MLF to Delay REDCREST start by One Day due to inclement weather.
FLINT, Texas (Feb. 15, 2021) – Major League Fishing announced today that the dates for REDCREST 2021 presented by Old Wisconsin Sausage, the Bass Pro Tour Championship, has been delayed one day due to inclement weather in the region. The championship event, scheduled to start on Sunday, Feb. 21, has been postponed one day to allow for safer travel conditions. The tournament will now take place Monday through Friday, Feb. 22-26, on Lake Palestine in Flint. The practice day for the anglers will now be on Sunday, Feb. 21.
“The safety of our anglers and their families, our staff, our sponsors and our fans are priority number one,” said Michael Mulone, MLF Senior Director of Events & Partnerships. “With the tough weather conditions that a large part of our country is currently facing, we made the decision to postpone the start of the event by one day to allow everyone an extra day to safely travel to the event. The competition will start on Monday and we look forward to a very successful championship tournament.”
All 40 Anglers will compete on Days 1 (Monday) and 2 (Tuesday) of the event. After two days of competition, the field is cut to just the top 20 based on two-day total cumulative weight. The remaining 20 anglers are split into two groups – 10 compete on Day 3 (Wednesday) and 10 compete on Day 4 (Thursday). The top five anglers from each group based on total single-day weight will advance to the sixth and final day of competition (Friday), where weights are zeroed and the angler that catches the highest total weight on the final day will be crowned the REDCREST 2021 champion.
Due to COVID-19 protocols, attendance at the tournament is limited to competing anglers, essential staff and media covering the event. Fans are encouraged to follow the event online through the MLF NOW!® live stream and SCORETRACKER® coverage at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
The MLF NOW!® broadcast team of Chad McKee, Marty Stone and J.T. Kenney will break down the extended action on all five 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.
For complete details and updated information on REDCREST 2021, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF’s social media outlets at Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube .
Skeet Reese Brings Home the Win at Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit on Lake Okeechobee
CLEWISTON, Fla. (Feb. 14, 2021) – General Tire pro Skeet Reese of Auburn, California, already had a stacked resume when he crossed the stage on Sunday at the Major League Fishing Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit Presented by Bad Boy Mowers, 13 Fishing Stop 1 – Lake Okeechobee in Clewiston, Florida. With 10 career victories, a 2007 Elite Series Angler of the Year title and a 2009 Bassmaster Classic championship, Reese is one of the top 5 tournament money-winners of all-time with more than $3.4 million in earnings. Reese added another monumental victory to the Major League Fishing (MLF) record books and is bringing a $100,000 check and a big trophy back home to California.
The win brought the 2019 merger of FLW (now known as the MLF BIG5) and MLF full circle and was a moment that marked the significance of the unity that now exists between the blended MLF family.
Reese weighed a five-bass limit on Sunday totaling a whopping 27 pounds, 9 ounces, to win by a 7-pound, 9-ounce margin over fellow Bass Pro Tour angler Chris Lane of Guntersville, Alabama. Lane weighed in five bass for 20 pounds, 1 ounce, including an 8-pound, 13-ounce giant, which carried him to a second place finish on the final day of competition.
“This feels really good,” said an emotional Reese. “I’ve had some tough fishing the last few years and to be able to come back and win; it is recognition that my new mindset and hard work paid off. Everybody who fishes tournaments does it to win and to be able to do it against this level of competition, with this big of a field – it’s priceless.”
Reese said he mixed up his approach each day and alternated between two key lures for the win, a 6″ Berkley PowerBait The General and an unnamed green-pumpkin-colored vibrating jig with a Berkley PowerBait The Deal in the Skeet’s green money-color serving as the trailer.
“The first day, I focused on the isolated clumps of reeds that were a little deeper,” said Reese. “I targeted water that was four feet deep because all of the shallower stuff was getting so much pressure. I stayed out a little further from the bank on the isolated pencil reeds and caught a few good ones the second day by pitching The General on a 5/O hook with a ¼-ounce weight on 25-pound-test Berkley Trilene 100% fluorocarbon.”
On the second day, Reese said he opted to stay solely off the bank and was able to catch a 21-pound bag that included the day’s biggest bass, an 8-pound, 8-ounce giant.
The final two days offered vastly different weather conditions, with wind speeds picking up throughout the lake. Reese said this caused him to make a change to the vibrating jig and helped him seal the win.
“It got too windy and made it hard to flip and pitch The General,” Reese said. “I also think it moved some of those fish out a little deeper. On the final day, it seemed like every big female was set up out in the open.”
Reese said the area had cleaner water and he felt it offered him the best chance to get multiple bites.
“I maximized what little I had and fished it all four days,” he continued. “I was trying to be in an area and get as many bites as I could. I never thought I was on the winning fish this week. I’m a believer that everything happens for a reason.”
The top 10 pros on Lake Okeechobee finished:
2nd: Chris Lane, Guntersville, Ala., 20 bass, 75-5, $30,000
3rd: Jim Neece, Jr., Bristol, Tenn., 20 bass, 74-2, $25,000
4th: Dicky Newberry, Houston, Texas, 20 bass, 72-12, $20,000
5th: Bill McDonald, Greenwood, Ind., 20 bass, 71-0, $19,000
6th: Miles Burghoff, Soddy-Daisy, Tenn., 20 bass, 70-11, $18,200
7th: Pete Ponds, Madison, Miss., 20 bass, 66-7, $17,000
8th: Ryan Salzman, Huntsville, Ala., 20 bass, 64-3, $16,000
9th: Cole Floyd, Leesburg, Ohio, 20 bass, 63-14, $15,000
10th: Anthony Gagliardi, Prosperity, S.C., 20 bass, 63-2, $14,000
Overall, there were 50 bass weighing 173 pounds, 5 ounces caught by the final 10 pros on Sunday. All 10 weighed in a five-bass limit.
The Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit Presented by Bad Boy Mowers, 13 Fishing Stop 1 – Lake Okeechobee’s two-hour action-packed television show will premiere on the Outdoor Channel on Sunday, July 11 from 7 to 9 a.m. ET and re-air on the Sportsman Channel this fall.
The Major League Fishing Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit Presented by Bad Boy Mowers, 13 Fishing Stop 1 – Lake Okeechobee was hosted by the Hendry County Tourism Development Council and Roland & Mary Ann Martin’s Marina & Resort. The next event for Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit anglers will be the Major League Fishing Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit presented by Bad Boy Mowers, Covercraft Stop 2 – Smith Lake , Mar. 11-14, in Cullman, Alabama. The tournament will be hosted by the Cullman Area Local Organizing Committee.
In Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit competition, the full field of 163 anglers competed in the two-day opening round on Thursday and Friday. The top 50 pros based on their two-day cumulative weight advanced to fish on Saturday. Only the top 10 pros continued competition on Sunday, with the winner determined by the heaviest accumulated weight from the four days of competition.
Throughout the season, anglers are also vying for valuable points in hopes of qualifying for the 2021 Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit TITLE presented by Mercury, the Pro Circuit Championship, where they will compete for up to $235,000. The 2021 TITLE will be on the Mississippi River in La Crosse, Wisconsin on Aug. 17-22, and is hosted by Explore La Crosse.
For complete details and updated information visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow the Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit presented by Bad Boy Mowers on the MLF BIG5’s social media outlets at Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.
New Notches Victory In Bassmaster Elite Series Debut At St. Johns River
Bryan New, of Belmont, N.C., has won the 2021 AFTCO Bassmaster Elite at St. Johns River with a four-day total of 79 pounds, 7 ounces.
Photo by Seigo Saito/B.A.S.S.
February 14, 2021
PALATKA, Fla. — Bryan New launched his rookie season in blockbuster form by topping a stout field of well-established finalists and winning the AFTCO Bassmaster Elite at St. Johns River with a four-day total of 79 pounds, 7 ounces.
Starting Championship Sunday in sixth place, New trailed Day 3 leader and rising star Patrick Walters by 5-7. Saving his best for last, New posted the event’s second-heaviest bag, 26-4, and edged Elite veteran Greg Hackney by a margin of 9-9. For his efforts, New earned $101,000.
New caught most of his fish out of lily pads, but he found a few keepers over main-river shellbars about halfway between Palatka and Dunn’s Creek, which connects to Crescent Lake. Targeting bars in about 5 to 7 feet, he fished a Berkley Warpig lipless crankbait in the bleeding shiner color with a slow yo-yoing technique.
“That wasn’t a winning-fish deal, but without those fish, I don’t win this tournament,” New said.
The pads that produced the bulk of his weight were located at the lower end of Lake George. Fishing 5-inch black and blue Zoom Zlinky worms Texas-rigged on a 5/0 Berkley Fusion hook with a 1/8- and 1/4-ounce weights, New said he focused on isolated pads.
“I fished dense pads too, but I definitely liked the sparse pads for multiple reasons,” he said. “First, on an isolated target, it’s easier to pick out where the fish are sitting and they have more light penetration. That’s important for the spawning fish I was targeting.”
The key, New said, was a meticulous presentation that maximized every aspect of his target area.
“You don’t just have one target on each cast; sometimes you’ll have 10 targets on each cast,” he said. “You can feel the sweet spots. You can feel a little rough patch on the bottom where there’s a bed or you can feel the hard spot of the root. Sometimes, you can even feel a little depression.
“I’ve always heard that slow and steady wins the race,” New said. “That’s not always my style, but I can do it.”
New caught good numbers the first three days. Day 1, which was shortened by a three-hour fog delay, yielded 12 pounds and put him in 22nd place. The second day, he added 20-3 and rose to ninth before securing his Championship Sunday berth with a Day 3 limit of 21 pounds, which pushed him up to sixth.
Following the Day 3 weigh-in, New said he’d approach Championship Sunday focused on getting the big bites. On Sunday, he caught four in the 5-pound class and another over 4.
New qualified for the Elites by winning the Falcon Rods Bassmaster Opens Angler of the Year title, an accomplishment that began with a win at his first 2020 tournament — the Basspro.com Bassmaster Eastern Open on Florida’s Kissimmee Chain.
Before the St. Johns event began, New stated that his 2021 goals included winning Bassmaster Angler of the Year — not only Rookie of the Year — and winning the Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic presented by Huk, which is set for June 11-13 on Lake Ray Roberts.
New summarized his Elite debut: “I have a pretty good start!”
Hackney committed his tournament to fishing cypress trees on Lake George’s east side. He caught 12-7 on Day 1 and placed 19th and then rose to third on Day 2 by adding 22-10. He’d improve to second on Day 3 and held that final position with weights of 23-6 and 11-7.
Returning to the Elites after a two-year break, the Gonzales, La., pro caught all of his fish on a junebug-colored Strike King Rage Bug rigged on a 5/0 Hack Attack Flipping hook with a 1/4-ounce Tour Grade Tungsten weight.
“There’s not any cover left in the lake (2017’s Hurricane Irma killed the eelgrass) and this was one of the few areas that had enough depth and enough protection from the elements for those lake fish to spawn on.
“There’s only a handful of docks and cypress trees in the lake and I spent one whole day in practice fishing all the way around (Lake George). I knew this was the area of the lake where the biggest population of fish lived and I knew where they used to spawn. I just looked for anything that was close by.”
Seth Feider of New Market, Minn., finished third with 69-6. He turned in daily weights of 8-3, 18-8, 25-8 and 17-3.
Derek Hudnall of Denham Springs, La., and Brandon Palaniuk of Rathdrum, Idaho, split the event’s Phoenix Boats Big Bass award of $1,000 for their 9-pound, 8-ounce fish. Hudnall won $1,000 for the big bass of Day 1, while Palaniuk claimed the Day 2 award. Wes Logan of Springville, Ala., won the Day 3 award with his 8-8 and New won the Day 4 award with his 5-14.
2020 Bassmaster Classic champion Hank Cherry of Lincolnton, N.C., took home $3,000 for being the highest-placing entrant in the Toyota Bonus Bucks program, and Cliff Prince of Palatka, Fla., earned $2,000 for being the second-highest placing entrant.
2021 AFTCO Bassmaster Elite at St. Johns River 2/11-2/14
St. Johns River, Palatka, FL
(PROFESSIONAL) Standings Day 4
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Pts Total $$$
1. Bryan New Belmont, NC 20 79-07 100 $101,000.00
Day 1: 5 12-00 Day 2: 5 20-03 Day 3: 5 21-00 Day 4: 5 26-04
2. Greg Hackney Gonzales, LA 20 69-14 99 $35,000.00
Day 1: 5 12-07 Day 2: 5 22-10 Day 3: 5 23-06 Day 4: 5 11-07
3. Seth Feider New Market, MN 20 69-06 98 $30,000.00
Day 1: 5 08-03 Day 2: 5 18-08 Day 3: 5 25-08 Day 4: 5 17-03
4. Patrick Walters Summerville, SC 20 68-13 97 $25,000.00
Day 1: 5 13-03 Day 2: 5 19-00 Day 3: 5 26-07 Day 4: 5 10-03
5. Mark Menendez Paducah, KY 20 67-05 96 $20,000.00
Day 1: 5 16-02 Day 2: 5 17-05 Day 3: 5 17-08 Day 4: 5 16-06
6. Hank Cherry Jr Lincolnton, NC 18 66-05 95 $19,000.00
Day 1: 3 12-14 Day 2: 5 17-01 Day 3: 5 23-07 Day 4: 5 12-15
7. Cliff Prince Palatka, FL 20 66-02 94 $18,000.00
Day 1: 5 17-12 Day 2: 5 14-12 Day 3: 5 21-01 Day 4: 5 12-09
8. Bryan Schmitt Deale, MD 20 64-08 93 $17,000.00
Day 1: 5 15-08 Day 2: 5 15-08 Day 3: 5 21-11 Day 4: 5 11-13
9. Derek Hudnall Denham Springs, LA 20 63-03 92 $17,500.00
Day 1: 5 22-05 Day 2: 5 16-00 Day 3: 5 15-04 Day 4: 5 09-10
10. Gary Clouse Winchester, TN 14 54-01 91 $15,000.00
Day 1: 5 25-12 Day 2: 5 19-05 Day 3: 2 06-04 Day 4: 2 02-12
MLF Shifts Dates of Toyota Series Central Opener
Originally Scheduled for Feb. 16-18, Toyota Series Central Opener moves to Feb. 17-19
GUNTERSVILLE, Ala. (Feb. 14, 2021) – Major League Fishing, the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization, announced today that due to inclement weather in the region, the organization will shift the dates for the Toyota Series presented by A.R.E. at Lake Guntersville presented by Googan Baits . The Central division presented by Neat Companies’ season kickoff was originally scheduled Tuesday through Thursday, Feb. 16-18, but has been postponed one day to allow for safer travel conditions. The tournament will now take place Wednesday through Friday, Feb. 17-19, in Guntersville, Alabama.
Anglers will take off daily at 6:30 a.m. CT from Lake Guntersville State Park in Guntersville. Weigh-ins will also be held at the park and will begin at 2:30 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.
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.
Tennessee’s Neece Reclaims Lead at Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit on Lake Okeechobee
Tennessee rookie Jim Neece, Jr., who led the tournament on Day One, brought a limit of 18 pounds, 2 ounces to the scale on Saturday, moving back into the lead after dropping to 3rd place on Day Two. Neece’s three-day total of 56 pounds, 11 ounces gives him a slim 10-ounce advantage over pro Miles Burghoff of Soddy-Daisy, Tennessee, who dropped to 2nd place with a limit worth 13 pounds, 2 ounces, for a three-day total of 56 pounds, 1 ounce.
Bass Pro Tour angler Skeet Reese of Auburn, California, (55-5), and pros Bill McDonald of Greenwood, Indiana, (55-4) and Chris Lane of Guntersville, Alabama, (55-4) round out the top five.
Pro Cole Floyd of Leesburg, Ohio, made a jump from 15th place into 8th, while pro Ryan Salzman of Huntsville, Alabama , made a dramatic leap from 49th, into the 10th and final qualifying spot.
Neece said catching a 7-pound kicker early helped him get the day started in the right direction.
“That 7-pounder was the first bite of the day,” said Neece. “About an hour later, I lost one that was even bigger – it straightened out my hook.”
He said the fish he needs to win are in his area, north of King’s Bar, and he plans to go back again to vie for the win on Sunday.
“I’ve been in the same place all week, but have had to switch baits to get bites,” Neece said. “The first two days, I mainly fished a Zoom Ultra Vibe Speed Worm and a frog, but they just weren’t biting them as well today.”
Due to the changing weather, Neece said he decided to fish a vibrating jig Saturday, which helped him put together his limit.
“I had to switch it up because of all of the wind in my area,” he said. “Today, the [vibrating jig] was the key.”
The top 10 pros after Day Three on Lake Okeechobee are:
2nd: Miles Burghoff, Soddy-Daisy, Tenn., 15 bass, 56-1
3rd: Skeet Reese, Auburn, Calif., 15 bass, 55-5
4th: Bill McDonald, Greenwood, Ind., 15 bass, 55-4
5th: Chris Lane, Guntersville, Ala., 15 bass, 55-4
6th: Dicky Newberry, Houston, Texas, 15 bass, 53-6
7th: Pete Ponds, Madison, Miss., 15 bass, 50-15
8th: Cole Floyd, Leesburg, Ohio, 15 bass, 49-15
9th: Anthony Gagliardi, Prosperity, S.C., 15 bass, 49-13
10th: Ryan Salzman, Huntsville, Ala., 15 bass, 48-7
12th: Bobby Lane, Lakeland, Fla., 15 bass, 46-9, $11,000
13th: Brandon McMillan, Clewiston, Fla., 15 bass, 46-8, $11,000
14th: Justin Lucas, Guntersville, Ala., 14 bass, 46-0, $11,000
15th: Kurt Mitchell, Milford, Del., 15 bass, 46-0, $11,000
16th: Jason Vance, Battle Ground, Ind., 15 bass, 45-5, $11,000
17th: Mike Surman, Boca Raton, Fla., 15 bass, 44-13, $11,000
18th: Robert Nakatomi, Sacramento, Calif., 15 bass, 44-1, $11,000
19th: Dylan Hays, Hot Springs, Ark., 15 bass, 43-4, $11,000
20th: Clabion Johns, Social Circle, Ga., 15 bass, 43-1, $11,000
Overall, there were 238 bass weighing 603 pounds, 5 ounces caught by 50 pros on Saturday, which included 42 five-bass limits.
The Major League Fishing Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit Presented by Bad Boy Mowers, 13 Fishing Stop 1 – Lake Okeechobee is hosted by the Hendry County Tourism Development Council and Roland & Mary Ann Martin’s Marina & Resort.
In Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit competition, the full field of 162 anglers competed in the two-day opening round on Thursday and Friday. The field was cut to 50 anglers on Saturday. Now, the top 10 pros based on their three-day cumulative weight advance to Sunday where the winner will be determined by the heaviest accumulated weight from all four days of competition.
Throughout the season, anglers are also vying for valuable points in hopes of qualifying for the 2021 Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit TITLE presented by Mercury, the Pro Circuit Championship, where they will compete for up to $235,000. The 2021 TITLE will be on the Mississippi River in La Crosse, Wisconsin on Aug. 17-22, and is hosted by Explore La Crosse.
Anglers will take off at 7:30 a.m. ET on Sunday from Roland and Mary Ann Martin’s Marina and Resort, located at 920 E. Del Monte Ave. in Clewiston. Weigh-in will also be held at the marina on Sunday at 3 p.m. Attendance is limited to competing anglers, family, essential staff and media covering the event. Fans are encouraged to follow the action online through the MLF NOW! live stream and coverage at MajorLeagueFishing.com .
The Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit Presented by Bad Boy Mowers, 13 Fishing Stop 1 – Lake Okeechobee will feature live on-the-water coverage and a two-hour action-packed television show that will premiere on the Outdoor Channel on Sunday, July 11 from 7 to 9 a.m. ET and re-air on the Sportsman Channel this fall. Weigh-in will be streamed and fans can catch live on-the-water action all day Sunday, Feb. 14 on MLF NOW! beginning at 8 a.m. ET at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
For complete details and updated information visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow the Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit presented by Bad Boy Mowers on the MLF BIG5’s social media outlets at Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.
With Run To Rodman, Walters Takes Lead At Bassmaster Elite On St. Johns River
Patrick Walters, of Summerville, S.C., is leading after Day 3 of the 2021 AFTCO Bassmaster Elite at St. Johns River with a three-day total of 58 pounds, 10 ounces.
Photo by Seigo Saito/B.A.S.S.
February 13, 2021
PALATKA, Fla. — For three days, the question lingered: would Rodman Reservoir play a significant role in the AFTCO Bassmaster Elite at St. Johns River. Today, Patrick Walters of Summerville, S.C., erased any doubt with a five-bass limit of 26 pounds, 7 ounces that gave him the lead with a three-day total of 58-10.
Walters enters Championship Sunday with a 3-ounce lead over Greg Hackney of Gonzales, La.
“Rodman didn’t play two years ago, and it didn’t play last year because (it was in a drawdown). So, I thought it has to be good this year,” Walters said. “I flipped a coin on it and it worked.
“The biggest thing is the time constraint. We need enough time to fish and to come back.”
Located south of Palatka, Rodman is technically upriver, as the St. Johns flows south to north. Covering about 9,500 acres, the reservoir offers an abundance of standing timber and stumps as well as various bank vegetation and floating mats. Anglers access Rodman through a canal and lock west of the river.
With the St. Johns fishery still suffering from massive eelgrass loss suffered during Hurricane Irma in 2017, anglers have been spending more time exploring tributaries and connected lakes. Today, stumps and pads produced all of Walters’ fish.
While Rodman’s timber was reminiscent of Walters’ dominant Lake Fork victory at the 2020 Toyota Bassmaster Texas Fest benefitting Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, Walters said this week he’s found the bass are in a different stage now.
“I’m using my electronics and I’m catching some fish jerking, but they’re setting up differently,” he said. “These fish are starting to spawn and I’m catching them in transition.
“In practice, they were in the standing timber, but they transitioned up shallow to about 5 feet.”
Walters was not alone in Rodman, but he’s put together the most successful performance. After placing 15th on Day 1 with 13-3, he improved to 10th with a Day 2 limit of 19-0. Today’s bag of 26-7 was the event’s largest catch.
Walters said he executed on his day’s game plan, but he had to chuckle when relating the tale of incidentally finding himself in a productive stretch.
“I was fishing a little stump field and I said ‘I’m going to fish to that little grass mat over there and then I’m going to leave,” Walters explained. “That mat was maybe 100 yards away and as I’m fishing to it, I keep looking up and thinking ‘How have I not made it to that mat?’
“Turns out it was floating and I probably caught eight fish while I was trying to reach it. I just kept working to it and it kept drifting away.”
Walters caught most of his bass on a mix of jerkbaits, which he rotated based on sky conditions and water clarity. He also caught keepers on a Zoom Zlinky and a Fluke Stick. For the plastics, he used Texas-rigging and Neko-rigging techniques.
“I thought I was going to catch them pretty quick this morning with that cloud cover because, in practice, they bit when it was cloudy and rainy; but I started super slow,” Walters said. “Once that sun started peeking out around 10:30, I started catching them.
“The biggest fish I caught was the last spot I hit in Rodman — five minutes before the lock closed. I wanted to hit this stump yesterday, but I would have been late for the lock. So I said, ‘Just save it for (Day 3).’ On my first cast, I caught my 7-pounder on a jerkbait.”
Hackney caught 12-7 on Day 1 to place 19th, then climbed to third on Day 2 with 22-10. On Saturday, he turned in his best effort — a limit of 23-6 — and tallied 58-7.
Hackney committed the majority of his day to a 1/2-mile stretch of cypress shoreline on the east side of Lake George. This habitat, he said, filled the void left by the eelgrass decline.
“Those fish don’t have the stuff they used to have, so that was the next best thing,” he said. “I knew if they lived in the area, that’s where they’d have to spawn.”
Amid the vast cypress habitat, Hackney targeted high spots where bass were most likely to bed. He caught all of his fish on a Strike King Rage Bug (junebug color), Texas rigged on a 5/0 Hack Attack flipping hook and a 1/4-ounce Tour Grade tungsten sinker.
“I was using 25-pound fluorocarbon because I wanted some stretch,” Hackney said. “That water was so shallow, sometimes, you can rip the bait out of their mouth with braid.”
Derek Hudnall of Denham Springs, La., is in third place with 53-9. He placed second on Day 1 with 22-5 and held that spot with a second-round limit of 16-0. Hudnall added 15-4 Saturday.
Returning to a spawning area near Astor (south of Lake George) where he’d fished the previous two days, Hudnall fared well by skipping a wacky-rigged Missile Baits 48 into gaps amid shoreline vegetation. On Friday and Saturday, he lost several key fish that were clearly in bed-guarding mode.
“When they’re spawning, they’re not eating; they’re protecting, so they don’t typically get it really deep,” Hudnall said. “I spent about two hours in my main area and caught a 6-pounder on my first cast and then a couple of little ones.
“It became obvious that this area was gone. I started running new water and filled out my limit in the river while I was running back.”
Hudnall and Brandon Palaniuk of Rathdrum, Idaho, are tied for the lead in the race for Phoenix Boats Big Bass honors at 9-8 each.
The Top 10 remaining anglers will take off at 7 a.m. ET from Palatka City Docks. The weigh-in will be held at the Palatka Riverfront Park at 3 p.m. The winner will earn $100,000 and one of the coveted blue trophies awarded to every Elite Series winner.
FS1 will broadcast live from the tournament beginning at 8 a.m. Coverage of the event can be streamed on Bassmaster.com and the FOX Sports digital platforms.
