Final 10 Anglers Set for Championship Sunday at Major League Fishing Suzuki Stage Two
Ohio pro Cole Floyd catches 14 bass weighing 46-9 to pace Saturday’s Knockout Round, final 10 anglers set for Championship Sunday
CLARENDON COUNTY, S.C. (Feb. 24, 2024) – For most of his first three days on the water at the Suzuki Stage Two Presented by Fenwick at the Santee Cooper lakes, pro Cole Floyd of Leesburg, Ohio , lurked just behind the leaders – safe from the cut line but never really threatening to overtake for the top spot on SCORETRACKER®. He qualified for Saturday’s Knockout Round by finishing ninth in Group A, then hovered in the middle of the Top 10 throughout Saturday’s action.
Until the final few hours, that is.
During an explosive Period 3 that saw Santee Cooper’s big bass start snapping for just about everyone in the field, Floyd boated eight bass weighing a combined 28 pounds, 6 ounces. That brought his total on the day to 46-9, vaulted him into the top spot on the leaderboard and sent a clear message to the rest of the field that he’s not to be overlooked during Sunday’s Championship Round.
Seeking his first win as a touring pro, Floyd will have his work cut out for him. Looming within the top five were pros Justin Lucas of Guntersville, Alabama, who stacked up an epic 42-6 on just six bass; Jacob Wheeler of Harrison, Tennessee, the six-time Bass Pro Tour champion; and pro James Watson of Lampe, Missouri, who caught a pair of 8-plus-pounders Saturday.
The final 10 anglers are now set, and competition resumes Sunday morning with the Championship Round. In the Championship Round, weights are zeroed, and the highest one-day total wins the top prize of $100,000.
Floyd, who hasn’t had a camera in his boat all week, doesn’t mind operating outside the spotlight. He said he relishes the underdog role.
In fact, he wasn’t necessarily trying to finish the Knockout Round in first place. He spent much of Saturday running new water, and he just happened to hit a productive area in Lake Marion during the final couple hours. He added to his total as he sampled the bass population living there.
“Every time I got off pad with my boat, it seemed like I could get a bite,” Floyd said. “Everything was just kind of going my way.”
Like much of the field, Floyd has caught his fish winding a bladed jig – in his case, a Strike King Thunder Cricket – around cypress trees, “trying to cover as much water as [he] can.” He believes the key to his hot afternoon was the west wind, which picked up speed as the day progressed and pushed water into his section.
“The wind just seemed to blow in all that mud, that dirty water from the other side of the lake, and it just helped my area a lot more,” Floyd explained. “Stained it up and got it more active.”
Floyd is optimistic that the area he found has plenty of bass to carry him through the Championship Round. However, the forecast – sunny skies, cooler temperatures and a light breeze out of the north – has him concerned that he might have to switch up techniques.
“Obviously, I had a good day today,” he said. “I feel like I’m in a good area to possibly win it, but I feel like the weather is going to hurt me more than anything. I think it’s going to be calmer tomorrow, and it’ll just make the bite tougher.”
Floyd, who will compete in his second career BPT Championship Round, is no stranger to tournament success. He won multiple events at the college level, plus took home three straight Angler of the Year titles in the LBL Division of the Phoenix Bass Fishing League from 2017-2019.
A BPT victory, however, would represent a whole new frontier. Floyd called the prospect of landing his first national win “life-changing.”
“It would be a dream come true," he said. “I’ve worked my ass off – I’m not super old – my whole life just to have this opportunity, so it would be something very special, that’s for sure.”
The top 10 pros from Saturday’s Knockout Round that now advance to the final day Championship Round on Santee Cooper Lakes are:
1st: Cole Floyd, Leesburg, Ohio, 14 bass, 46-9
2nd: Justin Lucas, Guntersville, Ala, six bass, 42-6
3rd: Dylan Hays, Hot Springs, Ark., 10 bass, 39-14
4th: Jacob Wheeler, Harrison, Tenn., 11 bass, 34-1
5th: James Watson, Lampe, Mo., seven bass, 32-3
6th: Dean Rojas, Lake Havasu City, Ariz., 12 bass, 30-8
7th: Dave Lefebre, Erie, Pa., nine bass, 29-0
8th: Matt Becker, Ten Mile, Tenn., 10 bass, 28-4
9th: Casey Ashley, Donalds, S.C., 10 bass, 28-0
10th: Jesse Wiggins, Cullman, Ala., 10 bass, 26-14
Eliminated from competition are:
11th: David Dudley, Lynchburg, Va., six bass, 25-8
12th: Alton Jones, Jr., Waco, Texas, six bass, 25-1
13th: Gerald Spohrer, Gonzales, La., nine bass, 22-0
14th: Nick LeBrun, Bossier City, La., six bass, 21-13
15th: Dustin Connell, Clanton, Ala., three bass, 14-14
16th: Ron Nelson, Berrien Springs, Mich., four bass, 13-1
17th: Zack Birge, Blanchard, Okla., three bass, 12-6
18th: Brent Ehrler, Redlands, Calif., five bass, 11-4
19th: Bobby Lane, Lakeland, Fla., four bass, 6-10
20th: Marshall Robinson, Landrum, S.C., zero bass, 0-0
A complete list of results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
Overall, there were 145 bass weighing 490 pounds, 4 ounces caught by 19 pros Saturday. The catch included six 6-pounders, three 7-pounders, and five 8-pounders.
Pros Justin Lucas of Guntersville, Alabama, and James Watson of Lampe, Missouri, tied for Saturday’s $1,000 Berkley Big Bass Award, as each weighed in a largemouth totaling 8 pounds, 15 ounces. Berkley awards $1,000 to the angler who weighs the heaviest bass each day, and a $3,000 bonus to the angler who weighs the heaviest bass of the tournament.
The six-day tournament, hosted by the Clarendon County Chamber of Commerce, showcases 80 of the top professional anglers in the world, competing for a purse of $659,000, including a top payout of $100,000 and valuable Fishing Clash Angler of the Year (AOY) points in hopes of qualifying for the General Tire Heavy Hitters all-star event and REDCREST 2025, the Bass Pro Tour championship.
The 40 Anglers in Group A competed in their two-day Qualifying Round on Tuesday and Thursday – the 40 anglers in Group B on Wednesday and Friday. After the two-day Qualifying Round was complete, the anglers that finished first through 10th from both groups advanced to Saturday’s Knockout Round. In the Knockout Round, weights were zeroed, and the remaining 20 anglers competed to finish in the top 10 to advance to Sunday’s Championship Round. Sunday, in the final-day Championship Round, weights are zeroed, and the highest one-day total wins the top prize of $100,000.
On Sunday, Feb. 25, from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. MLF welcomes fans of all ages to visit the John C. Land III landing for the MLF Watch Party. Fans can watch the pros live on the MLFNOW! big screen, enjoy free food, enter to win hourly giveaways and cheer on their favorite pros. The first 50 kids 14 and under will receive a free rod and reel from Pure Fishing, and the final 10 Championship Round Bass Pro Tour anglers will be on hand at the trophy celebration on Championship Sunday to meet and greet fans, sign autographs and take selfies.
The final 10 anglers will launch at 7:30 a.m. ET Sunday from the John C. Land III Landing, located at 4404 Greenall Road in Summerton. Sunday’s General Tire Takeout and Championship Celebration will be held at the park, beginning at 4 p.m. Fans are welcome to attend all launch and takeout events and also encouraged to follow the event online throughout the day on the MLFNOW!® live stream and SCORETRACKER® coverage at MajorLeagueFishing.com .
The MLFNOW!® broadcast team of Chad McKee and J.T. Kenney will break down the extended action live on the final day of competition from 7:45 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. ET. MLFNOW!® is live streamed on MajorLeagueFishing.com and the MyOutdoorTV (MOTV) app.
The Suzuki Stage Two at Santee Cooper Lakes Presented by Fenwick features the MLF catch, weigh, immediate-release format, in which anglers catch as much weight as they can each day, while also feeling the pressure and intensity of the SCORETRACKER® leaderboard. The tournament features anglers competing with a 1-pound, 8-ounce minimum weight requirement for a bass to be deemed scorable. The MLF Fisheries Management Division determines minimum weights for each body of water that the Bass Pro Tour visits, based on the productivity, bass population and anticipated average size of fish in each fishery.
The Bass Pro Tour features a field of 80 of the top professional anglers in the world, competing across seven regular-season tournaments around the country, for millions of dollars and valuable points to qualify for the annual General Tire Heavy Hitters all-star event and the REDCREST 2025 championship.
Bass Pro Tour anglers also compete throughout the 2024 season for the prestigious Fishing Clash Angler of the Year (AOY) award and its $100,000 payday. Fishing Clash – an interactive 3D fishing simulation game that’s played by more than 80 million people worldwide – is the official AOY sponsor of the Bass Pro Tour, Tackle Warehouse Invitationals, Toyota Series and Phoenix Bass Fishing League.
Television coverage of the Suzuki Stage Two at Santee Cooper Lakes Presented by Fenwick will premiere as a two-hour episode starting at 7 a.m. ET, on Saturday, Sept. 21 on Discovery, with the Championship Round premiering the following Saturday on Sept. 28. New MLF episodes premiere each Saturday morning on Discovery, with re-airings on Outdoor Channel.
Proud sponsors of the 2024 MLF Bass Pro Tour include: Abu Garcia, B&W Trailer Hitches, Bass Pro Shops, Berkley, BUBBA, Epic Baits, Fishing Clash, Garmin, General Tire, Humminbird, Lowrance, Mercury, MillerTech, Minn Kota, Mossy Oak Fishing, NITRO, Onyx, Plano, Power-Pole, Rapala, StarBrite, Suzuki, Toyota and U.S. Air Force.
For complete details and updated information on Major League Fishing and the Bass Pro Tour, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF’s social media outlets at Facebook, X, Instagram and YouTube.
About Major League Fishing
Major League Fishing (MLF) is the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization, producing more than 250 events annually at some of the most prestigious fisheries in the world, while broadcasting to America’s living rooms on CBS, Discovery Channel, Outdoor Channel, CBS Sports Network, World Fishing Network and on demand on MyOutdoorTV (MOTV). Headquartered in Benton, Kentucky, the MLF roster of bass anglers includes the world’s top pros and more than 30,000 competitors in all 50 states and 17 countries. Since its founding in 2011, MLF has advanced the sport of competitive fishing through its premier television broadcasts and livestreams and is dedicated to improving the quality of life for bass through research, education, fisheries enhancement and fish care.
Arey Acclimates to FFS Era
Courtesy of Luke Stoner, Dynamic Sponsorships
Team Toyota’s Matt Arey took it as a point of pride when he realized he was the elder statesmen amongst the group of anglers near the top of the leaderboard heading into semi-final Saturday of the Gamakatsu Bassmaster Elite on Toledo Bend. At forty-three years young, Arey is far from old, but he would classify his fishing roots as old-school. The always-consistent
North Carolina pro finished Friday in 13th place and was somewhat surprisingly the oldest angler positioned in the top twenty.
It's hard to ignore the impressive wave of young fishing talent at the top level of competitive bass fishing the past few years, thanks large in part to the ever-evolving forward facing sonar technology that has dominated national tournaments as of late. Arey is proving a middle-aged dog can learn plenty of new tricks, as he’s employed FFS to the tune of a paycheck and a shot at fishing Championship Sunday.
“Whether you call it pinging a minnow, moping, scoping, or damiki-rigging; it’s been a big deal for several years now but it’s definitely not flying under the radar in the world of tournament fishing anymore,” Arey said. “I call it crappie fishing for bass because that’s what it reminds me of. It’s all about your electronics and finesse presentations. I used my Lowrance Active Target 2, a couple spinning rods, light line, and a few minnow style soft plastics on a jig head exclusively to catch my weight on days one and two.”
No matter what you’ve read on social media or believe from watching live coverage, this style of fishing is not nearly as easy as professional anglers make it look. Arey explained that accurate casts have been extremely important on Toledo Bend. He and other pros are trying to land small, lightweight lures directly on a fish’s head in high winds and big waves with a spinning rod.
That’s difficult to do on a relaxed day of fun fishing with your buddy. You add in the stress, emotion, and intensity of an Elite Series tournament and you have a pressure cooker that can
affect even the most seasoned anglers. Arey credits much of his success this week to committing to FFS in practice, knowing it was going to play a major role in this first stop of the
2024 season.
“As more of an old school fisherman I’ve had to embrace the idea of leaning into FFS during practice in order to overcome how I would have traditionally fished this lake,” Arey admitted. “I hate to say it, but I truly believed if I tried to rely on instincts, patterns, or junk fishing on Toledo Bend this week I would get whooped.
“So, I committed 96% of my practice to focusing on FFS and it’s paid off. Whether I like it or don’t like it doesn’t matter. I gotta embrace it and keep getting better at this style of fishing if I want to keep up with the next generation of anglers.”
Arey has proven to do more than just keep up with the young guns on Toledo Bend. He’s been a full-time pro for over 12-years now and just like he’s done throughout his entire career, he’ll continue to adapt and improve at his craft no matter the technique. As he and other veteran pros continue to acclimate to the FFS era of tournament bass fishing, they’ll make their
presence felt at the top of the leaderboard no matter the conditions or prevalent fishing style.
Dean Rojas Paces Field to Win Group B Qualifying Round at Major League Fishing Suzuki Stage Two
Suzuki pro boats two-day total of 76-1 to win Group B Qualifying Round, field of 20 set for Saturday’s Knockout Round
CLARENDON COUNTY, S.C. (Feb. 23, 2024) – For the first two hours of Group B’s second day on the water Friday at Suzuki Stage Two Presented by Fenwick, pro Dean Rojas of Lake Havasu City, Arizona, struggled to recapture his Day 1 success. Rojas had stacked 16 bass weighing 48 pounds, 14 ounces on SCORETRACKER® during his first day on the Santee Cooper lakes, but he went more than two hours Friday morning without boating a scorable fish.
Once Rojas relocated a population of fish, though, the action heated up in a hurry. He got on the board with a 5-pounder, then caught another 11 bass, bringing his two-day total to 76-1. He finished atop the leaderboard for Group B, a mere 10 ounces ahead of pro Brent Ehrler of Redlands, California.
Rojas’ day summed up the action across lakes Marion and Moultrie. A morning that started slow ended with two bass over 9 pounds, and 20 over 6 pounds hitting the scales. Despite many of the top anglers using the afternoon to scout new water, the field combined to catch 249 scorable bass for 824 pounds, 14 ounces – easily the biggest totals of any day so far.
The remaining 20 anglers – the top 10 from each group – now advance to Saturday’s Knockout Round, where weights are zeroed, and anglers compete to finish in the top 10 to advance to the Championship Round on Sunday. In Sunday’s final day Championship Round, weights are zeroed, and the highest one-day total wins the top prize of $100,000.
Having put plenty of distance between himself and the cut line on Wednesday, Rojas, too, used his second day of competition to explore new water on the massive 170,000-acre playing field that is Santee Cooper. He never returned to the area where he caught his Day 1 bag, instead scouting a few other spots where he’d gotten bit during practice.
“The stuff I fished today was just secondary stuff that I had,” he explained. “It’s not my main stuff. I caught ‘em really good the first day, so there was no sense in working on those fish anymore.”
Rojas is doing something a bit different than the majority of anglers, not spending much time around the fishery’s many cypress trees. He didn’t want to reveal much about his tactics but said he’s focusing on areas where bass are moving up to stage.
“There’s probably a few that are up there (spawning), and there’s some that are coming,” Rojas said. “It’s still the very first beginnings of it.”
While he found plenty of fish, Rojas didn’t catch the same quality on Friday, boating just one bass bigger than 3 pounds. As a result, he still plans to return to his Day 1 area during what figures to be an explosive Knockout Round.
Still, he sees the day as a success, having eliminated some water and added more to his arsenal should he have to veer from Plan A.
“I have lots of options,” he said. “I feel very comfortable. The stuff that I fished today I can fish again tomorrow, and the stuff that I didn’t fish today, I can still go back again tomorrow.”
As for what it will take to make the Championship Round, Rojas speculated that the cut will fall around 45 pounds – although he admitted that could be way off. Santee Cooper has proven fickle this week, with lots of anglers putting together impressive bags but few doing so on consecutive days. The only safe bet seems to be that whoever does unlock the bite will have a chance to land some big ones.
“I have no idea,” Rojas said. “I’m going to try and catch every single bass I can tomorrow.”
The top 10 pros in Group B that now advance to Saturday’s Knockout Round on Santee Cooper Lakes are:
1st: Dean Rojas, Lake Havasu City, Ariz., 28 bass, 76-1
2nd: Brent Ehrler, Redlands, Calif., 21 bass, 75-7
3rd: Nick LeBrun, Bossier City, La., 21 bass, 75-2
4th: Casey Ashley, Donalds, S.C., 21 bass, 74-2
5th: Justin Lucas, Guntersville, Ala, 18 bass, 65-1
6th: Jacob Wheeler, Harrison, Tenn., 15 bass, 60-12
7th: Marshall Robinson, Landrum, S.C., 17 bass, 58-9
8th: Zack Birge, Blanchard, Okla., 13 bass, 55-11
9th: David Dudley, Lynchburg, Va., 18 bass, 53-13
10th: Bobby Lane, Lakeland, Fla., 14 bass, 51-2
Eliminated from competition are:
11th: Fred Roumbanis, Russellville, Ark., 10 bass, 49-2
12th: Fletcher Shryock, Guntersville, Ala., 17 bass, 48-9
13th: Luke Clausen, Spokane, Wash., 14 bass, 48-4
14th: Edwin Evers, Talala, Okla., 12 bass, 46-4
15th: Keith Poche, Pike Road, Ala., 19 bass, 45-5
16th: Mark Davis, Mount Ida, Ark., 12 bass, 43-7
17th: Bradley Roy, Lancaster, Ky., 14 bass, 43-2
18th: Ott DeFoe, Blaine, Tenn., 14 bass, 42-6
19th: Wesley Strader, Spring City, Tenn., 14 bass, 38-10
20th: Spencer Shuffield, Hot Springs, Ark., 11 bass, 36-13
21st: Jeremy Lawyer, Sarcoxie, Mo., 12 bass, 36-4
22nd: Todd Faircloth, Jasper, Texas, 10 bass, 36-3
23rd: Drew Gill, Mount Carmel, Ill., 14 bass, 36-2
24th: Justin Cooper, Zwolle, La., 10 bass, 34-15
25th: Joshua Weaver, Macon, Ga., 10 bass, 32-9
26th: Martin Villa, Charlottesville, Va., 13 bass, 32-2
27th: Alton Jones, Lorena, Texas, nine bass, 30-4
28th: Stephen Browning, Hot Springs, Ark., eight bass, 28-3
29th: James Elam, Tulsa, Okla., six bass, 21-10
30th: Keith Carson, DeBary, Fla., seven bass, 19-7
31st: Jonathon VanDam, Kalamazoo, Mich., six bass, 19-4
32nd: Boyd Duckett, Guntersville, Ala., seven bass, 18-11
33rd: Scott Suggs, Alexander, Ark., six bass, 18-0
34th: Ryan Salzman, Huntsville, Ala., six bass, 17-11
35th: Gary Klein, Mingus, Texas, six bass, 15-5
36th: Kelly Jordon, Flint, Texas, six bass, 14-9
37th: Cliff Crochet, Pierre Part, La., five bass, 14-3
38th: John Hunter, Shelbyville, Ky., four bass, 13-1
39th: Bryan Thrift, Shelby, N.C, three bass, 12-13
40th: Andy Montgomery, Blacksburg, S.C., three bass, 7-13
A complete list of results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
Overall, there were 249 bass weighing 824 pounds, 14 ounces caught by 39 pros Friday. The catch included 14 6-pounders, three 7-pounders, one 8-pounder and two 9-pounders.
Pro David Dudley of Lynchburg, Virginia, won the $1,000 Berkley Big Bass Award Friday with a fat 9-pound, 11-ounce largemouth that he caught on a Dudley’s Digger Blade from Treeshaker Tackle during Period 3. Berkley awards $1,000 to the angler who weighs the heaviest bass each day, and a $3,000 bonus to the angler who weighs the heaviest bass of the tournament.
The six-day tournament, hosted by the Clarendon County Chamber of Commerce, showcases 80 of the top professional anglers in the world, competing for a purse of $659,000, including a top payout of $100,000 and valuable Fishing Clash Angler of the Year (AOY) points in hopes of qualifying for the General Tire Heavy Hitters all-star event and REDCREST 2025, the Bass Pro Tour championship.
The 40 Anglers in Group A competed in their two-day Qualifying Round on Tuesday and Thursday – the 40 anglers in Group B on Wednesday and Friday. Now that each group’s two-day Qualifying Round is complete, the anglers that finished first through 10th from both groups advance to Saturday’s Knockout Round. In the Knockout Round, weights are zeroed, and the remaining 20 anglers compete to finish in the top 10 to advance to Sunday’s Championship Round. In the final-day Championship Round, weights are zeroed, and the highest one-day total wins the top prize of $100,000.
Anglers will launch at 7:30 a.m. ET each day from the John C. Land III Landing, located at 4404 Greenall Road in Summerton. Each day’s General Tire Takeout will be held at the park, beginning at 4 p.m. Fans are welcome to attend all launch and takeout events and also encouraged to follow the event online throughout the day on the MLFNOW!® live stream and SCORETRACKER® coverage at MajorLeagueFishing.com .
The MLFNOW!® broadcast team of Chad McKee and J.T. Kenney will break down the extended action live on the final four days of competition from 7:45 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. ET. MLFNOW!® is live streamed on MajorLeagueFishing.com and the MyOutdoorTV (MOTV) app.
On Saturday and Sunday, Feb. 24-25, from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. MLF welcomes fans of all ages to visit the John C. Land III landing for the MLF Watch Party. Fans can watch the pros live on the MLFNOW! big screen, enjoy free food, enter to win hourly giveaways and cheer on their favorite pros. The first 50 kids 14 and under will receive a free rod and reel from Pure Fishing each day. The final 10 Championship Round Bass Pro Tour anglers will be on hand at the trophy celebration on Championship Sunday to meet and greet fans, sign autographs and take selfies.
The Suzuki Stage Two at Santee Cooper Lakes Presented by Fenwick features the MLF catch, weigh, immediate-release format, in which anglers catch as much weight as they can each day, while also feeling the pressure and intensity of the SCORETRACKER® leaderboard. The tournament features anglers competing with a 1-pound, 8-ounce minimum weight requirement for a bass to be deemed scorable. The MLF Fisheries Management Division determines minimum weights for each body of water that the Bass Pro Tour visits, based on the productivity, bass population and anticipated average size of fish in each fishery.
The Bass Pro Tour features a field of 80 of the top professional anglers in the world, competing across seven regular-season tournaments around the country, for millions of dollars and valuable points to qualify for the annual General Tire Heavy Hitters all-star event and the REDCREST 2025 championship.
Bass Pro Tour anglers also compete throughout the 2024 season for the prestigious Fishing Clash Angler of the Year (AOY) award and its $100,000 payday. Fishing Clash – an interactive 3D fishing simulation game that’s played by more than 80 million people worldwide – is the official AOY sponsor of the Bass Pro Tour, Tackle Warehouse Invitationals, Toyota Series and Phoenix Bass Fishing League.
Television coverage of the Suzuki Stage Two at Santee Cooper Lakes Presented by Fenwick will premiere as a two-hour episode starting at 7 a.m. ET, on Saturday, Sept. 21 on Discovery, with the Championship Round premiering the following Saturday on Sept. 28. New MLF episodes premiere each Saturday morning on Discovery, with re-airings on Outdoor Channel.
Proud sponsors of the 2024 MLF Bass Pro Tour include: Abu Garcia, B&W Trailer Hitches, Bass Pro Shops, Berkley, BUBBA, Epic Baits, Fishing Clash, Garmin, General Tire, Humminbird, Lowrance, Mercury, MillerTech, Minn Kota, Mossy Oak Fishing, NITRO, Onyx, Plano, Power-Pole, Rapala, StarBrite, Suzuki, Toyota and U.S. Air Force.
For complete details and updated information on Major League Fishing and the Bass Pro Tour, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF’s social media outlets at Facebook, X, Instagram and YouTube.
About Major League Fishing
Major League Fishing (MLF) is the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization, producing more than 250 events annually at some of the most prestigious fisheries in the world, while broadcasting to America’s living rooms on CBS, Discovery Channel, Outdoor Channel, CBS Sports Network, World Fishing Network and on demand on MyOutdoorTV (MOTV). Headquartered in Benton, Kentucky, the MLF roster of bass anglers includes the world’s top pros and more than 30,000 competitors in all 50 states and 17 countries. Since its founding in 2011, MLF has advanced the sport of competitive fishing through its premier television broadcasts and livestreams and is dedicated to improving the quality of life for bass through research, education, fisheries enhancement and fish care.
Pat Schlapper captures kicker bass to take Day 2 lead in Bassmaster Elite Series event at Toledo Bend
February 23, 2024
Pat Schlapper captures kicker bass to take Day 2 lead in Bassmaster Elite Series event at Toledo Bend
MANY, La. — With the help of an 8-6 largemouth, Pat Schlapper caught 28 pounds, 5 ounces on Day 2 of the Gamakatsu Bassmaster Elite at Toledo Bend to jump into the lead with a two-day total of 55-9.
The pro from Eleva, Wis., holds a 3-ounce advantage over Day 1 leader Kyoya Fujita, who is second with a two-day mark of 55-6. Tennessee’s Robert Gee is third with 51-10.
“There were some really fun moments today,” Schlapper said. “It was tougher than yesterday, honestly. I didn’t get that many bites, and the bass are either leaving or getting picked off. I still had three really good bites.”
After finding a rhythm late in the day Thursday, the three-time Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Classic presented by Jockey Outdoors qualifier returned to one of his most productive areas and targeted roaming bass in 15 to 30 feet of water. He used the same bait he caught the majority of his bass on yesterday with the help of his Garmin LiveScope.
Despite the increase in boat pressure in the area, Schlapper immediately started catching bass and filled out his limit around 9:30 a.m. before landing his biggest bass of the day.
“I saw the bass on LiveScope, but it looked too big. I made a good cast and it came up on it, bit it and I missed it,” Schlapper said. “I cast up there again; the way it came up I thought it was a bass. Then, the way it fought, I knew it was a bass. I was lucky I (that) missed it the first time and then (it) ate it again. It was awesome.”
Late in the day, he returned to that same area and caught another kicker bass, a largemouth that weighed just under 8 pounds.
“I had a good bag fairly early, but then it was a long time before I caught anything else,” he said. “I came back at the end of the day when everyone was gone and caught another that was almost 8.”
Schlapper, however, is a bit concerned about how the rest of the tournament will play out in his primary area. With the weekend starting, boat pressure will likely only increase. He has also noticed the water temperature rising, which could mean the bass will move toward the bank and away from his area.
“There aren’t many bass left there. There were a lot of spectators and other competitors really messing with them,” he said. “If another wave kind of moves through, we might be alright. If not, it might be tough. There’s a chance I can throw (it) in front of five big ones tomorrow. I think there is less of a chance than there was today and the day before.
“But I’m sticking with it.”
After landing the Rapala CrushCity Monster Bag of the Tournament on Day 1 at 31-3, Fujita landed 24-3 to drop into second place. The Japanese pro returned to his primary spot from Day 1 and, while he filled out a limit in the first three hours, he struggled to generate big bites until the afternoon. His biggest bass, logged as a 6-0 on BassTrakk, came after 1 p.m. He caught all of his bass on a Jackall Drift Fry around standing timber in 30 feet of water.
Boat pressure was the main reason for the tougher bite, he said.
“Yesterday in the morning, it was fish, fish, fish, and then in the afternoon, there was fishing pressure and no bites,” Fujita said with the help of a translator. “Today was tough.”
Despite the increased pressure, Fujita still saw plenty of bass on his LiveScope. He plans on returning to the same area in the morning and will evaluate how many other boats are around. If he isn’t liking what he sees, he will move to a different spot on the lake.
Gee added 22-10 to his 29-0 Day 1 bag to increase his two-day total to 51-10. While he lost a 4-pounder early in the day, the Knoxville, Tenn., rookie filled a limit quickly but struggled to find quality.
“I started where I could get a limit early,” he said. “It seemed like the bigger ones were leaving. I didn’t catch any really big ones, and everywhere I went it seemed like fish were leaving me. I feel like they are making a push up shallow with this full moon coming tomorrow night.”
Late in the day, Gee moved to his big-bass spot from yesterday and caught his two biggest of the day.
“I understood what I was doing wrong, so I went in closer to where the bass wanted to be going,” Gee said. “I was still in a basin, so I was in 35 feet of water instead of 50 feet.”
So far this week, Gee has caught the majority of his bass on a Crock-O-Gator Slide Shad and has changed the jighead size based on the depth he’s fishing and the wind speed. Forward-facing sonar has played a big role in his success.
With the bass leaving his areas, Gee feels like he will need to start making a move to the shallows. He didn’t have much success fishing shallow in practice, but he has an idea where his deep bass may move to in the coming days.
“I’m just going to have to adjust and fish new water,” he said.
Canadian pro Chris Johnston caught a 9-3 largemouth on Day 2 to claim the Phoenix Boats Big Bass of the Day. South Carolina’s Bryan New currently holds the Phoenix Boats Big Bass of the Tournament, a 9-8 largemouth he caught on Day 1.
The Top 50 anglers will launch from Cypress Bend Park beginning at 7 a.m. CT and return for weigh-in at 3 p.m. The Top 10 will advance to Championship Sunday to compete for the blue trophy and $100,000 top prize. All anglers are earning points toward the Progressive Insurance Bassmaster Angler of the Year race.
Bassmaster LIVE will be available on FS1 on Saturday morning beginning at 8 a.m. ET through 11:30 a.m. before moving to Bassmaster.com for the afternoon session.
Those wanting to attend will be able to enjoy the “B.A.S.S. on the ’Bend” festival on Saturday and Sunday at Cypress Bend Park before weigh-in. The festival will feature live music and many local vendors.
The event is being hosted by Toledo Bend Lake Country and the Louisiana Office of Tourism.
2024 Bassmaster Elite Series Platinum Sponsor: Toyota
2024 Bassmaster Elite Series Premier Sponsors: Bass Pro Shops, Dakota Lithium, Humminbird, Mercury, Minn Kota, Nitro Boats, Power-Pole, Progressive Insurance, Ranger Boats, Rapala, Skeeter Boats, Yamaha
2024 Bassmaster Elite Series Supporting Sponsors: AFTCO, Daiwa, Garmin, Lew's, Lowrance, Marathon, Triton Boats, VMC
About B.A.S.S.B.A.S.S., which encompasses the Bassmaster tournament leagues, events and media platforms, is the worldwide authority on bass fishing and keeper of the culture of the sport, providing cutting-edge content on bass fishing whenever, wherever and however bass fishing fans want to use it. Headquartered in Birmingham, Ala., the 500,000-member organization’s fully integrated media platforms include the industry’s leading magazines (Bassmaster and B.A.S.S. Times), website (Bassmaster.com), TV show, radio show, social media programs and events. For more than 50 years, B.A.S.S. has been dedicated to access, conservation and youth fishing.
-30-
Connect with #Bassmaster on Facebook, Instagram, Twitte
Media Contact: Mandy Pascal, Managing Editor, 205-313-0955, mpascal@
2024 Elite #1 Toledo Bend Reservoir 2/22-2/25
Toledo Bend Reservoir, Many LA.
(PROFESSIONAL) Standings Day 2
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Pts Total $$$
1. Pat Schlapper Eleva, WI 10 55-09 103
Day 1: 5 27-04 Day 2: 5 28-05
2. Kyoya Fujita Yamanashi CA JAPAN 10 55-06 102
Day 1: 5 31-03 Day 2: 5 24-03
3. Robert Gee Knoxville, TN 10 51-10 101
Day 1: 5 29-00 Day 2: 5 22-10
4. Patrick Walters Eutawville, SC 10 50-00 100
Day 1: 5 19-11 Day 2: 5 30-05
5. Jordan Lee Cullman, AL 10 46-10 99
Day 1: 5 22-12 Day 2: 5 23-14
6. Chris Johnston Otonabee Ontario CANADA 10 45-07 98 $1,000.00
Day 1: 5 18-15 Day 2: 5 26-08
7. Luke Palmer Coalgate, OK 10 45-03 97
Day 1: 5 25-01 Day 2: 5 20-02
8. Stetson Blaylock Benton, AR 10 43-07 96
Day 1: 5 24-00 Day 2: 5 19-07
9. Logan Parks Auburn, AL 10 42-04 95
Day 1: 5 21-10 Day 2: 5 20-10
10. Justin Hamner Northport, AL 10 41-13 94
Day 1: 5 20-05 Day 2: 5 21-08
11. Alex Wetherell Middletown, CT 10 41-11 93
Day 1: 5 21-14 Day 2: 5 19-13
12. Trey McKinney Carbondale, IL 10 41-00 92
Day 1: 5 20-14 Day 2: 5 20-02
13. Matt Arey Shelby, NC 10 40-14 91
Day 1: 5 18-02 Day 2: 5 22-12
14. Ben Milliken New Caney, TX 10 40-09 90
Day 1: 5 22-09 Day 2: 5 18-00
15. Bryan New Leesville, SC 10 40-07 89 $1,000.00
Day 1: 5 22-01 Day 2: 5 18-06
16. David Mullins Mt Carmel, TN 10 40-06 88
Day 1: 5 18-07 Day 2: 5 21-15
17. Hunter Shryock Ooltewah, TN 10 39-09 87
Day 1: 5 21-01 Day 2: 5 18-08
18. Kyle Patrick Cooperstown, NY 10 38-13 86
Day 1: 5 21-09 Day 2: 5 17-04
19. John Soukup Sapulpa, OK 10 38-03 85
Day 1: 5 14-07 Day 2: 5 23-12
20. Cory Johnston Otonabee CANADA 10 37-13 84
Day 1: 5 19-11 Day 2: 5 18-02
21. Tyler Williams Belgrade, ME 10 37-11 83
Day 1: 5 20-04 Day 2: 5 17-07
22. Jeff Gustafson Kenora, ON Ontario CANA 10 37-04 82
Day 1: 5 16-03 Day 2: 5 21-01
23. Wesley Gore Clanton, AL 10 36-15 81
Day 1: 5 22-08 Day 2: 5 14-07
24. Carl Jocumsen Queensland TN AUSTRALIA 10 36-10 80
Day 1: 5 17-04 Day 2: 5 19-06
25. Shane LeHew Catawba, NC 10 36-07 79
Day 1: 5 15-11 Day 2: 5 20-12
26. JT Thompkins Myrtle Beach, SC 10 36-05 78
Day 1: 5 19-15 Day 2: 5 16-06
27. Cooper Gallant Bowmanville Ontario CAN 10 36-05 77
Day 1: 5 17-04 Day 2: 5 19-01
28. Kyle Norsetter Cottage Grove, WI 10 36-04 76
Day 1: 5 21-08 Day 2: 5 14-12
29. Jonathan Kelley Old Forge, PA 10 36-03 75
Day 1: 5 17-09 Day 2: 5 18-10
30. Chris Zaldain Fort Worth, TX 10 36-01 74
Day 1: 5 19-00 Day 2: 5 17-01
31. Austin Felix Eden Prairie, MN 10 35-11 73
Day 1: 5 22-06 Day 2: 5 13-05
32. Caleb Sumrall New Iberia, LA 9 35-08 72
Day 1: 5 21-00 Day 2: 4 14-08
33. Cody Huff Ava, MO 10 35-07 71
Day 1: 5 23-09 Day 2: 5 11-14
34. Hank Cherry Jr Lincolnton, NC 10 35-00 70
Day 1: 5 15-13 Day 2: 5 19-03
35. Jay Przekurat Plover, WI 10 34-15 69
Day 1: 5 19-02 Day 2: 5 15-13
36. Drew Benton Panama City, FL 10 34-09 68
Day 1: 5 21-02 Day 2: 5 13-07
37. Brandon Card Salisbury, NC 10 34-07 67
Day 1: 5 13-02 Day 2: 5 21-05
38. Jacob Foutz Charleston, TN 10 34-04 66
Day 1: 5 18-00 Day 2: 5 16-04
39. Kenta Kimura Osaka OK JAPAN 10 34-02 65
Day 1: 5 14-04 Day 2: 5 19-14
40. Taku Ito Dalton GA JAPAN 10 34-01 64
Day 1: 5 15-00 Day 2: 5 19-01
41. Koby Kreiger Alva, FL 10 34-00 63
Day 1: 5 23-07 Day 2: 5 10-09
42. Lee Livesay Longview, TX 10 33-12 62
Day 1: 5 16-09 Day 2: 5 17-03
43. Scott Canterbury Odenville, AL 10 33-11 61
Day 1: 5 12-01 Day 2: 5 21-10
44. Jamie Hartman Newport, NY 10 33-07 60
Day 1: 5 18-13 Day 2: 5 14-10
45. Joseph Webster Hamilton, AL 10 33-07 59
Day 1: 5 17-09 Day 2: 5 15-14
46. Jake Whitaker Hendersonville, NC 10 33-06 58
Day 1: 5 15-00 Day 2: 5 18-06
47. Matty Wong Honolulu, HI 10 33-04 57
Day 1: 5 19-10 Day 2: 5 13-10
48. Clark Wendlandt Leander, TX 10 33-03 56
Day 1: 5 16-07 Day 2: 5 16-12
49. Derek Hudnall Zachary, LA 10 32-11 55
Day 1: 5 12-05 Day 2: 5 20-06
50. Timothy Dube Nashua , NH 8 32-10 54
Day 1: 3 10-15 Day 2: 5 21-11
51. Steve Kennedy Auburn, AL 10 32-10 53 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 20-07 Day 2: 5 12-03
52. Jason Williamson Aiken, SC 10 32-10 52 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 16-09 Day 2: 5 16-01
53. Matt Herren Ashville, AL 10 32-09 51 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 15-10 Day 2: 5 16-15
54. Bryan Schmitt Deale, MD 9 32-03 50 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 18-04 Day 2: 4 13-15
55. Tyler Rivet Raceland, LA 10 32-00 49 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 15-05 Day 2: 5 16-11
56. John Cox Debary, FL 10 31-10 48 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 20-04 Day 2: 5 11-06
57. Drew Cook Cairo, GA 10 31-10 47 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 17-11 Day 2: 5 13-15
58. Justin Atkins Florence, AL 10 31-07 46 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 15-08 Day 2: 5 15-15
59. Brandon Lester Fayetteville, TN 10 31-05 45 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 15-14 Day 2: 5 15-07
60. Brandon Palaniuk Rathdrum, ID 10 31-05 44 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 15-11 Day 2: 5 15-10
61. Matt Robertson Kuttawa, KY 10 31-01 43 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 14-01 Day 2: 5 17-00
62. Marc Frazier Newnan, GA 9 31-00 42 $2,500.00
Day 1: 4 10-01 Day 2: 5 20-15
63. John Garrett Union City, TN 10 31-00 41 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 17-14 Day 2: 5 13-02
64. Will Davis Jr Sylacauga, AL 10 30-04 40 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 13-06 Day 2: 5 16-14
65. Joey Cifuentes III Clinton, AR 10 30-02 39 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 15-10 Day 2: 5 14-08
66. Mark Menendez Paducah, KY 10 30-00 38 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 17-08 Day 2: 5 12-08
67. Bill Lowen Brookville, IN 10 29-13 37 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 14-10 Day 2: 5 15-03
68. Bob Downey Detroit Lakes, MN 10 29-12 36 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 15-11 Day 2: 5 14-01
69. Gerald Swindle Guntersville, AL 10 29-11 35 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 11-15 Day 2: 5 17-12
70. Caleb Kuphall Mukwonago, WI 10 29-08 34 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 14-15 Day 2: 5 14-09
71. Seth Feider New Market, MN 10 29-05 33 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 13-12 Day 2: 5 15-09
72. Keith Combs Huntington, TX 10 29-00 32 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 15-09 Day 2: 5 13-07
73. Jason Christie Dry Creek, OK 10 28-10 31 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 15-04 Day 2: 5 13-06
74. Paul Mueller Naugatuck, CT 10 28-05 30 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 15-10 Day 2: 5 12-11
75. Cliff Prince Palatka, FL 10 28-02 29 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 11-04 Day 2: 5 16-14
76. Todd Auten Clover, SC 10 27-13 28
Day 1: 5 16-00 Day 2: 5 11-13
77. Logan Latuso Gonzales, LA 10 27-10 27
Day 1: 5 14-11 Day 2: 5 12-15
78. Brock Mosley Collinsville, MS 10 27-10 26
Day 1: 5 13-11 Day 2: 5 13-15
79. Cole Sands Calhoun , TN 10 27-09 25
Day 1: 5 12-05 Day 2: 5 15-04
80. Alex Redwine Blue Ash, OH 10 27-06 24
Day 1: 5 13-10 Day 2: 5 13-12
81. Wes Logan Springville, AL 9 27-02 23
Day 1: 5 18-07 Day 2: 4 08-11
82. Clifford Pirch Payson, AZ 10 27-00 22
Day 1: 5 15-04 Day 2: 5 11-12
83. Scott Martin Clewiston, FL 8 26-11 21
Day 1: 5 17-13 Day 2: 3 08-14
84. Jacob Powroznik North Prince George, VA 10 26-03 20
Day 1: 5 16-01 Day 2: 5 10-02
85. David Gaston Sylacauga, AL 10 26-02 19
Day 1: 5 15-06 Day 2: 5 10-12
86. Chad Pipkens Dewitt, MI 7 25-15 18
Day 1: 5 21-02 Day 2: 2 04-13
87. Brandon Cobb Greenwood, SC 8 25-15 17
Day 1: 3 10-06 Day 2: 5 15-09
88. Kyle Welcher Valley, AL 9 25-01 16
Day 1: 5 15-05 Day 2: 4 09-12
89. Brad Whatley Bivins, TX 7 24-09 15
Day 1: 5 16-11 Day 2: 2 07-14
90. Michael Iaconelli Pitts Grove, NJ 10 24-09 14
Day 1: 5 10-14 Day 2: 5 13-11
91. Frank Talley Belton, TX 10 23-14 13
Day 1: 5 10-06 Day 2: 5 13-08
92. Ed Loughran III Richmond, VA 10 23-01 12
Day 1: 5 09-09 Day 2: 5 13-08
93. Greg Hackney Gonzales, LA 10 22-15 11
Day 1: 5 12-09 Day 2: 5 10-06
94. John Crews Jr Salem, VA 9 22-04 10
Day 1: 5 13-04 Day 2: 4 09-00
95. Rick Clunn Ava, MO 10 21-07 9
Day 1: 5 09-07 Day 2: 5 12-00
96. Clent Davis Montevallo, AL 7 20-04 8
Day 1: 3 11-13 Day 2: 4 08-07
97. Mike Huff London, KY 10 20-02 7
Day 1: 5 10-08 Day 2: 5 09-10
98. Gregory DiPalma Millville, NJ 8 19-15 6
Day 1: 4 11-04 Day 2: 4 08-11
99. Bryant Smith Roseville, CA 8 19-10 5
Day 1: 5 11-13 Day 2: 3 07-13
100. Bernie Schultz Gainesville, FL 5 15-09 4
Day 1: 2 09-05 Day 2: 3 06-04
101. Buddy Gross Chattanooga, TN 6 15-04 3
Day 1: 5 13-05 Day 2: 1 01-15
102. KJ Queen Catawba, NC 4 09-15 2
Day 1: 2 05-07 Day 2: 2 04-08
103. Ray Hanselman Jr Del Rio, TX 5 07-12 1
Day 1: 5 07-12 Day 2: 0 00-00
------------------------------
PHOENIX BOATS BIG BASS
Day
1 Bryan New Leesville, SC 09-08 $1,000.00
2 Chris Johnston Otonabee Ontario CANADA09-03 $1,000.00
------------------------------
Totals
Day #Limits #Fish Weight
1 96 501 1726-01
2 88 484 1602-02
------------------------------
184 985 3328-03
Fishin' Tip Friday - Controlling your bladed jig with Thrift
By Vance McCullough - AC Insider
According to BASS and MLF BPT Results, it's officially bladed jig season! The Strike King Thunder Cricket is getting lots of mentions in recent AC Insider recaps, and we're hearing a lot of "Chatter" regarding the technique, so we checked in with one of the best in the game with a bladed jig, MLF BPT Pro, Bryan Thrift.
Early in his career Bryan Thrift earned the moniker ‘The Chatterbait Kid’ due to his prowess with the yet unknown lure. Both Thrift and the Chatterbait are well known now. Here, he offers a nugget of advice.
