Lucas Wins Knockout Round, Final 10 Anglers Set for Finale at Major League Fishing’s Toro Stage One at Sam Rayburn Reservoir
Alabama Pro Has Best Single Day of Tournament to Advance to Championship Round
JASPER, Texas (March 25, 2021) – Berkley pro Justin Lucas of Guntersville, Alabama, had the highest single-day weight total of the entire event Thursday, catching nine bass totaling 36 pounds, 13 ounces to win the Knockout Round and advance at the Major League Fishing (MLF) Bass Pro Tour Toro Stage One at Sam Rayburn Reservoir presented by Power-Pole . The final 10 anglers are now set and competition will resume Friday morning with the Championship Round, the sixth and final day of competition. Weights are zeroed, and the angler that catches the most weight will win the top prize of $100,000.
The top eight pros from Thursday’s Knockout Round that will compete in Friday’s Championship Round on Sam Rayburn Reservoir are:
1st: Justin Lucas, Guntersville, Ala., nine bass, 36-13
2nd: Cliff Pace, Petal, Miss., 10 bass, 27-15
3rd: Luke Clausen, Spokane, Wash., seven bass, 24-0
4th: Jeff Sprague, Point, Texas, eight bass, 23-15
5th: Tommy Biffle, Wagoner, Okla., seven bass, 22-7
6th: Bobby Lane, Lakeland, Fla., eight bass, 21-11
7th: Mark Davis, Mount Ida, Ark., six bass, 20-10
8th: Cliff Crochet, Pierre Part, La., six bass, 19-2
They’ll be joined by Qualifying Round Winners:
Group A: Ott DeFoe, Blaine, Tenn.
Group B: Gerald Spohrer, Gonzales, La.
Lucas said that he took a finesse approach with a drop-shot rig, a strategy he adopted after a solid round on Wednesday.
“I was trying to force myself to catch fish on the bank and they just weren’t there,” Lucas said. “There’s millions of fish in this lake and they all aren’t on the bank. I’m finding them on big grass flats in 3 or 4 feet of water. They’re prespawn and spawning out there.”
Lucas caught the majority of his fish on the drop-shot rig, but it was a big swimbait fish he caught during Wednesday that really brought the finesse mindset to the forefront.
“When I caught that 7-14 on a swimbait on Wednesday, I knew that I needed to switch things up,” Lucas said. “I told myself to back off these fish, get away from the bank and look for areas in these flats where they can be spawning or staging. It worked out and I think I know how I’m going to attack tomorrow.”
The SCORETRACKER® provided plenty of drama for fans and anglers alike Thursday afternoon, especially for anglers trying to finish above the Toro Cut Line. Pro Mark Davis led the Qualifying Group B Round on his first day at Sam Rayburn but found himself outside the top eight with only 20 minutes remaining in the Knockout Round.
Davis was able to find some new water and brought in a crucial 6½-pound largemouth to rocket up SCORETRACKER® and into the top eight. As he took his boat out of the water and prepared himself to fish another Championship Round, Davis expressed the relief he felt after landing that bass.
“That fish meant everything to me,” Davis said. “I could only figure out one way to get a bite all day, and that was with a Carolina rig. To be able to catch that fish right there at the end and lock up a second-straight Top-10 finish was a great feeling.”
Luke Clausen was another angler who found himself outside of the top eight with time winding down. The Washington pro added a 2-14, 4-3 and 3-14 over the final two hours to lock up a spot in the Championship Round.
“I was getting really stressed because I went from third place to out of the top eight in such a hurry,” Clausen recapped. “I caught that 3-14 in the final few minutes to secure my spot and I’m glad I did because I was afraid I was going to fall out. I’m excited to get out there tomorrow and give it a shot at winning this thing.”
Rounding out the top 40 finishers were:
9th: Spencer Shuffield, Hot Springs, Ark., six bass, 18-9
10th: Jacob Wheeler, Harrison, Tenn., six bass, 16-11
11th: Fred Roumbanis, Russellville, Ark., five bass, 16-11
12th: Shin Fukae, Osaka, Japan, six bass, 16-9
13th: Alton Jones Jr., Waco, Texas, five bass, 16-7
14th: Brent Chapman, Lake Quivira, Kan., six bass, 16-2
15th: Dean Rojas, Lake Havasu City, Ariz., five bass, 16-0
16th: Jeff Kriet, Ardmore, Okla., seven bass, 15-11
17th: Brent Ehrler, Redlands, Calif., seven bass, 15-6
18th: Greg Vinson, Wetumpka, Ala., three bass, 14-3
19th: Mark Daniels Jr., Tuskegee, Ala., six bass, 13-7
20th: Kevin VanDam, Kalamazoo, Mich., five bass, 12-3
21st: Fletcher Shryock, Guntersville, Ala., four bass, 10-10
22nd: Takahiro Omori, Tokyo, Japan, four bass, 9-11
23rd: Matt Becker, Finleyville, Pa., four bass, 9-6
24th: Ish Monroe, Oakdale, Calif., three bass, 9-6
25th: Zack Birge, Blanchard, Okla., four bass, 9-5
26th: Dustin Connell, Clanton, Ala., three bass, 9-2
27th: Skeet Reese, Auburn, Calif., three bass, 8-12
28th: Stephen Browning, Hot Springs, Ark., three bass, 8-6
29th: Marty Robinson, Lyman, S.C., three bass, 8-2
30th: Timmy Horton, Muscle Shoals, Ala., three bass, 7-11
31st: Anthony Gagliardi, Prosperity, S.C., three bass, 6-12
32nd: Wesley Strader, Spring City, Tenn., three bass, 6-10
33rd: Brett Hite, Phoenix, Ariz., two bass, 6-4
34th: Edwin Evers, Talala, Okla., two bass, 4-14
35th: Jason Lambert, Michie, Tenn., two bass, 4-9
36th: Bryan Thrift, Shelby, N.C., one bass, 2-8
37th: Brandon Coulter, Knoxville, Tenn., one bass, 2-7
38th: Randall Tharp, Port Saint Joe, Fla., zero bass, 0-0
Full results for the entire field can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
There were 176 bass weighing 508 pounds, 15 ounces caught by 37 pros Thursday, which included four 6-pounders and six 5-pounders caught from Sam Rayburn Reservoir.
Shuffield won the $1,000 Berkley Big Bass Award on Thursday, catching a 6-pound, 9-ounce largemouth in Period 3. Berkley will award $1,000 to the angler that weighs the biggest bass each day, and a $3,000 bonus to the angler who weighs the largest bass of the tournament.
The MLF Bass Pro Tour Toro Stage One at Sam Rayburn Reservoir Presented by Power-Pole is hosted by the Jasper County Development District and the Jasper/Lake Sam Rayburn Chamber of Commerce.
The 40 Anglers in Group A competed in their two-day qualifying round on Sunday and Tuesday – the 40 anglers in Group B on Monday and Wednesday. After the two-day Qualifying Round, the anglers that finished in 2nd through 20th place from both groups advanced to Thursday’s Knockout Round, while the winner from each group advanced directly to Friday’s Championship Round. In the Knockout Round, the weights were zeroed and the remaining 38 anglers competed to finish in the top 8 to advance to the Championship Round. Tomorrow, in the final day Championship Round, weights are zeroed and the highest one-day total wins. Full breakdown of the format can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
Attendance is limited to competing anglers, essential staff and media covering the event only. Fans are encouraged to follow the event online through the MLF NOW!® live stream and SCORETRACKER® coverage at MajorLeagueFishing.com
The 2021 Bass Pro Tour features a field of 76 of the top professional anglers in the world – joined at each event by 4 pros that qualify from the Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit – competing across seven regular-season tournaments around the country, competing for millions of dollars and valuable points to qualify for the annual Heavy Hitters all-star event and the REDCREST 2022 championship.
The MLF NOW!® broadcast team of Chad McKee, Marty Stone and J.T. Kenney will break down the extended action each day of competition from 7:45 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. MLF NOW!® will be live streamed on MajorLeagueFishing.com. and the MyOutdoorTV (MOTV) app.
Television coverage of the Bass Pro Tour Toro Stage One at Sam Rayburn Reservoir presented by Power-Pole will be showcased across two two-hour episodes, premiering at 7 a.m. ET, Aug. 28 on the Discovery Channel. New MLF episodes premiere each Saturday morning on the Discovery Channel, with additional re-airings on the Outdoor Channel and the Sportsman Channel. Each two-hour long reality-based episode goes in-depth to break down each day of competition.
Recent Storms, High Water Could Play A Role In Bassmaster Central Open At Lewis Smith Lake
Alabama's Lewis Smith Lake will host the Basspro.com Bassmaster Central Open April 1-3, 2021.
Photo by B.A.S.S.
March 25, 2021
JASPER, Ala. — The state of Alabama has endured severe storms and heavy rainfall during the past week, causing water levels to soar.
With more severe weather and rain in the forecast ahead of the Basspro.com Bassmaster Central Open at Lewis Smith Lake April 1-3, anglers will find a different landscape at the historic fishery than in years past, according to Bassmaster Opens competitor and Jasper native David Kilgore.
Anglers will take off each day from Smith Lake Public Boat Ramp at 6:30 a.m. CT. Weigh-ins on Days 1 and 2 will be held at the boat ramp starting at 2:30 p.m., and the final-day weigh-in will move to Bass Pro Shops in Leeds, Ala., at 4 p.m.
“What we are facing now is, the lake is superhigh. Depending on how much rain we get, I don’t know how low they are going to be able to get this thing before the tournament starts,” said Kilgore, a four-time B.A.S.S. winner and two-time qualifier for the Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic presented by Huk. “You are going to have flooded trees and bushes. It is going to be a whole different lake.
“When it’s normal, I know right where to go, but this time I’m not sure. Right now, the lake is up 5 feet over full pool.”
Lewis Smith Lake, a 21,000-acre reservoir located just north of Birmingham, is a generally rocky reservoir with plenty of creek arms and fishable docks during normal conditions. The presence of blueback herring controls the attitude of the bass — and while there is a healthy largemouth population, spots are the predominant species.
Historically, Kilgore said the beginning of April is when the spawn begins, and he normally focuses on the spotted bass spawn rather than the largemouth.
“I don’t fool with the largemouth much just because of the population. They are harder to find,” he said. “Spots spawn all over the lake. They will spawn in the back of a pocket in a foot of water and sometimes they will spawn in the middle of the lake on a point.
“With the herring, they are there one day and gone the next. They will come to the bank and spawn and then they’ll go back to eating herring.”
Depending on the air and water temperatures, the 2014 Bassmaster Open champion at Smith Lake thinks this tournament could be more of a prespawn event than a spawning situation.
“This is usually the week the spawning starts and I doubt it will be much different,” Kilgore said. “It is still cool here now and the water is still cool.
“By the tournament, if they get the water down to a reasonable level, it’s not difficult to catch 10 or 11 pounds, but it is more difficult to catch 13 or 14. If you catch that for multiple days, you are doing really well.”
Kilgore added that he doesn’t believe the high-water conditions will affect the spawn; the bass will just be spawning in deeper water.
Although the 2020 Carhartt Bassmaster College Series event on Smith was won with largemouth bass in high water by Ethan Jones and Andrew Althoff from McKendree University, with their Day 1 bag weighing just under 20 pounds, Kilgore doesn’t anticipate that happening during the Open.
“It’s going to scatter the largemouth and, in my opinion, it will make them harder to catch,” he said. “What they had there was the perfect storm. I’ve caught over 20 pounds there with largemouth multiple times, but during the spawn, no. I’ve done it when it’s cold.”
Crankbaits, spinnerbaits and worms are a few of the baits Kilgore expects to play. If the bass are chasing herring, he said a topwater bait could come into play as well.
The full field will compete the first two days before the boater side is cut to the Top 10 anglers for Championship Saturday. The co-angler champion will be crowned after the Day 2 weigh-in.
Major League Fishing Pros Partner With Toro For Spring Clean Up At Texas Marine’s Residence
JASPER, Texas (March 25, 2021) – While 40 Major League Fishing (MLF) Bass Pro Tour anglers were out competing on Sam Rayburn Reservoir Tuesday, the real work was taking place off the water. Toro-sponsored anglers Brent Chapman and Jeff Sprague were joined by fellow pros Skeet Reese and James Watson for a “Spring Clean Up” event at the residence of local Jasper resident, Kamron Slaydon.
Slaydon was raised in Jasper, Texas, and graduated from Jasper High School in 2018. Immediately after graduation, Slaydon joined the U.S. Marine Corp and committed his life to serving our country. However, in January of 2019, while at home in Jasper while on leave, Slaydon was severely injured in an accidental shooting which damaged his C4 and C5 vertebrae, resulting in him being a quadriplegic.
Since the accident, Slaydon has spent the last two years doing everything possible in an effort to regain his independence. He has visited multiple physicians, therapists and specialists and spent hundreds of hours doing numerous different treatments and therapies. Slaydon and his family are raising money to help with the expense of an epidural stimulator to help him regain as much mobility as he can in his upper and lower extremities.
When the MLF anglers learned of Slaydon’s story, they immediately wanted to do something to help. Sprague and Chapman called in a few favors and the idea for a “Spring Clean Up” event was born. Sprague and Chapman recruited their fellow competitors, Reese and Watson, and arranged for Toro distributor, Professional Turf Products and a local Toro dealer, Scooter’s Lawnmower in Beaumont, Texas to allow them to use the equipment. The group of anglers spent a few hours on their day off Tuesday doing yard work for the Slaydon family, mowing, trimming and blowing the entire residence.
“We wanted to do something to give back, and this is one of those things that maybe doesn’t seem like much, but it’s one of those chores that just needs to get done and we were more than happy to come out here and meet Kamron and do some yard work for him and his family,” Chapman said.
“It was great for Toro to step up and help out the way they did today, and their equipment made the job quick and easy,” Chapman continued. “We are incredibly lucky to be able to fish for a living, so the least we could do on our day off is to come out here and give back a little bit and thank Kamron for his service to our country.”
Sprague manned the Toro Z Master 4000 MyRide zero-turn mower, while Chapman trimmed the entire property with a Toro 60V Battery String Trimmer. Reese was assigned the Toro 22-inch Recycler All-Wheel Drive walk-behind mower and Watson was given the Toro 60V Battery Leaf Blower to clean up the trimmings around the house, because “Watson is used to blowing a lot of hot air,” Sprague joked. The clean-up event took about two hours and when the anglers were finished the Slaydon family was grateful.
“It really means a lot just for someone to reach out and want to help, and then to show up and be such a great help and great conversation,” Slaydon said. “I enjoyed meeting the guys and talking about hunting and fishing, and they cleaned up our yard quickly and efficiently.”
“Words are powerless to express my appreciation,” said Jodi Slaydon, Kamron’s mother. “For the guys to take their day off and come out to show support for Kamron was amazing to witness. I think Kamron’s heart was full of gratitude and appreciation and he can’t wait to watch these anglers succeed on the water.
“Kamron has always worked hard to achieve the goals he has set for his life, and so many have already been accomplished. He’s a determined young man, full of positive vibes and strong in his faith. With a little help and support from friends, family and people like y’all – there will be no limit to his achievements. We are very thankful.”
As a thank you to Slaydon for his service, the anglers donated a jersey autographed by many of the anglers competing in the Bass Pro Tour event at Sam Rayburn. The Slaydon family has a few upcoming fundraising events scheduled to help raise money for their medical expenses, so a second jersey was donated to raise money for their silent auction, and the semi-local Sprague donated a four-hour fishing trip on an East Texas fishery on behalf of Toro, also to be auctioned off.
“Even though we were working, we had a lot of fun today,” said Sprague. “The strength that Kamron has, and his perseverance to get through the obstacles that life has thrown at him are truly inspirational. My hat goes off to that young man and his family and I am grateful that we had the opportunity to give back a little bit and do our part.”
For Major League Fishing fans in East Texas looking to support Slaydon, two upcoming fundraisers are currently scheduled. A Skeet Shoot, Crawfish Boil and Auction benefit is scheduled for Saturday, March 27th at 10 a.m. at 214 County Road 259 in Jasper, and a Barbecue Cook-Off and Washer Tournament is scheduled for Saturday, April 17, 2021 at the Jasper Country Club.
For fans unable to make it to Jasper but still wishing to support Kamron Slaydon and his family, a GoFundMe page has been set up to help raise money for their medical and travel expenses. To donate, visit GoFundMe.com.
Getting ready for Summer with ISO-Chill!
This week Chris and the boys welcome in Fishing and Hunting Category Manager for Under Armour Mr. Travis Gessley to talk about the new ISO-Chill line up of UA Clothing to help you stay cool and collected on the water. Products made for athletes like us fisherman that help us stay on the water longer and perform!
Spohrer Wins Qualifying Group B of Major League Fishing’s Toro Stage One at Sam Rayburn Reservoir
Louisiana Angler Catches Two-Day Total of 50 Pounds to Advance Directly to Friday’s Championship Round to Compete for $100,000, Field of 38 Set for Thursday’s Knockout Round
JASPER, Texas (March 24, 2021) – Pro Gerald Spohrer of Gonzales, Louisiana, boated eight scorable bass Wednesday weighing 23 pounds, 14 ounces to win the two-day Qualifying Group B round at the Toro Stage One at Sam Rayburn Reservoir presented by Power-Pole . Spohrer’s two-day total of 15 bass weighing 50 pounds even earned him the victory by a 2-pound, 1-ounce margin and advances him directly into Friday’s final-day Championship Round of competition. The six-day tournament is being filmed for television broadcast on the Discovery Channel and the Outdoor Channel later this year and live-streamed online.
Pro Randall Tharp of Port Saint Joe, Florida, caught a two-day total of 16 bass weighing 47-15 to end the round in second place, and Japanese pro Shinichi Fukae finished the round in third place with a two-day total of 15 bass weighing 43-13.
The remaining 38 anglers – 19 from Group A and 19 from Group B – will now compete Thursday in the Knockout Round, where weights are zeroed, and the anglers compete to finish in the top eight to advance to Championship Friday. Friday’s Championship Round will feature Group A winner Ott DeFoe, Group B winner Spohrer, and the top eight anglers from the Knockout Round competing in a final-day shootout for the top prize of $100,000.
“This is my first round that I’ve won with Major League Fishing, and it’s overwhelming the joy that I have right now,” Spohrer said. “Duking it out with my buddy, Randall Tharp, right at the end was exciting, and to get to do it right here, on Sam Rayburn, is a big deal to me.”
Spohrer credited his equipment as being the key to his success – the same 7-foot Quantum Smoke heavy-action casting rod paired with a Quantum Smoke 8:1 reel and spooled with 50-pound-test Seaguar Smackdown braided line (stealth gray) has caught every one of his fish this week.
“I’ve been a one-trick pony the last two days,” Spohrer said. “If you’ve been watching the live stream, you probably saw how deep I was getting my swimjig into the wood and dragging those fish out of there. It’s all worked out for me and I can’t tell you how happy I am.
“Now I get a day off and I’m going to get ready for the Championship Round,” Spohrer went on to say. “There will only be 10 of us, so I start the year automatically with a top-10 finish and now I’ve got a real legitimate chance to compete for that red trophy. I can’t wait.”
Despite his second-place finish, Tharp was very happy to see his good friend win and advance directly to the Championship Round.
“That’s why I’ve always loved tournament fishing – when it comes down to the last second, the last cast, and having the opportunity like I did,” Tharp said. “My hat’s off to Gerald. I hope I made him sweat a little bit, because I sure had a good time this afternoon. I had my opportunities.”
Tharp said that he relied on just two rods Wednesday, and likely would only use two in the Knockout Round as well.
“Basically, I’m just flipping bushes and trees, and anything in front of me,” the Florida pro said. “I threw a Zoom Z-Hog with a 5/16-ounce weight and a straight shank flipping hook. Later in the day I picked up a little frog and that baby was awful good to me today. The average bite on the frog was way better than the flipping bite. I’m probably going to keep those two rods in my hand all day tomorrow and go to work and hopefully make the Championship Round.”
An emotional Jeff Kriet of Ardmore, Oklahoma, was the last man in, finishing the day in 20th place.
“Thank God, man. It has been such a stressful day,” Kriet said. “I needed this. I’ve been sucking, and I haven’t been catching them. Last year, in the first two tournaments of the year, I finished like dead last. I only made a couple of cuts last year. I need a good year, badly. This gives me confidence and that’s important, because I’d lost all confidence. I was literally thinking I might have to hang this stuff up. I know it’s not like I won the tournament today, but making the cut really means a lot to me. It’s not easy to do. And it’s some positive momentum. I’m tickled that I get to come back out here, tomorrow.”
Kriet credited two baits – a wacky-rigged Big Bite Baits Trick Stick and a Big Bite Baits Methiolate Floating Worm – for his success in the Qualifying Round.
The top 20 pros from Qualifying Group B that now advance to Thursday’s Knockout Round on Sam Rayburn Reservoir are:
1st: Gerald Spohrer, Gonzales, La., 15 bass, 50-0 (ADVANCES DIRECTLY TO CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND)
2nd: Randall Tharp, Port Saint Joe, Fla., 16 bass, 47-15
3rd: Shinichi Fukae, Osaka, Japan, 15 bass, 43-13
4th: Mark Daniels Jr., Tuskegee, Ala., 15 bass, 42-0
5th: Brent Ehrler, Redlands, Calif., 12 bass, 41-9
6th: Brandon Coulter, Knoxville, Tenn., 13 bass, 37-8
7th: Justin Lucas, Guntersville, Ala., 11 bass, 36-12
8th: Mark Davis, Mount Ida, Ark., 15 bass, 34-8
9th: Skeet Reese, Auburn, Calif., nine bass, 32-3
10th: Tommy Biffle, Wagoner, Okla., 11 bass, 32-2
11th: Jeff Sprague, Point, Texas, 12 bass, 31-0
12th: Matt Becker, Finleyville, Pa., 10 bass, 30-9
13th: Bobby Lane, Lakeland, Fla., 11 bass, 30-5
14th: Greg Vinson, Wetumpka, Ala., 12 bass, 29-6
15th: Takahiro Omori, Tokyo, Japan, 12 bass, 29-1
16th: Alton Jones Jr., Waco, Texas, 11 bass, 28-5
17th: Timmy Horton, Muscle Shoals, Ala., 11 bass, 27-2
18th: Stephen Browning, Hot Springs, Ark., nine bass, 26-0
19th: Brent Chapman, Lake Quivira, Kan., 10 bass, 24-11
20th: Jeff Kriet, Ardmore, Okla., 11 bass, 23-6
Full results for the field can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
Overall Wednesday, there were 194 bass weighing 543 pounds, 13 ounces caught by 39 pros, which included two 7-pounders, three 6-pounders and three 5-pounders caught from Sam Rayburn Reservoir.
Lucas won the $1,000 Berkley Big Bass Award on Wednesday, catching a 7-pound, 14-ounce largemouth which bit a swimbait in Period 2. Berkley will award $1,000 to the angler that weighs the biggest bass each day, and a $3,000 bonus to the angler who weighs the largest bass of the tournament.
The MLF Bass Pro Tour Toro Stage One at Sam Rayburn Reservoir Presented by Power-Pole is hosted by the Jasper County Development District and the Jasper/Lake Sam Rayburn Chamber of Commerce.
The 40 Anglers in Group A competed in their two-day qualifying round on Sunday and Tuesday – the 40 anglers in Group B on Monday and Wednesday. With both groups two-day Qualifying Round complete, the anglers that finished in 2nd through 20th place from both groups now advance to Thursday’s Knockout Round, while the winner from each group advances directly to Friday’s Championship Round. In the Knockout Round, weights are zeroed and the remaining 38 anglers compete to finish in the top 8 to advance to the Championship Round. In the final day Championship Round, weights are zeroed and the highest one-day total wins. Full breakdown of the format can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
Attendance is limited to competing anglers, essential staff and media covering the event only. Fans are encouraged to follow the event online through the MLF NOW!® live stream and SCORETRACKER® coverage at MajorLeagueFishing.com
The 2021 Bass Pro Tour features a field of 76 of the top professional anglers in the world – joined at each event by 4 pros that qualify from the Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit – competing across seven regular-season tournaments around the country, competing for millions of dollars and valuable points to qualify for the annual Heavy Hitters all-star event and the REDCREST 2022 championship.
The MLF NOW!® broadcast team of Chad McKee, Marty Stone and J.T. Kenney will break down the extended action each day of competition from 7:45 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. MLF NOW!® will be live streamed on MajorLeagueFishing.com. and the MyOutdoorTV (MOTV) app.
Television coverage of the Bass Pro Tour Toro Stage One at Sam Rayburn Reservoir presented by Power-Pole will be showcased across two two-hour episodes, premiering at 7 a.m. ET, Aug. 28 on the Discovery Channel. New MLF episodes premiere each Saturday morning on the Discovery Channel, with additional re-airings on the Outdoor Channel and the Sportsman Channel. Each two-hour long reality-based episode goes in-depth to break down each day of competition.
For complete details and updated information on the Bass Pro Tour, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF’s social media outlets at Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.
