How “MDJ” will find fish on unfamiliar Lake Norman
Courtesy of Alan McGuckin - Dynamic Sponsorships
When Team Toyota’s Mark Daniels Jr. competes in his third REDCRESTthis week, he’ll be answering one of bass fishing’s most commonly asked questions … “How do you find and catch fish on a lake you’re unfamiliar with?”
While the task of locating bass in unfamiliar waters can be daunting to amateur anglers, it’s actually a situation “MDJ” embraces. “I’ve never once competed on Lake Norman, but honestly, that doesn’t freak me out. Actually, I kind of like it, because more times than not, too much history can hurt you,” says Daniels.
Lake Norman is fairly massive, and REDCREST pros only have two days of official practice, so Daniels utilized technology, and started dissecting Norman at home by studying Google Earth.
“It’s an interesting body of water that features a lot of offshore structure, rock humps, and a gazillion boat docks that always play a factor in tournaments on Norman. But with limited time and a love of power fishing moving baits, I’m going to focus on the more off-colored, shallower water in the upper stretches of the lake,” explains Daniels.
Sticking to your strengths is a tactic that all top pros utilize, especially on water they’re unfamiliar with. So his plans to sling around a ½-ounce Rat-L-Trap and a squarebill crankbait in the more stained water portions of 32,000 surface acre reservoir come as no surprise.
While busting a big 16 or 18-pound limit on Norman is certainly not out of the question, catching 11 or 12 pounds daily will likely carry Daniels far into the elimination rounds, so his goal is not to swing for grand slam home runs, but to instead remain realistic and maximize what the lake historically surrenders.
Playing the role of part-time meteorologists is also critical to all pros’dissection of the best strategy for any given day on the water, and with chilly spring temps returning to the Charlotte area, Daniels says locating shallower pockets that warm faster will also be a key part of his approach.
“Breaking down unfamiliar water starts at home on the computer, but ultimately rides on finding and fishing areas that feel familiar to me with lures I have the most confidence in,” summarizes Daniels. “And you always have to fish the moment based on what the weather is doing,” he adds.
Not getting too locked-in on a single pattern is essential, and a major difference between the pro approach and the struggles of amateurs. Savvy pros are masters at following their intuition. So Daniels is keeping an open mind.
“I’ve been known to be a little spontaneous. So, I’ll do all I can to figure things out up-lake, but if I’m struggling, I won’t be one bit afraid to eject and run 20-miles down lake to try something new,” he laughs in conclusion.
Map study, followed by pairing seasonal patterns with self-confidence, and paying careful attention to the weather – all keys to how a top pro finds fish in unfamiliar waters. Oh, and a pinch of intuitive spontaneity never hurts either.
Three lures KVD will count-on most at REDCREST
Courtesy of Alan McGuckin - Dynamic Sponsorships
In New Orleans, 22 years ago, it was a black and blue jig than won him his first one. Four years later, in ultra-tough Pittsburgh, an old school Rogue brought home the hardware. Then from the cold waters of Lay Lake, a Red Eye Shad scored his third one in 2010, and the very next year, a spinnerbait-squarebill combo in New Orleans made him an undisputable legend.
The lures that helped make “KVD” a 4-time world champion and bass fishing’s G.O.A.T.!
So, what lures will be in his starting line-up as he begins his hunt for his fifth world title at REDCREST 2023, just a few weeks after announcing this will be his final season to compete as a touring professional bass angler?
“Well, no surprise, two of the three are going to be power fishing baits. A jerkbait and a crankbait. Lake Norman has blueback herring, so the bass are pretty nomadic, which means I want to be throwing baits I can stay on the move with, versus slowing down in one spot for too long,” says VanDam.
His third choice is a Strike King Baby Z Too, largely because of its versatility with so many finesse tactics, should the chilly weather that’s forecasted slow the bite way down.
Just as he plans to do in retirement, VanDam graciously explained why he chose each of the three featured lures, to help all of us be better anglers.
Jerkbait
“Lake Norman is largely a clear water reservoir, and jerkbaits really shine in clear water because they attract bass visually. Plus, very few lures will outperform a jerkbait in late winter and early spring. It’s one of my all-time favorite lures, and one I have a ton of confidence in,” says VanDam.
He’ll use the KVD 300 series around docks, and anytime he’s in water less than 10-feet deep but reaches for the 300D to fish depths ranging from 15 to 25-feet of water.
Strike King 3XD Crankbait
“What I love most about the 3XD is its small body. That smaller profile gets bites that bigger-bodied crankbaits won’t get, and it does a great job of diving to that 10-12-foot-deep zone that should be a player at this time of year,” he explains.
If things get tough
“Obviously, I hope I can catch them power fishing, but if things get tough, and I have to slow down, I want a bag of Strike King Baby Z Toos handy. I can put that little 3.5” soft plastic baitfish imitator on a shaky head, or I can put it on a little swimbait jig head. Heck, I can even drop shot with it. So, it’s just super versatile, and at Lake Norman you better always have a finesse presentation ready to go,” advises VanDam.
Three make sense selections for REDCREST as chosen by The G.O.A.T.. Could one of these three possibly deliver world championship #5?
Stay tuned. VanDam will have a ton of eyes on him this week. Everybody’s watching as the best to ever do it competes in his ‘final games’ this season.
Major League Fishing in Oakley Next Week for Toyota Series at California Delta
BETHEL ISLAND, Calif. (March 7, 2023) – The Major League Fishing (MLF) Toyota Series Presented by Phoenix Boats is headed to the California Delta next week, March 15-17, for the Toyota Series at the California Delta Presented by Psycho Tuna. The three-day tournament, hosted by the City of Oakley, is the second of three regular-season events in the Western Division Presented by Tackle Warehouse.
The MLF Toyota Series offers the biggest payouts for the lowest entry fees of any national tournament trail. The Toyota Series is the only Western trail that offers advancement to the no-entry-fee Toyota Series Championship, where pros fish for $235,000, including a $35,000 Phoenix MLF Bonus, and co-anglers compete for a $33,500 Phoenix 518 Pro bass boat powered by a 115 HP Mercury.
“I haven’t been to the Delta in a while, but I know that it is an amazing fishery and the fishing is good right now, so this Toyota Series tournament is going to be a really great event,” said Bass Pro Tour pro Brent Ehrler of Redlands, California. “We’ve gotten a lot of rain, and even some snow, lately, and that could really dirty the water up. So, my guess is that we’re going to see some different baits than usual being really effective there in this one.
“With dirty water, big flashy bright stuff is going to be important,” Ehrler continued. “Guys are going to catch them on spinnerbaits, which always work there but have never been that bait that really shined, there. Reaction-type baits, and red is important. Red ChatterBaits. I’d be throwing a Lucky Craft BDS3 and BDS4 – big shallow-running crankbaits. And then standard flipping stuff will play there as well.”
Ehrler said that for anglers targeting clear water, California Delta staples like Yamamoto Senkos and drop-shot rigs would be important.
“The weird thing about that place is it tough to predict a winning weight,” Ehrler went on to say. “If the fishing is good, and there is a strong prespawn bite, it could take 75 pounds over three days. Or, if it’s tough and they’re not really biting, it could be around 60 pounds. I predict that someone will catch 23 to 25 pounds one day, then he’ll back it up with 20, then 16 on the final day and win the tournament. I think the winner is going to need at least 61 pounds in this one.”
Anglers will take off each day at 7 a.m. PT from Russo’s Marina, located at 3995 Willow Road in Bethel Island. Weigh-ins will also be held at the marina and will begin at 3 p.m. Fans are welcome to attend and encouraged to follow the event online through the “MLF Live” weigh-in broadcasts and daily coverage at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
In Toyota Series regular-season competition, payouts are based on the number of participants competing in the event, scaling up for every 20 boats over 160 and scaling down for every boat below 160. With a 160-boat field, pros fish for a top prize of $40,000, plus an extra $35,000 if Phoenix MLF Bonus qualified. Strike King co-anglers cast for the top prize of a new Phoenix 518 Pro bass boat with a 115-horsepower Mercury outboard (valued at $33,500). With a 260-boat field, pros fish for a top award of $65,000, plus an extra $35,000 if Phoenix MLF Bonus qualified. Strike King co-anglers cast for the top prize of a new Phoenix 518 Pro bass boat with a 115-horsepower outboard (valued at $33,500) plus $5,000 cash.
The 2023 Toyota Series Presented by Phoenix Boats consists of six divisions – Central, Northern, Plains, Southern, Southwestern and the Western Division Presented by Tackle Warehouse – each holding three regular-season events, along with the International and Wild Card divisions. Anglers who fish in any of the six divisions or the Wild Card division and finish in the top 25 will qualify for the no-entry-fee Toyota Series Championship for a shot at winning up to $235,000 and a qualification to REDCREST V. The winning Strike King co-angler at the championship earns a new Phoenix 518 Pro bass boat with a 115-horsepower Mercury outboard. The 2023 Toyota Series Championship will be held Nov. 2-4 on Table Rock Lake in Branson, Missouri, and is hosted by ExploreBranson.com.
Proud sponsors of the 2023 MLF Toyota Series include: 4WP, 13 Fishing, Abu Garcia, B&W Trailer Hitches, Black Rifle Coffee Company, E3, Favorite Fishing, Fox Rent a Car, General Tire, Gill, Grundéns, Lew’s, Lowrance, Mercury, Mossy Oak, Onyx, Phoenix, Polaris, Power-Pole, Strike King, Tackle Warehouse, T-H Marine, Wiley X and YETI.
For complete details and updated information visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular Toyota Series updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow the MLF5 social media outlets at Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.
Oklahoma’s Grand Lake O’ The Cherokees Readies for Toyota Series Plains Division Opener
GROVE, Okla. (March 7, 2023) – The Major League Fishing (MLF) Toyota Series Presented by Phoenix Boats is set to visit Grove, Oklahoma, and Grand Lake, next week, March 16-18, for the Plains Division opener – the Toyota Series at Grand Lake . The three-day tournament, hosted by the City of Grove, 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 Mercury outboard motor in the co-angler division.
“Things are happening quickly on Grand Lake right now, and everything seems to be changing day to day, but I expect that this event will definitely be a prespawn tournament,” said Bass Pro Tour pro James Elam of Tulsa, Oklahoma. “The fish are still in a solid winter pattern – we may see some very early prespawn action, but keying in on the staging fish is going to be the key.
“A variety of things will work,” Elam continued. “That’s the cool thing about Grand Lake – the tournament can be won anywhere, and guys are going to be able to fish their strengths. I’d figure out a couple of solid areas to go on and then just try to expand on that as the tournament goes on.”
Elam said that he expects umbrella rigs, jerkbaits, crankbaits and jigs to be big players in this event, and that for anglers targeting stained water ChatterBaits and spinnerbaits would be strong options.
“It’s going to be a really similar event to what we saw in REDCREST at Grand Lake last year,” Elam said. “I think someone will probably come in with 23 pounds on the first day, then they’ll back it up with a couple of 17- and 18-pound limits. Over three days, I predict the winner will weigh in right around 56 to 58 pounds – let’s call it 55 to 60 pounds, just to be safe. This is going to be a great tournament.”
Anglers will take off each day at 7:30 a.m. CT from Wolf Creek Park, located at 963 N. 16th St., in Grove. Weigh-ins will also be held at the park and will begin at 3:30 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 $40,000, plus an extra $35,000 if Phoenix MLF Bonus qualified. Strike King co-anglers cast for the top prize of a new Phoenix 518 Pro bass boat with a 115-horsepower Mercury outboard (valued at $33,500). With a 260-boat field, pros fish for a top award of $65,000, plus an extra $35,000 if Phoenix MLF Bonus qualified. Strike King co-anglers cast for the top prize of a new Phoenix 518 Pro bass boat with a 115-horsepower outboard (valued at $33,500) plus $5,000 cash.
The 2023 Toyota Series Presented by Phoenix Boats consists of six divisions – Central, Northern, Plains, Southern, Southwestern and the Western Division Presented by Tackle Warehouse – each holding three regular-season events, along with the International and Wild Card divisions. Anglers who fish in any of the six divisions or the Wild Card division and finish in the top 25 will qualify for the no-entry-fee Toyota Series Championship for a shot at winning up to $235,000 and a qualification to REDCREST 2024. The winning Strike King co-angler at the championship earns a new Phoenix 518 Pro bass boat with a 115-horsepower Mercury outboard. The 2023 Toyota Series Championship will be held Nov. 2-4 on Table Rock Lake in Branson, Missouri, and is hosted by ExploreBranson.com.
Proud sponsors of the 2023 MLF Toyota Series include: 4WP, 13 Fishing, Abu Garcia, B&W Trailer Hitches, Black Rifle Coffee Company, E3, Favorite Fishing, Fox Rent a Car, General Tire, Gill, Grundéns, Lew’s, Lowrance, Mercury, Mossy Oak, Onyx, Phoenix, Polaris, Power-Pole, Strike King, Tackle Warehouse, T-H Marine, Wiley X and YETI.
For complete details and updated information visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular Toyota Series updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow the MLF5 social media outlets at Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.
Wisconsin championship team will take center stage at Bassmaster Classic
The 2022 Strike King Bassmaster High School Series presented by Academy Sports + Outdoors champions Reece Keeney and Bryce Moder will be participating in the Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic presented by Toyota in Knoxville, Tenn.
Photo by Dalton Tumblin/B.A.S.S.
March 7, 2023
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — The Northeast Wisconsin Bass Club team of Reece Keeney and Bryce Moder are no strangers to the big stage. Prior to winning the 2022 Strike King Bassmaster High School National Championship presented by Academy Sports + Outdoors, the duo competed in the 2016 and 2017 Bassmaster Junior National Championships, too.
Now, Keeney and Moder are preparing to set foot on sportfishing’s biggest stage.
Keeney and Moder will be participating in the 2023 Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic presented by Toyota in Knoxville, Tenn., March 24-26. Each day, the team will lead out the field of 55 anglers onto the Tennessee River in front of scores of enthusiastic fans.
“We’re so appreciative of Academy Sports + Outdoors and B.A.S.S. for the opportunity to do this,” said Moder. “We’re so honored and will cherish this forever … It’s going to be something we never forget.”
In addition to serving as the lead-out boat, Keeney and Moder will be honored at the exclusive Night of Champions event and participate in Bassmaster Classic Media Day presented by Power-Pole.
“Every kid who fishes wants to compete in the Bassmaster Classic. Getting this taste of being part of the Classic will, I think, make me want to work a lot harder to get back and compete one day,” said Keeney, a member of the 2022 Bassmaster High School All-State Fishing Team presented by Academy Sports + Outdoors. “Without Academy Sports + Outdoors, we wouldn’t be able to do this.”
While Moder is still in high school, Keeney has moved on to the college ranks and is currently fishing for Kentucky Christian University.
The Last Dance
Major League Fishing Bass Pro Tour angler Kevin VanDam joins to talk about the upcoming REDCREST championship and his future plans
Sabbagha Gets ‘Surprise’ Win at Phoenix Bass Fishing League Event on Santee Cooper
Robbins Claims Strike King Co-Angler Division Victory
SUMMERTON, S.C. (March 6, 2023) – Boater Joey Sabbagha of Prosperity, South Carolina, caught a five-bass limit weighing 23 pounds, 3 ounces, Saturday to win the MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League (BFL) Presented by T-H Marine on Santee Cooper . The tournament, hosted by the Clarendon County Chamber of Commerce, was the second event for the BFL South Carolina Division. Sabbagha earned $6,000 for his victory.
“During practice I found some fish in the lower lake that were staging in some shallow depressions on some flats,” said Sabbagha, who notched his second BFL win. “So, I ran that pattern of five depressions I found that had fish laying in them. I just rotated through them with a Berkley spinnerbait.”
Sabbagha said he targeted flats in 3½ feet of water, where the subtle depressions lay in four feet of water. The method provided Sabbagha with his weigh fish within his first two stops on tournament day. He said he caught nine keepers during the day, but wasn’t able to improve his weight. That early weight, however, turned out to be enough for the win.
“I expected it to take 26 to 28 pounds to win,” Sabbagha said. “But we had a storm come through the night before the tournament and it muddied up some of the water, and I think that affected the fish.
“To get the win on my favorite lake is pretty awesome,” added Sabbagha. “I’m very surprised and happy with it.”
The top 10 boaters finished the tournament:
1st: Joey Sabbagha, Prosperity, S.C., five bass, 23-3, $6,000
2nd: Mark Hutson, Moncks Corner, S.C., five bass, 21-1, $3,000
3rd: Robert Clarke III, Pineville, S.C., five bass, 20-10, $2,000
4th: Jack Belt, Fountain Inn, S.C., five bass, 19-12, $1,400
5th: Chuck Howard, Elloree, S.C., five bass, 19-10, $2,200
6th: Greg Rikard, Leesville, S.C., five bass, 18-12, $2,570 (includes $500 Phoenix MLF Contingency Bonus)
7th: Bryan Cook, Vance, S.C., five bass, 17-15, $1,000
8th: Matt Wieteha, Miami, Fla., five bass, 17-14, $900
9th: Corey Hymer, Bridgeton, N.J., five bass, 17-5, $800
10th: Freddie Gibbs, Darlington, S.C., five bass, 17-3, $700
Complete results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
Chuck Howard of Elloree, South Carolina, caught a bass that weighed 8 pounds, 6 ounces, and earned the Berkley Big Bass Boater award of $1,000.
Jerry Robbins of Asheboro, North Carolina, won the Strike King co-angler division and a total of $3,000 Saturday, after bringing five bass to the scale that totaled 17 pounds, 12 ounces.
The top 10 Strike King co-anglers finished:
1st: Jerry Robbins, Asheboro, N.C., five bass, 17-12, $3,000
2nd: Samuel Jones, Fuquay Varina, N.C., four bass, 13-5, $1,500
3rd: Bobby Henderson, Charlotte, N.C., five bass, 13-2, $1,400
4th: Alan Bennett, Greenwood, S.C., five bass, 12-10, $700
5th: Scott Bowers, Woodbridge, Va., four bass, 12-7, $600
6th: Jeff Bissen, Lugoff, S.C., four bass, 12-2, $550
7th: Dustin Powell, Lake City, S.C., three bass, 11-12, $500
8th: Justin Antley, Ladson, S.C., four bass, 11-3, $450
9th: Tyler Hensley, Bostic, N.C., four bass, 10-14, $400
10th: Wesley Mullins, Guyton, Ga., four bass, 10-1, $350
Joe Case of Easley, South Carolina, earned the Berkley Big Bass co-angler award of $500, catching a bass that weighed in at 8 pounds, 2 ounces – the largest co-angler catch of the day.
After two events, Chuck Howard of Elloree, South Carolina, leads the BFL South Carolina Division Boater Angler of the Year (AOY) race with 494 points, while Bobby Henderson of Charlotte, North Carolina, leads the Strike King Co-Angler Division AOY race with 484 points.
The top 45 boaters and co-anglers in the region based on point standings, along with the five tournament winners of each qualifying event, will qualify for the Oct. 19-21 BFL Regional tournament on Lake Norman in Huntersville, North Carolina. Boaters will fish for a top award of $60,000, including a new Phoenix 819 Pro with a 200-horsepower Mercury outboard and $10,000, while co-anglers will compete for a top award of $50,000, including a new Phoenix 819 Pro with a 200-horsepower Mercury outboard.
The 2023 Phoenix BFL Presented by T-H Marine is a 24-division circuit devoted to weekend anglers, with 128 events throughout the season, five qualifying tournaments in each division. The top 45 boaters and Strike King co-anglers from each division, along with the five qualifying event winners, will advance to one of six BFL Regional tournaments where they are competing to finish in the top six, which then qualifies them for one of the longest-running championships in all of competitive bass fishing – the BFL All-American. The 2023 All-American event will take place May 31-June 2, on Lake Hartwell in Seneca, South Carolina. The event is hosted by Visit Oconee SC.
Proud sponsors of the 2023 MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine include: 4WP, 13 Fishing, Abu Garcia, B&W Trailer Hitches, Berkley, Black Rifle Coffee, E3, Epic Baits, Favorite Fishing, General Tire, Grundéns, Gill, Lew’s, Lowrance, Mercury, Mossy Oak, Onyx, Phoenix, Polaris, Power-Pole, Strike King, Tackle Warehouse, T-H Marine, Toyota, Wiley X and YETI.
For complete details and updated tournament information, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular Bass Fishing League updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF5’s social media outlets at Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.Read more
Burdette Claims Victory at Phoenix Bass Fishing League Event on Smith Mountain Lake
Gray Wins Strike King Co-Angler Division
HUDDLESTON, Va. (March 6, 2023) – Boater Dennis Burdette of Pembroke, Virginia, caught a five-bass limit weighing 22 pounds, 15 ounces, Saturday to win the MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League (BFL) Presented by T-H Marine on Smith Mountain Lake . The tournament was the first event for the BFL Piedmont Division. Burdette earned $12,981, including the lucrative $7,000 Phoenix MLF Contingency Bonus, for his victory.
“I started out mid-lake around the state park and fished wind-blown banks and points,” said Burdette. “Really, anything that had rock on it that the wind was beating. It was all about the wind; I chased it all day.”
Burdette said his baits of choice during the tournament were a Rapala DT6 crankbait, a Megabass jerkbait and an Alabama rig, and he caught most of his 12 keepers in two to six feet of water.
“They were all right on the bank,” Burdette said. “You’d crank the crankbait two or three times and they were on it. It slowed down later in the day, but thankfully I caught the right ones early on.
“To be on my home lake with all the great fishermen that fish here in the BFLs … it just feels great to win this,” Burdette added.
The top 10 boaters finished the tournament:
1st: Dennis Burdette, Pembroke, Va., five bass, 22-15, $12,981 (includes $7,000 Phoenix MLF Contingency Bonus)
2nd: Dennis Stump, Madison Heights, Va., five bass, 22-5, $2,490
3rd: Paul Worthington, Benson, N.C., five bass, 20-3, $1,662
4th: Chris Brummett, Lynch Station, Va., five bass, 18-0, $2,642
5th: Ian Branson, Salem, Va., five bass, 17-12, $996
6th: Broderick Luckey, Lynchburg, Va., five bass, 17-5, $913
7th: Hunter Smith, Williamsburg, Va., five bass, 17-0, $830
8th: Scott Banton, Midlothian, Va., five bass, 16-8, $747
9th: Adam White, Graham, N.C., five bass, 16-4, $664
10th: Tyler Trent, Nathalie, Va., five bass, 16-3, $581
Complete results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
Chris Brummett of Lynch Station, Virginia, caught a bass that weighed 8 pounds, 6 ounces, and earned the Berkley Big Bass Boater award of $760.
Dylan Gray of Goode, Virginia, won the Strike King co-angler division and a total of $2,490 Saturday, after bringing five bass to the scale that totaled 16 pounds, 3 ounces.
The top 10 Strike King co-anglers finished:
1st: Dylan Gray, Goode, Va., five bass, 16-3, $2,490
2nd: Dustin Riddle, Hiwassee, Va., five bass, 14-14, $1,245
3rd: Jacob Waller, Chatham, Va., three bass, 11-5, $1,029
4th: Scott Howard, Bedford, Va., five bass, 10-9, $539
4th: Brandon Miskell, Vienna, Va., two bass, 10-9, $729
6th: Dakoda Lucy, South Hill, Va., three bass, 10-5, $647
7th: Trevor Holman, Durham, N.C., four bass, 9-3, $394
7th: Patrick Hash, Roanoke, Va., three bass, 9-3, $394
9th: Brian Byrd, Roanoke, Va., three bass, 9-0, $332
10th: Timothy Kinder, Fairfax, Va., four bass, 8-10, $441
Dakoda Lucy of South Hill, Virginia, and Brandon Miskell of Vienna, Virginia, both caught bass that weighed in at 6 pounds, 3 ounces to split the Berkley Big Bass co-angler award of $380.
The top 45 boaters and co-anglers in the region based on point standings, along with the five tournament winners of each qualifying event, will qualify for the Oct. 5-7 BFL Regional tournament on the Potomac River in Marbury, Maryland. Boaters will fish for a top award of $60,000, including a new Phoenix 819 Pro with a 200-horsepower Mercury outboard and $10,000, while co-anglers will compete for a top award of $50,000, including a new Phoenix 819 Pro with a 200-horsepower Mercury outboard.
The 2023 Phoenix BFL Presented by T-H Marine is a 24-division circuit devoted to weekend anglers, with 128 events throughout the season, five qualifying tournaments in each division. The top 45 boaters and Strike King co-anglers from each division, along with the five qualifying event winners, will advance to one of six BFL Regional tournaments where they are competing to finish in the top six, which then qualifies them for one of the longest-running championships in all of competitive bass fishing – the BFL All-American. The 2023 All-American event will take place May 31-June 2, on Lake Hartwell in Seneca, South Carolina. The event is hosted by Visit Oconee SC.
Proud sponsors of the 2023 MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine include: 4WP, 13 Fishing, Abu Garcia, B&W Trailer Hitches, Berkley, Black Rifle Coffee, E3, Epic Baits, Favorite Fishing, General Tire, Grundéns, Gill, Lew’s, Lowrance, Mercury, Mossy Oak, Onyx, Phoenix, Polaris, Power-Pole, Strike King, Tackle Warehouse, T-H Marine, Toyota, Wiley X and YETI.
For complete details and updated tournament information, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular Bass Fishing League updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF5’s social media outlets at Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.
Koski Goes Slow and Shallow, Nets Win at Phoenix Bass Fishing League Event on Ross Barnett Reservoir
Thornton Tops Strike King Co-Angler Division
BRANDON, Miss. (March 6, 2023) – Boater Chuck Koski of Madison, Mississippi, caught a five-bass limit weighing 18 pounds, 7 ounces, Saturday to win the MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League (BFL) Presented by T-H Marine on Ross Barnett Reservoir. The tournament was the first event of the season for the BFL Mississippi Division. Koski earned $4,804 for his victory.
Koski said low water and muddy conditions on Ross Barnett forced him to search for better backwater bites. He slowed down his approach and targeted stumps and grass in shallow water with soft-plastic lizards and craw worms to boat his bag.
“I had two little pockets that I idled probably 45 minutes in and out to get to,” Koski said. “But then I found fish and caught them in 1½ to 2 feet of water. The trolling motor was churning mud all day long.”
Koski said he had four fish at 11 a.m. and relocated up river to another backwater hole, where he caught his fifth keeper and managed to cull once to add to his total weight.
“It wasn’t a great day of fishing,” Koski said. “The bites I got were good ones. This is the first BFL tournament I’ve fished in five or six years, so this win was a nice surprise.
“I never thought I had a chance to win this,” Koski added. “I was just hoping to be in the top five. I’ve had my feelings hurt many times coming to weigh-in with bigger bags than this on this lake this time of year. I feel like I never have enough on this lake.”
The top 10 boaters finished the tournament:
1st: Chuck Koski, Madison, Miss., five bass, 18-7, $4,804
2nd: Michael Aycock, Petal, Miss., five bass, 17-3, $1,902
3rd: Steven McCrea, Vancleave, Miss., five bass, 16-8, $1,267
4th: Terry Whittington, Laurel, Miss., five bass, 13-13, $888
5th: Johnny Simmons, Oxford, Miss., four bass, 13-6, $761
6th: Hayze Hutzel, Flowood, Miss., five bass, 13-3, $697
7th: Teddy Cranford, Collins, Miss., five bass, 12-14, $834
8th: Corey Sullivan, Brandon, Miss., four bass, 12-0, $507
8th: Marc Gatwood, Hattiesburg, Miss., five bass, 12-0, $507
8th: Ivy Bradshaw, Brandon, Miss, four bass, 12-0, $507
Complete results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
Dakota Fleming of Oak Grove, Louisiana, caught a largemouth that weighed 6 pounds, 13 ounces, and earned the Berkley Big Bass Boater award of $505.
Reggie Thornton of Columbus, Mississippi, won the Strike King co-angler division and $1,902 Saturday, after bringing five bass to the scale that totaled 15 pounds, 9 ounces.
The top 10 Strike King co-anglers finished:
1st: Reggie Thornton, Columbus, Miss., five bass, 15-9, $1,902
2nd: Tanner Peavy, Sumrall, Miss., two bass, 12-13, $1,203
3rd: Kevin Wisnoski, Canton, Miss, three bass, 11-5, $634
4th: Hunter Averett, Carriere, Miss., four bass, 11-1, $444
5th: Chase Fernandez, Mobile, Ala., four bass, 10-6, $380
6th: Austin Waldrup, Ellisville, Miss., four bass, 9-7, $349
7th: Ansel Davis, Tylertown, Miss., three bass, 8-13, $317
8th: David Wheat, Philadelphia, Miss., three bass, 7-11, $285
9th: Jimmy Hughes, Bartlett, Tenn., two bass, 6-14, $254
10th: Clay Chancellor, Louisville, Miss., three bass, 6-5, $222
Tanner Peavy of Sumrall, Mississippi, earned the Berkley Big Bass co-angler award of $252, catching a largemouth that weighed in at 7 pounds, 9 ounces – the largest co-angler catch of the day.
The top 45 boaters and co-anglers in the region based on point standings, along with the five tournament winners of each qualifying event, will qualify for the Oct. 5-7 BFL Regional tournament on Lake Eufaula in Eufaula, Oklahoma. Boaters will fish for a top award of $60,000, including a new Phoenix 819 Pro with a 200-horsepower Mercury outboard and $10,000, while co-anglers will compete for a top award of $50,000, including a new Phoenix 819 Pro with a 200-horsepower Mercury outboard.
The 2023 Phoenix BFL Presented by T-H Marine is a 24-division circuit devoted to weekend anglers, with 128 events throughout the season, five qualifying tournaments in each division. The top 45 boaters and Strike King co-anglers from each division, along with the five qualifying event winners, will advance to one of six BFL Regional tournaments where they are competing to finish in the top six, which then qualifies them for one of the longest-running championships in all of competitive bass fishing – the BFL All-American. The 2023 All-American event will take place May 31-June 2, on Lake Hartwell in Seneca, South Carolina. The event is hosted by Visit Oconee SC.
Proud sponsors of the 2023 MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine include: 4WP, 13 Fishing, Abu Garcia, B&W Trailer Hitches, Berkley, Black Rifle Coffee, E3, Epic Baits, Favorite Fishing, General Tire, Grundéns, Gill, Lew’s, Lowrance, Mercury, Mossy Oak, Onyx, Phoenix, Polaris, Power-Pole, Strike King, Tackle Warehouse, T-H Marine, Toyota, Wiley X and YETI.
For complete details and updated tournament information, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular Bass Fishing League updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF5’s social media outlets at Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.
McDonald Kicks Off Season With Win at Phoenix Bass Fishing League Event on Grand Lake
Moss Tops Strike King Co-Angler Division
GROVE, Okla. (March 6, 2023) – Boater Brendon McDonald of Claremore, Oklahoma, caught a five-bass limit weighing 21 pounds, 12 ounces, Saturday to win the MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League (BFL) Presented by T-H Marine on Grand Lake. The tournament, hosted by the City of Grove, was the first event of the year for the BFL Okie Division. McDonald earned $7,000 for his victory.
“It was a bit chilly this morning,” McDonald said with a laugh. “I ran to my first spot and fished for about 20 minutes and ended up hooking a fish that weighed 7-4, and that was the first fish in the livewell.”
McDonald said he landed another bass in that area and then decided to relocate. The mid-lake move paid off, as McDonald finished out his limit by fishing shallow brush. McDonald said he caught eight fish during the course of the tournament, and had his limit by 10:30 a.m. McDonald utilized an Alabama rig with Keitech swimbaits as well as a Berkley Stunna Jerkbait 12 to boat his bass.
“I didn’t figure I’d win the tournament, but I thought I’d be in the top five,” McDonald said. “This win feels great. I had taken a few years off after fishing with a torn ACL. But I thought, ‘I’m not getting any younger and it’s time to see what I can do. I put my focus on fishing the BFLs this year, and it feels good to get the year started off the right way.”
The top 10 boaters finished the tournament:
1st: Brendan McDonald, Claremore, Okla., five bass, 21-12, $7,000
2nd: Kyle Kitts, Joplin, Mo., five bass, 19-0, $3,000
3rd: Justin Barbour, Tulsa, Okla., five bass, 18-11, $2,000
4th: Sheldon Collings, Grove, Okla., five bass, 18-0, $1,400
5th: T.J. Martin, Claremore, Okla., five bass, 17-6, $1,700 (includes $500 Phoenix MLF Contingency Bonus)
6th: Kirk Smith, Edmond, Okla., five bass, 17-2, $1,300
7th: Mick Fenn, Grove, Okla., five bass, 16-7, $1,520
8th: Roger Fitzpatrick, Eldon, Mo., five bass, 16-4, $900
9th: Nathen Luce, Claremore, Okla., five bass, 16-2, $800
10th: Kevin Miller, Shell Knob, Mo., five bass, 15-11, $700
Complete results can be found at
.com.
McDonald’s 7-pound, 4-ounce bass earned him the Berkley Big Bass Boater award of $1,000.
Jeff Moss of Oronogo, Missouri, won the Strike King co-angler division and a total of $3,750 Saturday, after bringing five bass to the scale that totaled 13 pounds, 3 ounces.
The top 10 Strike King co-anglers finished:
1st: Jeff Moss, Oronogo, Mo., five bass, 13-3, $3,750
2nd: Jacob Cooper, Leon, Kan., four bass, 11-11, $1,500
3rd: Sydney McCoy, Oklahoma City, Okla., three bass, 11-3, $1,000
4th: Ken Hagar, Colcord, Okla., five bass, 10-1, $700
5th: Tanner Ray, Owasso, Okla., two bass, 9-3, $1,100
6th: Steve Duncan, Amarillo, Texas, two bass, 7-14, $550
7th: Kaleb O’Brien, Wagoner, Okla., two bass, 7-11, $500
8th: Bryce Steel, Wagoner, Okla., two bass, 6-13, $450
9th: Ronnie Weisinger, Miami, Okla., one bass, 6-7, $400
10th: Michael Shistine, Springdale, Ark., one bass, 5-14, $350
Tanner Ray of Owasso, Oklahoma earned the Berkley Big Bass co-angler award of $500, catching a bass that weighed in at 6 pounds, 12 ounces – the largest co-angler catch of the day.
The top 45 boaters and co-anglers in the region based on point standings, along with the five tournament winners of each qualifying event, will qualify for the Oct. 19-21 BFL Regional tournament on Lake of the Ozarks in Osage Beach, Missouri. Boaters will fish for a top award of $60,000, including a new Phoenix 819 Pro with a 200-horsepower Mercury outboard and $10,000, while co-anglers will compete for a top award of $50,000, including a new Phoenix 819 Pro with a 200-horsepower Mercury outboard.
The 2023 Phoenix BFL Presented by T-H Marine is a 24-division circuit devoted to weekend anglers, with 128 events throughout the season, five qualifying tournaments in each division. The top 45 boaters and Strike King co-anglers from each division, along with the five qualifying event winners, will advance to one of six BFL Regional tournaments where they are competing to finish in the top six, which then qualifies them for one of the longest-running championships in all of competitive bass fishing – the BFL All-American. The 2023 All-American event will take place May 31-June 2, on Lake Hartwell in Seneca, South Carolina. The event is hosted by Visit Oconee SC.
Proud sponsors of the 2023 MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine include: 4WP, 13 Fishing, Abu Garcia, B&W Trailer Hitches, Berkley, Black Rifle Coffee, E3, Epic Baits, Favorite Fishing, General Tire, Grundéns, Gill, Lew’s, Lowrance, Mercury, Mossy Oak, Onyx, Phoenix, Polaris, Power-Pole, Strike King, Tackle Warehouse, T-H Marine, Toyota, Wiley X and YETI.
For complete details and updated tournament information, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular Bass Fishing League updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF5’s social media outlets at Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.
Moll Wins Phoenix Bass Fishing League Debut at Kentucky and Barkley Lakes Event
Ordunez Dominates Strike King Co-Angler Division
GILBERTSVILLE, Ky. (March 6, 2023) – Boater Sam Moll of Hershey, Pennsylvania, 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 Kentucky/Barkley Lakes . The tournament, hosted by the Kentucky Lake Convention & Visitors Bureau, was the first event of the season for the BFL LBL Division. Moll’s BFL Boater Division debut win earned him $5,024.
Moll, who also fishes for the Murray State College Fishing team in Murray, Kentucky, said the tournament set up well for him, as the TVA was providing a lot of current. Moll said he likes to fish current at his home waters of the Susquehanna River in Pennsylvania. Moll said the Pennsylvania concepts applied to the Kentucky waters for the tournament.
“We pulled up and my co-angler caught a 5-pound largemouth early, and I caught about 17 pounds of smallmouth, and I had a limit within 45 minutes,” Moll said. “We just kept running current breaks all day.
“I caught a bunch of little ones – probably 40 that weighed 2½ to 3 pounds,” Moll added. “I was getting a little nervous, though, because I knew I needed some bigger ones.”
Moll said rain that occurred the day before the tournament played a key role in his win. He said he fished in five to seven feet of water from Moors Resort to Paris, Tennessee, and looked for clear water where bass were more likely to be found. He said he threw an Alabama rig, but switched to his go-to – a swimbait – when he found clear water. Moll said his two biggest fish came on the swimbait with an hour left to finish in the tournament.
“I wasn’t confident with my weight,” Moll said. “I thought I would be in the top 3, but I didn’t think I had enough to win. My buddy caught a 7-pounder last week on Kentucky Lake, and I thought that somebody would catch a couple of 4-pounders and then get lucky and catch a real big one, too. So, I was nervous.”
The top 10 boaters finished the tournament:
1st: Sam Moll, Hershey, Pa., five bass, 22-7, $5,024
2nd: Stephen Barga, Benton, Ky., five bass, 20-15, $2,512
3rd: Dan Morehead, Paducah, Ky., five bass, 20-7, $1,894
4th: Toby Corn, Paducah, Ky, five bass, 20-4, $1,172
5th: Richard Meuth, Henderson, Ky., five bass, 20-1, $1,005
6th: Marty Sisk, Evansville, Ind., five bass, 19-4, $921
7th: Harbor Lovin, New Concord, Ky., five bass, 18-15, $837
8th: David Young, Mayfield, Ky., five bass, 18-11, $754
9th: Todd Hollowell, Fishers, Ind., five bass, 17-4, $670
10th: Mike Summers, Fisherville, Ky., five bass, 16-8, $586
Complete results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
Keith Bailey of Simpson, Illinois, caught a bass that weighed 6 pounds, 3 ounces, and earned the Berkley Big Bass Boater award of $775.
Jesse Ordunez of Gilbertsville, Kentucky, won the Strike King co-angler division and a total of $2,662 Saturday, after bringing five bass to the scale that totaled 22 pounds, 1 ounce.
The top 10 Strike King co-anglers finished:
1st: Jesse Ordunez, Gilbertsville, Ky., five bass, 22-1, $2,662
2nd: Jacob Bovara, Wadsworth, Ill., five bass, 14-5, $1,237
3rd: Gary Huber II, Saint Charles, Mo., four bass, 13-4, $824
4th: Cowboy Tidwell, Madisonville, Ky., five bass, 12-10, $577
5th: Andrew Greene, Pegram, Tenn., five bass, 11-14, $495
6th: Cody Oliver, Kokomo, Ind., five bass, 11-5, $454
7th: Kevin Hancock, Marion, Ky., three bass, 11-2, $600
8th: Robert Burnette, Madisonville, Ky., three bass, 10-7, $571
9th: Jerry North II, Three Way, Tenn., four bass, 10-2, $330
10th: Ronald Franks, Hermitage, Tenn., three bass, 10-1, $289
Jesse Ordunez of Gilbertsville, Kentucky, and Kevin Hancock of Marion, Kentucky, each caught bass that weighed in at 5 pounds, 6 ounces to split the Berkley Big Bass co-angler award of $376.
