1726-01
2 88 484 1602-02
------------------------------
184 985 3328-03
Fishin' Tip Friday - Controlling your bladed jig with Thrift
By Vance McCullough - AC Insider
According to BASS and MLF BPT Results, it's officially bladed jig season! The Strike King Thunder Cricket is getting lots of mentions in recent AC Insider recaps, and we're hearing a lot of "Chatter" regarding the technique, so we checked in with one of the best in the game with a bladed jig, MLF BPT Pro, Bryan Thrift.
Early in his career Bryan Thrift earned the moniker ‘The Chatterbait Kid’ due to his prowess with the yet unknown lure. Both Thrift and the Chatterbait are well known now. Here, he offers a nugget of advice.
Choice of trailer - size, shape, material - is key to fishing with a Chatterbait, as it is with any jig. For one thing, the trailer will affect the lure’s running depth at a given speed. When Thrift gets dialed-in on a trailer he likes, he wants to stick with it, even when fishing grass that tops out at differing heights or that is irregular and scattered, as it can be in early spring. He has a trick for controlling depth without having to use a different trailer or changing the weight of his Chatterbait.
“You can actually change the depth this bait’s gonna run at the same retrieve speed, just by changing your line size. I do that a lot. If I’m on a great Chatterbait bite and I’m fishing different type areas with it, I’ll have one rigged up with 20lb fluorocarbon and I’ll have one rigged up with 15lb fluorocarbon. What that does is it’ll let that bait with the 15lb
line run about a foot-and-a-half deeper just because the line diameter is so much different.
“So, you can get your bait a little deeper and still be able to wind it at the same slow speed you’re winding it with on 20lb line in shallower water.”
Sportsman's Warehouse has a great selection of the bladed jigs...start here
High Five! Bass Fishing Hall of Fame set to welcome Arbogast, McKinnis, Reese, Williams and Zona
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – For Immediate Release – Feb 23, 2023 – The Bass Fishing Hall of Fame will enshrine five new members in 2024, all of whom can be called pioneers in their own unique way. The quintet of Fred Arbogast, Mike McKinnis, Skeet Reese, Alfred Williams and Mark Zona were selected in balloting conducted by the Hall of Fame’s 30-member Selection Panel and living Hall of Fame inductees. The new additions will bring the total number of Hall of Fame inductees to 100.
The new class was chosen from a 12-man ballot that included a mix of dynamic personalities, on-the-water competitors, off-the-water innovators, and trailblazers. Seventy-seven ballots were circulated to those with voting privileges and 59 were returned, the most since the Hall of Fame began allowing living members of the Hall of Fame to vote in 2022.
The Class of 2024 will be honored later this year during Celebrate Bass Fishing Week, which will be highlighted by the induction banquet on Sept. 26 at Johnny Morris’ Wonders of Wildlife National Museum & Aquarium in Springfield, Mo.
“Since the opening of the Hall of Fame’s permanent home at Wonders of Wildlife in 2017, the Hall’s board of directors has worked diligently on both establishing a stringent process for selecting those that should be considered for induction, along with making the process as transparent as possible,” said Hall of Fame Board president John Mazurkiewicz. “Through the efforts of our nominations committee chair Neil Paul and the board members who serve on it, their work on the ballot and the involvement from our selection panel and past HOF inductees by voting worked out beyond our expectations. While the board holds the final decision on how many we induct each year, the final voting process this year was loud and clear that these five men deserved the honor.”
Arbogast, a native of Akron, Ohio, received the most first-place votes (20) of any of the 12 candidates on the ballot. He invented iconic lures such as the Jitterbug and Hula Popper, the latter of which was among the first baits to be adorned with a skirt made of rubber, a nod to his background working at Goodyear and B.F. Goodrich. Arbogast passed away at the age of 53 in 1947, but his ideas and creations still live on in tackle boxes today.
McKinnis, 60, currently the vice president of media content for JM Associates, will join his late father, Jerry, in the Hall of Fame to form the first father-son duo to be inducted. Over his career, the Little Rock, Ark., native has been instrumental in producing a variety of outdoor television programming, including helping to deliver the first live Internet streaming broadcast of a tournament at the 2015 Bassmaster Classic, a breakthrough that has become the norm for major tournament trails and which has carried over to network television.
The 54-year-old Reese, who hails from Auburn, Calif., is still an active competitor on Major League Fishing’s Bass Pro Tour, but he made his name on lakes out west before rocketing to stardom on the Bassmaster tournament circuits during the 2000s and 2010s. The California native’s career tournament earnings exceed $4 million, and he remains the only western-based angler to win the Bassmaster Classic (2009).
Born and raised in Jackson, Miss., Williams rose above the racial barriers that existed across the South to blaze a trail and serve as an inspiration for other African American anglers. Upon his return from a tour in the Vietnam War, he was often the only African American angler in local tournaments. He soon developed a knack for winning those events and after winning a qualifying tournament on his home waters of Ross Barnett Reservoir in 1983, Williams, who is now 76, became the first African American angler to compete in the Bassmaster Classic, finishing 10th at the Ohio River.
Zona, 51, makes his home in Michigan and has been one of the leading voices and personalities in bass fishing since the early 2000s, either in his role as analyst for Bassmaster tournaments or as host of the popular “Zona’s Awesome Fishing Show.” Known for his spontaneity and high-energy manner, Zona will join longtime broadcast partner Tommy Sanders (2018) in the Hall.
For more information about the Class of 2024 and other inductees, click here.
New Product Releases from Foundation Outdoor Group!
Foundation Outdoor Group is excited to announce the release of several ground-breaking rod-building products from American Tackle and CRB alongside some recently released ones too!
Explore the latest innovative product releases, including:
- Tsuka 2 Complete Carbon Handle - Taking home "Best of Show" honors at ICAST 2023, the game-changing Tsuka 2 from American Tackle is here!
- Bushido Moving Bait Series Rod Blanks - Pairing a fiberglass tip with graphite mid & butt sections, American Tackle introduces the innovative Moving Bait Series blanks purpose-built for anglers who fish diving & lipless crankbaits and vibrating jigs.
- CRB Extreme Reamers - NEW SIZES - CRB adds XXL, XXXL, and a new lineup of 18" reamers to its top-selling Extreme Reamer Collection.
In case you missed the releases previously, below are some recent offerings from American Tackle that you don't want to miss again!
- Aluminum Anodized Locking Nuts in three color options
- Palming Trigger Casting Reel Seat for slow pitch jigging & heavy freshwater rods
- G2 AERO2 & AERO2E Reel Seats - an upgraded design of the popular AERO Reel Seats
- G2 P-SEAT Reel Seats now also available in sizes 18 & 20
- POSI-LOCK Reel Seats now available in Blue, Green, Gunsmoke, Purple, and Red
Get all of the details in the new product guide!
For pricing and marketing materials, contact your Sr. Account Specialist, email us at [email protected], or call 407-706-0321 or (800) 516-1750.
Designed for the Modern Angler
Whitewater Fishing represents 100-years of expertise in developing premium apparel.
MUSKEGON, Mich. (February 22, 2024) – Gone are the days of patchwork fishing apparel for inclement conditions like rain, sleet, snow, wind, and waves. And up until the introduction of the Whitewater Fishing brand a couple years ago, most fishing outerwear felt boxy and lacked the fabric combinations that provide everything today’s athletic angler demands: supreme fit, articulation, waterproofing, warmth, moisture wicking, breathability, durability, wind and sun protection, and especially, mobility.
Mobility is the kicker that makes Whitewater fishing apparel stand out from the crowd.
Retail racks brim with apparel that promise great water resistance, warmth, and durability, but most are rigid, making bending over to pick up a jig, climb over a boat gunnel, adjust electronics, or land a fish difficult. So, Whitewater Fishing took design to the granular level, making mobility the key feature in every piece of apparel.
They heard it from bass, walleye, muskie, and Great Lakes guides, tournament anglers, and avid multispecies anglers: We want sun, wind, water, and cold protection, but a fit that responds to movement. Today’s anglers are very active; sitting on a wooden bench running a tiller with one hand and dragging a rig behind the boat is pretty much history.
Whitewater History
Whitewater is part of the NEXUS family of quality hunting apparel brands that includes ScentLok, Blocker Outdoors, HARDCORE Waterfowl, and Tuo Gear. Taken as a whole, that’s well over 100 years of soft goods product development expertise.
The man at the helm of the Whitewater brand, Nexus Outdoors President, Aaron Ambur, is also a very experienced and passionate angler. Ambur grew up on a South Dakota farm and spent his formative years exploring prairie potholes and the larger Missouri River system catching marble eyes in his grandpa’s old tri-hull boat with a modest flasher. “I was hooked on walleye fishing from grade school,” Ambur says, “and I learned early on that sometimes the best bites are during the worst weather. That still holds true.”
Years later, Ambur went on to fish as a co-angler on the FLW; these days he spends a good deal of time pursuing big Great Lakes walleyes.
“Whitewater designs didn’t come out of a vacuum,” says Ambur. “Personally, I’ve worn every rain suit out there over the years—just like our network of pros like Gary and Chase Parsons, Tommy Kemos, Jason Przekurat, Jim and Matt Schiefelbein, and guides who are on the water every single day.”
Ambur continues: “We also work on R&D with younger anglers who are very athletic in their fishing style—like B.A.S.S. Elite-winning, Jay Przekurat and decorated National Walleye Tour angler Korey Sprengel. Then you consider the synergies with our hunting brands, and we have a soft goods brain-trust unlike any other company on the market.”
The goal, states Ambur, was to create a brand that “braves the waves” – literal ones, and the increased activity levels modern fishing represents.
“We staked our flagpole deep in the ground announcing what Whitewater stands for is handling inclemency on the water, no matter how extreme—whether that’s wind, cold, water, heat—while providing a completely unprecedented level of mobility and agility.”
Ambur continues: “Where I fish most, here in the Great Lakes Region, the conditions are often unpredictable and ever-changing.” he says.
“Our expanding line of Whitewater Fishing apparel gives anglers a toolkit of versatile pieces that help them brave the waves—the challenges Mother Nature throws at them—delivering more mobility, comfort, breathability, and durability, so they can fish longer, more often, and catch more fish.”
APPAREL DESIGN & FABRIC CHOICES THAT MOVE WITH (NOT AGAINST) YOU
“I’ve been in the soft goods world for a long time, and I can say with 99% certainty that Whitewater is the very first company to integrate the stretch aspect and yet durability into foul-weather fishing apparel for a sport that has become increasingly active and athletic, from weekend anglers to pros on tour,” says Ambur.
Ambur says Whitewater delivers these advantages via the best materials, technologies, and tailoring, resulting in comfortable, high-quality garments that perform beyond anglers’ expectations.
“We didn’t expand into fishing apparel because it’s simply another category we can fill,” he states. “That’s not our business model. We launched Whitewater Fishing apparel because – similar to our hunting apparel – we’re confident in our team’s ability to give anglers new options that offer them real advantages.”
Although proprietary information, suffice to say that NEXUS/Whitewater has a team of designers second-to-none, versed in thousands of different fabrics, insulation materials, DWR waterproofing options, exterior laminates, components, stitching, seams, and unique exterior materials for reinforcing key body areas, etc.
