AnglersChannel

Sumrall smashes big limit for Day 1 lead at Bassmaster Elite Series event on St. Johns River

April 18, 2024

Sumrall smashes big limit for Day 1 lead at Bassmaster Elite Series event on St. Johns River 

PALATKA, Fla. — A little bit of water can make big things happen. Leveraging that logic, Caleb Sumrall sacked up a massive Day 1 limit of 28 pounds, 8 ounces to lead the MAXAM Tire Bassmaster Elite at St. Johns River.

“That was the best day of fishing in my life,” the pro from New Iberia, La., said. “I’m trying not to get too excited because I don’t know what’s left on my spot.”

Leading Cory Johnston of Otonabee, Canada, by 5-5, Sumrall said he fished in Salt Springs and focused on sight fishing for bedding bass. Notably, Sumrall had not initially intended to fish this area, largely due to his take-off order.

“I was boat 99 today, so I didn’t even start there because I figured it would be loaded with boats,” he said. “But when I got in there around 9 o’clock, there was just one boat in there. I rolled up in there and immediately got a bite, then got another bite. I culled about every hour.”

Typically, a late arrival on a key area relegates an angler to picking through the leftovers. Today, Sumrall benefitted from recent meteorological factors.

“What I think saved me was Wednesday’s practice was really windy,” he said. “I think the guys that were in there looking for fish couldn’t see them.

“The wind came in fluctuations today. I’m looking for the ones that are out a little farther. I think that was the key to catching a big bag.”

With an outgoing tide in the morning, Sumrall fared well by working with the falling water. His best action came in the afternoon, as he drew upon his Southern Louisiana tidal bass fishing know-how.

“I think the tide was key and I think a couple other guys that fished (in Salt Springs) didn’t key in on something specific,” Sumrall said. “Anytime you’re fishing for spawning fish on a tide, 6 inches (of water) over their head is a big deal.

“That can make them go to lock (onto the bed) and bite. There can be a window where those fish go to snapping. I really think that was key. From 11 to 2 is when I got some really good bites.”

Sumrall said he caught his bed fish by pitching a mix of Texas-rigged plastics. Patience, he said, was essential, but a couple of persnickety fish tested his resolve.

“I fished the slowest I’ve fished in my entire life,” he said. “I was just calm and in my zone and I got the bites.

“I worked on one fish for about two hours. Then, I switched to a Missile Baits 48 and on the first cast, I got her to eat it.

Sumrall said he’ll return to Salt Springs for Friday’s second round. He’s not sure what to expect, but the potential is too great to resist.

“I have to go back; it would be silly not to,” he said. “I have boat No. 5 (for Day 2) so I could be the first one in there. Today, I saw an 8-pounder and a 10.

“If the weather remains stable and the wind lays down, there’s the potential for a 35-pound bag — easily.”

Johnston is in second place with 23-3. Notwithstanding his well-documented northern prowess, which included a century belt for catching 100 pounds of smallmouth during his second-place finish at the 2022 Elite at the St. Lawrence River, Johnston said the St. Johns suits his background.

“I grew up fishing just like this — flipping reeds, flipping pads, flipping matted vegetation,” Johnston said of his youth, prior to smallmouth coming into prominence. “There were no smallmouth that played when I was younger, so I grew up fishing largemouth.”

Day 1 saw Johnston employing many of his early fishing lessons. His success required mobility and a diverse bait selection.

“I ran all over (the fishery) and checked a bunch of stuff,” he said. “I had a good bag by about 10 o’clock, so I ran back and covered a bunch of new water.”

Johnston said he got bit on reaction baits early and then switched to flipping later in the day. His targets varied from docks, to pads, to mats.

Wes Logan of Springville, Ala., is in third place with 22-0. Spending his day in the Little Lake George area, he fished various targets including shellbars, wood, pads and docks.

Catching his bass on mix of winding baits and flipping, Logan said the afternoon hours proved most productive.

“I lost some big fish earlier and I don’t know why they came off,” he said. “I don’t know if the sun helped, or maybe it was the tide changing, but later in the day, when they ate it, they ate it.

“I haven’t figured out the windows yet, but you can tell when they start biting. They’re really eating.”

Jake Whitaker of Hendersonville, N.C., is in the lead for Phoenix Boats Big Bass honors with his 7-15.

Rookie Trey McKinney of Carbondale, Ill., leads the Progressive Insurance Bassmaster Angler of the Year race with 391 points. Jordan Lee of Cullman, Ala., is in second with 347, followed by Cory Johnston with 334, Chris Johnston of Otonabee, Canada, with 324, and Tyler Williams of Belgrade, Maine, with 305.

McKinney also leads the race for Dakota Lithium Bassmaster Rookie of the Year.

Friday’s takeoff is scheduled for 7 a.m. ET at Palatka City Dock & Boat Ramp. The weigh-in will be held back at the ramp at 3 p.m., with only the Top 50 anglers advancing to Semifinal Saturday.

Bassmaster LIVE will be streaming on Bassmaster.com all four days and coverage will also be available on FS1 Saturday and Sunday.

The event is being hosted by the Putnam County Chamber of Commerce.

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

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

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

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Media Contact: Chad Gay, Communications Manager, 865-201-6458, cgay@bassmaster.com

2024 MAXAM Tire Bassmaster Elite at St. Johns River 4/18-4/21
St. Johns River, Palatka  FL.
(PROFESSIONAL) Standings Day 1

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

1.  Caleb Sumrall          New Iberia, LA           5  28-08  103
Day 1: 5   28-08
2.  Cory Johnston          Otonabee CANADA          5  23-03  102
Day 1: 5   23-03
3.  Wes Logan              Springville, AL          5  22-00  101
Day 1: 5   22-00
4.  Matt Arey              Shelby, NC               5  21-00  100
Day 1: 5   21-00
4.  Caleb Kuphall          Mukwonago, WI            5  21-00  100
Day 1: 5   21-00
6.  Trey McKinney          Carbondale, IL           5  20-14   98
Day 1: 5   20-14
7.  Mark Menendez          Paducah, KY              5  20-13   97
Day 1: 5   20-13
8.  Jake Whitaker          Hendersonville, NC       5  20-06   96   $1,000.00
Day 1: 5   20-06
9.  Scott Canterbury       Odenville, AL            5  19-15   95
Day 1: 5   19-15
10. Greg Hackney           Gonzales, LA             5  19-05   94
Day 1: 5   19-05
11. Bill Lowen             Brookville, IN           5  19-04   93
Day 1: 5   19-04
12. Steve Kennedy          Auburn, AL               5  19-04   92
Day 1: 5   19-04
13. Brandon Card           Salisbury, NC            5  19-01   91
Day 1: 5   19-01
14. Lee Livesay            Longview, TX             5  18-08   90
Day 1: 5   18-08
15. Bryan Schmitt          Deale, MD                5  18-07   89
Day 1: 5   18-07
16. Wesley Gore            Clanton, AL              5  17-15   88
Day 1: 5   17-15
17. Koby Kreiger           Alva, FL                 5  17-14   87
Day 1: 5   17-14
18. Jacob Foutz            Charleston, TN           5  17-11   86
Day 1: 5   17-11
19. Cooper Gallant         Bowmanville Ontario CAN  5  17-09   85
Day 1: 5   17-09
20. Ray Hanselman Jr       Del Rio, TX              5  17-06   84
Day 1: 5   17-06
21. Drew Benton            Panama City, FL          5  17-01   83
Day 1: 5   17-01
22. Kyle Norsetter         Cottage Grove, WI        5  16-14   82
Day 1: 5   16-14
23. Chris Johnston         Otonabee Ontario CANADA  5  16-09   81
Day 1: 5   16-09
24. Brandon Lester         Fayetteville, TN         5  16-09   80
Day 1: 5   16-09
25. Todd Auten             Clover, SC               5  16-05   79
Day 1: 5   16-05
26. Alex Wetherell         Middletown, CT           5  16-04   78
Day 1: 5   16-04
27. Scott Martin           Clewiston, FL            5  16-02   77
Day 1: 5   16-02
28. Bob Downey             Detroit Lakes, MN        5  16-01   76
Day 1: 5   16-01
29. Brock Mosley           Collinsville, MS         5  15-13   75
Day 1: 5   15-13
30. Justin Atkins          Florence, AL             5  15-12   74
Day 1: 5   15-12
30. Jamie Hartman          Newport, NY              5  15-12   74
Day 1: 5   15-12
32. Hunter Shryock         Ooltewah, TN             5  15-11   72
Day 1: 5   15-11
33. Chris Zaldain          Fort Worth, TX           5  15-02   71
Day 1: 5   15-02
34. Gregory DiPalma        Millville, NJ            5  15-00   70
Day 1: 5   15-00
35. Gerald Swindle         Guntersville, AL         4  14-13   69
Day 1: 4   14-13
36. Matty Wong             Honolulu, HI             5  14-08   68
Day 1: 5   14-08
37. Jonathan Kelley        Old Forge, PA            5  14-05   67
Day 1: 5   14-05
38. Paul Mueller           Naugatuck, CT            5  14-03   66
Day 1: 5   14-03
38. Brandon Palaniuk       Rathdrum, ID             5  14-03   66
Day 1: 5   14-03
40. Jordan Lee             Cullman, AL              5  14-02   64
Day 1: 5   14-02
40. Alex Redwine           Blue Ash, OH             5  14-02   64
Day 1: 5   14-02
42. Ed Loughran III        Richmond, VA             5  13-15   62
Day 1: 5   13-15
42. Kyle Welcher           Valley, AL               5  13-15   62
Day 1: 5   13-15
44. Ben Milliken           New Caney, TX            5  13-11   60
Day 1: 5   13-11
44. Clifford Pirch         Payson, AZ               5  13-11   60
Day 1: 5   13-11
46. Frank Talley           Belton, TX               5  13-10   58
Day 1: 5   13-10
47. Jacob Powroznik        North Prince George, VA  5  13-09   57
Day 1: 5   13-09
47. Matt Robertson         Kuttawa, KY              5  13-09   57
Day 1: 5   13-09
49. Luke Palmer            Coalgate, OK             5  13-08   55
Day 1: 5   13-08
50. John Cox               Debary, FL               5  13-07   54
Day 1: 5   13-07
50. Buddy Gross            Chattanooga, TN          5  13-07   54
Day 1: 5   13-07
52. Timothy Dube           Nashua , NH              5  13-06   52
Day 1: 5   13-06
52. Cody Huff              Ava, MO                  5  13-06   52
Day 1: 5   13-06
54. Marc Frazier           Newnan, GA               5  13-02   50
Day 1: 5   13-02
54. Clark Wendlandt        Leander, TX              5  13-02   50
Day 1: 5   13-02
56. Will Davis Jr          Sylacauga, AL            5  13-01   48
Day 1: 5   13-01
56. John Soukup            Sapulpa, OK              5  13-01   48
Day 1: 5   13-01
58. Stetson Blaylock       Benton, AR               5  12-15   46
Day 1: 5   12-15
58. Pat Schlapper          Eleva, WI                5  12-15   46
Day 1: 5   12-15
60. Matt Herren            Ashville, AL             5  12-14   44
Day 1: 5   12-14
60. Tyler Rivet            Raceland, LA             5  12-14   44
Day 1: 5   12-14
62. Kenta Kimura           Osaka OK JAPAN           5  12-13   42
Day 1: 5   12-13
63. Rick Clunn             Ava, MO                  5  12-12   41
Day 1: 5   12-12
64. Derek Hudnall          Zachary, LA              5  12-08   40
Day 1: 5   12-08
65. Brandon Cobb           Greenwood, SC            5  12-07   39
Day 1: 5   12-07
66. Carl Jocumsen          Queensland TN AUSTRALIA  5  12-06   38
Day 1: 5   12-06
67. Jason Christie         Dry Creek, OK            5  12-01   37
Day 1: 5   12-01
67. Bryant Smith           Roseville, CA            5  12-01   37
Day 1: 5   12-01
69. Jay Przekurat          Plover, WI               5  11-15   35
Day 1: 5   11-15
70. Seth Feider            New Market, MN           5  11-14   34
Day 1: 5   11-14
70. Bernie Schultz         Gainesville, FL          5  11-14   34
Day 1: 5   11-14
72. Keith Combs            Huntington, TX           5  11-12   32
Day 1: 5   11-12
73. Shane LeHew            Catawba, NC              5  11-10   31
Day 1: 5   11-10
74. Logan Latuso           Gonzales, LA             5  11-01   30
Day 1: 5   11-01
75. Clent Davis            Montevallo, AL           5  11-00   29
Day 1: 5   11-00
76. Robert Gee             Knoxville, TN            5  10-15   28
Day 1: 5   10-15
77. Drew Cook              Cairo, GA                5  10-14   27
Day 1: 5   10-14
78. John Garrett           Union City, TN           5  10-13   26
Day 1: 5   10-13
79. Kyle Patrick           Cooperstown, NY          5  10-12   25
Day 1: 5   10-12
80. Hank Cherry Jr         Lincolnton, NC           5  10-09   24
Day 1: 5   10-09
80. Logan Parks            Auburn, AL               5  10-09   24
Day 1: 5   10-09
82. Joey Cifuentes III     Clinton, AR              5  10-07   22
Day 1: 5   10-07
83. Patrick Walters        Eutawville, SC           5  10-06   21
Day 1: 5   10-06
84. Tyler Williams         Belgrade, ME             5  10-05   20
Day 1: 5   10-05
85. David Gaston           Sylacauga, AL            5  10-04   19
Day 1: 5   10-04
86. Joseph Webster         Hamilton, AL             5  09-14   18
Day 1: 5   09-14
87. Taku Ito               Dalton GA JAPAN          5  09-12   17
Day 1: 5   09-12
88. Chad Pipkens           Dewitt, MI               5  09-10   16
Day 1: 5   09-10
89. John Crews Jr          Salem, VA                5  09-08   15
Day 1: 5   09-08
90. Jason Williamson       Aiken, SC                5  09-01   14
Day 1: 5   09-01
91. Mike Huff              London, KY               5  08-15   13
Day 1: 5   08-15
92. Bryan New              Leesville, SC            5  08-14   12
Day 1: 5   08-14
92. Cliff Prince           Palatka, FL              5  08-14   12
Day 1: 5   08-14
94. Cole Sands             Calhoun , TN             5  08-12   10
Day 1: 5   08-12
95. Brad Whatley           Bivins, TX               2  08-09    9
Day 1: 2   08-09
96. Michael Iaconelli      Pitts Grove, NJ          5  08-05    8
Day 1: 5   08-05
97. KJ Queen               Catawba, NC              5  07-13    7
Day 1: 5   07-13
98. David Mullins          Mt Carmel, TN            5  07-11    6
Day 1: 5   07-11
99. Austin Felix           Eden Prairie, MN         5  06-13    5
Day 1: 5   06-13
100. Jeff Gustafson         Kenora, ON Ontario CANA  5  06-11    4
Day 1: 5   06-11
101. Kyoya Fujita           Yamanashi CA JAPAN       3  05-11    3
Day 1: 3   05-11
102. Justin Hamner          Northport, AL            5  05-09    2
Day 1: 5   05-09
103. JT Thompkins           Myrtle Beach, SC         2  04-06    1
Day 1: 2   04-06
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

