East Carolina University Wins MLF Abu Garcia College Fishing Tournament on Smith Mountain Lake
HUDDLESTON, Va. (June 6, 2022) – The East Carolina University duo of Bryce Fowler of Clayton, North Carolina, and Austin Woody of Burlington, North Carolina, won the MLF Abu Garcia College Fishing Presented by YETI event on Smith Mountain Lake Friday with a five-bass limit weighing 20 pounds, 8 ounces. The victory earned the Pirates’ bass club $2,000 and a slot in the 2023 MLF College Fishing National Championship.
“We came into this with no practice,” Fowler said. “We talked about it, and we just wanted to come into it and see what happened. We knew how to fish it and knew what they were going to be doing; we just had to make it all come together.
“We fished around a bit, and about noon we had a limit of 12 or 13 pounds,” Fowler added. “We were able to throw a topwater on rock piles to catch four fish over 4 pounds.“
Fowler said the team focused on rocky banks and rock piles around the Blackwater River area and caught about 30 fish during the day, 15 of which were keepers.
“This feels pretty incredible,” Fowler said. “To do it as seniors and leave a legacy for our team is special.”
The top 10 teams that advanced to the 2023 College Fishing National Championship are:
1st: East Carolina University – Bryce Fowler of Clayton, N.C., and Austin Woody of Burlington, N.C., five bass, 20-8, $2,000
2nd: Adrian College – Matthew Davis, Saint Joseph, Mich., and Sam Shoemaker, Martinsville, Ind., five bass, 19-3, $1,000
3rd: Erskine College – Jeremy Dellinger, Denver, N.C., and Adam Seagle, Lincolnton, N.C., five bass, 17-1, $500
4th: King University – Tyler Altizer, Abingdon, Va., and Dylan Thomson, Shady Valley, Tenn., five bass, 16-11, $500
5th: Adrian College – Russel Buffa, Fenton, Mich., and Matt Mosby, Dryden, Mich., five bass, 15-9, $500
6th: Penn State University – Eric Wawrzyniak, Lebanon, Pa., and Jason Zubris, Plains, Pa., five bass, 15-0
7th: Virginia Tech – Ryan Feehan, Haymarket, Va., and Daniel Weber, Fredericksburg, Va., five bass, 14-14
8th: Radford University – Ruth Caudle, Pulaski, Va., and Alex Moss, Lambsburg, Va., five bass, 14-13
9th: Western Michigan University – Kurt Antonowitsch, Kalamazoo, Mich., and Cole Zagrzebski, Steven’s Point, Wis., five bass, 14-11
10th: Liberty University – Wyatt Kelley, Altavista, Va., and Broderick Luckey, Roanoke, Va., five bass, 14-8
Complete results for the entire field can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
The Abu Garcia College Fishing Presented by YETI event on Smith Mountain Lake was hosted by Destination Bedford. It was the second of three regular-season tournaments for Northern Conference anglers. The next event for College Fishing anglers will be the Abu Garcia College Fishing Presented by YETI event on the Mississippi River July 29 in La Crosse, Wisconsin.
MLF College Fishing teams compete in three regular-season 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 will advance to the following season’s National Championship. The 2022 MLF Abu Garcia College Fishing Presented by YETI National Championship Presented by Lowrance will be held on Fort Gibson Lake in Wagoner, Oklahoma, March 29-31, and is hosted by the Wagoner Area Chamber of Commerce.
Proud sponsors of the 2022 MLF Abu Garcia College Fishing Presented by YETI include: 4WP, 13 Fishing, Abu Garcia, A.R.E. Truck Caps, B&W Trailer Hitches, Berkley, Black Rifle Coffee, E3, Epic Baits, Favorite Fishing, Gary Yamamoto Baits, General Tire, Lew’s, Lowrance, Lucas Oil, 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 College Fishing updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF5’s social media outlets at Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.
Jade Keeton and Adam Brown Win ABT 100 on Neely Henry with 17.23
By Jason Duran
The second stop of three Alabama Bass Trail 100 tournaments made its way to Neely Henry Lake where one hundred teams competed for a total payout of $100,000. A smaller field than the normal ABT allows teams to spread out a little more and often find areas where other teams aren’t fishing. Add a bigger pay day, and it makes for an exciting day of bass fishing.
Jade Keeton and Adam Brown caught 17.23 pounds but were unsure if that was enough to win until the scales closed on Saturday. Adam “has fished this lake for 30 years and placed second way more than first. When you get in that 17-pound range, it’s kind of tricky because somebody will usually come in with 20 pounds.” The team made a run of a little over an hour to fish an area called the dead river. This area of the lake is shallow and difficult to navigate, and the lake level dropped some overnight making it even more difficult to access the areas the team wanted to fish. Adam “probably wouldn’t have even risked it today if it wasn’t for a tournament of this caliber. That area is difficult to get to and things can change, and you might not get back out once you get in there.” The team used a tunnel hull boat that Adam has been tweaking on for a couple years.
After making the run, they quickly went to work “catching several early and a limit in about an hour and a half of 11-12 pounds. Then we had a lull of about an hour and discussed leaving but made the decision to stay. We felt like if we left the area, we would only just run in to other boat traffic. We had more water to ourselves in this area and quality fish; we just needed to catch them. We decided to stay and around 11:30 we had two culls back-to-back that helped us. We also lost a couple that would have made that hour and a half ride back easier; we really needed to cull out a 2-pounder.” They took a team approach to bait selection and used baits that complemented their style of fishing. Adam used a “Stan Sloan spinner bait in chartreuse and white with a modified arm and a Colorado blade and a #5 willow blade. Jade used a “Scotty Johnston ¼ oz swim jig in black and blue.” They took the risk of making the long run to skinny water, and it made the difference! They cashed a $25,000 check for their work.
The second-place team of Kris Colley and Adam Bain spent about a day and a half practicing and said, “we just came here to fish this weekend. It was basically just the normal Neely Henry pattern for us.” They spent the day “swimming a custom-made LC Swim Jig with the key being to cover shallow water areas and spend the day basically junk fishing. There wasn’t any rhyme or reason to where we caught our fish; we just caught them wherever we ran across one. We probably fished 30 different areas and caught 12 -15 fish throughout the day. We were surprised we didn’t really catch fish first thing in the morning when we have normally been catching them.” Kris and Adam have fished the ABT in both the north and south divisions, so when the opportunity for the ABT 100 came along, they figured why not just fish this one too. They cashed a 12.500 ABT 100 payday and added a few bonuses including a $500 Garmin Bonus and a $1000 AmFirst Bonus. Their final weight was 16.68 pounds.
David Pair and Jimmy Mason claimed third place with 16.29 and $10,000. “Practice for us was tough and eliminated a lot of water. We had a couple decent periods of fish catching learning the end of the day was a little better than the morning yesterday. Today, we started out upriver then moved down river. Most of our fish were caught swimming a Jig. We ended up catching a few swimming a jig around the grass, but most of them came from swimming a jig around the docks that had the most Mayflies around them. There was a Mayfly hatch everywhere, so a lot of them were around the docks. The water depth was less than five feet, and we noticed when we would swim the jig around the docks, we would bump laydowns and bunches of bluegills would come up. We started out swimming a BOOYAH Mobster Swim Jig in white but didn’t get very many bites on it. When we made the switch to the black and blue jig and green pumpkin jig, that made the difference for us. We matched up with a YUM Spine Craw Trailer.” The team is really looking forward to the final stop at Pickwick Lake and expect there to be some really good fishing the final event.
For a complete list of standings please visit:
https://www.alabamabasstrail100.org/neely-henry-lake-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.
Lambert and Hollingshead win over $33,000 on Tawakoni with 26.00 lbs. Dean and Peacock win North AOY
| Place | Boat | Truck | Angler 1 | Angler 2 | Fish | Big Bass | Wt. | Prize Amt. | |
| 1 |  |
 |
BRANDEN HOLLINGSHEAD AZLE , TX |
JEREMY LAMBERT DECATUR , TX |
5 | 0 | 26.00 |
|
|
| 2 | JAKE MEEKS FARMERSVILLE , TX |
LUKE MEEKS FARMERSVILLE , TX |
5 | 0 | 24.72 |
|
|||
| 3 | |
AARON ASHMORE IVANHOE , TX |
ROBERT NULL DENISON , TX |
5 | 0 | 23.01 |
|
||
| 4 |  |
BYRON BIONDI KENNEDALE , TX |
JASON GREENFIELD KENNEDALE , TX |
5 | 0 | 22.03 |
|
||
| 5 | |
CODY MASON SULPHUR SPRINGS , TX |
MONTECO HAWTHORNE RICHARDSON , TX |
5 | 0 | 21.78 |
|
||
| 6 | ARCHIE HAYLEY MT VERNON , TX |
GAGE IVEY | 5 | 0 | 21.67 |
|
|||
| 7 | SHAWN TEMPLE KRUGERVILLE , TX |
COLE TEMPLE FORT WORTH , TX |
5 | 0 | 21.53 |
|
|||
| 8 | TOMMY MURRAY BEDFORD , TX |
KEITH IVY PONDER , TX |
5 | 7.26 | 20.87 |
|
|||
| 9 | |
WESLEY BARNARD HALLSVILLE , TX |
ANDREW SCOTT MARSHALL , TX |
5 | 6.76 | 20.51 |
|
||
| 9 | MIKE BURNS ALLEN , TX |
ROB BURNS PLANO , TX |
5 | 5.59 | 20.51 |
|
|||
| 11 | |
|
TIM WILCOXSON ROCKWALL , TX |
ERIC ELDER SCROGGINS , TX |
5 | 0 | 20.15 |
|
|
| 12 | DYLON GARCIA BONHAM , TX |
ROBERT HOLLAND DODD CITY , TX |
5 | 0 | 19.86 |
|
|||
| 13 | RYAN AUTERY RICHARDSON , TX |
THOMAS ROSS ROCKWALL , TX |
5 | 0 | 19.83 |
|
|||
| 14 | BRETT KILMER FATE , TX |
CARL TODD JR QUINLAN , TX |
5 | 0 | 19.74 |
|
|||
| 15 | |
KEVIN DRITSCHLER PROSPER , TX |
MIKE WITHROW CORSICANA , TX |
5 | 0 | 19.01 |
|
||
| 16 |  |
ROB MEDDERS CELINA , TX |
ROB WILSON SHERMAN , TX |
5 | 0 | 18.98 |
|
||
| 17 | RANDY TURNER GREENVILLE , TX |
TREY TURNER ROYSE CITY , TX |
5 | 6.87 | 18.81 |
|
|||
| 18 | TERRY PEACOCK ROYSE CITY , TX |
SCOTT DEAN TERRELL , TX |
5 | 0 | 18.63 |
|
|||
| 19 | |
MARK WYLIE KELLER , TX |
MARK PARKER GRAPEVINE , TX |
5 | 0 | 17.86 |
|
||
| 20 | |
JOEL CHAPMAN WYLIE , TX |
ANDY WILBURN ROYSE CITY , TX |
5 | 0 | 17.77 |
|
||
| 21 | KENT SIKES ROANOKE , TX |
DARRELL CAMPBELL ALBA , TX |
5 | 5.89 | 17.57 |
|
|||
| 22 | IAIN MCCLELLAND CELINA , TX |
TRISTAN WHITE CELINA , TX |
4 | 0 | 17.37 |
|
|||
| 23 | KEITH MCMILLAN QUINLAN , TX |
JUSTIN PRIEST CANTON , TX |
5 | 0 | 17.35 |
|
|||
| 24 | JOSEPH RAINS GAINESVILLE , TX |
DOUG SHAMPINE ALBA , TX |
5 | 0 | 17.25 |
|
|||
| 25 | KEITH TAYLOR ROCKWALL , TX |
LARRY LADNIER ROCKWALL , TX |
5 | 0 | 17.07 |
|
|||
| 26 | JOHNNY UNDERFUSSER DENISON , TX |
RON SAUCEMAN COLLINSVILLE , TX |
5 | 0 | 17.06 |
|
|||
| 27 | |
SCOT MCDONALD CELINA , TX |
KEITH KRZEMINSKI AUBREY , TX |
5 | 7.32 | 17.00 |
|
||
| 28 | |
JACOB KINARD ROCKWALL , TX |
GARY KINARD FORNEY , TX |
5 | 0 | 16.96 |
|
||
| 29 | |
|
CHRIS BACHTA GRAPEVINE , TX |
CHARLIE JOHNSON DECATUR , TX |
5 | 0 | 16.85 |
|
|
| 30 | CRAIG DOWIS DALLAS , TX |
MICHAEL VASQUEZ TEMPLE , TX |
5 | 0 | 16.59 |
|
|||
| 31 | DUSTY FRANK WEST POINT , TX |
RUSTY REEDY SPRING BRANCH , TX |
5 | 0 | 16.58 |
|
|||
| 32 | |
STEVEN LOFTICE VAN ALSTYNE , TX |
MONTY EDGE VAN ALSTYNE , TX |
5 | 0 | 16.38 |
|
||
| 33 | DOUG BRUNDIDGE FARMERSVILLE , TX |
BERNARD GUNN JR FARMERSVILLE , TX |
5 | 0 | 16.28 |
|
|||
| 34 | |
MIKE CRAIN AZLE , TX |
ANDREW RICKMAN JR CANTON , TX |
5 | 0 | 15.76 |
|
||
| 35 | |
SCOTTY GALBREAITH WEATHERFORD , TX |
JASON GALBREAITH BURLESON , TX |
5 | 5.52 | 15.74 |
|
||
| 35 | KEITH CARNEY ARLINGTON , TX |
KEVIN CARNEY ARLINGTON , TX |
5 | 0 | 15.74 |
|
|||
| 37 | |
COLE BREWER LEESVILLE , LA |
GEORGE SHIPPEY MT PLEASANT , TX |
5 | 0 | 15.45 |
|
||
| 38 | |
TIM CLINE SHERMAN , TX |
JAXON CLINE SHERMAN , TX |
5 | 0 | 15.39 |
|
||
| 39 | |
DANIEL RAMSEY TRINIDAD , TX |
DEREK ROGERS MALAKOFF , TX |
5 | 0 | 15.34 |
|
||
| 40 | DENNIS HASTINGS FLOWER MOUND , TX |
RONNIE SIMS LEWISVILLE , TX |
5 | 0 | 15.27 |
|
|||
| 41 | |
HEATH MOODY SOUTHLAKE , TX |
CODY MORRISON COLLINSVILLE , TX |
5 | 0 | 15.10 |
|
||
| 42 | JOHNNY TRAMMELL BOYD , TX |
DOYLE REDDELL MINERAL WELLS , TX |
5 | 0 | 14.91 |
|
|||
| 43 | CHUCK RIZUTO ALBA , TX |
DON STAPLETON YANTIS , TX |
5 | 0 | 14.86 |
|
|||
| 44 | DAVID CROW ARLINGTON , TX |
JOHNNY RAY BURLESON , TX |
5 | 0 | 14.77 |
|
|||
| 45 | |
JAMES WRIGHT BROWNSBORO , TX |
DARRIN WRIGHT BROWNSBORO , TX |
5 | 0 | 14.67 |
|
||
| 46 | |
|
EDDIE HALL CADDO MILLS , TX |
BRANDON BREWER CADDO MILLS , TX |
5 | 0 | 14.55 |
|
|
| 47 | JACOB BAKER TERRELL , TX |
MATTHEW KIRKLIN HOLLY LAKE RANCH , TX |
5 | 0 | 14.54 |
|
|||
| 48 | DEVIN BUSHLAND ALLEN , TX |
CARSON KIRKHUFF COLLEYVILLE , TX |
5 | 4.81 | 14.45 |
|
|||
| 49 | |
CHUCK BISHOP SANGER , TX |
LEVI SMITHERS SANGER , TX |
5 | 0 | 14.24 |
|
||
| 50 | DAKOTA MCBRIDE WINNSBORO , TX |
JEFF MCBRIDE WINNSBORO , TX |
5 | 0 | 14.18 |
|
|||
| 51 | KELLY FERGUSON FATE , TX |
JAXON FERGUSON FATE , TX |
5 | 0 | 14.05 |
|
|||
| 52 | CHASE WELCH CRANDALL , TX |
CHASE WOOD COMBINE , TX |
5 | 0 | 14.04 |
|
|||
| 52 | STEVE WHITE EUSTACE , TX |
RAY PAGE JR CRANDALL , TX |
5 | 0 | 14.04 |
|
|||
| 54 | JEFF PITRUCHA GREENVILLE , TX |
GARY COOPER COMBINE , TX |
5 | 0 | 14.03 |
|
|||
| 54 | CHRIS GILROY FRISCO , TX |
MICHAEL FULLER BLUE RIDGE , TX |
5 | 0 | 14.03 |
|
|||
| 56 | JARED WEST ROYSE CITY , TX |
RANDY SPENCE TERRELL , TX |
5 | 0 | 13.96 |
|
|||
| 57 | |
KYLE WILLIAMS MIDLOTHIAN , TX |
MARK CROW PALMER , TX |
5 | 0 | 13.93 |
|
||
| 58 | |
JOHN MCDIFFITT GRANBURY , TX |
BOBBY VINCENT HUDSON OAKS , TX |
5 | 0 | 13.89 |
|
||
| 59 | |
BRANDON MURPHY QUINLAN , TX |
CLINTON RULE ROYSE CITY , TX |
5 | 0 | 13.87 |
|
||
| 60 | KENNETH MOORE RED OAK , TX |
COLTON MOORE MIDLOTHIAN , TX |
5 | 0 | 13.82 |
|
|||
| 61 | JAMES FENNELL GORDONVILLE , TX |
KEITH CULLUM CORINTH , TX |
5 | 0 | 13.77 |
|
|||
| 61 | |
RICHARD MCCORMACK WICHITA FALLS , TX |
JAMES REAVES HENRIETTA , TX |
5 | 0 | 13.77 |
|
||
| 63 | |
|
JEFF NORRIS DECATUR , TX |
RONNIE NORRIS DECATUR , TX |
5 | 0 | 13.74 |
|
|
| 64 | BOB HAYNES PILOT POINT , TX |
JESSE BRAZILE KRUM , TX |
5 | 0 | 13.73 |
|
|||
| 65 | ADAM PELS PILOT POINT , TX |
CHRIS PELS SANGER , TX |
5 | 0 | 13.58 |
|
|||
| 66 | |
MATT MORTON DALLAS , TX |
DAVID WHITE FARMERSVILLE , TX |
4 | 0 | 13.57 |
|
||
| 67 | CHRIS DIGINO DALLAS , TX |
SCOTT CLAUSEN CORINTH , TX |
5 | 0 | 13.55 |
|
|||
| 68 | |
JD LAUGHERY ROCKWALL , TX |
STAN LAWING POETRY , TX |
5 | 0 | 13.54 |
|
||
| 69 | |
WILLIAM PALMER MIDLOTHIAN , TX |
JERAMIE BYRD MIDLOTHIAN , TX |
5 | 0 | 13.52 |
|
||
| 70 | TONY CLIMER MESQUITE , TX |
TOMMY CLIMER JR MESQUITE , TX |
5 | 0 | 13.47 |
|
|||
| 71 | |
JOE ROME FLOWER MOUND , TX |
JOEL MCBRIDE CORINTH , TX |
5 | 0 | 13.45 |
|
||
| 72 | DREW SLOAN SCURRY , TX |
NOLAN JACKSON ROYSE CITY , TX |
5 | 0 | 13.35 |
|
|||
| 73 | |
JARED TAYLOR SOUTHLAKE , TX |
PERRY POWELL ALBA , TX |
5 | 0 | 13.31 |
|
||
| 74 | |
MARK MAYBEN PLANO , TX |
JOHN MAYBEN DALLAS , TX |
5 | 0 | 13.16 |
|
||
| 75 | |
HUNTER SMITH SULPHUR SPRINGS , TX |
JEFF SANDERSON SULPHUR SPRINGS , TX |
5 | 0 | 13.08 |
|
||
| 76 | |
|
TOMMY HULSEY JR CORSICANA , TX |
JUSTIN GARNETT FAIRFIELD , TX |
5 | 0 | 13.04 |
|
|
| 77 | |
VIRGIL KUYKENDALL KEMP , TX |
DON KUYKENDALL GUN BARRREL CITY , TX |
5 | 0 | 12.97 |
|
||
| 78 | DARRYL ROACH DECATUR , TX |
DANIEL HERRING WATUAGA , TX |
5 | 0 | 12.95 |
|
|||
| 78 | |
|
TREVOR ROMANS CELINA , TX |
MATT MCMILLAN FORT WORTH , TX |
5 | 0 | 12.95 |
|
|
| 80 | KENNETH COLLARD CANTON , TX |
DANNY HOWARD GUN BARREL CITY , TX |
5 | 0 | 12.83 |
|
|||
| 81 | |
JOSH KEITHLEY FORT WORTH , TX |
JUSTIN KEITHLEY ARLINGTON , TX |
5 | 0 | 12.82 |
|
||
| 82 | CHUCK ARMSTRONG ARTHUR CITY , TX |
TERRY ANDERSON POWDERLY , TX |
5 | 0 | 12.78 |
|
|||
| 83 | JERRY DAVID II PILOT POINT , TX |
JACOB DAVID PILOT POINT , TX |
5 | 0 | 12.71 |
|
|||
| 84 | TRENT MENEES NORTHLAKE , TX |
TERRY BOLLOM FRISCO , TX |
5 | 0 | 12.63 |
|
|||
| 84 | |
KENT SKOGLUND TIOGA , TX |
KYLE SKOGLUND DECATUR , TX |
4 | 0 | 12.63 |
|
||
| 86 | CODY BURDINE BRIDGEPORT , TX |
BOBBY POINTER ALVORD , TX |
5 | 5.17 | 12.60 |
|
|||
| 87 | |
MARK SPURGIN MCKINNEY , TX |
TYLER HOLMES RICHARDSON , TX |
5 | 0 | 12.59 |
|
||
| 87 | JOHN MASTERS ROYSE CITY , TX |
CHAD CANNON ROYSE CITY , TX |
5 | 0 | 12.59 |
|
|||
| 89 | |
TOM WARD TYLER , TX |
JIM CRAWFORD NACOGDOCHES , TX |
5 | 0 | 12.56 |
|
||
| 90 | RICK NEWTON DALLAS , TX |
JOHN THOMPSON GRAPEVINE , TX |
4 | 0 | 12.49 |
|
|||
| 91 | |
JUSTIN KELLEY JOSHUA , TX |
RAY BOSQUEZ JR FORT WORTH , TX |
5 | 0 | 12.43 |
|
||
| 92 | JON HARWOOD QUINLAN , TX |
JERAMY MARINELLI ROYSE CITY , TX |
5 | 0 | 12.36 |
|
|||
| 93 | |
ROBERT CASE JR POINT , TX |
MORRIS MCCUTCHEON WINNSBORO , TX |
5 | 0 | 12.33 |
|
||
| 94 | STEVE TRIMBLE ATHENS , TX |
DAKOTA TRIMBLE KAUFMAN , TX |
5 | 0 | 12.06 |
|
|||
| 95 | |
KYLE BOTTOM ALEDO , TX |
LARRY BOTTOM WILLOW PARK , TX |
5 | 0 | 12.05 |
|
||
| 96 | KRIS CHITTY CANTON , TX |
SARA CHITTY CANTON , TX |
5 | 0 | 11.96 |
|
|||
| 97 | |
ZEB STRICKLAND FRISCO , TX |
MARK MCWHIRTER ARGYLE , TX |
5 | 0 | 11.94 |
|
||
| 98 | JOEL MYERS CONROE , TX |
SKYLER EWING ARLINGTON , TX |
5 | 0 | 11.85 |
|
|||
| 99 | |
|
JUSTIN DUBOSE PARADISE , TX |
STEVE LYNAM SOUTHLAKE , TX |
5 | 0 | 11.81 |
|
|
| 100 | |
GORDON WELLS GUN BARRELL CITY , TX |
CHRIS RYAN CRANDALL , TX |
5 | 0 | 11.70 |
|
||
| 101 | KEITH TRIMBLE TRINIDAD , TX |
TOM KRESSLEY SHERMAN , TX |
5 | 0 | 11.59 |
|
|||
| 102 | |
DAVID CHILES WACO , TX |
PAT NUNLEY WACO , TX |
5 | 0 | 11.55 |
|
||
| 103 | |
SCOTT BARNETT MANSFIELD , TX |
SHANNON MCCALEB JOSHUA , TX |
5 | 0 | 11.46 |
|
||
| 104 | |
CHARLES COOK JR PERRYTON , TX |
CHRIS GARCIA PERRYTON , TX |
5 | 0 | 11.22 |
|
||
| 105 | BOBBY BADARACK FT WORTH , TX |
MARY BADARACK FORT WORTH , TX |
5 | 0 | 11.15 |
|
|||
| 106 | |
CHARLES GRAHAM DALLAS , TX |
CARLOS JIMENEZ BURLESON , TX |
4 | 0 | 11.10 |
|
||
| 107 | |
DEAN TRUDELL HIGHLAND VILLAGE , TX |
MIKE KUBANEK HIGHLAND VILLAGE , TX |
4 | 0 | 10.66 |
|
||
| 108 | |
LARRY BENCH DENISON , TX |
HI HILLBURN COLBERT , OK |
5 | 0 | 10.64 |
|
||
| 109 | |
BRYON HARRISON QUINLAN , TX |
DIRK SMITH FARMERSVILLE , TX |
4 | 4.77 | 10.50 |
|
||
| 110 | ADAM MOORE FRANKSTON , TX |
NATHAN WHITE FRANKSTON , TX |
5 | 0 | 10.28 |
|
|||
| 111 | |
MARK BIONDI SR BURLESON , TX |
MARK BIONDI JR BURLESON , TX |
5 | 0 | 10.04 |
|
||
| 112 | JONATHON WEBER CADDO MILLS , TX |
ABBIE WEBER CADDO MILLS , TX |
4 | 0 | 10.00 |
|
|||
| 113 | |
CODY NIX PLANO , TX |
CORY NIX CELINA , TX |
3 | 0 | 9.87 |
|
||
| 114 | DWIGHT BOUTTE FRISCO , TX |
DAMON NEAL PROSPER , TX |
3 | 0 | 9.86 |
|
|||
| 115 | |
GIB COATS FORT WORTH , TX |
JOHN HARRIS FORT WORTH , TX |
3 | 0 | 9.61 |
|
||
| 116 | |
|
ROGER RITCHIE WICHITA FALLS , TX |
RICHARD RITCHIE BENTON , AR |
4 | 0 | 9.50 |
|
|
| 117 | |
CHRIS MOORE ROCKWALL , TX |
KY MARTIN GRANDVIEW , TX |
3 | 0 | 9.31 |
|
||
| 118 | |
JOHN CARTER MABANK , TX |
COREY MAPLES SULPHUR SPRINGS , TX |
3 | 0 | 9.11 |
|
||
| 119 | SCOTT TROUTT CORINTH , TX |
DENNIS BUSHLAND DENTON , TX |
5 | 0 | 8.88 |
|
|||
| 120 | |
LOUIS DAVIS GRAPEVINE , TX |
ROBBIE CHENAULT RICHARDSON , TX |
4 | 0 | 8.87 |
|
||
| 121 | |
PUTHAL LOEUK YANTIS , TX |
MICHAEL CARRILLO DALLAS , TX |
5 | 0 | 8.44 |
|
||
| 122 | |
GARY DANIEL STANDRIDGE JACKSBORO , TX |
COLBY BRYAN DECATUR , TX |
3 | 0 | 7.98 |
|
||
| 123 | |
SPENCER JOHNSON VAN , TX |
AUSTIN HODGE VAN , TX |
3 | 0 | 7.71 |
|
||
| 124 | CAROLL CAMPBELL MCKINNEY , TX |
JD WILLIAMS MCKINNEY , TX |
2 | 0 | 6.56 |
|
|||
| 125 | GREGORY BROWN FORT WORTH , TX |
JEFFERY MCCORMICK BENBROOK , TX |
3 | 0 | 6.49 |
|
|||
| 126 | |
KEITH BRYAN DECATUR , TX |
JASON DUNNING DECATUR , TX |
5 | 0 | 6.31 |
|
||
| 127 | KEVIN KOLB GAINESVILLE , TX |
DAVID CAHAL LONGVIEW , TX |
2 | 0 | 6.08 |
|
|||
| 128 | |
JOEY EAVES NEVADA , TX |
JASON HADLEY FATE , TX |
2 | 0 | 6.07 |
|
||
| 129 | DAVE REDINGTON WINNSBORO , TX |
ANDERSON ADAMS | 2 | 0 | 4.26 |
|
|||
| 130 | |
JOSH TAUBER BULLARD , TX |
LEE HAMMERS FRANKSTON , TX |
2 | 0 | 4.22 |
|
||
| 131 | |
BRIAN BROOKS MESQUITE , TX |
JAMES SHARP EMORY , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
||
| 131 | |
DELL BROWN ARLINGTON , TX |
MARK MCCLURE NORTH RICHLAND HILLS , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
||
| 131 | |
CHRIS BAKER POWDERLY , TX |
BRANDON BEERS PARIS , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
||
| 131 | |
RONALD SISK RIO VISTA , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
|||
| 131 | DAN BENSON COMBINE , TX |
THOMAS WELCH TERRELL , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
|||
| 131 | |
JAY EICHLER ALBA , TX |
CASEY CHEATHAM DALLAS , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
||
| 131 | KEN SMITH RICHARDSON , TX |
TERRY HAWKINS CORSICANA , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
|||
| 131 | |
STEVE ELDRED JR ALBA , TX |
BRIAN HALL BRONTE , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
||
| 131 | JEFF BAUGUS CROSS ROADS , TX |
NATHAN MEHL CROSSROADS , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
|||
| 131 | |
STEVEN RIZZO PROSPER , TX |
CHRIS STRATTA LITTLE ELM , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
||
| 131 | NATHAN WOOD KAUFMAN , TX |
RYAN NEVIL SCURRY , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
|||
| 131 | |
ZACH PARKER DENTON , TX |
BUSTER JOHNSON KRUM , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
||
| 131 | TRACY SANDERS COPPER CANYON , TX |
HUNTER SANDERS COPPER CANYON , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
|||
| 131 | SHANE THOMPSON FORNEY , TX |
RICKY MEDINA FORNEY , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
|||
| 131 | |
BRYCE CAIN COLLEYVILLE , TX |
JEFFREY BRANNON PRINCETON , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
||
| 131 | |
DANIEL WILLIAMSON HOUSTON , TX |
DOUG DURRWACHTER ROANOKE , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
||
| 131 | HEATH COLEMAN FRISCO , TX |
ZACHARY SHIMON MCKINNEY , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
|||
| 131 | SHAWN BROOKS BOYD , TX |
GAVIN BROOKS BOYD , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
|||
| 131 | TANNER ENGLAND LINDSAY , OK |
DEATON SMITH WEATHORFORD , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
|||
| 131 | ROBERT COOK FLOWER MOUND , TX |
BRIAN MOORE QUINLAN , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
|||
| 131 | |
JEROMY WALKER TOM BEAN , TX |
TODD CHILDS WAXAHACHI , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
||
| 131 | |
JOSHUA SMITH GATESVILLE , TX |
COLTEN WASHBURN GATESVILLE , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
||
| 131 | TRENT BLAKE MARBLE FALLS , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
||||
| 131 | KENNY COLE KENNARD , TX |
TRAVIS ROY JR KENNARD , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
|||
| 131 | JAMES KING JR WILLS POINT , TX |
JAMES GORE QUINLAN , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
|||
| 131 | SHAWN TAYLOR ABILENE , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
||||
| 131 | |
RONNY HALBERT LARUE , TX |
JAY REEDY LARUE , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
||
| 131 | |
BRYSON HUFF ROCKWALL , TX |
CHRIS HUFF ROCKWALL , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
||
| 131 | |
RICKY MAYO ARDMORE , OK |
ERIC DUNCAN ARDMORE , OK |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
||
| 131 | WILLIE BENSLEY MESQUITE , TX |
BRAD BEESON CLEBURNE , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
|||
| 131 | WARREN KEPKE DENTON , TX |
JASON TRUITT BURLESON , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
|||
| 131 | MATT HITT ROYSE CITY , TX |
RUSSELL STROMAN HEARTLAND , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
|||
| 131 | TYLER ROANE GUNTER , TX |
JOSH ROANE PROSPER , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
|||
| 131 | |
KURT KLOSOWSKI PLANO , TX |
TOM MOCNY QUITMAN , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
||
| 131 | DERRICK CORSO MCKINNEY , TX |
BRANDT BIGGERSTAFF FRISCO , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
|||
| 131 | |
RYAN COHLMEYER WEATHERFORD , TX |
DARREN HEAVNER WEATHERFORD , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
||
| 131 | |
|
JOHN BYLER ARGYLE , TX |
MATT FRANCE COLLEYVILLE , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
|
| 131 | |
JOHN ADAMS FRISCO , TX |
RICK CLARK TERRELL , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
||
| 131 | |
|
ALLEN SHELTON FARMERS BRANCH , TX |
JOHN MCCALMONT ROCKWALL , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
|
| 131 | |
CEBO SMITH JR SCURRY , TX |
COLTEN SMITH SCURRY , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
||
| 131 | GG BOYD AZLE , TX |
JACOB ROANE CELINA , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
|||
| 131 | |
RORY LAYNE EMORY , TX |
WILLIAM BRUNSON LIBERTY HILL , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
||
| 131 | |
CHARLES GUTHRIE CONROE , TX |
RICHARD FAULKNER BROADDUS , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
||
| 131 | JONATHAN LANCASTER QUITMAN , TX |
JONATHAN SHORT RUSK , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
|||
| 131 | |
|
RICHARD NICHOLAS JUSTIN , TX |
BILLY MATTHEWS BOYD , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
|
| 131 | JAMES INGRAM JR ARLINGTON , TX |
JOHN BIONDI ARLINGTON , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
|||
| 131 | |
DONALD DICKENS MONTGOMERY , TX |
WILLIE DICKENS BAYTOWN , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
||
| 131 | STEVE SCHMIDT MIDLOTHIAN , TX |
BILLY RYAN MANSFIELD , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
|||
| 131 | |
ZACH HUGHES QUITMAN , TX |
JEREMY SIMS EMORY , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
||
| 131 | |
ZACHARY WYMER HALTOM , TX |
MATT CARR SCURRY , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
||
| 131 | |
BILLY JOHNSON WILLS POINT , TX |
ANDY MEDINA CANTON , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
||
| 131 | |
TATE SHULTZ AMARILLO , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
|||
| 131 | |
ROBERT SWOFFORD SAGINAW , TX |
CLAYTON SWOFFORD FT WORTH , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
||
| 131 | |
MIKE PERKINS DALLAS , TX |
STAN GERZSENYI DEL RIO , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
||
| 131 | |
JOE SMITH FORNEY , TX |
KENNETH GERECHT PALMER , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
||
| 131 | |
BRANDON BROSSETT GROESBECK , TX |
WESLEY BROSSETT GROESBECK , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
||
| 131 | |
JODY KEA TYLER , TX |
JASON BURTON EUSTACE , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
||
| 131 | RUSS CHAVERS ATOKA , OK |
JEFF CULBREATH LANE , OK |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
|||
| 131 | |
STEVE ANGELL TERRELL , TX |
KAEDEN ANGELL TERRELL , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
||
| 131 | |
CHRIS FORD WINNSBORO , TX |
TRENVER FORD WINNSBORO , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
||
| 131 | |
CHAD OWEN CELESTE , TX |
CALEB HAND ANNA , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
||
| 131 | |
SHAWN WATSON ROYSE CITY , TX |
JOE STURGEON ROYSE CITY , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
||
| 131 | |
RICKY CONWAY SULPHUR SPRINGS , TX |
JAMIE VANDERGRIFF ROCKWALL , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
||
| 131 | DAVID HOWARD DALLAS , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
||||
| 131 | |
JUNIOR MITCHELL KRUGERVILLE , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
|||
| 131 | MARK JOHNSTON RICHLAND HILLS , TX |
JORDAN KENNY NORTH RICHLAND HILLS , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
|||
| 131 | |
JERRAD CARSON LONE OAK , TX |
SHANNON NICHOL LONE OAK , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
||
| 131 | |
CLAY PENNY MOUNT PLEASANT , TX |
BARRY TUCKER PITTSBURG , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
||
| 131 | CHASE MARTIN GREENVILLE , TX |
TOMMY MARTIN EMORY , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
Bryan Thrift Leads Group B at MLF Bass Pro Tour General Tire Stage Five on Watts Bar Lake
North Carolina Pro Leads Group B after Day 1 by 6 Ounces, Group A Resumes Competition Monday
SPRING CITY, Tenn. (June 5, 2022) – It was a fight to the finish on Sunday – with a mere 1-pound, 12-ounce separation between the top five pros as the competition day concluded – yet Bryan Thrift of Shelby, North Carolina, persevered to grab the early lead for Group B on Day 1 of the General Tire Stage Five on Watts Bar Lake Presented by Covercraft in Spring City, Tennessee.
Thrift will bring a slim lead into Group B’s second day of competition on Tuesday, with a 6-ounce advantage over second place pro Ish Monroe of Oakdale, California, who caught eight bass totaling 23-7. Power-Pole pro Chris Lane of Guntersville, Alabama chased the mayfly hatch to end the day in third place, catching 10 bass weighing 23-6, while Toro pro Jeff Sprague of Wills Point, Texas,ended the day in fourth place with 11 bass totaling 22-2. Tennessee pro David Walker of Seviervillerounded out the top five with 10 bass weighing 22-1.
Water was pulled from the fishery late in the day, creating a stronger current that enhanced the afternoon bite and produced a third period flurry for several anglers. Favorite Fishing pro Dustin Connell of Clanton, Alabama made the biggest afternoon waves on SCORETRACKER ®, starting the final period in 38th place before catching 10 bass weighing 19-13 in Period 3 to finish the day in sixth place.
The 40 anglers in Group B will now have an off day, while the 40 anglers competing in Group A will fish their second day of competition Monday, battling it out for the top 20 spots. Group B will resume competition on Tuesday.