Bassmaster Brings Back Redfish Cup Championship For 2021
March 24, 2021
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Officials from B.A.S.S., Yamaha Marine and Skeeter Boats announced today that, after a 12-year hiatus, the popular Redfish Cup will be returning in 2021.
The Yamaha Bassmaster Redfish Cup Championship presented by Skeeter will be held Nov. 10-12 in Port Aransas, Texas, with 10 teams targeting the powerful predator fish that reside in brackish water marshes and often reach weights of more than 40 pounds. The two-person teams will compete with no entry fees for a top prize of $50,000.
“Our goal is to help grow sportfishing while supporting and encouraging anglers — whether they are on the St. Lawrence River fishing for smallmouth bass or targeting redfish in the Gulf of Mexico,” said B.A.S.S. CEO Bruce Akin. “We are thrilled to partner with Yamaha and Skeeter to host this exciting tournament for the first time since 2009.”
The Redfish Cup field will feature six teams from the Elite Redfish Tournament Series, Power-Pole Pro Redfish Tour and Redfish World Series, along with four all-star teams made up of a redfish pro paired with a Bassmaster Elite Series angler.
“The Redfish Cup Championship adds another layer to the valuable relationship between Yamaha, Skeeter and B.A.S.S.,” said Ben Speciale, President, Yamaha U.S. Marine Business Unit. “The Yamaha and Skeeter brands expand across fresh and saltwater competitive fishing, and we’re excited to partner with B.A.S.S. for the first time in the saltwater realm. The tournament represents our collective commitment to grow competitive and recreational fishing.”
Because bass and redfish behave similarly, many anglers across the country enjoy targeting both.
Like bass, redfish are ambush predators that will violently strike reaction lures like spinnerbaits, buzzbaits and topwater plugs. Redfish hang around common bass-fishing structure like riprap, pencil reeds and aquatic vegetation, where they prey on everything from baitfish to crabs and shrimp. The fish are so similar that anglers sometimes catch both from the same stretch of shoreline.
Powerful strikes and hard fights make redfishing an action-packed pursuit — and fans will be able to follow all of the action live.
Coverage will be provided all three tournament days on Bassmaster LIVE, and real-time scoring will be available on the same BassTrakk tool used for all B.A.S.S. events. Avid bass anglers will also be able to learn more on Bassmaster.com as the site launches new how-to videos and tips for crossing over from freshwater fishing to catching redfish.
Those who watch the Redfish Cup Championship will also learn more about the beautiful Port Aransas area.
Located on Mustang Island, Port Aransas is famed for its abundant inshore fishing grounds that are home to flounder and speckled trout as well as redfish. Competitors in the Redfish Cup Championship will be able to target areas like the aptly named Redfish Bay.
“Port A is a one-of-a-kind fishing destination, and the sport supports a large part of the Port Aransas tourism economy,” said Port Aransas Tourism Bureau & Chamber of Commerce CEO and President, Brett Stawar. “Known as the ‘Fishing Capital of Texas,’ there simply are not many gems like this one around!”
Originally launched in 2003, the Redfish Cup was produced by pioneering outdoor television company JM Associates, which is now owned by B.A.S.S. The series featured four to eight tournaments each year, culminating in the Redfish Cup Championship.
The Yamaha Bassmaster Redfish Cup Championship presented by Skeeter is just one way the three brands have partnered to foster interest in sportfishing. Yamaha and Skeeter recently signed multiyear deals to continue their sponsorship of the Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic presented by Huk and the prestigious Bassmaster Tournament Trail through 2024. Yamaha is an Official Premier Engine Sponsor of the trail while Skeeter will continue as an Official Premier Boat Sponsor.
For more information on the schedule and competing teams as it becomes available, please visit Bassmaster.com.
Seventh-Annual Abu Garcia College Fishing Open Set for Lake Chickamauga
Hundreds of College Anglers Descend on Lake Chickamauga to Compete for Automatic Berth into 2022 National Championship and a $33,500 Prize Package
DAYTON, Tenn. (March 24, 2021) – Major League Fishing, the world’s largest tournament fishing organization, returns to Lake Chickamauga, March 30-31, for the seventh-annual Abu Garcia College Fishing presented by YETI Open tournament. Hosted by Fish Dayton and the Rhea Economic & Tourism Council, the tournament allows registration from any eligible college team from across the United States. Anglers who finish within the top 20, along with one additional team for every 10 teams over 200 competing, will automatically qualify for the 2022 Abu Garcia College Fishing National Championship, and the Open champions will take home a new Phoenix 518 Pro with a 115-horsepower Mercury outboard – a $33,500 prize package.
“There’s been a lot of rain in that area recently so the currents are up on the Tennessee River,” said Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit angler Cole Floyd of Leesburg, Ohio, a former College Fishing angler from Bethel University. “If more rain comes in, I think a lot of the fish will be caught on current breaks out on main river bars and ditches. However, the fish are in their springtime pattens right now, so I could also see a lot of guys catching them real shallow on ChatterBaits and flipping to fish moving up to spawn.”
Floyd predicts it will take 40 pounds to win the event, and a solid 20-pound limit per day to keep anglers in the competition.
“Events like this are such a great opportunity for these college anglers,” said Floyd. “I recommend they start fishing in high school and work their way up through the college ranks. That helps tremendously in networking with people and companies because it gives them the opportunity to get in front of those individuals – I’m here now fishing the Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit in large part due to that foundation.
“On top of that exposure, winning a boat in a college event – what more could you ask for?” continued Floyd. “Most college anglers are just working their way up, trying to get their name out there and get sponsors on board, so it’s a huge opportunity.”
Registration for the Open will be Monday, March 29, from 3-5 p.m. CT at the Dayton Boat Dock, located at 175 Lakeshore Street in Dayton, with a pre-tournament ZOOM meeting following registration at 5:15 p.m.
Anglers will take off from the Dayton Boat Dock at 7:30 a.m. CT on both days of competition and the entire field of competitors will compete both days of the tournament. Weigh-ins will be held lakeside at the boat dock each day, beginning at 3:30 p.m. and will be live streamed both days. Due to COVID-19 protocols, attendance at takeoff or weigh-in is limited to competing anglers, family, essential staff and media covering the event. Fans are encouraged to tune in to the weigh-in and follow the online coverage at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
Abu Garcia College Fishing presented by YETI teams compete in three regular-season qualifying tournaments in one of five conferences – Central, Northern, Southern, Southeastern and Western. The top ten teams from each division’s three regular-season tournaments and the top 20 teams from the annual Abu Garcia College Fishing Open advance to the following year’s Abu Garcia College Fishing presented by YETI National Championship.
For complete details and updated information visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow the Abu Garcia College Fishing presented by YETI on MLF’s social media outlets at Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.
Dale Hollow Lake Readies to Host Toyota Series Event
BYRDSTOWN, Tenn. (March 24, 2021) – The Major League Fishing (MLF) Toyota Series presented by A.R.E. will continue its season next week, March 31-April 2 in Byrdstown, Tennessee, with the Toyota Series presented by A.R.E. at Dale Hollow Lake . Hosted by the Byrdstown-Pickett County Chamber of Commerce, the three-day tournament will feature the region’s best bass-fishing pros and Strike King co-anglers casting for a top prize of up to $65,000, plus an additional $35,000 bonus if the winner is a qualified Phoenix Boat owner. The tournament is the second of three events in the Toyota Series Central Division presented by Neat Companies.
“We had a lot of rain early on that brought the water level up and put some color back in the water, so Dale Hollow was fishing really good in early March,” said Toyota Series angler Adam Wagner of Cookeville Tennessee, who has three career victories on Dale Hollow Lake in MLF competition. “However, since then, it’s dropped back down and a cold front came through this past weekend, making the fishing a little more difficult.”
Despite the angst to get to the bank and target spawning bass, Wagner said he believes it will still be a bit too early for that at this event on Dale Hollow.
“I think the majority of the fishing is still going to be pre-spawn,” Wagner said. “There’s a possibility that there will be a wave of fish moving up next week to spawn, but I think we are still about a week too early for that. Next week is a toss-up, though. It could go both ways.
“I’m hoping the fish will pull up a bit before the tournament begins,” Wagner continued. “I’m also excited for the chance to fish for this kind of money only 40 minutes from home – that’s an amazing opportunity.”
Wagner predicted it will take a solid 17 pounds per day to win the event, with a three-day total pushing up to 51 pounds.
“I expect to see jerkbaits, Alabama rigs and spinnerbaits play big at this event – I think those are going to be a lot of guys go-to baits.”
Anglers will take off daily at 7 a.m. CT from Sunset Marina and Resort in Monroe, Tennessee. Weigh-ins will also be held at the marina and will begin at 3 p.m. daily. Attendance is limited to competing anglers and essential staff only. Fans are encouraged to follow the event online through the “MLF Live” weigh-in broadcasts and daily coverage at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
In Toyota Series regular-season competition, payouts are based on the number of participants competing in the event, scaling up for every 20 boats over 160 and scaling down for every boat below 160. With a 160-boat field, pros fish for a top prize of $40,000, plus an extra $35,000 if Phoenix MLF BIG5 Bonus qualified. Strike King co-anglers cast for the top prize of a new Phoenix 518 Pro bass boat with a 115-horsepower Mercury outboard (valued at $33,500). With a 260-boat field, pros fish for a top award of $65,000, plus an extra $35,000 if Phoenix MLF BIG5 Bonus qualified. Strike King co-anglers cast for the top prize of a new Phoenix 518 Pro bass boat with a 115-horsepower outboard (valued at $33,500) plus $5,000 cash.
The 2021 Toyota Series presented by A.R.E. consists of six divisions – Central, Northern, Plains, Southern, Southwestern and Western – each holding three regular-season events, along with the International division. Anglers who fish all three qualifiers in any of the eight divisions and finish in the top 25 will qualify for the no-entry-fee Toyota Series presented by A.R.E. Championship for a shot at winning $235,000 cash, including a $35,000 Phoenix MLF BIG5 Bonus for qualified anglers. The winning Strike King co-angler at the championship earns a new Phoenix 518 Pro bass boat with a 115-horsepower Mercury outboard. The 2021 Toyota Series Championship presented by A.R.E. will be held Oct. 28-30 on Pickwick Lake in Counce, Tennessee, and is hosted by the Hardin County Convention and Visitors Bureau.
Veteran Angler Lowen Earns First Bassmaster Elite Series Victory At Pickwick
Bill Lowen has won the 2021 Guaranteed Rate Bassmaster Elite at Pickwick Lake with a four-day total of 83 pounds, 5 ounces.
Photo by Seigo Saito/B.A.S.S.
March 23, 2021
FLORENCE, Ala. — Bill Lowen turned in an impressively consistent performance at the Guaranteed Rate Bassmaster Elite at Pickwick Lake, but he’ll never forget the 8-pound, 5-ounce largemouth that buoyed his Championship Tuesday performance and delivered a winning total of 83-5.
The only competitor to break 20 pounds three of the four days, Lowen placed third on Day 1 with 21-3 and improved to second a day later by adding 23-13. He earned his final-round berth on Day 3 with a limit of 17-10 that put him in a first-place tie with Chad Pipkens.
On Tuesday, Lowen surged across the finish line with a limit of 20-11. Edging second-place Brock Mosley by 2-10, Lowen claimed his first Elite win and earned $102,000, which includes the daily and overall Phoenix Boats Big Bass awards.
Lowen’s game-changing kicker bit around 10:30 a.m., when he skipped his black and blue Signature Series 3/8-ounce Lure Parts Online jig with a chunk trailer under a dock near Kogers Island. He initially snagged a piece of submerged cover, but then his line tightened.
“I had to pitch way up in there so the bait could get down in the current and sweep it through,” Lowen said. “I felt my jig get into a limb or a piece of brush, and as I hopped the jig over I felt the bite.
“I hesitated because I wanted to be sure, but when I got big pressure, I set the hook and it was game on.”
Lowen described that emotional catch: “There were so many feelings going through my head. You could hear me screaming and hollering and that’s not me. But that’s 14 years of excitement built up for this day. It all came out.”
The Tennessee Valley Authority steadily worked the volume through the system. But with Wilson Dam dumping approximately 180,000 cubic feet per second into Pickwick, the rising water and intense current dramatically changed Lowen’s game plan.
“My main goal was to start the tournament out on the grass flat by Koger Island. When all this rain and current came through I (was concerned) because I didn’t have anything else.
“The first morning of the event I ran down there and saw what was going on, and I said, ‘These fish have to slide to the sides — whether it’s on the island where I was fishing or the docks on the other side.’ Fortunately, when I pulled up and started flipping trees I got a bite, which keyed me in.”
That pattern worked for three days, but in the final round, falling water had drained much of Lowen’s prime habitat.
“Today, my main area (shallow cover on the outskirts of Kogers) was a foot and a half low,” he said. “A lot of the wood I was catching fish on was dry, so I started running some deeper stuff. I switched from the 3/8-ounce jig to a 1/2 and caught a couple key fish.”
Earlier in the tournament, Lowen used the 3/8-ounce jig so he could float it through the shallow, current-swept cover without getting hung up. He also used a Strike King Rodent Texas-rigged on a 5/0 Hayabusa flipping hook with a 5/16-ounce Reins tungsten weight for flipping reeds.
“Anytime I’m fishing current and I can keep a flipping rod in my hand, that’s my comfort zone,” Lowen said. “I grew up on the Ohio River, which looks just like (Pickwick) when it’s flooded. I’m used to rising, muddy water; it doesn’t affect me or make me get spun out. I just went out and fished the way I’d fish at home.”
Brock Mosley of Collinsville, Miss., finished second with 80-11. Entering the final day in sixth place, Mosley caught the day’s heaviest limit — 22-14. His previous weights were 19-9, 21-8 and 16-12.
Having cut his teeth on Pickwick, Mosley said he knew the famous Horseshoe area of the Wilson Dam tailrace held tremendous potential, but he waited until the final day to fish this area.
“I’ve been waiting all week for the current to slow down,” Mosley said. “I don’t like fishing the tailrace when it’s 120,000 CFS. I saw that it was going to slow down yesterday, but you usually give them a half day to reposition.
“I went up there this morning and threw a 3/4-ounce spinnerbait with tandem willow-leaf blades. In the first 10 minutes, I hooked up with two good ones.”
After leaving the tailrace, Mosley fished a big paddletail swimbait on the bluffs across from McFarland Park. He would rotate his areas once more and pick up a 5-pound fish 15 minutes before check-in.
Cory Johnston of Cavan, Canada, entered Championship Tuesday in third place and ended in that position with 79 pounds. His daily weights were 18-9, 15-3, 25-5 and 19-15.
After focusing on main-river current breaks the previous days, Johnston realized his opportunities were dwindling in the falling water. Transitioning to docks with 8 to 10 feet of water at the ends proved to be strategic adjustment.
Johnston caught his fish on a 7/16-ounce black/blue Punisher jig with a matching chunk trailer.
Patrick Walters of Summerville, S.C., leads the Bassmaster Angler of the Year standings with 264 points. Seth Feider of New Market, Minn., is in second with 246, followed by Brandon Palaniuk of Rathdrum, Idaho, with 245, Greg Hackney of Gonzales, La., with 242 and Bryan New of Belmont, N.C., with 239.
New leads the Rookie of the Year standings with 239 points.
Lowen took home $3,000 for being the highest-placing entrant in the Toyota Bonus Bucks program, and Hank Cherry of Lincolnton, N.C., earned $2,000 for being the second-highest placing entrant.
As part of the Yamaha Power Pay program, Lowen earned $2,500 for being the highest-placing entrant while Palaniuk claimed an additional $1,500 for being the second-highest placing entrant.
2021 Guaranteed Rate Bassmaster Elite at Pickwick Lake 3/20-3/23
Pickwick Lake, Florence AL.
(PROFESSIONAL) Standings Day 4
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Pts Total $$$
1. Bill Lowen Brookville, IN 20 83-05 100 $102,000.00
Day 1: 5 21-03 Day 2: 5 23-13 Day 3: 5 17-10 Day 4: 5 20-11
2. Brock Mosley Collinsville, MS 20 80-11 99 $35,000.00
Day 1: 5 19-09 Day 2: 5 21-08 Day 3: 5 16-12 Day 4: 5 22-14
3. Cory Johnston Cavan CANADA 20 79-00 98 $31,000.00
Day 1: 5 18-09 Day 2: 5 15-03 Day 3: 5 25-05 Day 4: 5 19-15
4. Steve Kennedy Auburn, AL 20 77-04 97 $25,000.00
Day 1: 5 18-11 Day 2: 5 20-09 Day 3: 5 17-09 Day 4: 5 20-07
5. Hank Cherry Jr Lincolnton, NC 20 73-11 96 $21,000.00
Day 1: 5 15-08 Day 2: 5 22-09 Day 3: 5 19-12 Day 4: 5 15-14
6. Tyler Rivet Raceland, LA 20 73-09 95 $19,000.00
Day 1: 5 16-12 Day 2: 5 20-15 Day 3: 5 21-00 Day 4: 5 14-14
7. Brandon Palaniuk Rathdrum, ID 20 73-03 94 $18,000.00
Day 1: 5 17-12 Day 2: 5 20-09 Day 3: 5 18-12 Day 4: 5 16-02
8. Bryan Schmitt Deale, MD 20 72-01 93 $17,000.00
Day 1: 5 13-04 Day 2: 5 23-08 Day 3: 5 20-03 Day 4: 5 15-02
9. Chad Pipkens Dewitt, MI 17 68-14 92 $16,000.00
Day 1: 5 21-02 Day 2: 5 18-05 Day 3: 5 23-03 Day 4: 2 06-04
10. Buddy Gross Chickamauga, GA 19 64-11 91 $15,000.00
Day 1: 5 23-03 Day 2: 5 17-00 Day 3: 5 16-10 Day 4: 4 07-14
Yamaha Introduces Upgraded V MAX SHO, Battery Management System and Analog Gauge Lines
KENNESAW, Ga., March 23, 2021 — Yamaha Marine’ s newly upgraded 4.2-liter V MAX SHO® outboard has a full 40 percent more charging capacity and contemporary styling as it enters a new era of reliable service. Joining the upgraded outboard in this month’s announcement are a suite of new analog gauges and a battery management system that promises to improve offshore boaters’ experiences on the water.
“The newly upgraded 4.2-liter V MAX SHO follows a familiar theme requested by Yamaha customers: make it better, but don’t change it too much,” said Ben Speciale, President, Yamaha U.S. Marine Business Unit. “The V MAX SHO was the first outboard to prove a four-stroke outboard could be as light and powerful as a two-stroke. It now takes battery charging capability from 50 to 70 amps, a full 40 percent more. That extra juice greatly improves the boat’s power margins and gives anglers confidence that the systems on their boat have plenty of power to take them wherever they need to go.”
Tested by tournament anglers and weekend warriors alike, V MAX SHO outboards are renowned for their power, performance and reliability coupled with smooth, quiet operation and incredible fuel economy.
At 200, 225 or 250 prop-shaft horsepower, and with select models available with a 25-inch shaft, these outboards are appropriate for a variety of applications, fresh water and coastal. Yamaha also offers an optional isolator lead to better charge house or trolling batteries.
Also new is Yamaha’s exclusive TotalTiltÔ feature. With a double tap of the trim button, new SHO models will tilt from current position to full tilt up (or to tilt limit setting, whichever is lowest) or down to the engagement of the trim rams without further interaction by the operator (for safety, a warning horn will sound before and during these operations). A simple push of the tilt button can also stop movement anywhere in between. TotalTilt eliminates the need to hold the trim button making it easier for trailering or trimming the outboard up in shallow situations.
The newly upgraded 4.2-liter V MAX SHO remains mechanically operated and uses hydraulic steering, so it maintains familiarity, ease of rigging and service. It is suitable for cable-driven foot pedal applications. With flexible gauge options from conventional analog gauges, or digital with the new CL5 digital touchscreen display or the CL7 full function MFD, the SHO outboards offer the power, performance and reliability boaters demand along with added charging power.
Yamaha’s new V MAX SHO will be available in May.
All-New Yamaha Battery Management System (BMS)
With today’s increased demand for on-board DC power, the layout and management of necessary power systems is both more important and complex. Yamaha’s new Battery Management System (BMS) simplifies and streamlines DC power systems for Yamaha-powered boats in twin-quint DEC engine configurations using the Helm Master® EX system.
Yamaha’s new Battery Management System provides advanced on-board power management that’s simpler, cleaner and faster to install than typical conventional systems. It requires only two starting batteries on triple through quint installations to reliably and confidently start the outboards, all while keeping them safely charged and ready. BMS also provides the potential for more room in the boat and a cleaner bilge, while making battery care and management significantly easier for the customer.
BMS also provides more flexibility for battery use and configuration.
Yamaha’s new BMS also reduces the number of starting batteries required in triple through quint installations to just two. That means more room and less weight in the boat or the option for more batteries in the house bank.
The all-new Yamaha Battery Management System will be available this summer with the quint version available in fall.
New Classic and Sport Yamaha Analog Gauge Lines
Many of today’s boats use analog gauges to complete their look and provide the operator with vital engine and boat information. Yamaha now has two new complete lines of analog gauges. Stylish and precise, these gauges are available in either Classic or Sport styles. For greater customization, each line comes with four different combinations to better compliment many of today’s boats that use analog gauges. Each combination features a 7000-rpm tachometer and a 50-mph or 75-mph speedometer in standard four-inch size, and fuel, trim, water pressure and voltmeter gauges in matching two-inch size.
The new Yamaha Analog Gauge lines will be available in April 2021.
Yamaha Marine products are marketed throughout the United States and around the world. Yamaha Marine Engine Systems, based in Kennesaw, Ga., supports its 2,000 U.S. dealers and boat builders with marketing, training and parts for Yamaha’s full line of products and strives to be the industry leader in reliability, technology and customer service. Yamaha Marine is the only outboard brand to have earned NMMA®’s C.S.I. Customer Satisfaction Index award every year since its inception. Visit www.yamahaoutboards.com.
DeFoe Cruises to Win Qualifying Group A of Major League Fishing’s Toro Stage One at Sam Rayburn Reservoir
Tennessee pro Advances Directly to Friday’s Championship Round, 19 Anglers Advance to Thursday’s Knockout Round
JASPER, Texas (March 23, 2021) – Pro Ott DeFoe of Blaine, Tennessee, caught 14 bass Tuesday totaling 34 pounds, 4 ounces to vault to the top of the leaderboard and win the two-day Qualifying Group A round at the Toro Stage One at Sam Rayburn Reservoir presented by Power-Pole . DeFoe’s two-day total of 25 bass weighing 59 pounds, 11 ounces earned him the win by a 9½-pound margin and now advances him directly into the Championship Round of competition, set for Friday. The six-day tournament is being live-streamed online and filmed for television broadcast on the Discovery Channel and the Outdoor Channel later this year.
Alabama’s Dustin Connell, the reigning REDCREST Champion, caught a two-day total of 16 bass weighing 50-3 to finish the round in second place, while day one leader Spencer Shuffield of Hot Springs, Arkansas, boated a two-day total of 13 bass weighing 41-10 to end the round in third place.
The top 20 anglers from Group A will now enjoy an off day, while the 40 anglers in Qualifying Group B will complete their two-day Qualifying Round of competition on Wednesday. The Knockout Round, featuring 38 anglers competing to finish in the top eight, will take place on Thursday. Friday’s Championship Round will feature DeFoe, Wednesday’s Group B winner, and the top eight anglers from the Knockout Round competing in a final-day shootout for the top prize of $100,000.
“It’s such a huge relief to win and not have to come back out here to compete in the Knockout Round,” DeFoe said. “And now, I don’t have to beat my fish up again and the way I’ve been fishing that is a huge, huge plus. I can let those fish rest and don’t have to try to catch them two days in a row. I only have to come back out when it really matters, so I’m very excited about that.”
DeFoe got off to a fast start, catching eight scorable bass in Period 1, but his day slowed immensely in the final two periods with just two scorable bass in Period 2 and a three-fish flurry right around 3:30 p.m. in the final period. He said that he caught his fish on five different moving baits.
“What worked for me on Sunday morning worked again for me this morning, and that got me off to a really solid start,” DeFoe said. “The midday deal was a lot harder for me today. I spent a lot of the final period looking and I finally hit a place that was good and caught the three scorable fish really quick in the final period. I might have figured a little something out, and that could be a difference maker for me in the end.”
DeFoe plans to return to the same areas during Friday’s Championship Round and said he hopes it will have enough to earn him his second Texas victory on the Bass Pro Tour in two seasons.
“I’m all in on where I’m at,” DeFoe went on to say. “I’m incredibly excited to get back out there – equally as excited as I was last year for the final day on Lake Athens.”
Other than DeFoe’s 34-pound day, Spring City, Tennessee’s Wesley Strader had the second-highest weight on the day, catching six bass totaling 28 pounds, 15 ounces – including a 8-9 and a 6-1. Strader’s two-day total of 10 bass for 39-5 landed him in fifth place.