2021 AFTCO Bassmaster Elite at St. Johns River 2/11-2/14
St. Johns River, Palatka, FL
(PROFESSIONAL) Standings Day 3
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Pts Total $$$
1. Patrick Walters Summerville, SC 15 58-10 100
Day 1: 5 13-03 Day 2: 5 19-00 Day 3: 5 26-07
2. Greg Hackney Gonzales, LA 15 58-07 99
Day 1: 5 12-07 Day 2: 5 22-10 Day 3: 5 23-06
3. Derek Hudnall Denham Springs, LA 15 53-09 98 $1,000.00
Day 1: 5 22-05 Day 2: 5 16-00 Day 3: 5 15-04
4. Cliff Prince Palatka, FL 15 53-09 97
Day 1: 5 17-12 Day 2: 5 14-12 Day 3: 5 21-01
5. Hank Cherry Jr Lincolnton, NC 13 53-06 96
Day 1: 3 12-14 Day 2: 5 17-01 Day 3: 5 23-07
6. Bryan New Belmont, NC 15 53-03 95
Day 1: 5 12-00 Day 2: 5 20-03 Day 3: 5 21-00
7. Bryan Schmitt Deale, MD 15 52-11 94
Day 1: 5 15-08 Day 2: 5 15-08 Day 3: 5 21-11
8. Seth Feider New Market, MN 15 52-03 93
Day 1: 5 08-03 Day 2: 5 18-08 Day 3: 5 25-08
9. Gary Clouse Winchester, TN 12 51-05 92
Day 1: 5 25-12 Day 2: 5 19-05 Day 3: 2 06-04
10. Mark Menendez Paducah, KY 15 50-15 91
Day 1: 5 16-02 Day 2: 5 17-05 Day 3: 5 17-08
11. Mike Huff Corbin, KY 15 50-14 90 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 12-08 Day 2: 5 19-14 Day 3: 5 18-08
12. Brandon Lester Fayetteville, TN 13 50-04 89 $10,000.00
Day 1: 3 07-05 Day 2: 5 21-12 Day 3: 5 21-03
13. Matt Herren Ashville, AL 15 50-02 88 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 16-09 Day 2: 5 17-03 Day 3: 5 16-06
14. Brandon Palaniuk Rathdrum, ID 14 49-15 87 $11,000.00
Day 1: 4 07-04 Day 2: 5 18-00 Day 3: 5 24-11
15. Wes Logan Springville, AL 15 49-06 86 $11,000.00
Day 1: 5 10-06 Day 2: 5 21-02 Day 3: 5 17-14
16. Caleb Kuphall Mukwonago, WI 15 48-11 85 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 13-04 Day 2: 5 16-09 Day 3: 5 18-14
17. Cory Johnston Cavan CANADA 15 48-07 84 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 17-15 Day 2: 5 14-00 Day 3: 5 16-08
18. Joshua Stracner Vandiver, AL 15 47-14 83 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 16-02 Day 2: 5 14-15 Day 3: 5 16-13
19. Keith Combs Huntington, TX 15 47-13 82 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 09-08 Day 2: 5 17-04 Day 3: 5 21-01
20. Clent Davis Montevallo, AL 15 47-08 81 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 06-04 Day 2: 5 21-05 Day 3: 5 19-15
21. Carl Jocumsen Queensland TN AUSTRALIA 15 43-10 80 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 18-02 Day 2: 5 11-10 Day 3: 5 13-14
22. Brian Snowden Reeds Spring, MO 12 43-06 79 $10,000.00
Day 1: 2 03-06 Day 2: 5 23-08 Day 3: 5 16-08
23. Drew Cook Cairo, GA 15 43-06 78 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 11-01 Day 2: 5 19-00 Day 3: 5 13-05
24. Jeff Gustafson Keewatin Ontario CANADA 15 42-12 77 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 09-14 Day 2: 5 19-10 Day 3: 5 13-04
25. Gerald Swindle Guntersville, AL 15 42-06 76 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 12-07 Day 2: 5 16-00 Day 3: 5 13-15
26. Justin Hamner Northport, AL 15 42-00 75 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 10-08 Day 2: 5 16-14 Day 3: 5 14-10
27. Drew Benton Blakely, GA 15 41-08 74 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 09-08 Day 2: 5 18-05 Day 3: 5 13-11
28. Buddy Gross Chickamauga, GA 15 41-05 73 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 16-05 Day 2: 5 17-00 Day 3: 5 08-00
29. KJ Queen Catawba, NC 15 41-05 72 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 11-10 Day 2: 5 13-11 Day 3: 5 16-00
30. Ed Loughran III Richmond, VA 13 41-01 71 $10,000.00
Day 1: 3 07-00 Day 2: 5 17-01 Day 3: 5 17-00
31. Randy Pierson Oakdale, CA 14 41-00 70 $10,000.00
Day 1: 4 11-10 Day 2: 5 11-04 Day 3: 5 18-02
32. Luke Palmer Coalgate, OK 15 40-08 69 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 07-08 Day 2: 5 16-15 Day 3: 5 16-01
33. Stetson Blaylock Benton, AR 14 40-01 68 $10,000.00
Day 1: 4 11-11 Day 2: 5 13-11 Day 3: 5 14-11
34. Chris Johnston Otonabee Ontario CANADA 15 39-13 67 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 12-06 Day 2: 5 11-09 Day 3: 5 15-14
35. Bill Weidler Helena, AL 15 39-08 66 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 14-13 Day 2: 5 15-03 Day 3: 5 09-08
36. Micah Frazier Newnan, GA 13 38-08 65 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 14-00 Day 2: 5 12-02 Day 3: 3 12-06
37. John Cox Debary, FL 13 38-07 64 $10,000.00
Day 1: 3 07-01 Day 2: 5 15-07 Day 3: 5 15-15
38. Darold Gleason Many, LA 15 37-08 63 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 11-09 Day 2: 5 10-13 Day 3: 5 15-02
39. Austin Felix Eden Prairie, MN 15 37-03 62 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 12-08 Day 2: 5 12-11 Day 3: 5 12-00
40. Bernie Schultz Gainesville, FL 13 36-13 61 $10,000.00
Day 1: 3 06-02 Day 2: 5 19-13 Day 3: 5 10-14
41. Brad Whatley Bivins, TX 15 36-12 60 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 06-12 Day 2: 5 16-04 Day 3: 5 13-12
42. Quentin Cappo Prairieville, LA 15 35-04 59 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 08-07 Day 2: 5 17-04 Day 3: 5 09-09
43. Matt Arey Shelby, NC 15 35-02 58 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 09-13 Day 2: 5 14-05 Day 3: 5 11-00
44. Rob Digh Denver, NC 15 34-01 57 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 08-14 Day 2: 5 15-08 Day 3: 5 09-11
45. Justin Atkins Florence, AL 13 34-00 56 $10,000.00
Day 1: 3 05-09 Day 2: 5 17-01 Day 3: 5 11-06
46. Hunter Shryock Ooltewah, TN 15 33-12 55 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 11-04 Day 2: 5 12-06 Day 3: 5 10-02
47. Kyle Welcher Opelika, AL 15 32-11 54 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 10-07 Day 2: 5 12-12 Day 3: 5 09-08
48. Brandon Cobb Greenwood, SC 14 32-04 53 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 11-06 Day 2: 5 12-04 Day 3: 4 08-10
49. Kenta Kimura Osaka JAPAN 10 32-01 52 $10,000.00
Day 1: 3 05-02 Day 2: 5 20-04 Day 3: 2 06-11
50. Lee Livesay Longview, TX 10 22-09 51 $5,000.00
Day 1: 5 08-04 Day 2: 5 14-05 Day 3: 0 00-00
Lester: St. Johns is Constantly Changing
Courtesy of Luke Stoner - Dynamic Sponsorships
The St. Johns River has been a staple of the Bassmaster Elite Series schedule the past decade, but history can seemingly haunt you on this iconic Florida fishery. Just ask Brandon Lester, who has an impressive resume when competing on this body of water, but swears he has never caught fish in the same area in any of his five trips to Palatka.
Due to factors such as weather, disappearing aquatic vegetation, and water quality Lester believes it’s best to have a short memory when he launches his boat on the St. Johns.
“Every single year we fish here this place is different,” Lester said. “I used to focus exclusively on eel grass when we came here and posted some good finishes doing so. The last two years I’ve caught my fish on more traditional river fishing pieces of hard cover like docks, seas walls, and even wood.”
The Elites have started their season on the St. Johns the past two years and the first day of competition has proved less than desirable for the Team Toyota pro. In 2020 Lester bounced back with a 20-pound five fish limit on day two after a dismal first day. Yesterday Lester rallied with a similar result after bringing nearly 22-pounds of feisty Florida largemouth to the scales.
Throughout his career Lester has proven to be incredibly consistent, so his day one struggles on the St. Johns the past two years has been a bit perplexing to Bassmaster fans and Lester alike. When I asked him why he thinks that’s been the case, the even-keeled Tennesee pro answered with, “change.”
“This place not only changes year to year, but day to day,” Lester explained. “You might find the mother load one day in practice only to find they are gone the next morning. It can be frustrating, but that’s part of the game. One thing that hasn’t changed for me on the St. Johns is it seems I have to fish at a snails pace to really catch them.”
That logic was on full display yesterday when Lester milked one little area for one of the biggest bags of fish of the day. Using a wacky-rigged soft plastic on a #2 Mustad TitanX Neko Hook Lester fished slow and in return moved up the leaderboard fast, entering today in 21st place.
During the brief fog delay before competition began this morning Lester was all smiles. The weather forecast in Tennessee is currently calling for snow as opposed to the 70-degree weather Elite pros are expecting today. While he is eager to get home to his wife Kimberly and daughters Shiloh and Leann, Lester admitted he isn’t excited to drive his Tundra north out of this Florida weather.
Tennessee’s Burghoff Takes Lead at Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit on Lake Okeechobee
CLEWISTON, Fla. (Feb. 12, 2021) – Pro Miles Burghoff of Soddy-Daisy, Tennessee, caught five bass weighing 16 pounds, 13 ounces Friday to take control of the leaderboard after Day Two of the Major League Fishing Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit Presented by Bad Boy Mowers, 13 Fishing Stop 1 – Lake Okeechobee in Clewiston, Florida. Burghoff's two-day total of 10 bass weighing 42 pounds, 15 ounces moved him up into the top spot heading into Day Three after starting the day in second place. The four-day competition, hosted by the Hendry County Tourism Development Council and Roland & Mary Ann Martin's Marina & Resort, features a field of 162 bass fishing professionals from around the world competing for a top cash award of up to $135,000.
MLF Bass Pro Tour pro, Skeet Reese of Auburn, California, jumped from 16th place into 2nd, with a five-bass-limit weighing 21 pounds, 9 ounces, for a two-day total of 39 pounds, 5 ounces – just 3-pounds, 10-ounces behind Burghoff.
“It all changed today, and the pressure in my area was incredibly strong,” said Burghoff. “There were 25 boats in that spot and I was within a pitch or two from at least one other boat for the entire day.”
Burghoff said with the amount of pressure being a factor, he tried to find something fresh and target things other anglers may have overlooked.
“I had to switch it up to get bites,” he said. “I was still flipping and pitching, but looked for places others weren’t hitting and tried to find little stretches with less traffic.”
He said his plan for tomorrow is to join the crowd again because he believes there are enough fish in that area to get another solid limit.
“There are still some big females in there so I am going out with the same plan in the morning,” said Burghoff. “I’m sticking with that area until I’m told otherwise by the fish.”
The top 20 pros after Day Two on Lake Okeechobee are:
2nd: Skeet Reese, Auburn, Calif., five bass, 39-5
3rd: Jim Neece, Jr., Bristol, Tenn., five bass, 38-9
4th: Dicky Newberry, Houston, Texas, five bass, 38-0
5th: Bill McDonald, Greenwood, Ind., five bass, 37-8
6th: Anthony Gagliardi, Prosperity, S.C., five bass, 37-6
7th: Pete Ponds, Madison, Miss., five bass, 36-12
8th: Justin Lucas, Guntersville, Ala., five bass, 36-7
9th: Chris Lane, Guntersville, Ala., five bass, 35-8
10th: Kurt Mitchell, Milford, Del., five bass, 35-3
11th: Mike Surman, Boca Raton, Fla., five bass, 34-11
12th: Bobby Lane, Lakeland, Fla., five bass, 34-9
13th: Jamie Horton, Centerville, Ala., five bass, 33-13
14th: Jason Vance, Battle Ground, Ind. five bass, 32-12
15th: Cole Floyd, Leesburg, Ohio, five bass, 32-6
16th: Dylan Hays, Hot Springs, Ark., five bass, 32-1
17th: Rusty Salewske, Alpine, Calif., five bass, 31-9
18th: Matt Reed, Madisonville, Texas, five bass, 31-6
19th: Jim Tutt, Longview, Texas, five bass, 31-4
20th: Michael Neal, Dayton, Tenn., five bass, 31-4
Overall, there were 741 bass weighing 1,773 pounds, 2 ounces caught by 162 pros on Thursday, which included 131 five-bass limits.
In Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit competition, the full field of 162 anglers competed in the two-day opening round on Thursday and Friday. Now, the top 50 pros based on their two-day cumulative weight advance to Saturday. Only the top 10 pros continue competition on Sunday, with the winner determined by the heaviest accumulated weight from the four days of competition.
Throughout the season, anglers are also vying for valuable points in hopes of qualifying for the 2021 Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit TITLE presented by Mercury, the Pro Circuit Championship, where they will compete for up to $235,000. The 2021 TITLE will be on the Mississippi River in La Crosse, Wisconsin on Aug. 17-22, and is hosted by Explore La Crosse.
Anglers will take off at 7:30 a.m. ET Saturday and Sunday from Roland and Mary Ann Martin’s Marina and Resort, located at 920 E. Del Monte Ave. in Clewiston. Weigh-ins will also be held at the marina daily at 3 p.m. Attendance is limited to competing anglers, family, essential staff and media covering the event. Fans are encouraged to follow the action online through the MLF NOW! live stream and coverage at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
The Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit Presented by Bad Boy Mowers, 13 Fishing Stop 1 – Lake Okeechobee will feature live on-the-water coverage and a two-hour action-packed television show that will premiere on the Outdoor Channel on Sunday, July 11 from 7 to 9 a.m. ET and re-air on the Sportsman Channel this fall. Weigh-ins will be streamed daily and fans can catch live on-the-water action all day Saturday and Sunday, Feb. 13-14 on MLF NOW! beginning at 8 a.m. ET at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
For complete details and updated information visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow the Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit presented by Bad Boy Mowers on the MLF BIG5’s social media outlets at Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.
Clouse Maintains Lead At Bassmaster Elite Series Event On The St. Johns River
Gary Clouse, of Winchester, Tenn., is leading after Day 2 of the 2021 AFTCO Bassmaster Elite at St. Johns River with a two-day total of 45 pounds, 1 ounce.
Photo by Seigo Saito/B.A.S.S.
February 12, 2021
PALATKA, Fla. — Despite having longer to fish on Friday, Gary Clouse found fewer big bites than he did during Thursday’s fog-shortened first round.
Nevertheless, the Tennessee angler sacked up a five-bass limit of 19 pounds, 5 ounces and held on to his lead in the AFTCO Bassmaster Elite at the St. Johns River with a two-day total of 45-1.
Clouse is making a nearly two-hour run south of Palatka, so Thursday’s fog delay, which postponed the scheduled 7 a.m. takeoff until 10:15, left him with about an hour of actual fishing time. Despite the limitation, he led the day with a limit of 25-12 — the tournament’s heaviest catch so far.
On Friday, Clouse seemed to have a hard time replicating his opening results, which he called the most amazing day of fishing he’s ever experienced.
“It was a struggle today, but I’ll take it,” Clouse said. “Yesterday, I caught everything in an hour; today it took me four hours to get what I had. I think I’m wearing my area out; I hope there are some more coming in.
“Yesterday was one of those days you dream about as a fisherman. Everything just worked. Today, I didn’t fish as well; I think I was a little amped up early. I don’t feel like I presented my baits as well, and I moved around too fast.”
Clouse is targeting small patches of reeds scattered across a supershallow flat. Some of the bass were relating to the cover, while others positioned around the perimeter.
“I caught my first big one out away from it and I caught my second big one close to it; I think they’re just roaming around back there,” Clouse said. “I really haven’t seen any fish on a bed. I’ve seen some beds, but it’s hard to tell what’s going on because I have to stay way back and there’s so many other fish — tilapia, carp — back there.
“I can’t say that I’m bed fishing. They’re just in there roaming around and possibly trying to bed.”
Clouse used a 1/4-ounce swim jig and a 1/4-ounce ChatterBait, both with Yamamoto Zako trailers, to cover water and find fish. He didn’t end up weighing anything on the reaction baits, but they helped him locate active areas where a Texas-rigged Zoom Magnum Ultravibe Speed Worm earned the bites.
Around 1 p.m., with a limit of approximately 15-4, Clouse switched from braided line to fluorocarbon. Within minutes, he caught a 6-2 that culled out a 1 1/2-pounder (all weights estimated per BassTrakk).
The warming trend that arrived Wednesday has prompted good numbers of big bass to move into spawning zones like the one Clouse has been fishing. However, after two days of stable weather, Saturday’s forecast for wind and rain will likely change the playing field.
This won’t necessarily kill the bite. But shallow, exposed areas like Clouse's will likely get blown out at some point. He’s hopeful he can squeeze another day of productivity and secure a Top 10 spot for Championship Sunday.
“If I have to try something different, I’m in trouble,” Clouse said. “I tried for three days in practice and that’s all I have.”
Derek Hudnall of Denham Springs, La., remains in second place with 38-5. Sticking with the same game plan that yielded 22-5 on Day 1, he added 16-0 Friday.
Hudnall has been targeting spawning fish tucked into gaps in shoreline cover by skipping a wacky-rigged Missile Baits 48 worm in the bruiser flash and junebug colors with 15-pound braided line facilitating precise presentations.
Today, after missing several big-fish opportunities, Hudnall made a key adjustment.
“I had a handful of big ones that had the bait for just a second and would just pull off immediately,” he said. “It was really hard to get that bait in their mouth, but around midday, I downsized my hook from a Size 1 Gamakatsu G-Finesse Weedless Stinger Hook, to a Size 2.
“It’s not (significantly) smaller but can make a difference. When I made that adjustment, I started hooking up with more of those fish. They’re locked on beds right now, so they’re not eating; they’re 100% protecting.”
Greg Hackney of Gonzales, La., is in third place with 35-1. Clearly benefiting from a full fishing day, Hackney gained 13 spots by adding 22-10 to his Day-1 weight of 12-7.
“Today, I just got to fish a lot slower,” Hackney said. “I just fished over those fish yesterday. I knew they were there yesterday, but I just couldn’t slow down enough to catch them, because I knew I had to catch five so I fished a little quicker.
“Today, I fished the same 300-yard stretch, and it took me all day. I seined it, and I’m going to go back there tomorrow. I knew better than to leave because I’d see them every now and then.”
Hackney said his spot is a protected shoreline with a mix of wood cover and shallow vegetation — an ideal spawning scenario. He caught all of his fish by flipping a Strike King Rage Craw.
Hudnall is in the lead for Phoenix Boats Big Bass honors with his 9-8.
The Top 50 remaining anglers will take off Saturday from Palatka City Docks at 7 a.m. ET. Saturday’s weigh-in will be held at Palatka Riverfront Park at 3 p.m., with only the Top 10 anglers advancing to Championship Sunday.
FS1 will broadcast live from the tournament beginning at 8 a.m. on Saturday and Sunday. Coverage of the event can be streamed on Bassmaster.com and the FOX Sports digital platforms.
The AFTCO Bassmaster Elite at St. Johns River is being hosted by the Putnam County Tourist Development Council and Putnam County Chamber of Commerce.
AFTCO Bassmaster Elite at St. Johns River Video Highlights (For media use. Please credit B.A.S.S.)
Media Contact: Emily Harley, B.A.S.S. Communications Manager, 205-313-0945, [email protected]
2021 AFTCO Bassmaster Elite at St. Johns River 2/11-2/14
St. Johns River, Palatka, FL.
(PROFESSIONAL) Standings Day 2
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Pts Total $$$
1. Gary Clouse Winchester, TN 10 45-01 100
Day 1: 5 25-12 Day 2: 5 19-05
2. Derek Hudnall Denham Springs, LA 10 38-05 99 $1,000.00
Day 1: 5 22-05 Day 2: 5 16-00
3. Greg Hackney Gonzales, LA 10 35-01 98
Day 1: 5 12-07 Day 2: 5 22-10
4. Matt Herren Ashville, AL 10 33-12 97
Day 1: 5 16-09 Day 2: 5 17-03
5. Mark Menendez Paducah, KY 10 33-07 96
Day 1: 5 16-02 Day 2: 5 17-05
6. Buddy Gross Chickamauga, GA 10 33-05 95
Day 1: 5 16-05 Day 2: 5 17-00
7. Cliff Prince Palatka, FL 10 32-08 94
Day 1: 5 17-12 Day 2: 5 14-12
8. Mike Huff Corbin, KY 10 32-06 93
Day 1: 5 12-08 Day 2: 5 19-14
9. Bryan New Belmont, NC 10 32-03 92
Day 1: 5 12-00 Day 2: 5 20-03
10. Patrick Walters Summerville, SC 10 32-03 91
Day 1: 5 13-03 Day 2: 5 19-00
11. Cory Johnston Cavan CANADA 10 31-15 90
Day 1: 5 17-15 Day 2: 5 14-00
12. Wes Logan Springville, AL 10 31-08 89 $1,000.00
Day 1: 5 10-06 Day 2: 5 21-02
13. Joshua Stracner Vandiver, AL 10 31-01 88
Day 1: 5 16-02 Day 2: 5 14-15
14. Bryan Schmitt Deale, MD 10 31-00 87
Day 1: 5 15-08 Day 2: 5 15-08
15. Drew Cook Cairo, GA 10 30-01 86
Day 1: 5 11-01 Day 2: 5 19-00
16. Bill Weidler Helena, AL 10 30-00 85
Day 1: 5 14-13 Day 2: 5 15-03
17. Hank Cherry Jr Lincolnton, NC 8 29-15 84
Day 1: 3 12-14 Day 2: 5 17-01
18. Caleb Kuphall Mukwonago, WI 10 29-13 83
Day 1: 5 13-04 Day 2: 5 16-09
19. Carl Jocumsen Queensland AUSTRALIA 10 29-12 82
Day 1: 5 18-02 Day 2: 5 11-10
20. Jeff Gustafson Keewatin Ontario CANADA 10 29-08 81
Day 1: 5 09-14 Day 2: 5 19-10
21. Brandon Lester Fayetteville, TN 8 29-01 80
Day 1: 3 07-05 Day 2: 5 21-12
22. Gerald Swindle Guntersville, AL 10 28-07 79
Day 1: 5 12-07 Day 2: 5 16-00
23. Drew Benton Blakely, GA 10 27-13 78
Day 1: 5 09-08 Day 2: 5 18-05
24. Clent Davis Montevallo, AL 10 27-09 77
Day 1: 5 06-04 Day 2: 5 21-05
25. Justin Hamner Northport, AL 10 27-06 76
Day 1: 5 10-08 Day 2: 5 16-14
26. Brian Snowden Reeds Spring, MO 7 26-14 75
Day 1: 2 03-06 Day 2: 5 23-08
27. Keith Combs Huntington, TX 10 26-12 74
Day 1: 5 09-08 Day 2: 5 17-04
28. Seth Feider New Market, MN 10 26-11 73
Day 1: 5 08-03 Day 2: 5 18-08
29. Micah Frazier Newnan, GA 10 26-02 72
Day 1: 5 14-00 Day 2: 5 12-02
30. Bernie Schultz Gainesville, FL 8 25-15 71
Day 1: 3 06-02 Day 2: 5 19-13
31. Quentin Cappo Prairieville, LA 10 25-11 70
Day 1: 5 08-07 Day 2: 5 17-04
32. Kenta Kimura Osaka JAPAN 8 25-06 69
Day 1: 3 05-02 Day 2: 5 20-04
33. Stetson Blaylock Benton, AR 9 25-06 68
Day 1: 4 11-11 Day 2: 5 13-11
34. KJ Queen Catawba, NC 10 25-05 67
Day 1: 5 11-10 Day 2: 5 13-11
35. Brandon Palaniuk Rathdrum, ID 9 25-04 66
Day 1: 4 07-04 Day 2: 5 18-00
36. Austin Felix Eden Prairie, MN 10 25-03 65
Day 1: 5 12-08 Day 2: 5 12-11
37. Luke Palmer Coalgate, OK 10 24-07 64
Day 1: 5 07-08 Day 2: 5 16-15
38. Rob Digh Denver, NC 10 24-06 63
Day 1: 5 08-14 Day 2: 5 15-08
39. Matt Arey Shelby, NC 10 24-02 62
Day 1: 5 09-13 Day 2: 5 14-05
40. Ed Loughran III Richmond, VA 8 24-01 61
Day 1: 3 07-00 Day 2: 5 17-01
41. Chris Johnston Otonabee Ontario CANADA 10 23-15 60
Day 1: 5 12-06 Day 2: 5 11-09
42. Hunter Shryock Ooltewah, TN 10 23-10 59
Day 1: 5 11-04 Day 2: 5 12-06
43. Brandon Cobb Greenwood, SC 10 23-10 58
Day 1: 5 11-06 Day 2: 5 12-04
44. Kyle Welcher Opelika, AL 10 23-03 57
Day 1: 5 10-07 Day 2: 5 12-12
45. Brad Whatley Bivins, TX 10 23-00 56
Day 1: 5 06-12 Day 2: 5 16-04
46. Randy Pierson Oakdale, CA 9 22-14 55
Day 1: 4 11-10 Day 2: 5 11-04
47. Justin Atkins Florence, AL 8 22-10 54
Day 1: 3 05-09 Day 2: 5 17-01
48. Lee Livesay Longview, TX 10 22-09 53
Day 1: 5 08-04 Day 2: 5 14-05
49. John Cox Debary, FL 8 22-08 52
Day 1: 3 07-01 Day 2: 5 15-07
50. Darold Gleason Many, LA 10 22-06 51
Day 1: 5 11-09 Day 2: 5 10-13
51. Jamie Hartman Newport, NY 10 22-01 50 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 14-10 Day 2: 5 07-07
52. Clifford Pirch Payson, AZ 8 21-11 49 $2,500.00
Day 1: 3 06-05 Day 2: 5 15-06
53. Robbie Latuso Gonzales, LA 7 20-15 48 $2,500.00
Day 1: 2 03-03 Day 2: 5 17-12
54. Kelley Jaye Dadeville, AL 8 20-12 47 $2,500.00
Day 1: 3 05-01 Day 2: 5 15-11
55. Clark Wendlandt Leander, TX 10 20-06 46 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 10-11 Day 2: 5 09-11
56. Shane LeHew Catawba, NC 9 20-04 45 $2,500.00
Day 1: 4 06-10 Day 2: 5 13-10
57. Bill Lowen Brookville, IN 9 20-01 44 $2,500.00
Day 1: 4 06-01 Day 2: 5 14-00
58. Chad Pipkens Dewitt, MI 10 19-11 43 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 08-11 Day 2: 5 11-00
59. Tyler Rivet Raceland, LA 10 19-09 42 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 11-06 Day 2: 5 08-03
59. Matt Robertson Kuttawa, KY 10 19-09 42 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 08-03 Day 2: 5 11-06
61. John Crews Jr Salem, VA 8 19-08 40 $2,500.00
Day 1: 3 11-10 Day 2: 5 07-14
62. Tyler Carriere Youngsville, LA 10 19-08 39 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 09-08 Day 2: 5 10-00
63. Jason Christie Park Hill, OK 9 19-06 38 $2,500.00
Day 1: 4 06-04 Day 2: 5 13-02
64. Paul Mueller Naugatuck, CT 10 19-06 37 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 08-14 Day 2: 5 10-08
65. Koby Kreiger Alva, FL 8 19-04 36 $2,500.00
Day 1: 3 08-14 Day 2: 5 10-06
66. Shane Lineberger Lincolnton, NC 8 18-12 35 $2,500.00
Day 1: 4 06-00 Day 2: 4 12-12
67. Pat Schlapper Eleva, WI 7 18-11 34 $2,500.00
Day 1: 2 03-04 Day 2: 5 15-07
68. Kyle Monti Okeechobee, FL 10 18-10 33 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 08-09 Day 2: 5 10-01
69. Frank Talley Temple, TX 10 18-00 32 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 11-13 Day 2: 5 06-03
70. Chad Morgenthaler Reeds Spring, MO 10 17-13 31 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 06-15 Day 2: 5 10-14
71. Jason Williamson Wagener, SC 9 17-04 30 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 11-05 Day 2: 4 05-15
72. Gregory DiPalma Millville, NJ 8 16-06 29 $2,500.00
Day 1: 3 10-04 Day 2: 5 06-02
73. Scott Martin Clewiston, FL 8 15-14 28 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 08-07 Day 2: 3 07-07
74. Taku Ito Chiba JAPAN 8 15-09 27 $2,500.00
Day 1: 3 05-08 Day 2: 5 10-01
75. Scott Canterbury Odenville, AL 8 15-08 26 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 11-10 Day 2: 3 03-14
76. Brandon Card Salisbury, NC 7 15-05 25
Day 1: 3 06-14 Day 2: 4 08-07
77. Marc Frazier Newnan, GA 10 15-04 24
Day 1: 5 07-01 Day 2: 5 08-03
78. Steve Kennedy Auburn, AL 6 15-03 23
Day 1: 1 02-01 Day 2: 5 13-02
79. Chris Zaldain Fort Worth, TX 6 14-06 22
Day 1: 1 01-02 Day 2: 5 13-04
80. David Mullins Mt Carmel, TN 5 14-02 21
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 5 14-02
81. Chris Groh Spring Grove, IL 7 13-09 20
Day 1: 3 05-09 Day 2: 4 08-00
82. Skylar Hamilton Dandridge, TN 8 13-08 19
Day 1: 3 04-05 Day 2: 5 09-03
83. Caleb Sumrall New Iberia, LA 8 13-06 18
Day 1: 3 05-05 Day 2: 5 08-01
84. Yusuke Miyazaki Forney, TX 6 13-00 17
Day 1: 1 02-02 Day 2: 5 10-14
85. Jay Yelas Lincoln City, OR 5 13-00 16
Day 1: 4 09-15 Day 2: 1 03-01
86. Randy Sullivan Breckenridge, TX 6 12-13 15
Day 1: 2 04-00 Day 2: 4 08-13
87. Bob Downey Hudson, WI 8 12-11 14
Day 1: 5 08-05 Day 2: 3 04-06
88. Rick Morris Lake Gaston, VA 7 12-09 13
Day 1: 2 04-01 Day 2: 5 08-08
89. Brock Mosley Collinsville, MS 7 11-07 12
Day 1: 2 03-01 Day 2: 5 08-06
90. Ray Hanselman Jr Del Rio, TX 6 10-01 11
Day 1: 1 02-11 Day 2: 5 07-06
91. Jake Whitaker Fairview, NC 4 09-00 10
Day 1: 1 01-01 Day 2: 3 07-15
92. Destin DeMarion Grove City, PA 4 07-09 9
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 4 07-09
93. Garrett Paquette Canton, MI 4 07-01 8
Day 1: 1 03-00 Day 2: 3 04-01
94. Todd Auten Lake Wylie, SC 2 05-10 7
Day 1: 1 02-10 Day 2: 1 03-00
95. Cody Hollen Beaverton, OR 4 05-09 6
Day 1: 3 04-02 Day 2: 1 01-07
96. Dale Hightower Mannford, OK 3 05-07 5
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 3 05-07
97. Harvey Horne Bella Vista, AR 3 05-05 4
Day 1: 1 00-15 Day 2: 2 04-06
98. Brett Preuett Monroe, LA 2 02-15 3
Day 1: 2 02-15 Day 2: 0 00-00
99. Rick Clunn Ava, MO 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
PHOENIX BOATS BIG BASS
Day
1 Derek Hudnall Denham Springs, LA 09-08 $1,000.00
2 Wes Logan Springville, AL 08-08 $1,000.00
U.S. Army Signs as Title Sponsor of MLF High School Fishing
With multiple scholarship and advancement opportunities and a partnership with The Bass Federation (TBF) – including the opportunity to compete for more than $3 million in scholarships and prizes at the High School Fishing National Championship and World Finals – MLF High School Fishing presented by Favorite Fishing is an excellent introduction to tournament bass fishing for teenage anglers.