Choice of trailer - size, shape, material - is key to fishing with a Chatterbait, as it is with any jig. For one thing, the trailer will affect the lure’s running depth at a given speed. When Thrift gets dialed-in on a trailer he likes, he wants to stick with it, even when fishing grass that tops out at differing heights or that is irregular and scattered, as it can be in early spring. He has a trick for controlling depth without having to use a different trailer or changing the weight of his Chatterbait.
“You can actually change the depth this bait’s gonna run at the same retrieve speed, just by changing your line size. I do that a lot. If I’m on a great Chatterbait bite and I’m fishing different type areas with it, I’ll have one rigged up with 20lb fluorocarbon and I’ll have one rigged up with 15lb fluorocarbon. What that does is it’ll let that bait with the 15lb
line run about a foot-and-a-half deeper just because the line diameter is so much different.
“So, you can get your bait a little deeper and still be able to wind it at the same slow speed you’re winding it with on 20lb line in shallower water.”
Sportsman's Warehouse has a great selection of the bladed jigs...start here
High Five! Bass Fishing Hall of Fame set to welcome Arbogast, McKinnis, Reese, Williams and Zona
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – For Immediate Release – Feb 23, 2023 – The Bass Fishing Hall of Fame will enshrine five new members in 2024, all of whom can be called pioneers in their own unique way. The quintet of Fred Arbogast, Mike McKinnis, Skeet Reese, Alfred Williams and Mark Zona were selected in balloting conducted by the Hall of Fame’s 30-member Selection Panel and living Hall of Fame inductees. The new additions will bring the total number of Hall of Fame inductees to 100.
The new class was chosen from a 12-man ballot that included a mix of dynamic personalities, on-the-water competitors, off-the-water innovators, and trailblazers. Seventy-seven ballots were circulated to those with voting privileges and 59 were returned, the most since the Hall of Fame began allowing living members of the Hall of Fame to vote in 2022.
The Class of 2024 will be honored later this year during Celebrate Bass Fishing Week, which will be highlighted by the induction banquet on Sept. 26 at Johnny Morris’ Wonders of Wildlife National Museum & Aquarium in Springfield, Mo.
“Since the opening of the Hall of Fame’s permanent home at Wonders of Wildlife in 2017, the Hall’s board of directors has worked diligently on both establishing a stringent process for selecting those that should be considered for induction, along with making the process as transparent as possible,” said Hall of Fame Board president John Mazurkiewicz. “Through the efforts of our nominations committee chair Neil Paul and the board members who serve on it, their work on the ballot and the involvement from our selection panel and past HOF inductees by voting worked out beyond our expectations. While the board holds the final decision on how many we induct each year, the final voting process this year was loud and clear that these five men deserved the honor.”
Arbogast, a native of Akron, Ohio, received the most first-place votes (20) of any of the 12 candidates on the ballot. He invented iconic lures such as the Jitterbug and Hula Popper, the latter of which was among the first baits to be adorned with a skirt made of rubber, a nod to his background working at Goodyear and B.F. Goodrich. Arbogast passed away at the age of 53 in 1947, but his ideas and creations still live on in tackle boxes today.
McKinnis, 60, currently the vice president of media content for JM Associates, will join his late father, Jerry, in the Hall of Fame to form the first father-son duo to be inducted. Over his career, the Little Rock, Ark., native has been instrumental in producing a variety of outdoor television programming, including helping to deliver the first live Internet streaming broadcast of a tournament at the 2015 Bassmaster Classic, a breakthrough that has become the norm for major tournament trails and which has carried over to network television.
The 54-year-old Reese, who hails from Auburn, Calif., is still an active competitor on Major League Fishing’s Bass Pro Tour, but he made his name on lakes out west before rocketing to stardom on the Bassmaster tournament circuits during the 2000s and 2010s. The California native’s career tournament earnings exceed $4 million, and he remains the only western-based angler to win the Bassmaster Classic (2009).
Born and raised in Jackson, Miss., Williams rose above the racial barriers that existed across the South to blaze a trail and serve as an inspiration for other African American anglers. Upon his return from a tour in the Vietnam War, he was often the only African American angler in local tournaments. He soon developed a knack for winning those events and after winning a qualifying tournament on his home waters of Ross Barnett Reservoir in 1983, Williams, who is now 76, became the first African American angler to compete in the Bassmaster Classic, finishing 10th at the Ohio River.
Zona, 51, makes his home in Michigan and has been one of the leading voices and personalities in bass fishing since the early 2000s, either in his role as analyst for Bassmaster tournaments or as host of the popular “Zona’s Awesome Fishing Show.” Known for his spontaneity and high-energy manner, Zona will join longtime broadcast partner Tommy Sanders (2018) in the Hall.
For more information about the Class of 2024 and other inductees, click here.
New Product Releases from Foundation Outdoor Group!
Foundation Outdoor Group is excited to announce the release of several ground-breaking rod-building products from American Tackle and CRB alongside some recently released ones too!
Explore the latest innovative product releases, including:
- Tsuka 2 Complete Carbon Handle - Taking home "Best of Show" honors at ICAST 2023, the game-changing Tsuka 2 from American Tackle is here!
- Bushido Moving Bait Series Rod Blanks - Pairing a fiberglass tip with graphite mid & butt sections, American Tackle introduces the innovative Moving Bait Series blanks purpose-built for anglers who fish diving & lipless crankbaits and vibrating jigs.
- CRB Extreme Reamers - NEW SIZES - CRB adds XXL, XXXL, and a new lineup of 18" reamers to its top-selling Extreme Reamer Collection.
In case you missed the releases previously, below are some recent offerings from American Tackle that you don't want to miss again!
- Aluminum Anodized Locking Nuts in three color options
- Palming Trigger Casting Reel Seat for slow pitch jigging & heavy freshwater rods
- G2 AERO2 & AERO2E Reel Seats - an upgraded design of the popular AERO Reel Seats
- G2 P-SEAT Reel Seats now also available in sizes 18 & 20
- POSI-LOCK Reel Seats now available in Blue, Green, Gunsmoke, Purple, and Red
Get all of the details in the new product guide!
For pricing and marketing materials, contact your Sr. Account Specialist, email us at [email protected], or call 407-706-0321 or (800) 516-1750.
Designed for the Modern Angler
Whitewater Fishing represents 100-years of expertise in developing premium apparel.
MUSKEGON, Mich. (February 22, 2024) – Gone are the days of patchwork fishing apparel for inclement conditions like rain, sleet, snow, wind, and waves. And up until the introduction of the Whitewater Fishing brand a couple years ago, most fishing outerwear felt boxy and lacked the fabric combinations that provide everything today’s athletic angler demands: supreme fit, articulation, waterproofing, warmth, moisture wicking, breathability, durability, wind and sun protection, and especially, mobility.
Mobility is the kicker that makes Whitewater fishing apparel stand out from the crowd.
Retail racks brim with apparel that promise great water resistance, warmth, and durability, but most are rigid, making bending over to pick up a jig, climb over a boat gunnel, adjust electronics, or land a fish difficult. So, Whitewater Fishing took design to the granular level, making mobility the key feature in every piece of apparel.
They heard it from bass, walleye, muskie, and Great Lakes guides, tournament anglers, and avid multispecies anglers: We want sun, wind, water, and cold protection, but a fit that responds to movement. Today’s anglers are very active; sitting on a wooden bench running a tiller with one hand and dragging a rig behind the boat is pretty much history.
Whitewater History
Whitewater is part of the NEXUS family of quality hunting apparel brands that includes ScentLok, Blocker Outdoors, HARDCORE Waterfowl, and Tuo Gear. Taken as a whole, that’s well over 100 years of soft goods product development expertise.
The man at the helm of the Whitewater brand, Nexus Outdoors President, Aaron Ambur, is also a very experienced and passionate angler. Ambur grew up on a South Dakota farm and spent his formative years exploring prairie potholes and the larger Missouri River system catching marble eyes in his grandpa’s old tri-hull boat with a modest flasher. “I was hooked on walleye fishing from grade school,” Ambur says, “and I learned early on that sometimes the best bites are during the worst weather. That still holds true.”
Years later, Ambur went on to fish as a co-angler on the FLW; these days he spends a good deal of time pursuing big Great Lakes walleyes.
“Whitewater designs didn’t come out of a vacuum,” says Ambur. “Personally, I’ve worn every rain suit out there over the years—just like our network of pros like Gary and Chase Parsons, Tommy Kemos, Jason Przekurat, Jim and Matt Schiefelbein, and guides who are on the water every single day.”
Ambur continues: “We also work on R&D with younger anglers who are very athletic in their fishing style—like B.A.S.S. Elite-winning, Jay Przekurat and decorated National Walleye Tour angler Korey Sprengel. Then you consider the synergies with our hunting brands, and we have a soft goods brain-trust unlike any other company on the market.”
The goal, states Ambur, was to create a brand that “braves the waves” – literal ones, and the increased activity levels modern fishing represents.
“We staked our flagpole deep in the ground announcing what Whitewater stands for is handling inclemency on the water, no matter how extreme—whether that’s wind, cold, water, heat—while providing a completely unprecedented level of mobility and agility.”
Ambur continues: “Where I fish most, here in the Great Lakes Region, the conditions are often unpredictable and ever-changing.” he says.
“Our expanding line of Whitewater Fishing apparel gives anglers a toolkit of versatile pieces that help them brave the waves—the challenges Mother Nature throws at them—delivering more mobility, comfort, breathability, and durability, so they can fish longer, more often, and catch more fish.”
APPAREL DESIGN & FABRIC CHOICES THAT MOVE WITH (NOT AGAINST) YOU
“I’ve been in the soft goods world for a long time, and I can say with 99% certainty that Whitewater is the very first company to integrate the stretch aspect and yet durability into foul-weather fishing apparel for a sport that has become increasingly active and athletic, from weekend anglers to pros on tour,” says Ambur.
Ambur says Whitewater delivers these advantages via the best materials, technologies, and tailoring, resulting in comfortable, high-quality garments that perform beyond anglers’ expectations.
“We didn’t expand into fishing apparel because it’s simply another category we can fill,” he states. “That’s not our business model. We launched Whitewater Fishing apparel because – similar to our hunting apparel – we’re confident in our team’s ability to give anglers new options that offer them real advantages.”
Although proprietary information, suffice to say that NEXUS/Whitewater has a team of designers second-to-none, versed in thousands of different fabrics, insulation materials, DWR waterproofing options, exterior laminates, components, stitching, seams, and unique exterior materials for reinforcing key body areas, etc.
APPLICATION #1: WALLEYE FISHING
“Some walleye anglers are still trolling and vertical jigging sitting down, but what was once a stationary activity has turned into a very active casting game with the advent of forward-facing sonar. More walleye anglers are moving around the boat and fishing from the bow—and spot & stalk casting to fish what they see on their screen. That’s a lot of movement—and our garments cater to that style of contemporary fishing,” notes Ambur.
Ambur and legendary NEXT BITE host and walleye pro, Gary Parsons, were just discussing the needs of today’s walleye angler:
“Not only do our garments provide mobility and ability, Gary brought up that they’re well-articulated, which is important because today’s anglers are moving their arms and legs all the time and there’s a lot of energy being spent, which has been restricted in foul weather suits of the past, many of which were bulky and stiff. Our suits create less friction and hence less fatigue, which results in an angler being able to fish longer in poor conditions.”
Previously, anglers were forced to choose toughness over comfort. Now, integrating stretch into the equation, Whitewater apparel is a paradigm shifter that provides anglers the best of all worlds.
“Having tested every foul weather fishing suit out there, I was frustrated with the experience. It’s kind of like owning a 1-ton truck. They have great suspensions and are beasts, but they’re built for one mission in mind. Foul-weather fishing gear has been that 1-ton truck. We sought to design that fishing vehicle that has the durability and toughness of a 1-ton, but with ease of movement, agility, 100% waterproof performance, and a great weight-to-warmth ratio,” adds Ambur.
Another major factor that has gone into all Whitewater fishing apparel is breathability.
“Not only have existing suits been stiff, they’ve been like wearing a sandwich bag with little or no wicking or breathability. You end up sweating, getting clammy, and cold again, no matter how much bulk and insulation. So, breathability has been a huge design focus for us in all our apparel – from our warm-weather to cold-weather gear.”
Besides extremely high DWR waterproof ratings, Whitewater’s foul-weather gear also possesses an amazing level of windproof functionality, as perfectly demonstrated in the pre-launch of the company’s Great Lakes Pro Jacket and Bib.
“I don’t think there’s been a walleye fishing suit designed yet that compares to our new Great Lakes Pro,” says Ambur. “It’s waterproof, offers excellent agility, stretch, and unprecedented protection against the wind walleye anglers routinely face.”
APPLICATION #2 – BASS, MUSKIES, ICE, & BEYOND
While in development with walleye pros and guides fishing some on the baddest, big waters in the country, Whitewater gear is far from walleye-centric. From warm weather apparel perfect for saltwater and southern fishing to a soon-to-be-released suit warm and agile enough for ice, Whitewater covers the needs of all anglers.
As you read this, professional bass anglers are starting to fish early-season tournaments—and with that, facing colder temps which make Whitewater apparel like the Torque Heated Vest, Tamer Jacket & Bib, Buoy Hoodie (DWR treated), Great Lakes Jacket & Bib, and new Great Lakes Pro Jacket & Bib perfect.
2024 LAUNCH: Whitewater Great Lake Pro Jacket & Bib
“The new Great Lakes Pro is our most technically designed and fabricated rain jacket and bib so far,” says Ambur. “For the angler who wants that one suit that will do it all during midwinter on the river, full-on ice fishing, or spring and fall fishing anywhere for anything, this is the suit,” states Ambur.
In terms of features, the Great Lakes Pro has an increased DWR and breathability ratings over other styles currently in the assortmentThe Great Lakes Pros is founded on a proprietary three-layer fabric, and features specifically-located pockets, as well as Aqua-Guard zippers, D-rings, waist-high zippers on the bib, and more.
“In a couple words: it’s clean and streamlined,” says Ambur. “And you get a level of stretch unprecedented in a three-layer suit, while still being lightweight, durable and athletic in form and function. The Great Lakes Pro Jacket and Bib is our team’s two-year product development effort designing the ultimate foul-weather fishing suit for hardcore anglers.”
As far as Great Lakes Pro’s waterproofing, after 30 years in outdoors soft goods, Ambur understands apparel industry guidelines, specifications, and ratings like the back of his hand.
“From the first days of spraying Camp Dry on everything to what’s happening today, I’ve been there. With the Great Lakes Pro, I was beta testing our first production samples in long, cold showers at home. My wife thinks I’m crazy. But I wanted to find out if we were really getting it right before any of our pros took it out on the ice and water. Not to mention all the on-water days our external group of Whitewater Pros had testing and beating up our product to ensure we were ready for launch.”
Ambur continues: “All I can say is we got it right, and it’s our own special sauce, unlike anything competitors are doing with waterproofing and functional design engineering.”
Lastly, Ambur points out that the Great Lakes Pro has another unique design feature asked for by walleye and bass fisherman alike, a higher hood collar that extends just below the nose so when anglers are running full-tilt to spots down lake, the water and wind doesn’t hit their face.
TAKE HOME
For anglers looking for the next big thing in fishing apparel, Whitewater is just that. With over 100 years of design experience across the NEXUS brands and a team of notable pros and guides pushing for real-world fishing-specific feature sets with extended field testing, the result is nothing short of awesome.
“I want everyone to be as excited about Whitewater apparel as I am,” concludes Ambur. “Once they try it, they’ll see it’s completely different than what’s been done, and quickly becomes a second skin you hardly realize you’re wearing and will perform day after day in the worst fishing scenarios possible.”
For more information, or to order, visit whitewaterfish.com.
Dylan Hays Wins Group A Qualifying Round at Major League Fishing Suzuki Stage Two
Arkansas pro boats two-day total of 71-13 to overtake Becker and win Group A Qualifying Round, Top 10 pros advance to Saturday’s Knockout Round
CLARENDON COUNTY, S.C. (Feb. 22, 2024) – Hot Springs, Arkansas, pro Dylan Hays caught seven scorable bass Thursday weighing 30 pounds, 8 ounces, to earn the Group A Qualifying Round win at the Major League Fishing (MLF) Suzuki Stage Two Presented by Fenwick at Santee Cooper Lakes in Clarendon County, South Carolina.
Hays’ two-day Qualifying Round catch of 17 bass totaling 71 pounds, 13 ounces, earned him the win by a narrow 2-pound, 11-ounce margin over Day 1 leader and reigning Fishing Clash Angler of the Year (AOY) Matt Becker of Ten Mile, Tennessee, who caught a two-day total of 19 bass weighing 69-2 to finish the round in second place. General Tire pro Alton Jones, Jr., of Waco, Texas, caught a two-day total of 18 bass weighing 66-9 to finish the round in third, while pro Gerald Spohrer of Gonzales, Louisiana, ended the round in fourth place with a two-day total of 23 bass for 64-15. Rounding out the top five is Stage One winner Dustin Connell of Clanton, Alabama, who caught 17 bass for 63-14 to advance in fifth place.
The top 10 anglers advancing from Group A will now have an off day from competition Friday, while the 40 anglers competing in Group B will complete their two-day Qualifying Round. The top 10 anglers from each group advance to Saturday’s Knockout Round. In the Knockout Round, weights are zeroed, and the remaining 20 anglers compete to finish in the top 10 to advance to the Championship Round. In Sunday’s final day Championship Round, weights are zeroed, and the highest one-day total wins the top prize of $100,000.
All week, anglers have stressed the importance of triggering bites from the bigger-than-average bass that roam Santee Cooper. At least in Group A, no one has done so better than Hays.
The Arkansas pro anchored his Day 2 bag with a 7-3 kicker. He also caught a 6-7 and a 5-4. During each of his first two days on the water, he’s landed three bass over 5 pounds, and his biggest five fish weighed more than 26 both days.
Hays believes he’s figured out a key to enticing those bigger bass. Fishing in Lake Marion, he’s not shying away from the dirty water in much of the lake. He also thinks his bait selection has played a part. All his fish Thursday ate a 1/2-ounce bladed jig with either a Zoom Z Craw Jr. or Shimmer Shad as the trailer.
“Key No. 1 was dirty water,” Hays said. “Key No. 2 was throwing a ChatterBait instead of flipping. ... And then just making a lot of casts, working really hard.”
Hays admitted that he’s “kind of making it up as [he goes],” especially as he explored new terrain, but he’s optimistic his key areas are reloading with new staging fish each day. Early in the morning, he watched another angler catch a 5-pounder off the same tree that produced a 6-pounder for him on Day 1.
Still, even if his cypress bite sputters, Hays now has a backup plan in place. The thing that had him most excited about his second day on the water was the fact that he caught several fish not around Santee Cooper’s ubiquitous wood, but grass.
“The first day I caught the majority of them off trees – specific trees, but off trees – but in practice I caught a couple good ones off of some grass,” Hays said. “I couldn’t ever really make it work very long. Today, I actually caught the 7 and 5 off the same kind of stuff, and a couple males, so that kind of got me excited. That might start developing as well.”
Hays’ Group A win marked the first time in his three Bass Pro Tour seasons that he’s won a round. He’ll hope it leads to his first tournament win as a pro on Sunday.
The fact that he’s put himself in that position power fishing around shallow cover – the way he grew up fishing – has made his first two days on Santee Cooper even more fun.
“Dude, if they’re biting a Hula Popper, I’ll throw a Hula Popper,” Hays said. “If I gotta throw a drop-shot in 40 foot, I’ll do that. I do not care, and that’s God’s honest truth. It does not matter; I like it all. But it is fun. I mean, it’s been a while since we were able to do this, and I grew up fishing a place very similar to this, a lot of cypress trees, and I’m very comfortable.”
The top 10 pros in Group A that now advance to Saturday’s Knockout Round on Santee Cooper Lakes are:
1st: Dylan Hays, Hot Springs, Ark., 17 bass, 71-13
2nd: Matt Becker, Ten Mile, Tenn., 19 bass, 69-2
3rd: Alton Jones, Jr., Waco, Texas, 18 bass, 66-9
4th: Gerald Spohrer, Gonzales, La., 23 bass, 64-15
5th: Dustin Connell, Clanton, Ala., 17 bass, 63-14
6th: James Watson, Lampe, Mo., 15 bass, 55-12
7th: Jesse Wiggins, Cullman, Ala., 17 bass, 51-11
8th: Dave Lefebre, Erie, Pa., 14 bass, 50-12
9th: Cole Floyd, Leesburg, Ohio, 16 bass, 50-8
10th: Ron Nelson, Berrien Springs, Mich., 16 bass, 47-15
Eliminated from competition are:
11nd: Michael Neal, Dayton, Tenn., 14 bass, 45-11
12th: Randy Howell, Guntersville, Ala., 15 bass, 40-10
13th: Adrian Avena, Vineland, N.J., 10 bass, 40-7
14th: Terry Scroggins, San Mateo, Fla., 14 bass, 38-9
15th: Andy Morgan, Dayton, Tenn., 15 bass, 38-6
16th: Greg Vinson, Wetumpka, Ala., 16 bass, 38-0
17th: Mark Rose, Wynne, Ark., 11 bass, 36-7
18th: Matthew Stefan, Junction City, Wis., 11 bass, 36-1
19th: Jeff Sprague, Wills Point, Texas, nine bass, 34-11
20th: Jacob Wall, New Hope, Ala., nine bass, 34-11
21st: Mark Daniels, Jr., Tuskegee, Ala., 14 bass, 33-3
22nd: Chris Lane, Guntersville, Ala., 12 bass, 32-14
23rd: David Walker, Huntingdon, Tenn., nine bass, 32-4
24th: Jacopo Gallelli, Florence, Italy, seven bass, 31-3
25th: Takahiro Omori, Tokyo, Japan, 10 bass, 30-5
26th: Brent Chapman, Lake Quivira, Kan., nine bass, 29-14
27th: Matt Lee, Cullman, Ala., nine bass, 28-7
28th: John Murray, Spring City, Tenn., seven bass, 26-8
29th: Marty Robinson, Lyman, S.C., nine bass, 25-6
30th: Anthony Gagliardi, Prosperity, S.C., eight bass, 24-15
31st: Nick Hatfield, Greeneville, Tenn., nine bass, 24-11
32nd: Shinichi Fukae, Osaka, Japan, seven bass, 24-9
33rd: Britt Myers, Lake Wylie, S.C., four bass, 21-13
34th: Josh Bertrand, Queen Creek, Ariz., six bass, 21-2
35th: Brandon Coulter, Knoxville, Tenn., six bass, 19-7
36th: Jared Lintner, Covington, Ga., five bass, 17-13
37th: Colby Schrumpf, Highland, Ill., six bass, 15-8
38th: Skeet Reese, Auburn, Calif., five bass, 11-14
39th: Jason Vance, Battle Ground, Ind., five bass, 11-2
40th: Grae Buck, Green Lane, Pa., three bass, 10-14
A complete list of results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
Pro David Walker of Huntingdon, Tennessee, earned Thursday’s $1,000 Berkley Big Bass Award with an 8-pound, 8-ounce largemouth that he caught on a bladed swimjig during Period 3. Berkley awards $1,000 to the angler who weighs the heaviest bass each day, and a $3,000 bonus to the angler who weighs the heaviest bass of the tournament.
The six-day tournament, hosted by the Clarendon County Chamber of Commerce, showcases 80 of the top professional anglers in the world, competing for a purse of $659,000, including a top payout of $100,000 and valuable Fishing Clash Angler of the Year (AOY) points in hopes of qualifying for the General Tire Heavy Hitters all-star event and REDCREST 2025, the Bass Pro Tour championship.
The 40 Anglers in Group A competed in their two-day Qualifying Round on Tuesday and Thursday – the 40 anglers in Group B on Wednesday and Friday. After each two-day Qualifying Round is complete, the anglers that finish first through 10th from both groups advance to Saturday’s Knockout Round. In the Knockout Round, weights are zeroed, and the remaining 20 anglers compete to finish in the top 10 to advance to Sunday’s Championship Round. In the final-day Championship Round, weights are zeroed, and the highest one-day total wins the top prize of $100,000.
Anglers will launch at 7:30 a.m. ET each day from the John C. Land III Landing, located at 4404 Greenall Road in Summerton. Each day’s General Tire Takeout will be held at the park, beginning at 4 p.m. Fans are welcome to attend all launch and takeout events and also encouraged to follow the event online throughout the day on the MLFNOW!® live stream and SCORETRACKER® coverage at MajorLeagueFishing.com .
The MLFNOW!® broadcast team of Chad McKee and J.T. Kenney will break down the extended action live on the final four days of competition from 7:45 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. ET. MLFNOW!® is live streamed on MajorLeagueFishing.com and the MyOutdoorTV (MOTV) app.
On Saturday and Sunday, Feb. 24-25, from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. MLF welcomes fans of all ages to visit the John C. Land III landing for the MLF Watch Party. Fans can watch the pros live on the MLFNOW! big screen, enjoy free food, enter to win hourly giveaways and cheer on their favorite pros. The first 50 kids 14 and under will receive a free rod and reel from Pure Fishing each day. The final 10 Championship Round Bass Pro Tour anglers will be on hand at the trophy celebration on Championship Sunday to meet and greet fans, sign autographs and take selfies.
The Suzuki Stage Two at Santee Cooper Lakes Presented by Fenwick features the MLF catch, weigh, immediate-release format, in which anglers catch as much weight as they can each day, while also feeling the pressure and intensity of the SCORETRACKER® leaderboard. The tournament features anglers competing with a 1-pound, 8-ounce minimum weight requirement for a bass to be deemed scorable. The MLF Fisheries Management Division determines minimum weights for each body of water that the Bass Pro Tour visits, based on the productivity, bass population and anticipated average size of fish in each fishery.
The Bass Pro Tour features a field of 80 of the top professional anglers in the world, competing across seven regular-season tournaments around the country, for millions of dollars and valuable points to qualify for the annual General Tire Heavy Hitters all-star event and the REDCREST 2025 championship.
Bass Pro Tour anglers also compete throughout the 2024 season for the prestigious Fishing Clash Angler of the Year (AOY) award and its $100,000 payday. Fishing Clash – an interactive 3D fishing simulation game that’s played by more than 80 million people worldwide – is the official AOY sponsor of the Bass Pro Tour, Tackle Warehouse Invitationals, Toyota Series and Phoenix Bass Fishing League.
Television coverage of the Suzuki Stage Two at Santee Cooper Lakes Presented by Fenwick will premiere as a two-hour episode starting at 7 a.m. ET, on Saturday, Sept. 21 on Discovery, with the Championship Round premiering the following Saturday on Sept. 28. New MLF episodes premiere each Saturday morning on Discovery, with re-airings on Outdoor Channel.
Proud sponsors of the 2024 MLF Bass Pro Tour include: Abu Garcia, B&W Trailer Hitches, Bass Pro Shops, Berkley, BUBBA, Epic Baits, Fishing Clash, Garmin, General Tire, Humminbird, Lowrance, Mercury, MillerTech, Minn Kota, Mossy Oak Fishing, NITRO, Onyx, Plano, Power-Pole, Rapala, StarBrite, Suzuki, Toyota and U.S. Air Force.
For complete details and updated information on Major League Fishing and the Bass Pro Tour, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF’s social media outlets at Facebook, X, Instagram and YouTube.
About Major League Fishing
Major League Fishing (MLF) is the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization, producing more than 250 events annually at some of the most prestigious fisheries in the world, while broadcasting to America’s living rooms on CBS, Discovery Channel, Outdoor Channel, CBS Sports Network, World Fishing Network and on demand on MyOutdoorTV (MOTV). Headquartered in Benton, Kentucky, the MLF roster of bass anglers includes the world’s top pros and more than 30,000 competitors in all 50 states and 17 countries. Since its founding in 2011, MLF has advanced the sport of competitive fishing through its premier television broadcasts and livestreams and is dedicated to improving the quality of life for bass through research, education, fisheries enhancement and fish care.
Fujita wrangles big bag to claim Day 1 lead in Bassmaster Elite Series event at Toledo Bend
February 22, 2024
Fujita wrangles big bag to claim Day 1 lead in Bassmaster Elite Series event at Toledo Bend
MANY, La. — Before the start of the Gamakatsu Bassmaster Elite at Toledo Bend, Kyoya Fujita’s personal-best bag of largemouth weighed around 24 pounds.
But after anchoring his bag with an 8 1/2-pounder Thursday, the Japanese pro shattered that mark and claimed the Day 1 lead at Toledo Bend with a 31-pound, 3-ounce bag of largemouth.
Known as the “Prince of Japanese Angling,” Fujita holds a 2-3 advantage over Elite Series rookie Robert Gee of Tennessee and nearly a 4-pound advantage over Wisconsin pro Pat Schlapper.
Fujita had never been to Toledo Bend before he pre-fished here in January. He said the lake has changed a lot since then, particularly the water levels, which are much higher now.
Using Garmin LiveScope, Fujita targeted prespawn bass located in 30 feet of water around standing timber in a popular area of Toledo Bend. Two baits caught the majority of his bass in one specific spot he found the last day of practice.
It only took about three hours for Fujita to reach his total for the day, as he landed the 8-pounder around 8 o’clock. During one particular flurry, he threw back a 4-pounder and then a 5-pounder. While the day was warm and sunny, the wind kicked up across the lake, making things more difficult.
“It’s getting tougher and tougher,” Fujita said through a translator. “In the morning, it was easy fishing. Afternoon, no bites. I don’t like rough water.”
Fujita said 30 pounds is the goal for tomorrow, and believes there are the bass in the area to repeat that performance.
“I will go to same area and same spot. (I’ll do) the same fishing,” he said. “I’ll try for 20 pounds. But if tough conditions, I’ll go to the next area with 3-pounders and 4-pounders and change tactics.”
Gee fished the St. Croix Bassmaster Opens presented by SEVIIN in 2023 and suffered his worst finish of the season at Toledo Bend. But he took the lessons he learned from that event and applied them this week to catch 29-0 Thursday.
“I beat the bank the whole time [in 2023] and from that moment on it changed my outlook on the way I needed to be fishing,” Gee said. “I dedicated myself to working on my offshore game ever since that tournament and it paid off today.”
He caught plenty of bass on Day 1, including a stop that produced two 5-pounders and several more quality bass to increase his total to 20 pounds around midday.
But a late-day stop produced the bulk of his weight.
“I made a move to a ditch and every fish I saw was over 5 pounds,” he said. “I culled everything I had out, including a 5-pounder, in 30 minutes. It was unbelievable. This is my biggest bag ever by myself.”
The majority of the bass he is catching are relating to standing timber. The shallowest bass came from 10 feet of water while his big bass late in the day were in 40 feet. One bait produced the bulk of his weight.
Gee knows there are plenty of bass left in his afternoon area and is hoping it will produce just as well on Day 2.
“Honestly, I didn’t think it held bass that size,” he said. “I went over there to catch 3- and 4-pounders. But every fish I saw was 5-plus. It was the perfect storm when I rolled in there and I think they are coming to it. I think I know where they are going to if they aren’t in the same spot.”
Schlapper brought 27-4 to the scales to land in third. A three-time qualifier for the Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Classic presented by Jockey Outdoors, he settled into the same popular area as Fujita and caught the bulk of his bag in about an hour and a half.
“I got into an area later in the day where I figured it would be right, and it was right,” Schlapper said. “I caught my biggest one earlier in the day, but everything else came in that one area. There’s a group of us that are all in the same area. That one little stretch I had, people overlooked and it's a little different than what the main thing is that is going on.”
The majority of the bass Schlapper caught are individuals just roaming around in 12 to 40 feet of water. He will be heading to the same area Friday, although he isn’t sure the day will follow the same script.
“What I think is happening is later in the day with the sun, they start coming up. I don’t know if it is to warm up or what,” he said. “I’m in a good area. There’s a lot of big bass and they are moving around. I just have to get it in front of five of the right ones and get them in the boat.”
Leesville, S.C., pro Bryan New landed the Phoenix Boats Big Bass of the Day, a 9-8 largemouth that bested several other 9-pounders.
The full field will take off from Cypress Bend Park beginning at 7 a.m. CT and return for weigh-in at 3 p.m. The Top 50 anglers after the Day 2 weigh-in will advance to Semifinal Saturday before the Top 10 compete for the blue trophy and $100,000 top prize on Championship Sunday. All anglers are earning points towards Progressive Bassmaster Angler of the Year.
Bassmaster LIVE will be streaming on Bassmaster.com all four days beginning at 8 a.m. ET, and coverage will also be available on FS1 on Saturday and Sunday.
Those wanting to attend will be able to enjoy the “B.A.S.S. on the ’Bend” festival on Saturday and Sunday at Cypress Bend Park before weigh-in. The festival will feature live music and many local vendors.
The event is being hosted by Toledo Bend Lake Country and the Louisiana Office and Tourism.
2024 Bassmaster Elite Series Platinum Sponsor: Toyota
2024 Bassmaster Elite Series Premier Sponsors: Bass Pro Shops, Dakota Lithium, Humminbird, Mercury, Minn Kota, Nitro Boats, Power-Pole, Progressive Insurance, Ranger Boats, Rapala, Skeeter Boats, Yamaha
2024 Bassmaster Elite Series Supporting Sponsors: AFTCO, Daiwa, Garmin, Lew's, Lowrance, Marathon, Triton Boats, VMC
About B.A.S.S.B.A.S.S., which encompasses the Bassmaster tournament leagues, events and media platforms, is the worldwide authority on bass fishing and keeper of the culture of the sport, providing cutting-edge content on bass fishing whenever, wherever and however bass fishing fans want to use it. Headquartered in Birmingham, Ala., the 500,000-member organization’s fully integrated media platforms include the industry’s leading magazines (Bassmaster and B.A.S.S. Times), website (Bassmaster.com), TV show, radio show, social media programs and events. For more than 50 years, B.A.S.S. has been dedicated to access, conservation and youth fishing.
-30-
Connect with #Bassmaster on Facebook, Instagram, Twitte
Media Contact: Mandy Pascal, Managing Editor, 205-313-0955, mpascal@
2024 Elite #1 Toledo Bend Reservoir 2/22-2/25
Toledo Bend Reservoir, Many LA.
(PROFESSIONAL) Standings Day 1
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Pts Total $$$
1. Kyoya Fujita Yamanashi CA JAPAN 5 31-03 103
Day 1: 5 31-03
2. Robert Gee Knoxville, TN 5 29-00 102
Day 1: 5 29-00
3. Pat Schlapper Eleva, WI 5 27-04 101
Day 1: 5 27-04
4. Luke Palmer Coalgate, OK 5 25-01 100
Day 1: 5 25-01
5. Stetson Blaylock Benton, AR 5 24-00 99
Day 1: 5 24-00
6. Cody Huff Ava, MO 5 23-09 98
Day 1: 5 23-09
7. Koby Kreiger Alva, FL 5 23-07 97
Day 1: 5 23-07
8. Jordan Lee Cullman, AL 5 22-12 96
Day 1: 5 22-12
9. Ben Milliken New Caney, TX 5 22-09 95
Day 1: 5 22-09
10. Wesley Gore Clanton, AL 5 22-08 94
Day 1: 5 22-08
11. Austin Felix Eden Prairie, MN 5 22-06 93
Day 1: 5 22-06
12. Bryan New Leesville, SC 5 22-01 92 $1,000.00
Day 1: 5 22-01
13. Alex Wetherell Middletown, CT 5 21-14 91
Day 1: 5 21-14
14. Logan Parks Auburn, AL 5 21-10 90
Day 1: 5 21-10
15. Kyle Patrick Cooperstown, NY 5 21-09 89
Day 1: 5 21-09
16. Kyle Norsetter Cottage Grove, WI 5 21-08 88
Day 1: 5 21-08
17. Drew Benton Panama City, FL 5 21-02 87
Day 1: 5 21-02
17. Chad Pipkens Dewitt, MI 5 21-02 87
Day 1: 5 21-02
19. Hunter Shryock Ooltewah, TN 5 21-01 85
Day 1: 5 21-01
20. Caleb Sumrall New Iberia, LA 5 21-00 84
Day 1: 5 21-00
21. Trey McKinney Carbondale, IL 5 20-14 83
Day 1: 5 20-14
22. Steve Kennedy Auburn, AL 5 20-07 82
Day 1: 5 20-07
23. Justin Hamner Northport, AL 5 20-05 81
Day 1: 5 20-05
24. John Cox Debary, FL 5 20-04 80
Day 1: 5 20-04
24. Tyler Williams Belgrade, ME 5 20-04 80
Day 1: 5 20-04
26. JT Thompkins Myrtle Beach, SC 5 19-15 78
Day 1: 5 19-15
27. Cory Johnston Otonabee CANADA 5 19-11 77
Day 1: 5 19-11
27. Patrick Walters Eutawville, SC 5 19-11 77
Day 1: 5 19-11
29. Matty Wong Honolulu, HI 5 19-10 75
Day 1: 5 19-10
30. Jay Przekurat Plover, WI 5 19-02 74
Day 1: 5 19-02
31. Chris Zaldain Fort Worth, TX 5 19-00 73
Day 1: 5 19-00
32. Chris Johnston Otonabee Ontario CANADA 5 18-15 72
Day 1: 5 18-15
33. Jamie Hartman Newport, NY 5 18-13 71
Day 1: 5 18-13
34. Wes Logan Springville, AL 5 18-07 70
Day 1: 5 18-07
34. David Mullins Mt Carmel, TN 5 18-07 70
Day 1: 5 18-07
36. Bryan Schmitt Deale, MD 5 18-04 68
Day 1: 5 18-04
37. Matt Arey Shelby, NC 5 18-02 67
Day 1: 5 18-02
38. Jacob Foutz Charleston, TN 5 18-00 66
Day 1: 5 18-00
39. John Garrett Union City, TN 5 17-14 65
Day 1: 5 17-14
40. Scott Martin Clewiston, FL 5 17-13 64
Day 1: 5 17-13
41. Drew Cook Cairo, GA 5 17-11 63
Day 1: 5 17-11
42. Jonathan Kelley Old Forge, PA 5 17-09 62
Day 1: 5 17-09
42. Joseph Webster Hamilton, AL 5 17-09 62
Day 1: 5 17-09
44. Mark Menendez Paducah, KY 5 17-08 60
Day 1: 5 17-08
45. Cooper Gallant Bowmanville Ontario CAN 5 17-04 59
Day 1: 5 17-04
45. Carl Jocumsen Queensland TN AUSTRALIA 5 17-04 59
Day 1: 5 17-04
47. Brad Whatley Bivins, TX 5 16-11 57
Day 1: 5 16-11
48. Lee Livesay Longview, TX 5 16-09 56
Day 1: 5 16-09
48. Jason Williamson Aiken, SC 5 16-09 56
Day 1: 5 16-09
50. Clark Wendlandt Leander, TX 5 16-07 54
Day 1: 5 16-07
51. Jeff Gustafson Kenora, ON Ontario CANA 5 16-03 53
Day 1: 5 16-03
52. Jacob Powroznik North Prince George, VA 5 16-01 52
Day 1: 5 16-01
53. Todd Auten Clover, SC 5 16-00 51
Day 1: 5 16-00
54. Brandon Lester Fayetteville, TN 5 15-14 50
Day 1: 5 15-14
55. Hank Cherry Jr Lincolnton, NC 5 15-13 49
Day 1: 5 15-13
56. Bob Downey Detroit Lakes, MN 5 15-11 48
Day 1: 5 15-11
56. Shane LeHew Catawba, NC 5 15-11 48
Day 1: 5 15-11
56. Brandon Palaniuk Rathdrum, ID 5 15-11 48
Day 1: 5 15-11
59. Joey Cifuentes III Clinton, AR 5 15-10 45
Day 1: 5 15-10
59. Matt Herren Ashville, AL 5 15-10 45
Day 1: 5 15-10
59. Paul Mueller Naugatuck, CT 5 15-10 45
Day 1: 5 15-10
62. Keith Combs Huntington, TX 5 15-09 42
Day 1: 5 15-09
63. Justin Atkins Florence, AL 5 15-08 41
Day 1: 5 15-08
64. David Gaston Sylacauga, AL 5 15-06 40
Day 1: 5 15-06
65. Tyler Rivet Raceland, LA 5 15-05 39
Day 1: 5 15-05
65. Kyle Welcher Valley, AL 5 15-05 39
Day 1: 5 15-05
67. Jason Christie Dry Creek, OK 5 15-04 37
Day 1: 5 15-04
67. Clifford Pirch Payson, AZ 5 15-04 37
Day 1: 5 15-04
69. Taku Ito Dalton GA JAPAN 5 15-00 35
Day 1: 5 15-00
69. Jake Whitaker Hendersonville, NC 5 15-00 35
Day 1: 5 15-00
71. Caleb Kuphall Mukwonago, WI 5 14-15 33
Day 1: 5 14-15
72. Logan Latuso Gonzales, LA 5 14-11 32
Day 1: 5 14-11
73. Bill Lowen Brookville, IN 5 14-10 31
Day 1: 5 14-10
74. John Soukup Sapulpa, OK 5 14-07 30
Day 1: 5 14-07
75. Kenta Kimura Osaka OK JAPAN 5 14-04 29
Day 1: 5 14-04
76. Matt Robertson Kuttawa, KY 5 14-01 28
Day 1: 5 14-01
77. Seth Feider New Market, MN 5 13-12 27
Day 1: 5 13-12
78. Brock Mosley Collinsville, MS 5 13-11 26
Day 1: 5 13-11
79. Alex Redwine Blue Ash, OH 5 13-10 25
Day 1: 5 13-10
80. Will Davis Jr Sylacauga, AL 5 13-06 24
Day 1: 5 13-06
81. Buddy Gross Chattanooga, TN 5 13-05 23
Day 1: 5 13-05
82. John Crews Jr Salem, VA 5 13-04 22
Day 1: 5 13-04
83. Brandon Card Salisbury, NC 5 13-02 21
Day 1: 5 13-02
84. Greg Hackney Gonzales, LA 5 12-09 20
Day 1: 5 12-09
85. Derek Hudnall Zachary, LA 5 12-05 19
Day 1: 5 12-05
85. Cole Sands Calhoun , TN 5 12-05 19
Day 1: 5 12-05
87. Scott Canterbury Odenville, AL 5 12-01 17
Day 1: 5 12-01
88. Gerald Swindle Guntersville, AL 5 11-15 16
Day 1: 5 11-15
89. Bryant Smith Roseville, CA 5 11-13 15
Day 1: 5 11-13
90. Clent Davis Montevallo, AL 3 11-13 14
Day 1: 3 11-13
91. Cliff Prince Palatka, FL 5 11-04 13
Day 1: 5 11-04
92. Gregory DiPalma Millville, NJ 4 11-04 12
Day 1: 4 11-04
93. Timothy Dube Nashua , NH 3 10-15 11
Day 1: 3 10-15
94. Michael Iaconelli Pitts Grove, NJ 5 10-14 10
Day 1: 5 10-14
95. Mike Huff London, KY 5 10-08 9
Day 1: 5 10-08
96. Frank Talley Belton, TX 5 10-06 8
Day 1: 5 10-06
97. Brandon Cobb Greenwood, SC 3 10-06 7
Day 1: 3 10-06
98. Marc Frazier Newnan, GA 4 10-01 6
Day 1: 4 10-01
99. Ed Loughran III Richmond, VA 5 09-09 5
Day 1: 5 09-09
100. Rick Clunn Ava, MO 5 09-07 4
Day 1: 5 09-07
101. Bernie Schultz Gainesville, FL 2 09-05 3
Day 1: 2 09-05
102. Ray Hanselman Jr Del Rio, TX 5 07-12 2
Day 1: 5 07-12
103. KJ Queen Catawba, NC 2 05-07 1
Day 1: 2 05-07
------------------------------
PHOENIX BOATS BIG BASS
Day
1 Bryan New Leesville, SC 09-08 $1,000.00
------------------------------
Totals
Day #Limits #Fish Weight
1 96 501 1726-01
------------------------------
96 501 1726-01
Future Angler Foundation - Investments and Rewards
Investments and Rewards
Take a journey with one family into a National Forest where they build bonds while deepening their appreciation and understanding of the natural world.
Forestville, WI (February 22, 2024) – There are many benefits to spending time outdoors and interacting with the natural world in new, challenging ways. Join this adventurous family as they head out into one of America’s National Forests for an angling trip where they connect with nature and an abundance of wildlife. Building this appreciation for the outdoors creates new environmental stewards that can protect these ecosystems for generations to come.
Hear the family as they discuss important elements like kinship, stewardship, character building, learning about ecosystems and the healthiness of being in the wild.
Then, share the video and lesson plan with your students, Scouting organizations, fishing clubs, 4H clubs, or anyone interested in exploring our National Forests and expanding their personal relationship with the great outdoors.
