Red Hill High School Wins FLW High School Fishing presented by Favorite Fishing Lake Guntersville Open
GUNTERSVILLE, Ala. (Sept. 9, 2020) – Alabama’s Red Hill High School duo of Jesse Franklin and Ally Huey brought five bass to the scale Saturday weighing 20 pounds, 9 ounces to win the FLW High School Fishing presented by Favorite Fishing Lake Guntersville Open in Guntersville, Alabama.
For their win on Lake Guntersville, the team now advances to the 2021 High School Fishing National Championship.
The top four teams that qualified for the 2021 High School Fishing National Championship are:
1st: Red Hill High School, Hayden, Ala. – Jesse Franklin and Ally Huey, five bass, 20-9
2nd: Vestavia Hills High School, Vestavia Hills, Ala. – Reese Petitti and Hayden Marbut, five bass, 17-1
3rd: Sand Rock High School, Leesburg, Ala. – Brody Robison and Colton Cash, five bass, 14-13
4th: Lee County High School, Leesburg, Ga. – Peyton Dunn and Flint Davis, five bass, 13-6
Rounding out the top 10 were:
5th: Chelsea High School, Chelsea, Ala. – Braxton Hopper and Peyton Harris, five bass, 13-5
6th: Spencer County High School, Taylorsville, Ky – Andy Napier and Dalton Coale, five bass, 13-0
7th: Marietta Bass Masters Club, Marietta, Ga. – Carter Koza and Tanner Hadden, five bass, 12-7
8th: Hewitt-Trussville High School – Carson Underwood and Andrew Jones., five bass, 11-15
9th: Chapman High School, Inman, S.C. – Alex Bradley and Ryan Green, five bass, 11-12
10th: Long Creek High School, Huntersville, N.C. – Avery Doughty and Luke Miller, five bass, 11-2
Complete results from the event can be found at FLWFishing.com.
The event launched from the Lake Guntersville State Park Boat Ramp in Guntersville, Alabama, and was hosted by the Marshall County Convention & Visitors Bureau.
The FLW High School Fishing presented by Favorite Fishing Lake Guntersville Open in Guntersville, Alabama, was a free, two-person (team) event for students in grades 7-12 and open to any FLW and Student Angler Federation-affiliated high school club. The top 10 percent of teams at each Open event along with the TBF High School Fishing state championships will advance to the 2021 High School Fishing National Championship. The High School Fishing national champions will each receive a $5,000 college scholarship to the school of their choice.
In addition to the High School Fishing National Championship, all High School Fishing anglers nationwide automatically qualify for the world’s largest open high school bass tournament, the 2021 High School Fishing World Finals, held in conjunction with the National Championship. More than $2.8 million in scholarships and prizes were offered at the 2020 World Finals.
Full schedules and the latest announcements are available at HighSchoolFishing.org and FLWFishing.com.
Murray State University Wins Abu Garcia College Fishing presented by YETI Tournament on Lake Guntersville
GUNTERSVILLE, Ala. (Sept. 9, 2020) – The Murray State University team of Adam Puckett of Murray, Kentucky, and Nathaniel Lear of Greenville, Kentucky, won the Abu Garcia College Fishing presented by YETI at Lake Guntersville event Friday with a five-bass limit weighing 18 pounds, 1 ounce. The victory earned the Murray State bass club $2,000 and qualified them to compete in the 2021 College Fishing National Championship.
The Racer duo won by just a 1-ounce margin over the second-place team of Kade Holcomb & Kopeland Rosser from the University of Montevallo, who weighed in five bass totaling 18 pounds even. The tournament launched from the Lake Guntersville State Park Boat Launch in Guntersville, Alabama.
The top 10 teams that advanced to the 2021 College Fishing National Championship are:
1st: Murray State University – Adam Puckett, Murray, Ky., and Nathaniel Lear, Greenville, Ky., five bass, 18-1, $2,000
2nd: University of Montevallo – Kade Holcomb, Montevallo, Ala., and Kopeland Rosser, Helena, Ala., five bass, 18-0, $1,000
3rd: Bethel University – Dax Ewart, Humboldt, Tenn., and Kyle Palmer, Estill Springs, Tenn., five bass, 17-6, $500
4th: Georgia Southern University – Joshua Mckie, Americus, Ga., and Landon Howe, Bonaire, Ga., five bass, 16-2, $500
5th: Emanuel College – Brooks Anderson, Marietta, Ga., and Parker Guy of Ocilla, Ga., five bass, 16-2, $500
6th: Wallace State Community College – Will Dickerson, Crane Hill, Ala., and Hunter Tolbert, Dora, Ala., five bass, 16-0
7th: Bryan College – Ethan Shaw, Carmel, Ind., and Tyler Price, Dayton, Tenn., five bass, 15-15
8th: Bethel University – Joseph Woods, McKenzie, Tenn., and Matthew Cummings, Union City, Tenn., five bass, 15-11
9th: Bethel University – Tristan McCormick, Burns, Tenn., and Steven Mills, White Bluff, Tenn., five bass, 15-7
10th: Catawba Valley Community College – Nathan Dellinger, Hickory, N.C., five bass, 15-5
Complete results for the entire field can be found at FLWFishing.com.
The Abu Garcia College Fishing presented by YETI event on Lake Guntersville was hosted by the Marshall County Convention & Visitors Bureau. It was the second of three regular-season qualifying tournaments for Southeastern Conference anglers. The next event for College Fishing anglers will be on Sept. 11 – the Abu Garcia College Fishing presented by YETI at the Ohio River in Paducah, Kentucky.
Abu Garcia College Fishing presented by YETI teams compete in regular-season qualifying tournaments in one of five conferences – Central, Northern, Southern, Southeastern and Western. The top ten teams from each division’s three regular-season tournaments and the top 20 teams from the annual Abu Garcia College Fishing Open advance to the following year’s Abu Garcia College Fishing presented by YETI National Championship.
For complete details and updated information visit FLWFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow the Abu Garcia College Fishing presented by YETI on FLW’s social media outlets at Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.
Worldwide Joins Quantum Pro-Staff
TULSA, Okla. – Quantum is excited to announce the addition of James Watson to their decorated team of professional anglers.
James “Worldwide” Watson is a proud former United States Army Drill Sergeant who began his professional fishing career back in 2013. The Miller, MO native quickly made a name for himself thanks to his entertaining persona, quick wit, and success on the water.
Watson competes on Major League Fishing’s Bass Pro Tour but he’s found success in FLW and B.A.S.S. competitions as well. Amassing over $500,000 in career earnings regardless of format, including FLW Invitational and Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Open wins.
“I couldn’t be happier to join the Quantum Fishing family,” Watson beamed. “The chance to work with and represent a brand like Quantum is something I take very seriously. Quantum has always made incredible products and I’m excited to start slinging buzzbaits and spoon-jacking big bass with the high-speed Smoke S3!”
Watson’s affinity for power fishing highland reservoirs is second only to his love of harassing his now Quantum teammate, Matt Lee.
“Quantum is excited with the addition of James Watson to our elite Pro Staff,” said Quantum Brand Manager, Balay Hartman. “James is known for his big personality and has skill to match. We think he is a great fit with our brand and our team of amazing Quantum Pros. We can’t wait to see what the future holds.”
Wheeler’s Wheelhouse
Courtesy Luke Stoner - Dynamic Sponsorships
The past 20 months of Jacob Wheeler’s fishing career have been nothing less than incredible. In 2020 alone the Major League Fishing pro notched a Bass Pro Tour win on Lake Eufaula, a FLW Toyota Series victory on Pickwick Lake, and dominated the first ever FLW Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit Super Tournament on Lake Chickamauga.
Add those accolades to several other top 10 finishes and threatening for the Bass Pro Tour Points Champion title, and you have the framework for one of the best seasons in tournament bass fishing history. Then look back at 2019; Wheeler achieved a General Tires World Championship, another Bass Pro Tour title, and a 2nd place finish in the Bassmaster Classic.
It’s no surprise the Team Toyota pro is ranked as the number one bass fisherman in the world right now on BassFan; something widely agreed upon by fans and competitors alike. He competes like a salty veteran but Wheeler is only 30 years old, with most of his “tournament fishing prime” still ahead of him.
Perhaps the most impressive thing about Wheeler’s recent dominance is the versatility he displayed. Radically different fisheries, contrasting weather patterns, various times of the year, smallmouth versus largemouth, and even completely different formats couldn’t slow Wheeler down.
Whether he was catching Great Lakes smallmouth with a dropshot, stroking offshore muddy water largemouth with a 1-ounce spinnerbait, or rotating through baits on a summertime Tennessee River ledge didn’t matter. Wheeler caught ‘em and outperformed the competition in the process.
It begs the question, what is Wheeler’s biggest fishing strength, what is his wheelhouse? Instead of putting the Indiana native on the spot and asking him to answer that question about himself, we asked a trio of his Bass Pro Tour peers for their input. Not surprisingly, they all came back with different answers.
Jordan Lee – Understanding his electronics
Jordan Lee is another young standout coming off an amazing 2020 season. Lee and Wheeler battled it out throughout the Bass Pro Tour schedule and have a lot of respect for one another.
Like KVD and Skeet Reese raised the level of competition against one another ten years ago, we may be witnessing Wheeler and Lee forming a similar rivalry near the top of the leaderboard. We asked the Carhartt pro where he believes Wheeler excels the most.
“In my opinion I think Wheeler is one of the absolute best with his electronics right now,” Lee offered. “He runs multiple units and seems to understand what they are showing him better than just about anyone. He’s proven he can catch fish with any technique, but the difference maker is how good he is at finding groups of fish with his electronics.”
Mark Daniels Jr. – All things topwater
Few anglers know Wheeler better than Mark Daniels Jr. Wheeler and MDJ are not only good friends and competitors; they’ve actually spent the past three seasons as roommates. Traveling to and from tournaments together. MDJ struggled with the question, as he believes Wheeler excels as just about everything.
Ultimately MDJ answered with all things topwater; a skillset Wheeler showcased this year in tournaments from Lake Okeechobee, Florida to La Crosse, Wisconsin.
“His absolute strength is anything topwater,” Daniels Jr. said. “He blows my mind with how much he understands about the itty bitty nuances of topwater fishing. He’s good with frogs, buzzbaits, walking baits, or prop baits but more than that he knows when to change based on the fishes disposition. He sees subtleties with topwaters that go over most of our heads.”
Terry Scroggins – Decision making
Terry “Big Show” Scroggins has been in the bass fishing game for a long time and has witnessed the origins of several successful fishing careers. The Team Toyota pro isn’t afraid to tell you Wheeler’s talent is something special, and in his opinion it has a lot to do with the space in between his ears.
“Wheeler’s decision making, and willingness to change what he’s doing in the middle of a tournament day sets him apart,” Scroggins explained. “Having the instincts and confidence to make decisions like that only comes with experience. Something most 30-year olds don’t have enough of; Wheeler does. Add that to his skills and you’ve got a headache for the rest of the competition!”
His fellow competitors and recent tournament performances illustrate a similar picture – Wheeler’s “wheelhouse” encompasses a lot and it keeps growing year after year.
Summer Dog Days Await Anglers In Bassmaster Central Open On Sam Rayburn
September 3, 2020
JASPER, Texas — It won’t be an easy time on historic Sam Rayburn Reservoir, but anglers competing in the Basspro.com Bassmaster Central Open on this East Texas powerhouse will not lack for opportunity.
Seasonally speaking, this Angelina River impoundment has long been considered one of the Lone Star State’s most-renowned fisheries; it’s just moody this time of year.
“The water’s low and dropping; it’s like everywhere in the South,” said Bassmaster Elite Series pro Keith Combs, who makes his home in Huntington, Texas, on Rayburn’s northwest side. “September is just a tough month to catch fish, and Rayburn will be no different. It’ll be a grinder.”
A week before the event, this 114,500-acre lake stood about 2.84 feet below normal pool of 164.4. Despite a fairly wet summer, the water volume moving through this system declines this time of year.
“That’s not extremely low and, on Rayburn, that still gives you a lot of shallow cover to fish,” Combs said. “There are plenty of options here."
Combs said he’s noticed that Hurricane Laura ripped up some grass on the south end. But otherwise, the lake’s not showing any significant impacts from the recent tropical weather event.
After several weeks of daytime highs in the mid-90s, local temperatures will slip into the mid-80s. But with overnight lows only reaching into the low to mid-60s, Combs isn’t expecting a significant effect on the water temperatures.
“I don’t think we’re going to see a big uptick (in fish activity),” he said of the early season front. “The big cold fronts of fall are better, but we’re not going to see that in time for (the) event.”
Combs believes Rayburn’s abundant hydrilla, which currently grows out to about 9 feet, will be a big player. Flipping/punching jigs and Texas-rigged plastics will produce a lot of fish, but look for the early morning topwater bite to factor into the grass game.
“There’s also way more pads than we’ve had in the last six to eight years,” Combs said. “We had a resurgence last year; I’m glad to see them back. Frogging is definitely a good way to catch them in the pads. We also have a ton of peppergrass and you can catch them on frogs there, as well.”
Predicting a three-day winning total of 56 pounds, Combs said Rayburn’s famous offshore structure is sure to receive a lot of attention. From dropoffs to brushpiles, anglers fishing big Texas-rigged worms, Carolina rigs and deep-diving crankbaits will fare well.
“There’s also a lot of fish schooling in open water right now,” Combs said. “That’s what makes it so tough — you can’t really chase those fish around because they suspend.
“I think the entire lake will be in play. There will be guys catching them in creeks and rivers, there will be guys catching them out in the middle of the main lake from one end to the other. Who knows where it will be won.”
The tournament is the second of four events scheduled in the Central Division. At the end of the season, the Top 4 anglers from the Central and Eastern Divisions will receive automatic bids into the 2021 Bassmaster Elite Series. The Top 4 from the overall Opens standings will also receive bids, and the overall points winner will receive $10,000 as the Falcon Rods Opens Angler of the Year.
With fan interest at an all-time high and a stacked field of anglers that includes some of the sport’s biggest names, B.A.S.S. officials have expanded live coverage options on Bassmaster.com. Both boaters and co-anglers will be logging their catches using BASSTrakk for real-time updates. Fans can also follow the final-day drama by streaming Nationwide Bassmaster Opens LIVE presented by Grizzly as camera boats provide coverage of the leaders.
The tournament is being hosted by the Jasper-Lake Sam Rayburn Chamber of Commerce.
“Major League Fishing” Dominates the Competition and Stands Alone Among Bass Fishing Television Fans
DENVER (September 8, 2020) – Major League Fishing (MLF) has proved to be a dominating force with bass fishing fans, towering over competitive bass fishing programming on television by most ratings and viewership measurements. With fans seeking content on Outdoor Channel, Sportsman Channel, World Fishing Network and others, MLF eclipses competitive bass fishing programming on television and easily stands alone as cable’s most-watched fishing competition.
A person reaching for a fish while being filmed for television.
Description automatically generated“It’s clear to us, despite competitors’ claims to the contrary, that Major League Fishing is by far the pre-eminent viewing choice of bass fishing fans wanting to watch top-caliber competition on television,” Major League Fishing President and CEO Jim Wilburn stated. “Numbers don’t lie, and the ratings and viewership numbers back up our claims.”
With more than 1,300 combined hours of television coverage, Major League Fishing, which airs on cable partners: Outdoor Channel, Sportsman Channel, World Fishing Network, Discovery Channel and CBS Sports, has accounted for a staggering 86% of all viewership of competitive bass fishing programs on cable television during the past four quarters (Q3 2019 to Q2 2020).*
During the 2020 season, Major League Fishing has averaged 97,000 viewing households in just its anchor time period on Outdoor Channel, making it the top-rated show on the network for the fifth consecutive year, surpassing the average number of households that viewed its top competitor’s championship series on ESPN2 by +3%, despite its competitor benefitting from nearly triple the distribution.✝︎
Fans of Major League Fishing seek it out regardless of the network including World Fishing Network which is delivering +10% more households than its top competitor’s elite series on Pursuit Channel, despite having just one-seventh of the distribution.✦
For more information about Major League Fishing and Outdoor Sportsman Group Networks visit: www.MajorLeagueFishing.com and www.outdoorsg.com
Federal Signs as Sponsor of Major League Fishing
September 8, 2020 (Tulsa, Okla.) Major League Fishing (MLF) announced today that Federal Ammunition has signed on as sponsor of 2021 MLF Cups, which begins taping later this month. As the number one television program on Outdoor Channel for the last five years, the MLF Cups offer Federal an extensive reach with an invested outdoor audience. MLF Cups feature four, television-exclusive events, which premiere on Outdoor Channel January 2, 2021 and playout over 26 weeks through June.
“We are excited to welcome Federal to the MLF sponsor family,” said Jim Wilburn, MLF President and CEO. “As the number one show on Outdoor Channel, their sponsorship aligns the Federal ammo brand with the strongest fishing audience in television. Research shows that anglers hunt and shoot, which puts them in front of an audience of buyers each episode.”
“Federal is excited about partnering with Major League Fishing,” says Federal Ammunition’s Media Director Brian Kelvington. “Data shows us anglers and fans of the premiere bass fishing series are also hunters and shooters and this is a great opportunity for increased exposure to Federal Ammunition and our innovative products with this passionate audience.”
About the MLF Cups
The MLF Cups are the number one show in first and second quarters on Outdoor Channel since 2016. Each of four MLF Cups – Challenge Cup, Heritage Cup, Patriot Cup, and Summit Cup - feature 30 MLF Pro Anglers in a six-day event, filmed without fans and premiered on television exclusively. Competitors fish with no advance notice of the fishery and must make on-the-spot decisions to earn minimum daily weights to advance to the next Round. The 2021 MLF Cups will film in late 2020 and early 2021 and premiere January 3, 2021 on Outdoor Channel. Fans can set their DVR to record “Major League Fishing” or subscribe to MyOutdoorTV to catch all the action.
About Federal Ammunition
Federal, headquartered in Anoka, MN, is a brand of Vista Outdoor Inc., an outdoor sports and recreation company. From humble beginnings nestled among the lakes and woods of Minnesota, Federal Ammunition has evolved into one of the world's largest producers of sporting ammunition. Beginning in 1922, founding president, Charles L. Horn, paved the way for our success. Today, Federal carries on Horn's vision for quality products and service with the next generation of outdoorsmen and women. We maintain our position as experts in the science of ammunition production. Every day we manufacture products to enhance our customers' shooting experience while partnering with the conservation organizations that protect and support our outdoor heritage. We offer thousands of options in our Federal Premium and Federal® lines-it's what makes us the most complete ammunition company in the business and provides our customers with a choice no matter their pursuit. Federal ammunition can be found at dealers nationwide or purchased online direct from Federal. For more information on all products from Federal or to shop online, visit www.federalpremium.com.
3 things a southern angler has learned about northern smallmouth
Courtesy of Alan McGuckin - Dynamic Sponsorships
Caleb Sumrall lives in New Iberia, Louisiana about 30 minutes north of where Tabasco sauce was invented along the salty Gulf Coast shoreline. But his last three years as a Bassmaster Elite Series pro have given him an ample taste of northern smallmouth bass fishing.
He’s brought 305 pounds of the bronze bombers to the scales across eight smallmouth dominated events for an average finish of 43rd place.
Truth is, it’s been a love-hate relationship between Sumrall and northern smallmouth. He brought 23 pounds to the scales for the heaviest limit caught among all anglers on Friday at the 2019 St. Lawrence River event, but on Friday of the 2020 St. Clair tournament he managed just 11 pounds for what he called the worst smallmouth tournament day of his life.
Still, only a few minutes after weighing-in those 11 disappointing pounds, the gracious Carhartt pro was kind enough to share three things he’s learned the hard way about northern smallmouth.
1.) They are Not largemouth – “Northern smallmouth are strange animals. They behave totally different than largemouth and show totally different personalities from green fish. They have a temper. It’s like they wake up mad. And when they feel angling pressure, they become really temperamental and tough to catch,” says Sumrall.
2.) They don’t all live in deeper water – “Fans watching Elite Series tournaments at home on ESPN2 might think every smallmouth we catch up north is on a drop shot from deeper water, but that’s not true. I’ve caught a number of big smallmouths in less than 3-feet of water in the middle of summer on the St. Lawrence River,” he explains.
3.) They’ll disappear like ghost – “Smallmouth will leave you. They’re roamers. They get out and search for their food. So don’t fall in love with a school or location you found yesterday or last year. Get in the mindset that you need to be willing to move around and make the moves necessary to relocate them each day,” he warns.
Much like a plate full of boiled crawdads, you either crave ‘em -- or wouldn’t dare put one of the hot red mudbugs in your mouth. The same can be said for the often-temperamental northern smallmouth Sumrall is doing his best to understand and gain a taste for. Even though somedays they can burn you like a tongue full of hot sauce.
Wagoner’s Foster Wins Toyota Series Event on Fort Gibson Lake
Oklahoma Angler Wins by 14 Pound, 6-Ounce Margin, Earns $27,149
WAGONER, Okla. (Sept. 5, 2020) – Local angler Cameron Foster of Wagoner, Oklahoma, crossed the stage with five bass Friday weighing 15 pounds, 11 ounces to win the three-day Toyota Series at Fort Gibson Lake in Wagoner, Oklahoma. Foster’s three-day total of 15 bass weighing 56-11 earned him the win by a commanding 14-pound, 6-ounce over second-place angler Major League Fishing Bass Pro Tour angler Zack Birge of Blanchard, Oklahoma, and earned Foster the top payout of $27,149 in the second tournament of the 2020 Toyota Series Southwestern Division.
A person posing for the camera
Description automatically generatedThough Foster says he’s probably walked most, if not all, of the shoreline of Fort Gibson over the years, he chose to run up the Grand River to a single bend with brush piles, pea gravel and mud. Nearly all of his keeper fish came from that spot—one he had never fished before.
“I had been catching them on the lake [in practice],” Foster said. “But I knew 80 percent of the field was going to be fishing the lake, so I needed to find some different ways to get a big bite. I hadn’t seen a 4-pounder out here in weeks, but I had seen a lot of 3s. So, I knew if I could get 13 or 14 pounds in the boat and get a kicker fish that I would be alright, and that was my goal.”
Foster found the fateful honey hole the weekend before the tournament. He rolled up, shook about 20 fish off—including two big bites—then left.
“I didn’t know what was there,” he recounts. “Or if anything else was there.”
Now, he figures that hole is just about fished out after three days of pounding through tough conditions that left many experienced anglers in the field scratching their heads. While most of the field chased shallow fish with topwater baits, Foster enticed bass hugging the bottom with a 1/2-ounce Okeechobee craw Bass X football jig with a wire weed guard and a green pumpkin Strike King Rage Craw trailer.
Foster guessed that fish in the area see a lot of jigs with weed guards, but very few with the two-pronged wire version he utilized this week. That primary bait, along with a white, 1/2-ounce Z-Man ChatterBait with a white 3.8-inch Keitech Swing Impact FAT trailer did the majority of Foster’s damage throughout the event.
The spot was so productive that only four of Foster’s 15 keepers came outside of the bend.
For Foster, today’s FLW win is the culmination of years of work on the water and countless hours of studying off of it. And, it’s a double victory of sorts. In less than a month, he’ll finally start work at a dream job: a full-time position as a firefighter in the city of Muskogee, one that required a year of intense preparation, as well as EMT and firefighting classes. However, the job means Foster’s podium finish comes with a bittersweet price.
“I will be on probation for the next year, so I won’t be fishing a lot of multi-day tournaments,” said Foster. “After a year passes, I will be able to take off days and get back to fishing again.
“It’s a dream come true,” Foster said of the win, the job and getting it done this week on the lake that meant so much to him as a son of Wagoner.
The top 10 pros on Fort Gibson Lake finished:
1st: Cameron Foster of Wagoner, Okla., 15 bass, 56-11, $27,149
2nd: Zack Birge of Blanchard, Okla., 15 bass, 42-5, $10,490
3rd: Terry Hawkins of Corsicana, Texas, 15 bass, 42-1, $9,321
4th: Dakota Ebare of Denham Springs, La., 15 bass, 39-9, $6,767
5th: David Curtis of Trinity, Texas, 15 bass, 38-15, $6,091
6th: Brett Brumnett of Wagoner, Okla., 15 bass, 38-12, $5,414
7th: Kyle Cortiana of Coweta, Okla., 15 bass, 38-5, $4,737
8th: Jacopo Gallelli of Florence, Italy, 13 bass, 35-6, $4,060
9th: Darrel Robertson of Jay, Okla., 13 bass, 31-14, $3,384
10th: Blake Capps of Muskogee, Okla., 12 bass, 29-15, $2,707
A complete list of results can be found at FLWFishing.com.
Hawkins took home an extra $1,000 as the highest finishing FLW PHOENIX BONUS member. Boaters are eligible to win up to an extra $35,000 per event in each Toyota Series tournament if all requirements are met. More information on the FLW PHOENIX BONUS contingency program can be found at PhoenixBassBoats.com.
Spring, Texas’ Robert Kessler won the Co-angler Division Friday with a three-day total of 14 bass weighing 37 pounds, 5 ounces. Kessler took home the top prize package of a new Phoenix 518 Pro bass boat with a 115-horsepower outboard motor.
The top 10 co-anglers on Fort Gibson Lake finished:
1st: Robert Kessler of Spring, Texas, 14 bass, 37-5, Phoenix 518 Pro bass boat w/115-hp outboard
2nd: Monty Phillips of Eufaula, Okla., 13 bass, 35-5, $3,492
3rd: Joe Landers of Okemah, Okla., 11 bass, 30-10, $2,794
4th: Eli Brumnett of Wagoner, Okla., 13 bass, 29-14, $2,445
5th: David Lansford of Muskogee, Okla., 12 bass, 25-9, $2,095
6th: Brennon Sharp of Folsom, Calif., 11 bass, 25-4, $1,746
7th: Mitch Hawkins of Corsicana, Texas, nine bass, 24-10, $1,397
8th: Tate Brumnett of Wagoner, Okla., nine bass, 23-3, $1,222
9th: Donny Davis of Livingston, La., 10 bass, 20-8, $1,048
10th: Billy Eubanks of Bunch, Okla., eight bass, 19-12, $873
The Toyota Series at Fort Gibson Lake was hosted by the Wagoner Area Chamber of Commerce. It was the second of three regular-season tournaments in 2020 for Southwestern Division anglers. The next event for Toyota Series anglers will take place next weekend, Sept. 10-12 – the Toyota Series at the Potomac River in Marbury, Maryland. For a complete schedule, visit FLWFishing.com.
The 2020 Toyota Series consists of eight divisions – Central, Eastern, Northern, Plains, Southeastern, Southern, Southwestern and Western – each holding three regular-season events, along with the International division. Anglers who fish all three qualifiers in any of the eight divisions and finish in the top 25 will qualify for the no-entry-fee Toyota Series Championship for a shot at winning $235,000 cash, including a $35,000 FLW PHOENIX Bonus for qualified anglers. The winning co-angler at the championship earns a new Phoenix 518 Pro bass boat with a 115-horsepower outboard. The 2020 Toyota Series Championship will be held Dec. 3-5 on Lake Cumberland in Burnside, Kentucky, and is hosted by the Somerset Tourist & Convention Commission and the Burnside Tourism Commission.
For complete details and updated information visit FLWFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow the Toyota Series on FLW’s social media outlets at Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.
McCaig Wins Toyota Series Southeastern Division Finale on Neely Henry Lake
Alabama Boater Wins By 14-Ounce Margin, Takes Home $57K including FLW PHOENIX BONUS
GADSDEN, Ala. (Sept. 5, 2020) – Boater Mark McCaig of Oxford, Alabama, brought a five-bass limit to the scale Friday weighing 10 pounds, 3 ounces, to win the three-day Toyota Series at Neely Henry Lake in Gadsden, Alabama. McCaig’s three-day total of 15 bass weighing 33-12 earned him the win by a 14-ounce margin over second-place angler Kyle Glasgow of Guin, Alabama, and earned McCaig the top payout of $57,690, including the lucrative $35,000 FLW PHOENIX BONUS contingency award, in the third and final tournament of the 2020 Toyota Series Southeastern Division.
A picture containing person, holding, bus, sign
Description automatically generatedMcCaig said that he knew, from generation schedules, that current would not be present in Neely Henry until noon each day. With a check-in time of 2:30 during the tournament, that gave him just 2 hours of prime fishing time to work current related areas. The question became what to do with the other five hours.
“The thing I tried to be better about in this event was not going down the lake to those current spots too early,” McCaig said. “If I jumped the gun and ran them too early and they didn’t work, I might get frustrated too soon.”
Instead, McCaig decided to play a game of run and gun with his intuition early in the day, even fishing places where he's ever cast a lure before.
“I caught several fish this week in places I didn’t even know existed,” he said. “Anything I caught before noon was all a bonus.”
Several of those “bonus fish” came from skipping a SPRO Bronzeye Poppin' Frog up under overhanging bushes that were casting shade. Another bonus fish pattern was running and gunning docks, pitching a Big Bite Baits Fighting Frog. McCaig has several pet docks that he knows work when the current is running, but wanted to run docks he had never fished before in hopes of finding a pleasant surprise.
“For most of the mornings, I just junk fished, running shade with the floating frog and the Fighting Frog,” he says. “That helped get a few solid keepers in the boat before the current came on.”
Once the current started running, McCaig moved to more of his tried and true docks, rock points and shallow offshore sweet spots that collect current-driven debris like logs. He also switched to a square-bill crankbait to work the eddies formed by the debris.
“I caught most of my fish after noon in current,” he says. “But I would not have won the tournament without catching a few key fish early just running around junk fishing shade on places I have never been and that’s what feels good about this event.”
The top 10 pros on Neely Henry Lake finished:
1st: Mark McCaig of Oxford, Ala., 15 bass, 33-12, $57,690
2nd: Kyle Glasgow of Guin, Ala., 15 bass, 32-14, $8,265
3rd: Hunter Hayes of Gadsden, Ala., 15 bass, 28-13, $6,357
4th: Andrew Johnson of Glencoe, Ala., 14 bass, 28-4, $5,298
5th: Josh Butler of Hayden, Ala., 15 bass, 28-0, $4,768
6th: Derek Hicks of Rocky Face, Ga., 13 bass, 26-14, $4,238
7th: Clabion Johns of Social Circle, Ga., 13 bass, 26-12, $3,708
8th: Cal Lane of Guntersville, Ala., 14 bass, 22-5, $3,179
9th: Terry Tucker of Gadsden, Ala., 10 bass, 18-12, $2,649
10th: Scott Towry of Lawrenceburg, Tenn., 10 bass, 18-8, $2,119
A complete list of results can be found at FLWFishing.com.
McCaig took home an extra $35,000 as the highest finishing FLW PHOENIX BONUS member. Boaters are eligible to win up to an extra $35,000 per event in each Toyota Series tournament if all requirements are met. More information on the FLW PHOENIX BONUS contingency program can be found at PhoenixBassBoats.com.
Kyle Owen of Bradenton, Florida, won the Co-angler Division Friday with a three-day total of 13 bass weighing 23 pounds, 4 ounces. Owen took home the top prize package of a new Phoenix 518 Pro bass boat with a 115-horsepower outboard motor.
The top 10 co-anglers on Neely Henry Lake finished:
1st: Kyle Owen of Bradenton, Fla., 13 bass, 23-4, Phoenix 518 Pro bass boat w/115-hp outboard
2nd: Cal Culpepper of Hamilton, Ga., 12 bass, 19-14, $2,796
3rd: Joseph Chilcott of Crestview, Fla., 11 bass, 19-7, $2,236
4th: Doug Back of Monticello, Fla., 12 bass, 17-5, $1,957
5th: Blake Lewis of Pace, Fla., 13 bass, 17-3, $1,677
6th: Randy Hill of Athens, Fla., nine bass, 15-0, $1,398
7th: Marcus Corbett of Anniston, Ala., nine bass, 14-10, $1,118
8th: Brian Jones of Clanton, Ala., 10 bass, 14-3, $978
9th: Raymond Vargas of Hattiesburg, Miss., seven bass, 12-1, $839
10th: Michael Corbett of Oxford, Ala., seven bass, 11-5, $699
The Toyota Series at Neely Henry Lake was hosted by the City of Gadsden and Greater Gadsden Area Tourism. It was the third and final regular-season tournaments in 2020 for Southeastern Division anglers. The next event for Toyota Series anglers will take place next week, Sept. 10-12 – the Toyota Series at the Potomac River in Marbury, Maryland. For a complete schedule, visit FLWFishing.com.
The 2020 Toyota Series consists of eight divisions – Central, Eastern, Northern, Plains, Southeastern, Southern, Southwestern and Western – each holding three regular-season events, along with the International division. Anglers who fish all three qualifiers in any of the eight divisions and finish in the top 25 will qualify for the no-entry-fee Toyota Series Championship for a shot at winning $235,000 cash, including a $35,000 FLW PHOENIX Bonus for qualified anglers. The winning co-angler at the championship earns a new Phoenix 518 Pro bass boat with a 115-horsepower outboard. The 2020 Toyota Series Championship will be held Dec. 3-5 on Lake Cumberland in Burnside, Kentucky, and is hosted by the Somerset Tourist & Convention Commission and the Burnside Tourism Commission.
For complete details and updated information visit FLWFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow the Toyota Series on FLW’s social media outlets at Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.
Texas Team Trail Announces 2021 Schedule
Strong mix of popular venues for upcoming season
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (September 3, 2020) - The Texas Team Trail (TXTT) presented by Bass Pro Shops & Cabela's recently unveiled the schedule for the 2021 season, which includes stops at some of the most popular tournament bass lakes in the country.
The regular season will kick off February 20, 2021, at Sam Rayburn Reservoir - a favorite stop for many TXTT anglers. The following month, the TXTT will head to Amistad - a south Texas border reservoir known for producing big fish.
The third regular-season event has yet to be determined, but TXTT anglers should clear out their schedule for April 17. The regular season will wrap up on May 8 with a return to the famed Sam Rayburn.
The two-day, entry-fee championship will be hosted on June 5-6 with the location to be announced at a later date. The TXTT Lucas Oil Team of the Year will be decided at the championship event as well. The team that has accrued the highest amount of points from the regular-season and championship events will win paid entry fees for the 2022 TXTT season.
2021 TXTT scheduled events:
February 20 - Sam Rayburn
March 27 - Amistad
April 17 - TBD
May 8 - Sam Rayburn
Championship
June 5-6 - TBD
FOSTER DROPS 22-11 FOR FT. GIBSON LEAD
September 2, 2020
Courtesy of FLW Fishing by Joe Sills
Low waters and tough conditions didn’t stop local angler Cameron Foster from claiming the lead at the end of day one in the Toyota Series Southwestern Division event at Fort Gibson. The derby is the division’s first event since January of this year, and the Wagoner, Okla., native wasted no time in laying claim to his turf.
On a day where most of the field struggled to boat a limit, Foster punched a weigh-in ticket totaling 22 pounds, 11ounces, nearly 4 pounds ahead of second place Danny Weems of Como, Texas.
Foster’s bag was comprised of 4-plus-pound bass topped by a 6-0, so it’s understandable why he didn’t want to divulge too much information after the first round.
“I had that bag by 8:00 a.m.,” says Foster, who remained tight-lipped about his pattern of choice. “Mostly, I was fishing big swimbaits in a mixture of offshore and shallow water.”
In a field of struggling boats, Foster’s boat was on a roll. His co-angler, Charles Dubroc of Hessmer, La., finished the day second in that division with 14-3. “It’s been tough on everybody,” adds Foster. “We had no wind today or anything, so I knew it was going to be tougher on the lake. I fished for about six days straight. Every point, every cut, every pocket – everything on the lake just looking for something different. I found one little spot that I pulled up on Sunday, and it is about the size of the back of my truck. Sunday, I caught a 5- and 6- pounder on it. I thought I would start there and at 8:00 a.m. this morning I was done.
“I don’t know if I can repeat it,” he says. “My co-angler caught a 3 1/2 and a keeper and that was it. After that, we just left. I don’t know how many fish are in the area.”
Foster has yet to notch a top 10 FLW finish at the helm, but has notched several at the co-angler level. Foster’s monster bag under tough conditions elicited awe from other anglers in the field, one of whom was overheard saying, “I don’t know who you are, but I feel the urge to call you daddy. Nice haul, man.”
2. Danny Weems — Como, Texas — 18-8
Weems strolled across the weigh-in stage with a smile on his face, after bringing home a bag of 18-8.
“We whacked them today,” he says. “We had a great day. I pulled up to the first stop and didn’t have a lot of confidence in it, but it worked out. I hung out around mid-lake all day fishing two areas. They weren’t fish I found in practice. For me, today was another day of practice and I just found them.”
Weems and his co-angler had limits by 11:30 a.m., and spent the rest of the day culling as they unknowingly tried to close the gap between themselves and Foster. Asked how he was successfully targeting fish, Weems simply notes, “soft plastics.”
3. Bradley Hallman — Edmond, Okla. — 16-5
Hallman took an early lead in the standings with 16-5 and held on to third place as the final anglers took to the Toyota Series stage. For him, today’s result came down to flexibility.
“Just junk fishing,” Hallman says. “It ain’t easy out there, man. I caught them doing all kinds of different things. Practice was the same way. I was catching them for a while, but whenever the sun comes out it changes. I got fortunate today and got a couple of good bites. That’s all that happened.”
Hallman says he was throwing a 10-inch worm targeting big fish.
Hallman last found himself in the FLW winners circle with a 2018 Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit crown at Lake Lanier. This week, he’ll look to repeat history by making a surge to catch Foster at Fort Gibson.
4. David Curtis — Trinity, Texas — 15-12
Trinity, Texas angler David Curtis was culling by 11:00 a.m., and projected to be a top-10 finisher by mid-morning. Though he only caught seven keepers all day, their 15-12 total was enough to keep Curtis in contention as the event heads into day two. While most anglers focused on shallow water today, Curtis appeared to be one of a handful of anglers making time to examine areas in deeper water.
Curtis is no stranger to the podium, having netted more than $678,000 in winnings over the course of a 20-year run with FLW that includes 24 top-10 finishes dating back to 1999—most recently a second place score at this year’s Toyota Series event at Toledo Bend.
5. Dakota Ebare — Denham Springs, La. — 15-7
Fresh off of last week’s Tackle Warehouse TITLE Presented by Toyota at Sturgeon Bay, the Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit pro says he only had one day to practice for Fort Gibson. That meant a day filled with experimentation that ultimately rewarded Ebare with a 15-7 sack worthy of a top-five position after day one.
“I just got back from Sturgeon Bay,” says Ebare. “I went out hunting around today, trying to get a better feel for the lake. Tomorrow, I think they will be in the same places, but the weather is going to change and we will have to figure out how to catch them again.”
Top 10 pros
1. Cameron Foster – Wagoner, Okla. – 22-11 (5)
2. Danny Weems – Como, Texas – 18-8 (5)
3. Bradley Hallman – Edmond, Okla. – 16-5 (5)
4. David Curtis – Trinity, Texas – 15-12 (5)
5. Dakota Ebare – Denham Springs, La. – 15-7 (5)
6. Zack Birge – Blanchard, Okla. – 14-15 (5)
7. Terry Hawkins – Corsicana, Texas – 14-13 (5)
8. Blake Capps – Muskogee, Okla. – 14-5 (5)
9. Kyle Cortiana – Coweta, Okla. – 14-2 (5)
10. Cole Moore – Anacoco, La. – 13-14 (5)
Kessler leads co-anglers
Robert Kessler of Spring, Texas stands atop the co-angler leaderboard with a strong, 16-5 bag of bass. Kessler says he was fishing a squarebill crankbait and YUM Dinger while bringing in fish throughout the day. “It didn’t hurt to have a local pro with me as well,” the smiling Kessler adds.
That pro? Tommy Biffle, who operates a nearby power sports center and lives on the lake. Though Biffle wrapped the day with a 10-2 bag good for 31st, he was proud to note that his co-angler rose to the occasion. Asked if the lake’s unusually low water—some 4 feet below average levels—was impacting the fishing, Biffle notes, “I have seen it this low before, but not in a long, long time. Low water should make the fishing better here, but September is the toughest month to fish this lake.”
NIXON LEADS ON NEELY HENRY
September 2, 2020
Courtesy of FLW Fishing by Rob Newell
Day one of the Toyota Series Southeastern Division event on Neely Henry was about as grimy as can be, with only a handful of pros and co-anglers topping the 10-pound mark. In the lead on the pro side, Jason Nixon of Wetumpka, Ala., took the lead with 10 pounds, 14 ounces. Out of 58 pros fishing, only 31 limits were weighed in and 9 pounds, 2 ounces is the top-10 cut after the first day. Nixon already has two Phoenix Bass Fishing League wins under his belt on Neely Henry, and the Alabama pro is well in the hunt for his biggest win yet on the Coosa River fishery.
Stagnant water seems to be the culprit for the stagnant bite. Many pros said they saw very little water movement at both the top and bottom of Neely Henry today. Those industrious pros who went out of their way to secure tunnel hulls to run the rocky ravines of the lake’s tributary creeks all said the back ends of the creeks are chock full of mud from recent rains, yet not enough water is being pulled through the lake to “clear up” the back ends.
Nixon took the top spot on day one with a combo of four largemouths and one spotted bass.