“We had a really fun day today,” the Tennessee pro said. “Hopefully things keep improving and we can expand a little bit on what we had going this morning. I’m looking forward to spending tomorrow regrouping and getting retied and everything ready to go for the Knockout Round.”
Although DeFoe’s 9½-pound margin of victory didn’t really lend much dramatics at the top of the leaderboard, the race to finish above the Toro Cut Line inside the top 20 proved very intense. Pro Brett Hite of Phoenix, Arizona, boated a 3-pound, 3-ouncer, with less than 10 minutes remaining in Period 3 to move into the Cut Line and knock out Texan Alton Jones, who finished in 21st place.
“Wow, that was intense. That, right there, is what Major League Fishing is all about – fish hard right to the end and never give up,” Hite said. “I had a rough day, and I worked my butt off. I had a real tough morning, but made the decision to make a long run at the end of the second period into the third period and it ended up being the right call. That’s one of the biggest things out here – you have to go with your gut and trust that you are making the right decision. Today, it paid off, and I’m really looking forward to getting back out here on Thursday.”
The top 20 pros from Qualifying Group A that now advance to Thursday’s Knockout Round on Sam Rayburn Reservoir are:
1st: Ott DeFoe, Blaine, Tenn., 25 bass, 59-11 (ADVANCES DIRECTLY TO CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND)
2nd: Dustin Connell. Clanton, Ala., 16 bass, 50-3
3rd: Spencer Shuffield, Hot Springs, Ark., 13 bass, 41-10
4th: Wesley Strader, Spring City, Tenn., 10 bass, 39-5
5th: Kevin VanDam, Kalamazoo, Mich., 12 bass, 34-2
6th: Zack Birge, Blanchard, Okla., 10 bass, 31-12
7th: Bryan Thrift, Shelby, N.C., 13 bass, 30-15
8th: Jacob Wheeler, Harrison, Tenn., nine bass, 30-9
9th: Ish Monroe, Oakdale, Calif., nine bass, 30-7
10th: Cliff Crochet, Pierre Part, La., 10 bass, 30-1
11th: Anthony Gagliardi, Prosperity, S.C., 12 bass, 29-4
12th: Cliff Pace, Petal, Miss., six bass, 28-0
13th: Dean Rojas, Lake Havasu City, Ariz., 11 bass, 27-9
14th: Marty Robinson, Lyman, S.C., 10 bass, 26-10
15th: Luke Clausen, Spokane, Wash., nine bass, 26-2
16th: Fletcher Shryock, Guntersville, Ala., 10 bass, 25-15
17th: Edwin Evers, Talala, Okla., six bass, 25-10
18th: Jason Lambert, Michie, Tenn., eight bass, 25-1
19th: Brett Hite, Phoenix, Ariz., eight bass, 23-0
20th: Fred Roumbanis, Russellville, Ark., eight bass, 22-0
Full results for the field can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
Overall, there were 149 bass weighing 434 pounds, 13 ounces caught by 38 pros Tuesday, which included two 8-pounders, two 7-pounders, two 6-pounders and six 5-pounders caught from Sam Rayburn Reservoir.
Pace won Tuesday’s $1,000 Berkley Big Bass Award, weighing in an 8-pound, 11-ounce largemouth which bit a jerkbait in Period 1. Berkley will award $1,000 to the angler that weighs the biggest bass each day, and a $3,000 bonus to the angler who weighs the largest bass of the tournament.
The MLF Bass Pro Tour Toro Stage One at Sam Rayburn Reservoir Presented by Power-Pole is hosted by the Jasper County Development District and the Jasper/Lake Sam Rayburn Chamber of Commerce.
The 40 Anglers in Group A competed in their two-day qualifying round on Sunday and Tuesday – the 40 anglers in Group B on Monday and Wednesday. After each two-day qualifying round is complete, the anglers that finish in 2nd through 20th place from both groups advance to Thursday’s Knockout Round, while the the winner of each group advances directly to Friday’s Championship Round. In the Knockout Round, weights are zeroed and the remaining 38 anglers compete to finish in the top 8 to advance to the Championship Round. In the final day Championship Round, weights are zeroed and the highest one-day total wins. Full breakdown of the format can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
Attendance is limited to competing anglers, essential staff and media covering the event only. Fans are encouraged to follow the event online through the MLF NOW!® live stream and SCORETRACKER® coverage at MajorLeagueFishing.com
The 2021 Bass Pro Tour features a field of 76 of the top professional anglers in the world – joined at each event by 4 pros that qualify from the Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit – competing across seven regular-season tournaments around the country, competing for millions of dollars and valuable points to qualify for the annual Heavy Hitters all-star event and the REDCREST 2022 championship.
The MLF NOW!® broadcast team of Chad McKee, Marty Stone and J.T. Kenney will break down the extended action each day of competition from 7:45 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. MLF NOW!® will be live streamed on MajorLeagueFishing.com. and the MyOutdoorTV (MOTV) app.
Matt Lee suggest three fishing items for your Easter basket
Courtesy of Alan McGuckin - Dynamic Sponsorships
Carhartt pro Matt Lee has treasured memories of Easter egg hunts with eight cousins on his Nan and Pop’s property that contained a pond full of 4-pound bass where he and brother Jordan fell in love with fishing.
Twenty years later, Lee hunts largemouth bass for a living, and with a Carhartt College Championship to his credit, along with numerous Top 20 finishes as a pro angler, he’s more than qualified to make thoughtful recommendations about what you or your favorite angler might hope the Easter bunny brings the first weekend of April.
Onyx A/M-24 Inflatable Life Vest – “The one I love not only looks cool with Mossy Oak Elements camo on it, but more importantly, when I wear an inflatable life vest, I want one that fits my body really well like this one. I’ve worn several lesser-quality vest that don’t fit well. But this is a great one.”
Quantum Smoke S3 spinning reel – “This is the only spinning reel I use. I like the size 30. It’s super smooth with an awesome drag, doesn’t get dreaded line twists, and is very durable. No matter how hard core you are, everybody who fishes needs a great spinning reel, and this Smoke S3 is awesome.”
Lure Lock tackle tray – “What angler wouldn’t like to have another tackle storage box? So get a Lure Lock box with patented TakLogic™ sticky gel pads in it to keep your weights, lures, hooks, and even small spools of line better organized and firmly in place.”
Lee says the Easter Bunny was to be taken as seriously as Santa Claus growing up. And these days he days he takes his fishing equipment pretty darn serious too. So hopefully his three great recommended pieces of equipment above will lead to a treasured memory on your future trips to the lake.
Davidson Wins Phoenix Bass Fishing League on Dale Hollow
Cookeville’s Catalin Wins Strike King Co-Angler Division
BYRDSTOWN, Tenn. (March 23, 2021) – Boater Ryan Davidson of Branchland, West Virginia, wins the Phoenix Bass Fishing League presented by T-H Marine at Dale Hollow in Byrdstown, Tennessee. Davidson earned $14,250 for his victory at the event, hosted by the Star Point Resort.
TOP 10 RESULTS
| RANK | BOATER NAME/HOMETOWN | BASS | WEIGHT | AWARD |
| 1st | Ryan Davidson of Branchland, W.V. | 5 | 17-15 | $14,250 |
| 2nd | David Stephens of Bowling Green, Ky. | 5 | 17-13 | $3,000 |
| 3rd | Jonathan Green of East Bernstadt, Ky. | 5 | 17-6 | $2,000 |
| 4th | Beau Grissim of Lebanon, Tenn. | 5 | 17-5 | $1,400 |
| 5th | Robert Reagan of Byrdstown, Tenn. | 5 | 16-10 | $1,200 |
| 6th | Brandon Maynard of Cookeville, Tenn. | 5 | 16-2 | $1,100 |
| 7th | Eric Daniel Moore of Union, Ky. | 5 | 16-0 | $1,000 |
| 8th | Mike Bryant of Cookeville, Tenn. | 5 | 15-14 | $900 |
| 9th | Chris Holland of Winchester, Tenn. | 5 | 15-13 | $800 |
| 10th | Josh Gaffney of Crab Orchard, Ky. | 5 | 15-12 | $700 |
| RANK | STRIKE KING CO-ANGLER NAME/HOMETOWN | BASS | WEIGHT | AWARD |
| 1st | Pop Catalin of Cookeville, Tenn. | 5 | 11-7 | $3,000 |
| 2nd | Christopher Stites, Jr. of La Vergne, Tenn. | 5 | 11-5 | $1,500 |
| 3rd | Caleb Chambers of Elizabethton, Tenn. | 5 | 11-4 | $1,000 |
| 4th | Taylor Wisniewski of Lexington, Ky. | 5 | 11-1 | $650 |
| 4th | Travis Giddens of Cookeville, Tenn. | 5 | 11-1 | $775 |
| 6th | Les Baker of Lawrenceville, Ill. | 4 | 10-14 | $550 |
| 7th | Bob Wiles of Hunington, W.V. | 3 | 10-3 | $975 |
| 7th | Abbie Greynolds of Liberty, Ky. | 3 | 10-3 | $475 |
| 9th | Ricky England of Sparta, Tenn. | 3 | 9-15 | $400 |
| 10th | Dakota Cantrell of Decherd, Tenn. | 5 | 9-9 | $350 |
| AWARD | NAME | CONTINGENCY | PAYOUT |
| Boater Big Bass | Pat Eichmann of Nancy, Ky. | 5-pound, 3-ounce bass | $1000 |
| Strike King Co-Angler Berkley Big Bass | Bob Wiles of Hunington, W.V. | 5-pound, 1-ounce bass | $500 |
| Phoenix MLF BIG5 Bonus | Ryan Davidson of Branchland, W.V. | Eligible Phoenix Boat* | $7,000 |
| ANGLER | BAIT | COLOR |
| Boater | Generic moving baits | N/A |
| Strike King Co-Angler | Worm | Brown with blue flake |
| EVENT | DATE | LOCATION | HOST |
| Music City Division – Phoenix Bass Fishing League Regional Championship | Oct. 7-9 | Wheeler Lake, Decatur, Ala. | Decatur Morgan County Tourism |
| Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American | June 3-5 | Douglas Lake, Dandridge, Tenn. | Jefferson County Department of Tourism |
The top six finishers in each regional will then qualify for one of the longest-running championships in all of competitive bass fishing – the Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American.
The top 45 boaters and Strike King co-anglers plus tournament winners from each Phoenix Bass Fishing League division will also earn priority entry into the Toyota Series, the pathway to the Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit and ultimately the MLF Bass Pro Tour.
For complete details and updated information visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow the Phoenix Bass Fishing League presented by T-H Marine on MLF’s social media outlets at Facebook , Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.
Davis Wins Phoenix Bass Fishing League on Grand Lake
Arkansan Wedel Wins Strike King Co-Angler Division
GROVE, Okla. (March 23, 2021) – Boater Harmon Davis of Marlow, Oklahoma, wins the Phoenix Bass Fishing League presented by T-H Marine at Grand Lake Presented by Abu Garcia in Grove, Oklahoma. Davis earned $5,961 for his victory at the event, hosted by the City of Grove.
TOP 10 RESULTS
| RANK | BOATER NAME/HOMETOWN | BASS | WEIGHT | AWARD |
| 1st | Harmon Davis of Marlow, Okla. | 5 | 21-15 | $5,961 |
| 2nd | Andy Carroll of Greenwood, Ark. | 5 | 17-7 | $2,760 |
| 3rd | Brent Haggard of Sallisaw, Okla. | 5 | 17-4 | $1,837 |
| 4th | Thomas Canady of Collinsville, Okla. | 5 | 15-10 | $1,788 |
| 5th | Kord Hudkins of Pocola, Okla. | 5 | 15-6 | $1,546 |
| 6th | Larry Crouch of Carthage, Mo. | 5 | 15-5 | $1,012 |
| 7th | Gunner West of Spiro, Okla. | 5 | 14-12 | $920 |
| 8th | Wayne Diffee of Bernice, Okla. | 5 | 14-8 | $828 |
| 9th | Ryan Stinchcomb of Fort Smith, Ark. | 5 | 14-3 | $736 |
| 10th | Brit Sumter of Prairie Grove, Ark. | 5 | 13-8 | $644 |
| RANK | STRIKE KING CO-ANGLER NAME/HOMETOWN | BASS | WEIGHT | AWARD |
| 1st | Jason Wedel of Lowell, Ark. | 5 | 12-9 | $2,744 |
| 2nd | Fred Fielder of Tahlequah, Okla. | 5 | 12-0 | $1,372 |
| 3rd | Shaun Bradley of Edmond, Okla. | 5 | 10-12 | $917 |
| 4th | Jim McLaughlin of Vinita, Okla. | 5 | 9-11 | $640 |
| 5th | Alan Hill of Ada, Okla. | 4 | 9-4 | $549 |
| 6th | Keith Baucom of Haskell, Okla. | 4 | 8-11 | $503 |
| 7th | Nolan Wilson of Edmond, Okla. | 3 | 8-3 | $457 |
| 8th | Jake Hess of Tulsa, Okla. | 3 | 7-14 | $412 |
| 9th | Brady Short of Oxford, Kan. | 3 | 7-8 | $366 |
| 10th | Scott Smith of Blanchard, Okla. | 2 | 7-4 | $320 |
| AWARD | NAME | CONTINGENCY | PAYOUT |
| Boater Big Bass | Kord Hudkins of Pocola, Okla. | 5-pound, 14-ounce bass | $442 |
| Boater Big Bass | Harmon Davis of Marlow, Okla. | 5-pound, 14-ounce bass | $442 |
| Strike King Co-Angler Berkley Big Bass | Brandon (long) Nguyen of Overland Park, Kan. | 5-pound, 11-ounce bass | $440 |
| Phoenix MLF BIG5 Bonus | Thomas Canady of Collinsville, Okla. | Eligible Phoenix Boat* | $500 |
| ANGLER | BAIT | COLOR |
| Boater | Santone Lures Spinnerbaits | White |
| Strike King Co-Angler | Googan Baits Saucy Swimmer Swimbait | Did Not Disclose |
| EVENT | DATE | LOCATION | HOST |
| Okie Division – Phoenix Bass Fishing League Regional Championship | Oct. 21-23 | Lake Ouachita, Mt. Ida, Ark. | Visit Hot Springs |
| Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American | June 3-5 | Douglas Lake, Dandridge, Tenn. | Jefferson County Department of Tourism |
The top six finishers in each regional will then qualify for one of the longest-running championships in all of competitive bass fishing – the Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American.
The top 45 boaters and Strike King co-anglers plus tournament winners from each Phoenix Bass Fishing League division will also earn priority entry into the Toyota Series, the pathway to the Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit and ultimately the MLF Bass Pro Tour.
For complete details and updated information visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow the Phoenix Bass Fishing League presented by T-H Marine on MLF’s social media outlets at Facebook , Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.
There’s A Tie At The Top At Pickwick Elite
Bill Lowen of Brookville, Ind., and Chad Pipkens of Holt, Mich., are tied for first place after Day 3 of the 2021 Guaranteed Rate Bassmaster Elite at Pickwick Lake with a three-day total of 62 pounds, 10 ounces.
Photos by Seigo Saito/B.A.S.S.
March 22, 2021
FLORENCE, Ala. — Tomorrow, there can be only one winner, but Bill Lowen and Chad Pipkens share the Day 3 lead at the Guaranteed Rate Bassmaster Elite at Pickwick Lake.
Both anglers head into Championship Tuesday with 62 pounds, 10 ounces.
If a tie occurs in the tournament’s final round, the winner will be determined by a fish-off between the tied competitors.
Hailing from Brookville, Ind., Lowen improved from second place by adding 17-10 to his previous days’ limits of 21-3 and 23-13. Pipkens, who lives in Holt, Mich., moved up from sixth. His daily weights were 21-2, 18-5 and 23-3.
Since last week’s fierce storm, the Tennessee Valley Authority has been moving a tremendous volume of water through Pickwick. Lowen started his day fishing main-river current breaks on the backside of Kogers Island and continued his quest to determine how the fish are adjusting.
As the water level slowly declines, warming conditions have set the stage for a possible spawning movement.
“It just seems like every day the morning has been the deal, that first three hours,” Lowen said. “After that, I just have to beat around and try other things. I’m just trying to find out where the fish have gone.
“I feel like the current is pushing those fish off the flats. I have some areas that they should be going to. I keep checking them, but they haven’t shown up yet.”
Lowen caught his fish on his signature series 3/8-ounce Lure Parts Online jig with a chunk trailer. This bait’s weight and buoyancy allows it to sweep across shallow wood cover without snagging.
Later in the morning, Lowen started exploring other habitat features, including tall stands of flat reeds where spawners may eventually move. Signs are pointing in that direction, he said, but Lowen’s not ready to commit his final day to this uncertain stage.
“At the end of the day, I had some fish come up on a swim jig that didn’t get it,” Lowen said. “I’ve been saying it all day that it’s time for that to happen. Tomorrow, I’m going down there and starting on that same stretch. The only thing I was missing today were those big bites. Hopefully tomorrow some of those big females will move up.”
Spending his day on the backside of a small island upstream of Kogers, Pipkens focused on a grassy ditch. Receding water seems to be working in his favor.
“The first day I caught every fish I weighed up close to that island on a current seam because the water was so high,” Pipkens said. “At the end of the day I caught a couple about 100 yards back, and yesterday I caught most of them [farther] back.
“Today, I caught them all there, except for one at the end. I think they’re starting to scatter back throughout that ditch. I’m ready to move around tomorrow.”
Pipkens anchored his bag with a 5-pounder around 10:46 a.m., but a 4-pounder at 2:14 p.m. gave him a key cull that secured his first-place tie. He caught his fish on a ChatterBait with a trailer hook and a swimbait trailer. Pipkens said his bites were subtle.
“There’s so much current, they’re just sitting down there and they’re not eating until the bait comes over them,” Pipkens said.
Pipkens is hopeful that tomorrow’s forecasted rain and dim skies could trigger a more aggressive bite.
“With tomorrow’s weather, it could get right,” he said. “I’ve said if you can catch 15 to 20 fish in this area, you can weigh in 25 to 30 pounds. I was one big bite away today and I only caught six. The right ones bit today."
Cory Johnston of Cavan, Canada, is in third place with 59-1. Moving up from 22nd place, he added the day’s heaviest bag, 25-5, to his previous weights of 18-9 and 15-3.
“I caught most of my fish offshore in the Kogers Island area on current breaks in 3 to 8 feet, and then I went looking for some other stuff,” Johnston said. “I ended up finding some stuff on the bank and caught a 5-pounder.
“Up shallow, it was wood and junk they’re sitting behind out of the current. I was just trying to expand my options, but it’s hard to say which might play tomorrow. I’ll try both.”
Johnston said he rotated through a selection of 10 reaction baits. Continuously giving the fish different looks was the key to his success.
Hank Cherry of Lincolnton, N.C., is in the lead for Phoenix Boats Big Bass honors with his 7-11.
Patrick Walters of Summerville, S.C., leads the Angler of the Year standings with 264 points. Seth Feider of New Market, Minn., is in second with 246, followed by Brandon Palaniuk of Rathdrum, Idaho, with 245, Greg Hackney of Gonzales, La., with 242 and Bryan New of Belmont, N.C., with 239.
Tuesday’s takeoff is scheduled for 6:45 a.m. CT at McFarland Park. The weigh-in will be held at the park at 3 p.m.
Live coverage of the event can be streamed on Bassmaster.com and the FOX Sports digital platforms.
2021 Guaranteed Rate Bassmaster Elite at Pickwick Lake 3/20-3/23
Pickwick Lake, Florence AL.
(PROFESSIONAL) Standings Day 3
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Pts Total $$$
1. Bill Lowen Brookville, IN 15 62-10 100
Day 1: 5 21-03 Day 2: 5 23-13 Day 3: 5 17-10
1. Chad Pipkens Dewitt, MI 15 62-10 99
Day 1: 5 21-02 Day 2: 5 18-05 Day 3: 5 23-03
3. Cory Johnston Cavan CANADA 15 59-01 98 $1,000.00
Day 1: 5 18-09 Day 2: 5 15-03 Day 3: 5 25-05
4. Tyler Rivet Raceland, LA 15 58-11 97
Day 1: 5 16-12 Day 2: 5 20-15 Day 3: 5 21-00
5. Hank Cherry Jr Lincolnton, NC 15 57-13 96 $1,000.00
Day 1: 5 15-08 Day 2: 5 22-09 Day 3: 5 19-12
6. Brock Mosley Collinsville, MS 15 57-13 95
Day 1: 5 19-09 Day 2: 5 21-08 Day 3: 5 16-12
7. Brandon Palaniuk Rathdrum, ID 15 57-01 94
Day 1: 5 17-12 Day 2: 5 20-09 Day 3: 5 18-12
8. Bryan Schmitt Deale, MD 15 56-15 93
Day 1: 5 13-04 Day 2: 5 23-08 Day 3: 5 20-03
9. Buddy Gross Chickamauga, GA 15 56-13 92
Day 1: 5 23-03 Day 2: 5 17-00 Day 3: 5 16-10
10. Steve Kennedy Auburn, AL 15 56-13 91
Day 1: 5 18-11 Day 2: 5 20-09 Day 3: 5 17-09
11. Koby Kreiger Alva, FL 13 56-05 90 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 25-12 Day 2: 5 19-15 Day 3: 3 10-10
12. Patrick Walters Summerville, SC 15 56-00 89 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 18-00 Day 2: 5 16-13 Day 3: 5 21-03
13. Kyle Welcher Opelika, AL 15 54-07 88 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 13-01 Day 2: 5 16-11 Day 3: 5 24-11
14. Brandon Lester Fayetteville, TN 15 54-03 87 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 16-13 Day 2: 5 19-11 Day 3: 5 17-11
15. Caleb Sumrall New Iberia, LA 14 53-09 86 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 18-12 Day 2: 4 14-07 Day 3: 5 20-06
16. Wes Logan Springville, AL 15 52-14 85 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 13-07 Day 2: 5 18-14 Day 3: 5 20-09
17. Ray Hanselman Jr Del Rio, TX 15 52-08 84 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 16-13 Day 2: 5 17-00 Day 3: 5 18-11
18. David Mullins Mt Carmel, TN 15 52-03 83 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 16-12 Day 2: 5 18-08 Day 3: 5 16-15
19. Bryan New Belmont, NC 15 51-10 82 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 19-00 Day 2: 5 19-03 Day 3: 5 13-07
20. Gregory DiPalma Millville, NJ 15 50-13 81 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 15-15 Day 2: 5 15-02 Day 3: 5 19-12
21. Scott Martin Clewiston, FL 13 50-08 80 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 18-05 Day 2: 5 22-13 Day 3: 3 09-06
22. Matt Herren Ashville, AL 15 50-06 79 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 13-12 Day 2: 5 19-02 Day 3: 5 17-08
23. Joshua Stracner Vandiver, AL 15 50-05 78 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 19-13 Day 2: 5 15-00 Day 3: 5 15-08
24. Chris Johnston Otonabee Ontario CANADA 15 50-03 77 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 16-11 Day 2: 5 16-13 Day 3: 5 16-11
25. Seth Feider New Market, MN 15 49-12 76 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 16-06 Day 2: 5 17-11 Day 3: 5 15-11
26. Brad Whatley Bivins, TX 14 49-07 75 $10,000.00
Day 1: 4 12-03 Day 2: 5 19-14 Day 3: 5 17-06
27. Marc Frazier Newnan, GA 15 48-07 74 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 14-14 Day 2: 5 15-09 Day 3: 5 18-00
28. Lee Livesay Longview, TX 15 48-06 73 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 13-02 Day 2: 5 21-10 Day 3: 5 13-10
29. Drew Cook Cairo, GA 13 47-15 72 $10,000.00
Day 1: 3 08-14 Day 2: 5 20-13 Day 3: 5 18-04
30. Brandon Card Salisbury, NC 14 47-03 71 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 17-10 Day 2: 4 08-06 Day 3: 5 21-03
31. Chris Zaldain Fort Worth, TX 14 46-11 70 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 21-02 Day 2: 5 13-14 Day 3: 4 11-11
32. Jason Christie Park Hill, OK 15 46-02 69 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 16-07 Day 2: 5 14-14 Day 3: 5 14-13
33. Shane LeHew Catawba, NC 15 45-15 68 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 16-14 Day 2: 5 15-00 Day 3: 5 14-01
34. John Crews Jr Salem, VA 15 45-09 67 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 14-09 Day 2: 5 12-01 Day 3: 5 18-15
35. Hunter Shryock Ooltewah, TN 13 44-09 66 $10,000.00
Day 1: 4 11-02 Day 2: 5 19-03 Day 3: 4 14-04
36. Skylar Hamilton Dandridge, TN 13 43-01 65 $10,000.00
Day 1: 4 12-06 Day 2: 5 17-08 Day 3: 4 13-03
37. Frank Talley Temple, TX 15 43-01 64 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 16-04 Day 2: 5 11-03 Day 3: 5 15-10
38. Cliff Prince Palatka, FL 14 43-01 63 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 14-07 Day 2: 4 12-09 Day 3: 5 16-01
39. Pat Schlapper Eleva, WI 13 42-14 62 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 16-10 Day 2: 5 18-15 Day 3: 3 07-05
40. Stetson Blaylock Benton, AR 13 42-00 61 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 16-01 Day 2: 5 15-14 Day 3: 3 10-01
41. Kyle Monti Okeechobee, FL 13 41-11 60 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 17-14 Day 2: 5 13-08 Day 3: 3 10-05
42. Todd Auten Lake Wylie, SC 15 41-10 59 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 17-13 Day 2: 5 11-15 Day 3: 5 11-14
43. Luke Palmer Coalgate, OK 14 41-03 58 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 16-09 Day 2: 5 14-09 Day 3: 4 10-01
44. Ed Loughran III Richmond, VA 13 40-14 57 $10,000.00
Day 1: 3 08-00 Day 2: 5 17-13 Day 3: 5 15-01
45. Clifford Pirch Payson, AZ 14 40-04 56 $10,000.00
Day 1: 4 11-09 Day 2: 5 14-10 Day 3: 5 14-01
46. Randy Sullivan Breckenridge, TX 13 39-05 55 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 13-05 Day 2: 5 17-15 Day 3: 3 08-01
47. Drew Benton Blakely, GA 12 39-03 54 $10,000.00
Day 1: 4 10-04 Day 2: 4 15-01 Day 3: 4 13-14
48. Robbie Latuso Gonzales, LA 11 38-12 53 $10,000.00
Day 1: 4 13-08 Day 2: 5 19-13 Day 3: 2 05-07
49. KJ Queen Catawba, NC 10 26-05 52 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 12-08 Day 2: 5 13-13 Day 3: 0 00-00
50. Paul Mueller Naugatuck, CT 9 25-04 51 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 14-06 Day 2: 4 10-14 Day 3: 0 00-00
Davis Leads Qualifying Group B of Major League Fishing’s Toro Stage One at Sam Rayburn Reservoir
Arkansas Veteran Jumps out to Early Lead after Day 1 for Qualifying Group B with 10 Bass in First Period Flurry
JASPER, Texas (March 22, 2021) – For Major League Fishing (MLF) fans following the MLF Now!® live stream, it looked like pro Mark Davis was having a very tough day on the water. Mid-way through the second period, the Mount Ida, Arkansas, veteran had yet to weigh a single fish and he remained at the bottom of the leaderboard without a scorable bass. Then, all of a sudden, Davis returned to an area that had cellular service and the SCORETRACKER® leaderboard lit up.