The fifth stop on the 2022 Major League Fishing (MLF) Bass Pro Tour features 80 of the top professional bass-fishing anglers in the world competing for a total purse of $805,000, including a top cash prize of $100,000 to the winner. The six-day event, hosted by Fish Dayton, the Rhea County Economic Tourism Council and Spring City, Tennessee, is livestreamed each day at MajorLeagueFishing.com and the MOTV app and filmed for broadcast later this fall on the Discovery Channel.
Thrift said he found his original starting point during the 30-minute ride through, not far from the takeoff ramp, and spent the day throwing a variety of baits to small, isolated targets – rock piles, brush piles and grass – where fish were set up and ready to bite.
“Today was a good day,” Thrift said. “Kind of tough fishing, but this is my favorite thing to do – fishing isolated targets like I’ve done all day today.
“My only worry is that I don’t have enough locations,” he continued. “I’ve only got about 15 to 20 spots and I probably need 50 to 60 to continue to compete with this field, so hopefully today bought us a little wiggle room and we can go find some more spots when we get back out there.”
Thrift was the leader going into the final period and held off several hard-charging anglers to maintain that lead going into the second day of competition for Group B anglers on Tuesday.
“I caught the majority of my fish on a shaky head and a Texas rig with some BaitFuel Fish Attractant Gel. I also caught two scorable bass on a crankbait today,” Thrift said. “I threw those baits on my signature series Fitzgerald Tournament Shaky Head Rod, with P-Line XTCB Braid and a 10-pound P-Line Spin-X Fluorocarbon Leader with a 1/8-ounce shaky head.
“I ended up catching 12 scorable bass today with that setup,” Thrift continued. “That will be the plan going into Day 2 and hopefully we make it on to the next round.”
The top 20 pros in Group B after Day 1 on Watts Bar Lake are:
1st: Bryan Thrift, Shelby, N.C., 12 bass, 23-13
2nd: Ish Monroe, Oakdale, Calif., eight bass, 23-7
3rd: Chris Lane, Guntersville, Ala., 10 bass, 23-6
4th: Jeff Sprague, Wills Point, Texas, 11 bass, 22-2
5th: David Walker, Sevierville, Tenn., 10 bass, 22-1
6th: Dustin Connell, Clanton, Ala., 11 bass, 21-10
7th: Justin Lucas, Guntersville, Ala., 11 bass, 20-3
8th: Jacob Wheeler, Harrison, Tenn., nine bass, 19-10
9th: Josh Bertrand, Queen Creek, Ariz., seven bass, 17-3
10th: Todd Faircloth, Jasper, Texas, six bass, 15-12
11th: Adrian Avena, Vineland, N.J., eight bass, 15-9
12th: Ott DeFoe, Blaine, Tenn., eight bass, 14-0
13th: Stephen Browning, Hot Springs, Ark., seven bass, 13-1
14th: Clabion Johns, Social Circle, Ga., seven bass, 12-10
15th: Dave Lefebre, Erie, Pa., seven bass, 12-5
16th: Scott Suggs, Alexander, Ark., six bass, 11-6
17th: Cliff Pace, Petal, Miss., six bass, 11-5
18th: Alton Jones, Jr., Waco, Texas, five bass, 11-0
19th: Zack Birge, Blanchard, Okla., four bass, 10-2
20th: Jeremy Lawyer, Sarcoxie, Mo., five bass, 10-0
A complete list of results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
Overall, there were 226 scorable bass weighing 460 pounds, 7 ounces caught by 40 pros Sunday.
Monroe caught a 4-pound, 5-ounce largemouth in the first period that earned him the second $1,000 Berkley Big Bass Award of the event. Berkley awards $1,000 to the angler who weighs the heaviest bass each day, and a $3,000 bonus to the angler who weighs the heaviest bass of the tournament.
The 40 Anglers in Group A compete in their two-day qualifying round on Saturday and Monday – the 40 anglers in Group B on Sunday and Tuesday. After each two-day qualifying round is complete, the anglers that finish in 2nd through 20th place from both groups advance to Wednesday’s Knockout Round, while the winner of each group advances directly to Thursday’s Championship Round. In the Knockout Round, weights are zeroed, and the remaining 38 anglers compete to finish in the top 8 to advance to the Championship Round. In the final day Championship Round, weights are zeroed, and the highest one-day total wins the top prize of $100,000.
Anglers will launch each day at 7:30 a.m. ET from the Spring City Boat Ramp, located at 417 Toestring Valley Road in Spring City, Tennessee. Each day’s General Tire Takeout will be held at the ramp, beginning at 4 p.m. Fans are welcome and encouraged to attend all launch and takeout events and to follow the event online throughout the day on the MLF NOW!® live stream and SCORETRACKER® coverage at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
The General Tire Stage Five on Watts Bar Lake Presented by Covercraft features anglers competing with a 1-pound, 8-ounce minimum weight requirement for a bass to be deemed scorable. Minimum weights are determined individually for each competition waters that the Bass Pro Tour visits, based on the productivity, bass population and anticipated average size of fish in each fishery.
The Bass Pro Tour features a field of 80 of the top professional anglers in the world competing across seven regular-season tournaments around the country, competing for millions of dollars and valuable points to qualify for the annual General Tire Heavy Hitters all-star event and the REDCREST 2023 championship.
The MLF NOW!® broadcast team of Chad McKee, Marty Stone and J.T. Kenney will break down the extended action on all six days of competition from 7:45 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. ET. MLF NOW!® will be live streamed on MajorLeagueFishing.com and the MyOutdoorTV (MOTV) app.
Television coverage of the General Tire Stage Five on Watts Bar Lake Presented by Covercraft will premiere at 7 a.m. ET, Oct. 29 on the Discovery Channel. New MLF episodes premiere each Saturday morning on the Discovery Channel, with additional re-airings on the Outdoor Channel. Each two-hour long reality-based episode goes in-depth to break down each day of competition.
Proud sponsors of the 2022 MLF Bass Pro Tour include: 13 Fishing, Abu Garcia, A.R.E. Truck Caps, B&W Trailer Hitches, BallyBet, Bass Cat, Bass Pro Shops, Berkley, Covercraft, Favorite Fishing, Garmin, General Tire, Googan Baits, Grundéns, Guaranteed Rate, Humminbird, Lowrance, Luminox, Mercury, Minn Kota, Mossy Oak, Nitro Performance Boats, Onyx, Plano, Power-Pole, Power Stop, Rapala, Starbrite, Toro, Toyota, Wrangler, Yellowstone Bourbon and Zoom.
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.
Lester Saves His Best For Last, Slams Door On Bassmaster Elite Series Win At Pickwick Lake
Brandon Lester of Fayetteville, Tenn., has won the 2022 Whataburger Bassmaster Elite at Pickwick Lake with a four-day total of 86 pounds, 1 ounce.
Photo by Seigo Saito/B.A.S.S.
June 5, 2022
COUNCE, Tenn. — At long last, Brandon Lester has his trophy.
A veteran pro at only 34 years old, the Tennessee angler slammed the door Sunday in the Whataburger Bassmaster Elite at Pickwick Lake, winning his first Elite Series tournament in nine seasons on tour.
Entering Championship Sunday with a 3 1/2-pound lead, Lester didn’t let up, catching 22 pounds, 14 ounces, which was the VMC Monster Bag of the tournament. That gave him a four-day total of 20 bass for 86-1, almost 6 pounds more than any of the nine other pros who made the final-day cut.
Lester competed in more than 110 Bassmaster tournaments before he won his first one in February — the St. Croix Bassmaster Southern Open on Florida’s Kissimmee Chain of Lakes presented by Mossy Oak Fishing. But as sweet as that win was, it wasn’t a notch in his Elite Series belt like this week’s big victory on Pickwick, only two hours from his home in Fayetteville, Tenn.
“This is unreal,” he said. “That Open win, I was super proud of it. It’s a stacked field in the Opens. But an Elite Series win is next level. I guess it’s between an Opens win and a Classic win. That’s the only thing that can top it. These are the greatest bass fishermen in the world. I believe that. If they’re not, they won’t last long.”
The $100,000 first-place prize pushed Lester’s career Bassmaster earnings past $1 million — a sign of not only his longevity in the sport but his undeniable success.
He was head and shoulders above the 91-boat field this week, competing on a lake he’s fished regularly the past few years, but never in an Elite event on Pickwick when ledges were dominant. He said being on familiar water narrowed his focus and raised his confidence.
“I would never tell anybody ‘Hey, I’m on the fish to win,’” Lester said. “I’ve been in that position before and it didn’t work out. But I knew if I made the right decisions and did my job this week that I could win this tournament.”
Lester found a special spot during practice that replenished daily and provided the bulk of his catch.
"It was shellbed, and where the current rolled up on that bar, from 8 feet to 4 feet, there was a hard spot,” he said. “The fish were sitting up on that spot. It was small, maybe three times the size of my boat. It was a typical Tennessee River feeding spot, right off the main river. There was a ton of bait in there — gizzard shad, threadfin shad.
“It was the perfect combination.”
He found the spot pretty much by accident. Lester saw bass there on his side scanners while motoring through the area during practice. Had he gone over the top of the fish, they likely wouldn’t have shown on his down scan in such shallow water.
Lester started strong on Sunday, catching 17 pounds in the first 20 to 30 minutes. He made a couple of culls later in the morning, but a 6-pounder just after 1 p.m. provided cushion. He caught the big bass on a secondary spot he found several years ago (a main-river ledge that dropped from 14 to 21 feet.)
“I’ve not caught a fish on a Scrounger all week, and I threw a 3/4-ounce Scrounger head (with a 5-inch Castaic Jerky J) out there and caught that 6-pounder,” he said. “That’s the most memorable fish of my life. I’ll never forget that catch. I pretty much knew (I had won) at that point.”
Most of Lester’s Pickwick bass were caught on a Strike King 4.0 crankbait (chartreuse shad), though the 6-13 largemouth he hooked on Day 3 came on a football jig. He also used a Berkley MaxScent Magnum Hit Worm (plum apple) with a 1/8-ounce Mustad tungsten nail weight in the head.
The familiarity with the lake and knowing what to throw was a winning recipe. He’s been waiting nine years for the feast.
“I can’t even put this into words,” he said. “It’s just a lot of hard work coming to fruition. People don’t realize how much work we put into this. I spent countless hours here from 2015 to 2020. I’d come over seven or eight times a year, and it’s a two-hour drive from my house. I was getting up at 4 a.m., fishing all day and driving back home.
“When I first started my career, I would have told you my weakness was ledge fishing,” Lester said. “So, I knew it was a gap I needed to fill.”
What started as only a modest 3 1/2-pound lead turned into a runaway as Lester defeated second-place angler Cody Huff of Ava, Mo. (80-5) by almost 6 pounds. Texas pro Chris Zaldain (77-15) finished third, followed by Tennessee rookie Jacob Foutz (77-3) and veteran Florida pro John Cox (70-0).
Lester won the Phoenix Boats Big Bass award with the 6-13 he caught Saturday.
Huff took home $3,000 for being the highest-placing entrant in the Toyota Bonus Bucks program, and Zaldain earned $2,000 for being the second-highest placing entrant.
As part of the Yamaha Power Pay program, Zaldain earned an additional $2,500 as the highest-placing entrant and Idaho's Brandon Palaniuk claimed an additional $1,500 for being the second-highest placing entrant.
Canada's Cory Johnston won the $1,000 BassTrakk Contingency award for the most accurate weight reporting.
With the solid finish, Cox stayed right on the heels of Palaniuk in the race for Progressive Insurance Bassmaster Angler of the Year. Palaniuk has 536 points, while Cox has 518. They are followed by Tennessee pro David Mullins with 486 and Lester with 477.
For Foutz, it was his second Top 5 finish in three events — and it moved him into second place in the Falcon Rods Bassmaster Rookie of the Year standings with 370 points, just three points behind leader Joseph Webster of Alabama.
2022 Whataburger Bassmaster Elite at Pickwick Lake 6/2-6/5
Pickwick Lake, Counce TN.
(PROFESSIONAL) Standings Day 4
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Pts Total $$$
1. Brandon Lester Fayetteville, TN 20 86-01 100 $104,000.00
Day 1: 5 21-06 Day 2: 5 20-07 Day 3: 5 21-06 Day 4: 5 22-14
2. Cody Huff Ava, MO 20 80-05 99 $35,000.00
Day 1: 5 18-05 Day 2: 5 22-03 Day 3: 5 19-05 Day 4: 5 20-08
3. Chris Zaldain Fort Worth, TX 20 77-15 98 $31,000.00
Day 1: 5 17-08 Day 2: 5 16-02 Day 3: 5 22-08 Day 4: 5 21-13
4. Jacob Foutz Charleston, TN 20 77-03 97 $25,000.00
Day 1: 5 19-01 Day 2: 5 18-00 Day 3: 5 21-04 Day 4: 5 18-14
5. John Cox Debary, FL 20 70-00 96 $20,000.00
Day 1: 5 15-10 Day 2: 5 22-03 Day 3: 5 18-09 Day 4: 5 13-10
6. Bryan Schmitt Deale, MD 20 69-00 95 $19,000.00
Day 1: 5 20-05 Day 2: 5 17-12 Day 3: 5 18-13 Day 4: 5 12-02
7. Brandon Palaniuk Rathdrum, ID 20 68-00 94 $19,000.00
Day 1: 5 21-13 Day 2: 5 14-11 Day 3: 5 18-01 Day 4: 5 13-07
8. Justin Atkins Florence, AL 20 65-13 93 $17,000.00
Day 1: 5 18-06 Day 2: 5 14-00 Day 3: 5 20-14 Day 4: 5 12-09
9. Matt Robertson Kuttawa, KY 19 64-15 92 $16,000.00
Day 1: 5 22-06 Day 2: 4 10-11 Day 3: 5 20-07 Day 4: 5 11-07
10. Kenta Kimura Osaka JAPAN 18 60-13 91 $15,000.00
Day 1: 5 17-05 Day 2: 5 17-13 Day 3: 5 18-03 Day 4: 3 07-08
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PHOENIX BOATS BIG BASS
Day
1 Brandon Lester Fayetteville, TN 06-09 $1,000.00
2 Tyler Rivet Raceland, LA 07-15 $1,000.00
3 Brandon Lester Fayetteville, TN 06-13 $1,000.00
4 Chris Zaldain Fort Worth, TX 06-01 $1,000.00
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PHOENIX BOATS BIG BASS
Tyler Rivet Raceland, LA 07-15 $1,000.00
VMC MONSTER BAG
Brandon Lester Fayetteville, TN 22-14 $2,000.00
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Totals
Day #Limits #Fish Weight
1 76 425 1258-11
2 76 421 1220-10
3 42 224 697-02
4 9 48 154-12
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203 1118 3331-03
J. Lee’s Lessons After Day One on Watts Bar
Courtesy of Luke Stoner - Dynamic Sponsorships
SPRING CITY, Tn. – Jordan Lee was all smiles while mingling with fans at the Major League Fishing “Meet the Pros” after his first tournament day on Watts Bar Lake in east Tennessee. Lee used his namesake Abu Garcia rod and reel combos to boat seven scoreable bass totaling 14-pounds 2-ounces during his opening round of competition for Stage Five of the Bass Pro Tour.
With this effort he’s holding down with 16th spot in Group A, in good position to make yet another Knockout Round and continue his stellar 2022 season. In typical laid-back fashion, Lee didn’t seem too worked up about remaining above the Toro Cutline as he shared smiles, laughs and hotdogs with fans from the surrounding area.
“Man, my day really went about how I figured it might,” Lee shrugged. “I didn’t have a very good practice at all, so I knew it was probably going to be a one here, one there sort of deal for me. I did a lot of looking at my Lowrance units throughout practice and was hoping to have a one-two punch between brush piles and more traditional TVA style ledge fishing… but only one of those patterns did any punching for me today.”
Lee did most all his damage targeting offshore brush piles with a drop shot, something he plans to do more of on Monday. The Yamaha Outboards pro started his morning relatively fast and slowly slid down the Scoretracker throughout the afternoon after hovering near the top for most of the morning.
“My lesson of the day is, spend more time fishing brush,” Lee said. “I spent quite a bit of time sampling other patterns and nothing else really fired for me. But ruling some things out isn’t a bad thing and it frees my mind up a little for tomorrow (Monday). My biggest deal is just getting a good start to the day. I’m a big-time momentum fisherman, so getting a fish on the board relatively early always settles me down a little bit.”
Fortunately for Lee, momentum is not something he’s lacked at any point of the Bass Pro Tour season this year. Lee came into Stage Five in second place of the 2022 Bally Bet Angler of the Year race, trailing Jacob Wheeler by only 17 points. Wheeler has yet to miss a Championship Round this season, so the fact Lee remains this close is a testament to the incredible year he is having, too.
Three Championship Round appearances, plus an 8th place finish at REDCREST and an 11th at Heavy Hitters (which don’t factor into AOY points) is an impressive resume. If you’ve been paying attention to professional fishing the past five years, this Wheeler vs. Lee dynamic comes as no real surprise.
J. Lee took the Angler of the Year title home to Alabama in 2020, while J. Wheels went on an unbelievable tear to capture the AOY trophy last year. They are both extremely young in their careers, are undoubtedly two of the best bass anglers on planet earth right now, and are set to battle it out for the Bally Bet AOY trophy once again it seems.
“It’s hard to even think about AOY with how good Wheeler is fishing right now,” Lee smiled. “All I can do is try to catch them every single day and I still might not run him down. So, I don’t have a lesson for you there… my lesson #2 of the day is, show up to Meet the Pros Day earlier. They had free hot dogs and Dora the Explorer rod and reel combos for the first few hundred people. Sounds like I missed a big bag!”
Conner Cunningham Goes Wire-to-Wire to Dominate Phoenix All-American Presented by T-H Marine at Lake Hamilton
Springfield Angler Becomes Fifth Ozark Division Boater to Win All-American Championship Since 2012, Earns Top Payout of $120,000
HOT SPRINGS, Ark. (June 4, 2022) – Boater Conner Cunningham, a 30-year-old beverage distributor from Springfield, Missouri, that competes in the Phoenix Bass Fishing League Ozark Division, made his Whopper Plopper bites pay off in a big way this week by winning the 39thannual Phoenix All-American Championship Presented by T-H Marine on Lake Hamilton in Hot Springs, Arkansas.
Cunningham led the event from start to finish and ended the job Saturday with an 11-pound, 10-ounce limit, which gave him the win with a three-day total of 44 pounds, 4 ounces – an 11-pound, 11-ounce margin of victory. Cunningham would have won if he had not even made a cast on Saturday.
“Lake Hamilton fishes a lot like my lakes from back home in Missouri, so I’ve just kind of applied what I know from fishing back home over the years and it worked out well here,” Cunningham said.
While many competitors spent the event offshore targeting the numerous Lake Hamilton brush piles, Cunningham caught all but one of his 15 weigh-in fish in just 2 feet of water or less.
“I fished pretty much the whole entire lake – I ran 30 to 40 spots, and that was easy because this lake is so small,” Cunningham said. “I tried to conserve my fish throughout the week. On Day 1 it took me until around 11:30 (a.m.) to get my weight, then until 12:30 (p.m.) on Day 2. Then I’d go deep and try to help my co-angler out as best as I could. And I knew that I could catch a good one out there, too – I did yesterday.”
Cunningham credited a bone-colored River2Sea Whopper Plopper 110 as being his key bait throughout the week, but he also mixed in a white Crock-O-Gator X-Bite buzzbait with a (Zoom) Horny Toad trailer and a football jig. He caught a key fish Friday deep-cranking a Strike King 6XD crankbait.
“I had been down here in April and knew that I could catch 10 pounds out deep fairly easily,” Cunningham said. “I spent our optional practice day committed to topwater and it didn’t take me long to find a good bite. The key was just covering water.”
Cunningham has aspired of taking his bass-fishing career to the next level – he had planned to compete as a boater in the Toyota Series this season, until a scheduling conflict forced him to scrap those plans and concentrate on the Phoenix Bass Fishing League. Now, with a $120,000 payday, Cunningham says he is ready to make the move up.
“This money means a lot, and it gives me the security as I take that next jump up,” Cunningham said. “This is huge for me in my journey to doing this full-time. I aspire to fish professionally one day and this win certainly helps with that. I’m just speechless and so blessed and honored to be here and win. This is a good group of guys in this field, so to win this one is really special.”
The top 10 boaters at the 2002 Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American on Lake Hamilton are:
1st: Connor Cunningham, Springfield, Mo., 10 bass, 44-4, $120,000
2nd: Hunter Eubanks, Inman, S.C., 10 bass, 32-9, $20,000
3rd: Sean Wieda, Alexandria, Ky., 15 bass, 31-12, $15,000
4th: Brian Bean, Hot Springs, Ark., 15 bass, 30-12, $14,000
5th: Andy Wicker, Cayce, S.C., 15 bass, 29-12, $13,000
6th: David Lowery, Milledgeville, Ga., 15 bass, 29-6, $12,000
7th: Ryan Powroznik, Hopewell, Va., 15 bass, 28-4, $11,000
8th: Jonathan Crossland, Chapin, S.C., 15 bass, 26-10, $10,000
9th: Justin Kimmel, Athens, Ga., 15 bass, 28-5, $9,000
10th: Mike Reid, Greenville, Texas, 15 bass, 28-9, $8,000
Full results for the entire field can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
Overall, there were 50 bass weighing 84 pounds, 11 ounces caught by the final 10 boaters Saturday. All of the final 10 boaters caught a five-bass limit.
The highest-finishing boater from each Regional Championship (including the Wild Card) at the All-American now advance to the Toyota Series Championship for a shot at winning $235,000.
The eight boaters that finished highest from their region earned an automatic qualification in to the 2022 Toyota Series Championship on Lake Guntersville are:
Brian Bean, Hot Springs, Ark.
Connor Cunningham, Springfield, Mo.
Hunter Eubanks, Inman, S.C.
David Lowery, Milledgeville, Ga.
Matthew Marinelli, Salem, Conn.
Ryan Powroznik, Hopewell, Va.
Wade Ramsey, Choctaw Okla .
Sean Wieda, Alexandria, Ky.
Clint Horton of Falkner, Mississippi, won the Strike King Co-angler Division Saturday with a three-day total of 15 bass weighing 21 pounds, 15 ounces to earn the top prize package of $50,000. Co-angler Cory Guinn of Mountain Rest, South Carolina, finished runner up with a three-day total of 12 bass weighing 21 pounds, 5 ounces, good for $10,000.
“This is unbelievable,” an emotional Horton said after learning he’d won. “I never expected to win this in a million years. I’ve been fishing tournaments for the last 10 to 12 years or so, and this is pretty awesome.”
The construction supervisor from Mississippi credited a Zoom Finesse worm – both red bug and green-pumpkin – as being his key bait this week.
“I threw a finesse worm every way that you could rig it this week,” Horton said. “I caught fish from one foot deep to 20 feet deep with my boaters. I used a Carolina rig, a Texas rig, a wacky rig, a drop-shot rig, and on a shaky head.”
Horton said he doesn’t fish BFL events for a chance at turning pro or gaining big sponsorships. He fishes for the love of the sport and the enjoyment it brings him personally.
“Fishing is just fun to me,” Horton said. “I don’t want to turn it into a job. I feel like I wouldn’t love it like I love it now. I’m happy with what I’m doing now and I’m happy that an event like the All-American exists so I can fish it.”
The top 10 Strike King co-anglers at the 2022 Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American on Lake Hamilton finished:
1st: Clint Horton, Falkner, Miss., 15 bass, 21-15, $50,000
2nd: Cory Guinn, Mountain Rest, S.C., 12 bass, 21-5, $10,000
3rd: Evan Eldred, Gaines, Mich., 13 bass, 18-10, $6,000
4th: Jeffery Johnson, Austin, Ind., 14 bass, 18-2, $5,000
5th: Zachary Verbugge, Lake Havasu, Ariz., 13 bass, 17-4, $4,500
6th: Alan Hill, Ada, Okla., 11 bass, 16-14, $4,000
7th: Hunter Dahnke, Missoula, Mont., 13 bass, 16-12, $3,500
8th: Steven Obester, Palatka, Fla., 10 bass, 16-2, $3,000
9th: Brendan Vinton, Braintree, Vt., 10 bass, 16-0, $2,500
10th: Eric Eden, Hartsville, Tenn., 11 bass, 14-14, $2,000
Overall, there were 29 bass weighing 35 pounds, 4 ounces caught by the final 10 Strike King Co-anglers on Saturday. Horton was the only co-angler to bring a five-bass limit to the scale on Saturday.
The highest-finishing Strike King Co-angler from each Regional Championship (including the Wild Card) at the All-American advance to the Toyota Series Championship for a shot at winning $33,500.
The eight Strike King Co-anglers that finished highest from their region and earned an automatic qualification in to the 2022 Toyota Series Championship on Lake Guntersville are:
Randy Allen, Russellville, Ark.
Evan Eldred, Gaines, Mich.
Cory Guinn, Mountain Rest, S.C.
Clint Horton, Falkner, Miss.
Jeffery Johnson, Austin, Ind.
Steven Obester, Palatka, Fla.
Kim Sapetti, Chatham, Ill.
Zachary Verbugge, Lake Havasu, Ariz.
The three-day Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American Presented by T-H Marine on Lake Hamilton was hosted by the Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism and Visit Hot Springs. The event featured the nation’s best weekend grassroots anglers competing for a top prize of up to $120,000, and a top prize of $50,000 for the winning Strike King co-angler.
Television coverage of the 2022 Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American will premiere in early October on CBS Sports and the Sportsman Channel. The full television air schedule can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
The full field of 49 boaters and 49 Strike King co-anglers competed on Days 1 (Thursday) and 2 (Friday) of the event. After two days of competition the field was cut to just the top 10 boaters and co-anglers based on two-day total cumulative weight, and the final 10 anglers competed on Championship Saturday. The boater and co-angler that caught the heaviest three-day total weight earned the title of the 39th Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American Champions.
The 2022 Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine is a 24-division circuit devoted to weekend anglers, with 128 tournaments throughout the season, five qualifying events in each division. The top 45 boaters and Strike King co-anglers from each division, along with the five winners of the qualifying events, will advance to one of six Regional Championships 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 Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American. The location for the 2023 Phoenix All-American Championship will be held at a location announced soon.
Proud sponsors of the 2022 MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine include: 4WP, 13 Fishing, Abu Garcia, AFTCO, A.R.E. Truck Caps, B&W Trailer Hitches, Berkley, Black Rifle Coffee, E3, Epic Baits, Favorite Fishing, Gary Yamamoto Baits, General Tire, Lew’s, Lowrance, Lucas Oil, Mercury, Mossy Oak, Onyx, Phoenix, Polaris, Power-Pole, Revital Outdoors, Strike King, Tackle Warehouse, T-H Marine, Toyota, Wiley X, YETI and Yo-Zuri.
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.
Coulter Jumps to Early Lead at MLF Bass Pro Tour General Tire Stage Five on Watts Bar Lake
Tennessee Pro Boats 12 Scorable Bass Weighing 30 Pounds, 6 Ounces to Lead by 11 Ounces After Day 1 for Group A – Group B Begins Competition Sunday
SPRING CITY, Tenn. (June 4, 2022) – Despite only catching one bass in the third and final period of the day, pro Brandon Coulter of Knoxville, Tennessee managed to stay atop the leaderboard and grab the early lead for Group A on Day 1 of the General Tire Stage Five on Watts Bar Lake Presented by Covercraft in Spring City, Tennessee.
The six-day event, hosted by Rhea County Tourism and Fish Spring City, features 80 of the top professional bass-fishing anglers in the world competing for a total event purse of $805,000, including a top cash prize of $100,000 to the winner. The tournament is livestreamed each day at MajorLeagueFishing.com and the MOTV app and filmed for broadcast later this fall on the Discovery Channel.
Coulter brings a modest lead into Monday’s second day of competition for Group A, with a mere 11-ounce margin over second place angler Takahiro Omori of Tokyo, Japan, who caught 13 bass totaling 29-11. Port St. Joe, Florida, pro Randall Tharp sits in third place, with a total of 11 bass weighing 24-9. After leading at the end of the first period, Bass Pro Shops pro Timmy Horton of Muscle Shoals, Alabama , finished the day in fourth place with 11 bass for a total of 22-7, while General Tire pro Andy Montgomery of Blacksburg, South Carolina finished the day with 11 bass weighing 21-11 to round out the top five.
The 40 anglers in Group A will now have an off day from competition, while the 40 anglers competing in Group B will begin their first day of competition Sunday. Group A will resume competition on Monday.
“Well, that was unexpected. I mean, I do have a house here on Watts Bar Lake, but I don’t fish here nearly as often as some of these other guys, so this was really unexpected,” Coulter said. “I thought I had a good game plan – it’s a Saturday and there was a big team tournament out there today – but I had a good plan and I stuck to it.
“We really had a blast today, just bounced around,” Coulter continued. “There were a lot of boats on the water, but we just fished little ditch places until we finally landed on them – and when we did, man was it fun.”
Coulter said he left his main spot after 30 minutes when he had only caught one fish. But after catching a few more in some brush piles, he decided to hit it one more time before leaving the area.
“I’d caught a four-pounder there during practice – so I ran back to it, and it was lights out,” Coulter continued. “You’ve really got to have a place that will fire on the Tennessee River, and we had that today.”
Coulter said he credits his big fish today – including the 6-pound, 8-ounce largemouth he boated during Period 2 – to a deep-diving crankbait with Savage Gear Savage Grip treble hooks on a 7’4” Medium Heavy Savage Gear Battletek Crankbait Rod with a 6:1 Savage Gear Reel and 12-pound Berkley Trilene 100% Fluorocarbon Line .
“The biggest player for me today was the Savage Gear Savage Grip Treble Hooks,” Coulter said. “It’s basically a triple-grip treble with braid instead of a traditional loop. I didn’t lose a single fish today, thanks to those hooks – and reeling in that 6-8 – that was incredible.
“Not sure if we will find it again on Monday, but we survived today and have a shot to win our Qualifying Round and go on to the Championship Round, so that’s what we’re working towards. It was a great day, all in all,” Coulter finished.
The top 20 pros in Group A after Day 1 on Watts Bar Lake are:
1st: Brandon Coulter, Knoxville, Tenn., 12 bass, 30-6
2nd: Takahiro Omori, Tokyo, Japan, 13 bass, 29-11
3rd: Randall Tharp, Port St. Joe, Fla., 11 bass, 24-9
4th: Timmy Horton, Muscle Shoals, Ala., 11 bass, 22-7
5th: Andy Montgomery, Blacksburg, S.C., 11 bass, 21-11
6th: Kevin VanDam, Kalamazoo, Mich., nine bass, 21-3
7th: Mark Davis, Mount Ida, Ark., seven bass, 20-12
8th: Mark Daniels, Jr., Tuskegee, Ala., nine bass, 20-6
9th: Michael Neal, Dayton, Tenn., nine bass, 18-5
10th: Alton Jones, Lorena, Texas, 10 bass, 18-3
11th: Gary Klein, Mingus, Texas, seven bass, 17-2
12th: Wesley Strader, Spring City, Tenn., nine bass, 15-12
13th: Andy Morgan, Dayton, Tenn., seven bass, 15-11
14th: Bobby Lane, Lakeland, Fla., six bass, 14-11
15th: Ryan Salzman, Huntsville, Ala., eight bass, 14-4
16th: Jordan Lee, Cullman, Ala., seven bass, 14-2
17th: Brent Ehrler, Redlands, Calif., seven bass, 14-1
18th: Dean Rojas, Lake Havasu City, Ariz., six bass, 12-14
19th: Randy Howell, Guntersville, Ala., five bass, 12-9
20th: Dakota Ebare, Brookeland, Texas, five bass, 11-9
A complete list of results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
Overall, there were 232 scorable bass weighing 500 pounds, 3 ounces caught by 38 pros Saturday.
Coulter caught a 6-pound, 8-ounce bass that earned him the first $1,000 Berkley Big Bass Award of the event. Berkley awards $1,000 to the angler who weighs the heaviest bass each day, and a $3,000 bonus to the angler who weighs the heaviest bass of the tournament.
The 40 Anglers in Group A compete in their two-day qualifying round on Saturday and Monday – the 40 anglers in Group B on Sunday and Tuesday. After each two-day qualifying round is complete, the anglers that finish in 2nd through 20th place from both groups advance to Wednesday’s Knockout Round, while the winner of each group advances directly to Thursday’s Championship Round. In the Knockout Round, weights are zeroed, and the remaining 38 anglers compete to finish in the top 8 to advance to the Championship Round. In the final day Championship Round, weights are zeroed, and the highest one-day total wins the top prize of $100,000.
Anglers will launch each day at 7:30 a.m. ET from the Spring City Boat Ramp, located at 417 Toestring Valley Road in Spring City, Tennessee. Each day’s General Tire Takeout will be held at the ramp, beginning at 4 p.m. Fans are welcome and encouraged to attend all launch and takeout events and to follow the event online throughout the day on the MLF NOW!® live stream and SCORETRACKER® coverage at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
The General Tire Stage Five on Watts Bar Lake Presented by Covercraft features anglers competing with a 1-pound, 8-ounce minimum weight requirement for a bass to be deemed scorable. Minimum weights are determined individually for each competition waters that the Bass Pro Tour visits, based on the productivity, bass population and anticipated average size of fish in each fishery.
The Bass Pro Tour features a field of 80 of the top professional anglers in the world competing across seven regular-season tournaments around the country, competing for millions of dollars and valuable points to qualify for the annual General Tire Heavy Hitters all-star event and the REDCREST 2023 championship.
The MLF NOW!® broadcast team of Chad McKee, Marty Stone and J.T. Kenney will break down the extended action on all six days of competition from 7:45 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. ET. MLF NOW!® will be live streamed on MajorLeagueFishing.com and the MyOutdoorTV (MOTV) app.
Television coverage of the General Tire Stage Five on Watts Bar Lake Presented by Covercraft will premiere at 7 a.m. ET, Oct. 29 on the Discovery Channel. New MLF episodes premiere each Saturday morning on the Discovery Channel, with additional re-airings on the Outdoor Channel. Each two-hour long reality-based episode goes in-depth to break down each day of competition.
Proud sponsors of the 2022 MLF Bass Pro Tour include: 13 Fishing, Abu Garcia, A.R.E. Truck Caps, B&W Trailer Hitches, BallyBet, Bass Cat, Bass Pro Shops, Berkley, Covercraft, Favorite Fishing, Garmin, General Tire, Googan Baits, Grundéns, Guaranteed Rate, Humminbird, Lowrance, Luminox, Mercury, Minn Kota, Mossy Oak, Nitro Performance Boats, Onyx, Plano, Power-Pole, Power Stop, Rapala, Starbrite, Toro, Toyota, Wrangler, Yellowstone Bourbon and Zoom.
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.
Brandon Lester Holds On To Top Spot At Bassmaster Elite Series Event On Pickwick Lake
Brandon Lester of Fayetteville, Tenn., is leading after Day 3 of the 2022 Whataburger Bassmaster Elite at Pickwick Lake with a three-day total of 63 pounds, 3 ounces.
Photo by Seigo Saito/B.A.S.S.
June 4, 2022
COUNCE, Tenn. — Saying you need 20 pounds per day to win is one thing, but actually producing those results hasn’t been an easy task at the Whataburger Bassmaster Elite at Pickwick Lake.
Unless you’re Brandon Lester.
The veteran Elite Series pro bagged a 21-pound, 6-ounce limit on Day 3 of the tournament, giving him a three-day total of 15 bass weighing 63-3. Lester’s weight on Saturday matched the 21-6 he produced on Day 1 and followed his 20-7 from Day 2.
The 34-year-old pro from Fayetteville, Tenn., (about two hours from Pickwick Landing State Park), is the only angler among the 91 who started the tournament who has caught at least 20 pounds daily. It has him in the pole position on this 43,100-acre impoundment of the Tennessee River that flows between Alabama, Mississippi and Tennessee.
“I feel pretty good,” he said. “I’ve been here before. I know you can’t count on things before they happen, but the fish are there.”
Lester didn’t take a long time to find bass Saturday, with his second catch earning him the Phoenix Boats Big Bass of the Day.
“A 6-13 was my second fish. That was nice,” he said, smiling at the good fortune he hopes to stretch one more day.
Lester has built his lead on a primary location that slopes from 5 to 8 feet in depth. On Day 1, he used a Strike King 4.0 crankbait to catch most of his best bass, though a 6-9 he hooked came on a football jig. The past two days, he’s relied on a Berkley MaxScent Magnum Hit Worm (plum apple) with a 1/8-ounce Mustad tungsten nail weight in the head.
“It’s typical ledge stuff,” he said. “I’m in a small spot. It’s a clean spot and I’m dialed in. I found it the third morning of practice. There was a big tournament won there maybe 10 years ago. I was idling through there and I saw them on my side scope. When I saw them, I knew it was a special spot.”
A pair of Elite Series rookies — and veterans of the Strike King Bassmaster College Series presented by Bass Pro Shops — are his closest competitors.
Cody Huff, a 25-year-old pro from Ava, Mo., who fished collegiately at Bethel University, remained in second place with 59-13. Jacob Foutz, a 23-year-old from Charleston, Tenn., who fished for Bryan College, is third with 58-5.
Both anglers qualified for Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic presented by Huk when they were in college and worked their way into the Elites through the St. Croix Bassmaster Opens presented by Mossy Oak Fishing. Now roommates on the Elite Series, they have vast experience on Pickwick, much like Lester who has fished competitively here throughout his career.
Huff said earlier that he feels at home on Pickwick and the results show it. He caught a 19-5 limit on Saturday, leaning on a lure that helped him win a college national championship on Oklahoma’s Lake Tenkiller in 2018.
“It’s a Dixie Jet Talon spoon,” he said of his confidence bait. “I caught 22 pounds on it yesterday and 19 pounds today. It has a slow fall for being such a big bait because it’s so wide ... I’ve been throwing the shattered glass color, but I don’t think it makes a difference. You just surprise them with it.”
Foutz was in sixth place heading into Saturday’s action, and he wasted no time making his move up the leaderboard, finishing Day 3 with a 21-4 limit.
