Palaniuk Comes From Behind To Win Bassmaster Elite Event At Lake Champlain
Brandon Palaniuk, of Rathdrum, Idaho, has won the 2020 Bassmaster Elite at Lake Champlain with a four-day total of 80 pounds, 1 ounce.
Photo by Seigo Saito/B.A.S.S.
August 2, 2020
PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. — Turning in his best performance of the week, Brandon Palaniuk leveraged a blistering afternoon bite to sack up 21 pounds, 6 ounces and win the Bassmaster Elite at Lake Champlain with a four-day total of 80-1.
This is the fourth B.A.S.S. win for the 2017 Angler of the Year from Rathdrum, Idaho. He earned a first-place prize of $100,000.
After a strong start yielded a pair of 4-pound-class fish by 8:30 a.m., Palaniuk continued catching quality smallmouth throughout the day. A key move and a heads-up response led him to the gold mine that produced a 4-4, a 4-6 and a 4-8 between 12:10 and 1:56 p.m.
“I had one boulder and I shut down before I got to it and as I came off pad, I see a dot on my (Humminbird) Down Imaging and I’m like, ‘Holy cow, that looks like a giant smallmouth,’” Palaniuk said. “I grabbed my rod, threw my bait back before I even dropped my trolling motor.
“The boat’s drifting away, I drop my trolling motor, I pick up and my line’s swimming off. I set the hook and a 4 1/2-pounder goes airborne — way back there. After I caught that fish, I rolled up to the boulder and they were stacked on top of it. Then, every single boulder on that flat in 28 to 32 feet of water had a 4-plus-pounder on it.”
Sticking with what produced the majority of his bites this week, Palaniuk caught his final-round fish on a drop shot with a green pumpkin/blue fleck X Zone Finesse Slammer. He used a No. 2 drop-shot hook and a 3/8-ounce VMC tungsten teardrop weight.
After three days of mostly calm conditions, Championship Sunday brought strong winds, clouds and occasional showers. Noting that the wind likely moved schools of baitfish into the areas he fished, Palaniuk said his game plan came together as well as he’d hoped.
Keeping himself within striking distance all week, Palaniuk placed eighth on Day 1 with 19-12, slipped to 11th on Day 2 with a limit of 18-10 and made the final Top 10 cut on Day 3 by rising to fifth with 20-5.
“It was just one of those days where everything worked out,” he said. “All week long, I said, ‘Just give me a shot,’ because I looked at the weather and I knew we were going to get that windy weather we got in practice.
“I had a really good practice and I felt like I could literally drive around, look at my (Humminbird) LakeMaster charts, pull up on a spot and catch big ones. I think the wind this morning helped push those baitfish up and it moved a lot of those fish up. Those fish aren’t resident fish; they chase schools of bait.”
Spending his day targeting flats with scattered rock and boulders within the Inland Sea (Champlain’s northeast section), Palaniuk said his pattern was so reliable he actually moved with the bait schools. He started on a likely spot and drifted with the wind until he no longer spotted fish on his Humminbird 360.
“When I started not seeing them, I’d jump to the next place and catch another big one,” Palaniuk said. “I hit one magical school this afternoon and every single boulder I could see on with Mega 360 (Imaging) had a big one on it.
“I literally started laughing while I was fighting them, because it was that good.”
Seth Feider of New Market, Minn., finished second with 78-14. After mixing it up with largemouth and smallmouth for three days, he focused on the latter Sunday and caught a limit of 19-14 to go with his previous bags that went 20-1, 21-7 and 17-8.
Feider caught his bass on a flat with a grassline point in 12 feet. He used a medium-diving crankbait and a Carolina-rigged Zoom Speed Craw.
“It’s where I’d been starting every day and then leaving and going largemouth fishing (around marina docks),” Feider said. “I knew with the cloudy skies my largemouth bite was out today, so I leaned on it as hard as I could.
“I got really lucky and caught two great big ones that gave me a chance. It just wasn’t enough.”
Jamie Hartman of Russellville, Ark., finished third with 78-5. Hartman took the lead on Day 1 with 22-1 — the event’s biggest bag — and held the top spot for two more days with bags of 20-3 and 17-8. He added 18-9 Sunday.
Focusing on a rocky point with grass, Hartman caught his fish on a Carolina rig with a craw bait and a 3/8-ounce peanut butter and jelly color Riot Baits Lil’ Creeper jig with a twin-tail trailer. Today’s dim weather seemed to stifle the hot morning bite he had experienced the previous three days.
“The bites were slow; very spaced out — it took me until 11 before I had a decent weight,” Hartman said. “The mornings had been slow, but when the sun would come up, it was like a light switch and they started eating good. We didn’t get that today.”
Feider won the Phoenix Boats Big Bass honors with a 6-6 largemouth he caught on Day 2, earning an additional $1,000.
Hartman took home $3,000 for being the highest-placing entrant in the Toyota Bonus Bucks program, and Jason Williamson earned $2,000 for being the second-highest placing entrant.
The tournament was hosted by the Adirondack Coast Visitors Bureau, City of Plattsburgh and Clinton County with support from the Office of the Governor of the State of New York.
| 2020 Bassmaster Elite at Lake Champlain 7/30-8/2 Lake Champlain, Plattsburgh NY. (PROFESSIONAL) Standings Day 4 |
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Monsoor Wins Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit at the Mississippi Rive
La Crosse Pro Catches Four-Day Total of 54 Pounds, 10 Ounces to Win $125K
LA CROSSE, Wis. (Aug. 1, 2020) – The man deemed the “Godfather of the Mississippi River” finally got it done at home. La Crosse’s own 71-year-old Yamamoto Baits pro Tom Monsoor of La Crosse, Wisconsin, caught a five-bass limit weighing 12 pounds, 10 ounces Saturday to win $125,000 at the Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit at the Mississippi River presented by OPTIMA Batteries with a four-day catch of 20 bass weighing 54-10.
The limit gave him the win by a narrow 1-pound, 12-ounce margin over the No. 1 ranked angler in the world, pro Jacob Wheeler of Harrison, Tennessee, who caught a total of 20 bass weighing 52-14 and earned $35,000.
“I can’t believe it. Winning at home is the neatest thing in the world. I’m going to remember this moment forever,” said Monsoor, who broke his own record as the oldest angler to ever win an FLW pro-level event. “This tournament had 50 of the best guys from MLF, and the top guys from FLW – it doesn’t get any harder than that. I am the luckiest guy in the world to be able to do what I love. To win at home – I can’t believe it.”
Monsoor caught the majority of his fish this week doing exactly what the Mississippi River legend is known for – throwing a swim jig. His jig of choice this week was a white Humdinger Tom Monsoor swim jig with a 3½-inch Yamamoto Swim Senko (pearl with silver flake). Monsoor also mixed in a homemade football-head jig with a Yamamoto Cowboy trailer and a homemade Bitsy Bug-type jig with a Fat Baby Craw to put together his winning limits.
“I caught two or three fish this week on the Bitsy Bug, but other than that everything came on the football jig and the swimming jig,” Monsoor said. “Gravel bars and drops with weeds seemed to be the two key areas this week.”
Now that the 71-year-old pro has finally earned the big win at home that had seemed to elude him for most of his career, he plans to spend a relaxing Sunday right where you’d expect to see him – back out on the water.
“I can’t wait to go out there tomorrow and see if those two schools of largemouth that I had found in practice are still there,” Monsoor went on to say. “I’m going to sleep in until 9 a.m. or so and recuperate, then I’m getting back out there.”
The top 10 pros on the Mississippi River finished:
1st: Tom Monsoor of La Crosse, Wis., 20 bass, 54-10, $125,000
2nd: Jacob Wheeler of Harrison, Tenn., 20 bass, 52-14, $35,000
3rd: David Walker of Sevierville, Tenn., 20 bass, 52-5, $30,000
4th: Zack Birge of Blanchard, Okla., 20 bass, 50-15, $25,000
5th: Tyler Stewart of West Monroe, La., 20 bass, 50-7, $22,000
6th: Cody Meyer of Auburn, Calif., 19 bass, 48-12, $21,000
7th: Bailey Boutries of Daphne, Ala., 20 bass, 48-11, $19,000
8th: Clark Reehm of Elm Grove, La., 20 bass, 48-9, $18,000
9th: Kyle Hall of Granbury, Texas, 20 bass, 48-7, $17,000
10th: Scott Wiley of Bay Minette, Ala., 15 bass, 42-6, $16,000
Complete results for the entire field can be found at FLWFishing.com.
Overall there were 46 bass weighing 102 pounds, 15 ounces caught by pros Saturday. Nine of the final 10 pros weighed in five-bass limits.
Television coverage of the Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit at the Mississippi River will premiere at 7 p.m. EDT, Sept. 11 on the Outdoor Channel. Running now through Dec. 27, FLW will air 312 hours of Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit action on the Outdoor Channel and the Sportsman Channel. Each two-hour long episode goes in-depth to break down the final rounds of each regular-season competition. Episodes premiere in Friday night primetime slots on the Outdoor Channel, with additional re-airings on the Outdoor Channel and the Sportsman Channel.
The Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit at the Mississippi River presented by OPTIMA Batteries was hosted by Explore La Crosse. The event featured a field of 200 anglers from FLW and Major League Fishing competing for $1.3 million.
In Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit Super Tournament competition, the full field of 200 pro anglers competed in the two-day opening round on Wednesday and Thursday. The top 50 pros based on their two-day accumulated weight advanced to Friday. Only the top 10 pros continued competition on Saturday, with the winner determined by the heaviest accumulated weight from the four days of competition.
FLW anglers are vying for valuable points in hopes of qualifying for the Tackle Warehouse FLW TITLE presented by Toyota, the Pro Circuit championship. The 2020 Tackle Warehouse FLW TITLE presented by Toyota will be held on Lake Michigan in Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin, Aug. 24-29.
MLF pros competing in the Pro Circuit Super Tournaments fish for prize money only. No points will be awarded toward any championship or title to MLF competitors. Only the original Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit anglers will compete for the AOY title throughout the remainder of the season. AOY points in the final events will be awarded based on Pro Circuit anglers finishing order. The top-finishing FLW pro will receive “first-place points” regardless of where he finishes in the overall standings, and so on.
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.
Hughes & Stewart win over $21,000 with 21.86 lbs. Huckabee & Johnson win AOY in the East
Place Boat Truck Angler 1 Angler 2 Fish Big Bass Wt. Prize Amt.
1 MARSHALL HUGHES
HEMPHILL , TX COLE STEWART
HEMPHILL , TX 3 10.62 21.86
$21,350 w/ Big Bass, CaptainsCash, Atlas, SureLife
2 JOE WILKERSON
MANY , LA HALLECK WILKERSON
NOBLE , LA 3 7.62 16.91
$4000.00
3 MATTHEW BENEFIELD
HUFFMAN , TX LARRY BENEFIELD
HUFFMAN , TX 3 0 16.06
$3000.00
4 BENJAMIN GULETT
CONVERSE , LA DUSTIN RIVERS
NOBLE , LA 3 0 15.87
$2000.00
5 SKEETER FOWLER
GRAND SALINE , TX BEN MATSUBU
MILAM , TX 3 0 15.83
$8800.00 w/ Skeeter Bonus Cash , James Wood Motors
6 ANDRE MARTIN
LENA , LA GLEN FREEMAN
ZWOLLE , LA 3 0 15.54
$1200.00
7 RICHARD CHUMLEY
JOAQUIN , TX MILES MCDANIEL
MILAM , TX 3 0 14.41
$1100.00
8 BJ HESTER
DEVILLE , LA DAVID CZUDEK JR
LEESVILLE , LA 3 9.69 14.36
$1040.00
9 KRIS WILSON
MONTGOMERY , TX BRYAN LOHR
LUMBERTON , TX 3 0 14.35
$1025.00
9 RONNIE BLAND
BURKEVILLE , TX MALCOLM FRANKS
FLORIEN , LA 3 0 14.35
$1025.00
11 GERALD MITCHELL
JENA , LA JASON LEBRUN
CHOUDRANT , LA 3 0 13.88
$1010.00
12 SAM HUCKABEE
SHREVEPORT , LA TOBY JOHNSON
BOSSIER CITY , LA 3 0 13.06
$1000.00
13 CHARLES HICKMAN
HUNTINGTON , TX TERRY HICKMAN
KINGWOOD , TX 3 0 12.50
$1000.00
14 NOLAN GASKIN
BROUSSARD , LA CHRIS TORRY
YOUNGSVILLE , LA 3 0 12.44
$1000.00
15 SEAN MECHE
LAKE CHARLES , LA RODNEY OWENS
RAGLEY , LA 3 0 12.42
$950.00
16 ROBERT HENDERSON JR
STONEWALL , LA CODY NORRED
GLOSTER , LA 3 0 12.00
$1900.00 with Skeeter Bonus Cash
17 CHRIS GABLE
BILOXI , MS STEVEN RAMSEY
DIBERVILLE , MS 3 0 11.67
$850.00
18 JUSTIN COOPER
ZWOLLE , LA ROBERT LAFITTE
MANY , LA 3 0 11.62
$850.00
19 CHARLIE MCGEE
WESTLAKE , LA KEVIN COMEAUX
SULPHUR , LA 3 0 11.59
$800.00
20 HORACE FRAZIER
MANY , LA ED MELTON
HOUSTON , TX 3 0 11.43
$800.00
21 JONATHAN SIMON
ORANGE , TX COREY STANLEY
ORANGE , TX 3 0 11.10
$1300.00 with Skeeter Bonus Cash
22 IKE STEPHENS
SIMPSON , LA LEE BROWN
LEESVILLE , LA 3 0 11.02
$800.00
23 JODY HOLT
JASPER , TX RAYMOND BALCEROWICZ
CROSBY , TX 3 0 10.78
24 ROBERT NAQUIN JR
DEVILLE , LA STEPHEN TRAIL
RECTOR , AR 3 0 10.68
25 CODY PITT
MANY , LA LANE MASTERS
FISHER , LA 3 0 10.66
26 JACOB LOVELADY
NOBLE , LA JOSEPH KEZERLE
NOBLE , LA 3 0 10.54
27 KEN SMITH
RICHARDSON , TX KEVIN LASYONE
DRY PRONG , LA 3 0 10.37
28 LARRY WEPPLER
HOUSTON , TX DENNIS FIKES
HOUSTON , TX 3 0 10.33
29 HAROLD ALLEN
SHELBYVILLE , TX MATT LOETSCHER
MANY , LA 3 0 10.15
30 MICHAEL BEDGOOD
COUSHATTA , LA JERRY HESTER
COUSHATTA , LA 3 0 9.94
31 JACOB JOHNSON
LAKE CHARLES , LA SHANE CORMIER
RAGLEY , LA 3 0 9.93
32 JUSTIN CHILDRESS
MANSFIELD , LA ROY LOVE JR
STONEWALL , LA 3 0 9.89
33 RICHARD STEPHENS
HINESTON , LA RUSSELL MILLER
ELMER , LA 3 0 9.86
34 MATHEW ARMAND
HESSMER , LA JARRED WILLIAMS
BUNKIE , LA 3 0 9.77
35 BOBBY VICE
GROVES , TX RICKY GUY
HUMBLE , TX 3 0 9.76
35 BILL STARK
EVADALE , TX DAVID MORGAN
SILSBEE , TX 3 0 9.76
37 MARTIN ELSHOUT
ABITA SPRINGS , LA MARK PRICE
RUSTON , LA 3 0 9.70
38 MARKUS ELDER
NEW WAVERLY , TX ROBERT MIKES
SHINER , TX 3 0 9.16
39 JOHNNY VINES
GROVES , TX SHANNON PRICE
PORT ARTHUR , TX 3 0 9.09
40 SCOOTER CLARK
CENTER , TX RYAN PINKSTON
CENTER , TX 3 0 9.07
41 JERREL PRINGLE
HEMPHILL , TX KEITH KEELE
TENAHA , TX 3 0 8.85
2 Pair Amphibia Sunglasses Early Entry Drawing
42 MICHAEL MITCHELL
LAKE CHARLES , LA NATHAN MITCHELL
LAKE CHARLES , LA 3 0 8.60
43 PETE LOWE
WOODWORTH , LA DAVID ROSHTO
ALEXANDRIA , LA 3 0 8.53
44 WILL CARSTENS
ALEXANDRIA , LA ROSS BRYANT
ALEXANDRIA , LA 3 0 8.52
45 SHELBY SHAW
HUNTSVILLE , TX WESLEY LEWIS
KIRBYVILLE , TX 3 0 8.51
46 CHARLIE BROWN III
FLINT , TX TIM BAKER
FLINT , TX 2 0 8.41
47 MATTHEW BOYT
CONVERSE , LA JENNIFER CARTER
CONVERSE , LA 3 0 8.30
48 JOEL MAYFIELD
PERKINSTON , MS RYAN PATTERSON
PASCAGOULA , MS 3 0 8.24
49 DEAN LEWIS
BOSSIER , LA JOHNNY COSTELLO
BOSSIER CITY , LA 3 0 8.22
50 CORY RAMBO
ORANGE , TX RUSTY CLARK
SAM RAYBURN , TX 3 0 8.14
51 CRAIG MASSEY
HOUSTON , TX SCOTT HOLIFIELD
GRAND BAY , AL 3 0 8.13
52 DOUG MCCAIN
LAKE CHARLES , LA MASON MCCAIN
LAKE CHARLES , LA 3 0 8.02
53 JOSPEH NORRIS
BOSSIER CITY , LA BARTON BLAKELOCK
WAELDER , TX 3 0 7.59
53 MATTHEW WRIGHT
BRIDGE CITY , TX CAMERON MALLETT
BUNA , TX 3 0 7.59
55 JAMES DAVIS JR
FERRIDAY , LA CEDRIC JACKSON SR
FERRIDAY , LA 3 0 7.36
56 BRANNON MIRE
BLOUSSARD , LA DENNIS NARCISSE
ST MARTINVILLE , LA 3 0 7.34
57 CLAY DARDEAU
RAGLEY , LA CRAIG BEAN
LAKE CHARLES , LA 3 0 7.18
58 TYLER TATE
BEAUMONT , TX BLAKE CAIN
BEAUMONT , TX 3 0 6.97
59 DAMON BOREL
HEMPHILL , TX
3 0 6.82
60 AUSTIN ROACH
BIG SANDY , TX BRADLEY DASSONVILLE
DIANA , TX 3 0 6.15
61 DARRELL LYONS
HEMPHILL , TX BILLY GATWOOD
HATTIESBURG , MS 3 0 5.53
62 TIM BOYES
LEAGUE CITY , TX
3 0 3.82
63 JOHNATHANE ALMEIDA
ORANGE , TX DANNY THIBODEAUX
ORANGE , TX 1 0 3.64
64 DOMONICK POULLARD
HOUSTON , TX MELVIN DUNN
ORANGE , TX 0 0 0.00
64 SHANE MITCHELL
HORNBECK , LA TYLER MITCHELL
COUSHATA , LA 0 0 0.00
64 MIKE RICHARDSON
THORNDALE , TX JANA RICHARDSON
THORNDALE , TX 0 0 0.00
64 ERIC PHILLIPS
KERENS , TX JAMIE PHILLIPS
KERENS , TX 0 0 0.00
64 KALEB LASYONE
DRY PRONG , LA JAMES BURGE
PINEVILLE , LA 0 0 0.00
64 CAVIN COURVILLE
LAKE CHARLES , LA CAMERON BASS
LAKE CHARLES , LA 0 0 0.00
64 JASON WILLIAMS
NEDERLAND , TX RICK WILLIAMS
NEDERLAND , TX 0 0 0.00
64 RANDY MILLENDER
TEAGUE , TX KENNETH NICHOLS
TEAGUE , TX 0 0 0.00
64 JEFFERY LOFTIN
COUSHATTA , LA JT HINDS JR
COUSHATTA , LA 0 0 0.00
64 PHILIP HANKS
BUNA , TX MARK OSBORNE
NEDERLAND , TX 0 0 0.00
64 QUINTON MCKNIGHT
WELLS , TX JERRY MCKNIGHT
WELLS , TX 0 0 0.00
64 BEN SOUTH
JASPER , TX MARC WOOLEMS
JASPER , TX 0 0 0.00
64 DENNIS COURTNEY
LAKE CHARLES , LA GRADY MAYEAUX
RAGLEY , LA 0 0 0.00
64 TYLER WALKER
BURTON , TX STEVEN WALKER
BURTON , TX 0 0 0.00
64 TED PRIESING
DALLAS , TX VIRGIL CHANEY
JASPER , TX 0 0 0.00
64 ROBBIE JOHNSON
GOODRICH , TX JARROD CLARK
SANTA FE , TX 0 0 0.00
64 MIKE EDWARDS
ETOILE , TX MIKE GREER
DERIDDER , LA 0 0 0.00
64 MATTHEW LEE
NORTH RICHLAND HILLS , TX CHRIS BAUGH
PROSPER , TX 0 0 0.00
64 GARY KINARD
FORNEY , TX JACOB KINARD
FORNEY , TX 0 0 0.00
64 TERRY STEVENS
HUTTO , TX LAYNE STEVENS
HUTTO , TX 0 0 0.00
64 DANNY BENNETT
HUNTSVILLE , TX
0 0 0.00
64 ALLEN SHELTON
FARMERS BRANCH , TX JOHN MCCALMONT
ROCKWALL , TX 0 0 0.00
64 LAMARCUS MCCRAY
HOUSTON , TX JAMES ROZELL
HOUSTON , TX 0 0 0.00
64 RICKY BLANKINSHIP
MANY , LA DAVID CURTIS
BROOKLAND , TX 0 0 0.00
64 RICKY MADOLE
MANY , LA RONNIE MADOLE
SHREVEPORT , LA 0 0 0.00
64 EASTON HEIGLEY
BROOKELAND , TX BLAKE SCHROEDER
WHITEHOUSE , TX 0 0 0.00
$500 Cash Conservation Bonus
64 DANIEL HICKMAN
HUNTINGTON , TX PATRICK GAMMILL
LUFKIN , TX 0 0 0.00
64 PHILIP CRELIA
CENTER , TX TJ GOODWYN
CENTER , TX 0 0 0.00
64 ROBERT MORE
LEESVILLE , LA JERRY COUTEE
MONTGOMERY , LA 0 0 0.00
64 CHRIS CLEMENS
LUFKIN , TX DALLAS COLE
LEESVILLE , LA 0 0 0.00
64 ADAM DUNN
HOUSTON , TX JOSHUA WARE
NEW CANEY , TX 0 0 0.00
64 CHRIS HUEBEL
NEDERLAND , TX DON GOULD
MAURICEVILLE , TX 0 0 0.00
64 PHIL MARKS
DALLAS , TX BRET STAFFORD
TEMPLE , TX 0 0 0.00
64 MIKE LOTT
MONTGOMERY , TX JIMMY ROZELLE JR
PORTER , TX 0 0 0.00
64 JEDIDAH HOLT
LIVINGSTON , TX CODY MILLER
LIVINGSTON , TX 0 0 0.00
64 SIDNEY AUCOIN
PATTERSON , LA ROBERT GANN
FLORIEN , LA 0 0 0.00
64 KIRK LELEUX
KIRBYVILLE , TX ROGER JOHNSON JR
VIDOR , TX 0 0 0.00
64 DONNIE MARTIN
JOAQUIN , TX MATTHEW JONES
HUMBLE , TX 0 0 0.00
64 GREG OSTERTAG
MT VERNON , TX BRENT EDWARDS
MIDLOTHIAN , TX 0 0 0.00
64 CHAD KEMP
BRIDGE CITY , TX BRENT KEMP
ORANGE , TX 0 0 0.00
64 CADE DURIO
LAKE CHARLES , LA JOHN DURIO
HEMPHILL , TX 0 0 0.00
64 TREY BURFORD
GLOSTER , LA CHARLES YOUNG
GRAND CANE , LA 0 0 0.00
64 ROY GEESEY
CROWLEY , LA JEFFRY NICKEL
CROWLEY , LA 0 0 0.00
64 DANNY LASHLEY
BOYCE , LA MICHAEL IVEY
OTIS , LA 0 0 0.00
64 DERRICK LABORDE
HESSMER , LA RAYFORD LABORDE
HESSMER , LA 0 0 0.00
64 ANDREW GOLDEN
CENTER , TX JOHN BARRERA
MILAM , TX 0 0 0.00
64 BOB SIGNORIN
OAKHURST , TX TRAVIS SIGNORIN
WILLIS , TX 0 0 0.00
64 CODY CLARK
HERMPHILL , TX CODY JORDAN
HEMPHILL , TX 0 0 0.00
64 KEITH DELANEY
POLLOCK , LA TED PATE
ALEXANDRIA , LA 0 0 0.00
64 CODY WOODS
JACKSONVILLE , TX ROBERT JONES
JACKSONVILLE , TX 0 0 0.00
64 JOEY CANTRELL
SADLER , TX SHANE ALLISON
COLLINSVILLE , TX 0 0 0.00
64 GEORGE RINKLE
DALLAS , TX WILSON BASDEN
STREETMAN , TX 0 0 0.00
64 DEVIN BUSHLAND
ALLEN , TX CARSON KIRKHUFF
COLLEYVILLE , TX 0 0 0.00
64 RICH REMEDIES
ZWOLLE , LA TRAYCE EZERNACK
ZWOLLE , LA 0 0 0.00
64 MARLIN LANGTON
ROWLETT , TX JOE WHIDDON
TERRELL , TX 0 0 0.00
64 KRISTOPHER PICKETT
COUSHATTA , LA CHRISTOPHER GORDON
CLARENCE , LA 0 0 0.00
64 JONATHAN EDWARDS
HEMPHILL , TX BRENT EDWARDS
HEMPHILL , TX 0 0 0.00
64 REID TALLEY
MIDLAND , TX THOMAS MCCOMIC
MIDLAND , TX 0 0 0.00
64 MIKE WINSLOW
NEWCANEY , TX ZACHARY BAKER
SPLENDORA , TX 0 0 0.00
64 COLE GARRETT
WINNFIELD , LA DANNY KELLOGG
CALVIN , LA 0 0 0.00
64 CHARLES GALLAGHER
LAWTON , OK JEANNE GALLAGHER
LAWTON , OK 0 0 0.00
64 WILLIAM LAPRARIE
BALL , LA JAMES MAXWELL
PINEVILLE , TX 0 0 0.00
64 JONATHAN LANCASTER
QUITMAN , TX JOSH PRIEST
QUITMAN , TX 0 0 0.00
64 JAMES BENEDICT
TOLBERT , LA GARRETT BENEDICT
TOBERT , TX 0 0 0.00
64 CASEY BURLEIGH
ORANGE , TX CAMERON ROANE
BEAUMONT , TX 0 0 0.00
64 JACOB BAKER
TERRELL , TX MATTHEW KIRKLIN
HAWKINS , TX 0 0 0.00
64 RICHARD BACON
BASILE , LA COLE MOORE
ANACOCO , LA 0 0 0.00
64 GARY BOURN
BULVERDE , TX RUSTY REEDY
SPRING BRANCH , TX 0 0 0.00
64 JACE GREEN
BUNA , TX DEREK TORTORIS
VIDOR , TX 0 0 0.00
64 JEFF MANOUS
HEMPHILL , TX BILLY EDDINS
BROADDUS , TX 0 0 0.00
64 LUKE ILES
PRARIEVILLE , LA
0 0 0.00
64 JORDAN BREAUX
SULPHUR , LA DANIEL BREAUX
SULPHUR , LA 0 0 0.00
64 COLLIN BODE
CONROE , TX JACKSON CARRELL
BEDIOS , TX 0 0 0.00
64 ERIC BRIGMAN
BRYAN , TX HAROLD MOORE
CALDWELL , TX 0 0 0.00
64 SHANNON HALE
NACOGDOCHES , TX TODD NEWMAN
NACOGDOCHES , TX 0 0 0.00
64 CHANCE ARCENEAUX
LAKE CHARLES , LA DWIGHT ABSHIRE
SANTA FE , TX 0 0 0.00
64 BRIAN SHOOK
CHINA , TX JOHN ILES
LUFKIN , TX 0 0 0.00
64 DAVE REDINGTON
WINNSBORO , TX LEE SANDERS
HILLSBORO , TX 0 0 0.00
64 MIKE SOLIZ
ORANGE , TX EDDIE CHOATE
BEAUMONT , TX 0 0 0.00
64 JACK TINDEL III
ORANGE , TX DALTON SOLIZ
ORANGE , TX 0 0 0.00
64 PHILLIP STRAHAN
MARTHAVILLE , LA NOLAN POWELL
MARTHAVILLE , LA 0 0 0.00
64 WILLIAM WALKER
JENA , LA SAMUEL CANOE
GEORGETOWN , LA 0 0 0.00
64 SHAWN VERINSKY
LUMBERTON , TX BLAKE COLE
ORANGE , TX 0 0 0.00
64 JOHN WALKER
BROOKELAND , TX KIRK MCCARTY
BROOKELAND , TX 0 0 0.00
64 RICKEY ELLIOTT
SPRING , TX JOHNNY GRICE
ARP , TX 0 0 0.00
64 BILL DAIGLE
LAFAYETTE , LA ANDRE CHAPMAN
CHURCH POINT , LA 0 0 0.00
64 BRANDON DAVIDSON
LITTLE ELM , TX JIM FURR
HEMPHILL , TX 0 0 0.00
64 LARRY DEAN
HUMBLE , TX DENNIS GAU
MAGNOLIA , TX 0 0 0.00
64 JIMMY DUCK III
CENTER , LA BENJI DUMAS
MINDEN , LA 0 0 0.00
64 MIKE TAYLOR
JASPER , TX RANDY DEARMAN
ONALASKA , TX 0 0 0.00
64 ANDREW FATERKOWSKI
MONTGOMERY , TX BILLY DRIGGERS
HUNTSVILLE , TX 0 0 0.00
64 DUANE PITTMAN
PRAIRIEVILLE , LA DWIGHT MINOGUE
KEITHVILLE , LA 0 0 0.00
64 HEATH CROCKER
CALHOUN , LA JUSTIN WEBB
CALHOUN , LA 0 0 0.00
64 DEREK MONG
MANY , LA CD MONG
MANY , LA 0 0 0.00
64 MATTHEW DELANEY
POLLOCK , LA MATTHEW NUGENT
DRY PRONG , LA 0 0 0.00
64 COLBY BASCO
CHENEYVILLE , LA DEREK BASCO
CHENEYVILLE , LA 0 0 0.00
64 LESLIE HARPER
HEMPHILL , TX GARY FRICK
HEMPHILL , TX 0 0 0.00
64 DOUG PERKINS
PORTER , TX BRAD HENSLEY
CLEVELAND , TX 0 0 0.00
64 MARK MARTIN
VIDOR , TX JIMMY MOORE
ORANGE , TX 0 0 0.00
64 CLAYTON BOULWARE
ZAVALLA , TX ALBERT COLLINS
NACOGDOCHES , TX 0 0 0.00
64 COLE BREWER
LEESVILLE , LA ROB RICHARDS
SPRING , TX 0 0 0.00
64 DALE BOREN
FORT WORTH , TX RICK SCOTT
HUMBLE , TX 0 0 0.00
64 DON DICKERSON
PINEVILLE , LA JASON FOUNTAIN
PINEVILLE , LA 0 0 0.00
64 WESLEY DAWSON
CHESTER , TX TEDDY CLOIDE
VIDOR , TX 0 0 0.00
64 JERE BICE
LAKE CHARLES , LA MICHAEL MCDONALD
IOWA , LA 0 0 0.00
64 GENE BAGLEY
BEAUMONT , TX MITCH STEPHENSON
BEAUMONT , TX 0 0 0.00
64 CODY NAQUIN
THIBODAUX , LA BLAKE NAQUIN
THIBODAUX , LA 0 0 0.00
64 CHET SLAYDON
DE RIDDER , LA JOHNNIE FRANKS
HEMPHILL , TX 0 0 0.00
Hartman Overcomes Hardship To Hold Lead In Bassmaster Elite At Lake Champlain
Jamie Hartman, originally of Newport, N.Y., is leading after Day 3 of the 2020 Bassmaster Elite at Lake Champlain with a three-day total of 59 pounds, 12 ounces.