Nixon found success in the main lake today fishing the kind of shallow willow grass he fishes on his home lake, Jordan Lake, which is just a few lakes down the Coosa River.
“This lake sets up a lot like my home lake,” Nixon says. “In fact, I like to come up here and fish the BFLs. This lake has actually been pretty good to me over the years. I’ve won two BFLs here. But this is the toughest I’ve ever seen it. I caught six keepers all day and the closest amount of time between any two fish was an hour. I caught one fish on a moving bait and the rest all came flipping the grass.”
Like others, Nixon notes there is very little current in the lake and the only positive is that the lake is full, which is helping position the fish in the grass.
“On this lake, when the water is coming up, the fish are moving up and when the water is going down, the fish are moving out,” he says. “The water has been coming up and it’s staying flush up in that grass, which should help bring some more fish up. But if they pull the plug and that water starts dropping, I don’t know what I’ll do. I’ve only got a few areas out on the main drag and I seined them pretty hard today. If that water drops, I might have to start from scratch tomorrow.”
2. Lavoyd Lemmond – Decatur, Ala. – 10-8 (5)
Fresh off a fifth-place finish at Wheeler Lake, Lavoyd Lemmond seems to shine when fishing is extra challenging. He has discovered a cure for the summertime fishing blues and he is making it work again. Today he found himself in second place at an even tougher Neely Henry Lake.
“I’m doing about like I did at Wheeler,” Lemmond says. “I’m going as far back in a creek as I can get, putting my head down and just fishing. I’m pitching a jig and a big worm to weeds and wood.”
Lavoyd’s weight today came in large part to a 4-pound, 5-ounce largemouth, which won the day’s big bass award. He also caught a 3-pound spotted bass.
“The big one hit a jig in a treetop at about 12:30,” he says. “When I got that one in the boat I breathed a huge sigh of relief because I knew as tough as the bite was, my day was made.”
3. Derek Hicks – Rocky Face, Ga. – 10 - 7 (5)
Derek Hicks towed his tunnel boat to Neely Henry to practice and after a couple days of fruitless returns, he towed it all the way back to Georgia and brought back his regular fiberglass bass boat for the tournament.
“I tried the tunnel hull deal here and it just didn’t work for me,” he says. “In some places the water was too low and in other places it was too muddy. Once I knew it wouldn’t do me any good, I decided to take it back and get my big boat and just fish in the main river. They’re not generating enough water to make that tunnel hull work for me.”
From his position in third place, Hicks’ decision looks to be a good one.
“I’ve got about a mile and a half stretch up the river that seems to be pretty productive,” he says. “I caught 12 keepers today and my co-angler did pretty well too. So, I’m going back for another dose tomorrow.”
4. Cal Lane – Guntersville, Ala. – 9-12 (5)
Cal Lane, son of former Bassmaster Classic winner Chris Lane, went on a junk-fishing tear down Neely Henry today and ended up in the fourth-place spot.
“Running, gunning and fishing what looks good to me is what I love to do and this lake seems to set up perfect for it,” Lane says. “We had perfect weather for that kind of junk fishing this morning – clouds, a little light rain and some wind – so I chased the wind down the lake with a topwater.”
“I was just fishing whatever looked good,” he continues. “Some of the places I fished today I’ve never seen before. I’d catch one on a stretch, crank up, run down the lake and find another stretch that looked right and fish it. By the end of the day, I ended up with five keepers and lost a great big one.”
Top 10 pros
1. Jason Nixon – Wetumpka, Ala. – 10-14 (5)
2. Lavoyd Lemmond – Decatur, Ala. – 10-8 (5)
3. Derek Hicks – Rocky Face, Ga. – 10-7 (5)
4. Cal Lane – Guntersville, Ala. – 9-12 (5)
5. Jeff Cannon – Douglasville, Ga. – 9-11 (5)
6. Terry Tucker – Gadsden, Ala. – 9-9 (5)
7. Hunter Hayes – Gadsden, Ala. – 9-7 (5)
8. Adam Brown – Rainbow City, Ala. – 9-4 (5)
8. Johnny McCombs – Morris, Ala. – 9-4 (5)
10. Lynn Johnson – Attalla, Ala. – 9-3 (5)
Chilcott leads co-anglers
Joseph Chilcott of Crestview, Fla., heads up the co-anglers on Neely Henry Lake with a five-bass limit weighing 10 pounds, 1 ounce.
Chilcott got a unique fishing experience today, getting to ride along with local pro Adam Brown of Rainbow City, Ala., in Brown’s custom-crafted tunnel hull boat. The pair got to do some shoal jumping in the tunnel hull and Chilcott was the beneficiary of some untapped fishing waters.
Potomac River Readies for Toyota Series Event
MARBURY, Md. (Sept. 2, 2020) – Marbury, Maryland is set to host an FLW bass-fishing tournament next week, Sept. 10-12, with the Toyota Series at the Potomac River event. Hosted by the Charles County Board of Commissioners, the three-day tournament will feature the region’s best bass-fishing pros and co-anglers casting for a top prize of up to $65,000, plus a $35,000 bonus if the winner is a qualified Phoenix Boat owner.
A group of people on a boat in the water
Description automatically generated“The river has been fishing pretty tough lately, but I think that by the time this tournament rolls around it will get much better,” said local boater Joseph Thompson of Coatesville, Pennsylvania, who has eight career top-10 finishes on the Potomac River in FLW competition. “The weather is stabilizing. We’ve had a lot of rain – the river is stained – and some stretches are muddier than others. However, it’s supposed to clear up in the coming days and with water temperatures dropping, I think all of that should really help the fishing.
“With the water getting cooler and cleaning up, I truly think we’re going to catch fish on a ton of different techniques,” Thompson continued. “We’ll catch fish in the grass. We’ll catch fish in the pads. On hard cover. If you go up north, you’ll catch both tides. It’s going to be wide open. So, the guy that goes out and fishes his strengths and doesn’t follow what the crowd is doing is going to be the guy that wins.”
Thompson said that he expects a lot of fish to be caught on various topwater baits like buzzbaits, frogs, and Pop-Rs, and moving baits like a swim jig or a ChatterBait.
“We’re going to really open up the arsenal and catch fish on a lot of different baits,” Thompson said. “Someone will get on them for three days. I think to make the top-10 cut to fish the final day, a guy will need a two-day total around 25 pounds. I predict the three-day overall winner will likely have 42 to 43 pounds.”
Anglers will take off daily at 7 a.m. EDT from Smallwood State Park at 2750 Sweden Point Road in Marbury. Weigh-ins will also be held at the State Park and will begin at 3 p.m. Attendance is limited to competing anglers and essential staff only. Fans are encouraged to follow the event online through the “FLW Live” weigh-in broadcasts and daily coverage at FLWFishing.com.
In Toyota Series regular-season competition, payouts are based on the number of participants competing in the event, scaling up for every 20 boats over 160 and scaling down for every boat below 160. With a 160-boat field, pros fish for a top prize of $40,000, plus an extra $35,000 if FLW PHOENIX BONUS qualified. Co-anglers cast for the top prize of a new Phoenix 518 Pro bass boat with a 115-horsepower outboard (valued at $33,500). With a 260-boat field, pros fish for a top award of $65,000, plus an extra $35,000 if FLW PHOENIX BONUS qualified. Co-anglers cast for the top prize of a new Phoenix 518 Pro bass boat with a 115-horsepower outboard (valued at $33,500) plus $5,000 cash.
The 2020 Toyota Series consists of eight divisions – Central, Eastern, Northern, Plains, Southeastern, Southern, Southwestern and Western – each holding three regular-season events, along with the International division. Anglers who fish all three qualifiers in any of the eight divisions and finish in the top 25 will qualify for the no-entry-fee Toyota Series Championship for a shot at winning $235,000 cash, including a $35,000 FLW PHOENIX Bonus for qualified anglers. The winning co-angler at the championship earns a new Phoenix 518 Pro bass boat with a 115-horsepower outboard. The 2020 Toyota Series Championship will be held Dec. 3-5 on Lake Cumberland in Burnside, Kentucky, and is hosted by the Somerset Tourist & Convention Commission and the Burnside Tourism Commission.
For complete details and updated information visit FLWFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow the Toyota Series on FLW’s social media outlets at Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.
Major League Fishing, FLW Announce 2021 Toyota Series Schedule
BENTON, Ky. (Sept. 1, 2020) – Major League Fishing (MLF) and FLW announced today the 2021 Toyota Series schedule, highlighted by a smaller Championship field while continuing to offer a $200,000 first-place payout and $10,000 bonuses to the highest-finishing pro from each division.
Anglers who finish in the top 25 in each division’s Angler of the Year (AOY) standings will qualify for the no-entry-fee Toyota Series Championship for a shot at winning $200,000 cash, plus lucrative contingency bonuses like the $35,000 FLW Phoenix bonus offered this season. The winning co-angler at the championship earns a $33,500 Phoenix 518 Pro bass boat (or comparable model) with a 115-horsepower Mercury outboard. The win-and-you’re-in format guarantees that anglers are never out of contention to qualify for the Championship – if they win a Toyota Series tournament, they will be on their way to the Championship along with the top 25 pros and co-anglers from each division.
“We’re really excited about the schedule for our Toyota Series anglers. We truly feel we’ve offered an exceptional lineup of fisheries at optimal times for competitive events with big fish,” said Kathy Fennel, FLW Executive Vice President and General Manager.
The 2021 Toyota Series will feature six divisions, which is down from eight in 2020 but up from five in 2019.
“Last year we aggressively expanded the Toyota Series from five divisions to eight based on demand from anglers and sponsors,” Fennel commented. “Coming off a difficult 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we will run six divisions in 2021 to ensure substantial and sustainable opportunities for anglers nationwide.”
The 2021 Toyota Series Championship field will be smaller due to the reduction in divisions, but the event will still feature $10,000 bonuses for the highest-finishing pro from each of the six U.S. Toyota Series divisions and the International division.
Toyota Series entry fees will remain the same at $1,700 pro and $550 co-angler per tournament and top payouts in each event remain $75,000 for pros, including a $35,000 FLW Phoenix Bonus, and a $33,500 Phoenix 518 Pro bass boat (or comparable model) with a 115-horsepower Mercury outboard for co-anglers. As field sizes increase, so do payouts, with top awards reaching $100,000, including a $35,000 FLW Phoenix Bonus, for pros and $33,500 Phoenix 518 Pro bass boat (or comparable model) with a 115-horsepower Mercury outboard plus $5,000 for co-anglers at 260 boats, with awards extending through 65th place. The Strike King Angler of the Year in each division receives $5,000 and the Co-angler of the Year in each division earns $2,000. Complete payout details are listed below.
Registration for the 2021 Toyota Series will open in early November. Rules and registration dates will be announced soon.
For complete details and updated information visit FLWFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow the Toyota Series on FLW’s social media outlets at Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.
2021 Toyota Series Schedule:
Central Division
Feb. 16-18* Lake Guntersville – Guntersville, Ala., hosted by Marshall County CVB
March 31-April 2** Dale Hollow Lake – Byrdstown, Tenn., hosted by Byrdstown-Pickett County COC
May 20-22 Lake Chickamauga – Dayton, Tenn., hosted by Fish Dayton-Rhea Economic Tourism Council
Northern Division
July 15-17 Lake Champlain – Plattsburgh, N.Y., hosted by City of Plattsburgh & Adirondack Coast Visitors Bureau
Aug. 26-28 St. Lawrence River – Massena, N.Y., hosted by Town of Massena
Sept. 16-18 Potomac River – Marbury, Md., hosted by Charles County Board of Commissioners
Plains Division
March 4-6 Lake of the Ozarks – Osage Beach, Mo., hosted by Tri-County Lodging Association
April 8-10 Grand Lake – Grove, Okla., hosted by City of Grove & Grove Convention & Tourism Bureau
May 6-8 Lake Dardanelle – Russellville, Ark, hosted by Russellville Advertising & Promotion Commission
Southern Division
Feb. 4-6 Lake Toho – Kissimmee, Fla., hosted by Experience Kissimmee-Kissimmee Sports Commission
March 16-18* Harris Chain of Lakes– Leesburg, Fla., hosted by Visit Lake
May 6-8 Lake Seminole – Bainbridge, Ga., hosted by Bainbridge CVB
Southwestern Division
Jan. 28-30 Sam Rayburn Reservoir – Brookeland, Texas, hosted by Jasper-Lake Sam Rayburn COC
March 25-27 Lake Texoma – Durant, Okla. & Madill, Okla., hosted by Discover Durant, Marshall County Chamber & Choctaw Nation Tourism
April 28-30** Sam Rayburn Reservoir – Brookeland, Texas, hosted by Jasper-Lake Sam Rayburn COC
Western Division
Jan. 28-30 Lake Shasta – Redding, Calif., hosted by Redding CVB
May 13-15 California Delta – Oakley, Calif., hosted by City of Oakley
Sept. 23-25 Clear Lake – Lakeport, Calif., hosted by TBD
Toyota Series Championship
TBA Watch FLWFishing.com for details
* Tuesday – Thursday event
** Wednesday – Friday event
2021 Toyota Series Payouts:
Qualifying Event:
Place Pro FLW Phoenix Bonus * Co-angler
1 $40,000 $35,000 $33,500 Phoenix 518 Pro bass boat
(or comparable model), 115 HP Outboard
2 15,500 5,000
3 12,000 4,000
4 10,000 3,500
5 9,000 3,000
6 8,000 2,500
7 7,000 2,000
8 6,000 1,750
9 5,000 1,500
10 4,000 1,250
11 3,750 1,000
12 3,500 1,000
13-15 3,000 1,000
16-20 3,000 800
21-25 2,750 700
26-30 2,500 600
31-40 2,000 550
Berkley Big Bass 300 200
Entry Fee $1,700 $550
Payback is based on the number of paid entries for each tournament, scaling up for every 20 boats over 160 and scaling down for every boat below 160.
Toyota Series Championship:
Place Pro FLW Phoenix Bonus* Co-angler
1 $200,000 $35,000 $33,500 Phoenix 518 Pro bass boat
(or comparable model), 115 HP Outboard
2 40,000 12,500
3 30,000 10,000
4 25,000 7,500
5 20,000 5,000
6 14,000 4,000
7 13,000 3,500
8 12,000 3,000
9 11,000 2,500
10 10,000 2,000
11-15 4,500 1,500
16-20 3,500 1,000
21-25 3,000 900
26-30 2,500 800
31-40 2,000 700
Central Bonus 10,000
Northern Bonus 10,000
Plains Bonus 10,000
Southern Bonus 10,000
Southwestern Bonus 10,000
Western Bonus 10,000
International Bonus 10,000
* FLW Phoenix Bonus listed is based on 2020 awards. Final 2021 FLW Phoenix Bonus payouts will be set by Phoenix Boats.
Payback is based on an average of 160 boats in qualifying tournaments.
Strike King Angler of the Year:
- $5,000 in each division
Co-angler of the Year:
- $2,000 in each division
Flat Worms, Smallmouth Hair, and Toyota Bonus Bucks for John Cox
Courtesy of Alan McGuckin - Dynamic Sponsorships
In a sport filled with ever-changing variables, John Cox, whose current momentum is hotter than Friday night fish fry grease, knows two things for certain – smallmouth bass eat Berkley PowerBait Maxscent worms, and it absolutely pays to register for Toyota Bonus Bucks.
In fact, his wife Melissa will tell you about the goodness of Bonus Bucks too. “It’s a great program, it’s my job to make sure we get the registration paperwork filled-out, and track whether we won the Bonus Bucks following each event,” she said with a grateful smile, despite their disappointing third place finish after her husband lead the Bassmaster Elite Series’ first three competition days at Lake St. Clair.
For a family that had just missed-out on the $100,000 top prize, you could not have asked for a more pleasant and appreciative family than Cox’s crew immediately following St. Clair’s conclusion. John was even cool enough to take off his hat for the family photo and have a little fun with what Bassmaster emcee Dave Mercer calls “Smallmouth hair don’t care!”
“Not only did owning a Tundra pay us the Bonus Bucks at St. Clair, but the awesome power of this Tundra was appreciated big-time this week when towing my Crestliner in and out of all the aggressive Detroit area traffic,” said Cox. “I’ve got 102,000 miles on this Tundra and I absolutely love it. The Bonus Bucks program definitely helps make a ton of truck payments.”
And with that conclusive statement of appreciation, the young family from DeBary, Florida climbed back in the Tundra and headed nine hours to the next tournament in Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin – where in continued red hot fashion – you guessed it -- Cox took the early tournament lead using a Berkley PowerBait Maxscent Flat Worm before finishing third, and collecting yet another Bonus Bucks check.
Much like the Cox family, you too can cash-in on Toyota Bonus Bucks. You just have to own or lease a 2016 or newer Toyota Truck, sign up free for Bonus Bucks, and be the highest finishing registered participant in one of the hundreds of tournaments supported by the Program. To learn more, please visit www.toyotafishing.com.
La Crosse Angler Mike Brueggen Wins Phoenix Bass Fishing League Event on Mississippi River
LA CROSSE, Wis. (Aug. 31, 2020) – Boater Mike Brueggen of La Crosse, Wisconsin, brought five bass to the stage weighing 15 pounds, 1 ounce Saturday to win the Phoenix Bass Fishing League presented by T-H Marine event on the Mississippi River in La Crosse, Wisconsin. For his victory, Brueggen earned $3,804.
“The key for me was that I found a couple of eelgrass lines while practicing on Tuesday,” said Brueggen, who earned his seventh career BFL victory – second this season. “It was way better grass than what I’ve been finding, and it did it for me today.
“I was fishing in the bootom of Pool 7 and the middle of Pool 8,” Brueggen continued. “I caught them all on a swimjig, a frog and a buzzbait.”
The top 10 boaters finished the tournament:
1st: Mike Brueggen of La Crosse, Wis., five bass, 15-1, $3,804
2nd: Chris Welch of Fall River, Wis., five bass, 14-12, $1,584
2nd: Kyle Von Ruden of Stoddard, Wis., five bass, 14-12, $1,584
4th: Edward Elkins of Pacific, Mo., five bass, 14-2, $888
5th: Anthony Getchell of Menominee, Mich., five bass, 13-8, $761
6th: Cade Laufenberg of Onalaska, Wis., five bass, 12-15, $697
7th: Steve Huegerich of Coon Rapids, Iowa, five bass, 12-14, $634
8th: Jeremy Nokken of La Crosse, Wis., five bass, 12-11, $539
8th: Bill Frisk of West Salem, Wis., five bass, 12-11, $1,044
10th: Mike Gabel of Saint Charles, Ill., five bass, 12-10, $644
Complete results can be found at FLWFishing.com.
Frisk won the day’s Boater Big Bass Award of $505 with a 4-pound, 3-ounce bass.
Ruh was the highest-finishing FLW PHOENIX BONUS member and took home an extra $500. Boaters are eligible to win up to an extra $7,000 per event in each Phoenix Bass Fishing League presented by T-H Marine tournament if all requirements are met. More information on the FLW PHOENIX BONUS contingency program can be found at PhoenixBassBoats.com.
Al Kjos of La Crosse, Wisconsin, won the Co-angler Division and $1,902 Saturday after catching five bass weighing 13 pounds, 14 ounces.
The top 10 co-anglers finished as follows:
1st: Al Kjos of La Crosse, Wis., five bass, 13-14, $1,902
2nd: Mike Fischer of Stacy, Minn., five bass, 13-0, $951
3rd: John Grabel of Trivoli, Ill., five bass, 12-13, $634
3rd: Dylan Fisher of La Crosse, Wis., five bass, 12-5, $444
5th: Shawn Overton of Coal Valley, Ill., five bass, 11-6, $380
6th: Carter Wijangco of Naperville, Ill., five bass, 11-5, $333
7th: Bradley Thacher of Preston, Minn., five bass, 11-5, $333
8th: Jordan Borgmann of Mount Vernon, Ill., four bass, 10-0, $285
9th: Jason Kushlan of Braham, Minn., four bass, 9-14, $956
10th: Larry Litchfield of Macomb, Ill., five bass, 9-13, $222
Kushlan caught the largest bass in the Co-angler Division, weighing in at 3 pounds, 13 ounces, to win Co-angler Big Bass award of $252.
The 2020 Phoenix Bass Fishing League presented by T-H Marine on the Mississippi River in La Crosse, Wisconsin, was hosted by the La Crosse County Convention & Visitors Bureau. It was the fourth of five qualifying tournaments in the Great Lakes division.
The top 45 boaters and co-anglers in the Great Lakes Division based on point standings, along with the five winners of each qualifying event, will be entered in the Oct. 22-24 Phoenix Bass Fishing League Regional Championship on Table Rock Lake in Branson, Missouri, hosted by ExploreBranson.com. Boaters will compete for a $60,000 prize package, including a new Phoenix 819 Pro bass boat with a 200-horsepower Mercury outboard and $10,000, while co-anglers will fish for a new 18-foot Phoenix bass boat with a 200-horsepower outboard.
The 2020 Phoenix Bass Fishing League presented by T-H Marine is a 24-division circuit devoted to weekend anglers, with 128 tournaments throughout the season, five qualifying events in each division. The top 45 boaters and co-anglers from each division, along with the five winners of the qualifying events, will advance to one of six 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 Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American.
The 2020 Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American will be held Nov. 11-13 at Lake Hartwell in Anderson, South Carolina and is hosted by Visit Anderson. The top 45 boaters and co-anglers plus tournament winners from each Phoenix Bass Fishing League division earn priority entry into the FLW Series, the pathway to the FLW Pro Circuit and ultimately the MLF Bass Pro Tour, where top pros compete with no entry fees.
For complete details and updated information visit FLWFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow the Phoenix Bass Fishing League presented by T-H Marine on FLW’s social media outlets at Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.
Waverly’s Stephens Wins Two-Day Phoenix Bass Fishing League Event at Lake Erie
Saint Paris’ Wilt Wins Co-angler Division
SANDUSKY, Ohio (Aug. 31, 2020) – Boater Whitney Stephens of Waverly, Ohio, brought a two-day total of 10 bass to the scale over the weekend weighing 29 pounds even to win the Phoenix Bass Fishing League presented by T-H Marine Buckeye Division Super-Tournament event on Lake Erie. For his victory, Stephens earned a total of $6,011.
The tournament was the fifth and final qualifying event in the 2020 Buckeye Division presented by A.R.E. Truck Caps.
According to post-tournament reports Stephens caught his winning fish on the north end of Sandusky Bay, flipping an unnamed creature bait.
The top 10 boaters finished the tournament as follows:
1st: Whitney Stephens of Waverly, Ohio, 10 bass, 29-0, $6,011
2nd: Chris Martinkovic of Hamilton, Ohio, 10 bass, 28-3, $3,706
3rd: Allex Conner of Delaware, Ohio, nine bass, 25-12, $2,002
4th: Dick Shaffer of Rockford, Ohio, 10 bass, 25-4, $1,403
5th: Seth Fricke of Hamilton, Ohio, 10 bass, 25-4, $1,202
6th: Brian Campbell of Oxford, Ohio, 10 bass, 24-12, $1,102
6th: Scott Manson of Covington, Ohio, 10 bass, 23-10, $1,002
8th: Kevin Spears of New Boston, Ohio, nine bass, 22-7, $902
9th: Michael Nesbitt of Saint Paris, Ohio, eight bass, 21-11, $802
10th: John Barnett of Huntsville, Ohio, nine bass, 21-2, $701
Complete results can be found at FLWFishing.com.
David Spivey of Hamilton, Ohio, brought a 5-pound, 4-ounce bass to the scale to claim the Boater Big Bass Award of $825.
Zachary Wilt of Saint Paris, Ohio, won the Co-angler Division and $3,006 after catching eight bass weighing 21 pounds, 1 ounce.
The top 10 co-anglers finished as follows:
1st: Zachary Wilt of Saint Paris, Ohio, eight bass, 21-1, $3,006
2nd: Derrick Sadlowski of Steubenville, Ohio, eight bass, 21-0, $1,503
3rd: James Ross of Akron, Ohio, seven bass, 19-14, $1,004
4th: Ron Weisenburger of Continental, Ohio, eight bass, 18-8, $701
5th: Ryan Zwick of Oxford, Ohio, seven bass, 18-3, $601
6th: Rob Webber of Elyria, Ohio, eight bass, 16-13, $551
7th: Evan Eldred of Gaines, Mich., seven bass, 16-12, $501
8th: Steve Sorrell of Beavercreek, Ohio, five bass, 14-11, $451
9th: Jordon Smith of Middletown, Ohio, six bass, 14-5, $401
10th: Don Ward of Loveland, Ohio, six bass, 13-15, $351
Ken Barker of Middletown, Ohio, caught the largest bass in the Co-angler Division, weighing in at 4 pounds, 2 ounces. The catch earned him the Co-angler Big Bass award of $412.
Now the top 45 boaters and co-anglers in the Buckeye Division presented by A.R.E. Truck Caps based on point standings, along with the five winners of each qualifying event, advance to the Oct. 16-18 Phoenix Bass Fishing League Regional Championship on Cherokee Lake in Jefferson City, Tennessee, hosted by the Jefferson County Chamber of Commerce. Boaters will compete for a $60,000 prize package, including a new Phoenix 819 Pro bass boat with a 200-horsepower Mercury outboard and $10,000, while co-anglers will fish for a new 18-foot Phoenix bass boat with a 200-horsepower outboard.
The 2020 Phoenix Bass Fishing League presented by T-H Marine is a 24-division circuit devoted to weekend anglers, with 128 tournaments throughout the season, five qualifying events in each division. The top 45 boaters and co-anglers from each division, along with the five winners of the qualifying events, will advance to one of six 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 Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American.
The 2020 Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American will be held Nov. 11-13 at Lake Hartwell in Anderson, South Carolina and is hosted by Visit Anderson. The top 45 boaters and co-anglers plus tournament winners from each Phoenix Bass Fishing League division earn priority entry into the FLW Series, the pathway to the FLW Pro Circuit and ultimately the MLF Bass Pro Tour, where top pros compete with no entry fees.
For complete details and updated information visit FLWFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow the Phoenix Bass Fishing League presented by T-H Marine on FLW’s social media outlets at Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.
Virginia’s Daves Win at Two-Day Phoenix Bass Fishing League Event on Potomac River
MARBURY, Md. (Aug. 31, 2020) – Boater Chris Daves of Spring Grove, Virginia, brought a two-day total of 10 bass weighing 26 pounds, 2 ounces to win the Phoenix Bass Fishing League presented by T-H Marine Shenandoah Division Super-Tournament on the Potomac River. Daves earned a total of $5,197 for his victory.
The tournament was the fifth and final qualifying event of 2020 in the Shenandoah Division presented by A.R.E. Truck Caps.
“I know these (BFL) wins are few and far between, so it feels great to get a win this weekend,” said Daves, who earned his fourth career win in FLW competition. “It was fairly easy fishing on Friday, but it got very tough on Saturday. The key was just keeping my head down, chunking and winding, and fishing hard.
“I caught them all out of grass in about three feet of water,” Daves continued. “My key bait was a green-pumpkin-colored Zoom Speed Worm.”
The top 10 boaters finished the tournament as follows:
1st: Chris Daves of Spring Grove, Va., 10 bass, 26-2, $5,197
2nd: Ryan Powroznik of Hopewell, Va., 10 bass, 25-12, $2,598
3rd: Otis Darnell of Linden, Va., nine bass, 25-5, $1,733
4th: Rick Chenoweth of Fredericksburg, Va., 10 bass, 25-4, $1,213
5th: Danny Shanz of Summerton, S.C., 10 bass, 24-13, $1,039
6th: John Duarte of Middle River, Md., eight bass, 21-3, $1,605
7th: Robert Grike of Dumfries, Va., nine bass, 19-6, $866
8th: Bryan Elrod of Mechanicsville, Va., eight bass, 19-4, $780
9th: Tom Bateman of Welcome, Md., eight bass, 18-1, $693
10th: Carlton Owens of Franklin, Va., eight bass, 17-1, $606
Complete results can be found at FLWFishing.com.
Duarte earned the day’s $652 Boater Big Bass award with a 6-pound, 11-ounce largemouth.
Robert Wedding of Welcome, Maryland, earned the win in the Co-angler Division Saturday after catching a two-day total of 10 bass weighing 19 pounds, 9 ounces. Wedding earned $2,599 for his victory.
The top 10 co-anglers finished as follows:
1st: Robert Wedding of Welcome, Md., 10 bass, 19-9, $2,599
2nd: Michael Nelms of Hartwood, Va., eight bass, 18-2, $1,299
3rd: Lazarus Durham of Dumfries, Va., seven bass, 16-13, $867
4th: Troy Pipkin of Sterling, Va., seven bass, 13-4, $606
5th: Matt McCluskey of Ashburn. Va., seven bass, 13-0, $520
6th: Josh Hale of Roanoke, Va., five bass, 12-4, $476
7th: William Lisenby of Centreville, Va., five bass, 12-0, $759
8th: John Poos of Manassas, Va., four bass, 11-11, $390
9th: John Castro of Lorton, Va., six bass, 10-11, $346
10th: Austin Burdette of Pembroke, Va., six bass, 9-11, $303
Lisenby caught the largest bass in the Co-angler Division, a fish weighing in at 5 pounds 10 ounces. The catch earned him the day’s Co-angler Big Bass award of $326.
The Phoenix Bass Fishing League presented by T-H Marine Super-Tournament on the Potomac River was hosted by the Charles County Board of Commissioners.
Now the top 45 boaters and co-anglers in the Shenandoah Division presented by A.R.E. based on point standings, along with the five winners of each qualifying event, advance to the Oct. 8-10 Bass Fishing League Regional Championship on the James River in Richmond, Virginia, hosted by Richmond Region Tourism. Boaters will compete for a $60,000 prize package, including a new Phoenix 819 Pro bass boat with a 200-horsepower Mercury outboard and $10,000, while co-anglers will fish for a new 18-foot Phoenix bass boat with a 200-horsepower outboard.
The 2020 Phoenix Bass Fishing League presented by T-H Marine is a 24-division circuit devoted to weekend anglers, with 128 tournaments throughout the season, five qualifying events in each division. The top 45 boaters and co-anglers from each division, along with the five winners of the qualifying events, will advance to one of six 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 Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American.
The 2020 Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American will be held Nov. 11-13 at Lake Hartwell in Anderson, South Carolina and is hosted by Visit Anderson. The top 45 boaters and co-anglers plus tournament winners from each Phoenix Bass Fishing League division earn priority entry into the FLW Series, the pathway to the FLW Pro Circuit and ultimately the MLF Bass Pro Tour, where top pros compete with no entry fees.
For complete details and updated information visit FLWFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow the Phoenix Bass Fishing League presented by T-H Marine on FLW’s social media outlets at Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.
Hayden’s Butler Wins Two-Day Phoenix Bass Fishing League Event presented by Fish-Intel on Lake Guntersville
GUNTERSVILLE, Ala. (Aug. 31, 2020) – Boater Josh Butler of Hayden, Alabama, brought a two-day total of 10 bass to the scale this weekend weighing 32 pounds, 3 ounces to win the Phoenix Bass Fishing League presented by T-H Marine Choo Choo Division Super-Tournament at Lake Guntersville presented by Fish-Intel. Butler earned a total of $15,533 for his victory, including the lucrative $7,000 FLW PHOENIX BONUS contingency award.
“Of the 10 fish that I weighed in, I caught them on probably six different baits,” said Butler, who earned his first career victory in FLW competition. “I had a smorgasbord. I caught them on a crankbait, a spoon, a drop-shot rig, a shaky-head rig and a swimbait. Total junk fishing.”
Butler said that he fished down-lake, covering 8 to 10 different spots from the State Park down to the dam.
“I caught them all out deep, 18 to 25 foot,” Butler said. “That’s how I love to fish – I live and die out deep. I’ve been so close in the past – a couple of top-3 finishes, a bunch of top-5s, so I’m so glad to finally get the monkey off my back and earn a win.”
The top 10 boaters finished the tournament as follows:
1st: Josh Butler of Hayden, Ala., 10 bass, 32-3, $15,533
2nd: Rusty Cooper of Gurley, Ala., 10 bass, 31-13, $3,766
3rd: Jay Fagan of Lebanon, Tenn., 10 bass, 30-14, $2,510
4th: Kyle Pridgen of Panama City, Fla., 10 bass, 30-6, $1,758
5th: Ryan Salzman of Huntsville, Ala., 10 bass, 29-12, $2,669
6th: Jordan Wiggins of Cullman, Ala., 10 bass, 29-11, $1,381
7th: Ethan Franklin of Empire, Ala., nine bass, 29-9, $1,255
8th: Derek Remitz of Grant, Ala., 10 bass, 28-5, $1,130
9th: Jim Leary of Guntersville, Ala., 10 bass, 28-4, $1,004
10th: Jeff Cannon of Douglasville, Ga., 10 bass, 27-14, $879
Complete results can be found at FLWFishing.com.
Salzman brought a 7-pound, 10-ounce largemouth bass to the scale to win the Boater Big Bass award of $1,162.
Butler took home an extra $7,000 as the highest finishing FLW PHOENIX BONUS member. Boaters are eligible to win up to an extra $7,000 per event in each Phoenix Bass Fishing League presented by T-H Marine tournament if all requirements are met. More information on the FLW PHOENIX BONUS contingency program can be found at PhoenixBassBoats.com.
Benjamin Fouts of Morehead, Kentucky, won the Co-angler Division and $3,766 Saturday after catching a two-day total of nine bass weighing 23 pounds, 10 ounces.
The top 10 co-anglers finished as follows:
1st: Benjamin Fouts of Morehead, Ky., nine bass, 23-10, $3,766
2nd: Hayden O’Barr of Gurley, Ala., 10 bass, 21-10, $2,383
3rd: Luke Mason of Somerville, Ala., eight bass, 21-9, $1,255
4th: Bryce Morrison of Collierville, Tenn., seven bass, 20-9, $879
5th: Gage Tankersley of Dayton, Tenn., eight bass, 19-8, $753
6th: Robert Barnett of Flintstone, Ga., eight bass, 18-11, $691
7th: Reese Petitti of Birmingham, Ala., seven bass, 17-10, $628
8th: Kevin Lankford of Hollywood, Ala., seven bass, 17-2, $565
9th: Jake Stines of Plant City, Fla., seven bass, 15-15, $502
10th: Randy Hill of Athens, Ala., seven bass, 15-12, $439
Jon Lawson of Cartersville, Georgia, caught the largest bass in the Co-angler Division, a fish weighing in at 5 pounds, 12 ounces. The catch earned him the Co-angler Big Bass award and added $581 to his winnings.
The 2020 Phoenix Bass Fishing League presented by T-H Marine Super-Tournament on Lake Guntersville presented by Fish-Intel was hosted by the Marshall County Convention & Visitors Bureau. It was the fifth and final qualifying event in the 2020 Choo Choo Division.
Now the top 45 boaters and co-anglers in the Choo Choo Division based on point standings, along with the five winners of each qualifying event, will advance to the Oct. 16-18 Bass Fishing League Regional Championship on Lake Cherokee in Jefferson City, Tennessee, hosted by the Jefferson County Chamber of Commerce. Boaters will compete for a $60,000 prize package, including a new Phoenix 819 Pro bass boat with a 200-horsepower Mercury outboard and $10,000, while co-anglers will fish for a new 18-foot Phoenix bass boat with a 200-horsepower outboard.
The 2020 Phoenix Bass Fishing League presented by T-H Marine is a 24-division circuit devoted to weekend anglers, with 128 tournaments throughout the season, five qualifying events in each division. The top 45 boaters and co-anglers from each division, along with the five winners of the qualifying events, will advance to one of six 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 Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American.
The 2020 Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American will be held April 30 through May 2 at Lake Hartwell in Anderson, South Carolina and is hosted by Visit Anderson. The top 45 boaters and co-anglers plus tournament winners from each Phoenix Bass Fishing League division earn priority entry into the FLW Series, the pathway to the FLW Pro Circuit and ultimately the MLF Bass Pro Tour, where top pros compete with no entry fees.
For complete details and updated information visit FLWFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow the Phoenix Bass Fishing League presented by T-H Marine on FLW’s social media outlets at Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.
New York’s Leadbeater Wins Two-Day Phoenix Bass Fishing League event on Chesapeake Bay
NORTH EAST, Md. (Aug. 31, 2020) Boater Richard Leadbeater of Haddon Heights, New York, brought a two-day total of 10 bass to the scale weighing 32 pounds, 10 ounces to win the Phoenix Bass Fishing League presented by T-H Marine Northeast Division Super-Tournament at the Chesapeake Bay. For his victory, Leadbeater earned $4,122 for his efforts.
“I’m so pumped – this feels unreal,” said Leadbetter, who was fishing in his first career event as a BFL boater. “I was fishing on the south end of a big grass flat, for the most part. I also mixed in a little bit of backwater fishing.
“Timing the tide was really the key,” Leadbetter continued. “I made some good adjustments throughout the day – knowing when the time was right to get out of certain areas and into others.”
Leadbetter said that he caught his fish on a Z-Man Evergreen ChatterBait Jack Hammer and a War Eagle spinnerbait.
The top 10 boaters finished the tournament as follows:
1st: Richard Leadbeater of Haddon Heights, N.Y, 10 bass, 32-10, $4,122
2nd: Zachary Page of Smyrna, Del., 10 bass, 24-4, $2,061
3rd: Harry Nurk of Elkton, Md., eight bass, 24-2, $1,374
4th: Luke Shrader of Barrington, N.J., 10 bass, 23-3, $962
5th: Marcus Griffin of Northeast, Md., seven bass, 19-0, $824
6th: Anthony Cicero III of Elizabethtown, Pa., seven bass, 18-15, $756
7th: Steven Wiseman of Bryans Road, Md., seven bass, 18-13, $687
8th: Barton Wines of Marshall, Va., seven bass, 18-8, $618
9th: Al Fiorille of Mount Airy, Md., nine bass, 18-1, $550
10th: Ryan Bauman of Fleetwood, Pa., six bass, 18-0, $938
Complete results can be found at FLWFishing.com.
Bauman earned the day’s $457 Boater Big Bass award with a 6-pound, 1-ounce bass.
Joseph Thompson of Coatesville, Pennsylvania, took home an extra $500 as the highest finishing FLW PHOENIX BONUS member. Boaters are eligible to win up to an extra $7,000 per event in each Phoenix Bass Fishing League presented by T-H Marine tournament if all requirements are met. More information on the FLW PHOENIX BONUS contingency program can be found at PhoenixBassBoats.com.
Moo Bae of West Friendship, Maryland, earned the win in the Co-angler Division Saturday after catching a two-day total of six bass weighing 15 pounds, 8 ounces. Bae earned $2,061 for his victory.
The top 10 co-anglers finished as follows:
1st: Moo Bae of West Friendship, Md., six bass, 15-8, $2,061
2nd: Henry McKee of Haddon Heights, N.J., six bass, 14-10, $1,260
3rd: Adam Simpson of Gaithersburg, Md., four bass, 10-7, $686
4th: Tim Nichols of Pittsgrove, N.J., four bass, 9-9, $481
5th: Kenny Ibberson of Lindenwold, N.J., three bass, 8-7, $412
6th: Travis Miller of Colchester, Conn., two bass, 7-3, $578
7th: Chris Sanno of Landisburg, Pa., two bass, 6-4, $344
8th: Chad McDonald of Berkeley Springs, W. Va., three bass, 6-0, $309
9th: Fred Serge of Lamberville, N.J., two bass, 5-4, $275
10th: Aaron Wilkie of North Bennington, Vt., two bass, 4-7, $740
McKee earned the event’s Co-angler Big Bass Award of $229 with, a fish weighing in at 5 pounds even.
The 2020 Phoenix Bass Fishing League presented by T-H Marine on the Chesapeake Bay was the fifth and final qualifying event in the 2020 Northeast Division.
Now the top 45 boaters and co-anglers in the Northeast Division based on point standings, along with the five winners of each qualifying event, will advance to the Oct. 8-10 Phoenix Bass Fishing League Regional Championship on the James River in Richmond, Virginia, hosted by Richmond Region Tourism. Boaters will compete for a $60,000 prize package, including a new Phoenix 819 Pro bass boat with a 200-horsepower Mercury outboard and $10,000, while co-anglers will fish for a new 18-foot Phoenix bass boat with a 200-horsepower outboard.
The 2020 Phoenix Bass Fishing League presented by T-H Marine is a 24-division circuit devoted to weekend anglers, with 128 tournaments throughout the season, five qualifying events in each division. The top 45 boaters and co-anglers from each division, along with the five winners of the qualifying events, will advance to one of six 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 Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American.
The 2020 Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American will be held Nov. 11-13 at Lake Hartwell in Anderson, South Carolina and is hosted by Visit Anderson. The top 45 boaters and co-anglers plus tournament winners from each Phoenix Bass Fishing League division earn priority entry into the FLW Series, the pathway to the FLW Pro Circuit and ultimately the MLF Bass Pro Tour, where top pros compete with no entry fees.
For complete details and updated information visit FLWFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow the Phoenix Bass Fishing League presented by T-H Marine on FLW’s social media outlets at Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.
Fisher And Hart Use Months Of Recent Experience To Win Bassmaster High School Event On Hartwell
Logan Fisher and Will Hart, of Madison County (Ga.) High School, have won the 2020 Mossy Oak Fishing Bassmaster High School Series at Lake Hartwell presented by Academy Sports + Outdoors with 10 pounds, 5 ounces.
