Despite Slower Day, Kreiger Maintains Lead At Bassmaster Elite At Pickwick
Photo by Seigo Saito/B.A.S.S.
March 21, 2021
FLORENCE, Ala. — Koby Kreiger’s main pattern provided a solid foundation, but a strategic relocation proved essential to maintaining his lead at the Guaranteed Rate Bassmaster Elite at Pickwick Lake.
Adding a five-bass limit of 19 pounds, 15 ounces to his Day 1 leading catch of 25-12 — the event’s biggest bag — the pro from Alva, Fla., tallied 45-11. Heading into Semifinal Monday, Kreiger leads second-place Bill Lowen by 11 ounces.
Kreiger started his day in the Wilson Dam tailrace, where he targeted the down-current side of a wooded rock island. With the dam releasing an hourly average of 178,170 cubic feet per second, bass were leveraging the intense feeding opportunities.
Heavy rainfall from Wednesday’s massive storm system brought extreme current and flood conditions, which required B.A.S.S. officials to postpone the tournament’s scheduled start from Thursday to Saturday.
“The fish just hunker down behind that (structure) and anything that falls over those rocks, they eat it,” Kreiger said. “It was a grind today. I caught one big smallmouth pretty early this morning and I was lucky to catch three to go with it. Then I struggled for a while.
“I made a move and went down my limit bank and caught a 4-pounder and another one about 3 1/2.”
Kreiger’s second area was a riprap bank near the takeoff site at McFarland Park. He spent about an hour in this spot.
Returning to the tailrace in the afternoon, Kreiger found that the bite had completely shut down. He attributes the decline to increased turbidity.
“The upper end of the lake is getting dirty and I think that’s part of the problem,” Kreiger said. “They didn’t bite after this morning. When I returned (to the tailrace), I never got another bite. It was nowhere near like it was yesterday.
“It has to be because the water got dirty. I mean, the fish are there; they’re not going to go anywhere. Smallmouth are sight feeders, so that has to play a role in it. But I also caught some big largemouth up there yesterday and they didn’t bite either, so I don’t know.”
Kreiger caught his fish on a deep-diving crankbait, a 1-ounce spinnerbait with tandem willow-leaf blades and a balsa Wee Bait in the silver shad color.
Despite today’s downturn, Kreiger said he’ll definitely fish the Wilson tailrace tomorrow.
“There’s no question, if I’m going to win, I’m going to win up there,” he said. “I’m going to go up there and spend a couple of hours up there and see what happens.”
Hailing from Brookville, Ind., Lowen is in second place with an even 45 pounds. Gaining a spot from Day 1, Lowen bolstered Saturday’s limit of 21-3 with 23-13 — the day’s heaviest bag.
“Yesterday I didn’t get a lot of bites and today I didn’t get a lot of bites, but I got the right ones,” Lowen said.
Spending his day near the Natchez Trace Bridge, Lowen fished main river current breaks. Noting that this area is a major offshore community hole when conditions are stable, Lowen strategically pushed shallow and flipped wood with his signature series 3/8-ounce Lure Parts Online jig with a chunk trailer.
“The reason I go with a 3/8 is so it sweeps through the cover instead of getting stuck,” Lowen said. “When it sweeps through there, it looks more natural than if you’re fighting to get it through.”
In his day’s later hours, Lowen fished docks inside a pocket in the same general area. He caught several on his jig, with one making it into his limit.
“My theory is that those fish are getting pushed to the sides,” Lowen said. “I had a really good area out on that flat before (the heavy current) came and I assumed that those fish slid up to the docks.”
Scott Martin of Clewiston, Fla., is in third place with 41-2. Mirroring his Day 1 strategy, Martin started the day fishing the slower current areas right outside of McFarland Park.
He added 22-13 to the 18-5 he caught on Saturday.
“I caught a 6 1/2-pounder right outside the takeoff, then I caught some more fish down the (riprap bank bordering McFarland) and ended up with a limit of 15 pounds or so without starting my motor and then I just went fishing,” Martin said. “I didn’t catch as many today, the grade was better. I caught a lot of 3 1/2- to 4 1/2-pound fish.”
After leaving the McFarland area, Martin fished his way down lake, nearly to the Tennessee state line. He targeted current breaks, points and shallow cover and caught his fish on a ChatterBait, swimbait and a balsa crankbait.
Hank Cherry of Linconton, N.C., is in the lead for Phoenix Boats Big Bass honors with his 7-11.
Patrick Walters of Summerville, S.C., leads the Angler of the Year standings with 258 points. Seth Feider of New Market, Minn., is in second with 251, followed by Bryan New of Belmont, N.C., with 249, Brandon Palaniuk of Rathdrum, Idaho, with 244, and Greg Hackney of Gonzales, La., with 242.
Monday’s takeoff is scheduled for 6:45 a.m. CT at McFarland Park. The weigh-in will be held at the park at 3 p.m.
Live coverage of the event can be streamed on Bassmaster.com and the FOX Sports digital platforms.
2021 Guaranteed Rate Bassmaster Elite at Pickwick Lake 3/20-3/23
Pickwick Lake, Florence AL.
(PROFESSIONAL) Standings Day 2
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Pts Total $$$
1. Koby Kreiger Alva, FL 10 45-11 100
Day 1: 5 25-12 Day 2: 5 19-15
2. Bill Lowen Brookville, IN 10 45-00 99
Day 1: 5 21-03 Day 2: 5 23-13
3. Scott Martin Clewiston, FL 10 41-02 98
Day 1: 5 18-05 Day 2: 5 22-13
4. Brock Mosley Collinsville, MS 10 41-01 97
Day 1: 5 19-09 Day 2: 5 21-08
5. Buddy Gross Chickamauga, GA 10 40-03 96
Day 1: 5 23-03 Day 2: 5 17-00
6. Chad Pipkens Dewitt, MI 10 39-07 95
Day 1: 5 21-02 Day 2: 5 18-05
7. Steve Kennedy Auburn, AL 10 39-04 94
Day 1: 5 18-11 Day 2: 5 20-09
8. Brandon Palaniuk Rathdrum, ID 10 38-05 93
Day 1: 5 17-12 Day 2: 5 20-09
9. Bryan New Belmont, NC 10 38-03 92
Day 1: 5 19-00 Day 2: 5 19-03
10. Hank Cherry Jr Lincolnton, NC 10 38-01 91 $1,000.00
Day 1: 5 15-08 Day 2: 5 22-09
11. Tyler Rivet Raceland, LA 10 37-11 90
Day 1: 5 16-12 Day 2: 5 20-15
12. Bryan Schmitt Deale, MD 10 36-12 89
Day 1: 5 13-04 Day 2: 5 23-08
13. Brandon Lester Fayetteville, TN 10 36-08 88
Day 1: 5 16-13 Day 2: 5 19-11
14. Pat Schlapper Eleva, WI 10 35-09 87
Day 1: 5 16-10 Day 2: 5 18-15
15. David Mullins Mt Carmel, TN 10 35-04 86
Day 1: 5 16-12 Day 2: 5 18-08
16. Chris Zaldain Fort Worth, TX 10 35-00 85
Day 1: 5 21-02 Day 2: 5 13-14
17. Joshua Stracner Vandiver, AL 10 34-13 84
Day 1: 5 19-13 Day 2: 5 15-00
18. Patrick Walters Summerville, SC 10 34-13 83
Day 1: 5 18-00 Day 2: 5 16-13
19. Lee Livesay Longview, TX 10 34-12 82
Day 1: 5 13-02 Day 2: 5 21-10
20. Seth Feider New Market, MN 10 34-01 81
Day 1: 5 16-06 Day 2: 5 17-11
21. Ray Hanselman Jr Del Rio, TX 10 33-13 80
Day 1: 5 16-13 Day 2: 5 17-00
22. Cory Johnston Cavan CANADA 10 33-12 79
Day 1: 5 18-09 Day 2: 5 15-03
23. Chris Johnston Otonabee Ontario CANADA 10 33-08 78
Day 1: 5 16-11 Day 2: 5 16-13
24. Robbie Latuso Gonzales, LA 9 33-05 77
Day 1: 4 13-08 Day 2: 5 19-13
25. Caleb Sumrall New Iberia, LA 9 33-03 76
Day 1: 5 18-12 Day 2: 4 14-07
26. Matt Herren Ashville, AL 10 32-14 75
Day 1: 5 13-12 Day 2: 5 19-02
27. Wes Logan Springville, AL 10 32-05 74
Day 1: 5 13-07 Day 2: 5 18-14
28. Brad Whatley Bivins, TX 9 32-01 73
Day 1: 4 12-03 Day 2: 5 19-14
29. Stetson Blaylock Benton, AR 10 31-15 72
Day 1: 5 16-01 Day 2: 5 15-14
30. Shane LeHew Catawba, NC 10 31-14 71
Day 1: 5 16-14 Day 2: 5 15-00
31. Kyle Monti Okeechobee, FL 10 31-06 70
Day 1: 5 17-14 Day 2: 5 13-08
32. Jason Christie Park Hill, OK 10 31-05 69
Day 1: 5 16-07 Day 2: 5 14-14
33. Randy Sullivan Breckenridge, TX 10 31-04 68
Day 1: 5 13-05 Day 2: 5 17-15
34. Luke Palmer Coalgate, OK 10 31-02 67
Day 1: 5 16-09 Day 2: 5 14-09
35. Gregory DiPalma Millville, NJ 10 31-01 66
Day 1: 5 15-15 Day 2: 5 15-02
36. Marc Frazier Newnan, GA 10 30-07 65
Day 1: 5 14-14 Day 2: 5 15-09
37. Hunter Shryock Ooltewah, TN 9 30-05 64
Day 1: 4 11-02 Day 2: 5 19-03
38. Skylar Hamilton Dandridge, TN 9 29-14 63
Day 1: 4 12-06 Day 2: 5 17-08
39. Todd Auten Lake Wylie, SC 10 29-12 62
Day 1: 5 17-13 Day 2: 5 11-15
40. Kyle Welcher Opelika, AL 10 29-12 61
Day 1: 5 13-01 Day 2: 5 16-11
41. Drew Cook Cairo, GA 8 29-11 60
Day 1: 3 08-14 Day 2: 5 20-13
42. Frank Talley Temple, TX 10 27-07 59
Day 1: 5 16-04 Day 2: 5 11-03
43. Cliff Prince Palatka, FL 9 27-00 58
Day 1: 5 14-07 Day 2: 4 12-09
44. John Crews Jr Salem, VA 10 26-10 57
Day 1: 5 14-09 Day 2: 5 12-01
45. KJ Queen Catawba, NC 10 26-05 56
Day 1: 5 12-08 Day 2: 5 13-13
46. Clifford Pirch Payson, AZ 9 26-03 55
Day 1: 4 11-09 Day 2: 5 14-10
47. Brandon Card Salisbury, NC 9 26-00 54
Day 1: 5 17-10 Day 2: 4 08-06
48. Ed Loughran III Richmond, VA 8 25-13 53
Day 1: 3 08-00 Day 2: 5 17-13
49. Drew Benton Blakely, GA 8 25-05 52
Day 1: 4 10-04 Day 2: 4 15-01
50. Paul Mueller Naugatuck, CT 9 25-04 51
Day 1: 5 14-06 Day 2: 4 10-14
51. Chad Morgenthaler Reeds Spring, MO 6 25-03 50 $2,500.00
Day 1: 1 03-01 Day 2: 5 22-02
52. Greg Hackney Gonzales, LA 9 25-02 49 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 15-15 Day 2: 4 09-03
53. Randy Pierson Oakdale, CA 8 24-13 48 $2,500.00
Day 1: 3 07-06 Day 2: 5 17-07
54. Kenta Kimura Osaka JAPAN 10 24-10 47 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 13-12 Day 2: 5 10-14
55. Harvey Horne Bella Vista, AR 9 23-07 46 $2,500.00
Day 1: 4 09-02 Day 2: 5 14-05
56. Justin Hamner Northport, AL 9 23-00 45 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 13-12 Day 2: 4 09-04
57. Scott Canterbury Odenville, AL 6 22-15 44 $2,500.00
Day 1: 1 02-11 Day 2: 5 20-04
58. Rob Digh Denver, NC 8 22-14 43 $2,500.00
Day 1: 3 08-06 Day 2: 5 14-08
59. Bob Downey Hudson, WI 7 22-12 42 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 16-08 Day 2: 2 06-04
60. Clark Wendlandt Leander, TX 6 22-03 41 $3,500.00
Day 1: 5 20-01 Day 2: 1 02-02
61. Yusuke Miyazaki Forney, TX 8 21-14 40 $2,500.00
Day 1: 3 07-14 Day 2: 5 14-00
62. Clent Davis Montevallo, AL 8 21-13 39 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 14-00 Day 2: 3 07-13
63. Rick Clunn Ava, MO 8 21-10 38 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 11-09 Day 2: 3 10-01
64. Taku Ito Chiba JAPAN 8 20-14 37 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 13-05 Day 2: 3 07-09
65. Quentin Cappo Prairieville, LA 9 20-13 36 $2,500.00
Day 1: 4 08-14 Day 2: 5 11-15
66. Garrett Paquette Canton, MI 7 20-08 35 $2,500.00
Day 1: 4 11-00 Day 2: 3 09-08
67. Jason Williamson Wagener, SC 6 20-00 34 $2,500.00
Day 1: 3 12-15 Day 2: 3 07-01
68. Caleb Kuphall Mukwonago, WI 7 19-15 33 $2,500.00
Day 1: 2 05-07 Day 2: 5 14-08
69. Mark Menendez Paducah, KY 7 19-12 32 $2,500.00
Day 1: 3 08-03 Day 2: 4 11-09
70. David Fritts Lexington, NC 7 19-10 31 $2,500.00
Day 1: 2 04-03 Day 2: 5 15-07
71. Derek Hudnall Denham Springs, LA 6 19-05 30 $2,500.00
Day 1: 3 11-06 Day 2: 3 07-15
72. Matt Arey Shelby, NC 6 19-01 29 $2,500.00
Day 1: 2 05-12 Day 2: 4 13-05
73. Micah Frazier Newnan, GA 6 18-15 28 $2,500.00
Day 1: 2 07-01 Day 2: 4 11-14
74. Jamie Hartman Newport, NY 7 18-14 27 $2,500.00
Day 1: 2 03-13 Day 2: 5 15-01
75. Cody Hollen Beaverton, OR 7 18-01 26 $2,500.00
Day 1: 2 03-15 Day 2: 5 14-02
76. Brandon Cobb Greenwood, SC 7 17-14 25
Day 1: 2 04-08 Day 2: 5 13-06
77. Matt Robertson Kuttawa, KY 5 17-13 24
Day 1: 1 02-06 Day 2: 4 15-07
78. Kelley Jaye Dadeville, AL 5 17-12 23
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 5 17-12
79. John Cox Debary, FL 6 16-14 22
Day 1: 1 03-09 Day 2: 5 13-05
80. Darold Gleason Many, LA 5 16-13 21
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 5 16-13
81. Justin Atkins Florence, AL 6 16-12 20
Day 1: 5 14-05 Day 2: 1 02-07
82. Rick Morris Lake Gaston, VA 5 16-05 19
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 5 16-05
83. Gerald Swindle Guntersville, AL 6 16-00 18
Day 1: 4 10-12 Day 2: 2 05-04
84. Destin DeMarion Grove City, PA 5 15-14 17
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 5 15-14
85. Austin Felix Eden Prairie, MN 5 15-14 16
Day 1: 1 05-00 Day 2: 4 10-14
86. Jay Yelas Lincoln City, OR 6 14-08 15
Day 1: 4 09-11 Day 2: 2 04-13
87. Brett Preuett Monroe, LA 4 14-03 14
Day 1: 1 04-06 Day 2: 3 09-13
88. Dale Hightower Mannford, OK 5 11-04 13
Day 1: 3 07-11 Day 2: 2 03-09
89. Jeff Gustafson Keewatin Ontario CANADA 4 10-09 12
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 4 10-09
90. Gary Clouse Winchester, TN 4 10-00 11
Day 1: 2 04-11 Day 2: 2 05-05
91. Jake Whitaker Fairview, NC 4 09-12 10
Day 1: 4 09-12 Day 2: 0 00-00
92. Bill Weidler Helena, AL 3 09-11 9
Day 1: 1 02-05 Day 2: 2 07-06
93. Chris Groh Spring Grove, IL 3 07-13 8
Day 1: 1 03-06 Day 2: 2 04-07
94. Tyler Carriere Youngsville, LA 2 07-08 7
Day 1: 1 05-08 Day 2: 1 02-00
95. Keith Combs Huntington, TX 3 07-07 6
Day 1: 2 04-10 Day 2: 1 02-13
96. Bernie Schultz Gainesville, FL 3 07-03 5
Day 1: 1 02-00 Day 2: 2 05-03
97. Mike Huff Corbin, KY 3 06-13 4
Day 1: 2 04-07 Day 2: 1 02-06
98. Carl Jocumsen Queensland AUSTRALIA 3 06-00 3
Day 1: 2 05-14 Day 2: 1 00-02
99. Shane Lineberger Lincolnton, NC 2 04-07 2
Day 1: 1 02-01 Day 2: 1 02-06
100. Brian Snowden Reeds Spring, MO 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
Shuffield Leads Day One of Major League Fishing’s Toro Stage 1 at Sam Rayburn Reservoir
Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit Angler Takes Charge of Group A Qualifying Round with Nine Bass Weighing 29 Pounds, 12 Ounces – Group B to Compete Monday
JASPER, Texas (March 21, 2021) – Fishing in his first career Major League Fishing (MLF) Bass Pro Tour event, Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit angler Spencer Shuffield of Hot Springs, Arkansas, wasted no time in making an immediate impact. Shuffield boated nine scorable bass Sunday totaling 29 pounds, 12 ounces to jump out to the early lead in the Group A Qualifying Round at the Toro Stage 1 at Sam Rayburn Reservoir presented by Power-Pole . The six-day competition, which awards a top cash prize of $100,000 to the winner, is being live-streamed online and filmed for television broadcast on the Discovery Channel and the Outdoor Channel later this year.
Just 1-ounce behind Shuffield in second place on the SCORETRACKER® leaderboard is a red-hot Dustin Connell, of Clanton, Alabama, the reigning REDCREST champion who caught 10 bass totaling 29-11. Bass fishing superstar Kevin VanDam of Kalamazoo, Michigan, sits in third place, just 2 pounds back of Shuffield with 10 bass weighing 27-12.
The 40 anglers in Group A will now enjoy a day off Monday, while the 40 anglers in Group B will begin their first day of competition. Group A resumes competition on Tuesday.
“I’m really excited about it,” Shuffield said when asked about leading after day one in his first Bass Pro Tour event. “I got on a little something today that I didn’t know was happening, but it’s a way that I really like to catch them. Everything that I’m catching is postspawn, and the way things are looking I think they’re just going to continue coming to me, more and more.”
Shuffield said that he caught all of his fish on two different baits Sunday – a Yo-Zuri 3DB Jerkbait 110 Deep and a drop-shot rig.
“In practice I was catching 50 to 70 fish a day, but today I probably caught around 30,” Shuffield said. “I caught a lot of 1-12 to 1-15 (pound) fish, today. But, all in all, I’m satisfied. Of course, I’d like to have a 5-, 6- or 7-pound cushion over second – one ounce isn’t even really leading – but I’ll take it for my first day.”
Like Shuffield, most of the anglers near the top of the leaderboard were also throwing a jerkbait at certain points of the day, including Connell and VanDam.
“I caught a lot of fish on a jerkbait, today,” Connell said. “These fish are kind of staging up right now. It got pretty slow for me later in the day, so I was kind of bouncing around and practicing in the third period. I found a little zone that I like, so I’ve just been trying to expand on that a little bit.”
VanDam spent a lot of the day looking for schools of bass that were grouped up but didn’t have any luck, and spent the day picking off stragglers.
“I wasn’t really sure how it was going to happen, today, but it ended up being a solid day,” VanDam said. “I caught some good fish in practice, but I couldn’t find the big concentrations of them, and that’s the way it was today. One here, one there. I caught a few good ones and just mixed it up to keep myself in the hunt all day long.”
VanDam credited a Pro Blue-colored Strike King KVD jerkbait as being his key bait for most of the day, but he did also boat a few scorable bass with a gold-colored jerkbait as well.
“I’m just going to grind it out and fish the migration routes where these fish are coming into these big spawning basins – fishing points and ditches.”