The top 45 boaters and co-anglers in the region based on point standings, along with the five tournament winners of each qualifying event, will qualify for the Oct. 19-21 BFL Regional tournament on Lake of the Ozarks in Osage Beach, Missouri. Boaters will fish for a top award of $60,000, including a new Phoenix 819 Pro with a 200-horsepower Mercury outboard and $10,000, while co-anglers will compete for a top award of $50,000, including a new Phoenix 819 Pro with a 200-horsepower Mercury outboard.
The 2023 Phoenix BFL Presented by T-H Marine is a 24-division circuit devoted to weekend anglers, with 128 events throughout the season, five qualifying tournaments in each division. The top 45 boaters and Strike King co-anglers from each division, along with the five qualifying event winners, will advance to one of six BFL Regional tournaments where they are competing to finish in the top six, which then qualifies them for one of the longest-running championships in all of competitive bass fishing – the BFL All-American. The 2023 All-American event will take place May 31-June 2, on Lake Hartwell in Seneca, South Carolina. The event is hosted by Visit Oconee SC.
Proud sponsors of the 2023 MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine include: 4WP, 13 Fishing, Abu Garcia, B&W Trailer Hitches, Berkley, Black Rifle Coffee, E3, Epic Baits, Favorite Fishing, General Tire, Grundéns, Gill, Lew’s, Lowrance, Mercury, Mossy Oak, Onyx, Phoenix, Polaris, Power-Pole, Strike King, Tackle Warehouse, T-H Marine, Toyota, Wiley X and YETI.
For complete details and updated tournament information, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular Bass Fishing League updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF5’s social media outlets at Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.
McClung Claims Hometown Victory at Phoenix Bass Fishing League Event on West Point Lake
Winkler Wins Strike King Co-Angler Division
LAGRANGE, Ga. (March 6, 2023) – Boater David McClung of LaGrange, Georgia, caught a five-bass limit weighing 20 pounds even Saturday to win the MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League (BFL) Presented by T-H Marine on West Point Lake. The tournament, hosted by Visit LaGrange, was the second event for the BFL Bulldog Division. McClung earned $4,729 for his victory.
“I expected to catch a good bag this morning fishing main-lake points,” said McClung. “But that wasn’t happening. We didn’t have any wind and the water was too clear. So, I basically just looked for stained water in the backs of the creeks. We caught 15 to 20 spotted bass in the morning on a crankbait.”
McClung said both of his largest bass were caught on an Untamed Tackle Ace Jig in black and blue. He said he also rotated through chatter-style baits, swimbaits and square-bill crankbaits.
“I just caught them and put them in the livewell,” McClung said. “I didn’t weigh them. I thought I had between 16 to 17 pounds, and I knew that would be good enough for a good shot at a top-3 finish. But you never know at this lake.
“I knew there was a chance for a win,” McClung added. “Usually if you can get two kicker fish and three decent filler fish you always have a chance. This feels good, man. It’s been a long time coming.”
The top 10 boaters finished the tournament:
1st: David McClung, LaGrange, Ga., five bass, 20-0, $4,729
2nd: Robert Benson, Dahlonega, Ga., five bass, 18-3, $3,569 (includes $500 Phoenix MLF Contingency Bonus)
3rd: Blake Tomlin, Greenville, Ga., five bass, 17-8, $1,576
4th: Holland Harris, Dothan, Ala., five bass, 15-8, $1,103
5th: Bryan Asay, Newnan, Ga., five bass, 14-1, $946
6th: Dustin Smith, Lake Mary, Fla., five bass, 13-4, $867
7th: Lane Wright, Alpharetta, Ga., five bass, 13-2, $788
8th: Rock Crowe, Valley, Ala., five bass, 12-15, $709
9th: Kyle Welcher, Opelika, Ala., five bass, 12-10, $851
10th: Cory Mathis, Newnan, Ga., five bass, 12-9, $552
Complete results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
Robert Benson of Dahlonega, Georgia, caught a bass that weighed 6 pounds, 11 ounces, and earned the Berkley Big Bass Boater award of $705.
Benjie Winkler of Cleveland, Georgia, won the Strike King co-angler division and a total of $2,305 Saturday, after bringing five bass to the scale that totaled 12 pounds, 11 ounces.
The top 10 Strike King co-anglers finished:
1st: Benjie Winkler, Cleveland, Ga., five bass, 12-11, $2,305
2nd: Mark Ware, LaGrange, Ga., five bass, 10-12, $960
2nd: Jackson Riddle, Watkinsville, Ga., five bass, 10-12, $960
4th: Tony Stevens, Monroe, Ga., five bass, 10-1, $538
5th: Austin Robinson, Temple, Ga., five bass, 10-0, $461
6th: Lance Spencer, Donalsonville, Ga., five bass, 9-10, $423
7th: Steve Walls, Cumming, Ga., five bass, 9-9, $584
8th: Kelly Reese, Cartersville, Ga., five bass, 9-8, $496
9th: Randy Reese, Woodstock, Ga., five bass, 9-6, $288
9th: Justin Foster, Thomaston, Ga., five bass, 9-6, $288
Donald Dills of Mineral Bluff, Georgia, earned the Berkley Big Bass co-angler award of $335, catching a bass that weighed in at 4 pounds, 10 ounces – the largest co-angler catch of the day.
After two events, Matthew O’Connell of Brooks, Georgia, leads the BFL Bulldog Division Boater Angler of the Year (AOY) race with 476 points, while Lance Spencer of Donalsonville, Georgia, leads the Strike King Co-Angler Division AOY race with 495 points.
The top 45 boaters and co-anglers in the region based on point standings, along with the five tournament winners of each qualifying event, will qualify for the Oct. 19-21 BFL Regional tournament on Lake Norman in Huntersville, North Carolina. Boaters will fish for a top award of $60,000, including a new Phoenix 819 Pro with a 200-horsepower Mercury outboard and $10,000, while co-anglers will compete for a top award of $50,000, including a new Phoenix 819 Pro with a 200-horsepower Mercury outboard.
The 2023 Phoenix BFL Presented by T-H Marine is a 24-division circuit devoted to weekend anglers, with 128 events throughout the season, five qualifying tournaments in each division. The top 45 boaters and Strike King co-anglers from each division, along with the five qualifying event winners, will advance to one of six BFL Regional tournaments where they are competing to finish in the top six, which then qualifies them for one of the longest-running championships in all of competitive bass fishing – the BFL All-American. The 2023 All-American event will take place May 31-June 2, on Lake Hartwell in Seneca, South Carolina. The event is hosted by Visit Oconee SC.
Proud sponsors of the 2023 MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine include: 4WP, 13 Fishing, Abu Garcia, B&W Trailer Hitches, Berkley, Black Rifle Coffee, E3, Epic Baits, Favorite Fishing, General Tire, Grundéns, Gill, Lew’s, Lowrance, Mercury, Mossy Oak, Onyx, Phoenix, Polaris, Power-Pole, Strike King, Tackle Warehouse, T-H Marine, Toyota, Wiley X and YETI.
For complete details and updated tournament information, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular Bass Fishing League updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF5’s social media outlets at Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.
BILL TO CAP UNFAIR TOURNAMENT FEES CLEARS FIRST HURDLE
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Grassroots push and NPAA backing float bill to Senate with high hopes for approval. |
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Forestville, WI (March 6, 2023) – The economic impact for a community hosting a major fishing tournament can be substantial. Local and regional tournaments generate commerce, too, and add to the vitality of a region. Student anglers become more engrained in conservation with every moment they spend on the water. And charitable fishing tournaments raise funds for numerous great causes. But in North Dakota, all the above have been hindered by exorbitant state fees. Fortunately, a group of commonsense fishing and conservation advocates in the Peace Garden State invested in making real change... “It’s official, House Bill 1538 has passed through the North Dakota House of Representatives by a vote of 90-2-2!” proclaimed Geremy Olson of Washburn, ND, soon after receiving the good news in late February. “Now it’s onto the North Dakota Senate and then the Governor’s desk to be signed into law, we hope. We really need this bill to go all the way because it’s necessary to put North Dakota on a level playing field with surrounding states when it comes to holding high-quality fishing tournaments on our waters.” |
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House Bill 1538 will remove barriers for high school angling in North Dakota. High school angling is growing rapidly in other states. |
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Designed to right a wrong that has unfairly imposed exorbitant fees on fishing tournament organizers, severely restricted the fundraising potential of charity fishing events, and deterred major fishing tours like the National Walleye Tour (NWT), Masters Walleye Circuit (MWC) and some of the large bass tournaments from investing in North Dakota, passing through the House was a major hurdle to clear. It’s not only a big win for anyone who enjoys competitive tournament fishing across the state, but also small businesses, communities, charities, and future student anglers in North Dakota. According to Olson, who helped author the bill, it was grass roots activism, including individuals and communities that have been negatively affected by the current rule, along with backing from top level recreational fishing advocacy organizations such as the National Professional Anglers Association (NPAA), that culminated in this initial victory – but it will take more effort to push the bill through the North Dakota Senate and, eventually, across the Governor’s desk for a final sign-off. “As things stand now,” explains Olson, who is an NPAA supporting partner and a long time NPAA member, “any entity that wishes to host a fishing tournament in North Dakota must first obtain a permit. The cost for the permit is a 10% conservation fee based on the entry and participation fees generated by the tournament. That formula eats up a significant amount of the profits – or funds raised at charity fishing tournaments. Until recently, there was a $5,000 cap on the conservation fee, which is used for projects such as building and improving boat ramps, but North Dakota Game and Fish quietly removed that cap in 2020 during the pandemic causing the fee for some tournaments to more than double. In the case of the National Walleye Tour, the conservation fee could be over $45,000 with a full field. This is a virtual ban on national tournaments coming to North Dakota. It’s simply price prohibitive. Major fishing trails have been staying away from North Dakota since the fees for them to host such tournaments are now far too high.” |
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Large national events are a huge economic boost to communities. (Bassmaster Classic weigh-in image courtesy of BASS.) |
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The conservation fees are also a serious barrier to student angling. The current rules require a high school fishing team to get a tournament permit just to practice if they have more than 15 boats. A $10,000 conservation fee is also required if a student tournament is free to enter but gives away scholarships. So, the conservation fees student tournaments must pay are now enormous, especially compared to our surrounding states. “Student anglers are losing opportunities, towns that would like to host fishing tournaments are losing hundreds of thousands of dollars in revenue, and North Dakotans who would like to compete on their home waters while fishing on a national stage are taking their competitive efforts to neighboring states,” continues Olson. “In Minnesota, the tournament permit fee costs $250. In Wisconsin, it's $25 – and in South Dakota it’s free no matter the amount of entry fees. “How are we supposed to compete with that?” he asks, incredulously. According to Patrick Neu, NPAA’s president, the organization was quickly notified by members and partners when the rule was changed to remove the cap. NPAA immediately stepped in to initiate and coordinate a rapid and strong response, which included working with Olson and a committed group of anglers and community leaders to write and introduce at the state level a law that would stop hurting communities and businesses in North Dakota, while meeting the needs of those who run and participate in fishing tournaments across the state. |
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Free youth fishing clinics are often part of a tournament weekend. |
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Removing that $5,000 cap on the conservation fee from the current rule drastically affected the future of high-level fishing tournament events in North Dakota,” explained Neu, “Our response was to immediately make our members aware of the change while encouraging them to get involved in rectifying the situation by reaching out to local and state representatives. We also got behind the growing grassroots movement, meeting with the State’s Game and Fish Department and enforcement agencies and rallying support from other significant recreational fishing organizations including the American Sportfishing Association and Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation.” With the bill now headed to the North Dakota Senate, the state’s anglers, NPAA’s members, and a substantial supporting cast from other recreational fishing advocacy organizations, are doubling-down on their grassroots efforts to replace the unjust 10% conservation tax with an equally applied permit fee. Doing this will make student angling possible, allow charities to have successful fundraising events, and bring back national tournament fishing events to North Dakota, while raising more money for conservation and access projects at the local level. “I think we are on the right track now,” says Olson. “Everyone involved intends to keep the pressure on. Removing the cap on the conservation fee was devastating to the communities here. With help from the NPAA, as well as other recreational fishing organizations, individual anglers, and the rest of our grassroots movement, we are hoping this bill gets signed into law and at least some of those well-recognized tournament trails will be back in the future. Thanks to all who have lent support to our efforts, and please keep up the great work. This wouldn’t be possible without your help.” |
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Patrick Neu, NPAA president is among the contingent of industry advocates that met with lawmakers on Capitol Hill in April of 2022. |
LOOKING AHEAD TO THE 2023 SEASON
The 2023 NPFL season is getting ready to blast off with Pickwick Lake first up March 15-17.
Story by Justin Brouillard | Photos by Tanner & Travis Lyons
As the 2023 season approaches and the anglers make their way to Pickwick Lake for Stop number 1 on March 15-17, the preparation and anticipation have begun, with the anglers looking forward to getting the season started. With lots of returning anglers, and several new folks to the NPFL tournament trail, we connected with a few of each to get the inside scoop of their journey to ‘the league’ and the events they have their eyes on.
Hailing from Georgia, Will Harkins has lots of history on Lake Lanier and is surely looking forward to stop number 6. The spotted bass fishery is within an hour from his home base in Blairsville, and the opportunity to compete on the professional level on one of his favorite lakes is worth the excitement.
“When god opens a door, you walk through, and that is exactly what I did with the NPFL this season,” said Harkins. “Adding Lanier to the schedule is a bonus as I have spent many days out there fishing. October is a weird time of year but anytime I can chase down spotted bass on that fishery, I am happy.”
Harkins loves to spend time offshore with a spinning rod in hand and growing up on Lake Lanier and Chatuge Lake certainly played a hand. With that said, shallow water lakes are not in his wheelhouse but the opportunity to expand and fish new places is something he is looking forward to.
“Wright Patman is one of those lakes where I definitely have no history and my strengths don’t include shallow fishing,” he said. I have the support this season – the Blairsville Chamber of Commerce, Heavens Harvest and Cameo Fencing – and the drive to make it happen. I am excited for the new experience.”
Stephanie Hemphill-Pellerin is from Texas and is certainly not new to the fishing scene. Having spent several years fishing regional and national trails, the opportunity to hop on board with the NPFL was an easy decision.
“I have heard many great things about the NPFL from the “family” environment to the structure of the tournaments,” Said Hemphill-Pellerin. Also, the top prize of $100,000 is enough to catch the attention of any tournament angler.”
While living in Texas, it’s obvious the northern fisheries are not on top of her list of places with history, and the addition of wind and waves is even less appealing. Additionally, Wright Patman is a cool four hour drive from Village Mills. The event that best suits her fishing style for the season is Pickwick Lake.
“I really enjoy fishing bluff walls and current based lakes in general,” she added. “Watching them eat a jerkbait on Humminbird MEGA Live, fishing offshore with a dropshot, or just picking the bank apart with a stick bait are all things I enjoy – I just want to catch fish.”
Brant Cochran is from Illinois and loves fishing lakes with flooded timber and cover. The Santee Cooperevent is on his mind as well as the places that will require more effort in the form of pre practice and planning.
“I am naturally most nervous about the places I have zero history with, so probably Lake Eufaula,” said Cochran. “However, regardless, I will have done my share of pre planning and prep work before those events and I look forward to the challenges.”
Cochran made the switch to the NPFL due to hearing talk of well run events, similar to Hemphill-Pellerin, and had great discussions with owners and other anglers leading up.
“I really like the organization principles and the ownership group and leaders are awesome people,” he said. “My strengths are definitely when I have a plastic in my hand – a Texas rig or wacky rig – but I really am looking forward to this season and the variety of events.”
Another angler looking forward to stop number one has fished the Tennessee River in previous years but mostly in the springtime. Reagan Nelson is another Texas angler in the field and has college level experience on Pickwick specifically.
“I am probably most excited about Pickwick as I have had some good finishes in past college events there – it’s Lake Lanier I am the most worried about,” said Nelson. “I have not been there before nor do I have much time on those types of fisheries in general.”
Like most, Nelson has had a lifelong dream to fish at the professional level and the NPFL was an opportunity he just couldn’t pass up.
As a shallow water angler, Kyle Delong is at his best with heavy gear and a frog tied on. After watching the largemouth beatdown the NPFL anglers put down at Saginaw Bay in 2022, one may think the Michigan angler would have it circled on his calendar.
“It’s actually Pickwick in a few weeks because I am eager and ready to get the year started,” said Delong. “I have no history at Pickwick so the thrill of learning a new body of water has me excited – we will have to wait and see if it fits my fishing style when we get there for practice.”
Fishing at a professional level has been a goal and the NPFL opportunity to fish was one he simply could not pass up.
“I did my research and everyone I talked to had nothing but good things to say,” added Delong. “ I am glad to join in on all the fun. The one place I am least looking forward to is Eufaula – I will be making that drive from Maryland and it’s going to be a long couple weeks, but I am going to put my best foot forward!”
Returning for his third season, John Cox of Carrollton, Georgia has his eyes set on a new destination for the NPFL in 2023.
“I am most looking forward to Santee Cooper, not Lanier, as it fits my preferred style of fishing and I have had some past success on that body of water,” said Cox. “Anywhere I can target cover with moving baits, swim jigs and bladed jigs, that’s my confidence stuff.”
The most recent Progressive Angler of the Year winner Gary Adkins is also back for 2023 and has a big list of lakes he is excited to fish this season.
“There are a lot of lakes this season that fit my style and I am looking forward to getting those events going,” said Adkins. “Lakes such as Pickwick, Saginaw Bay, Eufaula, and Lanier all are places I feel like will fit my style of offshore fishing. I think those events will be won offshore and that is what I will be looking to do.”
On the contrary, there are new lakes for this season that Adkins anticipates will be shallow water events and those are the ones he hopes to survive.
“The lakes that will be shallow, and ones I have not fished before are Wright Patman and Lake Santee Cooper,” added Adkins. “There are a lot of great shallow water anglers in the field.”
Kevin Rogers has done the research on the season and Lake Lanier stood out. Living in Missouri, it’s not a place he has much experience with, but the opportunity to chase fish around with his electronics is something he is excited for.
“Lanier could be one of those special places where I get to do exactly what I like to do,” said Rogers. “There is something about spotted bass, I love to target and catch them, and I have heard that it should be a phenomenal event. Whenever I get a jerkbait or dropshot in hand, and can use Livescope, I am happy.”
On the contrary, Pickwick Lake is probably where Rogers is least excited about.
“I am super excited to get the season going, but Pickwick, I don’t understand that place at all, the current, how they set up, nothing,” added Rogers.
How to Watch
Tune in daily March 15 through 17 to watch daily action from Florence, AL, with Live Coverage here and on the FREE PHYX TV App beginning on Friday.
Follow along and watch the daily LIVE Leaderboard, LIVE Blog, and on the water photo galleries and blogs of the anglers on the Pickwick Lake.
Under the Go Live Tab, choose LIVE Broadcast with links to the real-time LIVE Leaderboard with estimated weights entered by the anglers.
Major League Fishing and Bass Pro Shops Announce Historic 5-Year Sponsorship Extension
Deal Renews in 2024, Establishing North America’s Premier Outdoor and Conservation Retailer to Remain Title Sponsor of Bass Pro Tour and Exclusive Sporting Goods Retailer Through 2028
BENTON, Ky. and SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (March. 6, 2023) – Major League Fishing (MLF), the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization, and Bass Pro Shops, North America’s premier outdoor and conservation company, alongside White River Marine Group, the World’s #1 Boat Builder, announced today a historic agreement. Extending and expanding on their original sponsorship agreement, Bass Pro Shops will become the exclusive sporting goods retailer and White River Marine Group brands Nitro, Ranger and Triton will become the exclusive performance fishing boat brands for MLF events, including the Bass Pro Tour, REDCREST, the General Tire Heavy Hitters all-star event and the General Tire Team Series. Bass Pro Shops will also remain the title sponsor of the Bass Pro Tour through 2028.
"Bass Pro Shops was an original founding partner in our sponsorship family, and their support of Major League Fishing has been unwavering as we’ve grown and expanded over the past dozen years," said Jim Wilburn, MLF President of Sales. "We’re extremely proud of our long-term partnership with Bass Pro Shops, and we’ve enjoyed building the Bass Pro Tour, REDCREST, Heavy Hitters and the Team Series alongside them. If it weren’t for Johnny Morris’ support, the Bass Pro Tour would have never happened. We look forward to many more successful years to come working alongside Johnny and his teams, the unquestioned leaders in outdoor retail."
The sponsorship agreement marks an extension of the original five-year agreement that Bass Pro Shops signed in 2019 when the MLF Bass Pro Tour was initially launched. In addition to the title sponsorship of the Bass Pro Tour, Bass Pro Shops will also remain the title sponsor of the General Tire Team Series Championship, the presenting sponsor of the General Tire Heavy Hitters All-Star event, and White River Marine Group brands Nitro, Ranger and Triton will become the exclusive boat brands for the Bass Pro Tour, General Tire Heavy Hitters and the General Tire Team Series.
“When Bass Pro Shops became one of our initial sponsors back in 2011, we were confident this partnership would be an ideal fit,” said Boyd Duckett, MLF President and CEO. “Our two organizations have similar corporate values, and we are proud with the direction this relationship has grown. Partnering with a global leader like Bass Pro Shops has allowed us to make significant steps towards building the sport of competitive bass fishing, our conservation efforts, and enhancing the overall tournament angler experience.”
“We are proud to stand alongside Major League Fishing to promote the great sport of fishing to fans around the world,” Bass Pro Shops founder and noted conservationist Johnny Morris said. “Together we can do great things to support conservation while creating many positive opportunities for kids, families, professional anglers and the sport itself.”
Bass Pro Shops will be prominently featured across numerous MLF media platforms, including its tournaments and activations, website and social media channels, and the MLF television programming on CBS, the Discovery Channel, the Outdoor Channel, the World Fishing Network and on-demand on MyOutdoorTV (MOTV). As part of the sponsorship agreement, Bass Pro Shops also will be showcased as a premier retailer at the General Tire Outdoor Sports Expo, March 10-12, in Charlotte, North Carolina, in conjunction with REDCREST 2023, the Bass Pro Tour championship event.
For complete details and updated information on Major League Fishing, its tournaments, and sponsors, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF’s social media outlets at Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.
DiPalma dazzles in Bassmaster Kayak Series win at Lake Guntersville
Greg DiPalma of Millville, N.J., has won the 2023 Yamaha Rightwaters Bassmaster Kayak Series at Lake Guntersville powered by TourneyX with a two-day total of 189.75 inches.
Photo by Mark Cisneros/B.A.S.S.
March 5, 2023
SCOTTSBORO, Ala. — Greg DiPalma has spent four days total fishing out of his Old Town Sportsman Autopilot 136 kayak.
That did not stop the Bassmaster Elite Series pro from winning the Yamaha Rightwaters Bassmaster Kayak Series powered by TourneyX at Lake Guntersville with a two-day total of 189.75 inches.
It was the first event of the Kayak Series season and the first victory the New Jersey pro has secured in Bassmaster competition. He is the second Elite Series pro to win a Kayak Series event after Mike Iaconelli won at Chesapeake Bay in 2021.
“I just like bass fishing. I burn to fish tournaments and this is why I do it,” DiPalma said. “I’m super excited. We all want to win, but I wasn’t expecting to just come out here and win the very first one.
“I’m going to take my kayak back home and rub it against my bass boat for good luck.”
After landing in fifth with 93.75 inches after the first day, DiPalma caught 96 inches on Sunday to jump into the top spot.
Since qualifying for the Elite Series, DiPalma had supplemented his Elite schedule with at least one division of the St. Croix Bassmaster Opens — until this year, when he decided to try something new with the Kayak Series.
Although new to kayaking specifically, DiPalma has fished out of other smaller boats before.
He now has four career tournaments under his belt at Guntersville, including a 23rd-place finish during the 2020 Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic presented by Toyota, an event he firmly believes he would have had a chance to win if a strong storm system not muddied his primary area.
When a powerful cold front brought severe storms and wind to northern Alabama the final day of practice, DiPalma thought the same thing might happen this time around. Fortunately for him, the water in his area wasn’t drastically affected.
Not only did DiPalma win his first-ever kayak event, he won using a bait he designed that just hit the market. That was the new Nomad Swimtrex MAX lipless crankbait, which has been in the making for two years.
“It is like you are reeling a ChatterBait. It is a very hard-thumping lipless crankbait,” he said. “Years ago, when it was lipless season in South Jersey, I always struggled to catch fish on it. It was a bait I could never catch them on. Now, if it is a lipless tournament, I always feel like I have a chance to win.”
Focusing on prespawners, DiPalma fished four little ditches where bass were staging that led into a spawning flat. Those ditches had a mixture of hydrilla, coontail and milfoil on the edges.
On Day 1, the bass were in less than a foot of water and each cast he was either getting caught in the grass or getting bit. On the second day, with an assist from an east wind, the bass moved out toward the ends of those ditches in 5 or 6 feet of water.
With the full moon the night before, DiPalma said more fish moved in too.
“If you had asked me after yesterday, I would have said I was on the winning fish,” he said. “But a whole new batch of fish moved in last night with the full moon and that re-amped my whole day pretty much. I lost a big one, but thought there were new ones coming because I was catching a bunch of fresh males too.”
Not only were more bass moving in, but anglers were moving out. On Day 1, several other kayakers and about 20 bass boats fished around DiPalma. On Day 2, however, he found he had the area mostly to himself and that made a huge difference in his mind.
“I truly think I outfished every person that was in there,” he said. “Today was a blessing, for some odd reason, there were two boats all day in that big stretch. I had it all to myself. At the end of the day, that allowed me to win the tournament.”
South Carolina’s Ryan Thompson finished second with a two-day total of 187.5 inches. He followed his 93.5-inch Day 1 performance with 94 inches on Day 2, jumping him from sixth to runner-up.
With the volatile weather pattern ahead of the tournament, he elected not to practice. Instead, he drove around and checked out all of the eligible ramps on Thursday and then in the small window of calmer weather Friday, he launched by his hotel but did not see anything promising.
Using his Garmin, Thompson decided to focus on two offshore “shoals.” After a frustrating morning, Thompson caught a 22.25-incher on a Z-Man ChatterBait JackHammer.
“When the sun got to its highest point, I pulled up on the shoal where I caught (her),” he said. “I was creeping the JackHammer back up the drop from 15 feet of water and she was in about 13 feet. I swung back around to the other spot and sat on top of the shoal and was fan casting off the drop. It was back to back.”
On Day 2, Thompson returned to the area and had another productive mid-morning and afternoon period. While he was catching good quality and numbers on his best spot, his biggest fish on the final day (a 19.75 largemouth) came off his secondary area.
“It was pretty much nonstop until lines out,” he added.
Keying in on spawners and bass migrating to spawn, former Kayak Series champion Rus Snyders claimed third place with 184.5 inches followed by Dylan Smith in fourth 179.25 and Joshua Diehl in fifth with 177.25.
Jay Muller earned $500 for the Big Bass of the Tournament, a 23-inch largemouth he caught on Day 2.
The record field of 234 anglers earned points toward the Dakota Lithium Bassmaster Kayak Series Angler of the Year race. The full standings will be published on Bassmaster.com this week. The second event of the season is scheduled for Lake Hartwell on April 15-16.
Barnes hangs on to win first Bassmaster Open of the season on Alabama’s Lake Eufaula
Justin Barnes of Ellaville, Ga., has won the 2023 St. Croix Bassmaster Open at Lake Eufaula with a two-day total of 48 pounds, 9 ounces.
Photo by Andy Crawford/B.A.S.S.
March 4, 2023
Barnes hangs on to win first Bassmaster Open of the season on Alabama’s Lake Eufaula
EUFAULA, Ala. — With only a couple hours remaining in the St. Croix Bassmaster Open at Lake Eufaula, Justin Barnes felt the tournament slipping away.
The Day 1 leader, Barnes was struggling Saturday after foul weather blew through the area Friday and forced cancellation of the day’s competition. But the 28-year-old lineman with Georgia Power was able to flip the switch on his home water.
The move from a football jig to a series of deep-diving crankbaits put a charge in Barnes, who lives an hour away in Ellaville, Ga. He finished with a two-day total of 48 pounds, 9 ounces, and topped the field of 225 anglers from around the U.S. and beyond.
The victory earned Barnes a spot in the 2024 Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic presented by Toyota in Tulsa, Okla. He’ll have to fish the remaining two Division I Opens events this year (on Alabama’s Wheeler Lake May 18-20 and Florida’s Harris Chain of Lakes Oct. 12-14) to secure the Classic berth, but he said that’s a given with a win on Eufaula in the bag.
“I’m just glad to be able to be out here and fish,” he said, shortly after securing his win before a big crowd at Lakepoint State Park. “It’s what I love.”
But that wasn’t so much the case Saturday, when Barnes was struggling mightily.
“I really felt the wheels falling off,” he said. “I only had two fish at 2 o’clock. I was having a bad day. I was starting to get worried, and I was frustrated.”
The key change, Barnes said, was deciding to go back to the crankbaits that helped him catch a 25-6 limit on Thursday. He said Strike King 6XD and 10XD lures and a Berkley Dredger 20.5 (threadfin shad HD) were essential to his good fortune. He weighed a 23-3 limit Saturday but said the total could have been heavier.
“I lost a few key bites, but still had enough,” Barnes said. “I had to keep hitting the hard spots and secondary points ... The front knocked my fish in the head. I stopped on a whole bunch of fish today and couldn’t get them to eat. And I was throwing the whole boat at ‘em.
“But the higher the sun got, the better the bite got.”
Barnes also won $52,500 for Saturday’s victory, part of a $333,000 total purse split among the Top 40 competitors in both the pro and co-angler divisions competing at Eufaula. He topped his bounty with a $500 contingency prize for being the highest finisher using Garmin electronics.
Shaine Campbell of Brookeland, Texas, cranked his way to a second-place finish (45-14 overall) and won $25,500. He caught 24-8 on Saturday, relying primarily on a Berkley Dredger 20.5 (citrus shad). A 6th Sense 300 Crush DD (blue/chartreuse) crankbait was his go-to lure on Day 1, when he bagged a 21-6 limit and sat in seventh place.
“There were some really nice bite windows today,” Campbell said. “I wasn’t sure what to expect with these warm, bluebird conditions following yesterday’s front. I got on a couple flurries and caught a 6-pounder and a 5-pounder about 10 o’clock.”
As part of the Yamaha Power Pay program, Campbell also took home an additional $2,000.
Rounding out the Top 5 were third, Texas’ Brett Cannon, 44-11; fourth, Tennessee’s John Garrett, 44-1; and fifth, Texas’ Ben Milliken, 41-5.
Cannon, who guides on Texas’ prolific bass lakes, also relied on crankbaits to get a podium finish at Eufaula.
“I had to cast a few thousand times with that Strike King 10XD chartreuse sexy shad,” he said. “My fish were anywhere in 15 to 20 feet of water. And the hard bottom was key. When you got that crankbait down there and felt it digging on that hard stuff, you knew you were in the right area.”
Garrett had the big bag of the tournament, a 27-6 sack he weighed Saturday, the heaviest bass weighing an even 7 pounds. The former College Series champion said his best bass came on Strike King 6XD crankbaits in citrus shad, green gizzard and chartreuse/blue back.
“I caught fish on flats in 10 to 15 feet of water,” Garrett said. “The spots didn’t hold many fish, but they were the right fish. I’d pull up and catch one then back off for an hour or so, then go back and get another one. I didn’t want to milk it too bad.”
Alex Heintze of Denham Springs, La., won the $750 Phoenix Boats Big Bass Award with the 7-7 hog he weighed Thursday. Greg Bohannan of Bentonville, Ark., caught a 7-4, which was the heaviest bass on Saturday.
Avery Williams, a 20-year-old from Murrells Inlet, S.C., topped the nonboater field with a two-day total of six bass weighing 17-6. Williams was in 10th place among nonboaters after Day 1, but only caught one fish until the closing minutes of Day 2. A pair of late catches helped him win the 116-person division.
Williams collected $13,147 for the win. Steven West of Mooreville, Miss., finished second with 15-10 and Clayton Ellis, of Saltillo, Miss., placed third with 15-6. West had the Big Bass among co-anglers with the 5-13 he caught Thursday, good for a $250 Big Bass prize from Phoenix Boats.
New to this year’s Bassmaster Open Series is the Elite Qualifier division, with 175 participating anglers fishing each all nine events hoping to grab one of nine berths in the prestigious Bassmaster Elite Series in 2024.
After the first of nine Opens, the Top 10 in the points standings are Campbell with 199, followed Cannon with 198, Garrett with 197, Milliken with 196, Jack York of Emory, Texas, with 195, Logan Parks of Auburn, Ala., with 192, Jon Canada of Helena, Ala., with 191, Josh Bragg of Fayetteville, Ga., with 190, Wesley Gore of Clanton, Ala., with 189 and Jacob Bigelow of Cecil, Wis., with 188.
Though he earned the all-important Classic berth, Barnes is not participating in the EQs division.
2023 St. Croix Bassmaster Open at Lake Eufaula Alabama 3/2-3/4
Lake Eufaula, Eufaula AL.
(BOATER) Standings Day 3
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Pts Total $$$
1. Justin Barnes Ellaville, GA 10 48-09 200 $53,000.00
Day 1: 5 25-06 Day 2: 5 23-03 Day 3: 0 00-00
2. Shaine Campbell Brookeland, TX 10 45-14 199 $25,500.00
Day 1: 5 21-06 Day 2: 5 24-08 Day 3: 0 00-00
3. Brett Cannon Willis, TX 10 44-11 198 $18,000.00
Day 1: 5 23-01 Day 2: 5 21-10 Day 3: 0 00-00
4. John Garrett Union City, TN 10 44-01 197 $15,000.00
Day 1: 5 16-11 Day 2: 5 27-06 Day 3: 0 00-00
5. Ben Milliken New Caney, TX 10 41-05 196 $13,050.00
Day 1: 5 18-04 Day 2: 5 23-01 Day 3: 0 00-00
6. Jack York Emory, TX 10 41-01 195 $12,000.00
Day 1: 5 20-04 Day 2: 5 20-13 Day 3: 0 00-00
7. Tucker Smith Shoal Creek, AL 10 40-15 194 $11,250.00
Day 1: 5 17-10 Day 2: 5 23-05 Day 3: 0 00-00
8. Brandon Lester Fayetteville, TN 10 40-15 193 $10,500.00
Day 1: 5 21-09 Day 2: 5 19-06 Day 3: 0 00-00
9. Logan Parks Auburn, AL 10 40-00 192 $8,250.00
Day 1: 5 20-09 Day 2: 5 19-07 Day 3: 0 00-00
10. Jon Canada Helena, AL 10 39-15 191 $6,750.00
Day 1: 5 22-12 Day 2: 5 17-03 Day 3: 0 00-00
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
PHOENIX BOATS BIG BASS
Alex Heintze Denham Springs, LA 07-07 $750.00
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Totals
Day #Limits #Fish Weight
1 136 905 2640-06
2 110 802 2246-08
3 0 0 00-00
----------------------------------
246 1707 4886-14
2023 St. Croix Bassmaster Open at Lake Eufaula Alabama 3/2-3/4
Lake Eufaula, Eufaula AL.