Photo by Seigo Saito/B.A.S.S.
August 1, 2020
PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. — Despite a potentially disastrous impediment, Jamie Hartman of Russellville, Ark., held on to his lead at the Bassmaster Elite at Lake Champlain with a three-day total of 59 pounds, 12 ounces. After taking the Day 1 lead with 22-1 — the event’s heaviest bag — Hartman added 20-3 on Friday and followed with 17-8 Saturday.
Hartman, who leads second-place angler Dave Mullins by only an ounce, lost an hour and a half of late-morning fishing time to a mechanical issue. A service technician identified a battery problem and a replacement got Hartman back on his way around Noon.
“I tried to shake it off on the way in and said, ‘Okay, let’s go get this done, get back out here and catch up,’” said Hartman, a native New Yorker who moved to Arkansas two years ago. “I tried to do that, but mentally it just spins you out.
“I’ll take what I have, but I had a little fish in my bag that I couldn’t cull. But I’ve made it to Championship Sunday, so I’ll try to make these New York home-state people proud.”
Fortunately, Hartman enjoyed a fast start to his morning with a 15-pound limit by 8:30. He caught all of his fish on the point where he ended Day 1 and started Day 2.
Hartman caught one of his five smallmouth on a drop shot when he spotted the fish on his electronics. A Carolina-rigged craw with a 1-ounce weight produced his other keepers.
“It was all kinda different today; the fish weren’t on the end where they were [on Days 1 and 2] where it sets up perfectly,” Hartman said. “They moved to the middle where there’s more moss, so it was really hard to work the bait through there. They had to hit it right away because I wasn’t getting to drag it much.”
After returning to the water, Hartman went back to his starting spot. But he couldn’t improve on his last upgrade, which he made at 9:47 a.m. Moving to “The Gut” — a popular area between Champlain’s northwestern branch and the Inland Sea — he tried various presentations over an area with shallow rock and grass.
After fishing flawlessly the first two days and most of Saturday, Hartman suffered a costly loss toward the end of the semifinal round when a broken wacky rig leader cost him a solid fish that looked like it would have helped his cause.
“I hadn’t retied that leader after yesterday and it broke right at the knot,” Hartman said. “I know it was a good one; I know what lives there. That one good fish would have been a difference-maker.
“It was just an all-around frustrating day. I just had a rough, rough day. It was just one thing after another.”
With cloudy, rainy conditions and southeast winds of 10 to 20 mph forecast for tomorrow, Hartman said he believes his heavily weighted Carolina rig will still produce. He also believes the rough water will limit the weekend recreational traffic.
Mullins, who hails from Mt. Carmel, Tenn., improved from fifth place to second by adding 20-10 to his previous weights of 19-13 and 19-4 for a three-day total of 59-11.
Depth, he said, was the key variable today.
“The first two days, I caught them all shallow cranking,” Mullins said. “But today, I started deep because the shallow bite hadn’t started turning on until about Noon. I caught four 4-pounders and lost one big one.
“Then, I went shallow for about three hours and never got a bite; but I went back out deep with about an hour left and caught another big one.”
Mullins caught his Day 3 fish on a drop shot with a goby-style bait over rock structure in 30 feet.
Koby Kreiger of Alva, Fla., is in third place with 59-2. He missed several fish on the Zara Spook that produced his first two days’ weights of 18-1 and 22-0, but he made a key adjustment and added 19-1 Saturday.
“The difference between yesterday and today was that yesterday, I caught everything that bit and today, I had a chance at a 22-pound bag and it just didn’t happen,” Kreiger said. “Yesterday, when I’d catch a fish, it would come up with what I call ‘friends’ with it. But today it was just singles. Maybe there wasn’t as much competition to eat the bait as there was yesterday.
“They wouldn’t eat my Spook, so I had to switch to a smaller profile with a Rebel Pop-R and they ate it. The bad thing is, the popper is so slow to fish, you can’t cover as much water as you can with the Spook.”
Seth Feider of New Market, Minn., fell to fourth place with 59-0, but is still in the lead for Phoenix Boats Big Bass honors with the 6-6 largemouth he caught Friday.
Only the Top 10 anglers will compete Sunday for the $100,000 first-place prize — and with less than 3 pounds separating 10th place from first, the event is as wide open as any in recent memory.
Sunday’s takeoff is scheduled for 6:45 a.m. ET at Plattsburgh City Marina. The weigh-in will be held back at the marina at 3 p.m.
Live coverage of the event will be available starting at 8 a.m. on Bassmaster LIVE at Bassmaster.com with simulcasts on ESPN2 and ESPN3. Check local listings for ESPN2 times.
The tournament is being hosted by the Adirondack Coast Visitors Bureau, City of Plattsburgh and Clinton County with support from the Office of the Governor of the State of New York.
2020 Bassmaster Elite at Lake Champlain 7/30-8/2
Lake Champlain, Plattsburgh NY.
(PROFESSIONAL) Standings Day 3
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Pts Total $$$
1. Jamie Hartman Newport, NY 15 59-12 100
Day 1: 5 22-01 Day 2: 5 20-03 Day 3: 5 17-08
2. David Mullins Mt Carmel, TN 15 59-11 99
Day 1: 5 19-13 Day 2: 5 19-04 Day 3: 5 20-10
3. Koby Kreiger Alva, FL 15 59-02 98
Day 1: 5 18-01 Day 2: 5 22-00 Day 3: 5 19-01
4. Seth Feider New Market, MN 15 59-00 97 $1,000.00
Day 1: 5 20-01 Day 2: 5 21-07 Day 3: 5 17-08
5. Brandon Palaniuk Rathdrum, ID 15 58-11 96
Day 1: 5 19-12 Day 2: 5 18-10 Day 3: 5 20-05
6. Brock Mosley Collinsville, MS 15 57-08 95
Day 1: 5 19-13 Day 2: 5 19-02 Day 3: 5 18-09
7. Cory Johnston Cavan CANADA 15 57-06 94
Day 1: 5 17-03 Day 2: 5 21-08 Day 3: 5 18-11
8. Taku Ito Chiba JAPAN 15 57-05 93
Day 1: 5 18-08 Day 2: 5 19-06 Day 3: 5 19-07
9. Jason Williamson Wagener, SC 15 57-04 92
Day 1: 5 18-04 Day 2: 5 19-07 Day 3: 5 19-09
10. Ed Loughran III Richmond, VA 15 57-00 91
Day 1: 5 19-04 Day 2: 5 19-13 Day 3: 5 17-15
11. Scott Canterbury Odenville, AL 15 56-04 90 $12,000.00
Day 1: 5 19-03 Day 2: 5 20-02 Day 3: 5 16-15
12. Buddy Gross Chickamauga, GA 15 55-04 89 $12,000.00
Day 1: 5 21-02 Day 2: 5 17-06 Day 3: 5 16-12
13. Micah Frazier Newnan, GA 15 55-02 88 $12,000.00
Day 1: 5 20-08 Day 2: 5 17-14 Day 3: 5 16-12
14. Paul Mueller Naugatuck, CT 15 55-01 87 $12,000.00
Day 1: 5 19-06 Day 2: 5 16-08 Day 3: 5 19-03
15. Jeff Gustafson Keewatin Ontario CANADA 15 54-15 86 $12,000.00
Day 1: 5 17-03 Day 2: 5 18-05 Day 3: 5 19-07
16. Shane LeHew Catawba, NC 15 54-05 85 $11,000.00
Day 1: 5 15-05 Day 2: 5 18-11 Day 3: 5 20-05
17. Matt Arey Shelby, NC 15 54-01 84 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 18-00 Day 2: 5 18-08 Day 3: 5 17-09
18. Austin Felix Eden Prairie, MN 15 53-12 83 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 16-00 Day 2: 5 19-04 Day 3: 5 18-08
19. Bernie Schultz Gainesville, FL 15 53-12 82 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 18-00 Day 2: 5 17-11 Day 3: 5 18-01
20. Todd Auten Lake Wylie, SC 15 53-10 81 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 18-12 Day 2: 5 18-13 Day 3: 5 16-01
21. Chad Pipkens Dewitt, MI 15 53-00 80 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 18-03 Day 2: 5 16-11 Day 3: 5 18-02
22. Kyle Welcher Opelika, AL 15 53-00 79 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 17-05 Day 2: 5 18-00 Day 3: 5 17-11
23. Luke Palmer Coalgate, OK 15 52-13 78 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 18-09 Day 2: 5 18-08 Day 3: 5 15-12
24. Brandon Lester Fayetteville, TN 15 52-13 77 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 17-10 Day 2: 5 17-10 Day 3: 5 17-09
25. Frank Talley Temple, TX 15 52-11 76 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 16-01 Day 2: 5 18-11 Day 3: 5 17-15
26. Bryan Schmitt Deale, MD 15 52-09 75 $11,000.00
Day 1: 5 19-06 Day 2: 5 18-04 Day 3: 5 14-15
27. Hunter Shryock Newcomerstown, OH 15 52-06 74 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 17-00 Day 2: 5 19-06 Day 3: 5 16-00
28. Patrick Walters Summerville, SC 15 52-06 73 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 16-01 Day 2: 5 18-05 Day 3: 5 18-00
29. Garrett Paquette Canton, MI 15 52-06 72 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 17-07 Day 2: 5 18-00 Day 3: 5 16-15
30. Chris Johnston Peterborough Ontario CA 15 52-04 71 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 19-06 Day 2: 5 16-12 Day 3: 5 16-02
31. Stetson Blaylock Benton, AR 15 52-03 70 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 19-12 Day 2: 5 17-05 Day 3: 5 15-02
32. Drew Cook Midway, FL 15 50-14 69 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 16-12 Day 2: 5 17-11 Day 3: 5 16-07
33. Chad Morgenthaler Reeds Spring, MO 15 50-09 68 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 17-01 Day 2: 5 17-05 Day 3: 5 16-03
34. Shane Lineberger Lincolnton, NC 15 50-04 67 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 17-12 Day 2: 5 17-08 Day 3: 5 15-00
35. Clent Davis Montevallo, AL 15 50-01 66 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 15-14 Day 2: 5 19-11 Day 3: 5 14-08
36. Rick Morris Lake Gaston, VA 15 47-00 65 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 18-04 Day 2: 5 16-02 Day 3: 5 12-10
37. Rob Digh Denver, NC 15 46-13 64 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 18-06 Day 2: 5 17-09 Day 3: 5 10-14
38. Matt Herren Ashville, AL 15 44-11 63 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 17-09 Day 2: 5 16-10 Day 3: 5 10-08
39. Derek Hudnall Denham Springs, LA 15 44-07 62 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 16-11 Day 2: 5 17-02 Day 3: 5 10-10
40. Tyler Rivet Raceland, LA 12 40-02 61 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 18-08 Day 2: 5 17-13 Day 3: 2 03-13
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
PHOENIX BOATS BIG BASS
Day
1 Bryan Schmitt Deale, MD 06-02 $1,000.00
2 Seth Feider New Market, MN 06-06 $1,000.00
3 Shane LeHew Catawba, NC 05-05 $1,000.00
Hartman Maintains Lead At Bassmaster Elite Series Event On Lake Champlain
Jamie Hartman, originally of Newport, N.Y., is leading after Day 2 of the 2020 Bassmaster Elite at Lake Champlain with a two-day total of 42 pounds, 4 ounces.
Photo by Seigo Saito/B.A.S.S.
July 31, 2020
PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. — Reversing his game plan, Day 1 leader Jamie Hartman of Russellville, Ark., added 20 pounds, 3 ounces to Thursday’s weight of 22-1 and retained the top spot in the Bassmaster Elite at Lake Champlain with a two-day total of 42-4.
Hartman ended Day 1 by stopping on a rocky point close to the tournament site and catching a 4-pounder 10 minutes before the 3 p.m. weigh-in began. Friday, he started on this spot and quickly lit up the BASSTrakk leaderboard by securing a solid limit of smallmouth in less than two hours.
“I took a lot of pressure off this morning in the first hour and a half, I had 18 1/4 pounds,” said Hartman, a New York native who moved away from his home state to pursue a career in professional bass fishing. “Then I figured I only needed two more 4-pounders, but it took all the way to the last two hours to do it.
“That spot was on my way to a big flat I wanted to fish in the lake’s north end, so I just said I’m going to start there and see if the fish were there, and they sure were. Hopefully, they’ll reload and I’ll get on them tomorrow morning.”
Having fished this spot in years past, Hartman said his nearly immediate bite on Day 1 told him the point held greater potential than he had anticipated. With Friday’s calm, clear conditions contrasting Thursday’s partly cloudy and increasingly breezy complexion, he started Day 2 expecting fireworks and the bass mostly cooperated.
Hartman caught those early fish on a Carolina rig with craw bait on a 3/0 Owner extra-wide gap hook. He used a 1-ounce weight and a 3-foot leader, which helped him keep his bait above the grass.
“The spot had scattered grass and rock, so the Carolina rig was absolutely perfect, and my hookup to landing ratio is really good,” he said. “I said I was going to put it in my hand this week before we started because I lost so many fish last week [at the SiteOne Bassmaster Elite on the St. Lawrence River]. I said I’m going to swing with the big one this time.
“I was using a steady retrieve and whenever I’d come through a patch of grass, I’d pop the rig to snap it out of that grass. They’ll whack it every time when I do that.”
By midmorning, he decided he was not going to upgrade on his starting point, so he made a move to avoid burning up too much of the spot’s population. Heading to his northern flat, he focused on scattered grass in about 10 to 15 feet.
“I didn’t want to keep hammering my starting spot,” Hartman said of his plan to manage the bass. “I didn’t even go back to it on the way in. I didn’t want to catch another one off that spot; I need them for tomorrow.”
When the Carolina rig failed to produce, Hartman went to a 1/2-ounce Riot Baits Lil’ Creeper jig with a swimbait trailer. He was again targeting smallmouth but ended up making a key cull with a largemouth around 2:30 p.m.
Seth Feider of New Market, Minn., is in second place with 41-8. After anchoring his fourth-place Day 1 catch of 20-1 with a 5-4 largemouth, Feider added a limit of 21-7 Friday that included another huge largemouth that went 6-6.
Feider caught Friday’s big fish by targeting boat docks with milfoil and flipping a 5/8-ounce Outkast Tackle jig with a chunk-style trailer. While largemouth on marina docks produced most of his Day 1 weight, today told a different tale.
“I did most of my damage this morning on smallies; I ended up weighing four smallies and one buckethead (largemouth),” Feider said. “My smallmouth spot was a grass point in 10 to 12 feet on a big flat. I caught two on drop shot and two on a crankbait.”
Koby Kreiger of Alva, Fla., is in third place with 40-1. After posting 18-1 Thursday, he added 22 pounds on Day 2. Noting that a Heddon Super Spook Jr. and two jerkbaits — a Lucky Craft Pointer 100 and a Megabass Vision 110 — produced his fish, Kreiger said today’s calm, sunny conditions plus a cleaner performance yielded a better sack.
“It slicked off, which made it easier for me to see the fish and for them to see my bait,” Kreiger said. “Yesterday, I jumped off a couple and today, I fished clean.
“I’m fishing a great big flat in 10 feet with isolated rocks and isolated grass patches on it. I can see them pretty far out with my Humminbird 360; that shows me what’s in front of the boat when I’m drifting.”
Feider is in the lead for Phoenix Boats Big Bass honors with his 6-6 largemouth.
Saturday’s takeoff is scheduled for 6:45 a.m. ET at Plattsburgh City Marina. The weigh-in will be held at the marina at 3 p.m.
Live coverage of the event will be available starting at 8 a.m. on Bassmaster LIVE at Bassmaster.com with simulcasts on ESPN2 and ESPN3. Check local listings for ESPN2 times.
The tournament is being hosted by the Adirondack Coast Visitors Bureau, City of Plattsburgh and Clinton County with support from the Office of the Governor of the State of New York.
2020 Bassmaster Elite at Lake Champlain 7/30-8/2
Lake Champlain, Plattsburgh NY.
(PROFESSIONAL) Standings Day 2
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Pts Total $$$
1. Jamie Hartman Newport, NY 10 42-04 100
Day 1: 5 22-01 Day 2: 5 20-03
2. Seth Feider New Market, MN 10 41-08 99 $1,000.00
Day 1: 5 20-01 Day 2: 5 21-07
3. Koby Kreiger Alva, FL 10 40-01 98
Day 1: 5 18-01 Day 2: 5 22-00
4. Scott Canterbury Odenville, AL 10 39-05 97
Day 1: 5 19-03 Day 2: 5 20-02
5. Ed Loughran III Richmond, VA 10 39-01 96
Day 1: 5 19-04 Day 2: 5 19-13
5. David Mullins Mt Carmel, TN 10 39-01 96
Day 1: 5 19-13 Day 2: 5 19-04
7. Brock Mosley Collinsville, MS 10 38-15 94
Day 1: 5 19-13 Day 2: 5 19-02
8. Cory Johnston Cavan CANADA 10 38-11 93
Day 1: 5 17-03 Day 2: 5 21-08
9. Buddy Gross Chickamauga, GA 10 38-08 92
Day 1: 5 21-02 Day 2: 5 17-06
10. Micah Frazier Newnan, GA 10 38-06 91
Day 1: 5 20-08 Day 2: 5 17-14
11. Brandon Palaniuk Rathdrum, ID 10 38-06 90
Day 1: 5 19-12 Day 2: 5 18-10
12. Taku Ito Chiba JAPAN 10 37-14 89
Day 1: 5 18-08 Day 2: 5 19-06
13. Jason Williamson Wagener, SC 10 37-11 88
Day 1: 5 18-04 Day 2: 5 19-07
14. Bryan Schmitt Deale, MD 10 37-10 87 $1,000.00
Day 1: 5 19-06 Day 2: 5 18-04
15. Todd Auten Lake Wylie, SC 10 37-09 86
Day 1: 5 18-12 Day 2: 5 18-13
16. Stetson Blaylock Benton, AR 10 37-01 85
Day 1: 5 19-12 Day 2: 5 17-05
17. Luke Palmer Coalgate, OK 10 37-01 84
Day 1: 5 18-09 Day 2: 5 18-08
18. Matt Arey Shelby, NC 10 36-08 83
Day 1: 5 18-00 Day 2: 5 18-08
19. Hunter Shryock Newcomerstown, OH 10 36-06 82
Day 1: 5 17-00 Day 2: 5 19-06
20. Tyler Rivet Raceland, LA 10 36-05 81
Day 1: 5 18-08 Day 2: 5 17-13
21. Chris Johnston Peterborough Ontario CA 10 36-02 80
Day 1: 5 19-06 Day 2: 5 16-12
22. Rob Digh Denver, NC 10 35-15 79
Day 1: 5 18-06 Day 2: 5 17-09
23. Paul Mueller Naugatuck, CT 10 35-14 78
Day 1: 5 19-06 Day 2: 5 16-08
24. Bernie Schultz Gainesville, FL 10 35-11 77
Day 1: 5 18-00 Day 2: 5 17-11
25. Clent Davis Montevallo, AL 10 35-09 76
Day 1: 5 15-14 Day 2: 5 19-11
26. Jeff Gustafson Keewatin Ontario CANADA 10 35-08 75
Day 1: 5 17-03 Day 2: 5 18-05
27. Garrett Paquette Canton, MI 10 35-07 74
Day 1: 5 17-07 Day 2: 5 18-00
28. Kyle Welcher Opelika, AL 10 35-05 73
Day 1: 5 17-05 Day 2: 5 18-00
29. Austin Felix Eden Prairie, MN 10 35-04 72
Day 1: 5 16-00 Day 2: 5 19-04
30. Shane Lineberger Lincolnton, NC 10 35-04 71
Day 1: 5 17-12 Day 2: 5 17-08
31. Brandon Lester Fayetteville, TN 10 35-04 70
Day 1: 5 17-10 Day 2: 5 17-10
32. Chad Pipkens Dewitt, MI 10 34-14 69
Day 1: 5 18-03 Day 2: 5 16-11
33. Frank Talley Temple, TX 10 34-12 68
Day 1: 5 16-01 Day 2: 5 18-11
34. Drew Cook Midway, FL 10 34-07 67
Day 1: 5 16-12 Day 2: 5 17-11
35. Patrick Walters Summerville, SC 10 34-06 66
Day 1: 5 16-01 Day 2: 5 18-05
36. Rick Morris Lake Gaston, VA 10 34-06 65
Day 1: 5 18-04 Day 2: 5 16-02
37. Chad Morgenthaler Reeds Spring, MO 10 34-06 64
Day 1: 5 17-01 Day 2: 5 17-05
38. Matt Herren Ashville, AL 10 34-03 63
Day 1: 5 17-09 Day 2: 5 16-10
39. Shane LeHew Catawba, NC 10 34-00 62
Day 1: 5 15-05 Day 2: 5 18-11
40. Derek Hudnall Denham Springs, LA 10 33-13 61
Day 1: 5 16-11 Day 2: 5 17-02
41. Caleb Kuphall Mukwonago, WI 10 33-10 60 $7,500.00
Day 1: 5 16-06 Day 2: 5 17-04
42. Chris Zaldain Fort Worth, TX 10 33-08 59 $7,500.00
Day 1: 5 16-09 Day 2: 5 16-15
43. Kyle Monti Okeechobee, FL 10 33-05 58 $7,500.00
Day 1: 5 18-07 Day 2: 5 14-14
44. Destin DeMarion Grove City, PA 10 33-03 57 $7,500.00
Day 1: 5 15-09 Day 2: 5 17-10
45. Greg DiPalma Millville, NJ 10 33-03 56 $7,500.00
Day 1: 5 16-15 Day 2: 5 16-04
46. Clark Wendlandt Leander, TX 10 33-01 55 $5,000.00
Day 1: 5 16-03 Day 2: 5 16-14
47. Drew Benton Blakely, GA 10 33-00 54 $5,000.00
Day 1: 5 16-01 Day 2: 5 16-15
48. Keith Combs Huntington, TX 10 32-15 53 $5,000.00
Day 1: 5 16-03 Day 2: 5 16-12
49. Cliff Prince Palatka, FL 10 32-11 52 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 15-13 Day 2: 5 16-14
50. Cody Hollen Beaverton, OR 10 32-11 51 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 16-05 Day 2: 5 16-06
51. Jake Whitaker Fairview, NC 10 32-08 50 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 14-00 Day 2: 5 18-08
52. Caleb Sumrall New Iberia, LA 10 32-05 49 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 15-00 Day 2: 5 17-05
53. Bob Downey Hudson, WI 10 32-04 48 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 14-00 Day 2: 5 18-04
54. Brandon Cobb Greenwood, SC 10 32-03 47 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 18-00 Day 2: 5 14-03
55. Mike Huff Corbin, KY 10 32-00 46 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 15-00 Day 2: 5 17-00
56. Dale Hightower Mannford, OK 10 31-15 45 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 14-06 Day 2: 5 17-09
57. Brett Preuett Monroe, LA 10 31-15 44 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 17-04 Day 2: 5 14-11
58. Gerald Swindle Guntersville, AL 10 31-14 43 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 16-07 Day 2: 5 15-07
59. Hank Cherry Jr Lincolnton, NC 10 31-14 42 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 16-05 Day 2: 5 15-09
60. Rick Clunn Ava, MO 10 31-14 41 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 15-14 Day 2: 5 16-00
61. Jay Yelas Lincoln City, OR 10 31-13 40 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 15-00 Day 2: 5 16-13
62. Steve Kennedy Auburn, AL 10 31-11 39 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 16-08 Day 2: 5 15-03
63. Skylar Hamilton Dandridge, TN 10 31-05 38 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 16-13 Day 2: 5 14-08
64. Wes Logan Springville, AL 10 30-15 37 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 18-10 Day 2: 5 12-05
65. Lee Livesay Longview, TX 10 30-15 36 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 14-09 Day 2: 5 16-06
66. Brandon Card Salisbury, NC 10 30-14 35 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 15-04 Day 2: 5 15-10
67. Clifford Pirch Payson, AZ 10 30-11 34 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 17-02 Day 2: 5 13-09
68. Ray Hanselman Jr Del Rio, TX 10 30-04 33 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 18-05 Day 2: 5 11-15
69. John Cox Debary, FL 10 30-00 32 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 15-01 Day 2: 5 14-15
70. Quentin Cappo Prairieville, LA 10 29-15 31 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 13-10 Day 2: 5 16-05
71. David Fritts Lexington, NC 10 29-14 30 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 16-10 Day 2: 5 13-04
72. Jesse Tacoronte Kissimmee, FL 10 29-14 29 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 13-10 Day 2: 5 16-04
73. Randy Pierson Oakdale, CA 10 29-09 28 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 16-04 Day 2: 5 13-05
74. Harvey Horne Bella Vista, AR 10 29-01 27 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 17-03 Day 2: 5 11-14
75. Brad Whatley Bivins, TX 10 28-11 26 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 12-15 Day 2: 5 15-12
76. Gary Clouse Winchester, TN 10 28-07 25 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 18-05 Day 2: 5 10-02
77. Brian Snowden Reeds Spring, MO 10 28-01 24 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 13-13 Day 2: 5 14-04
78. Randy Sullivan Breckenridge, TX 10 28-00 23 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 14-14 Day 2: 5 13-02
79. Bill Weidler Helena, AL 10 27-15 22 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 14-02 Day 2: 5 13-13
80. Chris Groh Spring Grove, IL 10 27-10 21 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 12-14 Day 2: 5 14-12
81. Carl Jocumsen Queensland TN AUSTRALIA 9 27-04 20 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 17-03 Day 2: 4 10-01
82. John Crews Jr Salem, VA 10 26-14 19 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 11-08 Day 2: 5 15-06
83. Tyler Carriere Youngsville, LA 10 26-04 18 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 11-11 Day 2: 5 14-09
84. Bill Lowen Brookville, IN 10 24-08 17 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 12-15 Day 2: 5 11-09
85. Robbie Latuso Gonzales, LA 9 21-07 16 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 10-00 Day 2: 4 11-07
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
PHOENIX BOATS BIG BASS
Day
1 Bryan Schmitt Deale, MD 06-02 $1,000.00
2 Seth Feider New Market, MN 06-06 $1,000.00
Monsoor Holds Lead Heading into Final Day at Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit at the Mississippi River presented by OPTIMA Batteries
LA CROSSE, Wis. (July 31, 2020) – Yamamoto Baits pro Tom Monsoor of La Crosse, Wisconsin, brought a five-bass limit weighing 13 pounds, 5 ounces, to the scale Friday to retain his lead after day three of the Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit at the Mississippi River presented by OPTIMA Batteries. Monsoor now enters the fourth and final day of competition as the No. 1 seed in the Super Tournament that features 200 of the world’s best bass-fishing anglers from FLW and Major League Fishing (MLF) competing for a piece of the $1.3 million prize pool.
Monsoor has crossed the stage with a three-day total of 15 bass weighing 42 pounds even, which gives him a slim 1-pound, 1-ounce lead over second-place pro MLF angler Zack Birge of Blanchard, Oklahoma, who caught five bass today weighing 13 pounds, 2 ounces. Birge has weighed in 15 bass totaling 40 pounds, 15 ounces in his three days of competition.
“It was pretty tough, today. At noon I only had 7½ pounds, and I went through around 50 fish to even get that,” said Monsoor, who has one prior win – on the Potomac River in 2017 – in Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit competition. “Right at the end of the day I pulled up to a weed bed and caught my biggest fish of the day, and two other nice ones. You just have to keep plugging away and never give up out there.
“I caught more fish today than I had on the first two days combined, but I just couldn’t find the big ones,” Monsoor said.
Monsoor spent his morning on two offshore spots in Pool 8, near the Black River. His first spot was producing until an altercation with a local water ski boat in the same area shut it down.
“That kind of wrecked my morning,” said Monsoor. “I’ve been here all my life, and I’ve never had anybody do that before. They ski there all the time. I fish there all the time. There’s never been a problem. That took the edge off right away. I was having fun until that. I was going to catch some fish there, too. But he shut it down.”
Monsoor managed to catch around 10 pounds off of his second area before running into his three bigger fish later in the day.
With numerous top-10 finishes and six career victories on the Mississippi River in various levels of FLW competition, a victory on the Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit is the only trophy that has eluded Monsoor here in La Crosse. With one day left, Monsoor said all he can do is fish as hard as he can.
“The big FLW events are my worst tournaments,” Monsoor went on to say. “The worst! I couldn’t do any worse. And I’ve had the best practices before these events. This is the first one it hasn’t screwed me on. So, I want this one really bad. All you can do is fish as hard as you can, and nobody fishes harder than me. I know that. I don’t stop.”
