Neal Runs Away with Group B Qualifying Round Win at MLF Bass Pro Tour Favorite Fishing Stage Three on Lewis Smith Lake Presented by Mercury
Tennessee Pro Holds off Alabama’s Fletcher Shryock by 21 Pounds, 1 Ounce to Advance Straight to Monday’s Championship Round, Field of 38 Anglers Set for Sunday’s Knockout Round
This will mark Neal’s 11th Championship Round appearance on the Major League Fishing (MLF) Bass Pro Tour and the second time the Tennessee pro has won the automatic berth straight to the final round – the first of which carried him to the win at the 2021 Bass Pro Tour Stage Seven on Lake St. Clair.
“It’s definitely good to make it into the Championship Round,” said Neal. “If I can have another day like I had today, I have a shot to win. We’ll have very different weather on the final day, so I’m not sure how the bass in this area will like that, but I’m ready to find out.”
Neal spent the day out in open water – over 100-feet deep – using forward-facing sonar to target suspended fish that were chasing bait.
“It was a grind in that second period again, so I don’t know if I’m going to have to leave this area during the second period and then come back in the third or try something different,” said Neal. “It’s not really late enough in the day to be able to get on an evening bite, but there are tons of fish here – all pretty decent-sized – and I’m looking forward to coming back out here on Monday.
“There are still a lot of fish in this area to catch, and while it would be nice to be out here tomorrow and continue practicing and figuring things out, I can’t win if I don’t make it to Championship Day. I have to take the automatic berth, skip the Knockout Round and go straight to the final day.”
Favorite Fishing pro Fletcher Shryock of Guntersville, Alabama caught a two-day total of 24 bass weighing 48-11 to finish the round in second place, while Berkley pro Jordan Lee of Cullman, Alabama ended the round in third place with a two-day total of 24 bass weighing 48 pounds even. Jasper, Texas pro Todd Faircloth caught 23 bass weighing 46-7 to land in fourth, while pro Gerald Spohrer of Gonzales, Louisiana advanced to the Knockout Round in fifth place with a two-day total of 21 bass weighing 44-5.
General Tire pro Ott DeFoe of Blaine, Tennessee sat without a scorable bass after the first two periods before going on a flurry in period three to catch 10 bass for 22 pounds, 10 ounces and slide into the Knockout Round in 18th place.
After hovering around the Toro Cut Line throughout most of the day, local pro Jesse Wiggins of Addison, Alabama made a clutch catch with eight minutes remaining in the final period, boating a 3-pound, 3-ounce spotted bass to jump over the cut line and end the day in 20th place.
“We got in by the skin of our teeth, on my home lake,” said Wiggins. “I hate that it was that close, but I caught some big ones today, and several that were close to 3 pounds. I caught tons of fish in one area – none that were above the 1 pound, 8-ounce mark to be scorable – but we made it. I caught most of my fish on a 7-foot 6-inch Medium St. Croix Legend Xtreme Spinning Rod, with a 2.8-inch Jackall Rhythm Wave Swimbait and a Keitech Swimbait.
“It was tough, I mean that was a freaking grind. But just knowing this one little stretch to end on saved me and thank the good Lord it did. We’re tied for first place now,” Wiggins laughed.
The remaining 38 anglers – 19 from each group – now advance to Sunday’s Knockout Round, where weights are zeroed, and the anglers compete to finish in the top eight to advance to the Championship Round on Monday. The Championship Round will feature Group A winner Jacob Wheeler, Group B winner Michael Neal, and the top eight finishers from the Knockout Round, competing in a final-day shootout for the top prize of $100,000.
The six-day event, hosted by Cullman Parks, Recreation and Sports Tourism, Cullman County Parks and Rec and the Cullman Area Chamber of Commerce, showcases 80 of the top professional bass-fishing anglers in the world competing for a total purse of $805,000, including a top cash prize of $100,000 to the winner.
The top 20 pros in Qualifying Group B that now advance to Sunday’s Knockout Round on Lewis Smith Lake are:
2nd: Fletcher Shryock, Guntersville, Ala., 24 bass, 48-11
3rd: Jordan Lee, Cullman, Ala., 24 bass, 48-0
4th: Todd Faircloth, Jasper, Texas, 23 bass, 46-7
5th: Gerald Spohrer, Gonzales, La., 21 bass, 44-5
6th: Tommy Biffle, Wagoner, Okla., 19 bass, 42-0
7th: Alton Jones, Jr., Waco, Texas, 18 bass, 40-7
8th: Marty Robinson, Lyman, S.C., 20 bass, 38-14
9th: Clabion Johns, Social Circle, Ga., 18 bass, 38-8
10th: Fred Roumbanis, Russellville, Ark., 21 bass, 38-5
11th: Cole Floyd, Leesburg, Ohio, 17 bass, 37-6
12th: Brent Ehrler, Redlands, Calif., 19 bass, 37-2
13th: Matt Lee, Cullman, Ala., 19 bass, 36-13
14th: Dustin Connell, Clanton, Ala., 17 bass, 36-12
15th: Dylan Hays, Hot Springs, Ark., 17 bass, 35-3
16th: Shin Fukae, Thomson, Ga. and Osaka, Japan, 19 bass, 35-1
17th: Bryan Thrift, Shelby, N.C., 16 bass, 33-14
18th: Ott DeFoe, Blaine, Tenn., 15 bass, 31-11
19th; Anthony Gagliardi, Prosperity, S.C., 17 bass, 30-11
20th: Jesse Wiggins, Addison, Ala., 14 bass, 30-6
Overall, there were 295 scorable bass weighing 583 pounds, 14 ounces caught by the 39 pros Saturday.
Bass Pro Shops pro David Walker of Sevierville, Tennessee caught a 4-pound, 12-ounce largemouth on a jig in the third period that earned him Saturday’s $1,000 Berkley Big Bass Award. Berkley awards $1,000 to the angler who weighs the heaviest bass each day, and a $3,000 bonus to the angler who weighs the heaviest bass of the tournament.
The 40 Anglers in Group A competed in their two-day qualifying round on Wednesday and Friday – the 40 anglers in Group B on Thursday and Saturday. Now that the Qualifying Round is complete, the anglers that finish in 2nd through 20th place from both groups advance to Sunday’s Knockout Round, while the winner of each group advances directly to Monday’s Championship Round. In the Knockout Round, weights are zeroed, and the remaining 38 anglers compete to finish in the top 8 to advance to the Championship Round. In the final day Championship Round, weights are zeroed, and the highest one-day total wins the top prize of $100,000.
The 38 anglers competing in Sunday’s Knockout Round will launch at 7:30 a.m. from the Smith Lake State Park, located at 403 County Road 386 in Cullman, Alabama. The General Tire Takeout will be held at the park, beginning at 4:30 p.m. Fans are welcome to attend all launch and takeout events and also encouraged to follow the event online throughout the day on the MLF NOW!® live stream and SCORETRACKER® coverage at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
The Favorite Fishing Stage Three on Lewis Smith Lake Presented by Mercury features anglers competing with a 1-pound, 8-ounce minimum weight requirement for a bass to be deemed scorable. Minimum weights are determined individually for each competition waters that the Bass Pro Tour visits, based on the productivity, bass population and anticipated average size of fish in each fishery.
The Bass Pro Tour features a field of 80 of the top professional anglers in the world competing across seven regular-season tournaments around the country, competing for millions of dollars and valuable points to qualify for the annual General Tire Heavy Hitters all-star event and the REDCREST 2023 championship.
The MLF NOW!® broadcast team of Chad McKee, Marty Stone and J.T. Kenney will break down the extended action on all six days of competition from 7:45 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. CT. MLF NOW!® will be live streamed on MajorLeagueFishing.com and the MyOutdoorTV (MOTV) app.
Television coverage of the Favorite Fishing Stage Three on Lewis Smith Lake Presented by Mercury will premiere at 7 a.m. ET, Oct. 1 on the Discovery Channel. New MLF episodes premiere each Saturday morning on the Discovery Channel, with additional re-airings on the Outdoor Channel. Each two-hour long reality-based episode goes in-depth to break down each day of competition.
Proud sponsors of the 2022 MLF Bass Pro Tour include: 13 Fishing, Abu Garcia, A.R.E. Truck Caps, B&W Trailer Hitches, BallyBet, Bass Cat, Bass Pro Shops, Berkley, Covercraft, Favorite Fishing, Garmin, General Tire, Googan Baits, Grundéns, Guaranteed Rate, Humminbird, Lowrance, Luminox, Mercury, Minn Kota, Mossy Oak, Nitro Performance Boats, Onyx, Plano, Power-Pole, Power Stop, Rapala, Starbrite, Toro, Toyota, Wrangler, Yellowstone Bourbon and Zoom.
For complete details and updated information on Major League Fishing and the Bass Pro Tour, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF’s social media outlets at Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.
Wheeler Cruises to Group A Qualifying Round Win at MLF Bass Pro Tour Favorite Fishing Stage Three on Lewis Smith Lake Presented by Mercury
Academy Sports + Outdoors Pro Hammers Out Two-Day Total of 41 Bass Weighing 80 Pounds, 13 Ounces – 19 Anglers Advance to Sunday’s Knockout Round
CULLMAN, Ala. (March 4, 2022) – Academy Sports + Outdoors pro Jacob Wheeler of Harrison, Tennessee caught 11 scorable bass weighing 23 pounds, 12 ounces to earn the win Friday and advance directly to his seventh straight Championship Round at the Favorite Fishing Stage Three on Lewis Smith Lake Presented by Mercury in Cullman, Alabama. This will mark the fourth time Wheeler has earned an automatic berth to the Championship Round on the Major League Fishing (MLF) Bass Pro Tour.
Wheeler’s two-day Qualifying Round total of 41 bass weighing 80 pounds, 13 ounces earned him the Group A Day 2 win by a broad 24-pound, 11-ounce margin over second-place angler Favorite Fishing pro Zack Birge of Blanchard, Oklahoma, who caught a two-day total of 29 bass totaling 56-2. Pro Randy Howell of Guntersville, Alabama, ended the day in third place with a two-day total of 22 bass weighing 52-12, while pro Casey Ashley of Donalds, South Carolina , slipped down two spots to finish the round in fourth place with a two-day total of 22 bass weighing 51-4. Pro Andy Morgan of Dayton, Tennessee, rounded out the top five with a two-day total of 25 bass weighing 50 pounds, 10 ounces.
The six-day event, hosted by Cullman Parks, Recreation and Sports Tourism, Cullman County Parks and Rec and the Cullman Area Chamber of Commerce, showcases 80 of the top professional bass-fishing anglers in the world competing for a total purse of $805,000, including a top cash prize of $100,000 to the winner.
Wheeler again spent the day out in open water over extremely deep timber catching spotted bass.
“Suspended fish can be one of the toughest to catch,” said Wheeler. “I targeted a lot of suspended fish today with the Rapala Jigging Rap and a (Storm) Largo Shad. I had a solid lead going into today, so I was just trying to figure out if there was a pattern to it. I figured out some areas and things that helped me dial in and find the bass a little quicker. Overall, it seems to be less of a pattern and more of a zone that I need to target on Monday.”
Wheeler is sitting in a great spot once again, with two days off and the entire weekend to rest and put his game plan together for the Championship Round.
“It’s been a good week so far,” said Wheeler. “We finished on top, and it feels great to advance straight to the Championship Round.
“I know a lot is going to change between now and then, so I’ll probably rig up a mixture of rods and be ready to try a variety of techniques when we get back out here on Monday. Obviously, the docks will definitely play more down the lake, but with the conditions we are expecting, I’ll just have to pay attention to what the weather is doing.
“We’ll sort of hodge-podge it up,” continued Wheeler. “I guarantee you it’s going to be a hodge-podge kind of day on Championship Monday.”
There was also additional excitement around the Toro Cut Line today during the final period, with pro John Murray of Spring City, Tennessee, beginning the third period in 32nd place before catching a flurry of 14 bass weighing 20-12 to catapult into 10th place.
Bass Pro Shops pro Kevin VanDam of Kalamazoo, Michigan, finished the day in 19th place, throwing Strike King crankbaits.
“Man, what a struggle today,” said VanDam. “I went the whole first period and didn’t catch a scorable bass, despite running some really good stuff. I’m just thrilled to be moving on to the Knockout Round and to have a chance to continue fishing this event.
“Obviously, some of the other guys have really got something figured out, but on this lake, anything can happen at any point. I’ve had some pretty good flurries and have seen what’s possible here, so that’s what we’re going to be shooting for in the Knockout Round.”
Bass Pro Tour newcomer Jeremy Lawyer of Sarcoxie, Missouri was sweating it out during his first time on the Toro Cut Line, before finishing the day in 20th place.
“I’m the last guy in, and it was a grind today – that third period just chewed me up,” said Lawyer. “I had a game plan of sticking with the docks and finesse-fishing around the docks with a couple of little swimbaits on a Freedom Lures Swimbait Head, and almost got caught. But that’s the best thing about the Bass Pro Tour – when we start on the water again on Sunday, we’re all even. Doesn’t matter if you’re first or twentieth. I’m just thankful to be out here and to go see what we can do in the Knockout Round.”
The top 20 anglers from Group A will now enjoy an off day, while the 40 anglers in Qualifying Group B will complete their two-day Qualifying Round of competition on Saturday. The Knockout Round, featuring 38 anglers competing to finish in the top eight, will take place Sunday. Monday’s Championship Round will feature Wheeler, Saturday’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.
The top 20 pros in Qualifying Group A that now advance to Sunday’s Knockout Round on Lewis Smith Lake are:
2nd: Zack Birge, Blanchard, Okla., 29 bass, 56-2
3rd: Randy Howell, Guntersville, Ala., 22 bass, 52-12
4th”: Casey Ashley, Donalds, S.C., 22 bass, 51-4
5th: Andy Morgan, Dayton, Tenn., 25 bass, 50-10
6th: Justin Lucas, Guntersville, Ala., 20 bass, 46-8
7th: Wesley Strader, Spring City, Tenn., 19 bass, 42-10
8th: Josh Bertrand, Queen Creek, Ariz., 19 bass, 42-1
9th: Edwin Evers, Talala, Okla., 21 bass, 40-11
10th: John Murray, Spring City, Tenn., 20 bass, 40-6
11th: Andy Montgomery, Blacksburg, S.C., 19 bass, 39-3
12th: Mark Daniels, Jr., Tuskegee, Ala., 17 bass, 38-4
13th: Adrian Avena, Vineland, N.J., 19 bass, 37-5
14th: Terry Scroggins, San Mateo, Fla., 19 bass, 35-9
15th: Mark Rose, Wynne, Ark., 17 bass, 35-0
16th: Russ Lane, Prattville, Ala., 15 bass, 31-1
17th: Luke Clausen, Spokane, Wash., 14 bass, 29-11
18th: Randall Tharp, Port St. Joe, Fla., 12 bass, 29-3
19th: Kevin VanDam, Kalamazoo, Mich., 14 bass, 28-10
20th: Jeremy Lawyer, Sarcoxie, Mo., 14 bass, 27-6
Tharp caught a 6-pound, 7-ounce largemouth on a jig in the third period that catapulted him up into the top 20 and earned him the third $1,000 Berkley Big Bass Award of the event. Berkley awards $1,000 to the angler who weighs the heaviest bass each day, and a $3,000 bonus to the angler who weighs the heaviest bass of the tournament.
The 40 Anglers in Group A competed in their two-day qualifying round on Wednesday and Friday – the 40 anglers in Group B on Thursday and Saturday. After each two-day qualifying round is complete, the anglers that finish in 2nd through 20th place from both groups advance to Sunday’s Knockout Round, while the winner of each group advances directly to Monday’s Championship Round. In the Knockout Round, weights are zeroed, and the remaining 38 anglers compete to finish in the top 8 to advance to the Championship Round. In the final day Championship Round, weights are zeroed, and the highest one-day total wins the top prize of $100,000.
Anglers will launch each day at 7:30 a.m. from the Smith Lake State Park, located at 403 County Road 386 in Cullman, Alabama. Each day’s General Tire Takeout will be held at the park, beginning at 4:30 p.m. Fans are welcome to attend all launch and takeout events and also encouraged to follow the event online throughout the day on the MLF NOW!® live stream and SCORETRACKER® coverage at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
The Favorite Fishing Stage Three on Lewis Smith Lake Presented by Mercury features anglers competing with a 1-pound, 8-ounce minimum weight requirement for a bass to be deemed scorable. Minimum weights are determined individually for each competition waters that the Bass Pro Tour visits, based on the productivity, bass population and anticipated average size of fish in each fishery.
The Bass Pro Tour features a field of 80 of the top professional anglers in the world competing across seven regular-season tournaments around the country, competing for millions of dollars and valuable points to qualify for the annual General Tire Heavy Hitters all-star event and the REDCREST 2023 championship.
The MLF NOW!® broadcast team of Chad McKee, Marty Stone and J.T. Kenney will break down the extended action on all six days of competition from 7:45 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. CT. MLF NOW!® will be live streamed on MajorLeagueFishing.com and the MyOutdoorTV (MOTV) app.
Television coverage of the Favorite Fishing Stage Three on Lewis Smith Lake Presented by Mercury will premiere at 7 a.m. ET, Oct. 1 on the Discovery Channel. New MLF episodes premiere each Saturday morning on the Discovery Channel, with additional re-airings on the Outdoor Channel. Each two-hour long reality-based episode goes in-depth to break down each day of competition.
Proud sponsors of the 2022 MLF Bass Pro Tour include: 13 Fishing, Abu Garcia, A.R.E. Truck Caps, B&W Trailer Hitches, BallyBet, Bass Cat, Bass Pro Shops, Berkley, Covercraft, Favorite Fishing, Garmin, General Tire, Googan Baits, Grundéns, Guaranteed Rate, Humminbird, Lowrance, Luminox, Mercury, Minn Kota, Mossy Oak, Nitro Performance Boats, Onyx, Plano, Power-Pole, Power Stop, Rapala, Starbrite, Toro, Toyota, Wrangler, Yellowstone Bourbon and Zoom.
For complete details and updated information on Major League Fishing and the Bass Pro Tour, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF’s social media outlets at Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.
T-H Marine Announces Acquisition of YakGear, Inc
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With Both Arms Working, New Takes Day 1 Lead At Bassmaster Classic On Lake Hartwell
Bryan New of Saluda, S.C., is leading after Day 1 of the 2022 Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic presented by Huk with 20 pounds.
Photo by Chris Brown/B.A.S.S.
March 4, 2022
GREENVILLE, S.C. — As it turns out, competing in professional bass fishing’s biggest event is quite a bit easier with two good arms.
After struggling through last year’s world championship with a broken right wrist, a healthy Bryan New weighed in five bass Friday for 20 pounds to take the first-round lead in the Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic presented by Huk on Lake Hartwell.
New, who has extensive tournament history on Hartwell, narrowly outpaced Alabama pro Kyle Welcher (18-13), Louisiana veteran Greg Hackney (18-9) and Alabamian Steve Kennedy (18-9) on a day when 18 anglers brought at least 16 pounds to the scales.
“Honestly, I feel like this is my first Classic,” said New, who suffered the broken wrist during practice for last year’s Classic on Lake Ray Roberts in Texas. “I’m not saying I would have won last year if I had two hands. But I’m a natural right-hander, so trying to learn how to reel left-handed at the Classic wasn’t a good situation.”
New targeted boat docks Friday to catch five bass that were all in the 3 1/2- to 5-pound range. He was tight-lipped about his baits and presentations, saying only that he’s using a combination of “slow-moving baits and fast-moving reaction baits.”
But he said all the bass he weighed came off boat docks — and since that’s easily his favorite structure to fish, he plans to stick with them as long as he can.
“I think there’s a really good chance this tournament could be won fishing boat docks,” said New, who holds career victories on the St. Croix Bassmaster Opens presented by Mossy Oak Fishing circuit and the Bassmaster Elite Series. “I probably fished a hundred docks today and really caught them off six or seven.
“Those docks may replenish or they may not, but there are plenty of docks on this lake. It’s not like you’re gonna run out.”
While he plans to start right back on his dock pattern Saturday, New knows there could be a time when he has to catch a fish around some other type of structure before the tournament is done.
“At some point in the tournament, I’ll have to mix in some other stuff,” he said. “Maybe not tomorrow, but then again maybe tomorrow.
“It’s not something I want to do. I caught my very first bass around a boat dock — and as of right now, the very last one.”
Welcher was even more tight-lipped about how he caught his bass, saying only that he expected more fish to be moving shallow with the weather as warm as it’s been.
Putting almost 19 pounds in the livewell Friday reminded him of one solid day he had during practice. But he said he also had days when he only got a handful of bites and it was hard to catch even a 3-pounder.
“The bass can literally be anywhere here,” Welcher said. “The difference between catching a 1 1/4-pounder or catching a 4-pounder can be just a few casts. It’s a really fine line between bringing in 12 pounds and bringing in 20.
“I’m just gonna try to get as many bites as I can and hope they weigh a lot.”
Like New, Kennedy spent time targeting docks and managed to land the Berkley Big Bass of the day — a 6-7 largemouth — around one after whiffing on the fish the first time it bit. He wouldn’t say which bait the big bass missed. But after resisting the urge to cast back to it, he came back almost an hour later and landed the fish on a wacky-rigged Senko.
“I saw the fish come up and inhale the bait the first time it bit, and I didn’t even nick it,” Kennedy said. “It’s just hard when you see it all happen in front of you. I didn’t hammer it to death with that same bait. I just circled back around to it later and caught it on that Senko.”
Kennedy said he saw bass all day on his electronics, but getting them to bite in superclear water was tough. While he caught 15 bass, he said he could have caught a lot more.
“I felt like it was just a terrible day of execution,” Kennedy said. “I lost a 5-pounder that I had hooked up. I missed that 6-7 the first time it bit.
“I just always say if I catch the bites I get, I’ll be in the hunt. I didn’t do it completely today.”
Hackney said he spent his day “junk fishing,” meaning he did a little bit of everything — largely because he couldn’t dial in a single pattern that produced all day. His bag included a 5-pound largemouth and a 4-pound spotted bass.
“It was hard for me to get bites,” Hackney said. “I chose the area I’m fishing because I can fish for one species and turn around [and] fish for the other.
“The spots have gotten bigger on this lake — and a 4-pounder is a 4-pounder.”
The tournament resumes Saturday with takeoff at 7 a.m. ET from Green Pond Landing and Event Center. After Saturday’s weigh-in, only the Top 25 anglers will advance to Championship Sunday with a $300,000 first-place prize and the most coveted trophy in the sport on the line.
Fans can catch all of the action with streaming coverage on Bassmaster.com. The Classic will also feature four hours of live coverage on the FOX broadcast network Saturday beginning at 8 a.m. ET, as well as four hours of Championship Sunday coverage on FS1 beginning at 8 a.m.
The annual Bassmaster Classic Outdoors Expo presented by Marathon will be held at the Greenville Convention Center with exhibitors on-site selling a variety of merchandise for fishing, hunting, camping and more. Hours for the Expo will be 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Sunday.
2022 Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic presented by Huk 3/4-3/6
Lake Hartwell, Anderson SC.
(ANGLER) Standings Day 1
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Pts Total $$$
1. Bryan New Saluda, SC 5 20-00 0
Day 1: 5 20-00
2. Kyle Welcher Opelika, AL 5 18-13 0
Day 1: 5 18-13
3. Greg Hackney Gonzales, LA 5 18-09 0
Day 1: 5 18-09
3. Steve Kennedy Auburn, AL 5 18-09 0
Day 1: 5 18-09
5. Brock Mosley Collinsville, MS 5 18-07 0
Day 1: 5 18-07
6. Patrick Walters Summerville, SC 5 18-02 0
Day 1: 5 18-02
7. Gerald Swindle Guntersville, AL 5 17-06 0
Day 1: 5 17-06
8. Stetson Blaylock Benton, AR 5 17-05 0
Day 1: 5 17-05
9. Jason Christie Park Hill, OK 5 17-01 0
Day 1: 5 17-01
9. Marc Frazier Newnan, GA 5 17-01 0
Day 1: 5 17-01
11. Lee Livesay Longview, TX 5 16-14 0
Day 1: 5 16-14
12. Chris Zaldain Fort Worth, TX 5 16-13 0
Day 1: 5 16-13
13. Jared Miller Norman, OK 5 16-11 0
Day 1: 5 16-11
14. Joey Nania Cropwell, AL 5 16-10 0
Day 1: 5 16-10
15. John Cox DeBary, FL 5 16-09 0
Day 1: 5 16-09
16. Justin Hamner Northport, AL 5 16-08 0
Day 1: 5 16-08
17. Hunter Shryock Ooltewah, TN 5 16-03 0
Day 1: 5 16-03
18. Austin Felix Eden Prairie, MN 5 16-01 0
Day 1: 5 16-01
19. David Mullins Mt Carmel, TN 5 15-13 0
Day 1: 5 15-13
20. Matt Arey Shelby, NC 5 15-12 0
Day 1: 5 15-12
21. Scott Martin Clewiston, FL 5 15-09 0
Day 1: 5 15-09
22. Cory Johnston Cavan CANADA 5 15-06 0
Day 1: 5 15-06
23. Daisuke Aoki Minamitsurugun Yamanash 5 15-01 0
Day 1: 5 15-01
24. Luke Palmer Coalgate, OK 5 15-00 0
Day 1: 5 15-00
25. Caleb Sumrall New Iberia, LA 5 14-11 0
Day 1: 5 14-11
26. Buddy Gross Chatanooga, TN 5 14-07 0
Day 1: 5 14-07
27. Brandon Card Salisbury, NC 5 14-05 0
Day 1: 5 14-05
28. Wes Logan Springville, AL 5 14-03 0
Day 1: 5 14-03
29. Tristan McCormick Burns, TN 5 14-01 0
Day 1: 5 14-01
30. Brandon Lester Fayetteville, TN 5 13-15 0
Day 1: 5 13-15
30. Chad Pipkens Dewitt, MI 5 13-15 0
Day 1: 5 13-15
32. Taylor Smith Valleyford, WA 5 13-13 0
Day 1: 5 13-13
33. Nick LeBrun Bossier City, LA 5 13-12 0
Day 1: 5 13-12
34. Chris Johnston Otonabee Ontario CANADA 5 13-07 0
Day 1: 5 13-07
34. Matt Robertson Kuttawa, KY 5 13-07 0
Day 1: 5 13-07
36. Taku Ito Chiba JAPAN 5 13-06 0
Day 1: 5 13-06
37. Bryan Schmitt Deale, MD 5 13-02 0
Day 1: 5 13-02
38. Shane Powell Dothan, AL 5 12-14 0
Day 1: 5 12-14
39. Jeff Gustafson Keewatin Ontario CANADA 5 12-12 0
Day 1: 5 12-12
40. Brandon Palaniuk Rathdrum, ID 5 12-01 0
Day 1: 5 12-01
41. Hank Cherry Jr Lincolnton, NC 5 12-00 0
Day 1: 5 12-00
42. John Crews Jr Salem, VA 5 11-12 0
Day 1: 5 11-12
43. Drew Benton Blakely, GA 5 11-12 0
Day 1: 5 11-12
44. Seth Feider New Market, MN 5 11-11 0
Day 1: 5 11-11
45. Jacob Powroznik North Prince George, VA 5 11-04 0
Day 1: 5 11-04
46. Shane LeHew Catawba, NC 5 11-01 0
Day 1: 5 11-01
47. Joshua Stracner Vandiver, AL 5 11-00 0
Day 1: 5 11-00
48. Brandon Cobb Greenwood, SC 5 10-14 0
Day 1: 5 10-14
48. Drew Cook Cairo, GA 5 10-14 0
Day 1: 5 10-14
50. Tyler Rivet Raceland, LA 5 09-08 0
Day 1: 5 09-08
51. KJ Queen Catawba, NC 5 09-06 0
Day 1: 5 09-06
52. Matt Herren Ashville, AL 4 09-00 0
Day 1: 4 09-00
53. Matty Wong Honolulu, HI 5 08-14 0
Day 1: 5 08-14
54. Ray Hanselman Jr Del Rio, TX 3 07-07 0
Day 1: 3 07-07
55. Keith Tuma Brainerd, MN 2 04-04 0
Day 1: 2 04-04
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Totals
Day #Limits #Fish Weight
1 52 269 775-01
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52 269 775-01
Siddiqi Sticks With Key Spot For Bassmaster Kayak Series Championship Victory
March 4, 2022
ANDERSON, S.C. — Patience and persistence paid off big for Eric Siddiqi of Cincinnati, Ohio, who tallied a two-day total of 188 inches to win the 2022 Yamaha Rightwaters Bassmaster Kayak Series Championship Powered by TourneyX on Richard B. Russell Lake.