(NON_BOATER) Standings Day 2
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Pts Total $$$
1. Avery Williams Murrells Inlet, SC 6 17-06 200 $13,147.00
Day 1: 3 08-11 Day 2: 3 08-11
2. Steven West Mooreville, MS 6 15-10 199 $3,343.00
Day 1: 3 09-14 Day 2: 3 05-12
3. Clayton Ellis Saltillo, MS 6 15-06 198 $2,320.00
Day 1: 3 08-13 Day 2: 3 06-09
4. Eric Camarote The Villages, FL 6 15-05 197 $1,740.00
Day 1: 3 07-12 Day 2: 3 07-09
5. Billy Limerick Chandler, TX 6 15-02 196 $1,624.00
Day 1: 3 06-11 Day 2: 3 08-07
6. Mike Spears Jasper, AL 4 13-10 195 $1,547.00
Day 1: 3 10-05 Day 2: 1 03-05
7. Michael Leach Shenandoah, TX 6 13-09 194 $1,469.00
Day 1: 3 05-11 Day 2: 3 07-14
8. Marrell Deering Rome, GA 6 13-04 193 $1,392.00
Day 1: 3 07-09 Day 2: 3 05-11
9. Pheerayout See Rochester, MN 5 12-14 192 $1,276.00
Day 1: 2 03-13 Day 2: 3 09-01
10. Zachery Kuhn Summerfield, FL 5 12-11 191 $1,160.00
Day 1: 3 09-00 Day 2: 2 03-11
11. Parker Knudsen Minnetonka, MN 6 12-11 190 $1,083.00
Day 1: 3 04-15 Day 2: 3 07-12
12. Ashton Smith Lake Helen, FL 5 12-06 189 $1,005.00
Day 1: 3 09-03 Day 2: 2 03-03
13. John Higginbotham Slaughter, LA 6 12-05 188 $851.00
Day 1: 3 05-05 Day 2: 3 07-00
14. Neal Wisinski Stevens Point, WI 6 12-01 187 $773.00
Day 1: 3 06-11 Day 2: 3 05-06
15. Chad Stahl Barnesville, GA 6 12-00 186 $696.00
Day 1: 3 06-15 Day 2: 3 05-01
16. Mark Moore Freeport, FL 5 12-00 185 $619.00
Day 1: 3 05-02 Day 2: 2 06-14
17. Bill Hutchison Jr. Bessemer, AL 4 11-15 184 $580.00
Day 1: 3 10-06 Day 2: 1 01-09
18. Dawson Wisner Palatka, FL 5 11-15 183 $580.00
Day 1: 3 07-08 Day 2: 2 04-07
19. Rick Cheatham Carterville, IL 4 11-12 182 $580.00
Day 1: 2 07-00 Day 2: 2 04-12
20. Mark Guhne Hixson, TN 5 11-11 181 $580.00
Day 1: 3 05-14 Day 2: 2 05-13
21. Jim Williams Winter Springs, GA 5 11-05 180 $541.00
Day 1: 2 05-01 Day 2: 3 06-04
22. John Hatfield Panama City, FL 6 11-05 179 $541.00
Day 1: 3 05-04 Day 2: 3 06-01
23. Corey Yaden Grovetown, GA 5 11-04 178 $541.00
Day 1: 3 07-03 Day 2: 2 04-01
24. Brad Goetz Waunakee, WI 5 11-03 177 $541.00
Day 1: 3 07-02 Day 2: 2 04-01
25. Gary Haraguchi Murfreesboro, TN 5 11-01 176 $541.00
Day 1: 2 04-00 Day 2: 3 07-01
26. Ronald Young New Braunfels, TX 6 11-00 175 $464.00
Day 1: 3 04-10 Day 2: 3 06-06
27. Joe Chilcott Williamson, GA 4 10-11 174 $464.00
Day 1: 3 08-04 Day 2: 1 02-07
28. Bob Morin Seymour, TN 5 10-11 173 $464.00
Day 1: 3 06-12 Day 2: 2 03-15
29. Jonathan Barnette Jasper, AL 4 10-09 172 $464.00
Day 1: 3 09-06 Day 2: 1 01-03
30. Joe Stokes Kentwood, LA 4 10-09 171 $464.00
Day 1: 1 01-14 Day 2: 3 08-11
31. Johnnie Garrett Union City, TN 4 10-07 170 $425.00
Day 1: 3 08-05 Day 2: 1 02-02
32. Jimmy Brumfield Madison, MS 4 10-06 169 $425.00
Day 1: 1 01-08 Day 2: 3 08-14
33. John Ax Eufaula, AL 5 10-03 168 $425.00
Day 1: 3 06-11 Day 2: 2 03-08
34. Taylor Burtram Newton, AL 3 09-12 167 $425.00
Day 1: 3 09-12 Day 2: 0 00-00
35. John Goul Philadelphia, MS 4 09-10 166 $425.00
Day 1: 3 08-06 Day 2: 1 01-04
36. Tristan Bramblett Tiger, GA 4 09-07 165 $425.00
Day 1: 2 03-14 Day 2: 2 05-09
37. Kenneth Ott Manahawkin, NJ 3 09-05 164 $425.00
Day 1: 1 02-06 Day 2: 2 06-15
38. Justin Yenter Stevens Point, WI 4 09-03 163 $425.00
Day 1: 3 06-13 Day 2: 1 02-06
39. Doug Back Monticello, FL 3 09-00 162 $425.00
Day 1: 1 01-13 Day 2: 2 07-03
40. Kristian Dus Roselle, IL 3 09-00 161 $425.00
Day 1: 1 02-00 Day 2: 2 07-00
41. Dylan Mayo Athens, TX 3 08-15 160
Day 1: 1 02-11 Day 2: 2 06-04
42. Jimmy Fellegy Lakeville, MN 3 08-12 159
Day 1: 3 08-12 Day 2: 0 00-00
43. Jon Jezierski Troy, MI 4 08-09 158
Day 1: 2 04-05 Day 2: 2 04-04
44. Will Presley Jr Grove City, OH 3 08-08 157
Day 1: 1 02-00 Day 2: 2 06-08
45. David Dukes Carrollton, GA 4 08-07 156
Day 1: 2 05-09 Day 2: 2 02-14
46. Christian Bladen Dothan, AL 3 08-06 155
Day 1: 3 08-06 Day 2: 0 00-00
47. Ray Hill Lake City, FL 3 08-04 154
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 3 08-04
48. Mathew Bertram Worthington, OH 4 08-02 153
Day 1: 3 06-13 Day 2: 1 01-05
49. Wyatt Szymanski Stevens Point, WI 2 07-11 152
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 2 07-11
50. Cody Richardson Gautier, MS 4 07-09 151
Day 1: 2 04-03 Day 2: 2 03-06
51. Alex Reece Greenville, SC 4 07-07 150
Day 1: 1 01-01 Day 2: 3 06-06
52. Nick Richey Aledo, TX 3 07-06 149
Day 1: 1 01-05 Day 2: 2 06-01
53. Bill Bruce Hendersonville, TN 3 07-00 148
Day 1: 3 07-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
54. David Booth Erin, TN 4 07-00 147
Day 1: 2 04-02 Day 2: 2 02-14
55. AJ Jones Lutz, FL 4 07-00 146
Day 1: 2 03-15 Day 2: 2 03-01
56. Thomas Crosswhite Hartwell, GA 3 06-14 145
Day 1: 3 06-14 Day 2: 0 00-00
57. Byong Lee Stedman, NC 3 06-11 144
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 3 06-11
58. Philip Morris Jr Raleigh, NC 4 06-07 143
Day 1: 3 05-01 Day 2: 1 01-06
59. Travis Culbreth Alexander City, AL 3 06-06 142
Day 1: 1 01-09 Day 2: 2 04-13
60. Austin Nelson Apopka, FL 3 06-05 141
Day 1: 2 05-00 Day 2: 1 01-05
61. Satoshi Egawa Fort Lee, NJ 2 06-04 140
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 2 06-04
62. Carl Hunter Snellville, GA 3 05-02 139
Day 1: 3 05-02 Day 2: 0 00-00
63. Randy Tallhamer Parkersburg, FL 2 05-01 138
Day 1: 2 05-01 Day 2: 0 00-00
63. Travis Turcotte Pembroke CANADA 2 05-01 138
Day 1: 2 05-01 Day 2: 0 00-00
65. Morne Duvenhage Whigham GA SOUTH AFRICA 2 05-01 136
Day 1: 1 02-00 Day 2: 1 03-01
66. Joe Tucker Osceola, MO 2 05-00 135
Day 1: 2 05-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
67. Thomas Abraham Winchester, TN 3 04-15 134
Day 1: 2 04-03 Day 2: 1 00-12
68. Gus Kneidinger Prospect, PA 2 04-15 133
Day 1: 1 03-05 Day 2: 1 01-10
69. Barney Boutries Mobile, AL 2 04-14 132
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 2 04-14
70. Will Thompson Hoover, AL 2 04-13 131
Day 1: 2 04-13 Day 2: 0 00-00
71. Matthew Rogers Chiefland, FL 2 04-11 130
Day 1: 1 02-00 Day 2: 1 02-11
72. Jacob Smith Daleville, AL 2 04-10 129
Day 1: 1 01-12 Day 2: 1 02-14
73. Wes Kinard Fosters, AL 2 04-10 128
Day 1: 1 02-07 Day 2: 1 02-03
74. Skyler Anderson Harlem, GA 2 04-08 127
Day 1: 2 04-08 Day 2: 0 00-00
75. Jp Lopez Jr Carmel, NY 2 04-05 126
Day 1: 2 04-05 Day 2: 0 00-00
75. Lance Spencer Donalsonville, GA 2 04-05 126
Day 1: 2 04-05 Day 2: 0 00-00
77. Matt Roberson Powder Springs, GA 2 03-12 124
Day 1: 2 03-12 Day 2: 0 00-00
78. Cameron Debity Boca Raton, FL 2 03-10 123
Day 1: 2 03-10 Day 2: 0 00-00
79. Jeff Keever Tignall, GA 1 03-06 122
Day 1: 1 03-06 Day 2: 0 00-00
80. Benjamin Demo Plymouth, MN 2 03-03 121
Day 1: 2 03-03 Day 2: 0 00-00
81. Michael Padgett Leesburg, GA 2 03-02 120
Day 1: 2 03-02 Day 2: 0 00-00
82. Eric Melton Flowood, MS 1 03-02 119
Day 1: 1 03-02 Day 2: 0 00-00
82. Dee Powell Hope Hull, AL 1 03-02 119
Day 1: 1 03-02 Day 2: 0 00-00
84. Russell Hoyle Hickory, NC 2 03-01 117
Day 1: 2 03-01 Day 2: 0 00-00
85. Austin Hubatch Rosholt, WI 1 02-15 116
Day 1: 1 02-15 Day 2: 0 00-00
86. Mark Meadows Hendersonville, NC 1 02-13 115
Day 1: 1 02-13 Day 2: 0 00-00
87. Ralph Gibson Locust Grove, OK 1 02-12 114
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 1 02-12
88. Captain Black Panama City Beach, FL 1 02-09 113
Day 1: 1 02-09 Day 2: 0 00-00
89. Randy Lawrence Pensacola, FL 1 02-08 112
Day 1: 1 02-08 Day 2: 0 00-00
89. Danny Richardson Gautier, MS 1 02-08 112
Day 1: 1 02-08 Day 2: 0 00-00
89. Clyde Roberts Marshall, NC 1 02-08 112
Day 1: 1 02-08 Day 2: 0 00-00
92. Johnny Ward Jr Ludowici, GA 1 02-06 109
Day 1: 1 02-06 Day 2: 0 00-00
93. Allen Heston Pittsburg, TX 1 01-14 108
Day 1: 1 01-14 Day 2: 0 00-00
94. Sakae Ushio Tonawanda, NY 1 01-08 107
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 1 01-08
95. Dusty Wood Belton, SC 1 01-06 106
Day 1: 1 01-06 Day 2: 0 00-00
96. Ryan Shriber Franklin, TN 1 01-04 105
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 1 01-04
97. Chris Carroll Franklin, GA 1 00-07 104
Day 1: 1 00-07 Day 2: 0 00-00
98. Steve Deyton Forest City, NC 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
98. Chris Earles Lady Lake, FL 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
98. Jeff Fellows Orlando, FL 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
98. Darrell Hille Springfield, TN 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
98. Kevin Mallow Kansas, OK 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
98. Sherman Marbutt Hackleburg, AL 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
98. Jordan McDonald Jackson, GA 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
98. Lance McWhorter Tyler, TX 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
98. Ronald Miller Attalla, AL 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
98. Troy Mims Suwanee, GA 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
98. David Patterson Flowood, MS 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
98. Chris Shrader Niceville, WY 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
98. Jared Simpson Burlington, KY 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
98. David Stout Fair Play, SC 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
98. Rick Sweadner Woodsboro, MD 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
98. Justin Thomas Panama City, FL 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
98. Stephen Waldon Ellenwood, GA 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
98. Matthew Williams Westminster, SC 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
98. Bobby Williams Salisbury, NC 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Totals
Day #Limits #Fish Weight
1 37 187 438-14
2 21 134 316-04
----------------------------------
58 321 755-02
Balsa-Crafted Shad Available in 18 New Colors
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Northland Fishing Tackle’s popular Rumble Shad is back in even more fish-catching patterns |
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BEMIDJI, Minn. (March 3, 2023) – Northland Fishing Tackle®made a huge splash in the premium hardbait category with their 2022 introduction of the balsawood Rumble crankbait series designed by Northland’s chief bait designer, Jarmo Rapala—proving fishing is better with balsa. A jack-of-trades when it comes to all freshwater species and depths, the mid-running Rumble Shad crankbait is still available in three sizes with varying dive curves. The report was unanimous after a year on pegboards across the country: walleyes, bass, and other gamefish find their unique roll and tight action irresistible. |
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The #5 dives 5’ to 12’; the #7 dives 8’ to 16’; and the #8 dives 14’ to 21’. All are formed of balsawood through the unique Heat Compression Molding (HCM) process and feature a welded through wire construction from the tie-eye to the tail. Designed to imitate shad, perch, and bluegills, the bait features a tight action, whether cast and retrieved or trolled behind the boat. Now, new for Spring 2023, the inimitable Rumble Shad is available in a total of 39 custom artisan colors, from match-the-hatch patterns to vibrant custom paint themes. Adding merit to the mix, each Rumble Shad also features sticky-sharp, short-shank treble hooks and an oval split ring on the line tie for precise tracking. Northland Fishing Tackle Marketing Director, Mike Anselmo, comments: “The feedback we received from pro tournament anglers, guides, and everyday multispecies anglers was unanimous. These baits simply catch fish—period. While the profile is close enough to mimic a shiner, it also matches a lot of different baitfish coast-to-coast. With three dive curves from shallow to deep, and now the addition of dozens of new colors, it’s versatility can’t be beat. Whether cast or trolled, it’s a ‘desert island’ crankbait that you’ll want in your box—and probably in half-a-dozen or more colors to match depth, weather, and predominant forage conditions.” |
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Northland pro, Joel Nelson, adds: “In the spring I troll the bait earlier than most walleye fishermen tend to—like the smaller #5 that dives 5’ to 12. I can cover a lot more ground and put more fish in the boat in a lot of situations—from lakes to rivers. And, come bass opener in many states, the bait does deadly double-duty for hammering on both smallmouths and largemouths. And in the river and on reservoirs? The bait literally catches everything. With even more colors to choose from, I’m really excited about dialing in the right pattern for every body of water I fish.” The new colors include numerous shad-, bluegill-, perch-, and other minnow imitators—to custom “limited edition” paint jobs—and now 7 different crawfish patterns to catch fish in any situation you might encounter. Beyond multispecies use during spring, Nelson sites the transition from early- to late-summer when low-light trolling in the morning and evening is key to boating more walleyes. “Drag a balsawood Rumble Shad along the weedline in natural lakes and you’re going to catch everything: walleyes, pike, bass, and even big, slab crappies.” In the fall, Nelson turns to the #7 and #9 sizes for chunking and winding when the wind comes up. “If the wind starts howling, I go out on that second or third day and cast the bigger size Rumble Shads out on top of the structure and bang ‘em right down into the rocks. If you get wedged, just pop the bait out and give it some line and big walleyes and bass inhale it as it floats out and up.” |
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BONE BELLY GILL |
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BLYUE OLIVE SHAD |
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BURNT CRAWDAD |
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CAMO GREEN CRAW |
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COOKED CRAWDAD |
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GREEN CRAWDAD |
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HOT CLAW CRAWDAD |
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RED CRAWDAD |
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ORANGE BELLY GILL |
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PURPLE GILL |
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ROOT BEER |
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CHARTREUSE ROOT BEER |
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FADED SCHOOL BUS |
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INJURED SHAD |
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TENNESSEE SHAD ORANGE BELLY |
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Northland Team Pro and veteran guide, Brian “Bro” Brosdahl, interjects: “The Rumble Shad has a unique tight wobble that fish rush in to eat. Last year I did a lot of pitching and retrieving, and had everything follow and strike. And now there are even more great match-the-hatch colors and sought-after patterns. You can troll it on a flat line or lead-core, too, to cover water efficiently and sort through neutral- to negative-fish. Even those finicky fish are apt to strike when this thing strolls by, sending off its auditory and visual signals.” Bro adds: “But, personally, I like pitching ‘em – a simple cast and reel, maybe with a few twitches thrown in. It casts well and you can feel the bait thumping while you’re reeling, definitely a plus. I caught a lot of big walleyes on it last year, some big bass and toothy critters, too—even giant crappies.” New colors include Blue Chartreuse Shad (BCSD), Bone Belly Gill (BBG), Blue Olive Shad (BOSD), Burnt Crawdad (BRCW), Camo Green Craw (CGC), Cooked Crawdad (CKCW), Crusty Crawdad (CRCW), Chartreuse Rootbeer (CSRB), Faded Schoolbus (FSB), Green Crawdad (GCW), Hot Claw Crawdad (HCCW), Hot Tiger (HT), Injured Shad (IS), Orange Belly Gill (OBLG), Purple Gill (PBGL), Rootbeer (RB), Red Crawdad (RCW), and Tennessee Shad (TSO). |
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Rumble Shad Features & Specifications:
MSRP $9.99 |
Barnes’ knowledge of Lake Eufaula helps him take lead at first Bassmaster Open of the season
Justin Barnes of Ellaville, Ga., is leading after Day 1 of the 2023 St. Croix Bassmaster Open at Lake Eufaula with 25 pounds, 6 ounces.
Photo by Andy Crawford/B.A.S.S.
March 2, 2023
Barnes’ knowledge of Lake Eufaula helps him take lead at first Bassmaster Open of the season
EUFAULA, Ala. — Justin Barnes works as a lineman for Georgia Power, so he’s used to being in high-pressure situations.
But he was surprisingly calm following his electrifying start to the St. Croix Bassmaster Open at Lake Eufaula on Thursday.
Barnes, 28, jumped to the Day 1 lead in the first Open of the season with a five-bass limit of 25 pounds, 6 ounces. It gave him more than a 2-pound cushion in the derby, which attracted 225 of the best anglers from around the U.S. and beyond.
It was an exciting start, for sure, but Barnes and the rest of the field will wait an extra day to see how the script wraps. Significant storms, including winds gusting higher than 40 mph, are expected Friday, which forced tournament officials to cancel the day's competition.
The entire field will return to Lake Eufaula on Saturday in what is now only a two-day tournament.
Barnes said he’s not worried about losing his early momentum, though.
“I’ll be ready whenever we can get back out here,” he said.
And he has history on this 45,000-acre reservoir of the Chattahoochee River to back up his words. Eufaula is Barnes’ home water, with his hometown of Ellaville, Ga., only about an hour northeast of the lake. He said intimate knowledge of the fishery paid off Thursday, though not as much as some might suspect.
“The fish are so scattered right now, it’s really just a matter of finding them,” Barnes said. “And today, I think it was a current deal. For the first 2 1/2 hours of my day, they were pulling water on the lake, and it helped me a lot.”
Barnes’ biggest bass weighed 6-3 — a largemouth he caught within the first 30 minutes. He said he’ll keep his tactics close to the vest for now, though Barnes did say he’s trying a little bit of everything to boat the best bass.
“I’ve had to mix up the baits, fish brushpiles, fish hard spots, fish some grass,” he said. “I’m just running all over the place … The benefit of knowing this lake is that they tend to pull up on certain brushpiles when they’re getting ready to head to shore to spawn. It’s the same thing with secondary points. Knowing where those are helped me today.”
Shane Powell of Dothan, Ala., is in second place with a 23-2 limit. He said he’s exclusively fishing prespawn bass and a day of inclement weather may not hurt his bite at all.
“If it gets cool, I’m hoping it puts the stop sign on them going to the banks,” he said.
Brett Cannon of Willis, Texas, is an ounce behind, in third, with 23-1. He said he caught more than a dozen hybrid striped bass early on Thursday that got his heart pumping and his arms aching. A tweak to his approach finally brought the largemouth bites he needed, however.
“I noticed in practice that the bass were around these hybrids and I think they’re feeding on the same stuff,” Cannon said. “So, I actually started looking for them. I’m cranking in anywhere from 10 to 20 feet, but I have to look for them. The schools of all these fish are just moving around a lot. They’re staging.”
Jon Canada of Helena, Ala., is fourth with 22-12. He caught a 6-10 and a 5-9 — among the heaviest bass caught on Day 1.
“The day off will help me, I think,” he said. “I’m fishing all over the lake because everything is in transition. It’ll probably stay that way.”
Bassmaster Elite Series stalwart Brandon Lester of Fayetteville, Tenn., is fifth with a 21-9 limit. Though all his keepers were in the 4- to 5-pound range, he believes a 30-pound bag is possible.
“I’m confident of that,” he said. “Whether or not I have the time to find the right brushpile that’s holding those bass, I don’t know.”
Alex Heintze of Denham Springs, La., had the Phoenix Boats Big Bass on Day 1 with a 7-7 largemouth.
The winner here will earn a spot in the 2024 Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic presented by Toyota when it’s held in Tulsa, Okla., next March, provided they fish in the other two Division I Opens events this year. Those are scheduled for Alabama’s Wheeler Lake, May 18-20 and Florida’s Harris Chain of Lakes, Oct. 12-14.
The winner also will collect a $52,500 prize, part of $333,000 total purse to be split among the Top 40 competitors in both the pro and co-angler divisions.
Bill Hutchison Jr. of Bessemer, Ala., leads the co-angler standings with three bass weighing 10-6. Mike Spears of Jasper, Ala., is in second place with 10-5, and Steven West of Mooreville, Miss., is third with 9-14. The top co-angler will win $13,147. West had the Phoenix Boats Big Bass among co-anglers with a 5-13.
New to this year’s Opens is the Elite Qualifiers division, with 175 participating anglers fishing all nine events hoping to grab one of nine berths in the prestigious Bassmaster Elite Series in 2024. Barnes and Powell are not participating in the EQ division.
With Day 2 of the tournament canceled, the entire field will fish again Saturday with a 6:30 a.m. CT takeoff from Lakepoint State Park and conclude back at the park with weigh-in starting at 2:30 p.m.
2023 St. Croix Bassmaster Open at Lake Eufaula Alabama 3/2-3/4
Lake Eufaula, Eufaula AL.
(BOATER) Standings Day 1
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Pts Total $$$
1. Justin Barnes Ellaville, GA 5 25-06 200
Day 1: 5 25-06
2. Shane Powell Dothan, AL 5 23-02 199
Day 1: 5 23-02
3. Brett Cannon Willis, TX 5 23-01 198
Day 1: 5 23-01
4. Jon Canada Helena, AL 5 22-12 197
Day 1: 5 22-12
5. Brandon Lester Fayetteville, TN 5 21-09 196
Day 1: 5 21-09
6. Matt Henry Milledgeville, GA 5 21-08 195
Day 1: 5 21-08
7. Shaine Campbell Brookeland, TX 5 21-06 194
Day 1: 5 21-06
8. Takayuki Koike Otsu-City JAPAN 5 20-15 193
Day 1: 5 20-15
9. Logan Anderson Catawba, NC 5 20-11 192
Day 1: 5 20-11
10. Logan Parks Auburn, AL 5 20-09 191
Day 1: 5 20-09
11. Brock Belik Orchard, NE 5 20-07 190
Day 1: 5 20-07
12. Jack York Emory, TX 5 20-04 189
Day 1: 5 20-04
13. Scout Echols Monticello, AR 5 19-09 188
Day 1: 5 19-09
14. Kenta Kimura Osaka JAPAN 5 19-07 187
Day 1: 5 19-07
15. Robert Gee Knoxville, TN 5 19-04 186
Day 1: 5 19-04
16. Chad Prough Chipley, FL 5 18-15 185
Day 1: 5 18-15
17. Dale Hightower Mannford, OK 5 18-12 184
Day 1: 5 18-12
18. Logan Johnson Jasper, AL 5 18-09 183
Day 1: 5 18-09
19. Tom Frink Southside, AL 5 18-08 182
Day 1: 5 18-08
20. Cody Stahl Barnsville, GA 5 18-07 181
Day 1: 5 18-07
21. Ben Milliken New Caney, TX 5 18-04 180
Day 1: 5 18-04
22. Zeke Gossett Pell City, AL 5 18-00 179
Day 1: 5 18-00
22. Alex Heintze Denham Springs, LA 5 18-00 179
Day 1: 5 18-00
24. Kyle Gelles Pingree, ID 5 17-13 177
Day 1: 5 17-13
24. Brandon Palaniuk Rathdrum, ID 5 17-13 177
Day 1: 5 17-13
24. Timmy Thompkins Myrtle Beach, SC 5 17-13 177
Day 1: 5 17-13
27. Josh Bragg Fayetteville, GA 5 17-12 174
Day 1: 5 17-12
28. Wesley Gore Clanton, AL 5 17-11 173
Day 1: 5 17-11
29. Tucker Smith Shoal Creek, AL 5 17-10 172
Day 1: 5 17-10
30. Derek Lehtonen Woodruff, SC 5 17-06 171
Day 1: 5 17-06
31. Teb Jones Yalaha, MS 5 17-04 170
Day 1: 5 17-04
31. Alex Murray Lake Charles, LA 5 17-04 170
Day 1: 5 17-04
33. B.J. Usie Bourg, LA 5 17-00 168
Day 1: 5 17-00
34. Jonathan Dietz Corry, PA 5 16-15 167
Day 1: 5 16-15
35. Drew Cook Cairo, GA 5 16-14 166
Day 1: 5 16-14
35. Clark Reehm Elm Grove, LA 5 16-14 166
Day 1: 5 16-14
37. Blake Smith Lakeland, FL 5 16-13 164
Day 1: 5 16-13
38. Michael Johnson Talking Rock, GA 5 16-12 163
Day 1: 5 16-12
39. John Garrett Union City, TN 5 16-11 162
Day 1: 5 16-11
39. Andrew Upshaw Hemphill, TX 5 16-11 162
Day 1: 5 16-11
41. Chris Kingree Inverness, FL 5 16-10 160
Day 1: 5 16-10
42. Destin DeMarion Harborcreek, PA 5 16-07 159
Day 1: 5 16-07
42. Ron Ryals Jr Live Oak, FL 5 16-07 159
Day 1: 5 16-07
42. Jack Tindel Orange, TX 5 16-07 159
Day 1: 5 16-07
45. Jacob Bigelow Cecil, WI 5 16-05 156
Day 1: 5 16-05
45. Chris Blanchette Edisto Island, SC 5 16-05 156
Day 1: 5 16-05
47. Bobby Lane Jr. Lakeland, FL 5 16-01 154
Day 1: 5 16-01
48. Greg Bohannan Bentonville, AR 5 16-00 153
Day 1: 5 16-00
48. Miles Burghoff Dayton, TN 5 16-00 153
Day 1: 5 16-00
50. Craig Chambers Midland, NC 5 15-15 151
Day 1: 5 15-15
50. Jason Meninger Yulee, FL 5 15-15 151
Day 1: 5 15-15
52. Jack Dice Lynchburg, VA 5 15-15 149
Day 1: 5 15-15
53. David Kilgore Jasper, AL 5 15-14 148
Day 1: 5 15-14
53. Kurt Mitchell Milford, DE 5 15-14 148
Day 1: 5 15-14
55. Mike Mayo Athens, TX 5 15-13 146
Day 1: 5 15-13
55. Brandon McMillan Clewiston, FL 5 15-13 146
Day 1: 5 15-13
57. Koby Kreiger Alva, FL 5 15-12 144
Day 1: 5 15-12
58. Scott Kerslake Okeechobee, FL 5 15-11 143
Day 1: 5 15-11
59. Evan Kung Pickering Ontario CANAD 4 15-11 142
Day 1: 4 15-11
60. Keith Brumfield Vicksburg, MS 5 15-10 141
Day 1: 5 15-10
61. Tyler Williams Belgrade, ME 5 15-09 140
Day 1: 5 15-09
62. Taylor Watkins Clinton, TN 5 15-07 139
Day 1: 5 15-07
63. Kyle Patrick Cooperstown, NY 5 15-05 138
Day 1: 5 15-05
64. Gary Clouse Winchester, TN 5 15-00 137
Day 1: 5 15-00
65. Brad Leuthner Victoria, MN 4 15-00 136
Day 1: 4 15-00
66. Trevor Fitzgerald Belleview, FL 5 14-15 135
Day 1: 5 14-15
66. Joey Hanna Corsicana, TX 5 14-15 135
Day 1: 5 14-15
68. James Niggemeyer Van, TX 5 14-15 133
Day 1: 5 14-15
69. Brad Knight Lancing, TN 5 14-14 132
Day 1: 5 14-14
69. Tyler Lubbat Wheeling, IL 5 14-14 132
Day 1: 5 14-14
71. Randall Carter Maplesville, AL 5 14-12 130
Day 1: 5 14-12
71. Sam George Athens, AL 5 14-12 130
Day 1: 5 14-12
71. Marc Schilling Carrollton, TX 5 14-12 130
Day 1: 5 14-12
74. Kyle Goltz Cornell, WI 5 14-11 127
Day 1: 5 14-11
74. Jason Lambert Savannah, TN 5 14-11 127
Day 1: 5 14-11
74. Louis Monetti Brielle, NJ 5 14-11 127
Day 1: 5 14-11
74. Casey Scanlon Eldon, MO 5 14-11 127
Day 1: 5 14-11
78. Blake Sylvester Plaquemine, LA 5 14-10 123
Day 1: 5 14-10
79. Matt Messer Warfield, KY 5 14-09 122
Day 1: 5 14-09
79. Ish Monroe Oakdale, CA 5 14-09 122
Day 1: 5 14-09
81. Jerry Riddle Jr Summit, MS 5 14-08 120
Day 1: 5 14-08
82. Steve Kennedy Auburn, AL 5 14-06 119
Day 1: 5 14-06
83. David Perdue Wirtz, VA 5 14-03 118
Day 1: 5 14-03
83. Trey Swindle Cleveland, AL 5 14-03 118
Day 1: 5 14-03
85. Brady Vernon Sterrett, AL 5 14-01 116
Day 1: 5 14-01
86. Chris Beaudrie Princeton, KY 5 14-00 115
Day 1: 5 14-00
86. Jamie Bruce Kenora Ontario CANADA 5 14-00 115
Day 1: 5 14-00
86. Trey McKinney Carbondale, IL 5 14-00 115
Day 1: 5 14-00
89. Chad Grigsby Maple Grove, MN 5 13-15 112
Day 1: 5 13-15
89. Billy McDonald Greenwood, IN 5 13-15 112
Day 1: 5 13-15
91. Frank Ramsey Spring Grove, IL 5 13-14 110
Day 1: 5 13-14
92. Cody Bertrand Dyer, IN 5 13-14 109
Day 1: 5 13-14
93. David Wootton Collierville, TN 5 13-12 108
Day 1: 5 13-12
94. Julius Mazy Phoenix, AZ 5 13-09 107
Day 1: 5 13-09
94. Matt Pangrac Shawnee, OK 5 13-09 107
Day 1: 5 13-09
94. JT Thompkins Myrtle Beach, SC 5 13-09 107
Day 1: 5 13-09
97. Tim Arnold Crane Hill, AL 5 13-08 104
Day 1: 5 13-08
97. Jamie Horton Centerville, AL 5 13-08 104
Day 1: 5 13-08
99. JT Russell Mc Calla, AL 5 13-05 102
Day 1: 5 13-05
100. Buck Mallory Lawton, MI 5 13-04 101
Day 1: 5 13-04
101. Bailey Boutries Springfield, MO 4 13-04 100
Day 1: 4 13-04
102. Paul Browning Pecos, TX 5 13-03 99
Day 1: 5 13-03
102. Greg Hackney Gonzales, LA 5 13-03 99
Day 1: 5 13-03
104. Steve Sennikoff Edgewood, TX 5 13-03 97
Day 1: 5 13-03
105. Jimmy Steed Zapata, TX 5 13-01 96
Day 1: 5 13-01
106. Trevor McKinney Benton, IL 5 13-00 95
Day 1: 5 13-00
107. Jason Abram Piney Flats, TN 5 12-15 94
Day 1: 5 12-15
107. Darrell Davis Dover, FL 5 12-15 94
Day 1: 5 12-15
107. Brian Mullaney Ijamsville, MD 5 12-15 94
Day 1: 5 12-15
110. Daisuke Kita Ostu Shiga JAPAN 5 12-11 91
Day 1: 5 12-11
111. Shane Lineberger Lincolnton, NC 5 12-10 90
Day 1: 5 12-10
111. Harry Peyton Guntersville, AL 5 12-10 90
Day 1: 5 12-10
113. Tripp Noojin Bryant, AL 5 12-08 88
Day 1: 5 12-08
114. Cliff Overstreet Dothan, AL 5 12-05 87
Day 1: 5 12-05
115. Clayton Batts Butler, GA 5 12-02 86
Day 1: 5 12-02
115. Austin Cranford Norman, OK 5 12-02 86
Day 1: 5 12-02
117. Tim Frederick Leesburg, FL 4 12-02 84
Day 1: 4 12-02
118. Caleb Gibson Locust Grove, OK 5 12-00 83
Day 1: 5 12-00
119. Mike Surman Boca Raton, FL 4 12-00 82
Day 1: 4 12-00
120. Andrew Harp Linden, TX 5 11-15 81
Day 1: 5 11-15
120. Chad Warren Sand Springs, OK 5 11-15 81
Day 1: 5 11-15
122. Kenji Yamada Hixson, TN 5 11-14 79
Day 1: 5 11-14
123. Bryan New Saluda, SC 4 11-14 78
Day 1: 4 11-14
124. Zach Goutremout Chaumont, NY 4 11-13 77
Day 1: 4 11-13
125. Parker Mott Winter Garden, FL 5 11-12 76
Day 1: 5 11-12
126. Erik Brztowski Lemont, IL 5 11-11 75
Day 1: 5 11-11
126. Yusuke Miyazaki Forney, TX 5 11-11 75
Day 1: 5 11-11
128. Bronk Mcdaniel Alexandria, LA 5 11-09 73
Day 1: 5 11-09
129. Chase Clarke Virginia Beach, VA 5 11-08 72
Day 1: 5 11-08
129. Danny Ramsey Trinidad, TX 5 11-08 72
Day 1: 5 11-08
131. Wil Dieffenbauch Hundred, WV 4 11-08 70
Day 1: 4 11-08
132. Steve Tennison Lexington, OK 5 11-06 69
Day 1: 5 11-06
133. Griffin Phillips Mount Olive, AL 4 11-04 68
Day 1: 4 11-04
134. Frank Williams Mountain Home, AR 3 11-02 67
Day 1: 3 11-02
135. Kyle Austin Ridgeville, SC 5 10-11 66
Day 1: 5 10-11
136. Jacob Thompkins Myrtle Beach, SC 4 10-11 65
Day 1: 4 10-11
137. Jess Beihoffer Soddy Daisy, TN 4 10-10 64
Day 1: 4 10-10
138. Bo Thomas Edwardsburg, MI 4 10-10 63
Day 1: 4 10-10
139. Keith Nemcek St Charles, IL 5 10-08 62
Day 1: 5 10-08
140. Hugh Cosculluela Spring, TX 3 10-08 61
Day 1: 3 10-08
141. Harvey Horne Bella Vista, AR 5 10-07 60
Day 1: 5 10-07
142. Frank Talley Temple, TX 4 10-06 59
Day 1: 4 10-06
142. Keith Tuma Brainerd, MN 4 10-06 59
Day 1: 4 10-06
144. Sterling Bougher Mannford, OK 5 10-04 57
Day 1: 5 10-04
145. Tommy Williams Shepherdsville, KY 5 10-03 56
Day 1: 5 10-03
146. Chris Keeble Lenoir City, TN 5 10-03 55
Day 1: 5 10-03
147. Andrew Hargrove Moody, TX 3 10-03 54
Day 1: 3 10-03
148. Adam Rasmussen Sturgeon Bay, WI 4 10-02 53
Day 1: 4 10-02
149. Lafe Messer Warfield, KY 4 10-01 52
Day 1: 4 10-01
150. Rick Mitchell Naples, FL 4 09-15 51
Day 1: 4 09-15
151. Michael Wooten White House, TN 4 09-12 50
Day 1: 4 09-12
152. Josh Hubbard Dunnellon, FL 4 09-08 49
Day 1: 4 09-08
153. Jake Maddux Birmingham, AL 3 09-08 48
Day 1: 3 09-08
154. Allen Brooks Canton, GA 5 09-07 47
Day 1: 5 09-07
154. Caiden Sinclair Logan, AL 5 09-07 47
Day 1: 5 09-07
156. Steve Morella Townshend, VT 3 09-07 45
Day 1: 3 09-07
157. Richard Cathey San Antonio, TX 5 09-05 44
Day 1: 5 09-05
158. Matt Mollohan Batesburg, SC 4 09-05 43
Day 1: 4 09-05
158. Garrett Paquette Canton, MI 4 09-05 43
Day 1: 4 09-05
160. Allen Johnson Trinity, AL 4 09-04 41
Day 1: 4 09-04
161. Jimmy Washam Stantonville, TN 3 09-03 40
Day 1: 3 09-03
162. Derek Hicks Rocky Face, GA 5 09-00 39
Day 1: 5 09-00
163. Charlie Hartley Grove City, OH 3 09-00 38
Day 1: 3 09-00
164. Guy Eaker Cherryville, NC 5 08-14 37
Day 1: 5 08-14
165. Joey Nania Cropwell, AL 4 08-14 36
Day 1: 4 08-14
165. Clark Wendlandt Leander, TX 4 08-14 36
Day 1: 4 08-14
167. Scott Gibbs Rome, GA 4 08-10 34
Day 1: 4 08-10
168. Chancy Walters West Des Moines, IA 3 08-04 33
Day 1: 3 08-04
169. Brandon Tallhamer Parkersburg, WV 5 08-03 32
Day 1: 5 08-03
170. Jim Dillard West Monroe, LA 2 08-03 31
Day 1: 2 08-03
171. Jeremy Bogard Wilkesboro, NC 3 08-01 30
Day 1: 3 08-01
172. Paul Tabisz Whitmore Lake, MI 3 07-13 29
Day 1: 3 07-13
173. Bart Stanisz Austin, TX 4 07-10 28
Day 1: 4 07-10
174. Cody Detweiler Guntersville, AL 3 07-10 27
Day 1: 3 07-10
175. Kyle Monti Okeechobee, FL 3 07-09 26
Day 1: 3 07-09
176. Briana Tucker Trinity, AL 3 07-05 25
Day 1: 3 07-05
177. Danny Hardy Cantonment, FL 4 06-14 24
Day 1: 4 06-14
178. Lance Owen Greer, SC 3 06-12 23
Day 1: 3 06-12
179. Danger Kelly Somerset, KY 3 06-11 22
Day 1: 3 06-11
180. Jeff Magee Simpson Co., MS 2 06-09 21
Day 1: 2 06-09
181. Jason Carpenter Castle Pines, CO 3 06-06 20
Day 1: 3 06-06
182. Colby Robertson Summerfield, FL 4 06-01 19
Day 1: 4 06-01
183. Christian Shoda Homosassa, FL 2 06-01 18
Day 1: 2 06-01
184. Clay Dyer Fayetteville, TN 4 05-14 17
Day 1: 4 05-14
185. Tyrel Faber Pagosa Springs, CO 2 05-13 16
Day 1: 2 05-13
186. Evan Barnes Dardanelle, AR 2 05-09 15
Day 1: 2 05-09
186. Danny McGarry Newcastle CANADA 2 05-09 15
Day 1: 2 05-09
188. Gary Caruso Baton Rouge, LA 3 05-08 13
Day 1: 3 05-08
189. Bradley Enfinger Donalsonville, GA 1 05-08 12
Day 1: 1 05-08
190. Daniel Valois Gomez Caracas FL VENEZUELA 2 05-06 11
Day 1: 2 05-06
191. Bobby Lanham Eddyville, KY 2 04-14 10
Day 1: 2 04-14
192. Willy Dennison Willoughby Hills, OH 2 04-13 9
Day 1: 2 04-13
193. Jaxon Sullivan Reagan, TN 2 04-12 8
Day 1: 2 04-12
194. Paul Bouvier Kingston CANADA 2 04-09 7
Day 1: 2 04-09
195. Clayton Barnes Clanton, AL 2 04-08 6
Day 1: 2 04-08
196. Jacob Pyles Nolensville, TN 2 04-06 5
Day 1: 2 04-06
197. Scott Allgood Fair Play, SC 2 04-05 4
Day 1: 2 04-05
197. Denny Fiedler Wabasha, MN 2 04-05 4
Day 1: 2 04-05
199. Keith Bardolf Abbeville, AL 1 04-04 2
Day 1: 1 04-04
200. Seiji Kato Outsu Shiga JAPAN 2 04-03 1
Day 1: 2 04-03
201. Brian Post Janesville, WI 2 04-02 0
Day 1: 2 04-02
202. Reece Tremaglio Dunkirk, MD 2 03-11 0
Day 1: 2 03-11
203. A.J. Menssen Bloomington, IL 2 03-08 0
Day 1: 2 03-08
204. Allan Nail Sand Springs, OK 2 03-04 0
Day 1: 2 03-04
205. Brayden Rakes Winston Salem, NC 1 03-02 0
Day 1: 1 03-02
206. Jason Lieblong Conway, AR 2 03-01 0
Day 1: 2 03-01
207. Logan Shaddix Cummings, GA 2 03-00 0
Day 1: 2 03-00
208. Justin Kimmel Athens, GA 1 03-00 0
Day 1: 1 03-00
209. Kenny Mittelstaedt Minnetonka, MN 1 02-13 0
Day 1: 1 02-13
210. Cole Drummond Effingham, SC 1 02-12 0
Day 1: 1 02-12
211. Ryan Clark Whitby Ontario CANADA 1 02-11 0
Day 1: 1 02-11
212. Scott Isaacs Ladonia, TX 1 02-10 0
Day 1: 1 02-10
212. Joe Labarbera Montrose, PA 1 02-10 0
Day 1: 1 02-10
214. James Meers Rome, GA 1 02-06 0
Day 1: 1 02-06
214. Hunter Sales Blaine, TN 1 02-06 0
Day 1: 1 02-06
216. Chris Hellebuyck White Lake, MI 1 02-03 0
Day 1: 1 02-03
217. Nikki Jo Hatten Clanton, AL 2 00-00 0
Day 1: 2 00-00
218. Hunter Bland Williston, FL 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
218. Dalton Dowdy Newberry, SC 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
218. Tony Dumitras Winston, GA 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
218. Phil Killian Solomon, AZ 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
218. Mikey Oncale Port Allen, LA 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
218. Daniel Rogers Morriston, FL 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
218. Jason Tibbetts Centreville, VA 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
218. Dave Turner Citrus Springs, FL 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Totals
Day #Limits #Fish Weight
1 136 905 2640-06
----------------------------------
136 905 2640-06
2023 St. Croix Bassmaster Open at Lake Eufaula Alabama 3/2-3/4
Lake Eufaula, Eufaula AL.
