Pinckney’s Sitko Earns Seventh Career Win at Phoenix Bass Fishing League Event at Lake Erie Presented by Suzuki Marine

Marion’s Wilson Tops Strike King Co-Angler Division

SANDUSKY, Ohio (Aug. 5, 2024) – Boater Michael Sitko of Pinckney, Michigan, caught a five-bass limit weighing 25 pounds, 8 ounces, Saturday to win the MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League (BFL) Presented by T-H Marine on Lake Erie Presented by Suzuki Marine . The tournament was the fourth event of the season for the BFL Buckeye Division. Sitko earned $12,143, including the lucrative $7,000 Phoenix MLF Contingency Bonus, for his victory.

After a recent Phoenix Bass Fishing League win on the Detroit River, Sitko is finishing out the season on a bit of a hot streak, posting his seventh career win and his second victory in the past four weeks.

“This has been pretty incredible,” Sitko said. “I don’t expect it, ever, and I don’t know how long it’s going to last, but it’s pretty amazing right now.

“I made a big run to the north shore of the lake, about 37 miles one way, which wasn’t too bad,” Sitko continued. “I targeted some isolated breaks on the bottom, boulders and other stuff up that way.”

Sitko said he caught all his fish on drop-shot rigs with a Berkley Powerbait Maxscent Flat Worm and Berkley Powerbait Maxscent Flatnose Minnow and said his key to winning was his mindset and patience.

“I pulled up to my first spot and my co-angler caught a 4-pounder on his first cast,” Sitko said. “I broke off a 5-pounder, caught my biggest fish, then lost two more – but I didn’t freak out.

“That bite dried up and I just slowly worked my way around, culling up throughout the day, and it all worked out in my favor.”

The top 10 boaters finished the tournament:

1st:          Michael Sitko, Pinckney, Mich., five bass, 25-8, $12,143 (includes $7,000 Phoenix MLF Contingency Bonus)
2nd:        Grant Gallagher, Fremont, Ohio, five bass, 23-3, $2,249
3rd:         Joshua Barr, Louisville, Ohio, five bass, 21-10, $1,798
4th:         Cody Dawson, Mount Vernon, Ohio, five bass, 21-8, $1,050
5th:         Mike Trombly, Belleville, Mich., five bass, 21-2, $900
6th:         Hunter Colwell, Sidney, Ohio, five bass, 20-11, $825
7th:         Jarrett Martin, Mansfield, Ohio, five bass, 19-14, $750
8th:         Brody Campbell, Oxford, Ohio, five bass, 19-7, $675
9th:         Pat Upthagrove, Monroe, Mich., five bass, 19-6, $600
10th:       Jeffrey Yost, Lima, Ohio, five bass, 19-0, $525

Complete results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

Sitko caught a bass that weighed 6 pounds, 6 ounces, to earn the Berkley Big Bass Boater award of $645.

 

Bryan Wilson of Marion, Ohio, won the Strike King co-angler division and $2,571 Saturday, after bringing five bass to the scale that totaled 19 pounds, 14 ounces.

The top 10 Strike King co-anglers finished:

1st:          Bryan Wilson, Marion, Ohio, five bass, 19-14, $2,571
2nd:        Joe Yocum, Strawberry Plains, Tenn., five bass, 15-14, $1,125
3rd:         Jim Feathers, Vermilion, Ohio, four bass, 14-0, $752
4th:         Jacob Alltop, Lewistown, Ohio, four bass, 13-10, $525
5th:         Jordan Smith, Middletown, Ohio, four bass, 13-5, $431
5th:         Anthony Bell Jr., Cincinnati, Ohio, five bass, 13-5, $431
7th:         Dan Goforth, Monroe, Ohio, five bass, 13-3, $375
8th:         Brent Jones, Okeana, Ohio, five bass, 12-4, $337
9th:         Brian Zelinskas, Beavercreek, Ohio, five bass, 12-2, $300
10th:       Brett Warrick, Powell, Ohio, five bass, 11-14, $262

Wilson earned the Berkley Big Bass co-angler award of $322, catching a bass that weighed in at 5 pounds, 8 ounces – the largest co-angler catch of the day.

After four events, Sean Wieda of Alexandria, Kentucky, leads the BFL Buckeye Division Boater Angler of the Year (AOY) race with 964 points, while Brent Jones of Okeana, Ohio, leads the Strike King Co-Angler Division AOY race with 927 points.

The next event for BFL Buckeye Division anglers will be held Sept. 14-15, at Indian Lake in Lakeview, Ohio. To register for the event as a boater or a co-angler, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com or call (270)-252-1000.

The top 45 boaters and co-anglers in the region based on point standings, along with the five tournament winners of each qualifying event, will qualify for the Oct. 3-5 BFL Regional tournament on Kerr Lake in Henderson, North Carolina. Boaters will fish for a top award of $60,000, including a new Phoenix 819 Pro with a 200-horsepower Mercury or Suzuki outboard and $10,000, while co-anglers will compete for a top award of $50,000, including a new Phoenix 819 Pro with a 200-horsepower Mercury or Suzuki outboard.

The 2024 Phoenix BFL Presented by T-H Marine is a 24-division circuit devoted to weekend anglers, with 128 events throughout the season, five qualifying tournaments in each division. The top 45 boaters and Strike King co-anglers from each division, along with the five qualifying event winners, will advance to one of six BFL Regional tournaments where they are competing to finish in the top six, which then qualifies them for one of the longest-running championships in all of competitive bass fishing – the BFL All-American.

Proud sponsors of the 2024 MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine include: 7Brew, Abu Garcia, B&W Trailer Hitches, Berkley, BUBBA, E3, Epic Baits, Fishing Clash, General Tire, GSM Outdoors, Lew’s, Mercury, Mossy Oak, Onyx, Phoenix, Polaris, Power-Pole, PowerStop Brakes, REDCON1, Strike King, Suzuki, Tackle Warehouse, T-H Marine, Toyota, WIX Filters and YETI.

For complete details and updated tournament information, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular Bass Fishing League updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF5’s social media outlets at FacebookInstagram, and YouTube.

About Major League Fishing
Major League Fishing (MLF) is the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization, producing more than 250 events annually at some of the most prestigious fisheries in the world, while broadcasting to America’s living rooms on CBS, Discovery Channel, Outdoor Channel, CBS Sports Network, World Fishing Network and on demand on MyOutdoorTV (MOTV). Headquartered in Benton, Kentucky, the MLF roster of bass anglers includes the world’s top pros and more than 30,000 competitors in all 50 states and 17 countries. Since its founding in 2011, MLF has advanced the sport of competitive fishing through its premier television broadcasts and livestreams and is dedicated to improving the quality of life for bass through research, education, fisheries enhancement and fish care.


Lynch Station’s Brummett Wins Phoenix Bass Fishing League Event at James River

Rustburg’s Ragland Jr. Tops Strike King Co-Angler Division

HENRICO, Va. (Aug. 5, 2024) – Boater Chris Brummett of Lynch Station, Virginia, caught a five-bass limit weighing 18 pounds, 14 ounces, Saturday to win the MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League (BFL) Presented by T-H Marine on the James River . Hosted by Richmond Region Tourism, the tournament was the fourth event of the season for the BFL Piedmont Division. Brummett earned $4,305 for his victory.

“It was a good day,” said Brummett, who is celebrating his second Phoenix BFL victory this year. “I made a long run to my primary area and started off the competition with a 4-pounder that I caught on a dropshot rig.

“That was a good start, and I filled my limit in about 30 minutes or so after that first fish,” Brummett continued. “Once I had my limit, I started concentrating on finding big fish with a buzzbait and culled two good ones.

“The tide was out, so the fish were sucked up tight to that grass edge. I caught the rest of my fish – plus a pile of keepers – all on a dropshot rig, along a grass edge.”

The top 10 boaters finished the tournament:

1st:         Chris Brummett, Lynch Station, Va., five bass, 18-14, $4,305
2nd:        Christopher Wingfield, Richmond, Va., five bass, 17-4, $1,753
3rd:         Chaz Carrington, Suffolk, Va., five bass, 16-8, $1,169
4th:         Jonathan Bailey, Peterstown, W.V., five bass, 16-3, $818
5th:         Brian Bersik, Chesterfield, Va., five bass, 15-13, $701
6th:         Brian Laclair, Denton, Md., five bass, 15-3, $643
7th:         Eric Picucci, Midlothian, Va., five bass, 15-0, $584
8th:         Jeff Miskell, Vienna, Va., five bass, 14-15, $526
9th:         Ryan Lachniet, Gum Spring, Va., five bass, 14-12, $467
10th:       Ed Milton, Chester, Va., five bass, 14-9, $409

Complete results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

Shannon Breeding of Moneta, Virginia, caught a bass that weighed 6 pounds even to earn the Berkley Big Bass Boater award of $440.

Phillip Ragland Jr. of Rustburg, Virginia, won the Strike King co-angler division and $2,500 Saturday, after bringing five bass to the scale that totaled 17 pounds, 7 ounces.

The top 10 Strike King co-anglers finished:

1st:          Phillip Ragland Jr., Rustburg, Va., five bass, 17-7, $2,500
2nd:        Jean Lacerte, Elm City, N.C., five bass, 14-6, $866
3rd:         Robert Wedding, Welcome, Md., five bass, 14-4, $577
4th:         Travis Owens, Hurt, Va., five bass, 13-0, $404
5th:         David Williams, Fredericksburg, Va., five bass, 11-3, $347
6th:         Richard Williams, Sutherland, Va., five bass, 10-15, $318
7th:         Cornell Badra, Clarksburg, Md., five bass, 10-14, $289
8th:         Bryson Giles, Bedford, Va., five bass, 10-8, $260
9th:         William Lane, Midlothian, Va., five bass, 10-4, $231
10th:       Dustin Wilhelm, Buena Vista, Va., five bass, 10-3, $202

Ragland Jr. also earned the Berkley Big Bass co-angler award of $217, catching a bass that weighed in at 6 pounds, 11 ounces – the largest co-angler catch of the day.

After four events, Jonathan Bailey of Peterstown, West Virginia, leads the BFL Piedmont Division Boater Angler of the Year (AOY) race with 956 points, while Dustin Riddle of Hiwassee, Virginia, leads the Strike King Co-Angler Division AOY race with 962 points.

The next event for BFL Piedmont Division anglers will be held Sept. 21-22, at Kerr Lake in Henderson, North Carolina. To register for the event as a boater or a co-angler, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com or call (270)-252-1000.

The top 45 boaters and co-anglers in the region based on point standings, along with the five tournament winners of each qualifying event, will qualify for the Oct. 17-19 BFL Regional tournament on Clark’s Hill Lake in Appling, Georgia. Boaters will fish for a top award of $60,000, including a new Phoenix 819 Pro with a 200-horsepower Mercury or Suzuki outboard and $10,000, while co-anglers will compete for a top award of $50,000, including a new Phoenix 819 Pro with a 200-horsepower Mercury or Suzuki outboard.

The 2024 Phoenix BFL Presented by T-H Marine is a 24-division circuit devoted to weekend anglers, with 128 events throughout the season, five qualifying tournaments in each division. The top 45 boaters and Strike King co-anglers from each division, along with the five qualifying event winners, will advance to one of six BFL Regional tournaments where they are competing to finish in the top six, which then qualifies them for one of the longest-running championships in all of competitive bass fishing – the BFL All-American.

Proud sponsors of the 2024 MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine include: 7Brew, Abu Garcia, B&W Trailer Hitches, Berkley, BUBBA, E3, Epic Baits, Fishing Clash, General Tire, GSM Outdoors, Lew’s, Mercury, Mossy Oak, Onyx, Phoenix, Polaris, Power-Pole, PowerStop Brakes, REDCON1, Strike King, Suzuki, Tackle Warehouse, T-H Marine, Toyota, WIX Filters and YETI.

For complete details and updated tournament information, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular Bass Fishing League updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF5’s social media outlets at FacebookInstagram, and YouTube.

About Major League Fishing
Major League Fishing (MLF) is the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization, producing more than 250 events annually at some of the most prestigious fisheries in the world, while broadcasting to America’s living rooms on CBS, Discovery Channel, Outdoor Channel, CBS Sports Network, World Fishing Network and on demand on MyOutdoorTV (MOTV). Headquartered in Benton, Kentucky, the MLF roster of bass anglers includes the world’s top pros and more than 30,000 competitors in all 50 states and 17 countries. Since its founding in 2011, MLF has advanced the sport of competitive fishing through its premier television broadcasts and livestreams and is dedicated to improving the quality of life for bass through research, education, fisheries enhancement and fish care.


Key kickers lift Pickett County to victory at Bassmaster High School National Championship

Aug. 3, 2024

Key kickers lift Pickett County to victory at Bassmaster High School National Championship 

2024_HS_SeriesChamp_SK_BDance copy.jpgDAYTON, Tenn. — Rex Reagan and Max Moody have come close to winning high school tournaments before, missing out on victories by mere ounces. But this week, the rising sophomores at Pickett County High left little doubt about who would be hoisting the trophy this week at Chickamauga Lake.

Boasting a three-day total of 43 pounds, 3 ounces, Reagan and Moody won the Strike King Bassmaster High School National Championship presented by Bill Dance Signature Lakes, earning more than $10,000 in scholarship money in their home state.

“I’ve been second a bunch,” Reagan said. “I’ve been right there, ounces away. Two drops of water (away). It is unreal. I can’t believe I’m here holding this trophy.”

Opening the tournament in 119th place with a three-bass limit measuring 6-3, the duo landed a tournament-high 21-5 on Day 2 to jump into the lead before landing 15-11 on the final day to secure the victory.

Hailing from the Tennessee side of Dale Hollow Reservoir, Reagan and Moody landed 8-pounders each of the last two days, including an 8-3 on Day 2 and an 8-1 on the final day.

“It just feels good to be here,” Moody said. “We are proud that we made it here and made everyone back home proud and put us on the map. This is our first high school win together and it will feel good going into next season with a big win like this.”

Before the cutoff for the High School Championship, Reagan competed in the Bill Dance Signature Lakes Giant Bass Open in June, which allowed him to see how the bass were setting up.

Running toward the south end of Chickamauga Lake every day, Reagan and Moody targeted brushpiles between 10 and 15 feet of water in current-driven areas. If the current wasn’t moving fast enough, the bass would roam away from the brush, making them difficult to find.

Once the current started moving, around midday on the final two days, the bass would set up behind the brush and use it as an ambush point. That was when Reagan and Moody could make those bass bite using a 4 1/2-inch Hog Farmer Spunk Shad rigged on a Queen Tackle tungsten jighead as well as a 6-inch morning dawn Roboworm rigged on a drop shot.

“We fished a lot of places with a lot of brush. But about 12 o’clock they would start firing,” Reagan said. “I knew I could catch them again today if they set up right, and they did. When that current pushes, they get behind something. That was really key.”

On the final day, Reagan and Moody were able to land some smaller bass on a drop shot, but the morning was slow until about noon.

“They fired later in the day,” Reagan said. “That Hog Farmer Spunk Shad, I love that bait. It is a great bait. I can see the Queen Tackle tungsten jighead better on my LiveScope. I threw that bait in there and man, it smoked it. That was that 8-pounder, and that put us at about 12 pounds.”

Moody was on net duty for that 8-pounder, and he knew the second Reagan set the hook it was the bass they needed.

“It is crazy to watch him lean into one and hear that drag scream. It is a sight to see,” Moody said. “You know you better net that thing, or he’s going to be mad.”

With an hour to go before check-in, Reagan and Moody hooked into a 5-pounder, lifting them to their final tally for the day.

“We knew we were sitting good then,” Reagan said.

Jack Swihart and Rylan Hamlin from Jackson High School in southern Michigan finished second with a three-day total of 37-7. Opening the tournament in eighth with a limit weighing 13-4, they dropped to ninth on Day 2 with a 9-8 showing before jumping up the leaderboard the final day with 14-11.

“We gave it our all today. We caught the biggest bag we caught all week, and it didn’t shake out our way,” Swihart said.

The tournament was their first trip to Chickamauga Lake, and the duo focused their efforts on several different offshore elements. Forward-facing sonar was a big key to their success.

“Every day we were fishing a little bit of everything and throwing quite a few different baits,” Hamlin said. “We had multiple ledges, brushpiles, weed patches and wood and caught some roaming fish. We were running multiple different spots. We didn’t catch a whole bunch suspended, but being able to make accurate casts with (forward-facing sonar) on the weed patches and brushpiles was huge.”

The duo opened the morning by throwing topwater baits, landing a quality bass to get the momentum rolling. From there, they targeted ledges and caught a 7-3 largemouth before making one more key cull just before check-in.

With bags of 15-12, 11-5 and 10-5, Fisher Anaya from Brewer High School finished third with a three-day total of 37-6. Anaya spent most of the week using his forward-facing sonar to target individual largemouth with a Rapala CrushCity Freeloader. He also targeted several schools of bass with a Rapala DT-16.

“The majority of my fish were coming out of springs. I was looking for individual fish sitting inside the springs. The ledges would run out and make a big hole, and they would be sitting right in the middle of the hole. There were very few in each one, but they were all big and you would have to work your butt off to get one to actually bite your minnow.”

On the final day, Anaya located a new school of bass in more than 35 feet of water and landed a 4-pounder within the first couple of minutes of fishing. From there, he tried some of his other areas and filled out his limit. He returned to his deep school and landed a 5-pounder but lost another 5-pounder that would have lifted him to second.

“It swirled and I got it all the way to the boat, and it just came off,” he said. “Hats off to these boys. They caught them all week. It was definitely a heck of a week for me.”

Levi Stanley and Colton Hackney from the Triangle Bass Club in North Carolina claimed Big Bass of the Tournament honors with an 8-11 largemouth they landed on Day 1 of the event.

The City of Dayton hosted the tournament.

2024 Bassmaster High School Series Title Sponsor: Strike King

2024 Bassmaster High School Championship Sponsor: Bill Dance Signature Lakes

2024 Bassmaster High School Series Platinum Sponsor: Toyota
2024 Bassmaster High School Series Premier Sponsors: Bass Pro Shops, Dakota Lithium, Humminbird, Mercury, Minn Kota, Nitro Boats, Power-Pole, Progressive Insurance, Ranger Boats, Rapala, Skeeter Boats, Yamaha
2024 Bassmaster High School Series Supporting Sponsors: AFTCO, Daiwa, Garmin, Lew's, Lowrance, Marathon, Triton Boats, VMC

2024 Bassmaster High School Series Youth Sponsors: Seaguar, Shimano

About B.A.S.S.B.A.S.S., which encompasses the Bassmaster tournament leagues, events and media platforms, is the worldwide authority on bass fishing and keeper of the culture of the sport, providing cutting-edge content on bass fishing whenever, wherever and however bass fishing fans want to use it. Headquartered in Birmingham, Ala., the 500,000-member organization’s fully integrated media platforms include the industry’s leading magazines (Bassmaster and B.A.S.S. Times), website (Bassmaster.com), TV show, radio show, social media programs and events. For more than 50 years, B.A.S.S. has been dedicated to access, conservation and youth fishing.

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Connect with #Bassmaster on FacebookInstagramTwitter and TikTok.

Media Contact: Chad Gay, Communications Manager, 205-313-0945, cgay@bassmaster.com

 

2024 Strike King High School Championship presented by Bill Dance Signature Lakes 8/1-8/3
Chickamauga Lake, Dayton  TN.
(BOATER) Standings Day 3

Angler                                       Club/School                       Pts

1.  Rex Reagan - Max Moody                       Pickett County High School Fishi      0
Day 1: 3   06-03     Day 2: 3   21-05     Day 3: 3   15-11   Total:   9  43-03
2.  Jack Swihart - Rylan Hamlin                  Jackson High School Bass Fishing      0
Day 1: 3   13-04     Day 2: 3   09-08     Day 3: 3   14-11   Total:   9  37-07
3.  Fisher Anaya -                               Brewer High School - AL               0
Day 1: 3   15-12     Day 2: 3   11-05     Day 3: 3   10-05   Total:   9  37-06
4.  Hunter Owens - Clayton Kelley                Karns High School                     0
Day 1: 3   07-07     Day 2: 3   18-05     Day 3: 3   09-01   Total:   9  34-13
5.  Ragyn Mohney - Hunter Daniels                Okeechobee Brahmans                   0
Day 1: 3   13-12     Day 2: 3   11-04     Day 3: 3   09-10   Total:   9  34-10
6.  Alex Tyler - Briley West                     Mckeel High School Fishing Team       0
Day 1: 3   08-09     Day 2: 3   16-11     Day 3: 3   07-14   Total:   9  33-02
7.  Trevor Allen - Aaron Yavorsky                Hendry County High School Bassma      0
Day 1: 3   17-08     Day 2: 2   06-06     Day 3: 3   08-06   Total:   8  32-04
8.  Zach Knight - Luke Malik                     Gallatin High School                  0
Day 1: 3   11-15     Day 2: 3   09-10     Day 3: 3   08-12   Total:   9  30-05
9.  Logan Allen - Stone Grove                    Creekwood Hs Redhawks Fishing         0
Day 1: 3   14-13     Day 2: 3   08-05     Day 3: 3   07-02   Total:   9  30-04
10. Brody Ault - Dakota Van Weelden              Frontier Falcons                      0
Day 1: 2   12-14     Day 2: 1   08-05     Day 3: 2   05-09   Total:   5  26-12
11. Dawson Barnett - Jackson Padgett             Benjamin Russell Anglers              0
Day 1: 3   09-01     Day 2: 3   14-00     Day 3: 1   02-06   Total:   7  25-07
12. Travis Meche - Chance Watson                 Rayne High Bass Club                  0
Day 1: 3   09-09     Day 2: 3   12-00     Day 3: 0   00-00   Total:   6  21-09
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Totals
Day   #Limits    #Fish      Weight
1       130       544      1472-07
2       110       463      1265-00
3         9        30        99-07
----------------------------------
249      1037      2836-14


Tackle Warehouse Champ Carson Loves Aluminum, Laments FFS

Story by Alan McGuckin

 

Photo by Rob Matsuura, MLF

Highly likable Florida Pro Keith Carson never had an inch of doubt that his 20-foot aluminum Vexus® boat would deliver him safely and smoothly through big waves amid a mind-boggling 96-mile round trip run from Trenton, Michigan, to the northernmost corner of Lake Saint Clair. The Flippin, Arkansas-built vessel led him to the richest win of his career at the Tackle Warehouse Invitational on the Detroit River in late July.

However, two days later, as he drove to visit relatives in Ohio, he largely lamented that he had to use forward-facing sonar to claim the $80,000 first-place prize.

“I don’t want anybody who reads this to think for one second that I’m not grateful. I’m super grateful. I bought a home nine days before I won, and we’re about to have our first child, so the money means the world to us right now. But this win really got me thinking about the fact we’re being forced to use technology and the same basic technique to be competitive, and that concerns me a ton,” says Carson.

Carson, age 37, is by no means an old-timer, but he longs for the days when an angler’s intuition meant more than real-time images on a sonar screen, even though forward-facing sonar helped him catch every one of the 67 winning pounds he weighed in.

“I relied on it (FFS) purely because I’m tired of getting my butt whooped by it. So, I pinged a Berkley PowerBait MaxScent Jerk Shad on a medium-light 7’2” Fenwick walleye rod to catch every fish. But I’m really worried that if all the retailers are selling is spinning tackle, light line, jig heads, and plastic minnows, the sales of all other tackle are going to struggle in a big way, and that doesn’t leave the fishing industry in a healthy place,” adds Carson from a realistic perspective.

Carson says he’s absolutely certain tournament organizations are at a time of critical and necessary decision-making to help protect and preserve the fishing tackle industry, as well as the diversity of techniques that simply make the sport he dearly loves more fun.

One topic he’s not contemplating, however, is his recent decision to run an aluminum Vexus® AVX2080. “I’m mostly a shallow-water guy, and I love the way this aluminum boat performs in shallow water, but I proved it’s also totally capable of competing and winning in big water, fiberglass-dominated events like Saint Clair. I never once felt that guys running more expensive fiberglass boats had an advantage over my aluminum Vexus. Not to mention, my fuel economy was absolutely awesome on that superlong run,” says Carson.

“I chose to run a Vexus this year because I wanted to be part of an independently owned boat brand with a bright future run by guys like Keith Daffron and Randy Hopper, whose whole lives have been dedicated to building the industry’s highest quality fishing boats. They always pick up the phone and take care of me when I need them. That’s how they do business. And to be honest, this is the first season in a decade that I haven’t battled boat issues. I’m thrilled to be running a Vexus,” concludes Carson.

If only his soul felt equally at ease over the concerning impact of forward-facing sonar, his recent win would feel as cozy as the new home where he and his girlfriend, Shaylee, will soon welcome their first child.

To learn more about the Vexus culture and quality Keith Carson loves, please visit vexusboats.com.


Pickett County mounts impressive comeback to take Day 2 lead at Bassmaster High School Championship

Aug. 2, 20242024_HS_SeriesChamp_SK_BDance copy.jpg

 

DAYTON, Tenn. — After wrapping up practice for the Strike King Bassmaster High School National Championship at Chickamauga Lake presented by Bill Dance Signature Lakes, Rex Reagan and Max Moody knew they had a chance at catching big bags of largemouth if the right conditions presented themselves.

On Day 2, those conditions came to fruition, and the Pickett County High teammates landed a three-bass limit measuring 21 pounds, 5 ounces to jump into the lead with a two-day total of 27-8.

Their Day 2 bag, which included largemouth weighing 8-3 and 7-1, is not only the big bag of the tournament, but the biggest bag caught between the two High School Championships held on Chickamauga Lake. Banks Shaw and Gage King held the previous mark, a three-bass limit of 20-11 they caught on the final day of the 2021 event.

“This feels nice. We are pretty excited. We are going to try and go out there and do it again,” Moody said.

Entering the day in 119th with 6-3, Reagan and Moody now hold a 7-ounce advantage over Fisher Anaya from Brewer High School in Alabama. Hunter Owens and Clayton Kelley from Karns High School are third with a two-day total of 25-12.

Reagan and Moody live about two hours away from Dayton, Tenn., at Dale Hollow Reservoir, but they make several trips to Chickamauga Lake every year. While the fisheries set up differently, Reagan said Dale Hollow has helped him learn how to use forward-facing sonar.

“We come here often,” Reagan said. “I know this lake okay. Not as well as some people, but I like it. It is a fun lake to come to.”

During their practice period, Reagan and Moody were able to locate quality bass using forward-facing sonar, catching 16 pounds two of their three days of practice. Their worst day of practice they only caught 8 pounds, and those were the conditions they ended up facing on Day 1.

“Yesterday they didn’t set up right, the way I wanted them to. I didn’t see them. Today they did,” Reagan said. “Something about the current didn’t set up those fish right. But today it happened. We knew in practice if they set up right we were going to catch them.”

All of the bass Reagan and Moody are seeing on forward-facing sonar are in 10 to 15 feet of water. Two baits as well as forward-facing sonar were responsible for their Day 2 catch.

“They are just sitting on top of the ledges,” Reagan said. “You can see them stacked in one spot. It is just trying to get the right one to bite. They are really random. You don’t catch that many, but we are fishing for big ones. It is not easy.”

“It is quality over quantity for sure,” Moody added.

The duo opened the morning by catching a 5-pounder, which turned out to be their smallest bass of the day. From there, they filled out their limit.

“We got kind of worried. But then he landed that 8-pounder and we got pretty excited,” Moody said.

Reagan said it was a rodeo trying to get that bass in the boat.

“It went from the trolling motor to behind the boat, back to the trolling motor and around (Moody’s) line,” he explained. “Finally, that thing came up and he got the net under it.”

From there, the Pickett County team landed the 7-pounder and checked in an hour early. If conditions are correct, Reagan and Moody expect they will have a chance at another big bag.

Meanwhile, Anaya backed up his 15-12 Day 1 mark with 11-5 to finish the day in second with a two-day total of 27-1. On Day 1, he spent most of his time using forward-facing sonar to hunt individual fish relating to stumps, brush and bait balls. While he incorporated that strategy again today, he also caught bass out of a school using worms, jigs and a scrounger head.

The morning did not start particularly well for the Alabama native, as he didn’t catch his first keeper until 11 a.m.

“I kind of scrambled around,” he said. “I went to a school I knew was there but knew weren’t very big. I caught 8 pounds there and then hopped around. The current was a lot slower today, and the wind blowing like it did today didn’t help. I couldn’t hardly stay on them.”

Around 1:30, Anaya landed two 4-pounders on back-to-back casts to bolster his bag, and knowing he probably had enough to make the final day, he went looking for new areas.

“It was tough. It looked good on paper, but if you rode around in the boat with me, you’d think he wasn’t catching them (very well).

“The weights are really up and down, so being consistent will be key,” Anaya said. “If I can catch 14 pounds tomorrow, I’ll have a good shot at it.”

Owens and Kelley also mounted a major comeback on Day 2, adding 18-5 to their 7-7 performance from the first day. The Knoxville, Tenn., anglers anchored their bag with an 8-9 largemouth, the biggest bass of Day 2. Every bass they have caught this week they saw on forward-facing sonar.

“We tried out a whole new spot today,” Kelley said. “Today was just a lot better overall.”

The duo struggled to find an open spot to start the morning but managed to catch a small limit on their second stop of the day. After adding a 4-pounder to their livewell, they rotated through several different spots before landing a 4 ½-pounder.

Then in the last hour, the Karns High School anglers landed their 8-pounder, which they believed was a catfish. They also lost another bass about the same size in the same area.

“When I hooked it, it started shaking its head so hard I thought it was a catfish,” Owens said. “But when it started coming up, I knew it had to be a big one. I put my rod tip in the water, and we ended up getting it in the boat.”

Levi Stanley and Colton Hackney from the Triangle Bass Club in North Carolina continue to hold Big Bass of the Tournament honors with an 8-11 largemouth they landed on Day 1.

The Top 12 teams will take off from Lakeshore Drive Boat Launch beginning at 6:30 a.m. ET and return for weigh-in at 2:30 p.m. ET. The winning team will earn $10,000 in scholarship money toward a college of their choice. Weigh-in will be available for livestream at 2:30 p.m.

The City of Dayton is hosting the tournament.

2024 Bassmaster High School Series Title Sponsor: Strike King

2024 Bassmaster High School Championship Sponsor: Bill Dance Signature Lakes

2024 Bassmaster High School Series Platinum Sponsor: Toyota
2024 Bassmaster High School Series Premier Sponsors: Bass Pro Shops, Dakota Lithium, Humminbird, Mercury, Minn Kota, Nitro Boats, Power-Pole, Progressive Insurance, Ranger Boats, Rapala, Skeeter Boats, Yamaha
2024 Bassmaster High School Series Supporting Sponsors: AFTCO, Daiwa, Garmin, Lew's, Lowrance, Marathon, Triton Boats, VMC

2024 Bassmaster High School Series Youth Sponsors: Seaguar, Shimano

About B.A.S.S.B.A.S.S., which encompasses the Bassmaster tournament leagues, events and media platforms, is the worldwide authority on bass fishing and keeper of the culture of the sport, providing cutting-edge content on bass fishing whenever, wherever and however bass fishing fans want to use it. Headquartered in Birmingham, Ala., the 500,000-member organization’s fully integrated media platforms include the industry’s leading magazines (Bassmaster and B.A.S.S. Times), website (Bassmaster.com), TV show, radio show, social media programs and events. For more than 50 years, B.A.S.S. has been dedicated to access, conservation and youth fishing.

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Media Contact: Chad Gay, Communications Manager, 205-313-0945, cgay@bassmaster.com

 

2024 High School Championship at Lake Chickamauga 8/1-8/3
Chickamauga Lake, Dayton  TN.
(BOATER) Standings Day 2

Angler                                       Club/School                       Pts

1.  Rex Reagan - Max Moody                       Pickett County High School Fishi      0
Day 1: 3   06-03     Day 2: 3   21-05   Total:   6  27-08
2.  Fisher Anaya -                               Brewer High School - AL               0
Day 1: 3   15-12     Day 2: 3   11-05   Total:   6  27-01
3.  Hunter Owens - Clayton Kelley                Karns High School                     0
Day 1: 3   07-07     Day 2: 3   18-05   Total:   6  25-12
4.  Alex Tyler - Briley West                     Mckeel High School Fishing Team       0
Day 1: 3   08-09     Day 2: 3   16-11   Total:   6  25-04
5.  Ragyn Mohney - Hunter Daniels                Okeechobee Brahmans                   0
Day 1: 3   13-12     Day 2: 3   11-04   Total:   6  25-00
6.  Trevor Allen - Aaron Yavorsky                Hendry County High School Bassma      0
Day 1: 3   17-08     Day 2: 2   06-06   Total:   5  23-14
7.  Logan Allen - Stone Grove                    Creekwood Hs Redhawks Fishing         0
Day 1: 3   14-13     Day 2: 3   08-05   Total:   6  23-02
8.  Dawson Barnett - Jackson Padgett             Benjamin Russell Anglers              0
Day 1: 3   09-01     Day 2: 3   14-00   Total:   6  23-01
9.  Jack Swihart - Rylan Hamlin                  Jackson High School Bass Fishing      0
Day 1: 3   13-04     Day 2: 3   09-08   Total:   6  22-12
10. Travis Meche - Chance Watson                 Rayne High Bass Club                  0
Day 1: 3   09-09     Day 2: 3   12-00   Total:   6  21-09
11. Zach Knight - Luke Malik                     Gallatin High School                  0
Day 1: 3   11-15     Day 2: 3   09-10   Total:   6  21-09
12. Brody Ault - Dakota Van Weelden              Frontier Falcons                      0
Day 1: 2   12-14     Day 2: 1   08-05   Total:   3  21-03
13. Grace Olsen - Cole Hampson                   Gardner S Wilmington High School      0
Day 1: 3   06-15     Day 2: 3   14-03   Total:   6  21-02
14. Justin McGee - Sadie Wallace                 Bibb County                           0
Day 1: 3   08-10     Day 2: 3   12-03   Total:   6  20-13
15. Eli Herring - Hunter Lee                     Greene County Bassmasters             0
Day 1: 3   11-11     Day 2: 3   08-10   Total:   6  20-05
16. Zach Widelski - Ty Nielsen                   Wheaton North Bass Fishing Team       0
Day 1: 3   10-13     Day 2: 3   09-03   Total:   6  20-00
17. Connor Miller - Caleb Miller                 Hukeone - Home School                 0
Day 1: 3   09-01     Day 2: 3   10-14   Total:   6  19-15
18. Michael Markham - Carter Davidson            Tallassee High School - AL            0
Day 1: 3   09-02     Day 2: 3   10-12   Total:   6  19-14
19. Jacob Clayton - Hogan Benson                 Chesnee High School - SC              0
Day 1: 3   10-13     Day 2: 3   08-11   Total:   6  19-08
20. Carter Hazlett - Christian Ferguson          Siegel High School                    0
Day 1: 3   13-03     Day 2: 1   06-04   Total:   4  19-07
21. Logan Brown - Caleb Southerly                Lake Anna Elite Anglers               0
Day 1: 3   11-04     Day 2: 3   07-15   Total:   6  19-03
22. Hunter Travis - Jameson Norris               Baldwin County High School            0
Day 1: 3   11-00     Day 2: 3   08-02   Total:   6  19-02
23. Boots Burleson - Brady Mikes                 Lovelady Fishing Team                 0
Day 1: 3   06-10     Day 2: 3   12-07   Total:   6  19-01
24. Jon Foster - Carter Simmons                  Bandys High School - NC               0
Day 1: 3   09-13     Day 2: 3   09-04   Total:   6  19-01
25. Nate Helmreich - Luke Farminer               Freeland Bass Fishing                 0
Day 1: 3   09-09     Day 2: 3   09-08   Total:   6  19-01
26. Presley Lannom - Trevor Sanford              Mt. Juliet High School - TN           0
Day 1: 3   11-14     Day 2: 3   06-13   Total:   6  18-11
27. Andrew Worrall -                             Covington Catholic                    0
Day 1: 3   10-11     Day 2: 3   08-00   Total:   6  18-11
28. Kieran Stephenson - Grady Stanley            Triangle Bass Club                    0
Day 1: 3   13-10     Day 2: 2   04-13   Total:   5  18-07
29. Cole Martin - Cole Mcneely                   Lakeside Rams Bass Club               0
Day 1: 3   06-07     Day 2: 3   12-00   Total:   6  18-07
30. Drew Fleener - Hunter Prough                 Chipley Bassmasters                   0
Day 1: 3   16-11     Day 2: 1   01-11   Total:   4  18-06
31. Ben Tesch - Parker Sommers                   Bw Bassers                            0
Day 1: 2   08-04     Day 2: 3   10-01   Total:   5  18-05
32. Jack Dowdy - Wyatt Galbraith                 Lowndes High School Lip Rippers       0
Day 1: 3   10-08     Day 2: 3   07-10   Total:   6  18-02
33. Brise Hazelton - Caden Alexander             Huntington High School                0
Day 1: 3   10-14     Day 2: 3   07-02   Total:   6  18-00
34. Clay Bales - Cash Bales                      South Laurel High School              0
Day 1: 3   08-08     Day 2: 3   09-08   Total:   6  18-00
35. Logan Welch - Beau Beatty                    Bolivar Hs                            0
Day 1: 3   06-15     Day 2: 3   10-14   Total:   6  17-13
36. Mitchell Robinson - Cody Abbott              Byrnes High School Fishing Club       0
Day 1: 3   08-13     Day 2: 3   09-00   Total:   6  17-13
37. Levi Stanley - Colton Hackney                Triangle Bass Club                    0
Day 1: 3   16-03     Day 2: 1   01-06   Total:   4  17-09
38. Cooper Rouse - Ryker Reed                    D'iberville Hs Warrior Bass Nati      0
Day 1: 3   07-08     Day 2: 3   10-00   Total:   6  17-08
39. Joe Vaulton - Walker LaRue                   Alcoa Fishing Team High School        0
Day 1: 3   08-11     Day 2: 3   08-13   Total:   6  17-08
40. Austin Hayes - Traydun Freeze                Roco Anglers                          0
Day 1: 3   06-05     Day 2: 2   11-02   Total:   5  17-07
41. Coleman Stewart - Keenan Stewart             Boyle County High School              0
Day 1: 3   09-12     Day 2: 3   07-08   Total:   6  17-04
42. Bennett Mcbride - Gavin Robinson             Flower Mound Hawgsticker Bass Te      0
Day 1: 3   11-05     Day 2: 3   05-12   Total:   6  17-01
43. Nathan Moroney - Brandon Smith               Rocky Mtn Bass Anglers                0
Day 1: 3   08-10     Day 2: 3   08-03   Total:   6  16-13
44. Donnie Hoskins - Blayden Mann                Indian Creek Bass Fishing Team        0
Day 1: 3   07-08     Day 2: 3   09-01   Total:   6  16-09
45. James Mitchell - Brody Mitchell              Grissom Hs Fishing Team               0
Day 1: 3   06-02     Day 2: 3   10-03   Total:   6  16-05
46. Michael Royals - Lane Mueller                Mid-Carolina High School Bass Ma      0
Day 1: 3   09-01     Day 2: 3   07-03   Total:   6  16-04
47. Riley Durdel - Landon Titus                  Neoga High School                     0
Day 1: 3   07-00     Day 2: 3   09-03   Total:   6  16-03
48. Holt Owens - Wyatt Shirran                   Midway High School - TN               0
Day 1: 3   07-09     Day 2: 3   08-09   Total:   6  16-02
49. Caden Williamson - Braden Norton             Vidor Pirate Fishing Team             0
Day 1: 3   10-11     Day 2: 2   05-06   Total:   5  16-01
50. Dylan Mladick - Cooper Springsteel           Team Arizona                          0
Day 1: 3   09-03     Day 2: 3   06-14   Total:   6  16-01
51. Carson Falk - Trey Blackmon III              Capital City High School Bass Hu      0
Day 1: 3   09-03     Day 2: 3   06-13   Total:   6  16-00
52. Dylan Sorrells - Will Shepherd               Hp Bass Team                          0
Day 1: 3   06-10     Day 2: 3   09-05   Total:   6  15-15
52. Hudson Windham - Matthew Hughes              Capital City High School Bass Hu      0
Day 1: 3   09-05     Day 2: 3   06-10   Total:   6  15-15
54. Mason Mullins - Caden Graham                 Soddy Daisy High School               0
Day 1: 3   07-10     Day 2: 2   08-05   Total:   5  15-15
55. Clayburn Reed - Parker Creech                Central Florida Youth Anglers -       0
Day 1: 3   09-00     Day 2: 2   06-11   Total:   5  15-11
56. Paul Baker -                                 Ct Bass Thunder                       0
Day 1: 3   08-05     Day 2: 3   07-05   Total:   6  15-10
57. Bryce Youngblood -                           Sulphur Fishing Team - Sulphur H      0
Day 1: 3   06-14     Day 2: 3   08-11   Total:   6  15-09
58. Carter Pjesky - JD McBroom                   Off The Hook High School Bassmas      0
Day 1: 2   04-04     Day 2: 3   11-04   Total:   5  15-08
59. Gray Hardy - Lawson Gamble                   Headland High School                  0
Day 1: 3   08-13     Day 2: 3   06-11   Total:   6  15-08
60. Ty Trentham - Chase McCarter                 Sevier County High School             0
Day 1: 2   05-04     Day 2: 3   10-03   Total:   5  15-07
61. Jacob Berryhill - Isaac Chandler             Rogersville Warriors High School      0
Day 1: 3   05-09     Day 2: 3   09-11   Total:   6  15-04
62. Hayden Barnett - Camdyn Cranfill             Kingston Fishing Team                 0
Day 1: 3   08-14     Day 2: 3   06-05   Total:   6  15-03
63. Cody Carboni - William Reynolds              Live Oak High School Fishing Tea      0
Day 1: 3   10-12     Day 2: 1   04-04   Total:   4  15-00
64. Tanner Wolf - Eddie Hook                     Club Florida High School Bassmas      0
Day 1: 2   05-14     Day 2: 3   09-00   Total:   5  14-14
65. Landon Rollison - Tanner Bass                Dixie Co Bass Masters High Schoo      0
Day 1: 3   12-08     Day 2: 1   02-02   Total:   4  14-10
66. Wyatt Richards - Colby Goforth               Pickens County Bass Club              0
Day 1: 3   10-10     Day 2: 2   03-15   Total:   5  14-09
67. Michael Harris - Kayden Waller               Mt Juliet Fishing Team                0
Day 1: 3   06-14     Day 2: 3   07-11   Total:   6  14-09
68. Roper Putnam - Jack Story                    Clarks Hill Hs Fishing Team           0
Day 1: 3   06-15     Day 2: 3   07-10   Total:   6  14-09
69. Mason Taylor - Wesley Kent                   Dekalb Fishing Team                   0
Day 1: 3   07-09     Day 2: 3   07-00   Total:   6  14-09
70. Landon Myers - Bryson Bailey                 Alcoa Fishing Team High School        0
Day 1: 3   07-08     Day 2: 3   07-01   Total:   6  14-09
71. Aiden Behuniak - Wesley Perreault            Ct Bass Thunder                       0
Day 1: 3   08-12     Day 2: 3   05-12   Total:   6  14-08
72. Kaden Casey - Collin French                  Montgomery County High School Ba      0
Day 1: 3   07-12     Day 2: 2   06-12   Total:   5  14-08
73. Colten Dickerson - Gabe Aldrich              Zeeland Fishhawx                      0
Day 1: 3   08-07     Day 2: 2   05-15   Total:   5  14-06
74. Joseph Dejean - Matthew Arceneaux            West Feliciana Bass Club Inc          0
Day 1: 1   03-07     Day 2: 3   10-10   Total:   4  14-01
75. Alec Hummel - Conner McClellan               Southeastern Bass Anglers             0
Day 1: 3   07-04     Day 2: 2   06-13   Total:   5  14-01
76. Easton Morrow - RJ Sanger IV                 Lcs Viking Anglers                    0
Day 1: 3   05-09     Day 2: 3   08-07   Total:   6  14-00
77. Nolan Gray - Rhyder Short                    Hamblen County Anglers                0
Day 1: 3   05-08     Day 2: 3   08-07   Total:   6  13-15
78. Easton Drennon - Cole Petroff                Mt Juliet Fishing Team                0
Day 1: 3   08-06     Day 2: 2   05-09   Total:   5  13-15
79. Drew Turnbull - Thomas Turnbull              Evangel Christian School              0
Day 1: 3   06-07     Day 2: 3   07-06   Total:   6  13-13
80. Ethan Castle - Adam Mcdougal                 Whitwell Hs Fishing Team              0
Day 1: 3   08-05     Day 2: 3   05-07   Total:   6  13-12
81. Ely Hagans - Cole Pennington                 Greenbrier Panthers                   0
Day 1: 3   06-03     Day 2: 3   07-09   Total:   6  13-12
82. Jay Haynes - Landon Haynes                   Marion County High School - FL        0
Day 1: 3   06-05     Day 2: 3   07-01   Total:   6  13-06
83. Nathan Bennett - Carter Burdette             Seminole Junior Anglers               0
Day 1: 3   06-11     Day 2: 2   06-11   Total:   5  13-06
84. Noah Varitek - Aiden Pihaylic                A1 Anglers - MI                       0
Day 1: 3   07-05     Day 2: 2   06-00   Total:   5  13-05
85. Kade Ellender - Caden Doucet                 Sulphur Fishing Team - Sulphur H      0
Day 1: 3   11-05     Day 2: 1   01-15   Total:   4  13-04
86. Colton Caskey - Brayden Pearah               Riverdale Bassmasters                 0
Day 1: 3   09-06     Day 2: 2   03-12   Total:   5  13-02
87. Wyatt Drawdy - Cole Drawdy                   Plant City Bassmasters                0
Day 1: 3   07-13     Day 2: 2   05-05   Total:   5  13-02
88. Tanner Seabolt - Finn Taylor                 Okeechobee Brahmans                   0
Day 1: 2   03-11     Day 2: 3   09-06   Total:   5  13-01
89. Hunter Mize - Jace Anderson                  Little River Bass Bandits - AR        0
Day 1: 2   03-12     Day 2: 3   09-05   Total:   5  13-01
90. Nick Noyes - Tim Raducka                     Plainfield South High School - I      0
Day 1: 2   07-04     Day 2: 2   05-12   Total:   4  13-00
91. Brason Mack - Peyton Shields                 Team Arizona                          0
Day 1: 3   08-15     Day 2: 2   03-14   Total:   5  12-13
92. Blake Marcum - Reece Hughes                  Louisa Bass Club High School          0
Day 1: 3   07-03     Day 2: 3   05-09   Total:   6  12-12
93. Thomas Newman -                              Frederick County Hs Bass Wrangle      0
Day 1: 3   12-11     Day 2: 0   00-00   Total:   3  12-11
94. Evan Smith - Garret Demery                   Farmington High School                0
Day 1: 3   05-07     Day 2: 3   07-04   Total:   6  12-11
95. Boone Stewart -                              Hendry County High School - FL        0
Day 1: 3   05-09     Day 2: 3   07-00   Total:   6  12-09
96. Hayden Buchanan - Barrett Choquette          Headland Bass Team                    0
Day 1: 3   08-12     Day 2: 2   03-12   Total:   5  12-08
97. Nevan Osburn - Atticus Bandy                 Brock High Bassmasters                0
Day 1: 1   03-13     Day 2: 3   08-10   Total:   4  12-07
98. Tucker McCoy - Ethan Hopkins                 Mortimer Jordan Hs Bass Club          0
Day 1: 2   03-09     Day 2: 3   08-12   Total:   5  12-05
99. Jase Sparks - Tripp Parks III                Clarks Hill Hs Fishing Team           0
Day 1: 3   06-04     Day 2: 3   06-00   Total:   6  12-04
100. Finn Norsworthy -                            Park Place Christian Academy - M      0
Day 1: 2   03-07     Day 2: 3   08-12   Total:   5  12-03
101. James Sumrell -                              Hixson Bass Team                      0
Day 1: 3   05-04     Day 2: 3   06-15   Total:   6  12-03
102. Blane Holcombe - Gibson Huntley              Chapman High School                   0
Day 1: 3   06-07     Day 2: 3   05-06   Total:   6  11-13
103. Nathan Uldrych - Adrius Stankus              Carl Sandburg Eagels Bass Fishin      0
Day 1: 3   06-07     Day 2: 2   05-05   Total:   5  11-12
104. Levi Self - Carter Lee                       Lumpkin County Schools                0
Day 1: 1   02-00     Day 2: 3   09-10   Total:   4  11-10
105. Kaleb Winstead - Zack Hudgens                Scotts Hill High School Anlgers       0
Day 1: 3   09-09     Day 2: 1   01-15   Total:   4  11-08
106. Jackson Edenfield - Hunter Harris            Chiles High School Fishing Team       0
Day 1: 3   08-01     Day 2: 1   03-06   Total:   4  11-07
107. Jay Delk -                                   Little Cypress Mauriceville Hs        0
Day 1: 2   04-09     Day 2: 3   06-11   Total:   5  11-04
108. Bradford Vandemark - Elias Hitson            Eagleville Fishing Club               0
Day 1: 2   04-12     Day 2: 3   06-08   Total:   5  11-04
109. Walker Woodall - John Klanchar               Trader Bills                          0
Day 1: 3   06-03     Day 2: 2   05-01   Total:   5  11-04
110. Lake  Johnson - Beau England                 Alabama Bass Academy - AL             0
Day 1: 3   09-01     Day 2: 1   02-02   Total:   4  11-03
111. Destin Morales -                             Livingston Parish Bassmasters         0
Day 1: 3   07-03     Day 2: 2   04-00   Total:   5  11-03
112. Owen Satterwhite - James Pinson              Ldhs Anglers                          0
Day 1: 3   07-14     Day 2: 2   03-04   Total:   5  11-02
113. Tyler Boston - Devin Gonzalez                Columbia High School - FL             0
Day 1: 2   04-11     Day 2: 3   06-05   Total:   5  11-00
114. Colton Hembree - Tyson Browning              Madison Southern                      0
Day 1: 3   09-06     Day 2: 1   01-09   Total:   4  10-15
115. Connor Racine - Cole Racine                  Dexter High School Fishing Club       0
Day 1: 1   03-01     Day 2: 3   07-14   Total:   4  10-15
116. Garrett Hooker - Samuel Rachal               Oak Hill Bass Club                    0
Day 1: 2   05-05     Day 2: 3   05-10   Total:   5  10-15
117. Hayes Finch - James Lamberth                 Aca Fishing Team                      0
Day 1: 2   05-00     Day 2: 2   05-13   Total:   4  10-13
118. Luke Collins - Laken Hudnall                 Hardin High School                    0
Day 1: 3   05-04     Day 2: 2   05-09   Total:   5  10-13
119. Logan Parker - Hudson Howell                 Cherokee Bass Team                    0
Day 1: 2   03-02     Day 2: 3   07-09   Total:   5  10-11
120. Grayson Goss - Wally Wolcott                 Lakeside Rams Bass Club               0
Day 1: 3   06-03     Day 2: 2   04-06   Total:   5  10-09
121. Zavian Smith -                               Lake Cumberland High School Bass      0
Day 1: 1   02-08     Day 2: 3   08-00   Total:   4  10-08
122. Jackie Hatfield - Graham Willis              Alcoa Fishing Team - TN               0
Day 1: 2   04-07     Day 2: 3   06-01   Total:   5  10-08
123. Barrett Newton - Brayden Huddleston          Upperman High School                  0
Day 1: 2   03-01     Day 2: 3   07-06   Total:   5  10-07
124. Justin Blais - Chance Babb                   Glenmora High School                  0
Day 1: 2   07-02     Day 2: 2   03-04   Total:   4  10-06
125. Landon Gabby - Kolby Baker                   Marion High School Bass Fishing       0
Day 1: 3   06-14     Day 2: 1   03-08   Total:   4  10-06
126. Lane Parker - Mitchell Tew                   Cherokee Bass Team                    0
Day 1: 3   06-10     Day 2: 2   03-12   Total:   5  10-06
127. Nathan Mccoy - Matthew Carey                 Roco Anglers                          0
Day 1: 1   02-09     Day 2: 3   07-09   Total:   4  10-02
128. Ashton Kuchar - Keaton Kuchar                Eastern Nebraska Juniors              0
Day 1: 1   01-10     Day 2: 3   08-07   Total:   4  10-01
129. Taylor Hubert - Kaden Paprocki               Porter High School                    0
Day 1: 3   06-11     Day 2: 2   03-05   Total:   5  10-00
130. Chase Logue - Carter Logue                   Argenta Oreana High School - IL       0
Day 1: 3   07-12     Day 2: 2   02-03   Total:   5  09-15
131. Blake Loida - Landon Hogan                   Mahtomedi High School                 0
Day 1: 2   04-02     Day 2: 3   05-13   Total:   5  09-15
132. Dylan Holcomb - Grayson Faircloth            Liberty County Anglers                0
Day 1: 1   05-11     Day 2: 2   04-04   Total:   3  09-15
133. Hoyt Gull - Brooks Clevenger                                                       0
Day 1: 2   03-07     Day 2: 3   06-07   Total:   5  09-14
134. Colton King - Sawyer King                    Stephenville Bass Busters             0
Day 1: 3   05-05     Day 2: 3   04-09   Total:   6  09-14
135. Mason George - Jayson Roden                  Albertville High School               0
Day 1: 2   03-10     Day 2: 3   06-03   Total:   5  09-13
136. Fischer Sickafoose - Austin Tolbert                                                0
Day 1: 1   03-11     Day 2: 2   06-02   Total:   3  09-13
137. Connor Crawford - Brody Beam                 Liberty County Anglers                0
Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 3   09-12   Total:   3  09-12
138. Owen Ray - Turner Tharpe                     Rhea County  Eagle Anglers            0
Day 1: 3   09-09     Day 2: 0   00-00   Total:   3  09-09
139. Tucker Kenney - Reed Heutz                   Mebass High School                    0
Day 1: 2   03-05     Day 2: 3   06-01   Total:   5  09-06
140. Henry Fox - Grady Schultz                    Fruitport High School                 0
Day 1: 1   02-02     Day 2: 3   07-02   Total:   4  09-04
141. Caleb Bartling - Toby Anderson               Western Pa Student Bass Stalkers      0
Day 1: 3   09-03     Day 2: 0   00-00   Total:   3  09-03
142. Bryce Mcdonald - Ethan Elliott               Paintsville High School               0
Day 1: 3   09-02     Day 2: 0   00-00   Total:   3  09-02
143. Luke Stewart - Micah Osborne                 Clay County Panthers                  0
Day 1: 3   07-04     Day 2: 1   01-14   Total:   4  09-02
144. Landon Pierce - Korbin Neat                  Casey County High School              0
Day 1: 2   05-09     Day 2: 2   03-09   Total:   4  09-02
145. Zack Ramsey - Brayden Padgett                Mcdowell High School Bass Fishin      0
Day 1: 2   04-10     Day 2: 2   04-08   Total:   4  09-02
146. Aiden Levis - Cullen Herron                  Barge Canal Bassmasters               0
Day 1: 3   07-02     Day 2: 1   01-14   Total:   4  09-00
147. Max Flatten - Sam Spies                      North Dakota - At Large               0
Day 1: 1   02-01     Day 2: 3   06-15   Total:   4  09-00
148. Landen Dale - Nate Floyd                     Jessamine County High School Eli      0
Day 1: 3   06-12     Day 2: 1   02-04   Total:   4  09-00
149. Bret Cavanaugh - Alexander Bielfeldt         Reed Custer Casting Comets            0
Day 1: 3   06-04     Day 2: 1   02-12   Total:   4  09-00
150. Ethen Gardner - Hayes Boyd                   Aca Fishing Team                      0
Day 1: 1   03-04     Day 2: 2   05-10   Total:   3  08-14
151. Jordan Werner - Markus Avalos                Nevada Bass Anglers                   0
Day 1: 3   08-12     Day 2: 0   00-00   Total:   3  08-12
152. Colby Kessinger -                            Club Florida High School Bassmas      0
Day 1: 3   08-11     Day 2: 0   00-00   Total:   3  08-11
153. Jake Gluszek - Maxsim Hughen                 Nj Hs Club                            0
Day 1: 2   05-07     Day 2: 1   03-03   Total:   3  08-10
154. Brady Talbot - Hunter King                   Live Oak High School Fishing Tea      0
Day 1: 2   03-03     Day 2: 3   05-06   Total:   5  08-09
155. Tripp Tamasi III - Matthew Johnson           Greenbrier High School                0
Day 1: 1   02-04     Day 2: 3   06-04   Total:   4  08-08
156. Bryson Osment - Lohgan Gosnell               Byrnes High School Fishing Club       0
Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 3   08-06   Total:   3  08-06
157. Nick Siebert - Brantson Komnick              Olympia Anglers                       0
Day 1: 2   08-06     Day 2: 0   00-00   Total:   2  08-06
158. Nick Parrish - Chris Parrish                 Brunswick Academy Vikings             0
Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 3   08-05   Total:   3  08-05
159. Deaton Leblanc - Christian Goins             Denham Springs High School - LA       0
Day 1: 3   06-08     Day 2: 1   01-13   Total:   4  08-05
160. Carson Tithof - Maverick Hardebeck           Grand Haven High School               0
Day 1: 2   04-06     Day 2: 2   03-13   Total:   4  08-03
161. Evan Goering - Brayden Henry                 Buhler High School Crusaders          0
Day 1: 2   06-04     Day 2: 1   01-14   Total:   3  08-02
162. Brodie Gibson - Noah Mentz                   Knight Fishing Anglers                0
Day 1: 1   02-05     Day 2: 3   05-13   Total:   4  08-02
163. Bennett Fontenot - Braxton Speyrer           Port Barre High School - LA           0
Day 1: 2   04-13     Day 2: 2   03-05   Total:   4  08-02
164. Kyler Smith - Tripp Pitts                    Pendleton Bass Fanactics              0
Day 1: 1   03-06     Day 2: 2   04-12   Total:   3  08-02
165. Bryson Gurley - Ethan Evatt                  Palmetto High Bass Fishing            0
Day 1: 3   08-01     Day 2: 0   00-00   Total:   3  08-01
166. Gavin Seewald - Tate Turner                  Hoover High School                    0
Day 1: 1   04-14     Day 2: 1   03-03   Total:   2  08-01
167. Dominick Andux - Peyton Faber                Tampa Bay Junior Bass Club - FL       0
Day 1: 2   03-13     Day 2: 1   04-03   Total:   3  08-00
168. Joe Childs - Hunter Duracz                   Track And Channel Youth               0
Day 1: 1   01-10     Day 2: 3   06-05   Total:   4  07-15
169. Hunter Hightower - Jake Bennett              Brookeland Isd Fishing Team           0
Day 1: 3   07-13     Day 2: 0   00-00   Total:   3  07-13
170. Colin Wise - Emmitt Grubbs                   Boyle County High School              0
Day 1: 3   05-13     Day 2: 1   02-00   Total:   4  07-13
171. William Alsip - Isaac Alsip                  South Laurel High School              0
Day 1: 3   07-12     Day 2: 0   00-00   Total:   3  07-12
172. Luke England - Cole Rountree                 Baldwin County High School            0
Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 2   07-12   Total:   2  07-12
173. Brody Brinson - Greer Gammon                 Mt Juliet Fishing Team                0
Day 1: 2   03-05     Day 2: 2   04-04   Total:   4  07-09
174. Jacob Godwin - Eli French                    Magnolia Bassmasters                  0
Day 1: 1   02-00     Day 2: 1   05-08   Total:   2  07-08
175. Camden Randall - James Roop                  Mt Pleasant High School Bass Tea      0
Day 1: 1   02-08     Day 2: 1   05-00   Total:   2  07-08
176. Parker Batts - Brody Jones                   Jefferson County Patriot Anglers      0
Day 1: 3   07-06     Day 2: 0   00-00   Total:   3  07-06
176. Ridge Faircloth - Chaff Foran                Liberty County Anglers                0
Day 1: 3   07-06     Day 2: 0   00-00   Total:   3  07-06
178. Milam Mcillwain - Landon Lewis               Creekwood Hs Redhawks Fishing         0
Day 1: 1   01-12     Day 2: 3   05-10   Total:   4  07-06
179. Jackson Daugherty - James Lane               Kingston High School - TN             0
Day 1: 1   02-01     Day 2: 3   05-05   Total:   4  07-06
180. Cody Keith - Mc Stewart                      Oak Grove High School Bass Club       0
Day 1: 2   04-09     Day 2: 1   02-13   Total:   3  07-06
181. Evan Mccormick - Kj Jamison                  Edwardsville High School              0
Day 1: 1   02-07     Day 2: 2   04-14   Total:   3  07-05
182. Jacob Vinson - Hunter Teichelman             Anson High School Bass Fishing        0
Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 3   07-03   Total:   3  07-03
183. Brody Cochran - Cole Joy                     Southside Bass Commanders             0
Day 1: 3   04-13     Day 2: 1   02-06   Total:   4  07-03
184. Aiden Hamblin - Austin Brown                 Pilot Point Bearcats Bass Team        0
Day 1: 3   07-01     Day 2: 0   00-00   Total:   3  07-01
185. Elliott Ward - Olivia Mauldin                Grace Christian Academy Rams          0
Day 1: 3   07-00     Day 2: 0   00-00   Total:   3  07-00
185. Pate Willis - Ryan Moore                     Ark-La-Tex Bassmaster High Schoo      0
Day 1: 3   07-00     Day 2: 0   00-00   Total:   3  07-00
187. Griffin Gaston - Rankin Williams             Lee Scott Academy                     0
Day 1: 3   06-14     Day 2: 0   00-00   Total:   3  06-14
188. Tanner Moulton - Peyton Sargent              Upper Valley Weekend Warriors         0
Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 3   06-12   Total:   3  06-12
189. Ridge Mabile - Evan Aucoin                   Assumption Mustangs Bass Club         0
Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 3   06-11   Total:   3  06-11
190. Sadler Harrison - Hayes Jones                Athens Anglers                        0
Day 1: 3   06-10     Day 2: 0   00-00   Total:   3  06-10
191. Hunter Sanders - Zane Cobb                   Trader Bills                          0
Day 1: 1   03-11     Day 2: 1   02-13   Total:   2  06-08
192. Nick Claussen - Hagen Keen                   Central Florida Youth Anglers         0
Day 1: 2   04-05     Day 2: 1   02-02   Total:   3  06-07
193. Nick Herrman - Kyle Herrman                  Capital City High School Bass Cl      0
Day 1: 2   03-04     Day 2: 2   03-00   Total:   4  06-04
194. Brody Musser - Gavin Lytton                  Swva Bassin                           0
Day 1: 1   06-02     Day 2: 0   00-00   Total:   1  06-02
195. Collin Tate - William Guidry                 Rayne High Bass Club                  0
Day 1: 1   04-00     Day 2: 1   02-02   Total:   2  06-02
196. Logan Ethington - Dylan Teater               Jessamine County High School - K      0
Day 1: 1   03-03     Day 2: 1   02-14   Total:   2  06-01
197. DJ Aucoin - Alex Landry                      Assumption Mustangs Bass Club         0
Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 3   05-15   Total:   3  05-15
197. Carter Cunningham - Landon Glander           Dawson County High Fishing Club       0
Day 1: 3   05-15     Day 2: 0   00-00   Total:   3  05-15
199. Jackson Pruett - Banks Davis                 Chesnee High School Fishing Club      0
Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 3   05-13   Total:   3  05-13
200. Cole Russell - Jackson Bennett               Anderson County Fishing Team          0
Day 1: 3   05-12     Day 2: 0   00-00   Total:   3  05-12
201. Hudson Tritch - Braydon Cullum               Crowleys Ridge Christian Homesch      0
Day 1: 1   02-06     Day 2: 1   03-06   Total:   2  05-12
202. Andrew Mailer - Kaleb Walton                 White Bear Lake                       0
Day 1: 1   02-09     Day 2: 1   03-03   Total:   2  05-12
203. Jared Coates - Than Hunt Jr                  Mass Nation High School - Hs          0
Day 1: 1   01-12     Day 2: 1   03-15   Total:   2  05-11
204. Brady Horton - Rhett Horton                  Greenbrier Panthers                   0
Day 1: 2   03-12     Day 2: 1   01-15   Total:   3  05-11
205. Griffin Ralph - Kaleb Snow                   Lakeside Rams Bass Club               0
Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 3   05-10   Total:   3  05-10
206. Nick Kavanagh - Jacob Metz                   Chisago Lakes High School             0
Day 1: 2   03-09     Day 2: 1   02-01   Total:   3  05-10
207. Trevor Kilbern - Aaron Zakrie                                                      0
Day 1: 2   03-07     Day 2: 1   02-01   Total:   3  05-08
208. Landon Rhine - Gabe Morrow                   Arkansas Youth Anglers                0
Day 1: 1   01-11     Day 2: 2   03-09   Total:   3  05-04
209. Hunter Bolt - Zander Morton                  Hctc Hs Fishing                       0
Day 1: 2   05-02     Day 2: 0   00-00   Total:   2  05-02
210. Gabriel Castellano - Ean Williams            Sand Springs Sandites                 0
Day 1: 1   01-14     Day 2: 2   03-04   Total:   3  05-02
211. Mitchell Henderson - Joseph Frierson         Laurence Manning Academy SC           0
Day 1: 1   01-14     Day 2: 1   03-04   Total:   2  05-02
212. Porter Morrison - Brayden Morgan             Catholic High School Fishing          0
Day 1: 1   03-00     Day 2: 1   01-14   Total:   2  04-14
213. Brayson Claunch -                            Boyle County High School              0
Day 1: 2   04-11     Day 2: 0   00-00   Total:   2  04-11
214. Tayson Hathorn - Tristin Hathorn             Arkansas Youth Anglers                0
Day 1: 2   04-06     Day 2: 0   00-00   Total:   2  04-06
214. Cole Richerson - Kayden Bickett              Taylor County Cardinals               0
Day 1: 2   04-06     Day 2: 0   00-00   Total:   2  04-06
216. Liam Plautz - John Wall                      Stevenson High School Bass Fishi      0
Day 1: 1   02-12     Day 2: 1   01-09   Total:   2  04-05
217. Waylin Hardison - Jax Poole                  Jackson County Homeschool             0
Day 1: 2   04-04     Day 2: 0   00-00   Total:   2  04-04
218. Dannon Garber - Colton Wiles                 Mecklenburg High School Anglers       0
Day 1: 2   04-03     Day 2: 0   00-00   Total:   2  04-03
218. Dyson Weaver - Hayden Davidson               Creek Wood Red Hawks                  0
Day 1: 2   04-03     Day 2: 0   00-00   Total:   2  04-03
220. Elijah Coleman - Will Dombroskas             Montgomery County High School Ba      0
Day 1: 1   04-03     Day 2: 0   00-00   Total:   1  04-03
221. Troy Jamieson - Tristan Kruczek              Kawartha Hs Bassmasters               0
Day 1: 1   02-04     Day 2: 1   01-13   Total:   2  04-01
222. Josh Talley - Matthew Roper                                                        0
Day 1: 1   01-14     Day 2: 1   02-01   Total:   2  03-15
223. Tyler Covington - Brantley Tate              Walker High School                    0
Day 1: 2   03-13     Day 2: 0   00-00   Total:   2  03-13
224. Davis Barnett - Jackson Fuller                                                     0
Day 1: 2   03-12     Day 2: 0   00-00   Total:   2  03-12
225. Mason Wampler -                              Rhea County  Eagle Anglers            0
Day 1: 1   01-08     Day 2: 1   02-02   Total:   2  03-10
226. Ridge Hurley - Samuel Bierworth              Port City Junior Bass Masters         0
Day 1: 1   01-09     Day 2: 1   02-00   Total:   2  03-09
227. Kaden Tomblin - Jakob Fullerton              Southern Garrett Bass Slayer          0
Day 1: 1   02-00     Day 2: 1   01-07   Total:   2  03-07
228. Tyler Schumacher - Alex Avery                Eureka Wildcats Fishing Team - M      0
Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 1   03-04   Total:   1  03-04
229. Jenkins Andrews - Ben Sanders                Laurence Manning Academy              0
Day 1: 1   03-02     Day 2: 0   00-00   Total:   1  03-02
230. Nolan Holloway - Jackson Fanning             Morgan County Bass Club               0
Day 1: 1   03-00     Day 2: 0   00-00   Total:   1  03-00
231. Evin Moore - Bridger Jones                   Haywood Anglers                       0
Day 1: 3   02-14     Day 2: 0   00-00   Total:   3  02-14
232. Drake Pfeiffer -                             Rochester Bass  Club                  0
Day 1: 1   02-14     Day 2: 0   00-00   Total:   1  02-14
233. Harlyn Nelson - Jake Lovingood               Alcoa Fishing Team High School        0
Day 1: 1   02-08     Day 2: 0   00-00   Total:   1  02-08
234. Jonathan Willhite - Brock Hutcheson          Wild West Bassmasters                 0
Day 1: 1   02-07     Day 2: 0   00-00   Total:   1  02-07
235. Karson Denton - Drake Miller                 Splendora High School                 0
Day 1: 1   02-06     Day 2: 0   00-00   Total:   1  02-06
236. Jaxon Thomas - Zaydin Wooten                 Ark-La-Tex Bassmaster High Schoo      0
Day 1: 1   02-03     Day 2: 0   00-00   Total:   1  02-03
237. Cade Fontenot - Jerry Rouyea                 St. Amant High Bass Club              0
Day 1: 1   02-02     Day 2: 0   00-00   Total:   1  02-02
238. Jackson Long - Dylan Langley                 Olympia Anglers                       0
Day 1: 1   02-00     Day 2: 0   00-00   Total:   1  02-00
238. Conner Wharton - Nicholas Farmer             Lake Anna Elite Anglers               0
Day 1: 1   02-00     Day 2: 0   00-00   Total:   1  02-00
240. Alex Meland - Carter Michalek                Eastern Iowa Jr Bassmasters           0
Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 1   01-15   Total:   1  01-15
241. Mason Aldridge - Gavin Harden                Coal City High School                 0
Day 1: 1   01-13     Day 2: 0   00-00   Total:   1  01-13
242. Cameron Prokop - Sophia Janulis              Plainfield South High School - I      0
Day 1: 1   01-12     Day 2: 0   00-00   Total:   1  01-12
243. Sarah Brekke - Troy Brown                    Wild West Bassmasters                 0
Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 1   01-10   Total:   1  01-10
243. Judd Byrd - Samuel Nicholas                  Oak Grove High School Bass Club       0
Day 1: 1   01-10     Day 2: 0   00-00   Total:   1  01-10
245. Bryce Alfrey - Hayden Arvin                  George Rogers Clark High School       0
Day 1: 1   01-07     Day 2: 0   00-00   Total:   1  01-07
246. Kylan Mantooth - Caden Davis                 Coffee County High School - TN        0
Day 1: 1   01-05     Day 2: 0   00-00   Total:   1  01-05
247. Byron Ellis - Kyzer Gordon                   Henry County High School Anglers      0
Day 1: 1   01-03     Day 2: 0   00-00   Total:   1  01-03
248. Kael Moore - Bryce Norton                    Cedar Falls Fishing Team              0
Day 1: 2   00-00     Day 2: 0   00-00   Total:   2  00-00
249. Adam Bartlett - Ethan Hooper                 Aurora Central Catholic               0
Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 0   00-00   Total:   0  00-00
249. Caleb Cook -                                 Eastside Elites - MI                  0
Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 0   00-00   Total:   0  00-00
249. Ross Deters - Dawson Hoene                   Teutopolis High School                0
Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 0   00-00   Total:   0  00-00
249. Dean Dieball - Blake Canelli                 Black Swamp High School Fishing       0
Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 0   00-00   Total:   0  00-00
249. Lucas Gatewood - Mason Tarlton               Anson Anglers                         0
Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 0   00-00   Total:   0  00-00
249. Lainie Holbert - Sarah Swindle               Riverside High School Bass Fishi      0
Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 0   00-00   Total:   0  00-00
249. Gunnar Johnson - Reid Fragnito               Hill-Murray High School               0
Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 0   00-00   Total:   0  00-00
249. Jonah Johnson - Carson Smith                 Pickett County High School Fishi      0
Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 0   00-00   Total:   0  00-00
249. Olevir Johnson - Allen Moore                 Oldham Co High School Bass Team       0
Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 0   00-00   Total:   0  00-00
249. Jackson Knight - Eli Painter                 Bradley Central Bears                 0
Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 0   00-00   Total:   0  00-00
249. Caleb Logue - Hayden Reynolds                Bainbridge High School Bass Cats      0
Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 0   00-00   Total:   0  00-00
249. Chase Messner - Gavin O'donnell              Holy Family - MN                      0
Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 0   00-00   Total:   0  00-00
249. Braun Nalder - Holdyn Higley                                                       0
Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 0   00-00   Total:   0  00-00
249. Oliver Neumann - Wyatt Feigum                Zimmerman Thunder - MN                0
Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 0   00-00   Total:   0  00-00
249. Joseph Phegley - Deacon Ledford              North Augusta High School Fishin      0
Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 0   00-00   Total:   0  00-00
249. Tate Reynolds - Blane Smith                  Russell County High School - KY       0
Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 0   00-00   Total:   0  00-00
249. Brayden Rivest - Andrew Crawford             Off the Hook Jr Bassmasters - IL      0
Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 0   00-00   Total:   0  00-00
249. Caleb Roblin - Jordan Sibley                 Denham Springs High School            0
Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 0   00-00   Total:   0  00-00
249. Aden Russelburg - Carter Nelson              Cincinnati Youth Bass Club Sr         0
Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 0   00-00   Total:   0  00-00
249. Tanner Russell - Daniel Lowhorn              Mt. Juliet High School - TN           0
Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 0   00-00   Total:   0  00-00
249. Austin Short - Jacob Greenwood               Trhs Devildog Anglers - Traveler      0
Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 0   00-00   Total:   0  00-00
249. Vincent Smith - Keegan Kennedy               Clovis High Bassmasters               0
Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 0   00-00   Total:   0  00-00
249. Rowan Stengel - Colin Zwolinski              Minooka Anglers Club                  0
Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 0   00-00   Total:   0  00-00
249. Drew Turner - John Beasley                   Sand Springs Sandites                 0
Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 0   00-00   Total:   0  00-00
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Totals
Day   #Limits    #Fish      Weight
1       130       544      1472-07
2       110       463      1265-00
----------------------------------
240      1007      2737-07