“I think in my first seven casts I caught almost 18 pounds,” Foutz said. “I culled up a few more times in the morning and then I pretty much sat there and guarded my hole so no one else could get on it. I’ve caught all my fish pretty much in one spot this week and it keeps reloading.”
Foutz said he knew right away Saturday his spot was going to produce again.
“I think they’re pulling up and feeding on shad,” he said. “They came up schooling this morning. I looked at my cameraman and said 'it’s about to go down.' They were blowing shad out of the water.”
Foutz said he’s caught “95 percent” of his bass this week on a Strike King 10XD crankbait and a Zoom Ol’ Monster worm.
“Most of them have been in about 18 feet of water, sliding down to about 23, 24 feet,” he said.
The Top 10 anglers made the Day 3 cut and will fish Sunday for the $100,000 prize that goes to the winner. Joining Lester, Huff and Foutz are, fourth, Maryland’s Bryan Schmitt, 56-14; fifth, Florida’s John Cox, 56-6; sixth, Texas pro Chris Zaldain, 56-2; seventh, Idaho’s Brandon Palaniuk, 54-9; eighth, Kentucky’s Matt Robertson, 53-8; ninth, Japan’s Kenta Kimura, 53-5; and 10th, Alabama’s Justin Atkins, 53-4.
Zaldain took the lead for the VMC Monster Bag of the tournament with a 22-8 limit Saturday. He said his entire bag was caught in approximately 35 feet of water with 6 and 7-inch prototype swimbaits from Bass Mafia, which he’ll reveal Sunday.
Palaniuk maintained the lead in a tightly contested race for the Progressive Insurance Bassmaster Angler of the Year title with 536 points. He is followed closely by Cox (518), Tennessee pro David Mullins (486), Lester (477) and Georgia pro Drew Benton (440).
Alabamian Joseph Webster held onto the lead in the Falcon Rods Bassmaster Rookie of the Year race with 373 points, followed by Foutz (371) and Wisconsin pro Jay Przekurat (355).
The final day will begin Sunday with a 7 a.m. CT with takeoff from Pickwick Landing State Park. Weigh-in is scheduled for 3:10 p.m. Coverage will be available on Bassmaster.com and the FOX Sports digital platforms. FS1 will also broadcast live with the tournament leaders beginning at 7 a.m.
KVD Weighs in on Watts Bar
Courtesy of Luke Stoner - Dynamic Sponsorships
SPRING CITY, Tn. – Competition is underway on Watts Bar Lake for General Tire Stage Five of the Bass Pro Tour. As Group A anglers were launching this morning at the Spring City Boat Ramp lots of comments regarding the “tough fishing” were overheard. Anglers’ expectations are set during their two days of official practice before the tournament begins and from the sounds of it, Watts Bar is proving to be quite the puzzle this week.
It's worth noting that Bass Pro Tour competitors are notorious sandbaggers, and always find a way to light up the SCORETRACKER once “lines in” is called. This is especially true on the Tennessee River chain in the summertime, as most of the field spends nearly their entire practice idling with eyes glued to their electronics. Looking for schools of bass on offshore ledges, marking brush piles and other “deep” structure, often making little-to-no casts on their best areas until the tournament begins.
But when Team Toyota pro Kevin VanDam started pulling out several rods rigged with shallow-water presentations as his boat official backed his Tundra down the boat ramp, I realized this might not be your typical TVA tournament in June. While KVD hails from Kalamazoo, Michigan he’s earned the title of “honorary Tennessee River resident” throughout his career.
VanDam has literally won millions of dollars throwing deep diving crankbaits like a Strike King 6XD on offshore ledges up and down the Tennessee River over the years, and has taught a generation of anglers how to effectively fish these places in the process. We asked KVD to weigh in on Watts Bar and as you’d imagine, seeing “Dr. Crankenstein” rigged mostly for shallow water proved very telling.
Q – Will this tournament be dominated offshore like we would typically expect on the Tennessee River in the summertime?
KVD – “No, not in my opinion,” VanDam said. “I am going to mix it up, fishing offshore about 40% of the time and shallow the other 60%. Practice was pretty brutal on me, and while I did catch a couple out there (offshore) most of my bites came shallow. There are plenty of docks, laydowns, and some milfoil here which really opens your options the first week of June.”
Q – What is one similarity, and one difference, between Watts Bar and the other more familiar Tennessee River fisheries?
KVD – “One thing Watts Bar has in common with Kentucky Lake or Chickamauga or Guntersville is it has grass, milfoil specifically,” VanDam said. “Grass is one of the things that makes all these lakes so healthy. One big difference is Watts Bar doesn’t have nearly as many “flat ledges” as the TVA lakes south of here do. This place sets up much deeper and has more of a highland reservoir feel to it.”
Q – Do you expect Watts Bar to fish small this week, due to the lack of expansive offshore areas?
KVD – “Even though it doesn’t get the attention as the rest of the TVA chain, Watts Bar really is a good sized lake, so with our small field I don’t think guys will be stacked on top of each other,” VanDam explained. “There is a big St. Judes local tournament going on today that launched before our group at 6:00A.M. This weekend we might have to deal with some crowds, but I expect guys to be spread out for the most part.”
Q- What will be your target weight for day one of competition?
KVD – “Man, if I can catch 12-pounds a day I will be happy,” VanDam said. “I know that doesn’t sound like much, and this place is full of fish, but I just didn’t catch very many scoreablesthroughout practice. If this was a striped bass tournament I’d be shooting for 100-lbs. a day, this place has some giants of that flavor!”
Tosh Tops at Toyota Series Western Division Finale on California Delta
BETHEL ISLAND, Calif. (June 3, 2022) – Pro Stephen “Bub” Tosh, Jr., of Modesto, California, brought a five-bass limit to the scale Saturday weighing 17 pounds, 15 ounces to win the Toyota Series Presented by A.R.E. at the California Delta and earn the top payout of $25,604. Tosh’s three-day total of 15 bass weighing 59 pounds even earned him the victory by a 4-pound, 3-ounce margin over second place pro Lane Olson of Forest Grove, Oregon, who caught 15 bass weighing 54-13 to finish second and earn $9,922.
To do so, Tosh said he combined a duo of baits that are out of production with a modern-day staple.
“I had two 6-pounders this week and a couple of 5-pounders, but no giant fish,” he said. “Most of my fish came on a Transporter Frog made by Paycheck Baits that I designed years ago. They haven’t made them in years, but they’re going for $60 to $80 on eBay.”
Tosh’s other legacy bait was a Paycheck Baits Punch Skirt, another throwback to another time that he still has a few of in his tackle shop.
To supplement those baits, Tosh added a ChatterBait, a wacky-rigged Senko and a Lobina Rico Popper that helped him cull up with mostly 3-pounders. He boated them in secret, in hidden cuts and pockets tucked deep in the Delta’s maze, and that, he said, was by design.
“I think about my grandpa out there,” he added. “I think about my dad who doesn’t fish much anymore. I think about that older generation watching and fishing vicariously through me. I’m a tournament warrior that was raised by an extreme angler who fished until he couldn’t anymore.”
The top 10 pros on the California Delta finished:
1st: Stephen Tosh, Jr., Modesto, Calif., 15 bass, 59-0, $25,604
2nd: Lane Olson, Forest Grove, Ore., 15 bass, 54-13, $9,922
3rd: Nick Salvucci, Atascadero, Calif., 14 bass, 53-12, $7,681
4th: Randy Pierson, Oakdale, Calif., 15 bass, 52-9, $7,401
5th: Ronald Lorenzo, Princeton, Calif., 15 bass, 52-7, $5,761
6th: Christian Ostrander, Turlock, Calif., 15 bass, 52-5, $5,621
7th: Phillip Dutra, Guntersville, Ala., 15 bass, 52-0, $4,481
8th: Brett Leber, Dixon, Calif., 15 bass, 50-14, $3,841
9th: Benjamin Byrd, Moab, Utah, 15 bass, 48-6, $3,200
10th: Michael Caruso, Peoria, Ariz., 15 bass, 47-15, $2,560
Complete results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
Pro Gregg Leonard of Wilton, California, won the $500 Day 1 Berkley Big Bass award in the pro division Thursday with a largemouth weighing 9 pounds, 9 ounces. Ostrander earned Friday’s $500 Berkley Big Bass award with a 7-pound, 12-ounce bass.
Pierson took home an extra $1,000 as the highest finishing Phoenix MLF Bonus member. Boaters are eligible to win up to an extra $35,000 per event in each Toyota Series tournament if all requirements are met. More information on the Phoenix MLF Bonus contingency program can be found at PhoenixBassBoats.com.
Tyson Christman of Glendale, Arizona, won the Strike King Co-angler Division Saturday with a three-day total of 15 bass weighing 35 pounds, 4 ounces. Bloom took home the top prize package of a new Phoenix 518 Pro bass boat with a 115-horsepower Mercury outboard motor.
The top 10 Strike King co-anglers on the California Delta finished:
1st: Tyson Christman, Glendale, Ariz., 15 bass, 35-4, Phoenix 518 Pro boat w/115-hp Mercury outboard
2nd: Brandon Gee, Yuba City, Calif., 15 bass, 34-5, $3,461
3rd: Scott Bern, San Rafael, Calif., 12 bass, 30-12, $2,799
4th: J.D. Farage, Discovery Bay, Calif., 14 bass, 30-12, $2,317
5th: Jay Guterding, Redding, Calif., 15 bass, 30-10, $1,986
6th: Dominick Mohameds, Oakley, Calif., 15 bass, 30-1, $1,655
7th: Cody Crist, Ramona, Calif., 15 bass, 30-1, $1,324
8th: Daniel Lutz, Las Vegas, Nev., 13 bass, 29-13, $1,159
9th: David Zavvar, Concord, Calif., 14 bass, 29-6, $993
10th: Tracy Patton, Oakdale, Calif., 12 bass, 29-2, $1,228
The Day 1 Berkley Big Bass $150 award winner in the Strike King co-angler division, was Bern with a largemouth weighing 8 pounds even, while the Day 2 $150 award went to Firuz Gizatullin of Discovery Bay, California, who weighed in a 6-pound, 14-ounce largemouth.
With the Toyota Series Western Division regular season now complete, pro David Valdivia of Riverside, California, has won the Toyota Series Western Division Pro Angler of the Year (AOY) race with 747 points, while Tyson Christman of Glendale, Arizona, won the Strike King Co-Angler Division AOY race with 750 points.
The next event for Toyota Series anglers will take place June 23-25 – the Toyota Series Presented by A.R.E. at the Potomac River in Marbury, Maryland. For a complete schedule, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com.
The 2022 Toyota Series Presented by A.R.E. consists of six divisions – Central, Northern, Plains Presented by Outlaw Ordnance, Southern, Southwestern Presented by Outlaw Ordnance and Western – each holding three regular-season events, along with the International and Wild Card divisions. Anglers who fish in any of the six divisions and finish in the top 25 – or the top 12 from the Wild Card division – will qualify for the no-entry-fee Toyota Series Presented by A.R.E. Championship for a shot at winning up to $235,000 cash. The winning Strike King co-angler at the championship earns a new Phoenix 518 Pro bass boat with a 115-horsepower Mercury outboard. The 2022 Toyota Series Presented by A.R.E. Championship will be held Nov. 3-5 on Lake Guntersville in Guntersville, Alabama, and is hosted by Marshall County Tourism and Sports.
Proud sponsors of the 2022 MLF Toyota Series Presented by A.R.E. include: 4WP, 13 Fishing, Abu Garcia, AFTCO, A.R.E. Truck Caps, B&W Trailer Hitches, Berkley, Black Rifle Coffee, E3, Epic Baits, Favorite Fishing, Gary Yamamoto Baits, General Tire, Lew’s, Lowrance, Lucas Oil, Mercury, Mossy Oak, Onyx, Outlaw Ordnance, Phoenix, Polaris, Power-Pole, Strike King, Tackle Warehouse, T-H Marine, Toyota, Wiley X and YETI.
For complete details and updated information visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow the MLF Toyota Series on the MLF5 social media outlets at Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.
Conner Cunningham Extends Lead into Final Day of Phoenix All-American Presented by T-H Marine at Lake Hamilton
Ozark Division Boater Catches 15-Pound, 2-Ounce Limit to Pad Lead to More Than 8 Pounds, Final 10 Boaters and Co-anglers Ready for Championship Saturday
HOT SPRINGS, Ark. (June 3, 2022) – It is turning in to the Conner Cunningham show at Lake Hamilton this week. After starting the day in with a 4-pound, 10-ounce lead, Cunningham, from Springfield, Missouri, weighed in a five-bass limit Friday totaling 15 pounds, 2 ounces, to extend his lead and pace the final 10 boaters that have now qualified to compete on Championship Saturday at the 39th annual Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American Championship on Lake Hamilton Presented by T-H Marine in Hot Springs, Arkansas.
Cunningham’s two-day total of 10 bass weighing 32-10 will give him an 8-pound, 5-ounce advantage heading into the final day of competition. Boater Hunter Eubanks of Inman, South Carolina, weighed in a two-day total of 10 bass for 24-5 to finish Day 2 in second place, while Alexandria, Kentucky’s Sean Wieda rounds out the top three with a two-day total of 22-12.
The final 10 boaters and Strike King Co-anglers are now set, and competition will resume tomorrow morning on Championship Saturday. The three-day tournament, hosted by the Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism and Visit Hot Springs, features the nation’s best weekend grassroots anglers competing for a top prize of up to $120,000, and a top prize of $50,000 for the winning Strike King co-angler.
“Today definitely blew all of my expectations out of the water,” a happy Cunningham said after weighing in on Friday. “I’m honored to just be here, let alone leading this thing. The worst that I can do tomorrow is 10th place.”
Cunningham said that he fished the same way Friday that he did on Day 1, covering water and hitting around 30 different spots with a trio of baits that he declined to divulge.
“I’m just covering a ton of water and fishing what’s in front of me,” Cunningham said. “I caught my last fish today out deep, cranking a hump, and I was fortunate that it was a five-pounder.
“Tomorrow, I’ll fish my fish the whole entire day,” Cunningham said. “I’ve been trying to save some. This lake is small, and I’ve been laying off them the last couple of days and trying to save them. I’m going to milk it for everything it’s worth tomorrow.”
When asked what he thought about being so close to the top payout of $120,000 and how he was feeling, the Ozark Division angler said that he would sleep just fine on Friday night.
“I try not to think about the money – I just leave it with the man upstairs,” Cunningham went on to say. “If He wants me to win, I’ll win. Now tomorrow morning when I’m taking off at 6:30 a.m. it might be a whole different ball of wax, but right now I’m just so happy to be here I think I’ll sleep just fine tonight.
The top 10 boaters advancing to the final day of the All-American on Lake Hamilton are:
1st: Connor Cunningham, Springfield, Mo., 10 bass, 32-10
2nd: Hunter Eubanks, Inman, S.C., 10 bass, 24-5
3rd: Sean Wieda, Alexandria, Ky., 10 bass, 22-12
4th: Brian Bean, Hot Springs, Ark., 10 bass, 22-4
5th: David Lowery, Milledgeville, Ga., 10 bass, 21-7
6th: Ryan Powroznik, Hopewell, Va., 10 bass, 21-6
7th: Andy Wicker, Cayce, S.C., 10 bass, 20-12
8th: Jonathan Crossland, Chapin, S.C., 10 bass, 20-7
9th: Justin Kimmel, Athens, Ga., 10 bass, 20-4
10th: Mike Reid, Greenville, Texas, 10 bass, 19-5
Finishing in 11th through 49th are:
11th: Drew Tabor, Harrison, Ark., 10 bass, 19-4, $3,000
12th: Wade Ramsey, Choctaw, Okla., 10 bass, 18-15, $3,000
13th: Mike Brueggen, La Crosse, Wis., 10 bass, 18-8, $3,000
14th: George Brown, Camby, Ind., 10 bass, 18-6, $3,000
15th: Preston Henson, College Grove, Tenn., 10 bass, 18-4, $3,000
16th: Matthew Marinelli, Salem, Conn., 10 bass, 18-4, $3,000
17th: Brad Kell, Benton, Ky., 10 bass, 18-4, $3,000
18th: Brad Jelinek, Lincoln, Mo., 10 bass, 18-2, $3,000
19th: Brody Campbell, Oxford, Ohio, 10 bass, 17-13, $3,000
20th: David Bright, Mooresville, N.C., 10 bass, 17-6, $3,000
21st: Chris Wilkinson, Farmersburg, Ind., 10 bass, 17-2, $2,000
22nd: Laker Howell, Guntersville, Ala., 10 bass, 17-1, $2,000
23rd: Matt Henry, Milledgeville, Ga., 10 bass, 17-1, $2,000
24th: Jarrett Martin, Mansfield, Ohio, 10 bass, 17-0, $2,000
25th: Darren Ashley, Calhoun Falls, S.C., 10 bass, 16-14, $2,000
26th: Kevin Brown, Hot Springs, Ark., 10 bass, 16-9, $2,000
27th: Taylor Parker, Lake View, Ala., 10 bass, 16-9, $2,000
28rd: Perry Dawson, Rockwood, Tenn., 10 bass, 16-8, $2,000
29rd: Michael Duarte, Baltimore, Md., 10 bass, 16-7, $2,000
30th: Steve Phillips, Douglas, Ga., 10 bass, 16-7, $2,000
31th: Chase Stewart, Ware Shoals, S.C., 10 bass, 15-10, $1,500
32nd: Kevin Powers, Unicoi, Tenn., 10 bass, 15-5, $1,500
33th: Robert Crosnoe, Inverness, Fla., nine bass, 15-3, $1,500
34th: Paul Bottali, York, Pa., 10 bass, 15-2, $1,500
35th: Scott Browning, Franklin, N.C., nine bass, 14-6, $1,500
36th: Jim Vitaro, Wooster, Ohio, 10 bass, 14-3, $1,500
37th: Brien Vaughn, Walnut Shade, Mo., 10 bass, 14-0, $1,500
38th: Ryan Deal, Evansville, Ind., nine bass, 13-11, $1,500
39th: David Rice, Galena, Mo., nine bass, 13-10, $1,500
40th: Eddie Hinojosa, Kingsburg, Calif., nine bass, 13-3, $1,500
41nd: Christopher Helfer, Baltimore, Ohio, nine bass, 13-3, $1,500
42th: Jordan Hirt, Glenwood, Iowa, 10 bass, 13-3, $1,500
43th: Randy Siemens, Kalispell, Mont., nine bass, 13-2, $1,500
44th: Scott Bonnema, Deerwood, Minn., nine bass, 12-7, $1,500
45th: Bill Buckner, Scottsburg, Ind., 10 bass, 11-14, $1,500
46rd: Hunter Litchfield, Macomb, Ill., nine bass, 11-12, $1,500
47st: Tyler Smith, Selma, Ala., eight bass, 10-8, $1,500
48nd: Christopher Chavis, Guyton, Ga., seven bass, 9-11, $1,500
49th: Taylor Johnson, Texarkana, Ark., six bass, 8-9, $1,500
A full list of results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
Overall, there were 231 bass weighing 395 pounds, 10 ounces caught by 49 boaters Friday. The catch included 39 five-bass limits.
After two days of competition, co-angler Cory Guinn of Mountain Rest, South Carolina, leads the Strike King Co-angler Division at Lake Hamilton with a total of 10 bass weighing 18 pounds, 7 ounces. Guinn will bring a 3-pound, 8-ounce lead into Championship Saturday over second-place co-angler Clint Horton of Falkner, Mississippi, who weighed in a two-day total of 10 bass totaling 14 pounds, 15 ounces.
“As long as the shallow bite is working and those deep bites set up on brush piles, it should be a good day. Really it is just going to depend on what my boater is wanting to do,” Guinn said.
“I didn’t have a single bite until about 10 this morning,” Guinn said. “As soon as the sun came out though, the fish started setting up right. I caught two back-to-back and it really got me going for the rest of the day.”
Guinn hails from Mountain Rest, South Carolina, more than 700 miles away from Hot Springs and Lake Hamilton. Although the distance may be far, the Palmetto State co-angler says that he feels right at home in the Ozarks because of the characteristics of Hamilton.
“Just like our lakes back home, Lake Hamilton has threadfin shad,” Guinn said. “There’s also a ton of docks and offshore brush piles. Learning how to skip docks really helps fishing here because when the sun is out here, these fish love to set up under those docks.”
The top 10 Strike King co-anglers advancing to the final day of competition at the All-American on Lake Hamilton are:
1st: Cory Guinn, Mountain Rest, S.C., 10 bass, 18-7
2nd: Clint Horton, Falkner, Miss., 10 bass, 14-15
3rd: Brendan Vinton, Braintree, Vt., nine bass, 14-8
4th: Zachary Verbugge, Lake Havasu, Ariz., 10 bass, 14-8
5th: Eric Eden, Hartsville, Tenn., 10 bass, 13-15
6th: Evan Eldred, Gaines, Mich., nine bass, 13-14
7th: Hunter Dahnke, Missoula, Mont., 10 bass, 13-11
8th: Jeffery Johnson, Austin, Ind., 10 bass, 13-1
9th: Alan Hill, Ada, Okla., eight bass, 12-15
10th: Steven Obester, Palatka, Fla., seven bass, 12-12
Finishing in 11th through 49th are:
11th: Chandler White, Covington, Ga., seven bass, 12-11, $1,500
12th: Kenneth Hunnicut, Jacksonville, Fla., eight bass, 12-7, $1,500
13th: Billy Rusher, Lincoln, Ark., six bass, 12-6, $1,500
14th: Scott Blaesi, Maxwell, Neb., eight bass, 11-12, $1,500
15th: Harold Addison II, Columbia, S.C., eight bass, 10-15, $1,500
16th: Harrison McCall, Salisbury, N.C., eight bass, 10-10, $1,500
17th: Brian Short, Oxford, Ohio, seven bass, 10-8, $1,500
18th: Randy Allen, Russellville, Ark., 10 bass, 10-7, $1,500
19th: Gilbert Jolley, Livingston, Tenn., eight bass, 10-6, $1,500
20th: Kim Sapetti, Chatham, Ill., seven bass, 10-0, $1,500
21st: Drew Cress, Highland, Ill., six bass, 9-7, $1,000
22nd: Gary Owens, Columbus, Ind., seven bass, 9-1, $1,000
23rd: Randy Paquette, Sarasota, Fla., eight bass, 9-1, $1,000
24th: B.K. Kelley, Chester, Va., seven bass, 9-0, $1,000
25th: Brian Choate, Conway, Ark., seven bass, 8-12, $1,000
26th: Brad Smith, Montevallo, Ala., seven bass, 8-5, $1,000
27th: Andy Vance, Danville, Ind., five bass, 8-4, $1,000
28th: Carl Whipple, Manassas, Va., seven bass, 8-1, $1,000
29th: Patrick Weir, Park Hill, Okla., four bass, 7-9, $1,000
30th: Kyle Rogers, Cleveland, Ga., seven bass, 7-6, $1,000
31st: Pop Catalin, Cookeville, Tenn., six bass, 7-1, $750
32nd: Steve Sorrell, Beavercreek, Ohio, eight bass, 7-1, $750
33rd: Blake Hollingsworth, Oxford, Ala., six bass, 6-14, $750
34th: Danny Robinson, Fairland, Ind., five bass, 6-4, $750
35th: Gary Meredith, Mount Juliet, Tenn., six bass, 6-0, $750
36th: Tyler Stuart, Manchester, Mo., five bass, 5-10, $750
37th: Randy Hudson, Columbus, N.C., five bass, 5-8, $750
38th: Brian Zelinskas, Beavercreek, Ohio, four bass, 5-5, $750
39th: John Martin, Ridley Park, Pa., four bass, 5-5, $750
40th: Andrew Wooley, Little Rock, Ark., four bass, 5-2, $750
41st: Samuel Jones, Fuquay Varina, N.C., five bass, 5-0, $750
42nd: Luke Schmits, Alexandria, Ky., four bass, 5-0, $750
43rd: Jarrod Bailey, Salyersville, Ky., three bass, 4-15, $750
44th: James Menold, Amory, Miss., four bass, 4-14, $750
45th: David Ondrla, Elmhurst, Ill., four bass, 4-8, $750
46th: Max Stawinoga, Prairie du Sac, Wis., three bass, 3-7, $750
47th: Max Meister, Atco, N.J., three bass, 3-5, $750
48th: Russell Woodson, Jonesville, S.C., three bass, 3-1, $750
49th: Chris Grimes, Thurmont, Md., one bass, 1-3, $750
Overall, there were 150 bass weighing 206 pounds, 7 ounces caught by 43 Strike King Co-anglers on Friday. The catch included 16 five-bass limits.
The full field of 49 boaters and 49 Strike King co-anglers competed on Days 1 (Thursday) and 2 (Friday) of the event. Now, after two days of competition, the field is cut to just the top 10 boaters and co-anglers based on two-day total cumulative weight, and the final 10 anglers compete tomorrow on Championship Saturday. The boater and co-angler that catch the heaviest three-day total weight will be crowned the 39th Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American Champions.
The final 10 boaters and Strike King Co-anglers will launch Saturday morning at 6:30 a.m. CT from the Andrew Hulsey Fish Hatchery, located at 350 Fish Hatchery Road in Hot Springs. Saturday’s Championship weigh-in will be held at the launch location and will begin at 2:30 p.m. Fans are welcome to attend Saturday’s launch and weigh-in events and encouraged to follow the event’s online coverage at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
The 2021 Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine was a 24-division circuit devoted to weekend anglers, with 128 tournaments throughout the season, five qualifying events in each division. The top 45 boaters and Strike King co-anglers from each division, along with the five winners of the qualifying events, advanced to one of six Regional Championships where they competed to finish in the top six, which then advanced them to compete in the Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American.
Television coverage of the 2022 Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American will premiere in early October on CBS Sports and the Sportsman Channel. The full television air schedule can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
Proud sponsors of the 2022 MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine include: 4WP, 13 Fishing, Abu Garcia, AFTCO, A.R.E. Truck Caps, B&W Trailer Hitches, Berkley, Black Rifle Coffee, E3, Epic Baits, Favorite Fishing, Gary Yamamoto Baits, General Tire, Lew’s, Lowrance, Lucas Oil, Mercury, Mossy Oak, Onyx, Phoenix, Polaris, Power-Pole, Revital Outdoors, Strike King, Tackle Warehouse, T-H Marine, Toyota, Wiley X, YETI and Yo-Zuri.
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.
Tennessee Pro Lester Seizes Control Of Bassmaster Elite Series Event On Pickwick Lake
Brandon Lester of Fayetteville, Tenn., is leading after Day 2 of the 2022 Whataburger Bassmaster Elite at Pickwick Lake with a two-day total of 41 pounds, 13 ounces.
Photo by Seigo Saito/B.A.S.S.
June 3, 2022
COUNCE, Tenn. — Brandon Lester said his goal at the Whataburger Bassmaster Elite at Pickwick Lake is to weigh 20 pounds per day.
He’s halfway home and right on target.
Lester, a 34-year-old pro who resides in Fayetteville, Tenn., caught a 20-pound, 7-ounce limit on Friday, giving him a two-day total of 41-13 and the overall lead in the event. He was in fifth place after Day 1 with 21-6.
Lester predicted the tournament would be won on offshore ledges and he’s targeted those spots so far. It doesn’t hurt that he’s intimately familiar with the lake, living two hours away and fishing here in various derbies throughout his career.
Still, he said each of the 91 anglers competing this week is grinding to find the bites on the 41,300-acre impoundment that stretches through Alabama, Mississippi and Tennessee.
“Nothing comes easy,” Lester said. “I caught a solid bag off my main spot this morning and I made two critical culls later in the day, a 3 1/2 and a 3 3/4 that bumped me up another couple pounds. I had a sneaky spot where I caught one of those, but there’s not a lot of fish there. A school that sits on these spots might have seven or eight fish, but it's good for rolling up and getting a bite.
“I didn’t want to go to it, but I felt like I needed to,” he added, mentioning his 20-pound goal.
Having the right offshore space has been crucial so far on Pickwick, and Lester said protecting his main spot is ‘critical.’ Pickwick is one of the country’s most popular lakes for boating and the warm, late-spring weather expected this weekend will do nothing to change that.
“The community spots are taking a beating,” Lester said. “My spots are taking a beating too. I had a couple of locals watching me today. They might be out there pounding ’em right now. There’s so much unknown in a tournament like this. But it’s been a good tournament so far.”
Lester wanted to wait another day to divulge which lures he’s using or how deep he’s fishing, but he did say he’s looking for something specific on his depthfinder.
“When (anglers) start beating on those community schools, the fish start splitting up in satellite schools and setting up in different places,” he said. “I think I found one of them today and was able to make one of those culls.”
Cody Huff, a 25-year-old pro from Ava, Mo., is in second place with a two-day total of 40-8. He was 11th after Day 1 with 18-5 but jumped in the standings with 22-3 on Friday.
Like Lester, Huff has experience on Pickwick, having fished collegiately at Bethel University, which is located in McKenzie about 90 minutes north of the Pickwick Dam.
“This is a lake I got to spend some time on,” Huff said. “I got to fun fish, and I fished several college tournaments here this time of year too. This is the first (Elite Series tournament) this year at a place I’m familiar with.”
Huff’s bite came later Friday, after current started running through the impoundment.
“I had a pretty small bag until about noon,” he said. “When the current started rolling, I went back to a place I had fished earlier in the day, and it was just loaded. Things really went down for about 30 minutes. We got everything we needed.”
Huff said he’s throwing a variety of baits to spark bites.
“These fish are so smart and so pressured, it seems like you have to show them a lot to get them fired up,” he said. “I didn’t have (company) on my spot until this afternoon when (Day 1 leader) Matt Robertson rolled up whenever I was catching them. He may there be tomorrow ... You never know. Locals might be out there too, with us not taking off until 7 o’clock. It’ll be interesting.”
Robertson is still in the lead for VMC Monster Bag of the Week for his 22-6 limit on Day 1, but he fell to 18th after weighing in just four bass for 10-11 on Day 2.
Japan’s Taku Ito remains in third place behind Lester and Huff with a two-day total of 38-10. Unlike Day 1, when Ito relied on a baitcaster for some of his heaviest bass, he returned to his favorite technique on Friday, catching 16-9 all finesse fishing.
Like the two anglers ahead of him, Ito said finding the right bass took patience. He had seven catches on Friday.
“It was tough,” he said. “I couldn’t find a bass school until about 9 a.m., 10 a.m. But I found a smallmouth school and I caught them quickly. In the afternoon, I had a big bite and culled a couple of times.”
Ito said he found bass in 5 to 6 feet of water on Day 2, though he’s prepared to head back offshore to deeper water if necessary.
“It may be harder for me tomorrow,” he said. “But I’ll find them.”
Bryan Schmitt of Deale, Md., in fourth place with 38-1, and he provided the Yamaha Clip of the Day when a 4 1/2-pound bass came unhooked at the boat. Schmitt was able to grab the fish with his hand and add it to his livewell. The bass completed Schmitt’s limit, as he had only five catches on the day.
John Cox of DeBary, Fla., had 22-3 Friday and is in fifth place with 37-13. He caught each of his bass in a strikingly shallow depth, likely because of a mayfly hatch overnight.
“It was maybe 2 feet, a foot and a half,” he said. “Everything got perfect. The wind got right. It was blowing in on this little area. I think the deep fish decided to come up to eat bluegills (that were eating mayflies).
“It was just a magical area for a little bit of time,” he said. “I fished 50 or 60 areas today and nothing like that happened anywhere else.”
Tyler Rivet of Raceland, La., caught the Phoenix Boats Big Bass of the day – a 7-15 largemouth that was nearly half of his 17-7 haul.
Idaho pro Brandon Palaniuk maintained his lead in the Progressive Insurance Bassmaster Angler of the Year standings with 536 points. He is followed by Cox (518), Lester (477), Tennessee pro David Mullins (460) and veteran Arizona pro Clifford Pirch (448).
Alabamian Joseph Webster leads the Falcon Rods Bassmaster Rookie of the Year race with 370 points, followed by Tennessee’s Jacob Foutz (368) and Wisconsin’s Jay Przekurat (355).
The Top 47 remaining anglers will fish Saturday with takeoff scheduled for 7 a.m. CT from Pickwick Landing State Park. Weigh-in will be held at the park at 3:10 p.m. with only the Top 10 anglers advancing to Championship Sunday for a chance at the $100,000 first-place prize.
Coverage will be available on Bassmaster.com and the FOX Sports digital platforms. FS1 will also broadcast live with the tournament leaders beginning at 7 a.m.
2022 Whataburger Bassmaster at Pickwick Lake 6/2-6/5
Pickwick Lake, Counce TN.
