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Midland High Takes Bassmaster High School Series Win On Saginaw Bay

Brady Pinwar and Alec Albrecht, of Midland (Mich.) High School, have won the Mossy Oak Fishing Bassmaster High School Series at Saginaw Bay presented by Academy Sports + Outdoors with 23 pounds, 4 ounces.

Photo by Kyle Jessie/B.A.S.S.

June 19, 2021

BANGOR CHARTER TOWNSHIP, Mich. — The Midland High School team of Brady Pinwar and Alec Albrecht defended their home waters of Saginaw Bay on Saturday afternoon, catching 23 pounds, 4 ounces of smallmouth bass to win the Mossy Oak Fishing Bassmaster High School Series presented by Academy Sports + Outdoors.

The second-place team of Brayden Ruckman and Nate Helmreich from Freeland High School, also a local program, took second place with 20-14, and Hank Sturm and Mitch Straffon from Fenton High School finished third with 20-12.

“It’s amazing,” Albrecht said. “All of our buddies are going to Nationals, so it will be cool to go along with them. We set the bar high and went for 25 pounds, but 23 pounds is just fine. We fish out here a lot of the time but the wind is crazy. It took forever to get in.”

Unexpected storms moved across the region around mid-day, creating some rough conditions for competitors, who were allowed extra time to navigate back to the weigh-in. That, however, didn’t stop Pinwar and Albrecht from getting to their spot and sight-fishing for bedding smallmouth.

“We made a long journey today up North and we got onto a rock flat and caught the bed fish that were there,” Albrecht said.

While some were postspawn, Pinwar said they could see most of the bass they caught. They were throwing an X Zone Lures Finesse Slammer on a drop shot, a Poor Boys Baits Erie Darter on a darter-head jig and a black hair jig, which produced their biggest bass.

“They were late spawners more out deep,” Pinwar said. “Some of them might have been guarding the fry. We executed great. We only caught seven or eight fish, but we only fished the ones we thought we needed.”

Ruckman and Helmreich took a similar approach, fishing for bedding smallmouth in deeper water. Their day started slow, but after bouncing around through some different areas they found a couple of smallmouth that were willing to bite.

“We couldn’t get the first two or three to go,” Ruckman said. “After that, it was kind of lights-out for three or four fish. Then we had a standstill for a while and finally started picking back up. We culled our one 2-pounder we needed to cull out.”

The Freeland High duo caught smallmouth in 10 to 12 feet of water, using a drop shot for the spawners and a crankbait to pick up a couple of postspawners.

“If you could get to them without them seeing you first, you could catch them normally,” Helmreich said. “We marked them in practice and today we would go look for them and cast to them.”

Ethan Gilbert and Carson Aarup from Downeast Fishing Club in North Carolina earned the Big Bass of the Tournament award with a 5-1 largemouth.

The top six teams punched their ticket to the 2021 Mossy Oak Fishing Bassmaster High School National Championship presented by Academy Sports + Outdoors, which will be held on Chickamauga Lake in Dayton, Tenn., July 29-31.

The final regular-season High School Series event of the year will be held next week at Lay Lake.

2021 Mossy Oak Fishing Bassmaster High School Series at Saginaw Bay presented by Academy Sports + Outdoors 6/19-6/19
Saginaw Bay, Saginaw Bay MI.
(BOATER) Standings Day 1