(NON_BOATER) Standings Day 1
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Pts Total $$$
1. Bill Hutchison Jr. Bessemer, AL 3 10-06 200
Day 1: 3 10-06
2. Mike Spears Jasper, AL 3 10-05 199
Day 1: 3 10-05
3. Steven West Mooreville, MS 3 09-14 198
Day 1: 3 09-14
4. Taylor Burtram Newton, AL 3 09-12 197
Day 1: 3 09-12
5. Jonathan Barnette Jasper, AL 3 09-06 196
Day 1: 3 09-06
6. Ashton Smith Lake Helen, FL 3 09-03 195
Day 1: 3 09-03
7. Zachery Kuhn Summerfield, FL 3 09-00 194
Day 1: 3 09-00
8. Clayton Ellis Saltillo, MS 3 08-13 193
Day 1: 3 08-13
9. Jimmy Fellegy Lakeville, MN 3 08-12 192
Day 1: 3 08-12
10. Avery Williams Murrells Inlt, SC 3 08-11 191
Day 1: 3 08-11
11. Christian Bladen Dothan, AL 3 08-06 190
Day 1: 3 08-06
11. John Goul Philadelphia, MS 3 08-06 190
Day 1: 3 08-06
13. Johnnie Garrett Union City, TN 3 08-05 188
Day 1: 3 08-05
14. Joe Chilcott Williamson, GA 3 08-04 187
Day 1: 3 08-04
15. Eric Camarote The Villages, FL 3 07-12 186
Day 1: 3 07-12
16. Marrell Deering Rome, GA 3 07-09 185
Day 1: 3 07-09
17. Dawson Wisner Palatka, FL 3 07-08 184
Day 1: 3 07-08
18. Corey Yaden Grovetown, GA 3 07-03 183
Day 1: 3 07-03
19. Brad Goetz Waunakee, WI 3 07-02 182
Day 1: 3 07-02
20. Bill Bruce Hendersonville, TN 3 07-00 181
Day 1: 3 07-00
21. Rick Cheatham Carterville, IL 2 07-00 180
Day 1: 2 07-00
22. Chad Stahl Barnesville, GA 3 06-15 179
Day 1: 3 06-15
23. Thomas Crosswhite Hartwell, GA 3 06-14 178
Day 1: 3 06-14
24. Mathew Bertram Worthington, OH 3 06-13 177
Day 1: 3 06-13
24. Justin Yenter Stevens Point, WI 3 06-13 177
Day 1: 3 06-13
26. Bob Morin Seymour, TN 3 06-12 175
Day 1: 3 06-12
27. John Ax Eufaula, AL 3 06-11 174
Day 1: 3 06-11
27. Billy Limerick Chandler, TX 3 06-11 174
Day 1: 3 06-11
27. Neal Wisinski Stevens Point, WI 3 06-11 174
Day 1: 3 06-11
30. Mark Guhne Hixson, TN 3 05-14 171
Day 1: 3 05-14
31. Michael Leach Shenandoah, TX 3 05-11 170
Day 1: 3 05-11
32. David Dukes Carrollton, GA 2 05-09 169
Day 1: 2 05-09
33. John Higginbotham Slaughter, LA 3 05-05 168
Day 1: 3 05-05
34. John Hatfield Panama City, FL 3 05-04 167
Day 1: 3 05-04
35. Carl Hunter Snellville, GA 3 05-02 166
Day 1: 3 05-02
35. Mark Moore Freeport, FL 3 05-02 166
Day 1: 3 05-02
37. Philip Morris Jr Raleigh, NC 3 05-01 164
Day 1: 3 05-01
38. Randy Tallhamer Parkersburg, FL 2 05-01 163
Day 1: 2 05-01
38. Travis Turcotte Pembroke CANADA 2 05-01 163
Day 1: 2 05-01
38. Jim Williams Winter Springs, GA 2 05-01 163
Day 1: 2 05-01
41. Austin Nelson Apopka, FL 2 05-00 160
Day 1: 2 05-00
41. Joe Tucker Osceola, MO 2 05-00 160
Day 1: 2 05-00
43. Parker Knudsen Minnetonka, MN 3 04-15 158
Day 1: 3 04-15
44. Will Thompson Hoover, AL 2 04-13 157
Day 1: 2 04-13
45. Ronald Young New Braunfels, TX 3 04-10 156
Day 1: 3 04-10
46. Skyler Anderson Harlem, GA 2 04-08 155
Day 1: 2 04-08
47. Jon Jezierski Troy, MI 2 04-05 154
Day 1: 2 04-05
47. Jp Lopez Jr Carmel, NY 2 04-05 154
Day 1: 2 04-05
47. Lance Spencer Donalsonville, GA 2 04-05 154
Day 1: 2 04-05
50. Thomas Abraham Winchester, TN 2 04-03 151
Day 1: 2 04-03
50. Cody Richardson Gautier, MS 2 04-03 151
Day 1: 2 04-03
52. David Booth Erin, TN 2 04-02 149
Day 1: 2 04-02
53. Gary Haraguchi Murfreesboro, TN 2 04-00 148
Day 1: 2 04-00
54. AJ Jones Lutz, FL 2 03-15 147
Day 1: 2 03-15
55. Tristan Bramblett Tiger, GA 2 03-14 146
Day 1: 2 03-14
56. Pheerayout See Rochester, MN 2 03-13 145
Day 1: 2 03-13
57. Matt Roberson Powder Springs, GA 2 03-12 144
Day 1: 2 03-12
58. Cameron Debity Boca Raton, FL 2 03-10 143
Day 1: 2 03-10
59. Jeff Keever Tignall, GA 1 03-06 142
Day 1: 1 03-06
60. Gus Kneidinger Prospect, PA 1 03-05 141
Day 1: 1 03-05
61. Benjamin Demo Plymouth, MN 2 03-03 140
Day 1: 2 03-03
62. Michael Padgett Leesburg, GA 2 03-02 139
Day 1: 2 03-02
63. Eric Melton Flowood, MS 1 03-02 138
Day 1: 1 03-02
63. Dee Powell Hope Hull, AL 1 03-02 138
Day 1: 1 03-02
65. Russell Hoyle Hickory, NC 2 03-01 136
Day 1: 2 03-01
66. Austin Hubatch Rosholt, WI 1 02-15 135
Day 1: 1 02-15
67. Mark Meadows Hendersonville, NC 1 02-13 134
Day 1: 1 02-13
68. Dylan Mayo Athens, TX 1 02-11 133
Day 1: 1 02-11
69. Captain Black Panama City Beach, FL 1 02-09 132
Day 1: 1 02-09
70. Randy Lawrence Pensacola, FL 1 02-08 131
Day 1: 1 02-08
70. Danny Richardson Gautier, MS 1 02-08 131
Day 1: 1 02-08
70. Clyde Roberts Marshall, NC 1 02-08 131
Day 1: 1 02-08
73. Wes Kinard Fosters, AL 1 02-07 128
Day 1: 1 02-07
74. Kenneth Ott Manahawkin, NJ 1 02-06 127
Day 1: 1 02-06
74. Johnny Ward Jr Ludowici, GA 1 02-06 127
Day 1: 1 02-06
76. Kristian Dus Roselle, IL 1 02-00 125
Day 1: 1 02-00
76. Morne Duvenhage Whigham GA SOUTH AFRICA 1 02-00 125
Day 1: 1 02-00
76. Matthew Rogers Chiefland, FL 1 02-00 125
Day 1: 1 02-00
79. Will Presley Jr Grove City, OH 1 02-00 122
Day 1: 1 02-00
80. Allen Heston Pittsburg, TX 1 01-14 121
Day 1: 1 01-14
80. Joe Stokes Kentwood, LA 1 01-14 121
Day 1: 1 01-14
82. Doug Back Monticello, FL 1 01-13 119
Day 1: 1 01-13
83. Jacob Smith Daleville, AL 1 01-12 118
Day 1: 1 01-12
84. Travis Culbreth Alexander City, AL 1 01-09 117
Day 1: 1 01-09
85. Jimmy Brumfield Madison, MS 1 01-08 116
Day 1: 1 01-08
86. Dusty Wood Belton, SC 1 01-06 115
Day 1: 1 01-06
87. Nick Richey Aledo, TX 1 01-05 114
Day 1: 1 01-05
88. Alex Reece Greenville, SC 1 01-01 113
Day 1: 1 01-01
89. Chris Carroll Franklin, GA 1 00-07 112
Day 1: 1 00-07
90. Barney Boutries Mobile, AL 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
90. Steve Deyton Forest City, NC 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
90. Chris Earles Lady Lake, FL 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
90. Satoshi Egawa Fort Lee, NJ 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
90. Jeff Fellows Orlando, FL 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
90. Ralph Gibson Locust Grove, OK 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
90. Ray Hill Lake City, FL 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
90. Darrell Hille Springfield, TN 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
90. Byong Lee Stedman, NC 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
90. Kevin Mallow Kansas, OK 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
90. Sherman Marbutt Hackleburg, AL 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
90. Jordan McDonald Jackson, GA 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
90. Lance McWhorter Tyler, TX 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
90. Ronald Miller Attalla, AL 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
90. Troy Mims Suwanee, GA 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
90. David Patterson Flowood, MS 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
90. Chris Shrader Niceville, WY 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
90. Ryan Shriber Franklin, TN 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
90. Jared Simpson Burlington, KY 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
90. David Stout Fair Play, SC 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
90. Rick Sweadner Woodsboro, MD 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
90. Wyatt Szymanski Stevens Point, WI 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
90. Justin Thomas Panama City, FL 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
90. Sakae Ushio Tonawanda, NY 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
90. Stephen Waldon Ellenwood, GA 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
90. Matthew Williams Westminster, SC 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
90. Bobby Williams Salisbury, NC 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Totals
Day #Limits #Fish Weight
1 37 187 438-14
----------------------------------
37 187 438-14
Winds force cancellation of Friday's competition at Bassmaster Open on Lake Eufaula
March 2, 2023
Winds force cancellation of Friday's competition at Bassmaster Open on Lake Eufaula
EUFAULA, Ala. — B.A.S.S. officials have canceled Friday's competition at the St. Croix Bassmaster Open at Lake Eufaula due to inclement weather and predicted high winds that are expected to make conditions unsafe for boating and related tournament activities. The full field will compete on Saturday, the final day of the tournament.
After Day 1 of the tournament, Justin Barnes of Ellaville, Ga., is leading the tournament with 25 pounds, 6 ounces.
The National Weather Service (NWS) Birmingham office has issued a wind advisory for Eufaula and surrounding areas, including Lake Eufaula, with forecasted southerly winds of 15 to 25 mph with gusts up to 40 mph. The advisory is in effect through Friday night. Severe thunderstorms are possible across the region through early Friday afternoon.
Hank Weldon, executive tournament director for the Bassmaster Opens, had lengthy discussions with NWS forecasters prior to making the decision.
“The concern for us is not the storms, but more so the forecasted sustained gradient winds from the south and gusts accompanying the weather system,” Weldon said. “Strong southerly winds are not good on a lake like Eufaula that runs from north to south.
“Southerly winds collide with the current flow from the north, causing the waves to get stacked up, making it unconducive for boating.”
Competition will resume Saturday at 6:30 a.m. CT with takeoff from Lakepoint State Park with weigh-ins back at the park at 2:30 p.m. Saturday’s forecast is calling for sunny skies, with a high near 76 degrees and west winds from 5 to 10 mph.
Dakota Does It! Ebare Weighs 16-Pound Limit on Final Day to Go Wire-to-Wire and Win Toyota Stop 2 on Clarks Hill
Texas Pro Earns Second Tournament Win of 2023 and Top Payout of $115,000
APPLING, Ga. (March 2, 2023) – When you’re hot, you’re hot. And right now, perhaps no bass angler on planet earth is as hot as Brookeland, Texas pro Dakota Ebare. Ebare boated a five-bass limit Thursday weighing 16 pounds, 7 ounces – enough to win his second major event of the year at the MLF Tackle Warehouse Invitational Toyota Stop 2 at Clarks Hill Lake Presented by Lowrance . Ebare’s three-day total of 15 bass weighing 58 pounds, 10 ounces, earned him the win by a 10-ounce margin over hard-charging pro Travis Harriman of Huntsville, Arkansas, who weighed in the largest limit of the tournament Thursday – 23 pounds, 14 ounces – to give Ebare quite the scare. Ebare earned $115,000 for his victory, and will now receive an automatic invitation into REDCREST 2024 next year, the Bass Pro Tour championship.
“Man, what a relief. I’ve been so stressed the last hour since I checked in,” Ebare said. “I wasn’t really nervous until about 2:50, before we started the weigh-in. I knew my time was up, and I just prayed it was enough. If it was meant to be, it was going to happen. And it did!”
Ebare was all over the lake throughout the week, catching fish both shallow and deep. He said the key depth seemed to be in the 12 to 15-foot mid-range, as lots of fish are roaming just waiting to move to the bank for the spawn.
“The key bait for me this week was a 3/16-ounce Strike King shakey-head,” Ebare said. “I don’t know why there were biting the shaky-head for me – my roommate Kyle (Hall) couldn’t get a bite on it at all, but I caught a lot of fish on it this week. I also caught quite a few on a vibrating jig, and a couple of key fish each day on the (Strike King) Rage Bug. But the shaky-head was definitely the major player for me, and I just kept throwing what was working.”
Ebare has been on an absolute tear the last 12 months, accumulating eight top-10 finishes in 2022 – including three second place finishes – but the tournament win always seemed to elude him, no matter how hard he tried.
Until this season.
Now, just two months into the new year, Ebare has already banked two tournament wins and added more than $205,000 to his bank account. The Texas pro credits his grueling travel schedule competing on the Bass Pro Tour, the Tackle Warehouse Invitationals and the Toyota Series as being one of the keys to his success.
“Man, I was so close so many times, I did feel like it was inevitable and that I’d eventually get it done, but to be able to do it twice this year, already, just a month into the season, is truly a blessing,” Ebare said. “That’s all I can really say – it’s been great. This is my fifth week in a row on the road with tournaments. REDCREST next week will be six, and I think I’ve got nine weeks in a row that I’ll be fishing. So, I am just in the groove right now and rolling.
“Fishing this much is absolutely helping,” Ebare continued. “That’s really the way I’ve structured the last five years of my career since I started fishing on tour. A tournament every week. Go, go, go. You just get conditioned to fishing new lakes. And when you go to a new tournament, a new lake every week, its different. That’s what has allowed me to move around so freely on this lake and be successful this week, just fishing the moment.
“When you leave Lake Toho in Florida, then come straight to Clarks Hill Lake in Georgia, you can’t get any two lakes that are farther apart in regard to what it’s like on the water. You have to have an open mind and just go fishing, you can’t get too dialed in. Right now, I’m just flowing. And it feels great.”
The top 20 pros at the Toyota Stop 2 at Clarks Hill Lake Presented by Lowrance finished:
1st: Dakota Ebare, Brookeland, Texas, 15 bass, 58-10, $115,000
2nd: Travis Harriman, Huntsville, Ark., 15 bass, 58-0, $50,000
3rd: Spencer Shuffield, Hot Springs, Ark., 15 bass, 53-15, $20,000
4th: Ron Nelson, Berrien Springs, Mich., 15 bass, 52-13, $18,000
5th: Sean Anderson, Leesville, S.C., 15 bass, 50-0, $17,000
6th: Tristan McCormick, Burns, Tenn., 15 bass, 48-8, $16,000
7th: Matt Becker, Ten Mile, Tenn., 15 bass, 48-8, $15,000
8th: Connor Cunningham, Springfield, Mo., 15 bass, 48-4, $14,000
9th: Cal Lane, Guntersville, Ala., 15 bass, 48-1, $13,000
10th: Tom Redington, Royse City, Texas, 15 bass, 48-1, $12,000
11th: Spike Stoker, Cisco, Texas, 15 bass, 48-0, $10,000
12th: Jack Daniel Williams, Kingsport, Tenn., 15 bass, 47-13, $10,000
13th: Christian Greico, Tampa, Fla., 15 bass, 47-9, $10,000
14th: John Cox, DeBary, Fla., 15 bass, 47-6, $10,000
15th: Martin Villa, Charlottesville, Va., 15 bass, 47-4, $10,000
16th: Jordan Hirt, Glenwood, Iowa, 15 bass, 46-2, $10,000
17th: Keith Carson, DeBary, Fla., 15 bass, 45-7, $10,000
18th: Grae Buck, Green Lane, Pa., 15 bass, 45-0, $10,000
19th: Drew Boggs, Lebanon, Tenn., 15 bass, 44-7, $10,000
20th: Matthew Stefan, Junction City, Wis., 15 bass, 44-5, $10,000
Complete results for the entire field can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
Overall, there were 248 bass weighing 678 pounds, 6 ounces caught by the final 50 pros Thursday. The catch included 48 five-bass limits.
The three-day tournament, hosted by the Columbia County Convention and Visitors Bureau and the Thomson-McDuffie County Convention & Visitors Bureau, featured a roster of 150 anglers competing for a top prize of up to $115,000 and an invitation to compete at REDCREST 2024. The next Tackle Warehouse Invitational event will take place April 14-16 at the Tackle Warehouse Invitational Stop 3 on Lake Eufaula presented by B&W Hitches in Eufaula, Oklahoma.
In MLF Tackle Warehouse Invitational competition, the full field of 150 anglers competed in the two-day opening round on Tuesday and Wednesday. The top 50 pros based on their two-day cumulative weight advanced to the final round on Championship Thursday, where they competed for the grand prize of up to $115,000, including the lucrative $35,000 Phoenix MLF Bonus. The winner of the MLF Tackle Warehouse Invitational Toyota Stop 2 at Clarks Hill Lake Presented by Lowrance will be determined by the heaviest three-day cumulative weight and will receive an invitation to compete at REDCREST 2024.
The MLF Tackle Warehouse Invitational Toyota Stop 2 at Clarks Hill Lake Presented by Lowrance will also feature a two-hour television broadcast that will premiere on the CBS Sports Network on Saturday, Oct. 7.
Proud sponsors of the 2023 MLF Tackle Warehouse Invitationals include: 4WP, 13 Fishing, Abu Garcia, B&W Trailer Hitches, Berkley, Black Rifle Coffee, E3, Favorite Fishing, Fox Rent a Car, General Tire, Grundéns, Lew’s, Lowrance, Mercury, Mossy Oak, Onyx, Phoenix Boats, Polaris, Power-Pole, Strike King, Tackle Warehouse, T-H Marine, Wiley X and YETI.
For complete details and updated information visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow the Tackle Warehouse Invitationals on the MLF5 social media outlets at Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.
Z-Man® Signs a Country Star
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Shore Lunch Renews Major League Fishing Sponsorship for 2023 Season
Premier Soup, Breading and Batter Mix Provider Expands on Sponsorship Agreement and Signs on as Presenting Sponsor of REDCREST 2023
BENTON, Ky. (March 2, 2023) – Major League Fishing (MLF) announced today that Shore Lunch, a leading provider of premium soup, breading and batter mixes created by Great Lakes fishing guides, has renewed and expanded their sponsorship with the organization for the 2023 season. In addition to being an Official Sponsor of the Bass Pro Tour and the General Tire Heavy Hitters all-star event, Shore Lunch will also become the presenting sponsor of REDCREST 2023 and the General Tire Outdoor Sports Expo, held March 8-12 at Lake Norman in Charlotte, North Carolina.
“We’re thrilled to have Shore Lunch renew their Major League Fishing sponsorship and are proud to showcase their products at our biggest events, continuing to reach new audiences together,” said Randy Gerstenblatt, MLF Senior Vice President of Sponsorship & Media Sales. “Through our premier tournament content and coverage, Shore Lunch will be able to connect and engage with our extremely loyal fanbase all across the country.”
Shore Lunch has partnered with MLF, the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization, since 2022. The U.S.-based company will receive exposure through multiple MLF outlets, including television and livestream broadcasts, the MLF website and social media outlets, prominent angler boat and jersey exposure at General Tire Heavy Hitters.
“Partnering with Major League Fishing makes perfect sense for Shore Lunch and the many loyal fishing enthusiasts that use our products every day at home and anytime they are out on the lake,” said Jonathan Eubanks, Senior Brand Manager, Shore Lunch. “We are excited to expand our relationship with MLF and look forward to an exciting season out on the water.”
For more information about MLF, their tournaments and sponsors, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. To learn more about Shore Lunch and their full line of premium soup, breading and batter mixes, visit ShoreLunch.com.
Hackney and Rivet love their Tundras’ fuel mileage and reliability
Courtesy of Alan McGuckin - Dynamic Sponsorships
Like a lot of young Southern Louisiana bass anglers, Tyler Rivet grew up hoping to be like Greg Hackney, and given his current lead in the Bassmaster Angler of the Year points race, there’s a strong possibility his dreams of an iconic career like Hackney’s could come true.
Not only do the two talented pros come from Cajun country, they both purchased Toyota Tundras, and recently cashed Toyota Bonus Bucks checks as a result of their high finishes at Lake Seminole.
Plus, given Hackney’s unapologetic love of his torque and horsepower packed beast with much improved fuel mileage, it looks like there’s a good chance Rivet will follow further in Hackney’s footsteps by buying a new Tundra.
“We all know Toyota makes the most dependable truck out there, but let me tell you something, the gas mileage on this new Tundra is pretty crazy awesome. I’m getting 14 miles per gallon towing and 18-20 with no boat behind me, Plus, it pulls like a diesel because of the way Toyota engineered it to not shift constantly when you’re towing. I just set it on cruise control and go!” says Hackney.
“I’ll be really honest, now that I know how good the gas mileage is on the new Tundra, I’m probably going to sell the ¾ ton Chevy I drive around home sometimes, and replace it with a new Tundra too,” he adds.
Rivet’s Tundra is a 2019, and he’s been thinking seriously about upgrading to a new one. Given Hackney’s testimony, there’s a good chance he will.
“I bought my 2019 because I wanted to be eligible for Bonus Bucks, plus I wanted to be able to drive it through Elite Series and Classic weigh-ins to show off my sponsors, and we all know it’s a super reliable truck,” says Rivet.
“Hack was definitely a great dude to look up to growing up, and now I realize I have a chance to be a great mentor to all the high school kids where we’re from like he was to me and my buddies,” adds Rivet.
With a heart like that and best-in-the-game fishing talents too, Tyler Rivet is well on his way to becoming Southern Louisiana’s next generation of bass fishing greatness.
To learn more about the all new Toyota Tundra, and to get signed up for Toyota Bonus Bucks like Hackney and Rivet did, please visit https://www.toyotatrucksbonusbucks.com/.
Ebare Maintains Lead at Toyota Stop 2 on Clarks Hill
Texas Pro Brings 5-Pound, 5-Ounce Lead into Third and Final Day of Competition, Arkansas’ Spencer Shuffield in Second
APPLING, Ga. (March 1, 2023) – Pro Dakota Ebare of Brookeland, Texas, caught a five-bass limit Wednesday weighing 18 pounds, 6 ounces, to extend his lead by a just a couple of ounces after Day 2 of the MLF Tackle Warehouse Invitational Toyota Stop 2 at Clarks Hill Lake Presented by Lowrance. Ebare’s two-day total of 10 bass weighing 42 pounds, 3 ounces, will give him a 5-pound, 5-ounce lead over Hot Springs, Arkansas’ Spencer Shuffield, who has weighed in 10 bass totaling 36-14.
The three-day tournament, hosted by the Columbia County Convention and Visitors Bureau and the Thomson-McDuffie County Convention & Visitors Bureau, featured a roster of 150 anglers competing for a top prize of up to $115,000 and an invitation to compete at REDCREST 2024. The field is now trimmed to 50, and the winner will be determined tomorrow by heaviest three-day cumulative weight.
“Today started off really slow and it didn’t seem like there was much activity happening at all, out deep or on the bank,” Ebare said. “I started offshore like I did the first day, and it just wasn’t happening. I decided that if I was going to be grinding for bites, I was going to grind where I could get a kicker largemouth. But then that didn’t work, either.
“I shifted back to the mid-depth range as the afternoon progressed, and then I caught the big one. After that it really picked up.”
Ebare targeted brush piles and caught the biggest bass of the tournament – an 8-pound, 2-ounce stud - with a shaky-head rig. After that, he said the lake turned on and he caught another 20 fish throughout the afternoon.
“I’m pretty much catching fish on three different baits, but the key bait that I caught my bigger fish on yesterday did not work out today,” Ebare said.
Despite a 5-pound cushion, Ebare said that he was not at all comfortable and that he still feels like he needs to have a good day tomorrow in order to see the deal.
“I’m not letting up at all. I have to catch as much as I can and give it everything that I’ve got, tomorrow, because those guys behind me can catch them. Any one of them are capable of catching a big bag and catching me, so I’m not comfortable at all. I’m going to fish hard and do my best to finish this thing out.”
The top 50 pros advancing to the final day of competition on Clarks Hill Lake are:
1st: Dakota Ebare, Brookeland, Texas, 10 bass, 42-3
2nd: Spencer Shuffield, Hot Springs, Ark., 10 bass, 36-14
3rd: Tristan McCormick, Burns, Tenn., 10 bass, 35-4
4th: Sean Anderson, Leesville, S.C., 10 bass, 34-14
5th: Cal Lane, Guntersville, Ala., 10 bass, 34-3
6th: Travis Harriman, Huntsville, Ark., 10 bass, 34-2
7th: Tom Redington, Royse City, Texas, 10 bass, 33-3
8th: Mark Condron, Murfreesboro, Tenn., 10 bass, 32-11
9th: Jacob Wheeler, Harrison, Tenn., 10 bass, 32-1
10th: John Cox, DeBary, Fla., 10 bass, 31-15
11th: Drew Boggs, Lebanon, Tenn., 10 bass, 31-12
12th: Brad Jelinek, Lincoln, Mo., 10 bass, 31-8
13th: Spike Stoker, Cisco, Texas, 10 bass, 31-5
14th: Keith Carson, DeBary, Fla., 10 bass, 31-3
15th: Matthew Stefan, Junction City, Wis., 10 bass, 31-3
16th: Colby Schrumpf, Highland, Ill., 10 bass, 31-2
17th: Martin Villa, Charlottesville, Va., 10 bass, 31-0
18th: Fred Roumbanis, Russellville, Ark., 10 bass, 30-15
19th: William Fletcher, Dallas, Ga., 10 bass, 30-10
20th: Connor Cunningham, Springfield, Mo., 10 bass, 30-5
21st: Lane Olson, Tualatin, Ore., 10 bass, 30-3
22nd: Chad Mrazek, Montgomery, Texas, 10 bass, 30-2
23rd: Ron Nelson, Berrien Springs, Mich., 10 bass, 30-0
24th: Nick Hatfield, Greeneville, Tenn., 10 bass, 29-14
25th: Michael Harlin, Sunrise Beach, Mo., 10 bass, 29-13
26th: Kyle Hall, Granbury, Texas, 10 bass, 29-10
27th: Ron Farrow, Rock Hill, S.C., 10 bass, 29-7
28th: Jack Daniel Williams, Kingsport, Tenn., 10 bass, 29-7
29th: Matt Becker, Ten Mile, Tenn., 10 bass, 29-4
30th: Scotty Villines, Ponca, Ark., 10 bass, 29-3
31st: Steve Lopez, Oconomowoc, Wis., 10 bass, 29-3
32nd: Jordan Hirt, Glenwood, Iowa, 10 bass, 28-11
33rd: Christian Greico, Tampa, Fla., 10 bass, 28-11
34th: Cody Petit, Arundel, Maine, 10 bass, 28-10
35th: Cole Breeden, Lebanon, Mo., 10 bass, 28-9
36th: Joshua Weaver, Macon, Ga., 10 bass, 28-6
37th: John Voyles, Petersburg, Ind., 10 bass, 28-6
38th: Eric Panzironi, Longwood, Fla., 10 bass, 28-5
39th: Blake Hall, Rogersville, Ala., 10 bass, 28-3
40th: Lance Crawford, Broken Bow, Okla., 10 bass, 27-13
41st: Justin Cooper, Zwolle, La., 10 bass, 27-8
42nd: Matt Reed, Madisonville, Texas, 10 bass, 27-6
43rd: Jaden Parrish, Liberty, Texas, 10 bass, 27-5
44th: Grae Buck, Green Lane, Pa., 10 bass, 26-15
45th: Shaw Grigsby, Gaineville, Fla., 10 bass, 26-15
46th: Kollin Crawford, Broken Bow, Okla., 10 bass, 26-12
47th: Brock Reinkemeyer, Warsaw, Mo., 10 bass, 26-12
48th: Ricky Robinson, Greenback, Tenn., 10 bass, 26-9
49th: Jim Moynagh, Shakopee, Minn., 10 bass, 26-8
50th: Kyle Minke, Lindstrom, Minn., 10 bass, 26-7
Complete results for the entire field can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
Ebare won Wednesday’s $1,000 Berkley Big Bass award with his kicker largemouth that weighed 8 pounds, 2 ounces.
Overall, there were 743 bass weighing 1,845 pounds, 9 ounces caught by 149 pros Wednesday. The catch included 147 five-bass limits.
In MLF Tackle Warehouse Invitational competition, the full field of 150 anglers competed in the two-day opening round on Tuesday and Wednesday. Only the top 50 pros based on their two-day cumulative weight now advance to the final round on Championship Thursday, where they will compete for the grand prize of up to $115,000, including the lucrative $35,000 Phoenix MLF Bonus for qualified anglers. The winner of the MLF Tackle Warehouse Invitational Toyota Stop 2 at Clarks Hill Lake Presented by Lowrance will be determined by the heaviest three-day cumulative weight and will receive an invitation to compete at REDCREST 2024.
The final 50 anglers will take off at 7 a.m. ET Thursday, from Wildwood Park, located at 6212 Holloway Road in Appling. The final weigh-in and trophy presentation will also be held at the park beginning at 3 p.m. Fans are welcome to attend the event or follow the live on-the-water action all three days of competition online on MLF NOW! beginning at 7:30 a.m. ET at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
The MLF NOW!® broadcast team of Chad McKee, Marty Stone and J.T. Kenney will break down the extended action on all three days of competition from 7:15 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. ET. MLF NOW!® will be live streamed on MajorLeagueFishing.com and the MyOutdoorTV (MOTV) app.
The MLF Tackle Warehouse Invitational Stop 2 at Clarks Hill Lake will also feature a two-hour television broadcast that will premiere on the CBS Sports Network on Saturday, Oct. 7.
Proud sponsors of the 2023 MLF Tackle Warehouse Invitationals include: 4WP, 13 Fishing, Abu Garcia, B&W Trailer Hitches, Berkley, Black Rifle Coffee, E3, Favorite Fishing, Fox Rent a Car, General Tire, Grundéns, Lew’s, Lowrance, Mercury, Mossy Oak, Onyx, Phoenix Boats, Polaris, Power-Pole, Strike King, Tackle Warehouse, T-H Marine, Wiley X and YETI.
For complete details and updated information visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow the Tackle Warehouse Invitationals on the MLF5 social media outlets at Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.
CANADIAN BASS FISHING EXPERT “BIG JIM” McLAUGHLIN HONORED WITH BASS FISHING HALL OF FAME BOARD’S MERITORIOUS SERVICE AWARD
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – March 1, 2023 – FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – In keeping with its mission of celebrating the sport of bass fishing, the Bass Fishing Hall of Fame Board of Directors will be honoring Jim McLaughlin from Seely’s Bay, Ontario with its special ‘Meritorious Service Award’ during its upcoming sponsor/donor reception at the Bassmaster Classic in Knoxville.
Established in 2018, the Hall’s Meritorious Service Award gives proper and well-deserved recognition to an individual or organization for their significant contributions within specific areas to bass fishing.
McLaughlin, known throughout the Canadian bass fishing scene as ‘Big Jim’, was once one of the most feared and successful competitive anglers in Canada, as well as its first Pro Bass Classic winner and the first two-time Pro Bass Classic winner. He continues to be a headline presenter at major fishing expos in Ottawa and Toronto, along with handling emcee duties at various bass fishing tournaments throughout Ontario.
In addition to his angling skills, McLaughlin has always had a knack for introducing youngsters to fishing and helping their parents understand the sport and how to make it a family activity. Over the past 25 years, he’s given many kids their first taste of fishing by hosting the Jackpot Casting Pond at the annual Ottawa Boat and Outdoor Show. Over his career, he’s been a driving force behind growing tournament bass fishing in Canada and has inspired many to establish careers in the sport as both professional anglers and in other areas within the industry.
“While Big Jim’s incredible tournament accomplishments are what most bass anglers in Canada would point out, it’s his relentless and tireless work promoting bass fishing that really overshadows all his tournament success,” said noted bass fishing TV celebrity Dave Mercer. “There’s a Greek proverb that says, ‘a society grows great when men plant trees whose shade they know they shall never sit in’ and Big Jim is doing that by physically introducing more anglers to fishing at tournaments, outdoor expos, kid’s events, or often a random lake side meeting, than any other Canadian.”
McLaughlin joins the late Ronnie Everett and Jim Hooven as well as the Western Bass Club as recipients of the Hall’s Meritorious Service Award. Everett started the Mr. Bass of Arkansas tournament trail that served as a breeding ground for many pro bass anglers from the state. Hooven led the Lakeland (Fla.) Bassmaster club for 25 consecutive years and watched as several members went on to successful careers as pro anglers. The Seattle-based Western Bass Club, started in 1938, is considered the oldest bass club still in existence.
“On behalf of the BFHOF Board, we can’t thank Big Jim enough for what he has done for bass fishing and the tournament scene throughout Ontario over the years,” said Board president John Mazurkiewicz. “It’s a pleasure recognizing him for what he does to celebrate, promote and preserve the sport of bass fishing.”
Many BFHOF inductees, the Hall’s Board, leaders from the bass fishing industry, pro anglers and special invited guests will be in attendance at the annual HOF reception at the Bassmaster Classic where McLaughlin will officially be honored with his BFHOF Meritorious Service Award.
More information about the Bass Fishing HOF and its mission of ‘celebrating, promoting and preserving the sport of bass fishing’ is available at www.BassFishingHOF.com, or by contacting BFHOF executive director Barbara Bowman at [email protected].
Bass from the Grass...and Depths
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DAIWA’s new ¾-ounce Ever Green Grass Ripper (GR) jig targets more and bigger bass. |
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Cypress, CA (March 1, 2023) – Come summer, largemouth bass make a habit of burying themselves in the grass. Bass sharpies know they’re in there, of course, but not everyone has the patience to work through waters where the stringy stalks wrap around hooks and jig heads on every cast. That’s why DAIWA and Ever Green International’s Grass Ripper (GR) jig series has been a hit. For 2023, the upsized ¾-ounce Grass Ripper aims to tempt deepwater bass, and, slow crawled in the shallows, to earn the attention of spring bass. |
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Heavyweight jigs like the ¾-ounce Grass Ripper prove instantly effective in 20-feet of water and deeper, especially along steep ledges. One popular technique is swimming them uphill from an inside boat position. Featuring a perfectly positioned eyelet at the front of the jig’s nose, and teardrop-shaped head that angles smoothly from eyelet to base, the Grass Ripper gently slithers and glides over grass instead of trying to power through it. Following this path of least resistance allows the jig to avoid catching grass and other vegetation around the eyelet while its robust weed guard protects the hook. The Grass Ripper’s unique anvil-shaped head also causes the jig to invitingly pendulum swing on the drop, expanding coverage. Run-of-the-mill jigs simply tumble and flop to the bottom. |
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WHITE |
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CLEARWATER SHAD |
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SPOT REMOVER |
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CHART SHAD |
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BHITE DELIGHT |
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BRETT'S BLUEGILL |
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FIRE CRAW |
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GREEN PUMPKIN |
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BRUISED GREEN PUMPKIN |
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BLACK & BLUE |
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“Many jigs have the eyelet atop the jig head. Unfortunately, that positioning leads to the jig getting plugged-up as you force it through the grass,” explains Marc Mills, DAIWA’s Marketing Manager. “With the Grass Ripper, the jig head just slides up and over the grass to keep itself weedless more often than not. Try one on a grassy flat and you’ll notice the difference immediately. Fewer weeds on your jig equates to more strikes overall, and better odds of having a lunker take a swipe at your offering.” Available in ¼-, 3/8-, ½-, and now ¾-ounce sizes, the Grass Ripper comes in ten proven colors. Weed guards in black, brown or clear blend with the jig’s primary color pattern, while its high-quality heavy-gauge, 4/0 custom bait-holder hook is a nod to the serious big-bass potential here in North America. Engineered to swim strait and not roll over, the Grass Ripper’s ability to come through grass nice and clean opens new avenues for anglers to explore. Whether looking to fill a limit, set a new personal best, or simply enjoy a day of solid bassin’ at your favorite honey hole, these jigs offer a serious edge. With a manufacturer’s suggested retail price of $7.49 to $8.99, they are nearly indestructible, affordable, and sure to help you pull more big bass from the subsurface lawns others avoid. |
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Dakota Lithium inks multiyear deal to sponsor Bassmaster Kayak Angler of the Year
March 1, 2023
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Dakota Lithium, a U.S. battery manufacturer founded in 2008 and the Official Lithium Battery of Bassmaster, has expanded its partnership with B.A.S.S. and signed a three-year sponsorship deal for the Bassmaster Kayak Series Angler of the Year award.
Every tournament in the 2023 Yamaha Rightwaters Bassmaster Kayak Series powered by TourneyX has been expanded to two days as anglers compete around the country for the Dakota Lithium Bassmaster Kayak Series Angler of the Year title, which comes with a $5,000 cash prize.
“Partnering with B.A.S.S. to honor the top Kayak Series angler is a natural fit and extension of our support for the sport and relationship with Bassmaster tournaments,” said Craig Storms, Dakota Lithium national sales representative and pro staff manager. “Many of the Kayak Series’ top anglers already work with Dakota Lithium, and we want to continue the momentum we’re building through our sponsorship of the Bassmaster Tournament Trail and Elite Series pros to keep reaching more people who fish. B.A.S.S. is committed to using its massive reach and membership base to elevate kayak fishing.”
In addition to sponsoring multiple Bassmaster Kayak Series anglers, including past champions Cody Milton and Rus Snyders, Dakota Lithium is a premier sponsor for the Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic presented by Toyota and six-circuit Bassmaster Tournament Trail.
“It was no surprise to see Dakota Lithium, a long-time supporter of the sport, step up in a huge way regarding the Bassmaster Kayak Series,” said angler Kristine Fischer, who won the 2021 Hobie Bass Open Series Tournament of Champions on Lake Eufaula and finished 3rd at the season-ending 2022 Bassmaster Kayak Series event on Pickwick Lake. “I’ve been part of the Dakota team for years, and it makes me proud to be part of a family that continuously invests and pours into growing kayak fishing.”
Lithium batteries have become an industry standard for competitive fishing, providing twice the usable power at half the weight of traditional batteries. In a quickly growing market, Dakota Lithium has become the brand of choice for professional athletes, primarily due to Dakota Lithium’s performance, reliability, lifespan and best-in-class 11-year warranty.