“This partnership will allow the U.S. Army to connect with today’s outdoor enthusiasts across the United States,” said Sgt. 1st Class Andrew M. Benedict, Army Outdoor Team Leader. “We will share our experiences in the Army and demonstrate that you can serve your country while still pursuing your passions in the woods or on the water.
“We will also highlight how the U.S. Army assists soldiers in continuing the pursuit of their passions through programs such as Morale Welfare and Recreation (MWR) and others, where soldiers can rent equipment or book hunting expeditions around the world.”
The first 25 high school teams that enter each U.S. Army High School Fishing presented by Favorite Fishing tournament will receive a free Favorite Fishing package, including one Favorite Fishing casting rod and reel, one Favorite Fishing spinning rod and reel, six packs of Googan Baits and two Favorite Fishing hats, a total package value of $230. Most tournaments will also be hosted by a Bass Pro Tour angler or Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit angler, giving high school students the chance to meet the sport’s top pros. As an added bonus, the winning team at each tournament will receive a guided fishing trip with their host.
“We are thrilled to welcome the U.S. Army and their Army Outdoors Team to our fishing family,” said Jim Wilburn, MLF President and CEO. “The U.S. Army’s diverse range of individual soldiers with unique backgrounds and heart-felt passions creates a seamless connection with the youth of today. We are excited to explore this partnership throughout the 2021 season and to continue to invest in our students across the nation.”
U.S. Army High School Fishing presented by Favorite Fishing tournaments are two-person (team) events for students in grades 7-12 and are open to any SAF-affiliated high school team in the United States. The top 10-percent of each High School Open, TBF State Championship and TBF Challenge tournament held prior to June 14, 2021, will advance to the 2021 U.S. Army High School Fishing presented by Favorite Fishing National Championship, held in conjunction with the High School Fishing World Finals June 30-July 3 on Lake Hartwell in Anderson, South Carolina. Launched by TBF in 2010, the World Final is the world’s largest open high school bass tournament, where student anglers compete for more than $3 million in scholarships and prizes.
For more information about MLF, their tournaments and sponsors, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. To learn more about the U.S. Army, visit GoArmy.com or follow Army Outdoor social media outlets at Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow the U.S. Army High School Fishing presented by Favorite Fishing on the MLF BIG5 social media outlets at Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.
AC Rookie Podcast - Time to Shine
On this weeks Rookie Podcast Jason checks in with MLF Big 5 Pro Circuit Rookie Trevor Fitzgerald. TF has been in this game in multiple facets for a long time and now its his time to play with the boys and show them how its done.
Mercury Introduces the 7.6L V12 600hp Verado
Mercury Marine introduces the all‑new V12 600hp Verado engine — redefining outboard performance
FOND DU LAC, Wis. (Feb. 11, 2021) — Mercury Marine®, a division of Brunswick Corporation (NYSE: BC), today introduced the new 7.6‑liter V12 600hp Verado® outboard engine. With this launch, Mercury continues to transform the high‑horsepower outboard market, providing its most powerful and capable outboard, which includes several industry‑first features for a wide variety of applications.
“With boats continuing to grow bigger and performance expectations continuing to rise, boaters have been asking for a better, more capable high‑horsepower solution to meet their needs. The V12 Verado outboard is Mercury’s answer,” said Chris Drees, Mercury Marine president. “Using our advanced engineering and design capabilities, we completely redefined outboard performance. The V12 Verado outboard delivers boaters unrivaled freedom, luxury and power to pursue their passions on the water. This is a remarkable engine that will change the future of boating.”
Groundbreaking product innovations include the following:
- The world’s first V12 outboard, the 600hp Verado engine features a naturally aspirated, large‑displacement, quad‑cam powerhead that generates impressive torque to get heavy boats out of the hole and on plane quickly, and to accelerate up to rated speed rapidly.
- The industry’s first two‑speed automatic transmission for an outboard optimizes engine rpm according to workload, facilitating powerful acceleration and highly efficient performance at cruise.
- The industry’s first steerable gearcase on an outboard pivots independently underwater while the engine’s powerhead remains in a space‑saving fixed position. This provides more room for multi‑engine configurations and a wider steering angle for agile handling. With help from contra‑rotating propellers, it also has better “bite” in the water for docking and other close‑quarters maneuvering.
- Several enhanced Mercury technologies work in conjunction to enable the V12 Verado outboard to deliver exceptional fuel economy and range.
“The V12 Verado outboard delivers everything boaters want and more in a high-horsepower outboard. This engine makes boats easy to maneuver near the dock and provides superior handling at all speeds. It’s incredibly fuel efficient, so boaters can go farther and stay out longer. It’s so smooth and quiet that you can have a conversation while the engines are running. It’s durable, reliable and easy to maintain. There’s nothing else like the V12 Verado outboard in the marketplace today,” Drees said.
The development of the V12 Verado outboard is a product of Mercury’s continued commitment to investing in R&D and manufacturing expansion, which includes more than $1.5 billion of investment since 2008.
“We’ve dedicated substantial investments and years of effort toward enhancing our ability to turn highly creative ideas into practical, functional and dependable solutions,” said Tim Reid, Mercury Marine vice president of development and engineering. “That work has positioned us well to anticipate and respond to shifts in the marketplace. We listened carefully to boaters’ needs and wishes, and we created new product capabilities aimed at exceeding their highest expectations.”
The Mercury Marine V12 Verado outboard will be available this spring. For more information, visit mercurymarine.com/v12.
For more information on the V12 Verado outboard’s features and benefits, see the Innovations and Advancements document.
See the V12 Verado product‑launch video on the Mercury Marine Facebook page.
Gleason trades Sumrall ham for hooks
Courtesy of Alan McGuckin - Dynamic Sponsorships
Bassmaster Elite Series rookie Darold Gleason is a combination of mature fishing talent, a big heart, hard work, and endlessly hilarious one-liners. In the 15 years I’ve known him, I’ve never seen him in a sour mood.
In fact, if you need a little boost for your spirit, or inspiration for what a great relationship should look like, put yourself in the presence of Darold and wife Randi, who has earned 10 pink Cadillacs as a Mary Kay cosmetics consultant.
But when Gleason found himself in need of Gamakatsu flipping hooks prior to the start of Day 2 on the St. Johns, he phoned close friend and fellow Elite Series pro Caleb Sumrall -- and started bartering with ham.
Not just any ham. This is ham from their home state of Louisiana from highly famous Grayson’s BBQ, where people reserve their smoked hams a year in advance of the holiday season.
Randi got this morning’s particular pork from Aunt Bonnie who used to live in Louisiana, but now lives in South Florida, and has Grayson’s hams shipped to her. She traveled five hours to the Elite Series this week to cheer on Darold, and thought she’d bring them a taste of home.
Randi paired the ham slices with off-the-block extra sharp cheddar slices, and tucked them into a warm croissant, then transported them to morning blast off in tinfoil.
Gleason, who has caught 10 bass over 10 pounds from his home waters of Toledo Bend, ate three of the morning treats quickly, but held back the fourth for Sumrall in exchange for flippin hooks.
Sumrall, who is built like an outside linebacker, thought it was a more than fair deal. He met Gleason when he was still working in the oil field supply yard, and the two were making their way upward through the Cajun State’s highly competitive amateur bass fishing ranks.
Sumrall had a really tough day Thursday, but Gleason, who is focused on catching spawning fish, sits solidly in 29th place heading into Friday’s competition.
Surely both will have a good Friday. It seems impossible not to when fueled by great friendship, sharp flippin’ hooks, and a belly full of homemade Grayson’s ham and sharp cheddar breakfast croissants.
Clouse Makes Long Run To Take Lead At Bassmaster Elite On St. Johns River
Gary Clouse, of Winchester, Tenn., is leading after Day 1 of the 2021 AFTCO Bassmaster Elite at St. Johns River with 25 pounds, 12 ounces.
Photo by Seigo Saito/B.A.S.S.
February 11, 2021
PALATKA, Fla. — Gary Clouse knew what he had to do, and he was determined that not even a three-hour fog delay was going to stop him.
It was a good call for the Tennessee pro who caught a five-bass limit that weighed 25 pounds, 12 ounces Thursday to lead Day 1 of the AFTCO Bassmaster Elite at the St. Johns River.
After dense fog created hazardous navigational conditions, B.A.S.S. delayed Thursday’s scheduled 7 a.m. takeoff until 10:15.
Taking off in the 69th position in a field of 99 boats, Clouse had plenty of time to contemplate his game plan, which involved making what he called a long run.
“I was fishing bedding areas and bed fish too; it was a little of both,” Clouse said. “I feel like the fish are coming to me because I went into this area in practice and I had a couple of bites, but I had no idea it was going to be loaded like that.”
With this week’s new moon plus a warming trend that started Wednesday, the stage was set for a textbook spawning movement. Clouse said he believed his distant spot offered him the best opportunity, but he admits he had to ignore his mental question marks.
“I had all kinds of doubts while I was running,” he said. “I thought maybe I should just pull over here and try to catch one. That crossed my mind — like I shouldn’t make this run.
“It was a huge gamble. The smarter money would have been to stay close and get a couple fish and hopefully get a long day tomorrow. But I just decided to go for it and I’m glad I did.”
Clouse was understandably guarded with his tactical details, but he said he caught his fish on a mix of moving baits and reaction baits. Targeting bass that were moving up to spawn, he had only six bites, but they were mostly quality fish.
“It really didn’t matter what you threw,” Clouse said. “You just had to get around one.”
The smallest bass in Clouse’s bag was a 2-pounder. According to BassTrakk, between 1:51 and 2:37, he caught three in the 5-pound class and one about 4 pounds.
“I had a really unbelievable day; things just went right,” he said. “It was just my day. There wasn’t anything magical about it. Everything lined up for me.
“I may have burned up everything I had. I could zero tomorrow probably easier than catching 25 pounds. We’ll see what happens.”
Derek Hudnall of Baton Rouge, La., is in second place with 22-5. Making a long run south, Hudnall focused on areas with gaps and openings in shoreline vegetation where spawning fish would likely position themselves out of sight.
“I’m not looking at these fish,” Hudnall said. “It’s extremely shallow, and anywhere those fish can get to the bank, that’s where they’re moving up and spawning.
“If you have available cover, like an overhanging limb, and the fish can get to the bank, that’s where the fish are going to spawn. This area has some great big ones in it, and when those fish move up, I can pinpoint where those fish are going to be.”
Hudnall caught all of his bass on a wacky-rigged Missile Baits 48 worm in the bruiser flash and junebug colors. Fishing his bait on 15-pound braided line was essential for making long skips into the cover to avoid spooking the fish.
Australian pro Carl Jocumsen is in third place with 18-2. Running about an hour south of takeoff was a risky call for him as well, but Jocumsen said practice allowed him to dial in an area with the right mix of habitat and conditions.
“I fished from one end of (tournament waters) to the other, and I felt like that was the area where it was going to happen,” he said. “I started to see better water temperature, more life and fish.
“I targeted anywhere I thought they were going to spawn and anywhere I thought no one else was casting. I wasn’t looking at them, I’m just fishing where I think they are and I think that’s helping me run into some fresh fish.”
Jocumsen caught his bass on a Texas-rigged X Zone Lures Deception Worm in the plum color.
Hudnall is in the lead for Phoenix Boats Big Bass honors with his 9-8.
Friday’s takeoff is scheduled for 7 a.m. ET from Palatka City Docks. The weigh-in will be held at Palatka Riverfront Park at 3 p.m.
After Friday’s round, only the Top 50 anglers will advance to Saturday’s semifinals. The Top 10 remaining pros will fish Championship Sunday with a chance at the $100,000 first-place prize.
Live coverage of the event can be streamed on Bassmaster.com and the FOX Sports digital platforms. FS1 will also broadcast live from the tournament beginning at 8 a.m. on Saturday and Sunday.
The AFTCO Bassmaster Elite at St. Johns River is being hosted by the Putnam County Tourist Development Council and Putnam County Chamber of Commerce.
2021 AFTCO Bassmaster Elite at St. Johns River 2/11-2/14
St. Johns River, Palatka, FL.
(PROFESSIONAL) Standings Day 1
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Pts Total $$$
1. Gary Clouse Winchester, TN 5 25-12 100
Day 1: 5 25-12
2. Derek Hudnall Denham Springs, LA 5 22-05 99 $1,000.00
Day 1: 5 22-05
3. Carl Jocumsen Queensland AUSTRALIA 5 18-02 98
Day 1: 5 18-02
4. Cory Johnston Cavan CANADA 5 17-15 97
Day 1: 5 17-15
5. Cliff Prince Palatka, FL 5 17-12 96
Day 1: 5 17-12
6. Matt Herren Ashville, AL 5 16-09 95
Day 1: 5 16-09
7. Buddy Gross Chickamauga, GA 5 16-05 94
Day 1: 5 16-05
8. Mark Menendez Paducah, KY 5 16-02 93
Day 1: 5 16-02
8. Joshua Stracner Vandiver, AL 5 16-02 93
Day 1: 5 16-02
10. Bryan Schmitt Deale, MD 5 15-08 91
Day 1: 5 15-08
11. Bill Weidler Helena, AL 5 14-13 90
Day 1: 5 14-13
12. Jamie Hartman Newport, NY 5 14-10 89
Day 1: 5 14-10
13. Micah Frazier Newnan, GA 5 14-00 88
Day 1: 5 14-00
14. Caleb Kuphall Mukwonago, WI 5 13-04 87
Day 1: 5 13-04
15. Patrick Walters Summerville, SC 5 13-03 86
Day 1: 5 13-03
16. Hank Cherry Jr Lincolnton, NC 3 12-14 85
Day 1: 3 12-14
17. Austin Felix Eden Prairie, MN 5 12-08 84
Day 1: 5 12-08
17. Mike Huff Corbin, KY 5 12-08 84
Day 1: 5 12-08
19. Greg Hackney Gonzales, LA 5 12-07 82
Day 1: 5 12-07
19. Gerald Swindle Guntersville, AL 5 12-07 82
Day 1: 5 12-07
21. Chris Johnston Otonabee Ontario CANADA 5 12-06 80
Day 1: 5 12-06
22. Bryan New Belmont, NC 5 12-00 79
Day 1: 5 12-00
23. Frank Talley Temple, TX 5 11-13 78
Day 1: 5 11-13
24. Stetson Blaylock Benton, AR 4 11-11 77
Day 1: 4 11-11
25. Scott Canterbury Odenville, AL 5 11-10 76
Day 1: 5 11-10
25. KJ Queen Catawba, NC 5 11-10 76
Day 1: 5 11-10
27. Randy Pierson Oakdale, CA 4 11-10 74
Day 1: 4 11-10
28. John Crews Jr Salem, VA 3 11-10 73
Day 1: 3 11-10
29. Darold Gleason Many, LA 5 11-09 72
Day 1: 5 11-09
30. Brandon Cobb Greenwood, SC 5 11-06 71
Day 1: 5 11-06
30. Tyler Rivet Raceland, LA 5 11-06 71
Day 1: 5 11-06
32. Jason Williamson Wagener, SC 5 11-05 69
Day 1: 5 11-05
33. Hunter Shryock Ooltewah, TN 5 11-04 68
Day 1: 5 11-04
34. Drew Cook Cairo, GA 5 11-01 67
Day 1: 5 11-01
35. Clark Wendlandt Leander, TX 5 10-11 66
Day 1: 5 10-11
36. Justin Hamner Northport, AL 5 10-08 65
Day 1: 5 10-08
37. Kyle Welcher Opelika, AL 5 10-07 64
Day 1: 5 10-07
38. Wes Logan Springville, AL 5 10-06 63
Day 1: 5 10-06
39. Gregory DiPalma Millville, NJ 3 10-04 62
Day 1: 3 10-04
40. Jay Yelas Lincoln City, OR 4 09-15 61
Day 1: 4 09-15
41. Jeff Gustafson Keewatin Ontario CANADA 5 09-14 60
Day 1: 5 09-14
42. Matt Arey Shelby, NC 5 09-13 59
Day 1: 5 09-13
43. Drew Benton Blakely, GA 5 09-08 58
Day 1: 5 09-08
43. Tyler Carriere Youngsville, LA 5 09-08 58
Day 1: 5 09-08
43. Keith Combs Huntington, TX 5 09-08 58
Day 1: 5 09-08
46. Paul Mueller Naugatuck, CT 5 08-14 55
Day 1: 5 08-14
47. Rob Digh Denver, NC 5 08-14 54
Day 1: 5 08-14
48. Koby Kreiger Alva, FL 3 08-14 53
Day 1: 3 08-14
49. Chad Pipkens Dewitt, MI 5 08-11 52
Day 1: 5 08-11
50. Kyle Monti Okeechobee, FL 5 08-09 51
Day 1: 5 08-09
51. Quentin Cappo Prairieville, LA 5 08-07 50
Day 1: 5 08-07
51. Scott Martin Clewiston, FL 5 08-07 50
Day 1: 5 08-07
53. Bob Downey Hudson, WI 5 08-05 48
Day 1: 5 08-05
54. Lee Livesay Longview, TX 5 08-04 47
Day 1: 5 08-04
55. Seth Feider New Market, MN 5 08-03 46
Day 1: 5 08-03
55. Matt Robertson Kuttawa, KY 5 08-03 46
Day 1: 5 08-03
57. Luke Palmer Coalgate, OK 5 07-08 44
Day 1: 5 07-08
58. Brandon Lester Fayetteville, TN 3 07-05 43
Day 1: 3 07-05
59. Brandon Palaniuk Rathdrum, ID 4 07-04 42
Day 1: 4 07-04
60. Marc Frazier Newnan, GA 5 07-01 41
Day 1: 5 07-01
61. John Cox Debary, FL 3 07-01 40
Day 1: 3 07-01
62. Ed Loughran III Richmond, VA 3 07-00 39
Day 1: 3 07-00
63. Chad Morgenthaler Reeds Spring, MO 5 06-15 38
Day 1: 5 06-15
64. Brandon Card Salisbury, NC 3 06-14 37
Day 1: 3 06-14
65. Brad Whatley Bivins, TX 5 06-12 36
Day 1: 5 06-12
66. Shane LeHew Catawba, NC 4 06-10 35
Day 1: 4 06-10
67. Clifford Pirch Payson, AZ 3 06-05 34
Day 1: 3 06-05
68. Clent Davis Montevallo, AL 5 06-04 33
Day 1: 5 06-04
69. Jason Christie Park Hill, OK 4 06-04 32
Day 1: 4 06-04
70. Bernie Schultz Gainesville, FL 3 06-02 31
Day 1: 3 06-02
71. Bill Lowen Brookville, IN 4 06-01 30
Day 1: 4 06-01
72. Shane Lineberger Lincolnton, NC 4 06-00 29
Day 1: 4 06-00
73. Justin Atkins Florence, AL 3 05-09 28
Day 1: 3 05-09
73. Chris Groh Spring Grove, IL 3 05-09 28
Day 1: 3 05-09
75. Taku Ito Chiba JAPAN 3 05-08 26
Day 1: 3 05-08
76. Caleb Sumrall New Iberia, LA 3 05-05 25
Day 1: 3 05-05
77. Kenta Kimura Osaka JAPAN 3 05-02 24
Day 1: 3 05-02
78. Kelley Jaye Dadeville, AL 3 05-01 23
Day 1: 3 05-01
79. Skylar Hamilton Dandridge, TN 3 04-05 22
Day 1: 3 04-05
80. Cody Hollen Beaverton, OR 3 04-02 21
Day 1: 3 04-02
81. Rick Morris Lake Gaston, VA 2 04-01 20
Day 1: 2 04-01
82. Randy Sullivan Breckenridge, TX 2 04-00 19
Day 1: 2 04-00
83. Brian Snowden Reeds Spring, MO 2 03-06 18
Day 1: 2 03-06
84. Pat Schlapper Eleva, WI 2 03-04 17
Day 1: 2 03-04
85. Robbie Latuso Gonzales, LA 2 03-03 16
Day 1: 2 03-03
86. Brock Mosley Collinsville, MS 2 03-01 15
Day 1: 2 03-01
87. Garrett Paquette Canton, MI 1 03-00 14
Day 1: 1 03-00
88. Brett Preuett Monroe, LA 2 02-15 13
Day 1: 2 02-15
89. Ray Hanselman Jr Del Rio, TX 1 02-11 12
Day 1: 1 02-11
90. Todd Auten Lake Wylie, SC 1 02-10 11
Day 1: 1 02-10
91. Yusuke Miyazaki Forney, TX 1 02-02 10
Day 1: 1 02-02
92. Steve Kennedy Auburn, AL 1 02-01 9
Day 1: 1 02-01
93. Chris Zaldain Fort Worth, TX 1 01-02 8
Day 1: 1 01-02
94. Jake Whitaker Fairview, NC 1 01-01 7
Day 1: 1 01-01
95. Harvey Horne Bella Vista, AR 1 00-15 6
Day 1: 1 00-15
96. Rick Clunn Ava, MO 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
96. Destin DeMarion Grove City, PA 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
96. Dale Hightower Mannford, OK 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
96. David Mullins Mt Carmel, TN 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
PHOENIX BOATS BIG BASS
Day
1 Derek Hudnall Denham Springs, LA 09-08 $1,000.00
Tennessee Rookie Neece Leads Day One of Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit Season Opener on Lake Okeechobee
CLEWISTON, Fla. (Feb. 11, 2021) – Bass fishing professionals from around the world began their four-day competition for a top award of up to $135,000 at the Major League Fishing Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit Presented by Bad Boy Mowers, 13 Fishing Stop 1 – Lake Okeechobee on Thursday. Rookie pro Jim Neece, Jr. of Bristol, Tennessee, weighed a five-bass limit totaling 27 pounds even, to take the early lead after Day One. Neece holds a 14-ounce lead over pro Miles Burghoff of Soddy-Daisy, Tennessee, who caught five bass weighing 26-2, good for second place.
“I got to my spot on the north end of the lake and had no idea what it was going to be like until I pulled up on it,” said Neece. “I quickly caught a solid bass and then four more between 9:30 and 10 (a.m.), but only had about 12 pounds.”
Neece said about an hour later the fish really turned on.
“I just kept throwing moving baits and about noon the big ones started to hit. I caught 15 keepers and ended the day with two 7-pound bass and three more smaller ones.”
Neece said his plan is to go back to the same spot tomorrow and hope his luck holds.
“Practice went okay, but with two days of practice you can’t really sit and catch them, so you just try to get bit and hope for the best when you come back,” he said. “I didn’t realize 27 pounds of fish were in that area, so who knows what will happen tomorrow. That’s all I got – it’s either going to hold up or it’s not.”
2nd: Miles Burghoff, Soddy-Daisy, Tenn., five bass, 26-2
3rd: Anthony Gagliardi, Prosperity, S.C., five bass, 24-0
4th: Jamie Horton, Centerville, Ala., five bass, 22-6
5th: Tyler Stewart, West Monroe, La., five bass, 21-11
6th: Clabion Johns, Social Circle, Ga., five bass, 20-12
6th: Dicky Newberry, Houston, Texas, five bass, 20-12
8th: Tim Frederick, Leesburg, Fla., five bass, 20-5
8th: Justin Lucas, Guntersville, Ala., five bass, 20-5
10th: Mike Surman, Boca Raton, Fla., five bass, 20-1
Overall, there were 749 bass weighing 1,954 pounds, 13 ounces caught by 162 pros on Thursday, which included 129 five-bass limits.
The Major League Fishing Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit Presented by Bad Boy Mowers, 13 Fishing Stop 1 – Lake Okeechobee is hosted by the Hendry County Tourism Development Council and Roland & Mary Ann Marin’s Marina & Resort.
In Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit competition, the full field of 163 anglers compete in the two-day opening round on Thursday and Friday. The top 50 pros based on their two-day cumulative weight advance to Saturday. Only the top 10 pros continue competition on Sunday, with the winner determined by the heaviest accumulated weight from the four days of competition.
