AnglersChannel

Fall’s Impact To Be Felt At Bassmaster Northern Open On Thousand Islands

Clayton, N.Y., will host the Basspro.com Bassmaster Northern Open on the St. Lawrence River/1000 Islands Sept. 9-11, 2021.

Photo by B.A.S.S.

September 3, 2021

CLAYTON, N.Y. — Autumn officially arrives Sept. 22, but anglers fishing the Basspro.com Bassmaster Northern Open on the St. Lawrence River/1000 Islands will find expanded opportunity balanced by potentially diluting seasonal movements.

Competition days will be Sept. 9-11 with daily takeoffs from the Antique Boat Museum at 6:30 a.m. ET and weigh-ins each day at the museum at 2:30 p.m.

Following the Farmers Insurance Bassmaster Elite at the St. Lawrence River (July 15-18) by nearly two months, the Northern Open’s tournament boundaries will include the St. Lawrence River and its tributaries, as well as Lake Ontario. While Canadian waters were still closed during the Elite, the Aug. 9 reopening now puts both sides of the river and lake in play.

This will clearly increase the fishable waters, but as Michigan Elite angler Garrett Paquette said, an early taste of fall has cracked the whip on local smallmouth.

“Up north, that first week of September, maybe the last week of August, you start to get that fall feel,” Paquette said. “That north wind starts to blow, temperatures start dropping and that is exactly what is happening in this area. Daytime highs are in the low to mid-70s and overnight lows are in the upper 50s.”

Paquette further notes that this early fall transition will likely play a significant role in fish location and concentration.

“Smallmouth bass move fast (this time of year) because they know ice is coming,” he said. “Once they feel that temperature start to drop, those big summer groups will start to break apart.

“That’s not to say that there won’t be any grouped up, but the fish will start to disperse. Instead of doing maybe one or two things, they’ll do multiple things. You can catch them from 6 inches of water out to 60 feet of water. It’s a matter of finding somewhere the fish are coming into and not leaving.”

Look for smallmouth anglers to target the usual mix of deep rocky humps, deep points, current seams and isolated boulders. In the shallower areas, rock reefs and blended bottom where sand and rock or sand and grass meet are the prime targets.

In the lake, anglers can usually hover around key areas with trolling motors, as long as the wind and waves remain light to moderate. In the river, swift current typically requires a controlled drift. In either area, the standard smallmouth arsenal will include drop shots, Ned rigs, tubes, jerkbaits and Marabou jigs.

As for the decision to fish the river or the lake, anglers typically start with the weather forecast. Big winds can whip Lake Ontario into a white-capped frenzy that challenges positioning and presentations. The river can also see rough water — along with serious wakes from massive cargo ships — but the area’s many islands create a lot of leeward options.

The tradeoff for braving Lake Ontario’s big waters is a higher quality of fish. The St. Lawrence will no doubt produce plenty of competitive fish and it’s not inconceivable that the winner never fishes west of Cape Vincent (river mouth, U.S. side). However, with far less current than the river, Lake Ontario’s fish burn fewer calories and grow heavier.

“What’s cool about Lake Ontario is there’s so much (habitat) out there and there are so many unpressured fish that a guy can find a spot (with a large group of fish),” Paquette said. “But I think you could see a lot of people go out there and find that their fish are gone. So being able to relocate them each day is going to be key.”

Worth a mention, the St. Lawrence River holds a respectable population of largemouth bass, including some in the 6- to 7-pound range. Mississippi’s Brock Mosley finished third at last year’s Elite event by targeting largemouth along the Clayton waterfront.

Mosley caught his fish on a Z-Man ChatterBait JackHammer. Bladed jigs should work for the fall largemouth — especially if cloudy skies prevail — along with frogs and shallow-water flipping.

Paquette acknowledges this potential, but particularly for a fall event, he sees largemouth delivering less impact. “I think if a guy wants to be consistent and make a check, largemouth could be a player, but to make the Top 10 and be in contention for the win, you’re going to need smallmouth.”

Despite the seasonal challenges, Paquette’s looking for good numbers of big fish. Weather dependent, he predicts 20 pounds a day will make the Top 10, with 25 to 26 pounds a day winning the trophy.

Currently, Brandon Palaniuk of Rathdrum, Idaho, Mike Iaconelli of Pittsgrove, N.J., Hugh Cosculluela of The Woodlands, Texas, and Alex Redwine of Blue Ash, Ohio, sit atop of the Northern Division points standings while Jacob Powroznik of North Prince George, Va., is leading the Falcon Rods Opens Angler of the Year race. Palaniuk will not be competing at the final event.

The full field will compete the first two days before the boater side is cut to the Top 10 anglers for Championship Saturday. The co-angler champion will be crowned after the Day 2 weigh-in. Coverage of the event will be available at Bassmaster.com. FS1 and the FOX Sports digital platforms will also carry live coverage Saturday beginning at 8 a.m. ET.

by AnglersChannel

MonsterBass Mad Max Popper Review

Courtesy of Vance McCullough

Attitude is everything. The new Mad Max popper from MonsterBass sits with an extreme tail-down disposition when paused. This posture promotes solid hookups. BKK trebles keep bass buttoned all the way to the boat.

BKK hooks hits American shores at the recent ICAST show in Orlando this summer with an impressive array of bass-appropriate hooks. Their trebles are tack sharp and strong. This writer has already put them, and the Mad Max, to the test.

On a slick, sunny afternoon I pulled a nice fish from beneath a dock with a pop and a pause under the dog day heat of August in Florida. I had hardly been casting for 10 minutes. The lethargic bass barely broke the surface but because the Mad Max offers itself to the fish so well, both sets of hooks sank in. And held. I let the fish jump repeatedly just for fun. She wasn’t getting loose.

If I have one critique of the Mad Max it might be that it has almost too much action, at least on lighter line. This is a nice problem to have, but I recommend upsizing to 20-pound mono or 50-to-65-pound braid to keep the hooks from fouling the line because, while it’s labeled a ‘popper’ this dog doesn’t just walk, it runs, a result of the squared off bottom lip. The corners of the mouth will dig in with each snap of the rod tip.

This brings me to the subject of upcoming fall fishing patterns and how I plan to use the Mad Max. In lakes that boast an abundance of grass, surface mats will begin to thin out. This creates an opportunity to pitch treble hooked lures in places where bass have only seen frogs for months. The aforementioned braided line comes into play here. Pick a bluegill color, Feeder Gill is ideal for gin clear water while Money Gill has a slightly dirtier look with an orange throat that will work everywhere. Toss to holes and edges, points and pockets then let the lure rest between deliberate pops. Such a slow cadence will make Mad Max sound like a big bluegill busting the surface. This will draw curious bass out of what’s left of the mats and shallow grass.

Otherwise, look for open water schooling fish and those traveling along creek channels from main lake points to the backs of pockets or anywhere in between. The Mad Max will let you search quickly for these moving fish. In fact, that’s the best way to fish it when imitating the shad that these fish are hunting – quickly. Given the position of the line tie, if you keep the lure moving it will spit more than pop and that has long been known to be a key feature of the best shad-imitating poppers, you know, the ones costing $20 or more.

Which brings me to another great feature of this newest signature bait from MonsterBass. The 2 ½ inch, 1/3-ounce Mad Max comes with a MSRP of just $8.99, a nice surprise given the aggressive styling, beautiful cosmetics and premium hooks.

The versatile Mad Max looks and handles like a sportscar. It’ll help you run down some bass this fall.

by AnglersChannel

Lindgren Maintains Lead At B.A.S.S. Nation Northern Regional On Upper Mississippi River

Richard Lindgren, of Lakeville, Minn., is leading after Day 1 of the TNT Fireworks B.A.S.S. Nation Northern Regional on the Upper Mississippi River with a two-day total of 32 pounds, 1 ounce.
Photo by Kara Pasma/B.A.S.S.
September 2, 2021

LA CROSSE, Wis. — With the help of two kicker smallmouth bass, Minnesota angler Richard Lindgren caught a mixed bag weighing 16 pounds, 8 ounces to increase his lead over the field at the 2021 TNT Fireworks B.A.S.S. Nation Northern Regional on the Upper Mississippi River.

His two-day total of 32-1 gives him just under a 2-pound advantage over Minnesota teammate Connor Leagjeld and more than a 3-pound lead over third-place angler Adam Hamann.

“I’m superexcited. The main goal is for the team to win and to fish Nationals,” Lindgren said. “It’s going to be a shoot-out. (Leagjeld) has good fish. I’ve found some good fish. I’m stoked. I’d rather be leading than not leading, and I opened up the lead a little bit. It’s not insurmountable by any means, but I’d rather be up a couple of pounds than down a couple pounds for sure.”

After not catching a fish the first three hours on Day 1, Lindgren got off to a much better start Thursday, filling his limit within the first hour. From there, he was able to make several important culls and secure the biggest bag of the tournament so far.

“I ran the same rotation a little quicker this morning. There were a couple of things I skipped, but I caught fish in similar areas,” Lindgren said. “I mixed it up with both largemouth and smallmouth. I have a two-pronged approach which makes me feel better. Hopefully one of them maintains even if something changes on the river with the water level and the rain, wind and cooler temperatures tomorrow.”

Fluctuating water levels throughout the event have played a role for Lindgren — and on Thursday, the water dropped in some of the sloughs he fished which helped him achieve that early limit.

While he wasn’t surprised by the better largemouth bites, Lindgren said he hadn’t seen the big smallmouth bite until Thursday. His bag for the day included three largemouth, one smallmouth that weighed over 4 pounds and another smallmouth that he estimated to be 3 1/2.

“The two big smallies were a little bit of a surprise,” he said. “I hadn’t seen that at all and obviously this place has them. I was fishing in an area that I was hoping to just get a couple of nice fish [at] and ended up catching two big ones.”

Lindgren finished the day in a painful predicament.

“I put a hook in my hand landing my last big smallmouth. I went to belly him and put him against my chest, and I sunk an EWG hook in my hand. I had a 3 1/2-pound smallie hanging from my hand by a hook at the end of the day. It made for an exciting end to the day.”

With rain, wind and cooler temperatures entering the area Friday, Lindgren said he won’t be afraid to adjust.

Leagjeld improved on his Day 1 performance and landed five largemouth for 15-8 to jump from third to second with a two-day total of 30-4. In his first trip to the Upper Mississippi, he has found success fishing differently than he is used to at home.

“I had a lot of help from a lot of friends before I got down here,” Leagjeld said. “It feels very rewarding to take some hints and clues and then go figure it out for yourself and break down a pattern and stay on it. This is 100% different from what I’m used to. I’m not used to as many current-driven fish.”

With the water temperature down about four or five degrees in his primary area, the Pequot Lakes, Minn., native’s morning got off to a much slower start than it did on Day 1. With the slower start, Leagjeld slowed down his approach and grinded out two earlier morning bites before the sun came out.

“Once that sun sort of popped up, the fish started moving and we got on one little pod of them and we put the burners to them. We caught 20 fish in two hours and every one of them was a keeper, and we slowly bumped our way up. My co-angler caught two nice fish, which I’m glad about. I hope I didn’t burn out my area too badly. Today I leaned on it a little harder.”

After landing in eighth on Day 1 with 13-12, Hamann caught a mixed bag weighing 15-3 on Day 2 to jump into the Top 3 with 28-15. The Prairie Du Chien, Iowa, native has spent hours on this section of the river.

“We had a limit early and slowly upgraded all day,” Hamann said. “We had a lot of consistent, solid fish. I have a good school of fish in the 2-6, 2-7 range, but finding the few fish over 3 pounds is the key.”

With about 15 rods on the deck, Hamann jumped around to several locations and caught each of his five keepers on Day 2 on five different baits. He added that the water is clearing up in his section of the river and he has seen the bite improve.

“I have a few key spots that I knew would load up as it got colder and the water has been clearing up,” he said. “With the clean water and the cold temperatures, they are definitely moving in as we go. My spot is a heavy reload spot. It is a fall migration spot so the colder it gets the better it gets.”

Greg Sochocki from Michigan continues to hold the Big Bass of the Tournament lead with a 4-8 largemouth he caught on Day 1.

Dustin Drath from Coon Valley, Wis., took the nonboater lead, catching 8-14 on Day 2 to increase his two-day total to 15-12.

With five boaters in the Top 18 and four nonboaters in the Top 18, Iowa took home the team championship title with 100 total fishing weighing 236-2 and earned $5,625 from Ranger/Mercury. Wisconsin jumped into second place with 217-10 and took home $3,375, while Minnesota finished in third with 196-12 and received $2,250.

The Top 18 boaters and 18 nonboaters overall, as well as the Top 2 boaters and nonboaters from each state who weren’t already in the Top 18, will launch from Veterans Freedom Park starting at 6:15 a.m. CT for Championship Friday and return for weigh-in at 2:15 p.m.

The top boater and nonboater from each state after the final day will punch their tickets to the 2021 TNT Fireworks B.A.S.S. Nation Championship scheduled for Nov. 3-5 on the Ouachita River in Monroe, La., to compete for one of three berths in the 2022 Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic presented by Huk.

The tournament is being hosted by Explore La Crosse.

2021 TNT Fireworks B.A.S.S. Nation Northern Regional 9/1-9/3
Mississippi River, La Crosse WI.
(BOATER) Standings Day 2

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

1. Richard Lindgren Lakeville, MN (MN) 10 32-01 0
2. Connor Leagjeld Pequot Lakes, MN (MN) 10 30-04 0
3. Adam Hamann Prairie Du Chien, IA (I 10 28-15 0
4. Jim Barczak Osceola, WI (WI) 10 27-10 0
5. Tadd Johnson Lakeville, MN (MN) 10 25-02 0
6. Brock Belik Orchard, NE (SD) 10 25-00 0
7. Kyle Goltz Cornell, WI (WI) 10 24-07 0
8. Jay Przekurat Stevens Point, WI (WI) 9 22-15 0
9. Trent Beier Crystal Lake, IL (IA) 9 22-13 0
10. Austin Kunz Celestine, IN (IN) 10 21-09 0
11. Greg Vance Delhi, IA (IA) 9 21-04 0
12. Jeff Wiita Prior Lake, MN (MN) 10 21-00 0
13. Greg Sochocki Bridgeport , MI (MI) 7 20-08 0
14. Tony Puelz Garnavillo, IA (IA) 9 20-06 0
15. Lonnie Peterson Chippewa Falls, WI (WI) 8 20-05 0
16. Tanner Bock Davenport, IA (IA) 10 19-14 0
17. Nick Uebelhor Jasper, IN (IN) 8 19-10 0
18. Jason Hewitt Norway , IA (IA) 7 19-03 0
19. Jacob Stauthammer Lafayette, IL (IL) 9 19-02 0
20. Nick Leonard Amelia, OH (OH) 7 18-10 0
21. Allen Williford West Frankfort, IL (IL) 8 17-13 0
22. Blake Knies Jasper, IN (IN) 7 17-06 0
23. Danny Blandford Cannelton, IN (IN) 7 17-03 0
24. Rich Carter Columbus, OH (OH) 7 16-13 0
25. Brian Mailot Columbus, OH (OH) 8 16-03 0
26. Troy Diede Sioux Falls, SD (SD) 8 15-15 0
27. Casey Kmiecik Oconto, WI (WI) 7 15-12 0
28. Luke Gritter Otsego, MI (MI) 7 15-10 0
29. Taylor Umland Carlock, IL (IL) 6 15-02 0
30. Marc Snyder St. Johns, MI (MI) 6 14-07 0
31. Richard Risewick Norton, KS (NE) 6 13-14 0
32. Dan Parker Guttenberg, IA (IA) 5 13-07 0
33. Eric Culler Hudson, IN (MI) 6 13-05 0
34. Matt McCoy Indianapolis, IN (IN) 6 13-02 0
35. Mike Towe Braidwood, IL (IL) 5 13-01 0
36. Cody Thompson Delano, MN (MN) 4 12-13 0
37. Devin Knoblauch La Vista, NE (NE) 6 12-12 0
38. Jacob Miller Thornville, OH (OH) 5 12-08 0
39. Ron Mehr Paynesville, MN (MN) 6 11-14 0
40. Nate Sleight Linwood, MI (MI) 5 11-13 0
41. Weston Krug Vinton, IA (IA) 5 11-10 0
42. Sean Gillenwater Bloomington, IN (IN) 6 11-07 0
43. Brian Hensley Edwardsburg, MI (IN) 6 11-04 0
44. Tim Prokop Plainfield, IL (IL) 5 11-01 0
45. Allen Prevatt Fenton, MI (MI) 5 11-00 0
46. Tim Hartman Effingham, IL (IL) 5 10-13 0
47. Josh Wiesner Fon du Lac, WI (WI) 5 10-07 0
48. Rodney Russell Granville, OH (OH) 5 10-04 0
49. Eddie Levin Westerville, OH (OH) 4 09-10 0
50. Robert Hime Odessa, MO (NE) 5 09-10 0
51. Jeremy Knepp Montgomery, IN (IN) 5 09-09 0
52. Chris Brokman Council Bluffs, IA (NE) 3 09-07 0
53. Justin Heidinger Sioux Falls, SD (SD) 4 09-04 0
54. Pete Saele Lockport, IL (IL) 5 09-02 0
55. Chris Herzog Loveland, OH (OH) 4 08-12 0
56. Scott Tyrell White Lake, MI (MI) 4 08-10 0
57. Lee Farber Watertown, MN (MN) 4 08-02 0
58. Corey Peterson Yankton, SD (SD) 3 08-00 0
59. Joseph Sestak Tabor, SD (SD) 4 07-14 0
60. Chad Timmer Hudsonville, MI (MI) 4 07-10 0
61. Tony Stoffers Davenport, IA (IA) 4 07-08 0
62. Paul Amstutz Gambler, OH (OH) 2 06-11 0
63. Dan Stowell Plainwell, MI (MI) 3 06-07 0
64. Steven Galletta Perham, MN (MN) 3 06-05 0
65. Ryan Whitacre Chicago, IL (WI) 3 06-02 0
66. Josef Rogers Ames, IA (NE) 3 05-07 0
67. Nick Koehne Manteno, IL (IL) 2 05-06 0
68. Jeff Blackford Hopkins, MO (NE) 2 05-04 0
69. Tim Benson Monticello, MN (MN) 2 05-01 0
70. Eric Storms Winner, SD (SD) 2 05-00 0
71. Frank Ramsey Spring Grove, IL (IL) 3 04-15 0
72. Edward Gad Braidwood, IL (IL) 2 04-11 0
73. Jared Knuth Wahoo, NE (NE) 2 04-04 0
74. Justin Schneider New London, MN (MN) 1 04-04 0
75. Josh Peterson Milwaukee, WI (WI) 2 04-02 0
76. Nathan Diamond Omaha, NE (NE) 2 03-15 0
77. Tim Vaal Saint Meinrad, IN (IN) 2 03-13 0
78. Bob Slama Harrisburg, SD (SD) 1 03-04 0
79. Danny Ryan Jr Cincinnati, OH (OH) 1 03-02 0
80. Phil Vanslambrouck Leoma, TN (MI) 1 02-15 0
81. Aaron Faulk Mc Causland, IA (IA) 1 02-14 0
82. Scott Bateman Jasper, IN (IN) 1 02-04 0
82. Yancey Hartzer Culbertson, NE (NE) 1 02-04 0
84. Andy Cleveland Appleton, WI (WI) 1 02-03 0
85. Richard Hladky Yankton, SD (SD) 1 02-01 0
85. Steven Smith Johnstown, OH (OH) 1 02-01 0
87. Kenny Bowen Hager City, WI (WI) 1 01-15 0
88. Monty Fralick Martin, SD (SD) 1 01-14 0
89. Jonathan Kludt Mitchell, SD (SD) 0 00-00 0
89. Dylan Petersen North Platte, NE (NE) 0 00-00 0
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Totals
Day #Limits #Fish Weight
1 24 236 560-13
2 20 213 500-02
----------------------------------
44 449 1060-15

TEAM STANDINGS Day 2
----------------------------------
State Lbs-Oz
1 IOWA 236-02
2 WISCONSIN 217-10
3 MINNESOTA 196-12
4 INDIANA 188-07
5 MICHIGAN 170-15
6 ILLINOIS 166-06
7 OHIO 146-06
8 SOUTH DAKOTA 108-02
9 NEBRASKA 96-00

INDIVIDUAL STANDINGS Day 2
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

IOWA
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Adam Hamann Prairie Du Chien, IA 10 28-15 0
2 Trent Beier Crystal Lake, IL 9 22-13 0
3 Greg Vance Delhi, IA 9 21-04 0
4 Tony Puelz Garnavillo, IA 9 20-06 0
5 Tanner Bock Davenport, IA 10 19-14 0
6 Jason Hewitt Norway , IA 7 19-03 0
7 Dan Parker Guttenberg, IA 5 13-07 0
8 Weston Krug vinton, IA 5 11-10 0
9 Tony Stoffers Davenport, IA 4 07-08 0
10 Aaron Faulk Mc Causland, IA 1 02-14 0

ILLINOIS
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Jacob Stauthammer Lafayette, IL 9 19-02 0
2 Allen Williford West Frankfort, IL 8 17-13 0
3 Taylor Umland Carlock, IL 6 15-02 0
4 Mike Towe Braidwood, IL 5 13-01 0
5 Tim Prokop Plainfield, IL 5 11-01 0
6 Tim Hartman Effingham, IL 5 10-13 0
7 Pete Saele Lockport, IL 5 09-02 0
8 Nick Koehne Manteno, IL 2 05-06 0
9 Frank Ramsey Spring Grove, IL 3 04-15 0
10 Edward Gad Braidwood, IL 2 04-11 0

INDIANA
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Austin Kunz Celestine, IN 10 21-09 0
2 Nick Uebelhor Jasper, IN 8 19-10 0
3 Blake Knies Jasper, IN 7 17-06 0
4 Danny Blandford Cannelton, IN 7 17-03 0
5 Matt McCoy Indianapolis, IN 6 13-02 0
6 Sean Gillenwater Bloomington, IN 6 11-07 0
7 Brian Hensley Edwardsburg, MI 6 11-04 0
8 Jeremy Knepp Montgomery, IN 5 09-09 0
9 Tim Vaal Saint Meinrad, IN 2 03-13 0
10 Scott Bateman Jasper, IN 1 02-04 0

MICHIGAN
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Greg Sochocki Bridgeport , MI 7 20-08 0
2 Luke Gritter Otsego, MI 7 15-10 0
3 Marc Snyder St. Johns, MI 6 14-07 0
4 Eric Culler Hudson, IN 6 13-05 0
5 Nate Sleight Linwood, MI 5 11-13 0
6 Allen Prevatt Fenton, MI 5 11-00 0
7 Scott Tyrell White Lake, MI 4 08-10 0
8 Chad Timmer Hudsonville, MI 4 07-10 0
9 Dan Stowell Plainwell, MI 3 06-07 0
10 Phil Vanslambrouck Leoma, TN 1 02-15 0

MINNESOTA
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Richard Lindgren Lakeville, MN 10 32-01 0
2 Connor Leagjeld Pequot Lakes, MN 10 30-04 0
3 Tadd Johnson Lakeville, MN 10 25-02 0
4 Jeff Wiita Prior Lake, MN 10 21-00 0
5 Cody Thompson Delano, MN 4 12-13 0
6 Ron Mehr Paynesville, MN 6 11-14 0
7 Lee Farber Watertown, MN 4 08-02 0
8 Steven Galletta Perham, MN 3 06-05 0
9 Tim Benson Monticello, MN 2 05-01 0
10 Justin Schneider New London, MN 1 04-04 0

OHIO
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Nick Leonard Amelia, OH 7 18-10 0
2 Rich Carter Columbus, OH 7 16-13 0
3 Brian Mailot Columbus, OH 8 16-03 0
4 Jacob Miller Thornville, OH 5 12-08 0
5 Rodney Russell Granville, OH 5 10-04 0
6 Eddie Levin Westerville, OH 4 09-10 0
7 Chris Herzog Loveland, OH 4 08-12 0
8 Paul Amstutz Gambler, OH 2 06-11 0
9 Danny Ryan Jr Cincinnati, OH 1 03-02 0
10 Steven Smith Johnstown, OH 1 02-01 0

SOUTH DAKOTA
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Brock Belik Orchard, NE 10 25-00 0
2 Troy Diede Sioux Falls, SD 8 15-15 0
3 Justin Heidinger Sioux Falls, SD 4 09-04 0
4 Corey Peterson Yankton, SD 3 08-00 0
5 Joseph Sestak Tabor, SD 4 07-14 0
6 Eric Storms Winner, SD 2 05-00 0
7 Bob Slama Harrisburg, SD 1 03-04 0
8 Richard Hladky Yankton, SD 1 02-01 0
9 Monty Fralick Martin, SD 1 01-14 0
10 Jonathan Kludt Mitchell, SD 0 00-00 0

WISCONSIN
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Jim Barczak Osceola, WI 10 27-10 0
2 Kyle Goltz Cornell, WI 10 24-07 0
3 Jay Przekurat Stevens Point, WI 9 22-15 0
4 Lonnie Peterson Chippewa Falls, WI 8 20-05 0
5 Casey Kmiecik Oconto, WI 7 15-12 0
6 Josh Wiesner Fon du Lac, WI 5 10-07 0
7 Ryan Whitacre Chicago, IL 3 06-02 0
8 Josh Peterson Milwaukee, WI 2 04-02 0
9 Andy Cleveland Appleton, WI 1 02-03 0
10 Kenny Bowen Hager City, WI 1 01-15 0

NEBRASKA
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Richard Risewick Norton, KS 6 13-14 0
2 Devin Knoblauch La Vista, NE 6 12-12 0
3 Robert Hime Odessa, MO 5 09-10 0
4 Chris Brokman Council Bluffs, IA 3 09-07 0
5 Josef Rogers Ames, IA 3 05-07 0
6 Jeff Blackford Hopkins, MO 2 05-04 0
7 Jared Knuth Wahoo, NE 2 04-04 0
8 Nathan Diamond Omaha, NE 2 03-15 0
9 Yancey Hartzer Culbertson, NE 1 02-04 0
10 Dylan Petersen North Platte, NE 0 00-00 0

2021 TNT Fireworks B.A.S.S. Nation Northern Regional 9/1-9/3
Mississippi River, La Crosse WI.
(NON_BOATER) Standings Day 2