(PROFESSIONAL) Standings Day 2
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Pts Total $$$
1. Brandon Lester Fayetteville, TN 10 41-13 100 $1,000.00
Day 1: 5 21-06 Day 2: 5 20-07
2. Cody Huff Ava, MO 10 40-08 99
Day 1: 5 18-05 Day 2: 5 22-03
3. Taku Ito Chiba JAPAN 10 38-10 98
Day 1: 5 22-01 Day 2: 5 16-09
4. Bryan Schmitt Deale, MD 10 38-01 97
Day 1: 5 20-05 Day 2: 5 17-12
5. John Cox Debary, FL 10 37-13 96
Day 1: 5 15-10 Day 2: 5 22-03
6. Jacob Foutz Charleston, TN 10 37-01 95
Day 1: 5 19-01 Day 2: 5 18-00
7. Brandon Palaniuk Rathdrum, ID 10 36-08 94
Day 1: 5 21-13 Day 2: 5 14-11
8. Austin Felix Eden Prairie, MN 10 36-03 93
Day 1: 5 17-07 Day 2: 5 18-12
9. Kenta Kimura Osaka JAPAN 10 35-02 92
Day 1: 5 17-05 Day 2: 5 17-13
10. Gregory DiPalma Millville, NJ 10 35-00 91
Day 1: 5 16-14 Day 2: 5 18-02
11. Jason Christie Park Hill, OK 10 34-12 90
Day 1: 5 22-02 Day 2: 5 12-10
12. Jason Williamson Wagener, SC 10 34-04 89
Day 1: 5 17-04 Day 2: 5 17-00
13. Clifford Pirch Payson, AZ 10 34-00 88
Day 1: 5 16-15 Day 2: 5 17-01
14. Matt Arey Shelby, NC 10 33-14 87
Day 1: 5 19-13 Day 2: 5 14-01
15. Chris Johnston Otonabee Ontario CANADA 10 33-13 86
Day 1: 5 17-10 Day 2: 5 16-03
16. Chris Zaldain Fort Worth, TX 10 33-10 85
Day 1: 5 17-08 Day 2: 5 16-02
17. Jeff Gustafson Keewatin Ontario CANADA 10 33-09 84
Day 1: 5 16-04 Day 2: 5 17-05
18. Matt Robertson Kuttawa, KY 9 33-01 83
Day 1: 5 22-06 Day 2: 4 10-11
19. Darold Gleason Many, LA 10 32-09 82
Day 1: 5 14-03 Day 2: 5 18-06
20. Brandon Cobb Greenwood, SC 10 32-09 81
Day 1: 5 17-09 Day 2: 5 15-00
20. Josh Douglas Isle, MN 10 32-09 81
Day 1: 5 17-09 Day 2: 5 15-00
22. Justin Atkins Florence, AL 10 32-06 79
Day 1: 5 18-06 Day 2: 5 14-00
23. Buddy Gross Chattanooga, TN 10 32-01 78
Day 1: 5 15-08 Day 2: 5 16-09
24. Shane LeHew Catawba, NC 10 31-14 77
Day 1: 5 16-03 Day 2: 5 15-11
25. Scott Martin Clewiston, FL 10 31-07 76
Day 1: 5 17-04 Day 2: 5 14-03
26. Micah Frazier Newnan, GA 10 31-00 75
Day 1: 5 14-01 Day 2: 5 16-15
27. Jacob Powroznik North Prince George, VA 10 30-14 74
Day 1: 5 17-00 Day 2: 5 13-14
28. KJ Queen Catawba, NC 10 30-13 73
Day 1: 5 15-10 Day 2: 5 15-03
29. Joseph Webster Hamilton, AL 9 30-07 72
Day 1: 4 13-07 Day 2: 5 17-00
30. Carl Jocumsen Queensland AUSTRALIA 10 30-02 71
Day 1: 5 15-13 Day 2: 5 14-05
31. Brandon Card Salisbury, NC 10 30-01 70
Day 1: 5 14-00 Day 2: 5 16-01
32. Cliff Prince Palatka, FL 10 29-12 69
Day 1: 5 16-13 Day 2: 5 12-15
33. Tyler Rivet Raceland, LA 10 29-10 68 $1,000.00
Day 1: 5 12-03 Day 2: 5 17-07
34. Ray Hanselman Jr Del Rio, TX 10 29-08 67
Day 1: 5 15-14 Day 2: 5 13-10
35. Stetson Blaylock Benton, AR 10 29-07 66
Day 1: 5 14-01 Day 2: 5 15-06
36. Mark Menendez Paducah, KY 10 29-06 65
Day 1: 5 14-02 Day 2: 5 15-04
37. Caleb Sumrall New Iberia, LA 10 29-06 64
Day 1: 5 14-07 Day 2: 5 14-15
38. Paul Mueller Naugatuck, CT 10 29-00 63
Day 1: 5 11-12 Day 2: 5 17-04
39. Drew Benton Blakely, GA 10 28-15 62
Day 1: 5 16-11 Day 2: 5 12-04
40. Jonathan Kelley Old Forge, PA 10 28-15 61
Day 1: 5 12-10 Day 2: 5 16-05
41. Clark Wendlandt Leander, TX 10 28-15 60
Day 1: 5 14-07 Day 2: 5 14-08
42. David Mullins Mt Carmel, TN 10 28-09 59
Day 1: 5 13-12 Day 2: 5 14-13
43. Greg Hackney Gonzales, LA 10 28-06 58
Day 1: 5 12-12 Day 2: 5 15-10
44. Scott Canterbury Odenville, AL 10 28-05 57
Day 1: 5 13-12 Day 2: 5 14-09
45. Lee Livesay Longview, TX 10 28-00 56
Day 1: 5 12-11 Day 2: 5 15-05
46. Koby Kreiger Alva, FL 10 27-11 55
Day 1: 5 12-02 Day 2: 5 15-09
47. Bryan New Saluda, SC 9 27-09 54
Day 1: 5 14-07 Day 2: 4 13-02
48. Seth Feider New Market, MN 10 27-05 53 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 14-13 Day 2: 5 12-08
49. Marc Frazier Newnan, GA 10 27-00 52 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 16-01 Day 2: 5 10-15
50. Wes Logan Springville, AL 10 26-15 51 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 12-02 Day 2: 5 14-13
51. Patrick Walters Summerville, SC 10 26-13 50 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 11-11 Day 2: 5 15-02
52. Chad Pipkens Dewitt, MI 10 26-09 49 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 14-10 Day 2: 5 11-15
53. Hunter Shryock Ooltewah, TN 10 26-08 48 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 12-04 Day 2: 5 14-04
54. Cory Johnston Cavan CANADA 10 26-05 47 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 16-00 Day 2: 5 10-05
55. Gerald Swindle Guntersville, AL 10 26-01 46 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 12-10 Day 2: 5 13-07
56. Chad Morgenthaler Reeds Spring, MO 10 26-00 45 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 12-08 Day 2: 5 13-08
57. Brock Mosley Collinsville, MS 10 25-14 44 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 13-08 Day 2: 5 12-06
58. Skylar Hamilton Dandridge, TN 7 25-10 43 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 16-14 Day 2: 2 08-12
59. Caleb Kuphall Mukwonago, WI 10 25-04 42 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 14-00 Day 2: 5 11-04
60. Steve Kennedy Auburn, AL 10 25-03 41 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 12-10 Day 2: 5 12-09
61. Kyle Welcher Opelika, AL 9 25-02 40 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 16-04 Day 2: 4 08-14
62. Bob Downey Detroit Lakes, MN 10 25-02 39
Day 1: 5 11-13 Day 2: 5 13-05
63. Joshua Stracner Vandiver, AL 10 25-02 38
Day 1: 5 11-15 Day 2: 5 13-03
64. Justin Hamner Northport, AL 10 24-15 37
Day 1: 5 12-12 Day 2: 5 12-03
65. Frank Talley Temple, TX 10 24-13 36
Day 1: 5 12-09 Day 2: 5 12-04
66. Jay Przekurat Stevens Point, WI 10 24-10 35
Day 1: 5 11-14 Day 2: 5 12-12
67. Hank Cherry Jr Lincolnton, NC 8 24-08 34
Day 1: 3 07-00 Day 2: 5 17-08
68. Clent Davis Montevallo, AL 8 24-05 33
Day 1: 3 06-09 Day 2: 5 17-12
69. Bernie Schultz Gainesville, FL 10 23-10 32
Day 1: 5 12-15 Day 2: 5 10-11
70. Drew Cook Cairo, GA 10 23-06 31
Day 1: 5 11-13 Day 2: 5 11-09
71. Gary Clouse Winchester, TN 10 23-03 30
Day 1: 5 10-08 Day 2: 5 12-11
72. Luke Palmer Coalgate, OK 10 22-12 29
Day 1: 5 12-01 Day 2: 5 10-11
73. Matt Herren Ashville, AL 9 22-11 28
Day 1: 4 10-05 Day 2: 5 12-06
74. David Williams Newton, NC 8 21-10 27
Day 1: 4 10-13 Day 2: 4 10-13
75. Jamie Hartman Newport, NY 9 21-07 26
Day 1: 4 08-14 Day 2: 5 12-09
76. Bill Lowen Brookville, IN 9 20-11 25
Day 1: 5 12-15 Day 2: 4 07-12
77. Keith Combs Huntington, TX 5 19-10 24
Day 1: 5 19-10 Day 2: 0 00-00
78. Michael Iaconelli Pittsgrove, NJ 8 19-10 23
Day 1: 3 08-02 Day 2: 5 11-08
79. Rick Clunn Ava, MO 9 19-05 22
Day 1: 5 10-02 Day 2: 4 09-03
80. Matty Wong Honolulu, HI 7 19-00 21
Day 1: 2 04-05 Day 2: 5 14-11
81. John Crews Jr Salem, VA 8 18-15 20
Day 1: 5 11-07 Day 2: 3 07-08
82. Todd Auten Lake Wylie, SC 8 18-14 19
Day 1: 5 10-14 Day 2: 3 08-00
83. Pat Schlapper Eleva, WI 8 18-05 18
Day 1: 3 05-05 Day 2: 5 13-00
84. Ed Loughran III Richmond, VA 9 18-04 17
Day 1: 4 07-09 Day 2: 5 10-11
85. Alex Redwine Blue Ash, OH 7 17-08 16
Day 1: 5 13-08 Day 2: 2 04-00
86. Mike Huff London, KY 7 15-08 15
Day 1: 2 03-15 Day 2: 5 11-09
87. Masayuki Matsushita Tokoname-Shi JAPAN 7 14-10 14
Day 1: 4 09-06 Day 2: 3 05-04
88. Jake Whitaker Fairview, NC 6 12-13 13
Day 1: 1 02-08 Day 2: 5 10-05
89. Daisuke Aoki Minamitsurugun Yamanash 6 12-07 12
Day 1: 2 04-13 Day 2: 4 07-10
90. David Fritts Lexington, NC 5 11-14 11
Day 1: 5 11-14 Day 2: 0 00-00
91. Derek Hudnall Denham Springs, LA 2 05-08 10
Day 1: 2 05-08 Day 2: 0 00-00
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
PHOENIX BOATS BIG BASS
Day
1 Brandon Lester Fayetteville, TN 06-09 $1,000.00
2 Tyler Rivet Raceland, LA 07-15 $1,000.00
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Totals
Day #Limits #Fish Weight
1 76 425 1258-11
2 76 421 1220-10
----------------------------------
152 846 2479-05
Iaconelli playing in pain at Pickwick
Courtesy of Alan McGuckin - Dynamic Sponsorships
Mike Iaconelli plays hard. He always has. Long before he became a professional bass fishing icon, he played amateur hockey with the intensity of the Philadelphia Flyer’s famous brawler Dave Schultz. Ike’s twisted knuckles prove it.
Iaconelli dove for an escaping 4-pounder on Day 1 at the Whataburger Bassmaster Elite Series at Pickwick Lake and smashed his rib cage against the fiberglass gunwale.
The Team Toyota angler will begin Day 2 with twisted ribs.In fact, he’s nearly certain at least one rib is broken. So much so, that casting a crankbait or football jig Friday seemssimply impossible.
To be honest, it hurt pretty bad watching him walk back to his boat after weighing-in just three keeper bass. He was in very apparent pain, with his whole right side slumped over, as though his right shoulder was broken.
Emergency Medical Technicians onsite at Thursday’s weigh-in noticed the obvious pain and gave him ACE elastic bandages.
But when asked if he planned to compete on Friday, he responded in classic Iaconelli fashion. “Of course, I am. Are you kidding me? If I have to sidearm cast a Carolina Rig and drift with the current, then that’s what I’ll do,” said “Ike” with a painful grin.
It’s certainly not the first time he’s played at bass fishing’s highest level in crazy amounts of pain.
In 2015, at the Elite Series event on Guntersville, he competed with a torn calf muscle that swelled like a helium party balloon, requiring emergency orthopedic surgery two days later in Huntsville to remove a small bucket of fluid -- but only after he finished 12th with 72-pounds of bass.
After a very restless night, there he was at sunrise Fridaybacking his Tundra down the ramp. It was an absolutely admirable effort from the 49-year old.
But really, it’s nothing terribly new, it’s just the way he plays the game.
His famous “Never Give Up” mantra, that even recent Kentucky Derby winning trainer Eric Reed credited for Rich Strike’s incredibly longshot win, will be showcased to the fullest Friday at Pickwick.
Robertson Goes Offshore To Grab Lead In Bassmaster Elite Series Event On Pickwick Lake
2022 Pickwick Day 1 Leader.jpg
Matt Robertson of Kuttawa, Ky., is leading after Day 1 of the 2022 Whataburger Bassmaster Elite at Pickwick Lake with 22 pounds, 6 ounces.
Photo by Seigo Saito/B.A.S.S.
June 2, 2022
Robertson Goes Offshore To Grab Lead In Bassmaster Elite Series Event On Pickwick Lake
COUNCE, Tenn. — Matt Robertson has been waiting for a warm-weather tournament on a Tennessee River fishery since he qualified for the Bassmaster Elite Series two years ago.
He’s got one in the Whataburger Bassmaster Elite at Pickwick Lake.
The 36-year-old Kentucky pro took the Day 1 lead with a five-bass limit weighing 22 pounds, 6 ounces and said he felt “at home” on Pickwick’s offshore ledges, which he exploited for his best bass, the heaviest weighing 5 1/2 pounds.
Unless something drastically changes, Robertson will head straight back to the ledges Friday when the derby resumes on this 43,100-acre impoundment that flows between Alabama, Mississippi and Tennessee.
“We’re doing what we like to do,” Robertson said. “I’m just rotating through some spots. Nothing special. Hopefully, we’ll go back out there and crack ‘em.”
Robertson has spent at least a quarter-century learning his sport on ledge fisheries like Kentucky Lake (his home water) and other lakes along the Tennessee River. He said the experience helped him Thursday.
“You’re not getting a lot of bites, but I think I’ve figured out some things to trigger some of the bigger bites,” he said. “There are one or two little things I don’t think (other guys are) doing. It’s only the first day, but we’ll go bang on ‘em tomorrow.”
The 91 pros entered in the derby predicted that getting away from boat traffic would be difficult on Pickwick, which is one of the country’s more popular recreational lakes, especially coming off the Memorial Day holiday. Robertson said he had no such problems on a hot and still Thursday, when temperatures stayed in the mid-80s and humidity was over 70 percent.
“I fished some community holes and I had a few guys let me fish behind them,” he said. “But places where I caught the weight, I was good to go.”
The trick, of course, will be getting a few repeat performances. True to his style, Robertson is confident he can get that done.
“I do feel at home,” he said. “I’ve been waiting for this one a long time, a Tennessee River ledge-fishing tournament ... I’ve had to really adjust my fishing the past couple of years, but I’m really an offshore fisherman. I love fishing deep. I know that’s how some of the (Elite) tournaments have been won (recently), but here, you have no other choice.
“You come to the TVA in the summer, you better get off the bank.”
Jason Christie, the reigning champion of the Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic presented by Huk, is just behind Robertson with 22-2. Japanese-born pro Takumi Ito is third with 22-1 with veteran pros Brandon Palaniuk and Brandon Lester on their heels with 21-13 and 21-6, respectively.
Lester, of Fayetteville, Tenn., is in the lead for Phoenix Boats Big Bass honors with the 6-9 he weigh-in today.
Christie’s bite came offshore as well, with one bass caught in at least 30 feet of water. He said he was fishing scared Thursday and he wasn’t kidding.
“In practice, I wouldn’t stand up to fish,” he said. “If I saw (fish), I just kept on going. Today I’m even scared to fish. I pull in, look around, catch three or four and go to the next spot. I’m afraid someone’s going to see me.”
The potential threats came from land, too.
“There was a dude on a four-wheeler about 500 yards away on the bank watching me fish,” the Park Hill, Okla., pro said. “I was afraid he was gonna tell his buddy where I was.”
Christie’s biggest bass Thursday weighed 5-2, but he said many of his bites are “skinny.”
“If you interview anyone up here, they’ll say they got lucky and got five big bites,” Christie said. “My next five (heaviest) bass would have weighed 12 pounds.”
Ito is a finesse fisherman who said the muggy and warm conditions suit his style just fine. Like Robertson learning to fish ledges at a young age, Ito said fishing patiently is a reality for all anglers learning the sport in Japan.
Unlike Robertson and Christie, Ito said he tried his hand on the banks Thursday, as well his methodical approach on Pickwick’s ledges. He said he caught his heaviest bass on a baitcaster in the morning and found other sizable fish in relatively shallow (5 to 6 feet) water. Others came from as deep as 25 to 26 feet.
“If there’s a strong wind, I cannot hold bait (in place),” he said. “So, no current is perfect for me.”
Palaniuk vaulted up the leaderboard courtesy of a 6-2 bass he caught in the waning moments.
“It was a place I caught a bunch of 2-pounders in practice,” he said. “(The 6-2) was literally a 3-pound upgrade.”
Palaniuk, the veteran pro from Rathdrum, Idaho, maintained the lead in the Progressive Insurance Bassmaster Angler of the Year standings with 539 points. He is followed by John Cox of DeBary, Fla., with 490, Lester with 473, Drew Benton of Blakely, Ga., with 457 and David Mullins of Mt. Carmel, Tenn., with 455.
Jacob Foutz, another Tennessee River specialist from Charleston, Tenn., took the lead in the Falcon Rods Bassmaster Rookie of the Year race with 365 points. Wisconsin pro Jay Przekurat, who has led the race much of the season fell to second with 353, followed by Alabamian Joseph Webster with 348.
Day 2 of the event will begin with a 7 a.m. CT takeoff from Pickwick Landing State Park. Weigh-in is scheduled for 3:10 p.m. The Top 47 anglers will advance to fish on Day 3. Full coverage can be streamed on Bassmaster.com and FOX Sports digital platforms.
2022 Whataburger Bassmaster Elite at Pickwick Lake 6/2-6/5
Pickwick Lake, Counce TN.
(PROFESSIONAL) Standings Day 1
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Pts Total $$$
1. Matt Robertson Kuttawa, KY 5 22-06 100
Day 1: 5 22-06
2. Jason Christie Park Hill, OK 5 22-02 99
Day 1: 5 22-02
3. Taku Ito Chiba JAPAN 5 22-01 98
Day 1: 5 22-01
4. Brandon Palaniuk Rathdrum, ID 5 21-13 97
Day 1: 5 21-13
5. Brandon Lester Fayetteville, TN 5 21-06 96 $1,000.00
Day 1: 5 21-06
6. Bryan Schmitt Deale, MD 5 20-05 95
Day 1: 5 20-05
7. Matt Arey Shelby, NC 5 19-13 94
Day 1: 5 19-13
8. Keith Combs Huntington, TX 5 19-10 93
Day 1: 5 19-10
9. Jacob Foutz Charleston, TN 5 19-01 92
Day 1: 5 19-01
10. Justin Atkins Florence, AL 5 18-06 91
Day 1: 5 18-06
11. Cody Huff Ava, MO 5 18-05 90
Day 1: 5 18-05
12. Chris Johnston Otonabee Ontario CANADA 5 17-10 89
Day 1: 5 17-10
13. Brandon Cobb Greenwood, SC 5 17-09 88
Day 1: 5 17-09
13. Josh Douglas Isle, MN 5 17-09 88
Day 1: 5 17-09
15. Chris Zaldain Fort Worth, TX 5 17-08 86
Day 1: 5 17-08
16. Austin Felix Eden Prairie, MN 5 17-07 85
Day 1: 5 17-07
17. Kenta Kimura Osaka JAPAN 5 17-05 84
Day 1: 5 17-05
18. Jason Williamson Wagener, SC 5 17-04 83
Day 1: 5 17-04
19. Scott Martin Clewiston, FL 5 17-04 82
Day 1: 5 17-04
20. Jacob Powroznik North Prince George, VA 5 17-00 81
Day 1: 5 17-00
21. Clifford Pirch Payson, AZ 5 16-15 80
Day 1: 5 16-15
22. Gregory DiPalma Millville, NJ 5 16-14 79
Day 1: 5 16-14
22. Skylar Hamilton Dandridge, TN 5 16-14 79
Day 1: 5 16-14
24. Cliff Prince Palatka, FL 5 16-13 77
Day 1: 5 16-13
25. Drew Benton Blakely, GA 5 16-11 76
Day 1: 5 16-11
26. Jeff Gustafson Keewatin Ontario CANADA 5 16-04 75
Day 1: 5 16-04
26. Kyle Welcher Opelika, AL 5 16-04 75
Day 1: 5 16-04
28. Shane LeHew Catawba, NC 5 16-03 73
Day 1: 5 16-03
29. Marc Frazier Newnan, GA 5 16-01 72
Day 1: 5 16-01
30. Cory Johnston Cavan CANADA 5 16-00 71
Day 1: 5 16-00
31. Ray Hanselman Jr Del Rio, TX 5 15-14 70
Day 1: 5 15-14
32. Carl Jocumsen Queensland AUSTRALIA 5 15-13 69
Day 1: 5 15-13
33. John Cox Debary, FL 5 15-10 68
Day 1: 5 15-10
33. KJ Queen Catawba, NC 5 15-10 68
Day 1: 5 15-10
35. Buddy Gross Chattanooga, TN 5 15-08 66
Day 1: 5 15-08
36. Seth Feider New Market, MN 5 14-13 65
Day 1: 5 14-13
37. Chad Pipkens Dewitt, MI 5 14-10 64
Day 1: 5 14-10
38. Bryan New Saluda, SC 5 14-07 63
Day 1: 5 14-07
38. Caleb Sumrall New Iberia, LA 5 14-07 63
Day 1: 5 14-07
38. Clark Wendlandt Leander, TX 5 14-07 63
Day 1: 5 14-07
41. Darold Gleason Many, LA 5 14-03 60
Day 1: 5 14-03
42. Mark Menendez Paducah, KY 5 14-02 59
Day 1: 5 14-02
43. Micah Frazier Newnan, GA 5 14-01 58
Day 1: 5 14-01
44. Stetson Blaylock Benton, AR 5 14-01 57
Day 1: 5 14-01
45. Brandon Card Salisbury, NC 5 14-00 56
Day 1: 5 14-00
45. Caleb Kuphall Mukwonago, WI 5 14-00 56
Day 1: 5 14-00
47. David Mullins Mt Carmel, TN 5 13-12 54
Day 1: 5 13-12
48. Scott Canterbury Odenville, AL 5 13-12 53
Day 1: 5 13-12
49. Brock Mosley Collinsville, MS 5 13-08 52
Day 1: 5 13-08
49. Alex Redwine Blue Ash, OH 5 13-08 52
Day 1: 5 13-08
51. Joseph Webster Hamilton, AL 4 13-07 50
Day 1: 4 13-07
52. Bill Lowen Brookville, IN 5 12-15 49
Day 1: 5 12-15
52. Bernie Schultz Gainesville, FL 5 12-15 49
Day 1: 5 12-15
54. Greg Hackney Gonzales, LA 5 12-12 47
Day 1: 5 12-12
54. Justin Hamner Northport, AL 5 12-12 47
Day 1: 5 12-12
56. Lee Livesay Longview, TX 5 12-11 45
Day 1: 5 12-11
57. Steve Kennedy Auburn, AL 5 12-10 44
Day 1: 5 12-10
57. Gerald Swindle Guntersville, AL 5 12-10 44
Day 1: 5 12-10
59. Jonathan Kelley Old Forge, PA 5 12-10 42
Day 1: 5 12-10
60. Frank Talley Temple, TX 5 12-09 41
Day 1: 5 12-09
61. Chad Morgenthaler Reeds Spring, MO 5 12-08 40
Day 1: 5 12-08
62. Hunter Shryock Ooltewah, TN 5 12-04 39
Day 1: 5 12-04
63. Tyler Rivet Raceland, LA 5 12-03 38
Day 1: 5 12-03
64. Koby Kreiger Alva, FL 5 12-02 37
Day 1: 5 12-02
64. Wes Logan Springville, AL 5 12-02 37
Day 1: 5 12-02
66. Luke Palmer Coalgate, OK 5 12-01 35
Day 1: 5 12-01
67. Joshua Stracner Vandiver, AL 5 11-15 34
Day 1: 5 11-15
68. David Fritts Lexington, NC 5 11-14 33
Day 1: 5 11-14
68. Jay Przekurat Stevens Point, WI 5 11-14 33
Day 1: 5 11-14
70. Drew Cook Cairo, GA 5 11-13 31
Day 1: 5 11-13
71. Bob Downey Detroit Lakes, MN 5 11-13 30
Day 1: 5 11-13
72. Paul Mueller Naugatuck, CT 5 11-12 29
Day 1: 5 11-12
73. Patrick Walters Summerville, SC 5 11-11 28
Day 1: 5 11-11
74. John Crews Jr Salem, VA 5 11-07 27
Day 1: 5 11-07
75. Todd Auten Lake Wylie, SC 5 10-14 26
Day 1: 5 10-14
76. David Williams Newton, NC 4 10-13 25
Day 1: 4 10-13
77. Gary Clouse Winchester, TN 5 10-08 24
Day 1: 5 10-08
78. Matt Herren Ashville, AL 4 10-05 23
Day 1: 4 10-05
79. Rick Clunn Ava, MO 5 10-02 22
Day 1: 5 10-02
80. Masayuki Matsushita Tokoname-Shi JAPAN 4 09-06 21
Day 1: 4 09-06
81. Jamie Hartman Newport, NY 4 08-14 20
Day 1: 4 08-14
82. Michael Iaconelli Pitts Grove, NJ 3 08-02 19
Day 1: 3 08-02
83. Ed Loughran III Richmond, VA 4 07-09 18
Day 1: 4 07-09
84. Hank Cherry Jr Lincolnton, NC 3 07-00 17
Day 1: 3 07-00
85. Clent Davis Montevallo, AL 3 06-09 16
Day 1: 3 06-09
86. Derek Hudnall Denham Springs, LA 2 05-08 15
Day 1: 2 05-08
87. Pat Schlapper Eleva, WI 3 05-05 14
Day 1: 3 05-05
88. Daisuke Aoki Minamitsurugun Yamanash 2 04-13 13
Day 1: 2 04-13
89. Matty Wong Honolulu, HI 2 04-05 12
Day 1: 2 04-05
90. Mike Huff London, KY 2 03-15 11
Day 1: 2 03-15
91. Jake Whitaker Fairview, NC 1 02-08 10
Day 1: 1 02-08
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
PHOENIX BOATS BIG BASS
Day
1 Brandon Lester Fayetteville, TN 06-09 $1,000.00
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Totals
Day #Limits #Fish Weight
1 76 425 1258-11
----------------------------------
76 425 1258-11
Connor Cunningham Leads Day 1 of Phoenix All-American Presented by T-H Marine at Lake Hamilton
Ozark Division Angler Catches 17½-Pound Limit to Bring 4-Pound, 10-Ounce Advantage into Day 2
HOT SPRINGS, Ark. (June 2, 2022) – Despite only getting five bites throughout the day, they were definitely the right quality of bites. Anchored by a beautiful 6-pound, 11-ounce Lake Hamilton largemouth, boater Connor Cunningham of Springfield, Missouri, brought a five-bass limit to the scale Thursday weighing 17 pounds, 8 ounces, to jump out to the early lead at the 39th annual Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American Championship on Lake Hamilton Presented by T-H Marine in Hot Springs, Arkansas.
Cunningham will start Day 2 with a 4-pound, 10-ounce advantage over second place boater Ryan Powroznik of Hopewell, Virginia, who caught five bass totaling 12 pounds, 14 ounces. Of the 98 competitors – 49 boaters and 49 Strike King Co-anglers – competing in the event, all 98 weighed in at least one fish and 63 anglers weighed in a five-bass limit.
The three-day tournament, hosted by the Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism and Visit Hot Springs, features the nation’s best weekend grassroots anglers competing for a top prize of up to $120,000, and a top prize of $50,000 for the winning Strike King co-angler.
“Well, my day looks a lot better on paper – I only got five bites today – and fortunately I was able to catch them all,” said Cunningham, who qualified for this event from the BFL Ozark Division. “I bounced around a lot and caught my fish on a variety of techniques. None of those fish in my bag knew each other, let’s say that. I caught my fifth keeper when they were out schooling, about 1:30 this afternoon.”
Cunningham said that he didn’t have a whole lot of experience on Lake Hamilton, but it fishes very similar to his local waters back home.
“I was able to come down to Lake Hamilton just a couple of times before it went off limits, and other than that I’ve never seen the place. It does fish very similar to Lake of the Ozarks back home, though.”
Cunningham politely declined to mention any specifics in regard to his baits and techniques he used Thursday, including the details on his big 6-11 kicker, but he did say that his plan for tomorrow was going to be to continue to grind away and bounce around covering water.
“It took me two hours this morning to catch one, then it was something like one an hour from then on,” the Missouri boater said. “I don’t have anything else, so I’m just going to roll with the same thing. I could come in with zero tomorrow, but in a tournament like this you have to swing for the fence. So that’s what I’m going to do.”
Although he didn’t have as much weight, second-place boater Powroznik caught many more bass overall than Cunningham did.
“It took me a while to get going, but I think I caught around 25 throughout the day,” Powroznik said. “I caught my fish offshore, fishing brush piles and some rough spots off the bank. The weather conditions were not what I wanted, and I lost a few fish as well. But overall, I’m pleased.”
Powroznik said that he caught his fish on finesse-style baits in 10 to 18 feet of water.
The top 20 boaters after Day 1 of the All-American on Lake Hamilton are:
1st: Connor Cunningham, Springfield, Mo., five bass, 17-8
2nd: Ryan Powroznik, Hopewell, Va., five bass, 12-14
3rd: Sean Wieda, Alexandria, Ky., five bass, 12-8
4th: Hunter Eubanks, Inman, S.C., five bass, 11-14
5th: Brian Bean, Hot Springs, Ark., five bass, 11-13
6th: Preston Henson, College Grove, Tenn., five bass, 11-7
7th: Brad Jelinek, Lincoln, Mo., five bass, 11-3
8th: David Lowery, Milledgeville, Ga., five bass, 11-0
9th: Andy Wicker, Cayce, S.C., five bass, 10-14
10th: Jonathan Crossland, Chapin, S.C., five bass, 10-13
11th: Wade Ramsey, Choctaw, Okla., five bass, 10-6
12th: Drew Tabor, Harrison, Ark., five bass, 10-3
12th: David Bright, Mooresville, N.C., five bass, 10-3
14th: Kevin Brown, Hot Springs, Ark., five bass, 10-2
15th: Justin Kimmel, Athens, Ga., five bass, 9-9
16th: Chris Wilkinson, Farmersburg, Ind., five bass, 9-7
17th: Steve Phillips, Douglas, Ga., five bass, 9-1
18th: Mike Reid, Greenville, Texas, five bass, 9-0
18th: Matthew Marinelli, Salem, Conn., five bass, 9-0
20th: Jarrett Martin, Mansfield, Ohio, five bass, 8-14
20th: Matt Henry, Milledgeville, Ga., five bass, 8-14
A full list of results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
Overall, there were 241 bass weighing 428 pounds, 13 ounces caught by 49 boaters Thursday. The catch included 45 five-bass limits.
Billy Rusher of Lincoln, Arkansas, leads the Strike King Co-angler Division at Lake Hamilton after Day 1 with five bass weighing 11 pounds, 4 ounces. Rusher will begin Day 2 of competition on Friday with a 1-pound, 5-ounce advantage over second-place co-angler Evan Eldred of Gaines, Michigan, who weighed in five bass totaling 9 pounds, 15 ounces.
“I had a limit by 9 a.m. this morning,” Rusher said. “I was able to get a limit really before the rain started and once that rain started it really slowed down for me. I culled a few times once the rain let up.”
Rusher, like Cunningham, wasn’t ready to give anything away about how he was catching them. However, he did admit what wasn’t really working for him to start out his day.
“I was fishing pretty slow today,” Rusher said. “I tried to catch them on topwater this morning and I just couldn’t make it work. I figured out one bait that I could get them to bite and that’s the bait I stuck with all day long. I won’t say what it was, but there was a lot of shake, rattle and roll in my presentation.”
The top 20 Strike King co-anglers after Day 1 of the All-American on Lake Hamilton are:
1st: Billy Rusher, Lincoln, Ark., five bass, 11-4
2nd: Evan Eldred, Gaines, Mich., five bass, 9-15
3rd: Hunter Dahnke, Missoula, Mont., five bass, 9-0
4th: Cory Guinn, Mountain Rest, S.C., five bass, 8-14
5th: Kenneth Hunnicut, Jacksonville, Fla., five bass, 7-13
6th: Zachary Verbugge, Lake Havasu, Ariz., five bass, 7-10
6th: Jeffery Johnson, Austin, Ind., five bass, 7-10
8th: Clint Horton, Falkner, Miss., five bass, 7-2
9th: Scott Blaesi, Maxwell, Neb., five bass, 6-11
10th: Eric Eden, Hartsville, Tenn., five bass, 6-10
11th: Harrison McCall, Salisbury, N.C., five bass, 6-5
12th: Chandler White, Covington, Ga., five bass, 6-1
13th: Pop Catalin, Cookeville, Tenn., five bass, 6-0
14th: Gary Owens, Columbus, Ind., five bass, 5-13
15th: Alan Hill, Ada, Okla., three bass, 5-12
16th: Tyler Stuart, Manchester, Mo., five bass, 5-10
17th: Randy Hudson, Columbus, N.C., five bass, 5-8
18th: Randy Paquette, Sarasota, Fla., four bass, 5-3
19th: Luke Schmits, Alexandria, Ky., four bass, 5-0
19th: Samuel Jones, Fuquay Varina, N.C., five bass, 5-0
Overall, there were 168 bass weighing 228 pounds, 10 ounces caught by 49 Strike King Co-anglers on Thursday. The catch included 18 five-bass limits.
The full field of 49 boaters and 49 Strike King co-anglers compete on Days 1 (Thursday) and 2 (Friday) of the event. After two days of competition, the field is cut to just the top 10 boaters and co-anglers, based on two-day total cumulative weight, and the final 10 anglers compete on Championship Saturday. The boater and co-angler that catch the heaviest three-day total weight will be crowned the 39th Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American Champions.
Anglers will launch each day at 6:30 a.m. CT from the Andrew Hulsey Fish Hatchery, located at 350 Fish Hatchery Road in Hot Springs. Weigh-in each day will be held at the launch location and will begin at 2:30 p.m. Fans are welcome to attend all launch and weigh-in events and encouraged to follow the event’s online coverage at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
The 2021 Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine was a 24-division circuit devoted to weekend anglers, with 128 tournaments throughout the season, five qualifying events in each division. The top 45 boaters and Strike King co-anglers from each division, along with the five winners of the qualifying events, advanced to one of six Regional Championships where they competed to finish in the top six, which then advanced them to compete in the Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American.
Television coverage of the 2022 Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American will premiere in early October on CBS Sports and the Sportsman Channel. The full television air schedule can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
Proud sponsors of the 2022 MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine include: 4WP, 13 Fishing, Abu Garcia, AFTCO, A.R.E. Truck Caps, B&W Trailer Hitches, Berkley, Black Rifle Coffee, E3, Epic Baits, Favorite Fishing, Gary Yamamoto Baits, General Tire, Lew’s, Lowrance, Lucas Oil, Mercury, Mossy Oak, Onyx, Phoenix, Polaris, Power-Pole, Revital Outdoors, Strike King, Tackle Warehouse, T-H Marine, Toyota, Wiley X, YETI and Yo-Zuri.
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.
Saginaw Bay Set To Host Bassmaster College Series
Michigan's Saginaw Bay will host the 2022 Strike King Bassmaster College Series presented by Bass Pro Shops June 9-10.
Photo by Kyle Jessie/B.A.S.S.
June 2, 2022
BAY CITY, Mich. — Last year, the Strike King Bassmaster College Series presented by Bass Pro Shops made its inaugural journey to Saginaw Bay, and anglers reported catching 50 to 60 bass in a day along with multiple 20-pound bags of both smallmouth and largemouth.
This year, young anglers will make the trip North again for the Bassmaster College Series at Saginaw Bay June 9-10. Former Elite Series pro Garrett Paquette, who currently competes in the St. Croix Bassmaster Opens presented by Mossy Oak Fishing, believes the fishing could be even better.
“There’s a little part inside of me that is going to be selfishly disappointed when the world is exposed to how great the fishery is,” the Canton, Mich., native said. “If they have good weather for this tournament, it is going to open a lot of eyes around the country.”
Located on the southwestern side of Lake Huron, Saginaw Bay has flown under the radar as a premier smallmouth fishery — and the largemouth fishing has improved greatly over the past couple of years in both quality and quantity.
The Auburn University duo of Tucker Smith and Logan Parks won last year’s tournament with a two-day total of 40 pounds, 9 ounces, catching both smallmouth and largemouth.
“The cool thing about Saginaw Bay is, you don’t have to run to one certain area to catch bigger fish. There are fish along all the shorelines, all of the islands,” Paquette said. “Guys are going to find stretches of spawning fish and big prespawn females, but you don’t have to run to a certain area to win. I know tournaments get won on every little corner of that bay, which is really unique.”
Winter and spring have been on the cooler side in the Northern part of the country, according to Paquette, and he thinks that will push back the prime smallmouth spawning time to around the start of the tournament. The prespawn and spawning smallmouth will likely set up on rock-related structures like boulders, gravel and rock-to-sand transitions. If there are smallmouth on bed, anglers will likely be able to see them.
A wide range of baits, including drop shots, Ned rigs, spinnerbaits, swimbaits and jerkbaits might come into play.
“Right around Memorial Day is usually the prime fishing time,” he said. “But with this year being so cold, it is setting up to probably be best when these teams are going to be there. If the weather is good and guys can get around, smallmouth are going to win most likely.”
Near the shoreline, the largemouth will get in the cattails, reeds and other grasses and are also prevalent in the Saginaw River. Paquette said numbers of largemouth are easy to come by, but with higher water levels the past couple of years, the quality has improved to the point that anglers can compete with a mixed bag or largemouth alone. The largemouth will likely be postspawn, biting topwaters, swim jigs and flipping baits.
“It is probably the most underrated largemouth fishery there is,” he said. “It is nothing to go up there and catch 60, 70 to 100 largemouth a day close to the bank and in the grass. It used to be that you could only catch 2- and 3-pound largemouth, and they were fun to catch but didn’t have an impact in tournaments. But now, it is getting to the point where guys are catching 4- to 6-pound fish.”
The most prevalent factor on Saginaw Bay is the wind, and Paquette said some of the roughest water he has experienced was on that fishery.
The full field will compete June 9-10 with daily takeoffs from Independence Boat Launch at the USS Edison Battle Ship at 5:30 a.m. ET. Weigh-ins will take place back at the ramp at 2:30 p.m. Coverage can be found on Bassmaster.com.
The 2022 Abu Garcia Bassmaster High School Series at Saginaw Bay presented by Academy Sports + Outdoors and the Bassmaster Junior Series at Saginaw Bay will be held on June 11.
The tournaments are being hosted by the Michigan B.A.S.S. Nation.
Lester and Swindle talk Vols, Tide and Pickwick
Courtesy of Alan McGuckin - Dynamic Sponsorships
Brandon Lester and Gerald Swindle grew up in neighboring rival states. Tennessee and Alabama. The Vols versus the Crimson Tide. And this week they find themselves competing at the Whataburger Bassmaster Elite at Pickwick Lake, a reservoir on the border of their home states.
They had fun sharing their thoughts on what fans can expect from the Tennessee River impoundment on the eve of competition.
Q: What percentage of your practice was spent staring at your sonar screens versus actually fishing?
Lester: 70% looking at sonar.
Swindle: 85% looking at sonar.
Q: What’s your best guess at the heaviest limit we’ll see weighed-in on Thursday?
Lester: 24 pounds
Swindle: 22 pounds
Q: What concerns you most about this tournament?
Lester: Timing – stopping at the right spot at the right time.
Swindle: There’s 6 to 10 big schools of largemouth, and everybody knows where they’re at. So, the term “slugfest” might take on a whole new meaning in this derby.
Q: If you only had two lures to fish with in June for the rest of your life, what would you choose?
Lester: Strike King 6XD crankbait, and a redbug colored Zoom Magnum Trick worm.
Swindle: Rapala DT 20 crankbait, and a plum colored Zoom Magnum Trick Worm on a ½ ounce Buckeye Spot Remover jig head.
Q: Who is your favorite athlete of all time from your favorite university?
Lester: Peyton Manning – but look, my wife Kim is really the hard-core Vols fan in our marriage.
Swindle: Derrick Henry – I think his life’s story is even more impressive than his football career.
Q: What’s your favorite feature of the all-new 2022 Toyota Tundra
Lester: Rides like a luxury car, the 10-speed transmission pulls super smooth, and the gas mileage is solid too.
Swindle: Torque, horsepower and comfort.
Pickwick guide makes Elite Series Predictions
Courtesy of Alan McGuckin - Dynamic Sponsorships
Pickwick fishing guide Jimmy Mason holds a college degree in electrical engineering, but now spends 200 days a year as a bass fishing guide on the Tennessee River. He says conditions are wired perfectly for a very successful Bassmaster Elite Series event this week on the 43,000-acre impoundment where Tennessee, Alabama, and Mississippi kiss one another.
Q: What can fans look forward to most this week?
Mason: They’ll be a lot of fish caught, because while the month of May was exceptionally void of rainfall, the past week gave us the rain we needed to get the current flowing, and that gets the post-spawners out on the river ledges positioned to bite really well.
Q: What depth will most of the fish be caught in, and what kind of weights does an Elite Series pro need to average each day to score a Top 10 finish?
Mason: Guys will catch a few shallow topwater fish early, but 75% of the fish weighed-in this week will be caught from the ledges in 12 to 25-feet of water. You’ll see some 20-pound limits for sure, and you better average at least 18-pounds a day to get a Top 10.
Q: What will be the biggest challenge this week?
Mason: Modern day electronics are so good that the historically best areas could get really crowded this week.
Q: Will the famous tailraces below Wilson Dam roughly 60 miles from this week’s launch at Pickwick Landing State Park be a factor?
Mason: I really don’t think so. The smallmouth dominate that pattern, and they’re pretty much totally nocturnal feeders at this time of year. When Davy Hite won up there it was mid-April. But at this time of year the tailraces aren’t much of a factor.
Q: What about this giant your holding in the photo?
Mason: My longtime tournament partner Lance Walker caught this 15-pound giant. It’s the unofficial Pickwick Lake record. He caught it in January of 2012 on an Alabama Rig, soon after that rig became known to the world.
Q: How do folks get in touch with you if they’d like to hire you as their guide?
Mason: They’re welcome to call my cell at (256) 762-0014, or visit JimmyMasonBassFishing.com
LeBoom & The Side Show!
