Buck/Villa and Father-Son Jones Duo Advance to Championship Round at General Tire Team Series Knighten Industries Heritage Cup
But, the second match of the Knockout Round ended with a tale of ‘Keeping up with the Joneses’, with the Team Builders FirstSource father-son duo of Alton Jones Jr. and Alton Jones Sr. finishing atop the leaderboard with 21 bass weighing 38-7 to pace the field and advance to Friday’s Championship Round. Also advancing is Team Star Tron – comprised of Grae Buck and Martin Villa – who ended the day with 11 bass totaling 23 pounds even to finish in second.
Team Star Tron started off with a bang at the top of the leaderboard, holding that lead throughout the first period and finding themselves neck and neck with Builders FirstSource midday. However, the Jones duo pulled ahead at the start of the second period and widened their gap throughout the remainder of the competition day.
Team Smokey Mountain Herbal Snuff & Pouches, made up of Casey Ashley and Terry Scroggins, fought back from a huge deficit period after only catching one scorable bass in Period 1. The tandem rallied and went on an afternoon flurry in Period 2 that brought them above the elimination line. That bite was short-lived, however, and the pair just weren’t around enough quality fish to survive the Knockout Round.
Team Builders FirstSource and Team Star Tron now join Team REDCON1 and Team Knighten Industries to advance to Friday’s Championship Round. Eliminated from competition was Team Smokey Mountain, who caught 10 scorable bass weighing 21-3.
Team Builders FirstSource began the day targeting boat docks, boating one keeper out of a drainage pipe while catching everything else around retaining walls and boat docks the remainder of the day.
“What a great day,” said Jones Sr. “The conditions today really made a difference for us. The bass chased the bait a little bit today, whereas they wouldn’t chase anything in our Elimination Match on Sunday.”
The father-son duo took over the top spot from Team Star Tron at the beginning of the second period and ended the period with an 8-pound lead.
“We finished out the end of the day fishing some main-lake boat docks with wind blowing on them to see if any smallmouth were patternable,” said Jones Jr. “We were just trying to figure out some new patterns and new possibilities. We assume we might be going to Lake Winnebago for the Championship Round, so we decided to come to the other side of the lake, because that was the closest we could get to Winnebago.
“Honestly, I hope they send us to Green Lake and it’s a crystal clear, smallmouth smash fest,” said Jones Jr. “But we had a good cushion toward the end of the day, so we started thinking through possible game plans for tomorrow.”
That strategy may or may not play out for the pair. While the competition waters for the Heritage Cup have included Lakes Poygan, Winneconne and Butte des Morts thus far, anglers won’t find out the competition waters for Friday’s Championship Round until they are driven to the ramp by competition officials Friday morning.
“That’s the hard part, because we really don’t know what we’re going to do until we get there – and find out where ‘there’ is,” Alton Sr. added, laughing.
Jones Jr. spent the majority of the day throwing an unweighted wacky rig on the shallow end of boat docks, while Jones Sr. threw a weighted wacky rig on the deeper end of the docks, a tactic that worked great for the duo.
“We really just caught them junk-fishing today,” said Jones Jr. “Whatever looked right, whatever presentation for the piece of cover in front of us. We caught a lot of fish on a wacky rig, but my biggest and best quality fish today came on a green-pumpkin-colored 3/8-ounce bladed jig with a green-pumpkin-and-white-
“It just seemed like every time I got a bite, it was one of those 2 1/2- to 3-pound class fish, and with SCORETRACKER® as slow as it was, it’s been tough. So, catching those 2-pound or better fish has been really key, because bites have been really hard to come by,” Jones Jr. finished.
Team Star Tron led most of the first period, starting the morning fishing the outside edge of cane grass with a ChatterBait and a wacky rig before moving to boat docks and catching a few fish there. They made another successful move, stacking up more weight targeting riprap before ending the day around willow trees in the third period.
“I was super happy with our first period,” said Villa. “The rest of the day was a grind, but any time you’re at least catching them on pace with the other teams is a good deal. The bridge move we made was a good one. We made a lot of moves today while also trying to spend our time fishing, not just running around.”
While they moved around the fishery more than any other team on Thursday, Team Star Tron strategically slowed their fishing down during Period 1, a decision that definitely played in their favor.
The duo made a move right before the start of the second period that they hoped would continue to propel them up the leaderboard, but the hard-charging Jones duo had other thoughts in mind. Team Star Tron went the final 45 minutes without a scorable bass but were able to hold off Team Smokey Mountain Herbal Snuff and Pouches by a mere 1-13.
“We had a bite right after we made that move, before the first period ended, so we were hoping that would prove to be a good spot,” said Buck. “As the sun got higher, the bite started fading, so we had to try some different things. Thankfully it was enough to move us on to the Championship Round.”
The duo credit a one-two punch to their success on the day, with Buck throwing a Z-Man ChatterBait Jack Hammer Evergreen Custom Bladed Jig and Villa sweeping up behind him with a wacky-rigged worm.
The top two teams now advancing to the Championship Round at the Knighten Industries Heritage Cup Presented by Berkley are:
1st: Team Builders FirstSource, 21 bass, 38-7
Alton Jones Jr., Waco, Texas, 13 bass, 25-14
Alton Jones Sr., Lorena, Texas, eight bass, 12-9
2nd: Team Star Tron, 11 bass, 23-0
Grae Buck, Green Lane, Pa., six bass, 12-2
Martin Villa, Charlottesville, Va., five bass, 10-14
Eliminated from competition are:
3rd: Team Smokey Mountain Herbal Snuff and Pouches, 10 bass, 21-3
Casey Ashley, Donalds, S.C., five bass, 10-1
Terry Scroggins, San Mateo, Fla., five bass, 11-2
Complete results from throughout the week can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
Overall, there were 42 bass weighing 82 pounds, 10 ounces caught by the three teams competing in Match 2 of the Knockout Round on Lake Butte des Morts. Jones Jr. caught the Berkley Big Bass of the day – only one of three smallmouth caught on the day – weighing 3 pounds, 2 ounces.
The Knighten Industries Heritage Cup Presented by Berkley is hosted by the Fox Cities Convention & Visitors Bureau and takes place over six days in the Fox Cities in Wisconsin. The competition water for each day is top-secret and is only revealed to the anglers when they arrive at the boat ramp each morning.
The final day Championship Round will take place Friday featuring Team REDCON1 (Ott DeFoe/Andy Montgomery), Team Knighten Industries (Kelly Jordon/Keith Poche), Team Builders FirstSource (Alton Jones Jr./Alton Jones Sr.) and Team Star Tron (Grae Buck/Martin Villa).
Anglers depart the host hotel in Neenah each morning as early as 5:30 a.m. CT. They are driven directly to the day’s competition area launch ramp by their officials. Competition begins on the water at 8:45 a.m.
The MLFNOW!® broadcast team of Chad McKee and J.T. Kenney will break down the extended action live every day of competition from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. CT. MLFNOW!® is live streamed on MajorLeagueFishing.com, the MyOutdoorTV (MOTV) app and Rumble.
The Heritage Cup features 12 two-man teams, divided into three groups as they enter the one-day Elimination Round matches. Each of the three Elimination Round matches featured four new teams, with the top two teams from each match of the Elimination Round advancing to the Knockout Round on Days 4 & 5. In the Knockout Rounds, three teams competed each day, with the top two teams from each Knockout Round match moving on to the Championship Round on Day 6. In Friday’s Day 6 Championship Round, the final four teams will compete in a one-day shootout to determine which team will win the 2024 Knighten Industries Heritage Cup Presented by Berkley.
The 2024 General Tire Team Series is comprised of four events – Challenge Cup, Heritage Cup, Patriot Cup and Summit Cup – featuring two-man teams of MLF Bass Pro Tour pros competing from the same boat. Each event features a roster of 24 anglers, teamed up and working together to claim part of a season purse of more than $720,000. Teams were formed through a selection process, where 48 team captains – based on Fishing Clash Angler of the Year (AOY) standings throughout the 2024 Bass Pro Tour season – selected a teammate. Teams will compete throughout the fall of 2024.
Television coverage of the Knighten Industries Heritage Cup Presented by Berkley will premiere on Outdoor Channel as six two-hour episodes in February 2025. New MLF General Tire Team Series episodes will premiere each Saturday morning on Outdoor Channel and posted to MOTV.
Proud sponsors of the MLF General Tire Team Series include: 7 Brew Coffee, Abu Garcia, B&W Trailer Hitches, Barbasol, Bass Boat Technologies, Bass Pro Shops, Berkley, BUBBA, Builders FirstSource, C-MAP, Coign, Epic Baits, Ferguson, Fishing Clash, General Tire, Knighten Industries, Kubota, Lowrance, Lucas Oil, Mercury, Mossy Oak, Nitro Boats, Onyx, Plano, Power-Pole, Ranger Boats, Rapala Baits, REDCON1, Smokey Mountain Herbal Snuff, Star brite, Toyota, USAA, WIX Filters and YETI.
For complete details and updated information on Major League Fishing and the General Tire Team Series Presented by Bass Pro Shops, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF’s social media outlets at Facebook, X, Instagram and YouTube.
About Major League Fishing
Major League Fishing (MLF) is the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization, producing more than 250 events annually at some of the most prestigious fisheries in the world, while broadcasting to America’s living rooms on CBS, Discovery Channel, Outdoor Channel, CBS Sports Network, World Fishing Network and on demand on MyOutdoorTV (MOTV). Headquartered in Benton, Kentucky, the MLF roster of bass anglers includes the world’s top pros and more than 30,000 competitors in all 50 states and 17 countries. Since its founding in 2011, MLF has advanced the sport of competitive fishing through its premier television broadcasts and livestreams and is dedicated to improving the quality of life for bass through research, education, fisheries enhancement and fish care.
Julius Mazy Smashes 19.80 pounds to Take Over Day Two Lead of WON Bass Lake Mead Open with 31.72
Day One Leader Shane Edgar in Second place .74 pounds behind at 30.98.
Las Vegas, Nev. – September 19, 2024 –– When the morning of day two of the 2024 WON Bass Lake Mead Open presented by Ranger Boats and Mercury commenced with clear skies and little to no wind, not too many could have predicted the storm that would arise later in the day. Any time there is a bass tournament, the adage that is often repeated is the “somebody is going to catch them.
On day two at Lake Mead, somebody who figured them out better than the rest was pro Julius Mazy.
The Phoenix, Ariz. pro opened the event with a limit of Lake Mead bass that weighed 11.92 pounds, landing him in a respectable 17th place. But his 19.80-pound limit on day two catapulted him into the lead in the pro division with a two-day total of 31.72 pounds.
Mazy’s effort earned him just short of a three quarter-pound margin over day one leader Shane Edgar from Surprise, Ariz. Edgar added 14.65 pounds on day two to his first day’s 16.33 pounds to bring his total weight to 30.98 pounds heading into the final day. He is followed in third place by Grand Junction Colorado’s Bill Brown who added 13.40 pounds on the second day to bring his total to 27.78 pounds and move up one place in the standings.
Tom Lowery, who opened the event in second place fell to fourth place with 27.50 pounds by posting 11.57 pounds on day two. Santee, Calif. pro Dennis Kolender rounded out the top five by bringing his second consecutive 12.80-pound limit to the Callville Bay scales to total 25.60 pounds.
Mazy reported that he let some opportunities slip through his grasp on day one but adjusted on day two. “I didn’t execute yesterday and it cost me three or four pounds on the first day,” he said. "I knew I needed to make some adjustments, so I fine tuned my rotation and was able to capitalize on my primary areas, then found another that would help later in the day – I didn’t expect to even come close to this weight.”
Mazy, who felt his high-water mark for a great day would be between 15 and 16 pounds, said he had that midday. “I started practicing a little and pulled into a pocket on my way back and culled up with a four pounder,” he reported. “I’m looking for a certain set of ingredients, and when I find them, I can find quality fish.”
He said he switched things up and started throwing topwater in the morning, then started looking deeper with his Livescope and jighead and minnow as the day progressed. “I figured out that I wasn’t fishing deep enough with the finesse tactics yesterday, so I had to go deeper today,” he said. “I also switched up to throwing topwater in the morning with the slick conditions, and that’s what made the difference for me today.”
Edgar flatly said that his day two was one of good fortune. “I got lucky today, and that’s all I can say about it,” he reported. “I had three fish at 11:00 and had 11 pounds at 3:30. I made a move into a cut and caught a four pounder, and while I was culling it, Joe Sr. (AAA Joe Uribe Sr.) caught a three and a half that gave us our weight – I’m lucky to be here in contention.”
In the AAA Division, AAA James Scott of Lancaster, Calif. rode his day two pairing with Mazy to the lead with 29.21 pounds, a leap from 57th place. After helping his pro with a key fish, Uribe Sr. moved into second place on day two with 27.37 pounds. Third place went to Tyler Bolin of Valley Springs, Calif. with a two-day total of 26.38 pounds. He is followed in fourth place by Wes Nunley of Washington, Utah with 26.20 pounds and past U.S. Open Champion filling in as a last-minute AAA Nick Salvucci sits in fifth place with 25.47 pounds.
As a result of mechanical failures, 99 boats ventured out onto the surface of Lake Mead for day two of the 2024 WON Bass Lake Mead Open presented by Ranger Boats and Mercury. The top 10 anglers in each division are listed below, for complete standings visit: https://wonbassevents.com/
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WON Bass Lake Mead Open 9/18 to 9/20/2024 |
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Place |
Pro Day 2 | Hometown |
Fish |
B/B |
Pnlty |
Day 1 |
Day 2 |
Total |
|
1 |
Julius Mazy | Phoenix AZ |
10-10 |
5.99 |
11.92 |
19.80 |
31.72 |
|
|
2 |
Shane Edgar | Glendale AZ |
10-10 |
4.04 |
16.33 |
14.65 |
30.98 |
|
|
3 |
Bill Brown | Grand Junction CO |
10-9 |
5.81 |
0.50 |
14.38 |
13.40 |
27.78 |
|
4 |
Tom Lowery | Lakeside CA |
10-8 |
3.94 |
1.00 |
15.93 |
11.57 |
27.50 |
|
5 |
Dennis Kolender | Santee CA |
10-10 |
4.01 |
12.80 |
12.80 |
25.60 |
|
|
6 |
Kyle Grover | RCHO STA MARG CA |
10-10 |
13.63 |
11.87 |
25.50 |
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|
7 |
Andy Doudna | Discovery Bay CA |
10-8 |
3.04 |
1.00 |
11.21 |
14.10 |
25.31 |
|
8 |
Jeff Baird | Washington UT |
10-8 |
4.06 |
1.00 |
12.18 |
12.99 |
25.17 |
|
9 |
John Murray | Spring City TN |
10-10 |
5.94 |
10.95 |
14.15 |
25.10 |
|
|
10 |
Cody Steckel | Las Vegas NV |
10-9 |
0.50 |
14.58 |
10.49 |
25.07 |
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|
Place |
AAA Angler Day 2 | Hometown |
Fish |
B/B |
Pnlty |
Day 1 |
Day 2 |
Total |
|
1 |
James Scott | Lancaster CA |
10-10 |
9.41 |
19.80 |
29.21 |
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|
2 |
Joe Uribe, Sr. | Lake Havasu City AZ |
10-10 |
3.34 |
12.72 |
14.65 |
27.37 |
|
|
3 |
Tyler Bolin | Valley Springs CA |
10-9 |
3.84 |
0.50 |
15.93 |
9.95 |
25.88 |
|
4 |
Wes Nunley | Washington UT |
10-9 |
0.50 |
13.63 |
12.07 |
25.70 |
|
|
5 |
Nick Salvucci | Paso Robles CA |
10-10 |
5.78 |
13.98 |
11.49 |
25.47 |
|
|
6 |
Mike Hawkins | Boulder City NV |
10-10 |
13.54 |
10.57 |
24.11 |
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|
7 |
George Azevedo | Desert Hot Springs CA |
10-10 |
9.18 |
14.15 |
23.33 |
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|
8 |
Jay Guterding | Redding CA |
10-10 |
3.04 |
10.36 |
12.80 |
23.16 |
|
|
9 |
Brian Reaves | Bullhead City AZ |
10-10 |
2.95 |
11.12 |
11.87 |
22.99 |
|
|
10 |
David Childress | Bakersfield CA |
10-9 |
0.50 |
9.53 |
13.40 |
22.93 |
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The winner of the 2024 WON Bass Lake Mead Open will earn the Ranger Boats / Mercury Motor prize boat, and the Golden Tickets to the 2025 Bassmaster BASS Nation National Championship will be awarded to the top five Pro and AAA anglers and will further develop the season long competition to see who will receive guaranteed slots into the 2025 Bassmaster Opens Elite Qualifiers.
The 2024 WON Bass Western Opens Series of events Consisting of five events in California, Arizona and Nevada moves next to the Lake Mead Open September 18 to 20, 2024. The series will culminate with the 2024 WON Bass U.S. Open at Lake Mohave in October. The full schedule of the five event dates are as follows:
Jan. 31–Feb. 2, Lake Shasta - Champion Nick Wood – 47.42 pounds
April 17-19, Clear Lake – Austin Bonjour – 83.28 pounds
May 15-17, Lake Havasu – Joe Uribe Jr. – 57.31 pounds
Sept. 18-20, Lake Mead
Oct. 14-16, U.S. Open at Lake Mohave
For complete details or to register, look to wonbassevents.com and WONews.com to hear the latest news about the 2024 season and beyond and follow along at Facebook.com/
The 2024 WON Bass Lake Mead Open is brought to you by Bass Pro Shops, Ranger Boats, Mercury Marine, Nitro Boats, Triton Boats, Bridgford Foods, Phenix Rods, Yamamoto Baits, Bill Lewis Lures, Buckeye Lures, Steel Shad, Bioenno Power, DD26 Fishing, SOG Knives, Cold Steel Knives, Gamma Line, Power Pole, Lowrance, Daiwa, AFTCO, Costa, Berkley, Abu Garcia, Anderson Toyota, A&M Graphics, Anglers Marine and Signature Gates.
Local presenting sponsors are Callville Bay Marina, Boulder City Chamber of Commerce and Boulder City Tackle
Bassmaster expands LIVE coverage on FOX/FS1 for 2025 season
Sept. 19, 2024
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Following a 2024 season of record viewership and increased interest in Bassmaster LIVE programming, B.A.S.S., FOX and FS1 have announced plans to expand Bassmaster’s live coverage in 2025. The new agreement sets the stage for a monumental surge in viewership for 2025.
“The demand for increased coverage of Bassmaster’s high-quality, professional fishing product is increasing, and FOX has recognized that desire and is stepping up to satisfy the fishing community’s rabid consumption of Bassmaster LIVE content,” said B.A.S.S. Chief Operating Officer Phillip Johnson. “The relationship between FOX/FS1 and B.A.S.S. has been exceptional, and we look forward to continuing to showcase even more tournament coverage from the worldwide authority on bass fishing.”
As part of the new agreement, the 2025 Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Classic presented by Jockey Outdoors will now have six hours of broadcast coverage on FOX across Saturday and Sunday, as well as 54 hours of Elite Series coverage on Saturdays and Sundays featured on FS1 next year — with the potential for six additional hours on FOX each season.
“FOX and FS1 are thrilled to extend the relationship with B.A.S.S. and the Bassmaster brand,” said FOX Sports EVP/Head of Programming & Scheduling Bill Wanger. “The new deal with this best-in-class fishing organization continues to deliver unsurpassed action on the water from all over the country, highlighted by live weekend coverage of the Bassmaster Elite Series on FS1.”
The additional coverage follows a season of record-breaking viewership in 2024, with one event still to air. The previous high-water mark for Bassmaster LIVE viewership was 14 million in 2021.
This historic television agreement comes on the heels of B.A.S.S. announcing an Elite Series schedule that will feature diverse venues across the nation. Based on the passionate nature of the fan bases in these host communities, B.A.S.S. expects not only record-breaking viewership numbers, but record-setting attendance in 2025, as well.
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.
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Connect with #Bassmaster on Facebook, Instagram, Twitte
Media Contact: Chad Gay, Communications Manager, 205-313-0945, cgay@bassmaster.
Emmanuel College Cashes in with Yamaha Power Pay
Courtesy of Dynamic Sponsorships
College bass fishing can be a tricky endeavor. With the stress of limited income and maintaining good grades while chasing big bass throughout much of the country, it’s a lot to balance at one time. Staying on the proverbial grind is not an easy thing, but college angler Tyler Campbell figured out a way to keep everything in line while chasing his dream.
Coming off an impressive second-place finish representing Emmanuel University at the 2024 Bassmaster® Strike King College Series National Championship presented by Bass Pro Shops with his partner Parker Guy, the Martin, Ga. native is thankful he runs a Yamaha Outboard and took the time to register for the Yamaha Power Pay contingency program.
“I’ve seriously made thousands of dollars through the Power Pay program competing in college,” Campbell said. “That’s a lot of boat payments when you add it all together, and it only takes about 15 minutes to sign up for it. If you’re a college angler, you should be running a Yamaha and if have a qualified outboard, there is absolutely no reason not to sign up for this program.”
The reliability of his Yamaha 250-horsepower V6 V MAX SHO® also played a big role in his run-and-gun strategy on Lake Hartwell. Targeting very specific offshore brush piles with topwater lures was essential to his gameplan, and confidence in his equipment allowed him to fully execute his gameplan.
“I burned a full tank of gas almost every single day,” Campbell said. “I bet I cranked my Yamaha 200 times each day of competition looking for very specific brush piles. My current outboard is about 11 months old, and I already have 400 hours on it. I never give a second thought to motor problems because if you want to stay out of the shop, a Yamaha is the only way to go.”
Campbell recently graduated with honors (not to mention a 3.9 GPA with a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and Management) and the future proves to be bright with the young bass angler from rural Georgia.
“I’m doing guide trips full-time right now for the sole purpose of saving up enough money to fish every Bassmaster Open next year,” Campbell said. “And you can bet I’ll have a Yamaha on the back of my boat.”
There are dozens of collegiate, amateur and semi-pro tournament trails sanctioned by the Yamaha Power Pay program. But you do have to make sure you are registered to be eligible.
It’s free to sign up and anglers don’t have to place first in their tournament to cash in on the Power Pay money. To learn more, please visit https://yamahapowerpay.com/.
Over 600 Anglers Set to Compete at Kentucky Lake for the Bass Pro Shops Big Bass Bash presented by Berkley
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Alabama’s Choquette claims Overall title at 2024 Skeeter Bassmaster High School Combine
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Shane Edgar Leads Day One of WON Bass Lake Mead Open with 16.33 pounds
Tom Lowery close behind in Second place with 15.93 pounds.
Las Vegas, Nev. – September 18, 2024 –– There was talk in the weeks leading up to the 2024 WON Bass Lake Mead Open presented by Ranger Boats and Mercury that the limits the field would bring to the scales would be heavier than usual for Lake Mead. Following two years of light fishing pressure because of low water levels, the word was that not only have the fish had a chance to grow in relative peace, but they hadn’t seen a lure during that time, so they may be aggressive.
As day one of the event approached, the weather conditions that had been hot and predicted for heavy winds subsided and the temperatures dipped, and the wind forecast eased meaning anglers could go where they wanted and fish how they wanted. The result was a perfect set of circumstances that ended with Shane Edgar of Surprise, Ariz. fishing by himself due to a AAA angler not arriving at the last minute but weighing 16.33 pounds to take the day one lead.
Tom Lowery of Lakeside, Calif. and his AAA partner Tyer Bolin of Valley Springs, Calif. suffered a half pound penalty but stood in second place after day one with 15.93 pounds. Third place went to Las Vegas, Nev. pro Cody Steckel and his AAA partner Todd Holverson of San Diego, Calif. landed in third place for the opening round with 15.08 pounds. Fourth place on the first day went to Grand Junction, Colorado’s Bill Brown and his partner Eric Hammer from Peoria, Ariz. with 14.38 and past U.S. Open Champion Josh Bertrand from San Tan Valley, Ariz. and his AAA partner Larry Llanes from Madera, Calif. rounded out the top five with 14.29 pounds.
Edgar said he had a slightly better day than he expected to open the event. “I had around 15 pounds on one of my practice days, but I didn’t expect to see 16 pounds leading the event,” he said. “I found an area that I had to myself, and I fished hard in there. I had a limit that weighed a little more than 15 pounds at seven thirty this morning and laid off my area to start practicing; I culled one time later in the day to move up to 16.33, and I’m happy with the day.”
The day one leader declined to state what area of the lake he is fishing, but said he was fishing aggressively to get strikes. “I’m definitely fishing a reaction technique, but I don’t know what to expect tomorrow; they could leave the area,” he said. “It’s Lake Mead, and when their forage moves, they will follow them. I’m going to start there tomorrow and see if they’re there. I could catch another good bag, or come in with 8 pounds; it’s Lake Mead, you never know.”
Lowery reported catching numbers of Lake Mead bass on reaction baits himself but was a little concerned that he had leaned on his areas a little too hard. “I’m rotating through four areas that have a lot of bait in them, and probably caught 20 fish today,” he said. “I left for a little while, but felt like I needed one more good fish, so I returned at one o’clock and culled once more, I just hope that I can locate them in there tomorrow and keep making a run at this event.”
Altogether 103 boats ventured out onto the surface of Lake Mead on day one of the 2024 WON Bass Lake Mead Open presented by Ranger Boats and Mercury. The top 10 anglers in each division are listed below, for complete standings visit: https://wonbassevents.com/pages/lake-mead-open-pairings-and-results
| Place | Pro Day 1 | Hometown | Fish | B/B | Pnlty | Day 1 | Total |
| 1 | Shane Edgar | Glendale AZ | 5-5 | 4.04 | 16.33 | 16.33 | |
| 2 | Tom Lowery | Lakeside CA | 5-4 | 3.90 | 0.50 | 16.43 | 15.93 |
| 3 | Cody Steckel | Las Vegas NV | 5-4 | 0.50 | 15.08 | 14.58 | |
| 4 | Bill Brown | Grand Junction CO | 5-5 | 5.81 | 14.38 | 14.38 | |
| 5 | Josh Bertrand | San Tan Valley AZ | 5-5 | 4.05 | 14.29 | 14.29 | |
| 6 | Hayden Metz | Eastvalle CA | 5-5 | 13.98 | 13.98 | ||
| 7 | Kyle Grover | Rcho Sta Marg CA | 5-5 | 13.63 | 13.63 | ||
| 8 | Duke Ayers | Flagstaff AZ | 5-5 | 3.97 | 13.54 | 13.54 | |
| 9 | Scott Hellesen | Paso Robles CA | 5-5 | 12.83 | 12.83 | ||
| 10 | Dennis Kolender | Santee CA | 5-5 | 12.80 | 12.80 | ||
| Place | AAA Angler Day 1 | Hometown | Fish | B/B | Pnlty | Day 1 | Total |
| 1 | Kaliane McMurray Did Not Fish | Dana Point CA | 5-5 | 16.33 | 0.00 | ||
| 2 | Tyler Bolin | Valley Spring CA | 5-4 | 3.84 | 0.50 | 16.43 | 15.93 |
| 3 | Todd Holverson | San Diego CA | 5-4 | 4.16 | 0.50 | 15.08 | 14.58 |
| 4 | Eric Hammer | Peoria AZ | 5-5 | 14.38 | 14.38 | ||
| 5 | Larry Llanes | Madera CA | 5-5 | 14.29 | 14.29 | ||
| 6 | Nick Salvucci | Paso Robles CA | 5-5 | 5.78 | 13.98 | 13.98 | |
| 7 | Wes Nunley | Washington UT | 5-5 | 13.63 | 13.63 | ||
| 8 | Mike Hawkins | Boulder City NV | 5-5 | 13.54 | 13.54 | ||
| 9 | Geoff Peterson | Huntington Beach CA | 5-5 | 12.83 | 12.83 | ||
| 10 | Jason Randall | Las Vegas NV | 5-5 | 12.80 | 12.80 |
The winner of the 2024 WON Bass Lake Mead Open will earn the Ranger Boats / Mercury Motor prize boat, and the Golden Tickets to the 2025 Bassmaster BASS Nation National Championship will be awarded to the top five Pro and AAA anglers and will further develop the season long competition to see who will receive guaranteed slots into the 2025 Bassmaster Opens Elite Qualifiers.
There are currently 110 pro anglers, and 104 AAA partners signed up for the event - signups remain open until September 13, 2024.
The 2024 WON Bass Western Opens Series of events Consisting of five events in California, Arizona and Nevada moves next to the Lake Mead Open September 18 to 20, 2024. The series will culminate with the 2024 WON Bass U.S. Open at Lake Mohave in October. The full schedule of the five event dates are as follows:
Jan. 31–Feb. 2, Lake Shasta - Champion Nick Wood – 47.42 pounds
April 17-19, Clear Lake – Austin Bonjour – 83.28 pounds
May 15-17, Lake Havasu – Joe Uribe Jr. – 57.31 pounds
Sept. 18-20, Lake Mead
Oct. 14-16, U.S. Open at Lake Mohave
For complete details or to register, look to wonbassevents.com and WONews.com to hear the latest news about the 2024 season and beyond and follow along at Facebook.com/WONBassTournaments.
The 2024 WON Bass Northern California Lake Mead Open is brought to you by Bass Pro Shops, Ranger Boats, Mercury Marine, Nitro Boats, Triton Boats, Bridgford Foods, Phenix Rods, Yamamoto Baits, Bill Lewis Lures, Buckeye Lures, Steel Shad, Bioenno Power, DD26 Fishing, SOG Knives, Cold Steel Knives, Gamma Line, Power Pole, Lowrance, Daiwa, AFTCO, Costa, Berkley, Abu Garcia, Anderson Toyota, A&M Graphics, Anglers Marine and Signature Gates.
Local presenting sponsors are Callville Bay Marina, Boulder City Chamber of Commerce and Boulder City Tackle
DeFoe/Montgomery and Jordon/Poche Advance to Championship Round at General Tire Team Series Knighten Industries Heritage Cup
Three teams compete on Wisconsin’s Lake Butte des Morts in first match of Knockout Round, Team REDCON1 (DeFoe/Montgomery) catches 18 scorable bass to advance to Championship
NEENAH, Wis. (Sept. 18, 2024) – Lake Butte des Morts was the playing field Wednesday for the three two-man teams competing in Match 1 of the Knockout Round at the General Tire Team Series Knighten Industries Heritage Cup Presented by Berkley. After competitors spent the Elimination Round competing on Lakes Poygan and Winneconne earlier this week, Lake Butte des Morts offered competitors numerous new areas to explore and slightly different conditions.
Despite the change in competition waters, fishing was generally the same as teams relied mainly on frogs, wacky rigs and flipping jigs to break down the 8,500-acre fishery at the second General Tire Team Series Presented by Bass Pro Shops event of the season.
It was a closely contested day – just 3 1/2 pounds separated the bottom two teams – but as SCORETRACKER® expired, it was the Team REDCON1 duo of Ott DeFoe and Andy Montgomery that stood alone atop the leaderboard. Team REDCON1 caught 18 bass weighing 27 pounds, 14 ounces to pace the field and advance to the Championship Round on Friday. Also advancing in second place was Team Knighten Industries – Kelly Jordon and Keith Poche – who boated 13 bass totaling 22-13.
Team REDCON1 and Team Knighten Industries now advance to Friday’s Championship Round to compete against the top two finishing teams from Match 2 of the Knockout Round on Thursday. Eliminated from competition was Team WIX Filters – David Dudley and Dave Lefebre – who caught 10 scorable bass weighing 18-2.
“Man, we can finally breathe,” Montgomery said as the third period came to an end. “I thought this one was tracking toward an easy day, but we had to work for it today. We did just enough and we are two for two. But the one that matters the most is two days from now. We want to be three for three.”
“It was a hard day of fishing, no doubt,” DeFoe said. “We had to battle, and we ended up catching 18 – just over half of what we caught the other day. It was tough. But we made it to the Championship Round, and that is such a good feeling.”
“We had to work for every dang fish we caught. We had 18 fish, but we made 180,000 casts today,” Montgomery joked.
Team REDCON1 started out the day fishing cane grass, mixing it up throwing and throwing a hodge-podge of lures. DeFoe weighed in scorable keepers on five different baits, the majority coming on a stick-worm, while Montgomery caught them mainly flipping a jig.
“At the end of the day, we came back and were fishing some of the little grass mats back in a canal,” DeFoe said. “It just looked like it would have a good population of fish in it. Andy and I talked, and we thought we could come in and beat out a few bites. I picked up a frog, and it got a few of those bites and was able to give us just enough cushion to make it through.”
The key bait for DeFoe at the end of the day was a Terminator Walking Frog Jr., which DeFoe fished on a Johnny Morris Signature Series 7-foot, 2-inch heavy-action rod paired with a Johnny Morris Platinum high-speed 8:3:1 reel with 50-pound Bass Pro Shops XPS braid.
For the second consecutive day of competition, the Team Knighten Industries duo of Kelly Jordon and Keith Poche advanced as the No. 2 team on the day.
Poche mainly threw a topwater, catching five bass on a frog and adding two more scorable smallmouth on a popper. Jordon committed to a soft-plastic stick worm, adding six keepers as the duo targeted a large grassy area in the northwest portion of the lake for the majority of the day.
“There was a hole in the grass that was our bread and butter,” Poche said. “I honestly didn’t think it had enough, but it had just enough, and we were able to kind of build off of it.”
“I fish better when it’s intense, but I’m enjoying it, and that was the case for us today,” said Jordon. “We found this grassy area, and it turned us on to a few things. There was a key stretch near the end and we managed to catch several from it. It was a tough day, but a great day.”
The top two teams now advancing to the Championship Round at the Knighten Industries Heritage Cup Presented by Berkley are:
1st: Team REDCON1, 18 bass, 27-14
Ott DeFoe, Blaine, Tenn., 11 bass, 15-2
Andy Montgomery, Blacksburg, S.C., seven bass, 12-12
2nd: Team Knighten Industries, 13 bass, 22-13
Kelly Jordon, Flint, Texas, six bass, 9-14
Keith Poche, Pike Road, Ala., seven bass, 12-15
Eliminated from competition are:
3rd: Team WIX Filters, 11 bass, 19-6
David Dudley, Lynchburg, Va., six bass, 10-0
Dave Lefebre, Erie, Pa., five bass, 9-6
Complete results from throughout the week can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
Overall, there were 42 bass weighing 70 pounds, 1 ounce caught by the three teams competing in Match 1 of the Knockout Round on Lake Butte des Morts. Poche caught the Berkley Big Bass of the day – a largemouth weighing 3 pounds, 5 ounces.
The Knighten Industries Heritage Cup Presented by Berkley is hosted by the Fox Cities Convention & Visitors Bureau and takes place over six days in the Fox Cities in Wisconsin. The competition water for each day is top-secret and is only revealed to the anglers when they arrive at the boat ramp each morning.
Anglers depart the host hotel in Neenah each morning as early as 5:30 a.m. CT. They are driven directly to the day’s competition area launch ramp by their officials. Competition begins on the water at 8:45 a.m.
The MLFNOW!® broadcast team of Chad McKee and J.T. Kenney will break down the extended action live every day of competition from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. CT. MLFNOW!® is live streamed on MajorLeagueFishing.com, the MyOutdoorTV (MOTV) app and Rumble.
The Heritage Cup features 12 two-man teams, divided into three groups as they enter the one-day Elimination Round matches. Each of the three Elimination Round matches featured four new teams, with the top two teams from each match of the Elimination Round advancing to the Knockout Round on Days 4 & 5. In the Knockout Rounds, three teams compete each day, with the top two teams from each Knockout Round match moving on to the Championship Round on Day 6. In Friday’s Day 6 Championship Round, the final four teams will compete in a one-day shootout to determine which team will win the 2024 Knighten Industries Heritage Cup Presented by Berkley.
The 2024 General Tire Team Series is comprised of four events – Challenge Cup, Heritage Cup, Patriot Cup and Summit Cup – featuring two-man teams of MLF Bass Pro Tour pros competing from the same boat. Each event features a roster of 24 anglers, teamed up and working together to claim part of a season purse of more than $720,000. Teams were formed through a selection process, where 48 team captains – based on Fishing Clash Angler of the Year (AOY) standings throughout the 2024 Bass Pro Tour season – selected a teammate. Teams will compete throughout the fall of 2024.
Television coverage of the Knighten Industries Heritage Cup Presented by Berkley will premiere on Outdoor Channel as six two-hour episodes in February 2025. New MLF General Tire Team Series episodes will premiere each Saturday morning on Outdoor Channel and posted to MOTV.
Proud sponsors of the MLF General Tire Team Series include: 7 Brew Coffee, Abu Garcia, B&W Trailer Hitches, Barbasol, Bass Boat Technologies, Bass Pro Shops, Berkley, BUBBA, Builders FirstSource, C-MAP, Coign, Epic Baits, Ferguson, Fishing Clash, General Tire, Knighten Industries, Kubota, Lowrance, Lucas Oil, Mercury, Mossy Oak, Nitro Boats, Onyx, Plano, Power-Pole, Ranger Boats, Rapala Baits, REDCON1, Smokey Mountain Herbal Snuff, Star brite, Toyota, USAA, WIX Filters and YETI.
For complete details and updated information on Major League Fishing and the General Tire Team Series Presented by Bass Pro Shops, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF’s social media outlets at Facebook, X, Instagram and YouTube.
About Major League Fishing
Major League Fishing (MLF) is the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization, producing more than 250 events annually at some of the most prestigious fisheries in the world, while broadcasting to America’s living rooms on CBS, Discovery Channel, Outdoor Channel, CBS Sports Network, World Fishing Network and on demand on MyOutdoorTV (MOTV). Headquartered in Benton, Kentucky, the MLF roster of bass anglers includes the world’s top pros and more than 30,000 competitors in all 50 states and 17 countries. Since its founding in 2011, MLF has advanced the sport of competitive fishing through its premier television broadcasts and livestreams and is dedicated to improving the quality of life for bass through research, education, fisheries enhancement and fish care.
MLF Set to Wrap Toyota Series Plains Division at Lake of the Ozarks Presented by Suzuki Marine
The three-day tournament is the third and final event of the year for Plains Division anglers and is hosted by the Tri-County Lodging Association. The event will feature a roster of the region’s best bass-fishing pros and Strike King co-anglers competing for a top prize of up to $100,000 in the pro division and a new Phoenix 518 Pro boat with a 115-horsepower outboard motor plus $5,000 in the co-angler division.
Local Tackle Warehouse Invitational pro Michael Harlin of Sunrise Beach, Missouri, has extensive history on the fishery and said he is looking forward to a great event.
“There are a lot of things in play in September on Lake of the Ozarks,” said Harlin. “It really opens up the tacklebox and lets guys fish to their strengths. I expect to see some guys out fishing deep and others up super shallow. They’ll be catching them on reaction baits and bottom baits the same – basically just fall fishing 101.”
Harlin said the entire lake will be in play next week during the tournament, but there’s no specific technique or pattern that’s currently dominating the fishery.
“Most likely there will be some big bags caught at least one or two days of the tournament, and I anticipate those big bags will be caught up shallow, whether it’s throwing topwater or flipping boat docks,” Harlin said. “I think it’s going to take anywhere between 45 to 47 pounds to win the event.
“That isn’t huge weight, but that’s typical here for this time of year,” Harlin continued. “I figure the winning guy will have to catch at least one 17- to 20-pound bag, or a couple 17-pound bags to take home the win.”
While it’s a bit too early to dial in the exact weather conditions anglers will be facing throughout the three-day tournament, Harlin said he expects that to make a big difference in angler’s game plans.
“With everything in play, the weather is probably going to be the deciding factor on how it all goes down,” said Harlin. “Depending on whether it’s sunny and hot, or we get a cold front with overcast, windy conditions – that’s going to really determine the winning pattern.”
Anglers will launch at 7 a.m. CT each day from Public Beach #2 located at 711 Public Beach Road in Osage Beach. Weigh-ins will also be held at that location and will begin at 3 p.m. Fans are welcome to attend and encouraged to follow the event online through the “MLF Live” weigh-in broadcasts and daily coverage at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
In Toyota Series regular-season competition, payouts are based on the number of participants competing in the event, scaling up for every 20 boats over 160 and scaling down for every boat below 160. With a 160-boat field, pros fish for a top prize of up to $75,000, if Phoenix MLF Bonus qualified. Strike King co-anglers cast for the top prize of a new Phoenix 518 Pro bass boat with a 115-horsepower Mercury or Suzuki outboard (valued at $33,500). With a 260-boat field, pros fish for a top award of up to $100,000, if Phoenix MLF Bonus qualified. Strike King co-anglers cast for the top prize of a new Phoenix 518 Pro bass boat with a 115-horsepower Mercury or Suzuki outboard plus $5,000 cash.
The 2024 Toyota Series Presented by Phoenix Boats consists of six divisions – Central, Northern, Plains, Southern, Southwestern and the Western Division Presented by Tackle Warehouse – each holding three regular-season events, along with the International and Wild Card divisions. Anglers who fish in any of the six divisions or the Wild Card division and finish in the top 25 will qualify for the no-entry-fee Toyota Series Championship for a shot at winning up to $235,000 and a qualification to REDCREST 2025. The winning Strike King co-angler at the championship earns a new Phoenix 518 Pro bass boat with a 115-horsepower Mercury outboard. The 2024 Toyota Series Championship will be held Nov. 7-9 on Wheeler Lake in Huntsville, Alabama, and is hosted by the Huntsville/Madison County Convention & Visitors Bureau, the Madison County Commission, and the Huntsville Sports Commission.
Proud sponsors of the 2024 MLF Toyota Series include: 7Brew, Abu Garcia, B&W Trailer Hitches, Berkley, BUBBA, E3, Epic Baits, Fishing Clash, FX Custom Rods, General Tire, Lew’s, Mercury, Mossy Oak Fishing, Onyx, Phoenix Boats, Polaris, Power-Pole, REDCON1, Simms, Strike King, Suzuki Marine, Tackle Warehouse, T-H Marine, Toyota, WIX Filters and YETI.
For complete details and updated information visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular Toyota Series updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow the MLF5 social media outlets at Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.
About Major League Fishing
Major League Fishing (MLF) is the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization, producing more than 250 events annually at some of the most prestigious fisheries in the world, while broadcasting to America’s living rooms on CBS, Discovery Channel, Outdoor Channel, CBS Sports Network, World Fishing Network and on demand on MyOutdoorTV (MOTV). Headquartered in Benton, Kentucky, the MLF roster of bass anglers includes the world’s top pros and more than 30,000 competitors in all 50 states and 17 countries. Since its founding in 2011, MLF has advanced the sport of competitive fishing through its premier television broadcasts and livestreams and is dedicated to improving the quality of life for bass through research, education, fisheries enhancement and fish care.
NPFL Looking for a Few Quality Anglers
WILKESVILLE, Ohio, September 17, 2024 — The National Professional Fishing League will be accepting applications for the 2025 season beginning October 1, 2024. Anglers who wish to be part of the 130-angler field should visit www.thenationalprofessionalfishingleague.com and fill out the application form beginning on that date. Anglers currently on the NPFL roster do not need to reapply, but they must notify the NPFL in writing of their intention to participate in 2025. The application and notification periods end on October 31, 2024.
“The NPFL offers a platform for all anglers to prove their skill and dedication at the highest level, regardless of their background,” vows league president Brad Fuller. “We’re committed to providing a fair and competitive environment, and we look forward to assembling a diverse and talented field of 130 anglers."
