Major League Fishing’s REDCREST 2021 Special to Air Sunday on CBS, Discovery Channel Airing Pre-Empted Due to Shark Week

TULSA, Okla. (July 15, 2021)Major League Fishing's REDCREST 2021 Special Presented by Old Wisconsin Sausage –the Bass Pro Tour Championship filmed earlier this year on Lake Eufaula in Eufaula, Alabama – will premiere nationwide Sunday, July 18, on CBS from 2 to 3 p.m. ET. The program showcases the 40 top professional bass anglers from the 2020 Bass Pro Tour, competing across five days at the Bass Fishing Capital of the World for the prestigious REDCREST Championship and the top prize of $300,000.

Sunday’s airing on CBS will showcase the highlights from all five days of the event with behind-the-scenes angler commentary and interviews, as well as a thrilling final-day shootout between some of the top anglers in the sport, including Dustin Connell, Ott DeFoe, Takahiro Omori, Bryan Thrift and Jacob Wheeler. The event was hosted by the Eufaula Barbour County Chamber of Commerce.

The Discovery Channel airing of the Bass Pro Tour General Tire Heavy Hitters event, originally scheduled for this weekend, Saturday, July 17, has been pre-empted for Discovery Channel’s Shark Week. The episode will now air next weekend as regularly scheduled Bass Pro Tour programming resumes on Discovery next Saturday, July 24, from 7 to 9 a.m. ET.

The full, updated television schedule can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

For complete details and updated information visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF’s social media outlets at Facebook, TwitterInstagram, and YouTube.


Schultz Commits To Protected Spot For Lead In Bassmaster Elite At St. Lawrence River

Bernie Schultz, of Gainesville, Fla., is leading after Day 1 of the 2021 Farmers Insurance Bassmaster Elite at St. Lawrence River with 25 pounds, 5 ounces.
Photo by Seigo Saito/B.A.S.S.

July 15, 2021

WADDINGTON, N.Y. — A patient approach to what Bernie Schultz described as a slow area rewarded the Gainesville, Fla., pro with a five-bass limit that weighed 25 pounds, 5 ounces to lead Day 1 of the Farmers Insurance Bassmaster Elite at St. Lawrence River.

“I found a spot near where I fished last year,” Schultz said of his upriver area, near Chippewa Bay. “I haven’t seen another tournament boat in two years and I hope I don’t — unless it’s a camera boat.”

Schultz, whose best finish on the St. Lawrence was sixth place in 2013, described his spot as a flat approximately 200 yards long with depths of 3 to 8 feet. Starting on one end of the flat in practice, he quickly caught a 4-pounder, and by the time he’d completed his drift, he had another 4- and two 3-pounders.

“It’s a really good area and it’s protected,” Schultz said. “That’s what I like about it — it has everything the fish want and it has everything I need to fish, no matter what the weather does.

“There are numerous islands and I’m cradled right in the middle of them. I decided to start there today and it was a good call. It started quickly and I left them biting.”

Despite an impressive performance, which included the day’s Phoenix Boats Big Bass — a 6-2 — Schultz said the spot he fished required such a laborious effort that he believes most anglers would have abandoned it.

“It’s a precise drift that I’m making,” he said. “It’s slow enough that if anyone practiced there, they probably would have gotten discouraged.

“The fish are in certain sections of the flat and I had to locate them today because they moved a little bit. I had a 5, that 6-2 and a 3-pounder pretty quickly, but after that I had to move around on the flat to find them.”

Schultz fished a diverse arsenal of baits including a 1/2-ounce Hildebrandt Drum Roller spinnerbait, a Shimano jerkbait (debuting next week at ICAST), a 1/8-ounce black Marabou jig, a drop shot with a green pumpkin Yamamoto Shad Shape Worm and a Ned rig with a 3-inch green pumpkin watermelon laminate Yamamoto Senko.

It is a well-known truth that two of the biggest obstacles to winning on the St. Lawrence share the same last name. Today, brothers Chris and Cory Johnston, of Peterborough and Cavan, Canada, respectfully, strengthened that lore by catching identical 23-pound, 7-ounce limits and sharing second place.

Adding to the statistical oddity, the Johnstons nearly matched one another’s top fish. Chris caught a 5-5, while his older brother had a 5-4.

Chris Johnston, who won last year’s St. Lawrence River Elite, started his day by running upriver to the Clayton, N.Y., area and targeting fry guarders — male bass that hover near the spawning bed to protect recent hatchlings — on flats in 8 to 10 feet. He found a handful of these fish early in practice but noticed Wednesday that a couple of them had left.

“I was a little disappointed yesterday, so today I thought I’d better go catch the ones that are left in that area,” he said. “That gave me a good start to the day, so I could relax a little bit.”

Around midmorning, Johnston left this area and added a few keepers, including a 5-8, in Lake Ontario’s Cape Vincent area. Contrasting his 2020 victory, he said the fish are significantly less concentrated this week.

“They’re not set up good like they were last year,” he said. “They’re scattered anywhere from 5 feet to 25 feet. I don’t have a spot that has a big group of them so I’m looking and trying to find random fish.

“The reason is that there are still fish spawning. There are fish that are guarding fry and fish that finished spawning a month ago and they’re already making their way out. There are fish up shallow trying to do their thing, and they’re everywhere in between.”

Cory Johnston devoted his day to the river and fished a hodgepodge of locations. Covering a 90-mile stretch from Waddington to Lake Ontario, he fished traditional rock reefs and shoals from 5 to 35 feet.

“I just kind of ran all over the place, wherever the wind allowed me to go,” he said. “I caught all of my fish in the river; I didn’t weigh a fish out of the lake.

“I didn’t have any specific area, I just hit 30 spots. I have a game plan and I have something in my back pocket where if I need a fish I can grab one quick in a couple of little areas. I needed a couple today and that’s what I did.”

Seth Feider of New Market, Minn., maintained his lead in the Bassmaster Angler of the Year standings with 795 points. With a 66-point margin over Chris Johnston (729), Feider just needs a decent showing Friday to conclude his best professional season with an AOY title.

Former AOY (2017) Brandon Palaniuk of Rathdrum, Idaho, is in third place with 702 points, followed by Greg Hackney of Gonzales, La., with 676 and Caleb Sumrall of New Iberia, La., with 669.

Friday’s takeoff is scheduled for 7 a.m. ET at Whittaker Park. The weigh-in will be held back at the park at 3:15 p.m. After Friday’s weigh-in, only the Top 45 anglers will advance to Saturday’s semifinal round.

Live coverage for each day of the event can be streamed on Bassmaster.com and the FOX Sports digital platforms. FS1 will also broadcast live with the tournament leaders beginning at 8 a.m. ET on Saturday and Sunday.


Mossy Oak Expands Major League Fishing Sponsorship with Multi-Year Deal to Remain Exclusive Camo Sponsor

TULSA, Okla. (July 15, 2021) – Major League Fishing (MLF), the world’s premier tournament-fishing organization, and Mossy Oak, the West Point, Mississippi-based leading branded camouflage and outdoor lifestyle company, announced a new multi-year sponsorship expansion ensuring the company will remain the exclusive camo sponsor of Major League Fishing through 2024. Terms of the agreement were not disclosed.

“Major League Fishing is thrilled to expand our relationship with Mossy Oak,” said MLF President and CEO Jim Wilburn. “Their commitment to our anglers, fans and the sport of professional bass fishing has been consistent since 2018 and their innovative and realistic camouflage patterns are a huge hit with anglers, hunters and outdoorsmen alike. To partner with an organization that shares the same love and passion for fishing and the outdoors as we do is very special.”

Mossy Oak will be showcased at all MLF-sanctioned tournaments and outdoor activations, and the brand will also be seen across numerous MLF media platforms, including prominent display in the MLF Cup events and the Bass Pro Tour Heavy Hitters All-Star event, at MajorLeagueFishing.com, MLF Bass Fishing Magazine and the “MLF NOW!” livestream, which broadcasts during every Bass Pro Tour and Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit event for a total of more than 600 hours of live-streamed content.

“We are very excited about our expanded partnership with Major League Fishing,” said Mossy Oak Chief Sales Officer Chris Paradise. “Our ultimate goal is to connect with our loyal and growing Mossy Oak fishing consumer and customers via the strongest and most authentic reach possible.  Major League Fishing and their leading, broad-based media platform delivers on that expectation greatly. As the Official and Exclusive pattern of Major League Fishing, we are honored and energized to continue bringing the Mossy Oak Fishing Brand to anglers everywhere.”

Mossy Oak’s logo will also remain prominently located on the wrapped trucks, boats, and jerseys of its sponsored MLF anglers. This list includes the current Bass Pro Tour Angler of the Year (AOY) leader Ott DeFoe, brothers Jordan and Matt Lee, professional bass-fishing’s all-time leading money winner Kevin VanDam, and Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit anglers Ramie Colson Jr., and Brian Latimer.

For more information about MLF, their tournaments and sponsors, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. To learn more about Mossy Oak, visit MossyOak.com.


Swindle: Giraffe lips and jerkbaits

Courtesy of Alan McGuckin - Dynamic Sponsorships

At 6’ 4”, bass fishing’s funniest man, Gerald Swindle relates well to giraffes, the world’s tallest land mammal that typically stands 15 to 20-feet high. In fact, his quick wit was fast to compare expected catch rates here on the St. Lawrence River to a giraffe’s smoocher.

 

“This place is loaded with big fish, we all know that. In fact, you can go ahead and write it down, weights will be just like giraffe lips – real high and real tight,” said Swindle, moments before blast off at the Farmers Insurance Bassmaster Elite Thursday morning.

 

When he says high …

 

When Swindle says high – he means high. Like, 21-pounds a day for a Top 10 says the Alabama pro.

 

Comparatively, his Team Toyota buddy Brandon Lester projects more like 19-pounds a day for a Top 10, and Bassmaster emcee Dave Mercer is also thinking 19 or 20 pounds a day for a Top 10. So, Swindle is definitely aiming high.

 

Don’t get impatient

 

“The biggest key for me is staying patient,” says Swindle. “Because when you know in your mind how much weight you’ll probably need to do well here, you tend to get in a hurry trying to catch 20-pounds in the first two hours of the day,” he says.

 

“You gotta get that out of your head. You only need 5 – and you’ve got eight hours to catch them -- but they better be the right size.”

 

Jigs and jerks

 

Unlike many Elite Series events before on the St. Lawrence where deep dropshots ruled the river, Swindle says fish this week are more scattered and shallower.

 

“In my mind, they’re not all deep and grouped-up. Many of them are fresh off the spawn and still relatively shallow, so I’m going to be throwing a jerkbait and a tiny little hair jig more so than the dropshot,” says Swindle.

 

Confident, focused, and full of humor, look for the tall bow-legged fella from Alabama to land at giraffe level status on the leaderboard here on the St. Lawrence.

 


Lester says largemouth could be the wildcard

Courtesy of Alan McGuckin - Dynamic Sponsorships

 

Brandon Lester warns you’d better keep an eye on guys like Greg Hackney and Brock Mosely this week who aren’t afraid to gamble with “green fish” for the win.

Mosely dang near won here on the St. Lawrence last summer with largemouth before finishing second, and Hackney finished 3rd here at the 2015 Elite with largemouth.

“I haven’t lost my mind. I’m not saying smallmouth on dropshots and Ned rigs won’t win this thing. But because of the current conditions, I do think largemouth are probably more of a meaningful wildcard factor than just about any year that we’ve been here,” says Lester, who nearly won the 2018 Elite on the St. Lawrence.

St. Lawrence smallmouth have been blitzed by pro angling pressure the past three weeks like opposing AFC quarterbacks running from Tedy Bruschi and Willie McGinest at Gillette Stadium a few years back.

Plus, there is a bit of “post spawn funk” at play, and the Canadian side of the river that historically holds some of the finest smallmouth hotspots is off limits to Elite Series anglers this week.

“Largemouth might only account for 15% of all the bass weighed-in this week, but since we’ve got a few of those key factors hindering the smallmouth bite, it won’t shock me if at least two or three guys that finish in the Top 10 this week, lean mostly on largemouth,” says Lester.

No matter what species you target, he thinks you’d better average at least 19 pounds a day for a Top 10. “This place is phenomenal. I just don’t see 18 pounds a day being enough for a Top 10. Let alone a shot to win,” he concludes.

Joker’s wild. Royal flush. Lester’s predictions make for a pretty strong bet.

 


Mid-Season Report - TNPFL with Luke Dunkin

 

This week Chris & The boys welcome in The color commentator for the National Professional Fishing League, Luke Dunkin to the show. The boys will check in with Luke and how he feels things are progressing with the NPFL as they kick off their 4th event of the season this week on "Pig"Wick Lake.


Kayak Championship Angler Donates Prize To Child With Rare Disorder

Kayak angler Joe McElroy, of Cullman, Ala., donated his winnings from the 2021 Bassmaster B.A.S.S. Nation Kayak Series Nation Championship powered by TourneyX to help the son of another competitor.

Photo by B.A.S.S.

July 14, 2021

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — After finishing second at the 2021 Bassmaster B.A.S.S. Nation Kayak Series National Championship powered by TourneyX on Texas’ Possum Kingdom Lake, angler Joe McElroy from Cullman, Ala., announced he was donating his $5,000 winnings to help a fellow competitor’s young son who is living with a rare disease impacting just five people worldwide.

“Sometimes, it’s about timing,” McElroy said. “I was in the right place and had the opportunity, so it just came together.”

JT.jpgDuring the Top 10 award ceremony on stage at the Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic presented by Huk, seventh-place finisher Jason Borofka, of Lavon, Texas, shared that his two-year-old son J.T. suffers from Triosephosphate Isomerase Deficiency. An ultrarare disorder, TPI causes a shortage of red blood cells (anemia), movement problems, increased susceptibility to infection and muscle weakness that can affect breathing and heart function.

According to SaveJT.com, the website that Borofka and his wife Tara run, fewer than 70 TPI Deficiency cases have ever been reported, so information is slim. The site states that J.T. is the first person in his birth state of California to be diagnosed with this disease. Currently, he is one of five people worldwide known to have TPI.

A seasoned angler originally from Salinas, Calif., Borofka uses his tournament platform to raise awareness for this disease and to generate support for his son’s ongoing medical needs. Noting the ongoing medical needs, he directed anyone interested in helping to the family’s informative/fundraising website.

McElroy was so moved by what he heard that he didn’t hesitate to follow his heart.

“The prize money was a gift and a blessing to me from God, and I wanted to pass it on,” McElroy said. “I had not met Jason until we had the Top 10 meeting; I heard his appeal for help just moments before when he accepted his seventh-place award.

“Jason was overwhelmed and thankful. He was very appreciative.”

Borofka recalls the breathtaking moment: “I was on the sidelines standing there with my family when he said that, and I was like, ‘What?!’ I was totally blown away.”

But the story doesn’t end there. Barely three months into their move to the Lone Star State, the Borofkas are finding Texas a welcoming and supportive community. Since that emotional moment onstage at the Bassmaster Classic, offers of promotional support and vital financial contributions have flooded the Borofkas due, in large part, to McElroy’s initiative.

“It was awesome because he really inspired a lot of people,” Borofka said. “A lot of people from the Dallas-Fort Worth area have contacted us wanting to help. My phone has been blowing up.

“Donations just since (the Kayak Championship) — not including Joe’s $5,000 — have been somewhere between $8,000 and $9,000. It’s growing fast. What he did, with B.A.S.S., the Bassmaster Classic and the whole setup — it was just meant to be. Honestly, it’s been a blessing.”

McElroy's donation also inspired TourneyX, other anglers and various organizations to create the Save JT Benefit Tournament, an ongoing virtual event that has already raised more than $42,000.

The Bassmaster B.A.S.S. Nation Kayak Series will feature three more tournaments in the 2021 season as anglers from around the country attempt to qualify for the 2022 National Championship which will be held in conjunction with the 2022 Bassmaster Classic March 4-6 in Greenville, S.C. Learn more at Bassmaster.com/kayak.


Schmitt collects Costa Compete + Conserve Bonus

Bryan Schmitt makes a living on the water. Not only as a Bassmaster Elite Series angler who just took home his first coveted “blue trophy” by winning the Elite Series Lake Champlain event, but also as a passionate and highy-respected striped bass and cobia guide on the Chesapeake Bay he calls home.

“If I’m not fishing a Bassmaster tournament, I’m guiding on the Chesapeake from May to December, and the one thing in common during all my days on the water is I’m always wearing a pair of Costas,” said Schmitt, moments after winning at Lake Champlain.

Specifically, Schmitt wore a pair of Sampan frames from Costa on Champlain -- the massive lake he comically says he’s in love with -- to qualify for the Compete + Conserve cash bonus from Costa following his win.

“When you spend as many days a year on the water as I do, you value the fact Costas are so durable, and feature such awesome lens quality,” says Schmitt. “The fact they’re doing great things for anglers and conservation through the Compete + Conserve program makes me love the brand even more.” 

Not only will Costa’s Compete + Conserve bonus buy a lot of fuel for future Chesapeake Bay guide trips, but Schmitt will also get to choose a conservation agency to receive $500 in his name from Costa.

If you wear Costa eyewear and compete in fishing tournaments, make sure you visit http://costacompeteandconserve.com/ to get registered or for more information on this exciting new program. It’s absolutely free to sign up and eligible for anglers of all levels. 

 


Cosculluela Wins Phoenix Bass Fishing League on Lake St. Clair

Dus Wins Strike King Co-Angler Division
HARRISON TOWNSHIP, Mich.  (July 12, 2021) – Boater Hugh Cosculluela of The Woodlands, Texas, wins the Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine at Lake St. Clair Presented by TINCUP Whiskey in Harrison Township, Michigan. Cosculluela earned $7,220 for his victory at the event.
TOP 10 RESULTS
RANK BOATER NAME/HOMETOWN BASS WEIGHT AWARD
1st Hugh Cosculluela of The Woodlands, Texas 5 23-1 $7,220
2nd John Zubkoff of Monroe, Mich. 5 22-9 $2,360
3rd Doug Jenkins of Cicero, Ind. 5 22-4 $1,574
4th Jason Elliott of Warsaw, Ind. 5 21-2 $1,101
5th Jeremy Reese of Powell, Ohio 5 20-14 $944
6th Alex Redwine of Cincinnati, Ohio 5 20-9 $865
7th Austin Freed of Wolcottville, Ind. 5 20-8 $1,482
8th Scott Dobson of Clarkston, Mich. 5 20-6 $629
8th Jeremy Antrup of Fremont, Ind. 5 20-6 $629
8th Tom Beale of St. Clair Shores, Mich. 5 20-6 $629
RANK STRIKE KING CO-ANGLER NAME/HOMETOWN BASS WEIGHT AWARD
1st Kristian Dus of Chicago, Ill. 5 22-9 $2,360
2nd Chance Hoover of Lexington, Ky. 5 21-13 $1,180
3rd Andy Fryer of Sidney, Ohio 5 20-14 $1,112
4th Greg Elswick of Goshen, Ind. 5 20-13 $511
4th Nathan Housel of Carlisle, Pa. 5 20-13 $511
6th Tim Hooker of Stoutsville, Ohio 5 19-5 $433
7th Nicholas Veselka of Fishers, Ind. 5 19-3 $393
8th Daniel Perdieu of Rochester, Ind. 5 18-12 $354
9th Ryan Legg of Parma, Ohio 5 18-5 $315
10th Grant Gallagher of Fremont, Ohio 5 18-1 $275
CONTINGENCY AWARDS
AWARD NAME CONTINGENCY PAYOUT
Boater Big Bass Austin Freed of Wolcottville, Ind. 6-pound bass $695
Strike King Co-Angler Berkley Big Bass Billy E. Crider, Jr. of Kettering, Ohio 5-pound, 13-ounce bass $347
Phoenix MLF BIG5 Bonus Hugh Cosculluela of The Woodlands, Texas Eligible Phoenix Boat* $2,500
* 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 Not Specified
Strike King Co-Angler Not Specified
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
Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American June 3-5 Douglas Lake, Dandridge, Tenn. Jefferson County Department of Tourism
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 FacebookTwitterInstagram, and YouTube .


Dove Wins Phoenix Bass Fishing League on Lake Monroe

Watson Wins Strike King Co-Angler Division
BLOOMMINGTON, Ind. (July 12, 2021) – Boater Mark Dove of North Vernon, Indiana, wins the Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine at Lake Monroe Presented by TINCUP Whiskey in Bloomington, Indiana. Dove earned $5,575 for his victory at the event.
TOP 10 RESULTS
RANK BOATER NAME/HOMETOWN BASS WEIGHT AWARD
1st Mark Dove of North Vernon, Ind. 5 14-10 $5,575
2nd Chris Wilkinson of Farmersburg, Ind. 5 14-8 $2,288
3rd Todd Hensley of New Albany, Ind. 4 14-7 $1,525
4th Eddie Frey of Cincinnati, Ohio 5 12-12 $1,068
5th Tyler Land of Coatsville, Ind. 5 12-11 $915
6th Luke Foli of Fishers, Ind. 5 12-4 $839
7th Brian Campbell of Oxford, Ohio 5 11-0 $763
8th Bryce Kalen of Greenwood, Ind. 5 10-12 $648
8th Caleb Carnes of Harned, Ky. 4 10-12 $1,148
10th Blake Albertson of Bloomington, Ind. 5 10-9 $534
RANK STRIKE KING CO-ANGLER NAME/HOMETOWN BASS WEIGHT AWARD
1st David E. Watson of Sullivan, Ind. 5 14-6 $2,580
2nd Ronnie Gill of Indianapolis, Ind. 5 13-12 $1,577
3rd Jeffery Johnson of Austin, Ind. 4 13-10 $751
4th Eddie Patrick of Morgantown, Ind. 4 11-10 $526
5th Greg Roberts of Columbus, Ind. 4 10-10 $451
6th Ken Barker of Middleton, Ohio 3 8-14 $413
7th Andy Vance of Danville, Ind. 5 7-11 $376
8th Tom Harber of Kokomo, Ind. 2 7-10 $319
8th Bill Kissinger of Knoxville, Tenn. 3 7-10 $319
10th William Jackson of Lawrenceburg, Ind. 3 7-2 $263
CONTINGENCY AWARDS
AWARD NAME CONTINGENCY PAYOUT
Boater Big Bass Jason Roberts of Bargersville, Ind. 5-pound, 14-ounce bass $665
Strike King Co-Angler Berkley Big Bass David E. Watson of Sullivan, Ind. 5-pound, 14-ounce bass $327
Phoenix MLF BIG5 Bonus Caleb Carnes of Harned, Ky. 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 Big Bite Baits Dean Rojas - Fighting Frog Not Specified
Strike King Co-Angler 10” Worms (unspecified) Not Specified
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
Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American June 3-5 Douglas Lake, Dandridge, Tenn. Jefferson County Department of Tourism
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 FacebookTwitterInstagram, and YouTube .


Nolan Minor’s College Fishing Farewell

Courtesy of Luke Stoner - Dynamic Sponsorships

College fishing standout Nolan Minor crossed something off his bucket list in Fort Worth, Texas during the 51st Bassmaster Classic while simultaneously bidding farewell to his impressive college fishing career. The West Virginia University graduate drove down to Texas to compete in the final college tournament of his career, The College Classic.

Minor’s tournament resume features a pile of top finishes; including major wins, second-place finishes in events, Team of the Year races, and even the 2018 Carhartt College Series Classic Bracket. Nick Ratliff narrowly edged out Minor’s Classic aspirations in 2018 during an exciting head-to-head battle, but one of those goals came full circle in Fort Worth this June.

“It was a pretty amazing experience getting to walk across the Bassmaster Classic stage, and I even got to do it with a 5-pounder,” Minor said with a smile. “That checks one dream off the bucket list, taking a big bass across the Classic stage. Now I just have to carry a 5-pounder across the Classic stage while actually fishing in the tournament.”

Minor’s confidence and goals are rooted in his humble, hard working, but always-friendly demeanor. Though he qualified for and competed in four straight Carhartt Bassmaster College Series National Championships while earning his degree from WVU, Minor was never able to fish in the special college tournament held in conjunction with the Bassmaster Classic. The experience was a fitting end to his days as a collegiate fisherman.

Now Minor has his sights on his next goal, qualifying for the Bassmaster Elite Series.

Trying to follow in the footsteps of anglers like Patrick Walters, Jake Whitaker, or the Lee brothers by qualifying through the Bassmaster Opens. Countless anglers competing at the professional level have proven that college fishing provides invaluable “on-the-job” experience to young anglers.

Currently, Minor is helping manage social media accounts for brands in the fishing industry while competing in the Northern division of the Bassmaster Opens.

To the surprise of few, Minor had a strong 38th place finish in his first Open event on the James River; cashing a solid check and learning a lot for his next two events in the process. If things work out the way he hopes, Minor plans to compete in all nine Opens in 2022.

“Trying to be a pro angler isn’t like most jobs,” Minor said. “There is no set path, it’s unpredictable. Every single person who fishes professionally has a different story. It could take a lifetime, or it could happen quickly. To be honest, financing a professional career is pretty intimidating. I have no idea how I’d do it, but I know I love this sport and I feel like it’s what I’m supposed to do.”

Throughout his college fishing career, Minor’s honest loyalty and performance on the water helped him form working relationships with brands like Carhartt, Abu Garcia and Berkley Fishing, Featherwick, Fishing Online, and Bass Resource. These companies continue to support Minor in his Bassmaster Open campaign.

“I’m fresh out of college, I’m hungry, and I know I’d really regret it if I didn’t at least give the Opens my best effort,” Minor explained. “I have the support of my family, friends, and hope to continue growing my relationship with a few incredible companies. There is no better time to give it a shot.”


John Cox disqualified for the St. Lawrence Elite Series Event

Originally posted on Bassmaster.com

 

John Cox won’t be fishing this week in the Farmers Insurance Bassmaster Elite at St. Lawrence River.

B.A.S.S. officials ruled him ineligible for the final tournament of the 2021 Elite Series season because he violated the 28-day off limits rule that all competitors must follow.

Cox fished in a tournament on New York’s St. Lawrence River June 25-30, placing him in violation of the off-limits period for the Elite Series tournament on St. Lawrence which begins July 15.

Bassmaster Elite Rule C3. I, for Practice and Competition states, “Off-limits for Elite events begins on the Monday closest to 28 days prior to the first practice day.”

Here is the official statement from B.A.S.S.

“The Bassmaster Elite Series competition rules are very clear that the off-limits period for events begins 28 days prior to the first practice day. B.A.S.S. is committed to maintaining the integrity of our tournaments by holding every angler to the same rules. Unfortunately, this is not the first time that an angler has been disqualified for violating the off-limits rule.”

In 2019 Elite Series rookie Derek Hudnall was disqualified for the Lake Hartwell tournament for fishing there inside the 28-day off-limits period.


New Season of the AnglersChannel Bass Wrap Up TV Show!

As seen weekly on the Discovery Channel, this first edition of the AnglersChannel Bass wrap up show brought to you by Sportsman’s warehouse, we take you out on the water for the first Bassmaster Elite series event of the year on The St John’s river and witness that incredible rookie win, We see what’s new with the Carolina Bass Challenge, Bring you the first of our latest segment, Angler Profiles, Gear reviews from Strike King & Lews, and we’ll highlight some must have’s from Sportsman’s Warehouse, Plus ride along with AnglersChannel Staffers as they do a little fishing on Lake Guntersville!


Schmitt Slams The Door On Bassmaster Elite Series Event At Lake Champlain

Bryan Schmitt, of Deale, Md., has won the 2021 Guaranteed Rate Bassmaster Elite at Lake Champlain with a four-day total of 78 pounds, 5 ounces.
Photo by Seigo Saito/B.A.S.S.

July 11, 2021

PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. — Bryan Schmitt talked all week about “special little things” that were happening to help him maintain the lead at the Guaranteed Rate Bassmaster Elite at Lake Champlain.

But the most special one happened just 15 minutes before Sunday’s final weigh-in, as Schmitt landed a 3 1/2-pound smallmouth that gave him a 12-ounce upgrade and allowed him to secure his first Elite Series win with a four-day total of 78 pounds, 5 ounces.

Call it luck. Call it fate. But the win seemed meant to be for the second-year Elite Series pro from Deale, Md.

“I pulled up to a buoy cable this afternoon right before time to come in and saw two fish on my (Garmin) LiveScope,” Schmitt said. “I threw that drop shot in there, felt the bite and didn’t really think it was a bass. But it turns out it was a bass — and without that fish I don’t win.

“When things like that are happening, man, it’s a special week.”

Schmitt talked each day about a waning bite, but he still managed to catch 21-11, 21-5 and 19-4 the first three rounds. Then on Championship Sunday, things did get tougher and he only managed to bring in 16-1.

That barely helped him stave off a hard charge from Texas pro Keith Combs, who finished with 77-13 — just 8 ounces behind the leader.

To catch his bass, Schmitt used a Spro Spin John, a Neko-rigged Missile Baits Quiver Worm and a Missile Baits Ned Bomb on a drop-shot rig.

“I caught a couple of key fish on the spinbait, but the Quiver Worm produced the bulk of my fish for sure,” he said. “I was fishing it on a Hayabusa Spin Muscle Guard Hook with a little nail weight just to get it down.

“These fish are smart, I guess. You could throw a jig in there and they wouldn’t bite it, but they would eat that Quiver Worm.”

For the Neko setup, Schmitt used a 6-9 Fitzgerald Stunner Rod and a spinning reel spooled with 10-pound braid and a 10-pound fluorocarbon leader. For the drop-shot rig, he used a drop-shot wacky hook from Hayabusa, a 1/4-ounce Reins Tungsten sinker with 8-pound fluorocarbon on the same rod. The only time he picked up a baitcaster was when he used the spinbait.

Another special element for Schmitt this week was the ability to overcome several unfortunate moments.

On Saturday, he had two key fish break his line. Then on Sunday, he lost several bass because of something he says he should have never allowed to happen.

“Today, it took me three lost fish to realize that the point on my drop-shot hook had bent in,” he said. “That’s not a smart move. Out of those three, I’ll bet you at least one of them was a big one because they were on a spot where I had caught three 4-pounders this week.

“I was able to overcome those kinds of mistakes — somehow.”

Even as he was standing in the weigh-in line, Schmitt said he thought he’d blown his chance with only 16-1 in his bag.

“I thought it was over, no way,” he said. “I knew one of these guys was going to have a good day — and Keith (Combs) did.”

Combs, who was in 16th place going into Saturday’s semifinal round, dialed in a topwater strategy for big smallmouth and caught 20-14 to jump into third heading into Championship Sunday.

The topwater pattern, which included a Strike King Sexy Dawg and another unnamed walking bait, produced again Sunday, as Combs caught 19-3 and held the unofficial lead on BassTrakk for a while.

Combs, who also used a couple of different jerkbaits, caught a pair of large fish that swallowed his lures so deeply he was forced to release them for fear of receiving a 4-ounce dead-fish penalty at the scales.

“With those two fish, I might have actually had enough to win,” Combs said. “I hate that it worked out that way, but it is what is.”

Minnesota pro Seth Feider, who came into the event just needing to avoid a total crash and burn to maintain his lead in the Bassmaster Angler of the Year standings, did far more than simply survive. He finished in fourth place behind Schmitt, Combs and Texas pro Chris Zaldain.

With his fourth Top 10 of the season, Feider now has 699 points and holds a commanding lead over his closest competitors, Patrick Walters of South Carolina (644) and Canadian Chris Johnston (630).

Feider believes it will take something catastrophic to keep him from winning the AOY title now — and for that reason, he plans to stay close to the takeoff site during next week’s season-ending Farmers Insurance Bassmaster Elite at St. Lawrence River.

“I’m not going to take any chances, and that definitely means I won’t be making the long run to Lake Ontario,” Feider said. “I probably won’t get more than 30 miles from the takeoff site anytime during the week.”

Another Minnesota pro, Austin Felix, took Phoenix Boats Big Bass of the day honors with a 4-13. Oklahoma pro Dale Hightower had Big Bass of the week with the 5-15 he caught on Day 1.

Combs took home an additional $3,000 for being the highest-placing entrant in the Toyota Bonus Bucks program, while Zaldain earned $2,000 for being the second-highest placing entrant.

Combs also earned $2,500 for being the highest-placing entrant in the Yamaha Power Pay program, while Zaldain claimed an additional $1,500 for being the second-highest placing entrant.

2021 Guaranteed Rate Bassmaster Elite at Lake Champlain 7/8-7/11
Lake Champlain, Plattsburgh NY.
(PROFESSIONAL) Standings Day 4

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

1. Bryan Schmitt Deale, MD 20 78-05 100 $100,000.00
Day 1: 5 21-11 Day 2: 5 21-05 Day 3: 5 19-04 Day 4: 5 16-01
2. Keith Combs Huntington, TX 20 77-13 99 $36,000.00
Day 1: 5 18-15 Day 2: 5 18-13 Day 3: 5 20-14 Day 4: 5 19-03
3. Chris Zaldain Fort Worth, TX 20 76-15 98 $30,000.00
Day 1: 5 20-11 Day 2: 5 19-11 Day 3: 5 19-07 Day 4: 5 17-02
4. Seth Feider New Market, MN 20 76-14 97 $26,000.00
Day 1: 5 19-11 Day 2: 5 19-07 Day 3: 5 18-07 Day 4: 5 19-05
5. Austin Felix Eden Prairie, MN 20 76-06 96 $21,000.00
Day 1: 5 18-02 Day 2: 5 19-01 Day 3: 5 19-13 Day 4: 5 19-06
6. Destin DeMarion Grove City, PA 20 76-02 95 $19,000.00
Day 1: 5 19-06 Day 2: 5 21-02 Day 3: 5 17-00 Day 4: 5 18-10
7. Patrick Walters Summerville, SC 20 74-10 94 $18,000.00
Day 1: 5 18-03 Day 2: 5 20-01 Day 3: 5 20-04 Day 4: 5 16-02
8. Lee Livesay Longview, TX 20 73-10 93 $17,000.00
Day 1: 5 20-05 Day 2: 5 20-00 Day 3: 5 17-15 Day 4: 5 15-06
9. Caleb Sumrall New Iberia, LA 20 73-10 92 $16,000.00
Day 1: 5 18-15 Day 2: 5 20-00 Day 3: 5 17-14 Day 4: 5 16-13
10. Justin Hamner Northport, AL 20 73-05 91 $15,000.00
Day 1: 5 18-14 Day 2: 5 19-04 Day 3: 5 18-14 Day 4: 5 16-05
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

PHOENIX BOATS BIG BASS
Day
1 Dale Hightower Mannford, OK 05-15 $1,000.00
2 Seth Feider New Market, MN 05-11 $1,000.00
3 Keith Combs Huntington, TX 05-00 $1,000.00
4 Austin Felix Eden Prairie, MN 04-13 $1,000.00

-----------------------------------------------------------------------
PHOENIX BOATS BIG BASS
Dale Hightower Mannford, OK 05-15 $1,000.00
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Totals
Day #Limits #Fish Weight
1 94 472 1633-14
2 94 470 1570-11
3 43 220 760-03
4 10 50 174-05
----------------------------------
241 1212 4139-01


A smallmouth sticker from the “Bass Chaplain”

Courtesy of Alan McGuckin - Dynamic Sponsorships


Chris Wells doesn’t have to be out here. He could just as easily stay home and pastor a church full time in
South Carolina.

 

Instead, he combines a passion for our Savior and bass fishing to serve as our Chaplain, traveling the country ministering to a bunch of us hairy legged sinners with silly raccoon tan lines on our faces from the Costa glasses we wear constantly.  

 

Not long ago, with little or no funding for travel and groceries, he’d sleep in his truck – just to be here – for us.

 

You know, Us -- the traveling circus of all things pro bass fishing, that includes dudes like me that probably say too many cuss words and drink too many beers sometimes, while wondering what crankbait to tie on for the first cast of the morning.

 

When I think about his dedication and commitment, it brings extreme humility – and jumpy tear ducts.

 

Two days ago, here at Lake Champlain, Chris Wellshunted me down on the boat dock while I was interviewing Team Toyota’s Matt Arey at 6:30 a.m.and said, “I don’t mean to interrupt, but I’ve got something special for Guck.”

 

He had seen my post two weeks ago about wanting more decals for my Yeti water jug and brought me his own The Bass Chaplain Chris Wells decal, complete with a smallmouth bass on it.

 

It Made My Day.

 

Cool decals make a Yeti jug look better, but far more importantly, souls like Chris Wells make humans better.

 

I often watch the short sermons he posts from his home on the facebooks, and I Love to hear him pray on the loudspeaker before we play the National Anthem at sunrise minutes prior to tournament blast-off.

 

I remember at Lake Fork, Texas he prayed, “Lord, our world is filled with uncertainty, but we can find peace knowing there is absolutely nothing uncertain about You.”

 

Bam!

 

Simple. Profound. Goosebumps.

 

Thank goodness, he no longer sleeps in his truck, but he dang sure ain’t getting rich out here delivering the word in boat ramp parking lots.

 

A raffle he conducts to win a Free bass boat goes far in providing funding – check it out at www.ChrisWells.org, and follow his page here on facebook too, please.

 

And please know, his own life is not without strife. His wife Pam is battling cancer. Put her in your prayers.

 

Still, he is out here, riding along with pro anglers as a Bassmaster Marshall, sharing the Word, and handing out cool decals to hairy legged flippin and pitchinfools like me.

 

We may have raccoon eye tan lines on our faces, but thanks to “The Bass Chaplain” I believe we’ve got better perspective in our minds and increased accountability in our hearts.

 

Thanks so much for all you do, “Preach.”

 


Schmitt Maintains Lead At Bassmaster Elite Event On Lake Champlain

Bryan Schmitt, of Deale, Md., is leading after Day 3 of the 2021 Guaranteed Rate Bassmaster Elite at Lake Champlain with a three-day total of 62 pounds, 4 ounces.
Photo by Seigo Saito/B.A.S.S.
July 10, 2021

PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. — To hear Bryan Schmitt talk there isn’t a single bass left in Lake Champlain. They’re all gone. Just vanished.

But don’t buy any of it for a second.

The perennially pessimistic Maryland pro caught another big limit Saturday — this time five bass that weighed 19 pounds, 4 ounces — to increase his three-day total to 62-4 and maintain his lead at the Guaranteed Rate Bassmaster Elite at Lake Champlain.

He’ll lead a field of 10 qualifying anglers into Championship Sunday with a chance to claim his first Elite Series victory and a $100,000 first-place prize. But of course, he sounded less than confident about his chances.

“I don’t even know how we got it done today, to be honest with you,” Schmitt said. “Tomorrow’s the day. Whoever catches the big bag tomorrow. It’s still anybody’s tournament.”

Schmitt, who has been either first or second all week long, said he spent Saturday’s semifinal round fishing the same areas he fished the first two days. The areas produced big bites, but Schmitt had big bass break his line twice and he admitted he was starting to feel a bit defeated.

After going to an area where he knew he could catch some small fish “just to calm down,” he revisited more familiar areas and put together the bulk of his weight with largemouth.

“I can’t get my smallmouth to go,” Schmitt said. “Yesterday, they were there but it was too rough to fish for them. Today, they were just gone, not even there. I saw one or two fish on my electronics, but I’m not even sure they were smallmouth because they wouldn’t bite.”

Schmitt’s five-bass limit included three largemouth and two smallmouth. Those two smallies came late in the day after he had abandoned his largemouth pattern.

“I caught a 4-pound largemouth that made me feel a lot better, but I started feeling like my largemouth were just burned,” he said. “So, after I caught that 4-pounder, I went smallmouth fishing and caught two that helped me upgrade.

“I really feel in my heart that the largemouth won’t hold up tomorrow. I need to make the smallmouth bite.”

Schmitt entered the day with a lead of 2 1/2 pounds over his closest competition, and that lead stayed virtually the same as Texas pro Chris Zaldain moved into second place with a three-day total of 59-13 — just 2 pounds, 7 ounces back of Schmitt.

Zaldain stuck with his strategy of targeting small schools of alewives and the big smallmouth that were chasing them. But with the change in weather conditions — from cloudy and overcast the first two days to bright sunshine Saturday — he had a harder time staying on top of his fish.

Noticeably absent for the latter part of the day were the birds that had guided him to those baitfish the first two rounds.

“My bird activity only lasted about 45 minutes today,” Zaldain said. “This is my first time fishing an alewife-driven tournament, but it was kind of what I expected. It’s like a shad spawn down South. Once those clouds disappear, the bait kind of dissipates.”

Even with the short window, bird activity led Zaldain to one mega-school of smallmouth that helped him put most of his weight in the livewell. He said that school was far away from any of the waypoints he marked during practice or the first two days of competition.

Though many anglers had been wishing for sun all week, Zaldain believed the bluebird skies were to blame for a day that wasn’t quite as action-packed as the previous two.

“It hurt my numbers for sure,” he said. “The size is still there. There are still a lot of 3 3/4- to 4 1/4-pounders up there. But when it got slick and sunny, I could see a lot of them on my electronics following my bait that wouldn’t commit.

“With it being sunny, it gives them a lot of time to examine that bait.”

The biggest mover of the day was Texas pro Keith Combs who caught 20-14 and jumped from 16th into third with a three-day mark of 58-10.

Combs, who is known for catching giant largemouth, weighed in a bag of five smallmouth Saturday anchored by a gorgeous 5-pounder that claimed Phoenix Boats Big Bass honors for the day.

“A 5-even is rare on this place, so that was big,” Combs said. “It was a great day, but it was frustrating at the same time because minutes before I caught that 5, I saw another 5 behind my bait that wouldn’t commit to it.

“That stretch had some big ones. I could have had a huge bag.”

Minnesota pro Seth Feider caught 18-7 and stayed in sixth place for a second straight day with 57-9. With his fourth Top 10 of the season now assured, Feider has 697 points in the Bassmaster Angler of the Year race and holds a 50-point lead over South Carolina pro Patrick Walters.

The Top 10 remaining anglers will takeoff for Championship Sunday at 7 a.m. ET from Plattsburgh City Marina. Weigh-in will be held back at the marina at 3 p.m.

Live coverage can be streamed on Bassmaster.com and the FOX Sports digital platforms. FS1 will also broadcast live with the tournament leaders beginning at 8 a.m. ET.

The event is being hosted by the City of Plattsburgh and Adirondack Coast Visitors Bureau.