PHOENIX BOATS BIG BASS
Day
1   Jake Whitaker            Hendersonville, NC  07-15      $1,000.00

-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Totals
Day   #Limits    #Fish      Weight
1        99       506      1411-00
----------------------------------
99       506      1411-00

by AnglersChannel

Midday kicker seals Garrett’s wire-to-wire win in Bassmaster Elite at Harris Chain

April 15, 2024

Midday kicker seals Garrett’s wire-to-wire win in Bassmaster Elite at Harris Chain 

LEESBURG, Fla. — Sometimes, you close the door.

Other times, you slam it shut.

John Garrett did the latter and tallied a four-day total of 84 pounds, 5 ounces to claim his first Bassmaster win with a wire-to-wire victory at the Lowrance Bassmaster Elite at Harris Chain of Lakes.

The rookie from Union City, Tenn., endured a final-round emotional roller coaster that started with unexpected bonuses, followed by a desert of disappointment. Thankfully, the ride ended with a fist-pumping, “Let’s go!” kinda moment that sent a blue trophy to Garrett’s mantle and a $103,000 top prize to his bank account.

“I used to watch the Bassmaster Elites on the weekends with my grandad (former St. Croix Bassmaster Opens co-angler Johnnie Garrett),” said a clearly emotional Garrett. “It was a hard choice whether to watch the Elite weigh-in or go fishing all weekend.

“I never thought that I would be on this stage, let alone win one of these trophies. The Lord had His hand above me all this week.”

After taking the lead with a Day 1 limit of 24-2 — the event’s heaviest bag — Garrett added limits of 19-13, 19-3 and 21-3. Garrett edged rookie JT Thompkins of Myrtle Beach, S.C., by 10-9. This is only the 14th time in Elite Series history a competitor has recorded a double-digit winning margin.

The only angler to break 20 pounds twice, Garrett is the second rookie to win an Elite event this season. Fellow rookie, sixth-place finisher Trey McKinney of Carbondale, Ill., won the year’s second event at Lake Fork.

Lamenting a lean practice that left him with minimal options, Garrett devoted the majority of his tournament to a 75-yard stretch of shellbar on Lake Carlton’s northwest side. With quality bass rubbing fins with tilapia and catfish, he methodically worked up and down the hard-bottom zone in hopes of triggering bites.

Garrett caught his bass on a Strike King 5XD, a deep-diving crankbait, a Strike King 1.5 squarebill, a white hair jig and a Carolina-rigged Strike King Ocho.

Earlier in the week, Garrett said he settled into this pattern largely because he had nothing else going. Having grown up on the Tennessee River, Garrett is very familiar with fishing bars, so committing to a familiar pattern helped keep his head in the game.

“During the off day (Thursday’s scheduled start was postponed by extreme weather), something told me to take a chance on this tournament,” Garrett said. “I was about to go to Lake Griffin and play it safe. But I heard this little voice in my head that said, ‘Go for those big ones.’

“Since I made that decision, the Lord was with me all week. Whether it was a bait change or location change, I could not do anything wrong.”

Each day, Garrett started on what he called a “limit spot,” where he would put five keepers in livewell to settle his nerves before proceeding to his big-fish spot. The first three days, he ended up culling all of those small bass, but Day 4 delivered 3 1/4- and 4-pound surprises that put him ahead of schedule when he transitioned to his big-fish spot.

Unbeknownst to Garrett, Thompkins was craftily mounting the heartbreak campaign, by picking off solid fish with a Clutch Boss glidebait. Notably, Garrett finished second to Thompkins in the 2023 St. Croix Bassmaster Opens Elite Qualifiers standings.

Fortunately for Garrett, his school of big fish saved the best for last. Leading Thompkins by about 1 1/2 pounds (according to BassTrakk’s unofficial standings), Garrett overcame a temporary impediment and connected with his biggest catch of the tournament — a 7-4 that effectively put the event out of reach.

“I’d been waiting all week for that fish,” Garrett said. “My shellbar had gotten overrun by gar, but I scanned around for about 30 minutes and relocated the school. When I caught that big fish, I didn’t necessarily think I had won, but I knew I had a good chance.”

Garrett would make one more cull about 20 minutes later. Confident he had done all he could likely do, he headed in early to ensure no complications could doom his efforts.

Thompkins kept himself in the hunt all week. Starting with a Day 1 limit of 19-11, he tied Mississippi pro Brock Mosley for eighth place. Adding 17-1 in the second round moved him up to fourth.

With a third-round limit of 19-13, Thompkins improved his position to second before a Championship Monday bag of 17-3 settled him in the No. 2 spot with a tournament total of 73-12.

“I gave it everything I had and that’s all I can ask for,” Thompkins said. “I just tried to get my bait in front of as many fish as I could. I’m pleased with what I have.”

Thompkins split his time between lake Dora and Beauclair. He said he found the most promising conditions in those two lakes.

KJ Queen of Catawba, N.C., placed third with 72 pounds. His daily weights were 19-0, 15-7, 18-15 and 18-10.

Queen spent his tournament in a small canal off Lake Harris where he targeted a mix of cypress trees and lily pads. He amassed his weight by catching postspawn “floaters” — recuperating fish holding high in the water column — and late spawners.

Queen caught his fish on a wacky-rigged Zoom Zlinky and a Queen Tackle Tungsten Switchblade (bladed jig).

“I kept the same thing going every day and then I got into a little area that had a lot of big fish,” Queen said. “I was catching some off bed and some cruising down the bank. It’s a fun way to catch them.”

Garrett won the $1,000 Phoenix Boats Big Bass award for Day 4 with his 7-4. He also won the $2,000 Rapala CrushCity Monster Bag Award.

Jacob Powroznik of North Prince George, Va., won the $2,000 Phoenix Boats Big Bass award for his 10-8.

Chris Zaldain of Fort Worth, Texas, won the $1,000 BassTrakk contingency award.

Trey McKinney of Carbondale, Ill., won the $1,000 award for leading the Progressive Insurance Bassmaster Angler of the Year race with 293 points. Tyler Williams of Belgrade, Maine, is in second with 285, followed Jordan Lee of Cullman, Ala., with 283, reigning Bassmaster Classic Champion Justin Hamner of Northport, Ala., with 269, and Thompkins of Myrtle Beach, S.C., with 267.

McKinney and Williams also lead the Dakota Lithium Bassmaster Rookie of the Year standings.

Illinois pro McKinney also took home an additional $4,000 for being the highest-placing entrant in the Toyota Bonus Bucks program, while Jason Christie of Dry Creek, Okla., earned $2,000 for being the second-highest placing entrant.

As part of the Yamaha Power Pay program, Garrett earned an additional $4,000 while Thompkins claimed an additional $1,500 for being the second-highest placing entrant.