Edging second-place John Milchling by 1/4 inch, Siddiqi won the $20,000 first-place award.
Russell Lake covers 26,650 acres, but Siddiqi said he needed only the latter end of one creek to get the job done. Sticking with this spot, he said, went against his run-and-gun nature, but the decision proved prudent.
“I found this place on Sunday and I just went there and checked on them every day,” Siddiqi said. “I like to fish a lot, so it was really hard not to do that.
“When I first found the spot, I caught a 22 1/2-inch largemouth, so I knew I had a special area. When I was looking at a map of the lake, nothing else looked like this area of the lake.”
Siddiqi targeted an area with a lot of riprap and cutoff ponds that he suspected could be linked to underwater culverts. Fishing in 6 to 15 feet of water, Siddiqi caught most of his fish on a 4.3-inch Keitech Swing Impact Fat in Tennessee shad color on a 1/4-ounce Keitech tungsten ball head.
“There was a little 10-foot hole back there with depths of about 6 feet around it,” Siddiqi said. “There was a bunch of fish sitting around that. I caught two big spotted bass back-to-back on the second day.
“It was really rocky; it was great bottom. I was just crawling that Keitech. There were a lot of fish there, but they weren’t easy to catch. I’d have to make 50 to 100 casts in the right area before I got one to bite.”
He caught nine of the 10 fish he entered on this spot. He caught the 10th on a wobblehead jig with a Gene Larew Biffle Bug that he fished over a roadbed running across the pocket.
“The first day, I tried to take it easy,” he said. “After I got my five, I pulled off a little bit and went to that roadbed. I upgraded a 17 1/4-inch fish with a 19 1/2.”
On Day 2, Siddiqi experienced a late-day flurry, but despite the surge, he was unsure of his final placement. (Competitors are able to monitor one another’s progress through the TourneyX live leaderboard).
“A friend of mine came down from Cincinnati and he had a drone and was watching me from the bank,” Siddiqi said. “He watched me catch four in a row in the last hour. I had a 15-incher and I upgraded with a 16 1/2. Then I caught a 17 3/4 that upgraded me from the 16 1/2.
“That was the last upgrade I had, then the leaderboard went off. That was the last time I knew I was up by 1/4 inch. I thought for sure (Milchling) was going to upgrade. He had a 23-incher on the first day, so I knew if he upgraded even 1/4 inch, I was done.”
Siddiqi placed second on Day 1 with 94 inches. His Top 5 bass measured 19.5, 19.25, 19, 18.25 and 18 inches. Turning in the same total on Day 2, Siddiqi’s top fish measured 20.25, 19.75, 19, 17.75 and 17.25 inches.
Brock Reinkemeyer Wins Toyota Series at Lake of the Ozarks
OSAGE BEACH, Mo. (March 4, 2022) – Pro Brock Reinkemeyer of Warsaw, Missouri, brought a final-day total of five bass weighing 17 pounds, 4 ounces to the scale Thursday to win the Toyota Series Presented by A.R.E. at Lake of the Ozarks Presented by Smart Digital. Reinkemeyer’s three-day total of 15 bass weighing 59-13 earned him the win by a 2-pound, 12-ounce margin over second-place angler Josh Shirley of Cabot, Arkansas, and earned Reinkemeyer the top payout of $41,750 in the first tournament of the 2022 Toyota Series Plains Division Presented by Outlaw Ordnance.
“Wow, this feels even better than I thought it would feel,” Reinkemeyer said. “I am in awe right now. Some of these guys that I was fishing against this final day – it’s crazy. They’re my buddies, and they’re better than I am. They all put in more work than I do. To come out on top today is just unreal.”
Reinkemeyer said he spent the week mainly fishing in the Gravois Arm.
“I wanted to make sure that I wasn’t running all over the place,” Reinkemeyer said. “I had a 15-mile zone, and I didn’t stray from it. I grew up in Lee’s Summit, and Gravois is my homeland. The biggest thing was the early morning bite, from 7 (a.m.) to 10 (a.m.). The fish were setting up on the brush piles and rocks and they would show themselves a lot more. Later in the day, they weren’t nearly as active, so I really had to capitalize in that three-hour period.”
Reinkemeyer said he caught his fish on three baits – a Yumbrella Flash Mob Umbrella Rig with Strike King (Rage) Swimmers, a Megabass Vision 110 jerkbait, and a Motion Fishing finesse jig with a Zoom Speed Craw.
“I couldn’t catch them on the bank, so I had to fish a little deeper,” Reinkemeyer said. “I mainly targeted 14 to 22 feet, and the majority came from 18 to 22 (feet). I got one key bite each day in like 14 foot, but most of them were a bit deeper.
“I thought my fish were smaller than they were and that I was leaving the door open today – those last four hours of the day were pretty stressful,” Reinkemeyer went on to say. “Luckily it turned out that I had enough.”
The top 10 pros on Lake of the Ozarks finished:
1st: Brock Reinkemeyer, Warsaw, Mo., 15 bass, 59-13, $41,750
2nd: Josh Shirley, Cabot, Ark., 15 bass, 57-1, $15,500
3rd: Justin Miller, Grain Valley, Mo., 15 bass, 51-3, $12,000
4th: Travis Harriman, Huntsville, Ark., 13 bass, 49-4, $10,000
5th: Austin Culbertson, ,Moberly, Mo., 15 bass, 48-3, $9,000
6th: Grant Akers, Richmond, Mo., 15 bass, 48-2, $8,000
7th: Michael Harlin, Sunrise Beach, Mo., 15 bass, 47-4, $7,000
8th: Brad Jelinek, Lincoln, Mo., 15 bass, 46-10, $7,000 (includes $1,000 Phoenix MLF Bonus)
9th: Chris Bridges, Clinton, Mo., 15 bass, 46-5, $5,200
10th: Chris Digino, Dallas, Texas, 15 bass, 45-14, $4,000
Complete results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
Pro Kyle Minke of Lindstrom, Minnesota, won the $500 Day 1 Berkley Big Bass award in the pro division Tuesday with a largemouth weighing 6 pounds, 10 ounces. Reinkemeyer and Ben Verhoef of Osage Beach split Wednesday’s $500 Berkley Big Bass award, as both weighed in a 6-pound, 7-ounce bass to each take home a $250 bonus.
Jelinek took home an extra $1,000 as the highest finishing Phoenix MLF Bonus member. Boaters are eligible to win up to an extra $35,000 per event in each Toyota Series tournament if all requirements are met. More information on the Phoenix MLF Bonus contingency program can be found at PhoenixBassBoats.com.
Alan Bernicky of Joliet, Illinois, won the Strike King Co-angler Division Thursday with a three-day total of 12 bass weighing 34 pounds even. Bernicky took home the top prize package worth $33,700, including a new Phoenix 518 Pro bass boat with a 115-horsepower Mercury outboard motor.
The top 10 Strike King co-anglers on Lake of the Ozarks finished:
1st: Alan Bernicky, Joliet, Ill., 12 bass, 34-0, Phoenix 518 Pro boat w/115-hp Mercury outboard + $5,000
2nd: Hank Goen, Columbia, Mo., 11 bass, 31-4, $5,000
3rd: Jeff Moss, Oronogo, Mo.., 11bass, 31-2, $4,000
4th: Jason Swanson, Waterloo, Iowa, 13 bass, 27-12, $3,500
5th: Dan Bowman, Osage Beach, Mo., 11 bass, 26-11, $3,000
6th: Tom Shewey, Climax Springs, Mo., 11 bass, 26-3, $2,500
7th: Jason Sandidge, Centerton, Ark., 11 bass, 25-13, $2,000
8th: Scott Parsons, Rogers, Ark., nine bass, 25-3, $1,750
9th: Dennis Young, Olathe, Kan., nine bass, 24-8, $1,500
10th: Anthony Scoma, Spring Hill, Kan., nine bass, 23-10, $1,250
The Day 1 Berkley Big Bass $150 award winner in the Strike King co-angler division, was Mark Reynolds of Warrensburg, Missouri, with a 5-pound, 3-ounce bass, while the Day 2 $150 award went to Joseph Blackburn of Dixon, Missouri, with a 6-pound, 10-ounce largemouth.
The Toyota Series Presented by A.R.E. at Lake of the Ozarks Presented by Smart Digital was hosted by the Tri-County Lodging Association. It was the first tournament in the Toyota Series Plains Division Presented by Outlaw Ordnance. The next event for Toyota Series anglers will take place on March 31-April 2 – the Toyota Series Presented by A.R.E. at Dale Hollow Lake in Byrdstown, Tennessee, hosted by the Byrdstown-Pickett County Chamber of Commerce. For a complete schedule, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com.
The 2022 Toyota Series Presented by A.R.E. consists of six divisions – Central, Northern, Plains Presented by Outlaw Ordnance, Southern, Southwestern Presented by Outlaw Ordnance and Western – each holding three regular-season events, along with the International and Wild Card divisions. Anglers who fish in any of the six divisions and finish in the top 25 – or the top 12 from the Wild Card division – will qualify for the no-entry-fee Toyota Series Presented by A.R.E. Championship for a shot at winning up to $235,000 cash. The winning Strike King co-angler at the championship earns a new Phoenix 518 Pro bass boat with a 115-horsepower Mercury outboard. The 2022 Toyota Series Presented by A.R.E. Championship will be held Nov. 3-5 on Lake Guntersville in Guntersville, Alabama, and is hosted by Marshall County Tourism and Sports.
Proud sponsors of the 2022 MLF Toyota Series Presented by A.R.E. include: 4WP, 13 Fishing, Abu Garcia, AFTCO, A.R.E. Truck Caps, B&W Trailer Hitches, Berkley, Black Rifle Coffee, E3, Epic Baits, Favorite Fishing, Gary Yamamoto Baits, General Tire, Lew’s, Lowrance, Lucas Oil, Mercury, Mossy Oak, Onyx, Outlaw Ordnance, Phoenix, Polaris, Power-Pole, Strike King, Tackle Warehouse, T-H Marine, Toyota, Wiley X and YETI.
For complete details and updated information visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow the MLF Toyota Series on the MLF5 social media outlets at Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.
Alabama Bass Trail Announces 2023 ABT 100 Tournament Schedule and Payout
Priority Registration Opens June 1
Decatur, Ala. (March 4, 2022) – The Alabama Bass Trail (ABT) is pleased to unveil dates and locations of the 2023 ABT 100 tournament series which includes a payout reaching $300,000 for all three tournaments. Returning for the third season, the tournament series is held on three different lakes beginning January 21, 2023, attracting professional and amateur anglers from across the United States who will compete for a $25,000 first place prize.
“We are excited to announce the 2023 schedule for the Alabama Bass Trail 100. This tournament trail is quickly becoming as popular as our regular tournament series. In addition to two regular stops on the ABT, this year we are visiting a new body of water, Lake Wedowee. We are looking forward to introducing our anglers to this special place and working with the great people in Randolph County,” said ABT Program Director Kay Donaldson.
The ABT 100 Series is open to professional and amateur anglers and features three tournaments. The maximum number of boats for each tournament is 100. Entry fee for each event is $1,000 and teams must fish in all three tournaments. (No single entries allowed.)
Tournament dates and locations for the 2023 Alabama Bass Trail 100 Series:
January 21, 2023 Lake Wedowee hosted by the Randolph County Chamber of Commerce
June 3, 2023 Millers Ferry hosted by the City of Camden, Ala.
November 14, 2023 Smith Lake hosted by the Chamber of Commerce of Walker County
“The Randolph County Chamber of Commerce is excited to host one of the stops on the 2023 ABT 100 on Lake Wedowee and showcase one of Alabama’s premier lakes. Lake Wedowee is a hidden gem that offers quality water and a sizeable bass population for year-round use by all ages. The economic impact from the tournament will generate new spending and tax revenue, including taxes on sales, restaurant purchases and lodging, for the local economy. Hosting a tournament of this magnitude will additionally promote tourism and create jobs for our citizens,” said Dorothy Tidwell, executive director of the Randolph County Chamber of Commerce.
“The Chamber of Commerce of Walker County has led the way for more than a decade in recruiting tournaments such as the Alabama Bass Trail to our community, understanding the true meaning of tourism dollars. When coupled with the immeasurable media exposure that a community such as Walker County would otherwise not be able to obtain, the return on investment is even greater. Kay Donaldson does an outstanding job, and we look forward to the opportunity to host the Alabama Bass Trail and to work with her leadership team,” said Chamber of Commerce of Walker County President Linda Lewis.
“On behalf of the City of Camden, we welcome the ABT 100 anglers and fans to our community and Millers Ferry Lake,” said Camden Mayor Phil Creswell. “We’ve had the opportunity to work with the Alabama Bass Trail on four other occasions and we look forward to hosting the best anglers from across the country next summer. Millers Ferry offers excellent fishing opportunities year round and we invite tournament anglers to visit early and often.”
Each tournament features a $25,000 guaranteed first place prize and pays 20 places plus a $1,000 big fish totaling $100,000.
Payout Schedule:
First place $25,000
Second place $12,500
Third place $10,000
Fourth place $ 9,000
Fifth place $ 7,500
Sixth place $ 6,000
Seventh place $ 5,000
Eighth place $ 4,000
Ninth place $ 3,000
Tenth place $ 2,000
11th – 20th $ 1,500 each
Big Fish $ 1,000
The ABT 100 Series will be televised on Bally Sports Southeast later in 2023. The weigh-in and Live Leaderboard will be streamed live on www.AlabamaBassTrail100.org and on Facebook at Alabama Bass Trail 100 Series.
The entry fee is $3,000 per team. Each team may choose to pay a $1500 nonrefundable deposit to hold the team’s spot. The balance of $1500 must be paid by December 1, 2022. Registration is limited to 100 boats and teams that fished the ABT 100 in 2022 will receive priority registration beginning June 1 until June 10, 2022, at www.AlabamaBassTrail100.org. Registration opens for new teams on June 11, 2022, at 6:00 a.m.
The Alabama Bass Trail 100 Series made its debut in January 2021 with professional and amateur anglers from 13 different states competing. According to Donaldson, anglers are traveling from 12 different states to compete in the 2022 ABT 100 Series.
ABT 100 Series sponsors include Alabama State Parks, Bajio Sunglasses, Big Bite Baits, Black Rifle Coffee Company, Buck N’ Bass, Busch Light, Freedom Tackle Corporation, Phoenix Bass Boats, FishAlabama.org, Halo Fishing, Bill Penney Automotive, America’s First Federal Credit Union, Alabama Tourism Department, NetBait, Scum Frog, T-H Marine Supplies, Inc., Wedowee Marine and Garmin.
For more information, call Donaldson at 855.934.7425 or visit online at www.AlabamaBassTrail100.org, on Facebook at Alabama Bass Trail 100 Series and on Instagram at albasstrail100.
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.
Faircloth Grabs Early Lead for Group B at MLF Bass Pro Tour Favorite Fishing Stage Three on Lewis Smith Lake Presented by Mercury
Texas Pro Leads Group B Day 1 by 4-Pound, 13-Ounce Margin – Group A Resumes Competition Friday
The third stop on the 2022 Major League Fishing (MLF) Bass Pro Tour features 80 of the top professional bass-fishing anglers in the world competing for a total purse of $805,000, including a top cash prize of $100,000 to the winner. The six-day event, hosted by Cullman Parks, Recreation and Sports Tourism, Cullman County Parks and Rec and the Cullman Area Chamber of Commerce, is livestreamed each day at MajorLeagueFishing.com and the MOTV app and filmed for broadcast later this fall on the Discovery Channel.
Faircloth will bring a slim lead into Saturday’s second day of competition for Group B, with a 4-pound, 13-ounce advantage over second-place pro Alton Jones, Jr. of Waco, Texas, who caught 14 bass totaling 31-13. Favorite Fishing pro Dustin Connell of Clanton, Alabama, the reigning REDCREST Champion, made some adjustments toward the end of the first period and rode the boat docks to third place, catching 13 bass weighing 29 pounds, 6 ounces. Michael Neal of Dayton, Tennessee delivered a one-two punch, catching suspended bass in open water early in the day, then moving on to boat docks to end the day in fourth place with 14 bass totaling 25-12. Bass Pro Tour newcomer Clabion Johns of Social Circle, Georgia rounded out the top five with 11 bass weighing 25-9.
With only 3 ounces of separation between 20th and 21st places on the Toro Cut Line once again, it will be another exciting Day 2 for Group B on Saturday, when just 20 anglers will move on in the competition. The 40 anglers in Group B will now have an off day, while the 40 anglers competing in Group A will fish their second day of competition Friday, battling it out for the top 20 spots. Group B will resume competition on Saturday.
Faircloth threw the tacklebox at the fish Thursday, using a variety of baits to keep his school fired up and maximize what was in front of him.
“We had a great day today,” said Faircloth. “I started out this morning catching them on a Strike King KVD 1.5 Flat Side, a great lure that I caught a lot of fish on early in the morning. When the bite slowed down, I picked up a Strike King Jerkbait and probably caught as many on that lure as I did on the crankbait.
“Once that slowed down, I switched tactics again and picked up a Strike King Super Finesse Worm, green-pumpkin colored, with a dyed chartreuse tail. These fish were on one specific spot, but the key for me was to keep changing baits and giving them a different look – and it seemed like that would trigger the school to fire back up again.
“I wasn’t seeing any fish in that area by the end of the third period, which has me a little concerned going into Day 2, but I’ve got a lot of other water to fish if that spot doesn’t work out. I’m seeing fish on my Lowrance Active Target on the bait I’m throwing, so I know I’m around some, I just have to figure out how to catch them later in the day.
“All in all, it was a great start for Smith Lake and I’m looking forward to Day 2,” Faircloth went on to say.
The day played out quite differently for Alton Jones, Jr. who was sitting in 29th place at the end of the first period with only one fish for 1 pound, 10 ounces. However, the Bass Pro Tour Stage Two winner was a quick study and got on the fish moving to the docks the quickest of any of the anglers in Group B, making a run up the SCORETRACKER® to end the second period in fifth place, before finishing the day in second, within striking distance of Faircloth.
“Having almost nothing by the end of the first period, I’m pretty excited about where I ended up today,” said Jones. “I feel like I’m around a lot of fish and I think there’s potential there to win this Qualifying Round, so I’m excited to get back out here on Saturday.”
The top 20 pros in Group B after Day 1 on Lewis Smith Lake are:
2nd: Alton Jones, Jr., Waco, Texas, 14 bass, 31-13
3rd: Dustin Connell, Clanton, Ala., 13 bass, 29-6
4th: Michael Neal, Dayton, Tenn., 14 bass, 25-12
5th: Clabion Johns, Social Circle, Ga., 11 bass, 25-9
6th: Marty Robinson, Lyman, S.C., 12 bass, 24-2
7th: Shin Fukae, Thomson, Ga. and Osaka, Japan, 12 bass, 22-13
8th: Matt Lee, Cullman, Ala., 11 bass, 22-8
9th: Gerald Spohrer, Gonzales, La., nine bass, 21-7
10th: Anthony Gagliardi, Prosperity, S.C., 11 bass, 20-0
11th: Fred Roumbanis, Russellville, Ark., 10 bass, 19-14
12th: Fletcher Shryock, Guntersville, Ala., eight bass, 18-13
13th: Cole Floyd, Leesburg, Ohio, eight bass, 17-15
14th: Greg Vinson, Wetumpka, Ala., eight bass, 17-8
15th: Jesse Wiggins, Addison, Ala., eight bass, 16-7
16th: Jordan Lee, Culllman, Ala., eight bass, 15-5
17th: Brent Ehrler, Redlands, Calif., seven bass, 13-7
18th: Bobby Lane, Lakeland, Fla., six bass, 13-5
19th: Tommy Biffle, Wagoner, Okla., six bass, 13-5
20th: James Elam, Tulsa, Okla., seven bass, 12-14
Johns caught a 4-pound, 5-ounce largemouth on a crankbait nine minutes into the first period that earned him the second $1,000 Berkley Big Bass Award of the event. Berkley awards $1,000 to the angler who weighs the heaviest bass each day, and a $3,000 bonus to the angler who weighs the heaviest bass of the tournament.
The 40 Anglers in Group B compete in their two-day qualifying round on Thursday and Saturday – the 40 anglers in Group B on Wednesday and Friday. After each two-day qualifying round is complete, the anglers that finish in 2nd through 20th place from both groups advance to Sunday’s Knockout Round, while the winner of each group advances directly to Monday’s Championship Round. In the Knockout Round, weights are zeroed, and the remaining 38 anglers compete to finish in the top 8 to advance to the Championship Round. In the final day Championship Round, weights are zeroed, and the highest one-day total wins the top prize of $100,000.
Anglers will launch each day at 7:30 a.m. from the Smith Lake State Park, located at 403 County Road 386 in Cullman, Alabama. Each day’s General Tire Takeout will be held at the park, beginning at 4:30 p.m. Fans are welcome to attend all launch and takeout events and also encouraged to follow the event online throughout the day on the MLF NOW!® live stream and SCORETRACKER® coverage at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
The Favorite Fishing Stage Three on Lewis Smith Lake Presented by Mercury features anglers competing with a 1-pound, 8-ounce minimum weight requirement for a bass to be deemed scorable. Minimum weights are determined individually for each competition waters that the Bass Pro Tour visits, based on the productivity, bass population and anticipated average size of fish in each fishery.
The Bass Pro Tour features a field of 80 of the top professional anglers in the world competing across seven regular-season tournaments around the country, competing for millions of dollars and valuable points to qualify for the annual General Tire Heavy Hitters all-star event and the REDCREST 2023 championship.
The MLF NOW!® broadcast team of Chad McKee, Marty Stone and J.T. Kenney will break down the extended action on all six days of competition from 7:45 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. CT. MLF NOW!® will be live streamed on MajorLeagueFishing.com and the MyOutdoorTV (MOTV) app.
Television coverage of the Favorite Fishing Stage Three on Lewis Smith Lake Presented by Mercury will premiere at 7 a.m. ET, Oct. 1 on the Discovery Channel. New MLF episodes premiere each Saturday morning on the Discovery Channel, with additional re-airings on the Outdoor Channel. Each two-hour long reality-based episode goes in-depth to break down each day of competition.
Proud sponsors of the 2022 MLF Bass Pro Tour include: 13 Fishing, Abu Garcia, A.R.E. Truck Caps, B&W Trailer Hitches, BallyBet, Bass Cat, Bass Pro Shops, Berkley, Covercraft, Favorite Fishing, Garmin, General Tire, Googan Baits, Grundéns, Guaranteed Rate, Humminbird, Lowrance, Luminox, Mercury, Minn Kota, Mossy Oak, Nitro Performance Boats, Onyx, Plano, Power-Pole, Power Stop, Rapala, Starbrite, Toro, Toyota, Wrangler, Yellowstone Bourbon and Zoom.
For complete details and updated information on Major League Fishing and the Bass Pro Tour, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF’s social media outlets at Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.
Yamaha Power Pay ‘Pick 3”
Courtesy of Luke Stoner - Dynamic Sponsorships
Walking around Media Day, just hours before the 52nd Annual Bassmaster Classic on Lake Hartwell it is easy to get a bit overwhelmed by the “dock talk” coming out of the competing anglers’ mouths. To cut through the hot air, we caught up with Elite Series pros Brandon Palaniuk, Patrick Walters, and Caleb Sumrall.
All three are some of the best anglers on the planet and are as reliable as the Yamaha SHO Outboards on the back of their boats, so we can trust them to shoot us straight.
These gentlemen will not only be on the water competing for $300K and bass fishing’s biggest trophy this weekend, but they’ll also be in pursuit of the $20,000 Yamaha Power Paybonus. Just like every supported Power Pay tournament, they don’t need to win the event to win the bonus payout, they just need to be the highest finishing program participant.
Q – What are three lures you expect to play a major role in this tournament?
Palaniuk – “A Rapala Shadow Rap Deep (suspending jerkbait), an X Zone True Center Stick (wacky rigged), and a BassmanCompact spinnerbait.”
Sumrall – “A small swimbait on a jighead, a shallow running crankbait, and a wacky rigged stick worm.”
Walters – “Three techniques will be jerking (suspending jerkbait), a wacky rigged stick worm, and a finesse worm – either a shakey head or a TRD style bait.”
Q – Who are three anglers you would pick to win this weekend on Lake Hartwell?
Palaniuk – “Steve Kennedy, Jason Christie, and myself.”
Sumrall – “Brandon Cobb, my roommate Lee Livesay, and Jacob Powroznik.”
Walters – “Brandon Cobb, Taku Ito, and my dark horse is Joey Nania.”
Q – What are three weather factors you’ll be paying attention to, and will affect the way you fish this event?
Palaniuk – “How much sunshine we receive each day specifically in the afternoons, the presence or lack of wind, and the water temp… which is dictated by the air temperature.”
Sumrall – “That is easy – how much sunshine, how hard the wind blows, and how much boat pressure is around. I know boat pressure isn’t really a weather factor, but I think a lot of anglers will be running pockets, so getting into a bad rotation (behind other anglers) could really hinder you. That’s my answer and I’m sticking to it.”
Walters – “An east wind will definitely play a role in my fishing, the high skies, and the presence or lack of cloud cover.”
Q – What are three things you would spend the impressive $20,000 Yamaha Power Pay bonus money on?
Palaniuk – “Well Tiffany is due at the end of May, so I’d spend half of it on diapers. And the other half I would put into an investment for our soon to be daughter.”