2021 Guaranteed Rate Bassmaster Elite at Lake Champlain Local Hosts: City of Plattsburgh, Adirondack Coast Visitors Bureau

2021 Guaranteed Rate Bassmaster Elite at Lake Champlain 7/8-7/11
Lake Champlain, Plattsburgh NY.
(PROFESSIONAL) Standings Day 3

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

1. Bryan Schmitt Deale, MD 15 62-04 100
Day 1: 5 21-11 Day 2: 5 21-05 Day 3: 5 19-04
2. Chris Zaldain Fort Worth, TX 15 59-13 99
Day 1: 5 20-11 Day 2: 5 19-11 Day 3: 5 19-07
3. Keith Combs Huntington, TX 15 58-10 98 $1,000.00
Day 1: 5 18-15 Day 2: 5 18-13 Day 3: 5 20-14
4. Patrick Walters Summerville, SC 15 58-08 97
Day 1: 5 18-03 Day 2: 5 20-01 Day 3: 5 20-04
5. Lee Livesay Longview, TX 15 58-04 96
Day 1: 5 20-05 Day 2: 5 20-00 Day 3: 5 17-15
6. Seth Feider New Market, MN 15 57-09 95 $1,000.00
Day 1: 5 19-11 Day 2: 5 19-07 Day 3: 5 18-07
7. Destin DeMarion Grove City, PA 15 57-08 94
Day 1: 5 19-06 Day 2: 5 21-02 Day 3: 5 17-00
8. Austin Felix Eden Prairie, MN 15 57-00 93
Day 1: 5 18-02 Day 2: 5 19-01 Day 3: 5 19-13
9. Justin Hamner Northport, AL 15 57-00 92
Day 1: 5 18-14 Day 2: 5 19-04 Day 3: 5 18-14
10. Caleb Sumrall New Iberia, LA 15 56-13 91
Day 1: 5 18-15 Day 2: 5 20-00 Day 3: 5 17-14
11. Drew Cook Cairo, GA 15 56-12 90 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 19-05 Day 2: 5 19-03 Day 3: 5 18-04
12. Chris Johnston Otonabee Ontario CANADA 15 56-10 89 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 17-01 Day 2: 5 19-06 Day 3: 5 20-03
13. Randy Sullivan Breckenridge, TX 15 56-04 88 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 18-00 Day 2: 5 18-04 Day 3: 5 20-00
14. Jeff Gustafson Keewatin Ontario CANADA 15 56-01 87 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 20-03 Day 2: 5 19-13 Day 3: 5 16-01
15. Carl Jocumsen Queensland AUSTRALIA 15 56-00 86 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 20-05 Day 2: 5 18-04 Day 3: 5 17-07
16. Garrett Paquette Canton, MI 15 55-14 85 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 19-05 Day 2: 5 17-15 Day 3: 5 18-10
17. Luke Palmer Coalgate, OK 15 55-13 84 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 17-09 Day 2: 5 20-09 Day 3: 5 17-11
18. Matt Robertson Kuttawa, KY 15 55-08 83 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 17-11 Day 2: 5 19-01 Day 3: 5 18-12
19. Randy Pierson Oakdale, CA 15 55-04 82 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 21-00 Day 2: 5 17-02 Day 3: 5 17-02
20. John Crews Jr Salem, VA 15 55-01 81 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 19-06 Day 2: 5 17-12 Day 3: 5 17-15
21. Kenta Kimura Osaka JAPAN 15 55-01 80 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 18-01 Day 2: 5 18-05 Day 3: 5 18-11
22. John Cox Debary, FL 15 55-00 79 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 17-06 Day 2: 5 17-07 Day 3: 5 20-03
23. Brandon Lester Fayetteville, TN 15 54-14 78 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 20-01 Day 2: 5 17-09 Day 3: 5 17-04
24. Cody Hollen Beaverton, OR 15 54-10 77 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 16-11 Day 2: 5 18-01 Day 3: 5 19-14
25. Chad Pipkens Dewitt, MI 15 54-01 76 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 19-01 Day 2: 5 16-13 Day 3: 5 18-03
26. Ray Hanselman Jr Del Rio, TX 15 54-01 75 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 17-04 Day 2: 5 18-14 Day 3: 5 17-15
27. KJ Queen Catawba, NC 15 54-00 74 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 18-00 Day 2: 5 19-06 Day 3: 5 16-10
28. Shane LeHew Catawba, NC 15 53-08 73 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 18-11 Day 2: 5 19-07 Day 3: 5 15-06
29. Brandon Palaniuk Rathdrum, ID 15 53-06 72 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 18-09 Day 2: 5 17-09 Day 3: 5 17-04
30. Buddy Gross Chickamauga, GA 15 53-03 71 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 21-13 Day 2: 5 17-00 Day 3: 5 14-06
31. Taku Ito Chiba JAPAN 15 52-13 70 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 20-07 Day 2: 5 17-02 Day 3: 5 15-04
32. Brandon Cobb Greenwood, SC 15 52-12 69 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 16-02 Day 2: 5 19-00 Day 3: 5 17-10
33. Drew Benton Blakely, GA 15 52-02 68 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 15-08 Day 2: 5 19-07 Day 3: 5 17-03
34. Brandon Card Salisbury, NC 15 52-02 67 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 18-05 Day 2: 5 17-13 Day 3: 5 16-00
35. Marc Frazier Newnan, GA 15 51-11 66 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 16-02 Day 2: 5 18-08 Day 3: 5 17-01
36. Micah Frazier Newnan, GA 15 51-05 65 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 19-08 Day 2: 5 17-00 Day 3: 5 14-13
37. Jason Christie Park Hill, OK 15 50-08 64 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 18-04 Day 2: 5 18-00 Day 3: 5 14-04
38. Chad Morgenthaler Reeds Spring, MO 15 50-07 63 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 18-02 Day 2: 5 15-13 Day 3: 5 16-08
39. Gregory DiPalma Millville, NJ 15 50-04 62 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 16-06 Day 2: 5 18-03 Day 3: 5 15-11
40. Bill Weidler Helena, AL 15 49-11 61 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 17-11 Day 2: 5 16-13 Day 3: 5 15-03
41. David Fritts Lexington, NC 15 48-12 60 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 16-12 Day 2: 5 19-07 Day 3: 5 12-09
42. Shane Lineberger Lincolnton, NC 15 48-11 59 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 17-08 Day 2: 5 18-11 Day 3: 5 12-08
43. Matt Arey Shelby, NC 15 48-10 58 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 15-13 Day 2: 5 18-12 Day 3: 5 14-01
44. Frank Talley Temple, TX 13 42-07 57 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 15-13 Day 2: 5 18-14 Day 3: 3 07-12
45. Dale Hightower Mannford, OK 12 40-08 56 $11,000.00
Day 1: 5 19-05 Day 2: 5 15-00 Day 3: 2 06-03
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

PHOENIX BOATS BIG BASS
Day
1 Dale Hightower Mannford, OK 05-15 $1,000.00
2 Seth Feider New Market, MN 05-11 $1,000.00
3 Keith Combs Huntington, TX 05-00 $1,000.00


Zaldain playing hurt

Courtesy of Alan McGuckin - Dynamic Sponsorships

After dropping 19-pounds of Lake Champlain smallmouth on the scales to sit in 3rd place after Day 2 at the Guaranteed Rate Bassmaster Elite, you’d never know that Chris Zaldain is fishing with a terrible ankle sprain.

 

Light rains in the area Wednesday night and early Thursday morning soaked boat carpets and called for anglers to dress in raingear and rubber boots on Day 1 of competition, and that made for soggy and slick conditions inside bass boats.

 

“I stepped down from the back deck after putting a fish in the livewell, and my foot landed right on a pair of wet pliers laying on the floor. And man, in those rubber boots that was like stepping on a greased railroad track,” reflects Zaldain.

 

“I swear my ankle rolled to 90-degrees. My ride along Marshall said it looked horrific -- he thought I broke it, it swelled immediately, he adds.

 

As far as he knows nothing is broken. But it’s a darn good thing Zaldain’s dad had the wisdom to send Chris and his siblings to Emergency Response Team school back in his hometown of San Jose, California, where he learned about CPR, and yes, taping sprained ankles.

 

“Thanks to Dad, I knew how to wrap a support bandage around it. And of course, I’m icing it a ton, and taking Ibuprofen,” he says.

Ironically, Zaldain is staying in a rent home this week owned by a medical pathologist, trained to treat the cause and effect of disease and injuries.

 

So, between his own emergency medical knowledge, that of his renter, and the pain-killing adrenalin of catching fat limits of smallmouth on a flutter spoon, he’ll march on in search of his first Elite Series victory battered …but far from beaten.

 

 


Another Mixed Bag Lifts Schmitt Into Lead In Elite Series Event At Lake Champlain

Bryan Schmitt, of Deale, Md., is leading after Day 2 of the 2021 Guaranteed Rate Bassmaster Elite at Lake Champlain with a two-day total of 43 pounds.
Photo by Seigo Saito/B.A.S.S.
July 9, 2021

PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. — Bryan Schmitt has insisted two days in a row that big smallmouth will be the key this week if he wins the Guaranteed Rate Bassmaster Elite at Lake Champlain.

But he just keeps catching big largemouth.

The second-year Elite Series pro from Deale, Md., caught a five-bass limit Friday that weighed 21 pounds, 5 ounces and moved from second place into the lead with a two-day total of 43-0.

Once again, his bag was anchored by a big largemouth — this time a 4-15.

“I’ve burnt my largies down,” Schmitt said. “I got some lucky bites today. They happened on some places that I like fishing, but I know they were lucky bites.”

One of those lucky bites came late in the day and helped him upgrade into the lead.

“I pulled up on a spot this afternoon and made a cast with a spybait,” he said. “As I was reeling it in, something boiled out beside me and a baitfish jumped out of the water. I cast over there and caught a 4-pound smallmouth.

“That, to me, is very lucky. Little things like that have been happening for me this week.”

Besides good fortune, Schmitt has also benefited from the generosity of fellow Elite Series competitor John Crews.

The Virginia pro and founder of Missile Baits gave Schmitt a “goody bag” that was filled with Quiver Worms in the green pumpkin flash color. Schmitt said both species have been eating the worms when conditions will allow.

The smallmouth he expected to rely on Friday let him down, partly because of wind that blew much harder than it did on Thursday.

“My spot that I caught three big smallmouth off of yesterday, it was very rough and I couldn’t fish it the way I wanted to,” he said. “I still saw them on my (Garmin) LiveScope, but I just couldn’t do it right.

“Tomorrow, if it’s calm, I’m really going to have to make that happen.”

Like every angler in the field, Schmitt is also hoping for more sunshine during Saturday’s semifinal round. He said it would play a big role in making both species of bass more predictable.

“Sunlight and shade position my largemouth,” he said. “These big isolated clumps that I’m fishing, they’re going to be on them instead of roaming all around. It can maybe be better, but we don’t know.

“I've really got to catch some smallmouth tomorrow to keep it going.”

Schmitt can’t afford to slip with Pennsylvania pro Destin DeMarion just behind him in second with 40-8 and Texas pro Chris Zaldain in third with 40-6. Another Texas pro, Lee Livesay, is fourth with 40-5, while Canadian Jeff Gustafson is fifth with 40-0.

DeMarion, who caught 19-6 despite technical difficulties Thursday, got things straightened out and added 21-2 to his total Friday.

“I started where I caught my biggest largemouth yesterday and didn’t really do anything,” DeMarion said. “I started running some other stuff and ended up catching my biggest fish of the day right after I left that spot. I was pretty pumped.”

Though it was his second choice, the spot produced a solid limit of 17 pounds. Then as DeMarion was running new water, he caught enough big largemouth to cull up to his final mark of 21-2.

His bag included three smallmouth in the 4-pound range, one near 3 1/4 and a 5-pound largemouth.

“It was a blast,” he said. “A lot of people are starting with smallmouth and moving in when they see a good spot for largemouth. But I’m kind of bucking the trend and fishing for largemouth first. Then I’m using smallmouth to cull out the smaller largemouth.”

After noticing smallmouth were feeding on giant alewives, Zaldain has been using two of the baits he’s always most dangerous with — a big swimbait and a flutter spoon. They helped him 20-11 Thursday and 19-11 Friday.

“On the third day of practice, I realized they were keyed in on some really big baitfish — and that perked me up,” Zaldain said. “It’s kind of the same thing as Southern swimbait fishing when they’re keyed in on big gizzard shad. It’s the same thing up here with them eating 6- and 7-inch alewives.”

Zaldain said the bass he’s catching aren’t relating to structure. Instead, they’re roaming around chasing baitfish, and he’s using his electronics — plus the tell-tale signs of nature — to stay near them.

“I’ve got waypoints dropped on them, but they’re dropped more for the area than they are for a specific rock or a boulder,” he said. “I see birds working. I see signs of baitfish busting.

“That’s where my waypoints are, but the fish are never in the same area twice.”

The Phoenix Boats Big Bass of the day, a 5-11 largemouth, was caught by Minnesota pro Seth Feider. With a Friday bag of 19-7 Friday, Feider is now in sixth place with a two-day total of 39-2.

With 697 points, Feider now holds a solid lead in the race for Bassmaster Angler of the Year over South Carolina pro Patrick Walters (640) and Oklahoma pro Jason Christie (628). Christie suffered a 2-pound penalty Friday for making a cast with six bass in his livewell.

Feider said he believes he might be one good day away from locking up the title.

“I think if I can catch 19 or 20 pounds tomorrow, it’ll just about be done,” he said. “If I can do that, I think it would take a breakdown or a disqualification or something like that the rest of the way to keep it from happening.

“If it’s meant to be, it’ll be.”

The Top 45 remaining anglers will resume competition Saturday with takeoff scheduled for 7 a.m. ET from Plattsburgh City Marina. Weigh-in will be held back at the marina at 3 p.m.

After Saturday’s round, only the Top 10 pros will advance to Championship Sunday with a chance at the $100,000 first-place prize.

Live coverage for each day of the event can be streamed on Bassmaster.com and the FOX Sports digital platforms. FS1 will also broadcast live with the tournament leaders beginning at 8 a.m. ET on Saturday and Sunday.

The event is being hosted by the City of Plattsburgh and Adirondack Coast Visitors Bureau.

2021 Guaranteed Rate Bassmaster Elite at Lake Champlain Local Hosts: City of Plattsburgh, Adirondack Coast Visitors Bureau

2021 Guaranteed Rate Bassmaster Elite at Lake Champlain 7/8-7/11
Lake Champlain, Plattsburgh NY.
(PROFESSIONAL) Standings Day 2

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

1. Bryan Schmitt Deale, MD 10 43-00 100
Day 1: 5 21-11 Day 2: 5 21-05
2. Destin DeMarion Grove City, PA 10 40-08 99
Day 1: 5 19-06 Day 2: 5 21-02
3. Chris Zaldain Fort Worth, TX 10 40-06 98
Day 1: 5 20-11 Day 2: 5 19-11
4. Lee Livesay Longview, TX 10 40-05 97
Day 1: 5 20-05 Day 2: 5 20-00
5. Jeff Gustafson Keewatin Ontario CANADA 10 40-00 96
Day 1: 5 20-03 Day 2: 5 19-13
6. Seth Feider New Market, MN 10 39-02 95 $1,000.00
Day 1: 5 19-11 Day 2: 5 19-07
7. Caleb Sumrall New Iberia, LA 10 38-15 94
Day 1: 5 18-15 Day 2: 5 20-00
8. Buddy Gross Chickamauga, GA 10 38-13 93
Day 1: 5 21-13 Day 2: 5 17-00
9. Carl Jocumsen Queensland TN AUSTRALIA 10 38-09 92
Day 1: 5 20-05 Day 2: 5 18-04
10. Drew Cook Cairo, GA 10 38-08 91
Day 1: 5 19-05 Day 2: 5 19-03
11. Patrick Walters Summerville, SC 10 38-04 90
Day 1: 5 18-03 Day 2: 5 20-01
12. Randy Pierson Oakdale, CA 10 38-02 89
Day 1: 5 21-00 Day 2: 5 17-02
13. Luke Palmer Coalgate, OK 10 38-02 88
Day 1: 5 17-09 Day 2: 5 20-09
14. Shane LeHew Catawba, NC 10 38-02 87
Day 1: 5 18-11 Day 2: 5 19-07
15. Justin Hamner Northport, AL 10 38-02 86
Day 1: 5 18-14 Day 2: 5 19-04
16. Keith Combs Huntington, TX 10 37-12 85
Day 1: 5 18-15 Day 2: 5 18-13
17. Brandon Lester Fayetteville, TN 10 37-10 84
Day 1: 5 20-01 Day 2: 5 17-09
18. Taku Ito Chiba 277-0862 JAPAN 10 37-09 83
Day 1: 5 20-07 Day 2: 5 17-02
19. KJ Queen Catawba, NC 10 37-06 82
Day 1: 5 18-00 Day 2: 5 19-06
20. Garrett Paquette Canton, MI 10 37-04 81
Day 1: 5 19-05 Day 2: 5 17-15
21. Austin Felix Eden Prairie, MN 10 37-03 80
Day 1: 5 18-02 Day 2: 5 19-01
22. John Crews Jr Salem, VA 10 37-02 79
Day 1: 5 19-06 Day 2: 5 17-12
23. Matt Robertson Kuttawa, KY 10 36-12 78
Day 1: 5 17-11 Day 2: 5 19-01
24. Micah Frazier Newnan, GA 10 36-08 77
Day 1: 5 19-08 Day 2: 5 17-00
25. Chris Johnston Otonabee Ontario CANADA 10 36-07 76
Day 1: 5 17-01 Day 2: 5 19-06
26. Kenta Kimura Osaka OK JAPAN 10 36-06 75
Day 1: 5 18-01 Day 2: 5 18-05
27. Jason Christie Park Hill, OK 10 36-04 74
Day 1: 5 18-04 Day 2: 5 18-00
27. Randy Sullivan Breckenridge, TX 10 36-04 74
Day 1: 5 18-00 Day 2: 5 18-04
29. David Fritts Lexington, NC 10 36-03 72
Day 1: 5 16-12 Day 2: 5 19-07
30. Shane Lineberger Lincolnton, NC 10 36-03 71
Day 1: 5 17-08 Day 2: 5 18-11
31. Ray Hanselman Jr Del Rio, TX 10 36-02 70
Day 1: 5 17-04 Day 2: 5 18-14
32. Brandon Palaniuk Rathdrum, ID 10 36-02 69
Day 1: 5 18-09 Day 2: 5 17-09
33. Brandon Card Salisbury, NC 10 36-02 68
Day 1: 5 18-05 Day 2: 5 17-13
34. Chad Pipkens Dewitt, MI 10 35-14 67
Day 1: 5 19-01 Day 2: 5 16-13
35. Brandon Cobb Greenwood, SC 10 35-02 66
Day 1: 5 16-02 Day 2: 5 19-00
36. Drew Benton Blakely, GA 10 34-15 65
Day 1: 5 15-08 Day 2: 5 19-07
37. John Cox Debary, FL 10 34-13 64
Day 1: 5 17-06 Day 2: 5 17-07
38. Cody Hollen Beaverton, OR 10 34-12 63
Day 1: 5 16-11 Day 2: 5 18-01
39. Frank Talley Temple, TX 10 34-11 62
Day 1: 5 15-13 Day 2: 5 18-14
40. Marc Frazier Newnan, GA 10 34-10 61
Day 1: 5 16-02 Day 2: 5 18-08
41. Matt Arey Shelby, NC 10 34-09 60
Day 1: 5 15-13 Day 2: 5 18-12
42. Gregory DiPalma Millville, NJ 10 34-09 59
Day 1: 5 16-06 Day 2: 5 18-03
43. Bill Weidler Helena, AL 10 34-08 58
Day 1: 5 17-11 Day 2: 5 16-13
44. Dale Hightower Mannford, OK 10 34-05 57 $1,000.00
Day 1: 5 19-05 Day 2: 5 15-00
45. Chad Morgenthaler Reeds Spring, MO 10 33-15 56
Day 1: 5 18-02 Day 2: 5 15-13
46. Greg Hackney Gonzales, LA 10 33-15 55 $5,000.00
Day 1: 5 17-09 Day 2: 5 16-06
47. Ed Loughran III Richmond, VA 10 33-13 54 $5,000.00
Day 1: 5 16-09 Day 2: 5 17-04
48. Cory Johnston Cavan CANADA 10 33-12 53 $5,000.00
Day 1: 5 17-11 Day 2: 5 16-01
49. Chris Groh Spring Grove, IL 10 33-10 52 $5,000.00
Day 1: 5 18-09 Day 2: 5 15-01
50. Scott Canterbury Odenville, AL 10 33-10 51 $5,000.00
Day 1: 5 17-11 Day 2: 5 15-15
51. Wes Logan Springville, AL 10 33-09 50 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 16-09 Day 2: 5 17-00
52. Clark Wendlandt Leander, TX 10 33-08 49 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 14-14 Day 2: 5 18-10
53. Matt Herren Ashville, AL 10 33-08 48 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 15-02 Day 2: 5 18-06
54. Joshua Stracner Vandiver, AL 10 33-07 47 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 16-03 Day 2: 5 17-04
55. Mike Huff London, KY 10 33-06 46 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 16-05 Day 2: 5 17-01
56. Jake Whitaker Fairview, NC 10 33-05 45 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 17-09 Day 2: 5 15-12
57. Darold Gleason Many, LA 10 33-04 44 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 18-08 Day 2: 5 14-12
58. Cliff Prince Palatka, FL 10 33-03 43 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 17-03 Day 2: 5 16-00
59. Bryan New Belmont, NC 10 33-02 42 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 13-07 Day 2: 5 19-11
60. Hunter Shryock Ooltewah, TN 10 33-02 41 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 17-03 Day 2: 5 15-15
61. Pat Schlapper Eleva, WI 10 33-02 40 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 16-09 Day 2: 5 16-09
62. Brock Mosley Collinsville, MS 10 32-15 39 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 16-08 Day 2: 5 16-07
63. Steve Kennedy Auburn, AL 10 32-14 38 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 18-08 Day 2: 5 14-06
64. Gerald Swindle Guntersville, AL 10 32-11 37 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 17-09 Day 2: 5 15-02
65. Brian Snowden Reeds Spring, MO 10 32-11 36 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 15-15 Day 2: 5 16-12
66. David Mullins Mt Carmel, TN 10 32-07 35 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 15-02 Day 2: 5 17-05
67. Caleb Kuphall Mukwonago, WI 10 32-07 34 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 17-03 Day 2: 5 15-04
68. Bill Lowen Brookville, IN 10 32-07 33 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 16-12 Day 2: 5 15-11
69. Hank Cherry Jr Lincolnton, NC 10 32-04 32 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 14-13 Day 2: 5 17-07
70. Skylar Hamilton Dandridge, TN 10 32-03 31 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 16-04 Day 2: 5 15-15
71. Paul Mueller Naugatuck, CT 10 32-00 30 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 18-02 Day 2: 5 13-14
72. Brad Whatley Bivins, TX 10 32-00 29 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 18-01 Day 2: 5 13-15
73. Jamie Hartman Newport, NY 10 32-00 28 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 17-02 Day 2: 5 14-14
74. Todd Auten Lake Wylie, SC 10 32-00 27 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 16-14 Day 2: 5 15-02
75. Kelley Jaye Dadeville, AL 10 31-09 26 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 17-02 Day 2: 5 14-07
76. Clifford Pirch Payson, AZ 10 31-09 25
Day 1: 5 15-03 Day 2: 5 16-06
77. Stetson Blaylock Benton, AR 10 31-07 24
Day 1: 5 14-01 Day 2: 5 17-06
78. Koby Kreiger Alva, FL 10 31-04 23
Day 1: 5 14-07 Day 2: 5 16-13
79. Mark Menendez Paducah, KY 10 31-02 22
Day 1: 5 17-07 Day 2: 5 13-11
80. Bob Downey Hudson, WI 10 31-00 21
Day 1: 5 17-06 Day 2: 5 13-10
81. Jason Williamson Wagener, SC 10 30-12 20
Day 1: 5 17-03 Day 2: 5 13-09
82. Rick Clunn Ava, MO 10 30-05 19
Day 1: 5 14-10 Day 2: 5 15-11
83. Tyler Rivet Raceland, LA 10 30-02 18
Day 1: 5 14-13 Day 2: 5 15-05
84. Justin Atkins Florence, AL 10 30-00 17
Day 1: 5 19-10 Day 2: 5 10-06
85. Kyle Welcher Opelika, AL 10 29-10 16
Day 1: 5 16-12 Day 2: 5 12-14
86. Rob Digh Denver, NC 10 29-07 15
Day 1: 5 14-13 Day 2: 5 14-10
87. Scott Martin Clewiston, FL 10 28-03 14
Day 1: 5 16-11 Day 2: 5 11-08
88. Kyle Monti Okeechobee, FL 10 26-15 13
Day 1: 5 12-14 Day 2: 5 14-01
89. Robbie Latuso Gonzales, LA 10 26-13 12
Day 1: 5 12-02 Day 2: 5 14-11
90. Yusuke Miyazaki Forney, TX 10 26-01 11
Day 1: 5 13-07 Day 2: 5 12-10
91. Harvey Horne Bella Vista, AR 10 24-15 10
Day 1: 5 13-14 Day 2: 5 11-01
92. Bernie Schultz Gainesville, FL 10 24-15 9
Day 1: 5 13-12 Day 2: 5 11-03
93. Jay Yelas Lincoln City, OR 10 22-10 8
Day 1: 5 17-12 Day 2: 5 04-14
94. Derek Hudnall Denham Springs, LA 5 16-11 7
Day 1: 5 16-11 Day 2: 0 00-00
95. Quentin Cappo Prairieville, LA 7 16-04 6
Day 1: 2 05-01 Day 2: 5 11-03
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

PHOENIX BOATS BIG BASS
Day
1 Dale Hightower Mannford, OK 05-15 $1,000.00
2 Seth Feider New Market, MN 05-11 $1,000.00


Critical Decisions Likely To Impact Bassmaster Elite Series Event On St. Lawrence River

Waddington, N.Y., will host the 2021 Farmers Insurance Bassmaster Elite at St. Lawrence River July 15-18.

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

July 9, 2021

WADDINGTON, N.Y. — Chris Johnston will soon return to the site of his historic 2020 victory, but he and the rest of the field will face a different scenario for this year's Farmers Insurance Bassmaster Elite at St. Lawrence River.

Competition days will be July 15-18 with daily takeoffs from Whittaker Park at 7 a.m. ET and weigh-ins each day at the park at 3 p.m.

Etching his name in the B.A.S.S. record book, Johnston caught a four-day total of 97 pounds, 8 ounces at last year’s event and became the first Canadian to win an Elite trophy. While he’s expecting a productive event, the pro from Peterborough, Ontario, points to a couple of requisite considerations.

“The smallmouth are going to be catchable deep and shallow,” Johnston said two weeks before the tournament’s start. “Our fish only get a short (seasonal) window to feed. They’re spawning right now and when they come off the beds, they’re going to be gorging themselves.

“In the river, fish spawn in up to 20 feet of water and some of those fish never go shallow. Those fish can spawn out in 20 feet and the next day they can be out in 40. Some fish live deep year-round, some live shallow; so this tournament is going to have a lot of options.”

Noting the region experienced a relatively warm spring, Johnston said he expects most bass to be in the postspawn stage. Last year’s event was held a week later, but Johnston believes competitors will find a nearly identical scenario.

Regarding game plans, Johnston said this year’s X factor will be Lake Ontario. Same as 2020, tournament waters include the easternmost Great Lake, but it’s a much farther run this time.

In 2020, anglers launched out of Clayton, N.Y., literally at the river’s mouth. Waddington — the host site for the 2017-19 events — sits about 65 miles upstream, so anglers must carefully weigh their location strategies.

“You’re an hour and a half from the mouth, then it depends on how far you want to go (into Lake Ontario),” Johnston said. “You’ll need to get gas going out and coming back in.

“The big thing about the lake is if you get big winds, it can kill (your productivity). I’ll be surprised if anyone can do it for four days in a row. Someone might get two good days in the lake and then need two in the river, but to put all your eggs in one basket and say you’re going to the lake four days is too much of a gamble.”

With far less running time in 2020, Johnston spent four days on Lake Ontario. He’ll likely spend at least part of this year’s event there because the region’s hydrology creates the potential for better quality fish.

Summarily, Lake Superior drains into Lake Huron via the St. Marys River, with Huron sending its water to Lake Erie via the St. Clair and Detroit Rivers (passing through Lake St. Clair). With Erie draining into Ontario via the Niagara River, a massive volume of water flows to the Atlantic Ocean through the St. Lawrence River.

When Lake Ontario enters the northeast-flowing St. Lawrence, all that lake current becomes constricted and accelerates over its 744-mile course to the Atlantic Ocean. Spending their lives fighting current, river fish burn more calories than lake fish. But while that explains why fish over 4 pounds are more common in Lake Ontario, you still have to make them bite.

“A couple of people are going to catch them, but a lot of people are going to strike out,” Johnston said. “It can still be won in the river; you can catch 25 pounds any day.

“Personally, I think the fish in the lake get less pressure and I think there are some big ones grouped up. But you’re only going to get to fish for three or four hours out there, so you've got to be on ’em really good.”

This final 2021 Elite event stands unique from the previous eight in that the winner earns an automatic berth into the 2022 Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic presented by Huk, which is scheduled for March 4-6 on Lake Hartwell. Points earned at the St. Lawrence could help a few anglers qualify for the sport’s grandest event, but as Johnston points out, what’s on the line could influence strategic decisions.

“There will probably be a lot of guys who are outside the Classic (qualification) in Angler of the Year points and this tournament will be their last chance to be in the Classic,” Johnston said. “A lot of those people are probably going to say, ‘There’s so many big fish in the lake, I’m just going to gamble and go for a win.’

“The river’s a safer bet for numbers of fish, but if they get a Top 30 in the river, it’s not going to get them into the Classic.”

Those that stay in the St. Lawrence typically target main-river humps, sunken islands and rock/sand transitions in 20 to 40 feet with drop shots, Ned rigs and Carolina rigs. Anglers fishing shallow will throw jerkbaits, spinnerbaits, jigs and drop shots. In the lake, most will target isolated rocks with drop shots, Ned rigs and tubes.

Johnston said he expects three daily bags of 19 to 20 pounds to make the Top 10 cut. Considering travel to Lake Ontario will greatly reduce fishing time, he’s looking for a winning four-day total in the mid-80s.

Live coverage for all four days of the event can be streamed on Bassmaster.com and the FOX Sports digital platforms. FS1 will also broadcast live with the tournament leaders beginning at 8 a.m. ET on Saturday and Sunday.

The Bassmaster Elite at St. Lawrence River is being hosted by the Village of Waddington and St. Lawrence County Chamber of Commerce. This tournament is supported by a Market New York grant from I LOVE NY/New York State’s Division of Tourism awarded as part of the Regional Economic Development Council initiative. The tournament and all associated festivities are being planned to ensure the safety of anglers, marshals, staff and fans.


B. Lester: When God made bass lakes

Courtesy of Alan McGuckin - Dynamic Sponsorships

Brandon Lester is an All-American guy. He’ll drink a beer with a buddy, loves to pick his guitar, and when he’s not competing in a Bassmaster Elite Series event, he’s fishing with his best friends around home in Southcentral Tennessee.

 

But make no mistake, the cornerstones of his life are faith and family. And he’s pretty sure God gave special attention to the creation of Lake Champlain when He was carving out bass fisheries.

 

Lester dropped another 20-pound limit of Champlain bass on the scales Thursday to sit solidly inside the Top 10 and told onlookers from the weigh-in stage, “When God was making bass fishing lakes, He made this one first.”

 

And he meant it.

 

“I used to get asked what my favorite bass lake was, and I’d say I didn’t have one, that my job was to like all of them in order to make a living. But after my first trip to Champlain, when Aaron Martens won here in 2017, I knew this was my clear favorite,” says Lester.

 

The easy-going Tennessee pro’s opinion certainly remained unchanged after Thursday’s weigh-in when he showed off a mixed bag of healthy smallmouth complimented by a fat largemouth as his anchor fish.

 

Champlain’s bass read Bassmaster Magazine  

 

“Every time I’ve come here it seems like you can catch bass however you like to most. I’ve literally caught them from 2-feet deep to 45-feet deep. And unlike most of the places we go, they actually pattern here the way Bassmaster Magazine says bass are supposed to behave,” he laughs. “When you see a spot here that looks like it should have a bass living on it, it usually does.”

 

Play the wind

 

Champlain has a rough reputation for dangerous waves when the wind blows. But Lester says if you’ll use common sense, play close attention to the forecast, and choose a launch ramp accordingly, there’s so many bass here you should never have to run far from a wind-protected area to have a safe and memorable day.

 

Lester’s 5 All Time favorite lures for Lake Champlain

 

In no particular order: Drop shot, Ned rig, Topwater walking lure, ½-ounce jig to pitch to submerged vegetation, and a 3.5” soft swimbait.

 

As for Lester’s second favorite lake

 

“I live three hours from legendary Dale Hollow, and it definitely has huge smallmouth in it, but man, my second favorite bass fishery in America would have to be the St. Lawrence River. I absolutely love to catch smallmouth, and the St. Lawrence is unmatched for overall size and quantity,” concludes Lester with a grin, knowing the Elite Series is headed there next week.

 

 


Gross Hobbles To Day 1 Lead At Bassmaster Elite Series Event On Lake Champlain

Buddy Gross, of Chickamauga, Ga., is leading after Day 1 of the 2021 Guaranteed Rate Bassmaster Elite at Lake Champlain with 21 pounds, 13 ounces.
Photo by Seigo Saito/B.A.S.S.
July 8, 2021

Gross Hobbles To Day 1 Lead At Bassmaster Elite Series Event On Lake Champlain

PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. — This time last month, Buddy Gross was struggling to walk after suffering a freak ankle injury while horseback riding.

His right ankle is still grotesquely swollen, but it didn’t slow him down on the water Thursday as he caught five bass that weighed 21 pounds, 13 ounces to take the opening-round lead in the Guaranteed Rate Bassmaster Elite at Lake Champlain.

“I made some good calls today,” said Gross, who weighed in four largemouth and one smallmouth. “I hit some stuff that I’d hit before and managed to catch a few.

“I had two smallmouth in my bag for the biggest part of my day, but I stopped on one more spot on the way in and caught another 4-pound largemouth to cull one of those fish.”

With three days left before the tournament is done, Gross didn’t go into specifics about where and how he was catching either species. But he did say he only hit about three of the 30 places he found to fish for largemouth during practice.

He had all but one of the bass he weighed in by noon.

“I’ve got a bunch of stuff left to fish, but that doesn’t mean it’s going to be good,” said Gross, who picked up his first career Elite Series victory last year on Alabama’s Lake Eufaula. “They weren’t there like I expected them to be for most of practice, but they seem to be showing up now.

“If I can make it to Saturday when the sun is supposed to come out, I think it could be really good.”

As for the injured right ankle that dogged him during a 52nd-place finish at last month’s Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic presented by Huk on Lake Ray Roberts, Gross said it is just a matter of being careful.

“If I hit it just wrong in the boat, it still sends a sharp pain,” he said. “It’s still swollen really badly. I know I need to see a specialist, but right now I just want to fish.”

Gross holds less than a 1-pound lead over second-place pro Bryan Schmitt of Maryland (21-11) and third-place angler Randy Pierson of California (21-0).

Unlike Gross who focused mainly on largemouth, Schmitt targeted smallmouth most of the day. But he switched occasionally to largemouth when he was near the right type of habitat, and it was a decision that paid big dividends.

“I sampled a bunch of stuff I thought I could get a bite on early,” Schmitt said. “Some of it worked, some didn’t. Then about 11 o’clock, I ran some new stuff and caught a couple of big smallmouth and a couple of big largemouth.

“I probably caught 20 or so fish, but a lot of small ones.”

Schmitt said he fished roughly half the areas he identified as good possibilities in practice. Then with a good limit already in his livewell, he spent about an hour idling and looking for new water before weigh-in.

While he admitted 4-pound-plus largemouth are hard to come by on Champlain, he said the talk that 4-plus smallmouth are hard to find is false.

“I caught three of them today, and I don’t even know what I’m doing,” Schmitt said. “There’s a lot more big smallmouth in here than largemouth.”

Pierson, the 2018 B.A.S.S. Nation Championship winner, weighed in all largemouth, but that wasn’t necessarily his plan. He spent his day targeting smallmouth and then switching tactics when he saw something he said looked “largemouthy.”

“I’m pretty much throwing four baits,” Pierson said. “I’m throwing a Senko, a drop shot, a River2Sea S-Waver and a River2Sea Rover. It was just a matter of bouncing around through smallmouth stuff and moving shallow when things looked right for largemouth.

“Everything just went exactly right. It was a special day.”

Nine anglers caught more than 20 pounds of bass Thursday, and Minnesota pro Seth Feider barely missed that benchmark, finishing in 10th place with 19-11.

That total was more than enough to help Feider maintain his lead in the Bassmaster Angler of the Year standings. The Minnesota pro, who was visibly nervous for the first 30 minutes on Bassmaster LIVE, has 693 points, while Oklahoma pro Jason Christie (627) and South Carolina pro Patrick Walters (622) trail distantly behind him.

“I feel a lot better now than I did this morning,” Feider said. “I scrapped my plan to fish for smallmouth right away. I gave it maybe an hour and just wasn’t feeling it.”

That’s when he switched to flipping for largemouth.

“When I decided to go flip milfoil, I caught one the first five minutes,” he said. “It wasn’t a big one, about 3 1/2 pounds. But at that point, I knew I was gonna do it the rest of the day and that made me feel a lot better.”

Oklahoma pro Dale Hightower took in the lead in the race for Phoenix Boats Big Bass with a 5-15.

Competition will resume Friday with takeoff scheduled for 7 a.m. ET from Plattsburgh City Marina. Weigh-in will be held back at the marina at 3 p.m.

After Friday’s round, only the Top 45 pros will advance to Saturday’s semifinal round.

Live coverage for each day of the event can be streamed on Bassmaster.com and the FOX Sports digital platforms. FS1 will also broadcast live with the tournament leaders beginning at 8 a.m. ET on Saturday and Sunday.

The Guaranteed Rate Bassmaster Elite at Lake Champlain is being hosted by the City of Plattsburgh and Adirondack Coast Visitors Bureau.

2021 Guaranteed Rate Bassmaster Elite at Lake Champlain 7/8-7/11
Lake Champlain, Plattsburgh NY.
(PROFESSIONAL) Standings Day 1

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

1. Buddy Gross Chickamauga, GA 5 21-13 100
Day 1: 5 21-13
2. Bryan Schmitt Deale, MD 5 21-11 99
Day 1: 5 21-11
3. Randy Pierson Oakdale, CA 5 21-00 98
Day 1: 5 21-00
4. Chris Zaldain Fort Worth, TX 5 20-11 97
Day 1: 5 20-11
5. Taku Ito Chiba JAPAN 5 20-07 96
Day 1: 5 20-07
6. Carl Jocumsen Queensland AUSTRALIA 5 20-05 95
Day 1: 5 20-05
6. Lee Livesay Longview, TX 5 20-05 95
Day 1: 5 20-05
8. Jeff Gustafson Keewatin Ontario CANADA 5 20-03 93
Day 1: 5 20-03
9. Brandon Lester Fayetteville, TN 5 20-01 92
Day 1: 5 20-01
10. Seth Feider New Market, MN 5 19-11 91
Day 1: 5 19-11
11. Justin Atkins Florence, AL 5 19-10 90
Day 1: 5 19-10
12. Micah Frazier Newnan, GA 5 19-08 89
Day 1: 5 19-08
13. John Crews Jr Salem, VA 5 19-06 88
Day 1: 5 19-06
13. Destin DeMarion Grove City, PA 5 19-06 88
Day 1: 5 19-06
15. Drew Cook Cairo, GA 5 19-05 86
Day 1: 5 19-05
15. Dale Hightower Mannford, OK 5 19-05 86
Day 1: 5 19-05
15. Garrett Paquette Canton, MI 5 19-05 86
Day 1: 5 19-05
18. Chad Pipkens Dewitt, MI 5 19-01 83
Day 1: 5 19-01
19. Keith Combs Huntington, TX 5 18-15 82
Day 1: 5 18-15
19. Caleb Sumrall New Iberia, LA 5 18-15 82
Day 1: 5 18-15
21. Justin Hamner Northport, AL 5 18-14 80
Day 1: 5 18-14
22. Shane LeHew Catawba, NC 5 18-11 79
Day 1: 5 18-11
23. Chris Groh Spring Grove, IL 5 18-09 78
Day 1: 5 18-09
23. Brandon Palaniuk Rathdrum, ID 5 18-09 78
Day 1: 5 18-09
25. Darold Gleason Many, LA 5 18-08 76
Day 1: 5 18-08
25. Steve Kennedy Auburn, AL 5 18-08 76
Day 1: 5 18-08
27. Brandon Card Salisbury, NC 5 18-05 74
Day 1: 5 18-05
28. Jason Christie Park Hill, OK 5 18-04 73
Day 1: 5 18-04
29. Patrick Walters Summerville, SC 5 18-03 72
Day 1: 5 18-03
30. Austin Felix Eden Prairie, MN 5 18-02 71
Day 1: 5 18-02
30. Chad Morgenthaler Reeds Spring, MO 5 18-02 71
Day 1: 5 18-02
30. Paul Mueller Naugatuck, CT 5 18-02 71
Day 1: 5 18-02
33. Kenta Kimura Osaka JAPAN 5 18-01 68
Day 1: 5 18-01
33. Brad Whatley Bivins, TX 5 18-01 68
Day 1: 5 18-01
35. KJ Queen Catawba, NC 5 18-00 66
Day 1: 5 18-00
35. Randy Sullivan Breckenridge, TX 5 18-00 66
Day 1: 5 18-00
37. Jay Yelas Lincoln City, OR 5 17-12 64
Day 1: 5 17-12
38. Scott Canterbury Odenville, AL 5 17-11 63
Day 1: 5 17-11
38. Cory Johnston Cavan CANADA 5 17-11 63
Day 1: 5 17-11
38. Matt Robertson Kuttawa, KY 5 17-11 63
Day 1: 5 17-11
38. Bill Weidler Helena, AL 5 17-11 63
Day 1: 5 17-11
42. Greg Hackney Gonzales, LA 5 17-09 59
Day 1: 5 17-09
42. Luke Palmer Coalgate, OK 5 17-09 59
Day 1: 5 17-09
42. Gerald Swindle Guntersville, AL 5 17-09 59
Day 1: 5 17-09
42. Jake Whitaker Fairview, NC 5 17-09 59
Day 1: 5 17-09
46. Shane Lineberger Lincolnton, NC 5 17-08 55
Day 1: 5 17-08
47. Mark Menendez Paducah, KY 5 17-07 54
Day 1: 5 17-07
48. John Cox Debary, FL 5 17-06 53
Day 1: 5 17-06
48. Bob Downey Hudson, WI 5 17-06 53
Day 1: 5 17-06
50. Ray Hanselman Jr Del Rio, TX 5 17-04 51
Day 1: 5 17-04
51. Caleb Kuphall Mukwonago, WI 5 17-03 50
Day 1: 5 17-03
51. Cliff Prince Palatka, FL 5 17-03 50
Day 1: 5 17-03
51. Hunter Shryock Ooltewah, TN 5 17-03 50
Day 1: 5 17-03
51. Jason Williamson Wagener, SC 5 17-03 50
Day 1: 5 17-03
55. Jamie Hartman Newport, NY 5 17-02 46
Day 1: 5 17-02
55. Kelley Jaye Dadeville, AL 5 17-02 46
Day 1: 5 17-02
57. Chris Johnston Otonabee Ontario CANADA 5 17-01 44
Day 1: 5 17-01
58. Todd Auten Lake Wylie, SC 5 16-14 43
Day 1: 5 16-14
59. David Fritts Lexington, NC 5 16-12 42
Day 1: 5 16-12
59. Bill Lowen Brookville, IN 5 16-12 42
Day 1: 5 16-12
59. Kyle Welcher Opelika, AL 5 16-12 42
Day 1: 5 16-12
62. Cody Hollen Beaverton, OR 5 16-11 39
Day 1: 5 16-11
62. Derek Hudnall Denham Springs, LA 5 16-11 39
Day 1: 5 16-11
62. Scott Martin Clewiston, FL 5 16-11 39
Day 1: 5 16-11
65. Wes Logan Springville, AL 5 16-09 36
Day 1: 5 16-09
65. Ed Loughran III Richmond, VA 5 16-09 36
Day 1: 5 16-09
65. Pat Schlapper Eleva, WI 5 16-09 36
Day 1: 5 16-09
68. Brock Mosley Collinsville, MS 5 16-08 33
Day 1: 5 16-08
69. Gregory DiPalma Millville, NJ 5 16-06 32
Day 1: 5 16-06
70. Mike Huff London, KY 5 16-05 31
Day 1: 5 16-05
71. Skylar Hamilton Dandridge, TN 5 16-04 30
Day 1: 5 16-04
72. Joshua Stracner Vandiver, AL 5 16-03 29
Day 1: 5 16-03
73. Brandon Cobb Greenwood, SC 5 16-02 28
Day 1: 5 16-02
73. Marc Frazier Newnan, GA 5 16-02 28
Day 1: 5 16-02
75. Brian Snowden Reeds Spring, MO 5 15-15 26
Day 1: 5 15-15
76. Matt Arey Shelby, NC 5 15-13 25
Day 1: 5 15-13
76. Frank Talley Temple, TX 5 15-13 25
Day 1: 5 15-13
78. Drew Benton Blakely, GA 5 15-08 23
Day 1: 5 15-08
79. Clifford Pirch Payson, AZ 5 15-03 22
Day 1: 5 15-03
80. Matt Herren Ashville, AL 5 15-02 21
Day 1: 5 15-02
80. David Mullins Mt Carmel, TN 5 15-02 21
Day 1: 5 15-02
82. Clark Wendlandt Leander, TX 5 14-14 19
Day 1: 5 14-14
83. Hank Cherry Jr Lincolnton, NC 5 14-13 18
Day 1: 5 14-13
83. Rob Digh Denver, NC 5 14-13 18
Day 1: 5 14-13
83. Tyler Rivet Raceland, LA 5 14-13 18
Day 1: 5 14-13
86. Rick Clunn Ava, MO 5 14-10 15
Day 1: 5 14-10
87. Koby Kreiger Alva, FL 5 14-07 14
Day 1: 5 14-07
88. Stetson Blaylock Benton, AR 5 14-01 13
Day 1: 5 14-01
89. Harvey Horne Bella Vista, AR 5 13-14 12
Day 1: 5 13-14
90. Bernie Schultz Gainesville, FL 5 13-12 11
Day 1: 5 13-12
91. Yusuke Miyazaki Forney, TX 5 13-07 10
Day 1: 5 13-07
91. Bryan New Belmont, NC 5 13-07 10
Day 1: 5 13-07
93. Kyle Monti Okeechobee, FL 5 12-14 8
Day 1: 5 12-14
94. Robbie Latuso Gonzales, LA 5 12-02 7
Day 1: 5 12-02
95. Quentin Cappo Prairieville, LA 2 05-01 6
Day 1: 2 05-01
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

PHOENIX BOATS BIG BASS
Day
1 Dale Hightower Mannford, OK 05-15 $1,0000.00


Zaldain knows smallmouth love pink

Courtesy of Alan McGuckin - Dynamic Sponsorships

 

Chartreuse, green pumpkin, red craw, sexy shad, and black-blue will probably always be the top sellers on bass fishing’s menu of popular lure colors, but every once in a while, a special shade sneaks in and appeals to the appetites of the finicky finned critters we chase.