This week David and KG welcome in Pro Circuit Guntersville Champ Nick LeBrun to the show to talk about his win and what his future holds. Chris is still MIA so the "SideShow" picks up his slack and brings you guys the info you want to know! Check it out!
11th Annual Toyota Bonus Event to take place at Table Rock in October
Courtesy of Alan McGuckin - Dynamic Sponsorships
Ridgedale, MO (May 1, 2022) – The 11th annual Toyota Bonus Bucks Owners event will be held at iconic Table Rock Lake in the autumn-rich Ozark Mountains of Southwest Missouri the weekend of October 15-16, 2022, and once again, one lucky attendee will win an all-new 2022 Toyota Tundra in a random drawing.
There’s no entry fee, but pack your crankbaits if you plan to attend, because lures featuring diving bills took home the win on the rocky 64-year-old reservoir at both the 2018 and 2021 Bonus Bucks events held there.
The weekend kicks-off Saturday afternoon with a registration meeting at the Bass Pro Shops Outdoor Shooting Academy where Team Toyota Pro Anglers will be on hand to greet guests. B.A.S.S. tournament staff will conduct the tournament and be onsite Saturday afternoon for angler registration, where participants will receive a generous amount of free gear, along with a complimentary dinner.
“There’s so much we love about hosting this exciting event for 11 years and counting,” says Nicole Peterson, Sponsorship Manager - National Partnerships of Toyota Motor North America. “Connecting with guests and loyal Toyota Bonus Bucks members for this one-of-a-kind experience at Table Rock Lake is at the very top of the list.”
Launch and weigh-in for Sunday’s competition will take place at Long Creek Marina on Table Rock Lake, and the top 31 teams in the tournament are guaranteed a paycheck.
Only one of the two team members must be currently registered in the Toyota Bonus Bucks Program to be eligible to compete in the 2022 Toyota Bonus Bucks Owners Tournament. (To be eligible to participate in the Toyota Bonus Bucks Program-participants must own or lease a 2018 or newer Toyota Tundra, Tacoma, Sequoia, or 4Runner).
Visit toyotafishing.com for more program details. Bassmaster Elite Series, MLF Bass Pro Tour and Pro Circuit anglers are not eligible to participate in the Toyota Owners Tournament. Participants are encouraged to sign up as soon as possible for this prize-rich event. Registration is limited to 300 teams.
To register, visit: https://ownersevent.toyotatrucksbonusbucks.com . If you have questions, or need assistance, contact the Toyota Bonus Bucks Headquarters via email: [email protected].
Whataburger Serves Up Title Sponsorship For Bassmaster Elite At Pickwick Lake
May 31, 2022
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Whataburger, known for big flavors and fresh ingredients served up just like you like it, has signed on as the tournament title sponsor for the Bassmaster Elite Series at Pickwick Lake.
The 2022 Whataburger Bassmaster Elite at Pickwick Lake — the second Elite event scheduled in Tennessee during the 2022 season — will be held June 2-5 in Counce.
“We enjoy being involved in local events within Whataburger’s communities and are pleased to continue supporting the friendly competition at this year’s Bassmaster Elite,” said Jeff Altman, Whataburger’s Director of Sponsorships, Marketing & Innovation. “We selected Pickwick Lake for its great location near our restaurants in Northern Alabama, plus our recent expansion into Nashville and upcoming opening in Memphis.”
Pickwick offers vast opportunities for anglers, with a good mix of offshore fishing and shallow structure and solid populations of largemouth and smallmouth bass. Beautiful scenery paired with a chance to catch a trophy trifecta — smallmouth, largemouth and spotted bass of above-average size — are why the fishery was ranked one of Bassmaster Magazine’s Top 10 Best Bass Lakes for 2021.
This is the second time the Texas-based chain has sponsored a B.A.S.S. event. In 2021, Whataburger sponsored the Bassmaster Elite at Neely Henry Lake. Alabama pro Wes Logan charged from eighth place to claim the Day 3 lead at the event and held on to win his first Elite Series title.
Live coverage of all four days of the Whataburger Bassmaster Elite at Pickwick Lake, Tennessee starts Thursday, June 2 on Bassmaster.com and the FOX Sports digital platforms. FS1 will also broadcast live with the tournament leaders beginning at 8 a.m. ET on Saturday and Sunday.
Whataburger is also partnering with B.A.S.S. to honor fans with the “Your Best Bass” sweepstakes. Avid anglers simply upload a photo of their best or most interesting catch on social media and tag both brands in the post, with winners receiving incredible prizes from Whataburger. Full details and rules can be found at Bassmaster.com/current-sweepstakes.
Wallace State’s Chambers & Blackwood Win the 2022 BoatUS Collegiate Bass Fishing Championship presented by Bass Pro Shops
Parks & Smith from Auburn University take 2nd, Drury University anglers Bila & Chambers finish 3rd
FLORENCE, AL (May 27, 2022) – The 2022 BoatUS Collegiate Bass Fishing Championship presented by Bass Pro Shops is in the books. The Association of Collegiate Anglers’ 17th annual National Championship awarded $30,000 in prizes and contingencies, crowned a National Champion, and named a number one team in the Bass Pro Shops School of the Year presented by Abu Garcia. Bryar Chambers and Clent Blackwood from Wallace State take top honors with 46.91 pounds. Auburn University anglers Logan Parks and Tucker Smith finish in 2nd place, and Brock Bila and Dylan Chambers of Drury University wind up in 3rd.
Hundreds of college fishing’s most elite anglers competed for two days on the Tennessee River at Pickwick and Wilson Lakes in Florence, Alabama. The early summer months are some of the best times of the year to be out on this famed fishery. Following the spring spawn, a majority of the bass population in Pickwick Lake migrates out to the deep water haunts and ledges located along the main river channel to feed up on shad and baitfish that wash by in the current.
During this year’s BoatUS Collegiate Bass Fishing Championship presented by Bass Pro Shops, anglers scanned and casted to those ledges in search of the winning fish. Chambers and Blackwood from Wallace State found the winning spot that produced 46.91 pounds of bass over two days. The team located a spot near the Pickwick Dam that yielded the Overall Big Bass of the event, as well as nine other key bites that led Chambers and Blackwood to become the 2022 National Champions.
Along with the $5,000 cash prize that is awarded to 1st place, the Wallace State anglers claimed the $500 Garmin Tournament Rewards and a Power-Pole certificate for Overall Big Bass Honors. Chambers and Blackwood’s prize winnings total over $6,500.
Following the conclusion of official weigh-in, ACA staff totaled the points in the final standings for the 2021-22 Bass Pro Shops School of the Year presented by Abu Garcia. The University of Montevallo finished the season ranked number one, besting 2nd ranked Auburn by more than 1,000 points. McKendree University rounds out the top three for this season’s national rankings. Montevallo becomes just the third team ever to win the Bass Pro Shops School of the Year presented by Abu Garcia in consecutive seasons.
Patrick Walters Wins it all on Watts Bar
Leading after both days one and two, Walters Finale Friday began with a 9-ounce lead and ended with a 2-pound, 5-ounce victory. With 15-pounds, 9-ounces on day three, he claims his first NPFL victory with a three-day total of 45-pounds, 9-ounces.
Walters fished a run and gun pattern this week on Watts Bar and averaged just over 15-pounds a day under tough conditions. With the sun shining once again on day three, Walters was able to take advantage of fish setting up how he needed them and caught fish in small flurries throughout the day.
“I was fishing high percentage areas, brush and stumps, and I was running a ton of spots every day. Yesterday we had cloud and they were not set up correct and it was a tougher day. Today the sunshine came back out and it got them set up where I could catch them.”
While not fishing for the fish on live sonar, Walters was able to locate his high percentage targets with dialed in electronics set up and installed by Sonar Pros. He fished a big worm all week and rotated between two different Zoom Baits.
“I fished a Texas rig Zoom Magnum Trick Worm in plum color and a Zoom Ol’ Monster in redbug. I fished them on a heavy action 7’ 6” Daiwa Tatula Elite rod and used 17 or 20-pound Suffix fluorocarbon.
Sheldon Collings
Sheldon Collings caught 14-pounds, 10-ounces on day three to finish the tournament in the 2nd place spot. With a three-day total of 43-pounds, 4-ounces, Collings worked a combination of shallow docks and offshore brush piles to catch his fish this week.
After a really slow morning, with only 9 or 10-pounds at 2 PM, Collings went to a stretch of docks and within 5 minutes did his damage for the day.
“I pulled in and literally first flip I caught a 5-pounder, the next flip was a 4-pounder, and then a few minutes after I got the 3-pounder. That was basically all my weight and I never caught a fish the rest of the day.”
Collings wanted to thank his sponsors for their support. Baseline Labs, Fish Tek, Mark Collings Construction, Sports Center in Grove, OK, Whiz Plumbing, Phoenix Boats and Bills Marina in Skiatook, OK.
Pug Clements
Adding 14-pounds, 9-ounces on day three, Pug Clements fished a combination of a shad spawn bite and a swim jig around marina docks to finish the event in the 3rd place spot with a total weight of 41-pounds, 5-ounces.
Matt Massey
Matt Massey caught the biggest bag of the tournament on day two, and added 12-pounds on the final day to finish the event in 4th place. He amassed a three-day total of 40-pounds, 7-ounces and worked a pattern that involved a bladed jig and transition areas to catch his fish this week.
“Today I focused more on the isolated patches of coontail grass. The area was in the back of a pocket and there was a little ditch that came out of the back - the fish were stacked around the grass.”
To get his bait through the area without getting hung, Massey relied on a Strike King Thunder Cricket in 3/8 ounce and paired it with a Strike King Range Grub trailer. He used several retrieves to keep the bait moving with an erratic action and that was key to getting those bigger bites.
“After a rough practice, I am thrilled with this finish. I located some fish but by no means did I expect a top five finish. I didn’t lose any fish and I executed this week and I absolutely cannot complain – it was a great week.”
Ryan Satterfield
Ryan Satterfield added 9-pounds, 14-ounces to his total to finish the event in the 5th place spot with a total weight of 39-pounds, 5-ounces. Satterfield worked a channel swing flat near a spawning area and was targeting isolated grass patches.
Rest of the Best:
6th James Clements 38-10
7th Bryant Smith 36-1
8th Brad Knight 35-12
9th Louis Fernandes 35-10
10th Todd Goade 35-7
Chambers and Blackwood from Wallace State Take Day 1 Lead at Pickwick Lake
FLORENCE, AL (May 26, 2022) – An elite field of collegiate bass fishing teams took to Pickwick Lake this morning to compete in the 2022 BoatUS Collegiate Bass Fishing Championship presented by Bass Pro Shops. Competing for their share of $30,000 in prizes & contingencies, a National Championship, and the coveted Bass Pro Shops School of the Year presented by Abu Garcia, anglers fished the waters of Pickwick and Wilson Lakes in search of a quality Day 1 limit. Bryar Chambers & Clent Blackwood from Wallace State are in 1st place after Day 1 of tournament competition with a total weight of 23.66 pounds. Logan Parks & Tucker Smith from 2nd ranked Auburn University are in 2nd place with 21.53 pounds, and Kentucky Christian’s Gunner Whitaker & Mitch Johnson sit in 3rd with 19.40 pounds.
Day 1 – 2nd Place – Auburn University
Day 1 of tournament competition began with a rainy start, as showers and storms pushed through the Shoals Region until approximately 11:00 AM this morning. Once those storms cleared out, anglers were greeted with blue skies and windy conditions. The windy conditions created a challenge for anglers returning to weigh-in this afternoon, resulting in numerous late penalties being assessed to teams that did not make it to check-in on time. All assessed penalties are included in the official Day 1 tournament standings that can be viewed HERE.
Day 1 – 3rd Place – Kentucky Christian University
A majority of the anglers are reporting that the fish are spread out across a variety of shallow water and transition areas across the lake. While there are some bigger fish out on the famed Tennessee River ledges that Pickwick Lake is known for, teams seemed to be focusing on shallow water spots and transitional areas located just off of the main river ledges. Everything from drop shots to big soft plastics were mentioned as baits that produced bites on Day 1 of tournament competition.
Taking a quick glance at the Day 1 standings, the Top 10 is separated by approximately six pounds. Out on Pickwick Lake, that’s a margin that can be easily made up on just one cast. In the past, the magic number for a two-day total at this event has been 40 pounds. If a team is able to get to 40 pounds after Day 2, they have a real shot at taking home the National Championship trophy.
As it pertains to the Bass Pro Shops School of the Year presented by Abu Garcia, several of the top ranked schools have teams in the Top 25 of the standings. The big race to watch is between top-ranked University of Montevallo, and 2nd ranked Auburn University. Auburn University’s two highest-placing teams at the moment are in 2nd and 21st overall. Montevallo’s two best teams are in 15th and 46th. Who will finish the season ranked as the number one team in the nation? Find out tomorrow following the conclusion of Day 2 weigh-in!
Day 2 of tournament competition will begin tomorrow morning at 6:00 AM with the start of official takeoff at McFarland Park. Follow along with the live blog on the ACA website as tournament action unfolds out on Pickwick Lake. Weigh-in coverage will begin at 2:00 PM (CT) on the Outdoor Action TV app. Get ready for all of the action as we crown a National Champion, name the 2021-22 Bass Pro Shops School of the Year presented by Abu Garcia, and award over $30,000 in prizes and contingencies.
Walters Maintains Watts Bar Lead in TNPFL Tournament
Adding 13-pounds, 2-ounces on day two to his day one tournament leading 16-pounds, 14-ounces, Patrick Walters retains the NPFL Watts Bar lead with a two-day total of 30-pounds. Walters was seen on live covering water both shallow and deep and had a slower start to his day than expected. He holds a 9-ounce lead going into Showdown Saturday.
“I didn’t get to my good water until later this afternoon but I thought I could catch more fish on the way up there than I actually did – It was a grinder. I am fishing a lot of spots but I slowed down some today to try and work some areas more.”
Tomorrow, Walters is planning to fish double the waypoints he did today and try to convince some of the bigger bass in each area to bite. Getting into a rhythm is key and it just didn't seem to work out for him on day two.
“These fish are educated and if you get one to bite and break up the group, they just settle back in and won't t bite again. I am fishing mainly a Zoom Trick Worm and a Mag Trick worm and have been trying to get the cranking deal going but it just hasn’t happened yet. If they eat the Rapala DT20 tomorrow it will be a different ballgame."
Ryan Satterfield
With his biggest bag of the tournament thus far, Ryan Satterfield weighed in 15-pounds, 10-ounces on day two for a two-day total of 29-pounds, 7-ounces to finish in the 2nd place spot. After a practice period with little or nothing to go to during the tournament, Satterfield settled in on an inside channel swing loaded with grass and post spawn bass.
“I don’t have a lot of spots, and yesterday I caught them in twenty minutes. Today I didn’t get as many bites, but still was able to leave them alone early in the day. They are the right size fish for this tournament and I got the right bites today; I was done by 10:30 AM this morning and left it alone.”
Focusing on a high percentage area that’s perfect for holding post spawn bass, Satterfield is fishing the outside bend of a creek channel on the edge of a big spawning flat. The other key, its loaded with grass.
“So far, I have not had to change my approach much, and I am dropping my Powerpoles in shallow water and casting out into the channel. If I can float a bait through the grass, I am getting bites. It’s a high percentage area and I am definitely around the right fish - I can't wait to get back out there and see what happens.”
Sheldon Collings
With a two-day total of 28-pounds, 10-ounces, Sheldon Collings finishes day two in the 3rd place spot. Collings relied on a late afternoon charge to catch his bag of 13-pounds, 14-ounces after a slow start to his day on Live Coverage. The patience paid off as he landed on a school willing to bite and was able to cull up to his final weight.
“I have been catching them on docks and shallow wood but it was not going today at all. I fished a pile of new water and eventually got back to where I caught my bigger bass yesterday. I happened to notice some grass and brush out in front of the docks on my live sonar and went to work with a jerkbait.”
After culling up to his weight for the day in less than ten minutes, Collings used his final hour of the tournament to idle the pocket and mark all of the brush in the area. Depending on the weather, either the bass will slide back under docks or hang out on the cover in front.
“If I can catch them on Livescope and a jerkbait, I am happy. If they slide back under docks, I will be able to catch them there. There are a lot of fish in that area and I just have to adapt to the conditions tomorrow.”
Matt Massey
With the biggest bag of the tournament, including a lunker weighing 7-pounds even, Matt Massey weighed 19-pounds, 10-ounces to finish day two in the 4th place spot. He has a two-day total of 28-pounds, 7-ounces. Massey expanded on his day one water and specifically fished new water on day two.
“Man, it was one of those days. I stayed close this morning to get a quick limit, and I had about 8-pounds by 9 AM. After that, I just focused on transition areas where I thought they would go to after spawning.”
Massey was able to figure out a subtlety to the type of transition area he was running and made a lot of good decisions. He is fishing old school type presentations, rotating through three confidence baits from the days he has spent in Colorado fishing rock and wood.
“I was almost able to call my shots – I could do no wrong. Once I figured out the way it was working, I ran new water all day and caught fish between 1 foot and 22 feet deep. I didn’t lose any fish today and the areas I fished I have never seen before, I just expanded on what I fished yesterday.”
Massey is confident he can run around on day three and try to duplicate his success.
Pug Clements
Adding 12-pounds, 2-ounces on day two, Pug Clements worked his junk fishing pattern again to finish in the 5th place spot with a two-day total of 26-pounds, 12-ounces. Starting on a shad spawn deal to begin his day, he fished a spot he had saved and was able to capitalize on some bigger bites.
“I caught two of the fish in my bag on the shad spawn deal this morning and I think Taylor (Watkins) caught some there too. I then went to a place I have been saving and I caught the other three. Everyone probably saw on live but I was fishing a specific way I fish back home and its very specific to get bites.”
Making only one pass on his productive stretch, Clements is looking forward to putting the hammer down and trying to catch a big bag. He is fishing a bait and technique he is very comfortable with and hopes with changing conditions he can up his weight on Showdown Saturday.
“I really think I can catch them good in there and as of now I am the only one in there. I have to present the bait very specifically and it’s a tight window. The only thing I am comfortable with is a white swim jig - once you can figure out the rate of fall and the retrieve, you can really catch them.”
Clements is fishing his swim jig on a Jenko DCBR High Roller Rod in a 7’ 1” medium heavy action.
Rest of the best:
6th Michael Brewer 26-3
7th Louis Fernandes 25-11
8th Eddie Carper 24-14
9th Marc Schilling 24-9
10th Shawn Murphy 24-2
Inaugural Bassmaster High School Combine Nets Over $2.6 Million In Scholarships; Registration Opens Soon For 2022
The 2022 Abu Garcia Bassmaster High School Combine will be held Sept. 16-18, giving high school anglers an opportunity to showcase their skills to college fishing coaches.
Photo by Kyle Jessie/B.A.S.S.
May 26, 2022
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — After a wildly successful debut year, the Abu Garcia Bassmaster High School Combine returns to Wheeler Lake in Decatur, Ala., Sept. 16-18 for a weekend combining skills challenges and recruiting visits in hopes of reeling in college fishing scholarship money. The first Combine generated more than $2.6 million in scholarship offers.
“These high school anglers represent some of the finest athletes in the country, and it took the same drive and commitment to get here as it does to excel in any sport,”
said Abu Garcia Vice President of Marketing Communications Marc Kemper.
“They truly represent the ethos of Abu Garcia — Fish to Win.”
Only schools offering bass fishing scholarships were invited to the inaugural High School Combine, and coaches from 19 colleges attended. The experience offered young anglers and college coaches a chance to leverage rare face time to find the best fit for students ready to further both their education and their fishing at the next level.
“The Combine has given me the opportunity to meet and recruit anglers that I would've never been able to evaluate otherwise,” said Campbellsville University coach Tony Miracle. “It also gives kids the opportunity to meet and talk to universities and coaches that they never would've had the chance to meet. It's an unbelievable opportunity for both sides.
“I signed two anglers from last year’s Bassmaster High School Combine and am excited to get them on campus and start their journey. I'm also recruiting several high school juniors for next year. I absolutely will be back this year. I wouldn't miss it!”
The Abu Garcia Bassmaster High School Combine will be a three-day event where anglers will perform multiple tasks to showcase their skills not only on the water but also display their knowledge of the sport as a whole. Each of the disciplines will operate on a point system and will be timed by an official judge. Each angler will accumulate points to determine an overall winner.
After the first day, colleges will have the opportunity to select anglers for a “second look” where they can further explore everything that angler has to offer and see if they would be the perfect fit for their fishing program.
Fifty-seven scholarship offers came out of the first-ever High School Combine, with many students signing with a university on-site. Overall winner Levi Thibodaux of Thibodaux, La., inked an offer to fish for the Louisiana State University-Shreveport Pilots and Coach Charles Thompson, while Justin Frey of Landisburg, Pa., took home the victory in Casting Accuracy as well as an offer to fish for Bethel University.
“I connected with two universities during the combine that both have fantastic programs at an elite level,” said Frey. “What separated them the most in my mind was that both coaches were awesome, caring individuals. I was ecstatic and very blessed to sign with an athletic scholarship from Bethel University thanks to Coach Garry Mason ... it’s been a dream come true.”
Prior to the combine, Frey was not being recruited by Bethel University, which was the first college in America to offer bass fishing scholarships and has claimed 11 national titles.
“B.A.S.S. is constantly looking for ways to grow the High School and College platforms and give young anglers opportunities to excel not only in the sport, but also in the industry,” said Glenn Cale, B.A.S.S. Nation tournament manager — College, High School and Junior. “The inaugural Abu Garcia Bassmaster High School Combine was a great success, and we’re looking forward to growing this experience for both these high school anglers and the coaches who attend.”
Registration for the Abu Garcia Bassmaster High School Combine will open at 1 p.m. CT on June 7 at Bassmaster.com/high-school and remain open until 100 participants have registered. The $500 registration fee includes accommodations for two nights and all meals for the weekend.
For more information, visit Bassmaster.com/high-school.
A gallon a day for Aaron
Courtesy of Alan McGuckin - Dynamic Sponsorships
Summer hit Texas like Cowboy’s linebacker Micah Parsons last week. It was only mid-May, but I swear even the turtles were sweating at Lake Fork during the Bassmaster Elite Series event.
Following Day 3 of competition, at a lonely boat ramp parking lot, stood one of pro bass fishing’s modern-day heroes, Greg Hackney, buckling down his Phoenix, securing transom straps, and slugging water from a gallon jug to rehydrate before climbing into his 2022 Toyota Tundra for the six-hour drive home.
“My wife Julie got me started drinking a gallon of water a day about two years ago. She’s the super structured one of our marriage. Never misses a fitness workout, and always drinks her gallon of water each day,” says Hackney.
Hackney is 10-pounds lighter than he was three years ago and feels great at age 48. He credits water consumption as playing a huge role in his wellness. And his recent top performances prove his commitment to hydration is having a noticeable impact.
“I grew up with guys like Rick Clunn as my hero, and he was always looking for performance advantages ranging from meditation to diet. People thought he was a weirdo. Nah man, he was just ahead of the curve. And now he’s kind of the last man standing from his generation,” says Hackney with deep respect.
Friday, on Day 2 of the Bassmaster Elite Series at Lake Fork, Hackney admits he fell way short of drinking his daily gallon, and he felt it that evening.
“I had zero energy. My back hurt. I didn’t even feel like working on my tackle for the next day. That was a lesson learned,” he admits.
According to the U.S. National Academy of Sciences, Engineers, and Medicine, we should drink 3.7 liters of water daily -- right at 1-gallon – to aid with ridding waste, lubricating joints, protecting tissues and so much more.
That’s good science. But for Hackney, there’s a sentimental side to his new habit too.
“Aaron Martens always had a gallon jug of water riding next to him on the floor of his boat,” Hackney’s voice begins to crack, as he pauses briefly to collect his emotions. “Aaron was the most naturally gifted angler we’ve ever known, and his commitment to healthy living was pretty admirable.”
If for no other reason, that’s reason enough for all anglers to drink more water as the turtles begin to sweat here at the start of summer. A gallon a day this summer and beyond. To hydrate properly. To feel better. To fish better. And to remember Aaron.
I’ll promise you, Greg Hackney will be the first to drink a jug of water to that.
Walters Takes Watts Bar Lead
With a limit of 16-pounds, 14 ounces including a 6-pound, 6-ounce kicker, Patrick Walters takes the day one lead at the NPFL stop three on Tennessee's Watts Bar Reservoir. After a slow start to his morning, Walters was able to nickel and dime his way to a solid limit on the day.
“I was boat five and I knew I had my choice of an area. I wanted to start shallow but I started offshore and it just wasn’t happening. I bounced around and ran both shallow and deeper water for a while and finally got my first keeper at 8 AM. It took a lot longer than I thought it would.”
Walters used around 16 or 17 rods on the day and kept one side for shallow and one side for offshore bite. He does not believe that timing matters much throughout the day but noted they definitely bite better when there was water moving.
“I think they are going to be pulling some water tomorrow and I have a long day. Today I felt like my back was against the wall a little with time but it should be good tomorrow. I am looking at them on my electronics and scanning around for my bait, fish and any structure.”
Sheldon Collings
With 14-pounds, 12-ounces, Sheldon Collings brought a limit to the scales on day one good enough to finish in the 2nd place spot. After a quick start to his morning that included a limit in the first twenty minutes, Collings moved around the rest of the day looking for bigger bites.
“I was semi surprised with today as my practice was not great. I started on schooling fish and got that quick limit and then mixed up a ton of baits and a ton of spots to expand on my early 11-pound limit.”
With a longer day coming tomorrow, Collings is excited to go get back out but warns that the lack of sun (tomorrow) may affect his pattern as the tournament progresses along. Relying on bigger fish, he knows that the key to staying near the top throughout the week is getting those bites.
“All my weight came basically because of those three bigger bites. I am catching a ton of keepers but those few got me up there in weight. I did lose a big one today, probably a five pounder and it wrapped me around a tree.”
Pug Clements
Finishing the day in the 3rd place spot, Pug Clements ran a junk fishing pattern to catch his 14 pounds, 10 ounces on day one. He visited several types of areas, both shallow and deep, and use several types of baits and noted that the big bites were few and far between.
“There isn't much to say unfortunately; I caught some fish all over. I got two good bass on a shad spawn deal this morning, caught two others from my bag flipping laydowns and caught one off a brush pile in 24-foot.”
Admitting to preferring to have a pattern to run, versus running around junk fishing, Clements is sticking with his guns on day two and hoping for a couple more bigger bites to anchor his bag.
“The only deal I was able to catch a fish over 3-pounds is on that shad spawn or flipping laydowns. I am getting a bunch of bites but a lot of those are short fish mixed in. I have no idea what's going to happen, I am just fishing.”
Shawn Murphy
After a rough practice period, Shawn Murphy relied on a “just go fishing” mentality and weeded through several small schools of fish to catch 14-pounds, 9-ounces to finish the day in the 4th place spot.
“I tried to find some offshore schools in practice and never made it happen. The shallow bite wasn’t going for me either and this morning I didn’t know what I was going to do or what I was going to catch.”
Spending some time behind the wheel and locating small groups of fish now and then, Murphy was able to capitalize on bass that were set up correctly for him to effectively present his bait. As for tomorrow, more of the same.
“I honestly never got on any schooling fish or found anything to start on and I just have to go and try to find some of those same fish and look for new ones too. I did catch a few on Active Target in front of the boat and watched them eat my bait.”
Dale Prinkey
With 14-pounds, 7-ounces on day one, Dale Prinkey ended the day in the 5th place spot by relying on just one spot he found on day two of practice and one productive bait.
“I didn’t get on this spot until early afternoon and I saw guys on it most of the morning but I mixed up a lot of different baits and there is only one in particular I can get them to commit to.”
Obviously not wanting to let the cat out of the bag just yet, Prinkey is confident if he can get back on the spot and settle in with some current moving, he has a shot to catch more on day two.
“There is a lot of fish there if they move water at all, they stack up and I should be able to get on it again.”
Rest of the best:
6th Ryan Satterfield 13-13
7th Paul Browning 13-12
8th Louis Fernandes 13-10
9th Chance Woodard 13-4
10th Michael Brewer 13-2
Elite Angler Yelas Takes Medical Hardship
May 25, 2022
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — After dealing with severe tendinitis in both of his arms for the majority of the year, Bassmaster Elite Series angler Jay Yelas has decided to take a medical hardship and will miss the remainder of the season.
The pain began during the second event of the year at the Harris Chain of Lakes when Yelas made an awkward hook set that caused extreme pain in his right arm. Over time, that same pain began to take over his left arm from relying heavily on it to carry the weight that his right arm could no longer take.
The former Bassmaster Classic champion dealt with the pain and battled through it until Semifinal Saturday of the Simms Bassmaster Elite at Lake Fork. Despite the fact that Yelas was sitting in 13th place heading into Day 3, the pain had become so unbearable that he had to sit out the remainder of the event.
After a sports medicine doctor examined Yelas, he came to the conclusion that the best thing to do is take the medical hardship and let the condition heal rather than further irritate the injury.
“It’s really been a bummer,” said Yelas. “I’ve been having one of my better seasons that I’ve had in a while. After Friday’s weigh-in, I was sitting around 30th in Progressive Insurance Bassmaster Angler of the Year points.
“I went and saw a sports medicine doctor on Monday morning, and she suggested that I just need to cool it. It’s really common sense — if something is harming your body, you need to stop doing that thing.”
While the Oregon pro looked into short-term solutions, it was deemed that the risk for further injury was much greater if he didn’t get things worked out now, as opposed to after the season.
As it stands now, Yelas plans on resting and rehabbing his arms in hopes of being back to full health in four to six months.
“It’s just a matter of stretching, strengthening and rehabbing it with physical therapy to get it back to where it needs to be,” he said. “I’ve been really fortunate to never have an injury like this over the course of my 35 years fishing professionally.”
Hamner, Hopper Team Together To Win Bassmaster High School All-American Exhibition
The 2022 Bassmaster High School All-American Fishing Team presented by Academy Sports + Outdoors was recognized at the Simms Bassmaster Elite at Lake Fork, where Alabama pro Justin Hamner and high school angler Braxton Hopper won the Bassmaster High School All-American Exhibition Tournament presented by Academy Sports + Outdoors.
Photos courtesy of Chris Reynolds and Ken Golubjatkinov
May 25, 2022
QUITMAN, Texas — Bassmaster Elite Series pro Justin Hamner and Bassmaster High School All-American Braxton Hopper have been lifelong competitors on the local tournament scene in their home state of Alabama.
They’ve been taking one another’s money for years.
But on Saturday, they teamed together to win the Bassmaster High School All-American Exhibition Tournament presented by Academy Sports + Outdoors at Lake Quitman. They were one of 12 teams — each made up of an Elite pro and an All-American — who were allowed to weigh in one bass apiece.
Hopper weighed a 6-pound, 7-ounce largemouth, and Hamner weighed a 9-7 lunker that ranked as the largest of the event, and the pair won with a Texas-sized two-fish total of 15-14.
“Fishing one day with an Elite pro gave me a whole new perspective on things,” said Hopper, who lives in Chelsea, Ala. “There’s a certain mindset you have to have to compete in this sport, and I understand that now. I didn’t think about it this way before, but now I see what it takes.
“If you’re not fishing to win, you shouldn’t be out there.”
Like most of the All-Americans, Hopper has aspirations of fishing at the professional level — and Hamner said he’s well on his way to being ready.
“We caught a 6-pounder off a brushpile, I caught that 9-pounder and we lost another one that was about 8,” Hamner said. “Then he caught that 6-pounder on a frog. It was a great day.
“Braxton and his dad have been hurting people’s feelings in the tournaments I fish back home for a long time. So, I knew he could fish before he ever stepped in the boat.”
While two Alabama anglers who were familiar with one another took first, the two anglers who finished second were about as different as they could be.
AllAmerican Rein Golubjatnikov, a self-described “shallow-water specialist” from Pittsford, N.Y., was paired with 1993 Bassmaster Classic champion and 1994 Angler of the Year David Fritts, a Southerner who’s known as one of the best offshore anglers in the history of the sport.
They stuck with Fritts’ specialty, graphing deep-water areas until they found just the right spot for a Carolina rig. Golubjatnikov caught a 4-4 and Fritts caught a 4-1 for the second-place weight of 8-5.
“We spent about half an hour graphing and we found a gravel pile and basically stayed there all day,” Golubjatnikov said. “We just went back and forth through there throwing different baits and the Carolina rig is what worked for us.
“He’s pretty much the opposite of me. I pretty much became an All-American from catching smallmouth shallow. So, I definitely learned a lot today.”
Though they’re different, Fritts said one thing about the young man was familiar.
“Just the energy and enthusiasm he has reminds me of me at that age,” Fritts said. “He’s kind of quiet, listens really well, just wants to soak it all in. It’s been my experience that those are the kinds of people who succeed in this business.”
The 12 Bassmaster High School All-Americans were chosen during an annual process earlier this year that involves hundreds of applications from all over the country. The winners were announced in late April, and on Friday they were treated to a banquet at Academy Sports + Outdoors in Greenville, Texas, where they taught a fishing clinic for children from the Boys & Girls Club and then were treated to a shopping spree inside the store.
The All-Americans also received swag bags with everything from tackle and clothing to Humminbird LakeMaster cards chosen specifically for the region of the country where they live.
“When I first found out that High School All-American was even something that could be done, I told myself no matter what I did, it would go toward getting to this moment right here,” Hopper said. “It’s been everything I dreamed it would be.”
2022 Bassmaster High School All-American Exhibition Tournament presented by Academy Sports + Outdoors
Final Standings
Braxton Hopper-Justin Hamner 15-14
Rein Golubjatnikov-David Fritts 8-5
Tyson Verkaik-Ray Hanselman 7-15
Jared Mizell-Jake Whitaker 7-13
Nathan Reynolds-Clifford Pirch 7-4
Cole Berry-Austin Felix 7-1
Levi Thibodaux-Jay Przekurat 6-12
Evan Fields-Alex Redwine 6-5
Hudson Choquette-Clent Davis 5-14
Connor Dunn-Taku Ito 5-1
Gabriel Clark-Caleb Sumrall 3-14
Banks Shaw-Jonathan Kelley 0-0
MLF Toyota Series Western Division Finale Set for California Delta
BETHEL ISLAND, Calif. (May 24, 2022) – Major League Fishing (MLF), the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization, is set to return to California for a tournament next week, June 1-3– the Toyota Series Presented by A.R.E. at the California Delta at Russo’s Marina in Bethel Island The three-day bass fishing tournament is the third and final event of the regular season for the Toyota Series Western Division.
The tournament will showcase a field of the west’s best bass-fishing pros and Strike King co-anglers casting for a top prize package of up to $75,000 in the pro division and a new Phoenix 518 pro boat with a 115-horsepower Mercury outboard motor, in the co-angler division, and valuable points to qualify for November’s 2022 Toyota Series Championship.
“Man, I love fishing the Delta – it is my home away from home,” said pro Tai Au of Glendale, Arizona, who has four top-10 finishes on the California Delta in MLF competition. “It’s crazy, but you can literally win the tournament anywhere at the Delta. All the way from north to south, you basically just have to find an area that has good grass and good water quality and then run into those right bite windows to sack up a monster bag.
“I think it’s going to be hard to consistently catch those bigger bags, but I think the winner will have something like a high 20-pound limit, followed up by a few bags close to 20 pounds. My prediction is that it will take 63 to 64 pounds to win.”
Au said that he expects there will still be some late straggler bass that are still spawning during the event, but that competitors would be able to catch fish on a variety of baits and tactics.
“The weather is definitely the most important factor. The fish there are really, really affected by cold fronts and pressure systems – they like stable water,” Au said. “I think we’re going to see a ton of different tactics in play. Buzzbaits, frogs, flipping and punching. I’ll have a (Z-Man) Jack Hammer in my hand with a (Yamamoto) Zako trailer, and a 6- or 7-inch (Yamamoto) Senko . Topwater baits are going to be important looking for those big kicker bites. Believe it or not, a drop-shot rig can catch some big ones there. It’s going to be wide open, and a lot of fun.”
With just one event remaining in the Toyota Series Southern Division regular season, pro Kyle Grover of Rancho Santa Margarita, California, leads the Western Division Pro Angler of the Year (AOY) race with 517 points, while Zack Eggleston of Goleta, California, leads the Western Division Strike King Co-Angler Division AOY race with 508 points. The AOY in the Pro Division will receive $5,000 and the winning Strike King Co-angler will receive $2,000.
Anglers will launch each day at 6 a.m. PT from Russo’s Marina, located at 3995 Willow Road in Bethel Island. Weigh-ins will also be held at Russo’s Marina, beginning at 2 p.m. each day. 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 2022 Toyota Series Presented by A.R.E. consists of six divisions – Central, Northern, Plains Presented by Outlaw Ordnance, Southern, Southwestern Presented by Outlaw Ordnance and Western – each holding three regular-season events, along with the International and Wild Card divisions. Anglers who fish in any of the six divisions and finish in the top 25 – or the top 12 from the Wild Card division – will qualify for the no-entry-fee Toyota Series Presented by A.R.E. Championship for a shot at winning up to $235,000 cash. The winning Strike King co-angler at the championship earns a new Phoenix 518 Pro bass boat with a 115-horsepower Mercury outboard. The 2022 Toyota Series Presented by A.R.E. Championship will be held Nov. 3-5 on Lake Guntersville in Guntersville, Alabama, and is hosted by Marshall County Tourism and Sports.
Proud sponsors of the 2022 MLF Toyota Series Presented by A.R.E. include: 4WP, 13 Fishing, Abu Garcia, AFTCO, A.R.E. Truck Caps, B&W Trailer Hitches, Berkley, Black Rifle Coffee, E3, Epic Baits, Favorite Fishing, Gary Yamamoto Baits, General Tire, Lew’s, Lowrance, Lucas Oil, Mercury, Mossy Oak, Onyx, Outlaw Ordnance, Phoenix, Polaris, Power-Pole, Strike King, Tackle Warehouse, T-H Marine, Toyota, Wiley X and YETI.
For complete details and updated information visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow the MLF Toyota Series on the MLF5 social media outlets at Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.