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

1. Dustin Drath Coon Valley, WI (WI) 6 15-12 0
2. Brad Goetz Montello, WI (WI) 6 13-07 0
3. Chizta Xiong Saint Cloud, MN (MN) 5 13-03 0
4. Michael O'Rourke Curtice, OH (MI) 5 13-01 0
5. Hunter Frederickson Redford, MI (MI) 4 10-13 0
6. Allen Severance Lake Villa, IL (IL) 5 10-10 0
7. Chad Moore Scottsburg, IN (IN) 4 10-09 0
8. Josh Cole Columbus, IN (IN) 5 10-07 0
9. AJ Mende Bellevue, NE (NE) 4 10-03 0
10. Austin Moore Washburn, IL (IL) 4 09-15 0
11. Ty Kenyon Dodgeville, WI (IA) 5 09-13 0
12. Cameron Ingle Coggon, IA (IA) 4 09-12 0
13. Tristin Wilcox Watkins, IA (IA) 4 09-12 0
14. Todd Martens Rockton, IL (WI) 3 09-04 0
15. Josh Mohn Lansing, IA (IA) 4 09-01 0
16. Cal Plienis Sioux Falls, SD (SD) 4 08-15 0
17. Jerry Cooper Indianapolis, IN (IN) 4 08-12 0
18. Miles Coffin Van Meter, IA (IA) 4 08-07 0
19. Shane Harrison Georgetown, IN (IN) 4 08-00 0
20. Tyler Uteg Glenview, IL (WI) 3 07-15 0
21. Brett Stanek La Crosse, WI (WI) 3 07-11 0
22. Eric Moore Mooresville, IN (IN) 4 07-11 0
23. Matteo Turano Naperville, IL (IL) 4 07-11 0
24. Michael Schelling Sioux Falls, SD (SD) 3 07-09 0
25. Kevin Collins Bristol, WI (IL) 3 07-06 0
26. Brian Vogelsang Zanesfield, OH (OH) 3 07-05 0
27. Chad Lovell Dowagiac, MI (MI) 3 06-15 0
28. Tim Meyer Neenah, WI (WI) 3 06-15 0
29. Jerry Duncklee Fayette, IA (IA) 3 06-13 0
30. David Titara Franklin, IN (IN) 3 06-13 0
31. Joshua Olson Pepin, WI (WI) 3 06-07 0
32. Leray Anderson II Crofton, NE (SD) 2 06-07 0
33. Barry Jones Otsego, MI (MI) 3 06-07 0
34. Larry Leonardi Clinton Township, MI (M 2 06-06 0
35. Greg Poetz Winsted, MN (MN) 3 06-01 0
36. Sam Ausbrooks Loogootee, IN (IN) 2 06-00 0
37. Jay Cukla Holmen, WI (WI) 2 05-11 0
38. Derrick Peterson Brooklyn Park, MN (MN) 3 05-10 0
39. Ryan Mallory WESTERVILLE, OH (OH) 3 05-08 0
40. David Schultz Wilmington, IL (IL) 2 05-07 0
41. Colten Didion Westerville, OH (OH) 2 05-05 0
42. Kody Lane Rock Springs, WI (WI) 2 05-04 0
43. John Grimm II Churubusco, IN (MI) 3 05-02 0
44. TJ Kotas Lincoln, NE (NE) 2 05-00 0
45. Bryan Freyermuth Muscatine, IA (IA) 2 04-04 0
46. Charles Pustz Tinley Park, IL (IL) 2 04-03 0
47. Jody Adkins Navarre, OH (OH) 2 04-03 0
48. Ted Tinlin Des Moines, IA (IA) 2 04-02 0
49. Allen Howard Cincinnati, OH (OH) 2 04-01 0
50. Billy Ray Plattsmouth, NE (NE) 2 04-01 0
51. Tim Berg Prior Lake, MN (MN) 2 03-14 0
51. Jeff Grzywinski Clarkston, MI (MI) 2 03-14 0
53. Clint Paulette Malvern, OH (OH) 2 03-14 0
54. Nathan Stec Highland, MI (MI) 2 03-14 0
55. Dan Conklin Iuka, IL (IL) 2 03-12 0
56. Robert Myers Lacona, MN (IA) 2 03-09 0
56. Phillip Rummel Jr Mount Vernon, OH (OH) 2 03-09 0
58. Fischer Bailey Baraboo, WI (WI) 2 03-06 0
59. Grant Hack Mount Gilead, OH (OH) 1 03-04 0
60. Jerry Pape Milford, IA (NE) 1 03-02 0
61. Kevin Watson Bloomington, MN (MN) 1 03-01 0
62. Dale Walton Greenwood, IN (IN) 2 03-00 0
63. Michael Tesch Saint Paul, MN (MN) 1 03-00 0
64. James Haas Yankton, SD (SD) 1 02-13 0
64. Ryan Kriegel Delphos, OH (OH) 1 02-13 0
66. Aaron Bunge Fairfax, IA (IA) 1 02-11 0
67. Dolyn Brown II Valley, NE (NE) 1 02-10 0
68. George Schlegel Lake Lillian, MN (MN) 1 02-09 0
69. Chad Mehlum Duluth, MN (MN) 1 02-08 0
70. Donatas Jakelis Oak Lawn, IL (IL) 1 02-07 0
71. Eric Ledger Council Bluffs, IA (NE) 1 02-04 0
71. Loran Moore Yankton, SD (SD) 1 02-04 0
73. John Ryan Troy, MI (MI) 1 02-02 0
74. Bill Skowronski Hennepin, IL (IL) 1 02-00 0
75. Jim Benedict Springfield, NE (NE) 1 01-15 0
76. Jesse Rick Brandon, SD (SD) 1 01-14 0
76. Jesse Stewart Lima, OH (OH) 1 01-14 0
78. Keith Ringger Hudson, IL (IL) 1 01-13 0
79. Brandon Baker Oneill, NE (SD) 0 00-00 0
79. Jesse Cermak Maple Grove, MN (MN) 0 00-00 0
79. Lee Cooper Council Bluffs, IA (NE) 0 00-00 0
79. Bryce Hauf Winner, SD (SD) 0 00-00 0
79. BK Kmiecik Yutan, NE (NE) 0 00-00 0
79. Aj Leonard Omaha, NE (NE) 0 00-00 0
79. Kevin Mullins Brooklyn, IN (IN) 0 00-00 0
79. Drew Pearson Chaska, MN (MN) 0 00-00 0
79. Shawn Van Gerpen Sioux Falls, SD (SD) 0 00-00 0
79. Ryan Volquardsen Creighton, NE (SD) 0 00-00 0
79. Kenny Zornes Seymour, IN (IN) 0 00-00 0
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Totals
Day #Limits #Fish Weight
1 13 97 219-12
2 0 105 246-01
----------------------------------
13 202 465-13

INDIVIDUAL STANDINGS Day 2
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

IOWA
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Ty Kenyon Dodgeville, WI 5 09-13 0
2 Cameron Ingle Coggon, IA 4 09-12 0
3 Tristin Wilcox Watkins, IA 4 09-12 0
4 Josh Mohn Lansing, IA 4 09-01 0
5 Miles Coffin Van Meter, IA 4 08-07 0
6 Jerry Duncklee Fayette, IA 3 06-13 0
7 Bryan Freyermuth Muscatine, IA 2 04-04 0
8 Ted Tinlin Des Moines, IA 2 04-02 0
9 Robert Myers Lacona, MN 2 03-09 0
10 Aaron Bunge Fairfax, IA 1 02-11 0

ILLINOIS
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Allen Severance Lake Villa, IL 5 10-10 0
2 Austin Moore Washburn, IL 4 09-15 0
3 Matteo Turano Naperville, IL 4 07-11 0
4 Kevin Collins Bristol, WI 3 07-06 0
5 David Schultz Wilmington, IL 2 05-07 0
6 Charles Pustz Tinley Park, IL 2 04-03 0
7 Dan Conklin Iuka, IL 2 03-12 0
8 Donatas Jakelis Oak Lawn, IL 1 02-07 0
9 Bill Skowronski Hennepin, IL 1 02-00 0
10 Keith Ringger Hudson, IL 1 01-13 0

INDIANA
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Chad Moore Scottsburg, IN 4 10-09 0
2 Josh Cole Columbus, IN 5 10-07 0
3 Jerry Cooper Indianapolis, IN 4 08-12 0
4 Shane Harrison Georgetown, IN 4 08-00 0
5 Eric Moore Mooresville, IN 4 07-11 0
6 David Titara Franklin, IN 3 06-13 0
7 Sam Ausbrooks Loogootee, IN 2 06-00 0
8 Dale Walton Greenwood, IN 2 03-00 0
9 Kevin Mullins Brooklyn, IN 0 00-00 0
9 Kenny Zornes Seymour, IN 0 00-00 0

MICHIGAN
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Michael O'Rourke Curtice, OH 5 13-01 0
2 Hunter Frederickson Redford, MI 4 10-13 0
3 Chad Lovell Dowagiac, MI 3 06-15 0
4 Barry Jones Otsego, MI 3 06-07 0
5 Larry Leonardi Clinton Township, MI 2 06-06 0
6 John Grimm II Churubusco, IN 3 05-02 0
7 Jeff Grzywinski Clarkston, MI 2 03-14 0
8 Nathan Stec Highland, MI 2 03-14 0
9 John Ryan Troy, MI 1 02-02 0

MINNESOTA
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Chizta Xiong Saint Cloud, MN 5 13-03 0
2 Greg Poetz Winsted, MN 3 06-01 0
3 Derrick Peterson Brooklyn Park, MN 3 05-10 0
4 Tim Berg Prior Lake, MN 2 03-14 0
5 Kevin Watson Bloomington, MN 1 03-01 0
6 Michael Tesch Saint Paul, MN 1 03-00 0
7 George Schlegel Lake Lillian, MN 1 02-09 0
8 Chad Mehlum Duluth, MN 1 02-08 0
9 Jesse Cermak Maple Grove, MN 0 00-00 0
9 Drew Pearson Chaska, MN 0 00-00 0

OHIO
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Brian Vogelsang Zanesfield, OH 3 07-05 0
2 Ryan Mallory WESTERVILLE, OH 3 05-08 0
3 Colten Didion Westerville, OH 2 05-05 0
4 Jody Adkins Navarre, OH 2 04-03 0
5 Allen Howard Cincinnati, OH 2 04-01 0
6 Clint Paulette Malvern, OH 2 03-14 0
7 Phillip Rummel Jr Mount Vernon, OH 2 03-09 0
8 Grant Hack Mount Gilead, OH 1 03-04 0
9 Ryan Kriegel Delphos, OH 1 02-13 0
10 Jesse Stewart Lima, OH 1 01-14 0

SOUTH DAKOTA
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Cal Plienis Sioux Falls, SD 4 08-15 0
2 Michael Schelling Sioux Falls, SD 3 07-09 0
3 Leray Anderson II Crofton, NE 2 06-07 0
4 James Haas Yankton, SD 1 02-13 0
5 Loran Moore Yankton, SD 1 02-04 0
6 Jesse Rick Brandon, SD 1 01-14 0
7 Brandon Baker Oneill, NE 0 00-00 0
7 Bryce Hauf Winner, SD 0 00-00 0
7 Shawn Van Gerpen Sioux Falls, SD 0 00-00 0
7 Ryan Volquardsen Creighton, NE 0 00-00 0

WISCONSIN
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Dustin Drath Coon Valley, WI 6 15-12 0
2 Brad Goetz Montello, WI 6 13-07 0
3 Todd Martens Rockton, IL 3 09-04 0
4 Tyler Uteg Glenview, IL 3 07-15 0
5 Brett Stanek La Crosse, WI 3 07-11 0
6 Tim Meyer Neenah, WI 3 06-15 0
7 Joshua Olson Pepin, WI 3 06-07 0
8 Jay Cukla Holmen, WI 2 05-11 0
9 Kody Lane Rock Springs, WI 2 05-04 0
10 Fischer Bailey Baraboo, WI 2 03-06 0

NEBRASKA
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 AJ Mende Bellevue, NE 4 10-03 0
2 TJ Kotas Lincoln, NE 2 05-00 0
3 Billy Ray Plattsmouth, NE 2 04-01 0
4 Jerry Pape Milford, IA 1 03-02 0
5 Dolyn Brown II Valley, NE 1 02-10 0
6 Eric Ledger Council Bluffs, IA 1 02-04 0
7 Jim Benedict Springfield, NE 1 01-15 0
8 Lee Cooper Council Bluffs, IA 0 00-00 0
8 BK Kmiecik Yutan, NE 0 00-00 0
8 Aj Leonard Omaha, NE 0 00-00 0

by AnglersChannel

Brunswick Corporation’s Advanced Systems Group Acquires RELiON Battery, LLC And Announces Plans For Electrification Technology Center

September 02, 2021

METTAWA, Ill., Sept. 01, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Brunswick Corporation (NYSE:BC) continues to execute on its Next Wave strategy, announcing today that it has acquired RELiON Battery, LLC, a global provider of lithium batteries and related products to multiple industry sectors. Additionally, the Company is announcing plans for a new Electrification Technology Center to be located in Michigan. Both actions support the Company’s ACES (Autonomy, Connectivity, Electrification, and Shared Access) strategy and will enable Brunswick’s Advanced Systems Group (ASG) to extend its leadership position in electrical systems innovation.

“Brunswick’s Advanced Systems Group continues to drive widespread adoption of lithium-ion battery and power management systems in both marine and mobile markets. The addition of RELiON to our portfolio reinforces our position as a leading supplier of lithium batteries for RV and recreational boating,” said Dave Foulkes, Brunswick Corporation CEO. “In addition, the formation of our new technology center will meaningfully advance our high-voltage electrical systems capabilities.”

RELiON products power a range of applications in the marine, recreational vehicle, solar, and industrial segments. RELiON is dedicated to leading the world's transition to lithium energy storage and boasts one of the largest lines of 12V, 24V, 36V and 48V lithium battery systems in the industry. RELiON products are distributed globally through a wide array of retail, OEM, and distribution partners.

“The RELiON acquisition perfectly complements our existing portfolio of industry-leading advanced battery and power management brands, like Mastervolt, ProMariner, and Blue Sea Systems,” said Brett Dibkey, Advanced Systems Group president. “Beyond strengthening our product and brand portfolio, RELiON brings a talented and passionate team of people who are committed to powering the world’s transition to sustainable energy sources. As the need for higher performing and greener energy grows, now with RELiON, ASG will be at the forefront of delivering innovative technology to our global customers.”

Headquartered in Rock Hill, South Carolina, RELiON opened an expanded Technology Center outside of Seattle in 2019, which will provide Brunswick additional capacity and capabilities to bring the next generation of lithium batteries to its global customer base.

“Our vision to be the most sought after and admired lithium battery company in the world has now been exponentially bolstered by joining Brunswick Corporation’s Advanced Systems Group,” said Paul Hecimovich, RELiON Battery, LLC CEO. “We feel it is our duty to do better as a business, making our batteries as sustainable as possible for our customers who enjoy being outdoors.”

Also, furthering Brunswick’s commitment to leading the industry in electrification, today the Company announced that it will open a new Electrification Technology Center later this year in Michigan focused on high voltage battery development. The Technology Center will employ engineers, scientists, and designers in a world-class facility.

“We are on the leading edge of increased adoption of battery technology to power both propulsion and on‐board house systems,” said Dibkey. “We see the acquisition of RELiON and the new technology center as a tremendous opportunity to expand our electrification portfolio, and we are thrilled to have RELiON as part of the Brunswick family and look forward to our current and new customers benefiting from this expanded product lineup.”

About Brunswick

Headquartered in Mettawa, Ill., Brunswick Corporation’s leading consumer brands include Mercury Marine outboard engines; Mercury MerCruiser sterndrive and inboard packages; Mercury global parts and accessories including propellers and SmartCraft electronics; Advanced Systems Group, which includes industry-leading brands like MotorGuide, Attwood, Mastervolt, Blue Sea Systems, CZone, and ASG Connect system integrators; Land ’N’ Sea, BLA, Payne’s Marine, Kellogg Marine, and Lankhorst Taselaar marine parts distribution; Mercury and Quicksilver parts and oils; Bayliner, Boston Whaler, Crestliner, Cypress Cay, Harris, Heyday, Lowe, Lund, Princecraft, Quicksilver, Rayglass, Sea Ray, Thunder Jet and Uttern boats; Boating Services Network, Freedom Boat Club and Boat Class. For more information, visit brunswick.com.

About RELiON Battery

RELiON is a global designer and distributor of battery storage ideas. Founded in 2014, the company is on a mission to help customers challenge and overcome their limits by providing the best drop-in lithium batteries and to give back by donating one percent of annual revenue to environmental causes through 1% for the Planet. RELiON products power a range of applications including, recreational vehicles, marine, solar powered solutions and more. The company offers a range of high-quality products that continue to pave the way forward to a greener and more efficient future for energy storage. For more information on RELiON, visit RELiONbattery.com.

by AnglersChannel

Major League Fishing Bass Pro Tour Set for Season Finale at CarParts.com Stage Seven at Lake St. Clair

Favorite Fishing pro Jonathon VanDam of Kalamazoo, Michigan, will be among the 80 competitors on the water competing for a top prize of $100,000 at Lake St. Clair. (Photo: Joshua Gassmann/MLF)

Seventh and Final Event of 2021 Bass Pro Tour Season to Showcase 80 Pro Anglers Competing on Lake St. Clair Over Six Days for Purse of $805,000, Angler of the Year and Numerous Qualifications to Be Decided

ST. CLAIR SHORES, Mich. (Sept. 2, 2021) – Major League Fishing’s (MLF) Bass Pro Tour is set to wrap up the 2021 season in St. Clair Shores, Michigan, next week, Sept. 10-15, with the seventh and final regular-season tournament of the season – the CarParts.com Stage Seven at Lake St. Clair Presented by Covercraft.

The six-day event, hosted by Macomb County, St. Clair Shores and the Detroit Sports Commission, will feature 80 of the best professional anglers in the world, including bass-fishing superstars like Kalamazoo’s Kevin VanDam, Ott DeFoe, Jacob Wheeler, and local qualifier Scott Dobson of Clarkston , fishing for a purse of more than $805,000, including a top payout of $100,000 and valuable points in hopes of qualifying for REDCREST 2022, the Bass Pro Tour championship.

The tournament will be fished using MLF’s catch, weigh, immediate-release format, in which the anglers try to 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 the Discovery Channel.

Lake St. Clair has played host to numerous MLF Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit (formerly FLW Tour), MLF Toyota Series, and MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League events over the years, but this event will mark the first time that MLF’s top-level, the Bass Pro Tour has visited Lake St. Clair.

“I’ve been looking forward to this one. It’s going to be fast-paced, big weights and a lot of really big fish being caught,” said Favorite Fishing pro Jonathon VanDam of Kalamazoo, Michigan, nephew of Kevin and an accomplished angler in his own right with two career wins and more than $650,000 in career earnings. “Lake St. Clair has been fishing really well. The fish should be starting to transition into their Fall feeding patterns and I expect that we are going to have a really good week.”

VanDam said that he thinks that anglers that do well in this event will dial in on the massive schools of smallmouth that the fishery is famous for, using typical smallmouth tactics.

“The biggest key will be trying to find the quantity and figuring out where those bigger schools of fish are living,” VanDam said. “It can be tough because there is a lot of water to cover out there, and there is fish on most of it.

“I expect we’ll see a lot of typical drop-shot-type stuff,” VanDam continued. “I’ll have the Googan Baits Drag N Droptied on and I think that bait will definitely be a player, as well as the standard tube and even a crankbait could really produce for some guys in this one.”

VanDam went on to predict that an angler will need to average 20 to 25 fish a day to be in very good shape, and that the Qualifying Round winners would likely weigh right around 140 pounds of bass over the first two days of competition.

Anglers will take off from the 9-Mile Ramp, located in St. Clair Shores, at 8 a.m. ET each day of competition. Each day’s General Tire Takeout will also be held at the Launch Ramp, beginning at 5 p.m. Fans are welcome to attend all takeoff and takeout ceremonies and also encouraged to follow the event online throughout the day on the MLF NOW!® live stream and SCORETRACKER® coverage at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

As part of the event fans will also be treated to the Bass, Brews & BBQ Festival at Blossom Heath Park in St. Clair Shores, Sept. 9-12. The festival is a chance for fishing fans to meet their favorite Bass Pro Tour anglers, enjoy food and beverages from local food truck and St. Clair Shores Micro Breweries, watch the on-the-water action at the MLF watch party, shop at numerous MLF sponsor and local vendor booths, and enjoy live concerts from local musicians each day. For more information on the Bass, Brews & BBQ Festival hosted by Macomb County, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com.

The CarParts.com Stage Seven at Lake St. Clair Presented by Covercraft will feature anglers competing with a 2-pound minimum weight requirement for a bass to be deemed scorable. Minimum weights are determined individually for each competition waters that the Bass Pro Tour visits, based on the productivity, bass population and anticipated average size of fish in each fishery.

The Bass Pro Tour features a field of 76 of the top professional anglers in the world – joined at each event by 4 pros that qualify from the Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit – competing across seven regular-season tournaments around the country, competing for millions of dollars and valuable points to qualify for the annual General Tire Heavy Hitters all-star event and the REDCREST 2022 championship.

The four pros from the Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit that will join the Bass Pro Tour to compete at the CarParts.com Stage Seven at Lake St. Clair Presented by Covercraft are Cody Pike, Matthew Stefan, Joey Cifuentes and Scott Dobson. Those anglers qualified via their finishes in the sixth Pro Circuit event of the year – the Savage Arms Stop 6 at the St. Lawrence River Presented by Abu Garcia in Massena, New York.

The 40 Anglers in Group A compete in their two-day qualifying round on Lake St. Clair on Friday and Sunday – the 40 anglers in Group B on Saturday and Monday. After each two-day qualifying round is complete, the anglers that finish in 2nd through 20th place from both groups advance to Tuesday’s Knockout Round, while the winner of each group advances directly to Wednesday’s Championship Round. In the Knockout Round, weights are zeroed and the remaining 38 anglers compete to finish in the top 8 to advance to the Championship Round. In the final day Championship Round, weights are zeroed and the highest one-day total wins the top prize of $100,000.

The MLF NOW!® broadcast team of Chad McKee, Marty Stone and J.T. Kenney will break down the extended action on all six days of competition from 8:45 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. ET. MLF NOW!® will be live streamed on MajorLeagueFishing.com and the MyOutdoorTV (MOTV) app.

Television coverage of the CarParts.com Stage Seven at Lake St. Clair Presented by Covercraft will premiere at 7 a.m. ET, Nov. 13 on the Discovery Channel. New MLF episodes premiere each Saturday morning on the Discovery Channel, with additional re-airings on the Outdoor Channel and the Sportsman Channel. Each two-hour long reality-based episode goes in-depth to break down each day of competition.

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

by AnglersChannel

B.A.S.S. Announces Pickwick Lake, Tennessee As Final Piece Of 2022 Bassmaster Elite Series Slate

Counce, Tenn., will host the Bassmaster Elite at Pickwick Lake, Tennessee June 2-5, 2022.

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

September 2, 2021

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — After announcing the bulk of the 2022 Bassmaster Elite Series schedule in late July, B.A.S.S. officials have now revealed the final piece of that puzzle.

The much-talked-about “to be announced” event will be held June 2-5 on Pickwick Lake out of Counce, Tenn. Daily takeoffs and weigh-ins will be held at Pickwick Landing State Park.

With the addition of a second Tennessee-based event, along with a tournament scheduled for Chickamauga Lake on April 7-10, the Elite Series is set to hold nine events in seven states from February to August.

“It feels really good to have our entire 2022 schedule released before the autumn even gets here,” said retiring B.A.S.S. CEO Bruce Akin. “Pickwick Lake, Tennessee is a fabulous addition that has provided some great moments from B.A.S.S. in the past — and now that the entire schedule is set, everyone can make their plans to join us. That includes our anglers, tournament staff and the fans.”

Pickwick has been a good but sporadic destination for B.A.S.S. major events for the past 23 years.

The Bassmaster Tournament Trail first visited the 43,100-acre Tennessee River fishery in 1998 for a Top 100 event that was won by current Elite Series pro Mark Menendez of Paducah, Ky. Then after consecutive stops from 2000 to 2002, the organization didn’t return to Pickwick again until 2010 and 2011 for a pair of Elite Series events. The latter of those tournaments was won by current Bassmaster LIVE host Davy Hite.

After another hiatus, B.A.S.S. returned to Pickwick this year for a Basspro.com Bassmaster Open that was won by Alabama pro Joey Nania and an Elite Series event that featured the first career victory for popular Indiana pro Bill Lowen.

Now, the lake will play an important role in a 2022 Bassmaster Angler of the Year race that will be heading into the homestretch by the time Elite Series pros arrive in Counce.

“We are proud to host the Bassmaster Elite Series on Pickwick Lake in Hardin County, Tennessee,” said Beth Pippin, tourism director for the Hardin County Convention & Visitors Bureau. “This top-level tournament will market our lake and community on a national level while strengthening our local economy and bringing anglers and their families to eat, sleep, shop and explore our beautiful area.

“We will showcase our newly renovated Pickwick Landing State Park Lodge and Conference Center and treat anglers to the great fishery that Pickwick Lake in Tennessee is known for.”

Pickwick offers vast opportunities for anglers with a good mix of offshore fishing and shallow structure and solid populations of largemouth and smallmouth bass. Beautiful scenery paired with an opportunity to catch a trophy trifecta — smallmouth, largemouth and spotted bass of above-average size — are why the fishery was one of Bassmaster Magazine’s Top 10 Best Bass Lakes for 2021.

After an exciting debut season that reached 12 million viewers in 2021, once more, all nine Bassmaster Elite Series events as well as the Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic presented by Huk will feature live television coverage on the FOX Sports platforms. Visit Bassmaster.com for more details.

Tour Hardin County is hosting the Bassmaster Elite at Pickwick Lake, Tennessee.

2022 Bassmaster Elite Series schedule

Feb. 10-13, St. Johns River, Palatka, Fla.
Feb. 17-20, Harris Chain of Lakes, Leesburg, Fla.
March 4-6, Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic presented by Huk, Lake Hartwell, Greenville, S.C.
March 17-20, Santee Cooper Lakes, Clarendon County, S.C.
April 7-10, Chickamauga Lake, Dayton, Tenn.
May 19-22, Lake Fork, Quitman, Texas
June 2-5, Pickwick Lake, Counce, Tenn.
July 14-17, St. Lawrence River/1000 Islands, Clayton, N.Y.
Aug. 4-7, Make-up date
Aug. 18-21, Lake Oahe, Mobridge, S.D.
Aug. 26-29, Mississippi River, La Crosse, Wis.

by AnglersChannel

Minnesota Alternate Leads Day 1 Of B.A.S.S. Nation Northern Regional On Mississippi River

Richard Lindgren, of Lakeville, Minn., is leading after Day 1 of the TNT Fireworks B.A.S.S. Nation Northern Regional on the Upper Mississippi River with 15 pounds, 9 ounces.