The 2025 season will feature six regular season tournaments plus the 2025 NPFL Championship, spread across half a dozen states and covering spring, summer and fall. Each event will challenge and showcase the skills of every angler. The NPFL’s dedication to maintaining a level playing field ensures that all participants — from seasoned pros to emerging talents — have an equal opportunity to succeed.
The full 2025 schedule will be announced before the application period closes. The NPFL made news earlier this month when it became the first major tour to restrict the use of real-time imaging units (commonly referred to as “forward-facing sonar”).
Beginning with the 2025 season, such technology is prohibited in NPFL competition. This prohibition does not apply to the 2025 NPFL Championship, for which anglers are currently qualifying under previously established rules." We want to work with the anglers who are ready to test themselves under the very highest standards of tournament competition, tradition, and integrity,” Fuller adds.
“We’re looking forward to the return of many anglers who have fished with us and become like family, and we’re excited to add new anglers that will help us grow even better and stronger. Our sport is at a crossroads, and we’re going to show the angling community that the NPFL is on the right path."
Competition for a berth in the 130-angler field for 2025 will be fierce. Applicants must commit to a locked field and agree to participate in all six regular-season events. This ensures a committed group of anglers for the entire season. Choosing the right anglers for the field is critical to the NPFL’s mission.
“We take our selection process very seriously,” Fuller says. “We interview each angler before they’re selected. No one is automatically accepted into the league simply because they won a big tournament or have a lot of sponsors. We’re not just looking for excellent anglers. We also want excellent people who are passionate about the sport — people who share our commitment and vision.
“You can sign up tournament anglers at any boat ramp on any Saturday morning. We’re looking for partners who are ready to grow with us and improve the sport we all love.”
About the National Professional Fishing League
The National Professional Fishing League was founded to bring competitive fishing to a broader audience and offer anglers a platform to compete at the highest level. The NPFL is committed to fostering integrity, competition, and innovation in the sport, providing anglers and fans alike with an exciting and unique experience.
For more information, visit our website.
Virginia’s Langford Posts Fourth Career Win at Phoenix Bass Fishing League Super Tournament at the Potomac River
Hampton Robinson of Bealeton, Virginia, tops Strike King Co-Angler Division
MARBURY, Md. (Sept. 16, 2024) – Boater Todd Langford of Great Falls, Virginia, caught a five-bass limit weighing 18 pounds, 15 ounces, Sunday to win the MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League (BFL) Presented by T-H Marine Super Tournament on the Potomac River . Hosted by the Charles County Board of Commissioners, the tournament was the fifth and final event of the season for the BFL Northeast Division. Langford earned $7,232, including the lucrative $2,500 Phoenix MLF Contingency Bonus, for his victory.
BFL Super Tournaments are typically two-day events, scheduled in early fall to conclude each BFL division season. In order to make up a previous tournament that was postponed due to unsafe boating divisions, the Northeast Division anglers squared off twice over the weekend at the Potomac River. First, they fished their fourth qualifying event on Saturday – a normal one-day tournament. They then squared off again on Sunday to conclude their season in a shortened one-day Super Tournament.
Langford finished second in Saturday’s Potomac River event with 16 pounds, 4 ounces. He fished more or less the same area and pattern in Sunday’s event. And even though he said the fishing was a little tougher (he caught about half as many fish on Sunday), he managed to get bigger bites, improving his weight and locking down the win.
“I was just fishing heavy matted grass,” he said. “You’ve really got to kind of pinpoint the best areas, and I just got fortunate. I found a couple little hundred-yard stretches that they were on.”
One of the keys, said Langford, was “waiting them out.” In other words: being patient. The fish repositioned within the mats based on the tides and were on the move throughout the tournament. To try to stay on them, Langford worked the mats thoroughly, fishing in the middle and the edges with a punch rig and a frog.
“You had to make them react,” he added. “You could get some bites on a frog, but you had to kind of call them up a little bit.”
The top 10 boaters finished the tournament:
1st: Todd Langford, Great Falls, Va., five bass, 18-15, $7,232 (includes $2,500 Phoenix MLF Contingency Bonus)
2nd: Aaron Dixon, Bel Alton, Md., five bass, 18-9, $2,366
3rd: Tom Bateman, Welcome, Md., five bass, 16-14, $1,577
4th: Michael Ortel, Stewartstown, Pa., five bass, 15-11, $1,229
5th: Joseph Thompson, Coatesville, Pa., five bass, 15-4, $946
6th: Fred Aldridge, Brandy Station, Va., five bass, 13-14, $868
7th: John Duarte, Middle River, Md., five bass, 13-14, $1,089
8th: Jarrett Kuipers, Oakland, N.H., five bass, 13-14 , $710
9th: Spencer Cookson, Sheffield, Mass., five bass, 13-7, $631
10th: Robert Grike, Dumfries, Va., five bass, 12-15, $552
Complete results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
Jason Orecchio of Andover, New Jersey, caught a bass that weighed 5 pounds, 8 ounces, and earned the Berkley Big Bass Boater award of $555.
Hampton Robinson of Bealeton, Virginia, won the Strike King co-angler division and $2,366 Sunday, after bringing five bass to the scale that totaled 11 pounds, 9 ounces.
The top 10 Strike King co-anglers finished:
1st: Hampton Robinson, Bealeton, Va., five bass, 11-9, $2,366
2nd: Ryan Spivey, Fairfax, Va., five bass, 11-2, $1,183
3rd: Ricky Windsor III, Huntingtown, Md., five bass, 10-3, $790
4th: Brent Kauffman, Marysville, Pa., five bass, 10-1, $552
5th: Bonnie Lucas, Largo, Md., five bass, 9-14, $473
6th: Logan Bloomfield, East Berlin, Pa., five bass, 9-12, $434
7th: Lenny Baird, Stafford, Va., five bass, 9-9, $394
8th: Nathan Routzahn, Myersville, Md., five bass, 9-9, $355
9th: Troy Mills, Lewistown, Pa., five bass, 9-8, $315
10th: Robert Wedding, Welcome, Md., five bass, 9-3, $276
Jeff Turner of Morris, Illinois, earned the Berkley Big Bass co-angler award of $277, catching a bass that weighed in at 4 pounds, 12 ounces – the largest co-angler catch of the day.
At the conclusion of the tournament, Joseph Thompson of Coatesville, Pennsylvania, was crowned the Fishing Clash Northeast Division Angler of the Year (AOY) with 1,298 points to bring home the $1,000 award, while Lenny Baird of Stafford, Virginia, won the Fishing Clash Northeast Division Co-angler of the Year race with 1,341 points to earn $500.
The top 45 boaters and co-anglers in the region based on point standings, along with the five tournament winners of each qualifying event, will qualify for the Oct. 3-5 BFL Regional tournament on Kerr Lake in Henderson, North Carolina. Boaters will fish for a top award of $60,000, including a new Phoenix 819 Pro with a 200-horsepower Mercury or Suzuki outboard and $10,000, while co-anglers will compete for a top award of $50,000, including a new Phoenix 819 Pro with a 200-horsepower Mercury or Suzuki outboard.
The 2024 Phoenix BFL Presented by T-H Marine is a 24-division circuit devoted to weekend anglers, with 128 events throughout the season, five qualifying tournaments in each division. The top 45 boaters and Strike King co-anglers from each division, along with the five qualifying event winners, will advance to one of six BFL Regional tournaments where they are competing to finish in the top six, which then qualifies them for one of the longest-running championships in all of competitive bass fishing – the BFL All-American. The 2025 BFL All-American will take place May 29-31, 2025, at Lake Hamilton in Hot Springs, Arkansas, and is hosted by hosted by Visit Hot Springs and the Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism.
Proud sponsors of the 2024 MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine include: 7Brew, Abu Garcia, B&W Trailer Hitches, Berkley, BUBBA, E3, Epic Baits, Fishing Clash, General Tire, GSM Outdoors, Lew’s, Mercury, Mossy Oak, Onyx, Phoenix, Polaris, Power-Pole, PowerStop Brakes, REDCON1, Strike King, Suzuki, Tackle Warehouse, T-H Marine, Toyota, WIX Filters and YETI.
For complete details and updated tournament information, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular Bass Fishing League updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF5’s social media outlets at Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.
About Major League Fishing
Major League Fishing (MLF) is the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization, producing more than 250 events annually at some of the most prestigious fisheries in the world, while broadcasting to America’s living rooms on CBS, Discovery Channel, Outdoor Channel, CBS Sports Network, World Fishing Network and on demand on MyOutdoorTV (MOTV). Headquartered in Benton, Kentucky, the MLF roster of bass anglers includes the world’s top pros and more than 30,000 competitors in all 50 states and 17 countries. Since its founding in 2011, MLF has advanced the sport of competitive fishing through its premier television broadcasts and livestreams and is dedicated to improving the quality of life for bass through research, education, fisheries enhancement and fish care.
Claremore’s Montgomery Wins Phoenix Bass Fishing League Super Tournament at Grand Lake Presented by Suzuki Marine
GROVE, Okla. (Sept. 16, 2024) – Boater Vance Montgomery of Claremore, Oklahoma, caught a two-day total of 10 bass weighing 35 pounds, 2 ounces, to win the MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League (BFL) Presented by T-H Marine Super Tournament at Grand Lake Presented by Suzuki Marine. Hosted by the City of Grove and the Grove Convention and Tourism Bureau, the tournament concluded on Sunday. It was the fifth and final event of the season for the BFL Okie Division. Montgomery earned $6,586 for his victory.
According to Montgomery, fishing is typically pretty tough on Grand in September. The fish are in transition, which makes them difficult to pattern.
“I fished another team event last weekend there and had 20 pounds the first day and 8 pounds the next day,” he said. “So, it’s one of those deals where the fish are really moving a lot right now. But the main key that I found was finding the big gizzard shad. That was really the main key to this, as a pattern. I found about five different coves or pockets that had the big gizzard, and I’m talking 8-, 9-, 10-inch shad. That’s where those big fish were.”
Once he found the gizzard shad, Montgomery went to work with two techniques. He flipped an Elk River Jig around docks and threw a discontinued Excalibur Series Jimmy Houston Super Spook at schooling fish.
“That bait actually is pretty unique,” he said of the Super Spook topwater. “It actually has a different knocker in it than the new ones do. Everybody kept telling me you can’t get a topwater bite, but that bait was getting bites every day.”
While the bait was cool, it was actually the jig that did the heavy lifting because the better-quality fish were on the docks. Montgomery was actually fishing a worm in practice, but on day one, he tried the jig and immediately caught a keeper that weighed about 5 pounds. Then he caught a 4-pounder two casts later, followed by a 3-pounder. From then on, the jig was the deal.
Montgomery’s best areas were in 8 to 15 feet of water in the mid-lake area. He was fishing about midway back in the creeks, and he said he fished new docks both days.
“It’s kind of something I’ve done for a long time,” he said of the dock pattern. “I’ve won quite a bit of money on Grand Lake in late summer and fall time. I have a lot of confidence in it. Definitely, what I do is a power deal. It’s not something you’re going to get a lot of bites doing, but the bites that you get are going to be better-than-average fish. Today (Sunday), it was pretty easy. I had a limit in about two hours. Yesterday, it took me ’til almost 2 o’clock to get a bite. You kind of have to be willing to lose to win doing what I do because you’re not going to get a lot of bites.”
Montgomery also used live sonar to get dialed in. Yes, he used it to see some fish under the docks, but he also used it to scan for brush. Mostly, it was a tool for ruling out docks that likely wouldn’t be productive. Altogether, his approach was on the mark: Flip the jig on high-percentage docks in areas with big gizzard shad and keep the topwater handy in case any bass showed themselves. He caught 16 pounds, 5 ounces doing it on day one then followed up with an impressive limit of 18-13 on day two. It all equaled out to a winning margin of more than 5 pounds.
The top 10 boaters finished the tournament:
1st: Vance Montgomery, Claremore, Okla., 10 bass, 35-2, $6,586
2nd: Micah Littlejohn, Grove, Okla., 10 bass, 29-11, $3,293
3rd: Josh Greer, Carthage, Mo., 10 bass, 27-15, $2,695 (includes $500 Phoenix MLF Contingency Bonus)
4th: Brad Cook, Afton, Okla., 10 bass, 27-1, $1,537
5th: Brett Brumnett, Wagoner, Okla., 10 bass, 26-15, $1,317
6th: Nick Kincaid, Brookeland, Texas, 10 bass, 26-13, $1,207
7th: Brandon Ackerson, Afton, Okla., 10 bass, 26-1, $1,398
8th: Alex Torkleson, Coweta, Okla., 10 bass, 26-0, $988
9th: Dale Andrews, Jay, Okla., 10 bass, 25-11, $878
10th: Jeremy Johnson, Kansas City, Kan., 10 bass, 25-10, $768
Complete results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
Robert Capps of Muskogee, Oklahoma, caught a bass that weighed 5 pounds and earned the Berkley Big Bass Boater award of $945.
Gene Mitchell of Stuart, Oklahoma, won the Strike King co-angler division and $3,181 Sunday, after bringing a two-day total of eight bass to the scale that totaled 18 pounds, 5 ounces.
The top 10 Strike King co-anglers finished:
1st: Gene Mitchell, Stuart, Okla., eight bass, 18-5, $3,181
2nd: Kelsey Ray, Joplin, Mo., six bass, 17-0, $1,591
3rd: Nathan Christie, Claremore, Okla., seven bass, 15-15, $1,211
4th: Brianna Batton , Norman, Okla., five bass, 14-11, $742
5th: David Hamilton, Rogers, Ark., seven bass, 14-9, $636
6th: Kaleb O'Brien, Wagoner, Okla., seven bass, 14-3, $583
7th: Ken Coats, Tulsa, Okla., eight bass, 13-15, $530
8th: Ken Hagar, Colcord, Okla., five bass, 13-9, $477
9th: Keith Hays, Broken Arrow, Okla., four bass, 12-14, $424
10th: Michael Dillon, Wichita, Kan., six bass, 12-6, $371
Bryan Schuster of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, earned the Berkley Big Bass co-angler award of $450, catching a bass that weighed in at 5 pounds, 2 ounces – the largest co-angler catch of the day.
At the conclusion of the event, Camden Kozikoski of Edmond, Oklahoma, was crowned the Fishing Clash Okie Division Angler of the Year (AOY) with 1,282 points to take home the $1,000 prize, while Kaleb O’Brien of Wagoner, Oklahoma, won the Fishing Clash Okie Division Co-angler of the Year race with 1,286 points and earned the $500 award.
The top 45 boaters and co-anglers in the region based on point standings, along with the five tournament winners of each qualifying event, will qualify for the Oct. 17-19 BFL Regional tournament on Wright Patman Lake in Texarkana, Texas. Boaters will fish for a top award of $60,000, including a new Phoenix 819 Pro with a 200-horsepower Mercury or Suzuki outboard and $10,000, while co-anglers will compete for a top award of $50,000, including a new Phoenix 819 Pro with a 200-horsepower Mercury or Suzuki outboard.
The 2024 Phoenix BFL Presented by T-H Marine is a 24-division circuit devoted to weekend anglers, with 128 events throughout the season, five qualifying tournaments in each division. The top 45 boaters and Strike King co-anglers from each division, along with the five qualifying event winners, will advance to one of six BFL Regional tournaments where they are competing to finish in the top six, which then qualifies them for one of the longest-running championships in all of competitive bass fishing – the BFL All-American. The 2025 BFL All-American will take place May 29-31, 2025, at Lake Hamilton in Hot Springs, Arkansas, and is hosted by hosted by Visit Hot Springs and the Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism.
Proud sponsors of the 2024 MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine include: 7Brew, Abu Garcia, B&W Trailer Hitches, Berkley, BUBBA, E3, Epic Baits, Fishing Clash, General Tire, GSM Outdoors, Lew’s, Mercury, Mossy Oak, Onyx, Phoenix, Polaris, Power-Pole, PowerStop Brakes, REDCON1, Strike King, Suzuki, Tackle Warehouse, T-H Marine, Toyota, WIX Filters and YETI.
For complete details and updated tournament information, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular Bass Fishing League updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF5’s social media outlets at Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.
About Major League Fishing
Major League Fishing (MLF) is the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization, producing more than 250 events annually at some of the most prestigious fisheries in the world, while broadcasting to America’s living rooms on CBS, Discovery Channel, Outdoor Channel, CBS Sports Network, World Fishing Network and on demand on MyOutdoorTV (MOTV). Headquartered in Benton, Kentucky, the MLF roster of bass anglers includes the world’s top pros and more than 30,000 competitors in all 50 states and 17 countries. Since its founding in 2011, MLF has advanced the sport of competitive fishing through its premier television broadcasts and livestreams and is dedicated to improving the quality of life for bass through research, education, fisheries enhancement and fish care.
St. Paris’ Nesbitt Gets Second Career Win at Phoenix Bass Fishing League Super Tournament at Indian Lake
Valley City’s Saunders Tops Strike King Co-Angler Division
LAKEVIEW, Ohio. (Sept. 16, 2024) – Boater Michael Nesbitt of St. Paris, Ohio, caught a two-day total of 10 bass weighing 23 pounds, 1 ounce, to win the MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League (BFL) Presented by T-H Marine Super Tournament at Indian Lake . The tournament, which concluded Sunday, was the fifth and final event of the season for the BFL Buckeye Division. Nesbitt earned $5,137 for his victory.
It was a tale of two days for Nesbitt.
“On day one, I think I had 45 spots on the main lake, and when I’m talking spots I’m talking just pulling up and making three or four casts to a ladder or a corner of a seawall,” he said. “I ran all that, and I caught fish. I just couldn’t get the big ones. And I lost a couple that were key fish in the 3-pound range in the (lily) pad areas.”
The main-lake bite was good enough for 9 pounds, 9 ounces and sixth place on day one. Nesbitt caught them using a mix of lures, including a ChatterBait, crankbait and Ned rig. However, those big pad bites that he missed, along with the need to make up a little ground on the second day, motivated Nesbitt to vacate the main lake on day two and instead spend his entire final tournament day fishing lily pads with a homemade creature bait and a frog.
“I’m a pad flipper. I knew I needed a big bag today (Sunday), so I just said forget the main lake and went and flipped pads. I lost a 2 1/2-pounder first thing in the morning I thought was really going to hurt me, and I was a little down. Turned out, I didn’t even need that fish.”
On day two, the pad bite started off quick, with Nesbitt putting a couple nice keepers in the box one right after the other. He managed another couple keepers after that but still didn’t have the big bag he was looking for.
“I had four fish at this point, and I made a move just because of wind direction,” he said. “I knew an area that the wind would be pushing in there. It had some duckweed pushed up there and a bunch of shad.”
It was the perfect mix, and Nesbitt capitalized quickly with a pair of quality keepers. Those fish jumped him from sixth place to first with a final-day limit of 13-8, earning him his second BFL win on Indian Lake in three seasons.
The top 10 boaters finished the tournament:
1st: Michael Nesbitt, St. Paris, Ohio, 10 bass, 23-1, $5,137
2nd: Nick Leonard, Amelia, Ohio, 10 bass, 20-14, $2,569
3rd: Chuck Willis, Dayton, Ohio, 10 bass, 20-3, $2,357
4th: Clyde McNaron, Trenton, Ohio, 10 bass, 20-0, $1,199
5th: Hunter Colwell, Sidney, Ohio, 10 bass, 19-12, $1,527 (includes $500 Phoenix MLF Contingency Bonus)
6th: Rusty Kisor, Millfield, Ohio, 10 bass, 19-3, $1,367
7th: Chris Martinkovic, Hamilton, Ohio, 10 bass, 18-5, $856
8th: Cody Seeger, Lewistown, Ohio, 10 bass, 17-14, $771
9th: Josh Smith, Liberty, Ind., 10 bass, 17-10, $685
10th: Kevin Spears, New Boston, Ohio, 10 bass, 17-10, $599
Complete results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
Chuck Willis of Dayton, Ohio, caught a bass that weighed 4 pounds, 12 ounces, to earn the Berkley Big Bass Boater award of $645.
Mark Saunders of Valley City, Ohio, won the Strike King co-angler division and $2,569 Sunday, after bringing a two-day total of 10 bass to the scale that totaled 16 pounds, 2 ounces.
The top 10 Strike King co-anglers finished:
1st: Mark Saunders, Valley City, Ohio, 10 bass, 16-2, $2,569
2nd: Dakota Johnston, Uniontown, Ohio, 10 bass, 15-10, $1,284
3rd: Austin Herbst, Hamilton, Ohio, 10 bass, 15-6, $858
4th: Dylan Phillips, Albany, Ohio, 10 bass, 15-4, $599
5th: Matt Fisher, Glouster, Ohio, 10 bass, 14-9, $764
6th: Kenneth Ritchie, Trenton, Ohio, eight bass, 14-1, $471
7th: David Prater, Franklin, Ohio, eight bass, 13-8, $750
8th: Bryan Hofstetter, Lewistown, Ohio, 10 bass, 12-14, $385
9th: Jeff Moorman, Liberty Township, Ohio, 10 bass, 12-13, $342
10th: Jason Riley, Cleveland, Ohio, 10 bass, 11-7, $300
David Prater of Franklin, Ohio, earned the Berkley Big Bass co-angler award of $322, catching a bass that weighed in at 3 pounds, 7 ounces – the largest co-angler catch of the day.
At the conclusion of the tournament, Sean Wieda of Alexandria, Kentucky, was crowned the Fishing Clash Buckeye Division Angler of the Year (AOY) with 1,328 points to take home the $1,000 payout, while Brent Jones of Okeana, Ohio, won the Fishing Clash Buckeye Division Co-angler of the Year race with 1,274 points and earned $500.
The top 45 boaters and co-anglers in the region based on point standings, along with the five tournament winners of each qualifying event, have qualified for the Oct. 10-12 BFL Regional tournament on Pools 13-17 of the Mississippi River in Quad Cities, Illinois. Boaters will fish for a top award of $60,000, including a new Phoenix 819 Pro with a 200-horsepower Mercury or Suzuki outboard and $10,000, while co-anglers will compete for a top award of $50,000, including a new Phoenix 819 Pro with a 200-horsepower Mercury or Suzuki outboard.
The 2024 Phoenix BFL Presented by T-H Marine is a 24-division circuit devoted to weekend anglers, with 128 events throughout the season, five qualifying tournaments in each division. The top 45 boaters and Strike King co-anglers from each division, along with the five qualifying event winners, will advance to one of six BFL Regional tournaments where they are competing to finish in the top six, which then qualifies them for one of the longest-running championships in all of competitive bass fishing – the BFL All-American. The 2025 BFL All-American will take place May 29-31, 2025, at Lake Hamilton in Hot Springs, Arkansas, and is hosted by hosted by Visit Hot Springs and the Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism.
Proud sponsors of the 2024 MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine include: 7Brew, Abu Garcia, B&W Trailer Hitches, Berkley, BUBBA, E3, Epic Baits, Fishing Clash, General Tire, GSM Outdoors, Lew’s, Mercury, Mossy Oak, Onyx, Phoenix, Polaris, Power-Pole, PowerStop Brakes, REDCON1, Strike King, Suzuki, Tackle Warehouse, T-H Marine, Toyota, WIX Filters and YETI.
For complete details and updated tournament information, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular Bass Fishing League updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF5’s social media outlets at Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.
About Major League Fishing
Major League Fishing (MLF) is the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization, producing more than 250 events annually at some of the most prestigious fisheries in the world, while broadcasting to America’s living rooms on CBS, Discovery Channel, Outdoor Channel, CBS Sports Network, World Fishing Network and on demand on MyOutdoorTV (MOTV). Headquartered in Benton, Kentucky, the MLF roster of bass anglers includes the world’s top pros and more than 30,000 competitors in all 50 states and 17 countries. Since its founding in 2011, MLF has advanced the sport of competitive fishing through its premier television broadcasts and livestreams and is dedicated to improving the quality of life for bass through research, education, fisheries enhancement and fish care.
Tennessee’s Nash Posts Second Win of the Season at Phoenix Bass Fishing League Super Tournament at Lake Cumberland
Erlanger’s van Hoene Tops Strike King Co-Angler Division
MONTICELLO, Ky. (Sept. 16, 2024) – Boater Christian Nash of Allons, Tennessee, caught a two-day total of 10 bass weighing 34 pounds, 13 ounces, to win the MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League (BFL) Presented by T-H Marine Super Tournament at Lake Cumberland. The tournament, which concluded Sunday, was the fifth and final event of the season for the BFL Mountain Division. Nash earned $11,465, including the lucrative $7,000 Phoenix MLF Contingency Bonus, for his victory.
For Nash, this makes BFL win No. 2 this season. He also won a Music City Division tournament on Dale Hollow in March. And like he did at Dale Hollow, Nash won the Lake Cumberland tournament using his Lowrance ActiveTarget live sonar. He also experienced an interesting bit of luck … but more on that later.
“I had no practice,” Nash said of the tournament. “I actually haven’t been on Cumberland since this past spring. I just went fishing.
“The first day, I ran down the lake and actually pulled in the holler and just sat down right on top of them. I started out catching a few keeper spots. Then once the sun got higher up, the bait would actually get tighter in the water column, and I could pick off single, individual smallmouth. They were 30 to 40 feet deep.”
When the bait balls tightened up, Nash was better able to spot and target the smallies on sonar. He said it was challenging fishing due to the wind, depth and the impressive speed of the fish, forcing him to lead them by as much as 40 yards to make an accurate presentation.
Nash stayed in that area most of the day. But with a decent limit of 14 pounds in the livewell, he vacated and did some bank fishing in search of a backup pattern. It never really panned out, so in the afternoon he returned to his primary area and caught a 3-pound, 9-ounce largemouth that culled out the only remaining spotted bass in his livewell. That cull put him at 16 pounds, 4 ounces with a healthy day-one lead.
On day two, Nash returned to his primary area and put about 11 pounds in the box by 11 a.m. That’s when things got interesting.
“I proceeded to lose four fish, four straight casts in a row, that were all pretty big,” he said. “And I thought I’d blown my chance to win. But, this is gonna sound funny, but my buddy Jacob Woods, he gave me some lucky arrowheads, he called ’em. He said if you need some luck, just take them out and rub them for good luck. After I lost those four fish, I told my co-angler, ‘You might think I’m a little crazy, but I’ve gotta give these things a try.’ Within an hour and a half after that, I had a little over 18 pounds.”
Whether it was skill, timing or a little something extra thanks to a fishing partner’s good-luck charms, the turnaround put Nash way ahead of the competition. His day-two limit of 18-9 was the biggest of the tournament, boosting his total to 34-13 and a winning margin of 7 1/2 pounds.
Nash caught all his key fish on a prototype swimbait he’s working on with Burtek Tackle, which he paired with a 1/2-ounce Zorro Baits Booza Sonar FFS jighead.
“It’s been a blessed year,” Nash added. “I have no complaints. God’s been good to me. He’s been good to my family, too.”
The top 10 boaters finished the tournament:
1st: Christian Nash, Allons, Tenn., 10 bass, 34-13, $11,465 (includes $7,000 Phoenix MLF Contingency Bonus)
2nd: Lee Sinclair, Albany, Ky., 10 bass, 27-5, $2,743
3rd: Andrew Napier , Fisherville, Ky., 10 bass, 24-14, $1,488
4th: Isaac Peavyhouse, Jamestown, Tenn., 10 bass, 24-11, $1,167
5th: Evan Fields, Shelbyville, Ky., 10 bass, 24-6, $893
6th: Branden Grubb, Lily, Ky., 10 bass, 23-13, $819
7th: Bailey Gay, Union, Ky., 10 bass, 23-6, $744
8th: Ryan Davidson, Branchland, W.Va., eight bass, 20-0, $970
9th: Aaron Singleton, Lagrange, Ky., 10 bass, 19-10, $595
10th: Jason Smith, Union, Ky., eight bass, 19-7, $521
Complete results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
Lee Sinclair of Albany, Kentucky, caught a bass that weighed 4 pounds, 9 ounces, and earned the Berkley Big Bass Boater award of $510.
Joey von Hoene of Erlanger, Kentucky, won the Strike King co-angler division and $2,167 Sunday, after bringing a two-day total of four bass to the scale that totaled 10 pounds, 3 ounces.
The top 10 Strike King co-anglers finished:
1st: Joey von Hoene, Erlanger, Ky., four bass, 10-3, $2,167
2nd: Grant Aumiller, Danville, Ky., five bass, 8-11, $1,083
3rd: Pop Catalin, Cookeville, Tenn., four bass, 8-8, $724
4th: Robbie Mattingly, Junction City, Ky., four bass, 6-10, $506
5th: Jordan Garrett, Jamestown, Tenn., three bass, 6-8, $433
6th: Richard Payne, Portland, Tenn., four bass, 6-3, $397
7th: Caden Ayers, McKee, Ky., two bass, 5-12, $608
8th: Adler Odle, Willow Springs, Mo., four bass, 4-15, $325
9th: Chris Rushing, Gamaliel, Ky., two bass, 4-7, $289
10th: Garrett Haggerty, Campbellsville, Ky., two bass, 3-13, $253
Caden Ayers of McKee, Kentucky, earned the Berkley Big Bass co-angler award of $247, catching a bass that weighed in at 3 pounds, 8 ounces – the largest co-angler catch of the day.
At the conclusion of the tournament, Bailey Gay of Union, Kentucky, was crowned Fishing Clash Mountain Division Angler of the Year (AOY) with 1,327 points and earned the $1,000 prize, while Johnny Suratt of Lawrenceburg, Tennessee, won the Fishing Clash Mountain Division Co-angler of the Year race with 1,300 points to win $500.
The top 45 boaters and co-anglers in the region based on point standings, along with the five tournament winners of each qualifying event, have qualified for the Oct. 3-5 BFL Regional tournament on Pickwick Lake in Counce, Tennessee. Boaters will fish for a top award of $60,000, including a new Phoenix 819 Pro with a 200-horsepower Mercury or Suzuki outboard and $10,000, while co-anglers will compete for a top award of $50,000, including a new Phoenix 819 Pro with a 200-horsepower Mercury or Suzuki outboard.
The 2024 Phoenix BFL Presented by T-H Marine is a 24-division circuit devoted to weekend anglers, with 128 events throughout the season, five qualifying tournaments in each division. The top 45 boaters and Strike King co-anglers from each division, along with the five qualifying event winners, will advance to one of six BFL Regional tournaments where they are competing to finish in the top six, which then qualifies them for one of the longest-running championships in all of competitive bass fishing – the BFL All-American. The 2025 BFL All-American will take place May 29-31, 2025, at Lake Hamilton in Hot Springs, Arkansas, and is hosted by hosted by Visit Hot Springs and the Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism.
Proud sponsors of the 2024 MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine include: 7Brew, Abu Garcia, B&W Trailer Hitches, Berkley, BUBBA, E3, Epic Baits, Fishing Clash, General Tire, GSM Outdoors, Lew’s, Mercury, Mossy Oak, Onyx, Phoenix, Polaris, Power-Pole, PowerStop Brakes, REDCON1, Strike King, Suzuki, Tackle Warehouse, T-H Marine, Toyota, WIX Filters and YETI.
For complete details and updated tournament information, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular Bass Fishing League updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF5’s social media outlets at Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.
About Major League Fishing
Major League Fishing (MLF) is the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization, producing more than 250 events annually at some of the most prestigious fisheries in the world, while broadcasting to America’s living rooms on CBS, Discovery Channel, Outdoor Channel, CBS Sports Network, World Fishing Network and on demand on MyOutdoorTV (MOTV). Headquartered in Benton, Kentucky, the MLF roster of bass anglers includes the world’s top pros and more than 30,000 competitors in all 50 states and 17 countries. Since its founding in 2011, MLF has advanced the sport of competitive fishing through its premier television broadcasts and livestreams and is dedicated to improving the quality of life for bass through research, education, fisheries enhancement and fish care.
Southside’s Wesson Wins Phoenix Bass Fishing League Super Tournament at Alabama River
Jackson’s Graham Tops Strike King Co-Angler Division
PRATTVILLE, Ala. (Sept. 16, 2024) – Boater David Wesson of Southside, Alabama, caught a two-day total of 10 bass weighing 28 pounds, 5 ounces, to win the MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League (BFL) Presented by T-H Marine Super Tournament on the Alabama River. The tournament, which concluded Sunday, was the fifth and final event of the season for the BFL Bama Division. Wesson earned $4,334 for his victory.
Not having any practice for the tournament actually helped Wesson, in his opinion. That’s because fluctuating water levels changed the playing field from practice to the tournament, and even during the tournament. So, anything learned in practice could have been high and dry when it counted.
“From Friday night to the start of the tournament Saturday, they dropped the water about 2 1/2 feet,” Wesson said.
The water then jumped back up a foot or so overnight from Saturday to Sunday and continued to rise throughout Sunday’s tournament hours. Both changes forced the anglers to adapt.
“Day one, I caught most of my fish on a swimbait in lily pads,” Wesson said. “Day two, I had to make some changes because the water came back up, and those fish weren’t doing the same thing. So I went and hit some water willow with a frog.”
Wesson’s lily pad spot is one he’s fished in the past. Having some familiarity with the area was helpful, but he went in knowing he’d have to feel out the bite. He cycled through a few different baits before settling on the swimbait, which produced 12 pounds, 8 ounces the first day. It would’ve been more had he not lost a couple good fish.
On the second day, not surprisingly, Wesson ran back to the lily pads first thing. But he did it with an open mind and 15 rods on the front deck.
“I went back there thinking those fish should be set up the same but having it in the back of my mind I might have to change up a little since the water level changed,” he said. “I spent the first four hours giving it its due and trying to make it work. I caught one 3-pounder doing that and pulled the plug on it and went out and started running some water willow and got on them with the frog.”
The water willow bite is something Wesson is experienced with from his home waters of Neely Henry. He knows it can require some stubbornness to grind it out and get the right bites, which was the case on Sunday. Thankfully, it put Wesson around the right fish and he was able to bring home the win on the back of a SPRO Bronzeye Frog.
The top 10 boaters finished the tournament:
1st: David Wesson, Southside, Ala., 10 bass, 28-5, $4,334
2nd: Donald Griffith, Robertsdale, Ala., 10 bass, 24-12, $2,167
3rd: Robert Robinson, Mobile, Ala., 10 bass, 23-13, $1,444
4th: Jason Nixon, Wetumpka, Ala., 10 bass, 23-10, $1,011
5th: Morgan Brown, Spanish Fort, Ala., 10 bass, 22-8, $1,167
6th: Stephen Perry, Pike Road, Ala., 10 bass, 21-11, $795
7th: Allan Glasgow, Ashville, Ala., 10 bass, 21-8, $1,222 (includes $500 Phoenix MLF Contingency Bonus)
8th: Tyler Malone, Chunchula, Ala., 10 bass, 21-0, $650
9th: Michael M. Smith, Andalusia, Ala., 10 bass, 20-15, $578
10th: Vernelle Quinnie, Duncanville, Ala., 10 bass, 20-10, $506
Complete results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
James Willoughby of Gulfport, Mississippi, caught a bass that weighed 4 pounds, 4 ounces, and earned the Berkley Big Bass Boater award of $495.
Brian Graham of Jackson, Alabama, won the Strike King co-angler division and $2,167 Sunday, after bringing a two-day total of 10 bass to the scale that totaled 16 pounds, 9 ounces.
The top 10 Strike King co-anglers finished:
1st: Brian Graham, Jackson, Ala., 10 bass, 16-9, $2,167
2nd: Frank Mackin, State Line, Miss., 10 bass, 14-12, $1,083
3rd: Brian Carroll, Glencoe, Ala., 10 bass, 14-7, $724
4th: Daniel Arnberg, Auburn, Ala., 10 bass, 13-6, $506
5th: Samuel Fish, Chelsea, Ala., eight bass, 12-8, $433
6th: Caleb Gwaltney, Athens, Ala., eight bass, 12-4, $397
7th: Danny Pinho, Bay Minette, Ala., five bass, 10-8, $608
8th: Curtis Simmons, Chancellor, Ala., five bass, 9-15, $325
9th: Mark Black, Selma, Ala., seven bass, 9-14, $289
10th: Chandler Sheehan, Valley Grande, Ala., seven bass, 9-6, $253
Danny Pinho of Bay Minette, Alabama, earned the Berkley Big Bass co-angler award of $247, catching a bass that weighed in at 3 pounds, 11 ounces – the largest co-angler catch of the day.
At the conclusion of the tournament, Robert Robinson of Mobile, Alabama, was crowned Fishing Clash Bama Division Angler of the Year (AOY) with 1,334 points and earned the $1,000 prize, while Reid Hale of Jasper, Alabama, won the Fishing Clash Bama Division Co-angler of the Year race with 1,287 points to win the $500 prize.
The top 45 boaters and co-anglers in the region based on point standings, along with the five tournament winners of each qualifying event, have qualified for the Oct. 10-12 BFL Regional tournament on Santee Cooper Lakes in Clarendon County, South Carolina. Boaters will fish for a top award of $60,000, including a new Phoenix 819 Pro with a 200-horsepower Mercury or Suzuki outboard and $10,000, while co-anglers will compete for a top award of $50,000, including a new Phoenix 819 Pro with a 200-horsepower Mercury or Suzuki outboard.
The 2024 Phoenix BFL Presented by T-H Marine is a 24-division circuit devoted to weekend anglers, with 128 events throughout the season, five qualifying tournaments in each division. The top 45 boaters and Strike King co-anglers from each division, along with the five qualifying event winners, will advance to one of six BFL Regional tournaments where they are competing to finish in the top six, which then qualifies them for one of the longest-running championships in all of competitive bass fishing – the BFL All-American. The 2025 BFL All-American will take place May 29-31, 2025, at Lake Hamilton in Hot Springs, Arkansas, and is hosted by hosted by Visit Hot Springs and the Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism.
Proud sponsors of the 2024 MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine include: 7Brew, Abu Garcia, B&W Trailer Hitches, Berkley, BUBBA, E3, Epic Baits, Fishing Clash, General Tire, GSM Outdoors, Lew’s, Mercury, Mossy Oak, Onyx, Phoenix, Polaris, Power-Pole, PowerStop Brakes, REDCON1, Strike King, Suzuki, Tackle Warehouse, T-H Marine, Toyota, WIX Filters and YETI.
For complete details and updated tournament information, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular Bass Fishing League updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF5’s social media outlets at Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.
About Major League Fishing
Major League Fishing (MLF) is the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization, producing more than 250 events annually at some of the most prestigious fisheries in the world, while broadcasting to America’s living rooms on CBS, Discovery Channel, Outdoor Channel, CBS Sports Network, World Fishing Network and on demand on MyOutdoorTV (MOTV). Headquartered in Benton, Kentucky, the MLF roster of bass anglers includes the world’s top pros and more than 30,000 competitors in all 50 states and 17 countries. Since its founding in 2011, MLF has advanced the sport of competitive fishing through its premier television broadcasts and livestreams and is dedicated to improving the quality of life for bass through research, education, fisheries enhancement and fish care.
New Jersey Angler Alex Johnson Wins Rescheduled Phoenix Bass Fishing League Event at Potomac River
Virginia’s Baird Tops Strike King Co-Angler Division
MARBURY, Md. (Sept. 16, 2024) – Boater Alex Johnson of Milltown, New Jersey, caught a five-bass limit weighing 18 pounds, 12 ounces, Saturday to win the MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League (BFL) Presented by T-H Marine on the Potomac River . Hosted by the Charles County Board of Commissioners and Adirondack Coast Visitors Bureau, the tournament was the fourth event of the season for the BFL Northeast Division. Johnson earned $3,383 for his victory.
This tournament was originally scheduled for Lake Oneida earlier this season but was postponed due to unsafe boating conditions and later rescheduled for Saturday on the Potomac. Northeast Division anglers clashed again on Sunday in a one-day Super Tournament on the Potomac River to conclude their season.
To get the win in Saturday’s event, Johnson relied primarily on a homemade black-and-blue ball-head jig. Catching the Berkley Big Bass of the day – a 5 1/2-pounder that earned him $355 – along with a pair of 4-pounders boosted him to the top of the standings.
“It was not a total slugfest,” he said. “I caught 15 fish probably. I stayed in one area for most of the day, for probably four or five hours, but then the back half of the day I started running around a little bit and kind of chasing the tide. The water had totally stopped moving where I was. It was wind against tide today, so it kind of held the water up and slacked off a bit.”
Johnson’s primary area was a creek he located during practice on Friday. He targeted four key stretches, hitting each one twice and flipping a “little bit of a mix” of targets.
“I was trying to concentrate on hard cover,” he said. “But the hard cover needed to have grass around it. It couldn’t just be like a random bank of laydowns. It had to be hard cover within a grass bed.”
Johnson, who owns a commercial swimming pool business with his college roommate, caught that big kicker early in the morning. He said it was entirely unexpected – a nice surprise on tournament day – and helped him accumulate about 16 pounds in the first three hours of competition. When he left his starting creek in the afternoon, he ran around to areas where he could find some moving water. That changeup produced the key 4-pounder that sealed his victory.
“I just tried to keep the trolling motor moving and take as many casts as I could,” he added. “I was trying to pick everything apart. I was flipping every 5 feet.”
The top 11 boaters finished the tournament:
1st: Alex Johnson, Milltown, N.J., five bass, 18-12, $3,383
2nd: Todd Langford, Great Falls, Va., five bass, 16-4, $2,014 (includes $500 Phoenix MLF Contingency Bonus)
3rd: Stacey Craft, Dunkirk, Md., five bass, 14-4, $1,008
4th: Fred Aldridge, Brandy Station, Va., five bass, 13-10, $707
5th: Connor MacDougall, Cape Coral, Fla., five bass, 12-15, $606
6th: Robert Grike, Dumfries, Va., five bass, 12-14, $555
7th: Jeffrey Davis, Wendell, N.C., five bass, 12-13, $479
7th: Logan Kaplon, Rural Valley, Pa., five bass, 12-13, $479
9th: Joe Zombek II, Scranton, Pa., five bass, 12-12, $829
10th: William Kronander, Brownsville, Pa., five bass, 12-10, $335
10th: John Duarte, Middle River, Md., five bass, 12-10, $335
Complete results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
Lenny Baird of Stafford, Virginia, won the Strike King co-angler division and $2,064 Saturday, after bringing five bass to the scale that totaled 14 pounds, 13 ounces.
The top 10 Strike King co-anglers finished:
1st: Lenny Baird, Stafford, Va., five bass, 14-13, $2,064
2nd: Matt Hummel, Dillsburg, Pa., four bass, 12-15, $934
3rd: Robert Wedding, Welcome, Md., five bass, 12-7, $505
4th: Clarence Dove, Linthicum Heights, Md., five bass, 12-5, $353
5th: Hunter Navari, Colchester, Vt., five bass, 11-4, $303
6th: Melvin Smitson, Baltimore, Md., five bass, 10-9, $278
7th: Richard Jordan, Muncy Valley, Pa., five bass, 10-2, $252
8th: Logan Bloomfield, East Berlin, Pa., five bass, 10-0, $227
9th: Troy Mills, Lewistown, Pa., five bass, 9-14, $202
10th: Andrew Hostler, Tyrone, Pa., five bass, 9-9, $177
Matt Hummel of Dillsburg, Pennsylvania, earned the Berkley Big Bass co-angler award of $177, catching a bass that weighed in at 5 pounds, 13 ounces – the largest co-angler catch of the day.
After Saturday’s tournament, Daniel Gray of Butler, Pennsylvania, held the lead in the Fishing Clash Northeast Division Angler of the Year race with 937 points, while Lenny Baird of Stafford, Virginia, led the Fishing Clash Northeast Division Co-angler of the Year race with 972 points.