Hot Springs and Lake Hamilton Set to Host 39th Annual Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American Championship Presented by T-H Marine
Major League Fishing’s Grassroots Bass-Fishing Championship to Take Place Next Week in Hot Springs for Record Sixth Time
HOT SPRINGS, Ark. (May 24, 2022) – Major League Fishing (MLF) is set to return to Hot Springs, Arkansas, next week, June 2-4, for the 39th annual Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American Championship on Lake Hamilton Presented by T-H Marine. The three-day tournament, hosted by the Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism and Visit Hot Springs, will showcase the nation’s best weekend grassroots anglers, and awards the winning boater a top prize of up to $120,000, and a top prize of $50,000 for the winning Strike King co-angler.
The no-entry-fee-event is the sixth All-American Championship to be held in Hot Springs – a record for the most times a city has hosted the tournament. It is projected to provide an estimated $1 million economic impact to the region.
“We are very pleased to welcome Major League Fishing back to Hot Springs for the 39th annual All-American Championship,” said Steve Arrison, Visit Hot Springs CEO. “Our community loves bass fishing, and it is an honor to host this prestigious grassroots championship for the record sixth time. We know the anglers from around the country are going to have a great time in Hot Springs and we look forward to seeing the big bass that they bring to the weigh-in scales.”
The championship was previously held on Lake Hamilton in 2000, 2001, 2004 and 2008 and on DeGray Lake, also in the region, in 2010. The event often serves as a steppingstone for anglers who wish to advance to the Toyota Series, Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit and ultimately the Bass Pro Tour. Former All-American champions who currently compete on the Bass Pro Tour and the Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit include Shaw Grigsby (1984), Stephen Browning (1996), Jacob Wheeler (2011), Kerry Milner (2013), Jeremy Lawyer (2016) and Nick LeBrun (2018).
“The All-American absolutely jump-started my career, and it jumpstarted the careers of several great anglers – (Rick) Clunn, Clark Wendlandt, Joe Thomas – the list is long,” said Bass Pro Tour angler Stephen Browning of Hot Springs, who won the 1996 All-American Championship on the Arkansas River. “It was a bucket list event to even make the All-American. To win it was certainly a bonus and gave me the opportunity to be financially comfortable starting my career.”
In addition to being a former All-American champion, the Hot Springs angler also resides on Lake Hamilton and expects a fun, competitive tournament this year.
“I live on the banks of Lake Hamilton and fish it quite often,” Browning said. “In early June, the fishery can be kind of tricky. A lot of the kids are out of school, and there is a lot more boat traffic. But, with that said, Lake Hamilton has a tremendous population of fish. It’s not a big fish factory, but there are some really good fish here and the BFL anglers are going to catch a bunch.”
Browning said that if he was competing in the event, he would be starting the event fishing shallow and move deeper as the day progressed.
“I’d be throwing a buzzbait or a Jack Hammer, fishing shallow around water willow and boat docks in the early morning,” Browning said. “Then, from mid-morning through the rest of the day, I would be out in that 12 to 15 feet range fishing brush piles and drop-offs throwing a crankbait – a No. 4 or No. 5 Jackall Digle.
“The key is going to be not getting spun out,” Browning continued. “Don’t get frustrated if you don’t catch fish in a certain area where you thought you were going to. This is a pattern lake, and after a good spawn a week ago I think the bite will move around and get better as the week goes on. So, revisit areas, and don’t lose confidence in a technique even though it didn’t work to perfection the day before.”
Browning went on to predict that the three-day winner would have a cumulative weight from 38 to 42 pounds.
Anglers will launch each day at 6:30 a.m. CT from the Andrew Hulsey Fish Hatchery, located at 350 Fish Hatchery Road in Hot Springs. Weigh-in each day will be held at the launch location and will begin at 2:30 p.m. Fans are welcome to attend all launch and weigh-in events and encouraged to follow the event’s online coverage at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
The full field of 42 boaters and 42 Strike King co-anglers will compete on Days 1 (Thursday) and 2 (Friday) of the event. After two days of competition, the field is cut to just the top 10 boaters and co-anglers, based on two-day total cumulative weight, and the final 10 anglers compete on Championship Saturday. The boater and co-angler that catch the heaviest three-day total weight will be crowned the 39th Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American Champions.
The 2021 Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine was a 24-division circuit devoted to weekend anglers, with 128 tournaments throughout the season, five qualifying events in each division. The top 45 boaters and Strike King co-anglers from each division, along with the five winners of the qualifying events, advanced to one of six Regional Championships where they competed to finish in the top six, which then advanced them to compete in the Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American.
Television coverage of the 2022 Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American will premiere in early October on CBS Sports and the Sportsman Channel. The full television air schedule can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
Proud sponsors of the 2022 MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine include: 4WP, 13 Fishing, Abu Garcia, AFTCO, A.R.E. Truck Caps, B&W Trailer Hitches, Berkley, Black Rifle Coffee, E3, Epic Baits, Favorite Fishing, Gary Yamamoto Baits, General Tire, Lew’s, Lowrance, Lucas Oil, Mercury, Mossy Oak, Onyx, Phoenix, Polaris, Power-Pole, Revital Outdoors, Strike King, Tackle Warehouse, T-H Marine, Toyota, Wiley X, YETI and Yo-Zuri.
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.
Bassmaster Redfish Cup Returns To Port Aransas In 2022
The Yamaha Bassmaster Redfish Cup Championship presented by Skeeter returns to Port Aransas, Texas, Nov. 4-6. In 2021, Elite Series pro Chris Zaldain and IFA Redfish Tour angler Ryan Rickard took home the victory.
Photo by James Overstreet/B.A.S.S.
May 24, 2022
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Ten teams will compete for their share of a $100,000 purse when the 2022 Yamaha Bassmaster Redfish Cup Championship presented by Skeeter returns to Port Aransas, Texas, Nov. 4-6.
2021 marked the return of the Bassmaster Redfish Cup Championship after a 12-year hiatus. The all-star team of Elite Series pro Chris Zaldain and IFA Redfish Tour angler Ryan Rickard came from third place on the final day to claim the title on Aransas with a six-fish, three-day total of 43 pounds, 4 ounces.
“We’re excited to be returning to Port Aransas, which really lived up to its reputation last year,” said Tournament Director Hank Weldon. “Fans last year enjoyed an exciting event where all 10 teams were in contention all the way to the end of the third day. It was fun to see a mix of inshore and bass tactics being used, and the competitors, sportfishing fans and viewers really embraced this format.”
The 10 teams will only be allowed to weigh two fish in the 20- to 28-inch slot per day rather than the standard five-fish limit for B.A.S.S. events.
Once more the contest will feature a mix of championship-caliber professional redfish teams along with five all-star teams featuring Bassmaster pro anglers paired with redfish pros. In addition to the defending champions Rickard and Zaldain, Elite Series pro Scott Martin along with Elite champions Drew Cook, Wes Logan and Brandon Palaniuk are slated to compete as part of all-star teams. Their partners will be announced at a later date.
These all-star teams will be joined by redfish teams representing the Professional Redfish League, Elite Redfish Series and Power-Pole Pro Redfish Tour.
“The return of the Redfish Cup Championship last year was a big success, and we expect it to grow even more in 2022, ” said Susan Camp, Division Manager, Marketing, Yamaha U.S. Marine Business Unit. “This tournament is unique because it pairs fresh and saltwater anglers together and, by doing so, expands the reach of the Yamaha and Skeeter brands within competitive fishing. We look forward to a great event this fall.”
Fans can catch Bassmaster Redfish LIVE coverage all three days of the tournament on Bassmaster.com. FS1 will broadcast live Nov. 5-6.
“Port Aransas is known as the fishing capital of Texas, and in particular a great redfish fishery,” said Brett Stawar, president and CEO for the Port Aransas Tourism Bureau & Chamber of Commerce. “Hosting the Redfish Cup Championship last year brought the best of the best to Port Aransas to fish our waters and truly showcased our family-friendly destination filled with beaches, fishing, amazing seafood and island-style shopping. We are very excited to once again demonstrate the greatness of Port Aransas through this championship and look forward to hosting some of the finest fishermen here with us.”
Wrangler® Reels in Fishing Styles with New ATG Wrangler AnglerTM Collection and Will Serve as the Official Sponsor of the Major League Fishing Bass Pro Tour in 2022
As interest in recreational fishing soars, the ATG Wrangler Angler™ Collection expands on the success of the All Terrain Gear - ATG by Wrangler® line with quality fishing pieces
May 24, 2022 — Greensboro, NC — Wrangler®, a global icon in jeanswear and casual apparel, today announced the expansion of its successful All Terrain Gear by Wrangler™ line of outdoor and athleisure apparel to include high-performance fishing styles with the launch of the ATG Wrangler Angler™ Collection . Designed for functionality, comfort and durability, the collection meets the unique needs of anglers everywhere, incorporating key features including increased ventilation, stretch and range of motion.
The collection is a direct response to increased interest in recreational fishing over the past few years, specifically among casual fisherman. According to data collected from the Recreational Boating and Fishing Foundation’s 2021 Special Report on Fishing, 18% of the U.S. population ages six and up went fishing at least one time in 2020, making it an ideal time for new and returning anglers to explore new fishing gear as the sport’s popularity continues to grow.
“Wrangler was born as an outdoor brand. With the launch of the ATG Wrangler Angler Collection, we are harnessing our unique understanding of the importance of durability and versatility for outdoor apparel, to bring style and comfort to the sportfishing space,” said Tom Waldron, EVP, Co-Chief Operating Officer, Global Brand President – Wrangler. “At Wrangler we are committed to strategic growth that is true to our roots. We are excited to continue to grow our outdoor collection to meet the dynamic needs of outdoor enthusiasts.”
Building off features and attributes of the men’s and women’s ATG by Wrangler line, the dual-gender Wrangler Angler™ Collection couples performance with effortless style to take consumers from the office to the outdoors. Key products available in the ATG Wrangler Angler Collection include:
- The Men’s LS Sun Performance Sun Shirt, Hike-to-Fish SS Shirt, and LS Angler Shirt and Women’s Hooded Sun Tee and LS Angler Shirt, all of which feature moisture-wicking fabric and UPF protection.
- The Men’s Angler Short and Angler Utility Short, which feature increased stretch and range of motion.
- The Women’s SS Angler Dress, which offers lightweight material that provides breathability and comfort, as well as increased ventilation for warm days on the water.
Aligning with the launch of the ATG Wrangler Angler™ Collection, Wrangler has aligned itself as a sponsor of Major League Fishing, the world’s largest tournament fishing organization and premier outdoor entertainment brand. Wrangler will serve as the Official Sponsor of the Major League Fishing Bass Pro Tour.
“We’re thrilled to be working with Wrangler this year and are proud to associate with a brand that’s helping to address some of the biggest issues that anglers face when shopping for typical fishing attire,” said Jim Wilburn, President and CEO of Major League Fishing. “The collaboration was a natural fit for Major League Fishing, as the Wrangler brand feels synonymous with what we and the sport are all about – hard work, an adventurous spirit and courageous individuality.”
Apparel from the ATG Wrangler Angler™ Collection is available on Wrangler.com and at retailers nationwide, including Amazon. Retail prices range from $28.99- $55.99. To learn more about the ATG Wrangler Angler™ Collection, visit www.wrangler.com.
MATER AND BUTLER WIN TTZ 2022 CHAMPIONSHIP ON CHOKE CANYON WITH 52.88lbs.
| PL | ANGLER 1 | ANGLER 2 | FISH 1 | BIG BASS 1 | DAY 1 WT | FISH 2 | BIG BASS 2 | DAY 2 WT | TOTAL WT | PRIZE |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | ROBERT BUTLER | BRIAN MATER | 5 | 22.44 | 5 | 10.11 | 30.44 | 52.88 | $20,000 + $680 BIG BASS | |
| 2 | CHARLES WHITED | TREY GROCE | 5 | 20.59 | 5 | 9.57 | 28.81 | 49.40 | $5000 | |
| 3 | JJ LARSON | HUNTER ARTHUR | 5 | 8.36 | 26.67 | 5 | 22.66 | 49.33 | $2500 | |
| 4 | ALLEN GASS | DANIEL ABERNATHY | 5 | 20.23 | 5 | 24.73 | 44.96 | $1500 | ||
| 5 | TERRY KIRCUS | JASON BUCHANAN | 5 | 7.01 | 27.20 | 5 | 16.60 | 43.80 | $750 | |
| 6 | PHILLIP MASSOLETTI | NOEL LOWE | 5 | 17.35 | 5 | 9.22 | 26.43 | 43.78 | $600 | |
| 7 | DALE READ | JAKE READ | 5 | 19.55 | 5 | 8.05 | 22.13 | 41.68 | $500 | |
| 8 | RONNY MAYNARD | ERIC CRUMLEY | 5 | 24.45 | 5 | 17.18 | 41.63 | $450 | ||
| 9 | DARRELL WUENSCHE | 5 | 15.84 | 5 | 25.28 | 41.12 | ||||
| 10 | MIKE NICHELINI | JEFF DEFORGE | 5 | 10.59 | 5 | 7.70 | 30.07 | 40.66 | ||
| 11 | JEFF ANDERSON | FRANK WIGET | 5 | 16.90 | 5 | 7.98 | 21.69 | 38.59 | ||
| 12 | LANCE DILLARD | BLAKE DILLARD | 5 | 9.01 | 20.17 | 5 | 18.30 | 38.47 | ||
| 13 | KENNETH FAIRLY | AYDEN REEDY (Y) | 5 | 7.67 | 25.82 | 5 | 12.38 | 38.20 | ||
| 14 | LYNN PIERCE | TERRY HALL | 5 | 6.52 | 22.41 | 5 | 13.78 | 36.19 | ||
| 15 | JAMES HENRY | COREY SCHNAUTZ | 5 | 22.91 | 5 | 13.20 | 36.11 | |||
| 16 | TYLER TORWICK | BRYAN SCOTT | 5 | 6.97 | 22.72 | 5 | 11.00 | 33.72 | ||
| 17 | ADRIAN SANCHEZ | DEAN ALEXANDER | 5 | 18.19 | 5 | 15.44 | 33.63 | |||
| 18 | TONY FERDINANDO | SHANE LOGAN | 5 | 17.63 | 5 | 15.55 | 33.18 | |||
| 19 | TOM LORDEN | MATT HELMS | 5 | 17.88 | 5 | 14.36 | 32.24 | |||
| 20 | RANDY HIBLER | RANDALL CHRISTIAN | 5 | 21.63 | 5 | 9.81 | 31.44 | |||
| 21 | PAUL SCHROEDER | BRAD ANKRUM | 5 | 11.36 | 5 | 20.02 | 31.38 | |||
| 22 | JUSTIN MAY | HOLLY ROBERSON | 5 | 19.70 | 5 | 9.80 | 29.50 | |||
| 23 | BILL KIMBERLY | WILLIAM SQUIRES | 5 | 15.11 | 5 | 14.31 | 29.42 | |||
| 24 | JOSHUA RHODES | DAVY CRANDALL | 3 | 5.31 | 5 | 23.38 | 28.69 | |||
| 25 | JAYSON KISSELBURG | LAKE KISSELBURG | 5 | 16.91 | 5 | 11.69 | 28.60 | |||
| 26 | DEREK TAYLOR | 5 | 8.53 | 5 | 7.54 | 19.63 | 28.16 | |||
| 27 | DAVID REID | ANTHONY KEANE | 5 | 11.65 | 5 | 16.00 | 27.65 | |||
| 28 | BRANDON BRAY | JESSE FRY | 5 | 14.50 | 5 | 12.23 | 26.73 | |||
| 29 | JACK CULBREATH | DARREL ROUTON | 5 | 12.58 | 5 | 13.81 | 26.39 | |||
| 30 | EDDIE PELFREY | DAVID LANDRY | 5 | 10.45 | 5 | 15.64 | 26.09 | |||
| 31 | HUFF MCINTOSH | DAVID MEAD | 5 | 15.20 | 4 | 9.38 | 24.58 | |||
| 32 | PHILLIP DOUBEK | ANDREW SWEET | 5 | 10.77 | 5 | 13.54 | 24.31 | |||
| 33 | THOMAS WEIMER | BRANDON JONES | 5 | 11.15 | 5 | 12.16 | 23.31 | |||
| 34 | KAENA FREITAS | ANDY ZAVALA | 5 | 12.40 | 5 | 10.23 | 22.63 | |||
| 35 | SEAN CLAMPITT | AARON GILBERT | 5 | 10.17 | 5 | 12.27 | 22.44 | |||
| 36 | JEREMIAH WAFFORD | GARY WEIMER | 5 | 11.27 | 5 | 10.06 | 21.33 | |||
| 37 | STAN KAMINSKI | ROBERT WHITEHEAD | 5 | 8.63 | 5 | 12.15 | 20.78 | |||
| 38 | MIKE MCEACHERN | JOSEPH KENNEDY | 5 | 10.65 | 5 | 9.48 | 20.13 | |||
| 39 | LES COPELAND | BLAKE ROBERSON | 5 | 9.43 | 5 | 9.66 | 19.09 | |||
| 40 | MEL BARKER | KELVIN MILAM | 5 | 9.69 | 5 | 9.04 | 18.73 | |||
| 41 | MARK RAGER | JUSTIN NIXON | 5 | 12.15 | 2 | 5.28 | 17.43 | |||
| 42 | RICK HAMILTON | TONY MALDONADO | 5 | 9.50 | 5 | 7.89 | 17.39 | |||
| 43 | JACOB MEREDITH | JIMMY MEREDITH | 4 | 6.19 | 4 | 9.57 | 15.76 | |||
| 44 | TRAVIS PROFFITT | STEPHEN MALINA | 5 | 14.99 | 14.99 | |||||
| 45 | ANTHONY GOODSON | TRAVIS DAUGHERTY | 5 | 14.86 | 14.86 | |||||
| 46 | JAMES SCOGIN | ROLAND LOERA | 5 | 5.89 | 14.74 | 14.74 | ||||
| 47 | MATTHEW HATHAWAY | 5 | 14.65 | 14.65 | ||||||
| 48 | CURTIS WESLEY | ROBBIE THORSTEINSON | 5 | 12.58 | 12.58 | |||||
| 49 | SHAE SEALE | LARRY HOLYBEE | 5 | 12.49 | 12.49 | |||||
| 50 | LOGAN CLARK | TRAVIS COCKERHAM | 5 | 12.47 | 12.47 | |||||
| 51 | TIMOTHY STACK | BRETT ORLICH | 5 | 12.31 | 12.31 | |||||
| 52 | ROBBY PAYNE | 5 | 11.92 | 11.92 | ||||||
| 53 | CLINT ROBERTSON | STEVE MAGNELIA | 5 | 11.72 | 11.72 | |||||
| 54 | ROBERT NUERNBERG | JUNIOR NUERNBERG | 5 | 10.60 | 10.60 | |||||
| 55 | JARRED THOMAS | JACE THOMAS | 5 | 10.56 | 10.56 | |||||
| 56 | CHARLES YOUNG | RONNIE ANDREWS | 5 | 9.98 | 9.98 | |||||
| 57 | HAL GATEWOOD | CHRIS BERTELSON | 5 | 9.37 | 9.37 | |||||
| 58 | JASON OLIVO | TRENT BLAKE | 5 | 8.65 | 8.65 | |||||
| 59 | COLT SLAYDEN | JAMIE SLAYDEN | 5 | 8.61 | 8.61 | |||||
| 60 | JACOB MARSAC | TYLER LUDEMANN | 5 | 7.97 | 7.97 | |||||
| 61 | SAL SANCHEZ | DOUG DURDEN | 4 | 7.72 | 7.72 | |||||
| 62 | STEVEN KIRKWOOD | 5 | 7.15 | 7.15 | ||||||
| 63 | DANIEL HAMER | CODY HAMER | 5 | 5.14 | 5.14 | |||||
| 64 | JOSHUA HUETT | BRENDEN HELINSKI | 1 | 2.53 | 2.53 | |||||
| 65 | ADRIAN BARNES | DANIEL BARNES | 0 | |||||||
| 65 | AUSTIN VANDERVEER | BRODIE FARCO (Y) | 0 | |||||||
| 65 | SAM MORROW | COLT DIETZ | 0 | |||||||
| 65 | TYLER FONSECA | RODNEY THOMPSON | 0 |
Lee Tops Phoenix Bass Fishing League Event on Lake Dardanelle
Logan Wins Strike King Co-Angler Division
RUSSELLVILLE, Ark. (May 23, 2022) – Boater Brandon Lee of Ratcliff, Arkansas, caught five bass Saturday weighing 17 pounds, 7 ounces, to win the MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine on Lake Dardanelle . The tournament, hosted by Russellville Advertising and Promotion, was the fourth event for the Bass Fishing League Arkie Division. Lee earned $4,584 for his victory.
“I started the morning fishing a shad spawn using a Dart Frog-colored BOOYAH Pad Crasher (Frog) in the mid-lake area near Piney Bay,” Lee said. “I was fishing shallow; I never even turned a graph on all day.”
Later in the day Lee, who notched a BFL win at Lake Dardanelle in 2014, said he employed the use of a white ½-ounce BOOYAH Mobster Swimjig with a white YUM Craw Chunk trailer around reeds in less than 2 feet of water. Lee’s efforts resulted in nine keepers during competition.
“I knew I had a shot at winning around noon when I made my last cull,” Lee said. “I had all 3-pounders at that point and one that was 4½, but I figured it would take 18 pounds to win it. I knew I was close.
“This win is awesome,” Lee added. “They are so hard to come by. I was in the first flight, so I had to sit there for two hours after I weighed in and watch everyone weigh in. My nerves were shot at the end of the day.”
The top 10 boaters finished the tournament in:
1st: Brandon Lee, Ratcliff, Ark., five bass, 17-7, $4,584
2nd: Kirk Smith, Edmond, Okla., five bass, 15-9, $2,292
3rd: Shonn Goodwin, Moore, Okla., five bass, 15-0, $1,729
4th: James Boyett, Mountain Home, Ark., four bass, 14-14, $1,070
5th: Cody Ross, Livingston, Texas, five bass, 14-12, $1,592
6th: Chris Huselton, Conway, Ark., five bass, 13-2, $840
7th: Quincy Houchin, Mabelvale, Ark., five bass, 12-13, $1,464 (includes $500 Phoenix MLF Contingency Bonus)
8th: Aubrey Walker, Ola, Ark., four bass, 12-6, $688
9th: Mike Scoggins, Danville, Ark., five bass, 12-3, $573
9th: Doug Thompson, Mabelvale, Ark., five bass, 12-3, $573
Complete results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
Ross caught a largemouth weighing 5 pounds, 1 ounce – the heaviest of the event in the Boater Division – to earn the day’s Berkley Big Bass Boater award of $675.
Steven Logan of Hugo, Oklahoma, won the Strike King Co-angler Division and $2,592 Saturday after catching five bass weighing 12 pounds, 15 ounces.
The top 10 Strike King co-anglers were:
1st: Steven Logan, Hugo, Okla., five bass, 12-15, $2,592
2nd: Chuck Harney, Perryville, Ark., four bass, 12-11, $1,146
3rd: Dusty Rhoades, Gravelly, Ark., three bass, 11-4, $765
4th: Derrick Damon, Clarksville, Ark., five bass, 11-0, $535
5th: Kyle Huneycutt, Malvern, Ark., four bass, 9-11, $458
6th: Alvin Williams, Hartman, Ark., four bass, 8-14, $420
7th: Andrew Wooley, Little Rock, Ark., three bass, 8-11, $382
8th: Joshua James, Talihina, Okla., four bass, 8-4, $344
9th: Steve Boone, Mountain Pine, Ark., four bass, 7-12, $306
10th: Aaron Calvert, Russellville, Ark., four bass, 7-8, $267
Larry Carter of Little Rock, Arkansas, caught the largest bass in the Co-angler Division, a fish weighing in at 5 pounds, 5 ounces. The catch earned him the day’s Berkley Big Bass Co-angler award of $337.
After four events, Kevin Brown of Hot Springs, Arkansas, leads the Bass Fishing League Arkie Division Boater Angler of the Year (AOY) race with 967 points, while Andrew Wooley of Little Rock, Arkansas, leads the Strike King Co-Angler Division AOY race with 943 points.
The top 45 boaters and co-anglers in the region based on point standings, along with the five winners in each qualifying event, will be entered in the Oct. 20-22 Bass Fishing League Regional Championship on Grand Lake in Grove, Oklahoma. Boaters will compete 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 fish for a new Phoenix 819 Pro with a 200-horsepower Mercury outboard.
The 2022 Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine is a 24-division circuit devoted to weekend anglers, with 128 tournaments throughout the season, five qualifying events in each division. The top 45 boaters and Strike King co-anglers from each division, along with the five winners of the qualifying events, will advance to one of six Regional Championships 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 Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American. The 2022 All-American will be held June 2-4 at Lake Hamilton in Hot Springs, Arkansas and is hosted by the Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism and Visit Hot Springs.
The top 45 boaters and Strike King co-anglers plus tournament winners from each Phoenix Bass Fishing League division will also earn priority entry into the MLF Toyota Series, the pathway to the MLF Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit and ultimately the MLF Bass Pro Tour.
Proud sponsors of the 2022 MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine include: 4WP, 13 Fishing, Abu Garcia, AFTCO, A.R.E. Truck Caps, B&W Trailer Hitches, Berkley, Black Rifle Coffee, E3, Epic Baits, Favorite Fishing, Gary Yamamoto Baits, General Tire, Lew’s, Lowrance, Lucas Oil, Mercury, Mossy Oak, Onyx, Phoenix, Polaris, Power-Pole, Revital Outdoors, Strike King, Tackle Warehouse, T-H Marine, Toyota, Wiley X, YETI and Yo-Zuri.
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.
Nesbitt Wins Phoenix Bass Fishing League Event on Indian Lake
LAKEVIEW, Ohio (May 23, 2022) – Boater Michael Nesbitt of St. Paris, Ohio, caught five bass Saturday weighing 10 pounds, 3 ounces, to win the MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine on Indian Lake . The tournament was the season-opener for the Bass Fishing League Buckeye Division. Nesbitt earned $5,154 for his victory.
“We went back to the Game Preserve where there was one spot I wanted to fish, and there were already boats there,” Nesbitt said. “I’m a big frog fisherman, but there were people already frogging there, so I just went to finesse fishing. We had boats literally right beside us all day. I threw a wacky rig and a swimbait, then caught one right at the end of the day on a frog that was a good cull up.”
Nesbitt said he made long casts to fish guarding fry around grass and lily pads and said the key to his success was bait placement more than anything else. He said he caught nine fish, all keepers, during the tournament.
“It was a pretty simple day, really,” Nesbitt said. “We just battled it out in one little area.
“All of my fish came on a spinning rod in the heavy vegetation,” Nesbitt added. “I was really trying to focus on winning this event and pre-fished four or five times for it. I’ve spent a lot of time on that lake.”
The top 10 boaters finished the tournament in:
2nd: Josh Smith, Hamilton, Ohio, five bass, 9-12, $3,477 (includes $500 Phoenix MLF Contingency Bonus)
3rd: Quentin Smith, Minford, Ohio, five bass, 9-7, $1,719
4th: Cody Seeger, Lewistown, Ohio, five bass, 9-4, $1,117
4th: Dave Fricke, Hamilton, Ohio, five bass, 9-4, $1,117
6th: Jeffrey Cummins, Marion, Ohio, five bass, 9-2, $945
7th: Benjamin Quisno, Waynesville, Ohio, five bass, 8-12, $859
8th: Dan Fry, Marysville, Ohio, five bass, 8-11, $973
9th: Tanner Ward, Woodsfield, Ohio, five bass, 8-9, $687
10th: Brandon Cline, Wheelersburg, Ohio, five bass, 8-5, $601
Jarrett Martin of Mansfield, Ohio, caught a largemouth weighing 4 pounds, 6 ounces – the heaviest of the event in the Boater Division – to earn the day’s Berkley Big Bass Boater award of $795.
The top 10 Strike King co-anglers were:
2nd: Jacob Alltop, Lewistown, Ohio, five bass, 8-13, $1,256
3rd: Braden Fairbanks, five bass, 6-15, $712
3rd: Brian Reynolds, five bass, 6-15, $712
5th: Justin Smith, Middletown, Ohio, four bass, 6-10, $602
6th: Brad Lyon, Dublin, Ohio, five bass, 6-7, $461
7th: Aaron Lewis, five bass, 5-13, $419
8th: Christopher Chapman, four bass, 5-11, $377
9th: Howard Smith, Hamilton, Ohio, three bass, 5-7, $535
10th: Brent Wilkens, Hamilton, Ohio, four bass, 5-4, $293
The top 45 boaters and co-anglers in the region based on point standings, along with the five winners in each qualifying event, will be entered in the Oct. 20-22 Bass Fishing League Regional Championship on the James River in Richmond, Virginia. Boaters will compete 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 fish for a new Phoenix 819 Pro with a 200-horsepower Mercury outboard.
The 2022 Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine is a 24-division circuit devoted to weekend anglers, with 128 tournaments throughout the season, five qualifying events in each division. The top 45 boaters and Strike King co-anglers from each division, along with the five winners of the qualifying events, will advance to one of six Regional Championships 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 Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American. The 2022 All-American will be held June 2-4 at Lake Hamilton in Hot Springs, Arkansas and is hosted by the Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism and Visit Hot Springs.
The top 45 boaters and Strike King co-anglers plus tournament winners from each Phoenix Bass Fishing League division will also earn priority entry into the MLF Toyota Series, the pathway to the MLF Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit and ultimately the MLF Bass Pro Tour.
Proud sponsors of the 2022 MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine include: 4WP, 13 Fishing, Abu Garcia, AFTCO, A.R.E. Truck Caps, B&W Trailer Hitches, Berkley, Black Rifle Coffee, E3, Epic Baits, Favorite Fishing, Gary Yamamoto Baits, General Tire, Lew’s, Lowrance, Lucas Oil, Mercury, Mossy Oak, Onyx, Phoenix, Polaris, Power-Pole, Revital Outdoors, Strike King, Tackle Warehouse, T-H Marine, Toyota, Wiley X, YETI and Yo-Zuri.
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.
Akemon Wins Phoenix Bass Fishing League Event on Lake Cumberland
MONTICELLO, Ky. (May 23, 2022) – Boater Jason Akemon of McKee, Kentucky, caught five bass Saturday weighing 16 pounds, 6 ounces, to win the MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine on Lake Cumberland . The tournament was the third event for the Bass Fishing League Mountain Division. Akemon earned $5,550 for his victory.
“I went looking for post-spawn largemouth that might be up feeding on shad, but I didn’t find any,” Akemon said. “What I did find was fish on the inside edge of the short pockets on the main lake. If there was mud with big chunk rock, there were smallmouth there. They were stacked up in 10 to 15 feet just sitting there.”
Akemon said he targeted the smallmouth with a Keitech 3.3-inch Swing Impact FAT Swimbait with a ¼-ounce head. He noted they bit well until the sun came out, then shied away. Akemon said he then shifted to a Carolina rig with a Zoom Super Speed Craw to catch his bass. He said he caught 15 fish during the course of the tournament, 10 of which were keepers.
“I had a limit by 10 o’clock and then just started upgrading,” Akemon said. “I won the BFL event on Lake Cumberland in 2018 by sight fishing, which is my strength. But I wanted to win it again.
“A lot of the places I caught fish were places I had been night fishing with my mentor years ago when he was teaching me to fish,” Akemon added. “So this win was pretty sentimental to me.”
The top 10 boaters finished the tournament in:
2nd: Chip Chambers, Elizabethton, Tenn., five bass, 13-15, $2,615
3rd: Eldon Newcomb, Mt. Vernon, Ky., five bass, 13-14, $1,609
4th: Clay Reece, Lexington, Ky., five bass, 13-6, $1,127
5th: Taylor Stumbo, Prestonburg, Ky., five bass, 13-4, $966
6th: Jeff Carman, Liberty, Ky., five bass, 12-7, $804
6th: Michael Morrison, Stamping Ground, Ky., five bass, 12-7, $804
6th: Ryan White, Lancaster, Ky., five bass, 12-7, $1,104
9th: Ryan Davidson, Branchland, W.V., five bass, 11-10, $1,144 (includes $500 Phoenix MLF Contingency Bonus)
10th: Bailey Gay, Union, Ky., five bass, 11-8, $563
Akemon caught a bass weighing 3 pounds, 15 ounces – the heaviest of the event in the Boater Division – earning him the day’s Berkley Big Bass Boater award of $720.
The top 10 Strike King co-anglers were:
2nd: Ralph Feldman, Lancaster, Ky., five bass, 10-4, $1,207
3rd: James Wheatley, Coxs Creek, Ky., four bass, 10-3, $806
4th: Tobie Ummel, Leitchfield, Ky., three bass, 8-13, $523
4th: Joe Harmeyer, Greensburg, Ind., four bass, 8-13, $523
6th: Lenny Bays, Dayton, Ky., five bass, 8-11, $443
7th: Todd Stopher, London, Ky., four bass, 7-12, $402
8th: Andrew Adams, Science Hill, Ky., three bass, 7-11, $362
9th: Bryan Whittaker, Richmond, Ky., four bass, 7-9, $302
9th: Levi Allgeier, Bardstown, Ky., four bass, 7-9, $302
After three events, Tristan Abbott of Somerset, Kentucky, leads the Bass Fishing League Mountain Division Boater Angler of the Year (AOY) race with 725 points, while Todd Stopher of London, Kentucky, leads the Strike King Co-Angler Division AOY race with 710 points.
The top 45 boaters and co-anglers in the region based on point standings, along with the five winners in each qualifying event, will be entered in the Oct. 20-22 Bass Fishing League Regional Championship on Smith Lake in Cullman, Alabama. Boaters will compete 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 fish for a new Phoenix 819 Pro with a 200-horsepower Mercury outboard.
The 2022 Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine is a 24-division circuit devoted to weekend anglers, with 128 tournaments throughout the season, five qualifying events in each division. The top 45 boaters and Strike King co-anglers from each division, along with the five winners of the qualifying events, will advance to one of six Regional Championships 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 Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American. The 2022 All-American will be held June 2-4 at Lake Hamilton in Hot Springs, Arkansas and is hosted by the Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism and Visit Hot Springs.
The top 45 boaters and Strike King co-anglers plus tournament winners from each Phoenix Bass Fishing League division will also earn priority entry into the MLF Toyota Series, the pathway to the MLF Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit and ultimately the MLF Bass Pro Tour.
Proud sponsors of the 2022 MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine include: 4WP, 13 Fishing, Abu Garcia, AFTCO, A.R.E. Truck Caps, B&W Trailer Hitches, Berkley, Black Rifle Coffee, E3, Epic Baits, Favorite Fishing, Gary Yamamoto Baits, General Tire, Lew’s, Lowrance, Lucas Oil, Mercury, Mossy Oak, Onyx, Phoenix, Polaris, Power-Pole, Revital Outdoors, Strike King, Tackle Warehouse, T-H Marine, Toyota, Wiley X, YETI and Yo-Zuri.
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.
Drinnon Wins Rescheduled Phoenix Bass Fishing League Event on Cherokee Lake
Vick Tops Strike King Co-Angler Division
JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. (May 23, 2022) – Boater Bobby Drinnon of Rogersville, Tennessee, caught five bass Sunday weighing 17 pounds, 15 ounces, to win the MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine on Cherokee Lake Presented by Lithium Pros . The rescheduled tournament, hosted by the Economic Development Alliance Jefferson County, was the fourth of the season for the Bass Fishing League Volunteer Division. Drinnon earned $4,806 for his victory.
“I had a late boat draw, so I started pretty close to takeoff because I didn’t really have any place specific to go,” Drinnon said. “I just had a simple shad spawn pattern I was running. I just ran as much of that water as quickly as I could and had all of my weight by 8 o’clock.”
Drinnon said the early catch didn’t give him much comfort, because he didn’t cull a fish after 8 a.m. He said he caught the early bass on a homemade jig by throwing toward the bank in less than three feet of water and retrieving it back steadily. Drinnon said he caught 15-20 bass during the course of the day, including one he lost. All of the bass during the tournament were keepers except one.
“Overall, it was a great day, and I’m really blessed,” said Drinnon, who had three BFL wins in co-angler competition before switching to the boater side. “I knew how good the bite was, and there were a few others who figured out the bite as well, because the weights were really tight.
“I was really nervous about it, to be honest,” Drinnon added. “I felt I really needed the one that I had lost. I thought that was going to cost me, but it ended up working out.”
The top 10 boaters finished the tournament in:
1st: Bobby Drinnon, Rogersville, Tenn., five bass, 17-15, $4,806
2nd: Dale Pelfrey, Rockwood, Tenn., five bass, 17-7, $3,403 (includes $500 Phoenix MLF Contingency Bonus)
3rd: Brian Vicchio, Gray, Tenn., five bass, 16-7, $2,330
4th: Brant Grimm, Church Hill, Tenn., five bass, 16-4, $1,121
5th: Jeff Knight, Cleveland, Tenn., five bass, 15-1, $961
6th: Timothy Wacker, Clinton, Tenn., five bass, 15-0, $1,281
7th: Joshua Short, Bean Station, Tenn., five bass, 14-11, $801
8th: Bill Humbard, New Market, Tenn., five bass, 14-3, $721
9th: Matthew Rock, Bristol, Va., five bass, 14-0, $641
10th: Kevin Powers, Unicoi, Tenn., five bass, 13-15, $561
Complete results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
Vicchio had a largemouth that weighed 5 pounds, 14 ounces that was the heaviest of the event in the Boater Division and earned the day’s Berkley Big Bass Boater award of $725.
Stephen Vick of Dandridge, Tennessee, won the Strike King Co-angler Division and $2,343 Sunday after catching five bass weighing 13 pounds, 6 ounces.
The top 10 Strike King co-anglers were:
1st: Stephen Vick, Dandridge, Tenn., five bass, 13-6, $2,343
2nd: Jason Vaught, Powell, Tenn., five bass, 11-1, $1,172
3rd: Chris Hamby, Harriman, Tenn., five bass, 10-13, $781
4th: Matt Hall, Woodlawn, Va., four bass, 10-3, $547
5th: Brandon Hartgrove, Hilton, Va., three bass, 9-15, $469
6th: James Roten, West Jefferson, N.C., five bass, 9-8, $430
7th: Steven Byrd, Maryville, Tenn., five bass, 9-7, $391
8th: Michale Conn, Ermine, Ky., four bass, 9-2, $351
9th: Henry Bryan, Sevierville, Tenn., five bass, 8-15, $312
10th: Tanner Shannon, three bass, 8-9, $273
Denvelle Ketron of Kingsport, Tennessee, caught the largest bass in the Co-angler Division, a fish weighing in at 4 pounds, 15 ounces. The catch earned him the day’s Berkley Big Bass Co-angler award of $345.