Sumrall – “I’d get a few new modifications to my wife’s 4Runner, I steal it sometimes because that thing is sweet. I’d take my family on a good vacation, somewhere with a beach, and as boring as it sounds… I would save as much as possible.”
Walters – “I’m going to say my new garage / shop… times three. We’ve planned out a 60x80 shop that will fit my boat AND truck, along with all my fishing equipment. I’m pretty fired up about it.”
Arey and Lester talk new Tundras, Tater Hogs, and Classic predictions
Courtesy of Alan McGuckin - Dynamic Sponsorships
You’d be hard-pressed to find two top pros who live life with a stronger sense of faith and family than Team Toyota’s Matt Arey and BrandonLester. And they’re indisputably two of the world’s top pro anglers too.
They graciously shared their thoughts on what fans can expect when the 52nd Bassmaster Classic begins Thursday on Lake Hartwell, and also talked a bit about their shared love of country music too.
What percentage of the 55 Classic anglers will bring a 5-bass limit to the scales on Day 1, and how much weight will you need for a Top 5 on Day 1?
Arey: 95% will catch their limit, and you’ll need 17 pounds to land in the Top 5 after Day 1.
Lester: I agree, 95% will catch their limit, and you’d better have at least 17 pounds.
Show us one lure you won’t leave the dock without.
Arey: 6” Hog Father Junior swimbait
Lester: A wacky rigged Senko on a size 2 Mustad Titan X hook, on a spinning rod.
What percentage of the fish weighed-in at this Classic will be spotted bass?
Arey: 68.7%
Lester: 60%
What concerns you most going into this tournament?
Arey: Keeping up with the fast-moving changes now that we’ve got all this really warm weather.
Lester: The changing conditions. We started practice with late winter to early spring conditions, and by this Saturday we may very well see fish on beds.
Name two anglers fans should have on their Rapala Bassmaster Fantasy Fishing team
Arey: Brandon Cobb and Brandon Lester
Lester: Brandon Cobb knows Hartwell extremely well, and he understands blue back herring. And also, Jacob Powroznik, because he’s so good during that late pre-spawn to spawning period with a wacky worm tied on.
What are your two favorite qualities of the all new 2022 Toyota Tundra?
Arey: It rides so comfortable, and that 14” touch screen on the dash makes life on the road so much easier and safer.
Lester: The ride is amazing! It floats like a big luxury car! And the twin turbo V6 is loaded with horsepower and torque.
What have you been listening to on your drive to the ramp?
Arey: Chris Stapleton and Morgan Wallen
Lester: A ton of Jason Isbell, specifically a song called “Cigarettes and Wine” – it actually played last night at the Champions Night banquet, and I was stoked!
Wheeler Jumps to Early Lead at MLF Bass Pro Tour Favorite Fishing Stage Three on Lewis Smith Lake Presented by Mercury
Tennessee Pro Leads Day 1 for Group A by 26-Pound Margin – Group B Begins Competition Thursday
The six-day event, hosted by Cullman Parks, Recreation and Sports Tourism, Cullman County Parks and Rec and the Cullman Area Chamber of Commerce, features 80 of the top professional bass-fishing anglers in the world competing for a total event purse of $805,000, including a top cash prize of $100,000 to the winner. The tournament is livestreamed each day at MajorLeagueFishing.com and the MOTV app and filmed for broadcast later this fall on the Discovery Channel.
Wheeler brings a massive lead into Friday’s second day of competition for Group A, with a 26-pound margin over second place angler Costa pro Casey Ashley of Donalds, South Carolina, who caught 13 bass totaling 31-1. After leading at the end of the first two periods, Favorite Fishing pro Zack Birge of Blanchard, Oklahoma finished the day in third place, with a total of 16 bass weighing 30 pounds, 5 ounces. Pro Andy Morgan of Dayton, Tennessee , sits in fourth place with 14 bass for a total of 28-14, with Berkley pro Josh Bertrand of Queen Creek, Arizona rounding out the top five with 12 bass weighing 28 pounds, 4 ounces.
With only 3 ounces of separation between 20th and 21st places on the Toro Cut Line, it will be a thrilling finale to see which 20 anglers will be moving on. The 40 anglers in Group A will now have an off day from competition, while the 40 anglers competing in Group B will begin their first day of competition Thursday. Group A will resume competition on Friday.
Wednesday marks the eighth time that Wheeler has “won” Day 1 of his Qualifying Round of competition out of 26 total Bass Pro Tour events. Zack Birge and Michael Neal are the next closest anglers in contention, each with three Day 1 wins. If Wheeler can maintain his lead and win his Qualifying Round on Friday, it will mark the seventh time that Wheeler has won his two-day Qualifying Round.
Just when Wheeler seems to have shown bass-fishing fans everything he has to offer, he pulls out a “new” trick and goes on a flurry to catch 29 pounds, 9 ounces in the third period alone – nearly as much as Ashley’s 2nd place total for the day, and more than 38 of the other 40 anglers’ entire day total.
“That was a fun day of fishing,” said Wheeler. “I learned a little bit, and I’m not going to lock myself into one thing, but I definitely wanted to make hay when I could – obviously today worked out to perfection.
“It really came down to an old-school technique – a Rapala Jigging Rap,” said Wheeler. “I’ve caught some fish on this over the last several years, and it has become a major player with forward-facing sonar.
“It’s something a lot of people may not have heard about, but this is a No. 9 jigging rap,” continued Wheeler. “I’ve been throwing it in white and gold, just trying to really bury it. I’ve also thrown it in black and silver – it doesn’t seem to matter as long as you get it to the fish.”
The bait was actually designed as an ice-fishing bait and is well-known for its ice-fishing prowess, but has gotten popular over the years with suspended fish in open water.
“I didn’t know exactly how today was going to play out, but I’m obviously pretty happy about it,” said Wheeler. “Overall, it’s been an awesome day and I’m really excited to come out here again on Day 2 to see what we can do.”
After starting the third period in sixth place, Ashley wrapped up with a third-period flurry as well, catching nearly 13 pounds in the final period to move up to second place.
“It was a good day, but if it wasn’t for this one little ditch right here, it would have been a grind for me today,” said Ashley. “I caught everything today on a Zoom Trick Worm in Green Pumpkin on a 3/16-ounce Greenfish Tackle Casey Ashley Clean Up Shakey Head.
“I don’t know what it is about this ditch, I’ve fished a bunch of them, but this one has a lot of fish in it. I got to catching them, but there was no way I could run Wheeler down,” continued Ashley. “I fished that area earlier in the day but made the decision to come back to it. You never know if the fish will still be there on Friday when we fish again, or if it will get pressure between now and then. So, I wanted to get enough cushion that I wouldn’t have to catch much on Day 2.”
Ashley said he will probably start Day 2 exactly where he finished.
“I don’t know if I’ll be able to catch them there again, but I’m going to try. Hopefully we get a little wind – that’ll make them bite the spinnerbait even more. I still think that bite is going to get a lot better as the week progresses. The water is getting more stable, and the fish are getting used to it and wanting to move up more, so it should continue to improve.”
The top 20 pros in Group A after Day 1 on Lewis Smith Lake are:
2nd: Casey Ashley, Donalds, S.C., 13 bass, 31-1
3rd: Zack Birge, Blanchard, Okla., 16 bass, 30-5
4th: Andy Morgan, Dayton, Tenn., 14 bass, 28-14
5th: Josh Bertrand, Queen Creek, Ariz., 12 bass, 28-4
6th: Mark Daniels, Jr., Tuskegee, Ala., 10 bass, 24-1
7th: Edwin Evers, Talala, Okla., 12 bass, 23-11
8th: Randy Howell, Guntersville, Ala., eight bass, 21-15
9th: Andy Montgomery, Blacksburg, S.C., 12 bass, 20-13
10th: Randall Tharp, Port St. Joe, Fla., nine bass, 18-4
11th: Luke Clausen, Spokane, Wash., seven bass, 18-0
12th: Kevin VanDam, Kalamazoo, Mich., eight bass, 16-15
13th: Mark Rose, Wynne, Ark., nine bass, 16-11
14th: Jeremy Lawyer, Sarcoxie, Mo., eight bass, 16-6
15th: Russ Lane, Prattville, Ala., seven bass, 16-3
16th: Wesley Strader, Spring City, Tenn., seven bass, 13-10
17th: Adrian Avena, Vineland, N.J., seven bass, 13-3
18th: Jason Lambert, Michie, Tenn., five bass, 12-7
19th: Stephen Browning, Hot Springs, Ark., six bass, 12-5
20th: Brent Chapman, Lake Quivira, Kan., five bass, 11-5
Overall, there were 262 scorable bass weighing 548 pounds, 9 ounces caught by 38 pros Wednesday.
Bass Fishing Hall of Famer and MLF co-founder Gary Klein of Mingus, Texas , caught a 5-pound, 2-ounce bass that earned him the first $1,000 Berkley Big Bass Award of the event. Berkley awards $1,000 to the angler who weighs the heaviest bass each day, and a $3,000 bonus to the angler who weighs the heaviest bass of the tournament.
The 40 Anglers in Group A compete in their two-day qualifying round on Wednesday and Friday – the 40 anglers in Group B on Thursday and Saturday. After each two-day qualifying round is complete, the anglers that finish in 2nd through 20th place from both groups advance to Sunday’s Knockout Round, while the winner of each group advances directly to Monday’s Championship Round. In the Knockout Round, weights are zeroed, and the remaining 38 anglers compete to finish in the top 8 to advance to the Championship Round. In the final day Championship Round, weights are zeroed, and the highest one-day total wins the top prize of $100,000.
Anglers will launch each day at 7:30 a.m. from the Smith Lake State Park, located at 403 County Road 386 in Cullman, Alabama. Each day’s General Tire Takeout will be held at the park, beginning at 4:30 p.m. Fans are welcome to attend all launch and takeout events and also encouraged to follow the event online throughout the day on the MLF NOW!® live stream and SCORETRACKER® coverage at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
The Favorite Fishing Stage Three on Lewis Smith Lake Presented by Mercury features anglers competing with a 1-pound, 8-ounce minimum weight requirement for a bass to be deemed scorable. Minimum weights are determined individually for each competition waters that the Bass Pro Tour visits, based on the productivity, bass population and anticipated average size of fish in each fishery.
The Bass Pro Tour features a field of 80 of the top professional anglers in the world competing across seven regular-season tournaments around the country, competing for millions of dollars and valuable points to qualify for the annual General Tire Heavy Hitters all-star event and the REDCREST 2023 championship.
The MLF NOW!® broadcast team of Chad McKee, Marty Stone and J.T. Kenney will break down the extended action on all six days of competition from 7:45 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. CT. MLF NOW!® will be live streamed on MajorLeagueFishing.com and the MyOutdoorTV (MOTV) app.
Television coverage of the Favorite Fishing Stage Three on Lewis Smith Lake Presented by Mercury will premiere at 7 a.m. ET, Oct. 1 on the Discovery Channel. New MLF episodes premiere each Saturday morning on the Discovery Channel, with additional re-airings on the Outdoor Channel. Each two-hour long reality-based episode goes in-depth to break down each day of competition.
Proud sponsors of the 2022 MLF Bass Pro Tour include: 13 Fishing, Abu Garcia, A.R.E. Truck Caps, B&W Trailer Hitches, BallyBet, Bass Cat, Bass Pro Shops, Berkley, Covercraft, Favorite Fishing, Garmin, General Tire, Googan Baits, Grundéns, Guaranteed Rate, Humminbird, Lowrance, Luminox, Mercury, Minn Kota, Mossy Oak, Nitro Performance Boats, Onyx, Plano, Power-Pole, Power Stop, Rapala, Starbrite, Toro, Toyota, Wrangler, Yellowstone Bourbon and Zoom.
For complete details and updated information on Major League Fishing and the Bass Pro Tour, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF’s social media outlets at Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.
Travis Hunter Wins Third-Annual Academy Sports + Outdoors Celebrity Fishing Tournament for Charity
BUFORD, Ga. (March 2, 2022) - Academy Sports + Outdoors held its third-annual celebrity fishing tournament on Wednesday, March 2, ahead of the 52nd Bassmaster Classic. Celebrities, including Hall of Fame athletes and notable sports figures, and members of the fishing community ascended Lake Lanier, Ga., to battle for the title. Ultimately, Travis Hunter’s team bagged the four heaviest bass to be crowned the victors. With the win, the five-star high school football recruit and Jackson State University cornerback and his team were awarded a $5,000 check from Academy to donate to the Tiger Fund Athletic Foundation. All other celebrity anglers were given $1,000 on behalf of Academy to donate to their respective charities.
Hunter’s team hooked the winning striped bass, weighing in at 9 pounds, 1 ounce on an H2O XPRESS TAC-40 Spinning Rod and Reel Combo with a soft plastic. When the four-hour tournament concluded, Hunter’s team, featuring Todd Ceisner of In-Fisherman and professional angler Paul Marks Jr., stood atop the leaderboard with a total weight of 17 pounds, 11 ounces of fish, including one striped bass and three spotted bass.
This year’s list of celebrity anglers included former Major League Baseball Hall of Famer Chipper Jones, NBA Hall of Famer and Atlanta Hawks Vice President of Basketball Dominique Wilkins, NASCAR Truck Series driver Hailie Deegan, Atlanta Falcons running back Cordarrelle Patterson and Jackson State University quarterback Shedeur Sanders. The 2021 Celebrity Fishing Tournament champion and Head Coach of Jackson State University Football, Deion Sanders, also made a surprise appearance to congratulate the winner.
The celebrities were joined on the water by U.S. Open National Bass Fishing Amateur Team Champion Tucker Smith, star of the Duck Dynasty television show Justin Martin, and other members of the bass fishing community.
Academy is the title sponsor of the upcoming Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic presented by Huk, March 4-6, in which 55 of the world’s best bass anglers will compete on Lake Hartwell in Greenville, S.C.
Academy Sports + Outdoors has 259 stores, where customers can find a wide assortment of fishing products including rods and reels, baits, lures, fish finders, tackle, storage, waders, kayaks, sunglasses, fishing apparel, footwear and more. For store locations and to shop Academy’s selection of fishing products, customers can visit academy.com.
Bassmaster Announces Expanded Partnership With Marathon
March 2, 2022
Bassmaster Announces Expanded Partnership With Marathon
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Marathon Petroleum Corporation, which operates the nation’s largest refining system and supplies fuel to thousands of retail locations from coast to coast, has expanded its relationship with B.A.S.S., officials announced today. Not only will the brand continue to serve as the title sponsor for Bassmaster Studios and as a supporting sponsor for the Bassmaster Tournament Trail, Marathon has now stepped up as presenting sponsor for the ultrapopular Bassmaster Classic Outdoors Expo. The Bassmaster Classic Outdoors Expo presented by Marathon will be held March 4-6, 2022 in Greenville, S.C.
The Bassmaster Classic Outdoors Expo is the most important consumer fishing and boating show in the country and an outdoor enthusiast’s dream, attracting more than 200 exhibitors ranging from major international brands to local retailers.
“After a successful inaugural partnership in 2021, we are eager to expand our partnership with Bassmaster for the upcoming 2022 season,” said John Rice, Marathon’s Manager–Advertising & Brand Management.
As a supporting sponsor of the Bassmaster Tournament Trail, Marathon will be heavily featured during the award-winning Bassmaster LIVE show. The show, which is broadcast on FS1 and streamed on Bassmaster.com and the FOX Sports digital platforms, is hosted from the Marathon Bassmaster Studios.
Additionally, Marathon will enjoy exposure in Bassmaster and B.A.S.S. Times magazines and across various social media platforms. Among the Marathon-sponsored content will be “Peak Performance” interviews, which focus on the pros’ winning ways and aim to help anglers of all levels improve their own techniques.
“Marathon has always helped Americans fuel their passion, and millions of people have discovered — or rediscovered — a passion for fishing over the past few years,” said B.A.S.S. CEO Chase Anderson. “We are proud to partner with Marathon to reach our anglers and fans. Whether anglers are traveling to a dream destination or hauling their boat to home waters, Marathon can help them reach their destination.”
Marathon is celebrating the partnership as well. Fans traveling around the country will spot pump toppers marking their relationship with B.A.S.S. at Marathon stations.
“Marathon offers high quality fuels at independently owned and operated retail stations across the country, which are perfectly situated along many routes that anglers and fans travel daily,” said Rice. “We are proud to fuel the drive of Bassmaster anglers and fans alike.”
Arey Fueled by ‘Almost’
Courtesy Luke Stoner / Dynamic Sponsorships
It’s only been nine months since Matt Arey was among the last two anglers standing on the Dickie’s Arena weigh-in stage in Fort Worth on championship Sunday of the 51st Bassmaster Classic. Waiting to see if his final day rally was enough to overtake good friend and eventual back-to-back Classic champion, Hank Cherry.
I remember seeing the always positive, perpetually smiling North Carolinian behind the stage after the trophy was hoisted and the confetti had fallen. Truth be told, he looked like he had been sucker punched in the gut. Like he had almost achieved a life-long dream, only to come up a couple of pounds short.
But after a few minutes, his wife Emily and his two daughters found him backstage, and you saw the smile come back across his face. In true champion’s fashion, the Team Toyota pro picked himself back up before the press conference was over and promptly had his sights set forward.
Instead of dwelling on the almost or stewing on a case of the what-could-have-been, Arey is using his second-place finish as fuel for the 2022 Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic presented by Huk on Lake Hartwell.
“After being that close to taking the Classic trophy home all I want to do is put myself in that position again,” Arey said. “Throughout practice this week, all I’ve done is look for the kind of fish I believe it will take to win this week. Honestly, that’s not really normal for me. Consistency and cashing checks with solid finishes has been one of the things I’ve prided myself on throughout my career. But this is the Classic… a solid finish gets you nothing here.”
A quick glance through Arey’s history on Lake Hartwell backs his statements up regarding consistency. Arey’s fished five Tour level tournaments on this fishery and has never finished outside of the money, with 11th place being his highest finish in 2016 and 35th place in 2014 being his lowest finish.
This year, Arey’s carrying some extra horsepower in his heart for a chance to win, like the increased horsepower the 3.5L V6 Twin Turbo engine has in his brand new 2022 Tundra. And it’s the near-miss of last June that’s driving this desire as he heads into his third straight appearance in the Super Bowl of bass fishing
“I got a little caught up in the lights and cameras, without focusing enough on the action during my first Classic in 2020,” Arey admitted. “Everyone warned me about that, but I thought it wouldn’t affect me since I had fished a lot of FLW Cups over the years. But I got caught fishing for “check fish” like I might during a regular season tournament.
“Last year on Ray Roberts I stayed committed to fishing for the caliber of bass I felt it would take to win and ultimately, I caught enough to put myself in that position. So, I’m taking the lessons learned and will do everything I can to find myself back in contention this weekend. It starts with not getting distracted by the Classic craziness and staying focused on the fishing.”
Should Shane Powell be the Classic’s longshot underdog?
Courtesy of Alan McGuckin - Dynamic Sponsorships
When Bassmaster.com released its annual Vegas-like odds of who will win the Bassmaster Classic, Southern Alabama’s Shane Powell was tagged as having the longest odds among all 55 anglers in this year’s event.
So, let’s take a deeper look at who the 32-year-old really is as both an angler and a man before we assume 100 to 1 odds accurately predict a bottom of the barrel finish for him this week on Hartwell.
“I didn’t see the story on Bassmaster myself, but I had two or three buddies tell me about it,” grins Powell. “I mean, I guess it doesn’t surprise me. The writers and editors don’t know my story like they know a lot of the other full-time Elite Series guys.”
That’s the epitome of the down-home humility people love of about Powell. Rather than be bitter or angry about the last place ranking, the former Auburn fisheries major, just grins and shrugs it off.
And Auburn is largely where Powell’s high-profile tournament career took off.
In college, he was actually the team partner of now back-to-back Bassmaster Classic Champion, Jordan Lee. In fact, Lee narrowly beat Powell in the College Series bracket back in 2013 to gain a berth to the 2014 Classic on Guntersville.
“I’ve reflected on Jordan beating me and getting the chance to fish in the 2014 Classic many times. But to this day he remains one of my best friends, and honestly, he was way more prepared to compete in the Classic than I was back then,” feels Powell.
But this isn’t 2014. And in the eight years since, Shane Powell has grown tremendously as an angler, and won way beyond six figures in tournament prize money, fishing mostly around Alabama.
Heck in just the past 18 months, he’s won over $125,000, and beat hundreds of absolute ‘hammers’ to qualify for the Bassmaster Team Championship Fish Off back in December through the Alabama Bass Trail.
“My dad’s good buddy, Ronnie Draughon is really the man who taught me how to bass fish. I grew up fishing shallow, but in recent years I’ve taught myself how to use Humminbird Live offshore,” says Powell.
“So even though this is my first time to Hartwell, chasing spotted bass around deep brushpiles is really nothing new to me. I’ve been doing it for years on Lake Jordan and Lake Martin back home. And if I need to move shallow, I’m certainly confident doing that too,” he explains.
An old soul and always humble, Powell, shares life with longtime girlfriend, Mary Frances and a chocolate lab named Finley. And he was certain not to appear too overconfident when asked to give a letter grade to how he was feeling about this Classic.
At first saying, “maybe a C, I guess” but soon after he reluctantly added, “I mean, I don’t wanna say an A and come off as arrogant or something, so maybe like an A- or B+.”
Odds makers take note, there’s your truest answer to whether Powell is likely to bring up the rear when the scales stop spinning at Bon Secours Wellness Arena on Sunday afternoon.
Plus, in addition to the hundreds-of-thousands of dollars he’s won in pure prize money the past few years, Powell has also cashed a ton of checks as a registered member of the Toyota Bonus Bucks and Yamaha Power Pay programs.
“Those programs just make good business sense. I’ve now bought two Tundras. They run forever, and I know that if I finish anywhere around the Top 10 in a tournament, I’m probably going to win the Bonus Bucks and Yamaha Power Pay money, because you don’t have to win the event to win those cash bonuses,” he says.
He’s right. And he estimates the Toyota Bonus Bucks program alone has probably netted him close to $12,000.
So, what would the 2022 Classic’s supposed greatest longshot do with $300,000 if somehow he shocks the world, or at least Bassmaster editors, and win this week on Hartwell, where he plans to lean heavily on a shaky head, swimbait, jig, and chatterbait?
“I’d certainly use some of it to fund my fishing, but mostly, I’d probably just buy some more rental properties around Dothan, and keep driving the same Tundra I’ve got now with 100,000 miles on it,” grins Powell.
Those are the qualities that make Shane Powell so easy to cheer for, like so many people back home in Alabama are this week.
And besides, doesn’t everybody love an “underdog”?
Costa Named Presenting Sponsor of REDCREST 2022
REDCREST 2022 Presented by Costa Sunglasses, the MLF Bass Pro Tour Championship, to launch March 23-27 at Grand Lake O’ the Cherokees in Tulsa, Oklahoma
TULSA, Okla. (March 1, 2022) – Major League Fishing (MLF), the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization, announced today that Costa Sunglasses, a globally leading manufacturer of the first color-enhancing all-polarized glass sunglass lens, will serve as the presenting sponsor of REDCREST 2022, the Bass Pro Tour Championship.
The third-annual MLF REDCREST championship will take place March 23-27, 2022, with competition set for Grand Lake O’ the Cherokees, and the REDCREST Outdoor Sports Expo in Tulsa, Oklahoma. The event will be livestreamed each day at MajorLeagueFishing.com and the MOTV app, and filmed for broadcast later this summer on CBS and the Discovery Channel. The event will showcase the top 41 Bass Pro Tour anglers from the 2021 season competing for the prestigious REDCREST Championship and the top prize of $300,000.
“As a brand committed to our core audience of anglers and outdoor enthusiasts, Costa is honored to support the bass community by sponsoring one of the industry’s top events,” said John Acosta, Costa’s Vice President of Marketing. “Grand Lake is such a special place for bass fishing. Our team is pumped to be a part of this homecoming event for MLF.”
In addition to the tournament, Costa will also be the presenting sponsor of the REDCREST Outdoor Sports Expo, March 25-27, at the SageNet Center at Expo Square in Tulsa, Oklahoma. The free, family friendly event will feature the latest gear from many top manufacturers, including tackle, gear, apparel, boats, Toyota Trucks, Costa Sunglasses and more. The Expo will also offer live music, giveaways, kid’s activities, seminars, and meet and greet experiences from the biggest names and legends in bass fishing, including all of the anglers that compete on the Bass Pro Tour.
“We are pleased and proud to welcome Costa as the presenting sponsor of REDCREST 2022, the biggest watch-party in bass fishing,” said Randy Gerstenblatt, Senior Vice President of MLF Sponsorship & Media Sales. “We are so incredibly excited for Major League Fishing’s homecoming event in Tulsa, and we are thrilled that Costa is going to be a major part of the show. It will be a wonderful celebration of not only bass fishing, but all of the great outdoors.”
Founded in 1983, Costa was created by a group of anglers from Florida that had one goal in mind – to design a pair of sunglasses to help them better See What’s Out There®, all while protecting the watery world they called home. Almost 40 years later, Costa is still providing the best performing sunglasses for those who come to life on the water. In addition to REDCREST 2022, Costa also sponsors a number of MLF anglers, including Casey Ashley, Anthony Gagliardi, Justin Lucas, Andy Morgan, Bryan Thrift and Kevin VanDam.
Costa recently announced an expansion to its popular angler contingency program, Compete + Conserve. Supporting over 300 bass-fishing tournaments, Costa Compete + Conserve not only awards cash payouts and prizes to the top finishing registered angler in each supported event, but it also donates to one of five conservation partners on the angler’s behalf. For more information, a full list of events and payouts, or to register for Compete + Conserve visit CostaCompeteAndConserve.com.
Television coverage of REDCREST 2022 Presented by Costa will be showcased across two two-hour episodes, premiering at 7 a.m. ET, July 2 and July 9 on the Discovery Channel. A one-hour special episode of MLF REDCREST 2022 Presented by Costa will premiere at 2 p.m. ET, Sunday, July 17 on CBS. New MLF episodes premiere each Saturday morning on the Discovery Channel, with additional re-airings on the Outdoor Channel. Each two-hour long reality-based episode goes in-depth to break down each day of competition.
For complete details and updated information on Major League Fishing, its tournaments, and sponsors, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF’s social media outlets at Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube. Find out more about Costa on their website and join the conversation on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter at @CostaSunglasses.
MLF Adjusts Angler Groups at Bass Pro Tour Favorite Fishing Stage Three at Lewis Smith Lake Presented by Mercury
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Advisory for Tuesday, March 1 WHAT: WHEN: WHERE: NOTES: The six-day event, hosted by Cullman Parks, Recreation and Sports Tourism, Cullman County Parks and Rec and the Cullman Area Chamber of Commerce, will feature 80 anglers competing for a total purse of more than $800,000, including a top payout of $100,000 and valuable points to qualify for REDCREST 2023 – the Bass Pro Tour championship. Anglers will launch each day at 7:30 a.m. from the Smith Lake State Park in Cullman, Alabama. Each day’s General Tire Takeout will be held at the park, beginning at 4:30 p.m. For complete details and updated information on Major League Fishing and the Bass Pro Tour, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF’s social media outlets at Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube. |
Progressive Insurance Claims Bassmaster Angler Of The Year Race; Premier Sponsor For Trail Events
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — B.A.S.S. has reeled in a new title sponsor for the illustrious Bassmaster Angler of the Year award. Progressive Insurance will serve as a premier sponsor for the Bassmaster Tournament Trail and title sponsor for the Elite Series Angler of the Year race through 2024, officials announced today.