Photo by Chris Brown/B.A.S.S.
August 30, 2020
ANDERSON, S.C. — Logan Fisher and Will Hart spent hundreds of hours on Lake Hartwell during the past five-plus months of shutdowns and social distancing, and they proved the time spent was anything but a diversion.
Fisher and Hart, who live just across the state line in Danielsville, Ga., won the Mossy Oak Fishing Bassmaster High School Series event at Lake Hartwell presented by Academy Sports + Outdoors on Sunday. Their three-bass limit of 10 pounds, 5 ounces was top in the 95-team field that made its way to Green Pond Landing for the event.
Fisher and Hart, both 15-year old sophomores at Madison County (Ga.) High School, won $1,025 for the Red Raiders’ bass fishing team with the victory. The Top 12 teams took home part of a $3,535 purse for their school squads.
Chase Hubbell and Brent May of Strawberry Crest High School in Dover, Fla., finished second with 9-11. The duo won the Big Bass Award, and a $100 prize for their high school team, with a 6-7.
This is the second year Fisher and Hart have competed together but the first time they’ve been on the water in a Bassmaster high school derby this season. The series had tournaments on Louisiana’s Toledo Bend on Jan. 26 and on Alabama’s Smith Lake on March 1 but has been on hiatus since then as COVID-19 restrictions prevented larger groups from gathering for events like the one Sunday on Lake Hartwell.
The teens said it was exhilarating to win — and on local water at that — after months of downtime.
“Fishing is just about all we’ve been able to do,” Fisher said. “This felt great.”
The teens, along with boat captain Chad Hart (Will’s dad), began their day at Hartwell Dam. After a 10-minute run and five minutes of pitching a blue fluke-type lure, a 3-pound spotted bass bit. Thirty minutes later, Logan added a 5-pound largemouth that had the anglers feeling good about their chances.
“But it died after that,” Will Hart said. “It was a struggle until about 2 o’clock when we finally caught our third.”
That bass, a spot in the 2-pound range, gave the Madison County team a limit, but they weren’t sure it was heavy enough to win the tournament.
“I thought we might be Top 10,” Fisher said, “But no way did I think we would win first place. That was a surprise.”
It also was a key into the first national championship tournament they’ll fish together. That event is scheduled for Oct. 22-24, and Hart knows from experience it’s a “tough” event. He competed in the championship last year, finishing 44th overall with previous partner Levi Seagraves.
“Hopefully this time, Will and I can win it,” Fisher said.
Sunday’s tournament, which was hosted by Visit Anderson, originally was scheduled to be held Aug. 8 on Lake St. Clair in Michigan. It was postponed and relocated, however, due to restrictions on crowd size at the time in that state.
2020 Mossy Oak Fishing Bassmaster High School Series at Lake Hartwell presented by Academy Sports + Outdoors 8/30-8/30
Lake Hartwell, Anderson SC.
(BOATER) Standings Day 1
Angler Club/School Pts
1. Logan Fisher - Will Hart Madison County High School 0
Day 1: 3 10-05 Total: 3 10-05
2. Chase Hubble - Brent May Strawberry Crest High School 0
Day 1: 3 09-11 Total: 3 09-11
3. Dawson Hudson - Peyton Sorrow GREENWOOD 0
Day 1: 3 09-07 Total: 3 09-07
4. Dawson Carden - Griffin Milford Hart County High School 0
Day 1: 3 09-03 Total: 3 09-03
5. Cody Abbott - Mitchell Robinson Byrnes Rebels 0
Day 1: 3 08-13 Total: 3 08-13
6. Marshall Robinson - Mason Fulmer Byrnes High School 0
Day 1: 3 08-10 Total: 3 08-10
7. Ross Webster - Nick Fox Harris County High School 0
Day 1: 3 08-00 Total: 3 08-00
8. BJ Collins - Owen Jenkins Chatuge Anglers 0
Day 1: 3 07-15 Total: 3 07-15
8. Brandon Martin - Caleb Tanner North Hall Fishing Club 0
Day 1: 3 07-15 Total: 3 07-15
10. Owen Moss - Jackson Moss Pickens Bass Fishing 0
Day 1: 3 07-11 Total: 3 07-11
11. Tyler Starkley - Jacob Hodge Greenbrier High School 0
Day 1: 3 07-04 Total: 3 07-04
12. Trey McKinney - Jayden Snyder Southern Illinois Future Anglers 0
Day 1: 3 06-11 Total: 3 06-11
12. Gage Starks - Sawyer Williams Henry County High School 0
Day 1: 3 06-11 Total: 3 06-11
12. Evan Upchurch - Bradley Childers Gaffney High School 0
Day 1: 3 06-11 Total: 3 06-11
15. Jack Alexander - Mountain Brook High School 0
Day 1: 3 06-03 Total: 3 06-03
16. Landon Surrett - Eli Allison Ninety Six High School 0
Day 1: 3 06-01 Total: 3 06-01
17. Will Johnson - Isaac Westmoreland Gaffney 0
Day 1: 3 05-15 Total: 3 05-15
18. Evan Gonsalves - Brayden Batchelor Clarks Hill Youth Fishing Team 0
Day 1: 3 05-14 Total: 3 05-14
19. Vernon Reynolds - Chase Rogers North Augusta Fishing Team 0
Day 1: 2 05-13 Total: 2 05-13
20. Shamar Pierre - Khristian Rousseve WEST ST JOHN HIGH 0
Day 1: 3 05-12 Total: 3 05-12
21. Brent Key - Hunter Canova Lenoir City High School 0
Day 1: 3 05-07 Total: 3 05-07
22. Anna Kay - Lane Clark Crescent High School 0
Day 1: 3 05-06 Total: 3 05-06
23. Eli Chambers - Connor Handley Vinemont High School 0
Day 1: 3 05-05 Total: 3 05-05
24. Ben Hester - Mason Caldwell Rhea County High School 0
Day 1: 3 04-15 Total: 3 04-15
24. Kayson McDaniel - Gaffney High School 0
Day 1: 3 04-15 Total: 3 04-15
26. Andon Goins - Blake Wheat Rhea County High School 0
Day 1: 3 04-14 Total: 3 04-14
27. Chad Salyer III - Lofton Livingston York County High School Anglers 0
Day 1: 3 04-13 Total: 3 04-13
27. Levi Seagraves - Blake Hooper Madison County High School 0
Day 1: 3 04-13 Total: 3 04-13
29. Alexis Grandstaff - James Quinlivan Headland Bass Team 0
Day 1: 3 04-12 Total: 3 04-12
29. Andrew Hanley - Carter Burgess Belton-Honea Path High School 0
Day 1: 3 04-12 Total: 3 04-12
31. Ethan Gilbert - Carson Aarup Downeast Fishing Club 0
Day 1: 1 04-10 Total: 1 04-10
32. Nicholas Boggs - Brady Howard Louisa Bass Club 0
Day 1: 3 04-09 Total: 3 04-09
32. Andrew Bradstreet - Kamden Bradstreet Bradstreet Homeschool 0
Day 1: 3 04-09 Total: 3 04-09
34. Andrew Davis - Cal McInnis Headland High School 0
Day 1: 3 04-09 Total: 3 04-09
35. Lake Adler - Owen Blanton Gaffney High School Fishing Team 0
Day 1: 3 04-05 Total: 3 04-05
36. Garrett White - Tanner Mcclain Rhea County Eagle Anglers 0
Day 1: 3 04-04 Total: 3 04-04
37. Lane Tooley - Jackson Kulijof Muhlenberg County High School 0
Day 1: 3 04-03 Total: 3 04-03
38. Will Carnes - Conner Hutti Lincoln County High School 0
Day 1: 1 04-03 Total: 1 04-03
39. Austin Roberts - Jake Krauth Franklin County High School 0
Day 1: 3 03-14 Total: 3 03-14
39. Cole Taylor - Clay Taylor Woodruff High 0
Day 1: 3 03-14 Total: 3 03-14
41. Wayland Adkisson - Daniel Summers BGA 0
Day 1: 3 03-13 Total: 3 03-13
42. Jason Ledford - Cole Hunsucker York County Anglers 0
Day 1: 3 03-08 Total: 3 03-08
43. Adam Lawson - Doyle Godfrey South Spartanburg 0
Day 1: 2 03-02 Total: 2 03-02
43. Colton Parten - Colton Teffer Rhea County High School 0
Day 1: 2 03-02 Total: 2 03-02
45. Avery Shoemaker - Samuel Shoemaker Buford High School 0
Day 1: 3 02-15 Total: 3 02-15
46. Lane Lassiter - Aiden Grissom Warren County High School 0
Day 1: 2 02-15 Total: 2 02-15
46. Zane O'Domirok - John Thompson Lenoir City High School 0
Day 1: 2 02-15 Total: 2 02-15
48. Macarter Williams - Rowan Kennedy FRANKLIN COUNTY HIGH SCHOOLS 0
Day 1: 2 02-11 Total: 2 02-11
49. Jacob Stone - Carver Griffin north augusta fishing team 0
Day 1: 2 02-10 Total: 2 02-10
50. Luke Compton - Jamison Bagwell Boiling Springs High School 0
Day 1: 2 02-08 Total: 2 02-08
51. Zach McCraw - Hunter Vinesett Gaffney High School 0
Day 1: 2 02-06 Total: 2 02-06
52. Hunter Keller - Daniel Brackett Freedom high 0
Day 1: 2 02-05 Total: 2 02-05
52. Harrison McCall - Carson Palmer Salisbury Academy 0
Day 1: 2 02-05 Total: 2 02-05
54. Zachary Taylor - Ethan Thompson Walker Valley High School 0
Day 1: 1 02-05 Total: 1 02-05
55. Niles Hendrix - Luke Willis Greenwave Bassmasters 0
Day 1: 2 02-04 Total: 2 02-04
56. Devrin Harper - Rochelle August West St John High 0
Day 1: 1 02-03 Total: 1 02-03
56. Hayden Marshall - Chris Fallon Gardendale High School 0
Day 1: 1 02-03 Total: 1 02-03
58. Luke Lafortune - Reese Bowden Harris County High School 0
Day 1: 1 02-00 Total: 1 02-00
59. Cabe Mackey - Benjamin Grey EAST LINCOLN HS 0
Day 1: 1 01-15 Total: 1 01-15
59. Nathan Reynolds - Jimmy Oguin Backwoods Bassin 0
Day 1: 1 01-15 Total: 1 01-15
61. Henry Garett - Ryan Ingalls Greenbrier High School 0
Day 1: 2 01-13 Total: 2 01-13
62. Connor Chenault - Hudson Montgomery George Rogers Clark High School 0
Day 1: 2 01-12 Total: 2 01-12
63. Gavin Blanton - Bo Bratton Gaffney High School Fishing Team 0
Day 1: 1 01-09 Total: 1 01-09
63. Hunter Dill - Cole Sanders Travelers Rest HS Devildog Angle 0
Day 1: 1 01-09 Total: 1 01-09
65. Todd Dawson - Joel Smith Byrnes Rebels 0
Day 1: 1 01-03 Total: 1 01-03
65. Brandon Sales - Noah Ward Lenoir City High School 0
Day 1: 1 01-03 Total: 1 01-03
67. Nathanael Black - Jace Fortenberry Woodruff High 0
Day 1: 1 01-02 Total: 1 01-02
68. Joseph Wilson - Landen Scruggs chapman pathers 0
Day 1: 1 00-15 Total: 1 00-15
69. Chase Carey - Dylan Akins Buford High School 0
Day 1: 1 00-07 Total: 1 00-07
70. Jackson Riddle - Jarod Riddle Oconee County High School 0
Day 1: 2 00-00 Total: 2 00-00
71. Chandler Baumgardner - Anthony Petltti Woodruff High School 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
71. Andrew Blanton - Landon Scruggs Chesnee High school 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
71. Jacob Butts - Kaleb Butts CRESCENT HIGH SCHOOL 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
71. Riley Christensen - Jeffrey Lotierzo Riley's Catch 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
71. Storm Cline - Chase Mccarter Anderson county high school 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
71. Kaleb Dehart - Matthew Giordano Travelers Rest High School 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
71. Briar Dove - Rylan Tamplin Franklin County High School 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
71. Hunter Knutson - Gauge Toole Greenbrier High School 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
71. Carter Koza - Tanner Hadden Mount Paran Christian School 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
71. Ethan Martin - Tyler Leachman Bullitt East 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
71. Jemmy Mcdonald - Bryson Wilson North Augusta Fishing Team 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
71. Daniel Moon - Zachary Helton Karns Jr. High 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
71. Westin Moss - Drake Hemby Whitwell High School 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
71. Kyler Murray - Bryson Holland Midland Valley 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
71. Andy Napier - Dalton Coale Spencer County High School 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
71. Hunter Pinho - Jake Childress Patterson High School 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
71. Laindree Richardson - Lucas Wielt Benton High School 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
71. Gage Sellars - Brock Lewis Bainbridge High School 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
71. Mason Snider - Colton Moore Mount Juliet Fishing 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
71. Brayden Sprinkle - Weston Tennyson Chesnee High School 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
71. Hunter Thomas - Lane Lipscomb Chesnee middle school 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
71. Carson Tomac - Parker Leiter Greenbrier High School 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
71. Austin Tucker - Jace Yarbough Dorman High 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
71. Johnathan Walls - Jacob Frizzell Warren County High School 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
71. Peter West - Zach Knight Gallatin High School 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
71. Konner West - Brice Williams Chapman High School 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
South Carolina Duo Of Smith And Horton Top Bassmaster Junior Series Field At Lake Hartwell
Lake Smith and Micah Horton, of Woodruff (S.C.) Middle School, have won the Mossy Oak Fishing Bassmaster Junior Series at Lake Hartwell with 7 pounds, 4 ounces.
Photo by Chris Brown/B.A.S.S.
August 30, 2020
ANDERSON, S.C. — Lake Smith and Micah Horton live only about an hour from Lake Hartwell, so they weren’t going to let an opportunity to fish in Sunday’s Mossy Oak Fishing Bassmaster Junior Series event there get past them.
The young duo from Woodruff, S.C., caught an early limit, made a few key upgrades later in the day and won the event on local waters with a three-bass limit of 7 pounds, 4 ounces.
It wasn’t an extremely heavy bag, but it was enough to clinch the victory on a warm, clear day in upstate South Carolina.
“It feels good to win,” said Horton, 14, who just started his freshman year at Woodruff High School. “We fish there a lot. It was tough today, but we thought we could get a limit, at least.”
It didn’t take long for the tandem to put that limit into the livewell. They fished a rocky dropoff in the Seneca River area to start the day and were successful throwing a blue-hued crankbait and a variety of green pumpkin jigs in about 15 feet of water.
The limit only produced about 4 pounds, said their captain Kerry Smith (Lake’s dad). So they moved into shallow water around noon and began flipping frogs and buzzbaits. The method was unproductive, but a move down the lake produced the bite they needed.
Lake Smith opted for a Lucky Craft Sammy in the silver pattern and a 3 1/4-pounder bit hard, providing the final bump their bag needed.
“We pulled up, and on the first cast it blew up (and missed the bait),” said Smith, also 14 and an eighth-grader at Woodruff Middle School. “He hit it the second time, though.”
“I knew it was a pretty big fish, so I got the net ready,” Horton added. “When he got into the net, it was a big relief.”
Winning is not new to the Smith/Horton team. The teens were victorious in three of the four junior events they fished in South Carolina this year even though this is the first season they’ve fished together competitively. Their win on Lake Hartwell earned them a spot in the Mossy Oak Fishing Bassmaster Junior Series National Championship to be held Oct. 19-20.
Thirteen youth teams competed in the tournament. Hunter Thomas and Lane Lipscomb caught the big bass of the day (a 5-pounder) and finished second overall. They attend Chesnee (S.C.) Middle School, also located just more than an hour away from the takeoff and weigh-in venue of Green Pond Landing.
The tournament originally was scheduled to be held on Lake St. Clair in Michigan on Aug. 8 but was rescheduled and relocated.
2020 Mossy Oak Fishing Bassmaster Junior Series at Lake Hartwell 8/30-8/30
Lake Hartwell, Anderson SC.
(BOATER) Standings Day 1
Angler Club/School Pts
1. Lake Smith - Micah Horton Woodruff Middle School 0
Day 1: 3 07-04 Total: 3 07-04
2. Hunter Thomas - Lane Lipscomb Chesnee Middle School 0
Day 1: 1 05-00 Total: 1 05-00
3. Brantley Grizzle - Sawyer Kennedy Franklin County Middle School 0
Day 1: 3 04-12 Total: 3 04-12
4. Mason Grose - Sailor Mckinney Southern West Virginia Jr Bassma 0
Day 1: 1 03-11 Total: 1 03-11
5. Grayson Smith - Bryson Glover Chapman 0
Day 1: 3 02-14 Total: 3 02-14
6. Presley Lannom - Preston Maddux Mt Juliet Fishing 0
Day 1: 1 02-03 Total: 1 02-03
7. Chase Black - Cayden Collins South Side middle 0
Day 1: 2 01-14 Total: 2 01-14
8. Blane Holcombe - William Copleston Chapman 0
Day 1: 2 01-07 Total: 2 01-07
9. Jackson Fanning - Nolan Holloway Morgan County Middle School 0
Day 1: 1 01-05 Total: 1 01-05
10. Drake Bishop - Kaleb Garrett Callaway Middle School 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
10. Annie Lassiter - Jameson Pursley warren co jr anglers 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
10. Mason Snider - Colton Moore Mount Juliet Fishing 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
10. Brycen Sprinkle - Hogan Benson Chesnee Middle School 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
Snyder Hits Century Mark For B.A.S.S. Nation Kayak Series Win At Clear Lake
Rus Snyders of Nashville, Tenn., has won the Huk Bassmaster B.A.S.S. Nation Kayak Series at Clear Lake powered by TourneyX presented by Abu Garcia with a five-fish limit measuring 100 inches.
Photo by Jody Only/B.A.S.S.
August 30, 2020
LAKEPORT, Calif. — Dialing in the right type of grass proved essential for Rus Snyders of Nashville, Tenn., who tallied 100 inches of bass to win the Huk B.A.S.S. Nation Kayak Series at Clear Lake powered by TourneyX presented by Abu Garcia.
Having grown up in Northern California, Snyders calls Clear Lake his home waters. That familiarity served him well, as he launched from Clear Lake State Park on the lake’s central west side with a two-stage plan.
“In the morning, I was fishing an area with a combination of grass and rock in 4 feet or less and caught several fish on a black and red buzzbait with a gold blade,” Snyders said. “As the morning wore on, I started fishing some offshore grass.
“I moved offshore around 8 o’clock. The lake started slicking out and the sun started coming through the smoke (from California’s wildfires).”
In the offshore grass, which ranged from 8 to 10 feet, Snyders covered water with the same buzzbait, along with a Keitech swimbait. He also flipped specific grass targets with a Strike King Rage Craw Texas-rigged on a 4/0 hook with a 1/2-ounce tungsten weight and a punch skirt in the sprayed grass color. Snyders alternated between watermelon red and watermelon candy for his Rage Craw.
“The offshore grass was in isolated little clumps about 100 yards offshore,” Snyders said.
Fishing a Wilderness Systems A.T.A.K 120 with a Torqeedo 403 Ultralight, Snyders said the event saw ideal conditions for kayak anglers.
“Sometimes, it’s hard battling the wind, but the wind pretty much stayed down all day; and all week,” he said. “It’s been pretty calm conditions out here and that really makes it easier to navigate and fish.
“The run I made was about 3 miles, and I pretty much stayed in that area just south of State Park and Soda Bay. I stayed there for most of the day and bounced around quite a bit. After I got some fish offshore, I’d go back up shallow to give my fish a break.”
Snyders said he saw frequent signs of feeding activity throughout his offshore area.
“I’d look for the boils and the busts and then I’d go over there and try to get them to bite,” he said. “I just kept hitting targets and flipping or casting to some of the ambush points in the grass clumps. Eventually, I’d pick one off here and there.”
Snyders caught two fish that measured 20 1/2 inches, two that went 19 3/4 and one that was 19 1/2.
Tas Moua of Fresno, Calif., placed second with 94 1/2 inches. Fishing a Hobie Pro Angler 14, his best five measured 20 1/4, 20, 18 1/2, 18 1/4 and 17 1/2.
Targeting the Lucerne area on the lake’s north end, Moua expected the morning bite to turn on around 10. He had planned to simply burn some time on docks before fishing the rock and grass mix on his main spot, but his morning took a surprisingly productive turn.
“I pull up to the first dock and stick a 20-incher, 5 to 10 minutes after lines in,” Moua said. “I went to the next dock, missed one, fished that stretch for a little bit, came back, threw up against that dock again, but nothing.
“Right as I was leaving, I saw a big blow-up; a bass came up after a shad or something. I fired the frog back over there and stuck another 20-incher. Around 10, I took off to my main spot.”
Moua caught his dock fish on a white Jackall Gavacho frog. On his offshore spot, he flipped a black and blue Reaction Innovations Sweet Beaver and threw the frog.
Will Doud-Martin of Fremont, Calif., finished third with 93 1/4 inches. His fish measured 20, 19 3/4, 18 3/4, 17 3/4 and 17. Doud-Martin competed in a Bonafide SS127 and fished grass and deep rock near Anderson Island.
“I was catching them on a FishLab Rattle Toad (topwater frog) in the natural green color,” he said. “It was hot and heavy first thing in the morning. I had my limit in 30 minutes. Then it was slow for most of the day.”
Doug-Martin said he made a crucial late-day cull that helped his cause.
“With about 15 minutes to go, I went back to shallow grass with the frog and was able to get a 19 3/4-inch bass right at the end of the day,” he said. “That really helped me.”
For complete results, visit TourneyX.com.
Clear Lake Outdoors served as the tournament headquarters.
Preparation And Adjustments Carry Schlapper To B.A.S.S. Nation Win At Lake Vermilion
Pat Schlapper, of Eleva, Wis., has won the TNT Fireworks B.A.S.S. Nation Northern Regional at Lake Vermilion with a three-day total of 52 pounds, 8 ounces.
Photo by Chris Mitchell/B.A.S.S.
August 28, 2020
TOWER, Minn. — An intense effort to learn a lake he’d never fished gave Pat Schlapper of Eleva, Wis., the insight to claim a wire-to-wire victory at the TNT Fireworks B.A.S.S. Nation Northern Regional on Minnesota’s Lake Vermilion with a three-day total weight of 52 pounds, 8 ounces.
Day 1 saw Schlapper turn in his best performance, a limit of 19-4. He followed with 16-5 on Thursday and sealed the deal with Friday’s catch of 16-15.
Notably, after leading the Day 1 field by 7 ounces, Schlapper increased his margin to 1-2 on Day 2. Friday, his winning margin of 2-13 earned him a first-place prize of $5,000 and a spot in the TNT Fireworks B.A.S.S. Nation Championship, Nov. 11-13 on Pickwick Lake.
“This week was awesome, I’m very thankful,” Schlapper said. “I had a nine-day stretch where (Wisconsin B.A.S.S. Nation teammate) Lonnie (Peterson) and I were practicing and we basically split the lake in half.
“I knew that docks were going to be a big factor, but I also knew that the majority of people would be fishing that. So, Lonnie and I both committed to fishing offshore, and we graphed every day all day.”
Schlapper said he identified a large number of promising spots but found the fish favored different habitat as the tournament progressed. Sunlight had a lot to do with this, as Day 1 brought a mix of sun and clouds, followed by a mostly sunny Day 2 and mostly cloudy skies in the final round.
“By today, I had it narrowed down to just a handful of spots,” Schlapper said. “A lot of the places I thought I was going to get them, I didn’t get them.
“I initially thought I was going to get them in 18 to 20 feet of water — and I did get a few out there. But as the tournament went on, I started to get them shallower, more in that 14-foot range.”
Schlapper caught most of his fish on a green pumpkin Big Bite Baits tube Texas-rigged on a 1/4-ounce head. He also caught fish on a drop shot with a Big Bite Baits Smallie Smasher and a Berkley PowerBait MaxScent Flat Worm — both in green pumpkin — and a 5/16-ounce shaky head with a craw bait.
Ultimately, Schlapper attributes his success to extensive pre-event preparation and the discipline to know when he needed to relocate.
“Moving around the lake and not sitting on spots was a big factor,” he said. “I’d pull up and if I didn’t catch one in the first five minutes, I left.
“It took me a lot of time to figure it out, but it saved me a lot of time during the tournament. I could pull and go right to the spot where I felt like, if there was a fish that was ready to eat, I knew where it was going to be.”
Eric Storms of Winner, S.D., placed second with 49-11. Starting strong with a second-place catch of 18-13 on Day 1, he added 14-6 on Day 2 and slipped to fourth. Today, Storms weighed 16-8.
For three days, Storms followed the same game plan: Secure a solid limit of smallmouth over a hump in the back of Daisy Bay and then hunt kicker largemouth by flipping Texas-rigged tubes around shallow pencil reeds in Greenwood Bay.
“When you fish for those largemouth, the bites are few and far between, but when you get a bite, it’s usually a good one,” Storms said. “I got to weigh a largemouth over 4 pounds every day of the tournament.
“For my smallmouth, I fished a green pumpkin Get Bit tube on a 1/4-ounce head. For the largemouth, I used a Lake Fork Craw Tube on a 4/0 hook with a 3/16-ounce bullet weight.”
Hailing from Chippewa Falls, Wis., Lonnie Peterson finished third with 49-10. Starting Day 1 with a 12th-place effort of 15-15, he turned in his best catch — 17-10 — on Day 2 and moved into third before settling in this position with a final-round limit of 16-1.
Peterson caught his fish on a drop shot with a 4-inch Roboworm in the Aaron’s Magic color and an undisclosed plastic bait. Peterson described the latter as a power presentation on baitcasting gear.
“I was fishing in 8 to 16 feet of water and looking for anything that was a little bigger than anything else in the area,” Peterson said. “Every morning this week was terrible; I was spinning out really bad until I’d get my first keeper around 10 o’clock each day.”
Dan Parker of Guttenberg, Iowa, won the Big Bass award with his 4-14.
Matt Byrnes of Hudson, Wis., won the nonboater division with 30-10. On Day 1, Byrnes caught 9-2 and placed 15th before adding 11-6 on Thursday to take over his division’s lead. His Day 3 limit of 10-2 gave him a winning margin of 4-4 and earned the top prize of $2,500, along with a spot in the TNT Fireworks B.A.S.S. Nation Championship.
Dan O’Keefe of Prior Lake, Minn., won the Big Bass award among nonboaters with a 5-5.
2020 TNT Fireworks Bass Nation Northern Regional Lake Vermilion 8/26-8/28
Lake Vermilion, Tower MN.
(BOATER) Standings Day 3
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Pts Total $$$
1. Pat Schlapper Eleva, WI (WI) 15 52-08 0
2. Eric Storms Winner, SD (SD) 15 49-11 0
3. Lonnie Peterson Chippewa Falls, WI (WI) 15 49-10 0
4. Richard Lindgren Lakeville, MN (MN) 15 48-07 0
5. Jeff Napier Martinsville, IN (IN) 15 48-03 0
6. Ted Heitschmidt Tomahawk, WI (WI) 15 47-14 0
7. Josh Miller Roberts, WI (WI) 15 46-13 0
8. JP Przekurat Stevens Point, WI (WI) 15 46-02 0
9. Chris Wilkinson Farmersburg, IN (IN) 15 46-00 0
10. Eddie Levin Westerville, OH (OH) 15 46-00 0
11. Brian Coleman Mitchell, IN (IN) 15 45-03 0
12. Bryce Kalen Greenwood, IN (IN) 15 44-05 0
13. Nick Leonard Cincinnati, OH (OH) 15 43-11 0
14. Matt Reagan Hudsonville, MI (MI) 15 43-06 0
15. Harry Marsh III New Berlin, WI (WI) 15 43-05 0
16. Josh Hubbard Braidwood, IL (IL) 15 43-03 0
17. Troy Diede Sioux Falls, SD (SD) 14 42-05 0
18. Trevor Kettles Waukee, IA (IA) 15 42-02 0
19. Brock Belik Orchard, NE (SD) 15 42-01 0
20. Brent Haimes Elgin, MN (MN) 15 41-11 0
21. Dan Brown Joliet, IL (IL) 13 40-07 0
22. Tanner Bock Davenport, IA (IA) 15 38-05 0
23. John Thomsen Creston, IA (NE) 15 37-04 0
24. Denny Cook Auburn, IN (MI) 15 34-05 0
25. Robert Hime Odessa, MO (NE) 15 34-03 0
26. Eric Ritter Buffalo, MN (MN) 10 28-11 0
27. Justin Rowe New Auburn, WI (WI) 10 28-02 0
28. Nate Brown Muscatine, IA (IA) 10 27-13 0
28. John Fairbanks Hastings, MN (MN) 10 27-13 0
30. Johnston Westmoreland Mooselake, MN (MN) 10 27-06 0
31. Terry McWilliams Greenfield, IN (IN) 10 27-04 0
32. Carl Spande Mounds View, MN (MN) 10 27-04 0
33. Kody Lane Rock Springs, WI (WI) 10 26-14 0
34. J. Scott Foureman Bradford, OH (OH) 10 26-14 0
35. Dan Parker Guttenberg, IA (IA) 10 26-14 0
36. Shane Stiehl Pierre, SD (SD) 10 26-02 0
37. Bob Slama Harrisburg, SD (SD) 10 26-02 0
38. Lee Farber Watertown, MN (MN) 10 26-01 0
39. Bob Bayless Indianapolis, IN (IN) 10 25-14 0
40. Tom Kiefer Fowlerville, MI (MI) 10 25-14 0
41. David Watson Sullivan, IN (IN) 10 25-12 0
42. Jay Swanson Lakeville, MN (MN) 10 25-10 0
43. Joe Discerni Warren, OH (OH) 10 25-09 0
44. Chris Myers Madison, IN (IN) 10 25-05 0
45. Reid Culler Hudson, IN (MI) 10 25-04 0
46. Cliff Van Beek Canistota, SD (SD) 10 24-07 0
47. Austin Brimeyer Dubuque, IA (IA) 9 24-06 0
48. Donald Roberts Bellville, OH (OH) 10 24-02 0
49. Wes Westerveld Ramsey, MN (MN) 9 23-05 0
50. Paul Amstutz Gambler, OH (OH) 10 23-05 0
51. Mike Obal Springfield, NE (NE) 10 23-01 0
52. Kirk Hansen Omaha, NE (NE) 9 22-14 0
53. Andrew Nitchals Willmar, MN (MN) 9 22-13 0
54. Jerry Avis Council Bluffs, IA (NE) 10 22-11 0
55. Bob Garman Center Point, IA (IA) 9 22-09 0
56. Randy Burch Ladysmith, WI (WI) 9 22-05 0
57. Tad Tinlin Des Moines, IA (IA) 9 22-05 0
58. Kyle Waller Thornville, OH (OH) 9 22-00 0
59. Joshua Brown Corydon, IN (IN) 10 22-00 0
60. Jacob Stauthammer Lafayette, IL (IL) 10 21-12 0
61. Ryan Koehn Lofts Ada, MI (MI) 10 21-12 0
62. Brian Martin Papillion , NE (NE) 9 21-04 0
63. Jared Knuth Wahoo, NE (NE) 8 21-03 0
64. Pete Saele Lockport, IL (IL) 10 20-02 0
65. Eric Culler Hudson, IN (MI) 8 19-09 0
66. Zachary Nelson Glen Flora, WI (WI) 9 19-06 0
67. Peter Tuls Grand Haven, MI (MI) 8 17-14 0
68. Corey Peterson Yankton, SD (SD) 7 17-10 0
69. Tom Shumowsky North Riverside, IL (IL 10 17-09 0
70. Scott Dunn Morris, IL (IL) 9 16-11 0
71. Mark Vote Omaha, NE (NE) 8 16-04 0
72. Scott Cooke Marengo, OH (OH) 6 16-02 0
73. Edward Gad Braidwood, IL (IL) 7 15-10 0
74. Aaron Faulk Mc Causland, IA (IA) 8 15-10 0
75. Richard Hladky Yankton, SD (SD) 8 15-06 0
76. Steven Kunz Jasper, IN (IN) 7 15-06 0
77. Ed Sizemore Lebanon, OH (OH) 10 15-03 0
78. Jason Citta Hershey, NE (NE) 6 14-13 0
79. Nick Ash Omaha, NE (NE) 6 14-08 0
80. Justin Kohl Hastings, NE (SD) 7 13-15 0
81. Jim Friedman Dubuque, IA (IA) 5 13-00 0
82. Steven Smith Johnstown, OH (OH) 6 12-10 0
83. Chad Timmer Hudsonville, MI (MI) 7 12-10 0
84. Jeff Mcfarland Petoskey, MI (MI) 6 12-08 0
85. Allen Williford West Frankfort, IL (IL) 5 12-07 0
86. Glen Gray Hartland, MI (MI) 6 12-00 0
87. Rex Ryckman Ft. Pierre, SD (SD) 3 09-13 0
88. Brian Sopko Saint Anne, IL (IL) 5 09-05 0
89. Chris Lally Manteno, IL (IL) 3 06-10 0
90. Doug Lamont Long Grove, IA (IA) 3 05-14 0
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Totals
Day #Limits #Fish Weight
1 74 412 1104-06
2 61 388 971-11
3 24 124 350-00
----------------------------------
159 924 2426-01
TEAM STANDINGS Day 3
----------------------------------
State Lbs-Oz
1 WISCONSIN 512-12
2 INDIANA 494-03
3 MINNESOTA 430-04
4 SOUTH DAKOTA 392-12
5 IOWA 371-03
6 OHIO 369-06
7 ILLINOIS 368-09
8 MICHIGAN 344-15
9 NEBRASKA 330-00
INDIVIDUAL STANDINGS Day 3
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
IOWA
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Trevor Kettles Waukee, IA 15 42-02 0
2 Tanner Bock Davenport, IA 15 38-05 0
3 Nate Brown Muscatine, IA 10 27-13 0
4 Dan Parker Guttenberg, IA 10 26-14 0
5 Austin Brimeyer Dubuque, IA 9 24-06 0
6 Bob Garman Center Point, IA 9 22-09 0
7 Tad Tinlin Des Moines, IA 9 22-05 0
8 Aaron Faulk Mc Causland, IA 8 15-10 0
9 Jim Friedman Dubuque, IA 5 13-00 0
10 Doug Lamont Long Grove, IA 3 05-14 0
ILLINOIS
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Josh Hubbard Braidwood, IL 15 43-03 0
2 Dan Brown Joliet, IL 13 40-07 0
3 Jacob Stauthammer Lafayette, IL 10 21-12 0
4 Pete Saele Lockport, IL 10 20-02 0
5 Tom Shumowsky North Riverside, IL 10 17-09 0
6 Scott Dunn Morris, IL 9 16-11 0
7 Edward Gad Braidwood, IL 7 15-10 0
8 Allen Williford West Frankfort, IL 5 12-07 0
9 Brian Sopko Saint Anne, IL 5 09-05 0
10 Chris Lally Manteno, IL 3 06-10 0
INDIANA
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Jeff Napier Martinsville, IN 15 48-03 0
2 Chris Wilkinson Farmersburg, IN 15 46-00 0
3 Brian Coleman Mitchell, IN 15 45-03 0
4 Bryce Kalen Greenwood, IN 15 44-05 0
5 Terry McWilliams Greenfield, IN 10 27-04 0
6 Bob Bayless Indianapolis, IN 10 25-14 0
7 David Watson Sullivan, IN 10 25-12 0
8 Chris Myers Madison, IN 10 25-05 0
9 Joshua Brown Corydon, IN 10 22-00 0
10 Steven Kunz Jasper, IN 7 15-06 0
MICHIGAN
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Matt Reagan Hudsonville, MI 15 43-06 0
2 Denny Cook Auburn, IN 15 34-05 0
3 Tom Kiefer Fowlerville, MI 10 25-14 0
4 Reid Culler Hudson, IN 10 25-04 0
5 Ryan Koehn Lofts Ada, MI 10 21-12 0
6 Eric Culler Hudson, IN 8 19-09 0
7 Peter Tuls Grand Haven, MI 8 17-14 0
8 Chad Timmer Hudsonville, MI 7 12-10 0
9 Jeff Mcfarland Petoskey, MI 6 12-08 0
10 Glen Gray Hartland, MI 6 12-00 0
MINNESOTA
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Richard Lindgren Lakeville, MN 15 48-07 0
2 Brent Haimes Elgin, MN 15 41-11 0
3 Eric Ritter Buffalo, MN 10 28-11 0
4 John Fairbanks Hastings, MN 10 27-13 0
5 Johnston Westmoreland Mooselake, MN 10 27-06 0
6 Carl Spande Mounds View, MN 10 27-04 0
7 Lee Farber Watertown, MN 10 26-01 0
8 Jay Swanson Lakeville, MN 10 25-10 0
9 Wes Westerveld Ramsey, MN 9 23-05 0
10 Andrew Nitchals Willmar, MN 9 22-13 0
OHIO
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Eddie Levin Westerville, OH 15 46-00 0
2 Nick Leonard Cincinnati, OH 15 43-11 0
3 J. Scott Foureman Bradford, OH 10 26-14 0
4 Joe Discerni Warren, OH 10 25-09 0
5 Donald Roberts Bellville, OH 10 24-02 0
6 Paul Amstutz Gambler, OH 10 23-05 0
7 Kyle Waller Thornville, OH 9 22-00 0
8 Scott Cooke Marengo, OH 6 16-02 0
9 Ed Sizemore Lebanon, OH 10 15-03 0
10 Steven Smith Johnstown, OH 6 12-10 0
SOUTH DAKOTA
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Eric Storms Winner, SD 15 49-11 0
2 Troy Diede Sioux Falls, SD 14 42-05 0
3 Brock Belik Orchard, NE 15 42-01 0
4 Shane Stiehl Pierre, SD 10 26-02 0
5 Bob Slama Harrisburg, SD 10 26-02 0
6 Cliff Van Beek Canistota, SD 10 24-07 0
7 Corey Peterson Yankton, SD 7 17-10 0
8 Richard Hladky Yankton, SD 8 15-06 0
9 Justin Kohl Hastings, NE 7 13-15 0
10 Rex Ryckman Ft. Pierre, SD 3 09-13 0
WISCONSIN
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Pat Schlapper Eleva, WI 15 52-08 0
2 Lonnie Peterson Chippewa Falls, WI 15 49-10 0
3 Ted Heitschmidt Tomahawk, WI 15 47-14 0
4 Josh Miller Roberts, WI 15 46-13 0
5 JP Przekurat Stevens Point, WI 15 46-02 0
6 Harry Marsh III New Berlin, WI 15 43-05 0
7 Justin Rowe New Auburn, WI 10 28-02 0
8 Kody Lane Rock Springs, WI 10 26-14 0
9 Randy Burch Ladysmith, WI 9 22-05 0
10 Zachary Nelson Glen Flora, WI 9 19-06 0
NEBRASKA
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 John Thomsen Creston, IA 15 37-04 0
2 Robert Hime Odessa, MO 15 34-03 0
3 Mike Obal Springfield, NE 10 23-01 0
4 Kirk Hansen Omaha, NE 9 22-14 0
5 Jerry Avis Council Bluffs, IA 10 22-11 0
6 Brian Martin Papillion , NE 9 21-04 0
7 Jared Knuth Wahoo, NE 8 21-03 0
8 Mark Vote Omaha, NE 8 16-04 0
9 Jason Citta Hershey, NE 6 14-13 0
10 Nick Ash Omaha, NE 6 14-08 0
2020 TNT Fireworks Bass Nation Northern Regional Lake Vermilion 8/26-8/28
Lake Vermilion, Tower MN.