 

Pink is one of those – especially anytime clearwater and smallmouth bass are involved like here at Lake Champlain -- and Carhartt-Yamaha pro Chris Zaldain is very aware of that.

 

“Yup, everybody knows I’m going to have a Magdraft swimbait tied on everywhere we go, but this is one body of water where the pink version can be a player,” grins Zaldain.

 

Interestingly, other than putting pink in his starting line-up, when it comes to basic swimbait strategy, Zaldain doesn’t treat this northern body of water near the Canadian border much different than the famous swimbait waters of the Southern U.S. such as Guntersville or Lake Fork.

 

In fact, his primary goal Thursday to begin competition was to find schools of the biggest alewife baitfish that swim in this massive body of water on the New York-Vermont border.

 

Seagulls and other diving birds often provide a hot tip on where to find the bait, but for Zaldain, the key is finding jumbo sized bait. “Big bass eat big baits. Some of the best fish I caught in practice were coughing up 6” long alewives, so that’s what I’m trying to match with this 6” swimbait.”

 

Classic thinking for the always classy San Jose, California native who now calls Fort Worth, Texas home. Go big or go home. And this week, don’t be afraid to put some pink in the mix.


FOX Sports Expands Bassmaster Event Coverage Amid Booming Interest

Nearly two million viewers watched live coverage of Hank Cherry's historic win in the 2021 Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic presented by Huk on the FOX broadcast network and FS1.

July 8, 2021

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Amid healthy ratings and booming interest in Bassmaster Elite Series live coverage on FS1, B.A.S.S. and FOX Sports have expanded their planned broadcasts to include three Basspro.com Bassmaster Opens Series tournaments and the revived Yamaha Bassmaster Redfish Cup Championship presented by Skeeter.

Since starting the 2021 Bassmaster Elite Series season on the FOX Sports networks, more than 4.5 million viewers have tuned-in for tournament action. Through the first seven events of the Elite Series season, fans have watched and streamed a staggering 358.5 million minutes of Bassmaster LIVE and weigh-in coverage, while also breaking single-day Elite event records for visits and video views.

“Participation in fishing is at an all-time high and that’s reflected in the huge appetite we’re seeing for live fishing,” said B.A.S.S. CEO Bruce Akin. “Our partnership with FOX Sports has allowed us to showcase the highest level of bass fishing in the Bassmaster Elite Series. Now we are thrilled to highlight the stars of the future with Opens coverage as well as exciting saltwater fishing!”

The announcement of additional programming comes just weeks after the iconic Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic presented by Huk reeled in nearly 2 million viewers to the FOX broadcast network and FS1 for eight hours of live coverage during the Super Bowl of Bass Fishing. The partnership has allowed B.A.S.S. to continue reaching new audiences, and almost 1.3 million people who watched Saturday Bassmaster LIVE coverage on FOX had not previously watched an Elite Series event on FS1.

Elite Series invitations as well as the Falcon Rods Angler of the Year title will be on the line when FS1 broadcasts live coverage of Championship Saturday from the divisional finals of the Bassmaster Opens Series. Fans can catch on-the-water action Sept. 11 at St. Lawrence River/1000 Islands in Clayton, N.Y. (Northern Division), Sept. 25 at Lake Norman in Charlotte, N.C. (Southern Division), and Oct. 23 at Grand Lake in Grove, Okla. (Central Division).

After a 12-year hiatus, the Yamaha Bassmaster Redfish Cup Championship presented by Skeeter will be held Nov. 12-14 in Port Aransas, Texas. FS1 will air seven hours of action across Nov. 13-14 as 10 teams target this powerful predator fish that reside in brackish water marshes and often reach weights of more than 40 pounds.

“With two Elite Series events to go in 2021, it continues to be a great first year with Bassmaster,” said Bill Wanger, FOX Sports EVP, Head of Programming & Scheduling. “We are excited to expand our programming and start to build on that momentum.”

For a full schedule of upcoming Bassmaster event coverage on the FOX Sports networks, visit Bassmaster.com/tv-schedule.


Champlain Elite: Lobster Mac and Cheese, please

Courtesy of Alan McGuckin - Dynamic Sponsorships

Pros may not be able to count on the nomadic smallmouth bass they found in practice staying put at the Guaranteed Rate Bassmaster Elite on massive Lake Champlain, but when you’re in the Northeastern United States, you can always count on great food.

 

Caleb Sumrall has already secured a great plate of beef tips from “99 Restaurants’ And Mark Menendez’s local buddy supplied him some awesome mac and cheese. Now, the two consummate pros just have to figure out how to catch bass well above the 3-pound mark.

 

Q: What’s the biggest challenge you’re facing this week?

 

Sumrall: There’s a ton of fish in this lake, but catching 4-pounders is the big challenge. And that’s the size you’ll need to separate yourself from the pack.

Menendez: I think the biggest challenge is managing your run distance – not getting mentally spun out on whether to make the long run south to Ticonderoga, or for example, Rouses Point way up north.

 

Q: What do you like most about Champlain?

 

Sumrall: The simple fact there are so many bass in this lake.

Menendez: I’ll be really honest, I’ve been fishing professionally for 30 years, and this lake and I have never really gotten along well. So, I’m just trying to do well enough this week to persevere my chances of making the 2022 Bassmaster Classic.

 

Q: What percentage of the fish weighed-in the next four days will be smallmouth versus largemouth?

 

Sumrall: I’ll say 75% smallmouth, and 25% largemouth.

Menendez: 70% smallmouth, 30% largemouth.

 

Q: What three lures can fans expect to see the pros throw a lot this week?

 

Sumrall: Drop shot, Topwater, and a small swimbait.

Menendez: Jerkbait, Dropshot, and a Ned rig.

 


MLF Toyota Series to Kickoff Northern Division on Lake Champlain

PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. (July 7, 2021) – The Major League Fishing (MLF) Toyota Series Presented by A.R.E. Northern Division will kick off  the 2021 season with a tournament next week in Plattsburgh, New York, July 15-17, with the Toyota Series Presented by A.R.E. at Lake Champlain. Hosted by the City of Plattsburgh, 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.

“Champlain is fishing pretty good right now,” said Toyota Series angler Alec Morrison of Peru, New York. “It always tends to be a little tougher in July during the post spawn, but we are a little ahead this year and I think the tournament will be pretty good.”

Morrison said many of the fish are in the mid-range depths of 14 to 18 feet and waiting to transition out to deeper water, but warmer temperatures could potentially push more fish out a little further by the date of the tournament.

“I’ve fished many events on this body of water, and actually came in 2nd and 3rd place as a co-angler,” said Morrison. “This will be my first time to fish a tournament on Champlain as a boater, so I’m really excited about that and looking forward to it.

“I’m a little nervous considering it’s a home body of water but I’m going to practice as hard as I can and try to come up with something,” continued Morrison. “I expect to see a mix of everything being fished next week. July seems to be the month you’re bouncing around, hitting a lot of spots and using a wide array of techniques, whether power-fishing with swimbaits, jerkbaits and topwater baits or slowing down with the typical finesse stuff like drop-shot and Ned rigs. I’m sure all of those will be used frequently by everyone during the event.”

Morrison said he anticipates it will take 17 to 18 pounds per day to slide into the top 10 and will take around 60 pounds to win the three-day event.

Anglers will take off daily at 6 a.m. ET from the Plattsburgh City Marina located at 5 Dock St. in Plattsburgh. Weigh-ins will also be held at the marina and will begin at 2 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 FacebookTwitter,  Instagram, and  YouTube.


Pennsylvania’s Central High School Wins 2021 High School Fishing National Championship on Lake Hartwell

ANDERSON, S.C. (July 6, 2021) – Martinsburg, Pennsylvania’s Central High School duo of Gerald Brumbaugh and Hunter Klotz brought a three-bass limit to the scale weighing 9 pounds, 9 ounces to win the 2021 High School Fishing National Championship on Lake Hartwell in Anderson, South Carolina, last week. Central’s three-day total of nine bass totaling 28-13 gave them the win by a 1-pound, 14-ounce margin and earned the duo $10,000, berths as Strike King co-anglers into the lucrative Toyota Series Championship event, and several scholarships offers from colleges with fishing teams.

Brumbaugh and Klotz are childhood friends, having fished and played backyard basketball together for as long as they can remember. The duo overcame a host of talented anglers to claim high school fishing’s top crown. To do so, they leaned on consistency and the teachings of their captain, Brumbaugh’s father Gerald.

“It was a grind today,” said Klotz. “We learned that when it gets tough, you don’t always need to change things up. You just keep grinding and grinding and grinding, because there isn’t one perfect thing you need to do.”

“I think a lot of people went in and beat the bank today,” added Brumbaugh. “But we learned to keep with it.”

“I told the camera boat today that we would need a kicker fish to win,” said Klotz.

That kicker never came, but the grind paid off an hour before weigh-in, when the duo boated a solid, 2-pound keeper that enabled them to cull a 1-pounder. Though it wasn’t the lunker bucketmouth they were hoping for, the bass propelled them to a finish just over a pound above Hart and Fisher, who they knocked off the hot seat before claiming their victory.

“We were running cane piles all week,” explained Brumbaugh. “It’s no secret. But without Garmin LiveScope, we aren’t winning this week. We aren’t sponsored by them or anything, that’s just how it is.”

“I had to do a double-take at first,” added Klotz. “You would throw the bait out there and the fish would all fly up to it. You could see them. It looked like a volcano rising up, but they would all sit there and they wouldn’t bite. Sometimes, you just watch them on the graph, they swim right under your boat and you have to go somewhere else.”

The teammates say they used a bait they’d never thrown before this week to take home the title, a jointed swimbait called the Sebile Magic Swimmer. By burning the unusual herring-imitating swimbait just under the surface, they were able to coax bass out of cover and towards the surface for a bite.

“Sometimes,” Klotz said, “They would smack it and you would miss them. Other times, they would suck it down.”

The Central High School duo found the bait by chance at a local tackle store. After reading about recent tournaments online, they coerced a store owner into selling them some of a precious stash that was kept behind the counter in unmarked boxes. And though they say that every fish they weighed came from a Magic Swimmer, their pattern did vary slightly throughout the week.

Early on, bream-colored baits and a medium-speed retrieve prevailed. As weather moved in, they switched to shad-colored baits and began reeling as fast as their 7:1:1 reels would allow – all in an attempt to trigger the reaction bite. At each cane pile, they would watch fish on LiveScope, make several casts and run on to the next waypoint.

The team estimated that they covered more than 50 spots each day.

A total of 259 high school teams competed for a share of the more than $3 million in scholarships and prizes in the National Championship and the High School Fishing World Finals tournaments, held in conjunction with each on Lake Hartwell in Anderson, South Carolina. The event was hosted by the Anderson Convention and Visitors Bureau.

The top 10 finishers from the event were:

1st:      Central High School, Martinsburg, Penn. – Gerald Brumbaugh and Hunter Klotz, nine bass, 28-13
2nd:     Madison County High School, Danielsville, Ga. – Logan Fisher and Will Hart, nine bass, 26-15
3rd:     South Forsyth High School, Cumming, Ga. – William Ayscue and Jacob Rogers, nine bass, 25-10
4th:      Hewitt-Trussville High School, Trussville, Ala. – Andrew Jones and Carson Underwood, nine bass, 25-6
5th:      Clarks Hill Youth Fishing Team, Martinez, Ga. – Brayden Batchelor and Evan Gonsalves, nine bass, 24-8
6th:      Madison County High School, Danielsville, Ga. – Blake Hooper and Levi Seagraves, nine bass, 23-8
7th:      Lumpkin County High School, Dahlonega, Ga. – Jake Barrett and Cooper McDonald, nine bass, 21-15
8th:      Alhambra High School, Martinez, Calif. – Luke Beaty and Emmett Gargaro, nine bass, 21-9
9th:      NCA Fishing, Harrison, Ark. – Lane King and Coleman Phillips, nine bass, 21-8
10th:   Hartleys Hawgs – Nathan Fiant and Brett Hill, six bass, 17-10

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

The 2021 High School Fishing National Championship on Lake Hartwell was a three-day event that saw the entire field of 259 teams compete for two days. The National Championship field was cut to the top 10 for day three and the winner was determined by heaviest three-day cumulative weight. The tournament featured the top anglers from the 2020 TBF High School Fishing State Championships and MLF U.S. Army High School Fishing Open Presented by Favorite Fishing events.

For complete details and updated information on High School Fishing, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow the U.S. Army High School Fishing Presented by Favorite Fishing on the MLF BIG5’s social media outlets at Facebook TwitterInstagram, and YouTube.


Major League Fishing’s Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit Set to Premiere on This Week on Sportsman Channel and Outdoor Channel

Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit Episodes to Air Every Wednesday and Sunday Through Mid-December

TULSA, Okla. (July 6, 2021) – The 26th season of the Major League Fishing (MLF) Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit Presented by Bad Boy Mowers is set to premiere with a two-hour episode Wednesday, July 7, at 10 a.m. ET on the Sportsman Channel and re-air on Sunday, July 11, at 7 a.m. ET on the Outdoor Channel.

The 2021 Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit Presented by Bad Boy Mowers features a roster of the world’s best bass-fishing professionals competing across six regular-season events, each with a top award of up to $135,000. The field also competes for valuable points to qualify for the 2021 Tackle Warehouse TITLE Presented by Mercury – the Pro Circuit Championship.

The first two-hour episode of the Pro Circuit will showcase the 13 Fishing Stop 1 at Lake Okeechobee event in Clewiston, Florida. Episodes will premiere Wednesdays at 10 a.m. ET on the Sportsman Channel and re-air that same week on Sundays at 7 a.m. ET on the Outdoor Channel. The schedule will culminate with six new episodes of the Tackle Warehouse TITLE, the Pro Circuit Championship event, airing from October through mid-December.

The complete air schedule for the 2021 Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit Presented by Bad Boy Mowers on the Sportsman Channel and Outdoor Channel is:

- July 7                   13 Fishing Stop 1 at Lake Okeechobee – Sportsman Channel
- July 11                 13 Fishing Stop 1 at Lake Okeechobee – Outdoor Channel
- July 14                 Covercraft Stop 2 at Lewis Smith Lake – Sportsman Channel
- July 18                 Covercraft Stop 2 at Lewis Smith Lake – Outdoor Channel
- July 21                 Googan Baits Stop 3 at Lake Murray Presented by Favorite Fishing – Sportsman Channel
- July 25                 Googan Baits Stop 3 at Lake Murray Presented by Favorite Fishing – Outdoor Channel
- Aug. 18                Grundens Stop 4 at Lake Eufaula Presented by A.R.E. – Sportsman Channel
- Aug. 22                Grundens Stop 4 at Lake Eufaula Presented by A.R.E. – Outdoor Channel
- Aug. 25                Federal Ammunition Stop 5 at Potomac River Presented by Lucas Oil – Sportsman Channel
- Aug. 29                Federal Ammunition Stop 5 at Potomac River Presented by Lucas Oil – Outdoor Channel
- Sept. 1                 Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit Stop 6 at St. Lawrence River Presented by Googan Baits– Sportsman Channel
- Sept. 5                 Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit Stop 6 at St. Lawrence River Presented by Googan Baits– Outdoor Channel
- Oct. 6                   Tackle Warehouse TITLE at Mississippi River Presented by Mercury Day 1 – Sportsman Channel
- Oct. 10                 Tackle Warehouse TITLE at Mississippi River Presented by Mercury Day 1 – Outdoor Channel
- Oct. 13                 Tackle Warehouse TITLE at Mississippi River Presented by Mercury Day 2 – Sportsman Channel
- Oct. 17                Tackle Warehouse TITLE at Mississippi River Presented by Mercury Day 2 – Outdoor Channel
- Oct. 20                 Tackle Warehouse TITLE at Mississippi River Presented by Mercury Day 3– Sportsman Channel
- Oct. 24                 Tackle Warehouse TITLE at Mississippi River Presented by Mercury Day 3 – Outdoor Channel
- Oct. 27                Tackle Warehouse TITLE at Mississippi River Presented by Mercury Day 4 – Sportsman Channel
- Oct. 31                 Tackle Warehouse TITLE at Mississippi River Presented by Mercury Day 4 – Outdoor Channel
- Nov. 3                  Tackle Warehouse TITLE at Mississippi River Presented by Mercury Day 5 – Sportsman Channel
- Nov. 7                  Tackle Warehouse TITLE at Mississippi River Presented by Mercury Day 5 – Outdoor Channel
- Nov. 10               Tackle Warehouse TITLE at Mississippi River Presented by Mercury Day 6 – Sportsman Channel
- Nov. 14               Tackle Warehouse TITLE at Mississippi River Presented by Mercury Day 6 – Outdoor Channel

The full television schedule can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

For complete details and updated information visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF’s social media outlets at Facebook, TwitterInstagram, and YouTube.


Jacob Wheeler Wins Major League Fishing Bass Pro Tour General Tire Stage Five at St. Lawrence River

Harrison, Tennessee Pro Smashes Multiple Bass Pro Tour Weight Records to Earn Record-Setting Fourth Career Bass Pro Tour Victory and $100,000 Top Prize

MASSENA, N.Y. (June 30, 2021) – After breaking nearly every major weight record on the Bass Pro Tour this week, Academy Sports + Outdoors pro Jacob Wheeler of Harrison, Tennessee, added another accolade to his resume Wednesday. Wheeler caught 35 scorable bass weighing 129 pounds even to earn his fourth career Bass Pro Tour victory – the most all-time – and the top prize of $100,000 at the Major League Fishing (MLF) Bass Pro Tour General Tire Stage Five at the St. Lawrence River Presented by Berkley in Massena, New York.

Among the Bass Pro Tour records that Wheeler set this week was the single-day heaviest weight – 165 pounds, 1 ounce, that he weighed on Day 1 – the heaviest two-day qualifying round weight – 222 pounds, 1 ounce – and the most weight ever weighed in a Championship Round – 129 pounds even – that he set Wednesday. With his latest victory, the 30-year-old pro pushed his career earnings to more than $2.6 million.

“I was fortunate to have a solid practice for this event. I didn’t know what I could catch, and I didn’t know what it would take to win, because it was so crazy out here on the St. Lawrence River,” Wheeler said. “To officially be the champion... I don’t think I’ve ever won on smallmouth on a natural river system, so this feels unbelievable.”

While the final tally on SCORETRACKER® may seem as though it was an easy win for Wheeler, the Tennessee pro found himself in seventh place after a slow start Period 1 with only five smallmouth for 21-8. As he prepared to start his afternoon, Wheeler made the decision to run to an area he found while practicing during his final Qualifying Round.

Thanks to a more than 30-pound cushion in that round, Wheeler was able to scout new areas and find fish for the Championship Round. They were also fish that he knew he could count on because of the area they were located.

“I was looking for fish in the places that had the most wind, because I knew that those areas wouldn’t be fished as much,” Wheeler explained. “I knew that if I was going to have two days off the water that I was going to need to find fish that would be there when I got back in the Championship Round, so I found a spot that was getting beat on by the wind out of the southwest a ton. I knew other guys wouldn’t want to mess with that area because if it was windy like it was, the waves wouldn’t be fun to deal with for flogging and sight fishing.

“I’ve been in a handful of situations like this one right here, and there is nothing like a plan coming together perfectly,” Wheeler went on to say. “I cherish every single win, every single top-10. It’s something that you’re never guaranteed so you have to make sure to take a step back and appreciate these moments. This one right here was special. I cannot wait to celebrate with my wife and my little one.”

Toro pro Jeff Sprague of Point, Texas, matched his career-best finish on the Bass Pro Tour with his second-place showing at the event.

“Finished in second, so close once again,” Sprague said in his post-game interview. “One of these days we’re going to figure out how to win one of these events. But I’m still super excited about my finish this week. We fished extremely hard today, I even ran around this morning and fished new water and tried to make something happen. It was a crazy, amazing week here in New York and I’m thrilled to bank another top-10 finish.”

The top 10 pros at the Bass Pro Tour General Tire Stage Five at the St. Lawrence River finished:

1st:        Jacob Wheeler, Harrison, Tenn., 35 bass, 129-0, $100,000
2nd:       Jeff Sprague, Point, Texas, 26 bass, 100-6, $45,000
3rd:       Skeet Reese, Auburn, Calif., 31 bass, 91-1, $38,000
4th:       Adrian Avena, Vineland, N.J., 28 bass, 86-15, $32,000
5th:       Brent Ehrler, Redlands, Calif., 27 bass, 86-15, $30,000
6th:       Justin Lucas, Guntersville, Ala., 25 bass, 84-1, $26,000
7th:       Alton Jones Jr., Waco, Texas, 24 bass, 83-2, $23,000
8th:       Gerald Spohrer, Gonzales, La., 17 bass, 73-14, $21,000
9th:       Bradley Roy, Lancaster, Ky., 13 bass, 46-2, $19,000
10th:     John Cox, DeBary, Fla., 12 bass, 38-3, $16,000

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

Overall, there were 238 bass weighing 819 pounds, 11 ounces caught by the final 10 pros on Wednesday.

Wheeler also won Wednesday’s $1,000 Berkley Big Bass Award, weighing a 6-pound, 6-ounce smallmouth on a drop-shot rig in Period 1 to earn the prize. Lucas earned the $3,000 Berkley Big Bass award for the largest bass of the event with his 6-pound, 13-ounce smallmouth that he weighed on Day 1 of competition.

Pro Ott DeFoe of Blaine, Tennessee, finished the event in 12th place and did not qualify for Wednesday’s Championship Round, but his finish was strong enough to maintain his lead in the MLF Bass Pro Tour Angler of the Year standings. With two events remaining in the season, DeFoe currently sits with 352 points and owns a 10-point lead over the second-place pro, California’s Brent Ehrler (342). Wheeler remains in third with 338, followed by Florida’s Bobby Lane in fourth place with 311 and Alabama’s Justin Lucas in fifth place with 309. Full AOY standings for the entire Bass Pro Tour field can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

The General Tire Stage Five at the St. Lawrence River Presented by Berkley featured anglers competing with a 2-pound minimum weight requirement, meaning each bass caught must weigh at least 2 pounds for it 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 MLF Bass Pro Tour General Tire Stage Five at the St. Lawrence River Presented by Berkley was hosted by the Town of Massena and Fish Massena. The six-day tournament featured 80 of the top professional anglers from around the world competing for a purse of $805,000, including a top cash prize of $100,000 to the winner.

Television coverage of the General Tire Stage Five Presented by Berkley at the St. Lawrence River will be showcased across two two-hour episodes, premiering at 7 a.m. ET, Oct. 23 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.

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 Heavy Hitters all-star event and the REDCREST 2022 championship. The next event for Bass Pro Tour anglers will be the Bass Pro Tour Stage Six at Lake Champlain, Aug. 5-10 in Plattsburgh, New York.

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, TwitterInstagram, and YouTube.


War Damn!

 

This week Chris & the boys welcome in the President of the Auburn University Bass Fishing Team Logan Parks to talk about the team, the month-long suspension, the success since the suspension and their new YouTube Series, "The Reclamation Series" Some great stuff in this interview! Check it out!


Alabama Bass Trail Announces New Tournament Director

Scott Dobbins of Scottsboro to Help Coordinate Tournaments and Promote Fishing in Alabama

 

Decatur, Ala. (June 30, 2021) – The Alabama Bass Trail (ABT) today announced the hiring of Scott Dobbins as the organization’s tournament director. Dobbins will be responsible for working with ABT Program Director Kay Donaldson to promote the state of Alabama as a year-round fishing destination and coordinate all events held by the ABT while serving as the main contact for anglers. He will assume responsibilities on July 19, 2021.

 

“I am thrilled to have Scott join our team. His organizational skills coupled with his experience in tournament operations made him a great choice for this job. He has worked for some great tournament directors at B.A.S.S. and I feel very confident he can lead our team and help us build a stronger bass trail in the state of Alabama,” said Program Director Kay Donaldson.

 

Dobbins comes to the ABT with 28 years of teaching, coaching, marketing and tournament experience. After 25 years with Scottsboro City Schools, he retired in 2017 from teaching and coaching. Since his retirement, he has worked as the sales and marketing manager at Premier Powersports of North Alabama, for the Skeeter/Yamaha Factory Demo Team and as a B.A.S.S. contract tournament assistant where he helped set up and execute B.A.S.S. tournaments working under tournament directors of all levels, from the high school bass fishing circuit to the Bassmaster Elite Series. He is the owner of Tigerodz Custom Fishing Rods and currently serving on the board of directors for Goosepond Colony in Scottsboro. A graduate of Auburn University, he resides in Scottsboro with his family?.

 

For more information, call Donaldson at 855.934.7425 or visit www.alabamabasstrail.org.

 

About Alabama Bass Trail

The Alabama Bass Trail is a program of the Alabama Mountain Lakes Tourist Association. Its mission is to promote Alabama as a year-round fishing destination, to preserve natural resources for generations to come, and to educate high school and college-aged students to be good stewards of natural resources. The 13 bass fishing lakes consist of Lake Guntersville, Wheeler Lake, Pickwick Lake, Lewis Smith Lake, Neely Henry Lake, Weiss Lake, Lake Martin, Lay Lake, Logan Martin Lake, Lake Jordan, Alabama River, Lake Eufaula, and the Mobile-Tensaw River Delta. For more information, visit www.alabamabasstrail.org.


Gerald Spohrer Tops Knockout Round at Major League Fishing Bass Pro Tour General Tire Stage Five at St. Lawrence River

Gonzales, Louisiana Pro Catches 35 Bass Weighing 130-8 to Win Wildest Knockout Round in Bass Pro Tour History, Final 10 Anglers Set for Wednesday’s Final-Day Shootout for $100,000

MASSENA, N.Y. (June 29, 2021) – Pro Gerald Spohrer of Gonzales, Louisiana, caught 35 scorable bass Tuesday weighing 130 pounds, 8 ounces to win the Knockout Round and advance to the final day of competition at the Major League Fishing (MLF) Bass Pro Tour General Tire Stage Five at the St. Lawrence River Presented by Berkley in Massena, New York. The final 10 anglers are now set, and competition will resume Wednesday morning with the Championship Round. Weights are zeroed, and the angler that catches the most weight will win the top prize of $100,000.

The six-day tournament, hosted by the Town of Massena and Fish Massena, featured 80 of the top professional anglers from around the world competing for a purse of $805,000, including a top cash prize of $100,000 to the winner.

The top eight pros from Tuesday’s Knockout Round that will compete in Wednesday’s Championship Round on the St. Lawrence River are:

1st:        Gerald Spohrer, Gonzales, La., 35 bass, 130-8
2nd:       Brent Ehrler, Redlands, Calif., 38 bass, 121-3
3rd:       Skeet Reese, Auburn, Calif., 40 bass, 117-14
4th:       Alton Jones Jr., Waco, Texas, 34 bass, 113-11
5th:       Jeff Sprague, Point, Texas, 35 bass, 113-2
6th:       Adrian Avena, Vineland, N.J., 29 bass, 109-4
7th:       Bradley Roy, Lancaster, Ky., 33 bass, 109-1
8th:       Justin Lucas, Guntersville, Ala., 31 bass, 106-13

They’ll be joined by Qualifying Round Winners:

Group A: Jacob Wheeler, Harrison, Tenn.
Group B: John Cox, DeBary, Florida

“It feels great to finish the Knockout Round in first place, but tomorrow is when it really matters,” said Spohrer, who earned his third Championship Round appearance of the season. “It was a tough second period, but after the storm came through it got slick and sunny and I was able to see everything in my area and there were just 4-pounders everywhere.

“I went through and just plucked them off, one at a time,” Spohrer continued. “It was pretty much a mix between a drop-shot rig and a little Ned-style bait. I’ve gotten here this week with a marabou jig, but today I sight-fished because it was calm.

“I’m pumped up for tomorrow,” Spohrer went on to say. “This is my third top-10 finish this year in five tournaments and we’re right in the hunt for the Angler of the Year title. To win another round – it’s been a great season and I am so blessed.”

Rounding out the top 40 finishers were:

11th:     Andy Montgomery, Blacksburg, S.C., 35 bass, 106-0, $10,000
12th:     Ott DeFoe, Blaine, Tenn., 34 bass, 101-13, $10,000
13th:     Shin Fukae, Osaka, Japan, 27 bass, 98-13, $10,000
14th:     Fletcher Shryock, Guntersville, Ala., 24 bass, 93-3, $10,000
15th:     Jordan Lee, Cullman, Ala., 27 bass, 90-3, $10,000
16th:     Jonathon VanDam, Kalamazoo, Mich., 24 bass, 80-6, $10,000
17th:     Michael Neal, Dayton, Tenn., 28 bass, 77-2, $10,000
18th:     Terry Scroggins, San Mateo, Fla., 29 bass, 76-7, $10,000
19th:     Cody Meyer, Star, Idaho, 24 bass, 74-15, $10,000
20th:     James Elam, Tulsa, Okla., 23 bass, 72-13, $10,000
21st:     Edwin Evers, Talala, Okla., 24 bass, 72-9, $10,000
22nd:    Josh Bertrand, Queen Creek, Ariz., 22 bass, 72-5, $10,000
23rd:    Ish Monroe, Oakdale, Calif., 21 bass, 71-14, $10,000
24th:     Luke Clausen, Spokane, Wash., 25 bass, 70-10, $10,000
25th:     Britt Myers, Lake Wylie, S.C., 25 bass, 65-15, $10,000
26th:     Bobby Lane, Lakeland, Fla., 21 bass, 65-13, $10,000
27th:     Dean Rojas, Lake Havasu City, Ariz., 18 bass, 58-5, $10,000
28th:     David Dudley, Lynchburg, Va., 16 bass, 56-10, $10,000
29th:     Brandon Coulter, Knoxville, Tenn., 18 bass, 55-2, $10,000
30th:     Bryan Thrift, Shelby, N.C., 19 bass, 51-14, $10,000
31st:     Alton Jones, Lorena, Texas, 17 bass, 49-5, $10,000
32nd:    David Walker, Sevierville, Tenn., 15 bass, 48-3, $10,000
33rd:    Marty Robinson, Lyman, S.C., 16 bass, 47-12, $10,000
34th:     John Murray, Spring City, Tenn., 14 bass, 43-4, $10,000
35th:     Dustin Connell, Clanton, Ala., 15 bass, 43-0, $10,000
36th:     Brett Hite, Phoenix, Ariz., 14 bass, 42-6, $10,000
37th:     Jared Lintner, Arroyo Grande, Calif., 14 bass, 41-15, $10,000
38th:     Wesley Strader, Spring City, Tenn., 12 bass, 40-10, $10,000
39th:     Matt Lee, Cullman, Ala., nine bass, 26-15, $10,000
40th:     Stephen Browning, Hot Springs, Ark., eight bass, 23-13, $10,000

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

Overall, there were 893 bass weighing 2,841 pounds, 7 ounces caught by the 38 pros competing Tuesday.

Berkley pro Justin Lucas won his second $1,000 Berkley Big Bass Award of the week on Tuesday, catching a 6-pound smallmouth on a drop-shot rig in Period 2. Berkley will award $1,000 to the angler who weighs the biggest bass each day, and a $3,000 bonus to the angler who weighs the largest bass of the tournament. Lucas also currently leads for largest bass of the tournament with a 6-pound, 13-ounce smallmouth that he caught on Day 1.

The General Tire Stage Five at the St. Lawrence River Presented by Berkley features anglers competing with a 2-pound minimum weight requirement, meaning each bass caught must weigh at least 2 pounds for it 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 MLF Bass Pro Tour General Tire Stage Five at the St. Lawrence River Presented by Berkley is hosted by the Town of Massena and Fish Massena.

The 40 Anglers in Group A competed in their two-day qualifying round on Friday and Sunday – the 40 anglers in Group B on Saturday and Monday. After the two-day Qualifying Round, the anglers that finished in 2nd through 20th place from both groups advanced to Tuesday’s Knockout Round, while the winner from each group advanced directly to Wednesday’s Championship Round. In the Knockout Round, the weights were zeroed and the remaining 38 anglers competed to finish in the top 8 to advance to the Championship Round. Tomorrow, in the final day Championship Round, weights are zeroed and the highest one-day total wins.

The final 10 anglers will take off from the Massena Intake Boat Launch Ramp, located on Route 13, in Massena, at 8:30 a.m. ET Wednesday. The General Tire Takeout and Championship Moment will also be held at the Massena Intake, beginning at 5:30 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.

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 Heavy Hitters all-star event and the REDCREST 2022 championship.

The MLF NOW!® broadcast team of Chad McKee, Marty Stone and J.T. Kenney will break down the extended action from the final day of competition from 9:15 a.m. to 6 p.m. ET on Wednesday. MLF NOW!®  will be live streamed on MajorLeagueFishing.com and the MyOutdoorTV (MOTV) app.

Television coverage of the General Tire Stage Five Presented by Berkley at the St. Lawrence River will be showcased across two two-hour episodes, premiering at 7 a.m. ET, Oct. 23 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 the Bass Pro Tour, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF’s social media outlets at FacebookTwitter,  Instagram, and YouTube.


Lake Fork Named 2021’s Best Bass Fishery By Bassmaster Magazine

Bassmaster Magazine has released its rankings for the 100 Best Bass Lakes of 2021 and Texas’s Lake Fork has been named the No. 1 fishery in the country.

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

June 29, 2021

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — A study by the Recreational Boating & Fishing Foundation shows that in the past year nearly 55 million Americans have gone fishing. Those eager anglers hunting for giants need to look no further than Texas according to Bassmaster Magazine’s annual ranking of 100 Best Bass Lakes. Lake Fork, renowned for producing giant bass, has been named the No. 1 fishery in the U.S. for 2021.

“Creating the rankings takes more than two months as we dig through current tournament data as well as state fishery information on stocking efforts, catch rates and angler access,” explained Bassmaster Magazine Editor-in-Chief James Hall. “Folks found respite in the outdoors, and many of them fished for the first time. That may have put more pressure on lakes than normal, and some fisheries were impacted. Still, other lakes, which may not have been exposed previously to tournaments, shined brightly.

“These rankings provide a bucket list of destinations for anglers.”

Lake Fork, just 65 miles east of Dallas, is a slice of heaven for anglers hungry for hogs. A whopping 20 ShareLunkers — largemouth bass measuring at least 24 inches in length or 8 pounds — were caught on Fork in the first four months of 2021, with a 15.27-pound giant hooked in March. Those familiar with Fork know it sets the table for some of the biggest catches in the U.S. each year, but look what the Bassmaster Elite Series did in the April 2021 stop on this hallowed spot. Lee Livesay (112 pounds, 5 ounces over four days) joined the Century Club and Patrick Walters (102-5) accomplished the feat on Fork for the second consecutive year. This Lone Star State success story produces giants every year, and since the fishing is hot right now, there’s never been a better chance for avid anglers to mark this one off their bucket list.

Most commonly referred to as the California Delta, the No. 2 spot goes to the massive Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, a tidal fishery renowned for producing some of the biggest bass in the country over the past decade. Grass control efforts gone wrong and pillaging sea lions still seem to be keeping this fishery out of the top spot, but monster limits continue to surface here. The Delta’s rivers, tule-lined sloughs and vegetation-filled flooded islands are a wild and beautiful setting boasting largemouth that fit the “personal best” category.

At No. 3 for 2021, Marion and Moultrie — the sister lakes that make up Santee Cooper — have been a juggernaut on the rankings since the inception of the Best Bass Lakes list in 2012. This year, Marion and Moultrie continue to prove they are a must-visit for every angler and the crown jewel of South Carolina bass fishing.

The rankings identify the top lakes in the nation based on head-to-head comparisons, as well as the Top 25 lakes in four geographical regions — Central, Western, Southeastern and Northeastern.

“We divide the nation into four regions and rank the lakes in each region to give anglers perspective on the fisheries they can most likely reach,” Hall explained.

As for bragging rights on which state has the most fisheries in the Top 100 rankings, there is a tie between Texas and California with 10 lakes each. Florida and Arizona each placed seven lakes on the list.

Bassmaster Magazine’s 100 Best Bass Lakes of 2021

Top 10

1 Lake Fork, Texas

2 Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, California

3 Santee Cooper Lakes (Marion/Moultrie), South Carolina

4 St. Lawrence River (Thousand Islands), New York

5 Clear Lake, California

6 Sam Rayburn Reservoir, Texas

7 Lake St. Clair, Michigan

8 Jordan Lake, North Carolina

9 O.H. Ivie Lake, Texas

10 Pickwick Lake, Alabama/Mississippi/Tennessee


Mark Condron and Jon Cozze Win Alabama Bass Trail South Division on Alabama River – Millers Ferry with 17.98

By Jason Duran

Photos by Chris Brown

 

Camden Ala- The Alabama Bass Trail South Division’s fourth stop made its way down to Millers Ferry on the Alabama River. This event was rescheduled from Logan Martin due to construction, however, anglers found themselves welcomed with open arms by the city of Camden and a brand-new launch facility at Bridgeport Landing.

Bridgeport Landing has been in the works since 2015 and is finally a reality. This facility provides better fishing and boating along the along the Alabama River. Gov. Kay Ivey was present at the weigh in to see the new and improved facilities. She spent time with anglers and ABT staff to see first-hand what takes place at an ABT event.  Earlier that day, she also cut the ribbon on a new T-Pier at Roland Cooper State Park in her hometown of Camden! “This Park is a jewel of the Alabama River, and this development will certainly attract more visitors to the area to enjoy it.” Twitter @governorKayIvey

For many Anglers this was a first time visit to this area of the Alabama River. The team of Mark Condron and John Cozze are from the middle Tennessee area and fish both Divisions of the ABT. The team shared they saw the lake for the first time in practice on Friday. They said practice was “pretty bad- we caught one decent fish and a couple small ones.  We found some stumps and grass and a lot of visual stuff that we would probably want to fish, but we never really got on anything in practice.”

On tournament day they felt like they didn’t have anything much but the plan was to go out and give some of those areas another try. They loaded the boat with rods rigged up for flipping, swim jigs, spinning rods, and top water ready to do whatever it took. They started in a pocket with hopes to catch some fish on top water based on the weather conditions and felt like the spots might be active. It didn’t take them long to figure out what they were doing wasn’t working.

John sat down, looked at the map and found a ledge with a channel run out of it, so they graphed it to see what was there. They described this area as a “point with a little skinny ditch separating the ledge from the bank with the other side of the ledge leading off into the main river. It was shaped kind of like a peanut. Basically, the fish could get out of the current and used the ledge to do that. Later, we found there was also a brush pile on there. The fish were basically moving back and forth between the brush pile and the ledge. The fish were in 15-22 feet of water with the boat sitting in 30 feet.”

They fished the area with “small baits to get a limit using a 5 inch Senko Green pumpkin they cut down to 3.5 to 4.5 inches. We knew we needed to work the area slowly and just get a limit.” They quickly sacked up about 14 pounds.

The key for them was the Gamin Panoptix. When they moved up on the ledge, they could quickly see exactly where the fish were. The fish moved around a lot, so using the Garmin helped them pinpoint their cast to the fish.  There was no other way they could have found these fish without it. It was easy to see the fish moving up and down the ledge and using the cover to stay out of the current.

Once they got the limit they upsized their baits some to include; Bass Reaper Drop Shot, Power Bait MaxScent Hit Worm in Green Pumpkin 3/8 shaky, Drift Wood 5 inch Swim Bait in Sun Drop. This helped them cull up about 12 times, and later in the afternoon, the 3 final cull put them at 17.98 pounds- enough for first place and $10,000. The team said it was a “big surprise after the practice they had and if you had asked them their chances of winning that morning, they would have said no way.”

The second-place team of Shane Powell and Tim Fox weighed in 16.41 pounds and the big fish of 5.30 for $5000.

Tim practiced Friday morning and said the current was super strong and the water was high, so he flipped the willow bushes that were in the water and places with matted over stuff and found a few really decent bites. On Saturday they rode around looking for similar stuff finding mainly eddys that fish could get behind to get out of the current. They also found one little back water area where they would hopefully catch a few early.

On tournament day they started in the backwater area to try and catch a few fish on a swim jig. “We were an early boat draw, so we thought we should go in that back water area and fish since we were close to the boat ramp. We planned to fish until we couldn’t hear any more boats running and then head to the river once it calmed down a little from all the boat traffic. We figured if we went out there first we would just be washed away by the wakes. We quickly caught three in the back water area which really helped a because we had to go really slow out on the river, and the three in the box helped our confidence”

The rest of the day was spent on the river hitting probably 20 spots using swim jigs and beaver style baits like a Big Bite Baits Fighting Frog in black and blue. They were targeting fish in the current breaks, fishing wood and flipping matted areas of grass to trigger a bite.

Shane and Tim said this was a really good finish for them. They have had their eyes set on the BASSMASTER Team Championship on Lake Eufaula since it was announced and needed good finishes in these last two events to qualify. It is no secret that Lake Eufaula is Shane’s home lake, and he is really hoping to make the top 9 in AOY. This week they moved into 3rd place with 805 AOY points with 9th place currently at 760. Shane said it would be a dream to make the Bassmaster Classic.

The third-place team was Mathew Spurlin and David Conner who caught 16.39 pounds of Alabama River Bass and landed a check for $4000 plus a Garmin highest finisher Bonus of $500 for a total payday of $4500. They are currently 44th in AOY points are are looking to make the ABT Championship on Smith Lake in October.

The final stop of the ABT South Division will be held on the Alabama River- Cooter’s Pond September 18, 2021 where AOY leader will be crowned.

The top ten standings are below for a complete list see:https://www.alabamabasstrail.org/tournament-series/lml-results/

Download and listen to the ABT Podcast on your favorite Podcast app by searching for “Alabama Bass Trail Podcast.”  The Podcast is released each week on Tuesday. This week will feature the winners Mark Condron and John Cozze.

 


John Cox Tops Group B at Major League Fishing Bass Pro Tour General Tire Stage Five at St. Lawrence River

DeBary, Florida Pro Advances Straight to Championship Round with Two-Day Total of 54 Bass Weighing 175 Pounds Even, Field of 38 Set for Tuesday’s Knockout Round

MASSENA, N.Y. (June 28, 2021)Berkley pro John Cox of DeBary, Florida, caught 23 scorable bass Monday weighing 75 pounds, 15 ounces to win the two-day Qualifying Group B round at the Major League Fishing (MLF) Bass Pro Tour General Tire Stage Five at the St. Lawrence River Presented by Berkley in Massena, New York. Cox’s two-day total of 54 bass weighing 175 pounds even earned him the victory by a 23-pound, 11-ounce margin and advances him directly into Wednesday's final-day Championship Round of competition.

Phoenix Boats pro James Elam of Tulsa, Oklahoma caught a two-day total of 51 bass weighing 151-5 to end the round in second place, and Shelby, North Carolina pro Bryan Thrift finished the round in third place with a two-day total of 51 bass weighing 149-11.

The remaining 38 anglers – 19 from Group A and 19 from Group B – will now compete Tuesday in the Knockout Round, where weights are zeroed, and the anglers compete to finish in the top eight to advance to Championship Wednesday. Wednesday’s Championship Round will feature Group A winner Jacob Wheeler, Group B winner John Cox, and the top eight anglers from the Knockout Round competing in a final-day shootout for the top prize of $100,000.