Educational partners include the Future Angler Foundation, Trout Unlimited, and the US Forest Service and Department of Agriculture.
Consider donating to the Future Angler Foundation
ABOUT Future Angler Foundation
The Future Angler Foundation (FAF) is an incorporated 501(c)(3) non-profit foundation formed in April of 2012. The FAF’s mission is to “Create New Anglers and Boaters” through its support of angler education and boating safety programs hosted by passionate, knowledgeable volunteers throughout the U.S. and through its “Getting Families Fishing” initiative, a series of free source digital educational programs developed to engage young anglers and boaters as they educate them about angling in an exciting, informative, and effective manner. More information about the FAF can be found online at www.futureangler.org.
CONTACTS:
Pat Neu
FAF President
(920) 365-6051
Noel Vick
Traditions Media
(612) 708-7339
Wheeler Runs Pattern to Grab Early Lead for Group B at Major League Fishing Suzuki Stage Two
Two-time Fishing Clash Angler of the Year jumps out to early lead with 13 bass weighing 53-8
CLARENDON COUNTY, S.C. (Feb. 21, 2024) – For the second time in as many events this season, the Bass Pro Tour is visiting a new fishery, with the Suzuki Stage Two Presented by Fenwick at Santee Cooper Lakes in Clarendon County, South Carolina. Once again, pro Jacob Wheeler of Harrison, Tennessee, wasted little time figuring it out.
Wheeler, whose six wins and 28 top-10 finishes in Bass Pro Tour competition are unmatched, is back atop the leaderboard through one day of qualifying for Group B. He boated 13 scorable bass for 53 pounds, 8 ounces Wednesday, 4 pounds, 11 ounces clear of Lake Havasu City, Arizona’s Dean Rojas who caught 16 bass weighing 48-14 to end the day in second place. Those two separated themselves from the rest of the pack – pro Brent Ehrler of Redlands, California, caught 39-0 total to finish the day in third place.
The 40 anglers in Group B will now have an off day from competition Thursday, while the 40 anglers competing in Group A will wrap up their two-day Qualifying Round. Group B will finish their Qualifying Round on Friday.
The six-day tournament, hosted by the Clarendon County Chamber of Commerce, showcases 80 of the top professional anglers in the world, competing for a purse of $659,000, including a top payout of $100,000 and valuable Fishing Clash Angler of the Year (AOY) points in hopes of qualifying for the General Tire Heavy Hitters all-star event and REDCREST 2025, the Bass Pro Tour championship.
Like most of the field, Wheeler emerged from practice on Santee Cooper a bit concerned about the dirty water and lack of bites. He rated his practice period a 4 out of 10. But, like many, his first day of competition left him pleasantly surprised.
“Obviously, catching 29 pounds for five and catching 50-something pounds of bass is one of the best days you could ask for,” Wheeler said.
While a small handful of the Bass Pro Tour anglers had prior experience fishing Santee Cooper before the spawn, conventional wisdom suggested this would be the type of tournament in which pros would be best served picking one area and combing it thoroughly. The navigational hazards and sheer amount of cover where fish could be living didn’t figure to suit a run-and-gun approach.
Wheeler turned that idea on its head. Taking advantage of the lack of wind, he hit several areas, looking for spots with the same key ingredients — a combination he figured out thanks to one clue during practice, then dialed in Wednesday.
“I constantly changed areas,” Wheeler said. “Because it was pretty calm today, it gave me an opportunity to run around. I didn’t stay in one area. I tried to run around and sort of look for that specific pattern, and that was what I did.”
While Wheeler mostly kept coy regarding specifics, he said he used a combination of forward-facing sonar and traditional, power-fishing tactics.
“I’m doing what I love to do, but I’m also sort of mixing a few things up," he explained. “I’m looking for something very specific, and when I can find it, I'm basically running a pattern on this lake.”
Nearly half of Wheeler’s weight came from one stop. During a 90-minute stretch in Period 2, he caught six bass totaling 26-11. That included a 4-4, a 5-5 and a 6-14 — his biggest fish of the day. With the chances of catching 20-plus scorable bass in a day being slim, Wheeler said triggering big bites and landing those fish is the single biggest key to contending on Santee Cooper.
“I had three really big bites today,” Wheeler said. “So that, to me, is everything. I knew going into this, after seeing what happened in Group A, Day 1, I had to be very calm, cool and collected and be very methodical, because it wasn’t like it was going to be fast and furious. It wasn’t a Toledo Bend. Big bites were going to be few and far between, but when you got ‘em, you better capitalize on every single one.”
Wheeler remains unsure if he’ll be able to ride his Day 1 pattern through the weekend. He predicted that, as the weather warms and the bass continue their prespawn transition, Santee Cooper will fish differently during the Knockout and Championship Rounds than it has during the first two days. In typical Wheeler fashion, he’s put himself in prime position to figure it out. As usual, he said he plans to take advantage of his fast start by using much of Friday to explore new water.
"To me, I utilized this day to the best of my ability, to be leading right now going into Day 2 and have a firm grasp right now,” he said. “I still gotta catch a few bass, probably, to solidify my spot in the Knockout Round, but I’m feeling really confident about that.”
The top 20 pros in Group B after Day 1 on Santee Cooper Lakes are:
1st: Jacob Wheeler, Harrison, Tenn., 13 bass, 53-8
2nd: Dean Rojas, Lake Havasu City, Ariz., 16 bass, 48-14
3rd: Brent Ehrler, Redlands, Calif., 11 bass, 39-0
4th: Casey Ashley, Donalds, S.C., 12 bass, 38-9
5th: Nick LeBrun, Bossier City, La., 10 bass, 37-0
6th: Zack Birge, Blanchard, Okla., six bass, 29-4
7th: Justin Lucas, Guntersville, Ala, 10 bass, 28-14
8th: Marshall Robinson, Landrum, S.C., eight bass, 27-3
9th: Fred Roumbanis, Russellville, Ark., five bass, 26-1
10th: Spencer Shuffield, Hot Springs, Ark., seven bass, 25-10
11th: Bobby Lane, Lakeland, Fla., seven bass, 25-2
12th: Luke Clausen, Spokane, Wash., eight bass, 24-12
13th: Stephen Browning, Hot Springs, Ark., six bass, 22-8
14th: Fletcher Shryock, Guntersville, Ala., eight bass, 22-4
15th: Joshua Weaver, Macon, Ga., seven bass, 21-5
16th: Jeremy Lawyer, Sarcoxie, Mo., six bass, 20-0
17th: Ott DeFoe, Blaine, Tenn., seven bass, 19-4
18th: Kelly Jordon, Flint, Texas, six bass, 14-9
19th: Alton Jones, Lorena, Texas, four bass, 14-5
20th: Wesley Strader, Spring City, Tenn., six bass, 14-4
A complete list of results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
Overall, there were 226 bass weighing 721 pounds, 13 ounces caught by the 40 pros on Wednesday. The catch included 16 6-pounders, three 7-pounders and two 8-pounders.
Pro Fred “Boom Boom” Roumbanis of Russellville, Arkansas, earned the $1,000 Berkley Big Bass Award Wednesday with an 8-pound, 6-ounce largemouth that he caught on a lipless crankbait in Period 2. Berkley awards $1,000 to the angler who weighs the heaviest bass each day, and another $3,000 bonus to the angler who weighs the heaviest bass of the tournament.
The 40 Anglers in Group A compete in their two-day Qualifying Round on Tuesday and Thursday – the 40 anglers in Group B on Wednesday and Friday. After each two-day Qualifying Round is complete, the anglers that finish first through 10th from both groups advance to Saturday’s Knockout Round. In the Knockout Round, weights are zeroed, and the remaining 20 anglers compete to finish in the top 10 to advance to Sunday’s Championship Round. In the final-day Championship Round, weights are zeroed, and the highest one-day total wins the top prize of $100,000.
Anglers will launch at 7:30 a.m. ET each day from the John C. Land III Landing, located at 4404 Greenall Road in Summerton. Each day’s General Tire Takeout will be held at the park, beginning at 4 p.m. Fans are welcome to attend all launch and takeout events and also encouraged to follow the event online throughout the day on the MLFNOW!® live stream and SCORETRACKER® coverage at MajorLeagueFishing.com .
The MLFNOW!® broadcast team of Chad McKee and J.T. Kenney will break down the extended action live on the final four days of competition from 7:45 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. ET. MLFNOW!® will be live streamed on MajorLeagueFishing.com and the MyOutdoorTV (MOTV) app.
On Saturday and Sunday, Feb. 24-25, from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. MLF welcomes fans of all ages to visit the John C. Land III landing for the MLF Watch Party. Fans can watch the pros live on the MLFNOW! big screen, enjoy free food, enter to win hourly giveaways and cheer on their favorite pros. The first 50 kids 14 and under will receive a free rod and reel from Pure Fishing each day. The final 10 Championship Round Bass Pro Tour anglers will be on hand at the trophy celebration on Championship Sunday to meet and greet fans, sign autographs and take selfies.
The Suzuki Stage Two at Santee Cooper Lakes Presented by Fenwick features the MLF catch, weigh, immediate-release format, in which anglers catch as much weight as they can each day, while also feeling the pressure and intensity of the SCORETRACKER® leaderboard. The tournament features anglers competing with a 1-pound, 8-ounce minimum weight requirement for a bass to be deemed scorable. The MLF Fisheries Management Division determines minimum weights for each body of water that the Bass Pro Tour visits, based on the productivity, bass population and anticipated average size of fish in each fishery.
The Bass Pro Tour features a field of 80 of the top professional anglers in the world, competing across seven regular-season tournaments around the country, for millions of dollars and valuable points to qualify for the annual General Tire Heavy Hitters all-star event and the REDCREST 2025 championship.
Bass Pro Tour anglers also compete throughout the 2024 season for the prestigious Fishing Clash Angler of the Year (AOY) award and its $100,000 payday. Fishing Clash – an interactive 3D fishing simulation game that’s played by more than 80 million people worldwide – is the official AOY sponsor of the Bass Pro Tour, Tackle Warehouse Invitationals, Toyota Series and Phoenix Bass Fishing League.
Television coverage of the Suzuki Stage Two at Santee Cooper Lakes Presented by Fenwick will premiere as a two-hour episode starting at 7 a.m. ET, on Saturday, Sept. 21 on Discovery, with the Championship Round premiering the following Saturday on Sept. 28. New MLF episodes premiere each Saturday morning on Discovery, with re-airings on Outdoor Channel.
Proud sponsors of the 2024 MLF Bass Pro Tour include: Abu Garcia, B&W Trailer Hitches, Bass Pro Shops, Berkley, BUBBA, Epic Baits, Fishing Clash, Garmin, General Tire, Humminbird, Lowrance, Mercury, MillerTech, Minn Kota, Mossy Oak Fishing, NITRO, Onyx, Plano, Power-Pole, Rapala, StarBrite, Suzuki, Toyota and U.S. Air Force.
For complete details and updated information on Major League Fishing and the Bass Pro Tour, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF’s social media outlets at Facebook, X, Instagram and YouTube.
About Major League Fishing
Major League Fishing (MLF) is the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization, producing more than 250 events annually at some of the most prestigious fisheries in the world, while broadcasting to America’s living rooms on CBS, Discovery Channel, Outdoor Channel, CBS Sports Network, World Fishing Network and on demand on MyOutdoorTV (MOTV). Headquartered in Benton, Kentucky, the MLF roster of bass anglers includes the world’s top pros and more than 30,000 competitors in all 50 states and 17 countries. Since its founding in 2011, MLF has advanced the sport of competitive fishing through its premier television broadcasts and livestreams and is dedicated to improving the quality of life for bass through research, education, fisheries enhancement and fish care.
ChatterBait® Cheat Code
AVAILABLE NOW: ChatterBait® Elite™ EVO & ChatterSpike™ Bladed Jig Trailer
land on store pegs, locked and loaded for spring bass bites
Certifying its street cred among angling insiders, the new Z-Man® ChatterBait® Elite EVO™ won Best Freshwater Hard Lure at the 2023 ICAST show. Following surging anticipation for the year’s most exciting new ElaZtech® softbaits and ChatterBait bladed jigs, Z-Man proudly announces the official arrival of one truly elite fish-catching system. Both the new ChatterBait Elite EVO and ChatterSpike™ bladed jig trailer are now available at your favorite fishing retailer.
ChatterBait Elite EVO™
- Wire-tied 100% silicone skirt increases durability and lifespan.
- 5/0 custom-built, heavy duty needlepoint black nickel hook.
- Precision sculpted jighead contours track deeper and promote arbitrary hunting action.
- Hybrid molded split-grip and wire keepers ease rigging and hold all types of soft plastic trailers.
- Stainless steel ChatterBlades® in super durable plated, painted and new glitter coated finishes.
- Available in 3/8- and ½-ounce weights in 12 exclusive color patterns.
ChatterSpike™
- Pronounced V-shaped tail ridges increase water displacement and subtle quivering motion.
- Pintail baitfish profile with segmented body and pyramidal-shaped tail cross section increases ChatterBait vibration.
- Dorsal and ventral hook slots ease weedless rigging.
- 10X Tough ElaZtech superplastic construction yields all-day durability.
- 4.5-inch size pairs perfectly with standard bass size bladed jigs– in 10 ChatterBait-matched colors.
LaGrange, Georgia Set to Host MLF Tackle Warehouse Invitationals Stop 2 on West Point Lake Presented by Suzuki
Field of 150 Professional Anglers to Compete for Top Prize of up to $115,000 and Total Season Purse of More Than $3.9 Million
LAGRANGE, Ga. (Feb. 21, 2024) – Major League Fishing (MLF) is set to visit LaGrange, Georgia, next week, March 1-3, for the MLF Tackle Warehouse Invitational Stop 2 at West Point Lake Presented by Suzuki . The Tackle Warehouse Invitationals feature a roster of 150 anglers competing for a top prize of up to $115,000 and an invitation to compete at REDCREST 2025 – the Bass Pro Tour championship – for the chance to win up to $300,000.
Hosted by Visit LaGrange, the three-day tournament marks the second of six Tackle Warehouse Invitational events in 2024, offering competitors a total season purse of more than $3.9 million. The field is also competing for valuable points to win the coveted Fishing Clash Angler of the Year (AOY) title – including a $50,000 payout – and to qualify for the 2025 Bass Pro Tour, MLF’s premiere circuit.
“We are delighted that West Point Lake was chosen as an MLF Tackle Warehouse Invitationals site,” said Kathryn Tilley, president and CEO of Visit LaGrange. “Our residents and businesses are excited to host such a premiere event and we look forward to sharing our beautiful city with this prestigious fishing community.”
Although there isn’t a lot of MLF tournament history on West Point Lake, there is some that could be extremely relevant. In 2023, boater David McClung won a Phoenix Bass Fishing League event on West Point Lake around the same time of year with a 20-pound bag, fishing a crankbait and jig in stained water. Notably, Blake Tomlin of Greenville, Georgia, finished third in the same event and is signed up to fish the upcoming tournament.
Hailing from nearby Macon, Georgia, Bass Pro Tour pro Josh Weaver grew up fishing club tournaments on West Point and said he thinks we’re in for a good one.
“The lake is definitely coming back around,” said Weaver. “I’m glad to see a big tournament going there, because there has been nothing there for a long time. The time of year they’re going is the best time to showcase that lake.”
According to Weaver, this event could have some old-school flair.
“You can kind of do whatever you want,” said Weaver. “You can go out deep and chase the ones that haven’t come in yet – with spots there are always fish deep – but I think it will be won shallow in one of the creeks, cranking, or by somebody that finds some good brush piles.
“If we get some mild days, I feel like there will be more coming to the bank than there are out deep,” he added. “Regardless, a lot of those fish live shallow year-round, especially the largemouth. I’ve gone over there in January and been able to catch ‘em crankin’.”
These days, there aren’t many events where forward-facing sonar doesn’t play big. Weaver thinks, or hopes, that due to the makeup of the fishery, anglers might need to fish shallow to target winning quality fish.
Weaver said his theory on the event is that cranking for fish transitioning back to spawn will be key, but there are a few potential wild cards.
“John Cox always says the biggest fish in the lake spawn first,” he said. “If we get some warm days, you could see some fish spawning.”
Weaver said the other oddball pattern to watch out for might be a river run.
“You’ll see some people do good running up there, because of the time of year, the fish are pushing up there,” detailed Weaver.
Figuring on a little over 17 pounds a day to win, Weaver thinks that mixed bags of spotted bass and largemouth are almost a certainty.
“Regardless of what you’re fishing for, you’re going to have a mixed bag, just because the spots are so prevalent,” he said. “But there are some big largemouth – that time of year, there will be some 6- to 8-pounders. You’ll see some 14- to 16-pound bags of spots, but I don’t think you’ll see somebody catch all spots.”
Anglers will launch at 7 a.m. ET each day from the Pyne Road Park Mega Ramp, located at 4481 Roanoke Road in LaGrange. Weigh-ins will also be held at the ramp and will begin at 3 p.m. Fans are welcome to attend all launch and weigh-in events and also encouraged to follow the event online throughout the day on the MLFNOW!® live stream and coverage at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
The 2024 Tackle Warehouse Invitationals feature a field of 150 professional anglers competing across six invitational tournaments around the country, for a total purse of $3.9 million and valuable Fishing Clash Angler of the Year (AOY) points to qualify for a coveted spot on the MLF Bass Pro Tour, the sport’s top level.
In Tackle Warehouse Invitational competition, the full field of 150 anglers compete in the two-day opening round on Friday and Saturday in a five-fish, weigh-in format. Only the top 30 pros, based on their two-day cumulative weight, advance to the final round on Championship Sunday, where they will compete for the grand prize of up to $115,000. The winner of the Tackle Warehouse Invitational Stop 2 at West Point Lake Presented by Suzuki will be determined by the heaviest three-day cumulative weight and will receive an invitation to compete at REDCREST 2025 on Lake Guntersville in Huntsville, Alabama.
The MLFNOW! broadcast team of Chad McKee and Rob Newell will break down the extended action live all three days of competition from 7:30 a.m. to 2:45 p.m. ET. MLFNOW! will be live streamed on MajorLeagueFishing.com and the MyOutdoorTV (MOTV) app.
Television coverage of the MLF Tackle Warehouse Invitationals Stop 2 at West Point Lake Presented by Suzuki will air as a two-hour episode, premiering at 9 a.m. ET, on Saturday, Oct. 12 on CBS Sports Network.
Proud sponsors of the 2024 MLF Tackle Warehouse Invitationals include: 7Brew, Abu Garcia, B&W Trailer Hitches, Berkley, BUBBA, E3, Epic Baits, Fishing Clash, General Tire, Lew’s, Mercury, Mossy Oak Fishing, Onyx, Phoenix Boats, Polaris, Power-Pole, Strike King, Suzuki, Tackle Warehouse, T-H Marine, Toyota and YETI.
For complete details and updated information on Major League Fishing and the Tackle Warehouse Invitationals, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular Tackle Warehouse Invitational updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow the MLF5 social media outlets at Facebook , Instagram and YouTube.
About Major League Fishing
Major League Fishing (MLF) is the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization, producing more than 250 events annually at some of the most prestigious fisheries in the world, while broadcasting to America’s living rooms on CBS, Discovery Channel, Outdoor Channel, CBS Sports Network, World Fishing Network and on demand on MyOutdoorTV (MOTV). Headquartered in Benton, Kentucky, the MLF roster of bass anglers includes the world’s top pros and more than 30,000 competitors in all 50 states and 17 countries. Since its founding in 2011, MLF has advanced the sport of competitive fishing through its premier television broadcasts and livestreams and is dedicated to improving the quality of life for bass through research, education, fisheries enhancement and fish care.
Costa Sunglasses Unveils 580 Gold: Dive into a World of Clarity and Adventure
See in a new light with 580 Gold, bringing enhanced vibrancy and unmatched style to every adventure
JUPITER, Fla. (February 20, 2024) – For more than 40 years, Costa Sunglasses has delivered on its mission to create the highest standard in lens technology for the ultimate advantage on the water. Today, the manufacturer of the first color-enhancing all-polarized glass sunglass lens continues to elevate its innovative lens technology with 580 Gold, a new rose-based lens delivering unrivaled clarity and added scratch resistance on the water.
Designed with a lighter Visible Light Transmission (VLT), 580 Gold offers enhanced versatility across a spectrum of lighting conditions, ensuring optimal clarity whether out on the water in the bright sun or on an overcast day. Further setting these lenses apart, the distinctive gold mirror treatment is inspired by life after the sunrise, the golden hour. Playing on the softer and redder light from the sun during this time, 580 Gold provides a redefined style for every waterman. This blend of functional excellence and aesthetic appeal promises to deliver a whole new visual experience, offering both a superior view and a bold statement.
At the core of 580 Gold lies Costa’s polarized 580® glass (580G) lens technology, renowned for its exceptional clarity and color enhancement. These scratch-resistant lenses effectively reduce haze and blur, while boosting essential colors for superior definition. This technology, backed with a rose colored base, increases the viewer’s field and vision and is easy on the eyes. The multi-layered gold mirror finish amplifies its performance features while reflecting the adventurous spirit of its wearer.
“The Gold Mirror lens is not just an addition to Costa's portfolio, it's a new chapter in the brand's storied legacy, promising to bring the world into view with an intensity and passion that only Costa can deliver,” said John Sanchez, Vice President Global Product Strategy. “With this launch, we're offering more than just a new lens, we're providing a new way to experience life's most breathtaking moments, reinforcing our dedication to excellence and our continued commitment to the Costa community.”
With 580 Gold, Costa now offers nine different lens color options for the ever-changing nature of light conditions. 580 Gold will be available in more than 20 styles in Costa’s three frame categories – PRO, hybrid and lifestyle. The early, avant premier includes Reefton PRO, Spearo XL, Lido, Loreto and the best-selling Sullivan from the Del Mar Collection.
580 Gold lenses will be available online at CostaSunglasses.com and select specialty retailers starting February 9, 2024. For more information about Costa’s complete collection of award-winning performance, optical and lifestyle eyewear, visit Costasunglasses.com.
About Costa Sunglasses
As the first manufacturer of color-enhancing all-polarized glass sunglass lenses, Costa combines superior lens technology with unparalleled fit and durability. Costa has made the highest quality, best-performing sunglasses and prescription sunglasses (Rx) for outdoor enthusiasts since 1983, and now its product portfolio includes optical frames. Costa’s growing cult-brand status ties directly to its purpose to provide high-quality products with a focus on sustainability and conservation as the company works hard to protect the waters it calls home. From the use of sustainable and water-friendly materials to its Kick Plastic initiative, #OneCoast efforts and meaningful partnerships with mission-aligned organizations, Costa encourages people to help protect the Earth’s natural resources in any way they can. Find out more on Costa’s website and join the conversation on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter at @CostaSunglasses.
Matt Becker Takes Early Lead for Group A at Major League Fishing at Santee Cooper
Tennessee pro catches 12 bass weighing 45-8 to earn Day 1 lead for Group A – Group B begins competition Wednesday
CLARENDON COUNTY, S.C. (Feb. 20, 2024) – The reigning Fishing Clash Angler of the Year (AOY) Matt Becker of Ten Mile, Tennessee, boated 12 scorable bass Tuesday, totaling 45 pounds, 8 ounces, to jump out to the early lead in the Group A Qualifying Round at the Suzuki Stage Two Presented by Fenwick at Santee Cooper Lakes in Clarendon County, South Carolina.
Just 4 pounds, 3 ounces behind Becker in second place on the SCORETRACKER® leaderboard is Hot Springs, Arkansas, pro Dylan Hayes, who caught 10 bass totaling 29-11. Alton Jones, Jr., of Waco, Texas, sits in third place, less than 6 pounds back of Becker with 10 bass weighing 39-10.
The 40 anglers in Group A will now have an off day from competition Wednesday, while the 40 anglers competing in Group B will begin their first day of competition. Group A will resume competition on Thursday.
The six-day tournament, hosted by the Clarendon County Chamber of Commerce, showcases 80 of the top professional anglers in the world, competing for a purse of $659,000, including a top payout of $100,000 and valuable Fishing Clash Angler of the Year (AOY) points in hopes of qualifying for the General Tire Heavy Hitters all-star event and REDCREST 2025, the Bass Pro Tour championship.
Entering the first day of competition at Santee Cooper, Becker wasn’t feeling optimistic. The reigning AOY on the Bass Pro Tour said he had a “horrible practice” amid the muddy, prespawn conditions that greeted the field at Stage Two. He picked his starting spot because he got a single bite there during the three-day practice period.
Within the first 35 minutes of Tuesday morning, Becker had turned that one bite into six scorable bass weighing a combined 23 pounds, 6 ounces. That flurry gave him an early lead over the rest of Group A, and he never relinquished the top spot on SCORETRACKER®.
“I went to an area where I had one bite — that’s where I decided to start," Becker said. “And before I knew it, I had six fish in the boat, and I didn’t even know what was happening. So yeah, it was fast and furious this morning. I did not expect that at all.”
It wasn’t just Becker who found the fishing better than expected on Santee Cooper. While bass didn’t hit the scales in the same numbers as Stage One on Toledo Bend, plenty of big ones showed up. Thirteen bass weighing 6 pounds or bigger were caught Tuesday, including one over 8 pounds. Fifteen pros topped the 20-pound mark on the day.
“Honestly, everybody caught ‘em – myself included – better than I expected,” Becker said. “I did not see this coming. I expected it to be a lot tougher on everybody. But I’m super happy with how it turned out.”
Becker burst onto the national tournament scene in a big way last year, beating out the likes of Jacob Wheeler, Ott DeFoe and Jones Jr. to claim both the Stage Seven and Angler of the Year trophies at the season finale on Saginaw Bay.
Clearly, the offseason did nothing to stem his momentum.
Becker started the 2024 campaign with a Championship Round appearance on Toledo Bend. He then finished 16th in the Tackle Warehouse Invitationals season-opener on Sam Rayburn. Now, even on a fishery that, at least on paper, doesn’t suit his strengths, Becker looks like he’s figured out the Santee Cooper bass.
Becker attributed the strong start to simply fishing with confidence.
“Definitely it’s a confidence thing,” he said. “I feel very confident in myself right now, and it just seems like every decision I make turns into the right one. Like today, for instance, I literally had one bite in that area that I started, but my gut was telling me to go start there, and it turned into the lead.
“I don’t ever want it to end. I want to keep this train rolling as long as we can.”
His fast start Tuesday only fueled his confidence. Becker said it made him believe in his area, removing the temptation to fire up his Suzuki outboard and make a time-consuming run across the treacherous fishery. He spent the rest of the day exploring new water in the same vicinity as his starting spot.
“It kind of slowed me down and allowed me to expand and fish new water,” he explained. “I had that one spot where I got a bite in practice, and then I kind of just expanded around the area the rest of the day. But having that confidence of getting a couple bites early really let me expand and keep fishing new water.”
After a bit of a lull, Becker continued to pad his total throughout the afternoon. Midway through Period 2, he boated a 6-10 kicker. On a fishery that lacks numbers of bass, triggering big bites looks like it’ll be key to contending. Seven of the top eight anglers on SCORETRACKER® caught at least one bass over 6 pounds.
“There’s a lot of big fish, and it seems like it’s only a matter of time — if you set the hook enough times, it’s going to be a 6- to 8-pounder,” Becker said. “So, it’s going to take a couple of big fish every day to do well in this tournament.”
Becker didn’t want to divulge too many details about his pattern, but he said he’s not relying on forward-facing sonar to target fish. Instead, he’s power fishing around “classic prespawn stuff.” He’s not slowing down, covering water with his trolling motor and fishing whatever cover he encounters — in his words, “pretty much just junk fishing around in one section of the lake.”
While Becker noted that he only saw one other competitor all day, which excites him, he’s not sure whether he’ll be able to ride his starting spot, or even the general area, to another Top 10. He plans to spend the second day of the Qualifying Round exploring more of the massive, habitat-rich playing field.
“I feel like I might have burnt up that area today, but you just never know,” Becker said. “It’s springtime, more fish could be coming with a warming trend. The sun was out this afternoon, and it was warming up. So maybe some more fish are coming. But I’m going to keep an open mind going into the rest of the tournament and try to expand on Day 2, try to fish some new water and maybe find something else as well.”
The top 20 pros in Group A after Day 1 on Santee Cooper Lakes are:
1st: Matt Becker, Ten Mile, Tenn., 12 bass, 45-8
2nd: Dylan Hays, Hot Springs, Ark., 10 bass, 41-5
3rd: Alton Jones, Jr., Waco, Texas, 10 bass, 39-10
4th: James Watson, Lampe, Mo., 11 bass, 37-15
5th: Gerald Spohrer, Gonzales, La., 13 bass, 36-9
6th: Dustin Connell, Clanton, Ala., 11 bass, 34-5
7th: Cole Floyd, Leesburg, Ohio, nine bass, 33-5
8th: Ron Nelson, Berrien Springs, Mich., 10 bass, 32-10
9th: Greg Vinson, Wetumpka, Ala., 11 bass, 26-15
10th: Brent Chapman, Lake Quivira, Kan., eight bass, 26-10
11th: Adrian Avena, Vineland, N.J., six bass, 26-8
12th: Jacob Wall, New Hope, Ala., five bass, 23-9
13th: Chris Lane, Guntersville, Ala., eight bass, 22-3
14th: Jesse Wiggins, Cullman, Ala., seven bass, 21-4
15th: Mark Daniels, Jr., Tuskegee, Ala., eight bass, 20-13
16th: Terry Scroggins, San Mateo, Fla., eight bass, 19-1
17th: Jacopo Gallelli, Florence, Italy, four bass, 17-7
18th: Matt Lee, Cullman, Ala., five bass, 17-7
19th: Andy Morgan, Dayton, Tenn., six bass, 17-3
20th: Shinichi Fukae, Osaka, Japan, four bass, 15-14
A complete list of results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
General Tire pro Britt Myers of Lake Wylie, South Carolina, won Tuesday’s $1,000 Berkley Big Bass Award with an 8-pound, 3-ounce largemouth that he caught on a deep-diving crankbait with just 10 minutes remaining in the day late in Period 3. Berkley awards $1,000 to the angler who weighs the heaviest bass each day, and another $3,000 bonus to the angler who weighs the heaviest bass of the tournament.
The 40 Anglers in Group A compete in their two-day Qualifying Round on Tuesday and Thursday – the 40 anglers in Group B on Wednesday and Friday. After each two-day Qualifying Round is complete, the anglers that finish first through 10th from both groups advance to Saturday’s Knockout Round. In the Knockout Round, weights are zeroed, and the remaining 20 anglers compete to finish in the top 10 to advance to Sunday’s Championship Round. In the final-day Championship Round, weights are zeroed, and the highest one-day total wins the top prize of $100,000.
Anglers will launch at 7:30 a.m. ET each day from the John C. Land III Landing, located at 4404 Greenall Road in Summerton. Each day’s General Tire Takeout will be held at the park, beginning at 4 p.m. Fans are welcome to attend all launch and takeout events and also encouraged to follow the event online throughout the day on the MLFNOW!® live stream and SCORETRACKER® coverage at MajorLeagueFishing.com .
The MLFNOW!® broadcast team of Chad McKee and J.T. Kenney will break down the extended action live on the final four days of competition from 7:45 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. ET. MLFNOW!® will be live streamed on MajorLeagueFishing.com and the MyOutdoorTV (MOTV) app.
On Saturday and Sunday, Feb. 24-25, from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. MLF welcomes fans of all ages to visit the John C. Land III landing for the MLF Watch Party. Fans can watch the pros live on the MLFNOW! big screen, enjoy free food, enter to win hourly giveaways and cheer on their favorite pros. The first 50 kids 14 and under will receive a free rod and reel from Pure Fishing each day. The final 10 Championship Round Bass Pro Tour anglers will be on hand at the trophy celebration on Championship Sunday to meet and greet fans, sign autographs and take selfies.
The Suzuki Stage Two at Santee Cooper Lakes Presented by Fenwick features the MLF catch, weigh, immediate-release format, in which anglers catch as much weight as they can each day, while also feeling the pressure and intensity of the SCORETRACKER® leaderboard. The tournament features anglers competing with a 1-pound, 8-ounce minimum weight requirement for a bass to be deemed scorable. The MLF Fisheries Management Division determines minimum weights for each body of water that the Bass Pro Tour visits, based on the productivity, bass population and anticipated average size of fish in each fishery.
The Bass Pro Tour features a field of 80 of the top professional anglers in the world, competing across seven regular-season tournaments around the country, for millions of dollars and valuable points to qualify for the annual General Tire Heavy Hitters all-star event and the REDCREST 2025 championship.
Bass Pro Tour anglers also compete throughout the 2024 season for the prestigious Fishing Clash Angler of the Year (AOY) award and its $100,000 payday. Fishing Clash – an interactive 3D fishing simulation game that’s played by more than 80 million people worldwide – is the official AOY sponsor of the Bass Pro Tour, Tackle Warehouse Invitationals, Toyota Series and Phoenix Bass Fishing League.
Television coverage of the Suzuki Stage Two at Santee Cooper Lakes Presented by Fenwick will premiere as a two-hour episode starting at 7 a.m. ET, on Saturday, Sept. 21 on Discovery, with the Championship Round premiering the following Saturday on Sept. 28. New MLF episodes premiere each Saturday morning on Discovery, with re-airings on Outdoor Channel.
Proud sponsors of the 2024 MLF Bass Pro Tour include: Abu Garcia, B&W Trailer Hitches, Bass Pro Shops, Berkley, BUBBA, Epic Baits, Fishing Clash, Garmin, General Tire, Humminbird, Lowrance, Mercury, MillerTech, Minn Kota, Mossy Oak Fishing, NITRO, Onyx, Plano, Power-Pole, Rapala, StarBrite, Suzuki, Toyota and U.S. Air Force.
For complete details and updated information on Major League Fishing and the Bass Pro Tour, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF’s social media outlets at Facebook, X, Instagram and YouTube.
About Major League Fishing
Major League Fishing (MLF) is the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization, producing more than 250 events annually at some of the most prestigious fisheries in the world, while broadcasting to America’s living rooms on CBS, Discovery Channel, Outdoor Channel, CBS Sports Network, World Fishing Network and on demand on MyOutdoorTV (MOTV). Headquartered in Benton, Kentucky, the MLF roster of bass anglers includes the world’s top pros and more than 30,000 competitors in all 50 states and 17 countries. Since its founding in 2011, MLF has advanced the sport of competitive fishing through its premier television broadcasts and livestreams and is dedicated to improving the quality of life for bass through research, education, fisheries enhancement and fish care.
Travel Tuesday - No Fishing Friends? You Don't Have to Miss Out on Guatemala
By Pete Robbins - Half Past First Cast
Catching up with Fothergill
Current Bassmaster College Series champ, Easton Fothergill has an intriguing last name, but at age 21, his life story is even better. Six weeks prior to winning the Bassmaster College bracket and a subsequent birth to the upcoming 2024 Bassmaster Classic, he had a hole drilled in his skull to drain a brain abscess that could have caused brain damage or taken his life.
The 21-year old Grand Rapids, MN native and University of Montevallo standout angler continues to thrive, and graciously took a few minutes to gives us a life update, including his plans to pack a few non-forward-facing sonar baits in his Tundra for the Grand Lake Classic.
Q: Why did a kid from Minnesota choose to attend a university in Alabama?
Fothergill: I knew if I wanted to be the best bass angler I could be, that I’d have to learn how to catch fish in the Southeastern United States, and also, Montevallo is one of the best funded college fishing programs in America.
Q: How’s 2024 treating you so far?
Fothergill: As good or better than I could dream of. I fished my first-ever Bassmaster Open. It was at Okeechobee in late January, and I scored a Top 10. I’m still trying to get my head around doing that well against guys like Randall Tharp and Brandon McMillan. I was also super fortunate to do well at the Bassmaster Open on Lake Ouachita last week too, so I’m now sitting second overall in the Elite Qualifier points race.
Q: What kind of prep have you done for the upcoming Bassmaster Classic?
Fothergill: I spent two full days on Grand Lake at Thanksgiving. I really liked it. It reminds me of Lake of the Ozarks. It’s going to be a super weather-dependent event, and I like that, because nobody gets a super strong advantage. We’ll all have to fish in the moment.
Q: What three lures do you have a ton of confidence in going into Grand Lake?
Fothergill: You can bet I’ll be packing a ¼-ounce jig to skip docks, a wacky worm, and if the water’s dirty, I’m throwing a spinnerbait with Colorado or Indiana blades.
Q: You’re a really calm and cool dude, are you anxious about anything?
Fothergill: The Classic is definitely heavy on my mind. I can’t wait to ride into weigh-in at the BOK Arena in Tulsa. Beyond the Classic, I’m super pumped about the Bassmaster Open on my home lake in August – Leech Lake, MN.
Q: You bought an older model Toyota Tundra, but this year, like all Bassmaster College Series Classic Champs, you get to roll around for a season in a brand new Tundra – how does it compare to the older one you own?
Fothergill: It’s night and day. That 14” screen on the dash is incredible, it’s super smooth riding, and I love hearing that twin-turbo wind-up and deliver a pile of torque and horsepower.
Big catches await anglers for Bassmaster Kayak Series event at Lake Murray
February 19, 2024
Big catches await anglers for Bassmaster Kayak Series event at Lake Murray
COLUMBIA, S.C. — To kick off the 2024 season, the Yamaha Rightwaters Bassmaster Kayak Series scored by TourneyX will head to Lake Murray, one of the best bass lakes in the country. Just how good the lake will be depends on the weather, according to Bassmaster Kayak Series angler Barry Davis.
“The bass are going to start coming out of their winter patterns into their spring areas [most likely],” Davis said. “The weather is always iffy. There have been tournaments here this same time of year, and we have had some 100-inch bags per day to win. Some days, it is nowhere near that because of the weather.”
Tournament days are scheduled for Feb. 24-25 and will be the first opportunity for anglers to earn points toward the Dakota Lithium Bassmaster Kayak Series Angler of the Year title. Anglers will be able to launch from any of the published launches that will be released prior to the tournament.
Over the past couple of years, anglers across the country have learned that impressive numbers of giant bass live in Lake Murray. That was proven several times just last year across multiple Bassmaster Tournament Trails. Kayak Bass Fishing visited the lake in late February 2023 for a pair of one-day events. The first day, it took 98.5 inches to win, and the second day, it was won with 97.5 inches.
There is also the potential to catch a 24- or 25-inch bass this time of year.
The massive reservoir in the middle of South Carolina provides opportunities for anglers to fish to their strengths. There is a large section of a more river-like environment, which has a history of producing big bags. Davis predicts that area will get the most attention. The bottom end of the lake is deep and wide, with a plethora of bass, stripers and blueback herring.
“The midlake area and up fishes more like a normal lake than a herring lake,” Davis said. “The lake is so deep on the bottom end that it doesn’t change a lot. The bass on the bottom end do a lot of the same stuff year-round except when they spawn.”
The weather in the Carolinas that time of year will be the biggest wild card in this event. There are some years where late February will still feel like winter, Davis said. Other years, like last year, warmer weather prevails and the bass will begin to head for the shallows.
“If we have a couple of weeks where we get some warm days and not extremely cold nights, they will start to transition and move up onto some of the deeper docks and stuff like that,” Davis elaborated. “We are probably going to be about three weeks ahead of when they get really prespawn.”
For deeper-water scenarios — which likely will revolve around herring — brushpiles and rockpiles are key pieces of cover. A striper pattern could also unfold.
“The offshore brush and rocks will still be in play,” he said. “The main forage in the lake is herring. They are going to chase the herring around, especially the spotted bass. The largemouth will have more of a home base. If people find them and the herring stay somewhat in the same area, I think it will play into it.
“The stripers will stay with them anyway, and a lot of people don’t realize bass are lazier than stripers. If you can get something through the stripers to the bottom, you can catch pretty decent bass under the stripers.”
In the shallows, there is a wide range of options including boat ramps, rock and docks.
“Those concrete ramps will play because they draw heat. Red banks will play as well because they draw heat,” Davis said. “Anything that pulls heat will be key.”
A wide range of baits will likely play in this tournament. Crankbaits are a popular choice among anglers who regularly fish Lake Murray, as well as jigs. Several styles of worms will work, Davis said, including wacky rigs, Texas rigs and Carolina rigs. Crawfish presentations will also be key.
This week’s event is being hosted by Capital City Lake Murray Country.
2024 Bassmaster Kayak Series Title Sponsor: Yamaha Rightwaters2024 Bassmaster Kayak Series Partner: MotorGuide, YakGear2024 Bassmaster Kayak Series Angler of the Year Sponsor: Dakota Lithium
Arkansas’ Edwards Notches Second BFL Win at Phoenix Bass Fishing League Event at Table Rock Lake
KIMBERLING CITY, Mo. (Feb. 19, 2024) – Boater Landon Edwards of Springdale, Arkansas, caught a five-bass limit weighing 22 pounds, 7 ounces, Saturday to win the MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League (BFL) Presented by T-H Marine on Table Rock Lake . The tournament was the first event of the season for the BFL Ozark Division. Edwards earned $5,970 for his victory.
“I made a run down past Campbell Point up the White River,” said Edwards, who notched a previous BFL win on Table Rock Lake in 2022. “I found a sneaky spot in practice where I thought I could catch 18 pounds. I had graphed a spot that was just a little rock pile with a tree on it that had 20 to 30 big fish on it. I caught a 6½-pounder on it Thursday and then left it alone.”
Edwards said he ran to his “sneaky” spot during the tournament because he figured the field would be using Garmin Livescope to target bass, and he wanted to try something different to stand out from the field. He said he used a 6th Sense Divine 5-Wire 4-Blade Umbrella Rig with 6th Sense Divine Swimbaits to boat his bigger bass on the rock pile.
“I rolled up, threw my Alabama rig, and caught a 4½-pounder,” Edwards said. “I threw back and caught another 4½. I threw back in again and caught a 7-pounder. So, I had 15-something pounds with three fish.”
Edwards relocated to let his spot rest and pulled a 3¼-pound fish from deep water, putting him at more than 19 pounds with four fish.
“I went back to my lucky spot and caught one that weighed more than 3 pounds that put me over 22 pounds,” Edwards said. “I was having some motor problems, so we ran back to Kimberling City near weigh-in and finished up the day.
“I had confidence that I had enough weight to make the top 10,” Edwards said. “So, it was really nice to win it. These tournaments are so hard to win with all the locals who fish them. It was cool to win this.”
The top 10 boaters finished the tournament:
2nd: Eric Olliverson, Shell Knob, Mo., five bass, 20-13, $3,082 (includes $500 Phoenix MLF Contingency Bonus)
3rd: Jacob Wade, Mountain Grove, Mo., five bass, 20-12, $1,722
4th: Aric Szambelan, Farmington, Minn., five bass, 20-6, $1,205
5th: Cody Miller, Shell Knob, Mo., five bass, 19-14, $1,033
6th: Clay Henderson, Purdy, Mo., five bass, 19-13, $1,247
7th: Cody Ellison, Fordland, Mo., five bass, 19-3, $861
8th: Brock Reinkemeyer, Warsaw, Mo., five bass, 18-9, $775
9th: Camden Kozikoski, Edmond, Okla., five bass, 18-8, $689
10th: Drew Sagely, Rogers, Ark., five bass, 18-1, $603
Edwards also caught a bass that weighed 7 pounds, 2 ounces, and earned the Berkley Big Bass Boater award of $805.
James Welch of Bolivar, Missouri, won the Strike King co-angler division and $2,436 Saturday, after bringing five bass to the scale that totaled 14 pounds, 3 ounces.
The top 10 Strike King co-anglers finished:
2nd: Joshua Ramsey, Columbia, Mo., five bass, 13-10, $1,218
3rd: Jeff Moss, Oronogo, Mo., five bass, 12-15, $1,064
4th: Caleb Welch, Bolivar, Mo., five bass, 12-13, $568
5th: Grant Simmons, Blue Springs, Mo., five bass, 12-3, $487
6th: Tim Bowers, Thayer, Mo., five bass, 12-2, $447
7th: Shaun Smith, Smithville, Mo., five bass, 11-12, $406
8th: Blake Miller, Cedar Falls, Iowa, four bass, 11-11, $365
9th: Brock Krohne, Belton, Mo., five bass, 11-4, $325
10th: Kirk Short, St. Clair, Mo., four bass, 10-14, $284
The next event for BFL Ozark Division anglers will be held March 30, at Lake of the Ozarks in Osage Beach, Missouri. To register for the event as a boater or a co-angler, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com or call (270)-252-1000.