The top 45 boaters and co-anglers in the region based on point standings, along with the five tournament winners of each qualifying event, have qualified for the Oct. 3-5 BFL Regional tournament on Kerr Lake in Henderson, North Carolina. Boaters will fish for a top award of $60,000, including a new Phoenix 819 Pro with a 200-horsepower Mercury or Suzuki outboard and $10,000, while co-anglers will compete for a top award of $50,000, including a new Phoenix 819 Pro with a 200-horsepower Mercury or Suzuki outboard.
The 2024 Phoenix BFL Presented by T-H Marine is a 24-division circuit devoted to weekend anglers, with 128 events throughout the season, five qualifying tournaments in each division. The top 45 boaters and Strike King co-anglers from each division, along with the five qualifying event winners, will advance to one of six BFL Regional tournaments where they are competing to finish in the top six, which then qualifies them for one of the longest-running championships in all of competitive bass fishing – the BFL All-American. The 2025 BFL All-American will take place May 29-31, 2025, at Lake Hamilton in Hot Springs, Arkansas, and is hosted by hosted by Visit Hot Springs and the Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism.
Proud sponsors of the 2024 MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine include: 7Brew, Abu Garcia, B&W Trailer Hitches, Berkley, BUBBA, E3, Epic Baits, Fishing Clash, General Tire, GSM Outdoors, Lew’s, Mercury, Mossy Oak, Onyx, Phoenix, Polaris, Power-Pole, PowerStop Brakes, REDCON1, Strike King, Suzuki, Tackle Warehouse, T-H Marine, Toyota, WIX Filters and YETI.
For complete details and updated tournament information, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular Bass Fishing League updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF5’s social media outlets at Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.
About Major League Fishing
Major League Fishing (MLF) is the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization, producing more than 250 events annually at some of the most prestigious fisheries in the world, while broadcasting to America’s living rooms on CBS, Discovery Channel, Outdoor Channel, CBS Sports Network, World Fishing Network and on demand on MyOutdoorTV (MOTV). Headquartered in Benton, Kentucky, the MLF roster of bass anglers includes the world’s top pros and more than 30,000 competitors in all 50 states and 17 countries. Since its founding in 2011, MLF has advanced the sport of competitive fishing through its premier television broadcasts and livestreams and is dedicated to improving the quality of life for bass through research, education, fisheries enhancement and fish care.
DeFoe/Montgomery and Ashley/Scroggins Advance After Elimination Round Match 2 at General Tire Team Series
Team REDCON1 (DeFoe/Montgomery) catches 30 scorable bass totaling 53 pounds, 13 ounces to win Elimination Round Match 2, top two teams move on to Knockout Rounds
NEENAH, Wis. (Sept. 16, 2024) – It was a fight to the finish as four new teams hit the water Monday with no practice, no information and no real game plan during the second event of the 2024 General Tire Team Series Presented by Bass Pro Shops in Neenah, Wisconsin.
Two-man teams were driven to the boat ramp by Major League Fishing officials Monday morning, where they were given maps of Lakes Poygan and Winneconne before setting out to break down the fishery. But it didn’t take long for teams to get on the juice and start lighting up SCORETRACKER®. While boat docks were the preeminent player during Match 1 on Sunday, teams spent the majority of the day Monday flipping grass during Match 2 of the Elimination Round at the Knighten Industries Heritage Cup Presented by Berkley .
Team Smokey Mountain Herbal Snuff and Pouches – made up of Casey Ashley of Donalds, South Carolina, and Terry Scroggins of San Mateo, Florida – rose to the top of the leaderboard early in the day, holding the top spot all of Period 1 before falling back in Period 2 after going an hour and half with zero scorable bass. They regained and held the top spot for most of Period 3 but couldn’t hold off a hard charge by TEAM REDCON1 – Ott DeFoe of Blaine, Tennessee, and Andy Montgomery of Blacksburg, South Carolina – who took over the top spot with 45 minutes left in the third period. Both teams now move on to the Knockout Rounds, with Ashley/Scroggins competing on Wednesday and DeFoe/Montgomery competing on Thursday.
It was a slow start to the morning for Team REDCON1 who started their day bouncing around the north side of the lake without making much headway. At the end of Period 1, they were in third place with four bass weighing a mere 4-1 on SCORETRACKER®.
The tandem made a move to the southeast corner of the lake late in the morning, transitioning to pitching along cane grass lines, a move that proved fortuitous for the duo. They got all the way up into first place at the end of Period 2 before falling to second behind Team Smokey Mountain Herbal Snuff and Pouches.
That’s when Montgomery picked up a vibrating jig and the team went to work targeting boat docks, going on an afternoon flurry to rally in the final period, stacking up 13 scorable bass for 21-9 in the final 45 minutes of competition.
“What a day,” said Montgomery. “We had a whole lot of nothing for most of the day, but it ended up being a big day. We had that one stretch around the islands where Ott was just cremating them early on, but we struggled the majority of the day. Once we got on those docks though, everything changed.”
The duo worked seamlessly together, with Montgomery hooking up with most of their third period bass and DeFoe picking up the stragglers behind him.
“The key bait for me today was a Bass Pro Shops Wacky Stick-O Worm, black and blue laminate, on a VMC Redline Series Weedless Wacky Neko Hook,” said DeFoe. “I threw that on a J ohnny Morris Platinum Signature Spinning Rod with a Platinum Signature Spinning Reel and 10-lb Bass Pro Shops XPS Braid and a 12-pound XPS fluorocarbon leader.
“That was a really good back-up bait to Andy’s bladed jig skipping around these docks here at the end of the day,” DeFoe continued. “He went on a heck of a run, and we were able to catch a lot of fish and get the win.”
Team Smokey Mountain Herbal Snuff and Pouches may have finished in second place, but they had the most consistent day from start to finish. The duo got into the cane grass early in the morning and stayed with it all day, catching them off the outside edges early, then moving into really thick grass as the day progressed.
“What a roller coaster of a day,” said Scroggins. “We went from being on top, to totally sucking in the second period, to turning out pretty good.
“We left an area that we shouldn’t have left looking for greener pastures and trying to find something new,” Scroggins continued. “We went back through a grass line that had produced earlier in the day, and it just wasn’t producing again, so we figured we needed to run new stuff.”
That move opened up the door for Team REDCON1.
“We were just about two minutes late getting into that area, but that allowed Ott and Andy to get the jump on us,” said Scroggins. “But we still caught them good and are looking forward to teaming up again for the Knockout Round.”
The top two teams from Elimination Round Match 2 at the Knighten Industries Heritage Cup Presented by Berkley that now advance to the Knockout Round are:
1st: Team REDCON1, 30 bass, 53-13
Ott DeFoe, Blaine, Tenn., 19 bass, 35-4
Andy Montgomery, Blacksburg, S.C., 11 bass, 18-9
2nd: Team Smokey Mountain Herbal Snuff & Pouches, 22 bass, 50-14
Casey Ashley, Donalds, S.C. nine bass, 21-10
Terry Scroggins, San Mateo, Fla. 13 bass, 29-4
Eliminated from competition are:
3rd: Team 7 Brew Coffee, 22 bass, 37-9
Zack Birge, Blanchard, Okla., 14 bass, 23-3
Ryan Salzman, Huntsville, Ala., eight bass, 14-6
4th: Team U.S. Air Force, seven bass, 17-12
Matt Lee, Dayton, Tenn., five bass, 11-14
Jesse Wiggins, Addison, Ala., two bass, 5-14
Complete results from throughout the week can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
Overall, there were 81 bass weighing 160 pounds even caught by the four teams during Elimination Round Match 2 on Lakes Poygan and Winneconne on the Fox River Chain. Teams U.S. Air Force and Smokey Mountain Herbal Snuff and Pouches tied for the Berkley Big Bass of the day with both Casey Ashley and Jesse Wiggins catching bass weighing 3 pounds, 12 ounces.
The Knighten Industries Heritage Cup Presented by Berkley is hosted by the Fox Cities Convention & Visitors Bureau and takes place over six days in the Fox Cities in Wisconsin. The competition water for each day is top-secret and is only revealed to the anglers when they arrive at the boat ramp each morning.
Anglers depart the host hotel in Neenah each morning at 5:30 a.m. CT. They are driven directly to the day’s competition area launch ramp by their officials. Competition begins on the water at 8:45 a.m.
The MLFNOW!® broadcast team of Chad McKee and J.T. Kenney will break down the extended action live every day of competition from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. CT. MLFNOW!® is live streamed on MajorLeagueFishing.com, the MyOutdoorTV (MOTV) app and Rumble.
The Heritage Cup features 12 two-man teams, divided into three groups as they enter the one-day Elimination Round matches. Each of the three Elimination Round matches will feature four new teams, with the top two teams from each match of the Elimination Round advancing to the Knockout Round on Days 4 & 5. In the Knockout Rounds, three teams compete each day, with the top two teams from each Knockout Round match moving on to the Championship Round on Day 6. In Friday’s Day 6 Championship Round, the final four teams will compete in a one-day shootout to determine which team will win the 2024 Knighten Industries Heritage Cup Presented by Berkley.
The 2024 General Tire Team Series is comprised of four events – Challenge Cup, Heritage Cup, Patriot Cup and Summit Cup – featuring two-man teams of MLF Bass Pro Tour pros competing from the same boat. Each event features a roster of 24 anglers, teamed up and working together to claim part of a season purse of more than $720,000. Teams were formed through a selection process, where 48 team captains – based on Fishing Clash Angler of the Year (AOY) standings throughout the 2024 Bass Pro Tour season – selected a teammate. Teams will compete throughout the fall of 2024.
Television coverage of the Knighten Industries Heritage Cup Presented by Berkley will premiere on Outdoor Channel as six two-hour episodes in February 2025. New MLF General Tire Team Series episodes will premiere each Saturday morning on Outdoor Channel and posted to MOTV.
Proud sponsors of the MLF General Tire Team Series include: 7 Brew Coffee, Abu Garcia, B&W Trailer Hitches, Barbasol, Bass Boat Technologies, Bass Pro Shops, Berkley, BUBBA, Builders FirstSource, C-MAP, Coign, Epic Baits, Ferguson, Fishing Clash, General Tire, Knighten Industries, Kubota, Lowrance, Lucas Oil, Mercury, Mossy Oak, Nitro Boats, Onyx, Plano, Power-Pole, Ranger Boats, Rapala Baits, REDCON1, Smokey Mountain Herbal Snuff, Star brite, Toyota, USAA, WIX Filters and YETI.
For complete details and updated information on Major League Fishing and the General Tire Team Series Presented by Bass Pro Shops, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF’s social media outlets at Facebook, X, Instagram and YouTube.
About Major League Fishing
Major League Fishing (MLF) is the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization, producing more than 250 events annually at some of the most prestigious fisheries in the world, while broadcasting to America’s living rooms on CBS, Discovery Channel, Outdoor Channel, CBS Sports Network, World Fishing Network and on demand on MyOutdoorTV (MOTV). Headquartered in Benton, Kentucky, the MLF roster of bass anglers includes the world’s top pros and more than 30,000 competitors in all 50 states and 17 countries. Since its founding in 2011, MLF has advanced the sport of competitive fishing through its premier television broadcasts and livestreams and is dedicated to improving the quality of life for bass through research, education, fisheries enhancement and fish care.
Dudley/Lefebre and Father-Son Jones Duo Advance After Match 1 of Elimination Round at General Tire Team Series Knighten Industries Heritage Cup Presented by Berkley
Four teams compete on Fox River’s Lakes Poygan and Winneconne, Team WIX Filters (Dudley/Lefebre) boats 17 bass totaling 38 pounds, 14 ounces to earn Elimination Round victory
NEENAH, Wis. (Sept. 15, 2024) – Kicking off the second event of the 2024 General Tire Team Series Presented by Bass Pro Shops from the Fox Cities in Wisconsin meant it was impossible for the first group of anglers to guess where there’d fish during Match 1 of the Elimination Round at the Knighten Industries Heritage Cup Presented by Berkley . Lake Winnebago, Little Lake Butte des Morts, the Fox River, and Lake Michigan were all on the table as options that might be the day’s competition fishery.
Anglers learned this morning at the boat ramp that they would compete on Lakes Poygan and Winneconne on the Fox River Chain, and it didn’t take long before the bass were biting as the teams found their honey holes and SCORETRACKER® lit up on Sunday morning.
The Team WIX Filters duo of David Dudley of Lynchburg, Virginia, and Erie, Pennsylvania’s Dave Lefebre led the way, catching 17 bass totaling 38 pounds, 14 ounces, to win Match 1 of the Elimination round by a 10-pound, 7-ounce margin. Also advancing is the Team Builders FirstSource father-son duo of Alton Jones, Sr ., and Alton Jones, Jr ., who caught 16 bass weighing 28-7 to move on in competition.
The majority of the teams spent the day fishing boat docks, with the lead interchanging multiple times at different points of the day in the close competition. Team WIX Filters got on the dock pattern in the beginning of the second period and never looked back. Lefebre fished from the front of the boat with a small jig, while Dudley cleaned up behind him with a Dudley’s Wacky rig.
“We started off on some deeper docks in the morning, then as the weather got hotter and the sun got higher, they started moving shallower and shallower and we started catching them in what we would call dirt – just inches of water up underneath those docks,” said Dudley, who caught nine scorables totaling 20-12. “That's why this wacky rig became dominant in the latter part of the day.
“The key today, for me, was definitely my setup. I caught them on a 7-foot, 2-inch medium-heavy Profishiency Krazy Spinning Combo, throwing a (Perfection Lures) Dudley Wacky Worm. I paired it up with 15-pound braided line attached to 8-pound fluorocarbon, and I used a 2/0 round bend hook. That was the key for me, today.”
As competition wrapped and Dudley and Lefebre began to prepare to return to the launch ramp, Dudley tried to goad Lefebre into a victory dance on the front deck of the boat. Lefebre, however, didn’t bite.
“David, my wife and kids watch these things,” Lefebre laughed. “However, I’ll make you a deal. If we win $20,000 this week, I will do something. I’ll get something happening and get jiggy with it.”
“Deal,” Dudley responded.
Team WIX Filters now moves on to Knockout Round competition on Wednesday.
It was a mad race to the second qualifying spot on Sunday. The Team B&W Trailer Hitches duo of Nick Hatfield and Justin Lucas held the No. 2 spot for most of the third period, but a key decision by Team Builders FirstSource late in the day turned out to be the difference maker.
As the final minutes ticked down in the third period, the Builders FirstSource duo threw a Hail Mary, running three miles to fish a lone boat dock that they had boated a couple of scorable bass on earlier in the day. With just 2 minutes remaining in competition, behind by 9 ounces, Lorena, Texas pro Alton Jones connected with a 1-pound, 2-ounce bass to overtake the Hatfield/Lucas duo and seize the final qualifying spot from Match 1.
“Man, we had to make a decision right there in the last little bit, and we decided to fish this one dock,” Jones Sr. said. “And there was nothing else back here for us to fish. It was either going to work or it wasn't. And it paid off. I almost missed that fish. I saw him spit it, then right back in he ate it again. It was a pretty lucky catch.”
Like most of the field, the Team Builders FirstSource father-son duo caught all of its fish throwing soft plastics around grass and boat docks.
“We had to play from behind all day, so we just kept our head down and kept working,” said Alton Jones Jr. of Waco, Texas. “We didn’t catch a lot of fish, but we ended up scrapping up enough.”
“I’m just glad we get to do this again for another day,” Jones Sr. went on to say. “I hope I performed well enough to make it where you might actually want to draw me again.”
“Maybe so,” Jones Jr. joked. “We’ll see how it goes in the Knockout Round on Thursday.”
The top two teams from Elimination Round Match 1 at the Knighten Industries Heritage Cup Presented by Berkley that now advance to the Knockout Round are:
1st: Team WIX Filters, 17 bass, 38-14
David Dudley, Lynchburg, Va., nine bass, 20-12
Dave Lefebre, Erie, Pa., eight bass, 18-2
2nd: Team Builders FirstSource, 16 bass, 28-7
Alton Jones, Jr., Waco, Texas, four bass, 5-15
Alton Jones, Sr., Lorena, Texas, 12 bass, 22-8
Eliminated from competition are:
3rd: Team B&W Trailer Hitches, 12 bass, 27-14
Nick Hatfield, Greeneville, Tenn., four bass, 10-7
Justin Lucas, Guntersville, Ala., eight bass, 17-7
4th: Team Kubota, 11 bass, 23-14
Brent Ehrler, Redlands, Calif., five bass, 10-11
Skeet Reese, Auburn, Calif., six bass, 13-3
Complete results from throughout the week can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
Overall, there were 56 bass weighing 119 pounds, 1 ounce caught by the four teams during Elimination Round Match 1 on Lakes Poygan and Winneconne on the Fox River Chain. Team B&W Trailer Hitches pro Justin Lucas caught the Berkley Big Bass of the day – a largemouth weighing 4 pounds, 1 ounce.
The Knighten Industries Heritage Cup Presented by Berkley is hosted by the Fox Cities Convention & Visitors Bureau and takes place over six days in the Fox Cities in Wisconsin. The competition water for each day is top-secret and is only revealed to the anglers when they arrive at the boat ramp each morning.
Anglers depart the host hotel in Neenah each morning at 5:30 a.m. CT. They are driven directly to the day’s competition area launch ramp by their officials. Competition begins on the water at 8:45 a.m.
The MLFNOW!® broadcast team of Chad McKee and J.T. Kenney will break down the extended action live every day of competition from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. CT. MLFNOW!® is live streamed on MajorLeagueFishing.com, the MyOutdoorTV (MOTV) app and Rumble.
The Challenge Cup features 12 two-man teams, divided into three groups as they enter the one-day Elimination Round matches. Each of the three Elimination Round matches will feature four new teams, with the top two teams from each match of the Elimination Round advancing to the Knockout Round on Days 4 & 5. In the Knockout Rounds, three teams compete each day, with the top two teams from each Knockout Round match moving on to the Championship Round on Day 6. In Friday’s Day 6 Championship Round, the final four teams will compete in a one-day shootout to determine which team will win the 2024 Knighten Industries Heritage Cup Presented by Berkley.
The 2024 General Tire Team Series is comprised of four events – Challenge Cup, Heritage Cup, Patriot Cup and Summit Cup – featuring two-man teams of MLF Bass Pro Tour pros competing from the same boat. Each event features a roster of 24 anglers, teamed up and working together to claim part of a season purse of more than $720,000. Teams were formed through a selection process, where 48 team captains – based on Fishing Clash Angler of the Year (AOY) standings throughout the 2024 Bass Pro Tour season – selected a teammate. Teams will compete throughout the fall of 2024.
Television coverage of the Knighten Industries Heritage Cup Presented by Berkley will premiere on Outdoor Channel as six two-hour episodes in February 2025. New MLF General Tire Team Series episodes will premiere each Saturday morning on Outdoor Channel and posted to MOTV.
Proud sponsors of the MLF General Tire Team Series include: 7 Brew Coffee, Abu Garcia, B&W Trailer Hitches, Barbasol, Bass Boat Technologies, Bass Pro Shops, Berkley, BUBBA, Builders FirstSource, C-MAP, Coign, Epic Baits, Ferguson, Fishing Clash, General Tire, Knighten Industries, Kubota, Lowrance, Lucas Oil, Mercury, Mossy Oak, Nitro Boats, Onyx, Plano, Power-Pole, Ranger Boats, Rapala Baits, REDCON1, Smokey Mountain Herbal Snuff, Star brite, Toyota, USAA, WIX Filters and YETI.
For complete details and updated information on Major League Fishing and the General Tire Team Series Presented by Bass Pro Shops, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF’s social media outlets at Facebook, X, Instagram and YouTube.
About Major League Fishing
Major League Fishing (MLF) is the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization, producing more than 250 events annually at some of the most prestigious fisheries in the world, while broadcasting to America’s living rooms on CBS, Discovery Channel, Outdoor Channel, CBS Sports Network, World Fishing Network and on demand on MyOutdoorTV (MOTV). Headquartered in Benton, Kentucky, the MLF roster of bass anglers includes the world’s top pros and more than 30,000 competitors in all 50 states and 17 countries. Since its founding in 2011, MLF has advanced the sport of competitive fishing through its premier television broadcasts and livestreams and is dedicated to improving the quality of life for bass through research, education, fisheries enhancement and fish care.
Georgetown’s Bennett Lawshe Battles Elements to Triumph at Toyota Series at Santee Cooper Lakes Presented by Suzuki Marine
CLARENDON COUNTY, S.C. (Sept. 15, 2024) – Were it not for blustery conditions and massive waves on the dual lakes of Santee Cooper on Saturday, Georgetown, South Carolina pro Bennett Lawshe may have turned a blowout into a beatdown. Instead, his trolling motor batteries died by lunchtime as he fought the conditions and came to the scales on the final day of the Toyota Series Presented by Phoenix Boats Southern Division finale with 13 pounds, 8 ounces – good enough to best pro Reid Heard of Bainbridge, Georgia, by an ounce shy of 7 pounds.
Lawshe, 24, calls Santee his home lakes and rarely fishes anywhere else. For years, he’s been unlocking the secrets of Lakes Marion and Moultrie, which aided in his massive 25-7 bag on Day 2 and allowed him to fill out a limit on the final day despite gusting winds and a nonfunctional trolling motor.
“I wasn’t really stressed,” he said of losing trolling motor capabilities early in the day. “If it would have been two years ago, I would have probably spun out. It wasn’t that bad. I didn’t panic or anything.”
Part of the reason for his calmness was knowing it would have taken a big bag to overtake him, and considering the stingy late-summer bite that pushed weights down and made big bites few and far between, Lawshe knew he was still in good position to win. And that all came down to making some sound decisions on Days 1 and 2 after observing a key factor on the last day of practice.
“There was a mayfly hatch,” Lawshe explained. “You could drive by the trees and shake them and mayflies hit the water and bream would be popping all over the place. I found it the last day of practice and I probably shook off 30 pounds.
“I’ve caught them like that before, but never this time of year. I don’t think I’ve ever seen it in the fall. I just know what happens when they do that. It’s like all the big fish in the area scoot into that one place. I didn’t have one small bite in that area.”
That area was near Pack’s Landing, where Lawshe took advantage of the mayfly hatch by popping a SPRO Bronzeye frog around trees. That pattern accounted for a 4- and a 5-pounder on Day 1 and a 7-pounder on Day 2. After catching those kickers, Lawshe ran back to his primary offshore area to utilize forward-facing sonar to fill out his limit and cull up.
“It’s just a big area and I’ve just spent a lot of time there,” he said of his primary offshore spot. “I’ve graphed the entire area and can tell you where everything is on the bottom.
“At some point in the day there was a big school of fish that would pull up on one of two brushpiles, and I had to be sitting on the right one at the right time.”
To fish those brushpiles situated in 20 and 15 feet of water, Lawshe relied on a pair of jerkbaits: a deep-diving Rapala model and a shallow-diving Megabass model. While he used forward-facing sonar to locate those brushpiles and fish and know where to cast, he says he’s not proficient enough with the technology to see his bait on the screen and watch the fish eat it.
The win was only Lawshe’s third tournament with Major League Fishing, having previously turned in a couple Top-25 finishes in Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine events at Santee in 2022 and 2023. Those tournaments took place in early spring, though – a time of year during which he’s not all that confident fishing.
“I’ve always been good this time of year,” he said. “It’s my favorite time of year to fish. I’m good at junk fishing. I’ve gotten good at knowing when to pick your trolling motor up and leave somewhere. I literally burned an entire tank of gas each day all three days.”
Though still a college student (he’ll graduate in December from Francis Marion University with a degree in environmental science), he’s not sweating the gas money. Winning $32,142 will have that effect.
“All the contingency money for the boat and truck, I always give it to my grandad,” he said. “I don’t know what I’m going to do with the winner check.”
The top 10 pros at the Toyota Series at Santee Cooper Lakes Presented by Suzuki Marine finished:
1st: Bennett Lawshe, Georgetown, S.C., 15 bass, 64-1, $32,142
2nd: Reid Heard, Bainbridge, Ga., 14 bass, 63-6, $12,955
3rd: Bryan Cook, .Vance, S.C., 15 bass, 63-1, $9,643
4th: Mitchell Robinson, Landrum, S.C., 15 bass, 61-13, $8,036
5th: Ben Harris, Haines City, Fla., 14 bass, 61-3, $7,232
6th: Chad Mrazek, Montgomery, Texas, 11 bass, 61-1, $6,428
7th: Colbie Caigle, Edgewater, Fla., 13 bass, 61-0, $5,625
8th: Casey Warren, Longs, S.C., 11 bass, 60-9, $4,821
9th: Michael Neal, Dayton, Tenn., 15 bass, 60-6, $4,018
10th: Marshall Robinson, Landrum, S.C., 15 bass, 60-4, $5,214 (includes $1,000 Phoenix MLF Bonus)
Complete results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
Pro Brad Robinson of Hagerstown, Indiana, earned Thursday’s $500 Berkley Big Bass Award with a bass weighing 7 pounds, 5 ounces. Pro Reid Heard of Bainbridge, Georgia, earned the $500 Berkley Big Bass Award on Friday with a bass weighing 8 pounds, 9 ounces.
Keith Honeycutt of Temple, Texas, won the Strike King Co-angler Division Saturday with a three-day total of 11 bass weighing 27 pounds, 4 ounces. Honeycutt earned the top co-angler prize package worth $33,500, including a new Phoenix 518 Pro bass boat with a 115-horsepower Mercury outboard motor.
The top 10 Strike King co-anglers at the Toyota Series at Santee Cooper Lakes Presented by Suzuki Marine finished:
1st: Keith Honeycutt, Temple, Texas, 11 bass, 27-4, Phoenix 518 Pro boat w/115-hp Mercury outboard
2nd: Dan Basham, Taylorsville, Ky., nine bass, 24-4, $4,141
3rd: Grant McPeters, Marion, N.C., six bass, 23-13, $3,313
4th: Billy Foster, Leesburg, Ga., 10 bass, 23-11, $2,899
5th: Alan Hults, Gautier, Miss., nine bass, 23-4, $2,485
6th: David Underwood, Waco, Texas, eight bass, 21-9, $2,071
7th: Wendell Grantham, Eatonton, Ga., eight bass, 20-11, $1,656
8th: Patrick Brown, Swainsboro, Ga., eight bass, 20-0, $1,449
9th: Clyde Cox, Silver Grove, Ky., six bass, 19-2, $1,542
10th: Todd Mowery, Madison, Ala., eight bass, 18-12, $1,035
Strike King Co-angler Clyde Cox of Silver Grove, Kentucky, earned Thursday’s $150 Berkley Big Bass co-angler award with a 7-pound, 12-ounce bass, while Friday’s Day 2 $150 co-angler award went to Josh Williams of Orange Park, Florida, who weighed in a 5-pound, 14-ounce bass.
The Toyota Series Presented by Phoenix Boats at Santee Cooper Lakes Presented by Suzuki was hosted by the Clarendon County Chamber of Commerce. It was the third and final regular-season tournament for the Toyota Series Southern Division. The next event for the Toyota Series Southern Division will be the 2024 Toyota Series Championship, Nov. 7-9 on Wheeler Lake in Huntsville, Alabama. For a complete schedule of events, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com.
The 2024 Toyota Series Presented by Phoenix Boats consists of six divisions – Central, Northern, Plains, Southern, Southwestern and the Western Division Presented by Tackle Warehouse – each holding three regular-season events, along with the International and Wild Card divisions. Anglers who fish in any of the six divisions or the Wild Card division and finish in the top 25 will qualify for the no-entry-fee Toyota Series Championship on Wheeler Lake for a shot at winning up to $235,000 and a qualification to REDCREST 2025. The winning Strike King co-angler at the championship earns a new Phoenix 518 Pro bass boat with a 115-horsepower Mercury outboard. The 2024 Toyota Series Championship on Wheeler Lake is hosted by the Huntsville/Madison County Convention & Visitors Bureau, the Madison County Commission, and the Huntsville Sports Commission.
Proud sponsors of the 2024 MLF Toyota Series include: 7 Brew Coffee, Abu Garcia, B&W Trailer Hitches, Berkley, BUBBA, E3, Epic Baits, Fishing Clash, FX Custom Rods, General Tire, Lew’s, Mercury, Mossy Oak, Onyx, Phoenix, Polaris, Power-Pole, PowerStop Brakes, REDCON1, Strike King, Suzuki, Tackle Warehouse, T-H Marine, Toyota, WIX Filters, YETI.
For complete details and updated information visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular Toyota Series updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow the MLF5 social media outlets at Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.
About Major League Fishing
Major League Fishing (MLF) is the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization, producing more than 250 events annually at some of the most prestigious fisheries in the world, while broadcasting to America’s living rooms on CBS, Discovery Channel, Outdoor Channel, CBS Sports Network, World Fishing Network and on demand on MyOutdoorTV (MOTV). Headquartered in Benton, Kentucky, the MLF roster of bass anglers includes the world’s top pros and more than 30,000 competitors in all 50 states and 17 countries. Since its founding in 2011, MLF has advanced the sport of competitive fishing through its premier television broadcasts and livestreams and is dedicated to improving the quality of life for bass through research, education, fisheries enhancement and fish care.
Stahl claims narrow win in Bassmaster Open at Mississippi River
Sept. 14, 2024
Stahl claims narrow win in Bassmaster Open at Mississippi River
LA CROSSE, Wis. — At Thursday’s tournament commencement, Cody Stahl was one of 213 pros in the hunt. Two days prior, a completely different hunt gave him the clues he needed to amass a three-day total of 53 pounds, 1 ounce and win the St. Croix Bassmaster Open at Mississippi River presented by SEVIIN.
Placing 29th on Day 1 with 15-09, Stahl added a second-round limit of 18-0 and moved up to fifth. Day 3 saw the pro from Barnsville, Ga., weigh 19-8 — the event’s biggest bag — and edge Day 2 leader Chris Hellebuyck by 10 ounces.
Along with the top prize of $40,607, Stahl received an invitation to fish the 2025 Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Classic presented by Jockey Outdoors March 21-23 on Lake Ray Roberts.
“I’m speechless,” a clearly emotional Stahl said. “To start the season out with a 187th place at Lake Okeechobee, I didn’t think I deserved to be here and compete with these guys. After all the years of hard work and time on the water, it feels good to finally bring one home. I feel like I belong here.
“It’s been a phenomenal week. I never would have thought this would happen.”
As Stahl explained, his tournament unfolded much differently than he had originally planned. Upon arriving, he decided he’d avoid the often-crowded Pool 8 and lock up to Pool 7.
“Coming into this, I knew there was going to be a pile of boats that fish Pool 8 and I really wanted to get away from the crowd, because I knew that shallow water doesn’t do well with a lot of pressure,” Stahl said. “The first day of practice, I put in at the upper end of Pool 8 and just looked around and caught one pretty good one.
“Day 2 of practice, my plan was to practice in Pool 7, but me and my buddy (fellow Opens EQ pro) Trevor McKinney talked coming up here about goose hunting one day. I was out of it in (EQ) points going into this event, so I was like, ‘I’m just going to have fun, and I’ll probably goose hunt one day.”
McKinney located some geese in Pool 8 and the pair set out for the backwater area. The morning went well, but Stahl’s post-hunt observations put him on course to victory.
“After we got done goose hunting, I went right behind where we were hunting and I ended up catching a 4-pounder,” Stahl said. “I said, ‘Okay, there’s quality around here. If there’s one 4-pounder here, there’s going to be some places where I can get one or two 4-pounders throughout the day.”
Stahl said that revelation had him leaning toward reworking his game plan for a Pool-8 focus, but the cementing factor came by way of a commercial shipping vessel.
“About 11:30, I watched a barge just come through the lock into Pool 8,” he said. “It had been in the lock all morning and I realized if that barge came through the lock on the lower end of Pool 8 (during the tournament), it’s gonna have to go up and I’m going to have to deal with it.”
Opting to avoid wasting time on tournament days, Stahl committed his event to Pool 8, where he fished shallow vegetation and focused on what he called the sweet spots — key fallback areas.
“I knew the dropping water level was going to change a few things,” Stahl said. “A sweet spot was a drain, a point or anything where the fish would pull back to when the water fell.
“They’re not obvious because of all the (vegetation) on these big, massive grass flats, but there are subtle little places inside the flats that are more high-percentage areas. I knew from the water level forecast it was going to continue dropping and I’d have to find secondary stuff where those fish were going to funnel out to.”
Anchoring his final limit with a 5-4, Stahl caught his fish on multiple frogs, including the SPRO Bronzeye 65, the SPRO Bronzeye King Daddy, and Stanford Baits Boom Boom Frog, a 3/8-ounce Z-Man Chatterbait JackHammer with a Big Bite Baits Kamikazi Swimon trailer and a Berkley CullShad swimbait.
Hellebuyck, who resides in White Lake, Mich., finished second with 52-07. Placing 19th on Day 1 with a limit of 16-3, he rose to the top spot with a second-round limit of 18-3. Hellebuyck closed it out with a limit of 18-1.
Working a large flat, Hellebuyck focused on a high spot where funneling water washed away sediment and exposed shell bottom. This hard spot was a fish magnet where he caught most of his Day 1 and Day 2 fish on a BOOYAH Boss Pop.
“I was fishing in current (all week) and it definitely seemed a little stronger today,” Hellebuyck said. “I don’t think I could have drawn up better topwater conditions (with the final day’s cloudy skies and intermittent rains), but it was a little tougher to get them going on a topwater.”
Hellebuyck ended up catching most of his Day 3 fish on a 3/8-ounce hand-tied brown jig with a Berkley MaxScent Chigger Craw.
“It seemed like every time I’d get the jig stuck on a stump, when I’d snap it off, I’d get a bite,” Hellebuyck said.
Chris Beaudrie of Princeton, Ky., finished third with 50-13. Beaudrie led Day 1 with 19 pounds, then added 15-4 and 16-9.
In his first visit to the upper Mississippi River, Beaudrie dialed in a couple of productive areas with the vast fields of vegetation and focused on deeper zones along the grass edges. Channeling his Kentucky Lake experience with fall drawdowns, he targeted bigger fish that were holding in these safe zones.
“I started on the same spot every day,” Beaudrie said. “I pulled up on the spot this morning and caught two really good ones really quick and missed a couple of good ones.
“I caught my fish on a frog and a Picasso Lures spinnerbait.”
Stahl won the $750 Phoenix Boats Big Bass honors with his 5-4.
Easton Fothergill of Grand Rapids, Minn., leads the Tackle Warehouse Bassmaster Elite Qualifiers standings with 1,422 points. Cody Meyer of Eagle, Idaho, is second with 1,395, followed by Tucker Smith of Birmingham, Ala., with 1,350, Emil Wagner of Marietta, Ga., with 1,331, and Andrew Loberg of Grant, Ala., with 1,327.
ExploreLaCrosse.com hosted the event.
2024 Bassmaster Opens Series Title Sponsor: St. Croix
2024 Bassmaster Opens Series Presenting Sponsor: SEVIIN
2024 Bassmaster Opens Series Platinum Sponsor: Toyota
2024 Bassmaster Opens 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 Opens 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.
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Connect with #Bassmaster on Facebook, Instagram, Twitte
Media Contact: Chad Gay, Communications Manager, 205-313-0945, cgay@bassmaster.
2024 St. Croix Bassmaster Open at Mississippi River presented by SEVIIN 9/12-9/14 Mississippi River, La Crosse WI. (BOATER) Standings Day 3
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Pts Total $$$ 1. Cody Stahl Barnsville, GA 15 53-01 200 $48,607.00 Day 1: 5 15-09 Day 2: 5 18-00 Day 3: 5 19-08 2. Chris Hellebuyck White Lake, MI 15 52-07 199 $19,143.00 Day 1: 5 16-03 Day 2: 5 18-03 Day 3: 5 18-01 3. Chris Beaudrie Princeton, KY 15 50-13 198 $14,657.00 Day 1: 5 19-00 Day 2: 5 15-04 Day 3: 5 16-09 4. Garrett Paquette Canton, MI 15 50-03 197 $13,400.00 Day 1: 5 15-08 Day 2: 5 17-01 Day 3: 5 17-10 5. Cody Meyer Eagle, ID 15 49-04 196 $12,643.00 Day 1: 5 18-00 Day 2: 5 15-06 Day 3: 5 15-14 6. Josh Butler Hayden, AL 15 48-11 195 $11,486.00 Day 1: 5 16-15 Day 2: 5 15-14 Day 3: 5 15-14 7. Matt Adams Oxford, AL 15 47-12 194 $10,528.00 Day 1: 5 14-11 Day 2: 5 18-06 Day 3: 5 14-11 8. John Engler Vinton, IA 15 47-10 193 $9,572.00 Day 1: 5 16-05 Day 2: 5 17-09 Day 3: 5 13-12 9. Danny McGarry Newcastle CANADA 15 47-03 192 $9,572.00 Day 1: 5 17-09 Day 2: 5 16-01 Day 3: 5 13-09 10. Paul Marks Cumming, GA 15 46-12 191 $9,572.00 Day 1: 5 15-02 Day 2: 5 17-09 Day 3: 5 14-01 ------------------------------------------------------------ ----------- PHOENIX BOATS BIG BASS Cody Stahl Barnsville, GA 05-04 $750.00 ------------------------------ ------------------------------ ----------- Totals Day #Limits #Fish Weight 1 177 982 2557-07 2 157 849 2198-09 3 10 50 159-09 ------------------------------ ---- 344 1881 4915-09
Hellebuyck pops into Day 2 lead in Bassmaster Open at Mississippi River
LA CROSSE, Wis. — Chris Hellebuyck knows what works, but he also knows what works a little better. Trusting his instincts, the White Lake, Mich., angler tallied 34 pounds, 6 ounces and leads Day 2 at the St. Croix Bassmaster Open at Mississippi River presented by SEVIIN.
Hellebuyck placed 19th on Day 1 with 16-3 and took over the top spot by adding a second-round limit of 18-3.
With less than a pound between first and fifth places, Hellebuyck heads into Championship Saturday with a 2-ounce lead over Day 1 leader Chris Beaudrie.
“As much as I love coming here to frog and flip and do the Mississippi River stuff, I ended up doing something a little more similar to what I do back home,” Hellebuyck said. “My home lake is Lake St. Clair (Michigan) and I spend a lot of time in the St. Clair River, and the way I’m catching them here sets up very similar.
“I’m using a BOOYAH Boss Pop because I’m so comfortable doing that.”
Hellebuyck said he prefers a popper with a dressed rear treble, but he always uses No. 4 Gamakatsu hooks for their sharpness, reliability and holding power.
“Sometimes I’ll change hooks twice a day,” Hellebuyck said. “That is so important, and I have a really good landing ratio.”
Hellebuyck fished in Pool 8 and worked his bait around current. Throwing his popper along current lines, he surmised that the popper gave the fish a look they don’t often see.
“At home, I’ll get bit on a popper in 10 feet of water, but here I’m fishing 2 to 3 feet, so it’s easy for them to come up,” Hellebuyck said.
Catching most of his fish in the morning hours, Hellebuyck said presentation proved important to tempting pressured fish.
“It seemed like the slower I could get myself to chug that popper, the more bites I’d get,” he said. “It’s hard; sometimes you want to move that thing along, but it seems that the longer pause between each pop is what really gets bites.”
Hellebuyck said he also worked a jig and swimbait into his day, but the topwater was the clear favorite.
“The reason I use the popper is that it just seems to get bigger bites,” he said. “I don’t know why, but the bigger ones seem to like that.”
Beaudrie, who makes his home in Princeton, Ky., is in second place with 34-4. He started strong with 19 pounds on Day 1 and added 15-4.
Beaudrie returned to the same grass bed he fished on Day 1 but found two boats working the area. Fortunately, a first-round observation clued him in to something that helped get him back in the hunt.
“Yesterday afternoon when I went practicing, I stopped on an area that looked good for frogging and my co-angler caught a 4 1/2 there,” Beaudrie said. “I just left it alone as a backup, and that came in handy today. I caught about 15 keepers off that stretch.”
Same as Day 1, Beaudrie said the key to his success was targeting deeper zones along the grass edges. He caught his fish on a topwater walker, a frog and a Texas-rigged craw.
“I caught a lot of keepers today; I just didn’t find those lot bigger fish today,” Beaudrie said. “Hopefully, they’ll pull in for me tomorrow.”
John Engler of Vinton, Iowa, is in third with 33-14. After placing 18th on Day 1 with 16-05, Engler secured his final-round spot by adding 17-09.
Engler anchored his Day 1 limit with a 4-8 around 1 o’clock in Pool 8. He started his day in Pool 8 and locked down to Pool 9, but most of his weight came from the local pool.
“I actually caught the majority of my fish on Pool 8, so I didn’t need to lock, but it helps getting that solid limit in the boat because that takes a lot of pressure off,” Engler said. “There was a barge in the lock this morning, but I had a couple of fish in the boat when I went through, so that took some of the pressure off. I was able to start culling down there.”
A mix of baits including a topwater walker, a frog and a bladed jig produced Engler’s weight. The big fish bit the latter.
Bobby Bakewell of Orlando, Fla., is in the lead for Phoenix Boats Big Bass honors with his 5-2.
Richard Conrad of Arcadia, Wis., won the co-angler division with 18-11. Day 1 found Conrad and Jimmy Brumfield of Madison, Miss., sharing the lead with 10-8 each. Adding a second-round limit of 8-3, Conrad surged across the finish line and collected the top prize of $15,300.
“It’s been a long road to get here,” Conrad said. “I fish a lot of big tournaments and I’ve been so close a few times.”
Conrad fished Pool 8 on Day 1 and locked down to Pool 9 for Day 2. His top bait was a 1/4-ounce Lethal Weapon swim jig with a twin-tail trailer.
“I just fished really hard, and it wasn’t easy,” Conrad said. “We didn’t get locked down until 9:30 and I was pretty nervous, but I got one key bite and that helped.
“I also did a little dragging with a craw and caught some fish on that, too. But that Lethal Weapon swim jig really paid off for me.”
Amanda Riley of Galesville, Wis., won the $250 Phoenix Boats Big Bass award among co-anglers with a 4-7.
Easton Fothergill of Grand Rapids, Minn., leads the Tackle Warehouse Bassmaster Elite Qualifiers standings with 1,422 points. Cody Meyer of Eagle, Idaho, is second with 1,394, followed by Tucker Smith of Birmingham, Ala., with 1,350, Emil Wagner of Marietta, Ga., with 1,331, and Andrew Loberg of Grant, Ala., with 1,327.
Saturday’s takeoff is scheduled for 6:30 a.m. CT at Veterans Freedom Park. The weigh-in will be held at the park at 2:30 p.m.
Coverage of the St. Croix Bassmaster Open at Mississippi River presented by SEVIIN will air on FS1 on Saturday from 8 to 11 a.m. ET. Bassmaster LIVE will be streaming on Bassmaster.com.
ExploreLaCrosse.com is hosting the event.
2024 Bassmaster Opens Series Title Sponsor: St. Croix
2024 Bassmaster Opens Series Presenting Sponsor: SEVIIN
2024 Bassmaster Opens Series Platinum Sponsor: Toyota
2024 Bassmaster Opens 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 Opens 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.
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Connect with #Bassmaster on Facebook, Instagram, Twitte
Media Contact: Chad Gay, Communications Manager, 205-313-0945, cgay@bassmaster.