The top 20 pros in Group A after Day 1 on Sam Rayburn Reservoir are:
1st: Spencer Shuffield, Hot Springs, Ark., nine bass, 29-12
2nd: Dustin Connell. Clanton, Ala., 10 bass, 29-11
3rd: Kevin VanDam, Kalamazoo, Mich., 10 bass, 27-12
4th: Ott DeFoe, Blaine, Tenn., 11 bass, 25-7
5th: Edwin Evers, Talala, Okla., five bass, 23-9
6th: Jason Lambert, Michie, Tenn., six bass, 20-10
7th: Jacob Wheeler, Harrison, Tenn., five bass, 18-3
8th: Anthony Gagliardi, Prosperity, S.C., seven bass, 17-1
9th: Bryan Thrift, Shelby, N.C., seven bass, 17-1
10th: Luke Clausen, Spokane, Wash., six bass, 16-8
11th: Marty Robinson, Lyman, S.C., four bass, 14-5
12th: Zack Birge, Blanchard, Okla., six bass, 14-2
13th: Dean Rojas, Lake Havasu City, Ariz., five bass, 13-13
14th: Fletcher Shryock, Guntersville, Ala., five bass, 13-9
15th: Scott Suggs, Alexander, Ark., five bass, 13-6
16th: Bradley Roy, Lancaster, Ky., four bass, 12-15
17th: Adrian Avena, Vineland, N.J., five bass, 12-11
18th: David Walker, Sevierville, Tenn., five bass, 12-4
19th: Brett Hite, Phoenix, Ariz., four bass, 12-0
20th: Wesley Strader, Spring City, Tenn., four bass, 10-6
A complete list of results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
Overall, there were 155 bass weighing 439 pounds caught by 36 pros on Sunday, which included one 9-pounder, one 8-pounder, one 7-pounder and four 6-pounders caught from Sam Rayburn.
Connell won Sunday’s $1,000 Berkley Big Bass Award, weighing in a 9-pound, 5-ounce largemouth on the jerkbait during Period 2. Berkley will award $1,000 to the angler that weighs the biggest bass each day, and a $3,000 bonus to the angler who weighs the largest bass of the tournament.
The MLF Bass Pro Tour Toro Stage 1 at Sam Rayburn Reservoir presented by Power-Pole is hosted by the Jasper County Development District and the Jasper/Lake Sam Rayburn Chamber of Commerce.
The 40 Anglers in Group A compete in their two-day qualifying round on Sunday and Tuesday – the 40 anglers in Group B on Monday and Wednesday. After each two-day qualifying round is complete, the anglers that finish in 2nd through 20th place from both groups advance to Thursday’s Knockout Round, while the the winner of each group advances directly to Friday’s Championship Round. In the Knockout Round, weights are zeroed and the remaining 38 anglers compete to finish in the top 8 to advance to the Championship Round. In the final day Championship Round, weights are zeroed and the highest one-day total wins. Full breakdown of the format can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
Attendance is limited to competing anglers, essential staff and media covering the event only. Fans are encouraged to follow the event online through the MLF NOW!® live stream and SCORETRACKER® coverage at MajorLeagueFishing.com
The 2021 Bass Pro Tour features a field of 76 of the top professional anglers in the world – joined at each event by 4 pros that qualify from the Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit – competing across seven regular-season tournaments around the country, competing for millions of dollars and valuable points to qualify for the annual Heavy Hitters all-star event and the REDCREST 2022 championship.
The MLF NOW!® broadcast team of Chad McKee, Marty Stone and J.T. Kenney will break down the extended action each day of competition from 7:45 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. MLF NOW!® will be live streamed on MajorLeagueFishing.com. and the MyOutdoorTV (MOTV) app.
Television coverage of the Bass Pro Tour Toro Stage 1 at Sam Rayburn Reservoir presented by Power-Pole will be showcased across two two-hour episodes, premiering at 7 a.m. ET, Aug. 28 on the Discovery Channel. New MLF episodes premiere each Saturday morning on the Discovery Channel, with additional re-airings on the Outdoor Channel and the Sportsman Channel. Each two-hour long reality-based episode goes in-depth to break down each day of competition.
For complete details and updated information on the Bass Pro Tour, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF’s social media outlets at Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.
Rayburn was love at first sight for VanDam
Courtesy of Alan McGuckin - Dynamic Sponsorships
In much the same way Kevin VanDam married his high school sweetheart Sherry, his love affair with SamRayburn Reservoir dates back to the first time he ever made a cast on the famed East Texas reservoir as a kid from Kalamazoo hell-bent to become the best angler pro bass fishing had ever known.
“I came down here a month before the tournament from Michigan to pre-practice for a B.A.S.S. Invitational in early 1992. It was the very first time I’d ever seen Rayburn. There was a warming trend, and the water was 4-feet high in the bushes. I caught 50 bass over 4-pounds. So yea, you could say I definitely fell in love with this place the first time I saw it,” grins VanDam.
When Kevin makes his first competitive cast of the new 2021 season Sunday on Rayburn at Major League Fishing’s Bass Pro Tour event, things won’t be quite so dreamy. Practice has been a game of trying to figure out where soon-to-be spawners are headed. And after two days, he had not intersected them anywhere near like he did on that magical ‘first date’ 29 years ago.
But that’s not tarnishing his fondness of this 114,500-acregem.
“That incredible pre-practice day in 1992 was followed by a 5-bass limit in the tournament that weighed 31 pounds 11 ounces -- which at the time was the single biggest 5-bass limit in B.A.S.S. history,” recalls VanDam.
“I had a 10-pounder along with a 9-pounder and an 8-pounder in my creel that day that ultimately led to the record. The water was super high, like 12-feet up and going over the spillway, and I caught all those giants on a floating worm and an unweighted lizard,” he remembers in great detail.
Seven years later in 1999, even though the largemouth bass virus had a hugely detrimental effect, VanDamdialed-in a deep cranking bite on “Big Sam’s” inside grass line that led to his win here at the Texas Invitational in mid-February of 1999.
So yes, Rayburn is special to KVD. And while practice has not been nearly as sweet as the memories, never bet against the best there’s ever been. He’s been happily married to Sherry for 28 years, and his love of “Big Sam”is rich with nearly three decades of heartfelt goodness too.
Kreiger Starts And Finishes Strong To Lead Bassmaster Elite At Pickwick Lake
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3 Questions with Sumrall and Zaldain
Courtesy of Luke Stoner Dynamic Sponsorships
So far the topic of the Guaranteed Rate Bassmaster Elite on Pickwick Lake has been change. Weather systems, cold fronts, and other curveballs Mother Nature likes to throw are factors Elite Series pros like Caleb Sumrall and Chris Zaldain are used to dealing with during major events.
The Yamaha pros are experts at managing the general adjustments tournament anglers often face. The conditions along the Tennessee River on legendary Pickwick Lake this week offer an entirely new set of challenges for the entire Elite Series field.
Lake levels are five (or more) feet higher, current flows have more than doubled, and the water clarity is much dirtier; which means Pickwick is going to fish like a completely different lake versus what anglers experienced in practice. And they haven’t been on the water since conditions have changed, so they are effectively going in blind.
We asked Sumrall and Zaldain to answer a few questions pertaining to Pickwick and then compare their answers now, to what they might have been before the weather rolled in on Wednesday.
Q – What are three lures you expect anglers near the top of the leaderboard to be throwing? Earlier in the week versus current conditions.
Zaldain – “In the stable conditions we had earlier in the week, I would have expected lures like a spinnerbait with double willow blades, a green pumpkin chatterbait, and watermelon / green pumpkin type soft plastics.”
“Now that that water has dirtied up, the same techniques will play but it’ll be single Colorado blades on chartreuse spinnerbaits, bright chatterbaits, and a black n’ blue jig.Those kinds of details will be vastly different now.”
Sumrall - “My three baits would be a swimbait, a spinnerbait, and a chatterbait for both current conditions and earlier in the week. The adjustments will come in the details. The size, weight, and color of the lures will change based on faster current and dirtier water.”
Q – What will be the breakdown of smallmouth versus largemouth weighed in this week in terms of percentages? Earlier in the week versus current conditions.
Zaldain – “Earlier in the week I think we would have seen a 60% largemouth and 40% smallmouth split. Now I’d think there would be less smallmouth weighed in because of the color of the water. I’ll say 80% largemouth and 20% smallmouth in the current conditions.”
Sumrall - “The cleaner water we had earlier in the week definitely helped those big river smallmouth feed, so we’ll see less brown ones in current conditions. I’d say 70% largemouth and 30% smallmouth during practice, but now it’ll be 85% green and 15% brown.”
Q – What do you expect the winning weight of this tournament will be? Earlier in the week versus current conditions.
Zaldain – “During practice the number I had in my head to win this event was 22.5-lbs per day. Somewhere around 90-lbs for a four day total. With the changing conditions I really don’t think that number will vary too much. It might be a new crop of anglers catching them, but I still think it’ll take that much weight to win on Tuesday.”
Sumrall - “Based on what I saw in practice I’d have guessed it would take something crazy like 24-lbs a day to win this derby. That’s up around the 100-lb mark for a winning weight. Now, with the current conditions, I’d guess a little less. Like maybe 90-lbs for four days, but these dudes are still going to catch them. There are too many big fish in this place.”
Swindle on Starting From Scratch
Courtesy of Luke Stoner - Dynamic Sponsorships
There is plenty of uncertainty amongst Elite Series anglers now that the Guaranteed Rate Bassmaster Elite on Pickwick Lake has been postponed for a second day. Rising water levels, extreme changes in current flow and water clarity all add up to an aura of ambiguity for the pros competing on Pickwick this week. One thing is certain though; anglers will likely have to throw out what they learned in practice.
Most anglers, like Team Toyota pro Gerald Swindle, have not made a cast on Pickwick since Tuesday evening. Conditions have drastically changed since then and the Elites will have to change on the fly when competition begins Saturday morning.
In Swindle’s 26 years as a professional angler he has seen it all and is well known for “making chicken salad out of chicken poo”. We picked the two-time Bassmaster Angler of the Year’s brain to learn how a tournament veteran like “G” approaches starting from scratch in a major event.
Throw practice out the window
Swindle wasn’t afraid to admit he didn’t have a great two days of practice on Pickwick when conditions were stable earlier in the week. He didn’t have a bad practice per say, but he didn’t find anything he felt like he could win off of. So Swindle is throwing his practice completely out of the window and looking at tomorrow as a fresh start.
“Tomorrow I won’t fish any of the stuff I got bites off of in practice… I’m dead serious,” Swindle said boldly. “I promised myself I’d trust my gut and the first place I make a cast on will be a completely new spot tomorrow. I’m going out there like I have to find new fish. I can’t run to what was, I gotta fish for what is and what will be.”
Water conditions have changed so dramatically that anglers will be catching fish out of cover that was dry just a few short days ago. Right now the theme of this event is the unknown and while it would be easy to dwell on the not-so-good aspects of this scenario, Swindle has been looking at the positive side.
“Before the conditions changed this tournament was likely going to be won off of a spot,” Swindle estimated. “Now whoever is leading after day one will be running a pattern in my opinion, and I love that. Earlier in the week I think only 15% of this lake could have produced the winning weight. Now I’d put that number closer to 40 or 50% of this lake capable of producing a win.”
Bass fishing’s funniest man truly believes current conditions will open up Pickwick Lake. Maybe not in the first hour or two of the tournament, but by the end of day one he believes the field will be spread out and able to try to do their own thing. Swindle said tomorrow is all about bringing five solid keepers to the scales so an angler doesn’t dig himself into a hole on day one.
Take advantage of the opportunity
It’s not just areas and patterns that’ll change according to Swindle, but baits and techniques too. Pickwick’s water temps will have cooled considerably and there is much more stain to the water. But Swindle isn’t spun out by these details. In fact, he is looking at these challenges as an opportunity.
“Honestly I am excited,” Swindle said. “Throughout my career I’ve often wondered what it would be like for a whole Elite field to fish a four day tournament with no practice. Just show up and fish. Well, this is about as close as we’ll ever get to that. It’s an opportunity to test ourselves and win, lose, or draw… it’s going to be fun.”
Swindle is well known for his tagline of “PMA” or positive-mental-attitude. Less than half a day before the start of stop number three of the Elite Series season and that PMA is serving him well. With any luck that positivity will pay off for G-Man and he’ll bring back a heavy sack to McFarland Park tomorrow afternoon.
Lake Texoma Set to Host Toyota Series Event
DURANT, Okla. (March 19, 2021) – The Toyota Series presented by A.R.E. Southwestern Division will kick off the second event of its 2021 season with a tournament next week in Durant, Oklahoma, March 25-27, with the Toyota Series presented by A.R.E. at Lake Texoma Presented by Abu Garcia . Hosted by the Discover Durant, the three-day tournament will feature the region’s best bass-fishing pros and Strike King co-anglers casting for a top prize of up to $65,000, plus an additional $35,000 bonus if the winner is a qualified Phoenix Boat owner.
Jeff Reynolds of Calera, Oklahoma – a winner on Texoma in the Toyota Series in 2017 and a Phoenix Bass Fishing League event in 2013 – said the warmer weather means changing conditions for Lake Texoma.
“The main lake temperature is still about 52 degrees but some of the creeks are starting to warm up a bit and I’ve seen water up to 65 degrees back in the creeks,” said Reynolds. “The fish seem to be changing every day – it’s getting to be that time of year where they want to move shallow, so this should be a fun event.”
Reynolds said there still hasn’t been much rainfall, which means the lake is about 5 foot lower than where it normally is.
“There’s plenty of structure and cover to fish on Texoma, but I’d recommend anglers stay away from the wood since the water level is so low,” said Reynolds. “If the fish are staging around those suspended docks, swimming a jig or a spinnerbait will be key – jerkbaits and crankbaits will be in play as well.
“The last three or four years on Texoma have really been all about the largemouth – However, lately, the smallmouth have started to get larger and healthier. They’re definitely going to be a big player during the event. I wouldn’t be surprised to see a 20-pound stringer of smallmouth, but a mixed bag and 20-pounds of fish or more per day will be key.”
As for practice, Reynolds suggests anglers proceed with caution.
“These fish in Texoma don’t handle pressure very well,” Reynolds said. “If guys start jerking on them in practice thinking they can catch two or three a day just to get an idea, I don’t think that’s a good plan. These areas don’t replenish that well and when you start hooking fish, those fish are going to be done for the weekend.”
Anglers will take off daily at 7 a.m. CT from the Catfish Bay Marina in Kingston. Weigh-ins will also be held at the marina and will begin at 3 p.m. Attendance is limited to competing anglers and essential staff only. Fans are encouraged to follow the event online through the “MLF Live” weigh-in broadcasts and daily coverage at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
In Toyota Series regular-season competition, payouts are based on the number of participants competing in the event, scaling up for every 20 boats over 160 and scaling down for every boat below 160. With a 160-boat field, pros fish for a top prize of $40,000, plus an extra $35,000 if Phoenix MLF BIG5 Bonus qualified. Strike King co-anglers cast for the top prize of a new Phoenix 518 Pro bass boat with a 115-horsepower Mercury outboard (valued at $33,500). With a 260-boat field, pros fish for a top award of $65,000, plus an extra $35,000 if Phoenix MLF BIG5 Bonus qualified. Strike King co-anglers cast for the top prize of a new Phoenix 518 Pro bass boat with a 115-horsepower outboard (valued at $33,500) plus $5,000 cash.
The 2021 Toyota Series presented by A.R.E. consists of six divisions – Central, Northern, Plains, Southern, Southwestern and Western – each holding three regular-season events, along with the International division. Anglers who fish all three qualifiers in any of the eight divisions and finish in the top 25 will qualify for the no-entry-fee Toyota Series presented by A.R.E. Championship for a shot at winning $235,000 cash, including a $35,000 Phoenix MLF BIG5 Bonus for qualified anglers. The winning Strike King co-angler at the championship earns a new Phoenix 518 Pro bass boat with a 115-horsepower Mercury outboard.
The 2021 Toyota Series Championship presented by A.R.E. will be held Oct. 28-30 on Pickwick Lake in Counce, Tennessee, and is hosted by the Hardin County Convention and Visitors Bureau.
For complete details and updated information visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow the Toyota Series presented by A.R.E. on the MLF BIG5’s social media outlets at Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.
AC Insider Rookie Podcast with MLF Big 5 Rookie Josh Bragg
This week Jason welcomes in MLF Big 5 Pro Circuit Rookie Josh Bragg to talk about his move to the next level right here on the AC Insider Rookie Podcast.
Bassmaster Event On Pickwick Lake Set To Start Saturday
March 19, 2021
FLORENCE, Ala. — After current, high winds and flooding conditions forced the postponement of the first two days of competition in the Guaranteed Rate Bassmaster Elite at Pickwick Lake, B.A.S.S. officials announced today that the tournament would resume Saturday morning and run through Tuesday afternoon.
Tournament staff is working with the Tennessee Valley Authority, National Weather Service and other agencies that have determined that falling water levels will allow for a safe resumption of competition on Saturday and no boating advisories are currently issued. Additionally, receding waters will allow daily takeoffs and weigh-ins to be held as planned at McFarland Park, some areas of which were evacuated mid-morning on Thursday due to flooding concerns.
The full field of 100 anglers will now compete on both Saturday and Sunday, with only the Top 50 advancing to Monday’s semifinal round. The Top 10 will compete for the championship on Tuesday. Daily takeoffs will be held at McFarland Park at 6:45 a.m. CT and weigh-ins each day at the park at 3 p.m.
Saturday and Sunday will also feature the Bassmaster Outdoors Expo, with fun activities and displays from a variety of sponsors. Saturday is Military Appreciation Day, where military or first responders can show their ID for a free Bassmaster hat, while Sunday will be B.A.S.S. Member Appreciation Day. Expo festivities kick-off both days at noon at McFarland Park.
Live coverage for all four days of the event can be streamed on Bassmaster.com and the FOX Sports digital platforms. FS1 will also broadcast live beginning at 7 a.m. CT on Saturday and Sunday.
Drury University Wins College Series Bonus Bucks
Courtesy of Luke Stoner - Dynamic Sponsorships
When I called Cameron Smith and Cole Breeden to congratulate them on winning the MLF Abu Garcia College Fishing National Championship a few days after their victory on Grand Lake, the two Drury University anglers were already rolling down the highway to Kentucky Lake to fish another college tournament.
Smith, a senior at Drury gradating with a Biology degree and Breeden, a junior studying Marketing were humble, appreciative, and grateful for the whirlwind of a week they experienced at Grand Lake and in the days that followed their big win.
Not only did they take the National Championship trophies back to Missouri, Smith and Breeden also qualified for the 2021 Bass Pro U.S. Open Championship on Table Rock this fall as well as the 2021 Toyota Series Championship. They’ll fish the Toyota Series Championship individually and the Bass Pro U.S. Open Championship as a team.
On top of all that they won an extra $500 for themselves, as well as a matching amount for the Drury University Fishing Team, for being the highest finishing Toyota Bonus Bucks College Series contenders. Smith estimates he and Breeden have put over 25,000 miles on his Tundra towing to college tournaments over the years.
“Having a truck you can trust really makes a huge difference for guys like us who try to fish as many tournaments as possible,” Smith and Breeden said. “I bet we’ve put over 25,000 miles on that truck towing to college tournaments through the years. It’s been a workhorse.”
The College Series segment of the Bonus Bucks program is available to any college anglers who tow their boat with a Toyota tow vehicle. Even better, there are no year restrictions for the College Series. Whether it’s a 2018 like the Tundra Smith and Breeden were rolling in, or it’s a 2007 Tacoma with a few hundred thousand miles on the odometer, they all qualify.
Breeden and Smith are still riding the wave of emotions after becoming college fishing National Champions, but it was easy to see the “big picture” was not lost on these young men.
“We’re just super grateful honestly,” Breeden said. “Grateful for the school, for our fishing club, for our club sponsors, and for our Coach Rick Emmitt. They’ve all supported us so much… it’s been humbling.”
“College fishing has more or less been my life the last 3+ years,” Smith added. “It went super fast but has accounted for some of my favorite college memories. I wouldn’t trade them for the world. Like Cameron said, we’re just super thankful.”
If you fish in college and tow your boat with a Toyota you need to head to https://www.toyotatrucksbonusbucks.com/college and get signed up for free ASAP.
Payouts are available for Major League Fishing Abu Garcia College Fishing events, the Carhartt Bassmaster College Series, or Collegiate Bass Fishing Series tournaments. You don’t need to win a tournament to be eligible for the contingency money; you just have to finish higher than other program participants. Click the link above for more info or give us a call at (918) 742-6424.
Thompkins Earns Wire-to-Wire Victory at Toyota Series Event on Harris Chain of Lakes
19-Year-Old Boater Earns First Career MLF Victory, Earns $40,000
LEESBURG, Fla. (March 18, 2021) – Boater Jordan Thompkins of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, brought five bass to the scale Thursday weighing 18 pounds, 3 ounces to go wire-to-wire and win the Toyota Series presented by A.R.E. at the Harris Chain of Lakes. Thompkins weighed in 15 bass over three days of competition totaling 65 pounds even, besting second-place boater Willy Dennison of Willoughby Hills, Ohio, by 12½ pounds. For his victory, Thompkins earned the top payout of $40,000 in the second tournament of the 2021 Toyota Series Presented by A.R.E. Southern Division.
“I can’t even hardly think straight right now – I’ve had probably one hour of sleep over the past two nights. My heart has been beating out of my chest since I caught the 31-pound limit on day one,” Thompkins said. “This has just been an unreal experience. Waiting in the bag line today, I just kept thinking to myself, ‘When am I going to wake up?’ Everything has just gone right for me this week – it’s been unreal.”
Thompkins has a strong fishing pedigree – his father, Timmy Thompkins, competed on the Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit for four seasons and has fished in numerous Toyota Series and Phoenix Bass Fishing League events. The 19-year-old Jordan became the fourth pro under 20-years-old to win a Toyota Series event.
“My dad has blessed me with awesome teaching – I’ve learned every piece of information that I know from him,” Thompkins said. “This is all for him. I’ve gotten so much support from everyone back home, it really helped me keep my mind in it and kept me on my game.”