This event was hosted by the Greater Orlando Sports Commission.

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

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

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

-30-

Connect with #Bassmaster on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and TikTok.

Media Contact: Chad Gay, Communications Manager, 865-201-6458, cgay@bassmaster.com

2024 Lowrance Bassmaster Elite at Harris Chain 4/12-4/15
Harris Chain Of Lakes, Leesburg  FL.
(PROFESSIONAL) Standings Day 4

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

1.  John Garrett           Union City, TN          20  84-05  103 $103,000.00
Day 1: 5   24-02     Day 2: 5   19-13     Day 3: 5   19-03     Day 4: 5   21-03
2.  JT Thompkins           Myrtle Beach, SC        20  73-12  102  $35,000.00
Day 1: 5   19-11     Day 2: 5   17-01     Day 3: 5   19-13     Day 4: 5   17-03
3.  KJ Queen               Catawba, NC             20  72-00  101  $30,000.00
Day 1: 5   19-00     Day 2: 5   15-07     Day 3: 5   18-15     Day 4: 5   18-10
4.  Tyler Williams         Belgrade, ME            20  66-03  100  $25,000.00
Day 1: 5   17-02     Day 2: 5   17-09     Day 3: 5   16-14     Day 4: 5   14-10
5.  Jordan Lee             Cullman, AL             20  66-00   99  $20,000.00
Day 1: 5   21-06     Day 2: 5   09-04     Day 3: 5   17-10     Day 4: 5   17-12
6.  Trey McKinney          Carbondale, IL          20  65-07   98  $20,000.00
Day 1: 5   17-14     Day 2: 5   17-02     Day 3: 5   15-02     Day 4: 5   15-05
7.  Joseph Webster         Hamilton, AL            20  61-07   97  $18,000.00
Day 1: 5   20-15     Day 2: 5   10-15     Day 3: 5   16-00     Day 4: 5   13-09
8.  Ed Loughran III        Richmond, VA            20  60-11   96  $17,000.00
Day 1: 5   17-03     Day 2: 5   20-09     Day 3: 5   12-05     Day 4: 5   10-10
9.  Jason Christie         Dry Creek, OK           20  60-10   95  $16,000.00
Day 1: 5   14-06     Day 2: 5   18-07     Day 3: 5   17-15     Day 4: 5   09-14
10. Brad Whatley           Bivins, TX              19  56-00   94  $15,500.00
Day 1: 5   22-00     Day 2: 5   16-13     Day 3: 5   11-04     Day 4: 4   05-15
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

PHOENIX BOATS BIG BASS
Day
1   Paul Mueller             Naugatuck, CT       07-14        $500.00
1   Brad Whatley             Bivins, TX          07-14        $500.00
2   Austin Felix             Eden Prairie, MN    08-07      $1,000.00
3   Jacob Powroznik          North Prince George, VA10-08      $1,000.00
4   John Garrett             Union City, TN      07-04      $1,000.00

-----------------------------------------------------------------------
PHOENIX BOATS BIG BASS
Jacob Powroznik          North Prince George, VA10-08      $2,000.00
CRUSHCITY MONSTER BAG

John Garrett             Union City, TN      24-02      $2,000.00

-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Totals
Day   #Limits    #Fish      Weight
1        95       499      1248-05
2        97       499      1168-05
3        47       247       609-04
4         9        49       144-11
----------------------------------
248      1294      3170-09

by AnglersChannel

Bait change keeps Garrett atop Bassmaster Elite Series event at Harris Chain of Lakes

April 14, 2024

Bait change keeps Garrett atop Bassmaster Elite Series event at Harris Chain of Lakes 

LEESBURG, Fla. — Things got a little hairy for John Garrett, but that transitional period helped the Tennessee pro amass a five-bass limit of 19 pounds, 3 ounces and extend his lead at the Lowrance Bassmaster Elite at Harris Chain of Lakes.

In the best performance of his rookie season, Garrett took the Day 1 lead with a limit of 24-2 — the event’s heaviest bag — and held the top position with a second-round bag that went 19-13.

Heading into Championship Monday (the event’s scheduled start was delayed one day by Thursday’s severe weather) with a three-day total of 63-2, Garrett holds a margin of 6-9 over fellow rookie JT Thompkins of Myrtle Beach, S.C.

Facing the potential for a wire-to-wire Elite win, Garrett said: “I’m just going to try my best to sleep well tonight and fish calm tomorrow. Last night, I didn’t sleep very well and today, before I got my big bites, I started thinking, ‘Alright, something needs to happen.

“Tomorrow, I just really want to be calm, do my thing and fish hard. If it’s meant to happen, I’ll get those bites.”

Returning to Lake Carlton, where he has spent the majority of his time focusing on a 75-yard shellbar, Garrett followed his standing strategy of boxing an early limit and then hunting big bites.

The past two days, his window of opportunity has come later in the morning, but when the big fish he was watching on his forward-facing sonar refused to engage, Garrett made a game-changing adjustment.

“I went through my area while the fish were there at the right time with a crankbait; I only stuck one or two and never caught one,” Garrett said. “I left the fish alone for 45 minutes and I picked up a 5/8-ounce white hair jig, stayed way off of them and bomb cast it up there.

“It’s just something they hadn’t seen yet. They’ve seen it now because I wore out my welcome quickly. I got four good bites on it and caught three of them.”

The hair jig produced Garrett’s three best bass. He caught his other two limit fish on a deep-diving crankbait.

After a windy Day 2, Semifinal Sunday brought mostly flat conditions. Garrett said this created a challenging scenario that made it even tougher to wait out the big fish, which have been most active between approximately 11 and 1.

“It was super sunny and slick and they just were not biting (as well),” Garrett said. “I threw at more fish than I’ve seen all week.

“It’s pretty scary, because I’ll fish and fish and fish and never catch anything. It takes a lot of patience and trust.”

Earlier, Garrett had briefly yielded the top spot to Joseph Webster of Hamilton, Ala., who capitalized on the morning shad spawn for a quick limit of approximately 14 1/2 pounds. Once his big fish started chewing, Garrett put a 5-pounder in the boat at 10:47 a.m. and added a 4-11 about 10 minutes later.

From there, Garrett continued to pick off big bites and held off Thompkins’ persistent charge.

Looking ahead, Garrett said he’s sticking with his spot, if for no other reason than a lack of options.

“I don’t know if I’ll get another bite there tomorrow, but that’s about all I’ve got,” he said. “I’ll just pray that I have another decent day.”

After looking for a big glidebait bite all week, Thompkins got a chunky bass to eat his Clutch Boss Sunday and that 5-pounder helped him gain two notches to second place with 56-9. Thompkins has turned in daily limits of 19-11, 17-1 and 19-13.

“I said going into this event, ‘If I get one bite a day on a glidebait, I’ll win,’” Thompkins said. “This was the first day I’ve produced one on a glidebait. I’m looking at a ton of giants on (Garmin) LiveScope, but it’s too hard to get them to bite. They’re super smart, super educated.

“If I can get one or more of those bites tomorrow, I could step into dangerous territory and maybe take a run at the win.”

Fishing lakes Dora and Beauclair, Thompkins filled the rest of his limit with a jerkbait, a jig and a Neko rig.

KJ Queen of Catawba, N.C., placed third with 53-6. After posting limits of 19-0 and 15-7, Queen added a third-round bag that weighed 18-15.

Devoting his day to a small canal off Lake Harris, Queen fished a mix of cypress trees and lily pads. He saw plenty of bass, but the key to his success was targeting the right ones.

“I was looking for floaters; the fish that had spawned out and were cruising high in the water column,” Queen said. “I saw a lot of big, fat fish, but I could not get them to bite.

“Every time I saw a skinny one, I said, ‘There’s one that will bite.’ If it was fat, pretty and healthy, I couldn’t get them to bite.”

Queen caught his bass on a wacky-rigged Zoom Zlinky.

Jacob Powroznik of North Prince George, Va., is in the lead for Phoenix Boats Big Bass honors with a monster 10-8 he landed Sunday.

Rookie Trey McKinney of Carbondale, Ill., leads the Progressive Insurance Bassmaster Angler of the Year race with 293 points. Tyler Williams of Belgrade, Maine, is in second with 285, followed by Jordan Lee of Cullman, Ala., with 279, Justin Hamner of Northport, Ala., with 269, and JT Thompkins of Myrtle Beach, S.C., with 267.

McKinney and Williams also lead the race for Dakota Lithium Bassmaster Rookie of the Year.

Monday’s final takeoff, featuring the Top 10 remaining anglers, is scheduled for 7 a.m. ET at Venetian Gardens (Ski Beach). The weigh-in will be held at the Ski Beach at 3 p.m., with the winner receiving $100,000.

The event is being hosted by the Greater Orlando Sports Commission.

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

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

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

-30-

Connect with #Bassmaster on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and TikTok.

Media Contact: Chad Gay, Communications Manager, 865-201-6458, cgay@bassmaster.com

2024 Lowrance Bassmaster Elite at Harris Chain 4/12-4/15
Harris Chain Of Lakes, Leesburg  FL.
(PROFESSIONAL) Standings Day 3