In actuality, Davis had a fantastic morning, boating 10 bass in the first period and jumping out to a big lead on day 1 of Qualifying Group B at the Toro Stage One at Sam Rayburn Reservoir presented by Power-Pole. It just happened to be in an area that did not have cellular coverage, and therefore his SCORETRACKER updates were unable to send. When all was said and done, Davis caught a total of 12 bass weighing 28 pounds, 2 ounces, Monday to gain the early lead after Group B’s day 1, midway through their two-day Qualifying Round.
Pro Gerald Spohrer of Gonzales, Louisiana, sits comfortably in second place, just two pounds back of Davis with seven bass totaling 26-2. Brent Ehrler of Redlands, California, finished the day in third place with seven bass for 22-2, six pounds behind the leader. The six-day event awards a top cash prize of $100,000 to the winner and is being live-streamed online and filmed for television broadcast on the Discovery Channel and the Outdoor Channel later this year.
The 40 anglers in Group B will now enjoy an off day on Tuesday, while the 40 anglers in Qualifying Group A will complete their two-day Qualifying Round of competition. Group B will resume competition on Wednesday.
“I caught my fish this morning on a Strike King Red Eye Shad,” Davis said. “I had found this area in practice and I knew that the fish were there. I went in there this morning and started fishing shallow and there wasn’t much going on, then I saw a couple of them come up and bust, way out off of the bank.
“The trick was that I had to cast it out and let the bait sink, then kind of pump it,” Davis said. “It took a cadence with that lure to get them to bite. They wouldn’t just bite it on my cast and retrieve. You had to pump it, you had to work it out and kind of feel it around in the grass.”
Davis said that he threw the Red Eye Shad on a Lew’s KVD Composite Cranking rod paired with a Lew’s Hyper Mag reel, spooled with 15-pound test line.
“The fish were really biting it good - just swallowing it,” Davis said. “But, when it was over, it was done. I mean, it was done. I went to a Carolina rig and was able to catch a few more, but they were small. The shad were there and when the fish were ready to feed, they’ll feed. They’ll probably feed again later this afternoon.”
Spohrer did not have as fast of a start to the morning as Davis did, but his bite managed to be a bit more consistent throughout the entire day.
“The way my morning started, it wasn’t looking good,” the Louisiana pro said. “I had an area that I thought I was going to be my best spot where I’d get the most bites, and I didn’t get anything. I just kept my head down and kept fishing, swimming a jig all day and covering water. I figured out a little deal around the cypress trees, and it proved to be a good method for me.
“The fish are moving around, but I think I have a good feel for what they are doing and it should keep getting better and better for me. Hopefully I can get back out here on Wednesday and try to win the round to advance to Championship Friday,” Spohrer went on to say.
“It ended up being a brutal day for me,” said third-place angler Ehrler. “It started off really well – I felt like I was getting in a groove – then I went the entire second period without catching anything. Then with just an hour left in the third period I finally caught one more 3-pounder. So really, after the first period, I sucked pretty much all day. I’ve got some decisions to make here before Wednesday because I’m just really not comfortable. Hopefully I can change some things up and advance.”
The top 20 pros from Qualifying Group B after Day 1 on Sam Rayburn Reservoir are:
1st: Mark Davis, Mount Ida, Ark., 12 bass, 28-2
2nd: Gerald Spohrer, Gonzales, La., seven bass, 26-2
3rd: Brent Ehrler, Redlands, Calif., seven bass, 22-2
4th: Brandon Coulter, Knoxville, Tenn., seven bass, 21-4
5th: Mark Daniels Jr., Tuskegee, Ala., seven bass, 19-2
6th: Skeet Reese, Auburn, Calif., six bass, 18-10
7th: Stephen Browning, Hot Springs, Ark., six bass, 17-11
8th: Matt Becker, Finleyville, Pa., five bass, 17-1
9th: Brent Chapman, Lake Quivira, Kan., seven bass, 16-10
10th: Randall Tharp, Port Saint Joe, Fla., six bass, 16-3
11th: Tommy Biffle, Wagoner, Okla., five bass, 15-8
12th: Jeff Sprague, Point, Texas, six bass, 15-5
13th: Terry Scroggins, San Mateo, Fla., three bass, 13-15
14th: Cody Meyer, Star, Idaho, five bass, 13-8
15th: David Dudley, Lynchburg, Va., five bass, 12-11
16th: Chris Lane, Guntersville, Ala., four bass, 12-3
17th: Randy Howell, Guntersville, Ala., five bass, 11-10
18th: Casey Ashley, Donalds, S.C., four bass, 11-9
19th: Bobby Lane, Lakeland, Fla., five bass, 11-8
20th: Jeff Kriet, Ardmore, Okla., five bass, 10-13
A complete list of results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
Overall, there were 167 bass weighing 457 pounds, 11 ounces caught by 39 pros on Monday, which included two 7-pounders and six 5-pounders caught from Sam Rayburn.
Scroggins won Monday’s $1,000 Berkley Big Bass Award, weighing in a 7-pound, 9-ounce largemouth which bit on a bladed swimjig right at the end of Period 3. Berkley will award $1,000 to the angler that weighs the biggest bass each day, and a $3,000 bonus to the angler who weighs the largest bass of the tournament.
The MLF Bass Pro Tour Toro Stage 1 at Sam Rayburn Reservoir presented by Power-Pole is hosted by the Jasper County Development District and the Jasper/Lake Sam Rayburn Chamber of Commerce.
The 40 Anglers in Group A compete in their two-day qualifying round on Sunday and Tuesday – the 40 anglers in Group B on Monday and Wednesday. After each two-day qualifying round is complete, the anglers that finish in 2nd through 20th place from both groups advance to Thursday’s Knockout Round, while the the winner of each group advances directly to Friday’s Championship Round. In the Knockout Round, weights are zeroed and the remaining 38 anglers compete to finish in the top 8 to advance to the Championship Round. In the final day Championship Round, weights are zeroed and the highest one-day total wins. Full breakdown of the format can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
Attendance is limited to competing anglers, essential staff and media covering the event only. Fans are encouraged to follow the event online through the MLF NOW!® live stream and SCORETRACKER® coverage at MajorLeagueFishing.com
The 2021 Bass Pro Tour features a field of 76 of the top professional anglers in the world – joined at each event by 4 pros that qualify from the Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit – competing across seven regular-season tournaments around the country, competing for millions of dollars and valuable points to qualify for the annual Heavy Hitters all-star event and the REDCREST 2022 championship.
The MLF NOW!® broadcast team of Chad McKee, Marty Stone and J.T. Kenney will break down the extended action each day of competition from 7:45 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. MLF NOW!® will be live streamed on MajorLeagueFishing.com. and the MyOutdoorTV (MOTV) app.
Television coverage of the Bass Pro Tour Toro Stage 1 at Sam Rayburn Reservoir presented by Power-Pole will be showcased across two two-hour episodes, premiering at 7 a.m. ET, Aug. 28 on the Discovery Channel. New MLF episodes premiere each Saturday morning on the Discovery Channel, with additional re-airings on the Outdoor Channel and the Sportsman Channel. Each two-hour long reality-based episode goes in-depth to break down each day of competition.
Scroggins’ alternatives to Rayburn Red
Courtesy of Alan McGuckin - Dynamic Sponsorships
To say largemouth bass eat a bunch of reddish orange-colored lures on Sam Rayburn Reservoir is like saying Terry “Big Show” Scroggins likes to toss a ribeye on the grill, or that Taco Bell sells a bunch of nacho fries. It’s sort of overstating the obvious.
Heck, the famous East Texas fishery that’s home to this week’s Major League Fishing Bass Pro Tour can take full credit for inventing a color simply known as “Rayburn Red” in the same way Scroggins takes credit as pro bass fishing’s best backyard chef.
So how then does one of the world’s best anglers like Scroggins set himself apart from the menu offerings of thousands of other fishermen who visit Rayburn?
“Look, I’m definitely going to have my fair share of Rayburn Red tied on, but I’ll promise you it’s not the only thing they eat on this lake,” says Scroggins. “They’ll dang sure eat a green pumpkin ChatterBait, and a shad colored jerkbait here too.”
ChatterBaits will be among the top three most popular lures this week on “Big Sam” but Scroggins insist green pumpkin should never be shelved – even at Rayburn.
“Man, green pumpkin still works anywhere you go in America, and that includes a green pumpkin ChatterBait in East Texas,” says Scroggins, who favors a 1/2-ounce version most of the time.
Soft plastic trailers with a lot of kicker tails tend to make a ChatterBait rise higher than sometimes desired, especially if you’re trying to keep it a hair deeper over submerged vegetation or under the floats of a dock. So Scroggins says the weight of a 1/2 -ounce version offsets that rise nicely and says the Big Show Twin Minn makes for a great all-around trailer.
As for the jerkbait, he says it simply gets mis-labeled as a cold water lure far too often, when in reality it catches fish darn near 12 months a year.
“A lot of people think of jerkbaits as a smallmouth weapon up north or a late winter tool further south, but they’re an awesome tool anytime you’re trying to present a bait over submerged vegetation that’s a bit more subtle at a place like Rayburn that gets so much fishing pressure,” explains Scroggins.
His jerkbait of choice is a MegaBass Vision 110 on 12-pound line that will get down to about 7-feet, and if he can ‘tick’ the tops of the vegetation or get it snagged in the salad a tad-bit now and then, that’s a bonus to triggering strikes.
So while Rayburn Red lipless baits will likely always be the top “go to” – just as they’ve been for 30 years in East Texas -- you can bet Terry “Big Show” Scroggins will be serving up some proven tasty offerings not seen quite as often to Big Sam’s seasoned largemouth.
Safety First, Catch ‘em Second
Courtesy of Luke Stoner - Dynamic Sponsorships
Photo by Dalton Tumblin, B.A.S.S.
Watching Chris Zaldain and other Bassmaster Elite Series pros catch big smallmouth and largemouth bass out of extremely heavy currents below the Wilson Dam on Pickwick Lake has been quite the spectacle. The techniques, the baits, and methods are unique to this type of fishing and make for entertaining Bassmaster LIVE coverage.
There is a lot to take in, but perhaps the most important lesson anglers can obtain from watching Zaldain work in the white water comes from the Personal Floatation Device (PFD) he has strapped to his chest for every cast.
Per their rules, Elite Series pros only have to wear a lifejacket / PFD when their outboard motor is running. But with the amount of current ripping in the Wilson Dam tailrace, Zaldain is wisely choosing to wear an inflatable PFD over his Carhartt jacket even when he’s on his trolling motor.
“Safety always comes first - no matter what,” Zaldain said. “Anything can happen on the water and that’s only magnified in conditions like we are facing on Pickwick this week. When in doubt, throw a PFD on and then worry about catching fish.”
Zaldain reiterated that even the most experienced anglers need to err on the side of caution in turbulent water, but beginning anglers should wear a PFD anytime they feel slightly uncomfortable.
No fish is worth something bad happening to you, or someone in your boat. Plain and simple.
“If you get knocked out of the boat in heavy current it could be a disaster,” Zaldain explained. “You’d get separated from your boat and would be in trouble in a hurry. I’m a pretty good swimmer, but I promise you I can’t handle this current like my Yamaha and Skeeter can.”
Seeing someone with as much experience on the water as “Zaldaingerous” wear a PFD in competition and take the proper precautions is a good reminder for anglers of all levels.
Zaldain started day three of the Guaranteed Rate Bassmaster Elite in 16th place and plans to head back to his swift water honey hole. Dealing with the waves, current, and approximately one million drum in hopes he can connect with another 20+ pound bag of smallmouth like he brought to the scales Saturday.
“I’ll start my day slinging a 6-inch Mergabass Magdraft swimbait up in the current for sure,” Zaldain offered. “It’s all about current seams and boulders up there in the tailrace. It’s a stressful way to fish, but it’s been fun.”
Despite Slower Day, Kreiger Maintains Lead At Bassmaster Elite At Pickwick
Photo by Seigo Saito/B.A.S.S.
March 21, 2021
FLORENCE, Ala. — Koby Kreiger’s main pattern provided a solid foundation, but a strategic relocation proved essential to maintaining his lead at the Guaranteed Rate Bassmaster Elite at Pickwick Lake.
Adding a five-bass limit of 19 pounds, 15 ounces to his Day 1 leading catch of 25-12 — the event’s biggest bag — the pro from Alva, Fla., tallied 45-11. Heading into Semifinal Monday, Kreiger leads second-place Bill Lowen by 11 ounces.
Kreiger started his day in the Wilson Dam tailrace, where he targeted the down-current side of a wooded rock island. With the dam releasing an hourly average of 178,170 cubic feet per second, bass were leveraging the intense feeding opportunities.
Heavy rainfall from Wednesday’s massive storm system brought extreme current and flood conditions, which required B.A.S.S. officials to postpone the tournament’s scheduled start from Thursday to Saturday.
“The fish just hunker down behind that (structure) and anything that falls over those rocks, they eat it,” Kreiger said. “It was a grind today. I caught one big smallmouth pretty early this morning and I was lucky to catch three to go with it. Then I struggled for a while.
“I made a move and went down my limit bank and caught a 4-pounder and another one about 3 1/2.”
Kreiger’s second area was a riprap bank near the takeoff site at McFarland Park. He spent about an hour in this spot.
Returning to the tailrace in the afternoon, Kreiger found that the bite had completely shut down. He attributes the decline to increased turbidity.
“The upper end of the lake is getting dirty and I think that’s part of the problem,” Kreiger said. “They didn’t bite after this morning. When I returned (to the tailrace), I never got another bite. It was nowhere near like it was yesterday.
“It has to be because the water got dirty. I mean, the fish are there; they’re not going to go anywhere. Smallmouth are sight feeders, so that has to play a role in it. But I also caught some big largemouth up there yesterday and they didn’t bite either, so I don’t know.”
Kreiger caught his fish on a deep-diving crankbait, a 1-ounce spinnerbait with tandem willow-leaf blades and a balsa Wee Bait in the silver shad color.
Despite today’s downturn, Kreiger said he’ll definitely fish the Wilson tailrace tomorrow.
“There’s no question, if I’m going to win, I’m going to win up there,” he said. “I’m going to go up there and spend a couple of hours up there and see what happens.”
Hailing from Brookville, Ind., Lowen is in second place with an even 45 pounds. Gaining a spot from Day 1, Lowen bolstered Saturday’s limit of 21-3 with 23-13 — the day’s heaviest bag.
“Yesterday I didn’t get a lot of bites and today I didn’t get a lot of bites, but I got the right ones,” Lowen said.
Spending his day near the Natchez Trace Bridge, Lowen fished main river current breaks. Noting that this area is a major offshore community hole when conditions are stable, Lowen strategically pushed shallow and flipped wood with his signature series 3/8-ounce Lure Parts Online jig with a chunk trailer.
“The reason I go with a 3/8 is so it sweeps through the cover instead of getting stuck,” Lowen said. “When it sweeps through there, it looks more natural than if you’re fighting to get it through.”
In his day’s later hours, Lowen fished docks inside a pocket in the same general area. He caught several on his jig, with one making it into his limit.
“My theory is that those fish are getting pushed to the sides,” Lowen said. “I had a really good area out on that flat before (the heavy current) came and I assumed that those fish slid up to the docks.”
Scott Martin of Clewiston, Fla., is in third place with 41-2. Mirroring his Day 1 strategy, Martin started the day fishing the slower current areas right outside of McFarland Park.
He added 22-13 to the 18-5 he caught on Saturday.
“I caught a 6 1/2-pounder right outside the takeoff, then I caught some more fish down the (riprap bank bordering McFarland) and ended up with a limit of 15 pounds or so without starting my motor and then I just went fishing,” Martin said. “I didn’t catch as many today, the grade was better. I caught a lot of 3 1/2- to 4 1/2-pound fish.”
After leaving the McFarland area, Martin fished his way down lake, nearly to the Tennessee state line. He targeted current breaks, points and shallow cover and caught his fish on a ChatterBait, swimbait and a balsa crankbait.
Hank Cherry of Linconton, N.C., is in the lead for Phoenix Boats Big Bass honors with his 7-11.
Patrick Walters of Summerville, S.C., leads the Angler of the Year standings with 258 points. Seth Feider of New Market, Minn., is in second with 251, followed by Bryan New of Belmont, N.C., with 249, Brandon Palaniuk of Rathdrum, Idaho, with 244, and Greg Hackney of Gonzales, La., with 242.
Monday’s takeoff is scheduled for 6:45 a.m. CT at McFarland Park. The weigh-in will be held at the park at 3 p.m.
Live coverage of the event can be streamed on Bassmaster.com and the FOX Sports digital platforms.
2021 Guaranteed Rate Bassmaster Elite at Pickwick Lake 3/20-3/23
Pickwick Lake, Florence AL.