Thompkins credited a Rapala DT-10 crankbait as being his key bait throughout the week.
“I’d never really cranked before in my life – especially in Florida – but when I saw them there and I saw the way the fish were setting up, it reminded me of a couple of different times that I caught them cranking and then when I caught the first one it gave me the confidence to stick with it,” Thompkins said.
“On the first day, it was lights out very quick and I caught the 31 pounds in a hurry,” Thompkins continued. “The rest of the week was a bit of a scramble. I’d start on my first spot and could get a limit in 15 minutes with a jerkbait. That was important because it would help me get my nerves down. Then later in the day I would pick up a ChatterBait and the crankbait and look for the bigger bites. I really just had to run as many high percentage areas as I could, and it worked out. Not very often things like this happen, but every decision I made worked and it’s just been an awesome experience.”
The top 10 pros on the Harris Chain of Lakes finished:
1st: Jordan Thompkins of Myrtle Beach, S.C., 15 bass, 65-0, $40,000
2nd: Willy Dennison of Willoughby Hills, Ohio, 15 bass, 52-8, $15,500
3rd: Steven Eastman of Eustis, Fla., 15 bass, 50-1, $12,000
4th: Michael Conley of Bainbridge, Ga., 15 bass, 48-1, $10,000
5th: Jeffrey Harper of Fleming Island, Fla., 15 bass, 46-8, $9,000
6th: Destin Lesesne of Blue Ridge, Ga., 15 bass, 45-5, $8,000
7th: Lance Oligschlaeger of Gallatin, Tenn., 14 bass, 42-8, $7,000
8th: Nathan Thomas of Weirsdale, Fla., 14 bass, 40-12, $6,000
9th: Jacob Walker of Alabaster, Ala., 14 bass, 39-10, $5,000
10th: Christian Greico of Tampa, Fla., 13 bass, 39-4, $4,150
A complete list of results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
Greico won Thursday’s Berkley Big Bass Award after bringing a 9-pound, 12-ounce largemouth to the scale. The lunker had a special tag attached to it, indicating that it was a part of the Lake Apopka Fish Tag Challenge. The challenge was launched by the Friends of Lake Apopka and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission to further recovery of the state’s fourth-largest lake. When it was originally tagged in January, the bass Greico caught had weighed in at 12 pounds even. The Commission also tagged 499 other fish, including approximately 200 largemouth bass more than 16 inches long, 150 black crappie 10 inches or more and 150 bluegills of at least 8 inches. Potential winnings for catching the tagged fish are more than $10,000. For rules and more information, visit friendsoflakeapopka.org.
The 11th place finisher, Dakota Ebare of Brookeland, Texas, took home an extra $1,000 as the highest finishing Phoenix MLF BIG5 Bonus member. Boaters are eligible to win up to an extra $35,000 per event in each Toyota Series tournament if all requirements are met. More information on the Phoenix MLF BIG5 Bonus contingency program can be found at PhoenixBassBoats.com.
John Stahl of Land O’ Lakes, Florida, won the Strike King Co-angler Division Thursday with a three-day total of 13 bass weighing 42 pounds, 15 ounces. Stahl took home the top prize package of a new Phoenix 518 Pro bass boat with a 115-horsepower Mercury outboard motor.
The top 10 Strike King co-anglers on the Harris Chain of Lakes finished:
1st: John Stahl of Land O’ Lakes, Fla., 13 bass, 42-15, Phoenix 518 Pro bass boat w/115-hp outboard
2nd: Todd Classon of Camilla, Ga., 13 bass, 37-13, $5,000
3rd: Fisher Cusic of Lakeland, Fla., 12 bass, 36-11, $4,000
4th: Jim House of Fort Lee, Va., 12 bass, 35-7, $3,500
5th: Bill Spence of San Diego, Calif., 14 bass, 35-6, $3,000
6th: Eduardo Ramos of Labelle, Fla., 14 bass, 33-11, $2,500
7th: B.J. Bass of Pinetta, Fla., 13 bass, 29-15, $2,000
8th: Marshall Daugherty of Ocean Springs, Miss., 11 bass, 29-0, $1,750
9th: Andy Niles of Ocean Springs, Miss., 13 bass, 27-7, $1,500
10th: Steve Pennington of Delton, Mich., 12 bass, 26-14, $1,250
The Toyota Series the Harris Chain of Lakes was hosted by Lake County, Florida. It was the second of three regular-season tournaments in 2021 for Southern Division anglers. The next event for Toyota Series anglers will take place on March 25-27 – the Toyota Series at Lake Texoma Presented by Abu Garcia in Durant & Madill, Oklahoma. For a complete schedule, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com.
The 2021 Toyota Series Presented by A.R.E. consists of six divisions – Central, Northern, Plains, Southern, Southwestern and Western – each holding three regular-season events, along with the International division. Anglers who fish all three qualifiers in any of the eight divisions and finish in the top 25 will qualify for the no-entry-fee Toyota Series Presented by A.R.E. Championship for a shot at winning $235,000 cash, including a $35,000 Phoenix MLF BIG5 Bonus for qualified anglers. The winning Strike King co-angler at the championship earns a new Phoenix 518 Pro bass boat with a 115-horsepower Mercury outboard.
The 2021 Toyota Series Championship Presented by A.R.E. will be held Oct. 28-30 on Pickwick Lake in Counce, Tennessee, and is hosted by the Hardin County Convention and Visitors Bureau.
For complete details and updated information visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow the Toyota Series presented by A.R.E. on the MLF BIG5’s social media outlets at Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.
Flooding Forces Continued Postponement Of Elite Event At Pickwick Lake
Flooding Forces Postponement Of Elite Event At Pickwick Lake
FLORENCE, Ala. — After increased current caused by severe weather and high sustained west-southwest winds forced the postponement of Day 1 of the Guaranteed Rate Bassmaster Elite at Pickwick Lake on Thursday, B.A.S.S. officials announced that Friday’s planned competition would also be postponed.
Tournament staff is working in conjunction with the Tennessee Valley Authority, National Weather Service and other agencies to monitor flooding conditions, water flow and potential floating debris to ensure that the event resumes safely.
Competition is expected to start Saturday morning at 6:45 a.m. CT when a full field of 100 anglers launches onto Pickwick Lake. Daily weigh-ins will be held at 3 p.m.
B.A.S.S. is working alongside local officials to determine if a new venue is needed for takeoffs and weigh-ins after McFarland Park, the original ramp and weigh-in venue for the tournament, was evacuated mid-morning on Thursday due to flooding.
The tournament is being hosted by Florence-Lauderdale Tourism.
Berkley To Sponsor Bassmaster Elite Event On Lake Guntersville
March 18, 2021
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Berkley, pioneers in the science-based development of hard baits, soft baits, line and terminal tackle, will be the title sponsor for an Elite Series showdown on historic Lake Guntersville. The 2021 Berkley Bassmaster Elite Series at Lake Guntersville will be held May 20-23 in Scottsboro, Ala.
“Within the bass fishing world, Lake Guntersville is more than just a fishery — it’s a cultural epicenter that draws anglers from all over, a place where baits are put to the ultimate test. The fish of a lifetime lurks somewhere beneath the surface of Guntersville, and our science-first approach to developing baits ensures that anglers have the best chance to connect with that fish on any given cast,” said Berkley Senior Vice President of Marketing Jon Schlosser. “We’re excited to partner with B.A.S.S. on what’s sure to be an exciting tournament on Guntersville, not only to showcase the power and effectiveness of Berkley baits but to help support an organization that has done so much for the sport of bass fishing.”
Berkley pro Hank Cherry dominated the 2020 Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic presented by Huk on Lake Guntersville, weighing in a massive 29-3 limit on Day 1 of the tournament en route to a wire-to-wire victory. In total, this iconic fishery has hosted 25 major B.A.S.S. tournaments.
“We are proud to partner with Berkley on what is sure to be an exciting tournament,” said B.A.S.S. CEO Bruce Akin. “Every weekend, Lake Guntersville hosts both novice anglers and pros eager to catch big bass, and we are thankful to bring another Elite Series event to this iconic fishery.”
Berkley is also a Premier Sponsor of the Bassmaster Classic, Bassmaster Elite Series, Basspro.com Bassmaster Opens Series, Carhartt Bassmaster College Series presented by Bass Pro Shops, Mossy Oak Fishing Bassmaster High School Series presented by Academy Sports + Outdoors, Bassmaster Team Championship and the grass-roots TNT Fireworks B.A.S.S. Nation regional and championship tournaments.
The Berkley Bassmaster Elite at Lake Guntersville starts Thursday, May 20, and live coverage for all four days of the event can be streamed on Bassmaster.com and the FOX Sports digital platforms. FS1 will also broadcast live with the tournament leaders beginning at 8 a.m. ET on Saturday and Sunday.
Gleason is Just Going with it
Courtesy of Luke Stoner - Dynamic Sponsorships
Darold Gleason and the rest of the Elite Series field had a quick morning on the water after day one of the Guaranteed Rate Bassmaster Elite on Pickwick Lake was postponed due to high winds and unsafe river conditions.
For Gleason and many others, this is the second “day off” in a row thanks to wave after wave of severe weather rolling through the area yesterday during the final practice period. These dangerous weather systems included thunderstorms, hail, damaging winds, heavy rain, and high risk of tornadoes.
Gleason even spent some time taking shelter with his wife Randi, dog Rowdy, and fellow pros like Team Toyota’s Gerald Swindle when tornado sirens started blasting through the McFarland Park Campground, where many pros are staying this week. Not exactly how a fisherman envisions his final day of practice transpiring.
After a decent start to the season, the Elite Series rookie was looking forward to keeping the ball rolling here on Pickwick after having a solid first two days of practice. But the weather that rolled in during Wednesday’s final day of “practice” changed everything.
“I’m sure all the fish I found in practice will be gone by tomorrow,” Gleason estimated. “I was catching fish in two to four feet of water on Tuesday, which will now be six to eight feet of water. And who knows what the current and water clarity will have done in the areas I planned on fishing. We’ll just have to go fishing.”
As excessive amounts of water continue to dump into the Tennessee River system, local authorities made the decision to evacuate the McFarland Park Campground shortly after anglers were pulled off the water. The Gleason’s and around 20 other Elite Series pros quickly had to pack their campsites up and find higher ground, literally.
“We were told the water is coming up at least another three feet, so the whole campground will be under water. I won’t lie, it’s a bit of a cluster, but this is part of the RV life,” Gleason said with a smile. “I’m just glad I packed these goofy rain boots. They’ve come in clutch the past 24 hours!”
Gleason is never short on humor or optimism. The longtime Toyota Bonus Bucks participant has seen a lot during his years as a Bassmaster Opens pro and one of the top fishing guides on Toledo Bend Reservoir; and he knows that remaining even-keeled helps every situation.
“At the end of the day all you can do is stay positive,” Gleason offered. “Everyone out here is dealing with the same conditions. So instead of getting too worked up it’s best to stay calm and take each challenge as it comes. Safety is paramount and everything else is a bonus.”
B.A.S.S. Postpones Day 1 Of Bassmaster Elite At Pickwick Lake
March 18, 2021
FLORENCE, Ala. — B.A.S.S. officials made a decision to postpone the first day of competition at the Guaranteed Rate Bassmaster Elite at Pickwick Lake as increased current caused by severe weather and high sustained winds are making the fishery unsafe for boaters. The forecast is calling for sustained west-southwest winds of 15-20 mph with gusts to 30 expected by mid-morning.
“The combination of flood-level flow and high wind blowing against that current can create a dangerous condition for boaters,” said Lisa Talmadge, Bassmaster Elite Series Senior Tournament Manager. “The safety of our anglers is always our first priority.”
The full field of 100 anglers will now compete on both Friday and Saturday, with only the Top 50 advancing to Sunday’s semifinal round. The Top 10 will compete for the championship on Monday. Daily takeoffs will be held at McFarland Park at 6:45 a.m. CT and weigh-ins each day at the park at 3 p.m.
The tournament is being hosted by Florence-Lauderdale Tourism.
Lake Murray Shows Off for Strike King Big Bass Challenge
Lexington, S.C. – March 17, 2021 - Just after dawn on Sunday, March 14th a field of 247 competitive tournament anglers launched on Lake Murray, just outside of the city of Columbia. The weather was stable and the wind calm. Water temperatures warmed to 60 degrees for the first time in the year. Throughout the day, an ideal scenario unfolded for Spring bass fishing on South Carolina’s renowned Murray, as Strike King launched its 2nd Big Bass Challenge of 2021.
Throughout four weigh periods of the tournament, anglers brought a number of four- and five-pound class largemouth to the scales. While a scattered few anglers fished deeper water near spawning grounds, the majority of the big fish were caught shallow. Alex Cooke won the day with a 5.97 lb. bass, caught on a Junebug colored finesse worm. It was a close finish, with Alex besting Austin Davis by just 0.03 lbs. Alex took home the grand prize of a “Total Boat Makeover Package” worth $5000 in Strike King and Lew’s product. Second, third, and fourth place finishers also took home coolers from Mammoth Coolers. Each period winner was awarded $1,500, with a total of $3,750 paid out each of the two-hour periods.
In addition to the Big Fish competition, all keeper-size bass weighed in were entered into a drawing for anglers to win prizes from Strike King, Lew’s, Black Rifle Coffee Co, Lucas Oil and Mammoth Coolers. Lexington, SC-based Lew’s also handed out new rods to the first 100 registered anglers.
While the fishing did not start until Sunday morning, Strike King treated anglers to a weekend of fun. On Saturday fans had the opportunity to meet two-time Bassmaster Classic Champion and Bass Fishing Hall of Famer Hank Parker. Hank spoke to an audience of fans and anglers on Saturday evening about the future of the sport of fishing, and the importance of encouraging the next generation of anglers. MLF angler and Strike King pro staffer Andy Montgomery was also on site for the tournament. Montgomery, whose family farm is just over 100 miles northwest of Lake Murray, feels at home on this 50,000-acre reservoir. The fan favorite spent time on Saturday with the anglers answering questions and comparing notes.
Jason McKee, Vice President of Marketing for Lew’s and Strike King’s parent company Rather Outdoors, noted that while a driving force behind Strike King is top tier competitive angling, the company is deeply committed to broadening participation in the sport. McKee said, “Our goal behind the Big Bass Challenge is to bring anglers together with a format that is available to anyone, regardless of experience. Ultimately, we want to share our passion for the sport with our consumers, get to know them, and present yet another opportunity for them to get on the water.”
Overall Big Bass Results:
1st – Alex Cooke, 5.97 lbs. ($5,000 Lew’s and Strike King gift card)
2nd – Austin Davis, 5.94 lbs. (Mammoth Ranger 65, $349.99 value)
3rd – Shawn Kincaid, 5.56 lbs. (Mammoth Pathfinder 30, $199.99 value)
4th – TJ Keisler, 5.53 lbs. (Mammoth Pathfinder 30, $199.99 value)
Brett Collins, seasoned tournament manager and operator of Carolina Angler’s Team Trail (www.cattteamtrail.com) directed the weigh periods and assisted the Strike King team. Safety and sanitation for Lake Murray and all other events is provided by Mammoth PPE Products.
Anglers may register now for upcoming events at https://www.strikeking.com/big-bass-challenge, where they will also find rules and info sheets for each specific event. The remaining 2021 Strike King Big Bass Challenge schedule is as follows:
California Delta – May 22, 2021
Russo's Marina
Bethel Island, CA
Table Rock Lake – June 5, 2021
Port of Kimberling
Kimberling City, MO
About Rather Outdoors
Rather Outdoors is a global outdoors corporation uniting some of the most recognizable brands in the fishing space. With historic and iconic brands such as Lew’s, Strike King, Fox, Matrix, Salmo, Fox Rage, Preston Innovations, Quantum and Zebco, Rather Outdoors provides a wide assortment of fishing products worldwide in an effort to enhance angler’s success and the enjoyment of outdoor pursuits. To learn more about the Rather Outdoors brands, visit www.ratheroutdoors.com
Major League Fishing Introduces Free MLF Fan Pass Membership, Includes Access to SCORETRACKER Insider
Free Membership Offering Includes Access to Revolutionary Member Experience
TULSA, Okla. (March 17, 2021) – Major League Fishing (MLF) announced today the rollout of a new free membership offering called MLF Fan Pass. The free membership is a part of several new membership offerings from MLF in 2021 and now offers fans access to SCORETRACKER™ Insider, a digital subscription to Bass Fishing magazine, the MLF e-newsletter and access to member sweepstakes and giveaways.
With free access to SCORETRACKER Insider, for the first time in history, fans will have access to real-time catch data. MLF Fan Pass members will see in-depth information including weight, depth, lure, cover and the general catch area for every scorable bass – from every angler – during competition, all archived and available from each Bass Pro Tour tournament.
MLF Fan Pass members can follow the action in real-time, while also using the data as a tool when preparing for their next day on the water. Anglers will know exactly how the best pros in the world established dominant patterns on lakes all over the country.
SCORETRACKER Insider is included with every MLF membership level, including the High School membership, Subscriber membership and Premium membership offerings.
In addition to its new membership offerings, MLF also recently unveiled its Champions Club subscription service, the first and only monthly subscription service that follows a professional bass fishing tour, offering a wide variety of benefits including five to six premium lures from industry-leading brands delivered each month, exclusive discount codes on fishing gear and outdoor products, exclusive webinars and more.
To register for a free MLF Fan Pass or other MLF membership offerings and gain access to SCORETRACKER Insider, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com/Join.
For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF’s social media outlets at Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.
ABU GARCIA ANNOUNCES THE TOP 10 IN ITS LIST OF THE COUNTRY’S 100 BEST FISHERIES
Famed fisheries with multispecies appeal top the list of the best places to kick off the next 100 years of Abu Garcia history.
COLUMBIA, S.C. (March 17, 2021) — The universal desire to catch more and bigger fish fueled the innovations that took Abu Garcia fishing equipment from the industrial age to the space age in the company’s first 100 years. And while no one can say for sure what fishing will look like 100 years from now, the next century of Abu Garcia’s history will be written wherever anglers fish to win, whether winning means a tournament victory or a day on the water they will never forget.
In celebration of its 100th anniversary, famed fishing equipment maker Abu Garcia announces the Top-10 in its list of the country’s Top-100 Fisheries. A list designed to inspire curiosity and exploration as well as debate, the Abu Garcia Top-100 Fisheries list includes natural and man-made lakes, as well as rivers and sections of rivers, across 38 different states—all of them known for delivering the quality, quantity and species of fish most sought after by Abu Garcia loyalists.
Selected in collaboration with a panel of fishing-industry experts, these fisheries were chosen because they stand out in a host of areas. The Abu Garcia Top-100 Fisheries list places a premium on those fisheries that offer the best overall multispecies angling opportunities. The list also preserves space for those fisheries offering unparalleled species-specific fishing opportunities and experiences, whether it’s chasing world-record-class redear sunfish on Lake Havasu, fighting a flathead on Santee Cooper or looking for the best five largemouth bass in Lake Guntersville. True trophy-quality angling opportunities for a wealth of different species, from bass to white sturgeon, are included in the list.
“The truth is, whatever fishery makes an angler excited to be fishing, that’s the top fishery in the country. But the fisheries on the list, especially those in the Top 10, really separate themselves from the rest of the group for different reasons,” said Abu Garcia Senior Vice President of Marketing Jon Schlosser. “In a country full of amazing angling opportunities from coast to coast, these are the places that really shine. It’s on these fisheries and others like them where new anglers will experience the kind of success that propels them to a lifetime of fishing, and where necessity will drive innovation so that the next 100 years of Abu Garcia history is as celebrated as the first 100 years.”
Abu Garcia Top-100 Fisheries: The Top 10
- St. Lawrence River (NY)
- Lake St. Clair (MI)
- Lake Erie (OH/PA/NY/MI)
- Red River (ND/MN)
- Santee Cooper (SC)
- Lake Guntersville (AL)
- Sam Rayburn Reservoir (TX)
- Clear Lake (CA)
- Lake Fork (TX)
- Lake Chickamauga (TN)
Abu Garcia Top-100 Fisheries Judges Panel:
Ken Duke — Managing Editor of Fishing Tackle Retailer
Mike Iaconelli — Abu Garcia pro staff member and former Bassmaster Classic champion
Dr. Keith Jones — Former VP of Product Development for Berkley and fish-behavior researcher
Ashley Nichole Lewis — Pacific NW-based fishing guide and host of “Breakout with Bad Ash”
Liz Ogilvie — Vice President and CMO of the American Sportfishing Association (ASA)
Jason Schratwieser — International Game Fish Association (IGFA) president
Malcolm Stewart — Supercross racing superstar and ultra-avid angler
For more information on the Abu Garcia Top-100 Fisheries list, to explore each fishery in detail and learn more about the best times, places and ways to catch fish there, go to www.abugarcia.com.
"Hooked up with Soukup" Video Interview
This week Chris and the boys welcome in National Professional Fishing League's inaugural Champ John Soukup to the show to talk about the TNPFL Experience, the win and what it means to be holding the first ever TNPFL Trophy. Make sure and check out the entire podcast on your favorite podcast app or the link below. https://anglerschannel.com/ac-insider-podcast-hooked-up-with-soukup/
AC Insider Podcast - "Hooked up with Soukup"
This week Chris & The boys welcome in John "Hooked Up" Soukup to the show to talk about his inaugural TNPFL Win and that trophy the size of a Tundra hood! Chris digs deep on some happenings around the industry & of course the kids have to talk about dumba$$'s as well. Yall buckle up, this one was fun!!!