2024 St. Croix Bassmaster Open at Mississippi River presented by SEVIIN 9/12-9/14 Mississippi River, La Crosse WI. (BOATER) Standings Day 2
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Pts Total $$$ 1. Chris Hellebuyck White Lake, MI 10 34-06 200 Day 1: 5 16-03 Day 2: 5 18-03 2. Chris Beaudrie Princeton, KY 10 34-04 199 Day 1: 5 19-00 Day 2: 5 15-04 3. John Engler Vinton, IA 10 33-14 198 Day 1: 5 16-05 Day 2: 5 17-09 4. Danny McGarry Newcastle CANADA 10 33-10 197 Day 1: 5 17-09 Day 2: 5 16-01 5. Cody Stahl Barnsville, GA 10 33-09 196 Day 1: 5 15-09 Day 2: 5 18-00 6. Cody Meyer Eagle, ID 10 33-06 195 Day 1: 5 18-00 Day 2: 5 15-06 7. Matt Adams Oxford, AL 10 33-01 194 Day 1: 5 14-11 Day 2: 5 18-06 8. Josh Butler Hayden, AL 10 32-13 193 Day 1: 5 16-15 Day 2: 5 15-14 9. Paul Marks Cumming, GA 10 32-11 192 Day 1: 5 15-02 Day 2: 5 17-09 10. Garrett Paquette Canton, MI 10 32-09 191 Day 1: 5 15-08 Day 2: 5 17-01 11. Emil Wagner Marietta, GA 10 32-04 190 $8,614.00 Day 1: 5 15-10 Day 2: 5 16-10 12. Easton Fothergill Grand Rapids , MN 10 32-01 189 $6,700.00 Day 1: 5 16-09 Day 2: 5 15-08 13. Connor Jacob Auburn, AL 10 32-01 188 $5,743.00 Day 1: 5 15-12 Day 2: 5 16-05 14. Ish Monroe Oakdale, CA 10 32-00 187 $4,786.00 Day 1: 5 17-14 Day 2: 5 14-02 15. Bill Lowen Brookville, IN 10 31-12 186 $4,786.00 Day 1: 5 15-02 Day 2: 5 16-10 16. Cade Laufenberg Onalaska, WI 10 31-10 185 $4,786.00 Day 1: 5 18-01 Day 2: 5 13-09 17. Brock Belik Orchard, NE 10 31-09 184 $4,786.00 Day 1: 5 14-01 Day 2: 5 17-08 18. Mike Brueggen La Crosse, WI 10 31-09 183 $4,786.00 Day 1: 5 16-10 Day 2: 5 14-15 19. Tucker Smith Birmingham, AL 10 31-08 182 $4,786.00 Day 1: 5 18-04 Day 2: 5 13-04 20. Beau Browning Hot Springs National Pa 10 31-06 181 $4,786.00 Day 1: 5 15-01 Day 2: 5 16-05 21. Jeremiah Shaver Holmen, WI 10 31-04 180 $4,786.00 Day 1: 5 12-10 Day 2: 5 18-10 22. Freddy Palmer Estill Springs, TN 10 31-03 179 $4,786.00 Day 1: 5 13-08 Day 2: 5 17-11 23. Blake Smith Lakeland, FL 10 31-03 178 $4,786.00 Day 1: 5 14-08 Day 2: 5 16-11 24. Adam Hamann Prairie Du Chien, IA 10 31-02 177 $4,786.00 Day 1: 5 15-11 Day 2: 5 15-07 25. Logan Parks Auburn, AL 10 30-15 176 $4,786.00 Day 1: 5 12-10 Day 2: 5 18-05 26. Dan Mohn Lansing, IA 10 30-09 175 $4,786.00 Day 1: 5 14-15 Day 2: 5 15-10 27. Bobby Bakewell Orlando, FL 10 30-08 174 $4,786.00 Day 1: 5 13-06 Day 2: 5 17-02 28. Yui Aoki Minamitsurugun JAPAN 10 30-07 173 $4,786.00 Day 1: 5 14-10 Day 2: 5 15-13 29. Kevin Ruh Onalaska, WI 10 30-05 172 $4,786.00 Day 1: 5 15-15 Day 2: 5 14-06 30. Austin Felix Eden Prairie, MN 10 30-05 171 $4,786.00 Day 1: 5 14-13 Day 2: 5 15-08 31. Brett Hite Phoenix, AZ 10 30-04 170 $3,829.00 Day 1: 5 15-10 Day 2: 5 14-10 32. Joey Nania Cropwell, AL 10 30-02 169 $3,829.00 Day 1: 5 16-01 Day 2: 5 14-01 33. Andy Newcomb Camdenton, MO 10 30-01 168 $3,829.00 Day 1: 5 14-00 Day 2: 5 16-01 34. Kyle Patrick Cooperstown, NY 10 29-15 167 $3,829.00 Day 1: 5 12-14 Day 2: 5 17-01 35. Kyoya Fujita Yamanashi CA JAPAN 10 29-14 166 $3,829.00 Day 1: 5 13-08 Day 2: 5 16-06 36. Nick Trim Galesville, WI 10 29-14 165 $3,829.00 Day 1: 5 15-07 Day 2: 5 14-07 37. Tom Monsoor La Crosse, WI 10 29-10 164 $3,829.00 Day 1: 5 15-02 Day 2: 5 14-08 38. Tai Au Glendale, AZ 10 29-06 163 $3,829.00 Day 1: 5 14-09 Day 2: 5 14-13 39. Garrett Warren Scottsboro, AL 10 29-05 162 $3,829.00 Day 1: 5 14-14 Day 2: 5 14-07 40. Andrew Behnke Fond Du Lac, WI 10 29-04 161 $3,829.00 Day 1: 5 15-07 Day 2: 5 13-13 41. Kyle Seubert Chaseburg, WI 10 29-03 160 $3,829.00 Day 1: 5 13-14 Day 2: 5 15-05 42. Andrew Loberg Grant, AL 10 29-03 159 $3,829.00 Day 1: 5 14-15 Day 2: 5 14-04 43. Lance Keene Manistee, MI 10 29-02 158 $3,829.00 Day 1: 5 15-13 Day 2: 5 13-05 44. Dakota Ebare Brookeland, TX 10 29-02 157 $3,829.00 Day 1: 5 14-06 Day 2: 5 14-12 45. Randall Tharp Port St. Joe, FL 10 29-01 156 $3,829.00 Day 1: 5 16-09 Day 2: 5 12-08 46. Brian Post Janesville, WI 10 28-15 155 Day 1: 5 16-01 Day 2: 5 12-14 47. Kyle Minke Lindsrom, MN 10 28-08 154 Day 1: 5 13-12 Day 2: 5 14-12 48. Casey Goode La Crosse, WI 10 28-07 153 Day 1: 5 13-10 Day 2: 5 14-13 49. Trey Schroeder Theodosia, MO 10 28-05 152 Day 1: 5 14-11 Day 2: 5 13-10 50. Brady Vernon Sterrett, AL 9 28-04 151 Day 1: 5 18-05 Day 2: 4 09-15 51. Jason Elliott Warsaw, IN 10 28-03 150 Day 1: 5 14-01 Day 2: 5 14-02 52. Alex Redwine Blue Ash, OH 10 28-02 149 Day 1: 5 14-10 Day 2: 5 13-08 53. Darold Gleason Many, LA 10 28-01 148 Day 1: 5 15-14 Day 2: 5 12-03 54. Brad Leuthner Victoria, MN 10 28-00 147 Day 1: 5 17-05 Day 2: 5 10-11 55. Jack Dice Lynchburg, VA 10 28-00 146 Day 1: 5 15-04 Day 2: 5 12-12 56. Kollin Crawford Broken Bow, OK 10 27-15 145 Day 1: 5 14-06 Day 2: 5 13-09 57. Adam Crigger Le Claire, IA 10 27-14 144 Day 1: 5 14-09 Day 2: 5 13-05 58. Brandon Gann Sparta, WI 10 27-12 143 Day 1: 5 13-07 Day 2: 5 14-05 59. Bailey Bleser Burlington, WI 10 27-11 142 Day 1: 5 13-14 Day 2: 5 13-13 60. Nathan Thompson Eagan, MN 10 27-10 141 Day 1: 5 15-07 Day 2: 5 12-03 61. Clayton Weber West Salem, WI 10 27-10 140 Day 1: 5 15-03 Day 2: 5 12-07 62. Charlie Hartley Grove City, OH 10 27-10 139 Day 1: 5 13-05 Day 2: 5 14-05 62. Kenta Kimura Osaka OK JAPAN 10 27-10 139 Day 1: 5 14-05 Day 2: 5 13-05 64. Elijah Benson Dahlonega, GA 10 27-09 137 Day 1: 5 15-04 Day 2: 5 12-05 65. Cody Steckel Las Vegas, NV 10 27-08 136 Day 1: 5 12-01 Day 2: 5 15-07 66. Satoshi Egawa Fort Lee, NJ 9 27-06 135 Day 1: 5 17-02 Day 2: 4 10-04 67. Cole Drummond Effingham, SC 10 27-02 134 Day 1: 5 12-10 Day 2: 5 14-08 68. Seth Feider New Market, MN 10 27-01 133 Day 1: 5 16-13 Day 2: 5 10-04 69. Kevin Dritschler Prosper, TX 10 26-14 132 Day 1: 5 11-10 Day 2: 5 15-04 70. Andrew Julson Stoughton, WI 10 26-14 131 Day 1: 5 11-15 Day 2: 5 14-15 71. Tristan McCormick Burns, TN 10 26-13 130 Day 1: 5 11-13 Day 2: 5 15-00 72. Derek Lehtonen Woodruff, SC 10 26-10 129 Day 1: 5 14-13 Day 2: 5 11-13 73. Jack Tindel III Orange, TX 10 26-10 128 Day 1: 5 13-10 Day 2: 5 13-00 74. Mike McClelland Blue Eye, MO 10 26-10 127 Day 1: 5 13-04 Day 2: 5 13-06 75. Chris Aswegan Tiffin, IA 10 26-06 126 Day 1: 5 13-15 Day 2: 5 12-07 76. Jimmy Washam Stantonville, TN 10 26-01 125 Day 1: 5 11-02 Day 2: 5 14-15 77. Kyle Austin Ridgeville, SC 10 26-01 124 Day 1: 5 13-07 Day 2: 5 12-10 78. Russ Lane Prattville, AL 10 26-00 123 Day 1: 5 11-10 Day 2: 5 14-06 79. Dave Parsons Yantis, TX 10 26-00 122 Day 1: 5 14-02 Day 2: 5 11-14 80. Aaron Jagdfeld Rochester Hills, MI 10 25-14 121 Day 1: 5 13-02 Day 2: 5 12-12 81. James Niggemeyer Van, TX 10 25-11 120 Day 1: 5 11-07 Day 2: 5 14-04 82. Casey Scanlon Eldon, MO 10 25-10 119 Day 1: 5 13-14 Day 2: 5 11-12 83. James Watson Lampe, MO 10 25-10 118 Day 1: 5 12-05 Day 2: 5 13-05 84. Chad Pipkens Dewitt, MI 10 25-10 117 Day 1: 5 13-00 Day 2: 5 12-10 85. Zach Goutremout Chaumont, NY 10 25-09 116 Day 1: 5 14-05 Day 2: 5 11-04 86. Evan Kung Pickering Ontario CANAD 10 25-09 115 Day 1: 5 12-14 Day 2: 5 12-11 87. Richard Lowitzki Fort Myers, FL 10 25-08 114 Day 1: 5 10-15 Day 2: 5 14-09 88. Parker Kratochvill Onalaska, WI 9 25-07 113 Day 1: 5 16-10 Day 2: 4 08-13 89. Christian Ostrander Turlock, CA 10 25-07 112 Day 1: 5 14-04 Day 2: 5 11-03 90. Trey Swindle Cleveland, AL 10 25-07 111 Day 1: 5 13-03 Day 2: 5 12-04 91. Josh Douglas Isle, MN 10 25-05 110 Day 1: 5 11-14 Day 2: 5 13-07 91. Tommy Dunaway Havana, FL 10 25-05 110 Day 1: 5 11-14 Day 2: 5 13-07 93. Kyle Weisenburger Columbus Grv, OH 10 25-04 108 Day 1: 5 10-14 Day 2: 5 14-06 94. Steven Caldwell Whitesboro, TX 10 25-04 107 Day 1: 5 11-05 Day 2: 5 13-15 95. Greg Bohannan Bentonville, AR 10 25-04 106 Day 1: 5 13-14 Day 2: 5 11-06 96. Allen Armour Cumming, GA 10 25-03 105 Day 1: 5 13-12 Day 2: 5 11-07 97. Glenn Walker Savage, MN 10 25-02 104 Day 1: 5 11-12 Day 2: 5 13-06 98. Chris Blanchette Edisto Island, SC 10 25-01 103 Day 1: 5 13-09 Day 2: 5 11-08 99. Rich Lindgren Lakeville, MN 10 25-01 102 Day 1: 5 13-02 Day 2: 5 11-15 100. Masayuki Matsushita Porter TX JAPAN 10 25-01 101 Day 1: 5 12-03 Day 2: 5 12-14 101. Caden Cowan Stephenville, TX 10 25-00 100 Day 1: 5 13-04 Day 2: 5 11-12 102. Tyler Lubbat Wheeling, IL 10 24-14 99 Day 1: 5 14-01 Day 2: 5 10-13 103. Teb Jones Yalaha, MS 10 24-14 98 Day 1: 5 12-03 Day 2: 5 12-11 104. Doc Wootton Collierville, TN 10 24-12 97 Day 1: 5 12-03 Day 2: 5 12-09 105. Yukihiro Sawamura Harker Heights, TX 10 24-11 96 Day 1: 5 13-01 Day 2: 5 11-10 106. Fernando Lobato Sparta, WI 10 24-11 95 Day 1: 5 12-04 Day 2: 5 12-07 107. Dalton Smith Taylorsville, KY 10 24-09 94 Day 1: 5 11-08 Day 2: 5 13-01 108. Christopher Welch Fall River, WI 10 24-09 93 Day 1: 5 12-03 Day 2: 5 12-06 109. Adam Bartusek Clearwater, MN 10 24-05 92 Day 1: 5 11-12 Day 2: 5 12-09 109. Lafe Messer Warfield, KY 10 24-05 92 Day 1: 5 12-09 Day 2: 5 11-12 111. Jody Gardner Tippecanoe, OH 10 24-03 90 Day 1: 5 12-08 Day 2: 5 11-11 112. Harvey Horne Bella Vista, AR 10 24-02 89 Day 1: 5 12-07 Day 2: 5 11-11 113. Jeremy Radford Huntly, VA 10 23-15 88 Day 1: 5 12-02 Day 2: 5 11-13 114. Josh Wiesner Fon du Lac, WI 10 23-13 87 Day 1: 5 12-12 Day 2: 5 11-01 115. Trevor McKinney Noble, IL 10 23-12 86 Day 1: 5 13-03 Day 2: 5 10-09 116. Jacob Thompkins Myrtle Beach, SC 10 23-12 85 Day 1: 5 11-04 Day 2: 5 12-08 117. Brandon McMillan Clewiston, FL 10 23-09 84 Day 1: 5 11-01 Day 2: 5 12-08 118. Cody Bird Granbury, TX 10 23-08 83 Day 1: 5 11-12 Day 2: 5 11-12 119. Matt Thompson Stacy, MN 10 23-07 82 Day 1: 5 09-05 Day 2: 5 14-02 120. Billy Gilbert Hamburg, NY 8 23-07 81 Day 1: 5 13-13 Day 2: 3 09-10 121. Alexander Welter Onalaska, WI 10 23-07 80 Day 1: 5 12-01 Day 2: 5 11-06 122. Cole Zagrzebski Stevens Point, WI 10 23-05 79 Day 1: 5 11-07 Day 2: 5 11-14 123. Andrew Smith Chesterfield, MI 10 23-04 78 Day 1: 5 13-03 Day 2: 5 10-01 124. Chase Clarke Virginia Beach, VA 10 23-02 77 Day 1: 5 12-04 Day 2: 5 10-14 125. Cody Detweiler Guntersville, AL 10 23-00 76 Day 1: 5 10-07 Day 2: 5 12-09 126. Brett Cannon Kiln, MS 10 22-11 75 Day 1: 5 11-04 Day 2: 5 11-07 127. Bryan Finch Belton, TX 10 22-10 74 Day 1: 5 12-08 Day 2: 5 10-02 128. Blake Schroeder Whitehouse, TX 10 22-07 73 Day 1: 5 10-04 Day 2: 5 12-03 129. Lucas Murphy West Columbia, MI 10 22-05 72 Day 1: 5 09-11 Day 2: 5 12-10 130. Randy Ramsey Burlington, MI 10 22-04 71 Day 1: 5 12-09 Day 2: 5 09-11 131. Laker Howell Guntersville, AL 10 22-04 70 Day 1: 5 11-14 Day 2: 5 10-06 132. Kevin Johnson Sparta, WI 10 22-04 69 Day 1: 5 10-10 Day 2: 5 11-10 133. Jackson Swisher Lake City, FL 10 22-02 68 Day 1: 5 12-12 Day 2: 5 09-06 134. Jim Moynagh Remer, MN 10 22-01 67 Day 1: 5 10-09 Day 2: 5 11-08 135. Vue Thao Madison, WI 10 22-00 66 Day 1: 5 11-02 Day 2: 5 10-14 136. Jack York Emory, TX 9 21-13 65 Day 1: 5 14-00 Day 2: 4 07-13 137. Joe Wieberg Freeburg, MO 10 21-12 64 Day 1: 5 10-09 Day 2: 5 11-03 138. Jacob Bigelow Cecil, WI 10 21-11 63 Day 1: 5 10-05 Day 2: 5 11-06 139. Chris Kingree Inverness, FL 10 21-07 62 Day 1: 5 09-13 Day 2: 5 11-10 140. Phillip Kroll Otego, NY 10 21-00 61 Day 1: 5 09-07 Day 2: 5 11-09 140. Matt Messer Warfield, KY 10 21-00 61 Day 1: 5 09-07 Day 2: 5 11-09 142. Ethen Preston Tower City, ND 8 20-13 59 Day 1: 4 11-03 Day 2: 4 09-10 143. Chad Grigsby Maple Grove, MN 10 20-12 58 Day 1: 5 09-14 Day 2: 5 10-14 144. Avery Williams Murrells Inlt, SC 10 20-11 57 Day 1: 5 10-06 Day 2: 5 10-05 145. Kyle Palmer Winchester, TN 8 20-06 56 Day 1: 3 07-01 Day 2: 5 13-05 146. Sam Hanggi Knoxville, TN 10 19-11 55 Day 1: 5 09-14 Day 2: 5 09-13 147. Dylan Mayo Athens, TX 10 19-10 54 Day 1: 5 10-11 Day 2: 5 08-15 148. Lance Crawford Broken Bow, OK 10 19-10 53 Day 1: 5 09-12 Day 2: 5 09-14 149. Paul Browning Monahans, TX 10 19-01 52 Day 1: 5 09-09 Day 2: 5 09-08 150. Tripp Noojin Bryant, AL 10 18-15 51 Day 1: 5 08-13 Day 2: 5 10-02 151. Clint Leonard Jr Saint Cloud, FL 8 18-13 50 Day 1: 3 06-13 Day 2: 5 12-00 152. Scott Isaacs Ladonia, TX 8 18-11 49 Day 1: 4 09-03 Day 2: 4 09-08 153. Parker Knudsen Minnetonka, MN 8 18-08 48 Day 1: 3 05-10 Day 2: 5 12-14 154. Joey Punko Broomfield, CO 9 17-14 47 Day 1: 4 08-00 Day 2: 5 09-14 155. Tadd Johnson Lakeville, MN 8 17-11 46 Day 1: 3 05-01 Day 2: 5 12-10 156. Billy McDonald Greenwood, IN 8 17-11 45 Day 1: 5 11-08 Day 2: 3 06-03 157. Logan Johnson Jasper, AL 9 17-11 44 Day 1: 4 07-12 Day 2: 5 09-15 158. Brayden Rakes Winston Salem, NC 7 17-05 43 Day 1: 2 06-11 Day 2: 5 10-10 159. Randy Howell Guntersville, AL 10 17-03 42 Day 1: 5 17-03 Day 2: 5 00-00 160. Brent Shores Boise, ID 8 17-00 41 Day 1: 3 06-00 Day 2: 5 11-00 161. Bryan Partak Marseilles, IL 10 16-15 40 Day 1: 5 12-02 Day 2: 5 04-13 162. Mike Feldermann Galena, IL 5 16-08 39 Day 1: 5 16-08 Day 2: 0 00-00 162. Jay Przekurat Plover, WI 5 16-08 39 Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 5 16-08 164. Keith Brumfield Vicksburg, MS 7 16-04 37 Day 1: 3 06-05 Day 2: 4 09-15 165. Scout Echols Monticello, AR 8 15-13 36 Day 1: 3 06-08 Day 2: 5 09-05 166. Cliff Pace Ovett, MS 5 15-02 35 Day 1: 5 15-02 Day 2: 0 00-00 167. Brian Bengtson Bloomington, MN 8 14-11 34 Day 1: 5 07-13 Day 2: 3 06-14 168. Mitch Van Ert Okauchee, WI 5 14-08 33 Day 1: 5 14-08 Day 2: 0 00-00 169. David Boelkins Waukesha, WI 5 14-07 32 Day 1: 5 14-07 Day 2: 0 00-00 170. Chancy Walters West Des Moines, IA 10 14-05 31 Day 1: 5 14-05 Day 2: 5 00-00 171. Jamie Bruce Kenora Ontario CANADA 5 14-05 30 Day 1: 5 14-05 Day 2: 0 00-00 172. Clemente Gutierrez Woodbridge, VA 7 13-11 29 Day 1: 4 07-13 Day 2: 3 05-14 173. Brady Hanna Silvis, IL 5 13-08 28 Day 1: 5 13-08 Day 2: 0 00-00 174. Casey Ashley Donalds, SC 5 13-07 27 Day 1: 5 13-07 Day 2: 0 00-00 174. John Voyles Petersburg, IN 5 13-07 27 Day 1: 5 13-07 Day 2: 0 00-00 176. Scott Kerslake Okeechobee, FL 5 13-05 25 Day 1: 2 03-12 Day 2: 3 09-09 177. Dale Salzmann Hazel Green, WI 6 13-04 24 Day 1: 1 01-14 Day 2: 5 11-06 178. Daisuke Kita Ostu Shiga JAPAN 6 13-04 23 Day 1: 3 06-12 Day 2: 3 06-08 179. David Bromenshenkel Sauk Centre, MN 6 13-01 22 Day 1: 5 10-13 Day 2: 1 02-04 180. Joey Hanna Corsicana, TX 6 12-14 21 Day 1: 2 04-14 Day 2: 4 08-00 181. Manny Sciberras Liberty Twp, OH 5 12-13 20 Day 1: 5 12-13 Day 2: 0 00-00 182. Robert Gee Knoxville, TN 5 12-06 19 Day 1: 5 12-06 Day 2: 0 00-00 183. Brady Schran Zumbrota, MN 5 12-02 18 Day 1: 2 03-13 Day 2: 3 08-05 184. Zack Williams Shell Knob, MO 5 12-01 17 Day 1: 5 12-01 Day 2: 0 00-00 185. Fritz Lubinski Rochester, MN 5 11-14 16 Day 1: 5 11-14 Day 2: 0 00-00 186. Andrew Harp Linden, TX 5 11-13 15 Day 1: 5 11-13 Day 2: 0 00-00 187. Ty Faber Pagosa Springs, CO 5 11-11 14 Day 1: 5 11-11 Day 2: 0 00-00 187. Cody Salzmann Southgate, MI 5 11-11 14 Day 1: 5 11-11 Day 2: 0 00-00 189. Sean Clayton Seneca, SC 6 11-07 12 Day 1: 4 07-13 Day 2: 2 03-10 190. Tim Frederick Leesburg, FL 5 11-06 11 Day 1: 5 11-06 Day 2: 0 00-00 191. Adam Rasmussen Sturgeon Bay, WI 5 11-03 10 Day 1: 5 11-03 Day 2: 0 00-00 192. Kenny Mittelstaedt Minnetonka, MN 5 11-01 9 Day 1: 5 11-01 Day 2: 0 00-00 193. Brandyn Baum La Crosse, WI 5 10-10 8 Day 1: 5 10-10 Day 2: 0 00-00 194. Andy Dassow Medford, WI 5 10-06 7 Day 1: 5 10-06 Day 2: 0 00-00 194. Jordan Knutson Saint Croix Falls, WI 5 10-06 7 Day 1: 5 10-06 Day 2: 0 00-00 196. Derrick Sadlowski Monaca, PA 5 10-00 5 Day 1: 5 10-00 Day 2: 0 00-00 197. Kevin Ledoux Choctaw, OK 5 09-13 4 Day 1: 4 06-14 Day 2: 1 02-15 198. Austin Cranford Norman, OK 5 09-12 3 Day 1: 4 08-01 Day 2: 1 01-11 199. A.J. Menssen Bloomington, IL 5 09-07 2 Day 1: 5 09-07 Day 2: 0 00-00 200. Wayne Hall Cottonwood, AZ 4 09-01 1 Day 1: 4 09-01 Day 2: 0 00-00 201. Andrew Hargrove Moody, TX 5 08-15 0 Day 1: 3 05-09 Day 2: 2 03-06 202. Ryan Redmann Brandon, WI 4 08-00 0 Day 1: 4 08-00 Day 2: 0 00-00 203. Brian Bird Eastland, TX 4 07-14 0 Day 1: 4 07-14 Day 2: 0 00-00 204. Mike Mayo Athens, TX 4 07-08 0 Day 1: 4 07-08 Day 2: 0 00-00 205. Chris Miller Spirit Lake, IA 3 06-15 0 Day 1: 3 06-15 Day 2: 0 00-00 206. Tim Tyndell Mineola, TX 3 06-07 0 Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 3 06-07 207. Frankie Arado Eastman, WI 3 05-11 0 Day 1: 3 05-11 Day 2: 0 00-00 208. Tony Dumitras Winston, GA 2 04-12 0 Day 1: 2 04-12 Day 2: 0 00-00 209. Mark Tonjum Spencer, IA 2 03-11 0 Day 1: 2 03-11 Day 2: 0 00-00 210. Lance Owen Greer, SC 2 03-07 0 Day 1: 2 03-07 Day 2: 0 00-00 211. Austin Anderson Ashley, IN 1 02-03 0 Day 1: 1 02-03 Day 2: 0 00-00 212. Bo Thomas Edwardsburg, MI 1 02-00 0 Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 1 02-00 213. Brian Fitzpatrick La Crosse, WI 0 00-00 0 Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00 213. Joseph Titus Bemidji, MN 0 00-00 0 Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00 213. Kelvin Wilcox Hazlehurst, GA 0 00-00 0 Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00 ------------------------------------------------------------ ----------- Totals Day #Limits #Fish Weight 1 177 982 2557-07 2 157 849 2198-09 ------------------------------ ---- 334 1831 4756-00
2024 St. Croix Bassmaster Open at Mississippi River presented by SEVIIN 9/12-9/14 Mississippi River, La Crosse WI. (NON_BOATER) Standings Day 2
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Pts Total $$$ 1. Richard Conrad Arcadia, WI 6 18-11 200 $15,300.00 Day 1: 3 10-08 Day 2: 3 08-03 2. Ricardo Guzman Farmington, MO 6 17-15 199 $3,600.00 Day 1: 3 08-01 Day 2: 3 09-14 3. Mack Traynor Hanover, MN 6 16-12 198 $2,700.00 Day 1: 3 08-10 Day 2: 3 08-02 4. Niko Romero Coldspring, TX 6 15-10 197 $2,025.00 Day 1: 3 09-02 Day 2: 3 06-08 5. Chris Stelter Chisago City, MN 6 15-10 196 $1,890.00 Day 1: 3 08-01 Day 2: 3 07-09 6. Jimmy Brumfield Madison, MS 6 15-09 195 $1,800.00 Day 1: 3 10-08 Day 2: 3 05-01 7. Leo Morris Beaver Dam, WI 6 15-03 194 $1,710.00 Day 1: 3 07-02 Day 2: 3 08-01 8. Josh Hubbard Citrus Springs, FL 6 14-15 193 $1,620.00 Day 1: 3 07-04 Day 2: 3 07-11 9. Levi Warner Hilbert, WI 6 14-14 192 $1,485.00 Day 1: 3 06-14 Day 2: 3 08-00 10. Calvin Landsberg Raleigh, NC 6 14-14 191 $1,350.00 Day 1: 3 07-01 Day 2: 3 07-13 11. John Miller Sunrise Beach, MO 6 14-14 190 $1,260.00 Day 1: 3 07-12 Day 2: 3 07-02 12. Jason Barber Gun Barrel City, TX 6 14-12 189 $1,170.00 Day 1: 3 05-03 Day 2: 3 09-09 13. Dan Mcadams Reedsburg, WI 6 14-11 188 $990.00 Day 1: 3 07-14 Day 2: 3 06-13 14. Roy Biwer Shakopee, MN 6 14-11 187 $900.00 Day 1: 3 07-02 Day 2: 3 07-09 15. Chad Stahl Barnesville, GA 6 14-11 186 $810.00 Day 1: 3 07-03 Day 2: 3 07-08 16. Tanner Visco Chicago, IL 6 14-05 185 $720.00 Day 1: 3 08-05 Day 2: 3 06-00 17. Shane Kuehn Bennington, NE 6 14-05 184 $675.00 Day 1: 3 07-02 Day 2: 3 07-03 17. Nic Rand Paw Paw, MI 6 14-05 184 $675.00 Day 1: 3 07-02 Day 2: 3 07-03 19. David Ondrla Elmhurst, IL 6 14-02 182 $675.00 Day 1: 3 07-09 Day 2: 3 06-09 20. Larry Peterson Hammond, WI 6 14-01 181 $675.00 Day 1: 3 06-11 Day 2: 3 07-06 21. Andrew Brandstrom Shoreview, MN 6 14-00 180 $630.00 Day 1: 3 06-02 Day 2: 3 07-14 22. JJ Patton Eldridge, IA 6 14-00 179 $630.00 Day 1: 3 06-07 Day 2: 3 07-09 23. Brian Forcier Akron, IA 6 14-00 178 $630.00 Day 1: 3 06-10 Day 2: 3 07-06 24. Anthony Kromke La Crosse, WI 6 13-15 177 $630.00 Day 1: 3 08-03 Day 2: 3 05-12 25. Erik Gaffron Hanover, MN 6 13-12 176 $585.00 Day 1: 3 07-08 Day 2: 3 06-04 25. Mark Ripp Belmont, WI 6 13-12 176 $585.00 Day 1: 3 07-08 Day 2: 3 06-04 27. Mitch Johnson Dayton, OH 5 13-09 174 $540.00 Day 1: 2 04-04 Day 2: 3 09-05 28. Gary Haraguchi Murfreesboro, TN 6 13-09 173 $540.00 Day 1: 3 05-08 Day 2: 3 08-01 29. Dennis Duffy Westmont, IL 6 13-08 172 $540.00 Day 1: 3 07-06 Day 2: 3 06-02 30. Christopher Morgan Greendale, WI 6 13-07 171 $540.00 Day 1: 3 05-11 Day 2: 3 07-12 31. Brandon Troupe Chicago, IL 6 13-07 170 $495.00 Day 1: 3 06-07 Day 2: 3 07-00 32. Mike Steckel Las Vegas, NV 6 13-05 169 $495.00 Day 1: 3 07-05 Day 2: 3 06-00 33. Jimmy Obrien Southampton, NY 5 13-05 168 $495.00 Day 1: 2 06-01 Day 2: 3 07-04 34. Taylor Umland Carlock, IL 6 13-03 167 $495.00 Day 1: 3 07-10 Day 2: 3 05-09 35. Joshua Kantor Tomah, WI 6 13-00 166 $495.00 Day 1: 3 07-03 Day 2: 3 05-13 36. Josh Mohn Lansing, IA 6 13-00 165 $495.00 Day 1: 3 06-00 Day 2: 3 07-00 37. Eugene Kim Lindenhurst, IL 6 12-12 164 $495.00 Day 1: 3 06-11 Day 2: 3 06-01 38. Tom Howland Riceville, IA 5 12-09 163 $495.00 Day 1: 3 07-15 Day 2: 2 04-10 39. Donald Biggs Murphysboro, IL 6 12-09 162 $495.00 Day 1: 3 05-10 Day 2: 3 06-15 40. Hayden Spradling Gilbert, AZ 6 12-07 161 $495.00 Day 1: 3 06-10 Day 2: 3 05-13 41. Willie Meyer North Mankato, MN 6 12-06 160 Day 1: 3 06-03 Day 2: 3 06-03 42. Danny Knispel Grimes, IA 4 12-05 159 Day 1: 3 09-14 Day 2: 1 02-07 43. Jacob Collins Hillsboro, IL 6 12-04 158 Day 1: 3 05-08 Day 2: 3 06-12 44. David Riggs Highland, IL 4 12-03 157 Day 1: 3 10-03 Day 2: 1 02-00 45. Gary Baranowski Otsego, MN 6 12-03 156 Day 1: 3 07-02 Day 2: 3 05-01 46. Richard Kiblinger Kansas City, KS 4 12-02 155 Day 1: 1 04-02 Day 2: 3 08-00 47. Bob Zagrzebski Stevens Point, WI 5 12-01 154 Day 1: 3 07-15 Day 2: 2 04-02 48. Dawson Wisner Palatka, FL 6 12-01 153 Day 1: 3 04-11 Day 2: 3 07-06 49. Danny Mancini Necedah, WI 6 12-01 152 Day 1: 3 05-08 Day 2: 3 06-09 50. Jamie Gomez Holmen, WI 5 11-14 151 Day 1: 3 07-10 Day 2: 2 04-04 51. Ty Kenyon Dodgeville, WI 4 11-11 150 Day 1: 1 02-01 Day 2: 3 09-10 52. Andre Yee Columbia, SC 5 11-10 149 Day 1: 3 08-03 Day 2: 2 03-07 53. Patrick Andres Long Grove, IL 4 11-05 148 Day 1: 2 05-03 Day 2: 2 06-02 54. Adam Omlid Grand Forks, ND 4 11-04 147 Day 1: 1 02-07 Day 2: 3 08-13 55. Albert Jones Jr Covington, GA 5 11-01 146 Day 1: 2 04-02 Day 2: 3 06-15 56. Chase Traeger Lino Lakes, MN 5 10-09 145 Day 1: 2 04-01 Day 2: 3 06-08 57. Makoto Maehira Hiroshima JAPAN 5 10-08 144 Day 1: 3 06-09 Day 2: 2 03-15 58. Matthew Cunningham Independence, MN 3 10-03 143 Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 3 10-03 59. Shawn Overton Coal Valley, IL 5 10-02 142 Day 1: 3 06-08 Day 2: 2 03-10 60. Mark Cowart Kearney, MO 5 09-15 141 Day 1: 2 02-12 Day 2: 3 07-03 61. Greg Spaid Brainerd, MN 4 09-14 140 Day 1: 1 02-04 Day 2: 3 07-10 62. Zachary Demler Marinette, WI 4 09-14 139 Day 1: 1 02-12 Day 2: 3 07-02 63. Maggie Carsello Stoughton, WI 4 09-12 138 Day 1: 1 01-13 Day 2: 3 07-15 64. Mark Schill Minneapolis, MN 4 09-12 137 Day 1: 3 05-13 Day 2: 1 03-15 65. Amanda Riley Galesville, WI 4 09-11 136 $250.00 Day 1: 3 07-14 Day 2: 1 01-13 66. Jimmy Fellegy Mustang, OK 5 09-10 135 Day 1: 2 03-04 Day 2: 3 06-06 67. Sean Lofgren Forest Lake, MN 3 09-09 134 Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 3 09-09 67. Joshua Sokol Orland Park, IL 3 09-09 134 Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 3 09-09 69. Dave Van Ert Watertown, WI 4 09-07 132 Day 1: 1 02-13 Day 2: 3 06-10 70. Kyle Dowdy El Paso, IL 5 08-12 131 Day 1: 3 05-04 Day 2: 2 03-08 71. Jerry Fullen Clifton, TX 4 08-10 130 Day 1: 1 01-15 Day 2: 3 06-11 72. Nick Veselka Fishers, IN 4 08-08 129 Day 1: 1 02-05 Day 2: 3 06-03 73. Kurt Chelminiak Delafield, WI 5 08-07 128 Day 1: 2 02-14 Day 2: 3 05-09 74. Hunter Stanislawski Lake Geneva, WI 5 08-06 127 Day 1: 2 03-11 Day 2: 3 04-11 75. Todd Lee Jasper, AL 3 08-03 126 Day 1: 2 05-08 Day 2: 1 02-11 76. Curt Blomquist Wright, MN 4 08-02 125 Day 1: 3 05-06 Day 2: 1 02-12 77. Troy Jutting Savage, MN 4 08-01 124 Day 1: 3 05-08 Day 2: 1 02-09 78. Richard Simmons Pewamo , MI 3 07-10 123 Day 1: 3 07-10 Day 2: 0 00-00 79. David Zimmermann Eagan, MN 4 07-09 122 Day 1: 3 05-12 Day 2: 1 01-13 80. William Salzmann Galena, IL 4 07-09 121 Day 1: 3 05-11 Day 2: 1 01-14 81. Carson Knutson St Croix Falls, WI 4 07-09 120 Day 1: 2 04-03 Day 2: 2 03-06 82. Aaron Konopacki New Albin, IA 6 07-08 119 Day 1: 3 07-08 Day 2: 3 00-00 83. Darrin Wood Rochester, MN 3 07-07 118 Day 1: 3 07-07 Day 2: 0 00-00 84. Klaus Kuester Forest Park, IL 4 07-06 117 Day 1: 1 01-15 Day 2: 3 05-07 85. Landon Winton Salado, TX 4 07-05 116 Day 1: 1 01-13 Day 2: 3 05-08 86. Matt Houman Chisago City, MN 4 07-04 115 Day 1: 1 02-01 Day 2: 3 05-03 87. Bradley Juen La Crosse, WI 3 07-03 114 Day 1: 2 04-00 Day 2: 1 03-03 88. Daniel Vasquez Boynton Beach, FL 4 07-01 113 Day 1: 1 01-12 Day 2: 3 05-05 89. Matt Commerford Wendell, MN 4 07-00 112 Day 1: 3 05-04 Day 2: 1 01-12 90. Scott Dunn Morris, IL 3 06-13 111 Day 1: 2 05-04 Day 2: 1 01-09 91. Kevin Yeska Madison, WI 2 06-11 110 Day 1: 2 06-11 Day 2: 0 00-00 92. Adam Panoff Waukesha, WI 3 06-10 109 Day 1: 3 06-10 Day 2: 0 00-00 93. Christopher Majerle Trenton, MI 3 06-10 108 Day 1: 1 01-09 Day 2: 2 05-01 94. Steven Lopez Sparta, WI 3 06-08 107 Day 1: 3 06-08 Day 2: 0 00-00 95. Devin Sulk Marinette, WI 3 06-07 106 Day 1: 1 02-08 Day 2: 2 03-15 96. Brian Brecka Alma, WI 3 06-06 105 Day 1: 3 06-06 Day 2: 0 00-00 96. Mark Dempsey Dixon, IL 3 06-06 105 Day 1: 3 06-06 Day 2: 0 00-00 96. Art Gneuhs Plainfield, IL 3 06-06 105 Day 1: 3 06-06 Day 2: 0 00-00 96. Jason Steger Stanley, WI 3 06-06 105 Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 3 06-06 100. Stephen Martens Milwaukee, WI 3 06-05 101 Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 3 06-05 101. David Waack Cary, NC 3 06-02 100 Day 1: 1 01-15 Day 2: 2 04-03 102. Sean Ruegemer Bloomington, MN 3 06-02 99 Day 1: 2 03-10 Day 2: 1 02-08 103. Tyler Jaskiewicz Rogers, AR 3 06-01 98 Day 1: 3 06-01 Day 2: 0 00-00 103. Gary Michalski Naperville, IL 3 06-01 98 Day 1: 3 06-01 Day 2: 0 00-00 105. Eric Breitkreutz Sheboygan, WI 2 06-01 96 Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 2 06-01 106. Brad Thieman Sioux City, IA 3 06-01 95 Day 1: 1 01-10 Day 2: 2 04-07 107. Justin Oppegard Eagan, MN 3 06-00 94 Day 1: 2 04-11 Day 2: 1 01-05 108. Don Kimmel Fishers, IN 3 05-15 93 Day 1: 1 02-05 Day 2: 2 03-10 109. Scott Dondlinger Scottsboro, AL 3 05-14 92 Day 1: 1 02-04 Day 2: 2 03-10 110. Kenny Stelter Forest Lake, MN 2 05-10 91 Day 1: 2 05-10 Day 2: 0 00-00 111. Brandon Welke Lacrescent, MN 3 05-07 90 Day 1: 1 01-15 Day 2: 2 03-08 112. Scott Hill Sunrise Beach, MO 3 05-05 89 Day 1: 3 05-05 Day 2: 0 00-00 113. Bob Harper Lombard, IL 2 04-11 88 Day 1: 1 02-12 Day 2: 1 01-15 114. Troy Sippl Sussex, WI 2 04-10 87 Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 2 04-10 115. Michael Zawicki Muskego, WI 2 04-04 86 Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 2 04-04 116. Charles Johnson Newberry, MI 2 03-12 85 Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 2 03-12 117. Ma Xiong Menomonee Falls, WI 2 03-09 84 Day 1: 2 03-09 Day 2: 0 00-00 118. Martin Terveer Otsego, MN 2 03-06 83 Day 1: 2 03-06 Day 2: 0 00-00 119. Derrick Peterson Brooklyn Park, MN 2 03-03 82 Day 1: 2 03-03 Day 2: 0 00-00 120. Alex Grimbos Innisfil CANADA 1 02-13 81 Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 1 02-13 121. Tom Lyskawka Arlington Heights , IL 1 02-07 80 Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 1 02-07 122. Nicholas Van Ert Menomonee Falls, WI 1 02-06 79 Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 1 02-06 123. John Rawdin Jr Foosland, IL 1 02-03 78 Day 1: 1 02-03 Day 2: 0 00-00 124. Gary Dennis Ravenswood, WV 1 02-01 77 Day 1: 1 02-01 Day 2: 0 00-00 125. Will Yelverton Hazel Green, AL 1 02-00 76 Day 1: 1 02-00 Day 2: 0 00-00 126. Tim Krantz Somonauk, IL 1 01-14 75 Day 1: 1 01-14 Day 2: 0 00-00 127. Aric Wilber Saint Paul, MN 1 01-09 74 Day 1: 1 01-09 Day 2: 0 00-00 128. Patrick Bartley Waconia, MN 0 00-00 0 Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00 128. Tim Berg Prior Lake, MN 0 00-00 0 Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00 128. Thomas Berkowitz Littleton, MA 0 00-00 0 Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00 128. Tristian Dupuis Shreveport, LA 0 00-00 0 Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00 128. Brad Goetz Waunakee, WI 0 00-00 0 Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00 128. Carter Golat Bruce, WI 0 00-00 0 Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00 128. Matt Kelley Detroit, MI 0 00-00 0 Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00 128. Larry Miller Onalaska, WI 0 00-00 0 Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00 ------------------------------------------------------------ ----------- Totals Day #Limits #Fish Weight 1 69 273 624-11 2 69 265 606-09 ------------------------------ ---- 138 538 1231-04
MLF Announces Expanded 2025 Phoenix Bass Fishing League Schedule
MLF’s grassroots weekend circuit expands to 12 Regional tournaments, allowing bass anglers to compete closer to home for lucrative prizes and qualify for the 43rd Annual BFL All-American Championship
BENTON, Ky. (Sept. 13, 2024) – Major League Fishing (MLF) announced today the 2025 schedule for the Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine (BFL), highlighted by the expansion to 12 Regional tournaments. This expansion ensures that grassroots MLF anglers can fish closer to home on lakes they know and love for a chance to win a $50,000 Phoenix 819 Pro bass boat with a 200-horsepower outboard as a boater and a new $20,000 cash award as a co-angler, plus qualification into the BFL All-American Championship.