“Bassmaster Angler of the Year is one of the most esteemed and hotly contested titles in sportfishing,” said Chase Anderson, B.A.S.S. CEO. “We are thrilled to have Progressive join us in honoring talented anglers as they write their names in bass fishing history. We are also excited to welcome Progressive into the family of brands working with B.A.S.S. to grow our sport and advance competitive fishing at all levels.”
Considered by most anglers as one of the most prestigious titles in fishing, the Bassmaster Angler of the Year award honors the angler who won the year, not just one tournament. To take home the AOY trophy, an angler must consistently out-fish a field comprised of 94 Elite Series pros over the course of the nine-event schedule. With events in seven states and at all types of fisheries, the Progressive Bassmaster Angler of the Year title is a testament to versatility.
Since the honor was first awarded in 1970, only 26 anglers have ever earned the Angler of the Year title, including legendary Roland Martin, who claimed the title a record nine times.
“Progressive is a leader in boat insurance, covering over one million watercrafts, so it’s a natural fit for us to sponsor the Bassmaster Angler of the Year,” said Eric Doubler, Progressive Recreational Lines Direct Business Leader. “We envy the passion, dedication and commitment that the anglers have to the sport and are excited to see who takes home this prestigious award.”
Progressive will be a premier sponsor for the Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic presented by Huk, St. Croix Bassmaster Opens Series presented by Mossy Oak Fishing, Strike King Bassmaster College Series presented by Bass Pro Shops, Abu Garcia Bassmaster High School Series presented by Academy Sports + Outdoors, Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Team Championship and the grass-roots TNT Fireworks B.A.S.S. Nation regional and championship tournaments.
Additionally, Progressive and the AOY race will be highlighted frequently during Bassmaster LIVE, which is streamed on Bassmaster.com and broadcast Saturday and Sunday mornings on the FOX Sports platforms, and will enjoy exposure in Bassmaster and B.A.S.S. Times magazines and across various industry-leading social media platforms.
The Progressive Bassmaster Angler of the Year points race will resume March 17 at the Guaranteed Rate Bassmaster Elite at Santee Cooper Lakes in South Carolina.
Hartwell High Roller - Jason Christie
Courtesy of Luke Stoner - Dynamic Sponsorships
All in. That’s the best way to describe Jason Christie’s mindset heading in to the 2022 Academy Sports + Outdoors Classic presented by Huk on Lake Hartwell. The Park Hill, Oklahoma native is high on the list of favorites coming into this tournament and for good reason.
With over $2.5 million dollars in career earnings, a proven track record as a tournament winner, and a lot of favorable history on Lake Hartwell, Christie’s fishing resume speaks for itself. But it’s not necessarily his accolades that make him “one of the most feared names in professional bass fishing” as Dave Mercer says every time he crosses the weigh-in stage.
It’s his mind set. Christie isn’t much of a gambler off the water, but when it comes to his approach for nearly any tournament, especially the Bassmaster Classic, he is perfectly content with pushing all his chips to the center of the table. This mentality is what causes the competition to fear this even-keeled Okie.
“If you are fishing this week and you’re just hoping to have a good finish, you’re here for the wrong reason,” Christie said. “For me, this tournament is about putting it all out there and going for the win. Period.
“The hard part about that mindset is, everyone wants to walk across that stage and show all the people watching – friends, family, fans – that you’re a good fisherman. You don’t want to swing big and miss on the Classic stage. But the reality is if you’re here, you’re a good fisherman. After the Classic is over, I want to go to sleep knowing I tried to win.”
There are a lot of anglers who might tell you they are “swinging for the fences” in a given tournament, but a small handful of them who back this statement up. Guys like Greg Hackney, or Chris Zaldain, and Christie have consistently proven they are willing to go big or go home.
It's well-documented but this outlook may have cost Christie the last time Lake Hartwell held a Classic in 2018. After leading the tournament for the first two days, Christie stuck to his guns on a tough final day and fished the way he felt he needed to win from start to finish. Ultimately, he failed to catch a limit and fell just over a pound short of hoisting the sports’ biggest trophy.
There were a lot of armchair quarterbacks after that final day. Condemning Christie’s stubbornness as opposed to praising his “all in” mindset.
“I know I received a lot of ridicule after that (2018) Classic,” Christie grinned. “Everyone said ‘why didn’t you pick up a spinning rod and catch a limit’. In hindsight, it’s easy to say I should have. And was terrible to be that close and come up short, but we can’t see the scoreboard on the water. If I would have pulled out a spinning rod and still lost, it would have haunted me forever. I can sleep soundly at night knowing I fished to win.”
Christie practiced what he preached in 2018 and it didn’t work out in his favor, but there is peace that comes with trusting your gut that can’t be overlooked. Fortunately for Christie, his mantle at home is filled with trophies that are a credit to his mindset. You can call it stubborn, but he’s proven that stubbornness pays.
As for the fishing on Lake Hartwell this time around in 2022, Christie said he still doesn’t know exactly how he wants to fish this Classic.
“One thing I do know, is Garmin Livescope is going to play a huge role in this tournament,” Christie said. “I don’t care if it’s ten foot deep or forty foot, Livescope will be a player and that will be one of the major differences between this event and past Classics held here. I still need to sample some things on our final practice day before I make a decision, but by Wednesday night I’ll be committed one way or another.”
Another form of gambling Christie will partake in for this tournament comes in the way of contingency programs. Christie has won over $100,000 in contingency rewards throughout his career and deliberately uses products that carry these opportunities. Whether it’s the bonuses from Yamaha Power Pay ($20,000 to the highest finisher), Toyota Bonus Bucks ($7,500), or Costa Compete + Conserve ($7,500) … Christie wants to win them all along with the Classic trophy.
When the chips are down, you can bet Christie’s game plan won’t be built around catching a safe limit. He’ll be locked-in to whatever he feels gives him the best chance to win and that makes him a very scary man.
Swindle at the Classic: toothbrush, undies and a champion’s heart
Courtesy of Alan McGuckin - Dynamic Sponsorships
Bass fishing’s funniest man, Gerald Swindle is about to compete in his 19th Bassmaster Classic. And rest assured, he remembered to pack his toothbrush, undies, and a whole lot of competitive heart for the trip to Lake Hartwell.
“I’m not kidding, the first Classic I qualified for was in 1998, and guys I looked up to like Denny Brauer and George Cochran didn’t really tell me what to expect. So, I left home to fish that one at High Rock worried only about catching bass and making sure I remembered to pack my toothbrush and underwear,” remembers Swindle.
In the 24 years since High Rock, Swindle’s career has prospered in ways the son of a blue-collar okra farmer could have never imagined. And Classic week has grown way beyond his toothbrush concerns.
“I’ve seen and felt so much over the past 18 Classics,” reflected Swindle under the peace of Hartwell’s tall pines, like those that grow back home on his farm near Jasper, Alabama.
“I’ve zeroed in front of my hometown fans, shared the weigh-in stage with Chicago firefighter Kevin Oldham as he battled pancreatic cancer, got disqualified on Lay Lake, stepped in my own livewell in New Orleans and made ESPN’s Top Plays of the Day, and dang near won the thing in both Pittsburgh and New Orleans. So yea, here at age 52, you could say this little derby has had a pretty big place in my life’s story,” says Swindle.
More recently, at the 2019 Classic in Knoxville, Swindle was reminded just how special the Classic really was, as he fought back tears above emcee Dave Mercer’s microphone, and could barely speak, knowing he was leaving B.A.S.S. to fish in another league, and may never stand on the Classic stage again.
The moment hit Swindle harder than a Crimson Tide linebacker. It may very well have been his 18th and last chance to win pro angling’s ultimate trophy, and the last time he’d ever feel the magic he still feels of being pulled through the dark arena tunnel to the sound of his name, bright arena lights, and thousands of cheering fans.
It’s that incomparable goosebump-raising electricity in the Classic arena that Swindle says still provides the soulful motivation to ride around in a 45-degree rainstorm during practice this past Sunday on Hartwell -- searching for a few more magical waypoints that might lead to the title he’s grateful to have another shot at.
So how might this Classic finally yield the title that’s evaded the Team Toyota pro on 18 previous tries?
“Lulu said it best over breakfast this morning. She told me I have everything I need to be a champion. She said, “You’ve got the best rods, reels, lures, and electronics to get the job done. And most of all, you’ve got the heart of a champion. You just need to stir it all up, and pour it all out this week,” reflected Swindle with tremendous sincerity.
Lulu’s right. All the best equipment. A champion’s heart. And he even remembered to pack his toothbrush and plenty of comfortable undies. You can bet there’s thousands of fans hoping all those ingredients cook up a much-deserved Classic title for Swindle that’s eluded him in 18 hard-fought and colorful attempts previously.
Craven Claims Win at Phoenix Bass Fishing League Event on Lake Ouachita
MOUNT IDA, Ark. (Feb. 28, 2022) – Boater Jon Craven of Sheridan, Arkansas, caught five bass Sunday weighing 21 pounds, 14 ounces, to win the MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine on Lake Ouachita . The tournament was the second event for the Bass Fishing League Arkie Division. Craven earned $7,296, including a $2,500 Phoenix MLF Contingency Bonus, for his victory.
“I started off fishing some standing timber with a little bit of grass with some rock mixed in,” said Craven, who notched his first Phoenix Bass Fishing League win. “My first fish was a 6-pounder, and the very next cast was a 5-pounder.”
Craven said the action slowed a bit, but he managed to catch two 2½-pound bass on a Queen Tackle Tungsten Hammerhead Rattling Football Jig for four fish in the livewell. He then changed strategies and targeted brush piles and rock banks. Craven said he made a stop at a steep bluff and sat in 70 feet of water and used his Garmin Panoptix LiveScope to locate a piece of standing timber in 40 feet of water that held a good fish.
“I threw the A-Rig out and got it to bite,” Craven said. “It was a 6-pound, 6-ounce fish. And that put me at 21-14 with 45 minutes left in the tournament.
“It was a grind for me,” Craven added. “I only had five keeper bites all day.”
The top 10 boaters finished the tournament in:
1st: Jon Craven, Sheridan, Ark., five bass, 21-14, $7,296 (includes $2,500 Phoenix Bonus)
2nd: Quincy Houchin, Mabelvale, Ark., five bass, 17-10, $1,996
2nd: Kanon Harmon, Benton, Ark., five bass, 17-10, $2,711
4th: Josh Hilton, Clarksville, Ark., five bass, 16-6, $1,119
5th: Timmy Poe, Bryant, Ark., five bass, 16-1, $1,159
6th: Justin Howard, Austin, Ark., five bass, 15-14, $839
6th: Bryer Pennington, Prescott, Ark., five bass, 15-14, $839
8th: Brian Bean, Hot Springs, Ark., four bass, 14-15, $719
9th: Derek Sandlin, Mount Ida, Ark., five bass, 14-14, $639
10th: Kevin Brown, Hot Springs, Ark., five bass, 14-13, $760Complete results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
Harmon had a 6-pound, 7-ounce largemouth that was the heaviest of the event in the Boater Division and earned the day’s Berkley Big Bass Boater award of $715.
Timothy Preator of Hensley, Arkansas, won the Strike King Co-angler Division and $2,364 Sunday after catching five bass weighing 18 pounds, 5 ounces.
The top 10 Strike King co-anglers were:
1st: Timothy Preator, Hensley, Ark., five bass, 18-5, $2,364
2nd: Jonathan Simms, Hot Springs, Ark., five bass, 17-11, $1,182
3rd: Aaron Calvert, Russellville, Ark., five bass, 14-11, $788
4th: Briley Knowles, Texarkana, Ark., five bass, 14-9, $552
5th: Buck Blackwell, Pine Bluff, Ark., five bass, 12-15, $673
6th: Colton Welch, Leola, Ark., four bass, 10-3, $433
7th: Brian (Shane) Ray, Hot Springs, Ark., three bass, 9-7, $394
8th: Frank Reynolds, Bryant, Ark., five bass, 8-14, $355
9th: Blake Defoor, Waldron, Ark., four bass, 8-8, $315
10th: Nicholas Wade, Hot Springs, Ark., four bass, 8-5, $276John McCullar of Benton, Arkansas, and Herbert Kimbrough of North Little Rock, Arkansas, each caught fish weighing in at 5 pounds, 4 ounces to split the day’s Berkley Big Bass Co-angler award. Both McCullar and Kimbrough received $176.
The top 45 boaters and co-anglers in the region based on point standings, along with the five winners in each qualifying event, will be entered in the Oct. 20-22 Bass Fishing League Regional Championship on Grand Lake in Grove, Oklahoma. Boaters will compete for a top award of $60,000, including a new Phoenix 819 Pro with a 200-horsepower Mercury outboard and $10,000, while co-anglers will fish for a new Phoenix 819 Pro with a 200-horsepower Mercury outboard.
The 2022 Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine is a 24-division circuit devoted to weekend anglers, with 128 tournaments throughout the season, five qualifying events in each division. The top 45 boaters and Strike King co-anglers from each division, along with the five winners of the qualifying events, will advance to one of six Regional Championships where they are competing to finish in the top six, which then qualifies them for one of the longest-running championships in all of competitive bass fishing – the Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American. The 2022 All-American will be held June 2-4 at Lake Hamilton in Hot Springs, Arkansas, and is hosted by the Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism and Visit Hot Springs.
The top 45 boaters and Strike King co-anglers plus tournament winners from each Phoenix Bass Fishing League division will also earn priority entry into the MLF Toyota Series, the pathway to the MLF Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit and ultimately the MLF Bass Pro Tour.
Proud sponsors of the 2022 MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine include: 4WP, 13 Fishing, Abu Garcia, AFTCO, A.R.E. Truck Caps, B&W Trailer Hitches, Berkley, Black Rifle Coffee, E3, Epic Baits, Favorite Fishing, Gary Yamamoto Baits, General Tire, Lew’s, Lowrance, Lucas Oil, Mercury, Mossy Oak, Onyx, Phoenix, Polaris, Power-Pole, Revital Outdoors, Strike King, Tackle Warehouse, T-H Marine, Toyota, Wiley X, YETI and Yo-Zuri.
For complete details and updated tournament information, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular Bass Fishing League updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF5’s social media outlets at Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.
Sportsmans Warehouse Product Spotlight featuring Elite Series Pro Bernie Schultz
This week Elite Series Pro Bernie Schultz talks about the new Shimano Flat Side Crakbait with Jet Propulsion technology.
Anderson Wins Phoenix Bass Fishing League Event on Pickwick Lake
COUNCE, Tenn. (Feb. 28, 2022) – Boater Brent Anderson of Kingston Springs, Tennessee, caught five bass Saturday weighing 21 pounds even to win the MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine on Pickwick Lake . The tournament, hosted by Hardin County Convention and Visitors Bureau, was the second event for the Bass Fishing League Choo Choo Division. Anderson earned $12,618, which included the lucrative $7,000 Phoenix MLF Contingency Bonus, for his victory.
“I ran to the mid-lake section and fished pretty much from Waterloo down to State Line Islands, and targeted mud lines where clear water was running into all of the mud,” Anderson said. “I used a Z-Man (Evergreen) Chatterbait Jack Hammer and targeted anything from 1 to 6 feet deep.”
Anderson said he used a combination of white, chartreuse/white and black/blue ChatterBaits, depending on water color to catch “about 20 keepers.”
“Where the mud started I would stay with the dark, and as it cleared up I would go to the light colors,” Anderson said. “A lot of what I was fishing I would run multiple times, and I would switch colors on my second trip.”
Anderson now has nine Phoenix Bass Fishing League wins under his belt.
“It’s a relief to start your year off with a win and have that momentum,” Anderson said. “The years I’ve done that have turned out to be really good years.
“I just try not to take these wins for granted,” Anderson added. “I’ve been doing this a long time, and they’re a lot harder to come by now. Guys are a lot better, technology is a lot better and information is a lot easier to gain. You never know when a win might be your last one.”
The top 10 boaters finished the tournament in:
1st: Brent Anderson, Kingston Springs, Tenn., five bass, 21-0, $12,618, (includes $7,000 Phoenix Bonus)
2nd: Chris Kirksey, Fairmount, Ga., five bass, 17-12, $2,309
3rd: Blake Fritts, Florence, Ala., four bass, 16-13, $2,219
4th: Nick Stickland, Sulligent, Ala., five bass, 16-11, $1,078
5th: Garrett Warren, Hoover, Ala., five bass, 16-3, $924
6th: Steve Stewart, Donalsonville, Ga., five bass, 15-8, $847
7th: Brandon Bright, Crossville, Ala., two bass, 15-6, $770
8th: Justin Atkins, Florence, Ala., five bass, 15-0, $693
9th: Mickey Beck, Lebanon, Tenn., five bass, 14-9, $616
10th: Chris Youngblood, Kingston, Ga., five bass, 14-7, $539
Complete results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
Fritts had a 6-pound, 5-ounce largemouth that was the heaviest of the event in the Boater Division and earned the day’s Berkley Big Bass Boater award of $680.
Johnny Suratt of Lawrenceburg, Tennessee, won the Strike King Co-angler Division and $2,640 Saturday after catching four bass weighing 14 pounds, 8 ounces.
The top 10 Strike King co-anglers were:
1st: Johnny Suratt, Lawrenceburg, Tenn., four bass, 14-8, $2,640
2nd: Ethan Wheeler, Mayfield, Ky., four bass, 13-8, $960
2nd: Jose Serna, Albertville, Ala., three bass, 13-8, $960
4th: Craig Johnson, Trinity, Ala., five bass, 13-4, $538
5th: Nicholas Gresens, Decatur, Ga., five bass, 12-7, $461
6th: Teddy Baggett, Nashville, Tenn., five bass, 12-3, $423
7th: Caleb Edgerton, Dayton, Ohio, three bass, 9-14, $584
8th: Bob Thompson, Florence, Ala., three bass, 9-1, $346
9th: Jason Long, Calhoun, Ga., three bass, 7-14, $307
10th: Randall Kramer, Signal Mountain, Tenn., two bass, 7-3, $269
Suratt also caught the largest bass in the Co-angler Division, a fish weighing in at 6 pounds, 7 ounces. The catch earned him the day’s Berkley Big Bass Co-angler award of $335.
The top 45 boaters and co-anglers in the region based on point standings, along with the five winners in each qualifying event, will be entered in the Oct. 6-8 Bass Fishing League Regional Championship on Lake Murray in Prosperity, S.C. Boaters will compete for a top award of $60,000, including a new Phoenix 819 Pro with a 200-horsepower Mercury outboard and $10,000, while co-anglers will fish for a new Phoenix 819 Pro with a 200-horsepower Mercury outboard.
The 2022 Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine is a 24-division circuit devoted to weekend anglers, with 128 tournaments throughout the season, five qualifying events in each division. The top 45 boaters and Strike King co-anglers from each division, along with the five winners of the qualifying events, will advance to one of six Regional Championships where they are competing to finish in the top six, which then qualifies them for one of the longest-running championships in all of competitive bass fishing – the Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American. The 2022 All-American will be held June 2-4 at Lake Hamilton in Hot Springs, Arkansas, and is hosted by the Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism and Visit Hot Springs.
The top 45 boaters and Strike King co-anglers plus tournament winners from each Phoenix Bass Fishing League division will also earn priority entry into the MLF Toyota Series, the pathway to the MLF Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit and ultimately the MLF Bass Pro Tour.
Proud sponsors of the 2022 MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine include: 4WP, 13 Fishing, Abu Garcia, AFTCO, A.R.E. Truck Caps, B&W Trailer Hitches, Berkley, Black Rifle Coffee, E3, Epic Baits, Favorite Fishing, Gary Yamamoto Baits, General Tire, Lew’s, Lowrance, Lucas Oil, Mercury, Mossy Oak, Onyx, Phoenix, Polaris, Power-Pole, Revital Outdoors, Strike King, Tackle Warehouse, T-H Marine, Toyota, Wiley X, YETI and Yo-Zuri.
For complete details and updated tournament information, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular Bass Fishing League updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF5’s social media outlets at Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.
Burroughs Earns Victory at Phoenix Bass Fishing League Event on Santee Cooper
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Boater Jason Burroughs of Hodges, S.C., and Strike-King co-angler Hunter Bailey of North Augusta, S.C.
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| SUMMERTON, S.C. (Feb. 28, 2022) – Boater Jason Burroughs of Hodges, South Carolina, caught five bass Saturday weighing 30 pounds, 11 ounces, to win the MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine on Santee Cooper . The tournament was the second event for the Bass Fishing League South Carolina Division. Burroughs earned $13,463, including the lucrative $7,000 Phoenix MLF Contingency Bonus, for his victory.
Burroughs, who now has four Phoenix Bass Fishing League wins, said during practice he had found areas that held 3½- to 4½-pound bass, and he expected to net 19 pounds at weigh-in. During the tournament, he said he focused on the edges of grass on the lower lake using a ½-ounce shad-colored Buckeye Lures Double Willow Spinnerbait. “When I got to my first area, my first fish was probably 5½ pounds and jumped off,” Burroughs said. “But by 9:30 I had five fish – including one that weighed 1½ pounds – that went 20 pounds. Then I culled that 1½-pounder with one that weighed 9-6, so that was a pretty big upgrade. “I had the rest of the day to catch one more big one, and I ended up culling a 4-pounder with a 7-pounder, and that’s what pushed me over 30 pounds,” Burroughs added. Burroughs said he fished in just one area throughout the day. “The females had moved up, and the fish were the right size, so I wasn’t going to run to another area,” Burroughs said. “I knew there were big ones where I was, so I chose to stay. That’s definitely out of character for me. I’m normally moving more than everybody. “This win is very special to me,” Burroughs added. “It’s been 10 years since I was on Santee, and I only practiced two days. There were some absolute local hammers there that could have pulled off the win. So, winning there is a whole lot more special than winning on your home lake where you fish all the time.” The top 10 boaters finished the tournament in: 1st: Jason Burroughs, Hodges, S.C., five bass, 30-11, $13,463 (includes $7,000 Phoenix Bonus) Complete results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com. Burroughs’ 9-pound, 6-ounce largemouth was the heaviest of the event in the Boater Division and also earned him the day’s Berkley Big Bass Boater award of $635.
Hunter Bailey of North Augusta, South Carolina, won the Strike King Co-angler Division and $2,531 Saturday after catching five bass weighing 19 pounds, 12 ounces. The top 10 Strike King co-anglers were: 1st: Hunter Bailey, North Augusta, S.C., five bass, 19-12, $2,531 Bailey also caught the largest bass in the Co-angler Division, a fish weighing in at 8 pounds, 3 ounces. The catch earned him the day’s Berkley Big Bass Co-angler award of $317. The top 45 boaters and co-anglers in the region based on point standings, along with the five winners in each qualifying event, will be entered in the Oct. 13-15 Bass Fishing League Regional Championship on Pickwick Lake in Counce, Tennessee. Boaters will compete for a top award of $60,000, including a new Phoenix 819 Pro with a 200-horsepower Mercury outboard and $10,000, while co-anglers will fish for a new Phoenix 819 Pro with a 200-horsepower Mercury outboard. The 2022 Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine is a 24-division circuit devoted to weekend anglers, with 128 tournaments throughout the season, five qualifying events in each division. The top 45 boaters and Strike King co-anglers from each division, along with the five winners of the qualifying events, will advance to one of six Regional Championships where they are competing to finish in the top six, which then qualifies them for one of the longest-running championships in all of competitive bass fishing – the Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American. The 2022 All-American will be held June 2-4 at Lake Hamilton in Hot Springs, Arkansas, and is hosted by the Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism and Visit Hot Springs. The top 45 boaters and Strike King co-anglers plus tournament winners from each Phoenix Bass Fishing League division will also earn priority entry into the MLF Toyota Series, the pathway to the MLF Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit and ultimately the MLF Bass Pro Tour. Proud sponsors of the 2022 MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine include: 4WP, 13 Fishing, Abu Garcia, AFTCO, A.R.E. Truck Caps, B&W Trailer Hitches, Berkley, Black Rifle Coffee, E3, Epic Baits, Favorite Fishing, Gary Yamamoto Baits, General Tire, Lew’s, Lowrance, Lucas Oil, Mercury, Mossy Oak, Onyx, Phoenix, Polaris, Power-Pole, Revital Outdoors, Strike King, Tackle Warehouse, T-H Marine, Toyota, Wiley X, YETI and Yo-Zuri. For complete details and updated tournament information, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular Bass Fishing League updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF5’s social media outlets at Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. |
Brumfield Wins Phoenix Bass Fishing League Event on Lake Lanier
Boater Jerry Brumfield of Cumming, Georgia, and Strike King Co-Angler Jonathan Gregory of Somerset, Kentucky, were champions at the MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine on Lake Lanier.
GAINESVILLE, Ga. (Feb. 28, 2022) – Boater Jerry Brumfield of Cumming, Georgia, caught five bass Saturday weighing 20 pounds, 2 ounces, to win the MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine on Lake Lanier. The tournament was the season-opener for the Bass Fishing League Bulldog Division. Brumfield earned $6,000 for his victory.
“The day started off a little sluggish,” Brumfield said. “After the first hour and a half I didn’t have anything, so I had to make a move.”
Brumfield said he practiced for three weeks before the tournament, and for the most part had success. But Brumfield said the week leading up to the event was a different story.
“They moved on me,” Brumfield said. “I had holes I had caught big fish on, so I moved to them. And then at 11 o’clock I had 18 pounds.”
Brumfield credits his win in large part to his Garmin Panoptix LiveScope he used to locate fish, and a Keitech Swim Jig to provoke strikes in 30 to 42 feet of water.
“At 2:30 I caught one that upgraded me 2 pounds,” Brumfield said. “I told my co-angler, ‘I just won this tournament.’”
The top 10 boaters finished the tournament in:
1st: Jerry Brumfield, Cumming, Ga., five bass, 20-2, $6,000
2nd: Will Harkins, Blairsville, Ga., five bass, 19-13, $3,000
3rd: Grant Kelly, Milledgeville, Ga., five bass, 19-5, $3,000
4th: Todd Anderson, Dawsonville, Ga., five bass, 18-15, $1,400
5th: Patrick Brown, Swainsboro, Ga., five bass, 18-5, $1,200
6th: Jeff Williams, Gainesville, Ga., five bass, 18-0, $1,100
7th: Alex Prince, Blue Ridge, Ga., five bass, 17-8, $1,500 (includes $500 Phoenix Bonus)
8th: Carl Smith, Lugoff, S.C., five bass, 17-7, $800
8th: Dalton Tankersley, Copperhill, Tenn., five bass, 17-7, $800
8th: Weston Parker, Mansfield, Ga., five bass, 17-7, $800
Complete results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
Kelly had a 7-pound, 3-ounce largemouth that was the heaviest of the event in the Boater Division and earned the day’s Berkley Big Bass Boater award of $1,000.