After four events, Jacob Woods of Loudon, Tennessee, leads the Bass Fishing League Volunteer Division Boater Angler of the Year (AOY) race with 911 points, while Brad Barton of Middlesboro, Kentucky, leads the Strike King Co-Angler Division AOY race with 953 points.
The top 45 boaters and co-anglers in the region based on point standings, along with the five winners in each qualifying event, will be entered in the Oct. 20-22 Bass Fishing League Regional Championship on Smith Lake in Cullman, Alabama. Boaters will compete 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 fish for a new Phoenix 819 Pro with a 200-horsepower Mercury outboard.
The 2022 Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine is a 24-division circuit devoted to weekend anglers, with 128 tournaments throughout the season, five qualifying events in each division. The top 45 boaters and Strike King co-anglers from each division, along with the five winners of the qualifying events, will advance to one of six Regional Championships 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 Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American. The 2022 All-American will be held June 2-4 at Lake Hamilton in Hot Springs, Arkansas, and is hosted by the Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism and Visit Hot Springs.
The top 45 boaters and Strike King co-anglers plus tournament winners from each Phoenix Bass Fishing League division will also earn priority entry into the MLF Toyota Series, the pathway to the MLF Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit and ultimately the MLF Bass Pro Tour.
Proud sponsors of the 2022 MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine include: 4WP, 13 Fishing, Abu Garcia, AFTCO, A.R.E. Truck Caps, B&W Trailer Hitches, Berkley, Black Rifle Coffee, E3, Epic Baits, Favorite Fishing, Gary Yamamoto Baits, General Tire, Lew’s, Lowrance, Lucas Oil, Mercury, Mossy Oak, Onyx, Phoenix, Polaris, Power-Pole, Revital Outdoors, Strike King, Tackle Warehouse, T-H Marine, Toyota, Wiley X, YETI and Yo-Zuri.
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.
Anders Claims Victory at Phoenix Bass Fishing League Event on Clarks Hill Lake
Akins Wins Strike King Co-Angler Division
APPLING, Ga. (May 23, 2022) – Boater Joe Anders of Easley, South Carolina, caught five bass Saturday weighing 19 pounds, 12 ounces, to win the MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine on Clarks Hill Lake . The tournament, hosted by the Columbia County Board of Commissioners, was the fourth event for the Bass Fishing League Savannah River Division. Anders earned $11,117, including a $7,000 Phoenix MLF Contingency Bonus, for his victory.
“I had a good practice Friday,” said Anders, who notched the second BFL win of his MLF career. “I located some bigger fish shallow that were cruising on flats, and I told my fishing partner that I could win if I could get one of those fish to bite.
“I had found two or three places that I could catch the quality of fish that everyone else was catching fairly easily,” Anders continued. “I caught basically what the top 5 caught in the first hour of fishing. And then I caught my second kicker fish about 1:15.”
Anders said he targeted larger bass on flats around flooded trees in less than 2 feet of water with a Manley Custom Tackle Buzz Toad paired with an Undertaker Bait Company bluegill-colored fluke bait. He said he also relied on a Megabass Magdraft swimbait and a bluegill-colored Texas-rig. He added he caught topwater fish on an Evergreen JT 95 Topwater Walking Bait .
“I was due for this win,” Anders said. “I’ve had some decent finishes at Clarks Hill before. There have been tournaments I felt I should have won, but I’ve had some mishaps – losing fish or equipment malfunctions – that cost me the win. But it wound up right this time. When it’s your time to win, it’s your time. I certainly don’t take these wins for granted, because I know how hard they are to get.”
The top 10 boaters finished the tournament in:
2nd: Jason Burroughs, Hodges, S.C., five bass, 17-13, $2,358
3rd: Greg Glouse, Liberty, S.C., five bass, 16-11, $1,307
4th: Kyle Ricker, Greenville, S.C., five bass, 16-10, $914
5th: Todd Pearson, Anderson, S.C., five bass, 16-4, $783
6th: Sterling Banks, Beech Island, S.C., five bass, 16-2, $718
7th: Justin Hadden, Warrenville, S.C., five bass, 15-5, $653
8th: Garrett Guinan, Marietta, Ga., five bass, 15-2, $588
9th: Cole Pearson, five bass, 14-14, $522
10th: D.J. Hadden, Appling, Ga., five bass, 14-12, $457
James Akins of Cumming, Georgia, won the Strike King Co-angler Division and $1,958 Saturday after catching five bass weighing 14 pounds, 13 ounces.
The top 10 Strike King co-anglers were:
2nd: Darren Jeter, Candler, N.C., five bass, 13-3, $979
3rd: Jody Hughes, Baldwin, Ga., five bass, 10-7, $653
4th: Johnny Hancox, West Union, S.C., three bass, 10-6, $784
4th: Corey Veal, Royston, Ga., five bass, 10-6, $424
6th: Dwayne Parton, Anderson, S.C., five bass, 9-13, $359
7th: Joseph Scarlett, Columbia, S.C., five bass, 9-11, $326
8th: Darryl Huntsinger, Canon, Ga., five bass, 9-10, $294
9th: Joey Alexander, Salem, S.C., five bass, 9-6, $244
9th: Kyle Davis, Liberty, S.C., five bass, 9-6, $244
The top 45 boaters and co-anglers in the region based on point standings, along with the five winners in each qualifying event, will be entered in the Oct. 20-22 Bass Fishing League Regional Championship on Smith Lake in Cullman, Alabama. Boaters will compete 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 fish for a new Phoenix 819 Pro with a 200-horsepower Mercury outboard.
The 2022 Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine is a 24-division circuit devoted to weekend anglers, with 128 tournaments throughout the season, five qualifying events in each division. The top 45 boaters and Strike King co-anglers from each division, along with the five winners of the qualifying events, will advance to one of six Regional Championships 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 Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American. The 2022 All-American will be held June 2-4 at Lake Hamilton in Hot Springs, Arkansas and is hosted by the Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism and Visit Hot Springs.
The top 45 boaters and Strike King co-anglers plus tournament winners from each Phoenix Bass Fishing League division will also earn priority entry into the MLF Toyota Series, the pathway to the MLF Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit and ultimately the MLF Bass Pro Tour.
Proud sponsors of the 2022 MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine include: 4WP, 13 Fishing, Abu Garcia, AFTCO, A.R.E. Truck Caps, B&W Trailer Hitches, Berkley, Black Rifle Coffee, E3, Epic Baits, Favorite Fishing, Gary Yamamoto Baits, General Tire, Lew’s, Lowrance, Lucas Oil, Mercury, Mossy Oak, Onyx, Phoenix, Polaris, Power-Pole, Revital Outdoors, Strike King, Tackle Warehouse, T-H Marine, Toyota, Wiley X, YETI and Yo-Zuri.
For complete details and updated tournament information, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular Bass Fishing League updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF5’s social media outlets at Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.
Laufenberg Bests Field at Phoenix Bass Fishing League Event on the Mississippi River
Swanson Wins Strike King Co-Angler Division
LA CROSSE, Wis. (May 23, 2022) – Boater Cade Laufenberg of La Crosse, Wisconsin, caught five bass Saturday weighing 17 pounds, 3 ounces, to win the MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine on the Mississippi River . The tournament, hosted by the La Crosse County Convention and Visitors Bureau, was the second event for the Bass Fishing League Great Lakes Division. Laufenberg earned $12,327, including a $7,000 Phoenix MLF Contingency Bonus, for his victory.
“I had a plan to go catch some largemouth first thing in the morning, and I got to my spot and there was another boat on it,” Laufenberg said. “So I had to turn around and make a 20-minute boat ride all the way back to where I came from.
“I basically had to start my mindset all over,” Laufenberg added. “I had three rods rigged for largemouth on my deck, and I had to put those away and get my smallmouth rods out.”
Laufenberg said he had two fish in the livewell when his co-angler caught a 5-pound smallmouth, and he became excited thinking he had figured out a way to post a big tournament bag. Laufenberg said he relied on a green-pumpkin Strike King Rage Twin Tail Menace Grub fished on a 1/8-ounce jighead to target the smallmouth. He said he fished the grub out of current and cast toward the bank to focus on fish in all three stages of the spawn – prespawn, spawning and post-spawn. Laufenberg said he caught 40 to 50 fish during the tournament - 20 of which were keepers.
“Once my co-angler caught that big fish it gave me the confidence to stick with the smallmouth and hop from place to place and pick one off here and there,” Laufenberg said. “Then I lucked into a bonus largemouth – a 3¾-pounder – that was the biggest fish of the day. It was a day that didn’t start the way I wanted it to, but it led me down a winning path.
“It was one of those days you hear about that when it’s your time to win, it’s your time to win, and you can’t really stop it,” Laufenberg added. “This is my hometown, and there are a lot of really talented locals who fish in these events, so when you are able to be the best on any given Saturday in a BFL tournament, you really have an accomplishment.”
The top 10 boaters finished the tournament in:
1st: Cade Laufenberg, La Crosse, Wis., five bass, 17-3, $12,327 (includes $7,000 Phoenix MLF Contingency Bonus)
2nd: Clayton Reitz, Morton, Ill., five bass, 15-13, $2,064
3rd: Mike Gabel, St. Charles, Ill., five bass, 15-9, $1,577
4th: Robby Tufte, Fountain City, Wis., five bass, 15-2, $963
5th: Conner Choate, Toddville, Iowa, five bass, 15-1, $825
6th: Darren Zumach, Onalaska, Wis., five bass, 15-0, $757
7th: Joseph Titus, Bemidji, Minn., five bass, 14-14, $688
8th: Tanner Bock, Davenport, Iowa, five bass, 14-10, $619
9th: Kevin Wolfram, Chicago, Ill., five bass, 14-9, $550
10th: Jeff Ritter, Prairie du Chien, Wis., five bass, 14-8, $457
10th: Jacob Ambrose, La Crosse, Wis., five bass, 14-8, $457
Complete results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
Joseph Vazquez of Oak Forest, Illinois, had a fish that weighed 4 pounds, 11 ounces that was the heaviest of the event in the Boater Division and earned the day’s Berkley Big Bass Boater award of $575.
Jason Swanson of Waterloo, Iowa, won the Strike King Co-angler Division and $2,351 Saturday after catching five bass weighing 15 pounds, 5 ounces.
The top 10 Strike King co-anglers were:
1st: Jason Swanson, Waterloo, Iowa, five bass, 15-5, $2,351
2nd: Mark Folsom, Waterville, Iowa, five bass, 15-2, $1,060
2nd: Will Ahnen, Fennimore, Wis., five bass, 15-2, $860
4th: Chad Plaskey, West Bend, Wis., five bass, 14-14, $482
5th: Benjamin Gusciora, Goodfield, Ill., five bass, 14-2, $413
6th: Alan Bernicky, Joliet, Ill., five bass, 14-0, $628
7th: Chase Traeger, Lino Lakes, Minn., five bass, 13-10, $344
8th: Ed Remian, Schiller Park, Ill., five bass, 13-7, $292
8th: Cody Oberfoell, Marion, Iowa, five bass, 13-7, $292
10th: Dilan Trester, Winona, Minn., five bass, 12-14, $241
Swanson caught the largest bass in the Co-angler Division, a fish weighing in at 5 pounds even. The catch earned him the day’s Berkley Big Bass Co-angler award of $287.
After two events, Darren Zumach of Onalaska, Wisconsin, leads the Bass Fishing League Great Lakes Division Boater Angler of the Year (AOY) race with 495 points, while Alan Bernicky of Joliet, Illinois, 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 winners in each qualifying event, will be entered in the Oct. 20-22 Bass Fishing League Regional Championship on Grand Lake in Grove, Oklahoma. Boaters will compete 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 fish for a new Phoenix 819 Pro with a 200-horsepower Mercury outboard.
The 2022 Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine is a 24-division circuit devoted to weekend anglers, with 128 tournaments throughout the season, five qualifying events in each division. The top 45 boaters and Strike King co-anglers from each division, along with the five winners of the qualifying events, will advance to one of six Regional Championships 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 Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American. The 2022 All-American will be held June 2-4 at Lake Hamilton in Hot Springs, Arkansas, and is hosted by the Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism and Visit Hot Springs.
The top 45 boaters and Strike King co-anglers plus tournament winners from each Phoenix Bass Fishing League division will also earn priority entry into the MLF Toyota Series, the pathway to the MLF Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit and ultimately the MLF Bass Pro Tour.
Proud sponsors of the 2022 MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine include: 4WP, 13 Fishing, Abu Garcia, AFTCO, A.R.E. Truck Caps, B&W Trailer Hitches, Berkley, Black Rifle Coffee, E3, Epic Baits, Favorite Fishing, Gary Yamamoto Baits, General Tire, Lew’s, Lowrance, Lucas Oil, Mercury, Mossy Oak, Onyx, Phoenix, Polaris, Power-Pole, Revital Outdoors, Strike King, Tackle Warehouse, T-H Marine, Toyota, Wiley X, YETI and Yo-Zuri.
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.
Lilly Earns Victory at Phoenix Bass Fishing League Event on Douglas Lake
Barton Wins Strike King Co-Angler Division
DANDRIDGE, Tenn. (May 23, 2022) – Boater Travis Lilly of Bluff City, Tennessee, caught five bass Saturday weighing 16 pounds, 5 ounces, to win the MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine on Douglas Lake Presented by Lithium Pros . The tournament, hosted by the Economic Development Alliance Jefferson County, was the third event for the Bass Fishing League Volunteer Division. Lilly earned $5,874 for his victory.
Lilly said he targeted the lower end of Douglas Lake near Flat Creek, fishing a shad spawn pattern and “whatever looked good.”
“The key was just junk fishing and being in the right place at the right time,” Lilly said. “I used a white homemade jig, a Lake Fork Flutter Spoon and an Azuma Timmy Horton Z Boss crankbait.”
The top 10 boaters finished the tournament in:
1st: Travis Lilly, Bluff City, Tenn., five bass, 16-5, $5,874
2nd: Corey Neece, Bristol, Tenn., five bass, 16-2, $3,045 (includes $500 Phoenix MLF Contingency Bonus)
3rd: Eddie Ball, Newport, Tenn., five bass, 15-4, $1,898
4th: Greg McDavid, Blountville, Tenn., five bass, 14-11, $1,487
5th: Derek Turner, Jacksboro, Tenn., five bass, 14-4, $1,018
6th: Mark Pappas, Dandridge, Tenn., five bass, 14-2, $933
7th: Jeremy Shuman, Louisville, Tenn., five bass, 13-13, $848
8th: Matthew Rock, Bristol, Va., five bass, 13-9, $721
8th: Brant Grimm, Church Hill, Tenn., five bass, 13-9, $721
10th: Corey Brooks, Louisville, Tenn., five bass, 13-8, $594
Complete results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
Lilly had a largemouth that weighed 5 pounds, 7 ounces that was the heaviest of the event in the Boater Division and earned the day’s Berkley Big Bass Boater award of $785.
Brad Barton of Middlesboro, Kentucky, won the Strike King Co-angler Division and $2,607 Saturday after catching five bass weighing 12 pounds, 2 ounces.
The top 10 Strike King co-anglers were:
1st: Brad Barton, Middlesboro, Ky., five bass, 12-2, $2,607
2nd: Keith Gunsauls, Dandridge, Tenn., four bass, 12-1, $1,635
3rd: Don Raines, five bass, 11-12, $837
4th: Hunter Cseledy, Waynesville, N.C., five bass, 11-11, $585
5th: Peyton Kent, McDonald, Tenn., five bass, 11-7, $501
6th: Jeremy Haney, Crossville, Tenn., five bass, 11-3, $460
7th: Kiel Guin, Knoxville, Tenn., five bass, 11-0, $418
8th: Nick Coker, Knoxville, Tenn., five bass, 10-14, $576
9th: Dennis Putthoff, Old Hickory, Tenn., five bass, 10-13, $334
10th: Thai Tatum, Lebanon, Va., five bass, 10-9, $277
10th: Pop Catalin, Cookeville, Tenn., five bass, 10-9, $277
Gunsauls caught the largest bass in the Co-angler Division, a fish weighing in at 4 pounds, 12 ounces. The catch earned him the day’s Berkley Big Bass Co-angler award of $382.
After three events, Jacob Woods of Loudon, Tennessee, leads the Bass Fishing League Volunteer Division Boater Angler of the Year (AOY) race with 694 points, while Brad Barton of Middlesboro, Kentucky, leads the Strike King Co-Angler Division AOY race with 730 points.
The top 45 boaters and co-anglers in the region based on point standings, along with the five winners in each qualifying event, will be entered in the Oct. 20-22 Bass Fishing League Regional Championship on Smith Lake in Cullman, Alabama. Boaters will compete 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 fish for a new Phoenix 819 Pro with a 200-horsepower Mercury outboard.
The 2022 Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine is a 24-division circuit devoted to weekend anglers, with 128 tournaments throughout the season, five qualifying events in each division. The top 45 boaters and Strike King co-anglers from each division, along with the five winners of the qualifying events, will advance to one of six Regional Championships 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 Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American. The 2022 All-American will be held June 2-4 at Lake Hamilton in Hot Springs, Arkansas, and is hosted by the Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism and Visit Hot Springs.
The top 45 boaters and Strike King co-anglers plus tournament winners from each Phoenix Bass Fishing League division will also earn priority entry into the MLF Toyota Series, the pathway to the MLF Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit and ultimately the MLF Bass Pro Tour.
Proud sponsors of the 2022 MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine include: 4WP, 13 Fishing, Abu Garcia, AFTCO, A.R.E. Truck Caps, B&W Trailer Hitches, Berkley, Black Rifle Coffee, E3, Epic Baits, Favorite Fishing, Gary Yamamoto Baits, General Tire, Lew’s, Lowrance, Lucas Oil, Mercury, Mossy Oak, Onyx, Phoenix, Polaris, Power-Pole, Revital Outdoors, Strike King, Tackle Warehouse, T-H Marine, Toyota, Wiley X, YETI and Yo-Zuri.
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.
Michael Hood and Randy Wiggins Win the ABT on Wheeler Lake with 24.27
By Jason Duran
Decatur, Ala May 22— The Alabama Bass Trail North Division completed stop number four on Wheeler Lake. In recent years the lake has seen a huge rebound. In this event, many teams reported catching 70-100 fish throughout the day. With the return of the grass and the healthy bass population, Wheeler Lake is arguably one of, if not the best, lakes in Alabama. The team of Michael Hood and Randy Wiggins agree saying, “this is probably one of our favorite lakes right now, and to get this win against these guys, is a huge win we really wanted.”
Michael Hood and Randy Wiggins 24.27 pounds finished first. “We had a terrible practice; we fished until 3:30 on two spots and only caught 4 fish. We started our day at the first spot on a grass mat not far from take-off,” an area also found by many other teams in the event. They spent some time fishing around in the area using “a Jack Hammer Chatter bait with a Strike King green pumpkin trailer” and catching a limit of 10-11 pounds around 7:00.” Because it was so crowded and the team realized they needed to upgrade those fish to have a chance, they moved to the second area they found in practice. This area is described as a “dirt shallow area.” The team positioned the boat in “1.9 – 2.0 feet of water and made casts up shallower where we believed the fish were still spawning. We made a cast and caught a 4.08 smallmouth and made another cast to catch a 5-pound largemouth- both fish barely had enough water over their backs, so it was so shallow. We believe the fish had just moved up on a hard spot.” Most of their quality fish were caught from 10:30 to 12:00 which is usually the worst time of the day to catch quality fish. They focused their time working the shallow area and caught 15 fish culling probably 15 pounds to reach the 24.27-pounds that won the money. With this win they collected $10,000 and punched their ticket to the ABT Championship on Lake Jordan in October.
Jamie Smith and Michael Rains finished second place with 21.68. “In practice we found a little spot of fish but didn’t really know what was there. We ran straight to them this morning and got really lucky. We hadn’t seen a 5-pound fish in practice, but we caught two of them first thing. About 6:45 we had a limit and started culling from there.” The team spent the day in the Decatur Flats area just a mile or so from take-off catching fish near the river ledge. The fish they caught were post spawn fish that were making their way out to the river ledge. “We used a Freedom Tackle Chatterbait and a NetBait C-Mac 11 worm in plum apple along with American Bait Works Bait Fuel and believe it was the difference maker for us. We have fished the ABT from the beginning, and this is the third time we have finished second. We were sitting in 19th place in AOY before this event, so hopefully this will bump us up a little more to qualify to fish the BASS Team Championship. We are headed to our home, Lake Guntersville, for the next event and are really looking forward to that.” For second place, the team collected a $5,000 check.
Tommy Reyer and Jeremy White finished in third place with 21.09. Their morning started on a spot they found late Friday afternoon in practice described by them as “a shell bed with milfoil grass surrounding it.” They began fishing the spot using a topwater but quickly realized that bait was not going to produce for them. After changing to go with a custom-made chatterbait they call “Daddy Hammer because a buddy’s daddy makes it for” them, they began to get some quality 3-pound fish catches. For the next two hours they caught fish every cast. Deciding about mid-day that they had really worked the spot over and possibly caught all the fish there, they decided to let that spot rest, so they headed down river to another spot. After sitting on the new spot about an hour, they caught one that weighed about 3-pounds. They thought about heading back to the original spot, but soon after they caught a 4-pound fish and decided to stay and continue to fish the area. About 2:00 they decided to slowly make the run back to weigh in to make sure to take good care of the fish they had. They caught about 100 fish off the first spot using baits that matched the blue gill bait fish. Those baits include a “Zoom Ol’ Monster in blue flake, a blue gill colored Senko- when we ran out of those, we use green pumpkin blue Senko and green pumpkin blue swirl Senko. We caught most of our better fish on the custom-made chatter bait in bluegill with a Strike King Menace trailer.” The team collected a $4,000 pay day for their finish.
The Top 10 places are below for a complete list of standings visit: https://www.alabamabasstrail.org/wheeler-lake/results/
There is one more event in the regular season and one more chance to qualify for the ABT Championship and the BASS Team Championship as well as the coveted title of Angler of the year. Listed below are the top 12 in AOY after 4 events:
1 Gregory Lamb/David Powell 833
2 Wesley Sams/Jordan Wiggins 826
3 Luke Kyle/Arch Cornett 803
4 Mitch Mitchell/Candler Mccollum 802
5 Justin Lane/Luke Mason 780
6 Jamie Smith/Michael Rains 765
7 Benjie Seaborn/Johnathan Seaborn 759
8 Nolen Spencer/Jonathon Reese 752
8 Jacob Davis /Chris Wages 752
10 Craig Grubbs/Matt Ferguson 740
11 Zachary Taylor/Josh Austin 738
12 Bryan Dowdy/Kyle Lewellen 727
12 Damien Willis/Tyler Kiker 727
Download and listen to the ABT Podcast on your favorite Podcast app by searching for “Alabama Bass Trail Podcast.” The podcast is released each week on Tuesday, and this week will feature the winners form Wheeler Lake.
Josh Stracner scores Toyota Bonus Bucks at Fork
Courtesy of Alan McGuckin - Dynamic Sponsorships
Long before Bassmaster Elite Series pro Josh Stracner became the 2021 Rookie of the Year award winner, he was a dominant force in amateur events around talent-rich Alabama, and subsequently, he was cashing a lot of Toyota Bonus Bucks checks.
“For a while there, back when I was fishing a lot of BFL events, the Toyota Bonus Bucks checks I’d get in the mail pretty much paid for all my entry fees,” grinned Stracner on Championship Sunday at Lake Fork.
The 97-pounds of largemouth he dredged up at the Lake Fork Bassmaster Elite using a couple different Strike King crankbaits was good enough for a 7th place finish, and a Texas-sized Toyota Bonus Bucks check.
“I bought my 2018 Toyota Tundra 100-percent because I wanted to be eligible for Bonus Bucks. And the fact it’s a beast when it comes to towing power and reliability makes it a no-brainer to buy a Toyota as a tournament fisherman,” reasons the former commercial construction superintendent.
Best of all, you don’t have to a Bassmaster Elite Series Rookie of the Year or even a full time pro to be eligible for Bonus Bucks, but you do have to make sure you’re signed-up.
To learn more about Toyota Bonus Bucks, and to register for the program, please visit https://www.toyotatrucksbonusbucks.com/
Livesay Wins Second-Straight Bassmaster Elite Series Title On Lake Fork
Lee Livesay of Longview, Texas, has won the 2022 Simms Bassmaster Elite at Lake Fork with a four-day total of 113 pounds, 11 ounces.
Photo by Seigo Saito/B.A.S.S.
May 22, 2022
QUITMAN, Texas — Lee Livesay definitely expected to do well; he just never expected his second consecutive victory on his home waters to be fueled by a “junk” spot.
But that’s exactly what happened, as the Longview, Texas, pro turned in a four-day total of 113 pounds, 11 ounces to win the Simms Bassmaster Elite at Lake Fork.
Livesay caught 32 pounds on Day 1 and finished just 5 ounces out of the top spot. A second-round limit of 28-10 then gave him the lead with a 4-pound margin over Brandon Palaniuk of Rathdrum, Idaho.
Livesay added 27-5 on Semifinal Saturday and entered Championship Sunday with a 3 1/2-pound advantage over Palaniuk. Then his final limit of 25-12 sealed the victory and pushed him past Palaniuk and Gerald Swindle of Guntersville, Ala. — both with 102-2 — by a margin of 11-9.
Ties are broken by the heaviest single-day weight. Palaniuk’s 30-1 limit on Day 2 topped Swindle’s Day 1 limit of 29-7.
“This week is the most stressful week ever for me because I want to do good for every single person in this crowd that supports me — friends, family, sponsors, everybody,” Livesay said. “This place is special to a lot of people, but it’s special to me because it’s home.
“It’s hard to win on your home lake, but I’m a very blessed man.”
It marked the third Elite title for Livesay, who won at Lake Fork in 2021 and Chickamauga Lake in 2020. In addition to the $100,000 first-place prize, Livesay claimed his second Century Club belt for breaking 100 pounds in a four-day event. His first was for last year’s Lake Fork winning total of 112-5.
Despite intimate Lake Fork knowledge earned through a lifetime of fishing and several years of guiding, Livesay lamented a tough tournament. The lake is down 5 1/2 feet for dam repairs, so many of the spots he fished last year were inaccessible, if not high and dry.
With several of his fishable areas failing to impress, Livesay turned to an unlikely option that ended up producing much of his weight. Located on the west side of the Lake Fork Creek arm, Livesay’s main target comprised a 40-foot by 40-foot high spot reaching into nearby timber in about 13 to 17 feet of water.
Devoid of cover, the spot had a hard bottom where large gizzard shad were congregating. Big bass would periodically pull up to feed and when they did, Livesay could expect aggressive bites.
“I caught every fish today and every one but one yesterday on a spot I found in practice that I never looked at in my life,” Livesay said. “I’ve covered every piece of water on this lake a million times over and that’s what’s crazy. I didn’t catch anything where I normally do.”
Locating this spot was more by default than intent. Nevertheless, Livesay is thankful he found it.
“I only went looking (for new spots) because the first day of practice there was another tournament here and I didn’t want to be seen on anything good. I just went looking at junk and junk turned into 100 grand.”
Livesay anchored his final limit with an 8-3 at 2:38 p.m. He caught most of his Day 4 bass on a 3/4-ounce 6th Sense Divine Hybrid Jig with a Netbait Paca Craw and a Hog Farmer Magnum Shaky Head with a Netbait C-Mac worm. His biggest fish ate a 5-inch 6th Sense Flutter Spoon.
He became the 14th angler with three Elite wins and the fourth to win Elite events in three consecutive seasons. Livesay, 36, is also the second youngest (behind Palaniuk) to reach his third Elite title.
It all happened for the Texas pro less than a month after he won his first St. Croix Bassmaster Open presented by Mossy Oak Fishing at Ross Barnett on April 30.
Palaniuk, who turned in daily weights of 26-9, 30-1, 27-13 and 17-11, earned his first Century Club belt. Spending his tournament on two main spots in the lake’s lower basin, he targeted shallow points in 10 to 25 feet. The less-obvious spots were his preference.
“These were places that I somehow managed to have to myself that didn’t have any pressure,” Palaniuk said. “I think that allowed those fish to set up and stay there. They weren’t constantly getting beat on, so I could kind of cycle back and forth and get those bites.”
Palaniuk caught most of his fish on a Rapala DT-16 and a flutter spoon.
Swindle, who added a Century Club entry to the one he earned on California’s Clear Lake in 2007, turned in daily limits of 29-7, 22-5, 29-2 and 21-4.
For much of the tournament, Swindle caught his fish by working a Zoom Magnum Trick Worm on a 3/4-ounce shaky head amid trees in the Lake Fork Creek arm. When that bite fizzled on Day 4, he transitioned to flipping a 1/2-ounce Boss jig with a Zoom Z-Craw trailer.
Swindle had earlier noticed bream rising to eat bass fry next to timber, so he tipped the trailer in chartreuse dye to match the panfish tails. After catching a limit this way, he upgraded with two bass — one a 6-13 — by fishing a big worm over a bream bed.
Late in the day, Swindle was stuck at 99 pounds, 15 ounces when he stopped on a dock en route to the weigh-in. With about 12 minutes left, he swam the Boss jig down the dock perimeter and caught a 4-pounder that pushed him over 100.
“That was the only jig that I had in my hand so I just threw it over there and started swimming it,” he said. “I was running by that dock and my gut was telling me ‘Do it, do it, do it,’ so I turned around and went back to it. If nothing else, it’s a reinforcement to always trust my gut.”
Marc Frazier of Newnan, Ga., won the $1,000 Phoenix Boats Big Bass award with the 8-12 largemouth he caught Sunday.
Florida pro Cliff Prince won the $2,000 VMC Monster Bag award with his 32-5 limit from Day 1.
Josh Stracner of Vandiver, Ala., took home an additional $3,000 for being the highest-placing entrant in the Toyota Bonus Bucks program, while Todd Auten of Lake Wylie, S.C., also earned $2,000 for being the second-highest placing entrant.
As part of the Yamaha Power Pay program, Palaniuk earned an additional $2,500 as the highest-placing entrant and Bill Lowen of Brookville, Ind., claimed an additional $1,500 for being the second-highest placing entrant.
Palaniuk leads the Progressive Insurance Bassmaster Angler of the Year standings with 442 points. John Cox of DeBary, Fla., is in second with 422, followed by David Mullins of Mt. Carmel, Tenn., with 401, Drew Benton of Blakely, Ga., with 381 and Brandon Lester of Fayetteville, Tenn., with 377.
Jay Przekurat of Stevens Point, Wis., leads the Falcon Rods Rookie of the Year standings with 320 points.
2022 Simms Bassmaster Elite at Lake Fork 5/19-5/22
Lake Fork, Quitman TX.
(PROFESSIONAL) Standings Day 4
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Pts Total $$$
1. Lee Livesay Longview, TX 20 113-11 100 $100,000.00
Day 1: 5 32-00 Day 2: 5 28-10 Day 3: 5 27-05 Day 4: 5 25-12
2. Brandon Palaniuk Rathdrum, ID 20 102-02 99 $36,000.00
Day 1: 5 26-09 Day 2: 5 30-01 Day 3: 5 27-13 Day 4: 5 17-11
3. Gerald Swindle Guntersville, AL 20 102-02 98 $30,000.00
Day 1: 5 29-07 Day 2: 5 22-05 Day 3: 5 29-02 Day 4: 5 21-04
4. Shane LeHew Catawba, NC 20 100-09 97 $25,000.00
Day 1: 5 26-11 Day 2: 5 24-07 Day 3: 5 21-13 Day 4: 5 27-10
5. Marc Frazier Newnan, GA 20 99-01 96 $22,000.00
Day 1: 5 20-15 Day 2: 5 25-05 Day 3: 5 26-04 Day 4: 5 26-09
6. Bryan New Saluda, SC 20 98-14 95 $19,000.00
Day 1: 5 23-07 Day 2: 5 28-14 Day 3: 5 23-00 Day 4: 5 23-09
7. Joshua Stracner Vandiver, AL 20 97-14 94 $18,000.00
Day 1: 5 17-02 Day 2: 5 27-00 Day 3: 5 30-10 Day 4: 5 23-02
8. Bill Lowen Brookville, IN 20 96-12 93 $17,000.00
Day 1: 5 24-12 Day 2: 5 20-02 Day 3: 5 26-03 Day 4: 5 25-11
9. Derek Hudnall Denham Springs, LA 20 92-04 92 $16,000.00
Day 1: 5 24-05 Day 2: 5 23-02 Day 3: 5 22-09 Day 4: 5 22-04
10. Chris Johnston Otonabee Ontario CANADA 20 92-02 91 $15,000.00
Day 1: 5 26-04 Day 2: 5 20-03 Day 3: 5 24-12 Day 4: 5 20-15
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
PHOENIX BOATS BIG BASS
Day
1 Gary Clouse Winchester, TN 08-10 $1,000.00
2 Chad Pipkens Dewitt, MI 08-11 $1,000.00
3 Jeff Gustafson Keewatin Ontario CANADA08-09 $1,000.00
4 Marc Frazier Newnan, GA 08-12 $1,000.00
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
PHOENIX BOATS BIG BASS
Marc Frazier Newnan, GA 08-12 $1,000.00
VMC MONSTER BAG
Cliff Prince Palatka, FL 32-05 $2,000.00
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Totals
Day #Limits #Fish Weight
1 85 447 1676-05
2 81 441 1605-01
3 44 224 931-15
4 10 50 234-07
----------------------------------
220 1162 4447-12
Semento Rallies to Win Toyota Series Southern Division Finale on the Harris Chain of Lakes
LEESBURG, Fla. (May 22, 2022) – Despite only weighing in four bass totaling 9 pounds, 15 ounces that had him buried in 119th place after Day 1, pro angler Jonathan Semento of Okahumpka, Florida, rallied on the final two days – including a 25-pound, 3-ounce final-day limit – to win the Toyota Series Presented by A.R.E. at the Harris Chain of Lakes and win the top payout of $80,500, including the lucrative $35,000 Phoenix MLF Contingency Bonus. Semento’s three-day total of 14 bass weighing 60-1 earned him the victory by a 3-pound, 12-ounce margin over second place pro Andrew Ready of Auburndale, Florida, who caught 15 bass weighing 56-5 to finish second and earn $17,000.
The three-day bass fishing tournament, hosted by Visit Lake County, was the third and final event of the regular season for the Toyota Series Southern Division.
“It feels great to come back from so far and win like this,” Semento told MLF reporter Rob Newell. “I was pretty frustrated that first day. But I knew those big fish were offshore and I just needed to relocate them. On the second day, I moved around a lot more and found them about 200 yards from where I caught them two weeks ago.
“What made it possible to relocate them was the fact that I had the whole lake to myself,” he added. “If 80 boats went over there every day, I wouldn’t have been able to hop around and fish as freely. Having no pressure over there was definitely a big key.”
The lake that Semento fished in was Lake Griffin, which was avoided by many tournament competitors after recent hydrilla spraying, algae blooms and rising water temperatures had colored the water into a hue that resembled pea soup. Despite the tougher conditions, Semento, a resident of nearby Okahumpka, had placed second in a local tournament after fishing in Griffin a couple of weeks ago and decided that he was going to stick with the lake for this event.
Semento’s key area in Lake Griffin was a 100-yard stretch of clumpy eelgrass in 4 to 6 feet of water. To do his work, Semento utilized two ChatterBaits: one was a 3/8-ounce golden shiner color for shallower 4-foot clumps and the other was a ½-ounce chartreuse and white model for deeper clumps in 6 feet. He trailed both with Yamamoto Zako trailers in matching colors to the ChatterBaits. He fished both on 15-pound-test P-Line.
“Sometimes with tournament fishing, it just comes down to being stubborn enough until it pays off,” Semento said. “Some people might think I was crazy to go right back over to Griffin after catching 9 pounds there the first day. But this fishing game can get personal, and it comes down to knowing you are doing the right thing even when your weigh-in ticket doesn’t reflect it the first day. I knew in my heart what lived there and I was determined to prove it.”
The top 10 pros on the Harris Chain of Lakes finished:
1st: Jonathan Semento, Okahumpka, Fla., 14 bass, 60-1, $80,500
2nd: Andrew Ready, Auburndale, Fla., 15 bass, 56-5, $17,000
3rd: Flint Davis, Leesburg, Ga., 15 bass, 53-10, $12,750
4th: Austin Baskette, Leesburg, Fla., 15 bass, 53-1, $10,750
5th: Kennie Steverson, Umatilla, Fla., 15 bass, 52-7, $9,750
6th: Eric Conant, Lakeland, Fla., 15 bass, 52-4, $8,375
7th: Mike Surman, Boca Raton, Fla., 15 bass, 51-10, $7,300
8th: Dustin Smith, Grand Island, Fla., 15 bass, 51-2, $6,300
9th: Val Osinski, Fort Lauderdale, Fla., 15 bass, 50-9, $5,300
10th: Ben McCann, Bradenton, Fla., 15 bass, 49-6, $4,200
Complete results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
Pro Nolan Gaskin of Broussard, Louisiana, won the $500 Day 1 Berkley Big Bass award in the pro division Thursday with a largemouth weighing 8 pounds, 3 ounces. Grant Valkaria, Florida’s Jonathan Mickler earned Friday’s $500 Berkley Big Bass award with a 9-pound, 5-ounce kicker.
Semento took home an extra $35,000 as the highest finishing Phoenix MLF Bonus member. Boaters are eligible to win up to an extra $35,000 per event in each Toyota Series tournament if all requirements are met. More information on the Phoenix MLF Bonus contingency program can be found at PhoenixBassBoats.com.
Nate Bloom of Winter Springs, Florida, won the Strike King Co-angler Division Saturday with a three-day total of 15 bass weighing 37 pounds, 10 ounces. Bloom took home the top prize package of a new Phoenix 518 Pro bass boat with a 115-horsepower Mercury outboard motor.