Increasing the number of Regional tournaments to 12 will allow 65 boaters and co-anglers to qualify from each division – up from 50 in 2024 – while simultaneously reducing the field size in each Regional from 200 to 130 boats.
With advancement opportunities to the All-American, Toyota Series Championship and REDCREST – the Bass Pro Tour championship – for a shot at winning top awards of $120,000, $235,000 and $300,000, respectively, the BFL offers the best payouts and advancement opportunities for the lowest entry fee available anywhere.
“The Phoenix Bass Fishing League is the foundation of tournament bass fishing,” said MLF Executive Vice President & General Manager Kathy Fennel. “Our passionate BFL anglers represent the single largest group of bass tournament anglers in the world. They are the lifeblood of MLF that keeps the industry moving forward, and we are excited to provide them with the highest-quality, most rewarding, close-to-home weekend tournaments available anywhere.”
The 2025 Phoenix BFL Presented by T-H Marine is a 24-division circuit devoted to weekend anglers, with 134 events throughout the season, including five qualifying tournaments in each division. The top 60 boaters and Strike King co-anglers from each division, along with the five qualifying event winners, will advance to one of 12 BFL Regional tournaments. There they’ll compete to finish in the top three, which then qualifies them for one of the longest-running championships in all of competitive bass fishing – the BFL All-American.
The 2025 BFL All-American, for qualifiers from the 2024 season, will take place May 29-31, 2025, at Lake Hamilton in Hot Springs, Arkansas, and is hosted by Visit Hot Springs and the Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism.
Full program details, including payouts, rules and entry dates, will be announced later this fall. For the complete 2025 BFL schedule visit MajorLeagueFishing.com.
2025 MLF Phoenix BFL Regional Tournament Schedule:
Oct. 3-4
Hosted by Richmond Region Tourism
Oct. 3-4
Hosted by Shore & Islands Ohio
Oct. 3-4
Hosted by Visit Lake Norman and Visit Charlotte & Mecklenburg
Oct. 3-4
Hosted by Visit Quad Cities
Oct. 10-11 Douglas Lake (Mountain & Music City) Dandridge, Tenn.
Hosted by Visit Jefferson County TN
Oct. 10-11 Grand Lake (Okie & Ozark) Grove, Okla.
Hosted by the City of Grove and the Grove Convention and Tourism Bureau
Oct. 10-11 Kentucky Lake (Hoosier & Mississippi) Buchanan, Tenn.
Hosted by the Henry County – Tourism Authority
Oct. 10-11 Lake Murray (North Carolina & Savannah River) Columbia, S.C.
Hosted by the Capital City Lake Murray Country Regional Tourism Board
Oct. 10-11 Logan Martin Lake (Bama & Choo Choo) Lincoln, Ala.
Hosted by the City of Lincoln
Oct. 17-18 Lake Seminole (Bulldog & Gator) Bainbridge, Ga.
Hosted by Visit Bainbridge
Oct. 24-25 Dale Hollow Reservoir (LBL & Volunteer) Byrdstown, Tenn.
Hosted by the Byrdstown-Pickett County Chamber of Commerce
Oct. 24-25 Lake Eufaula (Arkie & Cowboy) Eufaula, Okla.
Hosted by Vision Eufaula
Proud sponsors of the MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine include: 7 Brew Coffee, Abu Garcia, B&W Trailer Hitches, Berkley, BUBBA, E3, Epic Baits, Fishing Clash, General Tire, GSM Outdoors, Lew’s, Mercury, Mossy Oak, Onyx, Phoenix, Polaris, Power-Pole, PowerStop Brakes, REDCON1, Strike King, Suzuki, Tackle Warehouse, T-H Marine, Toyota, WIX Filters and YETI.
For the latest tournament information, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular Bass Fishing League updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF5’s social media outlets at Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.
About Major League Fishing
Major League Fishing (MLF) is the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization, producing more than 250 events annually at some of the most prestigious fisheries in the world, while broadcasting to America’s living rooms on CBS, Discovery Channel, Outdoor Channel, CBS Sports Network, World Fishing Network and on demand on MyOutdoorTV (MOTV). Headquartered in Benton, Kentucky, the MLF roster of bass anglers includes the world’s top pros and more than 30,000 competitors in all 50 states and 17 countries. Since its founding in 2011, MLF has advanced the sport of competitive fishing through its premier television broadcasts and livestreams and is dedicated to improving the quality of life for bass through research, education, fisheries enhancement and fish care.
2024 Bassmaster Redfish Cup Championship set for Florida’s Apalachicola Bay
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Ten teams will compete for their share of a $100,000 purse when the 2024 Yamaha Bassmaster Redfish Cup Championship presented by Skeeter travels to Apalachicola Bay in Apalachicola, Fla., Oct. 25-27. Tournament launches and weight reveal will be at Scipio Creek Marina located at 301 Market St. in Apalachicola, Fla.
“We are extremely excited to bring this Redfish Cup Championship to Florida for the first time,” said B.A.S.S. Executive Director of Tournaments Hank Weldon. “Showcasing the waters of the northern Gulf live on both FS1 and Bassmaster.com will provide great entertainment for fishing fans.”
The fourth annual no-entry fee event will feature four Bassmaster All-Star teams made up of four Bassmaster Elite Series pros and four Skeeter/Yamaha saltwater pros. The four Bassmaster All-Star teams are:
- Forrest Wood Cup and St. Croix Bassmaster Opens presented by SEVIIN champion Justin Atkins and charter captain Krista Miller, known in many circles as “Krista Redfish.”
- Elite Series champion John Garrett and sixth-generation Floridian and charter captain and guide Chad Manning.
- Five-time Elite Series champion Brandon Palaniuk and three-time Redfish Cup Championship qualifier Chris Cenci.
- Six-time Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Classic presented by Jockey Outdoors qualifier Shane Lehew and Plant City, Fla., charter guide Mike Goodwine.
The Bassmaster All-Star teams will be joined by defending champions Fred Myers III and Cody Chivas as well as five additional teams — two from the Power-Pole National Redfish Tour Presented by Mercury: the team of Carter Myers and James Drysdale and the team of Ryan Rickard and Pat Marsonek, two from the Elite Solo Tour (TBD) and one from the Professional Redfish League (TBD).
The format for the Redfish Cup Championship will be a catch, weigh and release format. Teams will be able to weigh their two largest legal slot-limit (18 to 27 inches) fish per boat, per day.
Coverage of the Bassmaster Redfish Cup Championship will air on FS1 on Saturday and Sunday from 8 to 11 a.m. ET. Bassmaster LIVE will be streaming on Bassmaster.com all three days.
The local sponsor of the 2024 Yamaha Bassmaster Redfish Cup Championship presented by Skeeter is Florida’s Forgotten Coast.
2024 Redfish Cup Championship Title Sponsor: Yamaha
2024 Redfish Cup Championship Presenting Sponsor: Skeeter Boats
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Media Contact: Chad Gay, Communications Manager, 205-313-0945, [email protected]
Beaudrie finds fallback spots for Day 1 lead in Bassmaster Open at Mississippi River
Sept. 12, 2024
LA CROSSE, Wis. — It might sound intrusive, but Chris Beaudrie of Princeton, Ky., exploited safe spaces to sack up a 19-pound limit that leads Day 1 of the St. Croix Bassmaster Open at Mississippi River presented by SEVIIN.
In a tight race where only 1-14 separates first and 10th places, Beaudrie leads Brady Vernon by 11 ounces. Making his first visit to the upper Mississippi River, Beaudrie said his lack of local experience plus the minefield of shallow bars and obstructions proved daunting.
“It was really tough for me to navigate this place in low water because I’ve never been here,” he said. “I just tried to put myself in good places.”
Addressing the newness, Beaudrie drew upon his Tennessee River knowledge. Seasonally, the fall reservoir drawdowns that impact his home waters have taught him what bass prefer during falling-water periods like the upper Mississippi has recently experienced.
“It was just understanding the conditions and adjusting to that,” Beaudrie said. “They’ve had high water all year, and I’m sure that had fish positioned a little easier to catch. But I knew the falling water would pull them out and group them up.”
Beaudrie’s intuition was spot-on, as he found most of his fish in deeper troughs along the shallow grass beds.
“I’m looking for ditches and (deeper) edges that run up against these shallow grass beds,” Beaudrie said. “It’s just a safe haven for them to pull to. If you have 300 yards of a foot and a half of water and the water’s been falling for a week or more, they gotta get out of there.
“That’s what I struggled with in practice. Shallow wasn’t working and everywhere that looked good didn’t have hardly any water. I just did what instinct told me to do and I looked for their safe haven.”
Spending his day in Pool 8, Beaudrie said that after the cooler temperatures of practice week, he had been waiting for warmer weather. This week’s warming trend is working in his favor, as it seems to be stimulating his shallow fish.
Beaudrie said he caught his fish early on topwaters and once the day turned sunny and the water slicked off, the bite slowed significantly. During that tough period, he explored other areas and switched to slower presentations, which yielded a couple of key culls.
“On the way in, I culled out a 3 1/4 with a 4 maybe 2 miles from the weigh-in,” Beaudrie said. “I had over 18 pounds before that.”
Looking at his Day 2 plan, Beaudrie said: “I think I pushed those (early fish) to another area in the mat. Luckily, I was able to relocate them, so, hopefully, I can get back on them tomorrow.”
Hailing from Sterrett, Ala., Vernon is in second place with 18-5. Given the late-summer falling-water scenario, he said he’s happy with the day’s productivity.
“I was surprised to catch what I did; I was expecting 15 to 16 to be at the top,” he said. “I caught 16 and some change pretty early. I (locked) up to Pool 7 and had that by like 8:45.
“I fished around for about 2 hours and I wasn’t getting any bites, so I was like, ‘I’m probably going to go back down to Pool 8 before I get stuck up here.’”
Relying on a clue from practice, Vernon started his day by targeting vast duckweed mats with blown-in eelgrass. He caught those early fish on a frog.
“I found a key place in practice that I got three bites out of, and they were big ones,” Vernon said. “I went back there this morning, and I had no idea, but I caught them fast out of one mat.
“I found one little place that’s deeper than the rest of the bay. I think all the wind in practice pushed the dead eelgrass and matted it up. It kind of protected what I was fishing.”
After leaving Pool 7 around 11:30, Vernon flipped a big jig in hopes of finding another big bite. This strategy added two of his keepers, including a 4-pounder that culled out a 2.8-pounder.
Tucker Smith of Birmingham, Ala., is in third place with 18-4. Entering the tournament fourth in the Tackle Warehouse Bassmaster Opens Elite Qualifier (EQ) points, Smith opted to protect his standing by remaining in Pool 8 and minimizing the risk of lock delays.
“I did a few different things today,” Smith said of his diverse game plan. “This morning was tough. I caught a limit really quick, but it was only like 9 to 10 pounds.
“I fished hard all day and finally pulled up on a place and caught two 2 1/2s. Then I pulled up on another place and caught a smallmouth that was 4-12 and a 3 1/2. I fished a couple more places and caught some nice largemouth.”
Smith caught his fish on a mix of reaction baits and slow presentations. Maintaining his composure under pressure was essential to his productive day.
“It’s so hard to stay calm, especially when you’re in the points race, to keep a calm mind,” Smith said. “I was out there by myself today. I didn’t have a co-angler, so I really just thought to myself and tried to stay calm. I just ran around a bunch and eventually caught some.”
Satoshi Egawa of Fort Lee, N.J., is in the lead for Phoenix Boats Big Bass honors with his 4-14.
Jimmy Brumfield of Madison, Miss., and Richard Conrad of Arcadia, Wis., share the lead in the co-angler division with 10-8.
Amanda Riley or Galesville, Wis., holds the Phoenix Boats Big Bass lead among co-anglers with a 4-7.
Friday’s takeoff is scheduled for 6:30 a.m. CT at Veterans Freedom Park. The weigh-in will be held at the park at 2:30 p.m.
Coverage of the St. Croix Bassmaster Open at Mississippi River presented by SEVIIN will air on FS1 on Saturday from 8 to 11 a.m. ET. Bassmaster LIVE will be streaming on Bassmaster.com Friday and Saturday.
ExploreLaCrosse.com is hosting the event.
2024 Bassmaster Opens Series Title Sponsor: St. Croix
2024 Bassmaster Opens Series Presenting Sponsor: SEVIIN
2024 Bassmaster Opens Series Platinum Sponsor: Toyota
2024 Bassmaster Opens 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 Opens 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.
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Media Contact: Chad Gay, Communications Manager, 205-313-0945, cgay@bassmaster.
2024 St. Croix Bassmaster Open at Mississippi River presented by SEVIIN 9/12-9/14 Mississippi River, La Crosse WI. (BOATER) Standings Day 1
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Pts Total $$$ 1. Chris Beaudrie Princeton, KY 5 19-00 200 Day 1: 5 19-00 2. Brady Vernon Sterrett, AL 5 18-05 199 Day 1: 5 18-05 3. Tucker Smith Birmingham, AL 5 18-04 198 Day 1: 5 18-04 4. Cade Laufenberg Onalaska, WI 5 18-01 197 Day 1: 5 18-01 5. Cody Meyer Eagle, ID 5 18-00 196 Day 1: 5 18-00 6. Ish Monroe Oakdale, CA 5 17-14 195 Day 1: 5 17-14 7. Danny McGarry Newcastle CANADA 5 17-09 194 Day 1: 5 17-09 8. Brad Leuthner Victoria, MN 5 17-05 193 Day 1: 5 17-05 9. Randy Howell Guntersville, AL 5 17-03 192 Day 1: 5 17-03 10. Satoshi Egawa Fort Lee, NJ 5 17-02 191 Day 1: 5 17-02 11. Josh Butler Hayden, AL 5 16-15 190 Day 1: 5 16-15 12. Seth Feider New Market, MN 5 16-13 189 Day 1: 5 16-13 13. Mike Brueggen La Crosse, WI 5 16-10 188 Day 1: 5 16-10 13. Parker Kratochvill Onalaska, WI 5 16-10 188 Day 1: 5 16-10 15. Randall Tharp Port St. Joe, FL 5 16-09 186 Day 1: 5 16-09 16. Easton Fothergill Grand Rapids , MN 5 16-09 185 Day 1: 5 16-09 17. Mike Feldermann Galena, IL 5 16-08 184 Day 1: 5 16-08 18. John Engler Vinton, IA 5 16-05 183 Day 1: 5 16-05 19. Chris Hellebuyck White Lake, MI 5 16-03 182 Day 1: 5 16-03 20. Joey Nania Cropwell, AL 5 16-01 181 Day 1: 5 16-01 20. Brian Post Janesville, WI 5 16-01 181 Day 1: 5 16-01 22. Kevin Ruh Onalaska, WI 5 15-15 179 Day 1: 5 15-15 23. Darold Gleason Many, LA 5 15-14 178 Day 1: 5 15-14 24. Lance Keene Manistee, MI 5 15-13 177 Day 1: 5 15-13 25. Connor Jacob Auburn, AL 5 15-12 176 Day 1: 5 15-12 26. Adam Hamann Prairie Du Chien, IA 5 15-11 175 Day 1: 5 15-11 27. Brett Hite Phoenix, AZ 5 15-10 174 Day 1: 5 15-10 27. Emil Wagner Marietta, GA 5 15-10 174 Day 1: 5 15-10 29. Cody Stahl Barnsville, GA 5 15-09 172 Day 1: 5 15-09 30. Garrett Paquette Canton, MI 5 15-08 171 Day 1: 5 15-08 31. Andrew Behnke Fond Du Lac, WI 5 15-07 170 Day 1: 5 15-07 31. Nathan Thompson Eagan, MN 5 15-07 170 Day 1: 5 15-07 31. Nick Trim Galesville, WI 5 15-07 170 Day 1: 5 15-07 34. Elijah Benson Dahlonega, GA 5 15-04 167 Day 1: 5 15-04 34. Jack Dice Lynchburg, VA 5 15-04 167 Day 1: 5 15-04 36. Clayton Weber West Salem, WI 5 15-03 165 Day 1: 5 15-03 37. Bill Lowen Brookville, IN 5 15-02 164 Day 1: 5 15-02 37. Paul Marks Cumming, GA 5 15-02 164 Day 1: 5 15-02 37. Tom Monsoor La Crosse, WI 5 15-02 164 Day 1: 5 15-02 37. Cliff Pace Ovett, MS 5 15-02 164 Day 1: 5 15-02 41. Beau Browning Hot Springs National Pa 5 15-01 160 Day 1: 5 15-01 42. Andrew Loberg Grant, AL 5 14-15 159 Day 1: 5 14-15 42. Dan Mohn Lansing, IA 5 14-15 159 Day 1: 5 14-15 44. Garrett Warren Scottsboro, AL 5 14-14 157 Day 1: 5 14-14 45. Austin Felix Eden Prairie, MN 5 14-13 156 Day 1: 5 14-13 45. Derek Lehtonen Woodruff, SC 5 14-13 156 Day 1: 5 14-13 47. Matt Adams Oxford, AL 5 14-11 154 Day 1: 5 14-11 47. Trey Schroeder Theodosia, MO 5 14-11 154 Day 1: 5 14-11 49. Yui Aoki Minamitsurugun JAPAN 5 14-10 152 Day 1: 5 14-10 49. Alex Redwine Blue Ash, OH 5 14-10 152 Day 1: 5 14-10 51. Tai Au Glendale, AZ 5 14-09 150 Day 1: 5 14-09 51. Adam Crigger Le Claire, IA 5 14-09 150 Day 1: 5 14-09 53. Blake Smith Lakeland, FL 5 14-08 148 Day 1: 5 14-08 53. Mitch Van Ert Okauchee, WI 5 14-08 148 Day 1: 5 14-08 55. David Boelkins Waukesha, WI 5 14-07 146 Day 1: 5 14-07 56. Kollin Crawford Broken Bow, OK 5 14-06 145 Day 1: 5 14-06 56. Dakota Ebare Brookeland, TX 5 14-06 145 Day 1: 5 14-06 58. Jamie Bruce Kenora Ontario CANADA 5 14-05 143 Day 1: 5 14-05 58. Zach Goutremout Chaumont, NY 5 14-05 143 Day 1: 5 14-05 58. Kenta Kimura Osaka OK JAPAN 5 14-05 143 Day 1: 5 14-05 58. Chancy Walters West Des Moines, IA 5 14-05 143 Day 1: 5 14-05 62. Christian Ostrander Turlock, CA 5 14-04 139 Day 1: 5 14-04 63. Dave Parsons Yantis, TX 5 14-02 138 Day 1: 5 14-02 64. Brock Belik Orchard, NE 5 14-01 137 Day 1: 5 14-01 64. Jason Elliott Warsaw, IN 5 14-01 137 Day 1: 5 14-01 64. Tyler Lubbat Wheeling, IL 5 14-01 137 Day 1: 5 14-01 67. Andy Newcomb Camdenton, MO 5 14-00 134 Day 1: 5 14-00 67. Jack York Emory, TX 5 14-00 134 Day 1: 5 14-00 69. Chris Aswegan Tiffin, IA 5 13-15 132 Day 1: 5 13-15 70. Bailey Bleser Burlington, WI 5 13-14 131 Day 1: 5 13-14 70. Greg Bohannan Bentonville, AR 5 13-14 131 Day 1: 5 13-14 70. Casey Scanlon Eldon, MO 5 13-14 131 Day 1: 5 13-14 70. Kyle Seubert Chaseburg, WI 5 13-14 131 Day 1: 5 13-14 74. Billy Gilbert Hamburg, NY 5 13-13 127 Day 1: 5 13-13 75. Allen Armour Cumming, GA 5 13-12 126 Day 1: 5 13-12 75. Kyle Minke Lindsrom, MN 5 13-12 126 Day 1: 5 13-12 77. Casey Goode La Crosse, WI 5 13-10 124 Day 1: 5 13-10 77. Jack Tindel III Orange, TX 5 13-10 124 Day 1: 5 13-10 79. Chris Blanchette Edisto Island, SC 5 13-09 122 Day 1: 5 13-09 80. Kyoya Fujita Yamanashi CA JAPAN 5 13-08 121 Day 1: 5 13-08 80. Brady Hanna Silvis, IL 5 13-08 121 Day 1: 5 13-08 80. Freddy Palmer Estill Springs, TN 5 13-08 121 Day 1: 5 13-08 83. Casey Ashley Donalds, SC 5 13-07 118 Day 1: 5 13-07 83. Kyle Austin Ridgeville, SC 5 13-07 118 Day 1: 5 13-07 83. Brandon Gann Sparta, WI 5 13-07 118 Day 1: 5 13-07 83. John Voyles Petersburg, IN 5 13-07 118 Day 1: 5 13-07 87. Bobby Bakewell Orlando, FL 5 13-06 114 Day 1: 5 13-06 88. Charlie Hartley Grove City, OH 5 13-05 113 Day 1: 5 13-05 89. Caden Cowan Stephenville, TX 5 13-04 112 Day 1: 5 13-04 89. Mike McClelland Blue Eye, MO 5 13-04 112 Day 1: 5 13-04 91. Trevor McKinney Noble, IL 5 13-03 110 Day 1: 5 13-03 91. Andrew Smith Chesterfield, MI 5 13-03 110 Day 1: 5 13-03 91. Trey Swindle Cleveland, AL 5 13-03 110 Day 1: 5 13-03 94. Aaron Jagdfeld Rochester Hills, MI 5 13-02 107 Day 1: 5 13-02 94. Rich Lindgren Lakeville, MN 5 13-02 107 Day 1: 5 13-02 96. Yukihiro Sawamura Harker Heights, TX 5 13-01 105 Day 1: 5 13-01 97. Chad Pipkens Dewitt, MI 5 13-00 104 Day 1: 5 13-00 98. Evan Kung Pickering Ontario CANAD 5 12-14 103 Day 1: 5 12-14 98. Kyle Patrick Cooperstown, NY 5 12-14 103 Day 1: 5 12-14 100. Manny Sciberras Liberty Twp, OH 5 12-13 101 Day 1: 5 12-13 101. Jackson Swisher Lake City, FL 5 12-12 100 Day 1: 5 12-12 101. Josh Wiesner Fon du Lac, WI 5 12-12 100 Day 1: 5 12-12 103. Cole Drummond Effingham, SC 5 12-10 98 Day 1: 5 12-10 103. Logan Parks Auburn, AL 5 12-10 98 Day 1: 5 12-10 103. Jeremiah Shaver Holmen, WI 5 12-10 98 Day 1: 5 12-10 106. Lafe Messer Warfield, KY 5 12-09 95 Day 1: 5 12-09 106. Randy Ramsey Burlington, MI 5 12-09 95 Day 1: 5 12-09 108. Bryan Finch Belton, TX 5 12-08 93 Day 1: 5 12-08 108. Jody Gardner Tippecanoe, OH 5 12-08 93 Day 1: 5 12-08 110. Harvey Horne Bella Vista, AR 5 12-07 91 Day 1: 5 12-07 111. Robert Gee Knoxville, TN 5 12-06 90 Day 1: 5 12-06 112. James Watson Lampe, MO 5 12-05 89 Day 1: 5 12-05 113. Chase Clarke Virginia Beach, VA 5 12-04 88 Day 1: 5 12-04 113. Fernando Lobato Sparta, WI 5 12-04 88 Day 1: 5 12-04 115. Teb Jones Yalaha, MS 5 12-03 86 Day 1: 5 12-03 115. Masayuki Matsushita Porter TX JAPAN 5 12-03 86 Day 1: 5 12-03 115. Christopher Welch Fall River, WI 5 12-03 86 Day 1: 5 12-03 115. Doc Wootton Collierville, TN 5 12-03 86 Day 1: 5 12-03 119. Bryan Partak Marseilles, IL 5 12-02 82 Day 1: 5 12-02 119. Jeremy Radford Huntly, VA 5 12-02 82 Day 1: 5 12-02 121. Cody Steckel Las Vegas, NV 5 12-01 80 Day 1: 5 12-01 121. Alexander Welter Onalaska, WI 5 12-01 80 Day 1: 5 12-01 121. Zack Williams Shell Knob, MO 5 12-01 80 Day 1: 5 12-01 124. Andrew Julson Stoughton, WI 5 11-15 77 Day 1: 5 11-15 125. Josh Douglas Isle, MN 5 11-14 76 Day 1: 5 11-14 125. Tommy Dunaway Havana, FL 5 11-14 76 Day 1: 5 11-14 125. Laker Howell Guntersville, AL 5 11-14 76 Day 1: 5 11-14 128. Fritz Lubinski Rochester, MN 5 11-14 73 Day 1: 5 11-14 129. Andrew Harp Linden, TX 5 11-13 72 Day 1: 5 11-13 129. Tristan McCormick Burns, TN 5 11-13 72 Day 1: 5 11-13 131. Adam Bartusek Clearwater, MN 5 11-12 70 Day 1: 5 11-12 131. Cody Bird Granbury, TX 5 11-12 70 Day 1: 5 11-12 131. Glenn Walker Savage, MN 5 11-12 70 Day 1: 5 11-12 134. Ty Faber Pagosa Springs, CO 5 11-11 67 Day 1: 5 11-11 134. Cody Salzmann Southgate, MI 5 11-11 67 Day 1: 5 11-11 136. Kevin Dritschler Prosper, TX 5 11-10 65 Day 1: 5 11-10 136. Russ Lane Prattville, AL 5 11-10 65 Day 1: 5 11-10 138. Billy McDonald Greenwood, IN 5 11-08 63 Day 1: 5 11-08 138. Dalton Smith Taylorsville, KY 5 11-08 63 Day 1: 5 11-08 140. James Niggemeyer Van, TX 5 11-07 61 Day 1: 5 11-07 140. Cole Zagrzebski Stevens Point, WI 5 11-07 61 Day 1: 5 11-07 142. Tim Frederick Leesburg, FL 5 11-06 59 Day 1: 5 11-06 143. Steven Caldwell Whitesboro, TX 5 11-05 58 Day 1: 5 11-05 144. Brett Cannon Kiln, MS 5 11-04 57 Day 1: 5 11-04 144. Jacob Thompkins Myrtle Beach, SC 5 11-04 57 Day 1: 5 11-04 146. Adam Rasmussen Sturgeon Bay, WI 5 11-03 55 Day 1: 5 11-03 147. Ethen Preston Tower City, ND 4 11-03 54 Day 1: 4 11-03 148. Vue Thao Madison, WI 5 11-02 53 Day 1: 5 11-02 148. Jimmy Washam Stantonville, TN 5 11-02 53 Day 1: 5 11-02 150. Brandon McMillan Clewiston, FL 5 11-01 51 Day 1: 5 11-01 150. Kenny Mittelstaedt Minnetonka, MN 5 11-01 51 Day 1: 5 11-01 152. Richard Lowitzki Fort Myers, FL 5 10-15 49 Day 1: 5 10-15 153. Kyle Weisenburger Columbus Grv, OH 5 10-14 48 Day 1: 5 10-14 154. David Bromenshenkel Sauk Centre, MN 5 10-13 47 Day 1: 5 10-13 155. Dylan Mayo Athens, TX 5 10-11 46 Day 1: 5 10-11 156. Brandyn Baum La Crosse, WI 5 10-10 45 Day 1: 5 10-10 156. Kevin Johnson Sparta, WI 5 10-10 45 Day 1: 5 10-10 158. Jim Moynagh Remer, MN 5 10-09 43 Day 1: 5 10-09 158. Joe Wieberg Freeburg, MO 5 10-09 43 Day 1: 5 10-09 160. Cody Detweiler Guntersville, AL 5 10-07 41 Day 1: 5 10-07 161. Andy Dassow Medford, WI 5 10-06 40 Day 1: 5 10-06 161. Jordan Knutson Saint Croix Falls, WI 5 10-06 40 Day 1: 5 10-06 161. Avery Williams Murrells Inlt, SC 5 10-06 40 Day 1: 5 10-06 164. Jacob Bigelow Cecil, WI 5 10-05 37 Day 1: 5 10-05 165. Blake Schroeder Whitehouse, TX 5 10-04 36 Day 1: 5 10-04 166. Derrick Sadlowski Monaca, PA 5 10-00 35 Day 1: 5 10-00 167. Chad Grigsby Maple Grove, MN 5 09-14 34 Day 1: 5 09-14 167. Sam Hanggi Knoxville, TN 5 09-14 34 Day 1: 5 09-14 169. Chris Kingree Inverness, FL 5 09-13 32 Day 1: 5 09-13 170. Lance Crawford Broken Bow, OK 5 09-12 31 Day 1: 5 09-12 171. Lucas Murphy West Columbia, MI 5 09-11 30 Day 1: 5 09-11 172. Paul Browning Monahans, TX 5 09-09 29 Day 1: 5 09-09 173. Phillip Kroll Otego, NY 5 09-07 28 Day 1: 5 09-07 173. A.J. Menssen Bloomington, IL 5 09-07 28 Day 1: 5 09-07 173. Matt Messer Warfield, KY 5 09-07 28 Day 1: 5 09-07 176. Matt Thompson Stacy, MN 5 09-05 25 Day 1: 5 09-05 177. Scott Isaacs Ladonia, TX 4 09-03 24 Day 1: 4 09-03 178. Wayne Hall Cottonwood, AZ 4 09-01 23 Day 1: 4 09-01 179. Tripp Noojin Bryant, AL 5 08-13 22 Day 1: 5 08-13 180. Austin Cranford Norman, OK 4 08-01 21 Day 1: 4 08-01 181. Joey Punko Broomfield, CO 4 08-00 20 Day 1: 4 08-00 181. Ryan Redmann Brandon, WI 4 08-00 20 Day 1: 4 08-00 183. Brian Bird Eastland, TX 4 07-14 18 Day 1: 4 07-14 184. Brian Bengtson Bloomington, MN 5 07-13 17 Day 1: 5 07-13 185. Sean Clayton Seneca, SC 4 07-13 16 Day 1: 4 07-13 185. Clemente Gutierrez Woodbridge, VA 4 07-13 16 Day 1: 4 07-13 187. Logan Johnson Jasper, AL 4 07-12 14 Day 1: 4 07-12 188. Mike Mayo Athens, TX 4 07-08 13 Day 1: 4 07-08 189. Kyle Palmer Winchester, TN 3 07-01 12 Day 1: 3 07-01 190. Chris Miller Spirit Lake, IA 3 06-15 11 Day 1: 3 06-15 191. Kevin Ledoux Choctaw, OK 4 06-14 10 Day 1: 4 06-14 192. Clint Leonard Jr Saint Cloud, FL 3 06-13 9 Day 1: 3 06-13 193. Daisuke Kita Ostu Shiga JAPAN 3 06-12 8 Day 1: 3 06-12 194. Brayden Rakes Winston Salem, NC 2 06-11 7 Day 1: 2 06-11 195. Scout Echols Monticello, AR 3 06-08 6 Day 1: 3 06-08 196. Keith Brumfield Vicksburg, MS 3 06-05 5 Day 1: 3 06-05 197. Brent Shores Boise, ID 3 06-00 4 Day 1: 3 06-00 198. Frankie Arado Eastman, WI 3 05-11 3 Day 1: 3 05-11 199. Parker Knudsen Minnetonka, MN 3 05-10 2 Day 1: 3 05-10 200. Andrew Hargrove Moody, TX 3 05-09 1 Day 1: 3 05-09 201. Tadd Johnson Lakeville, MN 3 05-01 0 Day 1: 3 05-01 202. Joey Hanna Corsicana, TX 2 04-14 0 Day 1: 2 04-14 203. Tony Dumitras Winston, GA 2 04-12 0 Day 1: 2 04-12 204. Brady Schran Zumbrota, MN 2 03-13 0 Day 1: 2 03-13 205. Scott Kerslake Okeechobee, FL 2 03-12 0 Day 1: 2 03-12 206. Mark Tonjum Spencer, IA 2 03-11 0 Day 1: 2 03-11 207. Lance Owen Greer, SC 2 03-07 0 Day 1: 2 03-07 208. Austin Anderson Ashley, IN 1 02-03 0 Day 1: 1 02-03 209. Dale Salzmann Hazel Green, WI 1 01-14 0 Day 1: 1 01-14 210. Brian Fitzpatrick La Crosse, WI 0 00-00 0 Day 1: 0 00-00 210. Jay Przekurat Plover, WI 0 00-00 0 Day 1: 0 00-00 210. Bo Thomas Edwardsburg, MI 0 00-00 0 Day 1: 0 00-00 210. Joseph Titus Bemidji, MN 0 00-00 0 Day 1: 0 00-00 210. Tim Tyndell Mineola, TX 0 00-00 0 Day 1: 0 00-00 210. Kelvin Wilcox Hazlehurst, GA 0 00-00 0 Day 1: 0 00-00 ------------------------------------------------------------ ----------- Totals Day #Limits #Fish Weight 1 177 982 2557-07 ------------------------------ ---- 177 982 2557-07
2024 St. Croix Bassmaster Open at Mississippi River presented by SEVIIN 9/12-9/14 Mississippi River, La Crosse WI. (NON_BOATER) Standings Day 1
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Pts Total $$$ 1. Jimmy Brumfield Madison, MS 3 10-08 200 Day 1: 3 10-08 1. Richard Conrad Arcadia, WI 3 10-08 200 Day 1: 3 10-08 3. David Riggs Highland, IL 3 10-03 198 Day 1: 3 10-03 4. Danny Knispel Grimes, IA 3 09-14 197 Day 1: 3 09-14 5. Niko Romero Coldspring, TX 3 09-02 196 Day 1: 3 09-02 6. Mack Traynor Hanover, MN 3 08-10 195 Day 1: 3 08-10 7. Tanner Visco Chicago, IL 3 08-05 194 Day 1: 3 08-05 8. Anthony Kromke La Crosse, WI 3 08-03 193 Day 1: 3 08-03 8. Andre Yee Columbia, SC 3 08-03 193 Day 1: 3 08-03 10. Ricardo Guzman Farmington, MO 3 08-01 191 Day 1: 3 08-01 10. Chris Stelter Chisago City, MN 3 08-01 191 Day 1: 3 08-01 12. Tom Howland Riceville, IA 3 07-15 189 Day 1: 3 07-15 12. Bob Zagrzebski Stevens Point, WI 3 07-15 189 Day 1: 3 07-15 14. Dan Mcadams Reedsburg, WI 3 07-14 187 Day 1: 3 07-14 14. Amanda Riley Galesville, WI 3 07-14 187 Day 1: 3 07-14 16. John Miller Sunrise Beach, MO 3 07-12 185 Day 1: 3 07-12 17. Jamie Gomez Holmen, WI 3 07-10 184 Day 1: 3 07-10 17. Richard Simmons Pewamo , MI 3 07-10 184 Day 1: 3 07-10 17. Taylor Umland Carlock, IL 3 07-10 184 Day 1: 3 07-10 20. David Ondrla Elmhurst, IL 3 07-09 181 Day 1: 3 07-09 21. Erik Gaffron Hanover, MN 3 07-08 180 Day 1: 3 07-08 21. Aaron Konopacki New Albin, IA 3 07-08 180 Day 1: 3 07-08 21. Mark Ripp Belmont, WI 3 07-08 180 Day 1: 3 07-08 24. Darrin Wood Rochester, MN 3 07-07 177 Day 1: 3 07-07 25. Dennis Duffy Westmont, IL 3 07-06 176 Day 1: 3 07-06 26. Mike Steckel Las Vegas, NV 3 07-05 175 Day 1: 3 07-05 27. Josh Hubbard Citrus Springs, FL 3 07-04 174 Day 1: 3 07-04 28. Joshua Kantor Tomah, WI 3 07-03 173 Day 1: 3 07-03 28. Chad Stahl Barnesville, GA 3 07-03 173 Day 1: 3 07-03 30. Gary Baranowski Otsego, MN 3 07-02 171 Day 1: 3 07-02 30. Roy Biwer Shakopee, MN 3 07-02 171 Day 1: 3 07-02 30. Shane Kuehn Bennington, NE 3 07-02 171 Day 1: 3 07-02 30. Leo Morris Beaver Dam, WI 3 07-02 171 Day 1: 3 07-02 30. Nic Rand Paw Paw, MI 3 07-02 171 Day 1: 3 07-02 35. Calvin Landsberg Raleigh, NC 3 07-01 166 Day 1: 3 07-01 36. Levi Warner Hilbert, WI 3 06-14 165 Day 1: 3 06-14 37. Larry Peterson Hammond, WI 3 06-11 164 Day 1: 3 06-11 38. Eugene Kim Lindenhurst, IL 3 06-11 163 Day 1: 3 06-11 39. Kevin Yeska Madison, WI 2 06-11 162 Day 1: 2 06-11 40. Brian Forcier Akron, IA 3 06-10 161 Day 1: 3 06-10 40. Adam Panoff Waukesha, WI 3 06-10 161 Day 1: 3 06-10 40. Hayden Spradling Gilbert, AZ 3 06-10 161 Day 1: 3 06-10 43. Makoto Maehira Hiroshima JAPAN 3 06-09 158 Day 1: 3 06-09 44. Steven Lopez Sparta, WI 3 06-08 157 Day 1: 3 06-08 44. Shawn Overton Coal Valley, IL 3 06-08 157 Day 1: 3 06-08 46. JJ Patton Eldridge, IA 3 06-07 155 Day 1: 3 06-07 46. Brandon Troupe Chicago, IL 3 06-07 155 Day 1: 3 06-07 48. Brian Brecka Alma, WI 3 06-06 153 Day 1: 3 06-06 48. Mark Dempsey Dixon, IL 3 06-06 153 Day 1: 3 06-06 48. Art Gneuhs Plainfield, IL 3 06-06 153 Day 1: 3 06-06 51. Willie Meyer North Mankato, MN 3 06-03 150 Day 1: 3 06-03 52. Andrew Brandstrom Shoreview, MN 3 06-02 149 Day 1: 3 06-02 53. Tyler Jaskiewicz Rogers, AR 3 06-01 148 Day 1: 3 06-01 53. Gary Michalski Naperville, IL 3 06-01 148 Day 1: 3 06-01 55. Jimmy Obrien Southampton, NY 2 06-01 146 Day 1: 2 06-01 56. Josh Mohn Lansing, IA 3 06-00 145 Day 1: 3 06-00 57. Mark Schill Minneapolis, MN 3 05-13 144 Day 1: 3 05-13 58. David Zimmermann Eagan, MN 3 05-12 143 Day 1: 3 05-12 59. Christopher Morgan Greendale, WI 3 05-11 142 Day 1: 3 05-11 59. William Salzmann Galena, IL 3 05-11 142 Day 1: 3 05-11 61. Donald Biggs Murphysboro, IL 3 05-10 140 Day 1: 3 05-10 62. Kenny Stelter Forest Lake, MN 2 05-10 139 Day 1: 2 05-10 63. Jacob Collins Hillsboro, IL 3 05-08 138 Day 1: 3 05-08 63. Gary Haraguchi Murfreesboro, TN 3 05-08 138 Day 1: 3 05-08 63. Danny Mancini Necedah, WI 3 05-08 138 Day 1: 3 05-08 66. Troy Jutting Savage, MN 3 05-08 135 Day 1: 3 05-08 67. Todd Lee Jasper, AL 2 05-08 134 Day 1: 2 05-08 68. Curt Blomquist Wright, MN 3 05-06 133 Day 1: 3 05-06 69. Scott Hill Sunrise Beach, MO 3 05-05 132 Day 1: 3 05-05 70. Matt Commerford Wendell, MN 3 05-04 131 Day 1: 3 05-04 70. Kyle Dowdy El Paso, IL 3 05-04 131 Day 1: 3 05-04 72. Scott Dunn Morris, IL 2 05-04 129 Day 1: 2 05-04 73. Jason Barber Gun Barrel City, TX 3 05-03 128 Day 1: 3 05-03 74. Patrick Andres Long Grove, IL 2 05-03 127 Day 1: 2 05-03 75. Dawson Wisner Palatka, FL 3 04-11 126 Day 1: 3 04-11 76. Justin Oppegard Eagan, MN 2 04-11 125 Day 1: 2 04-11 77. Mitch Johnson Dayton, OH 2 04-04 124 Day 1: 2 04-04 78. Carson Knutson St Croix Falls, WI 2 04-03 123 Day 1: 2 04-03 79. Albert Jones Jr Covington, GA 2 04-02 122 Day 1: 2 04-02 80. Richard Kiblinger Kansas City, KS 1 04-02 121 Day 1: 1 04-02 81. Chase Traeger Lino Lakes, MN 2 04-01 120 Day 1: 2 04-01 82. Bradley Juen La Crosse, WI 2 04-00 119 Day 1: 2 04-00 83. Hunter Stanislawski Lake Geneva, WI 2 03-11 118 Day 1: 2 03-11 84. Sean Ruegemer Bloomington, MN 2 03-10 117 Day 1: 2 03-10 85. Ma Xiong Menomonee Falls, WI 2 03-09 116 Day 1: 2 03-09 86. Martin Terveer Otsego, MN 2 03-06 115 Day 1: 2 03-06 87. Jimmy Fellegy Mustang, OK 2 03-04 114 Day 1: 2 03-04 88. Derrick Peterson Brooklyn Park, MN 2 03-03 113 Day 1: 2 03-03 89. Kurt Chelminiak Delafield, WI 2 02-14 112 Day 1: 2 02-14 90. Dave Van Ert Watertown, WI 1 02-13 111 Day 1: 1 02-13 91. Mark Cowart Kearney, MO 2 02-12 110 Day 1: 2 02-12 92. Zachary Demler Marinette, WI 1 02-12 109 Day 1: 1 02-12 92. Bob Harper Lombard, IL 1 02-12 109 Day 1: 1 02-12 94. Devin Sulk Marinette, WI 1 02-08 107 Day 1: 1 02-08 95. Adam Omlid Grand Forks, ND 1 02-07 106 Day 1: 1 02-07 96. Don Kimmel Fishers, IN 1 02-05 105 Day 1: 1 02-05 96. Nick Veselka Fishers, IN 1 02-05 105 Day 1: 1 02-05 98. Scott Dondlinger Scottsboro, AL 1 02-04 103 Day 1: 1 02-04 98. Greg Spaid Brainerd, MN 1 02-04 103 Day 1: 1 02-04 100. John Rawdin Jr Foosland, IL 1 02-03 101 Day 1: 1 02-03 101. Gary Dennis Ravenswood, WV 1 02-01 100 Day 1: 1 02-01 101. Matt Houman Chisago City, MN 1 02-01 100 Day 1: 1 02-01 101. Ty Kenyon Dodgeville, WI 1 02-01 100 Day 1: 1 02-01 104. Will Yelverton Hazel Green, AL 1 02-00 97 Day 1: 1 02-00 105. Jerry Fullen Clifton, TX 1 01-15 96 Day 1: 1 01-15 105. Klaus Kuester Forest Park, IL 1 01-15 96 Day 1: 1 01-15 105. David Waack Cary, NC 1 01-15 96 Day 1: 1 01-15 105. Brandon Welke Lacrescent, MN 1 01-15 96 Day 1: 1 01-15 109. Tim Krantz Somonauk, IL 1 01-14 92 Day 1: 1 01-14 110. Maggie Carsello Stoughton, WI 1 01-13 91 Day 1: 1 01-13 110. Landon Winton Salado, TX 1 01-13 91 Day 1: 1 01-13 112. Daniel Vasquez Boynton Beach, FL 1 01-12 89 Day 1: 1 01-12 113. Brad Thieman Sioux City, IA 1 01-10 88 Day 1: 1 01-10 114. Christopher Majerle Trenton, MI 1 01-09 87 Day 1: 1 01-09 114. Aric Wilber Saint Paul, MN 1 01-09 87 Day 1: 1 01-09 116. Patrick Bartley Waconia, MN 0 00-00 0 Day 1: 0 00-00 116. Tim Berg Prior Lake, MN 0 00-00 0 Day 1: 0 00-00 116. Thomas Berkowitz Littleton, MA 0 00-00 0 Day 1: 0 00-00 116. Eric Breitkreutz Sheboygan, WI 0 00-00 0 Day 1: 0 00-00 116. Matthew Cunningham Independence, MN 0 00-00 0 Day 1: 0 00-00 116. Tristian Dupuis Shreveport, LA 0 00-00 0 Day 1: 0 00-00 116. Brad Goetz Waunakee, WI 0 00-00 0 Day 1: 0 00-00 116. Carter Golat Bruce, WI 0 00-00 0 Day 1: 0 00-00 116. Alex Grimbos Innisfil CANADA 0 00-00 0 Day 1: 0 00-00 116. Charles Johnson Newberry, MI 0 00-00 0 Day 1: 0 00-00 116. Matt Kelley Detroit, MI 0 00-00 0 Day 1: 0 00-00 116. Sean Lofgren Forest Lake, MN 0 00-00 0 Day 1: 0 00-00 116. Tom Lyskawka Arlington Heights , IL 0 00-00 0 Day 1: 0 00-00 116. Stephen Martens Milwaukee, WI 0 00-00 0 Day 1: 0 00-00 116. Larry Miller Onalaska, WI 0 00-00 0 Day 1: 0 00-00 116. Troy Sippl Sussex, WI 0 00-00 0 Day 1: 0 00-00 116. Joshua Sokol Orland Park, IL 0 00-00 0 Day 1: 0 00-00 116. Jason Steger Stanley, WI 0 00-00 0 Day 1: 0 00-00 116. Nicholas Van Ert Menomonee Falls, WI 0 00-00 0 Day 1: 0 00-00 116. Michael Zawicki Muskego, WI 0 00-00 0 Day 1: 0 00-00 ------------------------------------------------------------ ----------- Totals Day #Limits #Fish Weight 1 69 273 624-11 ------------------------------ ---- 69 273 624-11
Nominate An Angler For The ACA's All-Academic Team For The 2024-25 Season
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Daiwa: Going Coastal
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DAIWA’s new COASTAL SV TW 150 is the essential midsize baitcaster for control, long bombs, and elimination of seaside bird’s nests. |
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FOOTHILL RANCH, CA (September 10, 2024) – If your freshwater baitcasting reels are double-timing as saltwater stand-ins, this is your clarion call to specialize for the brine. DIAWA’s new saltwater-centric COASTAL SV TW 150 is a premium, oceanic grade baitcaster conceived for versatile inshore performance. DAIWA’s existing COASTAL lineup is cornerstone amongst inshore saltwater anglers. The svelte COASTAL 80 is prized with finesse wade and kayak anglers flinging lighter jigs, swimbaits, jerkbaits, and topwaters. The brawny COASTAL 200 caters to inshore and nearshore anglers who have an appetite for big lures and bigger fish. And, nestled perfectly in between – replacing the COASTAL SV TW 150 – is DIAWA’s new utilitarian workhorse, the COASTAL SV TW 150. |
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“It hits that sweet spot in the middle,” said DAIWA Field Marketing Manager, Chris Martin, about the COASTAL SV TW 150’s not too big, not too small stature. “The new ergonomic 100 size frame feels comfortable and secure in the hand, while the 150 capacity spool provides added line capacity.” “DAIWA developed it for the Gulf Coast market, but the COASTAL series has been finding fans on the Pacific and Atlantic coasts, too,” continued Martin. “Whether the angler is trying to pitch mangroves, place a precision cast for tailing reds, or sink a swimbait between dense lanes of kelp stringers, the reel’s T-Wing system helps accurately place those casts.” “This is a true saltwater grade reel; the corrosion resistance ball bearings (CRBB) remain smooth trip after trip. Combine that with the high-strength brass gearing and all the angler needs to do at the end of the day is rinse it with freshwater and they’re good to go.” Martin likes the COASTAL SV TW 150 for the popular class of midsized lures, which, truthfully, compose over half of what’s hanging on the pegs. “It’s an ace for swimbaits, jigs over ¼-ounce, hard jerkbaits, and topwaters.” Whatmore, Martin says the reel’s SV TECHNOLOGY does what other baitcasters can’t: manage the Cirque du Soleil cartwheels when throwing popping cork rigs. “The SV Spool and magnetic braking combine to absorb the surge when casting a popping cork, and as a result, prevent the reel from backlashing. It’s awesome in action.” Make DAIWA’s COASTAL SV TW 150 your new midweight baitcasting champ. And if you’re still repurposing freshwater reels for the salt, this is your opportunity to take the blue water plunge. |
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COASTAL SV TW 15O FEATURES: SV TECHNOLOGY The SV (Stress-Free, Versatile) A7075 aircraft grade spool was developed with one thing in mind: casting control. The design of the spool, as well as how the spool interacts with the braking system, gives maximum control on the cast while increasing casting distance. No backlashes. Longer casts. HYPERDRIVE ARMED HOUSING A distortion-proof aluminum frame steadfastly houses the gear unit within the reel body. The concept comprises a combination of different manufacturing techniques, which considerably improve the functioning and lifespan of the reel. HYPERDRIVE DIGIGEAR A technology that makes gear teeth more efficient at transferring power, resulting in a smoother, more powerful gear set that also reduces gear noise. The gears are also strengthened by larger teeth in the traction wheel. And, the gearing has three points of contact – most gearing has only two – which maintains interaction between the gear teeth, yielding smoothness and longer gear life. HYPERDRIVE TOUGH CLUTCH The clutch mechanics have been optimized to remain safely in position even on hard casts. |
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T-WING SYSTEM (TWS) An innovative “T” shaped mechanical aperture that the line passes through when casting and retrieving baits, which allows the line to flow freely, reducing friction and sharp angles that slow line flow. TWS is unique to DAIWA baitcasting reels. CRBB Unlike ordinary, unprotected "corrosion resistant" bearings, DAIWA's CRBB ball bearings are shielded to seal out sand, fine grit, salt crystals, and other abrasives for a longer life. CRBB ball bearings are 12 times more corrosion resistant than standard ball bearings. ULTIMATE TOURNAMENT DRAG (UTD) The sophisticated drag system uses carbon washers, alloy, stainless steel drag plates, and special lubricant to provide smooth performance. UTD prevents sticking when dragging starts and stable drag for the duration of fighting a fish. ZERO ADJUSTER The spool tension knob comes ideally preset at the factory to match the model and reduce backlash when casting into the wind or with lighter lures. However, anglers can fine tune the spool tension to their personal preferences. 100mm SWEPT HANDLE The increased torque turns the barrel with greater ease. The handle also utilizes comfortable Soft Touch Knobs. MSRP $279.99 |
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THE PERFECT PAIRING Inshore anglers should consider DAIWA’s new Isla AGS series for general cast and retrieve style fishing for redfish, flounder, speckled trout, smaller snapper, and sheepshead. The COASTAL SV TW 150 also pairs with conventional models in the Saltist Light Action Surf series for Gulf redfish, speckled trout, and flounder, as well as west coast surf perch, croaker, halibut, and corbina. It also matches well with Harrier Super Light Jigging Rods for shallow reef fishing. |
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For Daiwa’s latest color catalog and/or information on Daiwa dealers in your area, call Daiwa’s Customer Service Department at 562-375-6800 or e-mail inquiries to: [email protected]. The URL for Daiwa’s web site is daiwa.us |
2024 Bassmaster High School Combine connects students and college fishing coaches
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — College coaches will have the chance to meet and evaluate the country’s next generation of young fishing talent when the fourth annual Skeeter Bassmaster High School Combine kicks off on Sept. 13 on Wheeler Lake in Decatur, Ala. The Combine gives young anglers the opportunity to show off their skills and meet with coaches to discuss taking their fishing aspirations to the next level at colleges and universities around the country.