The top 45 boaters and co-anglers in the region based on point standings, along with the five tournament winners of each qualifying event, will qualify for the Oct. 3-5 BFL Regional tournament on Pickwick Lake in Counce, Tennessee. Boaters will fish for a top award of $60,000, including a new Phoenix 819 Pro with a 200-horsepower Mercury or Suzuki outboard and $10,000, while co-anglers will compete for a top award of $50,000, including a new Phoenix 819 Pro with a 200-horsepower Mercury or Suzuki outboard.
The 2024 Phoenix BFL Presented by T-H Marine is a 24-division circuit devoted to weekend anglers, with 128 events throughout the season, five qualifying tournaments in each division. The top 45 boaters and Strike King co-anglers from each division, along with the five qualifying event winners, will advance to one of six BFL Regional tournaments where they are competing to finish in the top six, which then qualifies them for one of the longest-running championships in all of competitive bass fishing – the BFL All-American.
Proud sponsors of the 2024 MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine include: 7Brew, Abu Garcia, B&W Trailer Hitches, Berkley, BUBBA, E3, Epic Baits, Fishing Clash, General Tire, GSM Outdoors, Lew’s, Mercury, Mossy Oak, Onyx, Phoenix, Polaris, Power-Pole, Strike King, Suzuki, Tackle Warehouse, T-H Marine, Toyota and YETI.
For complete details and updated tournament information, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular Bass Fishing League updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF5’s social media outlets at Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.
About Major League Fishing
Major League Fishing (MLF) is the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization, producing more than 250 events annually at some of the most prestigious fisheries in the world, while broadcasting to America’s living rooms on CBS, Discovery Channel, Outdoor Channel, CBS Sports Network, World Fishing Network and on demand on MyOutdoorTV (MOTV). Headquartered in Benton, Kentucky, the MLF roster of bass anglers includes the world’s top pros and more than 30,000 competitors in all 50 states and 17 countries. Since its founding in 2011, MLF has advanced the sport of competitive fishing through its premier television broadcasts and livestreams and is dedicated to improving the quality of life for bass through research, education, fisheries enhancement and fish care.
Power/Rigging Solutions for All Outdoors Activities
Designed and manufactured in the U.S.A., Connect-Ease® makes outdoors activities more enjoyable with reliable, clean power and affordable, easy, hassle-free rigging solutions.
PRIOR LAKE, MN (February 19, 2024) – Connect-Ease® was started by hardcore angler, shooting sports expert/instructor, and hunter, Cal Munkvold.
In the early 1970s, Munkvold grew up in Dakota farm country and learned at a very young age how to improvise fixes on broken equipment and machinery to keep things running smooth. These experiences stayed with him throughout his life, and he lives by a simple motto we’ve heard him utter more than once in the Connect-Ease® shop: “We love to find ways to make things work better while solving everyday problems along the way.”
After a long career in the I.T. consulting industry and a patent for an innovative project management system, Munkvold was encouraged by friends to bring his solution focus to the marine and outdoor industry and he decided to create Connect-Ease® in 2013, following his passion of a lifetime for outdoor pursuits.
Still abiding by the 12-hour work day he learned growing up, Munkvold’s brain is always buzzing with new ideas of how to improve the outdoor experience, especially products that allow an easier, problem-free experience on the water fishing and boating.
“I keep a notebook on my nightstand. Sometimes, I’ll wake up at 2 or 3 in the morning with a customer’s question or problem and write down an idea for a new rigging product. It’s always been that way. I like to make things work easier, faster, and better,” says Munkvold.
And that’s been the case with an outdoors power/rigging solutions company called Connect-Ease, a boot-straps project Cal started out of a modest residential garage space in 2013.
The result?
An unprecedented system for connecting outdoor equipment, with easy removal, maintenance and replacement of all deep cycle and marine-style batteries in various outdoors sports applications.
Additionally, a growing number of Connect-Ease products have been designed specifically to meet growing power demands and lithium battery technology.
“After rigging countless fishing boats, ATVs, golf carts, and lawn tractors for buddies—as well as my own—over the years, I knew there had to be a better way. Same goes for hooking up batteries in everything from RVs, sporting clay machines, back-up power for basement sump pumps, UTVs, golf carts, farm machinery, off-grid systems, you-name-it,” says Munkvold.
From the very start, Munkvold was innovating—creating a family of products like nobody had ever seen before.
He started with a series of easy-to-use, bullet-proof connections for sporting clay machines, then series and parallel rigging kit designs for easy and reliable trolling motor installations, followed by a better way to rig today’s complex fishing electronics without countless trips to the hardware store in search of the correct gauge wire, fuses, fuse blocks, connectors, etc.
“Our focus from the start,” says Munkvold, “was to serve the needs of the overall outdoors community and provide innovative, quality power/rigging kits, parts and accessories, at an affordable price.”
The interest and growing demand quickly became apparent.
Connect-Ease began growing to serve an ever-larger market, and in 2017, Munkvold moved operations and warehouse facilities, which the company quickly outgrew. The company then began a great partnership with a top-notch American manufacturing, assembly and packaging team to serve their growing customer base.
In 2021, Connect-Ease opened a new R&D facility, warehouse, and installation facility in Prior Lake, Minnesota, while expanding their assembly and packaging location in Eden Prairie, Minnesota, to better serve their retail partners (Bass Pro/Cabela’s, Scheels, various distributors, retailers, and multiple lithium battery manufacturers).
The Connect-Ease R&D and installation location has quickly become a national resource and destination for outdoors industry enthusiasts and professionals. Customers from across the country were excited to finally get the power rigging products they needed but were unable to find elsewhere—all at a fair price.
The Connect-Ease team’s expertise helps customers create product and custom solutions that are designed for their unique power/rigging application, all at or below budget.
“From the start, Connect-Ease maintained facilities staffed with power/rigging experts for all outdoors-related equipment, from complex tournament fishing boats with today’s sophisticated electronics, to RV/off-grid systems, motorsports, to equipment for the field and farm. Besides offering turn-key, retail-ready Connect-Ease rigging solutions, our expertise includes creating unique, custom power/rigging applications for multiple industries. The Connect-Ease goal has always been to offer high-quality products that make the outdoors experience problem-free and long-lasting,” offers Munkvold.
Fast-forward to 2023. Connect-Ease now has a nationwide customer base and wide end-user acceptance with literally hundreds of viewable 5-star reviews online. In the fishing arena, the launch of GRAPH-POWER® Pro has earned accolades from tournament pros to weekend anglers for making the set-up of today’s elaborate forward-facing sonar and other fish-finding products a breeze. Rigging that used to take hours now takes minutes.
From a small, garage operation to nationally-recognized leader in their field, Connect-Ease has made excellent use of their expanded facilities, experience, and expertise to serve the outdoor community in the Fishing, Camping, Hunting, Adventure/Play segments, recently adding countless product lines in Kayak Fishing, Ice Fishing, Solar, RV/Off-Grid/Boondocking, Golf Carts, Jet Skis/ATV/UTV, and Agricultural vertical markets.
Connect-Ease products can be found at retailers including Bass Pro/Cabela’s, Scheels, Camping World, Made in USA, Dakota Lithium—and are also stocked by wholesalers/distributors SeaWide and Northern Wholesale.
Anglers can also visit Connect-Ease in person at the Bassmaster Classic Expo, Booth #116, March 22-24, in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Or visit www.connect-ease.com
What’s next for Connect-Ease?
Helping the next guy who drives across the country with his boat to put an end to ongoing power problems—while still providing products via wholesale and retail partners that customers can order online and finally fix their own power/rigging issues affordably at home, and on their own timeframe—or with the rigger of their choice.
On the PR/marketing and social media front, Connect-Ease has enlisted Traditions Media, Pro Fishing Media, and Bassmaster to help educate potential customers and promote the brand across all facets of the fishing and marine space.
Marietta’s Anderson Starts Season with Win at Phoenix Bass Fishing League Event at Lake Lanier
GAINESVILLE, Ga. (Feb. 19, 2024) – Boater Brooks Anderson of Marietta, Georgia, caught a five-bass limit weighing 23 pounds, 3 ounces, Saturday to win the MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League (BFL) Presented by T-H Marine on Lake Lanier . The tournament was the first event of the season for the BFL Bulldog Division. Anderson earned $4,584 for his victory.
Anderson began his day with a run to the south end of Lanier and spent the first three hours of the tournament without a fish in the boat. His first fish – a 4½-pounder – didn’t come until 11 a.m., and he ended up losing that one at the net.
“That was a heartbreaker, to finally get a good bite and then lose it,” Anderson said. He said he caught a few 2-pounders before his day turned around.
“At 11:30 I caught one that was 4¾ and got me pointed in the right direction,” Anderson said. “I ran to another hole and caught one that was just over 4 pounds, and then one that was right at 6 pounds.”
Anderson said his primary techniques used were a shaky-head rig, a Damiki rig and a spoon. He relied on Garmin Livescope to catch bass on the shaky-head rig on secondary points in 15 feet of water. He threw the spoon and Damiki rig around ditches and timber.
Anderson focused on the Six Mile Creek Park area to Buford Dam and said he added a 4-pound fish and a 4½-pound bass with 30 minutes left in the competition to post his final weight.
“When I caught that last 4½-pounder I thought I had a slight chance of winning,” Anderson said. “But I fish a lot of local tournaments out here, and you’re never safe with any weight. So, this feels awesome. It’s my first year to be able to fish a full circuit of BFLs, so I’m really excited for this year.”
The top 10 boaters finished the tournament:
2nd: Alex Prince, Blue Ridge, Ga., five bass, 22-3, $2,292
3rd: Kevin Underwood, Gillsville, Ga., five bass, 21-7, $1,529
4th: Maddux Walters, Canton, Ga., five bass, 20-12, $1,070
5th: Christopher Wilder, Macon, Ga., five bass, 20-1, $1,417 (includes $500 Phoenix MLF Contingency Bonus)
6th: Brad Davis, Statham, Ga., five bass, 20-0, $840
7th: Zac Bennett, Loganville, Ga., five bass, 19-12, $764
8th: Ty Overmyer, Dawsonville, Ga., five bass, 18-15, $688
9th: Jeremy York, Conyers, Ga., five bass, 18-11, $611
10th: Matt O’Connell, Brooks, Ga., five bass, 18-1, $835
Kenneth Cash of Covington, Georgia, caught a bass that weighed 6 pounds, 6 ounces, and earned the Berkley Big Bass Boater award of $675.
Joseph Chilcott of Williamson, Georgia, won the Strike King co-angler division and $2,292 Saturday, after bringing five bass to the scale that totaled 16 pounds, 2 ounces.
The top 10 Strike King co-anglers finished:
2nd: Joshua Green, Cartersville, Ga., five bass, 16-1, $1,146
3rd: Tim Greene, Loganville, Ga., five bass, 15-2, $765
4th: Brady Vaughn, Royston, Ga., five bass, 14-3, $535
5th: John McCoy, Jasper, Ga., five bass, 13-13, $458
6th: Matt Luczynski, Newnan, Ga., five bass, 13-1, $420
7th: Tommy Royston, Hartwell, Ga., five bass, 12-13, $382
8th: Ryan Frazier, Stone Mountain, Ga., five bass, 12-4, $344
9th: Justin Lemaster, Royston, Ga., five bass, 11-14, $306
10th: Steve Phillips, Douglas, Ga., five bass, 11-11, $267
The next event for BFL Bulldog Division anglers will be held March 9, at Lake Lanier in Gainesville, Georgia. To register for the event as a boater or a co-angler, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com or call (270)-252-1000.
The top 45 boaters and co-anglers in the region based on point standings, along with the five tournament winners of each qualifying event, will qualify for the Oct. 10-12 BFL Regional tournament on Santee Cooper Lakes in Clarendon County, South Carolina. Boaters will fish for a top award of $60,000, including a new Phoenix 819 Pro with a 200-horsepower Mercury or Suzuki outboard and $10,000, while co-anglers will compete for a top award of $50,000, including a new Phoenix 819 Pro with a 200-horsepower Mercury or Suzuki outboard.
The 2024 Phoenix BFL Presented by T-H Marine is a 24-division circuit devoted to weekend anglers, with 128 events throughout the season, five qualifying tournaments in each division. The top 45 boaters and Strike King co-anglers from each division, along with the five qualifying event winners, will advance to one of six BFL Regional tournaments where they are competing to finish in the top six, which then qualifies them for one of the longest-running championships in all of competitive bass fishing – the BFL All-American.
Proud sponsors of the 2024 MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine include: 7Brew, Abu Garcia, B&W Trailer Hitches, Berkley, BUBBA, E3, Epic Baits, Fishing Clash, General Tire, GSM Outdoors, Lew’s, Mercury, Mossy Oak, Onyx, Phoenix, Polaris, Power-Pole, Strike King, Suzuki, Tackle Warehouse, T-H Marine, Toyota and YETI.
For complete details and updated tournament information, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular Bass Fishing League updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF5’s social media outlets at Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.
About Major League Fishing
Major League Fishing (MLF) is the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization, producing more than 250 events annually at some of the most prestigious fisheries in the world, while broadcasting to America’s living rooms on CBS, Discovery Channel, Outdoor Channel, CBS Sports Network, World Fishing Network and on demand on MyOutdoorTV (MOTV). Headquartered in Benton, Kentucky, the MLF roster of bass anglers includes the world’s top pros and more than 30,000 competitors in all 50 states and 17 countries. Since its founding in 2011, MLF has advanced the sport of competitive fishing through its premier television broadcasts and livestreams and is dedicated to improving the quality of life for bass through research, education, fisheries enhancement and fish care.
Ranger Boats Team Burleigh & Rodgers Take TXTT on Sam Rayburn with 29.14
BROOKELAND, TX. (February 17, 2024) – It’s been six years since the Ranger Boats team of Casey Burleigh & Josh Rodgers found a magical spot on Sam Rayburn Reservoir. Today, at the first stop of the 2024 Bass Pro Shops & Cabela’s Texas Team Trail presented by Progressive, the team was able to cash in on that magical spot catching a five bass limit worth 29.14. For their efforts, the team walked away with $54,904 in cash and prizes. This included a 2024 Ranger Z-518 with 150hp Mercury motor.
“We started out our day shallow, but it was just blown out by the wind today”, said the winning team. “All day we told ourselves we needed to go out deep and stop trying to gamble on some shallow fish we found in practice. Once we got out there it was a one cast deal and the five-fish we caught were the fish we brought to the scales.”
The team reported catching their fish using a Carolina Rig with a fluke style bait in 35 feet of water.
The team came in early to weigh-in knowing they had a good sack of fish, but didn’t realize it would hold up for the entire weigh-in. “We are super stoked to take the win today, but man that was a long weigh-in sweating it out through all of the other teams,” the team also stated. “We just want to thank our families for all of the support, being here at weigh-in for us, but also Ranger boats for building a great product that we really needed today on a windy Rayburn”
Frazier & Hill Take Second
Taking second place today with a five bass limit of 26.01 was the team of Bubba Frazier Tommy Hill. Relying on Chatterbaits and Lipless Crankbaits all day, the team reported staying shallow all day fishing grass and catching multiple keepers throughout the day and moving around finding active schools.
“There wasn’t anything too specific on the grass we were fishing, the fish told us where we needed to be and where we needed to stay,” said Frazier and Hill. “We want to thank Texas Team Trail for putting on great events for anglers in Texas but also Freedom Firearms for helping us.”
The team took home $7,426.
Third Goes to Nitro Boats team Lohr & Simon
Weighing in 25.05, team Bryan Lohr & Jonathan Simon finished third place.
“Cranking was the deal for us today” said team member Bryan Lohr. “We fished river ledges all day and caught fish all day long throwing a Strike King 6XD. It wasn’t too specific but relating to those ledges seemed to work the best.”
The team also took home Power-Pole Big Bass Award with a 9.05, for this they won a new Pro Series II shallow water anchor system and a check for $5,415.
Rest of the Top-10
· 4th: Clay Phillips & David Shaw- 23.12, $4,585
· 5th: Charles Whited & Mike Power- 23.06, $3,365
· 6th: Rusty Miller & Ricky Stephens- 23.03, $2,810
· 7th: Mike Williams & Rick Williams- 22.04, $2,240
· 8th: Shane Howell & Jeff Reynolds- 22.00, $2,25
· 9th: Spencer Fair & Blake Castleberry- 21.00, $1,800
· 10th: Ryan Reynolds & Jay Bennet- 20.03, $1,695
To register for the 2024 Texas Team Trail tournaments, please read the updated 2024 RULES and then follow this link to register today: https://outdoorteamworks.com/trail/txtt/registration/
2024 Texas Team Trail Schedule:
February 17th - Brookeland, TX | Sam Rayburn Reservoir
March 23rd - Brookeland, TX | Sam Rayburn Reservoir
April 13th - Yantis, TX | Lake Fork
May 4th - Corsicana, TX | Richland Chambers
June 8-9th - Many, LA | Toledo Bend Reservoir - CHAMPIONSHIP
About Texas Team Trail
Texas Team Trail is a part of the Outdoor TeamWorks family of fishing tournaments. The OTW brand offers a wide range of fishing events from professional tournaments to grassroots fishing derbies. All events are supported by some of the top companies in the nation and include on-site activation and activities, as well as extensive media support. For additional live updates and information, follow TXTT on Facebook and Instagram.
2024 Proud Sponsors
Bass Pro Shops, Cabela’s, Progressive, Nitro Boats, Ranger Boats, Triton Boats, Mercury Marine, Aftco, Garmin, Power-Pole, TH Marine, Sunline, Gamakatsu, Rapala, VMC, Gemini G2, BeatDown Outdoors
Kindy notches first career Bassmaster Opens victory on Lake Ouachita
February 17, 2024
Kindy notches first career Bassmaster Opens victory on Lake Ouachita
HOT SPRINGS, Ark. — Jeremiah Kindy has bass fished on Lake Ouachita since he could walk. In fact, he caught his first jig bass as a toddler around a set of islands 2 miles from Brady Mountain Recreation Area fishing with his dad and brother.
This week, he claimed the most impactful victory of his life by winning the St. Croix Bassmaster Open at Lake Ouachita presented by SEVIIN with a three-day total of 52 pounds, 3 ounces, earning the top prize of $44,295.
It was the Benton, Ark., native's first Bassmaster Open appearance since the 2002 Central Open, which was also held at Ouachita.
“This is definitely the most important tournament I’ve ever won,” Kindy said. “It means the world. Just being able to compete and have so many family and friends here. Even if I wouldn’t have won, it would have been awesome. But to get this win is freaking amazing. For three days, I was the best angler on this lake. That’s pretty important.”
With bags of 19-7, 16-5 and 16-7, Kindy outlasted fellow Arkansan Matt Baker, who finished second with 46-13 and third-place Andy Newcomb who finished with 45-12. Although he isn’t currently signed up for the next two Opens in Division II, Kindy plans on fishing both of them, which will make him eligible for the 2025 Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Classic presented by Jockey Outdoors, scheduled for March 21-23 in Fort Worth, Texas.
Since he began fishing tournaments as a teenager, Kindy has earned a reputation from fellow anglers as one of the best anglers on Lake Ouachita. With nearly 200 of the best anglers in the country coming to his home lake, many of whom planned on LiveScoping out deep, he knew he would have to do it his way if he wanted a shot at the win.
“The only way I thought I could win this tournament was to fish to my strengths, and that’s what I did,” he said. “I knew I couldn’t compete with the guys out in the middle of the lake. It set up right. The way we had them two warm days, some females moved up and I got fortunate enough to catch enough of them.”
Kindy’s success revolved around early prespawn staging areas on the main lake where big bass have historically pulled up first. The majority of his bites came up the lake in dirtier water on isolated stretches of bank.
“I ended up catching more than half of my fish up the lake,” Kindy said. “It was just key spots that I know they pull up on first. The places I caught them on, I will catch them in those same places in a month. It lasts a lot longer than people think.”
When the wind kicked up, Kindy moved down lake to clearer water and fished around hydrilla beds. The deep edge of the grass was located in 25 feet of water, but Kindy said the majority of the bass were between the bank and 14 feet of water. Mixed in with the grass were some black rocks, and the bass seemed to hover close to that warmth.
Kindy rotated through three different baits — a Norman Deep Little N crankbait in a chili bowl pattern, a 3/4-ounce Toledo gold-colored Booyah One Knocker and a 3/4-ounce Duo Realis lipless crankbait.
Temperatures rose to 65 degrees on Day 1 and Kindy opened the tournament by catching just under 20 pounds to land in fourth. While warm still, clouds and wind spread over the lake Day 2 and Kindy struggled most of the day, but rallied in the afternoon to take over the lead heading into Championship Saturday.
Air temperatures dropped close to freezing the final morning, which caused some misfortune for Kindy to start the day.
“I picked up my rod with my last Booyah XR75 and I guess my hand quit working. That rod went in the lake,” he explained. “I had my other Trap tied on, so I guess the Lord was telling me to throw that one. That is what I kept in my hands all day today, that Duo Realis one.”
From there, Kindy warmed up and was able to fill his limit by mid-morning around his grass related bass.
“Today was my favorite kind of day, windy and sunny,” he said. “You don’t get a better recipe.”
“It was all main-lake related,” Kindy continued. “I figured out something late yesterday that really helped me out. We had them two warm days and I had been catching them out over the grass. Well, with the cold front, a lot of the big ones stayed up shallow on the rocks.”
After hitting some key stuff early in the morning up the lake and not getting a bite, he returned later in the day and was able to catch three bass in a row to make a couple of key culls. He ended the day close to check-in and sealed the deal with a 3 1/2-pounder.
Entering the day in second place, Baker added 12-3 to his bags of 17-11 and 16-15 the first two days to claim second place.
“I definitely wasn’t fishing this one for second place, but I’m thankful and thankful for (Kindy),” Baker said. “He deserves it. He has 20 more years of knowledge on this place than I do. I’m thankful to be able to stand up on stage with him. That was special.”
The Glenwood, Ark., angler did a little bit of everything this week. Up the lake, he got bites throwing a War Eagle football jig and a spinnerbait. Baker also mixed in a Damiki rig and a jerkbait for bass he saw suspended on cover in the dirty water.
In clear water, he fished hydrilla beds and caught several kicker fish the first two days around that grass. A Booyah One Knocker and Hard Knocker were his best baits around the grass.
While he could see the bass on his forward-facing sonar, Baker struggled early on Day 3.
“They would come out of the structure to look at my jerkbait and it was like they were in slow motion today,” Baker said. “They were not fired up at all. I finally got one giant to eat it and I had him for a few seconds and broke him off. It was one of the right ones.”
After that, he moved into an area where the wind was blowing, began throwing his Booyah One Knocker and proceeded to fill his limit.
“This type of weather is reaction-bite weather,” he explained. “You have to be burning something. I knew it was a Trap day and I picked up the 1/2-ounce Booyah One Knocker. I weighed in my three best fish on it.”
After landing 18-0 and 14-10 the first two days, Newcomb caught four bass weighing 16-7 on the final day. He anchored his Day 3 bag with a 6-3 largemouth he caught with less than an hour left to go.
“Today was terrible,” Newcomb said. “I knew the cold was going to hurt what I was doing, but I didn’t know it was going to hurt it that bad. The bank I started on, I got a number of bites and got three of them to actually commit. I missed the majority of them. From there, it was done. I tried to force that shallow thing.”
The Camdenton, Mo., pro threw a Z-Man Evergreen JackHammer and a wacky-rigged Bait Cave Customs Slim Stick around shallow cover most of the week. The banks he targeted were “the ugliest” he could find. He said they tended to be flatter banks with isolated pieces of wood.
New York pro Zach Goutremout earned $750 for catching the Phoenix Boats Big Bass of the Tournament, a 10-14 lunker largemouth he landed Day 2 using a Damiki rig. Canadian pro Evan Kung earned $500 in Garmin rewards.
By notching his second-straight Top 10 finish, Georgia’s Paul Marks leads the Tackle Warehouse Elite Qualifier points race with 390 points. Minnesota’s Easton Fothergill is second with 384 points, followed by Newcomb in third with 380, Kung in fourth with 376 and Missouri’s Joe Wieberg in fifth with 371. Alabama’s Tucker Smith (367), Georgia’s Emil Wagner (366), California’s Ish Monroe (360) and Texas’ Dakota Ebare (358) round out the Top 9 in points.
The tournament was hosted by Visit Hot Springs.
2024 Bassmaster Opens Series Title Sponsor: St. Croix
2024 Bassmaster Opens Series Presenting Sponsor: SEVIIN
2024 Bassmaster Opens Series Platinum Sponsor: Toyota
2024 Bassmaster Opens Series Premier Sponsors: Bass Pro Shops, Dakota Lithium, Humminbird, Mercury, Minn Kota, Nitro Boats, Power-Pole, Progressive Insurance, Ranger Boats, Rapala, Skeeter Boats, Yamaha
2024 Bassmaster Opens Series Supporting Sponsors: AFTCO, Daiwa, Garmin, Lew's, Lowrance, Marathon, Triton Boats, VMC
About B.A.S.S.B.A.S.S., which encompasses the Bassmaster tournament leagues, events and media platforms, is the worldwide authority on bass fishing and keeper of the culture of the sport, providing cutting-edge content on bass fishing whenever, wherever and however bass fishing fans want to use it. Headquartered in Birmingham, Ala., the 500,000-member organization’s fully integrated media platforms include the industry’s leading magazines (Bassmaster and B.A.S.S. Times), website (Bassmaster.com), TV show, radio show, social media programs and events. For more than 50 years, B.A.S.S. has been dedicated to access, conservation and youth fishing.
30-
Connect with #Bassmaster on Facebook, Instagram, Twitte
Media Contact: Mandy Pascal, Managing Editor, 205-313-0955, mpascal@
2024 St. Croix Bassmaster Open at Lake Ouachita presented by SEVIIN 2/15-2/17
Lake Ouachita, Hot Springs AR.
(BOATER) Standings Day 3
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Pts Total $$$
1. Jeremiah Kindy Benton, AR 15 52-03 200 $44,296.00
Day 1: 5 19-07 Day 2: 5 16-05 Day 3: 5 16-07
2. Matt Baker Glenwood, AR 15 46-13 199 $17,718.00
Day 1: 5 17-11 Day 2: 5 16-15 Day 3: 5 12-03
3. Andy Newcomb Camdenton, MO 14 45-12 198 $13,289.00
Day 1: 5 18-00 Day 2: 5 14-10 Day 3: 4 13-02
4. Logan Johnson Jasper, AL 14 44-14 197 $12,403.00
Day 1: 5 16-13 Day 2: 5 16-07 Day 3: 4 11-10
5. Blake Schroeder Whitehouse, TX 15 44-12 196 $11,517.00
Day 1: 5 17-10 Day 2: 5 14-02 Day 3: 5 13-00
6. Andrew Hargrove Moody, TX 13 44-03 195 $10,631.00
Day 1: 5 19-15 Day 2: 5 14-05 Day 3: 3 09-15
7. Christian Ostrander Turlock, CA 15 43-08 194 $9,745.00
Day 1: 5 12-13 Day 2: 5 19-14 Day 3: 5 10-13
8. Paul Marks Cumming, GA 15 42-08 193 $8,859.00
Day 1: 5 16-03 Day 2: 5 15-12 Day 3: 5 10-09
9. Evan Kung Pickering Ontario CANAD 15 42-05 192 $9,359.00
Day 1: 5 19-09 Day 2: 5 13-01 Day 3: 5 09-11
10. Zach Goutremout Chaumont, NY 14 38-02 191 $9,609.00
Day 1: 5 09-13 Day 2: 5 22-00 Day 3: 4 06-05
------------------------------
PHOENIX BOATS BIG BASS
Zach Goutremout Chaumont, NY 10-14 $750.00
------------------------------
Totals
Day #Limits #Fish Weight
1 141 852 2056-13
2 135 814 1911-13
3 6 45 113-11
------------------------------
282 1711 4082-05
Local knowledge powers Kindy to Day 2 lead in Bassmaster Open on Lake Ouachita
HOT SPRINGS, Ark. — Jeremiah Kindy hasn’t caught many bass this week during the St. Croix Bassmaster Open at Lake Ouachita presented by SEVIIN. But so far, he has caught the right 10 to be leading the event with a two-day total of 35 pounds, 12 ounces.
Adding 16-5 Friday to the 19-7 he caught during Thursday’s opening round, the Benton, Ark., native is just over a pound ahead of fellow Arkansan Matt Baker while Andrew Hargrove remains in the Top 3 with a two-day total of 34-4.
“It feels great to be leading. These guys are killers. I’m proud to fish with them,” Kindy said.
Kindy has fished Lake Ouachita most of his life. But so far, he has been relatively surprised how the lake has fished the last two days.
He figured the Day 2 conditions, cloudy and windy, would create a better bite across the lake than the calm and sunny conditions on the first day. That was not the case as he and many other anglers struggled to find a consistent bite.
“I thought they were going to smash them today,” he said. “This is the exact weather you want on Lake Ouachita.”
Throughout the week, Kindy has caught bass using a crankbait and a Rat-L-Trap around rocky areas that have hydrilla close by. He has caught bass from 2 to 14 feet of water.
With so much knowledge on the lake, Kindy has tried to fish fresh water every day. His most productive spot Friday was a place he didn’t even fish on Day 1. He will likely mix in new water Saturday as well as some of his best spots from Day 1.
“All day, I’m confident that the next stop I make, I’m going to catch one,” he said.
The day did not start well for Kindy, who did not have a bass in the livewell at noon. He changed areas and managed to catch a limit weighing about 9 pounds before returning and culling all but one of those bass with his final tally in the last two hours.
His biggest bass weighed over 4 pounds.
“It is always an adventure on this lake. It is tough,” he said.
Unlike the first two days when temperatures reached the upper 60s, the high temperatures on the final day are only expected to reach the high 40s with winds out of the north Saturday. Kindy isn’t exactly sure how that will affect his bite.
“I thought today was going to be easy and it was hard,” he said. “I thought yesterday was going to be hard and it was easy. I still believe once they start staging, they don’t leave. They may fade back and forth, but I’m going to be throwing around them.”
With bags of 17-11 on Day 1 and 16-16 on Day 2, Baker has done a little bit of everything to achieve his two-day total of 34-10.
“I don’t feel like I’m dialed in, but I’m thankful to be where I’m at,” Baker said.
While this isn’t his home lake, Baker has fished plenty of tournaments on Ouachita. This week, he has bounced back and forth between several different areas with varying degrees of water clarity. He caught his limit using five different baits on Thursday and four different baits on Friday.
“They are around the grass in the clearer water and are in the 11- to 20-foot range,” Baker said. “In the dirtier water, I’m catching them in 2 to 8 feet. I’m seeing fish deeper in dirtier water, but I can’t catch them.”
After bouncing around a couple of spots, Baker found an area where the wind was hitting and caught his first bass, a 5-pound kicker which anchored his bag. He caught another keeper before moving to an area with dirty water and filled his limit.
“I got a limit quick,” Baker said. “It’s a place where I got a lot of my weight yesterday. I caught one of them good ones too, a 4 3/4. It doesn’t seem like there’s a bunch of bass up there. I had two big ones at that point and had all day to catch two more big ones.”
Unfortunately for Baker, he scrambled around most of the afternoon and could not locate another kicker largemouth.
“I really thought I had a chance at a big bag today coming back down here and fishing in the wind,” he said. “I finally culled about 20 or 30 minutes (before check-in), but I had a lot of down time where I wasn’t helping myself. I had to cover tons of water and junk fish and tried to find something for tomorrow.”
Entering the day in second, Hargrove added 14-5 to his 19-15 Day 1 tally. Using his forward-facing sonar, Hargrove has roamed a deep flat that features grass and brushpiles. The bass, however, aren’t relating to the cover and are instead cruising the bottom in anywhere from 20 to 40 feet of water.
“Most of the bass are just swimming on the bottom. Those are mostly singles and I try to throw to them and get them to eat,” Hargrove said. “Yesterday, a few of my bigger ones came out of brushpiles.”
New York’s Zach Goutremout caught a 10-14 largemouth that anchored his 22-0 Day 2 bag, taking control of the race for Phoenix Boats Big Bass.
Robert Jacuzzi from Mount Ida, Ark., won the co-angler competition with a two-day total of 13-11. Jacuzzi landed in eighth after Day 1 with a limit weighing 6-3 before catching 7-8 on the second day. Georgia’s Chad Stahl finished second with a total of 12-2 and Alex Allen was third with 12-1.
Jimmy O’Brien from Southampton, N.Y., earned $250 for catching the Phoenix Boats Big Bass of the Tournament on the co-angler side, a 6-1 largemouth he landed on Day 1.
The Top 10 pros will launch from Brady Mountain Recreation Area at 6:45 a.m. CT Saturday and return for weigh-in at 2:45 p.m. The winner will punch his ticket to the 2025 Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Classic presented by Jockey Outdoors, given they have fished all three tournaments in Division II.
The final day of competition will be broadcast live on FS1 Saturday morning beginning at 6:30 a.m. CT, with streaming available on Bassmaster.com, as well as FS2 and the FOX Sports digital platforms.
The tournament is being hosted by Visit Hot Springs.
2024 Bassmaster Opens Series Title Sponsor: St. Croix
2024 Bassmaster Opens Series Presenting Sponsor: SEVIIN
2024 Bassmaster Opens Series Platinum Sponsor: Toyota
2024 Bassmaster Opens Series Premier Sponsors: Bass Pro Shops, Dakota Lithium, Humminbird, Mercury, Minn Kota, Nitro Boats, Power-Pole, Progressive Insurance, Ranger Boats, Rapala, Skeeter Boats, Yamaha
2024 Bassmaster Opens Series Supporting Sponsors: AFTCO, Daiwa, Garmin, Lew's, Lowrance, Marathon, Triton Boats, VMC
About B.A.S.S.B.A.S.S., which encompasses the Bassmaster tournament leagues, events and media platforms, is the worldwide authority on bass fishing and keeper of the culture of the sport, providing cutting-edge content on bass fishing whenever, wherever and however bass fishing fans want to use it. Headquartered in Birmingham, Ala., the 500,000-member organization’s fully integrated media platforms include the industry’s leading magazines (Bassmaster and B.A.S.S. Times), website (Bassmaster.com), TV show, radio show, social media programs and events. For more than 50 years, B.A.S.S. has been dedicated to access, conservation and youth fishing.
Connect with #Bassmaster on Facebook, Instagram, Twitte
Media Contact: Mandy Pascal, Managing Editor, 205-313-0955, mpascal@
2024 St. Croix Bassmaster Open at Lake Ouachita presented by SEVIIN 2/15-2/17
Lake Ouachita, Hot Springs AR.