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

1.  John Garrett           Union City, TN          15  63-02  103
Day 1: 5   24-02     Day 2: 5   19-13     Day 3: 5   19-03
2.  JT Thompkins           Myrtle Beach, SC        15  56-09  102
Day 1: 5   19-11     Day 2: 5   17-01     Day 3: 5   19-13
3.  KJ Queen               Catawba, NC             15  53-06  101
Day 1: 5   19-00     Day 2: 5   15-07     Day 3: 5   18-15
4.  Tyler Williams         Belgrade, ME            15  51-09  100
Day 1: 5   17-02     Day 2: 5   17-09     Day 3: 5   16-14
5.  Jason Christie         Dry Creek, OK           15  50-12   99
Day 1: 5   14-06     Day 2: 5   18-07     Day 3: 5   17-15
6.  Trey McKinney          Carbondale, IL          15  50-02   98
Day 1: 5   17-14     Day 2: 5   17-02     Day 3: 5   15-02
7.  Brad Whatley           Bivins, TX              15  50-01   97     $500.00
Day 1: 5   22-00     Day 2: 5   16-13     Day 3: 5   11-04
8.  Ed Loughran III        Richmond, VA            15  50-01   96
Day 1: 5   17-03     Day 2: 5   20-09     Day 3: 5   12-05
9.  Jordan Lee             Cullman, AL             15  48-04   95
Day 1: 5   21-06     Day 2: 5   09-04     Day 3: 5   17-10
10. Joseph Webster         Hamilton, AL            15  47-14   94
Day 1: 5   20-15     Day 2: 5   10-15     Day 3: 5   16-00
11. Jacob Powroznik        North Prince George, VA 15  46-14   93  $11,000.00
Day 1: 5   11-08     Day 2: 5   14-01     Day 3: 5   21-05
12. Brandon Lester         Fayetteville, TN        15  45-14   92  $10,000.00
Day 1: 5   21-13     Day 2: 5   11-02     Day 3: 5   12-15
13. Greg Hackney           Gonzales, LA            15  45-08   91  $10,000.00
Day 1: 5   13-00     Day 2: 5   13-06     Day 3: 5   19-02
14. Michael Iaconelli      Pitts Grove, NJ         15  45-07   90  $10,000.00
Day 1: 5   13-05     Day 2: 5   16-07     Day 3: 5   15-11
15. John Cox               Debary, FL              15  45-00   89  $10,000.00
Day 1: 5   22-05     Day 2: 5   07-07     Day 3: 5   15-04
16. Kyle Norsetter         Cottage Grove, WI       15  44-14   88  $10,000.00
Day 1: 5   17-06     Day 2: 5   15-13     Day 3: 5   11-11
17. David Gaston           Sylacauga, AL           15  43-09   87  $10,000.00
Day 1: 5   20-03     Day 2: 5   11-05     Day 3: 5   12-01
18. Kyle Patrick           Cooperstown, NY         15  42-06   86  $10,000.00
Day 1: 5   12-06     Day 2: 5   13-09     Day 3: 5   16-07
19. Austin Felix           Eden Prairie, MN        15  42-04   85  $11,000.00
Day 1: 5   12-07     Day 2: 5   19-07     Day 3: 5   10-06
20. Rick Clunn             Ava, MO                 15  42-04   84  $10,000.00
Day 1: 5   13-01     Day 2: 5   15-12     Day 3: 5   13-07
21. Brock Mosley           Collinsville, MS        15  41-01   83  $10,000.00
Day 1: 5   19-11     Day 2: 5   13-00     Day 3: 5   08-06
22. Paul Mueller           Naugatuck, CT           15  40-09   82  $10,500.00
Day 1: 5   17-13     Day 2: 5   17-00     Day 3: 5   05-12
23. Cody Huff              Ava, MO                 15  40-07   81  $10,000.00
Day 1: 5   17-03     Day 2: 5   09-14     Day 3: 5   13-06
24. Chris Johnston         Otonabee Ontario CANADA 15  40-04   80  $10,000.00
Day 1: 5   14-12     Day 2: 5   17-01     Day 3: 5   08-07
25. Logan Latuso           Gonzales, LA            15  40-04   79  $10,000.00
Day 1: 5   14-13     Day 2: 5   13-00     Day 3: 5   12-07
26. Justin Hamner          Northport, AL           15  40-03   78  $10,000.00
Day 1: 5   12-14     Day 2: 5   14-10     Day 3: 5   12-11
27. Lee Livesay            Longview, TX            15  39-12   77  $10,000.00
Day 1: 5   14-04     Day 2: 5   15-09     Day 3: 5   09-15
28. Timothy Dube           Nashua , NH             15  39-11   76  $10,000.00
Day 1: 5   18-02     Day 2: 5   09-13     Day 3: 5   11-12
29. Steve Kennedy          Auburn, AL              14  39-02   75  $10,000.00
Day 1: 5   15-09     Day 2: 4   07-12     Day 3: 5   15-13
30. Hank Cherry Jr         Lincolnton, NC          15  39-00   74  $10,000.00
Day 1: 5   15-12     Day 2: 5   10-08     Day 3: 5   12-12
31. Mike Huff              London, KY              15  38-08   73  $10,000.00
Day 1: 5   15-09     Day 2: 5   10-01     Day 3: 5   12-14
32. Jeff Gustafson         Kenora, ON Ontario CANA 15  38-01   72  $10,000.00
Day 1: 5   14-05     Day 2: 5   14-03     Day 3: 5   09-09
33. Will Davis Jr          Sylacauga, AL           15  37-00   71  $10,000.00
Day 1: 5   10-07     Day 2: 5   17-12     Day 3: 5   08-13
34. Jake Whitaker          Hendersonville, NC      15  36-15   70  $10,000.00
Day 1: 5   14-05     Day 2: 5   14-09     Day 3: 5   08-01
35. Bryant Smith           Roseville, CA           15  36-11   69  $10,000.00
Day 1: 5   14-13     Day 2: 5   09-11     Day 3: 5   12-03
36. Alex Redwine           Blue Ash, OH            15  36-06   68  $10,000.00
Day 1: 5   11-00     Day 2: 5   15-10     Day 3: 5   09-12
37. Carl Jocumsen          Queensland TN AUSTRALIA 14  35-15   67  $10,000.00
Day 1: 5   10-08     Day 2: 5   13-05     Day 3: 4   12-02
38. Jacob Foutz            Charleston, TN          15  35-12   66  $10,000.00
Day 1: 5   09-13     Day 2: 5   14-02     Day 3: 5   11-13
39. Hunter Shryock         Ooltewah, TN            15  35-01   65  $10,000.00
Day 1: 5   11-02     Day 2: 5   15-00     Day 3: 5   08-15
40. Robert Gee             Knoxville, TN           15  34-13   64  $10,000.00
Day 1: 5   14-08     Day 2: 5   10-06     Day 3: 5   09-15
41. Drew Cook              Cairo, GA               15  34-12   63  $10,000.00
Day 1: 5   09-05     Day 2: 5   14-03     Day 3: 5   11-04
42. Koby Kreiger           Alva, FL                15  34-10   62  $10,000.00
Day 1: 5   06-09     Day 2: 5   19-14     Day 3: 5   08-03
43. Cory Johnston          Otonabee CANADA         15  34-10   61  $10,000.00
Day 1: 5   12-06     Day 2: 5   12-13     Day 3: 5   09-07
44. Alex Wetherell         Middletown, CT          15  34-03   60  $10,000.00
Day 1: 5   11-00     Day 2: 5   12-01     Day 3: 5   11-02
45. Brandon Card           Salisbury, NC           15  33-10   59  $10,000.00
Day 1: 5   13-15     Day 2: 5   12-11     Day 3: 5   07-00
46. Clark Wendlandt        Leander, TX             15  32-03   58  $10,000.00
Day 1: 5   06-14     Day 2: 5   16-07     Day 3: 5   08-14
47. Todd Auten             Clover, SC              15  32-03   57  $10,000.00
Day 1: 5   12-11     Day 2: 5   12-07     Day 3: 5   07-01
48. David Mullins          Mt Carmel, TN           14  30-05   56  $10,000.00
Day 1: 5   14-02     Day 2: 5   11-03     Day 3: 4   05-00
49. Jonathan Kelley        Old Forge, PA           14  30-02   55  $10,000.00
Day 1: 4   12-08     Day 2: 5   10-08     Day 3: 5   07-02
50. Wes Logan              Springville, AL         14  29-08   54  $10,000.00
Day 1: 5   15-13     Day 2: 5   08-04     Day 3: 4   05-07
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

PHOENIX BOATS BIG BASS
Day
1   Paul Mueller             Naugatuck, CT       07-14        $500.00
1   Brad Whatley             Bivins, TX          07-14        $500.00
2   Austin Felix             Eden Prairie, MN    08-07      $1,000.00
3   Jacob Powroznik          North Prince George, VA10-08      $1,000.00

-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Totals
Day   #Limits    #Fish      Weight
1        95       499      1248-05
2        97       499      1168-05
3        47       247       609-04
----------------------------------
239      1245      3025-14

by AnglersChannel

Garrett fishes the familiar to retain lead in Bassmaster Elite Series event at Harris Chain of Lakes

April 13, 2024

Garrett fishes the familiar to retain lead in Bassmaster Elite Series event at Harris Chain of Lakes 

LEESBURG, Fla. — More than 800 miles separate John Garrett’s home in Union City, Tenn., from Leesburg, Fla., but the Elite rookie said he feels like he’s fishing at home.

Leveraging the confidence and comfort born of such familiarity, Garrett sacked a Day 2 limit of 19 pounds, 13 ounces to retain the lead in the Lowrance Bassmaster Elite at the Harris Chain of Lakes with a two-day total of 43-15.

Building on his Day 1 limit of 24-2 — the event’s heaviest bag — Garrett heads into Semifinal Sunday with a lead of 5-2 over Brad Whatley of Bivins, Texas.

“The good Lord has absolutely blessed me the past two days,” Garrett said. “I got some good bites and I really didn’t expect this whatsoever. I’m fishing the way that I grew up fishing and the way I love to fish.

“I hope I can get five, maybe 10 more of the right ones.”

Drawing on his lifetime of fishing Tennessee River shellbars, Garrett focused most of his effort on a 75-yard stretch of Harris Chain mussels in about 12 feet of water. On the same spot that yielded his first-round weight, postspawn bass were mixing with tilapia and running up and down the bar.

“Like yesterday, from 10 to 1 is the sweet time,” Garrett said. “Today, at 1 o’clock, the wind slicked off and I did not get another bite. Today, the fish were there better — I could see them on my Humminbird 360 — I just could not catch them.

“I’m just covering as much water as I can in that zone and making as many casts as I can.”

Garrett started his day on a limit spot to settle his nerves by putting five small keepers in the boat. After that, he hunkered down on his main area and diligently picked it apart with crankbaits, including a Strike King 5XD.

“Once I knew I’d made the Day 3 cut (on the limit spot), I spent all day on my big-fish area,” Garrett said. “I got six big bites and I caught two of them. I had the bites to maybe have a little more weight today, I just couldn’t get them in the boat.

“There’s not a lot of fish there and when I get them to bite, it’s a reaction. I’m getting most of them on the bait’s back hook.”

Garrett said he’s committed to his game plan for at least one more day. He might show his big fish a broader selection of baits, including single-hook plastics, but he believes his best shot at winning awaits on that shellbar.

“I don’t know how Sunday’s going to play out,” Garrett said. “I’ll probably start on my limit hole, fish for an hour and then head over to my big-fish place and stay all day.”

Whatley placed second with 38-13. After placing third on Day 1 with 22 pounds, he added 16-13.

On Day 1, Whatley found a 7-14 and a 7-12 on the same spot. He tried that area again, but found no second-round additions. Changing areas, he fished multiple spots and found his bites in a consistent shallow water scenario.

“I know what I’m looking for now, so when I’m running down the lake and I see what I like, I’ll shut it down and go over there,” Whatley said. “It’s just where the fish are setting up — and it changes.

“In the morning time, they’re in certain areas and, as the day goes on, they change up a little bit. I think the bait has a lot to do with it. The bait’s moving around and they’re just following that bait.”

Reflecting on his second-round experience, Whatley said he’s optimistic that he’s even more dialed in than he was on Day 1. He’ll pursue the same general game plan, in hopes of earning a spot in Championship Monday’s Top 10 field.

“I figured some stuff out late in the day and I’m pretty excited about it,” Whatley said. “I feel like everything I’m doing is the right move and that doesn’t come around very often.”

Ed Loughran III of Richmond, Va., placed third with 37-12. After placing 15th on Day 1 with 17-3, Loughran added 20-9 — the second day’s only bag over 20 pounds.

Loughran anchored his Day 2 limit with a late-day kicker — a 7-15 that bit just minutes before 3 o’clock.