Photo by Kara Pasma/B.A.S.S.

September 1, 2021

LA CROSSE, Wis. — Richard Lindgren missed being a member of the Minnesota State B.A.S.S. Nation team by 2 ounces. But his 11th-place finish during qualifying earned him the first alternate spot, and Lindgren said he stayed prepared all year in case someone on the team was unable to participate in the 2021 TNT Fireworks B.A.S.S. Nation Northern Regional on the Upper Mississippi River.

Right before the rosters were to be finalized, the call came for Lindgren to step up and take a spot on the team. He’s already made the most of his opportunity, landing 15 pounds, 9 ounces to lead the 90-boat field after Day 1.

The Lakeville, Minn., angler, who represented his state at the 2020 TNT Fireworks B.A.S.S. Nation Championship at Pickwick Lake with a 13th-place finish, holds an 11-ounce lead over Jason Hewitt from Iowa.

“I was excited to come back and get a chance to go back to Nationals after last year,” Lindgren said. “Even though I had a tough practice, I’m happy to have a good start.”

The bite has been tough for many anglers during the week on Pools 7, 8 and 9 on the Mississippi River, including Lindgren, who said he had a difficult practice.

“It was pretty rough and honestly, today, none of the spots where I had seen keeper fish [in practice] did I catch fish on today,” he said. “I ran new water and reacted to what the river was giving up. I don’t think I had a fish until 9 or 10 o’clock.”

Lindgren started on a spot he said wasn't exactly right, but he thought it could produce due to the rising water levels. His hunch paid off with a smallmouth that weighed over 3 pounds. Another move a little later produced a 3-pound largemouth.

Lindgren said he has fished about 10 tournaments on this section of the Mississippi River and that history helped him narrow down his areas.

“I ran some old history and filled my limit,” he said. “I went in the slop late and got a couple of key culls. It was kind of a hodgepodge. I mixed it up and did a lot of different things to catch five good ones. I think I caught seven keepers all day.”

The increase in current was also a factor for Lindgren, who has seen some of his areas dirty up and others get cleaner.

Hewitt, meanwhile, calls the Mississippi River home and used his home-field advantage to catch 14-14 of primarily smallmouth.

“I fish the river quite a bit, primarily Pool 10 and Pool 9,” he said. “I was excited to see this one on the schedule. I was expecting there to be a little better bite going on. All this rain we got screwed up the water. I was hoping it would be a little lower and cooler nights would have made the bite better.”

The Norway, Iowa, native said he locked into Pool 9 and began the day by catching smaller bass on a topwater bait.

“I switched it up and was able to cull my way up,” he said. “Today ended up being a little better than what I had in practice. It was a little more of a grind than I thought it would be, but the size was better.”

Hewitt said he practiced on both Pool 8 and Pool 9, but found areas with more clean water on the latter and spent most of his tournament day there. However, some of the areas he found with that cleaner water had since muddied up.

“You have to have that clean water,” Hewitt said. “I’ve been finding schools in the cleaner water and just one here, one there if it is a little dirty. That is definitely a key.”

Minnesota angler Connor Leagjeld and Michigan angler Greg Sochocki are tied for third with 14-12. Sochocki also landed the Big Bass of the day, a 4-8 largemouth.

Leagjeld’s day got off to a hot start.

“Within 45 minutes, it was just every cast,” Leagjeld said. “They were just choking it. I caught close to 20 keepers today. I missed a couple of key fish, but I didn’t hook them, they just kind of came up rolled on it. They will still be in the area, I just hope I can go back and get them.”

After a rough practice, Sochocki drew a co-angler from Wisconsin who was familiar with the river and Sochocki fished the areas his partner recommended in Pool 9.

“We went to some backwater slop and fished frogs all morning,” he said. “The first fish of the morning was that big one. He came up and eyed my bait and we thought it was a carp at first. I threw back over there and I had a wake coming right at it and it exploded. We started working around and I caught another big one.”

After he and his nonboater both caught three fish by midday, Sochocki filled his limit in Pool 8.

Redford, Mich., angler Hunter Frederickson took the lead on the co-angler side with a three-fish limit weighing 8-12. Ohio angler Michael O'Rourke, who is also competing for Team Michigan, is second with 7-15 and La Crosse native Brett Stanek is third with 7-11.

The Iowa state team caught 54 bass for 127-0 to take the lead in the team competition, while Minnesota claimed second with 45 bass that weighed 110-12. Wisconsin also cracked the 100-pound mark and is third with 106-14.

The full field will launch from Veterans Freedom Park starting at 6:15 a.m. CT for Day 2 and return for weigh-in at 2:15 p.m. The field will be cut to 20 boaters and 20 nonboaters after Day 2.

The top two boaters and co-anglers from each state after the final day will punch their tickets to the 2021 TNT Fireworks B.A.S.S. Nation Championship scheduled for Nov. 3-5 on the Ouachita River in Monroe, La., to compete for one of three berths in the 2022 Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic presented by Huk.

by AnglersChannel

T-H Marine Acquires Heartland Global Services

Angola, IN — September 1, 2021 — T-H Marine Supplies, LLC, of Huntsville, Alabama, is celebrating the completion of its 13th add-on acquisition after purchasing the assets of Heartland Global Services, LLC, of Angola, Indiana. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. Heartland is an industry-leading supplier of stainless steel hardware, ladders, electronics, and plastics for recreational marine applications. As a standalone division of T-H Marine, Heartland will continue to operate at its current facility in Angola, Indiana.

“We are very excited about the addition of the Heartland Global team to T-H Marine,” said T-H Marine CEO, Jeff Huntley. “Ryan Estes and his team have built an awesome business that is a real category leader in stainless steel ladders and hardware as well as several other categories.The company is built upon the same ideals as T-H Marine, especially when it comes to having strong, honest, long-term, and mutually-profitable relationships with all of their customers.’

“Our new Heartland division gives T-H Marine a very strong market share base in the stainless categories, empowering us to grow quickly into that niche. We are happy that we can now offer our customers a wide range of stainless steel hardware and other new Heartland product categories. Additionally, we can help Heartland expand geographically out of the Midwestern United States and move their awesome OEM quality products into the Aftermarket.”

Heartland Global Services, LLC was founded in 2012 by Ryan Estes, who has over 36 years of experience in the recreational boating industry. With the addition of Ryan’s son-in-law, Ryan Marshall, several years ago, they are a strong, family-owned, second generation business. The entire Heartland Global team will continue to manage the business. Ryan Marshall will become the President of the Heartland division of T-H Marine.

“I am very proud that we have partnered with T-H Marine,” stated Ryan Estes, Founder and President of Heartland. “When I decided it was time for me to start planning an exit, I knew I wanted a company like T-H Marine to work with. Like us, they have multi-generation family ownership and management. They believe in product innovation and customer partnerships, just like we do. I know that Heartland will be in great hands that will continue the legacy I have built. I am also excited that my son-in-law and the rest of the team will be joining a highly respected, major accessory company that can provide a bright future for their careers.”

Heartland provides high-quality, highly engineered, and truly innovative products to major boat manufacturers. Some of the Heartland product categories include:

Stainless steel ladders for all boat types, especially pontoon boats
Stainless steel rails, gates, and brackets
Stainless steel cleats, rod holders, and cup holders
Stainless steel latches and hinges
Custom aluminum and stainless steel stampings and castings
LED lights
Various electronics, such as switch panels, USB charging sockets, and RGB controllers

“We are definitely excited about this third acquisition of 2021 and the 13th add-on acquisition for T-H Marine overall,” Huntley added. “We plan to continue building on our momentum and complete more acquisitions before the end of the year.”

“The thoughtful application of our acquisition strategy is coupled with our innovative product development. We provide a great opportunity for business owners who want to exit while ensuring their company legacy continues. By doing this, we can add more awesome products in new categories to be of more value to all our customers who believe in T-H Marine and our brands. We strive to provide truly exceptional products to boating and fishing consumers so they can enjoy their passion on the water.”

by AnglersChannel

Major League Fishing Announces 2022 Bass Pro Tour Schedule

TULSA, Okla. (Sept. 1, 2021) – Major League Fishing (MLF), the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization, announced today the schedule for the 2022 MLF Bass Pro Tour, which will showcase 80 of the best bass anglers in the world competing in 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 prestigious REDCREST 2023 championship. The 2022 Bass Pro Tour season will run from early February to September.

"It's incredibly exciting to bring the Major League Fishing Bass Pro Tour to new fisheries and communities and showcase the sport’s top level of tournament bass fishing to new fans and anglers," said Michael Mulone, Senior Director of Events & Partnerships for MLF. "We appreciate the support of the outstanding communities that are hosting our Bass Pro Tour events and look forward to bringing our fast-paced, fan-friendly competitions to them and livestreaming to our fans worldwide."

Each stage of the 2022 Bass Pro Tour will feature six days of competition using the catch, weigh, immediate-release format, broadcast live on MLF NOW!® and streamed to the Major League Fishing app, MyOutdoorTV (MOTV), and at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

The 2022 MLF Bass Pro Tour will air on Discovery Channel beginning in July 2022.

2022 MLF Bass Pro Tour Schedule:

Feb. 5-10 - Stage One at Caney Creek Reservoir, Lake D’Arbonne and Bussey Brake
West Monroe, La. Hosted by the Monroe-West Monroe Convention & Visitors Bureau

Feb. 19-24 - Stage Two at Lake Fork
Lake Fork, Texas Hosted by the Lake Fork Area Chamber of Commerce, the Wood County EDC, the Sabine River Authority and the Rains County Tourism Board

March 2-7 - Stage Three at Lewis Smith Lake
Cullman, Ala. Hosted by Cullman Parks, Recreation and Sports Tourism, Cullman County Parks and Rec, and the Cullman Area Chamber of Commerce

March 23-27 - REDCREST 2022 at Grand Lake O’ the Cherokees
Tulsa, Okla. Hosted by the Tulsa Sports Commission, a division of Tulsa Regional Tourism

April 9-14 - General Tire Heavy Hitters 2022 All-Star Event at Lake Palestine
Tyler, Texas - Hosted by SPORTyler

April 30- May 5 - Stage Four at Lake of the Ozarks
Osage, Mo. Hosted by Central Missouri’s Tri-County Lodging Association and the Lake of the Ozarks Fishing Council

June 4-9 - Stage Five at Watts Bar Lake
Spring City, Tenn. Hosted by Rhea County Tourism

Aug. 6-11 - Stage Six at Lake Cayuga
Union Springs, N.Y. Hosted by the Village of Union Springs

Sept. 10-15 - Stage Seven at Mille Lacs Lake
Onamia, Minn. Hosted by Grand Casino Mille Lacs

For compete details and up-to-date tournament information visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF’s social media outlets at Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.

by AnglersChannel

BPT 2022 Reveal for the 200th Episode!

This week Chris & the gang celebrate the 200th AC Insider Episode with MLF Director of Communications Joe Opager to reveal the 2022 Bass Pro Tour Schedule for the first time anywhere! The Circus provides some great insight to their unique schedule and they talk about qualifiers as well. Then the crew wraps up the show with some Open Mic guests and more. Check it out!

by AnglersChannel

Fenwick HMG Rods and Fenwick HMG/Pflueger Supreme Spinning Combos

Modern performance characteristics added to iconic HMG line make it lighter and stronger.

COLUMBIA, S.C. (August 31, 2021) — The Fenwick HMG rod changed fishing forever as it was the world’s first graphite rod. The new Fenwick HMG rods are even stronger, lighter and more sensitive than the originals thanks to blanks constructed of 24-ton graphite and Powerlux 100 resin, which deliver uncompromising strength and durability without sacrificing performance. Featuring a limited lifetime warranty, Fenwick continues to stand behind the legendary quality of the HMG line, which is also available in a spinning combo paired with a Pflueger Supreme spinning reel.

There are 30 different Fenwick HMG rod configurations (9 casting, 19 spinning, 2 travel) from which anglers can choose, as well as three spinning combos featuring the Pflueger Supreme. All of the new Fenwick HMG rods feature premium cork handles, ergonomic reel seat designs and stainless-steel guides with zirconium inserts.

FENWICK HMG RODS
Key Features:
• 24-ton graphite with Powerlux 100
• Fenwick custom ergonomic reel seat
• Premium-grade cork handles
• Stainless-steel guides with zirconium inserts
• Lifetime limited warranty

Casting Models: 6-6 M • 6-6 MH • 7-0 M • 7-0 MH • 7-0 H • 7-2 M • 7-2 MH • 7-6 MH • 7-6 H
MSRPs: $99.95-119.95

Spinning Models: 6-0 L (2-piece) • 6-0 ML • 6-0 M • 6-0 M (2-piece) • 6-6 L (2-piece) • 6-6 ML • 6-6 ML (2-piece) • 6-6 M • 6-6 M (2-piece) • 6-6 MH • 6-9 ML • 6-9 ML (2-piece) • 7-0 UL (2-piece) • 7-0 ML • 7-0 M • 7-0 M (2-piece) • 7-0 MH • 7-6 L (2-piece) • 7-6 ML
MSRPs: $99.95-119.95

Travel Models: 7-0 ML/M (Spinning 3-piece) • 7-0 M/MH (Casting 3-piece)
MSRP: $129.95

FENWICK HMG/PFLUEGER SUPREME SPINNING COMBOS
Models: 6-6 M/Size 30 • 6-9 ML/Size 30 • 7-0 M/Size 30
MSRP: $219.99

by AnglersChannel

Arey asked to be involved with high school fishing team

Courtesy of Alan McGuckin - Dynamic Sponsorships

Imagine Philip Rivers or Trevor Lawrence calling to ask how they can help with your kid’s high school football team.

Well, that’s pretty much what happened when top pro angler Matt Arey reached out to Barry Self and Keith Latham to ask how he could help with the brand-new high school fishing team they were organizing for students near Arey’s home in Cleveland County, NC.

Arey’s daughters are still too young to be on the team, but his heart simply felt a desire to give back to the sport he loves.

“I saw something about a brand new high school fishing team being formed in Cleveland County on Facebook, and knew I wanted to help. So, I sent them a message, and now I’m getting the satisfaction of providing some mentorship and helping them gain sponsor support to offset travel costs,” says Arey.

Barry Self, whose son Coleman is on the team, says Arey’s genuine desire to help will forever be unbelievably admirable.

“I’d never even met Matt. I knew of him because he’s a well-known pro. So, when he called and said he wanted to help, it kind of blew our minds. We didn’t call him. Matt called us,” says Self.

Self and Latham say perhaps the greatest asset Arey brings to their new B.A.S.S. affiliated Cleveland County Bass Anglers high school team is credibility.

Students and parents who are fans of the sport accurately perceive that if Matt Arey is involved, there’s likely a lot of goodness in the fibers of the new team’s fabric. Just months old at this point, there are already 16 teams with boats actively participating, so 32 students, and more young anglers are asking to be involved with each passing month.

Self’s son Coleman, age 16, wearing the blue shirt in the accompanying photos, says he loves High Rock Lake, and Arey has already helped him understand Lowrance’s Active Target sonar technology. His 12-year-old teammate Luke Rochester learned about the importance of rigging a stinger hook to a flutter spoon during a recent visit to Arey’s “man cave.”

“I love how fast this club is growing, and there’s no doubt in my mind some of these kids are going to be absolute hammers by the time they get into the Bassmaster College Series,” says Arey.

In the short term, Self and Latham take pride in the openness of the club for kids from all over Cleveland County to be part of one unified team on the water. Whether they attend public school, a charter school, or are home-schooled, all are welcome.

“Kids that would otherwise be rivals in traditional stick and ball sports like baseball, football or soccer are often sharing the same boat, working as a team. So instead of rivaling each other, they’re sharing fellowship and building friendships that may last a lifetime,” concludes Self.

by AnglersChannel

Dove Wins Two-Day Phoenix Bass Fishing League Super-Tournament on Ohio River – Tanners Creek

Hamilton’s Sykes Wins Strike King Co-Angler Division
LAWRENCEBURG, Ind. (August 30, 2021) – Boater Mark Dove of North Vernon, Indiana wins the two-day Phoenix Bass Fishing League Super-Tournament Presented by T-H Marine at Ohio River-Tanners Creek Presented by TINCUP Whiskey in Lawrenceburg, Indiana. Dove earned $7,807 for his victory at the event.

TOP 10 RESULTS

RANK	BOATER NAME/HOMETOWN	BASS	WEIGHT	AWARD
1^st	Mark Dove of North Vernon, Ind.	9	15-3	$7,807
2^nd	Brody Campbell of Oxford, Ohio	9	13-2	$2,999
3^rd	Chris Myers of Madison, Ind.	7	12-12	$1,997
4^th	Frank McClain of Scottsburg, Ind.	10	12-9	$1,399
5^th	Kevin Spivey of Hamilton, Ohio	7	12-2	$1,199
6^th	Mike Quinlin of Mooresville, Ind.	10	11-8	$2,100
7^th	Ryan Deal of Evansville, Ind.	9	11-3	$1,000
8^th	Doug Ruster of New Palestine, Ind.	8	10-6	$900
9^th	Chris Wilkinson of Farmersburg, Ind.	8	9-6	$800
10^th	Roy Lester of Hamilton, Ohio	6	9-6	$700

RANK	STRIKE KING CO-ANGLER NAME/HOMETOWN	BASS	WEIGHT	AWARD
1^st	Ryan Sykes of Hamilton, Ohio	8	8-2	$2,999
2^nd	Andy Vance of Danville, Ind.	5	7-2	$1,499
3^rd	Andrew Woodall of Nashville, Ind.	5	6-2	$1,246
4^th	Brad Hostetler, Sr. of Farmland, Ind.	3	5-7	$700
5^th	Tim Edwards of Underwood, Ind.	5	5-6	$600
6^th	James McWhorter of Hamilton, Ohio	3	5-6	$955
7^th	Rod Yoder of West Lafayette, Ind.	4	5-2	$500
8^th	Jeff Church of Haubstadt, Ind.	4	5-1	$450
9^th	Kyle Kuntz of Franklin, Ind.	4	5-0	$400
10^th	Evan Baldwin of Avon, Ind.	5	4-15	$350

CONTINGENCY AWARDS

AWARD	NAME	CONTINGENCY	PAYOUT
Boater Big Bass	Mark Dove of North Vernon, Ind.	3-pound, 11-ounce bass	$810
Strike King Co-Angler Berkley Big Bass	James McWhorter of Hamilton, Ohio	2-pound, 14-ounce bass	$405
Phoenix MLF BIG5 Bonus	Mike Quinlin of Mooresville, Ind.	Eligible Phoenix Boat*	$500

* Boaters are eligible to win up to an extra $7,000 per event in each Phoenix Bass Fishing League presented by T-H Marine tournament if all requirements are met. More information on the Phoenix MLF BIG5 Bonus contingency program can be found at PhoenixBassBoats.com.

WINNING BAITS

ANGLER	BAIT	COLOR
Boater	Unspecified Spinnerbait Accent Crankbait	N/A
Strike King Co-Angler	Unspecified Beaver	N/A

2021 QUALIFICATION OPPORTUNITIES

EVENT	DATE	LOCATION	HOST
Hoosier Division – Phoenix Bass Fishing League Regional Championship	Oct. 7-9	Wheeler Lake, Decatur, Ala.	Decatur Morgan County Tourism
2022 Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American	June 2-4	Lake Hamilton, Hot Springs, Ark.	Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism & Visit Hot Springs

The 2021 MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine is a 24-division circuit devoted to weekend anglers, with 128 tournaments throughout the season, five qualifying events in each division. The top 45 boaters and Strike King co-anglers from each division, along with the five winners of the qualifying events, will advance to one of six Phoenix Bass Fishing League Regional Championships. Boaters will compete for a $60,000 prize package, including a new Phoenix 819 Pro bass boat with a 200-horsepower Mercury outboard and $10,000, while Strike King co-anglers will fish for a new Phoenix 819 Pro bass boat with a 200-horsepower Mercury outboard.

The top six finishers in each regional will then qualify for one of the longest-running championships in all of competitive bass fishing – the Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American.

The top 45 boaters and Strike King co-anglers plus tournament winners from each Phoenix Bass Fishing League division will also earn priority entry into the Toyota Series, the pathway to the Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit and ultimately the MLF Bass Pro Tour.

For complete details and updated information visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow the Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine on MLF’s social media outlets at Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube .

by AnglersChannel

Rhode Wins Phoenix Bass Fishing League on the Detroit River

Haskins’ Davis Wins Strike King Co-Angler Division
TRENTON, Mich. (Aug. 30, 2021) – Boater Jared Rhode of Port Clinton, Ohio wins the Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine at the Detroit River Presented by TINCUP Whiskey in Trenton, Michigan. Rhode earned $3,794 for his victory at the event.

TOP 10 RESULTS

RANK	BOATER NAME/HOMETOWN	BASS	WEIGHT	AWARD
1^st	Jared Rhode of Port Clinton, Ohio	5	23-15	$3,794
2^nd	Heath Wagner of Angola, Ind.	5	23-11	$1,897
3^rd	Phillip Ladouceur of Belleville, Mich.	5	21-14	$1,265
4^th	Elijah Meyers of Fort Wayne, Ind.	5	21-8	$885
5^th	Chris Hellebuyck of Waterford, Mich.	5	21-6	$1,959
6^th	John Devries of Fishers, Ind.	5	21-5	$696
7^th	Keith Hay of Howell, Mich.	5	21-4	$632
8^th	Mike Trombly of Belleville, Mich.	5	20-15	$569
9^th	Josh Kolodzaike of Toledo, Ohio	5	20-5	$506
10^th	Zach Maisch of Lima, Ohio	5	19-15	$443

RANK	STRIKE KING CO-ANGLER NAME/HOMETOWN	BASS	WEIGHT	AWARD
1^st	Bryan Davis of Haskins, Ohio	5	20-13	$1,897
2^nd	Gavin Weted of Adrian, Mich.	5	19-15	$949
3^rd	Dan Perdieu of Rochester, Ind.	5	19-13	$633
4^th	Evan Eldred of Gaines, Mich.	5	19-6	$443
5^th	Joseph Sittler of Fort Wayne, Ind.	5	18-8	$379
6^th	Todd Layne of Poca, W.Va.	5	18-2	$348
7^th	Garry Collins of Russell Springs, Ky.	5	17-11	$316
8^th	Jeffrey Galgan of Arlington Heights, Ill.	5	17-8	$285
9^th	Jeffrey Thomson of Birmingham, Mich.	5	17-7	$825
10^th	Stefan Marginean of Glenview, Ill.	5	17-5	$221

CONTINGENCY AWARDS

AWARD	NAME	CONTINGENCY	PAYOUT
Boater Big Bass	Michael Sitko of Pinckney, Mich.	5-pound, 12-ounce bass	$495
Strike King Co-Angler Berkley Big Bass	Jeffrey Thomson	5-pound, 1-ounce bass	$247
Phoenix MLF BIG5 Bonus	Chris Hellebuyck of Waterford, Mich.	Eligible Phoenix Boat*	$500

WINNING BAITS

ANGLER	BAIT	COLOR
Boater	Did Not Divulge	N/A
Strike King Co-Angler	Drop Shot Yamamoto Shad Shape Worm	N/A

2021 QUALIFICATION OPPORTUNITIES

EVENT	DATE	LOCATION	HOST
Michigan Division – Phoenix Bass Fishing League Regional Championship	Oct. 14-16	Potomac River, Marbury, Md.	Charles County Board of Commissioners
2022 Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American	June 2-4	Lake Hamilton, Hot Springs, Ark.	Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism & Visit Hot Springs

The top six finishers in each regional will then qualify for one of the longest-running championships in all of competitive bass fishing – the Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American.

by AnglersChannel

MLF Announces 2022 Schedules for Abu Garcia College Fishing and U.S. Army High School Fishing

Up to $3 Million in Scholarships and Prizes Up for Grabs as well as Advancement Opportunities for Student Anglers

TULSA, Okla. (Aug. 30, 2021) – Major League Fishing (MLF), the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization, announced Monday the 2022 schedules for the Abu Garcia College Fishing Presented by YETI season and the U.S. Army High School Fishing Presented by Favorite Fishing season, culminating in the national championships for each circuit, providing scholarships and advancement opportunities for qualified teams.

“We are thrilled to announce our 2022 college and high school fishing schedules, and are looking forward to a fantastic year,” said Kevin Hunt, MLF Senior Director of Tournament Operations, College and High School Fishing. “MLF continues to provide student anglers from high school through college the chance to compete for scholarships and prizes, as well as multiple advancement opportunities to elevate their schools, sponsors and personal brands while working their way up through the MLF circuits. We are looking forward to 2022 being our most successful college and high school fishing seasons yet.”

The majority of U.S. Army High School Fishing tournaments are held on Saturdays and are preceded by an Abu Garcia College Fishing tournament the day prior. This provides students and parents the opportunity to network with prospective college teams and coaches during college weigh-ins to facilitate decision-making on future collegiate fishing careers.

The 2022 Abu Garcia College Fishing Presented by YETI National Championship Presented by Lowrance will be on Fort Gibson Lake in Wagoner, Oklahoma, March 29-31. Held in conjunction with REDCREST, the 2022 College Fishing championship will provide unique networking opportunities for college anglers with Bass Pro Tour pros and potential sponsors, as well as advancement opportunities for anglers to compete as pros and co-anglers in the 2022 Toyota Series Championship.

2022 Abu Garcia College Fishing Schedule

Abu Garcia College Fishing Open
Thurs-Fri Lake Chickamauga
Feb. 24-25 Dayton, Tenn.

Central Conference
Friday                              Table Rock Lake
April 8                             Branson, Mo.

Friday MS River-La Crosse
July 29 La Crosse, Wis.

Friday Lake of the Ozarks
Oct. 14 Osage Beach, Mo.

Northern Conference
Friday Smith Mountain Lake
April 29 Huddleston, Va.

Friday Smith Mountain Lake
June 3 Huddleston, Va.

Friday Lake Erie
Sept. 9 Sandusky, Ohio

Southeastern Conference
Friday                              Harris Chain
Jan. 7                               Leesburg, Fla.