Throughout the season, anglers are also vying for valuable points in hopes of qualifying for the 2021 Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit TITLE presented by Mercury, the Pro Circuit Championship, where they will compete for up to $235,000. The 2021 TITLE will be on the Mississippi River in La Crosse, Wisconsin on Aug. 17-22, and is hosted by Explore La Crosse.
Anglers will take off at 7:30 a.m. ET Friday through Sunday from Roland and Mary Ann Martin’s Marina and Resort, located at 920 E. Del Monte Ave. in Clewiston. Weigh-ins will also be held at the marina daily at 3 p.m. Attendance is limited to competing anglers, family, essential staff and media covering the event. Fans are encouraged to follow the action online through the MLF NOW! live stream and coverage at MajorLeagueFishing.com .
The Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit Presented by Bad Boy Mowers, 13 Fishing Stop 1 – Lake Okeechobee will feature live on-the-water coverage and a two-hour action-packed television show that will premiere on the Outdoor Channel on Sunday, July 11 from 7 to 9 a.m. ET and re-air on the Sportsman Channel this fall. Weigh-ins will be streamed daily and fans can catch live on-the-water action all day Saturday and Sunday, Feb. 13-14 on MLF NOW! beginning at 8 a.m. ET at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
For complete details and updated information visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow the Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit presented by Bad Boy Mowers on the MLF BIG5’s social media outlets at Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.
Major League Fishing Postpones Two Phoenix Bass Fishing League Events Scheduled for Saturday
Cowboy Division event at Toledo Bend Reservoir and Arkie Division event at Lake Ouachita to Be Rescheduled Due to Inclement Weather
TULSA, Okla. (Feb. 11, 2021) – Major League Fishing (MLF) announced today that two Phoenix Bass Fishing League presented by T-H Marine events scheduled for Saturday, Feb. 13, 2021, have been canceled due to inclement weather. The Cowboy Division event at Toledo Bend Reservoir in Zwolle, Louisiana, and the Arkie Division event at Lake Ouachita in Mount Ida, Arkansas, will both be rescheduled at a later date.
The Phoenix Bass Fishing League Bulldog Division event at Lake Lanier, South Carolina Division event at Lake Murray and Choo Choo Division event at Lake Guntersville will proceed as scheduled.
Angler registrations for the postponed event will automatically be carried over to the rescheduled events. For questions, call the MLF BIG5 customer service department at (270)-252-1000.
The 2021 MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League presented by T-H Marine is a 24-division circuit devoted to weekend anglers, with 128 tournaments throughout the season, five qualifying events in each division. The top 45 boaters and Strike King co-anglers from each division, along with the five winners of the qualifying events, will advance to one of six Phoenix Bass Fishing League Regional Championships. Boaters will compete for a $60,000 prize package, including a new Phoenix 819 Pro bass boat with a 200-horsepower Mercury outboard and $10,000, while Strike King co-anglers will fish for a new Phoenix 819 Pro bass boat with a 200-horsepower Mercury outboard.
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.
B.A.S.S. Moves College Season-Opener To Lake Hartwell
February 11, 2021
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — The Carhartt Bassmaster College Series at Lake Norman presented by Bass Pro Shops, originally scheduled for March 5-6 in Cornelius, N.C., will instead move 145 miles down I-85 to South Carolina’s Lake Hartwell, B.A.S.S. officials announced today.
“While disappointing to move the tournament, we understand the current climate of the pandemic in Mecklenburg County and the timing of this event,” said Travis Dancy, Director of Sales at Visit Lake Norman. “We look forward to welcoming some of the best collegiate anglers in 2022 on Lake Norman and continuing our long-standing relationship in hosting B.A.S.S. events.”
North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper recently extended a variety of measures designed to curb the spread of COVID-19, including restricting outdoor gatherings to no more than 25 participants. While that order is set to expire February 28, officials did not want to risk a last-minute cancellation should the restrictions be extended once more.
“It is disappointing any time you have to move a tournament, but it is especially important when college anglers are taking time away from their studies to compete that we respect that time,” said College Series Senior Manager Hank Weldon. “B.A.S.S. has emphasized over the past year that we will heed each state’s mandates on crowd sizes and public spaces to ensure both competition and fan activities can resume safely.
“We are thankful to our friends at Visit Anderson to be able to move the event to the always popular Lake Hartwell and maintain the original competition dates.”
Hartwell has hosted three previous Bassmaster Classics and six major B.A.S.S. events as well as a number of B.A.S.S. Nation, college and high school tournaments. Plus, the lake has consistently been ranked as one of the country’s Top 100 Best Bass Lakes in Bassmaster Magazine’s annual rankings, making the coveted list four times since 2015.
At this time no changes are planned for the Basspro.com Bassmaster Southern Open at Lake Norman currently scheduled to take place Sept. 23-25.
B.A.S.S. is pursuing options with the local host to offer a 2022 tournament on Lake Norman.
Yelas and Zaldain preview Elite Series on St. Johns
Jay Yelas and Chris Zaldain talk treasured memories, new puppies, lures, and make their weight predictions prior to the start of the AFTCO Bassmaster Elite at St. Johns River.
Q: What is your favorite memory from the many times the Bassmaster Elite Series has visited Palatka’s St. Johns River?
Yelas: Seeing Rick Clunn win two Elites here in 2016 and 2019 over the age of 70.
Zaldain: My rookie year, getting an invite to dinner at Terry Scroggins’ house down the road, and looking around to realize I was sharing a meal on the eve of my first Elite Series tournament with Kevin VanDam and about a dozen more guys who were my bass fishing heroes.
Q: What will be the biggest challenge this week?
Yelas: Catching enough big ones, because 3-pounders don’t lead to wins on the St. Johns.
Zaldain: Keeping an open mind to ignore a lot of what happened on colder practice days. Temps are going to get way warmer during the tournament, and throw a lot of what we learned in practice right out the window.
Q: As a brand-new season begins, what was the highlight of your off-season?
Yelas: Having family together for Christmas at our home in Lincoln City, Oregon.
Zaldain: Getting a new Belgian Malinois puppy.
Q: Name four lures fans can expect to see used a lot this week?
Yelas: Flipping a punch rig, Texas rigged worm, lipless crankbait, and a Carolina rig
Zaldain: Soft plastic stick worm, flipping a Texas rig, a swim jig, and a topwater prop bait.
Q: How much weight will you need to average each day to get a Top 10?
Yelas: 15 pounds
Zaldain: 15+ pounds
Swindle’s 3 Overlooked Tools for Florida Success
When most fishermen think of Florida bass fishing, they imagine endless aquatic vegetation, heavy braided line, big weights, and giant warm-water dependent largemouth. Two-time Bassmaster Angler of the Year Gerald Swindle admits he envisions similar scenes when dreaming of Florida, but 26 years as a professional angler has educated G-Man on the nuances of fishing in the sunshine state.
Through the School of Hard Knocks Swindle has learned there are lots of overlooked tools in an angler’s toolbox that can help lead to success when fishing a body of water like the St. Johns River; the playing field this week for the start of the 2021 Elite Series season.
The Team Toyota pro offered three items that he leans on and always makes his starting line-up when he sees a Florida tournament on the schedule.
- A Jack Plate
Bass fishing in Florida is typically synonymous with shallow water, which is why the first item on Swindle’s list is a jack plate for his outboard motor. Swindle uses a TH Marine Atlas Hydraulic Jack Plate, and it allows him to raise or lower his motor depending on where he runs his Phoenix boat.
“A jack plate might not sound as sexy as high end electronics or a new fancy trolling motor, but they’ll save you when running shallow water,” Swindle said. “I spend lots of time idling the shallows in Florida and my hydraulic jack plate helps keep sand and mud out of my water pump. When running (fast) on pad through shallow water, a jack plate can mean the difference between a functioning and a destroyed lower unit.”
- Quality pair of sunglasses
A quality pair of polarized sunglasses is another tool Swindle depends on when fishing anywhere in the country around the spawn, especially in Florida. Not only do sunglasses help him see fish and spawning beds, but they also allow G-man to clearly see holes, clumps or irregularities in underwater grass patches.
“I swear by Costas and wear the Reefton with a Sunrise lens, but there are lots of good options available,” Swindle offered. “A quality pair of shades is genuinely worth the investment if you plan to come down to Florida to fish. Being able to see six extra inches might mean the difference between seeing a 10-pound behemoth on bed or missing her altogether. Don’t skimp and get you some!”
- Prop style topwater
Swindle’s last pick is a lure he feels doesn’t get the attention it deserves. A prop style topwater, similar to the iconic Devil’s Horse made famous years ago on the St. Johns and surrounding fisheries, is his third item.
Nowadays Swindle prefers the Rapala X-Rap 11 and believes the subtle action of this style of topwater is key when targeting Florida bass in super skinny water.
“My buddy Big Show (Terry Scroggins) showed me this lure over ten years ago and called it the ‘River Donkey’. When I asked why that name he said ‘cause it’ll kick your you-know-what on this river,” Swindle laughed. “You hardly ever hear about a bait like this anywhere in the country except when we come down to Florida. They’ll bite it other places, but not like they’ll eat it here. You can’t overlook it.”
Swindle will have these three tools and many more working to the best of their abilities today for the first day of Elite Series competition in hopes of bringing a big bag of fish back to the Palatka City Boat Dock.
Lake Palestine Readies for Bass Pro Shops REDCREST 2021 Presented by Old Wisconsin Sausage
Bass Pro Tour Championship to Showcase Top 40 Anglers Competing on Lake Palestine for $300,000 Top Prize
FLINT, Texas (Feb. 10, 2021) – Major League Fishing (MLF) Bass Pro Shops REDCREST 2021 presented by Old Wisconsin Sausage is set to visit Lake Palestine and the Flint, Texas area next week, Feb. 21-25, to crown the newest Bass Pro Tour champion. The five-day tournament, shot for television broadcast on CBS, the Discovery Channel and the Outdoor Channel, will showcase the top 40 Bass Pro Tour anglers from the 2020 season competing for the prestigious REDCREST Championship and the top prize of $300,000.
The Old Wisconsin Sausage Company, a premier provider of premium hand-crafted naturally smoked meat snacks, have signed on as the presenting sponsor of REDCREST 2021. Additional details of the sponsorship agreement will be forthcoming.
Originally scheduled to be held at Oklahoma’s Grand Lake O’ the Cherokees, MLF officials agreed to shift REDCREST 2021 to Texas’ Lake Palestine in mid-December after the cancellation of the Outdoor Sports Expo that had been scheduled to be held in conjunction with the event in Tulsa. The 18-mile long Texas reservoir is known for its tremendous bass-fishing and the numerous 10-plus-pound largemouth that live throughout the lake and will provide the perfect venue for the best bass fishermen in the world to crown their champion.
“This event is going to be a lot of fun. Big championships where the top pros in the world can bring their different strong suits to the table and play them are special events,” said Bass Pro Tour superstar Kevin VanDam of Kalamazoo, Michigan , who will be competing in his first career REDCREST championship. “Everyone will be able to fish their strengths here. The crankers can crank, the flippers can flip, the swimbaiters can reel their offerings in and around anything they want. The lake has got everything a guy could want to fish, too, with the exception of offshore hydrilla and milfoil. But there’s plenty of shoreline vegetation that looks good for vibrating jigs and pitching.
“Not many people nationally have heard of Lake Palestine, but they’re going to know about it soon,” VanDam continued. “There are no big ramp facilities where big tournaments can put in, so it usually stays under the radar from the big circuits. Tournament history there is scarce, and that fact alone gets me pumped. Palestine has a lot of quality bass in it. They live there — we’re not fishing for unicorns on this one. If we get good weather, this thing could be epic.”
Tennessee pro Ott DeFoe is another competitor that is extremely excited about his return to the Lone Star State.
“I’ve never fished on Lake Palestine, but from what I’ve researched it looks like an excellent fishery,” DeFoe told MLF reporter Dave Landahl. “I’ve always loved fishing in Texas. My first FLW Tour (now Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit) event was on Lake Travis, I finished in the Top 10. I had a Top 10 at the Classic on Lake Conroe, I won the Bass Pro Tour event on Lake Fork and Lake Athens, and have cashed a lot of checks in that state over the years. I do well there, I’m always consistent. There’s a lot to get excited about when you fish for bass in Texas.”
All 40 Anglers will compete on Days 1 (Sunday) and 2 (Monday) of the event. After two days of competition, the field is cut to just the top 20 based on two-day total cumulative weight. The remaining 20 anglers are split into two groups – 10 compete on Day 3 (Tuesday) and 10 compete on Day 4 (Wednesday). The top five anglers from each group based on total single-day weight will advance to the sixth and final day of competition, where weights are zeroed and the angler that catches the highest total weight on the final day will be crowned the REDCREST 2021 champion.
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 2020 Bass Pro Tour featured a field of 80 of the top professional anglers in the world competing in a COVID-shortened five regular-season tournaments around the country. The top 40 anglers in the Angler of the Year (AOY) standings after the five events qualified to compete in Bass Pro Shops REDCREST 2021 presented by Old Wisconsin Sausage.
The MLF NOW!® broadcast team of Chad McKee, Marty Stone and J.T. Kenney will break down the extended action on all five 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.
Television coverage of the Bass Pro Shops REDCREST 2021 presented by Old Wisconsin Sausage will be showcased across two two-hour episodes, premiering at 7 a.m. ET, July 3 on the Discovery Channel. A one-hour special episode of MLF Inside the REDCREST will premiere at 2 p.m. ET, Sunday, July 18 on CBS. 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 REDCREST 2021, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF’s social media outlets at Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube .
MATT ROBERTSON BECOMES THE FIRST MEMBER OF THE UGLY STIK PRO STAFF
Long known as a rod that’s always ready for a good time on the water, Ugly Stik Carbon rods are ready to compete at one of the highest levels of professional bass fishing.
COLUMBIA, S.C. (Feb. 10, 2021) — Already the choice of anglers everywhere who just want to have fun regardless of what’s biting, Ugly Stik is taking its legacy for durability and accessibility to the 2021 Bassmaster Elite Series with the addition of Matt Robertson as the brand’s first pro staff member.
The self-proclaimed “working man” said he feels right at home being the first pro to represent the brand known for being tough as nails and ideal for any angler.
“I’m a regular guy working my way from the bottom to the top, and I did it using the working man’s gear. To be the first Ugly Stik Pro, to represent all the working people out there and be on the Bassmaster Elite Series using the working man’s rod, it’s an honor,” Robertson said. “After the excitement that Ugly Stik has brought me and millions of anglers, I’m here to prove that an Ugly Stik can not only be your first rod, it can be your last, too.”
For the Bassmaster Elite Series, Robertson will be fishing with the Ugly Stik Carbon, which debuted in 2019 and quickly gained the attention of bass anglers with its lightweight sensitivity and the legendary toughness that have become synonymous with Ugly Stik. The 2021 Bassmaster Elite Series kicks off Feb. 11 on Florida’s St. Johns River.
To learn more about Ugly Stik and the Carbon series, visit www.uglystik.com.
AC Insider Podcast - "Z-Train Coming Atcha!"
This weeks Chris & the Boys have a HUGE Show coming' at you. First off Al McCulloch from the NPFL gives us a State of the Union Address with less than 30 days from their first event. Then all hell breaks loose as "Z-Train" Rolls into the show and things get interesting!
4 Lures Lester says will star at St. Johns Elite Series
Courtesy of Alan McGuckin - Dynamic Sponsorships
Perhaps the coolest thing about asking Brandon Lester to share four lures with fans he thinks will be major players on the St. Johns River is that he currently has no soft plastic or crankbait sponsor. So, what you’re getting here is unbiased authenticity in its purest form.
Plus, Lester has fished several Bassmaster Elite Series events on this famed Northeast Florida river, including leading after Day 1 of the 2016 Elite Series event, thanks to a 9-pounder he caught from a bed. Thus, his opinions are not only authentic, but dripping with experience too.
“The biggest key in this event is how much warm weather we get the next three days in order to push the water temps from where they’re currently at in the low 60s, up to around 68-degrees,” says Lester. “If it warms that much, we’ll see a huge wave of largemouth get shallow to spawn. So, I’m choosing the following four lures with hopes of that being the case.”
Rapala X Rap Prop – This bait is really similar to the famous old Devil’s Horse topwater prop lure bass are famous for eating in Florida around the spawn. Its magic resides in the fact you can float it directly over a spawning bed with a long pause between rips, and big fish simply can’t stand not to rise up and smash it.
3/8-ounce swim jig with a Zoom Z Craw trailer – This is a great lure for covering a lot of water like one might do with a Chatterbait or spinnerbait. Lester plans to swim it around everything from laydown trees to lily pads on the St. Johns.
1.5-ounce Texas rigged punch bait – If Florida had a mascot for a bass fishing lure, this might very well be it. It’s designed to “punch” through the thousands of acres of floating matted pennywort to get the fast attention of largemouth laying just beneath in a couple feet of water. Lester uses a Mustad tungsten weight, a stout 4/0 Mustad straight-shank hook and a Berkley MaxScent Creature Hawg.
Soft stick bait – Lester theorizes that since the St. Johns unfortunately lost a great deal of its once famous eel grass, a lot of bass are now forced to spawn on lily pad stems. And a slender stick bait like Berkley’s “The General” is perfect for pitching around the pads.
While millions of Bassmaster fans freeze around the country in frigid temps, Elite Series pros like Team Toyota’s Brandon Lester are anticipating the 78-degree temps forecasted for Palatka, Florida the next three days will bring an absolute heat wave to the weigh-in scales.
AFTCO Expands Sponsorship Of Bassmaster Events
February 10, 2021
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — After serving as title sponsor for the Elite Series season-opener and as a conservation partner for two years, AFTCO is expanding its partnership with B.A.S.S. The brand, renowned for its performance fishing clothing and precision tackle, will now serve as a Supporting Sponsor for the Bassmaster Tournament Trail and outfit all staff and marshals for these events.
“We are proud to partner with AFTCO on what is sure to be an exciting 2021 season across every level of competition,” said Bruce Akin, B.A.S.S. CEO. “Both brands have a long history focused on both conservation and growing the sport of bass fishing, and our enthusiastic fans are the perfect audience for AFTCO to promote their gear and clothing. Their generous support is also allowing us to enrich our already popular Elite Series Marshal program and lake cleanup efforts.”
As a Supporting Sponsor for the 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, AFTCO will enjoy exposure in Bassmaster and B.A.S.S. Times magazines and across various social media platforms as well as on the award-winning show Bassmaster LIVE.
“The entire AFTCO Team is extremely excited to expand our partnership with B.A.S.S. for the 2021 season,” said Matt Florentino, Marketing Director. “As a Supporting Sponsor for B.A.S.S. we have the unique opportunity to outfit all marshals and B.A.S.S. staff for the season. You have seen the AFTCO Pro Team reap the benefits of our gear in all weather conditions, and now the marshals and B.A.S.S. staff will get to do the same both on the water and behind the scenes.”
Marshals join different Elite anglers to spend two to three days on the water. Marshals are not allowed to fish, but they are encouraged to take photos, send blog posts to Bassmaster.com and serve as an extra set of eyes for B.A.S.S. tournament officials, making sure all rules are observed. Additionally, marshals operate the digital BassTrakk scoring system that enables fans to follow the action in real-time. New for the 2021 season, AFTCO will be rewarding marshals with a shirt, hat, sun mask, gift card and other items with a total value of $100, plus a 20% off coupon for future purchases.
When the AFTCO Bassmaster Elite Series at St. Johns River launches on Feb. 11, the field will feature 19 members of the AFTCO Pro Team. Highlighting the AFTCO-aligned anglers are Hank Cherry, who won the 2020 Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic presented by Huk, and Frank Talley, who claimed his first Elite Series victory last year on Lake Guntersville.
Sumrall: Florida in February all about Forecast
There is something buzzing in the air in Palatka, Florida besides the fog. You can feel the excitement and nerves of Bassmaster Elite Series competitors as they prepare to kick off the 2021 season tomorrow with the start of the AFTCO Bassmaster Elite on the St. Johns River.
Fourth year Elite Series pro Caleb Sumrall is ready to get the season underway and is excited to tackle the vast and beautiful St. Johns River. This is Sumrall’s third trip to Palatka, but as much as this river might look like his native Louisiana waters, the Yamaha pro is quick to tell you this place doesn’t exactly fish like home.
One thing Sumrall has learned about Florida in February is just how much weather factors into a four-day Elite Series tournament. “Weather” has definitely been a buzzword today, just as it has been for every St. Johns River event. A warming trend has settled in to northeast Florida this week and has anglers hopeful for what is to come.
“Based on the 5-day forecast, I truly believe some giant Florida bass will flood the shallows to spawn during our derby,” Sumrall suspected. “But it’s so hard to predict where or when that will happen on a fishery like this. You hope you’re the guy who lands on them in the tournament, but you never really know this time of year in Florida.”
Sumrall’s experience on the St. Johns has shown that the giant bass this fishery is famous for do not just pull up all over the river to perform their spawning ritual. There might be miles of dead water in between productive spots. And with 101 of the best bass anglers in the world all looking for similar types of areas, this massive body of water could fish very small.
The potential for rainy or stormy conditions doesn’t concern Sumrall too much, as he is not planning to focus on sight fishing solely during this event. He’ll be primarily fishing for bass he believes to be spawning, but not necessarily looking at them. Overcast conditions could very well play into his favor if it affects anglers hoping to use their eyes to find and catch fish.
Sumrall trusts his Carhartt rain suit to keep him comfortable no matter the conditions and doesn’t believe the wet weather will affect fish too negatively. One weather factor that does worry Sumrall is the chance of fog. As of 10:30am on Wednesday the fog still hadn’t lifted and anglers are expecting similar conditions tomorrow morning.
“The dense fog we’ve had the past two mornings definitely has me nervous,” Sumrall said. “You hate to have a fog delay and lose time in any tournament, but I really need every minute possible with the way the St. Johns is fishing this week.”
There is no doubt the weather will be a major player for Elite Series anglers this week, but it’s also something they cannot control. Instead of spending his time worrying, Sumrall is focusing on variables he can control and intends to start his 2021 Elite Series campaign off on the right foot.
Minn Kota® Pro Team Members Prepare for 2021 Elite Series Season with New Raptor™ Shallow Water Anchors
RACINE, Wis. (February 9, 2021) – Bassmaster Elite Series contenders are wrapping up final off-season preparations in advance of the start of the 2021 season, the AFTCO Bassmaster Elite on Florida’s St. Johns River. Minn Kota® pro team members begin the 2021 schedule with renewed hopes and the latest technology rigged and ready to put them on the fish and keep them there throughout the season. Minn Kota’s new Raptor™ shallow-water anchors are one of the new additions mounted to the stern of several Elite Series boats to provide the most advanced and reliable anchoring technology available to date.
Minn Kota pros that will be taking advantage of the new Raptor shallow water anchors this upcoming season include Brandon Palaniuk, Seth Feider, Chris Zaldain, Keith Combs, Matt Herren, Greg DiPalma, Lee Livesay, Carl Jocumsen, Bill Lowen, Brad Whatley, Garrett Paquette, Chad Pipkens, Bob Downey, Chris Groh, Ray Hanselman, Wes Logan, as well as Major League Fishing pros Kevin VanDam, and Bryan Thrift.
The 2021 Elite Series schedule is stacked with shallow water fisheries like the St. Johns and Sabine River systems, meaning shallow water boat control will be a big part of the game plan.
With new features that allow anglers to maintain boat control in the harshest conditions, the Raptor has improved on the legendary boat positioning system available from Minn Kota. Active Anchoring™ and Auto-Bottom Mode™ are two new technologies that add to the toolbox of any angler in rough conditions. Both constantly monitor bottom hardness and boat movement to maintain stability and control in any conditions.
"At first look it was hard not be seriously impressed by the new Minn Kota Raptor – just the sleek look alone was awesome, but once we put them to use you could see and feel the quality difference,” Jocumsen said.
“You can tell they put every detail possible into the build and they stack up. Quiet, powerful and they’ve reinforced every single bolt, bushing and pivot area to create the most rock-solid anchor I’ve ever seen. They really are unmatched,” adds Jocumsen.
Raptor is engineered to stand up to the harshest conditions, giving anglers the ability to confidently hold their boat securely in place in more fishing situations than ever before. Simply stated, Raptor is designed with durability in every detail:
- Active Anchoring – continuously monitors anchor hold and adjusts automatically to changing conditions
- Auto-Bottom Mode – senses bottom hardness to ensure the right amount of force is delivered for a more secure hold every time
- Retraction Force – ensures spike removal in all bottom types
- Multiple Control Options – features Wireless Remote, Foot Switch, i-Pilot or i-Pilot Link Remote, Mobile App or the ability to control right from the Humminbird® fish finder
- Wide profile and heavy-duty pivot points – help to reduce wear and maintain longer stability
- Unique pump design – keeps Raptor holding tightly when stowed, eliminating the need for special covers or bungee cords to keep your anchor secure while running or trailering
- Extruded aluminum mounting bracket – adds strength while reducing weight and dramatically simplifies installation
“The Minn Kota Raptor is your smarter, heavy-duty, anchoring system. Technology such as the Active Anchoring takes all the guess work out of whether or not you’re locked down,” says Brandon Palanuik.
Between Auto-Bottom Mode and Raptor’s increased retraction force, anglers will never have to worry about their anchors overdriving or getting stuck in the thick mud and silt of the St. John’s River. As the Elite Series switches gears and heads to the Tennessee River with harder bottom and heavy current, Active Anchoring is going to be vital in keeping boats positioned.
Minn Kota’s new Raptor shallow-water anchor is available in 8- and 10-foot lengths as well as a variety of options and colors. Raptor models can be purchased from authorized Minn Kota retailers starting at $1,499.99. Minn Kota’s shallow-water anchors are backed by a comprehensive 5-year warranty plus a lifetime warranty on the spike for years of reliability anglers can count on.
For more information on the new Raptor shallow-water anchor, visit MinnKotaMotors.com/Raptor.
Yamaha Signs Multi-Year Deal To Sponsor Bassmaster Tournament Trail
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — B.A.S.S. and Yamaha have inked a new agreement expanding their longstanding partnership for four more years. Yamaha’s sponsorship of the Bassmaster Tournament Trail and iconic Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic presented by Huk will continue through 2024 as an Official Premier Engine Sponsor.
“We’re thrilled to continue working alongside the team at Yamaha to support boaters at all levels,” said Bruce Akin, B.A.S.S. CEO. “As we reach new audiences and outdoor enthusiasts, it is great to have a partner like Yamaha, who is dedicated to helping anglers get incredible performance out of their equipment as well as active in vital conservation missions that benefit everyone who loves spending time on the water. The expansion of our partnership proves that, together, Yamaha and B.A.S.S. are committed to ensuring a bright future for sportfishing.”
Yamaha will be a Premier Sponsor for the Bassmaster Classic, Bassmaster Elite Series, Basspro.comBassmaster 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.
“Yamaha is excited to continue our Premier sponsorship with Bassmaster through 2024,” said Yamaha Marine Business Unit President Ben Speciale. “Bassmaster is the pinnacle of bass fishing in the United States, but they’re not sitting still. The team at B.A.S.S. has impressed us in recent years with flexibility in the face of challenges and their efforts to bring newcomers into the sport of bass fishing. We feel secure knowing we will be working with them on current and new initiatives.”