“I had a good bag before, but that fish bumped me up to a different level,” Loughran said. “I caught that fish on a brushpile in 12 feet of water that I had found (during a previous visit to the Harris Chain).”

Describing the course that led him to his biggest bass in two days, Loughran attributed his success to a change of game plan.

“It was a strange day; I had plans to do one thing and I ended up doing the exact opposite,” he said. “I had a late boat number today and after going to Lake Apopka yesterday and flipping with 65-pound braid, I stayed in Harris, Eustis and Dora and fished brushpiles with a drop shot with a Missile Baits Magic Worm.”

As Loughran explained, when he reached the 14-pound mark, he had intended to return to Apopka. However, catching a 5-pounder around 10 o’clock convinced him to stay.

“I knew I was going to make the Top 50 cut at that point,” Loughran said. “Without that 5-pounder, I would not have caught that (7-15).”

Austin Felix of Eden Prairie, Minn., is in the lead for Phoenix Boats Big Bass honors with an 8-7.

Rookie Trey McKinney of Carbondale, Ill., leads the Progressive Insurance Bassmaster Angler of the Year points standings with 294 points. Tyler Williams of Belgrade, Maine, is in second with 282, followed by Jordan Lee of Cullman, Ala., with 271, Justin Hamner of Northport, Ala., with 268, and JT Thompkins of Myrtle Beach, S.C., with 265.

McKinney and Williams also lead the race for Dakota Lithium Bassmaster Rookie of the Year.

Sunday’s takeoff is scheduled for 7 a.m. ET from Venetian Gardens (Ski Beach). The weigh-in will be held at the Ski Beach at 3 p.m.

Follow all the action on FS1from 8-11 a.m. and on Bassmaster.com from 11 a.m.-3 p.m.

The event is being hosted by the Greater Orlando Sports Commission.

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

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

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

-30-

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Media Contact: Chad Gay, Communications Manager, 865-201-6458, cgay@bassmaster.com

2024 Lowrance Bassmaster Elite at Harris Chain 4/12-4/15
Harris Chain Of Lakes, Leesburg  FL.
(PROFESSIONAL) Standings Day 2

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

1.  John Garrett           Union City, TN          10  43-15  103
Day 1: 5   24-02     Day 2: 5   19-13
2.  Brad Whatley           Bivins, TX              10  38-13  102
Day 1: 5   22-00     Day 2: 5   16-13
3.  Ed Loughran III        Richmond, VA            10  37-12  101
Day 1: 5   17-03     Day 2: 5   20-09
4.  JT Thompkins           Myrtle Beach, SC        10  36-12  100
Day 1: 5   19-11     Day 2: 5   17-01
5.  Trey McKinney          Carbondale, IL          10  35-00   99
Day 1: 5   17-14     Day 2: 5   17-02
6.  Paul Mueller           Naugatuck, CT           10  34-13   98
Day 1: 5   17-13     Day 2: 5   17-00
7.  Tyler Williams         Belgrade, ME            10  34-11   97
Day 1: 5   17-02     Day 2: 5   17-09
8.  KJ Queen               Catawba, NC             10  34-07   96
Day 1: 5   19-00     Day 2: 5   15-07
9.  Kyle Norsetter         Cottage Grove, WI       10  33-03   95
Day 1: 5   17-06     Day 2: 5   15-13
10. Brandon Lester         Fayetteville, TN        10  32-15   94
Day 1: 5   21-13     Day 2: 5   11-02
11. Jason Christie         Dry Creek, OK           10  32-13   93
Day 1: 5   14-06     Day 2: 5   18-07
12. Brock Mosley           Collinsville, MS        10  32-11   92
Day 1: 5   19-11     Day 2: 5   13-00
13. Joseph Webster         Hamilton, AL            10  31-14   91
Day 1: 5   20-15     Day 2: 5   10-15
14. Austin Felix           Eden Prairie, MN        10  31-14   90
Day 1: 5   12-07     Day 2: 5   19-07
15. Chris Johnston         Otonabee Ontario CANADA 10  31-13   89
Day 1: 5   14-12     Day 2: 5   17-01
16. David Gaston           Sylacauga, AL           10  31-08   88
Day 1: 5   20-03     Day 2: 5   11-05
17. Jordan Lee             Cullman, AL             10  30-10   87
Day 1: 5   21-06     Day 2: 5   09-04
18. Lee Livesay            Longview, TX            10  29-13   86
Day 1: 5   14-04     Day 2: 5   15-09
19. John Cox               Debary, FL              10  29-12   85
Day 1: 5   22-05     Day 2: 5   07-07
20. Michael Iaconelli      Pitts Grove, NJ         10  29-12   84
Day 1: 5   13-05     Day 2: 5   16-07
21. Jake Whitaker          Hendersonville, NC      10  28-14   83
Day 1: 5   14-05     Day 2: 5   14-09
22. Rick Clunn             Ava, MO                 10  28-13   82
Day 1: 5   13-01     Day 2: 5   15-12
23. Jeff Gustafson         Kenora, ON Ontario CANA 10  28-08   81
Day 1: 5   14-05     Day 2: 5   14-03
24. Will Davis Jr          Sylacauga, AL           10  28-03   80
Day 1: 5   10-07     Day 2: 5   17-12
25. Timothy Dube           Nashua , NH             10  27-15   79
Day 1: 5   18-02     Day 2: 5   09-13
26. Logan Latuso           Gonzales, LA            10  27-13   78
Day 1: 5   14-13     Day 2: 5   13-00
27. Justin Hamner          Northport, AL           10  27-08   77
Day 1: 5   12-14     Day 2: 5   14-10
28. Cody Huff              Ava, MO                 10  27-01   76
Day 1: 5   17-03     Day 2: 5   09-14
29. Alex Redwine           Blue Ash, OH            10  26-10   75
Day 1: 5   11-00     Day 2: 5   15-10
30. Brandon Card           Salisbury, NC           10  26-10   74
Day 1: 5   13-15     Day 2: 5   12-11
31. Koby Kreiger           Alva, FL                10  26-07   73
Day 1: 5   06-09     Day 2: 5   19-14
32. Greg Hackney           Gonzales, LA            10  26-06   72
Day 1: 5   13-00     Day 2: 5   13-06
33. Hank Cherry Jr         Lincolnton, NC          10  26-04   71
Day 1: 5   15-12     Day 2: 5   10-08
34. Hunter Shryock         Ooltewah, TN            10  26-02   70
Day 1: 5   11-02     Day 2: 5   15-00
35. Kyle Patrick           Cooperstown, NY         10  25-15   69
Day 1: 5   12-06     Day 2: 5   13-09
36. Mike Huff              London, KY              10  25-10   68
Day 1: 5   15-09     Day 2: 5   10-01
37. Jacob Powroznik        North Prince George, VA 10  25-09   67
Day 1: 5   11-08     Day 2: 5   14-01
38. David Mullins          Mt Carmel, TN           10  25-05   66
Day 1: 5   14-02     Day 2: 5   11-03
39. Cory Johnston          Otonabee CANADA         10  25-03   65
Day 1: 5   12-06     Day 2: 5   12-13
40. Todd Auten             Clover, SC              10  25-02   64
Day 1: 5   12-11     Day 2: 5   12-07
41. Robert Gee             Knoxville, TN           10  24-14   63
Day 1: 5   14-08     Day 2: 5   10-06
42. Bryant Smith           Roseville, CA           10  24-08   62
Day 1: 5   14-13     Day 2: 5   09-11
43. Wes Logan              Springville, AL         10  24-01   61
Day 1: 5   15-13     Day 2: 5   08-04
44. Jacob Foutz            Charleston, TN          10  23-15   60
Day 1: 5   09-13     Day 2: 5   14-02
45. Carl Jocumsen          Queensland TN AUSTRALIA 10  23-13   59
Day 1: 5   10-08     Day 2: 5   13-05
46. Drew Cook              Cairo, GA               10  23-08   58
Day 1: 5   09-05     Day 2: 5   14-03
47. Clark Wendlandt        Leander, TX             10  23-05   57
Day 1: 5   06-14     Day 2: 5   16-07
48. Steve Kennedy          Auburn, AL               9  23-05   56
Day 1: 5   15-09     Day 2: 4   07-12
49. Alex Wetherell         Middletown, CT          10  23-01   55
Day 1: 5   11-00     Day 2: 5   12-01
50. Jonathan Kelley        Old Forge, PA            9  23-00   54
Day 1: 4   12-08     Day 2: 5   10-08
51. Clifford Pirch         Payson, AZ              10  22-15   53
Day 1: 5   12-03     Day 2: 5   10-12
52. Chris Zaldain          Fort Worth, TX          10  22-13   52
Day 1: 5   10-07     Day 2: 5   12-06
53. Marc Frazier           Newnan, GA              10  22-12   51
Day 1: 5   11-11     Day 2: 5   11-01
54. Matt Arey              Shelby, NC              10  22-10   50
Day 1: 5   12-02     Day 2: 5   10-08
55. Stetson Blaylock       Benton, AR              10  22-06   49
Day 1: 5   13-04     Day 2: 5   09-02
56. Bill Lowen             Brookville, IN          10  22-05   48
Day 1: 5   08-15     Day 2: 5   13-06
57. John Soukup            Sapulpa, OK             10  22-00   47
Day 1: 5   08-15     Day 2: 5   13-01
58. Mark Menendez          Paducah, KY             10  22-00   46
Day 1: 5   11-04     Day 2: 5   10-12
59. Tyler Rivet            Raceland, LA            10  22-00   45
Day 1: 5   10-15     Day 2: 5   11-01
60. Chad Pipkens           Dewitt, MI              10  21-15   44
Day 1: 5   13-00     Day 2: 5   08-15
61. Jay Przekurat          Plover, WI              10  21-12   43
Day 1: 5   13-11     Day 2: 5   08-01
62. Patrick Walters        Eutawville, SC          10  21-11   42
Day 1: 5   14-08     Day 2: 5   07-03
63. Kyle Welcher           Valley, AL              10  21-10   41
Day 1: 5   10-00     Day 2: 5   11-10
64. Kenta Kimura           Osaka OK JAPAN          10  21-09   40
Day 1: 5   08-04     Day 2: 5   13-05
65. Kyoya Fujita           Yamanashi CA JAPAN      10  21-09   39
Day 1: 5   10-03     Day 2: 5   11-06
66. Brandon Cobb           Greenwood, SC           10  21-06   38
Day 1: 5   11-14     Day 2: 5   09-08
67. Shane LeHew            Catawba, NC             10  20-07   37
Day 1: 5   12-10     Day 2: 5   07-13
68. Cliff Prince           Palatka, FL             10  20-07   36
Day 1: 5   12-05     Day 2: 5   08-02
69. Matty Wong             Honolulu, HI            10  20-06   35
Day 1: 5   12-15     Day 2: 5   07-07
70. Scott Martin           Clewiston, FL           10  20-06   34
Day 1: 5   12-08     Day 2: 5   07-14
71. Pat Schlapper          Eleva, WI               10  20-06   33
Day 1: 5   11-02     Day 2: 5   09-04
72. Logan Parks            Auburn, AL              10  20-06   32
Day 1: 5   11-01     Day 2: 5   09-05
73. Frank Talley           Belton, TX              10  19-15   31
Day 1: 5   07-14     Day 2: 5   12-01
74. Drew Benton            Panama City, FL         10  19-15   30
Day 1: 5   11-10     Day 2: 5   08-05
75. Caleb Kuphall          Mukwonago, WI            8  19-12   29
Day 1: 3   04-08     Day 2: 5   15-04
76. Keith Combs            Huntington, TX          10  19-09   28
Day 1: 5   10-04     Day 2: 5   09-05
77. Ray Hanselman Jr       Del Rio, TX             10  19-07   27
Day 1: 5   08-08     Day 2: 5   10-15
78. Matt Herren            Ashville, AL            10  19-05   26
Day 1: 5   09-00     Day 2: 5   10-05
79. Jamie Hartman          Newport, NY             10  19-00   25
Day 1: 5   06-14     Day 2: 5   12-02
80. Justin Atkins          Florence, AL            10  18-12   24
Day 1: 5   10-01     Day 2: 5   08-11
81. Seth Feider            New Market, MN          10  18-07   23
Day 1: 5   06-10     Day 2: 5   11-13
82. Gerald Swindle         Guntersville, AL        10  18-02   22
Day 1: 5   07-08     Day 2: 5   10-10
83. Cooper Gallant         Bowmanville Ontario CAN 10  17-13   21
Day 1: 5   08-13     Day 2: 5   09-00
84. Bryan Schmitt          Deale, MD               10  17-12   20
Day 1: 5   11-15     Day 2: 5   05-13
85. Caleb Sumrall          New Iberia, LA           9  17-05   19
Day 1: 5   11-10     Day 2: 4   05-11
86. Bryan New              Leesville, SC           10  17-03   18
Day 1: 5   09-00     Day 2: 5   08-03
87. Gregory DiPalma        Millville, NJ           10  16-15   17
Day 1: 5   10-09     Day 2: 5   06-06
88. Wesley Gore            Clanton, AL             10  16-14   16
Day 1: 5   09-09     Day 2: 5   07-05
89. Luke Palmer            Coalgate, OK            10  16-14   15
Day 1: 5   08-05     Day 2: 5   08-09
90. John Crews Jr          Salem, VA               10  16-13   14
Day 1: 5   09-01     Day 2: 5   07-12
91. Clent Davis            Montevallo, AL          10  16-13   13
Day 1: 5   08-13     Day 2: 5   08-00
92. Cole Sands             Calhoun , TN            10  16-11   12
Day 1: 5   08-11     Day 2: 5   08-00
93. Taku Ito               Dalton GA JAPAN          9  16-09   11
Day 1: 4   04-09     Day 2: 5   12-00
94. Buddy Gross            Chattanooga, TN         10  16-04   10
Day 1: 5   10-15     Day 2: 5   05-05
95. Brandon Palaniuk       Rathdrum, ID            10  15-11    9
Day 1: 5   09-01     Day 2: 5   06-10
96. Jason Williamson       Aiken, SC                9  14-14    8
Day 1: 4   04-12     Day 2: 5   10-02
97. Joey Cifuentes III     Clinton, AR              7  14-09    7
Day 1: 2   03-07     Day 2: 5   11-02
98. Bernie Schultz         Gainesville, FL         10  14-00    6
Day 1: 5   04-14     Day 2: 5   09-02
99. Derek Hudnall          Zachary, LA             10  12-13    5
Day 1: 5   07-00     Day 2: 5   05-13
100. Ben Milliken           New Caney, TX            8  10-09    4
Day 1: 4   05-11     Day 2: 4   04-14
101. Scott Canterbury       Odenville, AL            7  09-05    3
Day 1: 5   06-10     Day 2: 2   02-11
102. Matt Robertson         Kuttawa, KY              3  04-15    2
Day 1: 3   04-15     Day 2: 0   00-00
103. Bob Downey             Detroit Lakes, MN        0  00-00    0
Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 0   00-00
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