MLF Unveils Details for 2024 General Tire Team Series Presented by Bass Pro Shops

Two-man teams will compete for total purse of more than $720,000 this fall, all six days of competition for each event will be livestreamed on MLFNOW!

BENTON, Ky. (Aug. 2, 2024) – Major League Fishing (MLF) announced Thursday the details for the 2024 General Tire Team Series Presented by Bass Pro Shops, which kicks off August 25-30.

The 2024 General Tire Team Series is comprised of four events, featuring two-man teams of Bass Pro Tour pros competing from the same boat, and working together to claim part of a season purse of more than $720,000.

For the first time ever, the 2024 General Tire Team Series will be livestreamed daily, meaning every cast and every catch will be covered live and fans can watch teammates work together to break down a brand new body of water in real time.

“It will be exciting to watch our Bass Pro Tour anglers strategize and work together to find and catch the winning bass, live on the water,” said Kathy Fennel, MLF Executive Vice President and General Manager. “With the dynamic of two-man teams fishing from the same boat, and livestream coverage of every moment, we’re thrilled to offer fans a never-before-seen front row seat to the action and drama that the General Tire Team Series creates.”

Fans will have an inside look as teammates like 2022 Team Series Champion Jacob Wheeler and two-time REDCREST Champion Dustin Connell join forces on Team Kubota to compete against Team Star Tron, comprised of pro Jacob Wall and 2022 REDCREST Champion Bobby Lane, or Team Knighten Industries, made up of pros Wesley Strader and Scott Suggs – two-thirds of the winning team from the 2023 Team Series.

“This type of team event is the most relatable way to fish,” Wheeler said of the new format. “Team tournaments are literally what got me started in bass fishing, just those weeknight tournaments with your buddies. That’s some of the most fun fishing.

“Out of everyone in the field, I’ve had the most experience fishing with Dustin, so we’re looking forward to working together,” Wheeler continued. “There will definitely be some shenanigans, but it’s going to be a lot of fun and I’m beyond excited.”

A short promotional video which covers the main changes to the 2024 General Tire Team Series can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

Each General Tire Team Series event will feature 12 two-man teams, divided into three groups as they enter the one-day Elimination Rounds. The top two teams from each of the three Elimination Rounds will advance to the Knockout Rounds on Days 4 and 5. The top two teams from each Knockout Round will then move on to the Championship Round on Day 6, where the final four teams compete for that Cup Championship.

The first 2024 Team Series draft took place in May, where 24 team captains – based on 2024 Fishing Clash Angler of the Year (AOY) standings after the first four Bass Pro Tour events – drafted a teammate. Those 24 teams will compete in the first two events, the Challenge Cup (Aug. 25-30) and the Heritage Cup (Sept. 15-20).

Once the final Bass Pro Tour event has been completed, 24 new team captains will be selected based on AOY rankings from the last four Bass Pro Tour tournaments; those captains will draft a teammate for the final two Team Series events, the Patriot Cup (Oct. 24-29), and the Summit Cup (Nov. 17-22).

The B&W Trailer Hitches Challenge Cup Presented by Toyota is the first of the four-event series and will take place August 25-30 in Erie, Pennsylvania.

In keeping with traditional MLF Cup protocols, the host city is not revealed to Team Series anglers until one month prior to each event. All fishable waters within 60 miles of that city become off limits to anglers, and the competitors will discover where they’re competing only after arriving at the boat ramp on the morning of competition. Fans watching the MLFNOW! livestream will find out the fishery right along with the anglers and watch all the action unfold live as teams work together and share their knowledge to break down each fishery in real time.

The MLFNOW!® broadcast team of Chad McKee and J.T. Kenney will break down the extended action live all six days of competition at the Challenge Cup from 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. ET. MLFNOW!®  will be livestreamed on MajorLeagueFishing.com, the MLF and MyOutdoorTV (MOTV) apps and on Rumble.

The 12 teams that will compete in the General Tire Team Series B&W Trailer Hitches Challenge Cup Presented by Toyota in Erie, Pennsylvania, Aug. 25-30 are:

Team 7 Brew Drive Thru Coffee:
Adrian Avena, Vineland, N.J.
Mark Daniels Jr., Tuskegee, Ala.

Team B&W Trailer Hitches:
Matt Becker, Ten Mile, Tenn.
Spencer Shuffield, Hot Springs, Ark.

Team Builders FirstSource:
Dean Rojas, Lake Havasu City, Ariz.
Michael Neal, Dayton, Tenn.

Team Coign:
Drew Gill, Mount Carmel, Ill.
Matt Stefan, Junction City, Wis.

Team Ferguson:
Nick Lebrun, Bossier City, La.
Gerald Spohrer, Gonzales, La.

Team Knighten Industries:
Wesley Strader, Spring City, Tenn.
Scott Suggs, Alexander, Ark.

Team Kubota:
Jacob Wheeler, Harrison, Tenn.
Dustin Connell, Clanton, Ala.

Team REDCON1:
Cole Floyd, Leesburg, Ohio
Andy Morgan, Dayton, Tenn.

Team Smokey Mountain Herbal Snuff & Pouches:
Luke Clausen, Spokane, Wash.
John Hunter, Shelbyville, Ky.

Team Star Tron:
Jacob Wall, New Hope, Ala.
Bobby Lane, Lakeland, Fla.

Team U.S. Air Force:
Anthony Gagliardi, Prosperity, S.C.
Stephen Browning, Hot Springs, Ark.

Team WIX Filters:
Ron Nelson, Berrien Springs, Mich.
Keith Carson, DeBary, Fla.

The complete 2024 General Tire Team Series Challenge Cup Bracket can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

The MLF General Tire Team Series B&W Trailer Hitches Challenge Cup Presented by Toyota will air on Outdoor Channel as six two-hour original episodes each Saturday afternoon starting January 4, 2025, airing from 2 to 4 p.m. EDT. The complete television schedule for the 2024 General Tire Team Series on Outdoor Channel will be posted at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

Proud sponsors of the MLF General Tire Team Series include: 7 Brew, Abu Garcia, B&W Trailer Hitches, Barbasol, Bass Boat Technologies, Bass Pro Shops, Berkley, BUBBA Scales, Builders FirstSource, Coign, Epic Baits, Ferguson, Fishing Clash, General Tire, Knighten Industries, Kubota, Lowrance, Lucas Oil, Mercury, Mossy Oak, NITRO Boats, Onyx, Plano, Power-Pole, Ranger Boats, Rapala, REDCON1, Smokey Mountain Herbal Snuff, Star brite, Toyota, U.S. Air Force, WIX Filters and YETI.

For complete details and updated information on the General Tire Team Series visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF’s social media outlets at Facebook,  X,  Instagram and YouTube.

About Major League Fishing
Major League Fishing (MLF) is the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization, producing more than 250 events annually at some of the most prestigious fisheries in the world, while broadcasting to America’s living rooms on CBS, Discovery Channel, Outdoor Channel, CBS Sports Network, World Fishing Network and on demand on MyOutdoorTV (MOTV). Headquartered in Benton, Kentucky, the MLF roster of bass anglers includes the world’s top pros and more than 30,000 competitors in all 50 states and 17 countries. Since its founding in 2011, MLF has advanced the sport of competitive fishing through its premier television broadcasts and livestreams and is dedicated to improving the quality of life for bass through research, education, fisheries enhancement and fish care.


LIVETARGET’S NEW ICT CRAW UNLIKE ANY OTHER

The ubiquitous crayfish, serving as a quintessential prey item for bass populations from Florida to California, assumes a pivotal role in many anglers’ pursuits. From pre-spawn to post-pawn, the all-new LIVETARGET Craw represents a significant advancement in the realm of creature baits, distinguishing itself through its unparalleled capacity to elicit strikes from largemouth and smallmouth bass across various habitats.

Leveraging state-of-the-art Injected Core Technology (ICT), the LIVETARGET Craw heralds a transformative departure from conventional soft-plastic lure design. This innovative technology seamlessly integrates lifelike anatomical features—such as a segmented body replete with intricate textures and ridges, augmented by meticulously rendered claws, legs, and even the discernibly sharp eyestalk—within a dynamic inner core. The unique injection laminate process further enhances the inner core with intricately layered metallic hues encapsulated within a robust, transparent exoskeleton.

The fusion of a detailed inner core with a translucent outer layer not only provides the LIVETARGET Craw with exceptional realism but also ensures its superior functionality. ICT guarantees that the lure exhibits unmatched action, enticing bass with its natural appearance under conditions of sparse natural forage, heightened angler pressure, or when fish are conditioned to specific bait presentations.

Available in two sizes—2.8 inches and 3.8 inches—the LIVETARGET Craw offers unparalleled versatility in depth, speed control, and fishability. Rigging this ultra-realistic craw imitation is both straightforward and versatile, facilitating effortless hook concealment and optimal hook penetration upon a strike. Featuring a body of optimal thickness to securely accommodate a heavy-gauge flipping hook, yet not impeding hooksets, the lure’s unique appendages induce pronounced kicking and quivering motions with minimal angler input, mirroring the sedentary and defensive postures innate to live crayfish, whether punched, jigged, or presented on a Texas rig. Moreover, its distinctive profile permits anglers to rig it with the tail folded under the hook, enhancing displacement during retrieval and providing a flat surface for accommodating a bullet weight or jighead.

Whether navigating a secluded pond or a sprawling reservoir, astute anglers are advised to vigilantly monitor their line as it falls. On the descent, the bait takes a defensive posture with the claws rising and waving as it sinks. A sudden jump or twitch in the slack line often heralds a strike, as the LIVETARGET Craw is frequently intercepted before reaching the substrate.

With its combination of ICT inner core and exoskeleton, the LIVETARGET Craw epitomizes a harmonious blend of softness and durability, capable of withstanding repeated catches without tearing or compromising its vibrant coloration. Available in twelve distinct color variations and two size options, the LIVETARGET Craw stands unrivaled in its realism and attraction.

Pair the 2.8 with a 2/0 Mustad AlphaPoint Assault Wide Gap hook and the 3.8 with a 5/0. Sold unrigged with a MSRP of $7. 99 .

Craw Features
• Injected Core Technology
• Ultra-Realistic Profile
• Advanced Multi-color Injected Laminate
• Sizes: 2.8 inch, 3.8 inch
• Package Count: 2.8 inch – 5, 3.8 inch – 6
• 12 colors


LIVETARGET LAUNCHES INTO WORMS, BRINGING ATTRACTIVE INNOVATION

ICT Worms

LIVETARGET as a leader in lure development, consistently pushes the boundaries of innovation to elevate the angling experience across a wide range of fisheries. For 2024, LIVETARGET
proudly introduces a revolutionary line of dynamic soft-plastic worms. These expertly crafted worms provide the perfect shape, balance, and adaptable hook placement modern fishermen needed to entice and deceive wary bass. While their shapes may seem familiar, these worms stand out due to a groundbreaking blend of softness, durability, buoyancy, and action, achieved through meticulous engineering and cutting-edge materials science.

Employing Injected Core Technology (ICT), the LIVETARGET family of worms herald a paradigm shift in traditional soft plastic lure design. This advanced technology integrates a unique injection laminate process enhancing the inner core with intricate, multi-colored metallic layers encapsulated within a translucent, durable exoskeleton. The three-dimensional effect generated by ICT allows light to refract throughout the entire lure, significantly enhancing its lifelike appearance underwater. Utilizing different densities of salt and PVC material in the inner core and exoskeleton ensure that the lures remain soft yet durable, providing an optimized sink rate that is highly effective for various finesse techniques.

Stick Worm
The Stick Worm, the softest of LIVETARGET’s newest worm profiles, is designed to excel in various fishing techniques. The 5- and 6-inch versions are ideal for Texas, or wacky rigging, featuring a reduced salt content in the inner core to achieve a slow to medium sink rate. This slower descent keeps the bait in the strike zone longer. Its ribbed body and cylindrical shape taper sharply to the tail, providing a distinctive shimmy on slack line, setting it apart from traditional fast-sinking stick worms.

For NED rigging enthusiasts, the 3- and 4-inch Stick Worms stand perfectly upright and exhibit a pronounced quiver in the tail, thanks to their saltless composition which enhances buoyancy.

When paired with a mushroom or ball head, these worms display an enticing shaking, dragging, or hopping motion. The LIVETARGET Stick Worm is available in eight distinct color variations and four size options, sold unrigged with a MSRP of $6.99, 8 -10 per pack.

Straight Tail Worm
The Straight Tail Worm, distinguished by its slender head and tapered body that narrows before expanding into a bulbous tail, offers exceptional action and stands as the stiffest among
LIVETARGET’s new worm profiles. Available in three sizes—4.5 inches, 5.5 inches, and 6.5 inches—this modern straight tail worm showcases remarkable versatility. When rigged Texas-style with a Mustad AlphaPoint Tak-Offset hook, it proves effective in heavy cover and also excels in targeting fish near the bottom or mid-water column with shaky head or drop shot rigs.  The worm’s elongated shape responds dynamically to minimal rod tip movements, enhancing hook penetration and reducing the likelihood of missed fish due to its slim profile.

Unlike many soft plastic worms heavily impregnated with salt, which compromises durability, the Straight Tail Worm excludes salt completely. This design achieves a slow to medium sink rate while maintaining a soft and durable exoskeleton. The LIVETARGET Straight Tail Worm is available in eight vibrant, fade-resistant colors and three sizes, sold unrigged with an MSRP of $6.99 for a 10-pack.

Finesse Worm
The Finesse Worm stands out with its thicker body, gradually tapering from head to tail like a baseball bat. This design adds subtle bulk to the traditional finesse profile. Through strategic manipulation of hook placement and weight distribution, the presentation of this bait undergoes significant transformation. When rigged weightless on a Texas rig with a Mustad AlphaPoint Tak-Offset hook, the Finesse Worm excels in surface presentations, offering stealth and mobility. Adding a bullet weight allows for presentations along the bottom and through dense cover. Drop shotting also proves highly effective, as the angler’s subtle manipulation of the weight produces an enticing action that appeals to wary bass in clear water or pressured fisheries.

Unlike many soft plastic worms heavily laden with salt, which can compromise durability, the Finesse Worm features none at all. This unique composition results in a slow to medium sink rate while maintaining a soft yet durable texture. The LIVETARGET Finesse Worm is available in eight fade-resistant colors—four classics and four innovative options—and three sizes.  They are sold unrigged in packs of ten, with a suggested retail price of $6.99.


LIVETARGET LEANS INTO ICT FOR NEW SUNFISH SWIMBAIT

The bond between bass and bedding panfish is one deeply ingrained in the angler’s lexicon. This timeless predator-prey interaction undergoes a transformative redefinition courtesy of the all-new LIVETARGET Sunfish, which pioneers innovative lure development by seamlessly melding unparalleled realism with exceptional functionality.

The LIVETARGET Sunfish introduces a paradigm shift in traditional swimbait design through its utilization of state-of-the-art Injected Core Technology (ICT). This cutting-edge approach integrates lifelike anatomical features—comprising realistic eyes, precisely sculpted scales, fins, lateral line, and body profile—within a dynamic inner core. Employing an advanced injection laminate process, ICT enriches the inner core with intricate, multi-colored metallic layers ensconced within a clear, robust exoskeleton. The three-dimensional effect generated by ICT allows light to refract throughout the entire lure, significantly enhancing its lifelike appearance underwater.

The combination of a richly detailed inner core and a translucent outer layer ensures that the LIVETARGET Sunfish not only achieves exceptional realism but also maintains superior functionality. ICT guarantees that the lure delivers unmatched action in the water, attracting big bass with its size, natural appearance and movement.

Available in three sizes—3.3 inch, 3.8 inch, 4.3 inch—the LIVETARGET Sunfish offers unparalleled versatility in depth, speed control, and fishability. Though it’s not a giant swimbait, this soft plastic is definitely a big fish pattern. While it excels at covering open water, it is particularly adept at dissecting areas believed to hold big fish. Central to its superior action is the unique oscillator tail, molded from a transparent exoskeleton. This design imparts a fluid side-to-side swimming motion and rhythmic tail beat without compromising the lure’s natural appearance. Encased in this transparent shell, the inner core perfectly mimics a pesky panfish, ensuring that bass focus on the authentic profile of the bait rather than the action-enerating oscillator tail.

Rigging the LIVETARGET Sunfish is both straightforward and efficient, thanks to features such as a split belly and dorsal fin, which allow for effortless hook concealment and optimal penetration upon a strike. The hook slot on the back facilitates a weedless presentation, enabling anglers to skip the lure under docks, overhangs, and laydowns with minimal snagging risk.

Thoughtful design initiatives accommodate various rigging options, including a jighead or twist-lock extra wide gap worm hook, which virtually disappear within the body cavity, ensuring both secure attachment and optimal presentation.

With its combination of ICT inner core and exoskeleton the LIVETARGET Sunfish is both soft and durable, capable of withstanding repeated catches without tearing or losing its vibrant coloration. Available in eight colors and three sizes to perfectly match the bluegill, sunfish and other small panfish that bass love to eat, this swimbait boasts unmatched realism and is best paired with a jighead or 6/0 – 10/0 AlphaPoint Assault Wide Gap hook. Sold unrigged with a MSRP of $9. 99 .

Sunfish Features
• Injected Core Technology
• Ultra-Realistic Profile
• Advanced Multi-color Injected Laminate
• Sizes: 3.3 inch, 3.8 inch, 4.3 inch
• Package Count: 3.3-inch – 4, 3.8-inch – 3, 4.3-inch – 2
• 8 colors


Masterclass Training: Fishing a Spinnerbait at Night

Spinnerbait Fishing at Night

Ever thought about mastering the art of fishing with a single spin spinnerbait at night? Dive into this comprehensive guide where we'll show you the ropes. This masterclass will help you navigate the nuances of nighttime spinnerbait fishing. You'll be introduced to various techniques, tips, and tricks that will enhance your fishing skills. Get ready to explore the world of spinnerbait fishing after dark and become a pro.

The Bait:
When fishing a spinnerbait at night, 99% of the time, you will want to use a single-spin spinnerbait with a short arm. This is a spinnerbait with only one blade, typically an oversized Colorado blade that provides maximum vibration. The shorter arm on the spinnerbait provides extra vibration and helps the hook sit further back for maximum hookup ratio. Nighttime spinnerbait fishing is all about vibration. At night, fish feed more off of feel and sound than they do sight. Therefore, you want a spinnerbait that can cause a commotion. Jewel Bait Company makes two spinnerbaits for nighttime fishing: the Jolt and Jolt-X. These two spinnerbaits are designed with a short arm, large Colorado blade, and a head design that allows them to come through cover easily. The Jolt-X comes pre-rigged with a Keitech Swimbait, while the Jolt comes more traditionally with a skirt.
Rod, Reel, Line:
When fishing the Jolt it is important to have the right equipment, so that you can fish it as effectively as possible. When it comes to the rod a medium heavy or heavy action with a fast tip is what you will want. Length of the rod is very dependent upon where and how you are fishing the Jolt. A good general recommendation is anything from a 6'8" to a 7'3" rod will work. The shorter rods work exceptionally well when you are having to make very targeted casts around shallow cover and docks; whereas, the longer rod excels when you are fishing on deep points, brush piles, and structure.

The art of fishing with a Jolt at night typically involves fishing it slowly and maintaining contact with the bottom. When choosing a reel for this, you should opt for one that aids in slowing down, not one that reels in the bait too quickly. Most spinnerbait techniques require a faster gear ratio, but for single spins, a medium or slow gear ratio is more effective. Ratios like 6:4:1 or even as slow as 5:1:1 are ideal, particularly if you're struggling to slow yourself down. However, a reel with a 6-speed gear ratio seems to be the best fit.

When it comes to fishing line, you essentially have two options: fluorocarbon or monofilament. During daytime fishing, fluorocarbon line seems to have surpassed monofilament due to its invisible nature in the water. However, at night, the visibility of your line to fish isn't a concern. In fact, fishing with monofilament can sometimes be advantageous at night. Monofilament provides more abrasion resistance, meaning you won't need to retie as frequently. Moreover, several monofilament lines available today are visible under a blacklight at night, allowing you to see your line while fishing. Ultimately, the choice boils down to personal preference. If you predominantly fish during the day and only occasionally at night, you might not even have a reel spooled up with mono, so changing to it just for night fishing may be unnecessary. The most crucial factor is that whether you use monofilament or fluorocarbon, you should opt for a fairly heavy line. Ideally, anything from 16lb-20lb test is perfect.

Color:
Unlike daytime fishing, you can simplify your color selection when fishing at night. Most of the time, you will want to choose darker colors, such as variants of black & blue or junebug. However, on nights when the moon is at its brightest, colors like black & red or a single spin of all red can truly stand out.
Size:
When fishing with the Jolt, there are three different sizes available: 3/8oz, 1/2oz, and 3/4oz. The size you use depends on the depth at which you want to fish a spinnerbait and which size maintains the best bottom contact without getting snagged frequently. Generally, you can use a 3/8oz to fish at 0-10ft, a 1/2oz for 10-20ft, and a 3/4oz for 20-30ft. However, this isn't always the case. The trailer you choose for the back of a spinnerbait significantly alters the depths at which you can fish.
Trailers:
The three categories of trailers for nighttime spinnerbait fishing are craw/grub, swimbait, and chunk. The purpose of a trailer on a spinnerbait is to add bulk, vibration, and sometimes lift. Let's begin with the craw/grub style of trailers. Examples include the Jewel VersaCraw, twin tail grub, or even a single tail grub. This type of trailer provides minimal lift, allowing you to fish the Jolt close to the bottom, while still offering substantial action. The swimbait style of trailer likely adds the most vibration of all three categories; however, it also provides the most lift. When a swimbait is attached to a Jolt, it will cause it to lift in the water column, making a heavier Jolt fish like a lighter one due to the added lift. The last category is chunk trailers, such as the classic Uncle Josh Pork Frog or other plastic chunk trailers on the market. Their main purpose is to add significant bulk and a bit of lift to the Jolt, though not nearly as much lift as a swimbait. A chunk style trailer is an excellent choice when you prefer a trailer with fewer actions but maximum bulk.
Where to Fish:
Selecting where to fish the Jolt Spinnerbait is pretty simple, almost anywhere. Specifically, long rocky points, shallow flats, boat docks, bluff walls, standing timber, grass lines, and so many more options. The only place where a Jolt wouldn't be effective is fishing it in thick vegetation because the blade would get bogged down far too easily in the grass, but it is very effective fishing it over the top of vegetation and along grass lines. Just make sure that wherever you choose to fish a Jolt Spinnerbait that you make sure you are using the right size and trailer combination for the most effective presentation.
How to Fish:
Fishing the Jolt is rather simple. The majority of the time you cast it out and let it sink all the way to the bottom and start slowly reeling it back to the boat trying to maintain bottom contact, and if you ever lose contact with the bottom stop reeling and let it sink back down. However, if you are fishing around brush piles, standing timber, or above grass you won't want to let the Jolt fall to the bottom. Instead, you will want to count it down to the depth you are wanting to fish it at then begin reeling keeping it above the cover you are fishing. A very underrated way to fish the Jolt is by yo-yoing it on the bottom. Rather than constantly reeling the Jolt like most spinnerbaits you can fish it like a lipless crank bait. Let it sink to the bottom and then rip it off the bottom by jerking your rod then reeling the slack out and letting it fall back to the bottom again. This technique works best on rock, gravel, or sand bottoms and it can often get you bites when a straight retrieve cannot. With the yo-yo technique the overwhelming majority of your bites will come on the fall.

Mullet Made for Bass

Instant Demand Expands Range

Northland® Fishing Tackle adds colors and sizes to summer’s hottest hit, the Minnesota Mullet

BEMIDJI, Minn. (July 31, 2024) – Hair jigs have been a bass secret for years, with some companies even offering their own commercial versions of what top-finishers secretly tie on when it’s time for a kicker fish.

The problem? Most largemouth-intended bass hair jigs are too stiff, with more feathers than fluff. Northland took the opposite approach, creating a jig that has all the best attributes of a tiny marabou jig for rod-whipping giant bronzebacks (which Northland also makes) and combined it with a classic bucktail hair jig design.

Yes, the new Northland Minnesota Mullet has loft – and lots of it, for fishing everything from shallow water, over summer weed tops, to open water where largemouths go crazy eating young-of-the-year and even larger panfish. The Minnesota Mullet is a big, flowing, hovering, water pushing machine. The big hair features a synthetic fiber material that creates a breathing, lifelike appearance in the water while also providing flotation to the jig. This will allow you to hover the bait over flats, weed beds, and suspended fish while pulsing the hair, and its tantalizing back feathers tease big bass and other predator fish to absolutely annihilate the bait.

SEXY SHAD

BLACK

PURPLE SHAD

SHAD

And shortly after the release of the Minnesota Mullet, Northland comes with four new patterns and sizes. “Calls came quick to add black and sexy shad,” said Northland Marketing Manager, Charlie Peterson. Sexy shad is simply a bass staple, its blue-based rainbow hues blended with white. Black is increasingly popular, too, its natural silhouette intriguing to bass. Moreover, black is a frequent choice for anglers fishing in murky water and during lowlight periods, even nighttime hours.

Purple has become one of the hottest hues in bass fishing, spawning Northland’s new Minnesota Mullet in Purple Shad. Finally, Northland added Smelt to the collection. The naturalistic pattern mimics numbers of different baitfish species.

New sizes include 3/8- and 5/8-ounce Minnesota Mullets. “The new 3/8-ounce size will be hugely effective in shallow water, depths under 5-feet,” said Peterson. “Likewise, the heavier 5/8-ounce size makes the Minnesota Mullet effective down to 20-feet or more.”

Northland lure designer, Sam Larsen, offers: “Most of the best fish-catching baits are simple in design. We took that direction with the Minnesota Mullet, which is made of three materials on a premium Northland Elite Series Mimic Jighead with 60-degree upward hook-bend and heavy wire for solid hooksets. We utilized a unique, synthetic fiber with a lot of loft, buoyancy, and flow; a couple chicken feathers off the back that undulate like a trailer; and just the right amount of tinsel. Then you have the thread tied farther back on the jig hook shank so it’s really streamlined.”

“Especially in the upper Midwest, tournament bass anglers are going to town fishing big hair jigs for bigger bass. We knew we could create a better jig to use in the same manner in-the-know anglers have been doing for the past several years. There’s really nothing like it, especially given that we added an entire extra step to the jig production process by applying vertical lines to the material to give it an even greater forage-matching appeal. These baits look like the real thing that big bass eat,” continues Larsen.

“There is no other bass hair jig that hangs, pauses, breathes, and sheds water so easily, while remaining easy to fish. It gives the right suspending action while having a lot of material to push water—notify big bass of its presence—and really stimulate their lateral lines.”

ABOUT THE NORTHLAND MINNESOTA MULLET

Born in the state of hockey, the Minnesota Mullet is a big, flowing, hovering, water pushing machine. This big hair jig features a synthetic fiber material that creates a breathing, lifelike appearance in the water while also providing flotation to the jig. This will allow you to hover the bait over flats, weed beds and suspended fish while pulsing the hair, and its tantalizing back feather that teases big bass and other predator fish to absolutely swallow it!

Currently available in ½- and ¾ ounce with other weights to follow soon. Right now, there are four forage-mimicking colors include Perch, Crappie, White, and Green Bluegill, with a bunch of additional patterns coming down the pipeline. MSRP: $14.99.

“In my opinion, the Northland Minnesota Mullet is a lot more than a midsummer, open water bait,” says winning bass pro, Noah Schultz. “I’ve been fishing ‘em since ice-out throughout the Midwest—everywhere from a foot of water out, through old reeds and cattails, and obviously, out deeper through weed flats and weed edges now. And, of course, it will come into play in open water when those fish move out. Right now, I’m fishing them around bluegill beds during the spawn, and then I’ll be fishing them over coontail and through cattails.”

WHITE

CRAPPIE

PERCH

GREEN BLUEGILL

“The way I fish them primarily I call ‘floating’ – I just straight-retrieve the Minnesota Mullet over the weed tips and if I feel a weed tick, rip it a little bit,” adds Schultz.

As far as rock and deeper water, he’ll let the jig drop to the bottom and then swim along the bottom, occasionally twitching it to get hairs moving.

“Its success comes from its subtlety and how the Minnesota Mullet breathes, floats, and hovers in the water unlike a lot of bass hair jigs. Then you add the Elite Series Mimic Jig, and it stays level in the water column and the pointed nose gets through the grass like a rubber swim jig.”

Schultz has caught lots of tournament bass on it recently – including some top 2 and 3 finishes. “It’s a good kicker bait. The MN Mullet generates some big fish bites when you need ‘em most.”


Right bites produce early lead at Bassmaster High School National Championship

Aug. 1, 20242024_HS_SeriesChamp_SK_BDance copy.jpg

 

DAYTON, Tenn. — It doesn’t get much better than fishing the Bassmaster Classic. But 2024 Classic competitor Aaron Yavorsky and his partner Trevor Allen find themselves on top of the biggest stage of youth bass fishing after Day 1 of the Strike King Bassmaster High School National Championship presented by Bill Dance Signature Lakes at Chickamauga Lake.

The Hendry County High School Bassmasters team landed a three-bass limit weighing 17 pounds, 8 ounces, anchoring their bag with a 7-15 largemouth. They hold a 13-ounce advantage over fellow Floridians Drew Fleener and Hunter Prough from the Chipley Bassmasters.

“We only got four or five bites all day, but they were the right ones,” said Yavorsky, who won the 2023 Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Team Championship at the Harris Chain. “After the Classic, I’ve felt like I wanted to do this for a living. So, I’ve been trying to get better and better. I’ve been to this tournament all four years of my high school career, and this is the tournament I really want to win. It is what we fish the high school program for. Coming here and doing well the first day is definitely something different.”

While fog delayed the start of the event, many teams enjoyed a productive day of fishing as 130 teams caught three-bass limits in the August heat and more than 1,470 pounds of bass hit the scales. The heat will stick around on Day 2 with an increased chance of showers and thunderstorms.

Last year at Lake Hartwell, Yavorsky missed the final-day cut by just a couple of ounces, but he finds himself in great position to make the cut this year. Not only is it Allen’s first time to fish Chickamauga, it is the first time he has qualified for the National Championship.

“It is a very good way to start,” he said.

The Hendry County duo focused their efforts on current-driven offshore areas. After practice, they didn’t know the exact potential of their areas, but knew the caliber of largemouth that inhabits Chickamauga Lake.

“I knew this type of bag was possible, but with how our practice went, it was kind of iffy. We thought we would have to luck into something. We did get a little lucky, I feel like, by just pulling into the right area at the right time.”

The morning started in frustrating fashion, as Yavorsky and Allen struggled to find an area without other competitors.

“It was pretty slow this morning,” Yavorsky said. “A storm came through, and it seemed like the fish started biting then.”

The duo proceeded to land the nearly 8-pounder, which Yavorsky thought was a drum by looking at it on his Garmin LiveScope.

“I saw the fish down there and was a little unsure if it was a bass just based on how it looked on the screen,” he said. “I threw in there anyway because it was the only thing that was there. I saw more come up with it and knew it was a bass then. It took a minute or two to get that one in, and that was our first good fish. It really keyed us in, and it was haywire from there.

“I think we were doing a little something different.”

From there, the duo filled out their limit quickly. There were several keys to the spot, including the presence of baitfish and hard bottom. Some of what they are fishing reminds Yavorksy of the Harris Chain of Lakes, where he won the Team Championship last December.

“We probably finished out around 10:30,” Allen said. “All of our fish came from one spot. There was a lot of grass there, and cooler water temperatures. It was about 70 degrees. We were in around 12 to 15 feet.”

Yavorsky and Allen know there are more big bass in the area, but getting them to bite is a different story. Yavorsky said it’s just a matter of timing.

“Getting them to bite is the key thing,” he said. “We are just going to have to sit there until a bite window opens or run around and find something else.”

Hailing from the Lake Seminole region of Florida, Fleener and Prough knew they would be able to catch bass but weren’t sure how many big bass would show up on Day 1. Luckily, they caught three of the right size to land in second after one day of competition. Their Lake Seminole tactics have helped them narrow down a pattern.

“It is pretty similar; we like it,” Prough said. “It is definitely stuff we are used to.”

Fleener and Prough opened the morning with several smaller catches before landing a 4-pounder, bolstering their bag.

“That gave us a booster,” Prough said. “We caught some more small ones, and we were kind of on the nervous side.”

The duo then moved out to deeper water where Prough landed a 7-pounder. After another lull, they moved to another deep area and landed a 5-pounder at around 9 a.m. Prough added they lost several more bass that would have increased their daily total, so they will employ the same strategy on Day 2.

The Triangle Bass Club team of Colton Hackney and Levi Stanley caught 16-3 to finish the day in third place. The North Carolina anglers — Hackney from the Chowan River area and Stanley from the Raleigh area — also landed the Big Bass of the Day, an 8-11 lunker largemouth.

Three different areas produced fish for Stanley and Prough. Stanley said they have been using forward-facing sonar to find areas that are holding bass. Once they find them, however, they don’t target individual bass.

“At one point we just turned our electronics completely off,” Stanley said. “We at least know the bass are there.”

The morning started relatively well, as Stanley landed a 5-pounder and a 2-pounder as well as some smaller bass that did not make the team. After the morning flurry, the bite slowed down tremendously until the afternoon when Hackney hooked into the nearly 9-pound largemouth, his new personal best, with 15 minutes to go before check-in time.

“I thought I was hung up, and then what I was hung up on started moving and shaking around,” Hackney said. “I just held on for dear life.”

The full field of 272 teams will launch from Lakeshore Drive Boat Launch beginning at 6:30 a.m. ET and will return for weigh-in starting at 2:30 p.m. The field will be cut to the Top 12 teams following the Day 2 weigh-in.

The City of Dayton is hosting the event.

About B.A.S.S.B.A.S.S., which encompasses the Bassmaster tournament leagues, events and media platforms, is the worldwide authority on bass fishing and keeper of the culture of the sport, providing cutting-edge content on bass fishing whenever, wherever and however bass fishing fans want to use it. Headquartered in Birmingham, Ala., the 500,000-member organization’s fully integrated media platforms include the industry’s leading magazines (Bassmaster and B.A.S.S. Times), website (Bassmaster.com), TV show, radio show, social media programs and events. For more than 50 years, B.A.S.S. has been dedicated to access, conservation and youth fishing.

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Connect with #Bassmaster on FacebookInstagramTwitter and TikTok.