As a tournament trail sponsor, Yamaha will enjoy exposure to enthusiastic fans of sportfishing and B.A.S.S. members at live events, where they routinely offer demo rides on some of the country’s most incredible fisheries. Additionally, Yamaha will be featured in Bassmaster and B.A.S.S. Times magazines, on the Bassmaster LIVE show broadcast on FS1 and streamed on Bassmaster.com and the FOX Sports digital platforms and across various social media platforms while their exciting Power Pay contingency program will be highlighted on BassTrakk and Bassmaster.com.
For the 2021 season, 32 Elite Series anglers will be powered by Yamaha. According to Yamaha pro Clark Wendlandt, who won the 2020 Bassmaster Angler of the Year title, “I run my Yamaha for a few reasons: reliability, great fuel efficiency and outstanding customer service. If you want to compete against the best, you’ve got to have the best companies in your corner.”
Beyond partnering at the tournament level, B.A.S.S. and Yamaha also work together to promote sustainability and natural resource conservation through the Yamaha Rightwaters program, which champions environmental stewardship and supports marine habitat restoration, invasive species control and scientific research.
“Yamaha's Rightwaters sustainability initiative advocates and educates to protect our aquatic resources,” explained Gene Gilliland, B.A.S.S. Conservation Director. “As a B.A.S.S. Conservation partner, their mission aligns perfectly with our agenda to maintain public boating and fishing access, support scientific fishery management, improve fish habitat, fight invasive species and educate anglers about proper fish care.”
Eastanollee’s Morrow Wins Phoenix Bass Fishing League on Lake Keowee
Gainesville’s South Wins Strike King Co-Angler Division
SENECA, S.C. (Feb. 8, 2021) – Boater Troy Morrow of Eastanollee, Georgia, won the Phoenix Bass Fishing League presented by T-H Marine at Lake Keowee presented by Googan Baits in Seneca, South Carolina. Morrow earned $7,011 for his victory at the event, which was hosted by Visit Oconee.
TOP 10 RESULTS
| RANK | BOATER NAME/HOMETOWN | BASS | WEIGHT | AWARD |
| 1st | Troy Morrow of Eastanollee, Ga. | 5 | 15-2 | $7,011 |
| 2nd | Bo Price of Seneca, S.C. | 5 | 13-14 | $3,006 |
| 3rd | Todd Goade of White Pine, Tenn. | 5 | 13-7 | $2,001 |
| 4th | Randy Dover of Buford, Ga. | 5 | 13-6 | $1,403 |
| 5th | Jared Pelfrey of Westminster, S.C. | 5 | 12-12 | $1,202 |
| 6th | Chris Nelson of Social Circle, Ga. | 5 | 12-3 | $1,102 |
| 7th | Andy Burgess of Greenville, S.C. | 5 | 11-15 | $1,502 |
| 8th | Hunter Eubanks of Inman, S.C. | 5 | 11-14 | $852 |
| 8th | Jody Holland of Clermont, Ga. | 5 | 11-14 | $852 |
| 10th | Jayme Rampey of Liberty, S.C. | 5 | 11-13 | $701 |
| RANK |
STRIKE KING CO-ANGLER NAME/HOMETOWN
|
BASS | WEIGHT | AWARD |
| 1st | James South of Gainesville, Ga. | 5 | 11-9 | $3,006 |
| 2nd | Johnny Hancox of West Union, S.C. | 4 | 9-6 | $2,000 |
| 3rd | Chris Coleman of Ware Shoals, S.C. | 5 | 9-4 | $1,008 |
| 4th | Kyle Rogers of Cleveland, Ga. | 5 | 7-13 | $701 |
| 5th | Corey Veal of Royston, Ga. | 5 | 7-11 | $576 |
| 5th | Stewart Uldrick of Anderson, S.C. | 5 | 7-11 | $576 |
| 7th | Shane Swann of Mars Hill, N.C. | 5 | 7-5 | $476 |
| 7th | Kyle Davis of Liberty, S.C. | 5 | 7-5 | $476 |
| 9th | Lee Montgomery of Duncan, S.C. | 4 | 6-7 | $401 |
| 10th | Trey Paul of Anderson, S.C. | 4 | 6-6 | $319 |
| 10th | Jimmy Plakas of Greenville, S.C. | 3 | 6-6 | $319 |
| 10th | Caleb Roberson of Travelers Rest, S.C. | 5 | 6-6 | $319 |
Full results from the event can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.CONTINGENCY AWARDS
| AWARD | NAME | CONTINGENCY | PAYOUT |
| Boater Berkley Big Bass | Shane Peck of Gainesville, Ga. | 4-pound, 9-ounce bass | $995 |
| Strike King Co-Angler Berkley Big Bass | Johnny Hancox of West Union, S.C. | 4-pound, 12-ounce bass | $497 |
| Phoenix MLF BIG5 Bonus | Andy Burgess of Greenville, S.C. | Eligible Phoenix Boat* | $500 |
| ANGLER | BAITS | COLOR |
| Boater | - 3/8-ounce Outkast Tackle Swimbait Jig Head with a Zoom Boot Tail Fluke Swimbait | Not Disclosed |
| Strike King Co-Angler |
- ½-ounce Unnamed Swimbait Jig Head with a Keitech Swing Impact FAT Swimbait
- Shaky-Head Rig |
Not Disclosed |
| EVENT | DATE | LOCATION | HOST |
| Savannah River Division – Phoenix Bass Fishing League Regional Championship | Oct. 14-16 | Lake Murray, Columbia, S.C. | Capital City Lake Murray Country Regional Tourism Board |
| Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American | June 3-5 | Douglas Lake, Dandridge, Tenn. |
Jefferson County Department of Tourism
|
The 2021 MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League presented by T-H Marine is a 24-division circuit devoted to weekend anglers, with 128 tournaments throughout the season, five qualifying events in each division. The top 45 boaters and Strike King co-anglers from each division, along with the five winners of the qualifying events, will advance to one of six Phoenix Bass Fishing League Regional Championships. Boaters will compete for a $60,000 prize package, including a new Phoenix 819 Pro bass boat with a 200-horsepower Mercury outboard and $10,000, while Strike King co-anglers will fish for a new Phoenix 819 Pro bass boat with a 200-horsepower Mercury outboard.The top six finishers in each regional will then qualify for one of the longest-running championships in all of competitive bass fishing – the Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American.
The top 45 boaters and Strike King co-anglers plus tournament winners from each Phoenix Bass Fishing League division will also earn priority entry into the Toyota Series, the pathway to the Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit and ultimately the MLF Bass Pro Tour.
Big O could be a Big Mess
Courtesy of Vance McCullough
This week’s MLFLW Pro Circuit season-opener on Lake Okeechobee is presented by 13 Fishing but it should probably be presented by a rainwear company. The anglers might get wetter than the fish. If the weatherman can be believed, we’re in for bucket loads of rain as partly cloudy practice days lead to heavy storms by Friday and the weekend. Anglers who make Sunday’s final cut will be rewarded with a sharp drop in temperatures, accompanied by a rising barometer that could completely change the bite all across the massive lake.
Wind is everything on Okeechobee and it will come mainly from the south throughout the event before circling the compass overnight to blow from the north on Sunday. High temps will hover in the mid 80’s all week except on Sunday which should be 10-to-15 degrees cooler.
But then, meteorologists and baseball players are the only people who can strike out seventy-five percent of the time and remain employed.
At any rate, the weather will factor into this event. Good news is, Lake Okeechobee offers 730 square miles for the pros to spread out on, right? Not really. The giant lake always fishes small and this year will be no different. The two hot areas this winter have been South Bay and the same Harney Pond area that produced 97 out of every 100 tournament-caught bass last year (fact checkers say this statistic is disputed, which means it’s probably true, but you get the point). Those areas are across the lake from each other, separated by twenty-several miles but both within easy striking distance of Clewiston, the host city. Observation Shoal is said to be producing limits of schooling bass as are a few spots along the lake’s reliable western littoral zone.
The lake level is right at 15.5 feet – at least two-and-a-half feet higher than it was in the Februarys of 2020 and 2019 - and the Corps has been holding it steady for the past few weeks. Stability is a plus for fish and anglers. The higher levels will put additional areas in play, especially if fish want to push back into the reeds.
According to locals, a lot of bucks have fanned beds and big females are staged up nearby. Cloudy weather makes sight fishing difficult. Pelting rain would dimple the surface and make it impossible. Pitching blind to suspected bedding locations will be a popular ploy.
The first rule of fishing is to be around fish. A few crafty anglers will take advantage during the cloudy practice days, don their Sunrise Silver lenses and visually locate stretches of bottom covered in the telltale white ovals that indicate bass are spawning there. The fish won’t leave even though they are impossible to see under rainy conditions. Big bass will be with them, or very nearby, throughout the event.
For now, the best action seems to be along the outside edges of the reeds where stacks of bass in varying sizes tend to accumulate this time of year. Jigs produce big bass in such places but those looking for steady catches of quality fish may choose Texas-rigged soft stick baits.
Chatterbaits could show out this week, as could Hildebrandt spinnerbaits such as the Blade and the Tin Roller, designed specifically for Florida’s clear, grassy lakes. We could see another strong ‘Trap bite as we did on Toho last week when Bryan Schmitt left the competition in his wake by mining a single strip of grass with a SPRO Aruku Shad 75.
Shiner-fishing guides are putting clients on dozens of bass up to 4 pounds, but giants are harder to come by.
Some clients have used artificial lures to good effect. The topwater bite lacks consistency right now but when it’s on, well check out this report from last week by Byron Stout who does a stellar job of covering the Southwest Florida fishing scene:
“Illinois angler John Schuessler spurned the wild shiners and put 20 bass to 4 pounds in the boat casting fake baits with Capt. George Mro of Roland Martin’s Marina & Resort in Clewiston. They fished the North Shore area between the Harney Pond Canal and Dyess’s Ditch, starting with a pumpkin/blue Gambler stick worm that produced early. The guide then found a “fast and furious” schooling bass bite by targeting scattered cattail clumps and eelgrass in depths of three to five feet, where a silver Zara Spook did the damage.”
Here's to wishing all the Pro Circuit anglers the best of luck in finding some ‘fast and furious’ action and doing some major ‘damage’ on Okeechobee this week!
Bernhard & Price win $20,000 after topping 191 teams at Lake Travis with 18.75 lbs.
| Place | Boat | Truck | Angler 1 | Angler 2 | Fish | Big Bass | Wt. | Prize Amt. | |
| 1 | WILLIAM BERNHARD LEANDER , TX |
DARYL PRICE ROUND ROCK , TX |
5 | 8.59 | 18.75 |
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| 2 |  |
KEVIN DAVIS LAGO VISTA , TX |
JIM HARCROW MCKINNEY , TX |
5 | 9.02 | 16.70 |
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| 3 | JASON OLIVO KYLE , TX |
JOEY RODRIGUEZ KYLE , TX |
5 | 0 | 16.41 |
|
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| 4 | JAMES SEYMOUR OGLESBY , TX |
TONY MCBRIDE WEST , TX |
5 | 0 | 15.32 |
|
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| 5 |  |
LEE BENTON BURNET , TX |
CODY SMITH NEW BRAUNFELS , TX |
5 | 0 | 15.08 |
|
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| 6 | |
JJ LARSON LEANDER , TX |
JASON LARSON LEANDER , TX |
5 | 0 | 14.87 |
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| 7 | |
 |
WESTON BROWN HOUSTON , TX |
DAVID DOONAN CALDWELL , TX |
5 | 0 | 14.80 |
|
|
| 8 | MALCOLM MIDDLEBROOK ROUND ROCK , TX |
KLINT KRHOVJAK TOOL , TX |
4 | 6.32 | 13.97 |
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| 9 | |
KEITH HONEYCUTT TEMPLE , TX |
SAM JONES ROGERS , TX |
5 | 0 | 13.71 |
|
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| 10 | |
DAVID SHUSTER GEORGETOWN , TX |
CHARLES GERHART SALADO , TX |
5 | 0 | 13.66 |
|
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| 11 | BYRON ALBRECHT WACO , TX |
MICHAEL JOHNSON CRAWFORD , TX |
5 | 0 | 13.49 |
|
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| 12 | |
BRANDON HOUSTON GEORGETOWN , TX |
JAMIE SLAYDEN AUSTIN , TX |
5 | 6.91 | 13.08 |
|
||
| 13 | BRYAN SEALE SAN ANGELO , TX |
JOSHUA SEALE SAN ANGELO , TX |
5 | 0 | 12.86 |
|
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| 14 | |
DALE READ LEANDER , TX |
JIM SUNVISON PFLUGERVILLE , TX |
5 | 0 | 12.84 |
|
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| 15 | |
BRENNAN FERTIG BELLVILLE , TX |
JAMES BEAUCHAMP SUNRISE BEACH , TX |
5 | 0 | 12.62 |
|
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| 16 | JUSTYN PARRISH LAGO VISTA , TX |
LUCAS LARSON HUTTO , TX |
5 | 0 | 12.53 |
|
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| 17 | DENTON COOPER SMITHVILLE , TX |
DANIEL HARRIS SMITHVILLE , TX |
4 | 6.07 | 12.44 |
|
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| 18 | LINO GUTIERREZ COTTONWOOD WOOD SHORES , TX |
RUBEN RIBERA MARBLE FALLS , TX |
5 | 0 | 12.43 |
|
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| 19 | |
BRANDON JONES FAIR OAKS , TX |
THOMAS WEIMER CEDAR PARK , TX |
5 | 0 | 12.29 |
|
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| 20 | BRINTON HASKINS NEW BRAUNFELS , TX |
MICHAEL ATKINS NEW BRAUNFELS , TX |
5 | 0 | 12.01 |
|
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| 21 | |
LANCE DILLARD LLANO , TX |
BLAKE DILLARD LLANO , TX |
5 | 0 | 11.72 |
|
||
| 22 | STEVEN KIRKWOOD ROUND ROCK , TX |
KEN WILKINS ROUND ROCK , TX |
5 | 0 | 11.58 |
|
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| 23 | |
GARRETT GILL TEMPLE , TX |
ROBERT GILL BELTON , TX |
5 | 0 | 11.41 |
|
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| 24 | |
RAY TOMASITS LEANDER , TX |
CARY LAUDADIO AUSTIN , TX |
5 | 0 | 11.39 |
|
||
| 25 | COREY MARTENSON AUSTIN , TX |
JOHN WEBBER FREDERICKSBURG , TX |
5 | 0 | 11.28 |
|
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| 26 | HUNTER AMIDON AUSTIN , TX |
TANNER PATTESON AUSTIN , TX |
5 | 0 | 11.08 |
|
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| 27 | |
KELLY NORRIS LIBERTY HILL , TX |
KEVIN THRESS LEANDER , TX |
5 | 0 | 11.00 |
|
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| 28 | DAVID LINDLEY SUNRISE BEACH , TX |
JUSTIN PRISOCK ROBINSON , TX |
5 | 0 | 10.90 |
|
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| 29 | |
BRIAN MATER AUSTIN , TX |
PHILLIP WARREN AUSTIN , TX |
5 | 0 | 10.84 |
|
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| 30 |  |
LEE LEONARD MARTINDALE , TX |
SCOTT BRONDER FALLS CITY , TX |
5 | 0 | 10.63 |
|
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| 31 | JASON MURPHREE BLANCO , TX |
KORBIS BUCHANAN BOERNE , TX |
5 | 0 | 10.50 |
|
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| 32 | STEVE MAGNELIA AUSTIN , TX |
MICHAEL TENNANT PFLUGERVILLE , TX |
5 | 0 | 10.49 |
|
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| 32 | DEVIN GIBSON GONZALES , TX |
ROBERT PRESCOTT SEGUIN , TX |
5 | 0 | 10.49 |
|
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| 34 | MATTHEW HATHAWAY LULING , TX |
MICHAEL GLYNN BOERNE , TX |
5 | 0 | 10.42 |
|
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| 35 | TOM GUIDRY NEW BRAUNFELS , TX |
DUSTIN ISBELL KINGSLAND , TX |
5 | 0 | 10.34 |
|
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| 36 | |
JAMES DISLER LEANDER , TX |
DAVID DISLER CONROE , TX |
5 | 0 | 10.15 |
|
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| 37 | DAVID UNDERWOOD WACO , TX |
CHARLES SIMMONS WACO , TX |
5 | 0 | 10.06 |
|
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| 37 | |
JEFF ANDERSON AUSTIN , TX |
FRANKLIN WIGET BUDA , TX |
5 | 0 | 10.06 |
|
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| 39 | DAVID ZACHGO COLLEGE STATION , TX |
MICHAEL ZACHGO BOERNE , TX |
5 | 0 | 10.04 |
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| 40 | |
BLAINE BUTLER CEDAR PARK , TX |
HANK GRAVES LAGO VISTA , TX |
5 | 0 | 9.97 |
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| 40 | |
GARY WEIMER LEANDER , TX |
JEREMIAH WAFFORD CEDAR PARK , TX |
5 | 0 | 9.97 |
|
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| 42 | MICKEY SANDERS SPICEWOOD , TX |
ANDREW WHITEHEAD PFLUGERVILLE , TX |
5 | 0 | 9.93 |
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| 43 | CHAD KALLINA LAGO VISTA , TX |
ERIC JOHNSON BUDA , TX |
5 | 0 | 9.84 |
|
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| 44 | |
DAVID REID CANYON LAKE , TX |
JUSTIN WOJCIK NEW BRAUNFELS , TX |
5 | 0 | 9.82 |
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| 45 | |
|
ZACH BROWN GEORGETOWN , TX |
MIKE RICHARDSON THORNDALE , TX |
5 | 0 | 9.71 |
|
|
| 46 | JEFFREY JONES SAN ANTONIO , TX |
DANIEL JANDREY SAN ANTONIO , TX |
5 | 0 | 9.70 |
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| 47 | |
PAUL MIGAS AUSTIN , TX |
SEAN EVANS KILLEEN , TX |
5 | 0 | 9.69 |
|
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| 48 | GARY JOHNSON BELTON , TX |
DON SCHUETZE TEMPLE , TX |
5 | 0 | 9.64 |
|
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| 49 | |
GENE FUESSEL AUSTIN , TX |
GERALD MUELLER JR HUTTO , TX |
5 | 0 | 9.62 |
|
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| 50 | JOHN KAPALDO BUDA , TX |
JEFF EPLING AUSTIN , TX |
5 | 0 | 9.59 |
|
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| 51 | |
JAY STIDHAM CHINA SPRING , TX |
CHARLIE GANTENBEIN TEMPLE , TX |
5 | 0 | 9.58 |
|
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| 52 | TREY GROCE DRIPPING SPRINGS , TX |
CHARLES WHITED SAN MARCOS , TX |
5 | 0 | 9.55 |
|
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| 53 | |
JAMES CANTWELL KINGSLAND , TX |
KELLEY MAULDIN COPPELL , TX |
5 | 0 | 9.46 |
|
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| 54 | LOWELL BENNETT HEWITT , TX |
CHARLES REAGAN THORNTON , TX |
5 | 0 | 9.44 |
|
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| 54 | DON GORDON AUSTIN , TX |
DAVID MAULDIN LEANDER , TX |
5 | 0 | 9.44 |
|
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| 56 | BUBBA WAMPLER BERTRAM , TX |
LARRY SMITH LAMPASAS , TX |
4 | 0 | 9.36 |
|
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| 57 | MATT CANNON TROY , TX |
JARED SIEGLER BELTON , TX |
5 | 0 | 9.32 |
|
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| 58 | DONNIE ONEAL LIBERTY HILL , TX |
MICHAEL ZIBERT GARDEN RIDGE , TX |
5 | 0 | 9.21 |
|
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| 59 | |
JACK MEREDITH BELTON , TX |
STEVEN BREAZEALE TEMPLE , TX |
5 | 0 | 9.04 |
|
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| 60 | GERALD POBORIL TEMPLE , TX |
JACK POWE KEMPNER , TX |
5 | 0 | 8.80 |
|
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| 61 | |
WENDELL RAMSEY SR SAN ANGELO , TX |
WENDELL RAMSEY JR PFLUGERVILLE , TX |
3 | 0 | 8.69 |
|
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| 62 | |
STAN KAMINSKI CEDAR PARK , TX |
CODY BAILEY JONESTOWN , TX |
5 | 0 | 8.66 |
|
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| 63 | DEAN ALEXANDER CEDAR PARK , TX |
THOMAS MARTENS CEDAR PARK , TX |
5 | 0 | 8.48 |
|
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| 64 | |
DANIEL BARNES BELTON , TX |
TANNER BARNES BELTON , TX |
5 | 0 | 8.15 |
|
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| 65 | BRYAN COTTER CEDAR PARK , TX |
BILL GUZMAN AUSTIN , TX |
3 | 0 | 8.12 |
|
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| 66 | JAMES STANLEY SAN ANTONIO , TX |
ANTHONY SKOUBY CIBOLO , TX |
5 | 0 | 8.07 |
|
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| 67 | JOSHUA RHODES SAN ANTONIO , TX |
DAVY CRANDAL HONDO , TX |
5 | 0 | 8.01 |
|
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| 68 | DOBIE NEW GEORGETOWN , TX |
NICKALES CASTLEBERRY GEORGETOWN , TX |
5 | 0 | 8.00 |
|
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| 69 | CHRIS CLEMENTS ROUND ROCK , TX |
CHRIS WOEHL CEDAR PARK , TX |
4 | 0 | 7.94 |
|
|||
| 70 | |
KYLE MAREK LAGO VISTA , TX |
DYLAN LOOZE LEANDER , TX |
4 | 0 | 7.81 |
|
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| 71 | |
ROGER SARAIBA LIBERTY HILL , TX |
COREY SOIREZ LIBERTY HILL , TX |
4 | 0 | 7.72 |
|
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| 72 | JOSH LASSETER BUCHANAN DAM , TX |
ROBERT MILLER DRIPPING SPRINGS , TX |
4 | 0 | 7.54 |
|
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| 73 | |
BILLY BREWER HEWITT , TX |
L J CASTILLO WACO , TX |
4 | 0 | 7.34 |
|
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| 74 | |
|
ALLEN SHELTON FARMERS BRANCH , TX |
BRAD DRAKE IRVING , TX |
4 | 0 | 7.28 |
|
|
| 75 | |
MICHAEL GRIMES GEORGETOWN , TX |
TRAVIS OWEN GEORGETOWN , TX |
4 | 0 | 7.22 |
|
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| 75 | |
STEPHEN COOKSEY BULLARD , TX |
TROY SLAUGHTER TRINIDAD , TX |
3 | 0 | 7.22 |
|
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| 77 | |
ROBERT BROWN ROUND ROCK , TX |
CHARLES PURSELL AUSTIN , TX |
5 | 0 | 7.16 |
|
||
| 78 | |
TERRY KIRCUS BURNET , TX |
JASON BUCHANAN BURNET , TX |
4 | 0 | 7.15 |
|
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| 79 | |
SHAWN MARKGRAF BURNET , TX |
BRIAN BOOKER LEANDER , TX |
5 | 0 | 7.05 |
|
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| 80 | |
NICK LEFEBVRE ROUND ROCK , TX |
DAVE MANGELSDORF GEORGETOWN , TX |
4 | 0 | 7.03 |
|
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| 81 | RYAN CRAWFORD GATESVILLE , TX |
JARAD GOHLKE GATESVILLE , TX |
4 | 0 | 6.98 |
|
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| 82 | ED WHALEY MONTGOMERY , TX |
DAREN SEBEK TEMPLE , TX |
4 | 0 | 6.93 |
|
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| 83 | |
LEVAR JENKINS AUSTIN , TX |
DWAYNE KINLEY AUSTIN , TX |
3 | 0 | 6.88 |
|
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| 84 | |
PHILLIP MASSOLETTI BURNET , TX |
NOEL LOWE BURNET , TX |
4 | 0 | 6.81 |
|
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| 85 | |
DAVID CHILES WACO , TX |
KYLE ROWE WACO , TX |
4 | 0 | 6.71 |
|
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| 86 | |
FRED CATES SR ROCKDALE , TX |
KC CARLTON LIBERTY HILL , TX |
5 | 0 | 6.63 |
|
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| 87 | NICHOLAS LONCAR AUSTIN , TX |
MATT SCOTT CEDAR PARK , TX |
4 | 0 | 6.54 |
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| 88 | |
|
LEE BEUERSHAUSEN MARBLE FALLS , TX |
RANDY GROUNDS HORSESHOE BAY , TX |
3 | 0 | 6.45 |
|
|
| 89 | |
LON SHIPE LEAGUE CITY , TX |
FARREN MOUNTS PRESCOTT , AZ |
3 | 0 | 6.13 |
|
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| 90 | |
RONALD SISK RIO VISTA , TX |
TAYLOR HUFFERD JOSHUA , TX |
3 | 0 | 6.00 |
|
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| 91 | |
DON PEARSON CEDAR PARK , TX |
JUSTIN KING BRYAN , TX |
3 | 0 | 5.94 |
|
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| 92 | JIMMY WILLOUGBY TEMPLE , TX |
COLTON HILL TEMPLE , TX |
3 | 0 | 5.84 |
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| 93 | ANDER MEINE AUSTIN , TX |
JORDAN FELKNER LAMPASAS , TX |
3 | 0 | 5.80 |
|
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| 94 | DEREK ANDERSEN GEORGETOWN , TX |
BILL KIMBERLY JARRELL , TX |
3 | 0 | 5.48 |
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| 95 | GARY WAFFORD CEDAR PARK , TX |
GREG WAFFORD CEDAR PARK , TX |
3 | 0 | 5.42 |
|
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| 96 | TRENT ERXLEBEN ROUND ROCK , TX |
DERON MUELLER ROUND ROCK , TX |
2 | 0 | 5.31 |
|
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| 97 | |
|
RONNIE CHARANZA BROWNWOOD , TX |
WESLEY FLETCHER BROWNWOOD , TX |
2 | 0 | 5.19 |
|
|
| 98 | |
TOM WILKINSON LEANDER , TX |
GUO XIPING LEANDER , TX |
3 | 0 | 5.06 |
|
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| 98 | |
DAVID WENCIL BUCHANAN DAM , TX |
JEFF WHITEHEAD SLATON , TX |
2 | 0 | 5.06 |
|
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| 100 | |
MATT HILL JONESTOWN , TX |
BARRY MOTT LIBERTY HILL , TX |
2 | 0 | 4.86 |
|
||
| 101 | |
JAMES SCOGIN AUSTIN , TX |
ROLAND LOERA AUSTIN , TX |
2 | 0 | 4.85 |
|
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| 102 | |
LANCE SHELLEY EDINBURG , TX |
PARRISH SHELLEY NEW BRAUNFELS , TX |
2 | 0 | 4.78 |
|
||
| 103 | |
GREG MIRANDA BROWNWOOD , TX |
ROGER SOTO BROWNWOOD , TX |
1 | 4.74 | 4.74 |
|
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| 104 | RICH RAYNOR ROUND ROCK , TX |
HOLLY RAYNOR ROUND ROCK , TX |
3 | 0 | 4.56 |
|
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| 105 | MATTHEW PURYEAR LAKEWAY , TX |
WILLIE PIPKIN DRIPPING SPRINGS , TX |
1 | 4.43 | 4.43 |
|
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| 106 | CARY DECUIR ROUND ROCK , TX |
RANDALL FRY ROUND ROCK , TX |
2 | 0 | 4.31 |
|
|||
| 107 | |
|
STERLING MARTIN COMFORT , TX |
COURTNEY BEHREND COMFORT , TX |
2 | 0 | 4.23 |
|
|
| 108 | |
MARK DOREMUS EARLY , TX |
TIM MANLEY BROWNWOOD , TX |
2 | 0 | 3.82 |
|
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| 109 | |
RONNY MAYNARD GEORGETOWN , TX |
ERIC CRUMLEY LEANDER , TX |
2 | 0 | 3.77 |
|
||
| 110 | |
TAYLOR DARDEN LOMETA , TX |
JOEY WYNN EARLY , TX |
2 | 0 | 3.38 |
|
||
| 111 | |
CHARLES MEREDITH JR FLORENCE , TX |
DALTON MULLINS KILLEEN , TX |
1 | 0 | 3.28 |
|
||
| 112 | |
JARED TALBERT CHINA SPRING , TX |
JESSE RAWLS CHINASPRING , TX |
2 | 0 | 3.01 |
|
||
| 113 | |
DANIEL GIBSON LEANDER , TX |
LEANN BENNETT CEDAR PARK , TX |
1 | 0 | 2.94 |
|
||
| 114 | RICK NEELY BURNET , TX |
PAUL NEELY BURNETT , TX |
3 | 0 | 2.93 |
|
|||
| 115 | |
PATRICK ANDERSON BUDA , TX |
DOUG HAMILTON LAKEWAY , TX |
1 | 0 | 1.71 |
|
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| 116 | STEVE PITCOX KINGSLAND , TX |
BRANDI PITCOX KINGSLAND , TX |
1 | 0 | 1.69 |
|
|||
| 117 | JOEY KIRKLAND SAN ANTONIO , TX |
1 | 0 | 1.60 |
|
||||
| 118 | |
|
BRENT SMITH BERTRAM , TX |
WILLIAM FESLER LAMPASAS , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
|
| 118 | RANDY HIBLER MARBLE FALLS , TX |
RANDALL CHRISTIAN TOW , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
|||
| 118 | |
BRIAN BUSTILLOZ BELTON , TX |
CODY RANDOLPH TEMPLE , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
||
| 118 | DAVID HESSKEW BLANCO , TX |
VICTOR STEPHENS LEANDER , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
|||
| 118 | |
KENNETH FAIRLY LOCKHART , TX |
RUSTY REEDY SPRING BRANCH , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
||
| 118 | KYLER ROBERTS FLORENCE , TX |
AUSTIN JALASEK KEMPNER , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
|||
| 118 | |
CODY BRISTOW BERTRAM , TX |
BEAU BRISTOW BURNET , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
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| 118 | |
JASON RANFT NEW BRAUNSFELS , TX |
DARRYL RANFT SEQUIN , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
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| 118 | CHRIS STUDINGER KYLE , TX |
BOBBY ACOSTA SAN MARCOS , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
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| 118 | |
WESLEY BAXLEY CYPRESS , TX |
AUSTIN WOODDELL CYPRESS , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
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| 118 | |
MICHAEL WALDROP AUSTIN , TX |
JARRED SANDERS AUSTIN , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
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| 118 | KENNETH WITEK SAN ANTONIO , TX |
JASPER HUNTER JARRELL , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
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| 118 | TOMMY MORENO SAN SABA , TX |
TROY LOWERY BROWNWOOD , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
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| 118 | |
ROBERT MIKES SHINER , TX |
MICHAEL DANFORD YOAKUM , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
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| 118 | |
BRETT ORLICH LEANDER , TX |
TIMOTHY STACK AUSTIN , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
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| 118 | TIM BOYES LEAGUE CITY , TX |