Brumfield Wins Phoenix Bass Fishing League on Pickwick Lake
Blue Ridge’s Graham Wins Strike King Co-Angler Division
BUCKHEAD, Ga. (March 16, 2021) – Boater Justin Kimmel of Athens, Georgia, wins the Phoenix Bass Fishing League presented by T-H Marine at Lake Oconee in Buckhead, Ga. Kimmel earned $6,153 for his victory at the event.
TOP 10 RESULTS
| RANK | BOATER NAME/HOMETOWN | BASS | WEIGHT | AWARD |
| 1st | Justin Kimmel of Athens, Ga. | 5 | 22-4 | $6,153 |
| 2nd | John Duvall of Madison, Ga. | 5 | 19-0 | $3,452 |
| 3rd | Lance Collins of Monticello, Ga. | 5 | 18-7 | $1,968 |
| 4th | Justin Durham of Madison, Ga. | 5 | 18-2 | $1,377 |
| 5th | Brian Jamison of Greensboro, Ga. | 5 | 17-3 | $1,181 |
| 6th | Tony Couch of Buckhead, Ga. | 5 | 15-14 | $1,082 |
| 7th | Dylan Peppers of Social Circle, Ga. | 5 | 15-6 | $984 |
| 8th | Cody Stahl of Griffin, Ga. | 5 | 15-5 | $886 |
| 9th | Weston Parker of Mansfield, Ga. | 5 | 15-0 | $787 |
| 10th | Willie McMullen of Oxford, Ga. | 5 | 14-14 | 689 |
| RANK | STRIKE KING CO-ANGLER NAME/HOMETOWN | BASS | WEIGHT | AWARD |
| 1st | Chris Graham of Blue Ridge, Ga. | 5 | 13-8 | $2,952 |
| 2nd | Randal Ditto of Tallahassee, Fla. | 4 | 13-6 | $1,961 |
| 3rd | Tim Prosen of Cleveland, Ga. | 5 | 13-4 | $984 |
| 4th | Thai-Son Le of Macon, Ga. | 5 | 12-3 | $689 |
| 5th | Troy Cain of Gillsville, Ga. | 5 | 12-2 | $590 |
| 6th | Frank Godwin, Jr. of Bainbridge, Ga. | 5 | 11-15 | $541 |
| 7th | Danny Smith of Tyrone, Ga. | 4 | 11-1 | $492 |
| 8th | Gabe Sowash of Gainesville, Ga. | 5 | 10-11 | $443 |
| 9th | Daniel Tuten of Byron, Ga. | 5 | 9-11 | $394 |
| 10th | Chandler White of Covington, Ga. | 3 | 9-7 | $327 |
| 10th | Wesley Wilson of Cornelia, Ga. | 3 | 9-7 | $327 |
| AWARD | NAME | CONTINGENCY | PAYOUT |
| Boater Big Bass | Kevin Underwood, Gillsville, Ga. | 6-pound, 8-ounce bass | $970 |
| Strike King Co-Angler Berkley Big Bass | Randal Ditto, Tallahassee, Fla. | 6-pound, 1-ounce bass | $485 |
| Phoenix MLF BIG5 Bonus | John Duvall, Madison, Ga. | Eligible Phoenix Boat* | $500 |
| ANGLER | BAIT | COLOR |
| Boater | - ½-ounce Missile Jig - Berkley Powerbait Maxscent Meaty Chunk Trailer - Berkley Powerbait Maxscent The General Worm |
Did Not Divulge |
| Strike King Co-Angler | - Daiwa Yamamoto Neko Fat Worm, shaky head | Baby Bass |
| EVENT | DATE | LOCATION | HOST |
| Bulldog Division – Phoenix Bass Fishing League Regional Championship | Oct. 21-23 | St. Johns River, Palatka, Florida | Putnam County Tourist Development Council |
| Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American | June 3-5 | Douglas Lake, Dandridge, Tenn. | Jefferson County Department of Tourism |
The top six finishers in each regional will then qualify for one of the longest-running championships in all of competitive bass fishing – the Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American.
The top 45 boaters and Strike King co-anglers plus tournament winners from each Phoenix Bass Fishing League division will also earn priority entry into the Toyota Series, the pathway to the Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit and ultimately the MLF Bass Pro Tour.
Kimmel Wins Phoenix Bass Fishing League on Lake Oconee
Blue Ridge’s Graham Wins Strike King Co-Angler Division
BUCKHEAD, Ga. (March 16, 2021) – Boater Justin Kimmel of Athens, Georgia, wins the Phoenix Bass Fishing League presented by T-H Marine at Lake Oconee in Buckhead, Ga. Kimmel earned $6,153 for his victory at the event.
TOP 10 RESULTS
| RANK | BOATER NAME/HOMETOWN | BASS | WEIGHT | AWARD |
| 1st | Justin Kimmel of Athens, Ga. | 5 | 22-4 | $6,153 |
| 2nd | John Duvall of Madison, Ga. | 5 | 19-0 | $3,452 |
| 3rd | Lance Collins of Monticello, Ga. | 5 | 18-7 | $1,968 |
| 4th | Justin Durham of Madison, Ga. | 5 | 18-2 | $1,377 |
| 5th | Brian Jamison of Greensboro, Ga. | 5 | 17-3 | $1,181 |
| 6th | Tony Couch of Buckhead, Ga. | 5 | 15-14 | $1,082 |
| 7th | Dylan Peppers of Social Circle, Ga. | 5 | 15-6 | $984 |
| 8th | Cody Stahl of Griffin, Ga. | 5 | 15-5 | $886 |
| 9th | Weston Parker of Mansfield, Ga. | 5 | 15-0 | $787 |
| 10th | Willie McMullen of Oxford, Ga. | 5 | 14-14 | 689 |
| RANK | STRIKE KING CO-ANGLER NAME/HOMETOWN | BASS | WEIGHT | AWARD |
| 1st | Chris Graham of Blue Ridge, Ga. | 5 | 13-8 | $2,952 |
| 2nd | Randal Ditto of Tallahassee, Fla. | 4 | 13-6 | $1,961 |
| 3rd | Tim Prosen of Cleveland, Ga. | 5 | 13-4 | $984 |
| 4th | Thai-Son Le of Macon, Ga. | 5 | 12-3 | $689 |
| 5th | Troy Cain of Gillsville, Ga. | 5 | 12-2 | $590 |
| 6th | Frank Godwin, Jr. of Bainbridge, Ga. | 5 | 11-15 | $541 |
| 7th | Danny Smith of Tyrone, Ga. | 4 | 11-1 | $492 |
| 8th | Gabe Sowash of Gainesville, Ga. | 5 | 10-11 | $443 |
| 9th | Daniel Tuten of Byron, Ga. | 5 | 9-11 | $394 |
| 10th | Chandler White of Covington, Ga. | 3 | 9-7 | $327 |
| 10th | Wesley Wilson of Cornelia, Ga. | 3 | 9-7 | $327 |
| AWARD | NAME | CONTINGENCY | PAYOUT |
| Boater Big Bass | Kevin Underwood, Gillsville, Ga. | 6-pound, 8-ounce bass | $970 |
| Strike King Co-Angler Berkley Big Bass | Randal Ditto, Tallahassee, Fla. | 6-pound, 1-ounce bass | $485 |
| Phoenix MLF BIG5 Bonus | John Duvall, Madison, Ga. | Eligible Phoenix Boat* | $500 |
| ANGLER | BAIT | COLOR |
| Boater | - ½-ounce Missile Jig - Berkley Powerbait Maxscent Meaty Chunk Trailer - Berkley Powerbait Maxscent The General Worm |
Did Not Divulge |
| Strike King Co-Angler | - Daiwa Yamamoto Neko Fat Worm, shaky head | Baby Bass |
| EVENT | DATE | LOCATION | HOST |
| Bulldog Division – Phoenix Bass Fishing League Regional Championship | Oct. 21-23 | St. Johns River, Palatka, Florida | Putnam County Tourist Development Council |
| Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American | June 3-5 | Douglas Lake, Dandridge, Tenn. | Jefferson County Department of Tourism |
The top six finishers in each regional will then qualify for one of the longest-running championships in all of competitive bass fishing – the Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American.
The top 45 boaters and Strike King co-anglers plus tournament winners from each Phoenix Bass Fishing League division will also earn priority entry into the Toyota Series, the pathway to the Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit and ultimately the MLF Bass Pro Tour.
Farmer Wins Phoenix Bass Fishing League on Lake Toho
Green Cove Springs’ Williams Wins Strike King Co-Angler Division
KISSIMMEE, Fla. (March 15, 2021) – Boater Garrett Farmer of Estero, Florida, wins the Phoenix Bass Fishing League presented by T-H Marine at Lake Toho in Kissimmee, Florida. Farmer earned $5,843 for his victory at the event, hosted by Experience Kissimmee and Kissimmee Sports Commission.
TOP 10 RESULTS
| RANK | BOATER NAME/HOMETOWN | BASS | WEIGHT | AWARD |
| 1st | Garrett Farmer of Estero, Fla. | 5 | 27-6 | $5,843 |
| 2nd | Cody Detweiler of Orlando, Fla. | 5 | 24-6 | $2,921 |
| 3rd | Hunter McPherson of Hernando, Fla. | 5 | 24-1 | $1,948 |
| 4th | Nolan Gaskin of Broussard, La. | 5 | 22-10 | $1,363 |
| 5th | Eric Johnson of Millis, Mass. | 5 | 22-3 | $1,169 |
| 6th | Santos Solis of Vero Beach, Fla. | 5 | 22-2 | $1,071 |
| 7th | Nathan Thomas of Weirsdale, Fla. | 5 | 21-3 | $974 |
| 8th | John Mobley of MacClenny, Fla. | 5 | 20-15 | $876 |
| 9th | James Wegmann of Fruitland Park, Fla. | 5 | 20-13 | $779 |
| 10th | Stanley Flesher of Sebring, Fla. | 5 | 20-0 | $682 |
| RANK | STRIKE KING CO-ANGLER NAME/HOMETOWN | BASS | WEIGHT | AWARD |
| 1st | Stephen Williams of Green Cove Springs, Fla. | 5 | 20-2 | $2,921 |
| 2nd | Glenn Pickering of Whitby, Ontario | 5 | 17-10 | $1,461 |
| 3rd | Chase Traeger of Lino Lakes, Minn. | 5 | 17-4 | $973 |
| 4th | Austin Nelson of Eustis, Fla. | 5 | 16-12 | $682 |
| 5th | Mike Bruton of Oakland, Fla. | 5 | 16-11 | $584 |
| 6th | Tyler Wright of Lakeland, Fla. | 4 | 16-7 | $536 |
| 7th | Theron Asbery of Longwood, Fla. | 5 | 15-11 | $487 |
| 8th | Doug Back of Monticello, Fla. | 5 | 15-1 | $438 |
| 9th | Kevin Thomas of Miramar, Fla. | 5 | 14-15 | $390 |
| 10th | Craig Baxter of Orlando, Fla. | 5 | 14-14 | $341 |
| AWARD | NAME | CONTINGENCY | PAYOUT |
| Boater Big Bass | Cody Detweiler, Orlando, Fla. | 8-pound, 13-ounce bass | $960 |
| Strike King Co-Angler Berkley Big Bass | Theron Asbery, Longwood, Fla. | 9-pound, 2-ounce bass | $480 |
| Phoenix MLF BIG5 Bonus | Douglas Sauls, Winter Garden, Fla. | Eligible Phoenix Boat* | $500 |
| ANGLER | BAIT | COLOR |
| Boater | - Generic Swimbait - Gambler Ace |
Did Not Divulge |
| Strike King Co-Angler | Generic Swimbait | Did Not Divulge |
| EVENT | DATE | LOCATION | HOST |
| Gator Division – Phoenix Bass Fishing League Regional Championship | Oct. 21-23 | St. Johns River, Palatka, Fla. | Putnam County Tourist Development Council |
| Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American | June 3-5 | Douglas Lake, Dandridge, Tenn. | Jefferson County Department of Tourism |
The top six finishers in each regional will then qualify for one of the longest-running championships in all of competitive bass fishing – the Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American.
The top 45 boaters and Strike King co-anglers plus tournament winners from each Phoenix Bass Fishing League division will also earn priority entry into the Toyota Series, the pathway to the Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit and ultimately the MLF Bass Pro Tour.
B.A.S.S. Names Top Student Athletes To 2021 Bassmaster High School All-State Fishing Team
March 16, 2021
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Forty-seven of the most outstanding high school anglers from across the country have been named to the 2021 Bassmaster High School All-State Fishing Team presented by Academy Sports + Outdoors.
The students were selected for the honor based on their success in bass tournament competition, academic achievement and leadership in conservation and community service.
“We are thrilled to welcome this new class of High School All-State anglers,” said B.A.S.S. CEO Bruce Akin. “These 47 young people represent the future of our sport and are truly the best of the best, excelling not only on the water, but also in academics, conservation initiatives and community service.”
To be considered for the All-State Fishing Team, a student must have been nominated by a parent, coach, teacher or other school official. Students enrolled in grades 10-12 with a current-year grade point average of 2.5 or higher were eligible.
B.A.S.S. received more than 300 nominations from across the nation. From these, judges selected 47 student anglers from 33 states to make the All-State Fishing Team. In addition, 36 students received Honorable Mentions recognizing them for their tournament success as well as community service and academic achievement.
“Congratulations to all 47 anglers on being selected to be a part of the 2021 Bassmaster High School All-State Fishing Team or Honorable Mention,” said Hank Weldon, senior manager of the B.A.S.S. High School program. “It’s always impressive to see the accolades of each applicant, especially during a year full of so many challenges and restrictions due to COVID-19. Each of these anglers made the best of what was going on in the world around them and found ways to excel not only on the water, but in their community as well. Every parent and angler should be very proud of joining the team.”
A second panel of judges will review nominations of the 47 All-State team members and select the 12 members of the 2021 Bassmaster High School All-American Fishing Team presented by Academy Sports + Outdoors. As in All-State judging, criteria include success in high school fishing tournaments, involvement in conservation efforts and other community service activities.
The 12 finalists will compete in a one-day Bassmaster High School All-American Bass Tournament presented by Academy Sports + Outdoors, which will be held during the 2021 Bassmaster Elite at Neely Henry Lake, scheduled to take place May 6-9 in Gadsden, Ala.
Elite Series anglers will serve as teammates and “coaches” of the student anglers in the tournament. The high school standouts will be honored on the main stage at the weigh-in.
Below is the list of the 47 All-State anglers and 36 Honorable Mentions, in order by state:
Alabama
Alexis Grandstaff, Headland
Hayden Marbut, Vestavia
Jack Alexander, Mountain Brook (Honorable Mention)
Hudson Choquette, Headland (Honorable Mention)
Miller Dowling, Tuscaloosa (Honorable Mention)
Arkansas
Zachary Ward, Cabot
Tucker Dottley, Little Rock (Honorable Mention)
Connecticut
Evan Kamoen, Killingworth
Florida
Cole Rountree, Clermont
Tyson Verkaik, Eustis
Zach Dicks, Lake City (Honorable Mention)
Georgia
Flint Davis, Leesburg
Tanner Hadden, Evans
Gabriel Storm Clark, Ellerslie (Honorable Mention)
Henry Garrett, Evans (Honorable Mention)
Jacob Hodge, Evans (Honorable Mention)
Coby Thompson, Blairsville (Honorable Mention)
Illinois
Laindree Richardson, Benton
Indiana
Cole Berry, Terre Haute
Dylan May, Brownsburg
Evan Francis, Fishers (Honorable Mention)
Iowa
Dylan Kreps, Johnston
Tyler Loudon, Creston
Jackson Toale, Independence (Honorable Mention)
Kansas
Colton Hutchinson, Bonner Springs
Kentucky
Will Carnes, Stanford
Evan Fields, Shelbyville
Keaton Smith, Burnside (Honorable Mention)
Louisiana
Peyton Matherne, Walker
Wade Roberts, Lake Charles
Hunter Hayes White, Sulphur (Honorable Mention)
Massachusetts
Nicholas Frumkin, Lincoln (Honorable Mention)
Michigan
Gus Dietrich, Oxford
Mitchell Straffon, Fenton
Matthew Mosby, Dryden (Honorable Mention)
Brayden Ruckman, Freeland (Honorable Mention)
Minnesota
Matt Boerboom, Inver Grove Heights
Mississippi
Blake Bullock, Hattiesburg
Spencer Maxwell, Summit
Wes Bailey, Brandon (Honorable Mention)
John Connor Harrell, Brandon (Honorable Mention)
Missouri
Clay Henderson, Purdy
Nebraska
Jaron Cooper, Sutherland
Keegan Oettinger, Hershey
Nevada
Carter Doren, Las Vegas
New Hampshire
Cole Moulton, Enfield
New Jersey
Nicholas Dellaporta, Pequannock (Honorable Mention)
New York
Christian Misciagna, Syracuse
Matthew Pitcher, Rochester (Honorable Mention)
North Carolina
Hunter Keller, Morganton
Carson Palmer, Richfield
Ohio
Nicholas Boggs, Wheelersburg
Braden McNamara, Marysville
Mark Emmerling, Negley (Honorable Mention)
Oklahoma
Hunter Alsip, Chouteau
Jaxon Windsor, Noble
Pennsylvania
Jerry Brumbaugh Jr., Martinsburg
Carson Forrester, Chambersburg
Ty Stroup, Mifflinburg (Honorable Mention)
Rhode Island
Joseph Truppi, Coventry
South Carolina
Luke Mabry, Gaffney
Peyton Sorrow, Abbeville
Butler Cochran, Prosperity (Honorable Mention)
Hunter Dill, Travelers Rest (Honorable Mention)
Trenten Swygert, Leesville (Honorable Mention)
Tennessee
Tyler Finley, Mount Pleasant
Nathan Reynolds, Nashville
Brady Duncan, Lebanon (Honorable Mention)
Riley Faulkner, Jacksboro (Honorable Mention)
Dylan Johnson, Dunlap (Honorable Mention)
Gage Starks, Paris (Honorable Mention)
Texas
Casey Beard, Lumberton
Connor Dunn, Lucas
Brady Dill, Spring (Honorable Mention)
Kaden Mueck, Livingston (Honorable Mention)
Dakota Posey, Orange (Honorable Mention)
Maverick Winford, Humble (Honorable Mention)
Vermont
Brendan Vinton, Randolph
Max Roberts, Newport (Honorable Mention)
Virginia
Turner Hart, Ashland
Spencer Humphrey, Madison (Honorable Mention)
Braxton Nicely, Midlothian (Honorable Mention)
Wisconsin
Tucker Cory, Amherst
Christie Caps Tennessee River with Yamaha Power Pay
Courtesy of Luke Stoner / Dynamic Sponsorships
Jason Christie leaned on his power fishing prowess at the Bassmasterâ Elite on the Tennessee River to catch enough skinny water largemouth to finish in fifth place, and capped his weekend with a $2,500 bonus from Yamaha Power Pay.
This is Christie’s first year running an aluminum Xpress® Boat powered by a Yamaha motor, but it didn’t take him long to see the difference in performance or reap the rewards of Yamaha’s popular contingency program.
“I was in my happy place on the Tennessee River,” Christie said. “My best areas were super shallow, and a lighter aluminum boat coupled with the incredibly flat hole shot of that Yamaha allowed me to hop up instantly on pad in as shallow as a foot and a half of water. That saved me a ton of idling time and lead to more casts everyday.”
Christie was quick to point out the minutes of idling time saved during the Tennessee River Elite were particularly important due to how tough the river was fishing. Every minute counts in any competition, but it’s magnified when keeper bites are extremely hard to come by.
The Park Hill, Okla. pro employed a Norman Lures® Speed N crankbait and a ¾-ounce Booyah® Covert Spinnerbait (single Colorado blade) to catch his fish throughout the week. He threw those baits along stretches of chunk rock or isolated pieces of cover like wood and other man-made structures.
As thrilled as Christie was to be fishing Championship Sunday, he was equally as excited to learn he had earned the Power Pay money for the week.
“I won’t lie - it’s great to get a bonus check from the Power Pay program this early in the game,” Christie smiled. “Contingency programs have made me a lot of money throughout my career, and I’m excited to participate in Power Pay this season. As far as I’m concerned, this motor is already money. Add in the opportunity for extra cash rewards and it’s a win-win.”
Whether you fish in high school, college, or compete in supported walleye and saltwater tournaments, you can reap the rewards of Yamaha Power Pay just like Christie. And as Christie proved on the Tennessee River, you don’t have to win a tournament to win the bonus money. You simply have to be the highest finishing registered participant in a Power Pay sponsored event.
Registering for the program is free, quick, and easy whether you are a pro or recreational angler. Head to Yamahapowerpay.com for a complete list of events, more information on the program, or to get yourself signed up today.