Media Contact: Chad Gay, Communications Manager, 205-313-0945, cgay@bassmaster.com

 

2024 High School Championship at Lake Chickamauga 8/1-8/3
Chickamauga Lake, Dayton  TN.
(BOATER) Standings Day 1

Angler                                       Club/School                       Pts

1.  Trevor Allen - Aaron Yavorsky                Hendry County High School Bassma      0
Day 1: 3   17-08   Total:   3  17-08
2.  Drew Fleener - Hunter Prough                 Chipley Bassmasters                   0
Day 1: 3   16-11   Total:   3  16-11
3.  Levi Stanley - Colton Hackney                Triangle Bass Club                    0
Day 1: 3   16-03   Total:   3  16-03
4.  Fisher Anaya -                               Brewer High School - AL               0
Day 1: 3   15-12   Total:   3  15-12
5.  Logan Allen - Stone Grove                    Creekwood Hs Redhawks Fishing         0
Day 1: 3   14-13   Total:   3  14-13
6.  Ragyn Mohney - Hunter Daniels                Okeechobee Brahmans                   0
Day 1: 3   13-12   Total:   3  13-12
7.  Kieran Stephenson - Grady Stanley            Triangle Bass Club                    0
Day 1: 3   13-10   Total:   3  13-10
8.  Jack Swihart - Rylan Hamlin                  Jackson High School Bass Fishing      0
Day 1: 3   13-04   Total:   3  13-04
9.  Carter Hazlett - Christian Ferguson          Siegel High School                    0
Day 1: 3   13-03   Total:   3  13-03
10. Brody Ault - Dakota Van Weelden              Frontier Falcons                      0
Day 1: 2   12-14   Total:   2  12-14
11. Thomas Newman -                              Frederick County Hs Bass Wrangle      0
Day 1: 3   12-11   Total:   3  12-11
12. Landon Rollison - Tanner Bass                Dixie Co Bass Masters High Schoo      0
Day 1: 3   12-08   Total:   3  12-08
13. Zach Knight - Luke Malik                     Gallatin High School                  0
Day 1: 3   11-15   Total:   3  11-15
14. Presley Lannom - Trevor Sanford              Mt. Juliet High School - TN           0
Day 1: 3   11-14   Total:   3  11-14
15. Eli Herring - Hunter Lee                     Greene County Bassmasters             0
Day 1: 3   11-11   Total:   3  11-11
16. Kade Ellender - Caden Doucet                 Sulphur Fishing Team - Sulphur H      0
Day 1: 3   11-05   Total:   3  11-05
16. Bennett Mcbride - Gavin Robinson             Flower Mound Hawgsticker Bass Te      0
Day 1: 3   11-05   Total:   3  11-05
18. Logan Brown - Caleb Southerly                Lake Anna Elite Anglers               0
Day 1: 3   11-04   Total:   3  11-04
19. Hunter Travis - Jameson Norris               Baldwin County High School            0
Day 1: 3   11-00   Total:   3  11-00
20. Brise Hazelton - Caden Alexander             Huntington High School                0
Day 1: 3   10-14   Total:   3  10-14
21. Jacob Clayton - Hogan Benson                 Chesnee High School - SC              0
Day 1: 3   10-13   Total:   3  10-13
21. Zach Widelski - Ty Nielsen                   Wheaton North Bass Fishing Team       0
Day 1: 3   10-13   Total:   3  10-13
23. Cody Carboni - William Reynolds              Live Oak High School Fishing Tea      0
Day 1: 3   10-12   Total:   3  10-12
24. Caden Williamson - Braden Norton             Vidor Pirate Fishing Team             0
Day 1: 3   10-11   Total:   3  10-11
24. Andrew Worrall -                             Covington Catholic                    0
Day 1: 3   10-11   Total:   3  10-11
26. Wyatt Richards - Colby Goforth               Pickens County Bass Club              0
Day 1: 3   10-10   Total:   3  10-10
27. Jack Dowdy - Wyatt Galbraith                 Lowndes High School Lip Rippers       0
Day 1: 3   10-08   Total:   3  10-08
28. Jon Foster - Carter Simmons                  Bandys High School - NC               0
Day 1: 3   09-13   Total:   3  09-13
29. Coleman Stewart - Keenan Stewart             Boyle County High School              0
Day 1: 3   09-12   Total:   3  09-12
30. Nate Helmreich - Luke Farminer               Freeland Bass Fishing                 0
Day 1: 3   09-09   Total:   3  09-09
30. Travis Meche - Chance Watson                 Rayne High Bass Club                  0
Day 1: 3   09-09   Total:   3  09-09
30. Owen Ray - Turner Tharpe                     Rhea County  Eagle Anglers            0
Day 1: 3   09-09   Total:   3  09-09
30. Kaleb Winstead - Zack Hudgens                Scotts Hill High School Anlgers       0
Day 1: 3   09-09   Total:   3  09-09
34. Colton Caskey - Brayden Pearah               Riverdale Bassmasters                 0
Day 1: 3   09-06   Total:   3  09-06
34. Colton Hembree - Tyson Browning              Madison Southern                      0
Day 1: 3   09-06   Total:   3  09-06
36. Hudson Windham - Matthew Hughes              Capital City High School Bass Hu      0
Day 1: 3   09-05   Total:   3  09-05
37. Caleb Bartling - Toby Anderson               Western Pa Student Bass Stalkers      0
Day 1: 3   09-03   Total:   3  09-03
37. Carson Falk - Trey Blackmon III              Capital City High School Bass Hu      0
Day 1: 3   09-03   Total:   3  09-03
37. Dylan Mladick - Cooper Springsteel           Team Arizona                          0
Day 1: 3   09-03   Total:   3  09-03
40. Michael Markham - Carter Davidson            Tallassee High School - AL            0
Day 1: 3   09-02   Total:   3  09-02
40. Bryce Mcdonald - Ethan Elliott               Paintsville High School               0
Day 1: 3   09-02   Total:   3  09-02
42. Dawson Barnett - Jackson Padgett             Benjamin Russell Anglers              0
Day 1: 3   09-01   Total:   3  09-01
42. Lake  Johnson - Beau England                 Alabama Bass Academy - AL             0
Day 1: 3   09-01   Total:   3  09-01
42. Connor Miller - Caleb Miller                 Hukeone - Home School                 0
Day 1: 3   09-01   Total:   3  09-01
45. Michael Royals - Lane Mueller                Mid-Carolina High School Bass Ma      0
Day 1: 3   09-01   Total:   3  09-01
46. Clayburn Reed - Parker Creech                Central Florida Youth Anglers -       0
Day 1: 3   09-00   Total:   3  09-00
47. Brason Mack - Peyton Shields                 Team Arizona                          0
Day 1: 3   08-15   Total:   3  08-15
48. Hayden Barnett - Camdyn Cranfill             Kingston Fishing Team                 0
Day 1: 3   08-14   Total:   3  08-14
49. Gray Hardy - Lawson Gamble                   Headland High School                  0
Day 1: 3   08-13   Total:   3  08-13
49. Mitchell Robinson - Cody Abbott              Byrnes High School Fishing Club       0
Day 1: 3   08-13   Total:   3  08-13
51. Aiden Behuniak - Wesley Perreault            Ct Bass Thunder                       0
Day 1: 3   08-12   Total:   3  08-12
51. Hayden Buchanan - Barrett Choquette          Headland Bass Team                    0
Day 1: 3   08-12   Total:   3  08-12
51. Jordan Werner - Markus Avalos                Nevada Bass Anglers                   0
Day 1: 3   08-12   Total:   3  08-12
54. Colby Kessinger -                            Club Florida High School Bassmas      0
Day 1: 3   08-11   Total:   3  08-11
54. Joe Vaulton - Walker LaRue                   Alcoa Fishing Team High School        0
Day 1: 3   08-11   Total:   3  08-11
56. Justin McGee - Sadie Wallace                 Bibb County                           0
Day 1: 3   08-10   Total:   3  08-10
56. Nathan Moroney - Brandon Smith               Rocky Mtn Bass Anglers                0
Day 1: 3   08-10   Total:   3  08-10
58. Alex Tyler - Briley West                     Mckeel High School Fishing Team       0
Day 1: 3   08-09   Total:   3  08-09
59. Clay Bales - Cash Bales                      South Laurel High School              0
Day 1: 3   08-08   Total:   3  08-08
60. Colten Dickerson - Gabe Aldrich              Zeeland Fishhawx                      0
Day 1: 3   08-07   Total:   3  08-07
61. Easton Drennon - Cole Petroff                Mt Juliet Fishing Team                0
Day 1: 3   08-06   Total:   3  08-06
62. Nick Siebert - Brantson Komnick              Olympia Anglers                       0
Day 1: 2   08-06   Total:   2  08-06
63. Paul Baker -                                 Ct Bass Thunder                       0
Day 1: 3   08-05   Total:   3  08-05
63. Ethan Castle - Adam Mcdougal                 Whitwell Hs Fishing Team              0
Day 1: 3   08-05   Total:   3  08-05
65. Ben Tesch - Parker Sommers                   Bw Bassers                            0
Day 1: 2   08-04   Total:   2  08-04
66. Jackson Edenfield - Hunter Harris            Chiles High School Fishing Team       0
Day 1: 3   08-01   Total:   3  08-01
66. Bryson Gurley - Ethan Evatt                  Palmetto High Bass Fishing            0
Day 1: 3   08-01   Total:   3  08-01
68. Owen Satterwhite - James Pinson              Ldhs Anglers                          0
Day 1: 3   07-14   Total:   3  07-14
69. Wyatt Drawdy - Cole Drawdy                   Plant City Bassmasters                0
Day 1: 3   07-13   Total:   3  07-13
69. Hunter Hightower - Jake Bennett              Brookeland Isd Fishing Team           0
Day 1: 3   07-13   Total:   3  07-13
71. William Alsip - Isaac Alsip                  South Laurel High School              0
Day 1: 3   07-12   Total:   3  07-12
71. Kaden Casey - Collin French                  Montgomery County High School Ba      0
Day 1: 3   07-12   Total:   3  07-12
71. Chase Logue - Carter Logue                   Argenta Oreana High School - IL       0
Day 1: 3   07-12   Total:   3  07-12
74. Mason Mullins - Caden Graham                 Soddy Daisy High School               0
Day 1: 3   07-10   Total:   3  07-10
75. Holt Owens - Wyatt Shirran                   Midway High School - TN               0
Day 1: 3   07-09   Total:   3  07-09
75. Mason Taylor - Wesley Kent                   Dekalb Fishing Team                   0
Day 1: 3   07-09   Total:   3  07-09
77. Cooper Rouse - Ryker Reed                    D'iberville Hs Warrior Bass Nati      0
Day 1: 3   07-08   Total:   3  07-08
78. Donnie Hoskins - Blayden Mann                Indian Creek Bass Fishing Team        0
Day 1: 3   07-08   Total:   3  07-08
78. Landon Myers - Bryson Bailey                 Alcoa Fishing Team High School        0
Day 1: 3   07-08   Total:   3  07-08
80. Hunter Owens - Clayton Kelley                Karns High School                     0
Day 1: 3   07-07   Total:   3  07-07
81. Parker Batts - Brody Jones                   Jefferson County Patriot Anglers      0
Day 1: 3   07-06   Total:   3  07-06
81. Ridge Faircloth - Chaff Foran                Liberty County Anglers                0
Day 1: 3   07-06   Total:   3  07-06
83. Noah Varitek - Aiden Pihaylic                A1 Anglers - MI                       0
Day 1: 3   07-05   Total:   3  07-05
84. Alec Hummel - Conner McClellan               Southeastern Bass Anglers             0
Day 1: 3   07-04   Total:   3  07-04
84. Luke Stewart - Micah Osborne                 Clay County Panthers                  0
Day 1: 3   07-04   Total:   3  07-04
86. Nick Noyes - Tim Raducka                     Plainfield South High School - I      0
Day 1: 2   07-04   Total:   2  07-04
87. Blake Marcum - Reece Hughes                  Louisa Bass Club High School          0
Day 1: 3   07-03   Total:   3  07-03
87. Destin Morales -                             Livingston Parish Bassmasters         0
Day 1: 3   07-03   Total:   3  07-03
89. Aiden Levis - Cullen Herron                  Barge Canal Bassmasters               0
Day 1: 3   07-02   Total:   3  07-02
90. Justin Blais - Chance Babb                   Glenmora High School                  0
Day 1: 2   07-02   Total:   2  07-02
91. Aiden Hamblin - Austin Brown                 Pilot Point Bearcats Bass Team        0
Day 1: 3   07-01   Total:   3  07-01
92. Elliott Ward - Olivia Mauldin                Grace Christian Academy Rams          0
Day 1: 3   07-00   Total:   3  07-00
92. Pate Willis - Ryan Moore                     Ark-La-Tex Bassmaster High Schoo      0
Day 1: 3   07-00   Total:   3  07-00
94. Riley Durdel - Landon Titus                  Neoga High School                     0
Day 1: 3   07-00   Total:   3  07-00
95. Grace Olsen - Cole Hampson                   Gardner S Wilmington High School      0
Day 1: 3   06-15   Total:   3  06-15
95. Roper Putnam - Jack Story                    Clarks Hill Hs Fishing Team           0
Day 1: 3   06-15   Total:   3  06-15
95. Logan Welch - Beau Beatty                    Bolivar Hs                            0
Day 1: 3   06-15   Total:   3  06-15
98. Landon Gabby - Kolby Baker                   Marion High School Bass Fishing       0
Day 1: 3   06-14   Total:   3  06-14
98. Griffin Gaston - Rankin Williams             Lee Scott Academy                     0
Day 1: 3   06-14   Total:   3  06-14
98. Michael Harris - Kayden Waller               Mt Juliet Fishing Team                0
Day 1: 3   06-14   Total:   3  06-14
98. Bryce Youngblood -                           Sulphur Fishing Team - Sulphur H      0
Day 1: 3   06-14   Total:   3  06-14
102. Landen Dale - Nate Floyd                     Jessamine County High School Eli      0
Day 1: 3   06-12   Total:   3  06-12
103. Taylor Hubert - Kaden Paprocki               Porter High School                    0
Day 1: 3   06-11   Total:   3  06-11
104. Nathan Bennett - Carter Burdette             Seminole Junior Anglers               0
Day 1: 3   06-11   Total:   3  06-11
105. Boots Burleson - Brady Mikes                 Lovelady Fishing Team                 0
Day 1: 3   06-10   Total:   3  06-10
105. Sadler Harrison - Hayes Jones                Athens Anglers                        0
Day 1: 3   06-10   Total:   3  06-10
105. Lane Parker - Mitchell Tew                   Cherokee Bass Team                    0
Day 1: 3   06-10   Total:   3  06-10
105. Dylan Sorrells - Will Shepherd               Hp Bass Team                          0
Day 1: 3   06-10   Total:   3  06-10
109. Deaton Leblanc - Christian Goins             Denham Springs High School - LA       0
Day 1: 3   06-08   Total:   3  06-08
110. Blane Holcombe - Gibson Huntley              Chapman High School                   0
Day 1: 3   06-07   Total:   3  06-07
110. Drew Turnbull - Thomas Turnbull              Evangel Christian School              0
Day 1: 3   06-07   Total:   3  06-07
110. Nathan Uldrych - Adrius Stankus              Carl Sandburg Eagels Bass Fishin      0
Day 1: 3   06-07   Total:   3  06-07
113. Cole Martin - Cole Mcneely                   Lakeside Rams Bass Club               0
Day 1: 3   06-07   Total:   3  06-07
114. Austin Hayes - Traydun Freeze                Roco Anglers                          0
Day 1: 3   06-05   Total:   3  06-05
114. Jay Haynes - Landon Haynes                   Marion County High School - FL        0
Day 1: 3   06-05   Total:   3  06-05
116. Bret Cavanaugh - Alexander Bielfeldt         Reed Custer Casting Comets            0
Day 1: 3   06-04   Total:   3  06-04
116. Jase Sparks - Tripp Parks III                Clarks Hill Hs Fishing Team           0
Day 1: 3   06-04   Total:   3  06-04
118. Evan Goering - Brayden Henry                 Buhler High School Crusaders          0
Day 1: 2   06-04   Total:   2  06-04
119. Grayson Goss - Wally Wolcott                 Lakeside Rams Bass Club               0
Day 1: 3   06-03   Total:   3  06-03
119. Ely Hagans - Cole Pennington                 Greenbrier Panthers                   0
Day 1: 3   06-03   Total:   3  06-03
119. Rex Reagan - Max Moody                       Pickett County High School Fishi      0
Day 1: 3   06-03   Total:   3  06-03
119. Walker Woodall - John Klanchar               Trader Bills                          0
Day 1: 3   06-03   Total:   3  06-03
123. James Mitchell - Brody Mitchell              Grissom Hs Fishing Team               0
Day 1: 3   06-02   Total:   3  06-02
124. Brody Musser - Gavin Lytton                  Swva Bassin                           0
Day 1: 1   06-02   Total:   1  06-02
125. Carter Cunningham - Landon Glander           Dawson County High Fishing Club       0
Day 1: 3   05-15   Total:   3  05-15
126. Tanner Wolf - Eddie Hook                     Club Florida High School Bassmas      0
Day 1: 2   05-14   Total:   2  05-14
127. Colin Wise - Emmitt Grubbs                   Boyle County High School              0
Day 1: 3   05-13   Total:   3  05-13
128. Cole Russell - Jackson Bennett               Anderson County Fishing Team          0
Day 1: 3   05-12   Total:   3  05-12
129. Dylan Holcomb - Grayson Faircloth            Liberty County Anglers                0
Day 1: 1   05-11   Total:   1  05-11
130. Jacob Berryhill - Isaac Chandler             Rogersville Warriors High School      0
Day 1: 3   05-09   Total:   3  05-09
130. Easton Morrow - RJ Sanger IV                 Lcs Viking Anglers                    0
Day 1: 3   05-09   Total:   3  05-09
130. Boone Stewart -                              Hendry County High School - FL        0
Day 1: 3   05-09   Total:   3  05-09
133. Landon Pierce - Korbin Neat                  Casey County High School              0
Day 1: 2   05-09   Total:   2  05-09
134. Nolan Gray - Rhyder Short                    Hamblen County Anglers                0
Day 1: 3   05-08   Total:   3  05-08
135. Evan Smith - Garret Demery                   Farmington High School                0
Day 1: 3   05-07   Total:   3  05-07
136. Jake Gluszek - Maxsim Hughen                 Nj Hs Club                            0
Day 1: 2   05-07   Total:   2  05-07
137. Colton King - Sawyer King                    Stephenville Bass Busters             0
Day 1: 3   05-05   Total:   3  05-05
138. Garrett Hooker - Samuel Rachal               Oak Hill Bass Club                    0
Day 1: 2   05-05   Total:   2  05-05
139. Luke Collins - Laken Hudnall                 Hardin High School                    0
Day 1: 3   05-04   Total:   3  05-04
139. James Sumrell -                              Hixson Bass Team                      0
Day 1: 3   05-04   Total:   3  05-04
141. Ty Trentham - Chase McCarter                 Sevier County High School             0
Day 1: 2   05-04   Total:   2  05-04
142. Hunter Bolt - Zander Morton                  Hctc Hs Fishing                       0
Day 1: 2   05-02   Total:   2  05-02
143. Hayes Finch - James Lamberth                 Aca Fishing Team                      0
Day 1: 2   05-00   Total:   2  05-00
144. Gavin Seewald - Tate Turner                  Hoover High School                    0
Day 1: 1   04-14   Total:   1  04-14
145. Brody Cochran - Cole Joy                     Southside Bass Commanders             0
Day 1: 3   04-13   Total:   3  04-13
146. Bennett Fontenot - Braxton Speyrer           Port Barre High School - LA           0
Day 1: 2   04-13   Total:   2  04-13
147. Bradford Vandemark - Elias Hitson            Eagleville Fishing Club               0
Day 1: 2   04-12   Total:   2  04-12
148. Tyler Boston - Devin Gonzalez                Columbia High School - FL             0
Day 1: 2   04-11   Total:   2  04-11
149. Brayson Claunch -                            Boyle County High School              0
Day 1: 2   04-11   Total:   2  04-11
150. Zack Ramsey - Brayden Padgett                Mcdowell High School Bass Fishin      0
Day 1: 2   04-10   Total:   2  04-10
151. Jay Delk -                                   Little Cypress Mauriceville Hs        0
Day 1: 2   04-09   Total:   2  04-09
151. Cody Keith - Mc Stewart                      Oak Grove High School Bass Club       0
Day 1: 2   04-09   Total:   2  04-09
153. Jackie Hatfield - Graham Willis              Alcoa Fishing Team - TN               0
Day 1: 2   04-07   Total:   2  04-07
154. Tayson Hathorn - Tristin Hathorn             Arkansas Youth Anglers                0
Day 1: 2   04-06   Total:   2  04-06
154. Cole Richerson - Kayden Bickett              Taylor County Cardinals               0
Day 1: 2   04-06   Total:   2  04-06
154. Carson Tithof - Maverick Hardebeck           Grand Haven High School               0
Day 1: 2   04-06   Total:   2  04-06
157. Nick Claussen - Hagen Keen                   Central Florida Youth Anglers         0
Day 1: 2   04-05   Total:   2  04-05
158. Waylin Hardison - Jax Poole                  Jackson County Homeschool             0
Day 1: 2   04-04   Total:   2  04-04
158. Carter Pjesky - JD McBroom                   Off The Hook High School Bassmas      0
Day 1: 2   04-04   Total:   2  04-04
160. Dannon Garber - Colton Wiles                 Mecklenburg High School Anglers       0
Day 1: 2   04-03   Total:   2  04-03
160. Dyson Weaver - Hayden Davidson               Creek Wood Red Hawks                  0
Day 1: 2   04-03   Total:   2  04-03
162. Elijah Coleman - Will Dombroskas             Montgomery County High School Ba      0
Day 1: 1   04-03   Total:   1  04-03
163. Blake Loida - Landon Hogan                   Mahtomedi High School                 0
Day 1: 2   04-02   Total:   2  04-02
164. Collin Tate - William Guidry                 Rayne High Bass Club                  0
Day 1: 1   04-00   Total:   1  04-00
165. Dominick Andux - Peyton Faber                Tampa Bay Junior Bass Club - FL       0
Day 1: 2   03-13   Total:   2  03-13
165. Tyler Covington - Brantley Tate              Walker High School                    0
Day 1: 2   03-13   Total:   2  03-13
167. Nevan Osburn - Atticus Bandy                 Brock High Bassmasters                0
Day 1: 1   03-13   Total:   1  03-13
168. Davis Barnett - Jackson Fuller                                                     0
Day 1: 2   03-12   Total:   2  03-12
168. Brady Horton - Rhett Horton                  Greenbrier Panthers                   0
Day 1: 2   03-12   Total:   2  03-12
168. Hunter Mize - Jace Anderson                  Little River Bass Bandits - AR        0
Day 1: 2   03-12   Total:   2  03-12
171. Tanner Seabolt - Finn Taylor                 Okeechobee Brahmans                   0
Day 1: 2   03-11   Total:   2  03-11
172. Hunter Sanders - Zane Cobb                   Trader Bills                          0
Day 1: 1   03-11   Total:   1  03-11
172. Fischer Sickafoose - Austin Tolbert                                                0
Day 1: 1   03-11   Total:   1  03-11
174. Mason George - Jayson Roden                  Albertville High School               0
Day 1: 2   03-10   Total:   2  03-10
175. Nick Kavanagh - Jacob Metz                   Chisago Lakes High School             0
Day 1: 2   03-09   Total:   2  03-09
175. Tucker McCoy - Ethan Hopkins                 Mortimer Jordan Hs Bass Club          0
Day 1: 2   03-09   Total:   2  03-09
177. Hoyt Gull - Brooks Clevenger                                                       0
Day 1: 2   03-07   Total:   2  03-07
177. Trevor Kilbern - Aaron Zakrie                                                      0
Day 1: 2   03-07   Total:   2  03-07
177. Finn Norsworthy -                            Park Place Christian Academy - M      0
Day 1: 2   03-07   Total:   2  03-07
180. Joseph Dejean - Matthew Arceneaux            West Feliciana Bass Club Inc          0
Day 1: 1   03-07   Total:   1  03-07
181. Kyler Smith - Tripp Pitts                    Pendleton Bass Fanactics              0
Day 1: 1   03-06   Total:   1  03-06
182. Brody Brinson - Greer Gammon                 Mt Juliet Fishing Team                0
Day 1: 2   03-05   Total:   2  03-05
182. Tucker Kenney - Reed Heutz                   Mebass High School                    0
Day 1: 2   03-05   Total:   2  03-05
184. Nick Herrman - Kyle Herrman                  Capital City High School Bass Cl      0
Day 1: 2   03-04   Total:   2  03-04
185. Ethen Gardner - Hayes Boyd                   Aca Fishing Team                      0
Day 1: 1   03-04   Total:   1  03-04
186. Brady Talbot - Hunter King                   Live Oak High School Fishing Tea      0
Day 1: 2   03-03   Total:   2  03-03
187. Logan Ethington - Dylan Teater               Jessamine County High School - K      0
Day 1: 1   03-03   Total:   1  03-03
188. Logan Parker - Hudson Howell                 Cherokee Bass Team                    0
Day 1: 2   03-02   Total:   2  03-02
189. Jenkins Andrews - Ben Sanders                Laurence Manning Academy              0
Day 1: 1   03-02   Total:   1  03-02
190. Barrett Newton - Brayden Huddleston          Upperman High School                  0
Day 1: 2   03-01   Total:   2  03-01
191. Connor Racine - Cole Racine                  Dexter High School Fishing Club       0
Day 1: 1   03-01   Total:   1  03-01
192. Nolan Holloway - Jackson Fanning             Morgan County Bass Club               0
Day 1: 1   03-00   Total:   1  03-00
192. Porter Morrison - Brayden Morgan             Catholic High School Fishing          0
Day 1: 1   03-00   Total:   1  03-00
194. Evin Moore - Bridger Jones                   Haywood Anglers                       0
Day 1: 3   02-14   Total:   3  02-14
195. Drake Pfeiffer -                             Rochester Bass  Club                  0
Day 1: 1   02-14   Total:   1  02-14
196. Liam Plautz - John Wall                      Stevenson High School Bass Fishi      0
Day 1: 1   02-12   Total:   1  02-12
197. Andrew Mailer - Kaleb Walton                 White Bear Lake                       0
Day 1: 1   02-09   Total:   1  02-09
197. Nathan Mccoy - Matthew Carey                 Roco Anglers                          0
Day 1: 1   02-09   Total:   1  02-09
199. Harlyn Nelson - Jake Lovingood               Alcoa Fishing Team High School        0
Day 1: 1   02-08   Total:   1  02-08
199. Camden Randall - James Roop                  Mt Pleasant High School Bass Tea      0
Day 1: 1   02-08   Total:   1  02-08
199. Zavian Smith -                               Lake Cumberland High School Bass      0
Day 1: 1   02-08   Total:   1  02-08
202. Evan Mccormick - Kj Jamison                  Edwardsville High School              0
Day 1: 1   02-07   Total:   1  02-07
202. Jonathan Willhite - Brock Hutcheson          Wild West Bassmasters                 0
Day 1: 1   02-07   Total:   1  02-07
204. Karson Denton - Drake Miller                 Splendora High School                 0
Day 1: 1   02-06   Total:   1  02-06
204. Hudson Tritch - Braydon Cullum               Crowleys Ridge Christian Homesch      0
Day 1: 1   02-06   Total:   1  02-06
206. Brodie Gibson - Noah Mentz                   Knight Fishing Anglers                0
Day 1: 1   02-05   Total:   1  02-05
207. Troy Jamieson - Tristan Kruczek              Kawartha Hs Bassmasters               0
Day 1: 1   02-04   Total:   1  02-04
207. Tripp Tamasi III - Matthew Johnson           Greenbrier High School                0
Day 1: 1   02-04   Total:   1  02-04
209. Jaxon Thomas - Zaydin Wooten                 Ark-La-Tex Bassmaster High Schoo      0
Day 1: 1   02-03   Total:   1  02-03
210. Cade Fontenot - Jerry Rouyea                 St. Amant High Bass Club              0
Day 1: 1   02-02   Total:   1  02-02
210. Henry Fox - Grady Schultz                    Fruitport High School                 0
Day 1: 1   02-02   Total:   1  02-02
212. Jackson Daugherty - James Lane               Kingston High School - TN             0
Day 1: 1   02-01   Total:   1  02-01
212. Max Flatten - Sam Spies                      North Dakota - At Large               0
Day 1: 1   02-01   Total:   1  02-01
214. Levi Self - Carter Lee                       Lumpkin County Schools                0
Day 1: 1   02-00   Total:   1  02-00
214. Jacob Godwin - Eli French                    Magnolia Bassmasters                  0
Day 1: 1   02-00   Total:   1  02-00
214. Jackson Long - Dylan Langley                 Olympia Anglers                       0
Day 1: 1   02-00   Total:   1  02-00
214. Kaden Tomblin - Jakob Fullerton              Southern Garrett Bass Slayer          0
Day 1: 1   02-00   Total:   1  02-00
214. Conner Wharton - Nicholas Farmer             Lake Anna Elite Anglers               0
Day 1: 1   02-00   Total:   1  02-00
219. Gabriel Castellano - Ean Williams            Sand Springs Sandites                 0
Day 1: 1   01-14   Total:   1  01-14
219. Mitchell Henderson - Joseph Frierson         Laurence Manning Academy SC           0
Day 1: 1   01-14   Total:   1  01-14
219. Josh Talley - Matthew Roper                                                        0
Day 1: 1   01-14   Total:   1  01-14
222. Mason Aldridge - Gavin Harden                Coal City High School                 0
Day 1: 1   01-13   Total:   1  01-13
223. Jared Coates - Than Hunt Jr                  Mass Nation High School - Hs          0
Day 1: 1   01-12   Total:   1  01-12
223. Milam Mcillwain - Landon Lewis               Creekwood Hs Redhawks Fishing         0
Day 1: 1   01-12   Total:   1  01-12
223. Cameron Prokop - Sophia Janulis              Plainfield South High School - I      0
Day 1: 1   01-12   Total:   1  01-12
226. Landon Rhine - Gabe Morrow                   Arkansas Youth Anglers                0
Day 1: 1   01-11   Total:   1  01-11
227. Judd Byrd - Samuel Nicholas                  Oak Grove High School Bass Club       0
Day 1: 1   01-10   Total:   1  01-10
227. Joe Childs - Hunter Duracz                   Track And Channel Youth               0
Day 1: 1   01-10   Total:   1  01-10
227. Ashton Kuchar - Keaton Kuchar                Eastern Nebraska Juniors              0
Day 1: 1   01-10   Total:   1  01-10
230. Ridge Hurley - Samuel Bierworth              Port City Junior Bass Masters         0
Day 1: 1   01-09   Total:   1  01-09
231. Mason Wampler -                              Rhea County  Eagle Anglers            0
Day 1: 1   01-08   Total:   1  01-08
232. Bryce Alfrey - Hayden Arvin                  George Rogers Clark High School       0
Day 1: 1   01-07   Total:   1  01-07
233. Kylan Mantooth - Caden Davis                 Coffee County High School - TN        0
Day 1: 1   01-05   Total:   1  01-05
234. Byron Ellis - Kyzer Gordon                   Henry County High School Anglers      0
Day 1: 1   01-03   Total:   1  01-03
235. Kael Moore - Bryce Norton                    Cedar Falls Fishing Team              0
Day 1: 2   00-00   Total:   2  00-00
236. DJ Aucoin - Alex Landry                      Assumption Mustangs Bass Club         0
Day 1: 0   00-00   Total:   0  00-00
236. Adam Bartlett - Ethan Hooper                 Aurora Central Catholic               0
Day 1: 0   00-00   Total:   0  00-00
236. Sarah Brekke - Troy Brown                    Wild West Bassmasters                 0
Day 1: 0   00-00   Total:   0  00-00
236. Caleb Cook -                                 Eastside Elites - MI                  0
Day 1: 0   00-00   Total:   0  00-00
236. Connor Crawford - Brody Beam                 Liberty County Anglers                0
Day 1: 0   00-00   Total:   0  00-00
236. Ross Deters - Dawson Hoene                   Teutopolis High School                0
Day 1: 0   00-00   Total:   0  00-00
236. Dean Dieball - Blake Canelli                 Black Swamp High School Fishing       0
Day 1: 0   00-00   Total:   0  00-00
236. Luke England - Cole Rountree                 Baldwin County High School            0
Day 1: 0   00-00   Total:   0  00-00
236. Lucas Gatewood - Mason Tarlton               Anson Anglers                         0
Day 1: 0   00-00   Total:   0  00-00
236. Lainie Holbert - Sarah Swindle               Riverside High School Bass Fishi      0
Day 1: 0   00-00   Total:   0  00-00
236. Gunnar Johnson - Reid Fragnito               Hill-Murray High School               0
Day 1: 0   00-00   Total:   0  00-00
236. Jonah Johnson - Carson Smith                 Pickett County High School Fishi      0
Day 1: 0   00-00   Total:   0  00-00
236. Olevir Johnson - Allen Moore                 Oldham Co High School Bass Team       0
Day 1: 0   00-00   Total:   0  00-00
236. Jackson Knight - Eli Painter                 Bradley Central Bears                 0
Day 1: 0   00-00   Total:   0  00-00
236. Caleb Logue - Hayden Reynolds                Bainbridge High School Bass Cats      0
Day 1: 0   00-00   Total:   0  00-00
236. Ridge Mabile - Evan Aucoin                   Assumption Mustangs Bass Club         0
Day 1: 0   00-00   Total:   0  00-00
236. Alex Meland - Carter Michalek                Eastern Iowa Jr Bassmasters           0
Day 1: 0   00-00   Total:   0  00-00
236. Chase Messner - Gavin O'donnell              Holy Family - MN                      0
Day 1: 0   00-00   Total:   0  00-00
236. Tanner Moulton - Peyton Sargent              Upper Valley Weekend Warriors         0
Day 1: 0   00-00   Total:   0  00-00
236. Braun Nalder - Holdyn Higley                                                       0
Day 1: 0   00-00   Total:   0  00-00
236. Oliver Neumann - Wyatt Feigum                Zimmerman Thunder - MN                0
Day 1: 0   00-00   Total:   0  00-00
236. Bryson Osment - Lohgan Gosnell               Byrnes High School Fishing Club       0
Day 1: 0   00-00   Total:   0  00-00
236. Nick Parrish - Chris Parrish                 Brunswick Academy Vikings             0
Day 1: 0   00-00   Total:   0  00-00
236. Joseph Phegley - Deacon Ledford              North Augusta High School Fishin      0
Day 1: 0   00-00   Total:   0  00-00
236. Jackson Pruett - Banks Davis                 Chesnee High School Fishing Club      0
Day 1: 0   00-00   Total:   0  00-00
236. Griffin Ralph - Kaleb Snow                   Lakeside Rams Bass Club               0
Day 1: 0   00-00   Total:   0  00-00
236. Tate Reynolds - Blane Smith                  Russell County High School - KY       0
Day 1: 0   00-00   Total:   0  00-00
236. Brayden Rivest - Andrew Crawford             Off the Hook Jr Bassmasters - IL      0
Day 1: 0   00-00   Total:   0  00-00
236. Caleb Roblin - Jordan Sibley                 Denham Springs High School            0
Day 1: 0   00-00   Total:   0  00-00
236. Aden Russelburg - Carter Nelson              Cincinnati Youth Bass Club Sr         0
Day 1: 0   00-00   Total:   0  00-00
236. Tanner Russell - Daniel Lowhorn              Mt. Juliet High School - TN           0
Day 1: 0   00-00   Total:   0  00-00
236. Tyler Schumacher - Alex Avery                Eureka Wildcats Fishing Team - M      0
Day 1: 0   00-00   Total:   0  00-00
236. Austin Short - Jacob Greenwood               Trhs Devildog Anglers - Traveler      0
Day 1: 0   00-00   Total:   0  00-00
236. Vincent Smith - Keegan Kennedy               Clovis High Bassmasters               0
Day 1: 0   00-00   Total:   0  00-00
236. Rowan Stengel - Colin Zwolinski              Minooka Anglers Club                  0
Day 1: 0   00-00   Total:   0  00-00
236. Drew Turner - John Beasley                   Sand Springs Sandites                 0
Day 1: 0   00-00   Total:   0  00-00
236. Jacob Vinson - Hunter Teichelman             Anson High School Bass Fishing        0
Day 1: 0   00-00   Total:   0  00-00
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Totals
Day   #Limits    #Fish      Weight
1       130       544      1472-07
----------------------------------
130       544      1472-07


LIVETARGET RELEASES NEW SHAD THAT SWIMS AS GOOD AS IT LOOKS

Big bass are perpetually in search of an easy meal, and a shad often fits this role perfectly. This predator-prey dynamic is a timeless pursuit that the all-new LIVETARGET Shad redefines through innovative lure development combining unmatched realism with exceptional functionality.

Employing state-of-the-art Injected Core Technology (ICT), the LIVETARGET Shad heralds a paradigm shift in traditional swimbait design. This advanced technology integrates realistic anatomical features—such as lifelike eyes, precisely sculpted scales, fins, lateral line, and body profile—into a dynamic inner core. The unique injection laminate process enhances the inner core with intricate, multi-colored metallic layers encapsulated within a clear, durable exoskeleton. The three-dimensional effect generated by ICT allows light to refract throughout the entire lure, significantly enhancing its lifelike appearance underwater.

The meticulous combination of a richly detailed inner core and a translucent outer layer ensures that the LIVETARGET Shad not only achieves exceptional realism but also maintains superior functionality. ICT guarantees that the lure delivers unmatched action in the water, attracting oversized bass with its natural appearance and movement.

Available in three sizes—4.5 inches, 5.5 inches, and 6.5 inches—the LIVETARGET Shad offers unparalleled versatility in depth, speed control, and fishability. While it excels at covering open water, it is particularly adept at dissecting areas believed to hold big fish. Central to its superior action is the unique oscillator tail, molded from a transparent exoskeleton. This design imparts a fluid side-to-side swimming motion and a complementary head wobble without compromising the lure’s natural appearance. Encased in this transparent shell, the inner core perfectly mimics a live shad, ensuring that bass focus on the authentic profile of the baitfish rather than the action-generating oscillator tail.

Rigging the LIVETARGET Shad is both straightforward and efficient, thanks to features such as a split belly and dorsal fin, which allow for effortless hook concealment and optimal penetration upon a strike. The hook slot on the back facilitates a weedless presentation, enabling anglers to skip the lure under docks, overhangs, and laydowns with minimal snagging risk. The open mouth design accommodates a twist-lock, and a keel-weighted swimbait hook fits snugly in the belly cavity, ensuring secure attachment and optimal presentation.

With its combination of ICT inner core and exoskeleton the LIVETARGET Shad is both soft and durable, capable of withstanding repeated catches without tearing or losing its vibrant coloration.

Available in eight colors and three sizes, this shad-imitating swimbait boasts unmatched realism and is best paired with a 6/0 to 12/0 Mustad AlphaPoint Infiltrator Weighted Swim Hook. Sold unrigged with a MSRP of $9. 99 .

Shad Features

• Injected Core Technology
• Ultra-Realistic Profile
• Advanced Multi-color Injected Laminate
• Sizes: 4.5 inch, 5.5 inch, 6.5 inch
• Package Count: 4.5 inch – 3, 5.5-inch – 3, 6.5-inch – 2
• 8 colors


LIVETARGET INTRODUCES THE FERRARI OF FROGS

Freestyle Frog 2.0

Many fishermen target the outskirts of dense vegetation to avoid constantly clearing hooks of weed and debris. However, the biggest bass typically hunker down in the thickest cover.  Flourishing vegetation can make some bass seem unreachable, but the all-new LIVETARGET Freestyle Frog 2.0 delivers the perfect profile, buoyancy, action, and weedless rigging that
anglers need to excel in these challenging environments.

The Freestyle Frog features LIVETARGET’s Injected Core Technology (ICT), which represents a paradigm shift in soft-plastic lure development. This unique injection laminate process creates a detailed, anatomically accurate frog profile with multi-colored metallic hues encased in a translucent exoskeleton. This combination not only enhances the lure’s realism but also ensures unmatched action and durability.

Amid its lifelike profile, one of the standout features of the Freestyle Frog is its buoyancy.  Unlike hollow-body frog lures that can take on water and sink after repeated casting, the
Freestyle Frog remains on the water’s surface. This natural buoyancy enhances the lure’s action at any retrieval speed, with legs that kick and stride with every twitch of the rod tip.

Though primarily designed as a topwater lure, the Freestyle Frog is extremely versatile. It combines the excitement of a surface bait with the search capabilities of a buzzbait and the weedless advantages of a Texas-rigged soft plastic. Whether you’re flipping it toward lily pads or laydowns along shorelines, skipping it under docks, or striding it across open water, the Freestyle Frog proves equally appealing to bass in various scenarios.

When targeting largemouth in close quarters, most anglers first reach for the 2- or 2.5-inch Freestyle Frog because it attracts bass of all sizes. By holding the rod tip high and slowly turning the reel handle, the frog strides effortlessly across the surface. Alternatively, you can pop and pause the Freestyle Frog, letting its lifelike legs quiver at rest while nearby bass contemplate the best angle of attack. For those strictly targeting larger fish or fishing in windy, choppy waters, the 3-inch Freestyle Frog is ideal. Its clear exoskeleton provides the advantage of a bigger bait with a smaller profile, presenting a noticeable target for bass without spooking them with an overly bulky appearance.

Equipped with a single hook in the belly, the Freestyle Frog lands upright and rests flat after each cast. Upon a strike, the one-piece hollow body compresses easily, ensuring effective hook sets not typical of traditional frog lures. The combination of the inner core and exoskeleton creates a lure that is both supple and durable, capable of withstanding repeated catches without tearing or losing its vibrant coloration.

Available in eleven colors and three sizes, the Freestyle Frog pairs best with 4/0, 5/0, or 6/0 EWG Mustad Infiltrator hooks and can also be used with a double-prong hook. Sold unrigged,
the Freestyle Frog has an MSRP of $9. 99 , making it a valuable addition to any angler’s tackle box.

Freestyle Frog 2.0 Features
• Injected Core Technology
• Ultra-Realistic Profile
• Advanced Multi-color Injected Laminate
• Sizes: 2 inch, 2.5 inch, 3 inch
• Package Count: 2 inch – 3, 2.5-inch – 3, 3-inch – 5
• 11 colors


Expect anglers to target pelagic smallmouth at Bassmaster Elite at Lake Champlain

Aug. 2, 2024

Elite_eventLogo_2024_Champlain_Raster.pngPLATTSBURGH, N.Y. — Summertime is in full swing in upstate New York, which means the Elite Series pros will have ample opportunity to catch big bags of bass during the 2024 Tackle Warehouse Bassmaster Elite at Lake Champlain.

Tournament days are scheduled for Aug. 8-11 with daily takeoffs set for 7 a.m. ET at the Plattsburgh City Marina. Anglers will return for weigh-in beginning at 3 p.m. The full field of pros will compete the first two days before the Top 50 anglers fish on Day 3. The Top 10 anglers after the third day will compete on Championship Sunday.

Lake Champlain has become a regular stop for the Bassmaster Elite Series. Kyoya Fujita won last year’s edition with a total of 86 pounds, 12 ounces by using his forward-facing sonar to catch pelagic smallmouth.

Tackle Warehouse Elite Qualifiers division pro Zach Goutremout believes this year’s event will be won in the same fashion.

“Honestly, I think it will be similar to last year. Since (Garmin LiveScope) came out, it has changed the way people fish the lake. Scoping roaming fish out there chasing bait is probably how it is going to go down. Somebody might get a day or two out of some largemouth. I wouldn’t be surprised to see the Day 1 leader with largemouth, but I don’t think that can last four days.”

Over the last several years, the smallmouth bite has become increasingly productive on Lake Champlain with the help of forward-facing technology. Anglers are better able to target the group of smallmouth that roam the deep-water areas in search of baitfish.

These smallmouth chase alewives as well as white and yellow perch in open water. Similarly to past events, Goutremout thinks the Inland Sea region of the lake will see plenty of fishing pressure from the Elite pros.

With an unusually warm and stormy spring and summer, the smallies have been done spawning for months and are in a full summer pattern.

“A lot of it is alewives,” Goutremout said. “Nine times out of 10 it is going to go down in the Inland Sea. For whatever reason, it seems like the bigger fish tend to come out of there.”

Alewives are plentiful, but Goutremout thinks an angler who can find some perch eaters to themselves will have a slight advantage.

“If someone can find a group of bass they have a little more to themselves, that will be important,” he said. “A lot of times if you can find the perch eaters, they tend to weigh a little more than the smallies feeding up on alewives.”

The more “traditional” smallmouth bite occurs around rock and boulders in the mid-depth range, where anglers can drag Carolina rigs, drop shots and Ned rigs.

While smallmouth will be the favorite species to target, there are indications a largemouth bite could play out as well. While heavy winds made smallmouth fishing difficult, multiple 20-pound bags of green fish were weighed in at the Mercury B.A.S.S. Nation Qualifier presented by Lowrance at the end of July, including a 24-5 limit that led Day 1.

Mark Burgess weighed in all largemouth each day and caught 21-15 and 22-12 the final two days to secure the victory in that event. Higher-than-normal water levels allowed him to execute a flipping bite toward the Canadian border.

Several other anglers mentioned staying on the north side of the lake instead of making the run down to Ticonderoga, a historically popular largemouth destination on the lake.

“I was in my total comfort zone this week,” Burgess stated. “I had a flipping stick almost the whole time with a little bit of ChatterBaiting and square-billing. I just made the right decisions each day.”

Docks, marinas and various types of vegetation hold largemouth on Lake Champlain, and flipping baits, ChatterBaits and swim jigs have all been productive presentations in past events.

Regardless, Goutremout believes it will take close to 22 pounds a day to claim the blue trophy in this tournament.

2024 Bassmaster Classic champion Justin Hamner leads the Progressive Insurance Bassmaster Angler of the Year standings with 595 points through seven events. Illinois rookie Trey McKinney is second with 571 points, followed by Missouri’s Cody Huff in third with 569 points, Canada’s Chris Johnston in fourth with 556 points and Tennessee’s Jacob Foutz in fifth with 556 points.

McKinney leads the Dakota Lithium Bassmaster Rookie of the Year race with 571 points, followed by Tennessee’s John Garrett in second with 553 points, South Carolina’s JT Thompkins in third with 547 points, Alabama’s Wesley Gore in fourth with 531 points and Maine’s Tyler Williams in fifth with 514 points.

Coverage of the Tackle Warehouse Bassmaster Elite at Lake Champlain will air on FS1 on Saturday and Sunday from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Bassmaster LIVE will be streaming on Bassmaster.com all four days.

The Adirondack Coast and City of Plattsburgh are hosting the tournament.

 

2024 Bassmaster Elite Series Platinum Sponsor: Toyota
2024 Bassmaster Elite Series Premier Sponsors: Bass Pro ShopsDakota Lithium, Humminbird, Mercury, Minn Kota, Nitro Boats, Power-Pole, Progressive Insurance, Ranger Boats, Rapala, Skeeter Boats, Yamaha
2024 Bassmaster Elite Series Supporting Sponsors: AFTCO, Daiwa, Garmin, Lew's, Lowrance, Marathon, Triton Boats, VMC

About B.A.S.S.

B.A.S.S., which encompasses the Bassmaster tournament leagues, events and media platforms, is the worldwide authority on bass fishing and keeper of the culture of the sport, providing cutting-edge content on bass fishing whenever, wherever and however bass fishing fans want to use it. Headquartered in Birmingham, Ala., the 500,000-member organization’s fully integrated media platforms include the industry’s leading magazines (Bassmaster and B.A.S.S. Times), website (Bassmaster.com), TV show, radio show, social media programs and events. For more than 50 years, B.A.S.S. has been dedicated to access, conservation and youth fishing.

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Connect with #Bassmaster on FacebookInstagramTwitter and TikTok.

Media Contact: Chad Gay, Communications Manager, 205-313-0945, cgay@bassmaster.com


MLF Announces Multi-Year Sponsorship Renewal with Brunswick Corporation to Showcase Mercury Marine and Lowrance Brands

BENTON, Ky. (July 31, 2024) – Major League Fishing (MLF), the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization, and Brunswick Corporation, the global leader in marine recreation, announced today a multiyear sponsorship renewal. The renewal ensures that longtime MLF sponsors Mercury Marine and Lowrance continue as official sponsors of the MLF Bass Pro Tour, General Tire Team Series and Major League Fishing Heavy Hitters all-star event.

Lowrance and Mercury Marine both became sponsors of MLF first in 2011, when they signed on as original sponsors of the very first MLF Challenge Cup on Lake Amistad, which featured only 24 professional anglers.

“Sponsorship renewals with brands that are deep-rooted in our sport, like Lowrance and Mercury Marine, are a testament to the benefits and ROI that our partners receive when aligning with Major League Fishing,” said Jim Wilburn. “Both brands share MLF’s strategic vision and goals – prioritizing innovation and a commitment to their anglers. The teams at both Mercury and Lowrance have been incredible supporters of MLF over the years, and we are excited to continue to build on our relationships with them in the years to come.”

In addition to remaining an official sponsor of all Major League Fishing and MLF5 circuits, Lowrance and Mercury will each be named the presenting sponsor of a yet-to-be-determined Bass Pro Tour Stage in 2025 and receive prominent exposure as premium exhibitors at the REDCREST 2025 and REDCREST 2026 Outdoor Sports Expos.

Also as a part of the renewal, the Lowrance Ghost® trolling motor and C-MAP® – the premium mapping solution for anglers looking for accurate and quality data – will also retain a prominent presence across numerous MLF media platforms, including all Bass Pro Tour and General Tire Team Series television programming and livestreams, MLF’s social media outlets, website, and featured logo placement on angler boats and jerseys in the General Tire Team Series and Heavy Hitters events.

For additional information about MLF, its tournaments and sponsors, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. To learn more about Lowrance and its tournament-winning fish-finding technology, visit Lowrance.com. For more information on Mercury Marine visit MercuryMarine.com.

About Lowrance
Lowrance® is part of Navico Group, a division of Brunswick Corporation (NYSE: BC), and has been a leader in marine electronics and sonar technology since first inventing the original consumer fishfinder in 1957. It features a brand portfolio that is dedicated to helping anglers find and catch more fish, and includes the industry-leading HDS PRO® , Elite FS™, HOOK® Reveal™ Chartplotters & Fishfinders, ActiveTarget® 2 and Active Imaging™ HD Sonar and Lowrance Ghost™ and Recon™ Trolling Motors. Lowrance is distributed in more than 100 countries worldwide. More information is available at lowrance.com.

About Mercury Marine
Headquartered in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, Mercury Marine® is the world’s leading manufacturer of recreational marine propulsion engines. A division of Brunswick Corporation (NYSE: BC), Mercury provides engines, boats, services and parts for recreational, commercial and government marine applications. Mercury empowers boaters with products that are easy to use, extremely reliable and backed by the most dedicated customer support in the world. The company’s industry-leading brand portfolio includes Mercury outboard engines, Mercury MerCruiser® sterndrive and inboard packages, Mercury propellers, Mercury inflatable boats, Mercury SmartCraft® electronics, Land 'N' Sea marine parts distribution and Mercury and Quicksilver® parts and oils. More information is available at MercuryMarine.com.

About Major League Fishing
Major League Fishing (MLF) is the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization, producing more than 250 events annually at some of the most prestigious fisheries in the world, while broadcasting to America’s living rooms on CBS, Discovery Channel, Outdoor Channel, CBS Sports Network, World Fishing Network and on demand on MyOutdoorTV (MOTV). Headquartered in Benton, Kentucky, the MLF roster of bass anglers includes the world’s top pros and more than 30,000 competitors in all 50 states and 17 countries. Since its founding in 2011, MLF has advanced the sport of competitive fishing through its premier television broadcasts and livestreams and is dedicated to improving the quality of life for bass through research, education, fisheries enhancement and fish care.


Jasper’s Uebelhor Earns Third Career MLF Win at Phoenix Bass Fishing League Event at Lake Monroe

Noblesville’s Bohland Tops Strike King Co-Angler Division

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. (July 29, 2024) – Boater Nick Uebelhor of Jasper, Indiana, caught a five-bass limit weighing 15 pounds, 12 ounces, Saturday to win the MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League (BFL) Presented by T-H Marine on Lake Monroe . The tournament was the fourth event of the season for the BFL Hoosier Division. Uebelhor earned $6,294, including the lucrative $2,500 Phoenix MLF Contingency Bonus, for his victory.

“I ended up fishing the slow side (part of the lake restricted to idle speed only) today and ended up catching them on a jig,” Uebelhor said. “The key to my win was definitely my big fish. I had one that was 5 pounds, 6 ounces, I think. And that really put me over the top.”

Uebelhor got his start competing with MLF at the Abu Garcia College Fishing level in 2012. Since 2016, he’s been a consistent angler at the BFL level, logging seven top-20 AOY finishes in various divisions, competing in nine BFL regionals and making the All-American twice. But this is his first BFL win since 2018, when he took home the trophy on Patoka Lake.

“It feels pretty good,” Uebelhor said. “It’s been six years since I’ve won one of these, and I’m glad to end up winning another one.”

The top 10 boaters finished the tournament:

1st:        Nick Uebelhor, Jasper, Ind., five bass, 15-12, $6,294 (includes $2,500 Phoenix MLF Contingency Bonus)
2nd:       John Melton, Trafalgar, Ind., five bass, 11-15, $1,897
3rd:       Jamil Abdullah, Indianapolis, Ind., five bass, 11-9, $1,265
4th:        Mike Quinlin, Mooresville, Ind., four bass, 11-4, $1,185
5th:        Chris Abrell, Terre Haute, Ind., five bass, 11-00, $759
6th:        John Webb, Martinsville, Ind., four bass, 10-11, $696
7th:        Blake Knies, Jasper, Ind., five bass, 10-6, $632
8th:        Jordan Nauert, Fillmore, Ind., three bass, 9-6, $569
9th:        Dick Shaffer, Rockford, Ohio, two bass, 8-15, $1,001
10th:     Levi Mullins, Nineveh, Ind., four bass, 8-14, $443

Complete results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

Dick Shaffer of Rockford, Ohio, caught a bass that weighed 5 pounds, 10 ounces, and earned the Berkley Big Bass Boater award of $495.

Mason Bohland of Noblesville, Indiana, won the Strike King co-angler division and $1,878 Saturday, after bringing three bass to the scale that totaled 8 pounds, 6 ounces.

The top 10 Strike King co-anglers finished:

1st:        Mason Bohland, Noblesville, Ind., three bass, 8-6, $1,878
2nd:       Trey Gault, Trafalgar, Ind., three bass, 7-9, $939
3rd:       Tommy Pritchard, Bargersville, Ind., two bass, 7-1, $1,022
4th:        Zion Dunaway, Campbellsburg, Ind., three bass, 6-15, $438
5th:        Ryan Cannon, Indianapolis, Ind., three bass, 6-14, $376
6th:        Allen Dozier, Aurora, Ill., two bass, 6-6, $344
7th:        Conner McClellan, Coatsville, Ind., three bass, 5-15, $313
8th:        Jarrod Pickel, Indianapolis, Ind., two bass, 5-10, $266
8th:        Austin Beckman, Terre Haute, Ind., three bass, 5-10, $266
10th:     Carl Bowser, Indianapolis, Ind., three bass, 5-4, $219

Tommy Pritchard of Bargersville, Indiana, earned the Berkley Big Bass co-angler award of $245, catching a bass that weighed in at 5 pounds, 6 ounces – the largest co-angler catch of the day.

After four events, John Melton of Corydon, Indiana, leads the Fishing Clash Hoosier Division Angler of the Year (AOY) race with 926 points, while Ryan Cannon of Indianapolis, Indiana, leads the Fishing Clash Hoosier Division Co-Angler of the Year race with 955 points.

The next event for BFL Hoosier Division anglers will be held Sept. 28-29, on the Ohio River at Tanners Creek in Lawrenceburg, Indiana. To register for the event as a boater or a co-angler, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com or call (270)-252-1000.

The top 45 boaters and co-anglers in the region based on point standings, along with the five tournament winners of each qualifying event, will qualify for the Oct. 10-12 BFL Regional tournament on Pools 13-17 of the Mississippi River in Quad Cities, Illinois. Boaters will fish for a top award of $60,000, including a new Phoenix 819 Pro with a 200-horsepower Mercury or Suzuki outboard and $10,000, while co-anglers will compete for a top award of $50,000, including a new Phoenix 819 Pro with a 200-horsepower Mercury or Suzuki outboard.

The 2024 Phoenix BFL Presented by T-H Marine is a 24-division circuit devoted to weekend anglers, with 128 events throughout the season, five qualifying tournaments in each division. The top 45 boaters and Strike King co-anglers from each division, along with the five qualifying event winners, will advance to one of six BFL Regional tournaments where they are competing to finish in the top six, which then qualifies them for one of the longest-running championships in all of competitive bass fishing – the BFL All-American.

Proud sponsors of the 2024 MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine include: 7Brew, Abu Garcia, B&W Trailer Hitches, Berkley, BUBBA, E3, Epic Baits, Fishing Clash, General Tire, GSM Outdoors, Lew’s, Mercury, Mossy Oak, Onyx, Phoenix, Polaris, Power-Pole, PowerStop Brakes, REDCON1, Strike King, Suzuki, Tackle Warehouse, T-H Marine, Toyota, WIX Filters and YETI.

For complete details and updated tournament information, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular Bass Fishing League updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF5’s social media outlets at FacebookInstagram, and YouTube.

About Major League Fishing
Major League Fishing (MLF) is the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization, producing more than 250 events annually at some of the most prestigious fisheries in the world, while broadcasting to America’s living rooms on CBS, Discovery Channel, Outdoor Channel, CBS Sports Network, World Fishing Network and on demand on MyOutdoorTV (MOTV). Headquartered in Benton, Kentucky, the MLF roster of bass anglers includes the world’s top pros and more than 30,000 competitors in all 50 states and 17 countries. Since its founding in 2011, MLF has advanced the sport of competitive fishing through its premier television broadcasts and livestreams and is dedicated to improving the quality of life for bass through research, education, fisheries enhancement and fish care.


Martin Villa Earns Second Career Win at Phoenix Bass Fishing League Event at James River Presented by Suzuki Marine

Boater winner pro Martin Villa of Charlottesville, Virginia, and Strike-King co-angler winner David Deciucis of Chester, Virginia.
Chester’s Deciucis Tops Strike King Co-Angler Division

HENRICO, Va. (July 29, 2024) – Pro Martin Villa of Charlottesville, Virginia, caught a five-bass limit weighing 19 pounds, 15 ounces, Saturday to win the MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League (BFL) Presented by T-H Marine on the James River Presented by Suzuki Marine . Hosted by Richmond Region Tourism, the tournament was the fourth event of the season for the BFL Shenandoah Division. Villa earned $4,938 for his victory.

Villa, who competes at the sport’s top level – the MLF Bass Pro Tour (BPT) – competed in the BPT General Tire Stage Six on the James River at the end of June. Unfortunately, that tournament didn’t go quite as he’d hoped. Villa finished 61st. He was proud to turn things around and win the BFL event on the James on Saturday.