Angler Club/School Pts

1. Brady Pinwar - Alec Albrecht Midland High School 0
Day 1: 5 23-04 Total: 5 23-04
2. Brayden Ruckman - Nate Helmreich Freeland High School 0
Day 1: 5 20-14 Total: 5 20-14
3. Hank Sturm - Mitch Straffon Fenton High School 0
Day 1: 5 20-12 Total: 5 20-12
4. Luke Malik - Ryan Kahut Brighton High School 0
Day 1: 5 18-02 Total: 5 18-02
5. Jack Swihart - Rylan Hamlin Jackson Fishing 0
Day 1: 5 18-02 Total: 5 18-02
6. Jacob Policka - Brayden Vallie Fruitport (271) 0
Day 1: 5 18-01 Total: 5 18-01
7. Cole Carr - Luke McGuire Anchor Bay High School 0
Day 1: 5 17-12 Total: 5 17-12
8. Ethan Gilbert - Carson Aarup Downeast Fishing Club 0
Day 1: 5 17-07 Total: 5 17-07
9. Mason Snider - Dalton Benson Mount Juliet Fishing 0
Day 1: 5 17-07 Total: 5 17-07
10. Drake Vandike - Anthony Polzin Livonia Outlaws 0
Day 1: 5 17-06 Total: 5 17-06
11. Braylan Tyler - Logan Ashby Franklin County High School (141 0
Day 1: 5 16-15 Total: 5 16-15
12. Jacob Davidson - Tristen Boyd Mt Juliet High School 0
Day 1: 5 16-02 Total: 5 16-02
13. Van Price - Tristan Fawley Carlson High School 0
Day 1: 5 15-13 Total: 5 15-13
14. Jack Sprague - Cole Jimkoski Freeland 0
Day 1: 5 15-10 Total: 5 15-10
15. Dylan May - Trey Hayton Brownsburg High School 0
Day 1: 5 15-09 Total: 5 15-09
16. Blake Marcum - Brody Diamond Louisa Bass Club High School 0
Day 1: 5 14-14 Total: 5 14-14
17. Evan Simonis - Hunter Ross Fruitport high school 0
Day 1: 5 14-13 Total: 5 14-13
18. Nate Grow - Micah Hammond Grand Haven High School 0
Day 1: 5 14-10 Total: 5 14-10
18. Alex Standerfer - Collin Mcglin New London 0
Day 1: 5 14-10 Total: 5 14-10
20. Nick Seitz - Brock Vogel 419 fishing 0
Day 1: 5 14-09 Total: 5 14-09
21. Caden Adams - Parker Pace Clarkston HS - A1 Anglers 0
Day 1: 5 14-07 Total: 5 14-07
22. Harry Richter - Jacob Piniatoglou Saline High School 0
Day 1: 5 14-02 Total: 5 14-02
23. Aiden Pihaylic - John Sheker Anchor Bay Juniors 0
Day 1: 5 13-15 Total: 5 13-15
24. Mike Abbott - Rees Williams Jonathan Alder High School 0
Day 1: 5 13-13 Total: 5 13-13
24. Adam Dionne - Zach Waters lanse creuse 0
Day 1: 5 13-13 Total: 5 13-13
26. Connor Dobrinski - Nolan Tibbs Zeeland Fishhawx 0
Day 1: 5 13-12 Total: 5 13-12
26. Blake Talaski - Jordan Osentoski Bad Axe High 0
Day 1: 5 13-12 Total: 5 13-12
28. Matt Mosby - Gus Dietrich Powers Bass Team 0
Day 1: 5 13-10 Total: 5 13-10
29. Zach Pocos - Brett Hill Hartleys Hawgs Bass Team 0
Day 1: 5 13-10 Total: 5 13-10
30. Landon Brown - Connor Mckinzie Bourbon County High School 0
Day 1: 5 13-08 Total: 5 13-08
31. Nick Bartolo - Dylan Ross greenville bass club 0
Day 1: 5 13-04 Total: 5 13-04
32. Will Hughes - Corbin Olsson East Grand Rapids 0
Day 1: 5 13-03 Total: 5 13-03
33. Blake Gad - Eddie Gad Reed Custer 0
Day 1: 5 13-01 Total: 5 13-01
34. Tanner Wolf - Kaleb Casler Dewitt High School 0
Day 1: 5 12-13 Total: 5 12-13
35. Brett Mouw - Tj Wright The Hill Toppers 0
Day 1: 5 12-12 Total: 5 12-12
36. Nathan Syrett - Evan Shaw Howell High School 0
Day 1: 5 12-12 Total: 5 12-12
37. Cougar Fagan - Logan Moulton 0
Day 1: 5 12-10 Total: 5 12-10
38. Paxton Giem - Charlie Dobbelaer Boyne City High School 0
Day 1: 5 12-10 Total: 5 12-10
39. Hunter Petrovic - John Sergeant Minooka High School 0
Day 1: 5 12-07 Total: 5 12-07
40. Alex Herter - Derek Kantola Howell High School 0
Day 1: 5 11-12 Total: 5 11-12
41. Trent Rivers - Thomas Henshaw Northville High School 0
Day 1: 5 11-05 Total: 5 11-05
42. Bennett Chenoweth - Chance Reese Northville 0
Day 1: 5 10-12 Total: 5 10-12
43. Jaden Bovee - Hunter Falor Coleman High School 0
Day 1: 5 10-09 Total: 5 10-09
44. Carter Albright - Jordan Warner Midland High School 0
Day 1: 5 10-07 Total: 5 10-07
45. Tyler Zimmerman - Fruitport High School 0
Day 1: 5 10-01 Total: 5 10-01
46. Bennett Bauer - Preston Venable RoCo Anglers 0
Day 1: 5 10-00 Total: 5 10-00
47. Dalton Polega - Luke East Freeland High School 0
Day 1: 5 09-15 Total: 5 09-15
48. Connor Christensen - Noah Varitek Anchor bay 0
Day 1: 3 07-03 Total: 3 07-03
49. Matthew Wenzell - Nathaniel Wenzell Midland High 0
Day 1: 3 06-00 Total: 3 06-00
50. Mitchell Anderson - Keegan Johnson Lowell high school 0
Day 1: 3 05-03 Total: 3 05-03
51. Casey Rausch - greenville bass club 0
Day 1: 1 03-15 Total: 1 03-15
52. Nathan Akahoshi - Ethan Laducer Stevenson High School 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
52. Braylon Eggerding - Lucas Washburn Forest Hills 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
52. Jack Hay - Dominic Wolf howell high school 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
52. Carlie Mitchell - Remington Barkley Hartland 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
52. Ayden Rubritius - Boyd Fuller Western Panthers Bass Fishing Te 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
52. Chase Taylor - Braydon Moore Grand Haven High School 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
52. Logan Ware - Jack Romatz Midland High School 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00