Jonathan Gregory of Somerset, Kentucky, won the Strike King Co-angler Division and $3,000 Saturday after catching five bass weighing 14 pounds, 15 ounces.
The top 10 Strike King co-anglers were:
1st: Jonathan Gregory, Somerset, Ky., five bass, 14-15, $3,000
2nd: Jarrett Vick, Archer, Fla., five bass, 14-14, $1,500
3rd: David Uselton, McDonough, Ga., five bass, 14-9, $1,200
4th: Chris Pfrogner, Dawsonville, Ga., five bass, 14-7, $650
4th: J.B. Banks, Gainesville, Ga., five bass, 14-7, $650
6th: Ryan Frazier, Stone Mountain, Ga., five bass, 13-15, $525
6th: Shane Carlton, Akron, Ohio, five bass, 13-15, $525
8th: Caleb Wyatt, Easley, S.C., five bass, 13-11, $450
9th: Ben Brisbois, Gainesville, Ga., five bass, 13-0, $400
10th: Judah Eernisse, Chapin, S.C., five bass, 12-14, $350
Jody Cook of Dawsonville, Georgia, caught the largest bass in the Co-angler Division, a fish weighing in at 6 pounds, 9 ounces. The catch earned him the day’s Berkley Big Bass Co-angler award of $500.
The top 45 boaters and co-anglers in the region based on point standings, along with the five winners in each qualifying event, will be entered in the Oct. 6-8 Bass Fishing League Regional Championship on Lake Murray in Prosperity, S.C. Boaters will compete for a top award of $60,000, including a new Phoenix 819 Pro with a 200-horsepower Mercury outboard and $10,000, while co-anglers will fish for a new Phoenix 819 Pro with a 200-horsepower Mercury outboard.
The 2022 Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine is a 24-division circuit devoted to weekend anglers, with 128 tournaments throughout the season, five qualifying events in each division. The top 45 boaters and Strike King co-anglers from each division, along with the five winners of the qualifying events, will advance to one of six Regional Championships where they are competing to finish in the top six, which then qualifies them for one of the longest-running championships in all of competitive bass fishing – the Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American. The 2022 All-American will be held June 2-4 at Lake Hamilton in Hot Springs, Arkansas, and is hosted by the Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism and Visit Hot Springs.
The top 45 boaters and Strike King co-anglers plus tournament winners from each Phoenix Bass Fishing League division will also earn priority entry into the MLF Toyota Series, the pathway to the MLF Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit and ultimately the MLF Bass Pro Tour.
Proud sponsors of the 2022 MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine include: 4WP, 13 Fishing, Abu Garcia, AFTCO, A.R.E. Truck Caps, B&W Trailer Hitches, Berkley, Black Rifle Coffee, E3, Epic Baits, Favorite Fishing, Gary Yamamoto Baits, General Tire, Lew’s, Lowrance, Lucas Oil, Mercury, Mossy Oak, Onyx, Phoenix, Polaris, Power-Pole, Revital Outdoors, Strike King, Tackle Warehouse, T-H Marine, Toyota, Wiley X, YETI and Yo-Zuri.
For complete details and updated tournament information, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular Bass Fishing League updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF5’s social media outlets at Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.
Rob Lee and Steve Winslett win $10,750 on Logan Martin Lake
By Jason Duran
Lincoln, Ala. Feb. 26- The Alabama Bass Trail South Division began the 2022 season from Logan Martin Lake, a lake well known for its spotted bass. 211 of 225 teams weighed at least one fish and the majority of those teams weighed in a 5 bass limit. Teams found this tournament to be very competitive as the weights were very tight among the field. The team of Rob Lee and Steve Winslett took the win with 17.72 pounds of Logan Martin bass.
Typically, Logan Martin Lake is visited by the ABT towards the end of the season when the lake levels are at full pool, but with the newly constructed Lincoln’s Landing, access to the lake is much easier when the lake is in winter pool. This provides more opportunities for tournaments to be hosted. The town of Lincoln invested millions into this facility with a large multiple lane boat ramp and spacious concrete parking. Construction continues on a large pavilion and other facilities. When this project is complete, it will be one of the best fishing destinations in Alabama.
Steve Winslett and Rob Lee are quickly becoming one of the most consistent teams on the ABT. Year after year their names are at the top of the leader board. Once again today, they take home another victory and $10,750 including bonus from ABT Gear and Garmin highest finisher. They said, “it’s good to get a good start to the year against the high caliber of fishermen in this trail.” The lake had lots of current in practice and on tournament day. They spent their day fishing south of Lincoln’s Landing. Earlier in the week, they “found the bait fish to be pushed up in shallow pockets to get out of the current, and the big fish just followed the bait into those pockets. We caught our fish early this morning in those type areas right off the main river. The fish were setting up just outside the river within 20 yards of the current seam. We caught most of our fish early in the morning. They hit a spinner bait early, and after the bite slowed down, we switched over to the jig. We also noticed the spinner bait bite came back right at the end of the day. The fish really wanted it a certain way causing us to slow down as the day went on. Because of the muddy water, we found that throwing a spinnerbait with a painted white blade helped match the bait fish better.” For them matching the bait fish with their bait was important. “This time of year bait fish have a really white hue color to them.” The spinner bait used also had an orange and yellow skirt because the fish need color as well as the blade vibration, and this time of year orange is a great color of choice. The second bait they used was a black and blue ½ Strike King Hack Attack jig with a blue sapphire Zoom Chunk trailer. They weighed in a mixed bag of Largemouth and spotted bass finding both grouped up in the same area and fairly the same size. They were very thankful to get this win and hope to continue the success this year at the next four events.
Ryan Parks and Brian West, a first-year team on the ABT, took second place starting the year off with a very successful finish. They consider Logan Martin Lake home and have been successful in other trails at Logan Martin. Today they shared the game plan was to focus on catching spotted bass. They spent their day “fishing channel swings where current would have a break in it right off the river channel and the shad would get pushed in the shallow areas.” They targeted these fish using shad colored jerk baits, swim baits and rattle traps. They had to downsize their line to get the fish to bite they changed to 12 to 14 Fluorocarbon and later in the day they had to slow down their retrieve. They weighed in a full bag of Spotted Bass that tipped the scales at 17.21 which was good enough for second place and $500. Going forward they hope to stay high in the points and win AOY and make the ABT Championship in their first year.
Eric Morris and Ben Williamson secured third place with 16.83 pounds. They found Logan Martin Lake to be very productive when it came to catching fish. Ben shared, “this lake is very diverse from the north end of the lake where it fishes more like a river system to down south where its spreads out with more pockets and creek channels. We focused mainly on the mid lake areas in shallow creeks and targeted shallow structure. Our original game plan didn’t pan out with the weather change and the water temp dropping, so we looked for new areas and found two good fish later in the day.” The team worked hard to locate fish in practice using their own boats separately and looking to find fish that suits their style of fishing. Ben is more of a “shallow water fishermen and Eric focuses on more offshore areas. They combined their practice information to make a plan for tournament day.” Eric feels it was important to finish at the top saying, “you always want that hardware to take home and third place is the hardware. We really want to do well this year, and our focus is on AOY. We were really close a couple of years ago but just missed our chance, so we want to get it this yearz.”
The Top 10 places are below for a complete list of standings visit:
https://www.alabamabasstrail.org/logan-martin-lake/results/
Download and listen to the ABT Podcast on your favorite Podcast app by searching for “Alabama Bass Trail Podcast.” The podcast is released each week on Tuesday.
Wheeler & Davenport win TTZ on LBJ with over 24 pounds!
Bethel University Wins Eighth-Annual MLF Abu Garcia College Fishing Open at Lake Chickamauga
DAYTON, Tenn. (Feb. 28, 2022) – The Bethel University duo of Hunter Fillmore of Waynesville, Ohio and Dylan Fogarty of Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania won the eighth-annual Abu Garcia College Fishing Presented by YETI Open tournament at Lake Chickamauga on Friday. The team’s two-day cumulative total of 10 bass weighing 45 pounds, 9 ounces, gave them a whopping 14-pound, 3-ounce-margin over the second-place team, Georgetown College’s Conner Johnson of Paris, Kentucky and Jordan Nicely of Mount Vernon, Kentucky, who brought 10 bass to the stage weighing 31-6. The Bethel victory earned the duo a $33,500 prize package, including a new Phoenix 518 Pro boat with a 115-horsepower Mercury outboard, and an automatic berth into the 2023 Abu Garcia College Fishing National Championship.
A total of 275 teams competed in the event on Lake Chickamauga, setting the record for the most teams in Major League Fishing history to compete in the College Fishing Open. With the number of teams competing, the Bethel duo said they were surprised to realize they had such a large lead on the final day of the event.
“We honestly just got lucky,” said Fogarty. “We spent a whole day graphing Lake Chickamauga, from the dam all the way up to Sale Creek. This one spot we found is unlike anything we’ve ever seen – just one patch of grass, about the size of a boat – and we managed to pull over 45 pounds out of it.
“After we got a good limit on Day 1, we just stuck around the area to see if we could cull, and kept an eye on the place, but no one else showed up.”
The pair headed back to their lucky spot on Day 2, where they found conditions had changed – the formerly clean water was dirty and the water level had risen, pushing the grass down even deeper.
“The water had come up about a foot and a half or so, pushing the grass down to about 8 feet of water,” said Fillmore. “We had been fishing with a lipless crankbait on the first day, but switched over to vibrating jigs on Day 2, and had our limit by 11:30 a.m.,” said Fillmore.
Their key baits were a Z-Man ChatterBait Jack Hammer and a Queen Tackle Switch Blade Tungsten Bladed Jig in ½-ounce models, with red skirts and a white Yamamoto Zako , which they dyed orange. The pair said once Fogarty reeled in the 9-5, they had a pretty good idea they would be in first place.
“We knew we were sittin’ good but had no idea we had that large of a lead,” said Fillmore. “This is Bethel’s first Open win and it feels great.”
The 27 teams that advanced to the 2023 Abu Garcia College Fishing National Championship were:
1st: Bethel University – Hunter Fillmore, Waynesville, Ohio, and Dylan Fogarty, Mechanicsburg, Pa., 10 bass, 45-9
2nd: Georgetown College – Conner Johnson, Paris, Ky., and Jordan Nicely, Mount Vernon, Ky., seven bass, 31-6
3rd: Tarleton State University – Reagan Nelson, Athens, Texas, and Collin Reyes, Saginaw, Texas, 10 bass, 28-14
4th: Louisiana State University – Bryan Bergeron, Port Allen, La., and Heath Pinell, Plaquemine, La., 10 bass, 28-3
5th: Bryan College – Conner Giles, Riceville, Tenn., and Christian Wright, Clinton, Tenn., eight bass, 28-2
6th: Blue Mountain College – Tyler Hill and Bryant Marsh, both of Corinth, Miss., six bass, 25-6
7th: Bryan College – Mason Cizek, Knoxville, Tenn., and Rob Lindsey, Harrison, Tenn., seven bass, 25-1
8th: Bethel University – Austin Aikins, Lower Burrell, Pa., and Sean O’Brien, McKenzie, Tenn., seven bass, 24-2
9th: University of Montevallo – Cade Holcomb, Helena, Ala., and Grayson Morris, Birmingham, Ala., eight bass, 24-1
10th: Catawba Valley Community College – Lane Bailey and Justin Eggers, both of Granite Falls, N.C., six bass, 22-5
11th: Drury University – Hunter Baird, Springfield, Mo., and Cole Breeden, Eldridge, Mo., nine bass, 21-11
12th: University of Montevallo – Adam Carroll, Carrollton, Ga., and Trey Dickert, Taylors, S.C., six bass, 21-9
13th: Emmanuel College – Dylan Akins, Flowery Branch, Ga., and Chase Carey, Hoschton, Ga., eight bass, 20-11
14th: Columbia State Community College – Hunter Jones and Ryan Prince, both of Mount Pleasant, Tenn., six bass, 20-5
15th: Blue Mountain College – Lake Norsworthy, Brandon, Miss., and Nick Staub, Germantown, Tenn., seven bass, 19-14
16th: University of North Carolina – Samuel Dunson, Chapel Hill, N.C., and Jake Monti, Mooresville, N.C., five bass, 19-11
17th: Louisiana State University – Jeremy Severic, Bossier City, La., and Blakely Young, Hallsville, Texas, seven bass, 19-1
18th: East Texas Baptist University – Kaden Proffitt, Pittsburg, Texas, and Cason Ragsdale, Winnsboro, Texas, five bass, 18-15
19th: McKendree University – Tyler Christy, Bolingbrook, Ill., and Trey Schroeder, Crestwood, Mo., eight bass, 18-14
20th: Bethel University – Matthew Cummings, Union City, Tenn., and Levi Mullins, Nineveh, Ind., six bass, 18-9
21st: Emmanuel College – Seth Jenkins, Townville, S.C. and TJ McKenzie, Andrews, S.C., eight bass, 18-8
22nd: McKendree University – Jack Stephens, St. Louis, Mo., and Maxwell Trotter, Decatur, Ill., seven bass, 18-0
23rd: University of Nebraska – Cade Ludwig, Lincoln, Neb., and Hunter Suchsland, Kearney, Neb., seven bass, 17-9
24th: Tarleton State – Kreed Averhoff, Hico, Texas, and Jordan Kalsbeek, Stephenville, Texas, six bass, 17-8
25th: Emmanuel College – Cole Holloway, Madison, Ga., and Taylor McMullen, Oxford, Ga., five bass, 17-2
26th: Blue Mountain College – John Berry, Mt. Olive, Miss., and Blake Bullock, Seminary, Miss., six bass, 17-0
27th: University of North Alabama – Ty James, Iuka, Miss., and Walker Sahagun, Trussville, Ala., four bass, 16-10
Complete results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
The Abu Garcia College Fishing Presented by YETI Open tournament was hosted by Fish Dayton and the Rhea Economic & Tourism Council. The next event for MLF collegiate anglers will be a Southeastern Conference tournament, scheduled for March 4 on Lake Guntersville in Guntersville, Alabama.
Abu Garcia College Fishing Presented by YETI teams compete in three regular-season qualifying tournaments in one of five conferences – Central, Northern, Southern, Southeastern and Western. The top ten teams from each division’s three regular-season tournaments and the top 20 teams from the annual Abu Garcia College Fishing Open advance to the following year’s Abu Garcia College Fishing Presented by YETI National Championship. One additional team will automatically qualify for the National Championship for every 10 teams over 200 competing.
Proud sponsors of the 2022 MLF Abu Garcia College Fishing Presented by YETI include: 4WP, 13 Fishing, Abu Garcia, A.R.E. Truck Caps, B&W Trailer Hitches, Berkley, Black Rifle Coffee, E3, Epic Baits, Favorite Fishing, Gary Yamamoto Baits, General Tire, Lew’s, Lowrance, Lucas Oil, Mercury, Mossy Oak, Onyx, Phoenix, Polaris, Power-Pole, Strike King, Tackle Warehouse, T-H Marine, Toyota, Wiley X and YETI.
For complete details and updated information visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow the Abu Garcia College Fishing Presented by YETI on MLF’s social media outlets at Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.
NPFL Lake Cumberland: Watkins Wins It All On Cumberland
BURNSIDE, Kentucky - Relying on a clean water intake from practice, Taylor Watkins locked up his second NPFL win on an ever-changing Lake Cumberland with a giant 23-pound, 6-ounce bag of bass. With only one area from practice to return to, the Clinton Tennessee anglers probed a 200-yard stretch in the back of a pocket to take the $50,000 check and his 2nd NPFL Crown.
“I was definitely not catching in practice, but I did get four bites total in practice with three coming off one small stretch. With the changing conditions and rising water, I went back through there and buckled down for the day.”
Moving through what turned out to be the key stretch, Watkins broke off a big fish early on before working to the back of the pocket and filling out a limit. While letting the spot rest after the lost fish, he returned to the waterfall area which pushed clean, warm water though.
“In that little spot, there was a small subtle point on a small shelf off the bluff wall and it dropped to 25-foot off the edge. The water was 52 to 53-degrees there and was cleaner than the rest. I got back there, and first cast caught that big smallie and three casts later got another one over four.”
Knowing he had found the key to catching 18” sized smallies, Watkins picked apart his area with a ¾-ounce Covert spinnerbait with a red #6 thumper blade paired with a Zoom Split Tail trailer bait. Watching his Active Target installed by Bass Boat Electronics, he was able to make a precise cast to his subtle point and get above average size bass in the boat.
“It is relaxing to get this win; it certainly takes the pressure off for the whole year. I am not necessarily going to change up anything, but it does take the pressure off. I am not going to pre-practice on Hartwell, I'll just show up and fish the conditions.”
Josh McDermott
With 15-pounds, 2-ounces, Josh McDermott relied on a few bites in practice to finish in 2nd place. The Fishers, Indiana angler returned to his primary bluff point leading into a creek and plucked off bass hanging on rock and wood. Using a Megabass 110+ Jr., McDermott noticed spotted bass in practice puking up 1 to 2-inch shad and downsized his presentation to catch the stingy bass.
“I located a lot of bass in practice but most of my bites were spots. Today, spots turned into largies, and largemouth turn into smallmouth. I think I had three largemouth in my bag to go with a spot and a smallie. The area I found was a bluff that dropped off into 30+ foot of water but there was a nice shelf. In practice they were in 10 to 14-foot and they moved into that same range with the rising water.”
Making a long cast on light line, McDermott would work his jerkbait to the magical depth and turn to small twitches to entice bites. He was using an Elite Rod, 6’ 10” medium action to get off to a fast start and swapped to a rock crawler to cull with his biggest largemouth. The Indiana pro milked two areas the entire day and picked through short fish to catch his bag.
Jeff Dobson
After a 2-pound penalty for a culling error, Oklahoma's Jeff Dobson weighed in 13-pounds, 4-ounces to finish the one-day shootout in 3rdplace. Rolling with a solid finish to the 2021 season, Dobson is thrilled to keep the good decisions going into 2022.
“I was really comfortable with my deal, and when you fish under these conditions, you have to keep your head up and fish hard or you're not going to be yourself. I have some history here from the past, and I found some fish in those older spots this week.”
Seen on Live fishing a micro jig, Dobson relied on an Omega Custom Tackle Jig head with a hand tied skirt he makes specifically for cold water. After going back to the locations from practice, Dobson went to an area he had got seven bites and backed off on.
“I caught those bass in the same spot they were the other day. Today, with the high water, they were in 22-foot, and it was a mix of spots and smallmouth. Largemouth are more subject to move with the water, and I caught a few of those this morning before getting back out to the smallmouth.”
Dobson was targeting boulders and standing timber and used his sensitive FX Rod, 7’ 3” Medium Heavy fast to pick up on light bites from deep fish. The key was contacting cover and moving the bait through while picking up on a subtle bite.
Todd Goade
In the 4th place spot, just 2 ounces back from Dobson, Todd Goade relied on some fish located early on the first day of practice to catch his 13-pounds, 2-ounces. Getting off to an early start, Goade had a limit by 9:30AM and stuck with his starting spot until 11AM before making a move.
“The water in this area was 50-degrees and I know from fishing in Tennessee, when the water level rises, fish will usually stay put, or follow the water up and hang in the same depth range. I caught some fish right up shallow and some exactly where they were on Sunday.”
Fishing a chartreuse pulse jig, a crankbait, and a ½-ounce Fitzgerald Bryan Thrift Tungsten jig, Goade targeted banks with 45-degree slopes versus the steeper bluff banks adjacent. Anywhere there was a little wood and boulders, the White Pine, Tennessee angler was able to get bites.
“It was something about this little 500-yard stretch, it has wood and rock, and the one key was these red color rocks that were mixed in. Where that transitioned to shale, I got a lot of bites. I think the warmer water kept those fish there, and in practice there was also a ton of bait I could see on active target. I caught one fish out deeper on active target today and it was a keeper smallmouth.”
Jesse Wise
In the 5th spot, fishing out of Burnside this morning, Jesse Wise dodged big floating log jams and was able to get to his fish after idling and weaving through timber. Weeding through over 20 bass, Wise brought 12-pounds, 6-ounces to the scales to finish his day.
“I left Burnside and ran into some jams. I could barely get into this creek but when I got in, I fished a 400-yard stretch all day, and there were smaller key areas on that. I caught a ton of fish today, culled four times so nine total keepers.”
Tossing a ¾-ounce spinnerbait with a #6 thumper blade, Wise added a Deep Creek Lures Swimmer with a chartreuse died tail as a trailer. Rotating between the spinnerbait, a jig and a beaver style bait, the spinnerbait was the dominate presentation for the Erwin, North Carolina angler.
“I tried other baits and I could feel the fish swirling on my baits, but they never did east those jigs. I picked up that blade and locked in in my hands all day and forced a reaction bite. Its indescribable how it feels to get off to a good start and I like this league because like me, a lot of these guys are going home this weekend and working on Monday. The other key is that back home, we don’t get shy around the muddy water - I am not afraid of it and today I settled in and grinded it out.”
Rest of the Best:
6th Dale Prinkey12-pounds, 5-ounces
7th Ryan Davidson11-pounds, 9-ounces
8th Craig Burwell11-pounds, 7-ounces
9th Jeff Barth10-pounds, 2-ounces
10th Taylor Umland10-pounds, 1-ounce
Mueller Lands Dream Victory In B.A.S.S. Nation Western Regional On Lake Havasu
Frankie Mueller, of Kingman, Ariz., has won the 2022 TNT Fireworks B.A.S.S. Nation Western Regional on Lake Havasu with a three-day total of 47 pounds, 4 ounces.
Photo by Grant Moxley/B.A.S.S.
February 25, 2022
LAKE HAVASU CITY, Ariz. — Frankie Mueller couldn’t have written a better script for his win at the 2022 TNT Fireworks B.A.S.S. Nation Western Regional.
The 26-year-old resident of nearby Kingman, Ariz., grew up fishing on this 19,200-acre impoundment of the Colorado River. After a solid start on Wednesday, he climbed into the lead with the heaviest bag of the tournament on Day 2, then he held off some hard-charging contenders on Friday.
Mueller finished with a three-day total of 14 bass weighing 47 pounds, 4 ounces. He collected a $5,000 cash prize with his first regional victory in four tries, and he also claimed a berth in the TNT B.A.S.S. Nation Championship later this year.
To top it off, Mueller’s mom, girlfriend and a gaggle of fishing buddies were in the crowd at Lake Havasu State Park to see him collect the championship trophy.
Winning on home water often affords such rewards.
“This is unbelievable,” he said. “It’s all my dreams come true.”
It was that kind of week for Mueller, who works as a heavy equipment operator when he’s not fishing on Lake Havasu, something he does two or three times a week.
“When I was in the Arizona Open a few weeks ago, before (the lake was) off-limits, I saw some fish cruising around shallow," he said. "So, on Day 1, I ran around to those spots where I’ve caught them before and wound up with 12 pounds. I went back to those spots yesterday and the bass were big. It was just a special day.”
Mueller’s 22-3 limit on Thursday easily was the largest of the tournament, and it vaulted him from 12th place into the pole position. He hammered the spot again on Friday, catching four bass for 12-13 which was enough to win by more than 2 pounds.
“I went back to the same areas, all within a mile or so of Windsor Beach (at the state park),” he said. “I hit the same tules (cattails) with homemade swim jigs. It’s a Colorado River secret, basically a shad pattern with a 3/8 Keitech on it. You just chuck and wind it through the tules. When the sun came up and the wind picked up, that bite quit, and I’d pick up a green pumpkin flipping bait and pick them out of there.
“It was reaction bites pretty much the whole time,” Mueller said. “It’s like that here this time of year, but I’ve never seen anything like (Day 2). That was just a magical day. Today was good enough to get it done.”
Idaho’s Keegan Graves and JJ Gibbs IV, who lives in Lake Havasu City but qualified as a member of Team Nevada, both weighed 44-15 during the three-day tournament, with the tiebreaker going to Graves. He won $3,000 for finishing second and Gibbs collected $2,000 for third place.
Grant Aumiller won the co-angler division with a three-day total of seven bass that weighed 22-6. The Montana-based angler won a $2,500 cash prize and a berth in the TNT Fireworks B.A.S.S. Nation Championship. Tim Meeks of California was just an ounce behind Aumiller with six bass weighing 22-5. Arizona’s Eric Hammer was a distant third among co-anglers with seven bass for 16-6.
A total of 48 anglers made the cut to Friday and fished for cash prizes totaling $27,500. In all, 180 anglers (90 in both the boater and co-angler divisions) competed in the regional.
The top boater and co-angler from each of the nine states represented this week earned entry to the B.A.S.S. Nation Championship. Among boaters, they include Mueller, Graves, Gibbs, California’s Kenneth Cleveland, Montana’s Joel Leiser, Oregon’s Frank Scarla, Utah’s Ramsey Romanin, Washington’s Justin Campbell and Wyoming’s Brent Shores.
Co-anglers advancing along with Aumiller, Meeks and Hammer are Idaho’s David Bertsch, Nevada’s Darren Wilson, Oregon’s Dustin Sortor, Utah’s Terry Peterson, Washington’s James Hollingshead and Wyoming’s Nigel Dalton.
Montana’s Mike Dominick won the Big Bass Award and $500 for the 8-13 largemouth he caught on Day 2. Team Wyoming’s Nigel Dalton won $250 for having the heaviest bass (5-5) among co-anglers.
In addition to his second-place prize money, Graves won $500 for being the angler highest in the standings using Garmin electronics.
Arizona anglers won the team championship and the $5,625 cash prize from Nitro/Mercury on Thursday after catching 76 bass over two days for 225-11. Utah finished second in team scoring (74 bass, 178-15, $3,375) and Nevada (57, 144-12, $2,250) placed third.
Rounding out team standings were, fourth, California (51, 137-6); fifth, Oregon (57, 134-4); sixth, Montana (49, 122-15); seventh, Idaho (52, 122-11); eighth, Wyoming (40, 98-4); and ninth, Washington (40, 94-15).
Alton Jones Jr. Wins MLF Bass Pro Tour Toro Stage Two on Lake Fork
Waco, Texas Angler Weighs in 13 Bass Totaling 46 Pounds, 2 Ounces to Earn First Career Bass Pro Tour Win and $100,000
QUITMAN, Texas (Feb. 25, 2022) – After making the Bass Pro Tour Championship Round six previous times, for the first time in his career Alton Jones, Jr. has earned his own big red trophy. The 29-year-old Waco, Texas pro caught 13 bass weighing 46 pounds, 2 ounces Friday to win the Major League Fishing (MLF) Bass Pro Tour Toro Stage Two on Lake Fork Presented by Grundéns in Quitman, Texas, and earn the top prize of $100,000.