(PROFESSIONAL) Standings Day 2
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Pts Total $$$
1. Koby Kreiger Alva, FL 10 45-11 100
Day 1: 5 25-12 Day 2: 5 19-15
2. Bill Lowen Brookville, IN 10 45-00 99
Day 1: 5 21-03 Day 2: 5 23-13
3. Scott Martin Clewiston, FL 10 41-02 98
Day 1: 5 18-05 Day 2: 5 22-13
4. Brock Mosley Collinsville, MS 10 41-01 97
Day 1: 5 19-09 Day 2: 5 21-08
5. Buddy Gross Chickamauga, GA 10 40-03 96
Day 1: 5 23-03 Day 2: 5 17-00
6. Chad Pipkens Dewitt, MI 10 39-07 95
Day 1: 5 21-02 Day 2: 5 18-05
7. Steve Kennedy Auburn, AL 10 39-04 94
Day 1: 5 18-11 Day 2: 5 20-09
8. Brandon Palaniuk Rathdrum, ID 10 38-05 93
Day 1: 5 17-12 Day 2: 5 20-09
9. Bryan New Belmont, NC 10 38-03 92
Day 1: 5 19-00 Day 2: 5 19-03
10. Hank Cherry Jr Lincolnton, NC 10 38-01 91 $1,000.00
Day 1: 5 15-08 Day 2: 5 22-09
11. Tyler Rivet Raceland, LA 10 37-11 90
Day 1: 5 16-12 Day 2: 5 20-15
12. Bryan Schmitt Deale, MD 10 36-12 89
Day 1: 5 13-04 Day 2: 5 23-08
13. Brandon Lester Fayetteville, TN 10 36-08 88
Day 1: 5 16-13 Day 2: 5 19-11
14. Pat Schlapper Eleva, WI 10 35-09 87
Day 1: 5 16-10 Day 2: 5 18-15
15. David Mullins Mt Carmel, TN 10 35-04 86
Day 1: 5 16-12 Day 2: 5 18-08
16. Chris Zaldain Fort Worth, TX 10 35-00 85
Day 1: 5 21-02 Day 2: 5 13-14
17. Joshua Stracner Vandiver, AL 10 34-13 84
Day 1: 5 19-13 Day 2: 5 15-00
18. Patrick Walters Summerville, SC 10 34-13 83
Day 1: 5 18-00 Day 2: 5 16-13
19. Lee Livesay Longview, TX 10 34-12 82
Day 1: 5 13-02 Day 2: 5 21-10
20. Seth Feider New Market, MN 10 34-01 81
Day 1: 5 16-06 Day 2: 5 17-11
21. Ray Hanselman Jr Del Rio, TX 10 33-13 80
Day 1: 5 16-13 Day 2: 5 17-00
22. Cory Johnston Cavan CANADA 10 33-12 79
Day 1: 5 18-09 Day 2: 5 15-03
23. Chris Johnston Otonabee Ontario CANADA 10 33-08 78
Day 1: 5 16-11 Day 2: 5 16-13
24. Robbie Latuso Gonzales, LA 9 33-05 77
Day 1: 4 13-08 Day 2: 5 19-13
25. Caleb Sumrall New Iberia, LA 9 33-03 76
Day 1: 5 18-12 Day 2: 4 14-07
26. Matt Herren Ashville, AL 10 32-14 75
Day 1: 5 13-12 Day 2: 5 19-02
27. Wes Logan Springville, AL 10 32-05 74
Day 1: 5 13-07 Day 2: 5 18-14
28. Brad Whatley Bivins, TX 9 32-01 73
Day 1: 4 12-03 Day 2: 5 19-14
29. Stetson Blaylock Benton, AR 10 31-15 72
Day 1: 5 16-01 Day 2: 5 15-14
30. Shane LeHew Catawba, NC 10 31-14 71
Day 1: 5 16-14 Day 2: 5 15-00
31. Kyle Monti Okeechobee, FL 10 31-06 70
Day 1: 5 17-14 Day 2: 5 13-08
32. Jason Christie Park Hill, OK 10 31-05 69
Day 1: 5 16-07 Day 2: 5 14-14
33. Randy Sullivan Breckenridge, TX 10 31-04 68
Day 1: 5 13-05 Day 2: 5 17-15
34. Luke Palmer Coalgate, OK 10 31-02 67
Day 1: 5 16-09 Day 2: 5 14-09
35. Gregory DiPalma Millville, NJ 10 31-01 66
Day 1: 5 15-15 Day 2: 5 15-02
36. Marc Frazier Newnan, GA 10 30-07 65
Day 1: 5 14-14 Day 2: 5 15-09
37. Hunter Shryock Ooltewah, TN 9 30-05 64
Day 1: 4 11-02 Day 2: 5 19-03
38. Skylar Hamilton Dandridge, TN 9 29-14 63
Day 1: 4 12-06 Day 2: 5 17-08
39. Todd Auten Lake Wylie, SC 10 29-12 62
Day 1: 5 17-13 Day 2: 5 11-15
40. Kyle Welcher Opelika, AL 10 29-12 61
Day 1: 5 13-01 Day 2: 5 16-11
41. Drew Cook Cairo, GA 8 29-11 60
Day 1: 3 08-14 Day 2: 5 20-13
42. Frank Talley Temple, TX 10 27-07 59
Day 1: 5 16-04 Day 2: 5 11-03
43. Cliff Prince Palatka, FL 9 27-00 58
Day 1: 5 14-07 Day 2: 4 12-09
44. John Crews Jr Salem, VA 10 26-10 57
Day 1: 5 14-09 Day 2: 5 12-01
45. KJ Queen Catawba, NC 10 26-05 56
Day 1: 5 12-08 Day 2: 5 13-13
46. Clifford Pirch Payson, AZ 9 26-03 55
Day 1: 4 11-09 Day 2: 5 14-10
47. Brandon Card Salisbury, NC 9 26-00 54
Day 1: 5 17-10 Day 2: 4 08-06
48. Ed Loughran III Richmond, VA 8 25-13 53
Day 1: 3 08-00 Day 2: 5 17-13
49. Drew Benton Blakely, GA 8 25-05 52
Day 1: 4 10-04 Day 2: 4 15-01
50. Paul Mueller Naugatuck, CT 9 25-04 51
Day 1: 5 14-06 Day 2: 4 10-14
51. Chad Morgenthaler Reeds Spring, MO 6 25-03 50 $2,500.00
Day 1: 1 03-01 Day 2: 5 22-02
52. Greg Hackney Gonzales, LA 9 25-02 49 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 15-15 Day 2: 4 09-03
53. Randy Pierson Oakdale, CA 8 24-13 48 $2,500.00
Day 1: 3 07-06 Day 2: 5 17-07
54. Kenta Kimura Osaka JAPAN 10 24-10 47 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 13-12 Day 2: 5 10-14
55. Harvey Horne Bella Vista, AR 9 23-07 46 $2,500.00
Day 1: 4 09-02 Day 2: 5 14-05
56. Justin Hamner Northport, AL 9 23-00 45 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 13-12 Day 2: 4 09-04
57. Scott Canterbury Odenville, AL 6 22-15 44 $2,500.00
Day 1: 1 02-11 Day 2: 5 20-04
58. Rob Digh Denver, NC 8 22-14 43 $2,500.00
Day 1: 3 08-06 Day 2: 5 14-08
59. Bob Downey Hudson, WI 7 22-12 42 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 16-08 Day 2: 2 06-04
60. Clark Wendlandt Leander, TX 6 22-03 41 $3,500.00
Day 1: 5 20-01 Day 2: 1 02-02
61. Yusuke Miyazaki Forney, TX 8 21-14 40 $2,500.00
Day 1: 3 07-14 Day 2: 5 14-00
62. Clent Davis Montevallo, AL 8 21-13 39 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 14-00 Day 2: 3 07-13
63. Rick Clunn Ava, MO 8 21-10 38 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 11-09 Day 2: 3 10-01
64. Taku Ito Chiba JAPAN 8 20-14 37 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 13-05 Day 2: 3 07-09
65. Quentin Cappo Prairieville, LA 9 20-13 36 $2,500.00
Day 1: 4 08-14 Day 2: 5 11-15
66. Garrett Paquette Canton, MI 7 20-08 35 $2,500.00
Day 1: 4 11-00 Day 2: 3 09-08
67. Jason Williamson Wagener, SC 6 20-00 34 $2,500.00
Day 1: 3 12-15 Day 2: 3 07-01
68. Caleb Kuphall Mukwonago, WI 7 19-15 33 $2,500.00
Day 1: 2 05-07 Day 2: 5 14-08
69. Mark Menendez Paducah, KY 7 19-12 32 $2,500.00
Day 1: 3 08-03 Day 2: 4 11-09
70. David Fritts Lexington, NC 7 19-10 31 $2,500.00
Day 1: 2 04-03 Day 2: 5 15-07
71. Derek Hudnall Denham Springs, LA 6 19-05 30 $2,500.00
Day 1: 3 11-06 Day 2: 3 07-15
72. Matt Arey Shelby, NC 6 19-01 29 $2,500.00
Day 1: 2 05-12 Day 2: 4 13-05
73. Micah Frazier Newnan, GA 6 18-15 28 $2,500.00
Day 1: 2 07-01 Day 2: 4 11-14
74. Jamie Hartman Newport, NY 7 18-14 27 $2,500.00
Day 1: 2 03-13 Day 2: 5 15-01
75. Cody Hollen Beaverton, OR 7 18-01 26 $2,500.00
Day 1: 2 03-15 Day 2: 5 14-02
76. Brandon Cobb Greenwood, SC 7 17-14 25
Day 1: 2 04-08 Day 2: 5 13-06
77. Matt Robertson Kuttawa, KY 5 17-13 24
Day 1: 1 02-06 Day 2: 4 15-07
78. Kelley Jaye Dadeville, AL 5 17-12 23
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 5 17-12
79. John Cox Debary, FL 6 16-14 22
Day 1: 1 03-09 Day 2: 5 13-05
80. Darold Gleason Many, LA 5 16-13 21
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 5 16-13
81. Justin Atkins Florence, AL 6 16-12 20
Day 1: 5 14-05 Day 2: 1 02-07
82. Rick Morris Lake Gaston, VA 5 16-05 19
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 5 16-05
83. Gerald Swindle Guntersville, AL 6 16-00 18
Day 1: 4 10-12 Day 2: 2 05-04
84. Destin DeMarion Grove City, PA 5 15-14 17
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 5 15-14
85. Austin Felix Eden Prairie, MN 5 15-14 16
Day 1: 1 05-00 Day 2: 4 10-14
86. Jay Yelas Lincoln City, OR 6 14-08 15
Day 1: 4 09-11 Day 2: 2 04-13
87. Brett Preuett Monroe, LA 4 14-03 14
Day 1: 1 04-06 Day 2: 3 09-13
88. Dale Hightower Mannford, OK 5 11-04 13
Day 1: 3 07-11 Day 2: 2 03-09
89. Jeff Gustafson Keewatin Ontario CANADA 4 10-09 12
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 4 10-09
90. Gary Clouse Winchester, TN 4 10-00 11
Day 1: 2 04-11 Day 2: 2 05-05
91. Jake Whitaker Fairview, NC 4 09-12 10
Day 1: 4 09-12 Day 2: 0 00-00
92. Bill Weidler Helena, AL 3 09-11 9
Day 1: 1 02-05 Day 2: 2 07-06
93. Chris Groh Spring Grove, IL 3 07-13 8
Day 1: 1 03-06 Day 2: 2 04-07
94. Tyler Carriere Youngsville, LA 2 07-08 7
Day 1: 1 05-08 Day 2: 1 02-00
95. Keith Combs Huntington, TX 3 07-07 6
Day 1: 2 04-10 Day 2: 1 02-13
96. Bernie Schultz Gainesville, FL 3 07-03 5
Day 1: 1 02-00 Day 2: 2 05-03
97. Mike Huff Corbin, KY 3 06-13 4
Day 1: 2 04-07 Day 2: 1 02-06
98. Carl Jocumsen Queensland AUSTRALIA 3 06-00 3
Day 1: 2 05-14 Day 2: 1 00-02
99. Shane Lineberger Lincolnton, NC 2 04-07 2
Day 1: 1 02-01 Day 2: 1 02-06
100. Brian Snowden Reeds Spring, MO 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
Shuffield Leads Day One of Major League Fishing’s Toro Stage 1 at Sam Rayburn Reservoir
Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit Angler Takes Charge of Group A Qualifying Round with Nine Bass Weighing 29 Pounds, 12 Ounces – Group B to Compete Monday
JASPER, Texas (March 21, 2021) – Fishing in his first career Major League Fishing (MLF) Bass Pro Tour event, Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit angler Spencer Shuffield of Hot Springs, Arkansas, wasted no time in making an immediate impact. Shuffield boated nine scorable bass Sunday totaling 29 pounds, 12 ounces to jump out to the early lead in the Group A Qualifying Round at the Toro Stage 1 at Sam Rayburn Reservoir presented by Power-Pole . The six-day competition, which awards a top cash prize of $100,000 to the winner, is being live-streamed online and filmed for television broadcast on the Discovery Channel and the Outdoor Channel later this year.
Just 1-ounce behind Shuffield in second place on the SCORETRACKER® leaderboard is a red-hot Dustin Connell, of Clanton, Alabama, the reigning REDCREST champion who caught 10 bass totaling 29-11. Bass fishing superstar Kevin VanDam of Kalamazoo, Michigan, sits in third place, just 2 pounds back of Shuffield with 10 bass weighing 27-12.
The 40 anglers in Group A will now enjoy a day off Monday, while the 40 anglers in Group B will begin their first day of competition. Group A resumes competition on Tuesday.
“I’m really excited about it,” Shuffield said when asked about leading after day one in his first Bass Pro Tour event. “I got on a little something today that I didn’t know was happening, but it’s a way that I really like to catch them. Everything that I’m catching is postspawn, and the way things are looking I think they’re just going to continue coming to me, more and more.”
Shuffield said that he caught all of his fish on two different baits Sunday – a Yo-Zuri 3DB Jerkbait 110 Deep and a drop-shot rig.
“In practice I was catching 50 to 70 fish a day, but today I probably caught around 30,” Shuffield said. “I caught a lot of 1-12 to 1-15 (pound) fish, today. But, all in all, I’m satisfied. Of course, I’d like to have a 5-, 6- or 7-pound cushion over second – one ounce isn’t even really leading – but I’ll take it for my first day.”
Like Shuffield, most of the anglers near the top of the leaderboard were also throwing a jerkbait at certain points of the day, including Connell and VanDam.
“I caught a lot of fish on a jerkbait, today,” Connell said. “These fish are kind of staging up right now. It got pretty slow for me later in the day, so I was kind of bouncing around and practicing in the third period. I found a little zone that I like, so I’ve just been trying to expand on that a little bit.”
VanDam spent a lot of the day looking for schools of bass that were grouped up but didn’t have any luck, and spent the day picking off stragglers.
“I wasn’t really sure how it was going to happen, today, but it ended up being a solid day,” VanDam said. “I caught some good fish in practice, but I couldn’t find the big concentrations of them, and that’s the way it was today. One here, one there. I caught a few good ones and just mixed it up to keep myself in the hunt all day long.”
VanDam credited a Pro Blue-colored Strike King KVD jerkbait as being his key bait for most of the day, but he did also boat a few scorable bass with a gold-colored jerkbait as well.
“I’m just going to grind it out and fish the migration routes where these fish are coming into these big spawning basins – fishing points and ditches.”
The top 20 pros in Group A after Day 1 on Sam Rayburn Reservoir are:
1st: Spencer Shuffield, Hot Springs, Ark., nine bass, 29-12
2nd: Dustin Connell. Clanton, Ala., 10 bass, 29-11
3rd: Kevin VanDam, Kalamazoo, Mich., 10 bass, 27-12
4th: Ott DeFoe, Blaine, Tenn., 11 bass, 25-7
5th: Edwin Evers, Talala, Okla., five bass, 23-9
6th: Jason Lambert, Michie, Tenn., six bass, 20-10
7th: Jacob Wheeler, Harrison, Tenn., five bass, 18-3
8th: Anthony Gagliardi, Prosperity, S.C., seven bass, 17-1
9th: Bryan Thrift, Shelby, N.C., seven bass, 17-1
10th: Luke Clausen, Spokane, Wash., six bass, 16-8
11th: Marty Robinson, Lyman, S.C., four bass, 14-5
12th: Zack Birge, Blanchard, Okla., six bass, 14-2
13th: Dean Rojas, Lake Havasu City, Ariz., five bass, 13-13
14th: Fletcher Shryock, Guntersville, Ala., five bass, 13-9
15th: Scott Suggs, Alexander, Ark., five bass, 13-6
16th: Bradley Roy, Lancaster, Ky., four bass, 12-15
17th: Adrian Avena, Vineland, N.J., five bass, 12-11
18th: David Walker, Sevierville, Tenn., five bass, 12-4
19th: Brett Hite, Phoenix, Ariz., four bass, 12-0
20th: Wesley Strader, Spring City, Tenn., four bass, 10-6
A complete list of results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
Overall, there were 155 bass weighing 439 pounds caught by 36 pros on Sunday, which included one 9-pounder, one 8-pounder, one 7-pounder and four 6-pounders caught from Sam Rayburn.
Connell won Sunday’s $1,000 Berkley Big Bass Award, weighing in a 9-pound, 5-ounce largemouth on the jerkbait during Period 2. Berkley will award $1,000 to the angler that weighs the biggest bass each day, and a $3,000 bonus to the angler who weighs the largest bass of the tournament.
The MLF Bass Pro Tour Toro Stage 1 at Sam Rayburn Reservoir presented by Power-Pole is hosted by the Jasper County Development District and the Jasper/Lake Sam Rayburn Chamber of Commerce.
The 40 Anglers in Group A compete in their two-day qualifying round on Sunday and Tuesday – the 40 anglers in Group B on Monday and Wednesday. After each two-day qualifying round is complete, the anglers that finish in 2nd through 20th place from both groups advance to Thursday’s Knockout Round, while the the winner of each group advances directly to Friday’s Championship Round. In the Knockout Round, weights are zeroed and the remaining 38 anglers compete to finish in the top 8 to advance to the Championship Round. In the final day Championship Round, weights are zeroed and the highest one-day total wins. Full breakdown of the format can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
Attendance is limited to competing anglers, essential staff and media covering the event only. Fans are encouraged to follow the event online through the MLF NOW!® live stream and SCORETRACKER® coverage at MajorLeagueFishing.com
The 2021 Bass Pro Tour features a field of 76 of the top professional anglers in the world – joined at each event by 4 pros that qualify from the Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit – competing across seven regular-season tournaments around the country, competing for millions of dollars and valuable points to qualify for the annual Heavy Hitters all-star event and the REDCREST 2022 championship.
The MLF NOW!® broadcast team of Chad McKee, Marty Stone and J.T. Kenney will break down the extended action each day of competition from 7:45 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. MLF NOW!® will be live streamed on MajorLeagueFishing.com. and the MyOutdoorTV (MOTV) app.
Television coverage of the Bass Pro Tour Toro Stage 1 at Sam Rayburn Reservoir presented by Power-Pole will be showcased across two two-hour episodes, premiering at 7 a.m. ET, Aug. 28 on the Discovery Channel. New MLF episodes premiere each Saturday morning on the Discovery Channel, with additional re-airings on the Outdoor Channel and the Sportsman Channel. Each two-hour long reality-based episode goes in-depth to break down each day of competition.
For complete details and updated information on the Bass Pro Tour, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF’s social media outlets at Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.
Rayburn was love at first sight for VanDam
Courtesy of Alan McGuckin - Dynamic Sponsorships
In much the same way Kevin VanDam married his high school sweetheart Sherry, his love affair with SamRayburn Reservoir dates back to the first time he ever made a cast on the famed East Texas reservoir as a kid from Kalamazoo hell-bent to become the best angler pro bass fishing had ever known.
“I came down here a month before the tournament from Michigan to pre-practice for a B.A.S.S. Invitational in early 1992. It was the very first time I’d ever seen Rayburn. There was a warming trend, and the water was 4-feet high in the bushes. I caught 50 bass over 4-pounds. So yea, you could say I definitely fell in love with this place the first time I saw it,” grins VanDam.
When Kevin makes his first competitive cast of the new 2021 season Sunday on Rayburn at Major League Fishing’s Bass Pro Tour event, things won’t be quite so dreamy. Practice has been a game of trying to figure out where soon-to-be spawners are headed. And after two days, he had not intersected them anywhere near like he did on that magical ‘first date’ 29 years ago.
But that’s not tarnishing his fondness of this 114,500-acregem.
“That incredible pre-practice day in 1992 was followed by a 5-bass limit in the tournament that weighed 31 pounds 11 ounces -- which at the time was the single biggest 5-bass limit in B.A.S.S. history,” recalls VanDam.
“I had a 10-pounder along with a 9-pounder and an 8-pounder in my creel that day that ultimately led to the record. The water was super high, like 12-feet up and going over the spillway, and I caught all those giants on a floating worm and an unweighted lizard,” he remembers in great detail.
Seven years later in 1999, even though the largemouth bass virus had a hugely detrimental effect, VanDamdialed-in a deep cranking bite on “Big Sam’s” inside grass line that led to his win here at the Texas Invitational in mid-February of 1999.
So yes, Rayburn is special to KVD. And while practice has not been nearly as sweet as the memories, never bet against the best there’s ever been. He’s been happily married to Sherry for 28 years, and his love of “Big Sam”is rich with nearly three decades of heartfelt goodness too.
Kreiger Starts And Finishes Strong To Lead Bassmaster Elite At Pickwick Lake
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3 Questions with Sumrall and Zaldain
Courtesy of Luke Stoner Dynamic Sponsorships
So far the topic of the Guaranteed Rate Bassmaster Elite on Pickwick Lake has been change. Weather systems, cold fronts, and other curveballs Mother Nature likes to throw are factors Elite Series pros like Caleb Sumrall and Chris Zaldain are used to dealing with during major events.
The Yamaha pros are experts at managing the general adjustments tournament anglers often face. The conditions along the Tennessee River on legendary Pickwick Lake this week offer an entirely new set of challenges for the entire Elite Series field.
Lake levels are five (or more) feet higher, current flows have more than doubled, and the water clarity is much dirtier; which means Pickwick is going to fish like a completely different lake versus what anglers experienced in practice. And they haven’t been on the water since conditions have changed, so they are effectively going in blind.
We asked Sumrall and Zaldain to answer a few questions pertaining to Pickwick and then compare their answers now, to what they might have been before the weather rolled in on Wednesday.
Q – What are three lures you expect anglers near the top of the leaderboard to be throwing? Earlier in the week versus current conditions.
Zaldain – “In the stable conditions we had earlier in the week, I would have expected lures like a spinnerbait with double willow blades, a green pumpkin chatterbait, and watermelon / green pumpkin type soft plastics.”
“Now that that water has dirtied up, the same techniques will play but it’ll be single Colorado blades on chartreuse spinnerbaits, bright chatterbaits, and a black n’ blue jig.Those kinds of details will be vastly different now.”
Sumrall - “My three baits would be a swimbait, a spinnerbait, and a chatterbait for both current conditions and earlier in the week. The adjustments will come in the details. The size, weight, and color of the lures will change based on faster current and dirtier water.”
Q – What will be the breakdown of smallmouth versus largemouth weighed in this week in terms of percentages? Earlier in the week versus current conditions.
Zaldain – “Earlier in the week I think we would have seen a 60% largemouth and 40% smallmouth split. Now I’d think there would be less smallmouth weighed in because of the color of the water. I’ll say 80% largemouth and 20% smallmouth in the current conditions.”
Sumrall - “The cleaner water we had earlier in the week definitely helped those big river smallmouth feed, so we’ll see less brown ones in current conditions. I’d say 70% largemouth and 30% smallmouth during practice, but now it’ll be 85% green and 15% brown.”
Q – What do you expect the winning weight of this tournament will be? Earlier in the week versus current conditions.
Zaldain – “During practice the number I had in my head to win this event was 22.5-lbs per day. Somewhere around 90-lbs for a four day total. With the changing conditions I really don’t think that number will vary too much. It might be a new crop of anglers catching them, but I still think it’ll take that much weight to win on Tuesday.”
Sumrall - “Based on what I saw in practice I’d have guessed it would take something crazy like 24-lbs a day to win this derby. That’s up around the 100-lb mark for a winning weight. Now, with the current conditions, I’d guess a little less. Like maybe 90-lbs for four days, but these dudes are still going to catch them. There are too many big fish in this place.”
Swindle on Starting From Scratch
Courtesy of Luke Stoner - Dynamic Sponsorships
There is plenty of uncertainty amongst Elite Series anglers now that the Guaranteed Rate Bassmaster Elite on Pickwick Lake has been postponed for a second day. Rising water levels, extreme changes in current flow and water clarity all add up to an aura of ambiguity for the pros competing on Pickwick this week. One thing is certain though; anglers will likely have to throw out what they learned in practice.
Most anglers, like Team Toyota pro Gerald Swindle, have not made a cast on Pickwick since Tuesday evening. Conditions have drastically changed since then and the Elites will have to change on the fly when competition begins Saturday morning.
In Swindle’s 26 years as a professional angler he has seen it all and is well known for “making chicken salad out of chicken poo”. We picked the two-time Bassmaster Angler of the Year’s brain to learn how a tournament veteran like “G” approaches starting from scratch in a major event.
Throw practice out the window
Swindle wasn’t afraid to admit he didn’t have a great two days of practice on Pickwick when conditions were stable earlier in the week. He didn’t have a bad practice per say, but he didn’t find anything he felt like he could win off of. So Swindle is throwing his practice completely out of the window and looking at tomorrow as a fresh start.
“Tomorrow I won’t fish any of the stuff I got bites off of in practice… I’m dead serious,” Swindle said boldly. “I promised myself I’d trust my gut and the first place I make a cast on will be a completely new spot tomorrow. I’m going out there like I have to find new fish. I can’t run to what was, I gotta fish for what is and what will be.”
Water conditions have changed so dramatically that anglers will be catching fish out of cover that was dry just a few short days ago. Right now the theme of this event is the unknown and while it would be easy to dwell on the not-so-good aspects of this scenario, Swindle has been looking at the positive side.
“Before the conditions changed this tournament was likely going to be won off of a spot,” Swindle estimated. “Now whoever is leading after day one will be running a pattern in my opinion, and I love that. Earlier in the week I think only 15% of this lake could have produced the winning weight. Now I’d put that number closer to 40 or 50% of this lake capable of producing a win.”
Bass fishing’s funniest man truly believes current conditions will open up Pickwick Lake. Maybe not in the first hour or two of the tournament, but by the end of day one he believes the field will be spread out and able to try to do their own thing. Swindle said tomorrow is all about bringing five solid keepers to the scales so an angler doesn’t dig himself into a hole on day one.
Take advantage of the opportunity
It’s not just areas and patterns that’ll change according to Swindle, but baits and techniques too. Pickwick’s water temps will have cooled considerably and there is much more stain to the water. But Swindle isn’t spun out by these details. In fact, he is looking at these challenges as an opportunity.
“Honestly I am excited,” Swindle said. “Throughout my career I’ve often wondered what it would be like for a whole Elite field to fish a four day tournament with no practice. Just show up and fish. Well, this is about as close as we’ll ever get to that. It’s an opportunity to test ourselves and win, lose, or draw… it’s going to be fun.”
Swindle is well known for his tagline of “PMA” or positive-mental-attitude. Less than half a day before the start of stop number three of the Elite Series season and that PMA is serving him well. With any luck that positivity will pay off for G-Man and he’ll bring back a heavy sack to McFarland Park tomorrow afternoon.
Lake Texoma Set to Host Toyota Series Event
DURANT, Okla. (March 19, 2021) – The Toyota Series presented by A.R.E. Southwestern Division will kick off the second event of its 2021 season with a tournament next week in Durant, Oklahoma, March 25-27, with the Toyota Series presented by A.R.E. at Lake Texoma Presented by Abu Garcia . Hosted by the Discover Durant, the three-day tournament will feature the region’s best bass-fishing pros and Strike King co-anglers casting for a top prize of up to $65,000, plus an additional $35,000 bonus if the winner is a qualified Phoenix Boat owner.
Jeff Reynolds of Calera, Oklahoma – a winner on Texoma in the Toyota Series in 2017 and a Phoenix Bass Fishing League event in 2013 – said the warmer weather means changing conditions for Lake Texoma.
“The main lake temperature is still about 52 degrees but some of the creeks are starting to warm up a bit and I’ve seen water up to 65 degrees back in the creeks,” said Reynolds. “The fish seem to be changing every day – it’s getting to be that time of year where they want to move shallow, so this should be a fun event.”
Reynolds said there still hasn’t been much rainfall, which means the lake is about 5 foot lower than where it normally is.
“There’s plenty of structure and cover to fish on Texoma, but I’d recommend anglers stay away from the wood since the water level is so low,” said Reynolds. “If the fish are staging around those suspended docks, swimming a jig or a spinnerbait will be key – jerkbaits and crankbaits will be in play as well.
“The last three or four years on Texoma have really been all about the largemouth – However, lately, the smallmouth have started to get larger and healthier. They’re definitely going to be a big player during the event. I wouldn’t be surprised to see a 20-pound stringer of smallmouth, but a mixed bag and 20-pounds of fish or more per day will be key.”
As for practice, Reynolds suggests anglers proceed with caution.
“These fish in Texoma don’t handle pressure very well,” Reynolds said. “If guys start jerking on them in practice thinking they can catch two or three a day just to get an idea, I don’t think that’s a good plan. These areas don’t replenish that well and when you start hooking fish, those fish are going to be done for the weekend.”
Anglers will take off daily at 7 a.m. CT from the Catfish Bay Marina in Kingston. Weigh-ins will also be held at the marina and will begin at 3 p.m. Attendance is limited to competing anglers and essential staff only. Fans are encouraged to follow the event online through the “MLF Live” weigh-in broadcasts and daily coverage at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
In Toyota Series regular-season competition, payouts are based on the number of participants competing in the event, scaling up for every 20 boats over 160 and scaling down for every boat below 160. With a 160-boat field, pros fish for a top prize of $40,000, plus an extra $35,000 if Phoenix MLF BIG5 Bonus qualified. Strike King co-anglers cast for the top prize of a new Phoenix 518 Pro bass boat with a 115-horsepower Mercury outboard (valued at $33,500). With a 260-boat field, pros fish for a top award of $65,000, plus an extra $35,000 if Phoenix MLF BIG5 Bonus qualified. Strike King co-anglers cast for the top prize of a new Phoenix 518 Pro bass boat with a 115-horsepower outboard (valued at $33,500) plus $5,000 cash.