by AnglersChannel

Riverside Lady Anglers Win Bassmaster Junior Series Title On Saginaw Bay

Tennessee's Lainie Holbert and Sarah Swindle, of the Riverside Junior Bass Team, have won the Mossy Oak Fishing Bassmaster Junior Series at Saginaw Bay with 14 pounds, 2 ounces.

Photo by Kyle Jessie/B.A.S.S.

June 19, 2021

BANGOR CHARTER TOWNSHIP, Mich. — Using some of the same baits they use back home on the Tennessee River, the lady angler team of Lainie Holbert and Sarah Swindle from the Riverside Junior Bass Team caught 14 pounds, 2 ounces of largemouth and earned the victory at the Mossy Oak Bassmaster Junior Series on Saginaw Bay.

Holbert and Swindle’s bag was anchored by a 3-3 largemouth that earned them Big Bass honors and a $100 bonus.

“It is very exciting,” Holbert said. “I’ve always wanted to win one of these because you get this cool trophy and stand up on that stage. It is awesome.”

Swindle added that while holding the trophy is awesome, she and Holbert continue to prove that lady anglers can fish just as well, if not better, than the boys.

“It is amazing. Walking across that stage and seeing everyone,” Swindle said “And being girls is the best part. You can show that girls can do the same as boys. They are all just staring at you, and we are like, ‘We got fish just like you do.’ It’s awesome.”

Though their day started slowly, they said they caught close to 60 bass. Holbert said they caught their fish around grass in shallow areas of Saginaw Bay.

“We started flipping jigs and throwing Pop-Rs and they started blowing up,” Holbert said. “We went to our next spot and it got a little rough, but it was manageable. They started blowing up and they were all in the grass.”

Although Kentucky Lake can get rough, Swindle said Saginaw Bay was an intimidating fishery.

“You just look across and you can’t see land. It’s like the ocean and a little scary honestly,” she said.

The trophy will sit between the other victories and second-place finishes the duo has had this season around their home waters of Kentucky Lake and Pickwick Lake.

Kurt Holbert, boat captain and Lainie’s father, said he has been impressed with the drive the team has shown throughout the season.