The top 10 Strike King co-anglers on the Harris Chain of Lakes finished:
1st: Nate Bloom, Winter Springs, Fla., 15 bass, 37-10, Phoenix 518 Pro boat w/115-hp Mercury outboard
2nd: Mason Chapman, Lenexa, Kan., 15 bass, 37-7, $5,375
3rd: William Lewis, Jacksonville, Fla., 15 bass, 36-7, $4,300
4th: Billy Schwach, Summerville, S.C., 15 bass, 36-2, $3,650
5th: Shane Zelazo, Pollocksville, N.C., 15 bass, 36-0, $3,150
6th: Hunter Kaiser, Lakeland, Fla., 13 bass, 35-3, $2,650
7th: Colten Drawdy, Plant City, Fla., 15 bass, 34-15, $2,150
8th: Erik Kraft, Port Saint Lucie, Fla., 14 bass, 33-12, $1,825
9th: Blaine Partee, Oviedo, Fla., 15 bass, 33-5, $1,530
10th: Jeff Turner, Plainfield, Ill., 15 bass, 33-5, $1,490
The Day 1 Berkley Big Bass $150 award winner in the Strike King co-angler division, was Justin Thompson of Marshall, Virginia, with an 8-pound, 15-ounce bass, while the Day 2 $150 award went to Hunter Rudd of Leesburg, Georgia, who weighed in a 7-pound, 15-ounce largemouth.
Now that the three regular-season events in the Toyota Series Southern Division are complete, pro Christian Greico of Tampa, Florida, has won the Toyota Series Southern Division Pro Angler of the Year (AOY) race with 711 points, while Mason Chapman of Lenexa, Kansas – son of Bass Pro Tour angler Brent Chapman – won the Strike King Co-Angler Division AOY race with 757 points.
The next event for Toyota Series anglers will take place June 1-3 – the Toyota Series Presented by A.R.E. at the California Delta in Bethel Island, California. For a complete schedule, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com.
The 2022 Toyota Series Presented by A.R.E. consists of six divisions – Central, Northern, Plains Presented by Outlaw Ordnance, Southern, Southwestern Presented by Outlaw Ordnance and Western – each holding three regular-season events, along with the International and Wild Card divisions. Anglers who fish in any of the six divisions and finish in the top 25 – or the top 12 from the Wild Card division – will qualify for the no-entry-fee Toyota Series Presented by A.R.E. Championship for a shot at winning up to $235,000 cash. The winning Strike King co-angler at the championship earns a new Phoenix 518 Pro bass boat with a 115-horsepower Mercury outboard. The 2022 Toyota Series Presented by A.R.E. Championship will be held Nov. 3-5 on Lake Guntersville in Guntersville, Alabama, and is hosted by Marshall County Tourism and Sports.
Proud sponsors of the 2022 MLF Toyota Series Presented by A.R.E. include: 4WP, 13 Fishing, Abu Garcia, AFTCO, A.R.E. Truck Caps, B&W Trailer Hitches, Berkley, Black Rifle Coffee, E3, Epic Baits, Favorite Fishing, Gary Yamamoto Baits, General Tire, Lew’s, Lowrance, Lucas Oil, Mercury, Mossy Oak, Onyx, Outlaw Ordnance, Phoenix, Polaris, Power-Pole, Strike King, Tackle Warehouse, T-H Marine, Toyota, Wiley X and YETI.
For complete details and updated information visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow the MLF Toyota Series on the MLF5 social media outlets at Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.
Late Rally Lifts Gregory To Bassmaster Kayak Series Win On Smith Lake
Drew Gregory of Kent, Ohio, has won the 2022 Yamaha Rightwaters Bassmaster Kayak Series at Lewis Smith Lake powered by TourneyX with a five-fish limit of 89.5 inches.
Photo by Mark Cisneros/B.A.S.S.
May 21, 2022
JASPER, Ala. — Drew Gregory of Kent, Ohio, gave his new kayak the best possible debut by totaling 89.5 inches and earning the victory at the Yamaha Rightwaters Bassmaster Kayak Series at Lewis Smith Lake powered by TourneyX.
With his best five bass measuring 19.75, 19.25, 17.25, 16.75 and 16.5 inches, Gregory earned the first-place prize of $3,000.
Making the maiden trip in the 11-foot, 10-inch Crescent Kayaks Shoalie that he designed, Gregory fished the narrow reaches of creeks on Smith’s upper end. He targeted shallow, clear water where Alabama (spotted) bass roam.
“I like to get way back in these creeks where there would be low, clear-water pools, then the water would go down some riffles into another pool,” Gregory said. “The fish were around any wood that was in the water. I’d also fish any rock in the middle or anywhere they could sit and ambush.”
Gregory caught his bass on a spinnerbait and a River2Sea Whopper Plopper. If a fish missed the topwater, he’d follow up with a Z-Man MiniMax ChatterBait in a bream pattern with a 4-inch green pumpkin Z-Man Diesel MinnowZ trailer that he shortened slightly.
Gregory said his day started slowly and by about 1:30 p.m., he had only what he considered a mid-pack total. His day changed dramatically when he located a pool that was loaded with aggressive fish.
“Between 1:30 and 2:10 I replaced my entire (total), Gregory said. “I locked the Whopper Plopper in my hand and hit the right pools.”
With the fish extremely wary in the high visibility, Gregory made long casts and eventually resorted to fishing from a seated position. His preferred standing position, he said, would spook the fish.
In April, Gregory took home his first Bassmaster Kayak Series title on Oklahoma's Grand Lake.
Chris Hartman of Jacksonville, Ark., placed second with 89 inches. Fishing out of a 13.2 Old Town Predator PDL, he fished a creek on the lake’s southeast end and fared best when targeting shaded areas with a finesse presentation.
“I started out throwing a little bit of everything, then I figured out that the fish weren’t up against the bank, they were up against trees in 2 to 3 feet of water,” Hartman said. “I caught all my fish on a green pumpkin YUM Dinger on a 1/16-ounce VMC weighted wacky jig.”
Harman caught about 20 fish by 10:30, then his bite slowed. His best five measured 19, 18.75, 18, 17.25 and 16 inches. Hartman won $1,500.
Tim Perkins of Heflin, Ala., placed third with 84.75 inches. His best five bass went 19.75, 18.25, 17.5, 14.75 and 14.5 inches. He earned $1,000.
Fishing from a Woodland Systems Recon 120 with a Torqueedo electric motor, Perkins stayed in the Butlers Brand area, where he focused on buck brush along the edge of a branch channel and caught his bass in a foot of water or less.
Perkins used a 3/8-ounce chartreuse and white Redline River Series spinnerbait with tandem willow-leaf and Colorado blades and a Zoom Twin Tail trailer. He chose this bait to mimic the bream he found in his area.
“I did best when the wind was breaking up my profile and the sun was out,” Perkins said.
Greg Harper, who finished ninth, won the $500 Big Bass award for his 21-inch fish.
Livesay Maintains Lead In Bassmaster Elite Series Event On Lake Fork
Lee Livesay of Longview, Texas, is leading after Day 3 of the 2022 Simms Bassmaster Elite at Lake Fork with a three-day total of 87 pounds, 15 ounces.
Photo by Seigo Saito/B.A.S.S.
May 21, 2022
QUITMAN, Texas — Despite a lifetime of fishing Lake Fork and several years of guiding on the East Texas powerhouse, Lee Livesay found something he’d never seen before and that revelation delivered a Day 3 limit of 27 pounds, 5 ounces that kept him atop the Simms Bassmaster Elite at Lake Fork with a three-day weight of 87-15.
Livesay heads into Championship Sunday with a 3 1/2-pound advantage over Idaho superstar Brandon Palaniuk — and he credits much of his success to that new discovery.
“Most of the fish I’ve caught this week have come from a spot I’ve never even caught a bass on,” said Livesay, who won his first St. Croix Bassmaster Open presented by Mossy Oak Fishing at Ross Barnett on April 30. “I found them the first day of practice and thought they were little, but they grew. I got lucky yesterday and got an 8-pounder on another spot where it was just her.”
Livesay knows Fork intimately, but the spot he’s leveraging this week was so unassuming that it had never caught his eye. During practice, another tournament crowded the lake’s diminished waters — the lake level is down 5 1/2 feet for dam repairs — so Livesay searched for less obvious spots.
“I went looking at off-the-wall stuff I’d never looked at,” he said. “When I found them, I thought they were catfish. I came back the second day of practice and caught two under 4 pounds.
“I kind of wrote it off because usually a big one will bite before the little ones. But I went to it (during the tournament) and caught most of my bag there yesterday and all but my biggest one there today.”
Livesay described his spot as a small point reaching into the standing timber with a high spot. That 30-foot by 30-foot section has hard bottom where bass pull up to feed.
While the first two days saw Livesay catching fish early and securing all of his weight by late morning, Saturday kept him waiting until 9:15 a.m. for his first keeper. Another difference: Livesay couldn’t find the big afternoon bites the first two days, but he caught an 8-2 Saturday shortly after noon.
That kicker came off a deep point that was loaded with white bass — a common forage for Lake Fork giants.
Livesay caught all of his bass on a 6th Sense Divine Hybrid Jig with a Netbait Paca Craw.
Palaniuk caught 26-9 on Day 1 to place eighth before adding a second-round limit of 30-1 — his first limit of 30-plus in Bassmaster competition — to rise to second. His Day 3 bag of 27-13 gave the former Bassmaster Angler of the Year a total of 84-7.
While many anglers reported flurries of activity, Palaniuk caught one good fish each hour from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. He started with a 5-1 at 7:21, added a 3-9 at 8:44, then a 3-10 (9:01), a 6-6 (10:03), a 5-15 (11:46) and a 6-13 (12:06).
“Yesterday, I had a major flurry; today I just didn’t,” Palaniuk said. “The fish were moving around a lot, they wouldn’t stay in my places and really set up.
“I would have thought that with today’s lighter wind, they would have hunkered down, but with less wind, the bait’s probably moving differently, it’s not pushed up against there and the bass just moved with the bait.”
Returning to the same spots in the lake's lower basin where he fished the previous two days, Palaniuk caught his bass over hard bottom with a variety of Rapala crankbaits and a big spoon.
Gerald Swindle of Guntersville, Ala., is in third place with 80-14. After placing third on Day 1 with 29-7, he added 22-5 and slipped to fourth on Day 2. His Day 3 limit of 29-2 helped him move up a notch with 80-14.
Swindle said the key to surging ahead Saturday was switching locations and baits. He spent the majority of his day flipping a Zoom Magnum Trick Worm on a 3/4-ounce shaky head amid trees in the Lake Fork Creek arm. With more than half his day gone, Swindle relocated to a point in 25 feet of water and picked up a deep-diving crankbait.
“I left that area and I had about 26 pounds; I’d done all I could do and I guarded it a while to make sure they didn’t keep biting,” Swindle said. “At noon, I was convinced they were not going to bite the rest of the day, so I went and checked one more point.
“I graphed the point and (the fish) that were there the second day of practice hadn’t been there in the tournament, but I pulled in there today and I’m like, ‘Well, there they are.’ I caught a 6-4 and a 5-6 off of it. I caught two more 4s and a 3 that wouldn’t help me.”
Notably, Swindle had just switched to a lighter-action rod prior to catching his 5-6. That fish was hooked in the top of the head — a common occurrence with treble-hook baits — and the new rod’s flexibility allowed him to finesse it to the boat without popping the hook loose.
Chad Pipkens of DeWitt, Mich., still leads for Phoenix Boats Big Bass honors with an 8-11 largemouth.
Day 1 leader Cliff Prince of Palatka, Fla., leads the race for VMC Monster Bag with his 32-5 limit from Day 1.
Palaniuk leads the Progressive Insurance Bassmaster Angler of the Year standings with 442 points. John Cox of DeBary, Fla., is in second with 422, followed by David Mullins of Mt. Carmel, Tenn., with 401, Drew Benton of Blakely, Ga., with 381 and Brandon Lester of Fayetteville, Tenn., with 377.
Jay Przekurat of Stevens Point, Wis., leads the Falcon Rods Rookie of the Year standings with 320 points.
The Top 10 remaining anglers will take off at 7 a.m. CT Sunday from SRA Headquarters — Lake Fork. The weigh-in will be held at the same location at 3:10 p.m., with the winner earning $100,000. Coverage will be available on Bassmaster.com and the FOX Sports digital platforms. FS1 will also broadcast live with the tournament leaders beginning at 7 a.m.
2022 Simms Bassmaster Elite at Lake Fork 5/19-5/22
Lake Fork, Quitman TX.
(PROFESSIONAL) Standings Day 3
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Pts Total $$$
1. Lee Livesay Longview, TX 15 87-15 100
Day 1: 5 32-00 Day 2: 5 28-10 Day 3: 5 27-05
2. Brandon Palaniuk Rathdrum, ID 15 84-07 99
Day 1: 5 26-09 Day 2: 5 30-01 Day 3: 5 27-13
3. Gerald Swindle Guntersville, AL 15 80-14 98
Day 1: 5 29-07 Day 2: 5 22-05 Day 3: 5 29-02
4. Bryan New Saluda, SC 15 75-05 97
Day 1: 5 23-07 Day 2: 5 28-14 Day 3: 5 23-00
5. Joshua Stracner Vandiver, AL 15 74-12 96
Day 1: 5 17-02 Day 2: 5 27-00 Day 3: 5 30-10
6. Shane LeHew Catawba, NC 15 72-15 95
Day 1: 5 26-11 Day 2: 5 24-07 Day 3: 5 21-13
7. Marc Frazier Newnan, GA 15 72-08 94
Day 1: 5 20-15 Day 2: 5 25-05 Day 3: 5 26-04
8. Chris Johnston Otonabee Ontario CANADA 15 71-03 93
Day 1: 5 26-04 Day 2: 5 20-03 Day 3: 5 24-12
9. Bill Lowen Brookville, IN 15 71-01 92
Day 1: 5 24-12 Day 2: 5 20-02 Day 3: 5 26-03
10. Derek Hudnall Denham Springs, LA 15 70-00 91
Day 1: 5 24-05 Day 2: 5 23-02 Day 3: 5 22-09
11. Todd Auten Lake Wylie, SC 15 69-04 90 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 19-05 Day 2: 5 24-08 Day 3: 5 25-07
12. Paul Mueller Naugatuck, CT 15 67-14 89 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 22-14 Day 2: 5 23-13 Day 3: 5 21-03
13. Greg Hackney Gonzales, LA 15 67-12 88 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 28-07 Day 2: 5 16-10 Day 3: 5 22-11
14. Kenta Kimura Osaka JAPAN 15 67-12 87 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 16-11 Day 2: 5 28-01 Day 3: 5 23-00
15. Tyler Rivet Raceland, LA 15 66-15 86 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 22-04 Day 2: 5 21-05 Day 3: 5 23-06
16. Caleb Kuphall Mukwonago, WI 15 66-03 85 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 25-05 Day 2: 5 16-14 Day 3: 5 24-00
17. Matt Robertson Kuttawa, KY 15 66-00 84 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 23-02 Day 2: 5 20-06 Day 3: 5 22-08
18. Pat Schlapper Eleva, WI 15 65-14 83 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 19-07 Day 2: 5 26-06 Day 3: 5 20-01
19. Chad Pipkens Dewitt, MI 15 65-05 82 $11,000.00
Day 1: 5 18-12 Day 2: 5 27-08 Day 3: 5 19-01
20. Cliff Prince Palatka, FL 15 65-04 81 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 32-05 Day 2: 5 18-06 Day 3: 5 14-09
21. David Mullins Mt Carmel, TN 15 64-02 80 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 27-07 Day 2: 5 21-07 Day 3: 5 15-04
22. Mark Menendez Paducah, KY 15 63-13 79 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 20-13 Day 2: 5 21-13 Day 3: 5 21-03
23. Matty Wong Honolulu, HI 15 63-06 78 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 27-11 Day 2: 5 13-06 Day 3: 5 22-05
24. Jeff Gustafson Keewatin Ontario CANADA 15 63-03 77 $11,000.00
Day 1: 5 18-06 Day 2: 5 18-10 Day 3: 5 26-03
25. Seth Feider New Market, MN 15 62-09 76 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 24-05 Day 2: 5 17-06 Day 3: 5 20-14
26. Scott Canterbury Odenville, AL 15 60-15 75 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 19-02 Day 2: 5 15-15 Day 3: 5 25-14
27. Steve Kennedy Auburn, AL 15 60-15 74 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 24-11 Day 2: 5 15-05 Day 3: 5 20-15
28. Jacob Foutz Charleston, TN 15 60-11 73 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 24-00 Day 2: 5 16-14 Day 3: 5 19-13
29. Jason Christie Park Hill, OK 15 60-02 72 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 21-08 Day 2: 5 19-12 Day 3: 5 18-14
30. Jamie Hartman Newport, NY 15 59-15 71 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 23-06 Day 2: 5 19-08 Day 3: 5 17-01
31. Carl Jocumsen Queensland AUSTRALIA 15 57-10 70 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 14-13 Day 2: 5 24-15 Day 3: 5 17-14
32. John Cox Debary, FL 15 57-09 69 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 21-14 Day 2: 5 23-03 Day 3: 5 12-08
33. Gregory DiPalma Millville, NJ 15 57-08 68 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 23-05 Day 2: 5 21-04 Day 3: 5 12-15
34. Patrick Walters Summerville, SC 15 57-08 67 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 15-03 Day 2: 5 22-09 Day 3: 5 19-12
35. Daisuke Aoki Minamitsurugun Yamanash 15 57-08 66 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 21-06 Day 2: 5 17-08 Day 3: 5 18-10
36. Jacob Powroznik North Prince George, VA 15 57-03 65 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 16-02 Day 2: 5 21-13 Day 3: 5 19-04
37. Josh Douglas Isle, MN 14 56-12 64 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 25-05 Day 2: 4 10-02 Day 3: 5 21-05
38. Skylar Hamilton Dandridge, TN 15 56-08 63 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 20-10 Day 2: 5 17-15 Day 3: 5 17-15
39. Darold Gleason Many, LA 15 56-03 62 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 23-04 Day 2: 5 19-08 Day 3: 5 13-07
40. Chris Zaldain Fort Worth, TX 14 54-09 61 $10,000.00
Day 1: 4 17-15 Day 2: 5 18-02 Day 3: 5 18-08
41. Drew Benton Blakely, GA 15 54-07 60 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 16-10 Day 2: 5 20-07 Day 3: 5 17-06
42. Brandon Lester Fayetteville, TN 15 53-14 59 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 14-15 Day 2: 5 19-15 Day 3: 5 19-00
43. Ed Loughran III Richmond, VA 15 51-06 58 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 21-06 Day 2: 5 13-06 Day 3: 5 16-10
44. Luke Palmer Coalgate, OK 15 51-00 57 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 18-13 Day 2: 5 17-04 Day 3: 5 14-15
45. Jay Yelas Turner, OR 10 46-03 56 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 23-04 Day 2: 5 22-15 Day 3: 0 00-00
46. Bob Downey Detroit Lakes, MN 13 45-07 55 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 16-02 Day 2: 5 23-13 Day 3: 3 05-08
47. Matt Herren Ashville, AL 9 37-00 54 $10,000.00
Day 1: 3 11-12 Day 2: 5 22-09 Day 3: 1 02-11
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
PHOENIX BOATS BIG BASS
Day
1 Gary Clouse Winchester, TN 08-10 $1,000.00
2 Chad Pipkens Dewitt, MI 08-11 $1,000.00
3 Jeff Gustafson Keewatin Ontario CANADA08-09 $1,000.00
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Totals
Day #Limits #Fish Weight
1 85 447 1676-05
2 81 441 1605-01
3 44 224 931-15
----------------------------------
210 1112 4213-05
Livesay Takes Day 2 Lead In Bassmaster Elite Series Slugfest On Lake Fork
Lee Livesay of Longview, Texas, is leading after Day 2 of the 2022 Simms Bassmaster Elite at Lake Fork with a two-day total of 60 pounds, 10 ounces.
Photo by Andy Crawford/B.A.S.S.
May 20, 2022
Livesay Takes Day 2 Lead In Bassmaster Elite Series Slugfest On Lake Fork
QUITMAN, Texas — Lee Livesay couldn’t find what he was looking for, but the pro from Longview, Texas, found what he needed to lead Day 2 of the Simms Bassmaster Elite at Lake Fork with a total weight of 60 pounds, 10 ounces.
Livesay, who won last year’s Lake Fork event, started the day trailing opening-round leader Cliff Prince of Palatka, Fla., by 5 ounces. But after adding 28-10 to his first-round weight of 32 pounds, Livesay heads into Semifinal Saturday leading Brandon Palaniuk of Rathdrum, Idaho, by 4 pounds.
An active morning saw Livesay catch all of his weight by 10 a.m. Anchoring his bag with a 7-10, he spent the rest of the day searching for one of the mega-schools that he knows hold the caliber of bass that could’ve pushed his total past his Day 1 effort.
“I had a 4-11 and I jumped one good one off that would have helped me a little bit,” Livesay said. “I thought for sure I was going to run into a school that was right to catch a 7-plus-pounder this afternoon, but it just didn’t happen.
“Obviously, I’m happy with leading the tournament. I can’t complain; I’m just a little frustrated not finding a new group yet.”
Livesay said he’s hopeful that a smaller Day 3 field — only the Top 47 competitors — will afford him greater opportunities. With Lake Fork’s water level down about 5 feet for dam repairs, plus big winds rendering a lot of areas unfishable, Livesay struggled to find anything that would cull.
“I’m thinking that losing 45 guys tomorrow is going to let some stuff rest a little bit,” Livesay said. “I haven’t been able to get on anything that was fresh in the afternoon, and the wind has been blowing so hard I haven’t been able to backtrack on my schools.
“It’s going to take a lot of luck, and I think I’m going to need a fresh group or two of fish to keep it going.”
Coming off his first St. Croix Bassmaster Open presented by Mossy Oak Fishing win at Ross Barnett on April 30, Livesay started his day fishing a point in 8 to 14 feet. He caught one of his keepers there and then moved deeper to the 12- to 15-foot range.
“One of my deeper fish came on a spot where a timber edge and a fenceline come together; there’s a high, hard spot there with a channel swing,” he said. “The other ones were on a little point with timber.”
Livesay caught his bass on a 6th Sense Crush 300DD crankbait, a 6th Sense Divine Hybrid Jig with a NetBait Paca Craw and a Hog Farmer hair jig. He said the crankbait fish preferred a fast presentation. Also, positioning was key.
“When I’m throwing in that timber, I’m trying to get the best angle to get the fish out of the timber,” he said. “I usually like to stay farther away from them when I’m casting to them, but you have to be able to get them out.”
After his offshore searching came up empty, Livesay moved shallow and threw a topwater. He caught a few bass that way, but none upgraded his weight.
Palaniuk, who placed eighth on Day 1 with 26-9, added 30-1 for a 56-10 total. This was Palaniuk’s first 30-pound limit in his Bassmaster career.
“It was awesome — I’ve been trying to do that for years,” Palaniuk said. “I got close this year at Santee Cooper, I’ve been close other times before, so when I caught that last 6-pounder today, I was excited.
“I was stuck at 28 pounds forever with a 4-pounder, and I had lost a 6-pounder earlier in the day and it was just eating at me and eating at me. I finally caught that 6-2 around 1:00.”
Palaniuk attributed his success to investing the time to locate the right groups of fish. Bass school by size, so he referenced his practice search, during which his Humminbird MEGA Imaging allowed him to identify groups of higher-quality fish.
Fishing the lake's lower basin, Palaniuk caught his bass over hard bottom with a variety of Rapala crankbaits.
Bryan New of Saluda, S.C., is in third place with 52-5. After placing 17th on Day 1 with 23-7, he added 28-14.
Rotating through a series of spots — mostly hard bottom on long points — New tried to intercept groups of bass as they moved up to feed. One fortunate encounter yielded a 15-minute flurry that included two fish in the 7-pound class, a 6 and a 5.
“I was just running around and trying to get on a place,” New said. “If you get on a place at the right time, and can get them going, it happens that quick.”
New caught his fish on a Spro Little John Super DD, a hollow-belly swimbait and a Zoom Magnum Trick Worm on a Greenfish Tackle football head. His two biggest ate the swimbait.
Chad Pipkens of DeWitt, Mich., is in the lead for Phoenix Boats Big Bass honors with an 8-11 largemouth.
Prince is currently in the lead for the VMC Monster Bag with his 32-5 limit from Day 1.
Palaniuk leads the Progressive Insurance Bassmaster Angler of the Year standings with 442 points. John Cox of DeBary, Fla., is in second with 438, followed by David Mullins of Mt. Carmel, Tenn., with 415, Drew Benton of Blakely, Ga., with 383 and Brandon Lester of Fayetteville, Tenn., with 374.
Jay Przekurat of Stevens Point, Wis., leads the Falcon Rods Rookie of the Year standings with 320 points.
Saturday’s takeoff is scheduled for 7 a.m. CT at SRA Headquarters — Lake Fork. The weigh-in will be held at the same location at 3:10 p.m. Coverage will be available on Bassmaster.com and the FOX Sports digital platforms. FS1 will also broadcast live with the tournament leaders beginning at 7 a.m.
2022 Simms Bassmaster Elite at Lake Fork 5/19-5/22
Lake Fork, Quitman TX.
(PROFESSIONAL) Standings Day 2
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Pts Total $$$
1. Lee Livesay Longview, TX 10 60-10 100
Day 1: 5 32-00 Day 2: 5 28-10
2. Brandon Palaniuk Rathdrum, ID 10 56-10 99
Day 1: 5 26-09 Day 2: 5 30-01
3. Bryan New Saluda, SC 10 52-05 98
Day 1: 5 23-07 Day 2: 5 28-14
4. Gerald Swindle Guntersville, AL 10 51-12 97
Day 1: 5 29-07 Day 2: 5 22-05
5. Shane LeHew Catawba, NC 10 51-02 96
Day 1: 5 26-11 Day 2: 5 24-07
6. Cliff Prince Palatka, FL 10 50-11 95
Day 1: 5 32-05 Day 2: 5 18-06
7. David Mullins Mt Carmel, TN 10 48-14 94
Day 1: 5 27-07 Day 2: 5 21-07
8. Derek Hudnall Denham Springs, LA 10 47-07 93
Day 1: 5 24-05 Day 2: 5 23-02
9. Paul Mueller Naugatuck, CT 10 46-11 92
Day 1: 5 22-14 Day 2: 5 23-13
10. Chris Johnston Otonabee Ontario CANADA 10 46-07 91
Day 1: 5 26-04 Day 2: 5 20-03
11. Chad Pipkens Dewitt, MI 10 46-04 90 $1,000.00
Day 1: 5 18-12 Day 2: 5 27-08
12. Marc Frazier Newnan, GA 10 46-04 89
Day 1: 5 20-15 Day 2: 5 25-05
13. Jay Yelas Turner, OR 10 46-03 88
Day 1: 5 23-04 Day 2: 5 22-15
14. Pat Schlapper Eleva, WI 10 45-13 87
Day 1: 5 19-07 Day 2: 5 26-06
15. Greg Hackney Gonzales, LA 10 45-01 86
Day 1: 5 28-07 Day 2: 5 16-10
16. John Cox DeBary, FL 10 45-01 85
Day 1: 5 21-14 Day 2: 5 23-03
17. Bill Lowen Brookville, IN 10 44-14 84
Day 1: 5 24-12 Day 2: 5 20-02
18. Kenta Kimura Osaka JAPAN 10 44-12 83
Day 1: 5 16-11 Day 2: 5 28-01
19. Gregory DiPalma Millville, NJ 10 44-09 82
Day 1: 5 23-05 Day 2: 5 21-04
20. Joshua Stracner Vandiver, AL 10 44-02 81
Day 1: 5 17-02 Day 2: 5 27-00
21. Todd Auten Lake Wylie, SC 10 43-13 80
Day 1: 5 19-05 Day 2: 5 24-08
22. Tyler Rivet Raceland, LA 10 43-09 79
Day 1: 5 22-04 Day 2: 5 21-05
23. Matt Robertson Kuttawa, KY 10 43-08 78
Day 1: 5 23-02 Day 2: 5 20-06
24. Jamie Hartman Newport, NY 10 42-14 77
Day 1: 5 23-06 Day 2: 5 19-08
25. Darold Gleason Many, LA 10 42-12 76
Day 1: 5 23-04 Day 2: 5 19-08
26. Mark Menendez Paducah, KY 10 42-10 75
Day 1: 5 20-13 Day 2: 5 21-13
27. Caleb Kuphall Mukwonago, WI 10 42-03 74
Day 1: 5 25-05 Day 2: 5 16-14
28. Seth Feider New Market, MN 10 41-11 73
Day 1: 5 24-05 Day 2: 5 17-06
29. Jason Christie Park Hill, OK 10 41-04 72
Day 1: 5 21-08 Day 2: 5 19-12
30. Matty Wong Honolulu, HI 10 41-01 71
Day 1: 5 27-11 Day 2: 5 13-06
31. Jacob Foutz Charleston, TN 10 40-14 70
Day 1: 5 24-00 Day 2: 5 16-14
32. Steve Kennedy Auburn, AL 10 40-00 69
Day 1: 5 24-11 Day 2: 5 15-05
33. Bob Downey Detroit Lakes, MN 10 39-15 68
Day 1: 5 16-02 Day 2: 5 23-13
34. Carl Jocumsen Queensland AUSTRALIA 10 39-12 67
Day 1: 5 14-13 Day 2: 5 24-15
35. Daisuke Aoki Minamitsurugun Yamanash 10 38-14 66
Day 1: 5 21-06 Day 2: 5 17-08
36. Skylar Hamilton Dandridge, TN 10 38-09 65
Day 1: 5 20-10 Day 2: 5 17-15
37. Jacob Powroznik North Prince George, VA 10 37-15 64
Day 1: 5 16-02 Day 2: 5 21-13
38. Patrick Walters Summerville, SC 10 37-12 63
Day 1: 5 15-03 Day 2: 5 22-09
39. Drew Benton Blakely, GA 10 37-01 62
Day 1: 5 16-10 Day 2: 5 20-07
40. Jeff Gustafson Keewatin Ontario CANADA 10 37-00 61
Day 1: 5 18-06 Day 2: 5 18-10
41. Luke Palmer Coalgate, OK 10 36-01 60
Day 1: 5 18-13 Day 2: 5 17-04
42. Chris Zaldain Fort Worth, TX 9 36-01 59
Day 1: 4 17-15 Day 2: 5 18-02
43. Josh Douglas Isle, MN 9 35-07 58
Day 1: 5 25-05 Day 2: 4 10-02
44. Scott Canterbury Odenville, AL 10 35-01 57
Day 1: 5 19-02 Day 2: 5 15-15
45. Brandon Lester Fayetteville, TN 10 34-14 56
Day 1: 5 14-15 Day 2: 5 19-15
46. Ed Loughran III Richmond, VA 10 34-12 55
Day 1: 5 21-06 Day 2: 5 13-06
47. Matt Herren Ashville, AL 8 34-05 54
Day 1: 3 11-12 Day 2: 5 22-09
48. David Williams Newton, NC 10 34-00 53 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 14-05 Day 2: 5 19-11
49. Drew Cook Cairo, GA 10 33-12 52 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 13-00 Day 2: 5 20-12
50. Cory Johnston Cavan CANADA 10 33-09 51 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 18-14 Day 2: 5 14-11
51. Kyle Welcher Opelika, AL 10 33-07 50 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 10-02 Day 2: 5 23-05
52. Joseph Webster Hamilton, AL 10 32-12 49 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 16-03 Day 2: 5 16-09
53. Buddy Gross Chattanooga, TN 10 32-09 48 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 14-07 Day 2: 5 18-02
54. Rick Clunn Ava, MO 8 32-05 47 $2,500.00
Day 1: 3 14-10 Day 2: 5 17-11
55. Michael Iaconelli Pittsgrove, NJ 10 32-02 46 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 11-00 Day 2: 5 21-02
56. John Crews Jr Salem, VA 10 32-02 45 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 16-13 Day 2: 5 15-05
57. Caleb Sumrall New Iberia, LA 10 31-08 44 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 17-12 Day 2: 5 13-12
58. Justin Hamner Northport, AL 10 31-07 43 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 09-02 Day 2: 5 22-05
59. Keith Combs Huntington, TX 10 31-05 42 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 21-08 Day 2: 5 09-13
60. Clent Davis Montevallo, AL 10 31-05 41 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 15-02 Day 2: 5 16-03
61. Brock Mosley Collinsville, MS 10 30-13 40 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 13-04 Day 2: 5 17-09
62. Clark Wendlandt Leander, TX 10 30-11 39 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 17-12 Day 2: 5 12-15
63. Brandon Cobb Greenwood, SC 10 30-09 38 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 15-10 Day 2: 5 14-15
64. David Fritts Lexington, NC 8 30-06 37
Day 1: 5 21-03 Day 2: 3 09-03
65. Stetson Blaylock Benton, AR 9 30-04 36
Day 1: 5 18-02 Day 2: 4 12-02
66. Matt Arey Shelby, NC 10 29-13 35
Day 1: 5 16-15 Day 2: 5 12-14
67. Mike Huff London, KY 10 29-13 34
Day 1: 5 15-03 Day 2: 5 14-10
68. Hank Cherry Jr Lincolnton, NC 10 29-06 33
Day 1: 5 11-07 Day 2: 5 17-15
69. Cody Huff Ava, MO 9 29-05 32
Day 1: 5 18-07 Day 2: 4 10-14
70. Jake Whitaker Fairview, NC 10 29-02 31
Day 1: 5 17-01 Day 2: 5 12-01
71. Masayuki Matsushita Tokoname-Shi JAPAN 10 28-05 30
Day 1: 5 12-14 Day 2: 5 15-07
72. Taku Ito Chiba JAPAN 10 28-04 29
Day 1: 5 11-13 Day 2: 5 16-07
73. Micah Frazier Newnan, GA 10 27-13 28
Day 1: 5 14-13 Day 2: 5 13-00
74. Jay Przekurat Stevens Point, WI 10 27-09 27
Day 1: 5 14-00 Day 2: 5 13-09
75. Hunter Shryock Ooltewah, TN 10 27-03 26
Day 1: 5 16-12 Day 2: 5 10-07
76. KJ Queen Catawba, NC 10 26-15 25
Day 1: 5 16-13 Day 2: 5 10-02
77. Frank Talley Temple, TX 10 26-12 24
Day 1: 5 12-13 Day 2: 5 13-15
78. Jason Williamson Wagener, SC 7 26-05 23
Day 1: 2 06-10 Day 2: 5 19-11
79. Clifford Pirch Payson, AZ 10 25-12 22
Day 1: 5 13-10 Day 2: 5 12-02
80. Ray Hanselman Jr Del Rio, TX 10 25-11 21
Day 1: 5 12-10 Day 2: 5 13-01
81. Alex Redwine Blue Ash, OH 10 25-02 20
Day 1: 5 11-07 Day 2: 5 13-11
82. Bryan Schmitt Deale, MD 8 24-11 19
Day 1: 3 06-02 Day 2: 5 18-09
83. Gary Clouse Winchester, TN 5 24-08 18 $1,000.00
Day 1: 4 18-11 Day 2: 1 05-13
84. Brandon Card Salisbury, NC 9 24-07 17
Day 1: 5 17-04 Day 2: 4 07-03
85. Bernie Schultz Gainesville, FL 8 22-07 16
Day 1: 5 15-14 Day 2: 3 06-09
86. Jonathan Kelley Old Forge, PA 10 22-04 15
Day 1: 5 08-08 Day 2: 5 13-12
87. Scott Martin Clewiston, FL 10 22-03 14
Day 1: 5 12-13 Day 2: 5 09-06
88. Austin Felix Eden Prairie, MN 7 19-14 13
Day 1: 3 08-14 Day 2: 4 11-00
89. Chad Morgenthaler Reeds Spring, MO 8 19-13 12
Day 1: 5 13-08 Day 2: 3 06-05
90. Justin Atkins Florence, AL 8 19-07 11
Day 1: 5 14-02 Day 2: 3 05-05
91. Koby Kreiger Alva, FL 10 19-06 10
Day 1: 5 11-00 Day 2: 5 08-06
92. Wes Logan Springville, AL 8 19-04 9
Day 1: 5 13-08 Day 2: 3 05-12
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
PHOENIX BOATS BIG BASS
Day
1 Gary Clouse Winchester, TN 08-10 $1,000.00
2 Chad Pipkens Dewitt, MI 08-11 $1,000.00
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Totals
Day #Limits #Fish Weight
1 85 447 1676-05
2 81 441 1605-01
----------------------------------
166 888 3281-06
“Legends of the Outdoors” Hall of Fame Founder - Garry Mason Releases the 2022 Event Information
May 11, 2022 – SPRINGVILLE, TN – Founder of the “Legends of the Outdoors” Hall of Fame, Garry Mason, has released the information for the 20th annual Banquet and Induction Ceremony.
We are happy to announce that we will be returning to Springfield, MO!! We will again be at the John A. & Genny Morris Convention Center for this year’s event. Come join us Saturday, August 20th. Doors will open at 9am and the event will start at 10:30. There will be a luncheon and entertainment included.
The 2022 “Legends of the Outdoors” Inductees will be: Boyd Duckett, professional angler and owner of Duckett Fishing; Bill Cooksey, outdoor writer, championship duck caller, and conservationist; Kelly Powers, championship goose caller and co-owner of Final Flight Outfitters; Michael Waddell, television show host, outdoor personality, and owner and creator of The Bone Collector; Larry Rea, outdoor writer and editor and syndicated radio show host; Tom Nelson, host of The American Archer, outdoor writer, and member of the Archery Hall of Fame;Billy Blakely, professional hunting and fishing guide and B ‘n M Pro Staff Member; and Wade Middleton, President of CareCo TV, television show host, and creator of Bass Pro Shops Collegiate Bass Fishing.
More information will be released as it becomes confirmed.
The event is open to the public. Sponsorship information and individual ticket reservations may be obtained through the “Legends of the Outdoors” website at www.legendsoftheoutdoors.com, or by calling 731-693-7770. Reservations must be made and purchased before July 31, 2022.