Going into the third and final period of competition Friday, Jones held a 9-pound, 7-ounce lead over fellow Texan Dakota Ebare. However, 10 minutes into the period, Ebare had boated a 4-13 and a 6-8 to seize the lead from Jones with just 50 minutes left in the competition. Five minutes later, Jones managed to catch a 2½-pounder and took the lead back from Ebare by a scant 10 ounces. Neither was able to catch a fish in the final 45 minutes, and although Academy Sports + Outdoors pro Jacob Wheeler made it interesting at the end to get within six pounds, Jones’ 13 bass for 46-2 earned him the win by a narrow 10-ounce margin.
I’m so excited – I really didn’t see this coming,” an emotional Jones said at his Bass Pro Tour Trophy Presentation. “If you’d asked me halfway through our first day if I’d have a shot to win this thing, I would have said absolutely not. Somehow, someway, by the grace of God, it just kind of came together this week. They say when it’s your time, it’s your time and I guess it’s just my time.
There are so many great anglers here,” Jones continued. “We’ve got a lot of really great anglers that have fished for a very long time and never won one. You see it all the time. I don’t even feel like I’m that good of an angler. I don’t know why it was me, but I just feel so blessed, so fortunate, so lucky and just thankful.”
Jones hunkered down on Championship Friday in the same drain in Little Caney Creek where he started the event on Day 1. It was an area that he had high hopes for, but it took awhile for it to develop.
“I fished the entire first period (of Day 1) in this drain and didn’t get a bite for an hour,” Jones said. “I didn’t come back here until the Knockout Round, but I came in here that day and the magic happened. I was able to get pretty dialed on what the fish wanted.”
What the fish wanted was a red squarebill crankbait.
“I have to give a huge shoutout to Jordan Lee,” Jones said. “I got onto a crankbait bite in practice, then the second day of the tournament I got onto a squarebill bite, however, none of the squarebills I had were running deep enough. I called Jordan that evening and asked if he had any extra squarebills that ran 5 to 6 feet, and he literally opened his tackle box and said take whatever you want. That helped me out so much – I caught every one of those fish on that bait.”
The top 10 pros at the Toro Stage Two on Lake Fork Presented by Grundéns finished:
1st: Alton Jones, Jr., Waco, Texas, 13 bass, 46-2, $100,000
2nd: Dakota Ebare, Brookeland, Texas, 10 bass, 45-8, $45,000
3rd: Jacob Wheeler, Harrison, Tenn., 10 bass, 40-0, $38,000
4th: Casey Ashley, Donalds, S.C., 11 bass, 36-4, $32,000
5th: Alton Jones, Lorena, Texas, six bass, 29-2, $30,000
6th: Zack Birge, Blanchard, Okla., five bass, 26-0, $26,000
7th: Jonathon VanDam, Kalamazoo, Mich., five bass, 23-8, $23,000
8th: Justin Lucas, Guntersville, Ala., five bass, 20-14, $21,000
9th: Jeff Sprague, Wills Point, Texas, three bass, 12-7, $19,000
10th: Cole Floyd, Leesburg, Ohio, one bass, 4-3, $16,000
Full results for the entire field can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
Overall there were 69 scorable bass weighing 284 pounds even caught by the final 10 pros Friday. The catch included one 7-pounder and three 8-pounders.
Wheeler earned Friday’s $1,000 Berkley Big Bass award with an 8-pound, 5-ounce largemouth that bit a jerkbait in Period 2. Covercraft pro Bradley Roy of Lancaster, Kentucky, earned the $3,000 Berkley Big Bass award for the overall largest bass of the event with his 11-pound, 11-ounce giant that he weighed on Day 1 of competition.
The Toro Stage Two on Lake Fork Presented by Grundéns featured anglers competing with a 2-pound minimum weight requirement for a bass to be deemed scorable. Minimum weights are determined individually for each competition waters that the Bass Pro Tour visits, based on the productivity, bass population and anticipated average size of fish in each fishery.
The Toro Stage Two on Lake Fork Presented by Grundéns, hosted by the Lake Fork Area Chamber of Commerce, the Wood County EDC, the Sabine River Authority and the Rains County Tourism Board, showcased 80 of the top professional bass-fishing anglers in the world competing for a purse of $805,000, including a top cash prize of $100,000 to the winner.
Television coverage of the Toro Stage Two on Lake Fork Presented by Grundéns will premiere at 7 a.m. ET, Sept. 17 on the Discovery Channel. New MLF episodes premiere each Saturday morningon the Discovery Channel, with additional re-airings on the Outdoor Channel. Each two-hour long reality-based episode goes in-depth to break down each day of competition.
The Bass Pro Tour features a field of 80 of the top professional anglers in the world competing across seven regular-season tournaments around the country, competing for millions of dollars and valuable points to qualify for the annual General Tire Heavy Hitters all-star event and the REDCREST 2023 championship.
Proud sponsors of the 2022 MLF Bass Pro Tour include: 13 Fishing, Abu Garcia, A.R.E. Truck Caps, B&W Trailer Hitches, BallyBet, Bass Cat, Bass Pro Shops, Berkley, Covercraft, Favorite Fishing, Garmin, General Tire, Googan Baits, Grundéns, Guaranteed Rate, Humminbird, Lowrance, Luminox, Mercury, Minn Kota, Mossy Oak, Nitro Performance Boats, Onyx, Plano, Power-Pole, Power Stop, Rapala, Starbrite, Toro, Toyota, Wrangler, Yellowstone Bourbon and Zoom.
For complete details and updated information on Major League Fishing and the Bass Pro Tour, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF’s social media outlets at Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.
Lee Livesay Takes on 2022 Bassmaster Elite Series Tour with Signature Series Halo HFX Fishing Rods
OCEAN SPRINGS, Mississippi – February 25, 2022. Building on the success of Lee Livesay’s 2021 win on the legendary Lake Fork, American Baitworks has partnered with Lee to introduce three signature series rods.
Livesay used three key rods to break the 100-pound mark with one of the most legendary wins ever captured on Bassmaster cameras. The HFX 7’3” Medium Heavy Casting rod, 7’6” Medium Heavy Crankin’ rod and the 7’ Medium Crankin’ rod were critical to helping Lee boat multiple Lake Fork Giants each day of his epic win. Livesay claimed victory on his home lake, Lake Fork in 2021 with 112 pounds and five ounces after four days of employing the HFX rods to land those big fish catches.
Livesay has been with Halo Fishing Rods since the start of his Bassmaster Elite Series career and is continually consulting with the Halo team to design and develop the Halo HFX Rods.
“These rods are perfect. They’re light, super sensitive, and strong.” Livesay says. “A couple of my favorite features are the 4Finger reel seat that allows you to touch the blank at all times, contributing to the sensitivity of the rod and the guides. They are equally as good whether you are using fluorocarbon or braid.”
Walt Roberts, Halo Fishing Rods Brand Manager shares, “I am ecstatic to be able to work with Lee and to launch Livesay’s Signature Series. As a professional angler and fishing guide, he spends almost 365 days on the water putting these rods to the test in performance and durability like no one else on tour.”
Halo Fishing starts each rod with unbeatable blanks constructed of the highest-quality Japanese graphite. When Halo designed the HFX Series, we did exactly that – with Toray graphite blanks that deliver ultimate sensitivity, Lee Livesay’s Signature HFX Series consists of the 7’3” Medium Heavy Casting rod, 7’6” Medium Heavy Crankin’ rod, and the 7’ Medium Crankin’ rod. In addition to having Lee’s stamp of approval, each of these rods will display Livesay’s autograph.
Every feature of the HFX has been meticulously thought through to create a rod series with unbeatable features and value. Backed by a 5-year limited warranty and 100s of hours of product design and testing in the best office in the world – on the water!
For more information about and to check out Lee Livesay’s Signature Halo Fishing Rods, please visit www.americanbaitworks.com.
Warming Trend Likely To Influence Outcome Of Bassmaster Classic
For the fourth time, Lake Hartwell will host the Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic presented by Huk March 4-6, 2022.
Photo by B.A.S.S.
February 25, 2022
GREENVILLE, S.C. — More water and warmth may be the key factors when the 2022 Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic presented by Huk visits Lake Hartwell for the fourth time in the event’s storied history.
Competition days will be March 4-6 with daily takeoffs from the legendary Green Pond Landing & Event Center in Anderson at 7 a.m. ET and weigh-ins each day at Bon Secours Wellness Arena in Greenville at approximately 4:40 p.m. The winning angler will claim a $300,000 prize and the most coveted trophy in all of professional bass fishing, as the 55-angler field competes for a share of a $1 million purse.
Before Classic waters went off-limits Jan. 1, Bassmaster Elite Series pro Brandon Cobb found Hartwell’s water level about 5 to 6 feet below normal pool. Making his home in Greenwood, S.C., about an hour from Hartwell, Cobb said the lake’s nearly back to full pool now — a point to which anglers may need to adjust.
“I think the fishing is considerably better when the lake is down, because it leaves less cover in the water and concentrates the fish,” said Cobb, who won an Elite Series event on Hartwell in 2019. “Even shallow fishing seems to be better when it’s down.”
That being said, Cobb believes the warming trend will have a positive impact. Daytime highs are forecast to reach the upper 60s to low 70s during the event — a stark contrast to the frigid 2015 Hartwell Classic, during which anglers struggled to launch boats that had frozen to their trailers when temps dropped into the single digits.
“I really think one of the main things that’s going to determine this Classic is how hot and cold it gets leading up to the first day of the tournament,” Cobb said. “The (forecast highs) are slightly above normal for this time of year. The cooldown the weekend before the tournament is actually about the normal temperature for late February.
“I think warmer conditions make some fish easier to catch, but honestly, I think it would take more weight to win if it were extremely cold. Warmer weather scatters them, but cold weather concentrates them.”
One of three U.S. Army Corps of Engineers projects on the Savannah River, Hartwell was impounded by its namesake dam in 1962. The dam sits 7 miles downstream from the confluence of the Tugaloo and Seneca rivers, which form the Savannah. At normal pool, Lake Hartwell extends 49 miles up the Tugaloo and 45 into the Seneca.
At its deepest, the lake plunges to 185 feet, but averages 45. Like most reservoirs, Hartwell holds its greatest clarity down near the dam, with stain increasing into the river arms and the numerous tributary creeks.
“It hasn’t rained much (recently), so I think you’ll see some dirty water, but not abnormally dirty water,” Cobb said. “And the rise in water level wasn’t due to a lot of rain. It’s not high, it’s just back at normal pool.”
Offshore habitat includes a mix of humps, rocks, islands, points, channel swings and standing timber, while the shallow to mid-depth range has a mix of docks, bushes, laydowns and brushpiles.
Enhancing the habitat picture, the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources has planted concrete culverts/structures, stumps, broken concrete slabs, riprap, pea gravel, PVC artificial fish attractors, trees cut and cabled from the shoreline, maidencane plants and bamboo fish attractors known as “canepiles.”
Actually made of bundled and anchored bamboo stalks, canepiles typically are most relevant in the warmer season when bass target bait schools holding over top. However, their lower sections may interest prespawners staging along their shoreward journey.
Covering approximately 56,000 acres, Hartwell offers plenty of room for a 55-boat field to disperse. Cobb said the entire lake will be in play, but certain areas will receive higher attention.
“I think you’ll see groups of people fishing certain areas just because of past history, and they tend to be the most productive parts of the lake,” he said. “Over my years of fishing Hartwell, I really think you could probably win the tournament in any 5 miles of the lake.
“For example, the Tugaloo River has always played in the past because it has more creek tributaries. And, the spotted bass have gotten bigger and bigger every year and the majority of spots live in the lake’s main body. There are some spots up the rivers, but the biggest population is on the main lake.”
To that point, the most consistent Classic competitors will likely turn in mixed bags of largemouth and spotted bass. Generally, that means catching the biggest limit of spots you can find and then hunting a kicker largemouth.
With the warmer weather likely to ignite the shallow bite, some anglers will likely follow a largemouth-focused strategy. The quality will be higher, but the bites may be fewer. The other option: Weeding through a lot of short-to-barely-keeper spots in hopes of finding the competitive fish that Cobb said are on the upswing.
“In my opinion, I think it would be hard to win with straight spots; I think you’d need a heavy largemouth or a mixed bag,” he said. “It’s only been in the last three to four years that the spots have been anything that you would even worry about in a tournament. That’s what has changed — the spots have gotten a lot bigger.”
As far as bait selections, drop shots, football-head jigs, finesse worms and underspins will dominate most of the offshore action, with crankbaits, jerkbaits, spinnerbaits, Texas rigs and flipping/skipping jigs covering the shallower zones. Cobb expects a few highlight-reel moments, but consistency will probably prove challenging.
“I think you’ll see some 20-pound bags, but I would be greatly surprised too if it took 60 pounds to win,” he said. “I think it will be more in that 17- to 18-pounds-a-day range (to win). I would say 14 to 15 a day to make the Top 10.”
Fans can catch all of the action with streaming coverage all three days on Bassmaster.com. The Classic will also feature four hours of live coverage on the FOX broadcast network Saturday beginning at 8 a.m. ET, as well as four hours of Championship Sunday coverage on FS1 beginning at 8 a.m.
The annual Bassmaster Classic Outdoors Expo presented by Marathon will be held at the Greenville Convention Center with exhibitors on-site selling a variety of merchandise for fishing, hunting, camping and more. Hours for the Expo will be noon-7 p.m. Friday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Sunday.
Legendary angler and TV show host Bill Dance will be in the B.A.S.S. booth and on Bassmaster LIVE March 5 at 10 a.m. Meet the legend and have your picture made with the iconic Classic trophy.
There will be a shuttle service offered between the Greenville Convention Center (expo) and the Bon Secours Wellness Arena (weigh-in).
The Bassmaster Classic is being hosted by Visit Anderson and VisitGreenvilleSC.
Major League Fishing Bass Pro Tour Returns to Lewis Smith Lake
80 Pro Anglers Set to Compete Over Six Days for More Than $800,000 at Favorite Fishing Stage Three on Lewis Smith Lake Presented by Mercury
CULLMAN, Ala. (Feb. 25, 2022) – Major League Fishing (MLF) is set to return to Alabama next week, March 2-7, for the third stop on the 2022 MLF Bass Pro Tour – the Favorite Fishing Stage Three on Lewis Smith Lake Presented by Mercury . Hosted by Cullman Parks, Recreation and Sports Tourism, Cullman County Parks and Rec and the Cullman Area Chamber of Commerce, the event will feature 80 of the world’s best professional anglers, including prominent bass-fishing names like Ott DeFoe, Kevin VanDam and Jacob Wheeler , along with 14 Alabama pros – including REDCREST 2021 champion Dustin Connell, Mark Daniels, Jr ., Boyd Duckett, Timmy Horton , Randy Howell, Russ Lane, Jordan Lee, Matt Lee, Justin Lucas, Keith Poche, Ryan Salzman, Fletcher Shryock, Greg Vinson and Jesse Wiggins.
This star-studded group of anglers will compete over the six-day event for a total purse of more than $800,000, including a top payout of $100,000 and valuable points to qualify for REDCREST 2023 – the Bass Pro Tour championship.
“It is an honor for Cullman, Alabama to host the MLF Bass Pro Tour Stage Three event launching from Smith Lake Park,” said Jeff Tolbert, Chamber Board Chair and owner of Trident Marina. “The County, City and Chamber are excited to partner once again as the “Cullman LOC” in bringing this event to our area & showcasing our great community and beautiful Smith Lake. This event brings revenue and tourism to our local businesses, and we are delighted to have the anglers and their families, along with the MLF staff, back in Cullman once again.”
The upcoming event marks the second time the Bass Pro Tour has competed on Lewis Smith Lake. The Bass Pro Tour last visited Lewis Smith Lake in 2019 – Dean Rojas of Lake Havasu City, Arizona, rode the morning shad spawn in the Championship Round to put 30 fish on the SCORETRACKER® for 47 pounds to take home the winning trophy and top award of $100,000.
Cullman pro Matt Lee said that after back-to-back mediocre events, he needs a “redemption tournament” and what better place to do it than right in his own backyard.
“I started the 2021 season with two terrible events that bit me in the long run, so this year I really wanted to make the Knockout Round in the early events,” said Lee. “I didn’t quite make the cut in the last two tournaments, but I finished close. I just can’t stumble any more. This next event on Smith Lake is a bit of added pressure because it’s my home body of water, so I know it well and should catch them there, but the group of guys we fish against are so good that it can be difficult to separate yourself.”
Lee said the first two events of the 2022 season were a tough bite for everyone on the tour, turning into more of a big-fish tournament than a numbers game, and while he’s had opportunities, he just hasn’t quite made it happen.
“This tournament really all depends on the weather,” said Lee. “It could be a difficult time to catch fish on Smith Lake because the weather is still transitioning, but it looks like we’ll get some rain next week, which will make for better fishing.
“The fish aren’t all out deep or up in shallow water – and guys can catch them both shallow and deep – which really spreads the fish out and makes it more challenging to figure out. I expect we will see a lot of different styles and techniques of fishing throughout the event.”
Lee said the lake being wide open makes the event even more complex for local anglers as well, because there isn’t really a “home-lake advantage”, and anglers can fish to their strengths.
“I expect we’ll see guys catching largemouth in stained water, and spotted bass in clean water – fishing out deep in over 100 feet of water and up on the bank where bass are getting ready to spawn,” said Lee. “This is really going to be another tournament where anyone can come and fish in whatever manner they choose to.”
When asked about his weight predictions, Lee said it’s difficult to speculate weight on the Bass Pro Tour where every scorable fish counts because if the weather is right and an angler gets on the fish, that number can change drastically in a short amount of time. However, Lee estimates it will take an average of 33 pounds per day to make it into the top 10 and at least 50 pounds to win the Championship Round.
“Cullman competes with anywhere else, as far as fishing fans go, and the fisheries in the area – including Smith Lake and the Tennessee River – are nationally known fishing destinations,” said Lee. “I graduated from Cullman High School, so being from that community and watching Smith Lake grow into more and more of the tournament scene and hosting professional events is awesome.
“I don’t think anyone who comes to Cullman or Smith Lake has a bad thing to say about the area, the community or the fishery. It’s a great place to call home and when you add the fishing component, that makes it really special.”
Anglers will launch each day at 7:30 a.m. from the Smith Lake State Park, located at 403 County Road 386 in Çullman, Alabama. Each day’s General Tire Takeout will be held at the park, beginning at 4:30 p.m. Fans are welcome to attend all launch and takeout events and also encouraged to follow the event online throughout the day on the MLF NOW!® live stream and SCORETRACKER® coverage at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
The tournament will feature the MLF catch, weigh, immediate-release format, in which anglers catch as much weight as they can each day, while also feeling the pressure and intensity of the SCORETRACKER® leaderboard. The tournament is being filmed for broadcast later this year on the Discovery Channel.
The Favorite Fishing Stage Three on Lewis Smith Lake Presented by Mercury will feature anglers competing with a 1-pound, 8-ounce minimum weight requirement for a bass to be deemed scorable. Minimum weights are determined individually for each competition waters that the Bass Pro Tour visits, based on the productivity, bass population and anticipated average size of fish in each fishery.
The Bass Pro Tour features a field of 80 of the top professional anglers in the world competing across seven regular-season tournaments around the country, contending for millions of dollars and valuable points to qualify for the annual General Tire Heavy Hitters all-star event and the REDCREST 2023 championship.
The 40 Anglers in Group A compete in their two-day Qualifying Round on Wednesday and Friday – the 40 anglers in Group B on Thursday and Saturday. After each two-day Qualifying Round is complete, the anglers that finish in 2nd through 20th place from both groups advance to Sunday’s Knockout Round, while the winner of each group advances directly to Monday’s Championship Round. In the Knockout Round, weights are zeroed, and the remaining 38 anglers compete to finish in the top 8 to advance to the Championship Round. In the final day Championship Round, weights are zeroed, and the highest one-day total wins the top prize of $100,000.
The MLF NOW!® broadcast team of Chad McKee, Marty Stone and J.T. Kenney will break down the extended action on all six days of competition from 7:45 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. CT. MLF NOW!® will be live streamed on MajorLeagueFishing.com and the MyOutdoorTV (MOTV) app.
Television coverage of the Favorite Fishing Stage Three on Lewis Smith Lake Presented by Mercury will premiere at 7 a.m. ET, Oct. 1 on the Discovery Channel. New MLF episodes premiere each Saturday morning on the Discovery Channel, with additional re-airings on the Outdoor Channel. Each two-hour long reality-based episode goes in-depth to break down each day of competition.
Proud sponsors of the 2022 MLF Bass Pro Tour include: 13 Fishing, Abu Garcia, A.R.E. Truck Caps, B&W Trailer Hitches, BallyBet, Bass Cat, Bass Pro Shops, Berkley, Covercraft, Favorite Fishing, Garmin, General Tire, Googan Baits, Grundéns, Guaranteed Rate, Humminbird, Lowrance, Luminox, Mercury, Minn Kota, Mossy Oak, Nitro Performance Boats, Onyx, Plano, Power-Pole, Power Stop, Rapala, Starbrite, Toro, Toyota, Wrangler, Yellowstone Bourbon and Zoom.
For complete details and updated information on Major League Fishing and the Bass Pro Tour, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF’s social media outlets at Facebook , Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.
Ware Wins Toyota Series Event on Lake Guntersville
Amid changing weather and water conditions and a shortened Day 2 due to a fog delay, Ware persevered with patience and consistency. Although he’s had a handful of top 10 finishes with Major League Fishing and won the Southeastern Division Angler of the Year (AOY) title in 2012, this is his first big tournament win.
“Patience is one of the things I try to stress to my co-anglers,” said Ware. “If you get in an area like we found that’s got fish in it, you just have to be patient. They’ll bite in little spurts throughout the day. A lot of guys run and gun all over the place, but I grew up in Florida and when I try to fish like that, I don’t do well. The fish live there, and a lot of them stay shallow year-round. It’s just a matter of being patient and figuring out a bait that will trigger them, and that’s exactly what we did.”
Ware said he fished mostly around the central part of the lake and was fortunate to find some clean water that was protected by an island – clean water where a lot of healthy largemouth lived.
“My key bait throughout the tournament was the Bill Lewis Rat-L-Trap. I tried some a few other vibrating baits and caught some fish the first day on a Z-Man Evergreen ChatterBait Jack Hammerbut ended up culling those fish with the rattletrap, even that first day. “
Ware was surprised to realize his win had guaranteed him a spot in the Toyota Series Championship and he would have another chance to fish Lake Guntersville later this year – this time for a top prize of up to $235,000.
“It’s exciting to be able to come back to Guntersville this fall to fish the Toyota Series Championship – that’s actually the time of year I’d prefer to fish it,” said Ware. “The goal was to make the championship, and I’ve had some good years and some bad ones – some good championships and some bad ones – but I’m definitely looking forward to it.”
When asked if he was planning to contend for another AOY title, Ware said absolutely.
“I always try to gun for AOY, that’s the biggest award to me, but it was nice to finally win a big tournament. It’s a little overwhelming at the moment, but it will sink in eventually.”
The top 10 pros on Lake Guntersville finished:
2nd: Casey Martin of Brownsboro, Ala., 15 bass, 57-11, $35,000
3rd: Derik Hudson of Concord, Va., 13 bass, 57-5, $21,200
4th: Bo Collins of Robbinsville, N.C., 15 bass, 56-5, $20,000
5th: Nathan Brewer of Lawrenceburg, Tenn., 11 bass, 53-12, $18,000
6th: Ethan Greene of Eufaula, Ala., 15 bass, 53-6, $14,500
7th: Shawn Penn of Benton, Ky., 15 bass, 52-9, $13,000
8th: Kyle Palmer of Winchester, Tenn., 15 bass, 52-8, $10,250
9th: Miles Burghoff of Dayton, Tenn., 15 bass, 51-0, $9,000
10th: Andrew Loberg of Rocklin, Calif., 14 bass, 50-5, $7,000
Pros Hunter Eubanks of Inman, South Carolina and Kyle Palmer of Winchester, Tennessee, tied for the $500 Day One Berkley Big Bass award in the pro division Tuesday, both bringing a bass weighing 8 pounds, 7 ounces to the scale and taking home $250 each. Brad Burkhart of Speedwell, Tennessee, won Wednesday’s $500 Berkley Big Bass award, bringing an 8-pound, 12-ounce bass to the scale.
Collins took home an extra $1,000 as the highest finishing Phoenix MLF Bonus member. Boaters are eligible to win up to an extra $35,000 per event in each Toyota Series tournament if all requirements are met. More information on the Phoenix MLF Bonus contingency program can be found at PhoenixBassBoats.com.
Charlie Crouch of Waterloo, Alabama, won the Strike King Co-angler Division Thursday with a three-day total of 13 bass weighing 45 pounds, 8 ounces. Crouch took home the top prize package worth $46,000, including a new Phoenix 518 Pro bass boat with a 115-horsepower Mercury outboard motor and $12,500 cash.
The top 10 Strike King co-anglers on Lake Guntersville finished:
2nd: Greg Surratt of Canal Winchester, Ohio, 11 bass, 42-3, $9,500
3rd: Chris Quaintance of Muscle Shoals, Ala., 13 bass, 40-14, $8,000
4th: Alex Moore of Chester, Ill., 14 bass, 37-8, $6,500
5th: Darren Kelly of Wartburg, Tenn., 12 bass, 37-6, $6,200
6th: Alan Hults of Gautier, Miss., 12 bass, 36-13, $4,500
7th: Cooper Jett of Grand Rapids, Mich., 12 bass, 36-13, $4,000
8th: Randy Wiggins of Birmingham, Ala., 11 bass, 36-5, $3,250
9th: Victor Cuevas of Supply, N.C., 11 bass, 36-3, $2,100
10th: Roger Olson, Jr. of Eagle River, Wis., 10 bass, 33-8, $1,900
The Toyota Series Presented by A.R.E. at Lake Guntersville was hosted by the Mountain Lakes Chamber of Commerce. It was the first tournament in the Central Division. The next event for Toyota Series anglers will take place on Mar. 1-3 – the Toyota Series Presented by A.R.E on Lake of the Ozarks Presented by Smart Digital in Osage Beach, Missouri, hosted by the Tri-County Lodging Association. For a complete schedule, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com.
The 2022 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 and Wild Card divisions. Anglers who fish in any of the six divisions and finish in the top 25 – or the top 12 from the Wild Card division – will qualify for the no-entry-fee Toyota Series Presented by A.R.E. Championship for a shot at winning up to $235,000 cash. The winning Strike King co-angler at the championship earns a new Phoenix 518 Pro bass boat with a 115-horsepower Mercury outboard. The 2022 Toyota Series Presented by A.R.E. Championship will be held Nov. 3-5 on Lake Guntersville in Guntersville, Alabama, and is hosted by Marshall County Tourism and Sports.
Proud sponsors of the 2022 MLF Toyota Series Presented by A.R.E. include: 4WP, 13 Fishing, Abu Garcia, AFTCO, A.R.E. Truck Caps, B&W Trailer Hitches, Berkley, Black Rifle Coffee, E3, Epic Baits, Favorite Fishing, Gary Yamamoto Baits, General Tire, Lew’s, Lowrance, Lucas Oil, Mercury, Mossy Oak, Onyx, Outlaw Ordinance, Phoenix, Polaris, Power-Pole, Strike King, Tackle Warehouse, T-H Marine, Toyota, Wiley X and YETI.