HOLLY BOYES LEAGUE CITY , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
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| 118 | |
ADAM CLARK DRIPPING SPRINGS , TX |
RICK CLARK TERRELL , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
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| 118 | DOUG BLANKENSHIP MAY , TX |
TIMOTHY HARRELL BROWNWOOD , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
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| 118 | |
TROY BOLDWYN BUDA , TX |
SCOTT MCDANIEL STONEWALL , LA |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
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| 118 | KEN SMITH RICHARDSON , TX |
JIM JONES | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
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| 118 | JOHN SYER LAGO VISTA , TX |
MIKE GUIDRY LAGO VISTA , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
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| 118 | BRYAN ANDRAS CYPRESS , TX |
CORNEL ANDRAS CYPRESS , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
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| 118 | |
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COLT DIETZ AUSTIN , TX |
JOHN WARDEN DRIPPING SPRINGS , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
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| 118 | TONY FERDINANDO SPICEWOOD , TX |
MATT COOPER SMITHVILLE , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
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| 118 | TYLER FRY SPICEWOOD , TX |
HANK FRY SPICEWOOD , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
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| 118 | KARL GOEHRING ROUND TOP , TX |
ROBERT BECK CARMINE , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
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| 118 | JOHNNY HOMANN KYLE , TX |
JAY HESS LOCKHART , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
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| 118 | DALE HUGHES SAN ANGELO , TX |
BARRY STUARD CANYON LAKE , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
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| 118 | |
NATHAN GRAEF LA VERNIA , TX |
LANDEN GRAEF LA VERNIA , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
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| 118 | |
WAYNE ORENDER JR PFLUGERVILLE , TX |
TOM NILSSEN NEW BRAUNFELS , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
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| 118 | |
DAMON ROSS GEORGETOWN , TX |
DYLAN ROSS GEORGETOWN , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
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| 118 | |
MICHAEL SIERRA SAN ANTONIO , TX |
KEVIN JACKSON PLEASANTON , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
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| 118 | RICKY PIERCE THORNDALE , TX |
RHETT PIERCE THORNDALE , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
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| 118 | |
ROY STEGER BELTON , TX |
CHET SUTTON SALADO , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
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| 118 | |
CLAYTON SMITH KILLEEN , TX |
ALFRED PEMBERTON JR KILLEEN , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
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| 118 | MIKE STANFORD MIDLAND , TX |
BRADY STANFORD MIDLAND , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
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| 118 | |
CHAD MITCHELL SAN ANTONIO , TX |
ROCHELLE MITCHELL SAN ANTONIO , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
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| 118 | |
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CHANS MARTIN COMFORT , TX |
BRODY MARTIN COMFORT , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
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| 118 | |
CRAIG MIRANDA BROWNWOOD , TX |
BRANDON LOFSTROM BRADY , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
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| 118 | |
JUSTIN KETCHUM LEANDER , TX |
SEAN CLAMPITT ROUND ROCK , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
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| 118 | |
CHARLES HICE BURNET , TX |
CHRISTOPHER STANLEY MARBLE FALLS , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
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| 118 | |
ROBERT KESSLER SPRING , TX |
RUSSELL KESSLER LA VERNIA , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
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| 118 | BRAD KEENER AUSTIN , TX |
ROB GLIDEWELL AUSTIN , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
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| 118 | JAMES HESTER SALADO , TX |
JAMES HESTER KILLEN , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
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| 118 | |
BRANDON BRAY MARBLE FALLS , TX |
JOE BRAY MARBLE FALLS , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
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| 118 | MATTHEW SCOGIN MONTGOMERY , TX |
LUCAS SCOGIN MONTGOMERY , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
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| 118 | |
ANTHONY GOODSON DRIFTWOOD , TX |
NOAH GOODSON DRIFTWOOD , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
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| 118 | |
NICK BOATRIGHT LIBERTY HILL , TX |
CHARLES SMITH BUDA , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
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| 118 | JASON KILLION MIDLAND , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
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| 118 | |
CODY MILLER GEORGETOWN , TX |
CRAIG MILLER BANGS , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
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| 118 | BLAKE ARAPIS BURNET , TX |
CHARLES WILSON JR BRIGGS , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
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| 118 | |
ALLEN MORROW HASKELL , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
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| 118 | |
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BRANDON BLAYLOCK BROWNWOOD , TX |
ADAM MIRANDA BROWNWOOD , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
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| 118 | SCOTT ROSS GEORGETOWN , TX |
BRYON CHAPMAN LEANDER , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
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| 118 | |
STEVE THIEL AUSTIN , TX |
BILL CRIDDLE LEANDER , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
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| 118 | |
RICHIE LAND LIBERTY HILL , TX |
NATE LABAY LIBERTY HILL , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
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| 118 | |
AUSTIN QUIET AUSTIN , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
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| 118 | BLAYNE THOMPSON LIBERY HILL , TX |
DAKOTA NORDGREN LEANDER , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
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| 118 | |
GERY TRUITT KERENS , TX |
RICHARD MIRANDA SAN ANTONIO , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
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| 118 | CHRISTOPHER SABINA AUSTIN , TX |
ROBERT SABINA SAN ANTONIO , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
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| 118 | TERRY STEVENS HUTTO , TX |
JASON HARPER MONTGOMERY , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
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| 118 | JUSTIN WOMACK MIDLAND , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
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| 118 | JOHNNY ZUNKER NEW BRAUNSFELS , TX |
WADE MEHAFFEY NEW BRAUNFELS , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
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| 118 | KEVIN UNGER SMITHVILLE , TX |
TIM GOETZ SMITHVILLE , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
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| 118 | JACK WILLIAMS PFLUGERVILLE , TX |
JASON CHARTOUNI ROUND ROCK , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
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| 118 | |
DARRELL WUENSCHE THRALL , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
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| 118 | MIKE PICKWELL DRIPPING SPRINGS , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
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| 118 | TOM GRIDLEY WIMBERLEY , TX |
SCOTT MEADS KILLEEN , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
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| 118 | RYAN WARREN GATESVILLE , TX |
JASON DERRICK VALLEY MILLS , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
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| 118 | |
JAKE KENNAMER AUSTIN , TX |
TOMMY POWERS LAGO VISTA , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
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| 118 | |
CHRISTOPHER SULLIVAN EARLY , TX |
ROBBIE DUDLEY BROWNWOOD , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
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| 118 | JAY JOHNSON AUSTIN , TX |
EASTON JOHNSON AUSTIN , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
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| 118 | |
STEPHEN MALINA AUSTIN , TX |
TRAVIS PROFFITT SAN SABA , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
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| 118 | |
TOMMY POWERS SR LAGO VISTA , TX |
GEOFFREY HOOD LAGO VISTA , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
STRIKE KING KICKS OFF BIG BASS CHALLENGE EVENTS AT SAM RAYBURN
Edwin Evers Wins 2021 MLF Lucas Oil Challenge Cup presented by B&W Trailer Hitches in Neenah, Wisc.
Oklahoma Superstar Nearly Laps the Field with 39+ pounds to Win Third Challenge Cup Title of Career
NEENAH, Wis. (Feb. 6, 2021) – Major League Fishing (MLF) pro Edwin Evers of Talala, Oklahoma, caught 18 bass totaling 39 pounds, 5 ounces, to win the Championship Round of the 2021 MLF Lucas Oil Challenge Cup presented by B&W Trailer Hitches in Neenah, Wisconsin, which premiered Saturday on the Outdoor Channel. It was the third MLF Challenge Cup title of Evers’ career, and pushed his career earnings to nearly $3.7 million.
“I am so incredibly excited right now,” Evers said in his post-game press conference. “I had a very tough season last year. It was really up and down for me and it was pretty frustrating. So, to start off the 2021 Cup season with a win is super special. And to win it on Lake Winnebago – this is such an awesome fishery. When we were riding to the lake and turned left out of the parking lot, my heart started beating out of my chest because I knew where we were going. I love this lake; it is super special to me.”
Period 1 of the Championship Round was dominated by Evers on the strength of a wacky-rigged 4-inch Berkley PowerBait MaxScent The General worm. All of his bites in the period came off of three docks near the main lake.
“It was a very specific pattern – it had to be docks that were on a point,” Evers said. “It had to have clean water, with a rocky bottom – not sand – and fairly clean with not a lot of grass around. And we talk about the 48 miles of shoreline and more than 23,000 acres of water… I fished every possible scenario where there would be a bass and I caught all of my fish off of just five docks. There might be one more dock out there, but I’m pretty sure those were the only five docks that worked with my pattern that day.”
Without either angler knowing, second-place finisher Mike McClelland also found those exact same three docks during Period 2 and they had reloaded. McClelland caught several key fish on a small spinnerbait and got to within 5 pounds of Evers, however the Oklahoma pro found two similar docks in the southern end of the competition zone and pulled away.
“I guess (Mike) McClelland also caught his fish off of those same docks, but unfortunately for him he was just behind me,” Evers said. “Everything I caught came on that Berkley General. I would have liked to catch them on a spinnerbait or with a vibrating jig, but it just wasn’t working for me. I learned early in the day I had to slow way down and just let that worm soak.”
Evers is now tied with two other anglers for the most Cup wins in MLF history with three – Kevin VanDam and Jacob Wheeler.
“I know I keep saying it, but just I’m super excited,” Evers went on to say. “You never know what tomorrow holds, so to win another one… I will never, ever, take one of these wins for granted. Period. These Cup events are so hard to win – they’re like a mini-championship. I am so fortunate and I’m looking forward to getting home to celebrate this win with my family.”
The final eight anglers at the 2021 Lucas Oil Challenge Cup presented by B&W Trailer Hitches in Neenah, Wisconsin finished:
1st: Edwin Evers of Talala, Okla., 18 bass, 39-5
2nd: Mike McClelland of Blue Eye, Mo., nine bass, 18-3
3rd: Jordan Lee of Cullman, Ala., four bass, 9-8
4th: Andy Morgan of Dayton, Tenn., four bass, 7-10
5th: Takahiro Omori of Tokyo, Japan, three bass, 6-8
6th: Michael Neal of Dayton, Tenn., three bass, 5-6
7th: Greg Hackney of Gonzales, La., two bass, 4-1
8th: Dustin Connell of Clanton, Ala., one bass, 1-4
Complete results along with photos from the event can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
Lee caught the Berkley Big Bass of the day – a chunky 3-pound, 11-ounce largemouth during Period One.
Overall, there were 44 bass weighing 91 pounds, 13 ounces caught by the final eight pros during the Championship Round of competition on Lake Winnebago.
The 2021 Lucas Oil Challenge Cup presented by B&W Trailer Hitches was hosted by the Fox Cities Convention & Visitors Bureau and premiered on the Outdoor Channel as six, two-hour original episodes each Saturday afternoon debuting on Jan. 2, 2021, and running through Feb. 6, 2021.
All six episodes of the event are available for viewing on the MyOutdoorTV (MOTV) streaming app.
The event was shot over six days in mid-September in Neenah and featured 30 MLF pro anglers visiting Eastern Wisconsin to compete on four different fisheries across the region, including Lake Poygan and Winneconne, Lake Butte des Morts and Lake Winnebago. The fisheries were unknown to the anglers – they did not learn where they were competing until they arrived at the launch ramp each morning of competition.
Florida Prepares for another BIG Week - Elite Series St. John's Preview
Courtesy of Vance McCullough
Just filled out my 5-man Fantasy Fishing roster at Bassmaster.com for the upcoming Elite Series season opener on Florida’s St Johns River. I picked Rick Clunn. Five times.
Not to jinx the man, but the weather forecast for the area during the competition dates of February 11th through the 14th calls for a steady breeze, overcast skies and a decent chance of rain every day. That should set up a strong ‘winding’ bite that will favor the types of lures Clunn used to become the oldest ever Elite Series champion with an impressive showing on the river in 2016 before breaking his own record on the same, but a very different St Johns River in 2019.
The river of lakes is now a different fishery than it was before Hurricane Irma scrubbed all the eel grass away in 2017. Eel grass has been the prime habitat for fish on the river since before William Bartram witnessed a Native American pull a bass from it on a “jig and a bob” – hook and line fishing – in the spring of 1774. Bartram estimated the bass would have weighed 30 pounds. A great explorer, Bartram likely would have made a terrible tourney director. But hey, maybe 30-pound bass were common on the river back then.
Thirty-pound limits hard to come by these days which makes Clunn’s 31-pound, 7-ounce sack on Day 3 of the 2016 tourney all the more impressive. To win that tournament on the ‘old’ St Johns he used a bladed jig/swimbait combo to pluck bass from eel grass along the east shore of Lake George for a 4-day total weight of 81-15. He then shifted techniques and location in 2019 to catch his fish on a Trickster spinnerbait and Gatortail worm around Drayton Island. His final round effort was worth 34-14. It pushed his 4-day total to 98-14. Clunn had figured out how to win on the ‘new’ St Johns River, proving his adaptability as well as his skill.
That new St Johns fishery revolves around thick stands of lily pads and scattered wood that litters its banks. The storms that striped the river of grass also pushed trees into the water. The resultant laydowns vie with old dock pilings, some still attached to platforms, for the attention of fish and fishermen.
Offshore bars can produce massive bags of bass but this time of year a single afternoon of warm weather can send them scurrying to the shallows in preparation for the spawn.
Sight fishing can be the ticket on this river in February but if clouds and rain materialize as expected during this derby that tactic will be difficult, at best, to execute. Even during the practice rounds considerable cloudiness and stormy skies will dominate. Bass are still spawning in protected canals as they tend to do in February, but anglers will have to pitch, sight unseen, to places where they imagine fish to be, an approach that’s less efficient but still effective.
Offbeat tactics could play well. Last year Paul Mueller ran north and flipped up the winning fish from beneath mats that clung to steep banks in deep creeks. In contrast to 2019 when Clunn scared the Century mark, Mueller’s win was very ‘2020’ in that it featured a canceled day, due to extreme weather. Mueller was the only angler to average more than 15 pounds per day.
Such is the fickle nature of the St Johns. Fishing fortunes rise and fall like the tide that feeds the slow, dark waterway.
Given the short supply of submerged grass, coupled with modern electronics and information available these days, if there is a clump of it somewhere, multiple anglers will find it, slicing the pie into ever
Schmitt Wins Toyota Series Event on Lake Toho
Maryland Pro Earns Sixth Career Toyota Series Victory – Breaks Record for Most All-Time
KISSIMMEE, Fla. (Feb. 6, 2021) – Maryland pro Bryan Schmitt of Deale, Maryland, brought four bass to the scale Saturday weighing 18 pounds, 2 ounces – including a 9-pound, 2-ounce kicker – to win the Toyota Series presented by A.R.E. at Lake Toho Presented by Googan Baits . Schmitt weighed in 15 bass over three days of competition totaling 66 pounds, 10 ounces, besting second-place angler Mikey Keyso of North Port, Florida, by more than 8 pounds. For his victory, Schmitt earned the top payout of $51,500 in the first tournament of the 2021 Toyota Series Presented by A.R.E. Southern Division.
The victory was the sixth career Toyota Series win of Schmitt’s career and moved him to No. 1 for the most Toyota Series wins all-time. Schmitt had been in a three-way tie with Randy Haynes (5) and Koby Kreiger (5), now tied for second-most.
“I am so blessed,” Schmitt said. “I am blessed to have grown up fishing the Potomac River where I had no choice but to learn all the intricacies of grass fishing if I wanted to compete. Those lessons have served me well over the years.”
This week the puzzle started with a long, narrow vein of grass that ran out across a vast flat of bare sand and shell in about 6 feet of water. The thin strip of hydrilla was about ¼ of a mile long and terminated into a huge and shallower grass bed in about 3 or 4 feet of water.
“The band of grass grew up about 2 or 3 feet off the bottom and it was clumpy the whole way.” Schmitt said. “When I first found it in practice, I knew fish had to relate to it in some way.”
On the first day of the tournament, Schmitt figured out exactly how they related to it.
“I graphed the entire length of that narrow strip several times and finally found the mother lode where the strip ran into the shallow grass flat,” he said. “There was like an intersection right there.”
His suspicions were confirmed when he began using his LiveScope to scan along the clumpy grass strip and saw big dots swimming everywhere. With that, he picked up SPRO Aruku Shad 75, in a color aptly named wild shiner, tied to 15-pound test P-Line Tactical Fluorocarbon and the rest is history.
Schmitt guesses that he saw about 70 percent of the fish he caught on LiveScope before casting to them. On several occasions when he saw fish meander up close to the boat, he pitched the Aruku Shad to the fish, let sink, ripped it up and watch the fish annihilate it on his screen.
He also watched fish take a swipe at the rattle bait on the screen, but never touch it. When that happened, he would resort to a couple of back up lures, including a Missile Baits Quiver Worm (junebug) Neko-rigged on a Hayabusa Weedless Spin Muscle Wacky Hook. He also caught a few on his namesake ½-ounce swim jig called the Lil’ Schmitty (river special) trailed with a Missile Baits Shockwave (shrapnel).
“I caught a lot of big fish on that Aruku Shad this week,” Schmitt went on to say. “I put fresh Hayabusa trebles on it: a #4 on the back and #5 on the front. The very first fish I hooked this morning was that 9-pounder and she stayed pinned the whole way.”
The top 10 pros on Lake Toho finished:
1st: Bryan Schmitt of Deale, Md., 14 bass, 66-10, $51,500
2nd: Mikey Keyso of North Port, Fla., 15 bass, 58-8, $20,000
3rd: Bobby Bakewell of Orlando, Fla., 15 bass, 50-15, $14,250
4th: Steven Hatala of Harrison Township, Mich., 15 bass, 43-4, $12,250
5th: Eric Conant of Lakeland, Fla., 13 bass, 42-2, $11,250
6th: Trevor Fitzgerald of Belleview, Fla., 15 bass, 42-2, $9,125
7th: Eric Panzironi of Longwood, Fla., 15 bass, 38-11, $7,900
8th: Jared McMillan of Clewiston, Fla., 15 bass, 37-14, $7,900
9th: Samuel Whitmire of Babson Park, Fla., 11 bass, 35-6, $5,900
10th: Cole Hewett of Orange Park, Fla., 14 bass, 34-3, $4,500
A complete list of results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
Whitmire won Thursday’s Berkley Big Bass Award after bringing a 11-pound, 11-ounce lunker to the scale. Friday’s Berkley Big Bass Award went to pro McMillan with a 9-pound, 13-ounce largemouth. Each angler won a bonus of $150.
McMillan took home and 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.
Jeffrey Baffa of Frankfort, Illinois, won the Strike King Co-angler Division Saturday with a three-day total of nine bass weighing 35 pounds, 15 ounces. Baffa 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 Lake Toho finished:
1st: Jeffrey Baffa of Frankfort, Ill., nine bass, 35-15, Phoenix 518 Pro bass boat w/115-hp outboard
2nd: Benton Peoples of Bardstown, Ky, 11 bass, 34-2, $6,125
3rd: Ricky Grant of Inverness, Fla., 11 bass, 32-3, $4,900
4th: Theron Asbery of Longwood, Fla., 10 bass, 30-9, $3,950
5th: Frank Kitchens Jr. of Blairsville, Ga., 12 bass, 28-11, $3,450
6th: Todd Classon of Camilla, Ga., nine bass, 27-15, $2,950
7th: Clinton Lacinak of Homosassa, Fla., 10 bass, 24-2, $2,450
8th: James Littich of Davidson, N.C., eight bass, 20-3, $1,975
9th: Troy Johnson Jr. of Carrabelle, Fla., five bass, 18-2, $1,590
10th: Joe Cifuentes of Clinton, Ark., six bass, 16-5, $1,350
The Toyota Series at Lake Toho was presented by Googan Baits and was hosted by Experience Kissimmee – Kissimmee Sports Commission. It was the first of three regular-season tournaments in 2021 for Southern Division anglers. The next event for Toyota Series anglers will take place on Feb. 16-18 – the Toyota Series at Lake Guntersville presented by Googan Baits in Guntersville, Alabama. 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.
Schmitt Takes 12-Pound Lead on Toho
Florida fisheries are magical places to experience a once-in-a-lifetime day of fishing. Single-day five-bass limits in Florida come in eye-popping denominations: 20-, 25- and 30-pound catches are entirely possible on any given day. But anglers who can make those magical Florida catches happen two days in a row are a much rarer breed.
In two days at the Toyota Series presented by A.R.E. there have been a total of seven limits over 20 pounds weighed in. Only one person in the field owns two of those 20-plus bags: Bryan Schmitt of Deale, Maryland.
Schmitt weighed in 25 pounds, 9 ounces on day one and followed that up with 22 pounds, 15 ounces on day two for a two-day total of 48 pounds, 7 ounces. He now leads the first Toyota Series of the Southern Division on Lake Toho, presented by Googan Baits, by 12 pounds, 1 ounce.
Schmitt’s winning record in MLF competition on grass lakes is pretty impressive. Over the years Schmitt has proved that he truly understands the subtleties of grass fishing and, so far, his week on Toho has been no exception.
For the last two days, Schmitt has pulled nearly 50 pounds of bass from a ¼-mile-long vein of hydrilla that runs across a barren flat.
“It’s just a thin, narrow strip of grass out there in the middle of nowhere,” Schmitt details. “It runs out through a 6-foot flat of bare bottom; there is not a stitch of grass anywhere else around it. I know because I’ve looked all around the area for another strip or clump. The grass is only about 2 to 3 feet tall off the bottom.”
Schmitt found the hydrilla strip during practice, but it was fruitless.
“When I found it, I just knew it would be loaded with fish,” he says. “It’s one of the prettiest grass places I’ve ever found. But I never got a bite on it in practice.”
Where Schmitt proves his chops as a grass guru is in his conviction that bass had to live in the grass strip.
“Yesterday, I ran all the way down to Kissimmee thinking about that spot I found in Toho,” he says. “As soon as I got my fifth keeper in Kissimmee, I couldn’t wait to run back to Toho and try the spot again – even though it didn’t produce a bite in practice.”
When he relocated the thin line of grass on Thursday afternoon, he finally tapped the potential he knew existed there, sacking up the 25-9 as fast as he could cast.
He returned this morning and again caught big bass in short order on a SPRO Aruku Shad 75.
Schmitt also admits that LiveScope is playing a major role in the fish he has been catching.
“It’s the dangdest thing I have ever seen,” he says. “I can literally see the bass swimming up and down this strip of grass. Most of the time I’m casting that Aruku Shad way out there and ripping it like normal. But on several occasions today, I could see a fish out there right next to the grass. And I would literally pitch that Aruku Shad out there to the fish, let it sink and then rip it up right in front of her, and she would smash it. It’s just crazy!
“Now, I also had some that I pitched to and they lunged at it on the screen, but they never bit it,” he adds. “So it’s not like you catch every one you see. But just to see fish swimming up and down that line gives me the confidence to keep casting and ripping that Aruku Shad.”
Going into the final day, what worries Schmitt the most is that his bite completely disappeared by 9 a.m. this morning.
“Something happened,” he says. “I quit seeing fish on the LiveScope and I quit getting bites, just like that. I’m thinking that some of it was pressure, because a lot of people showed up in that spot after a couple of hours this morning. And they were poling down all up and down the grass line and stuff. So with only ten of us out there tomorrow, I’m hoping I’ve got it to myself again and the fish hang around longer.”