The 2023 Yamaha Rightwaters Bassmaster Kayak Series powered by TourneyX season kicks off March 4-5 on legendary Lake Guntersville. Anglers will earn points in every regular-season tournament with their lowest finish dropped to determine the final Dakota Lithium Bassmaster Kayak Series Angler of the Year standings.
MLF Sponsor Onyx Donates PFDs to U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for Life Jacket Loaner Program at Clarks Hill Lake
APPLING, Ga. (March 1, 2023) – Major League Fishing (MLF) and Onyx, the exclusive life jacket sponsor of the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization, are ensuring that the 150 pros competing this week at the MLF Tackle Warehouse Invitational Toyota Stop 2 at Clarks Hill Lakearen’t the only anglers who will be safe on Clarks Hill Lake. In conjunction with the tournament, Onyx donated PFDs to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Life Jacket Loaner program, which places the PFDs at loaner stations located around the lake to be used by local anglers and boaters.
“We are thrilled to partner with Onyx and Major League Fishing in the expansion of our Life Jacket Loaner Program,” said Charlie Fenwick, Park Operations Manager for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers – J. Strom Thurmond Lake. “These donated loaner life jackets will amplify safe recreational opportunities that the more than 4 million annual visitors experience by and in the water, including swimming, boating and fishing. Always wear a lifejacket when you are on or near the water – Life Jackets Worn… Nobody Mourns!”
The PFDs were presented to the U.S. Army Rangers on stage at Tuesday’s weigh-in by MLF Senior Tournament Director Kevin Hunt, on behalf of Onyx.
“Onyx is pleased to partner with the Army Corps of Engineers in providing PFDs for their life jacket loaner stations on Clarks Hill Lake, making sure their visitors stay safe during all their water activities,” said Mary Snyder, Vice President of Marketing for Onyx. “It’s a nice reminder for everyone – the best life jackets are the ones you wear.”
The Tackle Warehouse Invitational Toyota Stop 2 at Clarks Hill Lake Presented by Lowrance is underway this week in Appling, Georgia, through Thursday. The MLF 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 2024 – the Bass Pro Tour championship – for the chance to win up to $300,000.
Anglers will launch each morning at 7 a.m. ET from Wildwood Park, located at 6212 Holloway Road in Appling. Weigh-ins will also be held at the park beginning at 3 p.m. each day. Fans are welcome to attend the event or follow the live on-the-water action all three days of competition online on MLF NOW! beginning at 7:30 a.m. ET at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
For complete details and updated tournament information visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. To learn more about Onyx, their PFD lineup and what to look for in your life jacket, visit OnyxOutdoor.com.
Ridin' with the Cowboy
This week, Bassmaster Elite Series winner, Joey Cifuentes, goes over how the west... southwest of Georgia was won.
The Ultimate Rainsuit for Extreme Elements
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New Whitewater® Great Lakes Jacket & Bib fishing rain gear caters to winter, early-, and late-season season multi-species fishing |
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MUSKEGON, Mich. (March 1, 2023) – Conceived to deliver elite-level anglers with the ultimate water-, wind-, and foul weather-resistant fishing rain gear, the 2023 Whitewater®Great Lakes Jacket & Bib delivers the ultimate in elements protection, warmth, comfort, mobility, and flexibility. Prototyped through numerous iterations in tandem with the NEXT BITE staff and winning FLW, AIM, and MLF tournament walleye anglers (Gary Parsons, Chase Parsons, Jason Przekurat, Tommy Kemos, and Korey Sprengel), as well as Matt and Jim Schiefelbein; guides from the cold-weather steelhead/salmon scene; foul-weather muskie sticks; and elite-level tournament bass anglers like the youngest competitor to ever win a B.A.S.S. Elite Series event, Jay Przekurat, Whitewater’s 2023 Great Lakes Jacket & Bib fishing rain gear was designed by serious anglers for serious anglers. |
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Buoy Red |
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Adding to the apparel toolbox of today’s advanced angler, the all-new-for-2023 Great Lakes Jacket & Bib provides an elevated option to anglers doing battle with the special challenges of cold-weather, early-season and late-season – or any time during the fishing calendar when the weather is foul, often the case pursuing walleyes, smallmouths, or salmon/trout on the Great Lakes, or chasing marble eyes in the Dakotas or on the Columbia, Missouri, Mississippi, and Detroit River systems, as well as pounding big-water for muskies. |
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Shade |
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Charcoal |
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NEXUS Outdoors president and product design advisor, Aaron Ambur, remarks: “From my beginnings on the Missouri River chasing walleyes to currently hitting the Great Lakes hard, I am excited about what we created for authentic, technical anglers who fish no matter the conditions. I have worn all the past brand offerings, and to this date, no one has balanced protection and warmth into garments without constricting the highly mobile and athletic movements of an active fisherman. The Whitewater Great Lakes Jacket and Bib delivers the perfect balance like no other suit to date, and I can’t wait for customers to experience what I have through testing during our development journey on many different waters and in some really bad weather conditions.” |
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Multi-tournament FLW and MLF walleye pro, Jason Przekurat, offers: “Whitewater Great Lakes fishing rain gear is something I’ve been pretty close with as far as designing an extremely high-quality bad weather fishing rain suit with a realistic price-tag—something that has all the features and more of any high-end fishing rain gear. From head to feet, the Great Lakes ensemble has been designed and measured to fit all the things that we as fishermen need in a dependable fishing rain suit . At the end of the day, it has the fit and function to keep serious anglers dry in the worst conditions imaginable, which usually happen during tournament days.” |
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“Everything from the hood to the pockets to the sleeves, it was made to my specs. The most important feature, in my opinion, is that it’s flexible. It has a stretchy fabric to it so you’re never bound in the suit, which is what we’ve seen in the past with stiff rain gear,” shares Przekurat. “For example, you bend over to un-hook a fish and everything binds up in the suit and doesn’t allow you to stretch or stay flexible. One of the problems I’ve seen over the past is I have long legs, and I’d sit down and the bibs would ride up my legs exposing my ankles to the wind, rain, and sleet. With Whitewater’s stretchable fabric, I don’t have to worry about that anymore,” continues Przekurat. |
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Przekurat concludes: “By far, the most important feature of the Great Lakes Jacket and Bib is comfort. It’s the most comfortable rain suit I’ve ever worn over the past several decades. There’s no restriction of movement—the suit moves with you, whether you’re casting, setting out boards, landing a fish, or netting a fish for a partner or co-angler. Ultimately, it’s that rare rain suit that actually flexes with your knees, elbows, arms, and legs, and allows for the athletic motions of today’s competitive fishing.” |
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Features: Whitewater Great Lakes Jacket
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Features: Whitewater Great Lakes Bib
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To complete the Whitewater® Great Lakes system, anglers should also look at the brand’s new-for-2023 Whitewater® Torque Heated Fishing Vest and the Buoy Fishing Hoodie, both of which complete a system approach layered underneath the Great Lakes Jacket. In addition, for extremely cold, winter fishing temperatures, professional anglers like Jason Przekurat are also layering the Whitewater Tamer™ Softshell Jacket and Tamer™ Bib underneath the Great Lakes Jacket and Bib. No matter what species you chase, the goal is to quickly locate and catch fish no matter what Mother Nature throws at you. Designed and engineered with an elite combination of materials and technologies to leverage preparation and maximize opportunities during the unique challenges of foul, cold, and wet conditions, the all-new Great Lakes Jacket & Bib gives serious anglers every possible advantage. Apparel will soon be available at dealers, but is available online NOW at whitewaterfish.com. |
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Lipless crankbaits for prespawn bass
https://youtu.be/L8SVQTYwF-E
Vance shares some lipless crankbait tips for when the bass start to move in from their winter haunts
Dakota Ebare Smacks 23-Pound Limit to Take Early Lead at Toyota Stop 2 on Clarks Hill
Former Rodeo Bullfighter Takes 5-Pound, 2-Ounce Lead into Second Day of Competition Wednesday
APPLING, Ga. (Feb. 28, 2023) – The second Major League Fishing (MLF) Tackle Warehouse Invitational event of the season kicked off this morning at Clarks Hill Lake in Appling, Georgia, and the fishery absolutely showed out. More than 30 pros caught a five-bass limit in excess of 14 pounds, and six pros caught limits weighing more than 17 pounds. However, after all of the fish had been weighed and the scales settled, an angler many consider to be the hottest in the country had jumped out to a Texas-sized lead.
Pro Dakota Ebare of Brookeland, Texas, crossed the stage Tuesday with a five-bass limit weighing 23 pounds, 13 ounces, to grab the early lead on Day 1 of the MLF Tackle Warehouse Invitational Toyota Stop 2 at Clarks Hill Lake Presented by Lowrance. Ebare now holds a 5-pound,2-ounce lead over Huntsville, Arkansas’ Travis Harriman, who caught five bass weighing 18-11.
The full field of 150 anglers will conclude the two-day opening round on Wednesday, with only the top 50 pros based on their two-day cumulative weight advancing to Championship Thursday. The three-day tournament, hosted by the Columbia County Convention and Visitors Bureau and the Thomson-McDuffie County Convention & Visitors Bureau, features a roster of 150 anglers competing for a top prize of up to $115,000 and an invitation to compete at REDCREST 2024.
Although Ebare was predictably mum about a lot of the key details on his big day, he did say that he caught 30 to 40 keepers and that he thinks he can have a similar day tomorrow.
“Today was a little better than I expected,” said Ebare, a former College Fishing angler for Tarleton State University. “I was expecting to go out there and catch some fish and have a good day, but I had a couple of really big bites and it turned out to be a great day. I caught them from every branch (of the lake) that you could possibly catch them in. I did a lot of different stuff and just bounced around. I caught some out, caught some up, and just kept an open mind for the day. I had a lot of fun and just went fishing.
“The deepest I caught one was 30 feet, and the shallowest I caught one was one foot,” Ebare continued. “I was all over, just keeping an open mind. And that’s what we’re going to do tomorrow, just go out and have a good time again, and we’ll see where we end up.”
Ebare has been on an absolute tear on the water over the last 12 months. He finished sixth or better in the final six events of the season on the Bass Pro Tour and Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit, including 2nd-place finishes at the James River and at the Pro Circuit TITLE Championship on the St. Lawrence River. He carried the momentum into 2023, earning his first career win at a Toyota Series event on Sam Rayburn last month. Now, with a 5-pound lead in this event, Ebare said the key to his success has been giving the glory to God and just having fun.
“That (Toyota Series) win took off a lot of stress,” Ebare said. “It’s a huge relief to not have to worry about if it’s going to happen, and now I just get to go fishing and have fun.
“It’s just been a blessing and I am very thankful. God has blessed me so much, and I just want to keep having fun and glorifying him. I think that is the most important thing and been the biggest attribute to my success – keeping an open mind and having fun.”
The top 20 pros after Day 1 on Clarks Hill Lake are:
1st: Dakota Ebare, Brookeland, Texas, five bass, 23-13
2nd: Travis Harriman, Huntsville, Ark., five bass, 18-11
3rd: Drew Boggs, Lebanon, Tenn., five bass, 18-9
4th: Keith Carson, DeBary, Fla., five bass, 18-1
5th: Scotty Villines, Ponca, Ark., five bass, 17-6
6th: Sean Anderson, Leesville, S.C., five bass, 17-3
7th: Martin Villa, Charlottesville, Va., five bass, 17-1
8th: Jacob Wheeler, Harrison, Tenn., five bass, 17-0
9th: Cole Breeden, Lebanon, Mo., five bass, 16-15
10th: Tristan McCormick, Burns, Tenn., five bass, 16-11
11th: Cody Petit, Arundel, Maine, five bass, 16-10
11th: Spencer Shuffield, Hot Springs, Ark., five bass, 16-10
11th: Cal Lane, Guntersville, Ala., five bass, 16-10
14th: Colby Schrumpf, Highland, Ill., five bass, 16-9
15th: Spike Stoker, Cisco, Texas, five bass, 16-8
16th: Michael Neal, Dayton, Tenn., five bass, 16-4
17th: Chad Mrazek, Montgomery, Texas, five bass, 16-3
18th: Tyler Stewart, Dubach, La., five bass, 16-2
19th: John Cox, DeBary, Fla., five bass, 16-1
20th: Jacopo Gallelli, Florence, Italy, five bass, 15-12
Complete results for the entire field can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
Pro Cole Breeden of Lebanon, Missouri, earned Tuesday’s $1,000 Berkley Big Bass award with a bass that weighed 6 pounds, 13 ounces.
Overall, there were 724 bass weighing 1,733 pounds, 4 ounces caught by 149 pros Tuesday. The catch included 140 five-bass limits.
In MLF Tackle Warehouse Invitational competition, the full field of 150 anglers compete in the two-day opening round on Tuesday and Wednesday in a traditional five-fish, weigh-in format. Only the top 50 pros based on their two-day cumulative weight will advance to the final round on Championship Thursday, where they will compete for the grand prize of up to $115,000, including the lucrative $35,000 Phoenix MLF Bonus for qualified anglers. The winner of the MLF Tackle Warehouse Invitational Toyota Stop 2 at Clarks Hill Lake Presented by Lowrance will be determined by the heaviest three-day cumulative weight and will receive an invitation to compete at REDCREST 2024.
Anglers will take off at 7 a.m. ET, each day, from Wildwood Park, located at 6212 Holloway Road in Appling. Weigh-ins will also be held at the park beginning at 3 p.m. each day. Fans are welcome to attend the event or follow the live on-the-water action all three days of competition online on MLF NOW! beginning at 7:30 a.m. ET at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
The MLF NOW!® broadcast team of Chad McKee, Marty Stone and J.T. Kenney will break down the extended action on all three days of competition from 7:15 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. ET. MLF NOW!® will be live streamed on MajorLeagueFishing.com and the MyOutdoorTV (MOTV) app.
The MLF Tackle Warehouse Invitational Stop 1 at Clarks Hill Lake will also feature a two-hour television broadcast that will premiere on the CBS Sports Network on Saturday, Oct. 7.
Proud sponsors of the 2023 MLF Tackle Warehouse Invitationals include: 4WP, 13 Fishing, Abu Garcia, B&W Trailer Hitches, Berkley, Black Rifle Coffee, E3, Favorite Fishing, Fox Rent a Car, General Tire, Grundéns, Lew’s, Lowrance, Mercury, Mossy Oak, Onyx, Phoenix Boats, Polaris, Power-Pole, Strike King, Tackle Warehouse, T-H Marine, Wiley X and YETI.
For complete details and updated information visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow the Tackle Warehouse Invitationals on the MLF5 social media outlets at Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.
Tulsa and Grand Lake O’ the Cherokees set to host third Bassmaster Classic in 2024
Tulsa, Okla., will host the 2024 Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic presented by Toyota March 22-24.
Photo by Tyler Layne Photography
February 28, 2023
TULSA, Okla. — When it comes to the Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic presented by Toyota, Grand Lake O’ the Cherokees has more than lived up to its name.
The 46,500-acre fishery provided some of the grandest moments in the history of the event when Classics were held there in 2013 and 2016 — and now, the picturesque reservoir located in the foothills of the Ozark Mountains will add to that grand lore when it plays host to the 54th renewal of the Super Bowl of Bass Fishing March 22-24, 2024.
B.A.S.S. officials alongside hosts from the Tulsa Sports Commission and ASM Global made the announcement at a press conference in Tulsa on Tuesday morning, nearly 13 months before the event will take place.
“Planning the Bassmaster Classic, the greatest celebration of the sport of fishing, is a never-ending process,” said B.A.S.S. CEO Chase Anderson. “The B.A.S.S. team has been working with the people of Tulsa for well over a year to make this a reality.
“Now that it’s official, we couldn’t be more excited to be headed back to a city and fishery that already hold a special place in Classic history and is such an important area to the fishing community.”
As with past Classics held in Tulsa, daily weigh-ins will be held at the BOK Center in downtown Tulsa, with the Bassmaster Classic Outdoors Expo across the street at the Cox Business Convention Center, which boasts 275,000 square feet of event space. Daily takeoffs will be held about 90 miles away at the Wolf Creek Park and Boating Facility on Grand Lake.
“The Tulsa Sports Commission, and Tulsa Regional Tourism as a whole, are beyond excited to welcome the Bassmaster Classic back to Tulsa in 2024 after successful 2013 and 2016 events,” said Renee McKenney, vice president of tourism, Tulsa Regional Chamber and president, Tulsa Regional Tourism. “Tulsa has experienced profound growth since 2016 — welcoming new attractions like the Gathering Place, Discovery Lab, Mother Road Market, Greenwood Rising Black Wall St. History Center and the Bob Dylan Center to name just a few. This is an incredible opportunity to showcase how Tulsa is not only a thriving, vibrant city, but one with convenient access to world-class outdoor splendor.”
Previous Bassmaster Classics drew phenomenal crowds lakeside and to packed venues around the “Capital of Route 66,” and more than 105,000 enthusiastic fans are expected for Classic Week festivities.
“When you saw 3,000 fans standing out in the freezing-cold weather every morning to watch the competitors launch their boats, that pretty much told you everything you needed to know,” said Eric Lopez, director of operations for B.A.S.S. “The people in that area love B.A.S.S. and bass fishing — and for those traveling in from out of town, the area has a fabulous selection of restaurants and hotels to choose from.
“It really is a great place for an event like the Classic, and that’s before you even start discussing the quality of the fishing, which is fantastic.”
During the first Tulsa Classic in 2013, former Elite Series pro Cliff Pace of Mississippi claimed a wire-to-wire victory despite sharing the first-day lead with current Elite Series star Mike Iaconelli during a frigid event when icy precipitation and blistering cold tested the toughness of the 53-angler field. Pace’s closest competition in that Classic came from reigning Progressive Insurance Bassmaster Angler of the Year Brandon Palaniuk of Rathdrum, Idaho, who finished second by 7 pounds.
That fishing prowess was on display again in 2016 when local favorite Jason Christie led Days 1 and 2 and seemed poised to earn his first Classic trophy until fellow Oklahoma pro Edwin Evers caught a five-bass limit that weighed 29 pounds, 3 ounces to claim a dramatic come-from-behind win.
Christie, who finally earned a Classic victory last year on Lake Hartwell, still calls it one of the most crushing moments of his career.
“When you have a chance to win the biggest title in bass fishing right there at home — that just doesn’t happen very often,” he said. “In a way, I just got beat because Edwin went out and caught that huge bag. But I also only came in with four fish that final day.
“I didn’t do all I could have done to win it — and I love the idea of having another shot at it on that particular fishery.”
“The Grand River Dam Authority is excited to see the Bassmaster Classic make its return to Grand Lake in 2024,” said GRDA President and CEO Dan Sullivan. “Not only will the event provide a tremendous economic benefit to the region but it will once again showcase Grand Lake to interested audiences across the country.
“GRDA places a high priority on caring for the natural resources under its control, and being a three-time host of the Bassmaster Classic reinforces Grand’s reputation as one of the nation’s top fisheries. GRDA is excited to once again support the Bassmaster Classic, which is known as a premier event and competition for anglers.”
On last year’s list of 100 Best Bass Lakes by Bassmaster Magazine, Grand Lake ranked 17th in the Central Division. That marks the 11th straight year — every year the list has been published — that the fishery has ranked in the Top 100.
The field will include 56 anglers who will qualify through the Bassmaster Elite Series, the St. Croix Bassmaster Opens, the TNT Fireworks B.A.S.S. Nation Championship, the Strike King College Series presented by Bass Pro Shops and the Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Team Championship. They will all be vying for a $300,000 first-place prize and a total purse of over $1 million.
“Since its inception, the Classic has been a tournament that changes lives,” said B.A.S.S. Vice President of Tournaments Chris Bowes. “The payday is great, sure. But the opportunity to refer to yourself as ‘Bassmaster Classic champion’ for the rest of your life — there’s no greater clout in our sport.”
Stephens Earns Win at Phoenix Bass Fishing League Event on Lake Norman
MOORESVILLE, N.C. (Feb. 27, 2023) – Boater Michael Stephens of Gastonia, North Carolina, caught a five-bass limit weighing 18 pounds, 5 ounces, Saturday to win the MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League (BFL) Presented by T-H Marine on Lake Norman . The tournament, hosted by the Mooresville Convention and Visitors Bureau, was the first event of the season for the BFL North Carolina Division. Stephens earned $4,884 for his victory.
“We started out on some rock points and caught three fish,” said Stephens. “I fished deep with a Rapala DT6 for a while, but the deep fish I had found had moved. So, I started skipping docks that held brush with a jig. I caught two of my key fish doing that. The rest of the day I sight-fished in pockets.
“It was really slow … just a fish an hour,” Stephens added. “It was really tough. I had to work for them.”
Stephens said his two biggest fish came in the backs of pockets. He said earlier in the week the bass had been staging to spawn, but a cold front moved through, and the fish moved away and were keying on baitfish in the backs of the pockets.
“This win is kind of a big deal for me,” Stephens said. “I’ve fished a lot and come in second and third and had quite a few top-10s, but I’ve never won. So, it was nice to nail that down finally.”
The top 10 boaters finished the tournament:
2nd: Rob Johnson, Schuylkill Haven, Pa., five bass, 17-2, $2,140
3rd: Spencer Taylor, Sherrills Ford, N.C., five bass, 13-11, $1,426
4th: Ben Hudson, Forest, Va., five bass, 13-9, $998
5th: David Cooke, Mooresville, N.C., five bass, 12-11, $856
6th: Jason Wilson, Lincolnton, N.C., five bass, 12-9, $785
7th: Cody Hoyle, Rutherfordton, N.C., five bass, 12-4, $713
8th: George Lambeth, Thomasville, N.C., five bass, 12-1, $642
9th: Michael Webster, Gastonia, N.C., five bass, 11-15, $535
9th: Josh Gowan, Moravian Falls, N.C., five bass, 11-15, $535
Stephens also caught a bass that weighed 4 pounds, 14 ounces, and earned the Berkley Big Bass Boater award of $605.
The top 10 Strike King co-anglers finished:
2nd: Hunter Alexander, China Grove, N.C., five bass, 13-0, $1,070
3rd: Keith Wood, Mooresville, N.C., five bass, 12-7, $712
4th: Cody Barnes, Zebulon, N.C., five bass, 11-8, $499
5th: Johnathan Strickland, Graham, N.C., five bass, 11-6, $428
6th: Hayden Foster, Moravian Falls, N.C., five bass, 11-3, $392
7th: Zachary Stroupe, Gastonia, N.C., five bass, 11-0, $357
8th: Timothy Pass, Belmont, N.C., five bass, 9-6, $321
9th: David Bright, Mooresville, N.C., three bass, 9-3, $587
10th: William Vaughn, Raleigh, N.C., five bass, 9-1, $237
10th: Jay Kleinfeld, Winston Salem, N.C., five bass, 9-1, $237
The top 45 boaters and co-anglers in the region based on point standings, along with the five tournament winners of each qualifying event, will qualify for the Oct. 5-7 BFL Regional tournament on the Potomac River in Marbury, Maryland. Boaters will fish for a top award of $60,000, including a new Phoenix 819 Pro with a 200-horsepower Mercury outboard and $10,000, while co-anglers will compete for a top award of $50,000, including a new Phoenix 819 Pro with a 200-horsepower Mercury outboard.
The 2023 Phoenix BFL Presented by T-H Marine is a 24-division circuit devoted to weekend anglers, with 128 events throughout the season, five qualifying tournaments in each division. The top 45 boaters and Strike King co-anglers from each division, along with the five qualifying event winners, will advance to one of six BFL Regional tournaments where they are competing to finish in the top six, which then qualifies them for one of the longest-running championships in all of competitive bass fishing – the BFL All-American. The 2023 All-American event will take place May 31-June 2, on Lake Hartwell in Seneca, South Carolina. The event is hosted by Visit Oconee SC.
Proud sponsors of the 2023 MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine include: 4WP, 13 Fishing, Abu Garcia, B&W Trailer Hitches, Berkley, Black Rifle Coffee, E3, Epic Baits, Favorite Fishing, General Tire, Grundéns, Gill, Lew’s, Lowrance, Mercury, Mossy Oak, Onyx, Phoenix, Polaris, Power-Pole, Strike King, Tackle Warehouse, T-H Marine, Toyota, Wiley X and YETI.
For complete details and updated tournament information, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular Bass Fishing League updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF5’s social media outlets at Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.
Medlock Grinds Out Victory at Phoenix Bass Fishing League Event on Lake Toho
Holmes Wins Strike King Co-Angler Division
KISSIMMEE, Fla. (Feb. 27, 2023) – Boater Brandon Medlock of Lake Placid, Florida, caught a five-bass limit weighing 23 pounds, 6 ounces, Saturday to win the MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League (BFL) Presented by T-H Marine on Lake Toho . The tournament, hosted by the Kissimmee Sports Commission, was the first event of the season for the BFL Gator Division. Medlock earned $6,011 for his victory.
Medlock said he began his tournament by running south to flip pencil reeds and started off the day catching two quality largemouth. He had found the pattern during practice, and as soon as he caught his first two fish, he made the decision to stick with targeting reeds all day.
Medlock said he relied on a Yamamoto Senko, a Zoom Brush Hog, a Lil’ Chub hook-tail worm and a jig to entice bites, and those baits provided a total of 10 bass during the tournament for Medlock.
“I just kept switching up baits and flipping two or three baits on a spot and then I’d move on,” Medlock said. “I thought it was going to take 30 pounds to win. They were biting really good all week, but it was actually tough during the tournament. I wasn’t expecting it to be that tough, but the lake has been pounded for three weeks straight.
“There are a lot of really good anglers that fish the BFL events, so this win feels really good,” Medlock said. “In my opinion, it’s harder to win a BFL than a multi-day event. Usually, you have to have just one miraculous day for everything to come together in a one-day tournament.”
The top 10 boaters finished the tournament:
2nd: Michael Howes, Bradenton, Fla., five bass, 22-10, $3,006
3rd: Stanley Hunt, Jacksonville, Fla., five bass, 21-8, $3,746 (includes $500 Phoenix MLF Contingency Bonus)
4th: Ben McCann, Bradenton, Fla, five bass, 19-6, $1,403
5th: Garrett Rocamora, Lithia, Fla., five bass, 19-5, $1,202
6th: Bill Day, Frankfort, Ky., five bass, 19-2, $1,102
7th: Tracen Phillips, Lake Placid, Fla., five bass, 19-0, $1,002
8th: Max Moneuse, Parrish, Fla., five bass, 18-13, $902
9th: Mark Peiser, Tavares, Fla., five bass, 18-11, $802
10th: Tommy Young, Union Park, Fla., five bass, 18-9, $701
L’Marquis Holmes of Tallahassee, Georgia, won the Strike King co-angler division and a total of $3,503 Saturday, after bringing five bass to the scale that totaled 20 pounds, 15 ounces.
The top 10 Strike King co-anglers finished:
2nd: Larry Mullikin, Jacksonville, Fla., five bass, 18-14, $1,503
3rd: Kenneth Hunnicutt, Jacksonville, Fla., five bass, 15-11, $1,008
4th: Joseph Knapp Jr., Keystone Heights, Fla., five bass, 14-9, $701
5th: Hernan Gonzalez, Saint Cloud, Fla., five bass, 14-6, $576
5th: Tyler Nekolny, Coral Springs, Fla., five bass, 14-6, $576
7th: Robert Oakley, Nokomis, Fla., five bass, 14-2, $476
7th: Cletus Gaskins, Sanderson, Fla., five bass, 14-2, $476
9th: Shannon Bryson, Merritt Island, Fla., five bass, 13-1, $376
9th: Chase Brumfield, Middleburg, Fla., five bass, 13-1, $376
The 2023 Phoenix BFL Presented by T-H Marine is a 24-division circuit devoted to weekend anglers, with 128 events throughout the season, five qualifying tournaments in each division. The top 45 boaters and Strike King co-anglers from each division, along with the five qualifying event winners, will advance to one of six BFL Regional tournaments where they are competing to finish in the top six, which then qualifies them for one of the longest-running championships in all of competitive bass fishing – the BFL All-American. The 2023 All-American event will take place May 31-June 2, on Lake Hartwell in Seneca, South Carolina. The event is hosted by Visit Oconee SC.
Proud sponsors of the 2023 MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine include: 4WP, 13 Fishing, Abu Garcia, B&W Trailer Hitches, Berkley, Black Rifle Coffee, E3, Epic Baits, Favorite Fishing, General Tire, Grundéns, Gill, Lew’s, Lowrance, Mercury, Mossy Oak, Onyx, Phoenix, Polaris, Power-Pole, Strike King, Tackle Warehouse, T-H Marine, Toyota, Wiley X and YETI.
For complete details and updated tournament information, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular Bass Fishing League updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF5’s social media outlets at Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.
Patterson Finds Feeding Fish, Tops Field at Phoenix Bass Fishing League Event on Lake Guntersville
SCOTTSBORO, Ala. (Feb. 27, 2023) – Boater Johnny Patterson of Grant, Alabama, caught a five-bass limit weighing 25 pounds, 1 ounce, Saturday to win the MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League (BFL) Presented by T-H Marine on Lake Guntersville . The tournament, hosted by the Mountain Lakes Chamber of Commerce, was the second event of the season for the BFL Choo Choo Division. Patterson earned $6,300 for his victory.
Patterson said he chose to stay close to takeoff on the upper end of Guntersville after fishing the Toyota Series event the previous weekend.
“It was a typical Guntersville pre-spawn bite with really no place being any better than another,” said Patterson. “I fished grass pretty shallow, probably four to five feet of water, with red- and shad-colored (Bill Lewis) Rat-L-Traps. We didn’t catch a whole lot of fish – maybe 12 to 15 keepers all day long.”
Patterson said there seemed to be definite feeding times where he would get a flurry of bites. At 1:30, Patterson landed a 5-pounder and a 7-pounder on back-to-back casts. Patterson said he found a gizzard shad in the 7-pounder’s throat – an obvious sign of an actively feeding fish.
“It never occurred to me that I might win this tournament after my disappointing showing at the Toyota Series event,” Patterson said. “I would just catch them and put them in the livewell and keep on digging. I didn’t really think I had that much weight until I started pulling them out of the livewell.”
“The Choo Choo division is just stacked with great fishermen, so it’s a real honor to pull one of these off,” Patterson added.
The top 10 boaters finished the tournament:
2nd: Gil Summerlin, Guntersville, Ala., five bass, 24-3, $3,000
3rd: Lamar Patterson, Fyffe, Ala., five bass, 23-7, $2,000
4th: Jeff Kitchens, Auburn, Ala., five bass, 23-0, $2,100 (includes $500 Phoenix MLF Contingency Bonus)
5th: David Land, Owens Cross Roads, Ala., five bass, 22-3, $1,200
6th: Creig Kimbro, Monteagle, Tenn., five bass, 21-13, $1,100
7th: Michael Morrison, Stamping Ground, Ky., five bass, 21-8, $1,470
8th: Thomas White, Iron City, Tenn., five bass, 21-5, $900
9th: Jim Murray Jr., Parrott, Ga., five bass, 20-15, $800
10th: Cam Busby, Huntsville, Ala., five bass, 20-14, $700
Fisher Anaya of Eva, Ala., caught a largemouth that weighed 7 pounds, 12 ounces, and earned the Berkley Big Bass Boater award of $1,000.
Martin Warms Up to Earn Win at Phoenix Bass Fishing League Event on Lake Ouachita
Clark Dominates Strike King Co-Angler Division
MOUNT IDA, Ark. (Feb. 27, 2023) – Boater Blake Martin of Dardanelle, Arkansas, caught a five-bass limit weighing 17 pounds, 13 ounces, Saturday to win the MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League (BFL) Presented by T-H Marine on Lake Ouachita . The tournament was the first event of the season for the BFL Arkie Division. Martin earned $4,507 for his victory.
“I thought this tournament would be won in clear water, so I tried fishing deep grass, but I couldn’t figure it out,” said Martin. “So, I went up into mud into the river like I’m used to.
“I wasn’t catching much; the wind was blowing and I was cold,” Martin added. “And it’s funny - that’s the reason I found the fish I did. I was just trying to get out of the wind in the back of a pocket and was just fishing while I was trying to warm up. It turns out they were way more shallow than I thought they would be.”
Martin said most of his fish came in 1 to 2 feet of water on a Z-Man Evergreen ChatterBait Jack Hammer, and the bait provided enough weight to post his first BFL win in three tries.
“I thought I could compete in them, but never thought I would win a BFL,” Martin said. “I’ve been fishing my whole life, but I didn’t expect this.”
The top 10 boaters finished the tournament:
2nd: Samuel Hutson, Benton, Ark., five bass, 17-4, $2,908
3rd: Braxton Shifflett, Jessieville, Ark., five bass, 14-15, $1,502
4th: Chris Huselton, Conway, Ark., five bass, 14-14, $1,052
5th: Matt Wood, Jessieville, Ark., five bass, 14-12, $901
6th: Teddy Bogard, White Hall, Ark., five bass, 14-11, $1,326 Includes $500 Phoenix MLF Contingency Bonus)
7th: Damian Roberts, Dumas, Ark., five bass, 14-9, $751
8th: Austin Johnston, Mena, Ark., five bass, 14-8, $676
9th: Justin Bean, Benton, Ark., five bass, 14-6, $601
10th: Jordan Haas, Russellville, Ark., five bass, 13-15, $526
Hutson caught a largemouth that weighed 8 pounds, 2 ounces, and earned the Berkley Big Bass Boater award of $655.
The top 10 Strike King co-anglers finished:
2nd: Taylor Nichols, Stephens, Ark., five bass, 12-3, $1,116
3rd: Steven Logan, Hugo, Okla., three bass, 11-14, $1,063
4th: Lance Fowler, Dardanelle, Ark., five bass, 11-9, $521
5th: Steve Meredith, Jessieville, Ark., five bass, 11-5, $446
6th: John Hankins, Atkins, Ark., three bass, 11-2, $390
6th: Mike Toska, Hot Springs, Ark., four bass, 11-2, $390
8th: Dave Tull, Waldron, Ark., five bass, 10-10, $335
9th: Derek Dixon, Hot Springs, Ark., five bass, 10-8, $498
10th: Jody Jones, Harvey, Ark., five bass, 10-5, $260
The top 45 boaters and co-anglers in the region based on point standings, along with the five tournament winners of each qualifying event, will qualify for the Oct. 5-7 BFL Regional tournament on Lake Eufaula in Eufaula, Oklahoma. Boaters will fish for a top award of $60,000, including a new Phoenix 819 Pro with a 200-horsepower Mercury outboard and $10,000, while co-anglers will compete for a top award of $50,000, including a new Phoenix 819 Pro with a 200-horsepower Mercury outboard.
The 2023 Phoenix BFL Presented by T-H Marine is a 24-division circuit devoted to weekend anglers, with 128 events throughout the season, five qualifying tournaments in each division. The top 45 boaters and Strike King co-anglers from each division, along with the five qualifying event winners, will advance to one of six BFL Regional tournaments where they are competing to finish in the top six, which then qualifies them for one of the longest-running championships in all of competitive bass fishing – the BFL All-American. The 2023 All-American event will take place May 31-June 2, on Lake Hartwell in Seneca, South Carolina. The event is hosted by Visit Oconee SC.
Proud sponsors of the 2023 MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine include: 4WP, 13 Fishing, Abu Garcia, B&W Trailer Hitches, Berkley, Black Rifle Coffee, E3, Epic Baits, Favorite Fishing, General Tire, Grundéns, Gill, Lew’s, Lowrance, Mercury, Mossy Oak, Onyx, Phoenix, Polaris, Power-Pole, Strike King, Tackle Warehouse, T-H Marine, Toyota, Wiley X and YETI.
For complete details and updated tournament information, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular Bass Fishing League updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF5’s social media outlets at Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.
Luetkemeyer Nets Win at Phoenix Bass Fishing League Event on Familiar Table Rock Lake
Short Claims Strike King Co-Angler Division
KIMBERLING CITY, Mo. (Feb. 27, 2023) – Boater Justin Luetkemeyer of Lake Ozark, Missouri, caught a five-bass limit weighing 18 pounds, 14 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 for the BFL Ozark Division. Luetkemeyer earned $7,000 for his victory.
Luetkemeyer, 25, began fishing Table Rock Lake during his College Fishing days at the University of Missouri, and has fished the body of water quite a bit during the last five years. He calls it his “second home lake” after Lake of the Ozarks. His familiarity with Table Rock paid off, as he was able to make slight adjustments that helped him key in on a winning pattern.
“I had a really good practice and was catching them a little bit more shallow for Table Rock this time of year – in trees and brush piles in the 20- to 30-foot range,” said Luetkemeyer. “I hit some of my areas, and there wasn’t much wind, and the fish that I did find in those areas were not active.
“So, I pulled into one of my better areas from practice, and there were some bait fish that had pushed in there, and I saw on my Garmin Livescope that the bass were feeding on them,” Luetkemeyer added. “Right away I caught one of my biggest fish – a 4-pounder – and I told my co-angler, ‘We’re probably going to stay here all day long.’”
Luetkemeyer said he sat on the mid-lake spot for six hours and caught an estimated 30 or 40 keepers there during the tournament. Luetkemeyer’s baits of choice were the YUM YUMbrella Flash Mob Jr. Umbrella Rig when the wind blew, and a Kaitech Swing Impact FAT Swimbait. He said he had to keep the boat 80 to 100 feet from the fish and make long casts to the fish with the swimbait. That one spot provided enough weight for the win for Luetkemeyer and an eighth-place finish for his co-angler.
“It was just a right time at the right place kind of thing,” Luetkemeyer said. “This win is something I’ve dreamed about for a long time. This is my second season of fishing BFLs, so I’m glad to get this win, and I hope to get many more in the future.”
The top 10 boaters finished the tournament:
1st: Justin Luetkemeyer, Lake Ozark, Mo., five bass, 18-14, $7,000
2nd: Eric Olliverson, Lampe, Mo., five bass, 18-5, $3,000
3rd: Ryan Butler, Blue Eye, Mo., five bass, 17-3, $2,500 (includes $500 Phoenix MLF Contingency Bonus)
4th: Dustin Lippe, Blue Eye, Mo., five bass, 17-1, $1,770
4th: Brock Bila, Ozark, Mo., five bass, 17-1, $1,300
6th: Shawn Kowal, Linn Creek, Mo., five bass, 16-15, $1,100
7th: Mark Long, Cape Fair, Mo., five bass, 16-14, $1,000
8th: Jason Beem, Gravette, Ark., five bass, 16-8, $800
8th: Cullen Baxter, Columbia, Mo., five bass, 16-8, $800
8th: Jacob Wisecup, Ava, Mo., five bass, 16-8, $800
Complete results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
Nick Morris of Princeton, Missouri, caught a bass that weighed 6 pounds, 10 ounces, and earned the Berkley Big Bass Boater award of $1,000.
Kirk Short of St. Clair, Missouri, won the Strike King co-angler division and a total of $3,500 Saturday, after bringing five bass to the scale that totaled 15 pounds, 5 ounces.