APPLICATION #1: WALLEYE FISHING
“Some walleye anglers are still trolling and vertical jigging sitting down, but what was once a stationary activity has turned into a very active casting game with the advent of forward-facing sonar. More walleye anglers are moving around the boat and fishing from the bow—and spot & stalk casting to fish what they see on their screen. That’s a lot of movement—and our garments cater to that style of contemporary fishing,” notes Ambur.
Ambur and legendary NEXT BITE host and walleye pro, Gary Parsons, were just discussing the needs of today’s walleye angler:
“Not only do our garments provide mobility and ability, Gary brought up that they’re well-articulated, which is important because today’s anglers are moving their arms and legs all the time and there’s a lot of energy being spent, which has been restricted in foul weather suits of the past, many of which were bulky and stiff. Our suits create less friction and hence less fatigue, which results in an angler being able to fish longer in poor conditions.”
Previously, anglers were forced to choose toughness over comfort. Now, integrating stretch into the equation, Whitewater apparel is a paradigm shifter that provides anglers the best of all worlds.
“Having tested every foul weather fishing suit out there, I was frustrated with the experience. It’s kind of like owning a 1-ton truck. They have great suspensions and are beasts, but they’re built for one mission in mind. Foul-weather fishing gear has been that 1-ton truck. We sought to design that fishing vehicle that has the durability and toughness of a 1-ton, but with ease of movement, agility, 100% waterproof performance, and a great weight-to-warmth ratio,” adds Ambur.
Another major factor that has gone into all Whitewater fishing apparel is breathability.
“Not only have existing suits been stiff, they’ve been like wearing a sandwich bag with little or no wicking or breathability. You end up sweating, getting clammy, and cold again, no matter how much bulk and insulation. So, breathability has been a huge design focus for us in all our apparel – from our warm-weather to cold-weather gear.”
Besides extremely high DWR waterproof ratings, Whitewater’s foul-weather gear also possesses an amazing level of windproof functionality, as perfectly demonstrated in the pre-launch of the company’s Great Lakes Pro Jacket and Bib.
“I don’t think there’s been a walleye fishing suit designed yet that compares to our new Great Lakes Pro,” says Ambur. “It’s waterproof, offers excellent agility, stretch, and unprecedented protection against the wind walleye anglers routinely face.”
APPLICATION #2 – BASS, MUSKIES, ICE, & BEYOND
While in development with walleye pros and guides fishing some on the baddest, big waters in the country, Whitewater gear is far from walleye-centric. From warm weather apparel perfect for saltwater and southern fishing to a soon-to-be-released suit warm and agile enough for ice, Whitewater covers the needs of all anglers.
As you read this, professional bass anglers are starting to fish early-season tournaments—and with that, facing colder temps which make Whitewater apparel like the Torque Heated Vest, Tamer Jacket & Bib, Buoy Hoodie (DWR treated), Great Lakes Jacket & Bib, and new Great Lakes Pro Jacket & Bib perfect.
2024 LAUNCH: Whitewater Great Lake Pro Jacket & Bib
“The new Great Lakes Pro is our most technically designed and fabricated rain jacket and bib so far,” says Ambur. “For the angler who wants that one suit that will do it all during midwinter on the river, full-on ice fishing, or spring and fall fishing anywhere for anything, this is the suit,” states Ambur.
In terms of features, the Great Lakes Pro has an increased DWR and breathability ratings over other styles currently in the assortmentThe Great Lakes Pros is founded on a proprietary three-layer fabric, and features specifically-located pockets, as well as Aqua-Guard zippers, D-rings, waist-high zippers on the bib, and more.
“In a couple words: it’s clean and streamlined,” says Ambur. “And you get a level of stretch unprecedented in a three-layer suit, while still being lightweight, durable and athletic in form and function. The Great Lakes Pro Jacket and Bib is our team’s two-year product development effort designing the ultimate foul-weather fishing suit for hardcore anglers.”
As far as Great Lakes Pro’s waterproofing, after 30 years in outdoors soft goods, Ambur understands apparel industry guidelines, specifications, and ratings like the back of his hand.
“From the first days of spraying Camp Dry on everything to what’s happening today, I’ve been there. With the Great Lakes Pro, I was beta testing our first production samples in long, cold showers at home. My wife thinks I’m crazy. But I wanted to find out if we were really getting it right before any of our pros took it out on the ice and water. Not to mention all the on-water days our external group of Whitewater Pros had testing and beating up our product to ensure we were ready for launch.”
Ambur continues: “All I can say is we got it right, and it’s our own special sauce, unlike anything competitors are doing with waterproofing and functional design engineering.”
Lastly, Ambur points out that the Great Lakes Pro has another unique design feature asked for by walleye and bass fisherman alike, a higher hood collar that extends just below the nose so when anglers are running full-tilt to spots down lake, the water and wind doesn’t hit their face.
TAKE HOME
For anglers looking for the next big thing in fishing apparel, Whitewater is just that. With over 100 years of design experience across the NEXUS brands and a team of notable pros and guides pushing for real-world fishing-specific feature sets with extended field testing, the result is nothing short of awesome.
“I want everyone to be as excited about Whitewater apparel as I am,” concludes Ambur. “Once they try it, they’ll see it’s completely different than what’s been done, and quickly becomes a second skin you hardly realize you’re wearing and will perform day after day in the worst fishing scenarios possible.”
For more information, or to order, visit whitewaterfish.com.
Dylan Hays Wins Group A Qualifying Round at Major League Fishing Suzuki Stage Two
Arkansas pro boats two-day total of 71-13 to overtake Becker and win Group A Qualifying Round, Top 10 pros advance to Saturday’s Knockout Round
CLARENDON COUNTY, S.C. (Feb. 22, 2024) – Hot Springs, Arkansas, pro Dylan Hays caught seven scorable bass Thursday weighing 30 pounds, 8 ounces, to earn the Group A Qualifying Round win at the Major League Fishing (MLF) Suzuki Stage Two Presented by Fenwick at Santee Cooper Lakes in Clarendon County, South Carolina.
Hays’ two-day Qualifying Round catch of 17 bass totaling 71 pounds, 13 ounces, earned him the win by a narrow 2-pound, 11-ounce margin over Day 1 leader and reigning Fishing Clash Angler of the Year (AOY) Matt Becker of Ten Mile, Tennessee, who caught a two-day total of 19 bass weighing 69-2 to finish the round in second place. General Tire pro Alton Jones, Jr., of Waco, Texas, caught a two-day total of 18 bass weighing 66-9 to finish the round in third, while pro Gerald Spohrer of Gonzales, Louisiana, ended the round in fourth place with a two-day total of 23 bass for 64-15. Rounding out the top five is Stage One winner Dustin Connell of Clanton, Alabama, who caught 17 bass for 63-14 to advance in fifth place.
The top 10 anglers advancing from Group A will now have an off day from competition Friday, while the 40 anglers competing in Group B will complete their two-day Qualifying Round. The top 10 anglers from each group advance to Saturday’s Knockout Round. In the Knockout Round, weights are zeroed, and the remaining 20 anglers compete to finish in the top 10 to advance to the Championship Round. In Sunday’s final day Championship Round, weights are zeroed, and the highest one-day total wins the top prize of $100,000.
All week, anglers have stressed the importance of triggering bites from the bigger-than-average bass that roam Santee Cooper. At least in Group A, no one has done so better than Hays.
The Arkansas pro anchored his Day 2 bag with a 7-3 kicker. He also caught a 6-7 and a 5-4. During each of his first two days on the water, he’s landed three bass over 5 pounds, and his biggest five fish weighed more than 26 both days.
Hays believes he’s figured out a key to enticing those bigger bass. Fishing in Lake Marion, he’s not shying away from the dirty water in much of the lake. He also thinks his bait selection has played a part. All his fish Thursday ate a 1/2-ounce bladed jig with either a Zoom Z Craw Jr. or Shimmer Shad as the trailer.
“Key No. 1 was dirty water,” Hays said. “Key No. 2 was throwing a ChatterBait instead of flipping. ... And then just making a lot of casts, working really hard.”
Hays admitted that he’s “kind of making it up as [he goes],” especially as he explored new terrain, but he’s optimistic his key areas are reloading with new staging fish each day. Early in the morning, he watched another angler catch a 5-pounder off the same tree that produced a 6-pounder for him on Day 1.
Still, even if his cypress bite sputters, Hays now has a backup plan in place. The thing that had him most excited about his second day on the water was the fact that he caught several fish not around Santee Cooper’s ubiquitous wood, but grass.
“The first day I caught the majority of them off trees – specific trees, but off trees – but in practice I caught a couple good ones off of some grass,” Hays said. “I couldn’t ever really make it work very long. Today, I actually caught the 7 and 5 off the same kind of stuff, and a couple males, so that kind of got me excited. That might start developing as well.”
Hays’ Group A win marked the first time in his three Bass Pro Tour seasons that he’s won a round. He’ll hope it leads to his first tournament win as a pro on Sunday.
The fact that he’s put himself in that position power fishing around shallow cover – the way he grew up fishing – has made his first two days on Santee Cooper even more fun.
“Dude, if they’re biting a Hula Popper, I’ll throw a Hula Popper,” Hays said. “If I gotta throw a drop-shot in 40 foot, I’ll do that. I do not care, and that’s God’s honest truth. It does not matter; I like it all. But it is fun. I mean, it’s been a while since we were able to do this, and I grew up fishing a place very similar to this, a lot of cypress trees, and I’m very comfortable.”
The top 10 pros in Group A that now advance to Saturday’s Knockout Round on Santee Cooper Lakes are:
1st: Dylan Hays, Hot Springs, Ark., 17 bass, 71-13
2nd: Matt Becker, Ten Mile, Tenn., 19 bass, 69-2
3rd: Alton Jones, Jr., Waco, Texas, 18 bass, 66-9
4th: Gerald Spohrer, Gonzales, La., 23 bass, 64-15
5th: Dustin Connell, Clanton, Ala., 17 bass, 63-14
6th: James Watson, Lampe, Mo., 15 bass, 55-12
7th: Jesse Wiggins, Cullman, Ala., 17 bass, 51-11
8th: Dave Lefebre, Erie, Pa., 14 bass, 50-12
9th: Cole Floyd, Leesburg, Ohio, 16 bass, 50-8
10th: Ron Nelson, Berrien Springs, Mich., 16 bass, 47-15
Eliminated from competition are:
11nd: Michael Neal, Dayton, Tenn., 14 bass, 45-11
12th: Randy Howell, Guntersville, Ala., 15 bass, 40-10
13th: Adrian Avena, Vineland, N.J., 10 bass, 40-7
14th: Terry Scroggins, San Mateo, Fla., 14 bass, 38-9
15th: Andy Morgan, Dayton, Tenn., 15 bass, 38-6
16th: Greg Vinson, Wetumpka, Ala., 16 bass, 38-0
17th: Mark Rose, Wynne, Ark., 11 bass, 36-7
18th: Matthew Stefan, Junction City, Wis., 11 bass, 36-1
19th: Jeff Sprague, Wills Point, Texas, nine bass, 34-11
20th: Jacob Wall, New Hope, Ala., nine bass, 34-11
21st: Mark Daniels, Jr., Tuskegee, Ala., 14 bass, 33-3
22nd: Chris Lane, Guntersville, Ala., 12 bass, 32-14
23rd: David Walker, Huntingdon, Tenn., nine bass, 32-4
24th: Jacopo Gallelli, Florence, Italy, seven bass, 31-3
25th: Takahiro Omori, Tokyo, Japan, 10 bass, 30-5
26th: Brent Chapman, Lake Quivira, Kan., nine bass, 29-14
27th: Matt Lee, Cullman, Ala., nine bass, 28-7
28th: John Murray, Spring City, Tenn., seven bass, 26-8
29th: Marty Robinson, Lyman, S.C., nine bass, 25-6
30th: Anthony Gagliardi, Prosperity, S.C., eight bass, 24-15
31st: Nick Hatfield, Greeneville, Tenn., nine bass, 24-11
32nd: Shinichi Fukae, Osaka, Japan, seven bass, 24-9
33rd: Britt Myers, Lake Wylie, S.C., four bass, 21-13
34th: Josh Bertrand, Queen Creek, Ariz., six bass, 21-2
35th: Brandon Coulter, Knoxville, Tenn., six bass, 19-7
36th: Jared Lintner, Covington, Ga., five bass, 17-13
37th: Colby Schrumpf, Highland, Ill., six bass, 15-8
38th: Skeet Reese, Auburn, Calif., five bass, 11-14
39th: Jason Vance, Battle Ground, Ind., five bass, 11-2
40th: Grae Buck, Green Lane, Pa., three bass, 10-14
A complete list of results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
Pro David Walker of Huntingdon, Tennessee, earned Thursday’s $1,000 Berkley Big Bass Award with an 8-pound, 8-ounce largemouth that he caught on a bladed swimjig during Period 3. Berkley awards $1,000 to the angler who weighs the heaviest bass each day, and a $3,000 bonus to the angler who weighs the heaviest bass of the tournament.