“It was an awesome day today,” he said. “It was sunny and 85 degrees, and they bit as soon as I showed up.

“I was blessed to be here today. I really am grateful for this because I really wanted a chance at redemption from my last finish here. You know when you bring a bunch of Bass Pro Tour guys here to your home, you’ve either got to catch them or you’re gonna get your teeth kicked in. So, I got a little shot at redemption here.”

Understandably, Villa was tight-lipped about his winning pattern, given that the tournament was on his home lake.

“I just did the same thing I did in the BPT,” Villa added. “They were just big today and small a month ago.”

The top 10 boaters finished the tournament:

1st:        Martin Villa, Charlottesville, Va., five bass, 19-15, $4,938
2nd:       Thomas Milton, Chester, Va., five bass, 16-0, $2,057
2nd:       Ryan Lachniet, Gum Spring, Va., five bass, 16-0, $2,057
4th:        Chris Brummett, Lynch Station, Va., five bass, 15-10, $1,577
5th:        Brandon Pritchett, Goode, Va., five bass, 15-7, $988
6th:        Wesley Harris, Rustburg, Va., five bass, 15-3, $905
7th:        James Cassaday, Wirtz, Va., five bass, 15-2, $823
8th:        Frank Poirier, North Prince George, Va., five bass, 14-14, $699
8th:        Bryan Elrod, Mechanicsville, Va., five bass, 14-14, $699
10th:     Junior Roberts, Alexandria, Va., five bass, 14-11, $576

Complete results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

Brandon Casey of Chester, Virginia, caught a bass that weighed 6 pounds, 11 ounces, and earned the Berkley Big Bass Boater award of $745.

David Deciucis of Chester, Virginia, won the Strike King co-angler division and $2,469 Saturday, after bringing five bass to the scale that totaled 15 pounds, 8 ounces.

The top 10 Strike King co-anglers finished:

1st:        David Deciucis, Chester, Va., five bass, 15-8, $2,469
2nd:       Greg Ravitsky, Palmyra, Va., five bass, 13-2, $1,235
3rd:       Nathan Sullivan, Fredericksburg, Va., five bass, 12-9, $823
4th:        Phillip Arnold, Powhatan, Va., five bass, 12-2, $948
5th:        Eric Picucci, Midlothian, Va., five bass, 11-13, $494
6th:        Jarrod Egolf, Walkersville, Md., three bass, 10-15, $703
7th:        Chad Boggs, Prince Frederick, Md., five bass, 10-14, $412
8th:        Dan Garner, Littleton, N.C., five bass, 10-6, $370
9th:        Claude Craig, Locust Grove, Va., four bass, 10-4, $329
10th:     Robert Wedding, Welcome, Md., five bass ,10-2, $288

Phillip Arnold of Powhatan, Virginia earned the Berkley Big Bass co-angler award of $372, catching a bass that weighed in at 5 pounds, 10 ounces – the largest co-angler catch of the day.

After four events, Chris Brummett of Lynch Station, Virginia, leads the Fishing Clash Shenandoah Division Angler of the Year (AOY) race with 980 points, while David Williams of Fredericksburg, Virginia, leads the Fishing Clash Shenandoah Division Co-Angler of the Year race with 912 points.

The next event for BFL Shenandoah Division anglers will be held Sept. 7-8, at the James River in Henrico, Virginia. To register for the event as a boater or a co-angler, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com or call (270)-252-1000.

The top 45 boaters and co-anglers in the region based on point standings, along with the five tournament winners of each qualifying event, will qualify for the Oct. 3-5 BFL Regional tournament on Kerr Lake in Henderson, North Carolina. Boaters will fish for a top award of $60,000, including a new Phoenix 819 Pro with a 200-horsepower Mercury or Suzuki outboard and $10,000, while co-anglers will compete for a top award of $50,000, including a new Phoenix 819 Pro with a 200-horsepower Mercury or Suzuki outboard.

The 2024 Phoenix BFL Presented by T-H Marine is a 24-division circuit devoted to weekend anglers, with 128 events throughout the season, five qualifying tournaments in each division. The top 45 boaters and Strike King co-anglers from each division, along with the five qualifying event winners, will advance to one of six BFL Regional tournaments where they are competing to finish in the top six, which then qualifies them for one of the longest-running championships in all of competitive bass fishing – the BFL All-American.

Proud sponsors of the 2024 MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine include: 7Brew, Abu Garcia, B&W Trailer Hitches, Berkley, BUBBA, E3, Epic Baits, Fishing Clash, General Tire, GSM Outdoors, Lew’s, Mercury, Mossy Oak, Onyx, Phoenix, Polaris, Power-Pole, PowerStop Brakes, REDCON1, Strike King, Suzuki, Tackle Warehouse, T-H Marine, Toyota, WIX Filters and YETI.

For complete details and updated tournament information, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular Bass Fishing League updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF5’s social media outlets at FacebookInstagram, and YouTube.

About Major League Fishing
Major League Fishing (MLF) is the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization, producing more than 250 events annually at some of the most prestigious fisheries in the world, while broadcasting to America’s living rooms on CBS, Discovery Channel, Outdoor Channel, CBS Sports Network, World Fishing Network and on demand on MyOutdoorTV (MOTV). Headquartered in Benton, Kentucky, the MLF roster of bass anglers includes the world’s top pros and more than 30,000 competitors in all 50 states and 17 countries. Since its founding in 2011, MLF has advanced the sport of competitive fishing through its premier television broadcasts and livestreams and is dedicated to improving the quality of life for bass through research, education, fisheries enhancement and fish care.


Minor wins first Bassmaster Kayak Series title at Susquehanna River

July 28, 2024

LEWISBURG, Pa. — Last summer, Ewing Minor helped one of his friends celebrate their birthday by taking a trip to the Susquehanna River. The conditions he fished then helped Minor dial in the winning smallmouth strategy this week at the Yamaha Rightwaters Bassmaster Kayak Series at Susquehanna River scored by TourneyX.

With a two-day total of 187.75 inches, the Virginia angler secured his first Kayak Series victory and earned the top prize of $11,694. Just a quarter of an inch separated Minor from second-place Kristine Fischer, who landed a two-day total of 187.50 inches.

“I think this is the largest kayak tournament I’ve ever fished, so that is really cool. The blue trophy is one that I didn’t have, and I just wanted to have one of the top three. So, this will be a really nice addition to the collection.”

While this is Minor’s first victory in a Bassmaster event, it adds to a long list of accomplishments he’s accrued in the kayak fishing world. Prior to this event, the Carson-Newman University angler had won several Hobie Bass Open Series events and nearly won Angler of the Year in 2021. He will also compete in the Strike King Bassmaster College National Championship presented by Bass Pro Shops at Lake Hartwell next month.

Minor believes the Susquehanna River is the best river in the country, and there’s certainly a strong case to be made after this weekend. In total, 2,463 bass were caught in the two-day event and 52 bags over 90 inches were submitted to TourneyX.

Since his first trip to the Susquehanna in 2021, which resulted in a second-place finish at a Hobie BOS event, Minor has made a point to fish the river every year. When he arrived for practice, conditions of the river matched up almost perfectly with what he experienced the previous summer.

“That week was very close to the water clarity and water level it is right now,” he said. “I feel like that trip last summer really helped me out.”

With the water rising from recent rains, Minor struggled to find consistency in practice and was not dialed in until about the first hour of Day 1.

“The water was rising, and I was a step behind the bass the whole time. I never really caught up to them until Day 1. They pushed up a lot further than I expected. But on Day 1, I just kept pushing up into shallower water, and I eventually found them in inches of water. But it was kind of tough to figure out what stage they were in each day.”

Minor decided to fish the section of the river he was most familiar with, which features a diverse selection of grass, wood, rock, shade and different speeds of current. Slower-to-moderate current proved to be the most productive, but not one type of cover was more productive than another.

While the first hour of fishing was a struggle on Day 1, he moved into shallower water as the morning progressed and began catching quality smallies on a ¼-ounce buzzbait with a Strike King Rage Menace trailer. An unnamed wake bait was also a key presentation.

“I had a buzzbait tied on that I bought at the tackle store the night before. I hadn’t thrown it in practice, and I started throwing it inside of the grass islands and started catching a bunch. I lost a bunch of fish yesterday, too. But once I started getting on that I kept running it. Once the sun came out, they stopped biting on the islands, and I stuck to the shade lines.”

Entering the final day in 14th place with 93.5 inches, Minor found the buzzbait bite was not as productive to open Day 2. With an increase in fishing pressure around the islands, he decided to motor up the river in search of fresh real estate. On his way, he landed a 19.5-inch smallmouth — his biggest bass of the tournament — on a Berkley Choppo 120.

“I was just fan casting. It was completely random. I wasn’t targeting anything,” he said.

Once he reached an area without any other competitors, Minor targeted rock, wood, shade and grass to fill out the rest of his bag, which included another 19-incher as well as three smallmouth over 18 inches.

“I didn’t have much of a pattern today. I was just fishing what looked good and cleaning up the leftovers,” he said.

Fischer opened the tournament in fifth place with 94.75 inches before moving into the runner-up position on the final day with a 92.75-inch limit of smallmouth.

“This river has always clicked for me. It has always made sense. I think I’ve fished six tournaments here now and cut checks in all of them,” Fischer said. “I practiced for two days and had great days.”

Knowing some of her better areas would likely receive a lot of fishing pressure, the BassmastHER ambassador fished the southern section of eligible water. While she planned to fish around 15 different spots, trolling motor issues both days of the tournament limited her range.

Fischer made the most of it, however, landing a smallmouth 20 inches or better each day of the event. She landed the majority of her bass using an unnamed glide bait as well as a 6-inch Berkley Cull Shad.

“What I figured out was, the majority of the competitors wouldn’t make a cast at the water I was fishing,” she said. “Shade is big. The fish really utilize the shade, a lot of times shallower than people realize. I was working everything pretty fast. I was fishing the Cull Shad in slower flats deeper than 3 feet. Anything shallower than that, I was fishing the wake bait.”

With bags of 93.5 inches and 93.75 inches, Mickey Pfortsch finished third with a two-day total of 187.25 inches.

“I did not expect to get third place,” Pfortsch said. “Day 2 was definitely a lot tougher. I looked at some of the scores from the past and saw that you are never out of it if you did well on Day 1 because Day 2 is always a struggle no matter what the conditions are.”

Pfortsch’s best day of practice was Wednesday, but when the water rose, he had to make several adjustments to his gameplan. Throughout the tournament, the Pennsylvania angler threw a Boogerman buzzbait and a black Berkley Choppo around shade lines and whitewater areas.

“I must have fished 75 (whitewater areas) and caught two fish. But those two fish are 20.75 inches and 20 inches. Each day was really tough. Day 1 I think I had 91 inches by 7 a.m. and didn’t upgrade again until 1:25 p.m. Day 2 was pretty much the same way. All 10 of my fish were caught on topwater.”

Brandon Palmer of Loveland, Ohio, claimed Big Bass of the Tournament honors with the 21-inch smallmouth he landed on Day 1.

The Susquehanna River Valley Visitors Bureau hosted the tournament.

A full list of results from the Yamaha Rightwaters Bassmaster Kayak Series at Susquehanna River scored by TourneyX can be found here.

 

2024 Bassmaster Kayak Series Title Sponsor: Yamaha Rightwaters2024 Bassmaster Kayak Series Partner: MotorGuide, YakGear2024 Bassmaster Kayak Series Angler of the Year Sponsor: Dakota Lithium

 

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Connect with #Bassmaster on FacebookInstagramTwitter and TikTok.

Media Contact: Chad Gay, Communications Manager, 205-313-0945, cgay@bassmaster.com


Soddy Daisy squeaks out victory at Bassmaster Junior National Championship

July 27, 2024

JuniorChampionship_4C.jpg

DAYTON, Tenn. — Despite falling one bass short of their limit on the final day, the Soddy Daisy Junior High duo of William Collins and Kyler Jenkins claimed the 2024 Bassmaster Junior National Championship title with a two-day total of 20 pounds, 9 ounces.

Collins and Jenkins, both rising freshmen, led the tournament after the first day with a three-bass limit weighing 14-4 and anchored that bag with a 6-14 largemouth. On Day 2, they landed just two bass weighing 6-5, but it was just enough to edge out the second-place Cumberland Elite Junior Anglers team of Damian Gumm and Brock Stevens.

“This means the world to me. I couldn’t have done it without having Kyler as my partner,” Collins said.

Gumm and Stevens finished with a two-day total of 20-4 followed by the Southwest Louisiana Junior Anglers team of Joseph Childers and Bray Youngblood in third with 19-8.

While Collins has been tournament fishing for a while now, Jenkins joined the team for the first time this year.

“It feels pretty good, especially since it is my first year fishing with Will and with Bassmaster,” he said. “I’m happy about it, but I know it means a whole lot to Will. He’s been doing it for a while.”

To catch their Day 1 bag, the Soddy Daisy team focused most of their efforts on stretches of hydrilla and stargrass in 7 to 10 feet of water. A ChatterBait paired with a Hog Farmer Spunk Shad trailer produced the 6-14, but they also mixed in a big worm and a drop shot.

Although Day 1 was cloudy and windy, Day 2 brought sunny and calm conditions that Collins felt hurt their grass bite. Along with the change in conditions, there was more fishing pressure and boat traffic around some of their better areas.

“It was a really slow day today,” Collins said. “It was bright and sunny today. Yesterday was a really good overcast day with a lot of wind. That made a good current and let us have the grass bite longer. At the point I had the 6-14 yesterday, it was already bright and sunny today.”

Jenkins landed a 3-pounder out of one of their best grass stretches to open the morning, but the duo struggled to generate bites the rest of the day other than non-keeper spotted bass. But with only a couple of minutes left to fish, Collins and Jenkins landed their second keeper of the day by dragging a big worm on a shellbed.

“We only had one fish in the boat at that point,” Jenkins said. “We caught that last one in the last 15 minutes. It was pretty close.”

That bass weighed just enough to keep them in the top spot.

“I’m just really proud of them,” boat captain Willie Collins said. “They fished so clean both days. I kept telling them, ‘You left it all out there. If it comes up short, I’m still really proud of you.’ They never quit. They fished down to the last minute and never gave up.”

Kerry Johnson and Mavrick Grove from the Creekwood Redhawks fishing team caught the Big Bass of the Tournament, an 8-14 largemouth.

The City of Dayton hosted the tournament.

About B.A.S.S.B.A.S.S., which encompasses the Bassmaster tournament leagues, events and media platforms, is the worldwide authority on bass fishing and keeper of the culture of the sport, providing cutting-edge content on bass fishing whenever, wherever and however bass fishing fans want to use it. Headquartered in Birmingham, Ala., the 500,000-member organization’s fully integrated media platforms include the industry’s leading magazines (Bassmaster and B.A.S.S. Times), website (Bassmaster.com), TV show, radio show, social media programs and events. For more than 50 years, B.A.S.S. has been dedicated to access, conservation and youth fishing.

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Connect with #Bassmaster on FacebookInstagramTwitter and TikTok.

Media Contact: Chad Gay, Communications Manager, 205-313-0945, cgay@bassmaster.com

 

2024 Bassmaster Junior Championship 7/26-7/27
Chickamauga Lake, Dayton  TN.
(BOATER) Standings Day 2

Angler                                       Club/School                       Pts

1.  William Collins - Kyler Jenkins              Soddy Daisy Jr High                   0
Day 1: 3   14-04     Day 2: 2   06-05   Total:   5  20-09
2.  Damian Gumm - Brock Stevens                  Cumberland Elite Junior Anglers       0
Day 1: 3   09-14     Day 2: 3   10-06   Total:   6  20-04
3.  Joseph Childers - Bray Youngblood            Swla Jr Anglers                       0
Day 1: 3   10-06     Day 2: 3   09-02   Total:   6  19-08
4.  Kipton Hall - Wyatt Parker                   Baldwin County Hs Juniors Fishin      0
Day 1: 3   08-13     Day 2: 3   10-10   Total:   6  19-07
5.  Mitchell Boles - Nixon Melton                Clay County Junior Anglers            0
Day 1: 3   07-05     Day 2: 3   11-15   Total:   6  19-04
6.  Tayson Stiehl -                              Winner Junior Bassmasters             0
Day 1: 3   11-03     Day 2: 2   07-05   Total:   5  18-08
7.  Sawyer Adams - Colton Talbert                Gilbert Jr Bass Anglers               0
Day 1: 3   08-12     Day 2: 3   09-08   Total:   6  18-04
8.  Kerry Johnson - Mavrick Grove                Creekwood Hs Redhawks Fishing         0
Day 1: 3   06-03     Day 2: 3   12-00   Total:   6  18-03
9.  Lem Tate - Baylor Mccuiston                  Pine Grove High School                0
Day 1: 3   08-07     Day 2: 3   09-10   Total:   6  18-01
10. Drew Mcclellan - Noah Hiott                  Indiana Junior Bassmasters            0
Day 1: 3   10-03     Day 2: 3   07-13   Total:   6  18-00
11. Carson Stevens - Wesley Osuna                Franklin County Jr Bass Team - T      0
Day 1: 3   09-07     Day 2: 3   07-10   Total:   6  17-01
12. Crews Mcferrin -                             Karns Jr High School                  0
Day 1: 3   07-03     Day 2: 3   09-13   Total:   6  17-00
13. Bo Hollen - Ari Clark                        Mon Valley Junior Bassmasters -       0
Day 1: 3   08-12     Day 2: 3   07-13   Total:   6  16-09
14. Jack Kennedy - Brentley West                 Mid Florida Youth Anglers             0
Day 1: 3   09-03     Day 2: 3   07-04   Total:   6  16-07
15. Caleb Terrazas - Rylan Emerson               Phoenix Junior Bassmasters            0
Day 1: 3   06-03     Day 2: 3   10-03   Total:   6  16-06
16. Grahm Singerhouse - Andres Solorzano         Stillwater Junior                     0
Day 1: 3   10-08     Day 2: 3   05-10   Total:   6  16-02
17. Cooper Taylor - Gage West                    Lowndes Jr Viking Lip Rippers         0
Day 1: 3   08-02     Day 2: 3   07-15   Total:   6  16-01
18. Parker Smith - Carson Randan                 Scotts Hill High School Anglers       0
Day 1: 3   08-06     Day 2: 3   07-04   Total:   6  15-10
19. Max Daniel - Carter Oufnac                   Parkview Baptist Jr School Bass       0
Day 1: 3   08-04     Day 2: 3   07-03   Total:   6  15-07
20. Hannah Sage - Tanner Ortega                  High Country Bass Anglers             0
Day 1: 3   12-12     Day 2: 1   02-06   Total:   4  15-02
21. Bryant Atwood - Matthew Balden               Vidor Pirate Jr Fishing Team          0
Day 1: 2   04-06     Day 2: 3   10-10   Total:   5  15-00
22. Liam Holze - John Price                      Off the Hook Jr Bassmasters - IL      0
Day 1: 3   08-08     Day 2: 3   06-07   Total:   6  14-15
23. Conner White - Drake Highsmith               Junior Keystone Bassmasters           0
Day 1: 1   02-03     Day 2: 3   12-03   Total:   4  14-06
24. Conner Tate - Sawyer Knickerbocker           Vermillion Junior Anglers             0
Day 1: 3   09-09     Day 2: 2   04-09   Total:   5  14-02
25. Maddox Shaffer - Myles Shaffer               Junior Garrett Bass Slayers           0
Day 1: 3   06-07     Day 2: 3   07-10   Total:   6  14-01
26. Knox White - Grayson Sanford                 Mt. Juliet Fishing - Juniors          0
Day 1: 3   08-05     Day 2: 3   05-08   Total:   6  13-13
27. Bennett Bullard - Kei Blaylock               Trader Bills                          0
Day 1: 3   08-09     Day 2: 3   05-02   Total:   6  13-11
28. Isaiah Crockett - Eli Milam                  Southern WV Jr Bassmasters - WV       0
Day 1: 3   07-05     Day 2: 2   06-05   Total:   5  13-10
29. Joseph Eskew - Nathan Banach                 Off The Hook Jr. Bassmasters          0
Day 1: 3   06-08     Day 2: 3   07-02   Total:   6  13-10
30. Brady Almand - Jaxon Martin                  Tennessee Valley Jr Bass Club         0
Day 1: 3   06-05     Day 2: 3   06-05   Total:   6  12-10
31. Lane Lewis - Grady Peterson                  Iowa Youth Fishing League - IA        0
Day 1: 3   10-09     Day 2: 1   01-14   Total:   4  12-07
32. Halton Howard - Garrett Westfall             Arkansas Youth Anglers Junior         0
Day 1: 2   03-11     Day 2: 3   08-10   Total:   5  12-05
33. Brantley Pennington - Ethan Hill             Central Arkansas Junior Bassmast      0
Day 1: 2   05-12     Day 2: 3   06-09   Total:   5  12-05
34. Larson Morgan - John Balcerzak               Southlake Fishing Team                0
Day 1: 3   09-11     Day 2: 1   02-08   Total:   4  12-03
35. Tucker Burr - Logan Herbst                   Anoka Ramsey Jr Bassers               0
Day 1: 3   06-13     Day 2: 1   05-00   Total:   4  11-13
36. Kannon Sample - Samuel Shuford               Sc Lower State Jr Bass Club           0
Day 1: 3   06-07     Day 2: 2   05-05   Total:   5  11-12
37. Fisher Williams - Blaine Chastain            Bolivar Hs                            0
Day 1: 3   08-09     Day 2: 1   02-15   Total:   4  11-08
38. Cash Rath - Parker Clennon                   Arkansas Youth Anglers Junior         0
Day 1: 3   07-11     Day 2: 2   03-07   Total:   5  11-02
39. Brady Gunkle - Quintin Bergey                Junior Wildcats                       0
Day 1: 1   04-09     Day 2: 3   06-09   Total:   4  11-02
40. Gage Wright - Braxton Bogdansky              Sc Upper State Bass Club              0
Day 1: 1   03-15     Day 2: 3   07-01   Total:   4  11-00
41. Kort Roberts - Katera Roberts                Junior Keystone Bassmasters           0
Day 1: 1   02-06     Day 2: 3   08-09   Total:   4  10-15
42. James Boquet - Landon Grabert                Houma Christian Jr Bass Club          0
Day 1: 2   04-12     Day 2: 3   06-00   Total:   5  10-12
43. Blaine Davis - Bo Pearson                    Liberty County Junior Anglers         0
Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 3   10-11   Total:   3  10-11
44. Brody Allen - Caden Harris                   Hendry County Junior Bassmater        0
Day 1: 3   08-11     Day 2: 1   01-13   Total:   4  10-08
45. Asher Hart - Camden Baker                    Hartley's Hawgs Piglets               0
Day 1: 2   05-05     Day 2: 3   05-02   Total:   5  10-07
46. Hudson Clark - Jackson Leath                 Sumner County Jr Bass Team - TN       0
Day 1: 3   08-05     Day 2: 1   02-00   Total:   4  10-05
47. Reed Crisman - Will Crisman                  Mecklenburg High School Junior A      0
Day 1: 3   08-00     Day 2: 1   02-02   Total:   4  10-02
48. Boston Werner -                              Northeast Wisconsin Bass - WI         0
Day 1: 3   07-04     Day 2: 1   02-12   Total:   4  10-00
49. Eben Bolding - Mason Carter                  Trhs Devildog Anglers Travelers       0
Day 1: 2   03-03     Day 2: 3   06-08   Total:   5  09-11
50. Brady Wells - Dakota Gordon                  Bath County Juniors                   0
Day 1: 3   07-08     Day 2: 1   01-15   Total:   4  09-07
51. Holt Harmon - Memphis Howard                 Central Lion Fishing                  0
Day 1: 3   07-01     Day 2: 1   02-04   Total:   4  09-05
52. Blake Richardson - Bentley Richardson        Southern Outcast Jr                   0
Day 1: 3   09-03     Day 2: 0   00-00   Total:   3  09-03
53. Logan Dunham - Braeden Walker                Fighting Fishsticks Jr. Bass Clu      0
Day 1: 1   01-10     Day 2: 3   07-08   Total:   4  09-02
54. Greyson Harper - Garreson Currie             Topeka Jr Hawgs                       0
Day 1: 1   02-02     Day 2: 3   07-00   Total:   4  09-02
55. Hunter Beach - Austin Jefferson              Fighting Fishsticks Jr. Bass Clu      0
Day 1: 2   03-13     Day 2: 2   05-05   Total:   4  09-02
56. Quinn Cancellieri - Kingston Bartley         Denver Jr Bassmasters                 0
Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 2   08-15   Total:   2  08-15
57. Kenny Simonis - Peter Riker                  Fruitport High School                 0
Day 1: 1   02-14     Day 2: 2   06-01   Total:   3  08-15
58. Carsen Sands - Owen Chittenden               Grand Haven High School               0
Day 1: 1   02-10     Day 2: 2   06-02   Total:   3  08-12
59. Easton Dickens - Eli Stevens                 New River Bassmasters                 0
Day 1: 3   08-11     Day 2: 0   00-00   Total:   3  08-11
60. Brayen Barnhill - Reed Abrams                757 Bass                              0
Day 1: 1   02-00     Day 2: 3   06-09   Total:   4  08-09
60. Avery Schmitt - Maddox Hanson                Eastern Iowa Jr. Bassmasters          0
Day 1: 3   06-09     Day 2: 1   02-00   Total:   4  08-09
62. Cole Watkins - Luke Delaney                  Jr. Southwest Bassmasters-Denham      0
Day 1: 3   06-12     Day 2: 1   01-09   Total:   4  08-05
63. Piers Picou - Jaxon Plaisance                Central Catholic - LA                 0
Day 1: 3   08-04     Day 2: 0   00-00   Total:   3  08-04
64. Logan Carmichael - Finn Mahoney              Kawartha Hs Bassmasters               0
Day 1: 2   04-11     Day 2: 1   03-08   Total:   3  08-03
65. Dean Austin - Caleb Moore                    Off The Hook Jr. Bassmasters          0
Day 1: 2   04-13     Day 2: 2   03-04   Total:   4  08-01
66. Coy Cassady - Ryan Crane                     Wateree Anglers Club                  0
Day 1: 2   04-00     Day 2: 2   04-00   Total:   4  08-00
67. Beckett Kraft - Sullivan Kraft               Port City Junior Bass Masters         0
Day 1: 3   06-03     Day 2: 1   01-12   Total:   4  07-15
68. Cason Curry - Jaxon Curry                    Rocky Mtn Bass Anglers                0
Day 1: 1   02-14     Day 2: 3   05-00   Total:   4  07-14
69. Grant Klein - Elijah Marziano                New Hampshire Jr. Bassmasters         0
Day 1: 2   05-08     Day 2: 1   02-05   Total:   3  07-13
70. James Barkley - Nikolas Foster               New Hampshire Jr. Bassmasters         0
Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 3   07-12   Total:   3  07-12
70. Elijah Booker - Bayler Cooksey               Mt. Juliet Fishing - Juniors          0
Day 1: 3   07-12     Day 2: 0   00-00   Total:   3  07-12
72. Gavin Brubaker - Hunter Haines               Susquehanna Valley Jr Fishing Te      0
Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 3   07-10   Total:   3  07-10
72. Braydon Scott - Bentley Keeter               Pickett County Elementary Fishin      0
Day 1: 3   07-10     Day 2: 0   00-00   Total:   3  07-10
74. Grifinn Thomas-Hamm - Tahlen Thomas-Hamm     Southside Junior Anglers              0
Day 1: 1   01-13     Day 2: 3   05-13   Total:   4  07-10
75. Kale Temple - Easton Kelley                  Hart County High School Anglers       0
Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 3   07-09   Total:   3  07-09
76. Jake Sidney - Luke Sidney                    Phoenix Junior Bassmasters            0
Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 2   07-09   Total:   2  07-09
77. Brock Davis - Kaine Smith                    Bolivar Hs                            0
Day 1: 1   03-14     Day 2: 2   03-11   Total:   3  07-09
78. Brayden Griffin -                            Willis Junior Basskats                0
Day 1: 2   07-01     Day 2: 0   00-00   Total:   2  07-01
79. Elijah Hart - Marlon Gammon                  Hartley's Hawgs Piglets               0
Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 3   06-11   Total:   3  06-11
80. Drake Walls - Hunter Shrader                 Mid Florida Youth Anglers Jr          0
Day 1: 1   02-03     Day 2: 2   04-08   Total:   3  06-11
81. Jaxon Schmidt - Brayden Savage               Junior Garrett Bass Slayers           0
Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 2   06-08   Total:   2  06-08
82. Gary Allen Underwood - Jeremiah Underwood    Hamblen County Anglers Juniors        0
Day 1: 2   04-07     Day 2: 1   02-01   Total:   3  06-08
83. Heston Hoffman - Samuel Holland              Topeka Jr Hawgs                       0
Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 3   06-06   Total:   3  06-06
84. Jaxson Beard - Landon Vaughn                 Pendleton High School Fishing Te      0
Day 1: 1   03-00     Day 2: 2   03-06   Total:   3  06-06
85. Anna Brown - Coleman Moore                   Loudon Redskins Jr Bass Team - T      0
Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 3   06-03   Total:   3  06-03
86. Jake Jaracy - Jack Jaracy                    Bass Lightning                        0
Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 3   05-15   Total:   3  05-15
86. Gunner Robbins - Drew Smith                  Livingston Academy Junior Bassma      0
Day 1: 3   05-15     Day 2: 0   00-00   Total:   3  05-15
88. Bryson Hannem - Jayse Ordahl                 Bloomington Juniors                   0
Day 1: 1   01-14     Day 2: 2   04-01   Total:   3  05-15
89. Tyler Nelson - Saw Reynolds                  Bandys Fishing Team Juniors           0
Day 1: 2   04-04     Day 2: 1   01-10   Total:   3  05-14
90. Hayden Vanwinkle - Kendal Ward               Rocky Mtn Bass Anglers                0
Day 1: 2   04-01     Day 2: 1   01-10   Total:   3  05-11
91. Wally Peer Iv - Tanner Muzyk                 Bass Nation Juniors                   0
Day 1: 1   02-03     Day 2: 1   03-08   Total:   2  05-11
92. Carson Beal - Tripp Bearden                  Abilene Wylie Junior Bass             0
Day 1: 2   03-07     Day 2: 1   02-04   Total:   3  05-11
93. Graham Streeter - Jackson Reed               Indiana Junior Bassmasters            0
Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 2   05-08   Total:   2  05-08
93. Tristan Topa - Caleb Robert                  Port City Junior Bass Masters         0
Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 2   05-08   Total:   2  05-08
95. Cameron Bougher - Levi White                 Mannford High School Bass Fishin      0
Day 1: 2   05-05     Day 2: 0   00-00   Total:   2  05-05
96. Olivia King - Harper Krohn                   D'iberville Hs Warrior Bass Nati      0
Day 1: 1   02-10     Day 2: 1   02-11   Total:   2  05-05
97. Mason Samson - Reed Orzechowski              NH Junior Bassmasters - NH            0
Day 1: 1   02-10     Day 2: 1   02-09   Total:   2  05-03
98. Dixon Heflin - Toby Potts                    Bedford County Youth Bass Club -      0
Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 2   05-00   Total:   2  05-00
99. Kannon Wood -                                Gulf Port High School                 0
Day 1: 2   04-15     Day 2: 0   00-00   Total:   2  04-15
100. Austin Buttrick - Weston Hamrick             Cleveland County Bass Anglers         0
Day 1: 1   02-05     Day 2: 2   02-10   Total:   3  04-15
101. Hunter Brakefield - Landon White             Mt. Juliet Fishing - Juniors          0
Day 1: 1   04-12     Day 2: 0   00-00   Total:   1  04-12
102. Tristan Stewart - DJ Johnson III             Mt. Pleasant Junior Bass Team -       0
Day 1: 1   02-01     Day 2: 1   02-11   Total:   2  04-12
103. Brayden Marcum - Tyler Goble                 Cardinal Youth Fishing Team           0
Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 2   04-09   Total:   2  04-09
104. Tucker Fratz - Rowan Rikhye                  Junior Garrett Bass Slayers           0
Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 2   04-07   Total:   2  04-07
105. Buddy Malone - Avren Wells                   Topeka Jr Hawgs                       0
Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 1   04-07   Total:   1  04-07
106. Deacon Keefe - Brayden Blair                 Reeths Puffer High School Fishin      0
Day 1: 1   02-02     Day 2: 1   02-04   Total:   2  04-06
107. Bentley Wright - Staten Whitecotton          Buckhorn Bass Fishing                 0
Day 1: 1   02-02     Day 2: 1   02-03   Total:   2  04-05
108. Burke Sorenson - Braden Royse                Eureka Youth Club                     0
Day 1: 1   01-14     Day 2: 1   01-14   Total:   2  03-12
109. Landon Emmons - Conner Emmons                Franklin County Jr Bass               0
Day 1: 2   03-08     Day 2: 0   00-00   Total:   2  03-08
110. Levi Snowball - Zachary Mcalister            Cincinnati Youth Bass Club Jr         0
Day 1: 2   03-07     Day 2: 0   00-00   Total:   2  03-07
111. Brayden Jenner - Tatum Ceccorulli            St. Martin Bassmasters                0
Day 1: 1   03-07     Day 2: 0   00-00   Total:   1  03-07
112. Eastin Gilliland - Gunnar Freeman            Lone Star Jr Bassmasters - TX         0
Day 1: 1   01-13     Day 2: 1   01-10   Total:   2  03-07
113. Mackenzie Muntz - Jacob Muntz                Black Swamp High School Fishing       0
Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 1   03-01   Total:   1  03-01
114. Coleman Hampel - Landon Tatum                Lumpkin County Schools                0
Day 1: 1   02-13     Day 2: 0   00-00   Total:   1  02-13
115. Dylin Mizell -                               Bossier Parish High School Bass       0
Day 1: 1   02-06     Day 2: 0   00-00   Total:   1  02-06
115. Brantley Todd - Owen Goss                    Piedmont Youth Fishing Team           0
Day 1: 1   02-06     Day 2: 0   00-00   Total:   1  02-06
117. Jaxon Sparks - Colby Peoples                 Clarks Hill Youth Fishing Team        0
Day 1: 1   02-00     Day 2: 1   00-05   Total:   2  02-05
118. Harlow Bryant - Huxley Bryant                Tarkington Youth Fishing Team         0
Day 1: 1   02-01     Day 2: 0   00-00   Total:   1  02-01
119. Johnathon Harris - Maci Golden               West Greene High School               0
Day 1: 1   01-15     Day 2: 0   00-00   Total:   1  01-15
120. Kylan Martin - Ryder Ginter                  Montgomery County High School Ba      0
Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 1   01-14   Total:   1  01-14
120. Walker Sawyer - Ashbi Sawyer                 Payette River Jr. Bassmasters         0
Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 1   01-14   Total:   1  01-14
122. Ben Johnston - Sam Bucala                    Federation Nation Jr. Bassmaster      0
Day 1: 1   00-10     Day 2: 0   00-00   Total:   1  00-10
123. Korben Burgess - Mack Josey                  Cleveland County Bass Anglers         0
Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 0   00-00   Total:   0  00-00
123. Rachel Burks -                               Clay County Anglers - TN              0
Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 0   00-00   Total:   0  00-00
123. Quinn Cook - Michael Basile                  Off The Hook Jr. Bassmasters          0
Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 0   00-00   Total:   0  00-00
123. Kaden Henderson - Nickolas Tinkle            Arkansas Youth Anglers - AR           0
Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 0   00-00   Total:   0  00-00
123. Hunter Hogan - Chase Hogan                   Avonworth Middle School               0
Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 0   00-00   Total:   0  00-00
123. Jake Ray - Max Stewart                       Live Oak Jr Eagles                    0
Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 0   00-00   Total:   0  00-00
123. Oliver Williams - Corvin Katzban             Eagleton Fishing Team                 0
Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 0   00-00   Total:   0  00-00
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Totals
Day   #Limits    #Fish      Weight
1        49       220       581-08
2        46       219       559-12
----------------------------------
95       439      1141-04


Florida’s Keith Carson Wins Tackle Warehouse Invitational Stop 6 at Detroit River Presented by B&W Trailer Hitches

DeBary, Florida pro catches final-day limit of 22 pounds, 8 ounces to win by 10-ounce margin and take home the top prize of $80,000

DETROIT (July 28, 2024) – The Major League Fishing (MLF) Tackle Warehouse Invitational Stop 6 Presented by B&W Trailer Hitches at the Detroit River was a wild one from start to finish, with big weights, lots of movement in the points standings, and a tightly contested chase for the win. In the end, pro Keith Carson of DeBary, Florida, put it all together for three days to earn his first MLF win as a pro with a three-day total of 67 pounds, 6 ounces. For the win, Carson earned $80,000 and a ticket to REDCREST 2025. Finishing runner-up, rookie pro Alec Morrison of Peru, New York, weighed 66-12, and though he could not clinch the win, he did earn both the Fishing Clash Angler of the Year and Polaris Rookie of the Year titles.

A childhood friend of fellow pro John Cox, who is noted for eschewing forward-facing sonar and remining quite successful, you wouldn’t exactly peg Carson as a player on St. Clair. At home cruising the shallows, hood up and shades on, Carson prefers to look at the bass with his eyes, not a transducer. But this week, he bucked the theory that only young kids are good with a screen and proved that he could use his dedication and fishing skills to win at all angles of the game.

“I started Scopin’ in ’21, and I was fair with it, but my rule was I would always use it for smallmouth, and largemouth I wouldn’t use it at all,” Carson said. “I started learning that you kind of have to use it all the time.”

This winter at Toledo Bend, Carson finished 67th in the BPT season-opener, which was an inauspicious start to a lackluster rookie campaign on MLF’s top tour. Fast forward six months or so, and that event may have been responsible for this win.

“I found the same fish [Jacob] Wheeler did,” Carson recalled. “So, we both start there Day 1. Before lines-in, I see Wheeler racing around in his boat, and I know he’s looking for one. So, I start racing around, I figured that was what you do. I didn’t even own a jighead minnow at Toledo Bend, so, I was throwing a drop-shot to suspended fish. I was racing a drop-shot to them and they wouldn’t eat it. Wheeler caught like 96 pounds, and I caught 15 pounds. I took that day as a lesson. I watched him most of the day, because I knew it would help in the future. I’ve been practicing it, learning it. It’s a hell of a tool, to be honest.”

At St. Clair, Carson fished like a minnow veteran, adjusting his presentations, reading fish with Lowrance ActiveTarget and maintaining a level of consistency that nobody else matched. His primary setup was a 7-foot, 2-inch Fenwick World Class walleye rod, a 3000-size Abu Garcia Zenon reel, 8-pound Berkley FireLine, a 10-pound Berkley Trilene 100% Fluorocarbon leader, and a 5.3-gram jighead with a Berkley PowerBait MaxScent Jerk Shad.

“The best thing was actually to cast past them and bring it up to them in a natural presentation, but it got really hard because they wouldn’t stay in the frame – like they’d be swimming to the side,” Carson explained. “So, the best thing turned out to be to hit them on the head, and the splash of the water would call them up – it was so shallow, like 10 or 12 feet.

“A lot of times, it would splash the water, and they would eat it off the top, only a foot or two deep, when they were really feeding. If they didn’t eat it, I’d start swimming it, and I’d keep it four to five feet above their head and they’d come up and eat it. I noticed if I let it get too close to their head, they didn’t want to bite it, I had to keep it way above them, and they’d come, and I’d start going a little bit faster and they’d eat it.”

From the sounds of it, Carson may have won just about any tournament on the system this week. His practice was so good that his roommate, fellow pro Alex Davis said “hands down, you’re going to win,” after the report.

“Everywhere I went, every day of practice, I caught like 25 pounds,” Carson said. “I went to Erie, I caught like 26, I went to Anchor Bay the next day, I caught 25, and my next five after 25 weighed almost 24 – everything was huge, anywhere I went. It wasn’t one spot, I’d try over here, catch a 5, try over there, catch a 5. Every now and then, you just can’t make a wrong decision.”

In the tournament, he even got some bites that he shouldn’t have, with fish following his minnow boatside and then miraculously eating.

“The 4-12 I caught today, I made a perfect cast, and it followed my minnow all the way to the trolling motor and it swam down – I dropped it on its head, and it swam up and ate it under the trolling motor,” Carson said. “All week, they’d follow it to the trolling motor and I couldn’t get them to bite. I had another, it followed it to the boat, and I flipped it to him and let it sit on the bottom, and it ate it off the bottom like a worm.”

Fishing in Anchor Bay, which was crowded in general, Carson stayed out of the crowds, and sometimes went 20 minutes or so without seeing a fish – he was chasing fewer, but better-quality bass. When the two sand areas he had focused his efforts at on Day 1 and Day 2 failed to produce on Day 3, he relocated his fish with relative ease.

“I had two general areas that were really good, and neither of them were producing,” he explained. “So, I just trolled around them, maybe they’re swimming around them, you know? And I ran into a stretch – I caught a 5, a 4, one almost 5 and then a 4-7 in a 50-yard stretch – they had moved there and I found it.”

Running to Anchor Bay every day and taking his time getting back, Carson fished a nearly perfect event, even down to the decision he didn’t make on the final morning.

“I almost went to Erie today, but something told me not to, so I went back,” he said. “I almost went to Erie to try to catch 25 or 26 pounds, but something told me not to, to go back to where I was and stay steady. So, I did, and it turned out.”

With a baby on the way in October, and having bought a new house last week, the win really couldn’t have come at a better time for Carson.

The top 30 pros at the Tackle Warehouse Invitational Stop 6 on the Detroit River Presented by B&W Trailer Hitches finished:

1st:        Keith Carson, DeBary, Fla., 15 bass, 67-6, $80,000
2nd:       Alec Morrison, Peru, N.Y., 15 bass, 66-12, $50,000
3rd:       Adrian Avena, Marmora, N.J., 15 bass, 66-10, $20,000
4th:        Kyle Hall, Granbury, Texas, 15 bass, 64-13, $18,000
5th:        Jon Canada, Helena, Ala., 15 bass, 64-8, $17,000
6th:        Nick LeBrun, Bossier City, La., 15 bass, 64-6, $16,000
7th:        Jaden Parrish, Liberty, Texas, 15 bass, 64-3, $15,000
8th:        Cory Johnston, Peterborough, Ontario, Canada, 15 bass, 63-15, $14,000
9th:        Jack Daniel Williams, Kingsport, Tenn., 15 bass, 62-10, $13,000
10th:     Robby Lefere, Jackson, Mich., 15 bass, 62-5, $12,000
11th:     Brad Jelinek, Lincoln, Mo., 15 bass, 62-3, $11,000
12th:     Colby Dark, West Monroe, La., 15 bass, 62-3, $10,250
13th:     Mitchell Robinson, Landrum, S.C., 15 bass, 61-12, $10,000
14th:     Lane Olson, Jackson, Mich., 15 bass, 61-10, $10,000
15th:     Colby Miller, Elmer, La., 15 bass, 61-5, $10,000
16th:     Andrew Nordbye, Guntersville, Ala., 15 bass, 60-13, $10,000
17th:     Cameron Mattison, Benton, La., 15 bass, 60-7, $10,000
18th:     John Cox, DeBary, Fla., 15 bass, 60-5, $10,000
19th:     John Hunter, Shelbyville, Ky., 15 bass, 60-2, $10,000
20th:     Scott Dobson, Clarkston, Mich., 15 bass, 59-14, $10,000
21st:      Mark Condron, Murfreesboro, Tenn., 15 bass, 59-6, $10,000
22nd:    Chase Serafin, White Lake, Mich., 15 bass, 59-6, $10,000
23rd:     Jeremy Gordon, Rutledge, Tenn., 15 bass, 59-1, $10,000
24th:     Jacob Wheeler, Harrison, Tenn., 15 bass, 59-0, $10,000
25th:     Jake Lawrence, Buchanan, Tenn., 15 bass, 58-8, $10,000
26th:     Jordan Wiggins, Cullman, Ala., 15 bass, 58-5, $10,000
27th:     Jesse Wiggins, Logan, Ala., 15 bass, 57-13, $10,000
28th:     Terry Olinger, Louisa, Va., 15 bass, 57-9, $10,000
29th:     Connor Cunningham, Springfield, Mo., 14 bass, 55-14, $10,000
30th:     Chris Groh, Spring Grove, Ill., 14 bass, 54-5, $10,000

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

Overall, there were 148 bass weighing 585 pounds, 7 ounces caught by the final 30 pros Sunday. Of the 30 final day competitors, 28 brought a five-bass limit to the scale.

While rookie pro Alec Morrison came up 10 ounces short of winning Stop 6 Presented by B&W Hitches on the Detroit River, he’ll return to New York with an impressive hardware haul. After besting Jake Lawrence by 17 points in the season-long AOY competition, Morrison received the $50,000 AOY prize from Fishing Clash as well as a berth to REDCREST 2025 on Lake Guntersville. For winning Polaris Rookie of the Year, Morrison will also receive a new Polaris UTV plus an invitation to join the Bass Pro Tour — Major League Fishing’s top circuit — in 2025.

With all six Tackle Warehouse Invitational tournaments now complete, the top five pros based on AOY rank now will receive invitations to compete in the 2025 Bass Pro Tour. The five pros that qualify are:

1st:        Alec Morrison, Peru Springs, N.Y.
2nd:       Jake Lawrence, Buchanan, Tenn.
3rd:       Colby Miller, Elmer, La.
4th:        Jaden Parrish, Liberty, Texas
5th:        Marshall Hughes, Hemphill, Texas

The three-day tournament, hosted by the Detroit Sports Commission, featured a field of professional anglers competing for a top prize of up to $115,000 and an invitation to compete at REDCREST 2025. The full field of anglers competed in the two-day opening round on Friday and Saturday in a five-fish, weigh-in format. Only the top 30 pros, based on their two-day cumulative weight, advanced to the final round on Championship Sunday, where they competed for the grand prize of up to $115,000.

The winner of the Tackle Warehouse Invitational Stop 6 at the Detroit River Presented by B&W Trailer Hitches was determined by the heaviest three-day cumulative weight and now receives an invitation to compete at REDCREST 2025 on Lake Guntersville in Huntsville, Alabama.

Television coverage of the MLF Tackle Warehouse Invitationals Stop 6 at the Detroit River Presented by B&W Trailer Hitches will air as a two-hour episode, premiering at 9 a.m. ET, on Saturday, Nov. 9 on CBS Sports Network.

Proud sponsors of the 2024 MLF Tackle Warehouse Invitationals include: 7Brew, Abu Garcia, B&W Trailer Hitches, Berkley, BUBBA, E3 Sports Apparel, Epic Baits, Fishing Clash, General Tire, Lew’s, Mercury, Mossy Oak Fishing, Onyx, Phoenix Boats, Polaris, Power-Pole, PowerStop Brakes, REDCON1, Strike King, Suzuki, Tackle Warehouse, T-H Marine, Toyota, WIX Filters and YETI.

For complete details and updated information on Major League Fishing and the Tackle Warehouse Invitationals, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular Tackle Warehouse Invitational updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow the MLF5 social media outlets at Facebook,  Instagram and  YouTube.

About Major League Fishing
Major League Fishing (MLF) is the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization, producing more than 250 events annually at some of the most prestigious fisheries in the world, while broadcasting to America’s living rooms on CBS, Discovery Channel, Outdoor Channel, CBS Sports Network, World Fishing Network and on demand on MyOutdoorTV (MOTV). Headquartered in Benton, Kentucky, the MLF roster of bass anglers includes the world’s top pros and more than 30,000 competitors in all 50 states and 17 countries. Since its founding in 2011, MLF has advanced the sport of competitive fishing through its premier television broadcasts and livestreams and is dedicated to improving the quality of life for bass through research, education, fisheries enhancement and fish care.


Florida Pro Keith Carson Leads After Day 1 at Tackle Warehouse Invitational Stop 6 at Detroit River Presented by B&W Trailer Hitches

DETROIT (July 26, 2024) – With most of the contenders (but not all) making the trek to Lake St. Clair on Day 1 of Stop 6 Presented by B&W Trailer Hitches at the Detroit River, the standings are packed tight as you’d expect in a smallmouth event. Leading the way, pro Keith Carson of DeBary, Florida, tallied 22 pounds, 15 ounces, and pro Alec Morrison of Peru, New York, is an ounce back with 22-14. Behind the leaders, Jon CanadaJacob Wheeler and Jesse Wiggins all weighed more than 22 pounds, which has set the stage for a fantastic weekend of action.

Notable Friday, with both tournament-specific and Fishing Clash Angler of the Year implications on the line, Morrison was assessed a 2-pound penalty for making a cast with six fish in the livewell. Though he doesn’t have much higher to climb in the standings, you never know when 2 pounds could come in handy.

The full field of pros will conclude the two-day opening round on Saturday, with only the top 30 pros based on their two-day cumulative weight advancing to Championship Sunday. The three-day tournament, hosted by the Detroit Sports Commission, features a roster of professional anglers competing for a top prize of up to $115,000 and an invitation to compete at REDCREST 2025.

Running to St. Clair and hunting smallmouth with Lowrance ActiveTarget, tournament leader Keith Carson put together a fantastic day of smallmouth fishing.

“I found in practice that the big ones seem to be all by themselves,” explained Carson. “If you get in schools, you’re catching 3s and 4s; if you get out and see one every once in a while, they’re all over 4, every one of them. I’m just out there roaming around. I don’t have a single spot anywhere. I’ve got an area where there’s some perch, and there seems to be bass around them. But you really have to search and move a lot. I’m only seeing one fish every 20 minutes or so.”

Culling multiple 4-pounders on the day, Carson did most of his damage with a drop-shot and a Berkley PowerBait MaxScent Flat Worm or a minnow.

While some folks reported that the fish were very difficult to trick in practice, Carson ran pretty good percentages today.

“I love smallmouth fishing. There’s something about them, I’ve been able to find bigger ones and figure out the structure almost everywhere,” said Carson. “Every day in practice and today, I’ll get a flurry where I catch three in a row, and then I’ll get three in a row that won’t bite it or will nip it or get the tail. So, it’s about 50 percent, I’d say.”

Carson is mired in a pretty tough rookie season on the Bass Pro Tour, but his Invitationals performance has been strong, as it usually is. With a couple more good days, he could be heading to the season finale at the St. Lawrence with some serious smallmouth mojo.

The top 20 pros after Day 1 on the Detroit River are:

1st:        Keith Carson, DeBary, Fla., five bass, 22-15
2nd:       Alec Morrison, Peru, N.Y., five bass, 22-14
3rd:       Jon Canada, Helena, Ala., five bass, 22-12
4th:        Jacob Wheeler, Harrison, Tenn., five bass, 22-6
5th:        Jesse Wiggins, Logan, Ala., five bass, 22-3
6th:        Scott Dobson, Clarkston, Mich., five bass, 21-15
6th:        Matteo Turano, Puryear, Tenn., five bass, 21-15
8th:        Connor Cunningham, Springfield, Mo., five bass, 21-14
9th:        John Cox, DeBary, Fla., five bass, 21-12
9th:        Troy Stokes, Trenton, Mich., five bass, 21-12
11th:     Brad Jelinek, Lincoln, Mo., five bass, 21-10
12th:     Colby Dark, West Monroe, La., five bass, 21-9
13th:     Jeremy Gordon, Rutledge, Tenn., five bass, 21-8
14th:     Adrian Avena, Marmora, N.J., five bass, 21-7
14th:     Robby Lefere, Jackson, Mich., five bass, 21-7
14th:     Brock Reinkemeyer, Warsaw, Mo., five bass, 21-7
17th:     Nick LeBrun, Bossier City, La., five bass, 21-5
18th:     Justin Atkins, Florence, Ala., five bass, 21-4
19th:     Chris Groh, Spring Grove, Ill., five bass, 21-0
19th:     Jaden Parrish, Liberty, Texas, five bass, 21-0
19th:     Mitchell Robinson, Landrum, S.C., five bass, 21-0

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

Pro Brad Jelinek of Lincoln, Missouri, earned the Day 1 $1,000 Berkley Big Bass award Friday with a bass that weighed in at 5 pounds, 8 ounces.

Overall, there were 672 bass weighing 2,357 pounds 14 ounces caught by 137 pros Friday. The catch included 130 five-bass limits.

In Tackle Warehouse Invitational competition, the full field of anglers compete in the two-day opening round on Friday and Saturday in a five-fish, weigh-in format. Only the top 30 pros, based on their two-day cumulative weight, advance to the final round on Championship Sunday, where they will compete for the grand prize of up to $115,000. The winner of the Tackle Warehouse Invitational Stop 6 at the Detroit River Presented by B&W Trailer Hitches will be determined by the heaviest three-day cumulative weight and will receive an invitation to compete at REDCREST 2025 on Lake Guntersville in Huntsville, Alabama.

Anglers will launch at 6:30 a.m. ET each day from Elizabeth Park, located at 202 Grosse Ile Parkway in Trenton, Michigan. Weigh-ins will also be held at the park and will begin at 2:30 p.m. Fans are welcome to attend all launch and weigh-in events and also encouraged to follow the event online throughout the day on the MLFNOW!® live stream and coverage at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

The MLFNOW! broadcast team of Chad McKee and Rob Newell will break down the extended action live each day of competition from 7:30 a.m. to 2:15 p.m. ET. MLFNOW! will be live streamed on MajorLeagueFishing.com and the MyOutdoorTV (MOTV) and Rumble apps.

Television coverage of the MLF Tackle Warehouse Invitationals Stop 6 at the Detroit River Presented by B&W Trailer Hitches will air as a two-hour episode, premiering at 9 a.m. ET, on Saturday, Nov. 9 on CBS Sports Network.

Proud sponsors of the 2024 MLF Tackle Warehouse Invitationals include: 7Brew, Abu Garcia, B&W Trailer Hitches, Berkley, BUBBA, E3 Sports Apparel, Epic Baits, Fishing Clash, General Tire, Lew’s, Mercury, Mossy Oak Fishing, Onyx, Phoenix Boats, Polaris, Power-Pole, PowerStop Brakes, REDCON1, Strike King, Suzuki, Tackle Warehouse, T-H Marine, Toyota, WIX Filters and YETI.

For complete details and updated information on Major League Fishing and the Tackle Warehouse Invitationals, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular Tackle Warehouse Invitational updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow the MLF5 social media outlets at Facebook,  Instagram and  YouTube.

About Major League Fishing
Major League Fishing (MLF) is the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization, producing more than 250 events annually at some of the most prestigious fisheries in the world, while broadcasting to America’s living rooms on CBS, Discovery Channel, Outdoor Channel, CBS Sports Network, World Fishing Network and on demand on MyOutdoorTV (MOTV). Headquartered in Benton, Kentucky, the MLF roster of bass anglers includes the world’s top pros and more than 30,000 competitors in all 50 states and 17 countries. Since its founding in 2011, MLF has advanced the sport of competitive fishing through its premier television broadcasts and livestreams and is dedicated to improving the quality of life for bass through research, education, fisheries enhancement and fish care.


Soddy Daisy duo claims Day 1 lead at Bassmaster Junior National Championship

July 26, 2024JuniorChampionship_4C.jpg

 

DAYTON, Tenn. — William Collins and Kyler Jenkins from Soddy Daisy Junior High bass team took advantage of their home-field advantage at the Bassmaster Junior National Championship at Chickamauga Lake by catching a three-bass limit weighing 14 pounds, 4 ounces to take the Day 1 lead.

The High Country Bass Anglers duo of Hannah Sage and Tanner Ortega are second with 12-12 and Tayson Stiehl from the Winner Junior Bassmasters is third with 11-3. On the day, 50 teams achieved limits, and more than 100 teams caught at least one keeper bass.

“I feel pretty amazing right now,” Collins said. “Today was a really fun day. I’m pretty excited for tomorrow. I’ve been praying about it. We had our bite (dialed in) between two practice days. The third day we pretty much eliminated water.”

The rising freshmen live five minutes from the nearest boat ramp, which has provided them ample opportunity to get out on the water and hone their skills. Fishing close to home also allowed Jenkins to make it to football practice immediately after weigh-in.

“It is fishing pretty well for us right now,” Collins said. “I’ve been having good trip after good trip, so I can’t really complain.”