Friday Lake Guntersville
Mar. 4 Guntersville, Ala.

Friday Pickwick Lake
Oct. 21 Counce, Tenn.

Southern Conference
Friday Toledo Bend
Jan. 21 Many, La.

Friday Sam Rayburn Reservoir
Mar. 11 Brookeland, Texas

Friday Lake O’ the Pines
Nov. 11 Jefferson, Texas

Western Conference
Saturday Lake Havasu
Mar. 5 Lake Havasu City, Ariz.

Saturday Clear Lake
April 30 Clearlake, Calif.

Friday California Delta
June 3 Bethel Island, Calif.

Abu Garcia College Fishing Presented by YETI National Championship Presented by Lowrance
Tues.-Thurs. Fort Gibson Lake
March 29-31 Wagoner, Okla.

Complete rules and more information for the 2022 Abu Garcia College Fishing Presented by YETI program will be announced later this fall and can be found online at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

In addition to the 13^th annual High School Fishing National Championship, all High School Fishing anglers nationwide automatically qualify for the world’s largest open high school bass tournament, the 2022 High School Fishing World Finals run by MLF’s partners in fishing at The Bass Federation and held in conjunction with the National Championship on Pickwick Lake in Florence, Alabama, June 22-25. More than $2.8 million in scholarships and prizes were offered at the 2021 World Finals.

2022 U.S. Army High School Fishing Schedule

Saturday Harris Chain
Jan. 8 Leesburg, Fla.

Saturday Toledo Bend
Jan. 22 Many, La.

Saturday Lake Guntersville
Mar. 5 Guntersville, Ala.

Sunday Lake Havasu
Mar. 6 Lake Havasu City, Ariz.

Saturday Sam Rayburn Reservoir
Mar. 12 Brookeland, Texas

Saturday Table Rock Lake
April 9 Branson, Mo.

Saturday Smith Mountain Lake
April 30 Huddleston, Va.

Sunday Clear Lake
May 1 Clearlake, Calif.

Saturday Smith Mountain Lake
June 4 Huddleston, Va.

Sunday California Delta
June 5 Bethel Island, Calif.

Saturday MS River-La Crosse
July 30 La Crosse, Wis.

Saturday Lake Erie
Sept. 10 Sandusky, Ohio

Saturday                        Lake of the Ozarks
Oct. 15                           Osage Beach, Mo.

Saturday   Pickwick Lake
Oct. 22                          Counce, Tenn.

Saturday Lake O’ the Pines
Nov. 12 Jefferson, Texas

Complete rules and more information for the 2022 U.S. Army High School Fishing Presented by Favorite Fishing program will be announced later this fall and can be found online at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

For complete details and updated information, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow Abu Garcia College Fishing and U.S. Army High School Fishing on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube . For additional High School Fishing opportunities from The Bass Federation, including state championships, visit HighSchoolFishing.org.

by AnglersChannel

MIKE IACONELLI TO STAR IN BINGE-WORTHY TV SHOW THAT’S ABOUT MORE THAN JUST FISHING

My World with Mike Iaconelli Premieres August 30, on CBS Sports at 9/8c

COLUMBIA, S.C. (Aug 27, 2021) – Professional bass fishing’s biggest personality has a new fishing television show. My World with Mike Iaconelli, premieres August 30th on CBS Sports Network, and will blend the world of fishing with other exciting sports in this competitive and often humorous new series featuring some of today’s top celebrity athletes.

Each episode will feature Mike learning what it takes to train and compete in the guest athlete’s high-level competitive sport, confronting obstacles he’s never faced before. With the relentless mindset he applies to fishing, and a positive, comedic attitude, Mike finds out if he can keep up with today’s top contenders before introducing his guests to the world of fishing, challenging them to some friendly competition and testing their abilities on the water. Viewers can expect to see athletic greats from football, mixed martial arts, professional bowling, golf, and more.

The fishing industry has seen a considerable uptick in participants in the past year as people found fishing to be an accessible, inexpensive and safe way to have fun. Nearly 18% of US households participated in fishing in 2020, and 4.4 million were first-time fishing license holders. Recognizing the lack of television content with fishing themes created for a broader audience, Abu Garcia and Berkley, two of Mike’s brand sponsors, saw an opportunity to collaborate on such a creative show, with the hopes of keeping new anglers interested in fishing.

“People are more curious than ever before about fishing and want to know what it would be like to try it themselves. Mike Iaconelli’s talent and humor along with some of the nation’s favorite athletes shows just how inclusive, easy and fun fishing is. Our investment in My World with Mike Iaconelli will entertain watchers and become a catalyst for more people to embrace the sport that our brands and Mike both passionately represent.” – Says Marc Kempter, VP of Marketing Communications for Abu Garcia and Berkley.

This six-part binge-worthy series premieres with NFL player Lane Johnson, offensive tackle for the Philadelphia Eagles, on Monday, August 30th at 9/8c on CBS Sports Network.

About Mike Iaconelli: Mike Iaconelli, an icon in the world of professional bass fishing, is a South Philadelphia native who now lives in New Jersey. He’s had a passion for fishing since childhood and has been competing in fishing tournaments since high school. Iaconelli has won, or come close to winning, almost every major award in tournament bass fishing, most notably the 2003 Bassmaster Classic, 2006 Angler-of-the-Year awards. For more information, visit mikeiaconelli.com

My World With Mike Iaconelli: is produced by Professional Edge Fishing, Inc. in association with Pure Fishing and Northern Lights Communications, Inc. Executive Producers Mike Iaconelli, Becky Iaconelli and Jeff Olsen.

by AnglersChannel

Marathon Man Gears Up for Another Fishing World Record

Marathon Man, Jeff Kolodzinski, will attempt another 24 hour catch world record while raising funds for military families and first responders

Racine, WI (August 30, 2021) – After seven World Championships of Freshwater Fishing and a Guinness World Record for most fish caught in 24 hours, you’d think that Marathon Man Jeff Kolodzinski would simply settle for a leisurely day on the water. Not so. His tireless desire to help people through the language of fishing has driven him to his next Marathon Mission 9/11 to benefit military families and first responders.

“I’ve always had a heart for our military members and their families,” Kolodzinski shares. “They’ve given so much to our nation and I feel like it’s the least I can do to help them in their time of need.”

For years Kolodzinski has done 24-hour fishing marathons benefitting military families like Fishing For Life’s “NextGen” Program which pairs kids and mentors for military families and Gold Star Families who are going through difficult times. “It’s an incredible program and there have been so many beautiful stories to come out of this program. IT’s been huge for both the kids and the adults,” shares the Marathon Man.

“We weren’t meant to walk through life alone. In fact, we all were created expressly for relationships, so I want to make sure that these kids can find the support and healthy relationships when they need them most. That’s why I want to see Fishing For Life’s Next Gen program increase in reach and funding to help more families of our service members,” notes the Marathon Man.

“With this being the 20^th anniversary of the events of 9/11, I want to serve our first responders and our military families who both pay such a heavy price for our country. I want them to know that their sacrifice and commitment is valued – valued in a way that compels us to act,” adds the Marathon Man.

In May of this year, the Marathon Man publicly shared the goal of catching 2,977 fish in honor of each life lost on 9/11. “I hope to break not just the Guinness Record, but even more I want to break the sense of hopelessness and isolation that so many people from these groups often have. The Marathon Man event is an unmistakable effort to say we remember—then and now,” remarks the Marathon Man.

“And I can think of no better way to honor them than to bring together a coalition of people who also appreciate their service,” continues the Marathon Man.

So, what else would a 24-hour fishing maniac do other than organize a fishing fundraiser?

“That’s why I’m taking the bank at Sankoty Lakes to fish for 24 hours straight and catch 2,977 fish—one fish for every life lost on 9/11,” shares the Marathon Man.

He continues: “It’s been 20 years since we lost loved ones on 9/11. From that time until now our First Responders and Military Members have continued to pay a price. That’s why I want them to know that they are loved and appreciated. The world we live in is exponentially more complex than it was in 2001 and so many people feel their hope slipping away. I want them to know that they are loved and appreciated much more than words attempt to express. I want them to see action and commitment. I want to make a difference in the lives of our Military Families and our local First Responders.”

Kolodzinski adds: “I know there’s a lot of desperation out there—especially as of late. I know there are really struggling. I hope and pray that they see what a small group of devoted people are doing to encourage them and honor their sacrifice and be reminded that their service is neither lost nor diminished. From the inception of the Marathon Man events in 2006, military service members have inspired me to do the Marathon Man events.”

Kolodzinski hopes to raise $50,000 or more to support Fishing For Life’s Next Gen mentoring program along with first responders of the Spring Bay, Illinois Volunteer Fire Department. You can pitch in to help the Marathon Man and fellow supporters reach that goal at https://givergy.us/mm2021/?controller=home.

The Marathon Man sums up his mission: “I simply wish I could raise enough support to help them all, but perhaps someday. Until then, I will strive to be as effective as I can by helping Fishing For Life’s Next Gen Program and the local First Responders of Spring Bay, IL.”

WATCH!

Watch the quest for 2,977 fish and a message of encouragement for any or all the 24-hour event at https://marathonmanfishing.com/

MORE INFO

The Marathon Man Mission 9/11 mission will be held at Sankoty Lakes & Resort in Spring Bay, Illinois https://www.sankotylakes.com/AND begins at 9:11pm Central on Friday, September 10^th – through 9:11 pm Saturday, September 11^th, with the hopes of catching 2,977 fish in 24 hours

Visit Marathon Man Fishing.com and follow along on Facebook!

by AnglersChannel

Chris Johnston Wins Toyota Series Event on St. Lawrence River

Ontario Angler Leads Wire-To-Wire, Takes Home $39,048

MASSENA, N.Y. (Aug. 29, 2021) – Toyota Series angler Chris Johnston of Peterborough, Ontario brought a five-bass limit to the scale Saturday weighing 27 pounds, 6 ounces to win the three-day Toyota Series Presented by A.R.E. at the St. Lawrence River in Massena, New York. Johnston’s three-day total of 15 bass weighing 77-15 earned him the win by a 6-pound, 5-ounce margin over his brother Cory Johnston of Cavan, Ontario, who finished the event in second place with 71 pounds, 10 ounces. Chris took home the top payout of $39,048 in the second tournament of the 2021 Toyota Series Northern Division.

Though he’s a former FLW Tour and B.A.S.S. Elite Series champion, Chris said he’s been foiled by Toyota Series events on the St. Lawrence and the associated waters too many times over the last several years. After running hundreds of miles over the three-day event, from Massena to Lake Ontario each day, he said he was excited to finally get the win.

“I was thinking about it while running back up the river, thinking ‘If I get back, I’ve finally got this off my back,’” said Chris. “I’ve obviously won tournaments, but the St. Lawrence River is special to me. To win this one means a lot because something has always gone wrong. I jumped off a 6-pounder on Day 3 before I had a good one in the boat, and my co-angler boated three good ones.

“Then I ended up breaking a 6 ½-pounder off, and thought ‘Oh no, it’s going to happen again.’ Thankfully, I finally got some in the boat, but I was definitely sweating a little bit today.”

Catching 25-pound bags each of the first two days, Chris mixed in a couple river bass both days. On Day 3, he said he headed straight to the lake to finish the event in style.

“It was good, but I didn’t have a lot of time,” he said. “People think it’s easy to go out there and catch a big bag, but it’s really not. I didn’t have a spot that was loaded. I only hit two spots on Day 3, but they weren’t loaded. I had to work for them and I needed all four hours to catch them.

“My starting spot on Day 3 never had a bass on it. On Day 2, I hit two spots that were dry. That’s what’s scary, when you’re making that run, if you hit two spots in a row that don’t have fish on them, you don’t have enough time to be running around.”

Chris said an unidentified prototype worm on a drop-shot was the main player this week, which he threw on a Daiwa Certate LT 2500, a 7-foot, 1-inch Daiwa Tatula Elite spinning rod, 10-pound Seaguar Smackdown with an 8-pound Seaguar Gold Label leader, on a No. 2 Gamakatsu TGW Drop Shot Hook with a 3/8-ounce drop-shot weight.

“I had a river spot that I was counting on for Day 1,” Chris said. “I caught three good ones off it. It’s just a break that they get on, and when its sunny and calm I could see them, that’s how I found them. They’re hard to catch though. They knew the gig was up because I only got two the second day.”

As for the lake, Chris said he mostly fished deep rock, usually piles or stretches of it in general areas. He said he fished small sections in 20 to 40 feet of water so that he wouldn’t get too bogged down.

“I could roll up to a spot, fish it 10 or 15 minutes, and I’d know whether they were biting,” he said.

The top 10 pros on the St. Lawrence River finished:
1^st:           Chris Johnston of Peterborough, Ont., 15 bass, 77-15, $39,048
2^nd:          Cory Johnston of Cavan, Ont., 15 bass, 71-10, $14,550
3^rd:          Justin Atkins of Florence, Ala., 15 bass, 70-7, $11,265
4^th:           Brent Anderson of Kingston Springs, Tenn., 15 bass, 64-7, $10,387
5^th:           Jonathan Robla of Waddington, N.Y., 15 bass, 62-6, $8,448
6^th:           Brent Crow of Hartselle, Ala., 15 bass, 61-12, $7,510
7^th:           Charlie Hartley of Grove City, Ohio, 15 bass, 59-11, $6,571
8^th:           Jesse Spellicy of Gouverneur, N.Y., 15 bass, 58-10, $5,632
9^th:           Scott Cooke of Marengo, Ohio, 15 bass, 57-15, $4,694
10^th:        Marty Robinson of Lyman, S.C., 15 bass, 57-1, $3,755

A complete list of results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

Pro Matt Becker of Finleyville, Pennsylvania took home an additional $135 for the Day One Berkley Big Bass award in the pro division, with a bass weighing 5 pounds, 14 ounces. Teimuraz (Tom) Balachvili of Scarsdale, New York won the Day Two Berkley Big Bass award in the pro division, bringing an 6-pound, 7-ounce bass to the scale.

Brent Anderson of Kingston Springs, Tennessee took home an extra $1,000 as the highest finishing Phoenix MLF BIG5 Bonus member. Boaters are eligible to win up to an extra $35,000 per event in each Toyota Series tournament if all requirements are met. More information on the Phoenix MLF BIG5 Bonus contingency program can be found at PhoenixBassBoats.com.

Sakae Ushio of Tonawanda, New York won the Strike King Co-angler Division Saturday with a three-day total of 15 bass weighing 62 pounds, 5 ounces. Ushio took home the top prize package of a new Phoenix 518 Pro bass boat with a 115-horsepower Mercury outboard motor.

The top 10 Strike King co-anglers on the St. Lawrence River finished:
1^st:           Sakae Ushio of Tonawanda, N.Y., 15 bass, 62-5, Phoenix 518 Pro bass boat w/115-hp outboard
2^nd:          Shawn Gokey of Georgia, Vt., 15 bass, 56-4, $4,663
3^rd:          Lenny Baird of Stafford, Va., 15 bass, 55-10, $3,930
4^th:           Bradley Saunders of Scottown, Ohio, 15 bass, 52-4, $3,264
5^th:           Chris Hurley of Carlisle, Pa., 15 bass, 50-7, $2,798
6^th:           Tim Curran of Huntsville, Ala., 15 bass, 48-9, $2,331
7^th:           Dane Anderson of Hudson, N.Y., 15 bass, 48-5, $1,865
8^th:           Clay Reece of Lexington, Ky., 13 bass, 47-3, $1,632
9^th:           Paul Melo of Hudson, Mass., 15 bass, 47-1, $1,399
10^th:        Jarvis Ellis of Albany, Ga., 15 bass, 45-4, $1,166

In the Strike King co-angler division, the $90 Day One Berkley Big Bass award winner was Patrick McManamon of Ruby, New York with a 5-pound, 14-ounce bass, while the $90 Day Two award went to Christopher Newton of Whitesboro, New York with a 6-pound, 11-ounce bass.

The Toyota Series at the St. Lawrence River was hosted by the Town of Massena. It was the second of three regular-season tournaments in 2021 for Northern Division anglers. The next event for Toyota Series anglers will take place on Sept. 16-18 – the Toyota Series at the Potomac River in Marbury, Maryland. For a complete schedule, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com.

The 2021 Toyota Series Presented by A.R.E. consists of six divisions – Central, Northern, Plains, Southern, Southwestern and Western – each holding three regular-season events, along with the International division. Anglers who fish all three qualifiers in any of the eight divisions and finish in the top 25 will qualify for the no-entry-fee Toyota Series Presented by A.R.E. Championship for a shot at winning $235,000 cash, including a $35,000 Phoenix MLF BIG5 Bonus for qualified anglers. The winning Strike King co-angler at the championship earns a new Phoenix 518 Pro bass boat with a 115-horsepower Mercury outboard.

The 2021 Toyota Series Championship Presented by A.R.E. will be held Oct. 28-30 on Pickwick Lake in Counce, Tennessee, and is hosted by the Hardin County Convention and Visitors Bureau.
For complete details and updated information visit MajorLeagueFishing.com.

For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow the Toyota Series presented by A.R.E. on the MLF BIG5’s social media outlets at Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.

by AnglersChannel

2022 Bass Pro Tour Invitations Extended to Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit Qualifiers

TULSA, Okla. (Aug. 27, 2021) – Major League Fishing (MLF) confirmed today the 10 MLF Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit anglers who have earned their qualification into the 2022 MLF Bass Pro Tour. The 10 anglers who qualified earned their invitation based on their 2021 Pro Circuit Angler of the Year (AOY) rank, or the average of their 2020 and 2021 rank – whichever rank was higher. The 10 anglers with the highest rank receive invitations.

The top 10 pros from the 2021 Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit who qualified for the 2022 MLF Bass Pro Tour are:

1^st:          Michael Neal, Dayton, Tenn. (2021 AOY rank: 1)
2^nd:         Skeet Reese, Auburn, Calif. (2021 AOY rank: 2)
3^rd:         *Ryan Salzman, Huntsville, Ala. (2021 AOY rank: 3)
4^th:         Justin Lucas, Guntersville, Ala. (2021 AOY rank: 4)
5^th:         *Cole Floyd, Leesburg, Ohio (2021 AOY rank: 5)
6^th:         Cody Meyer, Star, Idaho (2021 AOY rank: 6)
7^th:         *Ron Nelson, Berrien Springs, Mich. (2020/2021 Avg. AOY rank: 7)
8^th:         *Clabion Johns, Social Circle, Ga. (2021 AOY rank: 7)
9^th:         *Jeremy Lawyer, Sarcoxie, Mo. (2021 AOY rank: 8)
10^th:       Mike McClelland, Blue Eye, Mo. (2021 AOY rank: 9)

* denotes new entrant into the MLF Bass Pro Tour

Only the top 10 anglers in the rankings receive an invitation to the 2022 Bass Pro Tour. Five of the top 10 anglers who qualified (Michael Neal, Skeet Reese, Justin Lucas, Cody Meyer and Mike McClelland) already fish the Bass Pro Tour and have thus requalified for the 2022 season through the Pro Circuit. The other five anglers (Ryan Salzman, Cole Floyd, Ron Nelson, Clabion Johns and Jeremy Lawyer) will be new to the Bass Pro Tour and considered rookies for the 2022 season.

The full 2022 Bass Pro Tour schedule is expected to be announced in early September. The complete rosters for the 2022 Bass Pro Tour and the 2022 Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit will be announced later this fall.

The 2022 Bass Pro Tour will feature a field of the 80 top professional anglers in the world competing in seven regular-season tournaments around the country for millions of dollars and valuable points to qualify for the annual Heavy Hitters all-star event and the REDCREST 2023 championship.

For complete details and updated information on the Bass Pro Tour, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF’s social media outlets at Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.

by AnglersChannel

Chris Johnston Wallops 25-7 on Day 1 at Toyota Series Event on St. Lawrence River

AUGUST 26, 2021 • JODY WHITE • TOYOTA SERIES

For the second stop of the Toyota Series Presented by A.R.E. Northern Division on the St. Lawrence River, there didn’t seem to be much doubt that the smallmouth factory would show out. With Canadian waters and Lake Ontario in play, the field had plenty of room to work and work they did.

After Day 1, 28 bags weighing 20 pounds or more hit the scale, and Canadian superstar Chris Johnston set the pace with a whopping 25-pound, 7-ounce limit. Behind him, three other pros cracked the 23-pound mark and four bested 22 pounds.

Electing not to make a giant run into Ontario for his fish, Johnston stayed in the river to get off on the right foot.

“Not that I don’t want a part of it, but I didn’t want to go today, because I had something else lined up,” Johnston said. “I’m probably going to go fish it again tomorrow and see if there’s anything left. Tomorrow is supposed to be windy, so it’s not going to be a great day for the lake. If I need to I might go out there for an hour or so, but we’ll see what the wind is like, it might be a river day for me.”

One of the best at the 1000 Islands, Johnston’s worst finish since 2016 on the fishery is third. Typically, he’s done his best work out in the lake. This time, it sounds like he has a chance to keep the river train rolling.

“I’ve been practicing the river because I keep getting burned here when the lake is off-limits,” he said. “I’ve got a few spots in the river, I don’t know if I can get 25 again, but there’s some fish left.”

Plying a drop-shot with a secret bait, it sounds like Johnston is on a roll.

“It was all deep, anywhere from 20 to 45 feet,” he said. “I caught a ton of fish, it was hard to get a big one. I never really had a kicker, they’re all clones. Out here now, a 5-pounder is honestly kinda average, you need a 6-pounder to get up and over.”

Top 10 Pros

1. Chris Johnston – 25 – 07 (5)

2. Justin Atkins – 23 – 15 (5)

2. Cory Johnston – 23 – 15 (5)

4. Matt Becker – 23 – 06 (5)

5. Brandon Marks – 22 – 07 (5)

6. Brian Latimer – 22 – 02 (5)

7. Jonathan Robla – 22 – 01 (5)

8. Scott Cooke – 22 – 00 (5)

9. Kurt Mitchell – 21 – 14 (5)

10. Darryl Esterly – 21 – 10 (5)

Complete Results

by AnglersChannel

Pflueger Supreme and Supreme XT Spinning Reels

Loaded with features to deliver supreme performance while remaining lightweight.
COLUMBIA, S.C. (August 25, 2021) — For more than 130 years, freshwater anglers across the country have trusted Pflueger reels to keep them connected to the fish they pursue. The newly redesigned Pflueger Supreme and Supreme XT spinning reels deliver best-in-class performance and weight savings despite being laden with more features than ever, making them worthy of carrying on the company’s legacy.

The Supreme XT is equipped with 10+1 stainless-steel bearings for absolute smoothness and features a carbon-fiber drag system and an EVA knob for increased comfort. The Supreme offers a stainless-steel/oil-felt drag system and 9+1 stainless-steel bearings. Both reels are built on lightweight magnesium bodies and offer a braid-ready spool as well as the Total Line Control System, which significantly reduces the instances of line twist and wind knots.
PFLUEGER SUPREME XT SPINNING REELS

Key Features:
• 10 stainless-steel bearings + 1 roller bearing
• Machined aluminum gear
• Magnesium body
• Carbon-fiber drag
• Carbon rotor
• Braid-ready spool
• Carbon handle
• EVA knob
• Total Line Control System reduces line twists and wind knots

Sizes: 25 • 30 • 35 • 40
MSRP: $159.95
Available: October 2021
PFLUEGER SUPREME SPINNING REELS

Key Features:
• 9 stainless-steel bearings + 1 roller bearing • Machined aluminum gear
• Magnesium body
• Stainless-steel/oil-felt drag
• Carbon rotor
• Braid-ready spool
• Machined aluminum handle

• Co-molded branded knob
• Total Line Control System reduces line twists and wind knots

Sizes: 25 • 30 • 35 • 40
MSRP: $109.95
Available: October 2021

by AnglersChannel

Berkley Freshwater Hardbait Extensions

New sizes, colors coming to the popular Choppo, Frittside, Squarebull and Cane Walker lineups.

COLUMBIA, S.C. — Berkley continues to set the pace in the bass-fishing world with the development and continual enhancement of its ever-popular hardbait lineup. This year brings additional color and size options for the proven Choppo, Frittside, Squarebull and Cane Walker baits.

CHOPPO
New HD Tru Colors (Sizes 75, 90, 105 and 120): HD Baby Bass • HD Blueback Herring • HD Bluegill • HD Golden Shiner • HD Rainbow Trout • HD Threadfin Shad
MSRP: $10.99
Available: September 2021

New Size: 75
Weight: 1/2 ounce
Hook Size: 5
Colors: Black Chrome • Bone • Ghost Bluegill • Ghost White • Maverick • MF Bluegill • MF Frog • MF Shad • Perfect Ghost • Sexy Back
MSRP: $10.99
Available: September 2021

FRITTSIDE
New HD Tru Colors: HD Threadfin Shad • HD Blueback Herring • HD Bluegill • HD Brown Craw • HD Green Craw • HD Blue Craw
MSRP: $9.99
Available: September 2021

SQUAREBULL
New Colors: Black Chartreuse • Blue Shad • Firetail Green Craw • Ghost Morning Dawn • Ghost Red Craw • Green Shad
MSRP: $7.99
Available: September 2021

CANE WALKER
New Size: 110
Weight: 5/7 ounce
Hook Size: 6
Colors: Blue Bullet • Bone • Chrome • CJ Shad • Ghost White • Maverick • MF Shad • Olive Shad • Perfect Ghost • Sexy Back
MSRP: $8.99
Available: July 2021

by AnglersChannel

New Berkley PowerBait Shapes for Bass

Pro-inspired designs from Edwin Evers, Skeet Reese and Scott Suggs

COLUMBIA, S.C. — The combination of the fishing world’s foremost bait scientists and some of the world’s greatest bass anglers gives Berkley the ability to deliver innovative shapes that bring more fish to the boat, regardless of whether an angler fishes for fun or for a living. This year, legendary bass pros Edwin Evers, Skeet Reese and Scott Suggs worked with the Berkley PowerBait team to bring their designs to life. Each bait meets a specific bass fishing need and features the legendary PowerBait flavor that fish hold onto longer, allowing for more positive hooksets.

Developed with Evers, the PowerBait Agent E is a bottom-dwelling, flat-bottom swimbait with an ultra-low center of gravity and internal weighting that allows it to skid across the bottom. Fish this bait like a skirted bass jig or on a faster retrieve like a mid-water swimbait—the side-to-side kicking action and built-in “hard-nose” subtle rattle will draw attention. The integrated fluorocarbon hook keeper is invisible to fish and sheds the nastiest grass and debris while remaining easily collapsible on the strike.

