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Feider Secures Bassmaster Angler Of The Year Title At St. Lawrence River Elite

Seth Feider, of New Market, Minn., has won the 2021 Bassmaster Angler of the Year title with 792 points.4
Photo by Seigo Saito/B.A.S.S.

July 16, 2021

WADDINGTON, NY — Seth Feider of New Market, Minn., wrapped his arms around a lifelong dream as he kissed the Bassmaster Angler of the Year trophy on Day 2 of the Farmers Insurance Bassmaster Elite at St. Lawrence River.

The seventh-year Elite Series pro currently sits in eighth place with a two-day total of 42 pounds, 3 ounces, so he’ll be competing for at least one more day. More importantly, though, his points total of 792 gave him enough of a cushion to secure the coveted AOY title no matter how he finishes the tournament.

“It’s a milestone; it’s a (lifetime of) work,” Feider said. “Ever since I was a little kid, every minute fishing was to get to this, it feels amazing.

“It feels like the weight of the world is off my shoulders now that it’s all over. It’s been a stressful last couple of months.”

While Feider can relax and make plans to spend the $100,000 prize that comes with the AOY title, there is still much to be decided this week.

Leading the event, Gainesville, Fla., pro Bernie Schultz overcame a painful loss Friday to maintain the top spot with a two-day total of 47-14. Schultz added 22-9 to the 25-5 he weighed on Day 1.

How painful? Put it this way: Schultz is one of the coolest heads on the water, but when Bassmaster LIVE showed a big fish that Schultz estimated at 5 pounds come unbuttoned right at the boat, the seasoned pro experienced an understandable moment of obvious exasperation.

Returning to the same 250-yard flat near Chippewa Bay where he caught his Day 1 limit, Schultz found the fish scattered over various sections of broken bottom comprising rock, gravel, sand and grass clumps.

“The composition changes depending on what part of the flat you’re on,” Schultz said. “There’s a secondary channel edge that the flat drops into, and I think that’s what’s bringing the fish to it. They have that deep-water access nearby.”

Schultz said he is catching fish in 8 feet of water, although he’s caught them in 5 or less when he’s fished this spot in previous years. Presuming this to be a postspawn positioning preference, Schultz said he is mostly fishing for unseen fish.

“They prefer open areas,” he said. “They like that other stuff around them, but they like to be on clean bottom.”

Schultz tried to capitalize on the morning’s dim, overcast conditions with a Rapala X-Rap Pop, but to no avail. He ended up catching his fish on a 1/4-ounce VMC Ned Head jig with a 3-inch Yamamato Senko in the green pumpkin/watermelon laminate color.

“I actually use the 4-inch Senko and I cut an inch off the end,” he said. “I do that because the 4-inch Senko has a wider diameter and it fits better against that jighead. It’s a plumper bait and the fish seem to like that look.”

On Thursday, Schultz led the Phoenix Boats Big Bass standings with a 6-2. On Friday, he had two that went 5-1 each.

Chris Johnston, of Peterborough, Canada, is in second place with 46-5. Having tied his older brother Cory for second on Day 1, he added 22-14 to Thursday’s bag of 23-7.

Johnston, who became the first Canadian to win an Elite title at last year’s St. Lawrence River event, spent the majority of his day in Lake Ontario, not far from the mouth of the river. He hit about 10 different spots and caught his fish in 5 to 30 feet of water.

“It was nice today; it laid down and I could move around, which was nice,” Johnston said of the day’s calm conditions. “I hit a couple of new spots, and one of them ended up having quite a few fish on it.”

Johnston caught his bass on a mix of reaction and finesse baits. His biggest fish of the day was 5 1/4.

Hailing from Cavan, Canada, Cory Johnston bolstered his first-round effort of 23-7 with Friday’s limit of 22-2 for a third-place total of 45-9. Targeting a mix of main-river rock reefs and isolated boulders, he caught his fish on a drop shot.

Johnston said he fished multiple spots throughout a 90-mile stretch from the takeoff area to Chaumont Bay outside the mouth of the St. Lawrence.

“This place is incredible; I say that every time we get to fish here,” Johnston said. “I left some fish out there for tomorrow and I found a few new ones.

“I ran a lot of the same stuff I ran yesterday and ran some new stuff and found some new groups of fish.”

Patrick Walters of Summerville, S.C., captured the Day 2 Phoenix Boats Big Bass honors with his 6-5.

Chris Johnston is in second place in the Angler of the Year standings with 729 points. Former AOY (2017) Brandon Palaniuk of Rathdrum, Idaho, is in third with 702 points, followed by Walters with 668 and Greg Hackney of Gonzales, La., with 667.

Josh Stracner of Vandiver, Ala., leads the Rookie of the Year standings with 552 points.

The Top 45 remaining anglers will take off at 7 a.m. ET from Whittaker Park. The weigh-in will be held back at the park at 3:15 p.m.

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

2021 Farmers Insurance Bassmaster Elite at St. Lawrence River 7/15-7/18
St. Lawrence River, Waddington NY.
(PROFESSIONAL) Standings Day 2

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

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

by AnglersChannel

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

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

July 15, 2021

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

by AnglersChannel

Kayak Championship Angler Donates Prize To Child With Rare Disorder

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

Photo by B.A.S.S.