The 2021 Toyota Series presented by A.R.E. consists of six divisions – Central, Northern, Plains, Southern, Southwestern and Western – each holding three regular-season events, along with the International division. Anglers who fish all three qualifiers in any of the eight divisions and finish in the top 25 will qualify for the no-entry-fee Toyota Series presented by A.R.E. Championship for a shot at winning $235,000 cash, including a $35,000 Phoenix MLF BIG5 Bonus for qualified anglers. The winning Strike King co-angler at the championship earns a new Phoenix 518 Pro bass boat with a 115-horsepower Mercury outboard.
The 2021 Toyota Series Championship presented by A.R.E. will be held Oct. 28-30 on Pickwick Lake in Counce, Tennessee, and is hosted by the Hardin County Convention and Visitors Bureau.
For complete details and updated information visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow the Toyota Series presented by A.R.E. on the MLF BIG5’s social media outlets at Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.
AC Insider Rookie Podcast with MLF Big 5 Rookie Josh Bragg
This week Jason welcomes in MLF Big 5 Pro Circuit Rookie Josh Bragg to talk about his move to the next level right here on the AC Insider Rookie Podcast.
Bassmaster Event On Pickwick Lake Set To Start Saturday
March 19, 2021
FLORENCE, Ala. — After current, high winds and flooding conditions forced the postponement of the first two days of competition in the Guaranteed Rate Bassmaster Elite at Pickwick Lake, B.A.S.S. officials announced today that the tournament would resume Saturday morning and run through Tuesday afternoon.
Tournament staff is working with the Tennessee Valley Authority, National Weather Service and other agencies that have determined that falling water levels will allow for a safe resumption of competition on Saturday and no boating advisories are currently issued. Additionally, receding waters will allow daily takeoffs and weigh-ins to be held as planned at McFarland Park, some areas of which were evacuated mid-morning on Thursday due to flooding concerns.
The full field of 100 anglers will now compete on both Saturday and Sunday, with only the Top 50 advancing to Monday’s semifinal round. The Top 10 will compete for the championship on Tuesday. Daily takeoffs will be held at McFarland Park at 6:45 a.m. CT and weigh-ins each day at the park at 3 p.m.
Saturday and Sunday will also feature the Bassmaster Outdoors Expo, with fun activities and displays from a variety of sponsors. Saturday is Military Appreciation Day, where military or first responders can show their ID for a free Bassmaster hat, while Sunday will be B.A.S.S. Member Appreciation Day. Expo festivities kick-off both days at noon at McFarland Park.
Live coverage for all four days of the event can be streamed on Bassmaster.com and the FOX Sports digital platforms. FS1 will also broadcast live beginning at 7 a.m. CT on Saturday and Sunday.
Drury University Wins College Series Bonus Bucks
Courtesy of Luke Stoner - Dynamic Sponsorships
When I called Cameron Smith and Cole Breeden to congratulate them on winning the MLF Abu Garcia College Fishing National Championship a few days after their victory on Grand Lake, the two Drury University anglers were already rolling down the highway to Kentucky Lake to fish another college tournament.
Smith, a senior at Drury gradating with a Biology degree and Breeden, a junior studying Marketing were humble, appreciative, and grateful for the whirlwind of a week they experienced at Grand Lake and in the days that followed their big win.
Not only did they take the National Championship trophies back to Missouri, Smith and Breeden also qualified for the 2021 Bass Pro U.S. Open Championship on Table Rock this fall as well as the 2021 Toyota Series Championship. They’ll fish the Toyota Series Championship individually and the Bass Pro U.S. Open Championship as a team.
On top of all that they won an extra $500 for themselves, as well as a matching amount for the Drury University Fishing Team, for being the highest finishing Toyota Bonus Bucks College Series contenders. Smith estimates he and Breeden have put over 25,000 miles on his Tundra towing to college tournaments over the years.
“Having a truck you can trust really makes a huge difference for guys like us who try to fish as many tournaments as possible,” Smith and Breeden said. “I bet we’ve put over 25,000 miles on that truck towing to college tournaments through the years. It’s been a workhorse.”
The College Series segment of the Bonus Bucks program is available to any college anglers who tow their boat with a Toyota tow vehicle. Even better, there are no year restrictions for the College Series. Whether it’s a 2018 like the Tundra Smith and Breeden were rolling in, or it’s a 2007 Tacoma with a few hundred thousand miles on the odometer, they all qualify.
Breeden and Smith are still riding the wave of emotions after becoming college fishing National Champions, but it was easy to see the “big picture” was not lost on these young men.
“We’re just super grateful honestly,” Breeden said. “Grateful for the school, for our fishing club, for our club sponsors, and for our Coach Rick Emmitt. They’ve all supported us so much… it’s been humbling.”
“College fishing has more or less been my life the last 3+ years,” Smith added. “It went super fast but has accounted for some of my favorite college memories. I wouldn’t trade them for the world. Like Cameron said, we’re just super thankful.”
If you fish in college and tow your boat with a Toyota you need to head to https://www.toyotatrucksbonusbucks.com/college and get signed up for free ASAP.
Payouts are available for Major League Fishing Abu Garcia College Fishing events, the Carhartt Bassmaster College Series, or Collegiate Bass Fishing Series tournaments. You don’t need to win a tournament to be eligible for the contingency money; you just have to finish higher than other program participants. Click the link above for more info or give us a call at (918) 742-6424.
Thompkins Earns Wire-to-Wire Victory at Toyota Series Event on Harris Chain of Lakes
19-Year-Old Boater Earns First Career MLF Victory, Earns $40,000
LEESBURG, Fla. (March 18, 2021) – Boater Jordan Thompkins of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, brought five bass to the scale Thursday weighing 18 pounds, 3 ounces to go wire-to-wire and win the Toyota Series presented by A.R.E. at the Harris Chain of Lakes. Thompkins weighed in 15 bass over three days of competition totaling 65 pounds even, besting second-place boater Willy Dennison of Willoughby Hills, Ohio, by 12½ pounds. For his victory, Thompkins earned the top payout of $40,000 in the second tournament of the 2021 Toyota Series Presented by A.R.E. Southern Division.
“I can’t even hardly think straight right now – I’ve had probably one hour of sleep over the past two nights. My heart has been beating out of my chest since I caught the 31-pound limit on day one,” Thompkins said. “This has just been an unreal experience. Waiting in the bag line today, I just kept thinking to myself, ‘When am I going to wake up?’ Everything has just gone right for me this week – it’s been unreal.”
Thompkins has a strong fishing pedigree – his father, Timmy Thompkins, competed on the Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit for four seasons and has fished in numerous Toyota Series and Phoenix Bass Fishing League events. The 19-year-old Jordan became the fourth pro under 20-years-old to win a Toyota Series event.
“My dad has blessed me with awesome teaching – I’ve learned every piece of information that I know from him,” Thompkins said. “This is all for him. I’ve gotten so much support from everyone back home, it really helped me keep my mind in it and kept me on my game.”
Thompkins credited a Rapala DT-10 crankbait as being his key bait throughout the week.
“I’d never really cranked before in my life – especially in Florida – but when I saw them there and I saw the way the fish were setting up, it reminded me of a couple of different times that I caught them cranking and then when I caught the first one it gave me the confidence to stick with it,” Thompkins said.
“On the first day, it was lights out very quick and I caught the 31 pounds in a hurry,” Thompkins continued. “The rest of the week was a bit of a scramble. I’d start on my first spot and could get a limit in 15 minutes with a jerkbait. That was important because it would help me get my nerves down. Then later in the day I would pick up a ChatterBait and the crankbait and look for the bigger bites. I really just had to run as many high percentage areas as I could, and it worked out. Not very often things like this happen, but every decision I made worked and it’s just been an awesome experience.”
The top 10 pros on the Harris Chain of Lakes finished:
1st: Jordan Thompkins of Myrtle Beach, S.C., 15 bass, 65-0, $40,000
2nd: Willy Dennison of Willoughby Hills, Ohio, 15 bass, 52-8, $15,500
3rd: Steven Eastman of Eustis, Fla., 15 bass, 50-1, $12,000
4th: Michael Conley of Bainbridge, Ga., 15 bass, 48-1, $10,000
5th: Jeffrey Harper of Fleming Island, Fla., 15 bass, 46-8, $9,000
6th: Destin Lesesne of Blue Ridge, Ga., 15 bass, 45-5, $8,000
7th: Lance Oligschlaeger of Gallatin, Tenn., 14 bass, 42-8, $7,000
8th: Nathan Thomas of Weirsdale, Fla., 14 bass, 40-12, $6,000
9th: Jacob Walker of Alabaster, Ala., 14 bass, 39-10, $5,000
10th: Christian Greico of Tampa, Fla., 13 bass, 39-4, $4,150
A complete list of results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
Greico won Thursday’s Berkley Big Bass Award after bringing a 9-pound, 12-ounce largemouth to the scale. The lunker had a special tag attached to it, indicating that it was a part of the Lake Apopka Fish Tag Challenge. The challenge was launched by the Friends of Lake Apopka and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission to further recovery of the state’s fourth-largest lake. When it was originally tagged in January, the bass Greico caught had weighed in at 12 pounds even. The Commission also tagged 499 other fish, including approximately 200 largemouth bass more than 16 inches long, 150 black crappie 10 inches or more and 150 bluegills of at least 8 inches. Potential winnings for catching the tagged fish are more than $10,000. For rules and more information, visit friendsoflakeapopka.org.
The 11th place finisher, Dakota Ebare of Brookeland, Texas, took home an extra $1,000 as the highest finishing Phoenix MLF BIG5 Bonus member. Boaters are eligible to win up to an extra $35,000 per event in each Toyota Series tournament if all requirements are met. More information on the Phoenix MLF BIG5 Bonus contingency program can be found at PhoenixBassBoats.com.
John Stahl of Land O’ Lakes, Florida, won the Strike King Co-angler Division Thursday with a three-day total of 13 bass weighing 42 pounds, 15 ounces. Stahl took home the top prize package of a new Phoenix 518 Pro bass boat with a 115-horsepower Mercury outboard motor.
The top 10 Strike King co-anglers on the Harris Chain of Lakes finished:
1st: John Stahl of Land O’ Lakes, Fla., 13 bass, 42-15, Phoenix 518 Pro bass boat w/115-hp outboard
2nd: Todd Classon of Camilla, Ga., 13 bass, 37-13, $5,000
3rd: Fisher Cusic of Lakeland, Fla., 12 bass, 36-11, $4,000
4th: Jim House of Fort Lee, Va., 12 bass, 35-7, $3,500
5th: Bill Spence of San Diego, Calif., 14 bass, 35-6, $3,000
6th: Eduardo Ramos of Labelle, Fla., 14 bass, 33-11, $2,500
7th: B.J. Bass of Pinetta, Fla., 13 bass, 29-15, $2,000
8th: Marshall Daugherty of Ocean Springs, Miss., 11 bass, 29-0, $1,750
9th: Andy Niles of Ocean Springs, Miss., 13 bass, 27-7, $1,500
10th: Steve Pennington of Delton, Mich., 12 bass, 26-14, $1,250
The Toyota Series the Harris Chain of Lakes was hosted by Lake County, Florida. It was the second of three regular-season tournaments in 2021 for Southern Division anglers. The next event for Toyota Series anglers will take place on March 25-27 – the Toyota Series at Lake Texoma Presented by Abu Garcia in Durant & Madill, Oklahoma. For a complete schedule, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com.
The 2021 Toyota Series Presented by A.R.E. consists of six divisions – Central, Northern, Plains, Southern, Southwestern and Western – each holding three regular-season events, along with the International division. Anglers who fish all three qualifiers in any of the eight divisions and finish in the top 25 will qualify for the no-entry-fee Toyota Series Presented by A.R.E. Championship for a shot at winning $235,000 cash, including a $35,000 Phoenix MLF BIG5 Bonus for qualified anglers. The winning Strike King co-angler at the championship earns a new Phoenix 518 Pro bass boat with a 115-horsepower Mercury outboard.
The 2021 Toyota Series Championship Presented by A.R.E. will be held Oct. 28-30 on Pickwick Lake in Counce, Tennessee, and is hosted by the Hardin County Convention and Visitors Bureau.
For complete details and updated information visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow the Toyota Series presented by A.R.E. on the MLF BIG5’s social media outlets at Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.
Flooding Forces Continued Postponement Of Elite Event At Pickwick Lake
Flooding Forces Postponement Of Elite Event At Pickwick Lake
FLORENCE, Ala. — After increased current caused by severe weather and high sustained west-southwest winds forced the postponement of Day 1 of the Guaranteed Rate Bassmaster Elite at Pickwick Lake on Thursday, B.A.S.S. officials announced that Friday’s planned competition would also be postponed.
Tournament staff is working in conjunction with the Tennessee Valley Authority, National Weather Service and other agencies to monitor flooding conditions, water flow and potential floating debris to ensure that the event resumes safely.
Competition is expected to start Saturday morning at 6:45 a.m. CT when a full field of 100 anglers launches onto Pickwick Lake. Daily weigh-ins will be held at 3 p.m.
B.A.S.S. is working alongside local officials to determine if a new venue is needed for takeoffs and weigh-ins after McFarland Park, the original ramp and weigh-in venue for the tournament, was evacuated mid-morning on Thursday due to flooding.
The tournament is being hosted by Florence-Lauderdale Tourism.
Berkley To Sponsor Bassmaster Elite Event On Lake Guntersville
March 18, 2021
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Berkley, pioneers in the science-based development of hard baits, soft baits, line and terminal tackle, will be the title sponsor for an Elite Series showdown on historic Lake Guntersville. The 2021 Berkley Bassmaster Elite Series at Lake Guntersville will be held May 20-23 in Scottsboro, Ala.
“Within the bass fishing world, Lake Guntersville is more than just a fishery — it’s a cultural epicenter that draws anglers from all over, a place where baits are put to the ultimate test. The fish of a lifetime lurks somewhere beneath the surface of Guntersville, and our science-first approach to developing baits ensures that anglers have the best chance to connect with that fish on any given cast,” said Berkley Senior Vice President of Marketing Jon Schlosser. “We’re excited to partner with B.A.S.S. on what’s sure to be an exciting tournament on Guntersville, not only to showcase the power and effectiveness of Berkley baits but to help support an organization that has done so much for the sport of bass fishing.”
Berkley pro Hank Cherry dominated the 2020 Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic presented by Huk on Lake Guntersville, weighing in a massive 29-3 limit on Day 1 of the tournament en route to a wire-to-wire victory. In total, this iconic fishery has hosted 25 major B.A.S.S. tournaments.
“We are proud to partner with Berkley on what is sure to be an exciting tournament,” said B.A.S.S. CEO Bruce Akin. “Every weekend, Lake Guntersville hosts both novice anglers and pros eager to catch big bass, and we are thankful to bring another Elite Series event to this iconic fishery.”
Berkley is also a Premier Sponsor of the Bassmaster Classic, Bassmaster Elite Series, Basspro.com Bassmaster Opens Series, Carhartt Bassmaster College Series presented by Bass Pro Shops, Mossy Oak Fishing Bassmaster High School Series presented by Academy Sports + Outdoors, Bassmaster Team Championship and the grass-roots TNT Fireworks B.A.S.S. Nation regional and championship tournaments.
The Berkley Bassmaster Elite at Lake Guntersville starts Thursday, May 20, and live coverage for all four days of the event can be streamed on Bassmaster.com and the FOX Sports digital platforms. FS1 will also broadcast live with the tournament leaders beginning at 8 a.m. ET on Saturday and Sunday.
Gleason is Just Going with it
Courtesy of Luke Stoner - Dynamic Sponsorships
Darold Gleason and the rest of the Elite Series field had a quick morning on the water after day one of the Guaranteed Rate Bassmaster Elite on Pickwick Lake was postponed due to high winds and unsafe river conditions.
For Gleason and many others, this is the second “day off” in a row thanks to wave after wave of severe weather rolling through the area yesterday during the final practice period. These dangerous weather systems included thunderstorms, hail, damaging winds, heavy rain, and high risk of tornadoes.
Gleason even spent some time taking shelter with his wife Randi, dog Rowdy, and fellow pros like Team Toyota’s Gerald Swindle when tornado sirens started blasting through the McFarland Park Campground, where many pros are staying this week. Not exactly how a fisherman envisions his final day of practice transpiring.
After a decent start to the season, the Elite Series rookie was looking forward to keeping the ball rolling here on Pickwick after having a solid first two days of practice. But the weather that rolled in during Wednesday’s final day of “practice” changed everything.
“I’m sure all the fish I found in practice will be gone by tomorrow,” Gleason estimated. “I was catching fish in two to four feet of water on Tuesday, which will now be six to eight feet of water. And who knows what the current and water clarity will have done in the areas I planned on fishing. We’ll just have to go fishing.”
As excessive amounts of water continue to dump into the Tennessee River system, local authorities made the decision to evacuate the McFarland Park Campground shortly after anglers were pulled off the water. The Gleason’s and around 20 other Elite Series pros quickly had to pack their campsites up and find higher ground, literally.
“We were told the water is coming up at least another three feet, so the whole campground will be under water. I won’t lie, it’s a bit of a cluster, but this is part of the RV life,” Gleason said with a smile. “I’m just glad I packed these goofy rain boots. They’ve come in clutch the past 24 hours!”
Gleason is never short on humor or optimism. The longtime Toyota Bonus Bucks participant has seen a lot during his years as a Bassmaster Opens pro and one of the top fishing guides on Toledo Bend Reservoir; and he knows that remaining even-keeled helps every situation.
“At the end of the day all you can do is stay positive,” Gleason offered. “Everyone out here is dealing with the same conditions. So instead of getting too worked up it’s best to stay calm and take each challenge as it comes. Safety is paramount and everything else is a bonus.”
B.A.S.S. Postpones Day 1 Of Bassmaster Elite At Pickwick Lake
March 18, 2021
FLORENCE, Ala. — B.A.S.S. officials made a decision to postpone the first day of competition at the Guaranteed Rate Bassmaster Elite at Pickwick Lake as increased current caused by severe weather and high sustained winds are making the fishery unsafe for boaters. The forecast is calling for sustained west-southwest winds of 15-20 mph with gusts to 30 expected by mid-morning.
“The combination of flood-level flow and high wind blowing against that current can create a dangerous condition for boaters,” said Lisa Talmadge, Bassmaster Elite Series Senior Tournament Manager. “The safety of our anglers is always our first priority.”
The full field of 100 anglers will now compete on both Friday and Saturday, with only the Top 50 advancing to Sunday’s semifinal round. The Top 10 will compete for the championship on Monday. Daily takeoffs will be held at McFarland Park at 6:45 a.m. CT and weigh-ins each day at the park at 3 p.m.
The tournament is being hosted by Florence-Lauderdale Tourism.
Lake Murray Shows Off for Strike King Big Bass Challenge
Lexington, S.C. – March 17, 2021 - Just after dawn on Sunday, March 14th a field of 247 competitive tournament anglers launched on Lake Murray, just outside of the city of Columbia. The weather was stable and the wind calm. Water temperatures warmed to 60 degrees for the first time in the year. Throughout the day, an ideal scenario unfolded for Spring bass fishing on South Carolina’s renowned Murray, as Strike King launched its 2nd Big Bass Challenge of 2021.
Throughout four weigh periods of the tournament, anglers brought a number of four- and five-pound class largemouth to the scales. While a scattered few anglers fished deeper water near spawning grounds, the majority of the big fish were caught shallow. Alex Cooke won the day with a 5.97 lb. bass, caught on a Junebug colored finesse worm. It was a close finish, with Alex besting Austin Davis by just 0.03 lbs. Alex took home the grand prize of a “Total Boat Makeover Package” worth $5000 in Strike King and Lew’s product. Second, third, and fourth place finishers also took home coolers from Mammoth Coolers. Each period winner was awarded $1,500, with a total of $3,750 paid out each of the two-hour periods.
In addition to the Big Fish competition, all keeper-size bass weighed in were entered into a drawing for anglers to win prizes from Strike King, Lew’s, Black Rifle Coffee Co, Lucas Oil and Mammoth Coolers. Lexington, SC-based Lew’s also handed out new rods to the first 100 registered anglers.
While the fishing did not start until Sunday morning, Strike King treated anglers to a weekend of fun. On Saturday fans had the opportunity to meet two-time Bassmaster Classic Champion and Bass Fishing Hall of Famer Hank Parker. Hank spoke to an audience of fans and anglers on Saturday evening about the future of the sport of fishing, and the importance of encouraging the next generation of anglers. MLF angler and Strike King pro staffer Andy Montgomery was also on site for the tournament. Montgomery, whose family farm is just over 100 miles northwest of Lake Murray, feels at home on this 50,000-acre reservoir. The fan favorite spent time on Saturday with the anglers answering questions and comparing notes.
Jason McKee, Vice President of Marketing for Lew’s and Strike King’s parent company Rather Outdoors, noted that while a driving force behind Strike King is top tier competitive angling, the company is deeply committed to broadening participation in the sport. McKee said, “Our goal behind the Big Bass Challenge is to bring anglers together with a format that is available to anyone, regardless of experience. Ultimately, we want to share our passion for the sport with our consumers, get to know them, and present yet another opportunity for them to get on the water.”
Overall Big Bass Results:
1st – Alex Cooke, 5.97 lbs. ($5,000 Lew’s and Strike King gift card)
2nd – Austin Davis, 5.94 lbs. (Mammoth Ranger 65, $349.99 value)
3rd – Shawn Kincaid, 5.56 lbs. (Mammoth Pathfinder 30, $199.99 value)
4th – TJ Keisler, 5.53 lbs. (Mammoth Pathfinder 30, $199.99 value)
Brett Collins, seasoned tournament manager and operator of Carolina Angler’s Team Trail (www.cattteamtrail.com) directed the weigh periods and assisted the Strike King team. Safety and sanitation for Lake Murray and all other events is provided by Mammoth PPE Products.
Anglers may register now for upcoming events at https://www.strikeking.com/big-bass-challenge, where they will also find rules and info sheets for each specific event. The remaining 2021 Strike King Big Bass Challenge schedule is as follows:
California Delta – May 22, 2021
Russo's Marina
Bethel Island, CA
Table Rock Lake – June 5, 2021
Port of Kimberling
Kimberling City, MO
About Rather Outdoors
Rather Outdoors is a global outdoors corporation uniting some of the most recognizable brands in the fishing space. With historic and iconic brands such as Lew’s, Strike King, Fox, Matrix, Salmo, Fox Rage, Preston Innovations, Quantum and Zebco, Rather Outdoors provides a wide assortment of fishing products worldwide in an effort to enhance angler’s success and the enjoyment of outdoor pursuits. To learn more about the Rather Outdoors brands, visit www.ratheroutdoors.com
Major League Fishing Introduces Free MLF Fan Pass Membership, Includes Access to SCORETRACKER Insider
Free Membership Offering Includes Access to Revolutionary Member Experience
TULSA, Okla. (March 17, 2021) – Major League Fishing (MLF) announced today the rollout of a new free membership offering called MLF Fan Pass. The free membership is a part of several new membership offerings from MLF in 2021 and now offers fans access to SCORETRACKER™ Insider, a digital subscription to Bass Fishing magazine, the MLF e-newsletter and access to member sweepstakes and giveaways.
With free access to SCORETRACKER Insider, for the first time in history, fans will have access to real-time catch data. MLF Fan Pass members will see in-depth information including weight, depth, lure, cover and the general catch area for every scorable bass – from every angler – during competition, all archived and available from each Bass Pro Tour tournament.
MLF Fan Pass members can follow the action in real-time, while also using the data as a tool when preparing for their next day on the water. Anglers will know exactly how the best pros in the world established dominant patterns on lakes all over the country.
SCORETRACKER Insider is included with every MLF membership level, including the High School membership, Subscriber membership and Premium membership offerings.
In addition to its new membership offerings, MLF also recently unveiled its Champions Club subscription service, the first and only monthly subscription service that follows a professional bass fishing tour, offering a wide variety of benefits including five to six premium lures from industry-leading brands delivered each month, exclusive discount codes on fishing gear and outdoor products, exclusive webinars and more.
To register for a free MLF Fan Pass or other MLF membership offerings and gain access to SCORETRACKER Insider, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com/Join.
For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF’s social media outlets at Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.
ABU GARCIA ANNOUNCES THE TOP 10 IN ITS LIST OF THE COUNTRY’S 100 BEST FISHERIES
Famed fisheries with multispecies appeal top the list of the best places to kick off the next 100 years of Abu Garcia history.
COLUMBIA, S.C. (March 17, 2021) — The universal desire to catch more and bigger fish fueled the innovations that took Abu Garcia fishing equipment from the industrial age to the space age in the company’s first 100 years. And while no one can say for sure what fishing will look like 100 years from now, the next century of Abu Garcia’s history will be written wherever anglers fish to win, whether winning means a tournament victory or a day on the water they will never forget.
In celebration of its 100th anniversary, famed fishing equipment maker Abu Garcia announces the Top-10 in its list of the country’s Top-100 Fisheries. A list designed to inspire curiosity and exploration as well as debate, the Abu Garcia Top-100 Fisheries list includes natural and man-made lakes, as well as rivers and sections of rivers, across 38 different states—all of them known for delivering the quality, quantity and species of fish most sought after by Abu Garcia loyalists.