While their first spot didn’t pan out quite like they hoped, Collins and Jenkins landed their biggest bass of the day at the second stop, a 6-14 that turned out to be Collins’ personal best largemouth.

“I threw beside a clump of grass and caught that (big one),” Collins said. “I was pretty much jumping up and down when I caught it. It bit right beside the boat. I set the hook and (Jenkins) netted it really quickly.”

From there, the duo landed four bass over 3 pounds to upgrade to their final tally.

The Soddy Daisy anglers have several different patterns working in their favor, and Collins said he and Jenkins used eight or nine different baits throughout the day.

Knowing how many big bass are in Chickamauga Lake, Collins said he and Jenkins will likely have to repeat their impressive Day 1 performance in order to claim the victory.

“Tomorrow we are going to shoot for 15 pounds,” Collins said.

The full field of 129 teams will launch from the Dayton Boat Dock beginning at 6:30 a.m. ET and return for weigh-in at 2:30 p.m., and the winning team will be crowned at the conclusion of weigh-in.

The City of Dayton is hosting the tournament.

About B.A.S.S.B.A.S.S., which encompasses the Bassmaster tournament leagues, events and media platforms, is the worldwide authority on bass fishing and keeper of the culture of the sport, providing cutting-edge content on bass fishing whenever, wherever and however bass fishing fans want to use it. Headquartered in Birmingham, Ala., the 500,000-member organization’s fully integrated media platforms include the industry’s leading magazines (Bassmaster and B.A.S.S. Times), website (Bassmaster.com), TV show, radio show, social media programs and events. For more than 50 years, B.A.S.S. has been dedicated to access, conservation and youth fishing.

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Connect with #Bassmaster on FacebookInstagramTwitter and TikTok.

Media Contact: Chad Gay, Communications Manager, 205-313-0945, cgay@bassmaster.com

 

2024 Bassmaster Junior Championship 7/26-7/27
Chickamauga Lake, Dayton  TN.
(BOATER) Standings Day 1

Angler                                       Club/School                       Pts

1.  William Collins - Kyler Jenkins              Soddy Daisy Jr High                   0
Day 1: 3   14-04   Total:   3  14-04
2.  Hannah Sage - Tanner Ortega                  High Country Bass Anglers             0
Day 1: 3   12-12   Total:   3  12-12
3.  Tayson Stiehl -                              Winner Junior Bassmasters             0
Day 1: 3   11-03   Total:   3  11-03
4.  Lane Lewis - Grady Peterson                  Iowa Youth Fishing League - IA        0
Day 1: 3   10-09   Total:   3  10-09
5.  Grahm Singerhouse - Andres Solorzano         Stillwater Junior                     0
Day 1: 3   10-08   Total:   3  10-08
6.  Joseph Childers - Bray Youngblood            Swla Jr Anglers                       0
Day 1: 3   10-06   Total:   3  10-06
7.  Drew Mcclellan - Noah Hiott                  Indiana Junior Bassmasters            0
Day 1: 3   10-03   Total:   3  10-03
8.  Damian Gumm - Brock Stevens                                                        0
Day 1: 3   09-14   Total:   3  09-14
9.  Larson Morgan - John Balcerzak               Southlake Fishing Team                0
Day 1: 3   09-11   Total:   3  09-11
10. Conner Tate - Sawyer Knickerbocker           Vermillion Junior Anglers             0
Day 1: 3   09-09   Total:   3  09-09
11. Carson Stevens - Wesley Osuna                Franklin County Jr Bass Team - T      0
Day 1: 3   09-07   Total:   3  09-07
12. Jack Kennedy - Brentley West                 Mulberry Bassmasters Jr Anglers       0
Day 1: 3   09-03   Total:   3  09-03
12. Blake Richardson - Bentley Richardson        Southern Outcast Jr                   0
Day 1: 3   09-03   Total:   3  09-03
14. Kipton Hall - Wyatt Parker                   Baldwin County Hs Juniors Fishin      0
Day 1: 3   08-13   Total:   3  08-13
15. Sawyer Adams - Colton Talbert                Gilbert Jr Bass Anglers               0
Day 1: 3   08-12   Total:   3  08-12
16. Bo Hollen - Ari Clark                        Mon Valley Junior Bassmasters -       0
Day 1: 3   08-12   Total:   3  08-12
17. Brody Allen - Caden Harris                   Hendry County Junior Bassmater        0
Day 1: 3   08-11   Total:   3  08-11
18. Easton Dickens - Eli Stevens                 New River Bassmasters                 0
Day 1: 3   08-11   Total:   3  08-11
19. Bennett Bullard - Kei Blaylock               Trader Bills                          0
Day 1: 3   08-09   Total:   3  08-09
19. Fisher Williams - Blaine Chastain            Bolivar Hs                            0
Day 1: 3   08-09   Total:   3  08-09
21. Liam Holze - John Price                      Off the Hook Jr Bassmasters - IL      0
Day 1: 3   08-08   Total:   3  08-08
22. Lem Tate - Baylor Mccuiston                  Pine Grove High School                0
Day 1: 3   08-07   Total:   3  08-07
23. Parker Smith - Carson Randan                 Scotts Hill High School Anglers       0
Day 1: 3   08-06   Total:   3  08-06
24. Hudson Clark - Jackson Leath                 Sumner County Jr Bass Team - TN       0
Day 1: 3   08-05   Total:   3  08-05
24. Knox White - Grayson Sanford                 Mt. Juliet Fishing - Juniors          0
Day 1: 3   08-05   Total:   3  08-05
26. Max Daniel - Carter Oufnac                   Parkview Baptist Jr School Bass       0
Day 1: 3   08-04   Total:   3  08-04
26. Piers Picou - Jaxon Plaisance                Central Catholic - LA                 0
Day 1: 3   08-04   Total:   3  08-04
28. Cooper Taylor - Gage West                    Lowndes Jr Viking Lip Rippers         0
Day 1: 3   08-02   Total:   3  08-02
29. Reed Crisman - Will Crisman                  Mecklenburg High School Junior A      0
Day 1: 3   08-00   Total:   3  08-00
30. Elijah Booker - Bayler Cooksey               Mt. Juliet Fishing - Juniors          0
Day 1: 3   07-12   Total:   3  07-12
31. Cash Rath - Parker Clennon                   Arkansas Youth Anglers Junior         0
Day 1: 3   07-11   Total:   3  07-11
32. Braydon Scott - Bentley Keeter               Pickett County Elementary Fishin      0
Day 1: 3   07-10   Total:   3  07-10
33. Brady Wells - Dakota Gordon                  Bath County Juniors                   0
Day 1: 3   07-08   Total:   3  07-08
34. Mitchell Boles - Nixon Melton                Clay County Junior Anglers            0
Day 1: 3   07-05   Total:   3  07-05
34. Isaiah Crockett - Eli Milam                  Southern WV Jr Bassmasters - WV       0
Day 1: 3   07-05   Total:   3  07-05
36. Boston Werner -                              Northeast Wisconsin Bass - WI         0
Day 1: 3   07-04   Total:   3  07-04
37. Crews Mcferrin -                             Karns Jr High School                  0
Day 1: 3   07-03   Total:   3  07-03
38. Holt Harmon - Memphis Howard                 Central Lion Fishing                  0
Day 1: 3   07-01   Total:   3  07-01
39. Brayden Griffin -                            Willis Junior Basskats                0
Day 1: 2   07-01   Total:   2  07-01
40. Tucker Burr - Logan Herbst                   Anoka Ramsey Jr Bassers               0
Day 1: 3   06-13   Total:   3  06-13
41. Cole Watkins - Luke Delaney                  Jr. Southwest Bassmasters-Denham      0
Day 1: 3   06-12   Total:   3  06-12
42. Avery Schmitt - Maddox Hanson                Eastern Iowa Jr. Bassmasters          0
Day 1: 3   06-09   Total:   3  06-09
43. Joseph Eskew - Nathan Banach                 Off The Hook Jr. Bassmasters          0
Day 1: 3   06-08   Total:   3  06-08
44. Kannon Sample - Samuel Shuford               Sc Lower State Jr Bass Club           0
Day 1: 3   06-07   Total:   3  06-07
44. Maddox Shaffer - Myles Shaffer               Junior Garrett Bass Slayers           0
Day 1: 3   06-07   Total:   3  06-07
46. Brady Almand - Jaxon Martin                  Tennessee Valley Jr Bass Club         0
Day 1: 3   06-05   Total:   3  06-05
47. Kerry Johnson - Mavrick Grove                Creekwood Hs Redhawks Fishing         0
Day 1: 3   06-03   Total:   3  06-03
47. Beckett Kraft - Sullivan Kraft               Port City Junior Bass Masters         0
Day 1: 3   06-03   Total:   3  06-03
47. Caleb Terrazas - Rylan Emerson               Phoenix Junior Bassmasters            0
Day 1: 3   06-03   Total:   3  06-03
50. Gunner Robbins - Drew Smith                  Livingston Academy Junior Bassma      0
Day 1: 3   05-15   Total:   3  05-15
51. Brantley Pennington - Ethan Hill             Central Arkansas Junior Bassmast      0
Day 1: 2   05-12   Total:   2  05-12
52. Grant Klein - Elijah Marziano                New Hampshire Jr. Bassmasters         0
Day 1: 2   05-08   Total:   2  05-08
53. Cameron Bougher - Levi White                 Mannford High School Bass Fishin      0
Day 1: 2   05-05   Total:   2  05-05
53. Asher Hart - Camden Baker                    Hartley's Hawgs Piglets               0
Day 1: 2   05-05   Total:   2  05-05
55. Kannon Wood -                                Gulf Port High School                 0
Day 1: 2   04-15   Total:   2  04-15
56. Dean Austin - Caleb Moore                    Off The Hook Jr. Bassmasters          0
Day 1: 2   04-13   Total:   2  04-13
57. James Boquet - Landon Grabert                Houma Christian Jr Bass Club          0
Day 1: 2   04-12   Total:   2  04-12
58. Hunter Brakefield - Landon White             Mt. Juliet Fishing - Juniors          0
Day 1: 1   04-12   Total:   1  04-12
59. Logan Carmichael - Finn Mahoney              Kawartha Hs Bassmasters               0
Day 1: 2   04-11   Total:   2  04-11
60. Brady Gunkle - Quintin Bergey                Junior Wildcats                       0
Day 1: 1   04-09   Total:   1  04-09
61. Gary Allen Underwood - Jeremiah Underwood    Hamblen County Anglers Juniors        0
Day 1: 2   04-07   Total:   2  04-07
62. Bryant Atwood - Matthew Balden               Vidor Pirate Jr Fishing Team          0
Day 1: 2   04-06   Total:   2  04-06
63. Tyler Nelson - Saw Reynolds                  Bandys Fishing Team Juniors           0
Day 1: 2   04-04   Total:   2  04-04
64. Hayden Vanwinkle - Kendal Ward               Rocky Mtn Bass Anglers                0
Day 1: 2   04-01   Total:   2  04-01
65. Coy Cassady - Ryan Crane                     Wateree Anglers Club                  0
Day 1: 2   04-00   Total:   2  04-00
66. Gage Wright - Braxton Bogdansky              Sc Upper State Bass Club              0
Day 1: 1   03-15   Total:   1  03-15
67. Brock Davis - Kaine Smith                    Bolivar Hs                            0
Day 1: 1   03-14   Total:   1  03-14
68. Hunter Beach - Austin Jefferson              Fighting Fishsticks Jr. Bass Clu      0
Day 1: 2   03-13   Total:   2  03-13
69. Halton Howard - Garrett Westfall             Arkansas Youth Anglers Junior         0
Day 1: 2   03-11   Total:   2  03-11
70. Landon Emmons - Conner Emmons                Franklin County Jr Bass               0
Day 1: 2   03-08   Total:   2  03-08
71. Carson Beal - Tripp Bearden                  Abilene Wylie Junior Bass             0
Day 1: 2   03-07   Total:   2  03-07
71. Levi Snowball - Zachary Mcalister            Cincinnati Youth Bass Club Jr         0
Day 1: 2   03-07   Total:   2  03-07
73. Brayden Jenner - Tatum Ceccorulli            St. Martin Bassmasters                0
Day 1: 1   03-07   Total:   1  03-07
74. Eben Bolding - Mason Carter                  Trhs Devildog Anglers Travelers       0
Day 1: 2   03-03   Total:   2  03-03
75. Jaxson Beard - Landon Vaughn                 Pendleton High School Fishing Te      0
Day 1: 1   03-00   Total:   1  03-00
76. Cason Curry - Jaxon Curry                    Rocky Mtn Bass Anglers                0
Day 1: 1   02-14   Total:   1  02-14
76. Kenny Simonis - Peter Riker                  Fruitport High School                 0
Day 1: 1   02-14   Total:   1  02-14
78. Coleman Hampel - Landon Tatum                Lumpkin County Schools                0
Day 1: 1   02-13   Total:   1  02-13
79. Olivia King - Harper Krohn                   D'iberville Hs Warrior Bass Nati      0
Day 1: 1   02-10   Total:   1  02-10
79. Mason Samson - Reed Orzechowski              NH Junior Bassmasters - NH            0
Day 1: 1   02-10   Total:   1  02-10
79. Carsen Sands - Owen Chittenden               Grand Haven High School               0
Day 1: 1   02-10   Total:   1  02-10
82. Dylin Mizell -                               Bossier Parish High School Bass       0
Day 1: 1   02-06   Total:   1  02-06
82. Kort Roberts - Katera Roberts                Junior Keystone Bassmasters           0
Day 1: 1   02-06   Total:   1  02-06
82. Brantley Todd - Owen Goss                    Piedmont Youth Fishing Team           0
Day 1: 1   02-06   Total:   1  02-06
85. Austin Buttrick - Weston Hamrick             Cleveland County Bass Anglers         0
Day 1: 1   02-05   Total:   1  02-05
86. Drake Walls - Hunter Shrader                 Mid Florida Youth Anglers Jr          0
Day 1: 1   02-03   Total:   1  02-03
86. Conner White - Drake Highsmith               Junior Keystone Bassmasters           0
Day 1: 1   02-03   Total:   1  02-03
88. Wally Peer Iv - Tanner Muzyk                 Bass Nation Juniors                   0
Day 1: 1   02-03   Total:   1  02-03
89. Greyson Harper - Garreson Currie             Topeka Jr Hawgs                       0
Day 1: 1   02-02   Total:   1  02-02
89. Deacon Keefe - Brayden Blair                 Reeths Puffer High School Fishin      0
Day 1: 1   02-02   Total:   1  02-02
89. Bentley Wright - Staten Whitecotton          Buckhorn Bass Fishing                 0
Day 1: 1   02-02   Total:   1  02-02
92. Harlow Bryant - Huxley Bryant                Tarkington Youth Fishing Team         0
Day 1: 1   02-01   Total:   1  02-01
92. Tristan Stewart - DJ Johnson III             Mt. Pleasant Junior Bass Team -       0
Day 1: 1   02-01   Total:   1  02-01
94. Brayen Barnhill - Reed Abrams                757 Bass                              0
Day 1: 1   02-00   Total:   1  02-00
94. Jaxon Sparks - Colby Peoples                 Clarks Hill Youth Fishing Team        0
Day 1: 1   02-00   Total:   1  02-00
96. Johnathon Harris - Maci Golden               West Greene High School               0
Day 1: 1   01-15   Total:   1  01-15
97. Bryson Hannem - Jayse Ordahl                 Bloomington Juniors                   0
Day 1: 1   01-14   Total:   1  01-14
97. Burke Sorenson - Braden Royse                Eureka Youth Club                     0
Day 1: 1   01-14   Total:   1  01-14
99. Eastin Gilliland - Gunnar Freeman            Lone Star Jr Bassmasters - TX         0
Day 1: 1   01-13   Total:   1  01-13
99. Grifinn Thomas-Hamm - Tahlen Thomas-Hamm     Southside Junior Anglers              0
Day 1: 1   01-13   Total:   1  01-13
101. Logan Dunham - Braeden Walker                Fighting Fishsticks Jr. Bass Clu      0
Day 1: 1   01-10   Total:   1  01-10
102. Ben Johnston - Sam Bucala                    Federation Nation Jr. Bassmaster      0
Day 1: 1   00-10   Total:   1  00-10
103. James Barkley - Nikolas Foster               New Hampshire Jr. Bassmasters         0
Day 1: 0   00-00   Total:   0  00-00
103. Anna Brown - Coleman Moore                   Loudon Redskins Jr Bass Team - T      0
Day 1: 0   00-00   Total:   0  00-00
103. Gavin Brubaker - Hunter Haines               Susquehanna Valley Jr Fishing Te      0
Day 1: 0   00-00   Total:   0  00-00
103. Korben Burgess - Mack Josey                  Cleveland County Bass Anglers         0
Day 1: 0   00-00   Total:   0  00-00
103. Rachel Burks -                               Clay County Anglers - TN              0
Day 1: 0   00-00   Total:   0  00-00
103. Quinn Cancellieri - Kingston Bartley         Denver Jr Bassmasters                 0
Day 1: 0   00-00   Total:   0  00-00
103. Quinn Cook - Michael Basile                  Off The Hook Jr. Bassmasters          0
Day 1: 0   00-00   Total:   0  00-00
103. Blaine Davis - Bo Pearson                    Liberty County Junior Anglers         0
Day 1: 0   00-00   Total:   0  00-00
103. Tucker Fratz - Rowan Rikhye                  Junior Garrett Bass Slayers           0
Day 1: 0   00-00   Total:   0  00-00
103. Elijah Hart - Marlon Gammon                  Hartley's Hawgs Piglets               0
Day 1: 0   00-00   Total:   0  00-00
103. Dixon Heflin - Toby Potts                    Bedford County Youth Bass Club -      0
Day 1: 0   00-00   Total:   0  00-00
103. Kaden Henderson - Nickolas Tinkle            Arkansas Youth Anglers - AR           0
Day 1: 0   00-00   Total:   0  00-00
103. Heston Hoffman - Samuel Holland              Topeka Jr Hawgs                       0
Day 1: 0   00-00   Total:   0  00-00
103. Hunter Hogan - Chase Hogan                   Avonworth Middle School               0
Day 1: 0   00-00   Total:   0  00-00
103. Jake Jaracy - Jack Jaracy                    Bass Lightning                        0
Day 1: 0   00-00   Total:   0  00-00
103. Buddy Malone - Avren Wells                   Topeka Jr Hawgs                       0
Day 1: 0   00-00   Total:   0  00-00
103. Brayden Marcum - Tyler Goble                 Cardinal Youth Fishing Team           0
Day 1: 0   00-00   Total:   0  00-00
103. Kylan Martin - Ryder Ginter                  Montgomery County High School Ba      0
Day 1: 0   00-00   Total:   0  00-00
103. Mackenzie Muntz - Jacob Muntz                Black Swamp High School Fishing       0
Day 1: 0   00-00   Total:   0  00-00
103. Jake Ray - Max Stewart                       Live Oak Jr Eagles                    0
Day 1: 0   00-00   Total:   0  00-00
103. Walker Sawyer - Ashbi Sawyer                 Payette River Jr. Bassmasters         0
Day 1: 0   00-00   Total:   0  00-00
103. Jaxon Schmidt - Brayden Savage               Junior Garrett Bass Slayers           0
Day 1: 0   00-00   Total:   0  00-00
103. Jake Sidney - Luke Sidney                    Phoenix Junior Bassmasters            0
Day 1: 0   00-00   Total:   0  00-00
103. Graham Streeter - Jackson Reed               Indiana Junior Bassmasters            0
Day 1: 0   00-00   Total:   0  00-00
103. Kale Temple - Easton Kelley                  Hart County High School Anglers       0
Day 1: 0   00-00   Total:   0  00-00
103. Tristan Topa - Caleb Robert                  Port City Junior Bass Masters         0
Day 1: 0   00-00   Total:   0  00-00
103. Oliver Williams - Corvin Katzban             Eagleton Fishing Team                 0
Day 1: 0   00-00   Total:   0  00-00
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Totals
Day   #Limits    #Fish      Weight
1        49       220       581-08
----------------------------------
49       220       581-08


High-risk, high-reward strategy pays off for Burgess at B.A.S.S. Nation Qualifier at Lake Champlain

July 26, 2024

Nation_Mercury_Lowrance_4C_Raster.png

PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. — Everything about Mark Burgess’ strategy for the Mercury B.A.S.S. Nation Qualifier at Lake Champlain presented by Lowrance was high risk, but the risk was well worth the reward as the Massachusetts angler claimed the victory with a three-day total of 62 pounds, 1 ounce.

A former Elite Series angler, Burgess caught bags of 17-6, 21-15 and then 22-12 on the final day to edge out Dan Tavilla by 15 ounces. Along with the victory, Burgess earned $8,793 and qualified for the 2024 Mercury B.A.S.S. Nation Championship presented by Lowrance at Grand Lake, putting him one step closer to achieving the dream of fishing the Bassmaster Classic.

“I’m amazed, really. When I signed up for this tournament, I knew (Garmin) LiveScope would play for smallmouth, and that’s not my deal. I was in my total comfort zone this week. I had a flipping stick almost the whole time with a little bit of ChatterBaiting and square billing. I just made the right decisions each day.

“I’m so stoked. This is my best Bassmaster event ever.”

Burgess has been fishing Lake Champlain since the 1990s when he flew a plane over the Ticonderoga region of the lake to locate milfoil beds. This week, Burgess was about as far from Ticonderoga as he possibly could be, instead making a long run north towards the Canadian border.

Heavy rain before the event lifted the lake levels 2 feet higher than normal, and with dirtier water than normal to go along with it, Burgess decided to focus on the shallows and targeted a mix of laydowns, milfoil and docks.

It was one magic tree, however, that produced the majority of his bass. This specific laydown sits mostly on the bank, but the water has created a void where the bass sit to ambush prey, and Burgess used that to his advantage.

“It’s in a deep creek, but this tree is on the bank,” he explained. “The waves have washed out the area under the tree, so even though it looks like it is in the mud, there is a hollow spot under the tree. That is where the fish lay, right on the edge of the drop.”

His best bait was a YUM Wooly Hawg Craw rigged on a 4/0 VMC heavy-duty flipping hook and a ⅜-ounce weight. In clearer water, he used a green pumpkin color and dyed the tails orange. Black neon was his choice of color in dirtier water.

He also caught several key fish on a ChatterBait and an old-school Lucky Craft RC 1.5 squarebill. All of the bass he brought to weigh-in were largemouth, but he did land several quality smallmouth, as well.

Not only did Burgess have to fight the wind and waves to reach his area, but he had to battle through a variety of mechanical issues all week. On the final day, his navigation lights at the bow of the boat malfunctioned, so his co-angler downloaded an app to his phone and then taped his phone to the trolling motor so they could take off on time.

After landing in 33rd after Day 1, Burgess knew he was within range of qualifying for the Nation Championship, but an impressive Day 2 bag anchored by a 6-4 largemouth lifted him into contention for the final day.

“Days 1 and 2 started really rough. I had two big fish pull off on the first day. I set my sights on 20th at that point and putting the biggest bag I could put together in the boat. The second day I didn’t have a fish until 9 a.m. I was starting to spin out a little bit but realized you don’t get these opportunities very often.”

After not catching a bass off the laydown to start Day 2, Burgess returned later in the morning and filled out his limit, including the 6-4 largemouth. Later in the day, he caught a 5-pounder off a set of docks he had only seen 2-pounders on in practice.

On the final day, the wind slowed down, and Burgess was able to move around much easier. He started on the magic laydown and filled out another quality limit before running to several other key pieces of cover and a row of docks to upgrade his bag.

“I went straight to the juice, and it was a good decision because another competitor, an absolute hammer on this lake, was basically fishing the same stuff. I got to it first. I was culling by the time he arrived. I had the start of a good bag there, around 19 pounds.”

After taking the Day 2 lead, Tavilla fell to second on the final day with a total of 61-2. He opened the tournament with 21-2 before landing 19-14 on the second day and 20-2 on Championship Friday.

“I have fished against Mark since I started bass fishing in 2009,” Tavilla said. “He deserves this. He has put the time in and has done it forever. He got the big largemouth for sure. I’m happy for him.”

The boater from Portsmouth, N.H., scoured the Inland Sea for pelagic smallmouth that were chasing groups of white and yellow perch as well as alewives in 25 to 40 feet of water outside of a boulder ridge. Using his forward-facing sonar, Tavilla pitched a ¼-ounce tungsten ball-head jig rigged with a 5-inch Deps Sakamata Shad to the bait balls.

At the end of each day, Tavilla would fish for largemouth and landed two quality green fish using a ChatterBait.

The final day started well for Tavilla, but he could not find a 5-pounder to bolster his limit.

“It was fast and furious this morning, but the size wasn’t as consistent,” he said. “There were more 3-pounders today. I caught a 4-5 pretty early on and then I had to grind after that. The first two or three hours I probably caught 12 bass. I caught a bonus fish on a Carolina rig.”

With bags of 20-14, 18-9 and 20-9, University of Montevallo senior Jacob Swanson finished third with a three-day total of 60-0. The Framingham, Mass., angler split his time between smallmouth and largemouth this week. With his forward-facing sonar, Swanson found smallmouth chasing bait in 35 feet of water and used a Z-Man Scented Jerk ShadZ on either a ¼-ounce or ⅛-ounce jighead to catch those bass.

He searched for largemouth by tossing a ⅜-ounce jig paired with a Strike King Rage Menace trailer around docks and rock. As the tournament progressed, the largemouth bite became increasingly more reliable.

Day 1 leader Frankie Appaluccio landed the Phoenix Boats Big Bass of the Tournament, a 6-15 largemouth he caught the first day.

Craig Morris won the $200 Garmin Rewards Trolling Motor contingency and Justin Yenter earned a $300 Garmin Rewards Electronics bonus.

By catching three-bass limits of 7-14, 12-9 and 12-5, Rob Ross won the nonboater division with a three-day total of 32-12. Guiseppe Andreoli finished second with a total of 31-14 and Ernest Weathersby finished third with 31-4.

Sophon Chhoeun landed the Phoenix Boats Big Bass of the Day on Championship Friday, a 5-3.

All 40 final day competitors punched tickets to the 2024 Mercury B.A.S.S. Nation Championship presented by Lowrance at Grand Lake scheduled for Nov. 6-8.

The winner of that event will earn the title of Nation’s Best and will earn an invite to the 2025 Bassmaster Elite Series plus a spot in the 2025 Bassmaster Classic. The second- and third-place finishers at the Nation Championship will also compete in the 2025 Bassmaster Classic.

The Adirondack Coast hosted the tournament.

 

2024 Bassmaster Nation Series Title Sponsor: Mercury

2024 Bassmaster Nation Series Presenting Sponsor: Lowrance

2024 Bassmaster Nation Series Platinum Sponsor: Toyota
2024 Bassmaster Nation Series Premier Sponsors: Bass Pro Shops, Dakota Lithium, Humminbird, Mercury, Minn Kota, Nitro Boats, Power-Pole, Progressive Insurance, Ranger Boats, Rapala, Skeeter Boats, Yamaha
2024 Bassmaster Nation Series Supporting Sponsors: AFTCO, Daiwa, Garmin, Lew's, Lowrance, Marathon, Triton Boats, VMC

2024 Bassmaster Nation Series Youth Sponsors: Seaguar, Shimano

About B.A.S.S.B.A.S.S., which encompasses the Bassmaster tournament leagues, events and media platforms, is the worldwide authority on bass fishing and keeper of the culture of the sport, providing cutting-edge content on bass fishing whenever, wherever and however bass fishing fans want to use it. Headquartered in Birmingham, Ala., the 500,000-member organization’s fully integrated media platforms include the industry’s leading magazines (Bassmaster and B.A.S.S. Times), website (Bassmaster.com), TV show, radio show, social media programs and events. For more than 50 years, B.A.S.S. has been dedicated to access, conservation and youth fishing.

-30-

Connect with #Bassmaster on FacebookInstagramTwitter and TikTok.

Media Contact: Chad Gay, Communications Manager, 205-313-0945, cgay@bassmaster.com

2024 Mercury B.A.S.S. Nation Qualifier at Lake Champlain presented by Lowrance 7/24-7/26
Lake Champlain, Plattsburgh  NY.
(BOATER) Standings Day 3

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

1.  Mark Burgess           Norton, MA              15  62-01    0   $8,793.00
Day 1: 5   17-06     Day 2: 5   21-15     Day 3: 5   22-12
2.  Dan Tavilla            Portsmouth, NH          15  61-02    0   $4,271.00
Day 1: 5   21-02     Day 2: 5   19-14     Day 3: 5   20-02
3.  Jacob Swanson          Framingham, MA          15  60-00    0   $3,015.00
Day 1: 5   20-14     Day 2: 5   18-09     Day 3: 5   20-09
4.  Matt Pangrac           Shawnee, OK             15  58-03    0   $2,780.00
Day 1: 5   20-07     Day 2: 5   16-06     Day 3: 5   21-06
5.  J Judd                 Saint Albans, VT        15  58-01    0   $2,186.00
Day 1: 5   20-05     Day 2: 5   20-01     Day 3: 5   17-11
6.  Jonathan Carter        Portland, ME            15  56-13    0   $2,010.00
Day 1: 5   18-04     Day 2: 5   18-09     Day 3: 5   20-00
7.  Frankie Appaluccio     Ogdensburg, NJ          15  56-09    0   $1,884.00
Day 1: 5   24-05     Day 2: 5   16-03     Day 3: 5   16-01
8.  Cody Peryea            Altona, NY              15  56-08    0   $1,759.00
Day 1: 5   20-13     Day 2: 5   16-07     Day 3: 5   19-04
9.  Robert Williamson II   Gorham, ME              15  56-08    0   $1,530.00
Day 1: 5   20-00     Day 2: 5   20-00     Day 3: 5   16-08
10. Jay Walls              Milford, DE             15  56-04    0   $1,131.00
Day 1: 5   18-08     Day 2: 5   18-05     Day 3: 5   19-07
11. Connor Jacob           Auburn, AL              15  56-04    0   $1,005.00
Day 1: 5   19-02     Day 2: 5   18-14     Day 3: 5   18-04
12. Scott Robert           Greene, ME              15  55-11    0     $975.00
Day 1: 5   16-02     Day 2: 5   19-06     Day 3: 5   20-03
13. Justin Yenter          Stevens Point, WI       15  55-01    0     $991.00
Day 1: 5   18-14     Day 2: 5   19-02     Day 3: 5   17-01
14. Jed Worthington        Eden Mills, VT          15  55-00    0     $691.00
Day 1: 5   18-06     Day 2: 5   17-09     Day 3: 5   19-01
15. Craig Morris           Frankford, DE           15  54-03    0     $891.00
Day 1: 5   22-04     Day 2: 5   18-11     Day 3: 5   13-04
16. Joseph Tefft           Fort Edward, NY         15  53-15    0     $691.00
Day 1: 5   17-14     Day 2: 5   17-15     Day 3: 5   18-02
17. Chase Loftus           Iowa City, IA           15  53-06    0     $691.00
Day 1: 5   18-04     Day 2: 5   20-03     Day 3: 5   14-15
18. Anthony Lorefice Jr    Johnson City, NY        15  51-11    0     $691.00
Day 1: 5   20-08     Day 2: 5   16-10     Day 3: 5   14-09
19. Ty Austin              Rush, NY                15  49-14    0     $691.00
Day 1: 5   19-07     Day 2: 5   16-02     Day 3: 5   14-05
20. David Mathieu          Woodstock, CT           15  49-04    0     $691.00
Day 1: 5   18-12     Day 2: 5   17-02     Day 3: 5   13-06
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Totals
Day   #Limits    #Fish      Weight
1       126       648      1993-11
2       101       546      1705-14
3        20       100       356-14
----------------------------------
247      1294      4056-07

 

2024 Mercury B.A.S.S. Nation Qualifier at Lake Champlain presented by Lowrance 7/24-7/26
Lake Champlain, Plattsburgh  NY.
(NON_BOATER) Standings Day 3

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

1.  Rob Ross               Hopedale, MA             9  32-12    0   $3,500.00
Day 1: 3   07-14     Day 2: 3   12-09     Day 3: 3   12-05
2.  Guiseppe Andreoli      Foster, RI               9  31-14    0   $2,000.00
Day 1: 3   10-13     Day 2: 3   11-03     Day 3: 3   09-14
3.  Ernest Weathersby      Leominster, MA           9  31-04    0   $1,000.00
Day 1: 3   12-03     Day 2: 3   09-09     Day 3: 3   09-08
4.  Sophon Chhoeun         Fall River, MA           9  31-02    0     $926.00
Day 1: 3   10-03     Day 2: 3   09-15     Day 3: 3   11-00
5.  Grant Fry              Bay City, MI             9  31-00    0     $685.00
Day 1: 3   09-04     Day 2: 3   12-02     Day 3: 3   09-10
6.  Jacob Muir             Milford, DE              9  31-00    0     $575.00
Day 1: 3   08-15     Day 2: 3   10-11     Day 3: 3   11-06
7.  Josh Giran             Elizabeth, PA            9  30-04    0     $514.00
Day 1: 3   12-06     Day 2: 3   09-03     Day 3: 3   08-11
8.  Stephen Sanders        New Britain, CT          9  30-01    0     $480.00
Day 1: 3   08-10     Day 2: 3   11-03     Day 3: 3   10-04
9.  Conner Petropoulos     South Portland, ME       9  29-02    0     $450.00
Day 1: 3   08-06     Day 2: 3   12-00     Day 3: 3   08-12
10. Travis Rockett         Intervale, NH            9  28-15    0     $400.00
Day 1: 3   09-09     Day 2: 3   08-07     Day 3: 3   10-15
11. Jake Minch             Stevens Point, WI        9  28-03    0     $400.00
Day 1: 3   08-09     Day 2: 3   10-00     Day 3: 3   09-10
12. Vic Brown II           Glen Burnie, MD          9  27-11    0     $350.00
Day 1: 3   07-06     Day 2: 3   11-07     Day 3: 3   08-14
13. Dave Reed              Westminster, MD          9  27-08    0     $300.00
Day 1: 3   07-10     Day 2: 3   10-11     Day 3: 3   09-03
14. Wes Vyverberg          Rochester, NY            9  27-08    0     $300.00
Day 1: 3   06-12     Day 2: 3   10-10     Day 3: 3   10-02
15. Mike Wotanowski        Lake Hopatcong, NJ       9  26-15    0     $250.00
Day 1: 3   08-09     Day 2: 3   09-00     Day 3: 3   09-06
16. Robert Rull Jr         Coventry, RI             9  26-08    0     $250.00
Day 1: 3   10-13     Day 2: 3   07-06     Day 3: 3   08-05
17. Joe Devoe              Aberdeen, MD             9  26-04    0     $250.00
Day 1: 3   11-04     Day 2: 3   07-02     Day 3: 3   07-14
18. Brian Marino           Vineland, NJ             8  25-09    0     $250.00
Day 1: 3   08-02     Day 2: 3   11-04     Day 3: 2   06-03
19. Dylan Stowe            Weybridge, VT            9  25-09    0     $250.00
Day 1: 3   08-14     Day 2: 3   10-14     Day 3: 3   05-13
20. JT Fitzgerald          Lincoln, DE              9  23-06    0     $250.00
Day 1: 3   10-02     Day 2: 3   07-08     Day 3: 3   05-12
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Totals
Day   #Limits    #Fish      Weight
1        54       210       557-15
2        61       203       581-07
3        19        59       183-07
----------------------------------
134       472      1322-13


MLF Announces 2025 Tackle Warehouse Invitationals Schedule, New Invitationals Championship

BENTON, Ky. (July 26, 2024) – Major League Fishing (MLF) announced Friday the 2025 Tackle Warehouse Invitationals schedule, highlighted by the addition of a no-entry-fee championship featuring a $135,000 top award and a REDCREST 2026 berth for the winner.

The 2025 Tackle Warehouse Invitationals will showcase 150 pros competing across six regular-season stops for a season-long purse of more than $4.3 million and valuable points to qualify for the new Tackle Warehouse Invitationals Championship and ultimately an invitation to compete on the 2026 Bass Pro Tour.

Each Invitational will feature anglers competing over three days in a five-fish, weigh-in format for a top award of up to $115,000. The top pro from the point standings at the end of the season will win the Fishing Clash Angler of the Year title and $50,000, while the top five pros qualify for the 2026 Bass Pro Tour and the top 50 pros advance to the new Tackle Warehouse Invitationals Championship.

“We at Tackle Warehouse are very excited about the addition of a championship event for the 2025 Tackle Warehouse Invitationals. It’s a great goal and incentive for Invitationals anglers to work towards all year, and really completes the TWI circuit,” said Tackle Warehouse’s Joey Reggio. “We can't wait to join with MLF in crowning the winner of the very first Tackle Warehouse Invitationals Championship in 2025.”

The Tackle Warehouse Invitationals Championship, set for Sept. 5-7, 2025, on the Mississippi River in La Crosse, Wisconsin, will feature a $522,000 purse with a top award of $135,000 and every angler guaranteed at least $5,000.

“We’re excited to announce our 2025 schedule and the addition of the Invitationals Championship,” said Kevin Hunt, Senior Director of Tournament Operations of the Tackle Warehouse Invitationals. “The Invitationals are the only way into the Bass Pro Tour, and the competitiveness and intensity that comes in the race for those five spots has created some extraordinary moments over the first two years. We look forward to another great season on some incredible fisheries and can’t wait to watch how 2025 shakes out.”

Every day of Tackle Warehouse Invitational competition will be broadcast live on MLFNOW!  at MajorLeagueFishing.com and streamed to the Major League Fishing app, MyOutdoorTV (MOTV) and Rumble app. Each tournament will also be televised on CBS Sports.

Invitations for the 2025 season will be sent to qualified anglers following Stop 6 on the Detroit River, which wraps up the 2024 season on Sunday.

2025 MLF Tackle Warehouse Invitationals Schedule:

Feb. 21- 23                      Stop 1 at the Kissimmee Chain of Lakes                                         Kissimmee, Fla.
                                           Hosted by Experience Kissimmee

March 14-16                   Stop 2 at Lake Hartwell                                                                       Anderson, S.C.
                                          Hosted by Visit Anderson

April 15-17                      Stop 3 at Smith Lake                                                                            Cullman, Ala.
                                          Hosted by Visit Cullman, Alabama

May 9-11                          Stop 4 at Pickwick Lake                                                                      Counce, Tenn.
                                           Hosted by the Explore Pickwick Lake/Hardin County Tourism

June 20-22                       Stop 5 at the James River                                                                    Richmond, Va.
                                           Hosted by Richmond Region Tourism

July 25-27                         Stop 6 at the St. Lawrence River                                                        Massena, N.Y.
                                           Hosted by the Town of Massena

Sept. 5-7                            Invitationals Championship at the Mississippi River                   La Crosse, Wis.
Hosted by Explore La Crosse

Payouts:

Qualifiers 1-6
Place                                                    Pro           Phoenix MLF Bonus                                                       
1                                                    $80,000                               $35,000
2                                                      30,000                                                                                    
3                                                      20,000
4                                                      18,000
5                                                      17,000
6                                                      16,000
7                                                      15,000
8                                                      14,000
9                                                      13,000
10                                                    12,000
11-20                                              10,000                                                    
21-30                                               9,000
31-50                                               8,000
Berkley Big Bass – Day 1     1,000
Berkley Big Bass – Day 2     1,000

Entry Fee:                   $5,500 per tournament

Tackle Warehouse Invitationals Championship
Place                                                    Pro          Phoenix MLF Bonus                                                       
1                                                 $100,000                               $35,000
+ REDCREST 2026
2                                                      50,000                                                                                    
3                                                      25,000
4                                                      20,000
5                                                      15,000
6                                                      14,000
7                                                      13,000
8                                                      12,000
9                                                      11,000
10                                                    10,000
11-20                                               6,000                         
21-30                                               5,500
31-50                                               5,000
Berkley Big Bass – Day 1     1,000
Berkley Big Bass – Day 2      1,000

No Entry Fee

Proud sponsors of the MLF Tackle Warehouse Invitationals include: 7 Brew, Abu Garcia, B&W Trailer Hitches, Berkley, BUBBA, E3 Sports Apparel, Epic Baits, Fishing Clash, General Tire, Lew’s, Mercury, Mossy Oak Fishing, Onyx, Phoenix Boats, Polaris, Power-Pole, PowerStop Brakes, REDCON1, Strike King, Suzuki, Tackle Warehouse, T-H Marine, Toyota, WIX Filters and YETI.

For complete details and updated information, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow the Tackle Warehouse Invitationals on the MLF5 social media outlets at FacebookInstagram and  YouTube.

About Major League Fishing
Major League Fishing (MLF) is the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization, producing more than 250 events annually at some of the most prestigious fisheries in the world, while broadcasting to America’s living rooms on CBS, Discovery Channel, Outdoor Channel, CBS Sports Network, World Fishing Network and on demand on MyOutdoorTV (MOTV). Headquartered in Benton, Kentucky, the MLF roster of bass anglers includes the world’s top pros and more than 30,000 competitors in all 50 states and 17 countries. Since its founding in 2011, MLF has advanced the sport of competitive fishing through its premier television broadcasts and livestreams and is dedicated to improving the quality of life for bass through research, education, fisheries enhancement and fish care.


MLF Bass Pro Tour Set for 2024 Season Finale with Minn Kota Stage Seven at St. Lawrence River Presented by Humminbird

MASSENA, N.Y. (July 25, 2024) – The Major League Fishing (MLF) Bass Pro Tour is set to wrap the 2024 season of the Bass Pro Tour next, week, Aug. 6-11, in Massena, New York, with the seventh and final event of the year – the Minn Kota Stage Seven at the St. Lawrence River Presented by Humminbird.

The six-day event, hosted by the Town of Massena, will feature a field of 78 professional anglers, including superstars like Ott DeFoeJacob WheelerREDCREST 2024 Champion Dustin Connell and reigning Fishing Clash Angler of the Year (AOY) Matt Becker. They’ll be competing for a season-long purse of $3.9 million – including a top prize of $100,000 at the St. Lawrence River – and valuable AOY points in hopes of qualifying for the General Tire Heavy Hitters all-star event and REDCREST 2025, the Bass Pro Tour championship.

The tournament will showcase 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 will be live streamed on MajorLeagueFishing.com, the MyOutdoorTV (MOTV) app, and Rumble.

“We are pleased to host Major League Fishing again this year for the 2024 Bass Pro Tour,” said Don Meissner, Director of Tourism for the Town of Massena. “This promises to be one of the most exciting events that the town of Massena has had the good fortune to bring to the folks in northern New York.  Our partnership with MLF and their key personnel continues to provide great benefit and promise to the community and all of the North Country.”

The St. Lawrence River has hosted hundreds of MLF (and FLW) tournaments over the years, but this event will mark just the second time that the venue has hosted the Bass Pro Tour, MLF’s top circuit. When the Bass Pro Tour last visited Massena in 2021, pro Jacob Wheeler of Harrison, Tennessee, caught a final-day Championship Round total of 35 bass weighing 129 pounds even to win by an impressive 28-pound, 10-ounce margin over his nearest competitor, pro Jeff Sprague of Wills Point, Texas.

“I was able to spend three days there at the St. Lawrence River before it went off limits, and the fishery is just incredible,” said pro Spencer Shuffield of Hot Springs, Arkansas, who won the 2022 Tackle Warehouse TITLE championship event on the St. Lawrence River and will be among the 78 competitors. “That place has so many 4-to 5-pound smallmouth. I expect the weights to be really big – I’ll be interested to see the numbers after we wrap up, but I’m willing to bet the average fish that is weighed in averages 3-12 to 3-15.

“It’s also a really good largemouth fishery, but you just can’t compete against the smallmouth over the multiple days,” Shuffield continued. “I think the (Garmin Live)scope guys will dominate again, but the river is a little bit tricky. With the current, the fish suck down to the rocks so tight it can be really hard to see them on your electronics. So, there will be a lot of fish caught dragging with the current – Carolina rigs, drop-shot rigs and Ned rigs.”

With so many accolades on the line – Fishing Clash Angler of the Year, REDCREST 2025 and Heavy Hitters qualifications, requalification into the 2025 Bass Pro Tour – the final event of the year on the St. Lawrence River is sure to be a nail-biter.

“It’s just an awesome fishery – one of my favorite places in the country, no doubt,” Shuffield went on to say. “I think on the final day, you’re going to need to catch at least 140 to 160 pounds to have a chance. It’s going to be a smallmouth smash fest, and a great event to wrap up the season.”

Anglers will launch at 7:30 a.m. ET each day from the Massena Intake Boat Launch, located at 1415 State Highway 131 in Massena. Each day’s General Tire Takeout will be held at the launch, beginning at 4 p.m. Fans are welcome to attend all launch and takeout events and also encouraged to follow the event online throughout the day on the MLFNOW!® live stream and SCORETRACKER® coverage at MajorLeagueFishing.com .

In addition to the competition, numerous events held in conjunction with the tournament will be taking place around the North Country during the week. On Friday, Aug. 2, pro Dave Lefebre and his band, The Band 814, in conjunction with Fish Massena, NY presents: The Break Every Chain Live Concert Series, a powerful night of praise, worship and testimony at the Massena Town Beach. Additional Bass Pro Tour anglers scheduled to appear at the concert include Alton Jones, Jr., Alton Jones, Sr., Nick LeBrun and Ott DeFoe. Gates open at 7:30 p.m., and the concert starts at 8 p.m.

On Monday, Aug. 5, the MLF pros will participate in the Johnson Outdoors Clean Earth Challenge, from 4 to 5 p.m. at the Massena Intake Boat Launch. The National Wildlife Federation and Johnson Outdoors teamed up to launch the Clean Earth Challenge in 2022 to inspire people to get outdoors and take simple conservation actions to help preserve and restore the outdoor spaces we all love. The pros will spend their time collecting trash and debris from the Massena Intake Boat Launch and surrounding areas, with a post-clean up weigh-in taking place to determine how much trash and debris was collected during the challenge. In addition to the pros, MLF staff in Benton, Kentucky, will also participate in the challenge, collecting trash and debris from the Kentucky Dam Marina.

On Saturday and Sunday, Aug. 10-11, from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. MLF welcomes fans of all ages to visit the Massena Intake Boat Launch for the MLF Watch Party. Fans can watch the pros live on the MLFNOW! big screen, enjoy free food, enter to win hourly giveaways and cheer on their favorite pros. Live music will begin each day at 4 p.m. The first 50 kids 14 and under will receive a free rod and reel from Pure Fishing each day. The final 10 Championship Round Bass Pro Tour anglers will be on hand at the trophy celebration on Championship Sunday to meet and greet fans, sign autographs and take selfies.

The Minn Kota Stage Seven at the St. Lawrence River will feature anglers competing with a 2-pound minimum weight requirement for a bass to be deemed scorable. The MLF Fisheries Management Division determines minimum weights for each body of water that the Bass Pro Tour visits, based on the productivity, bass population and anticipated average size of fish in each fishery.

The 2024 Bass Pro Tour features a field of 78 of the top professional anglers in the world, competing across seven regular-season tournaments around the country, for millions of dollars and valuable points to qualify for the annual General Tire Heavy Hitters all-star event and REDCREST 2025, the Bass Pro Tour championship, set for April 3-6, 2025 on Lake Guntersville in Huntsville, Alabama.

The 39 Anglers in Group A compete in their two-day Qualifying Round on Tuesday and Thursday – the 39 anglers in Group B on Wednesday and Friday. After each two-day Qualifying Round is complete, the anglers that finish first through 10th from both groups advance to Saturday’s Knockout Round. In the Knockout Round, weights are zeroed, and the remaining 20 anglers compete to finish in the top 10 to advance to Sunday’s Championship Round. In the final-day Championship Round, weights are zeroed, and the highest one-day total wins the top prize of $100,000.

The MLFNOW!® broadcast team of Chad McKee and J.T. Kenney will break down the extended action live on the final four days of competition from 7:45 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. ET. MLFNOW!®  will be live streamed on MajorLeagueFishing.com and the MyOutdoorTV (MOTV) app.

Television coverage of the Minn Kota Stage Seven at the St. Lawrence River will premiere as a two-hour episode starting at 7 a.m. ET, on Saturday, Nov. 16 on Discovery. New MLF episodes premiere each Saturday morning on Discovery, with re-airings on Outdoor Channel.

Proud sponsors of the 2024 MLF Bass Pro Tour include: Abu Garcia, B&W Trailer Hitches, Bass Pro Shops, Berkley, BUBBA, Epic Baits, Fishing Clash, Garmin, General Tire, Humminbird, Lowrance, Mercury, MillerTech, Minn Kota, Mossy Oak Fishing, NITRO, Onyx, Plano, Power-Pole, PowerStop Brakes, Rapala, REDCON1, StarBrite, Suzuki, Toyota, WIX Filters and U.S. Air Force.

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

About Major League Fishing
Major League Fishing (MLF) is the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization, producing more than 250 events annually at some of the most prestigious fisheries in the world, while broadcasting to America’s living rooms on CBS, Discovery Channel, Outdoor Channel, CBS Sports Network, World Fishing Network and on demand on MyOutdoorTV (MOTV). Headquartered in Benton, Kentucky, the MLF roster of bass anglers includes the world’s top pros and more than 30,000 competitors in all 50 states and 17 countries. Since its founding in 2011, MLF has advanced the sport of competitive fishing through its premier television broadcasts and livestreams and is dedicated to improving the quality of life for bass through research, education, fisheries enhancement and fish care.


Big-water persistence vaults Tavilla to lead in B.A.S.S. Nation Qualifier at Lake Champlain

July 25, 2024

Nation_Mercury_Lowrance_4C_Raster.png

PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. — Despite windy and wavy conditions this week, Dan Tavilla has stuck to his smallmouth gameplan and the persistence has paid off as the New Hampshire angler leads the Mercury B.A.S.S. Nation Qualifier at Lake Champlain presented by Lowrance with a two-day total of 41-0.

Opening the tournament in third place with a 21-2 limit of mostly smallmouth, Tavilla landed 19-14 on Day 2 to move into the lead. His lead is slim, however, as Delaware’s Craig Morris is just an ounce behind in second place and Day 1 leader Frankie Appaluccio is third with 40-8.

Not only is Tavilla in contention for the victory, he also qualified for his first B.A.S.S. Nation Championship which will be held at Grand Lake in November.

“I thought I was on 18 to 19 (pounds) a day, and that was in optimal conditions. I think the wind has been a little too much this week,” he said. “I caught more 4-pound smallmouth than I thought I would catch yesterday. I wasn’t catching three 4-pound smallmouth in practice. So, if things went well, I thought I would be around 19 pounds a day.”

Changing conditions and wind direction made for a much tougher day of fishing for the field of 138 boats. Only four bags of 20 pounds or better were caught by boaters and only 101 limits crossed the weigh-in stage, down from 126 on Day 1.

While the wind forced many anglers to target largemouth in this tournament, Tavilla has focused much of his attention on several areas within the Inland Sea region of Lake Champlain, catching smallmouth that are keying in on a variety of bait anywhere from 20 to 45 feet of water.

“My best days of practice were on big wind days,” he explained. “I know there is a general consensus that smallmouth like sun, but I don’t mind a little bit of clouds, and I definitely don’t mind a little bit of wind. There is obviously a point where it gets to be too much.”

Along with alewives, Tavilla has seen smallmouth around both yellow and white perch, but the wind positions the bait differently every day. Two baits have caught the bulk of his weight this week.

“When you get a little shallower, there are perch, and when you get a little deeper the alewives show up,” he said. “There’s a little bit of a secret to what is different.”

While smallmouth have been consistent for Tavilla, he has caught one critical largemouth each afternoon of the event.

Tavilla started in the spot that yielded the majority of his Day 1 weight but did not find the same quality Thursday. While he caught several smaller bass, only one 3½-pounder made his final bag on Day 2. A change in wind direction also made fishing more difficult as the morning progressed, so he decided to check several of his backup areas.

“I couldn’t really present the bait properly at that point,” he said.

After landing a 4-pounder in what he called a community area, he moved to an area he found on Sunday of practice and found the area was loaded with bait.

“I’m just going around looking for pods of bait. When there is enough bait, there is always bass,” he said. “The wind positions the bait differently each day, and you have to find where the wind has put the bait.”

Things have gone well for the most part this week, but Tavilla did lose a 5-pounder at the boat that would have given him a little cushion heading into the final day. The wind is set to shift once again on Friday, which has him somewhat concerned about his best areas.

“I’m a little worried about the wind. The two spots I really want to fish are going to be exposed,” he said. “But I will say, I was running to largemouth at the end of the day and I saw a pod of birds going crazy. I stopped for a couple minutes and caught two bass really quick. It is protected from the northwest wind. I’m hopeful that's a spot I can catch some fish on.”

Morris suffered a disappointing end to his Delaware Nation season just prior to this event. He finished tied for first in the state standings but lost the automatic bid to the Nation Championship via a tiebreaker. This week, he redeemed himself in a big way.

With bags of largemouth weighing 22-4 and 18-11, the Ocean City, Del., native is sitting in second place for the tournament with 40-15, punching his ticket to the Nation Championship in the process.

After catching around 150 bass on Day 1, Morris returned to his primary area on the northern end of Lake Champlain, but the change in wind direction made it more difficult for him to stealthily navigate the area.

“Once the wind started blowing, the bite got a lot tougher. Every time we had lulls in the wind, we would catch four or five,” he explained. “It was challenging to move in that area quietly. We had 2-foot waves coming in there at times today, so I was always on the trolling motor. It’s not super deep, so it's making a lot of noise.”

Still, Morris landed around 25 total bass on the day using one key moving bait, which he feels is mimicking the forage. He has found the quality largemouth in a specific depth range and relating to one particular type of vegetation. There is still plenty of life in the area. Morris caught several smaller smallmouth, a 30-inch walleye as well as white and yellow perch.

“I probably filled out a limit in the first 20 minutes or so doing the same thing as yesterday,” Morris said. “It was definitely not as good as yesterday as far as the quantity of bites. I feel like they were hitting the bait with their mouth closed, and I caught some with the hook outside of the mouth. It wasn’t as good of a bite. I lost one around 1 o’clock that really cost me because it was a 4½- to 5-pounder.”

Mark Burgess caught the Phoenix Boats Big Bass of the Day, a 6-4 largemouth that helped lift him into fifth place for the tournament. It wasn’t enough to unseat Appaluccio’s 6-15 largemouth from Day 1 for Phoenix Boats Big Bass of the Tournament honors.

With bags of 10-13 and 11-3, Guiseppe Andreoli moved into the lead in the nonboater division with a two-day total of 22-0. Ernest Weathersby follows in second with a total of 21-12 and Josh Giran is third with 21-9. Massachusetts angler Michael Schrader landed the Big Bass of the Tournament so far amongst nonboaters on Day 2, a 5-5.

The Top 20 boaters and nonboaters after today’s weigh-in will launch from Plattsburgh City Marina beginning at 6 a.m. ET and return for weigh-in at 2 p.m. Those 40 anglers also punched their tickets to the Mercury B.A.S.S. Nation Championship presented by Lowrance scheduled for Grand Lake Nov. 6-8.

The winner of that event will earn the title of Nation’s Best and will earn an invite to the 2025 Bassmaster Elite Series plus a spot in the 2025 Bassmaster Classic. The second and third place finishers at the Nation Championship will also compete in the 2025 Bassmaster Classic.

The Adirondack Coast is hosting the tournament.