(BOATER) Standings Day 2
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Pts Total $$$
1. Jeremiah Kindy Benton, AR 10 35-12 200
Day 1: 5 19-07 Day 2: 5 16-05
2. Matt Baker Glenwood, AR 10 34-10 199
Day 1: 5 17-11 Day 2: 5 16-15
3. Andrew Hargrove Moody, TX 10 34-04 198
Day 1: 5 19-15 Day 2: 5 14-05
4. Logan Johnson Jasper, AL 10 33-04 197
Day 1: 5 16-13 Day 2: 5 16-07
5. Christian Ostrander Turlock, CA 10 32-11 196
Day 1: 5 12-13 Day 2: 5 19-14
6. Evan Kung Pickering Ontario CANAD 10 32-10 195
Day 1: 5 19-09 Day 2: 5 13-01
7. Andy Newcomb Camdenton, MO 10 32-10 194
Day 1: 5 18-00 Day 2: 5 14-10
8. Paul Marks Cumming, GA 10 31-15 193
Day 1: 5 16-03 Day 2: 5 15-12
9. Zach Goutremout Chaumont, NY 10 31-13 192
Day 1: 5 09-13 Day 2: 5 22-00
10. Blake Schroeder Whitehouse, TX 10 31-12 191
Day 1: 5 17-10 Day 2: 5 14-02
11. Easton Fothergill Grand Rapids , MN 10 31-09 190 $7,973.00
Day 1: 5 13-12 Day 2: 5 17-13
12. Cody Stahl Barnsville, GA 10 31-06 189 $6,202.00
Day 1: 5 16-08 Day 2: 5 14-14
13. Dakota Ebare Brookeland, TX 10 30-12 188 $5,316.00
Day 1: 5 15-10 Day 2: 5 15-02
14. Ish Monroe Oakdale, CA 10 30-07 187 $4,429.00
Day 1: 5 12-10 Day 2: 5 17-13
15. Sean Anderson Leesville, SC 10 30-05 186 $4,429.00
Day 1: 5 17-13 Day 2: 5 12-08
16. Joe Wieberg Freeburg, MO 10 30-03 185 $4,429.00
Day 1: 5 13-02 Day 2: 5 17-01
17. Wayne Dixon Morrilton, AR 10 30-02 184 $4,429.00
Day 1: 5 14-14 Day 2: 5 15-04
18. Andrew Loberg Grant, AL 10 29-09 183 $4,429.00
Day 1: 5 11-09 Day 2: 5 18-00
19. Chase Clarke Virginia Beach, VA 10 29-06 182 $4,429.00
Day 1: 5 16-08 Day 2: 5 12-14
20. Clark Reehm Elm Grove, LA 10 29-05 181 $4,429.00
Day 1: 5 13-15 Day 2: 5 15-06
21. Joey Nania Cropwell, AL 10 28-15 180 $4,429.00
Day 1: 5 15-09 Day 2: 5 13-06
22. Quincy Houchin Mabelvale, AR 10 28-14 179 $4,429.00
Day 1: 5 17-04 Day 2: 5 11-10
23. Mark Watson Victoria, TX 10 28-12 178 $4,429.00
Day 1: 5 15-08 Day 2: 5 13-04
24. Emil Wagner Marietta, GA 10 28-12 177 $4,429.00
Day 1: 5 14-13 Day 2: 5 13-15
25. Tom Lloyd Jr Springfield, MO 10 28-10 176 $4,429.00
Day 1: 5 12-14 Day 2: 5 15-12
26. Kollin Crawford Broken Bow, OK 10 28-09 175 $4,429.00
Day 1: 5 13-13 Day 2: 5 14-12
27. Greg Bohannan Bentonville, AR 10 28-08 174 $4,429.00
Day 1: 5 14-10 Day 2: 5 13-14
28. Cody Steckel Las Vegas, NV 10 28-04 173 $4,429.00
Day 1: 5 15-14 Day 2: 5 12-06
29. Brent Shores Boise, ID 10 28-04 172 $4,429.00
Day 1: 5 14-12 Day 2: 5 13-08
30. Kyoya Fujita Yamanashi CA JAPAN 10 28-03 171 $4,429.00
Day 1: 5 13-03 Day 2: 5 15-00
31. Cody Meyer Eagle, ID 10 28-02 170 $3,544.00
Day 1: 5 15-12 Day 2: 5 12-06
32. Josh Butler Hayden, AL 10 27-15 169 $3,544.00
Day 1: 5 13-04 Day 2: 5 14-11
33. Tucker Smith Birmingham, AL 10 27-13 168 $3,544.00
Day 1: 5 14-11 Day 2: 5 13-02
34. Bailey Bleser Burlington, WI 10 27-10 167 $3,544.00
Day 1: 5 12-10 Day 2: 5 15-00
35. Daisuke Kita Ostu Shiga JAPAN 10 27-09 166 $3,544.00
Day 1: 5 15-08 Day 2: 5 12-01
36. Matt Pangrac Shawnee, OK 10 27-08 165 $3,544.00
Day 1: 5 11-08 Day 2: 5 16-00
37. Jimmy Washam Stantonville, TN 10 27-04 164 $3,544.00
Day 1: 5 11-13 Day 2: 5 15-07
38. Dale Hightower Mannford, OK 10 27-02 163 $3,544.00
Day 1: 5 11-07 Day 2: 5 15-11
39. Jay Nyce Rogers, AR 10 26-13 162 $3,544.00
Day 1: 5 10-07 Day 2: 5 16-06
40. Chad Grigsby Maple Grove, MN 10 26-10 161 $3,544.00
Day 1: 5 15-01 Day 2: 5 11-09
41. Tristan McCormick Burns, TN 10 26-07 160 $3,544.00
Day 1: 5 12-15 Day 2: 5 13-08
42. Cody Bird Granbury, TX 10 26-04 159 $3,544.00
Day 1: 5 13-02 Day 2: 5 13-02
43. Brock Belik Orchard, NE 10 25-10 158 $3,544.00
Day 1: 5 09-04 Day 2: 5 16-06
44. Austin Cranford Norman, OK 10 25-08 157 $3,544.00
Day 1: 5 13-04 Day 2: 5 12-04
45. Jack Dice Lynchburg, VA 10 25-05 156 $3,544.00
Day 1: 5 14-10 Day 2: 5 10-11
46. Derek Sandlin Mount Ida, AR 10 25-05 155
Day 1: 5 13-03 Day 2: 5 12-02
47. Sean Clayton Seneca, SC 10 25-04 154
Day 1: 5 12-11 Day 2: 5 12-09
48. Brady Vernon Sterrett, AL 10 25-03 153
Day 1: 5 10-14 Day 2: 5 14-05
49. Brandon McMillan Clewiston, FL 10 25-02 152
Day 1: 5 13-11 Day 2: 5 11-07
49. Luke Palmer Coalgate, OK 10 25-02 152
Day 1: 5 11-07 Day 2: 5 13-11
51. Trevor McKinney Noble, IL 10 25-01 150
Day 1: 5 12-00 Day 2: 5 13-01
52. Bo Thomas Edwardsburg, MI 10 24-15 149
Day 1: 5 13-12 Day 2: 5 11-03
53. Beau Browning Hot Springs National Pa 10 24-13 148
Day 1: 5 13-15 Day 2: 5 10-14
54. Jack York Emory, TX 10 24-11 147
Day 1: 5 13-00 Day 2: 5 11-11
55. Allan Nail Sand Springs, OK 8 24-10 146
Day 1: 5 17-06 Day 2: 3 07-04
56. Brayden Rakes Winston Salem, NC 10 24-07 145
Day 1: 5 13-07 Day 2: 5 11-00
57. Ty Faber Pagosa Springs, CO 10 24-06 144
Day 1: 5 11-12 Day 2: 5 12-10
58. Elijah Benson Dahlonega, GA 10 24-05 143
Day 1: 5 11-07 Day 2: 5 12-14
59. Bart Stanisz Austin, TX 10 24-01 142
Day 1: 5 11-06 Day 2: 5 12-11
60. Yui Aoki Minamitsurugun JAPAN 10 23-15 141
Day 1: 5 11-15 Day 2: 5 12-00
61. Matt Adams Oxford, AL 10 23-13 140
Day 1: 5 10-03 Day 2: 5 13-10
62. Laker Howell Guntersville, AL 10 23-13 139
Day 1: 5 12-03 Day 2: 5 11-10
63. Kenta Kimura Osaka OK JAPAN 10 23-12 138
Day 1: 5 13-08 Day 2: 5 10-04
64. Freddy Palmer Estill Springs, TN 10 23-12 137
Day 1: 5 12-08 Day 2: 5 11-04
65. Kyle Palmer Winchester, TN 10 23-11 136
Day 1: 5 12-11 Day 2: 5 11-00
66. Jim Moynagh Remer, MN 9 23-10 135
Day 1: 5 13-08 Day 2: 4 10-02
67. Masayuki Matsushita Porter TX JAPAN 10 23-10 134
Day 1: 5 11-06 Day 2: 5 12-04
68. MIke Surman Boca Raton, FL 7 23-09 133
Day 1: 5 20-05 Day 2: 2 03-04
69. Josh Wiesner Fon du Lac, WI 10 23-07 132
Day 1: 5 12-08 Day 2: 5 10-15
70. Jason Borofka Lavon, TX 10 23-06 131
Day 1: 5 09-08 Day 2: 5 13-14
71. Paul Browning Monahans, TX 10 23-06 130
Day 1: 5 13-11 Day 2: 5 09-11
72. Paul Bouvier Kingston CANADA 10 23-05 129
Day 1: 5 10-00 Day 2: 5 13-05
73. Jacob Bigelow Cecil, WI 10 23-05 128
Day 1: 5 11-04 Day 2: 5 12-01
74. Bobby Bakewell Orlando, FL 10 23-00 127
Day 1: 5 11-13 Day 2: 5 11-03
75. Scout Echols Monticello, AR 9 22-15 126
Day 1: 4 10-10 Day 2: 5 12-05
76. Garrett Warren Scottsboro, AL 10 22-13 125
Day 1: 5 13-11 Day 2: 5 09-02
77. Derek Lehtonen Woodruff, SC 10 22-13 124
Day 1: 5 11-04 Day 2: 5 11-09
78. Garrett Paquette Canton, MI 10 22-11 123
Day 1: 5 13-00 Day 2: 5 09-11
79. Scott Canterbury Odenville, AL 10 22-11 122
Day 1: 5 12-11 Day 2: 5 10-00
80. Brett Cannon Kiln, MS 10 22-10 121
Day 1: 5 14-02 Day 2: 5 08-08
81. Kevin Brown Malvern, AR 10 22-10 120
Day 1: 5 11-13 Day 2: 5 10-13
82. Lafe Messer Warfield, KY 9 22-08 119
Day 1: 4 06-15 Day 2: 5 15-09
83. Takayuki Koike Otsu-City JAPAN 10 22-08 118
Day 1: 5 12-02 Day 2: 5 10-06
84. Trey Schroeder Theodosia, MO 10 22-07 117
Day 1: 5 09-15 Day 2: 5 12-08
85. Gary Clouse Winchester, TN 8 22-06 116
Day 1: 3 06-08 Day 2: 5 15-14
86. Richard Lowitzki Fort Myers, FL 8 22-03 115
Day 1: 5 15-10 Day 2: 3 06-09
87. Dalton Smith Taylorsville, KY 10 22-00 114
Day 1: 5 09-03 Day 2: 5 12-13
88. Nick Trim Galesville, WI 10 21-12 113
Day 1: 5 13-03 Day 2: 5 08-09
89. Sam Hanggi Knoxville, TN 9 21-10 112
Day 1: 5 12-00 Day 2: 4 09-10
90. Keith Brumfield Vicksburg, MS 10 21-07 111
Day 1: 5 09-08 Day 2: 5 11-15
91. Kelvin Wilcox Hazlehurst, GA 10 21-07 110
Day 1: 5 10-13 Day 2: 5 10-10
92. Andrew Upshaw Hemphill, TX 10 21-06 109
Day 1: 5 11-08 Day 2: 5 09-14
93. Cliff Pace Ovett, MS 10 21-06 108
Day 1: 5 10-08 Day 2: 5 10-14
94. Charlie Hartley Grove City, OH 9 21-04 107
Day 1: 5 13-11 Day 2: 4 07-09
95. Matt Messer Warfield, KY 10 21-03 106
Day 1: 5 08-02 Day 2: 5 13-01
96. Caden Cowan Stephenville, TX 10 20-13 105
Day 1: 5 11-05 Day 2: 5 09-08
97. Jonathan Dietz Corry, PA 10 20-13 104
Day 1: 5 10-05 Day 2: 5 10-08
98. Steve Drinnon Wetumpka, AL 10 20-11 103
Day 1: 5 10-07 Day 2: 5 10-04
99. Kevin Ledoux Choctaw, OK 10 20-10 102
Day 1: 5 11-02 Day 2: 5 09-08
100. Jackson Swisher Lake City, FL 10 20-09 101
Day 1: 5 08-07 Day 2: 5 12-02
101. Darold Gleason Many, LA 10 20-08 100
Day 1: 5 11-02 Day 2: 5 09-06
102. Chris Griffin Brickeys, AR 9 20-07 99
Day 1: 4 08-11 Day 2: 5 11-12
103. Andrew Harp Linden, TX 8 20-05 98
Day 1: 5 11-15 Day 2: 3 08-06
104. James Niggemeyer Van, TX 10 20-05 97
Day 1: 5 10-02 Day 2: 5 10-03
105. John Voyles Petersburg, IN 9 20-04 96
Day 1: 4 07-04 Day 2: 5 13-00
106. Jacob Thompkins Myrtle Beach, SC 9 20-03 95
Day 1: 4 08-13 Day 2: 5 11-06
107. Tai Au Glendale, AZ 10 20-02 94
Day 1: 5 11-07 Day 2: 5 08-11
108. Sam George Athens, AL 10 20-02 93
Day 1: 5 09-06 Day 2: 5 10-12
109. Doc Wootton Collierville, TN 10 19-15 92
Day 1: 5 11-11 Day 2: 5 08-04
110. Craig Danna West Monroe, LA 10 19-13 91
Day 1: 5 11-05 Day 2: 5 08-08
111. Chris Blanchette Edisto Island, SC 10 19-13 90
Day 1: 5 10-01 Day 2: 5 09-12
112. Zack Williams Shell Knob, MO 10 19-12 89
Day 1: 5 08-15 Day 2: 5 10-13
113. Alex Heintze Denham Springs, LA 9 19-11 88
Day 1: 4 09-12 Day 2: 5 09-15
114. Jason Lambert Savannah, TN 7 19-10 87
Day 1: 2 06-09 Day 2: 5 13-01
115. Philip Roesener Choctaw, OK 9 19-08 86
Day 1: 5 11-07 Day 2: 4 08-01
116. Billy Smith Montgomery, TX 8 19-07 85
Day 1: 4 10-14 Day 2: 4 08-09
117. Kyle Austin Ridgeville, SC 10 19-07 84
Day 1: 5 10-01 Day 2: 5 09-06
118. Cole Drummond Effingham, SC 9 19-05 83
Day 1: 4 06-03 Day 2: 5 13-02
119. Evan Ferguson Catlettsburg, KY 10 19-02 82
Day 1: 5 08-11 Day 2: 5 10-07
120. Lance Crawford Broken Bow, OK 10 19-02 81
Day 1: 5 09-08 Day 2: 5 09-10
121. Trey Swindle Cleveland, AL 10 18-11 80
Day 1: 5 09-13 Day 2: 5 08-14
122. Casey Scanlon Eldon, MO 10 18-09 79
Day 1: 5 11-12 Day 2: 5 06-13
123. Chris Hellebuyck White Lake, MI 10 18-09 78
Day 1: 5 08-07 Day 2: 5 10-02
124. Danny McGarry Newcastle CANADA 8 18-08 77
Day 1: 5 11-08 Day 2: 3 07-00
125. Kyle Metzger Pearl River, LA 9 18-04 76
Day 1: 4 06-05 Day 2: 5 11-15
126. Adam Rasmussen Sturgeon Bay, WI 8 18-01 75
Day 1: 5 13-04 Day 2: 3 04-13
127. Wardell Motley Jr Cleburne, TX 9 18-01 74
Day 1: 5 11-09 Day 2: 4 06-08
128. Bryan Partak Marseilles, IL 10 18-01 73
Day 1: 5 10-04 Day 2: 5 07-13
129. Billy Gilbert Hamburg, NY 8 18-00 72
Day 1: 5 11-03 Day 2: 3 06-13
130. Scott Isaacs Ladonia, TX 8 18-00 71
Day 1: 3 08-07 Day 2: 5 09-09
131. Dylan Mayo Athens, TX 6 17-14 70
Day 1: 5 15-06 Day 2: 1 02-08
132. Logan Mcdaniel Forbestown, CA 10 17-13 69
Day 1: 5 10-04 Day 2: 5 07-09
133. Stan Kaminski Jonestown, TX 10 17-10 68
Day 1: 5 09-09 Day 2: 5 08-01
134. Tommy Dunaway Havana, FL 8 17-06 67
Day 1: 5 12-06 Day 2: 3 05-00
135. Danny Ramsey Trinidad, TX 10 17-03 66
Day 1: 5 13-04 Day 2: 5 03-15
136. Cody Detweiler Guntersville, AL 9 17-02 65
Day 1: 5 10-09 Day 2: 4 06-09
137. Kyle Weisenburger Columbus Grv, OH 10 17-00 64
Day 1: 5 07-05 Day 2: 5 09-11
138. Steven Doolittle Chelsea, OK 10 16-15 63
Day 1: 5 10-08 Day 2: 5 06-07
139. Connor Jacob Auburn, AL 9 16-15 62
Day 1: 4 06-07 Day 2: 5 10-08
140. Brian Mullaney Ijamsville, MD 8 16-13 61
Day 1: 5 09-02 Day 2: 3 07-11
141. Tripp Noojin Bryant, AL 9 16-12 60
Day 1: 4 09-05 Day 2: 5 07-07
142. Fisher Davis Mount Ida, AR 7 16-10 59
Day 1: 5 14-00 Day 2: 2 02-10
143. Andy Beloat Montgomery, TX 8 16-10 58
Day 1: 3 04-09 Day 2: 5 12-01
144. Jason Abram Piney Flats, TN 10 16-07 57
Day 1: 5 08-10 Day 2: 5 07-13
145. Nathan Thompson Eagan, MN 8 16-03 56
Day 1: 4 08-05 Day 2: 4 07-14
146. Chris Beaudrie Princeton, KY 8 16-01 55
Day 1: 5 11-06 Day 2: 3 04-11
147. Jeremy Radford Huntly, VA 6 15-13 54
Day 1: 2 06-07 Day 2: 4 09-06
148. Blake Smith Lakeland, FL 7 15-10 53
Day 1: 2 04-04 Day 2: 5 11-06
149. Randall Tharp Port St. Joe, FL 10 15-10 52
Day 1: 5 08-03 Day 2: 5 07-07
150. Brian Post Janesville, WI 8 15-07 51
Day 1: 4 09-01 Day 2: 4 06-06
151. Tucker Veronee Gilbert, SC 8 15-06 50
Day 1: 5 10-01 Day 2: 3 05-05
152. Keith Tuma Brainerd, MN 8 15-04 49
Day 1: 4 07-12 Day 2: 4 07-08
153. Allen Armour Cumming, GA 8 15-00 48
Day 1: 4 08-03 Day 2: 4 06-13
154. Bobby Carver Lebanon, MO 6 14-15 47
Day 1: 5 12-13 Day 2: 1 02-02
155. Lance Owen Greer, SC 7 14-12 46
Day 1: 2 03-04 Day 2: 5 11-08
156. Brett Hite Phoenix, AZ 8 14-11 45
Day 1: 3 04-00 Day 2: 5 10-11
157. Russ Lane Prattville, AL 9 14-10 44
Day 1: 4 06-04 Day 2: 5 08-06
158. Creighton Sawyer Paron, AR 6 14-03 43
Day 1: 2 06-10 Day 2: 4 07-09
159. Jack Tindel III Orange, TX 6 14-00 42
Day 1: 3 06-13 Day 2: 3 07-03
160. Wardell Motley III Little Rock, AR 7 13-11 41
Day 1: 2 05-02 Day 2: 5 08-09
161. Lucas Ragusa Gonzales, LA 5 13-03 40
Day 1: 5 13-03 Day 2: 0 00-00
162. Richard Kaluba Litchfield, OH 7 12-11 39
Day 1: 3 04-14 Day 2: 4 07-13
163. Zeke Gossett Pell City, AL 5 12-07 38
Day 1: 5 12-07 Day 2: 0 00-00
164. Mike McClelland Blue Eye, MO 8 12-03 37
Day 1: 5 08-06 Day 2: 3 03-13
165. Tim Frederick Leesburg, FL 6 12-00 36
Day 1: 1 02-11 Day 2: 5 09-05
166. Dustin Reneau Mckinney, TX 5 11-13 35
Day 1: 5 11-13 Day 2: 0 00-00
166. Mike Rhinehart Pottsville, AR 5 11-13 35
Day 1: 5 11-13 Day 2: 0 00-00
166. Kevin Short Fairfield Bay, AR 5 11-13 35
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 5 11-13
169. Andrew Behnke Fond Du Lac, WI 6 11-09 32
Day 1: 4 06-14 Day 2: 2 04-11
170. Teb Jones Yalaha, MS 5 11-01 31
Day 1: 5 11-01 Day 2: 0 00-00
171. Scott Kerslake Okeechobee, FL 6 11-00 30
Day 1: 4 05-09 Day 2: 2 05-07
172. Frank Williams Mountain Home, AR 6 10-14 29
Day 1: 1 01-01 Day 2: 5 09-13
173. Alex Murray Lake Charles, LA 7 10-08 28
Day 1: 4 06-02 Day 2: 3 04-06
174. Shane Lineberger Lincolnton, NC 5 10-00 27
Day 1: 5 10-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
175. Brad Leuthner Victoria, MN 5 09-15 26
Day 1: 1 02-04 Day 2: 4 07-11
176. Jason Lieblong Conway, AR 5 09-09 25
Day 1: 5 09-09 Day 2: 0 00-00
177. Kevin Dritschler Prosper, TX 5 09-09 24
Day 1: 2 03-12 Day 2: 3 05-13
178. Avery Williams Murrells Inlt, SC 5 09-06 23
Day 1: 3 05-00 Day 2: 2 04-06
179. Chancy Walters West Des Moines, IA 5 09-02 22
Day 1: 4 06-06 Day 2: 1 02-12
180. Chris Kingree Inverness, FL 4 08-15 21
Day 1: 1 02-02 Day 2: 3 06-13
181. Derrick Sadlowski Monaca, PA 4 08-11 20
Day 1: 3 05-15 Day 2: 1 02-12
182. Phillip Kroll Otego, NY 4 08-08 19
Day 1: 1 02-03 Day 2: 3 06-05
183. Clint Leonard Jr Saint Cloud, FL 4 07-03 18
Day 1: 1 01-09 Day 2: 3 05-10
184. Bryan Finch Belton, TX 3 07-00 17
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 3 07-00
185. Jim Dillard West Monroe, LA 4 06-08 16
Day 1: 4 06-08 Day 2: 0 00-00
186. Joey Hanna Corsicana, TX 3 06-05 15
Day 1: 2 03-14 Day 2: 1 02-07
187. Teddy Bogard White Hall, AR 3 06-04 14
Day 1: 3 06-04 Day 2: 0 00-00
188. Mark Hooker Montgomery, TX 2 06-03 13
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 2 06-03
189. Tim Tyndell Mineola, TX 4 06-01 12
Day 1: 3 04-08 Day 2: 1 01-09
190. Billy McDonald Greenwood, IN 3 05-09 11
Day 1: 1 02-01 Day 2: 2 03-08
191. Keith Brashers Rogers, AR 3 05-07 10
Day 1: 3 05-07 Day 2: 0 00-00
192. Wyatt Wimberley Broaddus, TX 3 05-06 9
Day 1: 1 01-12 Day 2: 2 03-10
193. Seiji Kato Los Alamitos CA JAPAN 2 04-12 8
Day 1: 1 03-05 Day 2: 1 01-07
194. Stephanie Hemphill Village Mills, TX 3 04-08 7
Day 1: 2 02-15 Day 2: 1 01-09
195. Joaquin Covas Waco, TX 2 04-05 6
Day 1: 2 04-05 Day 2: 0 00-00
196. Billy Billeaud Lafayette, LA 1 02-03 5
Day 1: 1 02-03 Day 2: 0 00-00
197. Clay Dyer Fayetteville, TN 1 02-02 4
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 1 02-02
198. Don Bradshaw Jr San Antonio, TX 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
198. Tony Dumitras Winston, GA 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
------------------------------
Totals
Day #Limits #Fish Weight
1 141 852 2056-13
2 135 814 1911-13
------------------------------
276 1666 3968-10
2024 St. Croix Bassmaster Open at Lake Ouachita presented by SEVIIN 2/15-2/17
Lake Ouachita, Hot Springs AR.
(NON_BOATER) Standings Day 2
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Pts Total $$$
1. Robert Jacuzzi Mount Ida, AR 5 13-11 200 $7,480.00
Day 1: 2 06-03 Day 2: 3 07-08
2. Chad Stahl Barnesville, GA 6 12-02 199 $1,760.00
Day 1: 3 04-08 Day 2: 3 07-10
3. Alex Allen Benton, AR 5 12-01 198 $1,320.00
Day 1: 3 07-12 Day 2: 2 04-05
4. Joshua Ford Story, AR 6 12-00 197 $990.00
Day 1: 3 04-01 Day 2: 3 07-15
5. Jon Paulovich Benton, AR 6 11-13 196 $924.00
Day 1: 3 05-07 Day 2: 3 06-06
6. Jimmy Obrien Southampton, NY 4 11-01 195 $1,130.00
Day 1: 1 06-01 Day 2: 3 05-00
7. A.J. Menssen Bloomington, IL 5 10-10 194 $836.00
Day 1: 2 04-05 Day 2: 3 06-05
8. Tristan Bramblett Tiger, GA 4 10-07 193 $792.00
Day 1: 3 06-10 Day 2: 1 03-13
9. Derek Dixon Pearcy, AR 5 09-14 192 $726.00
Day 1: 2 03-15 Day 2: 3 05-15
10. Chris Darby Hot Springs, AR 4 09-13 191 $660.00
Day 1: 3 08-02 Day 2: 1 01-11
11. Tyler Pursley Mattawan, MI 5 09-11 190 $616.00
Day 1: 3 06-07 Day 2: 2 03-04
12. Gene Mitchell Stuart, OK 4 09-00 189 $572.00
Day 1: 1 03-10 Day 2: 3 05-06
13. Chris Gaudin East Camden, AR 5 08-14 188 $484.00
Day 1: 2 02-09 Day 2: 3 06-05
14. Adam Tims Royse City, TX 5 08-10 187 $440.00
Day 1: 3 05-09 Day 2: 2 03-01
15. Hayden Spradling Gilbert, AZ 4 08-09 186 $396.00
Day 1: 2 04-02 Day 2: 2 04-07
16. Marvin Howard Austin, AR 3 08-08 185 $352.00
Day 1: 1 04-11 Day 2: 2 03-13
17. David Waack Cary, NC 3 08-04 184 $330.00
Day 1: 2 05-02 Day 2: 1 03-02
18. Scott Bunday Plano, TX 4 08-02 183 $330.00
Day 1: 3 06-10 Day 2: 1 01-08
19. Leonard Humphrey Alexander, AR 3 07-15 182 $330.00
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 3 07-15
19. Mike Steckel Las Vegas, NV 3 07-15 182 $330.00
Day 1: 3 07-15 Day 2: 0 00-00
21. Jon Mohon Sr Metairie, LA 5 07-13 180 $308.00
Day 1: 2 02-08 Day 2: 3 05-05
22. Mitchell Shelby Hensley, AR 5 07-12 179 $308.00
Day 1: 3 04-13 Day 2: 2 02-15
23. Kyle Gates Little Rock, AR 3 07-10 178 $308.00
Day 1: 1 02-14 Day 2: 2 04-12
24. Steve Kline Normangee, TX 5 07-10 177 $308.00
Day 1: 3 04-07 Day 2: 2 03-03
25. Scott Rice Cobden, IL 3 07-04 176 $308.00
Day 1: 3 07-04 Day 2: 0 00-00
26. Stephen Simms Hot Springs, AR 3 07-02 175 $264.00
Day 1: 1 03-11 Day 2: 2 03-07
27. Rick Habarka North Little Rock, AR 4 07-01 174 $264.00
Day 1: 1 01-06 Day 2: 3 05-11
28. Jason Barber Gun Barrel City, TX 4 07-01 173 $264.00
Day 1: 1 02-07 Day 2: 3 04-10
29. Sakae Ushio Tonawanda, NY 4 06-15 172 $264.00
Day 1: 1 01-10 Day 2: 3 05-05
30. John Goul Philadelphia, MS 4 06-14 171 $264.00
Day 1: 3 05-01 Day 2: 1 01-13
31. Aj Mays Sherwood, AR 2 06-12 170 $242.00
Day 1: 1 03-08 Day 2: 1 03-04
32. Reagan Brown Hot Springs National Pa 3 06-05 169 $242.00
Day 1: 2 04-09 Day 2: 1 01-12
33. Gary Bates Athens, AL 3 06-03 168 $242.00
Day 1: 1 02-08 Day 2: 2 03-11
34. Todd Robertson Youngsville, LA 3 05-13 167 $242.00
Day 1: 1 01-06 Day 2: 2 04-07
35. Bob Hanna Jr Corsicana, TX 2 05-12 166 $242.00
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 2 05-12
36. Michael Leach Shenandoah, TX 4 05-12 165 $242.00
Day 1: 1 01-03 Day 2: 3 04-09
37. Donny Vining Little Rock, AR 3 05-03 164 $242.00
Day 1: 2 03-08 Day 2: 1 01-11
38. Mark Cowart Kearney, MO 2 05-03 163 $242.00
Day 1: 1 01-11 Day 2: 1 03-08
39. Clayton Self Mabelvale, AR 3 04-09 162 $242.00
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 3 04-09
40. Jerry Gonzalez Rivero Laredo TX Coah MEXICO 3 04-08 161 $242.00
Day 1: 3 04-08 Day 2: 0 00-00
41. Stephen Wolownik Bloomingdale, MI 3 04-07 160
Day 1: 2 03-02 Day 2: 1 01-05
42. Carson Humphrey Benton, AR 2 04-04 159
Day 1: 1 02-11 Day 2: 1 01-09
43. Karl Voss Sulphur, LA 2 04-03 158
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 2 04-03
44. Jimmy Fellegy Mustang, OK 2 04-01 157
Day 1: 1 02-08 Day 2: 1 01-09
45. Gary Haraguchi Murfreesboro, TN 1 04-00 156
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 1 04-00
46. Ty Kenyon Dodgeville, WI 3 03-12 155
Day 1: 0 -01-00 Day 2: 3 04-12
47. Jacob Burkhead Benton, AR 2 03-09 154
Day 1: 2 03-09 Day 2: 0 00-00
48. Trey Gulley Palmhurst, TX 3 03-09 153
Day 1: 2 02-05 Day 2: 1 01-04
49. Jacob Altman Edgewood, TX 2 03-06 152
Day 1: 2 03-06 Day 2: 0 00-00
50. Niko Romero Coldspring, TX 2 03-03 151
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 2 03-03
51. Jimmy Brumfield Madison, MS 2 03-00 150
Day 1: 1 01-11 Day 2: 1 01-05
52. Ryan Rodgers Perry, OK 2 02-10 149
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 2 02-10
53. Hays Reeling Waukesha, WI 1 02-10 148
Day 1: 1 02-10 Day 2: 0 00-00
54. Brandon Clayton Haslet , TX 1 02-05 147
Day 1: 1 02-05 Day 2: 0 00-00
54. Kara Moss Tyler, TX 1 02-05 147
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 1 02-05
56. Allen Heston Pittsburg, TX 1 02-01 145
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 1 02-01
57. Richard Greene Ocala, FL 1 01-11 144
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 1 01-11
58. James Copeland Jonesboro, AR 1 01-08 143
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 1 01-08
59. T.J. Reed Fredericktown, MO 1 01-06 142
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 1 01-06
60. Hunter Stanislawski Lake Geneva, WI 1 00-00 141
Day 1: 1 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
61. Scott Dondlinger Scottsboro, AL 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
61. Allen Greenwood Little Rock, AR 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
61. David Patterson Flowood, MS 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
61. Mark Sloan Harrison, AR 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
61. Daniel Vasquez Boynton Beach, FL 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
61. Todd Wilcox Jonesboro, AR 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
------------------------------
Totals
Day #Limits #Fish Weight
1 15 90 185-12
2 17 101 200-04
------------------------------
32 191 386-00
Auburn University Angler Hayden Marbut Wins Toyota Series Presented by Phoenix Boats at Lake Guntersville
SCOTTSBORO, Ala. (Feb. 16, 2024) – Less than a week removed from 21-year-old phenom Drew Gill’s Tackle Warehouse Invitationals win at Sam Rayburn , 20-year-old Auburn University standout Hayden Marbut bested Gill (11th) Friday at Lake Guntersville in the Toyota Series Presented by Phoenix Boats Central Division opener in impressive fashion, weighing in just a tick over 70 pounds of bass – the only angler in the field to crack the 70-pound mark over three days.
Like Gill at Rayburn, Marbut leaned on his aptitude with forward-facing sonar – not to mention his vast experience on Guntersville – to best an enormous field of 260 anglers. He did so with unmatched consistency, weighing in 22-10, 25-1 and 22-6, respectively, edging out Day 2 leader Matt O’Connell (69-15) by just 2 ounces.
For Marbut, the first major solo win of his bass fishing career adds to a stacked resume for a bass fishing phenom not even old enough to have a celebratory beer.
“I’m a junior this year and I’ll be a senior next year, but I plan on staying a fifth year,” he said. “I’ve fished so much the last couple years that there’s no chance of me graduating on time.
“I’ve been super fortunate. I won a high school national championship and was able to win two college national championships last year, and that’s kind of what drove me to compete at this level.”
One of the young anglers many turn to when discussing the future of the sport, Marbut’s affinity for catching big bass using forward-facing sonar is no surprise. At Guntersville, he caught all the fish he weighed in ‘Scoping, though it wasn’t as easy as just eyeballing some fish and casting to them.
After finishing fourth in the Phoenix Bass Fishing League (BFL) event at Guntersville the previous weekend, Marbut spent the following few days practicing, trying to adjust to changing weather and water conditions. In the days that followed that BFL, current started ripping on Guntersville, blowing out formerly productive areas and completely changing the way fish were setting up.
“We had a lot of changing conditions this week,” he said. “Everything changed, and I had to adjust a lot. I had to find completely new fish. Everything I was fishing last week was blown out. The current really affected it.”
Because Marbut is from Birmingham and attends Auburn University, he’s spent what he estimates to be thousands of hours on Guntersville (“I’ve idled this entire lake just about and I can tell you just about where anything is out here”). As such, he was able to pivot to new, similarly productive plans that involved finding some cleaner water outside the ripping current of the main river.
“I had two main little places in an area that had a lot of bait, and I focused in on one of them today (Friday),” he said. “They were both just out of the current and there was a little bit cleaner water. I think that was something that was really special about them.
“There was clearer water, and I could get my bait down to them. They could see it from a little bit further. Trying to lead these fish with forward-facing sonar in this current and adjust with the wind and everything like that is hard to do. That cleaner water helped me get extra bites when I was looking at them.”
In those areas, bass were more prone to suspend (as opposed to sticking tight to the bottom around current breaks as the main-lake bass were often doing throughout the event), making them a little easier to target.
For the task, Marbut relied on a 3/8-ounce Picasso ball head tipped with a fluke-style bait, tied to 15-pound-test P-Line braid with a 12-pound-test P-Line fluorocarbon leader. That was spooled on 3000-size Shimano Sustain reels and a pair of different rods: A 6-foot-10 G. Loomis NRX+ and a 7-foot Hammer rod.
As for his Garmin LiveScope settings, Marbut kept it pretty simple and stuck with the range settings he’s used to: 90 feet out and 40 feet deep.
“That’s what I’ve gotten the most comfortable with,” he said. “I’ve been using that range for a long time and I’m able to hit them efficiently; I can really tell how big they are that way. You have to play with it a lot to understand and interpret everything that you’re reading on the LiveScope, but I’ve been able to look at the screen so much and get comfortable with that range that I’ve been able to target some of the bigger ones.”
That was certainly the case over three days at Guntersville. Marbut’s spots, both “way down the lake,” produced multiple 5- and 6-pound fish over the first two days and kicked out more than 20 pounds early in the day on Day 3. From there, it was just a matter of slowly culling up throughout the day for enough weight to eke out the win over O’Connell in second.
For the win, Marbut was awarded a $100,000 check (which included a $35,000 Phoenix MLF Bonus) and the pride of winning a major solo tournament so early in his fishing career. He’ll tell you, though, it wasn’t about the money.
“The money’s cool and all, but I’ve never fished for the money,” he said. “I just love bass fishing. This is what I do every single day, and it’s what I’m going to try to do every day for the rest of my life.”
The top 10 pros on Lake Guntersville finished:
1st: Hayden Marbut, Birmingham, Ala., 15 bass, 70-1, $100,000
2nd: Matt O’Connell, Brooks, Ga, 15 bass, 69-15, $28,300
3rd: Mickey Beck, Lebanon, Tenn., 15 bass, 66-9, $18,000
4th: Travis Alcock, Burlington, Wis., 15 bass, 65-15, $16,500
5th: Jordan Wiggins, Cullman, Ala., 15 bass, 64-10, $15,000
6th: Austin Swindle, Parrish, Ala., 15 bass, 64-4, $11,500
7th: Dillon Falardeau, Hixson, Tenn., 15 bass, 63-1, $10,000
8th: Clint Knight, Lewisburg, Ky., 15 bass, 62-11, $8,500
9th: Logan Dyar, Cleveland, Ala., 13 bass, 62-2, $7,500
10th: Michael Black, Toledo, Ill., 15 bass, 61-13, $5,500
Complete results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
Pro Travis Alcock of Burlington, Wisconsin, earned the Day 1 $500 Berkley Big Bass Award on Wednesday with a largemouth weighing in at 8 pounds even, while Thursday’s Day 2 $500 Berkley Big Bass Award went to pro Matt O’Connell of Brooks, Georgia, who weighed in a nice 8-pound, 6-ounce largemouth.
Eric White of Cullman, Alabama, won the Strike King Co-angler Division Friday with a three-day total of 13 bass weighing 53 pounds, 1 ounce. Gonzalez took home the top co-angler prize package worth $38,500, including a new Phoenix 518 Pro bass boat with a 115-horsepower Mercury outboard motor and $5,000.
The top 10 Strike King co-anglers on Lake Guntersville finished:
1st: Eric White, Cullman, Ala., 15 bass, 53-14, Phoenix 518 Pro boat w/115-hp Mercury outboard + $5,000
2nd: Mark Schlarb, Atwater, Ohio, 15 bass, 51-15, $8,000
3rd: Ike Gillentine, Walling, Tenn., 15 bass, 51-4, $6,500
4th: Rich Frey, Guntersville, Ala., 15 bass, 50-4, $5,000
5th: Chris Bensel, Abbeville, S.C., 15 bass, 48-13, $4,650
6th: Robert Russell, Murfreesboro, Tenn., 15 bass, 47-12, $3,750
7th: Lenny Bays, Dayton, Ky., 15 bass, 47-11, $3,250
8th: Brendan Johnson, Creal Springs, Ill., 15 bass, 46-5, $2,500
9th: Brady Lunsmann, Citrus Springs, Fla., 15 bass, 45-13, $1,800
10th: Dakota Bishop, Brodhead, Ky., 15 bass, 45-4, $1,600
Troy Calloway of Sylacauga, Alabama, earned Wednesday’s $150 Berkley Big Bass co-angler award with an 8-pound, 3-ounce largemouth, while the Day 2 $150 co-angler award on Thursday went to Luke Kerstetter of Brookfield, Wisconsin, with a 7-pound, 1-ounce bass.
The Toyota Series Presented by Phoenix Boats at Lake Guntersville was hosted by the Mountain Lakes Chamber of Commerce. It was the first of three regular-season tournaments for the Toyota Series Central Division. The next event for the Toyota Series Central Division will be the Toyota Series at Smith Lake, April 4-6, in Cullman, Alabama. For a complete schedule of events, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com.
The 2024 Toyota Series Presented by Phoenix Boats consists of six divisions – Central, Northern, Plains, Southern, Southwestern and the Western Division Presented by Tackle Warehouse – each holding three regular-season events, along with the International and Wild Card divisions. Anglers who fish in any of the six divisions or the Wild Card division and finish in the top 25 will qualify for the no-entry-fee Toyota Series Championship for a shot at winning up to $235,000 and a qualification to REDCREST 2025. The winning Strike King co-angler at the championship earns a new Phoenix 518 Pro bass boat with a 115-horsepower Mercury outboard. The 2024 Toyota Series Championship will be held Nov. 7-9 on Wheeler Lake in Huntsville, Alabama, and is hosted by the Huntsville/Madison County Convention & Visitors Bureau, the Madison County Commission, and the Huntsville Sports Commission.
Proud sponsors of the 2024 MLF Toyota Series include: 7Brew, Abu Garcia, B&W Trailer Hitches, Berkley, BUBBA, E3, Epic Baits, Fishing Clash, FX Custom Rods, General Tire, Lew’s, Mercury, Mossy Oak, Onyx, Phoenix, Polaris, Power-Pole, Strike King, Suzuki, Tackle Warehouse, T-H Marine, Toyota and YETI.
For complete details and updated information visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular Toyota Series updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow the MLF5 social media outlets at Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.
About Major League Fishing
Major League Fishing (MLF) is the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization, producing more than 250 events annually at some of the most prestigious fisheries in the world, while broadcasting to America’s living rooms on CBS, Discovery Channel, Outdoor Channel, CBS Sports Network, World Fishing Network and on demand on MyOutdoorTV (MOTV). Headquartered in Benton, Kentucky, the MLF roster of bass anglers includes the world’s top pros and more than 30,000 competitors in all 50 states and 17 countries. Since its founding in 2011, MLF has advanced the sport of competitive fishing through its premier television broadcasts and livestreams and is dedicated to improving the quality of life for bass through research, education, fisheries enhancement and fish care.
Mid- to Late-Ice Walleyes, Panfish, Safety, & More
Two Experienced Northland Pros and Ice Fishing Guides Drill Into Remaining Season Specifics
BEMIDJI, Minn. (February 16, 2024) – It’s been an unusual weather winter for ice anglers – warming trends followed by colder nights, a few colder days here and there—but no consistent ice, which has made ice traffic difficult.
And now that we’re in mid-February—with lengthening days, greater sun exposure, and fish movements—it’s time to talk transition time from mid- to late-ice.
Below, veteran ice guide Brian “Bro” Brosdahl and Mille Lacs Lake expert guide, Brad Hawthorne, literally drill into the specifics of the remaining hardwater season.
ICE SAFETY
Before we get into the presentation specifics recommended, it’s best to remind anglers that there’s no such thing as 100% safe ice. While the MN DNR puts out ice thickness guidelines for certain types of travel, keep in mind those recommendations are for solid, clear ice—far from what we’ve experienced this year. Much of the ice across the belt has formed, melted, thawed, and reformed, leading to inconsistent travel surfaces. There’s been little this year as far as truck travel, with most anglers fishing from ATVs, snowmobiles, side-by-sides, or on foot.
Northern MN guide, Brian “Bro” Brosdahl is constantly monitoring ice quality.
“Right now, we’ve got a snap of colder weather, but it’s supposed to warm up again soon. The first thing: forget about driving trucks and big permanents on the ice. Fish from machine or on foot. And stay away from any areas of current. I don’t ever remember a winter where we had an inch of rain in February. The rivers and creeks raised and the ice started to erode from underneath. Stay away from cracks and heaves, and given the long period where we didn’t have a lot of snow, keep your eye out for shallower areas of vegetation that absorb the sun, as well as bulrush beds. You’ll also want to start looking for southern accesses which should hold up better with decreased sun throughout the day. There are still plenty of spots to fish, just stay away from problem areas. And use established resort roads on the bigger lakes,” offers Bro.
Bro adds: “Wear some kind of flotation—a suit or PFD—carry spikes around your neck, and then a throw rope. Everything you need packs easily in a sled and is there when you need it. And don’t forget cleats on your boots so you don’t fall and get a concussion.”
Mille Lacs Lake Guide, Brad Hawthorne, has similar info to add, but with a slight twist given the size of the lake and its warmer, central MN location.
“There’s anywhere from 8 to 22 inches of ice on Mille Lacs, but it’s not consistent. A lot of the ice is white because of the repeated thawing and freezing, so it’s hard to get a good read on quality without looking at the ice itself.”
Along those lines, Hawthorne has a unique method of ensuring ice is safe for his clients, using both a chainsaw and a 4-inch Razr auger to take ice samples, examining it closely to see if any is honey-combed or solid.
“And if we drill a hole and water gushes out, we carry foot-long fence post pieces to plug them up. Instead of flooding out your whole road or your trail, you can just pop that post in. If it’s below zero, sure you can let the hole flood and refreeze, but above that you don’t want your fishing area to flood, and you want to be able to get stuff through drilled areas later and not worry about the weight on the ice,” instructs Hawthorne.
LATE-ICE PRESENTATIONS
With winter walleye season closing at the end of this month, anglers intent on catching a few will need to move quickly. Of course, there’s always walleye fishing out-of-state—where many of the below presentations will catch fish, too.
BRO FAVORITE: Super-Glo Buck-Shot Coffin Spoon (Super-Glo White)
BRO’S TOP WALLEYE & PANFISH PICKS
Bro says he keeps three spoons rigged up right now through end-of-season for walleyes—and then perch, too.
“I like a Northland Buck-Shot Coffin Spoon in Super-Glo white, a Buck-Shot Rattle Spoon in Golden Perch, and for perch, a Bro Bug Spoon. The first two are standard and work pretty much everywhere tipped with a minnow head, especially if looking for bigger fish. And for those waters where you’re fishing eater ‘eyes and perch together, the Bro Bug Spoon is hard to beat when we get on a bug bite with larvae emerging—not necessarily hatching—out of the soft bottom areas. Given the spoon’s slender profile, you can hang a whole crappie minnow or smaller fathead on it, even as a setline or just slightly moving it once in a while. And jigging the Bro Bug for jumbos—waxies and maggots are a solid bet, too.”
Known for his panfish skills, Bro is looking forward to ongoing panfish movements to late-ice spots.
BRO FAVORITE: Bro Bug Spoon (Wonderbread)
Bro’s Top Three Late-Ice Panfish Baits
“Number one is the Northland Rigged Tungsten Bloodworm with gold jig head and red body. Works everywhere on all panfish. Second is the Rigged Tungsten Mayfly, and lastly, the Tungsten Flat Fry Jig in Purple Wonderbread. It’s been fantastic. I thread the hook with a waxworm and then rig another as a floppy tail. You can also load it up with maggots or thread a waxworm and then dangle a small minnow head off the back.”
BRO FAVORITE: Tungsten Flat Fry Jig (Purple Wonderbread)
HAWTHORNE’S TOP WALLEYE & PERCH PICKS
“With what has been a lack of snow, most of our walleyes and perch have been caught on Forage Minnow Spoons, which don’t have a rattle. The fish have been somewhat spooky. As we’re getting well into February, setlines and noiseless spoons are really what you want to fish on Mille Lacs—Forage Minnow Spoons and Forage Minnow Jigs for both walleyes and some big perch.”
HAWTHORNE FAVORITE: Forage Minnow Spoon (Super-Glo EXO Blue)
BE CAREFUL & CATCH FISH
Yes, there’s still some hardwater action to be had, but with the season’s moving quickly throughout the Ice Belt. Our advice? Be careful, check the ice frequently, carry the right safety gear, and fish in groups. If hesitant, hire a guide like the experts above; after all, they know exactly the safe areas to fish—and catch ‘em, too.
Railblaza becomes Title Sponsor of Bradley Roy
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Houston, Texas – February 16, 2024 - Today, RAILBLAZA announced its official title sponsorship of professional angler Bradley Roy. Roy, the 2022 Bass
Pro Tour Stage One Champion, began his sixth season of Major League Fishing’s Bass Pro Tour this month.
Roy and Railblaza have worked together since 2021.
"We've worked with Bradley the past three years, and he's a true professional angler; he catches fish, works with us on new products, and does his part to help grow the sport. We've participated in his annual high school tournament for the past two seasons, and it's a model for giving high school anglers an opportunity to improve their game. We're so excited to be his title sponsor for 2024," said Matt Phillips, Director of Marketing.
Bradley is a big fan of Railblaza for several reasons. “The guys at Railblaza understand what fishermen do on the water. They understand we want products that are intentional, creative, and functional. They spend the necessary time listening to us throughout product development. They also support the sport and have been a huge help with
my annual high school tournament,” said Roy.
Roy hosts an annual high school tournament in his home state of Kentucky. Over the past 11 years, over 2,700 anglers have participated in Roy’s tournament, held on Lake Cumberland.
ABOUT RAILBLAZA: RAILBLAZA, based in Katy, Texas, and founded in 2010, is a designer and manufacturer of outdoor sports components and accessories. Since its inception, RAILBLAZA has experienced exponential growth and now ships products to over 50 countries. The patented StarPort™ mount gives RAILBLAZA products unrivaled versatility.
RAILBLAZA is committed to bringing diverse, durable, and user-friendly mounting systems and accessories for the outdoor lifestyle. Being a company built on the love of the outdoors, RAILBLAZA maintains a solid environmental commitment. At all stages in their design process, they consider sustainability. All packaging is recyclable, and they have introduced
recycling machinery in their plastics plant and now diverts many tons of plastic each year from landfills back into their products.
For more information, visit www.Railblaza.com
Media contacts:
Matt Phillips, Marketing Director | [email protected] | (866) 610-7931 ext. 703
J.D. Blackburn | Pro Fishing Management | [email protected] | (615) 479-7991
Fishin' Tip Friday - A WorldWide Topwater Tip
You KNOW if it's World Wide...it's gonna be good! With the little warm up spreading across the country, shallow water temps are starting to climb, and Lew's Pro, James Watson, gives us a tip for catching big bass earlier than most people think about. Check out this week's "Fishin' Tip Friday" Video Edition!
Texas Team Trail - Stop #1 at Sam Rayburn to be a Trailered Event
SPRINGFIELD, MO. (February 15, 2024) – The first qualifying event of the 2024 Bass Pro Shops & Cabela’s Texas Team Trail presented by Progressive is coming to Sam Rayburn this Saturday, February 17. Teams from around the state of Texas will be competing for a first-place prize of a 2024 Ranger Z518 boat, motor, trailer package valued at $52,995.
After careful consideration regarding the wind/weather situation this coming weekend, and for the safety of all competitors, TXTT tournament officials have decided to allow trailering at this event.
Teams completing the mandatory on-site registration process Friday evening between 3-6pm will be allowed to launch at any public boat ramp on Sam Rayburn Saturday morning and perform a safety check of their equipment before departing from the ramp. Boats may begin launching into the water at 6:00am CST. First cast will be at 7:00am and fishing must cease (lines out) at 3:00pm. Anglers may then load their boats and trailer with their day’s catch to Umphrey Family Pavilion for weigh-in. One team angler must check in and turn in their buoy at the American flag on the back side of the trailer/stage by 4:15pm to avoid late penalties. Each team will be issued an official TXTT weigh-in bag upon checking in and will be required to use this bag to bring their fish to the weigh-in line. All teams, regardless of having fish or not, MUST return to Umphrey Family Pavilion and check out with staff before leaving the lake so we know you are safely off the water.
The cove at Umphrey Pavilion is off limits to fishing (see attached map).
Because of the weather conditions forecasted for Friday, teams are encouraged to pay their tournament entry fee and optional Angler’s Advantage entries in advance either online or by calling the registration office. This will streamline the on-site registration process Friday evening. The number to the office is 580-765-9031. Online registration link is here: https://outdoorteamworks.com/trail/txtt/registration/
For more information on the Texas Team Trail, including photos and official tournament results from the past, visit texasteamtrail.com. Be sure to also check out the tournament schedule for the 2024 Texas Team Trail and subscribe to the e-newsletter list for all the up-to-date information, registration announcements, sponsor incentives, and Outdoor TeamWorks news.
About Texas Team Trail
Texas Team Trail is a part of the Outdoor TeamWorks family of fishing tournaments. The OTW brand offers a wide range of fishing events from professional tournaments to grassroots fishing derbies. All events are supported by some of the top companies in the nation and include on-site activation and activities, as well as extensive media support. For additional live updates and information, follow TXTT on Facebook and Instagram.
2024 Proud Sponsors
Bass Pro Shops, Cabela’s, Progressive, Nitro Boats, Ranger Boats, Triton Boats, Mercury Marine, Aftco, Garmin, Power-Pole, TH Marine, Sunline, Gamakatsu, Rapala, VMC, Gemini G2, BeatDown Outdoors
Midmorning flurry vaults Surman into lead at Bassmaster Open on Lake Ouachita
HOT SPRINGS, Ark. — While Day 1 of the St. Croix Bassmaster Open at Lake Ouachita presented by SEVIIN was mostly tough for Mike Surman, one stop produced a limit of largemouth weighing 20 pounds, 5 ounces that put him in the lead.
Anchoring his bag with a 7-pounder, the Tackle Warehouse Elite Qualifier division pro from Boca Raton, Fla., holds a 6-ounce advantage over Andrew Hargrove, while Evan Kung is third with 19-9.
“Coming into this, I thought there would be one or two guys who would catch 20 pounds. I wasn’t expecting it to be me,” Surman said. “To me, 20 is about the maximum on this pond, especially with bright skies and tough fishing conditions.”
A longtime FLW Tour pro, Surman has competed on Lake Ouachita in the past, notably finishing fourth during the 2007 Forrest Wood Cup. That event was held in the blazing heat of August, so Surman did not have a good idea of what to expect in this week’s event.
“Especially for a Florida boy, it's been cold. This week I have been in layers,” he said. “It’s been a little tough. I’m really thrilled with 20 pounds.”
Temperatures rose close to 70 degrees Thursday in Hot Springs, but calm and sunny conditions made the fishing stingy for many anglers.
After practice, Surman anticipated he could catch around 11 or 12 pounds rotating through several different areas. That plan, however, did not pan out exactly how he thought.
“I was really struggling,” he said. “I pulled up into one little spot about 11 o’clock and I made 15 or 20 casts and had 20 pounds and I left. It was a good 20 minutes, let's put it that way.”
His money stretch was about 50 yards long, and the bass he found were located in about 12 feet of water. Surman’s flurry began with a couple of 3-pounders before he landed the 7-pounder. After filling a limit, he made one more cast and culled a 2-pounder with another 3 1/2.