Selected in collaboration with a panel of fishing-industry experts, these fisheries were chosen because they stand out in a host of areas. The Abu Garcia Top-100 Fisheries list places a premium on those fisheries that offer the best overall multispecies angling opportunities. The list also preserves space for those fisheries offering unparalleled species-specific fishing opportunities and experiences, whether it’s chasing world-record-class redear sunfish on Lake Havasu, fighting a flathead on Santee Cooper or looking for the best five largemouth bass in Lake Guntersville. True trophy-quality angling opportunities for a wealth of different species, from bass to white sturgeon, are included in the list.
“The truth is, whatever fishery makes an angler excited to be fishing, that’s the top fishery in the country. But the fisheries on the list, especially those in the Top 10, really separate themselves from the rest of the group for different reasons,” said Abu Garcia Senior Vice President of Marketing Jon Schlosser. “In a country full of amazing angling opportunities from coast to coast, these are the places that really shine. It’s on these fisheries and others like them where new anglers will experience the kind of success that propels them to a lifetime of fishing, and where necessity will drive innovation so that the next 100 years of Abu Garcia history is as celebrated as the first 100 years.”
Abu Garcia Top-100 Fisheries: The Top 10
- St. Lawrence River (NY)
- Lake St. Clair (MI)
- Lake Erie (OH/PA/NY/MI)
- Red River (ND/MN)
- Santee Cooper (SC)
- Lake Guntersville (AL)
- Sam Rayburn Reservoir (TX)
- Clear Lake (CA)
- Lake Fork (TX)
- Lake Chickamauga (TN)
Abu Garcia Top-100 Fisheries Judges Panel:
Ken Duke — Managing Editor of Fishing Tackle Retailer
Mike Iaconelli — Abu Garcia pro staff member and former Bassmaster Classic champion
Dr. Keith Jones — Former VP of Product Development for Berkley and fish-behavior researcher
Ashley Nichole Lewis — Pacific NW-based fishing guide and host of “Breakout with Bad Ash”
Liz Ogilvie — Vice President and CMO of the American Sportfishing Association (ASA)
Jason Schratwieser — International Game Fish Association (IGFA) president
Malcolm Stewart — Supercross racing superstar and ultra-avid angler
For more information on the Abu Garcia Top-100 Fisheries list, to explore each fishery in detail and learn more about the best times, places and ways to catch fish there, go to www.abugarcia.com.
"Hooked up with Soukup" Video Interview
This week Chris and the boys welcome in National Professional Fishing League's inaugural Champ John Soukup to the show to talk about the TNPFL Experience, the win and what it means to be holding the first ever TNPFL Trophy. Make sure and check out the entire podcast on your favorite podcast app or the link below. https://anglerschannel.com/ac-insider-podcast-hooked-up-with-soukup/
AC Insider Podcast - "Hooked up with Soukup"
This week Chris & The boys welcome in John "Hooked Up" Soukup to the show to talk about his inaugural TNPFL Win and that trophy the size of a Tundra hood! Chris digs deep on some happenings around the industry & of course the kids have to talk about dumba$$'s as well. Yall buckle up, this one was fun!!!
Brumfield Wins Phoenix Bass Fishing League on Pickwick Lake
Blue Ridge’s Graham Wins Strike King Co-Angler Division
BUCKHEAD, Ga. (March 16, 2021) – Boater Justin Kimmel of Athens, Georgia, wins the Phoenix Bass Fishing League presented by T-H Marine at Lake Oconee in Buckhead, Ga. Kimmel earned $6,153 for his victory at the event.
TOP 10 RESULTS
| RANK | BOATER NAME/HOMETOWN | BASS | WEIGHT | AWARD |
| 1st | Justin Kimmel of Athens, Ga. | 5 | 22-4 | $6,153 |
| 2nd | John Duvall of Madison, Ga. | 5 | 19-0 | $3,452 |
| 3rd | Lance Collins of Monticello, Ga. | 5 | 18-7 | $1,968 |
| 4th | Justin Durham of Madison, Ga. | 5 | 18-2 | $1,377 |
| 5th | Brian Jamison of Greensboro, Ga. | 5 | 17-3 | $1,181 |
| 6th | Tony Couch of Buckhead, Ga. | 5 | 15-14 | $1,082 |
| 7th | Dylan Peppers of Social Circle, Ga. | 5 | 15-6 | $984 |
| 8th | Cody Stahl of Griffin, Ga. | 5 | 15-5 | $886 |
| 9th | Weston Parker of Mansfield, Ga. | 5 | 15-0 | $787 |
| 10th | Willie McMullen of Oxford, Ga. | 5 | 14-14 | 689 |
| RANK | STRIKE KING CO-ANGLER NAME/HOMETOWN | BASS | WEIGHT | AWARD |
| 1st | Chris Graham of Blue Ridge, Ga. | 5 | 13-8 | $2,952 |
| 2nd | Randal Ditto of Tallahassee, Fla. | 4 | 13-6 | $1,961 |
| 3rd | Tim Prosen of Cleveland, Ga. | 5 | 13-4 | $984 |
| 4th | Thai-Son Le of Macon, Ga. | 5 | 12-3 | $689 |
| 5th | Troy Cain of Gillsville, Ga. | 5 | 12-2 | $590 |
| 6th | Frank Godwin, Jr. of Bainbridge, Ga. | 5 | 11-15 | $541 |
| 7th | Danny Smith of Tyrone, Ga. | 4 | 11-1 | $492 |
| 8th | Gabe Sowash of Gainesville, Ga. | 5 | 10-11 | $443 |
| 9th | Daniel Tuten of Byron, Ga. | 5 | 9-11 | $394 |
| 10th | Chandler White of Covington, Ga. | 3 | 9-7 | $327 |
| 10th | Wesley Wilson of Cornelia, Ga. | 3 | 9-7 | $327 |
| AWARD | NAME | CONTINGENCY | PAYOUT |
| Boater Big Bass | Kevin Underwood, Gillsville, Ga. | 6-pound, 8-ounce bass | $970 |
| Strike King Co-Angler Berkley Big Bass | Randal Ditto, Tallahassee, Fla. | 6-pound, 1-ounce bass | $485 |
| Phoenix MLF BIG5 Bonus | John Duvall, Madison, Ga. | Eligible Phoenix Boat* | $500 |
| ANGLER | BAIT | COLOR |
| Boater | - ½-ounce Missile Jig - Berkley Powerbait Maxscent Meaty Chunk Trailer - Berkley Powerbait Maxscent The General Worm |
Did Not Divulge |
| Strike King Co-Angler | - Daiwa Yamamoto Neko Fat Worm, shaky head | Baby Bass |
| EVENT | DATE | LOCATION | HOST |
| Bulldog Division – Phoenix Bass Fishing League Regional Championship | Oct. 21-23 | St. Johns River, Palatka, Florida | Putnam County Tourist Development Council |
| Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American | June 3-5 | Douglas Lake, Dandridge, Tenn. | Jefferson County Department of Tourism |
The top six finishers in each regional will then qualify for one of the longest-running championships in all of competitive bass fishing – the Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American.
The top 45 boaters and Strike King co-anglers plus tournament winners from each Phoenix Bass Fishing League division will also earn priority entry into the Toyota Series, the pathway to the Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit and ultimately the MLF Bass Pro Tour.
Kimmel Wins Phoenix Bass Fishing League on Lake Oconee
Blue Ridge’s Graham Wins Strike King Co-Angler Division
BUCKHEAD, Ga. (March 16, 2021) – Boater Justin Kimmel of Athens, Georgia, wins the Phoenix Bass Fishing League presented by T-H Marine at Lake Oconee in Buckhead, Ga. Kimmel earned $6,153 for his victory at the event.
TOP 10 RESULTS
| RANK | BOATER NAME/HOMETOWN | BASS | WEIGHT | AWARD |
| 1st | Justin Kimmel of Athens, Ga. | 5 | 22-4 | $6,153 |
| 2nd | John Duvall of Madison, Ga. | 5 | 19-0 | $3,452 |
| 3rd | Lance Collins of Monticello, Ga. | 5 | 18-7 | $1,968 |
| 4th | Justin Durham of Madison, Ga. | 5 | 18-2 | $1,377 |
| 5th | Brian Jamison of Greensboro, Ga. | 5 | 17-3 | $1,181 |
| 6th | Tony Couch of Buckhead, Ga. | 5 | 15-14 | $1,082 |
| 7th | Dylan Peppers of Social Circle, Ga. | 5 | 15-6 | $984 |
| 8th | Cody Stahl of Griffin, Ga. | 5 | 15-5 | $886 |
| 9th | Weston Parker of Mansfield, Ga. | 5 | 15-0 | $787 |
| 10th | Willie McMullen of Oxford, Ga. | 5 | 14-14 | 689 |
| RANK | STRIKE KING CO-ANGLER NAME/HOMETOWN | BASS | WEIGHT | AWARD |
| 1st | Chris Graham of Blue Ridge, Ga. | 5 | 13-8 | $2,952 |
| 2nd | Randal Ditto of Tallahassee, Fla. | 4 | 13-6 | $1,961 |
| 3rd | Tim Prosen of Cleveland, Ga. | 5 | 13-4 | $984 |
| 4th | Thai-Son Le of Macon, Ga. | 5 | 12-3 | $689 |
| 5th | Troy Cain of Gillsville, Ga. | 5 | 12-2 | $590 |
| 6th | Frank Godwin, Jr. of Bainbridge, Ga. | 5 | 11-15 | $541 |
| 7th | Danny Smith of Tyrone, Ga. | 4 | 11-1 | $492 |
| 8th | Gabe Sowash of Gainesville, Ga. | 5 | 10-11 | $443 |
| 9th | Daniel Tuten of Byron, Ga. | 5 | 9-11 | $394 |
| 10th | Chandler White of Covington, Ga. | 3 | 9-7 | $327 |
| 10th | Wesley Wilson of Cornelia, Ga. | 3 | 9-7 | $327 |
| AWARD | NAME | CONTINGENCY | PAYOUT |
| Boater Big Bass | Kevin Underwood, Gillsville, Ga. | 6-pound, 8-ounce bass | $970 |
| Strike King Co-Angler Berkley Big Bass | Randal Ditto, Tallahassee, Fla. | 6-pound, 1-ounce bass | $485 |
| Phoenix MLF BIG5 Bonus | John Duvall, Madison, Ga. | Eligible Phoenix Boat* | $500 |
| ANGLER | BAIT | COLOR |
| Boater | - ½-ounce Missile Jig - Berkley Powerbait Maxscent Meaty Chunk Trailer - Berkley Powerbait Maxscent The General Worm |
Did Not Divulge |
| Strike King Co-Angler | - Daiwa Yamamoto Neko Fat Worm, shaky head | Baby Bass |
| EVENT | DATE | LOCATION | HOST |
| Bulldog Division – Phoenix Bass Fishing League Regional Championship | Oct. 21-23 | St. Johns River, Palatka, Florida | Putnam County Tourist Development Council |
| Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American | June 3-5 | Douglas Lake, Dandridge, Tenn. | Jefferson County Department of Tourism |
The top six finishers in each regional will then qualify for one of the longest-running championships in all of competitive bass fishing – the Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American.
The top 45 boaters and Strike King co-anglers plus tournament winners from each Phoenix Bass Fishing League division will also earn priority entry into the Toyota Series, the pathway to the Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit and ultimately the MLF Bass Pro Tour.
Farmer Wins Phoenix Bass Fishing League on Lake Toho
Green Cove Springs’ Williams Wins Strike King Co-Angler Division
KISSIMMEE, Fla. (March 15, 2021) – Boater Garrett Farmer of Estero, Florida, wins the Phoenix Bass Fishing League presented by T-H Marine at Lake Toho in Kissimmee, Florida. Farmer earned $5,843 for his victory at the event, hosted by Experience Kissimmee and Kissimmee Sports Commission.
TOP 10 RESULTS
| RANK | BOATER NAME/HOMETOWN | BASS | WEIGHT | AWARD |
| 1st | Garrett Farmer of Estero, Fla. | 5 | 27-6 | $5,843 |
| 2nd | Cody Detweiler of Orlando, Fla. | 5 | 24-6 | $2,921 |
| 3rd | Hunter McPherson of Hernando, Fla. | 5 | 24-1 | $1,948 |
| 4th | Nolan Gaskin of Broussard, La. | 5 | 22-10 | $1,363 |
| 5th | Eric Johnson of Millis, Mass. | 5 | 22-3 | $1,169 |
| 6th | Santos Solis of Vero Beach, Fla. | 5 | 22-2 | $1,071 |
| 7th | Nathan Thomas of Weirsdale, Fla. | 5 | 21-3 | $974 |
| 8th | John Mobley of MacClenny, Fla. | 5 | 20-15 | $876 |
| 9th | James Wegmann of Fruitland Park, Fla. | 5 | 20-13 | $779 |
| 10th | Stanley Flesher of Sebring, Fla. | 5 | 20-0 | $682 |
| RANK | STRIKE KING CO-ANGLER NAME/HOMETOWN | BASS | WEIGHT | AWARD |
| 1st | Stephen Williams of Green Cove Springs, Fla. | 5 | 20-2 | $2,921 |
| 2nd | Glenn Pickering of Whitby, Ontario | 5 | 17-10 | $1,461 |
| 3rd | Chase Traeger of Lino Lakes, Minn. | 5 | 17-4 | $973 |
| 4th | Austin Nelson of Eustis, Fla. | 5 | 16-12 | $682 |
| 5th | Mike Bruton of Oakland, Fla. | 5 | 16-11 | $584 |
| 6th | Tyler Wright of Lakeland, Fla. | 4 | 16-7 | $536 |
| 7th | Theron Asbery of Longwood, Fla. | 5 | 15-11 | $487 |
| 8th | Doug Back of Monticello, Fla. | 5 | 15-1 | $438 |
| 9th | Kevin Thomas of Miramar, Fla. | 5 | 14-15 | $390 |
| 10th | Craig Baxter of Orlando, Fla. | 5 | 14-14 | $341 |
| AWARD | NAME | CONTINGENCY | PAYOUT |
| Boater Big Bass | Cody Detweiler, Orlando, Fla. | 8-pound, 13-ounce bass | $960 |
| Strike King Co-Angler Berkley Big Bass | Theron Asbery, Longwood, Fla. | 9-pound, 2-ounce bass | $480 |
| Phoenix MLF BIG5 Bonus | Douglas Sauls, Winter Garden, Fla. | Eligible Phoenix Boat* | $500 |
| ANGLER | BAIT | COLOR |
| Boater | - Generic Swimbait - Gambler Ace |
Did Not Divulge |
| Strike King Co-Angler | Generic Swimbait | Did Not Divulge |
| EVENT | DATE | LOCATION | HOST |
| Gator Division – Phoenix Bass Fishing League Regional Championship | Oct. 21-23 | St. Johns River, Palatka, Fla. | Putnam County Tourist Development Council |
| Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American | June 3-5 | Douglas Lake, Dandridge, Tenn. | Jefferson County Department of Tourism |
The top six finishers in each regional will then qualify for one of the longest-running championships in all of competitive bass fishing – the Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American.
The top 45 boaters and Strike King co-anglers plus tournament winners from each Phoenix Bass Fishing League division will also earn priority entry into the Toyota Series, the pathway to the Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit and ultimately the MLF Bass Pro Tour.
B.A.S.S. Names Top Student Athletes To 2021 Bassmaster High School All-State Fishing Team
March 16, 2021
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Forty-seven of the most outstanding high school anglers from across the country have been named to the 2021 Bassmaster High School All-State Fishing Team presented by Academy Sports + Outdoors.
The students were selected for the honor based on their success in bass tournament competition, academic achievement and leadership in conservation and community service.
“We are thrilled to welcome this new class of High School All-State anglers,” said B.A.S.S. CEO Bruce Akin. “These 47 young people represent the future of our sport and are truly the best of the best, excelling not only on the water, but also in academics, conservation initiatives and community service.”
To be considered for the All-State Fishing Team, a student must have been nominated by a parent, coach, teacher or other school official. Students enrolled in grades 10-12 with a current-year grade point average of 2.5 or higher were eligible.
B.A.S.S. received more than 300 nominations from across the nation. From these, judges selected 47 student anglers from 33 states to make the All-State Fishing Team. In addition, 36 students received Honorable Mentions recognizing them for their tournament success as well as community service and academic achievement.
“Congratulations to all 47 anglers on being selected to be a part of the 2021 Bassmaster High School All-State Fishing Team or Honorable Mention,” said Hank Weldon, senior manager of the B.A.S.S. High School program. “It’s always impressive to see the accolades of each applicant, especially during a year full of so many challenges and restrictions due to COVID-19. Each of these anglers made the best of what was going on in the world around them and found ways to excel not only on the water, but in their community as well. Every parent and angler should be very proud of joining the team.”
A second panel of judges will review nominations of the 47 All-State team members and select the 12 members of the 2021 Bassmaster High School All-American Fishing Team presented by Academy Sports + Outdoors. As in All-State judging, criteria include success in high school fishing tournaments, involvement in conservation efforts and other community service activities.
The 12 finalists will compete in a one-day Bassmaster High School All-American Bass Tournament presented by Academy Sports + Outdoors, which will be held during the 2021 Bassmaster Elite at Neely Henry Lake, scheduled to take place May 6-9 in Gadsden, Ala.
Elite Series anglers will serve as teammates and “coaches” of the student anglers in the tournament. The high school standouts will be honored on the main stage at the weigh-in.
Below is the list of the 47 All-State anglers and 36 Honorable Mentions, in order by state:
Alabama
Alexis Grandstaff, Headland
Hayden Marbut, Vestavia
Jack Alexander, Mountain Brook (Honorable Mention)
Hudson Choquette, Headland (Honorable Mention)
Miller Dowling, Tuscaloosa (Honorable Mention)
Arkansas
Zachary Ward, Cabot
Tucker Dottley, Little Rock (Honorable Mention)
Connecticut
Evan Kamoen, Killingworth
Florida
Cole Rountree, Clermont
Tyson Verkaik, Eustis
Zach Dicks, Lake City (Honorable Mention)
Georgia
Flint Davis, Leesburg
Tanner Hadden, Evans
Gabriel Storm Clark, Ellerslie (Honorable Mention)
Henry Garrett, Evans (Honorable Mention)
Jacob Hodge, Evans (Honorable Mention)
Coby Thompson, Blairsville (Honorable Mention)
Illinois
Laindree Richardson, Benton
Indiana
Cole Berry, Terre Haute
Dylan May, Brownsburg
Evan Francis, Fishers (Honorable Mention)
Iowa
Dylan Kreps, Johnston
Tyler Loudon, Creston
Jackson Toale, Independence (Honorable Mention)
Kansas
Colton Hutchinson, Bonner Springs
Kentucky
Will Carnes, Stanford
Evan Fields, Shelbyville
Keaton Smith, Burnside (Honorable Mention)
Louisiana
Peyton Matherne, Walker
Wade Roberts, Lake Charles
Hunter Hayes White, Sulphur (Honorable Mention)
Massachusetts
Nicholas Frumkin, Lincoln (Honorable Mention)
Michigan
Gus Dietrich, Oxford
Mitchell Straffon, Fenton
Matthew Mosby, Dryden (Honorable Mention)
Brayden Ruckman, Freeland (Honorable Mention)
Minnesota
Matt Boerboom, Inver Grove Heights
Mississippi
Blake Bullock, Hattiesburg
Spencer Maxwell, Summit
Wes Bailey, Brandon (Honorable Mention)
John Connor Harrell, Brandon (Honorable Mention)
Missouri
Clay Henderson, Purdy
Nebraska
Jaron Cooper, Sutherland
Keegan Oettinger, Hershey
Nevada
Carter Doren, Las Vegas
New Hampshire
Cole Moulton, Enfield
New Jersey
Nicholas Dellaporta, Pequannock (Honorable Mention)
New York
Christian Misciagna, Syracuse
Matthew Pitcher, Rochester (Honorable Mention)
North Carolina
Hunter Keller, Morganton
Carson Palmer, Richfield
Ohio
Nicholas Boggs, Wheelersburg
Braden McNamara, Marysville
Mark Emmerling, Negley (Honorable Mention)
Oklahoma
Hunter Alsip, Chouteau
Jaxon Windsor, Noble
Pennsylvania
Jerry Brumbaugh Jr., Martinsburg
Carson Forrester, Chambersburg
Ty Stroup, Mifflinburg (Honorable Mention)
Rhode Island
Joseph Truppi, Coventry
South Carolina
Luke Mabry, Gaffney
Peyton Sorrow, Abbeville
Butler Cochran, Prosperity (Honorable Mention)
Hunter Dill, Travelers Rest (Honorable Mention)
Trenten Swygert, Leesville (Honorable Mention)
Tennessee
Tyler Finley, Mount Pleasant
Nathan Reynolds, Nashville
Brady Duncan, Lebanon (Honorable Mention)
Riley Faulkner, Jacksboro (Honorable Mention)
Dylan Johnson, Dunlap (Honorable Mention)
Gage Starks, Paris (Honorable Mention)
Texas
Casey Beard, Lumberton
Connor Dunn, Lucas
Brady Dill, Spring (Honorable Mention)
Kaden Mueck, Livingston (Honorable Mention)
Dakota Posey, Orange (Honorable Mention)
Maverick Winford, Humble (Honorable Mention)
Vermont
Brendan Vinton, Randolph
Max Roberts, Newport (Honorable Mention)
Virginia
Turner Hart, Ashland
Spencer Humphrey, Madison (Honorable Mention)
Braxton Nicely, Midlothian (Honorable Mention)
Wisconsin
Tucker Cory, Amherst
Christie Caps Tennessee River with Yamaha Power Pay
Courtesy of Luke Stoner / Dynamic Sponsorships
Jason Christie leaned on his power fishing prowess at the Bassmasterâ Elite on the Tennessee River to catch enough skinny water largemouth to finish in fifth place, and capped his weekend with a $2,500 bonus from Yamaha Power Pay.
This is Christie’s first year running an aluminum Xpress® Boat powered by a Yamaha motor, but it didn’t take him long to see the difference in performance or reap the rewards of Yamaha’s popular contingency program.
“I was in my happy place on the Tennessee River,” Christie said. “My best areas were super shallow, and a lighter aluminum boat coupled with the incredibly flat hole shot of that Yamaha allowed me to hop up instantly on pad in as shallow as a foot and a half of water. That saved me a ton of idling time and lead to more casts everyday.”
Christie was quick to point out the minutes of idling time saved during the Tennessee River Elite were particularly important due to how tough the river was fishing. Every minute counts in any competition, but it’s magnified when keeper bites are extremely hard to come by.
The Park Hill, Okla. pro employed a Norman Lures® Speed N crankbait and a ¾-ounce Booyah® Covert Spinnerbait (single Colorado blade) to catch his fish throughout the week. He threw those baits along stretches of chunk rock or isolated pieces of cover like wood and other man-made structures.
As thrilled as Christie was to be fishing Championship Sunday, he was equally as excited to learn he had earned the Power Pay money for the week.
“I won’t lie - it’s great to get a bonus check from the Power Pay program this early in the game,” Christie smiled. “Contingency programs have made me a lot of money throughout my career, and I’m excited to participate in Power Pay this season. As far as I’m concerned, this motor is already money. Add in the opportunity for extra cash rewards and it’s a win-win.”
Whether you fish in high school, college, or compete in supported walleye and saltwater tournaments, you can reap the rewards of Yamaha Power Pay just like Christie. And as Christie proved on the Tennessee River, you don’t have to win a tournament to win the bonus money. You simply have to be the highest finishing registered participant in a Power Pay sponsored event.
Registering for the program is free, quick, and easy whether you are a pro or recreational angler. Head to Yamahapowerpay.com for a complete list of events, more information on the program, or to get yourself signed up today.