For complete details and updated information visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow the MLF Toyota Series on the MLF5 social media outlets at Facebook , Instagram and YouTube.
Lowrance® Exercises Option to Extend Multi-Year Sponsorship Agreement with Major League Fishing
MLF Sponsorship Renewal of Fishing Electronics Brand Includes Branding Presence for C-MAP® and Lowrance Ghost® Trolling Motor
TULSA, Okla. (Feb. 24, 2022) – Major League Fishing (MLF), the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization, announced today that Lowrance®, a world-leader in fishing electronics since 1957 and longtime partner of MLF, has re-signed a multi-year agreement to remain the exclusive marine electronics provider and co-exclusive trolling motor sponsor for the MLF Cups, General Tire Heavy Hitters event and MLF5 circuits, and an official sponsor of the MLF Bass Pro Tour. The agreement will mark the 11th and 12th consecutive years that the two companies have partnered.
C-MAP®, the premium mapping solution for anglers looking for accurate and quality data, and the Lowrance Ghost® trolling motor will also have a prominent presence across all of MLF’s platforms, including all MLF television programming and livestreams, Bass Fishing magazine, the MLF and the MLF5’s social media outlets, MajorLeagueFishing.com, participation in MLF giveaways, and featured logo placement on angler boats and jerseys in the MLF Cup and General Tire Heavy Hitters events.
“The Lowrance team have been fantastic partners, and we’re thrilled to continue our relationship with them,” said MLF President and Chief Executive Officer Jim Wilburn. “Our sponsorship business has grown steadily the past few years, but renewals with the brands rooted in our sport like Lowrance speaks volumes about the value our partners see in continuing to align with MLF and reach our loyal and passionate fans and anglers.”
The extension follows previous successful collaborations between MLF and Lowrance®. In addition to having title sponsored some of MLF’s biggest tournaments, including the MLF Abu Garcia College Fishing National Championship, Lowrance continues to work closely with several top MLF anglers such as previous REDCREST champions Edwin Evers and Dustin Connell, record-breaking Randy Howell – who just last week weighed in the largest bass ever caught in Bass Pro Tour competition, 12-pounds, 14 ounces – and Bradley Roy, who won the first regular-season Bass Pro Tour event of 2022 last week in Monroe-West Monroe, Louisiana.
"Partnering the Lowrance and C-MAP® brands across all Major League Fishing properties provides a unique opportunity to develop compelling, storytelling content about our award-winning HDS Fishing System from high-school and college teams to some of the best bass-fishing anglers in the world,” said Gordon Sprouse, Marketing Director for Navico. “Continuing our long-standing relationship since the early days of the first MLF Cups has been an incredible journey – one that has seen both of our brands grow at an incredible rate, while also creating fantastic consumer reach that continues to attract new audiences and increases exposure for the sport we love.”
Now through April 30, anglers can save $200 on ActiveTarget® Live Sonar, $200 on HDS LIVE™ 7 fishfinder displays, $300 on HDS LIVE 9, $400 on HDS LIVE 12, $500 on HDS LIVE 16, $700 on the HDS LIVE 9 and 12 display bundle or $800 on HDS LIVE Dual 12 display bundles – plus an additional $200 cash back when purchased with Ghost® Trolling Motor, HALO® Radar (24, 20+ or 20) or the Lowrance Outboard Pilot. For more information on Lowrance and their latest offers and promotions, visit www.lowrance.com/offers.
For complete details and updated information on Major League Fishing, its tournaments, and sponsors, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF’s social media outlets at Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.
MLF Adjusts Competition Hours for Championship Round at Bass Pro Tour Toro Stage Two on Lake Fork
Advisory for Thursday, Feb. 24
Major League Fishing officials have adjusted the start times for Friday’s Championship Round of the Bass Pro Tour Toro Stage Two on Lake Fork Presented by Grundéns, due to the icy road and ramp conditions. Takeoff will now be held at 10:30 a.m., with Period 1 starting at 11 a.m. Anglers will compete until 5:30 p.m.
WHEN:
*UPDATED SCHEDULE*
- Friday, Feb. 25
- 9:45 a.m. Final 10 Anglers Competing in Championship Round Arrive to Oak Ridge Marina
- 10:30 a.m. Anglers Depart and Ride Through Begins on Lake Fork
- 10:45 a.m. MLF NOW! Livestream Starts
- 11 a.m. Period One Begins
- 1:30 p.m. Break One
- 1:45 p.m. Period Two Begins
- 4:15 p.m. Break Two
- 4:30 p.m. Period Three Begins
- 5:30 p.m. End of Competition
- 5:30 p.m. – 6 p.m. Anglers return to takeout at Oak Ridge Marina
- 6 p.m. MLF NOW! Livestream Ends
- 6 p.m. (estimate) Stage Two Championship Trophy Presentation at Oak Ridge Marina
WHERE:
Oak Ridge Marina, 2949 TX-154, Quitman, Texas.
NOTES:
The final 10 anglers competing in Friday’s Championship Round will launch at 10:30 a.m. from the Oak Ridge Marina, located at 2949 TX-154 in Quitman, Texas. The General Tire Takeout will be held at the Marina, beginning at 6 p.m. Fans are welcome to attend the launch and takeout event, and also encouraged to follow the event online throughout the day on the MLF NOW!® live stream and SCORETRACKER® coverage at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
The MLF NOW!® broadcast team of Chad McKee, Marty Stone and J.T. Kenney will break down the extended action on Championship Friday from 10:45 a.m. to 6 p.m. CT. MLF NOW!® will be live streamed on MajorLeagueFishing.com and the MyOutdoorTV (MOTV) app.
For complete details and updated information on Major League Fishing and the Bass Pro Tour, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF’s social media outlets at Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.
TNPFL Cancels Day 1 and Day 2 of Lake Cumberland Event, Full Field on Saturday
Per The National Professional Fishing League Facebook Page,
"Due to heavy rainfall and rapidly rising water conditions, we have decided to cancel day one and day two of this weeks event here on Cumberland. We will continue to monitor conditions and as of now plan on sending the full field Saturday.
Compete + Conserve Adds New Events for 2022
Costa Sunglasses’ popular contingency program Compete + Conserve adds 226 bass fishing tournaments, including 13 new tournament trails, to its events / payout list for 2022. This expansion nearly triples the scope of this one-of-a-kind rewards program which benefits anglers and conservation efforts alike.
Compete + Conserve now supports over 300 bass fishing tournaments with cash payouts and prizes to anglers wearing Costa Sunglasses. Whether you’re a pro, a weekend tournament angler, a college fisherman, or a high school competitor, you can take advantage of these benefits.
New Compete + Conserve supported tournament trails for 2022 include Major League Fishing Phoenix Boat BFLs, the National Professional Fishing League, Lady Bass Angler Association, Bassmaster & Major League Fishing High School Series, the Alabama Bass Trail, Texas Bass Champs, Texas Team Trail, Team Trail Outdoors, Carolina Bass Challenge, Collegiate Bass Trail of Texas, Champions Tour Minnesota, and the Wisco Bass Anglers Single Series.
“Conservation has always been at the core of Costa, it’s part of our DNA, so to be able to introduce such a unique program like this (Compete + Conserve) to one of our biggest communities of anglers was really important to us,” said Costa’s Pro + Media Partnerships Manager Evan Russell. “We consider the first year a huge success, but from the get go our goal was to grow our list of events. Now more anglers, of all levels, have the opportunity to play a part in protecting our waters and get to earn a little extra cash while doing so.”
Not only does Compete + Conserve pay out to the highest finishing registered angler in each supported event, but Costa also allocates a cash donation to be made to one of five program Conservation Partners. The winning angler selects which organization receives the donation for his / her contingency victory.
The program is free to sign up for if you own at least one pair of Costas and compete in fishing tournaments. For more information, a full list of events and payouts, or to get registered for Compete + Conserve follow this link: https://www.costacompeteandconserve.com/. You can also email Luke at costa@dynamicsponsorships.com with any questions.
MLF Bass Fishing League Arkie Division Tournament on Lake Ouachita Postponed until Sunday Due to Inclement Weather
Advisory for Thursday, Feb. 24
The BFL Arkie Division tournament on Lake Ouachita, scheduled for Saturday, Feb. 26, has been postponed to Sunday, Feb. 27, due to freezing rain in the area. Takeoff is also being pushed back 30 minutes. New takeoff is 7:30 a.m. and new weigh-in is 3:30 p.m.
WHEN:
Sunday, Feb. 27
Takeoff: 7:30 a.m. CT
Weigh-In: 3:30 p.m. CT
WHERE:
Mountain Harbor Marina, 34 Marina Drive, Mount Ida, Ark.
NOTES:
The top 45 boaters and co-anglers in the region based on point standings, along with the five winners in each Arkie Division qualifying event, will be entered in the Oct. 20-22 Bass Fishing League Regional Championship on Grand Lake in Grove, Oklahoma.
The 2022 Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine is a 24-division circuit devoted to weekend anglers, with 128 tournaments throughout the season, five qualifying events in each division. The top 45 boaters and Strike King co-anglers from each division, along with the five winners of the qualifying events, will advance to one of six Regional Championships where they are competing to finish in the top six, which then qualifies them for one of the longest-running championships in all of competitive bass fishing – the Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American. The 2022 All-American will be held June 2-4 at Lake Hamilton in Hot Springs, Arkansas, and is hosted by the Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism and Visit Hot Springs.
For complete details and updated tournament information, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular Bass Fishing League updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF5’s social media outlets at Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.
Lake Havasu Readies to Host Toyota Series Western Division Opener
LAKE HAVASU CITY, Ariz. (Feb. 24, 2022) – The Toyota Series Presented by A.R.E. Western Division will launch its 2022 season with a tournament next week in Lake Havasu City, Arizona, Mar. 3-5, with the Toyota Series Presented by A.R.E. at Lake Havasu. Hosted by Go Lake Havasu, the three-day tournament will feature the region’s best bass-fishing pros and Strike King 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.
Local pro Dean Rojas of Lake Havasu City, Arizona said the tournament is hitting the fishery at an opportune time.
“The water is warming up nicely and we’ve started to see smallmouth up on beds so I think sight fishing will play a factor in this event,” said Rojas. “I don’t know that it will be in full-blown spawn, but the end of February and the first of March is usually when you’re going to have a good chance of catching a really big bag on beds.”
Rojas said he expects to see typical finesse tactics dominate, with anglers throwing swimbaits and bladed jigs around grass, brush piles or artificial structure.
“That’s where you’re going to get your big bites, so anglers are definitely going to have to take that into consideration in their game plan,” said Rojas. “It will probably take 18-20 pounds a day to win, but the real key is going to be consistency. I don’t think guys can rely on one thing to carry them through all three days - it’s going to be a combination of 2-3 patterns. Lake Havasu doesn’t do well with that much pressure on it, so I’d expect to see the weights consistently go down every day.”
Rojas said he predicts a total of 58-63 pounds to win the three-day event.
“As a western angler, I encourage all the western anglers to support the Toyota Series. It is as close to a top-tier pro event that you will find on the west coast and is a great platform for anglers that aspire to be a bass-fishing professional and want to make the jump into the Tackle Warehouse or the Bass Pro Tour.
“That’s exactly what I did back in the early days, and it’s not too often that we have big events that allow anglers to fish in their region to qualify for the Toyota Series Championship where the top award is $200,000,” continued Rojas. “It’s a fantastic circuit that goes to excellent fisheries at great times.”
Anglers will take off daily at 7 a.m. MT from Windsor Beach at the Lake Havasu State Park in Lake Havasu City. Weigh-ins will also be held at the park and will begin at 3 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 Bonus qualified. Strike King co-anglers cast for the top prize of a new Phoenix 518 Pro bass boat with a 115-horsepower Mercury outboard (valued at $33,500). With a 260-boat field, pros fish for a top award of $65,000, plus an extra $35,000 if Phoenix MLF BIG5 Bonus qualified. Strike King co-anglers cast for the top prize of a new Phoenix 518 Pro bass boat with a 115-horsepower outboard (valued at $33,500) plus $5,000 cash.
The 2022 Toyota Series Presented by A.R.E. consists of six divisions – Central, Northern, Plains, Southern, Southwestern and Western – each holding three regular-season events, along with the International and Wild Card divisions. Anglers who fish in any of the six divisions and finish in the top 25 – or the top 12 from the Wild Card division – will qualify for the no-entry-fee Toyota Series presented by A.R.E. Championship for a shot at winning up to $235,000 cash. The winning Strike King co-angler at the championship earns a new Phoenix 518 Pro bass boat with a 115-horsepower Mercury outboard. The 2022 Toyota Series presented by A.R.E. Championship will be held Nov. 3-5 on Lake Guntersville in Guntersville, Alabama, and is hosted by Marshall County Tourism and Sports.
For complete details and updated information visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow the MLF Toyota Series on the MLF5 social media outlets at Facebook, Instagram and YouTube .
Alton Jones Jr. Leads Final Eight That Advance from Weather-Shortened Knockout Round, Championship Round Postponed at MLF Bass Pro Tour Toro Stage Two on Lake Fork
Inclement Weather Prompts Tournament Officials to Postpone Championship Round, Final 10 Anglers Set for Championship Friday and Final-Day Shootout for $100,000
QUITMAN, Texas (Feb. 23, 2022) – In brutally tough weather conditions that had multiple anglers saying it was, “the coldest I have ever been,” Alton Jones, Jr., of Waco, Texas, caught 12 bass Wednesday weighing 52 pounds, 3 ounces to win the Knockout Round and advance to the final day of competition at the MLF Bass Pro Tour Toro Stage Two on Lake Fork Presented by Grundénsin Quitman, Texas. Jones narrowly edged Bass Pro Tour newcomer Dakota Ebare of Brookeland, Texas, who weighed in 12 bass totaling 48 pounds, 11 ounces to end the round in second.
Normally three 2½-hour periods, Wednesday’s Knockout Round was shortened to just two periods after a major cold front moved into Northeast Texas and brought strong winds, frigid temperatures and freezing rain. MLF officials made the decision to shorten the Knockout Round and, after input from the MLF Angler Advisory Board, postpone Thursday’s final-day Championship Round until Friday.
“The safety of our anglers and their families, our staff and our fans are priority number one,” said Aaron Beshears, Bass Pro Tour Tournament Director. “After speaking with the entire team, including our pro anglers, we all feel that the best decision to be made for this event is to go ahead and postpone tomorrow and finish it up on Friday.”
The final 10 anglers are now set, and competition will resume Friday morning with the Championship Round when weights are zeroed, and the angler that catches the most one-day weight will win the top prize of $100,000.
The six-day event, hosted by the Lake Fork Area Chamber of Commerce, the Wood County EDC, the Sabine River Authority and the Rains County Tourism Board, showcases 80 of the top professional bass-fishing anglers in the world competing for a purse of $805,000.
The top eight pros from Wednesday’s Knockout Round that will compete in Friday’s Championship Round on Lake Fork are:
1st: Alton Jones, Jr., Waco, Texas, 12 bass, 52-3
2nd: Dakota Ebare, Brookeland, Texas, 12 bass, 48-11
3rd: Zack Birge, Blanchard, Okla., nine bass, 44-7
4th: Casey Ashley, Donalds, S.C., 10 bass, 43-8
5th: Justin Lucas, Guntersville, Ala., eight bass, 37-11
6th: Cole Floyd, Leesburg, Ohio, eight bass, 35-2
7th: Jonathon VanDam, Kalamazoo, Mich., six bass, 29-4
8th: Jeff Sprague, Wills Point, Texas, seven bass, 28-4
They’ll be joined by Qualifying Round Winners:
Group A: Jacob Wheeler, Harrison, Tenn.
Group B: Alton Jones, Lorena, Texas
Full results for the entire field can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
Friday’s Championship Round will be the first Bass Pro Tour Championship Round appearances for Ebare, Floyd and VanDam, and will also mark the first time that both Alton Jones, Sr., and Alton Jones, Jr., will compete against each other on the final day.
“Going out today, I wasn’t that excited,” Jones Jr. said. “In my mind, I thought to even have a shot at making the Championship Round I’d have to get a couple of true Lake Fork giant bites. I ended up getting the ball rolling with a 4-pounder, then two casts later broke off a big one. Those bites keyed me in on a little something and gave me a hint as to a certain bait I should be throwing.”
Although Jones Jr. declined to divulge any bait specifics, he did mention that all of his fish today came cranking.
“For the first time in my career, I didn’t have a bottom or slow-moving bait on my deck today,” Jones said. “I had three spinnerbaits, three jerkbaits and a couple of crankbaits tied on. I haven’t been able to get bit without a moving bait this week.
“I think this cold front is helping – it’s making the fish congregate and grouping them up,” Jones continued. “I also think it seems to be a little bit of a timing deal. I was fishing around several other anglers that didn’t do well, and I was even catching fish behind myself. I’d miss a bite, then come back through a little later and catch three.”
Friday’s Championship Round will mark Alton Jr.’s sixth Championship Round appearance on the Bass Pro Tour, although he is still seeking his elusive first win.
“My gameplan for Friday is more of the same that I did today,” Jones went on to say. “I’m going to put all my eggs in two areas, catch as many as I can and hope it works out. I’m not sure how it’s going to go, but if the stars align it absolutely could be my time.”
Rounding out the top 40 finishers were:
11th: Chris Lane, Guntersville, Ala., six bass, 23-4, $10,000
12th: Jordan Lee, Cullman, Ala., six bass, 22-15, $10,000
13th: Luke Clausen, Spokane, Wash., six bass, 22-3, $10,000
14th: Bryan Thrift, Shelby, N.C., six bass, 22-2, $10,000
15th: Dave Lefebre, Erie, Pa., seven bass, 21-4, $10,000
16th: Ryan Salzman, Huntsville, Ala., five bass, 21-1, $10,000
17th: Dustin Connell, Clanton, Ala., four bass, 20-8, $10,000
18th: Andy Morgan, Dayton, Tenn., five bass, 16-3, $10,000
19th: Kevin VanDam, Kalamazoo, Mich., four bass, 15-8, $10,000
20th: Bradley Roy, Lancaster, Ky., four bass, 15-2, $10,000
21st: Skeet Reese, Auburn, Calif., three bass, 14-0, $10,000
22nd: Tommy Biffle, Wagoner, Okla., three bass, 12-6, $10,000
23rd: Randall Tharp, Port Saint Joe, Fla., four bass, 11-11, $10,000
24th: Greg Vinson, Wetumpka, Ala., three bass, 10-9, $10,000
25th: Takahiro Omori, Tokyo, Japan, three bass, 10-5, $10,000
26th: Scott Suggs, Alexander, Ark., four bass, 9-10, $10,000
27th: Roy Hawk, Lake Havasu City, Ariz., two bass, 9-4, $10,000
28th: Russ Lane, Prattville, Ala., three bass, 7-11, $10,000
29th: Britt Myers, Lake Wylie, S.C., two bass, 7-7, $10,000
30th: Keith Poche, Pike Road, Ala., two bass, 7-5, $10,000
31st: Jeff Kriet, Ardmore, Okla., two bass, 6-13, $10,000
32nd: Randy Howell, Guntersville, Ala., two bass, 6-11, $10,000
33rd: Terry Scroggins, San Mateo, Fla., one bass, 5-12, $10,000
34th: Cliff Crochet, Pierre Part, La., one bass, 5-1, $10,000
35th: Stephen Browning, Hot Springs, Ark., one bass, 4-14, $10,000
36th: James Elam, Tulsa, Okla., two bass, 4-11, $10,000
37th: Edwin Evers, Talala, Okla., one bass, 3-0, $10,000
38th: Andy Montgomery, Blacksburg, S.C., one bass, 2-9, $10,000
39th: Ish Monroe, Oakdale, Calif., zero bass, 0-0, $10,000
40th: Mark Davis, Mount Ida, Ark., zero bass, 0-0, $10,000
Overall there were 165 scorable bass weighing 658 pounds, 15 ounces caught by 36 pros Wednesday. The catch included four 7-pounders, three 8-pounders, one 9-pounder and one 10-pounder.
Favorite Fishing pro Dustin Connell of Clanton, Alabama, the reigning REDCREST 2021 Champion, earned the $1,000 Berkley Big Bass award Wednesday, catching a 10-pound, 7-ounce largemouth on a jerkbait in Period 1. Berkley awards $1,000 to the angler who weighs the heaviest bass each day, and a $3,000 bonus to the angler who weighs the heaviest bass of the tournament.
The 40 Anglers in Group A competed in their two-day qualifying round on Saturday and Monday – the 40 anglers in Group B on Sunday and Tuesday. After the two-day Qualifying Round, the anglers that finished in 2nd through 20th place from both groups advanced to Wednesday’s Knockout Round, while the winner of each group advanced directly to Friday’s Championship Round. In the Knockout Round weights are zeroed, and the remaining 38 anglers competed to finish in the top 8 to advance to the Championship Round. Friday, in the final day Championship Round, weights are zeroed and the highest one-day total wins the top prize of $100,000.
The final 10 anglers competing in Friday’s Championship Round will launch at 7:30 a.m. from the Oak Ridge Marina, located at 2949 TX-154 in Quitman, Texas. The General Tire Takeout will be held at the Marina, beginning at 4:30 p.m. Fans are welcome to attend all launch and takeout events and also encouraged to follow the event online throughout the day on the MLF NOW!® live stream and SCORETRACKER® coverage at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
The Toro Stage Two on Lake Fork Presented by Grundéns features anglers competing with a 2-pound minimum weight requirement for a bass to be deemed scorable. Minimum weights are determined individually for each competition waters that the Bass Pro Tour visits, based on the productivity, bass population and anticipated average size of fish in each fishery.
The Bass Pro Tour features a field of 80 of the top professional anglers in the world competing across seven regular-season tournaments around the country, competing for millions of dollars and valuable points to qualify for the annual General Tire Heavy Hitters all-star event and the REDCREST 2023 championship.
The MLF NOW!® broadcast team of Chad McKee, Marty Stone and J.T. Kenney will break down the extended action on Championship Friday from 7:45 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. CT. MLF NOW!® will be live streamed on MajorLeagueFishing.com and the MyOutdoorTV (MOTV) app.
Television coverage of the Toro Stage Two on Lake Fork Presented by Grundéns will premiere at 7 a.m. ET, Sept. 17 on the Discovery Channel. New MLF episodes premiere each Saturday morningon the Discovery Channel, with additional re-airings on the Outdoor Channel. Each two-hour long reality-based episode goes in-depth to break down each day of competition.
Proud sponsors of the 2022 MLF Bass Pro Tour include: 13 Fishing, Abu Garcia, A.R.E. Truck Caps, B&W Trailer Hitches, BallyBet, Bass Cat, Bass Pro Shops, Berkley, Covercraft, Favorite Fishing, Garmin, General Tire, Googan Baits, Grundéns, Guaranteed Rate, Humminbird, Lowrance, Luminox, Mercury, Minn Kota, Mossy Oak, Nitro Performance Boats, Onyx, Plano, Power-Pole, Power Stop, Rapala, Starbrite, Toro, Toyota, Wrangler, Yellowstone Bourbon and Zoom.
For complete details and updated information on Major League Fishing and the Bass Pro Tour, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF’s social media outlets at Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.
DREAM BECOMING REALITY FOR WES LOGAN
2022 Bassmaster Classic
Every bass fisherman has a different story and hails from a different part of the world. But all serious tournament bass fishermen share the same dream. Competing in the Bassmaster Classic. Humminbird® and Minn Kota® pro Wes Logan had such a dream—and that dream is coming true.
The first step of that dream began to blossom in 2019 when Logan signed up for the Bassmaster Opens with the main goal of winning an event and earning an automatic bid into the 2020 Bassmaster Classic. Going into each event, he had the mindset of swinging for a win. The win never came, but he recorded some impressive finishes, including two Top 5s, a 10th, and a respectable 31st place finish across the four events.
The reality of qualifying for the Bassmaster Elite Series didn’t cross Logan’s mind until the third event when he was sitting in 3rd place and contending for overall points in the Central Division and one of the few Elite Series Rookie spots. After the last event, Logan claimed the #1 spot in the Central Opens and had officially qualified for the Elites Series. At that point, Logan was presented with a new set of goals.
The Next Level: Bassmaster Elite Series
“After qualifying for the Bassmaster Elite Series, my main goal moving forward was to be consistent. I wanted to make good decisions, fish clean and at the end of each tournament know that I fished as mentally clear as I could. I feel like I did that during my rookie year on the Elite Series but unfortunately didn’t have the breaks I needed to be successful that year.”
After completing his Bassmaster Elite Series rookie season in 44th place in Angler of the Year standings, Logan just missed his dream of competing in the Bassmaster Classic by three points. He then set his sights on improving in year two and punching his ticket to the 2022 Bassmaster Classic. After finishing his sophomore season with a 13th place finish in AOY standings, he did just that.
Quite the improvement from one season to the next, and when asked, Logan attributes a few things to that. “I really approached the next season with the same preparation and mindset. I fished cleaner and I executed better on the opportunities that I was presented with.”
“In the 2021 season I was able to run the new Minn Kota Raptor® shallow water anchors, and with the tournaments we had and how I like to fish, Raptors were a key player for me. Specifically, at Lake Fork. The Raptors are super quiet which helped because I wouldn’t spook any of the fish that I was trying to sight fish.” Logan mentioned.
“In my second year, I took more time to really get dialed in on the Humminbird MEGA 360 Imaging®, which ended up really helping me in all of my tournaments. One tournament in particular was Guntersville, I finished second by throwing a vibrating jig on offshore grass and I could see all of the holes and ditches in the grass, which allowed me to make the perfect cast every time—it made me extremely efficient in that event.” Added Logan.
“The combination of my MEGA 360, Raptors and my Minn Kota Ultrex® trolling motorat Neely Henry really helped me fish effectively. Being that Neely Henry is a current based fishery, I could systematically use both my Ultrex and Raptors to position myself in the current to best present my bait. That was one of the biggest determining factors in winning my first Bassmaster Elite Series trophy.” Logan added.
Looking Forward to the Dream Becoming Reality
“It means the world to me, truthfully. Bass fishing is my world, it’s how I make a living, it’s what I’m addicted to. I think about it every day and as a bass angler, the Bassmaster Classic is the tournament you want to get to.” Says Logan when asked what it means to fish the Bassmaster Classic.
“Now that I have qualified for the Classic, I have high expectations for myself. I want to stay consistent in making it back to the Bassmaster Classic year after year. If I can do that, I will put myself in more opportunities to potentially win it.” Logan added.
“All I wanted to do as a kid was to compete in the Bassmaster classic and not to just fish it but to win it.” Added Logan.
Join us in cheering on Wes as he makes his first Bassmaster Classic appearance on March 4th, 2022.