Luminox Announces Partnership With Major League Fishing To Become Official Timing Sponsor
| MLF Angler Skeet Reese Will Become Ambassador and Face of the Partnership
NEW YORK, N.Y. (March 16, 2021) – Luminox, the world’s first self-powered luminous watch brand, announces today a yearlong partnership with Major League Fishing (MLF), becoming the official timing sponsor for the Bass Pro Tour, competitive bass fishing’s premier professional circuit. As part of the agreement, MLF pro Skeet Reese becomes ambassador and face for the brand for this relationship. The functionality, waterproofing and durability combined with the Always Visible dial makes Luminox the perfect watch for Major League Fishing’s professional and amateur anglers, as well as spectators and fans alike. Luminox gifted each of MLF’s top 40 professional anglers that participated in REDCREST 2021 a watch to kick-off the partnership. As the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization, MLF provides anglers of all skill levels the opportunity to compete for millions in prize money across six tournament circuits, including the Bass Pro Tour, Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit, Toyota Series, Phoenix Bass Fishing League, Abu Garcia College Fishing and U.S. Army High School Fishing. Luminox USA CEO, Lluis Sole said, “We are truly excited about this partnership with Major League Fishing as timekeeping is such a critical aspect of the tournaments and of fishing in general. Our brand motto of Every Second Counts expresses perfectly what is crucial in the sport of competitive fishing. Luminox will be an asset to the anglers themselves as well as the officials and videographers who accompany them on the boat. Additionally, we are thrilled to have champion angler, Skeet Reese join the Luminox family. Skeet is one of the top professional sport fishing legends and we welcome him to our brand.” “We’re excited to announce our latest sponsorship with Luminox and welcome them into the Major League Fishing family,” said Jim Wilburn, MLF President and CEO. “MLF’s members, anglers and fans are among the most loyal consumers available and Luminox will now have access to the hundreds of thousands of anglers that we reach each month. We look forward to building a long-term relationship with them.” |
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About Luminox Luminox, the original self-powered luminous watch brand, is the watch of choice for global outdoor adventure icon Bear Grylls, U.S. Navy SEALs, The Icelandic Association for Search and Rescue (ICE-SAR), Lockheed Martin’s F-117 Nighthawk™ stealth and other jet fighter pilots, elite forces worldwide and professional divers. Luminox watches glow up to 25 years in any light condition. Always Visible, tough, powerful and accurate, Swiss-Made Luminox is the ultimate night vision gear for rugged outdoorsmen and other peak performers. Visit our website: http://www.luminox.com |
Major League Fishing’s Bass Pro Tour Set for 2021 Season Opener – Toro Stage 1 at Sam Rayburn Reservoir
A Field of 80 of the Best Anglers in the World to Kick Off Third Season of Bass Pro Tour
JASPER, Texas (March 15, 2021) – Major League Fishing (MLF), the world’s largest tournament fishing organization, is set to open the 2021 Bass Pro Tour season – the third season of the revolutionary Tour – March 21-26 with the Toro Stage 1 at Sam Rayburn Reservoir presented by Power-Pole . Hosted by the Jasper County Development District, the event will feature 80 of the best professional anglers in the world competing for a top award of $100,000 and valuable points in hopes of qualifying for REDCREST 2022, the Bass Pro Tour championship.
Although Sam Rayburn Reservoir has played host to numerous MLF BIG5 (previously FLW) tournaments over the years, 2021 will mark the first time that the MLF Bass Pro Tour has visited Sam Rayburn. The event will be fished using MLF’s catch, weigh, immediate-release format, in which the anglers try to catch as much weight as they can, while also feeling the pressure and intensity of the SCORETRACKER® leaderboard. The total purse for the Bass Pro Tour Toro Stage 1 at Sam Rayburn Reservoir presented by Power-Pole is more than $805,000.
“I’m really excited about starting the season off at Sam Rayburn,” said pro Kelly Jordon, a 25-year veteran from Flint, Texas. “With all of the huge bass Texas is kicking out so far this year, I know we will be in the right place to catch some big ones. My goal is to win the season-opener at Sam Rayburn, although, I know that 79 other anglers will be there with a similar goal in mind. I can’t wait.”
“I really love Rayburn,” Florida pro Shaw Grigsby told MajorLeagueFishing.com reporter Dave Landahl. “What’s not to love? It holds big bass, and lots of them. It’s loaded with hydrilla and other vegetation, and really fits my fishing style from Florida. It’s one of those textbook lakes, something you’d read about in a magazine. You can figure fish out and you’re able to pattern them.
Grigsby expects to use an assortment of soft plastics like Rage Bugs, Rage Lizards, Caffeine Shads, small tubes, an Ocho, and even a drop-shot at Rayburn. Add a mixed bag of Strike King Thunder Crickets, Red Eye Shads, and a KVD jerkbait, and the Mercury pro believes that he has a well-rounded toolbox for east Texas in early March.
“I’ll be looking for big ones to sight fish with my trolling motor on high, and I’ll use the moving baits to pick off bass as I’m looking for the giants,” he says. “I’ll probably be throwing that Thunder Cricket the most for my moving bait.
"We could see the record big fish for the Bass Pro Tour caught here,” Grigsby went on to say. “It’s rare to be there this time of year and not see a 10- to 13-pound bass on a bed. I’m excited to be at one of the best lakes in the country at the best time of the year for really big bass.”
The 2021 Bass Pro Tour features a field of 76 of the top professional anglers in the world – joined at each event by 4 pros that qualify from the Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit – competing across seven regular-season tournaments around the country, competing for millions of dollars and valuable points to qualify for the annual Heavy Hitters all-star event and the REDCREST 2022 championship.
The four pros from the Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit that will join the Bass Pro Tour to compete at the Toro Stage 1 at Sam Rayburn Reservoir presented by Power-Pole are Ron Nelson, Spencer Shuffield, Grae Buck and Matt Becker. Those anglers qualified via their No. 1 through No. 4 finishes in the 2020 Pro Circuit Angler of the Year standings.
In accordance with COVID-19 protocols, attendance is limited to competing anglers, essential staff and media covering the event only. Fans are encouraged to follow the event online through the MLF NOW!® live stream and SCORETRACKER® coverage at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
Television coverage of the Bass Pro Tour Toro Stage 1 at Sam Rayburn Reservoir presented by Power-Pole will be showcased across two two-hour episodes, premiering at 7 a.m. ET, Aug. 28 on the Discovery Channel. New MLF episodes premiere each Saturday morning on the Discovery Channel, with additional re-airings on the Outdoor Channel and the Sportsman Channel. Each two-hour long reality-based episode goes in-depth to break down each day of competition.
The MLF NOW!® broadcast team of Chad McKee, Marty Stone and J.T. Kenney will break down the extended action on all six days of competition from 7:45 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. MLF NOW!® will be live streamed on MajorLeagueFishing.com. and the MyOutdoorTV (MOTV) app.
Steven McAvoy and Josh Butts take the Win at Guntersville with 28.28 in the Alabama Bass Trail North Division.
By Jason Duran
Photos by Chris Brown
Guntersville, AL March 13, 2021- The Alabama Bass Trail North Division stop number two was won in perfect Guntersville fashion. It is no secret that fishing bridges can be a very productive pattern. Teams often say you can live and die on the bridges. The plan for Steven and Josh was to do just that and it paid $10,000.
Steven and Josh said last year we had a tough practice here and got beat by others fishing on the bridges. This year’s practice wasn’t much different; we didn’t want to get beat again, so we decided to fish the bridges this year. They were boat 99 with a plan to head to the Brown’s Creek causeway bridge. When they pulled up, there were only two Crappie fishermen there. Shocked that no one else was there ahead of them, they stopped. Josh said when he saw no one else was there, “we knew then it was game over.” They caught a limit by 9:30 and continued to catch fish all day. Fishing the bridges is a slow pattern. “Most people leave after not catching fish quickly, but you have to commit to stay all day”
The key for them was ¾oz. True Bass True Lock jig head with a 6/0 hook paired up with a Megabass Magdraft Freestyle in White Back Shad six inch and 20lb P-Line Fluorocarbon. The fish want this bait really slow, and the feeding pattern comes in flurries. “The fish stage up between the bridge pilings and the face the current.” They set their boat on the down current side of the bridge and cast between the pilings up current. Kyle said, the “bass want a really easy meal. On their Gamin Live Scope they could see when the bait fish came through the bridge, and they could almost predict when they would get a bite.” They caught 28.28 pounds and took home the $10,000 first place price along with the Garmin $500 bonus.
The second place team of Seth Skalnik and Ronald Rawlins, said practice was good and they located some really good fish around the BB Comer bridge area. Those plans all changed at blastoff when a fog blanket covered the lake to the north. Realizing making that 35 mile run was going to have to change, they decided to fish main river around Goose Pond. “We felt the fish were still coming up in that area to get ready to spawn.” When they arrived, they quickly went to work and caught a keeper quickly followed by the first of two 7-pound fish. Focusing on the edge of grass lines headed into spawning areas was their pattern. The second 7-pound fish came in 10 feet of water in the grass on a Strike King Shadalicious Swim bait. They had a limit very quick and only culled up one other time later in the day to fill the 23.15 pound bag. Seth said, late in “the day they lost a 5 pounder” that could have made this a lot closer. Their key baits were a Jackhammer in craw color, War Eagle white spinnerbait and Strike King Shadalicious Swim bait that helped them claim second place and $5000.
Adam Bain and Kris Colley finished third. Adam shared that practice was kind of tough for them fishing up shallow around docks, trees and grass. Late Friday, in practice, he found two fish on a bed and decided that was where they would start the tournament. They carefully made the run upriver in the fog to Waterfront and found those two fish still on the bed. First, they caught a 4- pound fish and then caught a 7 pounder. Those fish were caught on a green pumpkin tube Texas rigged. They spent the rest of the day “just fishing everywhere” trying to get a limit running all over the lake. Finally, 20 minutes before check in, at 2:55 they caught the biggest fish of the tournament- 7.51 pounds, also on a tube, to finish out their limit of 22.61 earning them third place and $4000.
Top ten standings are below for a complete list see
https://www.alabamabasstrail.org/tournament-series/lg-results/
Download and listen to the ABT Podcast on your favorite Podcast app by searching for “Alabama Bass Trail Podcast.” The Podcast is released each week on Tuesday. This week podcast will feature winners Steven McAvoy and Josh Butts.
Huff Wins Phoenix Bass Fishing League on Cherokee Lake
Knoxville’s Jones Wins Strike King Co-Angler Division
JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. (March 15, 2021) – Boater Nick Huff of Bean Station, Tennessee, won the Phoenix Bass Fishing League presented by T-H Marine at Cherokee Lake in Jefferson City, Tennessee. Huff earned $6,154 for his victory at the event, which was hosted by the Jefferson County Department of Tourism.
TOP 10 RESULTS
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Full results from the event can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
CONTINGENCY AWARDS
| AWARD | NAME | CONTINGENCY | PAYOUT |
| Boater Berkley Big Bass | Steven May of Dandridge, Tenn. | 5-pound, 3-ounce bass | $795 |
| Strike King Co-Angler Berkley Big Bass | Henry Bryan of Sevierville, Tenn. | 4-pound, 15-ounce bass | $397 |
| Phoenix MLF BIG5 Bonus | Joshua Short of Bean Station, Tenn. | Eligible Phoenix Boat* | $500 |
* Boaters are eligible to win up to an extra $7,000 per event in each Phoenix Bass Fishing League presented by T-H Marine tournament if all requirements are met. More information on the Phoenix MLF BIG5 Bonus contingency program can be found at PhoenixBassBoats.com.
WINNING BAITS
| ANGLER | BAITS | COLOR |
| Boater | - Umbrella Rig | N/A |
| Strike King Co-Angler | - Umbrella Rig | N/A |
2021 QUALIFICATION OPPORTUNITIES
| EVENT | DATE | LOCATION | HOST |
| Volunteer Division – Phoenix Bass Fishing League Regional Championship | Oct. 14-16 | Lake Murray, Columbia, S.C. | Capital City Lake Murray Country |
| Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American | June 3-5 | Douglas Lake, Dandridge, Tenn. | Jefferson County Department of Tourism |
The 2021 MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League presented by T-H Marine is a 24-division circuit devoted to weekend anglers, with 128 tournaments throughout the season, five qualifying events in each division. The top 45 boaters and Strike King co-anglers from each division, along with the five winners of the qualifying events, will advance to one of six Phoenix Bass Fishing League Regional Championships. Boaters will compete for a $60,000 prize package, including a new Phoenix 819 Pro bass boat with a 200-horsepower Mercury outboard and $10,000, while Strike King co-anglers will fish for a new Phoenix 819 Pro bass boat with a 200-horsepower Mercury s outboard.
The top six finishers in each regional will then qualify for one of the longest-running championships in all of competitive bass fishing – the Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American.
The top 45 boaters and Strike King co-anglers plus tournament winners from each Phoenix Bass Fishing League division will also earn priority entry into the Toyota Series, the pathway to the Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit and ultimately the MLF Bass Pro Tour.
For complete details and updated information visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow the Phoenix Bass Fishing League presented by T-H Marine on MLF’s social media outlets at Facebook , Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.
Current Will Play A Key Role In Bassmaster Elite Series Event At Pickwick Lake
Florence, Ala., will host the Guaranteed Rate Bassmaster Elite at Pickwick Lake March 18-21.
March 15, 2021
FLORENCE, Ala. — Brock Mosley believes current will play a prominent role in the Guaranteed Rate Bassmaster Elite at Pickwick Lake, and the Mississippi pro will be monitoring the Tennessee Valley Authority app regularly for water release schedules because of it.
Competition days will be March 18-21 with daily takeoffs from McFarland Park at 6:45 a.m. CT and weigh-ins each day at the park at 3 p.m.
Mosley’s hardly a go-with-the-flow kind of guy but knows current strength greatly impacts this TVA reservoir. Water movement definitely benefits bass anglers, but too much of a good thing can become a not-so-good thing. As of early March, Pickwick Dam was releasing approximately 157,000 cubic feet per second — a figure Mosley hopes to soon see tapering.
“There’s a lot of water being pumped through the system, and that’s fairly normal this time of year with the spring rains coming,” Mosley said. “I just hope that by the time the tournament gets here, it slows down to 70,000 to 80,000 cfs, or even a little less.
“If that current slows down, it will give guys a lot more options. For one thing, you always hear about guys going to ‘The Horseshoe’ (the boulder-strewn area below the Wilson Dam tailrace), and if the current is rolling that fast, it’s going to make that extremely tough to fish — and a little bit dangerous.”
Stretching 52.7 miles dam to dam and covering approximately 43,000 surface acres, Pickwick offers significant habitat options, such as islands, points, bluffs, creeks, bridges, riprap and grass. Mosley is expecting primarily a prespawn event, so the latter should play a key role — as long as the current subsides to a level the fish can tolerate.
Addressing the current’s clarity variable, Mosley said, “I always like a little stain this time of year. Pickwick can have a lot of clarity, but I think you can get away with a lot of different techniques with a little bit of color to the water.”
Lipless crankbaits, bladed jigs and swimbaits lead the seasonal lineup, while topwaters, jerkbaits and jigs will also see plenty of action. Largemouth bass keep company with a good population of smallmouth, so anglers targeting the latter may also add drop shots, Ned rigs, shaky heads and Neko rigs to their arsenals.
The Pickwick event was originally scheduled for June 10-13, but due to the ongoing COVID-19 public health emergency and associated limits on large gatherings, B.A.S.S. officials swapped this event with the Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic presented by Huk. Mosley said this change will likely afford anglers a more enjoyable and productive scenario.
“This will open up a lot more options on ways to catch them,” he said. “If we would have come in June, it would have been primarily a ledge deal with guys sharing schools and fishing on top of one another.
“That could have been a little frustrating for the anglers. Now it’s going to open up the entire lake, and guys are going to be able to catch them however they want to.”
That being said, Mosley believes the Wilson Dam tailrace could end up delivering the winning fish — as it did for Davy Hite who, in 2011, notched his eighth Bassmaster win on Pickwick.
Smallmouth love that cooler, more active water, but quality largemouth feed there, too. The great thing about Pickwick is that both species live throughout the lake.
“This should be a really good event after coming from Knoxville (the previous Elite event), which was a grinder,” Mosley said. “This one won’t be nearly as tough, and guys are going to catch them.”
Mosley said limits shouldn’t be too hard to come by, but competitive bags will need a kicker of 4-plus pounds each day. Largemouth generally grow bigger than smallmouth, but Pickwick’s known for whopper bronzebacks.
“I’ve seen 28-pound bags of smallmouth come out of that place,” Mosley said. “A guy could catch all of either species or have a mixed bag and do extremely well with a little bit of each.
“It’s possible that the century mark (100 pounds of bass) could be broken, but it will definitely take over 20 pounds a day to win — unless we have some type of odd weather between now and then.”
A full field of 100 anglers will fish the first two days, with only the Top 50 advancing to Saturday’s semifinal round. After Saturday, the Top 10 will advance to Championship Sunday with a chance at the $100,000 first-place prize.
Live coverage for all four days of the event can be streamed on Bassmaster.com and the FOX Sports digital platforms. FS1 will also broadcast live with the tournament leaders beginning at 7 a.m. CT on Saturday and Sunday.
The tournament is being hosted by Visit Florence.
2021 Bassmaster Elite Series Platinum Sponsor: Toyota
2021 Bassmaster Elite Series Premier Sponsors: Berkley, Humminbird, Mercury, Minn Kota, Nitro Boats, Power-Pole, Ranger Boats, Skeeter Boats, Yamaha
2021 Bassmaster Elite Series Supporting Sponsors: AFTCO, Bass Pro Shops, Garmin, Huk Performance Fishing, Marathon, Rapala
2021 Bassmaster Elite Series Conservation Partner: AFTCO
2021 Guaranteed Rate Bassmaster Elite at Pickwick Lake Local Host: Visit Florence
Newcomb Wins Phoenix Bass Fishing League on Lake of the Ozarks
Saint Clair’s Bray Wins Strike King Co-Angler Division
OSAGE BEACH, Mo. (March 15, 2021) – Boater Andy Newcomb of Camdenton, Missouri, won the Phoenix Bass Fishing League presented by T-H Marine at Lake of the Ozarks Presented by Fenwick in Osage Beach, Missouri. Newcomb earned $12,000 for his victory at the event, including a lucrative $5,000 Phoenix MLF BIG5 Bonus, which was hosted by Central Missouri's Tri-County Lodging Association.
TOP 10 RESULTS
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Full results from the event can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
CONTINGENCY AWARDS
| AWARD | NAME | CONTINGENCY | PAYOUT |
| Boater Berkley Big Bass | Matt Ellis of Mount Vernon, Mo. | 6-pound, 14-ounce bass | $1,000 |
| Strike King Co-Angler Berkley Big Bass | Caleb Welch of Bolivar, Mo. | 6-pound, 14-ounce bass | $500 |
| Phoenix MLF BIG5 Bonus | Andy Newcomb of Camdenton, Mo. | Eligible Phoenix Boat* | $5,000 |
* Boaters are eligible to win up to an extra $7,000 per event in each Phoenix Bass Fishing League presented by T-H Marine tournament if all requirements are met. More information on the Phoenix MLF BIG5 Bonus contingency program can be found at PhoenixBassBoats.com.
WINNING BAITS
| ANGLER | BAITS | COLOR |
| Boater | - Umbrella Rig - Jerkbait |
N/A |
| Strike King Co-Angler | - Jerkbait - Crankbait |
N/A |
2021 QUALIFICATION OPPORTUNITIES
| EVENT | DATE | LOCATION | HOST |
| Ozark Division – Phoenix Bass Fishing League Regional Championship | Oct. 7-9 | Norfork Lake, Mountain Home, Ark. | Mountain Home Area Chamber of Commerce |
| Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American | June 3-5 | Douglas Lake, Dandridge, Tenn. | Jefferson County Department of Tourism |
The 2021 MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League presented by T-H Marine is a 24-division circuit devoted to weekend anglers, with 128 tournaments throughout the season, five qualifying events in each division. The top 45 boaters and Strike King co-anglers from each division, along with the five winners of the qualifying events, will advance to one of six Phoenix Bass Fishing League Regional Championships. Boaters will compete for a $60,000 prize package, including a new Phoenix 819 Pro bass boat with a 200-horsepower Mercury outboard and $10,000, while Strike King co-anglers will fish for a new Phoenix 819 Pro bass boat with a 200-horsepower Mercury s outboard.
The top six finishers in each regional will then qualify for one of the longest-running championships in all of competitive bass fishing – the Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American.
The top 45 boaters and Strike King co-anglers plus tournament winners from each Phoenix Bass Fishing League division will also earn priority entry into the Toyota Series, the pathway to the Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit and ultimately the MLF Bass Pro Tour.
For complete details and updated information visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow the Phoenix Bass Fishing League presented by T-H Marine on MLF’s social media outlets at Facebook , Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.
Talbert Wins Phoenix Bass Fishing League on Kerr Lake
HENDERSON, N.C. (March 15, 2021) – Boater Jeremy Talbert of Albemarle, North Carolina, won the Phoenix Bass Fishing League presented by T-H Marine at Kerr Lake in Henderson, North Carolina. Talbert earned $5,582 for his victory at the event, which was hosted by the Vance County Tourism Development Authority.