“Oh my gosh, I feel like I won the tournament, just making it to the Championship Round,” said an excited Cox. “I’ve never won one of these rounds before, so this is a new experience for me. I’m really excited to be able to allow the fish to rest a little before the next round.

“Ten of us are going to compete for $100,000 on Wednesday – I don’t even know what to say. Not sure if I’m having a mild heart attack or if the red bull is just really kicking in,” continued Cox. “I caught a ton of fish today and found some exciting stuff in the third period that should help us out in the next round. On the last cast, there were probably 15 fish that came in when I shook that 4 pounder off. I can’t wait to get back out there – it’s going to be awesome.

“I’ve been using the new 7-foot, medium action Abu Garcia Fantasista Premier spinning rod – it bends perfectly and handles the fish on the light line. I’m throwing 8-pound, Berkley Trilene 100% Fluorocarbon, on the Abu Garcia REVO MGXtreme Spinning Reel. It has a super-smooth drag and allows me to fight the fish really well.”

Cox said his key baits came down to the Berkley Powerbait Maxscent The General Worm and the Berkley Powerbait Maxscent Hit Worm.

“I never even had these smaller Berkley General worms until a couple years ago because I figured the 5 inch was plenty small enough,” continued Cox. “They didn’t want the 5-inch today, but they ate this 4-inch one up really well.

“The Maxscent Hit Worm was an accidental win today. I had no idea it would work that well – I’d never heard of anyone catching smallmouth with it. I put it on to save some Flat Worms and they’ve just been killing it today.”

With a full day off, Cox said he plans to take his kids tubing down below the locks and is looking forward to enjoying the family time prior to Wednesday’s competition.

“This event has been awesome. I can’t wait to get back out there for the Championship Round,” said Cox. “This place is full of fish – it’s just been unreal.”

The top 20 pros in Qualifying Group B that now advance to Tuesday’s Knockout Round on the St. Lawrence River are:

1st:           John Cox, DeBary, Fla., 54 bass, 175-0
2nd:          James Elam, Tulsa, Okla., 51 bass, 151-5
3rd:          Bryan Thrift, Shelby, N.C., 51 bass, 149-11
4th:           Terry Scroggins, San Mateo, Fla., 49 bass, 149-2
5th:           Bobby Lane, Lakeland, Fla., 44 bass, 132-10
6th:           Jared Lintner, Arroyo Grande, Calif., 41 bass, 127-1
7th:           Dustin Connell, Clanton, Ala., 33 bass, 126-6
8th:           Gerald Spohrer, Gonzales, La., 35 bass, 125-9
9th:           Ott DeFoe, Blaine, Tenn., 42 bass, 125-6
10th:        Britt Myers, Lake Wylie, S.C., 44 bass, 123-14
11th:        Brett Hite, Phoenix, Ariz., 37 bass, 122-14
12th:        Luke Clausen, Spokane, Wash., 41 bass, 116-15
13th:        Fletcher Shryock, Guntersville, Ala., 37 bass, 114-15
14th:        John Murray, Spring City, Tenn., 38 bass, 110-11
15th:        Shin Fukae, Osaka, Japan, 29 bass, 104-12
16th:        David Walker, Sevierville, Tenn., 36 bass, 102-12
17th:        Matt Lee, Cullman, Ala., 32 bass, 100-0                         
18th:        Edwin Evers, Talala, Okla., 31 bass, 96-9
19th:        Michael Neal, Dayton, Tenn., 34 bass, 96-6
20th:        Andy Montgomery, Blacksburg, S.C., 34 bass, 94-14

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

Overall, there were 594 bass weighing 1,808 pounds, 8 ounces caught by the 39 pros on Monday.

Randall Tharp of Port St. Joe, Florida won Monday’s $1,000 Berkley Big Bass Award, weighing in a 6-pound, 6-ounce smallmouth bass on a ned rig during Period 3. Berkley will award $1,000 to the angler who weighs the biggest bass each day, and a $3,000 bonus to the angler who weighs the largest bass of the tournament.

The General Tire Stage Five at the St. Lawrence River Presented by Berkley features anglers competing with a 2-pound minimum weight requirement, meaning each bass caught must weigh at least 2 pounds for it 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 MLF Bass Pro Tour General Tire Stage Five at the St. Lawrence River Presented by Berkley is hosted by the Town of Massena and Fish Massena.

The 40 Anglers in Group A competed in their two-day qualifying round on Friday and Sunday – the 40 anglers in Group B on Saturday and Monday. With both groups two-day qualifying round now complete, the anglers that finish in 2ndthrough 20th place from both groups now 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.

Anglers will take off from the Massena Intake Boat Launch Ramp, located on Route 13, in Massena, at 8:30 a.m. ET each day of competition. Each day’s General Tire Takeout will also be held at the Launch Ramp, beginning at 5:30 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.

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 Heavy Hitters all-star event and the REDCREST 2022 championship.

The MLF NOW!® broadcast team of Chad McKee, Marty Stone and J.T. Kenney will break down the extended action on all six days of competition from 9:15 a.m. to 6 p.m. ET. MLF NOW!®  will be live streamed on MajorLeagueFishing.com and the MyOutdoorTV (MOTV) app.

Television coverage of the General Tire Stage Five Presented by Berkley at the St. Lawrence River will be showcased across two two-hour episodes, premiering at 7 a.m. ET, Oct. 23 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 the Bass Pro Tour, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF’s social media outlets at Facebook, TwitterInstagram, and YouTube.


Langford Wins Phoenix Bass Fishing League on High Rock Lake

Timberlake’s Pittman Wins Strike King Co-Angler Division

SALISBURY, N.C. (June 28, 2021) – Boater Todd Langford of Great Falls, Virginia, won the Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine at High Rock Lake in Salisbury, North Carolina. Langford earned $5,596 for his victory.

TOP 10 RESULTS

RANK BOATER NAME/HOMETOWN BASS WEIGHT AWARD
1st Todd Langford of Great Falls, Va. 5 18-13 $5,596
2nd Jason Tibbetts of Centreville, Va. 5 18-10 $3,703
3rd Ron Wolfarth of Oakboro, N.C. 5 18-6 $1,867
4th Bradley Staley of Pleasant Garden, N.C. 5 17-14 $1,306
5th Ben Reynolds of Callands, Va. 5 17-6 $1,119
6th David Wright of Lexington, N.C. 5 16-13 $1,526
6th Bennett Owen of Capron, Va. 5 15-8 $933
8th John Lancaster of Linwood, N.C. 5 15-6 $839
9th Tommy Jones of Salisbury, N.C. 5 15-0 $746
10th Luke Farley of Dover, N.C. 5 14-13 $653

RANK STRIKE KING CO-ANGLER NAME/HOMETOWN BASS WEIGHT AWARD
1st Demon Pittman of Timberlake, N.C. 5 15-9 $2,791
2nd Alex Moss of Lambsburg, Va. 5 13-11 $1,395
3rd Brandon McCallister of Wytheville, Va. 5 13-5 $931
4th Nathan Pulley of Chester, Va. 5 13-4 $651
5th Alan Griffin of Polkton, N.C. 5 12-0 $558
6th Jimmy Batts of Raleigh, N.C. 5 11-9 $512
7th Dylan Gray of Gladys, Va. 5 10-14 $465
8th Robert Green of Sedalia, N.C. 5 10-11 $419
9th Cornell Badra of Clarksburg, Md. 3 10-3 $349
9th Joshua Hall of Zion Crossroads, Va. 3 10-3 $349

CONTINGENCY AWARDS

AWARD NAME CONTINGENCY PAYOUT
Boater Berkley Big Bass Jason Tibbetts of Centreville, Va. 5-pound, 13-ounce bass $905
Strike King Co-Angler Berkley Big Bass Darrell Smith of Winston-Salem, N.C. 5-pound, 10-ounce bass $447
Phoenix MLF BIG5 Bonus David Wright of Lexington, N.C. 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 Jig N/A
Strike King Co-Angler Shaky-head Rig N/A

2021 QUALIFICATION OPPORTUNITIES

EVENT DATE LOCATION HOST
Piedmont 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, 2022 Lake Hamilton, Hot Springs, Ark. Arkansas Dept. 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 FacebookTwitterInstagram, and YouTube .


McCaig Wins Phoenix Bass Fishing League on Lake Neely Henry

Addison’s Jacques Wins Strike King Co-Angler Division
GADSDEN, Ala. (June 28, 2021) – Boater Mark McCaig of Oxford, Alabama, won the Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine at Lake Neely Henry Presented by Googan Baits in Gadsden, Alabama. McCaig earned $12,938 for his victory at the event, including the lucrative $7,000 Phoenix MLF BIG5 contingency bonus.

The event was hosted by the City of Gadsden.

TOP 10 RESULTS

RANK BOATER NAME/HOMETOWN BASS WEIGHT AWARD
1st Mark McCaig of Oxford, Ala. 5 16-12 $12,938
2nd Kris Colley of Ragland, Ala. 5 16-2 $2,469
3rd Tommy Hensley of Jackson, Ga. 5 15-0 $1,646
4th Hunter Hays of Gadsden, Ala. 5 14-3 $1,152
5th Robbie Robinson of Mobile, Ala. 5 14-1 $988
6th Blake Lewis of Pace, Fla. 5 12-9 $905
7th Blake Tomlin of Greenville, Ga. 5 12-7 $1,568
8th Roger Shifflett of Hayden, Ala. 5 12-6 $741
9th Jason Berrong of Crossville, Ala. 5 12-3 $658
10th Bradley Jones of Aragon, Ga. 5 11-15 $576

RANK STRIKE KING CO-ANGLER NAME/HOMETOWN BASS WEIGHT AWARD
1st Steven Jacques of Addison, Ala. 5 13-5 $2,655
2nd Johnathon Marsh of Graysville, Ala. 4 10-9 $1,235
3rd Steve Burgess of Killen, Ala. 5 9-15 $1,023
4th Richard Bailey of Florence, Ala. 5 9-10 $576
5th Mason Cole of Deatsville, Ala. 5 8-12 $494
6th Charles Davis of Wetumpka, Ala. 5 8-11 $703
7th Hunter Bowden of Terre Haute, Ind. 4 8-10 $412
8th Terry Harper of Ranburne, Ala. 5 8-9 $370
9th Audie Aultman of Knoxville, Tenn. 4 7-15 $329
10th Pauley Pitcher of Huntsville, Ala. 5 7-12 $288

CONTINGENCY AWARDS

AWARD NAME CONTINGENCY PAYOUT
Boater Big Bass Blake Tomlin of Greenville, Ga. 7-pound, 4-ounce bass $745
Strike King Co-Angler Berkley Big Bass Gerald Grace of Jasper, Ala. & Steven Jacques of Addison, Ala. 4-pound, 11-ounce bass $372 (split)
Phoenix MLF BIG5 Bonus Mark McCaig of Oxford, Ala. Eligible Phoenix Boat* $7,000

* 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 Jig and Beaver N/A
Strike King Co-Angler Shaky-head rig N/A

2021 QUALIFICATION OPPORTUNITIES

EVENT DATE LOCATION HOST
Bama 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, 2022 Lake Hamilton, Hot Springs, Ark. Arkansas Dept. 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 FacebookTwitterInstagram, and YouTube .


Collins Wins Phoenix Bass Fishing League on Grand Lake-St. Mary’s

Okeana’s Jones and Continental’s Weisenburger Tie Atop Strike King Co-Angler Division
CELINA, Ohio (June 28, 2021) – Boater Tony Collins of Dayton, Ohio, won the Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine at Grand Lake-St. Mary’s Presented by TINCUP Whiskey in Celina, Ohio. Collins earned $12,271 for his victory at the event, including the lucrative $7,000 Phoenix MLF BIG5 contingency bonus.

TOP 10 RESULTS

RANK BOATER NAME/HOMETOWN BASS WEIGHT AWARD
1st Tony Collins of Dayton, Ohio 5 10-9 $12,271
2nd Josh Smith of Hamilton, Ohio 5 8-10 $2,336
3rd Jeremie Barker of Trenton, Ohio 4 8-7 $1,424
4th Chris Martinkovic of Hamilton, Ohio 5 8-4 $1,497
5th Gary Ginter of Bellefontaine, Ohio 5 7-14 $854
6th Jake Poffenberger of Brookville, Ohio 5 7-11 $747
6th Matt Cash of Fairfield, Ohio 5 7-11 $747
8th Dick Shaffer of Rockford, Ohio 5 7-10 $641
9th Zach Graham of Westerville, Ohio 4 7-8 $569
10th Michael Nesbitt of St. Paris, Ohio 3 7-3 $498

RANK STRIKE KING CO-ANGLER NAME/HOMETOWN BASS WEIGHT AWARD
1st Brent Jones of Okeana, Ohio 5 6-9 $1,802
1st Ron Weisenburger of Continental, Ohio 3 6-9 $1,802
3rd Randy Bramos of Winchester, Ohio 3 6-6 $712
4th Ryan Rich of Eaton, Ohio 5 5-11 $498
5th Brent Wilkens of Hamilton, Ohio 3 5-2 $427
6th Ed Mook of McDonald, Ohio 2 4-15 $392
7th Jacob Crapyou of Portsmouth, Ohio 3 4-14 $358
8th Rob Webber of Elyria, Ohio 2 4-4 $302
8th Dan Goforth of Monroe, Ohio 3 4-4 $302
10th Karl Schreiber of Georgetown, Ky. 3 3-14 $226
10th Jeff Moorman of Liberty Township, Ohio 2 3-14 $226
10th Greg Scythes of Marysville, Ohio 3 3-14 $226

CONTINGENCY AWARDS

AWARD NAME CONTINGENCY PAYOUT
Boater Berkley Big Bass Jim Vitaro of Wooster, Ohio 3-pound, 14-ounce bass $595
Strike King Co-Angler Berkley Big Bass Carrie Strauser of Belle Center, Ohio 3-pound, 6-ounce bass $297
Phoenix MLF BIG5 Bonus Tony Collins of Dayton, Ohio Eligible Phoenix Boat* $7,000

* 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 Spinnerbait N/A
Strike King Co-Angler 8-in Worm (Weisenburger)
Yamamoto Senko (Jones)
N/A
N/A

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, 2022 Lake Hamilton, Hot Springs, Ark. Arkansas Dept. 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 FacebookTwitterInstagram, and YouTube .


Wheeler Wins Group A Qualifying Round at Major League Fishing Bass Pro Tour General Tire Stage Five at St. Lawrence River

Harrison, Tennessee Pro Sets New Two-Day Record with 222 Pounds, 1 Ounce to Advance Directly to Wednesday’s Championship Round, 19 Anglers Advance to Knockout Round

MASSENA, N.Y. (June 27, 2021) – After Friday’s record-setting pace, Sunday’s Qualifying Round finale was a much tougher, grueling day on the water for the 40 anglers in Group A at the Major League Fishing (MLF) Bass Pro Tour General Tire Stage Five at the St. Lawrence River Presented by Berkley in Massena, New York.

After battling the windy conditions, when the final bass was tallied on SCORETRACKER™ Academy Sports + Outdoors pro Jacob Wheeler of Harrison, Tennessee, coasted to victory in Group A, catching 66 bass totaling 222 pounds, 1 ounce – a new Bass Pro Tour record for the heaviest two-day Qualifying Round weight. The six-day event, hosted by the Town of Massena and Fish Massena, features 80 of the top professional anglers from around the world competing for a purse of $805,000, including a top cash prize of $100,000 to the winner.

Pro Brent Ehrler of Redlands, California, boated a two-day total of 59 bass totaling 190-13 to end the day in second place after starting in third. Berkley pro Justin Lucas of Guntersville, Alabama, caught 52 bass weighing 177-9 over two days to finish the round in third place. Toro pro Jeff Sprague of Point, Texas , ended the round in fourth place with a two-day total of 59 bass for 172-4. Rounding out the top five was Favorite Fishing pro Jonathon VanDam of Kalamazoo, Michigan, who caught the heaviest weight of the day Sunday – 25 bass for 77-15 – to finish with a two-day total of 54 bass for 172-4 and advance in fifth place.

The top 20 anglers from Group A will now enjoy an off-day Monday, while the 40 anglers in Qualifying Group B will complete their two-day Qualifying Round of competition. The Knockout Round, featuring 38 anglers competing to finish in the top eight, will take place on Tuesday. Wednesday’s Championship Round will feature Wheeler, Monday’s Group B winner, and the top eight anglers from the Knockout Round competing in a final-day shootout for the top prize of $100,000.

“To break another record just feels unbelievable,” said Wheeler. “I’ve been catching fish in all three phases of the spawn, this week. Some of the fish were set up and cruising – those are post-spawners. Some of them were actually sitting on the edges of those points, and those were pre-spawners. And then there are bass spawning on top of the points around the islands, and I’m just rotating through them.

“I rotated between a drop-shot rig, using a Rattlin’ Ned from Googan Baits called a Blue Penny, and then throwing the same bait but actually on a Ned rig,” Wheeler continued. “I threw them on my 7-foot medium action Signature Series Duckett rod on one and my 7-foot, 2-inch medium-heavy Signature Series Duckett rod on the other.
“I’m excited to qualify for the Championship Round and have another chance to take home a W,” Wheeler went on to say. “In the last event at Chickamauga I finished second, and I want nothing more than to tie my buddy Otter (Defoe) and win two events in one year.”

Ehrler also used the drop-shot rig Sunday, but credited his Daiwa Tatula LT reel and its faster gear ratio as being the key to his day.

“I caught them very similar today to how I did the first day – pitching and casting to light and dark spots on some of these main river reefs,” Ehrler said. “I’ve been drop-shotting a Roboworm with a Gamakatsu G Finesse Drop Shot hookand a 3/8-ounce Ark Tungsten sinker. The key was really my Daiwa Tatula LT reel, though.

“A lot of times today I would pitch into these light spots in the current and when the fish would bite they would move off and swim down the current very fast,” Ehrler continued. “My line would go slack, but luckily I was able to pick up a lot of line quickly with the LT and it’s faster gear ratio. That was really important in getting these fish in the boat today.”

The top 20 pros from Qualifying Group A that now advance to Tuesday’s Knockout Round on the St. Lawrence River are:

1st:          Jacob Wheeler, Harrison, Tenn., 66 bass, 222-1
2nd:         Brent Ehrler, Redlands, Calif., 59 bass, 190-13
3rd:         Justin Lucas, Guntersville, Ala., 52 bass, 177-9
4th:         Jeff Sprague, Point, Texas, 59 bass, 172-4
5th:         Jonathon VanDam, Kalamazoo, Mich., 54 bass, 172-3
6th:         Alton Jones Jr., Waco, Texas, 56 bass, 168-12
7th:         Josh Bertrand, Queen Creek, Ariz., 49 bass, 161-4
8th:         Cody Meyer, Star, Idaho, 53 bass, 158-8
9th:         Bradley Roy, Lancaster, Ky., 46 bass, 145-12
10th:       Adrian Avena, Vineland, N.J., 41 bass, 138-10
11th:       Dean Rojas, Lake Havasu City, Ariz., 47 bass, 136-0
12th:       Jordan Lee, Cullman, Ala., 37 bass, 128-10
13th:       Skeet Reese, Auburn, Calif., 43 bass, 123-7
14th:       Stephen Browning, Hot Springs, Ark., 41 bass, 120-8
15th:       Wesley Strader, Spring City, Tenn., 38 bass, 116-15
16th:       Ish Monroe, Oakdale, Calif., 33 bass, 115-7
17th:       David Dudley, Lynchburg, Va., 35 bass, 113-14
18th:       Alton Jones, Lorena, Texas, 35 bass, 113-6
19th:       Marty Robinson, Lyman, S.C., 35 bass, 107-10
20th:       Brandon Coulter, Knoxville, Tenn., 33 bass, 106-8

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

Overall, there were 477 bass weighing 1,446 pounds, 9 ounces caught by the 40 pros on Sunday.

Jeff Kriet of Ardmore, Oklahoma, won Sunday’s $1,000 Berkley Big Bass Award, weighing in a 6-pound, 10-ounce smallmouth bass on a drop-shot rig during Period 3. Berkley will award $1,000 to the angler that weighs the biggest bass each day, and a $3,000 bonus to the angler who weighs the largest bass of the tournament.

The MLF Bass Pro Tour General Tire Stage Five at the St. Lawrence River Presented by Berkley is hosted by the Town of Massena and Fish Massena.

The 40 Anglers in Group A competed in their two-day qualifying round on the St. Lawrence River 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.

Anglers will take off from the Massena Intake Boat Launch Ramp, located on Route 13, in Massena, at 9 a.m. ET each day of competition. Each day’s General Tire Takeout will also be held at the Launch Ramp, beginning at 5:30 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.

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 Heavy Hitters all-star event and the REDCREST 2022 championship.

The MLF NOW!® broadcast team of Chad McKee, Marty Stone and J.T. Kenney will break down the extended action on all six days of competition from 9:15 a.m. to 6 p.m. ET. MLF NOW!®  will be live streamed on MajorLeagueFishing.comand the MyOutdoorTV (MOTV) app.

Television coverage of the Bass Pro Tour General Tire Stage Five Presented by Berkley at the St. Lawrence River will be showcased across two two-hour episodes, premiering at 7 a.m. ET, Oct. 23 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 the Bass Pro Tour, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF’s social media outlets at Facebook, TwitterInstagram, and YouTube.


John Cox Leads Group B at Major League Fishing Bass Pro Tour General Tire Stage Five at St. Lawrence River

DeBary, Florida Pro Catches 31 Bass Weighing 99 Pounds, 1 Ounce on New York’s St. Lawrence River to Lead Group B’s Qualifying Round after Day 1, Group A to Wrap Up Their Qualifying Round Sunday

MASSENA, N.Y. (June 26, 2021) – Although it didn’t quite match Friday’s frenetic day of fishing, the 39 pro anglers on the water Saturday also experienced a special day of fishing at the Major League Fishing (MLF) Bass Pro Tour General Tire Stage Five at the St. Lawrence River Presented by Berkley in Massena, New York.

When time expired at 5:30 p.m., Berkley pro John Cox of DeBary, Florida, held the early lead for Group B with 31 bass weighing 99 pounds, 1 ounce. Right behind Cox in second place is reigning REDCREST Champion Favorite Fishing pro Dustin Connell of Clanton, Alabama, who boated 21 bass totaling 83-13. Rounding out the top three was Shelby, North Carolina’s Bryan Thrift, who caught 28 bass for 81-13 to end the day in third.

The 39 anglers in Group B will have the day off on Sunday, while the 40 anglers in Group A will complete their two-day Qualifying Round of competition. Group B will conclude their Qualifying Round on Monday. The six-day event, hosted by the Town of Massena and Fish Massena, features 80 of the top professional anglers from around the world competing for a purse of $805,000, including a top cash prize of $100,000 to the winner.

“What an awesome day. I can’t believe that I’m leading a smallmouth tournament up north,” said the Floridian Cox. “I feel like I picked up right where I left off last year. After looking at SCORETRACKER™ yesterday, I couldn’t sleep last night. And now I don’t know how I’m going to sleep tonight or tomorrow. I’m so ready to get back out there again.

“It’s hilarious, but I’m leading because I was worried about running out of my (Berkley PowerBait) MaxScent Flat Wormsand (Berkley PowerBait) MaxScent Generals during practice,” Cox continued. “In practice I had a bunch of these (Berkley PowerBait MaxScent) Hit Worms , and I figured I’d use them up so I didn’t use up all of my good stuff before the event started. But man, they’ve been eating that Hit Worm so good and that thing really carried me today.”

Although the majority of Cox’s keepers came on the Hit Worm, he did say that he added a few key bass on the Berkley General.

“We did pull the General out for a few of them and I threw that thing around and caught some big ones too,” Cox continued. “It was just an awesome day. I moved around a lot today and sampled a lot of stuff to help get a game plan for when we come back out here Monday.

“I would love to win the Qualifying Round and be able to skip the Knockout Round and advance straight into the Championship Round,” Cox went on to say. “I know a lot of guys like being in that Knockout Round so they can follow the fish, but I feel pretty set on the areas that I’m fishing, so if I can let them rest it’ll be better.”

Connell credited a Ned rig for most of his success Saturday.

“I caught all of my fish on a Googan Baits Rattlin’ Ned,” Connell said. “This place is just unbelievable. I think I caught seven or eight 5-pounders today, maybe more. They’re biting out here, and I can’t wait to get back out here on Monday.”

“Using P-Line Tactical Fluorocarbon Line and making super long casts was the keys to my success today,” said third-place angler Thrift. “Most of my fish today came on a jig head with two types of soft plastics – the 3-inch Tennessee Shad-colored Damiki Stinger and Berkley MaxScent.

“I threw it on my signature series 7-foot medium-action Fitzgerald Drop Shot and Ned Rig rod, paired with an Abu Garcia Revo Premier Spinning Reel and spooled with 10-pound (P-Line) TCB 8 braid for my main line with 8-pound P-Line Tactical fluorocarbon leader. That setup is as good as it gets for finesse fishing,” Thrift went on to say.

The top 20 pros in Group B after Day 1 on the St. Lawrence River are:

1st:          John Cox, DeBary, Fla., 31 bass, 99-1
2nd:         Dustin Connell, Clanton, Ala., 21 bass, 83-13
3rd:         Bryan Thrift, Shelby, N.C., 28 bass, 81-13
4th:         James Elam, Tulsa, Okla., 27 bass, 78-2
5th:         John Murray, Spring City, Tenn., 25 bass, 73-2
6th:         Brett Hite, Phoenix, Ariz., 21 bass, 69-7
7th:         Gerald Spohrer, Gonzales, La., 20 bass, 69-6
8th:         Fletcher Shryock, Guntersville, Ala., 20 bass, 65-2
9th:         Jared Lintner, Arroyo Grande, Calif., 20 bass, 64-4
10th:       Ott DeFoe, Blaine, Tenn., 22 bass, 63-13
11th:       Bobby Lane, Lakeland, Fla., 21 bass, 63-1
12th:       Shin Fukae, Osaka, Japan, 18 bass, 60-12
13th:       David Walker, Sevierville, Tenn., 21 bass, 59-7
14th:       Britt Myers, Lake Wylie, S.C., 19 bass, 53-11
15th:       Luke Clausen, Spokane, Wash., 18 bass, 51-3
16th:       Michael Neal, Dayton, Tenn., 17 bass, 46-15
17th:       Terry Scroggins, San Mateo, Fla., 15 bass, 45-2
18th:       Fred Roumbanis, Russellville, Ark., 17 bass, 43-11
19th:       Edwin Evers, Talala, Okla., 16 bass, 43-6
20th:       Zack Birge, Blanchard, Okla., 16 bass, 41-10

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

Overall, there were 621 bass weighing 1,855 pounds, 15 ounces caught by the 39 pros on Saturday.

Bass Pro Tour angler Aaron Martens of Leeds, Alabama, was unable to compete in this event and was issued a medical exemption.

Lintner won Saturday’s $1,000 Berkley Big Bass Award, weighing in a 6-pound, 10-ounce smallmouth bass on a drop-shot rig during Period 2. Berkley will award $1,000 to the angler who weighs the biggest bass each day, and a $3,000 bonus to the angler who weighs the largest bass of the tournament.

The MLF Bass Pro Tour General Tire Stage Five at the St. Lawrence River Presented by Berkley is hosted by the Town of Massena and Fish Massena.

The 40 Anglers in Group A compete in their two-day qualifying round on the St. Lawrence River 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.

Anglers will take off from the Massena Intake Boat Launch Ramp, located on Route 13, in Massena, at 8:30 a.m. ET each day of competition. Each day’s General Tire Takeout will also be held at the Launch Ramp, beginning at 5:30 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.

On Sunday, June 27, the Town of Massena will join the anglers at 7:45 a.m. at the Massena Intake Ramp for Fishin’ Church, hosted by Bass Pro Tour anglers Mark Rose and Edwin Evers along with Judy Van Kennan, Chaplain for the Massena Fire Department. A free breakfast will be provided. Also on Sunday, Louisville, New York, will host a VIP Golf Course Event featuring multiple Bass Pro Tour anglers from noon to 3 p.m. at The River Course at Louisville Landing. All activities are free and open to the public. For more information on the Stage Five Community Events hosted by Fish Massena, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com.

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 Heavy Hitters all-star event and the REDCREST 2022 championship.

The MLF NOW!® broadcast team of Chad McKee, Marty Stone and J.T. Kenney will break down the extended action on all six days of competition from 9:15 a.m. to 6 p.m. ET. MLF NOW!®  will be live streamed on MajorLeagueFishing.comand the MyOutdoorTV (MOTV) app.

Television coverage of the General Tire Stage Five Presented by Berkley at the St. Lawrence River will be showcased across two two-hour episodes, premiering at 7 a.m. ET, Oct. 23 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 the Bass Pro Tour, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF’s social media outlets at Facebook, TwitterInstagram, and YouTube.


Late Big Bites Lift Gardendale To Bassmaster High School Series Victory On Lay Lake

Fletcher Phillips and Will Phillips, of Gardendale (Ala.) High School, have won the Mossy Oak Fishing Bassmaster High School Series at Lay Lake presented by Academy Sports + Outdoors with 17 pounds, 15 ounces.

Photo by Emily Hand/B.A.S.S.

June 26, 2021

SHELBY COUNTY, Ala. — Although they only live about an hour from Lay Lake, Will Phillips and Fletcher Phillips from Gardendale High School had not spent much time on the lake prior to this weekend.

After catching 17 pounds, 15 ounces to win the Mossy Oak Fishing Bassmaster High School Series at Lay Lake presented by Academy Sports + Outdoors, Fletcher said they will definitely be back in the future.

Along with the win, Fletcher and Will earned Big Bass of the Tournament honors with a 6-12 largemouth they caught near the end of the day. The Bainbridge High School duo of Caleb Reynolds and Lex Thompson followed in second place with 14-9, while John Nutt and Carter Nutt from Backwoods Bassin’ finished third with 14-5.

“It was pretty exciting,” Will said. “Even though I didn’t catch the big ones, it was pretty nice watching him catch them. I caught them in the net. Basically, half the work.”

Fletcher and Will split their time between fishing grass banks and main-river current breaks, using a warmouth-colored Dirty Jigs Swim Jig in the grass and a finesse jig in the current. The morning started fast with two keeper bites, although Fletcher lost a quality fish that would have increased their total weight.

The morning bite fizzled quickly, however.

“We didn’t have a bite for probably two hours,” Will said. “We started fishing the river and caught a 3-pound spot and we started fishing the grass and it turned on from there.”

After catching the big spotted bass, the duo moved to a creek arm and on the first points Fletcher landed a 4-pound largemouth. Several minutes later, he hooked their biggest bass of the day.

“We go all the way to the back and don’t get a bite and come back out and I catch a little one,” Fletcher said. “I threw up to the second point after the point I caught the 4-pounder on and it blew up and I caught it.”

Hailing from the Lake Seminole area of Georgia, Reynolds and Thompson had a tough practice but were fortunate enough to grind out six bites on tournament day.

“We didn’t catch our first keeper fish until about 8 o’clock,” Reynolds said. “I caught two on a crankbait and then at about 10:30, Lex caught two on a shaky head and another that was about 12 inches.”

With time winding down, the Bainbridge duo caught their biggest fish flipping grass mats, culling out their 12-incher in the process.

Heading into the tournament, Thompson said the game plan was to flip grass all day but found a point with rocks and stumps where they thought they could catch some spotted bass.

“It worked out for us,” Thompson said. “We caught the first three pretty quickly and I figured it would be a spotted bass day. But not long after I caught one of the bigger largemouth.”

The Lay Lake event marked the end of the regular season for the High School Series. The Top 19 teams secured their spot in the 2021 Mossy Oak Fishing Bassmaster High School National Championship presented by Academy Sports + Outdoors to be held at Chickamauga Lake, July 29-31.

2021 Mossy Oak Fishing Bassmaster High School Series at Lay Lake presented
by Academy Sports + Outdoors 6/26-6/26
Lay Lake, Columbiana AL.
(BOATER) Standings Day 1

Angler Club/School Pts

1. Fletcher Phillips - Will Phillips Gardendale High School 0
Day 1: 5 17-15 Total: 5 17-15
2. Caleb Reynolds - Lex Thompson Bainbridge High School 0
Day 1: 5 14-09 Total: 5 14-09
3. John Nutt - Carter Nutt Backwoods Bassin 0
Day 1: 5 14-05 Total: 5 14-05
4. Jordan Guest - Landon Guest Skyline High School (414) 0
Day 1: 5 13-06 Total: 5 13-06
5. Andon Goins - Blake Wheat Rhea County High School 0
Day 1: 5 13-02 Total: 5 13-02
6. Nathan Reynolds - Jimmy Oguin Backwoods Bassin 0
Day 1: 5 12-09 Total: 5 12-09
7. Langston Martin - Coleman Mezick Lee County Anglers 0
Day 1: 5 11-12 Total: 5 11-12
8. Evan Mabrey - Skyler Stevens 0
Day 1: 5 11-08 Total: 5 11-08
9. Jack Alexander - Colledge Elliott Mountain Brook High School 0
Day 1: 5 11-05 Total: 5 11-05
10. Dylan Breaux - Gage Boquet Lafourche Bassmaster 0
Day 1: 5 11-05 Total: 5 11-05
11. AJ McGee - Evan Dunn Bibb county 0
Day 1: 5 10-11 Total: 5 10-11
12. Jake Krauth - Austin Roberts Franklin County High School 0
Day 1: 5 10-10 Total: 5 10-10
13. Caleb Bridges - Brady Duncan Mt. Juliet High School Fishing 0
Day 1: 5 10-08 Total: 5 10-08
13. Cody Smith - Rhett Stottlemire Soddy Daisy High School 0
Day 1: 5 10-08 Total: 5 10-08
15. Tj Cox - Dalton Cochran Brookwood High School 0
Day 1: 5 10-07 Total: 5 10-07
16. Jackson Isbell - Dalton Head Moody High School 0
Day 1: 5 10-07 Total: 5 10-07
17. Logan Beane - Tyler Wakefield Shelby County High School 0
Day 1: 5 10-01 Total: 5 10-01
18. Kevin Dowdy - Kaleb Devos Zion Chapel 0
Day 1: 5 09-15 Total: 5 09-15
19. Will Carnes - Lawson Hon Lincoln County High School (195) 0
Day 1: 5 09-14 Total: 5 09-14
19. Peyton Harris - Braxton Hopper Chelsea Anglers (442) 0
Day 1: 5 09-14 Total: 5 09-14
21. Ryan Wright - Brody Lineberry Baldwin County High School (524) 0
Day 1: 5 09-13 Total: 5 09-13
22. Kai Barnett - Justin Straate Shelby County High School 0
Day 1: 5 09-12 Total: 5 09-12
23. Fischer Barber - Wells Johnson Heritage Christian Academy 0
Day 1: 5 09-12 Total: 5 09-12
24. Taedem Ashworth - Evan Wood Mount Pleasant (369) 0
Day 1: 5 09-11 Total: 5 09-11
24. Brady Whitworth - Walker Whitworth Faith Christian 0
Day 1: 5 09-11 Total: 5 09-11
26. Eli Saint - Ethan Tedder Muscle shoals high school 0
Day 1: 5 09-10 Total: 5 09-10
27. Connor Clark - Elijah Page Good Hope Fishing Team 0
Day 1: 5 09-08 Total: 5 09-08
28. Brayden Stotler - Braydon Myers Bloomington South High School 0
Day 1: 5 09-06 Total: 5 09-06
29. BJ Collins - Owen Jenkins Chatuge Anglers 0
Day 1: 5 09-05 Total: 5 09-05
29. Garrett Thomas - Caleb Seymour Walker High School-LA 0
Day 1: 5 09-05 Total: 5 09-05
31. Cayden Walls - Connor Moulin Central High School 0
Day 1: 5 09-02 Total: 5 09-02
32. Luke McGuffin - Kaleb Butts Crescent High School 0
Day 1: 5 09-02 Total: 5 09-02
33. Barclay Butler - Connor Mclaughlin Scottsboro High School BassCats 0
Day 1: 5 09-01 Total: 5 09-01
34. Trey Waddell - Hunter Hilburn Piedmont 0
Day 1: 5 08-15 Total: 5 08-15
35. Jonathan Stogner - Shelby County High School 0
Day 1: 4 08-15 Total: 4 08-15
36. Storm Clark - Gunnar Williamson Harris County Bass Fishing Team 0
Day 1: 5 08-14 Total: 5 08-14
37. Emory Olinger - Bryce Tucker Bledsoe County High School 0
Day 1: 5 08-12 Total: 5 08-12
38. Brentyn Wheat - Samuel Cobb Livingston Parish Bassmasters 0
Day 1: 5 08-11 Total: 5 08-11
39. Ben Hester - Mason Caldwell Rhea County High School 0
Day 1: 5 08-09 Total: 5 08-09
40. Jacob Hodge - Henry Garett Greenbrier High School 0
Day 1: 5 08-08 Total: 5 08-08
41. Hunter Hamilton - Noah Higgins Parkview Baptist 0
Day 1: 5 08-06 Total: 5 08-06
41. Gage Starks - Sawyer Williams Henry County High School 0
Day 1: 5 08-06 Total: 5 08-06
43. Bryson Carter - Aaron Fortenberry Brandon High School 0
Day 1: 5 08-05 Total: 5 08-05
43. Canyon Odom - Christopher Johnson Baldwin County High School 0
Day 1: 5 08-05 Total: 5 08-05
45. Kaden Casey - Collin French Montgomery County High School 0
Day 1: 5 08-04 Total: 5 08-04
45. Elisha Colley - Ashton Johnson Sand Rock High School 0
Day 1: 5 08-04 Total: 5 08-04
47. Cason Hill - Jamison Hester Handley High School 0
Day 1: 5 08-03 Total: 5 08-03
47. Tyler Morris - Connor Hebert West Baton Rouge Bassmasters 0
Day 1: 5 08-03 Total: 5 08-03
49. Blayne Carpenter - Drake Koonce Sulphur High School 0
Day 1: 5 07-14 Total: 5 07-14
49. Preston Parker - Will Shaw American Christian Academy 0
Day 1: 5 07-14 Total: 5 07-14
49. Philip Parker - Brody Tuinder MGM JR Fishing 0
Day 1: 5 07-14 Total: 5 07-14
52. Briar Dodson - Chris Fallon Gardendale Rockets 0
Day 1: 5 07-12 Total: 5 07-12
53. Tanner Mcclain - Garrett White Rhea County Eagle Anglers 0
Day 1: 5 07-12 Total: 5 07-12
54. Gavin Schmitz - Addison Sikes Saraland High School Fishing Tea 0
Day 1: 2 07-12 Total: 2 07-12
55. Dj Arias - Ayden Braddy Rehobeth High School 0
Day 1: 5 07-11 Total: 5 07-11
56. Jackson Mitchell - Kanon Boyd Hueytown Student Anglers 0
Day 1: 5 07-10 Total: 5 07-10
57. Ben Puckett - Jesse Klutts Henry County High School (236) 0
Day 1: 3 07-10 Total: 3 07-10
58. Chance Shelby - Tyler Jordan Live Oak High 0
Day 1: 5 07-09 Total: 5 07-09
59. Andrew Kay - Donald Voitik Minooka High School (356) 0
Day 1: 5 07-08 Total: 5 07-08
60. Easton Drennon - Chase McConnell Mt. Juliet Fishing (216) 0
Day 1: 5 07-04 Total: 5 07-04
61. Colby Patterson - Landon Dodson Rehobeth Bass Team 0
Day 1: 5 07-03 Total: 5 07-03
61. Joe Vaulton - Pierce Tollett Alcoa High School (644) 0
Day 1: 5 07-03 Total: 5 07-03
63. Carter Koza - John Thomason Mount Paran Christian School 0
Day 1: 5 07-03 Total: 5 07-03
64. Charles Nesmith - Brody Hopper Cullman High School 0
Day 1: 5 07-02 Total: 5 07-02
65. Spencer Grooms - Clayton Reed Auburn Anglers (556) 0
Day 1: 5 07-01 Total: 5 07-01
66. Harrison Wims - Coby Wright Gallatin High School 0
Day 1: 5 06-13 Total: 5 06-13
67. Matthew Elliott - Colby Dupuy Central High School 0
Day 1: 5 06-12 Total: 5 06-12
67. Tyler Finley - William Cothran Mt Pleasant High School 0
Day 1: 5 06-12 Total: 5 06-12
67. Colton Odom - Triton Graham Citronelle HS 0
Day 1: 5 06-12 Total: 5 06-12
70. Hudson Choquette - Cal McInnis Headland High School 0
Day 1: 5 06-09 Total: 5 06-09
70. Brandon Williams - Evan Ramsey Baldwin County High School 0
Day 1: 5 06-09 Total: 5 06-09
72. Kenny Eddings - Luke Walden Hueytown Student Anglers 0
Day 1: 5 06-08 Total: 5 06-08
73. Ethan Gilbert - Carson Aarup Downeast Fishing Club 0
Day 1: 4 06-05 Total: 4 06-05
73. Landon Grider - Kolby Clark Scottsboro High School BassCats 0
Day 1: 4 06-05 Total: 4 06-05
75. Bennett Bauer - Preston Venable RoCo Anglers 0
Day 1: 5 06-02 Total: 5 06-02
75. Newt Brooks - Colby Doyle Faith Christian School 0
Day 1: 5 06-02 Total: 5 06-02
75. Parker Ramsey - Morgan Beaver Hoover High School 0
Day 1: 5 06-02 Total: 5 06-02
78. Laden Hilburn - Jacob McCurdy Piedmont HS Fishing Team 0
Day 1: 4 06-02 Total: 4 06-02
79. Tucker McCoy - Ethan Hopkins Mortimer Jordan Bass Club 0
Day 1: 4 06-01 Total: 4 06-01
80. Bre Arnold - Doston Putman Good Hope Fishing Team 0
Day 1: 5 06-00 Total: 5 06-00
80. Cody Brooks - Fisher Anaya Brewer High School 0
Day 1: 5 06-00 Total: 5 06-00
82. Hayden Buchanan - Barrett Choquette Headland High School 0
Day 1: 5 05-15 Total: 5 05-15
83. Jordan Turner - Garrett Whitehead Eufaula High School 0
Day 1: 4 05-15 Total: 4 05-15
84. Luke Coleman - Jacob Handley Oneonta High School 0
Day 1: 4 05-14 Total: 4 05-14
85. Zach Coleman - Billy Jackson Baldwin County High 0
Day 1: 5 05-13 Total: 5 05-13
86. Jake Carney - Knox Whalen Soddy Daisy High School 0
Day 1: 5 05-12 Total: 5 05-12
87. Peyton Sorrow - GREENWOOD 0
Day 1: 4 05-12 Total: 4 05-12
88. Colton Parten - Will Travis Rhea County High School 0
Day 1: 3 05-12 Total: 3 05-12
89. Joshua Stokes - Jaylen Uline Mortimer Jordan Bass Club 0
Day 1: 5 05-11 Total: 5 05-11
90. Landon Guarnieri - Logan Willis Chelsea Anglers 0
Day 1: 4 05-11 Total: 4 05-11
91. Wayland Adkisson - Daniel Summers BGA 0
Day 1: 3 05-11 Total: 3 05-11
92. Hunter Petrovic - John Sergeant Minooka High School 0
Day 1: 5 05-10 Total: 5 05-10
93. Brady Underwood - Trace Montgomery Corner High School Bass Fishing 0
Day 1: 4 05-09 Total: 4 05-09
94. Brandon Berry - Hunter Bright Helena Bass Club 0
Day 1: 5 05-08 Total: 5 05-08
95. Harrison Terry - Luke Clifton DCHS Fishing Team (274) 0
Day 1: 4 05-07 Total: 4 05-07
96. Anna Kay - Lane Clark Crescent High School 0
Day 1: 3 05-07 Total: 3 05-07
97. Hunter Travis - Jameson Norris Baldwin County high (396) 0
Day 1: 4 05-06 Total: 4 05-06
98. Connor Green - Harley Gosdin Valley High School 0
Day 1: 3 05-06 Total: 3 05-06
99. Lane Lassiter - Braxton Campbell Warren County High School 0
Day 1: 3 05-05 Total: 3 05-05
100. Peyton Matherne - Stephen James Walker High School 0
Day 1: 5 05-03 Total: 5 05-03
101. Logan Deloney - Cameron Whitehead Rehobeth high School 0
Day 1: 3 05-03 Total: 3 05-03
102. Bennett Rackley - Joshua Taylor North Paulding High School 0
Day 1: 2 05-01 Total: 2 05-01
102. Brendin Simich - Kenton Bueche 0
Day 1: 2 05-01 Total: 2 05-01
104. Max Deroche - Thomas Istre North Vermilion High School (35 0
Day 1: 4 04-14 Total: 4 04-14
105. Grant West - Cameron Thompson Scottsboro High School BassCats 0
Day 1: 4 04-13 Total: 4 04-13
106. Moss Mcgee - Joshua Decker Vestavia Hills High School 0
Day 1: 4 04-11 Total: 4 04-11
107. Jacob Davidson - Tristen Boyd Mt Juliet High School 0
Day 1: 3 04-09 Total: 3 04-09
108. Dylan Johnson - Noah Widick SEQUATCHIE COUNTY (248) 0
Day 1: 4 04-07 Total: 4 04-07
109. Brodie Stuart - Brock Johnson Oak Grove High School 0
Day 1: 4 04-05 Total: 4 04-05
110. Evan Klocek - Owen Teague 0
Day 1: 2 04-01 Total: 2 04-01
111. Victoria Lemmler - Emma Simon Central High School 0
Day 1: 4 04-00 Total: 4 04-00
112. Mason Snider - Dalton Benson Mount Juliet Fishing 0
Day 1: 3 04-00 Total: 3 04-00
113. Alexis Grandstaff - James Quinlivan Headland Bass Team 0
Day 1: 2 04-00 Total: 2 04-00
114. Andrew Davis - Asher Peters Headland High School (335) 0
Day 1: 3 03-11 Total: 3 03-11
115. William Hoskins - Joshua Vanderpool Wilson Christian Academy 0
Day 1: 1 03-10 Total: 1 03-10
116. Eddie Denmark - Chase Bryan Citronelle Community Fishing Tea 0
Day 1: 3 03-09 Total: 3 03-09
117. Houston Snell - Logan Kirkland Rehobeth High School 0
Day 1: 2 03-07 Total: 2 03-07
117. Andrew Weaver - Jagger White Cold Springs High School 0
Day 1: 2 03-07 Total: 2 03-07
119. Scott Lemmler - Cade Ross Central High School 0
Day 1: 3 03-06 Total: 3 03-06
120. Jacob Frizzell - Johnathan Walls Warren County High School 0
Day 1: 2 03-05 Total: 2 03-05
121. Annie Lassiter - Hayden Jones warren county (451) 0
Day 1: 1 03-04 Total: 1 03-04
122. Owen Freeman - Jack Abernathy Titan Fishing Club 0
Day 1: 3 03-02 Total: 3 03-02
123. Carson Debord - Daniel Rogers Sequatchie County High School 0
Day 1: 2 02-13 Total: 2 02-13
123. Cole Kelley - Luke Sparkman Jasper High School 0
Day 1: 2 02-13 Total: 2 02-13
123. Mason Mullins - Caden Graham Soddy Daisy High School (443) 0
Day 1: 2 02-13 Total: 2 02-13
126. Kruze Clayton - Izack Hancock Meigs County High School (465) 0
Day 1: 2 02-12 Total: 2 02-12
127. Culley Mcdowell - Riley Margeson Warren County High School 0
Day 1: 2 02-10 Total: 2 02-10
128. Sadie Rodgers - Brentlea Rodgers Soddy Daisy High School 0
Day 1: 2 02-09 Total: 2 02-09
129. Ashton Ozolins - Ethan Arkell Montgomery County Highschool 0
Day 1: 2 02-05 Total: 2 02-05
129. C.J. Stanley - Peyton Jones Rhea County Eagle Anglers 0
Day 1: 2 02-05 Total: 2 02-05
131. Peyton Fitzgerald - Jackson Dowdy Zion Chapel 0
Day 1: 4 02-02 Total: 4 02-02
132. Savannah Walls - Keely Ana Strickland Central high School (217) 0
Day 1: 2 01-15 Total: 2 01-15
133. Austin Sawyer - Levi Sells Eufaula High School 0
Day 1: 2 01-03 Total: 2 01-03
134. Bryant Kennamer - Daniel O'linger Skyline High School (423) 0
Day 1: 1 00-14 Total: 1 00-14
135. Hayden Blackwell - Carter Newborn Jasper High School 0
Day 1: 1 00-12 Total: 1 00-12
136. Buckner Anderson - Greyson Widgeon Scottsboro Junior BassCats 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
136. Jack Blakney - Garrison Walker 901 Bass Club 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
136. Alex Bowen - Aaron Mills Cardinal Fishing Team 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
136. James Broderick - Trent Thompson Spain Park 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
136. Landon Brown - Connor Mckinzie Bourbon County High School 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
136. Chance Bryars - Noah Bryars Baldwin County High School 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
136. Andrew Buchan - Josiah Johnson Eufaula High School 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
136. Jon-Rex Cain - Aubrey Jones Jasper High School 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
136. Jeffrey Chapman - Jake Ellis MGM Fishing Team 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
136. Cody Clowdus - 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
136. Christian Ferguson - Carter Hazlett Siegel High School (266) 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
136. Eli Galloway - Jed Defee Baldwin county high school (407) 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
136. Landen Graves - Hunter Hood Mortimer Jordan Bass Club 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
136. Forrest Gunnison - Connor Gunnison Fairhope High School 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
136. Hayden Hammond - Drake Sturgill Rowan County 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
136. Andrew Haney - Kenneth Young Martin County High School 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
136. Hall Hobbs - Shelby County 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
136. Austin Johns - Trevor Lee Zion Chapel 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
136. George Jude - Jacob Hunt Cardinal Fishing Team 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
136. Brent Key - Hunter Canova Lenoir City High School 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
136. Manning Larkins - Nathan Webster Hueytown High School 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
136. Blayton Mangram - Blake Gray Handley High School 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
136. Aidan Mann - Dakota Jude Cardinal Fishing Team 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
136. Hayden Marbut - Reese Petitti Vestavia Hills High School 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
136. Hayden Marshall - Austin Bates Gardendale High School 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
136. Briley Mattox - Seth Loggins Good Hope Fishing Team 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
136. Chandler Millsap - 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
136. Daniel Moon - Zachary Helton Halls High School (232) 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
136. Dixie Morris - DJ Morris Valley Bass Team 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
136. Julian Moss - Hunter Tucker Gallatin High School 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
136. Brett Mouw - Tj Wright The Hill Toppers 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
136. Andy Napier - Dalton Coale Spencer County High School 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
136. Jacob Nekvinda - Devon Dvorak Benton Community 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
136. Allen Nichols - Nicholas Cochran Bibb county high school (648) 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
136. Alex Pace - Wes Kinard American Christian academy (517) 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
136. Kasen Pemberton - Samuel Godwin Sneads High School 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
136. Tyler Phillips - Drake Crosby Montgomery County High School 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
136. Noah Ray - Kyler Smith Tullahoma High School 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
136. Laindree Richardson - Lucas Wielt Benton High School 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
136. Caleb Roblin - Blake Verberne Denham Springs High School (420) 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
136. Evan Salter - Seth Ridley Hueytown High School 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
136. Mason Sampley - Gabriel Sanders Walker Valley High School 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
136. Sam Schmitz - Adam Schmitz 901 Bass Club Memphis 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
136. Gage Sharp - Levi Sharp La anglers 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
136. Mack Taylor - Reese David Sand Springs HS 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
136. Zachary Taylor - Carter Ensley Walker Valley High School 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
136. Peter West - Zach Knight Gallatin High School 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
136. Hayes White - Tiger Manuel Sulphur High School 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
136. Aden Whorton - Luke Melton Lifeway Christian School 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
136. Matthew Wilson - Grayson Mcclendon Holy Spirit Tuscaloosa (293) 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00