More than $7 million in scholarships were offered over the course of the first three Combines, and now 97 anglers and representatives from 27 schools will be on hand in Decatur to discuss the potential for a future in competitive bass fishing.
“We look forward to the Bassmaster High School Combine each year,” said Angela Mayo, head coach for the Catawba Valley Community College Red Hawks fishing team. “As a community college, we don't have the resources that many of the other colleges and universities have at their disposal. The Combine gives us the opportunity to see so many talented anglers together in one place, in one weekend. We have signed five anglers in just the last two years because of the Combine.
“The Combine also gives us an avenue to let people know about all the great things we have going on at CVCC, especially our Marine Mechanical Technology program,” Mayo went on to say. “We have built the only two-year degree in the country in which a student can graduate as a fully certified Yamaha and Mercury Outboard technician. As a trade-focused school, we fill a need for those students that don't necessarily want to attend a four-year school but want to fish at the collegiate level. The Combine gives us an outlet to connect with those students.”
The High School Combine affords anglers the opportunity to demonstrate their on-the-water skills in three different disciplines — Casting Distance, Technical and Casting Accuracy. Each of the disciplines will operate on a point system and will be timed by an official judge. There are bonus points opportunities in addition to the skills challenges that include a safety quiz, a knot-tying test and a one-cast challenge.
After the first day of the Combine, schools may select anglers for a “second look” to further evaluate the potential fit for their fishing program.
“Attending the Bassmaster High School Combine is a great experience for the up-and-coming angler who is looking to fish at the next level,” said Glenn Cale, B.A.S.S. tournament manager for the College, High School and Junior Series. “Being under one roof with 25 or more of the best colleges in the country and being able to meet with the coaches is an invaluable experience.”
“Decatur is honored to partner with B.A.S.S. to continue serving as host of the Bassmaster High School Combine,” said Don Dukemineer, director of sports development for the Decatur Morgan County Tourism. “Now in our fourth year, our joint efforts with B.A.S.S. continue to strengthen this prestigious event in providing a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for these anglers to showcase their talents. Ingalls Harbor and Pavilion offer the perfect set-up for this unique event, and we are thrilled with this beneficial relationship that highlights Decatur and Morgan County as a fishing destination.”
The following colleges have committed to participating in the Bassmaster High School
- Auburn University (Auburn, Ala.)
- Bethel University (McKenzie, Tenn.)
- Blue Mountain Christian University (Blue Mountain, Miss.)
- Bryan College (Dayton, Tenn.)
- Campbellsville University (Campbellsville, Ky.)
- Carson-Newman University (Jefferson City, Tenn.)
- Catawba Valley Community College (Hickory, N.C.)
- Dallas Baptist University (Dallas, Texas)
- Drury University (Springfield, Mo.)
- East Texas Baptist University (Marshall, Texas)
- Emmanuel University (Franklin Springs, Ga.)
- Erskine College (Due West, S.C.)
- Faulkner University (Montgomery, Ala.)
- Kentucky Christian University (Grayson, Ky.)
- Lander University (Greenwood, S.C.)
- Louisiana State University Shreveport (Shreveport, La.)
- Murray State College (Tishomingo, Okla.)
- Murray State University (Murray, Ky.)
- Southeastern University (Lakeland, Fla.)
- Tennessee Wesleyan University (Athens, Tenn.)
- University of Florida (Gainesville, Fla.)
- University of Montevallo (Montevallo, Ala.)
- University of North Alabama (Florence, Ala.)
- University of Pikeville (Pikeville, Ky.)
- University of South Carolina Union (Union, S.C.)
- Wabash Valley College (Mt. Carmel, Ill.)
- Webber International University (Babson Park, Fla.)
The 2024 Skeeter Bassmaster High School Combine is being hosted by Decatur Morgan County Tourism.
For more information, visit Bassmaster.com/high-
2024 Bassmaster High School
Connect with #Bassmaster on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and TikTok.
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.
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Media Contact: Chad Gay, B.A.S.S. Communications Manager, 205-313-0945, [email protected]
BASS FISHING HALL OF FAME TO HONOR CLASS OF 2024 INDUCTEES DURING ‘CELEBRATE BASS FISHING WEEK’ EVENTS
SPRINGFIELD, Mo.— For Immediate Release — Sept. 12, 2024 — Bass fishing’s most celebrated week of the year will see five new members enshrined into the Bass Fishing Hall of Fame as well as the unveiling of an expansion to bass fishing’s only dedicated museum and an annual auction that will generate funds for initiatives to preserve and promote bass fishing.
Those activities are part of Celebrate Bass Fishing Week, which culminates with the induction ceremony on Thursday, Sept. 26 at Johnny Morris’ Wonders of Wildlife Museum & Aquarium, and at the White River Conference Center in Springfield, Mo.
Formally inducted into the 2024 Hall of Fame class will be the late Fred Arbogast, inventor of such iconic lures as the Jitterbug and Hula Popper; Mike McKinnis, innovator of breakthrough live video and television coverage of tournament bass fishing as VP of media content for JM Associates; and noted pro angler, tackle designer and promoter Skeet Reese, whose career winnings exceed $4 million. Alfred Williams, a trailblazing angler from Mississippi who was the first African American angler to compete in a Bassmaster Classic, will also be inducted, while Mark Zona will be enshrined as one of the leading voices and personalities in bass fishing as a show host and TV analyst.
“We look forward to hosting this special night for those who enjoy the sport of bass fishing, where we celebrate the Hall’s newest inductees, promote how the industry and anglers come together for this one evening to support a common cause, and provides the Hall’s Board the opportunity to raise funds to help preserve the sport through our conservation efforts,” said John Mazurkiewicz, Hall of Fame board president. “Our induction celebration events have become a must-attend evening in the bass fishing world, and we are pacing toward having one of our biggest crowds ever. Those in the room include a who’s who list of past Hall of Fame inductees, leaders in the fishing and boating industries, current B.A.S.S. and MLF pro bass anglers, high school and college bass anglers featured on our new Champion’s Wall, and fans of the sport from across the country.”
Along with celebrating the 2024 inductees, another highlight of the induction event evening is the official public opening of the expanded exhibit space within the Bass Fishing Hall of Fame venue at Wonders of Wildlife Museum & Aquarium. New additions to the Hall of Fame include expanded displays, 5ft x 8ft LED monitor showcasing videos of Hall of Fame Moments, and an historical timeline of the sport of bass fishing. The five inductees will be honored at the venue with a special plaque unveiling sponsored by Phoenix Boats to start off the night’s activities.
Major League Fishing is sponsoring the Hall’s annual ‘Celebrate Bass Fishing’ online auction starting on Sept. 20, along with a live auction during the induction event evening. The online auction provides a once-a-year opportunity for bass anglers throughout the U.S. and Canada to bid on unique fishing trips, original artwork, an assortment of tackle and hunting items, plus unique bass fishing memorabilia and more. Visit https://one.bidpal.net/bfhof/welcome to view all the items up for bid.
Here is a small sampling:
- Bucket list fishing trips with accomplished guides and pro anglers to lakes such as O.H. Ivie and Lake Fork; a day of bass fishing with Whiskey Myers lead singer Cody Cannon; targeting smallmouth on trips for two within the Snake River Canyon in Idaho and the Grand Traverse Bay area in Michigan.
- Tournament jerseys from leading professional bass anglers from both MLF and B.A.S.S.Including Rick Clunn’s final season signed jersey after a 50-year career.
- Original artwork from noted fishing/wildlife illustrator Doug Schermer, and one-of-a-kind handmade crankbaits from Angry Sturgeon Lures.
- Rods, reels and lures from leading brands including Daiwa, Strike King, Lew’s, PRADCO brands, Rapala, Big Bite Baits, SPRO, Sunline, KastKing, St. Croix, Eagle Claw, TFO Rods, Northland Tackle, EGO and more.
- Technical fishing clothing from AFTCO, Simms, HUK, Whitewater, and Marsh Wear.
- Items any angler can put to good use from Dometic, Igloo, and Turtlebox Audio.
The Bass Fishing Hall of Fame wishes to acknowledge the generous financial support provided by Presenting sponsors: B.A.S.S., MLF, Phoenix Boats; Gold sponsors: Bass Cat Boats, Bass Pro Shops/Cabela’s, PRADCO, Wired2Fish, Rather Outdoors; Silver sponsors: AFTCO, Daiwa, Rapala, Yamaha; and Bronze sponsors: Simms, Costa, and Sunline.
Go to youtube.com/BassFishingHallofFame for live streaming of induction speeches on Sept. 26th.
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About the BFHOF -- The Bass Fishing Hall of Fame is a nonprofit organization led by a volunteer board of directors and is dedicated to celebrating, promoting and preserving the sport of bass fishing. Since 2017, the Hall’s inductees and memorabilia representing the history of bass fishing is showcased in Johnny Morris’ Wonders of Wildlife Museum and Aquarium in Springfield, Missouri, where it has rapidly become a popular destination. For more information about the Hall, its mission, and to become a supporting member, visit www.BassFishingHOF.com, or contact BFHOF executive director Barbara Bowman at [email protected].
Major League Fishing Unveils 2025 Toyota Series Schedule
BENTON, Ky. (Sept. 11, 2024) – Major League Fishing (MLF) today announced the schedule for the 2025 Toyota Series Presented by Phoenix Boats, which kicks off in early February at Pickwick Lake in Florence, Alabama, and concludes in early November with the Toyota Series Championship on Grand Lake in Grove, Oklahoma.
“We live and breathe fishing in Grove, Oklahoma, and to host a world-class championship of this caliber with international anglers from around the world is an honor,” said Brent Malone, Grove Convention and Tourism Director. “Our town is super excited for the 2025 Toyota Series Championship that will be held at Wolf Creek Park. We have hosted thousands of tournaments, but when MLF comes to town, we roll out the red carpet. We will be ready and prepared to make everyone feel at home in our wonderful community. “
Offering the biggest payouts for the lowest entry fees of any national tournament trail, the Toyota Series Presented by Phoenix Boats provides anglers the opportunity to fish close to home for lucrative awards and advancement to the nationally televised Toyota Series Championship, where pros compete for a top prize of up to $235,000, including a $35,000 Phoenix MLF Bonus, and Strike King c o-anglers compete for a $33,500 Phoenix 518 Pro bass boat powered by a 115-horsepower outboard motor.
In addition, the winning pro at the Toyota Series Championship earns an invitation to compete in REDCREST 2026 – the Bass Pro Tour championship – for the chance to win $300,000.
“We’re wrapping up a stellar season on the Toyota Series and are excited to announce our 2025 schedule,” said MLF Toyota Series Tournament Director Mark McWha. “Next year’s lineup promises to offer many exciting opportunities for anglers and a return to some of their favorite locations. We’re confident that the 2025 season will bring even more competitive and memorable experiences for both our participants and fans.”
As part of its ongoing efforts to focus on key growth areas, MLF will suspend the Toyota Series Western Division in 2025 and expand its Phoenix Bass Fishing League (BFL) schedule with six additional Regionals serving its 24 BFL divisions. The 2025 Bass Fishing League will include 12 Regionals, up from six in 2024, to drastically reduce travel requirements for qualifying anglers. More information on the BFL expansion will be announced soon.
MLF is committed to providing compelling tournament options for all anglers and will evaluate opportunities to return to the West with something new in 2026.
2025 MLF Toyota Series Schedule:
Central Division
Feb. 5-7 Pickwick Lake Florence, Ala.
March 18-20 Lake Chickamauga Dayton, Tenn.
May 14-16 Lake Guntersville Scottsboro, Ala.
Hosted by Mountain Lakes Chamber of Commerce
Northern Division
June 26-28 Lake Champlain Plattsburgh, N.Y.
Hosted by the City of Plattsburgh & the Adirondack Coast Visitors Bureau
Aug. 14-16 St. Lawrence River Massena, N.Y.
Hosted by the Town of Massena
Sept. 11-13 Potomac River Marbury, Md.
Plains Division
Feb. 27 – Mar. 1 Lake of the Ozarks Osage Beach, Mo.
April 8-10 Kentucky Lake Gilbertsville, Ky.
Hosted by the Kentucky Lake Convention & Visitors Bureau
Sept. 25-27 Lake of the Ozarks Osage Beach, Mo.
Southern Division
Feb. 13-15 Lake Okeechobee Clewiston, Fla.
March 27-29 Harris Chain of Lakes Leesburg, Fla.
April 24-26 Lake Seminole Bainbridge, Ga.
Hosted by Visit Bainbridge
Southwestern Division
Jan. 23-25
Hosted by the Jasper – Lake Sam Rayburn Area Chamber of Commerce
March 6-8
May 1-3 Lake Eufaula
Toyota Series Championship
Nov. 6-8 Grand Lake
Hosted by the City of Grove & Grove Convention and Tourism Bureau
Full program rules and details for the 2025 MLF Toyota Series will be announced later this year.
For complete details and updated information, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow the Toyota Series on the MLF5 social media outlets at Facebook, Instagram and YouTube .
About Major League Fishing
Major League Fishing (MLF) is the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization, producing more than 250 events annually at some of the most prestigious fisheries in the world, while broadcasting to America’s living rooms on CBS, Discovery Channel, Outdoor Channel, CBS Sports Network, World Fishing Network and on demand on MyOutdoorTV (MOTV). Headquartered in Benton, Kentucky, the MLF roster of bass anglers includes the world’s top pros and more than 30,000 competitors in all 50 states and 17 countries. Since its founding in 2011, MLF has advanced the sport of competitive fishing through its premier television broadcasts and livestreams and is dedicated to improving the quality of life for bass through research, education, fisheries enhancement and fish care.
Unified Pros Announces Creation of Advisory Board and First Member, Bill Maas
Scottsboro, AL (September 9, 2024) – Unified Pros announced today the creation of its Athlete Advisory Board. The advisory board will consist of a representative from the NFL, MLB, NBA, PGA and the professional fishing world.
Bill Maas, the first member of the Unified Pros Athlete Advisory Board, is a retired defensive tackle for the Kansas City Chiefs and the Green Bay Packers. He was named Rookie of the Year in 1984 and selected for the Pro Bowl in 1986 and 1987. Maas considers himself an outdoor enthusiast and spends as much time as he can hiking, skiing, hunting, fishing and golfing. “Most professional athletes have one thing in common,” says Maas, “We all love competition and when we aren’t competing in our sport, we’re outdoors finding other ways to compete. Unified Pros’ vision of combining competition with conservation is something I think every professional athlete can get behind.”
Unified Pros is a nonprofit alliance of professional athletes. Through sanctioned competitions, charity events, and membership, the organization aims to elevate a love for outdoor competition while raising awareness for fisheries, habitats, and their continued conservation. Unified Pros envisions an inclusive world where athletes collaborate and compete in the outdoor arena to create transformative experiences that make a lasting impact on individuals, communities, professional athletes, and the sport of bass fishing.
Through collaborative partnerships with esteemed organizations such as the Major League Fishing Anglers Association (MLFAA), Bassmaster Professional Anglers, National Professional Fishing league (NPFL), NFL Professional Players Association (NFLPA), MLB Players Association (MLBPA), NBA Players Association (NBAPA), and Professional Golfers Association of America (PGA), Unified Pros aims to create Pro-Pro events that bring together professionals from various sports disciplines in unique and competitive formats. These events will not only offer major payouts to winners, but also serve as platforms to raise awareness for outdoor activities and conservation efforts.
By harnessing the collective influence of these athletic associations, Unified Pros envision creating extraordinary experiences that unite athletes, build camaraderie, and promote the importance of preserving our outdoors and fisheries.
Contact: Susan Carothers
Director of Communications
Unified Pros, Inc.
Kingwood’s Parker Wins Phoenix Bass Fishing League Super Tournament at Sam Rayburn Reservoir
San Antonio’s Higgs Tops Strike King Co-Angler Division
BROOKELAND, Texas. (Sept. 9, 2024) – Boater Zane Parker of Kingwood, Texas, caught a two-day total of six bass weighing 28 pounds, 8 ounces, to win the MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League (BFL) Presented by T-H Marine Super Tournament on Sam Rayburn Reservoir, which concluded Sunday. Hosted by the Jasper County Development District, the tournament was the fifth and final event of the season for the BFL Cowboy Division. Parker earned $6,175 for his victory.
At just 19 years old and a recent graduate, Parker is kicking off his fishing career in a big way. He finished fourth in the Toyota Series Southwestern Division Angler of the Year standings, earning a pair of top-10 finishes along the way. And now he’s added a BFL Super Tournament victory.
“Going into this, I was just hoping I could get me a top-10 finish,” he said. “I always like looking on the MLF app and seeing how many top 10s people have. I didn’t expect to get the win, but I definitely tried to go win it. Now I’m just gonna go back home and go work.”
BFL anglers were limited to just three keepers each day at Sam Rayburn to help protect the resource in the late-summer heat. Parker definitely had that regulation and the wind forecast in mind when he was preparing.
“You really don’t have to go search for a quick limit and then maybe catch a good one on the way,” he said of the three-fish limit. “You can search for big ones because you only need three bites. It makes you fish some different stuff as well as targeting bigger fish.
“I had a really good pattern on the other side of the lake, but it was really, really windy yesterday (Saturday) and today, and I had to stay on this side of the lake. So I was limited to what I could fish. I knew that going into practice, so I marked all the brush that wasn’t going to be in the wind.”
Parker spent the tournament covering water and fishing through about 40 brush piles in 15 to 20 feet of water. By staying in protected areas, he was able to fish the piles more easily using a 6th Sense Divine Shakey Worm and a 6th Sense Provoke 106DD jerkbait.
He opened the tournament in second place after Day 1, just 1 ounce behind day-one leader Zack Fogle, and was able to close it out thanks to a key big fish.
“Today (Sunday) I caught my big one, which was a 6 1/2-pounder, at 1:35 at the end of the day, and that was a real clutch fish. I caught that one on a jerkbait in a pile,” he added. “About 20 minutes before weigh-in I jumped off about a 4-pounder. I thought I just lost the tournament. I thought it was over. I’m not going to lie, I went in and I thought I dropped the ball.”
Turns out, it was meant to be for Parker, as he closed out a stellar post-graduate season with a W.
The top 10 boaters finished the tournament:
1st: Zane Parker, Kingwood, Texas, six fish, 28-8, $6,175
2nd: Zack Fogle, Longview, Texas, six fish, 27-2, $4,435 (includes $500 Phoenix MLF Contingency Bonus)
3rd: Jacob Keith, Jefferson, Texas, six bass, 25-0, $2,060
4th: Justin Morton, Etoile, Texas, six bass, 23-6, $1,441
5th: Brandon McDonald, Longview, Texas, six bass, 23-1, $1,235
6th: Cody Ross, Livingston, Texas, six bass, 22-9, $1,132
7th: Wesley Baxley, Cypress, Texas, six bass, 22-1, $1,029
8th: Bryan McDonough, Brookeland, Texas, six bass, 21-10, $926
9th: Bobby Vice, Orange, Texas, six bass, 21-8, $823
10th: Dicky Newberry, Houston, Texas, six bass, 20-6, $720
Complete results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
Zack Fogle of Longview, Texas, caught a bass that weighed 7 pounds and earned the Berkley Big Bass Boater award of $847.
Jeffrey Higgs of San Antonio, Texas, won the Strike King co-angler division and $3,033 Sunday, after bringing a two-day total of six bass to the scale that weighed 18 pounds, 5 ounces.
The top 10 Strike King co-anglers finished:
1st: Jeffrey Higgs, San Antonio, Texas, six bass, 18-5, $3,033
2nd: Ray Welch, Benton, La., six bass, 18-0, $1,517
3rd: William Easley, Pollok, Texas, six bass, 16-9, $1,010
4th: John Hatton, Buna, Texas, six bass, 15-14, $708
5th: Richard Garcia, Hemphill, Texas, six bass, 15-3, $607
6th: Michael Glynn, Boerne, Texas, six bass, 14-15, $556
7th: Grant Pursifull, Princeton, Texas, six bass, 14-12, $922
8th: Nicholas England, Alexandria, La., six bass, 14-6, $455
9th: Colton Caskey, Campti, La., five bass, 14-2, $404
10th: Jay Ferguson, Houston, Texas, six bass, 13-15, $354
Grant Pursifull of Princeton, Texas, earned the Berkley Big Bass co-angler award of $416, catching a bass that weighed in at 5 pounds, 4 ounces – the largest co-angler catch of the day.
At the conclusion of the event, Tater Reynolds of Florien, Louisiana, was crowned the Fishing Clash Cowboy Division Angler of the Year (AOY) with 1,312 points and earned the $1,000 prize, while Allen Musser of Ada, Oklahoma, won the Fishing Clash Cowboy Division Co-angler of the Year race and the $500 payout with 1,327 points.
The top 45 boaters and co-anglers in the region based on point standings, along with the five tournament winners of each qualifying event, have qualified for the Oct. 17-19 BFL Regional tournament on Wright Patman Lake in Texarkana, Texas. Boaters will fish for a top award of $60,000, including a new Phoenix 819 Pro with a 200-horsepower Mercury or Suzuki outboard and $10,000, while co-anglers will compete for a top award of $50,000, including a new Phoenix 819 Pro with a 200-horsepower Mercury or Suzuki outboard.
The 2024 Phoenix BFL Presented by T-H Marine is a 24-division circuit devoted to weekend anglers, with 128 events throughout the season, five qualifying tournaments in each division. The top 45 boaters and Strike King co-anglers from each division, along with the five qualifying event winners, will advance to one of six BFL Regional tournaments where they are competing to finish in the top six, which then qualifies them for one of the longest-running championships in all of competitive bass fishing – the BFL All-American. The 2025 BFL All-American will take place May 29-31, 2025, at Lake Hamilton in Hot Springs, Arkansas, and is hosted by hosted by Visit Hot Springs and the Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism.
Proud sponsors of the 2024 MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine include: 7Brew, Abu Garcia, B&W Trailer Hitches, Berkley, BUBBA, E3, Epic Baits, Fishing Clash, General Tire, GSM Outdoors, Lew’s, Mercury, Mossy Oak, Onyx, Phoenix, Polaris, Power-Pole, PowerStop Brakes, REDCON1, Strike King, Suzuki, Tackle Warehouse, T-H Marine, Toyota, WIX Filters and YETI.
For complete details and updated tournament information, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular Bass Fishing League updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF5’s social media outlets at Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.
About Major League Fishing
Major League Fishing (MLF) is the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization, producing more than 250 events annually at some of the most prestigious fisheries in the world, while broadcasting to America’s living rooms on CBS, Discovery Channel, Outdoor Channel, CBS Sports Network, World Fishing Network and on demand on MyOutdoorTV (MOTV). Headquartered in Benton, Kentucky, the MLF roster of bass anglers includes the world’s top pros and more than 30,000 competitors in all 50 states and 17 countries. Since its founding in 2011, MLF has advanced the sport of competitive fishing through its premier television broadcasts and livestreams and is dedicated to improving the quality of life for bass through research, education, fisheries enhancement and fish care.
Eldon’s Fitzpatrick Wins Phoenix Bass Fishing League Super Tournament at Table Rock Lake Presented by Suzuki Marine
Desoto’s McClellan Tops Strike King Co-Angler Division
KIMBERLING CITY, Mo. (Sept. 9, 2024) – Boater Roger Fitzpatrick of Eldon, Missouri, caught a two-day total of nine bass weighing 31 pounds, 1 ounce, to win the MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League (BFL) Presented by T-H Marine Super Tournament on Table Rock Lake Presented by Suzuki Marine . The tournament, which concluded Sunday, was the fifth and final event of the season for the BFL Ozark Division. Fitzpatrick earned $6,121 for his victory.
This makes win No. 2 on the season for Fitzpatrick, who also won the Lake of the Ozarks BFL tournament back in March. Like then, Fitzpatrick took advantage of his recent transition into retirement to put in extra time on the lake. In fact, he made several trips over three weeks to Table Rock to put in the prep time.
“As soon as I got here I realized there were some good fish shallow,” he said of his practice. “The other thing I noticed was the water color had a slight stain to it for Table Rock. It had a Lake of the Ozarks color to it – nice and green.”
Right away, Fitzpatrick found a good practice bite throwing topwater and flipping a jig on shallow rock banks and around docks where bass were targeting spawning bluegills. Eventually, that pattern transitioned. As the bluegills wrapped up their spawn, gizzard shad moved into nearby areas. The bass shifted to targeting gizzard shad, and Fitzgerald followed them.
“Everything I was catching before was on a rocky bank,” he said. “Now it’s all gone to gravel – at least the good ones. I had a 6-2 today (Sunday), and it came real shallow on gravel.”
Fitzgerald caught most of his fish throwing a Berkley Choppo topwater and flipping a 1/2-ounce Omega jig in water 5 feet deep or shallower. He also worked in a glide bait.
“I fished from the mouth of the White River all the way to Indian Point, which is a pretty good area,” he said. “The water was the same color everywhere. The key for me was I had to be fishing around either the bluegills or the gizzard shad. If you weren’t around one of those two, you were just twiddling your thumbs. But when you found them, you had to be on your tiptoes because you were going to get a bite. A lot of the fish came around docks; any kind of shade. Had to have some shade.”
On day two, Fitzpatrick only weighed in four bass. He said the bite is really starting to slow down. Keeping his head down and knowing he was around the right quality of fish from his extensive practice helped him stay confident.
“It went from being you could just go down the bank three weeks ago and reel them in, to you had to know there were fish there to keep doing it, because anybody with any sanity would’ve given up doing it,” Fitzgerald added. “I just knew if I kept going, eventually a good one would grab it.”
The top 10 boaters finished the tournament:
1st: Roger Fitzpatrick, Eldon, Mo., nine bass, 31-01, $6,121
2nd: Cole Findley, Forsyth, Mo., 10 bass, 29-10, $3,060
3rd: Drew Tabor, Harrison, Ark., 10 bass, 28-03, $2,041
4th: Eric Olliverson, Shell Knob, Mo., 10 bass, 27-09, $1,928 (includes $500 Phoenix MLF Contingency Bonus)
5th: Shane Long, Willard, Mo., 10 bass, 27-05, $1,224
6th: Drew Sagely, Rogers, Ark., nine bass, 26-01, $1,122
7th: Cole Breeden, Lebanon, Mo., 10 bass, 25-06, $1,020
8th: Casey Martin, Ozark, Mo., 10 bass, 25-04, $918
9th: Corey Cook, Lebanon, Mo., 10 bass, 24-06, $816
10th: Ronnie Dobbs, Shell Knob, Mo., 10 bass, 24-03, $714
Complete results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
Ricky Crawford of Shell Knob, Missouri, caught a bass that weighed 5 pounds, 9 ounces, and earned the Berkley Big Bass Boater award of $840.
Chris McClellan of Desoto, Missouri, won the Strike King co-angler division and $3,060 Sunday, after bringing a two-day total of six bass to the scale that weighed 11 pounds, 13 ounces.
The top 10 Strike King co-anglers finished:
1st: Chris McClellan, Desoto, Mo., six fish, 11-13, $3,060
2nd: Geoff Blair, Nixa, Mo., six fish, 11-2, $1,530
3rd: Kieth Rhymer, Mountain Home, Ark., five bass, 10-14, $1,020
4th: David Blankenship, Galena, Mo., five bass, 10-9, $714
5th: Brian Weaver, Lampe, Mo., five bass, 10-0, $762
6th: James Welch, Bolivar, Mo., five bass, 9-13, $561
7th: Jake Mantovani, Naperville, Ill., four bass, 9-10, $510
8th: Kirk Short, St. Clair, Mo., four bass, 9-8, $459
9th: Jeremy Johnson, Kansas City, Kan., four bass, 8-6, $408
10th: Kevin Witty, Rogersville, Mo., three bass, 7-10, $777
Kevin Witty of Rogersville, Missouri, earned the Berkley Big Bass co-angler award of $420, catching a bass that weighed in at 3 pounds, 14 ounces – the largest co-angler catch of the day.
At the conclusion of the event, Eric Olliverson of Shell Knob, Missouri, was crowned the Fishing Clash Ozark Division Angler of the Year (AOY) with 1,320 points and took home the $1,000 payout, while Kirk Short of St. Clair, Missouri, won the Fishing Clash Ozark Division Co-Angler of the Year race and the $500 payout with 1,348 points.
The top 45 boaters and co-anglers in the region based on point standings, along with the five tournament winners of each qualifying event, have qualified for the Oct. 3-5 BFL Regional tournament on Pickwick Lake in Counce, Tennessee. Boaters will fish for a top award of $60,000, including a new Phoenix 819 Pro with a 200-horsepower Mercury or Suzuki outboard and $10,000, while co-anglers will compete for a top award of $50,000, including a new Phoenix 819 Pro with a 200-horsepower Mercury or Suzuki outboard.
The 2024 Phoenix BFL Presented by T-H Marine is a 24-division circuit devoted to weekend anglers, with 128 events throughout the season, five qualifying tournaments in each division. The top 45 boaters and Strike King co-anglers from each division, along with the five qualifying event winners, will advance to one of six BFL Regional tournaments where they are competing to finish in the top six, which then qualifies them for one of the longest-running championships in all of competitive bass fishing – the BFL All-American. The 2025 BFL All-American will take place May 29-31, 2025, at Lake Hamilton in Hot Springs, Arkansas, and is hosted by hosted by Visit Hot Springs and the Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism.
Proud sponsors of the 2024 MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine include: 7Brew, Abu Garcia, B&W Trailer Hitches, Berkley, BUBBA, E3, Epic Baits, Fishing Clash, General Tire, GSM Outdoors, Lew’s, Mercury, Mossy Oak, Onyx, Phoenix, Polaris, Power-Pole, PowerStop Brakes, REDCON1, Strike King, Suzuki, Tackle Warehouse, T-H Marine, Toyota, WIX Filters and YETI.
For complete details and updated tournament information, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular Bass Fishing League updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF5’s social media outlets at Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.
About Major League Fishing
Major League Fishing (MLF) is the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization, producing more than 250 events annually at some of the most prestigious fisheries in the world, while broadcasting to America’s living rooms on CBS, Discovery Channel, Outdoor Channel, CBS Sports Network, World Fishing Network and on demand on MyOutdoorTV (MOTV). Headquartered in Benton, Kentucky, the MLF roster of bass anglers includes the world’s top pros and more than 30,000 competitors in all 50 states and 17 countries. Since its founding in 2011, MLF has advanced the sport of competitive fishing through its premier television broadcasts and livestreams and is dedicated to improving the quality of life for bass through research, education, fisheries enhancement and fish care.
Benton’s Bowlin Wins Phoenix Bass Fishing League Super Tournament at Rend Lake
Carbondale’s Chumbler Tops Strike King Co-Angler Division
SESSER, Ill. (Sept. 9, 2024) – Boater Lonnie Bowlin of Benton, Illinois, caught a two-day total of nine bass weighing 23 pounds, 11 ounces, to win the MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League (BFL) Presented by T-H Marine Super Tournament on Rend Lake, which concluded Sunday. The tournament was the fifth and final event of the season for the BFL Illini Division. Bowlin earned $4,579 for his victory.
For Bowlin, this is obviously a big win – his first in BFL competition – but he was hesitant to reveal the winning details because he’s hoping to keep the success rolling in another fall regional event scheduled for Rend Lake next weekend.
What he would reveal is that changing seasons and heavy fishing pressure are making it tough to pattern the fish.
“The fish are moving around, and some want to be halfway deep, some want to be shallow,” he said. “Yesterday (Saturday) we had the wind, so that’s what really helped me. I fished the windy banks yesterday. Then today it kind of got a little bit slicker.”
The difference maker for Bowlin was a 6-pound, 7-ounce bass that boosted his day-one total to 14-13. The kicker earned him the Berkley Big Bass Boater award of $457. A fish like that is clutch anywhere, but especially on Rend Lake.
“Especially when it ain’t been taking much to win,” Bowlin said. “It was probably about 10:30 or 11
(when he caught it). I was thinking please give me two more bites because at that time I had only three fish.
“It was tough. I just got fortunate and got enough bites.”
Of note, the champ’s son, Jordan Bowlin, actually won the co-angler side of the 2023 Illini Division Super Tournament, which was held on Kentucky Lake and Lake Barkley, making it two in a row for the Bowlin family.
The top 10 boaters finished the tournament:
1st: Lonnie Bowlin, Benton, Ill., nine bass, 23-11, $4,579
2nd: Riley Walk, Neoga, Ill., six bass, 20-13, $2,061
3rd: Curtis Samo, Rochelle, Ill., seven bass, 17-13, $1,499
4th: Toby Corn, Paducah, Ky., seven bass, 17-3, $962
5th: Travis Boley, Weldon, Ill., eight bass, 16-11, $824
6th: Joshua Tyner, Spencer, Ind., five bass, 15-10, $756
7th: William Walker, Mulkeytown, Ill., six bass, 15-4, $987
8th: Richard Skiff, Edwardsville, Ill., five bass, 14-5, $618
9th: Cecil Downing, Mount Carmel, Ill., six bass, 14-4, $550
10th: Andrew Harper, Shelbyville, Ill., five bass, 11-13, $481
Complete results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
Matt Chumbler of Carbondale, Illinois, won the Strike King co-angler division and $2,061 Sunday, after bringing a two-day total of seven bass to the scale that weighed 17 pounds, 14 ounces.
The top 10 Strike King co-anglers finished:
1st: Matt Chumbler, Carbondale, Ill., seven bass, 17-14, $2,061
2nd: Marion Cordes, Sullivan, Ill., five bass, 12-3, $1,031
3rd: Myles Louthan, Mattoon, Ill., four bass, 12-2, $915
4th: David Workman, Harrisburg, Ill., four bass, 10-13, $631
5th: Jack Ryan, Salem, Ill., five bass, 10-7, $412
6th: Eric Mahn, Herculaneum, Mo., four bass, 9-11, $378
7th: Troy Boley, Mahomet, Ill., four bass, 9-7, $344
8th: Roman Perun, St. Louis, Mo., two bass, 7-6, $309
9th: Michael Kinkade, Benton, Ill., three bass, 6-9, $275
10th: Aaron Arning, Walnut Hill, Ill., one bass, 4-12, $240
Myles Louthan of Mattoon, Illinois, earned the Berkley Big Bass co-angler award of $229, catching a bass that weighed in at 5 pounds, 15 ounces – the largest co-angler catch of the day.
At the conclusion of the event, Adam Brookman of Bonnie, Illinois, was crowned the Fishing Clash Illini Division Angler of the Year (AOY) with 1,311 points and earned the $1,000 payout, while Ryan Murphy of Paris, Illinois, won the Fishing Clash Illini Division Co-Angler of the Year race and the $500 prize with 1,322 points.
The top 45 boaters and co-anglers in the region based on point standings, along with the five tournament winners of each qualifying event, have qualified for the Oct. 10-12 BFL Regional tournament on Pools 13-17 of the Mississippi River in Quad Cities, Illinois. Boaters will fish for a top award of $60,000, including a new Phoenix 819 Pro with a 200-horsepower Mercury or Suzuki outboard and $10,000, while co-anglers will compete for a top award of $50,000, including a new Phoenix 819 Pro with a 200-horsepower Mercury or Suzuki outboard.