The six-day tournament, hosted by the Clarendon County Chamber of Commerce, showcases 80 of the top professional anglers in the world, competing for a purse of $659,000, including a top payout of $100,000 and valuable Fishing Clash Angler of the Year (AOY) points in hopes of qualifying for the General Tire Heavy Hitters all-star event and REDCREST 2025, the Bass Pro Tour championship.
The 40 Anglers in Group A competed in their two-day Qualifying Round on Tuesday and Thursday – the 40 anglers in Group B on Wednesday and Friday. After each two-day Qualifying Round is complete, the anglers that finish first through 10th from both groups advance to Saturday’s Knockout Round. In the Knockout Round, weights are zeroed, and the remaining 20 anglers compete to finish in the top 10 to advance to Sunday’s Championship Round. In the final-day Championship Round, weights are zeroed, and the highest one-day total wins the top prize of $100,000.
Anglers will launch at 7:30 a.m. ET each day from the John C. Land III Landing, located at 4404 Greenall Road in Summerton. Each day’s General Tire Takeout will be held at the park, beginning at 4 p.m. Fans are welcome to attend all launch and takeout events and also encouraged to follow the event online throughout the day on the MLFNOW!® live stream and SCORETRACKER® coverage at MajorLeagueFishing.com .
The MLFNOW!® broadcast team of Chad McKee and J.T. Kenney will break down the extended action live on the final four days of competition from 7:45 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. ET. MLFNOW!® is live streamed on MajorLeagueFishing.com and the MyOutdoorTV (MOTV) app.
On Saturday and Sunday, Feb. 24-25, from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. MLF welcomes fans of all ages to visit the John C. Land III landing for the MLF Watch Party. Fans can watch the pros live on the MLFNOW! big screen, enjoy free food, enter to win hourly giveaways and cheer on their favorite pros. The first 50 kids 14 and under will receive a free rod and reel from Pure Fishing each day. The final 10 Championship Round Bass Pro Tour anglers will be on hand at the trophy celebration on Championship Sunday to meet and greet fans, sign autographs and take selfies.
The Suzuki Stage Two at Santee Cooper Lakes Presented by Fenwick features the MLF catch, weigh, immediate-release format, in which anglers catch as much weight as they can each day, while also feeling the pressure and intensity of the SCORETRACKER® leaderboard. The tournament features anglers competing with a 1-pound, 8-ounce minimum weight requirement for a bass to be deemed scorable. The MLF Fisheries Management Division determines minimum weights for each body of water that the Bass Pro Tour visits, based on the productivity, bass population and anticipated average size of fish in each fishery.
The Bass Pro Tour features a field of 80 of the top professional anglers in the world, competing across seven regular-season tournaments around the country, for millions of dollars and valuable points to qualify for the annual General Tire Heavy Hitters all-star event and the REDCREST 2025 championship.
Bass Pro Tour anglers also compete throughout the 2024 season for the prestigious Fishing Clash Angler of the Year (AOY) award and its $100,000 payday. Fishing Clash – an interactive 3D fishing simulation game that’s played by more than 80 million people worldwide – is the official AOY sponsor of the Bass Pro Tour, Tackle Warehouse Invitationals, Toyota Series and Phoenix Bass Fishing League.
Television coverage of the Suzuki Stage Two at Santee Cooper Lakes Presented by Fenwick will premiere as a two-hour episode starting at 7 a.m. ET, on Saturday, Sept. 21 on Discovery, with the Championship Round premiering the following Saturday on Sept. 28. New MLF episodes premiere each Saturday morning on Discovery, with re-airings on Outdoor Channel.
Proud sponsors of the 2024 MLF Bass Pro Tour include: Abu Garcia, B&W Trailer Hitches, Bass Pro Shops, Berkley, BUBBA, Epic Baits, Fishing Clash, Garmin, General Tire, Humminbird, Lowrance, Mercury, MillerTech, Minn Kota, Mossy Oak Fishing, NITRO, Onyx, Plano, Power-Pole, Rapala, StarBrite, Suzuki, Toyota and U.S. Air Force.
For complete details and updated information on Major League Fishing and the Bass Pro Tour, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF’s social media outlets at Facebook, X, Instagram and YouTube.
About Major League Fishing
Major League Fishing (MLF) is the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization, producing more than 250 events annually at some of the most prestigious fisheries in the world, while broadcasting to America’s living rooms on CBS, Discovery Channel, Outdoor Channel, CBS Sports Network, World Fishing Network and on demand on MyOutdoorTV (MOTV). Headquartered in Benton, Kentucky, the MLF roster of bass anglers includes the world’s top pros and more than 30,000 competitors in all 50 states and 17 countries. Since its founding in 2011, MLF has advanced the sport of competitive fishing through its premier television broadcasts and livestreams and is dedicated to improving the quality of life for bass through research, education, fisheries enhancement and fish care.
Fujita wrangles big bag to claim Day 1 lead in Bassmaster Elite Series event at Toledo Bend
February 22, 2024
Fujita wrangles big bag to claim Day 1 lead in Bassmaster Elite Series event at Toledo Bend
MANY, La. — Before the start of the Gamakatsu Bassmaster Elite at Toledo Bend, Kyoya Fujita’s personal-best bag of largemouth weighed around 24 pounds.
But after anchoring his bag with an 8 1/2-pounder Thursday, the Japanese pro shattered that mark and claimed the Day 1 lead at Toledo Bend with a 31-pound, 3-ounce bag of largemouth.
Known as the “Prince of Japanese Angling,” Fujita holds a 2-3 advantage over Elite Series rookie Robert Gee of Tennessee and nearly a 4-pound advantage over Wisconsin pro Pat Schlapper.
Fujita had never been to Toledo Bend before he pre-fished here in January. He said the lake has changed a lot since then, particularly the water levels, which are much higher now.
Using Garmin LiveScope, Fujita targeted prespawn bass located in 30 feet of water around standing timber in a popular area of Toledo Bend. Two baits caught the majority of his bass in one specific spot he found the last day of practice.
It only took about three hours for Fujita to reach his total for the day, as he landed the 8-pounder around 8 o’clock. During one particular flurry, he threw back a 4-pounder and then a 5-pounder. While the day was warm and sunny, the wind kicked up across the lake, making things more difficult.
“It’s getting tougher and tougher,” Fujita said through a translator. “In the morning, it was easy fishing. Afternoon, no bites. I don’t like rough water.”
Fujita said 30 pounds is the goal for tomorrow, and believes there are the bass in the area to repeat that performance.
“I will go to same area and same spot. (I’ll do) the same fishing,” he said. “I’ll try for 20 pounds. But if tough conditions, I’ll go to the next area with 3-pounders and 4-pounders and change tactics.”
Gee fished the St. Croix Bassmaster Opens presented by SEVIIN in 2023 and suffered his worst finish of the season at Toledo Bend. But he took the lessons he learned from that event and applied them this week to catch 29-0 Thursday.
“I beat the bank the whole time [in 2023] and from that moment on it changed my outlook on the way I needed to be fishing,” Gee said. “I dedicated myself to working on my offshore game ever since that tournament and it paid off today.”
He caught plenty of bass on Day 1, including a stop that produced two 5-pounders and several more quality bass to increase his total to 20 pounds around midday.
But a late-day stop produced the bulk of his weight.
“I made a move to a ditch and every fish I saw was over 5 pounds,” he said. “I culled everything I had out, including a 5-pounder, in 30 minutes. It was unbelievable. This is my biggest bag ever by myself.”
The majority of the bass he is catching are relating to standing timber. The shallowest bass came from 10 feet of water while his big bass late in the day were in 40 feet. One bait produced the bulk of his weight.
Gee knows there are plenty of bass left in his afternoon area and is hoping it will produce just as well on Day 2.
“Honestly, I didn’t think it held bass that size,” he said. “I went over there to catch 3- and 4-pounders. But every fish I saw was 5-plus. It was the perfect storm when I rolled in there and I think they are coming to it. I think I know where they are going to if they aren’t in the same spot.”
Schlapper brought 27-4 to the scales to land in third. A three-time qualifier for the Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Classic presented by Jockey Outdoors, he settled into the same popular area as Fujita and caught the bulk of his bag in about an hour and a half.
“I got into an area later in the day where I figured it would be right, and it was right,” Schlapper said. “I caught my biggest one earlier in the day, but everything else came in that one area. There’s a group of us that are all in the same area. That one little stretch I had, people overlooked and it's a little different than what the main thing is that is going on.”
The majority of the bass Schlapper caught are individuals just roaming around in 12 to 40 feet of water. He will be heading to the same area Friday, although he isn’t sure the day will follow the same script.
“What I think is happening is later in the day with the sun, they start coming up. I don’t know if it is to warm up or what,” he said. “I’m in a good area. There’s a lot of big bass and they are moving around. I just have to get it in front of five of the right ones and get them in the boat.”
Leesville, S.C., pro Bryan New landed the Phoenix Boats Big Bass of the Day, a 9-8 largemouth that bested several other 9-pounders.
The full field will take off from Cypress Bend Park beginning at 7 a.m. CT and return for weigh-in at 3 p.m. The Top 50 anglers after the Day 2 weigh-in will advance to Semifinal Saturday before the Top 10 compete for the blue trophy and $100,000 top prize on Championship Sunday. All anglers are earning points towards Progressive Bassmaster Angler of the Year.
Bassmaster LIVE will be streaming on Bassmaster.com all four days beginning at 8 a.m. ET, and coverage will also be available on FS1 on Saturday and Sunday.
Those wanting to attend will be able to enjoy the “B.A.S.S. on the ’Bend” festival on Saturday and Sunday at Cypress Bend Park before weigh-in. The festival will feature live music and many local vendors.
The event is being hosted by Toledo Bend Lake Country and the Louisiana Office and Tourism.