The top 10 Strike King co-anglers finished:
1st: Kirk Short, St. Clair, Mo., five bass, 15-5, $3,500
2nd: Brad Tyer, Grain Valley, Mo., five bass, 14-1, $1,500
3rd: Grant Denbow, Springfield, Mo., five bass, 13-12, $1,000
4th: Kyle King, St. Louis, Mo., five bass, 12-12, $700
5th: Aaron Lorenz, Branson West, Mo., five bass, 12-5, $600
6th: Adler Odle, Willow Springs, Mo., three bass, 11-7, $550
7th: Matthew Newman, Jasper, Mo., four bass, 10-11, $500
8th: Terence Booth, Ozark, Mo., four bass, 10-10, $450
9th: Joshua Karpowecz, Hermann, Mo., four bass, 10-2, $400
10th: Brian Huber, Saint Charles, Mo., four bass, 10-0, $350
Short also earned the Berkley Big Bass co-angler award of $500, catching a bass that weighed in at 5 pounds, 9 ounces – the largest co-angler catch of the day.
The top 45 boaters and co-anglers in the region based on point standings, along with the five tournament winners of each qualifying event, will qualify for the Oct. 5-7 BFL Regional tournament on Lake Eufaula in Eufaula, Oklahoma. Boaters will fish for a top award of $60,000, including a new Phoenix 819 Pro with a 200-horsepower Mercury outboard and $10,000, while co-anglers will compete for a top award of $50,000, including a new Phoenix 819 Pro with a 200-horsepower Mercury outboard.
The 2023 Phoenix BFL Presented by T-H Marine is a 24-division circuit devoted to weekend anglers, with 128 events throughout the season, five qualifying tournaments in each division. The top 45 boaters and Strike King co-anglers from each division, along with the five qualifying event winners, will advance to one of six BFL Regional tournaments where they are competing to finish in the top six, which then qualifies them for one of the longest-running championships in all of competitive bass fishing – the BFL All-American. The 2023 All-American event will take place May 31-June 2, on Lake Hartwell in Seneca, South Carolina. The event is hosted by Visit Oconee SC.
Proud sponsors of the 2023 MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine include: 4WP, 13 Fishing, Abu Garcia, B&W Trailer Hitches, Berkley, Black Rifle Coffee, E3, Epic Baits, Favorite Fishing, General Tire, Grundéns, Gill, Lew’s, Lowrance, Mercury, Mossy Oak, Onyx, Phoenix, Polaris, Power-Pole, Strike King, Tackle Warehouse, T-H Marine, Toyota, Wiley X and YETI.
For complete details and updated tournament information, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular Bass Fishing League updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF5’s social media outlets at Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.
Sato Posts Win at Phoenix Bass Fishing League Event on Lake Hartwell
Jones Tops Strike King Co-Angler Division
LAVONIA, S.C. (Feb. 27, 2023) – Boater Spencer Sato of Gainesville, Georgia, caught a five-bass limit weighing 19 pounds, 11 ounces, Saturday to win the MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League (BFL) Presented by T-H Marine on Lake Hartwell . The tournament, hosted by the City of Lavonia, was the second event of the year for the BFL Savannah River Division. Sato earned $12,119, including the lucrative $7,000 Phoenix MLF Contingency Bonus, for his victory.
In only his fifth time on Lake Hartwell, the 25-year-old Sato said he focused his efforts on main-lake features early, and managed to eke out a small limit by 9:30. Online research by Sato had provided him with a couple of other promising areas, so he relocated down the lake and found two groups of quality fish. He landed another couple of 4½-pounders, then decided to let the spot rest.
Sato said he caught 15 to 20 keepers during the course of the day by targeting structure, secondary points and bends in ditches in 20 to 45 feet of water with a finesse swimbait on a 3/8-ounce head. After he let his quality fish area rest for an hour and a half, he returned and caught another 4-pounder and a 3½-pounder and had his final weigh bag.
“I knew at that point I might have a top-five finish,” Sato said. “With the weather warming, I thought it would trigger the big largemouth to bite, and people caught big ones here and there, but nobody managed to put together a stringer of big ones.
“I know a lot of guys go a long time without ever winning a BFL event, so to knock one out pretty early in my fishing career is definitely a big accomplishment for me,” Sato added. “I’m very thankful and grateful for it.”
The top 10 boaters finished the tournament:
1st: Spencer Sato, Gainesville, Ga., five bass, 19-11, $12,119 (includes $7,000 Phoenix MLF Contingency Bonus)
2nd: Paul Marks, Cumming, Ga., five bass, 19-1, $2,059
3rd: Chase Stewart, Ware Shoals, S.C., five bass, 18-9, $1,374
4th: Brent Willey, Anderson, S.C., five bass, 18-2, $892
4th: Greg Glouse, Liberty, S.C., five bass, 18-2, $1,362
6th: Jayme Rampey, Liberty, S.C., five bass, 17-11, $755
7th: Bradley Day, Anderson, S.C., five bass, 17-9, $686
8th: Tallis Morrison, Royston, Ga., five bass, 17-8, $618
9th: Adam Rice, Belton, S.C., five bass, 17-1, $549
10th: Emil Wagner, Marietta, Ga., five bass, 16-12, $780
Complete results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
Matthew Justice of Fair Play, South Carolina, caught a bass that weighed 6 pounds, 5 ounces, and earned the Berkley Big Bass Boater award of $565.
Timothy Jones of Honea Path, South Carolina, won the Strike King co-angler division and a total of $2,059 Saturday, after bringing five bass to the scale that totaled 18 pounds, 12 ounces.
The top 10 Strike King co-anglers finished:
1st: Timothy Jones, Honea Path, S.C., five bass, 18-12, $2,059
2nd: Todd Huntley, Inman, S.C., five bass, 16-5, $1,030
3rd: James Akins, Cumming, Ga., five bass, 15-0, $687
4th: Damon Phillips, Anderson, S.C., five bass, 14-5, $480
5th: Mark Yarborough, Salem, S.C., five bass, 13-9, $412
6th: Brandon Hendrix, Anderson, S.C., five bass, 13-6, $378
7th: Michael Miller, Greenville, S.C., five bass, 12-14, $343
8th: Darren Jeter, Candler, N.C., five bass, 12-13, $292
8th: Joseph Tucci, Salem, S.C., five bass, 12-13, $574
10th: Thomas Pennell III, Boiling Springs, S.C., five bass, 12-12, $240
Tucci earned the Berkley Big Bass co-angler award of $282, catching a bass that weighed in at 5 pounds, 6 ounces – the largest co-angler catch of the day.
After two events, Paul Marks of Cumming, Georgia, leads the BFL Savannah River Division Boater Angler of the Year (AOY) race with 494 points, while Todd Huntley of Inman, South Carolina, leads the Strike King Co-Angler Division AOY race with 494 points.
The top 45 boaters and co-anglers in the region based on point standings, along with the five tournament winners of each qualifying event, will qualify for the Oct. 12-14 BFL Regional tournament on Lake Eufaula in Eufaula, Alabama. Boaters will fish for a top award of $60,000, including a new Phoenix 819 Pro with a 200-horsepower Mercury outboard and $10,000, while co-anglers will compete for a top award of $50,000, including a new Phoenix 819 Pro with a 200-horsepower Mercury outboard.
The 2023 Phoenix BFL Presented by T-H Marine is a 24-division circuit devoted to weekend anglers, with 128 events throughout the season, five qualifying tournaments in each division. The top 45 boaters and Strike King co-anglers from each division, along with the five qualifying event winners, will advance to one of six BFL Regional tournaments where they are competing to finish in the top six, which then qualifies them for one of the longest-running championships in all of competitive bass fishing – the BFL All-American. The 2023 All-American event will take place May 31-June 2, on Lake Hartwell in Seneca, South Carolina. The event is hosted by Visit Oconee SC.
Proud sponsors of the 2023 MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine include: 4WP, 13 Fishing, Abu Garcia, B&W Trailer Hitches, Berkley, Black Rifle Coffee, E3, Epic Baits, Favorite Fishing, General Tire, Grundéns, Gill, Lew’s, Lowrance, Mercury, Mossy Oak, Onyx, Phoenix, Polaris, Power-Pole, Strike King, Tackle Warehouse, T-H Marine, Toyota, Wiley X and YETI.
For complete details and updated tournament information, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular Bass Fishing League updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF5’s social media outlets at Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.
Gill Fishing Signs Fletcher Shryock to Pro Angler Team
The veteran big-bass specialist will represent Gill Fishing as he competes inthe Major League Pro Bass Tour, General Tire Heavy Hitters in 2023
Photo credit: Major League Fishing
BUFORD, Ga. (Feb. 22, 2023) — Gill Fishing, a leading maker of foul weather and performance fishing apparel, announces today it has signed Major League Fishing Bass Pro Tour competitor Fletcher Shryock to its pro angler team. Shryock, a veteran angler who has earned more than $612,000 in his decade-plus professional career, adds another podium threat to Gill Fishing’s talented roster in 2023.
“I’ve learned that as a pro angler, it’s crucial to have confidence in the products you use and trust the people that make them. We fish in a lot of nasty weather, which is why I’m thrilled to partner with Gill Fishing. Their apparel is the best you can buy, and it allows me to perform my best, no matter how cold, wet or hot it is,” Shryock says. “The Gill Fishing team has a strong mix of established veterans and up-and-comers, and I’m proud to join this group of accomplished anglers.”
A former professional motocross racer, Shryock is a fierce competitor who thrives in big moments. He began his pro fishing career with a flash by winning the 2011 Bass Pro Shops Southern Open on Lake Norman, just the second major event he had ever competed in. In addition to earning a pair of top 10 finishes in 2022 on MLF’s Bass Pro Tour, his ability to consistently land big fish earned him a coveted spot in the 2023 Bass Pro Shops REDCREST, the world championship of professional bass fishing, as well as the General Tire Heavy Hitters field, an all-star competition featuring MLF’s top big-bass anglers.
“Fletcher was just born to compete. We love the energy he brings on tournament day, but also the discipline and drive he displays in his preparation.He’s a true believer in the idea that there’s no substitute for time on the water, and that’s why he competes at the sport’s highest level,” says Dominic McCarthy, executive vice president for Gill North America. “We’re thrilled that Fletcher has put his trust in Gill Fishing’s apparel and for him to join our other pro anglers, who I expect to spend a lot of time on the podium this year.”
The addition of Shryock is part of Gill Fishing’s growing presence in MLF. In January, Gill Fishing announced a multi-year sponsorship of the MLF Toyota Series and Phoenix Bass Fishing League.
To learn more about Gill Fishing’s tournament-inspired apparel and footwear, including the rigorous testing they’ve passed, visit www.gillfishing.com.
Rob Lee and Steve Winslett win ABT Lake Martin with 16.06
By Jason Duran
The 10th season of the Alabama Bass Trail began for the South Division on Lake Martin hosted by Lake Martin Tourism Association. Launch and weigh-in for this event was held at Wind Creek State Park. Lake Martin is well known as a lake where you can catch a lot of fish. This lake has an abundance of largemouth and spotted bass. In this event, 221 teams weighed in a limit. Rob Lee and Steve Winslett rose above the pack and caught 16.06 of Lake Martin bass to finish first and win $10,000.
Rob Lee and Steve Winslett are no strangers to the ABT leaderboard. They won the first event in 2022 on Logan Martin Lake and spent the rest of the year in the top of the AOY standings. They have had 3 wins including a win at Lake Martin. They started practice on Wednesday in separate boats wanting to “fish for the bigger fish, and on our first stop, Rob caught a 3 pounder that dictated what we needed to do the rest of the day. We both talked about it and decided we were not going to go spotted bass fishing. Instead we were going to stay shallow to try and get a big bag today. It worked out today. The fish are changing so much right now; they weren’t everywhere, just certain places. They bit one way yesterday and totally different today. You have to keep a fresh mind, stay confident, and trust your partner. That’s why we really work well together because we trust each other. Today we caught fish that each of us found separately in practice. We fished from Hwy 280 to the back of Blue Creek and every pocket in between. We targeted fish running irregularities on the bank. We used a a Jig with Zoom chuck we Steve used a black and blue with a brown chunk and Rob used a brown jig with a green Pumpkin chunk. The key was imitating crawfish and skipping the jig. We are pretty hard headed to how we fish and sometimes it pays off.”
Gentry Gordy and Hunter Farish caught 14.21 pounds and won $5,000 to take second place. “We spent half a day in practice. Gentry just picked up his new boat on Thursday and came to practice on Friday. After the fog lifted, we broke the boat in and spent some time looking around a little. We came here over the winter and found where the fish were setting up, so we knew where they should be headed. The game plan this morning was to head to the Blue Creek area and to throw a brim-colored Dirty Jigs Swim jig with a Big Bite Pro Swimmer trailer in tilapia magic. We fished around rocks drops. We knew with the weather warming up and the sun coming out we needed to go check the back of some of these pockets. The swim Jig played out ok, but we mixed it up with holding a YUM Dinger in green pumpkin and a 1/32 oz weight. We fished it off shallow banks around docks, blow downs or some other shallow structure. We cast it out and held it in the structure- if you aren’t getting hung up, you aren’t fishing is slow enough. The big fish of the tournament weighted 5.78 pounds came on a black Spro Poppin Frog. It takes a kicker fish here to do well in a tournament, and we kept them honest all day by throwing the Spro Frog around the shallow areas. This is our best finish ever in the ABT and a goal for us is AOY.”
The third-place team of Jacob George and Ryan Sweeney shared, “practice was rough for us. I don’t know if we had any good days in practice. We had one good day back in January over a month and a half ago, but there has been big change since January. The plan this morning was to start on a ditch we found in practice. The ditch was in the back of a pocket, and we figured maybe some fish would be sitting in them. We only caught one small keeper there on a Strike King Red Eye Shad Crankbait. We then made the move to the Kowaliga area where we spent the rest of the day. In this area, we targeted fish in shallow water, less than five feet. The fish were around laydowns and docks. Here we slow rolled a War Eagle ½ oz spinnerbait in white or white and chartreuse and a modified Strike King ½ oz spinnerbait with #5 Colorado. We caught 12-15 fish throughout the day.” They weighed in 12.83 pounds and earned a $4,000 pay day.
The top five standings are below for a complete list of standings please visit:
https://www.alabamabasstrail.org/lake-martin/results/
Download and listen to the ABT Podcast on your favorite Podcast app by searching for “Alabama Bass Trail Podcast.” The Podcast is released each week on Tuesday.
For Live coverage from this event and others visit https://www.youtube.com/@alabamabasstrailtv
Rookie Joey Cifuentes III notches first Bassmaster Elite Series win on Lake Seminole
Joey Cifuentes III of Clinton, Ark., has won the 2023 Gamakatsu Bassmaster Elite at Lake Seminole with a four-day total of 85 pounds, 2 ounces.
Photo by Seigo Saito/B.A.S.S.
February 26, 2023
BAINBRIDGE, Ga. — Despite enduring several painful losses, Arkansas rookie Joey Cifuentes III held on to sack up a final-round limit of 18 pounds, 7 ounces and win the Gamakatsu Bassmaster Elite at Lake Seminole with a four-day total of 85-2.
After placing sixth on Day 1 with 19-13, Cifuentes took over the top spot with a Day 2 limit of 26-1 — the tournament’s heaviest bag. He added 20-13 on Saturday and entered Championship Sunday with a lead of 4-1 over Tyler Rivet of Raceland, La.
In the final round, Cifuentes held off a serious charge by fellow rookie Kyoya Fujita of Minamitsuru, Yamanashi, Japan, who caught 19-15 on Championship Sunday and ultimately finished second with 76-6.
Along with his first blue trophy, Cifuentes collected the top prize of $100,000.
“I can’t believe this,” a visibly relieved Cifuentes said. “Today was so wild; you have to expect (pressure) when you have Tyler Rivet behind you.
“I knew I had a cushion, but I didn’t think it was going to take that much weight to do it.”
Cifuentes entered the final round with slightly more than a 4-pound advantage over the red-hot Rivet, who won last week's season opener at Lake Okeechobee.
After fishing fairly clean on Day 3, Cifuentes struggled with several painful losses that threatened to derail his Championship Sunday effort, including a bass he estimated at 6 to 7 pounds that came unbuttoned right at the boat late in the day.
“I just tried to block out everything that happened; it’s really hard to do, but I just kept my nose down and tried to stay positive knowing I’d get a bite somewhere else,” Cifuentes said. “That was the key and I did that.”
Such concentration facilitated a plodding pace, as Cifuentes stuck with his week’s tedious pattern of targeting standing timber in a bay off Spring Creek. As he explained, this area offered the right mix of clear water, prespawn staging habitat and proximity to expansive spawning flats.
“I was using my Garmin LiveScope (forward-facing sonar) on the edge of the spawning flats on the outside edge of the grass,” he said. “I was looking for where the main channel swing came in, where fish would be coming and going.
“I went and looked at those places and I found fish. I caught them in practice and that’s what I did in the tournament.”
As the tournament advanced, Cifuentes noticed that his most consistent action came in areas where two to three trees clustered. Large cypress stumps also produced, but the key factor, he said, was the spawning crappie that likely provided a food source for prespawn bass.
Cifuentes spent part of Sunday on the spot he’d previously fished. After losing fish on that spot, he moved to a similar area, also in Spring Creek, where he ended up catching everything he weighed.
He caught his fish on a drop shot with a 1/4-ounce weight and a 6-inch hand-poured finesse worm in the morning dawn color. To minimize his snagging risk, he Texas rigged his bait on a 1/0 hook.
Cifuentes also beefed up his Abu Garcia spinning tackle by spooling his Revo SX reel with 15-pound Berkley x5 braid and adding a 15-pound Berkley 100% fluorocarbon leader.
“With that heavier tackle, I could put more pressure on the fish and steer them through the timber,” he said.
Fujita, who missed his first victory by a margin of 8-12, spent all four days in the Flint River. He caught limits of 16-12, 16-5 and 23-6 and 19-15.
“I am so happy,” Fujita said. “Today, I caught big fish. The key for me was to find clean water.”
Fujita fished docks with a 4.8-inch Deps Bull Flat in green pumpkin with a 6/0 hook and a 3/32-ounce weight. The bait produced 10 fish, including two of the largest ones he weighed. He also caught bass on a unique cube-shaped Japanese bait with small appendages on each side.
“I used that bait to catch fish that were (cruising the shoreline),” Fujita said.
Fujita said he received a rude awakening when he saw firsthand the hazards of Seminole’s treacherously shallow wood.
“I (damaged) my boat during pre-practice, so I got a new boat,” he said.
After making a strong run at back-to-back wins, Rivet finished third with 74-2. Also fishing the Flint, he turned in daily weights of 17-4, 19-11, 25-11 and 11-8.
“I still feel like I’m dreaming; everything has happened perfectly,” Rivet said of his two Top 10 finishes to open the season. “Today was the only day I just didn’t know what was going on.
“But I have a new favorite lake — Seminole. It looked like home and that’s what helped me get into my comfort zone.”
Rivet targeted spawning bass, but he said he was not able to see the fish in the turbid water. Watching for the movement of territorial fish chasing off bream and other intruders gave him visual guidance for targeted casts.
The first three days saw Rivet catching bass on a prototype Xcite Baits popping frog and an Xcite Baits Xtreme Stix (stickbait). He caught all of his final-round fish on an Xcite Baits Sucka Punch creature bait in the junebug and magic craw colors.
Rivet took home an additional $3,000 for being the highest-placing entrant in the Toyota Bonus Bucks program while Greg Hackney of Gonzales, La., earned $2,000 for being the second-highest placing entrant.
As part of the Yamaha Power Pay program, Fujita earned an additional $2,500 as the highest-placing entrant and Pat Schlapper of Eleva, Wis., claimed an additional $1,500 for being the second-highest placing entrant.
Cifuentes earned the $1,000 daily bonus for catching the Phoenix Boats Big Bass of the Day Sunday, a 5-12 largemouth. He also won the $2,000 VMC Monster Bag award for his Day 2 catch of 26-1.
Fujita also won the $2,000 Phoenix Boats Big Bass of the tournament with the 8-6 he caught on Day 3; however, South Carolina angler Brandon Cobb's 8-12 at Lake Okeechobee is still leading the field for Phoenix Boats Big Bass of the Year honors.
Hunter Shryock of Ooltewah, Tenn., won the $1,000 BassTrakk Contingency award for the most accurate weight reporting.
Rivet leads the Progressive Insurance Bassmaster Angler of the Year standings with 206 points. Australian Carl Jocumsen is in second with 193, followed by Cifuentes with 190, Cobb with 187, and Brandon Card of Salisbury, N.C., with 184.
Cifuentes also leads the Bassmaster Rookie of the Year standings.
2023 Gamakatsu Bassmaster Elite at Lake Seminole 2/23-2/26
Lake Seminole, Bainbridge GA.
(PROFESSIONAL) Standings Day 4
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Pts Total $$$
1. Joey Cifuentes III Clinton, AR 20 85-02 104 $103,000.00
Day 1: 5 19-13 Day 2: 5 26-01 Day 3: 5 20-13 Day 4: 5 18-07
2. Kyoya Fujita Minamitsuru, Yamanashi 20 76-06 103 $38,000.00
Day 1: 5 16-12 Day 2: 5 16-05 Day 3: 5 23-06 Day 4: 5 19-15
3. Tyler Rivet Raceland, LA 20 74-02 102 $31,000.00
Day 1: 5 17-04 Day 2: 5 19-11 Day 3: 5 25-11 Day 4: 5 11-08
4. Pat Schlapper Eleva, WI 20 73-04 101 $25,000.00
Day 1: 5 11-15 Day 2: 5 21-14 Day 3: 5 18-00 Day 4: 5 21-07
5. Derek Hudnall Zachary, LA 20 72-09 100 $20,000.00
Day 1: 5 15-00 Day 2: 5 18-09 Day 3: 5 19-04 Day 4: 5 19-12
6. Bill Lowen Brookville, IN 20 70-11 99 $19,000.00
Day 1: 5 16-07 Day 2: 5 17-14 Day 3: 5 18-09 Day 4: 5 17-13
7. Greg Hackney Gonzales, LA 19 70-09 98 $18,000.00
Day 1: 5 14-05 Day 2: 5 24-07 Day 3: 5 22-13 Day 4: 4 09-00
8. Cory Johnston Cavan CANADA 20 69-01 97 $17,000.00
Day 1: 5 15-03 Day 2: 5 18-09 Day 3: 5 19-04 Day 4: 5 16-01
9. Shane LeHew Catawba, NC 20 66-08 96 $16,000.00
Day 1: 5 15-01 Day 2: 5 19-10 Day 3: 5 17-11 Day 4: 5 14-02
10. Michael Iaconelli Pittsgrove, NJ 20 65-01 95 $15,000.00
Day 1: 5 19-06 Day 2: 5 23-09 Day 3: 5 08-10 Day 4: 5 13-08
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
PHOENIX BOATS BIG BASS
Day
1 Matt Arey Shelby, NC 08-01 $1,000.00
2 Jason Christie Dry Creek, OK 06-05 $1,000.00
3 Kyoya Fujita Minamitsuru, Yamanashi JAPAN08-06 $1,000.00
4 Joey Cifuentes III Clinton, AR 05-12 $1,000.00
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
PHOENIX BOATS BIG BASS
Kyoya Fujita Minamitsuru, Yamanashi JAPAN08-06 $2,000.00
VMC MONSTER BAG
Joey Cifuentes III Clinton, AR 26-01 $2,000.00
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Totals
Day #Limits #Fish Weight
1 102 515 1433-10
2 96 500 1453-03
3 48 245 733-02
4 9 49 161-09
----------------------------------
255 1309 3781-08
Illinois team of Wilburn and Hill claim Bassmaster High School Series win at Lay Lake
Trevor Wilburn and Kagen Hill of Century High School in Illinois have won the 2023 Strike King Bassmaster High School Series at Lay lake presented by Academy Sports + Outdoors with 19 pounds, 5 ounces.
Photo by Chase Sansom/B.A.S.S.
SHELBY COUNTY, Ala. — Trevor Wilburn and Kagen Hill live 6 1/2 hours from Lay Lake, but they looked right at home on Saturday, winning the Strike King Bassmaster High School Series at Lay Lake presented by Academy Sports + Outdoors.
The duo from Century High School in the small town of Ullin, Ill., caught 19 pounds, 5 ounces to win the second stop on the 2023 Bassmaster High School Series circuit. The total was nearly 4 pounds more than their nearest competitors in the tournament, which attracted more than 200 teams from 12 states.
“It feels like a once-in-a-lifetime thing to travel this far and have an outcome like this,” Wilburn said.
Willburn and Hill, both 17, caught all their bass on a bluegill-colored spinnerbait with a large gold Colorado blade and a smaller orange Colorado blade. They had a limit in the boat by 10 a.m. and switched to other lures, hoping to trigger even bigger bites. But the spinnerbait was the only one working for them.
“We kept it at the top of the water column, in no more than 4 or 5 feet of water, dragging it through the (dollar grass),” Hill said, noting the 17-pound Seaguar line they used. “If it would get caught in the grass, we’d shake it free and drop it back in.”
Their bite was consistent, too, with the biggest bass weighing an even 5-0. That one fish weighed more than they caught overall in the first Bassmaster High School tournament of the year held in January on Florida’s Harris Chain of Lakes. The teammates finished that derby with only two bass weighing 2-13.
“We’ve been at this for a while now,” Hill said. “We’ve been skunked out. We’ve zeroed. We’ve had close calls. But we finally got one. It’s a very satisfying feeling.”
Their boat captain, Rex Wilburn (Trevor’s dad), agreed.
"This is a pretty emotional moment,” Rex Wilburn said. “They took a butt-kicking down in Florida. But they didn’t give up ... They give it all they’ve got.”
Nick Keith Jr. and Jagger Wells of Alabama’s Munford High School finished second with 15-8. The duo used shaky head jigs (green pumpkin) to catch their best bass, dragging the lures on the reservoir bottom in 6 to 8 feet of water.
Rounding out the Top 5 teams were, third, Alex Barrett and Davis Ray of Alabama’s Fayetteville High School with 15-7; fourth, Avery Padgett and Ethan Young of Alabama’s Zion Chapel High School with 15-6; and fifth, Nolan Holloway and Jackson Fanning of Georgia’s Morgan County High School with 15-4.
Presley Lannom and Trevor Sanford of Tennessee’s Mt. Juliet High School won the Big Bass of the Tournament award with a 5-12.
The Top 25 teams earned a spot in the Strike King Bassmaster High School Series Championship presented by Academy Sports + Outdoors. The date and fishery for that event are yet to be announced.
2023 Strike King Bassmaster High School at Lay Lake presented by Academy Sports + Outdoors 2/25-2/25
Lay Lake, Shelby County AL.
(BOATER) Standings Day 1
Angler Club/School Pts
1. Trevor Wilburn - Kagen Hill Century High School - IL 0
Day 1: 5 19-05 Total: 5 19-05
2. Nick Keith Jr. - Jagger Wells Munford High School - AL 0
Day 1: 5 15-08 Total: 5 15-08
3. Alex Barrett - Davis Ray Fayetteville High School - AL 0
Day 1: 5 15-07 Total: 5 15-07
4. Avery Padgett - Ethan Young Zion Chapel - AL 0
Day 1: 5 15-06 Total: 5 15-06
5. Nolan Holloway - Jackson Fanning Morgan County High School - GA 0
Day 1: 5 15-04 Total: 5 15-04
6. Bre Arnold - Connor Clark Good Hope Fishing Team - AL 0
Day 1: 5 14-05 Total: 5 14-05
7. Max Himmel - Tyler Morris Catholic High School of Baton Ro 0
Day 1: 5 14-04 Total: 5 14-04
8. Walker LaRue - Joe Vaulton Alcoa Fishing Team - TN 0
Day 1: 5 14-03 Total: 5 14-03
9. Richard Johnson - Stuart Norman Lakeland High School - FL 0
Day 1: 5 14-02 Total: 5 14-02
10. Lainie Holbert - Sarah Swindle Riverside High School - TN 0
Day 1: 5 14-00 Total: 5 14-00
10. Carter Pjesky - JD McBroom Kaneland High School - IL 0
Day 1: 5 14-00 Total: 5 14-00
12. Jonbrady Buttram - Cadence Barrett Fayetteville High School - AL 0
Day 1: 5 13-15 Total: 5 13-15
13. Mason Martin - Grant Raney East Limestone High School - AL 0
Day 1: 5 13-13 Total: 5 13-13
14. Presley Lannom - Trevor Sanford Mt. Juliet High School - TN 0
Day 1: 5 13-11 Total: 5 13-11
15. Cameron Whitehead - Christopher Johnson Rehobeth High School - AL 0
Day 1: 5 13-10 Total: 5 13-10
16. Blalock Eskew - Ellis Turner Heard County High School - GA 0
Day 1: 5 13-09 Total: 5 13-09
17. Kasen Pemberton - Ethan Berry Chipley Bassmasters - FL 0
Day 1: 5 13-06 Total: 5 13-06
18. Justin McGee - Sadie Wallace Bibb Country - AL 0
Day 1: 5 13-04 Total: 5 13-04
19. Evan Wood - Taedem Ashworth Mt. Pleasant High School - TN 0
Day 1: 5 13-00 Total: 5 13-00
20. Griffin Ralph - Kaleb Snow Lakeside Fishing Team - AR 0
Day 1: 5 12-12 Total: 5 12-12
21. Hayes Finch - James Lamberth Alabama Christian Academy - AL 0
Day 1: 5 12-06 Total: 5 12-06
22. John James Coco - Wesley Macdonald Oak Mountain High School - AL 0
Day 1: 5 12-06 Total: 5 12-06
23. Jackson Mitchell - Evan Mabrey Hueytown Student Anglers - AL 0
Day 1: 5 12-05 Total: 5 12-05
24. Corbin Bornstein - Thomas James Lipscomb Academy - TN 0
Day 1: 5 12-04 Total: 5 12-04
25. Drew Turnbull - Thomas Turnbull Evangel Christian School - AL 0
Day 1: 4 12-04 Total: 4 12-04
26. Makenzie Bailey - Dalton Bailey Winter Springs High School - FL 0
Day 1: 5 12-03 Total: 5 12-03
27. Andrew Kunz - Jacob Hood Bibb Country - AL 0
Day 1: 5 12-01 Total: 5 12-01
28. Camden Randall - James Roop Mt. Pleasant High School - TN 0
Day 1: 5 11-10 Total: 5 11-10
29. Kade Crowson - Slade Davis Evangel Christian School - AL 0
Day 1: 5 11-08 Total: 5 11-08
30. Coleman Dyess - Baldwin County High School - AL 0
Day 1: 5 11-08 Total: 5 11-08
31. Hayden Hammond - Coleman Self RoCo Anglers - NC 0
Day 1: 5 11-05 Total: 5 11-05
32. Ethen Gardner - Alabama Christian Academy - AL 0
Day 1: 5 11-04 Total: 5 11-04
32. Joseph Mashburn - Kobe Walden Clinton High School - TN 0
Day 1: 5 11-04 Total: 5 11-04
34. Parker Ramsey - Luke Hoesley Hoover High School - AL 0
Day 1: 5 11-02 Total: 5 11-02
35. Langston Martin - Lee County Anglers - AL 0
Day 1: 4 11-02 Total: 4 11-02
36. Carson Howell - Talen Ashworth Mt. Pleasant High School - TN 0
Day 1: 5 10-14 Total: 5 10-14
37. Sailor Whitehead - Luke Bramhall Riley's Catch - NC 0
Day 1: 5 10-13 Total: 5 10-13
38. Carson Holbert - Owen Stamm Eagleton College and Career Acad 0
Day 1: 5 10-11 Total: 5 10-11
39. Charlie Mathis - Braden Sullivan Dixie County High School - FL 0
Day 1: 5 10-11 Total: 5 10-11
40. Caleb Martinez - Logan Carter Lincoln County High School - TN 0
Day 1: 5 10-10 Total: 5 10-10
40. Luke Salvail - Tyler Seikel Grissom High School - AL 0
Day 1: 5 10-10 Total: 5 10-10
42. Ben Puckett - Jesse Klutts Henry County High School - TN 0
Day 1: 5 10-08 Total: 5 10-08
43. Hunter Travis - Jameson Norris Baldwin County High School - AL 0
Day 1: 5 10-07 Total: 5 10-07
43. Carson Winn - Jake Krauth Franklin High School - TN 0
Day 1: 5 10-07 Total: 5 10-07
45. Bryant Johnson - Kendrick Johnson Baldwin County High School - AL 0
Day 1: 5 10-05 Total: 5 10-05
46. Donovan Wellman - Culley Mcdowell Warren County High School - TN 0
Day 1: 4 10-04 Total: 4 10-04
47. Conner Cordle - Tyson Summers Alabama Christian Academy - AL 0
Day 1: 5 10-03 Total: 5 10-03
48. Brody Kellum - Carson Thompson Franklin County High School - GA 0
Day 1: 5 10-01 Total: 5 10-01
48. Temern Pfaffenberger - Reece Chambless DeWitt High School - AR 0
Day 1: 5 10-01 Total: 5 10-01
50. Easton Morris - Hunter Thrash Jemison High School - AL 0
Day 1: 5 09-12 Total: 5 09-12
50. Landon Story - Garrett Sharp East Limestone High School - AL 0
Day 1: 5 09-12 Total: 5 09-12
52. Jake Lovingood - Harlyn Nelson Alcoa Fishing Team - TN 0
Day 1: 5 09-11 Total: 5 09-11
53. Drayke Clayton - Spencer Lovett Mt. Pleasant High School - TN 0
Day 1: 5 09-09 Total: 5 09-09
53. Destin Morales - Samuel Cobb Jr Livingston Parish High School - 0
Day 1: 5 09-09 Total: 5 09-09
55. Ben Chance - River Rushlow Franklin High School - TN 0
Day 1: 5 09-08 Total: 5 09-08
56. Derek Davis - Connor Jaco Mt. Pleasant High School - TN 0
Day 1: 5 09-07 Total: 5 09-07
57. Clay Bales - Jaydon Jones South Laurel High School (10073) 0
Day 1: 5 09-05 Total: 5 09-05
58. Cole Mcausland - Alex Gordon American Christian Academy - AL 0
Day 1: 5 09-04 Total: 5 09-04
59. Landon Rhine - Gabe Morrow Lamar High School - AR 0
Day 1: 5 09-02 Total: 5 09-02
59. Spencer Stewart - Nathan Baldwin Springville High School - AL 0
Day 1: 5 09-02 Total: 5 09-02
61. Brody Mitchell - James Mitchell Grissom High School - AL 0
Day 1: 5 09-01 Total: 5 09-01
62. Grant West - Lydia West Scottsboro High School - AL 0
Day 1: 5 09-01 Total: 5 09-01
63. Alex Smith - Cade Bowden Saraland High School - AL 0
Day 1: 5 09-00 Total: 5 09-00
64. Charleigh Blackwell - Connor Sunday Hoover High School - AL 0
Day 1: 5 08-15 Total: 5 08-15
64. Jackie Hatfield - Graham Willis Alcoa Fishing Team - TN 0
Day 1: 5 08-15 Total: 5 08-15
66. Brady McCormick - Harris Jones Briarwood Christian School - AL 0
Day 1: 2 08-15 Total: 2 08-15
67. Ian Fryer - Jaden Sanford Smiths Station High School - AL 0
Day 1: 5 08-14 Total: 5 08-14
67. Jameson Pursley - Hayden Spears Warren County High School - TN 0
Day 1: 5 08-14 Total: 5 08-14
69. Preston King - Briarwood Christian School - AL 0
Day 1: 3 08-14 Total: 3 08-14
70. Max Flatten - Hayden Ries Glacial Lakes High School - SD 0
Day 1: 5 08-12 Total: 5 08-12
70. Will Thompson - Chandler Millsap Briarwood Christian School - AL 0
Day 1: 5 08-12 Total: 5 08-12
70. Brady Vest - Brody Hopper Cullman High School - AL 0
Day 1: 5 08-12 Total: 5 08-12
73. Max Hondorp - Panhandle Youth Anglers - FL 0
Day 1: 5 08-09 Total: 5 08-09
73. Kayden Waller - Michael Harris Mt. Juliet High School - TN 0
Day 1: 5 08-09 Total: 5 08-09
75. Spencer Grooms - Hudson Galimore Auburn High School - AL 0
Day 1: 4 08-08 Total: 4 08-08
76. Connor Kennedy - Jaylee Coates Mid Florida Youth Anglers - FL 0
Day 1: 4 08-05 Total: 4 08-05
77. Evan Newell - Kody Glass Mid Florida Youth Anglers - FL 0
Day 1: 5 08-03 Total: 5 08-03
78. Kaden Cornelius - Elijah Page Good Hope Fishing Team - AL 0
Day 1: 4 08-03 Total: 4 08-03
79. Caden Schilling - Slade Jones Hixson High School - TN 0
Day 1: 3 08-02 Total: 3 08-02
80. Caden Stevens - Hunter Crittenden Franklin County High School - TN 0
Day 1: 5 08-01 Total: 5 08-01
80. Turner Tharpe - Blake James Rhea County High School - TN 0
Day 1: 5 08-01 Total: 5 08-01
82. Alex Gore - Colby Reece Jefferson County High School - T 0
Day 1: 5 08-00 Total: 5 08-00
83. Drew Bradstreet - Kamden Bradstreet Bradstreet Homeschool - FL 0
Day 1: 4 08-00 Total: 4 08-00
83. Jack Fitzgerald - Landen Manning Mt. Pleasant High School - TN 0
Day 1: 4 08-00 Total: 4 08-00
85. Jamison Drake - Alex Girodo East Limestone High School - AL 0
Day 1: 5 07-15 Total: 5 07-15
86. Kaleb Page - Kasen Page Coffee County School - TN 0
Day 1: 5 07-14 Total: 5 07-14
87. Samuel Branum - Baldwin County High School - AL 0
Day 1: 4 07-14 Total: 4 07-14
88. Andrew Graves - Michael Maynor Hewitt Trussville High School - 0
Day 1: 5 07-09 Total: 5 07-09
89. Luke England - Jed Defee Baldwin County High School - AL 0
Day 1: 5 07-08 Total: 5 07-08
90. Jacob Baugh - Scott York Skyline High School - AL 0
Day 1: 5 07-06 Total: 5 07-06
91. Eli Galloway - Mylan Tuberville Baldwin County High School - AL 0
Day 1: 5 07-05 Total: 5 07-05
92. Peter West - Zach Knight Gallatin High School - TN 0
Day 1: 5 07-04 Total: 5 07-04
93. Noah Carruth - Ty Carruth Alabama Bass Academy - AL 0
Day 1: 5 07-02 Total: 5 07-02
93. Luke Malik - Ashton Ozolins Sumner County Bass Team - TN 0
Day 1: 5 07-02 Total: 5 07-02
95. Easton Booth - Kolton Booth Geneva High School - AL 0
Day 1: 4 07-00 Total: 4 07-00
96. Jordan Guest - Landon Guest Skyline High School - AL 0
Day 1: 4 06-06 Total: 4 06-06
97. Buckner Anderson - Greyson Widgeon Scottsboro High School - AL 0
Day 1: 4 06-05 Total: 4 06-05
98. Brody Brinson - Isaiah Mussnug Sumner County Bass Team - TN 0
Day 1: 3 06-01 Total: 3 06-01
98. Jordan Houston - Luke Hurst Mortimer Jordan High School - AL 0
Day 1: 3 06-01 Total: 3 06-01
100. Andrew Jones - Carson Underwood Hewitt-Trussville High School - 0
Day 1: 2 06-00 Total: 2 06-00
101. Seth Loggins - Jett Swann Good Hope Fishing Team - AL 0
Day 1: 4 05-13 Total: 4 05-13
102. Levi Huffstetler - Carson Weber Alcoa Fishing Team - TN 0
Day 1: 3 05-13 Total: 3 05-13
103. Cole Reid - Jordan Thomas Hayden High School - AL 0
Day 1: 3 05-11 Total: 3 05-11
104. Briley Tomlin - Kole Bradford Falkville High School - AL 0
Day 1: 3 05-10 Total: 3 05-10
105. Cole Martin - Josh Bowen Lakeside High School - AR 0
Day 1: 3 05-09 Total: 3 05-09
106. Elijah Lawler - Landon Reed New Hope High School - AL 0
Day 1: 2 05-07 Total: 2 05-07
107. Landon Parker - Jake Watson DeWitt High School - AR 0
Day 1: 3 05-04 Total: 3 05-04
108. Rooksby Gordon - Fisher Deason American Christian Academy - AL 0
Day 1: 4 05-03 Total: 4 05-03
108. Landon Rousseau - Brody Berninger Skyline High School - AL 0
Day 1: 4 05-03 Total: 4 05-03
110. Milam Mcillwain - Landon Lewis Creekwood High School - TN 0
Day 1: 2 05-03 Total: 2 05-03
111. Fisher Tyler - Blake Ingram Salem High School - AR 0
Day 1: 3 05-00 Total: 3 05-00
112. Miles Allen - Ethan Roths St. Xavier High School - KY 0
Day 1: 5 04-15 Total: 5 04-15
113. Kaden Casey - Collin French Montgomery County High School - 0
Day 1: 4 04-13 Total: 4 04-13
114. Jackson Edenfield - Hunter Harris Chiles High School - FL 0
Day 1: 3 04-06 Total: 3 04-06
115. John Cooper - Gabriel Avalos Scotts Hill Student Anglers - TN 0
Day 1: 2 04-06 Total: 2 04-06
116. Mason Carden - Dawson Bryant Shelby County High School - AL 0
Day 1: 2 04-02 Total: 2 04-02
117. Carter Burdette - Thomas Wright Circle Christian School - FL 0
Day 1: 3 04-01 Total: 3 04-01
118. Chris Fallon - Briar Dodson Gardendale High School - AL 0
Day 1: 2 04-00 Total: 2 04-00
119. Skipper Stallings - Tyler Wakefield Evangel Christian School - AL 0
Day 1: 3 03-09 Total: 3 03-09
120. Reese Ray - Connor Mccown Glenmora High School - LA 0
Day 1: 2 03-08 Total: 2 03-08
121. Brady Talbot - Bryce Distefano Live Oak High School - LA 0
Day 1: 3 03-06 Total: 3 03-06
122. Cody Adams - Barron Ellis Chiles High School - FL 0
Day 1: 2 03-06 Total: 2 03-06
123. Isaac Garvin - Blake Gibson Valley Springs High School - AR 0