The 2024 Phoenix BFL Presented by T-H Marine is a 24-division circuit devoted to weekend anglers, with 128 events throughout the season, five qualifying tournaments in each division. The top 45 boaters and Strike King co-anglers from each division, along with the five qualifying event winners, will advance to one of six BFL Regional tournaments where they are competing to finish in the top six, which then qualifies them for one of the longest-running championships in all of competitive bass fishing – the BFL All-American. The 2025 BFL All-American will take place May 29-31, 2025, at Lake Hamilton in Hot Springs, Arkansas, and is hosted by hosted by Visit Hot Springs and the Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism.
Proud sponsors of the 2024 MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine include: 7Brew, Abu Garcia, B&W Trailer Hitches, Berkley, BUBBA, E3, Epic Baits, Fishing Clash, General Tire, GSM Outdoors, Lew’s, Mercury, Mossy Oak, Onyx, Phoenix, Polaris, Power-Pole, PowerStop Brakes, REDCON1, Strike King, Suzuki, Tackle Warehouse, T-H Marine, Toyota, WIX Filters and YETI.
For complete details and updated tournament information, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular Bass Fishing League updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF5’s social media outlets at Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.
About Major League Fishing
Major League Fishing (MLF) is the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization, producing more than 250 events annually at some of the most prestigious fisheries in the world, while broadcasting to America’s living rooms on CBS, Discovery Channel, Outdoor Channel, CBS Sports Network, World Fishing Network and on demand on MyOutdoorTV (MOTV). Headquartered in Benton, Kentucky, the MLF roster of bass anglers includes the world’s top pros and more than 30,000 competitors in all 50 states and 17 countries. Since its founding in 2011, MLF has advanced the sport of competitive fishing through its premier television broadcasts and livestreams and is dedicated to improving the quality of life for bass through research, education, fisheries enhancement and fish care.
Spring Grove’s Estes Posts Third Career Win at Phoenix Bass Fishing League Super Tournament at the James River
Buena Vista’s Wilhelm Tops Strike King Co-Angler Division
HENRICO, Va. (Sept. 9, 2024) – Boater Keith Estes of Spring Grove, Virginia, caught a two-day total of 10 bass weighing 30 pounds, 1 ounce, to win the MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League (BFL) Presented by T-H Marine Super Tournament on the James River , which concluded Sunday. Hosted by Richmond Region Tourism, the tournament was the fifth and final event of the season for the BFL Shenandoah Division. Estes earned $6,066 for his victory.
“I was kind of running the outgoing tide as much as I could,” Estes said. “You couldn’t do that all day because eventually you’d ‘run out of tide’ (the tide would bottom out) after a while. I was covering as much water as possible and throwing moving baits. The fish were a little bit finicky because we’ve had some northeast winds and that kind of backed the water up a bit. I just had to keep getting reaction bites. That’s what my bigger fish came on.”
Estes started both days making a 45-mile run to the Chickahominy. The tide bottomed out at about 10:30 in that area on day one, and 45 minutes later on day two. He was able to fish the last two hours of outgoing tide around the Chickahominy, then worked his way back upstream to target waters where the tide was still falling.
In addition to the tides, he looked for high-percentage targets where he could avoid getting gunked up with annoying grass clumps.
“I grew up here, so I just know a lot of areas,” Estes said. “It kind of had to be hard cover, and this time of year the grass that’s in the river breaks up. I had to find hard cover that was clean.”
It was an intense two days of fishing for Estes. He pushed hard all day long, running and gunning to make the most of every last minute of outgoing tide.
One of his key fish during the tournament was a 5 1/2-pounder that came out of a tree. During practice for a previous BFL event, he caught what he believes is the same fish out of the same tree. It had a healed-over scar in the mouth and a distinct shape that makes him confident it was the same fish. That bass anchored a big 16-pound, 11-ounce limit on day one that set Estes on the trajectory to win the tournament.
Estes’ winning lures included a vibrating jig, a shallow-running crankbait and some soft plastics, but the jig and crankbait produced all of his key fish.
The top 10 boaters finished the tournament:
1st: Keith Estes, Spring Grove, Va., 10 bass, 30-1, $6,066
2nd: Billy Shelton III, La Crosse, Va., 10 bass, 30-0, $3,333
3rd: Ben Dalton, Keeling, Va., 10 bass, 27-14, $2,024
4th: Christopher Wingfield, Richmond, Va., 10 bass, 27-14, $1,415
5th: James Cassaday, Wirtz, Va., 10 bass, 27-0, $1,213
6th: Tommy Little, Chester, Va., 10 bass, 25-15, $1,612 (includes $500 Phoenix MLF Contingency Bonus)
7th: Rodney French, Virginia Beach, Va., 10 bass, 25-8, $1,011
8th: Chris Brummett, Lynch Station, Va., 10 bass, 25-7, $1,035
9th: Powell Kemp, Scotland Neck, N.C., 10 bass, 25-7, $809
10th: Chris Moore, Mechanicsville, Va., 10 bass, 25-5, $1,540
Complete results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
Chris Moore of Mechanicsville, Virginia, caught a bass that weighed 6 pounds, 4 ounces, and earned the Berkley Big Bass Boater award of $832.
Dustin Wilhelm of Buena Vista, Virginia, won the Strike King co-angler division and $3,033 Sunday, after bringing a two-day total of 10 bass to the scale that weighed 24 pounds, 5 ounces.
The top 10 Strike King co-anglers finished:
1st: Dustin Wilhelm, Buena Vista, Va., 10 bass, 24-5, $3,033
2nd: David Deciucis, Chester, Va., 10 bass, 24-3, $1,517
3rd: Randall Given, Laurel, Del., 10 bass, 19-13, $1,010
4th: Chad Boggs, Prince Frederick, Md., 10 bass, 19-12, $708
5th: David Williams, Fredericksburg, Va., 10 bass, 19-7, $857
6th: Lenny Baird, Stafford, Va., nine bass, 19-6, $556
7th: Pat Kendrick, Bumpass, Va., nine bass, 19-5, $506
8th: Rickey Wood, Smithfield, Va., nine bass, 17-7, $455
9th: Nathan Sullivan, Fredericksburg, Va., eight bass, 17-4, $404
10th: Robert Wedding, Welcome, Md., nine bass, 16-14, $354
Bobby Overby of Virgilina, Virginia, earned the Berkley Big Bass co-angler award of $416, catching a bass that weighed in at 4 pounds, 15 ounces – the largest co-angler catch of the day.
At the conclusion of the event, Chris Brummett of Lynch Station, Virginia, was crowned the Fishing Clash Shenandoah Division Angler of the Year (AOY) with 1,348 points and earned the $1,000 payout, while David Williams of Fredericksburg, Virginia, won the Fishing Clash Shenandoah Division Co-Angler of the Year race and the $500 prize with 1,283 points.
The top 45 boaters and co-anglers in the region based on point standings, along with the five tournament winners of each qualifying event, have qualified for the Oct. 3-5 BFL Regional tournament on Kerr Lake in Henderson, North Carolina. Boaters will fish for a top award of $60,000, including a new Phoenix 819 Pro with a 200-horsepower Mercury or Suzuki outboard and $10,000, while co-anglers will compete for a top award of $50,000, including a new Phoenix 819 Pro with a 200-horsepower Mercury or Suzuki outboard.
The 2024 Phoenix BFL Presented by T-H Marine is a 24-division circuit devoted to weekend anglers, with 128 events throughout the season, five qualifying tournaments in each division. The top 45 boaters and Strike King co-anglers from each division, along with the five qualifying event winners, will advance to one of six BFL Regional tournaments where they are competing to finish in the top six, which then qualifies them for one of the longest-running championships in all of competitive bass fishing – the BFL All-American. The 2025 BFL All-American will take place May 29-31, 2025, at Lake Hamilton in Hot Springs, Arkansas, and is hosted by hosted by Visit Hot Springs and the Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism.
Proud sponsors of the 2024 MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine include: 7Brew, Abu Garcia, B&W Trailer Hitches, Berkley, BUBBA, E3, Epic Baits, Fishing Clash, General Tire, GSM Outdoors, Lew’s, Mercury, Mossy Oak, Onyx, Phoenix, Polaris, Power-Pole, PowerStop Brakes, REDCON1, Strike King, Suzuki, Tackle Warehouse, T-H Marine, Toyota, WIX Filters and YETI.
For complete details and updated tournament information, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular Bass Fishing League updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF5’s social media outlets at Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.
About Major League Fishing
Major League Fishing (MLF) is the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization, producing more than 250 events annually at some of the most prestigious fisheries in the world, while broadcasting to America’s living rooms on CBS, Discovery Channel, Outdoor Channel, CBS Sports Network, World Fishing Network and on demand on MyOutdoorTV (MOTV). Headquartered in Benton, Kentucky, the MLF roster of bass anglers includes the world’s top pros and more than 30,000 competitors in all 50 states and 17 countries. Since its founding in 2011, MLF has advanced the sport of competitive fishing through its premier television broadcasts and livestreams and is dedicated to improving the quality of life for bass through research, education, fisheries enhancement and fish care.
Kentucky’s Pearman Wins Phoenix Bass Fishing League Super Tournament at Dale Hollow Lake Presented by Suzuki Marine
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Boater Wyatt Pearman of Hodgenville, Kentucky, and Strike-King co-angler Pop Catalin of Cookeville, Tennessee.
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Cookeville’s Catalin Tops Strike King Co-Angler Division
BYRDSTOWN, Tenn. (Sept. 9, 2024) – Boater Wyatt Pearman of Hodgenville, Kentucky, caught a two-day total of 10 bass weighing 37 pounds, 9 ounces, to win the MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League (BFL) Presented by T-H Marine Super Tournament on Dale Hollow Lake Presented by Suzuki Marine, which concluded Sunday. Hosted by Star Point Resort, the tournament was the fifth and final event of the season for the BFL Music City Division. Pearman earned $4,040 for his victory. Major tournaments on Dale Hollow have been dominated by forward-facing sonar all season. This tournament was no different. Pearman weighed in two limits of largemouth bass, all caught using a jighead minnow and live sonar. “I didn’t get to practice any,” he said. “I spend a quite a bit of time down here. So, I knew what was going to go on. I was just targeting bait out a little bit deeper with groups of fish on it and a few single fish.” Pearman focused on main-lake areas. He fished a handful of areas the first day, eventually spending part of his afternoon scouting for day two. That strategy uncovered what was eventually the winning spot – a completely new spot for Pearman. He scanned it the first afternoon and didn’t fish it. Then the next morning, he returned to some of his known areas. Fishing was pretty slow, which eventually led Pearman to go check that new spot. “I went through a 10-minute flurry where I caught two over 4 (pounds) and one that was almost 4,” he said. “It just looked right on the map. I had never fished it, and there was nobody fishing it. I figured it was going to be right, looking at how it set up, and sure enough it was.” After that, Pearman ran to another area where he’d not yet been able to fish due to the wind on day one. This time, he was able to get on it and caught a final keeper to seal the win. Making accurate presentations and leading the fish precisely were keys to getting bit. But winning was about more than just casting. It was all about making the right moves. “This week for me it was all about decisions and timing,” he said. “Decision making is what won the tournament, for sure.” The top 10 boaters finished the tournament: 1st: Wyatt Pearman, Hodgenville, Ky., 10 bass, 37-9, $4,040 Complete results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com. Alex Wright of Bowling Green, Kentucky, and Tanner Rich of Byrdstown, Tennessee, tied for the Berkley Big Bass Boater award with bass that weighed 4 pounds, 10 ounces. They each earned $217 for those catches. 
Pop Catalin of Cookeville, Tennessee, won the Strike King co-angler division and $2,020 Sunday, after bringing a two-day total of three bass to the scale that weighed 10 pounds, 10 ounces.
The top 10 Strike King co-anglers finished: 1st: Pop Catalin, Cookeville, Tenn., three bass, 10-10, $2,020 Adam Radovic of Brecksville, Ohio, earned the Berkley Big Bass co-angler award of $217, catching a bass that weighed in at 4 pounds, 11 ounces – the largest co-angler catch of the day. At the conclusion of the event, Jacob Woods of Loudon, Tennessee, was crowned Fishing Clash Music City Division Angler of the Year (AOY) with 1,344 points and earned the $1,000 payout, while Radovic won the Fishing Clash Music City Division Co-Angler of the Year race and the $500 prize with 1,286 points. The top 45 boaters and co-anglers in the region based on point standings, along with the five tournament winners of each qualifying event, have qualified for the Oct. 17-19 BFL Regional tournament on Clarks Hill Lake in Appling, Georgia. Boaters will fish for a top award of $60,000, including a new Phoenix 819 Pro with a 200-horsepower Mercury or Suzuki outboard and $10,000, while co-anglers will compete for a top award of $50,000, including a new Phoenix 819 Pro with a 200-horsepower Mercury or Suzuki outboard. The 2024 Phoenix BFL Presented by T-H Marine is a 24-division circuit devoted to weekend anglers, with 128 events throughout the season, five qualifying tournaments in each division. The top 45 boaters and Strike King co-anglers from each division, along with the five qualifying event winners, will advance to one of six BFL Regional tournaments where they are competing to finish in the top six, which then qualifies them for one of the longest-running championships in all of competitive bass fishing – the BFL All-American. The 2025 BFL All-American will take place May 29-31, 2025, at Lake Hamilton in Hot Springs, Arkansas, and is hosted by hosted by Visit Hot Springs and the Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism. Proud sponsors of the 2024 MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine include: 7Brew, Abu Garcia, B&W Trailer Hitches, Berkley, BUBBA, E3, Epic Baits, Fishing Clash, General Tire, GSM Outdoors, Lew’s, Mercury, Mossy Oak, Onyx, Phoenix, Polaris, Power-Pole, PowerStop Brakes, REDCON1, Strike King, Suzuki, Tackle Warehouse, T-H Marine, Toyota, WIX Filters and YETI. For complete details and updated tournament information, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular Bass Fishing League updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF5’s social media outlets at Facebook, Instagram and YouTube. About Major League Fishing |
Georgia’s Campbell Wins by Ounces at Phoenix Bass Fishing League Super Tournament at Lake Murray
Greenwood’s Doolittle Tops Strike King Co-Angler Division
PROSPERITY, S.C. (Sept. 9, 2024) – Boater Tyler Campbell of Martin, Georgia, caught a two-day total of 10 bass weighing 42 pounds, 13 ounces, to win the MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League (BFL) Presented by T-H Marine Super Tournament at Lake Murray , which concluded Sunday. Hosted by the Capital City Lake Murray Country Regional Tourism Board, the tournament was the fifth and final event of the season for the BFL South Carolina Division. Campbell earned $4,732 for his victory.
The winning pattern was probably not too surprising in this derby.
“Typical herring bite,” said Campbell. “I was catching them on topwater and swimbaits; mainly a topwater offshore.”
Campbell worked out off the deep end of shallow points where bass were suspending in cane piles. He figures he fished about 150 cane piles throughout the tournament – a rapid pace of covering water that burned about 50 gallons of gas each day.
“It was just about timing and pulling up when they were ready to bite, which is the key to burning so much gas,” he said. “You have to filter through so many places, and then eventually they’re going to fire for you. I will say, today (Sunday) the game changer was I was sitting on about 18 pounds all day. I got really unlucky and lost some big fish. I should’ve had a mega-bag today, but stuff happens. I was sitting on about 18 pounds at 2:30, and we had to be in at 2:45. I pulled into a spot I haven’t been able to get on all week. I made one cast and caught a 5-pounder and that sealed it for me.”
Campbell’s go-to lures included a Zoom Super Fluke in blue glimmer, a chrome Berkley Drift Walker topwater bait and a chrome Berkley Krej .
The top 10 boaters finished the tournament:
1st: Tyler Campbell, Martin, Ga., 10 bass, 42-13, $4,732
2nd: Bradley Day, Anderson, S.C., 10 bass, 42-1, $2,366
3rd: Wesley Sandifer, Chapin, S.C., 10 bass, 39-14, $1,577
4th: Matt O'Connell, Brooks, Ga., 10 bass, 34-12, $1,729 (includes $500 Phoenix MLF Contingency Bonus)
5th: Aspen Martin, White, Ga., nine bass, 30-4, $946
6th: Britt Myers, Lake Wylie, S.C., 10 bass, 30-4, $868
7th: Joe Anders, Easley, S.C., 10 bass, 30-3, $789
8th: Rodney Bell, Salisbury, N.C., 10 bass, 28-6, $710
9th: Roger Pope, Statesville, N.C., 10 bass, 28-5, $631
10th: Chad Sims, Lancaster, S.C., eight bass, 24-10, $552
Complete results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
Jake Monti of Mooresville, North Carolina, caught a bass that weighed 6 pounds, 7 ounces, and earned the Berkley Big Bass Boater award of $555.
Ross Doolittle of Greenwood, South Carolina, won the Strike King co-angler division and $2,366 Sunday, after bringing a two-day total of four bass to the scale that weighed 13 pounds, 7 ounces.
The top 10 Strike King co-anglers finished:
1st: Ross Doolittle, Greenwood, S.C., four bass, 13-7, $2,366
2nd: Arthur Harris, York, S.C., four bass, 13-6, $1,183
3rd: Scott McKay, New London, N.C., three bass, 10-10, $790
4th: Dillon Reid, Piedmont, S.C., four bass, 10-0, $552
5th: Lonnie Drusch, Sumter, S.C., four bass, 9-15, $473
6th: Rodney Tapp, Inman, S.C., three bass, 8-4, $534
7th: Travis Ruff, Connelly Springs, N.C., two bass, 8-2, $394
8th: Trent Killian, Bostic, N.C., four bass, 7-6, $355
9th: Brian Nappier, Huntersville, N.C., four bass, 7-1, $315
10th: Sam Fish, Alexander City, Ala., two bass, 5-13, $276
Preston Catoe of Lugoff, South Carolina, earned the Berkley Big Bass co-angler award of $277, catching a bass that weighed in at 5 pounds, 9 ounces – the largest co-angler catch of the day.
At the conclusion of the event, Joe Anders of Easley, South Carolina, was crowned the Fishing Clash South Carolina Division Angler of the Year (AOY) with 1,324 points and earned the $1,000 prize, while Trent Killian of Bostic, North Carolina, won the Fishing Clash South Carolina Division Co-angler of the Year race and the $500 prize with 1,320 points.
The top 45 boaters and co-anglers in the region based on point standings, along with the five tournament winners of each qualifying event, have qualified for the Oct. 3-5 BFL Regional tournament on Kerr Lake in Henderson, North Carolina. Boaters will fish for a top award of $60,000, including a new Phoenix 819 Pro with a 200-horsepower Mercury or Suzuki outboard and $10,000, while co-anglers will compete for a top award of $50,000, including a new Phoenix 819 Pro with a 200-horsepower Mercury or Suzuki outboard.
The 2024 Phoenix BFL Presented by T-H Marine is a 24-division circuit devoted to weekend anglers, with 128 events throughout the season, five qualifying tournaments in each division. The top 45 boaters and Strike King co-anglers from each division, along with the five qualifying event winners, will advance to one of six BFL Regional tournaments where they are competing to finish in the top six, which then qualifies them for one of the longest-running championships in all of competitive bass fishing – the BFL All-American. The 2025 BFL All-American will take place May 29-31, 2025, at Lake Hamilton in Hot Springs, Arkansas, and is hosted by hosted by Visit Hot Springs and the Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism.
Proud sponsors of the 2024 MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine include: 7Brew, Abu Garcia, B&W Trailer Hitches, Berkley, BUBBA, E3, Epic Baits, Fishing Clash, General Tire, GSM Outdoors, Lew’s, Mercury, Mossy Oak, Onyx, Phoenix, Polaris, Power-Pole, PowerStop Brakes, REDCON1, Strike King, Suzuki, Tackle Warehouse, T-H Marine, Toyota, WIX Filters and YETI.
For complete details and updated tournament information, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular Bass Fishing League updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF5’s social media outlets at Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.
About Major League Fishing
Major League Fishing (MLF) is the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization, producing more than 250 events annually at some of the most prestigious fisheries in the world, while broadcasting to America’s living rooms on CBS, Discovery Channel, Outdoor Channel, CBS Sports Network, World Fishing Network and on demand on MyOutdoorTV (MOTV). Headquartered in Benton, Kentucky, the MLF roster of bass anglers includes the world’s top pros and more than 30,000 competitors in all 50 states and 17 countries. Since its founding in 2011, MLF has advanced the sport of competitive fishing through its premier television broadcasts and livestreams and is dedicated to improving the quality of life for bass through research, education, fisheries enhancement and fish care.
MLF Announces Forward-Facing Sonar Rules for 2025
New MLF rules embrace forward-facing and 360-degree sonar while protecting traditional tournament fishing
BENTON, Ky. (Sept 6, 2024) – Major League Fishing (MLF) announced Friday updates to its 2025 rules that will allow tournament anglers to utilize the powerful fish-catching tools of forward-facing and 360-degree sonar technology while preserving traditional fishing techniques enjoyed by millions of anglers and fans.
Starting in 2025, all boats, across all MLF circuits, will be limited to two forward-facing or 360-degree sonar transducers in any combination. Additionally, no bow-mounted screen may extend vertically more than 18 inches off the surface of the front deck at its highest point when the boat is on plane, and no screen mounted at the console may extend vertically more than 16 inches off the top of the steering column where it protrudes from the console.
Pros competing on the 2025 Bass Pro Tour will be allowed to use forward-facing and 360-degree sonar for only one of three periods each day. Anglers will declare their use of the technologies before the start of the period of their choice, and fans watching on MLFNOW! will see an indicator on SCORETRACKER® next to each angler’s name showing who is actively using the technologies, has used them or still has them available. This rule applies to all seven regular-season Bass Pro Tour stages and REDCREST 2025. There will be no restrictions in the General Tire Heavy Hitters or General Tire Team Series, where anglers compete out of similarly equipped, league-provided boats that level the playing field. Use of forward-facing and 360-degree sonar will be permitted during practice.
In the Tackle Warehouse Invitationals, qualifying days will be evenly split with forward-facing and 360-degree sonar allowed on Day 1 and prohibited on Day 2. Anglers who advance to the Championship Round will be allowed to use the technologies on Day 3. Forward-facing and 360-degree transducers must be covered with a high-visibility cap provided by MLF that prohibits sonar transmission during times when use is not allowed. No restrictions will apply to practice.
Toyota Series, Phoenix Bass Fishing League (BFL) and Abu Garcia College Fishing anglers will be allowed to use forward-facing and 360-degree sonar during practice and all competition days.
In order to create a more level playing field for up-and-coming student anglers and reinforce the learning of traditional bass-fishing techniques, use of forward-facing and 360-degree sonar will not be allowed in Abu Garcia High School Fishing competition. Its use will not, however, be restricted during practice.
“Forward-facing sonar is the most effective bass-fishing technology that I’ve seen introduced in my lifetime,” said Boyd Duckett, President and CEO of Major League Fishing. “It’s a powerful tool that provides an opportunity to access and catch fish that we’ve never been able to efficiently target before. However, its effectiveness is leading to a more uniform approach in tournaments. For the sport to remain engaging to fans, participants or sponsors, it’s important that anglers can still compete using a diverse range of techniques.”
MLF research shows that television and livestream viewers prefer watching tournaments where a variety of techniques are in play. Additionally, surveys of Tackle Warehouse Invitationals, Toyota Series and Phoenix Bass Fishing League anglers, both those who fished in 2024 and those who fished in 2023 but did not fish in 2024, show that a substantial majority, across all levels and divisions, support limiting screen size and transducers to rein in the technology. Anglers were evenly split, however, when asked if the technology should be banned or allowed to continue unrestricted. A slight majority of boaters preferred unrestricted use while co-anglers preferred an outright ban.
“We have numerous audiences that we’re trying to please, and while we realize that not everyone is going to agree with our rule changes, we believe the solutions we have created will satisfy the majority of our stakeholders,” Duckett said. “We did our due diligence from analyzing viewership trends and consulting with sponsors to surveying our anglers, who account for the sport’s largest participation base, and we believe we’ve reached the best possible solution to a polarizing issue – a compromise that merges this powerful technology with traditional bass fishing. Going forward, it will add to our game, not materially change it.”
MLF is uniquely situated to govern intra-day usage of forward-facing and 360-degree sonar at the sport’s highest level with its period structure and an official in every Bass Pro Tour boat. The league is also positioned to enforce day-by-day usage at the Tackle Warehouse Invitationals through POV cameras and a new, easy to install transducer cover under development that will temporarily prohibit sonar transmission. Covers will be provided to participating anglers at no charge.
“We’re setting a path, just like every other professional sports league, that allows us to manage and appropriately incorporate technological advancements as they’re created,” Duckett said. “We want to ensure that our sport remains multi-dimensional so that we can continue delivering the best possible product for our fans, anglers and sponsors.”
For complete details and updated information on Major League Fishing visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF’s social media outlets at Facebook, X, Instagram and YouTube.
About Major League Fishing
Major League Fishing (MLF) is the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization, producing more than 250 events annually at some of the most prestigious fisheries in the world, while broadcasting to America’s living rooms on CBS, Discovery Channel, Outdoor Channel, CBS Sports Network, World Fishing Network and on demand on MyOutdoorTV (MOTV). Headquartered in Benton, Kentucky, the MLF roster of bass anglers includes the world’s top pros and more than 30,000 competitors in all 50 states and 17 countries. Since its founding in 2011, MLF has advanced the sport of competitive fishing through its premier television broadcasts and livestreams and is dedicated to improving the quality of life for bass through research, education, fisheries enhancement and fish care.
B.A.S.S. announces diverse 2025 Bassmaster Elite Series schedule with nine events in seven states
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BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — B.A.S.S. officials today announced the
Fox Cities Ready to Host General Tire Team Series Knighten Industries Heritage Cup Presented by Berkley
Two-man teams of Bass Pro Tour anglers to compete on unknown fisheries in second event of season, all six days of competition livestreamed on MLFNOW! and filmed for broadcast on Outdoor Channel
NEENAH, Wis. (Aug. 5, 2024) – Major League Fishing (MLF) is set to visit the Fox Cities and Neenah, Wisconsin, next week, Sept. 15-20, for the second event of the 2024 General Tire Team Series Presented by Bass Pro Shops – the Knighten Industries Heritage Cup Presented by Berkley.
Hosted by the Fox Cities Convention & Visitors Bureau, the Knighten Industries Heritage Cup Presented by Berkley will feature 12 two-man teams of professional anglers from the Bass Pro Tour competing at fisheries in the region that are unknown to the competitors until they arrive to the launch ramp each morning.
"We are truly honored to welcome Major League Fishing and some of the best anglers in the world next week to the Fox Cities of Wisconsin,” said Matt Ten Haken, Director of Sports Marketing for the Fox Cities Convention & Visitors Bureau. “We are excited to see the competitors take their talents to our diverse fisheries and experience the incredible fall beauty of Wisconsin."
The General Tire Team Series is livestreamed daily, meaning every cast and every catch is covered live and fans can watch teammates work together to break down a new body of water in real time. The MLFNOW! broadcast is livestreamed on MajorLeagueFishing.com, the MLF and MyOutdoorTV (MOTV) apps and on Rumble. The broadcast team of Chad McKee and J.T. Kenney will break down the extended action live all six days of competition at the Heritage Cup from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. CT.
In keeping with traditional MLF Cup protocols, Neenah, Wisconsin, was not revealed to Team Series anglers until 30 days prior to the start of the tournament. All fishable waters within 60 miles of Neenah then went off limits to anglers. Fans watching the MLFNOW! livestream will find out the day’s competition waters right along with the anglers each morning, and then watch all the action unfold live as teams work together and share their knowledge as they compete for the Heritage Cup and to claim a part of a season-long purse of more than $720,000.
“This is going to be a fun event to watch,” said Junction City, Wisconsin, pro Matthew Stefan, who competed as a part of Team Coign in the first Team Series event held in late August. “Off of the top of my head, within 60 miles of Neenah, there are probably 100 bodies of water where these guys could be going. And most of them are pretty good.
“Another x-factor is that fall fishing in Wisconsin is so fishery-dependent,” Stefan continued. “The deep, clear water lakes fish very differently than the local rivers and pop-up lakes that they could be competing on. So it’s going to be cool to see where these guys end up going, and how they decide to approach things.”
Stefan said that he enjoyed competing in the General Tire Team Series and it offers fans a great opportunity to watch exactly how these anglers break down the unknown fisheries.
“Nobody has any knowledge of the fisheries that you’re going to, so it creates this very unique environment. And then when you have two anglers in the same boat, working together and talking through their thought processes, as a viewer you get to hear what these guys are saying,” Stefan said. “That’s something that you don’t get when you watch a traditional, individual tournament. The Team Series is a really great format and a lot of fun for both the viewers and the anglers.”
The 12 teams that will compete in the General Tire Team Series Knighten Industries Heritage Cup Presented by Berkley in Neenah, Wisconsin are:
Team 7 Brew Coffee:
Zack Birge, Blanchard, Okla.
Ryan Salzman, Guntersville, Ala.
Team B&W Trailer Hitches:
Nick Hatfield, Greeneville, Tenn.
Justin Lucas, Guntersville, Ala.
Team Builders FirstSource:
Alton Jones, Sr., Lorena, Texas
Alton Jones, Jr., Waco, Texas
Team Coign:
Jeff Sprague, Wills Point, Texas
Bryan Thrift, Shelby, N.C.
Team Ferguson:
Marshall Robinson, Landrum, S.C.
Marty Robinson, Lyman, S.C.
Team Knighten Industries:
Kelly Jordon, Flint, Texas
Keith Poche, Pike Road, Ala.
Team Kubota:
Brent Ehrler, Redlands, Calif.
Skeet Reese, Auburn, Calif.
Team REDCON1:
Ott DeFoe, Blaine, Tenn.
Andy Montgomery, Blacksburg, S.C.
Team Smokey Mountain Herbal Snuff & Pouches:
Casey Ashley, Donalds, S.C.
Terry Scroggins, San Mateo, Fla.
Team Star Tron:
Grae Buck, Green Lane, Pa.
Martin Villa, Charlottesville, Va.
Team U.S. Air Force:
Matt Lee, Cullman, Ala.
Jesse Wiggins, Addison, Ala.
Team WIX Filters:
David Dudley, Lynchburg, Va.
Dave Lefebre, Erie, Pa.
The MLF General Tire Team Series Knighten Industries Heritage Cup Presented by Berkley will also air on Outdoor Channel as six two-hour original episodes each Saturday afternoon starting Feb. 15, 2025, airing from 2 to 4 p.m. EDT. The complete television schedule for the 2024 General Tire Team Series on Outdoor Channel will be posted at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
Proud sponsors of the MLF General Tire Team Series include: 7 Brew Coffee, Abu Garcia, B&W Trailer Hitches, Barbasol, Bass Boat Technologies, Bass Pro Shops, Berkley, BUBBA, Builders FirstSource, C-MAP, Coign, Epic Baits, Ferguson, Fishing Clash, General Tire, Knighten Industries, Kubota, Lowrance, Lucas Oil, Mercury, Mossy Oak, Nitro Boats, Onyx, Plano, Power-Pole, Ranger Boats, Rapala Baits, REDCON1, Smokey Mountain Herbal Snuff, Star brite, Toyota, USAA, WIX Filters and YETI.
For complete details and updated information on Major League Fishing and the General Tire Team Series Presented by Bass Pro Shops, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF’s social media outlets at Facebook, X, Instagram and YouTube.
About Major League Fishing
Major League Fishing (MLF) is the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization, producing more than 250 events annually at some of the most prestigious fisheries in the world, while broadcasting to America’s living rooms on CBS, Discovery Channel, Outdoor Channel, CBS Sports Network, World Fishing Network and on demand on MyOutdoorTV (MOTV). Headquartered in Benton, Kentucky, the MLF roster of bass anglers includes the world’s top pros and more than 30,000 competitors in all 50 states and 17 countries. Since its founding in 2011, MLF has advanced the sport of competitive fishing through its premier television broadcasts and livestreams and is dedicated to improving the quality of life for bass through research, education, fisheries enhancement and fish care.
Cooler weather, high water should bode well for Bassmaster Open at Mississippi River
Sept. 5, 2024
LA CROSSE, Wis. — Cool times could lead to hot action. So says Bassmaster Elite Series angler Seth Feider, as the Minnesota standout eyes the upcoming St. Croix Bassmaster Open at Mississippi River presented by SEVIIN.
Competition days will be Sept. 12-14 with daily takeoffs from Veterans Freedom Park located at 120 Clinton St. in La Crosse at 6:30 a.m. CT and weigh-ins each day at the park at 2:30 p.m.
With nature signaling summer’s impending conclusion, a few nights of significantly cooler temperatures and daytime highs briefly dropping into the mid-to upper 60s will prompt fish to prepare for seasonal shifting. That cooldown, about a week before competition starts, will quickly yield to a tournament week warming trend — basically, the fireworks formula for this final Division 3 event.
“Those cold nights should actually make fishing quite a bit better by triggering the fall feed bag,” Feider said. “You get out of the dog days of summer and get the fall transition going.
“We’ll still have some lingering summer patterns. We’ll still have some fish where they’ve been the past few months, and some new things will start developing throughout practice and the tournament.”
Feider said the smallmouth will pull out of smaller creeks or up from deep-water haunts and start positioning on shallow main-river spots like sand breaks, wing dams and anything creating current seams. Largemouth that have spent the warmer months tucked under mats in the backwaters and side chutes will be moving to main-river wood and weeds.
As Feider notes, the cooler weather will also take a common summertime vexation off the table — tiny baitfish. The warmer months often find the fish fixating on small minnows and ignoring most lures.
“Those cold nights are going to get those fish off those little minnows and on the bigger baits,” Feider said. “The fish focus on those minnows because that’s what’s shallow during the summertime, but once it gets cold, it makes the bigger bait move shallow and that makes the fish easier to catch.”
Another factor likely to positively impact the tournament is water level. As Feider pointed out, tournament waters (pools 7, 8 and 9) are not facing flood conditions, but the water’s higher than it’s been at this time in recent years.
“This year, it’s been relatively high all year and it should stay at that level (through the tournament),” Feider said. “I think the river’s in a lot better state than it’s been the last couple of summers and falls. That will make the bite a lot better than it typically is this time of year, because there’ll be more water, more current, and the fish will be more active.”
Taking all of this into consideration, Feider said he can see smallmouth or largemouth winning the event, but mixed bags are the likely route to victory.
“If it gets a lot colder than (what has been forecasted), smallmouth could dominate, but everything starts biting when it gets cold,” Feider said. “The largemouth will show up really good too; maybe not numbers, but size will get really good.
“It’s the same deal will smallmouth. You can go out in the summer and catch a pile of smallmouth; they’re just not the right ones. For some reason, when it gets cold the big ones start showing up.”
Feider believes the entirety of tournament waters could be in play, but if there is a wild card for this event, it’s going to be the Black River. A Mississippi River tributary entering near La Crosse, the Black River feeds Lake Onalaska, a nearly 4-mile-wide reservoir within Pool 8.
As Feider points out, this area hosts a lot of local tournaments, so it receives regular stockings via release fish. Moreover, Feider said the Black River actually fishes more like a lake and that could bring the live sonar strategy into play.
“I wouldn’t be surprised if the tournament is won there, or if some people made Top 10s 'Scoping in the Black River,” Feider said. “That’s got to be the biggest X factor. I could see someone shaking a minnow in the Black River and winning the tournament.
“Other than that, it’s going to be your typical frogging and flipping for largemouth, and maybe a swim jig and a stickworm around wood and weeds. The smallmouth will be (caught on) topwaters, jerkbaits or maybe a Carolina rig or a tube.”
Without question, locking from Pool 8, where the field takes off, and fishing Pool 7 or Pool 9 presents the most important calculation anglers will need to make. Feider believes the expanded playing field justifies sacrificing some fishing time with the locking schedule.
“I think it’s worth it, but you definitely need to have something in Pool 8, whether you’re locking or not,” Feider said. “If you do lock, you have to be aware of the barge traffic and allow yourself plenty of time to get back for weigh-ins.
“If I lock into another pool and catch my goal weight, I’ll go ahead and lock back through,” Feider said. “I generally give myself a couple hours until I have to check, but if I catch 20 pounds at 9 o’clock, I’ll go ahead and lock back through.”
Referencing what he considers stout local tournament results, Feider said the higher water and cooler weather has him expecting heavy weights.
“Local events have been catching big bags all summer, and most have needed over 20 pounds to win,” he said. “I think it could potentially take over 60 pounds to win and, realistically, 17 to 18 a day to make the Top 10 cut.”
Coverage of the St. Croix Bassmaster Open at Mississippi River presented by SEVIIN will air on FS1 on Saturday from 8 to 11 a.m. ET. Bassmaster LIVE will be streaming on Bassmaster.com all three days.
ExploreLaCrosse.com is hosting the event.
2024 Bassmaster Opens Series Title Sponsor: St. Croix
2024 Bassmaster Opens Series Presenting Sponsor: SEVIIN
2024 Bassmaster Opens Series Platinum Sponsor: Toyota
2024 Bassmaster Opens 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 Opens 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.
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Connect with #Bassmaster on Facebook, Instagram, Twitte
Media Contact: Chad Gay, Communications Manager, 205-313-0945, cgay@bassmaster.
DAIWA: XBRAID Successfully Sinks
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XBRAID’s new Sinking SS112 braid reduces live bait fatigue, keeps rigs on the bottom, cranks with authority, advances FFS techniques, and lets you explore the entire water column with authority. |
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FOOTHILL RANCH, CA (September 4, 2024) – The influence line selection has on performance is substantial. A perfectly paired rod and reel spooled with the wrong line massively affects the state of play. For example, if you fish 25-lb. monofilament on a rod rated for 8- to 12-lb., casts will be short and clunky and there’s but a scarce chance of feeling a bite. At the opposite end of the spectrum, spooling with a premium specialty line that matches your exact techniques and or conditions, and the results are splendid. This is the baseline thinking behind XBRAID’s new Sinking SS112 fishing line – the SS standing for “slow sinking”. Before delving into the specific merits of Sinking SS112, it’s prudent to showcase Japan’s XBRAID family and what makes these lines so groundbreaking. Let’s begin at the beginning. For years, braided lines woven with Dyneema® were considered the most progressive, but that’s changing as IZANAS® takes the lead. The ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene material has the highest strength and modulus of any manmade fiber. How strong? Try nearly 8 times stronger than piano wire of the same weight. “Beyond IZANAS being an unrivaled base material, it’s how individual weights of the entire XBRAID family are manufactured that makes it far superior to the competition,” said DAIWA Field Marketing Manager, Chris Martin. “Other companies take a single base material and stretch it to achieve the desired diameter and weight. This creates inconsistencies, which can lead to weak spots.” |
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Uniquely, each diameter and weight of XBRAID is produced from a dedicated spool. So, for example, if 10-pound XBRAID is the desired final weight, the base material fiber is 10-pound. No stretching. No irregularities. Martin goes on to underscore the weaving process employed for all XBRAID lines. “The actual weaving machines are proprietary and built in-house to create the WX Weave. In traditional weaving processes used by other brands the line comes off multiple bobbins. That means an in an 8 strand weave there are 8 bobbins spitting out line. That results in line twist and inconsistencies.” With XBRAID’s “top secret” WX Weave, the strands come together uniformly to yield exceptional consistency. Moreover, the XBRAID process produces a denser weave – 1.5 X the competition – with more material in the finished product. That tighter weave results in a smoother, more abrasion resistant, and exceptionally sensitive fishing line. The meticulous process also takes twice as long as the competition, and anglers are the beneficiaries of the patient production. The WX Weave also generates a rounder and slightly stiffer line. This modest amount of stiffness makes it much easier to handle and tie, nearer how monofilament feels. This manageability translates into fewer bird’s nests on the cast, too. But if you happen to snarl, the micro stiffness makes it much easier to untangle the knot. |
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MULTIPLE APPLICATIONS FOR XBRAID SINKING SS112 A higher sink rate clearly improves efficacy for certain fishing techniques. For starters, XBRAID Sinking SS112 offers a massive advantage in saltwater environs. We’ve all seen live bait exhaust while struggling against buoyant line – and most braids float. But spool up with XBRAID Sinking SS112, and your bait is driven down, reducing fatigue on mullet, sardine, pilcher, or whatever your baitfish of choice. “XBRAID Sinking SS112 also keeps your bait pinned to the bottom,” said Martin. “That’s crucial for so many bass fishing applications, like dropshotting, Ned rigging, Neko rigging, and Wacky Rigging, as well as jigging a vertical spoon or keeping a shaky head on the bottom.” Sinking line is beneficial, too, when exploring a sizable section of the water column, say with a spybait, lipless crankbait, or hair jig. Add to that crankbait fishing, as sinking line reduces line bow and maximizes a bait’s running depth. Forward-facing sonar (FFS) enthusiasts also have a friend in XBRAID Sinking SS112. Getting a lure down rapidly to detected fish is crucial, as they mightn’t be there long. Sinking line accelerates the operation. |
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How does XBRAID Sinking SS112 achieve such depths? It’s all in the materials and manufacturing. Martin talked about the materials: “It’s an 8-strand carrier like the other XBRAID models, but what makes Sinking SS112 different is the equal parts blend of IZANAS® and ester (polyester). Ester has less stretch than monofilament and fluorocarbon – which is used by other brands – and is higher density than water, so it sinks. It’s in the weaving, too. “The IZANAS and ester are interwoven for greater density and consistency,” said Martin.” Other brands typically wrap braid material around fluorocarbon, which promotes bunching and irregularities.” XBRAID Sinking SS112 comes in a high visibility yellow for maximum management. To that, the line is UV activated for lowlight fishing conditions. |
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XBRAID Sinking SS112 FEATURES:
MSRP $25.99 |
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For Daiwa’s latest color catalog and/or information on Daiwa dealers in your area, call Daiwa’s Customer Service Department at 562-375-6800 or e-mail inquiries to: [email protected]. The URL for Daiwa’s web site is daiwa.us |
Stand-Up and Be Counted - Northland Fishing Tackle
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Northland® Fishing Tackle’s new Tungsten Stand-Up and Short Shank Stand-Up Jigs increase your count of walleyes, smallmouth bass, and more. |
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BEMIDJI, Minn. (September 5, 2024) – Northland’s tungsten tsunami continues to swell with the introduction of the new Tungsten Stand-Up Jig and Tungsten Short Shank Stand-Up Jig, adding to numbers of tungsten models created over the past few seasons. Following in the footsteps of the original Fire-Ball Stand-Up series, these new tungsten offerings further improve upon finesse bottom jigging techniques. “They stand right up and create a natural presentation,” said Northland ambassador and walleye tournament ace Tom Huynh, who we caught up with live-on-the-water jigging walleyes. Be it tank testing or studying in the clear shallows, Huynh is a student of lure behavior and a master at replicating prey species. And he says the new Tungsten Stand-Up Jig and Tungsten Short Shank Stand-Up Jig set the baseline for authenticity. “With a buoyant plastic, like Northland Eye-Candy, the combination perfectly replicates a baitfish feeding on the bottom,” said Huynh. He credits the 45-degree hook angle for causing the plastic to replicate reality. Baitfish don’t feed vertically – they approach the bottom at an angle. |
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Huynh is literally hung-up on accuracy, choosing the most natural Eye-Candy shapes and colors. He most often fishes the Eye-Candy Minnow, in both 3- and 4-inch versions depending on the situation. Huynh’s second choice for walleyes is the Eye-Candy Grub followed by the Jig Crawler. But he expects the new Eye-Candy Leech to quickly move up his depth chart. The realness continues with how the buoyant Eye-Candy plastics behave when paired with the new tungsten stand-ups. “It’s so natural,” he said. “The tails constantly move when you’re jigging, even just quivering the bait on the bottom. Because of natural lake currents, you can actually hold your rod perfectly still and the Eye-Candy plastic keeps moving just a little.” Now that’s seductive. Here’s a stunner. Huynh says the mere approach of fish creates momentum in the water and moves the bait. And that extra flicker of action often triggers an attack. |
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GLO MOONLIGHT |
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GLO WATERMELON |
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OLIVE |
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BLACK |
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Not surprisingly, Huynh’s quest for perfection doesn’t end there. He thoughtfully matches the color of his Tungsten Stand-Up Jig and Tungsten Short Shank Stand-Up Jig to its Eye-Candy counterpart. His top two combinations are a black tungsten stand-up with black Eye-Candy and olive jig (color he co-created with Northland) with pumpkin. Huynh’s other two winners are a black head with Eye-Candy in Fathead or Smelt colors. Notice, the theme never changes. It’s all about emulation. More on color selection… Huynh says black is effective in all situations, all water color conditions, as it offers a natural silhouette that fish are used to encountering. Olive, he says, blends in perfectly with weeds, centering attention on the Eye-Candy or live bait, not the jig head. Huynh also says a recent study determined that walleyes are keenly attracted to green. Which tungsten jig he selects is dependent on the length of his Eye-Candy pairing. Huynh fishes the Tungsten Stand-Up Jig on 4-inch plastics and the Tungsten Short Shank Stand-Up Jig on 3-inch Eye-Candy offerings. Huynh also contends that bigger, smarter fish are more apt to inhale the tungsten stand-up and Eye-Candy. “They’re curious, and the tungsten jig and Eye-Candy combination is something they likely haven’t seen before.” |
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Now Huynh does admit that a lively minnow pinned to the bottom on a tungsten stand-up jig is also effective, the bait angled upwards at 45-degrees with its tail pumping. Huynh also uses very specific gear to fish the Tungsten Stand-Up Jig and Tungsten Short Shank Stand-Up Jig. All spinning, he works a 6’ 3” DAIWA TD EYE rod for what he calls “target shooting” - precision casting to fish revealed with his forward-facing sonar Garmin unit. He will extend out to a 7’ version of the same rod when long bombs are required. Huynh’s reel selection is interesting, too. Where the average angler might select a typical 2500 size reel, he prefers the control of the smaller 1000 size, operating a DAIWA KAGE LT, and looking forward to fishing the improved version, which hits the market soon. For line, Huynh spools 10-lb. DAIWA J-BRAID x8 Grand to which he ties an 8-lb. DAIWA J-FLUORO Leader. |
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GLO MOONLIGHT |
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GLO WATERMELON |
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OLIVE |
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BLACK |
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Another multispecies wizard, Northland pro Brian “Bro” Brosdahl, chimed in. “The new Tungsten Stand-Up and Tungsten Short Shank Stand-Up Jigs fall so fast you can get away with a smaller size.” For reference, if you’re accustomed to fishing a ¼-ounce lead jig, you can fish a 1/8-ounce tungsten jig, and still reap the rewards of improved sensitivity. “The hooks are incredibly sharp, too, and the jigs match up perfectly with Eye-Candy plastics,” Bro continued. “The buoyancy holds the jig upright. It looks real and sits at the perfect angle for a solid hookset.” Bro’s live bait options for the tungsten stand-ups are leeches, nose hooked minnows, and leeches. His preferred terrain for tungsten stand-up jigs are short weeds, gravel, and rocks. |
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ABOUT the Tungsten Stand-Up Jig Molded from Tungsten that is 70% more dense than lead, this jig provides exceptional sensitivity. The Stand-Up head design yields better bottom contact for keeping live bait and soft plastics up off the bottom for the perfect presentation. Features a dual bait keeper and stout wide gap custom Mustad® hook. MSRP $7.99 (2 Pack) ABOUT the Tungsten Stand-Up Short Shank Jig The Tungsten Stand-Up Short Shank Jig has all the benefits of the Tungsten Stand-Up Jig in a compact profile. Molded from sensitive tungsten, which is 70% more dense than lead, the jig positions baits upright on the bottom to mimic feeding baitfish. It sports a stout custom short shank wide gap Mustad® hook perfect for live bait and small plastics. MSRP $7.99 (2 Pack) |
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Finally, A Better Way To Rig Your Fishing Kayak!