PHOENIX BOATS BIG BASS
Day
1   Paul Mueller             Naugatuck, CT       07-14          $0.00
1   Brad Whatley             Bivins, TX          07-14          $0.00
2   Austin Felix             Eden Prairie, MN    08-07          $0.00

-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Totals
Day   #Limits    #Fish      Weight
1        95       499      1248-05
2        97       499      1168-05
----------------------------------
192       998      2416-10

by AnglersChannel

Garrett’s gamble delivers Day 1 lead at Bassmaster Elite Series event on Harris Chain of Lakes

April 12, 2024

Garrett’s gamble delivers Day 1 lead at Bassmaster Elite Series event on Harris Chain of Lakes 

LEESBURG, Fla. — The combination of quantity and quality define bass tournament success, and John Garrett gladly sacrificed the former for the latter’s potential.

The Tennessee angler’s decision paid big dividends with a five-bass limit of 24 pounds, 2 ounces, which leads Day 1 of the Lowrance Bassmaster Elite at Harris Chain of Lakes.

“I only got seven bites today, but they were the right ones,” Garrett said. “This was a totally blessed day.”

After extreme weather postponed Thursday’s scheduled start, anglers fished under clear, sunny postfrontal conditions. Thankfully the front did not significantly drop air and water temperatures.

More importantly, the fish Garrett found in practice held their ground.

“I kinda gambled today; I went to an area that I knew had the right size fish in it,” he said. “There aren’t many fish there and they’re extremely hard to catch.”

Garrett said he made a long run from the take-off site on Lake Harris’ northwestern corner. The round-trip journey burned a big chunk of his day, but he said it was a calculated risk.

“It was so tough everywhere else, I knew if I caught one fish there, it would equal two or three of the fish I was catching (elsewhere in practice),” he said. “I knew if I could catch two or three fish on the spot I ran to, I’d have the right ones.

“The size is there. I know the winning caliber of fish are there; it’s just getting some of them in the boat.”

The bass Garrett targeted were patrolling shell bottom, often running with tilapia. A mix of reaction baits earned his bites.

“There was a lot of clear water in this area,” Garrett said. “Those fish were just cruising and when they’d swim through, you might catch one, you might not.”

Garrett said he believes he was catching fish that had spawned several months ago.

“These fish have had a lot of time to recover,” he said. “They’re the healthiest fish I’ve seen on the chain.”

Garrett said he committed to his game plan fully expecting a tedious day. The pace, however, became more stressful than he’d anticipated.

“I didn’t have a fish at 10 o’clock today,” Garrett said. “I caught all of my fish between 10 and 1. I had a bite about every hour.”

As for Round 2, Garrett said he’ll return to his sweet spot in hopes of grinding out another good bag.

John Cox of DeBary, Fla., is in second place with 22-5. Sampling several lakes, he settled into one location and channeled lessons from his early instructor to sack up three big bass in a 20-foot section of Kissimmee grass.

“I grew up here fishing with (the late) Joe Kremer and he pretty much taught me how to fish the Harris Chain,” Cox said. “It was unreal today, I pulled into an area and I was like, ‘Joe always used to catch a couple here.’

“I caught a good one and for some reason, in my head, it was where I remember seeing him make a flip. I ended up catching two more big ones on that spot.”

Cox caught all of his bass on a Texas-rigged Berkley MaxScent The General in the tilapia color.

Brad Whatley of Bivins, Texas, is in third place with 22 pounds. His day started with a big bite, but he then endured a painfully slow morning, before returning to the scene of his early success for a second helping.

“I caught a big one that weighed 7-14 at 8:30 and I did not catch another fish until probably 11,” Whatley said. “I swapped lakes and filled out my limit. Then I came back to where I caught that first big one and caught a 7-12.”

Using a mix of reaction baits and slow presentations, Whatley said he was catching postspawn fish that were holding in grass that was 4 to 7 feet deep. During practice, he caught a 5-pounder on his main spot, but he said catching two nearly 8-pounders in competition was a pleasant surprise.

“That’s typical Florida fishing — a big fish goes a long way,” Whatley said. “I was just fortunate enough to get two good ones.

“I know there are some more there. I had one more giant (hooked) and I didn’t get him.”

Whatley and Paul Mueller of Naugatuck, Conn., share the lead for Phoenix Boats Big Bass honors, each with a 7-14.

Rookie Trey McKinney of Carbondale, Ill., leads the Progressive Insurance Bassmaster Angler of the Year race with 287 points. Jordan Lee of Cullman, Ala., is in second with 283, followed by Patrick Walters of Summerville, S.C., with 273, Tyler Williams of Belgrade, Maine, with 272, and J.T. Thompkins of Myrtle Beach, S.C., with 261.

Saturday’s takeoff is scheduled for 7 a.m. ET at Venetian Gardens (Ski Beach). The weigh-in will be held at the Ski Beach at 3 p.m.

Follow all the action on FS1 from 7:30-10:30 a.m. and on Bassmaster.com from 10:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. ET. On Semifinal Sunday, watch live coverage on FS1from 8-11 a.m. and on Bassmaster.com from 11 a.m.-3 p.m.

The event is being hosted by the Greater Orlando Sports Commission.

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

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

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

-30-

Connect with #Bassmaster on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and TikTok.

Media Contact: Chad Gay, Communications Manager, 865-201-6458, cgay@bassmaster.com

2024 Lowrance Bassmaster Elite at Harris Chain 4/12-4/15
Harris Chain Of Lakes, Leesburg  FL.
(PROFESSIONAL) Standings Day 1