The top 10 pros advancing to the final day of competition on the Mississippi River are:
1st: Tom Monsoor of La Crosse, Wis., 15 bass, 42-0
2nd: Zack Birge of Blanchard, Okla., 15 bass, 40-15
3rd: David Walker of Sevierville, Tenn., 15 bass, 40-8
4th: Scott Wiley of Bay Minette, Ala., 14 bass, 40-5
5th: Jacob Wheeler of Harrison, Tenn., 15 bass, 39-12
6th: Tyler Stewart of West Monroe, La., 15 bass, 39-9
7th: Kyle Hall of Granbury, Texas, 15 bass, 39-0
8th: Bailey Boutries of Daphne, Ala., 15 bass, 37-13
9th: Clark Reehm of Elm Grove, La., 15 bass, 37-10
10th: Cody Meyer of Auburn, Calif., 14 bass, 37-9
Finishing in 11th through 30th are:
11th: Clayton Batts of Butler, Ga., 15 bass, 37-3, $14,000
12th: Ron Nelson of Berrien Springs, Mich., 15 bass, 37-2, $14,000
13th: Mark Davis of Mount Ida, Ark., 15 bass, 37-2, $14,000
14th: Adrian Avena of Vineland, N.J., 15 bass, 37-1, $14,000
15th: David Gaston of Sylacauga, Ala., 15 bass, 36-15, $14,000
16th: Bradford Beavers of Summerville, S.C., 14 bass, 36-14, $14,000
17th: Casey Ashley of Donalds, S.C., 15 bass, 36-14, $14,000
18th: Paul Elias of Laurel, Miss., 15 bass, 36-13, $14,000
19th: Bobby Lane of Lakeland, Fla., 15 bass, 36-13, $14,000
20th: Matt Lee of Bremen, Ala., 15 bass, 36-10, $14,000
21st: Dustin Connell of Clanton, Ala., 15 bass, 36-9, $11,000
22nd: Jacob Wall of New Hope, Ala., 15 bass, 36-3, $11,000
23rd: Kurt Mitchell of Milford, Del., 15 bass, 35-15, $11,000
24th: Alton Jones Jr. of Lorena, Texas, 15 bass, 35-10, $11,000
25th: Chad Warren of Sand Springs, Okla., 15 bass, 35-8, $11,000
26th: Jon Englund of Farwell, Minn., 15 bass, 35-5, $11,000
27th: Matthew Stefan of Junction City, Minn., 15 bass, 35-4, $11,000
28th: Darrell Davis of Dover, Fla., 15 bass, 35-2, $11,000
29th: Justin Lucas of Guntersville, Ala., 15 bass, 34-14, $11,000
30th: Brent Ehrler of Redlands, Calif., 15 bass, 33-14, $11,000
Full results for the entire field can be found at FLWFishing.com.
Overall there were 217 bass weighing 497 pounds, 6 ounces caught by 48 pros Friday. The catch included 36 five-bass limits.
The Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit at the Mississippi River presented by OPTIMA Batteries is hosted by Explore La Crosse.
In Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit Super-Tournament competition, the full field of 200 pro anglers competed in the two-day opening round on Wednesday and Thursday. The top 50 pros based on their two-day accumulated weight advanced to Friday. Now only the top 10 pros will continue competition on Championship Saturday, with the winner determined by the heaviest accumulated weight from the four days of competition.
FLW anglers are vying for valuable points in hopes of qualifying for the Tackle Warehouse FLW TITLE presented by Toyota, the Pro Circuit championship. The 2020 Tackle Warehouse FLW TITLE presented by Toyota will be held on Lake Michigan in Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin, Aug. 24-29.
MLF pros competing in the Pro Circuit Super Tournaments will fish for prize money only. No points will be awarded toward any championship or title to MLF competitors. Only the original Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit anglers will compete for the AOY title throughout the remainder of the season. AOY points in the final events will be awarded based on Pro Circuit anglers finishing order. The top-finishing FLW pro will receive “first-place points” regardless of where he finishes in the overall standings, and so on.
The final 10 anglers will take off at 7 a.m. CDT Saturday from Stoddard Park, located at 502 Forest Lane, in Stoddard. Saturday’s Championship weigh-in will also be held at Stoddard Park and will begin at 4 p.m. Attendance is limited to competing anglers and essential staff only. Fans are encouraged to forgo the daily takeoffs and weigh-ins and follow the event online through the expanded four-day “FLW Live” on-the-water broadcasts and weigh-in coverage at FLWFishing.com.
Television coverage of the Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit at the Mississippi River will premiere at 7 p.m. EDT, Sept. 11 on the Outdoor Channel. Running now through Dec. 27, FLW will air 312 hours of Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit action on the Outdoor Channel and the Sportsman Channel. Each two-hour long episode goes in-depth to break down the final rounds of each regular-season competition. Episodes premiere in Friday night primetime slots on the Outdoor Channel, with additional re-airings on the Outdoor Channel and the Sportsman Channel.
The popular FLW Live on-the-water broadcast will air each day of competition, featuring live action from the boats of the tournament’s top pros each day. Host Travis Moran is joined by Toyota Series pro Todd Hollowell and MLF’s Marty Stone to break down the extended action each day from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. On-the-water broadcasts are live streamed on FLWFishing.com.
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.
Scum Frog Wins Royal Rumble at 2020 Ultimate Frog Challenge on the California Delta
D’Iberville, Mississippi. (July 29, 2020) – Scum Frog was a late entry into the 2020 Ultimate Frog Challenge (UFC) on the California Delta but the company came to event day swinging to win the coveted UFC Royal Rumble. The Royal Rumble is a special competition within the UFC event. The 2020 Royal Rumble saw 7 teams – selected by 7 different frog manufacturers, compete head-to-head for the coveted “Top Frog” trophy which is presented to the highest finishing team - and the frog brand they represent.
The team of Kris Huff and Kent Simpson took the “Top Frog” Royal Rumble title, edging out all competitors on the strength of Scum Frog’s Launch Trophy Series Popper – a bait that makes just enough noise when twitched.
“We figured that the fish had seen dozens of frogs skip across their head so we agreed to fish slow and let the frog do the work. We also knew because of Scum Frog’s low profile, the fish were seeing more of our frogs than any other. Day one we caught a small, three-fish limit of 8.63 and knew we had ground to make up.” said Scum Frog Pro Staffer Kris Huff
Scum Frog has made a significant investment since being acquired by American Baitworks in 2018. The company has designed new frog profiles like the Launch Frog and introduced new color profiles in the Painted Trophy Series. The extensive effort has quickly made Scum Frog a “must-have” for tournament frog fishing.
“Day 2 of the tournament we decided to make a big run back towards our “home water” on the Delta. We knew that the early, low light conditions were going to have the fish set up different. We caught multiple smaller fish in the low light in open water around tulies on the new Scum Frog Launch Frog. The Launch Frog moves an incredible amount of water and is heavy enough to bulldog through choppy water. With a small limit by 9 am, we knew it was time to hit the duckweed and after making a few casts I landed a California Delta 7.10lbs hog!. We finished with a two-day total of 22.61 anchoring our 2nd place overall finish and earning us the Royal Rumble top frog award.” said Kris Huff
Scum Frog’s sister company Snag Proof took home the overall win and a $5,400 payday thanks to the hard work of Billy Hume and Mike Kuhlman, who showed how incredible the delta fishery can be, as they almost tilted the scales with an amazing two-day, 6-fish limit totaling 30.16 pounds, earning them the UFC6 Championship title!
They indicated that the Snag Proof brand of frogs was the key to victory and also playfully explained that “GET THE NET” duties were equally divided, as both caught a good share of the fish that were landed.
You can see the complete line up of Scum Frog product at www.scumfrog.com and fishing tackle retailers across the country.
RELiON Battery Joins 1% for the Planet – Gives Back to the Environment
Leading global lithium battery provider, RELiON Battery, vows to donate 1% of annual sales to environmental causes
Rock Hill, SC (July 30, 2020) – Today, RELiON Battery announced that they have become a member of the international non-profit organization, 1% for the Planet, pledging to donate 1% of annual sales to fund eco-friendly, earth-conscious causes and organizations around the globe.
“We are thrilled to be a member and support a forward-thinking organization like 1% for the Planet. This partnership is a natural fit for our core values. We, along with our customers, live and breathe adventure and relish the opportunities that our planet provides. Our tagline, Challenge Your Limits, reflects our philosophy to push yourself to greatness. So, it’s only logical to give back and support organizations making a realdifference,” said RELiON CEO Paul Hecimovich.
Members of 1% for the Planet contribute one percent of annual sales directly to any of the approved nonprofit environmental organizations in the network. Nonprofits are approved based on referrals, track record and environmental focus. Thousands of nonprofits worldwide are currently approved.
“Currently, only 3% of total philanthropy goes to the environment and, only 5% of comes from businesses. The planet needs bigger support than this, and our growing network of member businesses is doing its valuable part to increase giving and support on the ground outcomes. We're excited to welcome RELiON Battery to our global movement of over 2,700 businesses," said Kate Williams, CEO of 1% for the Planet.
RELiON’s membership with 1% for the Planet is only the start of a long-term mission for positive environmental impact. RELiON calls this quest Limitless Blue – blue battery, blue sky, blue ocean – because action has no limits.“Limitless Blue is about reducing our impact on the planet and using our business for a force of good moving forward. We face a long list of environmental challenges around the world. It is in all of our interests to work towards creating a healthier planet and we believe business has a responsibility to give back,” explained Hecimovich.
RELiON’s lithium iron phosphate batteries offer several advantages over other technologies in terms of resource consumption and safety, and have great potential to help reduce carbon emissions when used in wind and solar power systems. Most importantly, LiFePO4 batteries are inherently stable and non-combustible, and free from dangerous and messy outgassing, fumes and leaks.
“RELiON customers enjoy being in nature, living off-the-grid, fishing, sailing and much more. We feel that given the environmental friendliness of lithium batteries, it is our duty to do better as a business, making our batteries as sustainable as possible for our customers whom enjoy being outdoors,” added Hecimovich.
To learn more about RELiON Battery, visit relionbattery.com and connect on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn.
About RELiON Battery:
RELiON is a global innovator of battery storage ideas. Founded in 2014, the company is on a mission to bring LiFePO4 battery solutions to the global market. RELiON products power a range of applications including, Recreational Vehicles, Marine, Electric Vehicles, Solar Powered Solutions and more. The company offers a full range of services and high-quality products that continue to pave the way forward to a greener and more efficient future for energy storage. For more information on RELiON, visit www.relionbattery.com.
About 1% for the Planet:
1% for the Planet is a global organization that connects dollars and doers to accelerate smart environmental giving. Through our business and individual memberships, 1% for the Planet inspires people to support environmental organizations through annual membership and everyday actions. We advise on giving strategies, we certify donations and we amplify the impact of the network.
Started in 2002 by Yvon Chouinard, founder of Patagonia, and Craig Mathews, founder of Blue Ribbon Flies, our members have given more than $225 million to environmental nonprofits to date. Today, 1% for the Planet is a network of more than 2,700 business members, an expanding core of individual members and thousands of nonprofit partners in more than 60 countries. Look for our logo and visit www.onepercentfortheplanet.org to learn more.
B.A.S.S. Nation Northeast Regional Championship At Lake Erie Canceled
July 31, 2020
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — The 2020 TNT Fireworks B.A.S.S. Nation Northeast Regional Championship, scheduled for August 19-21 on Pennsylvania’s Lake Erie and Presque Isle Bay, has been canceled. The tournament cancellation was prompted by various state regulations, which would have prevented competitors from several states and B.A.S.S. staff from traveling to and from Pennsylvania for the event.
In addition to teams from Pennsylvania, the Northeast Regional Championship includes teams from Maryland, Delaware, New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Vermont, Maine and Rhode Island.
“We’re obviously disappointed to see an event of this caliber canceled,” said Mark Jeanneret, Executive Director of Erie Sports Commission. “We know that Erie is a world-class bass fishery, but with the various statewide travel restrictions in place, it became obvious that we would not be able to host a full field of participants, significantly diminishing the level of competition.
“B.A.S.S. has been a great partner as we collectively worked through the changing landscape of sporting events this year. We’re looking toward 2021 and remain hopeful that Erie will be able to serve as the host of this prestigious event in the future.”
The top finishing boater and nonboater from each participating state at the Northeast Regional Championship would have advanced to the TNT Fireworks B.A.S.S. Nation Championship at Lake Pickwick to compete for a spot in the 2021 Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic. Officials say they are working toward a solution for impacted anglers.
“It is disappointing any time we have to cancel a tournament, especially knowing how much these championships mean to our grass-roots anglers,” said Jon Stewart, B.A.S.S. Nation Director. “I will be working alongside these state presidents to find a fair way to advance anglers from this region to November’s National Championship.”
Quantum Hosting Two High School / College Tournaments this Fall
The 4th Annual Quantum Next Gen High School & College Open returns to Grand Lake, Oklahoma the weekend of September 19th and 20th. For high school anglers we’ve got more good news -- Quantum is extending their support to host a second Next Gen High School Open on one of the best fisheries in the world, Texas’s Sam Rayburn Reservoir the weekend of October 31st and November 1st.
There is no entry fee to participate in either event; every angler that competes receives a free special edition Quantum Accurist cranking rod and more than $20,000 in prizes will be given away to the top teams!
Grand Lake
Registration takes place from 4 to 6 p.m. on Saturday, September 19th at Wolf Creek Park. Dinner, seminars, and registration prizes will be provided. Competition will take place on Sunday, September 20th at Grove’s Wolf Creek Park boat ramp.
Major League Fishing pro and former Carhartt College fishing champion Matt Lee will be in Grove, OK to help host the event and to share both fishing tips and career advice with all young competitors.
“In 10+ years of being around high school and college tournaments, I don’t think I’ve ever seen such an incredible product pay-out in a no entry fee event, not to mention, it is run in a first-class way and the attendance is great,” says Matt Lee.
To register for Grand Lake tournament, please visit:
https://angler-nation.com/nextgen
or call tournament director Joe Davis at 918-831-6970.
Sam Rayburn
Quantum is excited to double down their support for the next generation of anglers by hosting a second High School Open on legendary Sam Rayburn Reservoir.
The event will be similar to the Grand Lake schedule of events with registration taking place Saturday afternoon, October 31st at Cassels-Boykin Park and the tournament being held on Sunday, November 1st out of Cassels-Boykin Boat Ramp.
Follow this link www.texasbassonline.com, to register for the Sam Rayburn event or contact Pete Bruener at (936) 615-1433, the B.A.S.S. Nation Youth Director for Texas.
Monsoor Vaults into Lead on Day Two of FLW Pro Circuit at the Mississippi River
LA CROSSE, Wis. (July 30, 2020) – Local pro Tom Monsoor of La Crosse, Wisconsin, caught a five-bass limit weighing 14 pounds, 8 ounces, to vault to the top of the leaderboard on day two of the Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit at the Mississippi River presented by OPTIMA Batteries in La Crosse. Monsoor’s two-day total of 10 bass weighing 28-11 will give him a 12-ounce advantage as the event enters into day three of competition in the four-day Super Tournament that features 200 of the world’s best bass-fishing anglers from FLW and Major League Fishing (MLF) competing for a top cash award of up to $160,000.
After starting the day in seventh place, Monsoor caught a limit in Pool No. 8 consisting of two smallmouth and three largemouth bass Thursday to move into first place. He says that the tournament is still completely up for grabs with two days of competition remaining and the fishery changing each day.
“I can’t believe that the River has been fishing as tough as it has been, but I had more weight today than I did yesterday so I guess it wasn’t too bad,” said Monsoor, a 17-year FLW pro veteran who has 25 previous top-10 finishes on the Mississippi River in FLW competition. “Yesterday I started out in Pool 7 and it did not work out. My two starting spots I didn’t get a bite – and I thought I could catch a limit at both. But that’s La Crosse – it can change overnight.
“Today I hunkered down in Pool 8 and it worked out a little better,” Monsoor continued. “I tried everything. I threw a topwater, I threw a popper, I threw a buzzbait, a football jig, a swimming jig, a Senko, and a homemade Bitsy Bug. All my weight is coming on the jig, but I’m trying other stuff. I see some big fish feeding but they ain’t biting. I don’t know why, yet.”
Monsoor said he remains on the lookout for the “big bite”, and that he almost had it in the boat late yesterday.
“Near the end of the day yesterday I thought I had snagged a stick, because it wasn’t fighting – it wasn’t moving. Then it came to the surface and opened its mouth – it was a 4- or 5-pounder – and the hook flew out. I’ve got good hooks, but the fish just didn’t get all of it. That bass would have been another couple of pounds, at least.
“That’s why this is still anybody’s tournament,” Monsoor went on to say. “I could get nothing tomorrow, and somebody else can catch a big bag. You can just stumble into them. I’m going to keep looking because I haven’t really found them yet.”
The top 20 pros after day two on the Mississippi River are:
1st: Tom Monsoor of La Crosse, Wis., 10 bass, 28-11
2nd: Scott Wiley of Bay Minette, Ala., 10 bass, 27-15
3rd: Bailey Boutries of Daphne, Ala., 10 bass, 27-14
4th: Zack Birge of Blanchard, Okla., 10 bass, 27-13
5th: Bradford Beavers of Summerville, S.C., 10 bass, 27-9
6th: Ron Nelson of Berrien Springs, Mich., 10 bass, 27-4
7th: Tyler Stewart of West Monroe, La., 10 bass, 27-3
8th: Jacob Wheeler of Harrison, Tenn., 10 bass, 27-2
9th: Clark Reehm of Elm Grove, La., 10 bass, 26-7
10th: Clayton Batts of Butler, Ga., 10 bass, 26-1
11th: Kyle Hall of Granbury, Texas, 10 bass, 25-7
12th: Matt Lee of Bremen, Ala., 10 bass, 25-7
13th: David Walker of Sevierville, Tenn., 10 bass, 25-7
14th: Mike McClelland of Blue Eye, Mo., 10 bass, 25-4
15th: Jon Englund of Farwell, Minn., 10 bass, 25-1
16th: Dustin Connell of Clanton, Ala., 10 bass, 25-1
17th: David Gaston of Sylacauga, Ala., 10 bass, 24-15
18th: Casey Ashley of Donalds, S.C., 10 bass, 24-13
19th: Kurt Mitchell of Milford, Del., 10 bass, 24-12
20th: Jesse Wiggins of Logan, Ala., 10 bass, 24-11
Full results for the entire field can be found at FLWFishing.com.
Jim Tutt of Longview, Texas, won the $500 Berkley Big Bass award Thursday in the pro division after bringing a fish weighing 4 pounds, 10 ounces to the scale.
Overall there were 797 bass weighing 1,774 pounds, 3 ounces caught by 190 pros Thursday. The catch included 119 five-bass limits.
The Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit at the Mississippi River presented by OPTIMA Batteries is hosted by Explore La Crosse.
In Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit Super-Tournament competition, the full field of 200 pro anglers competed in the two-day opening round on Wednesday and Thursday. The top 50 pros based on their two-day accumulated weight now advance to Friday. Only the top 10 pros will continue competition on Championship Saturday, with the winner determined by the heaviest accumulated weight from the four days of competition.
FLW anglers are vying for valuable points in hopes of qualifying for the Tackle Warehouse FLW TITLE presented by Toyota, the Pro Circuit championship. The 2020 Tackle Warehouse FLW TITLE presented by Toyota will be held on Lake Michigan in Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin, Aug. 24-29.
MLF pros competing in the Pro Circuit Super Tournaments will fish for prize money only. No points will be awarded toward any championship or title to MLF competitors. Only the original Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit anglers will compete for the AOY title throughout the remainder of the season. AOY points in the final events will be awarded based on Pro Circuit anglers finishing order. The top-finishing FLW pro will receive “first-place points” regardless of where he finishes in the overall standings, and so on.
Anglers will take off at 7 a.m. CDT each day from Stoddard Park, located at 502 Forest Lane, in Stoddard. The weigh-in each day will also be held at Stoddard Park and will begin at 4 p.m. Attendance is limited to competing anglers and essential staff only. Fans are encouraged to forgo the daily takeoffs and weigh-ins and follow the event online through the expanded four-day “FLW Live” on-the-water broadcasts and weigh-in coverage at FLWFishing.com.
Television coverage of the Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit at the Mississippi River will premiere at 7 p.m. EDT, Sept. 11 on the Outdoor Channel. Running now through Dec. 27, FLW will air 312 hours of Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit action on the Outdoor Channel and the Sportsman Channel. Each two-hour long episode goes in-depth to break down the final rounds of each regular-season competition. Episodes premiere in Friday night primetime slots on the Outdoor Channel, with additional re-airings on the Outdoor Channel and the Sportsman Channel.
The popular FLW Live on-the-water broadcast will air on all four days of competition, featuring live action from the boats of the tournament’s top pros each day. Host Travis Moran is joined by Toyota Series pro Todd Hollowell and MLF’s Marty Stone to break down the extended action each day from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. On-the-water broadcasts will be live streamed on FLWFishing.com.
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.
MILLSAPS GRABS LEAD IN TOYOTA SERIES ON WHEELER
Courtesy of FLW
July 30, 2020 by Rob Newell
Wheeler Lake doled out some lumps today in the second event of the Toyota Series Southeastern Division season. Only 14 pros managed to crack the 10-pound mark and six pros took a zero on the day.
Leading the way is Jesse Millsaps of Jasper, Ga., with five fish weighing 14 pounds, 15 ounces. His biggest bass weighed 5 pounds, 5 ounces, which was certainly the difference maker in nudging him to nearly 15 pounds in a challenging summertime grinder.
Complete results
Day 1 Midday Update
“That big one came about one hour into the day – it was my fourth fish,” he says. “Once I got it in the boat, I knew I could relax because I had the rest of the day to catch my fifth fish.”
Given the ultra-tough fishing conditions on Wheeler’s main lake, Millsaps chose to do his work in creeks today. He fished two different creeks to catch a total of eight keepers.
“I started the morning fishing topwaters and then switched to slow-dragging a worm once the sun got up,” he says. “I caught my three biggest fish in the first creek I fished. Once I got a limit in there, I decided to leave the area and switch over to another creek. I culled a couple of times in the other creek, which was a big help. After that, I left the primary areas to try to save some fish for the next couple of days.”
Millsaps noted that he picked the two creeks because both of them have a very similar type of structure.
“The two places I’m fishing in the two creeks set up almost identical to each other,” he says. “They both have the right stuff for what the fish use this time of year to feed.”
Millsaps says he will reveal more about the right ingredients tomorrow should he have another good day.
Kip Carter
2. Kip Carter – Mansfield, Ga. – 13-5
One look at Kip Carter’s aluminum tunnel hull boat was a dead give away that he had played the creek game on day one.
“It’s no secret I’m fishing pretty shallow,” Carter says. “I’m fishing three different creeks because I couldn’t find any single one that was super hot. So I’m mixing several different creeks up to make this work, which burns up a lot of time because I have to run all the way out of one and all the way back into another one.
“I probably could use my Ranger to get where I’m going and it would be faster, but this is the boat I brought and it’s the one I’m stuck with – I’m not driving five hours home to get the Ranger.”
Carter says Wheeler is tough, but that’s the way he likes it.
“Tough tournaments are no fun but they’re the ones I seem to do the best in,” he says. “I like it when six or seven bites will get you in the top 10. Today I actually caught about 10 keepers so it wasn’t too bad. But these creeks are small, so I don’t know how much they have left in them.”
3. Lynn Johnson – Attalla, Ala. – 13-1
Lynn Johnson also plied creeks for his third place showing on day one.
“It’s summer, it’s hot, and when it gets this way, I go looking for current and cooler water,” Johnson says. “I’m fishing back in several creeks that all have cooler water. A lot of the main lake is nearly 90 degrees or even higher, so I’m looking for something that’s at least five or six degrees cooler than that. Today I actually found some that was 79 degrees.”
Once back in the creeks, Johnson is fishing a worm around small current breaks.
“Anything that gives them an ambush point in that current,” he says. “Today I had a fish coughed up a couple of those little pumpkin seed bream. That’s what they’re doing – sitting behind those breaks eating any little baitfish that come drifting by in the current.”
4. Lavoyd Lemmond – Decatur, Ala. – 13-1
The creek crew continues with Lavoyd Lemmond, who found several backwater creeks to his liking today.
“It’s all shallow, shallow fishing,” Lemmond emphasizes. “I’m mostly flipping wood and grass. It’s more about the area – it’s loaded with bait and fish. We probably caught 20 or 30 fish today – in fact, my co-angler is leading his side with 12 pounds and something. The water is not necessarily cool; it’s warm stained water, but it’s moving back and forth, which keeps a lot of bait flush in there.”
5. Andrew Johnson – Glencoe, Ala. – 12-8
Make that two Johnsons in the top five – Andrew Johnson is the son of Lynn Johnson (3rd) and both are doing well on Wheeler. Both are fishing creeks, but the creeks are on opposite ends of the lake.
“He wanted one end of the lake, so I went the opposite way,” Andrew says. “We’re probably fishing similar type water: up in a creek somewhere. We like to find that cooler water with some current, for sure. If I can find water temperatures in the low 80s, I’m happy. I did try to focus more on stained water today. If it got too clear, I moved; I actually moved around a lot, bouncing around fishing anything that looked good.”
Top 10 Boaters
1. Jesse Millsaps – Jasper, Ga. – 14-15 (5)
2. Kip Carter – Mansfield, Ga. – 13-5 (5)
3. Lynn Johnson – Attalla, Ala. – 13-1 (5)
4. Lavoyd Lemmond – Decatur, Ala. – 13-0 (5)
5. Andrew Johnson – Glencoe, Ala. – 12-8 (5)
5. Dustin Neat – Dunnville, Ky. – 12-8 (5)
7. Josh Bragg – Jacksonville, Ala. – 11-6 (5)
8. Harry Peyton – Guntersville, Ala. – 11-2 (5)
9. Kyle Glasgow – Guin, Ala. – 10-12 (5)
10. Edward Guice – Decatur, Ala. – 10-10 (5)
10. Bill Spratlin – Rockford, Ala. – 10-10 (5)
10. Logan Johnson – Tuscaloosa, Ala. – 10-10 (5)
Flint Davis
Davis leads co-anglers
Flint Davis of Leesburg, Ga., leads the co-angler side with a five-bass limit weighing 12 pounds, 10 ounces. He fished behind fourth-place pro Lavoyd Lemmond to catch his fish.
“I mostly used a Big Bite Baits Fighting Frog to catch all my fish today,” Davis says. “I couldn’t have done it without Lavoyd. He’s a great pro partner and he is around a lot of fish. He let me cast into places a lot of pros might not have – so I couldn’t have caught what I did today without his help.”
Top 10 Co-Anglers
1. Flint Davis – Leesburg, Ga. – 12-10 (5)
2. Cal Culpepper – Hamilton, Ga. – 11-11 (5)
3. Jared Murphree – Toney, Ala. – 9-4 (5)
4. Lew Moore – Roanoke, Ala. – 9-2 (3)
5. Todd Lee – Jasper, Ala. – 9-0 (5)
6. Ryan Methvin – Leoma, Tenn. – 8-12 (5)
7. Hayden Obarr – Gurley, Ala. – 7-15 (5)
8. Jeffrey Ford – Trion, Ga. – 7-14 (5)
9. Jeff Ragsdale – Gardendale, Ala. – 7-10 (4)
10. Ryan Arnold – Gadsden, Ala. – 6-14 (4)
Late-Day Bonus Helps Hartman Take Lead At Bassmaster Elite On Lake Champlain
Jamie Hartman, originally of Newport, N.Y., is leading after Day 1 of the 2020 Bassmaster Elite at Lake Champlain with 22 pounds, 1 ounce.
Photo by Seigo Saito/B.A.S.S.
July 30, 2020
PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. — An afternoon decision paid off big for Jamie Hartman of Russellville, Ark., who nabbed a day-ending bonus that helped him claim the Day 1 lead of the Bassmaster Elite at Lake Champlain with 22 pounds, 1 ounce.
At the day’s conclusion, Hartman’s name appeared next to three of the Top 10 Big Bass — a 5-pounder, a 4-14 and a 4-4. He also added a 4-0 just 10 minutes before the weigh-ins opened at 3 p.m.
“I upgraded in the last few minutes on the way in; I was pretty much done and I just hit something on the way in, made three casts and caught a 4-pound smallmouth,” said Hartman, a native New Yorker. “That spot was just a steep drop with some grass on top of it.
“I’ve fished it in the past and I’ve never caught a big fish off of it, but I’ve caught some decent fish. I was basically scouting for tomorrow, so after catching a 4-pound smallmouth, I think they’re there.”
Hartman’s late-day bonus spot exemplified the type of habitat he eventually settled into. Finishing his day with a mixed bag of three smallmouth and two largemouth, Hartman actually got off to a slow start but eventually turned his day around by adjusting his location.
“I went up north and the water was so calm that it was tough for me to get bit at all,” he said. “I ground it out for a while, got a couple of bites and made one move. When I finally made the move to go fish what I wanted to fish, it all came together. I bounced around to several different spots within the same area, making decisions on what to fish.”
Hartman generally described his area as a mix of rock and grassbeds in 12 to 15 feet. The key, he said, was targeting the right type of grass, specifically taller patches of milfoil.
“I was watching my electronics and making sure I was around patches of grass,” he said. “I was making sure I was in the high enough grass.”
Hartman caught his bass on a mix of soft-plastic presentations. Although he tried to get the fish interested in reaction baits early, a Carolina rig proved most productive.
“I tried to catch them on a swimbait like I did in practice. But there was no wind, so they wouldn’t eat it,” he said.
With the grassy shallows of the Ticonderoga area at Champlain’s lower end presenting the tempting potential for big largemouth, Hartman admitted he considered making the 70-mile run.
“When I had a slow start, I thought I had made the wrong decision by not running to Ti, but I slowly started to put it together,” he said. “I just kept reminding myself: pick off one at a time. They’re good ones, so we’ll keep going.”
Buddy Gross of Chickamauga, Ga., is in second place with 21-2. Noting that Champlain’s smallmouth have often confounded him in the past, Gross mainly focused on largemouth Thursday. But with the lake about 4 feet below normal, he caught them in places where he has targeted smallmouth.
“I had spent a lot of time looking for structure for smallmouth, but the largemouth took over some of my spots and it’s really helping a lot,” Gross said. “As low as the water is, it’s pulling the largemouth out to the first places on the drops, and it’s making them a little easier for me to find them.”
Fishing the lake’s north end, Gross caught his fish on a prototype bullethead jig from Nichols Lures with a Zoom Chunk trailer and a Z-Man Jack Hammer ChatterBait with a Zoom Z-Craw trailer. The latter, he said, proved most strategic in finding his bites.