Day 1: 1 03-06 Total: 1 03-06
124. Colby Onderdonk - Dalton Kelly Saraland High School - AL 0
Day 1: 2 03-04 Total: 2 03-04
125. Dylan Fulk - Briar Shock Richland County High School - IL 0
Day 1: 1 03-04 Total: 1 03-04
125. Grant Laney - Trey Trotter III Fairview High School - AL 0
Day 1: 1 03-04 Total: 1 03-04
127. Annie Lassiter - Logan Evans Soddy Daisy High School - TN 0
Day 1: 2 03-03 Total: 2 03-03
127. C.J. Stanley - Colton Parten Rhea County High School - TN 0
Day 1: 2 03-03 Total: 2 03-03
129. Luke Abston - Sam Dunn Spain Park High School - AL 0
Day 1: 1 03-02 Total: 1 03-02
130. Austin Kelly - Chase Woodham Rehobeth High School - AL 0
Day 1: 2 03-01 Total: 2 03-01
131. Fletcher Brasington - Mo Katz IV Headland High School - AL 0
Day 1: 2 03-00 Total: 2 03-00
132. Elijah Griffith - Jake Carney Sale Creek High School - TN 0
Day 1: 1 03-00 Total: 1 03-00
133. Holten Phillips - Hunter Little Hot Springs Lakeside - AR 0
Day 1: 2 02-15 Total: 2 02-15
134. Jack Canoles - Owen Darden Fayetteville High School - AL 0
Day 1: 1 02-13 Total: 1 02-13
135. Cooper Lumpkin - Jackson Simpson American Christian Academy - AL 0
Day 1: 1 02-12 Total: 1 02-12
136. Cole Pickett - Dutch Kor Many High School - LA 0
Day 1: 3 02-11 Total: 3 02-11
137. Storm Clark - Levi Bolton Harris County Bass Fishing Team 0
Day 1: 2 02-11 Total: 2 02-11
138. Maclaine Butters - Noah Sherman Franklin High School - TN 0
Day 1: 2 02-10 Total: 2 02-10
139. Joshua Stokes - Ryan Smith Mortimer Jordan High School - AL 0
Day 1: 2 02-05 Total: 2 02-05
140. Palmer Norris - Lucas Pace Scottsboro High School - AL 0
Day 1: 1 02-05 Total: 1 02-05
141. Jack Mcillwain - Dyson Weaver Creekwood High School - TN 0
Day 1: 1 02-04 Total: 1 02-04
141. Tanner Russell - Hunter Hodges Mt. Juliet High School - TN 0
Day 1: 1 02-04 Total: 1 02-04
143. Caleb Baird - Eli Baird Portland High School - TN 0
Day 1: 2 02-02 Total: 2 02-02
144. Blade Rice - Trace Jones Ariton High School - AL 0
Day 1: 1 01-15 Total: 1 01-15
145. Trey Connell III - Bowen Jones Ariton High School - AL 0
Day 1: 1 01-14 Total: 1 01-14
146. Franklin Mangrum - Kaden Mangrum Sulphur High School - LA 0
Day 1: 1 01-13 Total: 1 01-13
147. Austin Sawyer - Damian Pugh Eufaula High School - AL 0
Day 1: 1 01-12 Total: 1 01-12
148. Lucas Milewski - Micah Dixon Franklin High School - TN 0
Day 1: 1 01-11 Total: 1 01-11
149. Logan Kirkland - Robert Turner Rehobeth High School - AL 0
Day 1: 1 01-10 Total: 1 01-10
150. Colin Chavers - Copelin Prewitt Vestavia Hills High School - AL 0
Day 1: 1 01-09 Total: 1 01-09
150. Ryan Leiffer - Collier DeClerk Bentonville High School - AR 0
Day 1: 1 01-09 Total: 1 01-09
150. Tucker McCoy - Ethan Hopkins Mortimer Jordan High School - AL 0
Day 1: 1 01-09 Total: 1 01-09
153. Konner Allen - Tristan Henry 901 Bass Club - TN 0
Day 1: 1 01-08 Total: 1 01-08
153. Caleb Johnston - Colin Cosenza Many High School - LA 0
Day 1: 1 01-08 Total: 1 01-08
155. Carter Fountain - David Campbell Briarwood Christian School - AL 0
Day 1: 1 01-07 Total: 1 01-07
155. Gavin Seewald - Tate Turner Hoover High School - AL 0
Day 1: 1 01-07 Total: 1 01-07
157. Colt Canterberry - Abram Whitehead Hayden High School - AL 0
Day 1: 1 01-05 Total: 1 01-05
157. Landon Myers - Luke Morris Alcoa Fishing Team - TN 0
Day 1: 1 01-05 Total: 1 01-05
159. Cody Burns - Slade Kitchens Mortimer Jordan High School - AL 0
Day 1: 1 01-03 Total: 1 01-03
159. Daniel Lowhorn - Wade Mackie Monterey High School - TN 0
Day 1: 1 01-03 Total: 1 01-03
161. Jamison Conyer - Brendan Brown Gallatin High School - TN 0
Day 1: 1 01-02 Total: 1 01-02
161. Kolby Leger - Nicholas Vitello Sulphur High School - LA 0
Day 1: 1 01-02 Total: 1 01-02
161. Hollis Rose - Grant Arnold Jefferson County Patriot Anglers 0
Day 1: 1 01-02 Total: 1 01-02
164. Cole Wampler - Mason Wampler Rhea County High School - TN 0
Day 1: 1 01-00 Total: 1 01-00
165. Joseph Abercrombie - Zachary Manasco Saraland High School - AL 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
165. Patrick Adcock - Kaide Scheer Cullman High School (10106) 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
165. Wayland Adkisson - Clay George BGA High School - TN 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
165. Drake Anderson - Scottsboro High School - AL 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
165. Paul Baker - Ashton Albert CT BASS Thunder - CT 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
165. Isaac Bauer - Cason Ewing Cullman High School 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
165. Cody Carden - Isaiah Yates Skyline High School - AL 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
165. Braylon Carden - Beulah High School - AL 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
165. Evan Conn - Collin Allison Vestavia Hills High School - AL 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
165. Brayden Cranford - Owen Jordan Sumner County Bass Team - TN 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
165. AJ Danner - Gauge Wallace Helena High School - AL 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
165. Griffin Davison - Robert Stanley Escambia Academy Fishing Team - 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
165. Daylin Doak - Brooks Putnam Mt. Juliet High School - TN 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
165. Parker Dodson - Preston Dodson Scottsboro High School - AL 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
165. Easton Douglas - Riley Spring Dixie County High School - FL 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
165. Jed Draper - Kaden King Franklin County High School - TN 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
165. Easton Drennon - Mt. Juliet High School - TN 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
165. Josh Foshee - Lance Roberts Mortimer Jordan High School - AL 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
165. Greer Gammon - Deacon Blair Mt. Juliet High School - TN 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
165. Jess Goggans - Drake Dooley Scottsboro High School - AL 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
165. Andon Goins - Izack Hancock Sale Creek High School - TN 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
165. Triton Graham - Huntley Dees Citronelle High School - AL 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
165. Levi Harris - Zane Roberts Fairview High School - AL 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
165. Justin Holloway - Ethan Webb Ariton High School - AL 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
165. Tyler Jackson - Walter Salter Eufaula High School - AL 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
165. Avery Johnson - Drake Middleton Riverside High School - TN 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
165. Brody Jones - Parker Batts Jefferson County High School - T 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
165. Bryant Kennamer - Daniel Olinger Skyline High School - AL 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
165. Aiden King - Brody Porter Shelby County High School - AL 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
165. Connor Koch - Hudson Windham Capital City Bass Hunters - FL 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
165. Ethan Long - Peyton Long Shelby County High School - AL 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
165. Jaidon Lovett - Bridget Mathis Dixie Bass Masters - FL 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
165. Gaige Lunsford - Robert Ayers Meigs County High School - TN 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
165. Aubrey Madison - Emory Nichols Mortimer Jordan High School - AL 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
165. Michael Markham - Carter Davidson Tallassee High School - AL 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
165. Tyler Martin - Blake Rogers Sequatchie County High School - 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
165. Tanner Mason - Matthew Mason DAR High School - AL 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
165. Jacob McCurdy - Christopher Naugher Piedmont Fishing Team - AL 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
165. Tyler Mims - Lane Mims Isabella High School - AL 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
165. Brett Mouw - Logan Kinsella Hill Toppers - IL 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
165. Mason Mullins - Caden Graham Soddy Daisy High School - TN 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
165. Jacey Murphy - Shannon Cook Fayetteville High School - AL 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
165. Riley North - Karson Peterman Rehobeth High School - AL 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
165. Jerry Nugent III - Landon Stockstill Tuerlings Rebel Fishing Team - L 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
165. Luke Outlaw - Ariton Bass Team - AL 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
165. Dylan Owens - Brody Shepherd Rehobeth High School - AL 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
165. Jack Pickett - Skyline High School - AL 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
165. Kaden Randles - Landon Black DAR High School - AL 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
165. Ethan Reeves - Noah Reeves Mortimer Jordan High School - AL 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
165. Jeremiah Sharrott - Linkon Patrick Fairview High School - AL 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
165. Mason Taylor - Wesley Kent Dekalb Fishing Team - TN 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
165. Ethan Tedder - Evan Tedder Muscle Shoals High School - AL 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
165. Andrew Terry - Carson Bryant DCHS Fishing Team - TN 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
165. Bradford Vandemark - Elias Hitson Eagleville Fishing Club - TN 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
165. Connor Watts - Parker Myers Rehobeth High School - AL 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
165. Lawton Williams - Eli Cooke Cleveland County - NC 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
165. Matthew Wilson - Grady Mcclendon Holy Spirit Tuscaloosa - AL 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
165. Toben Yearwood - Ryan Hart Franklin County High School - GA 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
BIG BASS OF TOURN
Presley Lannom Lebanon, TN 05-12 $0.00
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Totals
Day #Limits #Fish Weight
1 83 593 1226-05
----------------------------------
83 593 1226-05
Joey Cifuentes III maintains lead at Bassmaster Elite on Lake Seminole
Joey Cifuentes III of Clinton, Ark., is leading after Day 3 of the 2023 Gamakatsu Bassmaster Elite at Lake Seminole with a three-day total of 66 pounds, 11 ounces.
Photo by Seigo Saito/B.A.S.S.
February 25, 2023
BAINBRIDGE, Ga. — On Semifinal Saturday, Joey Cifuentes III stuck with his game plan, tallied a three-day total of 66 pounds, 11 ounces, and retained his lead in the Gamakatsu Bassmaster Elite at Lake Seminole.
The rookie from Clinton, Ark., placed sixth on Day 1 with 19-13 before taking the top spot with a Day 2 limit of 26-1 — the tournament’s heaviest bag. Cifuentes added 20-13 on Saturday and heads into Championship Sunday with a lead of 4-1 over Tyler Rivet of Raceland, La.
“I’m not going to say I can do 20 again tomorrow, but I feel like it’s there,” Cifuentes said. “I saw some really good fish today.”
Cifuentes committed his time Saturday to Spring Creek, where he fished standing timber in about 20 to 22 feet. Targeting groups of trees and large cypress stumps proved the most productive.
When his Day 2 bite slowed around noon, Cifuentes moved shallow to flip vegetation before finishing his day in the offshore timber. Today, it was all about the wood.
“I stayed in my area and my goal was to get 20 pounds; I got it and I left,” Cifuentes said. “I kinda weaseled back close and ended up catching a couple good bass, then I left around 10:30.
“I found another spot where I saw some good fish swimming around the bottom. I may hit it up tomorrow, but I’m going to start on my primary area and I’m going to try and get another 20 pounds.”
Describing his main spot and the new area, Cifuentes said he’s targeting deep timber on the edge of a spawning flat. Using his forward-facing sonar to watch for specific fish, he’s making short pitches with a drop shot.
Cifuentes is using a 1/4-ounce weight and a 6-inch hand-poured finesse worm. For snag avoidance amid the timber, he’s Texas rigging his worm on a 1/0 hook.
“I like that little hook because it’s less visible,” Cifuentes said. “I think that’s helping me get bites. I didn’t lose any fish today, I fished clean.”
Cifuentes said he feels confident his spots hold the potential winning fish. He specifically chose Spring Creek because it had the right mix of clear water, timber and spawning habitat.
He’s hopeful that his chosen spots will allow him to continue intercepting bass on their way to and from the spawning grounds.
“Today, all my fish were postspawn; yesterday, they were all prespawn,” Cifuentes said. “I think I have fish coming to me also. I learned that today, so that’s exciting.”
Rivet is in second place with 62-10. His daily weights were 17-4, 19-11 and 25-11.
Coming off his first Elite win at last week’s event at Lake Okeechobee, Rivet spent his day in the Flint River where he caught bass on a popping frog and an Xcite Baits Xtreme Stix (stickbait), which he fished Texas rigged and wacky style.
“I caught one fish on the frog — on my third cast,” Rivet said. “I threw the frog for a while, but it has to be the right scenario. It has to be a little dirty and shallow. The one I caught was on a bed, so she came out and ate it.”
Rivet said all of his bass were on beds. Turbid water prevented him from actually sight fishing, but reading the clues guided his presentations.
“I know they’re there by the way they’re acting; I can see them swirling around and chasing stuff,” he said. “It’s all about throwing in there at the right time. If you see one swell, you've got to put your bait in that swell.
“When they’re trying to eat something and (the bait) is in their face, they eat it.”
Greg Hackney of Gonzales, La., is in third with 61-9. After an opening limit of 14-5 put him in 44th place, Hackney caught the second-heaviest bag of Day 2 — 24-7 — and rose to third place. Adding 22-13 on Saturday, he’ll start Championship Sunday in the third-place position.
“I fished totally different today from yesterday — I had to fish a lot slower,” Hackney said. “I power fished yesterday and today I finesse fished. Yesterday, I caught them winding, today I was grinding.
“Same area, but totally different. They wouldn’t chase. I don’t know why; it was perfect weather. They never got aggressive like they did yesterday.”
Hackney caught his fish on a Texas-rigged Strike King Rage Bug in green pumpkin. He said he’s eager to take one more shot at Seminole.
“I look forward to going out there again,” he said. “It’s been fun the last couple of days. I really struggled the first day of the tournament; one got off. Other than that, I fished really clean the last couple of days.”
Kyoya Fujita of Minamitsuru, Yamanashi, Japan, earned the $1,000 daily bonus for catching the Phoenix Boats Big Bass of the Day with an 8-6 largemouth. That fish also leads the race for Phoenix Boats Big Bass of the tournament, which is good for a $2,000 bonus.
Cifuentes is currently in the lead for the VMC Monster Bag award with his Day 2 catch of 26-1.
Rivet leads the Progressive Insurance Bassmaster Angler of the Year standings with 207 points. Australian Carl Jocumsen s in second with 193, followed by Cifuentes with 190, Brandon Cobb of Greenwood, S.C., with 184, and Brandon Card of Salisbury, N.C., with 184.
Cifuentes leads the Bassmaster Rookie of the Year standings with 190 points.
The Top 10 remaining anglers will take off Sunday at 7:30 a.m. ET from the Earle May Boat Basin Park. The weigh-in will be held at the park at 3:30 p.m.
FS1 will broadcast live with the leaders beginning at 8 a.m. with continuing coverage on Bassmaster.com.
2023 Gamakatsu Bassmaster Elite at Lake Seminole 2/23-2/26
Lake Seminole, Bainbridge GA.
(PROFESSIONAL) Standings Day 3
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Pts Total $$$
1. Joey Cifuentes III Clinton, AR 15 66-11 104
Day 1: 5 19-13 Day 2: 5 26-01 Day 3: 5 20-13
2. Tyler Rivet Raceland, LA 15 62-10 103
Day 1: 5 17-04 Day 2: 5 19-11 Day 3: 5 25-11
3. Greg Hackney Gonzales, LA 15 61-09 102
Day 1: 5 14-05 Day 2: 5 24-07 Day 3: 5 22-13
4. Kyoya Fujita Minamitsuru, Yamanashi 15 56-07 101 $1,000.00
Day 1: 5 16-12 Day 2: 5 16-05 Day 3: 5 23-06
5. Cory Johnston Cavan CANADA 15 53-00 100
Day 1: 5 15-03 Day 2: 5 18-09 Day 3: 5 19-04
6. Bill Lowen Brookville, IN 15 52-14 99
Day 1: 5 16-07 Day 2: 5 17-14 Day 3: 5 18-09
7. Derek Hudnall Zachary, LA 15 52-13 98
Day 1: 5 15-00 Day 2: 5 18-09 Day 3: 5 19-04
8. Shane LeHew Catawba, NC 15 52-06 97
Day 1: 5 15-01 Day 2: 5 19-10 Day 3: 5 17-11
9. Pat Schlapper Eleva, WI 15 51-13 96
Day 1: 5 11-15 Day 2: 5 21-14 Day 3: 5 18-00
10. Michael Iaconelli Pittsgrove, NJ 15 51-09 95
Day 1: 5 19-06 Day 2: 5 23-09 Day 3: 5 08-10
11. Carl Jocumsen Queensland AUSTRALIA 15 51-06 94 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 21-06 Day 2: 5 11-09 Day 3: 5 18-07
12. Bob Downey Detroit Lakes, MN 15 51-04 93 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 18-12 Day 2: 5 18-06 Day 3: 5 14-02
13. Austin Felix Eden Prairie, MN 15 50-10 92 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 19-04 Day 2: 5 19-02 Day 3: 5 12-04
14. John Cox DeBary, FL 15 50-10 91 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 18-07 Day 2: 5 17-09 Day 3: 5 14-10
15. Kyle Welcher Opelika, AL 15 49-15 90 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 18-05 Day 2: 5 15-09 Day 3: 5 16-01
16. Matt Arey Shelby, NC 15 49-07 89 $11,000.00
Day 1: 5 18-08 Day 2: 5 15-08 Day 3: 5 15-07
17. Chris Johnston Otonabee Ontario CANADA 15 48-12 88 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 14-12 Day 2: 5 19-00 Day 3: 5 15-00
18. Mark Menendez Paducah, KY 15 48-08 87 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 14-04 Day 2: 5 14-00 Day 3: 5 20-04
19. Brandon Card Salisbury, NC 15 48-08 86 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 16-07 Day 2: 5 15-13 Day 3: 5 16-04
20. Brandon Cobb Greenwood, SC 15 48-04 85 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 15-05 Day 2: 5 14-07 Day 3: 5 18-08
21. Jonathan Kelley Old Forge, PA 15 48-03 84 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 20-12 Day 2: 5 15-08 Day 3: 5 11-15
22. Drew Benton Panama City, FL 15 48-03 83 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 20-06 Day 2: 5 13-01 Day 3: 5 14-12
23. Jason Christie Dry Creek, OK 15 48-03 82 $11,000.00
Day 1: 5 18-00 Day 2: 5 17-05 Day 3: 5 12-14
24. Luke Palmer Coalgate, OK 15 47-13 81 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 13-09 Day 2: 5 16-06 Day 3: 5 17-14
25. Lee Livesay Longview, TX 15 46-12 80 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 15-06 Day 2: 5 16-07 Day 3: 5 14-15
26. Will Davis Jr Sylacauga, AL 15 46-07 79 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 21-13 Day 2: 5 10-05 Day 3: 5 14-05
27. Keith Combs Huntington, TX 15 46-03 78 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 12-04 Day 2: 5 16-15 Day 3: 5 17-00
28. Kenta Kimura Osaka JAPAN 15 46-02 77 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 16-06 Day 2: 5 15-14 Day 3: 5 13-14
29. Bryan Schmitt Deale, MD 15 46-02 76 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 14-12 Day 2: 5 16-05 Day 3: 5 15-01
30. David Fritts Lexington, NC 15 46-00 75 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 08-06 Day 2: 5 20-14 Day 3: 5 16-12
31. Drew Cook Cairo, GA 15 45-07 74 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 17-14 Day 2: 5 14-02 Day 3: 5 13-07
32. Taku Ito Chiba, JAPAN 15 45-07 73 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 17-00 Day 2: 5 15-03 Day 3: 5 13-04
33. Darold Gleason Many, LA 15 45-04 72 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 15-10 Day 2: 5 13-04 Day 3: 5 16-06
34. David Gaston Sylacauga, AL 15 45-00 71 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 12-15 Day 2: 5 19-15 Day 3: 5 12-02
35. Caleb Sumrall New Iberia, LA 15 44-14 70 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 12-14 Day 2: 5 22-00 Day 3: 5 10-00
36. Micah Frazier Newnan, GA 15 44-13 69 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 20-11 Day 2: 5 10-04 Day 3: 5 13-14
37. Gerald Swindle Guntersville, AL 15 44-02 68 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 16-02 Day 2: 5 16-11 Day 3: 5 11-05
38. Cody Huff Ava, MO 15 44-02 67 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 12-14 Day 2: 5 16-09 Day 3: 5 14-11
39. Hank Cherry Jr Lincolnton, NC 15 44-01 66 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 15-12 Day 2: 5 16-05 Day 3: 5 12-00
40. Joshua Stracner Vandiver, AL 15 44-00 65 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 13-11 Day 2: 5 14-12 Day 3: 5 15-09
41. Stetson Blaylock Benton, AR 15 43-09 64 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 15-15 Day 2: 5 15-04 Day 3: 5 12-06
42. Cole Sands Calhoun, TN 15 42-12 63 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 13-01 Day 2: 5 15-10 Day 3: 5 14-01
43. Bryant Smith Roseville, CA 15 42-04 62 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 13-13 Day 2: 5 15-06 Day 3: 5 13-01
44. Brad Whatley Bivins, TX 15 41-12 61 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 15-07 Day 2: 5 16-07 Day 3: 5 09-14
45. Hunter Shryock Ooltewah, TN 15 38-10 60 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 15-03 Day 2: 5 13-12 Day 3: 5 09-11
46. Cooper Gallant Bowmanville Ontario CAN 15 38-04 59 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 14-13 Day 2: 5 13-05 Day 3: 5 10-02
47. Wes Logan Springville, AL 15 38-01 58 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 13-12 Day 2: 5 15-13 Day 3: 5 08-08
48. Clark Wendlandt Leander, TX 15 37-04 57 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 13-04 Day 2: 5 16-12 Day 3: 5 07-04
49. Bernie Schultz Gainesville, FL 13 35-12 56 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 14-09 Day 2: 5 14-05 Day 3: 3 06-14
50. Justin Atkins Florence, AL 12 34-02 55 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 13-04 Day 2: 5 16-09 Day 3: 2 04-05
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
PHOENIX BOATS BIG BASS
Day
1 Matt Arey Shelby, NC 08-01 $1,000.00
2 Jason Christie Dry Creek, OK 06-05 $1,000.00
3 Kyoya Fujita Minamitsuru, Yamanashi JAPAN08-06 $1,000.00
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Totals
Day #Limits #Fish Weight
1 102 515 1433-10
2 96 500 1453-03
3 48 245 733-02
----------------------------------
246 1260 3619-15
Joey Cifuentes III wrangles Day 2 lead at Bassmaster Elite on Lake Seminole
Joey Cifuentes III of Clinton, Ark., is leading after Day 2 of the 2023 Gamakatsu Bassmaster Elite at Lake Seminole with a two-day total of 45 pounds, 14 ounces.
Photo by Seigo Saito/B.A.S.S.
February 24, 2023
BAINBRIDGE, Ga. — Joey Cifuentes III played a dicey game and ended up on the right side of the risk/reward calculation.
The rookie from Clinton, Ark., brought in the event’s heaviest bag so far Friday with five bass that weighed 26 pounds, 1 ounce. That combined with his Day 1 limit of 19-13 gave Cifuentes the lead in the Gamakatsu Bassmaster Elite at Lake Seminole with a total weight of 45-14.
New Jersey superstar Mike Iaconelli is second, trailing by just 2-15.
“It was really slow out there and I apologize to everyone who was watching Bassmaster LIVE. It took me a while to get it,” Cifuentes said. “I worked my butt off out there and it worked out.”
Fishing in Spring Creek, Cifuentes spent the majority of his day targeting standing timber in 20 to 22 feet. A classic prespawn staging scenario, this habitat provides fish the right mix of heat-retaining cover, ambush feeding opportunities and protective structure. The latter presents the biggest challenge.
“Getting the fish to bite hasn’t been that hard; it’s just getting the fish out,” Cifuentes said. “That’s what’s so stressful, because they’re sitting in groups of like two or three big trees together, so they’re hard to get out. But if I get lucky and they go the right way, I can steer them.”
Bassmaster LIVE saw Cifuentes lose an estimated 4-pounder when the bass ran into unyielding cover. Despite his best dislodging efforts, which included sticking his rod into the water, Cifuentes was unable to free the ensnared fish before it shook the hook.
Compounding the challenge of fishing such unforgiving habitat, Cifuentes found his best way to tempt bites was a drop shot on spinning gear. Typically a light-line finesse technique, Cifuentes made strategic adjustments that improved his ability to manage the timber.
“I’m using a bigger leader and line on my spinning rod, so I can really pull on them,” Cifuentes said. “I’m using a 7-foot medium rod with 15-pound Berkley x5 Braid and a 12-pound Berkley 100% fluorocarbon leader.”
Cifuentes said his drop shot is comprised of a 1/4-ounce weight and a 6-inch hand-poured worm in the morning dawn color. To minimize snags, he Texas rigged the worm.
“I rig the worm weedless because you’re reeling around timber and if you had an open hook you’d be getting hung all the time,” he said. “I’m using a small 1/0 hook and I think that’s key because I don’t think the fish can see the hook as much.”
Iaconelli, who won the 2002 Georgia Bassmaster Tour event on Lake Seminole, added 23-9 Friday to his Day 1 weight of 19-6 and sits in second with 42-15.
“This place has a special memory for me and maybe there's a little bit of good mojo there. I’m trying to keep that going,” Iaconelli said. “I have one really special area and that scares me a little bit, but if that special area keeps producing, I’ll have a good shot to make (Championship Sunday).”
Both days, Iaconelli has fished a small bay in the Flint River. He’s spending most of his time targeting what he calls the last staging point before bass move onto a spawning flat.
On Day 1, Iaconelli caught all of his fish on reaction baits. Today, half of the bass he caught bit a reaction bait and half bit a soft-plastic bait.
“Ninety percent of my weight has come from this area and it’s unlike the way I like to fish,” Iaconelli said. “I’m high-strung; I don’t like to sit still. I’m Power-Poling down and sitting.
“It’s tough for me to fish like that, but it’s a special spot. Fish are swimming past me by the minute. It’s the kind of place that’s feast or famine, so if they stop funneling through that area, I’m happy I made the (Semifinal Saturday) cut.”
Another longtime B.A.S.S. star, Greg Hackney of Gonzales, La., is in third place with 38-12. After placing 44th on Day 1 with 14-5, Hackney added Friday’s second-heaviest bag, 24-7.
Hackney said he’s fishing a mix of reaction and slower baits. As he explained, the key to his second-round improvement was calmer weather.
“Yesterday, it was hard for me to be efficient in that wind,” Hackney said. “This morning it was warmer and it was slick and I could be more efficient.”
Hackney said he’s fishing a couple of scenarios, one of which is drop-off related. Water movement, he said, is playing a role in his strategy.
“There’s a lot of fish that are up, but there’s also a lot of fish that haven’t gotten there yet,” Hackney said. “It’s a weird deal; we’ve had such warm weather, but there’s so much water running through the system that it’s keeping it colder. The water temperature’s not warming up with these 80-degree days.”
Jason Christie of Dry Creek, Okla., earned the $1,000 daily bonus for catching the Phoenix Boats Big Bass of the Day with his 6-5. Matt Arey of Shelby, N.C., still leads the race for Phoenix Boats Big Bass of the tournament with the 8-1 he caught on Day 1.
Cifuentes is currently in the lead for the VMC Monster Bag award for his Friday catch.
Tyler Rivet of Raceland, La., leads the Progressive Insurance Bassmaster Angler of the Year standings with 203 points. Cifuentes is second with 190, followed by Kyle Welcher of Opelika, Ala., with 183, Australian Carl Jocumsen with 183 and Brandon Card of Salisbury, N.C., with 179.
Cifuentes leads the Bassmaster Rookie of the Year standings with 190 points.
The Top 50 remaining anglers will take off at 7:30 a.m. ET Saturday from the Earle May Boat Basin Park. The weigh-in will be held at the park at 3:30 p.m., with only the Top 10 advancing to Championship Sunday for a chance at the $100,000 first-place prize.
FS1 will broadcast live with the leaders beginning at 8 a.m. with continuing coverage on Bassmaster.com.
2023 Gamakatsu Bassmaster Elite at Lake Seminole 2/23-2/26
Lake Seminole, Bainbridge GA.
(PROFESSIONAL) Standings Day 2
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Pts Total $$$
1. Joey Cifuentes III Clinton, AR 10 45-14 104
Day 1: 5 19-13 Day 2: 5 26-01
2. Michael Iaconelli Pittsgrove, NJ 10 42-15 103
Day 1: 5 19-06 Day 2: 5 23-09
3. Greg Hackney Gonzales, LA 10 38-12 102
Day 1: 5 14-05 Day 2: 5 24-07
4. Austin Felix Eden Prairie, MN 10 38-06 101
Day 1: 5 19-04 Day 2: 5 19-02
5. Bob Downey Detroit Lakes, MN 10 37-02 100
Day 1: 5 18-12 Day 2: 5 18-06
6. Tyler Rivet Raceland, LA 10 36-15 99
Day 1: 5 17-04 Day 2: 5 19-11
7. Jonathan Kelley Old Forge, PA 10 36-04 98
Day 1: 5 20-12 Day 2: 5 15-08
8. John Cox DeBary, FL 10 36-00 97
Day 1: 5 18-07 Day 2: 5 17-09
9. Jason Christie Dry Creek, OK 10 35-05 96 $1,000.00
Day 1: 5 18-00 Day 2: 5 17-05
10. Caleb Sumrall New Iberia, LA 10 34-14 95
Day 1: 5 12-14 Day 2: 5 22-00
11. Shane LeHew Catawba, NC 10 34-11 94
Day 1: 5 15-01 Day 2: 5 19-10
12. Bill Lowen Brookville, IN 10 34-05 93
Day 1: 5 16-07 Day 2: 5 17-14
13. Matt Arey Shelby, NC 10 34-00 92 $1,000.00
Day 1: 5 18-08 Day 2: 5 15-08
14. Kyle Welcher Opelika, AL 10 33-14 91
Day 1: 5 18-05 Day 2: 5 15-09
15. Pat Schlapper Eleva, WI 10 33-13 90
Day 1: 5 11-15 Day 2: 5 21-14
16. Chris Johnston Otonabee Ontario CANADA 10 33-12 89
Day 1: 5 14-12 Day 2: 5 19-00
17. Cory Johnston Cavan CANADA 10 33-12 88
Day 1: 5 15-03 Day 2: 5 18-09
18. Derek Hudnall Zachary, LA 10 33-09 87
Day 1: 5 15-00 Day 2: 5 18-09
19. Drew Benton Panama City, FL 10 33-07 86
Day 1: 5 20-06 Day 2: 5 13-01
20. Kyoya Fujita Minamitsuru, Yamanashi 10 33-01 85
Day 1: 5 16-12 Day 2: 5 16-05
21. Carl Jocumsen Queensland AUSTRALIA 10 32-15 84
Day 1: 5 21-06 Day 2: 5 11-09
22. David Gaston Sylacauga, AL 10 32-14 83
Day 1: 5 12-15 Day 2: 5 19-15
23. Gerald Swindle Guntersville, AL 10 32-13 82
Day 1: 5 16-02 Day 2: 5 16-11
24. Brandon Card Salisbury, NC 10 32-04 81
Day 1: 5 16-07 Day 2: 5 15-13
25. Kenta Kimura Osaka JAPAN 10 32-04 80
Day 1: 5 16-06 Day 2: 5 15-14
26. Taku Ito Chiba, JAPAN 10 32-03 79
Day 1: 5 17-00 Day 2: 5 15-03
27. Will Davis Jr Sylacauga, AL 10 32-02 78
Day 1: 5 21-13 Day 2: 5 10-05
28. Hank Cherry Jr Lincolnton, NC 10 32-01 77
Day 1: 5 15-12 Day 2: 5 16-05
29. Drew Cook Cairo, GA 10 32-00 76
Day 1: 5 17-14 Day 2: 5 14-02
30. Brad Whatley Bivins, TX 10 31-14 75
Day 1: 5 15-07 Day 2: 5 16-07
31. Lee Livesay Longview, TX 10 31-13 74
Day 1: 5 15-06 Day 2: 5 16-07
32. Stetson Blaylock Benton, AR 10 31-03 73
Day 1: 5 15-15 Day 2: 5 15-04
33. Bryan Schmitt Deale, MD 10 31-01 72
Day 1: 5 14-12 Day 2: 5 16-05
34. Micah Frazier Newnan, GA 10 30-15 71
Day 1: 5 20-11 Day 2: 5 10-04
35. Clark Wendlandt Leander, TX 10 30-00 70
Day 1: 5 13-04 Day 2: 5 16-12
36. Luke Palmer Coalgate, OK 10 29-15 69
Day 1: 5 13-09 Day 2: 5 16-06
37. Justin Atkins Florence, AL 10 29-13 68
Day 1: 5 13-04 Day 2: 5 16-09
38. Brandon Cobb Greenwood, SC 10 29-12 67
Day 1: 5 15-05 Day 2: 5 14-07
39. Wes Logan Springville, AL 10 29-09 66
Day 1: 5 13-12 Day 2: 5 15-13
40. Cody Huff Ava, MO 10 29-07 65
Day 1: 5 12-14 Day 2: 5 16-09
41. David Fritts Lexington, NC 10 29-04 64
Day 1: 5 08-06 Day 2: 5 20-14
42. Keith Combs Huntington, TX 10 29-03 63
Day 1: 5 12-04 Day 2: 5 16-15
43. Bryant Smith Roseville, CA 10 29-03 62
Day 1: 5 13-13 Day 2: 5 15-06
44. Hunter Shryock Ooltewah, TN 10 28-15 61
Day 1: 5 15-03 Day 2: 5 13-12
45. Darold Gleason Many, LA 10 28-14 60
Day 1: 5 15-10 Day 2: 5 13-04
46. Bernie Schultz Gainesville, FL 10 28-14 59
Day 1: 5 14-09 Day 2: 5 14-05
47. Cole Sands Calhoun, TN 10 28-11 58
Day 1: 5 13-01 Day 2: 5 15-10
48. Joshua Stracner Vandiver, AL 10 28-07 57
Day 1: 5 13-11 Day 2: 5 14-12
49. Mark Menendez Paducah, KY 10 28-04 56
Day 1: 5 14-04 Day 2: 5 14-00
50. Cooper Gallant Bowmanville Ontario CAN 10 28-02 55
Day 1: 5 14-13 Day 2: 5 13-05
51. Jacob Powroznik North Prince George, VA 10 28-02 54 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 14-09 Day 2: 5 13-09
52. KJ Queen Catawba, NC 10 28-01 53 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 13-12 Day 2: 5 14-05
53. Justin Hamner Northport, AL 10 28-00 52 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 12-03 Day 2: 5 15-13
54. Matt Herren Ashville, AL 10 27-15 51 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 16-13 Day 2: 5 11-02
55. Jeff Gustafson Kenora, OOntario CANADA 10 27-10 50 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 13-09 Day 2: 5 14-01
56. Brock Mosley Collinsville, MS 10 27-09 49 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 12-01 Day 2: 5 15-08
57. Clifford Pirch Payson, AZ 10 27-05 48 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 11-03 Day 2: 5 16-02
58. Alex Wetherell Middletown, CT 10 27-04 47 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 12-15 Day 2: 5 14-05
59. Matt Robertson Kuttawa, KY 10 26-14 46 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 15-07 Day 2: 5 11-07
60. Jacob Foutz Charleston, TN 10 26-13 45 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 11-03 Day 2: 5 15-10
61. John Soukup Sapulpa, OK 10 26-11 44 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 14-01 Day 2: 5 12-10
62. Larry Nixon Bee Branch, AR 10 26-10 43 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 11-08 Day 2: 5 15-02
63. Scott Canterbury Odenville, AL 10 26-09 42 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 13-03 Day 2: 5 13-06
64. Joseph Webster Hamilton, AL 10 26-07 41 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 11-14 Day 2: 5 14-09
65. Seth Feider New Market, MN 10 26-05 40 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 17-05 Day 2: 5 09-00
66. John Crews Jr Salem, VA 10 26-04 39 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 12-01 Day 2: 5 14-03
67. Rick Clunn Ava, MO 10 26-00 38 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 08-04 Day 2: 5 17-12
68. Jason Williamson Aiken, SC 10 25-11 37 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 11-03 Day 2: 5 14-08
69. Patrick Walters Eutawville, SC 10 25-09 36 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 13-00 Day 2: 5 12-09
70. Brandon Lester Fayetteville, TN 10 25-03 35 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 10-04 Day 2: 5 14-15
71. Josh Douglas Isle, MN 10 25-00 34 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 10-10 Day 2: 5 14-06
72. Jay Przekurat Stevens Point, WI 10 24-15 33 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 14-00 Day 2: 5 10-15
73. Scott Martin Clewiston, FL 10 24-12 32 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 16-07 Day 2: 5 08-05
74. Bradley Hallman Edmond, OK 10 24-12 31 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 15-00 Day 2: 5 09-12
75. Jamie Hartman Newport, NY 10 24-12 30 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 14-01 Day 2: 5 10-11
76. Chris Zaldain Fort Worth, TX 10 24-12 29 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 11-07 Day 2: 5 13-05
77. Caleb Kuphall Mukwonago, WI 10 24-07 28 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 13-11 Day 2: 5 10-12
78. Buddy Gross Chattanooga, TN 10 24-06 27
Day 1: 5 09-03 Day 2: 5 15-03
79. Ray Hanselman Jr Del Rio, TX 10 24-06 26
Day 1: 5 14-12 Day 2: 5 09-10
80. Kyle Norsetter Cottage Grove, WI 10 24-02 25
Day 1: 5 11-02 Day 2: 5 13-00
81. Cliff Prince Palatka, FL 9 23-15 24
Day 1: 5 13-07 Day 2: 4 10-08
82. Chad Pipkens DeWitt, MI 10 23-14 23
Day 1: 5 11-15 Day 2: 5 11-15
83. Todd Auten Lake Wylie, SC 10 23-12 22
Day 1: 5 14-02 Day 2: 5 09-10
84. Marc Frazier Newnan, GA 10 22-11 21
Day 1: 5 11-01 Day 2: 5 11-10
85. David Williams Newton, NC 10 22-08 20
Day 1: 5 13-08 Day 2: 5 09-00
86. Matty Wong Honolulu, HI 10 22-02 19
Day 1: 5 12-05 Day 2: 5 09-13
87. Masayuki Matsushita Tokoname-Shi JAPAN 10 21-08 18
Day 1: 5 07-10 Day 2: 5 13-14
88. Skylar Hamilton Jefferson, TN 10 21-06 17
Day 1: 5 10-05 Day 2: 5 11-01
89. Gregory DiPalma Millville, NJ 10 20-07 16
Day 1: 5 07-15 Day 2: 5 12-08
90. Mike Huff London, KY 10 20-06 15
Day 1: 5 09-13 Day 2: 5 10-09
91. Alex Redwine Blue Ash, OH 10 20-04 14
Day 1: 5 07-04 Day 2: 5 13-00
92. Koby Kreiger Alva, FL 10 19-07 13
Day 1: 5 09-01 Day 2: 5 10-06
93. Clent Davis Montevallo, AL 10 19-05 12
Day 1: 5 11-10 Day 2: 5 07-11
94. Paul Mueller Naugatuck, CT 8 19-05 11
Day 1: 5 08-14 Day 2: 3 10-07
95. Gary Clouse Winchester, TN 10 18-10 10
Day 1: 5 09-02 Day 2: 5 09-08
96. Jake Whitaker Hendersonville, NC 10 18-06 9
Day 1: 5 10-15 Day 2: 5 07-07
97. Keith Poche Cecil, AL 7 18-03 8
Day 1: 5 12-05 Day 2: 2 05-14
98. Logan Latuso Gonzales, LA 8 18-03 7
Day 1: 5 11-12 Day 2: 3 06-07
99. Brandon Palaniuk Rathdrum, ID 10 18-03 6
Day 1: 5 10-09 Day 2: 5 07-10
100. Steve Kennedy Auburn, AL 7 17-05 5
Day 1: 5 14-10 Day 2: 2 02-11
101. Ed Loughran III Richmond, VA 7 17-03 4
Day 1: 5 13-10 Day 2: 2 03-09
102. David Mullins Mt Carmel, TN 7 16-00 3
Day 1: 2 02-10 Day 2: 5 13-06
103. Bryan New Saluda, SC 7 14-06 2
Day 1: 3 04-14 Day 2: 4 09-08
104. Frank Talley Temple, TX 5 11-00 1
Day 1: 5 11-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
PHOENIX BOATS BIG BASS
Day
1 Matt Arey Shelby, NC 08-01 $1,000.00
2 Jason Christie Dry Creek, OK 06-05 $1,000.00
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Totals
Day #Limits #Fish Weight
1 102 515 1433-10
2 96 500 1453-03
----------------------------------
198 1015 2886-13
Uncle Don may have re-shaped Iaconelli’s season
Courtesy of Alan McGuckin - Dynamic Sponsorships
After a dismal three-day practice period on Lake Seminole, Mike Iaconelli left the dock Thursday morning feeling pretty clueless with just two spots to run to that may or may not yield a bite.