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Besides taking “Best in Category” at ICAST 2024 with the YAK-EASE™ Power Pak Pro, Connect-Ease offers other kayak rigging systems to meet every angler’s unique needs |
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PRIOR LAKE, MN (September 4, 2024) - Connect-Ease® has been providing the quickest, easiest, and cleanest power boat rigging possible for over a decade. Now—with the recent introduction of YAK-EASE®—the company has extended their expertise into the realms of kayak angling with numerous new, problem-solving rigging and power distribution products for all anglers. Like the YAK-EASE™ Power Pak Pro, a self-contained, portable, plug & play power system that provides the quickest, easiest, and cleanest power kayak rigging possible—while saving hours and hours of sketchy rigging in the process. Whether you’re setting up a basic fishing kayak to a deluxe, tournament-ready fishing kayak—YAK-EASE™ Power Pak Pro is the best solution available today. It not only includes a premium Pelican® waterproof case with all the bells and whistles for use with your favorite lithium battery, but YAK-EASE™ GRAPH POWER® and a YAK-EASE™ LIGHTNIN’ Harness, too – both which are also available to kayak anglers who may want to install permanent, clean and preconfigured YAK-EASE for their electronics, lighting, and accessories without need for a portable power supply. |
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YAK-EASE POWER PAK PRO: TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS |
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YAK-EASE™ GRAPH POWER® is a permanent power solution for up to four powered kayak fishing accessories, all with a convenient and easy pack-in/pack-out battery connection. YAK-EASE GRAPH POWER was designed to solve the connections and power issues associated with running today’s sophisticated fishing electronics common on modern kayaks, providing clear, clean power and direct connections. Now that extends into the realms of kayak angling with numerous new, problem-solving rigging and power distribution products. YAK-EASE GRAPH POWER is designed to work with all manufacturers of fresh- and saltwater marine electronics. YAK-EASE GRAPH POWER features marine-grade sheathed wire with multiple fused connections for your electronics. Works with Humminbird, Lowrance, Garmin, all forward-facing, side-, and down-imaging systems. Power multiple electronics, GoPRO cameras, cell phones, powered speakers, and other accessories with four fused connections. |
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To our knowledge, the YAK-EASE LIGHTNIN’ HARNESS is the only plug & play, self-contained, complete kayak lighting system on the market. It is designed for all fishing/recreational kayaks up to 13.5 feet, and features 14 gauge sheathed, marine-grade wire with heat-shrinkable connections to power (4) navigational, interior, exterior, and accessory lighting rigging. |
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The YAK-EASE YAK QUIK 3 represents our most simple, yet quick and easy way to send power to all of your kayak fishing devices/accessories, as a power solution for up to three powered kayak fishing accessories, all with a convenient and easy pack-in/pack-out battery connection. If you’re rigging a fishing kayak with today’s sophisticated fishing electronics, lighting, GoPro cameras, and various accessories, skip having to source and run your own wire and fuses, scratching your head over leads, where to position batteries, etc. That can take days – and we’d all rather be on the water catching fish, right! |
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“Amp” up your fishing kayak with YAK MAX PRO 3, rigging designed to network multiple graphs, live imaging and/or forward-facing sonar transducers and black boxes, as well as a trolling motor all from an easy, self-contained pack-in/pack-out power rigging solution. Works with any Minn-Kota, Motor Guide, Humminbird, Garmin, Lowrance trolling motors and electronics. Designed for the serious kayak angler using multiple electronics—including FF sonar—YAK MAX Pro 3 features all fused connections to protect your valuable electronics and heat-shrinkable connections to provide a lifetime of corrosion-free connections. Leave your wiring and rigging intact and remove your electronics and battery with ease. Includes 10 feet of nylon-sheathed positive and negative rigging with 3 fused connections and a Qu Quick-Snap battery connection—greatly reducing the amount of time you spend preparing to fish. |
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The YAK-EASE SPADE-A-NATOR is the perfect solution for adding extra power for long days on the water—or for simple recharging at the end of the day without the hassle of removing your chosen battery from your kayak, fish-finder, graph shuttle, or case. The YAK EASE SPADE-A-NATOR is a solution for up to three powered kayak or ice fishing accessories, all with a convenient and easy pack-in/pack-out battery connection for easy removal charging and swapping of multiple batteries to power your fishing day. YAK-EASE™ products (by Connect-Ease®) eliminate all of the above with portable or permanently-riggable, plug & play rigging systems for the quickest, easiest, and cleanest power, electronics, and lighting, kayak rigging possible—while saving you hours and hours in the garage, getting you onto fish faster! |
MLF Set to Wrap Toyota Series Southern Division with Tournament at Santee Cooper Lakes Presented by Suzuki Marine
CLARENDON COUNTY, S.C. (Sept. 4, 2024) – The Major League Fishing (MLF) Toyota Series Presented by Phoenix Boats is set to close out the Southern Division next week in Summerton, South Carolina, Sept. 12-14, with the third and final event of the season – the Toyota Series at Santee Cooper Lakes Presented by Suzuki Marine.
The three-day tournament, hosted by the Clarendon County Chamber of Commerce, will feature a roster of the region’s best bass-fishing pros and Strike King co-anglers competing for a top prize of up to $100,000 in the pro division and a new Phoenix 518 Pro boat with a 115-horsepower outboard motor plus $5,000 in the co-angler division.
“I have been looking forward to this one. For the first time that I can recollect, we’re having a Toyota Series event here in late summer,” said pro Wade Grooms of Bonneau, South Carolina, who has five top-10 finishes on Santee Cooper in MLF competition. “Typically, the majority of tournaments here are held in the early spring, so fishing is always the same. The event being held this time of the year makes things extremely different. We’re going to see totally different patterns and strategies.”
With water levels high, and water temperatures still hovering in the upper 80s, the fish are still being found in their summertime patterns.
“There is a lot of grass right now, which is really going to help some people and really going to hurt some people,” Grooms said. “It spreads the fish out and makes them pretty hard to find. But if you can find the right area, it can definitely create a lot of opportunities.”
Grooms said that he expects he will be fishing a mix of grass and stumps.
“It’s going to be a lot like Florida fishing,” Grooms said. “An early morning topwater fish is going to be extremely important in this tournament. Everyone will have limits, but if you can have four keeper fish and one larger than average fish, that will really shoot you up the leaderboard.”
Even though Grooms lives on the south end of the fishery he struggled to make a weight prediction for this tournament.
“I live here, and normally I’m pretty good and can predict within a pound or two of the winning weight, but I’m struggling with this one because there are so many unknown variables,” Grooms said. “There is a cool front coming, water levels could be dropping at any time, there is so much grass – and we don’t know if it will help the fishing or make it tougher. I think we’ll see a few limits in the low 20s the first day, but that’s hard to maintain. I think 18 pounds a day, over three days, will be extremely strong in this event.”
Anglers will launch at 7 a.m. ET each day from John C. Land III Landing, located at 4404 Greenall Road in Summerton. Weigh-ins will also be held at the landing and will begin at 3 p.m. each day. Fans are welcome to attend and encouraged to follow the event online through the “MLF Live” weigh-in broadcasts and daily coverage at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
In Toyota Series regular-season competition, payouts are based on the number of participants competing in the event, scaling up for every 20 boats over 160 and scaling down for every boat below 160. With a 160-boat field, pros fish for a top prize of up to $75,000, if Phoenix MLF Bonus qualified. Strike King co-anglers cast for the top prize of a new Phoenix 518 Pro bass boat with a 115-horsepower Mercury or Suzuki outboard (valued at $33,500). With a 260-boat field, pros fish for a top award of up to $100,000, if Phoenix MLF Bonus qualified. Strike King co-anglers cast for the top prize of a new Phoenix 518 Pro bass boat with a 115-horsepower Mercury or Suzuki outboard plus $5,000 cash.
The 2024 Toyota Series Presented by Phoenix Boats consists of six divisions – Central, Northern, Plains, Southern, Southwestern and the Western Division Presented by Tackle Warehouse – each holding three regular-season events, along with the International and Wild Card divisions. Anglers who fish in any of the six divisions or the Wild Card division and finish in the top 25 will qualify for the no-entry-fee Toyota Series Championship for a shot at winning up to $235,000 and a qualification to REDCREST 2025. The winning Strike King co-angler at the championship earns a new Phoenix 518 Pro bass boat with a 115-horsepower Mercury outboard. The 2024 Toyota Series Championship will be held Nov. 7-9 on Wheeler Lake in Huntsville, Alabama, and is hosted by the Huntsville Sports Commission.
Proud sponsors of the 2024 MLF Toyota Series include: 7Brew, Abu Garcia, B&W Trailer Hitches, Berkley, BUBBA, E3, Epic Baits, Fishing Clash, FX Custom Rods, General Tire, Lew’s, Mercury, Mossy Oak Fishing, Onyx, Phoenix Boats, Polaris, Power-Pole, REDCON1, Simms, Strike King, Suzuki Marine, Tackle Warehouse, T-H Marine, Toyota, WIX Filters and YETI.
For complete details and updated information visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular Toyota Series updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow the MLF5 social media outlets at Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.
About Major League Fishing
Major League Fishing (MLF) is the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization, producing more than 250 events annually at some of the most prestigious fisheries in the world, while broadcasting to America’s living rooms on CBS, Discovery Channel, Outdoor Channel, CBS Sports Network, World Fishing Network and on demand on MyOutdoorTV (MOTV). Headquartered in Benton, Kentucky, the MLF roster of bass anglers includes the world’s top pros and more than 30,000 competitors in all 50 states and 17 countries. Since its founding in 2011, MLF has advanced the sport of competitive fishing through its premier television broadcasts and livestreams and is dedicated to improving the quality of life for bass through research, education, fisheries enhancement and fish care.
B.A.S.S. announces technology standardization for Elite Series, Classic
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — The Bassmaster Elite Series and the Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Classic presented by Jockey Outdoors are the pinnacles of competitive bass fishing. B.A.S.S. has created unwavering standards of excellence and expectations for the anglers who fish under these banners. Today, the organization announces the creation of equipment standards related to new technologies that will impact anglers competing on the biggest stage in bass fishing.
It is important to understand that these new standardization practices are the result of the B.A.S.S. technology committee’s year-long collection of data, review of tournament results, consultations with conservation partners, discussions with industry leaders and communications with every Elite Series pro multiple times throughout the 2024 season. Voices from every corner of the fishing industry were heard and considered. After extensive debate and consideration, the committee made its final recommendation to B.A.S.S. CEO Chase Anderson. Once the 2025 Elite Series schedule was finalized earlier this week, Anderson approved the following standardization practices.
First, the number of live sonar transducers will be regulated to one and it must be mounted to the trolling motor at the bow of the boat. Until now, Elite Series and Classic competitors could have an unlimited number of live transducers mounted on their boats in any location. B.A.S.S. will also provide a list of acceptable live transducers from all major electronics manufacturers. Equipment not on this list is banned from usage in Elite Series and Classic competition. This equipment list will be vetted and updated annually.
Secondly, Elite Series and Classic competitors will be limited to a total of 55 inches of screen, including bow and dash head units. The trend to add more and bigger head units to boats is becoming a safety concern, as the bigger screens may create blind spots impacting the safe piloting of boats.
Thirdly, Elite Series and Classic competitors may now have only one electric motor mounted to their boats. There has been a rise in the use of electric motors mounted to shallow water anchors, which makes the enforcement of current rules (like long-lining and trolling) very difficult.
Lastly, B.A.S.S. will focus on a more diverse Elite Series schedule, creating a wide variety of fishing styles demanded for success. While live sonar technology will remain a consistent tool used at the very highest level of competitive bass fishing, experience and a deep-seeded understanding of fish behavior, movement and patterns will also be needed for success moving forward on the fisheries scheduled.
“The use of live sonar at the Elite level has sparked tremendous debate,” said Chase Anderson. “Our technology committee spent a tremendous amount of time reviewing post-event surveys, comparing equipment on Elite boats to success rates and considering both fan engagement and bass community feedback related to the use of new technology. As the leading tournament organization in sportfishing, our goal was to ensure a level playing field that both embraces the value of hard work and experience on the water as well as new technologies that will continue to improve angler success. B.A.S.S. has always been, and will continue to be, dedicated to teaching our members, fans and the bass fishing community how to catch more and bigger bass. Educating anglers on both the fundamentals of fishing as well as new technology aligns with this principle. B.A.S.S. is, and always has been, the keeper of the culture of our sport. We believe these new standards will ensure that both the present and future competitive landscape of the Elite Series will remain above reproach. We remain committed to being the leaders in our industry and making decisions that we believe are in the best interest of our sport.”
These new standardization practices will go into effect with the start of the 2025 Elite Series season. The B.A.S.S. technology committee will continue to monitor the impacts of new technology on bass fishing’s biggest stage.
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.
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Connect with #Bassmaster on Facebook, Instagram, Twitte
Media Contact: Chad Gay, Communications Manager, 205-313-0945, cgay@bassmaster.
Rasmussen’s Top Plays for Football Season Smallies
Vexus® Pro Adam Rasmussen admits he ditched playing left tackle after his sophomore year of high school so he could instead practice catching Wisconsin River smallies after the dismissal bell rang.
The Rasmussen’s connection to Wisconsin football runs deep. Adam’s wife, Allie, is a great niece to Mary Jane Van Duyse. Mary Jane was once engaged to Packers Founder Curly Lambeau and invented the iconic Packers cheer “Go Pack Go!” as a Green Bay Golden Girls cheerleader.
Twenty years later, Rasmussen, who fell three pounds short of winning the 2024 Bassmaster Classic, has no choice but to saturate himself in America’s pigskin culture once again.
Weekends in Adam’s impressive mancave the Rasmussens call “The Warehouse” are dominated by Packer watch parties. But just out of shouting range, you’ll find the down-to-earth pro prepping tackle on the deck of his Vexus® VX21, getting ready to blitz Green Bay area smallmouth throughout the football season.
“Of course, September brings a hint of cooler nights, but it’s a tricky month because you’ve still got some smallies shallow enough to cast at visually, while a few are moving to deeper breaklines in 20’ of water. It seems like nearly every day in September is a little bit different,” says Rasmussen.
Ultimately, September sees an ongoing migration of smallmouth from their summer hangouts to where they will spend the cold winter months.
“By late September or early October, they’re moving along travel routes on breaklines in 15-25’ of water, where a 2.5” soft plastic tube on a 3/8 to 1/2-ounce VMC head can be deadly. A 3” Rapala CrushCity Mayor swimbait on a 1/2-ounce jighead is another solid producer this time of year,” says the Stevens Point native.
Rasmussen says the late-season run between Halloween and early December is his favorite. “When water temps get down to around 54 degrees, it’s time to load an Alabama Rig up with 3” CrushCity Mayor minnows and throw around rocky bluff walls with 40’ of water nearby. That’s my hands-down favorite way to catch late-season smallies, and sometimes you even catch two at a time!” smiles Rasmussen.
Curly Lambeau died nearly 60 years ago while mowing a lawn not far from Rasmussen’s home, but his heritage lives on forever in the hearts and souls of Packer fans everywhere—including those that will pack into “The Warehouse” throughout the weeks ahead.
“Oh, you can bet I’ll be there watching the games with all our family and friends. But I promise ya, if we get a mild sunny day in late November or early December, I’ll be loading my A-Rigs into the Vexus and heading to a bluffy shoreline in Green Bay,” smiles Rasmussen.
To learn more about the Vexus® VX21 Rasmussen counts on to always deliver a smooth ride, even during a blustery Wisconsin autumn, please visit vexusboats.com.
BREAKING NEWS: The Future of Forward-Facing Sonar in the NPFL
Story by Brad Fuller | Photos by Tanner & Travis Lyons
After many sleepless nights and countless hours of discussions that touched every corner of the fishing industry, we at the National Professional Fishing League have come to realize several important things about live forward-facing fishing technology.
First, the issue is complex and compounded by the fact that it elicits an emotional response from many.
Second, for rational discussion and decision-making, it’s helpful to remove as much emotion from the process as possible.
Third, there are serious policy and business ramifications associated with taking any position on this technology.
Finally, there is no way to make every stakeholder happy where a technology policy is concerned.
For what it’s worth, I enjoy using forward-facing sonar in my personal fishing, and I’m grateful for what’s it’s taught us about bass behavior. It’s an incredible tool, and no matter your attitude toward the technology, it’s undeniable that it’s impactful for bass catching. Our concern at the NPFL is whether it’s a proper tool for competitive bass fishing.
Every sport has equipment rules to protect the players and the integrity of the game. As examples, Major League Baseball does not allow aluminum bats so as to protect certain players on defense and to preserve the game’s legacy. Auto racing has restrictions on engines and other equipment to protect drivers and ensure competitiveness. The Professional Golfers’ Association prohibits balls that use technology to overcome shortcomings of skill.
Tournament bass fishing is not different from these other sports in its need to protect the integrity and appeal of the game.
At NPFL, we do not want competitive bass fishing to become a technology arms race where anglers stare at a screen, targeting pixels and losing their connection to the fish we love so much. Forward-facing sonar is changing the ways that anglers approach competition and the ways that fans consume content. It’s also reducing the methods and baits that anglers use to compete.
Our sport is too important and too diverse to allow technology to shrink it to a handful of methods and tackle. Robust competition requires variety, experience, and broad skills. It must be more than an expensive video game.
The early sonar units of the 1950s were revolutionary. Since that time, most of the advancements have been changes of degree. With the introduction of forward-facing sonar in 2018, the change was qualitative — a change in kind that threatens to alter the very nature of our sport. It’s a technology we can appreciate and admire without allowing it to undermine our ultimate goals — to deliver the highest level of competition in the fishing world, to raise the sport to greater heights, and to share our passion.
Starting with the 2025 season, the NPFL will prohibit the use of real-time imaging units—commonly referred to as “live forward-facing sonar”—during official practice and competition. Other sonar (e.g., 2D, side imaging, 360, et al.) will continue to be permitted. The use of future technology will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.
The 2025 NPFL Championship will be conducted using 2024 rules. It’s only fair that the anglers who qualified for the Championship be allowed to compete under the same rules under which they qualified.
We considered intermediate measures that fell short of a complete restriction but believe they would be insufficient to protect the sport. Limiting transducers or screens or only allowing the technology on certain days or hours are half measures that may quiet some opponents of the technology, but they are unlikely to reduce its impact.
Our decision was neither easy nor made quickly. It is ultimately a business decision made after much due diligence and unclouded by conflicting business relationships.
We are committed to upholding the tradition and integrity of competitive bass fishing.
This decision will be met with some approval and some criticism, but we’re confident that this is the right decision at the right time for the sport and for the NPFL.
Adkins Clinches Second NPFL Win at Saginaw Bay
Wisconsin pro Gary Adkins claimed his second NPFL victory at Saginaw Bay with a three-day total weight of 56 pounds, 12 ounces. He started strong with 23 pounds, 3 ounces on day one, struggled on day two with high winds, bringing in 16 pounds, 2 ounces, but came back strong on the final day with 17 pounds, 7 ounces to secure the win with just a 1-ounce margin of victory.
Since his victory in 2022, where he went on to win the Progressive Angler of the Year award, Adkins has been in a “slump.” His 28th-place AOY finish in 2023 may not seem bad to most, but Adkins was disappointed.
“Last year was different for me; I was not focused on fishing like I should have been,” he said. “I had a busy year with work and was not in tune with my gear, and it showed. I would go to an event, fish, and then drop the boat and not see it until the next event; that was tough. To be able to have my family’s support and get back in the right mindset this year was huge.”
Starting the event in 30th place in AOY, this victory will certainly move him up in the standings. With the win-and-you’re-in format, Adkins can relax and focus on the next few events without worrying about points.
Throughout practice, Adkins noticed that the bigger fish were setting up in deeper areas, while many of the “medium-sized" smallmouth were shallower. On day one, he saw things change and made an adjustment that put him on track for the event.
“I caught my two biggest fish on day one shallow,” he added. “I saw they vanished from the deeper spots and went to the shallow points and shoals and found them. I caught my biggest fish this morning on the same bait, a spinnerbait, and knew I needed to spend the rest of the day looking at shallow areas.”
By noon, he only had one 5-pounder and a small keeper to show for it. A quick move to some shallow humps he located in practice, and it was game on.
“I pulled up and saw some fish, but not as many as I was hoping,” he said. “They were sitting on top in about 5 feet, and I could make a cast right on top of them with that dropshot. I knew there were enough fish there to get a decent limit, and it worked out for me today, just barely.”
Adkins only had six keeper bites all day, but he remained focused on his plan to commit to the smallmouth bite and try for the win. Heavy winds affected many other anglers from fishing for smallmouth, but Adkins, growing up on Lake Michigan, was not going to fold.
“Fishing for smallmouth is my favorite thing to do, and the big water does not bother me one bit,” he said. “In practice, it was calm, and there were boats everywhere. When the wind blew, I think a lot of guys started running out and then turned around; I hardly saw anyone around, and today, I only saw one boat. I took my time and got out there, and it paid off – I was going to live or die fishing for smallmouth. I had a phenomenal week and cannot wait to celebrate this one with my family.”
Zack Birge
With a three-day total weight of 56 pounds, 11 ounces, Oklahoma pro Zack Birge finished in 2nd place at the NPFL Saginaw Bay. He began the tournament strong, bringing in 22 pounds, 12 ounces on day one, followed up with 18 pounds, 1 ounce on day two, and despite a tougher day three, he managed to catch 15 pounds, 15 ounces, ultimately falling just one ounce short of first place.
Aside from a couple of small culls while fishing for largemouth late in the day, Birge concentrated on smallmouth and focused on a small shoal at the mouth of Saginaw Bay.
“That spot is only about 3 miles out into the lake, but it’s over 50 miles from take-off,” said Birge. “All three days I did the same thing, and I simply ran out of fish.”
Using Lowrance ActiveTarget2, Birge relied on a dropshot, making pinpoint casts to fish he could see roaming the reef. Despite the close finish, Birge is focused on earning points to compensate for missing the first event of the season. This finish will unofficially move him up from 53rd place where he began the event.
“I have to focus on points in these last events to secure a spot in the Championship for next year,” he added. “I’ve never been to the St. Johns River and have limited experience on the Ozarks, but if I have another opportunity to win like I did this week, I’ll go for it. It was a great week; Saginaw Bay is brutal, but awesome.”
Jason Williamson
Jason Williamson claimed third place at the NPFL Saginaw Bay with a solid three-day total of 56 pounds, 11 ounces. He started the tournament with 21 pounds, 1 ounce on day one, slowed down on day two with 16 pounds, 14 ounces, and finished strong on Showdown Saturday with 18 pounds, 12 ounces, including a 6-pound kicker smallmouth.
Like the other top anglers, the South Carolina pro targeted offshore shell bars with a strong concentration of baitfish—goby and alewife—focusing on fish he could see on his electronics. Using the new Zoom Tiny Speed Craw, he targeted fish as they moved in to feed.
“It was pretty straightforward for me,” he said. “I found an active bar that had a ton of life. It wasn’t even that far from the bank but had 18 to 20 feet of water and was the perfect spot for those smallmouth to hang as they transitioned from shallow to deep.”
Williamson began the event in 24th place in the Progressive AOY standings, and with this finish, he should move up, helping to secure his Championship berth.
Other Awards
The NPFL Big Fish award goes to Kevin Martin for his day one lunker weighing 6 pounds, 13 ounces. Martin finished the event in sixth place, capping off a stellar performance.
With his ninth-place finish at Saginaw Bay, BaitWrx pro Brock Bila earns the NPFL Bass Cat Boats incentive and takes home an additional $5,000 for his three-day total weight of 51 pounds, 6 ounces.
Top Ten Anglers
Gary Adkins 56-12
Zack Birge 56-11
Jason Williamson 56-11
Trent Palmer 56-8
Kevin Martin 55-13
John Cox 55-5
Jesse Wise 54-6
Barron Adams 52-9
Brock Bila 51-6
Louis Fernandes 51-5
Kevin Martin Surges to the Top at Saginaw Bay
Ohio Pro Kevin Martin jumps from second to first in Bay City.
Starting the day in second place, Ohio pro Kevin Martin surged to the top on day two, taking the lead into Showdown Saturday with a total weight of 42 pounds. After weighing in 23 pounds, 5 ounces on day one with only a handful of bites, he added 18 pounds, 11 ounces on day two with only six bites.
“It was basically the pressure on the area and the wind,” he said. “I can fish my spots in almost any wind condition, but the last two days were the worst. I had to cover more water today than I anticipated, and I expected to get more bites than I ended up getting.”
Casting at over 50 bass throughout the day, Martin rotated between shallow, deep, and mid-depth areas, relying primarily on a dropshot rig with a Berkley MaxScent Flatworm. Despite putting his bait in front of several bass, they weren’t reacting as expected.
“Usually, you can get it near them, and they follow it to the bottom and eat it,” he added. “Today was way different; they wouldn’t even react. Tomorrow, the wind should be more west, which will help me. I did have to burn some water today, but I think I can run it all again tomorrow and catch as many as I can.”
Zack Birge
With a two-day total weight of 40 pounds, 12 ounces, Oklahoma pro Zack Birge has moved into second place at stop number four of the NPFL season on Saginaw Bay. Birge started strong on day one with 22 pounds, 12 ounces, and added 18 pounds, 1 ounce on day two.
His smallmouth approach, focusing on mid-range depths, has proven effective, putting him in strong contention as he heads into Showdown Saturday, just 1 pound, 4 ounces back. Despite the challenging conditions, Birge is prepared for the forecasted wind tomorrow and remains focused on making a final push for his first NPFL victory.
“It was definitely tougher today for me, and not easy by any means,” said Birge. “I was able to get there this morning, but I didn’t see many bites or fish. The key was getting lucky and catching a few better fish; coming back this afternoon was rough.”
While his main area is over 50 miles away, Birge did spend some time in practice looking for largemouth, and a late largemouth cull this afternoon back near the takeoff gave him another 5 ounces. If things don’t go well tomorrow, Birge plans to pull the plug and head to the bank to salvage the day.
“I caught a ton of largemouth in practice, but I don’t think I can catch 17 or 18 pounds doing it,” he added. “Tomorrow morning will be the best chance to get out offshore where I’m fishing, and I’ll see how it goes. If needed, I’ll scratch it and go catch some largemouth.”
While not wanting to give up too many specifics, Birge, like the others, is fishing “typical smallmouth things,” keying in on the “right stuff” within his 8- to 20-foot-deep area.
“If I can see the fish or the structure, and get one to show itself, I’ve been able to get a bite if I can get the lure in there, but that hasn’t been easy,” he concluded.
The big move of the day was made by Dustin Smith, who jumped into 15th place with the day’s largest bag of 18 pounds, 14 ounces. The NPFL Bass Cat Boats award is set to be decided in the final moments, with Brock Bila in fifth place with 37 pounds, 2 ounces, and Matt Looney in eighth place with 35 pounds, 2 ounces.
Top Ten Anglers
Kevin Martin 42-1
Zack Birge 40-12
Gary Adkins 39-5
Jason Williamson 37-15
Brock Bila 37-2
Trent Palmer 35-11
Josh Hooks 35-4
Matt Looney 35-2
Jesse Wise 35-0
John Cox 34-14
Becker and Shuffield Win General Tire Team Series B&W Trailer Hitches Challenge Cup Presented by Toyota
Team B&W Trailer Hitches catch 64 bass totaling 113-5 in Championship Round to win first event of season and earn Challenge Cup
ERIE, Pa. (Aug. 30, 2024) – Championship Friday started off with a bang as teams wrapped up the first event of the 2024 General Tire Team Series Presented by Bass Pro Shops, with all four teams posting bass to SCORETRACKER® within the first 15 minutes.
The final four teams at the 2024 B&W Trailer Hitches Challenge Cup Presented by Toyota headed back to Erie’s Presque Isle Bay on Friday to finish out the season-opening event. While the teams had some experience on the fishery earlier in the week, conditions changed, forcing the teams to hunt for new fish throughout the day.
Team Smokey Mountain Herbal Snuff & Pouches – made up of Luke Clausen of Spokane, Washington, and John Hunter of Shelbyville, Kentucky – put together a strong opening flurry early during Friday’s Championship Round, stacking 22 bass totaling 35-3 onto SCORETRACKER® within the first period alone.
But that wasn’t enough to hold off Team U.S. Air Force – Stephen Browning of Hot Springs, Arkansas, and Anthony Gagliardi of Prosperity, South Carolina – who took over the top spot at the beginning of Period 2. They held the lead for 28 mins before being overtaken by Team B&W Trailer Hitches – Matt Becker of Ten Mile, Tennessee, and Spencer Shuffield of Hot Springs, Arkansas – who grabbed the top spot and never looked back.
Team B&W Trailer Hitches finished the day with 64 bass totaling 113 pounds, 5 ounces, a solid 34-10 ahead of Team U.S. Air Force. They started the morning in an area they’d fished during the Qualifying Round but found it a bit lacking.
“When we found out we were going back to Presque Isle Bay today it was pretty exciting because we’d had a really good Qualifying Round there and felt like we could have done even more so we were excited to get back out there,” said Shuffield. “I’d caught a lot of our fish in the Qualifying Round on a ChatterBait, but it just wasn’t really working for us this morning. They just weren’t really committing to it.”
The duo decided to switch to their secondary plan and flip grass out deeper.
“Once we made that move, Matt ended up catching several scorable bass quickly,” Shuffield said. “We knew that we would be able to keep pace with the other teams doing that but weren’t sure if we’d be able to put up much weight.”
“Really the second period is when we found the area where we ended up winning,” said Becker. “We made a move, and it’s so crazy to think about the little details that happened – one fish busted the surface of the water on baitfish, and that readjusted our game plan.
“Spencer threw over there and got a bite and that one fish changed our minds on what was happening there and what we needed to do the rest of the day,” Becker continued. “If we hadn’t noticed that fish, it may be a different story here today.”
The B&W Trailer Hitches team spent the second period running new water and locating a few new schools of bass before cycling through some of their prior sweet spots. The duo fished in roughly five different areas throughout the bay, all basically presenting the same characteristics – offshore milfoil grass beds in 7 to 8 feet of water with plenty of baitfish.
“We didn’t get off to the fastest of starts this morning,” said Becker. “It was just slow and steady, and I knew we just needed to survive that morning bite. Just keep the pace. The key for us today was fishing fresh water and hitting places we didn’t fish the first day we were on Presque Isle Bay.
“We found a fresh school of fish that looked like it hadn’t been touched by anyone this week and put some weight up in a hurry,” Becker continued. “We got that flurry and that really is what set us up for the day.”
Becker credits a two-pronged approach to his success at the Challenge Cup – flipping a tube and throwing a 3/8-ounce ChatterBait – but said the difference-maker was a small trailer attached to the back of the ChatterBait.
“The bass were feeding on real small baitfish, so putting that little 3-inch trailer on the back really allowed the bait to dance and dart very well and made it a little smaller profile for the fish to eat,” said Becker. “I threw that on 17-pound Seaguar InvizX Fluorocarbon Line on a 7-foot, 5-inch medium-heavy rod.”
While Becker’s experience on the fishery gave the B&W Trailer Hitches team a distinct advantage, the duo agreed that the team as a whole made the right decisions at the right times throughout the day to get the job done.
“The right things ended up happening for us to win and it feels great,” said Shuffield. “To win the first buddy team tournament of the year – and the first two-man team ever – that’s something no one will ever be able to take away from us and something we’ll cherish forever.”
The duo will reunite to fish another General Tire Team Series event later this fall at the Summit Cup, November 17-22.
The top four teams at the B&W Trailer Hitches Challenge Cup Presented by Toyota Knockout Round finished:
1st: Team B&W Trailer Hitches, 64 bass, 113-5
Matt Becker, Ten Mile, Tenn., 35 bass, 60-12
Spencer Shuffield, Hot Springs, Ark., 29 bass, 52-9
2nd: Team U.S. Air Force, 47 bass, 78-11
Stephen Browning, Hot Springs, Ark., 22 bass, 32-11
Anthony Gagliardi, Prosperity, N.C., 25 bass, 46-0
3rd: Team Smokey Mountain Herbal Snuff & Pouches, 41 bass, 66-0
Luke Clausen, Spokane, Wash., 21 bass, 32-14
John Hunter, Shelbyville, Ky., 20 bass, 33-2
4th: Team Star Tron, 27 bass, 42-11
Bobby Lane, Lakeland, Fla., 11 bass, 15-14
Jacob Wall, New Hope, Ala., 16 bass, 26-13
Complete results from throughout the week can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
Overall, there were 179 bass weighing 300 pounds, 11 ounces caught by the four teams during the Championship Round on Presque Isle Bay. Team U.S. Air Force pro Anthony Gagliardi caught the Berkley Big Bass of the day – a largemouth weighing 4 pounds, 3 ounces.
The B&W Trailer Hitches Challenge Cup Presented by Toyota was hosted by VisitErie and took place over six days in Erie, Pennsylvania. The competition water for each day was top secret and was only revealed to the anglers after they arrived at the host hotel each morning.
The Challenge Cup featured 12 two-man teams divided into three groups as they entered the one-day Elimination Rounds. Each of the three Elimination Rounds featured four new teams, with the top two teams from each of the Elimination Rounds advancing to the Knockout Rounds on Days 4 & 5. In the Knockout Rounds, three teams competed each day, with the top two teams from each Knockout Round moving on to the Championship Round on Day 6. In Friday’s Day 6 Championship Round, the final four teams competed in a one-day shootout to determine which team was the winner of the 2024 B&W Trailer Hitches Challenge Cup Presented by Toyota.
The 2024 General Tire Team Series is comprised of four events – Challenge Cup, Heritage Cup, Patriot Cup and Summit Cup – featuring two-man teams of MLF Bass Pro Tour pros competing from the same boat. Each event features a roster of 24 anglers, teamed up and working together to claim part of a season purse of more than $720,000. Teams were formed through a selection process, where 48 team captains – based on Fishing Clash Angler of the Year (AOY) standings throughout the 2024 Bass Pro Tour season – selected a teammate. Teams will compete throughout the fall of 2024.
The B&W Trailer Hitches Challenge Cup Presented by Toyota featured the MLF catch, weigh, immediate-release format, in which anglers caught as much weight as they could each day, while also feeling the pressure and intensity of the SCORETRACKER® leaderboard. With no practice and anglers only getting a few hours to break down brand-new water, the tournament featured anglers competing with a 1-pound minimum weight requirement for a bass to be deemed scorable.
The next General Tire Team Series event will take place Sept. 15-20 in Wisconsin – the Knighten Industries Heritage Cup Presented by Berkley – and is hosted by the Fox Cities Convention & Visitors Bureau.
Television coverage of the B&W Trailer Hitches Challenge Cup Presented by Toyota will premiere on Outdoor Channel as six two-hour episodes starting in January 2025. New MLF General Tire Team Series episodes will premiere each Saturday morning on Outdoor Channel and posted to MOTV.
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Major League Fishing (MLF) is the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization, producing more than 250 events annually at some of the most prestigious fisheries in the world, while broadcasting to America’s living rooms on CBS, Discovery Channel, Outdoor Channel, CBS Sports Network, World Fishing Network and on demand on MyOutdoorTV (MOTV). Headquartered in Benton, Kentucky, the MLF roster of bass anglers includes the world’s top pros and more than 30,000 competitors in all 50 states and 17 countries. Since its founding in 2011, MLF has advanced the sport of competitive fishing through its premier television broadcasts and livestreams and is dedicated to improving the quality of life for bass through research, education, fisheries enhancement and fish care.
Palmer Secures Day One Lead at Saginaw Bay
With 25 pounds, 4 ounces, Georgia pro Trent Palmer takes the Day One lead at stop number four of the NPFL season on Saginaw Bay. Building on his success over the past two seasons, including his 2023 victory, Palmer picked up right where he left off this morning as he eyes back-to-back wins.
“Today was special. I knew in practice what I wanted to do and pretty much ignored my areas from the past, figuring the fish would still be around there,” Palmer said. “One day, I sampled it quick and caught a big one, but overall, I found four or five more areas that I didn’t even touch today.”
Palmer, who owns and operates Sonar Pros in Georgia, remains confident in his plan, and with the weather forecasted to cooperate, he’s optimistic about continuing to target and catch quality bass over the next two days.
“I caught my weight—over 25 pounds—pretty quickly this morning, which allowed me to relax and do some more scouting,” he added. “I wasn’t fishing hard, but I did fish some throughout the day and ended up catching another 23.5 pounds or so of fish that wouldn’t help. I wandered around my area and tried to learn more about it.”
While more anglers are focusing on smallmouth, Palmer was able to fish away from the crowd on Day One. He’s working through a variety of depth ranges and feels that, despite some fish being caught shallow, the types of areas he’s targeting don’t really align with a specific depth.
“Where I am, I’m able to catch them at whatever depth, and it’s definitely more about the area than anything,” said Palmer. Today, I had my spot to myself today, and I’m not sure about the other spots as I didn’t have to move much. The wind the next few days looks fine; I’m not concerned. Today was the worst wind day, so I should be fine to get out there and fish—I’m looking forward to it.”
Kevin Martin
With a total of 23 pounds, 5 ounces, and a lunker 6-pound, 13-ounce smallmouth, Kevin Martin has positioned himself in the second-place spot on Day One at Saginaw Bay. After finishing 3rd in 2022 and 13th in 2023, Martin is off to a solid start as he aims for another strong performance in Bay City.
Martin has targeted both smallmouth and largemouth over the past couple of years at Saginaw Bay, but this time around, it was all about the brown ones. Out of all three days of practice, aside from two hours, he focused his efforts offshore.
“The first year (2022), I had a good finish with largemouth. Last year, I fished a bit of both, but knew in order to win, I would need to target smallmouth, so that’s what I did,” Martin said. “Going into this morning, I didn’t know what was going to happen, but I knew I was around some good fish.”
The Ohio angler admits he was fishing among some other anglers but slipped off throughout the day to a different area, where he managed to hook the big bass of the day, a 6-pound, 13-ounce smallmouth, by making a small bait adjustment.
“Overall, I have some different depth ranges I’m fishing, and the majority of my fish came from one, but the big fish was a little different,” he added. “I’m not getting a lot of bites, but like the others, I’m looking for them on FFS.”
Looking ahead to the final two days, Martin is optimistic about his chances but understands the bite will get tougher with added pressure, and hopes some of his other areas will pay off.
“I have some other spots, but I have one that’s really good, and I didn’t need to go there today,” he said. “I had a good bag, so there was no reason to burn fish. With the wind expected to blow south tomorrow, I know some spots may be blown out, but some won’t—I’ll be okay.”
Brock Bila sits in eighth place with a Day One weight of 20 pounds, 8 ounces, and is the highest-finishing NPFL Bass Cats Boats angler. With his 6-pound, 13-ounce smallmouth, Kevin Martin holds the big bass of the event, hosted by Bay City, Michigan.
Top Ten Anglers:
Trent Palmer 25-4
Kevin Martin 23-5
Gary Adkins 23-3
Jesse Wise 22-14
Zach Birge 22-11
Kyle Welcher 22-10
Jason Williamson 21-1
Brock Bila 20-8
Matt Looney 19-14
Drew Cook 19-9