TOP 10 RESULTS
| RANK | BOATER NAME/HOMETOWN | BASS | WEIGHT | AWARD |
| 1st | Jeremy Talbert of Albemarle, N.C. | 5 | 17-11 | $5,582 |
| 2nd | Ron Wolfarth of Oakboro, N.C. | 5 | 17-6 | $3,686 |
| 3rd | Brandon McLeod of Spring Lake, N.C. | 5 | 17-5 | $1,861 |
| 4th | Cody Hoyle of Rutherfordton, N.C. | 5 | 17-0 | $1,302 |
| 5th | Jay Rigney of Danville, Va. | 5 | 16-2 | $1,116 |
| 6th | Tyler Purcell of Townsville, N.C. | 5 | 15-13 | $1,023 |
| 7th | Billy Medlin of Raleigh, N.C. | 5 | 15-9 | $930 |
| 8th | Rodney Sorrell of Stokesdale, N.C. | 5 | 15-7 | $837 |
| 9th | Chad Poteat of Mount Airy, N.C. | 5 | 15-6 | $897 |
| 9th | David Wright of Lexington, N.C. | 5 | 15-6 | $1,197 |
| RANK | STRIKE KING CO-ANGLER NAME/HOMETOWN | BASS | WEIGHT | AWARD |
| 1st | Mike Shatley of North Wilkesboro, N.C. | 5 | 15-6 | $2,791 |
| 2nd | Charles Wood of Thomasville, N.C. | 5 | 15-3 | $1,395 |
| 3rd | Lee McConnell of Lewisville, N.C. | 5 | 13-13 | $931 |
| 4th | Drake Sturgill of Lincolnton, N.C. | 5 | 13-9 | $604 |
| 4th | Steve Cannon of Wilkesboro, N.C. | 4 | 13-9 | $604 |
| 6th | Eric Stanbery of Lewisville, N.C. | 5 | 13-2 | $738 |
| 6th | Bryson Perry of China Grove, N.C. | 5 | 13-2 | $488 |
| 8th | Dale Surrett of Midland, N.C. | 5 | 12-0 | $419 |
| 9th | William Lane of Midlothian, Va. | 5 | 11-12 | $372 |
| 10th | Troy Gerardi of Stem, N.C. | 5 | 11-9 | $326 |
CONTINGENCY AWARDS
| AWARD | NAME | CONTINGENCY | PAYOUT |
| Boater Berkley Big Bass | Ron Wolfarth of Oakboro, N.C. | 5-pound, 9-ounce bass | $895 |
| Strike King Co-Angler Berkley Big Bass | Jonathan White of Hudson, N.C. | 5-pound, 7-ounce bass | $447 |
| Phoenix MLF BIG5 Bonus | David Wright of Lexington, N.C. | Eligible Phoenix Boat* | $500 |
* Boaters are eligible to win up to an extra $7,000 per event in each Phoenix Bass Fishing League presented by T-H Marine tournament if all requirements are met. More information on the Phoenix MLF BIG5 Bonus contingency program can be found at PhoenixBassBoats.com.
WINNING BAITS
| ANGLER | BAITS | COLOR |
| Boater | - N/A | N/A |
| Strike King Co-Angler | - N/A | N/A |
2021 QUALIFICATION OPPORTUNITIES
| EVENT | DATE | LOCATION | HOST |
| North Carolina Division – Phoenix Bass Fishing League Regional Championship | Oct. 14-16 | Lake Murray, Columbia, S.C. | Capital City Lake Murray Country |
| Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American | June 3-5 | Douglas Lake, Dandridge, Tenn. | Jefferson County Department of Tourism |
The 2021 MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League presented by T-H Marine is a 24-division circuit devoted to weekend anglers, with 128 tournaments throughout the season, five qualifying events in each division. The top 45 boaters and Strike King co-anglers from each division, along with the five winners of the qualifying events, will advance to one of six Phoenix Bass Fishing League Regional Championships. Boaters will compete for a $60,000 prize package, including a new Phoenix 819 Pro bass boat with a 200-horsepower Mercury outboard and $10,000, while Strike King co-anglers will fish for a new Phoenix 819 Pro bass boat with a 200-horsepower Mercury s outboard.
The top six finishers in each regional will then qualify for one of the longest-running championships in all of competitive bass fishing – the Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American.
The top 45 boaters and Strike King co-anglers plus tournament winners from each Phoenix Bass Fishing League division will also earn priority entry into the Toyota Series, the pathway to the Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit and ultimately the MLF Bass Pro Tour.
For complete details and updated information visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow the Phoenix Bass Fishing League presented by T-H Marine on MLF’s social media outlets at Facebook , Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.
BassChamps Rayburn Double-Header Slugfest!!
Norris & Blakelock win a slugfest on day one of the Rayburn Double Header & Take home over $21,000 with 30.43 lbs.Click here to see full results
Lance Duff & Cole Costlow bring in over 35 lbs
to win $20,200 on day two at Rayburn.
34 bags over 20 lbs.
Click here to see full results
Stalvey & Caldwell Win the Rodeheaver Boys Ranch event on St Johns River
Vance McCullough
Lee Stalvey and Jason Caldwell won the 2021 Rodeheaver Boys Ranch Bass Tournament out of Palatka City Docks on the St Johns River on Saturday, March 13 with a 5-bass limit that weighed 29.94 pounds and included a 10.58-pound kicker that took Big Bass honors as well.
The big fish garnered a $1,000 bonus on top of the $7,500 top prize that Stalvey and Caldwell won. She was their first fish of the day.
“Caught her on the 2nd flip of the day,” shared Stalvey. “She bit on the first one but didn’t have the bait well. When her tail came up and it was huge. Then, on the next flip I hooked her. She just kept getting bigger as I got her to the boat.”
Stalvey and Caldwell caught their fish by looking at them. Pre-tournament scouting was key. Caldwell and Stalvey had both located 10-pounders on Friday, but they made their first stop Saturday on the big girl that they believed would bite more quickly than the other. It was a good call.
When sight-fishing, it’s important to locate more fish than you think you need to. “It’s been so warm lately that things are changing really fast,” said Stalvey. “There were a bunch of fish up (on the bank) this week but today they were just. They spawn quickly and get done fast when it gets warm.”
This year’s Rodeheaver tourney featured 139 boats including a lot of the top sticks in the North Florida region. Together, along with the generous sponsors, they were able to cut a check to the Boys Ranch in the amount of $18,550. This is a big help as the ranch does not receive any Federal funds, relying solely on the community to help set these young’uns on the right path.
As they say at the ranch, “It’s better to build boys than to mend men.”
John Cox Claims Victory at Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit on Lewis Smith Lake
CULLMAN, Ala. (March 14, 2021) – After leading the MLF Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit presented by Bad Boy Mowers, Covercraft Stop 2 – Lewis Smith Lake for most of the event, it’s no surprise that Berkley pro John Cox of DeBary, Florida, pulled out the win on Championship Sunday. What is surprising – and long overdue – is a win for the angler on Lewis Smith Lake in Cullman, Alabama – a fishery that has been antagonizing Cox for nearly a decade.
The 2016 FLW Cup Champion made the Top 10 on Lewis Smith Lake several times in the past with the Pro Circuit, including two previous runner-up finishes, but has never been able to seal the deal – until now. The win put a $100,000 check in his pocket and added another piece of hardware to his already extensive trophy collection.
Pro Spencer Shuffield of Hot Springs, Arkansas , stalked the top spot throughout Sunday, making another big leap from seventh place into second with the biggest five-bass limit of the day – 17 pounds, 8 ounces – bringing his four-day total to 56 pounds, 11 ounces. Although bites were stingy for the entire field, Cox’s five-bass limit of 16 pounds, 10 ounces gave him a four-day total of 62 pounds, 4 ounces – and a solid 5-pound, 9-ounce lead to firmly secure the win.
Cox maintained the familiar strategy seen all week throughout the final day, refusing to allow himself to do what he does best – sight-fish. Ultimately that proved to be the right call for the event, but Cox said a gut check late in the day is what sealed his victory on the northern Alabama fishery.
“I was idling to check-in when I realized I still had 7 minutes left to fish and called an audible – I was feeling sick because it felt like it just wasn’t enough [weight],” said Cox. “I knew someone was catching them. So, I pulled over to this pocket and fired my jig right down the drain. A 4-pounder came out and hit it but didn’t take it – so, I killed it for a second and she ate it.
“I knew if I had a chance to win [a tournament on Smith] something magical had to happen. That was it.”
Cox said he spent the week throwing a black-and-blue Dirty Jigs Swim Jig teamed with a Berkley PowerBait MaxScent Meaty Chunk .
“I put the trolling motor on high and swam that jig in and around every piece of shallow cover I could find in the pockets and creeks far up Ryan Creek,” said Cox. “I threw the jig on a 7-foot, 6-inch heavy Abu Garcia Fantasista Premier rod and an Abu Garcia Revo EXD 8:1 reel.”
Cox said that rod and reel was a difference-maker, especially when the fish surprised him and he needed to pick up the slack.
“This has been a really special week in so many ways,” said Cox. “I love this place and love fishing on Smith Lake, even despite my history – so this win is incredible.”
The top 10 pros on Lewis Smith Lake finished:
1st: John Cox, DeBary, Fla., 20 bass, 62-4, $100,500
2nd: Spencer Shuffield, Hot Springs, Ark., 20 bass, 56-11, $30,000
3rd: Cody Meyer, Star, Idaho, 19 bass, 55-8, $25,200
4th: Kyle Cortiana, Coweta, Okla., 20 bass, 53-11, $20,000
5th: Kyle Hall, Grandbury, Texas, 20 bass, 53-9, $19,000
6th: Tai Au, Glendale, Ariz., 20 bass, 52-2, $18,500
7th: Zack Birge, Blanchard, Okla., 20 bass, 50-14, $17,500
8th: Justin Cooper, Zwolle, La., 20 bass, 50-3, $16,000
9th: Cole Floyd, Leesburg, Ohio, 20 bass, 47-15, $15,000
10th: Troy Morrow, Eastanollee, Ga., 17 bass, 42-15, $14,000
For a full list of results visit MajorLeagueFishing.com.
Overall, there were 47 bass weighing 127 pounds, 12 ounces, caught by 50 pros on Friday, which included nine five-bass limits.
The MLF Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit presented by Bad Boy Mowers, Covercraft Stop 2 – Lewis Smith Lake was hosted by the Cullman Area Local Organizing Committee.
The MLF Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit presented by Bad Boy Mowers, Covercraft Stop 2 – Lewis Smith Lake 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 18 from 7 to 9 a.m. ET and re-air on the Sportsman Channel this fall.
In Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit competition, the full field of 163 anglers competed in the two-day opening round on Thursday and Friday. The field was cut to 50 anglers on Saturday. The top 10 pros based on their three-day cumulative weight advanced to Sunday where the winner was 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.
PURE FISHING ANNOUNCES DEFINITIVE AGREEMENT TO PURCHASE PLANO SYNERGY HOLDINGS INC.
COLUMBIA, S.C. (March 15, 2021) — Pure Fishing Inc., the world’s largest fishing tackle company, today announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement to purchase Plano Synergy Holdings Inc. The purchase will include Plano Synergy’s 15 preeminent brands, which specialize in tackle storage, catch management, hunting accessories and archery. This acquisition is the third for Pure Fishing in two years under the ownership of private equity firm Sycamore Partners.
“We are excited to welcome the iconic Plano and other brands into our industry-leading portfolio of Outdoor brands. These are storied brands within the fishing and hunting space that are beloved by outdoor enthusiasts worldwide and will perfectly complement our existing business,” said Pure Fishing CEO Harlan Kent.
The acquisition of these brands demonstrates Pure Fishing’s continued commitment to growing its presence within the outdoor sports industry while remaining a positive and compelling partner to its retail customers. To maximize global expansion opportunities and additional growth prospects within its Outdoor categories, Pure Fishing will continue to focus on ensuring supply chain excellence, delivering innovation, driving digital marketing and strengthening vendor partnerships.
“Plano Synergy did not become the undisputed leader in storage solutions for anglers and hunters, nor did its hunting brands become the leader in performance solutions, without the hard work of an extremely talented team,” Kent said. “The team has a proven record of success, and we look forward to welcoming them to the Pure Fishing family and building an even stronger company together.”
Terms of the purchase, which is expected to close in April, are not disclosed.
John Cox Extends Lead at Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit on Lewis Smith Lake
CULLMAN. Ala. (March 13, 2021) – Berkley pro John Cox of DeBary, Florida , who led the tournament on Day Two, brought a five-bass limit to the scale on Saturday, weighing 12 pounds even, to stay on top of the leaderboard after Day Three of the MLF Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit presented by Bad Boy Mowers, Covercraft Stop 2 – Lewis Smith Lake in Cullman, Alabama.
Rookie Tai Au of Glendale, Arizona, jumped from fifth place into second on Day Three, with a five-bass limit weighing 12 pounds, 12 ounces, giving him a two-day total of 40 pounds, 6 ounces – a 5-pound, 4-ounce gap that could prove challenging on the stingy fishery. Spencer Shuffield of Hot Springs, Arkansas , made the biggest jump of the day, starting the day in 28th place and vaulting into seventh place with a five-bass limit weighing 16 pounds, 10 ounces, bringing him into the Top 10 with a total of 39 pounds, 3 ounces.
The event features 163 of the best bass fishing professionals from around the world, competing in a four-day competition for a top cash payout of up to $135,000.
“I want to win so badly on this lake,” Cox said. “I want to win here worse than anywhere else in the country. It would make a lot of really bad memories disappear. But, today was a little miserable. The only keepers that actually took my bait were the five I brought to the scale.”
Cox said despite the struggle today, he’s still not really looking at beds or trying to fish them.
“I saw some empty beds, and a few with fish on them, but the fish were really spooky,” said Cox. “They still needed to be surprised or tricked into biting. There aren’t any eggs down, so they are passed the point of where I’ve already caught them, and now are further in where they want to make their beds.”
Cox said he caught a lot of males today, but they just weren’t big enough to keep.
“I know I’m in the Top 10 and I’m trying to get excited for tomorrow, but I’m so burned out – there have been a lot of boats on a lot of areas today, so I tried to let some of those areas rest and ran around and fished more random stuff to try to get to those better pockets I wanted to fish. I don’t think we weighed one fish today out of any of the actual pockets I was looking forward to fishing.
“I think I’m just mentally and physically drained from fishing so much water and not getting bit. A lot of times through the day, I was thinking ‘I need to change baits – I need to change colors’, but I honestly just think if those fish were ready, they would have taken anything.
“I went to start on a stretch, but threw to a dock randomly and caught one, then threw to the dock again and caught another one, which got me excited – but that was the total excitement for the entire day.”
Cox said he almost ran all the way to the dam around 10 a.m., but changed his mind because he had three bass and thought he would be able to catch two more pretty easily.
“Hopefully it won’t be as crowded tomorrow – today it was nuts everywhere I went, with people on all the spots,” said Cox. “I’m planning to just rig up everything the same tomorrow and see what happens.”
The top 10 pros advancing to the final day of competition Sunday on Lewis Smith Lake are:
1st: John Cox, DeBary, Fla., 15 bass, 45-10
2nd: Tai Au, Glendale, Ariz., 15 bass, 40-6
3rd: Kyle Cortiana, Coweta, Okla., 15 bass, 39-13
4th: Cody Meyer, Star, Idaho, 14 bass, 39-9
5th: Zack Birge, Blanchard, Okla., 15 bass, 39-6
6th: Justin Cooper, Zwolle, La., 15 bass, 39-4
7th: Spencer Shuffield, Hot Springs, Ark., 15 bass, 39-3
8th: Cole Floyd, Leesburg, Ohio, 15 bass, 38-8
9th: Troy Morrow, Eastanollee, Ga., 15 bass, 38-4
10th: Kyle Hall, Grandbury, Texas, 15 bass, 38-1
Anglers finishing 11th through 20th are:
11th: Chase Serafin, White Lake, Mich., 15 bass, 37-12, $11,000
12th: Kerry Milner, Fisher, Ark., 13 bass, 37-3, $11,000
13th: Dylan Hays, Hot Springs, Ark., 15 bass, 36-13, $11,000
14th: John Hunter, Shelbyville, Ky., 15 bass, 36-13, $11,000
15th: Cody Huff, Ava, Mo., 14 bass, 36-9, $11,000
16th: Joshua Weaver, Macon, Ga., 14 bass, 36-7, $11,000
17th: Adrian Avena, Vineland, N.J., 15 bass, 35-10, $11,000
18th: Jesse Wiggins, Logan, Ala., 15 bass, 34-5, $11,000
19th: Dakota Ebare, Brookeland, Texas, 14 bass, 33-11, $11,000
20th: Terry Bolton, Benton, Ky., 14 bass, 33-10, $11,000
For a full list of results visit MajorLeagueFishing.com.
Overall, there were 186 bass weighing 423 pounds, 14 ounces, caught by 50 pros on Friday, which included 25 five-bass limits.
The MLF Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit presented by Bad Boy Mowers, Covercraft Stop 2 – Lewis Smith Lake is hosted by the Cullman Area Local Organizing Committee.
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 a.m. CT on Sunday from Smith Lake Park, located at 403 County Rd 386 in Cullman. Weigh-in will also be held at the park on Sunday at 4 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 MLF Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit presented by Bad Boy Mowers, Covercraft Stop 2 – Lewis Smith Lake 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 18 from 7 to 9 a.m. ET and re-air on the Sportsman Channel this fall. Fans can catch weigh-ins and live on-the-water action all day Saturday and Sunday, March 13-14 on MLF NOW!beginning at 7:30 a.m. CT 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.
Soukup goes wire-to-wire in inaugural NPFL Win!!
By Justin Brouillard | Photo Tanner & Travis Lyons
EUFAULA, AL — MARCH 13, 2021
John Soukup – Sapulpa, Oklahoma
Taking the inaugural NPFL event wire-to-wire, John Soukup took the lead day 1 with 20-pounds, 12-ounces and never looked back. He followed up that haul with a 20-pounds, 2-ounce limit on day 2 and even with the toughest day of the week coming on the final day, Soukup got it done.
Soukup spent his week looking at fish on his Garmin Livescope installed by the Bass Tank. Quality equipment and a solid game plan were key to his week. He ran the Xpress boat quietly in and out of shallow areas with brush that were holding big bass.
“One little tree gave me 20-pounds on day 1, but today was super tough. I lost a “helper” off a dock that was around 2.5-pounds. At one point, I had a small limit in the 6-pound range. I kept working that jerkbait and I would rotate to a spinning rod when I needed.”
Not only was a spinning rod part of his plan, his two biggest bass came on it. Soukup began his final day dealing with local pressure and stingy fish, catching 1-pound bass one after another. A 5-pounder later in the day helped put him over the top, but the fish didn’t come easy.
“That big one today, I had to hover it over the brush pile and work it through there. I watched it come up and finally ate it. Today some followed it for like 40-feet and wouldn’t bite it. The small ones would come up and crush it instantly.”
The Oklahoma pro rotated through a series of jerkbaits, all thrown on Denali Rods and Daiwa Reels. His spinning rods were spooled with 7-pound Sunline. Each day the fish positioned and reacted differently, and Soukup was right there to make them eat.
“Having those different style jerkbaits was key. I had one that would float and I could work it over the top of that shallow brush. I’d pull it down into it, then let it rise. Some of them were deeper brush piles and that bait would sink down to them before I would even move it. I had one with a bigger bill that would get down into the brush and deflect off the pieces. Then of course that big one I got to go by hovering it above that brush and he came up and got it. Toss the color out the window, get a natural looking bait, and learn the behavior of the fish.”
Soukup was able to relax this week and fish clean. When fighting big fish, it is not always easy, but knowing your gear helps in those stressful moments.
“I had so much confidence in my equipment, I could hook them and just relax. When you get those big ones near the boat, they like to make a charge. I let my rod take over and then work them back up. I fished in AFTCO gear all week and loaded my Xpress with Lithium pros that took 200-pounds of weight out.”
With a final weight of 53-pounds, 9-ounces, Soukup took home the top prize of $50,000 for his efforts this week on Lake Eufaula.
David Gaston – Sylacauga, Alabama
David Gaston got it done early this morning on Eufaula and made it a game in the first hour. The Alabama pro spent his entire week in the shallows and let his swim jig do the work. Running new water every day, his 16-pound, 7-ounce limit today moved him up to the second-place spot.
“I started in some shallow area and before 8 am I had a limit, then caught a 5-pounder swimming that jig. I was looking for little creeks that had water left in them and I could push myself into. Today, all my weight came from one creek and every fish ate the swim jig.”
Gaston kept his set ups pretty simple rotating between two rods, both with 50-pound braided line. One with a 6.3:1 and the other with a 7:1.1.
“I had to slow down my reel ratio to get as much torque on those fish when they would eat it in the thick stuff. I was throwing a heavy jig and pulsing it up in the water column with a big beefy trailer and a living rubber skirt to move some water.”
Starting strong on day 1, Gaston followed his 14-pounds, 2-ounces up with a monster bag of 19-pounds, 9-ounces. His final day limit gave him 50-pounds, 2-ounces to end the week.
Landon Tucker – Adel, Georgia
Fishing off shore this week rotating through up to 250 brush piles, Landon Tucker broke the 20-pound mark today with 20-pounds, 1-ounce to finish in third. Eufaula is one of Tucker’s home lakes and experience with the brush was key to getting his week going.