Shelby County Team Takes Bassmaster Junior Series On Alabama’s Lay Lake

Alabama's Aiden King and Dillyn Dill, of the Shelby County Junior Anglers, have won the Mossy Oak Fishing Bassmaster Junior Series at Lay Lake with 10 pounds, 15 ounces.

Photo by Emily Hand/B.A.S.S.

June 26, 2021

SHELBY COUNTY, Ala. — The Shelby County Junior Anglers team of Aiden King and Dillyn Dill defended their home-lake advantage by winning the Mossy Oak Bassmaster Junior Series title on Lay Lake Saturday afternoon with 10 pounds, 15 ounces.

The Saraland Junior team of Colby Onderdonk and Dalton Kelly finished second with 9-13, and the Riverside Junior Bass team of Lainie Holbert and Sarah Swindle, who won last week's Junior Series tournament at Saginaw Bay, took third with 8-6.

King and Dill anchored their bag with a 3-7 largemouth they caught first thing in the morning. The duo only caught five fish throughout the day on their home lake, but they ended up being the right five bites to win the tournament.

King said winning a tournament on their home lake was a special opportunity.

“I really like Lay,” King said. “I’ve been here my whole life and fished it my whole life. Having an opportunity to fish in these tournaments is amazing.”

Dill said they caught all of their fish using some of their favorite techniques; frogging and throwing a swim jig.

Boat captain Shannon King said that while the fish didn’t bite like he thought they would, he was proud of the effort from the two anglers.

“It has been like that all year,” he said. “They have had good tournaments and some rough ones. They caught two good fish to start with. The spots didn’t bite like I thought they would. It got tough.

“When they got the fourth one, they perked up a little bit. When they got the fifth one, they said ‘We don’t care if we win or not, we’ve got five.’ That was the goal for them.”

Parker Batts and Brody Jones from Jefferson County landed the Big Bass of the Tournament, earning $100 with their 3-11 largemouth.

With the regular season complete, qualifying teams will set their sights on the 2021 Mossy Oak Fishing Bassmaster Junior National Championship at the Carroll County 1000 Acre Recreational Lake in Huntingdon, Tenn., scheduled for Oct. 8-9.

2021 Mossy Oak Fishing Bassmaster Junior Series at Lay Lake 6/26-6/26
Lay Lake, Columbiana AL.
(BOATER) Standings Day 1

Angler Club/School Pts

1. Aiden King - Dillyn Dill Shelby County Jr Anglers 0
Day 1: 5 10-15 Total: 5 10-15
2. Colby Onderdonk - Dalton Kelly Saraland 0
Day 1: 5 09-13 Total: 5 09-13
3. Lainie Holbert - Sarah Swindle Riverside Bass Team 0
Day 1: 5 08-06 Total: 5 08-06
4. Easton Morris - Hunter Thrash Jemison Middle School 0
Day 1: 5 08-02 Total: 5 08-02
5. Parker Batts - Brody Jones Jefferson County Patriots 0
Day 1: 5 08-00 Total: 5 08-00
6. Camden Randall - Peyton Davidson Mt Pleasant Junior Bass (297) 0
Day 1: 5 07-15 Total: 5 07-15
7. Jackie Hatfield - Alcoa Fishing Team (244) 0
Day 1: 5 07-10 Total: 5 07-10
8. Carter Pjesky - Jd Mcbroom Off the Hook Bassmasters 0
Day 1: 5 07-04 Total: 5 07-04
9. Tristan Stewart - DJ Johnson Mt. Pleasant High School (357) 0
Day 1: 4 06-15 Total: 4 06-15
10. Brady Mccormick - Parker Jackson Briarwood Christian 0
Day 1: 4 06-10 Total: 4 06-10
11. Matthew Venable - Elijah Edmonds Skyline High School 0
Day 1: 4 06-02 Total: 4 06-02
12. Landon Pierce - Korbin Neat Casey County 0
Day 1: 5 06-01 Total: 5 06-01
13. Hannah Hollis - Brooklyn Isbell Odenville Middle School 0
Day 1: 5 05-13 Total: 5 05-13
14. Carson Howell - Colton Howell mount pleasant high school (200) 0
Day 1: 5 05-06 Total: 5 05-06
15. Cullen Howell - Talen Ashworth MOUNT PLEASANT high school (268) 0
Day 1: 3 05-03 Total: 3 05-03
16. Matthew Fontenot - Cole Billiot Lafourche Jr. Bassmasters (617) 0
Day 1: 3 05-02 Total: 3 05-02
17. Lando Parker - Jake Watson DeWitt 0
Day 1: 3 05-02 Total: 3 05-02
18. Kayden Waller - Michael Harris Mt. Juliet high school (263) 0
Day 1: 4 05-00 Total: 4 05-00
19. Jaxson Pierce - Tucker Larrance Jefferson County Patriots (410) 0
Day 1: 4 04-13 Total: 4 04-13
20. David Campbell - Carter Fountain Briarwood Christian School 0
Day 1: 3 04-08 Total: 3 04-08
21. Brody Beninger - Landon Rousseau Skyline High School (463) 0
Day 1: 3 04-03 Total: 3 04-03
22. Jack Myers - Nassau Christian 0
Day 1: 4 04-02 Total: 4 04-02
23. Mason Carden - Dawson Bryant Shelby County Jr Anglers (484) 0
Day 1: 2 04-00 Total: 2 04-00
24. Owen Ray - Rhea County Eagle Anglers 0
Day 1: 3 03-14 Total: 3 03-14
25. Daniel Ingram - Morgan Carden Shelby County Jr Anglers (496) 0
Day 1: 3 03-13 Total: 3 03-13
26. Ethan Rose - Grant Arnold Jefferson County Patriot Anglers 0
Day 1: 3 03-10 Total: 3 03-10
27. Wyatt Downs - Brayden Huddleston Upperman (198) 0
Day 1: 2 02-11 Total: 2 02-11
28. Jackson Leath - Hudson Clark MT.JULIET FISHING 0
Day 1: 2 02-04 Total: 2 02-04
29. Jack Pickett - Kenneth Pickett Skyline High School 0
Day 1: 2 02-03 Total: 2 02-03
30. Jase Crumpler - Brady Stanley SWLA JR ANGLERS 0
Day 1: 2 02-01 Total: 2 02-01
31. Walker Larue - Jason Bennett Alcoa Middle School (219) 0
Day 1: 2 02-00 Total: 2 02-00
32. Jacob Baugh - Scott York 0
Day 1: 2 01-14 Total: 2 01-14
33. Aubrey Hicks - Jamison Watson Mt Juliet Fishing 0
Day 1: 2 01-13 Total: 2 01-13
34. Trip Nelson - Will Harrington Scottsboro High School BassCats 0
Day 1: 1 00-12 Total: 1 00-12
35. Miles Allen - Holy Trinity 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
35. Cole Drawdy - Carter Rouse Mckeel Fishing team (225) 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
35. Luke Duncan - Jake Duncan Crescent 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
35. Jess Goggans - Drake Dooley Scottsboro High School BassCats 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00


Jacob Wheeler Shatters Single-Day Weight Record at Major League Fishing Bass Pro Tour General Tire Stage Five at St. Lawrence River

Tennessee Pro Jumps out to Opening-Day Lead with 47 Bass Weighing Record 165 Pounds, 1 Ounce After Day 1 of Qualifying Round Group A – Group B to Compete Saturday

MASSENA, N.Y. (June 25, 2021) – The old saying “records were made to be broken” certainly held true for anglers Friday at the Major League Fishing (MLF) Bass Pro Tour General Tire Stage Five at the St. Lawrence River Presented by Berkley in Massena, New York, as nearly every major Bass Pro Tour record was shattered on an incredible day of fishing.

Academy Sports + Outdoors pro Jacob Wheeler of Harrison, Tennessee, grabbed the early lead in Group A, catching 47 bass totaling 165 pounds, 1 ounce – a new Bass Pro Tour record for the heaviest single-day weight. The six-day event, hosted by the Town of Massena and Fish Massena, features 80 of the top professional anglers from around the world competing for a purse of $805,000, including a top cash prize of $100,000 to the winner.

The former record of 141-9 held by Justin Lucas was also broken by the second- and third-place anglers Friday – Alton Jones Jr. of Waco, Texas, caught 49 bass weighing 147-10 to end the day in second place on the SCORETRACKER® leaderboard, and California pro Brent Ehrler caught 43 bass totaling 141-12, good for third.

Overall, there were 918 bass weighing 2,894 pounds, 8 ounces caught by the 40 pros on Friday –a new Bass Pro Tour record for the heaviest total weight caught in a single day of competition.
The 40 anglers in Group A will now enjoy a well-deserved day off on Saturday, while the 40 anglers in Group B will begin their first day of competition. Group A resumes competition on Sunday.

“Goodness, gracious, what a day of fishing. I can’t even express how unbelievable today was. My knees hurt, my back hurts, I feel like an old guy,” joked the 31-year-old Wheeler. “But the guys right behind me are dang good, and I know that I’m going to have to do that every single day I’m out here. I’m looking forward to getting back out on Sunday, but I’m also glad we get to chill and take a break tomorrow.”

Wheeler’s record-breaking day came down to just a couple of different baits.

“I caught a lot of fish on a pink Ned Bait, and a lot on a (Googan Baits) Blue Penny (Rattlin’ Ned Bait) on a Ned rig,” Wheeler said. “That was pretty much the deal for me, just switching it up between the Rattlin’ Ned and a couple of other different Ned baits. It was pretty typical smallmouth fishing, just not a typical day.”

Second-place angler Alton Jones Jr. relied on a drop-shot rig.

“That was such a fun day that I will never forget,” Jones said. “I caught 147 pounds and finished the day in second. I don’t even know what to say. Good job to Wheeler. But there is always another day, and I’ll be ready.

“I caught all of my fish on a drop-shot today,” Jones continued. “I used two different baits – the 3.8-inch Gee Crack Bellows Stick and a Gee Crack Revival Shad. I ran waypoint to waypoint and literally relied on my Garmin units. Every single place that I stopped today I had a fish marked on the bed. Some of them were gone, but a lot of them weren’t.”

Like Jones, third-place pro Brent Ehrler did the majority of his damage on a drop-shot rig, but he also added a few fish on a Ned rig.

“I knew the fishing was going to be pretty good, but man, they absolutely caught them today,” Ehrler said. “I caught them on a drop-shot rig, with the bulk of my damage coming on a rod that I designed for Daiwa – the Tatula Elite drop-shot rod – with a Tatula LT reel. I used a Roboworm with an Ark Tungsten weight, 12-pound Sunline Xplasma braided line to an 8-pound Sunline FC Sniper fluorocarbon leader. That’s really standard for me on all spinning outfits and I caught the bulk of them today on that.

“I also caught a few on a Ned rig using the same setup, just with a BOSS Ned head and a Roboworm NED Worm and that was it. I found some good fish in practice and just went back and fished those areas and it paid off today.”

The top 20 pros in Group A after Day 1 on the St. Lawrence River are:

1st:          Jacob Wheeler, Harrison, Tenn., 47 bass, 165-1
2nd:         Alton Jones Jr., Waco, Texas, 49 bass, 147-10
3rd:         Brent Ehrler, Redlands, Calif., 43 bass, 141-12
4th:         Josh Bertrand, Queen Creek, Ariz., 41 bass, 135-3
5th:         Jeff Sprague, Point, Texas, 45 bass, 132-9
6th:         Justin Lucas, Guntersville, Ala., 36 bass, 125-8
7th:         Cody Meyer, Star, Idaho, 40 bass, 121-11
8th:         Bradley Roy, Lancaster, Ky., 37 bass, 115-12
9th:         Adrian Avena, Vineland, N.J., 34 bass, 115-0
10th:       Jonathon VanDam, Kalamazoo, Mich., 29 bass, 94-4
11th:       Dean Rojas, Lake Havasu City, Ariz., 30 bass, 86-6
12th:       David Dudley, Lynchburg, Va., 26 bass, 85-2
13th:       Jordan Lee, Cullman, Ala., 25 bass, 84-4
14th:       Skeet Reese, Auburn, Calif., 28 bass, 81-12
15th:       Kevin VanDam, Kalamazoo, Mich., 23 bass, 78-7
16th:       Brandon Coulter, Knoxville, Tenn., 21 bass, 72-11
17th:       Stephen Browning, Hot Springs, Ark., 25 bass, 70-15
18th:       Wesley Strader, Spring City, Tenn., 22 bass, 67-3
19th:       Roy Hawk, Lake Havasu City, Ariz., 22 bass, 66-11
20th:       Greg Vinson, Wetumpka, Ala., 23 bass, 66-10

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

Lucas won Friday’s $1,000 Berkley Big Bass Award, weighing in a 6-pound, 13-ounce smallmouth bass on a Ned rig during Period 2. Berkley will award $1,000 to the angler who weighs the biggest bass each day, and a $3,000 bonus to the angler who weighs the largest bass of the tournament.

The MLF Bass Pro Tour General Tire Stage Five at the St. Lawrence River Presented by Berkley is hosted by the Town of Massena and Fish Massena.

The 40 Anglers in Group A compete in their two-day qualifying round on the St. Lawrence River 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.

Anglers will take off from the Massena Intake Boat Launch Ramp, located on Route 13, in Massena, at 9 a.m. ET each day of competition. Each day’s General Tire Takeout will also be held at the Launch Ramp, beginning at 5:30 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 multiple community events throughout the week, hosted by Fish Massena. A Kid’s Fishing Derby with local area youth fishing alongside Bass Pro Tour anglers will take place on Saturday, June 26, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Fobare’s Pond (Sandy Beach) on Coles Creek Road in Massena.

On Sunday, June 27, the Town of Massena will join the anglers at the Massena Intake Ramp for Fishin’ Church, hosted by Bass Pro Tour anglers Mark Rose and Edwin Evers along with Judy Van Kennan, Chaplain for the Massena Fire Department. A free breakfast will be provided. Also on Sunday, Louisville, New York, will host a VIP Golf Course Event featuring multiple Bass Pro Tour anglers from noon to 3 p.m. at The River Course at Louisville Landing. All activities are free and open to the public. For more information on the Stage Five Community Events hosted by Fish Massena, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com.

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 Heavy Hitters all-star event and the REDCREST 2022 championship.

The MLF NOW!® broadcast team of Chad McKee, Marty Stone and J.T. Kenney will break down the extended action on all six days of competition from 9:15 a.m. to 6 p.m. ET. MLF NOW!®  will be live streamed on MajorLeagueFishing.comand the MyOutdoorTV (MOTV) app.

Television coverage of the General Tire Stage Five Presented by Berkley at the St. Lawrence River will be showcased across two two-hour episodes, premiering at 7 a.m. ET, Oct. 23 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 the Bass Pro Tour, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF’s social media outlets at Facebook, TwitterInstagram, and YouTube.


Low’s Old-School Tactics Deliver B.A.S.S. Nation Northeast Regional Win On Erie

Team New Hampshire member Eric Low, of Buxton, Maine, has won the TNT Fireworks B.A.S.S. Nation Northeast Regional at Lake Erie and Presque Isle Bay with a three-day total of 48 pounds, 8 ounces.

Photo by Kyle Jessie/B.A.S.S.

June 25, 2021

ERIE, Pa. — Going old school turned out to be the right call for Eric Low of Buxton, Maine, who turned in a three-day total of 48 pounds, 8 ounces to win the TNT Fireworks B.A.S.S. Nation Northeast Regional on Lake Erie.

Topping the New Hampshire B.A.S.S. Nation team, Low caught a limit of 12-12 on Day 1 to place 26th. He added 16-11 on Thursday and moved to fifth. In the final round, Low caught the tournament’s heaviest bag — 19-1 — and edged Day 2 leader Tyler Williams by 1-5.

For his efforts, Low won the $5,000 Skeeter first-place prize and a spot in the TNT Fireworks B.A.S.S. Nation Championship on the Ouachita River in Monroe, La., Nov. 3-5.

Making his first trip to this part of Lake Erie, Low found the windy practice conditions made it difficult to search for promising areas. He finally located a spot that produced good quality and fished most of Day 1 there. He spent the last hour of the first day inside Presque Isle Bay.

“The second day, when my primary spot ran out, I went looking for interesting stuff in the other direction — toward New York,” Low said. “I don’t have a lot of fancy electronics on my boat, so I just used my football jig to drag the bottom.

“If it was ‘sticky,’ that was good; if it was sticky, then soft, then sticky, then soft; that was really good. If there were little contours where you got hung up (occasionally), that was good too.”

Anchoring his bag with a 6-3, Low employed his bait as a depthfinder — a technique by which anglers commonly searched before the era of modern electronics. Low used a 3/4-ounce Do-it Molds football head with a 3.8-inch Keitech Swing Impact trailer.

“I couldn’t use the 3/8-ounce (football head) because the wind was carrying it right off the bottom,” Low said.

In the final round, Low caught one of his keepers on the football head. The other three bit a drop shot with a 1/2-ounce weight and a Berkley MaxScent Flat Worm.

“The area I located with the football head was about the size of a football field,” Low said. “We just went round and round and connected the dots. Every time (my nonboater or I) caught a fish, I’d mark a waypoint.

“We caught a fish an hour. That 6-pounder came a half an hour before we had to come in.”

Hailing from Belgrade, Maine, Williams finished second with 47-3. After placing second on Day 1 with 17 pounds, he took over the lead by adding a Day 2 limit of 16-8. On Friday, he finished with a limit that went 13-11.

“Today, I just burned spots; I went from waypoint to waypoint to waypoint and eventually, I’d stumble upon a couple of fish,” Williams said. “I went the wrong way. I worked toward Pennsylvania and the fish went toward New York. Everyone I know who was down by New York had a big bag today.”

Scanning with Garmin Panoptix, Williams caught all of his fish by locating isolated rocks and dragging a Ned rig past the structure. He used a 3/8-ounce Woo Tungsten head and a Z-Man Finesse TRD.

“I’d catch a drum, or a walleye, or a perch and eventually, I’d catch a bass,” Williams said.

Mike Wolfenden of Warwick, R.I., finished third with 43-2. Making the event’s biggest comeback, Wolfenden caught three fish for 10-2 on Day 1 and placed 47th. Adding 14-14 in the second round, he rose to 21st before gaining 18 more spots with a Day 3 limit of 18-2.

In the final round, Wolfenden spent his day on the New York side and caught his fish by dragging a drop shot with a 3/8-ounce weight and a Berkley MaxScent Flat Worm over scattered rock and grass in about 25 to 30 feet.

“I fished about a 3-mile stretch; I just kept going back and forth over certain spots that had fish on them,” Wolfenden said. “I’d go through my area and do a sweep with my Garmin Panoptix LiveScope and if I didn’t see a fish, I wouldn’t stay. That technology saves a lot of time.

“A lot of guys were on top of the same spots and I think the fishing pressure moved the fish. I was able to relocate them. Today, I saw more bait than I had any other day, so I think the fish were (fleeing the fishing pressure) and going with the bait.”

Low won the $500 Big Bass award for his 6-3.

Casey Baroffio of Northfield, Vt., won the nonboater division with a tournament total of 33-6. On Friday, he bolstered his first two days’ limits of 9-15 and 10-5 with a final-round limit of 13-2. He earned the $2,500 Yamaha first-place prize.

Baroffio noted that he was fishing his first B.A.S.S. Nation event for the learning experience. The event delivered the lessons he sought and one of them helped him win the trophy.

“One of our teammates took me out in practice and showed me a lot,” Baroffio said. “I was drop shotting a Berkley MaxScent Flat Worm, and I adjusted my rig by downsizing my line from a 10-pound leader to an 8-pound leader and decreased my weight from a 1/2-ounce to a 3/8.

“A lot of the guys on the Vermont team gave me grief because, with the week’s windy conditions, they were all throwing a 1/2- or 3/4-ounce. But I kept my back to the wind so it didn’t affect my line and I was able to keep that 3/8- down there and feel every bite.”

Dayton Lilly of Hope Valley, R.I., won the $250 Big Bass award among nonboaters with a 5-13.

2021 TNT Fireworks B.A.S.S. Nation Northeast Regional 6/23-6/25
Lake Erie/Presque Isle Bay, Erie PA.
(BOATER) Standings Day 3

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

1. Eric Low Buxton, ME (NH) 12 48-08 0
2. Tyler Williams Belgrade, ME (ME) 12 47-03 0
3. Mike Wolfenden Warwick, RI (RI) 11 43-02 0
4. Josh Cotier Clinton, MA (MA) 12 41-05 0
5. Will Kanwisher Ramsey, NJ (NJ) 12 39-14 0
6. Casey Smith Macedon, NY (NY) 12 39-14 0
7. Dave Cousins Standish, ME (ME) 11 39-10 0
8. Jeremy Sadowski Valuntower, CT (RI) 11 39-07 0
9. Aaron Green Everett, PA (PA) 11 39-06 0
10. Keith Poulin Lisbon, ME (ME) 9 37-06 0
11. Kevin Rose Jr Anniston, CT (CT) 12 36-06 0
12. Michael Comeau Alburgh, VT (VT) 9 36-02 0
13. Cody Petit Arundel, ME (ME) 10 34-13 0
14. Chad Shutty Northern Cambria, PA (P 9 34-02 0
15. David Dziob Meriden, CT (CT) 11 34-02 0
16. Aaron Orsi Auburn, MA (MA) 11 33-15 0
17. Fabian Rodriguez Ocean City, MD (DE) 10 31-08 0
18. Brandon Labove Mystic, CT (RI) 9 30-00 0
19. Michael Mello Manville, RI (MA) 9 29-11 0
20. Bob Jeffrey Prospect, CT (CT) 9 29-01 0
21. Randy Lamanche Marcellus, NY (NY) 8 27-10 0
22. Timothy Dube Nashua , NH (NH) 9 27-10 0
23. Jay Walls Milford, DE (DE) 11 26-15 0
24. Dan Patane Canastota, NY (NY) 7 25-02 0
25. Keith Cowan Mt Ephraim, NJ (NJ) 7 24-14 0
26. Ken Golubjatnikov Pittsford, NY (NY) 7 24-12 0
27. Nicholas Holt Ellsworth, ME (ME) 7 23-09 0
28. Rich Dewling Boxford, MA (MA) 8 23-08 0
29. Jonathan Carter Portland, ME (ME) 7 23-04 0
30. Brian Kelly Liverpool, NY (NY) 7 23-01 0
31. Brian Croteau Blackstone, MA (RI) 8 22-12 0
32. Rick Svoboda Cockeysville , MD (MD) 10 22-06 0
33. Denis Carrier Skowhegan, ME (ME) 7 21-07 0
34. Russell Belanger Gt Barrington, MA (MA) 7 20-13 0
35. Kevin Miller Hollis, NH (NH) 7 20-12 0
36. John Mcgraw Hamilton Sq, NJ (NJ) 7 20-11 0
37. Chris Guncheon Warwick, RI (RI) 7 20-07 0
38. Mickey Soler Newington, CT (CT) 8 20-07 0
39. Mark Burgess Norton, MA (MA) 8 20-04 0
40. Brian Spencer Bentleyville, PA (PA) 6 20-03 0
41. Conor Cahill North East, MD (NJ) 6 20-00 0
42. Matthew Szczoczarz Cumberland, RI (RI) 8 19-13 0
43. Seth Parker La Fargeville, NY (NY) 7 19-09 0
44. Thomas Hughes Cicero, NY (NY) 6 19-03 0
45. Benjamin Hale Rowley, MA (MA) 8 19-02 0
46. Zack Hajecate Wallkill, NY (NY) 5 18-13 0
47. Paul Mayo Shelton, CT (CT) 6 18-04 0
48. Douglas Savino Tyrone, PA (PA) 6 18-03 0
49. Frank McCormick Warwick, RI (RI) 8 18-03 0
50. Michael Sentore Gloucester City, NJ (NJ 8 18-00 0
51. Shaun Brown Slippery Rock, PA (PA) 5 17-14 0
52. Patrick Martin St Roch De L Achigan Qu 7 17-13 0
53. Sean Cummins Huntgindon, PA (PA) 6 17-11 0
54. Cliff Humphreys Philadelphia, PA (NJ) 8 17-09 0
55. Sheron Brown Leminster, MA (MA) 8 17-08 0
56. Tim Talento Meriden, CT (CT) 7 17-01 0
57. Mike Morris Dover, DE (DE) 7 17-00 0
58. Richard Martin Jr Sparrows Point, MD (MD) 8 17-00 0
59. Ben Bilott Larimer, PA (PA) 6 16-15 0
60. Andrew Sams Easton, MD (MD) 7 16-02 0
61. Billy Bick Brentwood, NH (NH) 5 15-12 0
62. Bret Winegardner Swanton, MD (MD) 5 15-09 0
63. Lewis Mendall Winthrop, MA (RI) 7 15-09 0
64. Jason Muir Milford, DE (DE) 7 15-04 0
65. Jesse Magee Williamstown, NJ (NJ) 5 15-03 0
66. Mark Hogan Milford, DE (DE) 5 15-02 0
67. David Maiorano Durham, CT (CT) 7 15-02 0
68. Chris McCarthy Woonsocket, RI (RI) 4 15-01 0
69. Michael Zachodny Nashua, NH (NH) 5 14-14 0
70. Joe Burchill Salem, NH (NH) 6 14-11 0
71. Luke Shrader Barrington, NJ (NJ) 6 14-10 0
72. Rob Messenger Jr Sunapee, NH (NH) 4 13-14 0
73. Richard Warhurst Canterbury, CT (RI) 6 13-13 0
74. Tim Mcglenn Welcome, MD (MD) 4 13-11 0
75. Randy Baran Millstone Township, NJ 5 13-06 0
76. Chris Episcopo Canonsburg, PA (PA) 4 13-02 0
77. Jeff Kenney Franklin, MA (MA) 5 13-00 0
78. David Trask Skowhegan, ME (ME) 6 13-00 0
79. Mark Schafer Williamstown, NJ (NJ) 5 12-15 0
80. Joseph Tinsley Charlotte Hall, MD (MD) 3 12-10 0
81. Andrew Getsy Hastings , PA (PA) 3 11-09 0
82. Amos Dixon Camden Wyoming, DE (DE) 4 11-00 0
83. Abe Kalechman West Hartford, CT (CT) 3 10-15 0
84. Andy Kent Denton, MD (DE) 5 10-15 0
85. Paul Reter II Hanover, PA (MD) 5 10-10 0
86. Rod Eshleman Greencastle, PA (MD) 4 10-01 0
87. Chris Heath Miromar Lakes, FL (NY) 4 09-15 0
88. Mike Roselle La Plata, MD (MD) 3 09-11 0
89. Brandon Neal Middletown, CT (CT) 3 09-10 0
90. Robert Ramasci Wakefield, MA (MA) 3 09-07 0
91. Chris Groman West Cornwall, VT (VT) 3 09-04 0
92. Brian Barnes Seaford, DE (DE) 4 09-02 0
93. Mike Rodevitz Colebrook, NH (NH) 4 09-00 0
94. Brandon Forsman Church Hill, MD (DE) 4 08-13 0
95. David Reiss Westport Island, ME (ME 3 08-09 0
96. Steve Viger Auburn, NH (NH) 3 08-08 0
97. Scott Mislevy Patton, PA (PA) 3 08-01 0
98. Michael Nutter La Plata, MD (MD) 3 07-12 0
99. Kevin Comes Addison, VT (VT) 4 07-11 0
100. John Fitzgerald Salisbury, VT (VT) 3 07-10 0
101. Daniel Kane Surry, ME (ME) 3 07-06 0
102. Jason Betourney Bridgeport, VT (VT) 2 06-04 0
103. Russell Phillips Guilford, CT (VT) 2 06-01 0
104. Greg Alexander Hebron, MD (DE) 2 05-08 0
105. Justin Spraske Hinsdale, NH (NH) 2 03-15 0
106. Mike Billings Meriden, CT (CT) 1 02-06 0
107. Zach Cullen Redwood, NY (NY) 1 02-01 0
108. David Mathieu Woodstock, CT (VT) 0 00-00 0
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Totals
Day #Limits #Fish Weight
1 0 327 977-13
2 0 299 891-09
3 0 64 206-03
----------------------------------
0 690 2075-09

TEAM STANDINGS Day 3
----------------------------------
State Lbs-Oz
1 RHODE ISLAND 368-14
2 MAINE 361-00
3 NEW YORK 360-03
4 CONNECTICUT 343-15
5 NEW HAMPSHIRE 337-05
6 MASSACHUSETTS 334-12
7 PENNSYLVANIA 319-13
8 NEW JERSEY 309-06
9 DELAWARE 281-05
10 MARYLAND 241-15
11 VERMONT 191-07

INDIVIDUAL STANDINGS Day 3
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

CONNECTICUT
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Kevin Rose Jr Anniston, CT 12 36-06 0
2 David Dziob Meriden, CT 11 34-02 0
3 Bob Jeffrey Prospect, CT 9 29-01 0
4 Mickey Soler Newington, CT 8 20-07 0
5 Paul Mayo Shelton, CT 6 18-04 0
6 Tim Talento Meriden, CT 7 17-01 0
7 David Maiorano Durham, CT 7 15-02 0
8 Abe Kalechman West Hartford, CT 3 10-15 0
9 Brandon Neal Middletown, CT 3 09-10 0
10 Mike Billings Meriden, CT 1 02-06 0

DELAWARE
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Fabian Rodriguez Ocean City, MD 10 31-08 0
2 Jay Walls Milford, DE 11 26-15 0
3 Mike Morris Dover, DE 7 17-00 0
4 Jason Muir Milford, DE 7 15-04 0
5 Mark Hogan Milford, DE 5 15-02 0
6 Amos Dixon Camden Wyoming, DE 4 11-00 0
7 Andy Kent Denton, MD 5 10-15 0
8 Brian Barnes Seaford, DE 4 09-02 0
9 Brandon Forsman Church Hill, MD 4 08-13 0
10 Greg Alexander Hebron, MD 2 05-08 0

MASSACHUSETTS
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Josh Cotier Clinton, MA 12 41-05 0
2 Aaron Orsi Auburn, MA 11 33-15 0
3 Michael Mello Manville, RI 9 29-11 0
4 Rich Dewling Boxford, MA 8 23-08 0
5 Russell Belanger Gt Barrington, MA 7 20-13 0
6 Mark Burgess Norton, MA 8 20-04 0
7 Benjamin Hale Rowley, MA 8 19-02 0
8 Sheron Brown Leminster, MA 8 17-08 0
9 Jeff Kenney Franklin, MA 5 13-00 0
10 Robert Ramasci Wakefield, MA 3 09-07 0

MARYLAND
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Rick Svoboda Cockeysville , MD 10 22-06 0
2 Richard Martin Jr Sparrows Point, MD 8 17-00 0
3 Andrew Sams Easton, MD 7 16-02 0
4 Bret Winegardner Swanton, MD 5 15-09 0
5 Tim Mcglenn Welcome, MD 4 13-11 0
6 Joseph Tinsley Charlotte Hall, MD 3 12-10 0
7 Paul Reter II Hanover, PA 5 10-10 0
8 Rod Eshleman Greencastle, PA 4 10-01 0
9 Mike Roselle La Plata, MD 3 09-11 0
10 Michael Nutter La Plata, MD 3 07-12 0

MAINE
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Tyler Williams Belgrade, ME 12 47-03 0
2 Dave Cousins Standish, ME 11 39-10 0
3 Keith Poulin Lisbon, ME 9 37-06 0
4 Cody Petit Arundel, ME 10 34-13 0
5 Nicholas Holt Ellsworth, ME 7 23-09 0
6 Jonathan Carter Portland, ME 7 23-04 0
7 Denis Carrier Skowhegan, ME 7 21-07 0
8 David Trask Skowhegan, ME 6 13-00 0
9 David Reiss Westport Island, ME 3 08-09 0
10 Daniel Kane Surry, ME 3 07-06 0

NEW HAMPSHIRE
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Eric Low Buxton, ME 12 48-08 0
2 Timothy Dube Nashua , NH 9 27-10 0
3 Kevin Miller Hollis, NH 7 20-12 0
4 Billy Bick Brentwood, NH 5 15-12 0
5 Michael Zachodny Nashua, NH 5 14-14 0
6 Joe Burchill Salem, NH 6 14-11 0
7 Rob Messenger Jr Sunapee, NH 4 13-14 0
8 Mike Rodevitz Colebrook, NH 4 09-00 0
9 Steve Viger Auburn, NH 3 08-08 0
10 Justin Spraske Hinsdale, NH 2 03-15 0

NEW JERSEY
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Will Kanwisher Ramsey, NJ 12 39-14 0
2 Keith Cowan Mt Ephraim, NJ 7 24-14 0
3 John Mcgraw Hamilton Sq, NJ 7 20-11 0
4 Conor Cahill North East, MD 6 20-00 0
5 Michael Sentore Gloucester City, NJ 8 18-00 0
6 Cliff Humphreys Philadelphia, PA 8 17-09 0
7 Jesse Magee Williamstown, NJ 5 15-03 0
8 Luke Shrader Barrington, NJ 6 14-10 0
9 Randy Baran Millstone Township, NJ 5 13-06 0
10 Mark Schafer Williamstown, NJ 5 12-15 0

NEW YORK
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Casey Smith Macedon, NY 12 39-14 0
2 Randy Lamanche Marcellus, NY 8 27-10 0
3 Dan Patane Canastota, NY 7 25-02 0
4 Ken Golubjatnikov Pittsford, NY 7 24-12 0
5 Brian Kelly Liverpool, NY 7 23-01 0
6 Seth Parker La Fargeville, NY 7 19-09 0
7 Thomas Hughes Cicero, NY 6 19-03 0
8 Zack Hajecate Wallkill, NY 5 18-13 0
9 Chris Heath Miromar Lakes, FL 4 09-15 0
10 Zach Cullen Redwood, NY 1 02-01 0

PENNSYLVANIA
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Aaron Green Everett, PA 11 39-06 0
2 Chad Shutty Northern Cambria, PA 9 34-02 0
3 Brian Spencer Bentleyville, PA 6 20-03 0
4 Douglas Savino Tyrone, PA 6 18-03 0
5 Shaun Brown Slippery Rock, PA 5 17-14 0
6 Sean Cummins Huntgindon, PA 6 17-11 0
7 Ben Bilott Larimer, PA 6 16-15 0
8 Chris Episcopo Canonsburg, PA 4 13-02 0
9 Andrew Getsy Hastings , PA 3 11-09 0
10 Scott Mislevy Patton, PA 3 08-01 0

RHODE ISLAND
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Mike Wolfenden Warwick, RI 11 43-02 0
2 Jeremy Sadowski Valuntower, CT 11 39-07 0
3 Brandon Labove Mystic, CT 9 30-00 0
4 Brian Croteau Blackstone, MA 8 22-12 0
5 Chris Guncheon Warwick, RI 7 20-07 0
6 Matthew Szczoczarz Cumberland, RI 8 19-13 0
7 Frank McCormick Warwick, RI 8 18-03 0
8 Lewis Mendall Winthrop, MA 7 15-09 0
9 Chris McCarthy Woonsocket, RI 4 15-01 0
10 Richard Warhurst Canterbury, CT 6 13-13 0

VERMONT
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Michael Comeau Alburgh, VT 9 36-02 0
2 Patrick Martin St Roch De L Achigan Qu 7 17-13 0
3 Chris Groman West Cornwall, VT 3 09-04 0
4 Kevin Comes Addison, VT 4 07-11 0
5 John Fitzgerald Salisbury, VT 3 07-10 0
6 Jason Betourney Bridgeport, VT 2 06-04 0
7 Russell Phillips Guilford, CT 2 06-01 0
8 David Mathieu Woodstock, CT 0 00-00 0

2021 TNT Fireworks B.A.S.S. Nation Northeast Regional 6/23-6/25
Lake Erie/Presque Isle Bay, Erie PA.
(NON_BOATER) Standings Day 3