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

1.  John Garrett           Union City, TN           5  24-02  103
Day 1: 5   24-02
2.  John Cox               Debary, FL               5  22-05  102
Day 1: 5   22-05
3.  Brad Whatley           Bivins, TX               5  22-00  101
Day 1: 5   22-00
4.  Brandon Lester         Fayetteville, TN         5  21-13  100
Day 1: 5   21-13
5.  Jordan Lee             Cullman, AL              5  21-06   99
Day 1: 5   21-06
6.  Joseph Webster         Hamilton, AL             5  20-15   98
Day 1: 5   20-15
7.  David Gaston           Sylacauga, AL            5  20-03   97
Day 1: 5   20-03
8.  Brock Mosley           Collinsville, MS         5  19-11   96
Day 1: 5   19-11
8.  JT Thompkins           Myrtle Beach, SC         5  19-11   96
Day 1: 5   19-11
10. KJ Queen               Catawba, NC              5  19-00   94
Day 1: 5   19-00
11. Timothy Dube           Nashua , NH              5  18-02   93
Day 1: 5   18-02
12. Trey McKinney          Carbondale, IL           5  17-14   92
Day 1: 5   17-14
13. Paul Mueller           Naugatuck, CT            5  17-13   91
Day 1: 5   17-13
14. Kyle Norsetter         Cottage Grove, WI        5  17-06   90
Day 1: 5   17-06
15. Cody Huff              Ava, MO                  5  17-03   89
Day 1: 5   17-03
15. Ed Loughran III        Richmond, VA             5  17-03   89
Day 1: 5   17-03
17. Tyler Williams         Belgrade, ME             5  17-02   87
Day 1: 5   17-02
18. Wes Logan              Springville, AL          5  15-13   86
Day 1: 5   15-13
19. Hank Cherry Jr         Lincolnton, NC           5  15-12   85
Day 1: 5   15-12
20. Mike Huff              London, KY               5  15-09   84
Day 1: 5   15-09
20. Steve Kennedy          Auburn, AL               5  15-09   84
Day 1: 5   15-09
22. Logan Latuso           Gonzales, LA             5  14-13   82
Day 1: 5   14-13
22. Bryant Smith           Roseville, CA            5  14-13   82
Day 1: 5   14-13
24. Chris Johnston         Otonabee Ontario CANADA  5  14-12   80
Day 1: 5   14-12
25. Robert Gee             Knoxville, TN            5  14-08   79
Day 1: 5   14-08
25. Patrick Walters        Eutawville, SC           5  14-08   79
Day 1: 5   14-08
27. Jason Christie         Dry Creek, OK            5  14-06   77
Day 1: 5   14-06
28. Jeff Gustafson         Kenora, ON Ontario CANA  5  14-05   76
Day 1: 5   14-05
28. Jake Whitaker          Hendersonville, NC       5  14-05   76
Day 1: 5   14-05
30. Lee Livesay            Longview, TX             5  14-04   74
Day 1: 5   14-04
31. David Mullins          Mt Carmel, TN            5  14-02   73
Day 1: 5   14-02
32. Brandon Card           Salisbury, NC            5  13-15   72
Day 1: 5   13-15
33. Jay Przekurat          Plover, WI               5  13-11   71
Day 1: 5   13-11
34. Michael Iaconelli      Pitts Grove, NJ          5  13-05   70
Day 1: 5   13-05
35. Stetson Blaylock       Benton, AR               5  13-04   69
Day 1: 5   13-04
36. Rick Clunn             Ava, MO                  5  13-01   68
Day 1: 5   13-01
37. Greg Hackney           Gonzales, LA             5  13-00   67
Day 1: 5   13-00
37. Chad Pipkens           Dewitt, MI               5  13-00   67
Day 1: 5   13-00
39. Matty Wong             Honolulu, HI             5  12-15   65
Day 1: 5   12-15
40. Justin Hamner          Northport, AL            5  12-14   64
Day 1: 5   12-14
41. Todd Auten             Clover, SC               5  12-11   63
Day 1: 5   12-11
42. Shane LeHew            Catawba, NC              5  12-10   62
Day 1: 5   12-10
43. Scott Martin           Clewiston, FL            5  12-08   61
Day 1: 5   12-08
44. Jonathan Kelley        Old Forge, PA            4  12-08   60
Day 1: 4   12-08
45. Austin Felix           Eden Prairie, MN         5  12-07   59
Day 1: 5   12-07
46. Cory Johnston          Otonabee CANADA          5  12-06   58
Day 1: 5   12-06
46. Kyle Patrick           Cooperstown, NY          5  12-06   58
Day 1: 5   12-06
48. Cliff Prince           Palatka, FL              5  12-05   56
Day 1: 5   12-05
49. Clifford Pirch         Payson, AZ               5  12-03   55
Day 1: 5   12-03
50. Matt Arey              Shelby, NC               5  12-02   54
Day 1: 5   12-02
51. Bryan Schmitt          Deale, MD                5  11-15   53
Day 1: 5   11-15
52. Brandon Cobb           Greenwood, SC            5  11-14   52
Day 1: 5   11-14
53. Marc Frazier           Newnan, GA               5  11-11   51
Day 1: 5   11-11
54. Drew Benton            Panama City, FL          5  11-10   50
Day 1: 5   11-10
54. Caleb Sumrall          New Iberia, LA           5  11-10   50
Day 1: 5   11-10
56. Jacob Powroznik        North Prince George, VA  5  11-08   48
Day 1: 5   11-08
57. Mark Menendez          Paducah, KY              5  11-04   47
Day 1: 5   11-04
58. Pat Schlapper          Eleva, WI                5  11-02   46
Day 1: 5   11-02
58. Hunter Shryock         Ooltewah, TN             5  11-02   46
Day 1: 5   11-02
60. Logan Parks            Auburn, AL               5  11-01   44
Day 1: 5   11-01
61. Alex Redwine           Blue Ash, OH             5  11-00   43
Day 1: 5   11-00
61. Alex Wetherell         Middletown, CT           5  11-00   43
Day 1: 5   11-00
63. Buddy Gross            Chattanooga, TN          5  10-15   41
Day 1: 5   10-15
63. Tyler Rivet            Raceland, LA             5  10-15   41
Day 1: 5   10-15
65. Gregory DiPalma        Millville, NJ            5  10-09   39
Day 1: 5   10-09
66. Carl Jocumsen          Queensland TN AUSTRALIA  5  10-08   38
Day 1: 5   10-08
67. Will Davis Jr          Sylacauga, AL            5  10-07   37
Day 1: 5   10-07
67. Chris Zaldain          Fort Worth, TX           5  10-07   37
Day 1: 5   10-07
69. Keith Combs            Huntington, TX           5  10-04   35
Day 1: 5   10-04
70. Kyoya Fujita           Yamanashi CA JAPAN       5  10-03   34
Day 1: 5   10-03
71. Justin Atkins          Florence, AL             5  10-01   33
Day 1: 5   10-01
72. Kyle Welcher           Valley, AL               5  10-00   32
Day 1: 5   10-00
73. Jacob Foutz            Charleston, TN           5  09-13   31
Day 1: 5   09-13
74. Wesley Gore            Clanton, AL              5  09-09   30
Day 1: 5   09-09
75. Drew Cook              Cairo, GA                5  09-05   29
Day 1: 5   09-05
76. John Crews Jr          Salem, VA                5  09-01   28
Day 1: 5   09-01
76. Brandon Palaniuk       Rathdrum, ID             5  09-01   28
Day 1: 5   09-01
78. Matt Herren            Ashville, AL             5  09-00   26
Day 1: 5   09-00
78. Bryan New              Leesville, SC            5  09-00   26
Day 1: 5   09-00
80. Bill Lowen             Brookville, IN           5  08-15   24
Day 1: 5   08-15
80. John Soukup            Sapulpa, OK              5  08-15   24
Day 1: 5   08-15
82. Clent Davis            Montevallo, AL           5  08-13   22
Day 1: 5   08-13
82. Cooper Gallant         Bowmanville Ontario CAN  5  08-13   22
Day 1: 5   08-13
84. Cole Sands             Calhoun , TN             5  08-11   20
Day 1: 5   08-11
85. Ray Hanselman Jr       Del Rio, TX              5  08-08   19
Day 1: 5   08-08
86. Luke Palmer            Coalgate, OK             5  08-05   18
Day 1: 5   08-05
87. Kenta Kimura           Osaka OK JAPAN           5  08-04   17
Day 1: 5   08-04
88. Frank Talley           Belton, TX               5  07-14   16
Day 1: 5   07-14
89. Gerald Swindle         Guntersville, AL         5  07-08   15
Day 1: 5   07-08
90. Derek Hudnall          Zachary, LA              5  07-00   14
Day 1: 5   07-00
91. Jamie Hartman          Newport, NY              5  06-14   13
Day 1: 5   06-14
91. Clark Wendlandt        Leander, TX              5  06-14   13
Day 1: 5   06-14
93. Scott Canterbury       Odenville, AL            5  06-10   11
Day 1: 5   06-10
93. Seth Feider            New Market, MN           5  06-10   11
Day 1: 5   06-10
95. Koby Kreiger           Alva, FL                 5  06-09    9
Day 1: 5   06-09
96. Ben Milliken           New Caney, TX            4  05-11    8
Day 1: 4   05-11
97. Matt Robertson         Kuttawa, KY              3  04-15    7
Day 1: 3   04-15
98. Bernie Schultz         Gainesville, FL          5  04-14    6
Day 1: 5   04-14
99. Jason Williamson       Aiken, SC                4  04-12    5
Day 1: 4   04-12
100. Taku Ito               Dalton GA JAPAN          4  04-09    4
Day 1: 4   04-09
101. Caleb Kuphall          Mukwonago, WI            3  04-08    3
Day 1: 3   04-08
102. Joey Cifuentes III     Clinton, AR              2  03-07    2
Day 1: 2   03-07
103. Bob Downey             Detroit Lakes, MN        0  00-00    0
Day 1: 0   00-00
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

PHOENIX BOATS BIG BASS
Day
1   Paul Mueller             Naugatuck, CT       07-14          $0.00
1   Brad Whatley             Bivins, TX          07-14          $0.00

-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Totals
Day   #Limits    #Fish      Weight
1        95       499      1248-05
----------------------------------
95       499      1248-05

by AnglersChannel

Johnson scores wire-to-wire win at B.A.S.S. Nation Qualifier at Arkansas River

MUSKOGEE, Okla. —  Enduring a painfully slow day that starkly contrasted the previous activity levels, Chris Johnson’s steadfast belief in his area allowed him to tally a three-day total of 51 pounds, 3 ounces and claim the wire-to-wire win at the Mercury B.A.S.S. Nation Qualifier at the Arkansas River presented by Lowrance.

“Holy cow, this whole week has been unbelievable,” said the Farmington, Ark., angler. “I’ve been at this tournament thing since I was 11 and this is my first major win. I’ve been really close a lot of times.

“I’ve wanted to be here my whole life. You imagine standing here and what you might say, but it just escapes you.”

After taking the early lead with a Day 1 limit of 19-6, Johnson added 17-15 and held on to the top spot. On Championship Friday, he squeaked out a final-round limit of 13-14, edged Blake Capps of Muskogee, Ark., by 1-9, and took home the top prize of $12,065.

The Top 20 anglers qualified for the 2024 Mercury B.A.S.S. Nation Championship presented by Lowrance, scheduled for Grand Lake O’ the Cherokees in Grove, Okla., Nov. 6-8.

Staying true to the game plan that put him in position to win, Johnson returned to the same backwater ponds he fished the first two days. Running a few miles upriver from takeoff, he snuck through breaks in the rock levees to access the protected waters where he targeted prespawn fish.

As Johnson noted, the fish were positioned about the same as the first two days, but the pacing of his five bites stoked his stress level.

“Today was an absolutely nerve-racking day,” he said. “Fishing had been tough and I knew I was fishing for five to six bites a day.

“I got to my area and had the spot all to myself. I fished 1 1/2 hours with no bites. I finally got a bite and it was my biggest fish — a 4-pounder — about 9:30, but then it was back to the grind.”

With no competition, Johnson thought he should have been catching fish more frequently, but he knew the bites would eventually happen, so he kept on track.

He added his second fish around 10, then another at 11. His fourth keeper came at 1 o’clock and his limit-filler bit at 2:30.