“Their determination to win is unbelievable,” Kurt said. “To stay at it all the time. There is no telling the tournaments they’ve won where they have caught the last big fish 20 minutes before weigh-in. They fish hard all day. It was an awesome trip.”

With the win, Swindle and Holbert qualify for the 2021 Mossy Oak Fishing Bassmaster Junior National Championship at the Carroll County 1000 Acre Recreational Lake in Huntingdon, Tenn., not far from their hometown of Decaturville.

2021 Mossy Oak Fishing Bassmaster Junior Series at Saginaw Bay 6/19-6/19
Saginaw Bay, Saginaw Bay MI.
(BOATER) Standings Day 1

Angler Club/School Pts

1. Lainie Holbert - Sarah Swindle Riverside Bass Team 0
Day 1: 5 14-02 Total: 5 14-02
2. Bradie Talaski - Devin Maurer Bad Axe Junior 0
Day 1: 5 12-15 Total: 5 12-15
3. Carter Pjesky - Jd Mcbroom Off the Hook Bassmasters 0
Day 1: 5 12-08 Total: 5 12-08
4. Andon Harwood - Cayden Geurts Freeland 0
Day 1: 5 11-11 Total: 5 11-11
5. Mackenzie Muntz - Jacob Muntz Gibsonburg 0
Day 1: 5 10-12 Total: 5 10-12
6. Carson Kellogg - Nicholas Finley New Lexington Panthers 0
Day 1: 5 10-11 Total: 5 10-11

by AnglersChannel

Lawson Hibdon Pads Lead at Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit Federal Ammunition Stop 5 Presented by Lucas Oil at Potomac River

MARBURY, Md. (June 18, 2021) – Rookie Lawson Hibdon of Versailles, Missouri, extended his lead on Day Two of the MLF Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit Presented by Bad Boy Mowers, Federal Ammunition Stop 5 Presented by Lucas Oil at the Potomac River on Friday, bringing a five-bass limit to the scale weighing 17 pounds, 8 ounces. Hibdon’s two-day total of 10 bass weighing 34 pounds, 8 ounces gives him a 2-pound, 2-ounce advantage heading into Day 3 of the four-day competition featuring bass fishing professionals from around the world, competing for up to $135,000.

Pro Adrian Avena of Vineland, New Jersey, moved from fourth place into second, weighing 16 pounds even on Friday for a two-day total of 32-6, with rookie Ricky Robinson of Greenback, Tennessee making a giant leap from 59^th place into third with the biggest bag of the tournament – 18 pounds, 12 ounces – bringing his total to 32-2.

Although he had a stellar end to his day, Hibdon said his day started off much slower than he had been hoping for.

“I really thought I’d be able to pull up to the first stretch of docks and catch about 12 pounds in the first 30 minutes or so, and that didn’t happen,” said Hibdon. “It was a lot tougher today – It may not look like it, but it was. I only caught 8 or 9 keepers and only had probably 15 bites total.”

Hibdon said his pattern has been evenly split between fishing hard cover and grass.

“I have a ton of experience fishing docks, but I’ve fished a lot of grass over the years as well,” said Hibdon. “There are a few smaller lakes back home that have some grass and we love fishing the grass up north. This is altogether different, but it’s still grass and the fish still act the same. I don’t care for it as much as flipping boat docks, but I also can’t get near the bites flipping boat docks, so I have to mix some grass in with it.

“I caught some of the bigger ones today around docks, rocks and basically anything that looks right,” continued Hibdon. “I’m just running around until I see something that works, but about half of the fish today were out of the grass as well.”

While he stuck with a lot of the same baits as yesterday – spinnerbaits, ChatterBaits and worms – Hibdon said he did make some color changes throughout the day.

“The tide pushed dirtier water into one of my areas, so I switched to some darker colors at one point,” said Hibdon. “It didn’t seem to make much of a difference though, the fish still missed it a lot. I may have to keep searching for something else tomorrow. I’m not sure I can go back to the same places and even catch 10 pounds.

“I fished a lot of new stuff today – a lot that didn’t work, but some that did. They just weren’t biting much today. I’m catching some good quality fish, but just not many of them. My biggest one came out of a spot I didn’t really expect to catch one, so that was a bonus because it was much tougher than I expected it to be after having so many bites yesterday.”