July 14, 2021

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

by AnglersChannel

Schmitt collects Costa Compete + Conserve Bonus

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

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

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

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

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

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

by AnglersChannel

Nolan Minor’s College Fishing Farewell

Courtesy of Luke Stoner - Dynamic Sponsorships

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

by AnglersChannel

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

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

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

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

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

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

They’ll be joined by Qualifying Round Winners:

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

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

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

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

Rounding out the top 40 finishers were:

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

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

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

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

The General Tire Stage Five at the St. Lawrence River Presented by Berkley features anglers competing with a 2-pound minimum weight requirement, meaning each bass caught must weigh at least 2 pounds for it to be deemed scorable. Minimum weights are determined individually for each competition waters that the Bass Pro Tour visits, based on the productivity, bass population and anticipated average size of fish in each fishery.

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

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

The final 10 anglers will take off from the Massena Intake Boat Launch Ramp, located on Route 13, in Massena, at 8:30 a.m. ET Wednesday. The General Tire Takeout and Championship Moment will also be held at the Massena Intake, beginning at 5:30 p.m. Fans are welcome to attend all takeoff and takeout ceremonies and also encouraged to follow the event online throughout the day on the MLF NOW!® live stream and SCORETRACKER® coverage at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

The Bass Pro Tour features a field of 76 of the top professional anglers in the world – joined at each event by 4 pros that qualify from the Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit – competing across seven regular-season tournaments around the country, competing for millions of dollars and valuable points to qualify for the annual Heavy Hitters all-star event and the REDCREST 2022 championship.

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

Television coverage of the General Tire Stage Five Presented by Berkley at the St. Lawrence River will be showcased across two two-hour episodes, premiering at 7 a.m. ET, Oct. 23 on the Discovery Channel. New MLF episodes premiere each Saturday morning on the Discovery Channel, with additional re-airings on the Outdoor Channel and the Sportsman Channel. Each two-hour long reality-based episode goes in-depth to break down each day of competition.

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

by AnglersChannel

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The General Tire Stage Five at the St. Lawrence River Presented by Berkley features anglers competing with a 2-pound minimum weight requirement, meaning each bass caught must weigh at least 2 pounds for it to be deemed scorable. Minimum weights are determined individually for each competition waters that the Bass Pro Tour visits, based on the productivity, bass population and anticipated average size of fish in each fishery.

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

The 40 Anglers in Group A competed in their two-day qualifying round on Friday and Sunday – the 40 anglers in Group B on Saturday and Monday. With both groups two-day qualifying round now complete, the anglers that finish in 2^ndthrough 20^th place from both groups now advance to Tuesday’s Knockout Round, while the winner of each group advances directly to Wednesday’s Championship Round. In the Knockout Round, weights are zeroed and the remaining 38 anglers compete to finish in the top 8 to advance to the Championship Round. In the final day Championship Round, weights are zeroed and the highest one-day total wins.

Anglers will take off from the Massena Intake Boat Launch Ramp, located on Route 13, in Massena, at 8:30 a.m. ET each day of competition. Each day’s General Tire Takeout will also be held at the Launch Ramp, beginning at 5:30 p.m. Fans are welcome to attend all takeoff and takeout ceremonies and also encouraged to follow the event online throughout the day on the MLF NOW!® live stream and SCORETRACKER® coverage at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

The Bass Pro Tour features a field of 76 of the top professional anglers in the world – joined at each event by 4 pros that qualify from the Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit – competing across seven regular-season tournaments around the country, competing for millions of dollars and valuable points to qualify for the annual Heavy Hitters all-star event and the REDCREST 2022 championship.

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

Television coverage of the General Tire Stage Five Presented by Berkley at the St. Lawrence River will be showcased across two two-hour episodes, premiering at 7 a.m. ET, Oct. 23 on the Discovery Channel. New MLF episodes premiere each Saturday morning on the Discovery Channel, with additional re-airings on the Outdoor Channel and the Sportsman Channel. Each two-hour long reality-based episode goes in-depth to break down each day of competition.

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

by AnglersChannel

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

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

by AnglersChannel

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The 40 Anglers in Group A compete in their two-day qualifying round on the St. Lawrence River on Friday and Sunday – the 40 anglers in Group B on Saturday and Monday. After each two-day qualifying round is complete, the anglers that finish in 2nd through 20th place from both groups advance to Tuesday’s Knockout Round, while the winner of each group advances directly to Wednesday’s Championship Round. In the Knockout Round, weights are zeroed and the remaining 38 anglers compete to finish in the top 8 to advance to the Championship Round. In the final day Championship Round, weights are zeroed and the highest one-day total wins the top prize of $100,000.

Anglers will take off from the Massena Intake Boat Launch Ramp, located on Route 13, in Massena, at 8:30 a.m. ET each day of competition. Each day’s General Tire Takeout will also be held at the Launch Ramp, beginning at 5:30 p.m. Fans are welcome to attend all takeoff and takeout ceremonies and also encouraged to follow the event online throughout the day on the MLF NOW!® live stream and SCORETRACKER® coverage at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

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

The Bass Pro Tour features a field of 76 of the top professional anglers in the world – joined at each event by 4 pros that qualify from the Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit – competing across seven regular-season tournaments around the country, competing for millions of dollars and valuable points to qualify for the annual Heavy Hitters all-star event and the REDCREST 2022 championship.

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

Television coverage of the General Tire Stage Five Presented by Berkley at the St. Lawrence River will be showcased across two two-hour episodes, premiering at 7 a.m. ET, Oct. 23 on the Discovery Channel. New MLF episodes premiere each Saturday morning on the Discovery Channel, with additional re-airings on the Outdoor Channel and the Sportsman Channel. Each two-hour long reality-based episode goes in-depth to break down each day of competition.

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

by AnglersChannel

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

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

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

June 24, 2021

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

by AnglersChannel