“I used moving baits to cover a lot of water,” he said. “I haven’t been getting a ton of bites, but when I do, it has been quality. So, I’m having to run a whole lot of water.”
Micah Frazier of Newnan, Ga., is in third place with 20-8. Targeting solely smallmouth, he committed to the lake’s north end where he targeted offshore humps, shoals and boulders in 15 to 40 feet.
“I caught my fish on a drop shot with a Yum Warning Shot and a 3/8-ounce weight,” Frazier said. “I had a midmorning flurry, and then I caught a couple of bigger ones later once the sun came out.”
Bryan Schmitt of Deale, Md., is in the lead for Phoenix Boats Big Bass honors with his 6-2 largemouth.
Friday’s takeoff is scheduled for 6:45 a.m. CT at Plattsburgh City Marina. The weigh-in will be held back at the marina at 3 p.m.
Live coverage of the event will be available starting at 8 a.m. on Bassmaster LIVE at Bassmaster.com with simulcasts on ESPN2 and ESPN3. Check local listings for ESPN2 times.
The tournament is being hosted by the Adirondack Coast Visitors Bureau, City of Plattsburgh and Clinton County.
2020 Bassmaster Elite at Lake Champlain 7/30-8/2
Lake Champlain, Plattsburgh NY.
(PROFESSIONAL) Standings Day 1
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Pts Total $$$
1. Jamie Hartman Newport, NY 5 22-01 100
Day 1: 5 22-01
2. Buddy Gross Chickamauga, GA 5 21-02 99
Day 1: 5 21-02
3. Micah Frazier Newnan, GA 5 20-08 98
Day 1: 5 20-08
4. Seth Feider New Market, MN 5 20-01 97
Day 1: 5 20-01
5. Brock Mosley Collinsville, MS 5 19-13 96
Day 1: 5 19-13
5. David Mullins Mt Carmel, TN 5 19-13 96
Day 1: 5 19-13
7. Stetson Blaylock Benton, AR 5 19-12 94
Day 1: 5 19-12
8. Brandon Palaniuk Rathdrum, ID 5 19-12 93
Day 1: 5 19-12
9. Chris Johnston Peterborough Ontario CA 5 19-06 92
Day 1: 5 19-06
9. Paul Mueller Naugatuck, CT 5 19-06 92
Day 1: 5 19-06
9. Bryan Schmitt Deale, MD 5 19-06 92 $1,000.00
Day 1: 5 19-06
12. Ed Loughran III Richmond, VA 5 19-04 89
Day 1: 5 19-04
13. Scott Canterbury Odenville, AL 5 19-03 88
Day 1: 5 19-03
14. Todd Auten Lake Wylie, SC 5 18-12 87
Day 1: 5 18-12
15. Wes Logan Springville, AL 5 18-10 86
Day 1: 5 18-10
16. Luke Palmer Coalgate, OK 5 18-09 85
Day 1: 5 18-09
17. Taku Ito Chiba JAPAN 5 18-08 84
Day 1: 5 18-08
17. Tyler Rivet Raceland, LA 5 18-08 84
Day 1: 5 18-08
19. Kyle Monti Okeechobee, FL 5 18-07 82
Day 1: 5 18-07
20. Rob Digh Denver, NC 5 18-06 81
Day 1: 5 18-06
21. Gary Clouse Winchester, TN 5 18-05 80
Day 1: 5 18-05
21. Ray Hanselman Jr Del Rio, TX 5 18-05 80
Day 1: 5 18-05
23. Rick Morris Lake Gaston, VA 5 18-04 78
Day 1: 5 18-04
23. Jason Williamson Wagener, SC 5 18-04 78
Day 1: 5 18-04
25. Chad Pipkens Dewitt, MI 5 18-03 76
Day 1: 5 18-03
26. Koby Kreiger Alva, FL 5 18-01 75
Day 1: 5 18-01
27. Matt Arey Shelby, NC 5 18-00 74
Day 1: 5 18-00
27. Brandon Cobb Greenwood, SC 5 18-00 74
Day 1: 5 18-00
27. Bernie Schultz Gainesville, FL 5 18-00 74
Day 1: 5 18-00
30. Shane Lineberger Lincolnton, NC 5 17-12 71
Day 1: 5 17-12
31. Brandon Lester Fayetteville, TN 5 17-10 70
Day 1: 5 17-10
32. Matt Herren Ashville, AL 5 17-09 69
Day 1: 5 17-09
33. Garrett Paquette Canton, MI 5 17-07 68
Day 1: 5 17-07
34. Kyle Welcher Opelika, AL 5 17-05 67
Day 1: 5 17-05
35. Brett Preuett Monroe, LA 5 17-04 66
Day 1: 5 17-04
36. Jeff Gustafson Keewatin Ontario CANADA 5 17-03 65
Day 1: 5 17-03
36. Harvey Horne Bella Vista, AR 5 17-03 65
Day 1: 5 17-03
36. Carl Jocumsen Queensland TN AUSTRALIA 5 17-03 65
Day 1: 5 17-03
36. Cory Johnston Cavan CANADA 5 17-03 65
Day 1: 5 17-03
40. Clifford Pirch Payson, AZ 5 17-02 61
Day 1: 5 17-02
41. Chad Morgenthaler Reeds Spring, MO 5 17-01 60
Day 1: 5 17-01
42. Hunter Shryock Newcomerstown, OH 5 17-00 59
Day 1: 5 17-00
43. Greg DiPalma Millville, NJ 5 16-15 58
Day 1: 5 16-15
44. Skylar Hamilton Dandridge, TN 5 16-13 57
Day 1: 5 16-13
45. Drew Cook Midway, FL 5 16-12 56
Day 1: 5 16-12
46. Derek Hudnall Denham Springs, LA 5 16-11 55
Day 1: 5 16-11
47. David Fritts Lexington, NC 5 16-10 54
Day 1: 5 16-10
48. Chris Zaldain Fort Worth, TX 5 16-09 53
Day 1: 5 16-09
49. Steve Kennedy Auburn, AL 5 16-08 52
Day 1: 5 16-08
50. Gerald Swindle Guntersville, AL 5 16-07 51
Day 1: 5 16-07
51. Caleb Kuphall Mukwonago, WI 5 16-06 50
Day 1: 5 16-06
52. Hank Cherry Jr Lincolnton, NC 5 16-05 49
Day 1: 5 16-05
53. Cody Hollen Beaverton, OR 5 16-05 48
Day 1: 5 16-05
54. Randy Pierson Oakdale, CA 5 16-04 47
Day 1: 5 16-04
55. Keith Combs Huntington, TX 5 16-03 46
Day 1: 5 16-03
55. Clark Wendlandt Leander, TX 5 16-03 46
Day 1: 5 16-03
57. Drew Benton Blakely, GA 5 16-01 44
Day 1: 5 16-01
57. Frank Talley Temple, TX 5 16-01 44
Day 1: 5 16-01
57. Patrick Walters Summerville, SC 5 16-01 44
Day 1: 5 16-01
60. Austin Felix Eden Prairie, MN 5 16-00 41
Day 1: 5 16-00
61. Rick Clunn Ava, MO 5 15-14 40
Day 1: 5 15-14
61. Clent Davis Montevallo, AL 5 15-14 40
Day 1: 5 15-14
63. Cliff Prince Palatka, FL 5 15-13 38
Day 1: 5 15-13
64. Destin DeMarion Grove City, PA 5 15-09 37
Day 1: 5 15-09
65. Shane LeHew Catawba, NC 5 15-05 36
Day 1: 5 15-05
66. Brandon Card Salisbury, NC 5 15-04 35
Day 1: 5 15-04
67. John Cox Debary, FL 5 15-01 34
Day 1: 5 15-01
68. Mike Huff Corbin, KY 5 15-00 33
Day 1: 5 15-00
68. Caleb Sumrall New Iberia, LA 5 15-00 33
Day 1: 5 15-00
68. Jay Yelas Lincoln City, OR 5 15-00 33
Day 1: 5 15-00
71. Randy Sullivan Breckenridge, TX 5 14-14 30
Day 1: 5 14-14
72. Lee Livesay Longview, TX 5 14-09 29
Day 1: 5 14-09
73. Dale Hightower Mannford, OK 5 14-06 28
Day 1: 5 14-06
74. Bill Weidler Helena, AL 5 14-02 27
Day 1: 5 14-02
75. Bob Downey Hudson, WI 5 14-00 26
Day 1: 5 14-00
75. Jake Whitaker Fairview, NC 5 14-00 26
Day 1: 5 14-00
77. Brian Snowden Reeds Spring, MO 5 13-13 24
Day 1: 5 13-13
78. Jesse Tacoronte Kissimmee, FL 5 13-10 23
Day 1: 5 13-10
79. Quentin Cappo Prairieville, LA 5 13-10 22
Day 1: 5 13-10
80. Bill Lowen Brookville, IN 5 12-15 21
Day 1: 5 12-15
80. Brad Whatley Bivins, TX 5 12-15 21
Day 1: 5 12-15
82. Chris Groh Spring Grove, IL 5 12-14 19
Day 1: 5 12-14
83. Tyler Carriere Youngsville, LA 5 11-11 18
Day 1: 5 11-11
84. John Crews Jr Salem, VA 5 11-08 17
Day 1: 5 11-08
85. Robbie Latuso Gonzales, LA 5 10-00 16
Day 1: 5 10-00
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
PHOENIX BOATS BIG BASS
Day
1 Bryan Schmitt Deale, MD 06-02 $1,000.00
-----------------------------------------------------
Bassmaster Elite Tournament Moved To Lake Guntersville
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — The Bassmaster Elite Series tournament previously scheduled for Cayuga Lake earlier in July will instead be held Sept. 30 – Oct. 3 on Alabama’s historic Lake Guntersville, B.A.S.S. officials announced today. Daily launches and weigh-ins will take place at Goose Pond Colony Resort Marina in Scottsboro, Ala., which is hosting the event. “We are excited to host another B.A.S.S. event and showcase our facilities at Goose Pond Colony,” said Scottsboro Mayor Robin Shelton. “I know the event will be as successful as last year’s event, and I am looking forward to working with this staff again.”
Lake Guntersville has hosted 24 major B.A.S.S. events, including the 2020 Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic presented by Huk. The Big G also took the No. 2 spot in Bassmaster Magazine’s list of Best Bass Lakes of the Decade. Lake Guntersville is known for its breathtaking scenery and easy access, but big fish swim there as well. Most big-bass prizes are awarded to fish topping the 8-pound mark, with 10-plus-pounders taking center stage on occasion.
Angler Jamie Hartman raised the coveted blue championship trophy when the Elite Series visited Scottsboro in June 2019, winning the four-day tournament in dramatic fashion coming from tenth place to win with a total of 79 pounds, 10 ounces. In March of this year, Hank Cherry dominated the 2020 Bassmaster Classic on Lake Guntersville. Cherry weighed in a massive 29-3 limit on Day 1 of the tournament en route to a wire-to-wire victory.
“While it has been challenging to reschedule events, we intend to complete a full schedule of tournaments,” said B.A.S.S. CEO Bruce Akin. “We are thankful to our friends at the City of Scottsboro for partnering with us to offer anglers another opportunity to fish on one of our country’s best lakes while showcasing the area’s beauty for our audience.
“Our anglers and fans are going to really enjoy the fishing on Lake Guntersville in the fall.”
Officials emphasized that they will adhere to all local and state guidelines to ensure the event is safe for athletes, staff and the host community.
The Bassmaster Elite at Lake Guntersville will kick-off a busy schedule of fall derbies that will see the Elite Series pros competing on Santee Cooper in Clarendon County, S.C., Oct. 8-11, Tennessee’s Lake Chickamauga Oct. 16-19, and Texas’s Lake Fork for the Toyota Bassmaster Texas Fest benefiting Texas Parks and Wildlife Department Nov. 5-8.
For more information, visit Bassmaster.com.
Wiley Leads Day One of Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit at the Mississippi River
LA CROSSE, Wis. (July 29, 2020) – Wiley, Alabama’s Scott Wiley brought a five-bass limit to the scale Wednesday totaling 15 pounds, 3 ounces, to take the early lead on day one of the Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit at the Mississippi River presented by OPTIMA Batteries in La Crosse, Wisconsin. Wiley will bring a slim 5-ounce advantage into day two of the four-day Super Tournament that features 200 of the world’s best bass-fishing anglers from FLW and Major League Fishing (MLF) competing for a top cash award of up to $160,000.
MLF pro Jacob Wheeler of Harrison, Tennessee, who won the Lake Chickamauga Super Tournament last month, sits in second place, just 5 ounces behind Wiley with 14-14. Local favorite Tom Monsoor of La Crosseweighed in five bass totaling 14 pounds, 3 ounces, and currently sits in seventh place.
“I’m happy to be leading, but there is still a lot of fishing left to do,” said Wiley, an eight-year FLW pro with two career top-10 finishes. “I’m having to hit a lot of places, just hopscotching around and catching one here, one there. I’m on a pattern and I hope that what I’m doing can hold up.
“I went to Pool No. 9 this morning,” Wiley continued. “My first area that I went to, I struck out. I ran around a little bit, then went over to this little drain and I caught a limit in about 45 minutes. I locked back up to Pool No. 8 and caught two big ones this afternoon – both around 3½ pounds – and that was pretty much my day.”
Wiley’s limit consisted entirely of largemouth bass. Although he is unsure of whether his pattern can hold up over multiple days, he remains optimistic heading into the second day of competition.
“The guys in this event are good, and you’ve got to do whatever you can to stay on top of the fish,” Wiley went on to say. “I don’t know if I’ve got a lot of fish left down there (Pool No. 9), but we’re going to go down there and see what we can do with them.”
The top 10 pros after day one on the Mississippi River are:
1st: Scott Wiley of Bay Minette, Ala., five bass, 15-3
2nd: Jacob Wheeler of Harrison, Tenn., five bass, 14-14
3rd: Derrick Snavely of Piney Flats, Tenn., five bass, 14-8
4th: Joey Cifuentes of Clinton, Ark., five bass, 14-6
5th: Jesse Wiggins of Logan, Ala., five bass, 14-5
6th: Ron Nelson of Berrien Springs, Mich., five bass, 14-4
7th: Tom Monsoor of La Crosse, Wis., five bass, 14-3
8th: Bradford Beavers of Summerville, S.C., five bass, 14-2
9th: Robert Nakatomi of Sacramento, Calif., five bass, 14-1
10th: Mitch Crane of Columbus, Miss., five bass, 13-15
10th: Matt Lee of Bremen, Ala., five bass, 13-15
For a full list of results visit FLWFishing.com.
Kevin Meeks of Smyrna, Tennessee, won Wednesday's $500 Berkley Big Bass award in the pro division after bringing a fish weighing 5 pounds even to the scale.
Overall there were 810 bass weighing 1,789 pounds, 5 ounces caught by 191 pros Wednesday. The catch included 126 five-bass limits.
The Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit at the Mississippi River presented by OPTIMA Batteries is hosted by Explore La Crosse.
In Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit Super-Tournament competition, the full field of 200 pro anglers compete in the two-day opening round on Wednesday and Thursday. The top 50 pros based on their two-day accumulated weight advance to Friday. Only the top 10 pros continue competition on Championship Saturday, with the winner determined by the heaviest accumulated weight from the four days of competition.
FLW anglers are vying for valuable points in hopes of qualifying for the Tackle Warehouse FLW TITLE presented by Toyota, the Pro Circuit championship. The 2020 Tackle Warehouse FLW TITLE presented by Toyota will be held on Lake Michigan in Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin, Aug. 24-29.
MLF pros competing in the Pro Circuit “Super Tournaments” will fish for prize money only. No points will be awarded toward any championship or title to MLF competitors. Only the original Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit anglers will compete for the AOY title throughout the remainder of the season. AOY points in the final events will be awarded based on Pro Circuit anglers finishing order. The top-finishing FLW pro will receive “first-place points” regardless of where he finishes in the overall standings, and so on.
Anglers will take off at 7 a.m. CDT each day from Stoddard Park, located at 502 Forest Lane, in Stoddard. The weigh-in each day will also be held at Stoddard Park and will begin at 3 p.m. on Wednesday and Thursday and at 4 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. Attendance is limited to competing anglers and essential staff only. Fans are encouraged to forgo the daily takeoffs and weigh-ins and follow the event online through the expanded four-day “FLW Live” on-the-water broadcasts and weigh-in coverage atFLWFishing.com.
Television coverage of the Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit at the Mississippi River will premiere at 7 p.m. EDT, Sept. 11 on the Outdoor Channel. Running now through Dec. 27, FLW will air 312 hours of Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit action on the Outdoor Channel and the Sportsman Channel. Each two-hour long episode goes in-depth to break down the final rounds of each regular-season competition. Episodes premiere in Friday nightprimetime slots on the Outdoor Channel, with additional re-airings on the Outdoor Channel and the Sportsman Channel.
The popular FLW Live on-the-water broadcast will air on all four days of competition, featuring live action from the boats of the tournament’s top pros each day. Host Travis Moran is joined by Toyota Series pro Todd Hollowell and MLF’s Marty Stone to break down the extended action each day from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. On-the-water broadcasts will be live streamed onFLWFishing.com.
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 at Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.
Life on the Road - BASS Edition!
This week Chris and the boys take a slight detour from their usual guests and welcome in two ladies who are very important to the success of their significant others. Tiffanie McCall, Brandon Palaniuk's girlfriend & Kayla Jocumsen, wife of Elite Series Champ Carl Jocumsen join the guys to talk about life on the road, quarantine and more! Strike King's Mark Copley also joins the show to talk about virtual ICAST & Chris discuss' his snakebit weekend!
Toyota Bonus Bucks Owners Event Returns to Pickwick
Florence, AL. (July 23, 2020) – If last year’s 22-pound limit of winning smallmouth are any indication, Toyota Bonus Bucks members can expect a great weekend of fish catching and fellowship as the 9th Annual Toyota Bonus Owners tournament returns to Pickwick Lake at Florence, Alabama the weekend of September 19th and 20th, 2020.
The tradition-rich weekend kicks-off Saturday afternoon with a registration meeting where Team Toyota pro anglers will be on hand to greet guests and talk fishing. B.A.S.S. tournament staff will conduct the tournament and be onsite Saturday afternoon as well for angler registration.
Launch and weigh-in for Sunday’s competition will take place at McFarland Park. The top 31 teams in the tournament are guaranteed a paycheck, and a free gift bag will be given to the first 200 anglers to sign up for the tournament.
COVID-19 safety measures that adhere to local government guidelines and regulations will be put in place during the Toyota Bonus Bucks Owners Event to help provide protection for the health and well-being of all tournament participants. Registered teams will be sent information about the measures prior to the tournament.
Only one of the team members must be currently registered in the Toyota Bonus Bucks Program to be eligible to compete in the Toyota Owners Tournament. (To be eligible to participate in Toyota Bonus Bucks- participant must own or lease a 2016 or newer Toyota Tundra, Tacoma, Sequoia, or 4Runner) Visit toyotafishing.com for more Program details. Bassmaster Elite Series, MLF, and FLW Tour pros are not eligible to participate in the Owners Tournament. Teams are required to pre-register by September 7, 2020.
Participants are encouraged to sign up as soon as possible for this prize-rich event. Limited space is available. To register, visit toyotafishing.com. You can also call the Toyota Bonus Bucks Headquarters at (918) 742-6424, or email: [email protected].
Pennsylvania’s Lorenzo and New York’s Sperling Earn Wins at Phoenix Bass Fishing League Double-Header on Lake Cayuga
UNION SPRINGS, N.Y. (July 27, 2020) – It was a double-header for bass anglers this past weekend in Union Springs with the Phoenix Bass Fishing League presented by T-H Marine on Lake Cayuga events.
Boater John Lorenzo of Kane, Pennsylvania, brought five bass to the scale Saturday totaling 21 pounds, 6 ounce to win the first event of the weekend and earn $4,037, while boater Chris Sperling of Cato, New York, brought in a limit of bass weighing 21 pounds, 4 ounces, on Sunday to earn the win and the top prize of $11,761, including the lucrative FLW PHOENIX BONUS contingency award.
“I was fishing mostly the mid- to south-lake area, fishing grass with a homemade green-pumpkin-colored jig,” said Lorenzo, who earned the third FLW win of his career. “The key was to keep moving – the fish were widely scattered, and you wouldn’t get more than one or two bites at each spot.
“I spent a week here before the event just marking waypoints,” Lorenzo continued. “Each waypoint that I marked was just one or two bites, and I had to hit all of them.
“I’d been in quite a drought. I won an event in 2005 and again in 2010, but it was a long time coming for this third one,” Lorenzo went on to say. “It feels awesome to get a win here on of my favorite lakes in the country.”
The top five boaters on Saturday were:
1st: John Lorenzo of Kane, Pa., five bass, 21-6, $4,037
2nd: Mike Shumanis of Bethlehem, Pa., five bass, 20-8, $2,019
3rd: Tyler Conde of Chepachet, R.I., five bass, 20-6, $1,345
4th: Joe Labarbera of Montrose, Pa., five bass, 20-2, $1,442
5th: George Yund of Glenmont, N.Y., five bass, 20-1, $807
Complete results for Saturday can be found at FLWFishing.com.
Clifford Chilson of Liverpool, New York, brought a 6-pound, 4-ounce bass to the scale to win Saturday’s Boater Big Bass award of $545.
Labarbera 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.
Tim Nichols of Pittsgrove, New Jersey, won the Co-angler Division and $2,019 Saturday after catching five bass weighing 18 pounds, 15 ounces.
The top five co-anglers Saturday finished as follows:
1st: Tim Nichols of Pittsgrove, N.J., five bass, 18-15, $2,019
2nd: Logan Fitzpatrick of Pennsville, N.J., five bass, 18-8, $1,009
3rd: Chad McDonald of Berkeley Springs, W. Va., five bass, 17-3, $675
4th: Chris Hurley of Carlisle, Pa., five bass, 16-14, $471
5th: Bill Spindler of Turnersville, N.J., five bass, 16-5, $370
5th: Travis Miller of Colchester, Conn., five bass, 16-5, $370
5th: William Allie of Wynantskill, N.Y., five bass, 16-5, $370
Matthew Karll of Boyertown, Pennsylvania, caught the largest bass in the Co-angler Division Saturday, weighing in at 5 pounds, 11 ounces. The catch earned him the day’s Co-angler Big Bass award of $272.
On Sunday, anglers competed on the same fishery but with different conditions – a strong wind was now in play for competitors.
“I kind of bounced around throughout the day, mainly on the south end, but I did come back north near the end of the day and caught a couple of key fish in the grass,” said Sperling, who earned his first career FLW victory. “I was fishing in 15-feet-of-water, just deep cranking.
“The key for me Sunday was the wind – on Saturday we didn’t have any and I really struggled – but I knew it was going to blow, so I just put the crankbait in my hand all day,” Sperling said.
Sperling’s crankbait of choice was a ghost shad-colored Spro Little John DD 70.
The top five boaters on Sunday were:
1st: Chris Sperling of Cato, N.Y., five bass, 21-4, $11,761
2nd: Tyler Conde of Chepachet, R.I., five bass, 19-15, $1,529
3rd: George Kunkel of Bath, Pa., five bass, 19-15, $1,529
4th: Casey Smith of Macedon, N.Y., five bass, 19-4, $856
5th: Michael Sentore of Gloucester City, N.J., five bass, 19-0, $934
Complete results for Sunday’s event on Lake Cayuga can be found at FLWFishing.com.
Evan Luta of Bradford, New York, brought a 6-pound, 1-ounce smallmouth bass to the scale Sunday to earn the day’s Boater Big Bass award of $470.
Sperling was the highest-finishing FLW PHOENIX BONUS member and took home an extra $7,000.
Lake Hopatcong, New Jersey’s Mike Wotanowski won the Co-angler Division and $1,835 Sunday after catching five bass weighing 19 pounds, 10 ounces.
The top five co-anglers Sunday finished as follows:
1st: Mike Wotanowski of Lake Hopatcong, N.J., five bass, 19-10, $1,835
2nd: Michael Burke of Breinigsville, Pa., five bass, 17-0, $918
3rd: Thomas Dellinger of Womelsdorf, Pa., five bass, 16-13, $612
4th: Henry McKee of Haddon Heights, N.J., five bass, 16-10, $428
4th: Kyle Smith of Williamstown, N.J., five bass, 16-9, $602
Smith caught Sunday’s largest bass in the Co-angler Division, weighing in at 6 pounds, 6 ounces. The catch earned him the day’s Co-angler Big Bass award of $235.
The 2020 Phoenix Bass Fishing League presented by T-H Marine Double-Header on Lake Cayuga was hosted by the Village of Union Springs. The events were the first and second of five qualifying events in the Northeast Division.
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 be entered in 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.
Satsuma’s Buntin Earns Win at Phoenix Bass Fishing League Tournament on Alabama River
PRATTVILLE, Ala. (July 27, 2020) – Boater Sean Buntin of Satsuma, Alabama, brought a five-bass limit bass to the scale Saturday totaling 12 pounds, 1 ounce to win the 2020 Phoenix Bass Fishing League presented by T-H Marine event on the Alabama River in Prattville, Alabama. Buntin topped his nearest competitor, Ben Weldon of Petumpka, Alabama, by just 3 ounces and earned $4,296 for his victory.
“I’m so excited and pumped, I could cry,” said Buntin, who earned the first FLW victory of his career. “I’ve fished close to 50 events and put a lot of work in. I finally got the win, and it is awesome.”
Buntin said that he was fishing a deep brush pile when he noticed bass schooling near a little outlet ditch. He quickly capitalized to put the winning limit in his livewell.
“I was fishing a deep brush pile when I happened to look up the river and there was a little ditch that looked like there was some action on it,” Buntin said. “I slowly made my way up there and chunked a (River2Sea) Whopper Plopper in there and they just smoked it. About 10 casts later I had my weight for the day.
“I had a limit by 7:45 a.m.,” Buntin continued. “They all came on the Plopper, fished on a 7-foot, 8-inch FX Custom cranking rod. It’s made for crankbaits, but it works really nice for that Plopper.”
The top 10 boaters finished the tournament as follows:
1st: Sean Buntin of Satsuma, Ala., five bass, 12-1, $4,296
2nd: Ben Weldon of Wetumpka, Ala., five bass, 11-14, $2,053
3rd: Steve Jones of Moss Point, Miss., five bass, 11-10, $1,099
4th: Chris Rutland of Wetumpka, Ala., five bass, 10-13, $769
5th: David Wesson of Southside, Ala., five bass, 10-3, $659
6th: Byron Smith of Tyrone, Ga., five bass, 9-15, $604
7th: Jody Wilson of Blue Ridge, Ga., five bass, 9-12, $549
8th: Casey O’Donnell of Guntersville, Ala., five bass, 9-9, $466
9th: Anthony Goggins of Clanton, Ala., five bass, 9-9, $466
10th: Brent Reaves of Alexander City, Ala., five bass, 9-8, $385
Complete results can be found at FLWFishing.com.
Weldon caught brought a 5-pound, 1-ounce largemouth bass to the scale to add $515 – the day’s Boater Big Bass award – to his winnings.
Thomas Frink of Cedartown, Georgia, 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.
Rodney Graham of Childersburg, Alabama, won the Co-angler Division and $1,648 Saturday after catching five bass weighing 8 pounds, 12 ounces.
The top 10 co-anglers finished as follows:
1st: Rodney Graham of Childersburg, Ala., five bass, 8-12, $1,648
2nd: Troy Calloway of Sylacauga, Ala., four bass, 8-8, $824
3rd: Dennis Sandoval of Decatur, Ala., five bass, 7-0, $549
4th: Donnie Gamble of Bessemer, Ala., five bass, 6-11, $385
5th: Wayne Kilgore of Attalla, Ala., four bass, 6-5, $330
6th: Mark Denney of Perry, Ga., five bass, 6-4, $302
7th: Willie Hill of Tuskegee, Ala., four bass, 6-3, $275
8th: William Yoerg of Odenville, Ala., two bass, 6-2, $449
9th: Justin Foster of Zebulon, Ga., five bass, 6-1, $220
10th: Gary Marlowe of Montgomery, Ala., three bass, 5-11, $192
Yoerg caught the largest bass in the Co-angler Division – a nice 4-pound, 11-ouncer. The catch earned him the day’s Co-angler Big Bass award of $202.
The 2020 Phoenix Bass Fishing League presented by T-H Marine on the Alabama River was the fourth of five qualifying events in the Bama Division.
The top 45 boaters and co-anglers in the Bama 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 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.
Powhatan’s Pike and Spring Grove’s Estes Tie for Win at Phoenix Bass Fishing League Event on Potomac River
Columbia’s Patkas Wins Co-angler Division
MARBURY, Md. (July 27, 2020) – Boaters Cody Pike of Powhatan, Virginia, and Keith Estes of Spring Grove, Virginia, both brought a five-bass limit to the scale Saturday weighing 16 pounds, 9 ounces to tie for the win at the Phoenix Bass Fishing League presented by T-H Marine on the Potomac River in Marbury, Maryland. Estes earned a total of $4,262 after contingency awards, while Pike took home $10,262, including the lucrative $7,000 FLW PHOENIX BONUS contingency award.
The tournament was the fourth of five events in the Shenandoah Division presented by A.R.E. Truck Caps.
“Today was a slow grind for me, and everything that I caught came fishing extremely slow in the grass with soft plastics and Strike King creature baits,” said Estes, who earned his second career win in FLW competition. “The key was just being patient. I love river fishing – especially when there is an outgoing tide – so I had to wait for the small window at the end of the day with the outgoing water and it paid off for me in the end.”
“I was fishing grass – not the thick matted hydrilla, but the sparser deep grass,” said Pike, who also picked up the second win of his FLW career. “It had to be the deepest grass that you could find. I caught them all on a black-and-blue-colored 3/8-ounce Dave’s Tournament Tackle Swim Jig.”
The top 10 boaters finished the tournament as follows:
1st: Keith Estes of Spring Grove, Va., five bass, 14-14, $4,262
1st: Cody Pike of Powhatan, Va., five bass, 14-14, $10,262
3rd: John Duarte of Middle River, Md., five bass, 14-5, $1,451
4th: Mike Roselle of La Plata, Md., five bass, 14-4, $1,215
5th: Carlton Owens of Franklin, Va., five bass, 14-0, $870
6th: Chris Brummett, Lynch Station, Va., five bass, 13-12, $798
7th: Todd Langford of Great Falls, Va., five bass, 13-9, $689
7th: Robert Henderson of King George, Va., five bass, 13-9, $689
9th: Ben Jacobi of Richmond, Va., five bass, 13-8, $580
10th: Jack Dice of Lynchburg, Va., five bass, 11-10, $508
Complete results can be found at FLWFishing.com.