But 90-minutes into Day 1, he had 19-pounds in the livewell, and by the time weigh-in concluded even the local frog population seemed to want a ride in his boat.
“When you practice for three days from daylight to dark and have only two spots that might be worthwhile to start the tournament, that’s hard!” says Iaconelli.
“So, the fact one of those spots gave up nearly 20-pounds is proof that as much as we try to control everything, the best thing we can do is fish with an open mind and let things fall into place,” he reflects.
Allowing things to fall into place is a terribly difficult struggle for the Team Toyota pro, who admits he’s naturally prone to want to write the script, but a recent conversation 10 days ago with his good buddy and fatherly figure, Uncle Don, delivered a powerful revelation.
“Uncle Don is pretty spiritual, and after a tough practice day on Okeechobee a few days ago we were talking on the phone and he told me “We’re not in control.” It was his way of telling me to take my hands off the steering wheel and just go fishing. It was pretty powerful,” says a grateful Iaconelli.
Iaconelli left Okeechobee with a Top 50 finish, but more importantly a re-configured mental approach to the sport he dearly loves.
“It’s no secret I had a really bad season last year. I was trying to force winning. Trying to control everything. Trying to win every Elite. And it backfired terribly. If I can open myself up. Fish the moment. This could be a really special season,” says Iaconelli.
His magical location Thursday on Seminole was about a 15-acre spawning bay, and 80% of his catch came from one exact spot on a combination of swim jigs and ChatterBaits. But his biggest concern going into Friday is a much later take-off position, that allows for other competitors to potentially get to the special spot before he does.
“Nobody really came in there today. I feel like I should be okay. I’m stoked to go back out there Friday. Day 1 meant more to me mentally than most will ever know. This could be a really special season,” says Iaconelli.
Nobody would agree more than Uncle Don.
University of Montevallo Upsets on Championship Day to Win 2023 Abu Garcia College Fishing National Championship
KISSIMMEE, Fla. (Feb. 23, 2023) – The University of Montevallo duo of Peyton Harris and Dalton Head, both of Montevallo, Alabama, weighed a five-bass limit Thursday totaling 27 pounds, 11 ounces to win the 2023 Abu Garcia College Fishing Presented by YETI National Championship at Lake Toho Presented by Lowrance. With two Tackle Warehouse School of the Year titles under their belt (2021 and 2022), the University of Montevallo team came from behind to edge out the leaders from Bryan College on the third and final day to put more hardware and another national championship title on the shelf. The win earns the team a $43,500 prize package, including $10,000 and a new Phoenix 518 Pro bass boat with a 115-horsepower Mercury outboard, as well as automatic entry into the 2023 Toyota Series Championship to compete as pros for a shot to win up to $235,000.
After finishing Day 1 in sixth place and Day 2 in third, the Falcon duo’s three-day total of 15 bass, weighing 66-15 gave them the win by a 1-pound, 8-ounce margin over runners up Andrew Ready and Vincent Maffei from Webber International University, whose three-day total of 15 bass weighed 65-7.
Both winning anglers are sophomore marketing majors at UM, and said they knew after the first day of practice that they had stumbled upon something special.
“It’s been a magical week – nearly 67 pounds in three days – and that weigh-in ticket is definitely going on the mantle,” said Head. “We typically struggle here in Florida, but we stumbled on something on the first day of practice that was really exciting. We just didn’t know whether it would hold up through the event.
“We made a long run to find our key area this week,” Head continued. “We knew there were bass in prespawn and postspawn, so we started looking for places where we could find both of them – where there were spawners coming in and post-spawners going out.”
The duo said the key to their week was managing the fish they found. They set 20 pounds per day as their goal, and left them biting after 20 pounds on Day 1. With the weather-shortened Day 2, they only brought in 18-9, but still ended the day in third place.
“On the first day of competition, we quit fishing around 11:30 a.m. to conserve our fish,” said Head. “On the second day with the fog delay, we only had about 2 hours to fish after locking down, so we ran straight back to that spot and caught 18-9 but knew that we’d saved a lot of fish for the final day.
“Today we swung for the fence and caught everything in that area that we could,” added Harris. “We knew we would win it or lose it right there, and if we fell short, we fell short. But thankfully, we didn’t.”
The team attributes the stability of the area to having access to fish in all three stages of the spawn.
“The area we found was basically a ‘fish highway’,” Harris laughed. “There were fish in all three stages – prespawn fish coming in, fish spawning on the grassy flat, and postspawners leaving – so we had fish coming and going in that area the entire time.”
The pair said the spot was about a half-mile long, and maybe 100 yards wide – a big grass flat with lily pads, hay grass and little patches of scattered reeds.
“We fished most of the same areas of the flat the first two days, but today we had to move up a little,” said Harris. “In the last 20 minutes or so we moved up to more shallow water and caught the 9-pound kicker fish that sealed the deal for us.”
The team was flipping a Texas-rigged 3/0 flipping hook with a custom-colored Yamamoto Senkoand an Okeechobee Craw-colored Strike King Ocho with a 3/16-ounce weight.
“We did a lot of flipping,” said Head. “We had to stay 50 feet back from where we were fishing and just fished one little clump of pads for 10 to 15 minutes before moving on. But, when you’re fishing around 20 to 30 boats, that’s what you’ve got to do. The fish are there, and they aren’t going anywhere, but they know when boats are there. So we just had to hang back and slow down to catch them.
“It means so much to me to win a tournament like this because I’ve worked my whole life up to this point, just for this moment,” Head continued, choking up on stage. “Some of my buddies came out and supported us today on the water and watched us catch some big fish and just kept us hyped up all day. I couldn’t ask for a better fishing team.”
The duo gave much credit to their stellar University of Montevallo fishing club, amid cheers as the team crowded around the stage in excitement.
“These guys have taught me so much,” said Head. “I come from a small town in Moody, Alabama and these guys are some of my best friends and have made me ten times better as an angler.
“Competing against our own teammates is usually the hardest competition we have all year, so to be able to stand up here and hoist these trophies, with all of our teammates here cheering us on, just means the absolute world to us,” Harris added. “We both fished in high school and chose to go to University of Montevallo to join their fishing team because they are the best.
“If you want to be the best, you’ve got to compete against the best and if you want to get to the next level, you’ve got to put yourself in the position to do so. The University of Montevallo has been that position for us,” Harris finished.
The top 10 teams on Lake Toho finished:
1st: University of Montevallo – Peyton Harris and Dalton Head, both of Montevallo, Ala., 15 bass, 66-15, $43,500 prize package
2nd: Webber International University – Andrew Ready of Auburndale, Fla., and Vincent Maffei of Lake Wales, Fla., 15 bass, 65-7, $5,000
3rd: LSU – Beau Landry of Brusly, La., and Peyton Matherne of Walker, La., 15 bass, 61-6, $4,000
4th: Drury University – Cole Breeden of Lebanon, Mo., and Hunter Baird of Salina, Kan., 15 bass, 59-15, $3,000
5th: East Texas Baptist University – Brett Jolley of Kingwood, Texas and Cade Nettles of Stonewall, La., 15 bass, 58-8, $2,000
6th: Bryan College – Conner DiMauro of Longwood, Fla., and Justin Botts of Bluff City, Tenn., 14 bass, 56-12, $1,000
7th: Kentucky Christian University – Lafe and Matt Messer, both of Warfield, Ky., 15 bass, 52-1, $1,000
8th: Bryan College – Elijah Kirk of Chattanooga, Tenn., and Andrew Fisher of Calhoun, Ga., 15 bass, 49-6, $1,000
9th: Adrian College – Matthew Davis of Morenci, Mich., and Sam Shoemaker of Martinsville, Ind., 15 bass, 47-3, $1,000
10th: University of Montevallo – Brandon Berry and Hunter Bright, both of Helena, Ala., 15 bass, 42-3, $1,000
For a full list of results, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com.
Overall, there were 50 bass weighing 195 pounds, 4 ounces caught by the final 10 teams Thursday. The catch included 10 five-bass limits.
The 14th annual Abu Garcia College Fishing National Championship was a three-day event – hosted by the Kissimmee Sports Commission – featuring the top 195 college bass fishing teams from across the nation competing in an internationally televised, no-entry fee tournament for a $33,500 prize package plus $10,000, including a new Phoenix 518 Pro bass boat with a 115-horsepower Mercury outboard.
In addition to the boat package, both members of the winning University of Montevallo team and the runners-up from Webber International University now advance to the 2023 Toyota Series Championship where they will compete as pros for a top prize of up to $235,000. In addition, the winning University of Montevallo team’s highest finishing team member at the Toyota Series Championship will advance to REDCREST 2024 to compete against the world’s best pros for the sport’s top prize of $300,000.
Both members of the third-place Louisiana State University team from the College Fishing National Championship will advance to the 2023 Toyota Series Championship to compete as co-anglers for a shot at winning a $33,500 Phoenix 518 pro with a 115-horsepower Mercury outboard.
Abu Garcia College Fishing Presented by YETI teams compete in three regular-season qualifying tournaments in one of five conferences – Central, Northern, Southern, Southeastern and Western. The Top 10 teams from each division’s three regular-season tournaments and the Top 20 teams from the annual Abu Garcia College Fishing Open advance to the following year’s Abu Garcia College Fishing Presented by YETI National Championship.
Proud sponsors of the 2023 MLF Abu Garcia College Fishing Presented by YETI include: 4WP, 13 Fishing, Abu Garcia, B&W Trailer Hitches, Black Rifle Coffee Company, E3, Favorite Fishing, Fox Rent a Car, General Tire, Grundens, Lawless Lures, Lew’s, Lowrance, Mercury, Mossy Oak, Onyx, Phoenix, Polaris, Power-Pole, Strike King, Tackle Warehouse, T-H Marine, Wiley X and YETI.
For complete details and updated tournament information, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular College Fishing updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF5’s social media outlets at Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.
Rookie Will Davis Jr. adapts to take lead at Bassmaster Elite on Lake Seminole
Will Davis Jr. of Sylacauga, Ala., is leading after Day 1 of the 2023 Gamakatsu Bassmaster Elite at Lake Seminole with 21 pounds, 13 ounces.
Photo by Seigo Saito/B.A.S.S.
February 23, 2023
BAINBRIDGE, Ga. — Will Davis Jr. didn’t get what he wanted, but he made the most of what he got and sacked up a Day 1 limit of 21 pounds, 13 ounces to take the lead in the Gamakatsu Bassmaster Elite at Lake Seminole.
Coming off a 14th-place finish in his first Elite event — last week’s SiteOne Bassmaster Elite at Lake Okeechobee — the pro from Sylacauga, Ala., heads into Day 2 with a 7-ounce lead over Australian pro Carl Jocumsen.
“I’m a bigtime bed fisherman, but it just didn’t pan out well this week,” Davis said of his preferred game plan. “I went to my strength, which is power fishing in the river.”
Davis, the 2022 TNT Fireworks B.A.S.S. Nation champion, said he knew the lake’s lower end was receiving a lot of pressure. Electing to fish the mouth of the Flint River proved to be a prudent call.
“I started really close working a crankbait, but I was catching only small fish, so I knew I needed to make a move,” Davis said. “I picked up a spinnerbait and fished current breaks and caught two of my biggest ones.
“The current breaks were little indentions in the bank. They had to be close to a little feeder pocket; it had to be where they’re staging.”
Davis caught his bass on a shad-colored FISHCO crankbait and the Xwire spinnerbait, both made by Davis Bait Company, which is owned by his father, Will Davis Sr. The spinnerbait had a peacock-color skirt, which comprised blue glimmer, chartreuse and pink strands and tandem willow-leaf Colorado blades.
“When you’re fishing a current break, you have to start below it and come up to it,” Davis said of his presentation strategy. “Some guys will start on the spot, but by the time you get positioned, you have to get on the trolling motor to get back up there. So, you cover a lot of time doing that.
“I would make two specific casts on each current break — one on each corner. I would throw five or six times and leave.”
Covering an area of about 5 miles, Davis said he hit several spots. One of those spots produced a 6- and a 5-pounder.
“They bit really good from about 9 to 10 (a.m.) and then from 1 to 3 (p.m.),” Davis said. “My biggest fish today was a 6-pounder that bit during that early period.”
Davis credits his lifetime of fishing the Coosa River lakes for helping him develop the diversity that allowed him to adjust and thrive.
“I’m used to fishing current — and mean spotted bass — but we do get big largemouth too,” Davis said. “But they’re on the move, so I might have to change up tomorrow.
“That’s the good thing about growing up where I did; we have clear lakes, current lakes and diverse habitat, so it has definitely helped me know when to change.”
Hailing from Toowoomba, Queensland, Australia, Jocumsen is in second place with 21-6. Set to make his first appearance in the Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic presented by Toyota March 24-26 on the Tennessee River, he said he’s capitalizing on what he believes is well-earned momentum.
“It was a phenomenal day and I had some amazing bites,” said Jocumsen, who finished sixth last week at Lake Okeechobee. “You get on a bit of a roll and you start making good decisions. Life’s good right now because I spent a lot of years not having any of that and grinding and wondering what I was doing.”
Jocumsen said he caught most of his bass on a similar swim jig technique to what he used on Okeechobee, but he made one significant change that seems to be triggering the fish. He also caught a keeper by flipping a Texas-rigged X Zone Lures Adrenaline Craw.
“The biggest fish, a 6-pounder, hit harder than I’ve ever had any bass hit — I didn’t even think it was a bass,” Jocumsen said. “I just have this thing going right now that they do not like. It’s not conventional and when they get aggressive, they do not like it around them.”
Jonathan Kelley of Old Forge, Pa., is in third place with 20-12. Noting that he had a tough practice, Kelley said he wasn’t sure he’d be able to catch anything today, so he was delighted with his productivity.
“It was such a tough practice, I had nothing to lose, so I didn’t get confused by one 3- or 4-pound bite,” Kelley said. “I just kept a clear mind and went to an area I went to yesterday around 3 o’clock, just to have somewhere to start.
“I had five for 5 pounds right away, then I kept hopping around and caught a 3-pounder and then a 4-pounder. I looked at my marshal and was like ‘This could happen.’ I just went back to areas where I had caught fish in practice and caught a big one here and a big one there.”
Kelley anchored his bag with a 5-9, which he caught on a jerkbait after spotting the fish on forward-facing sonar. Kelley dedicated his day to family friend Tommy Doria, who recently passed.
“I really felt like I had someone else with me in the boat today; there was an angel looking over me,” Kelley said. “It was a special day. I honestly could do no wrong and everywhere I went there was fish.”
Matt Arey of Shelby, N.C., earned the $1,000 daily bonus for catching the Phoenix Boats Big Bass of the Day with his 8-1 largemouth.
Jocumsen leads the Progressive Insurance Bassmaster Angler of the Year standings with 202 points. Davis is in second with 195, followed by Tyler Rivet of Raceland, La., with 193, Drew Cook of Cairo, Ga., with 186 and Kyle Welcher of Opelika, Ala., with 185.
Davis also leads the Bassmaster Rookie of the Year standings with 195 points.
Friday’s takeoff is scheduled for 7:30 a.m. ET at the Earle May Boat Basin Park. The weigh-in will be held at the park at 3:30 p.m. After Friday’sweigh-in, only the Top 50 remaining anglers will advance to Semifinal Saturday. Bassmaster LIVE coverage begins at 8 a.m. on Bassmaster.com, Tubi and the FOX Sports platforms.
2023 Gamakatsu Bassmaster Elite at Lake Seminole 2/23-2/26
Lake Seminole, Bainbridge GA.
(PROFESSIONAL) Standings Day 1
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Pts Total $$$
1. Will Davis Jr Sylacauga, AL 5 21-13 104
Day 1: 5 21-13
2. Carl Jocumsen Queensland AUSTRALIA 5 21-06 103
Day 1: 5 21-06
3. Jonathan Kelley Old Forge, PA 5 20-12 102
Day 1: 5 20-12
4. Micah Frazier Newnan, GA 5 20-11 101
Day 1: 5 20-11
5. Drew Benton Panama City, FL 5 20-06 100
Day 1: 5 20-06
6. Joey Cifuentes III Clinton, AR 5 19-13 99
Day 1: 5 19-13
7. Michael Iaconelli Pittsgrove, NJ 5 19-06 98
Day 1: 5 19-06
8. Austin Felix Eden Prairie, MN 5 19-04 97
Day 1: 5 19-04
9. Bob Downey Detroit Lakes, MN 5 18-12 96
Day 1: 5 18-12
10. Matt Arey Shelby, NC 5 18-08 95
Day 1: 5 18-08
11. John Cox DeBary, FL 5 18-07 94
Day 1: 5 18-07
12. Kyle Welcher Opelika, AL 5 18-05 93
Day 1: 5 18-05
13. Jason Christie Dry Creek, OK 5 18-00 92
Day 1: 5 18-00
14. Drew Cook Cairo, GA 5 17-14 91
Day 1: 5 17-14
15. Seth Feider New Market, MN 5 17-05 90
Day 1: 5 17-05
16. Tyler Rivet Raceland, LA 5 17-04 89
Day 1: 5 17-04
17. Taku Ito Chiba, JAPAN 5 17-00 88
Day 1: 5 17-00
18. Matt Herren Ashville, AL 5 16-13 87
Day 1: 5 16-13
19. Kyoya Fujita Minamitsuru, Yamanashi 5 16-12 86
Day 1: 5 16-12
20. Brandon Card Salisbury, NC 5 16-07 85
Day 1: 5 16-07
20. Bill Lowen Brookville, IN 5 16-07 85
Day 1: 5 16-07
20. Scott Martin Clewiston, FL 5 16-07 85
Day 1: 5 16-07
23. Kenta Kimura Osaka JAPAN 5 16-06 82
Day 1: 5 16-06
24. Gerald Swindle Guntersville, AL 5 16-02 81
Day 1: 5 16-02
25. Stetson Blaylock Benton, AR 5 15-15 80
Day 1: 5 15-15
26. Hank Cherry Jr Lincolnton, NC 5 15-12 79
Day 1: 5 15-12
27. Darold Gleason Many, LA 5 15-10 78
Day 1: 5 15-10
28. Matt Robertson Kuttawa, KY 5 15-07 77
Day 1: 5 15-07
28. Brad Whatley Bivins, TX 5 15-07 77
Day 1: 5 15-07
30. Lee Livesay Longview, TX 5 15-06 75
Day 1: 5 15-06
31. Brandon Cobb Greenwood, SC 5 15-05 74
Day 1: 5 15-05
32. Cory Johnston Cavan CANADA 5 15-03 73
Day 1: 5 15-03
32. Hunter Shryock Ooltewah, TN 5 15-03 73
Day 1: 5 15-03
34. Shane LeHew Catawba, NC 5 15-01 71
Day 1: 5 15-01
35. Bradley Hallman Edmond, OK 5 15-00 70
Day 1: 5 15-00
35. Derek Hudnall Zachary, LA 5 15-00 70
Day 1: 5 15-00
37. Cooper Gallant Bowmanville Ontario CAN 5 14-13 68
Day 1: 5 14-13
38. Ray Hanselman Jr Del Rio, TX 5 14-12 67
Day 1: 5 14-12
38. Chris Johnston Otonabee Ontario CANADA 5 14-12 67
Day 1: 5 14-12
38. Bryan Schmitt Deale, MD 5 14-12 67
Day 1: 5 14-12
41. Steve Kennedy Auburn, AL 5 14-10 64
Day 1: 5 14-10
42. Jacob Powroznik North Prince George, VA 5 14-09 63
Day 1: 5 14-09
42. Bernie Schultz Gainesville, FL 5 14-09 63
Day 1: 5 14-09
44. Greg Hackney Gonzales, LA 5 14-05 61
Day 1: 5 14-05
45. Mark Menendez Paducah, KY 5 14-04 60
Day 1: 5 14-04
46. Todd Auten Lake Wylie, SC 5 14-02 59
Day 1: 5 14-02
47. Jamie Hartman Newport, NY 5 14-01 58
Day 1: 5 14-01
47. John Soukup Sapulpa, OK 5 14-01 58
Day 1: 5 14-01
49. Jay Przekurat Stevens Point, WI 5 14-00 56
Day 1: 5 14-00
50. Bryant Smith Roseville, CA 5 13-13 55
Day 1: 5 13-13
51. Wes Logan Springville, AL 5 13-12 54
Day 1: 5 13-12
51. KJ Queen Conover, NC 5 13-12 54
Day 1: 5 13-12
53. Caleb Kuphall Mukwonago, WI 5 13-11 52
Day 1: 5 13-11
53. Joshua Stracner Vandiver, AL 5 13-11 52
Day 1: 5 13-11
55. Ed Loughran III Richmond, VA 5 13-10 50
Day 1: 5 13-10
56. Jeff Gustafson Kenora, Ontario CANADA 5 13-09 49
Day 1: 5 13-09
56. Luke Palmer Coalgate, OK 5 13-09 49
Day 1: 5 13-09
58. David Williams Newton, NC 5 13-08 47
Day 1: 5 13-08
59. Cliff Prince Palatka, FL 5 13-07 46
Day 1: 5 13-07
60. Justin Atkins Florence, AL 5 13-04 45
Day 1: 5 13-04
60. Clark Wendlandt Leander, TX 5 13-04 45
Day 1: 5 13-04
62. Scott Canterbury Odenville, AL 5 13-03 43
Day 1: 5 13-03
63. Cole Sands Calhoun, TN 5 13-01 42
Day 1: 5 13-01
64. Patrick Walters Summerville, SC 5 13-00 41
Day 1: 5 13-00
65. David Gaston Sylacauga, AL 5 12-15 40
Day 1: 5 12-15
65. Alex Wetherell Middletown, CT 5 12-15 40
Day 1: 5 12-15
67. Cody Huff Ava, MO 5 12-14 38
Day 1: 5 12-14
67. Caleb Sumrall New Iberia, LA 5 12-14 38
Day 1: 5 12-14
69. Keith Poche Cecil, AL 5 12-05 36
Day 1: 5 12-05
69. Matty Wong Honolulu, HI 5 12-05 36
Day 1: 5 12-05
71. Keith Combs Huntington, TX 5 12-04 34
Day 1: 5 12-04
72. Justin Hamner Northport, AL 5 12-03 33
Day 1: 5 12-03
73. John Crews Jr Salem, VA 5 12-01 32
Day 1: 5 12-01
73. Brock Mosley Collinsville, MS 5 12-01 32
Day 1: 5 12-01
75. Chad Pipkens DeWitt, MI 5 11-15 30
Day 1: 5 11-15
75. Pat Schlapper Eleva, WI 5 11-15 30
Day 1: 5 11-15
77. Joseph Webster Hamilton, AL 5 11-14 28
Day 1: 5 11-14
78. Logan Latuso Gonzales, LA 5 11-12 27
Day 1: 5 11-12
79. Clent Davis Montevallo, AL 5 11-10 26
Day 1: 5 11-10
80. Larry Nixon Bee Branch, AR 5 11-08 25
Day 1: 5 11-08
81. Chris Zaldain Fort Worth, TX 5 11-07 24
Day 1: 5 11-07
82. Jacob Foutz Charleston, TN 5 11-03 23
Day 1: 5 11-03
82. Clifford Pirch Payson, AZ 5 11-03 23
Day 1: 5 11-03
82. Jason Williamson Aiken, SC 5 11-03 23
Day 1: 5 11-03
85. Kyle Norsetter Cottage Grove, WI 5 11-02 20
Day 1: 5 11-02
86. Marc Frazier Newnan, GA 5 11-01 19
Day 1: 5 11-01
87. Frank Talley Temple, TX 5 11-00 18
Day 1: 5 11-00
88. Jake Whitaker Hendersonville, NC 5 10-15 17
Day 1: 5 10-15
89. Josh Douglas Isle, MN 5 10-10 16
Day 1: 5 10-10
90. Brandon Palaniuk Rathdrum, ID 5 10-09 15
Day 1: 5 10-09
91. Skylar Hamilton Jefferson, TN 5 10-05 14
Day 1: 5 10-05
92. Brandon Lester Fayetteville, TN 5 10-04 13
Day 1: 5 10-04
93. Mike Huff London, KY 5 09-13 12
Day 1: 5 09-13
94. Buddy Gross Chattanooga, TN 5 09-03 11
Day 1: 5 09-03
95. Gary Clouse Winchester, TN 5 09-02 10
Day 1: 5 09-02
96. Koby Kreiger Alva, FL 5 09-01 9
Day 1: 5 09-01
97. Paul Mueller Naugatuck, CT 5 08-14 8
Day 1: 5 08-14
98. David Fritts Lexington, NC 5 08-06 7
Day 1: 5 08-06
99. Rick Clunn Ava, MO 5 08-04 6
Day 1: 5 08-04
100. Gregory DiPalma Millville, NJ 5 07-15 5
Day 1: 5 07-15
101. Masayuki Matsushita Tokoname-Shi, JAPAN 5 07-10 4
Day 1: 5 07-10
102. Alex Redwine Blue Ash, OH 5 07-04 3
Day 1: 5 07-04
103. Bryan New Saluda, SC 3 04-14 2
Day 1: 3 04-14
104. David Mullins Mt Carmel, TN 2 02-10 1
Day 1: 2 02-10
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Totals
Day #Limits #Fish Weight
1 102 515 1433-10
----------------------------------
102 515 1433-10
Charlotte and Lake Norman Ready for Major League Fishing’s REDCREST 2023 Presented by Shore Lunch
Bass Pro Tour Championship Set to Showcase Top 40 Anglers Competing on Lake Norman for $300,000 Top Prize, General Tire Outdoor Sports Expo to Take Place at Charlotte’s The Park Expo and Conference Center
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (Feb. 23, 2023) – Major League Fishing’s (MLF) REDCREST 2023 Presented by Shore Lunch, the Bass Pro Tour championship, will visit Charlotte, North Carolina, and Lake Norman in two weeks, March 8-12, to crown professional bass fishing’s newest world champion.
The five-day tournament, shot for television broadcast on Discovery Channel and Outdoor Channel, will showcase the top 40 Bass Pro Tour anglers from the 2022 season competing for the prestigious REDCREST Championship and the top prize of $300,000.
“Lake Norman is absolutely thriving – it’s one of the best spotted bass lakes in the country,” said General Tire pro Andy Montgomery of Blacksburg, South Carolina, who will be making his fourth career REDCREST appearance. “The lake is full of fish, and this time of the year the fishing is very good. It’s going to be a very fun tournament.
“I think you’re going to see guys catching them a lot of different ways,” Montgomery continued. “The big wildcard in this one is going to be the forward-facing sonar – I think it’s going to be a big factor in this event. But guys are going to catch them with typical prespawn techniques – shallow cranking, jerkbaiting, and the old, traditional standby on Lake Norman – fishing docks.”
While most fans and casual boaters would prefer a warm, slick calm, sunny day on the water during the event, Montgomery hopes that the wind blows throughout the event.
“The lake is so condition-oriented, it makes it really hard to predict how much guys are going to catch,” Montgomery said. “Lately in some local tournaments we’re seeing 23-pound limits of spotted bass being weighed in. I think if we get the right conditions and the wind blows, they’ll bite better and it’s going to take at least a 15-plus-pound a day average to win. But if it’s slick calm and sunny, it might only take 12 to 13 pounds a day to win. But I think we’ll blow that out of the water.”
Fellow pro Casey Ashley of Donalds, South Carolina, echoed Montgomery’s sentiments.
“I think it’s going to take 15 to 16 pounds a day average to win this one,” said Ashley, who is making his third career REDCREST appearance. “Lake Norman is fishing really well, and I think the docks are going to be big player.
“I’m so happy to be fishing in this event,” Ashley went on to say. “This is a pretty tough crew on Tour that we fish against, so just making it here is a feat in itself. I’m excited, and I really want to win.”
The General Tire Take Off Ceremony will begin at 6:15 a.m., on Days 1-4, and 7:15 a.m. on Day 5, at Blythe Landing Park, located at 15901 N.C. 73 HY, in Huntersville, North Carolina. Anglers will depart at 7 a.m. on Days 1-4, and 8 a.m. on Day 5, and return after competition ends at 4 p.m. on Days 1-4 and 5 p.m. on Day 5. Fans are welcome to attend all launch events and also encouraged to follow the event online throughout the day on the MLF NOW!® live stream and SCORETRACKER® coverage at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
In conjunction with the event, the FREE, family-friendly General Tire Outdoor Sports Expo Presented by Shore Lunch will also take place throughout the weekend, March 10-12 from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. each day at The Park Expo and Conference Center, located at 800 Briar Creek Road, in Charlotte. Fishing and outdoor enthusiasts will have the opportunity to visit numerous booths and vendors, showcasing the latest and greatest in fishing, boating and the outdoors. The biggest names in the outdoor industry will be on hand, including the professional anglers that compete on the Bass Pro Tour and fishing legends like Jimmy Houston, Roland Martin and Hank Parker.
Children are welcome to visit and play in the Bass Pro Shops Kids Zone, plus meet Skye & Marshall from PAW Patrol. Throughout the day there will be giveaways and prizes, including signed MLF angler jerseys, rods and reels, gift cards, and more. On Friday evening one lucky fan will win a Toro 42-inch TimeCutter Zero Turn Mower, on Saturday night one lucky attendee will win a Tracker Off Road 300 ATV, and on Sunday one lucky attendee will walk away with a brand new 2023 Toyota Tundra SR5 Crew Max. Fans must be present to win the Grand Prize drawings. For more information on the General Tire Outdoor Sports Expo Presented by Shore Lunch, visit REDCRESTExpo.com.
REDCREST 2023 Presented by Shore Lunch at Lake Norman will feature pros competing using the MLF catch, weigh, immediate-release format, with each angler’s five (5) heaviest bass per day tallied as their day’s weight. Anglers strive to catch their heaviest five fish each day, while also feeling the pressure and intensity of the live scoring SCORETRACKER® leaderboard. Minimum weights are determined individually for each competition waters that the Bass Pro Tour visits, based on the productivity, bass population and anticipated average size of fish in each fishery.
All 40 Anglers will compete on Days 1 (Wednesday) and 2 (Thursday) of the event and will score their five heaviest bass each day. After two days of competition, the field is cut to just the top 20 based on two-day total (10 bass) cumulative weight. Weights are zeroed, and the top 20 anglers compete on Day 3 (Friday). The field is trimmed to 15 anglers on Day 4 (Saturday), then the final 10 anglers compete on Day 5 (Sunday). The winner is determined by the heaviest three-day total (15 bass) cumulative weight with the winner earning the top prize of $300,000 and the REDCREST 2023 trophy.
The 2022 Bass Pro Tour featured a field of 80 of the top professional anglers in the world competing across seven regular-season tournaments around the country. The top 40 anglers in the Angler of the Year (AOY) standings after the seven events qualified to compete in REDCREST 2023 Presented by Shore Lunch.
The MLF NOW!® broadcast team of Chad McKee, Marty Stone and J.T. Kenney will break down the extended action from 7:15 a.m. to 4 p.m. on the first four days of competition, and from 8:15 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Championship Sunday. MLF NOW!® will be live streamed on MajorLeagueFishing.com and the MyOutdoorTV (MOTV) app.
Television coverage of REDCREST 2023 Presented by Shore Lunch will be showcased across two, two-hour episodes, premiering at 7 a.m. ET, on Saturday, July 1 and July 8 on Discovery Channel. Starting in July 2023, MLF episodes premiere each Saturday morning on Discovery Channel, with re-airings on Outdoor Channel.
Proud sponsors of the 2023 MLF Bass Pro Tour include: 13 Fishing, Abu Garcia, Ark Fishing, ATG + Wrangler, B&W Trailer Hitches, Bally Bet, Bass Cat Boats, Bass Pro Shops, Berkley, Black Rifle Coffee, Daiwa, Epic Baits, Favorite Fishing, Ferguson, Fox Rent A Car, General Tire, Grundéns, Humminbird, Lowrance, Minn Kota, Mercury, Mossy Oak, Onyx, Power-Pole, Rapala, Star tron, T-H Marine, TORO, Toyota, U.S. Air Force, Yellowstone Bourbon, Yo-Zuri and Zoom Baits.
For complete details and updated information on Major League Fishing and the Bass Pro Tour, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF’s social media outlets at Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.
Bassmaster Opens pros may hit Alabama’s Lake Eufaula at perfect time
The St. Croix Bassmaster Opens Series will start the 2024 season March 2-4 on Alabama's Lake Eufaula.
Photo by B.A.S.S.
February 23, 2023
EUFAULA, Ala. — When you’re the mayor of Eufaula, it makes sense that you have a firm understanding of your city’s top attraction — the 45,000-acre reservoir with which it shares a name.
But as the owner of a major lure manufacturer, which happens to be headquartered in Eufaula, Jack Tibbs takes his knowledge a step further. Lake Eufaula literally is his business, both in and out of City Hall.
That makes him a great choice to predict how the fishery will stack up when the St. Croix Bassmaster Open at Lake Eufaula is held March 2-4. Daily takeoffs will be held at 6:30 a.m. CT from Lakepoint State Park with weigh-ins back at the park at 2:30 p.m.
“We have a good many fish right now and conditions could set up really well for the tournament,” Tibbs said a few days prior to the Open, the first of nine on the 2023 schedule.
“If it’s warm and the water is up — and if we have some off-color water — it’ll probably be a slugfest.”
It’s not odd that a civic and industry leader such as Tibbs, a three-term mayor who owns the Strikezone Lure Co., would talk up his town. But he has reason to be excited for Eufaula’s potential when 225 world-class anglers descend upon the reservoir with big goals in mind.
Win the tournament and you get a berth in the 2024 Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic presented by Toyota if you're fishing every event in the three-tournament division. Plus, for the 175 anglers competing in the brand-new Opens Elite Qualifiers Division, there are nine spots in next year’s Bassmaster Elite Series up for grabs.
Lake Eufaula is the first challenge for the pros working toward those goals.
Tibbs said offshore brushpiles figure to be the most consistent places to bust big bass during the Open. But if fish are staging for the spawn — and they likely will be if the weather is warm leading up to the tournament — shallow-water bass will be there for the taking, too.
“The water temperature has been in the low 50s, around 52 to 54,” Tibbs said. “The magic temperature here is 56 to 58. There’s not a lot of cold predicted, so we’ll get there. The water could be in the low 60s, which is just a perfect temperature. And in the areas that don’t muddy up as bad, like the south end of the lake, there could be some spawners if it’s bright.”
Tibbs said anglers have caught their best bass swimming jigs in shallow water in recent days, a sign he said, “that things are about to happen.”
“The willow grass is dead right now, but the stubble is there,” he said. “If you know where it is, you can swim that jig or a ChatterBait over the top of that, or you can go with a spinnerbait in that off-colored water. The fish relate to those dead weeds.
“That, and we have an overabundance of shad the past four years out here,” he added. “So, the bass have been full and beautiful. I’m sure they’ll catch some pretty stringers here. It’s going to be about as perfect a time to be here as you can get.”