(NON_BOATER) Standings Day 3
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Pts Total $$$
1. Matt Byrnes Hudson, WI (WI) 9 30-10 0
2. Kevin Mullins Brooklyn, IN (IN) 9 26-06 0
3. Scott Hrcka Homer, MI (MI) 9 26-05 0
4. Matthew Marques Seneca, IL (IL) 9 24-12 0
5. Eddie Gad Braidwood, IL (IL) 9 24-08 0
6. Jesse Weener Holland, MI (MI) 9 24-08 0
7. Michael Hamilton Plainfield, IN (IN) 9 24-06 0
8. Michael Pruitt Martinsville, IN (IN) 8 24-03 0
9. John-Paul Hey Chicago, IN (WI) 9 23-13 0
10. Coleton Usher Atkins, IA (IA) 8 23-09 0
11. Casey Morgan Byron, IL (IL) 9 23-07 0
12. John Smith Corydon, IN (IN) 9 23-05 0
13. Mark Emenecker Matton, IL (IL) 9 22-11 0
14. Tristin Wilcox Ely, IA (IA) 8 22-08 0
15. Bryan Larson Waconia, MN (MN) 9 22-05 0
16. Bryce Hauf Winner, SD (SD) 9 22-01 0
17. Adam Edwards Andover, MN (MN) 9 21-12 0
18. Dennis Carroll Ashland, NE (NE) 9 21-06 0
19. Bob Vaughn Waterloo, IA (IA) 7 20-13 0
20. Shawn Van Gerpen Sioux Falls, SD (SD) 9 20-11 0
21. Larry Sallis Herculaneum, MO (NE) 8 20-06 0
22. Jeffrey Lopez Bolingbrook, IL (IL) 7 20-00 0
23. Colten Didion Westerville, OH (OH) 9 19-15 0
24. Aaron Bunge Fairfax, IA (IA) 7 19-11 0
25. Ryan Kriegel Delphos, OH (OH) 9 19-03 0
26. Nick Strilzuk Balsam Lake, WI (WI) 6 15-05 0
27. Hunter Scharphorn Grand Haven, MI (MI) 6 14-12 0
28. Bryan Kalen Mooresville, IN (IN) 6 14-01 0
29. Jack Johnson Brandon, SD (SD) 6 13-13 0
30. Devon Dvorak Keystone, IA (IA) 5 13-12 0
31. Luke Kerstetter Brookfield, WI (WI) 6 13-11 0
32. Chris Pope Greenville, OH (OH) 6 13-08 0
33. Alfonso Garcia Jr Mccook, NE (NE) 5 13-05 0
34. Brian Liming Dillsboro, IN (IN) 5 13-04 0
35. Ethan Hladky Yankton, SD (SD) 6 13-03 0
36. Markus Werner Cannon Falls, MN (MN) 6 13-02 0
37. Todd Stiehl Winner, SD (SD) 6 13-02 0
38. Phillip Rummel Jr Mount Vernon, OH (OH) 6 13-01 0
39. Kyle Taylor Shelburn, IN (IN) 6 13-01 0
40. Bryan Quigley Green Bay, WI (WI) 4 12-12 0
41. Patrick Stradal Minneapolis, MN (MN) 5 12-10 0
42. Obie Oberts Custer Park, IL (IL) 5 12-07 0
43. Chris Jewett Longville, MN (NE) 6 12-07 0
44. Joe Paulson Winner, WY (SD) 6 12-07 0
45. Jon Sohlden Paw Paw, MI (MI) 6 12-06 0
46. Matt Green Battle Creek, MI (MI) 5 12-04 0
47. William Clark Vincennes, IN (IN) 6 12-03 0
48. Tracy Skare Lakeville, MN (MN) 6 11-15 0
49. John Terry Mansfield, OH (OH) 6 11-12 0
50. Tim Spande Plymouth, MN (MN) 5 11-08 0
51. Robert Swem Buchanan, MI (MI) 5 10-15 0
52. Joshua Rogers Minneapolis, MN (MN) 4 10-13 0
53. Ryan Bergeman Chippewa Falls, WI (WI) 4 10-11 0
54. Sawyer Schugel Victoria, MN (MN) 5 10-02 0
55. Bradley Waller Plainfield, IL (IL) 4 09-15 0
56. Dan O'Keefe Prior Lake, MN (MN) 3 09-15 0
57. Jayson Rewolinski Bellevue, NE (NE) 4 09-14 0
58. Bryson Steele Homer, IL (IL) 5 09-13 0
59. Timothy Peterson Springfield, SD (SD) 5 09-10 0
60. Kirk Mclouth Indianapolis, IN (IN) 4 09-09 0
61. Austin Sudduth Waterford, WI (WI) 3 09-08 0
62. Brian Vogelsang Zanesfield, OH (OH) 4 09-08 0
63. Brian Hinspeter Waukee, IA (IA) 4 09-05 0
64. Adam Markiewicz Plainfield, IL (IL) 5 09-02 0
65. Pat Soppe Manchester, IA (IA) 3 09-01 0
66. Jim Gacke Harrisburg, SD (SD) 4 08-11 0
67. Charrlie Kuebler Jasper, IN (IN) 4 08-09 0
68. Leray Anderson II Crofton, NE (SD) 4 08-08 0
69. Steve Tagg Wyoming, MI (MI) 5 08-07 0
70. Austin Moore Washburn, IL (IL) 3 08-02 0
71. Jose Munoz McHenry , IL (WI) 4 07-05 0
72. Josh Peters Morristown, MN (MN) 3 07-01 0
73. Randy Cloeter Norfolk, NE (NE) 4 06-15 0
74. Joe Wilcox Millersport, OH (OH) 2 06-14 0
75. Jeff Schultz Amelia, OH (OH) 3 06-13 0
76. Jake Drukenbrod Canton, OH (OH) 3 06-11 0
77. Jason Fairbanks Grove City, OH (OH) 2 06-09 0
78. Jerry Duncklee Fayette, IA (IA) 4 06-07 0
79. Anthony Nelson Ladysmith, WI (WI) 2 06-02 0
80. Doug Rishel Plattsmouth, NE (NE) 3 05-15 0
81. Billy Ray Plattsmouth, NE (NE) 3 05-10 0
82. Dylan McMains Madrid, IA (IA) 2 05-04 0
83. Zeb Mcfarland Stanton , IA (NE) 3 05-00 0
84. Adam Stachura Warren, MI (MI) 3 04-10 0
85. John Ryan Georgetown, TN (MI) 1 03-06 0
86. Cal Plienis Sioux Falls, SD (SD) 2 03-02 0
87. Tyler Uekman Mount Clemens, MI (MI) 1 02-04 0
88. Taylor Burgin Palo, ID (IA) 2 01-15 0
89. Morgan McLain Lenexa, KS (NE) 1 01-01 0
90. Fischer Bailey Baraboo, WI (WI) 0 00-00 0
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Totals
Day #Limits #Fish Weight
1 57 217 560-07
2 0 202 471-05
3 0 67 156-03
----------------------------------
57 486 1187-15
TEAM STANDINGS Day 3
----------------------------------
State Lbs-Oz
1 WISCONSIN 512-12
2 INDIANA 494-03
3 MINNESOTA 430-04
4 SOUTH DAKOTA 392-12
5 IOWA 371-03
6 OHIO 369-06
7 ILLINOIS 368-09
8 MICHIGAN 344-15
9 NEBRASKA 330-00
INDIVIDUAL STANDINGS Day 3
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
IOWA
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Coleton Usher Atkins, IA 8 23-09 0
2 Tristin Wilcox Ely, IA 8 22-08 0
3 Bob Vaughn Waterloo, IA 7 20-13 0
4 Aaron Bunge Fairfax, IA 7 19-11 0
5 Devon Dvorak Keystone, IA 5 13-12 0
6 Brian Hinspeter Waukee, IA 4 09-05 0
7 Pat Soppe Manchester, IA 3 09-01 0
8 Jerry Duncklee Fayette, IA 4 06-07 0
9 Dylan McMains Madrid, IA 2 05-04 0
10 Taylor Burgin Palo, ID 2 01-15 0
ILLINOIS
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Matthew Marques Seneca, IL 9 24-12 0
2 Eddie Gad Braidwood, IL 9 24-08 0
3 Casey Morgan Byron, IL 9 23-07 0
4 Mark Emenecker Matton, IL 9 22-11 0
5 Jeffrey Lopez Bolingbrook, IL 7 20-00 0
6 Obie Oberts Custer Park, IL 5 12-07 0
7 Bradley Waller Plainfield, IL 4 09-15 0
8 Bryson Steele Homer, IL 5 09-13 0
9 Adam Markiewicz Plainfield, IL 5 09-02 0
10 Austin Moore Washburn, IL 3 08-02 0
INDIANA
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Kevin Mullins Brooklyn, IN 9 26-06 0
2 Michael Hamilton Plainfield, IN 9 24-06 0
3 Michael Pruitt Martinsville, IN 8 24-03 0
4 John Smith Corydon, IN 9 23-05 0
5 Bryan Kalen Mooresville, IN 6 14-01 0
6 Brian Liming Dillsboro, IN 5 13-04 0
7 Kyle Taylor Shelburn, IN 6 13-01 0
8 William Clark Vincennes, IN 6 12-03 0
9 Kirk Mclouth Indianapolis, IN 4 09-09 0
10 Charrlie Kuebler Jasper, IN 4 08-09 0
MICHIGAN
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Scott Hrcka Homer, MI 9 26-05 0
2 Jesse Weener Holland, MI 9 24-08 0
3 Hunter Scharphorn Grand Haven, MI 6 14-12 0
4 Jon Sohlden Paw Paw, MI 6 12-06 0
5 Matt Green Battle Creek, MI 5 12-04 0
6 Robert Swem Buchanan, MI 5 10-15 0
7 Steve Tagg Wyoming, MI 5 08-07 0
8 Adam Stachura Warren, MI 3 04-10 0
9 John Ryan Georgetown, TN 1 03-06 0
10 Tyler Uekman Mount Clemens, MI 1 02-04 0
MINNESOTA
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Bryan Larson Waconia, MN 9 22-05 0
2 Adam Edwards Andover, MN 9 21-12 0
3 Markus Werner Cannon Falls, MN 6 13-02 0
4 Patrick Stradal Minneapolis, MN 5 12-10 0
5 Tracy Skare Lakeville, MN 6 11-15 0
6 Tim Spande Plymouth, MN 5 11-08 0
7 Joshua Rogers Minneapolis, MN 4 10-13 0
8 Sawyer Schugel Victoria, MN 5 10-02 0
9 Dan O'Keefe Prior Lake, MN 3 09-15 0
10 Josh Peters Morristown, MN 3 07-01 0
OHIO
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Colten Didion Westerville, OH 9 19-15 0
2 Ryan Kriegel Delphos, OH 9 19-03 0
3 Chris Pope Greenville, OH 6 13-08 0
4 Phillip Rummel Jr Mount Vernon, OH 6 13-01 0
5 John Terry Mansfield, OH 6 11-12 0
6 Brian Vogelsang Zanesfield, OH 4 09-08 0
7 Joe Wilcox Millersport, OH 2 06-14 0
8 Jeff Schultz Amelia, OH 3 06-13 0
9 Jake Drukenbrod Canton, OH 3 06-11 0
10 Jason Fairbanks Grove City, OH 2 06-09 0
SOUTH DAKOTA
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Bryce Hauf Winner, SD 9 22-01 0
2 Shawn Van Gerpen Sioux Falls, SD 9 20-11 0
3 Jack Johnson Brandon, SD 6 13-13 0
4 Ethan Hladky Yankton, SD 6 13-03 0
5 Todd Stiehl Winner, SD 6 13-02 0
6 Joe Paulson Winner, WY 6 12-07 0
7 Timothy Peterson Springfield, SD 5 09-10 0
8 Jim Gacke Harrisburg, SD 4 08-11 0
9 Leray Anderson II Crofton, NE 4 08-08 0
10 Cal Plienis Sioux Falls, SD 2 03-02 0
WISCONSIN
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Matt Byrnes Hudson, WI 9 30-10 0
2 John-Paul Hey Chicago, IN 9 23-13 0
3 Nick Strilzuk Balsam Lake, WI 6 15-05 0
4 Luke Kerstetter Brookfield, WI 6 13-11 0
5 Bryan Quigley Green Bay, WI 4 12-12 0
6 Ryan Bergeman Chippewa Falls, WI 4 10-11 0
7 Austin Sudduth Waterford, WI 3 09-08 0
8 Jose Munoz McHenry , IL 4 07-05 0
9 Anthony Nelson Ladysmith, WI 2 06-02 0
10 Fischer Bailey Baraboo, WI 0 00-00 0
NEBRASKA
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Dennis Carroll Ashland, NE 9 21-06 0
2 Larry Sallis Herculaneum, MO 8 20-06 0
3 Alfonso Garcia Jr Mccook, NE 5 13-05 0
4 Chris Jewett Longville, MN 6 12-07 0
5 Jayson Rewolinski Bellevue, NE 4 09-14 0
6 Randy Cloeter Norfolk, NE 4 06-15 0
7 Doug Rishel Plattsmouth, NE 3 05-15 0
8 Billy Ray Plattsmouth, NE 3 05-10 0
9 Zeb Mcfarland Stanton , IA 3 05-00 0
10 Morgan McLain Lenexa, KS 1 01-01 0
Gregory And Mullins Rally For Title At Bassmaster College Series On Lake Hartwell
Cody Gregory and Levi Mullins, from Bethel University, have won the Carhartt Bassmaster College Series at Lake Hartwell presented by Bass Pro Shops with a three-day total of 26 pounds, 8 ounces.
Photo by Chris Brown/B.A.S.S.
August 29, 2020
ANDERSON, S.C. — Bethel University claimed its second Carhartt Bassmaster College Series presented by Bass Pro Shops title this week as juniors Cody Gregory and Levi Mullins rallied from eighth place to take the victory on Lake Hartwell. The pair posted a three-day total of 26-8 thanks to a 10-pound, 1-ounce, three-fish limit on Day 3, the heaviest of the day.
Grayson Morris and Jacob Pfundt of the University of Montevallo finished the tournament in second place with a three-day total of 25-1, while Grant Adams and Wil Rigdon from Campbellsville University rounded out the Top 3 with 24-14.
The win comes just over seven months after teammates Cody Huff and Dakota Pierce were victorious at the first event of the 2020 season at Toledo Bend.
Gregory and Mullins earned $1,417 for their school and also earned the $500 Garmin contingency award. This is the first cut the duo has made as a team and their first National Championship qualification.
After what he called a terrible practice, Gregory said he and Mullins settled into an area 20 minutes up the Tugaloo River and milked the area for three days, which produced nine largemouth big enough to secure the win.
Flipping a California 420 colored Zoom Z-Craw and a California Love colored Missile Baits Baby D Stroyer paired with a 1/4-ounce tungsten flipping weight generated the most bites throughout the week for Gregory and Mullins. After finding a crawfish with an orange belly in the livewell, they also dipped the tails of their baits in chartreuse and orange dye.
Early in the morning, a buzzbait paired with a Zoom Horny Toad proved to be productive on Day 1 and Day 2.
The first two days, Gregory and Mullins couldn’t get the higher quality bass in the boat but generated plenty of keeper bites, Gregory said, ending Day 1 with 9 pounds, 3 ounces and Day 2 with 7-4.
After their buzzbait bite fizzled out early on Day 3, Gregory and Mullins switched to their flipping baits and quickly caught three fish to complete their limit around 9 a.m. A little less than an hour later, Gregory said Mullins hooked a 5-pounder and fought it all the way to the boat before it broke off around the trolling motor.
“We were like, ‘There goes our tournament win right there,’” Gregory said. “We were stressed out all day, but it seemed to come together at the end, I guess.”
With calmer weather prevailing for the first two days of the tournament, Morris and Pfundt targeted brushpiles within a 10 minute run of Green Pond Landing using their Garmin Panoptix unit. They found success calling those fish, both spotted and largemouth bass, out of the brush with topwater walking baits, specifically a Lucky Craft Gunfish and a Reaction Innovations Vixen.
Day 3, however, brought the remnants of Hurricane Laura through South Carolina, which produced 30 mph winds at times across Lake Hartwell.
“It was really windy and (the lake was) white capping,” Morris said. “We had been fishing offshore all week and getting them to come up because it is a big herring lake. We weren’t sure if we were going to be able to do that today. Because of the wind, you can’t work a spook.”
While the wind prevented Morris and Pfundt from throwing the topwater, the duo had their best day of the tournament throwing a Sebile Magic Swimmer, a jointed swimbait that Morris had never used prior to Saturday morning.
“I got it out of the package today and now it has the paint taken off of it. I was shocked (they bit that well), because we got out there and were really concerned and didn’t know how we were going to catch them today,” Morris said. “We tied on that swimbait, and within the first three casts they came up and they started biting it. We knew we were onto something. Every single pile we pulled up on we got bit.”
Timing was an important part of their bites, as well, Morris said. If they threw over a brushpile and didn’t get bit after three casts, they would move to the next brushpile in their rotation.
Action on Lake Hartwell will wrap up tomorrow with the Mossy Oak Fishing Bassmaster High School Series presented by Academy Sports + Outdoors and Mossy Oak Fishing Bassmaster Junior Series starting at 6:45 a.m. ET from Green Pond Landing. Weigh-in for the Junior Series will begin at 2:45 p.m. followed by the High School Series.
This week's tournament action at Lake Hartwell was hosted by Visit Anderson.
The 2020 Carhartt Bassmaster College Series presented by Bass Pro Shops regular season will conclude at Lake Cumberland, Kentucky Oct. 1-3 and will serve as the final opportunity for college anglers to qualify for the 2020 National Championship held on the Harris Chain of Lakes, Florida, Oct. 29-31.
2020 Bassmaster College Series Title Sponsor: Carhartt
2020 Carhartt Bassmaster College Series at Lake Hartwell presented by
Bass Pro Shops 8/27-8/29
Lake Hartwell, Anderson SC.
(BOATER) Standings Day 3
Angler Club/School Pts
1. Cody Gregory - Levi Mullins Bethel University 250
Day 1: 3 09-03 Day 2: 3 07-04 Day 3: 3 10-01 Total: 9 26-08
2. Grayson Morris - Jacob Pfundt University of Montevalllo 249
Day 1: 3 08-00 Day 2: 3 08-04 Day 3: 3 08-13 Total: 9 25-01
3. Grant Adams - Wil Rigdon Campbellsville University 248
Day 1: 3 10-02 Day 2: 3 07-07 Day 3: 3 07-05 Total: 9 24-14
4. Garrett Warren - Snead State Community College 247
Day 1: 3 06-10 Day 2: 3 08-07 Day 3: 3 09-10 Total: 9 24-11
5. Zeke Gossett - Lucas Smith Jacksonville State 246
Day 1: 3 06-03 Day 2: 3 11-07 Day 3: 3 06-12 Total: 9 24-06
6. Bryce Henley - Reese Kingston Brewton-Parker College 245
Day 1: 3 06-13 Day 2: 3 11-00 Day 3: 3 06-07 Total: 9 24-04
7. Brad Ableman - Wilson Smith Bethel University 244
Day 1: 3 09-11 Day 2: 3 09-05 Day 3: 3 04-08 Total: 9 23-08
8. Jake Lee - Mason Cizek Bryan College 243
Day 1: 3 09-12 Day 2: 3 08-08 Day 3: 3 05-00 Total: 9 23-04
9. Jeremy Dellinger - Nathan Smith CVCC 242
Day 1: 3 11-09 Day 2: 3 06-14 Day 3: 3 04-06 Total: 9 22-13
10. Griffin Fernandes - Gunner Wilson Adrian College 241
Day 1: 3 08-08 Day 2: 3 08-10 Day 3: 3 05-06 Total: 9 22-08
11. Jarred Jones - Logan Tate Jacksonville State University 240
Day 1: 3 07-07 Day 2: 3 08-06 Day 3: 3 06-07 Total: 9 22-04
12. Harbor Lovin - Zachary Martin Murray State University 239
Day 1: 3 08-12 Day 2: 3 06-02 Day 3: 1 02-03 Total: 7 17-01
-------------------------------------------------------------
California’s Salewske Wins Tackle Warehouse TITLE Championship presented by Toyota at Sturgeon Bay
Veteran Angler Catches 48 pounds, 11 ounces to Win TITLE Belt and $200,000 Top Prize
STURGEON BAY, Wis. (Aug. 29, 2020) – Pro Rusty Salewske of Alpine, California, caught 13 smallmouth bass totaling 48 pounds, 11 ounces, Saturday to win $200,000 and the TITLE belt at the inaugural Tackle Warehouse TITLE presented by Toyota, the FLW Pro Circuit Championship on Lake Michigan in Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin. Salewske won by a slim 8-ounce margin over pro Bradford Beavers of Summerville, South Carolina, who caught 16 bass weighing 48-3, good for $50,000. Saturday’s final day of competition marked the finale of the Tackle Warehouse TITLE, which featured the top 50 anglers from the Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit competing over six days for a purse of $820,000, including the top prize of $200,000.
A picture containing person, holding, player, wearing
Description automatically generated“This is the best thing that has ever happened to me in my fishing career, by far,” said Salewske, who stepped away from pro-level competition in 2011 before returning to the Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit this season. “Of course having children and grandkids and things like that are better, but this is just unbelievable.
“I really think my experience helped me today,” Salewske said. “I’d been in this situation before. I almost won the 2009 FLW Cup. I was leading after day three and I only had to catch three keepers. It was mine to win. But I let the pressure get to me that day. Today, I just tried to stay calm and composed and that helped me, for sure.”
With just 12 minutes left to fish, Salewske sat in second place with 43-13 – 4 pounds, 6 ounces, behind Beavers. Salewske then calmly hooked and landed his last fish – a 4-pound, 14-ounce smallmouth – to overtake Beavers, who had held the lead all of Period 3, and finish out the final minutes atop the leaderboard in a dramatic finale.
“My knees were shaking the whole time I was fighting that fish,” Salewske said. “I had no trolling motor battery left at that point, we were blowing 8 miles an hour down the bank, and I had no control over the fish. When I finally landed her, I was thrilled but I thought I was still going to need one more.”
Salewske said that he caught all of his fish throughout the week on a Yamamoto Shad Shape worm on a drop-shot rig, until today.
“I’d been catching them all week on the shad shape worm, but today they wouldn’t bite anything but the (Berkley) Flat Worm. They love that dang Flat Worm, and that’s what I caught all 13 bass on today.
“I try to go into every tournament thinking that I can win,” Salewske went on to say. “During practice, I was thinking ‘maybe not’. But you just have to keep fishing. I kind of started to figure them out, and my friend Wade (Strelic) kind of walked me through what the fish were doing. I would not be standing here right now without him.”
The top 10 pros at the Tackle Warehouse TITLE presented by Toyota on Sturgeon Bay finished:
1st: Rusty Salewske of Alpine, Calif., 13 bass, 48-11, $200,000
2nd: Bradford Beavers of Summerville, S.C., 16 bass, 48-3, $50,000
3rd: John Cox of DeBary, Fla., 11 bass, 36-14, $30,000
4th: Kurt Mitchell of Milford, Del., six bass, 22-8, $25,000
5th: Kyle Hall of Granbury, Texas, six bass, 22-0, $19,000
6th: Spencer Shuffield of Hot Springs, Ark., six bass, 21-7, $18,000
7th: Grae Buck of Green Lane, Pa., five bass, 20-11, $17,000
8th: Joey Cifuentes of Clinton, Ark., six bass, 18-9, $16,000
9th: Casey Scanlon of Eldon, Mo., zero bass, 0-0, $14,500
9th: Evan Barnes of Hot Springs, Ark., zero bass, 0-0, $14,500
Full results for the entire field can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
Overall there were 69 bass weighing 238 pounds, 15 ounces caught by the final 10 pros Saturday. Buck caught the largest fish of the day – a 5-pound, 10-ounce smallmouth bass.
The Tackle Warehouse TITLE presented by Toyota, the FLW Pro Circuit Championship, was hosted by Destination Sturgeon Bay.
Television coverage of the Tackle Warehouse TITLE presented by Toyota event will be showcased across six two-hour episodes, premiering at 7 p.m. EDT, Oct. 9 on the Outdoor Channel. Episodes premiere in Friday night primetime slots on the Outdoor Channel, with additional re-airings on the Outdoor Channel and the Sportsman Channel.
The 2020 Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit featured a field of 150 of the top professional anglers in the world competing at six regular-season events around the country. The top 50 anglers in the Angler of the Year (AOY) standings after the six events qualified to compete in the inaugural Tackle Warehouse TITLE presented by Toyota.
For complete details and updated information visit FLWFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow the Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit on FLW’s social media outlets at Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.
Bethel University Pair Takes Lead At Bassmaster College Series Event On Lake Hartwell
Wilson Smith (pictured) and Brad Ableman, from Bethel University, are leading after Day 2 of the Carhartt Bassmaster College Series at Lake Hartwell presented by Bass Pro Shops with 19 pounds.
Photo by Chris Brown/B.A.S.S.
August 28, 2020
ANDERSON, S.C. — For the first time this season on the Carhartt Bassmaster College Series presented by Bass Pro Shops, there will not be a wire-to-wire winner.
After weighing in 9 pounds, 11 ounces on Day 1 of the third tour stop at Lake Hartwell, Bethel University’s Brad Ableman and Wilson Smith jumped from sixth to first on Day 2 with a 9-5 three-fish limit for a two-day total of 19-0.
Meanwhile, Day 1 leaders Jeremy Dellinger and Nathan Smith from Catawba Valley Community College in North Carolina dropped to second with a limit of 6-14 and a two-day total of 18-7.
“It feels pretty good. I didn’t expect it,” Ableman said. “We caught what we caught and we thought it would get us into the final day and qualify us for the National Championship. We are probably going to have to catch the same (weight) if not more tomorrow.
“We are excited to just get back out there and see what we can end up with.”
It is the first time Ableman and Wilson Smith have secured a Top 12 finish as a team. Ableman said they went into this tournament searching for largemouth and have been able to capitalize on that bite for two days, specifically in one area where they have spent the majority of their time.
“We have stayed in our main area until about noon and then went and fished some new stuff,” he said. “We haven’t really found anything new. We have one area that we have been catching some fish in and we are hoping it can hold up.”
The Bethel duo has stayed in shallow water most of the tournament, using a Strike King Rage Bug and a Strike King KVD Sexy Frog to generate a few quality bites.
According to Ableman, the fish they have caught have been on a few key spots, and he believes if the water levels continue to slowly drop, more fish will funnel out of the backwaters close by and replenish those targets. However, if the water drops too much, he fears the fish will move out of the creek completely.
“We don’t really have a backup plan,” Ableman said. “It’s either we catch the fish and we are in position, or we aren’t.”
Meanwhile, the quality of fish decreased for Dellinger and Nathan Smith on Day 2, but the CVCC team remains in contention just 9 ounces behind Ableman and Wilson Smith. Dellinger and Nathan Smith returned to the same pocket they had success in yesterday but did not find the same success.
“There was a bunch of bait in there, and there was some schooling activity yesterday. Today our fish came up schooling and pushed all of the bait out of the pocket,” Dellinger said. “For that particular pocket, I think most of the quality is gone.”
Toward the end of the day, the CVCC team found another pocket with schooling fish, a potential tournament saver if the bass are fired up on Championship Saturday.
“If we can put three bites on those fish in the boat, it’s going to make it interesting tomorrow,” Dellinger said.
All six of the fish Dellinger and Nathan Smith have brought to the scales were caught on the same bait, and Dellinger said he doesn’t intend to change on the final day.
Jake Lee and Mason Cizek from Bryan College in Tennessee rounded out the Top 3 with a two-day total of 18-4, while Jacksonville State University anglers Zeke Gossett and Lucas Smith, who started the day in 30th with a Day 1 total of 6-3, rocketed to fifth place with an 11-7 limit, the heaviest of Day 2.
The Brewton-Parker College duo of Bryce Henley and Reese Kingston claimed the Carhartt Big Bass of the day with a 5-12 largemouth, just 2 ounces shy of the overall big bass of the tournament weighed in by Clemson University’s GL Compton and Matthew Sprouse on Day 1.
The Top 12 teams will take off Saturday from Green Pond Landing at 6:45 a.m. ET and return for the weigh-in at 2:45 p.m. The 12 teams have also already earned a spot in the 2020 Carhartt Bassmaster College National Championship presented by Bass Pro Shops on the Harris Chain of Lakes starting Oct. 29.
The event is being hosted by Visit Anderson.
2020 Bassmaster College Series Title Sponsor: Carhartt
2020 Carhartt Bassmaster College Series at Lake Hartwell presented by
Bass Pro Shops 8/27-8/29
Lake Hartwell, Anderson SC.
(BOATER) Standings Day 2
Angler Club/School Pts
1. Brad Ableman - Wilson Smith Bethel University 250
Day 1: 3 09-11 Day 2: 3 09-05 Total: 6 19-00
2. Jeremy Dellinger - Nathan Smith CVCC 249
Day 1: 3 11-09 Day 2: 3 06-14 Total: 6 18-07
3. Jake Lee - Mason Cizek Bryan College 248
Day 1: 3 09-12 Day 2: 3 08-08 Total: 6 18-04
4. Bryce Henley - Reese Kingston Brewton-Parker College 247
Day 1: 3 06-13 Day 2: 3 11-00 Total: 6 17-13
5. Zeke Gossett - Lucas Smith Jacksonville State 246
Day 1: 3 06-03 Day 2: 3 11-07 Total: 6 17-10
6. Grant Adams - Wil Rigdon Campbellsville University 245
Day 1: 3 10-02 Day 2: 3 07-07 Total: 6 17-09
7. Griffin Fernandes - Gunner Wilson Adrian College 244
Day 1: 3 08-08 Day 2: 3 08-10 Total: 6 17-02
8. Cody Gregory - Levi Mullins Bethel University 243
Day 1: 3 09-03 Day 2: 3 07-04 Total: 6 16-07
9. Grayson Morris - Jacob Pfundt University of Montevalllo 242
Day 1: 3 08-00 Day 2: 3 08-04 Total: 6 16-04
10. Jarred Jones - Logan Tate Jacksonville State University 241
Day 1: 3 07-07 Day 2: 3 08-06 Total: 6 15-13
11. Garrett Warren - Snead State Community College 240
Day 1: 3 06-10 Day 2: 3 08-07 Total: 6 15-01
12. Harbor Lovin - Zachary Martin Murray State University 239
Day 1: 3 08-12 Day 2: 3 06-02 Total: 6 14-14
13. Joseph McClosky - Ryan Winchester Bethel University 238
Day 1: 3 04-10 Day 2: 3 10-02 Total: 6 14-12
14. GL Compton - Matthew Sprouse Clemson University 237
Day 1: 3 10-01 Day 2: 3 04-07 Total: 6 14-08
15. George Fallon - George Gore Clemson University 236
Day 1: 3 09-00 Day 2: 3 05-03 Total: 6 14-03
16. Cole Sands - Conner Dimauro Bryan College 235
Day 1: 3 08-05 Day 2: 3 05-08 Total: 6 13-13
17. Cal Culpepper - Mason Waddell University of Montevallo 234
Day 1: 3 07-02 Day 2: 3 06-08 Total: 6 13-10
18. Mark Harris - Reece Martin Dallas Baptist University 233
Day 1: 3 03-05 Day 2: 3 10-01 Total: 6 13-06
19. Miller Spivey - Trey Dickert University of Montevallo 232
Day 1: 3 06-06 Day 2: 3 07-00 Total: 6 13-06
20. Joshua DeKoning - Carter Ball Adrian College 231
Day 1: 3 06-14 Day 2: 3 06-06 Total: 6 13-04
21. Weston Hollar - Wesley Gore University of Montevallo 230
Day 1: 3 06-05 Day 2: 3 06-12 Total: 6 13-01
22. Dax Ewart - Kyle Palmer Bethel University 229
Day 1: 3 07-14 Day 2: 3 05-01 Total: 6 12-15
23. James Willoughby - Chance Schwartz University of Montevallo 228
Day 1: 3 05-12 Day 2: 3 07-02 Total: 6 12-14
24. Lane Bailey - Adam Seagle CVCC 227
Day 1: 3 10-05 Day 2: 2 02-03 Total: 5 12-08
25. Emil Wagner - Ole Miss 226
Day 1: 3 06-02 Day 2: 3 06-05 Total: 6 12-07
26. Hunter MCClaskey - Nicholas Gilbert King University 225
Day 1: 3 05-11 Day 2: 3 06-10 Total: 6 12-05
27. Nolan Minor - Casey Lanier West Virginia University 224
Day 1: 3 03-08 Day 2: 3 08-12 Total: 6 12-04
28. Mitchel Goodin - John Jacobs Georgia Southern University 223
Day 1: 3 04-05 Day 2: 3 07-13 Total: 6 12-02
29. Bryce Miller - Nick Crawford Kent State University 222
Day 1: 2 04-08 Day 2: 2 07-07 Total: 4 11-15
30. Whit Edmonds - Bobby Long Lander University 221
Day 1: 3 05-05 Day 2: 3 06-09 Total: 6 11-14
31. Dalton Smith - Bradley Dunagan Campbellsville University 220
Day 1: 3 04-09 Day 2: 2 07-03 Total: 5 11-12
32. Colin Slentz - Evan Slentz Lander University 219
Day 1: 3 07-03 Day 2: 3 04-05 Total: 6 11-08
33. Jacob Blumling - Nathanael Wright Emmanuel College 218
Day 1: 3 07-01 Day 2: 2 04-07 Total: 5 11-08
34. Jason Zubris - Penn State University 217
Day 1: 3 07-02 Day 2: 3 04-05 Total: 6 11-07
35. Hayden Gaddis - Ben Cully Carson-Newman University 216
Day 1: 3 06-08 Day 2: 3 04-15 Total: 6 11-07
36. Weston Bison - Parker Wilton Lander University 215
Day 1: 3 05-06 Day 2: 3 05-15 Total: 6 11-05
37. Luke Lamb - Seth Roberts Bethel University 214
Day 1: 2 06-11 Day 2: 3 04-08 Total: 5 11-03
38. Jj Kocevar - Tanner Shriver Kent State University 213
Day 1: 3 05-11 Day 2: 3 05-06 Total: 6 11-01
39. Zachary Asher - Jacob Klicman Kent State University 212
Day 1: 3 05-07 Day 2: 3 05-10 Total: 6 11-01
40. Braden Perry - Aidan England Carson-Newman University 211
Day 1: 3 09-09 Day 2: 1 01-06 Total: 4 10-15
41. Mason Moore - Ryan Freeman Eastern Kentucky University 210
Day 1: 3 04-05 Day 2: 3 06-10 Total: 6 10-15
42. Drew Pridgen - Kaleb Brown Lander University 209
Day 1: 3 08-04 Day 2: 1 02-10 Total: 4 10-14
43. Shane Nelson - Brayden Federer Adrian College 208
Day 1: 3 06-01 Day 2: 3 04-13 Total: 6 10-14
44. Calvin Currie - Tommy Teaster Lander University 207
Day 1: 3 05-01 Day 2: 3 05-13 Total: 6 10-14
45. Solomon Glenn - Hunter Ward University of Montervallo 206
Day 1: 3 04-00 Day 2: 3 06-13 Total: 6 10-13
46. Austin Goins - Kirk Elijah Bryan college 205
Day 1: 3 04-10 Day 2: 3 06-00 Total: 6 10-10
47. Cole Zagrzebski - Ryan Bradway Western Michigan University 204
Day 1: 3 05-11 Day 2: 3 04-15 Total: 6 10-10
48. Jack Dice - Liberty University 203
Day 1: 3 04-15 Day 2: 3 05-07 Total: 6 10-06
49. Andrew Fisher - Bennett Kudder Bryan College 202
Day 1: 3 03-12 Day 2: 3 06-08 Total: 6 10-04
50. William Martin - Jack Baron University of Montevallo 201
Day 1: 3 04-07 Day 2: 3 05-08 Total: 6 09-15
51. Cordell Beckman - Dru Johnson Greenville University 200
Day 1: 3 03-11 Day 2: 3 06-03 Total: 6 09-14
52. Austin Davis - Josh Howard Greenville Techincal 199
Day 1: 3 04-03 Day 2: 3 05-11 Total: 6 09-14
53. Jackson Staib - Baylor Howell Bethel University 198
Day 1: 3 05-10 Day 2: 2 04-00 Total: 5 09-10
54. Conner Giles - Christian Wright Bryan College 197
Day 1: 3 05-00 Day 2: 3 04-10 Total: 6 09-10
55. Trevor Harrill - Ty Leatherwood Appalachian State University 196
Day 1: 3 04-06 Day 2: 3 05-03 Total: 6 09-09
56. Caleb Lonca - Justin Eggers CVCC 195
Day 1: 3 05-13 Day 2: 3 03-10 Total: 6 09-07
57. Stephen Kinard - Jimmy Mitchum Lander University 194
Day 1: 3 06-12 Day 2: 2 02-07 Total: 5 09-03
58. Shawn Coots - Luke Henderson Campbellsville University 193
Day 1: 3 04-05 Day 2: 3 04-14 Total: 6 09-03
59. Nolan Yeager - Ethan LeGare Stephen F. Austin State Universi 192
Day 1: 3 03-06 Day 2: 3 05-12 Total: 6 09-02
60. Matthew Davis - Cody Batterson Adrian College 191
Day 1: 3 04-13 Day 2: 3 04-05 Total: 6 09-02
61. Sean Clayton - Owen Dimaio Clemson University 190
Day 1: 3 04-06 Day 2: 3 04-11 Total: 6 09-01
62. Matthew Cummings - Joseph Woods Bethel University 189
Day 1: 3 02-14 Day 2: 3 06-02 Total: 6 09-00
63. Dawson Cassidy - Gus Mclarry Texas AM Commerce 188
Day 1: 3 04-10 Day 2: 3 04-04 Total: 6 08-14
64. Hunter Bond - Bowman Davis Clemson University 187
Day 1: 3 07-11 Day 2: 1 01-01 Total: 4 08-12
65. Ross Parris - Reed Green Lander University 186
Day 1: 2 03-11 Day 2: 3 05-01 Total: 5 08-12
66. Atom Ward - Gavin Lagle Indiana University Southeast 185
Day 1: 3 04-07 Day 2: 3 04-05 Total: 6 08-12
67. Zach Manneback - Jarrod Layton Adrain College 184
Day 1: 2 04-05 Day 2: 3 04-05 Total: 5 08-10
68. Curtis Dillon - Aaron Digh East Carolina University 183
Day 1: 3 04-02 Day 2: 3 04-07 Total: 6 08-09
69. Cameron Rhodes - Jacob Witkowski Dallas Baptist University 182
Day 1: 3 04-09 Day 2: 3 03-13 Total: 6 08-06
70. Tyler Christy - Trey Schroeder McKendree University 181
Day 1: 3 05-05 Day 2: 2 03-00 Total: 5 08-05
71. Cole Dodson - Trent Jones University of Montevallo 180
Day 1: 3 06-02 Day 2: 1 02-02 Total: 4 08-04
72. Wyatt Reid - Gehrig DeFronzo Erskine College 179
Day 1: 3 04-05 Day 2: 3 03-13 Total: 6 08-02
73. Griffin Phillips - Ethan King University of Montevallo 178
Day 1: 3 01-11 Day 2: 3 06-06 Total: 6 08-01
74. Cy Casey - Daelyn Whaley Emmanuel College 177
Day 1: 3 04-01 Day 2: 3 03-14 Total: 6 07-15
75. Hayden Fuhr - Chase Carver Lander University 176
Day 1: 3 05-02 Day 2: 3 02-12 Total: 6 07-14
76. Brian Linder - Nathan Thompson Minnesota State Univ Mankato 175
Day 1: 3 05-09 Day 2: 2 02-03 Total: 5 07-12
77. Tristan McCormick - Stevie Mills Bethel University 174
Day 1: 1 00-15 Day 2: 3 06-08 Total: 4 07-07
78. Matthew Benson - Garrett Ankerich Emmanuel College 173
Day 1: 1 01-15 Day 2: 3 05-05 Total: 4 07-04
79. Tanner Barnes - Jordan Smallwood Campbellsville University 172
Day 1: 3 03-11 Day 2: 3 03-09 Total: 6 07-04
80. Mark Wilson - Dylon Williams georgia southern 171
Day 1: 1 01-01 Day 2: 3 05-09 Total: 4 06-10
81. James Duncan - Blake Stringer Campbellsville University 170
Day 1: 1 01-03 Day 2: 3 05-07 Total: 4 06-10
82. Bailey Bleser - Christian Hernandez Mckendree University 169
Day 1: 3 03-14 Day 2: 2 02-10 Total: 5 06-08
83. Colby Hays - Logan Hawkins Campbellsville University 168
Day 1: 2 01-15 Day 2: 3 04-07 Total: 5 06-06
84. Britt Myers - Tyler Anderson Lander University 167
Day 1: 3 03-06 Day 2: 3 03-00 Total: 6 06-06
85. Spencer Black - Lucas Oliver CVCC 166
Day 1: 3 03-08 Day 2: 1 02-13 Total: 4 06-05
86. Ethan Shaw - Tyler Price Bryan College 165
Day 1: 2 02-06 Day 2: 3 03-13 Total: 5 06-03
87. Sam Shoemaker - Hayden Scott Adrian College 164
Day 1: 1 01-15 Day 2: 3 04-02 Total: 4 06-01
88. Kollin Smith - John Wesley Wardlaw Emmanuel College 163
Day 1: 3 05-13 Day 2: 0 00-00 Total: 3 05-13
89. Alec Coffey - Kyle Roy Campbellsville University 162
Day 1: 1 02-10 Day 2: 2 03-03 Total: 3 05-13
90. River Lee - Hunter Muncrief Stephen F. Austin State Universi 161
Day 1: 1 01-02 Day 2: 3 04-07 Total: 4 05-09
91. Tanner Maness - Chandlar Ellis Lander University 160
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 3 05-07 Total: 3 05-07
92. Bailey Fain - Preston Kendrick Bryan College 159
Day 1: 1 00-15 Day 2: 3 04-07 Total: 4 05-06
93. Matthew Roberts - Alice Lloyd College 158
Day 1: 1 01-00 Day 2: 1 04-02 Total: 2 05-02
94. Zachary Bowen - Thomas Millraney Bethel University 157
Day 1: 2 02-02 Day 2: 3 03-00 Total: 5 05-02
95. Rob Lindsey - Justin Botts Bryan College 156
Day 1: 3 03-12 Day 2: 1 01-01 Total: 4 04-13
96. Jake Maddux - Southern Union Community College 155
Day 1: 3 04-12 Day 2: 0 00-00 Total: 3 04-12
97. Levi Sanchez - Nathan Schrader Clemson 154
Day 1: 3 04-10 Day 2: 0 00-00 Total: 3 04-10
98. Chandler Jarrard - David Brashear Georgia Southern University 153
Day 1: 3 04-06 Day 2: 0 00-00 Total: 3 04-06
99. Adam Puckett - Blake Albertson Murray State University 152
Day 1: 3 02-13 Day 2: 1 01-06 Total: 4 04-03
100. Ty Black - Avry Thomason Georgia Southern University 151
Day 1: 3 04-00 Day 2: 0 00-00 Total: 3 04-00
101. Jack York - Cooper Thor Stephen F Austin State Universit 150
Day 1: 3 03-15 Day 2: 0 00-00 Total: 3 03-15
102. Austin Smith - Maddux Walters Carson Newman 149
Day 1: 1 02-02 Day 2: 2 01-12 Total: 3 03-14
103. Tyler Lusk - Corey Waits Lander University 148
Day 1: 2 02-11 Day 2: 1 00-15 Total: 3 03-10
104. Alex Saxon - Andrew Brock Emmanuel College 147
Day 1: 3 03-03 Day 2: 0 00-00 Total: 3 03-03
105. Troy Gibson - Adam Hope University of Louisville 146
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 1 02-11 Total: 1 02-11
106. Denver Monteith - Adam Watts Trevecca Nazarene University 145
Day 1: 2 02-09 Day 2: 0 00-00 Total: 2 02-09
107. Brant Shuler - Blake Nalley Clemson University 144
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 1 02-05 Total: 1 02-05
108. Cade Tootle - Thomas Mcelwaney Georgia Southern University 143
Day 1: 2 01-15 Day 2: 0 00-00 Total: 2 01-15
109. Ryan Park - Jon Johnston Murray State University 142
Day 1: 1 01-06 Day 2: 0 00-00 Total: 1 01-06
110. Garritt Coughenour - Tennessee Tech 141
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 1 01-04 Total: 1 01-04
111. David Hendel - Jacob Blackburn Ohio State University 140
Day 1: 1 01-00 Day 2: 0 00-00 Total: 1 01-00
112. Weston Randall - Anthony Hunckler Appalachian State University 139
Day 1: 1 00-15 Day 2: 0 00-00 Total: 1 00-15
113. Jonah Gilbert - Emmanuel College 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
113. Griffin Heffington - Jacob Frazier Carson-Newman University 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
113. Caleb Sheldon - Ben Kinney Lander University 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
Schlapper Expands His Lead In B.A.S.S. Nation Regional On Lake Vermilion
Pat Schlapper, of Eleva, Wis., is leading after Day 2 of the TNT Fireworks B.A.S.S. Nation Northern Regional at Lake Vermilion with a two-day total of 35 pounds, 9 ounces.