One bait produced all six of the bites Surman landed.
“All week, I have been doing a bunch of different things, but there is one key thing I’ve been catching the fish on,” he explained. “I tried a bunch of other things today and it really didn’t work. I put the bait in my hand and went fishing. I’m not going to put it down tomorrow.
“There are also some key little things that are in this stretch and that is where I caught two or three of the really good ones.”
Warm temperatures are expected Friday as well, but a front is expected to pass through the area, bringing the potential for clouds, wind and rain. While Surman isn’t sure if more bass will be located on that magic spot, he does anticipate the bite getting better for all anglers.
“If we get a bit of overcast (conditions) and a little bit of wind, I think they will bite better. But they will bite better for everybody,” Surman said. “I’m confident that I should be able to catch five tomorrow.”
After a dismal practice, Hargrove landed 19-15 to land in second. The Moody, Texas, pro settled into one big flat where he had one big bite during the warm-up period and filled his limit around 11:30 a.m. There are several deep points extending off of the flat.
Using his forward-facing sonar, Hargrove located several groups of bass between 20 and 40 feet of water. One bait caught the majority of his bass.
“They are actually on the bottom,” he explained. “I probably caught 50% of what I saw today — which is crazy because practice wasn’t anywhere close to that. I think that’s why I got so many to bite today because I was fishing so deep. I don’t think those fish see as many baits as the fish that are up shallow.”
Kung, meanwhile, anchored his bag with the Big Bass of the Day, a 9-14 lunker largemouth that he caught during the morning hours.
“I thought it was a striper on LiveScope,” Kung said. “I cast it and saw him eat it. It got wrapped in a tree, so I had to go above it and untangle it. The fish sort of just floated up and I grabbed it. It felt like forever, especially when I saw it was actually a bass.”
The Pickering, Ontario, Canada, native filled a small limit of spotted bass early, but a move to a shallower area soon after that produced better quality bass, including the 9-14.
The majority of the bass he caught were suspended and chasing balls of bait in standing timber. He triggered bites with a Damiki rig.
“It is pretty much all LiveScoping,” he said. “There is one main section of the lake that I’m fishing and one spot where I caught all of my fish. It was half winter, half prespawn fishing. I’m not seeing a lot of bait, but when I do get around the bait, that is where the bass are.”
The day wasn’t without a hiccup, as Kung bent his LiveScope mount on a piece of standing timber and wasn’t able to fish effectively much of the afternoon.
“Hopefully tomorrow I can fish the rest of my areas and catch a few more good ones,” Kung said.
Hot Springs native Chris Darby leads the co-angler division with a three-bass limit weighing 8-2. He is followed by Nevada’s Mike Steckel in second with 7-15 and Benton, Ark., angler Alex Allen in third with 7-12. New York’s Jimmy O’Brien caught the Big Bass of the Day on the co-angler side, a 6-1 largemouth.
The full field of 199 boats will launch from the Brady Mountain Recreation Area beginning at 6:45 a.m. CT and return for the weigh-in starting at 2:45 p.m. The co-angler champion will be crowned at the end of the Day 2 weigh-in, while the Top 10 pros will advance to Championship Saturday.
The final day of competition will be broadcast live on FS1 Saturday morning beginning at 6:30 a.m. CT, with streaming available on Bassmaster.com, as well as FS2 and the FOX Sports digital platforms.
The tournament is being hosted by Visit Hot Springs.
2024 Bassmaster Opens Series Title Sponsor: St. Croix
2024 Bassmaster Opens Series Presenting Sponsor: SEVIIN
2024 Bassmaster Opens Series Platinum Sponsor: Toyota
2024 Bassmaster Opens Series Premier Sponsors: Bass Pro Shops, Dakota Lithium, Humminbird, Mercury, Minn Kota, Nitro Boats, Power-Pole, Progressive Insurance, Ranger Boats, Rapala, Skeeter Boats, Yamaha
2024 Bassmaster Opens Series Supporting Sponsors: AFTCO, Daiwa, Garmin, Lew's, Lowrance, Marathon, Triton Boats, VMC
About B.A.S.S.B.A.S.S., which encompasses the Bassmaster tournament leagues, events and media platforms, is the worldwide authority on bass fishing and keeper of the culture of the sport, providing cutting-edge content on bass fishing whenever, wherever and however bass fishing fans want to use it. Headquartered in Birmingham, Ala., the 500,000-member organization’s fully integrated media platforms include the industry’s leading magazines (Bassmaster and B.A.S.S. Times), website (Bassmaster.com), TV show, radio show, social media programs and events. For more than 50 years, B.A.S.S. has been dedicated to access, conservation and youth fishing.
Full Results
2024 St. Croix Bassmaster Open at Lake Ouachita presented by SEVIIN 2/15-2/17
Lake Ouachita, Hot Springs, Ark.
(BOATER) Standings Day 1
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Pts Total $$$
1. Mike Surman Boca Raton, FL 5 20-05 200
Day 1: 5 20-05
2. Andrew Hargrove Moody, TX 5 19-15 199
Day 1: 5 19-15
3. Evan Kung Pickering Ontario CANAD 5 19-09 198
Day 1: 5 19-09
4. Jeremiah Kindy Benton, AR 5 19-07 197
Day 1: 5 19-07
5. Andy Newcomb Camdenton, MO 5 18-00 196
Day 1: 5 18-00
6. Sean Anderson Leesville, SC 5 17-13 195
Day 1: 5 17-13
7. Matt Baker Glenwood, AR 5 17-11 194
Day 1: 5 17-11
8. Blake Schroeder Whitehouse, TX 5 17-10 193
Day 1: 5 17-10
9. Allan Nail Sand Springs, OK 5 17-06 192
Day 1: 5 17-06
10. Quincy Houchin Mabelvale, AR 5 17-04 191
Day 1: 5 17-04
11. Logan Johnson Jasper, AL 5 16-13 190
Day 1: 5 16-13
12. Chase Clarke Virginia Beach, VA 5 16-08 189
Day 1: 5 16-08
12. Cody Stahl Barnsville, GA 5 16-08 189
Day 1: 5 16-08
14. Paul Marks Cumming, GA 5 16-03 187
Day 1: 5 16-03
15. Cody Steckel Las Vegas, NV 5 15-14 186
Day 1: 5 15-14
16. Cody Meyer Eagle, ID 5 15-12 185
Day 1: 5 15-12
17. Richard Lowitzki Fort Myers, FL 5 15-10 184
Day 1: 5 15-10
18. Dakota Ebare Brookeland, TX 5 15-10 183
Day 1: 5 15-10
19. Joey Nania Cropwell, AL 5 15-09 182
Day 1: 5 15-09
20. Daisuke Kita Otsu Shiga, JAPAN 5 15-08 181
Day 1: 5 15-08
20. Mark Watson Victoria, TX 5 15-08 181
Day 1: 5 15-08
22. Dylan Mayo Athens, TX 5 15-06 179
Day 1: 5 15-06
23. Chad Grigsby Maple Grove, MN 5 15-01 178
Day 1: 5 15-01
24. Wayne Dixon Morrilton, AR 5 14-14 177
Day 1: 5 14-14
25. Emil Wagner Marietta, GA 5 14-13 176
Day 1: 5 14-13
26. Brent Shores Boise, ID 5 14-12 175
Day 1: 5 14-12
27. Tucker Smith Birmingham, AL 5 14-11 174
Day 1: 5 14-11
28. Greg Bohannan Bentonville, AR 5 14-10 173
Day 1: 5 14-10
28. Jack Dice Lynchburg, VA 5 14-10 173
Day 1: 5 14-10
30. Brett Cannon Kiln, MS 5 14-02 171
Day 1: 5 14-02
31. Fisher Davis Mount Ida, AR 5 14-00 170
Day 1: 5 14-00
32. Beau Browning Hot Springs National Pa 5 13-15 169
Day 1: 5 13-15
32. Clark Reehm Elm Grove, LA 5 13-15 169
Day 1: 5 13-15
34. Kollin Crawford Broken Bow, OK 5 13-13 167
Day 1: 5 13-13
35. Easton Fothergill Grand Rapids , MN 5 13-12 166
Day 1: 5 13-12
35. Bo Thomas Edwardsburg, MI 5 13-12 166
Day 1: 5 13-12
37. Paul Browning Monahans, TX 5 13-11 164
Day 1: 5 13-11
37. Charlie Hartley Grove City, OH 5 13-11 164
Day 1: 5 13-11
37. Brandon McMillan Clewiston, FL 5 13-11 164
Day 1: 5 13-11
37. Garrett Warren Scottsboro, AL 5 13-11 164
Day 1: 5 13-11
41. Kenta Kimura Osaka OK JAPAN 5 13-08 160
Day 1: 5 13-08
41. Jim Moynagh Remer, MN 5 13-08 160
Day 1: 5 13-08
43. Brayden Rakes Winston Salem, NC 5 13-07 158
Day 1: 5 13-07
44. Josh Butler Hayden, AL 5 13-04 157
Day 1: 5 13-04
44. Austin Cranford Norman, OK 5 13-04 157
Day 1: 5 13-04
44. Danny Ramsey Trinidad, TX 5 13-04 157
Day 1: 5 13-04
44. Adam Rasmussen Sturgeon Bay, WI 5 13-04 157
Day 1: 5 13-04
48. Kyoya Fujita Yamanashi CA JAPAN 5 13-03 153
Day 1: 5 13-03
48. Lucas Ragusa Gonzales, LA 5 13-03 153
Day 1: 5 13-03
48. Derek Sandlin Mount Ida, AR 5 13-03 153
Day 1: 5 13-03
48. Nick Trim Galesville, WI 5 13-03 153
Day 1: 5 13-03
52. Cody Bird Granbury, TX 5 13-02 149
Day 1: 5 13-02
52. Joe Wieberg Freeburg, MO 5 13-02 149
Day 1: 5 13-02
54. Garrett Paquette Canton, MI 5 13-00 147
Day 1: 5 13-00
54. Jack York Emory, TX 5 13-00 147
Day 1: 5 13-00
56. Tristan McCormick Burns, TN 5 12-15 145
Day 1: 5 12-15
57. Tom Lloyd Jr Springfield, MO 5 12-14 144
Day 1: 5 12-14
58. Bobby Carver Lebanon, MO 5 12-13 143
Day 1: 5 12-13
58. Christian Ostrander Turlock, CA 5 12-13 143
Day 1: 5 12-13
60. Scott Canterbury Odenville, AL 5 12-11 141
Day 1: 5 12-11
60. Sean Clayton Seneca, SC 5 12-11 141
Day 1: 5 12-11
60. Kyle Palmer Winchester, TN 5 12-11 141
Day 1: 5 12-11
63. Bailey Bleser Burlington, WI 5 12-10 138
Day 1: 5 12-10
63. Ish Monroe Oakdale, CA 5 12-10 138
Day 1: 5 12-10
65. Freddy Palmer Estill Springs, TN 5 12-08 136
Day 1: 5 12-08
65. Josh Wiesner Fon du Lac, WI 5 12-08 136
Day 1: 5 12-08
67. Zeke Gossett Pell City, AL 5 12-07 134
Day 1: 5 12-07
68. Tommy Dunaway Havana, FL 5 12-06 133
Day 1: 5 12-06
69. Laker Howell Guntersville, AL 5 12-03 132
Day 1: 5 12-03
70. Takayuki Koike Otsu-City JAPAN 5 12-02 131
Day 1: 5 12-02
71. Sam Hanggi Knoxville, TN 5 12-00 130
Day 1: 5 12-00
71. Trevor McKinney Noble, IL 5 12-00 130
Day 1: 5 12-00
73. Yui Aoki Minamitsurugun JAPAN 5 11-15 128
Day 1: 5 11-15
73. Andrew Harp Linden, TX 5 11-15 128
Day 1: 5 11-15
75. Bobby Bakewell Orlando, FL 5 11-13 126
Day 1: 5 11-13
75. Kevin Brown Malvern, AR 5 11-13 126
Day 1: 5 11-13
75. Dustin Reneau Mckinney, TX 5 11-13 126
Day 1: 5 11-13
75. Mike Rhinehart Pottsville, AR 5 11-13 126
Day 1: 5 11-13
75. Jimmy Washam Stantonville, TN 5 11-13 126
Day 1: 5 11-13
80. Ty Faber Pagosa Springs, CO 5 11-12 121
Day 1: 5 11-12
80. Casey Scanlon Eldon, MO 5 11-12 121
Day 1: 5 11-12
82. Doc Wootton Collierville, TN 5 11-11 119
Day 1: 5 11-11
83. Andrew Loberg Grant, AL 5 11-09 118
Day 1: 5 11-09
83. Wardell Motley Jr Cleburne, TX 5 11-09 118
Day 1: 5 11-09
85. Danny McGarry Newcastle CANADA 5 11-08 116
Day 1: 5 11-08
85. Matt Pangrac Shawnee, OK 5 11-08 116
Day 1: 5 11-08
85. Andrew Upshaw Hemphill, TX 5 11-08 116
Day 1: 5 11-08
88. Tai Au Glendale, AZ 5 11-07 113
Day 1: 5 11-07
88. Elijah Benson Dahlonega, GA 5 11-07 113
Day 1: 5 11-07
88. Dale Hightower Mannford, OK 5 11-07 113
Day 1: 5 11-07
88. Luke Palmer Coalgate, OK 5 11-07 113
Day 1: 5 11-07
88. Philip Roesener Choctaw, OK 5 11-07 113
Day 1: 5 11-07
93. Chris Beaudrie Princeton, KY 5 11-06 108
Day 1: 5 11-06
93. Masayuki Matsushita Porter TX JAPAN 5 11-06 108
Day 1: 5 11-06
93. Bart Stanisz Austin, TX 5 11-06 108
Day 1: 5 11-06
96. Caden Cowan Stephenville, TX 5 11-05 105
Day 1: 5 11-05
96. Craig Danna West Monroe, LA 5 11-05 105
Day 1: 5 11-05
98. Jacob Bigelow Cecil, WI 5 11-04 103
Day 1: 5 11-04
98. Derek Lehtonen Woodruff, SC 5 11-04 103
Day 1: 5 11-04
100. Billy Gilbert Hamburg, NY 5 11-03 101
Day 1: 5 11-03
101. Darold Gleason Many, LA 5 11-02 100
Day 1: 5 11-02
101. Kevin Ledoux Choctaw, OK 5 11-02 100
Day 1: 5 11-02
103. Teb Jones Yalaha, MS 5 11-01 98
Day 1: 5 11-01
104. Brady Vernon Sterrett, AL 5 10-14 97
Day 1: 5 10-14
105. Billy Smith Montgomery, TX 4 10-14 96
Day 1: 4 10-14
106. Kelvin Wilcox Hazlehurst, GA 5 10-13 95
Day 1: 5 10-13
107. Scout Echols Monticello, AR 4 10-10 94
Day 1: 4 10-10
108. Cody Detweiler Guntersville, AL 5 10-09 93
Day 1: 5 10-09
109. Steven Doolittle Chelsea, OK 5 10-08 92
Day 1: 5 10-08
109. Cliff Pace Ovett, MS 5 10-08 92
Day 1: 5 10-08
111. Steve Drinnon Wetumpka, AL 5 10-07 90
Day 1: 5 10-07
111. Jay Nyce Rogers, AR 5 10-07 90
Day 1: 5 10-07
113. Jonathan Dietz Corry, PA 5 10-05 88
Day 1: 5 10-05
114. Logan Mcdaniel Forbestown, CA 5 10-04 87
Day 1: 5 10-04
114. Bryan Partak Marseilles, IL 5 10-04 87
Day 1: 5 10-04
116. Matt Adams Oxford, AL 5 10-03 85
Day 1: 5 10-03
117. James Niggemeyer Van, TX 5 10-02 84
Day 1: 5 10-02
118. Kyle Austin Ridgeville, SC 5 10-01 83
Day 1: 5 10-01
118. Chris Blanchette Edisto Island, SC 5 10-01 83
Day 1: 5 10-01
118. Tucker Veronee Gilbert, SC 5 10-01 83
Day 1: 5 10-01
121. Paul Bouvier Kingston CANADA 5 10-00 80
Day 1: 5 10-00
121. Shane Lineberger Lincolnton, NC 5 10-00 80
Day 1: 5 10-00
123. Trey Schroeder Theodosia, MO 5 09-15 78
Day 1: 5 09-15
124. Zach Goutremout Chaumont, NY 5 09-13 77
Day 1: 5 09-13
124. Trey Swindle Cleveland, AL 5 09-13 77
Day 1: 5 09-13
126. Alex Heintze Denham Springs, LA 4 09-12 75
Day 1: 4 09-12
127. Stan Kaminski Jonestown, TX 5 09-09 74
Day 1: 5 09-09
127. Jason Lieblong Conway, AR 5 09-09 74
Day 1: 5 09-09
129. Jason Borofka Lavon, TX 5 09-08 72
Day 1: 5 09-08
129. Keith Brumfield Vicksburg, MS 5 09-08 72
Day 1: 5 09-08
129. Lance Crawford Broken Bow, OK 5 09-08 72
Day 1: 5 09-08
132. Sam George Athens, AL 5 09-06 69
Day 1: 5 09-06
133. Tripp Noojin Bryant, AL 4 09-05 68
Day 1: 4 09-05
134. Brock Belik Orchard, NE 5 09-04 67
Day 1: 5 09-04
135. Dalton Smith Taylorsville, KY 5 09-03 66
Day 1: 5 09-03
136. Brian Mullaney Ijamsville, MD 5 09-02 65
Day 1: 5 09-02
137. Brian Post Janesville, WI 4 09-01 64
Day 1: 4 09-01
138. Zack Williams Shell Knob, MO 5 08-15 63
Day 1: 5 08-15
139. Jacob Thompkins Myrtle Beach, SC 4 08-13 62
Day 1: 4 08-13
140. Evan Ferguson Catlettsburg, KY 5 08-11 61
Day 1: 5 08-11
141. Chris Griffin Brickeys, AR 4 08-11 60
Day 1: 4 08-11
142. Jason Abram Piney Flats, TN 5 08-10 59
Day 1: 5 08-10
143. Chris Hellebuyck White Lake, MI 5 08-07 58
Day 1: 5 08-07
143. Jackson Swisher Lake City, FL 5 08-07 58
Day 1: 5 08-07
145. Scott Isaacs Ladonia, TX 3 08-07 56
Day 1: 3 08-07
146. Mike McClelland Blue Eye, MO 5 08-06 55
Day 1: 5 08-06
147. Nathan Thompson Eagan, MN 4 08-05 54
Day 1: 4 08-05
148. Randall Tharp Port St. Joe, FL 5 08-03 53
Day 1: 5 08-03
149. Allen Armour Cumming, GA 4 08-03 52
Day 1: 4 08-03
150. Matt Messer Warfield, KY 5 08-02 51
Day 1: 5 08-02
151. Keith Tuma Brainerd, MN 4 07-12 50
Day 1: 4 07-12
152. Kyle Weisenburger Columbus Grv, OH 5 07-05 49
Day 1: 5 07-05
153. John Voyles Petersburg, IN 4 07-04 48
Day 1: 4 07-04
154. Lafe Messer Warfield, KY 4 06-15 47
Day 1: 4 06-15
155. Andrew Behnke Fond Du Lac, WI 4 06-14 46
Day 1: 4 06-14
156. Jack Tindel III Orange, TX 3 06-13 45
Day 1: 3 06-13
157. Creighton Sawyer Paron, AR 2 06-10 44
Day 1: 2 06-10
158. Jason Lambert Savannah, TN 2 06-09 43
Day 1: 2 06-09
159. Jim Dillard West Monroe, LA 4 06-08 42
Day 1: 4 06-08
160. Gary Clouse Winchester, TN 3 06-08 41
Day 1: 3 06-08
161. Connor Jacob Auburn, AL 4 06-07 40
Day 1: 4 06-07
162. Jeremy Radford Huntly, VA 2 06-07 39
Day 1: 2 06-07
163. Chancy Walters West Des Moines, IA 4 06-06 38
Day 1: 4 06-06
164. Kyle Metzger Pearl River, LA 4 06-05 37
Day 1: 4 06-05
165. Russ Lane Prattville, AL 4 06-04 36
Day 1: 4 06-04
166. Teddy Bogard White Hall, AR 3 06-04 35
Day 1: 3 06-04
167. Cole Drummond Effingham, SC 4 06-03 34
Day 1: 4 06-03
168. Alex Murray Lake Charles, LA 4 06-02 33
Day 1: 4 06-02
169. Derrick Sadlowski Monaca, PA 3 05-15 32
Day 1: 3 05-15
170. Scott Kerslake Okeechobee, FL 4 05-09 31
Day 1: 4 05-09
171. Keith Brashers Rogers, AR 3 05-07 30
Day 1: 3 05-07
172. Wardell Motley III Little Rock, AR 2 05-02 29
Day 1: 2 05-02
173. Avery Williams Murrells Inlt, SC 3 05-00 28
Day 1: 3 05-00
174. Richard Kaluba Litchfield, OH 3 04-14 27
Day 1: 3 04-14
175. Andy Beloat Montgomery, TX 3 04-09 26
Day 1: 3 04-09
176. Tim Tyndell Mineola, TX 3 04-08 25
Day 1: 3 04-08
177. Joaquin Covas Waco, TX 2 04-05 24
Day 1: 2 04-05
178. Blake Smith Lakeland, FL 2 04-04 23
Day 1: 2 04-04
179. Brett Hite Phoenix, AZ 3 04-00 22
Day 1: 3 04-00
180. Joey Hanna Corsicana, TX 2 03-14 21
Day 1: 2 03-14
181. Kevin Dritschler Prosper, TX 2 03-12 20
Day 1: 2 03-12
182. Seiji Kato Los Alamitos CA JAPAN 1 03-05 19
Day 1: 1 03-05
183. Lance Owen Greer, SC 2 03-04 18
Day 1: 2 03-04
184. Stephanie Hemphill Village Mills, TX 2 02-15 17
Day 1: 2 02-15
185. Tim Frederick Leesburg, FL 1 02-11 16
Day 1: 1 02-11
186. Brad Leuthner Victoria, MN 1 02-04 15
Day 1: 1 02-04
187. Billy Billeaud Lafayette, LA 1 02-03 14
Day 1: 1 02-03
187. Phillip Kroll Otego, NY 1 02-03 14
Day 1: 1 02-03
189. Chris Kingree Inverness, FL 1 02-02 12
Day 1: 1 02-02
190. Billy McDonald Greenwood, IN 1 02-01 11
Day 1: 1 02-01
191. Wyatt Wimberley Broaddus, TX 1 01-12 10
Day 1: 1 01-12
192. Clint Leonard Jr Saint Cloud, FL 1 01-09 9
Day 1: 1 01-09
193. Frank Williams Mountain Home, AR 1 01-01 8
Day 1: 1 01-01
194. Don Bradshaw Jr San Antonio, TX 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
194. Tony Dumitras Winston, GA 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
194. Clay Dyer Fayetteville, TN 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
194. Bryan Finch Belton, TX 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
194. Mark Hooker Montgomery, TX 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
194. Kevin Short Fairfield Bay, AR 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
------------------------------
Totals
Day #Limits #Fish Weight
1 141 852 2056-13
------------------------------
141 852 2056-13
2024 St. Croix Bassmaster Open at Lake Ouachita presented by SEVIIN 2/15-2/17
Lake Ouachita, Hot Springs, Ark.
(NONBOATER) Standings Day 1
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Pts Total $$$
1. Chris Darby Hot Springs, AR 3 08-02 200
Day 1: 3 08-02
2. Mike Steckel Las Vegas, NV 3 07-15 199
Day 1: 3 07-15
3. Alex Allen Benton, AR 3 07-12 198
Day 1: 3 07-12
4. Scott Rice Cobden, IL 3 07-04 197
Day 1: 3 07-04
5. Tristan Bramblett Tiger, GA 3 06-10 196
Day 1: 3 06-10
5. Scott Bunday Plano, TX 3 06-10 196
Day 1: 3 06-10
7. Tyler Pursley Mattawan, MI 3 06-07 194
Day 1: 3 06-07
8. Robert Jacuzzi Mount Ida, AR 2 06-03 193
Day 1: 2 06-03
9. Jimmy Obrien Southampton, NY 1 06-01 192
Day 1: 1 06-01
10. Adam Tims Royse City, TX 3 05-09 191
Day 1: 3 05-09
11. Jon Paulovich Benton, AR 3 05-07 190
Day 1: 3 05-07
12. David Waack Cary, NC 2 05-02 189
Day 1: 2 05-02
13. John Goul Philadelphia, MS 3 05-01 188
Day 1: 3 05-01
14. Mitchell Shelby Hensley, AR 3 04-13 187
Day 1: 3 04-13
15. Marvin Howard Austin, AR 1 04-11 186
Day 1: 1 04-11
16. Reagan Brown Hot Springs National Pa 2 04-09 185
Day 1: 2 04-09
17. Jerry Gonzalez Rivero Laredo TX Coah MEXICO 3 04-08 184
Day 1: 3 04-08
17. Chad Stahl Barnesville, GA 3 04-08 184
Day 1: 3 04-08
19. Steve Kline Normangee, TX 3 04-07 182
Day 1: 3 04-07
20. A.J. Menssen Bloomington, IL 2 04-05 181
Day 1: 2 04-05
21. Hayden Spradling Gilbert, AZ 2 04-02 180
Day 1: 2 04-02
22. Joshua Ford Story, AR 3 04-01 179
Day 1: 3 04-01
23. Derek Dixon Pearcy, AR 2 03-15 178
Day 1: 2 03-15
24. Stephen Simms Hot Springs, AR 1 03-11 177
Day 1: 1 03-11
25. Gene Mitchell Stuart, OK 1 03-10 176
Day 1: 1 03-10
26. Jacob Burkhead Benton, AR 2 03-09 175
Day 1: 2 03-09
27. Donny Vining Little Rock, AR 2 03-08 174
Day 1: 2 03-08
28. Aj Mays Sherwood, AR 1 03-08 173
Day 1: 1 03-08
29. Jacob Altman Edgewood, TX 2 03-06 172
Day 1: 2 03-06
30. Stephen Wolownik Bloomingdale, MI 2 03-02 171
Day 1: 2 03-02
31. Kyle Gates Little Rock, AR 1 02-14 170
Day 1: 1 02-14
32. Carson Humphrey Benton, AR 1 02-11 169
Day 1: 1 02-11
33. Hays Reeling Waukesha, WI 1 02-10 168
Day 1: 1 02-10
34. Chris Gaudin East Camden, AR 2 02-09 167
Day 1: 2 02-09
35. Jon Mohon Sr Metairie, LA 2 02-08 166
Day 1: 2 02-08
36. Gary Bates Athens, AL 1 02-08 165
Day 1: 1 02-08
36. Jimmy Fellegy Mustang, OK 1 02-08 165
Day 1: 1 02-08
38. Jason Barber Gun Barrel City, TX 1 02-07 163
Day 1: 1 02-07
39. Trey Gulley Palmhurst, TX 2 02-05 162
Day 1: 2 02-05
40. Brandon Clayton Haslet , TX 1 02-05 161
Day 1: 1 02-05
41. Jimmy Brumfield Madison, MS 1 01-11 160
Day 1: 1 01-11
41. Mark Cowart Kearney, MO 1 01-11 160
Day 1: 1 01-11
43. Sakae Ushio Tonawanda, NY 1 01-10 158
Day 1: 1 01-10
44. Rick Habarka North Little Rock, AR 1 01-06 157
Day 1: 1 01-06
44. Todd Robertson Youngsville, LA 1 01-06 157
Day 1: 1 01-06
46. Michael Leach Shenandoah, TX 1 01-03 155
Day 1: 1 01-03
47. Hunter Stanislawski Lake Geneva, WI 1 00-00 154
Day 1: 1 00-00
48. James Copeland Jonesboro, AR 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
48. Scott Dondlinger Scottsboro, AL 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
48. Richard Greene Ocala, FL 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
48. Allen Greenwood Little Rock, AR 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
48. Bob Hanna Jr Corsicana, TX 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
48. Gary Haraguchi Murfreesboro, TN 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
48. Allen Heston Pittsburg, TX 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
48. Leonard Humphrey Alexander, AR 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
48. Kara Moss Tyler, TX 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
48. David Patterson Flowood, MS 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
48. T.J. Reed Fredericktown, MO 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
48. Ryan Rodgers Perry, OK 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
48. Niko Romero Coldspring, TX 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
48. Clayton Self Mabelvale, AR 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
48. Mark Sloan Harrison, AR 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
48. Daniel Vasquez Boynton Beach, FL 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
48. Karl Voss Sulphur, LA 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
48. Todd Wilcox Jonesboro, AR 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
66. Ty Kenyon Dodgeville, WI 0 -1-00 0
Day 1: 0 -01-00
------------------------------
Totals
Day #Limits #Fish Weight
1 15 90 185-12
------------------------------
15 90 185-12
MLF General Tire Team Series Costa Qualifier Presented by Toyota Set to Premiere Saturday on Outdoor Channel
ROANOKE, W. Va. (Feb. 15, 2024) – The Major League Fishing (MLF) General Tire Team Series Costa Qualifier presented by Toyota is set to premiere this Saturday, Feb. 17, at 2 p.m. ET on Outdoor Channel. The event, filmed last fall in Roanoke, West Virginia, showcases nine teams of three anglers competing to finish in the top three and advance to the Bass Pro Shops Team Series Championship.
The 2024 Costa Qualifier presented by Toyota will feature teams visiting Stonewall Jackson and Summersville Lakes in West Virginia. The competition waters aren’t revealed to the anglers until they arrive to the launch ramp each morning of the event.
The nine teams that competed in the General Tire Team Series Costa Qualifier Presented by Toyota in West Virginia were:
Team B&W Trailer Hitches:
Todd Faircloth, Jasper, Texas
Jeff Kriet, Ardmore, Okla.
Jeff Sprague, Wills Point, Texas
Team Builders FirstSource:
Andy Morgan, Dayton, Tenn.
Fletcher Shryock, Guntersville, Ala.
James Watson, Lampe, Mo.
Team Crockett Creek:
David Dudley, Lynchburg, Va.
Bradley Roy, Lancaster, Ky.
Greg Vinson, Wetumpka, Ala.
Team Ferguson:
Jeremy Lawyer, Sarcoxie, Mo.
Cody Meyer, Star, Idaho
Shinichi Fukae, Osaka, Japan
Team Knighten Industries:
Brent Ehrler, Redlands, Calif.
Brett Hite, Phoenix, Ariz.
John Murray, Spring City, Tenn.
Team Kubota:
Jordan Lee, Cullman, Ala.
Mark Davis, Mount Ida, Ark.
Timmy Horton, Muscle Shoals, Ala.
Team Smokey Mountain Herbal Snuff & Pouches:
Casey Ashley, Donalds, S.C.
Terry Scroggins, San Mateo, Fla.
Jacob Wall, New Hope, Ala.
Team Sqwincher:
Justin Lucas, Guntersville, Ala.
Skeet Reese, Auburn, Calif.
Fred Roumbanis, Russellville, Ark.
Team Star brite:
Kevin VanDam, Kalamazoo, Mich.
David Walker, Huntingdon, Tenn.
Kelly Jordon, Flint, Texas
Saturday’s premiere episode will feature Team Kubota, Team Knighten Industries and Team Smokey Mountain Herbal Snuff & Pouches.
The complete television air schedule for the 2024 General Tire Team Series on Outdoor Channel can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
The 2024 General Tire Team Series is comprised of three Qualifying Events, filmed for production in the fall of 2023, where teams compete for advancement to the Bass Pro Shops Teams Series Championship. Each of the three Qualifier events consists of nine teams, each comprising three anglers.
Nearly a half of a million dollars will be paid out over the three no-entry fee Qualifiers, and the total season-long purse for the General Tire Team Series is more than $720,000.
Proud sponsors of the MLF General Tire Team Series
For complete details and updated information on the General Tire Team Series
About Major League Fishing
Major League Fishing (MLF) is the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization, producing more than 250 events annually at some of the most prestigious fisheries in the world, while broadcasting to America’s living rooms on CBS, Discovery Channel, Outdoor Channel, CBS Sports Network, World Fishing Network and on demand on MyOutdoorTV (MOTV). Headquartered in Benton, Kentucky, the MLF roster of bass anglers includes the world’s top pros and more than 30,000 competitors in all 50 states and 17 countries. Since its founding in 2011, MLF has advanced the sport of competitive fishing through its premier television broadcasts and livestreams and is dedicated to improving the quality of life for bass through research, education, fisheries enhancement and fish care.
Success with Boats and Buyers
SRD20 helps anglers, boaters – and dealers – ring in the spring season.
Lafayette, LA (February 14, 2024) – Belle Chasse, Louisiana tackle dealer, B&B Tackle, started carrying SRD20 boat cleaning products a year ago on “kind of a trial basis.”
“We got all types of fishermen down here – from bass guys to crappie and catfish guys to inshore and offshore anglers. Turns out most of them need more than the typical soft plastics, hooks, weights, line, and other tackle we offer. Most of them want to keep their boats looking spic and span, too. I was kind of surprised the SRD20 stuff moved as quickly as it did. I had to reorder a couple times during the year,” notes B&B Tackle’s Wayne Borne.
In terms of which anglers are buying SRD20, Borne says it’s probably 50/50 between bass anglers combined with 20- to 24-foot bay boat owners and then offshore anglers running big center console boats. According to Borne, many not only stop in frequently for more of the local redfish fave, Capt. Lane’s Magnum Mullets, Marker 54 Shrimp for trout, and Zoom baits for bass, but also to restock SRD20 boat cleaning supplies.
“The two most popular SRD20 products are the Waterless Wax & Wash and the Pink Boat Soap,” states Borne.
Curious as to the quality of SRD20 himself, Borne started using SRD20 Graphene Ceramic Spray Coating & Protectant on the big Mercury tiller he runs on an aluminum, multi-species, flat-bottom rig. “That spray keeps my motor looking brand new. That’s pretty amazing considering the conditions we’ve got down here in southern Louisiana.”
“Besides lots of Pink Soap and Waterless Wax & Wash for cleaning entire boats – most fiberglass and/or gel-coated – this past year we had a lot of saltwater in the supply down the road, so customers were buying Graphene Spray to eliminate the water and saltwater spots all over and on their engines, just like I did, so that’s kind of taken off, too.”
Overall, B&B Tackle has been very happy with SRD20 sales in an area of the country where boats get super dirty—from saltwater and mud—to interior fish scales/slime and blood stains given extremely high catch rates in both inshore and offshore areas in the Louisiana Gulf region.
As far as unique applications, many anglers are using SRD20 Graphene on their trolling motors not only to eliminate water spots and salt, but also to coat the surface for easier deployment and stowing.
Additionally, offshore anglers have taken to using both Graphene and Waterless Wax & Wash in offshore boat fish boxes to clean up blood, slime, and scales in much less time – and the resultant coating makes it much easier to clean on a routine basis.
SRD20 Regional Rep On Earning Potential
“The first thing I can tell you is more money has been put into developing SRD20 products than marketing it,” says David O’Donnell of the PSS Agency. “But the anglers and boaters using it are coming back to our dealers and telling them how much they like the product, so word is starting to spread.”
O’Donnell says dealers can make money on SRD20 “without a ton of investment,” adding that SRD20 offers two different retail displays to draw customer attraction.
“The first display is a smaller counter/register oriented piece that shows all of our products, which a lot of dealers first gravitate to monitor sell-through. It makes a great conversation piece and added sale when a customer comes up to pay for tackle,” offers O’Donnell.
Then there’s a full, free-standing display that holds more SRD20 product and can be placed anywhere in a retail environment, which many dealers have converted to as word has spread and product demand has increased.
Like Borne, O’Donnell is an angler himself and has used SRD20 on his boat. While he uses the entire SRD20 product “system”, he’s most excited about a new addition to the product line, SRD20 Vinyl Protectant.
“For vinyl boat seats and other trim, instead of just removing mildew and creating an environment where it’s easy to grow back, the Vinyl Protectant kills the mildew and impacts the surface so it doesn’t grow back,” offers O’Donnell.
For prospective dealers, O’Donnell says margins are very good and there’s a good possibility of shops “doubling their money” and the product “doesn’t just sit there and collect dust.”
“We offer two tiers of product investment that make it very easy for tackle or marine dealers to get onboard with us. We just ask that dealers order enough product to fill a counter or free-standing display. With that, dealers also receive support marketing materials to help educate them in explaining the SRD20 boat cleaning ‘system’,” adds O’Donnell.
SRD20 founder and inventor, Stewart Delcambre, concludes: “2023 sales increased 480% over 2022, so we’re definitely making headway. Every angler and recreational boater wants a clean ride. It’s like detailing your car or truck. Whether you’re running an older boat or a newer rig, we supply a system that offers the means for keeping your investment looking good and adding longevity. We all know boats aren’t cheap these days…”
Australia Signs on as 17th Country to Operate MLF Fishing Tournaments
Hiqua Fishing agrees to exclusive licensing agreement, will run MLF-sanctioned events in 2024
BENTON, Ky. (February 14, 2024) – Major League Fishing (MLF), the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization, announced an exclusive licensing agreement today with Hiqua Fishing, a new pioneering force in Australian fishing tournaments designed to provide Australian anglers an unprecedented opportunity to elevate their fishing prowess and gain international recognition. The agreement provides Australian anglers the opportunity to compete in MLF-sanctioned fishing tournaments in 2024.
Hiqua Fishing will run a series of tournaments that advance anglers who are citizens or permanent residents of Australia to the International Division at the MLF Toyota Series Championship beginning in 2024. Two anglers from MLF Australia will compete as pros – with MLF providing a fully-rigged boat for each – and two anglers will compete as Strike King co-anglers.
MLF Australia will operate under the direction of Jan Oosthuizen, CEO of Hiqua Fishing.
“MLF Australia is excited to work with Major League Fishing and to be involved in the growth and expansion of Australian fishing,” said Oosthuizen. “Hiqua Fishing is thrilled to be at the forefront of this transformative new venture, offering a tournament experience that goes beyond the ordinary and adding to Australia’s magnificent fishing tournament platform.”
The top pro award at the Toyota Series Championship is $200,000, along with an invitation to REDCREST 2025 – the MLF Bass Pro Tour Championship – and an additional $35,000 Phoenix MLF Bonus for qualified anglers. The top Strike King co-angler award is a new Phoenix 518 Pro bass boat with a 115-horsepower outboard. The highest finishing pro from the International Division at the Toyota Series Championship will also be awarded a $10,000 bonus as well as qualification into the MLF Tackle Warehouse Invitationals.
“We’re excited to add Australia to the growing list of countries that are offering MLF tournaments,” said Dave Washburn, Vice President of Operations at Major League Fishing. “MLF Australia will be the ultimate platform for Australian anglers to showcase their skills on a global stage, and we look forward to the addition of talented Australian anglers to the MLF family in 2024.”
For complete details and updated information on Major League Fishing and its international partners, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF’s social media outlets at Facebook, X, Instagram and YouTube.
About Hiqua Fishing
Hiqua Fishing demonstrates an unwavering commitment to supporting the fishing community, offering an array of benefits and making the MLF Australia Tournament Series a must-attend event for both seasoned professionals and emerging talents. From camaraderie among participants to fostering a love for the sport, Hiqua Fishing and the MLF Australia Tournament Series aims to unite anglers and showcase Australia on the world stage. The Australia Tournament Series embraces the rich fishing culture of Australia and is more than a competition – it’s a celebration of the fishing community.
About Major League Fishing
Major League Fishing (MLF) is the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization, producing more than 250 events annually at some of the most prestigious fisheries in the world, while broadcasting to America’s living rooms on CBS, Discovery Channel, Outdoor Channel, CBS Sports Network, World Fishing Network and on demand on MyOutdoorTV (MOTV). Headquartered in Benton, Kentucky, the MLF roster of bass anglers includes the world’s top pros and more than 30,000 competitors in all 50 states and 17 countries. Since its founding in 2011, MLF has advanced the sport of competitive fishing through its premier television broadcasts and livestreams and is dedicated to improving the quality of life for bass through research, education, fisheries enhancement and fish care.
Weights could amaze during Bassmaster Elite Series opener at Toledo Bend Reservoir
MANY, La. — The Bassmaster Elite Series will make its much-anticipated return to historic Toledo Bend Reservoir at the perfect time of the year to catch giant bass and record-setting bags, according to Louisiana pro Darold Gleason.
“I’d be more surprised if they didn’t break 100 pounds than if they did,” said Gleason, a Toledo Bend guide and a Tackle Warehouse Bassmaster Elite Qualifier. “The fishery is just too good. This time of the year, our fish weigh more and are bigger than they will be all year. They are full prespawn. I personally think it will happen if they get the right weather conditions. There should be several bass over 10 pounds.”
Tournament days for the Gamakatsu Bassmaster Elite at Toledo Bend are scheduled for Feb. 22-25 with daily takeoffs at 7 a.m. CT from Cypress Bend Park and weigh-ins back at the park each day at 3 p.m. All pros will compete the first two days before the field is cut to 50 for Semifinal Saturday. Then, the Top 10 anglers will duke it out on Championship Sunday for a chance at $100,000 and a coveted blue trophy.
It’s been seven years since the Elite Series last visited the massive reservoir on the Louisiana/Texas border, an event won by John Murray with a four-day total of 77-10. After several perceived down years, the Opens returned to Toledo Bend in April 2023 where Ben Milliken showed the true potential of the lake with a three-day tally of 77-14.
Throughout 2023, giant bass were caught on Toledo Bend, with multiple 40-pound bags brought to the scales in events, as well as plenty of lunker-class bass. The fishing has remained strong this winter as well, and Gleason noted grass is starting to show up in several areas.
“The fish are good and healthy,” he said. “We are starting to see some grass pop up in popular areas of the lake, and there are tons of baitfish and bream in there right now. Tournament weights have been really good. It should be one of the higher-weight events of the year.”
Water levels were low most of the winter until a major rainstorm moved through several weeks ago. The lake has since stabilized, and Gleason doesn’t anticipate any drastic changes unless another major weather event rolls through.
Warming temperatures leading up to the tournament will create multiple opportunities for anglers to catch a winning bag. At the time of this writing, water temperatures were already in the high 50s.
What’s more, Gleason believes the entire lake will play.
“What you end up with is a really interesting tournament on Toledo Bend. They are very diverse,” Gleason said. “With it being such a big fishery and with it being in February, guys can literally fish to their strengths. Guys can catch them out deep with LiveScope, and there will also be lots of activity near the bank.”
Much of the focus will be around prespawn staging areas. Gleason believes there’s a good chance the first wave of spawners will be wanting to make their way to the bank. The key to that bite will be finding the hydrilla that has made a comeback the last two years. ChatterBaits and Rat-L-Traps will be important lures.
“We have some deep grass this year as well. It’s 12 feet deep in places,” Gleason said. “We have some other grass, but deep hydrilla is the deal. It seems to me that a lot of times the grass fish feed on bream and seem a little healthier and bigger.”
There will also be plenty of opportunities for anglers to capitalize on a deep bite. The lake has tons of standing timber and hard bottom around creek channels, and Gleason thinks forward-facing sonar will play a big role in catching those bass. Jerkbaits and Damiki-style rigs will be popular choices, as well as jigs.
Whether deep or shallow, Gleason believes if someone can get on something and keep it to themselves, they have a chance at having a special tournament.
“I’m talking about 35-pound bags and stuff like that,” he said. “It is hard to find that special stuff, and you have to be fortunate to fish it effectively for several days in a row.”
As with many tournaments this time of year, the wind speed and direction will determine just how good the fishing will be. If there is a strong north or south wind, Toledo Bend gets rough in a hurry, which will make navigation nearly impossible in some cases.
“All of us who have fished there throughout the years have had tournaments where it was like, ‘If we could have only gotten to where we wanted to fish.’ There are literally some days you can’t fish it,” Gleason said.
Bassmaster LIVE will be streaming on Bassmaster.com all four days, and coverage will also be available on FS1 on Saturday and Sunday.
Those wanting to attend will be able to enjoy the “B.A.S.S. on the ’Bend” festival on Saturday and Sunday at Cypress Bend Park before weigh-in. The festival will feature live music and many local vendors.
The event is being hosted by Toledo Bend Lake Country and the Louisiana Office and Tourism.