Cavin Young of Prince George, Virginia, earned the day’s $615 Boater Big Bass award with a 5-pound, 8-ounce largemouth.
Pike 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.
Jonathan Patkus of Columbia, Maryland, earned the win in the Co-angler Division Saturday after catching a five-bass limit weighing 12 pounds, 10 ounces. Patkus earned $2,175 for his victory.
The top 10 co-anglers finished as follows:
1st: Jonathan Patkus of Columbia, Md., five bass, 12-10, $2,175
2nd: Cornell Badra of Clarksburg, Md., five bass, 12-0, $1,088
3rd: Matt McCluskey of Ashburn, Va., four bass, 11-2, $726
4th: Richard Hare of Fredericksburg, Va., five bass, 10-3, $507
5th: Mark Blankenship of Christiansburg, Va., five bass, 10-1, $435
6th: Timothy Kinder of Manassas, Va., five bass, 9-14, $899
7th: Austin Burdette of Pembroke, Va., five bass, 9-7, $363
8th: Alex Titus of Annandale, Va., five bass, 9-6, $326
9th: John Poos of Manassas, Va., five bass, 9-1, $272
9th: Bernie Scheiner of Burke, Va., four bass, 9-1, $272
Edward Dustin of Fredericksburg, Virginia, caught the largest bass in the Co-angler Division, a fish weighing in at 4 pounds 4 ounces. The catch earned him the day’s Co-angler Big Bass award of $307.
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, will be entered in 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.
Brown and Diggs take the win on Neely Henry
By Jason Duran
Photos by Chris Brown
July 25 – Gadsden, AL– The fourth stop of the Alabama Bass Trail North Division at Neely Henry Lake was an exciting win for the team of Adam Brown and Greg Diggs. The team planned to fish skinny water and ended up winning by the skinniest of margins. With 15.67 pounds of Neely Henry bass, they took home the $10,000 prize and qualified for the ABT Championship.
The first-place team of Adam Brown and Greg Diggs originally planned to fish creeks, but since they were boat 183, they expected lots of other teams to be in those creeks. To help them have more areas to fish, they decided to use a shallower running boat to go even more shallow than the competition. They went with that plan until they pulled into their first creek, looked around and noticed hardly anyone else was there. “When we pulled in, we just sat there for a minute and stared at each other in shock that we had it almost all to ourselves,” said Diggs. They were then able to not only fish shallow in the creeks, but also target the mouths of the creeks.
Adam said “the plan all along was to go shallow this time of year.” He shared, “that the deep bite here really is just hard and there are only a couple good areas that are usually covered up with fishermen.” They spent the day rotating between three creeks in a 10-mile radius from take-off, fishing water from 2-6 feet. Both have been fishing Neely Henry a long time and were able to use that history to put together this win. Two key baits that were used: a black and blue Bo’s Jig and a chartreuse and white Bo’s Spinner Bait. “We have lost many times by an ounce and to win by an ounce really feels good after losing that way before.”
Bradley Jones and Broox Goza finished in second place with 15.52 pounds. Broox said they really wanted to “catch them out of the grass, but the grass bite just isn’t working right now.” He shared that he found some fish in practice that were keying in on shad, so they decided to make that the plan and spent most of the day targeting main lake bars with shad. Bradley said that pattern “produced a limit around 10 pounds.” In those areas they used a homemade spinner bait and buzz bait with a Horny Toad trailer. In the afternoon, the weather began to change as the rain moved in hard. With conditions changing, they decided to go shallow “flippin’ shallow gravel bars” according to Broox and were able to catch a key 4-pound fish that helped them upgrade their limit to move them into second place.
The third-place team on Neely Henry was Mark McCaig and Tim Hurst with a total of 14.38 pounds. Tim said they “spent most of the morning fishing shallow and had an 8-pound limit around 11:30.” That limit included a really good spotted bass and a 3.75 largemouth. Mark said they covered a lot of water “starting about a mile north of take-off and fishing south all the way to the Neely Henry Dam.” Tim said, “the bite got better in the afternoon when wind started picking up in the area where they were fishing”. During the afternoon they were able to cull three of their morning fish and upgrade to their 14.38 weight. That limit included two spotted bass and three largemouth. They left the area early because the storms were getting closer and “neither of them wanted to get struck by lightning.” They caught over 15 fish all day on three key baits. The large spotted bass was caught on a Reactions Innovations beaver in Green Pumpkin, and Tim caught their largest fish (largemouth) on a Dirty Jigs Canterbury Craw Jig. They also used a Strike King 5 XD Crankbait in Sexy Shad.
The top ten standings are below for a full list of results visit.
https://www.alabamabasstrail.org/tournament-series/nhl-results/
Johnston Battles Rough Water To Win Bassmaster Elite At St. Lawrence River
Chris Johnston, of Peterborough, Ontario, Canada, has won the 2020 SiteOne Bassmaster Elite at St. Lawrence River with a four-day total of 97 pounds, 8 ounces.
Photo by Seigo Saito/B.A.S.S.
July 26, 2020
CLAYTON, N.Y. — His home waters were off-limits this week, but that didn’t stop Canadian standout Chris Johnston from winning the SiteOne Bassmaster Elite at St. Lawrence River with a whopping four-day total of 20 smallmouth bass that weighed 97 pounds, 8 ounces.
The first Canadian to claim an Elite title, Johnston was the only competitor to break 20 pounds each day. Hailing from Peterborough, Ontario, he placed second on Day 1 with 27-0 and held that position for two more days with weights of 24-12 and 23-0.
Entering Championship Sunday a little more than 2 pounds off the lead, Johnston added a final limit of 22-12 to surge ahead of Connecticut pro Paul Mueller and win by a margin of 1-10. Mueller had led the event all three days going into the final round.
“This has been a crazy year fishing-wise for me; I had two of the worst tournaments probably in my career and to bounce back and win on the St. Lawrence, of all places, is just incredible,” said Johnston, who finished 71st and 59th in the first two Elite Series events this year. “I’ve wanted a big tournament win on the St. Lawrence River bad, and it finally came together.
“I’ve watched Bassmaster my whole life and even if you’d asked me three or four years ago, I didn’t think I’d be here in this position. It’s been surreal. I can’t even describe how cool it feels.”
Throughout the week, Johnston used several baits, including a tube, a Ned rig and a black hair jig. On Sunday, he caught his fish on a drop shot with a green pumpkin Berkley Flat Worm. He needed a 3/8-ounce tungsten weight for proper presentations on Lake Ontario, where steady 6- to 8-foot waves made everything more difficult than it had been the three previous days.
The first two days saw Johnston plucking early keepers from a rocky point inside the river and then moving out to fish Lake Ontario rockpiles in 20 to 40 feet. On Saturday and Sunday, he did the majority of his work in the Great Lake.
The tournament’s first three days offered mostly calm conditions, but Sunday saw strong southwest winds which created conditions so rough that many anglers who qualified for the Championship round elected to stay in the safer confines of the St. Lawrence River. A lifetime of experience told Johnston Lake Ontario held his best opportunity to catch a winning bag, so he committed to one key area with several rockpiles in 20 to 50 feet of water along a 500-yard stretch.
“The biggest thing with the weather is just getting to your spot,” Johnston said of his safety-conscious navigation. “Once I got there, I just went upwind and drifted into the spot and then held on the spot as long as I could. Then I’d blow off the spot and do another drift."
In 2019, Johnston experienced the inverse of this year’s finish, leading the St. Lawrence event for three days before settling for the runner-up position.
“Finishing second last year makes this win all that much sweeter,” Johnston said. “I can’t wait to get home and celebrate with family and friends.”
Johnston earned $102,000 for his victory.
Mueller finished in second place with 95-14. After leading the event for three days, he found the rough waters of Lake Ontario less generous. In the Championship round, he added 18-15 to his previous weights of 27-1, 25-1 and 24-13.
He targeted rockpiles and rock breaks in 17 to 21 feet and caught all of his fish on a drop shot with a Berkley Flat Worm in the natural shad color. Uncertain of how long it would take him to run back through the rough water to the weigh-in site, Mueller left the lake around 1:45 p.m. and ended up with time to fish the river.
“Honestly, I think I feel like I left too early because I didn’t know how rough it was going to be,” Mueller said. “I felt like everything else I did today was flawless. I should have pushed it to the max, but I had no idea how long it was going to take to get back and that’s just inexperience on a body of water with that type of wind.”
Mueller's second prize earnings came to $27,000. He will also take home $3,000 for being the highest-placing entrant in the Toyota Bonus Bucks program.
Brock Mosley of Collinsville, Miss., finished third with 84-2. His daily weights were 24-2, 19-13, 20-4 and 19-15.
Celebrating the birth of his second child on Wednesday, Mosley bucked the overwhelmingly smallmouth-heavy trend and targeted St. Lawrence’s robust, but largely overlooked, largemouth population around residential docks and flat rock shoals.
“I caught all of my fish on a 3/8-ounce green pumpkin Z-Man Jack Hammer ChatterBait because I could cover a lot of water,” Mosley said. “That was the key. I had to cover a lot of water to run into a good one.
“I used a couple of different trailers so I could fish an area with one trailer and then go back through it with a different trailer. I ended up catching a few smallmouth, too, but I caught them fishing for largemouth."
Mueller won the race for Phoenix Boats Big Bass of the week with his 7-13 smallmouth. The bass, which he described as the “fish of a lifetime,” was just 7 ounces shy of the New York state record and is believed to be the largest smallmouth ever caught in a B.A.S.S. event.
The tournament was hosted by Jefferson County in cooperation with the Village of Clayton and the 1000 Islands Clayton Chamber of Commerce.
2020 SiteOne Bassmaster Elite at St. Lawrence River 7/23-7/26
St. Lawrence River, Clayton NY.
(PROFESSIONAL) Standings Day 4
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Pts Total $$$
1. Chris Johnston Peterborough Ontario CA 20 97-08 100 $102,000.00
Day 1: 5 27-00 Day 2: 5 24-12 Day 3: 5 23-00 Day 4: 5 22-12
2. Paul Mueller Naugatuck, CT 20 95-14 99 $27,000.00
Day 1: 5 27-01 Day 2: 5 25-01 Day 3: 5 24-13 Day 4: 5 18-15
3. Brock Mosley Collinsville, MS 20 84-02 98 $21,000.00
Day 1: 5 24-02 Day 2: 5 19-13 Day 3: 5 20-04 Day 4: 5 19-15
4. Chad Morgenthaler Reeds Spring, MO 20 81-03 97 $15,000.00
Day 1: 5 23-06 Day 2: 5 24-01 Day 3: 5 22-08 Day 4: 5 11-04
5. Micah Frazier Newnan, GA 20 81-01 96 $15,000.00
Day 1: 5 22-12 Day 2: 5 19-13 Day 3: 5 19-11 Day 4: 5 18-13
6. Taku Ito Chiba JAPAN 20 80-10 95 $15,000.00
Day 1: 5 20-08 Day 2: 5 23-00 Day 3: 5 20-00 Day 4: 5 17-02
7. Cory Johnston Cavan CANADA 20 80-09 94 $15,000.00
Day 1: 5 19-07 Day 2: 5 19-03 Day 3: 5 25-08 Day 4: 5 16-07
8. Clark Wendlandt Leander, TX 18 76-11 93 $15,000.00
Day 1: 5 26-03 Day 2: 5 21-10 Day 3: 5 18-13 Day 4: 3 10-01
9. Brad Whatley Bivins, TX 20 74-10 92 $15,000.00
Day 1: 5 19-06 Day 2: 5 19-08 Day 3: 5 21-11 Day 4: 5 14-01
10. Brandon Palaniuk Rathdrum, ID 18 66-01 91 $15,000.00
Day 1: 5 17-08 Day 2: 5 21-15 Day 3: 5 20-05 Day 4: 3 06-05
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
PHOENIX BOATS BIG BASS
Day
1 Paul Mueller Naugatuck, CT 07-13 $1,000.00
2 Chris Johnston Peterborough Ontario CANADA06-05 $1,000.00
3 Brock Mosley Collinsville, MS 06-10 $1,000.00
4 Chris Johnston Peterborough Ontario CANADA04-13 $1,000.00
10.49 Monster Wins Mega Bass on Lake Fork
Tommy Ellis, Athens, LA tops a record field of over 1800 anglers at the
Mega Bass on Lake Fork with a 10.49 lb. monster.
Wins a new Skeeter ZX 200 - Yamaha 200 SHO plus $15,000 Cash.
Top 50 money earners at Mega Bass
for complete results click here
Angler City State Weight Prize Amount
TOMMY ELLIS Athens LA 10.49 Skeeter ZX 200 - Yamaha 200 SHO
Plus
$15,000.00
JERRY DEAN II McKinney TX 10.02
$15,000.00
STEVE TRIMBLE Duncanville TX 9.10
$15,000.00
JOSHUA PEARCE Murchison TX 8.98
$15,000.00
BILLY GILBERT Hot Springs AR 8.73
$15,000.00
BRAD ROGERS Yantis TX 8.63
$15,000.00
TIM WILCOXSON Rockwall TX 8.37
$15,000.00
DARRELL DODD Como TX 9.81
$1000.00
DANNY KRAATZ Azle TX 8.35
$1000.00
ANTHONY JONES Willis TX 8.32
$1000.00
CLAYTON CEGLINSKI Yantis TX 7.72
$1000.00
SHAWN WASURICK Greenville TX 6.46
$1000.00
RORY LAYNE Dallas TX 2.60
$1000.00
JOHN BOISVERT Lewisville TX 2.54
$1000.00
CODY OBRIEN Frisco TX 7.86
$900.00
PENNY LINKINHOKER Kilgore TX 7.84
$900.00
MATT HENRY Milledgeville GA 7.70
$900.00
GEORGE SHIPPEY Mount Pleasant TX 7.37
$900.00
RONNIE JONES Marshall TX 2.78
$900.00
CURTIS DANIELS Emory TX 2.58
$900.00
CORY ANDERSON Fort Worth TX 2.49
$850.00
BOBBY PEEK Greenville TX 2.49
$850.00
RANDALL HORTON Russellville AR 7.52
$800.00
MICHAEL SIERRA San Antonio TX 7.48
$800.00
MARK SHORES Irving TX 6.39
$800.00
BOBBY PEEK Greenville TX 2.69
$800.00
BOBBY PEEK Greenville TX 2.66
$800.00
KADEN WIEDENFELD Boerne TX 2.56
$800.00
BRANDON MARKS Buna TX 7.24
$700.00
JERRET GILCREASE Allen TX 6.95
$700.00
JOSEPH RAINS Gainesville TX 2.53
$700.00
DENISE BRADFORD Emory TX 2.51
$700.00
SAM TRINCA Alba TX 2.47
$700.00
KYLE KEATING Barry TX 2.45
$700.00
JOSEPH LEHEW Fort Worth TX 2.40
$650.00
LARRY COX Wichita Falls TX 2.40
$650.00
JOE DAVID HICKS Wichita Falls TX 6.72
$600.00
DEREK JONES Sunnyvale TX 2.63
$600.00
JEFF BARLOW Garland TX 2.51
$600.00
TYLER DENNIS Mesquite TX 2.44
$600.00
JOE DAVID HICKS Wichita Falls TX 2.41
$600.00
RILEY LAMBERT Rye CO 2.36
$600.00
CHARLES BENEDICT Forney TX 2.82
$500.00
MIKE DORCZ Huffman TX 2.61
$500.00
BRENT CANTRELL Wortham TX 2.43
$500.00
JOSHUA COOK Texarkana AR 2.39
$500.00
TREVOR ROMANS Celina TX 2.39
$500.00
KENNETH MOORE Red Oak TX 2.34
$500.00
MARK ANGELO Richardson TX 2.64
$400.00
MLFNOW! Analyst Marty Stone Joins “FLW Live”
Veteran Pro Angler and MLF Mainstay Appearing as Analyst on FLW Live Broadcasts for Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit Super Tournaments and TITLE
BENTON, Ky. (July 23, 2020) – FLW, the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization, and Major League Fishing (MLF) announced the addition of veteran MLF NOW! analyst Marty Stone to the FLW Live broadcast team. Stone, one of the most respected voices in the sport of professional bass fishing, joins the FLW Live broadcasts for the remaining Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit events, as well as the Tackle Warehouse FLW TITLE presented by Toyota, the Pro Circuit Championship.
A person sitting at a table
Description automatically generated“We’re blending both worlds – Major League Fishing and FLW – and the Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit is full of a lot of good, hungry and motivated fisherman. They are some of the most fun events that I have had the opportunity to cover,” said Stone. “My FLW co-hosts Travis Moran and Todd Hollowell are completely different personalities than MLF’s Chad (McKee) and J.T. (Kenney), and they are total professionals and have welcomed me into their world. I know that there was already a ton of talent on the Pro Circuit, and now with the addition of the MLF pros I’m excited to see how the rest of the season plays out.”
“Marty’s extensive experience in our sport, including his many years fishing FLW tournaments, give him a unique voice and great insight into the intricacies of professional bass fishing,” said FLW Executive Vice President and General Manager Kathy Fennel. “There was a natural chemistry between Marty, Travis and Todd on the Lake Chickamauga Super Tournament broadcast, and we are excited that Marty is able to join our broadcast team for the remaining Pro Circuit events this year.”
Stone becomes a mainstay on the FLW Live on-the-water broadcasts, which air on all four days of competition at the Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit Super Tournaments and six days of competition at the Tackle Warehouse FLW TITLE presented by Toyota. FLW Live features live action from the boats of the tournament’s top pros each day. Stone joins the FLW Live broadcast team of Travis Moran and Toyota Series pro Todd Hollowell to break down the extended action each competition day from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. On-the-water broadcasts are live streamed on FLWFishing.com.
A North Carolina native, Stone fished for 17 seasons at the sport’s top levels and amassed nearly $1 million in career earnings. Stone qualified for four Bassmaster Classics, four FLW Cup Championships, was a two-time event winner, FLW Angler of the Year runner-up in 1997 and Bassmaster Angler of the Year runner-up in 2005. Stone has transitioned from retired professional angler into full-time Director Event Research and Program Analyst with MLF.
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.
Mueller Still Setting The Pace At Bassmaster Elite On St. Lawrence River
Paul Mueller, of Naugatuck, Conn., is leading after Day 3 of the 2020 SiteOne Bassmaster Elite at St. Lawrence River with a three-day total of 76 pounds, 15 ounces.
Photo by Seigo Saito/B.A.S.S.
July 25, 2020
CLAYTON, N.Y. — Paul Mueller continued his dominant performance Saturday with another big bag of smallmouth bass that weighed 24 pounds, 13 ounces.
Added to his catches of 27-1 on Thursday and 25-1 on Friday, Mueller now has a three-day total of 76-15 that gives him the lead at the SiteOne Bassmaster Elite at St. Lawrence River for the third straight round.
Sticking with his game plan, the Connecticut pro fished Lake Ontario and targeted rockpiles and breaks but remained shallower than the first two days and caught his fish in about 18 to 27 feet.
“I didn’t really look deep because I was disappointed with the deep fish yesterday,” Mueller said. “I probably could have run around a little more, but you have to make decisions and stick with them.”
Mueller again stuck with the drop shot baited with a Berkley MaxScent Flat Worm in the natural shad color. Great Lakes smallmouth bite plenty of bottom-oriented baits, but an abundance of sharp-shelled zebra mussels create constant perils that Mueller wisely avoided.
“Unless you really get on a high rock, you don’t run the risk of fraying your line above the line tie,” he said. “That’s why the drop shot is so effective because your landing ratio is higher than dragging a tube.”
Mueller noted that one of his keepers bit when he deadsticked his drop shot, meaning he applied no shaking motion. He couldn’t replicate that technique elsewhere, but Mueller noted that an overall strategy of slowing down and committing more time to each location seemed to be the right call.
“I told myself I was going to fish fewer places today, but I was going to fish them thoroughly,” Mueller said. “I did pull up on a fresh spot toward the end of the day and caught two 5-pounders, so that was a critical move.”
Each of Mueller’s keepers clearly mattered, but his third keeper of the day produced a highlight-reel moment. The 4-pounder bit right off the bow and immediately bolted to the back of the boat. Dashing around his outboard engine, the fish became entangled on one of his Power-Poles.
Mueller was able to grab his leader and hand line the fish close enough to scoop it into the boat.
“That was a positive thing because it could have been a disastrous deal, and I felt very blessed to be able to land it,” Mueller said. “The fish literally had about 8 feet of fluorocarbon leader attached to the Power-Pole and there was no way I was freeing it.
“Thankfully, I got my hands on the fish and she was still pretty hot. That was a special fish catch, for sure.”
Day 3 began with calm conditions, but wind and waves increased to bow-splashing levels by late morning. Sunday’s forecast for stronger southwest winds will further agitate Lake Ontario, but Mueller said he knows where he needs to fish.
“If I can go, I’m going to go,” he said. “I have some places I should be able to fish. You have to be smart and you have to be safe. That comes first, but if I can go, it’s a no-brainer.
“I have some spots in the river where I think I could put together a good bag, but the caliber of fish is much better in the lake.”
Chris Johnston of Peterborough, Ontario, Canada is in second place with 74-12. After making a couple of unproductive drifts on his river spot, he spent all day on Lake Ontario where he caught his bass over rockpiles in 20 to 40 feet.
“I changed up baits today and caught six or seven when I changed from a drop shot,” Johnston said of a clandestine move that paid big dividends. “I’ve caught them doing this before. It’s a bottom-contact bait, and they ate it really well.
“You can’t drag like you could on Lake Erie because there’s moss on the bottom. It’s a different presentation.”
Chad Morgenthaler of Reed Springs, Mo., is in third place with 69-15. Focusing on the eastern shore of Lake Ontario, he fished a drop shot with a Berkley finesse worm and caught his fish in 20 to 26 feet.
“I have areas and then I have some sweet spots in those areas, and that’s what I’m trying to stay around,” Morgenthaler said. “I’m just easing around with my Garmin LiveScope and looking for them. They might be on a rock, they might be out off the rock on a break.”
Mueller is in the lead for Phoenix Boats Big Bass honors with his 7-13 — a bass that is believed to be the biggest smallmouth ever landed in an Elite Series event and possibly the largest caught in any B.A.S.S. event.
In addition to having his third career Elite Series victory within his grasp, Mueller needs 23-1 to earn one of the coveted Century Belts awarded to anglers who catch at least 100 pounds of bass in an Elite Series event. Johnston is 25-4 away from the 100-pound mark — and if either or both reach the mark, they would be the first to receive Century Belts for totals amassed exclusively with smallmouth.
The Top 10 remaining anglers will take off at 6:45 a.m. ET from the Clayton Antique Boat Museum. The weigh-in will be held back at the museum at 3 p.m., with a $100,000 first-place prize on the line.
Live coverage of the event will be available starting at 7 a.m. on Bassmaster LIVE at Bassmaster.com with simulcasts on ESPN2 and ESPN3. Check local listings for ESPN2 times.
The tournament is being hosted by Jefferson County in cooperation with the Village of Clayton and the 1000 Islands Clayton Chamber of Commerce.
2020 SiteOne Bassmaster Elite at St. Lawrence River 7/23-7/26
St. Lawrence River, Clayton NY.
(PROFESSIONAL) Standings Day 3
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Pts Total $$$
1. Paul Mueller Naugatuck, CT 15 76-15 100 $1,000.00
Day 1: 5 27-01 Day 2: 5 25-01 Day 3: 5 24-13
2. Chris Johnston Peterborough Ontario CA 15 74-12 99 $1,000.00
Day 1: 5 27-00 Day 2: 5 24-12 Day 3: 5 23-00
3. Chad Morgenthaler Reeds Spring, MO 15 69-15 98
Day 1: 5 23-06 Day 2: 5 24-01 Day 3: 5 22-08
4. Clark Wendlandt Leander, TX 15 66-10 97
Day 1: 5 26-03 Day 2: 5 21-10 Day 3: 5 18-13
5. Brock Mosley Collinsville, MS 15 64-03 96 $1,000.00
Day 1: 5 24-02 Day 2: 5 19-13 Day 3: 5 20-04
6. Cory Johnston Cavan CANADA 15 64-02 95
Day 1: 5 19-07 Day 2: 5 19-03 Day 3: 5 25-08
7. Taku Ito Chiba JAPAN 15 63-08 94
Day 1: 5 20-08 Day 2: 5 23-00 Day 3: 5 20-00
8. Micah Frazier Newnan, GA 15 62-04 93
Day 1: 5 22-12 Day 2: 5 19-13 Day 3: 5 19-11
9. Brad Whatley Bivins, TX 15 60-09 92
Day 1: 5 19-06 Day 2: 5 19-08 Day 3: 5 21-11
10. Brandon Palaniuk Rathdrum, ID 15 59-12 91
Day 1: 5 17-08 Day 2: 5 21-15 Day 3: 5 20-05
11. Chris Zaldain Fort Worth, TX 15 59-09 90 $12,000.00
Day 1: 5 17-10 Day 2: 5 20-14 Day 3: 5 21-01
12. Jeff Gustafson Keewatin Ontario CANADA 15 58-03 89 $12,000.00
Day 1: 5 16-06 Day 2: 5 23-02 Day 3: 5 18-11
13. Steve Kennedy Auburn, AL 15 57-00 88 $12,000.00
Day 1: 5 21-03 Day 2: 5 17-14 Day 3: 5 17-15
14. Garrett Paquette Canton, MI 15 57-00 87 $12,000.00
Day 1: 5 18-00 Day 2: 5 18-05 Day 3: 5 20-11
15. Bernie Schultz Gainesville, FL 15 56-12 86 $12,000.00
Day 1: 5 16-12 Day 2: 5 21-01 Day 3: 5 18-15
16. Matt Herren Ashville, AL 15 56-11 85 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 18-11 Day 2: 5 17-13 Day 3: 5 20-03
17. Greg DiPalma Millville, NJ 15 56-00 84 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 20-00 Day 2: 5 20-07 Day 3: 5 15-09
18. Seth Feider New Market, MN 15 55-04 83 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 19-05 Day 2: 5 19-03 Day 3: 5 16-12
19. Brian Snowden Reeds Spring, MO 15 54-14 82 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 19-04 Day 2: 5 20-02 Day 3: 5 15-08
20. Carl Jocumsen Queensland TN AUSTRALIA 15 54-03 81 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 13-13 Day 2: 5 21-14 Day 3: 5 18-08
21. Hunter Shryock Newcomerstown, OH 15 54-01 80 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 21-08 Day 2: 5 18-06 Day 3: 5 14-03
22. Mike Huff Corbin, KY 15 53-10 79 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 21-08 Day 2: 5 19-08 Day 3: 5 12-10
23. Clifford Pirch Payson, AZ 15 53-04 78 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 24-12 Day 2: 5 19-06 Day 3: 5 09-02
24. Cliff Prince Palatka, FL 15 52-15 77 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 18-06 Day 2: 5 18-03 Day 3: 5 16-06
25. Austin Felix Eden Prairie, MN 15 52-08 76 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 20-05 Day 2: 5 13-13 Day 3: 5 18-06
26. Clent Davis Montevallo, AL 15 52-03 75 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 19-04 Day 2: 5 13-12 Day 3: 5 19-03
27. Jamie Hartman Newport, NY 15 52-00 74 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 16-00 Day 2: 5 17-08 Day 3: 5 18-08
28. Ed Loughran III Richmond, VA 15 52-00 73 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 18-04 Day 2: 5 17-14 Day 3: 5 15-14
29. Chad Pipkens Dewitt, MI 15 51-15 72 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 17-08 Day 2: 5 21-07 Day 3: 5 13-00
30. Brandon Card Salisbury, NC 15 51-11 71 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 18-07 Day 2: 5 14-15 Day 3: 5 18-05
31. Drew Benton Blakely, GA 15 51-06 70 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 15-14 Day 2: 5 19-11 Day 3: 5 15-13
32. Bill Lowen Brookville, IN 15 51-02 69 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 15-02 Day 2: 5 18-09 Day 3: 5 17-07
33. Skylar Hamilton Dandridge, TN 15 50-01 68 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 14-05 Day 2: 5 19-10 Day 3: 5 16-02
34. Randy Sullivan Breckenridge, TX 15 49-14 67 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 18-13 Day 2: 5 14-14 Day 3: 5 16-03
35. Buddy Gross Chickamauga, GA 15 49-07 66 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 19-12 Day 2: 5 14-01 Day 3: 5 15-10
36. Ray Hanselman Jr Del Rio, TX 15 49-06 65 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 14-05 Day 2: 5 18-12 Day 3: 5 16-05
37. David Mullins Mt Carmel, TN 15 49-01 64 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 20-02 Day 2: 5 18-08 Day 3: 5 10-07
38. Frank Talley Temple, TX 14 48-14 63 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 14-02 Day 2: 5 19-14 Day 3: 4 14-14
39. Caleb Kuphall Mukwonago, WI 15 47-04 62 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 18-10 Day 2: 5 15-13 Day 3: 5 12-13
40. Bob Downey Hudson, WI 15 42-13 61 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 17-05 Day 2: 5 17-15 Day 3: 5 07-09
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
PHOENIX BOATS BIG BASS
Day
1 Paul Mueller Naugatuck, CT 07-13 $1,000.00
2 Chris Johnston Peterborough Ontario CANADA06-05 $1,000.00
3 Brock Mosley Collinsville, MS 06-10 $1,000.00
Despite Slow Start, Mueller Maintains Lead At Bassmaster Elite On St. Lawrence River
CLAYTON, N.Y. — After sacking up 27 pounds, 1 ounce during Thursday’s opening round, Connecticut pro Paul Mueller added 25-1 Friday and maintained the lead in the SiteOne Bassmaster Elite at St. Lawrence River with a two-day total of 52-2.
Committing his day to the massive waters of Lake Ontario, Mueller started on rock transitions in about 40 feet, but he seemed to struggle in the early going.
“Some of the places I had, they really suspended and those fish got tougher to catch,” Mueller said. “I realized I had to get away from that and once I found fish on the bottom, those fish were easier to catch.
“The fact that the shallower fish didn’t suspend is kind of intriguing, but I also think the deeper fish were feeding on something else other than gobies.”