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

1. Casey Baroffio Northfield, VT (VT) 9 33-06 0
2. Ronald Bestwick Grisword, CT (RI) 8 30-15 0
3. Chris Adams Bow, NH (NH) 9 30-03 0
4. Justin Hughes Troy, NY (NY) 8 28-01 0
5. Steven Congdon North Stonington, CT (R 9 27-13 0
6. Jerry Ramasci Wakefield, MA (NH) 9 27-08 0
7. Corey Kennington Eden, MD (DE) 9 27-05 0
8. Dayton Lilly Hope Valley, RI (RI) 8 26-15 0
9. Joe Sodora Garfield, NJ (CT) 7 26-14 0
10. GL Mitchell Millsboro, DE (DE) 9 26-09 0
11. Jeffrey Perron South Berwick, ME (NH) 8 26-05 0
12. Ross Caruso Pittsburgh, PA (PA) 8 26-03 0
13. Mark Pryal Silver Springs, MD (MD) 9 26-02 0
14. TJ Dobs Verona, NY (NY) 9 26-00 0
15. Johann Vanwoerden East Haddam, CT (CT) 6 25-09 0
16. Bill Lionetta Jr Alton, NH (NH) 6 24-08 0
17. Cody Champion Sabattus, ME (ME) 7 22-02 0
18. Del Guile Oswego, NY (NY) 7 22-00 0
19. Matthew Desimone Jr Cromwell, CT (CT) 7 21-15 0
20. Matthew Kiffer Freeport, PA (PA) 8 20-10 0
21. Joseph Raguzin Carmel, NY (NY) 6 19-01 0
22. Rob Tipton III Pitman, NJ (NJ) 6 16-15 0
23. Kevin Willinghan Fallston, MD (MD) 5 16-12 0
24. Sean Mckee IV Haddon Heights, NJ (NJ) 5 16-08 0
25. Guiseppe Andreoli Harrisville, RI (MA) 6 15-14 0
26. John Lowell Orwell, VT (VT) 6 15-11 0
27. Dwayne Turnage Hollis Center, ME (ME) 5 15-08 0
28. Jim Kline Hagerstown, MD (MD) 5 14-11 0
29. Jimmy Mirabito Wallingford, CT (CT) 4 14-10 0
30. Conner Petropoulos Portland, ME (ME) 4 14-10 0
31. Tyler Rush Clearville, PA (PA) 5 14-08 0
32. Chris Newton Whitesboro, NY (NY) 4 14-07 0
33. Rodney Oberdick Felton, DE (DE) 4 13-12 0
34. Tony Kibler Milford, DE (DE) 5 13-10 0
35. Kevin Noel Burlington, CT (CT) 5 13-08 0
36. Brad Dekraai Epsom, NH (NH) 4 13-06 0
37. Chris Heltemes Franklin, MA (MA) 6 13-06 0
38. Bryan Giran Swedesboro, NJ (PA) 5 13-03 0
39. Steven Conde Chepachet, RI (RI) 4 13-02 0
40. Kris Connor Suffield, CT (CT) 5 12-15 0
41. Brian Marino Vineland, NJ (NJ) 4 12-09 0
42. Vincent Melfi Bellmawr, NJ (NJ) 4 12-08 0
43. Jake Haas Elmer, NJ (NJ) 4 12-08 0
44. Luke Dixon Ridgley, MD (DE) 4 12-00 0
45. Fred Serge Lambertville, NJ (NJ) 5 12-00 0
46. Mark Mounts Washington, PA (PA) 3 11-15 0
47. Joe Puller Middle River, MD (MD) 4 11-15 0
48. Anthony Dulac Harpswell, ME (ME) 4 11-14 0
49. Craig Matz Mohrsville, PA (PA) 4 11-09 0
50. Zachary Cesare Swedesboro, NJ (NJ) 4 11-09 0
51. Josh Herting Sudbury, MA (MA) 3 11-07 0
52. Zachary McNaughton Proctorsville, VT (VT) 4 11-07 0
53. Rodney Parrott Stoddard, NH (NH) 3 11-07 0
54. Sammy Chhoeun Fall River, MA (MA) 3 11-05 0
54. Bob Seelley Saugus, MA (MA) 3 11-05 0
56. Jacob Zaremski West Henrietta, NY (NY) 4 11-05 0
57. Casey Marshall Frederick, MD (MD) 3 11-01 0
58. David Dias Brattleboro, VT (VT) 4 11-01 0
59. Michael Curran Southington, CT (CT) 4 11-00 0
60. Marc Fecteau Casco, ME (ME) 3 10-15 0
61. Travis Miller Colchester, CT (RI) 3 10-11 0
62. Craig Winegardner West River, MD (MD) 4 10-10 0
63. Matt Evans Pittsburg, PA (PA) 3 10-08 0
64. Chris Forti Norwell, MA (MA) 3 10-06 0
65. Neal Wharton Seaford, DE (DE) 3 10-05 0
66. Brian Brooks Pittsgrove, NJ (NJ) 5 10-05 0
67. Gregory Decell Bridgewater, VT (VT) 3 10-00 0
68. Jamie Rouleau Danville, NH (NH) 4 10-00 0
69. Rj Ricci Cranston, RI (RI) 4 09-15 0
70. Butch Van Drunen Jr Hardeson, DE (DE) 4 09-10 0
71. John Nichols Milford, DE (DE) 3 09-08 0
72. William Lane Patton, PA (PA) 2 09-07 0
73. Douglas Linn Oswego, NY (NY) 3 09-06 0
74. Asher Hotson Lenox, MA (MA) 4 09-01 0
75. Olivia Bussiere Northfield, VT (VT) 3 09-00 0
75. Neil Talento Meriden, CT (CT) 3 09-00 0
77. Rein Golubjatnikov Pittsford, NY (NY) 3 08-15 0
78. Jason Sirois Auburn, ME (ME) 3 08-15 0
79. Robert Ross Hopedale, MA (MA) 3 08-10 0
80. Julian Felix Leominster, MA (MA) 3 08-09 0
81. Ryan Aldieri Bristol, CT (CT) 3 08-06 0
82. Kevin Champagne Saco, ME (ME) 3 08-01 0
83. Andrew Sellers Richmond, NH (VT) 3 07-15 0
84. James Hitt Baltimore, MD (MD) 3 07-11 0
85. Karl Kohanski Center Barnstead, NH (N 3 07-10 0
86. Nick Nelson Walden, NY (NY) 4 07-01 0
87. Ben Iwaszkiewicz Woodbridge, CT (CT) 2 06-12 0
88. Tim Dubuc Bowdoinham, ME (ME) 3 06-08 0
89. Scott Reilly Hammonton, NJ (NJ) 3 06-06 0
90. Brandon Regnault Providence, RI (MA) 2 06-04 0
91. David Pfeiffer Milton Mills, NH (ME) 2 06-04 0
92. Chad Scroggs Mechanicsville, MD (DE) 2 05-02 0
93. Brian Penney Haverhill, MA (NH) 2 05-00 0
94. Luke Marriott Jewett City, CT (RI) 2 04-03 0
95. Brian Jarvis Coventry, RI (RI) 1 04-00 0
96. Jon Metot Phoenix, NY (NY) 2 03-15 0
97. Jim Burrows Nashua, NH (NH) 2 03-14 0
98. Norm Mccord Severn, MD (MD) 2 03-14 0
99. Logan Mayette Millersville, MD (MD) 1 03-11 0
100. Robert Rull Coventry, RI (RI) 1 03-01 0
101. Dave Reed Westminster, MD (PA) 1 02-10 0
102. Ron Horton Dover, DE (DE) 1 02-05 0
103. David Tichenor Avella, PA (PA) 1 02-02 0
103. Bob Wetzler Rutland, VT (VT) 1 02-02 0
105. Dan Feula Hackettstown, NJ (NJ) 1 01-00 0
106. Steve Davis Dover, PA (MD) 0 00-00 0
106. Skip Hinkley Richmond, ME (ME) 0 00-00 0
106. Domenic Malaga Warwick, RI (RI) 0 00-00 0
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Totals
Day #Limits #Fish Weight
1 44 209 626-03
2 0 188 572-10
3 13 53 175-09
----------------------------------
57 450 1374-06

TEAM STANDINGS Day 3
----------------------------------
State Lbs-Oz
1 RHODE ISLAND 368-14
2 MAINE 361-00
3 NEW YORK 360-03
4 CONNECTICUT 343-15
5 NEW HAMPSHIRE 337-05
6 MASSACHUSETTS 334-12
7 PENNSYLVANIA 319-13
8 NEW JERSEY 309-06
9 DELAWARE 281-05
10 MARYLAND 241-15
11 VERMONT 191-07

INDIVIDUAL STANDINGS Day 3
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

CONNECTICUT
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Joe Sodora Garfield, NJ 7 26-14 0
2 Johann Vanwoerden East Haddam, CT 6 25-09 0
3 Matthew Desimone Jr Cromwell, CT 7 21-15 0
4 Jimmy Mirabito Wallingford, CT 4 14-10 0
5 Kevin Noel Burlington, CT 5 13-08 0
6 Kris Connor Suffield, CT 5 12-15 0
7 Michael Curran Southington, CT 4 11-00 0
8 Neil Talento Meriden, CT 3 09-00 0
9 Ryan Aldieri Bristol, CT 3 08-06 0
10 Ben Iwaszkiewicz Woodbridge, CT 2 06-12 0

DELAWARE
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Corey Kennington Eden, MD 9 27-05 0
2 GL Mitchell Millsboro, DE 9 26-09 0
3 Rodney Oberdick Felton, DE 4 13-12 0
4 Tony Kibler Milford, DE 5 13-10 0
5 Luke Dixon Ridgley, MD 4 12-00 0
6 Neal Wharton Seaford, DE 3 10-05 0
7 Butch Van Drunen Jr Hardeson, DE 4 09-10 0
8 John Nichols Milford, DE 3 09-08 0
9 Chad Scroggs Mechanicsville, MD 2 05-02 0
10 Ron Horton Dover, DE 1 02-05 0

MASSACHUSETTS
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Guiseppe Andreoli Harrisville, RI 6 15-14 0
2 Chris Heltemes Franklin, MA 6 13-06 0
3 Josh Herting Sudbury, MA 3 11-07 0
4 Sammy Chhoeun Fall River, MA 3 11-05 0
4 Bob Seelley Saugus, MA 3 11-05 0
6 Chris Forti Norwell, MA 3 10-06 0
7 Asher Hotson Lenox, MA 4 09-01 0
8 Robert Ross Hopedale, MA 3 08-10 0
9 Julian Felix Leominster, MA 3 08-09 0
10 Brandon Regnault Providence, RI 2 06-04 0

MARYLAND
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Mark Pryal Silver Springs, MD 9 26-02 0
2 Kevin Willinghan Fallston, MD 5 16-12 0
3 Jim Kline Hagerstown, MD 5 14-11 0
4 Joe Puller Middle River, MD 4 11-15 0
5 Casey Marshall Frederick, MD 3 11-01 0
6 Craig Winegardner West River, MD 4 10-10 0
7 James Hitt Baltimore, MD 3 07-11 0
8 Norm Mccord Severn, MD 2 03-14 0
9 Logan Mayette Millersville, MD 1 03-11 0
10 Steve Davis Dover, PA 0 00-00 0

MAINE
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Cody Champion Sabattus, ME 7 22-02 0
2 Dwayne Turnage Hollis Center, ME 5 15-08 0
3 Conner Petropoulos Portland, ME 4 14-10 0
4 Anthony Dulac Harpswell, ME 4 11-14 0
5 Marc Fecteau Casco, ME 3 10-15 0
6 Jason Sirois Auburn, ME 3 08-15 0
7 Kevin Champagne Saco, ME 3 08-01 0
8 Tim Dubuc Bowdoinham, ME 3 06-08 0
9 David Pfeiffer Milton Mills, NH 2 06-04 0
10 Skip Hinkley Richmond, ME 0 00-00 0

NEW HAMPSHIRE
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Chris Adams Bow, NH 9 30-03 0
2 Jerry Ramasci Wakefield, MA 9 27-08 0
3 Jeffrey Perron South Berwick, ME 8 26-05 0
4 Bill Lionetta Jr Alton, NH 6 24-08 0
5 Brad Dekraai Epsom, NH 4 13-06 0
6 Rodney Parrott Stoddard, NH 3 11-07 0
7 Jamie Rouleau Danville, NH 4 10-00 0
8 Karl Kohanski Center Barnstead, NH 3 07-10 0
9 Brian Penney Haverhill, MA 2 05-00 0
10 Jim Burrows Nashua, NH 2 03-14 0

NEW JERSEY
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Rob Tipton III Pitman, NJ 6 16-15 0
2 Sean Mckee IV Haddon Heights, NJ 5 16-08 0
3 Brian Marino Vineland, NJ 4 12-09 0
4 Vincent Melfi Bellmawr, NJ 4 12-08 0
5 Jake Haas Elmer, NJ 4 12-08 0
6 Fred Serge Lambertville, NJ 5 12-00 0
7 Zachary Cesare Swedesboro, NJ 4 11-09 0
8 Brian Brooks Pittsgrove, NJ 5 10-05 0
9 Scott Reilly Hammonton, NJ 3 06-06 0
10 Dan Feula Hackettstown, NJ 1 01-00 0

NEW YORK
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Justin Hughes Troy, NY 8 28-01 0
2 TJ Dobs Verona, NY 9 26-00 0
3 Del Guile Oswego, NY 7 22-00 0
4 Joseph Raguzin Carmel, NY 6 19-01 0
5 Chris Newton Whitesboro, NY 4 14-07 0
6 Jacob Zaremski West Henrietta, NY 4 11-05 0
7 Douglas Linn Oswego, NY 3 09-06 0
8 Rein Golubjatnikov Pittsford, NY 3 08-15 0
9 Nick Nelson Walden, NY 4 07-01 0
10 Jon Metot Phoenix, NY 2 03-15 0

PENNSYLVANIA
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Ross Caruso Pittsburgh, PA 8 26-03 0
2 Matthew Kiffer Freeport, PA 8 20-10 0
3 Tyler Rush Clearville, PA 5 14-08 0
4 Bryan Giran Swedesboro, NJ 5 13-03 0
5 Mark Mounts Washington, PA 3 11-15 0
6 Craig Matz Mohrsville, PA 4 11-09 0
7 Matt Evans Pittsburg, PA 3 10-08 0
8 William Lane Patton, PA 2 09-07 0
9 Dave Reed Westminster, MD 1 02-10 0
10 David Tichenor Avella, PA 1 02-02 0

RHODE ISLAND
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Ronald Bestwick Grisword, CT 8 30-15 0
2 Steven Congdon North Stonington, CT 9 27-13 0
3 Dayton Lilly Hope Valley, RI 8 26-15 0
4 Steven Conde Chepachet, RI 4 13-02 0
5 Travis Miller Colchester, CT 3 10-11 0
6 Rj Ricci Cranston, RI 4 09-15 0
7 Luke Marriott Jewett City, CT 2 04-03 0
8 Brian Jarvis Coventry, RI 1 04-00 0
9 Robert Rull Coventry, RI 1 03-01 0
10 Domenic Malaga Warwick, RI 0 00-00 0

VERMONT
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Casey Baroffio Northfield, VT 9 33-06 0
2 John Lowell Orwell, VT 6 15-11 0
3 Zachary McNaughton Proctorsville, VT 4 11-07 0
4 David Dias Brattleboro, VT 4 11-01 0
5 Gregory Decell Bridgewater, VT 3 10-00 0
6 Olivia Bussiere Northfield, VT 3 09-00 0
7 Andrew Sellers Richmond, NH 3 07-15 0
8 Bob Wetzler Rutland, VT 1 02-02 0


Phoenix Bass Fishing League Tournament on Lake St. Clair Cancelled Due to High Winds and Inclement Weather

WHAT:
The Major League Fishing (MLF) Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine tournament on Lake St. Clair Presented by TINCUP, scheduled for Saturday, June 26, has been cancelled due to high winds and expected inclement weather. The new date for this event is Sunday, Aug. 1. The event will be a part of a Michigan Division double-header, with the first event held Saturday, July 31 and the second event held on Sunday.

NOTES:
Tournament entries will automatically carry over to the rescheduled event unless the angler contacts MLF Customer Service at (270)-252-1000.

UPDATED 2021 Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine Michigan Division Schedule:
July 10 Lake St. Clair Presented by TINCUP Whiskey Harrison Township, Mich.
July 31 Detroit River Presented by TINCUP Whiskey Trenton, Mich.
Aug. 1 Detroit River Presented by TINCUP Whiskey Trenton, Mich.
Aug. 28 Detroit River Presented by TINCUP Whiskey Trenton, Mich.
Sept. 18-19 Detroit River Presented by TINCUP Whiskey Trenton, Mich.
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.


Williams Takes Over Lead At B.A.S.S. Nation Northeast Regional On Erie

Tyler Williams, of Belgrade, Maine, is leading after Day 2 of the TNT Fireworks B.A.S.S. Nation Northeast Regional at Lake Erie and Presque Isle Bay with a two-day total of 33 pounds, 8 ounces.

Photo by Kyle Jessie/B.A.S.S.

June 24, 2021

ERIE, Pa. — Crowded waters hindered his plan, but Tyler Williams of Belgrade, Maine, made the right adjustments and caught a limit of 16 pounds, 8 ounces. After two days, he leads the TNT Fireworks B.A.S.S. Nation Northeast Regional at Lake Erie with a total weight of 33-8.

After placing second on Day 1 with 17 pounds, Williams enters the final round an ounce ahead of Maine B.A.S.S. Nation teammate and Day 1 leader Keith Poulin.

“I was on (Lake Erie) again and my area got filled with boats, so I just started running to other spots that I had marked,” Williams said. “I didn’t even know if they were any good or not, but I was able to scrape up four fish.”

Williams ran 18 miles to the lake’s New York end and fished between 20 and 40 feet. He prefers that area because he found it holds more distinct bottom structure, where he could make more targeted presentations.

“I like isolated rockpiles,” Williams said. “If you have an area that has nothing and then you have an isolated rockpile, there’s probably a fish on it.”

Relying heavily on his Garmin Panoptix LiveScope, Williams said he saw two of his bass before casting to them. Showing the fish a variety of baits was his key to success.

“I was mixing it up between a drop shot with a 1/2-ounce weight and a Berkley MaxScent Flat Worm in green pumpkin color, a tube and a Ned rig,” he said.

With all of his baits, a slow, meticulous presentation was important, but Williams stressed the need for balance.

“Sometimes, I’d slow down too much and I’d catch a drum (bycatch species),” he said. “There was a fine line; a sweet spot in the presentation.”

Hailing from Lisbon, Maine, Poulin had another good day and added 15-7 to the 18-pound limit he caught Wednesday and sits in second with 33-7. Like Williams, Poulin also found only four bites and put them all in the boat.

“That’s all you can do, as long as you get four in the boat,” Poulin said. “It was a good early bite. I had two good fish and two that I really would have liked to have gotten rid of.”

Poulin again ran to the lake’s New York end and fished 12 to 15 miles from takeoff. He spent his time drop shotting in 20 to 35 feet, where he focused on seams, breaks and rock irregularities.

“I tried some different stuff in the afternoon, just to see if I could get a bite because I went four hours without anything,” Poulin said. “I came inside (Presque Isle Bay) the last hour, but I couldn’t get rid of my smallest fish.”

Michael Comeau of Alburgh, Vt., added a 15-pound limit to his Day 1 catch of 16-7 and held steady in third place with 31-7. Returning to the area he fished Wednesday, Comeau found that Thursday required an adjustment.

“I had to move out a little deeper,” he said. “I seemed to catch fish either really shallow, like 15 feet, or out in 30 feet — I couldn’t catch them in that mid-depth,” he said.

Fishing a drop shot with a Berkley MaxScent Flat Worm, Comeau found the day’s south wind challenging for his drifts. Increasing his weight size to a 3/8-ounce helped him control his presentations and sack up his limit quickly.

“Yesterday, I had all my fish by 8:30; today I had an earlier draw, so I got there 20 minutes early and had them all by 8 o’clock,” Comeau said. “After that, I can’t catch them.”

Zack Hajecate of Wallkill, N.Y., is in the lead for Big Bass honors with his 5-14.

Johann Vanwoerden of East Haddam, Conn., maintained his lead in the nonboater division with a two-day total of 22 pounds. Having lost his third keeper at the boat, Vanwoerden added two fish for 7-14 to his first day’s limit of 14-2.

Employing the same technique he used on Day 1, Vanwoerden caught his fish by dragging a green pumpkin/gold flake tube. Using his rod tip to impart action, he’d dance his tube up and over any bottom structure he detected.

Dayton Lilly of Hope Valley, R.I., holds the Big Bass lead among co-anglers with a 5-13.

In tomorrow’s final round, 21 boaters and 21 nonboaters compete for the top prize and a spot in the TNT Fireworks B.A.S.S. Nation Championship on the Ouachita River in Monroe, La., Nov. 3-5.

In the state team competition, the New York B.A.S.S. Nation accumulated a two-day total of 319 pounds, 2 ounces and won the top prize of $6,750. The Maine B.A.S.S. Nation took second with 318-2 and won $4,050. Finishing third with 311-5, the Massachusetts B.A.S.S. Nation won $2,700.

Friday’s takeoff is scheduled for 5:30 a.m. ET at Presque Isle State Park, Perry Monument. The weigh-in will be held back at the monument at 1:30 p.m. Per Pennsylvania state regulations, boaters will bring in a limit of four bass each day.

2021 TNT Fireworks B.A.S.S. Nation Northeast Regional 6/23-6/25
Lake Erie/Presque Isle Bay, Erie PA.
(BOATER) Standings Day 2

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

1. Tyler Williams Belgrade, ME (ME) 8 33-08 0
2. Keith Poulin Lisbon, ME (ME) 8 33-07 0
3. Michael Comeau Alburgh, VT (VT) 8 31-07 0
4. Josh Cotier Clinton, MA (MA) 8 29-10 0
5. Eric Low Buxton, ME (NH) 8 29-07 0
6. Jeremy Sadowski Valuntower, CT (RI) 8 29-06 0
7. Chad Shutty Northern Cambria, PA (P 8 29-06 0
8. Will Kanwisher Ramsey, NJ (NJ) 8 28-14 0
9. Dave Cousins Standish, ME (ME) 8 27-13 0
10. David Dziob Meriden, CT (CT) 8 27-08 0
11. Kevin Rose Jr Anniston, CT (CT) 8 26-15 0
12. Michael Mello Manville, RI (MA) 8 26-14 0
13. Casey Smith Macedon, NY (NY) 8 26-14 0
14. Brandon Labove Mystic, CT (RI) 8 26-14 0
15. Aaron Orsi Auburn, MA (MA) 8 26-12 0
16. Aaron Green Everett, PA (PA) 8 26-10 0
17. Bob Jeffrey Prospect, CT (CT) 8 26-06 0
18. Cody Petit Arundel, ME (ME) 7 26-01 0
19. Randy Lamanche Marcellus, NY (NY) 7 25-06 0
20. Dan Patane Canastota, NY (NY) 7 25-02 0
21. Mike Wolfenden Warwick, RI (RI) 7 25-00 0
22. Keith Cowan Mt Ephraim, NJ (NJ) 7 24-14 0
23. Ken Golubjatnikov Pittsford, NY (NY) 7 24-12 0
24. Timothy Dube Nashua , NH (NH) 8 24-07 0
25. Nicholas Holt Ellsworth, ME (ME) 7 23-09 0
26. Rich Dewling Boxford, MA (MA) 8 23-08 0
27. Jonathan Carter Portland, ME (ME) 7 23-04 0
28. Brian Kelly Liverpool, NY (NY) 7 23-01 0
29. Brian Croteau Blackstone, MA (RI) 8 22-12 0
30. Denis Carrier Skowhegan, ME (ME) 7 21-07 0
31. Russell Belanger Gt Barrington, MA (MA) 7 20-13 0
32. Kevin Miller Hollis, NH (NH) 7 20-12 0
33. John Mcgraw Hamilton Sq, NJ (NJ) 7 20-11 0
34. Chris Guncheon Warwick, RI (RI) 7 20-07 0
35. Mickey Soler Newington, CT (CT) 8 20-07 0
36. Mark Burgess Norton, MA (MA) 8 20-04 0
37. Brian Spencer Bentleyville, PA (PA) 6 20-03 0
38. Conor Cahill North East, MD (NJ) 6 20-00 0
39. Matthew Szczoczarz Cumberland, RI (RI) 8 19-13 0
40. Seth Parker La Fargeville, NY (NY) 7 19-09 0
41. Fabian Rodriguez Ocean City, MD (DE) 6 19-03 0
42. Thomas Hughes Cicero, NY (NY) 6 19-03 0
43. Benjamin Hale Rowley, MA (MA) 8 19-02 0
44. Rick Svoboda Cockeysville , MD (MD) 8 18-14 0
45. Zack Hajecate Wallkill, NY (NY) 5 18-13 0
46. Paul Mayo Shelton, CT (CT) 6 18-04 0
47. Douglas Savino Tyrone, PA (PA) 6 18-03 0
48. Frank McCormick Warwick, RI (RI) 8 18-03 0
49. Michael Sentore Gloucester City, NJ (NJ 8 18-00 0
50. Shaun Brown Slippery Rock, PA (PA) 5 17-14 0
51. Patrick Martin St Roch De L Achigan Qu 7 17-13 0
52. Sean Cummins Huntgindon, PA (PA) 6 17-11 0
53. Cliff Humphreys Philadelphia, PA (NJ) 8 17-09 0
54. Sheron Brown Leminster, MA (MA) 8 17-08 0
55. Jay Walls Milford, DE (DE) 7 17-03 0
56. Tim Talento Meriden, CT (CT) 7 17-01 0
57. Mike Morris Dover, DE (DE) 7 17-00 0
58. Richard Martin Jr Sparrows Point, MD (MD) 8 17-00 0
59. Ben Bilott Larimer, PA (PA) 6 16-15 0
60. Andrew Sams Easton, MD (MD) 7 16-02 0
61. Billy Bick Brentwood, NH (NH) 5 15-12 0
62. Bret Winegardner Swanton, MD (MD) 5 15-09 0
63. Lewis Mendall Winthrop, MA (RI) 7 15-09 0
64. Jason Muir Milford, DE (DE) 7 15-04 0
65. Jesse Magee Williamstown, NJ (NJ) 5 15-03 0
66. Mark Hogan Milford, DE (DE) 5 15-02 0
67. David Maiorano Durham, CT (CT) 7 15-02 0
68. Chris McCarthy Woonsocket, RI (RI) 4 15-01 0
69. Michael Zachodny Nashua, NH (NH) 5 14-14 0
70. Joe Burchill Salem, NH (NH) 6 14-11 0
71. Luke Shrader Barrington, NJ (NJ) 6 14-10 0
72. Rob Messenger Jr Sunapee, NH (NH) 4 13-14 0
73. Richard Warhurst Canterbury, CT (RI) 6 13-13 0
74. Tim Mcglenn Welcome, MD (MD) 4 13-11 0
75. Randy Baran Millstone Township, NJ 5 13-06 0
76. Chris Episcopo Canonsburg, PA (PA) 4 13-02 0
77. Jeff Kenney Franklin, MA (MA) 5 13-00 0
78. David Trask Skowhegan, ME (ME) 6 13-00 0
79. Mark Schafer Williamstown, NJ (NJ) 5 12-15 0
80. Joseph Tinsley Charlotte Hall, MD (MD) 3 12-10 0
81. Andrew Getsy Hastings , PA (PA) 3 11-09 0
82. Amos Dixon Camden Wyoming, DE (DE) 4 11-00 0
83. Abe Kalechman West Hartford, CT (CT) 3 10-15 0
84. Andy Kent Denton, MD (DE) 5 10-15 0
85. Paul Reter II Hanover, PA (MD) 5 10-10 0
86. Rod Eshleman Greencastle, PA (MD) 4 10-01 0
87. Chris Heath Miromar Lakes, FL (NY) 4 09-15 0
88. Mike Roselle La Plata, MD (MD) 3 09-11 0
89. Brandon Neal Middletown, CT (CT) 3 09-10 0
90. Robert Ramasci Wakefield, MA (MA) 3 09-07 0
91. Chris Groman West Cornwall, VT (VT) 3 09-04 0
92. Brian Barnes Seaford, DE (DE) 4 09-02 0
93. Mike Rodevitz Colebrook, NH (NH) 4 09-00 0
94. Brandon Forsman Church Hill, MD (DE) 4 08-13 0
95. David Reiss Westport Island, ME (ME 3 08-09 0
96. Steve Viger Auburn, NH (NH) 3 08-08 0
97. Scott Mislevy Patton, PA (PA) 3 08-01 0
98. Michael Nutter La Plata, MD (MD) 3 07-12 0
99. Kevin Comes Addison, VT (VT) 4 07-11 0
100. John Fitzgerald Salisbury, VT (VT) 3 07-10 0
101. Daniel Kane Surry, ME (ME) 3 07-06 0
102. Jason Betourney Bridgeport, VT (VT) 2 06-04 0
103. Russell Phillips Guilford, CT (VT) 2 06-01 0
104. Greg Alexander Hebron, MD (DE) 2 05-08 0
105. Justin Spraske Hinsdale, NH (NH) 2 03-15 0
106. Mike Billings Meriden, CT (CT) 1 02-06 0
107. Zach Cullen Redwood, NY (NY) 1 02-01 0
108. David Mathieu Woodstock, CT (VT) 0 00-00 0
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Totals
Day #Limits #Fish Weight
1 0 327 977-13
2 0 299 891-09
----------------------------------
0 626 1869-06

TEAM STANDINGS Day 2
----------------------------------
State Lbs-Oz
1 NEW YORK 319-02
2 MAINE 318-02
3 MASSACHUSETTS 311-05
4 RHODE ISLAND 307-09
5 CONNECTICUT 304-08
6 NEW JERSEY 298-06
7 PENNSYLVANIA 292-15
8 NEW HAMPSHIRE 275-04
9 DELAWARE 241-03
10 MARYLAND 228-01
11 VERMONT 171-12

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

CONNECTICUT
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 David Dziob Meriden, CT 8 27-08 0
2 Kevin Rose Jr Anniston, CT 8 26-15 0
3 Bob Jeffrey Prospect, CT 8 26-06 0
4 Mickey Soler Newington, CT 8 20-07 0
5 Paul Mayo Shelton, CT 6 18-04 0
6 Tim Talento Meriden, CT 7 17-01 0
7 David Maiorano Durham, CT 7 15-02 0
8 Abe Kalechman West Hartford, CT 3 10-15 0
9 Brandon Neal Middletown, CT 3 09-10 0
10 Mike Billings Meriden, CT 1 02-06 0

DELAWARE
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Fabian Rodriguez Ocean City, MD 6 19-03 0
2 Jay Walls Milford, DE 7 17-03 0
3 Mike Morris Dover, DE 7 17-00 0
4 Jason Muir Milford, DE 7 15-04 0
5 Mark Hogan Milford, DE 5 15-02 0
6 Amos Dixon Camden Wyoming, DE 4 11-00 0
7 Andy Kent Denton, MD 5 10-15 0
8 Brian Barnes Seaford, DE 4 09-02 0
9 Brandon Forsman Church Hill, MD 4 08-13 0
10 Greg Alexander Hebron, MD 2 05-08 0

MASSACHUSETTS
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Josh Cotier Clinton, MA 8 29-10 0
2 Michael Mello Manville, RI 8 26-14 0
3 Aaron Orsi Auburn, MA 8 26-12 0
4 Rich Dewling Boxford, MA 8 23-08 0
5 Russell Belanger Gt Barrington, MA 7 20-13 0
6 Mark Burgess Norton, MA 8 20-04 0
7 Benjamin Hale Rowley, MA 8 19-02 0
8 Sheron Brown Leminster, MA 8 17-08 0
9 Jeff Kenney Franklin, MA 5 13-00 0
10 Robert Ramasci Wakefield, MA 3 09-07 0

MARYLAND
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Rick Svoboda Cockeysville , MD 8 18-14 0
2 Richard Martin Jr Sparrows Point, MD 8 17-00 0
3 Andrew Sams Easton, MD 7 16-02 0
4 Bret Winegardner Swanton, MD 5 15-09 0
5 Tim Mcglenn Welcome, MD 4 13-11 0
6 Joseph Tinsley Charlotte Hall, MD 3 12-10 0
7 Paul Reter II Hanover, PA 5 10-10 0
8 Rod Eshleman Greencastle, PA 4 10-01 0
9 Mike Roselle La Plata, MD 3 09-11 0
10 Michael Nutter La Plata, MD 3 07-12 0

MAINE
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Tyler Williams Belgrade, ME 8 33-08 0
2 Keith Poulin Lisbon, ME 8 33-07 0
3 Dave Cousins Standish, ME 8 27-13 0
4 Cody Petit Arundel, ME 7 26-01 0
5 Nicholas Holt Ellsworth, ME 7 23-09 0
6 Jonathan Carter Portland, ME 7 23-04 0
7 Denis Carrier Skowhegan, ME 7 21-07 0
8 David Trask Skowhegan, ME 6 13-00 0
9 David Reiss Westport Island, ME 3 08-09 0
10 Daniel Kane Surry, ME 3 07-06 0

NEW HAMPSHIRE
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Eric Low Buxton, ME 8 29-07 0
2 Timothy Dube Nashua , NH 8 24-07 0
3 Kevin Miller Hollis, NH 7 20-12 0
4 Billy Bick Brentwood, NH 5 15-12 0
5 Michael Zachodny Nashua, NH 5 14-14 0
6 Joe Burchill Salem, NH 6 14-11 0
7 Rob Messenger Jr Sunapee, NH 4 13-14 0
8 Mike Rodevitz Colebrook, NH 4 09-00 0
9 Steve Viger Auburn, NH 3 08-08 0
10 Justin Spraske Hinsdale, NH 2 03-15 0

NEW JERSEY
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Will Kanwisher Ramsey, NJ 8 28-14 0
2 Keith Cowan Mt Ephraim, NJ 7 24-14 0
3 John Mcgraw Hamilton Sq, NJ 7 20-11 0
4 Conor Cahill North East, MD 6 20-00 0
5 Michael Sentore Gloucester City, NJ 8 18-00 0
6 Cliff Humphreys Philadelphia, PA 8 17-09 0
7 Jesse Magee Williamstown, NJ 5 15-03 0
8 Luke Shrader Barrington, NJ 6 14-10 0
9 Randy Baran Millstone Township, NJ 5 13-06 0
10 Mark Schafer Williamstown, NJ 5 12-15 0

NEW YORK
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Casey Smith Macedon, NY 8 26-14 0
2 Randy Lamanche Marcellus, NY 7 25-06 0
3 Dan Patane Canastota, NY 7 25-02 0
4 Ken Golubjatnikov Pittsford, NY 7 24-12 0
5 Brian Kelly Liverpool, NY 7 23-01 0
6 Seth Parker La Fargeville, NY 7 19-09 0
7 Thomas Hughes Cicero, NY 6 19-03 0
8 Zack Hajecate Wallkill, NY 5 18-13 0
9 Chris Heath Miromar Lakes, FL 4 09-15 0
10 Zach Cullen Redwood, NY 1 02-01 0

PENNSYLVANIA
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Chad Shutty Northern Cambria, PA 8 29-06 0
2 Aaron Green Everett, PA 8 26-10 0
3 Brian Spencer Bentleyville, PA 6 20-03 0
4 Douglas Savino Tyrone, PA 6 18-03 0
5 Shaun Brown Slippery Rock, PA 5 17-14 0
6 Sean Cummins Huntgindon, PA 6 17-11 0
7 Ben Bilott Larimer, PA 6 16-15 0
8 Chris Episcopo Canonsburg, PA 4 13-02 0
9 Andrew Getsy Hastings , PA 3 11-09 0
10 Scott Mislevy Patton, PA 3 08-01 0

RHODE ISLAND
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Jeremy Sadowski Valuntower, CT 8 29-06 0
2 Brandon Labove Mystic, CT 8 26-14 0
3 Mike Wolfenden Warwick, RI 7 25-00 0
4 Brian Croteau Blackstone, MA 8 22-12 0
5 Chris Guncheon Warwick, RI 7 20-07 0
6 Matthew Szczoczarz Cumberland, RI 8 19-13 0
7 Frank McCormick Warwick, RI 8 18-03 0
8 Lewis Mendall Winthrop, MA 7 15-09 0
9 Chris McCarthy Woonsocket, RI 4 15-01 0
10 Richard Warhurst Canterbury, CT 6 13-13 0

VERMONT
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Michael Comeau Alburgh, VT 8 31-07 0
2 Patrick Martin St Roch De L Achigan Qu 7 17-13 0
3 Chris Groman West Cornwall, VT 3 09-04 0
4 Kevin Comes Addison, VT 4 07-11 0
5 John Fitzgerald Salisbury, VT 3 07-10 0
6 Jason Betourney Bridgeport, VT 2 06-04 0
7 Russell Phillips Guilford, CT 2 06-01 0
8 David Mathieu Woodstock, CT 0 00-00 0

2021 TNT Fireworks B.A.S.S. Nation Northeast Regional 6/23-6/25
Lake Erie/Presque Isle Bay, Erie PA.
(NON_BOATER) Standings Day 2

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

1. Johann Vanwoerden East Haddam, CT (CT) 5 22-00 0
2. Ronald Bestwick Grisword, CT (RI) 6 21-04 0
3. Ross Caruso Pittsburgh, PA (PA) 6 20-04 0
4. Casey Baroffio Northfield, VT (VT) 6 20-04 0
5. Bill Lionetta Jr Alton, NH (NH) 5 20-03 0
6. Justin Hughes Troy, NY (NY) 6 19-12 0
7. GL Mitchell Millsboro, DE (DE) 6 19-08 0
8. Joseph Raguzin Carmel, NY (NY) 6 19-01 0
9. Chris Adams Bow, NH (NH) 6 17-12 0
10. Mark Pryal Silver Springs, MD (MD) 6 17-08 0
11. Cody Champion Sabattus, ME (ME) 5 17-07 0
12. Steven Congdon North Stonington, CT (R 6 17-04 0
13. Dayton Lilly Hope Valley, RI (RI) 5 17-03 0
14. Matthew Kiffer Freeport, PA (PA) 7 17-03 0
15. Joe Sodora Garfield, NJ (CT) 4 16-15 0
16. Rob Tipton III Pitman, NJ (NJ) 6 16-15 0
17. Sean Mckee IV Haddon Heights, NJ (NJ) 5 16-08 0
18. Corey Kennington Eden, MD (DE) 6 16-05 0
19. Guiseppe Andreoli Harrisville, RI (MA) 6 15-14 0
20. TJ Dobs Verona, NY (NY) 6 15-10 0
21. Dwayne Turnage Hollis Center, ME (ME) 5 15-08 0
22. Jerry Ramasci Wakefield, MA (NH) 6 15-07 0
23. Jeffrey Perron South Berwick, ME (NH) 5 15-05 0
24. Kevin Willinghan Fallston, MD (MD) 4 15-00 0
25. Del Guile Oswego, NY (NY) 4 14-14 0
26. Matthew Desimone Jr Cromwell, CT (CT) 4 14-12 0
27. Jim Kline Hagerstown, MD (MD) 5 14-11 0
28. Jimmy Mirabito Wallingford, CT (CT) 4 14-10 0
29. Conner Petropoulos Portland, ME (ME) 4 14-10 0
30. Tyler Rush Clearville, PA (PA) 5 14-08 0
31. Chris Newton Whitesboro, NY (NY) 4 14-07 0
32. John Lowell Orwell, VT (VT) 5 13-13 0
33. Rodney Oberdick Felton, DE (DE) 4 13-12 0
34. Tony Kibler Milford, DE (DE) 5 13-10 0
35. Kevin Noel Burlington, CT (CT) 5 13-08 0
36. Brad Dekraai Epsom, NH (NH) 4 13-06 0
37. Bryan Giran Swedesboro, NJ (PA) 5 13-03 0
38. Steven Conde Chepachet, RI (RI) 4 13-02 0
39. Kris Connor Suffield, CT (CT) 5 12-15 0
40. Brian Marino Vineland, NJ (NJ) 4 12-09 0
41. Vincent Melfi Bellmawr, NJ (NJ) 4 12-08 0
42. Jake Haas Elmer, NJ (NJ) 4 12-08 0
43. Luke Dixon Ridgley, MD (DE) 4 12-00 0
44. Fred Serge Lambertville, NJ (NJ) 5 12-00 0
45. Mark Mounts Washington, PA (PA) 3 11-15 0
46. Joe Puller Middle River, MD (MD) 4 11-15 0
47. Anthony Dulac Harpswell, ME (ME) 4 11-14 0
48. Chris Heltemes Franklin, MA (MA) 5 11-10 0
49. Craig Matz Mohrsville, PA (PA) 4 11-09 0
50. Zachary Cesare Swedesboro, NJ (NJ) 4 11-09 0
51. Josh Herting Sudbury, MA (MA) 3 11-07 0
52. Zachary McNaughton Proctorsville, VT (VT) 4 11-07 0
53. Rodney Parrott Stoddard, NH (NH) 3 11-07 0
54. Sammy Chhoeun Fall River, MA (MA) 3 11-05 0
54. Bob Seelley Saugus, MA (MA) 3 11-05 0
56. Jacob Zaremski West Henrietta, NY (NY) 4 11-05 0
57. Casey Marshall Frederick, MD (MD) 3 11-01 0
58. David Dias Brattleboro, VT (VT) 4 11-01 0
59. Michael Curran Southington, CT (CT) 4 11-00 0
60. Marc Fecteau Casco, ME (ME) 3 10-15 0
61. Travis Miller Colchester, CT (RI) 3 10-11 0
62. Craig Winegardner West River, MD (MD) 4 10-10 0
63. Matt Evans Pittsburg, PA (PA) 3 10-08 0
64. Chris Forti Norwell, MA (MA) 3 10-06 0
65. Neal Wharton Seaford, DE (DE) 3 10-05 0
66. Brian Brooks Pittsgrove, NJ (NJ) 5 10-05 0
67. Gregory Decell Bridgewater, VT (VT) 3 10-00 0
68. Jamie Rouleau Danville, NH (NH) 4 10-00 0
69. Rj Ricci Cranston, RI (RI) 4 09-15 0
70. Butch Van Drunen Jr Hardeson, DE (DE) 4 09-10 0
71. John Nichols Milford, DE (DE) 3 09-08 0
72. William Lane Patton, PA (PA) 2 09-07 0
73. Douglas Linn Oswego, NY (NY) 3 09-06 0
74. Asher Hotson Lenox, MA (MA) 4 09-01 0
75. Olivia Bussiere Northfield, VT (VT) 3 09-00 0
75. Neil Talento Meriden, CT (CT) 3 09-00 0
77. Rein Golubjatnikov Pittsford, NY (NY) 3 08-15 0
78. Jason Sirois Auburn, ME (ME) 3 08-15 0
79. Robert Ross Hopedale, MA (MA) 3 08-10 0
80. Julian Felix Leominster, MA (MA) 3 08-09 0
81. Ryan Aldieri Bristol, CT (CT) 3 08-06 0
82. Kevin Champagne Saco, ME (ME) 3 08-01 0
83. Andrew Sellers Richmond, NH (VT) 3 07-15 0
84. James Hitt Baltimore, MD (MD) 3 07-11 0
85. Karl Kohanski Center Barnstead, NH (N 3 07-10 0
86. Nick Nelson Walden, NY (NY) 4 07-01 0
87. Ben Iwaszkiewicz Woodbridge, CT (CT) 2 06-12 0
88. Tim Dubuc Bowdoinham, ME (ME) 3 06-08 0
89. Scott Reilly Hammonton, NJ (NJ) 3 06-06 0
90. Brandon Regnault Providence, RI (MA) 2 06-04 0
91. David Pfeiffer Milton Mills, NH (ME) 2 06-04 0
92. Chad Scroggs Mechanicsville, MD (DE) 2 05-02 0
93. Brian Penney Haverhill, MA (NH) 2 05-00 0
94. Luke Marriott Jewett City, CT (RI) 2 04-03 0
95. Brian Jarvis Coventry, RI (RI) 1 04-00 0
96. Jon Metot Phoenix, NY (NY) 2 03-15 0
97. Jim Burrows Nashua, NH (NH) 2 03-14 0
98. Norm Mccord Severn, MD (MD) 2 03-14 0
99. Logan Mayette Millersville, MD (MD) 1 03-11 0
100. Robert Rull Coventry, RI (RI) 1 03-01 0
101. Dave Reed Westminster, MD (PA) 1 02-10 0
102. Ron Horton Dover, DE (DE) 1 02-05 0
103. David Tichenor Avella, PA (PA) 1 02-02 0
103. Bob Wetzler Rutland, VT (VT) 1 02-02 0
105. Dan Feula Hackettstown, NJ (NJ) 1 01-00 0
106. Steve Davis Dover, PA (MD) 0 00-00 0
106. Skip Hinkley Richmond, ME (ME) 0 00-00 0
106. Domenic Malaga Warwick, RI (RI) 0 00-00 0
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Totals
Day #Limits #Fish Weight
1 44 209 626-03
2 0 188 572-10
----------------------------------
44 397 1198-13