Top 10 Pros
1. Bryan Schmitt – 48 – 08 (10)
2. Mikey Keyso – 36 – 07 (10)
3. Eric Conant – 33 – 13 (9)
4. Bobby Bakewell – 32 – 04 (7)
5. Trevor Fitzgerald – 31 – 10 (10)
6. Eric Panzironi – 30 – 05 (10)
7. Samuel Whitmire – 29 – 09 (8)
8. Jared McMillan – 29 – 06 (10)
9. Steven Hatala – 29 – 00 (10)
10. Cole Hewett – 28 – 14 (10)
Baffa Still Leads Strike King Co-Angler Division
Jeffery Baffa continues to lead the co-angler division of the Toyota Series on Lake Toho, thanks in large part to the 24-pound, 11-ounce limit he caught on day one. He added 2 fish for 4 pounds, 6 ounces to his total today for a two-day total of 29 pounds, 1 ounce.
Top 10 Co-Anglers
1. Jeffery Baffa – 29 – 01 (7)
2. Ricky Grant – 28 – 01 (9)
3. Theron Asbery – 24 – 10 (7)
4. Benton Peoples – 21 – 07 (6)
5. Clinton Lacinak – 20 – 14 (8)
6. Frank Kitchens Jr. – 20 – 13 (8)
7. Troy Johnson Jr. – 18 – 02 (5)
8. James Littich – 18 – 00 (7)
9. Todd Classon – 16 – 13 (5)
10. Joe Cifuentes – 16 – 05 (6)
Late Giant Lifts Smith To Victory At B.A.S.S. Nation Western Regional On Havasu
Taylor Smith, of Valleyford, Wash., has won the TNT Fireworks B.A.S.S. Nation Western Regional at Lake Havasu with a two-day total of 33 pounds, 15 ounces.
Photo by Brenden Kanies/B.A.S.S.
February 5, 2021
LAKE HAVASU CITY, Ariz. — Taylor Smith caught only five bass on the final day of the TNT Fireworks B.A.S.S. Nation Western Regional at Lake Havasu, and it was the final bite that gave him the weight he needed to win the season-opener on the 2021 B.A.S.S. tournament schedule.
Smith hooked a 5-pound largemouth a few dozen yards from the Lake Havasu State Park weigh-in site with only 45 minutes of tournament time remaining on Friday. The catch rounded out his 15-pound, 13-ounce limit and added to his 18-2 limit on Day 1. Smith finished with a two-day total of 10 bass weighing 33-15.
The 35-year-old Valleyford, Wash., resident won $5,000 for topping the boater division. It was part of a $27,200 total purse split between the best of the 177 competitors this week on the 19,200-acre impoundment straddling the Arizona/California border.
Smith is no stranger to success in B.A.S.S. Nation events. He finished second in the Nation Championship at South Carolina’s Lake Hartwell in 2019, which qualified him for the 2020 Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic presented by Huk held on Alabama’s Lake Guntersville.
Smith’s win at Lake Havasu qualified him for the 2021 Nation Championship, which will be held later this year at a location to be determined.
“I’m jacked,” he said. “It was such a fun time down here. I didn’t have very high expectations. My pre-fishing was terrible. So, I’m elated. To have another chance to fish for a berth in the Classic is unbelievable.”
Smith was in second place after Day 1 on Wednesday, trailing only California’s Matty Wong, who led with 18-8. That’s how standings remained Friday, as Thursday’s competition was canceled due to strong winds in the region. B.A.S.S. officials determined the full field would fish again on Friday, and Mother Nature cooperated with postcard-perfect weather — winds at a much tamer 10 mph, bluebird skies and temperatures in the low 70s.
Still, Smith struggled to find bites Friday. His luck changed with the 5-pounder he caught on a green pumpkin football-head jig outfitted with a blue trailer.
“I yelled so loud when I caught that fish, I’m surprised you didn’t hear me up here (at weigh-in),” Smith said of his big catch. “But other than that, it really was a grind out there today.
“A lot of people had fish follow a jerkbait or a spinnerbait (on Wednesday), but I think that just slowly went away. I couldn’t get any kind of reaction bite today.”
Smith believed Thursday’s turbulent conditions made the fishing tougher Friday.
“The wind yesterday changed things for me, so I feel lucky to catch what I did,” he said. “I didn’t think I had (as much weight as I did).”
Steve Lund, who was in fourth on Day 1, climbed to second overall with a two-day total of 32-2. The Glendale, Ariz., resident caught a 16-1 limit on Friday, which was the heaviest bag of the day. Wong finished third with 28-5.
Jake Morrison of Scottsdale, Ariz., caught six bass weighing 12-11 and won $2,500 for finishing first in the co-angler division. Tom Nokes of Riverton, Utah, led the Day 1 co-angler standings and finished second overall with 12-8. Hunter Loveless of American Fork, Utah, was third with 12-0.
The squad from Washington State handily won the team championship portion. Washington anglers caught 76 bass over two days for a total weight of 188-13, and the squad collected $5,600 with the win. Idaho finished second (62 bass, 140-1) and won $3,350, while Arizona (56 bass, 135-15) placed third and won $2,200.
Other states in team scoring included California, fourth, 132-6; Utah, fifth, 131-10; Oregon, sixth, 129-3; Montana, seventh, 128-3; Wyoming, eighth, 127-5; and Nevada, ninth, 126-1.
Jay Evans of Missoula, Mont., won the $500 Big Bass Award with a 6-pounder he caught Wednesday. Scooter Griffin of Hayden, Idaho, caught a 4-12 bass Friday to win the $250 top prize for big bass among co-anglers.
JJ Gibbs IV, who lives in Lake Havasu City, won the Garmin Tournament Rewards prize of $500. He finished fourth in the boater division with a two-day total of 26-3.
The leading angler and co-angler for each state team at the Western Regional qualified for the B.A.S.S. Nation Team Championship. Four other regionals will be held in 2021, including: April 21-23 at Milford Lake in Junction City, Kan.; April 28-30 at Lake Hartwell in Anderson, S.C.; June 23-25 at Lake Erie/Presque Isle Bay in Erie, Pa.; and Sept. 1-3 on the upper Mississippi River in La Crosse, Wis.
2021 TNT Fireworks B.A.S.S. Nation Western Regional Lake Havasu 2/3-2/5
Lake Havasu, Lake Havasu City AZ.
(BOATER) Standings Day 2
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Pts Total $$$
1. Taylor Smith Valleyford, WA (WA) 10 33-15 0
2. Steve Lund Glendale, AZ (AZ) 10 32-02 0
3. Matthew Wong Culver City, CA (CA) 8 28-05 0
4. JJ Gibbs IV Lake Havasu City, AZ (A 10 26-03 0
5. Jay Evans Missoula, MT (MT) 8 25-07 0
6. Jason Crone Kalispell, MT (MT) 10 23-15 0
7. Ken Day Kennewick, WA (WA) 10 22-05 0
8. Ben Byrd Moab, UT (UT) 10 21-15 0
9. Jeremy Mckay Eugene, OR (OR) 8 21-14 0
10. Harrison Bertsch Rathdrum, ID (ID) 10 21-08 0
11. Clint Johanson Cle Elum, WA (WA) 8 21-05 0
12. Don Allphin Manila, UT (UT) 7 19-15 0
13. Timothy Wells Clovis, CA (CA) 6 19-14 0
14. William Naugle Lake Havasu City, AZ (N 9 19-04 0
15. Earl Wells Payette, ID (WY) 8 18-02 0
16. Bubba O'Neill Jr Evanston, WY (WY) 7 18-00 0
17. Josh Worth Grand Junction, CO (UT) 7 17-05 0
18. James Castillo West Richland, WA (WA) 9 17-03 0
19. Sean Andrachick Marion, MT (MT) 7 16-04 0
20. Chris Harvey Idaho Falls, ID (WY) 6 15-15 0
21. Mat Cole Hayden, ID (ID) 5 15-15 0
22. Justin Campbell Pasco, WA (WA) 7 15-06 0
23. Dick Watson Alta Loma, CA (NV) 6 15-02 0
24. Frank Scarla Amity, OR (OR) 7 14-09 0
25. Jason Virgil Hermiston, OR (OR) 6 14-02 0
26. Cody Steckel Las Vegas, NV (NV) 6 13-07 0
27. Kevin Wiggins Winterheaven, NV (NV) 6 13-05 0
28. Timmy Wells II Fresno, CA (CA) 7 13-05 0
29. Toby Robinson Henderson, NV (NV) 5 13-04 0
30. Benny Mello Wilder, ID (ID) 8 12-11 0
31. David Kromm Kennewick, WA (WA) 4 12-10 0
32. Jeffry Ball Pendleton, OR (OR) 6 12-09 0
33. Cole Schneider Rathdrum, ID (ID) 6 12-07 0
34. Jason Warren Pleasant Grove, UT (UT) 6 12-01 0
35. Mel Williams Kennewick, WA (WA) 5 11-06 0
36. Frankie Mueller Kingman, AZ (AZ) 5 11-02 0
37. Bruce Harris Oakdale, CA (CA) 4 11-01 0
38. Justin Hicks Gunnison, CO (UT) 5 10-13 0
39. Addam Gross Pendleton, OR (OR) 5 10-04 0
40. Cody Pierson Pocatello, ID (WY) 4 10-01 0
41. Scott Rich Ogden, UT (WY) 4 09-09 0
42. Kenneth Cleveland Bakersfield, CA (CA) 3 08-11 0
43. Cully Scroggins Longview, WA (WA) 2 08-10 0
44. Dane Lawrence Tillamook, OR (MT) 4 08-10 0
45. Clif Gallagher Saint George, UT (WY) 3 08-05 0
46. Zackery Shaff Richland, WA (WA) 4 08-05 0
47. Tim Johnston Plains, MT (MT) 4 08-03 0
48. Kevin Melford Camarillo, CA (CA) 4 08-03 0
49. Justin Soppe Middleton, ID (ID) 3 07-11 0
50. Brent James St George, UT (NV) 2 07-09 0
51. Zack Holwerda Maricopa, AZ (AZ) 3 07-08 0
52. Stephen Pike Las Vegas, NV (NV) 3 07-06 0
53. Cory Kerber Kerman, CA (CA) 3 07-05 0
54. Kalib Lund Glendale, AZ (AZ) 4 07-00 0
55. Josh Ragan Rathdrum, ID (ID) 3 06-13 0
56. David Bertsch Harrison, ID (ID) 3 06-13 0
57. Tony McCalmant Post Falls, ID (ID) 3 06-11 0
58. Brandon Morton San Tan Valley, AZ (AZ) 3 06-06 0
59. Karl Okerman Sandpoint, ID (MT) 3 06-02 0
60. Douglas Gaskill Las Vegas, NV (NV) 3 05-15 0
61. Kory Ray Lebanon, OR (OR) 4 05-12 0
62. Tyler Ivie Ogden, UT (UT) 2 05-11 0
63. Brian Kennemer Bakersfield, CA (CA) 2 05-09 0
64. Ray Huff Bakersfield, CA (CA) 3 05-04 0
65. Joe Cole Coalville, UT (WY) 2 05-01 0
66. Drew Forster Kalispell, MT (MT) 2 05-00 0
67. Chris Cook Gilbert, AZ (AZ) 2 04-15 0
68. Jonathan Schuyler Las Vegas, NV (NV) 2 04-05 0
69. Paul Morley Kaysville, UT (WY) 2 04-01 0
70. Jake Anderson Richland, WA (WA) 1 04-01 0
71. Brian Bolander Scottsdale, AZ (AZ) 2 03-07 0
72. Mike Rennie Pioche, NV (NV) 2 03-07 0
73. Jim Hawkes A.J., AZ (AZ) 1 03-05 0
74. Andrew Sayles Middleton, ID (WY) 2 03-00 0
75. Levi Ployhar Kalispell, MT (MT) 1 02-13 0
76. Marc Caldwell Rifle, CO (UT) 1 02-10 0
77. Bill Brown Grand Junction, CO (UT) 1 02-09 0
78. Reece Wells Clovis, CA (CA) 1 02-07 0
79. Kenny Carver Coeur D Alene, ID (ID) 1 02-06 0
79. Eric Inman West Jordan, UT (UT) 1 02-06 0
81. Kyle Quinnell Kalispell, MT (MT) 1 02-00 0
82. Billy Ricker Clinton, UT (UT) 1 01-15 0
83. Todd Herman Gilbert, AZ (AZ) 1 01-13 0
84. Cody King Island City, OR (OR) 1 01-11 0
85. Brett Bennett Kalispell, MT (MT) 1 01-10 0
86. Don Dethloff Jr Rathdrum, ID (ID) 1 01-09 0
87. David Mays Portland, OR (OR) 1 01-06 0
88. Ryan Sparks Beaverton, OR (OR) 0 00-00 0
88. Ron Wiseman Pendleton, OR (OR) 0 00-00 0
Major League Fishing Wiley X Summit Cup Wraps Production on Lake Murray
Bass Fishing Event Completes Week-Long Television Shoot in Lake Murray Country with 30 Pro Anglers Competing to Win Prestigious Summit Cup Championship
COLUMBIA, S.C. (Feb. 5, 2021) – Major League Fishing (MLF) and 30 of the world’s best pro anglers wrapped production Friday at the MLF Wiley X Summit Cup presented by B&W Trailer Hitches event in Columbia, South Carolina. The event, hosted by the Capital City/Lake Murray Country and filmed entirely for television broadcast, was shot over six days this week and featured anglers competing for the prestigious Summit Cup championship.
Lake Murray has played host to numerous major bass-fishing championship events, including the 2008, 2014 and 2017 FLW Cup Championships, and a 2018 MLF Challenge Select event – won by pro Keith Poche (competing in this event). The Wiley X Summit Cup presented by B&W Trailer Hitches will mark just the second time that MLF has visited the “Jewel of South Carolina.”
“Lake Murray has become a world-class fishing destination for anglers of all ages, and we are proud to once again host Major League Fishing as they return for a second time,” said Miriam Atria, president and CEO of the Capital City/Lake Murray Country Regional Tourism Board. “Time and time again, Lake Murray has delivered a competitive tournament experience for the anglers and showcased why it is one of the most productive bass fisheries in the world. We’re excited that Governor Henry McMaster was able to join us for the filming of the community segment showcasing Lake Murray Country to hundreds of thousands of outdoor recreational visitors.”
The six-episode, two-hour series features the professional anglers visiting Lake Murray to compete on different zones of Lake Murray on each day of competition. The anglers do not learn where they are competing until they arrive to the launch ramp each morning of competition, creating a reality-based television episode that showcases how the top anglers break down new and unfamiliar waters.
“A combination of the fast-paced MLF format and uncharted waters results in nerve-wracking competition for the anglers and creates incredible content for the viewer,” said Michael Mulone, Senior Director of Events and Partnerships for MLF. “Lake Murray is a fantastic fishery and once again the Lake Murray Country community truly rolled out the red carpet for us. It’s such a pleasure to come to a community that understands the positive impact MLF has on a destination’s economy. We look forward to returning later this year with the Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit and many more tournaments in the years to come.”
The 30 anglers competing in the Wiley X Summit Cup presented by B&W Trailer Hitches event are: Justin Atkins, Tommy Biffle, Brent Chapman, Luke Clausen, Dustin Connell, Brandon Coulter, Cliff Crochet, James Elam, Shin Fukae, Greg Hackney, Alton Jones Jr., Bobby Lane, Russ Lane, Jordan Lee, Mike McClelland, Andy Morgan, Ish Monroe, Takahiro Omori, Keith Poche, Jacob Powroznik, Skeet Reese, Marty Robinson, Bradley Roy, Fletcher Shryock, Gerald Spohrer, Jeff Sprague, Bryan Thrift, Jonathon VanDam, Kevin VanDam and Greg Vinson.
The MLF Wiley X Summit Cup presented by B&W Trailer Hitches, hosted by Capital City/Lake Murray Country, will air on the Outdoor Channel as six, two-hour original episodes each Saturday afternoon starting May 15, 2021, airing from 2 to 4 p.m. EDT. The full television schedule can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com/tv-
Weather Will Be Key For Bassmaster Elite Series-Opener On The St. Johns River
The Bassmaster Elite Series will open its nine-event 2021 season on Florida's scenic St. Johns River Feb. 11-14.
Photo by Andy Crawford/B.A.S.S.
February 5, 2021
PALATKA, Fla. — John Cox wishes he could experience temporary amnesia during the upcoming AFTCO Bassmaster Elite at the St. Johns River. That’s because much of what the Florida pro has learned over the past two decades of fishing this big-fish factory will be of little relevance during this year’s season-opener.
Competition is set for Feb. 11-14 with daily takeoffs at 7 a.m. ET from Palatka City Docks and weigh-ins each day at 3 p.m. from Palatka Riverfront Park.
Long regarded as one of Florida’s top-tier fisheries, the St. Johns once boasted a vast acreage of swaying eelgrass that served as prime habitat for bass in all stages of the spawn. But the fishery lost nearly all of that grass during Hurricane Irma in 2017.
So now, anglers will face a vastly different fishery than the one that has produced winning weights upwards of 90 pounds at past Elite Series events.
“I wish I could forget everything from the past 20 years,” Cox said. “It’s hard to get out of my head what it looked like in the past with all the eelgrass.
“It’s almost to the point where I have to forget about all the sight fishing that used to go on. I just have to fish for those fish because I don’t think the clarity is like it was without the grass.”
Tournament boundaries stretch from Jacksonville’s Fuller Warren Bridge (Interstate-95), south to Highway 44 in Deland. Historically, much of the field during Elite events has dispersed throughout the 72-square-mile Lake George, located south of the tournament’s takeoff and weigh-in site in Palatka. Nearby Crescent Lake will also get its share of attention.
Even without eelgrass, more vegetation awaits the anglers south of Lake George in the form of lily pads, hyacinth and pennywort. Getting away from the crowds could pay off, but the lower region includes no-wake zones and (manatee) speed zones, which require a larger investment of time for anglers making the long trek.
North of Palatka’s Main Street Bridge, the river broadens and offers more docks, canals and creeks — the scenario in which Paul Mueller found last year’s winning fish during an event that was shortened to three days by inclement weather. Others, including fifth-place pro Jake Whitaker, fared well by tucking into protected canals and targeting docks and seawalls.
This year, anglers will also be allowed to lock into Rodman Reservoir, south of Palatka. Adding these waters will avail a wonderland of stump-strewn habitat rich with pad fields and random laydowns.
Throughout much of the St. Johns, offshore anglers will be looking for shellbars like the ones that nearly delivered the win for last year’s Day 1 leader, Kelley Jaye.
February is always a volatile month for Florida weather, so tournaments this month are usually a feast-or-famine affair. That said, if tournament week brings warm, stable conditions, a wave of spawning bass could turn the event into a barnburner.
“There’s been a cooler winter; it’s been spread out longer, so we’re a little behind,” Cox said. “So, all the fish could really come in, like 2019 when B.A.S.S. legend Rick Clunn claimed his 16th Bassmaster win with 98 pounds, 14 ounces.
“I’ve been fishing Lake Toho and the pond at my house and they’re a couple weeks (behind schedule). But it won’t take much for it to get back on track. We’ll have a little cooldown right before practice starts, so if there’s a warming trend during the whole tournament, it could be great.”
With lower water clarity curtailing traditional sight fishing, the tournament will see less precise bed-fishing strategies. Some anglers will still pursue spawners, but it’ll likely be a strategy of blind casting to promising areas with a mix of topwaters, light jigs and Texas-rigged plastics.
Depending on weather patterns, some may target prespawn staging fish. Swim jigs, bladed jigs, swimbaits, lipless baits and squarebills could come into play for that. Elsewhere, anglers will use flipping and punching techniques, suspending jerkbaits and wacky-rigged worms.
Last year’s event saw Mueller win his second Elite trophy with a three-day total of 47 pounds, 6 ounces. That’s an average of just under 16 pounds a day — far less than the nearly 25-pound average that Clunn had with a four-day winning total of 98-14 in 2019.
That’s Florida fishing; it varies year to year and, often, week to week during the first quarter. On the upside, the St. Johns is packed with quality fish, including a generous smattering of double-digit giants.
“I think if someone does stumble onto some eelgrass, they could win the tournament,” Cox said. “If we get the warming trend and we don’t get much wind, the winning weight could be in the 90s, and it could be a Century Club (100 pounds) tournament.”
David Fritts announced earlier this week that he is withdrawing from the event for medical reasons. Fritts, who was hospitalized briefly in January, hopes to return for the Bassmaster Elite at Tennessee River Feb. 25-28.
The full field of anglers will fish the first two days, with the Top 50 advancing to Semifinal Saturday. The Top 10 remaining anglers will fish Championship Sunday with a $100,000 prize on the line.
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 from the tournament beginning at 8 a.m. ET on Saturday and Sunday.
Bakewell Leads on Toho with 26-13
Courtesy of Major League Fishing
What would it be like to enter your first tournament as a professional angler, go out on the first day, catch the biggest five-bass limit of your life, weigh it in and take the lead?
Well just ask Bobby Bakewell of Orlando, Fla. Because he did just that today. Fishing as a pro for the first time in the Toyota Series presented by A.R.E., Bakewell sacked up 26 pounds, 13 ounces to take the day-one lead at the Lake Toho event, which is presented by Googan Baits.
“I fished as a co-angler before but this is my first time fishing from the front,” Bakewell says. “And to catch the biggest bag of my life on this day! I got news for you: I’m on cloud 9 right now; I’m ecstatic.”
After several practice days of harsh northwest winds, Thursday brought bright, sunny and still conditions. Air temperatures dipped below the freezing mark and some boats had ice on them this morning.
Bakewell’s solution to the wind-churned lake was to fish stable offshore areas that did not get torched by the wind. He says he’s fishing the same offshore pattern, both above and below the Toho lock.
“The baits and pattern are identical; I’m just doing it in two different areas,” he says. “I’ve got a place in Toho where I can catch a limit fishing that way early, then I lock through and run way south to another spot like the Toho spot.”
Bakewell left Toho with about a 15-pound limit. When he got to his other area, he culled up with 8- and 6-pounders.
“After I caught those two, I left my primary areas alone and went shallow to look around,” Bakewell adds. “I did cull up once more flipping, then I called it a day.”
While 26-13 sounds like an incredible catch for the day, Bakewell still has his work cut out for him the next two days if he wants his dream day to turn into a dream week. Just behind him are some racehorses that hauled in several 20- to 26-pound bags, with more on the horizon considering the warming weather.
Top 10 Pros
1. Bobby Bakewell – 26 – 13 (5)
2. Eric Conant – 26 – 07 (5)
3. Bryan Schmitt – 25 – 09 (5)
4. Samuel Whitmire – 24 – 01 (5)
5. Zak Fadden – 20 – 09 (5)
6. Chad Schroeder – 18 – 10 (5)
7. Christian Greico – 18 – 08 (4)
8. Lance Oligschlaeger – 17 – 04 (5)
9. Joey Cifuentes – 17 – 01 (5)
10. Stephen Albertson – 16 – 09 (5)
Baffa Leads Strike King Co-Angler Division
If you think Bakewell had a magical day on Lake Toho, wait for the tale of Jeffery Baffa, who hauled in 24-11 to take the lead in the co-angler division.
Baffa fished with day-one runner-up pro Eric Conant. Conant weighed in 26 pounds, 7 ounces and Baffa, fishing right behind him, compiled nearly 25 pounds of bass from the back of the boat. That’s over 50 pounds of bass out of one boat.
Baffa has fished MLF events dating back as far as 1996. And his catch today was the biggest of his fishing career.
“What a day, I’ll tell you,” says Baffa. “Every time either Eric [Conant] or I set the hook, we’d say ‘Get the net, it’s a big one!’ And they really were all big ones! It was crazy. We laughed and joked all day long having the time of our lives.”
“My dad passed away two and a half weeks ago,” Baffa adds. “And he was my biggest fan. I couldn’t help but think he was out there with us laughing it up, too, watching us catch those big ones. It was a very, very special day and I dedicate it to him.”
Top 10 Strike King Co-Anglers
1. Jeffery Baffa – 24 – 11 (5)
2. Ricky Grant – 20 – 03 (5)
3. Frank Kitchens Jr. – 15 – 07 (5)
4. James Littich – 15 – 06 (5)
5. Derek Kaalberg – 13 – 07 (2)
6. Kevin Clark – 12 – 08 (5)
7. John Brooks – 10 – 14 (5)
8. James Brooks – 10 – 09 (4)
9. Eric Wild – 9 – 14 (4)
10. Sam Fish – 9 – 11 (5)
AC Rookie Podcast - "Changing Lane"
On this weeks Rookie Podcast, Chris Welcomes in MLF Pro Circuit Rookie Cal Lane to the show to talk about growing up in the shadow of his Father Chris Lane and his Uncle Bobby Lane and following in their footsteps.
X2POWER ANNOUNCES 2021 BASS PRO STAFF
Former champions, major award winners poised to educate professional bass fishing fans on the advantages of premium batteries from X2Power.
HARTLAND, Wis. (February 4, 2021) — X2Power, the premium power source for the marine, car/light truck and motorsports markets, announces its bass pro staff for 2021. The pro staff, comprised of accomplished anglers with multiple championships and other accolades to their credit, is designed to highlight the competitive advantage enjoyed by anglers who run X2Power marine batteries in their tournament boats.
The 2021 X2Power bass pro staff includes anglers from MLF and the Bassmaster Elite Series, including former champions and major award winners. A truly international group, the pro staff is comprised of anglers from the United States, Canada and Australia who will run their tournament boats and tow vehicles with X2Power throughout the 2021 tournament season.
“Professional bass anglers demand a lot of their equipment, and X2Power marine batteries are built to provide the most worry-free solution for anglers who rely on modern electronics on their boat. What better place than the world’s highest levels of professional bass fishing to prove the performance and value of a premium battery like X2Power,” said Vice President of Product Development Shawn Budiac “We’re proud to be aligned with such accomplished anglers and we look forward to cheering on their successes in 2021 and beyond.”
Proudly made in the USA, X2Power Marine batteries are part of a line of premium power options that includes AGM batteries for cars/light trucks and emergency vehicles, as well as lithium batteries for powersports applications. X2Power marine batteries feature a pure-lead, dual-purpose design, which gives them both the high cranking power to start modern boat motors as well as the cycling capabilities necessary to run trolling motors, depth finders, side-imaging, radios, radar, lights, pumps, coolers and more. Backed by a 4-year, free-replacement warranty and available at more than 700 Batteries Plus Bulbs locations nationwide, X2Power’s AGM batteries are built to provide years of worry-free use for anglers and boaters.
2021 X2POWER BASS PRO STAFF
Justin Atkins — Bassmaster Elite Series
Hometown: Florence, Alabama
Instagram: @justinatkinsfishing
Former Forrest Wood Cup champion (2017) competing for the first year in the Bassmaster Elite Series.
Brent Ehrler — MLF
Hometown: Redlands, California
Instagram: @brentehrlerfishing
Former Forrest Wood Cup champion (2006), Bassmaster Elite Series Rookie of the Year with more than $2 million in career earnings.
Jeff “Gussy” Gustafson — Bassmaster Elite Series
Hometown: Keewatin, Canada
Instagram: @gussyoutdoors
Joined the Bassmaster Elite Series in 2019 and qualified for the Bassmaster Classic in 2020.
Carl Jocumsen – Bassmaster Elite Series
Hometown: Toowoomba, Queensland, Australia
Instagram: @carl_jocumsen
First Australian to qualify for the Elite Series, logged his first Elite Series win in 2019.