Photo by Chris Mitchell/B.A.S.S.
August 27, 2020
TOWER, Minn. — Despite a slower day, Pat Schlapper of Eleva, Wis., maintained his lead at the TNT Fireworks B.A.S.S. Nation Northern Regional on Minnesota’s Lake Vermilion with a two-day total weight of 35 pounds, 9 ounces.
After taking the top spot on Wednesday with 19-4, Schlapper added 16-5 on Day 2. Even though today’s productivity was lower, Schlapper expanded his lead from 7 ounces on Day 1 to nearly 2 pounds heading into Friday’s final round.
“I was very fortunate to have what I have today,” Schlapper said. “I’m not really optimistic about tomorrow.”
Doing most of his work in Vermilion’s east end, Schlapper said his morning started off slower than he had anticipated. He found a day-making 4-pounder around 10:20 a.m., but that was the only bright spot in his day.
“I maybe had 12 pounds before I caught that good one,” Schlapper said. “I caught a couple more good ones before that, but overall, it was a struggle.
“I caught plenty of fish, but getting those fish over 3 pounds was really difficult today. We had more sun today and that helped the bite on some spots, but I just think I’m running out of fish.”
Struggling to establish consistency, Schlapper had to cover a range of depths from 5 to 17 feet. Two of his weight fish came from deeper spots, while three — including his biggest — were shallow bites.
For his shallow work, Schlapper fished a Texas-rigged tube or a craw bait on a shaky head or football-head jig. In the deeper spots he relied on a drop shot.
“I’ve been running a 1/4-ounce drop-shot weight when it’s calm, and I’ll go up to a 3/8 if I have to when it’s windy,” he said. “I don’t like to use that 3/8 because it gets hung up a lot more.
“I’m using a 4-inch green pumpkin worm and an 18-inch leader out here to keep it up off the rocky bottom.”
Getting quality bites was tough, and Schlapper lamented several moments when he had his opportunities but watched good ones swim away.
“It was a tough day; I left a lot out there,” he said. “I had a lot of missed opportunities that are probably going to haunt me. But these (smallmouth) are tough to catch.”
Richard Lindgren of Lakeville, Minn., is in second place with 33-10. Improving from seventh place on Day 1, he displayed noteworthy consistency by adding 16-12 to Wednesday’s weight of 16-14.
Fishing the lake’s east and central regions, Lindgren targeted various rock features in less than 10 feet. He kept his bait details guarded but noted that he’s power fishing with a mix of reaction baits and plastics.
“I ran some new water today and fished a couple different patterns, both shallow and offshore,” Lindgren said. “I had most of my weight by 10:30, and then I upgraded two times after that.
“It was just one fish here, one fish there, they’re not schooled up. I fished like 30 spots today.”
Lonnie Peterson of Chippewa Falls, Wis., is in third place with 33-9. After placing 12th on Day 1 with 15-15, he added 17-10 today. He fished the same areas he fished on Wednesday, but today’s sunnier conditions stimulated more active feeding and improved his opportunities.
“I’m fishing 8 to 16 feet of water in the lake’s northwest section,” Peterson said. “I was fishing isolated stuff or anything that’s bigger.
“I was fishing a drop shot with a green pumpkin worm and working it really slowly and methodically. I was picking apart each section.”
Dan Parker of Guttenberg, Iowa, is in the lead for Big Bass honors with his 4-14.
Matt Byrnes of Hudson, Wis., leads the nonboater division with 20-8. On Day 1, Byrnes placed 15th with 9-2 and took over his division’s top spot today by adding 11-6.
Dan O’Keefe of Prior Lake, Minn., holds the Big Bass lead among nonboaters with a 5-5.
In tomorrow’s final round, the Top 18 boaters and Top 18 nonboaters compete for the first-place prize and a spot in the B.A.S.S. Nation Championship, Nov. 11-13 on Pickwick Lake.
In the state team competition, the Indiana B.A.S.S. Nation accumulated a two-day total of 402 pounds, 15 ounces and won the top prize of $6,250. Trailing by a mere 2 ounces, the Wisconsin B.A.S.S. Nation took second with 402-13 and won $3,750. Finishing third with 391-3, the Minnesota B.A.S.S. Nation won $2,500.
Friday’s takeoff is scheduled for 6 a.m. CT from Fortune Bay Resort Marina. The weigh-in will be held at the marina at 2 p.m.
The event is being hosted by the Fortune Bay Resort Casino.
2020 TNT Fireworks Bass Nation Northern Regional Lake Vermilion 8/26-8/28
Lake Vermilion, Tower MN.
(BOATER) Standings Day 2
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Pts Total $$$
1. Pat Schlapper Eleva, WI (WI) 10 35-09 0
2. Richard Lindgren Lakeville, MN (MN) 10 33-10 0
3. Lonnie Peterson Chippewa Falls, WI (WI) 10 33-09 0
4. Eric Storms Winner, SD (SD) 10 33-03 0
5. Jeff Napier Martinsville, IN (IN) 10 32-03 0
6. JP Przekurat Stevens Point, WI (WI) 10 32-02 0
7. Josh Miller Roberts, WI (WI) 10 31-14 0
8. Eddie Levin Westerville, OH (OH) 10 31-08 0
9. Ted Heitschmidt Tomahawk, WI (WI) 10 31-07 0
10. Bryce Kalen Greenwood, IN (IN) 10 31-02 0
11. Nick Leonard Cincinnati, OH (OH) 10 30-09 0
12. Trevor Kettles Waukee, IA (IA) 10 29-09 0
13. Brent Haimes Elgin, MN (MN) 10 29-08 0
14. Troy Diede Sioux Falls, SD (SD) 10 29-06 0
15. Brian Coleman Mitchell, IN (IN) 10 29-04 0
16. Brock Belik Orchard, NE (SD) 10 28-15 0
17. Chris Wilkinson Farmersburg, IN (IN) 10 28-14 0
18. Harry Marsh III New Berlin, WI (WI) 10 28-12 0
19. Matt Reagan Hudsonville, MI (MI) 10 28-11 0
20. Eric Ritter Buffalo, MN (MN) 10 28-11 0
21. Tanner Bock Davenport, IA (IA) 10 28-03 0
22. Justin Rowe New Auburn, WI (WI) 10 28-02 0
23. Josh Hubbard Braidwood, IL (IL) 10 28-02 0
24. Nate Brown Muscatine, IA (IA) 10 27-13 0
24. John Fairbanks Hastings, MN (MN) 10 27-13 0
26. Johnston Westmoreland Mooselake, MN (MN) 10 27-06 0
27. Denny Cook Auburn, IN (MI) 10 27-06 0
28. Terry McWilliams Greenfield, IN (IN) 10 27-04 0
29. Carl Spande Mounds View, MN (MN) 10 27-04 0
30. Kody Lane Rock Springs, WI (WI) 10 26-14 0
31. J. Scott Foureman Bradford, OH (OH) 10 26-14 0
32. Dan Parker Guttenberg, IA (IA) 10 26-14 0
33. Shane Stiehl Pierre, SD (SD) 10 26-02 0
34. Bob Slama Harrisburg, SD (SD) 10 26-02 0
35. Lee Farber Watertown, MN (MN) 10 26-01 0
36. Bob Bayless Indianapolis, IN (IN) 10 25-14 0
37. Tom Kiefer Fowlerville, MI (MI) 10 25-14 0
38. David Watson Sullivan, IN (IN) 10 25-12 0
39. Jay Swanson Lakeville, MN (MN) 10 25-10 0
40. Joe Discerni Warren, OH (OH) 10 25-09 0
41. Chris Myers Madison, IN (IN) 10 25-05 0
42. Reid Culler Hudson, IN (MI) 10 25-04 0
43. Dan Brown Joliet, IL (IL) 8 25-01 0
44. John Thomsen Creston, IA (NE) 10 24-13 0
45. Cliff Van Beek Canistota, SD (SD) 10 24-07 0
46. Austin Brimeyer Dubuque, IA (IA) 9 24-06 0
47. Donald Roberts Bellville, OH (OH) 10 24-02 0
48. Robert Hime Odessa, MO (NE) 10 23-12 0
49. Wes Westerveld Ramsey, MN (MN) 9 23-05 0
50. Paul Amstutz Gambler, OH (OH) 10 23-05 0
51. Mike Obal Springfield, NE (NE) 10 23-01 0
52. Kirk Hansen Omaha, NE (NE) 9 22-14 0
53. Andrew Nitchals Willmar, MN (MN) 9 22-13 0
54. Jerry Avis Council Bluffs, IA (NE) 10 22-11 0
55. Bob Garman Center Point, IA (IA) 9 22-09 0
56. Randy Burch Ladysmith, WI (WI) 9 22-05 0
57. Tad Tinlin Des Moines, IA (IA) 9 22-05 0
58. Kyle Waller Thornville, OH (OH) 9 22-00 0
59. Joshua Brown Corydon, IN (IN) 10 22-00 0
60. Jacob Stauthammer Lafayette, IL (IL) 10 21-12 0
61. Ryan Koehn Lofts Ada, MI (MI) 10 21-12 0
62. Brian Martin Papillion , NE (NE) 9 21-04 0
63. Jared Knuth Wahoo, NE (NE) 8 21-03 0
64. Pete Saele Lockport, IL (IL) 10 20-02 0
65. Eric Culler Hudson, IN (MI) 8 19-09 0
66. Zachary Nelson Glen Flora, WI (WI) 9 19-06 0
67. Peter Tuls Grand Haven, MI (MI) 8 17-14 0
68. Corey Peterson Yankton, SD (SD) 7 17-10 0
69. Tom Shumowsky North Riverside, IL (IL 10 17-09 0
70. Scott Dunn Morris, IL (IL) 9 16-11 0
71. Mark Vote Omaha, NE (NE) 8 16-04 0
72. Scott Cooke Marengo, OH (OH) 6 16-02 0
73. Edward Gad Braidwood, IL (IL) 7 15-10 0
74. Aaron Faulk Mc Causland, IA (IA) 8 15-10 0
75. Richard Hladky Yankton, SD (SD) 8 15-06 0
76. Steven Kunz Jasper, IN (IN) 7 15-06 0
77. Ed Sizemore Lebanon, OH (OH) 10 15-03 0
78. Jason Citta Hershey, NE (NE) 6 14-13 0
79. Nick Ash Omaha, NE (NE) 6 14-08 0
80. Justin Kohl Hastings, NE (SD) 7 13-15 0
81. Jim Friedman Dubuque, IA (IA) 5 13-00 0
82. Steven Smith Johnstown, OH (OH) 6 12-10 0
83. Chad Timmer Hudsonville, MI (MI) 7 12-10 0
84. Jeff Mcfarland Petoskey, MI (MI) 6 12-08 0
85. Allen Williford West Frankfort, IL (IL) 5 12-07 0
86. Glen Gray Hartland, MI (MI) 6 12-00 0
87. Rex Ryckman Ft. Pierre, SD (SD) 3 09-13 0
88. Brian Sopko Saint Anne, IL (IL) 5 09-05 0
89. Chris Lally Manteno, IL (IL) 3 06-10 0
90. Doug Lamont Long Grove, IA (IA) 3 05-14 0
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Totals
Day #Limits #Fish Weight
1 74 412 1104-06
2 61 388 971-11
----------------------------------
135 800 2076-01
TEAM STANDINGS Day 2
----------------------------------
State Lbs-Oz
1 INDIANA 402-15
2 WISCONSIN 402-13
3 MINNESOTA 391-03
4 SOUTH DAKOTA 338-15
5 OHIO 330-12
6 IOWA 328-15
7 ILLINOIS 310-05
8 MICHIGAN 307-07
9 NEBRASKA 294-08
INDIVIDUAL STANDINGS Day 2
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
IOWA
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Trevor Kettles Waukee, IA 10 29-09 0
2 Tanner Bock Davenport, IA 10 28-03 0
3 Nate Brown Muscatine, IA 10 27-13 0
4 Dan Parker Guttenberg, IA 10 26-14 0
5 Austin Brimeyer Dubuque, IA 9 24-06 0
6 Bob Garman Center Point, IA 9 22-09 0
7 Tad Tinlin Des Moines, IA 9 22-05 0
8 Aaron Faulk Mc Causland, IA 8 15-10 0
9 Jim Friedman Dubuque, IA 5 13-00 0
10 Doug Lamont Long Grove, IA 3 05-14 0
ILLINOIS
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Josh Hubbard Braidwood, IL 10 28-02 0
2 Dan Brown Joliet, IL 8 25-01 0
3 Jacob Stauthammer Lafayette, IL 10 21-12 0
4 Pete Saele Lockport, IL 10 20-02 0
5 Tom Shumowsky North Riverside, IL 10 17-09 0
6 Scott Dunn Morris, IL 9 16-11 0
7 Edward Gad Braidwood, IL 7 15-10 0
8 Allen Williford West Frankfort, IL 5 12-07 0
9 Brian Sopko Saint Anne, IL 5 09-05 0
10 Chris Lally Manteno, IL 3 06-10 0
INDIANA
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Jeff Napier Martinsville, IN 10 32-03 0
2 Bryce Kalen Greenwood, IN 10 31-02 0
3 Brian Coleman Mitchell, IN 10 29-04 0
4 Chris Wilkinson Farmersburg, IN 10 28-14 0
5 Terry McWilliams Greenfield, IN 10 27-04 0
6 Bob Bayless Indianapolis, IN 10 25-14 0
7 David Watson Sullivan, IN 10 25-12 0
8 Chris Myers Madison, IN 10 25-05 0
9 Joshua Brown Corydon, IN 10 22-00 0
10 Steven Kunz Jasper, IN 7 15-06 0
MICHIGAN
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Matt Reagan Hudsonville, MI 10 28-11 0
2 Denny Cook Auburn, IN 10 27-06 0
3 Tom Kiefer Fowlerville, MI 10 25-14 0
4 Reid Culler Hudson, IN 10 25-04 0
5 Ryan Koehn Lofts Ada, MI 10 21-12 0
6 Eric Culler Hudson, IN 8 19-09 0
7 Peter Tuls Grand Haven, MI 8 17-14 0
8 Chad Timmer Hudsonville, MI 7 12-10 0
9 Jeff Mcfarland Petoskey, MI 6 12-08 0
10 Glen Gray Hartland, MI 6 12-00 0
MINNESOTA
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Richard Lindgren Lakeville, MN 10 33-10 0
2 Brent Haimes Elgin, MN 10 29-08 0
3 Eric Ritter Buffalo, MN 10 28-11 0
4 John Fairbanks Hastings, MN 10 27-13 0
5 Johnston Westmoreland Mooselake, MN 10 27-06 0
6 Carl Spande Mounds View, MN 10 27-04 0
7 Lee Farber Watertown, MN 10 26-01 0
8 Jay Swanson Lakeville, MN 10 25-10 0
9 Wes Westerveld Ramsey, MN 9 23-05 0
10 Andrew Nitchals Willmar, MN 9 22-13 0
OHIO
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Eddie Levin Westerville, OH 10 31-08 0
2 Nick Leonard Cincinnati, OH 10 30-09 0
3 J. Scott Foureman Bradford, OH 10 26-14 0
4 Joe Discerni Warren, OH 10 25-09 0
5 Donald Roberts Bellville, OH 10 24-02 0
6 Paul Amstutz Gambler, OH 10 23-05 0
7 Kyle Waller Thornville, OH 9 22-00 0
8 Scott Cooke Marengo, OH 6 16-02 0
9 Ed Sizemore Lebanon, OH 10 15-03 0
10 Steven Smith Johnstown, OH 6 12-10 0
SOUTH DAKOTA
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Eric Storms Winner, SD 10 33-03 0
2 Troy Diede Sioux Falls, SD 10 29-06 0
3 Brock Belik Orchard, NE 10 28-15 0
4 Shane Stiehl Pierre, SD 10 26-02 0
5 Bob Slama Harrisburg, SD 10 26-02 0
6 Cliff Van Beek Canistota, SD 10 24-07 0
7 Corey Peterson Yankton, SD 7 17-10 0
8 Richard Hladky Yankton, SD 8 15-06 0
9 Justin Kohl Hastings, NE 7 13-15 0
10 Rex Ryckman Ft. Pierre, SD 3 09-13 0
WISCONSIN
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Pat Schlapper Eleva, WI 10 35-09 0
2 Lonnie Peterson Chippewa Falls, WI 10 33-09 0
3 JP Przekurat Stevens Point, WI 10 32-02 0
4 Josh Miller Roberts, WI 10 31-14 0
5 Ted Heitschmidt Tomahawk, WI 10 31-07 0
6 Harry Marsh III New Berlin, WI 10 28-12 0
7 Justin Rowe New Auburn, WI 10 28-02 0
8 Kody Lane Rock Springs, WI 10 26-14 0
9 Randy Burch Ladysmith, WI 9 22-05 0
10 Zachary Nelson Glen Flora, WI 9 19-06 0
NEBRASKA
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 John Thomsen Creston, IA 10 24-13 0
2 Robert Hime Odessa, MO 10 23-12 0
3 Mike Obal Springfield, NE 10 23-01 0
4 Kirk Hansen Omaha, NE 9 22-14 0
5 Jerry Avis Council Bluffs, IA 10 22-11 0
6 Brian Martin Papillion , NE 9 21-04 0
7 Jared Knuth Wahoo, NE 8 21-03 0
8 Mark Vote Omaha, NE 8 16-04 0
9 Jason Citta Hershey, NE 6 14-13 0
10 Nick Ash Omaha, NE 6 14-08 0
2020 TNT Fireworks Bass Nation Northern Regional Lake Vermilion 8/26-8/28
Lake Vermilion, Tower MN.
(NON_BOATER) Standings Day 2
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Pts Total $$$
1. Matt Byrnes Hudson, WI (WI) 6 20-08 0
2. Matthew Marques Seneca, IL (IL) 6 19-13 0
3. Michael Pruitt Martinsville, IN (IN) 6 18-09 0
4. Jeffrey Lopez Bolingbrook, IL (IL) 6 18-09 0
5. Kevin Mullins Brooklyn, IN (IN) 6 18-04 0
6. Eddie Gad Braidwood, IL (IL) 6 18-04 0
7. Scott Hrcka Homer, MI (MI) 6 17-09 0
8. Tristin Wilcox Ely, IA (IA) 6 17-08 0
9. Jesse Weener Holland, MI (MI) 6 17-06 0
10. Bob Vaughn Waterloo, IA (IA) 6 16-15 0
11. Adam Edwards Andover, MN (MN) 6 16-15 0
12. John-Paul Hey Chicago, IN (WI) 6 16-15 0
13. Michael Hamilton Plainfield, IN (IN) 6 16-10 0
14. Coleton Usher Atkins, IA (IA) 6 16-09 0
15. Bryce Hauf Winner, SD (SD) 6 16-03 0
16. Aaron Bunge Fairfax, IA (IA) 5 16-00 0
17. John Smith Corydon, IN (IN) 6 15-13 0
18. Dennis Carroll Ashland, NE (NE) 6 15-10 0
19. Casey Morgan Byron, IL (IL) 6 15-10 0
20. Mark Emenecker Matton, IL (IL) 6 15-05 0
21. Nick Strilzuk Balsam Lake, WI (WI) 6 15-05 0
22. Shawn Van Gerpen Sioux Falls, SD (SD) 6 15-05 0
23. Bryan Larson Waconia, MN (MN) 6 15-01 0
24. Hunter Scharphorn Grand Haven, MI (MI) 6 14-12 0
25. Colten Didion Westerville, OH (OH) 6 14-09 0
26. Bryan Kalen Mooresville, IN (IN) 6 14-01 0
27. Jack Johnson Brandon, SD (SD) 6 13-13 0
28. Devon Dvorak Keystone, IA (IA) 5 13-12 0
29. Luke Kerstetter Brookfield, WI (WI) 6 13-11 0
30. Ryan Kriegel Delphos, OH (OH) 6 13-09 0
31. Larry Sallis Herculaneum, MO (NE) 5 13-08 0
32. Chris Pope Greenville, OH (OH) 6 13-08 0
33. Alfonso Garcia Jr Mccook, NE (NE) 5 13-05 0
34. Brian Liming Dillsboro, IN (IN) 5 13-04 0
35. Ethan Hladky Yankton, SD (SD) 6 13-03 0
36. Markus Werner Cannon Falls, MN (MN) 6 13-02 0
37. Todd Stiehl Winner, SD (SD) 6 13-02 0
38. Phillip Rummel Jr Mount Vernon, OH (OH) 6 13-01 0
39. Kyle Taylor Shelburn, IN (IN) 6 13-01 0
40. Bryan Quigley Green Bay, WI (WI) 4 12-12 0
41. Patrick Stradal Minneapolis, MN (MN) 5 12-10 0
42. Obie Oberts Custer Park, IL (IL) 5 12-07 0
43. Chris Jewett Longville, MN (NE) 6 12-07 0
44. Joe Paulson Winner, WY (SD) 6 12-07 0
45. Jon Sohlden Paw Paw, MI (MI) 6 12-06 0
46. Matt Green Battle Creek, MI (MI) 5 12-04 0
47. William Clark Vincennes, IN (IN) 6 12-03 0
48. Tracy Skare Lakeville, MN (MN) 6 11-15 0
49. John Terry Mansfield, OH (OH) 6 11-12 0
50. Tim Spande Plymouth, MN (MN) 5 11-08 0
51. Robert Swem Buchanan, MI (MI) 5 10-15 0
52. Joshua Rogers Minneapolis, MN (MN) 4 10-13 0
53. Ryan Bergeman Chippewa Falls, WI (WI) 4 10-11 0
54. Sawyer Schugel Victoria, MN (MN) 5 10-02 0
55. Bradley Waller Plainfield, IL (IL) 4 09-15 0
56. Dan O'Keefe Prior Lake, MN (MN) 3 09-15 0
57. Jayson Rewolinski Bellevue, NE (NE) 4 09-14 0
58. Bryson Steele Homer, IL (IL) 5 09-13 0
59. Timothy Peterson Springfield, SD (SD) 5 09-10 0
60. Kirk Mclouth Indianapolis, IN (IN) 4 09-09 0
61. Austin Sudduth Waterford, WI (WI) 3 09-08 0
62. Brian Vogelsang Zanesfield, OH (OH) 4 09-08 0
63. Brian Hinspeter Waukee, IA (IA) 4 09-05 0
64. Adam Markiewicz Plainfield, IL (IL) 5 09-02 0
65. Pat Soppe Manchester, IA (IA) 3 09-01 0
66. Jim Gacke Harrisburg, SD (SD) 4 08-11 0
67. Charrlie Kuebler Jasper, IN (IN) 4 08-09 0
68. Leray Anderson II Crofton, NE (SD) 4 08-08 0
69. Steve Tagg Wyoming, MI (MI) 5 08-07 0
70. Austin Moore Washburn, IL (IL) 3 08-02 0
71. Jose Munoz McHenry , IL (WI) 4 07-05 0
72. Josh Peters Morristown, MN (MN) 3 07-01 0
73. Randy Cloeter Norfolk, NE (NE) 4 06-15 0
74. Joe Wilcox Millersport, OH (OH) 2 06-14 0
75. Jeff Schultz Amelia, OH (OH) 3 06-13 0
76. Jake Drukenbrod Canton, OH (OH) 3 06-11 0
77. Jason Fairbanks Grove City, OH (OH) 2 06-09 0
78. Jerry Duncklee Fayette, IA (IA) 4 06-07 0
79. Anthony Nelson Ladysmith, WI (WI) 2 06-02 0
80. Doug Rishel Plattsmouth, NE (NE) 3 05-15 0
81. Billy Ray Plattsmouth, NE (NE) 3 05-10 0
82. Dylan McMains Madrid, IA (IA) 2 05-04 0
83. Zeb Mcfarland Stanton , IA (NE) 3 05-00 0
84. Adam Stachura Warren, MI (MI) 3 04-10 0
85. John Ryan Georgetown, TN (MI) 1 03-06 0
86. Cal Plienis Sioux Falls, SD (SD) 2 03-02 0
87. Tyler Uekman Mount Clemens, MI (MI) 1 02-04 0
88. Taylor Burgin Palo, ID (IA) 2 01-15 0
89. Morgan McLain Lenexa, KS (NE) 1 01-01 0
90. Fischer Bailey Baraboo, WI (WI) 0 00-00 0
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Totals
Day #Limits #Fish Weight
1 57 217 560-07
2 0 202 471-05
----------------------------------
57 419 1031-12
TEAM STANDINGS Day 2
----------------------------------
State Lbs-Oz
1 INDIANA 402-15
2 WISCONSIN 402-13
3 MINNESOTA 391-03
4 SOUTH DAKOTA 338-15
5 OHIO 330-12
6 IOWA 328-15
7 ILLINOIS 310-05
8 MICHIGAN 307-07
9 NEBRASKA 294-08
INDIVIDUAL STANDINGS Day 2
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
IOWA
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Tristin Wilcox Ely, IA 6 17-08 0
2 Bob Vaughn Waterloo, IA 6 16-15 0
3 Coleton Usher Atkins, IA 6 16-09 0
4 Aaron Bunge Fairfax, IA 5 16-00 0
5 Devon Dvorak Keystone, IA 5 13-12 0
6 Brian Hinspeter Waukee, IA 4 09-05 0
7 Pat Soppe Manchester, IA 3 09-01 0
8 Jerry Duncklee Fayette, IA 4 06-07 0
9 Dylan McMains Madrid, IA 2 05-04 0
10 Taylor Burgin Palo, ID 2 01-15 0
ILLINOIS
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Matthew Marques Seneca, IL 6 19-13 0
2 Jeffrey Lopez Bolingbrook, IL 6 18-09 0
3 Eddie Gad Braidwood, IL 6 18-04 0
4 Casey Morgan Byron, IL 6 15-10 0
5 Mark Emenecker Matton, IL 6 15-05 0
6 Obie Oberts Custer Park, IL 5 12-07 0
7 Bradley Waller Plainfield, IL 4 09-15 0
8 Bryson Steele Homer, IL 5 09-13 0
9 Adam Markiewicz Plainfield, IL 5 09-02 0
10 Austin Moore Washburn, IL 3 08-02 0
INDIANA
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Michael Pruitt Martinsville, IN 6 18-09 0
2 Kevin Mullins Brooklyn, IN 6 18-04 0
3 Michael Hamilton Plainfield, IN 6 16-10 0
4 John Smith Corydon, IN 6 15-13 0
5 Bryan Kalen Mooresville, IN 6 14-01 0
6 Brian Liming Dillsboro, IN 5 13-04 0
7 Kyle Taylor Shelburn, IN 6 13-01 0
8 William Clark Vincennes, IN 6 12-03 0
9 Kirk Mclouth Indianapolis, IN 4 09-09 0
10 Charrlie Kuebler Jasper, IN 4 08-09 0
MICHIGAN
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Scott Hrcka Homer, MI 6 17-09 0
2 Jesse Weener Holland, MI 6 17-06 0
3 Hunter Scharphorn Grand Haven, MI 6 14-12 0
4 Jon Sohlden Paw Paw, MI 6 12-06 0
5 Matt Green Battle Creek, MI 5 12-04 0
6 Robert Swem Buchanan, MI 5 10-15 0
7 Steve Tagg Wyoming, MI 5 08-07 0
8 Adam Stachura Warren, MI 3 04-10 0
9 John Ryan Georgetown, TN 1 03-06 0
10 Tyler Uekman Mount Clemens, MI 1 02-04 0
MINNESOTA
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Adam Edwards Andover, MN 6 16-15 0
2 Bryan Larson Waconia, MN 6 15-01 0
3 Markus Werner Cannon Falls, MN 6 13-02 0
4 Patrick Stradal Minneapolis, MN 5 12-10 0
5 Tracy Skare Lakeville, MN 6 11-15 0
6 Tim Spande Plymouth, MN 5 11-08 0
7 Joshua Rogers Minneapolis, MN 4 10-13 0
8 Sawyer Schugel Victoria, MN 5 10-02 0
9 Dan O'Keefe Prior Lake, MN 3 09-15 0
10 Josh Peters Morristown, MN 3 07-01 0
OHIO
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Colten Didion Westerville, OH 6 14-09 0
2 Ryan Kriegel Delphos, OH 6 13-09 0
3 Chris Pope Greenville, OH 6 13-08 0
4 Phillip Rummel Jr Mount Vernon, OH 6 13-01 0
5 John Terry Mansfield, OH 6 11-12 0
6 Brian Vogelsang Zanesfield, OH 4 09-08 0
7 Joe Wilcox Millersport, OH 2 06-14 0
8 Jeff Schultz Amelia, OH 3 06-13 0
9 Jake Drukenbrod Canton, OH 3 06-11 0
10 Jason Fairbanks Grove City, OH 2 06-09 0
SOUTH DAKOTA
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Bryce Hauf Winner, SD 6 16-03 0
2 Shawn Van Gerpen Sioux Falls, SD 6 15-05 0
3 Jack Johnson Brandon, SD 6 13-13 0
4 Ethan Hladky Yankton, SD 6 13-03 0
5 Todd Stiehl Winner, SD 6 13-02 0
6 Joe Paulson Winner, WY 6 12-07 0
7 Timothy Peterson Springfield, SD 5 09-10 0
8 Jim Gacke Harrisburg, SD 4 08-11 0
9 Leray Anderson II Crofton, NE 4 08-08 0
10 Cal Plienis Sioux Falls, SD 2 03-02 0
WISCONSIN
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Matt Byrnes Hudson, WI 6 20-08 0
2 John-Paul Hey Chicago, IN 6 16-15 0
3 Nick Strilzuk Balsam Lake, WI 6 15-05 0
4 Luke Kerstetter Brookfield, WI 6 13-11 0
5 Bryan Quigley Green Bay, WI 4 12-12 0
6 Ryan Bergeman Chippewa Falls, WI 4 10-11 0
7 Austin Sudduth Waterford, WI 3 09-08 0
8 Jose Munoz McHenry , IL 4 07-05 0
9 Anthony Nelson Ladysmith, WI 2 06-02 0
10 Fischer Bailey Baraboo, WI 0 00-00 0
NEBRASKA
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Dennis Carroll Ashland, NE 6 15-10 0
2 Larry Sallis Herculaneum, MO 5 13-08 0
3 Alfonso Garcia Jr Mccook, NE 5 13-05 0
4 Chris Jewett Longville, MN 6 12-07 0
5 Jayson Rewolinski Bellevue, NE 4 09-14 0
6 Randy Cloeter Norfolk, NE 4 06-15 0
7 Doug Rishel Plattsmouth, NE 3 05-15 0
8 Billy Ray Plattsmouth, NE 3 05-10 0
9 Zeb Mcfarland Stanton , IA 3 05-00 0
10 Morgan McLain Lenexa, KS 1 01-01 0
Pair Of CVCC Teams Top The Field At Bassmaster College Series Event On Lake Hartwell
Jeremy Dellinger (pictured) and Nathan Smith, from North Carolina's Catawba Valley Community College, are leading after Day 1 of the Carhartt Bassmaster College Series at Lake Hartwell presented by Bass Pro Shops with 11 pounds, 9 ounces.
Photo by Chris Brown/B.A.S.S.
August 27, 2020
ANDERSON, S.C. — After a five-month layoff, the Catawba Valley Community College fishing program opened the third stop of the Carhartt Bassmaster College Series at Lake Hartwell presented by Bass Pro Shops with a bang as two Red Hawks teams led the 115-boat field after Day 1 on Thursday.
Jeremy Dellinger and Nathan Smith hold the top spot after dropping a three-bass limit of 11 pounds, 9 ounces on the scales. They hold a 1-4 pound lead over teammates Lane Bailey and Adam Seagle.
The teams from the two-year college with an enrollment of 4,610 in Hickory, N.C., combined to weigh in six largemouth bass, passing on the spotted bass that Lake Hartwell is known for.
“It’s crazy,” Dellinger said. “We are just a little community college competing against the best fishing colleges in the country. Here we are, one and two (in the standings), a little community college leading the most prestigious tournament trail in college fishing. It’s insane.”
For Dellinger and Smith, the deep bite never materialized during practice, so they moved to shallow water and found an area that produced some fish that Dellinger thought would give them 7 to 8 pounds a day.
To their surprise, the area produced excellent quality.
“One of our biggest fish came up schooling in the middle of a pocket within throwing range,” Dellinger said. “It was one of those things that just happened to go right. And to do well in a tournament, you need some things to go right.”
A Lake Norman native, Dellinger said he isn’t sure if they can catch the same quality for the next two days but feels he has enough to stay near the top.
“If I can manage my fish the right way, I might be able to stretch it for three days,” he said. “But, I will need a couple of those luscious fish like I caught today.”
Bailey, a Lake Hickory native, said he and Seagle made a 15- to 20-minute run up the Tugaloo River where they caught mostly largemouth bass with a topwater bait around shallow cover.
While all of the fish they weighed were over 2 1/2 pounds for a total of 10-5, Bailey and Seagle missed a couple of key fish that would have given them a substantial lead.
“We had marked a bunch of areas in practice, and (Seagle) actually caught a 7-pounder on one of these banks. We went back to that bank today and the 7-pounder bit a topwater and I missed it. Then we lost one about 8 pounds. We should have had like 17 pounds.
“We missed five blow-ups on the topwater this morning, and we thought the day was over. But we just kept with it.”
Bailey and Seagle struggled to catch fish during their first 2 1/2 days of practice but stumbled upon some quality fish midway through the third day. That clued them in to a pattern Bailey believes can hold up for two more days.
Higher-than-normal water on Hartwell has helped the bite, Bailey said, but if the water drops he and Seagle’s bite may get tougher.
This week's tournament at Lake Hartwell was originally scheduled for the end of March following the first two tour stops at Toledo Bend in January and Smith Lake in February, but the COVID-19 pandemic brought the season to a screeching halt. After an extended layoff, Thursday’s blastoff was a special moment for Bailey.
“When they started playing music right before blastoff, I got goosebumps,” he said. “Not many people in the country get to do this stuff, and we are blessed to get to do it.”
The move to a late-summer event threw another curveball for the anglers, as the decision was made to change the limit from five fish to three to ensure the health of the fish and fishery. With the three-fish limit, Bailey said largemouth are the key to success, despite the healthy spotted bass population.
“In a three-fish deal, you aren’t going to win it with spotted bass,” he said.
Grant Adams and Wil Rigdon from Campbellsville University in Kentucky claimed third place on Day 1 with a limit weighing 10-2, trailing the leaders by a little less than 1 1/2 pounds. The Clemson University duo of GL Compton and Matthew Sprouse sit in fourth with 10-1 — a limit that was anchored by a 5-14 largemouth that gave them Phoenix Boats Big Bass of the day.
The full field will take off Friday at 6:45 a.m. ET from Green Pond Landing. The weigh-in will be held back at Green Pond at 2:45 p.m. The Top 12 teams after Friday’s weigh-in will compete on Championship Saturday and will earn a spot in the 2020 National Championship to be held on the Harris Chain of Lakes in Florida Oct. 29-31.
The event is being hosted by Visit Anderson.
2020 Carhartt Bassmaster College Series at Lake Hartwell presented by
Bass Pro Shops 8/27-8/29
Lake Hartwell, Anderson SC.