“I started this event with like 250 brush piles and I went out Sunday and marked like 50 more during practice. I didn’t hit as many as I should have and I knew not having a limit the first day was going to hurt me.”
As seen on live today, the Adel, Georgia pro hooked a 6-pound, 1-ounce big fish on a ¾-ounce Ledge Buster spinnerbait on a brush pile he found in practice. A big fish from the spot yesterday and another lunker today.”
To get the job done this week, Tucker tossed a homemade ½-ounce green pumpkin football jig with a Berkley Powerbait Chunk, also in green pumpkin. His rod of choice was a Duckett 7’3 Heavy Jacob Wheeler rod spooled up with 17-pound P-line.
Nick Prvonozac – Warren, Ohio
The morning bite has not been good for Nick Prvonozac and today was no different. The Warren, Ohio pro caught 11-pounds, 7-ounces to finish in 4thplace.
“The first spot I got to had 4 boats on it. I ran to a shallow brush pile, made a cast. I worked the bait through it and I turned my head for a split second and one was swimming at me with it. I never caught up to it but it was really shallow, I could see it was a good fish.”
Doing what got him here this week, Prvonozac ran shallow and never looked back. He caught more keepers today than any other day but they were not the size he was looking for.
“It was tough on me the rest of the day. I went shallow to look for them and I actually caught everything I saw but they were not the right size.”
Following up a 16-pound,10-ounce limit on day 1, Prvonozac relied on his 18-pound, 2-ounce bag on day two to finish 4th with 46-pounds, 3-ounces.
Louis Fernandes – Santa Maria, California
In the 5th spot, Louis Fernandes relied on a shallow bite the whole week to catch his 44-pounds, 2-ounces. Falling water hurt his day 3 bite but fishing new water is nothing new.
“The water has been falling all week. Ive been moving around and just fishing. I started in my main lake pocket but the carp had the place all mud. I actually caught a 30-pounder in there, then a 10-pound bowfin, and then a giant snapping turtle.”
The pro from Santa Maria, California decided that pre fishing on the final day was what he was going to have to do. A quick move to the river and a quick limit on a frog got him going.
“I got on this little 300-yard stretch and I worked it all day. The big fish moved up throughout the day and I would just pick them off when they would set up.”
Fernandes relied on his IROD 733 Crusher series rods and 15-pound P-Line Halo Fluorocarbon for almost all his chatterbait fish this week and mixed in an IROD 714 when he went to work with his spinnerbait.
“In practice and on day 1, the big fish would eat the frog, but since then they would just roll on it and not get it.”
Fernandes relied on his 18-pounds, 2-ounces on day 2 to propel him into the top 10. A decent bag today of 13-pounds, 8-ounces pushed him into the top 5 with 44-pounds, 2-ounces total
Mike Comeau of Alburgh, Vermont caught a 7-pound, 7-ounce largemouth.
The rest of the best:
6. Joe Discerni 43-10
7. Chance Woodard 42-3
8. Marc Schilling 41-4
9. Brandon Perkins 40-14
10. Greg Mansfield 37-12
John Cox Surges Ahead at Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit on Lewis Smith Lake
CULLMAN. Ala. (March 12, 2021) – Berkley pro John Cox of DeBary, Florida brought a five-bass limit to the scale on Friday, weighing 16 pounds, 13 ounces, to take control of the leaderboard after Day Two of the MLF Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit presented by Bad Boy Mowers, Covercraft Stop 2 – Lewis Smith Lake in Cullman, Alabama. Starting the day in fourth place, Cox’s two-day total of 10 bass weighing 33 pounds, 10 ounces moved him into the top spot heading into Day Three of the event.
Pro Kerry Milner of Fisher, Arkansas, dropped one spot, from 1st place into 2nd, with a five-bass limit weighing 13 pounds, 14 ounces, giving him a two-day total of 31 pounds, 14 ounces – just 1-pound, 12-ounces shy of Cox.
The four-day competition features a field of 163 of the best bass fishing professionals from around the world competing for a top cash award of up to $135,000.
Cox said he’d been itching to sight-fish beds, but didn’t allow himself to even look on Thursday or Friday.
“I just know they aren’t ready yet,” said Cox, the 2016 FLW Cup champion. “I’m hoping they get ready before the tournament is over, but there are too many on the move right now and there are way more opportunities to run into them while they are moving than to catch them on a bed.”
Cox said he went into the tournament planning to focus on dirty water until the bass committed to beds, then switch to cleaner water when he could sight-fish them. However, after the last two days’ haul, he will likely stick with what’s working.
“I caught many of Friday’s fish in random pockets that I hadn’t visited yet, so I think just following that pattern and catching them on the move is going to be my best bet,” continued Cox. “The water is warming up so fast – there was almost a 10-degree difference from the beginning of the day to the end – so I’m definitely keeping my options open to any changes in movement over the next two days.”
Cox said he had seven total keepers on Day Two, which was quite a feat considering it was a struggle for most of the field.
“I’ve been throwing a Dirty Jigs Swim Jig with a Berkley Powerbait Maxscent Meaty Chunk Trailer and mixing it up with a frog and a wacky-rigged Berkley Powerbait The General Worm,” said Cox. “I fished different areas of the lake, but basically used the same baits and techniques both days.”
Cox, who has a lot of history on the fishery, said he’s fishing many of the same pockets he’s fished in the past.
“They served me well then and I hope to continue the success through the remainder of this event.”
The top 20 pros after Day Two on Lewis Smith Lake are:
1st: John Cox, DeBary, Fla., 10 bass, 33-10
2nd: Kerry Milner, Fisher, Ark. 10 bass, 31-14
3rd: Corey Neece, Bristol, Tenn., 10 bass, 29-12
4th: Chase Serafin, White Lake, Mich., 10 bass, 27-13
5th: Tai Au, Glendale, Ariz., 10 bass, 27-10
6th: Cody Meyer, Star, Idaho, 10 bass, 27-8
7th: Cole Floyd, Leesburg, Ohio, 10 bass, 27-7
8th: Justin Cooper, Zwolle, La., 10 bass, 27-6
9th: Zack Birge, Blanchard, Okla., 10 bass, 27-0
10th: Cody Huff, Ava, Mo., 10 bass, 26-14
11th: Dakota Ebare, Denham Springs, La., 10 bass, 26-10
12th: Dylan Hays, Hot Springs, Ark., 10 bass, 25-13
13th: Joseph Webster, Winfield, Ala., eight bass, 25-10
14th: Jacob Wall, New Hope, Ala., 10 bass, 25-10
15th: Kyle Cortiana, Coweta, Okla., 10 bass, 25-7
16th: John Hunter, Shelbyville, Ky., 10 bass, 25-4
17th: Braxton Setzer, Wetumpka, Ala., 10 bass, 24-15
18th: Joshua Weaver, Macon, Ga., nine bass, 24-9
19th: Troy Morrow, Eastanollee, Ga., 10 bass, 24-8
20th: Greg Bohannan, Bentonville, Ark., 10 bass, 24-6
For a full list of results and to see the top 50 anglers that will continue to Day Three, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com.
Birge won the day’s $500 Berkley Big Bass award, bringing a 5-pound, 4-ounce bass to the scale.
Overall, there were 535 bass weighing 1,212 pounds even caught by 163 pros on Friday, which included 62 five-bass limits.
The MLF Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit presented by Bad Boy Mowers, Covercraft Stop 2 – Lewis Smith Lake is 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 now advance to Saturday. Only the top 10 pros will 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 a.m. CT Saturday and Sunday from Smith Lake Park, located at 403 County Rd 386 in Cullman. Weigh-ins will also be held at the park Saturday and Sunday at 4 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 MLF Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit presented by Bad Boy Mowers, Covercraft Stop 2 – Lewis Smith Lake 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 18 from 7 to 9 a.m. ET and re-air on the Sportsman Channel this fall. Fans can catch weigh-ins and live on-the-water action all day Saturday and Sunday, March 13-14 on MLF NOW!beginning at 7:30 a.m. CT 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.
Soukup Maintains NPFL Lead on Lake Eufaula
By Justin Brouillard | Photo Tanner & Travis Lyons
EUFAULA, Alabama – John Soukup maintains his lead on Lake Eufaula with a 5 fish limit of 20-pounds, 2-ounces. His total weight of 40-pounds, 14-ounces anchored by a 6-pound, 4-ounce lunker gives him a slim lead over the 2nd place angler.
As seen on live, Soukup picked up where he left off yesterday and probed around on a 100-yard stretch to catch most of his weight today.
“I fished where I caught them yesterday, and didn’t get bit. I fished where I didn’t catch them yesterday and they were firing today. I am still looking at every fish on the Garmin, but the hard part is getting them to bite.
The Sapulpa, OK pro noted that most anywhere he parks, the big fish are there, but the key is making them bite. In between catching 15 to 20 bass on day 2, a few long lulls in the action has the leader a little worried.
“I am going to go back to where I got them today and hope I can get them to go. The jerkbait has been the key for me but I did pick up that 6-pounder on a spinning rod today. I need to hunker down and catch a limit and then just move around to find ones that want to bite. I can get in and out of areas in that Xpress boat quietly and I have to make long casts.”
On live, viewers saw Soukup hook up with a small keeper bass as he noticed a bigger fish following along. One of two doubles today on the Spro jerkbait, Soukup says that was one of the coolest things.
“I was fighting that small one to the boat and dropped my rod to let the fish swim and that big one smashed it. Tomorrow I just need to settle in and fish my areas. The obvious spots that look good seem to be harder to get bit but I have a couple little areas that should have some fish left.”
Chance Woodward was the star of live coverage today and cranked his way into the 2nd spot less than 2-pounds behind the leader. Woodward weeded through 50 plus bass today for the biggest bag of the event. His 23-pounds, 8-ounces has his total weight at 39-pounds even going into the final day.
“I am fishing where a main creek dumps into the river but I have a few sweet spots where they are loaded up. The wash out from the creek creates these hard bottom spots and the school of fish I was on was huge.”
Making a precise cast has been key to casting these Eufaula bass, but the Texas pro spent some time keeping people guessing. With multiple boats in the area, people took notice of his non-stop action.
“I moved all around that area today scouting a bit and keeping people wondering. I threw that Lew’s 7’11” David Fritts Signature Crankbait rod all day and they were smashing the Strike King 5XD.”
Unsure about how his fish will react to the thrashing he gave them today, Woodard has a few cards in his back pocket, just in case.
“I pushed my way back into a pocket this afternoon where I saw some males in practice and ended up caching a good fish on a buzzbait. That gave me an extra half-pound. I located two other areas that seem to set up like my main area and I think I can catch them there if needed.”
The goal is to get back to work early on the final day and Woodard isn’t worried about catching fish, but is hopeful a few bigger fish move back into the area.
“I did some math this afternoon. I think I have caught over 70 fish on that one area – it’s unreal. If that spot dries up, I’ll make a move and I am confident I can run into some fish somewhere. I should be able to get a limit, and then I’ll get rolling.”
Nick Prvonozac topped his 16-pounds, 10-ounces on day with a 5 fish stringer of 18-pounds, 2-ounces. The Warren, Ohio pro stuck to his game plan but after all morning without a bite, had to change it up.
“I went through an area in 4 to 5-foot and didn’t get a bite. The water is dropping so much and I got to a stretch and ended up getting them on a Booyah Pad Crasher.
Tomorrow, more of the same. Prvonozac will return to his area and keep fishing around.
“I am fishing dirt shallow and I think the falling water has the fish retreating and they are all along the grass edges.
David Gaston relied on his Day 2 weight of 19-pounds, 9-ounce to slip into the top 5 with a total weight of 33-pounds, 11-ounces. The Sylacauga, Alabama pro started in an area where he had a good bite in practice and landed a 4-pounder yesterday.
“I had this little spot on the main lake where the boat wakes kept it stirred up. The falling water made is tough and I only had 3 fish around 11 AM and knew I had to make a move.”
Setting for 9 to 10-pounds was not in the cards and a gamble paid off big time for Gaston. After searching around for an area that was not as affected by the falling water, he settled in and went to work in a big way. A few quick bites and a 5-pounder to finish his limit was all it took.
“I caught that big one, culled a few times for ounces, and boom, a 4-pounder. I wanted one more good bite to finish my bag off. I ended up losing another good one around 4-pounds and not 3 minutes later that big one bite.”
A 6-pounder to anchor his day and move him to the top 5 and Gaston now has to figure out what to do on the final day to keep his momentum pointed upward.
“I will end up fishing a lot of new water tomorrow looking for big bites. The biggest thing is getting a limit, catching those keepers, and getting bigger ones mixed in. I am going to keep that swimjig in my hands and rotate around shallow and a little deeper.”
Joe Discerni of Warren Ohio brought 15-pounds, 8-ounces to the scales for a two-day total of 32-pounds, 8-ounces. He heads into the final day in the 5th spot.
Louis Fernandes followed up his day 1 weight with 18-pounds, 2-ounces for a two-day total of 30-pounds, 10-ounces. Going into the final day, Fernandas knows he is doing the right thing, and needs to connect with some of the big ones he saw in practice.
“On day 1, I should have had a mega bag. I went into one of my better pockets and there was another guy who came in behind me. I went left, he went right. Soon after he dumped a 7 and a 9-pounder and I would have been around those fish.”
The Santa Marie, California pro is fishing shallower than anyone in the field and pushing himself into pockets to look for fresh fish.
“I am covering all new water and the fish I am around will bite whatever I can get to them. I am picking between 10 rods and fishing what looks the best based on the shoreline. Ive never been here before, but I am noticing that these Eufaula bass will pull up and spawn on anything – no nothing, mud banks.”
The plan for the final day is more of the same. Fernandas will fish some productive pockets and keep exploring. He has been targeting main lake pockets, river pockets, and basically anything they will spawn in.
Landon Tucker brought 16-pounds, 11-ounces to the scales and heads into the final day in 7th place. The Adel, Georgia pro has been fishing off shore all week and got on the right stretch at the right time after a slow start.
“I had like no fish at 10 AM. I had 2 bites early but they never got it good and I didn’t get a hook in them. I’m rotating like 150 brush piles a day and on the 16th one today, I got my first bite.”
Not only was the first bite a relief, but the 6-pound, 2-ounce lunker anchored his day 2 haul. On pile number 17 for the day, a 4-pounder bit and gave him 2 fish for over 10-pounds. Those two fish stayed with Tucker for a short while before starting back over on his best stretch.
“I caught 2 small fish on a brush pile I marked in practice but I had not fished it yet during the tournament. I got back to my best stretch and ended up culling one of those small fish. I only got 6 bites all day but they are the right fish.”
Tucker has spent his entire event in 8 to 12-foot and is switching between a CJ Jigs ½-ounce football jig and a big worm. His plan for the final day is more of the same, keep his best stretch honest and fish as much brush piles as possible.
The rest of the best:
8. Greg Mansfield 26-pounds, 1-ounce
9. Brian Hatfield 25-pounds, 10-ounces
10. Jesse Millsaps 24-pounds, 15 ounces
Milner Leads Day One of Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit on Lewis Smith Lake
CULLMAN, Ala. (March. 11, 2021) – Bass fishing professionals from around the world set out on Lewis Smith Lake Thursday to begin their four-day competition for a shot to win up to $135,000 at the MLF Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit presented by Bad Boy Mowers, Covercraft Stop 2 – Lewis Smith Lake. Pro Kerry Milner of Fisher, Arkansas, weighed a five-bass limit totaling 18 pounds even, to take the early lead after Day One. Milner holds a mere 5-ounce lead over pro Joseph Webster of Winfield, Alabama , who caught five bass weighing 17-11, good for second place.
Milner brought five spotted bass to the scale but said he boated a whopping 20 keepers on the tough day.
“I’m seeing a lot of people fishing the same stuff I’m fishing, but having different results,” said Milner. “I’ve been able to go right in behind people and catch them.”
Milner said he has two spots on the main lake with schools of fish that he feels are especially good because of the herring in the area.
“I’m seeing herring float up, watching them on the graph and seeing fish spit them up when I catch them,” said Milner. “There are multiple fish in those areas – you can just sit there and catch them all day.”
When asked if he thought his bait was the difference-maker, Milner was guarded, but said he believed it was the total technique.
“I’m doing something a little different than everyone else and I think the other guys are missing them on the depth by just a bit,” said Milner. “I figured out what I was going to do in practice – I instantly went to a spot that sets up like these two areas, and caught a 3-pounder. I tried a few other things, then came back to this same technique and was able to shake off fish in five different spots on the lake. At that point, I knew what I needed to do and let the fish and the areas rest until competition day. That’s what I plan to do until those fish abandon me.”
It was refreshing for Milner to start out with a bang on Day One of the competition, as he said his prior two trips to Lewis Smith Lake didn’t go nearly as well.
“The other times we were at Lewis Smith, it was a little bit too early for the technique I’m using,” Milner continued cryptically. “I had a pretty good first day of practice one year, that set up just like this, but they left and got on beds. It’s still a bit too cold for that though, so I don’t think they are going to move up this week.”
Milner would only say that he was “fishing the way he wants to fish” and said it was very familiar and the way he typically fishes on Arkansas’ Norfork Lake, Lake Dardanelle and other fisheries.
“This is what I look for everywhere I go,” said Milner. “ My fans and followers back home know exactly what I’m doing.”
Perhaps if the spots hold and the technique continues, Milner will clue us in on his technique and what worked so well for him on Thursday.
The top 10 pros after Day One on Lewis Smith Lake are:
1st: Kerry Milner, Fisher, Ark., five bass, 18-0
2nd: Joseph Webster, Winfield, Ala., five bass. 17-11
3rd: Joshua Weaver, Macon, Ga., five bass, 17-4
4th: John Cox, DeBary, Fla., five bass, 16-13
5th: Cole Floyd, Leesburg, Ohio, five bass, 16-2
6th: Bobby Lane, Lakeland, Fla., five bass, 15-15
7th: Corey Neece, Bristol, Tenn., five bass, 15-3
8th: Tai Au, Glendale, Ariz., five bass, 14-15
9th: Ricky Robinson, Greenback, Tenn., five bass, 14-13
10th: Kyle Cortiana, Coweta, Okla., five bass, 14-8
For a full list of results visit MajorLeagueFishing.com.
Cox won the day’s $500 Berkley Big Bass award in the pro division, bringing home a bass weighing 5 pounds, 4 ounces to the scale.
Overall, there were 544 bass weighing 1,273 pounds, 10 ounces caught by 163 pros on Thursday, which included 65 five-bass limits.
The MLF Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit presented by Bad Boy Mowers, Covercraft Stop 2 – Lewis Smith Lake is hosted by the Cullman Area Local Organizing Committee.
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 a.m. CT Thursday through Sunday from Smith Lake Park, located at 403 County Rd 386 in Cullman. Weigh-ins will also be held at the park Thursday and Friday at 3 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday at 4 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 MLF Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit presented by Bad Boy Mowers, Covercraft Stop 2 – Lewis Smith Lake 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 18 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, March 13-14 on MLF NOW! beginning at 7:30 a.m. CT 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.
Soukup leads day 1 of inaugural TNPFL event on Lake Eufaula!
EUFAULA, Alabama – For the inaugural event of the 2021 NPFL season, John Soukup of Sapulpa OK takes the Day 1 lead with 20 pounds, 12 ounces.
Soukup began his morning fishing shallow, offshore on Lake Eufaula in a small area he found with several brush piles close by.
“I found this little main lake pocket that had 10-20 brush piles I could easily jump around between. I slowly plucked a fish here and there and culled up to a 10 to 11-pound limit.”
A good decision between 10 and 11 AM defined his day when he decided to make a little move to a shallow pocket. After scanning around on his Garmin Livescope, Soukup realized the area had loaded up with fish.
“I could see fish everywhere but they would not bite. I rotated though all the rods I had and finally got a 5-pounder to bite on a shaky head. I stuck with that but couldn’t get anything to go.”
Another short move further back out of the pocket to the main lake paid off as Soukup was able to find a wad of big fish on his Livescope and quickly went to work with a jerkbait.
“I could see every fish and I didn’t even make a cast until I saw them on the Livescope. Everybody could probably see me on the Live Coverage scanning around looking for fish.”
Rotating between a Spro and a Megabass, he was able to jerkbait his way to a few solid culls late in the day to put him 3-pounds, 12 ounces over the 2ndplace angler.
“Both of the big fish I caught had others with them, little wolfpacks. I would get one to bite but the others would swim away.”
Soukup believes he should have no problems catching fish tomorrow between his shallow brush and his “medium” transition areas, but whether or not the big fish will bite remains to be seen. The game plan is to continue to run productive areas between 3 and 15-foot and try to find those bigger fish.
“All the credit goes to the Garmin units and the amazing job that The Bass Tank service guys did on my Express boat. The install is beyond clean, the power and mounts are amazing. Without those Garmin units and the Livescope, I may not have caught a bass.”
In second place, the pro from Warren, Ohio got to work early and often. Joe Discerni started on his offshore spot first thing and they were biting to the tune of 17-pounds.
“I caught all my weight really fast and within two hours the bite had died, but I had my weight. I moved up shallow to check on some bed fish and found some little ones and ended up losing a 3.5-pounder flipping that would have helped.”
As for tomorrow, Discerni is confident he can catch some more fish, but it’s anyone’s guess if the big fish show up again. He visited the “sweet” spot later on in the day and was able to grind out a few fish on the crankbait in the afternoon but no fish that would have helped.