Mueller got things moving in the right direction around 11:30 a.m. when he boated a 4 1/2-pounder, the first of four big fish he’d catch in about an hour. Moving into shallower areas and fishing rock structure in 20 to 26 feet proved to be the key decision.
He caught all of his fish on a drop shot with a Berkley MaxScent Flat Worm in the natural shad and goby colors. Noting that his fish seemed much spookier in the day’s clear, calm conditions, Mueller said he had to transition from vertical drops to a cast-and-drag presentation.
“The fish definitely got a little more finicky, and they definitely got a little more boat shy,” Mueller said. “I think boat shadow, livewell noise and the pinging transducer all contributed to that. The big thing for me today was keeping away from the fish.
“I lost a big fish today because he didn’t eat the bait that well. I marked him under the boat and dropped down to him. If I stayed off of them, they were a lot easier to catch.”
Chris Johnston of Peterborough, Ontario, Canada, is in second place with 51-12. After starting his morning in the St. Lawrence River, Johnston plucked three of his better fish off the rocky point he fished Thursday. When that bite slowed, he again moved to the small rockpiles and breaks in Lake Ontario. Drop shotting produced his bites in both scenarios.
Johnston’s day-maker came during a late-morning move. En route to his next spot, he made a quick detour to a rockpile in 6 feet of water. He was looking for a big fish he’d spotted in practice and caught the 6-5 giant on his third cast with a 1/8-ounce black hair jig.
“The rockpile is 300 yards long, so I can’t throw the drop shot because it’s too slow,” Johnston said. “I can cover water faster with the hair jig, that’s the main thing. They’ll eat that drop shot if I put it in front of them, but I can cover more water with the hair jig.”
Clark Wendlandt of Leander, Texas, is in third place with 47-13. Returning to the same general area in Lake Ontario, Wendlandt started strong with a couple of good fish early but faced a midmorning dry spell before making an adjustment that allowed him to fill out a solid limit.
“I actually went to some new areas that I didn’t fish the first day and caught some there,” Wendlandt said. “I just kind of winged it because I had trouble with my trolling motor and I was struggling earlier. I was trying to fish some ways that were a little easier.”
Mueller is still in the lead for Phoenix Boats Big Bass honors with the mammoth 7-13 smallmouth he caught Thursday. The fish is believed to be the biggest smallmouth ever caught in Elite Series competition.
The tournament will resume Saturday with the Top 40 remaining anglers taking off at 6:45 a.m. ET from the Clayton Antique Boat Museum. The weigh-in will be back at the museum at 3 p.m., with only the Top 10 anglers advancing to Championship Sunday with a chance to win the $100,000 first-place prize.
Live coverage of the event will be available starting at 8 a.m. on Bassmaster LIVE at Bassmaster.com with simulcasts on ESPN2 and ESPN3. Check local listings for ESPN2 times.
The tournament is being hosted by Jefferson County in cooperation with the Village of Clayton and the 1000 Islands Clayton Chamber of Commerce.
2020 SiteOne Bassmaster Elite at St. Lawrence River 7/23-7/26
St. Lawrence River, Clayton NY.
(PROFESSIONAL) Standings Day 2
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Pts Total $$$
1. Paul Mueller Naugatuck, CT 10 52-02 100 $1,000.00
Day 1: 5 27-01 Day 2: 5 25-01
2. Chris Johnston Peterborough Ontario CA 10 51-12 99 $1,000.00
Day 1: 5 27-00 Day 2: 5 24-12
3. Clark Wendlandt Leander, TX 10 47-13 98
Day 1: 5 26-03 Day 2: 5 21-10
4. Chad Morgenthaler Reeds Spring, MO 10 47-07 97
Day 1: 5 23-06 Day 2: 5 24-01
5. Clifford Pirch Payson, AZ 10 44-02 96
Day 1: 5 24-12 Day 2: 5 19-06
6. Brock Mosley Collinsville, MS 10 43-15 95
Day 1: 5 24-02 Day 2: 5 19-13
7. Taku Ito Chiba JAPAN 10 43-08 94
Day 1: 5 20-08 Day 2: 5 23-00
8. Micah Frazier Newnan, GA 10 42-09 93
Day 1: 5 22-12 Day 2: 5 19-13
9. Mike Huff Corbin, KY 10 41-00 92
Day 1: 5 21-08 Day 2: 5 19-08
10. Greg DiPalma Millville, NJ 10 40-07 91
Day 1: 5 20-00 Day 2: 5 20-07
11. Hunter Shryock Newcomerstown, OH 10 39-14 90
Day 1: 5 21-08 Day 2: 5 18-06
12. Jeff Gustafson Keewatin Ontario CANADA 10 39-08 89
Day 1: 5 16-06 Day 2: 5 23-02
13. Brandon Palaniuk Rathdrum, ID 10 39-07 88
Day 1: 5 17-08 Day 2: 5 21-15
14. Brian Snowden Reeds Spring, MO 10 39-06 87
Day 1: 5 19-04 Day 2: 5 20-02
15. Steve Kennedy Auburn, AL 10 39-01 86
Day 1: 5 21-03 Day 2: 5 17-14
16. Chad Pipkens Dewitt, MI 10 38-15 85
Day 1: 5 17-08 Day 2: 5 21-07
17. Brad Whatley Bivins, TX 10 38-14 84
Day 1: 5 19-06 Day 2: 5 19-08
18. David Mullins Mt Carmel, TN 10 38-10 83
Day 1: 5 20-02 Day 2: 5 18-08
19. Cory Johnston Cavan CANADA 10 38-10 82
Day 1: 5 19-07 Day 2: 5 19-03
20. Chris Zaldain Fort Worth, TX 10 38-08 81
Day 1: 5 17-10 Day 2: 5 20-14
21. Seth Feider New Market, MN 10 38-08 80
Day 1: 5 19-05 Day 2: 5 19-03
22. Bernie Schultz Gainesville, FL 10 37-13 79
Day 1: 5 16-12 Day 2: 5 21-01
23. Cliff Prince Palatka, FL 10 36-09 78
Day 1: 5 18-06 Day 2: 5 18-03
24. Matt Herren Ashville, AL 10 36-08 77
Day 1: 5 18-11 Day 2: 5 17-13
25. Garrett Paquette Canton, MI 10 36-05 76
Day 1: 5 18-00 Day 2: 5 18-05
26. Ed Loughran III Richmond, VA 10 36-02 75
Day 1: 5 18-04 Day 2: 5 17-14
27. Carl Jocumsen Queensland TN AUSTRALIA 10 35-11 74
Day 1: 5 13-13 Day 2: 5 21-14
28. Drew Benton Blakely, GA 10 35-09 73
Day 1: 5 15-14 Day 2: 5 19-11
29. Bob Downey Hudson, WI 10 35-04 72
Day 1: 5 17-05 Day 2: 5 17-15
30. Caleb Kuphall Mukwonago, WI 10 34-07 71
Day 1: 5 18-10 Day 2: 5 15-13
31. Austin Felix Eden Prairie, MN 10 34-02 70
Day 1: 5 20-05 Day 2: 5 13-13
32. Frank Talley Temple, TX 10 34-00 69
Day 1: 5 14-02 Day 2: 5 19-14
33. Skylar Hamilton Dandridge, TN 10 33-15 68
Day 1: 5 14-05 Day 2: 5 19-10
34. Buddy Gross Chickamauga, GA 10 33-13 67
Day 1: 5 19-12 Day 2: 5 14-01
35. Randy Sullivan Breckenridge, TX 10 33-11 66
Day 1: 5 18-13 Day 2: 5 14-14
36. Bill Lowen Brookville, IN 10 33-11 65
Day 1: 5 15-02 Day 2: 5 18-09
37. Jamie Hartman Newport, NY 10 33-08 64
Day 1: 5 16-00 Day 2: 5 17-08
38. Brandon Card Salisbury, NC 10 33-06 63
Day 1: 5 18-07 Day 2: 5 14-15
39. Ray Hanselman Jr Del Rio, TX 10 33-01 62
Day 1: 5 14-05 Day 2: 5 18-12
40. Clent Davis Montevallo, AL 10 33-00 61
Day 1: 5 19-04 Day 2: 5 13-12
41. Stetson Blaylock Benton, AR 10 32-15 60 $7,500.00
Day 1: 5 18-08 Day 2: 5 14-07
42. Matt Arey Shelby, NC 10 32-09 59 $7,500.00
Day 1: 5 20-01 Day 2: 5 12-08
43. Scott Canterbury Odenville, AL 10 32-06 58 $7,500.00
Day 1: 5 12-06 Day 2: 5 20-00
44. Keith Combs Huntington, TX 10 31-15 57 $7,500.00
Day 1: 5 19-01 Day 2: 5 12-14
45. Hank Cherry Jr Lincolnton, NC 10 31-14 56 $7,500.00
Day 1: 5 19-00 Day 2: 5 12-14
46. Jason Williamson Wagener, SC 10 31-09 55 $5,000.00
Day 1: 5 16-08 Day 2: 5 15-01
47. Patrick Walters Summerville, SC 10 31-03 54 $5,000.00
Day 1: 5 14-05 Day 2: 5 16-14
48. Brandon Lester Fayetteville, TN 10 31-01 53 $5,000.00
Day 1: 5 16-02 Day 2: 5 14-15
49. John Cox Debary, FL 10 31-00 52 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 18-05 Day 2: 5 12-11
50. Koby Kreiger Alva, FL 10 30-15 51 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 13-03 Day 2: 5 17-12
51. Jake Whitaker Fairview, NC 10 30-13 50 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 12-14 Day 2: 5 17-15
52. Kelley Jaye Dadeville, AL 9 30-11 49 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 18-08 Day 2: 4 12-03
53. Destin DeMarion Grove City, PA 10 30-08 48 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 18-00 Day 2: 5 12-08
54. Luke Palmer Coalgate, OK 10 30-08 47 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 14-14 Day 2: 5 15-10
55. Chris Groh Spring Grove, IL 10 30-07 46 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 12-00 Day 2: 5 18-07
56. Wes Logan Springville, AL 10 30-01 45 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 15-05 Day 2: 5 14-12
57. Tyler Carriere Youngsville, LA 10 29-09 44 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 14-12 Day 2: 5 14-13
58. Jay Yelas Lincoln City, OR 10 29-07 43 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 12-03 Day 2: 5 17-04
59. Rob Digh Denver, NC 10 29-04 42 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 14-07 Day 2: 5 14-13
60. Kyle Welcher Opelika, AL 10 28-07 41 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 12-00 Day 2: 5 16-07
61. Rick Clunn Ava, MO 9 28-04 40 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 21-00 Day 2: 4 07-04
62. Gerald Swindle Guntersville, AL 10 28-00 39 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 12-15 Day 2: 5 15-01
63. Jesse Tacoronte Kissimmee, FL 10 27-12 38 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 11-01 Day 2: 5 16-11
64. Todd Auten Lake Wylie, SC 10 27-08 37 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 13-10 Day 2: 5 13-14
65. Kyle Monti Okeechobee, FL 10 27-03 36 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 14-10 Day 2: 5 12-09
66. Bryan Schmitt Deale, MD 10 27-00 35 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 17-00 Day 2: 5 10-00
67. Shane Lineberger Lincolnton, NC 10 26-15 34 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 13-06 Day 2: 5 13-09
68. Derek Hudnall Denham Springs, LA 7 26-13 33 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 21-04 Day 2: 2 05-09
69. Robbie Latuso Gonzales, LA 10 26-13 32 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 16-00 Day 2: 5 10-13
70. David Fritts Lexington, NC 10 26-12 31 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 12-01 Day 2: 5 14-11
71. Brett Preuett Monroe, LA 10 26-05 30 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 16-12 Day 2: 5 09-09
72. Randy Pierson Oakdale, CA 10 26-05 29 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 12-07 Day 2: 5 13-14
73. Lee Livesay Longview, TX 9 26-02 28 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 17-11 Day 2: 4 08-07
74. Drew Cook Midway, FL 10 25-13 27 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 14-03 Day 2: 5 11-10
75. Harvey Horne Bella Vista, AR 10 25-07 26 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 14-09 Day 2: 5 10-14
76. Shane LeHew Catawba, NC 10 25-00 25 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 11-10 Day 2: 5 13-06
77. Quentin Cappo Prairieville, LA 10 24-08 24 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 13-00 Day 2: 5 11-08
78. Cody Hollen Beaverton, OR 8 23-10 23 $2,500.00
Day 1: 3 09-05 Day 2: 5 14-05
79. Tyler Rivet Raceland, LA 9 23-07 22 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 15-10 Day 2: 4 07-13
80. Bill Weidler Helena, AL 8 22-06 21 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 14-04 Day 2: 3 08-02
81. Brandon Cobb Greenwood, SC 10 22-06 20 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 09-04 Day 2: 5 13-02
82. Dale Hightower Mannford, OK 7 22-01 19 $2,500.00
Day 1: 3 07-08 Day 2: 4 14-09
83. Rick Morris Lake Gaston, VA 9 21-12 18 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 13-04 Day 2: 4 08-08
84. John Crews Jr Salem, VA 7 21-05 17 $2,500.00
Day 1: 2 05-01 Day 2: 5 16-04
85. Gary Clouse Winchester, TN 8 19-07 16 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 13-08 Day 2: 3 05-15
86. Caleb Sumrall New Iberia, LA 9 18-01 15 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 17-13 Day 2: 4 00-00
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PHOENIX BOATS BIG BASS
Day
1 Paul Mueller Naugatuck, CT 07-13 $1,000.00
2 Chris Johnston Peterborough Ontario CANADA06-05 $1,000.00
Monster Smallmouth Vaults Paul Mueller Into Lead At Bassmaster St. Lawrence Elite
CLAYTON, N.Y. — Tournament wisdom says you can’t win on Day 1, and you can’t win with a single bass.
But one giant bass certainly helped Connecticut pro Paul Mueller to a fantastic start Thursday, as he took the opening-round lead at the SiteOne Bassmaster Elite at St. Lawrence River with a 27-pound, 1-ounce limit. His bag was anchored by a massive smallmouth that weighed 7-13.
Seeking to add another 2020 Elite win to his season-opening victory on Florida’s St. Johns River, Mueller spent his day in Lake Ontario, where he targeted rock transitions in 15 to 35 feet. His area was thick with gobies — a prime smallmouth forage — but Mueller said his open-minded approach was essential to his success.
“I didn’t get locked into a certain depth, even though I caught more fish deeper in practice,” Mueller said. “Today, I caught fish shallower and my Garmin LiveScope was the key. It told me if they were there or not.
“That’s going to be a big deal for me this week — using that LiveScope to pinpoint these fish daily because these fish move. Smallmouth are here today and gone tomorrow. With good electronics, you’re able to stay with them. I’m hoping I can just be consistent.”
One of 17 competitors to break the 20-pound mark, Mueller caught all of his bass on a drop shot rigged with a Berkley MaxScent Flat Worm. He alternated between the natural shad and goby colors and used a custom 3/8-ounce Do-it Molds drop-shot weight.
“Where I’m fishing you don’t get a lot of bites, but they’re good fish,” Mueller said. “I feel like there’s a better average in the lake vs. the river. That’s the key: you just try to get five of those big bites a day.
“Today exceeded my expectations. I thought I could get a 23- to 25-pound bag if everything went right. But when you catch a 7-13, it surely ups your average.”
Mueller’s biggest fish bit around 9 a.m. and gave him every inch of the heart-racing battle for which giant smallies are known.
“That fish fought as big as it was; it didn’t give up,” Mueller said. “I saw it and immediately knew it (would be) the biggest smallmouth I’ve ever caught in my life. When it’s your personal best, there’s more on the line than a fishing tournament. I wanted to land that fish because I’d never caught a 7 before.
“I said ‘Just take your time with this fish.’ It bulldogged me, it gave me a run for my money, and I was fortunate enough to get my hands on it.”
Chris Johnston of Peterborough, Canada, is in second place with 27-0. Starting his day on a rock point in 30 feet of water inside the St. Lawrence River, Johnston targeted little sweet spots on the structure and sacked up nearly 22 pounds by 8 a.m.
After his early rally, he transitioned to the lake and fished isolated rockpiles and rock breaks in 20 to 24 feet.
“I started on that (river) spot because I figured a couple people might find it, and I wanted to get what I could because I knew there were some big ones on it,” Johnston said. “I did some damage there, and I knew I had some fish out in the lake if I needed some fillers.
“I didn’t want to lean on them too bad out in the lake because I was trying to save some stuff. A big thing was Garmin LiveScope because I could search for fish that weren’t under the boat. I was looking for fish, and if I saw a fish on the rock, I’d go over and catch it.”
Johnston caught all of his fish on drop shots. He held his cards low on bait specifics, but noted that he had a couple of confidence baits that proved vital to his success.
Clark Wendlandt of Leander, Texas, is in third place with 26-3. Committing his day to Lake Ontario, Wendlandt said he had located bass from 5 to 40 feet but ended up catching most of his weight in the deeper range.
After catching his bass in short order on a drop shot, Wendlandt backed off of his spot.
“I really don’t know what I have because I mostly only fished one spot,” he said. “I had a big bag fairly fast — I had a limit by 8:30 and had my weight by 9:30 — so I didn’t see any point in beating them up for no reason. I just decided I’d go practice.”
Mueller is in the lead for Phoenix Boats Big Bass honors with his 7-13.
Friday’s takeoff is scheduled for 6:45 a.m. E.T. at the Clayton Antique Boat Museum, with weigh-ins back at the museum at 3 p.m. The 86-angler field will be trimmed to the Top 40 after Friday’s round.
Live coverage of the event will be available starting at 8 a.m. on Bassmaster LIVE at Bassmaster.com with simulcasts on ESPN2 and ESPN3. Check local listings for ESPN2 times.
The tournament is being hosted by Jefferson County in cooperation with the Village of Clayton and the 1000 Islands Clayton Chamber of Commerce.
2020 SiteOne Bassmaster Elite at St. Lawrence River 7/23-7/26
St. Lawrence River, Clayton NY.
(PROFESSIONAL) Standings Day 1
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Pts Total $$$
1. Paul Mueller Naugatuck, CT 5 27-01 100
Day 1: 5 27-01
2. Chris Johnston Peterborough Ontario CA 5 27-00 99
Day 1: 5 27-00
3. Clark Wendlandt Leander, TX 5 26-03 98
Day 1: 5 26-03
4. Clifford Pirch Payson, AZ 5 24-12 97
Day 1: 5 24-12
5. Brock Mosley Collinsville, MS 5 24-02 96
Day 1: 5 24-02
6. Chad Morgenthaler Reeds Spring, MO 5 23-06 95
Day 1: 5 23-06
7. Micah Frazier Newnan, GA 5 22-12 94
Day 1: 5 22-12
8. Hunter Shryock Newcomerstown, OH 5 21-08 93
Day 1: 5 21-08
9. Mike Huff Corbin, KY 5 21-08 92
Day 1: 5 21-08
10. Derek Hudnall Denham Springs, LA 5 21-04 91
Day 1: 5 21-04
11. Steve Kennedy Auburn, AL 5 21-03 90
Day 1: 5 21-03
12. Rick Clunn Ava, MO 5 21-00 89
Day 1: 5 21-00
13. Taku Ito Chiba JAPAN 5 20-08 88
Day 1: 5 20-08
14. Austin Felix Eden Prairie, MN 5 20-05 87
Day 1: 5 20-05
15. David Mullins Mt Carmel, TN 5 20-02 86
Day 1: 5 20-02
16. Matt Arey Shelby, NC 5 20-01 85
Day 1: 5 20-01
17. Greg DiPalma Millville, NJ 5 20-00 84
Day 1: 5 20-00
18. Buddy Gross Chickamauga, GA 5 19-12 83
Day 1: 5 19-12
19. Cory Johnston Cavan CANADA 5 19-07 82
Day 1: 5 19-07
20. Brad Whatley Bivins, TX 5 19-06 81
Day 1: 5 19-06
21. Seth Feider New Market, MN 5 19-05 80
Day 1: 5 19-05
22. Clent Davis Montevallo, AL 5 19-04 79
Day 1: 5 19-04
23. Brian Snowden Reeds Spring, MO 5 19-04 78
Day 1: 5 19-04
24. Keith Combs Huntington, TX 5 19-01 77
Day 1: 5 19-01
25. Hank Cherry Jr Lincolnton, NC 5 19-00 76
Day 1: 5 19-00
26. Randy Sullivan Breckenridge, TX 5 18-13 75
Day 1: 5 18-13
27. Matt Herren Ashville, AL 5 18-11 74
Day 1: 5 18-11
28. Caleb Kuphall Mukwonago, WI 5 18-10 73
Day 1: 5 18-10
29. Kelley Jaye Dadeville, AL 5 18-08 72
Day 1: 5 18-08
30. Stetson Blaylock Benton, AR 5 18-08 71
Day 1: 5 18-08
31. Brandon Card Salisbury, NC 5 18-07 70
Day 1: 5 18-07
32. Cliff Prince Palatka, FL 5 18-06 69
Day 1: 5 18-06
33. John Cox Debary, FL 5 18-05 68
Day 1: 5 18-05
34. Ed Loughran III Richmond, VA 5 18-04 67
Day 1: 5 18-04
35. Destin DeMarion Grove City, PA 5 18-00 66
Day 1: 5 18-00
36. Garrett Paquette Canton, MI 5 18-00 65
Day 1: 5 18-00
37. Caleb Sumrall New Iberia, LA 5 17-13 64
Day 1: 5 17-13
38. Lee Livesay Longview, TX 5 17-11 63
Day 1: 5 17-11
39. Chris Zaldain Fort Worth, TX 5 17-10 62
Day 1: 5 17-10
40. Chad Pipkens Dewitt, MI 5 17-08 61
Day 1: 5 17-08
41. Brandon Palaniuk Rathdrum, ID 5 17-08 60
Day 1: 5 17-08
42. Bob Downey Hudson, WI 5 17-05 59
Day 1: 5 17-05
43. Bryan Schmitt Deale, MD 5 17-00 58
Day 1: 5 17-00
44. Bernie Schultz Gainesville, FL 5 16-12 57
Day 1: 5 16-12
45. Brett Preuett Monroe, LA 5 16-12 56
Day 1: 5 16-12
46. Jason Williamson Wagener, SC 5 16-08 55
Day 1: 5 16-08
47. Jeff Gustafson Keewatin Ontario CANADA 5 16-06 54
Day 1: 5 16-06
48. Brandon Lester Fayetteville, TN 5 16-02 53
Day 1: 5 16-02
49. Robbie Latuso Gonzales, LA 5 16-00 52
Day 1: 5 16-00
50. Jamie Hartman Newport, NY 5 16-00 51
Day 1: 5 16-00
51. Drew Benton Blakely, GA 5 15-14 50
Day 1: 5 15-14
52. Tyler Rivet Raceland, LA 5 15-10 49
Day 1: 5 15-10
53. Wes Logan Springville, AL 5 15-05 48
Day 1: 5 15-05
54. Bill Lowen Brookville, IN 5 15-02 47
Day 1: 5 15-02
55. Luke Palmer Coalgate, OK 5 14-14 46
Day 1: 5 14-14
56. Tyler Carriere Youngsville, LA 5 14-12 45
Day 1: 5 14-12
57. Kyle Monti Okeechobee, FL 5 14-10 44
Day 1: 5 14-10
58. Harvey Horne Bella Vista, AR 5 14-09 43
Day 1: 5 14-09
59. Rob Digh Denver, NC 5 14-07 42
Day 1: 5 14-07
60. Skylar Hamilton Dandridge, TN 5 14-05 41
Day 1: 5 14-05
60. Ray Hanselman Jr Del Rio, TX 5 14-05 41
Day 1: 5 14-05
60. Patrick Walters Summerville, SC 5 14-05 41
Day 1: 5 14-05
63. Bill Weidler Helena, AL 5 14-04 38
Day 1: 5 14-04
64. Drew Cook Midway, FL 5 14-03 37
Day 1: 5 14-03
65. Frank Talley Temple, TX 5 14-02 36
Day 1: 5 14-02
66. Carl Jocumsen Queensland TN AUSTRALIA 5 13-13 35
Day 1: 5 13-13
67. Todd Auten Lake Wylie, SC 5 13-10 34
Day 1: 5 13-10
68. Gary Clouse Winchester, TN 5 13-08 33
Day 1: 5 13-08
69. Shane Lineberger Lincolnton, NC 5 13-06 32
Day 1: 5 13-06
70. Rick Morris Lake Gaston, VA 5 13-04 31
Day 1: 5 13-04
71. Koby Kreiger Alva, FL 5 13-03 30
Day 1: 5 13-03
72. Quentin Cappo Prairieville, LA 5 13-00 29
Day 1: 5 13-00
73. Gerald Swindle Guntersville, AL 5 12-15 28
Day 1: 5 12-15
74. Jake Whitaker Fairview, NC 5 12-14 27
Day 1: 5 12-14
75. Randy Pierson Oakdale, CA 5 12-07 26
Day 1: 5 12-07
76. Scott Canterbury Odenville, AL 5 12-06 25
Day 1: 5 12-06
77. Jay Yelas Lincoln City, OR 5 12-03 24
Day 1: 5 12-03
78. David Fritts Lexington, NC 5 12-01 23
Day 1: 5 12-01
79. Kyle Welcher Opelika, AL 5 12-00 22
Day 1: 5 12-00
80. Chris Groh Spring Grove, IL 5 12-00 21
Day 1: 5 12-00
81. Shane LeHew Catawba, NC 5 11-10 20
Day 1: 5 11-10
82. Jesse Tacoronte Kissimmee, FL 5 11-01 19
Day 1: 5 11-01
83. Cody Hollen Beaverton, OR 3 09-05 18
Day 1: 3 09-05
84. Brandon Cobb Greenwood, SC 5 09-04 17
Day 1: 5 09-04
85. Dale Hightower Mannford, OK 3 07-08 16
Day 1: 3 07-08
86. John Crews Jr Salem, VA 2 05-01 15
2nd Place Earns MDJ Bonus Bucks
Courtesy of Luke Stoner - Dynamic Sponsorships
Major League Fishing pro Mark Daniels Jr. took home $3,000 of Toyota Bonus Bucks thanks to his second-place finish in the final Bass Pro Tour event of the 2020 season. “MDJ” had an extremely close, back-and-forth battle with eventual winner Justin Lucas on Sturgeon Bay before finishing the Championship Round as the runner-up.
“It always hurts to be close and fall short, but this one stung more than usual,“ Daniels Jr. admitted. “I’m just mad at a few lost fish from the final day, but all in all it’s been a great 2020 season. I’m thankful for the life I live and closing the year out with some extra cash from Bonus Bucks definitely softens the sting a bit.”
MDJ relied on a Ned Rig dressed with a Z-Man Finesse TRD in both Green Pumpkin Goby and Green Pumpkin to trick dozens of Sturgeon Bay smallmouth throughout Stage 5 of the Bass Pro Tour. These two colors are standbys for him when targeting smallmouth. In fact this combo is the exact same setup he used to win his first Tour level event on Lake Oahe in 2018, which was also dominated by smallies.
Daniels Jr. closed out the 2020 BPT season with an impressive Knockout Round win, which saw him catch over 100-lbs of smallmouth in a single day, and a ninth place finish in the overall Bass Pro Tour Standings. He also cashed two Bonus Bucks checks to the tune of $6K throughout the season… 2020 was good to the Bill Lewis pro indeed!
“I bought a Tundra in 2015 because I thought they were the best looking gas trucks available,” Daniels Jr. said. “On top of that they support the fishing industry and make a great product. I bought a 2020 Tundra before this season started and I’ve loved the 38-gallon gas tank. That big tank is clutch on long road trips, especially when towing.”
Whether you fish FLW BFL’s and team trails on the weekends or you are a full-time touring pro like MDJ, you can earn money through Toyota Bonus Bucks. Payouts are available for hundreds of bass and walleye tournaments, and to be eligible to win you just need to be the highest placing registered participant in a supported tournament.
To get registered, for more information on the program, or for a full list of events follow this link: https://www.toyotatrucksbonusbucks.com/. If you’d rather talk to someone on the phone, just give (918) 742-6424 a ring and ask for Chip or Kendell, they’ll get you taken care of.
Harris Chain Lands Two Bassmaster Championship Events
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Florida’s diverse Harris Chain of Lakes in Leesburg, Fla., will host two 2020 championship tournaments, B.A.S.S. officials announced today. College bass anglers eagerly anticipating the return of competition can now mark their calendars for the Carhartt Bassmaster College Series Championship presented by Bass Pro Shops, which will be held Oct. 29-31. While a spot in the 2021 Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic will be on the line at the Bassmaster Team Championshipand Classic Fish-Off Dec. 9-12.
“On behalf of our great partners at Visit Lake and the City of Leesburg, we are so pleased to welcome the 2020 Carhartt Bassmaster College Team Championship and the 2020 Bassmaster Team Championship to Lake County,” said Jason Siegel, CEO & President of the Greater Orlando Sports Commission. “Our community is appreciative of the opportunity to host the College Championship for the first time and welcome back the Team Championship for the second time to the Harris Chain of Lakes. We look forward to providing a safe and enjoyable atmosphere and are confident that the anglers and their families will have a wonderful experience in Lake County this fall.”
The Carhartt Bassmaster College Series Championship will field as many as 130 teams of anglers representing colleges and universities across the nation. Qualifications are based on the teams’ finishes in four college tour stops being held throughout the country.
Only one College Series tournament was completed before events were postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. That January event on Toledo Bend saw Cody Huff and Dakota Pierce of powerhouse Bethel University go wire-to-wire to not only clinch the victory and earn more than $3,000 for the Bethel bass fishing team, but also secure their berth in the College Championship tournament.
“We’re excited to work with these great partners to offer young anglers an incredible championship tournament experience,” said College Series Senior Manager Hank Weldon. “I am thrilled that we were able to get the regular season and championship rescheduled so that the majority of teams who registered for these tournaments can compete for a national title and chance to fish the Classic.”
The College Championship tournament will crown the national championship team as well as 2020 Bassmaster College Series Team of the Year. Additionally, anglers on the Top 4 teams 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.
2019 College Bracket Challenge winner Huff, who fished against three of his Bethel teammates, not only earned a spot in the 50th Bassmaster Classic on Lake Guntersville, but made it to Championship Sunday before ultimately finishing 24th.
“Competing in the College Team Championship and winning the College Bracket Challenge turned a dream into a reality,” said Huff. “It seems like such a long shot to win, but it just takes six good days of fishing to be driving your dream truck and boat to the biggest tournament in bass fishing, the Bassmaster Classic.”