(BOATER) Standings Day 1
Angler Club/School Pts
1. Jeremy Dellinger - Nathan Smith CVCC 250
Day 1: 3 11-09 Total: 3 11-09
2. Lane Bailey - Adam Seagle CVCC 249
Day 1: 3 10-05 Total: 3 10-05
3. Grant Adams - Wil Rigdon Campbellsville University 248
Day 1: 3 10-02 Total: 3 10-02
4. GL Compton - Matthew Sprouse Clemson University 247
Day 1: 3 10-01 Total: 3 10-01
5. Jake Lee - Mason Cizek Bryan College 246
Day 1: 3 09-12 Total: 3 09-12
6. Brad Ableman - Wilson Smith Bethel University 245
Day 1: 3 09-11 Total: 3 09-11
7. Braden Perry - Aidan England Carson-Newman University 244
Day 1: 3 09-09 Total: 3 09-09
8. Cody Gregory - Levi Mullins Bethel University 243
Day 1: 3 09-03 Total: 3 09-03
9. George Fallon - George Gore Clemson University 242
Day 1: 3 09-00 Total: 3 09-00
10. Harbor Lovin - Zachary Martin Murray State University 241
Day 1: 3 08-12 Total: 3 08-12
11. Griffin Fernandes - Gunner Wilson Adrian College 240
Day 1: 3 08-08 Total: 3 08-08
12. Cole Sands - Conner Dimauro Bryan College 239
Day 1: 3 08-05 Total: 3 08-05
13. Drew Pridgen - Kaleb Brown Lander University 238
Day 1: 3 08-04 Total: 3 08-04
14. Grayson Morris - Jacob Pfundt University of Montevalllo 237
Day 1: 3 08-00 Total: 3 08-00
15. Dax Ewart - Kyle Palmer Bethel University 236
Day 1: 3 07-14 Total: 3 07-14
16. Hunter Bond - Bowman Davis Clemson University 235
Day 1: 3 07-11 Total: 3 07-11
17. Jarred Jones - Logan Tate Jacksonville State University 234
Day 1: 3 07-07 Total: 3 07-07
18. Colin Slentz - Evan Slentz Lander University 233
Day 1: 3 07-03 Total: 3 07-03
19. Jason Zubris - Penn State University 232
Day 1: 3 07-02 Total: 3 07-02
20. Cal Culpepper - Mason Waddell University of Montevallo 231
Day 1: 3 07-02 Total: 3 07-02
21. Jacob Blumling - Nathanael Wright Emmanuel College 230
Day 1: 3 07-01 Total: 3 07-01
22. Joshua DeKoning - Carter Ball Adrian College 229
Day 1: 3 06-14 Total: 3 06-14
23. Bryce Henley - Reese Kingston 228
Day 1: 3 06-13 Total: 3 06-13
24. Stephen Kinard - Jimmy Mitchum Lander University 227
Day 1: 3 06-12 Total: 3 06-12
25. Luke Lamb - Seth Roberts Bethel University 226
Day 1: 2 06-11 Total: 2 06-11
26. Garrett Warren - Snead State Community College 225
Day 1: 3 06-10 Total: 3 06-10
27. Hayden Gaddis - Ben Cully Carson-Newman University 224
Day 1: 3 06-08 Total: 3 06-08
28. Miller Spivey - Trey Dickert University of Montevallo 223
Day 1: 3 06-06 Total: 3 06-06
29. Weston Hollar - Wesley Gore University of Montevallo 222
Day 1: 3 06-05 Total: 3 06-05
30. Zeke Gossett - Lucas Smith Jacksonville State 221
Day 1: 3 06-03 Total: 3 06-03
31. Cole Dodson - Trent Jones University of Montevallo 220
Day 1: 3 06-02 Total: 3 06-02
31. Emil Wagner - Ole Miss 220
Day 1: 3 06-02 Total: 3 06-02
33. Shane Nelson - Brayden Federer Adrian College 218
Day 1: 3 06-01 Total: 3 06-01
34. Caleb Lonca - Justin Eggers CVCC 217
Day 1: 3 05-13 Total: 3 05-13
34. Kollin Smith - John Wesley Wardlaw Emmanuel College 217
Day 1: 3 05-13 Total: 3 05-13
36. James Willoughby - Chance Schwartz University of Montevallo 215
Day 1: 3 05-12 Total: 3 05-12
37. Jj Kocevar - Tanner Shriver Kent State University 214
Day 1: 3 05-11 Total: 3 05-11
37. Cole Zagrzebski - Ryan Bradway Western Michigan University 214
Day 1: 3 05-11 Total: 3 05-11
39. Hunter MCClaskey - Nicholas Gilbert King University 212
Day 1: 3 05-11 Total: 3 05-11
40. Jackson Staib - Baylor Howell Bethel University 211
Day 1: 3 05-10 Total: 3 05-10
41. Brian Linder - Nathan Thompson Minnesota State Univ Mankato 210
Day 1: 3 05-09 Total: 3 05-09
42. Zachary Asher - Jacob Klicman Kent State University 209
Day 1: 3 05-07 Total: 3 05-07
43. Weston Bison - Parker Wilton Lander University 208
Day 1: 3 05-06 Total: 3 05-06
44. Tyler Christy - Trey Schroeder McKendree University 207
Day 1: 3 05-05 Total: 3 05-05
44. Whit Edmonds - Bobby Long Lander University 207
Day 1: 3 05-05 Total: 3 05-05
46. Hayden Fuhr - Chase Carver Lander University 205
Day 1: 3 05-02 Total: 3 05-02
47. Calvin Currie - Tommy Teaster Lander University 204
Day 1: 3 05-01 Total: 3 05-01
48. Conner Giles - Christian Wright Bryan College 203
Day 1: 3 05-00 Total: 3 05-00
49. Jack Dice - LIBERTY UNIVERSITY 202
Day 1: 3 04-15 Total: 3 04-15
50. Matthew Davis - Cody Batterson Adrian College 201
Day 1: 3 04-13 Total: 3 04-13
51. Jake Maddux - Southern Union Community College 200
Day 1: 3 04-12 Total: 3 04-12
52. Dawson Cassidy - Gus Mclarry Texas AM Commerce 199
Day 1: 3 04-10 Total: 3 04-10
52. Joseph McClosky - Ryan Winchester Bethel University 199
Day 1: 3 04-10 Total: 3 04-10
52. Levi Sanchez - NATHAN SCHRADER Clemson 199
Day 1: 3 04-10 Total: 3 04-10
55. Austin Goins - Kirk Elijah Bryan college 196
Day 1: 3 04-10 Total: 3 04-10
56. Dalton Smith - Bradley Dunagan Campbellsville University 195
Day 1: 3 04-09 Total: 3 04-09
57. Cameron Rhodes - Jacob Witkowski Dallas Baptist University 194
Day 1: 3 04-09 Total: 3 04-09
58. Bryce Miller - Nick Crawford Kent State University 193
Day 1: 2 04-08 Total: 2 04-08
59. William Martin - Jack Baron University of Montevallo 192
Day 1: 3 04-07 Total: 3 04-07
59. Atom Ward - Gavin Lagle Indiana University Southeast 192
Day 1: 3 04-07 Total: 3 04-07
61. Sean Clayton - Owen Dimaio Clemson University 190
Day 1: 3 04-06 Total: 3 04-06
61. Trevor Harrill - Ty Leatherwood Appalachian State University 190
Day 1: 3 04-06 Total: 3 04-06
61. Chandler Jarrard - David Brashear Georgia Southern University 190
Day 1: 3 04-06 Total: 3 04-06
64. Shawn Coots - Luke Henderson Campbellsville University 187
Day 1: 3 04-05 Total: 3 04-05
64. Mitchel Goodin - John Jacobs Georgia Southern University 187
Day 1: 3 04-05 Total: 3 04-05
64. Mason Moore - Ryan Freeman Eastern Kentucky University 187
Day 1: 3 04-05 Total: 3 04-05
64. Wyatt Reid - Gehrig DeFronzo Erskine College 187
Day 1: 3 04-05 Total: 3 04-05
68. Zach Manneback - Jarrod Layton Adrain College 183
Day 1: 2 04-05 Total: 2 04-05
69. Austin Davis - Josh Howard Greenville Techincal 182
Day 1: 3 04-03 Total: 3 04-03
70. Curtis Dillon - Aaron Digh East Carolina University 181
Day 1: 3 04-02 Total: 3 04-02
71. Cy Casey - Daelyn Whaley Emmanuel College 180
Day 1: 3 04-01 Total: 3 04-01
72. Ty Black - Avry Thomason Georgia Southern University 179
Day 1: 3 04-00 Total: 3 04-00
72. Solomon Glenn - Hunter Ward University of Montervallo 179
Day 1: 3 04-00 Total: 3 04-00
74. Jack York - Cooper Thor Stephen F Austin State Universit 177
Day 1: 3 03-15 Total: 3 03-15
75. Bailey Bleser - Christian Hernandez Mckendree University 176
Day 1: 3 03-14 Total: 3 03-14
76. Andrew Fisher - Bennett Kudder Bryan College 175
Day 1: 3 03-12 Total: 3 03-12
76. Rob Lindsey - Justin Botts Bryan College 175
Day 1: 3 03-12 Total: 3 03-12
78. Tanner Barnes - Jordan Smallwood Campbellsville University 173
Day 1: 3 03-11 Total: 3 03-11
78. Cordell Beckman - Dru Johnson Greenville University 173
Day 1: 3 03-11 Total: 3 03-11
80. Ross Parris - Reed Green Lander University 171
Day 1: 2 03-11 Total: 2 03-11
81. Spencer Black - Lucas Oliver CVCC 170
Day 1: 3 03-08 Total: 3 03-08
81. Nolan Minor - Casey Lanier West Virginia University 170
Day 1: 3 03-08 Total: 3 03-08
83. Britt Myers - Tyler Anderson Lander University 168
Day 1: 3 03-06 Total: 3 03-06
84. Nolan Yeager - Ethan LeGare Stephen F. Austin State Universi 167
Day 1: 3 03-06 Total: 3 03-06
85. Mark Harris - Reece Martin Dallas Baptist University 166
Day 1: 3 03-05 Total: 3 03-05
86. Alex Saxon - Andrew Brock Emmanuel College 165
Day 1: 3 03-03 Total: 3 03-03
87. Matthew Cummings - Joseph Woods Bethel University 164
Day 1: 3 02-14 Total: 3 02-14
88. Adam Puckett - Blake Albertson Murray State University 163
Day 1: 3 02-13 Total: 3 02-13
89. Tyler Lusk - Corey Waits Lander University 162
Day 1: 2 02-11 Total: 2 02-11
90. Alec Coffey - Kyle Roy Campbellsville University 161
Day 1: 1 02-10 Total: 1 02-10
91. Denver Monteith - Adam Watts Trevecca Nazarene University 160
Day 1: 2 02-09 Total: 2 02-09
92. Ethan Shaw - Tyler Price Bryan College 159
Day 1: 2 02-06 Total: 2 02-06
93. Zachary Bowen - Thomas Millraney Bethel University 158
Day 1: 2 02-02 Total: 2 02-02
94. Austin Smith - Maddux Walters Carson Newman 157
Day 1: 1 02-02 Total: 1 02-02
95. Colby Hays - Logan Hawkins Campbellsville University 156
Day 1: 2 01-15 Total: 2 01-15
95. Cade Tootle - Thomas Mcelwaney Georgia Southern University 156
Day 1: 2 01-15 Total: 2 01-15
97. Matthew Benson - Garrett Ankerich Emmanuel College 154
Day 1: 1 01-15 Total: 1 01-15
97. Sam Shoemaker - Hayden Scott Adrian College 154
Day 1: 1 01-15 Total: 1 01-15
99. Griffin Phillips - Ethan King University of Montevallo 152
Day 1: 3 01-11 Total: 3 01-11
100. Ryan Park - Jon Johnston Murray State University 151
Day 1: 1 01-06 Total: 1 01-06
101. James Duncan - Blake Stringer Campbellsville University 150
Day 1: 1 01-03 Total: 1 01-03
102. River Lee - Hunter Muncrief Stephen F. Austin State Universi 149
Day 1: 1 01-02 Total: 1 01-02
103. Mark Wilson - Dylon Williams georgia southern 148
Day 1: 1 01-01 Total: 1 01-01
104. David Hendel - Jacob Blackburn Ohio State University 147
Day 1: 1 01-00 Total: 1 01-00
104. Matthew Roberts - Alice Lloyd College 147
Day 1: 1 01-00 Total: 1 01-00
106. Bailey Fain - Preston Kendrick Bryan College 145
Day 1: 1 00-15 Total: 1 00-15
106. Tristan McCormick - Stevie Mills Bethel University 145
Day 1: 1 00-15 Total: 1 00-15
106. Weston Randall - Anthony Hunckler Appalachian State University 145
Day 1: 1 00-15 Total: 1 00-15
109. Garritt Coughenour - University of North Alabama 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
109. Troy Gibson - Adam Hope University of Louisville 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
109. Jonah Gilbert - Emmanuel College 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
109. Griffin Heffington - Jacob Frazier Carson-Newman University 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
109. Tanner Maness - Chandlar Ellis Lander University 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
109. Caleb Sheldon - Ben Kinney Lander University 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
109. Brant Shuler - Blake Nalley Clemson University 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
Cifuentes Wins Qualifying Round on Day Four at Tackle Warehouse TITLE presented by Toyota at Sturgeon Bay
Top 10 Anglers from Group B Now Join Top 10 Anglers from Group A in Friday’s Knockout Round
STURGEON BAY, Wis. (Aug. 27, 2020) – Pro Joey Cifuentes of Clinton, Arkansas, caught 14 fish Thursday totaling 49 pounds, 5 ounces, to win the Group B Qualifying Round at the Tackle Warehouse TITLE presented by Toyota, the FLW Pro Circuit Championship on Lake Michigan in Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin. Cifuentes’ two-day cumulative total of 32 bass weighing 109-10 was 15½ pounds ahead of second-place, fellow Arkansan pro Spencer Shuffield of Hot Springs, who finished with 29 bass totaling 94-2.
“I started out on a place this morning where I had fished on Tuesday and caught a 3½ pounder on my first cast,” said Cifuentes. “Other than that, every place that I fished today was brand new water for me. I put the (Berkley) Flat Worm to work and caught a ton of fish. My goal was to catch around 20 pounds and finish in the top 10, so to catch almost 50 and win the round – I’m feeling ecstatic.
“I really think that I can do even better tomorrow than I did today,” Cifuentes continued. “I wasn’t really doing anything different today – I was fishing the same pattern, the same depths, but I put a few things together mid-day and it just clicked. I’m really excited to get back out there.”
Cifuentes said that every bass that he caught came on the drop-shot rig, fished on an Abu Garcia Veritas Winch Spinning Rod with an Abu Garcia Revo Premier 30 spinning reel. He used 15-pound Berkley X5 braided line with a 6-pound Berkley Trilene 100% fluorocarbon leader and a No. 1 Berkley Fusion19 drop-shot hook.
“My goal coming into the event was to make it to the Knockout Round, so now I’m going for it,” Cifuentes said. “I want to win it, bad. I feel like I’m on the right fish and if things work out, I can do it.”
South Carolina pro Bradford Beavers caught the most weight Thursday – 17 bass weighing 56-1 – to make the biggest jump of the day, climbing to eighth place to punch his ticket to the Knockout Round after starting the day in 24th.
“I was doing the math and I thought that if I could somehow catch 17 fish today, I might have a shot,” Beavers said. “I lost two, but I still caught 17 and it ended up working out for me. The conditions weren’t favorable – there was no wind – but the fish were biting pretty steadily for me. I never had a big lull, I caught one about every 20 minutes on the Berkley Flat Worm.
“It was very stressful – I never felt safe until I caught the 5-pounder with about a minute left in Period 3,” Beavers went on to say. “But now, everyone starts over. I came into today with one good area, now I think I have two good areas. So, I’ll hit them again tomorrow and go, go, go until I run into them.”
The top 10 pros from Group B after the Qualifying Round finished:
1st: Joey Cifuentes of Clinton, Ark., 32 bass, 109-10
2nd: Spencer Shuffield of Hot Springs, Ark., 29 bass, 94-2
3rd: Wade Strelic of Alpine, Calif., 29 bass, 87-4
4th: John Cox of DeBary, Fla., 25 bass, 86-10
5th: Dylan Hays of Hot Springs, Ark., 26 bass, 81-1
6th: Matt Becker of Finleyville, Pa., 24 bass, 81-0
7th: Mitch Crane of Columbus, Miss., 22 bass, 73-5
8th: Christopher Brasher of Longview, Texas, 22 bass, 71-8
9th: Bradford Beavers of Summerville, S.C., 22 bass, 70-5
10th: Kyle Hall of Granbury, Texas, 17 bass, 62-14
Complete results for the entire field can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
Clark Reehm of Elm Grove, Louisiana, caught a 5-pound, 11-ounce smallmouth bass Tuesday – the largest fish weighed in Group B’s Qualifying Round. For that fish, Reehm earned the $500 Berkley Big Bass Award.
Overall there were 214 bass weighing 710 pounds, 11 ounces caught by the 25 pros in Group B Thursday.
The top 10 pros from both Group A and Group B now advance to Friday’s Knockout Round. Tournament weights are zeroed, and anglers will compete to finish in the top 10 for the opportunity to advance to the sixth and final day of competition on Saturday.
The 20 anglers that will Compete in Friday’s Knockout Round are:
Evan Barnes of Hot Springs, Ark.
Bradford Beavers of Summerville, S.C.
Matt Becker of Finleyville, Pa.
Greg Bohannan of Bentonville, Ark.
Christopher Brasher of Longview, Texas
Grae Buck of Green Lane, Pa.
Jon Canada of Helena, Ala.
Joey Cifuentes of Clinton, Ark.
John Cox of DeBary, Fla.
Mitch Crane of Columbus, Miss.
Kyle Hall of Granbury, Texas
Dylan Hays of Hot Springs, Ark.
Kurt Mitchell of Milford, Del.
Ron Nelson of Berrien Springs, Mich.
Rusty Salewske of Alpine, Calif.
Casey Scanlon of Eldon, Mo.
Spencer Shuffield of Hot Springs, Ark.
Matthew Stefan of Junction City, Wis.
Wade Strelic of Alpine, Calif.
Joshua Weaver of Macon, Ga.
The Tackle Warehouse TITLE presented by Toyota, the FLW Pro Circuit Championship, is hosted by Destination Sturgeon Bay. The six-day event features the top 50 professional anglers from the 2020 Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit season angling for a piece of $820,000, including the first-place prize of $200,000.
Unique to the TITLE Championship, the event is being fished using the MLF catch-weigh-immediate release format. A select group of 25 pros (Group A) competed on Days 1 & 3 (Monday & Wednesday), and the other 25 pros (Group B) competed on Days 2 & 4 (Tuesday & Thursday). Now, the top-10 pros from each group based on their cumulative two-day total will advance to Day 5 (Friday). Only the top 10 pros will continue on to the sixth and final day of competition Saturday, with the winner earning the inaugural Tackle Warehouse TITLE Championship Belt presented by Toyota.
Attendance is limited to anglers and essential staff and fans are encouraged to follow the event online through expanded broadcast coverage at MajorLeagueFishing.com and read the daily coverage, live blogs and photos at FLWFishing.com.
The MLF NOW! broadcast team of Chad McKee, Marty Stone and J.T. Kenney will break down the extended action every day of competition from 7:45 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. They’re joined by FLW Live hosts Travis Moran and Todd Hollowell, who will be reporting and providing from-the-water analysis from Sturgeon Bay.
Television coverage of the Tackle Warehouse TITLE presented by Toyota event will be showcased across six two-hour episodes, premiering at 7 p.m. EDT, Oct. 9 on the Outdoor Channel. Episodes premiere in Friday night primetime slots on the Outdoor Channel, with additional re-airings on the Outdoor Channel and the Sportsman Channel.
The 2020 Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit featured a field of 150 of the top professional anglers in the world competing at six regular-season events around the country. The top 50 anglers in the Angler of the Year (AOY) standings after the six events qualified to compete in this event, the inaugural Tackle Warehouse TITLE presented by Toyota.
For complete details and updated information visit FLWFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow the Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit on FLW’s social media outlets at Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.
Despite Slow Start, Schlapper Takes Lead At B.A.S.S. Nation Regional On Lake Vermilion
Pat Schlapper, of Eleva, Wis., is leading after Day 1 of the TNT Fireworks B.A.S.S. Nation Northern Regional at Lake Vermilion with 19 pounds, 4 ounces.
Photo by Chris Mitchell/B.A.S.S.
August 26, 2020
TOWER, Minn. — A picky approach and a healthy dose of determination rewarded Pat Schlapper of Eleva, Wis., with a five-bass limit that weighed 19 pounds, 4 ounces and gave him the Day 1 lead at the TNT Fireworks B.A.S.S. Nation Northern Regional on Minnesota’s Lake Vermilion.
Prior to the event, Schlapper spent 12 days scouting his tournament waters. That effort, he said, enabled him to establish a good, better, best ranking of various bottom habitat.
“I graphed a high percentage of the lake and found some areas that I thought were good,” Schlapper said. “In practice, I caught them on boulders, I caught them on chunk rock; I tried to really figure out multiple different things in case anything changed.
“Sometimes, it’s an isolated patch of rock, sometimes, it’s a boulder, sometimes it’s a certain section of a long reef or point. What I’ve found on this lake is that everything looks good and it takes a lot of time to find the areas where I feel like they live. Everything looks really good, but not everything is good.”
Focusing on the lake’s east side, Schlapper had waypoints in 3 to 25 feet of water. He started on a deeper spot he thought would offer quick results, but the fish were not cooperative.
“I had several different patterns going, and I had to use all of them today,” Schlapper said. “I started deep in an area that I thought was going to be good and actually had a really bad morning.
“About 11 o’clock, I got into one of my other areas that I knew was good. I caught my biggest one — a 4-7 — and then caught a 3 1/2-pounder and another one close to 3 and then I just started rotating through similar spots. About 12:45, I stopped fishing hard, so I could save some stuff.”
Schlapper trusted his day to slower dragging presentations. He mixed it up with drop shots, tubes and a finesse jig with a craw trailer. The latter produced his biggest fish.
“It seems like all they eat up here is crawfish,” Schlapper said of his bait choices. “Every one you catch spits up a bunch of crawfish.”
Schlapper thanked his co-angler, Minnesota’s Adam Edwards, for the encouragement that helped him through the day’s challenging periods.
“It didn’t start coming together for me until about 10:30; that’s when I kinda got on what I thought I needed to be doing for the day,” Schlapper said. “I got stuck in an area of the lake where I thought I was going to get a lot of big fish. For whatever reason, something was off in that section.
“I beat around in there a while and fished probably a dozen spots and only caught small ones, but then I went about 7 to 8 miles to that other section and caught them. My co-angler helped me keep my head in it. I was kind of spinning out, and he kept telling me to keep going.”
Eric Storms of Winner, S.D., is in second place with 18-13. Fishing the lake’s east side, his plan of targeting smallmouth early and then hunting a kicker largemouth worked flawlessly.
“I had my limit of smallmouth in the first 10 minutes,” Storms said. “I pulled up and they were firing. Around 11, I left and went largemouth fishing.”
Storms caught his smallies by fishing a 3-inch green pumpkin tube on a 1/4-ounce head in about 10 feet of water over offshore humps with rock. He targeted largemouth around pencil reeds in 2 feet and caught a 4-12 on a Texas-rigged Lake Fork Craw Tube.
Jeff Napier of Martinsville, Ind., is in third with 18-3. An early morning topwater bite yielded two of his keepers, but when that action subsided, Napier transitioned to a rock-centered strategy.
“I fished the bigger boulders because there’s a ton of crawfish in the lake, and I felt like that was their hideout where they could hang tight,” Napier said. “I used a green pumpkin tube on a 3/16-ounce head, made short casts and popped it to keep it from getting hung up.”
Late in the day, Napier made his final culls while fishing docks. Tubes also worked here.
Storms is in the lead for Big Bass honors with his 4-12.
Bob Vaughn of the Iowa B.A.S.S. Nation team leads the co-angler division with 11-1.
Dan O’Keefe of the Minnesota B.A.S.S. Nation team holds the Big Bass lead among co-anglers with a 5-5.
The Indiana B.A.S.S. Nation leads the team competition with a combined weight of 211-1. The Minnesota B.A.S.S. Nation follows in second with 209-3.
Thursday’s takeoff is scheduled for 6 a.m. CT at Fortune Bay Resort Marina. The weigh-in will be held at the marina at 2 p.m.
The event is being hosted by the Fortune Bay Resort Casino.
2020 TNT Fireworks Bass Nation Northern Regional Lake Vermilion 8/26-8/28
Lake Vermilion, Tower MN.
(BOATER) Standings Day 1
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Pts Total $$$
1. Pat Schlapper Eleva, WI (WI) 5 19-04 0
2. Eric Storms Winner, SD (SD) 5 18-13 0
3. Jeff Napier Martinsville, IN (IN) 5 18-03 0
4. Matt Reagan Hudsonville, MI (MI) 5 17-07 0
5. Kody Lane Rock Springs, WI (WI) 5 17-01 0
6. Andrew Nitchals Willmar, MN (MN) 5 16-15 0
7. Richard Lindgren Lakeville, MN (MN) 5 16-14 0
8. Troy Diede Sioux Falls, SD (SD) 5 16-07 0
9. Brian Coleman Mitchell, IN (IN) 5 16-03 0
10. Dan Brown Joliet, IL (IL) 5 16-01 0
11. Brock Belik Orchard, NE (SD) 5 16-00 0
12. Lonnie Peterson Chippewa Falls, WI (WI) 5 15-15 0
13. Bryce Kalen Greenwood, IN (IN) 5 15-14 0
14. Josh Miller Roberts, WI (WI) 5 15-12 0
15. Josh Hubbard Braidwood, IL (IL) 5 15-06 0
16. JP Przekurat Stevens Point, WI (WI) 5 15-04 0
17. Eric Ritter Buffalo, MN (MN) 5 15-04 0
18. Harry Marsh III New Berlin, WI (WI) 5 15-02 0
19. Eddie Levin Westerville, OH (OH) 5 15-00 0
20. Terry McWilliams Greenfield, IN (IN) 5 15-00 0
21. Nick Leonard Cincinnati, OH (OH) 5 14-15 0
22. Johnston Westmoreland Mooselake, MN (MN) 5 14-12 0
23. Reid Culler Hudson, IN (MI) 5 14-09 0
24. Ted Heitschmidt Tomahawk, WI (WI) 5 14-08 0
25. Joe Discerni Warren, OH (OH) 5 14-05 0
25. J. Scott Foureman Bradford, OH (OH) 5 14-05 0
27. Corey Peterson Yankton, SD (SD) 5 14-05 0
28. Chris Wilkinson Farmersburg, IN (IN) 5 14-03 0
29. Kirk Hansen Omaha, NE (NE) 5 14-02 0
30. John Fairbanks Hastings, MN (MN) 5 14-02 0
31. Bob Bayless Indianapolis, IN (IN) 5 14-01 0
31. Denny Cook Auburn, IN (MI) 5 14-01 0
33. Trevor Kettles Waukee, IA (IA) 5 14-00 0
34. Nate Brown Muscatine, IA (IA) 5 13-11 0
34. Brent Haimes Elgin, MN (MN) 5 13-11 0
36. David Watson Sullivan, IN (IN) 5 13-10 0
37. Lee Farber Watertown, MN (MN) 5 13-09 0
37. Robert Hime Odessa, MO (NE) 5 13-09 0
39. Jacob Stauthammer Lafayette, IL (IL) 5 13-08 0
40. Austin Brimeyer Dubuque, IA (IA) 5 13-07 0
41. Jay Swanson Lakeville, MN (MN) 5 13-06 0
42. Bob Slama Harrisburg, SD (SD) 5 13-03 0
43. Wes Westerveld Ramsey, MN (MN) 5 13-02 0
44. Tanner Bock Davenport, IA (IA) 5 13-01 0
44. Tom Kiefer Fowlerville, MI (MI) 5 13-01 0
46. Jim Friedman Dubuque, IA (IA) 5 13-00 0
47. Brian Martin Papillion , NE (NE) 5 12-15 0
48. Carl Spande Mounds View, MN (MN) 5 12-14 0
49. Dan Parker Guttenberg, IA (IA) 5 12-12 0
49. Peter Tuls Grand Haven, MI (MI) 5 12-12 0
51. Jerry Avis Council Bluffs, IA (NE) 5 12-09 0
51. Ryan Koehn Lofts Ada, MI (MI) 5 12-09 0
53. Donald Roberts Bellville, OH (OH) 5 12-08 0
54. Justin Rowe New Auburn, WI (WI) 5 12-06 0
54. John Thomsen Creston, IA (NE) 5 12-06 0
56. Chris Myers Madison, IN (IN) 5 12-05 0
57. Pete Saele Lockport, IL (IL) 5 12-03 0
58. Edward Gad Braidwood, IL (IL) 5 12-00 0
58. Zachary Nelson Glen Flora, WI (WI) 5 12-00 0
58. Cliff Van Beek Canistota, SD (SD) 5 12-00 0
61. Shane Stiehl Pierre, SD (SD) 5 11-15 0
62. Kyle Waller Thornville, OH (OH) 5 11-14 0
63. Scott Cooke Marengo, OH (OH) 4 11-14 0
64. Mike Obal Springfield, NE (NE) 5 11-09 0
65. Tad Tinlin Des Moines, IA (IA) 5 11-08 0
66. Bob Garman Center Point, IA (IA) 5 11-06 0
67. Paul Amstutz Gambler, OH (OH) 5 11-04 0
68. Joshua Brown Corydon, IN (IN) 5 10-15 0
69. Randy Burch Ladysmith, WI (WI) 4 10-08 0
70. Richard Hladky Yankton, SD (SD) 5 10-01 0
71. Justin Kohl Hastings, NE (SD) 5 09-15 0
72. Steven Smith Johnstown, OH (OH) 5 09-14 0
73. Tom Shumowsky North Riverside, IL (IL 5 09-09 0
74. Steven Kunz Jasper, IN (IN) 4 09-06 0
75. Aaron Faulk Mc Causland, IA (IA) 5 08-04 0
76. Jared Knuth Wahoo, NE (NE) 3 08-01 0
77. Scott Dunn Morris, IL (IL) 5 08-00 0
78. Ed Sizemore Lebanon, OH (OH) 5 07-15 0
79. Jason Citta Hershey, NE (NE) 3 07-07 0
80. Nick Ash Omaha, NE (NE) 3 07-00 0
81. Eric Culler Hudson, IN (MI) 3 06-12 0
82. Chris Lally Manteno, IL (IL) 3 06-10 0
83. Mark Vote Omaha, NE (NE) 3 06-02 0
84. Brian Sopko Saint Anne, IL (IL) 3 05-09 0
85. Jeff Mcfarland Petoskey, MI (MI) 2 04-07 0
86. Chad Timmer Hudsonville, MI (MI) 2 03-11 0
87. Allen Williford West Frankfort, IL (IL) 1 03-09 0
88. Doug Lamont Long Grove, IA (IA) 2 03-00 0
89. Rex Ryckman Ft. Pierre, SD (SD) 1 02-07 0
90. Glen Gray Hartland, MI (MI) 1 01-12 0
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Totals
Day #Limits #Fish Weight
1 74 412 1104-06
----------------------------------
74 412 1104-06
TEAM STANDINGS Day 1
----------------------------------
State Lbs-Oz
1 INDIANA 211-01
2 MINNESOTA 209-03
3 WISCONSIN 204-12
4 OHIO 189-02
5 SOUTH DAKOTA 184-00
6 IOWA 180-09
7 ILLINOIS 174-07
8 NEBRASKA 160-07
9 MICHIGAN 151-04
INDIVIDUAL STANDINGS Day 1
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
IOWA
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Trevor Kettles Waukee, IA 5 14-00 0
2 Nate Brown Muscatine, IA 5 13-11 0
3 Austin Brimeyer Dubuque, IA 5 13-07 0
4 Tanner Bock Davenport, IA 5 13-01 0
5 Jim Friedman Dubuque, IA 5 13-00 0
6 Dan Parker Guttenberg, IA 5 12-12 0
7 Tad Tinlin Des Moines, IA 5 11-08 0
8 Bob Garman Center Point, IA 5 11-06 0
9 Aaron Faulk Mc Causland, IA 5 08-04 0
10 Doug Lamont Long Grove, IA 2 03-00 0
ILLINOIS
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Dan Brown Joliet, IL 5 16-01 0
2 Josh Hubbard Braidwood, IL 5 15-06 0
3 Jacob Stauthammer Lafayette, IL 5 13-08 0
4 Pete Saele Lockport, IL 5 12-03 0
5 Edward Gad Braidwood, IL 5 12-00 0
6 Tom Shumowsky North Riverside, IL 5 09-09 0
7 Scott Dunn Morris, IL 5 08-00 0
8 Chris Lally Manteno, IL 3 06-10 0
9 Brian Sopko Saint Anne, IL 3 05-09 0
10 Allen Williford West Frankfort, IL 1 03-09 0
INDIANA
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Jeff Napier Martinsville, IN 5 18-03 0
2 Brian Coleman Mitchell, IN 5 16-03 0
3 Bryce Kalen Greenwood, IN 5 15-14 0
4 Terry McWilliams Greenfield, IN 5 15-00 0
5 Chris Wilkinson Farmersburg, IN 5 14-03 0
6 Bob Bayless Indianapolis, IN 5 14-01 0
7 David Watson Sullivan, IN 5 13-10 0
8 Chris Myers Madison, IN 5 12-05 0
9 Joshua Brown Corydon, IN 5 10-15 0
10 Steven Kunz Jasper, IN 4 09-06 0
MICHIGAN
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Matt Reagan Hudsonville, MI 5 17-07 0
2 Reid Culler Hudson, IN 5 14-09 0
3 Denny Cook Auburn, IN 5 14-01 0
4 Tom Kiefer Fowlerville, MI 5 13-01 0
5 Peter Tuls Grand Haven, MI 5 12-12 0
6 Ryan Koehn Lofts Ada, MI 5 12-09 0
7 Eric Culler Hudson, IN 3 06-12 0
8 Jeff Mcfarland Petoskey, MI 2 04-07 0
9 Chad Timmer Hudsonville, MI 2 03-11 0
10 Glen Gray Hartland, MI 1 01-12 0
MINNESOTA
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Andrew Nitchals Willmar, MN 5 16-15 0
2 Richard Lindgren Lakeville, MN 5 16-14 0
3 Eric Ritter Buffalo, MN 5 15-04 0
4 Johnston Westmoreland Mooselake, MN 5 14-12 0
5 John Fairbanks Hastings, MN 5 14-02 0
6 Brent Haimes Elgin, MN 5 13-11 0
7 Lee Farber Watertown, MN 5 13-09 0
8 Jay Swanson Lakeville, MN 5 13-06 0
9 Wes Westerveld Ramsey, MN 5 13-02 0
10 Carl Spande Mounds View, MN 5 12-14 0
OHIO
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Eddie Levin Westerville, OH 5 15-00 0
2 Nick Leonard Cincinnati, OH 5 14-15 0
3 Joe Discerni Warren, OH 5 14-05 0
3 J. Scott Foureman Bradford, OH 5 14-05 0
5 Donald Roberts Bellville, OH 5 12-08 0
6 Kyle Waller Thornville, OH 5 11-14 0
7 Scott Cooke Marengo, OH 4 11-14 0
8 Paul Amstutz Gambler, OH 5 11-04 0
9 Steven Smith Johnstown, OH 5 09-14 0
10 Ed Sizemore Lebanon, OH 5 07-15 0
SOUTH DAKOTA
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Eric Storms Winner, SD 5 18-13 0
2 Troy Diede Sioux Falls, SD 5 16-07 0
3 Brock Belik Orchard, NE 5 16-00 0
4 Corey Peterson Yankton, SD 5 14-05 0
5 Bob Slama Harrisburg, SD 5 13-03 0
6 Cliff Van Beek Canistota, SD 5 12-00 0
7 Shane Stiehl Pierre, SD 5 11-15 0
8 Richard Hladky Yankton, SD 5 10-01 0
9 Justin Kohl Hastings, NE 5 09-15 0
10 Rex Ryckman Ft. Pierre, SD 1 02-07 0
WISCONSIN
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Pat Schlapper Eleva, WI 5 19-04 0
2 Kody Lane Rock Springs, WI 5 17-01 0
3 Lonnie Peterson Chippewa Falls, WI 5 15-15 0
4 Josh Miller Roberts, WI 5 15-12 0
5 JP Przekurat Stevens Point, WI 5 15-04 0
6 Harry Marsh III New Berlin, WI 5 15-02 0
7 Ted Heitschmidt Tomahawk, WI 5 14-08 0
8 Justin Rowe New Auburn, WI 5 12-06 0
9 Zachary Nelson Glen Flora, WI 5 12-00 0
10 Randy Burch Ladysmith, WI 4 10-08 0
NEBRASKA
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Kirk Hansen Omaha, NE 5 14-02 0
2 Robert Hime Odessa, MO 5 13-09 0
3 Brian Martin Papillion , NE 5 12-15 0
4 Jerry Avis Council Bluffs, IA 5 12-09 0
5 John Thomsen Creston, IA 5 12-06 0
6 Mike Obal Springfield, NE 5 11-09 0
7 Jared Knuth Wahoo, NE 3 08-01 0
8 Jason Citta Hershey, NE 3 07-07 0
9 Nick Ash Omaha, NE 3 07-00 0
10 Mark Vote Omaha, NE 3 06-02 0
2020 TNT Fireworks Bass Nation Northern Regional Lake Vermilion 8/26-8/28
Lake Vermilion, Tower MN.
(NON_BOATER) Standings Day 1
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Pts Total $$$
1. Bob Vaughn Waterloo, IA (IA) 3 11-01 0
2. Matthew Marques Seneca, IL (IL) 3 11-00 0
3. Obie Oberts Custer Park, IL (IL) 3 09-14 0
4. Kevin Mullins Brooklyn, IN (IN) 3 09-11 0
5. Jeffrey Lopez Bolingbrook, IL (IL) 3 09-10 0
5. Larry Sallis Herculaneum, MO (NE) 3 09-10 0
7. Aaron Bunge Fairfax, IA (IA) 3 09-09 0
7. Scott Hrcka Homer, MI (MI) 3 09-09 0
7. Joshua Rogers Minneapolis, MN (MN) 3 09-09 0
10. Chris Pope Greenville, OH (OH) 3 09-07 0
11. Adam Edwards Andover, MN (MN) 3 09-05 0
11. Tristin Wilcox Ely, IA (IA) 3 09-05 0
13. Colten Didion Westerville, OH (OH) 3 09-04 0
14. Jesse Weener Holland, MI (MI) 3 09-02 0
15. Matt Byrnes Hudson, WI (WI) 3 09-02 0
15. Alfonso Garcia Jr Mccook, NE (NE) 3 09-02 0
17. Pat Soppe Manchester, IA (IA) 3 09-01 0
18. Dennis Carroll Ashland, NE (NE) 3 08-11 0
18. Eddie Gad Braidwood, IL (IL) 3 08-11 0
20. Coleton Usher Atkins, IA (IA) 3 08-09 0
21. Chris Jewett Longville, MN (NE) 3 08-07 0
22. Phillip Rummel Jr Mount Vernon, OH (OH) 3 08-05 0
23. Casey Morgan Byron, IL (IL) 3 08-04 0
24. Michael Pruitt Martinsville, IN (IN) 3 08-02 0
25. Ethan Hladky Yankton, SD (SD) 3 08-01 0
26. Bradley Waller Plainfield, IL (IL) 3 08-00 0
27. Michael Hamilton Plainfield, IN (IN) 3 07-15 0
28. Kirk Mclouth Indianapolis, IN (IN) 3 07-14 0
28. Joe Paulson Winner, WY (SD) 3 07-14 0
30. Bryce Hauf Winner, SD (SD) 3 07-13 0
30. John-Paul Hey Chicago, IN (WI) 3 07-13 0
32. Austin Sudduth Waterford, WI (WI) 2 07-13 0
33. Ryan Bergeman Chippewa Falls, WI (WI) 3 07-10 0
34. Shawn Van Gerpen Sioux Falls, SD (SD) 3 07-09 0
35. Hunter Scharphorn Grand Haven, MI (MI) 3 07-07 0
36. Tim Spande Plymouth, MN (MN) 3 07-07 0
37. Ryan Kriegel Delphos, OH (OH) 3 07-03 0
37. Brian Vogelsang Zanesfield, OH (OH) 3 07-03 0
39. Jack Johnson Brandon, SD (SD) 3 07-02 0
39. Brian Liming Dillsboro, IN (IN) 3 07-02 0
39. Kyle Taylor Shelburn, IN (IN) 3 07-02 0
42. John Smith Corydon, IN (IN) 3 07-01 0
43. Luke Kerstetter Brookfield, WI (WI) 3 07-00 0
43. Nick Strilzuk Balsam Lake, WI (WI) 3 07-00 0
45. Bryan Larson Waconia, MN (MN) 3 06-14 0
46. Joe Wilcox Millersport, OH (OH) 2 06-14 0
47. William Clark Vincennes, IN (IN) 3 06-09 0
47. Jim Gacke Harrisburg, SD (SD) 3 06-09 0
47. Tracy Skare Lakeville, MN (MN) 3 06-09 0
50. Jason Fairbanks Grove City, OH (OH) 2 06-09 0
51. Todd Stiehl Winner, SD (SD) 3 06-08 0
52. Robert Swem Buchanan, MI (MI) 3 06-08 0
53. Mark Emenecker Matton, IL (IL) 3 06-06 0
54. Anthony Nelson Ladysmith, WI (WI) 2 06-02 0
55. Bryan Kalen Mooresville, IN (IN) 3 06-01 0
56. Adam Markiewicz Plainfield, IL (IL) 3 05-14 0
56. John Terry Mansfield, OH (OH) 3 05-14 0
56. Markus Werner Cannon Falls, MN (MN) 3 05-14 0
59. Billy Ray Plattsmouth, NE (NE) 3 05-10 0
60. Jon Sohlden Paw Paw, MI (MI) 3 05-08 0
61. Timothy Peterson Springfield, SD (SD) 2 05-07 0
61. Jayson Rewolinski Bellevue, NE (NE) 2 05-07 0
63. Dan O'Keefe Prior Lake, MN (MN) 1 05-05 0
64. Dylan McMains Madrid, IA (IA) 2 05-04 0
65. Devon Dvorak Keystone, IA (IA) 2 05-00 0
66. Matt Green Battle Creek, MI (MI) 2 04-15 0
67. Randy Cloeter Norfolk, NE (NE) 3 04-10 0
68. Patrick Stradal Minneapolis, MN (MN) 2 04-10 0
69. Josh Peters Morristown, MN (MN) 2 04-09 0
69. Jeff Schultz Amelia, OH (OH) 2 04-09 0
71. Sawyer Schugel Victoria, MN (MN) 2 04-08 0
72. Bryson Steele Homer, IL (IL) 2 04-05 0
73. Charrlie Kuebler Jasper, IN (IN) 2 03-12 0
74. Brian Hinspeter Waukee, IA (IA) 1 03-07 0
75. Jerry Duncklee Fayette, IA (IA) 2 03-05 0
75. Steve Tagg Wyoming, MI (MI) 2 03-05 0
77. Jose Munoz McHenry , IL (WI) 2 02-15 0
78. Tyler Uekman Mount Clemens, MI (MI) 1 02-04 0
79. Taylor Burgin Palo, ID (IA) 2 01-15 0
80. Leray Anderson II Crofton, NE (SD) 1 01-15 0
81. Doug Rishel Plattsmouth, NE (NE) 1 01-11 0
82. Bryan Quigley Green Bay, WI (WI) 1 01-09 0
82. Adam Stachura Warren, MI (MI) 1 01-09 0
84. Zeb Mcfarland Stanton , IA (NE) 1 01-07 0
85. Fischer Bailey Baraboo, WI (WI) 0 00-00 0
85. Jake Drukenbrod Canton, OH (OH) 0 00-00 0
85. Morgan McLain Lenexa, KS (NE) 0 00-00 0
85. Austin Moore Washburn, IL (IL) 0 00-00 0
85. Cal Plienis Sioux Falls, SD (SD) 0 00-00 0
85. John Ryan Georgetown, TN (MI) 0 00-00 0
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Totals
Day #Limits #Fish Weight
1 57 217 560-07
----------------------------------
57 217 560-07
TEAM STANDINGS Day 1
----------------------------------
State Lbs-Oz
1 INDIANA 211-01
2 MINNESOTA 209-03
3 WISCONSIN 204-12
4 OHIO 189-02
5 SOUTH DAKOTA 184-00
6 IOWA 180-09
7 ILLINOIS 174-07
8 NEBRASKA 160-07
9 MICHIGAN 151-04
INDIVIDUAL STANDINGS Day 1
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
IOWA
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Bob Vaughn Waterloo, IA 3 11-01 0
2 Aaron Bunge Fairfax, IA 3 09-09 0
3 Tristin Wilcox Ely, IA 3 09-05 0
4 Pat Soppe Manchester, IA 3 09-01 0
5 Coleton Usher Atkins, IA 3 08-09 0
6 Dylan McMains Madrid, IA 2 05-04 0
7 Devon Dvorak Keystone, IA 2 05-00 0
8 Brian Hinspeter Waukee, IA 1 03-07 0
9 Jerry Duncklee Fayette, IA 2 03-05 0
10 Taylor Burgin Palo, ID 2 01-15 0
ILLINOIS
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Matthew Marques Seneca, IL 3 11-00 0
2 Obie Oberts Custer Park, IL 3 09-14 0
3 Jeffrey Lopez Bolingbrook, IL 3 09-10 0
4 Eddie Gad Braidwood, IL 3 08-11 0
5 Casey Morgan Byron, IL 3 08-04 0
6 Bradley Waller Plainfield, IL 3 08-00 0
7 Mark Emenecker Matton, IL 3 06-06 0
8 Adam Markiewicz Plainfield, IL 3 05-14 0
9 Bryson Steele Homer, IL 2 04-05 0
10 Austin Moore Washburn, IL 0 00-00 0
INDIANA
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Kevin Mullins Brooklyn, IN 3 09-11 0
2 Michael Pruitt Martinsville, IN 3 08-02 0
3 Michael Hamilton Plainfield, IN 3 07-15 0
4 Kirk Mclouth Indianapolis, IN 3 07-14 0
5 Brian Liming Dillsboro, IN 3 07-02 0
5 Kyle Taylor Shelburn, IN 3 07-02 0
7 John Smith Corydon, IN 3 07-01 0
8 William Clark Vincennes, IN 3 06-09 0
9 Bryan Kalen Mooresville, IN 3 06-01 0
10 Charrlie Kuebler Jasper, IN 2 03-12 0
MICHIGAN
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Scott Hrcka Homer, MI 3 09-09 0
2 Jesse Weener Holland, MI 3 09-02 0
3 Hunter Scharphorn Grand Haven, MI 3 07-07 0
4 Robert Swem Buchanan, MI 3 06-08 0
5 Jon Sohlden Paw Paw, MI 3 05-08 0
6 Matt Green Battle Creek, MI 2 04-15 0
7 Steve Tagg Wyoming, MI 2 03-05 0
8 Tyler Uekman Mount Clemens, MI 1 02-04 0
9 Adam Stachura Warren, MI 1 01-09 0
10 John Ryan Georgetown, TN 0 00-00 0
MINNESOTA
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Joshua Rogers Minneapolis, MN 3 09-09 0
2 Adam Edwards Andover, MN 3 09-05 0
3 Tim Spande Plymouth, MN 3 07-07 0
4 Bryan Larson Waconia, MN 3 06-14 0
5 Tracy Skare Lakeville, MN 3 06-09 0
6 Markus Werner Cannon Falls, MN 3 05-14 0
7 Dan O'Keefe Prior Lake, MN 1 05-05 0
8 Patrick Stradal Minneapolis, MN 2 04-10 0
9 Josh Peters Morristown, MN 2 04-09 0
10 Sawyer Schugel Victoria, MN 2 04-08 0
OHIO
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Chris Pope Greenville, OH 3 09-07 0
2 Colten Didion Westerville, OH 3 09-04 0
3 Phillip Rummel Jr Mount Vernon, OH 3 08-05 0
4 Ryan Kriegel Delphos, OH 3 07-03 0
4 Brian Vogelsang Zanesfield, OH 3 07-03 0
6 Joe Wilcox Millersport, OH 2 06-14 0
7 Jason Fairbanks Grove City, OH 2 06-09 0
8 John Terry Mansfield, OH 3 05-14 0
9 Jeff Schultz Amelia, OH 2 04-09 0
10 Jake Drukenbrod Canton, OH 0 00-00 0
SOUTH DAKOTA
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Ethan Hladky Yankton, SD 3 08-01 0
2 Joe Paulson Winner, WY 3 07-14 0
3 Bryce Hauf Winner, SD 3 07-13 0
4 Shawn Van Gerpen Sioux Falls, SD 3 07-09 0
5 Jack Johnson Brandon, SD 3 07-02 0
6 Jim Gacke Harrisburg, SD 3 06-09 0
7 Todd Stiehl Winner, SD 3 06-08 0
8 Timothy Peterson Springfield, SD 2 05-07 0
9 Leray Anderson II Crofton, NE 1 01-15 0
10 Cal Plienis Sioux Falls, SD 0 00-00 0
WISCONSIN
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Matt Byrnes Hudson, WI 3 09-02 0
2 John-Paul Hey Chicago, IN 3 07-13 0
3 Austin Sudduth Waterford, WI 2 07-13 0
4 Ryan Bergeman Chippewa Falls, WI 3 07-10 0
5 Luke Kerstetter Brookfield, WI 3 07-00 0
5 Nick Strilzuk Balsam Lake, WI 3 07-00 0
7 Anthony Nelson Ladysmith, WI 2 06-02 0
8 Jose Munoz McHenry , IL 2 02-15 0
9 Bryan Quigley Green Bay, WI 1 01-09 0
10 Fischer Bailey Baraboo, WI 0 00-00 0
NEBRASKA
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Larry Sallis Herculaneum, MO 3 09-10 0
2 Alfonso Garcia Jr Mccook, NE 3 09-02 0
3 Dennis Carroll Ashland, NE 3 08-11 0
4 Chris Jewett Longville, MN 3 08-07 0
5 Billy Ray Plattsmouth, NE 3 05-10 0
6 Jayson Rewolinski Bellevue, NE 2 05-07 0
7 Randy Cloeter Norfolk, NE 3 04-10 0
8 Doug Rishel Plattsmouth, NE 1 01-11 0
9 Zeb Mcfarland Stanton , IA 1 01-07 0
10 Morgan McLain Lenexa, KS 0 00-00 0
Mitchell Wins Qualifying Round at Tackle Warehouse TITLE presented by Toyota at Sturgeon Bay
- Top 10 Anglers from Group A Now Advance to Friday’s Knockout Round
STURGEON BAY, Wis. (Aug. 26, 2020) – Fishing conditions were a little tougher Wednesday at the Tackle Warehouse TITLE presented by Toyota, the FLW Pro Circuit Championship on Lake Michigan in Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin. Luckily for pro Kurt Mitchell of Milford, Delaware, he caught so many bass on Monday that it truly didn’t matter. After catching 119 pounds, 10 ounces on Monday, Mitchell added another three bass for 8 pounds, 5 ounces on Wednesday to win the Qualifying Round with a two-day cumulative total of 36 fish for 127-15.