The new Berkley PowerBait The Boss Grub and Speed Boss are Reese-inspired designs that combine the profile of either a grub or a worm with PowerBait Pit Boss inspired action legs that create maximum water disturbance. Ideal for a host of presentations from Texas rigs to Florida rigs, the Speed Boss will quickly become the “go-to” grass-style wrom. The Boss Grub’s chunky profile works great as a bladed jig trailer, on a jig head, swing head or a Texas rig.

Berkley’s new PowerBait Crash Craw was developed in conjunction with Suggs and gives anglers a compact profile that works well in multiple situations. The rib design hides the hook for easy maneuvering in heavy cover plus adds additional surface area for PowerBait flavor. It’s trailing legs have a controlled, alternating action that’s perfect for all water temperatures and is exceptional on a wobble head setup. The PowerBait Crash Craw is also great for flipping or on a Texas rig, as a jig trailer, or event threaded onto a bladed jig.

BERKLEY POWERBAIT AGENT E
Sizes: 2.25 inches (3/8 ounce) • 3 inches (1/2 ounce) • 3 inches (3/4 ounce) • 3.75 inches (1 ounce)
Package Count: 2
Colors: HD Bluegill • HD Brown Craw • HD Gizzard Shad • HD Chartreuse Shad • HD Goby • HD Yellow Perch • Bruised Sapphire • Green Pumpkin Red Fleck • Peanut Butter and Jelly
MSRP: $6.99-$7.99 Standard/$7.99-$8.99 HD Tru Colors
Pro Design: Edwin Evers
Available: October 2021

BERKLEY POWERBAIT THE BOSS GRUB
Sizes: 3 inches • 4 inches
Package Count: 3-inch – 9 • 4-inch – 8
Colors: Black Blue Fleck • Blue Fleck • Bluegill Flash • California • Green Pumpkin • June Bug • Junebug Red • Red Bug • Skeet’s Green Money • Swamp Gas • Watermelon • Watermelon Red
MSRP: $5.49
Pro Design: Skeet Reese
Available: September 2021

BERKLEY POWERBAIT SPEED BOSS
Sizes: 4.75 inches • 5.75 inches • 6.75 inches
Package Count: 4.75-inch – 12 • 5.75-inch – 8 • 6.75-inch – 6
Colors: Black Blue Fleck • Blue Fleck • Bluegill Flash • California • Green Pumpkin • June Bug • Junebug Red • Red Bug • Skeet’s Green Money • Swamp Gas • Watermelon • Watermelon Red
MSRP: $5.49
Pro Design: Skeet Reese
Available: September 2021

BERKLEY POWERBAIT CRASH CRAW
Sizes: 3.5 inches • 4.25 inches
Package Count: 3.5-inch – 8 • 4.25-inch – 6
Colors: Black Blue Fleck • Magic Craw Swirl • GOAT • Bama Bug • Green Pumpkin Blue • Pearl White • California • Green Pumpkin Party • Green Pumpkin • Watermelon • June Bug • Watermelon Red
MSRP: $5.49
Pro Design: Scott Suggs
Available: September 2021

by AnglersChannel

Berkley PowerBait Additions

New size to The Champ Craw and new colors to popular The General, Chigger Craw and Crazy Legs Chigger Craw

COLUMBIA, S.C. (August 26, 2021)— Berkley continues to improve on its legendary PowerBait lineup by adding colors and a new size to some of its most popular bass baits that fish hold onto longer.

BERKLEY POWERBAIT THE CHAMP CRAW
New Size: 2.5 inches (standard and HD colors)
Colors: HD Brown Craw • HD Red Craw • HD Green Craw • HD Spring Craw • HD Molting Craw • HD Rusty Craw • HD Blue Craw • HD Mean Craw • Green Pumpkin • Black Blue Fleck • Yummy Craw • Watermelon Candy
MSRP: $6.49
Available: September 2021

BERKLEY POWERBAIT THE GENERAL
New Colors: Green Pumpkin/Chartreuse Firetail • Black/Blood Firetail • Black/Chartreuse Firetail • Black Blue Fleck/Blue Firetail • Green Pumpkin/Black • Bubblegum • G.O.A.T. • Grimace • Caramel Apple
MSRP: $4.99
Available: September 2021 (G.O.A.T., Grimace, Caramel Apple available now)

BERKLEY POWERBAIT CHIGGER CRAW
New Colors: Okeechobee Craw • Summer Craw • Alabama Craw • Blue Craw • G.O.A.T. • Grunge • Labatt
MSRP: $4.99
Available: March 2021

BERKLEY POWERBAIT CRAZY LEGS CHIGGER CRAW
New Colors: Okeechobee Craw • Summer Craw • Alabama Craw • Blue Craw
MSRP: $4.99
Available: March 2021

BERKLEY POWERBAIT POWER SWIMMER
NewSize: 2 inches
New Colors: Baby Rainbow • Motor Oil • Grasshopper
MSRP: $5.49
Available: September 2021

by AnglersChannel

Vertical Lures - Tube-X Lure Review

Vance McCullough

It’s that time of year again! The grass is thick and green. Each day is few ticks shorter than the one before. It’s finally footba--, er, flippin’ season!

Flipping has been the deal for months in many areas – in some it never goes out of style – but even in northern latitudes the vegetation is as lush as it will get this year. Hollow cavities have formed beneath thick mats. Bait and bass flock to the cooler environs while also taking advantage of the concealment such places offer.

To get a bait beneath the canopies this time of year, you need to punch straight through with a heavy weight and a streamlined soft plastic lure that will slink its way into the cavernous confines below.

One such lure I found at the ICAST show in Orlando this summer is the Tube-X by Vertical Lures.

As the name suggests, it has a hollow section – the whole back half of the bait is open. This allows for quick hook penetration. It also provides a space to insert rattles, or a cotton ball loaded with your favorite scent attractant, although Vertical Lures are made of “super scented plastics” according to the package. One fun trick is to stick a piece of Alka Seltzer in there and watch the profusion of bubbles draw curious bass.

Pro tip: in the type of tangled cover where I’m putting my baits this time of year, I would save a section of a used worm and insert it into the cavity in order to fill out the entire length of the lure. Otherwise, the hollow part will collapse too easily, exposing the hook point nearly every time I try to pull the lure out of the mat. This will cause constant hang ups rather than hook ups and will destroy the lure in short order.

The Tube-X features wings or fluted appendages rather than the typical shredded tails of normal tubes. As such, the lure glides nicely which is a common reason anglers choose to toss a tube in the first place, but it offers a different profile that your bass likely haven’t seen yet.

The versatile Tube-X can also be used around hard cover, such as wood, and docks which are great summertime targets offering shade and baitfish to hungry bass. Conventional Texas rigs work well in such situations.

The lure has a solid head which makes it a great candidate for dropshoting and Carolina-rigging. How about a truly unique Ned rig?

I’m told the Tube-X was sent out by the thousands in monthly secret tacklebox subscription services. If any of you have used them, share your experiences on the AnglersChannel.com Facebook or Instagram page.

Or keep the secret to yourself. For now.

by AnglersChannel

AC Insider Podcast with TITLE Champ Jimmy Washam - "They're gonna have to beat me"

This week Chris & the boys welcome in the Pro Circuit TITLE Champ, direct from his patrol car, MLF Pro Jimmy Washam! Jimmy gives us some deets on the TITLE, his year and how we was able to capture that awesome TITLE Belt. Check it out!

by AnglersChannel

La Crosse Hosts B.A.S.S. Nation Regional Championship

The Upper Mississippi River will host the TNT Fireworks B.A.S.S. Nation Northern Regional September 1-3, 2021.

Photo by Andrew Schneyer/B.A.S.S.

August 26, 2021

LA CROSSE, Wis. — September is one of the best times of the year to fish the Upper Mississippi River, according to Bassmaster Elite Series pro Bob Downey of Hudson, Wis. So, when qualified anglers arrive for the 2021 TNT Fireworks B.A.S.S. Nation Northern Regional Sept. 1-3, Downey expects plenty of bass to hit the scales.

“It is one of my favorite times of the year to be on the river,” Downey said. “I expect it to be a good tournament. You need to shoot for a 3-pound average or better.”

La Crosse has played host to plenty of major tournaments over the past decade, including Elite Series events in 2012, 2013, 2016 and 2018 and a Basspro.com Bassmaster Open in 2019. The Elite Series will also return to La Crosse for the Bassmaster Elite at Mississippi River Aug. 26-29, 2022. For this event, B.A.S.S. Nation anglers will have access to Pools 7, 8 and 9 during the event, which brings together teams from nine states.

So far in 2021, the Mississippi River has been as low as Downey has seen in years. Late summer rains could flip the script, but water levels and current flow will determine where the fish will set up.

“It is extremely low right now and it has been all year,” he said. “With it being really low, you’ll see largemouth closer to the main channel at times and smallmouth will move out towards the main channel.”

Both largemouth and smallmouth are plentiful throughout these three pools of the Mississippi River, and Downey said he would expect both species to play in this event.

“This time of year, it could be won with both,” he said. “Smallmouth on the river will generally win tournaments in the spring and fall. That’s not to say you can’t win one in the summer with them, but generally they are heaviest in the spring and then starting in late August through September and October.”

Downey said the smallmouth like to set up on the various wing dams in the system as well as sand drops and other current-related structures like islands. Topwater walking baits, poppers and Carolina rigs have historically produced around these areas. To win with smallmouth only, Downey said anglers will need to have a strong pattern.

“They move around. I call them ghost fish because every time I seem to find them in practice they aren’t there in the tournament,” Downey said. “That time of year, they become a little more consistent to the point where you can rely on them more.”

Meanwhile, the largemouth can be found in the abundant grass fields throughout the three eligible pools. Six different types of grass can be found in the fishery, including milfoil, eelgrass, lily pads and duckweed, making it a perfect situation for frogging, punching and possibly a swim jig.

“It is a phenomenal time of year for largemouth. The grass is as good as it is going to get all year,” Downey said.

Cut banks are also great areas to find both largemouth and smallmouth.

Anglers will launch from Veterans Freedom Park starting at 6:15 a.m. CT every day and return for weigh-in at 2:15. The field will be cut to 20 boaters and 20 nonboaters after Day 2. The top two boaters and co-anglers from each state will punch their ticket to the 2021 TNT Fireworks B.A.S.S. Nation Championship scheduled for Nov. 3-5 on the Ouachita River in Monroe, La., to compete for one of three berths into the 2022 Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic presented by Huk

by AnglersChannel

Western Michigan University Wins MLF Wiley X College Faceoff at Detroit River

TRENTON, Mich. (Aug. 26, 2021) – The Western Michigan University team of Mason Vernia, Kurt Antonowitsch, Jack Simpson and Drake Van Dike, won the Major League Fishing (MLF) Wiley X College Faceoff at the Detroit River in Trenton, Michigan, Saturday. The Broncos bass club boated 44 bass weighing 109 pounds, 8 ounces to win the fourth and final Wiley X College Faceoff Events of the 2021 season and earn the win by a 14-pound, 11-ounce margin over Adrian College.

According to post-tournament reports, the Western Michigan teams started on high percentage areas early, targeting deep rocks & grass with a drop-shot rig. Vernia and Antonowitsch threw a Strike King Baby Z-Too with a 3/8-ounce tungsten drop-shot weight, while Simpson and Van Dike opted to drop-shot a pearl-colored Berkley Powerbait MaxScent Flat Worm, also with a 3/8-ounce weight. Both teams credited their electronics as being crucial in chasing the big schools of smallmouth all day.

The five teams that competed in the Wiley X College Faceoff at the Detroit River in Trenton finished:
1^st: Western Michigan University – Mason Vernia, Kurt Antonowitsch, Jack Simpson and Drake Van Dike, 44 bass, 109-8
2^nd: Adrian College – Austin Tapley, Carter Ball, Aaron Jagdfeld and Jacob Emery, 32 bass, 94-13
3^rd: Campbellsville University – Dalton Smith, Cade Hayford, Dustin Bauer and Morgan Miracle, 26 bass, 74-8
4^th: Radford University – Jackson Norton, Brandon Miskell, Kent Clark, Adam Szalankiewicz, 13 bass, 45-4
5^th: King University – Landon Lawson, Donovan Carson, Hunter McClaskey, 11 bass, 34-12

The Wiley X College Faceoffs are single-day tournaments where competitors fish in an MLF-style catch, weigh, immediate-release team format at each event. The College Faceoff tournaments occur the Saturday following an Abu Garcia College Fishing competition, on the same body of water. The results from the College Fishing tournament the previous day determine the 20 competitors for the Wiley X College Faceoff, with the top two teams (four anglers) from the top five schools in the regular season tournament qualifying to fish in the ten-boat faceoff the following day.

The Wiley X College Faceoff tournament on the Detroit River was the fourth and final Faceoff events for MLF collegiate anglers in 2021. The schedule for the 2022 Wiley X College Faceoff events will be announced this fall.

Abu Garcia College Fishing presented by YETI teams compete in three regular-season qualifying tournaments in one of five conferences – Central, Northern, Southern, Southeastern and Western. Registration is accepted from any eligible college team from across the United States. The top ten teams from each division’s three regular-season tournaments and the top 20 teams from the annual Abu Garcia College Fishing Open advance to the following year’s Abu Garcia College Fishing presented by YETI National Championship. One additional team will automatically qualify for the National Championship for every 10 teams over 200 competing.

For complete details and updated information visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow the MLF Wiley X College Faceoffs on MLF’s social media outlets at Facebook, Twitter, Instagramand YouTube.

by AnglersChannel

Tourney Time Again - MLF Toyota Series to Launch This Week on St. Lawrence River in Massena

MASSENA, N.Y. (Aug. 25, 2021) – The Major League Fishing (MLF) Toyota Series Presented by A.R.E. Northern Division will continue its 2021 season with a tournament starting tomorrow in Massena, New York, Aug. 26-28, with the Toyota Series Presented by A.R.E. at the St. Lawrence River. Hosted by the Town of Massena, the three-day tournament will feature the region’s best bass-fishing pros and co-anglers casting for a top prize of up to $65,000, plus an additional $35,000 bonus if the winner is a qualified Phoenix Boat owner.

The event will mark the third major event that MLF has organized out of Massena since June, with the MLF Bass Pro Tour being showcased in late June, the MLF Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit in late July, and now the MLF Toyota Series this week. The Toyota Series is considered MLF’s “Triple-A level” and features numerous aspiring pros trying to qualify and advance to the Pro Circuit, along with many of the best local anglers from the region.

Like the previous two events, anglers and fans should expect to see a lot of giant smallmouth bass in this tournament. Anglers will be targeting them both shallow and deep, looking for river breaks, current seams, shallow flats and deep humps. Expect to see plenty of tubes, drop-shot rigs, jerkbaits, Ned rigs and hair jigs in play this weekend. The winning angler will likely need to average about 20 to 22 pounds a day (five-fish) and the expected three-day winning total will likely be right around 60 pounds.

Anglers will take off daily at 6:30 a.m. ET from the Massena Intake Boat Launch, located at 1415 State Highway 131 in Massena. Weigh-ins will also be held at the boat launch and will begin at 2:30 p.m. Fans are welcome to attend the event or follow the action online through the “MLF Live” weigh-in broadcasts and daily coverage at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

In Toyota Series regular-season competition, payouts are based on the number of participants competing in the event, scaling up for every 20 boats over 160 and scaling down for every boat below 160. With a 160-boat field, pros fish for a top prize of $40,000, plus an extra $35,000 if Phoenix MLF BIG5 Bonus qualified. Co-anglers cast for the top prize of a new Phoenix 518 Pro bass boat with a 115-horsepower Mercury outboard (valued at $33,500). With a 260-boat field, pros fish for a top award of $65,000, plus an extra $35,000 if Phoenix MLF BIG5 Bonus qualified. Co-anglers cast for the top prize of a new Phoenix 518 Pro bass boat with a 115-horsepower outboard (valued at $33,500) plus $5,000 cash.

The 2021 Toyota Series presented by A.R.E. consists of six divisions – Central, Northern, Plains, Southern, Southwestern and Western – each holding three regular-season events, along with the International division. Anglers who fish all three qualifiers in any of the eight divisions and finish in the top 25 will qualify for the no-entry-fee Toyota Series presented by A.R.E. Championship for a shot at winning $235,000 cash, including a $35,000 Phoenix MLF BIG5 Bonus for qualified anglers. The winning co-angler at the championship earns a new Phoenix 518 Pro bass boat with a 115-horsepower Mercury outboard. The 2021 Toyota Series Championship presented by A.R.E. will be held Oct. 28-30 on Pickwick Lake in Counce, Tennessee, and is hosted by the Hardin County Convention and Visitors Bureau.

For complete details and updated information visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow the Toyota Series presented by A.R.E. on the MLF BIG5’s social media outlets at Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.

by AnglersChannel

Northwest Ohio Junior Bassmasters Wins U.S. Army High School Fishing Open at Detroit River

TRENTON, Mich. (Aug. 25, 2021) – The Northwest Ohio Junior Bassmasters duo of Nicholas Seitz of Maumee, Ohio, and Brock Vogel of Perrysburg, Ohio, won the U.S. Army High School Fishing presented by Favorite Fishing Open at the Detroit River Presented by Googan Baits on Saturday in Trenton, Michigan.

According to post-tournament reports, the duo caught their fish targeting rock piles in 30 feet of water with a tube, a drop-shot rig, and a Rapala DT14 crankbait.

The event was hosted by the Detroit Sports Commission and the victory advanced the winning team to the 2022 U.S. Army High School Fishing presented by Favorite Fishing National Championship.

TOP 10 RESULTS

RANK	SCHOOL/CLUB NAME/CITY	ANGLER NAME	BASS	WEIGHT
1^st	Northwest Ohio Junior Bassmasters*	Nicholas Seitz, Maumee, Ohio Brock Vogel, Perrysburg, Ohio	5	24-6
2^nd	Jackson High School, Jackson, Mich.*	Rylan Hamlin, Jackson, Mich. Jack Swihart, Jackson, Mich.	5	20-1
3^rd	Wheelersburg High School, Wheelersburg, Ohio*	Johnathan Strickland, Minford, Ohio Matthew Strickland, Portsmouth, Ohio	5	18-6
4^th	Clarkston High School, Clarkston, Mich.	Caden Adams, Waterford, Mich. Parker Pace, Clarkston, Mich.	5	18-1
5^th	Huron High School, Ann Arbor, Mich.	Hunter Szawara, Romulus, Mich. Tony Trupiano, New Boston, Mich.	5	17-9
6^th	Western High School, Parma, Mich.	Seth Plum, Jackson, Mich. Ayden Rubritius, Concord, Mich.	5	17-3
7^th	Hartland, Mich. Student Anglers	Remington Barkley, Hartland, Mich. Carlie Mitchell, Hartland, Mich.	5	17-0
8^th	St. Marys Memorial High School, St. Marys, Ohio	Brandon Gibson, Saint Marys, Ohio Brayden Hoehn, Saint Marys, Ohio	5	16-13
9^th	Dexter High School, Dexter, Mich.	Dima Griffiths, Dexter, Mich. Nathaniel Terbush, Dexter, Mich.	5	16-7
10^th	Hopewell-Loudon High School, Bascom, Ohio	Matthew Flores, Fostoria, Ohio Garrett Kuhn, Tiffin, Ohio	5	15-9

*National Championship Qualifier. The top 10% of teams advance to the 2021 U.S. Army High School Fishing presented by Favorite Fishing National Championship

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

2022 UPCOMING QUALIFICATION OPPORTUNITIES

EVENT	DATE	LOCATION	HOST
2022 U.S. Army High School Fishing National Championship & World Finals	TBD	TBD	TBD

U.S. Army High School Fishing presented by Favorite Fishing tournaments are free, two-person (team) events for students in grades 7-12 and are open to any MLF and Student Angler Federation-affiliated high school club. The top 10 percent of teams at each Open event along with the TBF High School Fishing state championships will advance to the 2021 U.S. Army High School Fishing presented by Favorite Fishing National Championship. The U.S. Army High School Fishing national champions will each receive a $5,000 college scholarship to the school of their choice.

The first 25 high school teams that enter each U.S. Army High School Fishing presented by Favorite Fishing tournament will receive a free Favorite Fishing package, including one Favorite Fishing casting rod and reel, one Favorite Fishing spinning rod and reel, six packs of Googan Baits and two Favorite Fishing hats, a total package value of $230. Most tournaments are also hosted by a Bass Pro Tour angler or Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit angler, giving high school students the chance to meet the sport’s top pros. As an added bonus, the winning team at each tournament will receive a guided fishing trip with their pro angler host.

In addition to the U.S. Army High School Fishing National Championship, all High School Fishing anglers nationwide automatically qualify for the world’s largest open high school bass tournament, the 2022 High School Fishing World Finals, held in conjunction with the National Championship. More than $2.8 million in scholarships and prizes were offered at the 2021 World Finals.

Full schedules and the latest announcements, photos and articles are available at HighSchoolFishing.org and MajorLeagueFishing.com.

by AnglersChannel

Adrian College Finishes 1-2-3 at Abu Garcia College Fishing Tournament on the Detroit River

TRENTON, Mich. (Aug. 25, 2021) – The Adrian College duo of Jacob Emery of New Boston, Michigan, and Aaron Jagdfeld of Rochester, Michigan, weighed a five-bass limit totaling 23 pounds, 4 ounces to earn the win last weekend at the Abu Garcia College Fishing presented by YETI at the Detroit River. The victory earned the Bulldog’s bass club $2,000 and qualified the duo to compete in the 2022 College Fishing National Championship.

According to post-tournament reports, the duo caught their fish targeting grass in 20 to 22 feet of water with honey candy-colored Strike King Dream Shots and Strike King Z-Too soft jerkbaits.

TOP 10 RESULTS*

RANK	COLLEGE NAME	ANGLER NAME/HOMETOWN	BASS	WEIGHT	AWARD
1^st	Adrian College	Jacob Emery, New Boston, Mich. Aaron Jagdfeld, Rochester, Mich.	5	23-4	$2,000
2^nd	Adrian College	Carter Ball, Noblesville, Ind. Austin Tapley, Jackson, Mich.	5	22-10	$1,000
3^rd	Adrian College	Zach Salters, Allegan, Mich. Ben Statly, Fenton, Mich.	5	20-15	$500
4^th	King University	Donovan Carson, Bluff City, Tenn. Landon Lawson, Jonesboro, Tenn.	5	20-14	$500
5^th	Western Michigan University	Kurt Antonowitsch, Kalamazoo, Mich. Cole Zagrzebski, Stevens Point, Wis.	5	20-11	$500
6^th	Michigan State University	Nic Lloyd, Lansing, Mich. Garrett Mandel, Warren, Mich.	5	20-10
7^th	Western Michigan University	Bo Thomas, Edwardsburg, Mich. Mason Vernia, Schoolcraft, Mich.	5	20-10
8^th	Adrian College	Matt Mosby, Dryden, Mich. Derek Rodriguez, Okemos, Mich.	5	20-5
9^th	Bowling Green State University	Levi Booher, West Milton, Ohio Nicholas Nartker, Englewood, Ohio	5	20-4
10^th	Western Michigan University	Jack Simpson, Brighton, Mich. Drake van Dike, Livonia, Mich.	5	20-3

*Top 10 teams advance to the 2022 College Fishing National Championship

Complete results for the entire field can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

2021 QUALIFICATION OPPORTUNITIES

EVENT	DATE	LOCATION	HOST
2022 Abu Garcia College Fishing presented by YETI National Championship	TBD	TBD	TBD

The event was the third and final qualifying tournaments for Northern Conference anglers and was hosted by the Detroit Sports Commission.

Abu Garcia College Fishing presented by YETI teams compete in regular-season qualifying tournaments in one of five conferences – Central, Northern, Southern, Southeastern and Western. The top ten teams from each division’s three regular-season tournaments and the top 20 teams from the annual Abu Garcia College Fishing Open advance to the following year’s Abu Garcia College Fishing presented by YETI National Championship.

For complete details and updated information visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow the Abu Garcia College Fishing presented by YETI on MLF’s social media outlets at Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.

by AnglersChannel

Washam Wins MLF Pro Circuit TITLE Presented by Mercury

Tennessee Pro Weighs Five-Bass Limit of 17 Pounds, 15 Ounces to Win TITLE Belt and $200,000

LA CROSSE, Wis. (Aug. 22, 2021) – Pro Jimmy Washam of Covington, Tennessee brought a five-bass limit weighing 17 pounds, 15 ounces to the stage on Sunday to win $200,000 and the TITLE belt at the second annual Major League Fishing (MLF) Tackle Warehouse TITLE Presented by Mercury – the Pro Circuit Championship, Presented by Bad Boy Mowers – on the Mississippi River in La Crosse, Wisconsin. Washam won by a 1-pound, 3-ounce margin over Berkley pro Bobby Lane of Lakeland, Florida who weighed a limit of 17-15, good for second place and $50,000. Favorite Fishing pro Zack Birge of Blanchard, Oklahoma rounded out the top three, weighing a five-bass limit of 15-6 and taking home $30,000.

Sunday’s final day of competition marked the finale of the six-day Tackle Warehouse TITLE, which featured the top 48 pros in the 2021 Pro Circuit standings, along with last year’s reigning TITLE champion and reigning Angler of the Year – all competing for a purse of nearly $900,000.

The MLF Tackle Warehouse TITLE Presented by Mercury – the Pro Circuit Championship, Presented by Bad Boy Mowers was hosted by Explore La Crosse.

Washam said he began fishing MLF tournaments in the Phoenix Bass Fishing League in 2012, before moving up to the Toyota Series in 2017. He qualified for the Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit Presented by Bad Boy Mowers through the Toyota Series Central Division in 2019 and has made TITLE appearances in both ’20 and ’21. When he’s not fishing, Washam is a deputy sheriff sergeant in Tennessee

“All the glory goes to God,” Washam said of the win. “This is so amazing, but it’s His work above, I promise you. Five years ago, I bought my first fiberglass boat and decided I’d fish the [Phoenix Bass Fishing League] as a boater. Now I’m standing here with a TITLE belt on my shoulder.”

Moving up through the ranks hasn’t been easy for Washam, who took a big financial risk in 2020 and again in 2021 to follow his passion.

“I’m 34 years old and I didn’t start as young as I wish I would have, but I had to earn a living and work, so it was a slow progression to step up to this level,” said Washam. “After last year I knew that I could hang, and this year has been an absolutely incredible year. It’s humbling to know the group of anglers I just joined.”