Also battling for a berth in the Bassmaster Classic will be the grassroots anglers competing at the Bassmaster Team Championship. The team portion of the event will be held Dec. 9-10 and will feature anglers from 30 states and several foreign countries. The winning duo will not only win a cash prize, but they’ll also lead the charge into the Classic Fish-Off which will take place Dec. 11-12. The Team Championship was last held at Harris Chain in 2018.
The top three teams through Day 2 — six anglers in all — will have their weights zeroed and then compete individually in the Fish-Off. The competitor with the heaviest two-day total of the group will nab the coveted spot in the Classic. Josh Busby, of Rogersville, Mo., won the 2019 Bassmaster Team Championship Classic Fish-Off on Lake Hartwell. Busby was so overcome with emotion at making his childhood dream a reality that the 36-year-old food scientist fell to his knees on stage and wept.
Emotions are sure to run high for both championship tournaments on Harris Chain, part of Lake County, Fla. This scenic area in the Oklawaha River basin north of Orlando features seven interconnected lakes — Big Harris, Little Harris, Eustis, Dora, Beauclair, Carlton and Griffin — dotted with eelgrass, lilypads, reeds and bulrushes.
“We are thrilled to host the 2020 Bassmaster College Championship and the Bassmaster Team Championship,” said Commissioner Tim Sullivan, Lake County Board of County Commissioners. “Lake County is the premier destination for visitors to experience ‘Real Florida. Real Close.’ and is home to the best bass fishing lakes in the southeastern United States.”
The bountiful bass fishing at this storied location is just one reason why B.A.S.S. has hosted 17 major tournaments at the fishery.
“Lake County is excited to continue our successful run of hosting top-tier fishing tournaments with both the 14th Annual Carhartt Bassmaster College Team Championship and the Bassmaster Team Championship,” said Brandon Matulka, Executive Director of the Lake County Agency for Economic Prosperity. “We strive to be a top destination for these events and welcome all the anglers, their families, tournament staff and sponsors to stay and enjoy everything our great community has to offer.”
The Carhartt Bassmaster College Series Championship presented by Bass Pro Shops and Bassmaster Team Championship and Classic Fish-Off are being hosted by GO Sports, Visit Lake and the City of Leesburg.
Livin' the "live" Life
This week Chris welcomes in Blonde Girl Behind the Scenes host Michele Eichstead to co-host as both Jason and Kenneth are out of town. Intern David comes out of his shell as the gang welcomes in BPT Pro Justin Lucas and new NPFL Angler Scotty Villines on both FB Live and here in the audio version.
Zaldain shares what to expect at St. Lawrence Elite Series
Courtesy of Alan McGuckin - Dynamic Sponsorships
Chris Zaldain has notched (21) impressive Top 10s in his still young career, and one of them came last year at the site of this week’s Bassmaster Elite Series tournament on the St. Lawrence River.
The Carhartt/Yamaha pro was gracious enough to phone us Wednesday night with his thoughts as to what fans can expect when competition begins Thursday morning with Live coverage on ESPN2.
Q: What’s going to be your biggest challenge this week?
Zaldain: The conditions are a lot different than last year. The water is lower, and there’s a lot less current. Plus, 9 of my 10 best spots from last year are located on the Canadian side of the river, and that water is officially off-limits this year.
Q: Tell us about the goodness of the three lures you’re holding in the photo.
Zaldain: Everybody knows the drop shot is a staple here, and the little 3” MegaBass Hazedong Shad is the perfect bite-sized dropshot snack for smallmouth with super realistic eyes and a really natural swimming action. The Vision 110 and the Vision 110 Plus 1 jerkbaits are also excellent for smallmouth – especially when you’re trying to cover a ton of water out on Lake Ontario. The 110 dives to about 6 feet and the 110 Plus 1 gets down to 12 feet.
Q: Speaking of Lake Ontario, what percentage of all the casts made this week by Elite Series anglers will take place on Lake Ontario versus in the St. Lawrence River?
Zaldain: I’ll say 15% Lake Ontario vs. 85% in the St. Lawrence River. Most guys in this field know and understand the river a lot better, and Ontario gets a whole lot rougher with just a little bit of wind.
Q: Gobies have been described as protein bars for smallmouth bass – never mind how many smallmouth you’ve caught in practice – tell us how many gobies you’ve successfully hooked and landed in three days of practice.
Zaldain: I’ve landed three of those dudes, and even though they’re fairly small -- they are tough! I swear they could survive for half-a-day out of water, sprout legs and walk on dry land.
Q: We started by talking about your Top 10 finish here last year, what will you have to catch each day this year to assure yourself another Top 10?
Zaldain: I averaged 19 pounds a day here last year and finished 9th, and while it seems like conditions are making it tougher this year, I think it will take 18 or 19 pounds per day again to make the Top 10.
Justin Atkins - Yamaha Power Pay “Power Paid”
Needing a new outboard in the middle of the season isn’t exactly ideal for a professional angler, but that’s exactly where Justin Atkins found himself leading into three major tournaments on his schedule. Fortunately, Atkins quickly made a decision thanks to the reputation and quality of Yamaha outboards and the popular Power Pay contingency program.
The former FLW® Forrest Wood Cup champion added a 250 horsepower Yamaha V MAX SHO® to his Falcon boat and headed to the Bassmaster® Central Open on the Arkansas River, excited for new opportunities.
“I’ve always known Yamaha makes a great outboard, but Power Pay is what sold me,” Atkins said. “I’ve never understood why more anglers don’t gravitate towards contingency programs. When a company produces a quality product, supports our industry and offers an incredible program like Power Pay, it’s a no-brainer. I couldn’t be happier with my Yamaha.”
Atkins’ decision already proved fruitful. He earned $500 for his 33rd place finish at the Basspro.com Bassmaster® Central Open, and added another $1,000 in Power Pay winnings for a 23rd place showing at the FLW® Tackle Warehouse® Pro Circuit Super Tournament last month. With several Power Pay supported events left on his 2020 calendar, Atkins looks forward to the possibility of more bonus earnings.
Anglers don’t need to win a tournament to reap the rewards of Power Pay; they just need to be the highest finishing registered participant in a Power Pay sanctioned event. There are currently hundreds of bass, walleye, and saltwater tournaments eligible for Power Pay.
For more information, complete terms and conditions or to register for Yamaha Power Pay, visit yamahapowerpay.com. You can also email Chip Porche with questions at [email protected].
B.A.S.S. Moves August High School And Junior Tournaments To Lake Hartwell
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — The Mossy Oak Fishing Bassmaster High School Series at Lake St. Clair presented by Academy Sports + Outdoors and the Mossy Oak Fishing Bassmaster Junior Series, both originally scheduled for August 8, will instead be held on South Carolina’s Lake Hartwell August 30, B.A.S.S. officials announced today.
Guidelines in the state of Michigan issued on July 9 limit the size of any outdoor gathering, including fishing tournaments, to 100 people or less. Based on current registration numbers, B.A.S.S. officials expected 195 anglers and their boat captains to participate.
“It is disappointing anytime you have to move a tournament, especially from a fantastic and scenic smallmouth fishery like Lake St. Clair,” said High School Series Senior Manager Hank Weldon. “B.A.S.S. has emphasized for months, though, that we will heed each state’s mandates on crowd sizes and public spaces to ensure both competition and fan activities can resume safely.
“We are thankful to our friends at Visit Anderson to be able to move the event to Lake Hartwell so that the majority of teams who registered for our high school and junior tournaments can compete.”
The current rules do not impact the upcoming Bassmaster Elite at Lake St. Clair Aug. 20-23. Professional sports are allowed in Michigan provided protocols are in place which adhere to guidance from the CDC and Michigan Department of Health and Human Services.
The field of young anglers who launch onto Lake Hartwell — a 56,000-acre impoundment on the Savannah, Tugaloo and Seneca rivers along the South Carolina/Georgia border — will be fishing one of the sport’s most storied bodies of water. Hartwell has hosted three previous Bassmaster Classics and six major B.A.S.S. events as well as a host of B.A.S.S. Nation, college and high school tournaments. Plus, the lake has consistently been ranked as one of the country’s Top 100 Best Bass Lakes in BassmasterMagazine’s annual rankings, making the coveted list four times since 2015. Lake Hartwell was ranked one of the Southeast’s Best Bass Lakes in the recently released all-decade list.
“We are extremely excited to host the high school and junior series at Lake Hartwell and Green Pond Landing,” said Neil Paul, Executive Director of 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. We have been blessed with a tremendous fishery, great facilities and a very supportive fishing community and we look forward to hosting the high school anglers and their families for this event.”
Any team registered for the event on Lake St. Clair will be refunded their entry fees and given priority registration for the Hartwell events. Registration is now open for the Bassmaster Junior Series and Bassmaster High School Series at Lake Hartwell, and will remain open until Aug. 14. Learn more at Bassmaster.com/High-School or Bassmaster.com/Junior.
Big Smallmouth Will Again Take Center Stage At Bassmaster Elite On St. Lawrence River
CLAYTON, N.Y. — Despite a venue change that avails a completely different scenario, Canadian pro Chris Johnston, of Peterborough, Ontario, will be sticking with his original game plan during the SiteOne Bassmaster Elite at St. Lawrence River Thursday through Sunday.
Initially scheduled to be held in Waddington, N.Y., COVID-19 considerations required tournament officials to move to Jefferson County, which is hosting the event in cooperation with the Village of Clayton and the 1000 Islands Clayton Chamber of Commerce.
Since 2017, the Bassmaster Elite Series has held events in Waddington where river fishing was the only option. With Clayton sitting at the mouth of the St. Lawrence, anglers will now have the option of fishing the U.S. side of Lake Ontario (all Canadian waters are off-limits for this event).
Still, Johnston said he’s not leaving the river.
“I really don’t think the lake will (play a significant role),” Johnston said. “From what I’ve experienced the last couple of years, there are giant fish in the river. With tournaments out of the Canadian side, it’s always three-quarters of the field that’s in the river catching them.
“The lake can be so good, but it can be really bad as well.”
Johnston mostly attributes the decline in Lake Ontario's productivity to fishing pressure. Years of publicity have increased recreational traffic and caused behavioral shifts in the bass.
“As soon as the spawn’s done, they go deep; they don’t stick around shallow like they used to,” Johnston said. “Will (Lake Ontario) play a factor? Yes. Will there be guys out there checking it? Yes. Is it a really big gamble? Absolutely.”
Summer weather isn’t the year’s worst, but it doesn’t take a lot of wind to turn a Great Lake into a washing machine. Elite anglers are well-accustomed to safely operating in rough water, but time management becomes an issue as navigational speed decreases. Also, presentation accuracy suffers when riding the Ontario seesaw.
Even if favorable conditions prevail, it’s likely that the majority of the field will remain inside the St. Lawrence River. Why? This pristine waterway is absolutely loaded with big, aggressive smallmouth bass. Considering this year’s conditions, Johnston expects the fish to be fully settled into summer patterns.
“Last week, the water temperature on the lake was 72 degrees, so it’s well ahead of what it should be,” he said. “Last year, there were a few bedded fish still kicking around in the river, but this year’s totally different. The weather here has been exceptionally hot — in the 100s for the last couple of weeks, which is crazy hot for us.
“The fish know that and they’re going to be deep. It’s going to be a slugfest. There’s no doubt about it.”
In this smallmouth-dominated event, the usual river tactics like Ned rigs, dropshots, swimbaits and tubes should account for the majority of the fish. Depending on depth and current, anglers will be dragging baits along measured drifts or dropping on particular targets.
One wildcard to note — largemouth, big largemouth. Northern-strain largemouth don’t grow as big as the Florida-strain beasts of southern latitudes and good numbers of quality smallmouth are typically easier to find throughout the St. Lawrence fishery. That being said, the weigh-ins will likely see a handful of impressive green fish.
“If a guy spends the time to dial in the smallmouth and then goes and looks for one or two giant largemouth each day, there are huge largemouth in the St. Lawrence River and they’re virtually untouched.
“A guy can get a big bag of smallmouth — 22-23 pounds — and then go look for a 6- to 7-pound largemouth. They do exist, and they’re a lot more frequent than a lot of people think.”
Johnston said he believes it will take a three-day total of 64 pounds to make it to Championship Sunday, with the tournament winner needing about 88 pounds to earn the coveted blue trophy. Whatever the final numbers, he’s confident that this stellar fishery will provide anglers and B.A.S.S. fans a much-needed enthusiasm boost.
“I’m excited; anytime we get the northern swing, that’s in my wheelhouse,” Johnston said. “I’m excited not only for that, but to get it back going. It’s been a weird year, and I think we need to be out there on the water doing what we love to do.
“With ESPN2 covering the event and the following week on Lake Champlain, it’s going to be a great couple of weeks for the fans watching there and on Bassmaster Live.”
Under guidelines from the State of New York, no fans or spectators are allowed to attend events, but fans will still have multiple ways to catch live on-the-water action. Like always, the real-time action will be carried on Bassmaster LIVE at Bassmaster.com and ESPN3 beginning at 8 a.m. ET. Coverage will also be broadcast on ESPN2. Check your local listings for details.
Multiple social distancing and safety measures will be used to comply with guidelines issued by the State of New York for professional sports competitions to help keep anglers and staff — as well as the local community — safe from the spread of COVID-19. Prior to the start of the tournament, all anglers, staff and venue personnel will undergo diagnostic testing. Additionally, a new partnership between B.A.S.S. and CrewMinders will allow all anglers and event staff to complete daily health screening via a simple online platform. The daily health questionnaire, delivered via a text link, allows everyone involved with the tournament to perform their safety screening before arriving at the fishery or venue. This helps reduce instances where anglers or staff would potentially be congregated for on-site screening.
Daily takeoffs for the SiteOne Bassmaster Elite at St. Lawrence River are scheduled for 6:45 a.m. ET at the Clayton Antique Boat Museum, with weigh-ins back at the museum at 3 p.m., which will be aired on Bassmaster.com. A field of 86 anglers will be competing for a first-place prize of $100,000.
2020 SiteOne Bassmaster Elite At St. Lawrence River Title Sponsor: SiteOne
2020 Bassmaster Elite Series Platinum Sponsor: Toyota
2020 Bassmaster Elite Series Premier Sponsors: Abu Garcia, Berkley, Humminbird, Mercury, Minn Kota, Nitro Boats, Power-Pole, Ranger Boats, Skeeter Boats, Talon, Yamaha
2020 Bassmaster Elite Series Supporting Sponsors: Bass Pro Shops, Carhartt, Garmin, Huk Performance Fishing, Mossy Oak Fishing, Rapala
2020 Bassmaster Elite Series Conservation Partners: AFTCO, Huk
2020 SiteOne Bassmaster Elite At St. Lawrence River Local Hosts: Jefferson County, Village of Clayton, 1000 Islands Clayton Chamber of Commerce
Berkley® Adds a Trio of Frog Baits to its Legendary Lineup - ICAST 2020
COLUMBIA, S.C. (July 22, 2020) –Continuing its legacy of leadership in science and technology, Berkley is expanding its lineup of frog baits with the addition of three new baits that are sure to become a staple in any frog fisherman’s tackle box. The new lineup includes two new soft baits infused with the scientifically proven fish-catching PowerBait® formula - the Beat’n Paddle Frog and the Buzz’n Speed Toad, and one new unique bait, the Berkley Power Pop.
A creative spin on a familiar shape, the Berkley Power Pop combines the softness of a soft bait with the high buoyancy of a hard bait. Initially developed by Berkley scientists in Japan, the Power Pop is a super high flotation frog. Uniquely constructed from a durable, ultra low-density material to keep water out, the Power Pop is nearly impossible to sink in most situations. The wide-cupped mouth allows added surface disturbance and the recessed hook pocket keeps the bait weedless. The new Berkley Power Pop is available in 10 unique color designs and comes paired with the proven and popular Fusion19™ EWG Hook.
“Frog fishing takes technique and patience and we wanted to emulate the movements and body of a frog as closely as possible with the new soft baits,” said Berkley Marketing Director Jake Dawson. “The PowerBait formula continues to deliver for anglers, and the addition of the new HD Tru color extensions and modifications to the bodies increase the bait’s ability to perform.”
The Berkley PowerBait Beat’n Paddle Frog is designed with paddle tail-style feet that make an easy-to-start rhythmic sound to which bass are immediately drawn. The all-new 3.9-inch ultra-real HD Tru colors make the ultimate frog fishing experience for any angler. The unique perpendicular hook point keepers protect single hook and double frog hook rigs to accommodate fishing around structure. The sturdy body allows for fishing in heavy cover and catching multiple fish per bait.
The 4.25 inch Berkley PowerBait Buzz’n Speed Toad features HD Tru colors, which amplify its lifelike qualities and allow the baits to replicate the look of frogs like the American Toad and Bull Frog. The natural profile delivers outstanding action, and when paired with a buzzbait or when rigged on an EWG hook, the belly slot has an extended leading edge that keeps the bait from sliding up the shank for even more consistent hook sets. Like the Beat’n Paddle Frog, the Buzz’n Speed Toad has a sturdy body able to catch multiple fish per bait.
For more information on the new line of Berkley Frogs visit www.berkley-fishing.com.
Justin Lucas Caps 2020 MLF Season with MaxScent-Driven Domination in Sturgeon Bay
Berkley pros fishing PowerBait MaxScent Flat Worms account for four spots in the Top 10.
COLUMBIA, S.C. (July 21, 2020) — Pretty much anyone who’s ever wet a line has, upon the completion of an unsuccessful day on the water, been regaled with a story about how good the fishing was at some point in the recent past. But if there’s a place an angler should have been last week, it was at Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin, where Berkley®pro Justin Lucas carved his name into the MLF record books by boating more than 300 pounds of smallmouth bass over the course of three fishing days thanks to Berkley’s leadership in science and research.
Berkley PowerBait® MaxScent Flat Worms were smallmouth kryptonite on Sturgeon Bay last week, where Lucas took a finesse approach, riding his dropshot rig to a convincing win and a $65,000 pay day in the season-finale. Lucas set new MLF records for single-day weight (141 pounds, 9 ounces), two-day weight (205 pounds, 6 ounces) and Championship Round weight (110 pounds, 5 ounces). He also won his qualifying group by 45 pounds on his way to picking up his first professional tour win since a B.A.S.S. Elite Series victory in 2016.
And he had plenty of friends joining him at the top of the standings thanks to MaxScent. A quarter of the 40-angler field that progressed to the Knockout Round at Sturgeon Bay were Berkley pros — all relying on PowerBait MaxScent. Four Berkley pros finished in the Top 10 and Berkley pros accounted for 50 percent of the Top-14 finishers.
“MaxScent is a dominating bait,” Lucas said. “I’ve fished side-by-side with other anglers in other tournaments — so close to each other that our boats are rubbing — and I’ve watched as the other guys literally take their hat off and scratch their head as they try to figure out why I’m catching everything and they aren’t catching a thing.”
This isn’t Lucas’s first brush with success using PowerBait MaxScent: two years ago, he and fellow Berkley pro Josh Bertrand finished first and second on the St. Lawrence River catching smallmouth on MaxScent. Later in the same season, Lucas finished in the Top 10 on Lake Oahe in South Dakota with MaxScent.
“That’s when I knew we could dominate with it,” Lucas said. “When this (Sturgeon Bay) event was announced I was so fired up to be going there. I knew I would catch them on a dropshot with MaxScent.”
Born in the Berkley Test Labs in Spirit Lake, Iowa, the same lab that produced original PowerBait and Gulp!®, PowerBait MaxScent made its way into the bass fishing world in 2016. Berkley scientists spent countless hours to develop a bait that disperses scent as well or better than Gulp! while still being as flexible and durable as PowerBait. The result is a bait that doesn’t dry out quickly, has plenty of fish-attracting action and a flavor that fish bite and won’t let go — just ask the smallmouth in Sturgeon Bay.
“The science is there. It’s not luck when you have that many guys in the Top 10 all fishing the same bait,” Lucas said. “The new colors are also great colors for bass fishing. There’s not a better dropshot bait out there.”
The MaxScent Flat Worm offers a slender baitfish profile and is the most effective dropshot bait on the market thanks to its unparalleled action, which quivers with even the smallest movements. The ribs of the bait provide the additional surface area needed to hold the maximum dosage of PowerBait MaxScent scent and flavor while the unique material used to make the bait releases a super-charged scent field to attract fish in ways not seen with other baits.
“I can’t even begin to tell you how proud we are to have something like (the Sturgeon Bay tournament) blow up. We spent a lot of time and effort looking into what fish like the smell, look feel of and the taste of — we study all the senses,” said Berkley’s Mark Sexton, who leads the company’s Fish Science and Product Testing Team. “Smallmouth are very scent oriented and even though the water is gin clear, you get down in some of that deeper water and they can’t see well down there. It’s the scent drawing the fish in.”
PowerBait MaxScent Flat Worms, while brutally effective on smallmouth, aren’t just for brown bass. The MaxScent line, which includes 14 different shapes in a wide variety of sizes and colors, continues to produce for largemouth anglers, as well. Even walleye and inshore saltwater anglers are in on the secret.
Sexton went on to say, “When we developed MaxScent, we keyed on largemouth (during the development of the bait) as a majority of our anglers are targeting largemouth. But we were ecstatic to see how much smallmouth love the taste of this stuff. And we can prove that it catches more fish than any competitive bait we’ve ever tried.”
Justin Lucas: Winning Gear — Dropshot
Rod: 7-foot medium-action Abu Garcia Fantasista Premier
Reel: Abu Garcia Revo Premier spinning (Size 30)
Mainline/Leader: Berkley x5 braid (8-pound-test)/Trilene 100% Fluorocarbon (8-pound-test)
Hook: Berkley Fusion19 Dropshot Hook (Size 2)
Weight: 3/8-ounce tungsten dropshot weight
Bait: Berkley PowerBait MaxScent Flat Worm (Green Pumpkin, Black or Smoke Black Purple)
B.A.S.S. Partners With CrewMinders For Tournament Health Screening
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — A new partnership between B.A.S.S.and CrewMinders will allow all anglers and event staff to complete daily health screening via a simple safety check platform, a process that will be implemented across the entire Bassmaster Tournament Trail. Self-screening via CrewMinders will be in place when the Bassmaster Elite Series heads to New York for back-to-back events beginning July 23 on the St. Lawrence River.
“While daily health screenings are mandatory for staff, anglers and venue personnel as part of the State of New York’s guidelines for professional sports, our goal is to ensure those associated with our tournaments across every level of competition — as well as in our host communities — remain healthy,” said Chase Anderson, B.A.S.S. Chairman. “CrewMinders has worked with our tournament team to create an easy and effective solution which adds another level of safety to Bassmaster events.”
The daily health questionnaire, delivered via text, allows everyone involved with the tournament to perform their safety screening before arriving at the fishery. This helps reduce instances where anglers, staff or visitors would potentially be congregated for on-site screening and ensures personal health information is kept private.
“Real-time communication about health and wellness is of paramount concern for businesses everywhere — now more so than ever,” said Rabun Lewis, CrewMinders General Manager. “CrewMinders users are able to deliver automated and targeted safety content that drives positive safety behaviors in employees and offers employers invaluable insight in a simple and private manner.”
The CrewMinders platform also enables event organizers to optimize widescale communication through customizable and rapidly deployable messaging tools, simplifying the processes for employee safety and awareness.
“Throughout our testing process, I have been really impressed with how easy it was for our team to set up CrewMinders to communicate with anyone attending our tournaments as well as how quickly it is to complete the health screening process,” commented Trip Weldon, Bassmaster Elite Series Tournament Director.
About CrewMinders
Founded in 2020, CrewMinders is the premier frontline employee engagement platform. Based in Atlanta, CrewMinders builds elegantly simple solutions to help companies communicate rapidly with their teams. We are passionate about our customers and deeply engage with them to understand how we can solve their problems. Our mission is to provide employers with the communication tools necessary to ensure their workers are safe and healthy. Learn more at crewminders.com.
FLW Announces Toyota Series Return to Sandusky
Toyota Series at Lake Champlain Tournament Shifted to Lake Erie for Aug. 18-20 Event
SANDUSKY, Ohio (July 22, 2020) – FLW, the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization, announced today that the organization will shift its Aug. 18-20 Toyota Series Northern Division event from Lake Champlain in Plattsburgh, New York, to Lake Erie and Sandusky, Ohio. The move was made in response to New York’s expanded travel restrictions associated with the coronavirus pandemic
Entries will roll over to the rescheduled event unless instructed otherwise.
Anglers will take off daily at 6:30 a.m. EDT from the Shelby Street Boat Launch Facility, located at 101 Shelby St., in Sandusky. Weigh-ins will also be held at the Shelby Street Launch Facility and will begin at 2:30 p.m. Attendance is limited to competing anglers and essential staff only. Fans are encouraged to forgo the daily takeoffs and weigh-ins and follow the event online through the “FLW Live” weigh-in broadcasts and daily coverage at FLWFishing.com.
The 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.
FLW continues to monitor Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), federal, state and local guidelines and recommends that everyone follow the guidelines to help minimize the spread of COVID-19.
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.
Lester makes custom skirts to fool finicky summer bass
Courtesy of Alan McGuckin - Dynamic Sponsorships
Like a lot of us, Brandon Lester is fishing obsessed. So, if you’re trying to track him down between Bassmaster Elite Series tournaments, there’s a pretty good bet you can find him on a local reservoir near his Fayetteville, TN home. Heck, even on a family beach vacation, he still fishes every day.
But if you want to save yourself some trouble locating the Team Toyota pro, just call his sweetheart Kim. She’ll know exactly where he is. “Oh my gosh, it’s 95 degrees here, and no surprise, he’s out in our shop building jig skirts,” she told me on a recent phone call.
Sure enough, on one of 2020’s hottest Friday afternoons, there sat a barefooted and slightly sweaty Lester with a color pallet of silicone strands on his lap tinkering to create something summertime schools of heavily pressured largemouth hadn’t seen yet.
“There is no doubt in my mind that playing with custom skirt colors makes a huge difference in getting pressured fish to bite that have seen all the common colors by mid to late summer,” insists Lester.
“Most of the time, I’m really not a guy who gets too obsessed with lure color. For example, at the Bassmaster Classic back in early March, I was just throwing a plain brown jig because those fish hadn’t seen near as many baits through the winter months. But by late July, schools of fish on places like Guntersville or Kentucky Lake have seen it all, so color becomes super important,” he believes.
Lester began building custom colored jigs a dozen years ago as a college student, and he even used to melt and pour the lead heads himself. But these days he says you can buy the lead heads and hooks as cheap as you can source lead and melt it yourself. Still, he builds custom colored skirts for roughly 75 to 100 football jigs per summer.
“I’ve had days on the water where a buddy was throwing a football jig from the back deck of my boat that was a slightly different color than something more standard I was throwing, and he absolutely beat me like it was my first day on the water, so I know color matters,” says Lester.
He’ll also tell you it’s the minor color accents that make a huge difference in the number of bites he gets, admitting that green pumpkin constitutes the primary color on 85% of the football jigs he throws.
“Another thing I pay close attention to is what color of X Zone soft plastics they’re biting best – and then I’ll build my jig skirts to match that color,” says Lester, who has amassed a highly impressive (34) Top 20 finishes in his young career.
Asked to describe the perfect summer football jig scenario – Lester says he’s typically throwing a 3/4 -ounce version on 17-pound Vicious fluorocarbon, and looks for a clean hard bottom on a hump, a channel drop-off, or a roadbed in 12 to 24 feet of water, and advises brushpiles are far more efficiently probed with sleek Texas rigged worms, not jigs.
“Maybe the custom color skirt thing is all in my head, but I fully believe it makes a difference, and if you believe in what you’re throwing then you’ll fish with more confidence – and confidence is everything in bass fishing,” he concludes.
B.A.S.S. Postpones Eastern Open Tournament On Oneida Lake
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — After conversations with local hosts, Visit Syracuse and Onondaga County Parks, B.A.S.S. has postponed the Basspro.com Bassmaster Eastern Open originally scheduled for August 6-8, 2020 on Oneida Lake, in Oneida, N.Y.
“Onondaga County Parks and Visit Syracuse join our friends at Bassmaster in expressing our regret over the postponement of this year’s Bassmaster Eastern Open at Oneida Shores,” said Jeff Mickle, Senior Sales Manager of Visit Syracuse. “Bassmaster events have been a large part of our community for many years, and we look forward to hosting all the anglers and their families in the years to come.”
After two spring Bassmaster Opens Series tournaments were initially postponed, the Oneida tournament was due to be the Eastern Division’s second stop of the 2020 season.
Any angler who wishes to cancel their tournament registration completely may email the B.A.S.S. tournament department at [email protected] for a full refund.
B.A.S.S. is working to determine a new date and location for the tournament.
Toyota Series to Host Event on Wheeler Lake
DECATUR, Ala. (July 21, 2020) – The 2020 Toyota Series Southeastern Division will continue with a tournament next week in Decatur, July 30- Aug. 1, with the Toyota Series at Wheeler Lake. Hosted by Decatur Morgan County Tourism, 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.
“This is going to be a fun tournament to watch,” said Major League Fishing pro Jesse Wiggins of Addison, Alabama, “I think it is going to play out very similar to the FLW Cup event that John Cox won here in 2016. There will be some fish out deep, but it won’t be a complete offshore tournament.
“A guy can catch them out of the eelgrass and do well,” Wiggins continued. “The smallmouth have been biting well, lately, and I think the tournament could be won on smallmouth if they can figure them out. There are a lot of ways that this tournament could be won, but the key is going to be finding the fish to be consistent for three days.”
Wiggins said that if he was competing in the event, he’d have a drop-shot rig, a jerkbait, a shaky-head rig and a shallow-diving crankbait all tied on.
“It’s summertime in Alabama so it may be a grind, but we’re going to see some good limits,” Wiggins went on to say. “I think a guy is going to have to average 15 to 16 pounds a day to be there at the end. I predict the winner ends up with a three-day total of 48 to 50 pounds.”
Anglers will take off daily at 6 a.m. CDT from Ingalls Harbor, located at 701 Market St. NW, in Decatur. Weigh-ins will also be held Ingalls Harbor and will begin at 2:30 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 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.
Memphis’ Scott Wins Saturday, Kingston Springs’ Anderson Wins Sunday at Phoenix Bass Fishing League Double-Header on Pickwick Lake
IUKA, Miss. (July 20, 2020) – It was a double-header for weekend bass anglers this past weekend in Iuka with the Phoenix Bass Fishing League presented by T-H Marine on Pickwick Lake events.