Pro Evan Barnes of Hot Springs, Arkansas, finished the round in second place with 29 bass totaling 90 pounds even. Alpine, California pro Rusty Salewske was one of the big movers of the day, catching the most weight – 13 bass for 44 pounds, 6 ounces – to vault from 16th place into seventh with a two-day total of 64-7, while local proMatthew Stefan of Junction City, Wisconsin, remained in the hunt for $200,000, catching a two-day total of 20 bass weighing 68-5 – good for sixth place.
The top 10 pros from Group A now advance to Friday’s Knockout Round, where they’ll be joined by the top 10 pros from Group B after Thursday’s competition day. Tournament weights are zeroed, and anglers will compete to finish in the top 10 for the opportunity to advance to the sixth and final day of competition on Saturday.
“Today was a much tougher day for me, but that’s fine because I didn’t fish any areas that I knew were holding bass. I pretty much spent the day practicing and looking for new areas for the Knockout Round,” said Mitchell, who has four career top-10 finishes in FLW competition. “The bad news is that I didn’t really find anything new, but that is okay. There are hundreds of fish right here, so I’m going to keep pounding away at them and try to figure them out each every day.”
Barnes said he was going to spend his “off day” on Thursday scouring the local tackle stores.
“I need to find a good tackle shop tomorrow because I’m running out of drop-shot baits,” Mitchell said. “I’ve thrown so many Yamamoto Shad Shape Worms that I’m almost out.
“I also plan on throwing a spybait on Friday for a little bit,” Mitchell continued. “I’ve had good luck with them on highly-pressured fish, so I think that could be a player. I’m just excited to get back out there. I’ve had a lot of fun with the Major League Fishing (MLF) format and I’m ready to get back out there again and put the hammer down.”
The top 10 pros from Group A that now advance to Friday’s Knockout Round are:
1st: Kurt Mitchell of Milford, Del., 36 bass, 127-15
2nd: Evan Barnes of Hot Springs, Ark., 29 bass, 90-0
3rd: Casey Scanlon of Eldon, Mo., 28 bass, 89-5
4th: Grae Buck of Green Lane, Pa., 23 bass, 81-11
5th: Greg Bohannan of Bentonville, Ark., 22 bass, 72-2
6th: Matthew Stefan of Junction City, Wis., 20 bass, 68-5
7th: Rusty Salewske of Alpine, Calif., 19 bass, 64-7
8th: Jon Canada of Helena, Ala., 19 bass, 63-3
9th: Joshua Weaver of Macon, Ga., 20 bass, 59-13
10th: Ron Nelson of Berrien Springs, Mich., 18 bass, 58-9
Complete results for the entire field can be found atMajorLeagueFishing.com.
Mitchell caught a 5-pound, 10-ounce smallmouth bass Monday – the largest fish weighed in Group A’s Qualifying Round. For that fish, Mitchell earned the $500 Berkley Big Bass Award.
Overall there were 174 bass weighing 559 pounds, 13 ounces caught by the 25 pros in Group A Wednesday.
The Tackle Warehouse TITLE presented by Toyota, the FLW Pro Circuit Championship, is hosted by Destination Sturgeon Bay. The six-day event features the top 50 professional anglers from the 2020 Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit season angling for a piece of $820,000, including the first-place prize of $200,000.
Unique to the TITLE Championship, the event is being fished using the MLF catch-weigh-immediate release format. A select group of 25 pros (Group A) competed on Days 1 & 3 (Monday & Wednesday), with the other 25 pros (Group B) competing on Days 2 & 4 (Tuesday & Thursday). The top-10 pros from each group based on their cumulative two-day total will advance to Day 5 (Friday). Only the top 10 pros will continue on to the sixth and final day of competition Saturday, with the winner earning the inaugural Tackle Warehouse TITLE Championship Belt presented by Toyota.
Attendance is limited to anglers and essential staff and fans are encouraged to follow the event online through expanded broadcast coverage at MajorLeagueFishing.com and read the daily coverage, live blogs and photos at FLWFishing.com.
The MLF NOW! broadcast team of Chad McKee, Marty Stone and J.T. Kenney will break down the extended action every day of competition from 7:45 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. They’re joined by FLW Live hosts Travis Moran and Todd Hollowell, who will be reporting and providing from-the-water analysis from Sturgeon Bay.
Television coverage of the Tackle Warehouse TITLE presented by Toyota event will be showcased across six two-hour episodes, premiering at 7 p.m. EDT, Oct. 9 on the Outdoor Channel. Episodes premiere in Friday nightprimetime slots on the Outdoor Channel, with additional re-airings on the Outdoor Channel and the Sportsman Channel.
The 2020 Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit featured a field of 150 of the top professional anglers in the world competing at six regular-season events around the country. The top 50 anglers in the Angler of the Year (AOY) standings after the six events qualified to compete in this event, the inaugural Tackle Warehouse TITLE presented by Toyota.
For complete details and updated information visitFLWFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow the Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit on FLW’s social media outlets atFacebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.
Industry and Anglers Team up for Online Aaron Martens Benefit Tournament September 12 through 20 Event to Raise Funds for Martens’ Medical Journey
Indiana, Penn. - August 24, 2020 – In April of 2020, the fishing family learned that professional angler Aaron Martens, a multiple time champion and Angler of the Year had suffered a seizure while fishing with friends near his Leeds, Ala. Home and had to be taken to the hospital. The result of testing was that Martens was diagnosed with brain cancer and would be undergoing surgery and treatments to combat the disease.
Because he is universally loved and respected, the industry, its fans and anglers all entered into prayer and reached out with well wishes to Martens, his wife Lesley and children Jordan and Spencer. But, the spirit of people typically means they want to do more than offer well wishes. In that spirit, a group of people have worked to put together the AMart Benefit Tournament and Auction – all to be held online September 12 through 20.
The tournament itself will require a $50 entry fee with 100-percent of all proceeds going to the Martens family. While all tournament entries are a donation, the payout, which will total nearly $40,000 in cash and prizes, will reach down the field into 177th place. The tournament rules require the download of the Connect Scale App and an approved measuring board for which to take pictures to verify catch.
Along with the event itself, there will be an auction for once in a lifetime experiences for a day on the water with some of bass fishing’s true legends and brightest personalities. Among those anglers and personalities up for auction are Kevin VanDam, Mark Zona, Jacob Wheeler, Jordan Lee, Hank Cherry, Gerald Swindle, Bryan Thrift, Ott DeFoe, Randy Howell, Chris Lane, Todd Faircloth, Gary Clouse, Brandon Card, Mark Daniels Jr., David Mullins, Jesse Tacoronte, Brent Chapman, Cody Huff, Denny Brauer, Kota Kiriyama, Matt Herren, John Murray and Scott Canterbury and the list continues to grow.
The intent of the event is to not only shower the Martens family with love and support during this crisis, but to also help bridge the gap of the mounting financial need as they battle this illness.
Zona, the host of Zona’s Awesome Fishing Show recorded a video to provide more information to those interested
For more event and auction information, or to register for the AMart Benefit Tournament and Auction, visit https://amartcharitytournament.com/
Georgia’s Palmer and Anderson’s Freeman Earn Wins at Phoenix Bass Fishing League Double-Header on Lake Hartwell presented by Fish-Intel
Co-angler Division Victories go to Easley’s Waldrop and Travelers Rest’s Connor
ANDERSON, S.C. (Aug. 25, 2020) – It was a double-header for weekend bass anglers this past weekend in Anderson with the Phoenix Bass Fishing League presented by T-H Marine on Lake Hartwell presented by Fish-Intel events.
Boater Trent Palmer of Cumming, Georgia, brought a three-bass limit to the scale weighing 13 pounds, 3 ounces to win on Saturday and earn $5,915, then local boater Derek Freeman of Anderson, South Carolina, brought a three-bass limit to the scale Sunday weighing 10 pounds even to win $7,263.
“I ran about 6½ miles from takeoff and caught around two dozen keepers throughout the day,” Palmer said.
The top five boaters on Saturday were:
1st: Trent Palmer of Cumming, Ga., three bass, 13-3, $5,915
2nd: Mark Bradley of Wellford, S.C., three bass, 11-8, $3,208
3rd: Tyler Thompson of Easley, S.C., three bass, 10-12, $1,640
4th: Tony Holliday of Piedmont, S.C., three bass, 10-5, $1,147
5th: Bo Price of Seneca, S.C., three bass, 10-3, $983
Complete results for Saturday’s event can be found at FLWFishing.com.
Bradley earned the day’s Boater Big Bass Award of $750 after bringing an 8-pound, 1-ounce largemouth bass to the scale.
Scott Allgood of Fair Play, South Carolina, was the highest-finishing FLW PHOENIX BONUS member and took home an extra $500. Boaters are eligible to win up to an extra $7,000 per event in each Phoenix Bass Fishing League presented by T-H Marine tournament if all requirements are met. More information on the FLW PHOENIX BONUS contingency program can be found at PhoenixBassBoats.com.
Spencer Waldrop of Easley, South Carolina, won the Co-angler Division and $2,469 Saturday after catching three bass weighing 6 pounds, 10 ounces.
The top five co-anglers on Saturday were:
1st: Spencer Waldrop of Easley, S.C., three bass, 6-10, $2,469
2nd: Cody Coker of Comer, Ga., three bass, 5-10, $1,235
3rd: Harold Addison II of Columbia, S.C., three bass, 5-8, $823
4th: Tony Everhart of Gaffney, S.C., three bass, 5-7, $576
5th: Josh Watts of Dahlonega, Ga., three bass, 5-0, $494
Tommy Cowart of Ila, Georgia, caught the largest bass in the Co-angler Division, weighing in at 4 pounds, 1 ounce and earned him Saturday’s Co-angler Big Bass award of $372.
" src="blob:https://anglerschannel.com/b35c9b78-3a2f-4632-8f3f-eac3675c0365" alt="A person holding a sign Description automatically generated" align="right" hspace="12" v:shapes="Picture_x0020_3" class="Apple-web-attachment Singleton" style="width: 4in; height: 2.25in; opacity: 1;">On Sunday, winning boater Derek Freeman threw a topwater bait to earn his win.
“I ran up a lot of the rivers, and burned through 40 to 45 gallons of gas,” said Freeman, a former College Fishing angler for Clemson University. “I was due for a win. I finished second here in a college event, and second in a BFL on Hartwell last year, so I was ready to get a W.
“I mainly threw topwater baits – a Whopper Plopper and a (Heddon) Zara Spook out deep. I caught five keepers.”
The top five boaters on Sunday were:
1st: Derek Freeman of Anderson, S.C., three bass, 10-0, $7,263
2nd: William Fordree of Six Mile, S.C., three bass, 9-11, $2,381
3rd: Randy Dover of Buford, Ga., three bass, 9-1, $1,585
4th: David Nichol of Gainesville, Ga., three bass, 8-14, $1,111
5th: Danny Kirk of Bartow, Ga., three bass, 8-13, $1,663
Complete results for Sunday’s event can be found at FLWFishing.com.
Kirk earned Sunday’s $710 Boater Big Bass award with a 6-pound bass.
Freeman was also the highest finishing FLW PHOENIX BONUS member and took home an extra contingency award of $2,500.
Van Connor of Travelers Rest, South Carolina, earned the win Sunday in the Co-angler Division after catching three bass weighing 9 pounds, 6 ounces. For his victory Connor earned $2,698.
The top five co-anglers Sunday finished as follows:
1st: Van Connor of Travelers Rest, S.C., three bass, 9-6, $2,698
2nd: Adam Thomas of Cleveland, Ga., two bass, 6-7, $1,174
3rd: Garry Hutchsion of Sharpsburg, Ga., three bass, 6-4, $781
4th: Will White of Wake Forest, N.C., three bass, 5-13, $548
5th: Greg West of Powder Springs, Ga., three bass, 5-11, $470
Connor also caught the largest bass in the Co-angler Division, weighing in at 5 pounds, 14 ounces to add Sunday’s Co-angler Big Bass award of $350 to his winnings.
The 2020 Phoenix Bass Fishing League presented by T-H Marine Double-Header on Lake Hartwell was hosted by the Anderson Convention & Visitors Bureau. The tournaments were the third and fourth of five events in the Savannah River Division.
The top 45 boaters and co-anglers in the Savannah River Division based on point standings, along with the five winners of each qualifying event, will be entered in the Oct. 22-24 Bass Fishing League Regional Championship on Lake Lanier in Gainesville, Georgia, hosted by the Gainesville Convention & Visitors Bureau. Boaters will compete for a $60,000 prize package, including a new Phoenix 819 Pro bass boat with a 200-horsepower Mercury outboard and $10,000, while co-anglers will fish for a new 18-foot Phoenix bass boat with a 200-horsepower outboard.
The 2020 Phoenix Bass Fishing League presented by T-H Marine is a 24-division circuit devoted to weekend anglers, with 128 tournaments throughout the season, five qualifying events in each division. The top 45 boaters and co-anglers from each division, along with the five winners of the qualifying events, will advance to one of six 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 Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American.
The 2020 Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American will be held Nov. 11-13 at Lake Hartwell in Anderson, South Carolina and is hosted by Visit Anderson. The top 45 boaters and co-anglers plus tournament winners from each Phoenix Bass Fishing League division earn priority entry into the FLW Series, the pathway to the FLW Pro Circuit and ultimately the MLF Bass Pro Tour, where top pros compete with no entry fees.
For complete details and updated information visit FLWFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow the Phoenix Bass Fishing League presented by T-H Marine on FLW’s social media outlets at Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.
Dickson’s Singleton Wins Saturday, Mayfield’s Young Wins Sunday at Phoenix Bass Fishing League Double-Header on Kentucky/Barkley Lakes
Saturday’s Co-angler Win Goes to Indiana’s Gunter, Owensboro’s Scott and Fort Campbell’s Ledbetter Tie Sunday
GILBERTSVILLE, Ky. (Aug. 25, 2020) – It was a tournament double-header for bass anglers this past weekend in Gilbertsville with the Phoenix Bass Fishing League presented by T-H Marine event on Kentucky and Barkley Lakes events.
Boater Gary Singleton of Dickson, Tennessee, caught a three-bass limit totaling 10 pounds, 15 ounces to earn the win Saturday and earn $5,289, then boater David Young of Mayfield, Kentucky, brought three bass to the scale on Sunday weighing 9 pounds, 11 ounces to earn the win and $3,592.
“I ran about 60 miles south, fishing secondary bars,” said Singleton, who earned his first career BFL victory. “I threw a white ¾-ounce Hoppy’s spinnerbait all day long.”
The top five boaters on Saturday were:
1st: Gary Singleton of Dickson, Tenn., three bass, 10-15, $5,289
2nd: Kane Hackemack of Georgetown, Ind., three bass, 9-12, $1,897
3rd: Jordan Hartman of Murray, Ky., three bass, 9-11, $1,265
4th: David Carroll of Manitou, Ky., three bass, 9-2, $885
5th: Ramie Colson Jr. of Cadiz, Ky., three bass, 9-1, $759
Complete results for Saturday can be found at FLWFishing.com.
Singleton brought a 5-pound, 8-ounce bass to the scale to add Saturday’s Boater Big Bass award of $495 to his winnings.
Edward Gettys of Paris, Tennessee, was the highest-finishing FLW PHOENIX BONUS member and took home an extra contingency payout of $500. Boaters are eligible to win up to an extra $7,000 per event in each Phoenix Bass Fishing League presented by T-H Marine tournament if all requirements are met. More information on the FLW PHOENIX BONUS contingency program can be found at PhoenixBassBoats.com.
Barry Gunter of Trafalgar, Indiana, won the Co-angler Division and $2,144 Saturday after catching three bass weighing 11 pounds, 4 ounces.
The top five co-anglers Saturday finished as follows:
1st: Barry Gunter of Trafalgar, Ind., three bass, 11-4, $2,144
2nd: Andrew Dunford of Christopher, Ill., three bass, 8-6, $949
3rd: Brad Blanton of Leitchfield, Ky., three bass, 7-4, $633
4th: Johnny Brantley of Medon, Tenn., two bass, 6-12, $443
5th: Todd Robert Mowery of Munford, Tenn., three bass, 6-6, $379
Gunter caught the largest bass in the Co-angler Division Saturday, weighing in at 5 pounds, 8 ounces. The catch earned him the day’s Co-angler Big Bass award of $247.
" src="blob:https://anglerschannel.com/ab4d9b1d-f574-4fa4-b4cc-8f904763a552" alt="A person wearing a hat and sunglasses posing for the camera Description automatically generated" align="right" hspace="12" v:shapes="Picture_x0020_3" class="Apple-web-attachment Singleton" style="width: 4in; height: 2.25in; opacity: 1;">On Sunday, winning boater David Young overcame some equipment issues and still managed to earn the victory.
“I went from the dam to Paris (Tennessee),” said Young, who earned his 11th career win in Bass Fishing League competition. “I threw a (Heddon Zara) Spook on the main lake and caught some fish, then after that I went fishing docks and random stuff – flipping a beaver and throwing a green-pumpkin-colored lizard.
“The key was moving around – well floating around,” Young went on to say. “I had some trolling motor trouble out there that I had to deal with, but it worked out in the end.”
The top five boaters on Sunday finished:
1st: David Young of Mayfield, Ky., three bass, 9-11, $3,592
2nd: Ramie Colson Jr. of Cadiz, Ky., three bass, 9-9, $1,796
3rd: Gary Singleton of Dickson, Tenn., three bass, 9-2, $1,201
3rd: Charles Jones of Beech Bluff, Tenn., three bass, 8-7, $838
5th: Patrick Ross of Almo, Ky., three bass, 8-3, $1,218
Complete results for Sunday’s event on Kentucky Lake can be found at FLWFishing.com.
Lance Freeman of Eddyville, Kentucky, claimed the day’s Boater Big Bass Award of $460 after bringing a 5-pound, 13-ounce bass to the scale.
Ross was the highest-finishing FLW PHOENIX BONUS member and took home an extra $500.
Ryan Scott of Owensboro, Kentucky, and Chuck Ledbetter of Fort Campbell, Kentucky, tied for the win in the Co-angler Division Sunday after both anglers brought in three bass totaling 7 pounds, 7 ounces. For their wins, each angler brought home $1,347.
The top five co-anglers finished as follows:
1st: Ryan Scott of Owensboro, Ky., two bass, 7-7, $1,347
1st: Chuck Ledbetter of Fort Campbell, Ky., three bass, 7-7, $1,347
3rd: Travis Emerson of Mayfield, Ky., three bass, 6-2, $598
4th: Bobby Wade of Mayfield, Ky., two bass, 4-14, $389
4th: Alexis Joyce of Clarksville, Tenn., one bass, 4-14, $619
Joyce caught the largest bass in the Co-angler Division, weighing in at 4 pounds, 14 ounces. The catch earned the day’s Co-angler Big Bass award of $230.
The 2020 Phoenix Bass Fishing League presented by T-H Marine on Kentucky and Barkley Lakes events were hosted by the Kentucky Lake Convention & Visitors Bureau. The events were the third and fourth of five qualifying tournaments in the LBL division.
The top 45 boaters and co-anglers in the LBL Division based on point standings, along with the five winners of each qualifying event, will be entered in the Oct. 8-10 Phoenix Bass Fishing League Regional Championship on Lake Chickamauga in Dayton, Tennessee, hosted by the Rhea Economic and Tourism Council. Boaters will compete for a $60,000 prize package, including a new Phoenix 819 Pro bass boat with a 200-horsepower Mercury outboard and $10,000, while co-anglers will fish for a new 18-foot Phoenix bass boat with a 200-horsepower outboard.
The 2020 Phoenix Bass Fishing League presented by T-H Marine is a 24-division circuit devoted to weekend anglers, with 128 tournaments throughout the season, five qualifying events in each division. The top 45 boaters and co-anglers from each division, along with the five winners of the qualifying events, will advance to one of six 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 Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American.
The 2020 Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American will be held Nov. 11-13 at Lake Hartwell in Anderson, South Carolina and is hosted by Visit Anderson. The top 45 boaters and co-anglers plus tournament winners from each Phoenix Bass Fishing League division earn priority entry into the FLW Series, the pathway to the FLW Pro Circuit and ultimately the MLF Bass Pro Tour, where top pros compete with no entry fees.
For complete details and updated information visit FLWFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow the Phoenix Bass Fishing League presented by T-H Marine on FLW’s social media outlets at Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.
Cookeville’s Wagner Wins Phoenix Bass Fishing League Music City Division Event on Dale Hollow Lake
Co-angler Division Win Goes to Alvaton’s Botts
BYRDSTOWN, Tenn. (Aug. 25, 2020) – Boater Adam Wagner of Cookeville, Tennessee, brought a three-bass limit to the scale Sunday weighing 10 pounds, 2 ounces to win the 2020 Phoenix Bass Fishing League presented by T-H Marine Music City event at Dale Hollow Lake in Byrdstown, Tennessee. For his victory, Wagner earned $11,113, including the lucrative $7,000 FLW PHOENIX Bonus contingency award.
The tournament was the fourth of five events in the Music City Division presented by A.R.E. Truck Caps.
“It feels good to win another one – it never gets old,” said Wagner, the 2009 BFL All-American Champion who earned his 14th career Bass Fishing League win. “I was fishing down lake, all the way to the dam.
“I only caught four keepers on the day,” Wagner continued. “I caught them 30 to 50 feet deep. Of the three that I weighed in, I caught two on a 6-inch flutter spoon and one on a drop-shot rig.”
The top 10 boaters finished the tournament as follows:
1st: Adam Wagner of Cookeville, Tenn., three bass, 10-2, $11,113
2nd: Kyle Jolley of Livingston, Tenn., three bass, 10-1, $1,557
3rd: John Hopkins of Hendersonville, Tenn., three bass, 9-1, $1,037
4th: Dylan Wright of Murfreesboro, Tenn., three bass, 9-0, $674
4th: Isaac Peavyhouse of Jamestown, Tenn., three bass, 9-0, $1,039
6th: Hunter Bouldin of McMinnville, Tenn., three bass, 8-1, $571
7th: Kevin Meeks of Smyrna, Tenn., three bass, 7-11, $519
8th: William Merrick of Mount Juliet, Tenn., three bass, 7-7, $467
9th: Mike Lemons of Huntington, W. Va., three bass, 6-11, $415
10th: Steve Cornett of Manchester, Ky., three bass, 6-6, $563
Complete results can be found at FLWFishing.com.
Peavyhouse caught a 4-pound, 3-ounce bass to add the day’s Boater Big Bass award of $365 to his winnings.
Wagner took home an extra $7,000 as the highest finishing FLW PHOENIX BONUS member. Boaters are eligible to win up to an extra $7,000 per event in each Phoenix Bass Fishing League presented by T-H Marine tournament if all requirements are met. More information on the FLW PHOENIX BONUS contingency program can be found at PhoenixBassBoats.com.
Kenny Botts of Alvaton, Kentucky, won the Co-angler Division and $1,557 Sunday after catching two bass weighing 7 pounds, 2 ounces.
The top 10 co-anglers finished as follows:
1st: Kenny Botts of Alvaton, Ky., two bass, 7-2, $1,557
2nd: Gilbert Jolley of Livingston, Tenn., three bass, 6-10, $778
3rd: Ryan Heilmann of Manchester, Tenn., two bass, 5-13, $521
4th: Gary Slaughter of Waddy, Ky., two bass, 5-6, $363
5th: John Fitzpatrick of Baxter, Tenn., one bass, 5-1, $480
5th: Jared Rudd of Salyersville, Ky., two bass, 5-1, $298
7th: Jason Kirks of Clarksville, Tenn., two bass, 4-9, $259
8th: Mark Talbert of Dickson, Tenn., two bass, 4-6, $233
9th: Brandon Barker of Nicholasville, Ky., two bass, 4-2, $208
10th: Bryan Jenkins of Franklin, Tenn., one bass, 2-14, $182
Fitzpatrick caught the largest bass in the Co-angler Division, a fish weighing in at 5 pounds, 1 ounce. The catch earned him the day’s Co-angler Big Bass award of $182.
The top 45 boaters and co-anglers in the Music City Division presented by A.R.E. based on point standings, along with the five winners of each qualifying event, will be entered in the Oct. 22-24 Bass Fishing League Regional Championship on Lake Lanier in Gainesville, Georgia, hosted by the Gainesville Convention and Visitors Bureau. Boaters will compete for a $60,000 prize package, including a new Phoenix 819 Pro bass boat with a 200-horsepower Mercury outboard and $10,000, while co-anglers will fish for a new 18-foot Phoenix bass boat with a 200-horsepower outboard.
The 2020 Phoenix Bass Fishing League presented by T-H Marine is a 24-division circuit devoted to weekend anglers, with 128 tournaments throughout the season, five qualifying events in each division. The top 45 boaters and co-anglers from each division, along with the five winners of the qualifying events, will advance to one of six 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 Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American.
The 2020 Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American will be held Nov. 11-13 at Lake Hartwell in Anderson, South Carolina and is hosted by Visit Anderson. The top 45 boaters and co-anglers plus tournament winners from each Phoenix Bass Fishing League division earn priority entry into the FLW Series, the pathway to the FLW Pro Circuit and ultimately the MLF Bass Pro Tour, where top pros compete with no entry fees.
For complete details and updated information visit FLWFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow the Phoenix Bass Fishing League presented by T-H Marine on FLW’s social media outlets at Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.
Dundee’s Jordan Wins Phoenix Bass Fishing League Tournament on Lake Ferguson
Co-angler Win Goes to Seminary’s Gondreau
GREENVILLE, Miss. (Aug. 25, 2020) – Boater Mike Jordan of Dundee, Mississippi, brought a three-bass limit bass to the scale Saturday totaling 14 pounds, 11 ounces to win the 2020 Phoenix Bass Fishing League presented by T-H Marine event on Lake Ferguson in Greenville, Mississippi. Jordan topped his nearest competitor, Johnny Simmons of Oxford, Mississippi, by just 7 ounces and earned $3,964 for his victory.
“It feels real good to win one,” said Jordan, who earned his first career victory in his return to the Bass Fishing League after an eight-year hiatus. “I stayed in Lake Ferguson all day and fished on both the north and south end of the lake.
“The key for me was the sunshine, hot weather and light wind,” Jordan continued. “The fish have been scattered, but those fish have pulled out in the hot, calm weather and they are finally stacked up. I caught them fishing brush tops in 12 to 14 feet of water, with a sexy shad-colored Strike King 6XD.”
The top 10 boaters finished the tournament as follows:
1st: Mike Jordan of Dundee, Miss., three bass, 14-11, $3,964
2nd: Johnny Simmons of Oxford, Miss., three bass, 14-4, $1,757
3rd: Ben Webb of Mooreville, Miss., three bass, 13-0, $1,372
4th: Lloyd Pickett Jr. of Bartlett, Tenn., three bass, 12-15, $820
5th: Steve Hughes of Mooreville, Miss., three bass, 12-6, $703
6th: Andy Graves of Clarksdale, Miss., three bass, 12-3, $644
7th: Andy Coy of Corinth, Miss., three bass, 11-15, $1,086
8th: Brad McCulley of Batesville, Miss., three bass, 11-11, $527
9th: Marty Torrence of Crystal Springs, Miss., three bass, 11-10, $469
10th: Danny Carter of Hernando, Miss., three bass, 11-9, $410
Complete results can be found at FLWFishing.com.
Jordan also brought a 5-pound, 10-ounce bass to the scale to add $450 – the day’s Boater Big Bass award – to his winnings.
Coy was the highest-finishing FLW PHOENIX BONUS member and took home an extra $500. Boaters are eligible to win up to an extra $7,000 per event in each Phoenix Bass Fishing League presented by T-H Marine tournament if all requirements are met. More information on the FLW PHOENIX BONUS contingency program can be found at PhoenixBassBoats.com.
Levi Gondreau of Seminary, Mississippi, won the Co-angler Division and $1,757 Saturday after catching three bass weighing 12 pounds, 13 ounces.
The top 10 co-anglers finished as follows:
1st: Levi Gondreau of Seminary, Miss., three bass, 12-13, $1,757
2nd: Jason Honnoll of Starkville, Miss., three bass, 12-12, $879
3rd: Blake Jeffreys of Booneville, Miss., three bass, 12-2, $585
4th: Kevin Reardon of Corinth, Miss., three bass, 11-9, $380
4th: Chris Estes of Shannon, Miss., three bass, 11-9, $605
6th: Keith Whipple of Iuka, Miss., three bass, 11-6, $322
7th: Steve Ruth of Columbus, Miss., three bass, 11-5, $293
8th: Anthony Rasberry, New Albany, Miss., three bass, 11-4, $264
9th: Dusty Price of Corinth, Miss., three bass, 10-14, $234
10th: David Hug of Eads, Tenn., three bass, 10-8, $205
Estes caught the largest bass in the Co-angler Division – a nice 5-pound, 11-ouncer. The catch earned him the day’s Co-angler Big Bass award of $225.
The 2020 Phoenix Bass Fishing League presented by T-H Marine on Lake Ferguson was hosted by the Greenville/Washington County Convention and Visitors Bureau. It was the fourth of five qualifying events in the Mississippi Division.
The top 45 boaters and co-anglers in the Mississippi Division based on point standings, along with the five winners of each qualifying event, will be entered in the Oct. 8-10 Bass Fishing League Regional Championship on Lake Chickamauga in Dayton, Tennessee, hosted by the Rhea County Economic and Tourism Council. Boaters will compete for a $60,000 prize package, including a new Phoenix 819 Pro bass boat with a 200-horsepower Mercury outboard and $10,000, while co-anglers will fish for a new 18-foot Phoenix bass boat with a 200-horsepower outboard.
The 2020 Phoenix Bass Fishing League presented by T-H Marine is a 24-division circuit devoted to weekend anglers, with 128 tournaments throughout the season, five qualifying events in each division. The top 45 boaters and co-anglers from each division, along with the five winners of the qualifying events, will advance to one of six 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 Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American.
The 2020 Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American will be held Nov. 11-13 at Lake Hartwell in Anderson, South Carolina and is hosted by Visit Anderson. The top 45 boaters and co-anglers plus tournament winners from each Phoenix Bass Fishing League division earn priority entry into the FLW Series, the pathway to the FLW Pro Circuit and ultimately the MLF Bass Pro Tour, where top pros compete with no entry fees.
For complete details and updated information visit FLWFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow the Phoenix Bass Fishing League presented by T-H Marine on FLW’s social media outlets at Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.
Alexandria’s Stanley Wins Phoenix Bass Fishing League Mountain Division Event on Dale Hollow Lake
Indiana’s Patterson Wins Co-angler Division
BYRDSTOWN, Tenn. (Aug. 25, 2020) – Boater Matt Stanley of Alexandria, Tennessee, brought a three-bass limit to the scale weighing 11 pounds, 7 ounces to win the 2020 Phoenix Bass Fishing League presented by T-H Marine Mountain division event at Dale Hollow Lake in Byrdstown, Tennessee. For his victory, Stanley earned a total of $5,965.
“I’ve only been to this lake a handful of times, and never in August, so I was running around like a chicken with his head cut off just fishing brush piles,” said Stanley, who earned his fifth career Bass Fishing League victory. “I caught them from 25 to 38 feet deep. My biggest came in 38. The key was getting lucky and catching the two big ones – I had one that was five (pounds) and one that was close to five.”
Stanley said that he caught his fish on a drop-shot rig and an 8-inch Nichols Ben Parker Flutter Spoon.
“I fished everything from Goat Island to the Dam, just keying in on brush piles on points,” Stanley went on to say. “I was fishing deep – it seemed to be deeper than anybody else.”
The top 10 boaters finished the tournament as follows:
1st: Matt Stanley of Alexandria, Tenn., three bass, 11-7, $5,965
2nd: Tristan Abbott of Somerset, Ky., three bass, 10-2, $2,175
3rd: Josh Tramel of Smithville, Tenn., three bass, 10-1, $1,451
4th: Gilbert Jolley of Livingston, Tenn., three bass, 9-12, $1,015
5th: Dylan Wright of Murfreesboro, Tenn., three bass, 9-10, $870
6th: Mike Devere of Berea, Ky., three bass, 9-3, $761
6th: Tim McDonald of Paintsville, Ky., three bass, 9-3, $761
8th: William Merrick of Mount Juliet, Tenn., three bass, 8-14, $1,153
9th: Mitchell Major of Lancaster, Ky., three bass, 8-12, $580
10th: Blake Smith of Byrdstown, Ky., three bass, 8-7, $482
10th: Marcus Jackson of Rockwood, Tenn., three bass, 8-7, $482
Complete results can be found at FLWFishing.com.
Stanley also earned the day’s $615 Boater Big Bass award with his largest fish, a bass weighing 5 pounds event.
Merrick took home an extra $500 as the highest finishing FLW PHOENIX BONUS member. Boaters are eligible to win up to an extra $7,000 per event in each Phoenix Bass Fishing League presented by T-H Marine tournament if all requirements are met. More information on the FLW PHOENIX BONUS contingency program can be found at PhoenixBassBoats.com.
Jason Patterson of Markle, Indiana, earned the win in the Co-angler Division Saturday after catching a three-bass limit weighing 8 pounds, 1 ounce. Patterson earned $2,175 for his victory.
The top 10 co-anglers finished as follows:
1st: Jason Patterson of Markle, Ind., three bass, 8-1, $2,175
2nd: Billy Gardner of Livingston, Tenn., three bass, 7-11, $1,088
3rd: Alec Lancaster of Hendersonville, Tenn., three bass, 7-7, $616
3rd: John Fitzpatrick of Baxter, Tenn., three bass, 7-7, $616
5th: Sam Loveless of Somerset, Ky., three bass, 6-14, $435
6th: Allen Neal of Whitley City, Ky., two bass, 6-8, $706
7th: Josh Artis of Huntington, W.Va., two bass, 6-7, $363
8th: Joey Von Hoene of Erlanger, Ky., two bass, 6-6, $326
9th: Scottie Cook of Hustonville, Ky., three bass, 6-4, $290
10th: Ryan Joshi of Knoxville, Tenn., three bass, 5-9, $254
Neal caught the largest bass in the Co-angler Division, a fish weighing in at 4 pounds, 1 ounce. The catch earned him the day’s Co-angler Big Bass award of $307.
The 2020 Phoenix Bass Fishing League presented by T-H Marine on Dale Hollow Lake was hosted by Star Point Resort. The tournament was the fourth of five events in Mountain Division.