2024 Bassmaster Elite Series Platinum Sponsor: Toyota
2024 Bassmaster Elite Series Premier Sponsors: Bass Pro Shops, Dakota Lithium, Humminbird, Mercury, Minn Kota, Nitro Boats, Power-Pole, Progressive Insurance, Ranger Boats, Rapala, Skeeter Boats, Yamaha
2024 Bassmaster Elite Series Supporting Sponsors: AFTCO, Daiwa, Garmin, Lew's, Lowrance, Marathon, Triton Boats, VMC
About B.A.S.S.B.A.S.S., which encompasses the Bassmaster tournament leagues, events and media platforms, is the worldwide authority on bass fishing and keeper of the culture of the sport, providing cutting-edge content on bass fishing whenever, wherever and however bass fishing fans want to use it. Headquartered in Birmingham, Ala., the 500,000-member organization’s fully integrated media platforms include the industry’s leading magazines (Bassmaster and B.A.S.S. Times), website (Bassmaster.com), TV show, radio show, social media programs and events. For more than 50 years, B.A.S.S. has been dedicated to access, conservation and youth fishing.
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Connect with #Bassmaster on Facebook, Instagram, Twitte
Media Contact: Mandy Pascal, Managing Editor, 205-313-0955, mpascal@
2024 Elite #1 Toledo Bend Reservoir 2/22-2/25
Toledo Bend Reservoir, Many LA.
(PROFESSIONAL) Standings Day 1
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Pts Total $$$
1. Kyoya Fujita Yamanashi CA JAPAN 5 31-03 103
Day 1: 5 31-03
2. Robert Gee Knoxville, TN 5 29-00 102
Day 1: 5 29-00
3. Pat Schlapper Eleva, WI 5 27-04 101
Day 1: 5 27-04
4. Luke Palmer Coalgate, OK 5 25-01 100
Day 1: 5 25-01
5. Stetson Blaylock Benton, AR 5 24-00 99
Day 1: 5 24-00
6. Cody Huff Ava, MO 5 23-09 98
Day 1: 5 23-09
7. Koby Kreiger Alva, FL 5 23-07 97
Day 1: 5 23-07
8. Jordan Lee Cullman, AL 5 22-12 96
Day 1: 5 22-12
9. Ben Milliken New Caney, TX 5 22-09 95
Day 1: 5 22-09
10. Wesley Gore Clanton, AL 5 22-08 94
Day 1: 5 22-08
11. Austin Felix Eden Prairie, MN 5 22-06 93
Day 1: 5 22-06
12. Bryan New Leesville, SC 5 22-01 92 $1,000.00
Day 1: 5 22-01
13. Alex Wetherell Middletown, CT 5 21-14 91
Day 1: 5 21-14
14. Logan Parks Auburn, AL 5 21-10 90
Day 1: 5 21-10
15. Kyle Patrick Cooperstown, NY 5 21-09 89
Day 1: 5 21-09
16. Kyle Norsetter Cottage Grove, WI 5 21-08 88
Day 1: 5 21-08
17. Drew Benton Panama City, FL 5 21-02 87
Day 1: 5 21-02
17. Chad Pipkens Dewitt, MI 5 21-02 87
Day 1: 5 21-02
19. Hunter Shryock Ooltewah, TN 5 21-01 85
Day 1: 5 21-01
20. Caleb Sumrall New Iberia, LA 5 21-00 84
Day 1: 5 21-00
21. Trey McKinney Carbondale, IL 5 20-14 83
Day 1: 5 20-14
22. Steve Kennedy Auburn, AL 5 20-07 82
Day 1: 5 20-07
23. Justin Hamner Northport, AL 5 20-05 81
Day 1: 5 20-05
24. John Cox Debary, FL 5 20-04 80
Day 1: 5 20-04
24. Tyler Williams Belgrade, ME 5 20-04 80
Day 1: 5 20-04
26. JT Thompkins Myrtle Beach, SC 5 19-15 78
Day 1: 5 19-15
27. Cory Johnston Otonabee CANADA 5 19-11 77
Day 1: 5 19-11
27. Patrick Walters Eutawville, SC 5 19-11 77
Day 1: 5 19-11
29. Matty Wong Honolulu, HI 5 19-10 75
Day 1: 5 19-10
30. Jay Przekurat Plover, WI 5 19-02 74
Day 1: 5 19-02
31. Chris Zaldain Fort Worth, TX 5 19-00 73
Day 1: 5 19-00
32. Chris Johnston Otonabee Ontario CANADA 5 18-15 72
Day 1: 5 18-15
33. Jamie Hartman Newport, NY 5 18-13 71
Day 1: 5 18-13
34. Wes Logan Springville, AL 5 18-07 70
Day 1: 5 18-07
34. David Mullins Mt Carmel, TN 5 18-07 70
Day 1: 5 18-07
36. Bryan Schmitt Deale, MD 5 18-04 68
Day 1: 5 18-04
37. Matt Arey Shelby, NC 5 18-02 67
Day 1: 5 18-02
38. Jacob Foutz Charleston, TN 5 18-00 66
Day 1: 5 18-00
39. John Garrett Union City, TN 5 17-14 65
Day 1: 5 17-14
40. Scott Martin Clewiston, FL 5 17-13 64
Day 1: 5 17-13
41. Drew Cook Cairo, GA 5 17-11 63
Day 1: 5 17-11
42. Jonathan Kelley Old Forge, PA 5 17-09 62
Day 1: 5 17-09
42. Joseph Webster Hamilton, AL 5 17-09 62
Day 1: 5 17-09
44. Mark Menendez Paducah, KY 5 17-08 60
Day 1: 5 17-08
45. Cooper Gallant Bowmanville Ontario CAN 5 17-04 59
Day 1: 5 17-04
45. Carl Jocumsen Queensland TN AUSTRALIA 5 17-04 59
Day 1: 5 17-04
47. Brad Whatley Bivins, TX 5 16-11 57
Day 1: 5 16-11
48. Lee Livesay Longview, TX 5 16-09 56
Day 1: 5 16-09
48. Jason Williamson Aiken, SC 5 16-09 56
Day 1: 5 16-09
50. Clark Wendlandt Leander, TX 5 16-07 54
Day 1: 5 16-07
51. Jeff Gustafson Kenora, ON Ontario CANA 5 16-03 53
Day 1: 5 16-03
52. Jacob Powroznik North Prince George, VA 5 16-01 52
Day 1: 5 16-01
53. Todd Auten Clover, SC 5 16-00 51
Day 1: 5 16-00
54. Brandon Lester Fayetteville, TN 5 15-14 50
Day 1: 5 15-14
55. Hank Cherry Jr Lincolnton, NC 5 15-13 49
Day 1: 5 15-13
56. Bob Downey Detroit Lakes, MN 5 15-11 48
Day 1: 5 15-11
56. Shane LeHew Catawba, NC 5 15-11 48
Day 1: 5 15-11
56. Brandon Palaniuk Rathdrum, ID 5 15-11 48
Day 1: 5 15-11
59. Joey Cifuentes III Clinton, AR 5 15-10 45
Day 1: 5 15-10
59. Matt Herren Ashville, AL 5 15-10 45
Day 1: 5 15-10
59. Paul Mueller Naugatuck, CT 5 15-10 45
Day 1: 5 15-10
62. Keith Combs Huntington, TX 5 15-09 42
Day 1: 5 15-09
63. Justin Atkins Florence, AL 5 15-08 41
Day 1: 5 15-08
64. David Gaston Sylacauga, AL 5 15-06 40
Day 1: 5 15-06
65. Tyler Rivet Raceland, LA 5 15-05 39
Day 1: 5 15-05
65. Kyle Welcher Valley, AL 5 15-05 39
Day 1: 5 15-05
67. Jason Christie Dry Creek, OK 5 15-04 37
Day 1: 5 15-04
67. Clifford Pirch Payson, AZ 5 15-04 37
Day 1: 5 15-04
69. Taku Ito Dalton GA JAPAN 5 15-00 35
Day 1: 5 15-00
69. Jake Whitaker Hendersonville, NC 5 15-00 35
Day 1: 5 15-00
71. Caleb Kuphall Mukwonago, WI 5 14-15 33
Day 1: 5 14-15
72. Logan Latuso Gonzales, LA 5 14-11 32
Day 1: 5 14-11
73. Bill Lowen Brookville, IN 5 14-10 31
Day 1: 5 14-10
74. John Soukup Sapulpa, OK 5 14-07 30
Day 1: 5 14-07
75. Kenta Kimura Osaka OK JAPAN 5 14-04 29
Day 1: 5 14-04
76. Matt Robertson Kuttawa, KY 5 14-01 28
Day 1: 5 14-01
77. Seth Feider New Market, MN 5 13-12 27
Day 1: 5 13-12
78. Brock Mosley Collinsville, MS 5 13-11 26
Day 1: 5 13-11
79. Alex Redwine Blue Ash, OH 5 13-10 25
Day 1: 5 13-10
80. Will Davis Jr Sylacauga, AL 5 13-06 24
Day 1: 5 13-06
81. Buddy Gross Chattanooga, TN 5 13-05 23
Day 1: 5 13-05
82. John Crews Jr Salem, VA 5 13-04 22
Day 1: 5 13-04
83. Brandon Card Salisbury, NC 5 13-02 21
Day 1: 5 13-02
84. Greg Hackney Gonzales, LA 5 12-09 20
Day 1: 5 12-09
85. Derek Hudnall Zachary, LA 5 12-05 19
Day 1: 5 12-05
85. Cole Sands Calhoun , TN 5 12-05 19
Day 1: 5 12-05
87. Scott Canterbury Odenville, AL 5 12-01 17
Day 1: 5 12-01
88. Gerald Swindle Guntersville, AL 5 11-15 16
Day 1: 5 11-15
89. Bryant Smith Roseville, CA 5 11-13 15
Day 1: 5 11-13
90. Clent Davis Montevallo, AL 3 11-13 14
Day 1: 3 11-13
91. Cliff Prince Palatka, FL 5 11-04 13
Day 1: 5 11-04
92. Gregory DiPalma Millville, NJ 4 11-04 12
Day 1: 4 11-04
93. Timothy Dube Nashua , NH 3 10-15 11
Day 1: 3 10-15
94. Michael Iaconelli Pitts Grove, NJ 5 10-14 10
Day 1: 5 10-14
95. Mike Huff London, KY 5 10-08 9
Day 1: 5 10-08
96. Frank Talley Belton, TX 5 10-06 8
Day 1: 5 10-06
97. Brandon Cobb Greenwood, SC 3 10-06 7
Day 1: 3 10-06
98. Marc Frazier Newnan, GA 4 10-01 6
Day 1: 4 10-01
99. Ed Loughran III Richmond, VA 5 09-09 5
Day 1: 5 09-09
100. Rick Clunn Ava, MO 5 09-07 4
Day 1: 5 09-07
101. Bernie Schultz Gainesville, FL 2 09-05 3
Day 1: 2 09-05
102. Ray Hanselman Jr Del Rio, TX 5 07-12 2
Day 1: 5 07-12
103. KJ Queen Catawba, NC 2 05-07 1
Day 1: 2 05-07
------------------------------
PHOENIX BOATS BIG BASS
Day
1 Bryan New Leesville, SC 09-08 $1,000.00
------------------------------
Totals
Day #Limits #Fish Weight
1 96 501 1726-01
------------------------------
96 501 1726-01
Future Angler Foundation - Investments and Rewards
Investments and Rewards
Take a journey with one family into a National Forest where they build bonds while deepening their appreciation and understanding of the natural world.