Washam said he was contemplating going back to the Black River on the final day, having found a few places where he could pull up and catch a limit in a few casts, but he decided to make a change.

“I got to thinking, it’s Sunday and there are a lot of guys out fishing,” said Washam. “I’ve got a place that likely has the winning bag on it. Why in the world would I not go there first? Literally, as I pulled up, there was a guy in a Jon boat that was slinging a topwater and he was only half a cast away from my fish. I don’t think he knew what was there, but he was really close to finding out.

“He was a total class act,” Washam continued. “I pulled up and said, ‘Good morning.’ Of course, I was going to ask him as politely as I could if he minded giving me a little space for a couple hours, but I didn’t even have to ask. He picked up the trolling motor and left, then came back later as a spectator. Turns out he works at the sheriff’s office in La Crosse.”

Nerves didn’t seem to be a factor for Washam going into the Championship Round, even with $200,000 on the line.

“I was confident going into the final day,” said Washam. “Any time you find something like that and you’re able to leave it for Championship Sunday it’s great. But I’ve played this game long enough to know that there are so many variables. When I made the first cast and didn’t get a bite the wheels started turning. Then, when I made the second cast and caught a 3-pounder I was pumped.”

The top 10 pros at the MLF Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit TITLE on the Mississippi River are:

1^st:           Jimmy Washam, Covington, Tenn., five bass, 17-15, $200,000
2^nd:          Bobby Lane, Lakeland, Fla., five bass, 16-12, $50,000
3^rd:          Zack Birge, Blanchard, Okla., five bass, 15-6, $30,000
4^th:           Mitch Crane, Columbus, Miss., five bass, 13-5, $25,000
5^th:           Skeet Reese, Auburn, Calif., five bass, 13-2, $19,000
6^th:           Joshua Weaver, Macon, Ga., five bass, 13-2, $18,000
7^th:           Miles Burghoff, Soddy-Daisy, Tenn., five bass, 12-8, $17,000
8^th:           Jimmy Reese, Witter Springs, Calif., five bass, 11-14, $16,000
9^th:           Justin Lucas, Guntersville, Ala., five bass, 11-3, $15,000
10^th:       Adrian Avena, Vineland, N.J., five bass, 11-1, $14,000

A complete list of results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

Overall, there were 50 bass weighing 136 pounds, 4 ounces caught by the 10 pros on Saturday with 10 five-bass limits.

The MLF Tackle Warehouse TITLE Presented by Mercury – the Pro Circuit Championship, Presented by Bad Boy Mowers featured a hybrid tournament format. All 50 anglers were seeded into two groups of 25 – Group A & Group B, based on points earned in 2021 qualifying events – where they competed in Qualifying Rounds over the first four days of the tournament. The top 10 anglers in each group moved on to the Knockout Round on Day 5, with zeroed weights, to compete for the chance to fish on the final day. The top 10 anglers from the Knockout Round then advanced to Championship Sunday, where weights were again zeroed as anglers competed for the $235,000 prize. Winners were determined by the heaviest five-bass limit of each round.

Television coverage of the Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit TITLE Presented by Mercury event will be showcased across six two-hour episodes, premiering at 7 a.m. ET, Oct. 10 on the Outdoor Channel. Episodes premiere Sunday mornings on the Outdoor Channel, with additional re-airings on the Outdoor Channel and the Sportsman Channel. Each two-hour long episode goes in-depth to break down each day of competition. Episodes will run through Nov. 14.

The 2021 Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit Presented by Bad Boy Mowers featured a field of 163 of the top professional anglers in the world competing at six regular-season events around the country. The top 50 anglers in the Angler of the Year (AOY) standings after the six events qualified to compete in the Tackle Warehouse TITLE Presented by Mercury, the Pro Circuit Championship, Presented by Bad Boy Mowers.

For complete details and updated information visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow the Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit Presented by Bad Boy Mowers on the MLF BIG5’s social media outlets at Facebook , Twitter, Instagram and YouTube .

by AnglersChannel

Crane Wins Knockout Round at MLF Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit TITLE Presented by Mercury on the Mississippi River

Mississippi Pro Weighs Biggest Bag of the Event to Win the Knockout Round, Final 10 Anglers Set for Sunday’s Championship Shootout to Compete for up to $235,000

LA CROSSE, Wis. (Aug. 21, 2021) – Pro Mitch Crane of Columbus, Mississippi brought a five-bass limit to the stage Saturday weighing 15 pounds, 15 ounces to win the Knockout Round and advance to the final day of competition at the Major League Fishing (MLF) Tackle Warehouse TITLE Presented by Mercury – the Pro Circuit Championship, Presented by Bad Boy Mowers. The final 10 anglers are now set, and competition will resume Sunday morning with the Championship Round, where weights are zeroed, and the winner will be determined by the heaviest five-bass limit of the final round.

Only the top 10 anglers will move on in the competition. The Championship Round on Sunday will feature Group A winner Miles Burghoff of Soddy-Daisy, Tennessee, Group B winner Adrian Avena of Vineland, New Jersey and the top eight anglers from the Knockout Round, competing in a final-day shootout for a top prize of up to $235,000. The six-day event, hosted by Explore La Crosse, features the top 48 pros in the 2021 Pro Circuit standings, along with last year’s reigning TITLE champion and reigning Angler of the Year – all competing for a purse of nearly $900,000

The top eight pros from Saturday’s Knockout Round that will compete in Sunday’s Championship Round on the Mississippi River are:

1^st:           Mitch Crane, Columbus, Miss., five bass, 15-15
2^nd:          Skeet Reese, Auburn, Calif., five bass, 14-15
3^rd:          Jimmy Washam, Covington, Tenn., five bass, 14-15
4^th:           Bobby Lane, Lakeland, Fla., five bass, 14-13
5^th:           Joshua Weaver, Macon, Ga., five bass, 14-8
6^th:           Zack Birge, Blanchard, Okla., five bass, 12-15
7^th:           Justin Lucas, Guntersville, Ala., five bass, 12-9
8^th:           Jimmy Reese, Witter Springs, Calif., five bass, 12-4

They’ll be joined by Qualifying Round winners:
Group A: Miles Burghoff, Soddy-Daisy, Tenn.
Group B: Adrian Avena, Vineland, N.J.

“I really enjoy this place and feel like I can read it very well,” said Crane. “I’ve got a great area and I’m just trying to baby it to get what I need and get out. It was best-case scenario today. I’m happy with it, but I just hope I didn’t win the wrong day today.

“There are some deeper stretches on this ½-mile area that I’m at,” continued Crane, who just wrapped up his second year on the Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit Presented by Bad Boy Mowers. “I’ve been trying to pick one spot and stay there, but if the grass gets too choked out underneath the lily pads it’s not good. You want clear water, open canopy and lily pads – that’s been the key. And bait, but there’s bait everywhere on the Mississippi River.”

Crane said the spot he’s been fishing the first two days is just the edge of the area where he believes the big bass reside.

“I’ve just been pulling up to one little corner and catching them on the corner and leaving. But in practice I didn’t spend 5 minutes in that area before I caught a good one, then shook a giant off. I’m ready to dive off in there. I’m tired of looking at it. They may not be there, but they were in practice.”

With weights zeroing again tomorrow, this could be the best opportunity for Crane to get his first major win.

“Getting [the win] would be unbelievable,” said Crane. “It’d be life-changing. I haven’t won a big tournament since the 2016 BFL and I’m ready to win again. I knew if I could just get [to the TITLE], I could have a good finish.

“Not only would that level of win validate my early career, but I’m just ready to get out there and stick a few,” said Crane.

Rounding out the top 20 finishers were:

11^th:        Ryan Salzman, Huntsville, Ala., five bass, 12-2, $11,000
12^th:        David Walker, Sevierville, Tenn., five bass, 12-2, $11,000
13^th:        Kurt Mitchell, Milford, Del., five bass, 11-10, $11,000
14^th:        Jared McMillan, Clewiston, Fla., five bass, 10-12, $11,000
15^th:        Matt Stefan, Junction City, Wis., five bass, 10-10, $11,000
16^th:        Cody Meyer, Star, Idaho, five bass, 9-6, $11,000
17^th:        Mike McClelland, Blue Eye, Mo., four bass, 9-6, $11,000
18^th:       Dylan Hays, Hot Springs, Ark., two bass, 5-15, $11,000
19^th:        Alex Davis, Albertville, Ala., two bass, 4-5, $11,000
20^th:        Cole Floyd, Leesburg, Ohio, one bass, 3-3, $11,000

A complete list of results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

Overall, there were 79 bass weighing 202 pounds, 5 ounces caught by the 18 pros on Saturday with 14 five-bass limits.

The MLF Tackle Warehouse TITLE Presented by Mercury – the Pro Circuit Championship, Presented by Bad Boy Mowers features a hybrid tournament format. All 50 anglers were seeded into two groups of 25 – Group A & Group B, based on points earned in 2021 qualifying events – where they competed in Qualifying Rounds over the first four days of the tournament.

The 25 anglers in Group A competed in their two-day qualifying round on the Mighty Miss on Tuesday and Thursday – the 25 anglers in Group B on Wednesday and Friday. After each group’s two-day Qualifying Round, the anglers that finished in 2nd through 10th place from both Group A and Group B advanced to Saturday’s Knockout Round. In the Knockout Round, weights were zeroed and the remaining 18 anglers (nine anglers from Group A, and nine anglers from Group B) competed to finish in the top 8 to advance to the Championship Round. Tomorrow, in the final day Championship Round, weights are again zeroed, and the winner will be determined by the heaviest five-bass limit of the final round.

Anglers will take off at 7 a.m. CT on Sunday from Veterans Freedom Park, located at 1 Clinton Street in La Crosse. The final event weigh-in will also be held at the park Sunday at 3 p.m., followed by the TITLE belt presentation. The MLF NOW! broadcast team of Chad McKee, Marty Stone and J.T. Kenney will break down the extended action from 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. on Sunday.Fans are welcome to attend the event or follow the action online through the MLF NOW! live stream and coverage at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

Along with the launch and weigh-in, fans and community members are invited to a Fishing and Outdoor Expo Sunday, August 21from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. CT at Veterans Freedom Park, where fans can meet the pros and check out the latest in fishing and outdoor gear. The expo includes live music, great food, vendor booths from participating sponsors, activities for kids, giveaways and more.

The first 100 kids (10 and under) will receive a free rod and reel at the Expo on Sunday and fans can register for a Jackson Kayak Coosa FD giveaway once per day, onsite. The winner will be drawn following the weigh-in on Sunday. PAW Patrol’s Skye and Marshall will also be at the event with MLF pro Charlie Evans and will be available for photos. Appearance times may vary. Visit MajorLeagueFishing.com for updates and more details.

In addition to the launch, weigh-ins and Expo, youth 14 and under are also invited to attend a free Kid’s Fishing Derby on Sunday, Aug. 22, from noon to 2 p.m. at Copeland Park. Participants can bring their own fishing gear or use provided gear on a first come, first serve basis. Worms will be provided by DMF Bait Company. Participants can register online at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

by AnglersChannel

Mallory makes it happen in TNPFL on Winnebago

Practice made perfect for 3 solid days and the big check for $50,000 on Lake Winnebago.

Utilizing a one two punch of largemouth and smallmouth, Mallory rotated between flipping and drifting a dropshot in the current. Using a tactic he used back home, the Lawton, Michigan angler spent his practice period locating areas with populations of bluegills. With 14-pounds, 3-ounces on the final day, and a total weight of 42-pounds, 10-ounces, Buck Mallory takes the win at Wisconsin’s Lake Winnebago.

“I literally did textbook Junk Fishing – 101 this week. For the whole event, I fished pads, docks, grass clumps and even had a few smallmouth holes. My flipping technique was a Strike King Rage Bug and I used a Strike King Z tube with an Eco Pro Tungsten weight.”

The key to his success, the areas he had located in practice had lots of bluegills around. By shaking fish off, Mallory knew where fish were but had no idea the number of fish on his areas and was surprised to see it carry him for three days.

“I don’t know if these bass don’t get pressured or what, I was able to get them to bite 4 to 5 times before, even after I lifted them up to the surface. They were eating it so good and I hardly lost any fish all week. Today, I lost a 4-pounder. I don’t understand because they have been eating it so good.”

With a small fish in his bag, Mallory made a huge cull to end his day. With a 3-pounder to close out, it was a special week for the Michigan angler. Starting on the North end, Mallory would get a limit and work his way back down fishing high percentage areas.

“I am so blessed; I can’t believe it. When that fish broke and came into the bottom of the boat, I sat down and almost cried – it was god’s plan.”

Brandon Perkins

Waiting on the wind to blow all week, Brandon Perkins took advantage and landed the biggest bag of the week on the final day. Adding 17-pounds, 2-ounces to his total weight, the Counce, Tennessee angler managed a three-day total of 42-pounds, 6-ounces to finish in the 2^nd place spot.

“I just needed some wind, man. On day one I had a 1.32 in my bag and lost two good fish. It was nice to have those fish bite today.”

Starting on a different area today than any of the other two days, Perkins went to work in a big way. With the wind blowing, he had hoped they would turn on, and the action began as soon as he made his first cast.

“As soon as I got there, I started catching them good. I moved around and caught fish on several places, and when you get to this weight, it’s so hard to cull.”

The day looked good on paper, but trolling motor issues kept Perkins in check the whole afternoon with only one way to fish – drifting.

“Man, it was done for the last 4-hours. It’s tough enough in the wind when you can troll around, but I was just drifting for like half the day. My thing all week was just throwing a Strike King football jig around with a Rage Craw trailer. I also mixed in a Strike King wobble head with a Structure Bug and even caught a few on a tube.”

Doing what he likes to do, Perkins committed to the off shore bite and rode the wave all week. With big rods, the Tennessee angler did what he needed to do both make the championship and keep the Progressive AOY race alive.

“I fished with big line, power fishing. I caught that big one and boat flipped it.”

Paul Browning

Going back to his trees on the final day, Paul Browning flipped up 14-pounds, 1-ounce to finish with a total weight of 42-pounds, 4-ounces and the 3^rd place spot.

The Pecos, Texas angler worked grass edges for largemouth bass and mixed in an offshore bite for smallmouths. Saving a group of trees for the final day, Browning was almost able to make it happen. If it wasn’t for one of his tree’s being cut down on the water in front of him, who knows what that tree would have produced.

Read about Brownings Tree, here.

Marc Schilling

With 14-pounds even on Showdown Saturday, Marc Schilling caught a total of 41-pounds, 14-ounces over three days to finish the event in the 4^th place spot. Fishing shallow cover all week, final day changes kept Schilling going and in contention for Progressive AOY.

“I had to make some changes today. I started throwing a senko around and got a small largemouth limit and then made a move to throwing a chatterbait in the mouth of a river. The smallies were loaded up and I lost a 5-pounder on it.”

With a 2.25-pound fish in the bag, that fish cost Schilling the event, but he isn’t too worried.

“My goal was to make the championship and try to win one of these things. It’s been a great year, great week, but I have lost too many fish – we’ll take it. I have never fished Grand Lake and I expect it to be a grind.”

The Tom Bean, Texas anglers flipped with a Googan Baits Bandito Bug with a ¼-ounce weight and threw a chatterbait to catch his fish this week.

Keith Carson

Keith Carson held the lead for the first two days and changing conditions affected his fish. With the water clearing and the fish more spread out, Carson was only able to add four bass to his live well for 9-pounds, 5-ounces for a three-day total of 39-pounds, 8-ounces.

“It was a crappy day, only four fish. I lost around 20 bass and they were not eating it good at all. The ones I caught were even barely hooked.”

As seen on live coverage, Carson worked a stretch of shallow trees flipping with a new Abu Garcia Zenon rod and Abu Garcia reels. Read more about Carson’s set up, here.

“That Zenon rod was awesome. It was an overall great week, no complaints. I even caught a few on a Berkley Choppo like right in front of the trolling motor today, it was a weird day.”

The Rest of the Best:
6 Bryant Smith 39-0
7 William Fletcher 38-12
8 Luke Shrader 38-5
9 Louis Fernandes 38-5
10 Timmy Reams 37-13

See the Final Results, here!

by AnglersChannel

Adrian Avena Holds on To Win Group B Qualifying Round at MLF Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit TITLE Presented by Mercury on the Mississippi River

Vineland, New Jersey pro Bests Florida’s Jared McMillan to Win Group B Qualifying Round and Advance Directly to Sunday’s Championship Round, Nine Anglers from Group B Advance to Saturday’s Knockout Round

LA CROSSE, Wis. (Aug. 20, 2021) – It was a battle at the top of the unofficial leaderboard for most of the afternoon between pros Adrian Avena of Vineland, New Jersey, Mitch Crane of Columbus Mississippi and Jared McMillan of Clewiston, Florida at the Major League Fishing (MLF) Tackle Warehouse TITLE Presented by Mercury – the Pro Circuit Championship, Presented by Bad Boy Mowers. Fans watching the MLF NOW ! livestream and the anglers themselves were a bundle of nerves throughout the entire two-day Group B Qualifying Round as the trio of anglers stayed within 1½ pounds of each other on the unofficial leaderboard, in a tight race for the top position and the automatic berth to Sunday’s Championship Round.

Avena shored up the Group B win at the Friday weigh-in, punching his ticket straight through to the final round with a five-bass limit weighing 13 pounds, 10 ounces, bringing his two-day total to 29-6. His winning bag gave him a 1-pound, 1-ounce advantage over McMillan, who weighed 13 pounds, 6 ounces on Friday, for a total of 28-5, good for second place. After some heart-breaking penalties, Crane brought a limit of 13-6 to the stage for a two-day total of 27-15, ending the day in third.

Only the top 20 anglers will move on in the competition. Anglers finishing 21^st – 30^th earned $10,500 at the event, while anglers finishing 31^st – 50^th took home $10,000.

Group A and Group B Qualifying Round winners will enjoy a day off on Saturday, while the remaining 18 anglers – 9 from Group A and 9 from Group B – will compete Saturday in the Knockout Round. Weights will be zeroed, and anglers will compete to finish in the top eight and advance to Championship Sunday.

The Championship Round on Sunday will feature Group A winner Miles Berghoff, Group B winner Adrian Avena and the top eight anglers from the Knockout Round, competing in a final-day shootout for a top prize of up to $235,000. The six-day event, hosted by Explore La Crosse, showcases the top 48 pros in the 2021 Pro Circuit standings, along with last year’s reigning TITLE champion and reigning Angler of the Year – all competing for a purse of nearly $900,000.

“I had a good day, and this honestly feels like a million dollars because I really didn’t want to fish tomorrow,” Avena admitted. “I’m burning up fish out there, but I’ve still got something in my back pocket that I’m glad I don’t have to burn tomorrow. I have no idea if I’m going to be able to get to it or not, but at least I’m going to do it on Championship Sunday. If I get stuck, I get stuck – if I take off my lower unit, I take off my lower unit – but at least it’s on championship day.”

Avena said he caught approximately 20 keepers on Friday but had a bit of unique pressure in his area.

“There are a couple young kids out where I’m fishing – and I’ve got nothing against them because I’d be out there fishing my heart out too – but I blasted the fish on a topwater that first day,” said Avena. “Today it got to the point where those kids were lined up and were literally throwing a topwater at the same school of fish I’m throwing at. It’s unbelievable, but I somehow got it done.”

As the water levels on the Mighty Miss continue to fall, Avena said he expects the event to get even more difficult over the next two days.

“This river is bittersweet to me. It’s one of those places where I can honestly get spun out a little bit,” admitted Avena. “You guys give us too many options with pools 7, 8 and 9 and I was literally all over the place trying to practice the whole system.

“I’m mostly throwing a swimbait and a topwater,” continued Avena. “I’m mixing in a bunch of other stuff as well. I think I’ve caught one on a fluke and maybe one or two on a jerkbait. I’m fishing schoolers, and it all comes down to making the right casts. I had a couple opportunities and pulled off some 3-pounders today, and I had some other opportunities where I made bad casts.”

As for the pressure from the young enthusiasts in his area, Avena said he is taking it in stride but wouldn’t mind a little intervention.

“I hope their moms and dads or whoever are reading this, man,” Avena said. “These kids – they’re reckless, dude. I’m catching fish out of two little areas, and if I catch one, they all go to that area. If they come up schooling in the other area, the kids all run to that area. There were a few times today where literally four topwaters were landing on the same breaking fish and one of them was mine.

“It’s just one of those deals – I feel like if I could just talk to their parents a bit,” Avena laughed. “Maybe they need to go to church on Sunday. If they can just let me fish it’d be alright.

“Either way, I’m looking forward to getting back out there Sunday. Anything can happen.”

The top 10 pros from Qualifying Group B that now advance to Saturday’s Knockout Round on the Mississippi River are:

1^st:           Adrian Avena, Vineland, N.J, 10 bass, 29-6 – ADVANCES TO CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND
2^nd:          Jared McMillan, Clewiston, Fla., 10 bass, 28-5
3^rd:          Mitch Crane, Columbus, Miss., 10 bass, 27-15
4^th:           Bobby Lane, Lakeland, Fla., 10 bass, 26-8
5^th:           Skeet Reese, Auburn, Calif., 10 bass, 26-3
6^th:           Jimmy Reese, Witter Springs, Calif., 10 bass, 25-7
7^th:           Matt Stefan, Junction City, Wis., 10 bass, 25-1
8^th:           Justin Lucas, Guntersville, Ala., 10 bass, 24-10
9^th:           Cody Meyer, Star, Idaho, 10 bass, 24-9
10^th:        Dylan Hays, Hot Springs, Ark., nine bass, 23-10

Finishing in 11^th through 25^th in the Group B Qualifying Round were:

11^th:        Jeremy Lawyer, Sarcoxie, Mo., 10 bass, 23-4
12^th:        Kyle Hall, Granbury, Texas, 10 bass, 22-7
13^th:        Lawson Hibdon, Versailles, Mo., eight bass, 21-8
14^th:        Wesley Strader, Spring City, Tenn., 10 bass, 20-14
15^th:        Larry Nixon, Quitman, Ark., 10 bass, 20-14
16^th:        Ryan Davidson, Branchland, W.Va., 10 bass, 18-13
17^th:        Casey Ashley, Donalds, S.C., seven bass, 18-7
18^th:        Brad Knight, Lancing, Tenn., eight bass, 18-5
19^th:        Terry Bolton, Benton, Ky., nine bass, 17-13
20^th:        Dakota Ebare, Brookeland, Texas, seven bass, 14-11
21^st:        Shin Fukae, Harlem, Ga., six bass, 12-13
22^nd:       Ron Nelson, Berrien Springs, Mich., four bass, 9-15
23^rd:       Jon Canada, Helena, Ala., five bass, 7-13
24^th:        Evan Barnes, Hot Springs, Ark., four bass, 7-7
25^th:        Justin Cooper, Zwolle, La., four bass, 6-12

A complete list of results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

Overall, there were 107 bass weighing 256 pounds even caught by the 25 pros on Thursday, with 18 five-bass limits.

Mitch Crane and Dylan Hays tied for Friday’s $500 Berkley Big Bass Award, each bringing in a 4-pound, 3-ounce largemouth and taking home $250. Berkley awards $500 to the angler in each group that weighs the biggest bass over their two-day Qualification Round.

Evan Barnes of Hot Springs, Arkansas was also presented the Forrest L. Wood Sportsmanship and Community Leadership Award during the weigh-in on Friday. The award recognizes a TITLE qualifier, nominated by his peers, who displays an overall commitment to sportsmanship and community leadership, on and off the water, through ethical behavior, integrity, class, selflessness, conservation, volunteerism and kindness to others. Evan’s nomination cited his profound respect for the sport and its ability to connect people from all walks of life and his reflection of a true sportsman who will go above and beyond for others.

The top 18 anglers will fish the Knockout Round on Saturday. Ten anglers will be eliminated on Saturday and the top eight anglers from the Knockout Round will join Group A and Group B leaders in the Championship Round on Sunday.

Anglers will take off at 7 a.m. CT Saturday and Sunday from Veterans Freedom Park, located at 1 Clinton Street in La Crosse. Weigh-ins will also be held at the park daily at 3 p.m. The MLF NOW! broadcast team of Chad McKee, Marty Stone and J.T. Kenney will break down the extended action from 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. daily. Fans are welcome to attend the event or follow the action online through the MLF NOW! live stream and coverage at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

Along with the launch and weigh-in, fans and community members are invited to a Fishing and Outdoor Expo Saturday and Sunday, August 21-22 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. CT at Veterans Freedom Park, where fans can meet the pros and check out the latest in fishing and outdoor gear. The expo includes live music, great food, vendor booths from participating sponsors, activities for kids, giveaways and more.

The first 100 kids (10 and under) will receive a free rod and reel at the Expo on Saturday and Sunday and fans can register for a Jackson Kayak Coosa FD giveaway once per day, onsite every day throughout the tournament. The winner will be drawn after the final weigh-in on August 22. PAW Patrol’s Skye and Marshall will also be at the event with MLF pro Charlie Evans and will be available for photos. Appearance times may vary. Visit MajorLeagueFishing.com for updates and more details.

by AnglersChannel

Keith Carson Maintains Winnebago Lead in TNPFL Event

Keith Carson added 15-pounds even to his day one weight of 15-pounds, 3-ounces for a two-day total of 30-pounds, 3-ounces. Similar to his win at Wright-Patman earlier this year, Carson has unlocked a shallow pattern that relies on fishing around flooded timber – in this case, a “magic” willow tree.

“I have one tree, its alive but has fallen in and there is an exact flip to get bit. I caught two 3-pounders on the tree and several other smaller fish.”

By letting his tree rest, Carson works the adjacent flooded trees and is catching quality other than just “the tree.” The tree features a mat of eel grass on the front with lots of shade. The plan for tomorrow is more of the same and Carson is looking forward to showdown Saturday.

“Without that tree, I can still catch some fish, I think around 10-pounds. There are a lot of 2.3 and 2.4-pound fish around. I am looking forward to swinging on them tomorrow.”

With a change in weather coming, Carson knows there is a chance of thunder storms and some stronger winds. The other factor – the Wolf River.

“The change tomorrow is the guys who are going up the Wolf River. If those guys don’t make the long idle up to their fish, I could have more guy’s fishing around my areas and I need to have the ability to fish free and let my areas rest.”