2024 Bassmaster Elite Series Platinum Sponsor: Toyota
2024 Bassmaster Elite Series Premier Sponsors: Bass Pro Shops, Dakota Lithium, Humminbird, Mercury, Minn Kota, Nitro Boats, Power-Pole, Progressive Insurance, Ranger Boats, Rapala, Skeeter Boats, Yamaha
2024 Bassmaster Elite Series Supporting Sponsors: AFTCO, Daiwa, Garmin, Lew's, Lowrance, Marathon, Triton Boats, VMC
About B.A.S.S.B.A.S.S., which encompasses the Bassmaster tournament leagues, events and media platforms, is the worldwide authority on bass fishing and keeper of the culture of the sport, providing cutting-edge content on bass fishing whenever, wherever and however bass fishing fans want to use it. Headquartered in Birmingham, Ala., the 500,000-member organization’s fully integrated media platforms include the industry’s leading magazines (Bassmaster and B.A.S.S. Times), website (Bassmaster.com), TV show, radio show, social media programs and events. For more than 50 years, B.A.S.S. has been dedicated to access, conservation and youth fishing.
Eric Sommers and Robbie Pelt win ABT Lake Jordan
By Jason Duran
The 2024 season of The Alabama Bass Trail began at Lake Jordan for the south division. 225 teams competed for a for an increased payday of $15,000 for first Place. Teams reported having a tough practice but were expecting to catch the quality 4-pound bites needed to win this event. Lake Jordan is full of largemouth and spotted bass. The results show the fish catching was good. The top five teams all weighed in over 19-pounds. It took 14.35-pounds to collect a check in 40 th place. 208 teams weighed fish in this event. The competition was tough but at the end of the day the Team of Eric Sommers and Robbie Pelt took home the win in the first event of 2024.
The first-place team of Eric Sommers and Robbie Pelt spent the day fishing much different than other teams on the lake. A large majority of the field spent the day using forward facing sonar to locate and catch fish. However, Robbie and Eric kept it old school for the win. The team shared ‘we had a good day; it wasn’t a fast and furious day. We caught maybe 10- 11 fish all day.” Erik said, “We had to fish multiple baits today to get the fish to bite.” A key for them was bait presentation, “we noticed that when we got a bite, we had to multiple casts with different baits to the exact same area to finally catch the fish. We had to use many different presentations to catch the fish we ended up with.” They made a long run upriver to fish the way they love to fish. They called it “old school fishing.” Robbie shared they really mixed it up, “we drifted some, went offshore fishing ledges, we used a jig, a spinnerbait, swimbait, and
we fished s scrounger.” The team said they relied a lot on their long-time history and local knowledge of the lake to put together a sold bag weighing 21.35 pounds. They collected the $15,000 first place check and a $8,000 Phoenix Boat Bonus.
The first-year team of Kolby and Kade Crowson caught 20.18- pounds of Lake Jordan bass and finished in second-place. They shared, “Practice for us was pretty good we caught a 6-pound spotted bass and a couple other three pounders. We just left them alone and didn’t really fish the area again until today. We are from Lay Lake, and we understand the Coosa River spotted bass really well. With boat number 41 it helped us fish the area we wanted. After a 15-minute run upriver, we fished an area in about 15 feet of water. We knew the fish were keying in on bait fish, so we stuck with a shad pattern. We used natural color six-inch swimbaits with a Dirty Jigs Guppy Swimbait Jig Head in blue shad color. For us the
key was to fish the current and make cast around rock piles today. We caught about 7 fish total and had our limit at about 8 o’clock this morning. We couldn’t have asked for a better outcome for this tournament our goal this year is to be consistent.” They collected a $7,500 paycheck for their second place finish.
The third-place team of Lucas Lindsay Brendon Holt shared practice for them started back in December. Lucas said, “I love this place. We are from Auburn Alabama. Characteristically the fall is tough here. However, as we move into December the bite gets good. The fish start chasing bait and they start to fatten up for the spawn. During this time or year baits like the Damiki Rig and the jerk bait really come in to play. I was here seven- or eight-times during December. The fish were more in the pockets, and they were really biting well. I caught lots of numbers during that time. Today the fish had pulled out of the pockets working their way back. I assume the bait had pulled them out of the pockets and they are now making their transition back.” Brendon said “During practice we noticed the water was really dirty on the end of the lake near take off. The areas were really blown out down here. We had to move up the river to find the better bass and clean water.” The team shared, “We fished the main river in about 60 feet of water about 15-minutes upriver. The key for us was to stay out about two full cast from the bank.” Lucas said, “Garmin LiveScope was the deal for us today. I run a 8616. The pixels are crisp and it really helps a lot when you’re trying to catch these fish. It help you see the details and gives your every little edge to show your bait a lot better. The bait for us was the Damiki Armour Shad. We probably covered 2 miles of water today” For third place they caught 19.44-pounds and collected a $6,000 check plus a $300 Garmin highest finisher bonus.
The top ten standings are below for a complete list of standings please visit:
https://www.alabamabasstrail.org/lake-jordan/results/
Download and listen to the ABT Podcast on your favorite Podcast app by searching for
“Alabama Bass Trail Podcast.” The Podcast is released each week on Tuesday.
For Live coverage from this event and others visit
https://www.youtube.com/@alabamabasstrailtv
The 2024 Alabama Bass Trail Sponsors Include: Phoenix Boats, AMFirst, Landers - McLarty Chevrolet, McGraw - Webb Chevrolet, Rapala, VMC, Crush City, Buffalo Rock, Academy Sports & Outdoors, Jack's, Garmin, Alabama State Parks, Halo Fishing, Snag proof, NetBait, Bait Fuel, TH Marine Supplies, Power-Pole, Pro Guide Batteries, American Trailer Rental, Yamaha, Anheuser-Busch, Big Bite Baits and FishAlabama.org
Sam Rayburn Reservoir Set to Host MLF Toyota Series Presented by Phoenix Boats Southwestern Division Opener Presented by FX Custom Rods
BROOKELAND, Texas (Feb. 13, 2024) – Fresh off of last week’s extremely successful Major League Fishing (MLF) Tackle Warehouse Invitational event last week, the MLF Toyota Series Presented by Phoenix Boats is set to return to Brookeland, Texas, next week, Feb. 21-23, for the Southwestern Division opening event – the Toyota Series at Sam Rayburn Reservoir Presented by FX Custom Rods.
The three-day tournament, hosted by the Jasper – Lake Sam Rayburn Area Chamber of Commerce, will feature a roster of the region’s best bass-fishing pros and Strike King co-anglers competing for a top prize of up to $100,000 in the pro division and a new Phoenix 518 Pro boat with a 115-horsepower outboard motor plus $5,000 in the co-angler division.
Local pro Jim Tutt of Longview, Texas, who has fished over 250 MLF tournaments in his career, said the event is setting up to be a really exciting tournament.
“This is the perfect time of year to fish Sam Rayburn,” said Tutt. “The bass are still in prespawn patterns but are getting close to spawning, so they’re eating really good. There are a lot of fish moving up shallow right now – due to the water being up a bit and the warmer temperatures – so there’s a lot of new stuff in the shallow grass line for fish to spawn on.”
Sam Rayburn Reservoir has a surface area of more than 114,000 acres, providing ample opportunities for anglers to fish the style that suits them, and Tutt said he expects to see an array of baits being thrown throughout the event.
“I think we’ll see guys throwing a lot of different baits this time of year, especially with the fish getting set up for spawning patterns,” said Tutt. “[Bill Lewis] Rat-L-Trap baits and ChatterBaits are going to be really strong for prespawn fish – that’s how some of the bigger fish will probably be caught. The Senko is always going to be one of the best lures for that fishery – get on some fish, slow down and throw a Senko on that inside grass line.
“Forward-facing sonar comes into play pretty much year-round now, but I think a guy could do really well in a multi-day event fishing shallow. Anywhere from 2 foot to 7 foot of water is a good depth on Rayburn right now.”
As for winning weights, Tutt said he expects to see big numbers coming out of this event.
“If a guy can catch around 23 to 25 pounds per day, he could probably win,” Tutt explained. “That sounds high, but the guy who’s catching a 10-pounder with some other good solid fish every day is going to be up around that mark, and that’s pretty likely to happen.”
While the current forecast is calling for sunny, blue-bird skies, Tutt cautions that weather could play into the numbers a bit.
“Now, if the weather doesn’t cooperate and we get a super windy day, guys might not be able to move around like they normally could and that could hinder them from covering more water,” Tutt said. “But I expect we’ll see some big ones, and there’s a big possibility that someone will bring in a Toyota ShareLunker fish during the event.”
While there are a lot of things in play on Sam Rayburn Reservoir during the tournament, Tutt said he believes the recent influx of hydrilla will be key.
“There’s a lot of grass all over the lake right now – probably the best hydrilla that the lake has had in the past 10 years,” Tutt explained. “So, it’s not limited to just a few areas like it has been in the past. You can go to pretty much any arm of the lake, and you’ll find hydrilla. It’s fishing really good, and really big.”
Anglers will launch at 7 a.m. CT each day from the Umphrey Family Pavilion, located at 5438 Sam Rayburn Parkway in Brookeland. Weigh-ins will also be held at the pavilion and will begin at 3 p.m. Fans are welcome to attend and encouraged to follow the event online through the “MLF Live” weigh-in broadcasts and daily coverage at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
In Toyota Series regular-season competition, payouts are based on the number of participants competing in the event, scaling up for every 20 boats over 160 and scaling down for every boat below 160. With a 160-boat field, pros fish for a top prize of up to $75,000, if Phoenix MLF Bonus qualified. Strike King co-anglers cast for the top prize of a new Phoenix 518 Pro bass boat with a 115-horsepower Mercury or Suzuki outboard (valued at $33,500). With a 260-boat field, pros fish for a top award of up to $100,000, if Phoenix MLF Bonus qualified. Strike King co-anglers cast for the top prize of a new Phoenix 518 Pro bass boat with a 115-horsepower Mercury or Suzuki outboard plus $5,000 cash.
The 2024 Toyota Series Presented by Phoenix Boats consists of six divisions – Central, Northern, Plains, Southern, Southwestern and the Western Division Presented by Tackle Warehouse – each holding three regular-season events, along with the International and Wild Card divisions. Anglers who fish in any of the six divisions or the Wild Card division and finish in the top 25 will qualify for the no-entry-fee Toyota Series Championship for a shot at winning up to $235,000 and a qualification to REDCREST 2025. The winning Strike King co-angler at the championship earns a new Phoenix 518 Pro bass boat with a 115-horsepower Mercury outboard. The 2024 Toyota Series Championship will be held Nov. 7-9 on Wheeler Lake in Huntsville, Alabama, and is hosted by the Huntsville/Madison County Convention & Visitors Bureau, the Madison County Commission, and the Huntsville Sports Commission.
Proud sponsors of the 2024 MLF Toyota Series include: 7Brew, Abu Garcia, B&W Trailer Hitches, Berkley, BUBBA, E3, Epic Baits, Fishing Clash, FX Custom Rods, General Tire, Lew’s, Mercury, Mossy Oak, Onyx, Phoenix, Polaris, Power-Pole, Strike King, Suzuki, Tackle Warehouse, T-H Marine, Toyota and YETI.
For complete details and updated information visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular Toyota Series updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow the MLF5 social media outlets at Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.
About Major League Fishing
Major League Fishing (MLF) is the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization, producing more than 250 events annually at some of the most prestigious fisheries in the world, while broadcasting to America’s living rooms on CBS, Discovery Channel, Outdoor Channel, CBS Sports Network, World Fishing Network and on demand on MyOutdoorTV (MOTV). Headquartered in Benton, Kentucky, the MLF roster of bass anglers includes the world’s top pros and more than 30,000 competitors in all 50 states and 17 countries. Since its founding in 2011, MLF has advanced the sport of competitive fishing through its premier television broadcasts and livestreams and is dedicated to improving the quality of life for bass through research, education, fisheries enhancement and fish care.
AC Insider Podcast - Bassmaster 2023 AOY, Kyle Welcher
This week the guys caught up with the 2023 Bassmaster Angler of the Year, Kyle Welcher. He was fresh off a NPFL Top 10 and gearing up for the 2024 season. If you tune in and listen, Kyle drops A LOT of knowledge and shares some thoughts on his championship mindset.
Z-Man® and Salzman Unite
Major League Fishing pro Ryan Salzman joins the Z-Team
Ladson, SC (February 13, 2024) – Fresh into his third full year on the Major League Fishing Bass Pro Tour (BPT), it seems right to suggest Ryan Salzman is destined for angling greatness. Two years ago, in his first full season on the BPT, Salzman went head-to-head with the best bass sticks in the nation and won the whole enchilada. The season prior, he nearly conquered the Angler of the Year race on the Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit. During early seasons on the Phoenix Bass Fishing League, the Huntsville, Alabama angler claimed four first place trophies, including three on the big bass battleground known as Lake Guntersville.
Spend a day in the boat with the freshly minted Z-Man pro, and you quickly sense a palpable intensity and simultaneously, a calm, positive energy for catching bass. Wherever he launches a boat, the dude can flat out catch ‘em. Undeniably, Salzman’s becoming a perennial player on fishing’s most sanctified stages, his versatility compelling fellow competitors to keep constant tabs on the ex-Army intelligence officer turned tourney bass pro.
“Obviously, the real reason we picked Ryan relates to last names,” grins Joey Prochazka, pro staff and promotions manager at Z-Man Fishing. (Think Mike Wurm, Claude Fish Fishburne, Harbor Lovin.) “We love the fact Ryan embraces his passion for our baits; even waves the Z-Man flag right in his last name.
“All kidding aside, Salzman’s just a smart, super friendly guy who’s undeniably on a fast track to tournament success,” Prochazka continues. “Well before we met him, Ryan was already a big fan of Z-Man baits and that speaks volumes.”
Z-Man pro Ryan Salzman earned his first big win in 2022. (Photo by Major League Fishing)
By age 11, Salzman already knew he wanted to fish for a living. “Neither of my parents fished, but occasionally my uncles would take me out on little local ponds where we’d go after anything that wanted to bite,” recalls Salzman. “Something about fishing just resonated and I started learning all I could about the sport, reading articles on bass fishing, consuming every last bit of content on Bass Resource.”
While attending college, Salzman co-founded the fishing team at the University of North Alabama. There, he attained enough on-water success to fire up to his bass-centric goals. After college graduation, he joined the U.S. Army, where he was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in the Army National Guard. Salzman served one tour of duty in Kuwait/Iraq, earning the Meritorious Service Medal as an Intel Officer.
“After returning home and starting a guide service (Alabamabassguide.com), I realized military intelligence—essentially finding bad guys—was a little like sniffing out bass and all their various patterns,” notes Salzman. “You’ve got to break down all the terrain, use your mind and all the available tools and technology to discover the tendencies and positions of your quarry—be it a hive of enemies or a school of bass.”
Salzman's live sonar bait of choice, the tournament-winning Scented Jerk ShadZ.
After qualifying for the big leagues in 2022, Salzman kept the momentum rolling, winning that year’s BPT Stage 5 at Watts Bar Lake, Tennessee. In 2024, his goal is to finally win Angler of the Year, having already qualified for 2024 Redcrest on Lay Layke, Texas.
After his shallow pattern fizzled out at the recent Stage 1 on Louisiana’s Toledo Bend, Salzman showcased his versatility, securing a top-20 finish after switching to a Scented Jerk ShadZ™—the same bait that won the 2023 Bassmaster Classic for Z-Man pro Jeff “Gussy” Gustafson. Salzman watched the screen as bass after bass ate his jig and Jerk ShadZ, resulting in a solid 16th place in the standings.
“For me, it’s not so much about fishing my favorite lures, like a ChatterBait®, as it is about asking myself at every tournament, ‘What do I have to do to catch ‘em?’” believes Salzman. “You have to be good at everything—finesse plastics and Ned rigs, swimbaits, ChatterBaits, forward-facing sonar.
(Photo by Major League Fishing)
“Super happy about teaming up with the folks at Z-Man for this exact reason: Even before joining the team, I was already fishing a lot of their baits, because they give me the best chance to succeed. ElaZtech superplastics like the Jerk ShadZ, Finesse TRD™ and FattyZ™ . . . these baits simply out-perform others on so many levels. Durability, buoyancy and action. No other soft plastics stand up on bottom and present that unique underwater angle everyone’s after.
“And what can you say about the ChatterBait? It’s caught so many money bass for me. Heck, I caught a 12-pound walleye on the lure at the St. Lawrence River, as well as a 52-inch muskie on Lake Minnetonka.
“Mostly, I’m just thankful to God for the opportunity to fish for a living and to surround myself with great people and companies, like Z-Man. Biggest thing I try to do, no matter what’s happening with the bite, or the conditions is to keep fishing fun. If you’re not having fun out there, you probably won’t perform well. But keep that positive attitude and that smile on your face, and good things will come your way.”
MLF Bass Pro Tour Set to Visit Clarendon County, SC for Suzuki Stage Two at Santee Cooper Lakes
CLARENDON COUNTY, S.C. (Feb. 12, 2024) – The Major League Fishing (MLF) Bass Pro Tour is set to visit Clarendon County in South Carolina next week, Feb. 20-25, for the second event of the 2024 season – the Suzuki Stage Two at Santee Cooper Lakes.
The six-day tournament, hosted by the Clarendon County Chamber of Commerce, will feature a field of 80 professional anglers, including superstars like Ott DeFoe, Jacob Wheeler, REDCREST 2023 Champion Bryan Thrift and South Carolina pros Casey Ashley of Donalds, Anthony Gagliardi of Prosperity, Andy Montgomery of Blacksburg, Britt Myers of Lake Wylie, Marty Robinson of Lyman, and his son, Bass Pro Tour rookie Marshall Robinson of Landrum. They’ll be competing for a season-long purse of $3.9 million – including a top prize of $100,000 at Santee Cooper – and valuable Fishing Clash Angler of the Year (AOY) points in hopes of qualifying for the General Tire Heavy Hitters all-star event and REDCREST 2025, the Bass Pro Tour championship.
“As one of the five counties that border the Santee Cooper lakes, Clarendon County has historically done a great job of leaning into the world of bass fishing and providing a place for anglers and organizations to visit and showcase. The Major League Fishing Bass Pro Tour is another prime example of that, and it will join a long list of nationally recognized professional fishing trails that have made their way to our area,” said Jesse Surette, Director of Tourism for the Clarendon County Chamber of Commerce. “From a tourism perspective, bass fishing is one of the best returns on investment to the host community. Tournaments of this size can bring hundreds of thousands of dollars into the community immediately through lodging, dining, fuel and shopping with local retailers.
“Additionally, the long-term impact from national media exposure helps put the Santee Cooper Lakes on the minds of millions across the country,” Surette continued. “We are excited to welcome some of the biggest names in bass fishing to one of the best fisheries in the nation.”
The tournament will feature the MLF catch, weigh, immediate-release format, in which anglers catch as much weight as they can each day, while also feeling the pressure and intensity of the SCORETRACKER® leaderboard. The tournament is being filmed for broadcast later this year on Discovery. Although the fishery has hosted numerous MLF bass tournaments over the years, this event will mark the first time that the MLF’s top level, the Bass Pro Tour, has visited Santee Cooper Lakes.
“This one is going to be a really fun tournament. It’s going to be a grinder, but there are massive bass that live at Santee Cooper and I’m excited,” said pro Anthony Gagliardi, who has more than $2.5 million in career earnings. “There is a lot more grass there, recently, than in years past. I don’t know how or if that will play in the tournament, but it definitely can’t hurt. It’ll still be cold, so we’ll see a lot of prespawn fishing. And it’ll be interesting to see how the event shakes out with forward-facing sonar. I’m sure some guys will use it – if I had a tournament in my backyard someone would be using it and trying to find them in my lawn – but the water clarity is stained, and I don’t think we’ll see guys finding big schools of fish.”
Fellow South Carolina pro Andy Montgomery agrees that the forward-facing sonar is an x-factor in this event.
“I don’t know that LiveScoping is something that the locals do a whole lot of, but it has certainly changed a lot of things in regard to how we approach these lakes,” Montgomery said. “We’ve had a ton of rain, lately, so the lake is flooded and muddy. We’ll definitely be watching the weather, as it will have a big effect on the event – if parts of the lake get blown out, and how much fishable water we have.”
Both anglers agreed that traditionally at this time of the year, prespawn tactics are likely to be the predominant patterns.
“Both lakes are full of cypress trees,” Montgomery said. “I don’t expect we’ll see any spawning fish, yet. But LiveScoping baits and normal prespawn stuff – spinnerbaits, (Strike King) Thunder Crickets – will be strong. We’ll definitely see guys flipping jigs, too.”
“I’ll have a few (Z-Man) ChatterBaits and lipless and shallow-running crankbaits tied on,” Gagliardi added. “I think we’ll see quite a few bass caught out of the trees, and in prespawn staging areas.”
Anglers will launch at 7:30 a.m. ET each day from the John C. Land III Landing, located at 4404 Greenall Road in Summerton. Each day’s General Tire Takeout will be held at the park, beginning at 4 p.m. Fans are welcome to attend all launch and takeout events and also encouraged to follow the event online throughout the day on the MLFNOW!® live stream and SCORETRACKER® coverage at MajorLeagueFishing.com .
On Saturday and Sunday, Feb. 24-25, from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. MLF welcomes fans of all ages to visit the John C. Land III landing for the MLF Watch Party. Fans can watch the pros live on the MLFNOW! big screen, enjoy free food, enter to win hourly giveaways and cheer on their favorite pros. The first 50 kids 14 and under will receive a free rod and reel from Pure Fishing each day. The final 10 Championship Round Bass Pro Tour anglers will be on hand at the trophy celebration on Championship Sunday to meet and greet fans, sign autographs and take selfies.
The Suzuki Stage Two at Santee Cooper Lakes will feature anglers competing with a 1-pound, 8-ounce minimum weight requirement for a bass to be deemed scorable. The MLF Fisheries Management Division determines minimum weights for each body of water that the Bass Pro Tour visits, based on the productivity, bass population and anticipated average size of fish in each fishery.
The Bass Pro Tour features a field of 80 of the top professional anglers in the world, competing across seven regular-season tournaments around the country, for millions of dollars and valuable points to qualify for the annual General Tire Heavy Hitters all-star event and the REDCREST 2025 championship.
The 40 Anglers in Group A compete in their two-day Qualifying Round on Tuesday and Thursday – the 40 anglers in Group B on Wednesday and Friday. After each two-day Qualifying Round is complete, the anglers that finish first through 10th from both groups advance to Saturday’s Knockout Round. In the Knockout Round, weights are zeroed, and the remaining 20 anglers compete to finish in the top 10 to advance to Sunday’s Championship Round. In the final-day Championship Round, weights are zeroed, and the highest one-day total wins the top prize of $100,000.
The MLFNOW!® broadcast team of Chad McKee and J.T. Kenney will break down the extended action live on the final four days of competition from 7:45 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. ET. MLFNOW!® will be live streamed on MajorLeagueFishing.com and the MyOutdoorTV (MOTV) app.
Television coverage of the Suzuki Stage Two at Santee Cooper Lakes will premiere as a two-hour episode starting at 7 a.m. ET, on Saturday, Sept. 21 on Discovery, with the Championship Round premiering the following Saturday on Sept. 28. New MLF episodes premiere each Saturday morning on Discovery, with re-airings on Outdoor Channel.
Proud sponsors of the 2024 MLF Bass Pro Tour include: Abu Garcia, B&W Trailer Hitches, Bass Pro Shops, Berkley, BUBBA, Epic Baits, Fishing Clash, Garmin, General Tire, Humminbird, Lowrance, Mercury, MillerTech, Minn Kota, Mossy Oak Fishing, NITRO, Onyx, Plano, Power-Pole, Rapala, StarBrite, Suzuki, Toyota and U.S. Air Force.
For complete details and updated information on Major League Fishing and the Bass Pro Tour, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF’s social media outlets at Facebook, X, Instagram and YouTube.
About Major League Fishing
Major League Fishing (MLF) is the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization, producing more than 250 events annually at some of the most prestigious fisheries in the world, while broadcasting to America’s living rooms on CBS, Discovery Channel, Outdoor Channel, CBS Sports Network, World Fishing Network and on demand on MyOutdoorTV (MOTV). Headquartered in Benton, Kentucky, the MLF roster of bass anglers includes the world’s top pros and more than 30,000 competitors in all 50 states and 13 countries. Since its founding in 2011, MLF has advanced the sport of competitive fishing through its premier television broadcasts and livestreams and is dedicated to improving the quality of life for bass through research, education, fisheries enhancement and fish care.
Oologah’s Roberts Lands His ‘Fish Trophy’ With Win at Phoenix Bass Fishing League Event at Grand Lake
Boater winner Dillon Roberts of Oohlogah, Oklahoma.
Arkansas’ Sloan Tops Strike King Co-Angler Division
GROVE, Okla. (Feb. 12, 2024) – Boater Dillon Roberts of Oologah, Oklahoma, caught a five-bass limit weighing 23 pounds, 3 ounces, Saturday to win the MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League (BFL) Presented by T-H Marine on Grand Lake. Hosted by the City of Grove, the tournament was the first event of the season for the BFL Okie Division. Roberts earned $5,607 for his victory.
“I pulled into a mid-lake area that was producing some bigger fish at a little greater depth for me,” said Roberts, who said he grew up on Grand Lake and spends most of his time on the water there now. “I fished 20 to 25 feet deep with an Alabama rig all day. The fish were staging at the mouths of creek arms waiting for the water to warm up so they could move up shallow.”
Roberts said he relied on his Lowrance ActiveTarget to allow him to put his Alabama rig in the strike zone for bass, and the approach paid off with 11 keeper bites during the day.
“I had my final weight at about 1 o’clock,” Roberts said. “This time of year, its still winter fishing, and I thought I would need 24 to 25 pounds to win. I had just culled a 2½-pounder, and when I got to 23 pounds, I knew I had a solid shot.”
Roberts also caught a bass that weighed 6 pounds, 5 ounces, and earned the Berkley Big Bass Boater award of $735.
“I casted to that fish probably 20 to 25 times before I got her to commit,” Roberts said. “It was a cat-and-mouse game, but I finally got her to eat. Then, three casts later, I caught my second-largest fish.
“This win is a dream come true,” Roberts added. “My dad has a fish trophy. I’ve been after a fish trophy since I finished college fishing, and three years later I finally got it.”
The top 10 boaters finished the tournament:
1st: Dillon Roberts, Oologah, Okla., five bass, 23-3, $5,607
2nd: Billy Lemon, Sand Springs, Okla., five bass, 21-1, $2,936 (includes $500 Phoenix MLF Contingency Bonus)
3rd: Austin Lowrey, Webb City, Mo., five bass, 18-15, $1,623
4th: Shawn Mote, Ardmore, Okla., five bass, 18-11, $1,137
5th: Stephen Whitesell, Grove, Okla., five bass, 18-19, $974
6th: Rodney Copeland, Sallisaw, Okla., five bass, 18-5, $893
7th: T.J. Martin, Claremore, Okla., five bass, 18-4, $812
8th: Garett Jacobson, Wagoner, Okla., five bass, 16-13, $731
9th: David Rice, Galena, Mo., five bass, 16-4, $650
10th: Blake Capps, Muskogee, Okla., four bass, 15-2, $568
Complete results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
Mark Sloan of Harrison, Arkansas, won the Strike King co-angler division and $2,403 Saturday, after bringing three bass to the scale that totaled 11 pounds, 3 ounces.
Strike-King co-angler winner Mark Sloan of Harrison, Arkansas.
The top 10 Strike King co-anglers finished:
1st: Mark Sloan, Harrison, Ark., three bass, 11-3, $2,403
2nd: Jacob Cooper, Eldorado, Kan., four bass, 11-1, $1,201
3rd: Ryan Doel, Springfield, Mo., three bass, 9-12, $1,168
4th: Colton Foster, Wagoner, Okla., four bass, 9-3, $561
5th: Jeff Moss, Oronogo, Mo., three bass, 9-0, $831
6th: James West, Spiro, Okla., five bass, 8-3, $441
7th: Melvin Camp, Talihina, Okla., three bass, 7-15, $400
8th: Theron Asbery, Republic, Mo., two bass, 7-10, $360
9th: Randy Peoples, Prairie Grove, Ark., three bass, 7-3, $320
10th: Austin Morris, Broken Arrow, Okla., three bass, 6-13, $280
Ryan Doel of Springfield, Missouri, earned the Berkley Big Bass co-angler award of $362, catching a bass that weighed in at 5 pounds, 2 ounces – the largest co-angler catch of the day.
The next event for BFL Okie Division anglers will be held March 16, at Lake Eufaula in Eufaula, Oklahoma. To register for the event as a boater or a co-angler, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com or call (270)-252-1000.
The top 45 boaters and co-anglers in the region based on point standings, along with the five tournament winners of each qualifying event, will qualify for the Oct. 17-19 BFL Regional tournament on Wright Patman Lake in Texarkana, Texas. Boaters will fish for a top award of $60,000, including a new Phoenix 819 Pro with a 200-horsepower Mercury or Suzuki outboard and $10,000, while co-anglers will compete for a top award of $50,000, including a new Phoenix 819 Pro with a 200-horsepower Mercury or Suzuki outboard.
The 2024 Phoenix BFL Presented by T-H Marine is a 24-division circuit devoted to weekend anglers, with 128 events throughout the season, five qualifying tournaments in each division. The top 45 boaters and Strike King co-anglers from each division, along with the five qualifying event winners, will advance to one of six BFL Regional tournaments where they are competing to finish in the top six, which then qualifies them for one of the longest-running championships in all of competitive bass fishing – the BFL All-American.
Proud sponsors of the 2024 MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine include: 7Brew, Abu Garcia, B&W Trailer Hitches, Berkley, BUBBA, E3, Epic Baits, Fishing Clash, General Tire, GSM Outdoors, Lew’s, Mercury, Mossy Oak, Onyx, Phoenix, Polaris, Power-Pole, Strike King, Suzuki, Tackle Warehouse, T-H Marine, Toyota and YETI.
For complete details and updated tournament information, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular Bass Fishing League updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF5’s social media outlets at Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.
About Major League Fishing
Major League Fishing (MLF) is the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization, producing more than 250 events annually at some of the most prestigious fisheries in the world, while broadcasting to America’s living rooms on CBS, Discovery Channel, Outdoor Channel, CBS Sports Network, World Fishing Network and on demand on MyOutdoorTV (MOTV). Headquartered in Benton, Kentucky, the MLF roster of bass anglers includes the world’s top pros and more than 30,000 competitors in all 50 states and 13 countries. Since its founding in 2011, MLF has advanced the sport of competitive fishing through its premier television broadcasts and livestreams and is dedicated to improving the quality of life for bass through research, education, fisheries enhancement and fish care.
Parrish’s Moneuse Posts First Career Win at Phoenix Bass Fishing League Event at Lake Toho
|
Boater winner Max Moneuse of Parrish, Florida, and Strike-King co-angler winner Brandon Pabon of Deltona, Florida.
|
| Deltona’s Pabon Tops Strike King Co-Angler Division
KISSIMMEE, Fla. (Feb. 12, 2024) – Boater Max Moneuse of Parrish, Florida, caught a five-bass limit weighing 21 pounds, 9 ounces, Saturday to win the MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League (BFL) Presented by T-H Marine on Lake Toho. Hosted by Experience Kissimmee, the tournament was the second event of the season for the BFL Gator Division. Moneuse earned $4,729 for his victory. “I made a long run to the south end of the chain of Kissimmee and decided to flip a Gambler Fat Ace Stick Worm around where fish could be spawning,” Moneuse said. “During practice, I was able to put the trolling motor in the water, put the batteries to the test, and cover ground. I fished an area that tends to be a spot that can be good when it has the early spawners.” Moneuse said he rigged his stick worm with a 3/16-ounce Epic Baits Tungsten Worm Weight and a 6/0 BKK hook. His rig accounted for 20 fish – all keepers – during the tournament. He flipped the rig on a 7-foot, 5-inch medium-heavy plus TFO Taction Bass Series Casting Rod with fluorocarbon line. Moneuse credited his Hewes flats boat with a 115-horsepower Yamaha outboard as being a key to his success, despite not being the ‘normal’ bass fishing rig. “I always tell people when they ask why I fish in that boat is that it is better to be out there in what you have than to not go because you think your boat isn’t going to keep up with everyone else’s,” Moneuse said. The long run paid off when Moneuse found quality fish, but he wasn’t confident heading into weigh-in. “I honestly didn’t think I had a shot at winning until I got in and saw 16 pounds was leading,” Moneuse said. “The Kissimmee Chain has all those great anglers out there; It’s hard to imagine you're going to win with a weight in the low 20s on that body of water. “I told my co-angler I thought my weight was good enough for a top-5 finish and a piece of hardware, but I didn’t think low 20s would win it for me,” Moneuse added. “This is pretty awesome. I put a lot of work and time into preparation for any tournament, so getting the chance to win and hold up the big trophy is awesome.” The top 10 boaters finished the tournament: 1st: Max Moneuse, Parrish, Fla., five bass, 21-9, $4,729 Complete results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com. Tyler Sheppard of Yulee, Florida, caught a bass that weighed 8 pounds, 14 ounces, and earned the Berkley Big Bass Boater award of $705. Brandon Pabon of Deltona, Florida, won the Strike King co-angler division and $2,364 Saturday, after bringing five bass to the scale that totaled 18 pounds, 5 ounces.
The top 10 Strike King co-anglers finished: 1st: Brandon Pabon, Deltona, Fla., five bass, 18-5, $2,364 Richard Ralston of Saint Could, Florida, earned the Berkley Big Bass co-angler award of $352, catching a bass that weighed in at 8 pounds, 8 ounces – the largest co-angler catch of the day. After two events, Tyler Sheppard of Yulee, Florida, leads the BFL Gator Division Fishing Clash Angler of the Year (AOY) boater race with 489 points, while Evrett Hunter of St. Augustine, Florida, leads the Strike King Co-Angler Division AOY race with 488 points. The next event for BFL Gator Division anglers will be held March 2, at the Harris Chain of Lakes in Leesburg, Florida. To register for the event as a boater or a co-angler, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com or call (270)-252-1000. The top 45 boaters and co-anglers in the region based on point standings, along with the five tournament winners of each qualifying event, will qualify for the Oct. 10-12 BFL Regional tournament on Santee Cooper Lakes in Clarendon County, South Carolina. Boaters will fish for a top award of $60,000, including a new Phoenix 819 Pro with a 200-horsepower Mercury or Suzuki outboard and $10,000, while co-anglers will compete for a top award of $50,000, including a new Phoenix 819 Pro with a 200-horsepower Mercury or Suzuki outboard. The 2024 Phoenix BFL Presented by T-H Marine is a 24-division circuit devoted to weekend anglers, with 128 events throughout the season, five qualifying tournaments in each division. The top 45 boaters and Strike King co-anglers from each division, along with the five qualifying event winners, will advance to one of six BFL Regional tournaments where they are competing to finish in the top six, which then qualifies them for one of the longest-running championships in all of competitive bass fishing – the BFL All-American. Proud sponsors of the 2024 MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine include: 7Brew, Abu Garcia, B&W Trailer Hitches, Berkley, BUBBA, E3, Epic Baits, Fishing Clash, General Tire, GSM Outdoors, Lew’s, Mercury, Mossy Oak, Onyx, Phoenix, Polaris, Power-Pole, Strike King, Suzuki, Tackle Warehouse, T-H Marine, Toyota and YETI. For complete details and updated tournament information, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular Bass Fishing League updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF5’s social media outlets at Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. About Major League Fishing |
Drew Gill Wins Tackle Warehouse Invitational Stop 1 Presented by Power-Pole MOVE at Sam Rayburn Reservoir
Illinois Pro Catches 26-Pound, 3-Ounce Final Day Limit to Vault to Top of Leaderboard and Earn $80,000 First Place Prize
BROOKELAND, Texas (Feb. 11, 2024) – Drew Gill has been on a heater for a while, and it was only a matter of time before the LiveScope whizz closed out a high-level win. Today, after sacking up 26 pounds, 3 ounces on Championship Sunday, Gill took home the title at Stop 1 Presented by Power-Pole MOVE on Sam Rayburn Reservoir with a 69-6 total.
Gill topped fellow electronics master Jake Lawrence (second, 67-15), and had enough to overcome local Marshall Hughes’ (third, 67-4) mega-bag on Day 2, which put him more than 6 pounds ahead of the pack initially. For the win, Gill pocketed $80,000, and locked up his 2025 REDCREST qualification early.
Though still a fledgling circuit, Gill is now the youngest to win an Invitationals event, setting the mark to beat at 21 years, 8 months. Historically speaking, when you factor in FLW Tour stats, Gill slots in between Stetson Blaylock’s win at Lake Norman in 2009 (21 years, 7 months) and Jacob Wheeler’s 2012 Forrest Wood Cup title (21 years, 10 months).
The consensus favorite for Fishing Clash Angler of the Year in the Tackle Warehouse Invitationals, Gill has started the season about as good as you can. Just last week, he finished third in the Bass Pro Tour season opener on Toledo Bend, and, for good measure, the 21-year-old also finished 19th in the Abu Garcia College Fishing National Championship with partner Evan Fields back in January.
Nothing is a really a long time coming when you’re 21, but getting over the hump for the W was a big deal for Gill.
“Any year you can do consistently well and have a lot of Top 10s is a win in itself,” said Gill. “Goal No. 1 every year is always Angler of the Year. Goal No. 1 is not to win an event. However, that is a very close goal No. 2, and to be able to accomplish that in the first event of the Invitationals season after having a third at Toledo last week, I could not be more stoked for how fishing is going right now.”
Love it or hate it, any list of the best anglers with forward-facing sonar has Gill on it, and he rode his signature strength to victory this week. Seeming to always find enough fish for a quality bag (and to trigger enough fish to bite), he stayed ahead of a lot of other anglers trying to do similar things.
A big part of that was recognizing that he needed to leave winter behind and get closer to the bank. Luckily, that might be where his LiveScope skills shine the most – when it comes to shallow ‘Scoping, Gill is near or at the top of the list.
“The first day of the tournament, I was trying to replicate what I found in practice,” he explained. “I was catching them at the fronts of main-lake pockets and drains – the very main lake. I noticed they were going down and eating my Damiki (rig) off the bottom, and I didn’t think that was going to work all week.
“Day 2, I was throwing a Damiki and a Neko, and fishing more drains than the fronts of creeks,” Gill added. “Today, I was fishing midway back of just about every pocket I fished. These were short main-lake pockets and not big main creeks; those were unmanageable and there weren’t enough fish for me to fish a major creek. If five fish roll up into an area that’s a mile long, I’m not going to find them. If they roll up into a place that’s 400 yards long, your odds of running into those five big ones is pretty high.”
For his jighead minnow, Gill used a 3/16-ounce head and a 4-inch bait. For his Neko, he used a 6-inch Big Bite Baits Shaking Squirrel Worm, a 1/8-ounce weight and a No. 1 Roboworm Rebarb Hook.
On the last two days, when Gill honed his approach, he was fishing specifically for bass that were low in the water column and not too far from classic later-winter and prespawn things.
“I was fishing some transition areas, basically – places that were adjacent to a contour or a drain, and I had to have some sort of cover in conjunction with that that would lead them along an edge,” Gill said. “Something that would lead them swimming one direction or another and keep them on a path that I could predict. I was running edges of grass, edges of rock, edges where sand dropped off a couple feet; places where bass should travel along, and the few good ones I was around, I could run right into them.
“Almost every big one I caught this week ate it off the bottom,” he said. “I was in about 7 to 14 feet of water most of them time, and generally they would be 2 or 3 feet above the bottom. Not suspended, but hovering almost, like a maglev train. They’d follow it down … ‘bonk, zzzzzzzzz.’”
The last few years have seen a lot of young anglers excel on big stages. Some of it is collegiate fishing, some of it is skill with electronics, some of it is networking. A lot of it is time on the water with forward-facing sonar, which may have taught us more about bass behavior than every magazine ever printed. Gill is the perfect storm, a passionate young angler who has learned as much about bass in the last few years as many will learn in a lifetime.
“When you spend as many hours watching fish behave in their natural environment as I have, you’re destined to learn a lot about fish behavior, and you’re going to be really good at reading their movements,” said Gill. “I’ve spent a lot of time watching fish, not listening to fishermen or the logic built up in bass fishing lore. I’ve just gone out and watched fish behave, around their food, with the cover they relate to, with the contours they use. When you understand that much about fish, they become pretty predictable.”
The top 30 pros at the Tackle Warehouse Stop 1 Presented by Power-Pole MOVE at Sam Rayburn Reservoir finished:
1st Drew Gill, Mount Carmel, Ill., 15 bass, 69-6, $80,000
2nd: Jake Lawrence, Buchanan, Tenn., 15 bass, 67-15, $50,000
3rd: Marshall Hughes, Hemphill, Texas, 15 bass, 67-4, $20,000
4th: Cal Lane, Guntersville, Ala., 15 bass, 65-5, $18,000
5th: Keith Poche, Cecil, Ala., 15 bass, 64-15, $17,000
6th: Nick Hatfield, Greeneville, Tenn., 15 bass, 62-7, $17,000
7th: Mark Condron, Murfreesboro, Tenn., 15 bass, 59-3, $15,000
8th: Nick LeBrun, Bossier City, La., 15 bass, 58-9, $14,000
9th: Alec Morrison, Peru, N.Y., 15 bass, 58-0, $13,000
10th: Ramie Colson, Jr., Cadiz, Ky., 15 bass, 58-0, $12,000
11th: Dillon Harrell, New Caney, Texas, 15 bass, 57-7, $10,000
12th: Jordan Wiggins, Cullman, Ala., 15 bass, 54-13, $10,000
13th: Jaden Parrish, Liberty, Texas, 15 bass, 54-9, $10,000
14th: Andrew Nordbye, Guntersville, Ala., 15 bass, 54-8, $10,000
15th: Brody Campbell, Oxford, Ohio, 15 bass, 53-13, $10,000
16th: Matt Becker, Ten Mile, Tenn., 15 bass, 53-12, $10,000
17th: Dakota Ebare, Brookeland, Texas, 15 bass, 52-15, $10,000
18th: Ty Faber, Pagosa Springs, Colo., 15 bass, 52-10, $10,000
19th: Brock Reinkemeyer, Warsaw, Mo., 15 bass, 52-7, $10,000
20th: Lane Olson, Forest Grove, Ore., 15 bass, 51-7, $10,000
21st: Cole Breeden, Lebanon, Tenn., 15 bass, 51-3, $10,000
22nd: Terry Fisher, Decatur, Ala., 15 bass, 51-3, $10,000
23rd: Britt Myers, Jr., Lake Wylie, S.C., 15 bass, 50-4, $10,000
24th: Kelly Jordon, Flint, Texas, 15 bass, 50-2, $10,000
25th: Jacob Walker, Springville, Ala., 15 bass, 48-7, $10,000
26th: Michael Harlin, Sunrise Beach, Mo., 15 bass, 48-1, $10,000
27th: Rick Harris, Kingsland, Texas, 15 bass, 47-14, $10,000
28th: Mitchell Robinson, Landrum, S.C., 15 bass, 47-9, $10,000
29th: Kyle Hall, Granbury, Texas, 15 bass, 46-10, $10,000
30th: Clayton Batts, Butler, Ga., 15 bass, 45-10, $10,000
Complete results for the entire field can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
Overall, there were 150 bass weighing 535 pounds, 3 ounces caught by the final 30 pros Sunday. All 30 final day competitors weighed in a five-bass limit.
The three-day tournament, hosted by the Jasper County Development District, featured a roster of 150 anglers competing for a top prize of up to $115,000. The next Tackle Warehouse Invitational event will take place March 1-3 at the Tackle Warehouse Invitational Stop 2 on West Point Lake in LaGrange, Georgia.
In Tackle Warehouse Invitational competition, the full field of 150 anglers competed in the two-day opening round on Friday and Saturday in a five-fish, weigh-in format. Only the top 30 pros based on their two-day cumulative weight advanced to the final round on Championship Sunday. The winner of the Tackle Warehouse Invitational Stop 1 Presented by Power-Pole MOVE at Sam Rayburn Reservoir was be determined by the heaviest three-day cumulative weight and now receives an invitation to compete at REDCREST 2025 on Lake Guntersville in Huntsville, Alabama.
Television coverage of the MLF Tackle Warehouse Invitationals Stop 1 Presented by Power-Pole at Sam Rayburn Reservoir will air as a two-hour episode, premiering at 9 a.m. ET, on Saturday, Oct. 5 on CBS Sports Network.
Proud sponsors of the 2024 MLF Tackle Warehouse Invitationals include: 7Brew, Abu Garcia, B&W Trailer Hitches, Berkley, BUBBA, E3, Epic Baits, Fishing Clash, General Tire, Lew’s, Mercury, Mossy Oak Fishing, Onyx, Phoenix Boats, Polaris, Power-Pole, Strike King, Suzuki, Tackle Warehouse, T-H Marine, Toyota and YETI.