“It played out just like it should,” Johnson said. “The first two fish were deeper, but later in the day, the fish moved shallow. I attribute that to a colder morning that slowed down the bite and then, as the day got warmer, the fish moved up closer to the bank.”

Johnson caught all of his fish on a 3/8-ounce tandem Colorado/willow-leaf spinnerbait with a Zoom Split Tail trailer. A chartreuse/white skirt produced earlier in the day, with a shad pattern getting the afternoon work.

“The main thing all week was keeping that retrieve slow,” Johnson said. “I’d cast close to the bank and keep that bait on a slow, steady reel.”

While the pressure of having many friends and family members on site for this event occasionally whispered in his ear, Johnson said his commitment to a game plan ultimately carried him to victory.

“Mainly, it was just being able to settle in one area and keep grinding because I knew there were good fish in there,” he said. “I just kept making passes over good water and I wasn’t preoccupied with other areas.

“When your mind starts wandering, you have to tell yourself to stay there and stay after it.”

Statistically, the most consistent angler in the final field, Capps placed sixth on Day 1 with 16-1 and improved to second with a Day 2 limit of 16-12. Adding a third-round limit of 16-13, he settled in second place with 49-10.

Each day, Capps locked down to the Kerr Pool, where he fished spawning bays with a mix of coontail and reeds. He caught his fish by throwing a Booyah Pad Crasher frog and flipping a YUM Baby Christie Critter.

“I was fishing that frog really fast,” Capps said. “A lot of those fish were bedding and you could get a reaction bite. If they missed, I’d flip in there and a lot of times, I’d catch that fish.”

Capps ended each day by saving about an hour of fishing time for when he locked back up to the Muskogee Pool. There, he’d flip bigger rocks with the Baby Christie Critter, but his biggest fish on Day 2 — a 4-pounder — bit a wacky-rigged YUM Dinger.

Jeremy Norris of Ama, La., placed third with 46-15. His daily weights were 14-5, 18-6 and 14-4.

Spending most of his time in Kerr, Norris focused on the same 200-yard drain all three days. In depths of 2 to 4 feet, he flipped lighter vegetation with a Jaboom Bait Co. Boom Bug.

In thicker mats, he channeled his Louisiana roots and punched a Jaboom Bait Co. Beaver Ball with a 1/2- and 3/4-ounce weight. He used the Cali 420 color in clear areas and black/blue in stained water.

“I knew that with the clear skies and high pressure, they’d be under those mats,” Norris said. “It felt right in my wheelhouse.”

Jeff Clark of Van Buren, Ark., topped the Big Bass standings with his 6-9.

Charlie Miglicco of Cypress, Texas, won the nonboater division with a three-day total of 24-1. Turning in daily three-bass limits of 4-15, 9-9 and 9-9, Miglicco won $4,911.

Shayne Dupree of Haslet, Texas, topped the Big Bass standings in the nonboater division with his 5-8.

This event was hosted by Visit Muskogee.

2024 Bassmaster Nation Series Title Sponsor: Mercury

2024 Bassmaster Nation Series Presenting Sponsor: Lowrance

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

2024 Bassmaster Nation Series Youth Sponsors: Seaguar, Shimano

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

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

-30-

Connect with #Bassmaster on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and TikTok.

Media Contact: Chad Gay, Communications Manager, 865-201-6458, cgay@bassmaster.com

2024 Mercury B.A.S.S. Nation Qualifier at Arkansas River presented by Lowrance 4/3-4/5
Arkansas River, Muskogee  OK.
(BOATER) Standings Day 3

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

1.  Chris Johnson          Farmington, AR          15  51-03    0  $12,065.00
  Day 1: 5   19-06     Day 2: 5   17-15     Day 3: 5   13-14   
2.  Blake Capps            Muskogee, OK            15  49-10    0   $5,860.00
  Day 1: 5   16-01     Day 2: 5   16-12     Day 3: 5   16-13   
3.  Jeremy Norris          Ama, LA                 15  46-15    0   $4,136.00
  Day 1: 5   14-05     Day 2: 5   18-06     Day 3: 5   14-04   
4.  Jesse Parks            Goodyear, AZ            15  45-01    0   $3,300.00
  Day 1: 5   14-05     Day 2: 5   16-07     Day 3: 5   14-05   
5.  Chris Jones            Bokoshe, OK             15  44-14    0   $2,980.00
  Day 1: 5   13-11     Day 2: 5   15-04     Day 3: 5   15-15   
6.  Jesse Jordan           Stilwel, KS             15  44-02    0   $2,758.00
  Day 1: 5   12-12     Day 2: 5   11-15     Day 3: 5   19-07   
7.  Scott Dooley           Ashland, MO             15  42-01    0   $2,585.00
  Day 1: 5   11-13     Day 2: 5   12-07     Day 3: 5   17-13   
8.  Kazuki Kitajima        Corinth, TX             15  40-11    0   $2,413.00
  Day 1: 5   12-02     Day 2: 5   16-12     Day 3: 5   11-13   
9.  Alex Torkleson         Coweta, OK              15  39-07    0   $1,551.00
  Day 1: 5   11-06     Day 2: 5   10-12     Day 3: 5   17-05   
10. Brett King             Kinta, OK               13  38-14    0   $1,530.00
  Day 1: 5   16-10     Day 2: 5   16-01     Day 3: 3   06-03   
11. Brandon Morton         San Tan Valley, AZ      12  36-06    0   $1,379.00
  Day 1: 5   16-00     Day 2: 2   07-02     Day 3: 5   13-04   
12. Greg Vance             Delhi, IA               15  36-04    0     $975.00
  Day 1: 5   13-07     Day 2: 5   12-04     Day 3: 5   10-09   
13. Hunter Litchfield      Macomb, IL              11  32-05    0     $948.00
  Day 1: 5   17-11     Day 2: 2   05-01     Day 3: 4   09-09   
14. Hunter King            North Platte, NE        13  32-01    0     $948.00
  Day 1: 5   10-01     Day 2: 4   11-07     Day 3: 4   10-09   
15. Jeff Clark             Van Buren, AR            9  30-10    0     $948.00
  Day 1: 5   18-01     Day 2: 3   10-07     Day 3: 1   02-02   
16. Sam Mitchell           Kiowa, OK                9  29-15    0     $948.00
  Day 1: 2   07-10     Day 2: 5   18-00     Day 3: 2   04-05   
17. Lane Kindle            Stilwell, OK            11  29-08    0     $948.00
  Day 1: 5   13-11     Day 2: 5   14-05     Day 3: 1   01-08   
18. Trevor Rogge           Canyon Lake, TX         10  28-02    0     $948.00
  Day 1: 2   05-12     Day 2: 5   15-12     Day 3: 3   06-10   
19. Tony Baldridge         Oklahoma City, OK       11  27-11    0     $948.00
  Day 1: 5   11-10     Day 2: 5   13-12     Day 3: 1   02-05   
20. Randy Campbell         Tijeras, NM             11  26-13    0     $948.00
  Day 1: 4   10-15     Day 2: 5   10-14     Day 3: 2   05-00   
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Totals
Day   #Limits    #Fish      Weight
 1        33       433      1112-01
 2        31       359       940-08
 3        11        76       213-09
----------------------------------
          75       868      2266-02

2024 Mercury B.A.S.S. Nation Qualifier at Arkansas River presented by Lowrance 4/3-4/5
Arkansas River, Muskogee  OK.
(NON_BOATER) Standings Day 3

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

1.  Charlie Miglicco       Cypress, TX              9  24-01    0   $4,911.00
Day 1: 3   04-15     Day 2: 3   09-09     Day 3: 3   09-09
2.  Wade Roberts           Lake Charles, LA         7  23-00    0   $2,806.00
Day 1: 1   02-05     Day 2: 3   10-07     Day 3: 3   10-04
3.  Matt Jurcin            Pueblo, CO               7  22-08    0   $1,403.00
Day 1: 3   11-07     Day 2: 1   02-05     Day 3: 3   08-12
4.  Ken Mcdonald           Crossett, AR             7  20-08    0   $1,299.00
Day 1: 3   08-06     Day 2: 1   01-15     Day 3: 3   10-03
5.  James Halford          Pryor, OK                6  18-05    0     $961.00
Day 1: 1   02-11     Day 2: 2   07-13     Day 3: 3   07-13
6.  Chad Nolan             Muldrow, OK              6  17-12    0     $807.00
Day 1: 3   08-04     Day 2: 2   07-12     Day 3: 1   01-12
7.  Shea Breznik           Kansas City, MO          6  17-09    0     $721.00
Day 1: 2   06-11     Day 2: 2   06-05     Day 3: 2   04-09
8.  Mark Cowart            Kearney, MO              7  16-12    0     $673.00
Day 1: 1   02-11     Day 2: 3   08-00     Day 3: 3   06-01
9.  Colten Hutson          Edmond, OK               6  16-06    0     $631.00
Day 1: 1   02-11     Day 2: 3   07-12     Day 3: 2   05-15
10. Thomas Edwards         Gilbert, AZ              7  16-03    0     $561.00
Day 1: 3   05-08     Day 2: 3   08-10     Day 3: 1   02-01
11. Matt Gnoth             Sharon, KS               5  15-10    0     $561.00
Day 1: 3   08-06     Day 2: 1   02-13     Day 3: 1   04-07
12. Elliott Thorn          Tahlequah, OK            6  15-02    0     $491.00
Day 1: 2   03-11     Day 2: 3   08-05     Day 3: 1   03-02
13. Russ Seaman            Norfolk, NE              7  14-14    0     $421.00
Day 1: 3   06-12     Day 2: 2   03-10     Day 3: 2   04-08
14. Jeremiah Proulx        Cherokee Village, AR     6  14-10    0     $351.00
Day 1: 2   03-06     Day 2: 3   08-13     Day 3: 1   02-07
15. Kevin Turner           Sand Springs, OK         4  14-07    0     $351.00
Day 1: 3   11-12     Day 2: 0   00-00     Day 3: 1   02-11
16. Kenny Keovilayphone    Taylorsville, UT         6  13-10    0     $351.00
Day 1: 3   07-15     Day 2: 2   04-00     Day 3: 1   01-11
17. Sky Wooten             Farmington, NM           5  12-11    0     $351.00
Day 1: 3   09-04     Day 2: 2   03-07     Day 3: 0   00-00
18. Mark Sloan             Harrison, AR             4  12-06    0     $351.00
Day 1: 3   10-00     Day 2: 0   00-00     Day 3: 1   02-06
19. Zac Ortiz              Kaysville, UT            5  12-05    0     $351.00
Day 1: 2   04-09     Day 2: 2   05-06     Day 3: 1   02-06
20. Mike Turner            Berryton, KS             3  09-08    0     $351.00
Day 1: 3   09-08     Day 2: 0   00-00     Day 3: 0   00-00
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Totals
Day   #Limits    #Fish      Weight
1        17       128       312-13
2        15       117       293-08
3         6        33        90-09
----------------------------------
38       278       696-14

by AnglersChannel