2024 Bassmaster Nation Series Title Sponsor: Mercury

2024 Bassmaster Nation Series Presenting Sponsor: Lowrance

2024 Bassmaster Nation Series Platinum Sponsor: Toyota
2024 Bassmaster Nation Series Premier Sponsors: Bass Pro Shops, Dakota Lithium, Humminbird, Mercury, Minn Kota, Nitro Boats, Power-Pole, Progressive Insurance, Ranger Boats, Rapala, Skeeter Boats, Yamaha
2024 Bassmaster Nation Series Supporting Sponsors: AFTCO, Daiwa, Garmin, Lew's, Lowrance, Marathon, Triton Boats, VMC

2024 Bassmaster Nation Series Youth Sponsors: Seaguar, Shimano

About B.A.S.S.B.A.S.S., which encompasses the Bassmaster tournament leagues, events and media platforms, is the worldwide authority on bass fishing and keeper of the culture of the sport, providing cutting-edge content on bass fishing whenever, wherever and however bass fishing fans want to use it. Headquartered in Birmingham, Ala., the 500,000-member organization’s fully integrated media platforms include the industry’s leading magazines (Bassmaster and B.A.S.S. Times), website (Bassmaster.com), TV show, radio show, social media programs and events. For more than 50 years, B.A.S.S. has been dedicated to access, conservation and youth fishing.

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Connect with #Bassmaster on FacebookInstagramTwitter and TikTok.

Media Contact: Chad Gay, Communications Manager, 205-313-0945, cgay@bassmaster.com

 

2024 Mercury B.A.S.S. Nation Qualifier at Lake Champlain presented by Lowrance 7/24-7/26
Lake Champlain, Plattsburgh  NY.
(BOATER) Standings Day 2

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

1.  Dan Tavilla            Portsmouth, NH          10  41-00    0
Day 1: 5   21-02     Day 2: 5   19-14
2.  Craig Morris           Ocean City, DE          10  40-15    0
Day 1: 5   22-04     Day 2: 5   18-11
3.  Frankie Appaluccio     Ogdensburg, NJ          10  40-08    0
Day 1: 5   24-05     Day 2: 5   16-03
4.  J Judd                 Saint Albans, VT        10  40-06    0
Day 1: 5   20-05     Day 2: 5   20-01
5.  Robert Williamson II   Gorham, ME              10  40-00    0
Day 1: 5   20-00     Day 2: 5   20-00
6.  Jacob Swanson          Framingham, MA          10  39-07    0
Day 1: 5   20-14     Day 2: 5   18-09
7.  Mark Burgess           Norton, MA              10  39-05    0
Day 1: 5   17-06     Day 2: 5   21-15
8.  Chase Loftus           Iowa City, IA           10  38-07    0
Day 1: 5   18-04     Day 2: 5   20-03
9.  Justin Yenter          Stevens Point, WI       10  38-00    0
Day 1: 5   18-14     Day 2: 5   19-02
10. Connor Jacob           Auburn, AL              10  38-00    0
Day 1: 5   19-02     Day 2: 5   18-14
11. Cody Peryea            Altona, NY              10  37-04    0
Day 1: 5   20-13     Day 2: 5   16-07
12. Anthony Lorefice Jr    Johnson City, NY        10  37-02    0
Day 1: 5   20-08     Day 2: 5   16-10
13. Matt Pangrac           Shawnee, OK             10  36-13    0
Day 1: 5   20-07     Day 2: 5   16-06
14. Jonathan Carter        Portland, ME            10  36-13    0
Day 1: 5   18-04     Day 2: 5   18-09
15. Jay Walls              Milford, DE             10  36-13    0
Day 1: 5   18-08     Day 2: 5   18-05
16. Jed Worthington        Eden Mills, VT          10  35-15    0
Day 1: 5   18-06     Day 2: 5   17-09
17. David Mathieu          Woodstock, CT           10  35-14    0
Day 1: 5   18-12     Day 2: 5   17-02
18. Joseph Tefft           Fort Edward, NY         10  35-13    0
Day 1: 5   17-14     Day 2: 5   17-15
19. Ty Austin              Rush, NY                10  35-09    0
Day 1: 5   19-07     Day 2: 5   16-02
20. Scott Robert           Greene, ME              10  35-08    0
Day 1: 5   16-02     Day 2: 5   19-06
21. Joshua Smith           Coventry, RI            10  35-07    0     $628.00
Day 1: 5   20-07     Day 2: 5   15-00
22. Mark Hogan             Milford, DE             10  35-06    0     $628.00
Day 1: 5   17-10     Day 2: 5   17-12
23. Brian La Clair         Denton, MD              10  35-03    0     $628.00
Day 1: 5   18-06     Day 2: 5   16-13
24. Bret Winegardner       Swanton, MD             10  35-02    0     $628.00
Day 1: 5   18-02     Day 2: 5   17-00
25. Brandon Mosley         Harrah, OK              10  34-15    0     $628.00
Day 1: 5   16-00     Day 2: 5   18-15
26. Rich Ortiz             Fort Ann, NY            10  34-12    0     $628.00
Day 1: 5   19-07     Day 2: 5   15-05
27. Daniel Gray            Butler, PA              10  34-12    0     $578.00
Day 1: 5   19-05     Day 2: 5   15-07
28. Mikey Mello Jr         Manville, RI            10  34-10    0     $578.00
Day 1: 5   17-08     Day 2: 5   17-02
29. Jared Leicht           Millville, NJ           10  34-05    0     $578.00
Day 1: 5   14-06     Day 2: 5   19-15
30. Matthew Lazor          Evans City, PA          10  34-03    0     $578.00
Day 1: 5   17-06     Day 2: 5   16-13
31. Cam Sterritt           Newfields, NH           10  34-02    0     $578.00
Day 1: 5   17-04     Day 2: 5   16-14
32. Louis Monetti          Brielle, NJ             10  34-00    0     $578.00
Day 1: 5   14-11     Day 2: 5   19-05
33. Corey Gillis           Ayer, MA                10  33-12    0     $578.00
Day 1: 5   15-09     Day 2: 5   18-03
34. Travis Lepage          Lewiston, ME            10  33-11    0     $578.00
Day 1: 5   16-04     Day 2: 5   17-07
35. Colin Gaudette         Saint Albans, VT        10  33-06    0     $578.00
Day 1: 5   15-14     Day 2: 5   17-08
36. Randy Huffman          Charleston, WV          10  33-05    0     $578.00
Day 1: 5   16-09     Day 2: 5   16-12
37. Casey Baroffio         Northfield, VT          10  33-04    0     $578.00
Day 1: 5   15-04     Day 2: 5   18-00
38. Brennan Chuprinko      Flanders, NJ            10  33-03    0     $578.00
Day 1: 5   18-07     Day 2: 5   14-12
39. Max Meister            Atco, NJ                10  32-15    0     $578.00
Day 1: 5   14-13     Day 2: 5   18-02
40. Jacob Marcantonio      Moosup, CT              10  32-14    0     $578.00
Day 1: 5   14-07     Day 2: 5   18-07
41. Phil Curtis            Rosseau ONTARIO CANADA  10  32-13    0
Day 1: 5   16-03     Day 2: 5   16-10
42. Robert Bordeaux III    Williston, VT           10  32-12    0
Day 1: 5   15-02     Day 2: 5   17-10
43. Steven Griffith        Schellsburg, PA         10  32-10    0
Day 1: 5   15-10     Day 2: 5   17-00
44. Josh Cotier            Clinton, MA             10  32-09    0
Day 1: 5   16-15     Day 2: 5   15-10
45. Fabian Rodriguez       Ocean City, MD          10  32-07    0
Day 1: 5   17-06     Day 2: 5   15-01
46. Anthony Dulac          Harpswell, ME           10  32-06    0
Day 1: 5   17-06     Day 2: 5   15-00
47. Trevor Topken          Hickory, NC             10  32-04    0
Day 1: 5   16-04     Day 2: 5   16-00
48. John Fitzgerald        Salisbury, VT           10  32-02    0
Day 1: 5   14-05     Day 2: 5   17-13
49. Keith Poulin           Lisbon, ME              10  31-09    0
Day 1: 5   17-10     Day 2: 5   13-15
50. Bradley Baxter         Willshire, OH           10  31-07    0
Day 1: 5   16-00     Day 2: 5   15-07
51. Keith Aucoin           Hollis Center, ME       10  31-05    0
Day 1: 5   14-01     Day 2: 5   17-04
52. Joe McClosky           Swanton, MD             10  31-04    0
Day 1: 5   16-05     Day 2: 5   14-15
53. Tim Dubuc              Bowdoinham, ME          10  31-02    0
Day 1: 5   13-02     Day 2: 5   18-00
54. Martin Osborne         Glen Burnie, MD         10  31-00    0
Day 1: 5   15-05     Day 2: 5   15-11
55. Paul Baker             New Fairfield, CT        9  30-15    0
Day 1: 5   18-10     Day 2: 4   12-05
56. Sheron Brown Sr        Leominster, MA          10  30-13    0
Day 1: 5   16-05     Day 2: 5   14-08
57. Brian Hensley          Edwardsburg, MI         10  30-09    0
Day 1: 5   11-06     Day 2: 5   19-03
58. David Torres II        Fallston, MD             9  30-08    0
Day 1: 5   20-02     Day 2: 4   10-06
59. Thomas Waltz           St. Albans, VT           9  30-08    0
Day 1: 4   13-07     Day 2: 5   17-01
60. Steve Wilson           East Waterboro, ME      10  30-03    0
Day 1: 5   14-06     Day 2: 5   15-13
61. Johnathan Sheehan      Lynn, MA                10  30-02    0
Day 1: 5   14-04     Day 2: 5   15-14
62. Eric Low               Buxton, ME              10  30-00    0
Day 1: 5   13-15     Day 2: 5   16-01
63. Carson Forrester       Chambersburg, PA        10  30-00    0
Day 1: 5   15-04     Day 2: 5   14-12
64. Kevin Clark            Westport, MA            10  29-11    0
Day 1: 5   15-15     Day 2: 5   13-12
65. Jeffrey Patch          Rutland, VT             10  29-11    0
Day 1: 5   14-06     Day 2: 5   15-05
66. Brent Valere           Mississauga CANADA      10  29-10    0
Day 1: 5   15-07     Day 2: 5   14-03
67. Dennis Rocheford       Pembroke, NH            10  29-06    0
Day 1: 5   14-01     Day 2: 5   15-05
68. John Mayo              Maiden, NC              10  29-02    0
Day 1: 5   15-05     Day 2: 5   13-13
69. Ed Powell              Sandyville, WV          10  29-01    0
Day 1: 5   13-11     Day 2: 5   15-06
70. Andrew Sams            Easton, MD              10  28-13    0
Day 1: 5   13-06     Day 2: 5   15-07
71. Matt Mosby             Dryden, MI              10  28-13    0
Day 1: 5   14-03     Day 2: 5   14-10
72. Nausori Osasa          Grand Isle, VT          10  28-11    0
Day 1: 5   12-14     Day 2: 5   15-13
73. Randy Kukral           Chagrin Falls, OH       10  28-11    0
Day 1: 5   13-03     Day 2: 5   15-08
74. John Rottman           Dudley, MA              10  28-10    0
Day 1: 5   14-10     Day 2: 5   14-00
75. Ross Bartolo           Caesarea CANADA         10  28-07    0
Day 1: 5   14-13     Day 2: 5   13-10
76. Woody McKechnie        Lynn , MA               10  28-06    0
Day 1: 5   10-11     Day 2: 5   17-11
77. Jason Muir             Milford, DE             10  28-06    0
Day 1: 5   14-12     Day 2: 5   13-10
78. Tony Despot II         Monroeville, PA         10  28-01    0
Day 1: 5   11-14     Day 2: 5   16-03
79. Trevor Poulin          Nashua, NH              10  28-01    0
Day 1: 5   13-01     Day 2: 5   15-00
80. Craig Castro           North Attleboro, MA     10  28-00    0
Day 1: 5   12-12     Day 2: 5   15-04
81. Jeff Jensen            Beech Creek, PA         10  28-00    0
Day 1: 5   13-07     Day 2: 5   14-09
82. RJ Ricci               Cranston, RI            10  27-15    0
Day 1: 5   14-04     Day 2: 5   13-11
83. Scott Rondeau          Charlestown, RI         10  27-14    0
Day 1: 5   14-08     Day 2: 5   13-06
84. Peter Owen Jr          Barnstead, NH           10  27-10    0
Day 1: 5   13-04     Day 2: 5   14-06
85. Randy Elliott          Severn, MD              10  27-09    0
Day 1: 5   12-05     Day 2: 5   15-04
86. Brian Wisniewski       Allentown, PA           10  27-09    0
Day 1: 5   14-13     Day 2: 5   12-12
87. Dylan Dew              Valencia , PA            8  27-05    0
Day 1: 5   19-00     Day 2: 3   08-05
88. Chris Guncheon         Warwick, RI              8  26-13    0
Day 1: 5   19-05     Day 2: 3   07-08
89. Mason Phillpotts       Fenton, MI              10  26-13    0
Day 1: 5   14-13     Day 2: 5   12-00
90. Scott Kerslake         Okeechobee, FL          10  26-11    0
Day 1: 5   14-09     Day 2: 5   12-02
91. Dylan Minch            Stevens Point, WI        9  26-11    0
Day 1: 4   12-10     Day 2: 5   14-01
92. TJ McKenzie            Andrews, SC             10  26-07    0
Day 1: 5   16-13     Day 2: 5   09-10
93. Chris Washinger        Chambersburg, PA        10  26-06    0
Day 1: 5   14-05     Day 2: 5   12-01
94. Jeffrey Davis Jr       Wendell, NC             10  26-05    0
Day 1: 5   16-06     Day 2: 5   09-15
95. Austin Littler         Camden, NY               9  26-05    0
Day 1: 5   14-13     Day 2: 4   11-08
96. Ryan Smith             Galloway, NJ             9  26-01    0
Day 1: 5   15-07     Day 2: 4   10-10
97. John Roth              Lawrenceburg, IN        10  26-01    0
Day 1: 5   13-06     Day 2: 5   12-11
98. Stefan Lillios         Loudon, NH               9  26-00    0
Day 1: 4   09-12     Day 2: 5   16-04
99. Mike Morris            Dover, DE               10  25-14    0
Day 1: 5   11-05     Day 2: 5   14-09
100. Clayton Grimm          Mechanic Falls, ME      10  25-01    0
Day 1: 5   09-07     Day 2: 5   15-10
101. Michael Trimarchi      Peabody, MA             10  24-11    0
Day 1: 5   15-01     Day 2: 5   09-10
102. Butch Marietta Jr      Hunker, PA               9  24-04    0
Day 1: 5   14-04     Day 2: 4   10-00
103. Steven Kotvas          Apollo, PA              10  24-00    0
Day 1: 5   12-06     Day 2: 5   11-10
104. Arthur Magurn          Lunenburg, MA            8  23-13    0
Day 1: 3   07-12     Day 2: 5   16-01
105. Nick Lepone            Fieldsboro, NJ          10  23-09    0
Day 1: 5   11-05     Day 2: 5   12-04
106. Ben Hale               Rowley, MA               9  23-01    0
Day 1: 5   16-02     Day 2: 4   06-15
107. Robert Batchelder Jr   Mechanicville, NY       10  23-01    0
Day 1: 5   13-11     Day 2: 5   09-06
108. Jeremy Sadowski        Voluntown, CT            9  22-13    0
Day 1: 5   12-11     Day 2: 4   10-02
109. Roger LaFlamme Jr      Lyman, ME               10  22-11    0
Day 1: 5   09-07     Day 2: 5   13-04
110. Tony Kibler            Milford, DE              9  20-12    0
Day 1: 5   11-01     Day 2: 4   09-11
111. Derek Severns          Carnegie, PA             8  20-01    0
Day 1: 3   07-01     Day 2: 5   13-00
112. Addison Kelly          Queensbury, NY           5  18-10    0
Day 1: 5   18-10     Day 2: 0   00-00
113. Chris Ogan             Bixby, OK                8  15-04    0
Day 1: 5   12-01     Day 2: 3   03-03
114. Darryl Halbert         Enoree, SC               5  14-14    0
Day 1: 5   14-14     Day 2: 0   00-00
115. Michael Adams          Portland, ME             5  14-12    0
Day 1: 5   14-12     Day 2: 0   00-00
116. Robert Ramasci         Wakefield, MA            5  14-11    0
Day 1: 5   14-11     Day 2: 0   00-00
116. Jeff Salmon            Mechanicsville, VA       5  14-11    0
Day 1: 5   14-11     Day 2: 0   00-00
118. Chris Groman           Whiting, VT              5  14-07    0
Day 1: 5   14-07     Day 2: 0   00-00
119. Ed Lapierre            Lebanon, ME              5  13-09    0
Day 1: 5   13-09     Day 2: 0   00-00
120. David Maiorano         Durham, CT               5  13-05    0
Day 1: 5   13-05     Day 2: 0   00-00
121. Evan Poroznik          Nestleton Station Ontar  5  12-13    0
Day 1: 5   12-13     Day 2: 0   00-00
122. Kevin Wilkes           Ballston Lake,, NY       5  12-07    0
Day 1: 5   12-07     Day 2: 0   00-00
123. Erick Markstaller      New Milford, CT          5  12-04    0
Day 1: 5   12-04     Day 2: 0   00-00
124. Frank Ramsey           Spring Grove, IL         5  12-01    0
Day 1: 5   12-01     Day 2: 0   00-00
125. Robert Smith           Farmington, ME           5  11-11    0
Day 1: 5   11-11     Day 2: 0   00-00
126. Jeffrey Perron         South Berwick, ME        5  11-10    0
Day 1: 5   11-10     Day 2: 0   00-00
127. Neal Wisinski          Stevens Point, WI        5  11-09    0
Day 1: 5   11-09     Day 2: 0   00-00
128. Kirk Smith             Edmond, OK               5  11-02    0
Day 1: 5   11-02     Day 2: 0   00-00
129. Chris McCarthy         Woonsocket, RI           5  10-00    0
Day 1: 5   10-00     Day 2: 0   00-00
130. William Barrett        Bridgewater, MA          5  09-11    0
Day 1: 5   09-11     Day 2: 0   00-00
131. Cameron Creamer        Bremen, ME               5  08-09    0
Day 1: 5   08-09     Day 2: 0   00-00
132. Steve Deguzis          Bristol, CT              0  00-00    0
Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 0   00-00
132. Henry Fristik          Blandford, MA            0  00-00    0
Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 0   00-00
132. Josh Giroldi           Beachville CANADA        0  00-00    0
Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 0   00-00
132. Eric Johnson           Kingston, MA             0  00-00    0
Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 0   00-00
132. Alex Legg              Milford, DE              0  00-00    0
Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 0   00-00
132. Joe Raposo             North Dighton, MA        0  00-00    0
Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 0   00-00
132. Craig Rexford          Grand Isle, VT           0  00-00    0
Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 0   00-00
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Totals
Day   #Limits    #Fish      Weight
1       126       648      1993-11
2       101       546      1705-14
----------------------------------
227      1194      3699-09

 

2024 Mercury B.A.S.S. Nation Qualifier at Lake Champlain presented by Lowrance 7/24-7/26
Lake Champlain, Plattsburgh  NY.
(NON_BOATER) Standings Day 2

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

1.  Guiseppe Andreoli      Foster, RI               6  22-00    0
Day 1: 3   10-13     Day 2: 3   11-03
2.  Ernest Weathersby      Leominster, MA           6  21-12    0
Day 1: 3   12-03     Day 2: 3   09-09
3.  Josh Giran             Elizabeth, PA            6  21-09    0
Day 1: 3   12-06     Day 2: 3   09-03
4.  Grant Fry              Bay City, MI             6  21-06    0
Day 1: 3   09-04     Day 2: 3   12-02
5.  Rob Ross               Hopedale, MA             6  20-07    0
Day 1: 3   07-14     Day 2: 3   12-09
6.  Conner Petropoulos     South Portland, ME       6  20-06    0
Day 1: 3   08-06     Day 2: 3   12-00
7.  Sophon Chhoeun         Fall River, MA           6  20-02    0
Day 1: 3   10-03     Day 2: 3   09-15
8.  Stephen Sanders        New Britain, CT          6  19-13    0
Day 1: 3   08-10     Day 2: 3   11-03
9.  Dylan Stowe            Weybridge, VT            6  19-12    0
Day 1: 3   08-14     Day 2: 3   10-14
10. Jacob Muir             Milford, DE              6  19-10    0
Day 1: 3   08-15     Day 2: 3   10-11
11. Brian Marino           Vineland, NJ             6  19-06    0
Day 1: 3   08-02     Day 2: 3   11-04
12. Vic Brown II           Glen Burnie, MD          6  18-13    0
Day 1: 3   07-06     Day 2: 3   11-07
13. Jake Minch             Stevens Point, WI        6  18-09    0
Day 1: 3   08-09     Day 2: 3   10-00
14. Joe Devoe              Aberdeen, MD             6  18-06    0
Day 1: 3   11-04     Day 2: 3   07-02
15. Dave Reed              Westminster, MD          6  18-05    0
Day 1: 3   07-10     Day 2: 3   10-11
16. Robert Rull Jr         Coventry, RI             6  18-03    0
Day 1: 3   10-13     Day 2: 3   07-06
17. Travis Rockett         Intervale, NH            6  18-00    0
Day 1: 3   09-09     Day 2: 3   08-07
18. JT Fitzgerald          Lincoln, DE              6  17-10    0
Day 1: 3   10-02     Day 2: 3   07-08
19. Mike Wotanowski        Lake Hopatcong, NJ       6  17-09    0
Day 1: 3   08-09     Day 2: 3   09-00
20. Wes Vyverberg          Rochester, NY            6  17-06    0
Day 1: 3   06-12     Day 2: 3   10-10
21. Zachary Catoe          Lancaster, SC            6  17-01    0     $250.00
Day 1: 3   10-03     Day 2: 3   06-14
22. Jeff Lin               Natick, MA               6  17-01    0     $250.00
Day 1: 3   08-09     Day 2: 3   08-08
23. Joe Sodora             Garfield, NJ             6  17-00    0     $250.00
Day 1: 3   09-02     Day 2: 3   07-14
24. Dale Libby             Buxton, ME               6  16-12    0     $250.00
Day 1: 3   08-15     Day 2: 3   07-13
25. Jp Harrell             Chevy Chase, MD          5  16-09    0     $250.00
Day 1: 2   04-13     Day 2: 3   11-12
26. Matt Belmore           Indian Lake, NY          5  16-07    0     $250.00
Day 1: 2   05-05     Day 2: 3   11-02
27. Jacob Nicholson        Burlington, MA           6  16-02    0     $250.00
Day 1: 3   09-15     Day 2: 3   06-03
28. Kendry Jerez           Paterson, NJ             6  16-00    0     $250.00
Day 1: 3   07-01     Day 2: 3   08-15
29. Scott Shrewsbury       Rocky Mount, NC          5  15-14    0     $250.00
Day 1: 2   04-07     Day 2: 3   11-07
30. Robert Mccoy           Mount Airy, MD           6  15-09    0     $250.00
Day 1: 3   09-11     Day 2: 3   05-14
31. Craig Winegardner      West River, MD           5  15-06    0
Day 1: 2   06-01     Day 2: 3   09-05
32. Cole Wessner           Southgate, KY            6  15-05    0
Day 1: 3   05-01     Day 2: 3   10-04
33. Brad Dekraai           Epsom, NH                6  15-03    0
Day 1: 3   07-07     Day 2: 3   07-12
34. Michael Griffiths      Cherry Tree, PA          6  15-03    0
Day 1: 3   07-10     Day 2: 3   07-09
35. Frank Campisi          Londonderry, NH          5  14-13    0
Day 1: 3   09-05     Day 2: 2   05-08
36. Zach Queeney           Atco, NJ                 6  14-11    0
Day 1: 3   07-01     Day 2: 3   07-10
37. Chris Newton           Whitesboro, NY           5  14-08    0
Day 1: 2   07-10     Day 2: 3   06-14
38. Michael Schrader       North Attleboro, MA      6  14-06    0
Day 1: 3   04-05     Day 2: 3   10-01
39. Garrett Sicely         Albany, VT               4  14-02    0
Day 1: 3   09-12     Day 2: 1   04-06
40. Michael Hunt           Watertown, NY            5  14-00    0
Day 1: 3   10-11     Day 2: 2   03-05
41. Jimmy  Eney            Baltimore, MD            5  14-00    0
Day 1: 2   04-11     Day 2: 3   09-05
42. Michael Stewart        Wrentham, MA             6  13-14    0
Day 1: 3   08-03     Day 2: 3   05-11
43. Roger Stahl JR         Ogdensburg, NY           6  12-12    0
Day 1: 3   07-01     Day 2: 3   05-11
44. John Nichols           Milford, DE              5  12-11    0
Day 1: 2   04-05     Day 2: 3   08-06
45. Tommy Kopach           Gansevoort, NY           6  12-10    0
Day 1: 3   06-06     Day 2: 3   06-04
46. Andrew Dick            Wilmington, DE           6  12-09    0
Day 1: 3   06-01     Day 2: 3   06-08
47. Steven Dorsey          Warwick, RI              4  12-07    0
Day 1: 3   09-07     Day 2: 1   03-00
48. Frank Moore            Topsham, ME              5  12-07    0
Day 1: 3   06-10     Day 2: 2   05-13
49. David Evans            Memphis, NY              6  12-03    0
Day 1: 3   06-12     Day 2: 3   05-07
50. John Hritsko           Northern Cambria, PA     4  11-15    0
Day 1: 1   02-15     Day 2: 3   09-00
51. Michael Caudle         Taunton, MA              5  11-14    0
Day 1: 2   05-06     Day 2: 3   06-08
52. Kevin Waden            Melrose, MA              5  11-09    0
Day 1: 2   02-13     Day 2: 3   08-12
53. Jeffrey Graiff         Vineland, NJ             5  11-06    0
Day 1: 2   02-14     Day 2: 3   08-08
54. James Blue             Canton, MA               4  11-03    0
Day 1: 1   03-04     Day 2: 3   07-15
55. David Pfeiffer         Milton Mills, NH         4  11-02    0
Day 1: 1   03-12     Day 2: 3   07-06
56. Lyn England            Danbury, NH              4  10-14    0
Day 1: 3   08-02     Day 2: 1   02-12
57. Ben Hilfrank           Falmouth, ME             4  10-11    0
Day 1: 3   08-02     Day 2: 1   02-09
58. Corey Thornton         Mcgraw, NY               5  10-07    0
Day 1: 3   06-09     Day 2: 2   03-14
59. Bryce Poulin           Lisbon, ME               3  10-05    0
Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 3   10-05
60. Jesse Manning          Athol, MA                5  10-05    0
Day 1: 3   04-11     Day 2: 2   05-10
61. Mike King              Lisbon, ME               4  10-02    0
Day 1: 1   01-08     Day 2: 3   08-10
62. Michael Briggs         N Providence, RI         3  09-15    0
Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 3   09-15
63. Evan Young             Hancock, ME              4  09-13    0
Day 1: 1   02-02     Day 2: 3   07-11
64. Frank  Wisneski        North Haven, CT          4  09-13    0
Day 1: 3   06-12     Day 2: 1   03-01
65. Ricardo Cruz           New York, NY             5  09-05    0
Day 1: 3   06-14     Day 2: 2   02-07
66. Warren Cooper          Utopia CANADA            3  09-01    0
Day 1: 3   09-01     Day 2: 0   00-00
67. Jim Short              Ocean Pines, MD          3  09-01    0
Day 1: 2   05-11     Day 2: 1   03-06
68. Frank Daniels          Dover, DE                3  09-00    0
Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 3   09-00
69. Randy Marshall Sr.     Belgrade, ME             3  08-05    0
Day 1: 3   08-05     Day 2: 0   00-00
70. Angela Mayo            Maiden, NC               4  08-05    0
Day 1: 1   00-14     Day 2: 3   07-07
71. Tim Jensen             Phelps, NY               3  08-04    0
Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 3   08-04
72. Jim Kline              Hagerstown, MD           4  08-04    0
Day 1: 1   00-15     Day 2: 3   07-05
73. Mark Ramquar           Dundalk, MD              5  08-04    0
Day 1: 2   02-11     Day 2: 3   05-09
74. Jim D'Ambra            Hanover, MA              3  08-01    0
Day 1: 3   08-01     Day 2: 0   00-00
75. David Fletcher         Paterson, NJ             4  08-01    0
Day 1: 1   00-13     Day 2: 3   07-04
76. Philip Sheehan         Lynn, MA                 3  07-15    0
Day 1: 3   07-15     Day 2: 0   00-00
77. Steven Davis           Dover, PA                4  07-03    0
Day 1: 1   01-09     Day 2: 3   05-10
78. Gary Rondeau           Charlestown, RI          3  07-00    0
Day 1: 3   07-00     Day 2: 0   00-00
79. Zachary Grose          Huntingdon, PA           3  06-11    0
Day 1: 1   01-13     Day 2: 2   04-14
80. Olivia Baroffio        Burlington, VT           3  06-05    0
Day 1: 3   06-05     Day 2: 0   00-00
81. Scott Suckman          Hudson Falls, NY         2  06-04    0
Day 1: 2   06-04     Day 2: 0   00-00
82. Dwayne Turnage         Hollis, ME               2  05-06    0
Day 1: 2   05-06     Day 2: 0   00-00
83. Darryl Hunt            Haddonfield, NJ          2  05-02    0
Day 1: 2   05-02     Day 2: 0   00-00
84. Joseph Raguzin         Carmel, NY               2  03-15    0
Day 1: 2   03-15     Day 2: 0   00-00
85. Stanley Gshinsky       Pittsburgh, PA           1  03-13    0
Day 1: 1   03-13     Day 2: 0   00-00
86. Scott Himmelfarb       Poolesville, MD          2  03-03    0
Day 1: 2   03-03     Day 2: 0   00-00
87. Jerry Brown Jr         Hagerstown, MD           2  02-06    0
Day 1: 2   02-06     Day 2: 0   00-00
88. Mark Wisinski          Stevenson Point, WI      1  02-05    0
Day 1: 1   02-05     Day 2: 0   00-00
89. Skip Hinkley           Richmond, ME             0  00-00    0
Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 0   00-00
89. Devon Kitson           Montclair , NJ           0  00-00    0
Day 1: 0   00-00
89. Justin Mccarthy        Tiverton, RI             0  00-00    0
Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 0   00-00
89. Lewis Mendall          Winthrop, MA             0  00-00    0
Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 0   00-00
89. Dave Metivier          Gray, ME                 0  00-00    0
Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 0   00-00
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Totals
Day   #Limits    #Fish      Weight
1        54       210       557-15
2        61       203       581-07
----------------------------------
115       413      1139-06


BoatUS Foundation Opens Grant Program for $7.5M Effort to Remove Abandoned and Derelict Vessels (ADVs) from Nation’s Waterways

Organizations have from now until August 12 to apply for grant funding to clean up local waterways
SPRINGFIELD, VA., July 25, 2024—In a nationwide effort to remove abandoned and neglected boats to help clean our nation’s waterways and make them safer for years to come, the Boat Owners Association of the United States (BoatUS) Foundation is seeking qualified, diverse and experienced organizations to submit project proposals for funding through Aug. 12.
BoatUS has secured a $10 million grant from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Marine Debris Program, with funding provided by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, to fuel this major abandoned and derelict vessels (ADVs) cleanup effort in U.S. coastal waterways and the Great Lakes
“This grant enables the BoatUS Foundation to use our expertise and build upon years of experience with ADV removals,” said BoatUS Foundation Director of Outreach and Grant Programs, Alanna Keating. “This is a unique program that is open to any organization, nonprofit or for-profit, as well as local, state, territorial, tribal, and regional government agencies that could provide them a way to start clearing ADVs clogging up their local waterways.”
ADVs litter ports, waterways, and estuaries all over the country and can cause major problems. These boats can crush or smother sensitive plants and corals, leach fuel and other pollutants into the water, threaten safe navigation, and contribute to economic losses. Removing ADVs is a costly effort, often averaging more than $24,000 to remove a single boat. For many communities, there may be no local funding for removal of vessels, and navigating funding programs can be challenging for communities with limited time or resources.
What information is needed to apply?
Organizations are invited to apply for ADV removal funds by submitting a letter of intent that Includes the following information:
  • Body of water from which the debris will be removed
  • The purpose of the project and the planned steps to complete it
  • Anticipated outcomes of the project on the environment and the community
  • How diversity, equity, justice and inclusion will be part of the project
  • Project budget and expenses to be covered by the grant funding
  •  Authorizations and/or permits needed to complete the work
Priority will be given to projects that include input from and benefit tribal, underserved, or low-income communities; demonstrate strong community support; benefit marine animals and their habitats, local coastal communities, and/or local economies; and include local outreach and education activities directed toward the boating community and general public to prevent abandoned and derelict vessels.
More information on how to apply and grant guidelines can be found at BoatUS.org/advgrant.
The goal of this BoatUS Foundation program is to improve U.S. coastal and Great Lakes waters affected by ADVs and create a first-of-its-kind national online database to track ADV location and removal efforts. By removing the associated pollution, navigation and safety hazards ADVs can cause in waters for years, the 20-75 awardees of this grant program will have a lasting, positive impact on the environment and our waters locally and nationally for years to come.
About the BoatUS Foundation for Boating Safety and Clean Water:
BoatUS Foundation is leading a nationally competitive grant program for the removal of abandoned and derelict vessels throughout coastal and marine areas of the United States, including the Great Lakes, U.S. territories, and Freely Associated States. This project is supported by the NOAA Marine Debris Program with funding provided by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. In an effort to help educate and prevent future ADVs, the Foundation will also create a national ADV database to track the scope of the challenge and measure success, document ADV prevention and removal activities to share with the public, and support a national dialogue and education efforts on boating-related debris removal, with an added focus on how ADVs impact waters in underserved communities. Learn more about the Marine Debris Program by visiting marinedebris.noaa.gov .

Bill Dance Signature Lakes signs as sponsor of 2024 Strike King Bassmaster High School National Championship

July 25, 2024

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — B.A.S.S. has announced a partnership with Bill Dance Signature Lakes to help connect the world’s most-loved angler with some of Tennessee’s greatest natural resources — its lakes.

The Bill Dance Signature Lakes program’s goal is to make Tennessee a best-in-class destination for anglers worldwide — beginners, experts and every skill level in between.

As part of the partnership, Bill Dance Signature Lakes also is sponsoring the 2024 Strike King Bassmaster High School National Championship presented by Bill Dance Signature Lakes at Chickamauga Lake in Dayton, Tenn., Aug. 1-3.

“We’re excited to partner with Bill Dance Signature Lakes for the High School National Championship,” said B.A.S.S. CEO Chase Anderson. “B.A.S.S. is proud to honor Bill’s legacy, and the partnership with his Signature Lakes program will benefit anglers not just in Tennessee, but anglers worldwide as they discover some of the best bodies of water in the United States.”

“We’re excited about the partnership with B.A.S.S. and couldn’t think of a better partner to join forces with to showcase the Bill Dance Signature Lakes project,” said Tennessee Department of Tourist Development Chief Customer Officer Dennis Tumlin. “And Chickamauga Lake is a great highlight of the amazing fisheries in Tennessee that are part of the project.”

Ten large reservoirs feature Bill Dance Signature Lake access points constructed to a standard of excellence endorsed and designed by Bill Dance Outdoors in collaboration with Tennessee Wildlife Resources AgencyTennessee State Parks and Tennessee Department of Tourist Development. These 10 reservoirs include “Bill Dance Signature Lake access areas” with new or improved assets driving economic activity year-round for each surrounding community.

In addition, four “small venue” lakes entice anglers of all ages and experience levels to enjoy the outdoors while experiencing an above-average catch rate.

The Signature Lakes include:

  • 10 large reservoirs - Chickamauga Lake, Dale Hollow Lake, Douglas Lake, Kentucky Lake, Norris Lake, Old Hickory Lake, Pickwick Lake, Reelfoot Lake, Tims Ford Lake and Watauga Lake.
  • Four “small venue lakes” – Brown's Creek Lake, Fall Creek Falls Lake, Herb Parsons Lake and Lake Halford.

About Bill Dance

Bill Dance, professional bass fishing’s first superstar, began competing — and winning — in bass tournaments in the early 1960s. With more than 2,000 shows under his belt since 1968, he has educated millions of fishing enthusiasts as host and producer of Bill Dance Outdoors and Bill Dance Saltwater, airing respectively on the Outdoor Channel and Sportsman Channel. Dance oversees a fishing empire from his production studio in Collierville, Tenn., that includes his TV shows, tackle endorsements, how-to seminars, and a series of popular “blooper” videos. Dance has written seven books and his articles have been published in Sports AfieldField & StreamBassmaster® Magazine, Outdoor Life and more.

Bill Dance’s accomplishments, techniques and fishing savvy have been recognized through countless awards alongside a fishing career that encompasses 23 national B.A.S.S. titles, three Bassmaster Angler of the Year titles, 52 Top 10 B.A.S.S. finishes and eight Bassmaster Classic qualifications. Country superstar Luke Bryan celebrated the fishing legend in 2020 with the release of his song titled “Bill Dance.” In 2021, Dance received his honorary doctorate from the University of Tennessee for his outstanding contributions to the sport. For more than five decades, Bill Dance has served as an ambassador to the state of Tennessee, always filmed or photographed wearing his trademark orange and white University of Tennessee cap.

About B.A.S.S.
B.A.S.S., which encompasses the Bassmaster tournament leagues, events and media platforms, is the worldwide authority on bass fishing and keeper of the culture of the sport, providing cutting edge content on bass fishing whenever, wherever and however bass fishing fans want to use it. Headquartered in Birmingham, Ala., the 500,000-member organization’s fully integrated media platforms include the industry’s leading magazines (Bassmaster and B.A.S.S. Times), website (Bassmaster.com), TV show, radio show, social media programs and events. For more than 50 years, B.A.S.S. has been dedicated to access, conservation and youth fishing.

The Bassmaster Tournament Trail includes the most prestigious events at each level of competition, including the Bassmaster Elite Series, St. Croix Bassmaster Opens Series presented by SEVIIN, Mercury B.A.S.S. Nation Qualifier Series presented by Lowrance, Strike King Bassmaster College Series presented by Bass Pro Shops, Strike King Bassmaster High School Series, Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Team Championship, Yamaha Rightwaters Bassmaster Kayak Series scored by TourneyX, Yamaha Bassmaster Redfish Cup Championship presented by Skeeter and the ultimate celebration of competitive fishing, the Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Classic presented by Jockey Outdoors.

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Connect with #Bassmaster on FacebookInstagramTwitter and TikTok.

Media Contact: Chad Gay, Communications Manager, 205-313-0945, [email protected]


Largemouth carry Appaluccio to Day 1 lead in B.A.S.S. Nation Qualifier at Lake Champlain

July 24, 2024

Nation_Mercury_Lowrance_4C_Raster.png

PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. — Frankie Appaluccio has fished Lake Champlain for years, but Day 1 of the Mercury B.A.S.S. Nation Qualifier presented by Lowrance was his best outing so far.

With a 24-pound, 5-ounce limit of largemouth, anchored by a 6-15 Phoenix Boats Big Bass, the New Jersey boater holds a 2-pound, 1-ounce lead over Delaware’s Craig Morris in the final Nation Qualifier of the 2024 season.

The former University of Alabama angler has been visiting Lake Champlain since he was a child. Now 33, Appaluccio’s final tally on Day 1 was his best performance on the famous fishery that straddles the New York/Vermont border.

“This was my best tournament day for sure,” the Ogdensburg, N.J., angler said. “Probably my best day in general, too. I’ve been coming up here since I was 10 years old, and everyone who knows me has been on those vacations and knows all of these spots. They weren’t surprised about the bigger fish, but they were surprised by the amount of big fish on the same day.”

A fishery dominated by smallmouth in recent years, Lake Champlain kicked out many quality bags of largemouth bass on Day 1. That was due in part to the increase in wind speed during the day, which rose to around 20 mph by the afternoon ahead of a cluster of storms. Wind will also play a factor on Day 2 as forecasts call for even gustier breezes.

Despite the tough fishing conditions, 11 bags of 20 pounds or better were brought to the stage by boaters and 28 bags of more than 18 pounds were caught.

What Appaluccio did on Thursday morning was not in his original gameplan. But looking at the forecast with his travel partner the night before, he decided to pivot and make a run to one of his largemouth areas north of takeoff.

“I made a gametime decision and it paid off, clearly,” he said. “My backup plan was largemouth. But I knew I needed to hit them first.”

One bait produced the bulk of his bag by 10 a.m., but Appaluccio was able to make several key culls along the way, including a 5½-pounder he saw chasing rock bass before catching it with a bait he rarely uses.

“My co-angler was like, ‘I can’t believe that just happened,’” he said. “This was the craziest day of fishing ever.”

While there is always the potential to catch big largemouth at Champlain, Appaluccio knows it can also be inconsistent. He isn’t exactly sure what type of quality is left in his primary spot, but he does have smallmouth areas to target if the weather allows.

“I’d love to fish my smallie stuff, but I didn’t need to do that today. I wasn’t going to be catching smallmouth that big.”

Morris, meanwhile, has only been to Lake Champlain once in his life. But the Ocean City, Del., angler applied some of his tidal water skills and overcame motor issues to find success on Day 1.

“I had a late draw this morning and decided to go for green fish just because of my poor draw,” he said. “I ran north and had motor troubles. I decided to not move from one of my primary areas. I probably had 19 pounds at 8 o’clock this morning. I culled little bits here and there and it worked out. I stayed until about 1:30 just so I could try and make it back.”

In total, he estimated he caught more than 120 largemouth, as well as 40 pike, during the day in one large area of the lake. One specific type of vegetation in one specific depth range produced the majority of his quality bass, including a 5-5. All of the bass in his final limit were caught using one bait.

“The depth range is critical to the size of the bass, and the type of vegetation that is there is different than 90 percent of what you find on the lake,” he said. “I sure hope it will happen again tomorrow. It is a big area, and I didn’t have much traffic (around).”

Dan Tavilla of Portsmouth, N.H., is third in the boater standings with 21-2 followed by Jacob Swanson from Massachusetts in fourth with 20-14 and New York’s Cody Peryea in fifth with 20-13.

Josh Giran of Elizabeth, Pa., leads the nonboater division with a three-bass limit weighing 12-6. Ernest Weathersby of Leominster, Mass., is second with 12-3 and Maryland’s Joe Devoe is third with 11-4. New York’s Michael Hunt caught the Big Bass of the Day, a 4-12.

The full field is scheduled to launch from Plattsburgh City Marina beginning at 6 a.m. ET and return for weigh-in at 2 p.m. The field will be cut to the Top 20 boaters and nonboaters after the Day 2 weigh-in, and those anglers will punch their tickets to the Mercury B.A.S.S. Nation Championship presented by Lowrance scheduled for Grand Lake Nov. 6-8.

The Adirondack Coast is hosting the tournament.

2024 Bassmaster Nation Series Title Sponsor: Mercury

2024 Bassmaster Nation Series Presenting Sponsor: Lowrance

2024 Bassmaster Nation Series Platinum Sponsor: Toyota
2024 Bassmaster Nation Series Premier Sponsors: Bass Pro Shops, Dakota Lithium, Humminbird, Mercury, Minn Kota, Nitro Boats, Power-Pole, Progressive Insurance, Ranger Boats, Rapala, Skeeter Boats, Yamaha
2024 Bassmaster Nation Series Supporting Sponsors: AFTCO, Daiwa, Garmin, Lew's, Lowrance, Marathon, Triton Boats, VMC

2024 Bassmaster Nation Series Youth Sponsors: Seaguar, Shimano

About B.A.S.S.B.A.S.S., which encompasses the Bassmaster tournament leagues, events and media platforms, is the worldwide authority on bass fishing and keeper of the culture of the sport, providing cutting-edge content on bass fishing whenever, wherever and however bass fishing fans want to use it. Headquartered in Birmingham, Ala., the 500,000-member organization’s fully integrated media platforms include the industry’s leading magazines (Bassmaster and B.A.S.S. Times), website (Bassmaster.com), TV show, radio show, social media programs and events. For more than 50 years, B.A.S.S. has been dedicated to access, conservation and youth fishing.

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Connect with #Bassmaster on FacebookInstagramTwitter and TikTok.

Media Contact: Chad Gay, Communications Manager, 205-313-0945, cgay@bassmaster.com

 

2024 Mercury B.A.S.S. Nation Qualifier at Lake Champlain presented by Lowrance 7/24-7/26
Lake Champlain, Plattsburgh  NY.
(BOATER) Standings Day 1

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

1.  Frankie Appaluccio     Ogdensburg, NJ           5  24-05    0
Day 1: 5   24-05
2.  Craig Morris           Ocean City, DE           5  22-04    0
Day 1: 5   22-04
3.  Dan Tavilla            Portsmouth, NH           5  21-02    0
Day 1: 5   21-02
4.  Jacob Swanson          Framingham, MA           5  20-14    0
Day 1: 5   20-14
5.  Cody Peryea            Altona, NY               5  20-13    0
Day 1: 5   20-13
6.  Anthony Lorefice Jr    Johnson City, NY         5  20-08    0
Day 1: 5   20-08
7.  Matt Pangrac           Shawnee, OK              5  20-07    0
Day 1: 5   20-07
7.  Joshua Smith           Coventry, RI             5  20-07    0
Day 1: 5   20-07
9.  J Judd                 Saint Albans, VT         5  20-05    0
Day 1: 5   20-05
10. David Torres II        Fallston, MD             5  20-02    0
Day 1: 5   20-02
11. Robert Williamson II   Gorham, ME               5  20-00    0
Day 1: 5   20-00
12. Rich Ortiz             Fort Ann, NY             5  19-07    0
Day 1: 5   19-07
13. Ty Austin              Rush, NY                 5  19-07    0
Day 1: 5   19-07
14. Daniel Gray            Butler, PA               5  19-05    0
Day 1: 5   19-05
15. Chris Guncheon         Warwick, RI              5  19-05    0
Day 1: 5   19-05
16. Connor Jacob           Auburn, AL               5  19-02    0
Day 1: 5   19-02
17. Dylan Dew              Valencia , PA            5  19-00    0
Day 1: 5   19-00
18. Justin Yenter          Stevens Point, WI        5  18-14    0
Day 1: 5   18-14
19. David Mathieu          Woodstock, CT            5  18-12    0
Day 1: 5   18-12
20. Paul Baker             New Fairfield, CT        5  18-10    0
Day 1: 5   18-10
21. Addison Kelly          Queensbury, NY           5  18-10    0
Day 1: 5   18-10
22. Jay Walls              Milford, DE              5  18-08    0
Day 1: 5   18-08
23. Brennan Chuprinko      Flanders, NJ             5  18-07    0
Day 1: 5   18-07
24. Brian La Clair         Denton, MD               5  18-06    0
Day 1: 5   18-06
25. Jed Worthington        Eden Mills, VT           5  18-06    0
Day 1: 5   18-06
26. Jonathan Carter        Portland, ME             5  18-04    0
Day 1: 5   18-04
26. Chase Loftus           Iowa City, IA            5  18-04    0
Day 1: 5   18-04
28. Bret Winegardner       Swanton, MD              5  18-02    0
Day 1: 5   18-02
29. Joseph Tefft           Fort Edward, NY          5  17-14    0
Day 1: 5   17-14
30. Mark Hogan             Milford, DE              5  17-10    0
Day 1: 5   17-10
30. Keith Poulin           Lisbon, ME               5  17-10    0
Day 1: 5   17-10
32. Mikey Mello Jr         Manville, RI             5  17-08    0
Day 1: 5   17-08
33. Mark Burgess           Norton, MA               5  17-06    0
Day 1: 5   17-06
33. Matthew Lazor          Evans City, PA           5  17-06    0
Day 1: 5   17-06
33. Fabian Rodriguez       Ocean City, MD           5  17-06    0
Day 1: 5   17-06
36. Anthony Dulac          Harpswell, ME            5  17-06    0
Day 1: 5   17-06
37. Cam Sterritt           Newfields, NH            5  17-04    0
Day 1: 5   17-04
38. Josh Cotier            Clinton, MA              5  16-15    0
Day 1: 5   16-15
39. TJ McKenzie            Andrews, SC              5  16-13    0
Day 1: 5   16-13
40. Randy Huffman          Charleston, WV           5  16-09    0
Day 1: 5   16-09
41. Jeffrey Davis Jr       Wendell, NC              5  16-06    0
Day 1: 5   16-06
42. Joe McClosky           Swanton, MD              5  16-05    0
Day 1: 5   16-05
43. Sheron Brown Sr        Leominster, MA           5  16-05    0
Day 1: 5   16-05
44. Travis Lepage          Lewiston, ME             5  16-04    0
Day 1: 5   16-04
45. Trevor Topken          Hickory, NC              5  16-04    0
Day 1: 5   16-04
46. Phil Curtis            Rosseau ONTARIO CANADA   5  16-03    0
Day 1: 5   16-03
47. Ben Hale               Rowley, MA               5  16-02    0
Day 1: 5   16-02
48. Scott Robert           Greene, ME               5  16-02    0
Day 1: 5   16-02
49. Bradley Baxter         Willshire, OH            5  16-00    0
Day 1: 5   16-00
50. Brandon Mosley         Harrah, OK               5  16-00    0
Day 1: 5   16-00
51. Kevin Clark            Westport, MA             5  15-15    0
Day 1: 5   15-15
52. Colin Gaudette         Saint Albans, VT         5  15-14    0
Day 1: 5   15-14
53. Steven Griffith        Schellsburg, PA          5  15-10    0
Day 1: 5   15-10
54. Corey Gillis           Ayer, MA                 5  15-09    0
Day 1: 5   15-09
55. Ryan Smith             Galloway, NJ             5  15-07    0
Day 1: 5   15-07
55. Brent Valere           Mississauga CANADA       5  15-07    0
Day 1: 5   15-07
57. John Mayo              Maiden, NC               5  15-05    0
Day 1: 5   15-05
57. Martin Osborne         Glen Burnie, MD          5  15-05    0
Day 1: 5   15-05
59. Casey Baroffio         Northfield, VT           5  15-04    0
Day 1: 5   15-04
59. Carson Forrester       Chambersburg, PA         5  15-04    0
Day 1: 5   15-04
61. Robert Bordeaux III    Williston, VT            5  15-02    0
Day 1: 5   15-02
62. Michael Trimarchi      Peabody, MA              5  15-01    0
Day 1: 5   15-01
63. Darryl Halbert         Enoree, SC               5  14-14    0
Day 1: 5   14-14
64. Ross Bartolo           Caesarea CANADA          5  14-13    0
Day 1: 5   14-13
64. Austin Littler         Camden, NY               5  14-13    0
Day 1: 5   14-13
64. Max Meister            Atco, NJ                 5  14-13    0
Day 1: 5   14-13
64. Mason Phillpotts       Fenton, MI               5  14-13    0
Day 1: 5   14-13
64. Brian Wisniewski       Allentown, PA            5  14-13    0
Day 1: 5   14-13
69. Jason Muir             Milford, DE              5  14-12    0
Day 1: 5   14-12
70. Michael Adams          Portland, ME             5  14-12    0
Day 1: 5   14-12
71. Louis Monetti          Brielle, NJ              5  14-11    0
Day 1: 5   14-11
71. Robert Ramasci         Wakefield, MA            5  14-11    0
Day 1: 5   14-11
71. Jeff Salmon            Mechanicsville, VA       5  14-11    0
Day 1: 5   14-11
74. John Rottman           Dudley, MA               5  14-10    0
Day 1: 5   14-10
75. Scott Kerslake         Okeechobee, FL           5  14-09    0
Day 1: 5   14-09
76. Scott Rondeau          Charlestown, RI          5  14-08    0
Day 1: 5   14-08
77. Chris Groman           Whiting, VT              5  14-07    0
Day 1: 5   14-07
78. Jacob Marcantonio      Moosup, CT               5  14-07    0
Day 1: 5   14-07
79. Jared Leicht           Millville, NJ            5  14-06    0
Day 1: 5   14-06
79. Jeffrey Patch          Rutland, VT              5  14-06    0
Day 1: 5   14-06
79. Steve Wilson           East Waterboro, ME       5  14-06    0
Day 1: 5   14-06
82. Chris Washinger        Chambersburg, PA         5  14-05    0
Day 1: 5   14-05
83. John Fitzgerald        Salisbury, VT            5  14-05    0
Day 1: 5   14-05
84. Butch Marietta Jr      Hunker, PA               5  14-04    0
Day 1: 5   14-04
85. Johnathan Sheehan      Lynn, MA                 5  14-04    0
Day 1: 5   14-04
86. RJ Ricci               Cranston, RI             5  14-04    0
Day 1: 5   14-04
87. Matt Mosby             Dryden, MI               5  14-03    0
Day 1: 5   14-03
88. Keith Aucoin           Hollis Center, ME        5  14-01    0
Day 1: 5   14-01
88. Dennis Rocheford       Pembroke, NH             5  14-01    0
Day 1: 5   14-01
90. Eric Low               Buxton, ME               5  13-15    0
Day 1: 5   13-15
91. Robert Batchelder Jr   Mechanicville, NY        5  13-11    0
Day 1: 5   13-11
92. Ed Powell              Sandyville, WV           5  13-11    0
Day 1: 5   13-11
93. Ed Lapierre            Lebanon, ME              5  13-09    0
Day 1: 5   13-09
94. Jeff Jensen            Beech Creek, PA          5  13-07    0
Day 1: 5   13-07
95. Thomas Waltz           St. Albans, VT           4  13-07    0
Day 1: 4   13-07
96. John Roth              Lawrenceburg, IN         5  13-06    0
Day 1: 5   13-06
96. Andrew Sams            Easton, MD               5  13-06    0
Day 1: 5   13-06
98. David Maiorano         Durham, CT               5  13-05    0
Day 1: 5   13-05
99. Peter Owen Jr          Barnstead, NH            5  13-04    0
Day 1: 5   13-04
100. Randy Kukral           Chagrin Falls, OH        5  13-03    0
Day 1: 5   13-03
101. Tim Dubuc              Bowdoinham, ME           5  13-02    0
Day 1: 5   13-02
102. Trevor Poulin          Nashua, NH               5  13-01    0
Day 1: 5   13-01
103. Nausori Osasa          Grand Isle, VT           5  12-14    0
Day 1: 5   12-14
104. Evan Poroznik          Nestleton Station Ontar  5  12-13    0
Day 1: 5   12-13
105. Craig Castro           North Attleboro, MA      5  12-12    0
Day 1: 5   12-12
106. Jeremy Sadowski        Voluntown, CT            5  12-11    0
Day 1: 5   12-11
107. Dylan Minch            Stevens Point, WI        4  12-10    0
Day 1: 4   12-10
108. Kevin Wilkes           Ballston Lake,, NY       5  12-07    0
Day 1: 5   12-07
109. Steven Kotvas          Apollo, PA               5  12-06    0
Day 1: 5   12-06
110. Randy Elliott          Severn, MD               5  12-05    0
Day 1: 5   12-05
111. Erick Markstaller      New Milford, CT          5  12-04    0
Day 1: 5   12-04
112. Chris Ogan             Bixby, OK                5  12-01    0
Day 1: 5   12-01
113. Frank Ramsey           Spring Grove, IL         5  12-01    0
Day 1: 5   12-01
114. Tony Despot II         Monroeville, PA          5  11-14    0
Day 1: 5   11-14
115. Robert Smith           Farmington, ME           5  11-11    0
Day 1: 5   11-11
116. Jeffrey Perron         South Berwick, ME        5  11-10    0
Day 1: 5   11-10
117. Neal Wisinski          Stevens Point, WI        5  11-09    0
Day 1: 5   11-09
118. Brian Hensley          Edwardsburg, MI          5  11-06    0
Day 1: 5   11-06
119. Nick Lepone            Fieldsboro, NJ           5  11-05    0
Day 1: 5   11-05
119. Mike Morris            Dover, DE                5  11-05    0
Day 1: 5   11-05
121. Kirk Smith             Edmond, OK               5  11-02    0
Day 1: 5   11-02
122. Tony Kibler            Milford, DE              5  11-01    0
Day 1: 5   11-01
123. Woody McKechnie        Lynn , MA                5  10-11    0
Day 1: 5   10-11
124. Chris McCarthy         Woonsocket, RI           5  10-00    0
Day 1: 5   10-00
125. Stefan Lillios         Loudon, NH               4  09-12    0
Day 1: 4   09-12
126. William Barrett        Bridgewater, MA          5  09-11    0
Day 1: 5   09-11
127. Roger LaFlamme Jr      Lyman, ME                5  09-07    0
Day 1: 5   09-07
128. Clayton Grimm          Mechanic Falls, ME       5  09-07    0
Day 1: 5   09-07
129. Cameron Creamer        Bremen, ME               5  08-09    0
Day 1: 5   08-09
130. Arthur Magurn          Lunenburg, MA            3  07-12    0
Day 1: 3   07-12
131. Derek Severns          Carnegie, PA             3  07-01    0
Day 1: 3   07-01
132. Steve Deguzis          Bristol, CT              0  00-00    0
Day 1: 0   00-00
132. Henry Fristik          Blandford, MA            0  00-00    0
Day 1: 0   00-00
132. Josh Giroldi           Beachville CANADA        0  00-00    0
Day 1: 0   00-00
132. Eric Johnson           Kingston, MA             0  00-00    0
Day 1: 0   00-00
132. Alex Legg              Milford, DE              0  00-00    0
Day 1: 0   00-00
132. Joe Raposo             North Dighton, MA        0  00-00    0
Day 1: 0   00-00
132. Craig Rexford          Grand Isle, VT           0  00-00    0
Day 1: 0   00-00
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Totals
Day   #Limits    #Fish      Weight
1       126       648      1993-11
----------------------------------
126       648      1993-11