The top 45 boaters and co-anglers in the Mountain Division based on point standings, along with the five winners of each qualifying event, will be entered in the Oct. 8-10 Bass Fishing League Regional Championship on Lake Chickamauga in Dayton, Tennessee, hosted by the Rhea Economic & Tourism Council. Boaters will compete for a $60,000 prize package, including a new Phoenix 819 Pro bass boat with a 200-horsepower Mercury outboard and $10,000, while co-anglers will fish for a new 18-foot Phoenix bass boat with a 200-horsepower outboard.
The 2020 Phoenix Bass Fishing League presented by T-H Marine is a 24-division circuit devoted to weekend anglers, with 128 tournaments throughout the season, five qualifying events in each division. The top 45 boaters and co-anglers from each division, along with the five winners of the qualifying events, will advance to one of six 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 Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American.
The 2020 Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American will be held Nov. 11-13 at Lake Hartwell in Anderson, South Carolina and is hosted by Visit Anderson. The top 45 boaters and co-anglers plus tournament winners from each Phoenix Bass Fishing League division earn priority entry into the FLW Series, the pathway to the FLW Pro Circuit and ultimately the MLF Bass Pro Tour.
For complete details and updated information visit FLWFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow the Phoenix Bass Fishing League presented by T-H Marine on FLW’s social media outlets at Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.
Simpson University Wins Abu Garcia College Fishing presented by YETI Tournament on California Delta
OAKLEY, Calif. (Aug. 25, 2020) – The Simpson University team of Sheldon Reese of Witter Springs, California, and Taj White of Glendale, Arizona, won the Abu Garcia College Fishing presented by YETI at the California Delta event Friday with a five-bass limit weighing 15 pounds, 3 ounces. The victory earned the Simpson bass club $2,000 and qualified them to compete in the 2021 College Fishing National Championship.
The Red Hawks duo won by a 4-pound, 9-ounce margin over the second-place team of Daylon Smith from New Mexico State University, who weighed in five bass totaling 10 pounds, 10 ounces while fishing the two-man team event solo. The tournament launched from the Big Break Marina in Oakley, California.
The teams that now advance to the 2021 College Fishing National Championship are:
1st: Simpson University – Sheldon Reese, Witter Springs, Calif., and Taj White, Glendale, Ariz., five bass, 15-3, $2,000
2nd: New Mexico State University – Daylon Smith, Frazier Park, Calif., five bass, 10-10, $1,000
3rd: University of California-Merced – Kalib Caples, Sebastopol, Calif., and Herbie LeBlanc, Gilroy, Calif., five bass, 10-5, $500
4th: Simpson University – Ryan Beaty, Martinez, Calif., and Nathan Phillips, Kelseyville, Calif., five bass, 8-8, $500
Complete results can be found at FLWFishing.com.
The Abu Garcia College Fishing presented by YETI event on the California Delta was hosted by the City of Oakley. It was the second of three regular-season qualifying tournaments for Western Conference anglers. The next event for College Fishing anglers will be on Sept. 4 – the Abu Garcia College Fishing presented by YETI at Lake Guntersville in Guntersville, Alabama.
Abu Garcia College Fishing presented by YETI teams compete in regular-season qualifying tournaments in one of five conferences – Central, Northern, Southern, Southeastern and Western. The top ten teams from each division’s three regular-season tournaments and the top 20 teams from the annual Abu Garcia College Fishing Open advance to the following year’s Abu Garcia College Fishing presented by YETI National Championship.
For complete details and updated information visit FLWFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow the Abu Garcia College Fishing presented by YETI on FLW’s social media outlets at Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.
McKendree University Wins Abu Garcia College Fishing presented by YETI Tournament on Mississippi River
LA CROSSE, Wis. (Aug. 25, 2020) – The McKendree University team of Nathan Doty of Decatur, Illinois, and Blake Jackson of Carterville, Illinois, won the Abu Garcia College Fishing presented by YETI at the Mississippi River event Friday with a five-bass limit weighing 14 pounds, 10 ounces. The victory earned the McKendree bass club $2,000 and qualified them to compete in the 2021 College Fishing National Championship.
The Bearcats duo won by just a 1-ounce margin over the second-place team of Jake Usher and Gannon Courtright from the University of Iowa, who weighed in five bass totaling 14 pounds, 9 ounces. The tournament launched from the Stoddard Park Boat Launch in Stoddard, Wisconsin.
The top 10 teams that advanced to the 2021 College Fishing National Championship are:
1st: McKendree University – Nathan Doty, Decatur, Ill., and Blake Jackson, Carterville, Ill., five bass, 14-10, $3,000
2nd: University of Iowa – Jake Usher, Ionia, Iowa, and Gannon Courtright, Fairfield, Iowa, five bass, 14-9, $1,000
3rd: University of Akron – Josh Kelly, Cortland, Ohio, five bass, 14-5, $500
4th: University of Wisconsin-Platteville – Brady Rufenacht, Lavalle, Wis., and Jacob Ely, Reedsburg, Wis., five bass, 13-9, $500
5th: Bemidji State University – Benjamin Saba, Ramsey, Minn., and Wesley Steinmetz of Blaine, Minn., five bass, 13-4, $500
6th: Greenville University – Cordell Beckmann, Breese, Ill., and Dru Johnson, Bartelso, Ill., five bass, 12-5
7th: University of Wisconsin – Tyler Fink, Mayville, Wis., and Dylan Sprain, Sparta, Wis., five bass, 12-4
8th: University of Iowa – Austin Bartholomew, Keosauqua, Iowa., five bass, 12-3
9th: Tarleton State University – Samuel Climer, Stephenville, Texas, and Kayden Tanner, Millsap, Texas, five bass, 12-2
10th: Purdue University – Ross Carter, Noblesville, Ind., and William Bruin, Columbus, Ind., five bass, 11-10
Complete results for the entire field can be found at FLWFishing.com.
The Abu Garcia College Fishing presented by YETI event on the Mississippi River was hosted by the La Crosse County Convention & Visitors Bureau. It was the second of three regular-season qualifying tournaments for Central Conference anglers. The next event for College Fishing anglers will be on Sept. 4 – the Abu Garcia College Fishing presented by YETI at Lake Guntersville in Guntersville, Alabama.
Abu Garcia College Fishing presented by YETI teams compete in regular-season qualifying tournaments in one of five conferences – Central, Northern, Southern, Southeastern and Western. The top ten teams from each division’s three regular-season tournaments and the top 20 teams from the annual Abu Garcia College Fishing Open advance to the following year’s Abu Garcia College Fishing presented by YETI National Championship.
For complete details and updated information visit FLWFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow the Abu Garcia College Fishing presented by YETI on FLW’s social media outlets at Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.
Sparta High School Wins FLW High School Fishing presented by Favorite Fishing Mississippi River Open
LA CROSSE, Wis. (Aug. 25, 2020) – Wisconsin’s Sparta High School duo of Noah Gann and Nick Gann brought five bass to the scale Saturday weighing 13 pounds, 14 ounces to win the FLW High School Fishing presented by Favorite Fishing Mississippi River Open in La Crosse, Wisconsin.
For their win on the Mississippi River, the team now advances to the 2021 High School Fishing National Championship.
The top two teams that qualified for the 2021 High School Fishing National Championship are:
1st: Sparta High School, Sparta, Wis. – Noah Gann and Nick Gann, five bass, 13-14
2nd: Caledonia High School, Caledonia, Minn. – Ely Ranzenberger and Jermiah Jacobson, five bass, 12-11
Rounding out the top 10 were:
3rd: Eau Claire High School, Eau Claire, Wis. – Nick Owens and Chad Kron, five bass, 12-9
4th: East West Anglers – Brant Rowland and Nick Frisk, both of Little Suamico, Wis., five bass, 12-5
5th: Melrose-Mindoro High School, Melrose, Wis. – Hayden Fry and Carson Koss, four bass, 8-9
6th: Cedar Falls High School, Cedar Falls, Iowa – Cade Hoover and Carter Frost, four bass, 6-9
7th: Melrose-Mindoro High School, Melrose, Wis. – Ethan Stanton and Cael Cogdill, three bass, 6-4
8th: Minnesota Student Anglers – Brady Grupa of La Crescent, Minn., and Treyton Thesing of Eyota, Minn., three bass, 5-8
9th: Rochester Public Schools – Ellie Hoffarth of Pine Island, Minn., and Cody Niemann of Rochester, Minn., two bass, 4-8
10th: Wisconsin Student Anglers – David Hiles of Mindoro, Wis., and Cole Fitzpatrick of La Crosse, Wis., two bass, 4-1
Complete results from the event can be found at FLWFishing.com.
The event launched from the Stoddard Boat Ramp in Stoddard, Wisconsin, and was hosted by the La Crosse Convention & Visitors Bureau.
The FLW High School Fishing presented by Favorite Fishing Mississippi River Open in La Crosse, Wisconsin, was a free, two-person (team) event for students in grades 7-12 and open to any FLW and Student Angler Federation-affiliated high school club. The top 10 percent of teams at each Open event along with the TBF High School Fishing state championships will advance to the 2021 High School Fishing National Championship. The High School Fishing national champions will each receive a $5,000 college scholarship to the school of their choice.
In addition to the High School Fishing National Championship, all High School Fishing anglers nationwide automatically qualify for the world’s largest open high school bass tournament, the 2021 High School Fishing World Finals, held in conjunction with the National Championship. More than $2.8 million in scholarships and prizes were offered at the 2020 World Finals.
Full schedules and the latest announcements are available at HighSchoolFishing.org and FLWFishing.com.
Spearpoint Performance Hooks adds Elite Series Pros to Pro Staff Randy Pierson and Cody Hollen
Visalia, Calif. - August 18, 2020 – Spearpoint Performance Hooks, a Visalia, Calif. Based manufacturer, made their national debut with virtual ICAST 2020, and they continue to make waves. Spearpoint Performance Hooks announces the addition of the past two B.A.S.S. Nation National Champions and current Elite Series pros Randy Pierson from Oakdale, Calif. and Cody Hollen from Beaverton, Ore.
Being from Central California, Pierson is familiar with Art Nubaryan and Erik Hennesay, the founders of Spearpoint, and when he received samples of the hooks, he gave them a try. Being an angler who tests each and every product to the maximum before employing it into his tournament arsenal, he told Spearpoint that he would test them when he had a break and let them know his thoughts.
When the Lake Cayuga was postponed, Pierson and Hollen – who travel together on the Elite Series - found themselves with time to spare in New York, so they went fishing. After one day of experiencing what Spearpoint’s VGrip technology, and an increase in the amount of acrobatic smallmouth being landed, they were sold.
The result was a partnership between the company and the two anglers. “I couldn’t believe what I was seeing,” said Pierson. “I counted how many bites I had on the GP Finesse hook, and when I got to 15 smallmouth – most of them jumping and twisting – and I had yet to lose a fish, I knew I had a performance advantage, and I wanted to represent the brand.”
He also said that the hook placement and penetration was key. “So many times, with a dropshot or wacky rig bite, the fish are barely skin hooked, but not with these,” he reported. “Every single fish was hooked in the bony part of the nose, and the point was buried; it’s exactly the way you hope they would be hooked.”
Hollen felt much the same after Pierson shared a single hook with him. “I lost count of how many fish I caught on that one hook, but I landed all of them,” said Hollen. “What really impressed me was a big, four and a half to five smallmouth that I caught. The fish jumped three to four feet out of the water three times before I got it to the boat, and I landed it without a hitch; these are amazing products and I know they will help me on tour.”
Erik Hennesay, co-founder and Marketing Director for Spearpoint expressed what it meant to have two budding Elite Series pros join the team. “We are excited to be working with Randy and Cody,” said Hennesay. “They are a couple of talented anglers and more importantly, they are really good, humble guys who share the same love and passion of bass fishing as we do here at Spearpoint; they will be an asset for us as we grow this brand."
For more information about Spearpoint Performance Hooks, visit them on their website at http://www.spearpointhooks.com and for dealer inquiries, contact Art Nubaryan at [email protected], and for media inquiries, Erik Hennesay at [email protected].
Digital Tournament from Lew’s, Strike King a Fan Favorite Among High School Anglers
Lexington, S.C. – August 20, 2020 – When the Lew’s and Strike King Digital High School Fishing Tournament was announced in March, little did anyone know how much it would be appreciated. When the COVID-19 Pandemic hit the Country, the result was the cancellation of most school activities, and after school activities were chief among them.
The overwhelming response from fishing team coaches and sponsors was that the event, run on the HOOK’D Fishing Tournaments app, was something that gave their students something to do that fit the need for space and safety.
The result was that 61 teams registered for the event nationwide, and the total of nearly 4,500 catches were posted to the HOOK’D Fishing Tournaments app totaling more than 70,000 inches of smallmouth, largemouth and spotted bass.
The winning teams for each of the three regions were as follows.
South – Vidalia Heritage Academy – Vidalia, GA
North – Brownsburg Fishing Club – Brownsburg, IN
West – Delta Saints Bass Team – Clarksburg, CA
The weekly big bass and the overall winning teams were awarded Lew’s Mach combos, and anglers also competed for Strike King “Tie One On” prize packs for posting pictures using the #strikekingbass hashtags.
Tony Mehrl, Director of Trade Marketing and Field Activation said that the companies happy with the event and impressed with the results" The entire 12 weeks of our high school digital tournament was a lot of fun. Seeing the catches each week and watching the leading schools change in rank each week, it was always interesting to see who would come out on top, said Mehrl. “We at Strike King and Lew's are always thrilled to be able to support high school fishing, and we're glad we could provide an avenue of competition for these young anglers during the peak shutdown time of events this past spring."
The full story about the event can be read by visiting here: https://www.strikeking.com/digital-tournament-fan-favorite-among-high-school-anglers
Bassmaster College Series Resumes 2020 Season On Lake Hartwell
ANDERSON, S.C. — The country’s best college anglers will resume their quest for a national championship title and Bassmaster Classic berth on Lake Hartwell when the Carhartt Bassmaster College Series presented by Bass Pro Shops competes on this South Carolina fishery Aug. 27-29.
According to Bassmaster Elite Series angler Jason Williamson, of Wagener, S.C., Lake Hartwell will produce plenty of action for the college competitors during the dog days of summer if they key on spotted bass in deep water.
“There are residential fish that live shallow around boat docks year-round,” Williamson said. “The predominant summer pattern, though, will be fishing deeper around brush or cane piles 18 to 30 feet (deep). It is a spotted bass lake, so you can catch those fish out to 40 to 50 feet.”
Williamson suggests the most productive lures for deep fish will be green pumpkin or watermelon Zoom Swamp Crawlers on drop-shot rigs, football jigs, shaky-head worms or Texas-rigged Zoom Ol’ Monster worms. “There could be some schooling activity over the cane piles, so you will need some type of herring-imitation bait, such as a topwater lure or Fluke, ready for that type of bite,” he said.
“There could be an early morning buzzbait bite that could come into play,” Williamson said. “It’ll be tropical storm season, so there could be a tropical storm, hurricane or depression, which is a game changer that time of year on these herring lakes. It could end up with three or four days of cloudy, windy weather, which really turns on a shallow bite, so you can throw a buzzbait or spinnerbait in the wind.”
College anglers running up the Seneca or Tugaloo River could catch largemouth bass on crankbaits in the dirty water or by flipping to docks and shallow wood. However, Williamson notes the lower end of the lake will produce more consistent catches throughout the three days of competition. “You could have somebody run up the river and catch a good bag one day, but it is going to be hard to duplicate that for multiple days,” Williamson said.
“There are enough big spotted bass in the lake that you could stay on the main body of the lake and fish deep for spots and catch a big bag as well,” said Williamson, who has noticed more 3 1/2- to 4-pound spotted bass in the lake lately. “It’s hard to win a one-day tournament there with just spotted bass, but in a multiday event, being consistent on the right size spotted bass that lives (on the main lake) could definitely win the tournament.
Daily takeoffs will be at 6:45 a.m. ET from Green Pond Landing in Anderson. Weigh-ins will be held back in the same location each day at 2:45 p.m. In addition to prize money for their team, the winning duo will earn a spot in the College Series National Championship. The Top 4 teams from the College Championship will earn a chance to compete for a berth in the 2021 Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic at November’s Carhartt Bassmaster College Series Classic Bracket Challenge on Alabama’s Lay Lake.
The event is being hosted by Visit Anderson.
“Anderson County has done a tremendous job during this most difficult time to ensure the safety of our community, and we will extend that same effort and passion into welcoming B.A.S.S., the anglers and their families,” said Neil Paul, Executive Director of Visit Anderson. “We have been blessed with a tremendous fishery, great facilities and a very supportive fishing community, and we look forward to hosting these young anglers.”
The Mossy Oak Fishing Bassmaster High School Series presented by Academy Sports + Outdoors and the Mossy Oak Fishing Bassmaster Junior Series will take to Lake Hartwell’s storied waters on August 30.
Smallmouth Hammers and ZERO Whiners
This week the Circus has the unique opportunity to talk with Smallmouth Hammer Kurt Mitchell ahead of his Day 2 in the FLW TITLE where he has a 56 pound lead. Elite Champ Bill Weidler also joins the show to talk about his career making win on St. Clair. Check it out!
5 Pieces of Equipment to Pack for Big Water
Courtesy of Luke Stoner - Dynamic Sponsorships
Northern fisheries like the Great Lakes, Lake St. Clair, and other massive bodies of water can intimidate inexperienced anglers. The allure of tangling with big smallmouth draws bass fisherman from all over the country, but the threat of ocean-like waves and foul fall weather turns just as many away.
We caught up with Bassmaster Opens pro Trait Zaldain while her husband Chris competed on St. Clair to pick her brain on a few tips she’d have for someone making their first trip to big water. Trait does a ton of work each year introducing young anglers to bass fishing, and pushes to make the entire sport more inclusive.
It could be argued that Trait stays as busy off the water as her husband, The Zaldaingerous one, does on the water during Bassmaster Elite events. Between coordinating with sponsors, working on their burgeoning YouTube channel, helping Chris prep for the tournament, and sneaking in opportunities to prepare for her own Bassmaster Open events – it’s amazing she has time think. Trait graciously offered up five pieces of equipment she packs to help tame big water fisheries.
“Big water doesn’t have to be intimidating,” Zaldain reasoned. “As long as your equipment is in a good place and you’ve done your due diligence in preparation you will be just fine. Respect big water and it’ll respect you.”
1. Reliable boat and motor
It may sound obvious, but a trustworthy boat and a reliable outboard is Trait’s first key to enjoying a trip up north. Having the utmost confidence in her Yamaha powered Skeeter allows Trait to focus on fishing as opposed to worrying safety.
“Make sure go through your boat tightening any screws and bolts or fastening anything that needs some TLC,” Zaldain explained. “Have your outboard serviced before your trip if need be. Go over everything like a fine toothcomb. Not only will this keep you safer on the water, but it’ll give you the peace of mind knowing you’ve taken the necessary steps.”
2. A quality rain suit
The second piece of gear Trait packs is a quality rain suit like a Carhartt Storm Defender Jacket and Bibs. While a rain suit is handy for pop-up storms or rain showers, it’s just as important to wear while driving from spot to spot, as you will undoubtedly get splashed with water from wave spray. Even on sunny days Trait is sure to pack her rain suit.
3. A butt seat
While it typically gets left in the back of her truck, Trait says a butt seat for the front deck of her Skeeter is worth its weight in gold when the wind starts blowing up north. Staring at your electronics is oftentimes a necessary part of big water fishing. Having a seat to lean on while your attention is fixated on your graphs is extremely helpful while riding the waves throughout the day.
“Butt seats may not have a reputation of being cool in the bass fishing world but they are super helpful when waves get rolling,” Zaldain said. “They help you stay focused and keep you safer. Look at any Elite Series angler’s boat on days with heavy wind forecasted and I’ll guarantee you’ll see a butt seat.”
4. Foam PFD vs. inflatable PFD
Another precaution Trait takes when fishing on a massive body of water is swapping her inflatable personal floatation device (PFD) for a reliable Mustang foam life jacket. There are horror stories of the CO2 cartridges inside inflatable PFDs malfunctioning and good old-fashioned foam PFDs take that concern out of the equation. When fishing somewhere you might not be able to see land from, it’s best to not take any chances.
5. A spinning rod and a drop shot
A spinning combo rigged with a drop shot and a 10,000 Fish Yoto Worm is the final item Trait doesn’t leave home without when heading to big water. As we’ve seen in countless Bassmaster tournaments over the years, a drop shot rig is as effective of a presentation for northern smallmouth as anything available. Trait’s learned to love this technique and believes it’s a good addition to any anglers’ repertoire.
Trait’s tips are helpful whether you are considering your first trip to big water or you needed a refresher before making your yearly visit to one of these colossal, famed fisheries. Take her advice and this list into account when planning your next vacation to the land of giant smallmouth and jumbo waves.
John Cox Leads Day Two at Tackle Warehouse TITLE presented by Toyota at Sturgeon Bay
Florida Shallow-Water Specialist Figures Out Sturgeon Bay Smallmouth to Pace Group B
STURGEON BAY, Wis. (Aug. 25, 2020) – Pro angler John Cox of DeBary, Florida, is having a heck of a week. Fresh off of a third-place finish at a major tournament on Lake St. Clair last weekend, Cox drove straight to Sturgeon Bay to compete in the Tackle Warehouse TITLE presented by Toyota, the FLW Pro Circuit Championship. Despite having absolutely no practice time for the event, Cox caught 18 bass weighing 66 pounds, 5 ounces, Tuesday to lead Group B after their first day of competition.
A group of people riding on the back of a boat
The tournament, fished using the Major League Fishing (MLF) catch-weigh-immediate release format, saw a steady stream of smallmouth bass caught by the 25 pros on the water Tuesday, with anglers catching a total of 243 bass weighing 784 pounds, 6 ounces. Pro Spencer Shuffield of Hot Springs, Arkansas, who finished the season ranked No. 2 in the Angler of the Year standings, sits in second place with 19 bass totaling 61-2 – just 5 pounds, 3 ounces behind Cox.
“Coming off of the water today, I feel like I might have had a mild heart attack,” Cox joked. “It was so intense – all the way to the last second. There was no letting up – guys were catching them, bouncing out of the lead, then back into the lead, it was incredible. I had a lot of fun today.
“When we first started, I was really worried,” Cox continued. “They started catching them, instantly. I got the first SCORETRACKER® update 15 minutes in and guys had 4- and 5-pounders already and I hadn’t even had a bite. I was thinking, ‘Uh oh… no practice. This is going to be really bad.’ But then I found something where we actually got a bite and then we just hammered down and caught everything that we could.”
Cox caught his fish Tuesday on a drop-shot rig, cycling through multiple different Berkley MaxScent baits.
“I don’t catch a lot of smallmouth, normally, but the Berkley MaxScent is definitely the key to catching a lot,” Cox said. “I was mixing it up with the Flat Worm and the Flat Nose Minnow, and I even ended up throwing the General some.
“I just tried to catch as much as I could today, because I know how much they move around and they could be gone when we get back out there,” Cox went on to say. “I really wanted to catch at least 60 pounds, so now on Thursday I’m going to have to figure out if I should go practice and fish new stuff or if I try to protect that area.
“With a day off to think about it, I’m going to be a wreck tomorrow. I’m ready to get back out there right now.”
The top 10 pros after day two (Group B) on Sturgeon Bay are:
1st: John Cox of DeBary, Fla., 18 bass, 66-5
2nd: Spencer Shuffield of Hot Springs, Ark., 19 bass, 61-2
3rd: Joey Cifuentes of Clinton, Ark., 18 bass, 60-6
4th: Matt Becker of Finleyville, Pa., 15 bass, 51-1
5th: Dylan Hays of Hot Springs, Ark., 16 bass, 49-13
6th: Wade Strelic of Alpine, Calif., 15 bass, 43-8
7th: Clark Reehm of Elm Grove, La., 11 bass, 39-14
8th: Mitch Crane of Columbus, Miss., 11 bass, 32-15
9th: Jacob Wall of New Hope, Ala., 10 bass, 32-14
10th: Christopher Brasher of Longview, Texas, 11 bass, 31-14
Complete results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
Reehm caught the largest fish of the day Tuesday – a 5-pound, 11-ounce smallmouth bass. If that bass remains the largest weighed from Group B after Thursday’s competition, Reehm will take home the $500 Berkley Big Bass Award.
The Tackle Warehouse TITLE presented by Toyota, the FLW Pro Circuit Championship, is hosted by Destination Sturgeon Bay. The six-day event features the top 50 professional anglers from the 2020 Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit season angling for a piece of $820,000, including the first-place prize of $200,000.
Unique to the TITLE Championship, the event is being fished using the MLF catch-weigh-immediate release format. A select group of 25 pros (Group A) will compete on Days 1 & 3 (Monday & Wednesday), with the other 25 pros (Group B) competing on Days 2 & 4 (Tuesday & Thursday). The top-10 pros from each group based on their cumulative two-day total will advance to Day 5 (Friday). Only the top 10 pros will continue on to the sixth and final day of competition Saturday, with the winner earning the inaugural Tackle Warehouse TITLE Championship Belt presented by Toyota.
Attendance is limited to anglers and essential staff and fans are encouraged to follow the event online through expanded broadcast coverage at MajorLeagueFishing.com and read the daily coverage, live blogs and photos at FLWFishing.com.
The MLF NOW! broadcast team of Chad McKee, Marty Stone and J.T. Kenney will break down the extended action every day of competition from 7:45 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. They’re joined by FLW Live hosts Travis Moran and Todd Hollowell, who will be reporting and providing from-the-water analysis from Sturgeon Bay.
Television coverage of the Tackle Warehouse TITLE presented by Toyota event will be showcased across six two-hour episodes, premiering at 7 p.m. EDT, Oct. 9 on the Outdoor Channel. Episodes premiere in Friday night primetime slots on the Outdoor Channel, with additional re-airings on the Outdoor Channel and the Sportsman Channel.
The 2020 Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit featured a field of 150 of the top professional anglers in the world competing at six regular-season events around the country. The top 50 anglers in the Angler of the Year (AOY) standings after the six events qualified t/o compete in this event, the inaugural Tackle Warehouse TITLE presented by Toyota.
For complete details and updated information visit FLWFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow the Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit on FLW’s social media outlets at Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.
Legendary Yelas went old skool at St. Clair for another Top 10
Courtesy of Alan McGuckin - Dynamic Sponsorships
Jay Yelas launched his pro career in 1989 by living in a van as a tournament fishing vagabond when gas was $1 a gallon. Now age 54, he is truly one of professional bass fishing’s living legends.
Yelas dominated the Bassmaster Classic in 2002 en route to victory, won the Bassmaster Angler of the Year title in 2003, and was recently voted a 2020 inductee of the Bass Fishing Hall of Fame. He has notched a Top 10 B.A.S.S. finish in five different decades
At Lake St. Clair, the former Oregon State forestry major finished 9th and taught the bass fishing universe that even now in the strangest of times, it’s not all about super high-tech sonar and drop shots. Instead, Yelas proved the old skool technique of burning skirted blade baits in shallow water still gets the attention of meaty bad attitude smallmouth.
“We used to catch ‘em really good here in the 1990s by burning spinnerbaits on shallow flats, but in recent years that pattern hasn’t worked very well,” reflects Yelas. “But man, it worked this week!”
“I fished in 5 to 7-feet of water all week on a flat with scattered vegetation that had current flowing across it. I put my trolling motor on high, made a ton of casts, and burned that vibrating jig on a fast 7.5:1 Lew’s baitcasting reel, and the smallies smashed it like they did in the good old days,” grinned the Yamaha pro.
The vibrating jig known best as a Chatterbait was invented by Ron Davis Sr. in South Carolina, but it didn’t hit the market until 2004. So Yelas’s weapon of choice this past week on St. Clair wasn’t even available in those “good old days” 30 years ago. But they are now, and Yelas pays $17 a piece for them, just like you and me.
He doesn’t pay for their trailers however, as his longtime treasured sponsor Gary Yamamoto makes both a Zako swimbait style trailer, and a Zako Kicker paddle tail trailer for vibrating jigs. Yelas used both versions of the highly effective trailers on St. Clair and chose a heavy ¾ ounce vibrating jig so he could make long casts in clear water and be able to burn it back to the boat.
“I may not have won, but I’m proud of my Top 10 finish, and I’ll promise you nobody had more fun than me last week on St. Clair. That pattern is just so awesome, it’s addicting,” grins the longtime Toyota Bonus Bucks participant.
“Mark Zona watched me fish for a while out there on the water and said, “Man, Jay, you’re going old skool on us this week.” I told him, “Heck yea, I am old skool,” laughed Yelas.
Kurt Mitchell Dominates Day One at Tackle Warehouse TITLE presented by Toyota at Sturgeon Bay
Delaware Pro Smashes 119-10 to Take Commanding 56-Pound, 10-Ounce Lead on Opening Day
STURGEON BAY, Wis. (Aug. 24, 2020) – Pro angler Kurt Mitchell of Milford, Delaware, caught a total of 33 bass weighing 119 pounds, 10 ounces, to grab the early lead Monday after day one of the Tackle Warehouse TITLE presented by Toyota, the FLW Pro Circuit Championship on Lake Michigan in Sturgeon Bay.
The tournament, fished using the Major League Fishing (MLF) catch-weigh-immediate release format, showcased Mitchell lighting up the SCORETRACKER® all day long and establishing a commanding 56-pound, 10-ounce lead over second-place pro Grae Buck of Green Lane, Pennsylvania, who caught 17 bass totaling 63 pounds even. The six-day event features the top 50 professional anglers from the 2020 Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit season angling for a piece of $820,000, including the first-place prize of $200,000.
The 25 anglers that competed Monday in Group A will take Tuesday off before returning to the water on Wednesday to finish their two-day Qualifying Round. The 25 anglers in Group B will have their first day of competition Tuesday on Sturgeon Bay.
“It was just a phenomenal day for me – one of those days where nothing goes wrong and everything works like it’s supposed to,” said Mitchell, a five-year veteran of the Pro Circuit who is fishing in his second championship event. “It was my first time fishing at Sturgeon Bay, my first time fishing the MLF format, and now my first time leading a pro event after the first day.”
Mitchell said that he caught the majority of his weight from one area, a current break that he had found in practice. He caught his fish using two key baits – a drop-shot rig with a Yamamoto Shad Shape Worm and a Keitech Swimbait with a 3/8-ounce Dirty Jigs Matt Stefan Guppy Swimbait Jig Head.
“It wasn’t really anything special, just basic smallmouth tactics and baits,” Mitchell said. “I just got on some groups of fish that wanted to bite. The bigger ones seemed to come on the Keitech, but I caught more on the shad shape worm. I had no idea that I was going to catch that much.
“I’m not sure exactly what I’m going to do when I get back out there on Wednesday,” Mitchell went on to say. “I might try out some new areas, or I might just go sit on my best spot to make sure no one else fishes it. Either way, I can’t wait to get back out there.”
The top 10 pros after day one (Group A) on Sturgeon Bay are:
1st: Kurt Mitchell of Milford, Del., 33 bass, 119-10
2nd: Grae Buck of Green Lane, Pa., 17 bass, 63-0
3rd: Evan Barnes of Hot Springs, Ark., 20 bass, 61-10
4th: Casey Scanlon of Eldon, Mo., 17 bass, 57-0
5th: Matthew Stefan of Junction City, Wis., 14 bass, 47-1
6th: Greg Bohannan of Bentonville, Ark., 12 bass, 39-7
7th: Joshua Weaver of Macon, Ga., 12 bass, 37-1
8th: James Niggemeyer of Van, Texas, 10 bass, 33-4
9th: Troy Morrow of Eastonollee, Ga., 10 bass, 31-9
10th: Jon Canada of Helena, Ala., nine bass, 26-12
Complete results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
Overall there were 228 bass weighing 750 pounds, 8 ounces caught by the 25 pros in Group A on Monday. Mitchell also caught the largest fish of the day – a chunky 5-pound, 10-ounce smallmouth bass.
The Tackle Warehouse TITLE presented by Toyota, the FLW Pro Circuit Championship, is hosted by Destination Sturgeon Bay. The total purse for the event is more than $820,000, including a top prize of $200,000.
Unique to the TITLE Championship, the event is being fished using the MLF catch-weigh-immediate release format. A select group of 25 pros (Group A) will compete on Days 1 & 3, with the other 25 pros (Group B) competing on Days 2 & 4. The top-10 pros from each group based on their cumulative two-day total will advance to Day 5. Only the top 10 pros will continue on to the sixth and final day of competition, with the winner earning the inaugural Tackle Warehouse TITLE Championship Belt presented by Toyota.
Attendance is limited to anglers and essential staff and fans are encouraged to follow the event online through expanded broadcast coverage at MajorLeagueFishing.com and read the daily coverage, live blogs and photos at FLWFishing.com.
The MLF NOW! broadcast team of Chad McKee, Marty Stone and J.T. Kenney will break down the extended action every day of competition from 7:45 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. They’re joined by FLW Live hosts Travis Moran and Todd Hollowell, who will be reporting and providing from-the-water analysis from Sturgeon Bay.
Television coverage of the Tackle Warehouse TITLE presented by Toyota event will be showcased across six two-hour episodes, premiering at 7 p.m. EDT, Oct. 9 on the Outdoor Channel. Episodes premiere in Friday night primetime slots on the Outdoor Channel, with additional re-airings on the Outdoor Channel and the Sportsman Channel.
The 2020 Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit featured a field of 150 of the top professional anglers in the world competing at six regular-season events around the country. The top 50 anglers in the Angler of the Year (AOY) standings after the six events qualified t/o compete in this event, the inaugural Tackle Warehouse TITLE presented by Toyota.
For complete details and updated information visit FLWFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow the Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit on FLW’s social media outlets at Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.
“Weidler Whack’s em’ at St Clair!”
2020 St Clair Champion - Bill Weidler.jpg
Bill Weidler, of Helena, Ala., has won the 2020 YETI Bassmaster Elite at Lake St. Clair with a four-day total of 86 pounds, 7 ounces.
Photo by Seigo Saito/B.A.S.S.
August 23, 2020
Chance Encounter Leads Weidler To Bassmaster Elite Series Win At St. Clair
MACOMB COUNTY, Mich. — A random moment during practice led Bill Weidler to a most unexpected victory, as the Helena, Ala., angler amassed a four-day total of 86 pounds, 7 ounces to win the YETI Bassmaster Elite at Lake St. Clair.
Weidler earned $100,500 and nearly doubled his career earnings with B.A.S.S. to $204,350.
“I just stumbled across a great area in Anchor Bay, and that was my primary spot,” Weidler said. “I went through it one day in practice; it was cold and I’m an old man so I decided to pull over instead of freezing running down the lake.
“I drifted through an area and caught a limit of 26 pounds in about two hours. I had two 6-pounders, and I was like, ‘I might have found something here.’ That’s where I camped out all week.”
Focusing on a 1,000-yard area of Anchor Bay, Weidler found his bass on the hard edges of grasslines in 14 to 15 feet. Watching his Humminbird 360 for clusters of baitfish helped focus his search.
After two hours of fruitless effort, Day 4 saw Weidler catch three of his best fish between 9 and 10 a.m. He caught fish throughout the day, but two big afternoon bites — a 4-4 and his second of two 5-plus-pounders — pushed him across the finish line.
“This is incredible,” the third-year Elite Series pro said of his first career victory. “I fought and fought; I had a (bad) start to the season, and I knew I had to get some work done. I was on my knees this morning praying that I could catch them.”
Weidler caught all of his fish on a drop shot with a Strike King Baby Z-Too in the gray glimmer color. He used a 3/8-ounce weight and a No. 1 Owner drop-shot hook.
Weidler placed 17th on Day 1 with 20-8. Catching the same weight the next day put him in 13th. Day 3 saw him weigh 22-10 and earn his Championship Sunday berth in eighth place, and Sunday’s limit of 22-13 sealed the deal.
“On Days 1 and 2, I should have had about 22 or 23 both of those days and just didn’t execute,” Weidler said. “I’m lucky I didn’t miss the cut.”
Weidler admitted he did not enter the St. Clair event with great optimism, as smallmouth bass have never been his specialty. Nevertheless, he held his own against formidable Northern pros like Canada’s Cory Johnston, who placed second, along with sixth-place Chris Johnston, who won the SiteOne Bassmaster Elite at St. Lawrence River in July with all smallmouth.
“I’m a largemouth guy; I’ve really struggled on smallmouth lakes,” Weidler said. “I grew up fishing the Coosa River and my boat really hasn’t come out of much more than 10 feet of water. I love a flipping stick and heavy line, so it was hard making the transition.
“But what I can say is that I thank the Lord for what He did for me this week because I feel He guided me where I needed to go and have the finish I had.”
Hailing from Cavan, Ontario, Cory Johnston spent his tournament in the main lake near the Canadian border and tallied 85-15. He turned in daily weights of 21-11, 21-5, 23-1 and 19-14.
Relying heavily on his Garmin LiveScope for target location, Johnston caught his bass on a drop shot with a Berkley PowerBait MaxScent Flat Worm and a Strike King Baby Z-Too, both in green pumpkin.
“I found a sunken barrel out there the first day of the tournament, and there were five bass on it,” Johnston said. “I’d throw out and pick them all off; I’d go there the next morning and pick them both off. Today, there was none there; I caught them all.”
Following his seventh- and ninth-place finishes in the past two Elite events (St. Lawrence River and Lake Champlain), Johnston has notched three consecutive Top 10s.
“That was my goal; I didn’t want to miss a Top 10 when we were up North,” Johnston said. “This is kinda my wheelhouse. I love dropping on them.”
John Cox of DeBary, Fla., led the tournament for three days but finished third with 85-12. Cox started Day 1 on Lake St. Clair, then moved to the St. Clair River where he spent the remainder of the event.
Catching all of his fish on a drop shot with a Berkley PowerBait MaxScent Flat Worm, Cox caught the event’s heaviest bag — 24-12 — on Day 1, then followed with 20-10, 20-12 and 19-10.
“Today, the bites were pretty random,” Cox said. “I caught two good ones on a seawall around midriver, then I went all the way to Lake Huron. I didn’t catch anything there, so I came back downriver and caught another good one, a 4-pounder.”
Cox hooked that last fish by a navigation marker. The smallmouth became temporarily entangled in the structure’s subsurface supports, but patience prevailed.
“When he bit, he swam right where I thought he was going to swim — right through those pilings,” Cox said. “So, I went up and took my line around it and it was a miracle I got that fish out.”
Ed Loughran III of Richmond, Va., won the Phoenix Boats Big Bass honors with a 6-5 smallmouth he caught on Day 2, earning an additional $1,000.
Cox took home $3,000 for being the highest-placing entrant in the Toyota Bonus Bucks program, and Oregon's Cody Hollen earned $2,000 for being the second-highest placing entrant.
With four events remaining on the Elite Series schedule, Texas pro Clark Wendlandt took the lead in the Bassmaster Angler of the Year race with 423 points. Rookie Taku Ito of Japan is in second place with 416 points and also leads the race for Rookie of the Year.
2020 Bassmaster Elite at Lake St. Clair 8/20-8/23
Lake St. Clair, Macomb County MI.
(PROFESSIONAL) Standings Day 4
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Pts Total $$$
1. Bill Weidler Helena, AL 20 86-07 100 $100,500.00
Day 1: 5 20-08 Day 2: 5 20-08 Day 3: 5 22-10 Day 4: 5 22-13
2. Cory Johnston Cavan CANADA 20 85-15 99 $25,000.00
Day 1: 5 21-11 Day 2: 5 21-05 Day 3: 5 23-01 Day 4: 5 19-14
3. John Cox Debary, FL 20 85-12 98 $21,500.00
Day 1: 5 24-12 Day 2: 5 20-10 Day 3: 5 20-12 Day 4: 5 19-10
4. Clark Wendlandt Leander, TX 20 85-09 97 $15,000.00
Day 1: 5 20-00 Day 2: 5 24-05 Day 3: 5 20-13 Day 4: 5 20-07
5. Jake Whitaker Fairview, NC 20 85-02 96 $15,000.00
Day 1: 5 18-07 Day 2: 5 21-10 Day 3: 5 22-06 Day 4: 5 22-11
6. Chris Johnston Peterborough Ontario CA 20 84-13 95 $15,000.00
Day 1: 5 21-11 Day 2: 5 21-03 Day 3: 5 21-02 Day 4: 5 20-13
7. Shane LeHew Catawba, NC 20 84-11 94 $15,000.00
Day 1: 5 21-13 Day 2: 5 21-12 Day 3: 5 21-00 Day 4: 5 20-02
8. Cody Hollen Beaverton, OR 20 84-03 93 $15,000.00
Day 1: 5 19-12 Day 2: 5 22-15 Day 3: 5 23-06 Day 4: 5 18-02
9. Jay Yelas Lincoln City, OR 20 83-04 92 $15,000.00
Day 1: 5 21-01 Day 2: 5 22-14 Day 3: 5 20-01 Day 4: 5 19-04
10. Taku Ito Chiba JAPAN 20 79-12 91 $15,000.00
Day 1: 5 21-11 Day 2: 5 20-11 Day 3: 5 19-03 Day 4: 5 18-03
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
PHOENIX BOATS BIG BASS
Day
1 Chris Groh Spring Grove, IL 06-00 $1,000.00
2 Ed Loughran III Richmond, VA 06-05 $1,000.00
3 John Cox Debary, FL 05-10 $1,000.00
4 John Cox Debary, FL 05-05 $500.00
4 Bill Weidler Helena, AL 05-05 $500.00