TEAM STANDINGS Day 2
----------------------------------
State Lbs-Oz
1 NEW YORK 319-02
2 MAINE 318-02
3 MASSACHUSETTS 311-05
4 RHODE ISLAND 307-09
5 CONNECTICUT 304-08
6 NEW JERSEY 298-06
7 PENNSYLVANIA 292-15
8 NEW HAMPSHIRE 275-04
9 DELAWARE 241-03
10 MARYLAND 228-01
11 VERMONT 171-12

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

CONNECTICUT
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Johann Vanwoerden East Haddam, CT 5 22-00 0
2 Joe Sodora Garfield, NJ 4 16-15 0
3 Matthew Desimone Jr Cromwell, CT 4 14-12 0
4 Jimmy Mirabito Wallingford, CT 4 14-10 0
5 Kevin Noel Burlington, CT 5 13-08 0
6 Kris Connor Suffield, CT 5 12-15 0
7 Michael Curran Southington, CT 4 11-00 0
8 Neil Talento Meriden, CT 3 09-00 0
9 Ryan Aldieri Bristol, CT 3 08-06 0
10 Ben Iwaszkiewicz Woodbridge, CT 2 06-12 0

DELAWARE
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 GL Mitchell Millsboro, DE 6 19-08 0
2 Corey Kennington Eden, MD 6 16-05 0
3 Rodney Oberdick Felton, DE 4 13-12 0
4 Tony Kibler Milford, DE 5 13-10 0
5 Luke Dixon Ridgley, MD 4 12-00 0
6 Neal Wharton Seaford, DE 3 10-05 0
7 Butch Van Drunen Jr Hardeson, DE 4 09-10 0
8 John Nichols Milford, DE 3 09-08 0
9 Chad Scroggs Mechanicsville, MD 2 05-02 0
10 Ron Horton Dover, DE 1 02-05 0

MASSACHUSETTS
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Guiseppe Andreoli Harrisville, RI 6 15-14 0
2 Chris Heltemes Franklin, MA 5 11-10 0
3 Josh Herting Sudbury, MA 3 11-07 0
4 Sammy Chhoeun Fall River, MA 3 11-05 0
4 Bob Seelley Saugus, MA 3 11-05 0
6 Chris Forti Norwell, MA 3 10-06 0
7 Asher Hotson Lenox, MA 4 09-01 0
8 Robert Ross Hopedale, MA 3 08-10 0
9 Julian Felix Leominster, MA 3 08-09 0
10 Brandon Regnault Providence, RI 2 06-04 0

MARYLAND
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Mark Pryal Silver Springs, MD 6 17-08 0
2 Kevin Willinghan Fallston, MD 4 15-00 0
3 Jim Kline Hagerstown, MD 5 14-11 0
4 Joe Puller Middle River, MD 4 11-15 0
5 Casey Marshall Frederick, MD 3 11-01 0
6 Craig Winegardner West River, MD 4 10-10 0
7 James Hitt Baltimore, MD 3 07-11 0
8 Norm Mccord Severn, MD 2 03-14 0
9 Logan Mayette Millersville, MD 1 03-11 0
10 Steve Davis Dover, PA 0 00-00 0

MAINE
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Cody Champion Sabattus, ME 5 17-07 0
2 Dwayne Turnage Hollis Center, ME 5 15-08 0
3 Conner Petropoulos Portland, ME 4 14-10 0
4 Anthony Dulac Harpswell, ME 4 11-14 0
5 Marc Fecteau Casco, ME 3 10-15 0
6 Jason Sirois Auburn, ME 3 08-15 0
7 Kevin Champagne Saco, ME 3 08-01 0
8 Tim Dubuc Bowdoinham, ME 3 06-08 0
9 David Pfeiffer Milton Mills, NH 2 06-04 0
10 Skip Hinkley Richmond, ME 0 00-00 0

NEW HAMPSHIRE
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Bill Lionetta Jr Alton, NH 5 20-03 0
2 Chris Adams Bow, NH 6 17-12 0
3 Jerry Ramasci Wakefield, MA 6 15-07 0
4 Jeffrey Perron South Berwick, ME 5 15-05 0
5 Brad Dekraai Epsom, NH 4 13-06 0
6 Rodney Parrott Stoddard, NH 3 11-07 0
7 Jamie Rouleau Danville, NH 4 10-00 0
8 Karl Kohanski Center Barnstead, NH 3 07-10 0
9 Brian Penney Haverhill, MA 2 05-00 0
10 Jim Burrows Nashua, NH 2 03-14 0

NEW JERSEY
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Rob Tipton III Pitman, NJ 6 16-15 0
2 Sean Mckee IV Haddon Heights, NJ 5 16-08 0
3 Brian Marino Vineland, NJ 4 12-09 0
4 Vincent Melfi Bellmawr, NJ 4 12-08 0
5 Jake Haas Elmer, NJ 4 12-08 0
6 Fred Serge Lambertville, NJ 5 12-00 0
7 Zachary Cesare Swedesboro, NJ 4 11-09 0
8 Brian Brooks Pittsgrove, NJ 5 10-05 0
9 Scott Reilly Hammonton, NJ 3 06-06 0
10 Dan Feula Hackettstown, NJ 1 01-00 0

NEW YORK
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Justin Hughes Troy, NY 6 19-12 0
2 Joseph Raguzin Carmel, NY 6 19-01 0
3 TJ Dobs Verona, NY 6 15-10 0
4 Del Guile Oswego, NY 4 14-14 0
5 Chris Newton Whitesboro, NY 4 14-07 0
6 Jacob Zaremski West Henrietta, NY 4 11-05 0
7 Douglas Linn Oswego, NY 3 09-06 0
8 Rein Golubjatnikov Pittsford, NY 3 08-15 0
9 Nick Nelson Walden, NY 4 07-01 0
10 Jon Metot Phoenix, NY 2 03-15 0

PENNSYLVANIA
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Ross Caruso Pittsburgh, PA 6 20-04 0
2 Matthew Kiffer Freeport, PA 7 17-03 0
3 Tyler Rush Clearville, PA 5 14-08 0
4 Bryan Giran Swedesboro, NJ 5 13-03 0
5 Mark Mounts Washington, PA 3 11-15 0
6 Craig Matz Mohrsville, PA 4 11-09 0
7 Matt Evans Pittsburg, PA 3 10-08 0
8 William Lane Patton, PA 2 09-07 0
9 Dave Reed Westminster, MD 1 02-10 0
10 David Tichenor Avella, PA 1 02-02 0

RHODE ISLAND
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Ronald Bestwick Grisword, CT 6 21-04 0
2 Steven Congdon North Stonington, CT 6 17-04 0
3 Dayton Lilly Hope Valley, RI 5 17-03 0
4 Steven Conde Chepachet, RI 4 13-02 0
5 Travis Miller Colchester, CT 3 10-11 0
6 Rj Ricci Cranston, RI 4 09-15 0
7 Luke Marriott Jewett City, CT 2 04-03 0
8 Brian Jarvis Coventry, RI 1 04-00 0
9 Robert Rull Coventry, RI 1 03-01 0
10 Domenic Malaga Warwick, RI 0 00-00 0

VERMONT
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Casey Baroffio Northfield, VT 6 20-04 0
2 John Lowell Orwell, VT 5 13-13 0
3 Zachary McNaughton Proctorsville, VT 4 11-07 0
4 David Dias Brattleboro, VT 4 11-01 0
5 Gregory Decell Bridgewater, VT 3 10-00 0
6 Olivia Bussiere Northfield, VT 3 09-00 0
7 Andrew Sellers Richmond, NH 3 07-15 0
8 Bob Wetzler Rutland, VT 1 02-02 0


McKendree’s McKinney, Jackson Continue Special Run On Lay Lake With Wild Card Victory

Trevor McKinney and Blake Jackson of McKendree University have won the Carhartt Bassmaster College Series Wild Card presented by Bass Pro Shops at Lay Lake with a two-day total of 30 pounds, 2 ounces.
Photo by Emily Hand/B.A.S.S.

June 24, 2021

SHELBY COUNTY, Ala. — Between school, work and other obligations, the Carhartt Bassmaster College Series Wild Card presented by Bass Pro Shops at Lay Lake was the only chance for Blake Jackson and Trevor McKinney from McKendree University to qualify for the National Championship.

Thanks to a 14-pound, 7-ounce bag of mostly spotted bass on the final day, they increased their two-day total to 30-2 to take home the victory and do just that. To make it even more special, it happened on the same lake where the anglers squared off against each other in the final round of the College Classic Bracket last season, with McKinney winning and advancing to the Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic presented by Huk.

“I was telling Blake, ‘Man, we ought to move down here.’ Every time we come we catch a bunch of fish and catch big ones,” McKinney said onstage with tournament director Hank Weldon.

“This is what we’ve fished for the last four years,” McKinney continued offstage. “We’ve had a good college career, but we had never won a Bassmaster event. This was our last chance and we really wanted to win. It makes it sweet being our last event.”

With this tournament win under their belts, Jackson said Lay Lake will hold a special place in his mind and, for this tournament in particular, the best part was fishing with McKinney and not against him.

“The best part about this week, we were catching fish on the same bait for the most part (that we used) during the bracket against each other,” Jackson said. “We combined forces this week and were catching them on the same exact bait we were throwing then. It was really neat.”

The Dallas Baptist University duo of Michael Postlewait and Andrew Rickman had the biggest bag of the tournament on Day 2 with 18-6 to climb from 23rd to second place with a two-day total of 29-6. Day 1 leaders Weston Hollar and Wesley Gore from the University of Montevallo finished third with 29-2.

After landing in third place on Day 1 with 15-11, McKinney and Jackson started the day on a spot they found with 30 minutes to go the previous day. Using almost exclusively a Rapala DT6 crankbait in chartreuse/brown, the duo took advantage of the early morning bite and strong current in the midlake region.

“We had a couple of current breaks on the main river that we were targeting,” said McKinney, who finished 31st in the Classic earlier this month on Lake Ray Roberts. “We caught them really well this morning and had all of our weight by 8:30. The current by the end of the day was almost nonexistent. When you are fishing for spots, especially on the Coosa River, current is huge, and if you can find them in the current they are easy to catch and the DT6 is the best crankbait in the world to throw at spotted bass in the current.”

Every fish they caught swallowed the bait, Jackson said.

“These spots go nuts to begin with, but every one of them had two treble hooks in them,” he said. “(McKinney) made a comment today while we were out on the water and said, ‘I think we’ve had to use the pliers to get every one of these fish unhooked.’”

With the floodgates throughout the Coosa River open this week due to heavy rains from Tropical Storm Claudette that passed through over the weekend, McKinney and Jackson were able to find several places loaded with spotted bass. Jackson added that hard bottom was the key to finding the specific areas the spots related to.

Now that they are qualified for the Bassmaster College Series National Championship, which is scheduled for Aug. 12-14 on the St. Lawrence River, Jackson and McKinney have their sights set on a top finish and making their way back to the College Classic Bracket.

“We are going to go up there and hopefully qualify for the Bracket again,” McKinney said. “The Bracket was an experience that everyone should have. It is awesome what they do to give one college angler a shot to fish the Bassmaster Classic. To think we are going to have a shot to make the Bracket at the championship feels really great.”

After catching 11-0 on Day 1 fishing points on the south end of the lake, Postlewait and Rickman ran up the river and landed on a current break that was loaded with big spotted bass.

“We basically scrapped everything we did yesterday,” Rickman said. “The first day of practice we were fishing the dam, and he caught a 4.89 spotted bass. So, we got up there today and they cut the current off a little bit and we had four in the first 20 minutes and five in the first 40 minutes, and we kept culling throughout the day.”

With only minutes left to fish, Rickman cast his crankbait into the current and caught about a 3 1/2-pound spot. Deeper-diving crankbaits were the key for the Dallas Baptist duo in the current under the dam.

“We were sitting in a little eddy, just enough to where we could hold there, and we were bombing 5XDs and 6XDs, whatever we didn’t snap off, into the current,” Postlewait said. “We had to weed through the striper. We caught 30 stripers today, and every once in a while, it would be a 3-pound spot.”

They also added a 5-pound largemouth flipping while giving their primary area a rest.

The lack of current on Lay Lake on Day 2 hurt Hollar and Gore, who caught 11-8 on the final day to finish in third. The Montevallo duo used a Spro Poppin’ Frog most of the week as well as a flipping bait.

“I guess the home-lake curse kind of got us today. We never got a big bite today,” Gore said. “It just wasn’t meant to be.”

While the bigger creeks on Lay Lake were under pressure, Hollar and Gore focused on shorter pockets off the main lake with a feeder creek that was pushing out water from the heavy rains that moved through over the weekend.

“They slacked the water off so much today that it repositioned the fish we were catching,” Gore said. “The fish we were catching were in the backs of bays. Most of the bays you went in that had a main feeder creek were stacked up. Today when we got down there, all the bays were really stagnant.”

Matthew Cummings and Joseph Woods from Bethel University earned Carhartt Big Bass of the Tournament honors with a 7-4 largemouth they caught on Day 1. The Top 10 teams from this event punched their tickets to the National Championship.

2021 Carhartt Bassmaster College Series Wild Card presented by Bass Pro Shops 6/23-6/24
Lay Lake, Columbiana AL.
(BOATER) Standings Day 2

Angler Club/School Pts

1. Trevor McKinney - Blake Jackson McKendree University 250
Day 1: 5 15-11 Day 2: 5 14-07 Total: 10 30-02
2. Michael Postlewait - Andrew Rickman Dallas Baptist University 249
Day 1: 5 11-00 Day 2: 5 18-06 Total: 10 29-06
3. Weston Hollar - Wesley Gore University of Montevallo 248
Day 1: 5 17-10 Day 2: 5 11-08 Total: 10 29-02
4. Kayden Tanner - Trevor Easter Tarleton State University 247
Day 1: 5 15-05 Day 2: 5 13-05 Total: 10 28-10
5. Tripp Bowman - Blakely Young Louisiana State University-Shrev 246
Day 1: 5 11-15 Day 2: 5 16-09 Total: 10 28-08
6. Lane Bailey - Justin Eggers CVCC RedHawks 245
Day 1: 5 14-12 Day 2: 5 13-04 Total: 10 28-00
7. James Willoughby - Chance Schwartz University of Montevallo 244
Day 1: 5 11-08 Day 2: 5 16-00 Total: 10 27-08
8. Aaron Cherry - Chandler Holt University of Montevallo 243
Day 1: 5 16-14 Day 2: 5 10-01 Total: 10 26-15
9. Grayson Morris - Cal Culpepper University of Montevalllo 242
Day 1: 5 11-15 Day 2: 5 14-03 Total: 10 26-02
10. Cordell Beckman - Greenville University 241
Day 1: 5 11-15 Day 2: 5 13-13 Total: 10 25-12
11. Hunter Bailey - JR Young Jacksonville State University 240
Day 1: 5 09-14 Day 2: 5 15-09 Total: 10 25-07
12. Grant Lesage - Zach Davis Southeastern Louisiana Universit 239
Day 1: 5 13-12 Day 2: 5 11-10 Total: 10 25-06
13. Jake Kimbrough - Grant Busby Blue Mountain College 238
Day 1: 5 14-07 Day 2: 5 10-11 Total: 10 25-02
14. Chase Hubble - Brent May 237
Day 1: 5 12-04 Day 2: 5 12-04 Total: 10 24-08
15. Conner Dimauro - Justin Botts bryan college 236
Day 1: 5 09-06 Day 2: 5 14-13 Total: 10 24-03
16. Walker Brown - Jd Bedford University of North Alabama 235
Day 1: 5 11-09 Day 2: 5 12-04 Total: 10 23-13
17. Hunter Bond - GL Compton Clemson University 234
Day 1: 5 09-02 Day 2: 5 14-08 Total: 10 23-10
18. Tyler Pendergrass - University of North Alabama 233
Day 1: 5 12-03 Day 2: 5 11-05 Total: 10 23-08
19. De Andre Allen - Luke Glasgow Itawamba Community College 232
Day 1: 5 08-14 Day 2: 5 13-15 Total: 10 22-13
20. Matthew Benson - Nathanael Wright Emmanuel College 231
Day 1: 5 08-00 Day 2: 5 14-09 Total: 10 22-09
21. Preston Kendrick - Eli Stevenson Bryan College 230
Day 1: 5 11-08 Day 2: 5 10-15 Total: 10 22-07
22. Drew Jennings - Cody Griffith Auburn University 229
Day 1: 5 07-10 Day 2: 5 14-08 Total: 10 22-02
23. Matthew Cummings - Joseph Woods Bethel University 228
Day 1: 5 14-14 Day 2: 5 07-01 Total: 10 21-15
24. Connor Hicks - Parker Kaye University of Tennessee 227
Day 1: 5 11-13 Day 2: 5 09-13 Total: 10 21-10
25. Dale Hansard - Mason Lee Jacksonville State University 226
Day 1: 5 14-02 Day 2: 5 07-06 Total: 10 21-08
26. Dawson Andrews - Wyatt Ensminger Southeastern Louisiana Universit 225
Day 1: 5 08-02 Day 2: 5 13-03 Total: 10 21-05
27. TJ McKenzie - Emmanuel College 224
Day 1: 5 12-10 Day 2: 5 08-10 Total: 10 21-04
28. Collin Reyes - Reagan Nelson Tarleton State University 223
Day 1: 5 11-06 Day 2: 5 09-08 Total: 10 20-14
29. Aaron Hawkins - Broxson Daigle Texas A and M University 222
Day 1: 5 09-15 Day 2: 5 10-15 Total: 10 20-14
30. Cole Thompson - Walker Sahagun University of North Alabama 221
Day 1: 5 10-10 Day 2: 5 10-03 Total: 10 20-13
31. Caz Anderson - Storm Cline Carson-Newman University 220
Day 1: 5 09-12 Day 2: 5 10-08 Total: 10 20-04
32. Matt Short - Colton Combs Eastern Kentucky University 219
Day 1: 5 10-09 Day 2: 5 09-10 Total: 10 20-03
33. Landon Lawson - Donavan Carson King University 218
Day 1: 5 12-09 Day 2: 5 07-07 Total: 10 20-00
34. Cole Dodson - Trent Jones University of Montevallo 217
Day 1: 5 08-13 Day 2: 5 11-03 Total: 10 20-00
35. Reece Martin - Hunter Jenkins Dallas Baptist University 216
Day 1: 5 08-05 Day 2: 5 11-09 Total: 10 19-14
36. Sam Hanggi - Matthew Welcher Auburn University 215
Day 1: 4 08-14 Day 2: 5 10-13 Total: 9 19-11
37. Salvador Garcia - Reese Jones Northwest Arkansas Community Col 214
Day 1: 5 06-09 Day 2: 5 13-00 Total: 10 19-09
38. Jordan Pennington - Tyler Cain University of Montevallo 213
Day 1: 5 08-03 Day 2: 5 11-06 Total: 10 19-09
39. K.D. Sizemore - Ethan Gilmore Auburn University 212
Day 1: 5 09-15 Day 2: 5 09-10 Total: 10 19-09
40. Chase Milholen - Levi Mullins Bethel University 211
Day 1: 5 06-07 Day 2: 5 13-00 Total: 10 19-07
41. Austin Goins - Elijah Kirk Bryan college 210
Day 1: 5 08-11 Day 2: 5 10-12 Total: 10 19-07
42. Grant Harris - Jacob Welch Drury University 209
Day 1: 5 08-13 Day 2: 5 09-12 Total: 10 18-09
43. Nate Triplett - Cody Barnes University of North Alabama 208
Day 1: 5 08-04 Day 2: 5 10-01 Total: 10 18-05
44. Syon Barnes - Hayden Bartee Jacksonville State University 207
Day 1: 5 06-07 Day 2: 5 11-12 Total: 10 18-03
45. Elliot Torode - Tyler Cory University of Montevallo 206
Day 1: 5 08-15 Day 2: 5 09-02 Total: 10 18-01
46. David Ackerman - 205
Day 1: 5 09-05 Day 2: 5 08-11 Total: 10 18-00
47. Bradley Martin - Kopeland Rosser University of Montevallo 204
Day 1: 3 05-15 Day 2: 5 11-08 Total: 8 17-07
48. Hunter MCClaskey - Nicholas Gilbert King University 203
Day 1: 5 08-10 Day 2: 5 08-10 Total: 10 17-04
49. Clay Tresler - Carter Carlton Northwest Arkansas Community Col 202
Day 1: 5 09-05 Day 2: 5 07-14 Total: 10 17-03
50. Jacob Butts - Garrett Smith Erskine College 201
Day 1: 5 07-05 Day 2: 5 09-12 Total: 10 17-01
51. Caleb Sheldon - Hayden Fuhr Lander University 200
Day 1: 5 07-06 Day 2: 5 09-11 Total: 10 17-01
52. Clent Blackwood - Bryar Chambers Wallace State 199
Day 1: 2 03-10 Day 2: 5 13-01 Total: 7 16-11
53. Adam Carroll - Trey Dickert University of Montevallo 198
Day 1: 5 08-02 Day 2: 5 08-09 Total: 10 16-11
54. Michael Chism - Mason Westerman Southest Missouri State Universi 197
Day 1: 5 06-03 Day 2: 5 10-07 Total: 10 16-10
55. Dax Ewart - Wilson Smith Bethel University 196
Day 1: 5 10-01 Day 2: 5 06-08 Total: 10 16-09
56. Adam Hollingsworth - Matthew German 195
Day 1: 2 03-11 Day 2: 5 12-08 Total: 7 16-03
57. Corey Yaden - Blake Stephenson Brewton Parker college 194
Day 1: 5 07-00 Day 2: 5 09-02 Total: 10 16-02
58. Zack Barrera - Bryson Osteen 193
Day 1: 5 10-00 Day 2: 5 05-15 Total: 10 15-15
59. Tanner Barclay - Lloyd Laconsay 192
Day 1: 5 09-08 Day 2: 4 06-07 Total: 9 15-15
60. Jake Thornbury - Wil Rigdon Campbellsville University 191
Day 1: 5 08-01 Day 2: 5 07-13 Total: 10 15-14
61. Jarred Jones - Logan Tate Jacksonville State University 190
Day 1: 5 08-01 Day 2: 5 07-11 Total: 10 15-12
62. Anthony Cicero Iv - Cy Lambert Bethel 189
Day 1: 5 07-12 Day 2: 5 07-14 Total: 10 15-10
63. Brayden Nichols - Kenneth Cheramie Louisiana State University Shrev 188
Day 1: 5 08-09 Day 2: 5 07-00 Total: 10 15-09
64. Parker Wilburn - Tristen Dubbs 187
Day 1: 5 07-06 Day 2: 5 08-00 Total: 10 15-06
65. Noah Campbell - Troy Harris GEORGIA COLLEGE 186
Day 1: 5 09-14 Day 2: 3 05-06 Total: 8 15-04
66. Blake Milligan - Chase Mundhenke Auburn University 185
Day 1: 5 08-05 Day 2: 5 06-11 Total: 10 15-00
67. Marshall Wiggins - University of Central Florida 184
Day 1: 5 09-05 Day 2: 4 05-10 Total: 9 14-15
68. Ethan Shaw - Tyler Price Bryan College 183
Day 1: 5 08-14 Day 2: 5 06-00 Total: 10 14-14
69. Conner Johnson - Hunter Osborne Georgetown college 182
Day 1: 5 07-14 Day 2: 5 06-12 Total: 10 14-10
70. Shane Nelson - Brayden Federer Adrian College 181
Day 1: 4 06-01 Day 2: 5 08-08 Total: 9 14-09
71. Conner Crosby - James Cobbs Auburn University 180
Day 1: 2 06-12 Day 2: 5 06-12 Total: 7 13-08
72. Thomas Mingle - Stone Payne Univerity of Tennessee 179
Day 1: 4 07-02 Day 2: 5 05-14 Total: 9 13-00
73. Davian Smith - Jackson Pontius University of Montevallo 178
Day 1: 5 12-15 Day 2: 0 00-00 Total: 5 12-15
74. Dustin Bauer - Cody Cissell Campbellsville University 177
Day 1: 5 07-02 Day 2: 5 05-11 Total: 10 12-13
75. Drake Hemby - Griffin Heffington Carson-Newman University 176
Day 1: 3 05-02 Day 2: 5 07-04 Total: 8 12-06
76. Hunter Haraway - Malcolm Patton Calhoun Community College 175
Day 1: 5 05-13 Day 2: 5 06-03 Total: 10 12-00
77. Luke Byerly - Drew Elrod University of Tennessee Knoxvill 174
Day 1: 5 05-13 Day 2: 5 06-02 Total: 10 11-15
78. Matthew Kahrs - Brandon Comeaux McNeese State University 173
Day 1: 4 05-08 Day 2: 4 06-06 Total: 8 11-14
79. John Murphy - Johnny Richardson Greenville Technical College 172
Day 1: 5 06-10 Day 2: 2 05-01 Total: 7 11-11
80. Noah Coleman - Dalton Johnson Auburn University 171
Day 1: 1 00-13 Day 2: 5 09-15 Total: 6 10-12
81. Thomas Millraney - Zachary Bowen Bethel University 170
Day 1: 5 05-15 Day 2: 3 04-11 Total: 8 10-10
82. Nathan Burdett - Tyler Buchanan Troy University 169
Day 1: 5 07-15 Day 2: 1 02-07 Total: 6 10-06
83. Garrett Walters - 168
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 5 09-10 Total: 5 09-10
84. Tyler Hudson - Evan Mcnaughton Western Kentucky University 167
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 5 09-07 Total: 5 09-07
85. Cody Gregory - Gage Sherrod Bethel University 166
Day 1: 4 03-07 Day 2: 5 05-04 Total: 9 08-11
86. Avery Whitwell - Jackson Holbert University of North Alabama 165
Day 1: 1 01-07 Day 2: 4 06-03 Total: 5 07-10
87. Dustin Bargo - Connor Melton Western Kentucky University 164
Day 1: 4 03-15 Day 2: 2 03-07 Total: 6 07-06
88. Sam Shiver - Phillip Parrish Faulkner University 163
Day 1: 5 06-15 Day 2: 0 00-00 Total: 5 06-15
89. Drew Traffanstedt - Scott Sledge University of Montevallo 162
Day 1: 5 06-12 Day 2: 0 00-00 Total: 5 06-12
90. James Hess - Holden Kauble Wabash Valley College 161
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 4 06-12 Total: 4 06-12
91. Noah Boyett - Ty Garlington 160
Day 1: 3 03-03 Day 2: 2 03-01 Total: 5 06-04
92. Jalen Bean - Jacob Douglas SOUTHWEST MISSISSIPPI COMMUNITY 159
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 3 04-13 Total: 3 04-13
93. Gavin Cloutier - Calvin Rogers King University 158
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 3 04-07 Total: 3 04-07
94. Seth Elkins - John Russell Reaves Jacksonville State University 157
Day 1: 1 01-10 Day 2: 1 01-09 Total: 2 03-03
95. Seth Roberts - Bethel University 156
Day 1: 2 02-14 Day 2: 0 00-00 Total: 2 02-14
96. Thad Simerly - Tennessee Tech University 155
Day 1: 2 02-09 Day 2: 0 00-00 Total: 2 02-09
97. Alyssa Taylor - Northwestern State University 154
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 1 02-04 Total: 1 02-04
98. David Froehlich - Abraham Baldwin Ag College 153
Day 1: 1 01-07 Day 2: 0 00-00 Total: 1 01-07
99. Blake Banks - Wes Wilson University of Georgia 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
99. Sean Clayton - Owen Dimaio Clemson University 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
99. Reed Green - Hunter Enlow 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
99. Carson Maddux - Jake Maddux Auburn University 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
99. Callaway Robinson - Dawson Ricks georgia college and state univer 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00


Registration Open for Seventh-Annual ICAST Cup at Lake Toho

Industry Bass Fishing Tournament Presented by MLF Now an Official Qualifier for the USA Bass Women’s Pan American Team

KISSIMMEE, Fla. (June 24, 2021) – Registration for the seventh-annual ICAST Cup presented by Major League Fishing (MLF) and Keep America Fishing™ is now open to all qualified media and companies that will be attending the ICAST trade show. The bass-fishing tournament, held July 20, 2021, offers a four-hour bass-fishing shootout on Lake Toho with 100% of the proceeds benefiting the industry’s angler advocacy program, Keep America Fishing.

New this year, USA Bass has joined to partner with MLF and Keep America Fishing and award the top women’s pair a spot on the 2022 USA Pan American Bass fishing team. The highest-finishing team of two female anglers will earn a spot on Team USA Bass at the 2022 Pan American Bass Fishing Championship, alongside Jacob Wheeler, John Cox, Mark Daniels Jr., Dustin Connell, Brian Latimer, Scott Martin and other top pros.

“We are going to be announcing the location for the 2022 Pan Am (Championship) very soon,” said USA Bass President Tony Forte. “Let’s just say it is an iconic bass fishing community, and we expect our Pan American nations to jump at the chance to fish it. We will have our strongest USA Bass Team ever and look forward to qualifying our Women’s pair at the ICAST Cup.”

The entry fee is $200 per company team. Each team is paired with a media representative – who fish for FREE – with the winners taking home the coveted ICAST Cup traveling trophy. More than $50,000 has been raised for Keep America Fishing since the event’s inception in 2015.

Some of the biggest names in professional bass fishing compete in the event, including numerous MLF Bass Pro Tour, Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit and Bassmaster Elite Series anglers. Previous participants include legendary anglers like Bill Dance, and Peter Thliveros, and current Major League Fishing pros like John Cox, Jason Lambert, Dave Lefebre, Justin Lucas, Mark Rose, Fred Roumbanis and Wesley Strader.

For full tournament details and to register for the event, visit ICASTCup.com.

Anglers will take off from Big Toho Marina & Kissimmee Lakefront Park at 6:30 a.m. on Tuesday, July 20. Weigh-in will be held marina, beginning at 10:30 a.m. Onsite check-in for participants will open at 5 a.m. Competitors are advised to plan on arriving to Big Toho Marina no later than 5:30 a.m. in order to meet your pairings and prepare for takeoff. A brief rules meeting will begin at 6 a.m., followed by takeoff at 6:30 a.m. All contestants are required to wear a fastened personal floatation device (PFD) when the outboard engine is in use.

Keep America Fishing™ is leading the fight to preserve your right to sustainably fish on our nation’s waterways. As the voice of the American angler, Keep America Fishing works to keep our public resources – our oceans, lakes, rivers and streams – open, clean and abundant with fish. For more information, please visit KeepAmericaFishing.org.

For more ICAST 2021 coverage, details and tournament information visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF’s social media outlets at Facebook, TwitterInstagram, and YouTube.


TPWD, B.A.S.S. Celebrate Fish Care Success At Bassmaster Classic

 

FORT WORTH, Texas — When the Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic presented by Hukwas moved from March to June, B.A.S.S. staff and the Texas Parks & Wildlife Department began planning a new approach to the weigh-in process. Working in partnership, the organizations created a plan that prioritized conservation of the catch while also preserving the integrity and fan appeal of the Classic weigh-in. Officials today announced that the plan proved successful, with a live-release rate of over 98% back into Lake Ray Roberts.

“To see these results in Texas in the early summer was amazing — and a testament to both the anglers and our fish care crew doing everything right,” B.A.S.S. Conservation Director Gene Gilliland said. “We worked with TPWD over the course of several weeks to refine the plan and define the roles of our staff, their biologists and our volunteer B.A.S.S. Nation Conservation Directors.”

Organizers emphasized that the 98.4% live release rate matches what would have been expected had the event been held in March with cooler temperatures.

On Days 1 and 2, the entire 54-angler field had their catch weighed immediately lakeside with the entire field weighed on the same scale to avoid any weight discrepancies. Those weights were kept confidential, and the area was closed to both the public and the media. Each angler could then transport up to two fish to Dickies Arena, where their total weight for the day was revealed to the fans. The rest of their day’s catch was placed in B.A.S.S. Yamaha/AFTCO Live Release boats and returned to Lake Ray Roberts.

On Championship Sunday, with only the Top 25 competing, anglers brought in all five bass to be weighed on the scales at the arena.

Both lakeside and in Fort Worth, TPWD biologists and B.A.S.S. volunteers helped anglers monitor the temperature and oxygen levels in their livewells. After each angler showed their fish to the fans, volunteers took the fish from the weighmaster and placed them back in the boat livewell as the boat exited the arena. Once backstage, fish were removed from the livewell and handed to waiting TPWD staff, who placed the fish in a cooled, oxygenated fish hauling tank for transport back to Lake Ray Roberts.

“Fish care could not have gone any better,” said TPWD Fisheries Biologist Todd Driscoll, who coordinated the agency fish care staff for the Classic.

Over the course of the tournament, Classic anglers caught 495 bass, but the lakeside weigh-in on Days 1 and 2 resulted in 50% fewer fish being transported to Fort Worth.


Brunswick to Acquire Navico; Will Enhance Leadership Position in Marine Technology and Strengthen Global Parts & Accessories Business

Brunswick to Acquire Navico; Will Enhance Leadership Position in Marine Technology and Strengthen Global Parts & Accessories Business 

METTAWA, Ill. June 24, 2021 – Brunswick Corporation (NYSE: BC) today announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Navico, a global leader in marine electronics and sensors for $1.05 billion. As a result of this acquisition, Brunswick will add the industry leading brands of Lowrance, Simrad, B&G, and C-MAP to its Advanced Systems Group (ASG), which includes the leading Parts & Accessories (P&A) brands in power management, digital control and monitoring, and networked devices.

"The acquisition of Navico and its award-winning brands will immediately accelerate Brunswick’s ACES (Autonomy, Connectivity, Electrification and Shared-Access) strategy, and support our vision to deliver distinctive new products and technology-enabled experiences,” said Dave Foulkes, Brunswick Corporation CEO.  “We will continue to invest both in organic initiatives and acquisitions to maintain our position of global product leadership, and the addition of Lowrance, Simrad, B&G and C-MAP to our existing brand portfolio will further strengthen our ability to provide complete, innovative digital solutions to consumers and comprehensive, integrated systems offerings to our OEM customers.”

Navico is a privately held global company based in Egersund, Norway and co-owned by Altor Fund IV and Goldman Sachs Asset Management.  It is a leading provider of multi-function displays, fish finders, autopilots, sonar, radar, and cartography. Navico’s strong brands serve most major powerboat and sailing markets for both recreational and commercial applications.

Navico’s revenues totaled approximately $470 million for the trailing 12-month period ended May 31, 2021, with attractive revenue growth, a strong margin profile, and a capital efficient business model. Brunswick’s P&A segment accounts for about $1.5 billion - or 35 percent of total 2020 annual revenues. With the addition of Navico, Brunswick expects its P&A businesses to have revenues on a run-rate basis exceeding $2.0 billion. Navico’s significant aftermarket orientation and attractive margin profile further add to Brunswick’s cycle resistant business profile.

“After a strong period of growth, we are very excited about joining the Brunswick family to further strengthen our offering and support our customers going forward.” said Knut Frostad, Navico’s President & CEO. “On behalf of everyone at Navico, we cannot wait to begin our journey with Brunswick and share our passion and dedication with their team. By working together, we will be able to deliver a unique and integrated customer experience.”

“Brunswick’s Advanced Systems Group has unparalleled global reach and the addition of Navico solidifies our commitment to creating an unmatched boater and OEM experience,” said Brett Dibkey, Advanced Systems Group president. “We have a very broad product portfolio, ranging from general marine products to power management solutions and we will leverage the unique expertise of each brand to generate revenue and operating synergies to promote growth for both ASG and Navico.  We are also adding a talented, experienced, and consumer-focused management team, which is expected to remain in place and play a major role in the execution of our strategy."

Brunswick will be using a combination of debt and cash on its balance sheet to fund the acquisition.  Brunswick remains committed to maintaining its investment grade credit rating and at close expects its debt-to-EBITDA ratio to be approximately 1.7x on a gross basis.

J.P. Morgan Securities LLC is serving as the exclusive financial advisor to Brunswick Corporation and is providing committed financing; Baker McKenzie and Schjødt are serving as legal counsel to Brunswick Corporation on the transaction.

Goldman Sachs Bank Europe SE, Sweden Bankfilial, and Carnegie acted as financial advisors to Altor, Goldman Sachs Asset Management and Marine Innovations Group AS; Sullivan & Cromwell and Wiersholm provided legal advisory services on the transaction.

The closing of the transaction is anticipated during the second half of 2021 and is subject to usual and customary closing conditions as well as regulatory review and approval.


Poulin Navigates Rough Erie To Lead B.A.S.S. Nation Northeast Regional

Keith Poulin, of Lisbon, Maine, is leading after Day 1 of the TNT Fireworks B.A.S.S. Nation Northeast Regional at Lake Erie and Presque Isle Bay with 18 pounds.

Photo by Kyle Jessie/B.A.S.S.

June 23, 2021

ERIE, Pa. — Confident with his practice findings, Keith Poulin of Lisbon, Maine, took on a wind-whipped Lake Erie and caught a four-bass limit of 18 pounds to lead Day 1 of the TNT Fireworks B.A.S.S. Nation Northeast Regional.

“I knew I was on them,” Poulin said. “I was kind of limited on Monday and Tuesday because of the wind, but the co-angler who was practicing with me on Sunday kind of figured out the pattern and we caught a few good ones. I was able to catch some good ones in the same general area today.”

Anchoring his bag with a 5-6, Poulin worked between 12 to 15 miles from takeoff — on the lake’s New York end. He fished in 20 to 35 feet and found the fish showed a preference based on time of day.

“It seemed the deep water was better in the morning, but as the (sunlight increased), it seemed to push the fish a little shallower,” he said. “I haven’t been on the fishery enough to know why they move up and why they move back, but I try to stay with them as long as I can.”

For his overall site selection, Poulin said he followed tried-and-true strategies.

“There’s not a whole lot of secrets out there; find the seams, find the breaks, find the rock and, usually, you can find the smallmouth,” he said. “I didn’t notice any schools of bait; it was more bottom-oriented (forage) like gobies. Because I was limited in practice, I broke it down in that scenario and went with it.”

Poulin caught all of his fish on a drop shot. He kept his bait selection confidential but said he showed the fish a variety of looks.

“I didn’t see any clear preference for one vs. the other,” Poulin said. “I threw three different baits in different colors.

“If I went an hour or so without a bite, I switched up. Sometimes, I fished the same area twice. Sometimes, I could get another bite on a different bait.”

Despite Erie’s big rolling waves, Poulin said he stayed with a 1/4-ounce drop-shot weight. In his view, the lighter weight created a more natural presentation.

Tyler Williams of Belgrade, Maine, is in second place with 17 pounds. Noting that he had one 2 1/2-pounder in his four-fish limit, Williams lamented losing a big fish that likely would have given him the lead.

Targeting postspawners roaming in the 40-foot range, Williams said he fished for individual bass that he spotted on his Garmin LiveScope. Dropping a tube and a drop shot yielded 12 bites.

“I was just alternating and sorting through drum (a common bycatch species),” Williams said. “I used a 1/2-ounce drop-shot weight with a Berkley MaxScent Flat Worm in green pumpkin color — anything that looks like a goby. The tube was the same color with a 1/2-ounce head.”

Michael Comeau of Alburgh, Vt., is in third place with 16-7. Despite the big waves, Comeau was able to reach all of the waypoints he had marked in practice.

“I had a limit by 8:30, and I had all of my weight by 9:30,” Comeau said. “I caught a couple more 4-pounders, but they didn’t help me.”

Fishing a drop shot with a 3/8-ounce weight, Comeau said that his most important decision was moving deeper.

“The fish I had found in practice are about 5 feet deeper now,” he said. “In practice, I was catching them in 16 to 20 feet, but they weren’t there, so I just edged out a little bit and they were there.

“I think they’re on their way out. They were probably spawning the last couple of weeks, then they moved out to that 10 to 12 feet of water and now they’re in 20. By next week, I think they’ll be out in 35.”

Randy Lamanche of Marcellus, N.Y., is in the lead for Big Bass honors with his 5-9.

Johann Vanwoerden of East Haddam, Conn., leads the co-angler division with 14-2. Noting that he had practiced several days with a single bait, Vanwoerden said he was pleased to see that game plan deliver Wednesday.

“It was just a tube in green pumpkin gold flake,” he said. “I was catching them in 26 to 32 feet. I was just drifting.

“I play with it; when I feel (bottom structure), I bounce it around a little bit to give it a little action instead of just dragging it through the mud.”

Chris Newton of Whitesboro, N.Y., holds the Big Bass lead among co-anglers with a 5-4.

The Massachusetts B.A.S.S. Nation leads the team competition with a combined weight of 176-14. The Maine B.A.S.S. Nation follows in second with 171-9, and the Connecticut B.A.S.S. Nation is third with 168-12.

Thursday’s takeoff is scheduled for 5:30 a.m. ET from Presque Isle State Park, Perry Monument. The weigh-in will be held back at the monument at 1:30 p.m. Per Pennsylvania state regulations, boaters will bring in a limit of four bass each day.