 

2024 Mercury B.A.S.S. Nation Qualifier at Lake Champlain presented by Lowrance 7/24-7/26
Lake Champlain, Plattsburgh  NY.
(NON_BOATER) Standings Day 1

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

1.  Josh Giran             Elizabeth, PA            3  12-06    0
Day 1: 3   12-06
2.  Ernest Weathersby      Leominster, MA           3  12-03    0
Day 1: 3   12-03
3.  Joe Devoe              Aberdeen, MD             3  11-04    0
Day 1: 3   11-04
4.  Guiseppe Andreoli      Foster, RI               3  10-13    0
Day 1: 3   10-13
4.  Robert Rull Jr         Coventry, RI             3  10-13    0
Day 1: 3   10-13
6.  Michael Hunt           Watertown, NY            3  10-11    0
Day 1: 3   10-11
7.  Zachary Catoe          Lancaster, SC            3  10-03    0
Day 1: 3   10-03
7.  Sophon Chhoeun         Fall River, MA           3  10-03    0
Day 1: 3   10-03
9.  JT Fitzgerald          Lincoln, DE              3  10-02    0
Day 1: 3   10-02
10. Jacob Nicholson        Burlington, MA           3  09-15    0
Day 1: 3   09-15
11. Garrett Sicely         Albany, VT               3  09-12    0
Day 1: 3   09-12
12. Robert Mccoy           Mount Airy, MD           3  09-11    0
Day 1: 3   09-11
13. Travis Rockett         Intervale, NH            3  09-09    0
Day 1: 3   09-09
14. Steven Dorsey          Warwick, RI              3  09-07    0
Day 1: 3   09-07
15. Frank Campisi          Londonderry, NH          3  09-05    0
Day 1: 3   09-05
16. Grant Fry              Bay City, MI             3  09-04    0
Day 1: 3   09-04
17. Joe Sodora             Garfield, NJ             3  09-02    0
Day 1: 3   09-02
18. Warren Cooper          Utopia CANADA            3  09-01    0
Day 1: 3   09-01
19. Jacob Muir             Milford, DE              3  08-15    0
Day 1: 3   08-15
20. Dale Libby             Buxton, ME               3  08-15    0
Day 1: 3   08-15
21. Dylan Stowe            Weybridge, VT            3  08-14    0
Day 1: 3   08-14
22. Stephen Sanders        New Britain, CT          3  08-10    0
Day 1: 3   08-10
23. Jeff Lin               Natick, MA               3  08-09    0
Day 1: 3   08-09
23. Jake Minch             Stevens Point, WI        3  08-09    0
Day 1: 3   08-09
23. Mike Wotanowski        Lake Hopatcong, NJ       3  08-09    0
Day 1: 3   08-09
26. Conner Petropoulos     South Portland, ME       3  08-06    0
Day 1: 3   08-06
27. Randy Marshall Sr.     Belgrade, ME             3  08-05    0
Day 1: 3   08-05
28. Michael Stewart        Wrentham, MA             3  08-03    0
Day 1: 3   08-03
29. Lyn England            Danbury, NH              3  08-02    0
Day 1: 3   08-02
29. Ben Hilfrank           Falmouth, ME             3  08-02    0
Day 1: 3   08-02
29. Brian Marino           Vineland, NJ             3  08-02    0
Day 1: 3   08-02
32. Jim D'Ambra            Hanover, MA              3  08-01    0
Day 1: 3   08-01
33. Philip Sheehan         Lynn, MA                 3  07-15    0
Day 1: 3   07-15
34. Rob Ross               Hopedale, MA             3  07-14    0
Day 1: 3   07-14
35. Michael Griffiths      Cherry Tree, PA          3  07-10    0
Day 1: 3   07-10
35. Dave Reed              Westminster, MD          3  07-10    0
Day 1: 3   07-10
37. Chris Newton           Whitesboro, NY           2  07-10    0
Day 1: 2   07-10
38. Brad Dekraai           Epsom, NH                3  07-07    0
Day 1: 3   07-07
39. Vic Brown II           Glen Burnie, MD          3  07-06    0
Day 1: 3   07-06
40. Kendry Jerez           Paterson, NJ             3  07-01    0
Day 1: 3   07-01
40. Zach Queeney           Atco, NJ                 3  07-01    0
Day 1: 3   07-01
40. Roger Stahl JR         Ogdensburg, NY           3  07-01    0
Day 1: 3   07-01
43. Gary Rondeau           Charlestown, RI          3  07-00    0
Day 1: 3   07-00
44. Ricardo Cruz           New York, NY             3  06-14    0
Day 1: 3   06-14
45. David Evans            Memphis, NY              3  06-12    0
Day 1: 3   06-12
45. Wes Vyverberg          Rochester, NY            3  06-12    0
Day 1: 3   06-12
47. Frank  Wisneski        North Haven, CT          3  06-12    0
Day 1: 3   06-12
48. Frank Moore            Topsham, ME              3  06-10    0
Day 1: 3   06-10
49. Corey Thornton         Mcgraw, NY               3  06-09    0
Day 1: 3   06-09
50. Tommy Kopach           Gansevoort, NY           3  06-06    0
Day 1: 3   06-06
51. Olivia Baroffio        Burlington, VT           3  06-05    0
Day 1: 3   06-05
52. Scott Suckman          Hudson Falls, NY         2  06-04    0
Day 1: 2   06-04
53. Andrew Dick            Wilmington, DE           3  06-01    0
Day 1: 3   06-01
54. Craig Winegardner      West River, MD           2  06-01    0
Day 1: 2   06-01
55. Jim Short              Ocean Pines, MD          2  05-11    0
Day 1: 2   05-11
56. Michael Caudle         Taunton, MA              2  05-06    0
Day 1: 2   05-06
56. Dwayne Turnage         Hollis, ME               2  05-06    0
Day 1: 2   05-06
58. Matt Belmore           Indian Lake, NY          2  05-05    0
Day 1: 2   05-05
59. Darryl Hunt            Haddonfield, NJ          2  05-02    0
Day 1: 2   05-02
60. Cole Wessner           Southgate, KY            3  05-01    0
Day 1: 3   05-01
61. Jp Harrell             Chevy Chase, MD          2  04-13    0
Day 1: 2   04-13
62. Jesse Manning          Athol, MA                3  04-11    0
Day 1: 3   04-11
63. Jimmy  Eney            Baltimore, MD            2  04-11    0
Day 1: 2   04-11
64. Scott Shrewsbury       Rocky Mount, NC          2  04-07    0
Day 1: 2   04-07
65. Michael Schrader       North Attleboro, MA      3  04-05    0
Day 1: 3   04-05
66. John Nichols           Milford, DE              2  04-05    0
Day 1: 2   04-05
67. Joseph Raguzin         Carmel, NY               2  03-15    0
Day 1: 2   03-15
68. Stanley Gshinsky       Pittsburgh, PA           1  03-13    0
Day 1: 1   03-13
69. David Pfeiffer         Milton Mills, NH         1  03-12    0
Day 1: 1   03-12
70. James Blue             Canton, MA               1  03-04    0
Day 1: 1   03-04
71. Scott Himmelfarb       Poolesville, MD          2  03-03    0
Day 1: 2   03-03
72. John Hritsko           Northern Cambria, PA     1  02-15    0
Day 1: 1   02-15
73. Jeffrey Graiff         Vineland, NJ             2  02-14    0
Day 1: 2   02-14
74. Kevin Waden            Melrose, MA              2  02-13    0
Day 1: 2   02-13
75. Mark Ramquar           Dundalk, MD              2  02-11    0
Day 1: 2   02-11
76. Jerry Brown Jr         Hagerstown, MD           2  02-06    0
Day 1: 2   02-06
77. Mark Wisinski          Stevenson Point, WI      1  02-05    0
Day 1: 1   02-05
78. Evan Young             Hancock, ME              1  02-02    0
Day 1: 1   02-02
79. Zachary Grose          Huntingdon, PA           1  01-13    0
Day 1: 1   01-13
80. Steven Davis           Dover, PA                1  01-09    0
Day 1: 1   01-09
81. Mike King              Lisbon, ME               1  01-08    0
Day 1: 1   01-08
82. Jim Kline              Hagerstown, MD           1  00-15    0
Day 1: 1   00-15
83. Angela Mayo            Maiden, NC               1  00-14    0
Day 1: 1   00-14
84. David Fletcher         Paterson, NJ             1  00-13    0
Day 1: 1   00-13
85. Michael Briggs         N Providence, RI         0  00-00    0
Day 1: 0   00-00
85. Frank Daniels          Dover, DE                0  00-00    0
Day 1: 0   00-00
85. Skip Hinkley           Richmond, ME             0  00-00    0
Day 1: 0   00-00
85. Tim Jensen             Phelps, NY               0  00-00    0
Day 1: 0   00-00
85. Devon Kitson           Montclair , NJ           0  00-00    0
Day 1: 0   00-00
85. Justin Mccarthy        Tiverton, RI             0  00-00    0
Day 1: 0   00-00
85. Lewis Mendall          Winthrop, MA             0  00-00    0
Day 1: 0   00-00
85. Dave Metivier          Gray, ME                 0  00-00    0
Day 1: 0   00-00
85. Bryce Poulin           Lisbon, ME               0  00-00    0
Day 1: 0   00-00
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Totals
Day   #Limits    #Fish      Weight
1        54       210       557-15
----------------------------------
54       210       557-15


BFHOF Awards Scholarships to Future Fisheries Leaders

Bass Fishing Hall of Fame Provides Financial Assistance for Fisheries Students

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – For Immediate Release – July, 24, 2024 – For the second consecutive year, the Bass Fishing Hall of Fame (BFHOF) has awarded scholarships under its Fishery Management Scholarship Program. This program aims to provide financial support and encouragement to high school and college bass anglers pursuing careers in fields that will directly contribute to healthy fisheries, essential access, and clean rivers, lakes and reservoirs, consistent with the BFHOF’s mission.

The 11 selected applicants will each receive $2,500 to pursue their studies. The recipients include:

  • Alex Avery, Missouri State University
  • Brady Horton, Drury University
  • Bradley Howell, Trent University
  • Luc LaRochelle, Carleton University
  • Nate Hull, Oklahoma State
  • Justin Lombardo, University of Illinois
  • Tom Miles, Tennessee Tech University
  • Morgan Noffsinger, Central Michigan University
  • Marcus Prull, Auburn University
  • Levi Umland, University of Missouri
  • Samuel Vazquez, University of Arkansas–Pine Bluff

“The response to this program was immense and impressive,” said BFHOF Board President John Mazurkiewicz. “Our dedicated Conservation/Education Committee, led by Board Member and BFHOF inductee Gene Gilliland, the growth of this scholarship program aligns perfectly with the Hall’s mission of celebrating, promoting, and preserving the sport by investing in the future of healthy fisheries, accessible waters, and clean aquatic ecosystems.”

The awardees consist of high school seniors committed to enrolling in a four-year college or university program, as well as undergraduate and graduate students currently enrolled in a four-year college, university, or accredited graduate program with a declared or planned major in biology, aquatic ecology, fisheries, marine science, or a closely related natural resources field.

“We were amazed by the quality and seriousness of the applications and the young men and women who expressed interest,” Gilliland said. “The applications were reviewed by an independent panel of distinguished individuals involved in fishery management across the U.S. and Canada, including: Phil Morlock, Director of Government Affairs for the Canadian Sportfishing Industry Association; Chris Horton, Senior Director of Fisheries Policy for the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation; Ross Self, Chief of Inland Fisheries for the South Carolina DNR; and Dr. Mark Rogers, Tennessee Cooperative Fishery Research Unit Leader at Tennessee Tech University. The future of our sport, our fisheries and this program remain bright.”

The financial support for this program is made possible by the support the Hall receives from past inductees, professional anglers competing on the B.A.S.S and MLF tournament trails, bass anglers nationwide who support the Hall’s annual online auctions, and many leading companies involved in the bass fishing industry.

The BFHOF Board will announce details and application requirement for the 2025 Fishery Management Scholarship program later this year

The Bass Fishing Hall of Fame will honor the Class of 2024 at its annual induction ceremony on September 26th at Johnny Morris’ Wonders of Wildlife Museum and Aquarium adjacent to the Bass Pro Shop flagship store in Springfield, Mo. Fred Arbogast, Mike McKinnis, Skeet Reese, Alfred Williams and Mark Zona will be inducted.

###

About the BFHOF -- The Bass Fishing Hall of Fame is a nonprofit organization led by a volunteer board of directors and is dedicated to celebrating, promoting and preserving the sport of bass fishing. Since 2017, the Hall’s inductees and memorabilia representing the history of bass fishing is showcased in Johnny Morris’ Wonders of Wildlife Museum and Aquarium in Springfield, Missouri, where it has rapidly become a popular destination. The 2024 BFHOF Induction banquet will be held September 26, 2024 at Wonders of Wildlife.

For more information about the Hall, its mission, and to become a supporting member,

visit www.BassFishingHOF.com,

or contact BFHOF executive director Barbara Bowman at [email protected].--


Travel Tuesday - Hanna’s Crawler Epiphany

By Pete Robbins - Half Past First Cast

During our most recent trip to Anglers Inn Lake El Salto, Hanna decided to try out an entirely new class of lures – odd-looking winged crawlers, the newest descendants of old-school Jitterbugs and Crazy Crawlers. Check out the video below to see how it went.

If you’d like to join us on a trip to Lake El Salto or Lake Picachos, with or without these crazy topwaters, email us at [email protected] and we’ll get the ball rolling.


The St. Lawrence River’s Most Underrated Smallmouth Presentation

There’s a really good chance Vexus angler Darryl Esterly is the only competitive bass angler with a pretzel sponsorship. Yes indeed, Reading, Pennsylvania-based Faller’s Pretzels has been a generous supporter of the 5-time Toyota Series Championship qualifier for several years now.

He’s shared dozens of bags of the salty baked pastries with fishing buddies around America, and his successful dependence on the often-overlooked Carolina rig has proven to be a savory snack for St. Lawrence River smallmouth too.

“There’s no doubt a drop shot has been the most dominant presentation on the St. Lawrence the past 10 years, but I lean far more on a Carolina rig, because it’s a different presentation than most are throwing, and thanks to current, it’s super-efficient at covering long stretches of the river bottom without making repeated casts. And obviously it catches big ones consistently, or I wouldn’t use it so much,” reasons the former U.S. Marine and current electrical lineman.

There’s an art to it

The Carolina rig often catches a bad rap for being overly simplistic and slow, to the point of being boring, but for anglers like Esterly it’s a bit of an art form that delivers Picasso level results.

“Think of it like painting. You’re not just slapping it on mindlessly with a roller. Instead, you need to be finessing your Carolina rig across the bottom like you’re painting with a 3” brush,” he explains.

Ideally you want a west wind on the St. Lawrence, which is blowing the same direction as the current.

6th Sense snags less

A huge reason Esterly advises to finesse your Carolina rig is because you’re dragging around rocks and boulders on the bottom that are prone to grab your rig like Bills Hall of Famer Bruce Smith grabbing Jets quarterback Ken O’Brien on third and long.

While Esterly has zero affiliation with Texas-based tackle brand 6th Sense, he swears their pre-rigged Carolina rigs simply hang up less than standard ones he rigs in the boat.

“I bought my first 6th sense pre-rigged versions at Thousand Island Bait Store in Alexandria Bay, and I started noticing they just didn’t get snagged as much. I’m honestly not sure why. I just know they add to my efficiency,” says Esterly.

His favorite size is the ¾ ounce, but will drop to a lighter ½ ounce if the current is less, or he’s getting snagged more than normal.

“I just want whatever weight allows me to maintain bottom contact without getting hung-up,” he adds.

Pay close attention to drift speed on your GPS

Speaking of current speed, Esterly advises paying close attention to your drift speed via the digital mph on your sonar screen. Noting for example, if you’re floating along at 1.4 mph and catching fish, a sudden decrease down to 1.0 mph can hinder the bite. So, the goal is to stay in sections of the river that offer the most productive speed, if possible.

Lures of choice

He keeps the lure offerings at the end of a 36” long, 15-pound fluorocarbon leader pretty simple. He uses either a black-gold fleck 3.5” tube from Dry Creek Lures or Zoom’s speed craw.

And when asked to name why he runs a Vexus, his answer to that is pretty simple too.

“It’s the smoothest boat on the planet in rough water. Other boats sound like the gunnel is being hit by a sledgehammer every time you bust a wave. You just don’t hear that with a Vexus. And when I need something, the folks at my dealership, Hall’s Marine in Muncy, PA, are always there to help me, just like the incredible folks at the Vexus factory in Flippin, Arkansas,” says Esterly.

Pretty straightforward, and hard not to like. Much like a handful of Faller’s pretzels paired with a cold beverage at the end of a successful day full of catching big smallies on a Carolina rig in the current of the mighty St. Lawrence.

To learn more about why serious anglers like Esterly place so much trust in the craftsmanship of their Vexus boats, please visit https://vexusboats.com/.


Olney’s Lee Flips Wood to Win Phoenix Bass Fishing League Event at Lake Shelbyville

Edinburg’s Argo Tops Strike King Co-Angler Division

SHELBYVILLE, Ill. (May 20, 2024) – Boater Jeffrey Lee of Olney, Illinois, caught a five-bass limit weighing 13 pounds, 4 ounces, Saturday to win the MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League (BFL) Presented by T-H Marine on Lake Shelbyville . The tournament was the first event of the season for the BFL Illini Division. Lee earned $3,289 for his victory.

Sometimes in tough bass tournaments, all you can do is put your head down and grind all day. That’s exactly what Lee did to get his win.

“I figured out that there was only one area of the lake really – the lower end – that had any fish for me,” he said. “Other guys did better up on the mid- and upper lake, but I stayed on the lower end and basically flipped shallow wood all day.”

Lee targeted stumps, laydowns and other wood cover with a Reaction Innovations Sweet Beaver in the dirty Sanchez color.

Some of the wood was on the bank, but Lee also fished deeper cover that wasn’t visible by eye.

“I have 360 and forward-facing sonar and was able to make accurate flips instead of blind-casting,” he said. “You’ve got stuff you can see visually and you’ve got the stuff that you can’t see. And neither one was any better than the other. You just had to put your head down and just go as hard as you could go all day long.”

The day started fast for Lee. He put three keepers in the box by 7 a.m., including a 4-11 kicker, but then the action slowed. He broke off a 4-pounder that might’ve put the tournament away sooner, but it wound up not costing him thanks to a key fish late in the day.

“My fifth keeper actually came when we were in the very back of a pocket,” he recalled. “I had seen some fry, and I knew that since the fry were there, there had to be a guarder. I threw my wacky worm up there, and she didn’t bite it, but as I was reeling it in she chased it. So I knew she was there. I threw back in there, and I caught her and she was almost 3 pounds. And that was kind of the ice. That was at like 1 o’clock.”

The top 10 boaters finished the tournament:

1st:          Jeffrey Lee, Olney, Ill., five bass, 13-4, $3,289
2nd:        Ethan Fields, Breese, Ill., five bass, 12-8, $1,644
3rd:         Hunter Russell, Salem, Ill., five bass, 12-6, $1,097
4th:         Riley Walk, Neoga, Ill., five bass, 11-13, $767
5th:         Matt Swalls, Carterville, Ill., four bass, 11-5, $1,053
6th:         Colby Schrumpf, Highland, Ill., five bass, 10-0, $1,403 (includes $500 Phoenix MLF Contingency Bonus)
7th:         Cliff Pass, Lenzburg, Ill., four bass, 9-10, $548
8th:         Travis Boley, Weldon, Ill., five bass, 9-8, $493
9th:         Michael Black, Toledo, Ill., three bass, 9-1, $411
9th:         Garrett McDowell, Windsor, Ill., five bass, 9-1, $411

Complete results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

Matt Swalls of Carterville, Illinois, caught a bass that weighed 5 pounds, 7 ounces, and earned the Berkley Big Bass Boater award of $395.

Lane Argo of Edinburg, Illinois, won the Strike King co-angler division and $1,644 Saturday, after bringing three bass to the scale that totaled 7 pounds, 13 ounces.

The top 11 Strike King co-anglers finished:

1st:          Lane Argo, Edinburg, Ill., three bass, 7-13, $1,644
2nd:        Jojo Johnson, Benton, Ill., three bass, 6-12, $972
3rd:         Brandon Depew, Odin, Ill., four bass, 6-11, $549
4th:         Andrew Boring, El Paso, Ill., three bass, 6-6, $384
5th:         Ryan Murphy, Paris, Ill., four bass, 6-0, $329
6th:         Aaron Arning, Walnut Hill, Ill., three bass, 5-5, $301
7th:         Chase Johnson, Quincy, Ill., two bass, 4-3, $260
7th:         Robert Lindley, Greenville, Ill., two bass, 4-3, $260
9th:         Dale Renth, Mascoutah, Ill., one bass, 3-15, $391
9th:         Brad Thacher, Hardin, Ky., two bass, 3-15, $194
9th:         Jason Halverson, Belvidere, Ill., two bass, 3-15, $194

Dale Renth of Mascoutah, Illinois, earned the Berkley Big Bass co-angler award of $197, catching a bass that weighed in at 3 pounds, 15 ounces – the largest co-angler catch of the day.

The next event for BFL Illini Division anglers will be held June 29, at Rend Lake in Sesser, Illinois. To register for the event as a boater or a co-angler, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com or call (270)-252-1000.

The top 45 boaters and co-anglers in the region based on point standings, along with the five tournament winners of each qualifying event, will qualify for the Oct. 10-12 BFL Regional tournament on Pools 13-17 of the Mississippi River in Quad Cities, Illinois. Boaters will fish for a top award of $60,000, including a new Phoenix 819 Pro with a 200-horsepower Mercury or Suzuki outboard and $10,000, while co-anglers will compete for a top award of $50,000, including a new Phoenix 819 Pro with a 200-horsepower Mercury or Suzuki outboard.

The 2024 Phoenix BFL Presented by T-H Marine is a 24-division circuit devoted to weekend anglers, with 128 events throughout the season, five qualifying tournaments in each division. The top 45 boaters and Strike King co-anglers from each division, along with the five qualifying event winners, will advance to one of six BFL Regional tournaments where they are competing to finish in the top six, which then qualifies them for one of the longest-running championships in all of competitive bass fishing – the BFL All-American.

Proud sponsors of the 2024 MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine include: 7Brew, Abu Garcia, B&W Trailer Hitches, Berkley, BUBBA, E3, Epic Baits, Fishing Clash, General Tire, GSM Outdoors, Lew’s, Mercury, Mossy Oak, Onyx, Phoenix, Polaris, Power-Pole, REDCON1, Strike King, Suzuki, Tackle Warehouse, T-H Marine, Toyota, WIX Filters and YETI.

For complete details and updated tournament information, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular Bass Fishing League updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF5’s social media outlets at FacebookInstagram and YouTube.

About Major League Fishing
Major League Fishing (MLF) is the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization, producing more than 250 events annually at some of the most prestigious fisheries in the world, while broadcasting to America’s living rooms on CBS, Discovery Channel, Outdoor Channel, CBS Sports Network, World Fishing Network and on demand on MyOutdoorTV (MOTV). Headquartered in Benton, Kentucky, the MLF roster of bass anglers includes the world’s top pros and more than 30,000 competitors in all 50 states and 17 countries. Since its founding in 2011, MLF has advanced the sport of competitive fishing through its premier television broadcasts and livestreams and is dedicated to improving the quality of life for bass through research, education, fisheries enhancement and fish care.


Farmington’s Vaal Gets the Win at Phoenix Bass Fishing League Event at Kentucky-Barkley Lakes

Mississippi’s Cornelius Tops Strike King Co-Angler Division

GILBERTSVILLE, Ky. (July 22, 2024) – Boater Duston Vaal of Farmington, Kentucky, caught a three-bass limit weighing 14 pounds, 6 ounces, Saturday to win the MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League (BFL) Presented by T-H Marine on Kentucky-Barkley Lakes . Hosted by the Kentucky Lake Convention & Visitors Bureau, the tournament was the fourth event of the season for the BFL LBL Division. Vaal earned $4,163 for his victory.

Anglers competing in the Kentucky-Barkley event were limited to weighing three bass due to the high summer heat. An experienced Vaal put together a solid multi-species catch – one smallmouth and two largemouth bass – on a fishery that’s enjoyed a healthy resurgence over the last several seasons.

Vaal said he ran south to the Paris, Tennessee, area where he worked out a current-based ledge pattern that turned on once the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) started generating power. A key ledge in 12 to 15 feet produced most of Vaal’s fish throughout the day.

“It took until the afternoon to get bit,” Vaal said. “I guess when they generated a little current. From then on, I was able to take a big worm on the ledges and hop it and get bit by quality size fish.

“I wasn’t catching them off one individual spot,” he added. “I was just going down a ledge catching them one here and one there.”

The key bait for Vaal was a 10-inch ribbontail Yamamoto Ichi Worm.

“Yesterday (in practice) they were eating a 1/2-ounce. Today (Saturday), it was weird. They were higher up in the water column, so I had to drop down to 3/16.”

Vaal hopped the worm by lifting his rod up almost to the 12 o’clock position then letting it fall on slack line.

“That’s when they’d bite it most of the time,” he said.

“I’ve been fishing BFLs ever since I was in college, and it took me forever to win one,” Vaal added. “I finally got one last fall. So, to get two here in two years, it’s pretty surreal, honestly.”

The top 10 boaters finished the tournament:

1st:        Dustin Vaal, Farmington, Ky., three bass, 14-6, $4,163
2nd:       Justin Berger, Murray, Ky., three bass, 13-2, $2,082
3rd:       Adrian Urso, Union, Ky., three bass, 12-7, $1,179
3rd:       Zachary Martin, Murray, Ky., three bass, 12-7, $1,179
5th:        David Hames, Trezevant, Tenn., three bass, 12-6, $1,413
6th:        Edward Gettys, Dover, Tenn., three bass, 11-14, $1,263 (includes $500 Phoenix MLF Contingency Bonus)
7th:        Jeff DeFew, Benton, Ky., three bass, 11-13, $694
8th:        Drew Fromm, Creal Spring, Ill., three bass, 11-12, $625
9th:        Scott Brummett, Brentwood, Tenn., three bass, 11-2, $555
10th:     Matteo Turano, Puryear, Tenn., three bass, 11-0, $486

Complete results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

David Hames of Trezevant, Tennessee, caught a bass that weighed 5 pounds, 10 ounces, and earned the Berkley Big Bass Boater award of $580.

Joe Cornelius of Corinth, Mississippi, won the Strike King co-angler division and $2,082 Saturday, after bringing three bass to the scale that totaled 11 pounds, 13 ounces.

The top 11 Strike King co-anglers finished:

1st:        Joe Cornelius, Corinth, Miss., three bass, 11-13, $2,082
2nd:       Jacob Bovara, Wadsworth, Ill., three bass, 11-5, $1,041
3rd:       Jojo Walsh, Lyles, Tenn., three bass, 10-2, $692
4th:        Mark Sollman, Haubstadt, Ind., three bass, 10-0, $486
5th:        Bobby Wade, Mayfield, Ky., three bass, 9-12, $416
6th:        Chuck Rounds, Benton, Ky., three bass, 9-5, $382
7th:        Frank Haysley, Louisville, Ky., three bass, 8-6, $447
8th:        Barry Gunter, Trafalger, Ind., three bass, 8-0, $263
8th:        Mike Westfall, Norris City, Ill., two bass, 8-0, $263
8th:        Austin Hunter, Vandalia, Ill., two bass, 8-0, $553
8th:        William Hadraba, Willow Springs, Ill., three bass, 8-0, $263

Austin Hunter of Vandalia, Illinois, earned the Berkley Big Bass co-angler award of $290, catching a bass that weighed in at 5 pounds, 13 ounces – the largest co-angler catch of the day.

After four events, Clint Knight of Lewisburg, Kentucky, leads the Fishing Clash LBL Division Angler of the Year (AOY) race with 976 points, while John Lovin of Fayetteville, Ohio, leads the Fishing Clash LBL Division Co-angler of the Year race with 947 points.

The next event for BFL LBL Division anglers will be held Aug. 24-25, at Kentucky-Barkley Lakes in Buchanan, Tennessee. To register for the event as a boater or a co-angler, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com or call (270)-252-1000.

The top 45 boaters and co-anglers in the region based on point standings, along with the five tournament winners of each qualifying event, will qualify for the Oct. 3-5 BFL Regional tournament on Pickwick Lake in Counce, Tennessee. Boaters will fish for a top award of $60,000, including a new Phoenix 819 Pro with a 200-horsepower Mercury or Suzuki outboard and $10,000, while co-anglers will compete for a top award of $50,000, including a new Phoenix 819 Pro with a 200-horsepower Mercury or Suzuki outboard.

The 2024 Phoenix BFL Presented by T-H Marine is a 24-division circuit devoted to weekend anglers, with 128 events throughout the season, five qualifying tournaments in each division. The top 45 boaters and Strike King co-anglers from each division, along with the five qualifying event winners, will advance to one of six BFL Regional tournaments where they are competing to finish in the top six, which then qualifies them for one of the longest-running championships in all of competitive bass fishing – the BFL All-American.

Proud sponsors of the 2024 MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine include: 7Brew, Abu Garcia, B&W Trailer Hitches, Berkley, BUBBA, E3, Epic Baits, Fishing Clash, General Tire, GSM Outdoors, Lew’s, Mercury, Mossy Oak, Onyx, Phoenix, Polaris, Power-Pole, PowerStop Brakes, REDCON1, Strike King, Suzuki, Tackle Warehouse, T-H Marine, Toyota, WIX Filters and YETI.

For complete details and updated tournament information, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular Bass Fishing League updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF5’s social media outlets at FacebookInstagram, and YouTube.

About Major League Fishing
Major League Fishing (MLF) is the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization, producing more than 250 events annually at some of the most prestigious fisheries in the world, while broadcasting to America’s living rooms on CBS, Discovery Channel, Outdoor Channel, CBS Sports Network, World Fishing Network and on demand on MyOutdoorTV (MOTV). Headquartered in Benton, Kentucky, the MLF roster of bass anglers includes the world’s top pros and more than 30,000 competitors in all 50 states and 17 countries. Since its founding in 2011, MLF has advanced the sport of competitive fishing through its premier television broadcasts and livestreams and is dedicated to improving the quality of life for bass through research, education, fisheries enhancement and fish care.


Bay Springs’ Anderson Makes Long Run to Win Tough Phoenix Bass Fishing League Event at Lake Ferguson

Louisiana’s Brown Tops Strike King Co-Angler Division

GREENVILLE, Miss. (July 22, 2024) – Boater John Anderson of Bay Springs, Mississippi, caught a five-bass limit weighing 10 pounds even Saturday to win the MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League (BFL) Presented by T-H Marine on Lake Ferguson . The tournament was the fourth event of the season for the BFL Mississippi Division. Anderson earned $5,401, including the lucrative $2,500 Phoenix MLF Contingency Bonus, for his victory.

Anderson summed up the Lake Ferguson event in just four words: “It was very tough.”

A combination of factors impacted the fishing and forced Anderson to get a little creative with his practice. He sampled oxbows and other waters as far as 100 miles away on the connected Mississippi River.

Several fruitless practice stops had him scratching his head until finally he found a clue.

“I ran to another chute farther north up the river. I was fishing some current in the river, and that’s where I wound up finding fish to potentially win the tournament,” he said. “I didn’t really know what I had until I got up there this morning (on tournament day). It took me an hour and 25 minutes (to get there from launch).”

Anderson got to his primary spot and immediately caught three keepers. His second spot produced zero bass.

“Then I pulled up to my third spot, which I didn’t even know. I just saw something that looked good on the side of the river,” he said. “I pulled in there and the fish started schooling, and I caught roughly 20 bass on consecutive casts.”

When Anderson moved again, he made one last upgrade before having to start his trip back to weigh-in before noon.

Anderson’s key areas were all on the main river and varied from just 2 feet deep down to 18 feet of water. Current breaks were the key.

The winning baits included a jighead minnow, which Anderson fished while using Garmin LiveScope, and a shallow-diving crankbait, which he used to catch the schoolers.

“I put in a lot of work, and it paid off,” he said. “I did not expect 10 pounds to win the tournament. But I’m not going to give it up.”

The top 10 boaters finished the tournament:

1st:        John Anderson, Bay Springs, Miss., five bass, 10-0, $5,401 (includes $2,500 Phoenix MLF Contingency Bonus)
2nd:       Dakota Fleming, Oak Grove, La., two bass, 6-4, $1,301
3rd:       Blake Hodge, Oxford, Miss., three bass, 6-3, $867
4th:        Jacob Long, Batesville, Miss., three bass, 6-2, $607
5th:        Andrew Schrock, Smithville, Miss., two bass, 5-7, $520
6th:        Kevin Bovia, Mandeville, La., one bass, 4-8, $757
7th:        Mark Clark, Crawford, Miss., two bass, 4-6, $434
8th:        Billy J-Hawk Brooks, Southaven, Miss., one bass, 4-3, $390
9th:        Jeff Johnston, Marion, Ark., two bass, 3-12, $347
10th:     Tim McDaniel, Grenada, Miss., one bass, 3-1, $303

Complete results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

Kevin Bovia of Mandeville, Louisiana, caught a bass that weighed 4 pounds, 8 ounces, and earned the Berkley Big Bass Boater award of $280.

Maxwell Brown of Gonzales, Louisiana, won the Strike King co-angler division and $1,301 Saturday, after bringing five bass to the scale that totaled 6 pounds, 1 ounce.

The top 10 Strike King co-anglers finished:

1st:        Maxwell Brown, Gonzales, La., five bass, 6-1, $1,301
2nd:       Bubba Wright, Ridgeland, Miss., one bass, 4-14, $790
3rd:       Brayden Gray, Pontotoc, Miss., one bass, 2-12, $434
4th:        Wally Northam, Olive Branch, Miss., one bass, 2-4, $303
5th:        Thomas Smith, Brandon, Miss., one bass, 2-0, $260
6th:        Ryan LeCompte, Picayune, Miss., one bass, 1-14, $238
7th:        Jesse Steadham, Byram, Miss., one bass, 1-12, $217
8th:        Isiah Kelly, Memphis, Tenn., one bass, 1-11, $195
9th:        Travis Culbreth, Pearl, Miss., one bass, 1-10, $173
10th:     Adam Davis, Nesbit, Miss., one bass, 1-8, $152

Bubba Wright of Ridgeland, Mississippi, earned the Berkley Big Bass co-angler award of $140, catching a bass that weighed in at 4 pounds, 14 ounces – the largest co-angler catch of the day.

After four events, Dakota Fleming of Oak Grove, Louisiana, leads the Fishing Clash Mississippi Division Angler of the Year (AOY) race with 982 points, while Thomas Smith of Brandon, Mississippi, leads the Fishing Clash Mississippi Division Co-Angler of the Year race with 978 points.

The next event for BFL Mississippi Division anglers will be held Sept. 21-22 at Pickwick Lake in Iuka, Mississippi. To register for the event as a boater or a co-angler, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com or call (270)-252-1000.

The top 45 boaters and co-anglers in the region based on point standings, along with the five tournament winners of each qualifying event, will qualify for the Oct. 17-19 BFL Regional tournament on Wright Patman Lake in Texarkana, Texas. Boaters will fish for a top award of $60,000, including a new Phoenix 819 Pro with a 200-horsepower Mercury or Suzuki outboard and $10,000, while co-anglers will compete for a top award of $50,000, including a new Phoenix 819 Pro with a 200-horsepower Mercury or Suzuki outboard.

The 2024 Phoenix BFL Presented by T-H Marine is a 24-division circuit devoted to weekend anglers, with 128 events throughout the season, five qualifying tournaments in each division. The top 45 boaters and Strike King co-anglers from each division, along with the five qualifying event winners, will advance to one of six BFL Regional tournaments where they are competing to finish in the top six, which then qualifies them for one of the longest-running championships in all of competitive bass fishing – the BFL All-American.

Proud sponsors of the 2024 MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine include: 7Brew, Abu Garcia, B&W Trailer Hitches, Berkley, BUBBA, E3, Epic Baits, Fishing Clash, General Tire, GSM Outdoors, Lew’s, Mercury, Mossy Oak, Onyx, Phoenix, Polaris, Power-Pole, PowerStop Brakes, REDCON1, Strike King, Suzuki, Tackle Warehouse, T-H Marine, Toyota, WIX Filters and YETI.

For complete details and updated tournament information, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular Bass Fishing League updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF5’s social media outlets at FacebookInstagram, and YouTube.

About Major League Fishing
Major League Fishing (MLF) is the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization, producing more than 250 events annually at some of the most prestigious fisheries in the world, while broadcasting to America’s living rooms on CBS, Discovery Channel, Outdoor Channel, CBS Sports Network, World Fishing Network and on demand on MyOutdoorTV (MOTV). Headquartered in Benton, Kentucky, the MLF roster of bass anglers includes the world’s top pros and more than 30,000 competitors in all 50 states and 17 countries. Since its founding in 2011, MLF has advanced the sport of competitive fishing through its premier television broadcasts and livestreams and is dedicated to improving the quality of life for bass through research, education, fisheries enhancement and fish care.


Smallmouth paradise awaits anglers competing in Bassmaster Kayak Series on Susquehanna River

July 22, 2024

LEWISBURG, Pa. — Kayak anglers heading into the Yamaha Rightwaters Bassmaster Kayak Series at Susquehanna River scored by TourneyX could be approaching a smallmouth bonanza, and Pennsylvania angler Nick Audi believes there will be plenty of ways to catch these brown beauties during the event.

“The bass are everywhere,” Audi, a Dakota Lithium Bassmaster Kayak Series Angler of the Year competitor, said. “It is a world-class smallmouth fishery. It is perfect for kayak fishing. In the summertime when we are here, it’s even too low for the jet boats to run.”

Tournament days are scheduled for July 27-28 with the full field competing both days. All competitors will earn points toward the Angler of the Year race. Lewisburg, Pa., will serve as home base for anglers, who will be able to launch from any of the public launches outlined in the official rules.

The Susquehanna River is quickly becoming a favorite destination for kayak anglers looking to catch numbers and quality of smallmouth bass. Last year, Indiana’s Josh Chrenko won the Kayak Series finale at the Susky with a two-day total of 194 inches. Audi believes it could take similar quality to win this time around, too.

Audi said the Susquehanna River is normally at its lowest and clearest point of the year. Water flow is also the slowest it will be at any point, barring a major rainstorm.

“The smallmouth will be well into their summer pattern,” he said. “The number one thing to look at will be water level and water clarity. They go hand-in-hand. Normally the river is really low and clear. There will be a lot of topwater (action). That will be a huge deal.”

With the water low, anglers will be able to see many of the pieces of cover the bass will be holding on. Eelgrass is prominent on this section of the river and an important piece of cover for smallmouth.

Rock, wood and other current breaks will come into play as well, especially if the water rises some.

“There will be some bass on the bank with backs out of the water,” Audi said. “Not really holding onto anything, either. They just cruise around pinning bait against the bank. Eelgrass is a huge player at that time of year. There’s also so much rock in the river. They’ll hold on wood too, but not as much as during the higher-water scenarios.

“Current breaks are the overarching category of cover.”

Several different baits will come into play, including topwater baits like Whopper Ploppers and buzzbaits, flukes, ChatterBaits and finesse presentations like a Ned rig or shaky head. With how shallow the water is, Audi generally tries to throw the most weedless presentation he can.

The event is being hosted by the Susquehanna River Valley Visitors Bureau.

2024 Bassmaster Kayak Series Title Sponsor: Yamaha Rightwaters2024 Bassmaster Kayak Series Partner: MotorGuide, YakGear2024 Bassmaster Kayak Series Angler of the Year Sponsor: Dakota Lithium

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Media Contact: Chad Gay, Communications Manager, 205-313-0945, cgay@bassmaster.com


Odenville’s Kellett Wins Phoenix Bass Fishing League Event at Neely Henry Lake

Meridianville’s McNeil Tops Strike King Co-Angler Division

GADSDEN, Ala. (July 22, 2024) – Boater John Kellett of Odenville, Alabama, caught a five-bass limit weighing 14 pounds, 15 ounces, Saturday to win the MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League (BFL) Presented by T-H Marine on Neely Henry Lake. Hosted by the City of Gadsden, the tournament was the fourth event of the season for the BFL Bama Division. Kellett earned $3,926 for his victory.

Neely Henry is traditionally a shallow-water angler’s kind of fishery, but in summer, the fish can be a tad stingy – until the conditions are right.

Kellett experienced a “switch” first hand during the BFL after cloudy, rainy conditions took over.

“I didn’t have but one 15-ounce fish in the boat at 10 this morning (Saturday),” he said. “Once the rain started coming in, I could feel the barometric pressure change.”

Kellett figured out he could run the same water over again in the rain and catch fish that were shut down in the morning.

“The fish were there. They just weren’t biting (in the morning),” he said. “Once I started going back through again, I started catching them.”

Kellett estimates he landed 15 to 20 keepers in a two-hour window. He caught them on a mix of baits, including a swim jig, a frog and a Z-Man Evergreen ChatterBait Jack Hammer. He even caught one fish flipping.

“It was just a little bit of everything,” Kellett said. “I was just running around as much as I could, spot hopping. It was a one-fish-here-one-fish-there kind of deal. I was just focusing on grass.”

Kellett ran about a dozen grass spots. He’d spend five minutes in an area, then pull up and run to the next, repeating the process throughout the heart of the day.

“I knew they were there. I mean, it was some of my favorite spots,” he said. “I just kept running them over and over, and they just started eating. I just put my head down and grinded, really.”

The top 10 boaters finished the tournament:

1st:        John Kellett, Odenville, Ala., five bass, 14-15, $3,926
2nd:       Kyle Dorsett, Springville, Ala., five bass, 13-14, $1,963
3rd:       Kris Colley, Ragland, Ala., five bass, 13-12, $1,309
4th:        Harry Peyton II, Guntersville, Ala., five bass, 13-3, $1,416 (includes $500 Phoenix MLF Contingency Bonus)
5th:        Grant Williamson, Equality, Ala., five bass, 13-0, $785
6th:        Robert Robinson, Mobile, Ala., five bass, 12-13, $1,250
7th:        Blake Davenport, Jemison, Ala., five bass, 12-8, $654
8th:        Stihl Smith, Alexander, Ala., five bass, 12-7, $589
9th:        Clayton Barnes, Clanton, Ala., five bass, 12-1, $523
10th:     Austin Shields, Lake View, Ala., five bass, 11-11, $758

Complete results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

Robert Robinson of Mobile, Alabama, caught a bass that weighed 5 pounds, 12 ounces, and earned the Berkley Big Bass Boater award of $530.

Larry McNeil of Meridianville, Alabama, won the Strike King co-angler division and $1,963 Saturday, after bringing five bass to the scale that totaled 11 pounds, 14 ounces.

The top 10 Strike King co-anglers finished:

1st:        Larry McNeil, Meridianville, Ala., five bass, 11-14, $1,963
2nd:       Reid Hale, Jasper, Ala., five bass, 10-6, $981
3rd:       Marcus Corbett, Anniston, Ala., five bass, 10-5, $655
4th:        Colt Hinson, Andalusia, Ala., five bass, 10-2, $458
5th:        Michael Stevenson, Leitchfield, Ky., five bass, 9-8, $393
6th:        John Burt Jr., Montgomery, Ala., five bass, 9-5, $608
6th:        Kade Lucas, Reform, Ala., five bass, 9-5, $343
8th:        Mark Black, Selma, Ala., five bass, 9-3, $278
8th:        Daniel Arnberg, Auburn, Ala., five bass, 9-3, $278
10th:     Thomas Eyler, Ashford, Ala., five bass, 8-13, $229

John Burt Jr. of Montgomery, Alabama, earned the Berkley Big Bass co-angler award of $265, catching a bass that weighed in at 5 pounds, 1 ounce – the largest co-angler catch of the day.

After four events, Kyle Dorsett of Springville, Alabama, leads the Fishing Clash Bama Division Angler of the Year (AOY) race with 978 points, while Reid Hale of Jasper, Alabama, leads the Fishing Clash Bama Division Co-angler of the Year race with 942 points.

The next event for BFL Bama Division anglers will be held Sept. 14-15, at the Alabama River in Prattville, Alabama. To register for the event as a boater or a co-angler, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com or call (270)-252-1000.

The top 45 boaters and co-anglers in the region based on point standings, along with the five tournament winners of each qualifying event, will qualify for the Oct. 10-12 BFL Regional tournament on Santee Cooper Lakes in Clarendon County, South Carolina. Boaters will fish for a top award of $60,000, including a new Phoenix 819 Pro with a 200-horsepower Mercury or Suzuki outboard and $10,000, while co-anglers will compete for a top award of $50,000, including a new Phoenix 819 Pro with a 200-horsepower Mercury or Suzuki outboard.

The 2024 Phoenix BFL Presented by T-H Marine is a 24-division circuit devoted to weekend anglers, with 128 events throughout the season, five qualifying tournaments in each division. The top 45 boaters and Strike King co-anglers from each division, along with the five qualifying event winners, will advance to one of six BFL Regional tournaments where they are competing to finish in the top six, which then qualifies them for one of the longest-running championships in all of competitive bass fishing – the BFL All-American.

Proud sponsors of the 2024 MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine include: 7Brew, Abu Garcia, B&W Trailer Hitches, Berkley, BUBBA, E3, Epic Baits, Fishing Clash, General Tire, GSM Outdoors, Lew’s, Mercury, Mossy Oak, Onyx, Phoenix, Polaris, Power-Pole, PowerStop Brakes, REDCON1, Strike King, Suzuki, Tackle Warehouse, T-H Marine, Toyota, WIX Filters and YETI.

For complete details and updated tournament information, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular Bass Fishing League updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF5’s social media outlets at FacebookInstagram, and YouTube.

About Major League Fishing
Major League Fishing (MLF) is the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization, producing more than 250 events annually at some of the most prestigious fisheries in the world, while broadcasting to America’s living rooms on CBS, Discovery Channel, Outdoor Channel, CBS Sports Network, World Fishing Network and on demand on MyOutdoorTV (MOTV). Headquartered in Benton, Kentucky, the MLF roster of bass anglers includes the world’s top pros and more than 30,000 competitors in all 50 states and 17 countries. Since its founding in 2011, MLF has advanced the sport of competitive fishing through its premier television broadcasts and livestreams and is dedicated to improving the quality of life for bass through research, education, fisheries enhancement and fish care.


Carr Gets His First Win at Phoenix Bass Fishing League Event at St. Lawrence River

Vermont’s Navari Tops Strike King Co-Angler Division

MASSENA, N.Y. (July 22, 2024) – Boater Ethan Carr of Massena, New York, caught a five-bass limit weighing 24 pounds, 10 ounces, Saturday to win the MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League (BFL) Presented by T-H Marine on the St. Lawrence River. Hosted by the Town of Massena, the tournament was the second event of the season for the BFL Northeast Division. Carr earned $3,335 for his victory.

For the BFL event, Lake Ontario was off limits, restricting anglers to the St. Lawrence River. Of course, that still meant anglers could spread out along many miles of world-class smallmouth waters. And Carr certainly spread out.

The Massena angler has had a lot of success on the river recently, including high finishes in tournaments on consecutive weekends before the BFL – all in the Clayton area.

“I said, well, if it’s not broke, why fix it?” Carr said. “I got to practice for two days, and I went up to that Clayton area.”

With his best spot two hours away from the launch in Massena, Carr only had about three hours to actually fish. He keyed in on two deep rocky shoals and a broad point – all spots that deflected the current.

“My main bait that I caught the majority of my fish on is called a Beast Coast Open Water Sniper Jig,” Carr said. “I was throwing that in 1/4 ounce, and the color is called sexy melon. And then I was putting on a trailer of a (Berkley PowerBait) MaxScent Lil’ General in either black or green pumpkin on the back.

“I did most of my damage besides one fish on that jig. I had a lot of fish spit up small gobies. I think that jig is a perfect representation of the smaller gobies that they seem to be feeding on this time of year.”

Carr targeted fish in 20 to 27 feet. Fishing just a 1/4-ounce jig that deep can be a challenge, but Carr made it work perfectly by drifting along with the current, letting the jig roll and kick along in the flow. Occasionally, when he’d see fish on his Garmin LiveScope unit, Carr made pinpoint pitches to them.

Of his three spots, the point was the primary stretch. It flattened out on top, giving him a quarter-mile-long drift. Six or seven drifts through that stretch produced 20-plus pounds. Then Carr moved to his shoals to upgrade.

“I did have a good population of fish on the one big long drift,” Carr said. “I kind of just used those smaller shoals for individual big ones.

“My area was more of a sneaky area,” he added. “I haven’t seen it get a lot of pressure throughout bigger tournaments, and even this year I haven’t seen really a single boat fish it. I’ve seen a couple guys graph it, but it’s definitely a sneakier spot that not a lot of people put a lot of pressure on.”

Finally, Carr feels like LiveScope was a big factor for him to get a read on the fish.

“Even though I wasn’t seeing fish and pitching to them the whole time, you could still kind of see them traveling on bottom,” he said. “It allows me to be able to make adjustments to things like drifting speed and color. You can really see once the fish get on it how they react to it and then make adjustments accordingly.

“It means a lot for someone like me to win a tournament like this,” Carr added. “Especially after last year. I came in second place in the (BFL) super tournament on the river. So this year was kind of like a little revenge for last year’s tournament.”

The top 10 boaters finished the tournament:

1st:        Ethan Carr, Massena, N.Y., five bass, 24-10, $3,335
2nd:       Brent Anderson, Kingston Springs, Tenn., five bass, 24-7, $1,993 (includes $500 Phoenix MLF Contingency Bonus)
3rd:       Zachary Goutremout, Chaumont, N.Y., five bass, 22-4, $994
4th:        Brett Carnright, Plattsburgh, N.Y., five bass, 21-11, $822
5th:        Jonathan Robla, Lisbon, N.Y., five bass, 21-7, $597
6th:        Joseph Thompson, Coatesville, Pa., five bass, 21-6, $547
7th:        Clay Reece, Lexington, Ky., five bass, 21-1, $498
8th:        Connor Bell, Lisbon, N.Y., five bass, 20-10, $448
9th:        Brian Green, North Augusta, Ont., five bass, 20-2, $398
10th:     Nevan Osburn, Lipan, Texas, five bass, 19-10, $348

Complete results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

Carr caught a bass that weighed 5 pounds, 10 ounces, and earned the Berkley Big Bass Boater award of $350.

Hunter Navari of Colchester, Vermont, won the Strike King co-angler division and $1,493 Saturday, after bringing five bass to the scale that totaled 22 pounds, 4 ounces.

The top 10 Strike King co-anglers finished:

1st:        Hunter Navari, Colchester, Vt., five bass, 22-4, $1,493
2nd:       Sean O’Halloran, Lipan, Texas, five bass, 20-0, $921
3rd:       Adam Radovic, Brecksville, Ohio, five bass, 19-4, $497
4th:        Garrett Sicely, Albany, Vt., five bass, 19-2, $348
5th:        Lenny Baird, Stafford, Va., five bass, 15-8, $549
6th:        Michael Bahnweg, Union Dale, Pa., five bass, 15-5, $274
7th:        Benjamin Kapp, Benton, Pa., five bass, 14-14, $249
8th:        David Williams, Fredericksburg, Pa., five bass, 14-13, $224
9th:        Kyle Richardt, Weymouth, Mass., five bass, 14-12, $199
10th:     Kyle Gilson Sr., Cedarville, N.J., five bass, 14-9, $174

Sean O’Halloran of Lipan, Texas, earned the Berkley Big Bass co-angler award of $175, catching a bass that weighed in at 5 pounds, 8 ounces – the largest co-angler catch of the day.

After two events, William Kronander of Brownsville, Pennsylvania, leads the Fishing Clash Northeast Division Angler of the Year (AOY) race with 473 points, while David Williams of Fredericksburg, Virginia, leads the Fishing Clash Northeast Division Co-Angler of the Year race with 490 points.

The next event for BFL Northeast Division anglers will be held Aug. 7, at Lake Champlain in Plattsburgh, New York. To register for the event as a boater or a co-angler, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com or call (270)-252-1000.

The top 45 boaters and co-anglers in the region based on point standings, along with the five tournament winners of each qualifying event, will qualify for the Oct. 3-5 BFL Regional tournament on Kerr Lake in Henderson, North Carolina. Boaters will fish for a top award of $60,000, including a new Phoenix 819 Pro with a 200-horsepower Mercury or Suzuki outboard and $10,000, while co-anglers will compete for a top award of $50,000, including a new Phoenix 819 Pro with a 200-horsepower Mercury or Suzuki outboard.

The 2024 Phoenix BFL Presented by T-H Marine is a 24-division circuit devoted to weekend anglers, with 128 events throughout the season, five qualifying tournaments in each division. The top 45 boaters and Strike King co-anglers from each division, along with the five qualifying event winners, will advance to one of six BFL Regional tournaments where they are competing to finish in the top six, which then qualifies them for one of the longest-running championships in all of competitive bass fishing – the BFL All-American.

Proud sponsors of the 2024 MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine include: 7Brew, Abu Garcia, B&W Trailer Hitches, Berkley, BUBBA, E3, Epic Baits, Fishing Clash, General Tire, GSM Outdoors, Lew’s, Mercury, Mossy Oak, Onyx, Phoenix, Polaris, Power-Pole, PowerStop Brakes, REDCON1, Strike King, Suzuki, Tackle Warehouse, T-H Marine, Toyota, WIX Filters and YETI.

For complete details and updated tournament information, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular Bass Fishing League updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF5’s social media outlets at FacebookInstagram, and YouTube.

About Major League Fishing
Major League Fishing (MLF) is the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization, producing more than 250 events annually at some of the most prestigious fisheries in the world, while broadcasting to America’s living rooms on CBS, Discovery Channel, Outdoor Channel, CBS Sports Network, World Fishing Network and on demand on MyOutdoorTV (MOTV). Headquartered in Benton, Kentucky, the MLF roster of bass anglers includes the world’s top pros and more than 30,000 competitors in all 50 states and 17 countries. Since its founding in 2011, MLF has advanced the sport of competitive fishing through its premier television broadcasts and livestreams and is dedicated to improving the quality of life for bass through research, education, fisheries enhancement and fish care.


Lake Champlain ready to shine during Mercury B.A.S.S. Nation Qualifier

July 19, 2024

Nation_Mercury_Lowrance_4C_Raster.png

PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. — Anglers will visit Lake Champlain for the final Mercury B.A.S.S. Nation Qualifier presented by Lowrance and Elite Series rookie Tim Dube expects anglers to find plenty of bass on the historic fishery this go-round.

“This is a great time to be up at Champlain,” the New Hampshire pro said. “You’ll have favorable weather patterns and shouldn’t have to deal with too much wind. The lake is full of fish. You are going to see a lot of fish catches and a lot of limits weighed in. It won’t be a struggle to catch them; it will be a struggle to catch the right five.”