In addition to Wes Logan, there are eight more Humminbird and Minn Kota Pros fishing the 2022 Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic at Lake Hartwell:
- Brandon Card (Salisbury, North Carolina)
- Seth Feider (New Market, Minnesota)
- Jeff Gustafson (Keewatin, Canada)
- Ray Hanselman Jr. (Del Rio, Texas)
- Matt Herren (Ashville, Alabama)
- Lee Livesay (Longview, Texas)
- Brandon Palaniuk (Rathdrum, Idaho)
- Chad Pipkens (Dewitt, Michigan)
- Josh Stracner (Vandiver, Alabama)
- Chris Zaldain (Fort Worth, Texas)
Be Like Coach
This week Chris and David jump in on episode 223 released on 2.23!!! They talk about the upcoming Bassmasters Classic and who they have in their top 3 picks to win. KG is off chasing green fish on Guntersville and Chris wraps the show with a tribute to a great man and the best fishing partner a guy could have. Check it!
BASS FISHING HALL OF FAME BOARD ANNOUNCES 2022 INDUCTION CLASS
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – For Immediate Release – 2/22/22 – A group of six individuals that includes those who excelled in tournament bass fishing and whose work in tournament operations helped popularize the sport, plus a noted journalist who promoted conservation in his writing efforts, have been voted into the Bass Fishing Hall of Fame (BFHOF) as part of the class of 2022. They will be honored when the bass fishing world comes together on October 6 at the Hall’s annual induction ceremonies at Johnny Morris’ Wonders of Wildlife (WOW) Museum & Aquarium in Springfield.
Based on voting by the Hall’s 30-member selection panel and current inductees, the ’22 class includes pro angler Tommy Biffle, Major League Fishing executive Kathy Fennel, past B.A.S.S. tournament director Dewey Kendrick, the late pro angler Aaron Martens, journalist Steve Quinn, and the late pro angler and lure designer Lonnie Stanley.
“We saw an overwhelming amount of interest in the nomination and voting processes for being inducted into the Hall,” said Todd Hammill, CEO of Wired2fish.com and chair of the Board’s nominations committee. “Having the venue where we celebrate our inductees within WOW, and the support we’ve received from the fishing and marine industries, past inductees, and bass anglers nationwide over the past few years, has enabled the Board to raise the awareness of the BFHOF and our mission of celebrating, promoting and preserving the sport of bass fishing.”
Tommy Biffle has exceeded $3 million in earnings fishing both B.A.S.S., FLW, and MLF events and is credited with bringing the pitching technique to bass fishing. He is known as one of the best of all-time at flipping and pitching a jig in shallow cover. Biffle currently competes on the MLF Bass Pro Tour and devotes his available free time volunteering at kids fishing derbies and mentoring high school and college anglers.
Instrumental since 1982 with popularizing tournament bass fishing across the U.S. and Canada through her efforts at FLW – and now MLF, Kathy Fennel’s influence in bass fishing is known throughout the industry. Her fingerprints are everywhere in tournament fishing operations – including internationally, where over the years she has played a pivotal role in numerous innovations involving live-release techniques, and automated weigh-in procedures. Fennel gives back to the sport by being involved with the BFHOF and the Recreational Boating and Fishing Foundation.
Dewey Kendrick served as the tournament director for B.A.S.S. from 1986 until 2002, implementing evolutionary changes within the professional bass fishing scene. From adding pro-am formats and pushing for unconventional and urban locations to bringing tournament bass fishing beyond its southern roots, Kendrick advocated for conservation-minded tournament changes including a five-bass limit and the rule that all sight fish must be hooked in the mouth. Kendrick was known as a strict rule enforcer with a tremendous work ethic.
For nearly anyone interested in professional bass fishing, the accomplishments of Aaron Martens are well-known. While taken too early in his career – Martens passed in 2021 after a battle with cancer, Aaron’s storied career includes fishing various iterations of B.A.S.S. circuits starting with the Bassmaster Western Opens and including 20 Bassmaster Classics. While fishing on the FLW Tour, he won events at Wheeler Lake and Lake Champlain, and also qualified for three FLW Cup championships. He later joined MLF, competing in numerous Cup events and the Bass Pro Tour. Aaron’s most meaningful innovations came using light line techniques, and he is noted for finesse and big bait techniques – and his tackle-tinkering and perfectionism. He was one of the first American pro bass anglers to reach out to Japan-based tackle companies and assisted many, including Megabass, Duo Realis, and Sunline, when they introduced their rods, lures, and line into the U.S. bass fishing market.
For more than 30 years, if you read an article about largemouth bass and bass conservation in In-Fisherman magazine, odds are it was penned by Steve Quinn. His first scientific paper in 1989 (he has authored more than 50 articles for scientific publications) added to the proof that voluntary releasing of caught largemouth bass leads to improved fishing quality. Steve’s credentials – he holds a Master of Science degree in fisheries biology from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst – led to his serving on committees for the prestigious American Fisheries Society (AFS) where he’s the recipient of its ‘Award of Excellence’ from AFS’s Fisheries Management section. While covering tournament fishing around the country for years, Quinn has combined science and his media outlets to promote bass fishing and conservation in both the U.S. and Canada.
A Texas bass fishing legend, Lonnie Stanley was not only the man behind a successful lure company but also found success in professional bass fishing. His jigs and spinnerbaits were the go-to baits for many pro anglers, including BFHOF inductees Rick Clunn who used a Stanley Vibra Shaft spinnerbait to win the 1986 U.S. Open on Lake Meade and Guido Hibdon casting Lonnie’s creations to win his 2002 Classic title. Stanley held his own while fishing 124 B.A.S.S. events including five Bassmaster Classic appearances. His lure business can be credited with playing a part in the creation of Texas’ LoneStar Lunker program when the then 17.67-pound state record caught on a Stanley jig became the first fish in the program. That bass – named ‘Ethel’ – found a new home at Bass Pro Shops in Springfield where millions of visitors saw her.
“On behalf of the BFHOF Board and bass anglers worldwide, we offer our congratulations to the 2022 inductees, and will look forward to celebrating all they have done for the sport of bass fishing at our Oct. 6 induction dinner,” said BFHOF Board president John Mazurkiewicz. “This year’s class has the special honor of being the first inducted where all living BFHOF inductees had the privilege to vote on who would be joining them. We were extremely pleased that 28 of the 43 eligible inductees took an active role in the process.”
For more information on the accomplishments of the BFHOF 2022 inductee, visit the biography page on all Hall inductees at https://www.bassfishinghof.com/alphabetical-list-of-inductees.
Alton Jones Earns Win in Qualifying Round for Group B at MLF Bass Pro Tour Toro Stage Two on Lake Fork
Lorena, Texas Angler Holds off Hard-Charging Fellow Texan Dakota Ebare to Advance Straight to Thursday’s Championship Round, Field of 38 Set for Knockout Round Wednesday
QUITMAN, Texas (Feb. 22, 2022) – Garmin pro Alton Jones of Lorena, Texas, maintained his lead throughout the day and held on to win the Qualifying Round Tuesday for Group B at the MLF Bass Pro Tour Toro Stage Two on Lake Fork Presented by Grundéns in Quitman, Texas. Over two days, Jones caught 28 bass totaling 117 pounds, 1 ounce to earn the first Qualifying Round victory of his career and advance straight to Thursday’s final-day Championship Round.
“I am so thankful to have caught the fish that I caught today,” said Jones, the reigning General Tire Heavy Hitters Champion. “I started on what was really my best area, from the first day, and the wind was blowing in there really hard. I think I could probably still have caught some fish in there, but it’s probably good that I didn’t because it’ll keep some of the other competitors from fishing on it as hard tomorrow in the Knockout Round. With that, I’ve also got several places that I think are going to replenish a little bit. So I think Thursday’s Championship Round could be very interesting.”
After catching 18 bass weighing 80 pounds, 7 ounces on Day 1, Jones backed it up on Day 2 with 10 more bass weighing 36-10. He said that he targeted numerous different timberlines with just two baits.
“I have found fish this week along the tree lines. They start out deep, and you can follow them a long way in – all the way up to the bank,” Jones said. “The depth range I’m fishing is from 10 to 12 feet up to 3 to 4 feet, just slow-rolling that big Stanley ¾-ounce Vibra-Shaft spinnerbait and throwing Ott’s little Rapala (Ott’s Garage Series) Slim crankbait. I’m a two-rod-Todd now – I think I can pick up those two baits and just roll with it come Championship Day.”
Bass Pro Tour newcomer Dakota Ebare of Brookeland, Texas, caught a two-day total of 24 bass weighing 92-11 to finish the round in second place, while Dayton, Tennessee pro Andy Morgan ended the round in third place with a two-day total of 24 bass weighing 83-1. Luke Clausen of Spokane, Washington , caught 22 bass weighing 81-14 to land in fourth, while Bryan Thrift of Shelby, North Carolina, advanced to the Knockout Round in fifth place with a two-day total of 19 bass weighing 80 pounds even.
“Alton kind of teased me and I fell for it a little bit, because I thought I was going to be able to try to make a run at and maybe win this thing late in the day,” Ebare said. “I got really close – within 11 pounds at one point – but then he caught a couple of more and I just went into practice mode.
“I ran new water and was just looking to see how the fish are adjusting to the weather,” Ebare continued. “I kind of found a new pattern today that I wasn’t doing before. I had been focusing on the creek channels, but today it seemed like the fish were focusing on the inside timberlines – that’s where I caught most of my fish today.”
Fishing in just his second ever Bass Pro Tour event, Ebare is excited about the opportunity that awaits him in the Knockout Round.
“I’m really excited for the Knockout Round, and I’m excited that I’ve had a great event so far here at Lake Fork in just my second event,” Ebare went on to say. “We’ll see how it goes. The weather is supposed to be pretty nasty, but I’m thankful that I have my Gill Winter Jacket and Bibs with me to keep me warm, comfortable and dry. We’re going to go out and give it all we got tomorrow to try to make the Championship Round.
The remaining 38 anglers – 19 from each group – now advance to Wednesday’s Knockout Round, where weights are zeroed, and the anglers compete to finish in the top eight to advance to the Championship Round on Thursday. The Championship Round will feature Group A winner Jacob Wheeler, Group B winner Alton Jones, and the top eight finishers from the Knockout Round competing in a final-day shootout for the top prize of $100,000.
The six-day event, hosted by the Lake Fork Area Chamber of Commerce, the Wood County EDC, the Sabine River Authority and the Rains County Tourism Board, showcases 80 of the top professional bass-fishing anglers in the world competing for a purse of $805,000, including a top cash prize of $100,000 to the winner.
The top 20 pros in Qualifying Group B that now advance to Wednesday’s Knockout Round on Lake Fork are:
1st: Alton Jones, Lorena, Texas, 28 bass, 117-1
2nd: Dakota Ebare, Brookeland, Texas, 24 bass, 92-11
3rd: Andy Morgan, Dayton, Tenn., 24 bass, 83-1
4th: Luke Clausen, Spokane, Wash., 22 bass, 81-14
5th: Bryan Thrift, Shelby, N.C., 19 bass, 80-0
6th: Skeet Reese, Auburn, Calif., 20 bass, 62-11
7th: Edwin Evers, Talala, Okla., 13 bass, 56-15
8th: Casey Ashley, Donalds, S.C., 14 bass, 54-0
9th: Dustin Connell, Clanton, Ala., 13 bass, 52-5
10th: Ryan Salzman, Huntsville, Ala., 14 bass, 50-9
11th: Dave Lefebre, Erie, Pa., 13 bass, 48-13
12th: Jeff Kriet, Ardmore, Okla., 12 bass, 48-6
13th: Stephen Browning, Hot Springs, Ark., 13 bass, 46-10
14th: Alton Jones Jr., Waco, Texas, 10 bass, 45-8
15th: Chris Lane, Guntersville, Ala., 13 bass, 43-10
16th: Scott Suggs, Alexander, Ark., 11 bass, 41-13
17th: Terry Scroggins, San Mateo, Fla., 11 bass, 41-7
18th: Russ Lane, Prattville, Ala., 12 bass, 41-2
19th: Roy Hawk, Lake Havasu City, Ariz., 10 bass, 40-7
20th: Greg Vinson, Wetumpka, Ala., 13 bass, 38-11
A complete list of results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
Overall on Tuesday, there were 202 scorable bass weighing 696 pounds, 9 ounces caught by 37 pros. The catch included three 7-pounders, one 8-pounder and one 9-pounder.
Addison, Alabama pro Jesse Wiggins earned Tuesday’s $1,000 Berkley Big Bass award, catching a 9-pound, 4-ounce largemouth on a jerkbait early in Period 3. Berkley awards $1,000 to the angler who weighs the heaviest bass each day, and a $3,000 bonus to the angler who weighs the heaviest bass of the tournament.
The 40 Anglers in Group A competed in their two-day Qualifying Round on Saturday and Monday – the 40 anglers in Group B on Sunday and Tuesday. Now that the Qualifying Round is complete, the anglers that finished in 2nd through 20th place from both groups advance to Wednesday’s Knockout Round, while the winner of each group advances directly to Thursday’s Championship Round. In the Knockout Round, weights are zeroed, and the remaining 38 anglers compete to finish in the top 8 to advance to the Championship Round. In the final day Championship Round, weights are zeroed, and the highest one-day total wins the top prize of $100,000.
The 38 anglers competing in Wednesday’s Knockout Round will launch at 7:30 a.m. from the Oak Ridge Marina, located at 2949 TX-154 in Quitman, Texas. The General Tire Takeout will be held at the Marina, beginning at 4:30 p.m. Fans are welcome to attend all launch and takeout events and also encouraged to follow the event online throughout the day on the MLF NOW!® live stream and SCORETRACKER® coverage at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
The Toro Stage Two on Lake Fork Presented by Grundéns will feature anglers competing with a 2-pound minimum weight requirement for a bass to be deemed scorable. Minimum weights are determined individually for each competition waters that the Bass Pro Tour visits, based on the productivity, bass population and anticipated average size of fish in each fishery.
The Bass Pro Tour features a field of 80 of the top professional anglers in the world competing across seven regular-season tournaments around the country, competing for millions of dollars and valuable points to qualify for the annual General Tire Heavy Hitters all-star event and the REDCREST 2023 championship.
The MLF NOW!® broadcast team of Chad McKee, Marty Stone and J.T. Kenney will break down the extended action on all six days of competition from 7:45 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. CT. MLF NOW!® will be live streamed on MajorLeagueFishing.com and the MyOutdoorTV (MOTV) app.
Television coverage of the Toro Stage Two on Lake Fork Presented by Grundéns will premiere at 7 a.m. ET, Sept. 17 on the Discovery Channel. New MLF episodes premiere each Saturday morning on the Discovery Channel, with additional re-airings on the Outdoor Channel. Each two-hour long reality-based episode goes in-depth to break down each day of competition.
Proud sponsors of the 2022 MLF Bass Pro Tour include: 13 Fishing, Abu Garcia, A.R.E. Truck Caps, B&W Trailer Hitches, BallyBet, Bass Cat, Bass Pro Shops, Berkley, Covercraft, Favorite Fishing, Garmin, General Tire, Googan Baits, Grundéns, Guaranteed Rate, Humminbird, Lowrance, Luminox, Mercury, Minn Kota, Mossy Oak, Nitro Performance Boats, Onyx, Plano, Power-Pole, Power Stop, Rapala, Starbrite, Toro, Toyota, Wrangler, Yellowstone Bourbon and Zoom.
For complete details and updated information on Major League Fishing and the Bass Pro Tour, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF’s social media outlets at Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.
Osage Beach Readies for MLF Toyota Series at Lake of the Ozarks
OSAGE BEACH, Mo. (Feb. 22, 2022) – The Major League Fishing (MLF) Toyota Series presented by A.R.E. is set for an event in Osage Beach, next week, March 1-3, with the Toyota Series Presented by A.R.E. at Lake of the Ozarks Presented by Smart Digital. The three-day tournament, hosted by the Tri-County Lodging Association, is the season-opener for the Toyota Series Plains Division Presented by Outlaw Ordnance.
The tournament will feature the region’s best bass-fishing pros and Strike King co-anglers casting for a top prize of up to $100,000 in the pro division and a new Phoenix 518 pro boat with a 115-horsepower Mercury outboard motor, in the co-angler division.
“This tournament is going to be an absolute slugfest,” said Lampe, Missouri pro Eric Olliverson, who has two top-10 finishes on Lake of the Ozarks in MLF competition. “The lake has been fishing incredible. We’re seeing lots of big bags and a lot of big fish. Unlike last year, we haven’t really had any major cold fronts this year. It’s been a consistent winter, with more nice days than cold days. The way everything is setting up, this one should be a lot of fun.”
Olliverson said that he expects the majority of anglers will be throwing just two baits.
“I expect that this one will be a totally dominant Alabama-rig and jerkbait bite,” Olliverson said. “Guys will be targeting secondary points, fish in the creeks, and I expect that brush will be a major factor. Local knowledge could definitely come into play in this event.
“From the (Bagnell) dam, to Gravois, to the mid-lake area – that’s where all of the weight is going to come from,” Olliverson went on to say. “I predict it will take just a little bit more than last year – at least 63 pounds over three days to win this one.”
Anglers will take off daily at 7 a.m. CT from Public Beach No. 2 at the Lake of the Ozarks State Park, located at 711 Public Beach Road in Osage Beach. Weigh-ins will also be held at the launch and will begin at 3 p.m. Fans are welcome to attend and encouraged to follow the event online through the “MLF Live” weigh-in broadcasts and daily coverage at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
In Toyota Series regular-season competition, payouts are based on the number of participants competing in the event, scaling up for every 20 boats over 160 and scaling down for every boat below 160. With a 160-boat field, pros fish for a top prize of $40,000, plus an extra $35,000 if Phoenix MLF Bonus qualified. Strike King co-anglers cast for the top prize of a new Phoenix 518 Pro bass boat with a 115-horsepower Mercury outboard (valued at $33,500). With a 260-boat field, pros fish for a top award of $65,000, plus an extra $35,000 if Phoenix MLF Bonus qualified. Strike King co-anglers cast for the top prize of a new Phoenix 518 Pro bass boat with a 115-horsepower outboard (valued at $33,500) plus $5,000 cash.
The 2022 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 and Wild Card divisions. Anglers who fish in any of the six divisions and finish in the top 25 – or the top 12 from the Wild Card division – will qualify for the no-entry-fee Toyota Series presented by A.R.E. Championship for a shot at winning up to $235,000 cash. The winning Strike King co-angler at the championship earns a new Phoenix 518 Pro bass boat with a 115-horsepower Mercury outboard. The 2022 Toyota Series presented by A.R.E. Championship will be held Nov. 3-5 on Lake Guntersville in Guntersville, Alabama, and is hosted by Marshall County Tourism and Sports.
Proud sponsors of the 2022 MLF Toyota Series Presented by A.R.E. include: 4WP, 13 Fishing, Abu Garcia, AFTCO, A.R.E. Truck Caps, B&W Trailer Hitches, Berkley, Black Rifle Coffee, E3, Epic Baits, Favorite Fishing, Gary Yamamoto Baits, General Tire, Lew’s, Lowrance, Lucas Oil, Mercury, Mossy Oak, Onyx, Outlaw Ordnance, Phoenix, Polaris, Power-Pole, Strike King, Tackle Warehouse, T-H Marine, Toyota, Wiley X and YETI.
For complete details and updated information visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow the MLF Toyota Series on the MLF5 social media outlets at Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.
Big Bass Tour - Berkley Lake Breakdown - Conroe
Caldemeyer Says Two Main Patterns in Play for Conroe Giants
By Pete Robbins
Lake Conroe is a perennial stop on the Big Bass Tour and for good reason – it pumps out plenty of big fish, including some giants. That was evident last year when a 14.25 pound trophy dominated the late February event, but it’s par for the course on the highly-developed lake north of Houston. Over the past five years, early season BBT events there have produced a total of 16 double digit fish. While 8 and 9 pounders can win hourly prizes, you have to catch a true dinosaur to have a chance at the top prize.
Lake Fork Guide James Caldemeyer has fished all over the Lone Star State and is on the water just about every day, especially this time of year as the true trophies move shallow. He said that anglers headed to Conroe should expect the bite to be excellent, but the particulars will depend on the pre-tournament weather patterns.
“I was at Rayburn this past week for an MLF Big5, and there’d been a warming trend the week before,” he recalled. “Then it cooled off, so even though the water temperatures were in the mid-60s, I saw a lot of empty beds. The fish had backed off. If they’re that far along at Rayburn, they should be there at Conroe, too, since it’s further south.
For spawners, he’d look to the northern end of the lake, like the area called the Jungle, where he’d flip and pitch to spawners that he can see, and also to those areas with limited visibility where he’d expect bedding fish to lie.
“Going in blind, I’d hit every north bank I could find, in little creeks and pockets,” he said. “There should already be some spawning going on, but if there’s sun, we should see even more of that.” While he’d make extensive use of the Berkley General and a Texas Rigged Power Lizard, over the last year he’s added a new bait to his arsenal for that purpose. “I’ve kept it kind of a secret over the past year because it’s been so phenomenal, but if there’s any visibility at all, and if sight fishing becomes a factor, I’d use that Berkley Chigger Bug. It comes in colors like white and chartreuse pearl, which is what I typically give my clients because they’re easier to see, but for skittish fish I believe that more natural colors are more effective. I believe these fish are on a biological clock and when it’s time to go they’re going to go to the bank, so it should be a shallow deal. Even if you can’t see them, it’ll pay to methodically pick apart the cover.”
While he fully expects there to be a bedding bass bite, Caldemeyer said that anglers who can’t or won’t make that pattern work will still find plenty of pre-spawners. For those bass he’d employ either a Berkley Stunna jerkbait or a Berkley Warpig lipless crankbait. In fact, if the weather is nasty or cold and windy, this is the pattern he’d prefer. Those fish are feeding up for the spawn, and won’t be negatively affected by the front the same way as those who’ve already started the process.
As always, Conroe promises to be a slugfest, and anglers will need to bring their “A Game” to challenge for a spot in the top 10, but as always there will be checks available to savvy strategists. Be sure to monitor the live leaderboard to get a sense of whether your smaller fish will pay big bucks.
HANK CHERRY HUNTING FOR HISTORY
COLUMBIA, S.C. (February 22nd, 2022) – Greenville, South Carolina. Lake Hartwell. Home to three previous Bassmaster Classics in 2008, 2015 and 2018, and now the fourth, the 2022 Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic presented by Huk. The Bassmaster Classic is always a special event but even more so when the possibility of making bass fishing history is on the line.
Two-time, back-to-back Bassmaster Classic Champion and Berkley and Abu Garcia pro Hank Cherry has the opportunity to make history if he once again wins the Bassmaster Classic. He would become a three-time, back-to-back-to-back Bassmaster Classic champion. Not only does Cherry have the opportunity to make history, he has a shot to do it in his backyard.
Just winning one Bassmaster Classic is a major accomplishment but winning back-to-back Bassmaster Classics is the stuff legends are made of. Winning three Bassmaster Classics in a row would accomplish a feat no professional angler has ever done. This is an opportunity in bass fishing history that rarely presents itself.
“What Hank Cherry has done in his career is incredibly impressive. We could not be more proud of what he has accomplished and will continue to accomplish, and we are all excited to watch him compete again this year at Lake Hartwell. Safe to say everyone on our team is rooting for him and his family at this year’s Bassmaster Classic.” says Jon Schlosser, Berkley and Abu Garcia’s Senior Vice President of Marketing.
In addition to Hank Cherry Jr., there are the five other pros representing Berkley and Abu Garcia in the 2022 Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic presented by Huk on Lake Hartwell:
Berkley and Abu Garcia Pros:
- Shane Lehew (Catawba, North Carolina - Berkley and Abu Garcia)
- Hunter Shryock (Ooltewah, Tennessee - Berkley and Abu Garcia)
- Matt Robertson (Central City, Kentucky - Berkley and Abu Garcia)
- John Cox (DeBary, Florida - Berkley and Abu Garcia)
- Bryan New (Belmont, North Carolina –Abu Garcia)
- Marc Frazier (Newnan, Georgia - Abu Garcia)
- Brandon Cobb (Greenwood, SC – Berkley and Abu Garcia)
- Daisuke Aoki (Yamanashi, Japan – Berkley and Abu Garcia)
Schlosser mentioned, “The Bassmaster Classic is always a very exciting time of year for our team. We take a lot of pride in the pro team we have built, and we could not be happier with how they represent our brands. This Classic at Lake Hartwell is certainly special, and we can’t wait to see how it plays out. Our pros have a lot of support behind them from our team and we’re looking forward to seeing them out on the water.”
We wish all the competitors at this year’s Bassmaster Classic good luck and safety. Come visit the Berkley and Abu Garcia team at the Bassmaster Classic Outdoors Expo located at the Greenville Convention Center March 4-6, 2022.
- Berkley booth – 507
- Abu Garcia booth – 207
Vandam’s All Time Texas Bass Fishing Favorites
Courtesy of Alan McGuckin / Dynamic Sponsorships
Kevin VanDam proudly calls Kalamazoo, Michigan home and has said many times there’s no place he’d rather live, but he’s also unapologetic for his love and appreciation of Texas’ bass fisheries.
He’s had tremendous success in Texas throughout his phenomenal 30-year pro career. So, during the recent Major League Fishing tournament on Lake Fork, he graciously took time over a cheeseburger and basket of jalapeño poppers at Lake Fork Marina to reflect on his favorite Lone Star lures and lakes.
Favorite Lakes
Lake Fork – “It will never cease to amaze me how many 4 to 8-pounder live here, despite the crazy amount of fishing pressure. And the fact you always have a chance to catch an absolute giant on any cast never gets old. The longevity of this place is a huge testament to great management by the Texas Parks and Wildlife folks,” insist the Team Toyota angler.
Rayburn – “You could call Rayburn my sentimental favorite. It’s a world class fishery too, but it’s also home to some of my earliest success as a pro in the early 1990s. At one time, I set the B.A.S.S. single day record with a 5-bass limit I caught on a floating lizard that weighed 31-pounds,” he reflects.
Toledo Bend – “I won on Toledo Bend as recently as 2016 with a 4-day total of 96-pounds, but that giant body of water holds a lot of sentimental memories too. Heck, the legendary Tommy Martin taught me how to throw a Carolina Rig during a day with him on Toledo Bend. Not to mention, it’s a great crankbait lake, and I love to throw a deep diving crankbait.”
KVD’s Three All Time Favorite Texas Bass Fishing Lures
Jerkbait – “This may be the least talked about of my favorite Texas lures. But man, I don’t come to Texas without a Strike King 300 series jerkbait tied on. From suspended bass in treetops on Lake Fork, to grass lines on Rayburn, it’s just a phenomenal tool,” explains VanDam.
6XD deep diving crankbait – “Once the fish move off-shore in late spring, and set-up on their summer spots, a 6XD is the perfect tool for dredging underwater roadbeds, points, creek channels, and ledges in 15 to 18-feet of water.”
Thunder Cricket vibrating jig – “Ya just gotta have it – especially in the spring! It’s a phenomenal tool around aquatic vegetation, but it’s also extremely effective around wood.”
Like a basket full of jalapeno poppers, tasty honestinput from the greatest professional bass angler of all time regarding his love of Texas bass fishing.