Hunter Shryock — Bassmaster Elite Series
Hometown: Newcomerstown, Ohio
Instagram: @huntershryock496
Former motocross pro turned professional angler, joined the Elite Series in 2018 and qualified for the 2020 Bassmaster Classic.
B.A.S.S. Cancels Day 2 Of Lake Havasu Event
February 4, 2021
LAKE HAVASU CITY, Ariz. — B.A.S.S. officials made a decision to cancel the second day of competition at the TNT Fireworks B.A.S.S. Nation Western Regional after the National Weather Service (NWS) issued a wind advisory until 6 p.m. MST. The wind advisory is calling for sustained winds of 25 mph with gusts over 40, making the fishery unsafe for boaters.
“With a strong north-northwest wind blowing right down Lake Havasu, it can get very dangerous,” said Jon Stewart, B.A.S.S. Nation Director. “The safety of our anglers is always our first priority.”
When the tournament resumes Friday, the full field of 177 anglers across the boater and nonboater divisions will compete. The final day of the TNT Fireworks B.A.S.S. Nation Western Regional will begin with a takeoff at 7:15 a.m. MST from Lake Havasu State Park. Weigh-in is scheduled to begin at 3:15 p.m. and can be seen on Bassmaster.com.
Wong Takes Lead At B.A.S.S. Nation Western Regional On Lake Havasu
Matthew Wong, of Culver City, Calif., is leading after Day 1 of the TNT Fireworks B.A.S.S. Nation Western Regional at Lake Havasu with 18 pounds, 8 ounces.
Photo by Brenden Kanies/B.A.S.S.
February 3, 2021
LAKE HAVASU CITY, Ariz. — Matt Wong has only fished Lake Havasu four times, but the 32-year-old Los Angeles resident looked like an old pro here Wednesday on Day 1 of the TNT Fireworks B.A.S.S. Nation Western Regional.
Wong weighed a five-bass limit that totaled 18 pounds, 8 ounces, giving him a slim 6-ounce lead in the tournament, which is the season-opener on the 2021 B.A.S.S. schedule. A total of 177 anglers (89 boaters and 88 nonboaters) are competing, with anglers hailing from Arizona, California, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, Washington and Wyoming.
Wong was the standout on Wednesday. His best bass was only in the 4-pound range, but he backed it up with a quartet of keepers that were only ounces lighter.
Wong said he didn’t have a particularly easy day on the 19,300-acre impoundment straddling the Arizona/California border.
“It was tricky out there,” he said. “I was banking on the early-morning bite, and I was able to catch three by about 10 a.m. I kept my rotation going, but they quit eating. So I made a long run to a place where I spotted a big fish on the last day of practice, and she was still there. That was the biggest one and, luckily, I got her to eat.”
That bass, which Wong caught at about 1 p.m., provided him the extra ounces he needed to climb atop the leaderboard. A trio of competitors are hot on his heels, including Washington’s Taylor Smith with 18-2; Montana’s Jay Evans with 17-10; and Arizona’s Steve Lund with 16-1.
No other angler is within 5 pounds of Wong’s lead.
Smith, a 35-year-old insurance company supervisor from Spokane, Wash., said he was grouchy after a few lackluster practice rounds. His mood was considerably lighter with an 18-2 limit on the board.
“I got bit throughout the day and on a lot of different things,” Smith said. “Everything came together and I wasn’t expecting that. I concentrated on fishing slow because there are so many fish in here.”
Evans, a 50-year-old research scientist from Missoula, Mont., drove through a substantial snowstorm to arrive at Lake Havasu City, where temperatures were 75 degrees and the sun shined brightly on Wednesday.
Like Smith, he said the first day was much more productive than his practice rounds.
“We probably caught 10 keepers today, but they were good fish,” Evans said. “I found them in practice. We shook them off then and just didn’t realize the quality of the fish or how many were in there. It ended up being a really nice day.”
He also said patience was key.
“I’m fishing slow,” Evans said. “I couldn’t get much of a reaction bite going, so I just slowed down and picked it apart. That helped me get some bites. Patience was key.”
Day 2 could try the patience of all anglers and B.A.S.S. officials, too.
Strong winds are expected to begin sweeping across the region overnight, with steady winds of more than 20 mph predicted for the duration of tournament hours.
B.A.S.S. Nation Director Jon Stewart said he’ll consider his options Thursday morning and decide how to proceed based upon the weather.
If the three-day tournament continues without interruption, the field will be cut after Thursday’s round. The leading 17 anglers in both the angler and co-angler division — along with the Top 2 anglers and co-anglers from each state if they are not already in the Top 17 — will compete Friday. The angler with the heaviest three-day total will win a $5,000 cash prize, while the leading co-angler will earn $2,500. There’s a total purse of $27,200 up for grabs.
Evans caught a 6-pound bass, the heaviest in the angler division on Wednesday. The competitor with the heaviest fish after three days wins a $500 Big Bass Award. Dean Yamagata caught a 4-pound, 2-ounce bass and leads co-anglers for the $250 Big Bass Award.
Utah’s Tom Nokes leads the overall co-angler field with a limit of three bass weighing 8-6. Arizona’s Jake Morrison is second with 7-11 and Yamagata, who is from Las Vegas, is third with 6-8.
The nine states also are competing in a team competition this week on Lake Havasu. Washington leads with 40 bass for a 98-4 total. Nevada is second with 33 bass weighing 82-6, and Montana is third with 35 bass weighing 81-11.
This week’s tournament is the first of the 2021 B.A.S.S. season and the first of five B.A.S.S. Nation regionals scheduled this year. Other Nation events on the schedule include April 21-23 at Milford Lake in Junction City, Kan.; April 28-30 at Lake Hartwell in Anderson, S.C.; June 23-25 at Lake Erie/Presque Isle Bay in Erie, Pa.; and Sept. 1-3 on the upper Mississippi River in La Crosse, Wis. The B.A.S.S. Nation Championship will be held later this year when all regionals are complete, but a date and location have yet to be announced.
If the weather cooperates, Day 2 of the TNT Fireworks B.A.S.S. Nation Western Regional will begin with a takeoff at 7:15 a.m. MST from Lake Havasu State Park. Weigh-in is scheduled to begin at 3:15 p.m. and can be seen on Bassmaster.com.
Bad Boy Mowers Named Exclusive Mower of MLF BIG5 and Presenting Sponsor of Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit
Leading Mower Manufacturer Expands on Three-Year Partnership with Major League Fishing
TULSA, Okla. (Feb. 3, 2021) – Major League Fishing (MLF) announced today that Bad Boy Mowers, a U.S.-based leading manufacturer of zero-turn mowers, accessories and options, has been named the Exclusive Mower of the MLF BIG5 and the presenting sponsor of the 2021 Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit. Bad Boy Mowers’ legacy of patented innovations has set the standard for accessibility, comfort and quality for the past 15 years to develop classic, American-made muscle from the turf up and creates the ideal partnership with the cutting-edge MLF brand.
“Bad Boy Mowers is proud to sponsor the 2021 Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit and to be named the Exclusive Mower of the MLF BIG5,” said Lennie Foree, marketing director of Bad Boy Mowers. “We had a fantastic response to our partnership with MLF in its inaugural year and we’re excited to be involved and grow with the sport even more in 2021.”
The 26th season of the Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit will feature six regular-season tournaments showcasing the best anglers in the world competing for up to $135,000 in a five-biggest-fish format on top bass fisheries at peak times.
“We are excited to expand our partnership with Bad Boy Mowers into the Pro Circuit and the MLF BIG5 arm of the company,” said Kathy Fennel, MLF executive vice president and general manager. “Bad Boy Mowers is known for building some of the strongest, best-performing machines on the planet – much like our competitively-driven tournament anglers – and we look forward to continuing to build this mutually beneficial partnership throughout the upcoming year.”
The 2021 season culminates in the Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit TITLE presented by Toyota, Aug. 17-22 on the Mississippi River in La Crosse, Wisconsin, where the top 50 pros will compete for as much as $235,000.
For more information about MLF, their tournaments and sponsors, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. To learn more about Bad Boy Mowers, visit BadBoyMowers.com . For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow the Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit presented by Bad Boy Mowers on the MLF BIG5 social media outlets at Facebook, Twitter , Instagram and YouTube.
About Bad Boy Mowers
Bad Boy Mowers Inc., is a nationally recognized, leading manufacturer of zero-turn mowers. Featuring all-steel welded and fabricated construction with the most innovation, power and comfort, we’re also the biggest value in zero-turn mowers. With our patented EZ-Ride suspension systems, full operator adjustments for a perfect fit and heavier decks, we deliver the most comfortable mowing with the best cut quality for the lawn care pro and demanding homeowner.
Each and every employee, from the front desk to our own transportation department, has made Bad Boy Mowers the fastest growing zero-turn mower manufacturer in the country. Every mower is built by skilled craftsmen, utilizing the very latest manufacturing equipment and technologies, many developed right in-house. Our reputation rests on a Bad Boy Mower’s dependable ruggedness, power, reliability and ease to operate and maintain. With more than 830 employees, Bad Boy Mowers continues to lead in innovation and deliver value across the entire product line and are sold through a nationwide dealer network.
TH-MARINE RENEWS SPONSORSHIP OF TEXAS TEAM TRAIL
AC Insider Podcast - A show that will "Make ya Grin"
This week Chris & the boys welcome a check-in from Elite Series Rookie Darold Gleason all the way from Florida as he prepares for next weeks Elite Series kick off and then Derek "Money" Mundy joins the show for the second time this month to talk about his GIANT(s) on Rayburn in last weeks Toyota Derby!
Frabill Signs as Official Landing Net of MLF BIG5
Performance-Driven Gear Company Joins Forces with MLF To Expand Conservation Efforts
TULSA, Okla. (Feb. 2, 2021) – Major League Fishing (MLF) announced today that Frabill, a trusted provider of high-quality, performance-driven fishing products, has partnered with MLF as the Official Landing Net of the MLF BIG5 for the 2021 season. The partnership aligns the conservation mindset of MLF with the tools provided by Frabill in an effort to continue to conserve and enhance natural resources at fisheries across the nation.
“Frabill is committed to conservation and has created a series of nets designed to land more fish and help ensure a healthy release,” said Chris Russell, Frabill Fishing marketing director. “It makes perfect sense to partner with MLF to show anglers how effective and useful having a quality net in their boat can be. Frabill is proud to sponsor all the highs and lows that make MLF the most exhilarating angling action to hit television screens worldwide, including the white-knuckle moments where winning fish are boated.”
As the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization, MLF BIG5 provides anglers of all skill levels the opportunity to compete for millions in prize money across five tournament circuits featuring a five-biggest-fish format, including the Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit, Toyota Series, Phoenix Bass Fishing League, Abu Garcia College Fishing and High School Fishing.
Frabill will provide each Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit angler with an Ultralight Conservation Net, specifically designed to allow anglers to net a fish with one hand and fit easily into most boat lockers for effortless storage.
“We’re honored to bring Frabill into the fold as the Official Landing Net of the MLF BIG5 for the 2021 season,” said Jim Wilburn, MLF President and CEO. “In addition to helping to conserve our natural resources, utilizing a Frabill net tips the odds for our pro anglers, ensuring their winning fish isn’t lost in the final moments and allowing those fish to add to the excitement and drama that continues the legacy of Major League Fishing as the strongest fishing show on network television.”
MLF’s award-winning network television airings on CBS, Discovery, Outdoor Channel and Sportsman Channel, along with the MLF NOW! live stream on MajorLeagueFishing.com, will also feature the Daily Scoop presented by Frabill, highlighting an impactful moment where a Frabill net is utilized by an MLF angler to land a fish that moves them significantly up the board on the MLF SCORETRACKER.
In addition, fans can log onto MLF BIG5 social media outlets for ‘Tackle Tuesdays’ and enter to win exciting Frabill products throughout the 2021 season.
For more information about MLF, their tournaments and sponsors, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. To learn more about Frabill, visit Frabill.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow the MLF BIG5’s social media outlets at Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.
About Frabill
Frabill believes truly mastering a skill requires two things: preparation and repetition. Anglers generally don’t have a problem with practicing; however, finding the right gear that performs when they need it most is never a given. That’s where Frabill comes in.
Since 1938, Frabill has been trusted to position anglers for success. From bait management solutions, to ice shelters, to landing nets, they provide a robust collection of high-quality, performance-driven products to help anglers reach their fishing goals. Whether they are seeking records or memories, Frabill is there to create experiences that are not just enjoyable, but truly unforgettable.
Plano's College of Bass with KVD Debuts this Week!
Anglers across the country can tune in to Plano Fishing's Facebook page or Kevin's Facebook page to get tips, tricks, and techniques from Kevin VanDam and other seasoned pros live. And don't worry if you miss the broadcast, the College of Bass will be available on YouTube and many other social media platforms even after the live event.
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College Of Bass with Plano Pro, Kevin VanDam.
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Previewing Toyota Series Lake Toho Event - Wild Weather Ride
Vance McCullough
The MLFBig5 Toyota Series Southern Division begins its 2021 season in Kissimmee, Florida, home to more roller coasters than any other region on Earth. This week you can add another wild ride to the list – the weather.
Always a major factor in Florida tournaments, a passing cold front chilled the area just as anglers began official practice. Temperatures, which dipped into the 30’s on a sunny Tuesday morning, will steadily climb to a high pushing 80 degrees during Saturday’s final competition round. Increasing cloudiness and southern winds throughout the week, expected to blow in excess of 15 mph Friday, could dampen the sight bite during later competition rounds as popular south-facing spawning banks normally protected from typical north winds, could get muddied from the southern blow.
Adjustments will be required of the more than 200 boaters and as many co-anglers. “We have real good numbers this year,” said MLF’s Joe Opager, via phone, enjoying a 10-degree day in Minnesota. “Everybody loves Kissimmee, loves Lake Toho.” The number of anglers is definitely up over last year’s Toyota Series opener and the weights should be as well.
The warmup should push a wave of bass to the banks where they will join fish that have been up there since the full moon in late January. This makes a moving target of the fish population in the Kissimmee Chain. Anglers who find wads of prespawn females choking a Redeye Shad in offshore hydrilla midweek may find the cupboards bare on game day. Even veteran Florida pros are often amazed, or disappointed, at how fast the offshore bite can dry up when bass here decide to charge the shallows.
The flipping bite under thick mats can also evaporate quickly as big females fan out to join bucks on the beds in more open water when temps warm rapidly this time of year.
So, sight fishing should play well, right? Yes. And no. Wednesday offers the best chance during practice to locate beds. Thursday, the first competition day, will be good too for those who catch an early limit and then go looking for promising spots to return to during the cloudier 2nd round on Friday. By Saturday, most of the bedding fish will be hard to see even if they haven’t been caught already.
Enter the ‘winding’ bite - lures that can be used to cover water and draw fish that under warm, cloudy, breezy skies such as those forecast for Saturday, should be willing to chase anything that will fit in their mouths. A Chatterbait will be deadly in areas that allow it, but offerings of a more weedless nature will prove more efficient in many places. I’m looking at you, weightless Big EZ, Skinny Dipper and Xzone Swammer 5.5-inch, and . . . is it too early in the year to throw a toad?
While the winner may have to shift gears from sight fishing to winding, there is one approach that could carry an angler to the winner’s circle without much adjustment throughout the week - blind casting to bedded bass. JT Kinney won a big derby on Kissimmee a couple of years back, locating several dozen beds in huge, nondescript pad fields by practicing without a hook and marking the spot on his GPS every time his lure got picked up. During competition he returned and pitched a Texas-rigged Gambler Fat Ace, black and blue, to the same spots where he knew many of the bass would still be spawning, unseen, on the pad roots. It’s a slow approach that would be a total waste of time if an angler didn’t already know that fish might be present in the very specific spot he had just pitched to. It works because, in February, bass will take a week or more to complete the spawning rituals that might only keep them predictably positioned overnight in the warmer waters of May.
Of course, there is a handful of talented sticks who keep things even simpler and take their chances, rain or shine, by punching a small craw or beaver through surface mats behind a wrecking ball of tungsten - likely the most consistent way to find big bass any given day on the Kissimmee Chain. These hardheaded flippers are always a threat to win but have picked the pockets of many visiting pros even when coming up short of hoisting the big trophy. Mat punching is a bare knuckles brawl on a long rod and short line as thrilling as any ride at a nearby theme park.
This Toyota Series event promises to thrill anglers and onlookers. It will likely be won shallow regardless of the mix of techniques involved. Keep in mind that successful bass fishing in Florida usually boils down to finding the right location, not a pattern, and there is a handful of tactics to pick from once an angler finds the fish.
Finding quality fish, abundant though they may be, can be tricky on the sprawling chain that hides its bounty over several lakes and their disjointed 70,000 acres that feel much larger than that. A long run down the shotgun straight, chunk rock lined Kissimmee River south of the lock on 18,900-acre Lake Toho takes anglers to Cypress Lake’s 4,900 acres where the Hatchineha Canal will lead them to a corner of ‘Lake Hatch’, most of its 6,600 acres lying to the northwest. A little further south, over an hour now from the launch in the town of Kissimmee, they’ll enter Lake Kissimmee. If the 35,000-acre Kissimmee doesn’t offer enough options, relatively small Tiger Lake awaits via the scenic confines of Tiger Creek featuring hairpin turns to rival those on Mister Toad’s Wild Ride. For the truly adventuresome, there’s Lake Rosalie, a sort of ‘end of the rainbow’ that may or may not hold a pot of bass fishing gold. Tourney action around here usually centers on Toho and Kissimmee, perhaps because they comprise the vast majority of water in the chain, if for no other reason.
Keep your eye on this roller coaster of a bass tournament as the Southern Division of the Toyota Series kicks off this week in Central Florida, a most amusing place.
Smiley Wins Phoenix Bass Fishing League on Lake Chickamauga
Jacksboro’s Roberts Wins Strike King Co-Angler Division
DAYTON, Tenn. (Feb. 2, 2021) – Boater Tim Smiley of White Pine, Tennessee, won the Phoenix Bass Fishing League presented by T-H Marine at Lake Chickamauga in Dayton, Tennessee. Smiley earned $7,441 for his victory at the event, hosted by Fish Dayton and the Rhea Economic and Tourism Council.
TOP 10 RESULTS
| RANK | BOATER NAME/HOMETOWN | BASS | WEIGHT | AWARD |
| 1st | Tim Smiley of White Pine, Tenn. | 5 | 25-5 | $7,441 |
| 2nd | Justin Botts of Bluff City, Tenn. | 5 | 22-10 | $2,775 |
| 3rd | Chris Dodson of Spring City, Tenn. | 5 | 22-8 | $1,846 |
| 4th | Tim Saylor of Johnson City, Tenn. | 4 | 20-4 | $1,295 |
| 5th | Chad Ball of Damascus, Va. | 5 | 20-0 | $1,310 |
| 6th | Mickey Beck of Lebanon, Tenn. | 5 | 19-6 | $1,018 |
| 7th | Jerry Shepard of Lebanon, Va. | 5 | 16-10 | $925 |
| 8th | Wayne Norman of Jacksboro, Tenn. | 4 | 16-6 | $833 |
| 9th | Blake Gideon of Cleveland, Tenn. | 3 | 16-1 | $740 |
| 10th | Seth Davis of Harrison, Tenn. | 5 | 15-10 | $1,148 |
| RANK | STRIKE KING CO-ANGLER NAME/HOMETOWN | BASS | WEIGHT | AWARD |
| 1st | Seth Roberts of Jacksboro, Tenn. | 5 | 24-12 | $2,775 |
| 2nd | Andy McNeel of Soddy Daisy, Tenn. | 4 | 13-6 | $1,388 |
| 3rd | Cody Moore of Ooltewah, Tenn. | 4 | 12-4 | $924 |
| 4th | Curtis Crooke of Washburn, Tenn. | 2 | 12-1 | $848 |
| 5th | George E. Stoeppel of Spring City, Tenn. | 3 | 11-6 | $555 |
| 6th | Tim Godsey of Chickamauga, Ga. | 4 | 11-0 | $509 |
| 7th | Raymond Hanlon of Chattanooga, Tenn. | 5 | 10-10 | $463 |
| 8th | Lynn Spears of Athens, Tenn. | 4 | 9-8 | $416 |
| 9th | Jordan Loveless of Indianapolis, Ind. | 5 | 9-5 | $370 |
| 10th | Cameron Crider of Dwale, Ky. | 3 | 9-1 | $324 |
CONTINGENCY AWARDS
| AWARD | NAME | CONTINGENCY | PAYOUT |
| Boater Berkley Big Bass | Tim Smiley of White Pine, Tenn. | 10-pound, 6-ounce bass | $890 |
| Strike King Co-Angler Berkley Big Bass | Justyn Potter of McRoberts, Ky. | 8-pound, 14-ounce bass | $455 |
| Phoenix MLF BIG5 Bonus | Seth Davis of Harrison, 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 | BAIT | COLOR |
| Boater | BOOYAH Hard Knocker lipless crankbait | Not Specified |
| Strike King Co-Angler | Queen Tackle 1/2-ounce tungsten jig | Not Specified |
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 Regional Tourism Board |
| Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American | June 3-5 | Douglas Lake, Dandridge, Tenn. | Jefferson County Department of Tourism |
The 2021 MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League presented by T-H Marine is a 24-division circuit devoted to weekend anglers, with 128 tournaments throughout the season, five qualifying events in each division. The top 45 boaters and Strike King co-anglers from each division, along with the five winners of the qualifying events, will advance to one of six Phoenix Bass Fishing League Regional Championships. Boaters will compete for a $60,000 prize package, including a new Phoenix 819 Pro bass boat with a 200-horsepower Mercury outboard and $10,000, while Strike King co-anglers will fish for a new Phoenix 819 Pro bass boat with a 200-horsepower Mercury outboard.
The top six finishers in each regional will then qualify for one of the longest-running championships in all of competitive bass fishing – the Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American.
The top 45 boaters and Strike King co-anglers plus tournament winners from each Phoenix Bass Fishing League division will also earn priority entry into the Toyota Series, the pathway to the Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit and ultimately the MLF Bass Pro Tour.
For complete details and updated information visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow the Phoenix Bass Fishing League presented by T-H Marine on MLF’s social media outlets at Facebook, Twitter, Instagram , and YouTube.
Griffith Wins Phoenix Bass Fishing League on Lake Eufaula
Vance’s Craver Wins Strike King Co-Angler Division
EUFAULA, Ala. (Feb. 1, 2021) – Boater Donald Griffith of Robertsdale, Alabama, won the Phoenix Bass Fishing League presented by T-H Marine at Lake Eufaula in Eufaula, Alabama. Griffith earned $5,627 for his victory at the event, hosted by the Eufaula Barbour County Chamber of Commerce.
TOP 10 RESULTS
| RANK | BOATER NAME/HOMETOWN | BASS | WEIGHT | AWARD |
| 1st | Donald Griffith of Robertsdale, Ala. | 5 | 18-11 | $5,627 |
| 2nd | Terry Stevens of Marianna, Fla. | 5 | 18-8 | $2,813 |
| 3rd | Ryan Ingram of Phenix City, Ala. | 5 | 18-5 | $1,877 |
| 4th | Chris Hensley of Marbury, Ala. | 5 | 17-10 | $1,813 |
| 5th | Dale Tomazin of Gainesville, Ga. | 5 | 17-2 | $2,035 |
| 6th | Jeremy Green of Gadsden, Ala. | 4 | 17-0 | $1,032 |
| 7th | Sean Bierman of Wewahitchka, Fla. | 5 | 16-13 | $938 |
| 8th | Michael M. Smith of Andalusia, Ala. | 5 | 16-5 | $797 |
| 8th | Austin Swindle of Parrish, Ala. | 5 | 16-5 | $797 |
| 10th | James Swindle of Parrish, Ala. | 5 | 15-11 | $623 |
| 10th | Mark McCaig of Oxford, Ala. | 5 | 15-11 | $623 |
| RANK | STRIKE KING CO-ANGLER NAME/HOMETOWN | BASS | WEIGHT | AWARD |
| 1st | Jesse Craver of Vance, Ala. | 5 | 15-8 | $2,813 |
| 2nd | Scott Noles of Woodland, Ala. | 5 | 10-15 | $1,407 |
| 3rd | Justin Girdner of Wetumpka, Ala. | 5 | 10-11 | $938 |
| 4th | Jonathan Barksdale of Armuchee, Ga. | 5 | 10-5 | $656 |
| 5th | Terry Harper of Ranburne, Ala. | 5 | 10-4 | $563 |
| 6th | Austin Navarre of Carriere, Miss. | 4 | 10-2 | $516 |
| 7th | O’Brien Brown of Pinson, Ala. | 5 | 9-12 | $469 |
| 8th | Robert Slaton of Marietta, Ga. | 5 | 9-8 | $422 |
| 9th | Tommy Nichols of Fayette, Ala. | 5 | 9-6 | $375 |
| 10th | Cameron McBride of Newnan, Ga. | 3 | 9-3 | $328 |
CONTINGENCY AWARDS
| AWARD | NAME | CONTINGENCY | PAYOUT |
| Boater Berkley Big BasS | Dale Tomazin of Gainesville, Ga. | 6-pound, 13-ounce bass | $910 |
| Strike King Co-Angler Berkley Big Bass | Daniel Buswell Jr. of Fayetteville, Ga. | 6-pound, 12-ounce bass | $455 |
| Phoenix MLF BIG5 Bonus | Chris Hensley of Marbury, Ala. | Eligible Phoenix Boat* | $500 |
* Boaters are eligible to win up to an extra $7,000 per event in each Phoenix Bass Fishing League presented by T-H Marine tournament if all requirements are met. More information on the Phoenix MLF BIG5 Bonus contingency program can be found at PhoenixBassBoats.com.
WINNING BAITS
| ANGLER | BAIT | COLOR | TYPE OF COVER | DEPTH |
| Boater | Did Not Divulge | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Strike King Co-Angler | Spinnerbait | White | N/A | 5 to 8 Feet |
2021 QUALIFICATION OPPORTUNITIES
| EVENT | DATE | LOCATION | HOST |
| Bama Division – Phoenix Bass Fishing League Regional Championship | Oct. 7-9 | Wheeler Lake, Decatur, Ala. | Decatur Morgan County Tourism |
| Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American | June 3-5 | Douglas Lake, Dandridge, Tenn. | Jefferson County Department of Tourism |
The 2021 MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League presented by T-H Marine is a 24-division circuit devoted to weekend anglers, with 128 tournaments throughout the season, five qualifying events in each division. The top 45 boaters and Strike King co-anglers from each division, along with the five winners of the qualifying events, will advance to one of six Phoenix Bass Fishing League Regional Championships. Boaters will compete for a $60,000 prize package, including a new Phoenix 819 Pro bass boat with a 200-horsepower Mercury outboard and $10,000, while Strike King co-anglers will fish for a new Phoenix 819 Pro bass boat with a 200-horsepower Mercury outboard.
The top six finishers in each regional will then qualify for one of the longest-running championships in all of competitive bass fishing – the Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American.
The top 45 boaters and Strike King co-anglers plus tournament winners from each Phoenix Bass Fishing League division will also earn priority entry into the Toyota Series, the pathway to the Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit and ultimately the MLF Bass Pro Tour.
For complete details and updated information visit MajorLeagueFishing.com.