For complete details and updated information on Major League Fishing and the Tackle Warehouse Invitationals, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular Tackle Warehouse Invitational updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow the MLF5 social media outlets at Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.
About Major League Fishing
Major League Fishing (MLF) is the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization, producing more than 250 events annually at some of the most prestigious fisheries in the world, while broadcasting to America’s living rooms on CBS, Discovery Channel, Outdoor Channel, CBS Sports Network, World Fishing Network and on demand on MyOutdoorTV (MOTV). Headquartered in Benton, Kentucky, the MLF roster of bass anglers includes the world’s top pros and more than 30,000 competitors in all 50 states and 13 countries. Since its founding in 2011, MLF has advanced the sport of competitive fishing through its premier television broadcasts and livestreams and is dedicated to improving the quality of life for bass through research, education, fisheries enhancement and fish care.
Local Pro Marshall Hughes Catches 38-7 To Seize the Lead at Tackle Warehouse Invitational
Hemphill, Texas Rookie Catches Fourth Largest Limit on Sam Rayburn in MLF History to Bring 6-Pound, 11-Ounce Lead into Final Day of Competition
BROOKELAND, Texas (Feb. 10, 2024) – Day 2 of the Major League Fishing (MLF) Tackle Warehouse Invitational Stop 1 Presented by Power-Pole MOVE on Sam Rayburn Reservoir was an absolute fireworks show. New York pro Alec Morrison and Tennessee’s Cole Breeden both caught 11-pounders, and nine pros topped 20 pounds. Headlining it all, local rookie Marshall Hughes of Hemphill, Texas, blitzed 38 pounds, 7 ounces to tally up 50-14 and rocket into the lead. Of course, Hughes had an 11-pounder as well (the third of the day) and staked himself a little more than a 6-pound cushion after only scratching up 12-7 on Day 1.
Hughes has a sterling record on Sam Rayburn and should certainly be riding high, but he’s not safe yet. Behind him are some of the best in the game with forward-facing sonar. Hughes might have the edge on local knowledge, but Day 3 of the event could be a shootout for the ages.
The three-day tournament, hosted by the Jasper County Development District, featured a roster of 150 anglers competing for a top prize of up to $115,000 and an invitation to compete at REDCREST 2025. The field is now trimmed to 30, and the winner will be determined tomorrow by heaviest three-day cumulative weight.
Link to Photo of Day 2 Leader Marshall Hughes
Link to Photo Gallery of Day 2 Afternoon Highlights
Link to Video of Fish-Catch Highlights of Day 2 on Sam Rayburn Reservoir
Midway through the day, it looked like one of the storylines would be a lack of big bags. Usually, by noon of any Rayburn event, somebody has cracked a bag in the upper 20s or 30s, and they might be headed back to the dock to wait for the scales to open. Then, things started clicking for Hughes.
“I had like 14 pounds at like 11 or something; I was kind of down in the dumps with 14 pounds that late in the day,” said Hughes. “I started running around, running some new stuff. I was trying what I did yesterday, and it wasn’t working. I ran up to a hard spot, a shallower hard spot, and got bit and caught one — it was a 5-pounder, my small one.”
That was the only clue he needed.
“So, I started running that stuff, and I pulled up on one, and they had just moved up and started feeding,” he said. “It was just balls to the walls. I’ve never seen what I saw today, ever.”
Fishing in 12 to 15 feet with a Bill Lewis Scope-Stik and a 5/8-ounce Buckeye Mop Jig with a Yamamoto Flappin’ Hog, Hughes watched most of the fish bite on forward-facing sonar.
“I rolled in, and they were there feeding,” he said. “It wasn’t like they were schooled up together. It was one there, one here. The ones that were higher up came on the jerkbait. The water is dingy right now; it’s hard for them to see it.”
Fishing 60 or 70 tournaments a year, Hughes is a full-time fisherman who hasn’t gone national – yet. Now, he’s looking to start his rookie year with a win. All he needs to do is have another good day on a lake he calls home.
“This afternoon, I just went out and started plucking around,” he said. “I love to catch ‘em on a ‘trap’ — I feel like that’s my forte — but they ain’t eatin’ a ‘trap’ now, so they’re putting me elsewhere. I need to just go fishing like I did today.”
The top 30 pros advancing to the final day of competition on Sam Rayburn Reservoir are:
1st: Marshall Hughes, Hemphill, Texas, 10 bass, 50-14
2nd: Alec Morrison, Peru, N.Y., 10 bass, 44-3
3rd: Jake Lawrence, Buchanan, Tenn., 10 bass, 43-9
4th: Cal Lane, Guntersville, Ala., 10 bass, 43-9
5th: Drew Gill, Mount Carmel, Ill., 10 bass, 43-3
6th: Keith Poche, Cecil, Ala., 10 bass, 41-14
7th: Brody Campbell, Oxford, Ohio, 10 bass, 41-5
8th: Nick Hatfield, Greeneville, Tenn., 10 bass, 41-1
9th: Brock Reinkemeyer, Warsaw, Mo., 10 bass, 38-8
10th: Nick LeBrun, Bossier City, La., 10 bass, 38-6
11th: Dillon Harrell, New Caney, Texas, 10 bass, 38-6
12th: Matt Becker, Ten Mile, Tenn., 10 bass, 37-11
13th: Jaden Parrish, Liberty, Texas, 10 bass, 37-3
14th: Cole Breeden, Lebanon, Tenn., 10 bass, 36-12
15th: Britt Myers, Jr., Lake Wylie, S.C., 10 bass, 36-4
16th: Lane Olson, Forest Grove, Ore., 10 bass, 35-12
17th: Dakota Ebare, Brookeland, Texas, 10 bass, 35-8
18th: Clayton Batts, Butler, Ga., 10 bass, 35-5
19th: Andrew Nordbye, Guntersville, Ala., 10 bass, 35-1
20th: Kelly Jordon, Flint, Texas, 10 bass, 34-8
21st: Ramie Colson, Jr., Cadiz, Ky., 10 bass, 34-2
22nd: Jordan Wiggins, Cullman, Ala., 10 bass, 34-1
23rd: Michael Harlin, Sunrise Beach, Mo., 10 bass, 33-15
24th: Mitchell Robinson, Landrum, S.C., 10 bass, 33-11
25th: Ty Faber, Pagosa Springs, Colo., 10 bass, 33-10
26th: Jacob Walker, Springville, Ala., 10 bass, 33-7
27th: Terry Fisher, Decatur, Ala., 10 bass, 32-13
28th: Kyle Hall, Granbury, Texas, 10 bass, 32-8
29th: Mark Condron, Murfreesboro, Tenn., 10 bass, 32-6
30th: Rick Harris, Kingsland, Texas, 10 bass, 31-10
Complete results for the entire field can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
Pro Cole Breeden of Lebanon, Tennessee, earned the $1,000 Berkley Big Bass award Saturday with a largemouth bass that weighed in at 11 pounds, 12 ounces.
Overall, there were 693 bass weighing 1,914 pounds, 7 ounces caught by 146 pros Saturday. The catch included 131 five-bass limits.
Historically speaking, it’s basically impossible to know if this weigh-in featured a record-breaking number of 11-pounders. It likely didn’t overall, but based on our records, it’s the first time in the long history of MLF competition on Sam Rayburn that multiple fish over 11 pounds have hit the scales in the same day, much less three of them. Similarly, Hughes’ bag is a record for the Invitationals circuit and the fourth-biggest ever on Sam Rayburn in MLF competition. It doesn’t quite crack the Top 10 heaviest limits of all-time, though – 10th in that case belongs to Terry Bolton with 38-15 that he caught in 2008 on Falcon Lake. Breeden’s 11-12 Berkley Big Bass tied for the third-biggest ever weighed during MLF competition on Rayburn.
In Tackle Warehouse Invitational competition, the full field of 150 anglers competed in the two-day opening round on Friday and Saturday in a five-fish, weigh-in format. Only the top 30 pros based on their two-day cumulative weight now advance to the final round on Championship Sunday, where they will compete for the grand prize of up to $115,000. The winner of the Tackle Warehouse Invitational Stop 1 Presented by Power-Pole MOVE at Sam Rayburn Reservoir will be determined by the heaviest three-day cumulative weight and will receive an invitation to compete at REDCREST 2025 on Lake Guntersville in Huntsville, Alabama.
The final 30 anglers will launch at 7 a.m. CT each day from the Umphrey Family Pavilion, located at 5438 Sam Rayburn Parkway in Brookeland. Sunday’s championship weigh-in will also be held at the pavilion and will begin at 3 p.m. Fans are welcome to attend all launch and weigh-in events and also encouraged to follow the event online throughout the day on the MLFNOW!® live stream and coverage at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
The MLFNOW!® broadcast team of Chad McKee and Rob Newell will break down the extended action live each day of competition from 7:30 a.m. to 2:45 p.m. CT. MLFNOW!® will be live streamed on MajorLeagueFishing.com and the MyOutdoorTV (MOTV) app.
Television coverage of the MLF Tackle Warehouse Invitationals Stop 1 Presented by Power-Pole at Sam Rayburn Reservoir will air as a two-hour episode, premiering at 9 a.m. ET, on Saturday, Oct. 5 on CBS Sports Network.
Proud sponsors of the 2024 MLF Tackle Warehouse Invitationals include: 7Brew, Abu Garcia, B&W Trailer Hitches, Berkley, BUBBA, E3, Epic Baits, Fishing Clash, General Tire, Lew’s, Mercury, Mossy Oak Fishing, Onyx, Phoenix Boats, Polaris, Power-Pole, Strike King, Suzuki, Tackle Warehouse, T-H Marine, Toyota and YETI.
For complete details and updated information on Major League Fishing and the Tackle Warehouse Invitationals, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular Tackle Warehouse Invitational updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow the MLF5 social media outlets at Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.
About Major League Fishing
Major League Fishing (MLF) is the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization, producing more than 250 events annually at some of the most prestigious fisheries in the world, while broadcasting to America’s living rooms on CBS, Discovery Channel, Outdoor Channel, CBS Sports Network, World Fishing Network and on demand on MyOutdoorTV (MOTV). Headquartered in Benton, Kentucky, the MLF roster of bass anglers includes the world’s top pros and more than 30,000 competitors in all 50 states and 13 countries. Since its founding in 2011, MLF has advanced the sport of competitive fishing through its premier television broadcasts and livestreams and is dedicated to improving the quality of life for bass through research, education, fisheries enhancement and fish care.
Missouri’s Brock Reinkemeyer Leads Day 1 at Tackle Warehouse Invitational
Second-Year Pro Takes 1-Pound, 1-Ounce Lead into Second Day of Competition Saturday
BROOKELAND, Texas (Feb. 9, 2024) – They say everything is bigger in Texas, and the largemouth bass at Sam Rayburn Reservoir certainly fit the bill, Friday. After a 1½-hour fog delay this morning, the first Major League Fishing (MLF) Tackle Warehouse Invitational event of the season kicked off at Sam Rayburn and the fishery showcased why it is widely known as one of the best in the country. A total of 11 pros crossed the 20-pound barrier, and 13 pounds went all the way down to 53rd place.
Pro Brock Reinkemeyer of Warsaw, Missouri, brought a five-bass limit to the scale Friday weighing 24 pounds, 7 ounces, to take the early lead on Day 1 of the MLF Tackle Warehouse Invitational Stop 1 Presented by Power-Pole MOVE at Sam Rayburn Reservoir. Reinkemeyer now holds a 1-pound, 1-ounce lead over pro Nick Hatfield of Greeneville, Tennessee, who caught five bass weighing 23-6 to end the day in second. Invitationals newcomer Brody Campbell of Oxford, Ohio, sits just one ounce behind Hatfield in third with 23-5.
The full field of 150 anglers will conclude the two-day opening round on Saturday, with only the top 30 pros based on their two-day cumulative weight advancing to Championship Sunday. The three-day tournament, hosted by the Jasper County Development District, features a roster of 150 anglers competing for a top prize of up to $115,000 and an invitation to compete at REDCREST 2025.
Long established as one to watch around the Ozarks, Reinkemeyer showed during his rookie season on the Tackle Warehouse Invitationals last year that he’s no slouch nationally, as well. Today, he relied on a few areas and a few key bites.
“I caught one big one during practice doing off-the-wall, kind of deep stuff, and it paid off twice today,” said Reinkemeyer. “I just kind of moseyed down a stretch and just plucked two big ones off.
“It was kind of like a little drop,” he said of his area. “I scanned the hell out of this flat, and they weren’t up on top of it. So, I just went down the edges, and I found one edge where there are some shad and got lucky with two big ones.”
Of course, you can’t catch 24 pounds and change without some skill, and it’s not like Reinkemeyer is oblivious out there. While much of the field had no problem catching keepers but struggled at times to find quality bites, Reinkemeyer seems to have a beat on some big ones.
“I’ve got three spots where I’m just kind of milking ‘em,” he said. “Stumps, hard bottom — I’m fishing anywhere from 12 to 24, just kind of zig-zagging on the edges.
“I don’t feel like there are a lot of fish, but if I get a bite, it’s a good one,” he added. “I probably caught like 10 keepers today, but I was also bypassing small ones that are suspended way up. I’ve been catching them all week, and they’re all small. The bigger ones are closer to the bottom.”
One key for Reinkemeyer was staying away from the grass, which Rayburn is loaded with these days.
“I caught one out there right at 7 in practice, and this sucker was like a football,” he recalled. “And I’m like, ‘they ain’t in that grass.’ I fished two days in the grass, and Brad [Jelinek] was catching them in the grass, but nothing big. I couldn’t even catch a keeper in the grass.”
Plenty of other pros caught fish in the grass today, while others targeted hard structure or suspending fish. So, Reinkemeyer isn’t on an island from a pattern perspective. Still, he does seem to be fishing away from the pressure.
“I had them all to myself,” he said. “At my starting spot there was one other guy there; he moseyed around for two seconds and left. I’m all alone while everybody else is fishing in a crowd in the grass. Hopefully it’s the same thing tomorrow.”
The top 20 pros after Day 1 on Sam Rayburn Reservoir are:
1st: Brock Reinkemeyer, Warsaw, Mo., five bass, 24-7
2nd: Nick Hatfield, Greeneville, Tenn., five bass, 23-6
3rd: Brody Campbell, Oxford, Ohio, five bass, 23-5
4th: Keith Poche, Pike Road, Ala., five bass, 22-12
5th: Clayton Batts, Butler, Ga., five bass, 22-1
6th: Cal Lane, Guntersville, Ala., five bass, 21-7
7th: Nick LeBrun, Bossier City, La., five bass, 21-5
8th: Mitchell Robinson, Landrum, S.C., five bass, 21-3
9th: Drew Gill, Mount Carmel, Ill., five bass, 21-1
10th: Jake Lawrence, Buchanan, Tenn., five bass, 20-9
11th: Terry Fisher, Decatur, Ala., five bass, 20-5
12th: Ramie Colson, Jr., Cadiz, Ky., five bass, 19-11
12th: Michael Harlin, Sunrise Beach, Mo., five bass, 19-11
14th: Alec Morrison, Peru, N.Y., five bass, 18-10
15th: Andrew Nordbye, Guntersville, Ala., five bass, 18-9
16th: Jaden Parrish, Liberty, Texas, five bass, 18-8
17th: Matt Becker, Ten Mile, Tenn., five bass, 18-6
18th: Ty Faber, Pagosa Springs, Colo., five bass, 17-14
19th: Brad Jelinek, Lincoln, Mo., five bass, 17-13
20th: Chris Groh, Spring Grove, Ill., five bass, 17-7
Complete results for the entire field can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
Hatfield earned Friday’s $1,000 Berkley Big Bass award with a largemouth bass that weighed in at 9 pounds, 3 ounces.
Overall, there were 682 bass weighing 1,787 pounds, 7 ounces caught by 149 pros Friday. The catch included 120 five-bass limits.
In Tackle Warehouse Invitational competition, the full field of 150 anglers compete in the two-day opening round on Friday and Saturday in a five-fish, weigh-in format. Only the top 30 pros, based on their two-day cumulative weight, advance to the final round on Championship Sunday, where they will compete for the grand prize of up to $115,000. The winner of the Tackle Warehouse Invitational Stop 1 Presented by Power-Pole MOVE at Sam Rayburn Reservoir will be determined by the heaviest three-day cumulative weight and will receive an invitation to compete at REDCREST 2025 on Lake Guntersville in Huntsville, Alabama.
Anglers will launch at 7 a.m. CT each day from the Umphrey Family Pavilion, located at 5438 Sam Rayburn Parkway in Brookeland. Weigh-ins will also be held at the pavilion and will begin at 3 p.m. Fans are welcome to attend all launch and weigh-in events and also encouraged to follow the event online throughout the day on the MLFNOW!® live stream and coverage at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
The MLFNOW!® broadcast team of Chad McKee and Rob Newell will break down the extended action live each day of competition from 7:30 a.m. to 2:45 p.m. CT. MLFNOW!® will be live streamed on MajorLeagueFishing.com and the MyOutdoorTV (MOTV) app.
Television coverage of the MLF Tackle Warehouse Invitationals Stop 1 Presented by Power-Pole at Sam Rayburn Reservoir will air as a two-hour episode, premiering at 9 a.m. ET, on Saturday, Oct. 5 on CBS Sports Network.
Proud sponsors of the 2024 MLF Tackle Warehouse Invitationals include: 7Brew, Abu Garcia, B&W Trailer Hitches, Berkley, BUBBA, E3, Epic Baits, Fishing Clash, General Tire, Lew’s, Mercury, Mossy Oak Fishing, Onyx, Phoenix Boats, Polaris, Power-Pole, Strike King, Suzuki, Tackle Warehouse, T-H Marine, Toyota and YETI.
For complete details and updated information on Major League Fishing and the Tackle Warehouse Invitationals, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular Tackle Warehouse Invitational updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow the MLF5 social media outlets at Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.
About Major League Fishing
Major League Fishing (MLF) is the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization, producing more than 250 events annually at some of the most prestigious fisheries in the world, while broadcasting to America’s living rooms on CBS, Discovery Channel, Outdoor Channel, CBS Sports Network, World Fishing Network and on demand on MyOutdoorTV (MOTV). Headquartered in Benton, Kentucky, the MLF roster of bass anglers includes the world’s top pros and more than 30,000 competitors in all 50 states and 13 countries. Since its founding in 2011, MLF has advanced the sport of competitive fishing through its premier television broadcasts and livestreams and is dedicated to improving the quality of life for bass through research, education, fisheries enhancement and fish care.
Key adjustment guides Rasmussen to victory at B.A.S.S. Nation Qualifier on Lake Eufaula
EUFAULA, Ala. — After some anxious moments in the morning hours, Adam Rasmussen caught a limit weighing 18 pounds, 13 ounces Friday to win the Mercury B.A.S.S. Nation Qualifier at Lake Eufaula presented by Lowrance with a three-day total of 62-5.
Along with the trophy, Rasmussen earned $9,728 and a berth in the 2024 B.A.S.S. Nation Championship.
“Obviously this is what we all strive to do in this sport. We want to win,” he said. “So, you put your head down and work as hard as you can and try to do it every time. There’s a lot of good anglers that fish this and I am humbled to win it on a lake that hasn’t been very nice to me in the past.”
Alabama’s Kenneth Grover II finished second with a three-day total of 51-12 while Brock Belik finished third with 50-15.
Anglers were welcomed to Lake Eufaula by a major rain storm, which dirtied up a lot of the lake at the beginning of the week. Rasmussen made a concerted effort to scan almost the entirety of practice in cleaner water, trying to find as many sweet spots as possible so he didn’t run out of areas to fish in the tournament.
“I looked for as much stuff as I could. I probably laid down 400 icons (on my graph),” said Rasmussen, who notched an Opens victory on Alabama’s Wheeler Lake in 2023. “I always seem to run out of stuff halfway through Day 2. I pretty much had the attitude that I was going to find as much as I possibly could so I didn’t run out. And I didn’t. There’s still more that I didn’t even get to.”
Opening the tournament in second with 19-1, Rasmussen anchored a 24-7 Day 2 bag with a 7-9 largemouth, which was the Big Bass of the Tournament, and took an impressive lead into the final day.
The noted Wisconsin walleye guide turned bass pro caught the majority of his weight the first two days by targeting hard-bottom staging areas outside of spawning pockets. Those bass were located anywhere from 5 to 15 feet of water, and he slowly dragged a 1/2-ounce brown jig paired with a green pumpkin Rapala CrushCity Cleanup Craw to generate bites.
“You had to keep contact with the bottom the whole time and fish it super slow,” he said.
On the final day, Rasmussen started in his primary area, only to find it did not reload with more bass. He caught one keeper from the area, but did not get another bite until he moved to the main lake around 10 a.m. There, he found a school of bass in 15 to 18 feet of water and dragged a 3/4-ounce jig with the Cleanup Craw.
“I stumbled on a school of bass that were up on a shellbar,” Rasmussen said. “I had 17 pounds in six casts. At the end of the day I pulled up on another shellbar and caught a 4-pounder. I felt OK after that.”
After barely sneaking into the Day 3 cut with bags of 12-9 and 13-15, Grover caught the biggest bag of the tournament on the final day — a 25-4 limit that was anchored by a 7-7 largemouth. Most of that bag was caught during the first two hours using a 1/2-ounce football jig with a Yamamoto Double-Tail Grub.
“Last night, I got to thinking about that particular area. It is the perfect wintertime spot. It is a lake ledge, but it has a really sharp drop at the bottom,” Grover said. “I just knew there were some better fish and if I got there first thing in the morning I would have a chance at catching a big bag. The water was cleaning up every day.”
Grover had that area, as well as his starting area on Day 1, to himself. Not only were there bass, but there were plenty of baitfish as well as crappie and other species. Slowing way down was the key to generating strikes.
“It was definitely a much better bite first thing in the morning. I would bring the jig over the ledge break and shake my rod and let the bait just sit there,” he explained. “It seemed like the longer I would do that, one would finally come pick it up. I think they were cruising along the ledge and when one came across my bait, they would go ahead and eat it.”
Belik caught 13-2 on Day 1 before adding bags of 18-2 and 19-11 on the final two days. The Nebraska angler also benefited from finding an offshore school of bass. On the final day, he caught 25 total fish on a “mega-school” located in 17 to 24 feet of water on a creek channel swing ledge leading into a spawning pocket.
A 3/8-ounce Woo Tungsten shaky head with a Zoom Trick Worm was his best producing bait.
“I started there today and it happened pretty quick. By 10 o’clock I had that 19 pounds,” Belik said. “They were loaded up there. It was a ledge with a bunch of standing timber and they were setting up right on the ledge. I could tell where they were setting up on LiveScope. I would cast right to them, let that shaky head sit there and shake the worm until they would eat it.”
Brian Gibler of Clarksville, Tenn., won the nonboater division with a three-day total of 21-8. Mississippi’s David Godwin finished second with 19-13 and Georgia’s Daniel Wilson Jr. finished third with 18-8. Kentucky’s Ron Whittaker claimed the Big Bass of the Tournament among nonboaters with a 6-2 largemouth he caught on Day 1.
The Eufaula-Barbour County Chamber of Commerce hosted this week's event.
2024 Bassmaster Nation Series Title Sponsor: Mercury
2024 Bassmaster Nation Series Presenting Sponsor: Lowrance
2024 Bassmaster Nation Series Platinum Sponsor: Toyota
2024 Bassmaster Nation Series Premier Sponsors: Bass Pro Shops, Dakota Lithium, Humminbird, Mercury, Minn Kota, Nitro Boats, Power-Pole, Progressive Insurance, Ranger Boats, Rapala, Skeeter Boats, Yamaha
2024 Bassmaster Nation Series Supporting Sponsors: AFTCO, Daiwa, Garmin, Lew's, Lowrance, Marathon, Triton Boats, VMC
2024 Bassmaster Nation Series Youth Sponsors: Seaguar, Shimano
About B.A.S.S.B.A.S.S., which encompasses the Bassmaster tournament leagues, events and media platforms, is the worldwide authority on bass fishing and keeper of the culture of the sport, providing cutting-edge content on bass fishing whenever, wherever and however bass fishing fans want to use it. Headquartered in Birmingham, Ala., the 500,000-member organization’s fully integrated media platforms include the industry’s leading magazines (Bassmaster and B.A.S.S. Times), website (Bassmaster.com), TV show, radio show, social media programs and events. For more than 50 years, B.A.S.S. has been dedicated to access, conservation and youth fishing.
Montevallo Moves To Number One in the Bass Pro Shops School of the Year presented by Abu Garcia
SAN ANTONIO, TX (February 8, 2024) – The Association of Collegiate Anglers announces the latest update to the standings for the 2023-24 Bass Pro Shops School of the Year presented by Abu Garcia. This is college fishing’s only all-encompassing National Rankings system, and the race for this year’s title is just now past the halfway mark of the season. With hundreds of teams now preparing for the late winter and early spring stretch run of the season, it’s apparent that several schools are looking to climb into the Top 25 and finish as high up in the rankings as possible, while also hoping to crack that prestigious place in the Top 10 in the nation.
A familiar school has taken over 1st place as the University of Montevallo has moved up two places to be ranked number one in the most recent rankings of the Bass Pro Shops School of the Year presented by Abu Garcia. Carson-Newman University falls one place down to 2nd, and the University of North Alabama slides to 3rd after previously being ranked 2nd. Montevallo and UNA are both past multi-time winners of the School of the Year title, while Carson-Newman is looking to finish the year ranked number one for their first time ever.
Each of the Top 3 teams have competed in the same number of double points events on the season. With each team on equal footing at this point in February, the current standings provide a good snapshot of just how tight the race for that number one spot truly is.
Here is a look at teams that made significant moves up in the latest update to the standings for the Bass Pro Shops School of the Year presented by Abu Garcia:
4) Lander University – Previously Ranked 6th
7) Emmanuel University – Previously Ranked 13th
11) Adrian College – Previously Ranked 12th
14) University of Tennessee – Previously Ranked 15th
15 Drury University – Previously Ranked 16th
18) Dallas Baptist University – Previously Ranked 19th
21) Bryan College – Previously Ranked 24th
Click here to see the complete updated rankings.
Fishin' Tip Friday - Mercury Pro Boyd Duckett
By Vance McCullough - AC Insider
“I’m gonna tell you about something that’s become a go-to for me,” shared Major League Fishing Bass Pro Tour competitor and former Bassmaster Classic Champion Boyd Duckett. “It’s helped me tremendously. Now, this is nothing new, it’s a 4-inch Senko. Everybody’s seen them. Everybody has them. Everybody knows how good a Senko works when it comes to getting fish bites.
“But something I have learned, when fishing is tough - and if it is for you like it is for me, it’s a lot of the time and you’ve got to find a way to get a bite - they love a weightless Senko.
“I have started rigging it Texas rigged, not whacky rigged, and I’m pinching a split shot 30 inches above it like a finesse Carolina rig. It’s just enough weight to get it down to the bottom in 15 or 20 feet. What you’ve got is a weightless, weedless 4-inch Senko and bass can’t stand it.
“They’re gonna eat it,” insists Duckett.
“I can’t tell you how many times in tough tournaments, how many fish I’ve caught rigging it the way I just explained. It takes patience. I throw it on a spinning rod with 6lb line and I catch big ones on Guntersville when they’re on the ledges and they’re beat up and you can’t get bites. I’m catching 5-and-6-pound fish around all the other guys throwing jigs and big worms.
“This is an unbelievable technique. When fishing is tough you can still put big weight in the boat with a 4-inch Senko on a split shot rig.”
Options plentiful for Bassmaster Opens anglers on Lake Ouachita
HOT SPRINGS, Ark. — Winter is nearing its end in western Arkansas, which means there will be plenty of opportunities to catch big bags during the St. Croix Bassmaster Open at Lake Ouachita presented by SEVIIN, according to Bassmaster Elite Series pro Stetson Blaylock.
“When you think of a premier, early prespawn tournament, Lake Ouachita has it all. It is a really good fishery,” the Arkansas pro said.
Tournament days are scheduled for Feb. 15-17, with daily takeoffs set for 6:45 a.m. CT from the Brady Mountain Rec A ramp. Anglers will return for weigh-in each day at 2:45 p.m. The full field of pros and co-anglers will fish the first two days before the field is cut to the Top 10 pros on the final day.
The winner will punch a ticket to the 2025 Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Classic presented by Jockey Outdoors, given that they have fished every event in Division II. Anglers signed up for all nine Opens will earn points towards the Tackle Warehouse Bassmaster Elite Qualifiers race.
Early forecasts are calling for warm and rainy conditions to begin the practice period, while sunny and slightly cooler conditions will take over during the tournament.
Covering over 40,000 acres, Ouachita is Arkansas’ largest lake and is one of the most popular fisheries in the state. While it has been more than 20 years since B.A.S.S. visited the lake for a major event, it has hosted four Forrest Wood Cups in the past, all of which were in the late summer.
Now, the Bassmaster Opens anglers will give it a chance to shine in the prespawn. EQ angler Jacob Bigelow caught an 11-pounder while scouting for the event in December, highlighting the potential size anglers will find come tournament time.
As a highland reservoir, Ouachita is generally deep with plenty of clean water. If a major rain comes through, however, Blaylock said some of the best water tends to muddy up.
Ouachita has also risen several feet thanks to a soaking rainstorm that moved through during the middle of January. It has stabilized some in recent days, but the rise in water could affect the grass that has recently returned to the lake. Several different types of grass are prominent in Ouachita right now, including hydrilla and milfoil.
“It has really been strong recently in some areas of the lake,” Blaylock said. “That will be one of the main players. A lot of the bigger fish hang around that grass.”
Along with the grass, standing timber is a prominent piece of cover in the lake. That is what Blaylock believes will be the X factor.
“There’s so much standing timber out in 50, 60 and 70 feet of water, and those bass can be in a lot of different depth ranges. And they use them all,” Blaylock said. “The closer we get to March, the more those bass will be in a prespawn mode. But there are always deep bass.”
Anglers who are adept with their forward-facing sonar will find success throwing shad-style baits like a Damiki rig or a swimbait. Forward-facing sonar will also be key for fishing brushpiles and catching bass around balls of baitfish.
While bass will be caught deep, Blaylock says that there is always a population of bass that stay shallow. Rock banks will be the key here, and the bass in this zone will likely be targeting crawfish.
“We’ve had some really cold weather, but around here that doesn’t hurt too bad,” Blaylock said. “There will be a lot of fish caught super-shallow. It is that time of year. It is closer to spring than winter in my opinion, and that alone puts a lot of those bass moving toward the bank.
“That lake has always been really good for crawfish-eating bass,” he added. “Jigs and crankbaits with some reds and natural greens and browns are always good there.”
While there is plenty of water in the lake, Blaylock believes the lake will fish relatively small in this tournament.
“Everyone isn’t going to be fishing on top of each other, but if you put 200 boats on that body of water it is going to make the fishing more challenging,” Blaylock said. “It is a good lake, but when you put a lot of pressure on it, it gets tough really quickly.”
With that said, however, Blaylock anticipates bags around 22 to 23 pounds will be caught and an angler will have to average 17 to 18 pounds a day to claim the trophy.
Alabama’s Tucker Smith leads the EQ race after the first event at Lake Okeechobee with 199 points. Florida pro Randall Tharp is second with 198 points, followed by Paul Marks in third with 197, Matt Adams in fourth with 196 and Austin Cranford in fifth with 195 points. Easton Fothergill is sixth with 194 points, Sam George is seventh with 193 points, Beau Browning is eighth with 192 points and Brandon McMillan is ninth with 191 points.
The final day of competition will be broadcast live on FS1 Saturday morning beginning at 7:30 a.m. ET, with streaming available on Bassmaster.com, as well as FS2 and the FOX Sports digital platforms.
The tournament is being hosted by Visit Hot Springs.
2024 Bassmaster Opens Series Title Sponsor: St. Croix
2024 Bassmaster Opens Series Presenting Sponsor: SEVIIN
2024 Bassmaster Opens Series Platinum Sponsor: Toyota
2024 Bassmaster Opens Series Premier Sponsors: Bass Pro Shops, Dakota Lithium, Humminbird, Mercury, Minn Kota, Nitro Boats, Power-Pole, Progressive Insurance, Ranger Boats, Rapala, Skeeter Boats, Yamaha
2024 Bassmaster Opens Series Supporting Sponsors: AFTCO, Daiwa, Garmin, Lew's, Lowrance, Marathon, Triton Boats, VMC
About B.A.S.S.B.A.S.S., which encompasses the Bassmaster tournament leagues, events and media platforms, is the worldwide authority on bass fishing and keeper of the culture of the sport, providing cutting-edge content on bass fishing whenever, wherever and however bass fishing fans want to use it. Headquartered in Birmingham, Ala., the 500,000-member organization’s fully integrated media platforms include the industry’s leading magazines (Bassmaster and B.A.S.S. Times), website (Bassmaster.com), TV show, radio show, social media programs and events. For more than 50 years, B.A.S.S. has been dedicated to access, conservation and youth fishing.
Navigating the Depths: A Comprehensive Guide to Cannon Downriggers
Cannon Downriggers are the trusted choice for countless anglers worldwide, providing precise bait control and increased efficiency while on the water.
In the world of angling, precision is key. Whether you're a freshwater enthusiast targeting trophy walleye or a saltwater fanatic pursuing the elusive king salmon, having the ability to control your bait's depth can be the difference between a successful day on the water and a frustrating one. Enter Cannon® Downriggers – the trusted choice for countless anglers worldwide offering the perfect solution for precise control of your bait, resulting in more fish caught.
Downriggers are designed to be used while trolling for a variety of species and can be used on different bodies of water across North America. They allow anglers to fine-tune their fishing experience, ensuring that they target the specific species they desire at their preferred depths. This level of control is essential for being able to cover the column and present their bait where the fish are most likely to bite.
Cannon offers a wide selection of both manual and electric downriggers, with the electric models such as the Magnum™ or Optimum™ gaining popularity over the years due to their precision and efficiency. Boasting both convenience and speed of retrieval, these downriggers simplify the fishing process with advanced features and longer booms to be able to run a larger spread of lines. The automated functionality on the Magnum and Optimum eliminates the need for manual cranking, allowing anglers to get their weight out of the water in seconds with no cranking required. Cannon's electric downriggers not only enhance the overall efficiency of gear deployment and retrieval but also provide precision in bait placement, ensuring that your bait is exactly in the strike zone.
Many of Cannon’s electric downriggers are designed to integrate seamlessly with Humminbird’s® line of fish finders, making them easier than ever to use. The latest addition to Cannon's downrigger lineup, the Optimum, boasts several exclusive new features. One of the most recent advancements includes bottom tracking, allowing the angler to set the offset distance from the bottom, and the Optimum will keep the bait at that desired distance automatically. The Optimum also includes depth cycling, giving the angler the ability to program their downrigger to automatically cycle the depth of their bait to cover more water. The introduction of these features has redefined the capabilities of electric downriggers, reshaping the way anglers are able to cover the water column.
Anglers often opt for the versatility of Cannon downriggers, deploying up to four units strategically along the stern and sides of their boat. Despite being commonly associated with deep-water fishing, these downriggers give anglers the flexibility to target fish at various depths. What truly sets these downriggers apart is the comprehensive line of accessories and mounting systems offered by Cannon. The aluminum mounting systems are essential in organizing multiple lines to avoid tangling and increase efficiency. Paired with a wide assortment of rod holders designed for secure positioning, along with downrigger weights and line releases to ensure peak functionality and optimal depth control, Cannon’s accessory lineup offers a comprehensive solution for a hassle-free experience.
Cannon Downriggers have established a renowned reputation for their reliability and durability, built to withstand the harshest conditions. Cannon offers a variety of different downriggers and it can be intimidating to choose the right one for your style of fishing. To choose the right downrigger, you need to consider various factors, such as your fishing environment, the depth you plan to fish, your budget, and your boat type. With a wide range of models and price ranges available, Cannon makes it easy to find the perfect downrigger for your angling needs.
Whether you're a seasoned angler looking to enhance your fishing experience or a newcomer eager to explore the world of downriggers, Cannon continues to lead the industry, providing anglers with the opportunity to reach specific depths and enhance their fishing success. Their precision-engineered design, durability, and innovative features make them an irreplaceable tool for anglers seeking to optimize their trolling experience. In the evolving landscape of fishing gear and technology, Cannon’s unmatched reputation for quality and reliability has made them the top choice for anglers who demand the best.
To learn more about Cannon, visit cannon.johnsonoutdoors.com.
Spin Into River Walleyes Now
Beta-testers say new Northland® Deep-Vee Spin triggers more bites with the flash and vibration created by its precision willow blade.
BEMIDJI, Minn. (February 8, 2024) – Question: What do you get when you add a specially-designed willow blade, top-notch terminal tackle connections, and a unique, proven, walleye-catching jig head?
Answer: Northland Fishing Tackle®’s Deep-Vee Spin, new for 2024, which supplements the winning Deep-Vee Jig with added visual appeal, vibration, and sonics.
Sure, jigs with spinners aren’t anything new. In fact, Northland was one of the first to offer spinner-adorned jigs with the Whistler Jig decades ago, followed by the Thumper Jig, and later, Fire-Ball Spin Jig.
And there’s been a rush by bass anglers to purchase the recently-introduced Smeltinator® Underspin Jig, a variation of the 2023 Bassmaster Classic Winning spin-less Northland Smeltinator® Jig.
But we’re talking walleyes, and while all these historical baits still catch fish, Northland bait designers and pros worked hard to produce something new that ‘eyes haven’t seen, felt, or heard—a bait that has proven itself over the past year with expert beta-testers.
DESIGN: DEEP-VEE SPIN
Via the addition of a willow blade to the walleye-proven Deep-Vee Jig, the Deep-Vee Spin offers more flash, vibration, and sound than any walleye jig on the market. Sporting the keeled “Deep-Vee” design that’s thicker on the top and thin on the bottom to track straight and fall fast, it also features large eyes that exude a “match-the-hatch” realism. And fished with live bait or plastics, the Deep-Vee’s Barb-Wire® keeper keeps your bait from going anywhere.
SHOWALTER: OPEN-WATER RIVER PLAYS NOW INTO SPRING
Big walleye hunter, Michael Showalter, guides summer through fall in Ontario but fishes stateside on the Mississippi and St. Croix during midwinter thaws, spring, and late fall. He put the Deep-Vee Spin through the paces last to positive results.
“With river walleye fishing, everybody knows you need some sun to activate the bite; they’re very neutral on dark days. When the river is a little bit dingy and you’ve got some low clouds mixed with heavier current, the Deep-Vee Spin really shines. The fish can feel it in their lateral line and the extra vibration gets more bites over a standard jig.”
Coupled with a Eye-Candy 3.5” Paddle Shad in a host of colors—two of his favorite river plastics patterns being Purple Gill with its chartreuse bottom and purple top for visibility or white to closely mimic shad. Showalter fishes mostly ¼-ounce Deep-Vee Spin Jigs during the day, switching to 3/8-ounce as he continues to fish after-dark.
“When it hits primetime, I’ll slow roll the 3/8-oz size. The heavier jig swims faster back to the boat, coming up current. If there’s no current, I’ll throw a 1/8.”
In terms of river locations, Showalter likes to park ahead of wingdams, scanning areas from numerous angles with forward-facing sonar, followed by precise pitches and retrieves.
“I typically pitch the Deep-Vee Spin, let it hit bottom, give it two reel cranks, let it fall back to bottom—or what I’ve found to be best on the river this year, is just super-slow-rolling it back to the boat, keeping it above their heads, and they come up and hammer it. They’re so used to shad being above them, which don’t relate to bottom like a lot of other minnows. So, I pop it off bottom, more like a fast lift, hold my rod tip high, and then let the jig fall. I like doing that when there’s no wind—and when there’s wind, I keep my rod tip low and use one or two reel cranks, using my boat as a windbreak.”
SHOWALTER’S RIVER CONFIDENCE COLORS
“What’s been a killer for us—especially at night on the river—is the Deep-Vee Spin Jig in Chartreuse, with its glow paint and white and chartreuse willow blade. It’s been phenomenal,” offers Showalter.
During the day, Showalter switches between the White Deep-Vee Spin Jig with silver blade or Black with gold blade. “Honestly, the black head and gold blade is my daytime favorite.”
BRO ON SPINNING NATURAL LAKE WALLEYES
“Especially in bog-stained lakes, I do well with the Deep-Vee Spin. And from the dark run-off on the Rainy River last spring to fall lakes with algae dying, the jig caught fish,” says veteran Minnesota guide, Brian “Bro” Brosdahl, who also tested the Deep-Vee Spin throughout 2023.
“While testing, I’d mark fish, throw a conventional jig at ‘em, didn’t catch anything, then grabbed the Deep-Vee Spin and got the fish to bite,” comments Bro.
“The reflective part of the spinner really flashes, but not too much to scare fish off. It’s subtle enough for all walleye waters—dirty to gin clear.”
The bait’s versatility is what Bro likes most about the Deep-Vee Spin.
“You can drag them behind the boat like a spinner rig trolling forward or back, tipped with a half ‘crawler or fathead when everybody's dragging bullet sinkers and spinner rigs,” offers Bro.
And he spent plenty of time pitching it throughout the season, too – shallow to deep – threaded with a Northland Eye-Candy Paddle Shad, Minnow, Grub, or Jig Crawler.
“You get into that reactionary summer bite and the extra flash triggers big, lethargic walleyes. That’s pretty cool,” concludes Bro.
WHITE
BLACK
FIRETIGER
SUNRISE
WATERMELON
BUBBLEGUM
CHARTREUSE
PINK
PARROT
MOONLIGHT
PURPLEDESCENT
O'BERT ON THE RAINY RIVER RUN
Like Showalter and Bro, fishing guide Donnie O'Bert had the chance to put the Deep-Vee Spin through the paces over the course of 2023.
“Last year I had Deep-Vee Spin prototypes for the spring Rainy River run,” says O'Bert. “And they caught fish from day one.” (The Rainy River is a border water between Minnesota and Ontario.)
“The spinner gives walleyes something to home in on in stained river waters. While testing, I was fishing 1/8- and ¼-ounce on the Rainy. When pitching them with an Eye-Candy Paddle Shad, if the ¼-ounce wasn’t heavy enough to get down, the walleyes weren’t there anyway.”
“I started with gold bladed models, moved to silver, then brighter colors mixed with white. As far as jighead colors go, I give gave of my guide clients something different and let the fish dictate. If Brenda kept getting whacked with chartreuse and white, I’d change Bill and Bob over to what she was using.”
O'Bert’s confidence Rainy River Deep-Vee Spin color? Purpledescent with a silver willow blade.
“I'm a big believer in purple. And black. I think walleyes just key in on them. For me, I’ll start and end the Rainy River seasons with a Purpledescent Deep-Vee Spin with a 3 1/2” Eye-Candy Paddle Shad in Purple Shad—sometimes Firecracker, which has a lot of purple in it.”
PITCHING, DRAGGING, & TUMBLING
O'Bert starts his Rainy River routine locating fish with electronics, Spot-Locking into position, then pitching 1/8 oz. Deep-Vee Spin jigs into the current, letting the bait swing down into the fish, pulling his line tight to activate the paddletail and spinner. Depending on current speed, O'Bert pitches straight off the back of the boat or at 45-degrees.
“I’ll pitch the bait, make a couple of rod sweeps, then close the bail and let the river current pull it tight. It’s similar to pitching current seams, but you can run the same approach anywhere on the river where you find fis,h as long as your line sweeps back around behind the boat and across fish,” adds O'Bert.
A second method involves dragging ¼ oz. Deep-Vee Spin jigs upstream at 0.3 to 0.4 mph, suspending the bait in the strike zone without touching bottom.
“Our third method is the antithesis of what every river walleye fisherman thinks works,” says O'Bert. “My buddy stumbled onto it, and we call it ‘tumbling.’ He casts upstream and just pops his rod tip and lets the paddletail tumble down river and every time it hits bottom he pops it again. Makes no sense to me, but on the days when pitching and dragging does not work, tumbling can be effective.”
EYE-CANDY PADDLE SHAD
Deep-Vee Spin FEATURES:
- Thumper Willow Blade adds flash & vibration for added attraction
- Keeled “Deep-Vee” design tracks straight, falls fast
- Realistic 3D eyes “match-the-hatch” and entice strikes
- Barb-Wire® keeper locks on soft plastics or live bait
- Available in 12 colors, 8 of which are GLOW variations
- Various Willow Blade non-GLOW & GLOW colors: Gold; Silver; White/Chart.; Pink/Chart.; Purple/Blue/White; & Green/White
- Four sizes available: (1/16 oz. - #2 hook); (1/8 oz. – 1/0 hook); (1/4 oz. – 2/0 hook); (3/8 oz. – 3/0 hook)
MSRP: $7.49/ two per card