Tournament days are scheduled for July 24-26 with daily takeoffs and weigh-ins to take place at the Plattsburgh City Marina. This is the last chance for anglers to qualify for the Mercury B.A.S.S. Nation Championship presented by Lowrance at Grand Lake.

Splitting the border of New York and Vermont, Lake Champlain has been a gem of the bass fishing world for many years and a favorite stop amongst any angler fishing with B.A.S.S. Most recently, Kyoya Fujita won an Elite Series event with a four-day total of smallmouth weighing 86 pounds, 12 ounces.

This year, Dube said the bass are progressing through the spawn quicker than usual, which means the bass should be fat and healthy by the time anglers arrive for the tournament.

While a healthy largemouth population still exists in Champlain, smallmouth get much of the attention on the lake these days. Dube said there are plenty of 4-pound brownies that either chase alewives out in open water or hunker down to ambush perch in the shallows.

“There are more 4-pound smallmouth in that lake than 4-pound largemouth,” Dube said. “Numbers wise, the smallmouth guys are going to figure out the pelagic smallmouth. The Inland Sea has the largest population. But there will be a lot of people over there, so you could see a lot of bass being split up.”

Forward-facing sonar and a jighead minnow will be key to catching the roaming smallmouth while a more traditional approach like a drop shot or Carolina rig will be key for the perch eaters. The “old school Champlain” also exists still.

“You’ve got humps, individual rocks out on deep flats and you have grasslines,” Dube said. “Grasslines haven’t played in a couple years, but they might this year. But it is so easy to put the trolling motor down with forward-facing and see them versus dragging a Carolina rig down a grassline or over a rockpile.

“Big fish live shallow on that lake.”

The X factor in this event, according to Dube, will be the anglers who decide to spend some time attempting to catch largemouth. The lake features several different types of grass, including milfoil, which will attract most of the largemouth population.

Although it hasn’t played much in the last two Elite Series events, the Ticonderoga area on the south end of the lake could set up well in this tournament.

“That has potential as long as the wind doesn’t blow,” Dube said. “Someone could find a group of largemouth that are healthy, fat and potentially the winning kind of fish. The water is shallower and dirtier down there.”

Missisquoi Bay, meanwhile, tends to be the best largemouth area on the lake. Dube said the best way for an angler to separate themselves in what will likely be a tight leaderboard is to catch several 4-pound smallmouth and then land a 5-pound largemouth.

The event is hosted by The Adirondack Coast.

2024 Bassmaster Nation Series Title Sponsor: Mercury

2024 Bassmaster Nation Series Presenting Sponsor: Lowrance

2024 Bassmaster Nation Series Platinum Sponsor: Toyota
2024 Bassmaster Nation Series Premier Sponsors: Bass Pro Shops, Dakota Lithium, Humminbird, Mercury, Minn Kota, Nitro Boats, Power-Pole, Progressive Insurance, Ranger Boats, Rapala, Skeeter Boats, Yamaha
2024 Bassmaster Nation Series Supporting Sponsors: AFTCO, Daiwa, Garmin, Lew's, Lowrance, Marathon, Triton Boats, VMC

2024 Bassmaster Nation Series Youth Sponsors: Seaguar, Shimano

About B.A.S.S.B.A.S.S., which encompasses the Bassmaster tournament leagues, events and media platforms, is the worldwide authority on bass fishing and keeper of the culture of the sport, providing cutting-edge content on bass fishing whenever, wherever and however bass fishing fans want to use it. Headquartered in Birmingham, Ala., the 500,000-member organization’s fully integrated media platforms include the industry’s leading magazines (Bassmaster and B.A.S.S. Times), website (Bassmaster.com), TV show, radio show, social media programs and events. For more than 50 years, B.A.S.S. has been dedicated to access, conservation and youth fishing.

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Connect with #Bassmaster on FacebookInstagramTwitter and TikTok.

Media Contact: Chad Gay, Communications Manager, 205-313-0945, cgay@bassmaster.com


Expect competitive weights at Junior/High School Championships at Chickamauga

July 19, 2024

DAYTON, Tenn. — For the second time, Chickamauga Lake will welcome some of the best youth anglers from across the country to compete in the Strike King Bassmaster High School National Championship presented by Bill Dance Signature Lakes as well as the Bassmaster Junior National Championship. Elite Series pro Jacob Foutz expects both tournaments to produce big bass.

“The lake has been fishing good this year,” the Tennessee native said. “The weights have been fairly consistent with what they have been the last few years. It took 42 pounds to win a local tournament in March. I was out the other day and I caught 50 or 60 in an eight-hour day. 20 pounds a day should be pretty good.”

The Junior Championship will be held July 26-27 before the high schoolers take center stage Aug. 1-3. The City of Dayton will host both events, with daily takeoffs and weigh-ins held at Dayton Boat Dock.

The youth teams that qualified for this event did so with top finishes in the four regular-season High School or Junior events or through state qualifying events through the B.A.S.S. Nation. Each Junior team will compete for the entire duration of the tournament, while the high school field will be cut to the Top 12 after Day 2.

Known for big bass, Chickamauga has turned into one of the most popular destinations on the Tennessee River system. In recent years, the youth series has visited the fishery several times. Carson Falk and Trey Blackmon III won the 2023 High School Series regular-season event with a one-day, five-bass limit of 25 pounds, 3 ounces. In 2021, Banks Shaw and Gage King won the first High School National Championship held at Chickamauga in late July with a three-day total of 45-6.

With summer reaching its peak in the southern part of the country, Foutz believes several different bites will come into play.

“There will be a few things going on. They will be catching the tail end of the ledge bite, while the grass bite is starting to get into full swing. Brushpiles are always good,” Foutz said. “You have a plethora of options. You’ve got bluff walls, and you can run up some of the rivers and flip wood and docks.”

For Foutz, late July and early August is his favorite time to start targeting the grass on Chickamauga. There are several different types of grass in the lake right now including hydrilla, milfoil, eelgrass and coontail.

“It will be topped out in some places, but most of it will be submerged,” he said. “You can catch them flipping a jig in some of the deeper clumps and there are places you can punch through it. You can catch them on a topwater, ChatterBait and on a worm, too.”

On the ledges, some of the bigger schools will still be gathered in the community areas of the lake. Foutz said he tries to find several smaller groups of bass to avoid some of the pressure.

Foutz expects topwaters, ChatterBaits and worms like a Zoom Ol’ Monster to play the most during this tournament, as well as a Damiki rig for anglers confident with their forward-facing sonar.

2024 Bassmaster High School Series Title Sponsor: Strike King

2024 Bassmaster High School Series Platinum Sponsor: Toyota
2024 Bassmaster High School Series Premier Sponsors: Bass Pro Shops, Dakota Lithium, Humminbird, Mercury, Minn Kota, Nitro Boats, Power-Pole, Progressive Insurance, Ranger Boats, Rapala, Skeeter Boats, Yamaha
2024 Bassmaster High School Series Supporting Sponsors: AFTCO, Daiwa, Garmin, Lew's, Lowrance, Marathon, Triton Boats, VMC

2024 Bassmaster High School Series Youth Sponsors: Seaguar, Shimano

2024 Bassmaster High School Championship Sponsor: Bill Dance Signature Lakes

 

About B.A.S.S.B.A.S.S., which encompasses the Bassmaster tournament leagues, events and media platforms, is the worldwide authority on bass fishing and keeper of the culture of the sport, providing cutting-edge content on bass fishing whenever, wherever and however bass fishing fans want to use it. Headquartered in Birmingham, Ala., the 500,000-member organization’s fully integrated media platforms include the industry’s leading magazines (Bassmaster and B.A.S.S. Times), website (Bassmaster.com), TV show, radio show, social media programs and events. For more than 50 years, B.A.S.S. has been dedicated to access, conservation and youth fishing.

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Connect with #Bassmaster on FacebookInstagramTwitter and TikTok.

Media Contact: Chad Gay, Communications Manager, 205-313-0945, cgay@bassmaster.com


MLF Unveils 2025 Bass Pro Tour Schedule

ORLANDO, Fla. (July 18, 2024) – Major League Fishing (MLF) announced today at ICAST the schedule for the seventh season of professional bass fishing’s most competitive circuit – the 2025 Bass Pro Tour. The 2025 season will showcase 65 of the world’s top professional bass anglers competing for millions of dollars, including the sport’s top award of $150,000 at every regular-season event, plus valuable points in the Fishing Clash Angler of the Year (AOY) race, and qualification into REDCREST 2026 and the General Tire Heavy Hitters all-star event.

The 2025 Bass Pro Tour season, consisting of seven stages, begins in late January with Bass Pro Tour Stage One at Lake Conroe, where all anglers start with zero AOY points and look to get their season off to a strong start in the race for the Fishing Clash AOY title. The schedule continues through six more regular-season events – with three venues never fished before on the Bass Pro Tour – along with REDCREST 2025 and the sixth annual General Tire Heavy Hitters All-Star Event (also at a new venue). The seven-event regular season culminates with REDCREST 2026 in the spring of 2026.

“We’re excited about the rollout of the Bass Pro Tour 2025 schedule and what the season will offer to our fans: a fun mixture of new and familiar destinations, with a variety of fishery types and styles,” said MLF Executive Vice President & General Manager Kathy Fennel. “The schedule includes some of the best bass lakes and rivers in the country, which will create consistent excitement for our fans. We’re grateful to our fans, local partners and Bass Pro Tour anglers as we’re set up for an exciting 2025 season.”

For the first time in Bass Pro Tour history, the full field will compete simultaneously in the Qualifying Round on days one and two. From there, top anglers will advance to the Knockout Round on day three and ultimately the Championship Round on day four. Every day of catch, weigh, immediate-release competition will be broadcast live on MLFNOW! and streamed to the Major League Fishing app, MyOutdoorTV (MOTV) and Rumble apps, and at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

2025 MLF Bass Pro Tour Schedule:

Jan. 30- Feb. 2                 Stage One at Lake Conroe                                                          Conroe, Texas
Hosted by Visit Conroe

Feb. 13-16                        Stage Two at the Harris Chain of Lakes                                    Leesburg, Fla.
Hosted by Discover Lake County Florida

March 6-9                         Stage Three at Lake Murray                                                       Columbia, S.C.
Hosted by the Capital City Lake Murray Country Regional Tourism Board

April 3-6                            Bass Pro Shops REDCREST 2025 at Lake Guntersville           Huntsville, Ala.
Hosted by Huntsville/Madison County Convention & Visitors Bureau, the Alabama Mountain Lakes Tourist Association and the Madison County Commission

May 1-4                             Stage Four at Lake Chickamauga/Nickajack Lake                  Chattanooga, Tenn.
Hosted by Chattanooga, Tennessee and Fish Tennessee

May 17-22                        General Tire Heavy Hitters at Smith Mountain Lake             Franklin County, Va.
Hosted by Visit Franklin County, VA and Visit Virginia’s Blue Ridge

June 5-8                             Stage Five at Kentucky Lake                                                       Calvert City, Ky.
Hosted by the Kentucky Lake Convention & Visitors Bureau

June 26-29                       Stage Six at the Potomac River                                                   Marbury, Md.
Hosted by Charles County Recreation, Parks and Tourism

Aug. 7-10                          Stage Seven at Saginaw Bay                                                       Bay City, Mich.
Hosted by Go Great Lakes Bay and the Bay Area Chamber of Commerce

Proud sponsors of the MLF Bass Pro Tour include: Abu Garcia, B&W Trailer Hitches, Bass Pro Shops, Berkley, BUBBA, Epic Baits, Fishing Clash, Garmin, General Tire, Humminbird, Lowrance, Mercury, MillerTech, Minn Kota, Mossy Oak Fishing, NITRO, O’Reilly Auto Parts, Onyx, Plano, Power-Pole, PowerStop Brakes, Rapala, REDCON1, Star brite, Suzuki, Toyota, U.S. Air Force and WIX Filters.

For complete details and updated information on Major League Fishing and the 2025 Bass Pro Tour, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF’s social media outlets at FacebookX,  Instagram and  YouTube.

About Major League Fishing
Major League Fishing (MLF) is the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization, producing more than 250 events annually at some of the most prestigious fisheries in the world, while broadcasting to America’s living rooms on CBS, Discovery Channel, Outdoor Channel, CBS Sports Network, World Fishing Network and on demand on MyOutdoorTV (MOTV). Headquartered in Benton, Kentucky, the MLF roster of bass anglers includes the world’s top pros and more than 30,000 competitors in all 50 states and 17 countries. Since its founding in 2011, MLF has advanced the sport of competitive fishing through its premier television broadcasts and livestreams and is dedicated to improving the quality of life for bass through research, education, fisheries enhancement and fish care.


THE LAST WORD IN 36V TROLLING MOTOR RIGGING

Today’s Powerful, New 36-Volt Direct-Drive & Lithium-Powered Trolling motors require special, high-performance connections… which 6 Gauge Wire configured Connect-Ease® 36V PRO provides.

PRIOR LAKE, MN (July 16, 2024) - Today’s powerful, new 36-volt direct-drive and lithium-powered trolling motors require special, high-performance connections…

Enter the Connect-Ease® 36V PRO Kit, which features 6 gauge wire, onboard charging leads, 60 amp circuit breaker, negative connection block, and direct connection leads with heat-shrinkable butt splices for a quick onboard charger connection—offering anglers hassle-free installation with everything preconfigured for proven, reliable performance.

The 36V PRO features tinned marine-grade wire and materials that will provide corrosion-proof reliability for the life of your boat. Provides up to 110 Amps power and is lithium battery compatible. The Connect-Ease 36V Pro kit brings a quick, easy installation and powerful, proven performance to any 36V trolling motor installation.

Ultimately, this easy-to-use multiple 36V series quick connect/disconnect lithium compatible system keeps serious anglers on the water longerguys like top-winning professional walleye angler, Brett King, and numerous others.

The perfect 36V in-series connection with multi-12V batteries and onboard charging leads provides the perfect connection for optimal performance from high-output trolling motors. Keep spare batteries on board with our additional 12V easy battery connections for quick battery replacement in seconds for extra-long days, weekends or tournaments out on the water. This is the solution for those who want a trouble-free way to maintain and replace trolling motor batteries with onboard charging systems.

Everything stays perfectly connected! Protect your expensive equipment. Easily replace batteries in tight compartments without the hassle of dropping nuts, connections or tools in the bottom of the boat. This easy to use product allows batteries to be removed in seconds and 36V in series systems to be hooked up in a snap, easily and correctly every time.

Once Connect-Ease products are installed, no tools are needed for the removal, replacement or storage of expensive marine batteries. Using the Connect-Ease series of products allows connecting any 12V marine battery with any 36V trolling motor at any time, any place, easily and quickly, by simply snapping the connectors together.

FEATURES/SPECS:

  • Plug & Play Connections; Lithium Compatible
  • 60 Amp Circuit Breaker and ground block included
  • 6 Gauge Marine Grade Wire with Heat Shrinkable Butt Splices
  • Integrate Your Onboard Charger through Pre-Wired Connections
  • Makes Rigging and Battery Removal Foolproof
  • UL1426 Tinned Marine Grade Wire
  • Saltwater Approved
  • One-Year Warranty
  • Made In the USA  

MSRP $164.99

 


CPF Lures Wins 10th-Annual ICAST Cup Presented by Major League Fishing on Lake Toho

A Total of $8,200 Raised for Keep America Fishing™ Foundation

Link to Full Image Gallery from 2024 ICAST Cup

KISSIMMEE, Fla. (July 16, 2024) – The CPF Lures team, represented by Chuck Pippin and Jason George, brought a three-bass limit totaling 15 pounds, 7 ounces to the stage Tuesday to win the 2024 ICAST Cup at Lake Toho Presented by Major League Fishing (MLF). The four-hour bass-fishing tournament, hosted by the Kissimmee Sports Commission, was the kick-off event to ICAST 2024 and raised a total of $8,200 to benefit the industry’s angler advocacy program, Keep America Fishing™.

The field totaled 41 boats, including a handful of MLF Tackle Warehouse Invitationals and Toyota Series anglers, as well as outdoor media and industry representatives from popular tackle brands and non-profits. In its ten-year history, the charity tournament has raised more than $89,200 for Keep America Fishing™.

George and Pippin are partners in CPF Lures and said they leaned exclusively on one of their own baits for the winning bag.

“We caught every single one of our bass on a 10-inch ribbon tail worm from CPF Lures,” said Pippin. “We’re really known for our 8-inch trick worm, but sometimes this time of year when the weather’s hot and the water’s dirty, they want a little more action, so we slipped over to the ribbon-tail.  You can never go wrong with a june-bug-colored bait on this lake.”

Pippin said they caught their limit early, in an area about the size of a bass boat.

“We caught them all by 8 a.m. this morning and just got really fortunate,” said Pippin. “A lot of guys were here from all across the country, and I think they were speeding up because we only have four hours, but we just drug that worm real slow and it paid off.”

George echoed Pippin’s sentiments.

“It was a good day,” said George. “Chuck put us on some really good fish, and we just ran the ribbon tail worm – just old-school-style fishing all morning. The bites were pretty consistent, so when they would stop, we would just go to the next spot and get a few bites and continued that pattern all morning.”

Pippin said the bite slowed later in the morning and the duo felt incredibly fortunate to have gotten the winning bass in the boat within the first few hours of the competition.

“Even though we only fished four hours, we probably would have weighed-in about the same if we’d fished eight hours, because they just kind of shut down on us,” Pippin said. “But this win feels pretty good! I’ve fished the ICAST Cup a couple times, but I didn’t watch the weigh-in because I didn’t want to put too much pressure on myself. However, now that we’ve won it, we’re already making plans to win it again next year!”

The top 10 teams finished the tournament in:

1st:          CPF Lures – Jason George and Chuck Pippin, three bass, 15-7
2nd:        American Baitworks – Robert Greenberg, JT Kenney and Justin Harant, three bass, 12-8
3rd:        10 CAN INC – Robert Isom, Michael Wilson and Stevie Brave, three bass, 12-6
4th:         Gary Ford Well and Pump – Thad Ford and Nick Hawkins, three bass, 11-12
5th:         Bull Bay Tackle – Jake Stines and Danny Hamm, three bass, 11-4
5th:         T.A. Mahoney Co. – Mike Hardy and Tom Mahoney, three bass, 11-4
7th:         Glacier Outdoor – Christine Hayton, Daniel Valois and Horaciso Clare, three bass, 10-11
8th:         USA Bass – Nicole Abrams and Julie Leavitt, three bass, 10-8
9th:         Bob’s Machine – Steven Pelini, Bryan Honnerlaw and Betty Bauman, three bass, 10-8
10th:       Amera Trail, Steve “Boogie” Brown, Terry Segraves and Cindy Joint, three bass, 10-4

Complete results and photos from the tournament will be posted at ICASTCup.com.

USA Bass partnered with MLF and Keep America Fishing™ to award the top-finishing women’s pair at the ICAST Cup a spot on the 2025 USA Pan American Bass fishing team. The highest-finishing team of female anglers was Nicole Abrams and Julie Leavitt, who brought three bass to the stage totaling 10 pounds, 8 ounces to earn their spot on Team USA Bass at the 2025 Pan American Bass Fishing Championship, alongside other top pros.

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

For more ICAST 2024 coverage, details and tournament information visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF’s social media outlets at FacebookXInstagram and YouTube.

About Major League Fishing
Major League Fishing (MLF) is the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization, producing more than 250 events annually at some of the most prestigious fisheries in the world, while broadcasting to America’s living rooms on CBS, Discovery Channel, Outdoor Channel, CBS Sports Network, World Fishing Network and on demand on MyOutdoorTV (MOTV). Headquartered in Benton, Kentucky, the MLF roster of bass anglers includes the world’s top pros and more than 30,000 competitors in all 50 states and 17 countries. Since its founding in 2011, MLF has advanced the sport of competitive fishing through its premier television broadcasts and livestreams and is dedicated to improving the quality of life for bass through research, education, fisheries enhancement and fish care.


MLF Set to Wrap Tackle Warehouse Invitational Season Next Week with Stop 6 at Detroit River Presented by B&W Trailer Hitches

Tackle Warehouse Invitational set to visit Detroit next week to compete for top prize of up to $115,000 and qualification into REDCREST 2025

DETROIT (July 16, 2024) – The incredible bass fishing that the Detroit area offers to anglers will be on full showcase to a worldwide audience next week.

Major League Fishing (MLF) is set to visit Detroit and the Detroit River next week, July 26-28, for the sixth and final Tackle Warehouse Invitational event of the season – the Tackle Warehouse Invitational Stop 6 at the Detroit River Presented by B&W Trailer Hitches. The three-day tournament will feature a roster of up to 150 professional anglers competing for a top prize of up to $115,000 and an invitation to compete at REDCREST 2025 – MLF’s most prestigious event – for the chance to win up to $300,000.

Hosted by the Detroit Sports Commission, the event also features the competitors competing in their last event of the season for valuable points to claim the coveted Fishing Clash Angler of the Year (AOY) title – including a $50,000 payout – and to qualify for the 2025 Bass Pro Tour, MLF’s premiere circuit.

“The Detroit Sports Commission is excited to welcome the competitors and spectators to the Tackle Warehouse Invitational on the Detroit River,” said Dave Beachnau, Executive Director of the Detroit Sports Commission. “We are extremely proud of our relationship with Major League Fishing and look forward to showcasing not only our great local fishing and recreation, but also the opportunities for visitors to enjoy all the Detroit region has to offer, including terrific attractions, restaurants and lodging.”

This tournament marks the 99th time that MLF (and FLW) has hosted an event that launched from the Detroit River, although if you add in the events that have taken place on Lake St. Clair and Lake Erie – also options for tournament anglers in this event – the number balloons to 184 events. The glacier blue waters are known for its massive smallmouth bass populations, and local competitor Troy Stokes of Trenton, Michigan, says that right now, the fishery is on fire.

“Looking at results from recent tournaments, it’s clear that the bite is extremely good right now and the fish are very healthy,” said Stokes, who has eight top-10 finishes on the fishery in MLF competition. “I was blown away by the weights at the Bassmaster Open last week. I’ve never seen weights that high, throughout the field, ever. The fish are fat, they’re biting, and we’re going to see a really exciting tournament next week.”

Stokes said that he expects to see all three fisheries in play for competitors.

“I predict the majority of anglers will be fishing in Lake St. Clair, partly because the Open just smashed them there,” Stokes said. “But it’s also the most consistent. Lake Erie definitely has winning potential, but you’re going to have to be really careful going out there. You’re much more susceptible to the wind and inclement conditions. And you also have to be familiar with the Detroit River – if it was later in the year the river would be a much bigger factor in this event. But you can’t discount it, especially on windy days. If the weather is bad and we end up having to fish in the river, it could derail your tournament if you’ve never fished there before. So there is definitely a lot in play.”

Stokes said that the majority of anglers would be weighing in large limits of smallmouth bass, but he expects to see quite a few largemouth bass visit the scale as well.

“There is some really good largemouth fishing – I’ve weighed in quite a few mixed bags over the years,” Stokes said. “But in this tournament, with the smallmouth biting as good as they are, it’s going to be extremely hard to compete with just largemouth. A guy might catch one big bag, but it’d be very tough to compete over the multiple days.

“With fishing this good, it’s going to take more than a 22-to-23-pound average each day to be there at the end,” Stokes went on to say. “I’m thinking someone is going to catch a mega bag one day, then back it up with a couple of very solid limits. I predict the three-day winner will have 74 pounds, 7 ounces.”

Anglers will launch at 6:30 a.m. ET each day from Elizabeth Park, located at 202 Grosse Ile Parkway in Trenton, Michigan. Weigh-ins will also be held at the park and will begin at 2:30 p.m. Fans are welcome to attend all launch and weigh-in events and also encouraged to follow the event online throughout the day on the MLFNOW!® live stream and coverage at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

The 2024 Tackle Warehouse Invitationals feature a field of professional anglers competing across six invitational tournaments around the country, for a total purse of $3.9 million and valuable Fishing Clash Angler of the Year (AOY) points to qualify for a coveted spot on the MLF Bass Pro Tour, the sport’s top level.

In Tackle Warehouse Invitational competition, the full field compete in the two-day opening round on Friday and Saturday in a five-fish, weigh-in format. Only the top 30 pros, based on their two-day cumulative weight, advance to the final round on Championship Sunday, where they will compete for the grand prize of up to $115,000. The winner of the Tackle Warehouse Invitational Stop 6 at the Detroit River Presented by B&W Trailer Hitches will be determined by the heaviest three-day cumulative weight and will receive an invitation to compete at REDCREST 2025 on Lake Guntersville in Huntsville, Alabama.

The MLFNOW! broadcast team of Chad McKee and Rob Newell will break down the extended action live all three days of competition from 7 a.m. to 2:15 p.m. ET. MLFNOW! will be live streamed on MajorLeagueFishing.com and the MyOutdoorTV (MOTV) app.

Television coverage of the MLF Tackle Warehouse Invitationals Stop 6 at the Detroit River Presented by B&W Trailer Hitches will air as a two-hour episode, premiering at 9 a.m. ET, on Saturday, Nov. 9 on CBS Sports Network.

Proud sponsors of the 2024 MLF Tackle Warehouse Invitationals include: 7 Brew, Abu Garcia, B&W Trailer Hitches, Berkley, BUBBA, E3 Sports Apparel, Epic Baits, Fishing Clash, General Tire, Lew’s, Mercury, Mossy Oak Fishing, Onyx, Phoenix Boats, Polaris, Power-Pole, PowerStop Brakes, REDCON1, Strike King, Suzuki, Tackle Warehouse, T-H Marine, Toyota, WIX Filters and YETI.

For complete details and updated information on Major League Fishing and the Tackle Warehouse Invitationals, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular Tackle Warehouse Invitational updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow the MLF5 social media outlets at Facebook,  Instagram and  YouTube.

About Major League Fishing
Major League Fishing (MLF) is the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization, producing more than 250 events annually at some of the most prestigious fisheries in the world, while broadcasting to America’s living rooms on CBS, Discovery Channel, Outdoor Channel, CBS Sports Network, World Fishing Network and on demand on MyOutdoorTV (MOTV). Headquartered in Benton, Kentucky, the MLF roster of bass anglers includes the world’s top pros and more than 30,000 competitors in all 50 states and 17 countries. Since its founding in 2011, MLF has advanced the sport of competitive fishing through its premier television broadcasts and livestreams and is dedicated to improving the quality of life for bass through research, education, fisheries enhancement and fish care.


Three Must-See New Products

NEW PRODUCT SHOWCASE

The long wait is over. The doors are about to open. And Whitewater Fishing invites you to see their latest offerings in ICAST’s New Product Showcase, and then visit our booth (#5812) to learn more about the brand, our design philosophies, and certainly look over all that Whitewater Fishing has to offer. We look forward to meeting you...

RAYS PERFORMANCE HOODIE

Rays Against Sunrays

Whitewater Fishing’s new Rays Performance Hoodie keeps sunrays and perspiration out, while delivering unmatched performance and comfort on the water.

Rays Performance Hoodie FEATURES:

  • Lightweight, breathable polyester for incredible stretch
  • Touch-Activated cooling fabric technology
  • UPF 50+ sun protection
  • Anti-microbial, moisture-wicking, & cooling treated to keep you fresh & cool when your body temp rises
  • Ergonomic 3-panel hood with a snap to keep it in place on the water
  • Built-in neck gaiter for sun protection and laser-cut holes for breathing

MSRP $79.99

PREVAIL FISHING PANT

Destined to Prevail

Whitewater Fishing’s new Prevail Pant fuses functionality, fit, and freedom of movement.

Prevail Pant FEATURES:

  • Quick-dry nylon/spandex stretch twill fabric
  • UPF 50+ sun protection
  • Stain resistant
  • Antimicrobial treated
  • 7 pockets: 2 front waist, 2 thigh zip, 2 back zip, 1 knife pocket
  • Side seam vent zippers allow for temperature regulation
  • Articulated knees & gusseted crotch for mobility
  • Available in Charcoal and Khaki
  • SIZES: 32R – 42R

MSRP $99.99

GREAT LAKES PRO INSULATED JACKET

Best Cold Weather Raingear Ever Designed

Whitewater Fishing’s new Great Lakes Pro Insulated Rainsuit is the ultimate outerwear for fishing the coldest and wettest freshwater and saltwater conditions. 

Great Lakes Pro Insulated JACKET FEATURES:

  • 100% Waterproof (30,000 mm rated)
  • 100% Windproof
  • Exclusive 3-layer waterproof/breathable material
  • 4-way stretch nylon-based shell with smooth polyester lining
  • Thermal Mapped Primaloft® Silver insulation (133 grams front, 170 grams back, 100 below the waist)
  • Articulated shoulders and elbows
  • Skillfully taped seams
  • High insulated collar
  • 3-panel, adjustable, and insulated hood
  • Adjustable waist
  • 2 sewn-in D-rings (lower ring for safety cord, upper ring for trolling motor fobs)
  • 5 pockets for storage and warmth: 2 AquaGuard® water-resistant zip chest, 2 AquaGuard® water-resistant zip waist, 1 interior zip chest for smartphone
  • Reflective material

MSRP $499.99

AVAILABLE FALL 2024

GREAT LAKES PRO INSULATED BIBS

Great Lakes Pro Insulated BIB FEATURES:

  • 100% Waterproof (30,000 mm rated)
  • 100% Windproof
  • Exclusive 3-layer waterproof/breathable material
  • 4-way stretch nylon-based shell with smooth polyester lining
  • Thermal Mapped Primaloft® Silver insulation (60 grams front, 80 grams back, 100 grams sleeves, and 80 grams hooda/collar)
  • Gusseted crotch for added mobility
  • Articulated knees for added mobility
  • Skillfully taped seams
  • Waist tighteners to lessen pull on shoulders
  • BEMIS PVC on knees for added durability and waterproofness
  • Waist high side zippers for easy in and out
  • Adjustable suspenders with silicone grip to stay in place
  • Adjustable wrist closures
  • 6 pockets with highly water-resistant AquaGuard® zippers (2 chest, 2 waist, and 2 cargo)
  • Zippers for dry storage
  • 2 sewn-in D-rings (lower ring for safety cord, upper ring for trolling motor fobs)
  • Reflective material

MSRP $499.99

AVAILABLE FALL 2024


Japan’s Top Brand Comes to North America

New extreme low diameter X-BRAID FINESSE developed through exclusive manufacturing processes. 

FOOTHILL RANCH, CA (July 16, 2024) – It’s often said, “the devil is in the details”. It means the down-in-the-weeds-details are complicated, and if not managed with precision, are likely to produce a poor result. The axiom surely applies to manufacturing fishing products, too. Think about that realistically shaped and attractively painted off-brand crankbait that comes out of the box running like a bottle rocket off the stick. Sadly, it happens.

The good news is that DAIWA pays painstaking attention to detail, and it shows in their high performance rods, reels, lures, accessories, and fishing line.

Japan’s premier X-BRAID fishing line brand vexes over the details as well. And it’s why DAIWA partnered with X-BRAID to bring the world’s best fishing lines to the North American market, to include the new X-BRAID FINESSE.

Quite literally, those details start at a molecular level. For years, braided lines woven with Dyneema® were at the top of the food chain, but that’s all changed as IZANAS® takes the lead. The ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene material has the highest strength and modulus of a manmade fiber. How strong? Try nearly 8 times stronger than piano wire of the same weight.

We turn to DAIWA Field Marketing Manager, Chris Martin, to further the discussion. “Beyond IZANAS being an unrivaled base material, it’s how individual weights of the entire X-BRAID family are manufactured that makes it far superior to the competition. Other companies take a single base material and stretch it to achieve the desired diameter and weight. This creates inconsistencies, which can lead to weak spots.”

Uniquely, each diameter and weight of X-BRAID is produced from a dedicated spool. So, for example, if 10-pound X-BRAID FINESSE is the desired final weight, the base material fiber is 10-pound. No stretching. No inconsistencies.

Martin goes on to underscore the weaving process employed for all X-BRAID lines. “The actual weaving machines are proprietary and built in house to create the ‘WX Weave’. In traditional weaving used by other brands the line comes off multiple bobbins. That means an in an 8 strand weave there are 8 bobbins spitting out line. That results in line twist and inconsistencies.”

In X-BRAID’s “top secret” WX Weave, the strands come together uniformly to yield exceptional consistency. Moreover, the X-BRAID process produces a denser weave – 1.5 X the competition – with more material in the finished product. That tighter weave results in a smoother, more abrasion resistant fishing line. The meticulous process also takes twice as long as the competition, and anglers are the beneficiaries of the patient production.

The WX Weave also generates a rounder and slightly stiffer line. This modest amount of stiffness makes it much easier to handle and tie, closer to how monofilament feels. This manageability translates into fewer bird’s nests on the cast, too. But if you happen to snarl, the micro stiffness makes it much easier to untangle the knot.

The awesomeness of X-BRAID FINESSE doesn’t end there. “The line making process concludes with the addition of a specialized coating that allows for extremely low friction, as well as heat, abrasion, and chemical resistance…not to mention longer casts,” said Martin.

Lastly, X-BRAID FINESSE comes in high visibility white to make the line easier to manage and visible in low-light conditions.

WHY X-BRAID FINESSE?

The 8-carrier X-BRAID FINESSE was originally conceived in Japan to fish through current and in deeper water for tai (sea bream). The revered fish is used in celebrations to bring in good luck, which is associated with the tai’s vivid red color and beautiful shape.

Stateside, the benefits of such an extremely low diameter line are manifold. “Bass anglers will love it for throwing superlight jigs, as well as fishing deep with spoons and bladebaits,” said Martin. He notes that the line’s supreme sensitivity makes it possible to feel the bait in those situations. He added, “There’s an incredible transfer of energy from the line to the rod tip. To that, its narrow diameter greatly reduces the formation of wind knots because X-BRAID FINESSE cuts wind on the cast.”

Its abilities to slash wind and provide unmatched sensitivity will make X-BRAID FINESSE popular with panfish and trout anglers as well. “Think about casting 1/32nd and 1/16th ounce jigs. You need a line of this caliber to do that. And trout anglers will be able to gun inline spinners and spoons, not to mention feel the blade rotating and body wobbling.”

In freshwater rivers, X-BRAID FINESSE will better slice the current – reduce bowing – so you can maintain contact with your bait. Walleye and smallmouth bass anglers will surely appreciate this feature.

Martin concluded by touting the line’s breaking strength. “Don’t be fooled by X-BRAID FINESSE’s super low diameter. The breaking strength is unbelievable.”

X-BRAID FINESSE FEATURES:

  • Constructed of revolutionary IZANAS® polyethylene fibers
  • 8-carrier braid
  • Proprietary WX Weave process
  • Multi-color green, tan, and black for camouflaging
  • Perfectly round
  • Extreme low diameter
  • High breaking strength
  • Abrasion resistant
  • Specially coated to lower friction and repel oil, chemicals, etc.
  • 165-yard spoon
  • Available in 4-lb to 20-lb weights

MSRP $25.99

NOW SHIPPING!

For Daiwa’s latest color catalog and/or information on Daiwa dealers in your area, call Daiwa’s Customer Service Department at 562-375-6800 or e-mail inquiries to: [email protected]. The URL for Daiwa’s web site is daiwa.us

 


Best Cold Weather Raingear Ever Designed

Whitewater Fishing’s new Great Lakes Pro Insulated Rainsuit is the ultimate outerwear for fishing the coldest and wettest freshwater and saltwater conditions. 

MUSKEGON, Mich. (July 15, 2024) – In the Gregorian Calendar – the one we use – fishing is a yearlong enterprise. There are surely peaks, closed, and open seasons, but for anyone dedicated to the sport, there’s always something to fish for, somewhere.

That brings us to the “tweener” seasons. Tourism calls them the “shoulder” seasons. To summarize, it means those off-peak periods when many folks stay home because the weather is too cold and crappy. Guess what? If you’re determined to fish when the weather is frightful, you have a new bestie in Whitewater Fishing’s new Great Lakes Pro Insulated Rainsuit (Jacket and Bibs).

“We wanted a late season rainsuit for those seasonal crossover periods, like the months of October, November, and December,” said Whitewater Fishing President, Aaron Ambur. “The early spring months of March and April can be equally as miserable outside.”

Clearly, the Midwest and Great Lakes Region offers a natural laboratory for designing and testing extreme weather raingear, presenting ‘worst case scenario’ weather conditions to really put outerwear to the test. And the good news for anglers throughout North America is that the Great Lakes Pro Insulated Rainsuit passed the Great Lakes test, so it’s certain to perform in your region as well.

Cold fishing conditions aren’t unique to the north. Try bass fishing in central Texas in January. How about springtime stripers on the Atlantic? Same goes for northern California, Oklahoma, Iowa, Pennsylvania, New England, North Carolina, and on and on.

Speaking of Oklahoma, the recent Bassmaster Classic was held on Grand Lake O' the Cherokees and it was friggin’ cold. So icy in fact that Whitewater Pro Jay Przekurat donned the new Great Lakes Pro Insulated rainsuit and was shall we say…warmer than the rest of the field.

Whitewater Fishing President, Aaron Ambur, who has over 20-year experience designing outdoor apparel, said, “We considered every square inch of the Great Lakes Pro Insulted Rainsuit. We wanted to change the way anglers go to battle in cold conditions. That’s our promise,

ULTIMATE MOBILITY, WATERPROOFNESS, AND DURABILITY

We’ll get to the sophisticated ‘zone-insulation’ system in a moment, but first Ambur talked about mobility. “Our design team knew insulation would be part of the package, but before sewing a single stich, we knew creating a highly mobile garment was job one.”

‘Fabric first’ is a Whitewater Fishing mantra. “Selecting the right fabric is ground zero for everything we do,” said Ambur. “The fabric package in the Great Lakes Pro Insulated Rainsuit is nylon based with a remarkable 4-way stretch and unmatched durability. The material is also ripstop, so an accidental puncture doesn’t further tear.”

Next, you need precision cuts and fabric panels to facilitate mobility. “This rainsuit is fully constructed to move with the normal motions you make while fishing, like casting, bending, and kneeling.” To enable these actions, Whitewater cut and sewed patterns in the elbows and knees to promote articulation. That means the fabric panels are preformed to bend in the elbows and knees without pulling on the surrounding fabric.

Smooth and comfortable polyester lining.

Same goes for the crotch area. The Great Lakes Pro Insulated features a gusseted crotch. That means a separate and precise fabric panel is sown-in to eliminate resistance and expand motion. In many lesser suits, the leg sections are simply sown into a bunch, which really bunches up when you walk or bend.

On the topic of patterns and cuts, Ambur mentioned a key component to the Great Lakes Pro Insulated Rainsuit. “Each pattern was measured and cut to exactness to eliminate any extra material that would add bulk. This also gives the rainsuit a sleek and clean look.”

“We don’t add extra material to achieve freedom of movement. Rather, we promote mobility through exactness in design, fit, and fabrication.”

Obviously, premium raingear also needs to be waterproof. Whitewater’s intelligent 3-layer fabric-build on the Great Lakes Pro Insulated Rainsuit is 100% waterproof. The suit’s 30,000 mm waterproof rating is best of class, while still maintaining breathability. It means the 3-layer material is fully rainproof and waterproof under very high pressure, but at the same time perspiration can escape. Heavy rain, wet snow, and high pressure are no match for the Great Lakes Pro Insulated Rainsuit.

AquaGuard® water-resistant chest zippers.

THERMAL MAP INSULATION

Insulation doesn’t have to mean bulky, at least in the minds of Whitewater Fishing. First, you need exceptional insulation, like the Primaloft® Silver found in the Great Lakes Pro Insulated Rainsuit. Next, that insulation must be precisely placed – thermal mapped – to achieve warmth while not hindering mobility.

What is Primaloft Silver? The exceptional insulation is made from ultrafine, soft microfibers from polyester, connected at millions of contact points. They create a tightly cross-linked tangle of fibers with countless little air chambers that trap body heat, allow air to circulate, while also protecting against cold from the outside.

We’ve established that Primaloft Silver is a technologically advanced insulation. But it’s how Whitewater distributes the material throughout the jacket and bibs that maximizes its effectiveness, while at the same time enabling mobility on the water.

“Thermal mapping is key,” said Ambur. “For example, in the chest area we included 133 grams of Primaloft Silver and 170 grams in the back. That’s for maximum warmth. In the sleeves we dropped down to 100 grams to emphasize motion. We went even further and insulated the hood and collar, too.”

“You pair the insulation package with the rainsuit’s 100% windproof distinction, and you are talking about unreal thermal results. The physical weight of this garment to its thermal value results is off the charts.”

Thermal mapping is a tenet of the bibs, too. The chest sports 60 grams of Primaloft Silver; the back 80 grams; and 100 grams below the waist.

Ambur sums it up this way: “We set out to design cold weather raingear with maximum thermal value and minimal physical weight, along with mobility, stretch, and durability. The Great Lakes Pro Insulated rainsuit even exceeded our expectations…”

Waist tighteners to reduce weight on shoulders.

Full-leg zippers with strorm flap.

BEMIS PVC on knees for added durability and waterproofness.

Great Lakes Pro Insulated JACKET FEATURES:

  • 100% Waterproof (30,000 mm rated)
  • 100% Windproof
  • Exclusive 3-layer waterproof/breathable material
  • 4-way stretch nylon-based shell with smooth polyester lining
  • Thermal Mapped Primaloft® Silver insulation (133 grams front, 170 grams back, 100 below the waist)
  • Articulated shoulders and elbows
  • Skillfully taped seams
  • High insulated collar
  • 3-panel, adjustable, and insulated hood
  • Adjustable waist
  • 2 sewn-in D-rings (lower ring for safety cord, upper ring for trolling motor fobs)
  • 5 pockets for storage and warmth: 2 AquaGuard® water-resistant zip chest, 2 AquaGuard® water-resistant zip waist, 1 interior zip chest for smartphone
  • Reflective material

MSRP $499.99

AVAILABLE FALL 2024

 

Great Lakes Pro Insulated BIB FEATURES:

  • 100% Waterproof (30,000 mm rated)
  • 100% Windproof
  • Exclusive 3-layer waterproof/breathable material
  • 4-way stretch nylon-based shell with smooth polyester lining
  • Thermal Mapped Primaloft® Silver insulation (60 grams front, 80 grams back, 100 grams sleeves, and 80 grams hooda/collar)
  • Gusseted crotch for added mobility
  • Articulated knees for added mobility
  • Skillfully taped seams
  • BEMIS PVC on knees for added durability and waterproofness
  • Waist high side zippers for easy in and out
  • Adjustable suspenders with silicone grip to stay in place
  • 6 pockets with highly water-resistant AquaGuard® zippers (2 chest, 2 waist, and 2 cargo)
  • 2 sewn-in D-rings (lower ring for safety cord, upper ring for trolling motor fobs)
  • Reflective material

MSRP $499.99

AVAILABLE FALL 2024


FISHING: Forward-Facing Sonar Beast

FFS Beast

Ever Green’s new Last Ace 128 arrives as a bigger offering for forward-facing sonar enthusiasts. 

FOOTHILL RANCH, CA (July 11, 2024) – The advent of forward-facing sonar (FFS) has hatched numbers of nouveau techniques to tempt fish marked in front of the boat. There’s ‘moping,’ ‘hover strolling,’ and ‘mid-strolling’. And now, Ever Green launches its new 5-inch Last Ace 128 for ‘power mid-strolling’ with the aim of enticing alpha bass in the pack.

LAST ACE 128 (BABY GILL) rigged on a jig.

DAIWA’s Field Marketing Manager, Chris Martin, explained. “The Last Ace 128 offers a slightly larger profile than most FFS minnow-style baits on the market. The bigger silhouette is designed to root out the biggest, most aggressive fish in the pod.”

The Last Ace 128’s power mid-strolling effect is accomplished by its noticeably up-curved tail design. “The unique shape and angle of the tail makes it effortless for anglers to achieve that tantalizing rolling action so popular with FFS,” said Martin.

Its action is further enhanced by a specialized salt constitution. “The salt composition is evenly dispersed through only the belly half of the Last Ace 128,” said Martin. “Rigged weightless and power strolled, it causes the bait to sink horizontally and produce a shimmy akin to an injured baitfish. Its offset weighting is the key.”

Infused with baitfish scent throughout, the Last Ace 128 has an exceptionally flexible belly and tail, while the purposely denser top yields exceptional durability around the hook.

Cosmetically, fish will appreciate the Last Ace 128’s raised, 3D “real eyes” and dotted lateral line, which accentuate its authenticity.

ARMANDO GOLD

SUPER WAKASAGI

BABY GILL

WHITE CLEAR

NATURAL SHAD

NEON MOROKO

RIGGING THE LAST ACE 128

The slow sinking and exceptionally durable Last Ace 128 can be rigged weightless with a swimbait hook. Downward into the nose, back up through the body, and then slide the hookpoint into the molded notch on the bait’s back. The hookpoint stays hidden but is easily activated by a striking fish. Rigging as such also makes the Last Ace 128 virtually weedless for operating through vegetation.

It can also be paired with a jig. Go lighter for working the middle of the water column and heavier if you want to operate near or on the bottom. Long-shanked jigs with quality baitholders work best.

Lastly, and most simply, impale the middle of the Last Ace 128’s back from side to side with a kahle-style hook. Flip it out, let it sink, and twitch it around. Looks like a baitfish taking its last gulp of air.

Unique upturned tail produces lifelike rolling action.

LAST ACE 128 FEATURES:

  • 5-inch minnow-style bait
  • Slow sinking
  • Ideal for forward-facing sonar (FFS) techniques
  • Unique upturned tail produces lifelike rolling action
  • Specially balanced with a salt formulation for a horizontal fall
  • Infused with baitfish scent
  • Raised 3D “real eyes”
  • Dotted lateral line for authenticity
  • 6 proven colors: Baby Gill, Super Wakasagi, Natural Shad, Neon Moroko, Armando Gold, and White Clear

MSRP $11.99 (4 pack)

For Daiwa’s latest color catalog and/or information on Daiwa dealers in your area, call Daiwa’s Customer Service Department at 562-375-6800 or e-mail inquiries to: [email protected]. The URL for Daiwa’s web site is daiwa.us


“Never Seen Anything Like It” Rod

DAIWA’s new ARDITO travel rod series includes a premium telescoping model that morphs into its own case and fits in your backpack or briefcase. 

FOOTHILL RANCH, CA (July 14, 2024) – Bass fishing for a 10-pounder in Mexico. Floatplane only access to remote walleye and smallmouth lakes in Canadian glacial shield lakes. Big trout that seldom see a lure on hike-in-only Alpine mountain lakes. And that’s just the first page of your bucket list...

In concert, DAIWA has rewritten what it means to be a destination angler with its new ARDITO travel rod series. The first-of-its-kind assortment includes featured-filled telescoping and multi-piece spinning and casting rods you can take on planes, trains, and automobiles, as well as bikes, motorcycles, UTV’s, and golf carts – although we don’t endorse sneaking onto golf courses to fishwink, wink.

ARDITO Jitte spinning (guides and sections collapsed)

ARDITO Jitte spinning (fully collapsed and self-contained)

Of special note are the new ARDITO ‘Jitte’ casting and spinning rods, with a self-contained telescoping rod design concept that will have most anglers saying, “I’ve never seen anything like it.”

The groundbreaking design of the ARDITO travel rod is how the 6’7’ARD67B-TR casting and ARD67S-TR spinning rods – each with a full train of eight guides – can telescope into themselves with the handle used to make it completely protected and self-contained. Collapsed and contained, it’s like holding a baton.

Since first touch, DAIWA’s staff has been coming up with new locations and ways to travel with the ARDITO Jitte telescoping travel rods.

ARDITO Jitte casting (guides and sections collapsed)

ARDITO Jitte spinning (fully collapsed and self-contained)

“In our discussions with product development, sales, and marketing staff about the Jitte rod introduction at ICAST, our talks always drifted into unique ways and where these rods would be ideal to use,” said DAIWA’s Field Marketing Specialist Chris Martin. “Those ideas went everywhere from packing them in your Harley saddlebags for a ride to Sturgis and chasing northern pike, yellow perch and crappie in Bear Butte Lake – it’s a short 8 miles from DAIWA headquarters – to that lake or creek you keep seeing on your business travels and daydream about. Now, you have legitimate, packable rod that’ll put you on the water after a long day of meetings.”

“Always being on the road with my role at DAIWA means I’m traveling to fishing shows, events, and dealer meetings, and it’s a complete hassle to take a rod tube along,” continued Martin. “You can bet I’ll have an ARDITO Jitte rod, or two, at my side in the future.” Martin reminds ARDITO Jitte travel rod users not to forget your reels and lures!

The telescoping ARDITO Jitte ARD6106TLFS-TR spinning travel rod is a medium-power, fast action and designed for 1/16- to 3/8-oz lures and 3- to 10-lb line. The telescoping ARDITO Jitte ARD6106TMFB-TR casting travel rod is medium-power, fast action and designed for 3/16- to 5/8-oz lures and 7- to 16-lb line.

MSRP $199.99

Jitte might be the flagship ARDITO travel rod, but there’s an entire series behind it. DAIWA’s technology and construction features are evident throughout the ARDITO telescoping and multi-piece family, making them the new standard in travel rod design and performance.

The 6’8” ARD684MLSF-TR ARDITO Premium Travel Rod is a medium-light, 4-piece spinning rod for use with 5- to 12-pound test with a split-grip cork handle. There’s a full cork handle on the 6’10” ARD6104MHFB-TR medium-heavy casting rod, which is rated for up 20-pound test to tackle big bass and more.

“Feels like you’re fishing a one-piece due to DAIWA’s V-Joint technology,” said Martin. “By wrapping the rod blank’s carbon material at 45-degrees around the connecting ferrules, we eliminated any flat or dead spots in the rod. You won’t know it’s a four-piece rod.”

The four-piece ARDITO travel rods also feature DAIWA’s HVF Nano plus carbon blank material for lightness and sensitivity, along with DAIWA’s X-45 Bias construction process to prevent blank twisting, while adding further sensitivity and durability. Both models sport high-quality Fuji Alconite guides and come standard with a sturdy yet pliable, semi-hard travel case.

The 6’ 10” four-piece ARDITO ARD6104MHFB-TR travel rod is a medium-heavy, fast action rod designed for ¼- to ¾-ounce lures and 8- 20-lb line. The 6’ 8” spinning version (RD684MLFS-TR) is a medium-light, fast action rod designed for 1/8- to ½-ounce lures and 5- to 12-pound line.

MSRP $249.99

With the ARDITO Premium Telescoping Travel Rods – both a 6’10” casting and spinning model – DAIWA again employs its V-Joint flexing ferrule joint system to make it fish like a traditional one-piece rod.

“Anglers will be shaking their heads that these are telescoping rods that fish like one-piece rods,” stated Martin. Both rated to handle lures up to 5/8-ounce and for use with 7- to 16-pound test line, depending on your preference for casting or spinning, you can target everything from panfish, trout and crappies, to walleyes, bass, pike.

The super-compact ARDITO Premium telescoping rods feature a full cork handle, O-ring guides, and come with a softshell structures travel case.

The 6’ 10” ARD6106TMFB-TR ARDITO (casting) Premium Telescoping Rod is medium-power, fast action and rated for 3/16- to 5/8-ounce lures and 7- to 16-lb line, and features Fuji O-Ring Guides. The 6’ 10” ARD6106TLFS-TR ARDITO (spinning) Premium Telescoping Rod is light-power, fast action and rated for 3/16- to 5/8-ounce lures and 7- to 16-lb line, and features Fuji O-Ring Guides. 

MSRP $199.99

For Daiwa’s latest color catalog and/or information on Daiwa dealers in your area, call Daiwa’s Customer Service Department at 562-375-6800 or e-mail inquiries to: [email protected]. The URL for Daiwa’s web site is daiwa.us

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About Daiwa Corporation

Daiwa's first spinning reel rolled off the assembly line in 1955. Since then, the company has grown into one of the largest and most influential tackle companies in the world today. To handle sales and distribution in the United States, Daiwa Corporation first opened its doors on September 26, 1966, operating from a small facility in Culver City, California. Today, based in Foothill Ranch, California, Daiwa Corporation sells tackle throughout the United States, Canada, Central and South America. From the very beginning, Daiwa's emphasis has been upon innovation and quality. The result is a long list of product features, design and materials that have become standards for the fishing tackle industry. Daiwa’s long-standing record of innovation has left a visible mark on the majority of tackle manufactured today and continues to advance the sport of fishing. Learn more at daiwa.us

CONTACT:

John Mazurkiewicz

[email protected]

Catalyst Marketing

[email protected]


New Products from AFTCO - ICAST Edition

New Product Showcase

We're stoked to unveil our new lineup at the ICAST 2024 New Product Showcase! Check them out below and visit us at booth #3030.

Fortress Rain Suit

Your Fortress from the storm. When it comes to staying dry, Fortress over-delivers. Constructed with a Toray® 100% nylon membrane that’s 30K waterproof and 7K breathable, it features the innovative SpeedVent™ hood that stays in place even at high speeds, YKK® AquaGuard® zippers, “Double-Dry” cuffs that prevent water from seeping up your sleeves, a reinforced pliers pocket, ultra-comfortable shoulder straps, and a killswitch D-ring attachment for safety.

Fortress Rain Suit
Deckhand Pants

The Deckhand pants cater to the needs of professional guides and deckhands who live their lives on the water. From blood and guts to saltwater and slime, Deckhand work just as hard as you do to get the job done. Enjoy comfortable 4-way stretch fabrics and a hidden elastic waistband for optimal mobility. These pants prioritize durability, reliability, and functionality to meet the demands of a life spent at sea.

Deckhand Pants
Coastal Layer Hood

“Soft” is an understatement. Experience the comfort of Coastal Layer, the hoodie that stands out on its own and excels as a key component of your layering system. Made with lightweight, moisture-wicking fleece, it offers UPF 50 sun protection and advanced stain resistance, making it perfect for on and off the water.

Coastal Layer Hood
Women's Armorloft Sweatshirt

Meet Armorloft, your go-to when temperatures drop. Built with a hyper-grid fleece that locks in heat while encouraging airflow to keep anglers comfortable, especially when layering. Armorloft moves with you thanks to 4-way stretch, and a stain-resistant DWR coating ensures it stands the test of time.

Women's Armorloft Sweatshirt
Women's Coastal Layer Funnel

Coastal Layer is the ideal lightweight fleece option for sunrise sessions or evenings by the water. It features moisture-wicking and quick-dry properties to ensure comfort all day long. Plus, its pouch-style front pocket not only keeps your hands warm but also offers convenient storage.

Women's Coastal Layer Funnel
Titan Landing Net

Introducing Titan, the last net you’ll ever need. Proudly made in the USA with a lifetime guarantee, Titan's hoop is meticulously crafted from top-tier aircraft-grade aluminum. Its heavy-duty machined yoke guarantees maximum durability, and an extendable locking handle offers versatility for any catch. The hand-sewn 100% latex-infused 1” knotless netting protects fish's slime coat and scales.

Titan Landing Net
Aluminum Deck Brush

You asked, and we delivered. Introducing the Aluminum Deck Brush — a perfect blend of timeless aesthetics and utility for your boat wash-down needs. Proudly crafted in the USA, the shaft features the same premium gold aluminum as AFTCO gaffs.   When using as a deck brush, either use the included AFTCO soft brush head or remove the screw top adaptor for the shaft to become compatible with Shurhold® Brush heads and other push-button accessories.

Aluminum Deck Brush
Bank Patrol X-Pac Backpack

The bank fisherman's best buddy. Built with advanced X-Pac® sailcloth fabric, the Bank Patrol backpack is lightweight, durable, and 100% waterproof. It's designed with a trampoline-style mesh back suspension pad, ventilated shoulder straps, and an internal 1.5L bladder with a drink tube. With storage for your 3600 and 3500 tackle boxes, three bait/lure binder pages, and convenient rod holder straps, your gear is readily available whenever you need it.

Bank Patrol X-Pac Backpack
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