Forestville, WI (February 22, 2024) – There are many benefits to spending time outdoors and interacting with the natural world in new, challenging ways. Join this adventurous family as they head out into one of America’s National Forests for an angling trip where they connect with nature and an abundance of wildlife. Building this appreciation for the outdoors creates new environmental stewards that can protect these ecosystems for generations to come.
Hear the family as they discuss important elements like kinship, stewardship, character building, learning about ecosystems and the healthiness of being in the wild.
Then, share the video and lesson plan with your students, Scouting organizations, fishing clubs, 4H clubs, or anyone interested in exploring our National Forests and expanding their personal relationship with the great outdoors.
Educational partners include the Future Angler Foundation, Trout Unlimited, and the US Forest Service and Department of Agriculture.
Consider donating to the Future Angler Foundation
ABOUT Future Angler Foundation
The Future Angler Foundation (FAF) is an incorporated 501(c)(3) non-profit foundation formed in April of 2012. The FAF’s mission is to “Create New Anglers and Boaters” through its support of angler education and boating safety programs hosted by passionate, knowledgeable volunteers throughout the U.S. and through its “Getting Families Fishing” initiative, a series of free source digital educational programs developed to engage young anglers and boaters as they educate them about angling in an exciting, informative, and effective manner. More information about the FAF can be found online at www.futureangler.org.
CONTACTS:
Pat Neu
FAF President
(920) 365-6051
Noel Vick
Traditions Media
(612) 708-7339
Wheeler Runs Pattern to Grab Early Lead for Group B at Major League Fishing Suzuki Stage Two
Two-time Fishing Clash Angler of the Year jumps out to early lead with 13 bass weighing 53-8
CLARENDON COUNTY, S.C. (Feb. 21, 2024) – For the second time in as many events this season, the Bass Pro Tour is visiting a new fishery, with the Suzuki Stage Two Presented by Fenwick at Santee Cooper Lakes in Clarendon County, South Carolina. Once again, pro Jacob Wheeler of Harrison, Tennessee, wasted little time figuring it out.
Wheeler, whose six wins and 28 top-10 finishes in Bass Pro Tour competition are unmatched, is back atop the leaderboard through one day of qualifying for Group B. He boated 13 scorable bass for 53 pounds, 8 ounces Wednesday, 4 pounds, 11 ounces clear of Lake Havasu City, Arizona’s Dean Rojas who caught 16 bass weighing 48-14 to end the day in second place. Those two separated themselves from the rest of the pack – pro Brent Ehrler of Redlands, California, caught 39-0 total to finish the day in third place.
The 40 anglers in Group B will now have an off day from competition Thursday, while the 40 anglers competing in Group A will wrap up their two-day Qualifying Round. Group B will finish their Qualifying Round on Friday.
The six-day tournament, hosted by the Clarendon County Chamber of Commerce, showcases 80 of the top professional anglers in the world, competing for a purse of $659,000, including a top payout of $100,000 and valuable Fishing Clash Angler of the Year (AOY) points in hopes of qualifying for the General Tire Heavy Hitters all-star event and REDCREST 2025, the Bass Pro Tour championship.
Like most of the field, Wheeler emerged from practice on Santee Cooper a bit concerned about the dirty water and lack of bites. He rated his practice period a 4 out of 10. But, like many, his first day of competition left him pleasantly surprised.
“Obviously, catching 29 pounds for five and catching 50-something pounds of bass is one of the best days you could ask for,” Wheeler said.
While a small handful of the Bass Pro Tour anglers had prior experience fishing Santee Cooper before the spawn, conventional wisdom suggested this would be the type of tournament in which pros would be best served picking one area and combing it thoroughly. The navigational hazards and sheer amount of cover where fish could be living didn’t figure to suit a run-and-gun approach.
Wheeler turned that idea on its head. Taking advantage of the lack of wind, he hit several areas, looking for spots with the same key ingredients — a combination he figured out thanks to one clue during practice, then dialed in Wednesday.
“I constantly changed areas,” Wheeler said. “Because it was pretty calm today, it gave me an opportunity to run around. I didn’t stay in one area. I tried to run around and sort of look for that specific pattern, and that was what I did.”
While Wheeler mostly kept coy regarding specifics, he said he used a combination of forward-facing sonar and traditional, power-fishing tactics.
“I’m doing what I love to do, but I’m also sort of mixing a few things up," he explained. “I’m looking for something very specific, and when I can find it, I'm basically running a pattern on this lake.”
Nearly half of Wheeler’s weight came from one stop. During a 90-minute stretch in Period 2, he caught six bass totaling 26-11. That included a 4-4, a 5-5 and a 6-14 — his biggest fish of the day. With the chances of catching 20-plus scorable bass in a day being slim, Wheeler said triggering big bites and landing those fish is the single biggest key to contending on Santee Cooper.
“I had three really big bites today,” Wheeler said. “So that, to me, is everything. I knew going into this, after seeing what happened in Group A, Day 1, I had to be very calm, cool and collected and be very methodical, because it wasn’t like it was going to be fast and furious. It wasn’t a Toledo Bend. Big bites were going to be few and far between, but when you got ‘em, you better capitalize on every single one.”
Wheeler remains unsure if he’ll be able to ride his Day 1 pattern through the weekend. He predicted that, as the weather warms and the bass continue their prespawn transition, Santee Cooper will fish differently during the Knockout and Championship Rounds than it has during the first two days. In typical Wheeler fashion, he’s put himself in prime position to figure it out. As usual, he said he plans to take advantage of his fast start by using much of Friday to explore new water.
"To me, I utilized this day to the best of my ability, to be leading right now going into Day 2 and have a firm grasp right now,” he said. “I still gotta catch a few bass, probably, to solidify my spot in the Knockout Round, but I’m feeling really confident about that.”
The top 20 pros in Group B after Day 1 on Santee Cooper Lakes are:
1st: Jacob Wheeler, Harrison, Tenn., 13 bass, 53-8
2nd: Dean Rojas, Lake Havasu City, Ariz., 16 bass, 48-14
3rd: Brent Ehrler, Redlands, Calif., 11 bass, 39-0
4th: Casey Ashley, Donalds, S.C., 12 bass, 38-9
5th: Nick LeBrun, Bossier City, La., 10 bass, 37-0
6th: Zack Birge, Blanchard, Okla., six bass, 29-4
7th: Justin Lucas, Guntersville, Ala, 10 bass, 28-14
8th: Marshall Robinson, Landrum, S.C., eight bass, 27-3
9th: Fred Roumbanis, Russellville, Ark., five bass, 26-1
10th: Spencer Shuffield, Hot Springs, Ark., seven bass, 25-10
11th: Bobby Lane, Lakeland, Fla., seven bass, 25-2
12th: Luke Clausen, Spokane, Wash., eight bass, 24-12
13th: Stephen Browning, Hot Springs, Ark., six bass, 22-8
14th: Fletcher Shryock, Guntersville, Ala., eight bass, 22-4
15th: Joshua Weaver, Macon, Ga., seven bass, 21-5
16th: Jeremy Lawyer, Sarcoxie, Mo., six bass, 20-0
17th: Ott DeFoe, Blaine, Tenn., seven bass, 19-4
18th: Kelly Jordon, Flint, Texas, six bass, 14-9
19th: Alton Jones, Lorena, Texas, four bass, 14-5
20th: Wesley Strader, Spring City, Tenn., six bass, 14-4
A complete list of results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
Overall, there were 226 bass weighing 721 pounds, 13 ounces caught by the 40 pros on Wednesday. The catch included 16 6-pounders, three 7-pounders and two 8-pounders.
Pro Fred “Boom Boom” Roumbanis of Russellville, Arkansas, earned the $1,000 Berkley Big Bass Award Wednesday with an 8-pound, 6-ounce largemouth that he caught on a lipless crankbait in Period 2. Berkley awards $1,000 to the angler who weighs the heaviest bass each day, and another $3,000 bonus to the angler who weighs the heaviest bass of the tournament.
The 40 Anglers in Group A compete in their two-day Qualifying Round on Tuesday and Thursday – the 40 anglers in Group B on Wednesday and Friday. After each two-day Qualifying Round is complete, the anglers that finish first through 10th from both groups advance to Saturday’s Knockout Round. In the Knockout Round, weights are zeroed, and the remaining 20 anglers compete to finish in the top 10 to advance to Sunday’s Championship Round. In the final-day Championship Round, weights are zeroed, and the highest one-day total wins the top prize of $100,000.
Anglers will launch at 7:30 a.m. ET each day from the John C. Land III Landing, located at 4404 Greenall Road in Summerton. Each day’s General Tire Takeout will be held at the park, beginning at 4 p.m. Fans are welcome to attend all launch and takeout events and also encouraged to follow the event online throughout the day on the MLFNOW!® live stream and SCORETRACKER® coverage at MajorLeagueFishing.com .
The MLFNOW!® broadcast team of Chad McKee and J.T. Kenney will break down the extended action live on the final four days of competition from 7:45 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. ET. MLFNOW!® will be live streamed on MajorLeagueFishing.com and the MyOutdoorTV (MOTV) app.
On Saturday and Sunday, Feb. 24-25, from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. MLF welcomes fans of all ages to visit the John C. Land III landing for the MLF Watch Party. Fans can watch the pros live on the MLFNOW! big screen, enjoy free food, enter to win hourly giveaways and cheer on their favorite pros. The first 50 kids 14 and under will receive a free rod and reel from Pure Fishing each day. The final 10 Championship Round Bass Pro Tour anglers will be on hand at the trophy celebration on Championship Sunday to meet and greet fans, sign autographs and take selfies.
The Suzuki Stage Two at Santee Cooper Lakes Presented by Fenwick features the MLF catch, weigh, immediate-release format, in which anglers catch as much weight as they can each day, while also feeling the pressure and intensity of the SCORETRACKER® leaderboard. The tournament features anglers competing with a 1-pound, 8-ounce minimum weight requirement for a bass to be deemed scorable. The MLF Fisheries Management Division determines minimum weights for each body of water that the Bass Pro Tour visits, based on the productivity, bass population and anticipated average size of fish in each fishery.
The Bass Pro Tour features a field of 80 of the top professional anglers in the world, competing across seven regular-season tournaments around the country, for millions of dollars and valuable points to qualify for the annual General Tire Heavy Hitters all-star event and the REDCREST 2025 championship.
Bass Pro Tour anglers also compete throughout the 2024 season for the prestigious Fishing Clash Angler of the Year (AOY) award and its $100,000 payday. Fishing Clash – an interactive 3D fishing simulation game that’s played by more than 80 million people worldwide – is the official AOY sponsor of the Bass Pro Tour, Tackle Warehouse Invitationals, Toyota Series and Phoenix Bass Fishing League.
Television coverage of the Suzuki Stage Two at Santee Cooper Lakes Presented by Fenwick will premiere as a two-hour episode starting at 7 a.m. ET, on Saturday, Sept. 21 on Discovery, with the Championship Round premiering the following Saturday on Sept. 28. New MLF episodes premiere each Saturday morning on Discovery, with re-airings on Outdoor Channel.
Proud sponsors of the 2024 MLF Bass Pro Tour include: Abu Garcia, B&W Trailer Hitches, Bass Pro Shops, Berkley, BUBBA, Epic Baits, Fishing Clash, Garmin, General Tire, Humminbird, Lowrance, Mercury, MillerTech, Minn Kota, Mossy Oak Fishing, NITRO, Onyx, Plano, Power-Pole, Rapala, StarBrite, Suzuki, Toyota and U.S. Air Force.