“I think I can get a few on that 10-12-foot diving crankbait again and I might be able to slow down and pick up a few more on some bottom baits.”
Nick Prvonozac of Warren, Ohio ended the day in 3rdplace with a 16-pound, 10-ounce limit. Prvonozac made the run to the south end of the lake to target spawning fish but was met with a plethora of small fish and nothing new that had moved up.
“I caught a few of those smaller spawning fish but had to get off the bank to look for bigger bass. I fished new water today in 4 to 6-foot and just covered water.”
The Fishermans Central pro mixed it up between a reaction style bait and a bottom contact bait but with only catching 5 all day, it was a grind. What he expected to be a sight fishing derby from the beginning, turned into a scramble to keep his bait in areas where the fish will be transitioning through.
“I only got 5 bites all day so it was not fast and furious, but they were the right size. As for tomorrow, I will probably catch a quick bedded fish and then do more of the same. The water is dropping and muddy, the fish are all messed up.”
Only 4 ounces back of Prvonozac, Greg Mansfield of Louisburg, Kansas took advantage of an early “whack fest” and caught his 16-pounds, 6-ounces to end the day in 4th place. Mansfield took advantage of a spot he found in practice and was pleasantly surprised to find numbers of fish.
“I had one bite in practice on this little deal and I rolled up this morning and it was on. I grinded for a few hours but the bite died and nothing else I caught after helped my bag.”
Mansfield found some quality Eufaula bass but noted they were all clones – 3 to 4-pounds.
“If I can get one or two big fish tomorrow and finish a limit, it could get interesting. I found some sight fish and I could catch a few if I need to, but I’d like to save those. Ill bounce back and forth shallow and deep and see what happens.”
In 5th place after Day 1, Chance Woodard brought 15-pounds, 8-ounces to the scales. The Big Bass leader for the event is John Cox with a 6-pound, 1-ounce bass.
Rest of the Best:
6th place – Brian Hatfield 14-4
7th place – David Gaston 14-2
8th place – Hunter Baughman 13-12
9th place – John Cox 13-12
10th place – Chris Whisenant 13-9
https://thenationalprofessionalfishingleague.com/live-leaderboard/
"1% Human, 99% Bada$$"
This week Chris & the boys welcome in not one but TWO Winners from the weekend. Toyota Series Champ Michael Harlin joins the showy to talk about A-rigs and his goals and then BASS Opens Champ Keith Tuma jumps in and is fired up!!! Check this one out, its a breathe of fresh air!
Mercury Marine Signs on as Exclusive Engine of MLF BIG5
World Leader in Marine Propulsion Systems Expands Sponsorship with Major League Fishing
TULSA, Okla. (March 10, 2021) – Major League Fishing (MLF) announced today that Mercury Marine, the world’s leading manufacturer of recreational marine propulsion engines, has signed on as the exclusive engine sponsor of the MLF BIG5 for the 2021 season. As the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization, MLF provides anglers of all skill levels the opportunity to compete for millions in prize money across 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 U.S. Army High School Fishing.
“We are thrilled to take the next step in our relationship with Major League Fishing to establish Mercury Marine as the exclusive engine of the MLF BIG5,” said Gary Lancina, Senior Director of Global Brand & Influencer Marketing Strategy. “Our relationship with Major League Fishing is rooted in our common passion for the water and the joy of a tight line. We are excited about the future with MLF and the MLF BIG5, as Mercury Pro Team competitors and all anglers powered by Mercury join fans to embrace the thrill of bass angling, from the high school level all the way up to the MLF Bass Pro Tour.”
For more than 75 years, Mercury Marine has been making world-class outboards and sterndrives. The Wisconsin-based company has a long history of firsts, providing constant improvements as the manufacturer sets and resets the standards for reliable performance and superior power, all while maintaining low emissions and fuel consumption.
“Our relationship with Mercury Marine goes back to 2011, when they signed on as a valued supporter of the very first MLF Challenge Cup, featuring only 24 professional anglers,” said Jim Wilburn, MLF President and CEO. “After 10 years of growing and working together, we are excited to continue to expand the relationship with Mercury across our organization and to now provide an extensive tournament network with access to thousands of anglers who fish the MLF BIG5 circuits. Mercury has been with us every step of the way and has once again stepped up to become the exclusive engine of the MLF BIG5.”
The MLF award-winning network television airings on CBS, Discovery, Outdoor Channel, Sportsman Channel and more, along with the MLF NOW! live stream on MajorLeagueFishing.com, bring the high-intensity sport of competitive bass fishing into America’s living rooms, directly connecting sponsors to a broad range of fans and potential consumers.
For more information about MLF, their tournaments and sponsors, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. To learn more about Mercury Marine, visit MercuryMarine.com . For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow the MLF BIG5’s social media outlets at Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.
Hite hangs on to pliers and a spinnerbait for perspective
Courtesy of Alan McGuckin - Dynamic Sponsorships
If you think Davy Hite began his Bass Fishing Hall of Fame career in a fully-rigged fiberglass bass boat you should have been there when he was a kid growing up in a home without a telephone or central heat and air, catching catfish from an aluminum boat to sell for additional income.
Hite was raised largely by his grandparents, and while they were by no means poor, they were products of America’s Greatest Generation. They lived through the Great Depression, and his grandfather fought in World War II.
“We never lacked for food, and my bed always had clean sheets, but that generation didn’t waste a thing, and spent very little money on anything they had learned to live without. To this day, I still get upset when my wife leaves a light on in a room because it’s a waste of electricity, and we’ve been married 35 years,” grins Hite.
The crazy thing is, Hite grew up in the 70s, but because he was raised by folks from a much earlier generation, not even an electric or natural gas furnace existed in their lakeside home. Instead, his grandma would rise early to build a fire to heat the home while cooking young Davy’s breakfast every morning.
The simple life left a sentimental mark on the 8-time B.A.S.S. tournament winner and ’99 Classic Champ, and a pair of needle nose pliers along with an old Zorro spinnerbait are always in his Yamaha powered Phoenix to remind him of his childhood and keep his life’s ground wire firmly plugged in.
“My granddaddy was a pretty special man. I’ve seen pictures of him sleeping in a pup tent in Italy during WW II, and when he took me running trot lines when I was 11 or 12, these exact yellow handled needle nose pliers were always with us – not only to unhook fish, but in case one of us accidentally got hooked, or you had to cut a line or whatever,” recalls Hite.
But Davy’s granddaddy wasn’t just a catfisherman. His knowledge of bass fishing was pretty dang strong and detailed too. To the point he knew to tell Davy to tie on a double Colorado spinnerbait with hammered copper blades anytime the water got high and off-colored on Lake Murray.
“This packaged Zorro spinnerbait I carry in my boat is a replica of the one I used to catch my very first bass on a spinnerbait when I was a kid. And then amazingly, I used the same exact bait to win my very first B.A.S.S. event at Lake Eufaula, Alabama in 1994,” recalls Hite.
So while Hite was likely the only kid in the Saluda, South Carolina Class of ’83 who had to drive four miles to use a payphone, you can also be certain the values instilled in him by two members of America’s Greatest Generation went far in molding him into a 2-time Bassmaster Angler of the Year.
“Honestly, for my story to come true, considering where I came from, is proof you can come from a house heated by a wood stove, catching catfish from a 14-foot Jon boat and still make it,” concludes the always classy Hite.
The Zorro spinnerbait and a pair of needle nose pliers he chooses to keep in his boat remind him often of exactly where he came from, and to live a life that honors the granddaddy who built its foundation.
Halo Fishing Rods Unleashes the Halo HFX Series
OCEAN SPRINGS, Mississippi - March 10, 2021. American Baitworks has set a new standard in performance and affordability with the all-new Halo HFX Series Fishing Rods. The HFX Series has an impressive 13 rod models – 4 Spinning and 9 Casting, to cover virtually every length and action any angler could ask for.
“Anglers demand a lot from their fishing rods – performance and value are always at the top of that list.” says Halo Fishing Rods President, Walt Roberts. “We are seeing a shift in fishing where anglers are expanding their rod arsenal as they adapt and learn new techniques. We developed the HFX series to cover multiple techniques from Finesse to Power fishing.”
Halo Fishing starts each rod with unbeatable blanks, constructed of the highest-quality Japanese graphite. When Halo designed the all-new HFX Series, we did exactly that – with Toray graphite blanks that deliver ultimate sensitivity, in casting and spinning models from 6’10” to 7’11” in medium light to extra heavy actions.
Halo’s exclusive 4Finger™ reel seat offers an exposed blank design to allow fingers to feel the slightest bait touch. Sensitivity is further enhanced with integrated Sensi-touch cork composite rings that deliver more feel through the grip than conventional foam grips.
The HFX’s stainless steel guides are built to handle even the toughest braided lines but still super sensitive for the lightest fluorocarbon, and our Align™ guide system ensures perfect alignment of guides from handle to tip.
“We know a lot of our customers work hard all week so they can fish harder every weekend.” says Roberts. “The American Baitworks team is passionate about providing customers the highest quality products and equally committed to a vastly improved customer service program for anglers and our dealer network.”
Every feature of the HFX has been meticulously thought through by our team of designers and pro anglers to create a rod series with unbeatable features and value. Backed by a 5-year limited warranty and 100s of hours of product design and testing in the best office in the world – on the water!
For more information about and to check out the new Halo Fishing Rods, please visit www.americanbaitworks.com.
Shuffield Wins Phoenix Bass Fishing League on Lake Hamilton
Mountain Home’s Herrera Wins Strike King Co-Angler Division
HOT SPRINGS, Ark. (March 9, 2021) – Boater Spencer Shuffield of Hot Springs, Arkansas, wins the Phoenix Bass Fishing League presented by T-H Marine at Lake Hamilton Presented by Berkley in Hot Springs, Arkansas. Shuffield earned $4,915 for his victory at the event.
TOP 10 RESULTS
| RANK | BOATER NAME/HOMETOWN | BASS | WEIGHT | AWARD |
| 1st | Spencer Shuffield of Hot Springs, Ark. | 5 | 17-8 | $4,915 |
| 2nd | Quincy Houchin of Mabelvale, Ark. | 5 | 17-5 | $3,708 |
| 3rd | Jamey Black of Sheridan, Ark. | 5 | 16-14 | $1,640 |
| 4th | Russell Richmond of Sheridan, Ark. | 5 | 16-13 | $1,147 |
| 5th | Derek Dixon of Hot Springs, Ark. | 5 | 15-9 | $983 |
| 6th | Nick Jones of Malvern, Ark. | 5 | 14-9 | $901 |
| 7th | Ty Whisenhunt of Mt. Ida, Ark. | 5 | 14-6 | $819 |
| 8th | Doug Bishop of Bono, Ark. | 5 | 13-12 | $737 |
| 9th | Josh Bussell of Malvern, Ark. | 4 | 13-6 | $614 |
| 9th | Kevin Brown of Hot Springs, Ark. | 5 | 13-6 | $614 |
| RANK | STRIKE KING CO-ANGLER NAME/HOMETOWN | BASS | WEIGHT | AWARD |
| 1st | Victor Herrera of Mountain Home, Ark. | 5 | 10-10 | $2,415 |
| 2nd | Jacob Scarbrough of Wynne, Ark. | 5 | 9-10 | $1,207 |
| 3rd | Andrew Wooley of Little Rock, Ark. | 5 | 9-7 | $806 |
| 4th | Mitchell Moore of Russellville, Ark. | 5 | 9-3 | $563 |
| 5th | Jonathan Dotson of Dover, Ark. | 4 | 8-14 | $483 |
| 6th | Matt Duvall of Atkins, Ark. | 4 | 8-6 | $422 |
| 6th | Todd Christen of Conway, Ark. | 5 | 8-6 | $422 |
| 8th | Grant Bearden of Hot Springs, Ark. | 2 | 8-5 | $362 |
| 9th | Jerrit Pearce of Mount Vernon, Ark. | 3 | 7-15 | $322 |
| 10th | Dakota Scott of Benton, Ark. | 5 | 7-5 | $256 |
| 10th | Daniel Wiley of Hot Springs, Ark. | 1 | 7-5 | $616 |
| 10th | Kevin Devorak of Lonoke, Ark. | 4 | 7-5 | $256 |
| AWARD | NAME | CONTINGENCY | PAYOUT |
| Boater Big Bass | Quincy Houchin of Mabelvale, Ark. | 5-pound, 11-ounce bass | $750 |
| Strike King Co-Angler Berkley Big Bass | Daniel Wiley of Hot Springs, Ark. | 7-pound, 5-ounce bass | $360 |
| Phoenix MLF BIG5 Bonus | Quincy Houchin of Mabelvale, Ark. | Eligible Phoenix Boat* | $500 |
| ANGLER | BAIT | COLOR |
| Boater | Did Not Divulge | N/A |
| Strike King Co-Angler | Berkley Crankbait | Did Not Divulge |
| EVENT | DATE | LOCATION | HOST |
| Arkie Division – Phoenix Bass Fishing League Regional Championship | Oct. 7-9 | Norfork Lake, Mountain Home, Ark. | Mountain Home Area Chamber of Commerce |
| Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American | June 3-5 | Douglas Lake, Dandridge, Tenn. | Jefferson County Department of Tourism |
The 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.
Darby Wins Phoenix Bass Fishing League on Lake Ouachita
Hot Springs’ Bearden Wins Strike King Co-Angler Division
MOUNT IDA, Ark. (March 9, 2021) – Boater Chris Darby of Hot Springs, Arkansas, wins the Phoenix Bass Fishing League presented by T-H Marine at Lake Ouachita Presented by Abu Garcia in Mount Ida, Arkansas. Darby earned $4,915 for his victory at the event.
TOP 10 RESULTS
| RANK | BOATER NAME/HOMETOWN | BASS | WEIGHT | AWARD |
| 1st | Chris Darby of Hot Springs, Ark. | 5 | 16-9 | $4,915 |
| 2nd | Jamey Black of Sheridan, Ark. | 5 | 16-0 | $2,958 |
| 3rd | Jimmy Mize of Ben Lomond, Ark. | 5 | 15-0 | $1,393 |
| 3rd | Dustin Huggins of Russellville, Ark. | 5 | 15-0 | $1,393 |
| 5th | James Stricklin, Jr. of Fort Smith, Ark. | 5 | 14-12 | $942 |
| 5th | Stephen Tyson of Camden, Ark. | 5 | 14-12 | $942 |
| 7th | Brian Bean of Hot Springs, Ark. | 5 | 14-1 | $819 |
| 8th | Bill Hughan of Little Rock, Ark. | 5 | 14-0 | $737 |
| 9th | Wayne Dixon of Morrilton, Ark. | 5 | 13-12 | $655 |
| 10th | John Clark of Pine Bluff, Ark. | 4 | 13-11 | $573 |
| RANK | STRIKE KING CO-ANGLER NAME/HOMETOWN | BASS | WEIGHT | AWARD |
| 1st | Grant Bearden of Hot Springs, Ark. | 5 | 13-14 | $2,309 |
| 2nd | Steve Meredith of Jessieville, Ark. | 5 | 12-11 | $1,155 |
| 3rd | Kevin Beatty of Rison, Ark. | 5 | 12-3 | $770 |
| 4th | Aaron Calvert of Russellville, Ark. | 5 | 10-15 | $539 |
| 5th | Todd Christen of Conway, Ark. | 5 | 9-10 | $462 |
| 6th | Melinda Hays of Hot Springs, Ark. | 4 | 9-1 | $423 |
| 7th | Reagan Brown of Hot Springs, Ark. | 5 | 8-8 | $385 |
| 8th | Bill Hockaday of Nashville, Ark. | 3 | 8-5 | $346 |
| 9th | Chuck Harney of Perryville, Ark. | 4 | 8-3 | $308 |
| 10th | Stephen Cagle of Ratcliff, Ark. | 5 | 8-0 | $269 |
| AWARD | NAME | CONTINGENCY | PAYOUT |
| Boater Big Bass | Trent Owens of Amity, Ark. | 6-pound, 12-ounce bass | $750 |
| Strike King Co-Angler Berkley Big Bass | Brandon Guice of Conway, Ark. | 6-pound, 5-ounce bass | $340 |
| Phoenix MLF BIG5 Bonus | Jamey Black of Sheridan, Ark. | Eligible Phoenix Boat* | $500 |
| ANGLER | BAIT | COLOR |
| Boater | KC School’em Umbrella Rig | Did Not Divulge |
| Strike King Co-Angler | - jerkbait - carolina rig |
- Did Not Divulge - Did Not Divulge |
| EVENT | DATE | LOCATION | HOST |
| Arkie Division – Phoenix Bass Fishing League Regional Championship | Oct. 7-9 | Lake Norfork, Mountain Home, Ark. | Mountain Home Area Chamber of Commerce |
| Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American | June 3-5 | Douglas Lake, Dandridge, Tenn. | Jefferson County Department of Tourism |
The 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.
Bassmaster Elite At Sabine River Back On For April
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — The Bassmaster Elite at Sabine River, which was rescheduled for August, will return to its originally scheduled dates April 8-11 after Texas Gov. Greg Abbott rescinded mandates that would have dramatically reduced the number of fans permitted on-site.
Previous Elite events in Orange, Texas have drawn record-breaking crowds — in three previous visits, the crowds totaled more than 96,000.
Despite the rollback of previous COVID-related mandates, officials from both B.A.S.S. and Orange County have cautioned that fans should still exercise caution in large gatherings and encourage measures such as social distancing and frequent hand-washing or use of sanitizer to reduce the risk of spreading germs.
“We’re happy to work with officials in Orange to get this event back on April’s schedule,” said B.A.S.S. CEO Bruce Akin. “These unprecedented times have truly emphasized the need to work with great partners, and the flexibility from officials and our hosts at the Greater Orange County Chamber of Commerce is deeply appreciated.
“Our priority is offering an event that is responsibly operated and safe for everyone involved while still being fun and competitive.”
Diehl Wins Phoenix Bass Fishing League on Lake Mitchell
Addison’s Jacques Wins Strike King Co-Angler Division
CLANTON, Ala. (March 8, 2021) – Boater Shawn Diehl of Harvest, Alabama, wins the MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League presented by T-H Marine at Lake Mitchell Presented by Googan Baits in Clanton, Alabama. Diehl earned 4,720 for his victory at the event.
TOP 10 RESULTS
| RANK | BOATER NAME/HOMETOWN | BASS | WEIGHT | AWARD |
| 1st | Shawn Diehl of Harvest, Ala. | 5 | 13-14 | $4,720 |
| 2nd | Ronnie McDonough of Birmingham, Ala. | 5 | 13-11 | $3,055 |
| 3rd | Scott Canterbury of Odenville, Ala. | 5 | 12-13 | $1,574 |
| 4th | Jason Nixon of Wetumpka, Ala. | 5 | 12-11 | $1,101 |
| 5th | Austin Swindle of Parrish, Ala. | 5 | 12-1 | $944 |
| 6th | Michael Hood of Winchester, Tenn. | 5 | 12-0 | $865 |
| 7th | Daniel White of Prattville, Ala. | 5 | 11-10 | $787 |
| 8th | David Mock of Tallahassee, Fla. | 5 | 11-7 | $668 |
| 8th | Taylor Parker of Lake View, Ala. | 5 | 11-7 | $1,168 |
| 10th | Tony Hogan of Pace, Fla. | 5 | 11-2 | $551 |
| RANK | STRIKE KING CO-ANGLER NAME/HOMETOWN | BASS | WEIGHT | AWARD |
| 1st | Steven Jacques of Addison, Ala. | 5 | 12-8 | $2,360 |
| 2nd | Rodney Graham of Childersburg, Ala. | 5 | 11-4 | $1,527 |
| 3rd | Austin Wallace of Odenville, Ala. | 5 | 11-0 | $787 |
| 4th | Michael Corbett of Oxford, Ala. | 5 | 10-13 | $511 |
| 4th | Johnny Suratt of Lawrenceburg, Tenn. | 5 | 10-13 | $511 |
| 6th | Jacob Robinson of Temple, Ga. | 5 | 10-8 | $433 |
| 7th | Dennis Sandoval of Decatur, Ala. | 5 | 10-6 | $393 |
| 8th | Donald Cawthon of Auburn, Ala. | 5 | 10-5 | $354 |
| 9th | Gary Marlowe of Montgomery, Ala. | 5 | 10-4 | $315 |
| 10th | Kevin Johnson of Grady, Ala. | 5 | 10-2 | $261 |
| 10th | Brad Smith of Montevallo, Ala. | 5 | 10-2 | $261 |
| AWARD | NAME | CONTINGENCY | PAYOUT |
| Boater Big Bass | Ronnie McDonough of Birmingham, Ala. | 5-pound, 9-ounce bass | $695 |
| Strike King Co-Angler Berkley Big Bass | Rodney Graham of Childersburg, Ala. | 4-pound, 14-ounce bass | $347 |
| Phoenix MLF BIG5 Bonus | Taylor Parker of Lake View, Ala. | Eligible Phoenix Boat* | $500 |
WINNING BAITS
| ANGLER | BAIT | COLOR |
| Boater |
- Z-Man Chatterbait
- Shakey Head |
- Not Specified
- Not Specified |
| Strike King Co-Angler |
- Goby
- Ned Rig |
- Green pumpkin
- Not Specified |
| 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 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.