Boater Dayton Scott of Memphis, Tennessee, brought a three-bass limit to the scale totaling 12 pounds, 6 ounces to win Saturday’s event and earn $5,575, while boater Brent Anderson of Kingston Springs, Tennessee, brought in three bass weighing 12 pounds, 8 ounces on Sunday to earn the win and the top prize of $5,394.
It was a unique win for 18-year-old Scott, who just wrapped up his High School Fishing career as he fished in his last High School tournament last weekend. Saturday was Scott’s first ever BFL tournament, and the young angler had a special day.
“I thought I’d do okay, but the Good Lord blessed me with an 8½-pounder that helped me get my weight,” Scott said. “Most of my fish came on a swimjig, but the big fish came on a Texas-rigged 7-inch Strike King Cut-R Worm (green pumpkin).
“I noticed in practice that the ledges were getting pounded, so I tried to key on shallow flats where they were pushing bait,” Scott continued. “I fished near State Line Island and caught most of my fish in 6 feet of water.”
The top five boaters on Saturday were:
1st: Dayton Scott of Memphis, Tenn., three bass, 12-6, $5,575
1st: Steve Hughes of Mooreville, Miss., three bass, 11-13, $2,288
3rd: T.A. Cook III of Booneville, Miss., three bass, 11-10, $1,525
4th: Jennings Earnest of Guin, Ala., three bass, 11-0, $1,068
5th: Bryan Waldon of Falkner, Miss., three bass, 10-11, $915
Complete results for Saturday can be found at FLWFishing.com.
Casey Taylor of Smithville, Tennessee, brought a 9-pound, 4-ounce largemouth to the scale to earn Saturday’s Boater Big Bass award of $665.
Johnny Suratt of Lawrenceburg, Tennessee, won the Co-angler Division and $2,288 Saturday after catching three bass weighing 13 pounds, 4 ounces.
The top five co-anglers Saturday finished as follows:
1st: Johnny Suratt of Lawrenceburg, Tenn., three bass, 13-4, $2,288
2nd: Kiowa Terry of Hamilton, Ala., three bass, 11-3, $1,144
3rd: Brian Toth of Pearl, Miss., three bass, 10-13, $762
4th: Farley Fondren of Maben, Miss., three bass, 10-12, $534
5th: Anthony Rasberry of New Albany, Miss., three bass, 9-15, $458
Eddie Armstrong of West Point, Mississippi, caught the largest bass in the Co-angler Division, weighing in at 8 pounds, 15 ounces, to win the day’s Co-angler Big Bass award of $332.
On Sunday, winning boater Brent Anderson also caught his fish shallow.
“My experience guiding on this lake has taught me that I could not win out deep,” said Anderson, who earned his eighth career BFL win. “I ran up the river and fished anything that looked good – some water willows, laydowns and stumps.
“I caught them on a worm, a jig, a ChatterBait and a few on a topwater,” Anderson continued. “The key bait was the worm – a plum-colored Zoom Ol’ Monster. I fished anywhere from 6 to 10 feet.”
The top five boaters on Sunday were:
1st: Brent Anderson of Kingston Springs, Tenn., three bass, 12-8, $5,394
2nd: Michael Wooley of Booneville, Miss., three bass, 12-3, $2,197
3rd: Randy Craft of Seminary, Miss., three bass, 10-13, $1,464
4th: Ben Webb of Mooreville, Miss., three bass, 10-11, $1,025
5th: Andy Coy of Corinth, Miss., three bass, 10-9, $2,009
Complete results for Sunday’s event on Pickwick Lake can be found at FLWFishing.com.
Coy brought a 6-pound, 9-ounce bass to the scale to win Sunday’s Boater Big Bass award of $630.
Coy also picked up Sunday’s FLW PHOENIX BONUS of $500 as he was the highest-finishing 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.
Cameron Petras of Biloxi, Mississippi, won the Co-angler Division and $2,197 Sunday after catching a three-bass limit weighing 11 pounds, 4 ounces.
The top five co-anglers Sunday finished as follows:
1st: Cameron Petras of Biloxi, Miss., three bass, 11-4, $2,197
2nd: Chris Estes of Shannon, Miss., three bass, 11-0, $1,098
3rd: John Swords of Collierville, Tenn., three bass, 10-6, $733
4th: Todd Ware of Meridian, Miss., three bass, 10-5, $513
5th: Billy Robertson of Waterloo, Ala., three bass, 10-4, $439
Scott Kirk of Houston, Mississippi, caught the largest bass in the Co-angler Division, weighing in at 6 pounds, 5 ounces. The catch earned the day’s Co-angler Big Bass award of $157.
The 2020 Phoenix Bass Fishing League presented by T-H Marine Double-Header on Pickwick Lake was the second and third 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 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, 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.
Indiana’s Hochstetler Wins Phoenix Bass Fishing League Event on Lake St. Clair
HARRISON TOWNSHIP, Mich. (July 20, 2020) – Boater Ryan Hochstetler of Shipshewana, Indiana, brought a five-bass limit to the scale Saturday weighing 22 pounds, 9 ounces to win the Phoenix Bass Fishing League presented by T-H Marine event at Lake St. Clair in Harrison Township, Michigan. For his victory, Hochstetler earned a total of $6,972.
The tournament was the first of five events in the Michigan Division presented by A.R.E. Truck Caps.
“I was fishing in Anchor Bay, north of the North Channel,” said Hochstetler, who earned his first career victory in FLW competition. “I was fishing a shallow weedline in 4 to 6 foot of water.”
Hochstetler said that his key baits were a Duo Realis Spybait and a drop-shot rig with a Duo Realis V-Tailshad.
“I found these fish two weeks ago, and they stayed there along with the bait,” Hochstetler went on to say. “I put in a lot of hard work for this, so winning feels really good.”
The top 10 boaters finished the tournament as follows:
1st: Ryan Hochstetler of Shipshewana, Ind., five bass, 22-9, $6,972
2nd: Dawson Johnson of Luck, Wis., five bass, 21-14, $2,236
3rd: Mike Raber of Wolcottville, Ind., five bass, 21-8, $1,492
4th: Mark Modrak of China Township, Mich., five bass, 21-6, $1,043
5th: Hayden Scott of Ann Arbor, Mich., five bass, 21-3, $894
6th: Troy Stokes of Brownstown, Mich., five bass, 20-13, $820
7th: Beau Bickford of Findlay, Ohio, five bass, 20-9, $708
7th: Tim Gillies of Union City, Mich., five bass, 20-9, $708
9th: Tom Beale of St. Clair Shores, Mich., five bass, 20-7, $596
10th: Tony Mitchell of Plainwell, Mich., five bass, 20-3, $496
10th: Russel Buffa of Fenton, Mich., five bass, 20-3, $496
Complete results can be found at FLWFishing.com.
Gary Solomon of Clinton Township, Michigan, claimed the day’s Boater Big Bass Award of $650 after bringing a 6-pound, 1-ounce bass to the scale.
Hochstetler was also the highest-finishing FLW PHOENIX BONUS member and took home an extra $2,500. 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.
Nicholas Ireland of Davison, Michigan, won the Co-angler Division and $2,571 Saturday after catching five bass weighing 20 pounds, 7 ounces.
The top 10 co-anglers finished as follows:
1st: Nicholas Ireland of Davison, Mich., five bass, 20-7, $2,571
2nd: Joseph Sittler of Fort Wayne, Ind., five bass, 20-6, $1,125
3rd: Scott Lutz of Bremen, Ind., five bass, 19-7, $752
4th: Calvin Fitch of Kokomo, Ind., five bass, 19-4, $525
5th: Trent Norman of Union, Ky., five bass, 19-3, $450
6th: Kendra Mueller of Pinckney, Mich., five bass, 18-4, $393
6th: Tony Grubb of Ann Arbor, Mich., five bass, 18-4, $393
8th: Nicholas Veselka of Fishers, Ind., five bass, 17-15, $337
9th: Evan Ellis of Greentown, Ind., five bass, 17-13, $300
10th: Logan Roller of Tremont, Ill., five bass, 17-10, $262
Ireland also caught the largest bass in the Co-angler Division, weighing in at 5 pounds, 12 ounces. The catch added to his winnings as he earned the day’s Co-angler Big Bass award of $322.
The top 45 boaters and co-anglers in the Michigan Division presented by A.R.E. Truck Caps based on point standings, along with the five winners of each qualifying event, will be entered in the Oct. 15-17 Phoenix Bass Fishing League Regional Championship on the Mississippi River in La Crosse, Wisconsin, hosted by Explore La Crosse. 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.
FLW Shifts Final Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit Event to Lake Erie, Taps Sturgeon Bay for Tackle Warehouse TITLE presented by Toyota
BENTON, Ky. (July 20, 2020) – FLW, the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization, announced today that the final two Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit events of 2020 have been moved. The final Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit Super Tournament scheduled for Aug. 11-14 has been moved to Lake Erie in Sandusky, Ohio, while the Tackle Warehouse TITLE presented by Toyota, scheduled for Aug. 24-29, has been moved to Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin. The move comes in response to updated travel restrictions associated with the coronavirus pandemic.
“While we look forward to future visits to Detroit and the St. Lawrence River at Massena, we are pleased to announce Sandusky and Sturgeon Bay as our new host locations for the final Super Tournament and the Tackle Warehouse TITLE presented by Toyota,” said Kathy Fennel, FLW Executive Vice President and General Manager. “We’ve held numerous successful events out of Sandusky over the years, and Stage Five of the Major League Fishing (MLF) Bass Pro Tour on Sturgeon Bay gave the world a glimpse of what we can expect from that fabled fishery come August.”
Two Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit Super Tournaments, each featuring 150 FLW pros and 54 MLF pros fishing for a share of $1.3 million, remain before the TITLE field is set. Only FLW pros are eligible to qualify for the TITLE. The next tournament is July 29-Aug. 1 on the Mississippi River in La Crosse, Wisconsin, followed by the final Super Tournament, Aug. 11-14 on Lake Erie in Sandusky, Ohio, hosted by the City of Sandusky and the Lake Erie Shores & Islands Welcome Center.
At the Lake Erie Super Tournament, anglers will take off daily from the Shelby Street Boat Launch, located at 101 Shelby St., in Sandusky. Weigh-ins will be at the nearby Paper District Marina, located at 611 W. Shoreline Drive in Sandusky. Attendance is limited to competing anglers and essential staff only. Fans are encouraged to forgo the daily takeoffs and weigh-ins and follow the event online through expanded four-day “FLW Live” on-the-water and weigh-in broadcasts at FLWFishing.com.
Unlike traditional Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit events, the Tackle Warehouse TITLE presented by Toyota will showcase anglers competing using the MLF catch, weigh and immediately release format. The TITLE field of 50 will be divided into two groups of 25 (Group A and B) for the Qualifying Round with Group A competing on days one and three and Group B competing on days two and four. Based on a cumulative two-day weight total, the top 10 from each Group (a field of 20) advance to day five, the Knockout Round. The top 10 pros after day five advance to the sixth and final day of competition for the opportunity to become the inaugural TITLE champion featuring a $235,000 payout for first place.
“We are beyond excited to welcome FLW and the Tackle Warehouse TITLE presented by Toyota, to Sturgeon Bay, Door County,” said Pam Seiler, Executive Director of Destination Sturgeon Bay. “Being able to jump in to assist with the last-minute location change, we know that anglers and fans alike will love what Sturgeon Bay and Door County has to offer. We’re looking forward to seeing the pros bring in record-setting bass and appreciate the opportunity to host as we know that this tournament will be of great economic value to our local businesses and community.”
FLW continues to monitor Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), federal, state and local guidelines and recommends that everyone follow the guidelines to help minimize the spread of COVID-19.
For complete details and updated tournament 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.
Providence Forge’s Baker Goes Two-for-Two – Wins Both Days of Phoenix Bass Fishing League Double-Header on Kerr Lake
HENDERSON, N.C. (July 20, 2020) – It was a double-header for weekend bass anglers this past weekend in Henderson with the Phoenix Bass Fishing League presented by T-H Marine on Kerr Lake events.
Boater Ronnie Baker of Providence Forge, Virginia, had a very successful weekend, winning both events back-to-back. Baker brought a five-bass limit to the scale totaling 16 pounds even to win Saturday’s event and earn $3,466, then backed it up with another five-bass limit on Sunday – this one totaling 14 pounds, 15 ounces – to earn the win $3,122.
“Winning is hard enough, but to win two in a row against this field of anglers is unbelievable,” said Baker, who had one prior career victory coming into the weekend. “Going back-to-back is a dream come true.
“I stayed mostly in Nutbush Creek both days; I maybe ventured out a mile,” Baker continued. “I rotated through the same four or five spots both days. There is a lot of shad out on the points, and they reload overnight.”
Baker said he caught the majority of his fish in 12 to 15 feet of water on an unnamed ½-ounce swimjig with a green-pumpkin Zoom Speed Craw, although he also mixed in a ½-ounce football jig on Sunday.
“They bit good until about 10 (a.m.) each day, then it really slowed down,” Baker said. “You could still catch a few after 10, but it was a grind.”
The top five boaters on Saturday were:
1st: Ronnie Baker of Providence Forge, Va., five bass, 16-0, $3,466
1st: Ben Reynolds of Callands, Va., five bass, 15-13, $1,733
3rd: Mike Miller of Trinity, N.C., five bass, 14-11, $1,155
4th: Ryan Harrell of Roanoke Rapids, N.C., five bass, 14-7, $1,244
5th: David Wright of Lexington, N.C., five bass, 14-5, $1,193
Complete results for Saturday can be found at FLWFishing.com.
Harrell brought a 5-pound, 11-ounce largemouth to the scale to earn Saturday’s Boater Big Bass award of $435.
Wright picked up Saturday’s FLW PHOENIX BONUS of $500 as he was the highest-finishing 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.
Carl Enos of Bracey, Virginia, won the Co-angler Division and $1,905 Saturday after catching five bass weighing 13 pounds, 4 ounces.
The top five co-anglers Saturday finished as follows:
1st: Carl Enos of Bracey, Va., three bass, 13-4, $1,905
2nd: Victor Riveras of Newport News, Va., three bass, 10-1, $846
3rd: Joseph Kozlinski of Fayetteville, N.C., three bass, 9-15, $564
4th: Barry Burford of Charlotte, N.C., three bass, 9-10, $567
4th: Robert Raymond of Farmville, Va., three bass, 9-10, $367
Enos caught the largest bass in the Co-angler Division, weighing in at 5 pounds, 2 ounces, to win the day’s Co-angler Big Bass award of $212.
The top five boaters on Sunday were:
1st: Ronnie Baker of Providence Forge, Va., five bass, 14-15, $3,122
2nd: David Wright of Lexington, N.C., five bass, 13-15, $2,061
3rd: Martin Villa of Charlottesville, Va., five bass, 13-14, $1,043
4th: Tim Wiltfong of Wake Forest, N.C., five bass, 13-8, $728
5th: Paul Worthington of Benson, N.C., five bass, 12-2, $624
Complete results for Sunday’s event on Kerr Lake can be found at FLWFishing.com.
Curtis Talbott of Forest, Virginia, brought a 5-pound, 6-ounce bass to the scale to win Sunday’s Boater Big Bass award of $375.
Wright also added Sunday’s FLW PHOENIX BONUS of $500 as he was the highest-finishing member.
Mike Shatley of North Wilkesboro, North Carolina, won the Co-angler Division and $1,561 Sunday after catching a five-bass limit weighing 14 pounds, 12 ounces.
The top five co-anglers Sunday finished as follows:
1st: Mike Shatley of North Wilkesboro, N.C., five bass, 14-12, $1,561
2nd: Eric Hawks of Galax, Va., five bass, 13-13, $781
3rd: Eric Osborne of Jefferson, N.C., five bass, 11-13, $521
4th: Michael Abel of Portsmouth, Va., five bass, 11-6, $364
5th: Samuel Jones of Raleigh, N.C., five bass, 11-4, $312
Vernon Adams of Raleigh, North Carolina, caught the largest bass in the Co-angler Division, weighing in at 4 pounds, 15 ounces to earn Sunday’s Co-angler Big Bass award of $187.
The 2020 Phoenix Bass Fishing League presented by T-H Marine Double-Header on Kerr Lake was the second and third of five qualifying events in the Piedmont Division.
The top 45 boaters and co-anglers in the Piedmont 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.
Lebanon’s Boggs Wins Phoenix Bass Fishing League Event on Kentucky/Barkley Lakes
GILBERTSVILLE, Ky. (July 20, 2020) – Boater Drew Boggs of Lebanon, Tennessee, brought three bass to the scale Saturday weighing 13 pounds, 13 ounces to win the Phoenix Bass Fishing League presented by T-H Marine event on Kentucky and Barkley Lakes. For his victory, Boggs earned $5,082.
“I wanted to make a run to fish about an hour south,” said Boggs, who earned his seventh career BFL win. “I made it almost all the way – about five minutes from stopping – when my engine started knocking and I knew something wasn’t right.
“So I sat down in the first area and ended up staying there for a long time,” Boggs continued. “I ended up catching two on a football jig in brush piles and one on a deep crankbait on a ledge.
“By the time I left, my engine was knocking so badly that I was only able to fish two more stops before I made it back. It took quite a while – I had to troll in the last two miles. It was extremely tough, but I was very blessed. I caught nine keepers, and my best five would have been around 22 pounds.”
The top 10 boaters finished the tournament as follows:
1st: Drew Boggs of Lebanon, Tenn., three bass, 13-13, $5,082
2nd: Scott Patton of Dayton, Tenn., three bass, 11-3, $2,541
3rd: Daniel Langton of Evansville, Ind., three bass, 9-14, $1,157
3rd: Ronnie Getz of Sunman, Ind., three bass, 9-14, $1,157
5th: David Young of Mayfield, Ky., three bass, 9-11, $1,342
5th: Keith Amerson of Bethel Springs, Tenn., three bass, 9-11, $782
7th: Kevin Caskey of Madisonville, Ky., three bass, 9-10, $680
8th: Tim Smiley of White Pine, Tenn., three bass, 9-7, $612
9th: Harold Buchmeier of Gilbertsville, Ky., three bass, 9-0, $544
10th: Mason Fleetwood of Vallonia, Ind., three bass, 8-15, $452
10th: David Hames of Trezevant, Tenn., three bass, 8-15, $452
Complete results can be found at FLWFishing.com.
Young claimed the day’s Boater Big Bass Award of $560 after bringing a 5-pound, 6-ounce bass to the scale.
Patton 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.
Wesley Dunn of Paducah, Kentucky, and Brian Huber of St. Peters, Missouri, tied for the win in the Co-angler Division Saturday after both anglers brought in three bass totaling 8 pound, 7 ounces. For their wins, each angler brought home $1,503.
The top 10 co-anglers finished as follows:
1st: Wesley Dunn of Paducah, Ky., three bass, 8-7, $1,503
1st: Brian Huber of St. Peters, Mo, three bass, 8-7, $1,503
3rd: Jeff Harris of Lexington, Ky., two bass, 8-0, $943
4th: Frank Haysley of Louisville, Ky., three bass, 6-9, $468
5th: Richard Baker of Jackson, Tenn., three bass, 6-4, $401
6th: Charlie Kuebler of Jasper, Ind., three bass, 5-14, $368
7th: Gary Hill of Germantown, Ohio, three bass, 5-13, $334
8th: William Holden of Cincinnati, Ohio, two bass, 5-11, $284
8th: Chris Coates of Bethpage, Tenn., two bass, 5-11, $284
10th: Orville Gown of Leitchfield, Ky., three bass, 5-10, $234
Harris caught the largest bass in the Co-angler Division, weighing in at 6 pounds, 4 ounces. The catch earned the day’s Co-angler Big Bass award of $275.
The 2020 Phoenix Bass Fishing League presented by T-H Marine on Kentucky and Barkley Lakes was hosted by the Kentucky Lake Convention & Visitors Bureau. The event was /the second 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.
Richmond’s Seal Wins Phoenix Bass Fishing League Tournament on Ohio River
LAWRENCEBURG, Ind. (July 20, 2020) – Boater Mike Seal of Richmond, Indiana, brought a five-bass limit to the scale Saturday weighing 11 pounds, 2 ounces to win the Phoenix Bass Fishing League presented by T-H Marine event on the Ohio River in Lawrenceburg, Indiana. For his victory, Seal earned a total of $4,127.
“I’ve fished around 60 of these events, and it feels good to finally earn a win,” said Seal. “It was a pretty slow day – I threw a slow worm and had six keeper bites. I didn’t burn more than a ½ gallon of gas.”
Seal’s worm of choice was a Berkley Powerbait 7-inch Power Worm.
The top 10 boaters finished the tournament as follows:
1st: Mike Seal of Richmond, Ind., five bass, 11-2, $4,127
2nd: Nick Uebelhor of Loogootee, Ind., five bass, 10-4, $2,564
3rd: Brandon Barrett of Bloomington, Ind., five bass, 8-5, $1,377
4th: Chris Combess of Cleves, Ohio, five bass, 8-1, $963
5th: Brannon Pickett of Franklin, Ind., five bass, 7-11, $825
6th: Thomas Foster of Terre Haute, Ind., four bass, 6-14, $757
7th: Tyler Land of Coatsville, Ind., two bass, 6-11, $1,263
8th: Jared Robinson of Medora, Ind., five bass, 6-9, $619
8th: Chris Martinkovic of Hamilton, Ohio, three bass, 6-6, $750
10th: Jeff Ellis of Danville, Ind., four bass, 5-13, $482
Complete results can be found at FLWFishing.com.
Land earned the day’s $575 Boater Big Bass award with a 5-pound, 8-ounce bass.
Uebelhor 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.
Alex Kerns of Carmel, Indiana, earned the win in the Co-angler Division Saturday after catching four bass weighing 6 pounds, 3 ounces. Kerns earned $2,082 for his victory.
The top 10 co-anglers finished as follows:
1st: Alex Kerns of Carmel, Ind., four bass, 6-3, $2,082
2nd: Justin Clift of Greenwood, Ind., three bass, 5-4, $1,041
3rd: Mike Burgess of Cincinnati, Ohio, two bass, 4-5, $692
4th: Trapper Owens of Carlisle, Ohio, three bass, 3-14, $428
5th: Dyllan Grace of Scottsburg, Ind., three bass, 3-14, $428
6th: Larry Ellis of Indianapolis, Ind., three bass, 3-14, $428
7th: Brian Bogard of Camby, Ind., three bass, 3-13, $347
8th: Gary Owens of Columbus, Ind., three bass, 3-8, $312
9th: Dan Miller of Greenwood, Ind., two bass, 3-7, $278
10th: Dan Schlegel of Cincinnati, Ohio, two bass, 3-6, $243
Dan Whitley of Mooresville, Indiana, caught the largest bass in the Co-angler Division, a fish weighing in at 2 pounds, 14 ounces. The catch earned him the day’s Co-angler Big Bass award of $290.
The 2020 Phoenix Bass Fishing League presented by T-H Marine on the Ohio River in Lawrenceburg was the third of five qualifying events in the Hoosier Division.
The top 45 boaters and co-anglers in the Hoosier Division based on point standings, along with the five winners of each qualifying event, will be entered in the Oct. 15-17 Phoenix Bass Fishing League Regional Championship on the Mississippi River in La Crosse, Wisconsin, hosted by Explore La Crosse. 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.
Buffalo City’s Wieczorek Wins Phoenix Bass Fishing League Event on Mississippi River at La Crosse
LA CROSSE, Wis. (July 20, 2020) – Boater Randy Wieczorek of Buffalo City, Wisconsin, brought a three-bass limit to the scale Saturday weighing 11 pounds, 9 ounces to win the Phoenix Bass Fishing League presented by T-H Marine event on the Mississippi River in La Crosse, Wisconsin. For his victory, Wieczorek earned $5,463.
“It’s been a long time – more than 15 years since I’ve won one of these (BFL) tournaments,” said Wieczorek, who picked up his second career win. “It feels good to know that I can still keep up with some of these young bucks that are out here.”
Wieczorek spent his tournament day fishing in Pool No. 7, throwing a jig and a frog to bring three nice largemouth to the scale.
“I was catching largemouth all the way up to the lock and dam to Pool No. 6,” Wieczorek said. “Most of the fish I caught early came flipping a black and blue jig around wood and in a little bit of eelgrass. I caught my bigger one fishing a frog in the slop.”
The top 10 boaters finished the tournament as follows:
1st: Randy Wieczorek of Buffalo City, Wis., three bass, 11-9, $5,463
2nd: Mike Brueggen of La Crosse, Wis., three bass, 10-14, $2,232
3rd: Cade Laufenberg of Goodview, Minn., three bass, 9-12, $1,489
4th: Hunter Litchfield of Macomb, Ill., three bass, 9-10, $967
4th: Brandon Gann of Sparta, Wis., three bass, 9-10, $967
6th: Jeremy Nokken of La Crosse, Wis., three bass, 9-6, $818
7th: Travis Brueggen of Cashton, Wis., three bass, 9-4, $744
8th: Josh Ystenes of La Crosse, Wis., three bass, 9-3, $669
9th: Tyler Fitch of Oregon, Wis., three bass, 9-0, $595
10th: Kyle Meyer of Blaine, Minn., three bass, 8-14, $473
10th: Adam Hatfield of Sparta, Wis., three bass, 8-14, $473
10th: Joe Pollak of Lake Geneva, Wis., three bass, 8-14, $673
Complete results can be found at FLWFishing.com.
Rene Luis of Chicago, Illinois, claimed the day’s Boater Big Bass Award of $640 after bringing a 4-pound, 7-ounce bass to the scale.
Kevin Ruh of Onalaska, Wisconsin, 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.
Richard Conrad of Arcadia, Wisconsin, won the Co-angler Division and $2,232 Saturday after catching three bass weighing 10 pounds, 10 ounces.
The top 10 co-anglers finished as follows:
1st: Richard Conrad of Arcadia, Wis., three bass, 10-10, $2,232
2nd: Brian Baker of Onalaska, Wis., three bass, 8-14, $1,116
3rd: Tom Rothering of Fountain City, Wis., three bass, 8-11, $952
3rd: Nycholas Swanson of Waterloo, Iowa, three bass, 8-11, $632
5th: Jessie Pollard of Whitehall, Wis., three bass, 8-10, $446
6th: Thad Vettrus of Chippewa Falls, Wis., three bass, 8-7, $409
7th: Douglas Ley of Janesville, Wis., three bass, 8-5, $372
8th: Chuck Davis of Farmington, Ill., three bass, 8-3, $335
9th: Mike Fischer of Stacy, Minn., three bass, 8-0, $298
10th: Greg Oppegard of West St. Paul, Minn., three bass, 7-15, $260
Rothering caught the largest bass in the Co-angler Division, weighing in at 4 pounds, 6 ounces. The catch earned the day’s Co-angler Big Bass award of $320.
The 2020 Phoenix Bass Fishing League presented by T-H Marine on the Mississippi River in La Crosse was hosted by the La Crosse County Convention & Visitors Bureau. It was the second 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.
Knockin Tail Lures The original Built-In Tail rattle ICAST 2020
Special Pricing for ICAST attendees!
We've expanded our inventory with 20 color options.
Since debuting in March 2020, we have received overwhelming response and support from fellow anglers and retail shops across the nation. If you're looking for something different that actually works, give us a try! If it's moving, it's rattling...even on the fall!
For Wholesale pricing, email us at [email protected] or visit our website for more information. Our ICAST deals are hard to beat! Contact us now for pricing options and questions.
Knockin Tail Lure, Built-In Tail Rattle!
The new Knockin Tail is a solid body swimbait that has a rattle built into the tail! That’s right, with every flutter of the tail it sends out fish attracting sound that entice fish natural instinct to feed. These lures are also durable and action-packed. They have unbelievable tail action and sound at a slow retrieve. As long as the Knockin Tail is moving, it's rattling, continuously producing that fish attracting sound.
Unlike other soft plastics that only rattle when you twitch your rod, the unique design of the Knockin Tail Lure allows it to rattle continuously on a steady retrieve. No more inserting rattles or purchasing special jigheads that don’t fit your lure properly to get the rattling sound you need. In fresh or saltwater, with lateral line stimulation, no fish can resist the need to feed! MADE IN THE USA.
The "Duct Tape" Tour
This week the boys welcome in FLW Tour Pro and Winner of the first ever FLW Tour event Mike Surman to the show to talk all things FLW, past and present and now the new MLFLW and more!! Check it out!
NetBait Tackle’s Dagger ICAST 2020
NetBait Tackle’s New Dagger Soft Plastics Deliver Better Penetration on Hooksets
D’Iberville, Mississippi. (July 16, 2020) – NetBait is known for the company’s patented PACA technology – from the original PACA Craw and PACA Chunks to hugely popular designs like the PACA Slim. More recently, the company has been listening to feedback from customers and pros alike, wanting to add a flipping and punching bait to their arsenal. They wanted a bait that delivered the same quality and performance of all NetBait soft plastics but, with a “do nothing” action and plenty of vibration for more subtle bait presentations. From this challenge the NetBait Dagger was created.
NetBait’s Dagger design is centered around an innovative, thin flex-wing design for unique gliding action. The flex-wing is integrated with twelve forward facing angled ribs placed to improve water displacement and add subtle vibration to a natural swimming action that fish love. The flex-wing is mounted on a compact body core to easily accommodate even a 4/0 and 5/0 large Texas-rig flippin’ hook while the thin flex-wing compresses quickly to improve penetration on the hookset.
Before unleashing the bait to the masses, NetBait’s team of regional and national pros began testing the Dagger in late 2019 in real tournament situations. Success is the best result of all, and the prototype Dagger performed well resulting in three tournament wins.
“The NetBait team has knocked it out with the Dagger! This is one of the most versatile baits in our lineup. It can be flipped, pitched, punched, and even rigged weightless. It’s a bait you can rig on 3-4 different setups from power to finesse fishing situations.” said Bassmaster 2019 Angler of the Year, Scott Canterbury. “Versatility is the key for anglers and that was a critical factor in the Dagger bait design. Most important in the design is that when the fish bite down, there’s no bulky plastic to get in the way of your hookset.”
The all-new Dagger comes in 10 of the best fish-catching colors in the country and is an amazing value at $4.29. Available now from Tackle Warehouse and will be available at a fishing tackle retailer near you soon – ask your dealer today for the NetBait Dagger – Proudly made at American Baitworks!