For complete details and updated information on Major League Fishing and the Bass Pro Tour, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF’s social media outlets at Facebook, X, Instagram and YouTube.
About Major League Fishing
Major League Fishing (MLF) is the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization, producing more than 250 events annually at some of the most prestigious fisheries in the world, while broadcasting to America’s living rooms on CBS, Discovery Channel, Outdoor Channel, CBS Sports Network, World Fishing Network and on demand on MyOutdoorTV (MOTV). Headquartered in Benton, Kentucky, the MLF roster of bass anglers includes the world’s top pros and more than 30,000 competitors in all 50 states and 17 countries. Since its founding in 2011, MLF has advanced the sport of competitive fishing through its premier television broadcasts and livestreams and is dedicated to improving the quality of life for bass through research, education, fisheries enhancement and fish care.
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LaGrange, Georgia Set to Host MLF Tackle Warehouse Invitationals Stop 2 on West Point Lake Presented by Suzuki
Field of 150 Professional Anglers to Compete for Top Prize of up to $115,000 and Total Season Purse of More Than $3.9 Million
LAGRANGE, Ga. (Feb. 21, 2024) – Major League Fishing (MLF) is set to visit LaGrange, Georgia, next week, March 1-3, for the MLF Tackle Warehouse Invitational Stop 2 at West Point Lake Presented by Suzuki . The Tackle Warehouse Invitationals feature a roster of 150 anglers competing for a top prize of up to $115,000 and an invitation to compete at REDCREST 2025 – the Bass Pro Tour championship – for the chance to win up to $300,000.
Hosted by Visit LaGrange, the three-day tournament marks the second of six Tackle Warehouse Invitational events in 2024, offering competitors a total season purse of more than $3.9 million. The field is also competing for valuable points to win the coveted Fishing Clash Angler of the Year (AOY) title – including a $50,000 payout – and to qualify for the 2025 Bass Pro Tour, MLF’s premiere circuit.
“We are delighted that West Point Lake was chosen as an MLF Tackle Warehouse Invitationals site,” said Kathryn Tilley, president and CEO of Visit LaGrange. “Our residents and businesses are excited to host such a premiere event and we look forward to sharing our beautiful city with this prestigious fishing community.”
Although there isn’t a lot of MLF tournament history on West Point Lake, there is some that could be extremely relevant. In 2023, boater David McClung won a Phoenix Bass Fishing League event on West Point Lake around the same time of year with a 20-pound bag, fishing a crankbait and jig in stained water. Notably, Blake Tomlin of Greenville, Georgia, finished third in the same event and is signed up to fish the upcoming tournament.
Hailing from nearby Macon, Georgia, Bass Pro Tour pro Josh Weaver grew up fishing club tournaments on West Point and said he thinks we’re in for a good one.
“The lake is definitely coming back around,” said Weaver. “I’m glad to see a big tournament going there, because there has been nothing there for a long time. The time of year they’re going is the best time to showcase that lake.”
According to Weaver, this event could have some old-school flair.
“You can kind of do whatever you want,” said Weaver. “You can go out deep and chase the ones that haven’t come in yet – with spots there are always fish deep – but I think it will be won shallow in one of the creeks, cranking, or by somebody that finds some good brush piles.
“If we get some mild days, I feel like there will be more coming to the bank than there are out deep,” he added. “Regardless, a lot of those fish live shallow year-round, especially the largemouth. I’ve gone over there in January and been able to catch ‘em crankin’.”
These days, there aren’t many events where forward-facing sonar doesn’t play big. Weaver thinks, or hopes, that due to the makeup of the fishery, anglers might need to fish shallow to target winning quality fish.
Weaver said his theory on the event is that cranking for fish transitioning back to spawn will be key, but there are a few potential wild cards.
“John Cox always says the biggest fish in the lake spawn first,” he said. “If we get some warm days, you could see some fish spawning.”
Weaver said the other oddball pattern to watch out for might be a river run.
“You’ll see some people do good running up there, because of the time of year, the fish are pushing up there,” detailed Weaver.
Figuring on a little over 17 pounds a day to win, Weaver thinks that mixed bags of spotted bass and largemouth are almost a certainty.
“Regardless of what you’re fishing for, you’re going to have a mixed bag, just because the spots are so prevalent,” he said. “But there are some big largemouth – that time of year, there will be some 6- to 8-pounders. You’ll see some 14- to 16-pound bags of spots, but I don’t think you’ll see somebody catch all spots.”
Anglers will launch at 7 a.m. ET each day from the Pyne Road Park Mega Ramp, located at 4481 Roanoke Road in LaGrange. Weigh-ins will also be held at the ramp and will begin at 3 p.m. Fans are welcome to attend all launch and weigh-in events and also encouraged to follow the event online throughout the day on the MLFNOW!® live stream and coverage at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
The 2024 Tackle Warehouse Invitationals feature a field of 150 professional anglers competing across six invitational tournaments around the country, for a total purse of $3.9 million and valuable Fishing Clash Angler of the Year (AOY) points to qualify for a coveted spot on the MLF Bass Pro Tour, the sport’s top level.
In Tackle Warehouse Invitational competition, the full field of 150 anglers compete in the two-day opening round on Friday and Saturday in a five-fish, weigh-in format. Only the top 30 pros, based on their two-day cumulative weight, advance to the final round on Championship Sunday, where they will compete for the grand prize of up to $115,000. The winner of the Tackle Warehouse Invitational Stop 2 at West Point Lake Presented by Suzuki will be determined by the heaviest three-day cumulative weight and will receive an invitation to compete at REDCREST 2025 on Lake Guntersville in Huntsville, Alabama.
The MLFNOW! broadcast team of Chad McKee and Rob Newell will break down the extended action live all three days of competition from 7:30 a.m. to 2:45 p.m. ET. MLFNOW! will be live streamed on MajorLeagueFishing.com and the MyOutdoorTV (MOTV) app.
Television coverage of the MLF Tackle Warehouse Invitationals Stop 2 at West Point Lake Presented by Suzuki will air as a two-hour episode, premiering at 9 a.m. ET, on Saturday, Oct. 12 on CBS Sports Network.
Proud sponsors of the 2024 MLF Tackle Warehouse Invitationals include: 7Brew, Abu Garcia, B&W Trailer Hitches, Berkley, BUBBA, E3, Epic Baits, Fishing Clash, General Tire, Lew’s, Mercury, Mossy Oak Fishing, Onyx, Phoenix Boats, Polaris, Power-Pole, Strike King, Suzuki, Tackle Warehouse, T-H Marine, Toyota and YETI.
For complete details and updated information on Major League Fishing and the Tackle Warehouse Invitationals, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular Tackle Warehouse Invitational updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow the MLF5 social media outlets at Facebook , Instagram and YouTube.
About Major League Fishing
Major League Fishing (MLF) is the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization, producing more than 250 events annually at some of the most prestigious fisheries in the world, while broadcasting to America’s living rooms on CBS, Discovery Channel, Outdoor Channel, CBS Sports Network, World Fishing Network and on demand on MyOutdoorTV (MOTV). Headquartered in Benton, Kentucky, the MLF roster of bass anglers includes the world’s top pros and more than 30,000 competitors in all 50 states and 17 countries. Since its founding in 2011, MLF has advanced the sport of competitive fishing through its premier television broadcasts and livestreams and is dedicated to improving the quality of life for bass through research, education, fisheries enhancement and fish care.
Costa Sunglasses Unveils 580 Gold: Dive into a World of Clarity and Adventure
See in a new light with 580 Gold, bringing enhanced vibrancy and unmatched style to every adventure
JUPITER, Fla. (February 20, 2024) – For more than 40 years, Costa Sunglasses has delivered on its mission to create the highest standard in lens technology for the ultimate advantage on the water. Today, the manufacturer of the first color-enhancing all-polarized glass sunglass lens continues to elevate its innovative lens technology with 580 Gold, a new rose-based lens delivering unrivaled clarity and added scratch resistance on the water.
Designed with a lighter Visible Light Transmission (VLT), 580 Gold offers enhanced versatility across a spectrum of lighting conditions, ensuring optimal clarity whether out on the water in the bright sun or on an overcast day. Further setting these lenses apart, the distinctive gold mirror treatment is inspired by life after the sunrise, the golden hour. Playing on the softer and redder light from the sun during this time, 580 Gold provides a redefined style for every waterman. This blend of functional excellence and aesthetic appeal promises to deliver a whole new visual experience, offering both a superior view and a bold statement.
At the core of 580 Gold lies Costa’s polarized 580® glass (580G) lens technology, renowned for its exceptional clarity and color enhancement. These scratch-resistant lenses effectively reduce haze and blur, while boosting essential colors for superior definition. This technology, backed with a rose colored base, increases the viewer’s field and vision and is easy on the eyes. The multi-layered gold mirror finish amplifies its performance features while reflecting the adventurous spirit of its wearer.
“The Gold Mirror lens is not just an addition to Costa's portfolio, it's a new chapter in the brand's storied legacy, promising to bring the world into view with an intensity and passion that only Costa can deliver,” said John Sanchez, Vice President Global Product Strategy. “With this launch, we're offering more than just a new lens, we're providing a new way to experience life's most breathtaking moments, reinforcing our dedication to excellence and our continued commitment to the Costa community.”
With 580 Gold, Costa now offers nine different lens color options for the ever-changing nature of light conditions. 580 Gold will be available in more than 20 styles in Costa’s three frame categories – PRO, hybrid and lifestyle. The early, avant premier includes Reefton PRO, Spearo XL, Lido, Loreto and the best-selling Sullivan from the Del Mar Collection.
580 Gold lenses will be available online at CostaSunglasses.com and select specialty retailers starting February 9, 2024. For more information about Costa’s complete collection of award-winning performance, optical and lifestyle eyewear, 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, #OneCoast efforts 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.
Matt Becker Takes Early Lead for Group A at Major League Fishing at Santee Cooper
Tennessee pro catches 12 bass weighing 45-8 to earn Day 1 lead for Group A – Group B begins competition Wednesday
CLARENDON COUNTY, S.C. (Feb. 20, 2024) – The reigning Fishing Clash Angler of the Year (AOY) Matt Becker of Ten Mile, Tennessee, boated 12 scorable bass Tuesday, totaling 45 pounds, 8 ounces, to jump out to the early lead in the Group A Qualifying Round at the Suzuki Stage Two Presented by Fenwick at Santee Cooper Lakes in Clarendon County, South Carolina.
Just 4 pounds, 3 ounces behind Becker in second place on the SCORETRACKER® leaderboard is Hot Springs, Arkansas, pro Dylan Hayes, who caught 10 bass totaling 29-11. Alton Jones, Jr., of Waco, Texas, sits in third place, less than 6 pounds back of Becker with 10 bass weighing 39-10.
The 40 anglers in Group A will now have an off day from competition Wednesday, while the 40 anglers competing in Group B will begin their first day of competition. Group A will resume competition on Thursday.
The six-day tournament, hosted by the Clarendon County Chamber of Commerce, showcases 80 of the top professional anglers in the world, competing for a purse of $659,000, including a top payout of $100,000 and valuable Fishing Clash Angler of the Year (AOY) points in hopes of qualifying for the General Tire Heavy Hitters all-star event and REDCREST 2025, the Bass Pro Tour championship.