Noting he had another competitor fish his area today, more pressure would not be good for his chances of winning his second NPFL event of the season. The Debary, Florida pro is working through two set ups to fish his trees. The first, a 7’6” Abu Garcia Fantasista X, heavy action rod, and the second, an Abu Garcia Zenon, both new rods for 2021.

Buck Mallory

Adding 13-pounds to his day one total of 14-pounds, 5-ounces, Buck Mallory worked the same areas and carries a two-day total of 27-pounds, 5-ounces to showdown Saturday in the 2^nd place spot. With a 4-pound, 2-ounce lunker to anchor his bag, the Lawton, Michigan pro is rotating through a flipping bite for largemouth and tossing a dropshot rig for smallmouth.

“It was another solid day, basically the same day as yesterday, I fished the same stuff. The difference is, I didn’t leave my fish today. My deal is flipping shallow docks and grass and then moving to current breaks for smallmouth. I am using a Strike King Black/Blue Rage Bug on the flipping rig and Strike King Z-Tube on a dropshot.”

Paul Browning

Adding 14-pounds, 12-ounces to his day one weight of 12-pounds, 9-ounces, Paul Browning sits in the 3^rd Spot with a two-day total of 17-pounds, 5-ounces. Noting a slight change in his timing this morning, he was on the same fish yesterday and opted to leave a bit early on day one.

“Yesterday, I left the fish too soon and went to the lake. Today, I stayed with them and caught a bigger bag. I am fishing for largemouth and I am making a run to a different lake. I just have a couple grass edges and I am flipping to get a limit.”

Having had a limit by 9:30am both days, the Pecos, Texas angler also has a pattern that he is saving for showdown Saturday, but did sample one area later in the day and made a key cull.

“I have some wood I found in practice and checked one piece today, and it look right. I caught one fish that culled and lost another one that felt heavy. For my flipping deal, I am using a Denali Rods N3 7’8” Flip Extra Heavy action paired with a Daiwa Tatula Elite Pitch and Flip. It’s spooled with Seagar Abrazx.

Marc Schilling

Making a comeback on the second day, Marc Schilling added 15-pounds to his day one weight of 12-pounds, 14-ounces for a two-day total of 27-pounds, 14-ounces. Schilling is fishing close by to leader Keith Carson and noted the two are respecting each other’s areas.

“Keith and I have different main areas and we are staying off each other’s stuff. I also want to give a big shout out to Robert Terkla today. He came around the corner today and asked if he could fish around me. I told him it was my main deal and respectfully allowed me to keep doing what I was doing – hats off to Rob.”

With an increase in weight today over the first day, the Tombean, Texas angler says more time in his main area today led to the success.

“I got to spend more time here today and pick it all apart. I am catching mainly largemouth but I did get a good smallmouth there too. I have some smallmouth I found in practice but they have not been there when I have checked it so far this event.”

Donnie O’Neal

With a total weight of 27-pounds, 1-ounce, Donnie O’Neal added 13-pounds, 4-ounces to his day one weight of 13-pounds, 13-ounces to finish the day in the 5^th spot. Not feeling 100% on day one, O’Neal made quick work of his day one limit and had hopes to do the same again this morning.

“It took me longer today – I had a limit by 8:30am but I stayed and leaned on them pretty heavy today. I left it at 1:30 pm and culled 4 times between getting my limit and getting to my weight today.

Making a long run, the Liberty Hill, Texas angler is working a topwater frog in an isolated stretch of shallow vegetation but neglected to give away any specifics to his deal.

“I found one spot in practice and knew I had to try and manage it all week. I had five bites yesterday and several more today. I think I can get 10 to 12-pounds tomorrow but I don’t think I can win off the spot. I am feeling better but I still checked in early to get some rest.”

Rest of the Best:
6. Timmy Reams 26-7
7. Luke Shrader 26-5
8. Louis Fernandes 25-12
9. William Fletcher 25-9
10. Sheldon Collings 25-6

Check out the complete Live Leaderboard.

by AnglersChannel

Carson leads Day one of the TNPFL on Lake Winnebago

By Justin Brouillard | Photos by Tanner & Travis Lyons and Rob Connors

In true Keith Carson fashion, fishing less than a foot of water, the Debary, Florida pro tallied 15-pounds, 3-ounces to take the day one lead on Wisconsin’s Lake Winnebago. Catching an early limit first thing in the morning, Carson packed it in and ran all new water on day one and made a cull in a completely different lake.

“I basically left and ran all new water and caught two more good fish. I had a 2.5-pounder and ran to some new places and started flipping and casting a Berkley Choppo around and was able to cull that fish out. Practice was difficult and basically I found the one starting spot and a bunch of other places not to fish,” laughed Carson.

The Florida pro got 12 to 15 bites on the day but not all were keepers. Noting that the wind did not blow today, Carson opted to skip the offshore bite and plans to sample some offshore if the rest of the week brings any wind.

Sheldon Collings

With 14-pounds, 11-ounces on day one, Sheldon Collings sits in 2^nd place going into day two on Winnebago. Collings caught a 4-pound, 10-ounce kicker to anchor his weight. Making a long run to several productive areas, Collings made the right call this morning.

“I ended up stopping on my first spot and caught my weight in like the first 30-minutes of fishing. It worked out a lot better than I had thought and I hope they cooperate the next two days.”

Bryant Smith

Bryan Smith relied on a magical morning to bring 14-pounds, 10-ounces to the scales on day one. Catching four quality largemouth to get his day started fast, the Roseville, California angler sits in 3^rd place going into day two on Winnebago.

“It was a really special morning. I started in a canal I had a couple bites in practice and caught four good fish right off on a frog. From there I moved around and fished some other largemouth stuff and caught another good one.”

After the morning flurry, the remainder of the day was not what Smith has hoped for. Fishing some docks and other areas, only a few small keepers was what he had to show for the afternoon.

“If I was smart, I would never go back to that good area as I think I caught everything that lives there. I will probably keep it honest but I am probably going to scrap it all and go practicing tomorrow. I know it’s tough out here and I’ll take any ounce I can get, but I have to try and figure it out going forward as I go.”

Buck Mallory

Buck Mallory brought five largemouth to the scales on day one for a total weight of 14-pounds, 5-ounces and sits in 4^thplace. Spending his time shallow, the Lawton, Michigan angler got to his best area this morning and realized he was not the only one to find those fish.

“I thought I had those fish to myself but it turns out I am sharing water with another guy. I had another spot close by I found in pre-practice and quickly caught four of these good fish.”

After making a move far away to avoid sampling his water again, Mallory culled once later on and had his weight for the day. Mallory didn’t want to give away too many details but noted he is flipping and pitching for largemouth.

James Biggs

James Biggs caught fish early and often on day one and sits in the 5^th spot with 14-pounds, 3-ounces. Starting strong getting bites on his first spot, Biggs moved around and caught fish until he has a solid limit, and then made a move offshore to save some of his other deals.

“After that first spot, I caught one or two at each spot. I had some smallmouth found and I guess the largemouth moved in and I caught those – they weighed more. I never sat anywhere too long to keep things fresh. I have other patterns I found and I didn’t get to sample that stuff at all. I did frog fish for a little bit trying to catch a lunker and had 10 bites but never got one hooked.”

Donnie O’Neal

Donnie O’Neal made a long run to fish a sweet spot he had found in practice and quickly caught his days weight. Power fishing shallow, O’Neal made quick work and got away from it soon after. With 13-13 of largemouth, the Liberty Hill, Texas pro sits in 6^th spot despite wanting to target smallmouth.

“I am not a smallmouth guy and I really wanted to fish for them, but since it’s my weakness, I opted for the green ones. I fished my strengths and power fished – it was power fishing 101. I had a limit in two hours and due to how I am feeling, and not wanting to beat my fish, I left and checked in 2.5 hours early.”

O’Neal is making a 45-minute run to his fish and notes that there is a lot of idling involved. With boat traffic and no-wake buoys coming up for Saturday, the Liberty Hill, Texas pro is hoping to survive tomorrow and once again save his fish.

“If I can get five more bites tomorrow, I’ll leave them again and save it all for Saturday. I’m fishing a small stretch and I didn’t even fish it all today, it’s all about the management of these fish this week.”

Rest of the Best:
7. Bobby Lanham 13-12
8. Timmy Reams 13-11
9. Richard Cooper13-0
10. Nick Prvonozac 12-15

Check out the complete Live Leaderboard.

by AnglersChannel

Miles Burghoff Wins Group A Qualifying Round at MLF Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit TITLE Presented by Mercury on the Mississippi River

Tennessee pro Advances Directly to Sunday’s Championship Round, Nine Anglers from Group A Now Advance to Saturday’s Knockout Round

LA CROSSE, Wis. (Aug. 19, 2021) – While low water levels have equaled tough fishing conditions for most anglers at the Major League Fishing (MLF) Tackle Warehouse TITLE Presented by Mercury – the Pro Circuit Championship, Presented by Bad Boy Mowers – pro Miles Burghoff of Soddy-Daisy, Tennessee worked those conditions to his favor, bringing a five-bass limit to the scale on Thursday weighing 14 pounds, 13 ounces. Burghoff’s two-day total of 26-8 earned him the win by a mere 1-ounce over Favorite Fishing pro Zack Birge of Blanchard, Oklahoma and punched his ticket straight through to Sunday’s Championship Round. Birge’s limit of 14 pounds, 4 ounces gave him a two-day total of 26-7 to finish the Group A Qualifying Round in second place.

The top 10 anglers from Group A will now have an off-day Friday, while the 25 anglers in Group B will complete their two-day Qualifying Round of competition. The Knockout Round, featuring 18 anglers competing to finish in the top eight, will take place on Saturday. Sunday’s Championship Round will feature Burghoff, Friday’s Group B winner and the top eight anglers from the Knockout Round competing in a one-day shootout to catch the heaviest five-bass limit for the top prize of up to $235,000.

The six-day event, hosted by Explore La Crosse, showcases the top 48 pros in the 2021 Pro Circuit standings, along with last year’s reigning TITLE champion and reigning Angler of the Year – all competing for a purse of nearly $900,000.

“Today was pretty special,” the Tennessee pro said. “With a near two-hour fog delay, I didn’t have a whole lot of time to fish. I’m making the longest run out of anybody here, from what I understand, and I was able to make it happen even with a short day.”

Burghoff’s limit was anchored by a 5-pound, 11-ounce kicker largemouth – a giant for late August on the Mississippi.

“When I said early on in the week that I didn’t want to catch a big one during the Qualifying Round, that was the truth,” Burghoff said. “In this format, you can’t burn a fish like that in the early rounds. So, when I caught it, I knew I had to win the round. I worked really hard today. But I let up on them and gave up about an hour that I could have culled up a ¼ pound, so I was really sweating that decision in the weigh-in line. Being able to not have to beat up on those fish another day and save them for the Championship Round is key.”

Burghoff estimated he caught 40 fish throughout the day, Thursday. He declined to divulge any bait- or technique-specifics but did hint that the low water level is helping him.

“I’m fishing in Pool No. 9, but I can’t just go anywhere – it’s not like (Pool) nine is fishing better. I just found a good area,” Burghoff said. “I caught my limit in six casts this morning and culled six or seven times in 30 minutes, but I only had 9½ pounds. Then I started searching some areas. I caught the big one, then never made another cast and left immediately. I found three more areas that are pretty stacked with fish – not every-cast type deals, but the type of deals where I can go there and catch a couple.

“The biggest factor for me now is going to be the weekend boat traffic, and the lock,” Burghoff went on to say. “Those are the two big things that could really affect me. I’ve got plenty of fish in that area, it’s just a matter of playing my cards right on Championship Sunday.”

The top 10 pros from Qualifying Group A that now advance to Saturday’s Knockout Round on the Mississippi River are:

1^st:           Miles Burghoff, Soddy-Daisy, Tenn., 10 bass, 26-8 – ADVANCES TO CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND
2^nd:          Zack Birge, Blanchard, Okla., 10 bass,26-7
3^rd:          Cole Floyd, Leesburg, Ohio, 10 bass, 25-9
4^th:           Kurt Mitchell, Milford, Del., 10 bass, 25-2
5^th:           Jimmy Washam, Covington, Tenn., 10 bass, 25-1
6^th:           Ryan Salzman, Huntsville, Ala., 10 bass, 24-12
7^th:           Alex Davis, Albertville, Ala., 10 bass, 24-7
8^th:           David Walker, Sevierville, Tenn., 10 bass, 24-4
9^th:           Mike McClelland, Blue Eye, Mo., 10 bass, 23-8
10^th:        Joshua Weaver, Macon, Ga., 10 bass, 23-8

Finishing in 11^th through 25^th in the Group A Qualifying Round were:

11^th:        Jamie Horton, Centerville, Ala., nine bass, 23-1
12^th:        Michael Neal, Dayton, Tenn., 10 bass, 23-1
13^th:        Tai Au, Glendale, Ariz., 10 bass, 22-9
14^th:        Jim Moynagh, Shakopee, Minn., 10 bass, 22-6
15^th:        Jacopo Gallelli, Wetumpka, Ala., 10 bass, 22-1
16^th:        Spencer Shuffield, Hot Springs, Ark., 10 bass, 20-4
17^th:        Cody Huff, Ava, Mo., eight bass, 17-13
18^th:        Jesse Wiggins, Logan, Ala., seven bass, 17-12
19^th:        Jim Tutt, Longview, Texas, eight bass, 17-3
20^th:        Chris Lane, Guntersville, Ala., seven bass, 15-11
21^st:        Cody Pike, Powhatan, Va., six bass, 15-9
22^nd:       Clabion Johns, Social Circle, Ga., six bass, 15-9
23^rd:       Troy Morrow, Eastanollee, Ga., eight bass, 14-5
24^th:        Corey Neece, Bristol, Tenn., six bass, 12-7
25^th:        Rusty Salewske, Alpine, Calif., six bass, 12-2

A complete list of results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

Overall, there were 113 bass weighing 272 pounds, 15 ounces caught by the 25 pros on Thursday, with 19 five-bass limits.

Burghoff’s 5-pound, 11-ounce largemouth also earned him Thursday’s $500 Berkley Big Bass Award. Berkley awards $500 to the angler in each group that weighs the biggest bass over their two-day Qualification Round.

The MLF Tackle Warehouse TITLE Presented by Mercury, the Pro Circuit Championship, Presented by Bad Boy Mowers, features a hybrid tournament format. All 50 anglers were seeded into two groups of 25 – Group A & Group B, based on points earned in 2021 qualifying events – where they competed in Qualifying Rounds over the first four days of the tournament. Group B will fish again on Day 4, with total weight determined by the cumulative weight of their biggest five-bass limit from both days.

Anglers will take off at 7 a.m. CT each day from Veterans Freedom Park, located at 1 Clinton Street in La Crosse. Weigh-ins will also be held at the park daily at 3 p.m. The MLF NOW! broadcast team of Chad McKee, Marty Stone and J.T. Kenney will break down the extended action from 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. daily. Fans are welcome to attend the event or follow the action online through the MLF NOW! live stream and coverage at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

by AnglersChannel

Go Out{side} Giveaway Prizes Include New Toyota 4Runner

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Go Out{side} by Bassmaster was created to inspire and educate families as they begin exploring nature. Few things will motivate burgeoning outdoor enthusiasts more than the incredible prizes in the new Go Out{side} Giveaway — a package valued at more than $46,000.

The sweepstakes winner will be outfitted with everything they need for adventure, including a 2021 Toyota 4Runner Off-Road Premium, large Big Green EGG integrated Nest+Handler package, Eukanuba prize pack and one year of dog food, Grizzly G60 cooler and $500 AFTCO gift card.

“We’re thrilled to partner with our great sponsors to offer families and their four-legged friends a prize package that’s perfect for anyone who loves getting outside,” said Go Out{side} Director Laurie Tisdale.

Go Out{side} offers guidance on a variety of outdoor topics, including fishing, camping, hiking, cooking, travel, gear and conservation, from the knowledgeable writers and staff from B.A.S.S. along with Go Out{side} Ambassadors like Chef Jimmy Kennedy, outdoor bloggers and photographers Philip and Corey Hunt from Two Dog Outdoors, tournament angler Kristine Fischer and multispecies kayak angler John Deshauteurs.

The contest runs through October 18, 2021. Contestants can find complete rules and enter up to once a day at Go-outside.com/sweeps.

by AnglersChannel

New Berkley PowerBait MaxScent Shapes

Already the hottest bait family in bass fishing, Berkley gives anglers more versatility with the addition of new shapes plus extended sizes in one of the winningest baits of 2020.

COLUMBIA, S.C. –– If you tried to find a package of Berkley PowerBait MaxScent baits in the past year, then you already know how popular they are. Why are they so popular? Because they catch fish better than any other soft plastic bait available with a combination of scent dispersion and flavor that only Berkley famed bait scientists could develop. This year, the PowerBait MaxScent lineup grows with new bait shapes and some extended sizes and colors of some of the most popular existing shapes.
BERKLEY POWERBAIT MAXSCENT LIL’ TROOPER

Key Features
• 2.5-inch compact crawfish imitation
• Flat bottom allows bait to glide to bottom

Size: 2.5 inches
Package Count: 6
Colors: Green Pumpkin • Watermelon Copper Orange with Red • Black Powder • Green Pumpkin/Watermelon • Watermelon Candy • Rusty Craw • Blue Pearl Black Hologram • Peanut Butter and Jelly • Canad eh Craw • Hot Craw
Rigging Recommendations: Ned rig, jig trailer
MSRP: $6.99
Available: September 2021

BERKLEY POWERBAIT MAXSCENT LIL’ GENERAL

Key Features
• 2.75-inch stick bait profile with ribbed texture to kick up debris and provide more surface area for maximum PowerBait scent and flavor
• Ideal multi-species bait for bass, walleye, slab-size panfish and more

Size: 2.75 inches
Package Count: 8
Colors: Green Pumpkin • Black Powder • Green Pumpkin/Watermelon • Watermelon Candy • Blue Pearl Black Hologram • Peanut Butter and Jelly • Canad eh Craw • Watermelon Copper Orange with Red • Rusty Craw • Hot Craw • Baby Bass • Coppertreuse • Cinnamon Purple • Gobyashi
Rigging Recommendations: Ned rig
MSRP: $6.99
Available: September 2021

BERKLEY POWERBAIT MAXSCENT TUBE

Key Features
• Ideal for smallmouth bass

Sizes: 2.5 inches • 3.5 inches
Package Count: 2.5-inch – 8 • 3.5-inch – 6
Colors: Black Red Fleck • Black Blue Fleck • Breen Green • Goby • Green Pumpkin • Lucky Penny • Smoke Silver • Watermelon Red • Watermelon Vapor • White Pearl
MSRP: $6.99
Available: September 2021

BERKLEY POWERBAIT MAXSCENT CHIGGER CRAW

Key Features
• Legendary shape now in PowerBait MaxScent for more finesse applications
• Craw imitation with high-action pinchers
• Fish it slow or buzz it and claws swim wildly back and forth
• Ideal on a jig, Texas rig, punching, or Carolina rig

Sizes: 3 inches • 4 inches
Package Count: 3-inch – 8 • 4-inch – 7
Colors: Okeechobee Craw • Summer Craw • Alabama Craw • Blue Craw • Black Blue Fleck • Black Red Fleck • Green Pumpkin • Pumpkin Green Fleck • Watermelon • Yummy Craw
MSRP: $6.99
Available: September 2021

BERKLEY POWERBAIT MAXSCENT FLATWORM

Key Features
New Size: 4.25 inches
New Colors: Gobyashi • Smelt • Cinnamon Purple • Green Pumpkin/Watermelon
MSRP: $6.99
Available: September 2021

BERKLEY POWERBAIT MAXSCENT THE GENERAL

Key Features
New Colors: Green Pumpkin/Chartreuse Firetail • Black/Chartreuse Firetail • Black Blue Fleck/Blue Firetail • Green Pumpkin/Black • Bubblegum
MSRP: $6.99
Available: September 2021

by AnglersChannel

Adrian Avena Leads Group B at MLF Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit TITLE Presented by Mercury on the Mississippi River

New Jersey Pro Catches 15-12 to Take Early Lead in Group B - Group A to Wrap Qualifying Round Thursday

LA CROSSE, Wis. (Aug. 18, 2021) – Berkley pro Adrian Avena of Vineland, New Jersey, brought a five-bass limit to the scale Wednesday weighing 15 pounds, 12 ounces to grab the early lead in Group B after their Day 1 Qualifying Round at the Major League Fishing (MLF) Tackle Warehouse TITLE Presented by Mercury – the Pro Circuit Championship, Presented by Bad Boy Mowers. Avena caught the bulk of his fish early in the day, then culled in the afternoon. He’ll bring a 13-ounce advantage over second place angler Strike King pro Jared McMillan of Clewiston, Florida, who brought a five-bass limit to the stage weighing 14-15.

Rounding out the top three was pro Mitch Crane of Columbus, Mississippi, who caught five bass for 14-9 to end the day in third. Four more pros topped the 13-pound mark on Group B’s opening day, putting themselves well within striking distance of making the top-10 cut in their group and moving on to the Knockout Round.

The 25 anglers in Group B will now have a day off on Thursday, while the 25 anglers in Group A will complete their two-day Qualifying Round of competition. Group B will conclude their Qualifying Round on Friday. The six-day event, hosted by Explore La Crosse, showcases the top 48 pros in the 2021 Pro Circuit standings, along with last year’s reigning TITLE champion and reigning Angler of the Year – all competing for a purse of nearly $900,000 and a grand prize of up to $235,000.

“Today was a really fun day of fishing and I was able to catch some quality fish,” said Avena. “I got in an area that had some bass in it and just caught a lot of them.”

The New Jersey pro boated 25 to 30 fish over the course of the day – even more impressive following the morning fog delay, which delayed the start of the competition day by a little over an hour.

“I rolled into this area in practice and had three bites at the end of practice that were all better than average – I call anything over 2½ pounds ‘better than average’ on this system,” said Avena. “I started in that area today and there were still a lot of bass there. Now we wait and see whether I’ll be able to fish that same area come Friday.”

Although he’s a river savvy angler and has fished the Mighty Miss many times, Avena said he was far from comfortable out on the water on Wednesday.

“This river changes so much, between the current, the sand drops and the water level. I’ve never fished it when the system was this low, so it looks like a totally different river to me,” continued Avena. “I’ve always been that guy that likes to get off the map a little bit – and you can do that here – but you also don’t want to overlook the obvious.”

Avena said his goal going into Group B’s second day of fishing is to win the Qualifying Round and advance straight to the Championship Round on Sunday.

“I feel like the area I have can only get better with rest, so I think if I can go out there and catch a really good bag and possibly win the round and punch my ticket into the Championship Round, that’s what I want to do,” said Avena.

The standings for the 25 pros in Group B after Day 2 on the Mississippi River are:
1^st:           Adrian Avena, Vineland, N.J., five bass, 15-12
2^nd:          Jared McMillan, Clewiston, Fla., five bass, 14-15
3^rd.          Mitch Crane, Columbus, Miss., five bass, 14-9
4^th:           Jimmy Reese, Witter Springs, Calif., five bass, 13-7
5^th:           Lawson Hibdon, Versailles, Mo., five bass, 13-3
6^th:           Bobby Lane, Lakeland, Fla., five bass, 13-0
6^th:           Matt Stefan, Junction City, Wis., five bass, 13-0
8^th:           Jeremy Lawyer, Sarcoxie, Mo., five bass, 12-10
9^th:           Skeet Reese, Auburn, Calif., five bass, 12-7
10^th:        Kyle Hall, Granbury, Texas, five bass, 12-1
11^th:        Justin Lucas, Guntersville, Ala., five bass, 11-14
12^th:        Cody Meyer, Star, Idaho, five bass, 11-10
13^th:        Wesley Strader, Spring City, Tenn., five bass, 11-3
14^th:        Larry Nixon, Quitman, Ark., five bass, 10-7
15^th:        Terry Bolton, Benton, Ky., five bass, 10-6
16^th:        Dylan Hays, Hot Springs, Ark., four bass, 9-0
17^th:        Ryan Davidson, Branchland, W.Va., five bass, 8-4
18^th:        Brad Knight, Lancing, Tenn., three bass, 7-11
19^th:        Shin Fukae, Harlem, Ga., three bass, 6-5
20^th:        Jon Canada, Helena, Ala., four bass, 5-15
21^st:        Evan Barnes, Hot Springs, Ark., three bass, 5-10
22^nd:       Casey Ashley, Donalds, S.C., two bass, 4-0
23^rd:       Justin Cooper, Zwolle, La., two bass, 3-8
24^th:        Ron Nelson, Berrien Springs, Mich., one bass, 2-15
25^th:        Dakota Ebare, Brookeland, Texas, two bass, 2-12

A complete list of results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

Overall, there were 104 bass weighing 246 pounds, 8 ounces caught by the 25 pros on Tuesday, with 16 five-bass limits.

The MLF Tackle Warehouse TITLE Presented by Mercury – the Pro Circuit Championship, Presented by Bad Boy Mowers features a hybrid tournament format. All 50 anglers are seeded into two groups of 25 – Group A & Group B, based on points earned in 2021 qualifying events – where they will compete in Qualifying Rounds over the first four days of the tournament. Group A will fish again on Day 3, and Group B will fish again on Day 4, with total weight determined by the cumulative weight of their biggest five-bass limit from both days.

The winner of each group will then advance directly to the Championship Round on Sunday, while pros who finish in second to 10th place in each group will again battle it out with zeroed weights in the Knockout Round on Saturday. On the final day of the event, the Championship Round, weights will again be zeroed and the top eight pros from the Knockout Round, plus the two Qualifying Round winners will compete. The winner will be determined by the heaviest five-bass limit of the final round.

The first 100 kids (10 and under) will receive a free rod and reel at the Expo on Saturday and Sunday and fans can register for a Jackson Kayak Coosa FD giveaway once per day, onsite every day throughout the tournament. The winner will be drawn after the final weigh-in on August 22.PAW Patrol’s Skye and Marshall will also be at the event with MLF pro Charlie Evans and will be available for photos. Appearance times may vary. Visit MajorLeagueFishing.com for updates and more details.

by AnglersChannel

AC Insider Podcast - Night of Champions!