Luminox Announces Partnership With Major League Fishing To Become Official Timing Sponsor
| MLF Angler Skeet Reese Will Become Ambassador and Face of the Partnership
NEW YORK, N.Y. (March 16, 2021) – Luminox, the world’s first self-powered luminous watch brand, announces today a yearlong partnership with Major League Fishing (MLF), becoming the official timing sponsor for the Bass Pro Tour, competitive bass fishing’s premier professional circuit. As part of the agreement, MLF pro Skeet Reese becomes ambassador and face for the brand for this relationship. The functionality, waterproofing and durability combined with the Always Visible dial makes Luminox the perfect watch for Major League Fishing’s professional and amateur anglers, as well as spectators and fans alike. Luminox gifted each of MLF’s top 40 professional anglers that participated in REDCREST 2021 a watch to kick-off the partnership. As the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization, MLF provides anglers of all skill levels the opportunity to compete for millions in prize money across six tournament circuits, including the Bass Pro Tour, Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit, Toyota Series, Phoenix Bass Fishing League, Abu Garcia College Fishing and U.S. Army High School Fishing. Luminox USA CEO, Lluis Sole said, “We are truly excited about this partnership with Major League Fishing as timekeeping is such a critical aspect of the tournaments and of fishing in general. Our brand motto of Every Second Counts expresses perfectly what is crucial in the sport of competitive fishing. Luminox will be an asset to the anglers themselves as well as the officials and videographers who accompany them on the boat. Additionally, we are thrilled to have champion angler, Skeet Reese join the Luminox family. Skeet is one of the top professional sport fishing legends and we welcome him to our brand.” “We’re excited to announce our latest sponsorship with Luminox and welcome them into the Major League Fishing family,” said Jim Wilburn, MLF President and CEO. “MLF’s members, anglers and fans are among the most loyal consumers available and Luminox will now have access to the hundreds of thousands of anglers that we reach each month. We look forward to building a long-term relationship with them.” |
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About Luminox Luminox, the original self-powered luminous watch brand, is the watch of choice for global outdoor adventure icon Bear Grylls, U.S. Navy SEALs, The Icelandic Association for Search and Rescue (ICE-SAR), Lockheed Martin’s F-117 Nighthawk™ stealth and other jet fighter pilots, elite forces worldwide and professional divers. Luminox watches glow up to 25 years in any light condition. Always Visible, tough, powerful and accurate, Swiss-Made Luminox is the ultimate night vision gear for rugged outdoorsmen and other peak performers. Visit our website: http://www.luminox.com |
Major League Fishing’s Bass Pro Tour Set for 2021 Season Opener – Toro Stage 1 at Sam Rayburn Reservoir
A Field of 80 of the Best Anglers in the World to Kick Off Third Season of Bass Pro Tour
JASPER, Texas (March 15, 2021) – Major League Fishing (MLF), the world’s largest tournament fishing organization, is set to open the 2021 Bass Pro Tour season – the third season of the revolutionary Tour – March 21-26 with the Toro Stage 1 at Sam Rayburn Reservoir presented by Power-Pole . Hosted by the Jasper County Development District, the event will feature 80 of the best professional anglers in the world competing for a top award of $100,000 and valuable points in hopes of qualifying for REDCREST 2022, the Bass Pro Tour championship.
Although Sam Rayburn Reservoir has played host to numerous MLF BIG5 (previously FLW) tournaments over the years, 2021 will mark the first time that the MLF Bass Pro Tour has visited Sam Rayburn. The event will be fished using MLF’s catch, weigh, immediate-release format, in which the anglers try to catch as much weight as they can, while also feeling the pressure and intensity of the SCORETRACKER® leaderboard. The total purse for the Bass Pro Tour Toro Stage 1 at Sam Rayburn Reservoir presented by Power-Pole is more than $805,000.
“I’m really excited about starting the season off at Sam Rayburn,” said pro Kelly Jordon, a 25-year veteran from Flint, Texas. “With all of the huge bass Texas is kicking out so far this year, I know we will be in the right place to catch some big ones. My goal is to win the season-opener at Sam Rayburn, although, I know that 79 other anglers will be there with a similar goal in mind. I can’t wait.”
“I really love Rayburn,” Florida pro Shaw Grigsby told MajorLeagueFishing.com reporter Dave Landahl. “What’s not to love? It holds big bass, and lots of them. It’s loaded with hydrilla and other vegetation, and really fits my fishing style from Florida. It’s one of those textbook lakes, something you’d read about in a magazine. You can figure fish out and you’re able to pattern them.
Grigsby expects to use an assortment of soft plastics like Rage Bugs, Rage Lizards, Caffeine Shads, small tubes, an Ocho, and even a drop-shot at Rayburn. Add a mixed bag of Strike King Thunder Crickets, Red Eye Shads, and a KVD jerkbait, and the Mercury pro believes that he has a well-rounded toolbox for east Texas in early March.
“I’ll be looking for big ones to sight fish with my trolling motor on high, and I’ll use the moving baits to pick off bass as I’m looking for the giants,” he says. “I’ll probably be throwing that Thunder Cricket the most for my moving bait.
"We could see the record big fish for the Bass Pro Tour caught here,” Grigsby went on to say. “It’s rare to be there this time of year and not see a 10- to 13-pound bass on a bed. I’m excited to be at one of the best lakes in the country at the best time of the year for really big bass.”
The 2021 Bass Pro Tour features a field of 76 of the top professional anglers in the world – joined at each event by 4 pros that qualify from the Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit – competing across seven regular-season tournaments around the country, competing for millions of dollars and valuable points to qualify for the annual Heavy Hitters all-star event and the REDCREST 2022 championship.
The four pros from the Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit that will join the Bass Pro Tour to compete at the Toro Stage 1 at Sam Rayburn Reservoir presented by Power-Pole are Ron Nelson, Spencer Shuffield, Grae Buck and Matt Becker. Those anglers qualified via their No. 1 through No. 4 finishes in the 2020 Pro Circuit Angler of the Year standings.
In accordance with COVID-19 protocols, attendance is limited to competing anglers, essential staff and media covering the event only. Fans are encouraged to follow the event online through the MLF NOW!® live stream and SCORETRACKER® coverage at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
Television coverage of the Bass Pro Tour Toro Stage 1 at Sam Rayburn Reservoir presented by Power-Pole will be showcased across two two-hour episodes, premiering at 7 a.m. ET, Aug. 28 on the Discovery Channel. New MLF episodes premiere each Saturday morning on the Discovery Channel, with additional re-airings on the Outdoor Channel and the Sportsman Channel. Each two-hour long reality-based episode goes in-depth to break down each day of competition.
The MLF NOW!® broadcast team of Chad McKee, Marty Stone and J.T. Kenney will break down the extended action on all six days of competition from 7:45 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. MLF NOW!® will be live streamed on MajorLeagueFishing.com. and the MyOutdoorTV (MOTV) app.
Steven McAvoy and Josh Butts take the Win at Guntersville with 28.28 in the Alabama Bass Trail North Division.
By Jason Duran
Photos by Chris Brown
Guntersville, AL March 13, 2021- The Alabama Bass Trail North Division stop number two was won in perfect Guntersville fashion. It is no secret that fishing bridges can be a very productive pattern. Teams often say you can live and die on the bridges. The plan for Steven and Josh was to do just that and it paid $10,000.
Steven and Josh said last year we had a tough practice here and got beat by others fishing on the bridges. This year’s practice wasn’t much different; we didn’t want to get beat again, so we decided to fish the bridges this year. They were boat 99 with a plan to head to the Brown’s Creek causeway bridge. When they pulled up, there were only two Crappie fishermen there. Shocked that no one else was there ahead of them, they stopped. Josh said when he saw no one else was there, “we knew then it was game over.” They caught a limit by 9:30 and continued to catch fish all day. Fishing the bridges is a slow pattern. “Most people leave after not catching fish quickly, but you have to commit to stay all day”
The key for them was ¾oz. True Bass True Lock jig head with a 6/0 hook paired up with a Megabass Magdraft Freestyle in White Back Shad six inch and 20lb P-Line Fluorocarbon. The fish want this bait really slow, and the feeding pattern comes in flurries. “The fish stage up between the bridge pilings and the face the current.” They set their boat on the down current side of the bridge and cast between the pilings up current. Kyle said, the “bass want a really easy meal. On their Gamin Live Scope they could see when the bait fish came through the bridge, and they could almost predict when they would get a bite.” They caught 28.28 pounds and took home the $10,000 first place price along with the Garmin $500 bonus.
The second place team of Seth Skalnik and Ronald Rawlins, said practice was good and they located some really good fish around the BB Comer bridge area. Those plans all changed at blastoff when a fog blanket covered the lake to the north. Realizing making that 35 mile run was going to have to change, they decided to fish main river around Goose Pond. “We felt the fish were still coming up in that area to get ready to spawn.” When they arrived, they quickly went to work and caught a keeper quickly followed by the first of two 7-pound fish. Focusing on the edge of grass lines headed into spawning areas was their pattern. The second 7-pound fish came in 10 feet of water in the grass on a Strike King Shadalicious Swim bait. They had a limit very quick and only culled up one other time later in the day to fill the 23.15 pound bag. Seth said, late in “the day they lost a 5 pounder” that could have made this a lot closer. Their key baits were a Jackhammer in craw color, War Eagle white spinnerbait and Strike King Shadalicious Swim bait that helped them claim second place and $5000.
Adam Bain and Kris Colley finished third. Adam shared that practice was kind of tough for them fishing up shallow around docks, trees and grass. Late Friday, in practice, he found two fish on a bed and decided that was where they would start the tournament. They carefully made the run upriver in the fog to Waterfront and found those two fish still on the bed. First, they caught a 4- pound fish and then caught a 7 pounder. Those fish were caught on a green pumpkin tube Texas rigged. They spent the rest of the day “just fishing everywhere” trying to get a limit running all over the lake. Finally, 20 minutes before check in, at 2:55 they caught the biggest fish of the tournament- 7.51 pounds, also on a tube, to finish out their limit of 22.61 earning them third place and $4000.
Top ten standings are below for a complete list see
https://www.alabamabasstrail.org/tournament-series/lg-results/
Download and listen to the ABT Podcast on your favorite Podcast app by searching for “Alabama Bass Trail Podcast.” The Podcast is released each week on Tuesday. This week podcast will feature winners Steven McAvoy and Josh Butts.
Huff Wins Phoenix Bass Fishing League on Cherokee Lake
Knoxville’s Jones Wins Strike King Co-Angler Division
JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. (March 15, 2021) – Boater Nick Huff of Bean Station, Tennessee, won the Phoenix Bass Fishing League presented by T-H Marine at Cherokee Lake in Jefferson City, Tennessee. Huff earned $6,154 for his victory at the event, which was hosted by the Jefferson County Department of Tourism.
TOP 10 RESULTS
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Full results from the event can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
CONTINGENCY AWARDS
| AWARD | NAME | CONTINGENCY | PAYOUT |
| Boater Berkley Big Bass | Steven May of Dandridge, Tenn. | 5-pound, 3-ounce bass | $795 |
| Strike King Co-Angler Berkley Big Bass | Henry Bryan of Sevierville, Tenn. | 4-pound, 15-ounce bass | $397 |
| Phoenix MLF BIG5 Bonus | Joshua Short of Bean Station, Tenn. | Eligible Phoenix Boat* | $500 |
* Boaters are eligible to win up to an extra $7,000 per event in each Phoenix Bass Fishing League presented by T-H Marine tournament if all requirements are met. More information on the Phoenix MLF BIG5 Bonus contingency program can be found at PhoenixBassBoats.com.
WINNING BAITS
| ANGLER | BAITS | COLOR |
| Boater | - Umbrella Rig | N/A |
| Strike King Co-Angler | - Umbrella Rig | N/A |
2021 QUALIFICATION OPPORTUNITIES
| EVENT | DATE | LOCATION | HOST |
| Volunteer Division – Phoenix Bass Fishing League Regional Championship | Oct. 14-16 | Lake Murray, Columbia, S.C. | Capital City Lake Murray Country |
| Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American | June 3-5 | Douglas Lake, Dandridge, Tenn. | Jefferson County Department of Tourism |
The 2021 MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League presented by T-H Marine is a 24-division circuit devoted to weekend anglers, with 128 tournaments throughout the season, five qualifying events in each division. The top 45 boaters and Strike King co-anglers from each division, along with the five winners of the qualifying events, will advance to one of six Phoenix Bass Fishing League Regional Championships. Boaters will compete for a $60,000 prize package, including a new Phoenix 819 Pro bass boat with a 200-horsepower Mercury outboard and $10,000, while Strike King co-anglers will fish for a new Phoenix 819 Pro bass boat with a 200-horsepower Mercury s outboard.
The top six finishers in each regional will then qualify for one of the longest-running championships in all of competitive bass fishing – the Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American.
The top 45 boaters and Strike King co-anglers plus tournament winners from each Phoenix Bass Fishing League division will also earn priority entry into the Toyota Series, the pathway to the Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit and ultimately the MLF Bass Pro Tour.
For complete details and updated information visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow the Phoenix Bass Fishing League presented by T-H Marine on MLF’s social media outlets at Facebook , Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.
Current Will Play A Key Role In Bassmaster Elite Series Event At Pickwick Lake
Florence, Ala., will host the Guaranteed Rate Bassmaster Elite at Pickwick Lake March 18-21.
March 15, 2021
FLORENCE, Ala. — Brock Mosley believes current will play a prominent role in the Guaranteed Rate Bassmaster Elite at Pickwick Lake, and the Mississippi pro will be monitoring the Tennessee Valley Authority app regularly for water release schedules because of it.
Competition days will be March 18-21 with daily takeoffs from McFarland Park at 6:45 a.m. CT and weigh-ins each day at the park at 3 p.m.
Mosley’s hardly a go-with-the-flow kind of guy but knows current strength greatly impacts this TVA reservoir. Water movement definitely benefits bass anglers, but too much of a good thing can become a not-so-good thing. As of early March, Pickwick Dam was releasing approximately 157,000 cubic feet per second — a figure Mosley hopes to soon see tapering.
“There’s a lot of water being pumped through the system, and that’s fairly normal this time of year with the spring rains coming,” Mosley said. “I just hope that by the time the tournament gets here, it slows down to 70,000 to 80,000 cfs, or even a little less.
“If that current slows down, it will give guys a lot more options. For one thing, you always hear about guys going to ‘The Horseshoe’ (the boulder-strewn area below the Wilson Dam tailrace), and if the current is rolling that fast, it’s going to make that extremely tough to fish — and a little bit dangerous.”
Stretching 52.7 miles dam to dam and covering approximately 43,000 surface acres, Pickwick offers significant habitat options, such as islands, points, bluffs, creeks, bridges, riprap and grass. Mosley is expecting primarily a prespawn event, so the latter should play a key role — as long as the current subsides to a level the fish can tolerate.
Addressing the current’s clarity variable, Mosley said, “I always like a little stain this time of year. Pickwick can have a lot of clarity, but I think you can get away with a lot of different techniques with a little bit of color to the water.”
Lipless crankbaits, bladed jigs and swimbaits lead the seasonal lineup, while topwaters, jerkbaits and jigs will also see plenty of action. Largemouth bass keep company with a good population of smallmouth, so anglers targeting the latter may also add drop shots, Ned rigs, shaky heads and Neko rigs to their arsenals.
The Pickwick event was originally scheduled for June 10-13, but due to the ongoing COVID-19 public health emergency and associated limits on large gatherings, B.A.S.S. officials swapped this event with the Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic presented by Huk. Mosley said this change will likely afford anglers a more enjoyable and productive scenario.
“This will open up a lot more options on ways to catch them,” he said. “If we would have come in June, it would have been primarily a ledge deal with guys sharing schools and fishing on top of one another.
“That could have been a little frustrating for the anglers. Now it’s going to open up the entire lake, and guys are going to be able to catch them however they want to.”
That being said, Mosley believes the Wilson Dam tailrace could end up delivering the winning fish — as it did for Davy Hite who, in 2011, notched his eighth Bassmaster win on Pickwick.
Smallmouth love that cooler, more active water, but quality largemouth feed there, too. The great thing about Pickwick is that both species live throughout the lake.
“This should be a really good event after coming from Knoxville (the previous Elite event), which was a grinder,” Mosley said. “This one won’t be nearly as tough, and guys are going to catch them.”
Mosley said limits shouldn’t be too hard to come by, but competitive bags will need a kicker of 4-plus pounds each day. Largemouth generally grow bigger than smallmouth, but Pickwick’s known for whopper bronzebacks.
“I’ve seen 28-pound bags of smallmouth come out of that place,” Mosley said. “A guy could catch all of either species or have a mixed bag and do extremely well with a little bit of each.
“It’s possible that the century mark (100 pounds of bass) could be broken, but it will definitely take over 20 pounds a day to win — unless we have some type of odd weather between now and then.”
A full field of 100 anglers will fish the first two days, with only the Top 50 advancing to Saturday’s semifinal round. After Saturday, the Top 10 will advance to Championship Sunday with a chance at the $100,000 first-place prize.
Live coverage for all four days of the event can be streamed on Bassmaster.com and the FOX Sports digital platforms. FS1 will also broadcast live with the tournament leaders beginning at 7 a.m. CT on Saturday and Sunday.
The tournament is being hosted by Visit Florence.
2021 Bassmaster Elite Series Platinum Sponsor: Toyota
2021 Bassmaster Elite Series Premier Sponsors: Berkley, Humminbird, Mercury, Minn Kota, Nitro Boats, Power-Pole, Ranger Boats, Skeeter Boats, Yamaha
2021 Bassmaster Elite Series Supporting Sponsors: AFTCO, Bass Pro Shops, Garmin, Huk Performance Fishing, Marathon, Rapala
2021 Bassmaster Elite Series Conservation Partner: AFTCO
2021 Guaranteed Rate Bassmaster Elite at Pickwick Lake Local Host: Visit Florence
Newcomb Wins Phoenix Bass Fishing League on Lake of the Ozarks
Saint Clair’s Bray Wins Strike King Co-Angler Division
OSAGE BEACH, Mo. (March 15, 2021) – Boater Andy Newcomb of Camdenton, Missouri, won the Phoenix Bass Fishing League presented by T-H Marine at Lake of the Ozarks Presented by Fenwick in Osage Beach, Missouri. Newcomb earned $12,000 for his victory at the event, including a lucrative $5,000 Phoenix MLF BIG5 Bonus, which was hosted by Central Missouri's Tri-County Lodging Association.
TOP 10 RESULTS
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Full results from the event can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
CONTINGENCY AWARDS
| AWARD | NAME | CONTINGENCY | PAYOUT |
| Boater Berkley Big Bass | Matt Ellis of Mount Vernon, Mo. | 6-pound, 14-ounce bass | $1,000 |
| Strike King Co-Angler Berkley Big Bass | Caleb Welch of Bolivar, Mo. | 6-pound, 14-ounce bass | $500 |
| Phoenix MLF BIG5 Bonus | Andy Newcomb of Camdenton, Mo. | Eligible Phoenix Boat* | $5,000 |
* Boaters are eligible to win up to an extra $7,000 per event in each Phoenix Bass Fishing League presented by T-H Marine tournament if all requirements are met. More information on the Phoenix MLF BIG5 Bonus contingency program can be found at PhoenixBassBoats.com.
WINNING BAITS
| ANGLER | BAITS | COLOR |
| Boater | - Umbrella Rig - Jerkbait |
N/A |
| Strike King Co-Angler | - Jerkbait - Crankbait |
N/A |
2021 QUALIFICATION OPPORTUNITIES
| EVENT | DATE | LOCATION | HOST |
| Ozark Division – Phoenix Bass Fishing League Regional Championship | Oct. 7-9 | Norfork Lake, Mountain Home, Ark. | Mountain Home Area Chamber of Commerce |
| Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American | June 3-5 | Douglas Lake, Dandridge, Tenn. | Jefferson County Department of Tourism |
The 2021 MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League presented by T-H Marine is a 24-division circuit devoted to weekend anglers, with 128 tournaments throughout the season, five qualifying events in each division. The top 45 boaters and Strike King co-anglers from each division, along with the five winners of the qualifying events, will advance to one of six Phoenix Bass Fishing League Regional Championships. Boaters will compete for a $60,000 prize package, including a new Phoenix 819 Pro bass boat with a 200-horsepower Mercury outboard and $10,000, while Strike King co-anglers will fish for a new Phoenix 819 Pro bass boat with a 200-horsepower Mercury s outboard.
The top six finishers in each regional will then qualify for one of the longest-running championships in all of competitive bass fishing – the Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American.
The top 45 boaters and Strike King co-anglers plus tournament winners from each Phoenix Bass Fishing League division will also earn priority entry into the Toyota Series, the pathway to the Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit and ultimately the MLF Bass Pro Tour.
For complete details and updated information visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow the Phoenix Bass Fishing League presented by T-H Marine on MLF’s social media outlets at Facebook , Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.
Talbert Wins Phoenix Bass Fishing League on Kerr Lake
HENDERSON, N.C. (March 15, 2021) – Boater Jeremy Talbert of Albemarle, North Carolina, won the Phoenix Bass Fishing League presented by T-H Marine at Kerr Lake in Henderson, North Carolina. Talbert earned $5,582 for his victory at the event, which was hosted by the Vance County Tourism Development Authority.
TOP 10 RESULTS
| RANK | BOATER NAME/HOMETOWN | BASS | WEIGHT | AWARD |
| 1st | Jeremy Talbert of Albemarle, N.C. | 5 | 17-11 | $5,582 |
| 2nd | Ron Wolfarth of Oakboro, N.C. | 5 | 17-6 | $3,686 |
| 3rd | Brandon McLeod of Spring Lake, N.C. | 5 | 17-5 | $1,861 |
| 4th | Cody Hoyle of Rutherfordton, N.C. | 5 | 17-0 | $1,302 |
| 5th | Jay Rigney of Danville, Va. | 5 | 16-2 | $1,116 |
| 6th | Tyler Purcell of Townsville, N.C. | 5 | 15-13 | $1,023 |
| 7th | Billy Medlin of Raleigh, N.C. | 5 | 15-9 | $930 |
| 8th | Rodney Sorrell of Stokesdale, N.C. | 5 | 15-7 | $837 |
| 9th | Chad Poteat of Mount Airy, N.C. | 5 | 15-6 | $897 |
| 9th | David Wright of Lexington, N.C. | 5 | 15-6 | $1,197 |
| RANK | STRIKE KING CO-ANGLER NAME/HOMETOWN | BASS | WEIGHT | AWARD |
| 1st | Mike Shatley of North Wilkesboro, N.C. | 5 | 15-6 | $2,791 |
| 2nd | Charles Wood of Thomasville, N.C. | 5 | 15-3 | $1,395 |
| 3rd | Lee McConnell of Lewisville, N.C. | 5 | 13-13 | $931 |
| 4th | Drake Sturgill of Lincolnton, N.C. | 5 | 13-9 | $604 |
| 4th | Steve Cannon of Wilkesboro, N.C. | 4 | 13-9 | $604 |
| 6th | Eric Stanbery of Lewisville, N.C. | 5 | 13-2 | $738 |
| 6th | Bryson Perry of China Grove, N.C. | 5 | 13-2 | $488 |
| 8th | Dale Surrett of Midland, N.C. | 5 | 12-0 | $419 |
| 9th | William Lane of Midlothian, Va. | 5 | 11-12 | $372 |
| 10th | Troy Gerardi of Stem, N.C. | 5 | 11-9 | $326 |
CONTINGENCY AWARDS
| AWARD | NAME | CONTINGENCY | PAYOUT |
| Boater Berkley Big Bass | Ron Wolfarth of Oakboro, N.C. | 5-pound, 9-ounce bass | $895 |
| Strike King Co-Angler Berkley Big Bass | Jonathan White of Hudson, N.C. | 5-pound, 7-ounce bass | $447 |
| Phoenix MLF BIG5 Bonus | David Wright of Lexington, N.C. | Eligible Phoenix Boat* | $500 |
* Boaters are eligible to win up to an extra $7,000 per event in each Phoenix Bass Fishing League presented by T-H Marine tournament if all requirements are met. More information on the Phoenix MLF BIG5 Bonus contingency program can be found at PhoenixBassBoats.com.
WINNING BAITS
| ANGLER | BAITS | COLOR |
| Boater | - N/A | N/A |
| Strike King Co-Angler | - N/A | N/A |
2021 QUALIFICATION OPPORTUNITIES
| EVENT | DATE | LOCATION | HOST |
| North Carolina Division – Phoenix Bass Fishing League Regional Championship | Oct. 14-16 | Lake Murray, Columbia, S.C. | Capital City Lake Murray Country |
| Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American | June 3-5 | Douglas Lake, Dandridge, Tenn. | Jefferson County Department of Tourism |
The 2021 MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League presented by T-H Marine is a 24-division circuit devoted to weekend anglers, with 128 tournaments throughout the season, five qualifying events in each division. The top 45 boaters and Strike King co-anglers from each division, along with the five winners of the qualifying events, will advance to one of six Phoenix Bass Fishing League Regional Championships. Boaters will compete for a $60,000 prize package, including a new Phoenix 819 Pro bass boat with a 200-horsepower Mercury outboard and $10,000, while Strike King co-anglers will fish for a new Phoenix 819 Pro bass boat with a 200-horsepower Mercury s outboard.
The top six finishers in each regional will then qualify for one of the longest-running championships in all of competitive bass fishing – the Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American.
The top 45 boaters and Strike King co-anglers plus tournament winners from each Phoenix Bass Fishing League division will also earn priority entry into the Toyota Series, the pathway to the Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit and ultimately the MLF Bass Pro Tour.
For complete details and updated information visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow the Phoenix Bass Fishing League presented by T-H Marine on MLF’s social media outlets at Facebook , Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.
BassChamps Rayburn Double-Header Slugfest!!
Norris & Blakelock win a slugfest on day one of the Rayburn Double Header & Take home over $21,000 with 30.43 lbs.Click here to see full results
Lance Duff & Cole Costlow bring in over 35 lbs
to win $20,200 on day two at Rayburn.
34 bags over 20 lbs.
Click here to see full results