Entering the first day of competition at Santee Cooper, Becker wasn’t feeling optimistic. The reigning AOY on the Bass Pro Tour said he had a “horrible practice” amid the muddy, prespawn conditions that greeted the field at Stage Two. He picked his starting spot because he got a single bite there during the three-day practice period.
Within the first 35 minutes of Tuesday morning, Becker had turned that one bite into six scorable bass weighing a combined 23 pounds, 6 ounces. That flurry gave him an early lead over the rest of Group A, and he never relinquished the top spot on SCORETRACKER®.
“I went to an area where I had one bite — that’s where I decided to start," Becker said. “And before I knew it, I had six fish in the boat, and I didn’t even know what was happening. So yeah, it was fast and furious this morning. I did not expect that at all.”
It wasn’t just Becker who found the fishing better than expected on Santee Cooper. While bass didn’t hit the scales in the same numbers as Stage One on Toledo Bend, plenty of big ones showed up. Thirteen bass weighing 6 pounds or bigger were caught Tuesday, including one over 8 pounds. Fifteen pros topped the 20-pound mark on the day.
“Honestly, everybody caught ‘em – myself included – better than I expected,” Becker said. “I did not see this coming. I expected it to be a lot tougher on everybody. But I’m super happy with how it turned out.”
Becker burst onto the national tournament scene in a big way last year, beating out the likes of Jacob Wheeler, Ott DeFoe and Jones Jr. to claim both the Stage Seven and Angler of the Year trophies at the season finale on Saginaw Bay.
Clearly, the offseason did nothing to stem his momentum.
Becker started the 2024 campaign with a Championship Round appearance on Toledo Bend. He then finished 16th in the Tackle Warehouse Invitationals season-opener on Sam Rayburn. Now, even on a fishery that, at least on paper, doesn’t suit his strengths, Becker looks like he’s figured out the Santee Cooper bass.
Becker attributed the strong start to simply fishing with confidence.
“Definitely it’s a confidence thing,” he said. “I feel very confident in myself right now, and it just seems like every decision I make turns into the right one. Like today, for instance, I literally had one bite in that area that I started, but my gut was telling me to go start there, and it turned into the lead.
“I don’t ever want it to end. I want to keep this train rolling as long as we can.”
His fast start Tuesday only fueled his confidence. Becker said it made him believe in his area, removing the temptation to fire up his Suzuki outboard and make a time-consuming run across the treacherous fishery. He spent the rest of the day exploring new water in the same vicinity as his starting spot.
“It kind of slowed me down and allowed me to expand and fish new water,” he explained. “I had that one spot where I got a bite in practice, and then I kind of just expanded around the area the rest of the day. But having that confidence of getting a couple bites early really let me expand and keep fishing new water.”
After a bit of a lull, Becker continued to pad his total throughout the afternoon. Midway through Period 2, he boated a 6-10 kicker. On a fishery that lacks numbers of bass, triggering big bites looks like it’ll be key to contending. Seven of the top eight anglers on SCORETRACKER® caught at least one bass over 6 pounds.
“There’s a lot of big fish, and it seems like it’s only a matter of time — if you set the hook enough times, it’s going to be a 6- to 8-pounder,” Becker said. “So, it’s going to take a couple of big fish every day to do well in this tournament.”
Becker didn’t want to divulge too many details about his pattern, but he said he’s not relying on forward-facing sonar to target fish. Instead, he’s power fishing around “classic prespawn stuff.” He’s not slowing down, covering water with his trolling motor and fishing whatever cover he encounters — in his words, “pretty much just junk fishing around in one section of the lake.”
While Becker noted that he only saw one other competitor all day, which excites him, he’s not sure whether he’ll be able to ride his starting spot, or even the general area, to another Top 10. He plans to spend the second day of the Qualifying Round exploring more of the massive, habitat-rich playing field.
“I feel like I might have burnt up that area today, but you just never know,” Becker said. “It’s springtime, more fish could be coming with a warming trend. The sun was out this afternoon, and it was warming up. So maybe some more fish are coming. But I’m going to keep an open mind going into the rest of the tournament and try to expand on Day 2, try to fish some new water and maybe find something else as well.”
The top 20 pros in Group A after Day 1 on Santee Cooper Lakes are:
1st: Matt Becker, Ten Mile, Tenn., 12 bass, 45-8
2nd: Dylan Hays, Hot Springs, Ark., 10 bass, 41-5
3rd: Alton Jones, Jr., Waco, Texas, 10 bass, 39-10
4th: James Watson, Lampe, Mo., 11 bass, 37-15
5th: Gerald Spohrer, Gonzales, La., 13 bass, 36-9
6th: Dustin Connell, Clanton, Ala., 11 bass, 34-5
7th: Cole Floyd, Leesburg, Ohio, nine bass, 33-5
8th: Ron Nelson, Berrien Springs, Mich., 10 bass, 32-10
9th: Greg Vinson, Wetumpka, Ala., 11 bass, 26-15
10th: Brent Chapman, Lake Quivira, Kan., eight bass, 26-10
11th: Adrian Avena, Vineland, N.J., six bass, 26-8
12th: Jacob Wall, New Hope, Ala., five bass, 23-9
13th: Chris Lane, Guntersville, Ala., eight bass, 22-3
14th: Jesse Wiggins, Cullman, Ala., seven bass, 21-4
15th: Mark Daniels, Jr., Tuskegee, Ala., eight bass, 20-13
16th: Terry Scroggins, San Mateo, Fla., eight bass, 19-1
17th: Jacopo Gallelli, Florence, Italy, four bass, 17-7
18th: Matt Lee, Cullman, Ala., five bass, 17-7
19th: Andy Morgan, Dayton, Tenn., six bass, 17-3
20th: Shinichi Fukae, Osaka, Japan, four bass, 15-14
A complete list of results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
General Tire pro Britt Myers of Lake Wylie, South Carolina, won Tuesday’s $1,000 Berkley Big Bass Award with an 8-pound, 3-ounce largemouth that he caught on a deep-diving crankbait with just 10 minutes remaining in the day late in Period 3. Berkley awards $1,000 to the angler who weighs the heaviest bass each day, and another $3,000 bonus to the angler who weighs the heaviest bass of the tournament.
The 40 Anglers in Group A compete in their two-day Qualifying Round on Tuesday and Thursday – the 40 anglers in Group B on Wednesday and Friday. After each two-day Qualifying Round is complete, the anglers that finish first through 10th from both groups advance to Saturday’s Knockout Round. In the Knockout Round, weights are zeroed, and the remaining 20 anglers compete to finish in the top 10 to advance to Sunday’s Championship Round. In the final-day Championship Round, weights are zeroed, and the highest one-day total wins the top prize of $100,000.
Anglers will launch at 7:30 a.m. ET each day from the John C. Land III Landing, located at 4404 Greenall Road in Summerton. Each day’s General Tire Takeout will be held at the park, beginning at 4 p.m. Fans are welcome to attend all launch and takeout events and also encouraged to follow the event online throughout the day on the MLFNOW!® live stream and SCORETRACKER® coverage at MajorLeagueFishing.com .
The MLFNOW!® broadcast team of Chad McKee and J.T. Kenney will break down the extended action live on the final four days of competition from 7:45 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. ET. MLFNOW!® will be live streamed on MajorLeagueFishing.com and the MyOutdoorTV (MOTV) app.
On Saturday and Sunday, Feb. 24-25, from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. MLF welcomes fans of all ages to visit the John C. Land III landing for the MLF Watch Party. Fans can watch the pros live on the MLFNOW! big screen, enjoy free food, enter to win hourly giveaways and cheer on their favorite pros. The first 50 kids 14 and under will receive a free rod and reel from Pure Fishing each day. The final 10 Championship Round Bass Pro Tour anglers will be on hand at the trophy celebration on Championship Sunday to meet and greet fans, sign autographs and take selfies.
The Suzuki Stage Two at Santee Cooper Lakes Presented by Fenwick features the MLF catch, weigh, immediate-release format, in which anglers catch as much weight as they can each day, while also feeling the pressure and intensity of the SCORETRACKER® leaderboard. The tournament features anglers competing with a 1-pound, 8-ounce minimum weight requirement for a bass to be deemed scorable. The MLF Fisheries Management Division determines minimum weights for each body of water that the Bass Pro Tour visits, based on the productivity, bass population and anticipated average size of fish in each fishery.
The Bass Pro Tour features a field of 80 of the top professional anglers in the world, competing across seven regular-season tournaments around the country, for millions of dollars and valuable points to qualify for the annual General Tire Heavy Hitters all-star event and the REDCREST 2025 championship.
Bass Pro Tour anglers also compete throughout the 2024 season for the prestigious Fishing Clash Angler of the Year (AOY) award and its $100,000 payday. Fishing Clash – an interactive 3D fishing simulation game that’s played by more than 80 million people worldwide – is the official AOY sponsor of the Bass Pro Tour, Tackle Warehouse Invitationals, Toyota Series and Phoenix Bass Fishing League.
Television coverage of the Suzuki Stage Two at Santee Cooper Lakes Presented by Fenwick will premiere as a two-hour episode starting at 7 a.m. ET, on Saturday, Sept. 21 on Discovery, with the Championship Round premiering the following Saturday on Sept. 28. New MLF episodes premiere each Saturday morning on Discovery, with re-airings on Outdoor Channel.
Proud sponsors of the 2024 MLF Bass Pro Tour include: Abu Garcia, B&W Trailer Hitches, Bass Pro Shops, Berkley, BUBBA, Epic Baits, Fishing Clash, Garmin, General Tire, Humminbird, Lowrance, Mercury, MillerTech, Minn Kota, Mossy Oak Fishing, NITRO, Onyx, Plano, Power-Pole, Rapala, StarBrite, Suzuki, Toyota and U.S. Air Force.
For complete details and updated information on Major League Fishing and the Bass Pro Tour, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF’s social media outlets at Facebook, X, Instagram and YouTube.
About Major League Fishing
Major League Fishing (MLF) is the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization, producing more than 250 events annually at some of the most prestigious fisheries in the world, while broadcasting to America’s living rooms on CBS, Discovery Channel, Outdoor Channel, CBS Sports Network, World Fishing Network and on demand on MyOutdoorTV (MOTV). Headquartered in Benton, Kentucky, the MLF roster of bass anglers includes the world’s top pros and more than 30,000 competitors in all 50 states and 17 countries. Since its founding in 2011, MLF has advanced the sport of competitive fishing through its premier television broadcasts and livestreams and is dedicated to improving the quality of life for bass through research, education, fisheries enhancement and fish care.
Travel Tuesday - No Fishing Friends? You Don't Have to Miss Out on Guatemala
By Pete Robbins - Half Past First Cast
Catching up with Fothergill
Current Bassmaster College Series champ, Easton Fothergill has an intriguing last name, but at age 21, his life story is even better. Six weeks prior to winning the Bassmaster College bracket and a subsequent birth to the upcoming 2024 Bassmaster Classic, he had a hole drilled in his skull to drain a brain abscess that could have caused brain damage or taken his life.
The 21-year old Grand Rapids, MN native and University of Montevallo standout angler continues to thrive, and graciously took a few minutes to gives us a life update, including his plans to pack a few non-forward-facing sonar baits in his Tundra for the Grand Lake Classic.
Q: Why did a kid from Minnesota choose to attend a university in Alabama?