This week Chris & David welcome in the Carhartt College Champs from Adrian College Hayden Scott & Griffin Fernandest] to talk about their College National Championship win and all that went into it. The guys also welcome in Alabama Bass Trail Program Director Kay Donaldson to the show to talk about the full field for the ABT in 2022. Check it out!

by AnglersChannel

AnglersChannel Bass Wrap Up brought to you by Sportsmans Warehouse - Episode 4 - 2021

On this edition of the Anglerschannel Bass Wrap up show sponsored by Sportsmans Warehouse, we come to you from the floor at the annual ICAST Trade show bringing you all the cool and new gear for 2022. Vance McCullough visits Felsmere lake in Florida and we check out the action at the World Finals High School event on Lake Hartwell. Strike King gear reviews and the latest you must have from Sportsman’s warehouse, its all headed your way next!

by AnglersChannel

AnglersChannel Bass Wrap Up brought to you Sportsmans Warehouse Episode 3 - 2021

On this edition of the Anglerschannel Bass Wrap up show sponsored by Sportsmans Warehouse, Is it big bass time on Lake Chickamunga? we check in with Brent Brady at the Sportsman’s Warehouse Dream Tournament, Visit the bass nation event on lake Hartwell, Head off to Lake Norman for the Big Bass Classic, and we have Local Angler profiles, our Girl Behind the scenes, Strike King gear reviews and the latest you must have from Sportsman’s warehouse, its all headed your way next!

by AnglersChannel

Lamar State Anglers Pocket $5,000 of Yamaha Power Pay

KENNESAW, Ga. - August 18, 2021 – Yamaha Power Pay put $5K in the hands of two college bass anglers from Lamar State College at the 2021 Carhartt® Bassmaster® College Series Championship presented by Bass Pro Shops®. Jack Tindell and Brett Fregia didn’t even have to place first to reap the reward. Their 12^thplace finish earned them the Power Pay bonus on top of their Bassmaster College Series payout.

The Lamar State sophomores still have a couple years of school to finish before they graduate with degrees in Business (Tindell) and Process Operating & Instrumentation (Fregia), but they didn’t need college educations to know which outboard to trust on the college fishing tournament trail.

“I’ve been fishing out a Skeeter® boat with a Yamaha on the back my whole life,” Tindell said. “This particular 2021 Skeeter-Yamaha package I’ve been running since last fall and absolutely love it. There hasn’t been a single mechanical issue with my motor in over a year, and the Power Pay program gives me the chance to win bonus money. It’s a no brainer.”

Tindell and Fregia were quick to admit the clear St. Lawrence River, with its swift current and giant smallmouth, was a bit out of their comfort zone coming from East Texas. However, the talented young anglers adapted quickly and used a drop shot to catch 55-pounds of bass over the course of the three-day event.

Long runs in unfamiliar waters didn’t intimidate the Lamar State anglers, not only because they trusted the reliability of the Yamaha behind them, but also because Yamaha had talented service mechanic Dan Tucker on-site for this tournament.

Tindell may not have needed his services last week, but Tucker stayed late each night of the event working hard to get college anglers back on the water regardless of the brand of outboard they had on their boat.

“The support Yamaha gives us is second to none on the college fishing trails,” Tindell said with gratitude. “From making an amazing product, to showing up for us with a service crew, and then offering the Power Pay program - it really is humbling. Personally, I’ll never run anything but a Yamaha on the back of my boat.”

Power Pay supports numerous tournaments at the college and high school level. Just as the Lamar State anglers proved at the National Championship; you don’t have to win an event to be eligible for bonus payouts. You simply need to be the highest placing registered participant in a sanctioned event.

For a full list of Power Pay supported tournaments, to register your Yamaha Outboard, or to learn more about the popular contingency program visit yamahapowerpay.com or send an email to [email protected]

by AnglersChannel

Females In Fisheries Conservation Scholarships Awarded

August 18, 2021

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — The American Fisheries Society Black Bass Conservation Committee and B.A.S.S. have awarded the fifth annual Noreen Clough Memorial Scholarships for Females in Fisheries to AnaSara Gillem, of Andalusia, Ala., a graduate student at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, and Shaley Valentine, of Hudsonville, Mich., a doctoral student at Southern Illinois University.

Noreen Clough blazed many trails in the field of fisheries. As the first female regional director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and later as the B.A.S.S. Conservation Director, her long and distinguished career was dedicated to the conservation and management of fish and wildlife. Clough passed away in January 2015 from pancreatic cancer. As a tribute to her, friends and colleagues established an endowment to provide a scholarship for female students working toward a career in fisheries conservation.

AnaSara Gillem

“Noreen's passion for conservation and the importance of recreational fishing is inspiring, and I am honored to represent her legacy,” said Gillem. “This scholarship helps me continue pursuing my goal of making a difference in the field of fisheries by protecting and advocating for sportfish species.”

Gillem started fishing farm ponds in Alabama with her father at an early age and quickly developed a love for fishing and fisheries science. While obtaining her fisheries degree at Auburn University, Gillem worked as a research technician with a lab that focused on black bass conservation and management. This time allowed her to expand her understanding of fishery techniques and gain valuable experience in a variety of field settings dealing with anglers and landowners. Gillem’s current research focuses on walleye and yellow perch recruitment in northern Wisconsin lakes in order to improve management and angling opportunities. After completing her master’s degree, Gillem hopes to continue a fisheries career as a biologist in a Southeastern state agency.

Shaley Valentine

Valentine’s family vacations revolved around fishing, and she continues that tradition through kayak fishing trips and teaching friends how to fish. At Southern Illinois University Valentine is researching 12 different species in the Mississippi River as a surrogate for the entire fish community to better understand where fish are born, migratory patterns, resources usage and how these patterns differ across the river. One specific area of focus is how the prey and habitat use of largemouth bass and bowfin differ.

“Largemouth are well-known, but anglers know much less about and have an animosity toward bowfin, so I am trying to compare the ecology of both species to better understand and bring awareness of them to anglers and fisheries managers,” explained Valentine.

In addition to her research, Valentine creates aquatic resource outreach programs and discusses her scientific career path, research and passion for fisheries with K-12 students. Her goal is to conduct research at an agency that promotes equal access to natural resources and allows her the freedom to mentor students to become fisheries professionals.

“Recreational fishing provided a strong foundation for my career,” said Valentine. “Because I am both a fisheries scientist and an angler who benefits from management, I have an enhanced understanding of the end goals and broader impacts of my own research.”

Gillem and Valentine will each be awarded a $1,000 scholarship to be used for college expenses.

by AnglersChannel

Mike McClelland Grabs Early Group A Lead at MLF Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit TITLE Presented by Mercury on the Mississippi River

Missouri Pro Catches 13-12 to Slide into Group A Lead by Two Ounces - 25 Anglers in Group B to Compete Wednesday

LA CROSSE, Wis. (Aug. 17, 2021) – The Major League Fishing (MLF) Tackle Warehouse TITLE Presented by Mercury – the Pro Circuit Championship, Presented by Bad Boy Mowers – kicked off Tuesday with a grueling day on the water for the anglers. Pro Mike McClelland of Blue Eye, Missouri stayed near the top of the unofficial leaderboard throughout the day, securing his position in the top spot at the end of Day 1, with a limit of 13 pounds, 12 ounces – a mere 2 ounces ahead of pro Alex Davis of Albertville, Alabama, who weighed 13 pounds, 10 ounces to finish the day in second place.

The six-day tournament, hosted by Explore La Crosse, showcases the top 48 pros in the 2021 Pro Circuit standings, along with last year’s reigning TITLE champion and reigning Angler of the Year – all competing for a purse of nearly $900,000 and a grand prize of up to $235,000.

With several anglers separated by mere ounces, the championship event is setting up nicely to feature some dramatic strategic decision-making, despite the unprecedented low-water levels on the Mighty Miss.

“Having past experience here on the Mississippi River definitely helped me today,” said McClelland. “The fortunate part is that I’ve actually fished here when the river was down. Every time we showed up here for a tournament in the past, a massive flood would hit, so nothing I had done in practice would work.

“This week as we got to town, they’d had localized heavy flooding and the river had risen 1½ to 2 feet, muddying the water and messing up some areas. It forced me to go look at some spots that I had found over the years where I knew the river could be hot when the water level was down.”

McClelland said he had never got to fish those areas during an actual tournament due to the rapidly changing conditions on the Mississippi, but those spots were his saving grace today.

“Today I was able to settle in,” said McClelland. “I caught a big largemouth right off the bat and caught a couple smallmouth shortly after. That allowed me to learn exactly how these fish were positioned and once I figured that out, it really took off.

“It was pretty incredible the number of bites I got today. I just hope I didn’t lean on them too hard, and that they don’t get hammered tomorrow. Hopefully when I get back there on Thursday, they will still be ready to bite.”

McClelland said he’s had his fair share of ups and downs over the past couple years and admitted his success on the Bass Pro Tour had not been astounding, but he feels like this event could be different.

“The grinders are the tournaments I typically do better in,” McClelland said. “I feel like I have a chance at this event, where a lot of guys were probably coming in not really knowing how many fish truly live in some of these areas. I knew they might lay off thinking they’ve caught them all, but I’ve seen places on this river where you can literally catch 25 or 30 2½- to 3-pounders when it’s good.”

McClelland said he probably had an opportunity to upgrade another pound or so, but I didn’t want to lean too heavy on the fish on Day 1.

“The key for me this week has really been being open-minded,” said the Missouri pro. “Typically, this place has been so well-known for a swim jig – not necessarily a big, bulky swim jig, but more of a finesse-style swim jig. For me this week, the swim jig has caught a few – it caught the better largemouth today – but I’m actually throwing a 3.3-inch Big Bite Baits Pro Swimmer.

“I found the fish that would normally bite a swim jig were pushing it, but they would hit the swimmer, so I feel like I’ve got a little trick up my sleeve. I’ve got a little bit of topwater activity, some [SPRO] RKCrawler activity and am throwing a little brown jig like we do in the Ozarks.

“I mixed it up quite a bit today and feel like I’ve got a lot of things working – I’m really looking forward to Thursday,” concluded McClelland.

The 25 anglers in Group A will now have the day off on Wednesday, while the 25 anglers in Group B will begin their first day of competition. Group A will resume competition on Thursday.

The standings for the 25 pros in Group A after Day 1 on the Mississippi River are:

1^st:           Mike McClelland, Blue Eye, Mo., five bass, 13-12
2^nd:          Alex Davis, Albertville, Ala., five bass, 13-10
3^rd:          Cole Floyd, Leesburg, Ohio, five bass, 13-4
4^th:           Ryan Salzman, Huntsville, Ala., five bass, 13-3
5^th:           Tai Au, Glendale, Ariz., five bass, 12-6
6^th:           Zack Birge, Blanchard, Okla., five bass, 12-3
7^th:           David Walker, Sevierville, Tenn., five bass, 11-14
8^th:           Miles Burghoff, Soddy-Daisy, Tenn., five bass, 11-11
9^th:           Kurt Mitchell, Milford, Del., five bass, 11-9
9^th:           Jimmy Washam, Covington, Tenn., five bass, 11-9
9^th:           Joshua Weaver, Macon, Ga., five bass, 11-9
12^th:        Spencer Shuffield, Hot Springs, Ark., five bass, 11-0
13^th         Jacopo Gallelli, Wetumpka, Ala., five bass, 10-9
14^th:        Michael Neal, Dayton, Tenn., five bass, 10-0
15^th:        Corey Neece, Bristol, Tenn., five bass, 9-14
16^th:        Cody Huff, Ava, Mo., four bass, 9-13
17^th:        Jim Moynagh, Shakopee, Minn., five bass, 9-5
18^th:        Jamie Horton, Centerville, Ala., four bass, 9-3
19^th:        Chris Lane, Guntersville, Ala., four bass, 8-5
20^th:        Clabion Johns, Social Circle, Ga., three bass, 7-12
21^st:        Rusty Salewske, Alpine, Calif., three bass, 6-9
22^nd:       Troy Morrow, Eastanollee, Ga., four bass, 6-0
23^rd:       Jim Tutt, Longview, Texas, three bass, 5-15
24^th:        Jesse Wiggins, Logan, Ala., two bass, 5-4
25^th:        Cody Pike, Powhatan, Va., one bass, 1-13

A complete list of results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

Overall, there were 108 bass weighing 248 pounds even caught by the 25 pros on Tuesday, with 16 five-bass limits.

The MLF Tackle Warehouse TITLE Presented by Mercury – the Pro Circuit Championship, Presented by Bad Boy Mowers features a hybrid tournament format. All 50 anglers are seeded into two groups of 25 – Group A & Group B, based on points earned in 2021 qualifying events – where they will compete in Qualifying Rounds over the first four days of the tournament. Group A will fish again on Day 3, and Group B will fish Day 2 and Day 4, with total weight determined by the cumulative weight of their biggest five-bass limit from both days.

The first 100 kids (10 and under) will receive a free rod and reel at the Expo on Saturday and Sunday and fans can register for a Jackson Kayak Coosa FD giveaway once per day, onsite at the Expo. The winner will be drawn after the final weigh-in on August 22. PAW Patrol’s Skye and Marshall will also be at the event with MLF pro Charlie Evans and will be available for photos. Appearance times may vary. Visit MajorLeagueFishing.com for updates and more details.

by AnglersChannel

Clary Wins Phoenix Bass Fishing League on Ohio River - Golconda

Curtright Wins Strike King Co-Angler Division

GOLCONDA, Ill. (Aug. 16, 2021) – Boater Jay Clary, III of Slaughters, Kentucky wins the Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine at Ohio River – Golconda Presented by TINCUP Whiskey in Golconda, Illinois. Clary earned $3,632 for his victory at the event.

TOP 10 RESULTS

RANK	BOATER NAME/HOMETOWN	BASS	WEIGHT	AWARD
1^st	Jay Clary, III of Slaughters, Ky.	5	11-8	$3,632
2^nd	Riley Walk of Neoga, Ill.	5	11-4	$1,816
3^rd	Michael Black of Toledo, Ill.	5	9-0	$1,210
4^th	Justin Berger of Murray, Ky.	5	8-10	$847
5^th	Travis Wilson of La Harpe, Ill.	5	8-9	$726
6^th	Jake Hurst of New Athens, Ill.	4	8-1	$666
7^th	Justin Conkle of Elizabethtown, Ill.	5	7-9	$605
8^th	Keith Bailey of Simpson, Ill.	4	7-8	$545
9^th	Mike Russell of Benton, Ky.	3	6-13	$484
10^th	Tim Davis of East Alton, Ill.	4	6-12	$424

RANK	STRIKE KING CO-ANGLER NAME/HOMETOWN	BASS	WEIGHT	AWARD
1^st	William Liam Curtright of St. Louis, Mo.	3	5-13	$1,816
2^nd	Bart Burford of Loose Creek, Mo.	3	5-9	$908
3^rd	David Workman of Harrisburg, Ill.	4	5-3	$606
4^th	Rick Cheatham of Carterville, Ill.	4	5-2	$393
4^th	Drew Williams of Homer, Ill.	4	5-2	$393
6^th	Jeff Turner of Plainfield, Ill.	3	4-11	$533
7^th	Westley Smith of Bridgeport, Ill.	2	4-10	$303
8^th	Jojo Johnson of Benton, Ill.	2	4-9	$522
9^th	Jimmy Null of Bethalto, Ill.	2	4-8	$242
10^th	Jeremy Douin of Pocahontas, Ill.	3	4-2	$212

CONTINGENCY AWARDS

AWARD	NAME	CONTINGENCY	PAYOUT
Boater Big Bass	Kyle Rinella of Marion, Ill.	4-pound, 14-ounce bass	$465
Strike King Co-Angler Berkley Big Bass	Ryan Fancher of Olney, Ill.	2-pound, 15-ounce bass	$232
Phoenix MLF BIG5 Bonus	Stephen Farley of Metropolis, Ill.	Eligible Phoenix Boat*	$500

WINNING BAITS

ANGLER	BAIT	COLOR
Boater	Jig	Green Pumpkin
Strike King Co-Angler	Neko Rig Zoom Fluke	Did Not Disclose Red Bug

2021 QUALIFICATION OPPORTUNITIES

EVENT	DATE	LOCATION	HOST
Illini Division – Phoenix Bass Fishing League Regional Championship	Oct. 7-9	Norfork Lake, Mountain Home, Ark.	Mountain Home Area Chamber of Commerce
2022 Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American	June 2-4	Lake Hamilton, Hot Springs, Ark.	Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism & Visit Hot Springs

The top six finishers in each regional will then qualify for one of the longest-running championships in all of competitive bass fishing – the Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American.

by AnglersChannel

Wilkinson Wins Phoenix Bass Fishing League on Ohio River-Tanners Creek

Brock Wins Strike King Co-Angler Division

LAWRENCEBURG, Ind. (Aug. 16, 2021) – Boater Chris Wilkinson of Farmersburg, Indiana wins the Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine at Ohio River-Tanners Creek Presented by TINCUP Whiskey in Lawrenceberg, Indiana. Wilkinson earned $4,830 for his victory at the event on Saturday.

TOP 10 RESULTS

RANK	BOATER NAME/HOMETOWN	BASS	WEIGHT	AWARD
1^st	Chris Wilkinson of Farmersburg, Ind.	5	9-8	$4,830
2^nd	Tony Collins of Dayton, Ohio	5	9-5	$2,915
3^rd	Kenny Dials of Creston, Ohio	5	8-10	$1,609
4^th	Pete Justice of Sharonville, Ohio	5	8-4	$1,127
5^th	Jared Robinson of Medora, Ind.	5	7-13	$1,166
6^th	Lee Mills of Columbus, Ind.	5	7-6	$885
7^th	Scott Manson of Covington, Ohio	5	7-5	$805
8^th	Dick Shaffer of Rockford, Ohio	5	7-3	$684
8^th	Bob Robinson of Lebanon, Ohio	4	7-3	$684
10^th	Chuck Willis of Dayton, Ohio	2	7-1	$1,255
10^th	Brandon Houston of Burlington, Ky.	4	7-1	$535

RANK	STRIKE KING CO-ANGLER NAME/HOMETOWN	BASS	WEIGHT	AWARD
1^st	Austin Brock of Liberty Township, Ohio	3	7-7	$2,755
2^nd	Jason Wood of Connersville, Ind.	5	6-15	$1,199
3^rd	Ron Weisenburger of Continental, Ohio	5	6-3	$795
4^th	Brent Jones of Okeana, Ohio	5	5-14	$200
5^th	Brandon Fraley of Tipp City, Ohio	4	4-14	$460
5^th	Brayden Costa of Aberdeen, Ohio	3	4-14	$460
7^th	Randy Bramos of Winchester, Ohio	4	4-8	$400
8^th	Howard Smith of Hamilton, Ohio	4	4-7	$340
8^th	Joshua Goff of Canton, Ohio	3	4-7	$340
10^th	James Wilcox of Proctorville, Ohio	4	4-2	$530

CONTINGENCY AWARDS

AWARD	NAME	CONTINGENCY	PAYOUT
Boater Big Bass	Chuck Willis of Dayton, Ohio	5-pound, 12-ounce bass	$720
Strike King Co-Angler Berkley Big Bass	Austin Brock of Liberty Township, Ohio	3-pound, 8-ounce bass	$357
Phoenix MLF BIG5 Bonus	Tony Collins of Dayton, Ohio	Eligible Phoenix Boat*	$500

WINNING BAITS

ANGLER	BAIT	COLOR
Boater	Spinnerbait & buzz baits	Did Not Divulge
Strike King Co-Angler	Senko	Did Not Divulge

2021 QUALIFICATION OPPORTUNITIES

EVENT	DATE	LOCATION	HOST
Buckeye Division – Phoenix Bass Fishing League Regional Championship	Oct. 14-16	Potomac River, Marbury, Md.	Charles County Board of Commissioners
2022 Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American	June 2-4	Lake Hamilton, Hot Springs, Ark.	Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism & Visit Hot Springs

The top six finishers in each regional will then qualify for one of the longest-running championships in all of competitive bass fishing – the Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American.

by AnglersChannel

McDaniel Wins Phoenix Bass Fishing League on Ohio River-Tanners Creek

Fairfield’s Schmitz Wins Strike King Co-Angler Division

LAWRENCEBURG, Ind. (Aug. 16, 2021) – Boater Lucas McDaniel of Independence, Kentucky wins the Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine at Ohio River-Tanners Creek Presented by TINCUP Whiskey in Lawrenceburg, Ind. McDaniel earned $4,472 for his victory at the event on Sunday.

TOP 10 RESULTS

RANK	BOATER NAME/HOMETOWN	BASS	WEIGHT	AWARD
1^st	Lucas McDaniel of Independence, Ky.	5	9-6	$4,472
2^nd	Chris Abbatiello of Independence, Ky.	5	8-13	$2,236
3^rd	Jody Gardner of Tippecanoe, Ohio	5	8-6	$1,492
4^th	Tony Collins of Dayton, Ohio	5	8-5	$1,543
5^th	Clyde McNaron of Trenton, Ohio	5	7-9	$894
6^th	Larry Davis, Jr. of Xenia, Ohio	5	7-4	$820
7^th	Mike Quinlin of Mooresville, Ind.	5	7-2	$1,245
8^th	Chris Wilkinson of Farmersburg, Ind.	5	7-0	$633
8^th	Gary Ginter of Bellafontaine, Ohio	5	7-0	$633
10^th	Jake Poffenberger of Brookville, Ohio	5	6-9	$522

RANK	STRIKE KING CO-ANGLER NAME/HOMETOWN	BASS	WEIGHT	AWARD
1^st	Daniel Schmitz, IV of Fairfield, Ohio	5	9-0	$2,236
2^nd	Aaron Stahley of Batavia, Ohio	5	7-9	$1,443
3^rd	Randy Williams of New Richmond, Ohio	5	5-7	$745
4^th	Jonah Moro of Steubenville, Ohio	5	5-1	$522
5^th	Thomas Scaggs of Jackson, Ohio	5	4-4	$447
6^th	James Wilcox of Proctorville, Ohio	5	4-2	$660
7^th	Billy French of Hamilton, Ohio	5	4-0	$573
8^th	James Ross of Akron, Ohio	5	3-15	$335
9^th	Bill Meyers of Urbana, Ohio	5	3-9	$298
10^th	Don Ward of Loveland, Ohio	5	3-8	$261

CONTINGENCY AWARDS

AWARD	NAME	CONTINGENCY	PAYOUT
Boater Big Bass	John Viox of Hebron, Ky.	3-pound, 15-ounce bass	$650
Strike King Co-Angler Berkley Big Bass	Aaron Stahley of Batavia, Ohio	3-pound, 4-ounce bass	$325
Phoenix MLF BIG5 Bonus	Tony Collins of Dayton, Ohio	Eligible Phoenix Boat*	$500

WINNING BAITS

ANGLER	BAIT	COLOR
Boater	Unspecified Flippin’ Tube	Did Not Divulge
Strike King Co-Angler	Buzzbait Rebel Pop-R Topwater Popper	Black Did Not Divulge

2021 QUALIFICATION OPPORTUNITIES

EVENT	DATE	LOCATION	HOST
Buckeye Division – Phoenix Bass Fishing League Regional Championship	Oct. 14-16	Potomac River, Marbury, Md.	Charles County Board of Commissioners
2022 Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American	June 2-4	Lake Hamilton, Hot Springs, Ark.	Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism & Visit Hot Springs

The top six finishers in each regional will then qualify for one of the longest-running championships in all of competitive bass fishing – the Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American.

by AnglersChannel

Akin Retiring As CEO Of B.A.S.S.

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — After 10 years serving as CEO of B.A.S.S., Bruce Akin will be retiring September 30, company officials announced today. B.A.S.S. Chairman Chase Anderson will be assuming responsibility for the organization’s day-to-day operations and serving as CEO.

Over the past year, Akin oversaw the beginning of a new multiyear television deal with FOX Sports, which ensured live broadcast coverage for every Elite Series event and the Bassmaster Classic for the first time in history. The eight hours of live coverage during the 2021 Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic presented by Huk reeled in nearly 2 million viewers to the FOX broadcast network and FS1.

Under Akin’s leadership, B.A.S.S. also set records for attendance at both the Bassmaster Classic and Elite Series events, introduced junior, high school and kayak tournament trails, revived the Redfish Cup Championship and recorded growth in almost every facet of its business, including membership, viewership, readership and digital engagement, with record-breaking engagement on Bassmaster.com and Bassmaster social media channels in 2021.

“I am incredibly proud of everything B.A.S.S. has accomplished in the past decade and am especially excited about the growth we’ve seen as a brand and across our sport,” Akin said. “During a challenging time, we’ve seen how important fishing is and how people gravitate to the outdoors, and I look forward to seeing how the industry continues to serve anglers. B.A.S.S. has a storied history and a bright future, but I am excited to get started on this next chapter in my life.

“Through working with our associates, anglers and sponsors I’ve made some great friends in this industry. It really will be the people I’ll miss most.”

Akin originally planned to retire last year but stayed on to guide the organization through the pandemic, ensuring that the Bassmaster Elite Series completed its full schedule. This solid leadership during an uncertain time was part of why Akin was named one of the Birmingham Business Journal’s Executives of Influence for 2020.

Akin is a respected and effective leader in the sportfishing industry as part of the American Sportfishing Association Board of Directors and as an active member of the Center for Sportfishing Policy and Keep America Fishing. He has also long been active in civic affairs, serving the community as part of the board of advisors for The University of Alabama College of Communication and Information Sciences, board of directors of the St. Vincent’s Hospital Foundation and Leadership Birmingham.

“Bruce has been instrumental in growing B.A.S.S. over the past decade and has demonstrated a tireless dedication to serving our associates, anglers, members, fans and business partners,” said Anderson. “Bruce’s leadership has been instrumental in positioning B.A.S.S. as the growth-focused industry leader we are today. Thanks to Bruce’s solid guidance, we are better positioned for the future and focused on being the leader in the sportfishing industry for many years to come.”

Anderson Media Corp. acquired controlling interest in B.A.S.S. in 2017 and Anderson has been working as Chairman of B.A.S.S. LLC while also serving on the board of directors and in strategic roles for several other Anderson family-owned companies.

“I have been working directly with our associates, anglers and business partners for the past four years, and am excited for the opportunity to expand my role and work more closely with everyone in a more hands-on capacity. Much of my time has been spent on the operations of B.A.S.S., and I look forward to dedicating even more of my time to working with our great team as we continue to grow. My family and I have always had a long-term view of the business and organization, and I’m really excited about our future. I have so enjoyed working closely with Bruce and he’s been a great mentor and friend. I wish him the absolute best in retirement.”

No other changes to the organization’s daily operations are currently planned.

If you would rather not receive future communications from B.A.S.S. LLC, let us know by clicking here.
B.A.S.S. LLC, 3500 Blue Lake Drive, Suite 330, Birmingham, AL 35243 United States

by AnglersChannel

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