2021 TNT Fireworks B.A.S.S. Nation Northeast Regional 6/23-6/25
Lake Erie/Presque Isle Bay, Erie PA.
(BOATER) Standings Day 1

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

1. Keith Poulin Lisbon, ME (ME) 4 18-00 0
2. Tyler Williams Belgrade, ME (ME) 4 17-00 0
3. Michael Comeau Alburgh, VT (VT) 4 16-07 0
4. Josh Cotier Clinton, MA (MA) 4 16-06 0
4. Dave Cousins Standish, ME (ME) 4 16-06 0
6. Jeremy Sadowski Valuntower, CT (RI) 4 16-00 0
7. Conor Cahill North East, MD (NJ) 4 15-08 0
8. Keith Cowan Mt Ephraim, NJ (NJ) 4 15-06 0
9. Randy Lamanche Marcellus, NY (NY) 4 15-06 0
10. Shaun Brown Slippery Rock, PA (PA) 4 15-03 0
11. Aaron Green Everett, PA (PA) 4 14-12 0
12. Nicholas Holt Ellsworth, ME (ME) 4 14-08 0
13. Will Kanwisher Ramsey, NJ (NJ) 4 14-04 0
14. Aaron Orsi Auburn, MA (MA) 4 14-03 0
15. Rob Messenger Jr Sunapee, NH (NH) 4 13-14 0
16. David Dziob Meriden, CT (CT) 4 13-10 0
16. Kevin Rose Jr Anniston, CT (CT) 4 13-10 0
16. Chad Shutty Northern Cambria, PA (P 4 13-10 0
19. Brian Spencer Bentleyville, PA (PA) 4 13-08 0
20. Brandon Labove Mystic, CT (RI) 4 13-07 0
21. Russell Belanger Gt Barrington, MA (MA) 4 13-07 0
22. Billy Bick Brentwood, NH (NH) 4 13-05 0
22. Casey Smith Macedon, NY (NY) 4 13-05 0
24. Bob Jeffrey Prospect, CT (CT) 4 13-03 0
25. Brian Croteau Blackstone, MA (RI) 4 12-13 0
26. Eric Low Buxton, ME (NH) 4 12-12 0
27. Mark Hogan Milford, DE (DE) 4 12-06 0
27. Brian Kelly Liverpool, NY (NY) 4 12-06 0
29. John Mcgraw Hamilton Sq, NJ (NJ) 4 12-05 0
30. Bret Winegardner Swanton, MD (MD) 4 12-03 0
31. Douglas Savino Tyrone, PA (PA) 4 12-00 0
32. Denis Carrier Skowhegan, ME (ME) 4 11-15 0
33. Patrick Martin St Roch De L Achigan Qu 4 11-14 0
34. Michael Mello Manville, RI (MA) 4 11-12 0
35. Matthew Szczoczarz Cumberland, RI (RI) 4 11-10 0
36. Paul Mayo Shelton, CT (CT) 4 11-05 0
37. Mickey Soler Newington, CT (CT) 4 11-01 0
38. Ben Bilott Larimer, PA (PA) 4 11-00 0
39. Dan Patane Canastota, NY (NY) 3 10-15 0
39. Cody Petit Arundel, ME (ME) 3 10-15 0
41. Timothy Dube Nashua , NH (NH) 4 10-12 0
42. Mark Schafer Williamstown, NJ (NJ) 4 10-11 0
43. Jeff Kenney Franklin, MA (MA) 4 10-10 0
44. Jonathan Carter Portland, ME (ME) 3 10-10 0
45. Rick Svoboda Cockeysville , MD (MD) 4 10-09 0
46. Ken Golubjatnikov Pittsford, NY (NY) 3 10-08 0
47. Mike Wolfenden Warwick, RI (RI) 3 10-02 0
48. Sheron Brown Leminster, MA (MA) 4 10-00 0
49. Mark Burgess Norton, MA (MA) 4 09-15 0
50. Michael Zachodny Nashua, NH (NH) 3 09-15 0
51. Rich Dewling Boxford, MA (MA) 4 09-12 0
51. Frank McCormick Warwick, RI (RI) 4 09-12 0
53. Brandon Neal Middletown, CT (CT) 3 09-10 0
54. Cliff Humphreys Philadelphia, PA (NJ) 4 09-09 0
55. David Trask Skowhegan, ME (ME) 4 09-05 0
56. Michael Sentore Gloucester City, NJ (NJ 4 09-04 0
57. Andrew Sams Easton, MD (MD) 4 09-03 0
58. Benjamin Hale Rowley, MA (MA) 4 09-02 0
59. Richard Martin Jr Sparrows Point, MD (MD) 4 09-01 0
60. Mike Rodevitz Colebrook, NH (NH) 4 09-00 0
61. Thomas Hughes Cicero, NY (NY) 3 08-15 0
62. Paul Reter II Hanover, PA (MD) 4 08-12 0
63. Joe Burchill Salem, NH (NH) 4 08-11 0
64. Lewis Mendall Winthrop, MA (RI) 4 08-08 0
65. Steve Viger Auburn, NH (NH) 3 08-08 0
66. Kevin Miller Hollis, NH (NH) 3 08-06 0
67. David Maiorano Durham, CT (CT) 4 08-05 0
68. Abe Kalechman West Hartford, CT (CT) 2 08-04 0
69. Scott Mislevy Patton, PA (PA) 3 08-01 0
70. Andrew Getsy Hastings , PA (PA) 2 08-00 0
70. Chris McCarthy Woonsocket, RI (RI) 2 08-00 0
72. Michael Nutter La Plata, MD (MD) 3 07-12 0
73. Kevin Comes Addison, VT (VT) 4 07-11 0
74. Chris Guncheon Warwick, RI (RI) 3 07-08 0
75. Tim Talento Meriden, CT (CT) 3 07-04 0
76. Jay Walls Milford, DE (DE) 3 07-03 0
77. Mike Morris Dover, DE (DE) 3 07-01 0
78. Mike Roselle La Plata, MD (MD) 2 06-13 0
79. Jason Muir Milford, DE (DE) 3 06-04 0
80. Fabian Rodriguez Ocean City, MD (DE) 2 06-04 0
81. John Fitzgerald Salisbury, VT (VT) 2 06-02 0
82. Seth Parker La Fargeville, NY (NY) 3 06-01 0
83. Jesse Magee Williamstown, NJ (NJ) 2 06-01 0
84. Chris Episcopo Canonsburg, PA (PA) 2 05-05 0
85. Sean Cummins Huntgindon, PA (PA) 2 05-01 0
86. Luke Shrader Barrington, NJ (NJ) 2 04-09 0
87. Andy Kent Denton, MD (DE) 2 04-05 0
88. Russell Phillips Guilford, CT (VT) 1 04-05 0
89. Chris Heath Miromar Lakes, FL (NY) 2 04-03 0
90. David Reiss Westport Island, ME (ME 2 04-02 0
91. Justin Spraske Hinsdale, NH (NH) 2 03-15 0
92. Richard Warhurst Canterbury, CT (RI) 2 03-13 0
93. Randy Baran Millstone Township, NJ 2 03-11 0
94. Robert Ramasci Wakefield, MA (MA) 1 03-10 0
95. Jason Betourney Bridgeport, VT (VT) 1 03-02 0
96. Daniel Kane Surry, ME (ME) 1 02-13 0
96. Joseph Tinsley Charlotte Hall, MD (MD) 1 02-13 0
98. Zack Hajecate Wallkill, NY (NY) 1 01-14 0
99. Amos Dixon Camden Wyoming, DE (DE) 1 01-12 0
100. Tim Mcglenn Welcome, MD (MD) 1 01-11 0
101. Brandon Forsman Church Hill, MD (DE) 1 01-09 0
102. Greg Alexander Hebron, MD (DE) 0 00-00 0
102. Brian Barnes Seaford, DE (DE) 0 00-00 0
102. Mike Billings Meriden, CT (CT) 0 00-00 0
102. Zach Cullen Redwood, NY (NY) 0 00-00 0
102. Rod Eshleman Greencastle, PA (MD) 0 00-00 0
102. Chris Groman West Cornwall, VT (VT) 0 00-00 0
102. David Mathieu Woodstock, CT (VT) 0 00-00 0
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Totals
Day #Limits #Fish Weight
1 0 327 977-13
----------------------------------
0 327 977-13

TEAM STANDINGS Day 1
----------------------------------
State Lbs-Oz
1 MASSACHUSETTS 176-14
2 MAINE 171-09
3 CONNECTICUT 168-12
4 NEW JERSEY 160-02
5 PENNSYLVANIA 159-05
6 NEW YORK 156-10
7 RHODE ISLAND 151-11
8 NEW HAMPSHIRE 147-06
9 MARYLAND 117-12
10 VERMONT 99-06
11 DELAWARE 94-09

INDIVIDUAL STANDINGS Day 1
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

CONNECTICUT
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 David Dziob Meriden, CT 4 13-10 0
1 Kevin Rose Jr Anniston, CT 4 13-10 0
3 Bob Jeffrey Prospect, CT 4 13-03 0
4 Paul Mayo Shelton, CT 4 11-05 0
5 Mickey Soler Newington, CT 4 11-01 0
6 Brandon Neal Middletown, CT 3 09-10 0
7 David Maiorano Durham, CT 4 08-05 0
8 Abe Kalechman West Hartford, CT 2 08-04 0
9 Tim Talento Meriden, CT 3 07-04 0
10 Mike Billings Meriden, CT 0 00-00 0

DELAWARE
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Mark Hogan Milford, DE 4 12-06 0
2 Jay Walls Milford, DE 3 07-03 0
3 Mike Morris Dover, DE 3 07-01 0
4 Jason Muir Milford, DE 3 06-04 0
5 Fabian Rodriguez Ocean City, MD 2 06-04 0
6 Andy Kent Denton, MD 2 04-05 0
7 Amos Dixon Camden Wyoming, DE 1 01-12 0
8 Brandon Forsman Church Hill, MD 1 01-09 0
9 Greg Alexander Hebron, MD 0 00-00 0
9 Brian Barnes Seaford, DE 0 00-00 0

MASSACHUSETTS
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Josh Cotier Clinton, MA 4 16-06 0
2 Aaron Orsi Auburn, MA 4 14-03 0
3 Russell Belanger Gt Barrington, MA 4 13-07 0
4 Michael Mello Manville, RI 4 11-12 0
5 Jeff Kenney Franklin, MA 4 10-10 0
6 Sheron Brown Leminster, MA 4 10-00 0
7 Mark Burgess Norton, MA 4 09-15 0
8 Rich Dewling Boxford, MA 4 09-12 0
9 Benjamin Hale Rowley, MA 4 09-02 0
10 Robert Ramasci Wakefield, MA 1 03-10 0

MARYLAND
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Bret Winegardner Swanton, MD 4 12-03 0
2 Rick Svoboda Cockeysville , MD 4 10-09 0
3 Andrew Sams Easton, MD 4 09-03 0
4 Richard Martin Jr Sparrows Point, MD 4 09-01 0
5 Paul Reter II Hanover, PA 4 08-12 0
6 Michael Nutter La Plata, MD 3 07-12 0
7 Mike Roselle La Plata, MD 2 06-13 0
8 Joseph Tinsley Charlotte Hall, MD 1 02-13 0
9 Tim Mcglenn Welcome, MD 1 01-11 0
10 Rod Eshleman Greencastle, PA 0 00-00 0

MAINE
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Keith Poulin Lisbon, ME 4 18-00 0
2 Tyler Williams Belgrade, ME 4 17-00 0
3 Dave Cousins Standish, ME 4 16-06 0
4 Nicholas Holt Ellsworth, ME 4 14-08 0
5 Denis Carrier Skowhegan, ME 4 11-15 0
6 Cody Petit Arundel, ME 3 10-15 0
7 Jonathan Carter Portland, ME 3 10-10 0
8 David Trask Skowhegan, ME 4 09-05 0
9 David Reiss Westport Island, ME 2 04-02 0
10 Daniel Kane Surry, ME 1 02-13 0

NEW HAMPSHIRE
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Rob Messenger Jr Sunapee, NH 4 13-14 0
2 Billy Bick Brentwood, NH 4 13-05 0
3 Eric Low Buxton, ME 4 12-12 0
4 Timothy Dube Nashua , NH 4 10-12 0
5 Michael Zachodny Nashua, NH 3 09-15 0
6 Mike Rodevitz Colebrook, NH 4 09-00 0
7 Joe Burchill Salem, NH 4 08-11 0
8 Steve Viger Auburn, NH 3 08-08 0
9 Kevin Miller Hollis, NH 3 08-06 0
10 Justin Spraske Hinsdale, NH 2 03-15 0

NEW JERSEY
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Conor Cahill North East, MD 4 15-08 0
2 Keith Cowan Mt Ephraim, NJ 4 15-06 0
3 Will Kanwisher Ramsey, NJ 4 14-04 0
4 John Mcgraw Hamilton Sq, NJ 4 12-05 0
5 Mark Schafer Williamstown, NJ 4 10-11 0
6 Cliff Humphreys Philadelphia, PA 4 09-09 0
7 Michael Sentore Gloucester City, NJ 4 09-04 0
8 Jesse Magee Williamstown, NJ 2 06-01 0
9 Luke Shrader Barrington, NJ 2 04-09 0
10 Randy Baran Millstone Township, NJ 2 03-11 0

NEW YORK
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Randy Lamanche Marcellus, NY 4 15-06 0
2 Casey Smith Macedon, NY 4 13-05 0
3 Brian Kelly Liverpool, NY 4 12-06 0
4 Dan Patane Canastota, NY 3 10-15 0
5 Ken Golubjatnikov Pittsford, NY 3 10-08 0
6 Thomas Hughes Cicero, NY 3 08-15 0
7 Seth Parker La Fargeville, NY 3 06-01 0
8 Chris Heath Miromar Lakes, FL 2 04-03 0
9 Zack Hajecate Wallkill, NY 1 01-14 0
10 Zach Cullen Redwood, NY 0 00-00 0

PENNSYLVANIA
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Shaun Brown Slippery Rock, PA 4 15-03 0
2 Aaron Green Everett, PA 4 14-12 0
3 Chad Shutty Northern Cambria, PA 4 13-10 0
4 Brian Spencer Bentleyville, PA 4 13-08 0
5 Douglas Savino Tyrone, PA 4 12-00 0
6 Ben Bilott Larimer, PA 4 11-00 0
7 Scott Mislevy Patton, PA 3 08-01 0
8 Andrew Getsy Hastings , PA 2 08-00 0
9 Chris Episcopo Canonsburg, PA 2 05-05 0
10 Sean Cummins Huntgindon, PA 2 05-01 0

RHODE ISLAND
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Jeremy Sadowski Valuntower, CT 4 16-00 0
2 Brandon Labove Mystic, CT 4 13-07 0
3 Brian Croteau Blackstone, MA 4 12-13 0
4 Matthew Szczoczarz Cumberland, RI 4 11-10 0
5 Mike Wolfenden Warwick, RI 3 10-02 0
6 Frank McCormick Warwick, RI 4 09-12 0
7 Lewis Mendall Winthrop, MA 4 08-08 0
8 Chris McCarthy Woonsocket, RI 2 08-00 0
9 Chris Guncheon Warwick, RI 3 07-08 0
10 Richard Warhurst Canterbury, CT 2 03-13 0

VERMONT
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Michael Comeau Alburgh, VT 4 16-07 0
2 Patrick Martin St Roch De L Achigan Qu 4 11-14 0
3 Kevin Comes Addison, VT 4 07-11 0
4 John Fitzgerald Salisbury, VT 2 06-02 0
5 Russell Phillips Guilford, CT 1 04-05 0
6 Jason Betourney Bridgeport, VT 1 03-02 0
7 Chris Groman West Cornwall, VT 0 00-00 0
7 David Mathieu Woodstock, CT 0 00-00 0

2021 TNT Fireworks B.A.S.S. Nation Northeast Regional 6/23-6/25
Lake Erie/Presque Isle Bay, Erie PA.
(NON_BOATER) Standings Day 1

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

1. Johann Vanwoerden East Haddam, CT (CT) 3 14-02 0
2. Ronald Bestwick Grisword, CT (RI) 3 13-00 0
3. Ross Caruso Pittsburgh, PA (PA) 3 13-00 0
4. Jimmy Mirabito Wallingford, CT (CT) 3 12-12 0
5. Mark Mounts Washington, PA (PA) 3 11-15 0
6. Chris Newton Whitesboro, NY (NY) 3 11-13 0
7. Dwayne Turnage Hollis Center, ME (ME) 3 11-08 0
8. Sammy Chhoeun Fall River, MA (MA) 3 11-05 0
8. Del Guile Oswego, NY (NY) 3 11-05 0
8. Bob Seelley Saugus, MA (MA) 3 11-05 0
11. Bill Lionetta Jr Alton, NH (NH) 3 11-03 0
12. Matthew Kiffer Freeport, PA (PA) 3 11-01 0
13. Justin Hughes Troy, NY (NY) 3 11-00 0
14. Cody Champion Sabattus, ME (ME) 3 10-11 0
15. Casey Baroffio Northfield, VT (VT) 3 09-15 0
16. Conner Petropoulos Portland, ME (ME) 3 09-14 0
17. Jerry Ramasci Wakefield, MA (NH) 3 09-12 0
18. Sean Mckee IV Haddon Heights, NJ (NJ) 3 09-02 0
19. Zachary McNaughton Proctorsville, VT (VT) 3 09-01 0
20. Olivia Bussiere Northfield, VT (VT) 3 09-00 0
20. Neil Talento Meriden, CT (CT) 3 09-00 0
22. GL Mitchell Millsboro, DE (DE) 3 08-15 0
22. Rob Tipton III Pitman, NJ (NJ) 3 08-15 0
24. Joe Puller Middle River, MD (MD) 3 08-14 0
25. Joseph Raguzin Carmel, NY (NY) 3 08-11 0
26. Michael Curran Southington, CT (CT) 3 08-07 0
26. Jim Kline Hagerstown, MD (MD) 3 08-07 0
28. Guiseppe Andreoli Harrisville, RI (MA) 3 07-15 0
28. Andrew Sellers Richmond, NH (VT) 3 07-15 0
30. Chris Adams Bow, NH (NH) 3 07-14 0
31. Brian Brooks Pittsgrove, NJ (NJ) 3 07-12 0
31. Zachary Cesare Swedesboro, NJ (NJ) 3 07-12 0
31. Kris Connor Suffield, CT (CT) 3 07-12 0
31. Corey Kennington Eden, MD (DE) 3 07-12 0
35. Tony Kibler Milford, DE (DE) 3 07-10 0
36. Casey Marshall Frederick, MD (MD) 2 07-09 0
37. Jake Haas Elmer, NJ (NJ) 2 07-08 0
38. Steven Congdon North Stonington, CT (R 3 07-07 0
38. TJ Dobs Verona, NY (NY) 3 07-07 0
40. Travis Miller Colchester, CT (RI) 2 07-07 0
41. Chris Heltemes Franklin, MA (MA) 3 07-04 0
42. Chris Forti Norwell, MA (MA) 2 07-03 0
43. Bryan Giran Swedesboro, NJ (PA) 3 07-00 0
44. Mark Pryal Silver Springs, MD (MD) 3 06-14 0
44. Butch Van Drunen Jr Hardeson, DE (DE) 3 06-14 0
46. Ben Iwaszkiewicz Woodbridge, CT (CT) 2 06-12 0
47. Rj Ricci Cranston, RI (RI) 3 06-11 0
48. John Lowell Orwell, VT (VT) 3 06-08 0
49. Scott Reilly Hammonton, NJ (NJ) 3 06-06 0
50. Julian Felix Leominster, MA (MA) 2 06-06 0
50. James Hitt Baltimore, MD (MD) 2 06-06 0
52. Brandon Regnault Providence, RI (MA) 2 06-04 0
53. Anthony Dulac Harpswell, ME (ME) 2 06-03 0
54. Rein Golubjatnikov Pittsford, NY (NY) 2 05-14 0
54. Jacob Zaremski West Henrietta, NY (NY) 2 05-14 0
56. Jason Sirois Auburn, ME (ME) 2 05-11 0
57. David Dias Brattleboro, VT (VT) 2 05-04 0
57. Asher Hotson Lenox, MA (MA) 2 05-04 0
59. John Nichols Milford, DE (DE) 2 05-03 0
59. Robert Ross Hopedale, MA (MA) 2 05-03 0
61. Kevin Willinghan Fallston, MD (MD) 1 05-00 0
62. Kevin Champagne Saco, ME (ME) 2 04-09 0
63. Tim Dubuc Bowdoinham, ME (ME) 2 04-06 0
64. Brian Marino Vineland, NJ (NJ) 1 04-05 0
65. Fred Serge Lambertville, NJ (NJ) 2 04-04 0
66. William Lane Patton, PA (PA) 1 04-04 0
67. Dayton Lilly Hope Valley, RI (RI) 2 04-03 0
67. Luke Marriott Jewett City, CT (RI) 2 04-03 0
69. Craig Winegardner West River, MD (MD) 1 04-03 0
70. Steven Conde Chepachet, RI (RI) 1 04-02 0
71. Matthew Desimone Jr Cromwell, CT (CT) 1 04-00 0
72. Jon Metot Phoenix, NY (NY) 2 03-15 0
72. Nick Nelson Walden, NY (NY) 2 03-15 0
74. Brad Dekraai Epsom, NH (NH) 1 03-15 0
75. Jim Burrows Nashua, NH (NH) 2 03-14 0
76. Kevin Noel Burlington, CT (CT) 2 03-12 0
77. Tyler Rush Clearville, PA (PA) 2 03-10 0
78. Luke Dixon Ridgley, MD (DE) 1 03-10 0
79. Rodney Parrott Stoddard, NH (NH) 1 03-09 0
80. Jeffrey Perron South Berwick, ME (NH) 2 03-08 0
81. Joe Sodora Garfield, NJ (CT) 1 03-08 0
82. Douglas Linn Oswego, NY (NY) 1 03-03 0
82. Chad Scroggs Mechanicsville, MD (DE) 1 03-03 0
84. David Pfeiffer Milton Mills, NH (ME) 1 03-01 0
84. Robert Rull Coventry, RI (RI) 1 03-01 0
86. Vincent Melfi Bellmawr, NJ (NJ) 1 02-14 0
87. Rodney Oberdick Felton, DE (DE) 1 02-13 0
88. Jamie Rouleau Danville, NH (NH) 1 02-11 0
89. Ryan Aldieri Bristol, CT (CT) 1 02-07 0
90. Bob Wetzler Rutland, VT (VT) 1 02-02 0
91. Craig Matz Mohrsville, PA (PA) 1 01-15 0
92. Brian Penney Haverhill, MA (NH) 1 01-14 0
93. Neal Wharton Seaford, DE (DE) 1 01-13 0
94. Norm Mccord Severn, MD (MD) 1 01-10 0
95. Steve Davis Dover, PA (MD) 0 00-00 0
95. Gregory Decell Bridgewater, VT (VT) 0 00-00 0
95. Matt Evans Pittsburg, PA (PA) 0 00-00 0
95. Marc Fecteau Casco, ME (ME) 0 00-00 0
95. Dan Feula Hackettstown, NJ (NJ) 0 00-00 0
95. Josh Herting Sudbury, MA (MA) 0 00-00 0
95. Skip Hinkley Richmond, ME (ME) 0 00-00 0
95. Ron Horton Dover, DE (DE) 0 00-00 0
95. Brian Jarvis Coventry, RI (RI) 0 00-00 0
95. Karl Kohanski Center Barnstead, NH (N 0 00-00 0
95. Domenic Malaga Warwick, RI (RI) 0 00-00 0
95. Logan Mayette Millersville, MD (MD) 0 00-00 0
95. Dave Reed Westminster, MD (PA) 0 00-00 0
95. David Tichenor Avella, PA (PA) 0 00-00 0
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Totals
Day #Limits #Fish Weight
1 44 209 626-03
----------------------------------
44 209 626-03

TEAM STANDINGS Day 1
----------------------------------
State Lbs-Oz
1 MASSACHUSETTS 176-14
2 MAINE 171-09
3 CONNECTICUT 168-12
4 NEW JERSEY 160-02
5 PENNSYLVANIA 159-05
6 NEW YORK 156-10
7 RHODE ISLAND 151-11
8 NEW HAMPSHIRE 147-06
9 MARYLAND 117-12
10 VERMONT 99-06
11 DELAWARE 94-09

INDIVIDUAL STANDINGS Day 1
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

CONNECTICUT
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Johann Vanwoerden East Haddam, CT 3 14-02 0
2 Jimmy Mirabito Wallingford, CT 3 12-12 0
3 Neil Talento Meriden, CT 3 09-00 0
4 Michael Curran Southington, CT 3 08-07 0
5 Kris Connor Suffield, CT 3 07-12 0
6 Ben Iwaszkiewicz Woodbridge, CT 2 06-12 0
7 Matthew Desimone Jr Cromwell, CT 1 04-00 0
8 Kevin Noel Burlington, CT 2 03-12 0
9 Joe Sodora Garfield, NJ 1 03-08 0
10 Ryan Aldieri Bristol, CT 1 02-07 0

DELAWARE
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 GL Mitchell Millsboro, DE 3 08-15 0
2 Corey Kennington Eden, MD 3 07-12 0
3 Tony Kibler Milford, DE 3 07-10 0
4 Butch Van Drunen Jr Hardeson, DE 3 06-14 0
5 John Nichols Milford, DE 2 05-03 0
6 Luke Dixon Ridgley, MD 1 03-10 0
7 Chad Scroggs Mechanicsville, MD 1 03-03 0
8 Rodney Oberdick Felton, DE 1 02-13 0
9 Neal Wharton Seaford, DE 1 01-13 0
10 Ron Horton Dover, DE 0 00-00 0

MASSACHUSETTS
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Sammy Chhoeun Fall River, MA 3 11-05 0
1 Bob Seelley Saugus, MA 3 11-05 0
3 Guiseppe Andreoli Harrisville, RI 3 07-15 0
4 Chris Heltemes Franklin, MA 3 07-04 0
5 Chris Forti Norwell, MA 2 07-03 0
6 Julian Felix Leominster, MA 2 06-06 0
7 Brandon Regnault Providence, RI 2 06-04 0
8 Asher Hotson Lenox, MA 2 05-04 0
9 Robert Ross Hopedale, MA 2 05-03 0
10 Josh Herting Sudbury, MA 0 00-00 0

MARYLAND
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Joe Puller Middle River, MD 3 08-14 0
2 Jim Kline Hagerstown, MD 3 08-07 0
3 Casey Marshall Frederick, MD 2 07-09 0
4 Mark Pryal Silver Springs, MD 3 06-14 0
5 James Hitt Baltimore, MD 2 06-06 0
6 Kevin Willinghan Fallston, MD 1 05-00 0
7 Craig Winegardner West River, MD 1 04-03 0
8 Norm Mccord Severn, MD 1 01-10 0
9 Steve Davis Dover, PA 0 00-00 0
9 Logan Mayette Millersville, MD 0 00-00 0

MAINE
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Dwayne Turnage Hollis Center, ME 3 11-08 0
2 Cody Champion Sabattus, ME 3 10-11 0
3 Conner Petropoulos Portland, ME 3 09-14 0
4 Anthony Dulac Harpswell, ME 2 06-03 0
5 Jason Sirois Auburn, ME 2 05-11 0
6 Kevin Champagne Saco, ME 2 04-09 0
7 Tim Dubuc Bowdoinham, ME 2 04-06 0
8 David Pfeiffer Milton Mills, NH 1 03-01 0
9 Marc Fecteau Casco, ME 0 00-00 0
9 Skip Hinkley Richmond, ME 0 00-00 0

NEW HAMPSHIRE
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Bill Lionetta Jr Alton, NH 3 11-03 0
2 Jerry Ramasci Wakefield, MA 3 09-12 0
3 Chris Adams Bow, NH 3 07-14 0
4 Brad Dekraai Epsom, NH 1 03-15 0
5 Jim Burrows Nashua, NH 2 03-14 0
6 Rodney Parrott Stoddard, NH 1 03-09 0
7 Jeffrey Perron South Berwick, ME 2 03-08 0
8 Jamie Rouleau Danville, NH 1 02-11 0
9 Brian Penney Haverhill, MA 1 01-14 0
10 Karl Kohanski Center Barnstead, NH 0 00-00 0

NEW JERSEY
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Sean Mckee IV Haddon Heights, NJ 3 09-02 0
2 Rob Tipton III Pitman, NJ 3 08-15 0
3 Brian Brooks Pittsgrove, NJ 3 07-12 0
3 Zachary Cesare Swedesboro, NJ 3 07-12 0
5 Jake Haas Elmer, NJ 2 07-08 0
6 Scott Reilly Hammonton, NJ 3 06-06 0
7 Brian Marino Vineland, NJ 1 04-05 0
8 Fred Serge Lambertville, NJ 2 04-04 0
9 Vincent Melfi Bellmawr, NJ 1 02-14 0
10 Dan Feula Hackettstown, NJ 0 00-00 0

NEW YORK
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Chris Newton Whitesboro, NY 3 11-13 0
2 Del Guile Oswego, NY 3 11-05 0
3 Justin Hughes Troy, NY 3 11-00 0
4 Joseph Raguzin Carmel, NY 3 08-11 0
5 TJ Dobs Verona, NY 3 07-07 0
6 Rein Golubjatnikov Pittsford, NY 2 05-14 0
6 Jacob Zaremski West Henrietta, NY 2 05-14 0
8 Jon Metot Phoenix, NY 2 03-15 0
8 Nick Nelson Walden, NY 2 03-15 0
10 Douglas Linn Oswego, NY 1 03-03 0

PENNSYLVANIA
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Ross Caruso Pittsburgh, PA 3 13-00 0
2 Mark Mounts Washington, PA 3 11-15 0
3 Matthew Kiffer Freeport, PA 3 11-01 0
4 Bryan Giran Swedesboro, NJ 3 07-00 0
5 William Lane Patton, PA 1 04-04 0
6 Tyler Rush Clearville, PA 2 03-10 0
7 Craig Matz Mohrsville, PA 1 01-15 0
8 Matt Evans Pittsburg, PA 0 00-00 0
8 Dave Reed Westminster, MD 0 00-00 0
8 David Tichenor Avella, PA 0 00-00 0

RHODE ISLAND
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Ronald Bestwick Grisword, CT 3 13-00 0
2 Steven Congdon North Stonington, CT 3 07-07 0
3 Travis Miller Colchester, CT 2 07-07 0
4 Rj Ricci Cranston, RI 3 06-11 0
5 Dayton Lilly Hope Valley, RI 2 04-03 0
5 Luke Marriott Jewett City, CT 2 04-03 0
7 Steven Conde Chepachet, RI 1 04-02 0
8 Robert Rull Coventry, RI 1 03-01 0
9 Brian Jarvis Coventry, RI 0 00-00 0
9 Domenic Malaga Warwick, RI 0 00-00 0

VERMONT
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Casey Baroffio Northfield, VT 3 09-15 0
2 Zachary McNaughton Proctorsville, VT 3 09-01 0
3 Olivia Bussiere Northfield, VT 3 09-00 0
4 Andrew Sellers Richmond, NH 3 07-15 0
5 John Lowell Orwell, VT 3 06-08 0
6 David Dias Brattleboro, VT 2 05-04 0
7 Bob Wetzler Rutland, VT 1 02-02 0
8 Gregory Decell Bridgewater, VT 0 00-00 0


Montevallo Takes Early Lead At Bassmaster College Series Wild Card On Lay Lake

Weston Hollar and Wesley Gore of the University of Montevallo are leading after Day 1 of the Carhartt Bassmaster College Series Wild Card presented by Bass Pro Shops at Lay Lake with 17 pounds, 10 ounces.

Photo by Emily Hand/B.A.S.S.

June 23, 2021

SHELBY COUNTY, Ala. — Despite a long fog delay, the University of Montevallo team of Weston Hollar and Wesley Gore capitalized on what was left of the morning bite and caught five largemouth weighing 17 pounds, 10 ounces to take the Day 1 lead at the Carhartt Bassmaster College Series Wild Card presented by Bass Pro Shops on Lay Lake.

Hollar and Gore hold a 12-ounce lead over their Montevallo teammates Aaron Cherry and Chandler Holt and a 2-pound advantage over Trevor McKinney and Blake Jackson from McKendree University in Illinois.

“To be honest, we didn’t practice really hard,” Hollar said. “We have a lot of experience here and we kind of know what the fish have been doing and figured out the range of fish we were around. We went with it and grinded it out.”

Heavy rainfall from Tropical Storm Claudette drenched much of Alabama over the weekend and water levels on Lay Lake rose as a result. The higher water levels throughout the year have kept the bigger fish shallow, according to Gore, who fishes the system more than half the year.

“It is a river fishery. So, the fish prefer to be shallow, and the mud and current have kept them shallow for a long time,” he said. “I fish here 200 days out of the year. The fish haven’t made it offshore and there are a lot of big ones still shallow.”

With the higher river levels and cooler overnight temperatures, fog settled in overnight and takeoff was delayed more than an hour. Gore said he was worried the morning bite would be over by the time they reached their first spot.

“We thought it was going to hurt us. We were on fish really early in the morning and we ended up running to them and got three good bites as soon as we sat down,” he said. “We grinded it out up shallow, and in the last 30 minutes, we caught two good ones that gave us 17 at the end of the day. We caught all our fish on topwater and we caught one good one flipping.”

The duo mostly targeted largemouth bass rather than spotted bass, fishing isolated patches of grass with topwater and flipping baits, Hollar said. Gore added that they used almost an entire tank of gas running up and down the lake.

“We are trying to catch active fish,” Gore said. “We aren’t trying to sit down and fish an area really thoroughly. The fish we are chasing are bluegill eaters.”

Holding the lead with a spot in the National Championship on the line, Gore said he and Hollar are going all in tomorrow.

“It is either hero or zero,” Gore said. “We are going to get the five biggest bites we can get. It may take all day but we are going to do it. We are going to be Boat 5 in the morning, and I think that will be in our favor.”

Cherry and Holt fished shallow and deep on Day 1 to catch a limit weighing 16-14 and enter the final day in second.

“We had a pretty good day,” Cherry said. “It started off pretty slow. Caught two really early and then went without a bite until 10:30 or 11. We caught our last three really quickly, culled one more time and went prefishing a little bit trying to figure something out for tomorrow. Today we got lucky and had all largemouth.”

Holt said that three of their bigger fish were caught shallow-water before filling their limit in a deeper section of the lake.

“The quality fish aren’t out deep yet,” he added. “The shallow fish are definitely the bigger ones.”

Capitalizing on the shallow morning bite will likely be the key to success for Holt and Cherry, who are hoping they can get the bigger fish to fire before making a move offshore.

“We are going to try to hit as many shallow places as we possibly can in the morning and try and catch as many big ones as possible,” Holt said. “Once that first hour is over, it seems all the bigger fish are starting to slow down. It will be the same strategy, but I think we are going to run to a couple of different spots in the morning.”

McKinney and Jackson’s morning got off to a slow start, but the McKendree duo found a pattern midmorning that helped them fill a 15-11 limit and enter the final day in third place.

“We had one fish at like 9:30,” McKinney said. “We caught our fish in three or four different areas, but mostly doing the same thing. We were fishing shallow and fishing current.”

Both anglers reached the final day of the College Classic Bracket at Lay Lake last season, with McKinney taking the victory and earning the Classic berth. He finished 31st in the Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic presented by Huk at Lake Ray Roberts in Texas earlier this month.

Finding better than average bites has been the key, Jackson said.

“Our practice was fairly good. We found a lot of areas that had fish, but look at how many limits have crossed the stage,” Jackson said. “It is just a matter of getting those two or three big bites.”

Matthew Cummings and Joseph Wood from Bethel University caught a 7-4 largemouth to take the lead in the Carhartt Big Bass of the Tournament standings.

The full field will take off from Beeswax Creek Park at 5:30 a.m. CT Thursday and return at 1:30 p.m. for the weigh-in. The Top 12 teams will punch their ticket to the 2021 Carhartt Bassmaster College Series National Championship presented by Bass Pro Shops at the St. Lawrence River Aug. 12-14.

2021 Carhartt Bassmaster College Series Wild Card presented by Bass Pro Shops 6/23-6/24
Lay Lake, Columbiana AL.
(BOATER) Standings Day 1

Angler Club/School Pts

1. Weston Hollar - Wesley Gore University of Montevallo 250
Day 1: 5 17-10 Total: 5 17-10
2. Aaron Cherry - Chandler Holt University of Montevallo 249
Day 1: 5 16-14 Total: 5 16-14
3. Trevor McKinney - Blake Jackson McKendree University 248
Day 1: 5 15-11 Total: 5 15-11
4. Kayden Tanner - Trevor Easter Tarleton State University 247
Day 1: 5 15-05 Total: 5 15-05
5. Matthew Cummings - Joseph Woods Bethel University 246
Day 1: 5 14-14 Total: 5 14-14
6. Lane Bailey - Justin Eggers CVCC RedHawks 245
Day 1: 5 14-12 Total: 5 14-12
7. Jake Kimbrough - Grant Busby Blue Mountain College 244
Day 1: 5 14-07 Total: 5 14-07
8. Dale Hansard - Mason Lee Jacksonville State University 243
Day 1: 5 14-02 Total: 5 14-02
9. Grant Lesage - Zach Davis Southeastern Louisiana Universit 242
Day 1: 5 13-12 Total: 5 13-12
10. Davian Smith - Jackson Pontius University of Montevallo 241
Day 1: 5 12-15 Total: 5 12-15
11. TJ McKenzie - Emmanuel College 240
Day 1: 5 12-10 Total: 5 12-10
12. Landon Lawson - Donavan Carson King University 239
Day 1: 5 12-09 Total: 5 12-09
13. Chase Hubble - Brent May 238
Day 1: 5 12-04 Total: 5 12-04
14. Tyler Pendergrass - University of North Alabama 237
Day 1: 5 12-03 Total: 5 12-03
15. Cordell Beckman - Greenville University 236
Day 1: 5 11-15 Total: 5 11-15
15. Tripp Bowman - Blakely Young Louisiana State University-Shrev 236
Day 1: 5 11-15 Total: 5 11-15
15. Grayson Morris - Cal Culpepper University of Montevalllo 236
Day 1: 5 11-15 Total: 5 11-15
18. Connor Hicks - Parker Kaye University of Tennessee 233
Day 1: 5 11-13 Total: 5 11-13
19. Walker Brown - Jd Bedford University of North Alabama 232
Day 1: 5 11-09 Total: 5 11-09
20. Preston Kendrick - Eli Stevenson Bryan College 231
Day 1: 5 11-08 Total: 5 11-08
20. James Willoughby - Chance Schwartz University of Montevallo 231
Day 1: 5 11-08 Total: 5 11-08
22. Collin Reyes - Reagan Nelson Tarleton State University 229
Day 1: 5 11-06 Total: 5 11-06
23. Michael Postlewait - Andrew Rickman Dallas Baptist University 228
Day 1: 5 11-00 Total: 5 11-00
24. Cole Thompson - Walker Sahagun University of North Alabama 227
Day 1: 5 10-10 Total: 5 10-10
25. Matt Short - Colton Combs Eastern Kentucky University 226
Day 1: 5 10-09 Total: 5 10-09
26. Dax Ewart - Wilson Smith Bethel University 225
Day 1: 5 10-01 Total: 5 10-01
27. Zack Barrera - Bryson Osteen 224
Day 1: 5 10-00 Total: 5 10-00
28. Aaron Hawkins - Broxson Daigle Texas A and M University 223
Day 1: 5 09-15 Total: 5 09-15
28. K.D. Sizemore - Auburn University 223
Day 1: 5 09-15 Total: 5 09-15
30. Hunter Bailey - JR Young Jacksonville State University 221
Day 1: 5 09-14 Total: 5 09-14
30. Noah Campbell - Troy Harris GEORGIA COLLEGE 221
Day 1: 5 09-14 Total: 5 09-14
32. Caz Anderson - Storm Cline Carson-Newman University 219
Day 1: 5 09-12 Total: 5 09-12
33. Tanner Barclay - Lloyd Laconsay 218
Day 1: 5 09-08 Total: 5 09-08
34. Conner Dimauro - Justin Botts bryan college 217
Day 1: 5 09-06 Total: 5 09-06
35. David Ackerman - 216
Day 1: 5 09-05 Total: 5 09-05
35. Clay Tresler - Carter Carlton Northwest Arkansas Community Col 216
Day 1: 5 09-05 Total: 5 09-05
35. Marshall Wiggins - University of Central Florida 216
Day 1: 5 09-05 Total: 5 09-05
38. Hunter Bond - GL Compton Clemson University 213
Day 1: 5 09-02 Total: 5 09-02
39. Elliot Torode - Tyler Cory University of Montevallo 212
Day 1: 5 08-15 Total: 5 08-15
40. De Andre Allen - Luke Glasgow Itawamba Community College 211
Day 1: 5 08-14 Total: 5 08-14
40. Ethan Shaw - Tyler Price Bryan College 211
Day 1: 5 08-14 Total: 5 08-14
42. Sam Hanggi - Matthew Welcher Auburn University 209
Day 1: 4 08-14 Total: 4 08-14
43. Cole Dodson - Trent Jones University of Montevallo 208
Day 1: 5 08-13 Total: 5 08-13
43. Grant Harris - Drury University 208
Day 1: 5 08-13 Total: 5 08-13
45. Austin Goins - Elijah Kirk Bryan college 206
Day 1: 5 08-11 Total: 5 08-11
46. Hunter MCClaskey - Nicholas Gilbert King University 205
Day 1: 5 08-10 Total: 5 08-10
47. Brayden Nichols - Kenneth Cheramie Louisiana State University Shrev 204
Day 1: 5 08-09 Total: 5 08-09
48. Blake Milligan - Chase Mundhenke Auburn University 203
Day 1: 5 08-05 Total: 5 08-05
49. Reece Martin - Hunter Jenkins Dallas Baptist University 202
Day 1: 5 08-05 Total: 5 08-05
50. Nate Triplett - Cody Barnes University of North Alabama 201
Day 1: 5 08-04 Total: 5 08-04
51. Jordan Pennington - Tyler Cain University of Montevallo 200
Day 1: 5 08-03 Total: 5 08-03
52. Adam Carroll - Trey Dickert University of Montevallo 199
Day 1: 5 08-02 Total: 5 08-02
53. Dawson Andrews - Wyatt Ensminger Southeastern Louisiana Universit 198
Day 1: 5 08-02 Total: 5 08-02
54. Jarred Jones - Logan Tate Jacksonville State University 197
Day 1: 5 08-01 Total: 5 08-01
54. Jake Thornbury - Wil Rigdon Campbellsville University 197
Day 1: 5 08-01 Total: 5 08-01
56. Matthew Benson - Nathanael Wright Emmanuel College 195
Day 1: 5 08-00 Total: 5 08-00
57. Nathan Burdett - Tyler Buchanan Troy University 194
Day 1: 5 07-15 Total: 5 07-15
58. Conner Johnson - Hunter Osborne Georgetown college 193
Day 1: 5 07-14 Total: 5 07-14
59. Anthony Cicero Iv - Cy Lambert Bethel 192
Day 1: 5 07-12 Total: 5 07-12
60. Drew Jennings - Cody Griffith Auburn University 191
Day 1: 5 07-10 Total: 5 07-10
61. Caleb Sheldon - Hayden Fuhr Lander University 190
Day 1: 5 07-06 Total: 5 07-06
62. Parker Wilburn - Tristen Dubbs 189
Day 1: 5 07-06 Total: 5 07-06
63. Jacob Butts - Garrett Smith Erskine College 188
Day 1: 5 07-05 Total: 5 07-05
64. Dustin Bauer - Cody Cissell Campbellsville University 187
Day 1: 5 07-02 Total: 5 07-02
65. Thomas Mingle - Stone Payne Univerity of Tennessee 186
Day 1: 4 07-02 Total: 4 07-02
66. Corey Yaden - Blake Stephenson Brewton Parker college 185
Day 1: 5 07-00 Total: 5 07-00
67. Sam Shiver - Phillip Parrish Faulkner University 184
Day 1: 5 06-15 Total: 5 06-15
68. Drew Traffanstedt - Scott Sledge University of Montevallo 183
Day 1: 5 06-12 Total: 5 06-12
69. Conner Crosby - James Cobbs Auburn University 182
Day 1: 2 06-12 Total: 2 06-12
70. John Murphy - Johnny Richardson Greenville Technical College 181
Day 1: 5 06-10 Total: 5 06-10
71. Salvador Garcia - Reese Jones Northwest Arkansas Community Col 180
Day 1: 5 06-09 Total: 5 06-09
72. Syon Barnes - Hayden Bartee Jacksonville State University 179
Day 1: 5 06-07 Total: 5 06-07
72. Chase Milholen - Levi Mullins Bethel University 179
Day 1: 5 06-07 Total: 5 06-07
74. Michael Chism - Mason Westerman Southest Missouri State Universi 177
Day 1: 5 06-03 Total: 5 06-03
75. Shane Nelson - Brayden Federer Adrian College 176
Day 1: 4 06-01 Total: 4 06-01
76. Thomas Millraney - Zachary Bowen Bethel University 175
Day 1: 5 05-15 Total: 5 05-15
77. Bradley Martin - Kopeland Rosser University of Montevallo 174
Day 1: 3 05-15 Total: 3 05-15
78. Luke Byerly - Drew Elrod University of Tennessee Knoxvill 173
Day 1: 5 05-13 Total: 5 05-13
78. Hunter Haraway - Malcolm Patton Calhoun Community College 173
Day 1: 5 05-13 Total: 5 05-13
80. Matthew Kahrs - Brandon Comeaux McNeese State University 171
Day 1: 4 05-08 Total: 4 05-08
81. Drake Hemby - Griffin Heffington Carson-Newman University 170
Day 1: 3 05-02 Total: 3 05-02
82. Dustin Bargo - Connor Melton Western Kentucky University 169
Day 1: 4 03-15 Total: 4 03-15
83. Adam Hollingsworth - Matthew German 168
Day 1: 2 03-11 Total: 2 03-11
84. Clent Blackwood - Bryar Chambers Wallace State 167
Day 1: 2 03-10 Total: 2 03-10
85. Cody Gregory - Gage Sherrod Bethel University 166
Day 1: 4 03-07 Total: 4 03-07
86. Noah Boyett - Ty Garlington 165
Day 1: 3 03-03 Total: 3 03-03
87. Seth Roberts - Bethel University 164
Day 1: 2 02-14 Total: 2 02-14
88. Thad Simerly - Tennessee Tech University 163
Day 1: 2 02-09 Total: 2 02-09
89. Seth Elkins - John Russell Reaves Jacksonville State University 162
Day 1: 1 01-10 Total: 1 01-10
90. David Froehlich - Abraham Baldwin Ag College 161
Day 1: 1 01-07 Total: 1 01-07
90. Avery Whitwell - Jackson Holbert University of North Alabama 161
Day 1: 1 01-07 Total: 1 01-07
92. Noah Coleman - Dalton Johnson Auburn University 159
Day 1: 1 00-13 Total: 1 00-13
93. Blake Banks - Wes Wilson University of Georgia 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
93. Jalen Bean - Jacob Douglas SOUTHWEST MISSISSIPPI COMMUNITY 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
93. Sean Clayton - Owen Dimaio Clemson University 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
93. Gavin Cloutier - Calvin Rogers King University 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
93. Reed Green - Hunter Enlow 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
93. James Hess - Holden Kauble Wabash Valley College 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
93. Tyler Hudson - Evan Mcnaughton Western Kentucky University 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
93. Carson Maddux - Jake Maddux Auburn University 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
93. Callaway Robinson - Dawson Ricks georgia college and state univer 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
93. Alyssa Taylor - Northwestern State University 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
93. Garrett Walters - 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00