Fothergill: I knew if I wanted to be the best bass angler I could be, that I’d have to learn how to catch fish in the Southeastern United States, and also, Montevallo is one of the best funded college fishing programs in America.
Q: How’s 2024 treating you so far?
Fothergill: As good or better than I could dream of. I fished my first-ever Bassmaster Open. It was at Okeechobee in late January, and I scored a Top 10. I’m still trying to get my head around doing that well against guys like Randall Tharp and Brandon McMillan. I was also super fortunate to do well at the Bassmaster Open on Lake Ouachita last week too, so I’m now sitting second overall in the Elite Qualifier points race.
Q: What kind of prep have you done for the upcoming Bassmaster Classic?
Fothergill: I spent two full days on Grand Lake at Thanksgiving. I really liked it. It reminds me of Lake of the Ozarks. It’s going to be a super weather-dependent event, and I like that, because nobody gets a super strong advantage. We’ll all have to fish in the moment.
Q: What three lures do you have a ton of confidence in going into Grand Lake?
Fothergill: You can bet I’ll be packing a ¼-ounce jig to skip docks, a wacky worm, and if the water’s dirty, I’m throwing a spinnerbait with Colorado or Indiana blades.
Q: You’re a really calm and cool dude, are you anxious about anything?
Fothergill: The Classic is definitely heavy on my mind. I can’t wait to ride into weigh-in at the BOK Arena in Tulsa. Beyond the Classic, I’m super pumped about the Bassmaster Open on my home lake in August – Leech Lake, MN.
Q: You bought an older model Toyota Tundra, but this year, like all Bassmaster College Series Classic Champs, you get to roll around for a season in a brand new Tundra – how does it compare to the older one you own?
Fothergill: It’s night and day. That 14” screen on the dash is incredible, it’s super smooth riding, and I love hearing that twin-turbo wind-up and deliver a pile of torque and horsepower.
Big catches await anglers for Bassmaster Kayak Series event at Lake Murray
February 19, 2024
Big catches await anglers for Bassmaster Kayak Series event at Lake Murray
COLUMBIA, S.C. — To kick off the 2024 season, the Yamaha Rightwaters Bassmaster Kayak Series scored by TourneyX will head to Lake Murray, one of the best bass lakes in the country. Just how good the lake will be depends on the weather, according to Bassmaster Kayak Series angler Barry Davis.
“The bass are going to start coming out of their winter patterns into their spring areas [most likely],” Davis said. “The weather is always iffy. There have been tournaments here this same time of year, and we have had some 100-inch bags per day to win. Some days, it is nowhere near that because of the weather.”
Tournament days are scheduled for Feb. 24-25 and will be the first opportunity for anglers to earn points toward the Dakota Lithium Bassmaster Kayak Series Angler of the Year title. Anglers will be able to launch from any of the published launches that will be released prior to the tournament.
Over the past couple of years, anglers across the country have learned that impressive numbers of giant bass live in Lake Murray. That was proven several times just last year across multiple Bassmaster Tournament Trails. Kayak Bass Fishing visited the lake in late February 2023 for a pair of one-day events. The first day, it took 98.5 inches to win, and the second day, it was won with 97.5 inches.
There is also the potential to catch a 24- or 25-inch bass this time of year.
The massive reservoir in the middle of South Carolina provides opportunities for anglers to fish to their strengths. There is a large section of a more river-like environment, which has a history of producing big bags. Davis predicts that area will get the most attention. The bottom end of the lake is deep and wide, with a plethora of bass, stripers and blueback herring.
“The midlake area and up fishes more like a normal lake than a herring lake,” Davis said. “The lake is so deep on the bottom end that it doesn’t change a lot. The bass on the bottom end do a lot of the same stuff year-round except when they spawn.”
The weather in the Carolinas that time of year will be the biggest wild card in this event. There are some years where late February will still feel like winter, Davis said. Other years, like last year, warmer weather prevails and the bass will begin to head for the shallows.
“If we have a couple of weeks where we get some warm days and not extremely cold nights, they will start to transition and move up onto some of the deeper docks and stuff like that,” Davis elaborated. “We are probably going to be about three weeks ahead of when they get really prespawn.”
For deeper-water scenarios — which likely will revolve around herring — brushpiles and rockpiles are key pieces of cover. A striper pattern could also unfold.
“The offshore brush and rocks will still be in play,” he said. “The main forage in the lake is herring. They are going to chase the herring around, especially the spotted bass. The largemouth will have more of a home base. If people find them and the herring stay somewhat in the same area, I think it will play into it.
“The stripers will stay with them anyway, and a lot of people don’t realize bass are lazier than stripers. If you can get something through the stripers to the bottom, you can catch pretty decent bass under the stripers.”
In the shallows, there is a wide range of options including boat ramps, rock and docks.
“Those concrete ramps will play because they draw heat. Red banks will play as well because they draw heat,” Davis said. “Anything that pulls heat will be key.”
A wide range of baits will likely play in this tournament. Crankbaits are a popular choice among anglers who regularly fish Lake Murray, as well as jigs. Several styles of worms will work, Davis said, including wacky rigs, Texas rigs and Carolina rigs. Crawfish presentations will also be key.
This week’s event is being hosted by Capital City Lake Murray Country.
2024 Bassmaster Kayak Series Title Sponsor: Yamaha Rightwaters2024 Bassmaster Kayak Series Partner: MotorGuide, YakGear2024 Bassmaster Kayak Series Angler of the Year Sponsor: Dakota Lithium
Arkansas’ Edwards Notches Second BFL Win at Phoenix Bass Fishing League Event at Table Rock Lake
KIMBERLING CITY, Mo. (Feb. 19, 2024) – Boater Landon Edwards of Springdale, Arkansas, caught a five-bass limit weighing 22 pounds, 7 ounces, Saturday to win the MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League (BFL) Presented by T-H Marine on Table Rock Lake . The tournament was the first event of the season for the BFL Ozark Division. Edwards earned $5,970 for his victory.
“I made a run down past Campbell Point up the White River,” said Edwards, who notched a previous BFL win on Table Rock Lake in 2022. “I found a sneaky spot in practice where I thought I could catch 18 pounds. I had graphed a spot that was just a little rock pile with a tree on it that had 20 to 30 big fish on it. I caught a 6½-pounder on it Thursday and then left it alone.”
Edwards said he ran to his “sneaky” spot during the tournament because he figured the field would be using Garmin Livescope to target bass, and he wanted to try something different to stand out from the field. He said he used a 6th Sense Divine 5-Wire 4-Blade Umbrella Rig with 6th Sense Divine Swimbaits to boat his bigger bass on the rock pile.
“I rolled up, threw my Alabama rig, and caught a 4½-pounder,” Edwards said. “I threw back and caught another 4½. I threw back in again and caught a 7-pounder. So, I had 15-something pounds with three fish.”
Edwards relocated to let his spot rest and pulled a 3¼-pound fish from deep water, putting him at more than 19 pounds with four fish.
“I went back to my lucky spot and caught one that weighed more than 3 pounds that put me over 22 pounds,” Edwards said. “I was having some motor problems, so we ran back to Kimberling City near weigh-in and finished up the day.
“I had confidence that I had enough weight to make the top 10,” Edwards said. “So, it was really nice to win it. These tournaments are so hard to win with all the locals who fish them. It was cool to win this.”
The top 10 boaters finished the tournament:
2nd: Eric Olliverson, Shell Knob, Mo., five bass, 20-13, $3,082 (includes $500 Phoenix MLF Contingency Bonus)
3rd: Jacob Wade, Mountain Grove, Mo., five bass, 20-12, $1,722
4th: Aric Szambelan, Farmington, Minn., five bass, 20-6, $1,205
5th: Cody Miller, Shell Knob, Mo., five bass, 19-14, $1,033
6th: Clay Henderson, Purdy, Mo., five bass, 19-13, $1,247
7th: Cody Ellison, Fordland, Mo., five bass, 19-3, $861
8th: Brock Reinkemeyer, Warsaw, Mo., five bass, 18-9, $775
9th: Camden Kozikoski, Edmond, Okla., five bass, 18-8, $689
10th: Drew Sagely, Rogers, Ark., five bass, 18-1, $603
Edwards also caught a bass that weighed 7 pounds, 2 ounces, and earned the Berkley Big Bass Boater award of $805.
James Welch of Bolivar, Missouri, won the Strike King co-angler division and $2,436 Saturday, after bringing five bass to the scale that totaled 14 pounds, 3 ounces.
The top 10 Strike King co-anglers finished:
2nd: Joshua Ramsey, Columbia, Mo., five bass, 13-10, $1,218
3rd: Jeff Moss, Oronogo, Mo., five bass, 12-15, $1,064
4th: Caleb Welch, Bolivar, Mo., five bass, 12-13, $568
5th: Grant Simmons, Blue Springs, Mo., five bass, 12-3, $487
6th: Tim Bowers, Thayer, Mo., five bass, 12-2, $447
7th: Shaun Smith, Smithville, Mo., five bass, 11-12, $406
8th: Blake Miller, Cedar Falls, Iowa, four bass, 11-11, $365
9th: Brock Krohne, Belton, Mo., five bass, 11-4, $325
10th: Kirk Short, St. Clair, Mo., four bass, 10-14, $284
The next event for BFL Ozark Division anglers will be held March 30, at Lake of the Ozarks in Osage Beach, Missouri. To register for the event as a boater or a co-angler, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com or call (270)-252-1000.
The top 45 boaters and co-anglers in the region based on point standings, along with the five tournament winners of each qualifying event, will qualify for the Oct. 3-5 BFL Regional tournament on Pickwick Lake in Counce, Tennessee. Boaters will fish for a top award of $60,000, including a new Phoenix 819 Pro with a 200-horsepower Mercury or Suzuki outboard and $10,000, while co-anglers will compete for a top award of $50,000, including a new Phoenix 819 Pro with a 200-horsepower Mercury or Suzuki outboard.
The 2024 Phoenix BFL Presented by T-H Marine is a 24-division circuit devoted to weekend anglers, with 128 events throughout the season, five qualifying tournaments in each division. The top 45 boaters and Strike King co-anglers from each division, along with the five qualifying event winners, will advance to one of six BFL Regional tournaments where they are competing to finish in the top six, which then qualifies them for one of the longest-running championships in all of competitive bass fishing – the BFL All-American.
Proud sponsors of the 2024 MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine include: 7Brew, Abu Garcia, B&W Trailer Hitches, Berkley, BUBBA, E3, Epic Baits, Fishing Clash, General Tire, GSM Outdoors, Lew’s, Mercury, Mossy Oak, Onyx, Phoenix, Polaris, Power-Pole, Strike King, Suzuki, Tackle Warehouse, T-H Marine, Toyota and YETI.
For complete details and updated tournament information, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular Bass Fishing League updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF5’s social media outlets at Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.
About Major League Fishing
Major League Fishing (MLF) is the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization, producing more than 250 events annually at some of the most prestigious fisheries in the world, while broadcasting to America’s living rooms on CBS, Discovery Channel, Outdoor Channel, CBS Sports Network, World Fishing Network and on demand on MyOutdoorTV (MOTV). Headquartered in Benton, Kentucky, the MLF roster of bass anglers includes the world’s top pros and more than 30,000 competitors in all 50 states and 17 countries. Since its founding in 2011, MLF has advanced the sport of competitive fishing through its premier television broadcasts and livestreams and is dedicated to improving the quality of life for bass through research, education, fisheries enhancement and fish care.