The top 20 pros after Day 2 on the Potomac River are:

1^st:           Lawson Hibdon of Versailles, Mo., 10 bass, 34-8
2^nd:          Adrian Avena of Vineland, N.J., 10 bass, 32-6
3^rd:          Ricky Robinson of Greenback, Tenn., 10 bass, 32-2
4^th:           Zell Rowland of Montgomery, Texas, 10 bass, 31-15
5^th:           Josh Bragg of Jacksonville, Ala., 10 bass, 31-14
6^th:           Ron Nelson of Berrien Springs, Mich., 10 bass, 31-12
7^th:           Michael Neal of Dayton, Tenn., 10 bass, 31-10
8^th:           Justin O’Brian Cooper of Zwolle, La., 10 bass, 31-1
9^th:           Spencer Shuffield of Hot Springs, Ark., 10 bass, 30-11
10^th:        Clabion Johns of Social Circle, Ga., 10 bass, 30-9
11^th:        Joey Cifuentes of Clinton, Ark., 10 bass, 30-7
12^th:        Cody Meyer of Star, Idaho, 10 bass, 30-6
13^th:        Terry Bolton of Benton, Ky., 10 bass, 30-3
14^th:        Tai Au of Glendale, Ariz., 10 bass, 30-1
15^th:        Alex Davis of Albertville, Ala., 10 bass, 29-13
16^th:        Shin Fukae of Osaka, Japan, 10 bass, 29-9
17^th:        Jim Moynagh of Shakopee, Minn., 10 bass, 29-9
18^th:        Grae Buck of Green Lane, Pa., 10 bass, 29-8
19^th:        Jacopo Gallelli of Wetumpka, Ala., 10 bass, 29-5
20^th:        Pete Ponds of Madison, Miss., 10 bass, 29-2

For a full list of results visit MajorLeagueFishing.com.

Darrel Robertson of Jay, Oklahoma won the day's $500 Berkley Big Bass award in the pro division after bringing a largemouth weighing 5 pounds, 8 ounces to the scale.

Overall, there were 768 bass weighing 1,920 pounds, 4 ounces caught by 156 pros Friday. The catch included 148 five-bass limits.

The MLF Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit Presented by Bad Boy Mowers, Federal Ammunition Stop 5 Presented by Lucas Oil at the Potomac River is hosted by the Charles County Board of Commissioners.

In Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit competition, the full field of anglers competed in the two-day opening round on Thursday and Friday. The top 50 pros based on their two-day cumulative weight now advance to Saturday. Only the top 10 pros will continue competition on Sunday, with the winner determined by the heaviest accumulated weight from the four days of competition.

Throughout the season, anglers are also vying for valuable points in hopes of qualifying for the 2021 Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit TITLE presented by Mercury, the Pro Circuit Championship, where they will compete for up to $235,000. The 2021 TITLE will be on the Mississippi River in La Crosse, Wisconsin on Aug. 17-22, and is hosted by Explore La Crosse.

Anglers will take off at 6:30 a.m. ET Saturday and Sunday from Smallwood State Park, located at 2750 Sweden Point Road in Marbury. Weigh-ins will also be held at the park daily at 3 p.m. Fans are welcome to attend the event or follow the action online through the MLF NOW! live stream and coverage at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

The Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit Presented by Bad Boy Mowers, Federal Ammunition Stop 5 Presented by Lucas Oil at the Potomac River will feature live on-the-water coverage and a two-hour action-packed television show that will premiere on the Outdoor Channel on Sunday, August 29 from 7 to 9 a.m. ET and re-air on the Sportsman Channel this fall. Weigh-ins will be streamed daily, and fans can catch live on-the-water action all day Saturday and Sunday, June 19-20 on MLF NOW! beginning at 7 a.m. ET at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

For complete details and updated information visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow the Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit presented by Bad Boy Mowers on the MLF BIG5’s social media outlets at Facebook , Twitter, Instagram and YouTube .

by AnglersChannel

Arey Awarded Costa Compete + Conserve Payout

Matt Arey came within two-pounds of winning the 2021 Bassmaster Classic on Lake Ray Roberts, thanks to a strong final day performance that propelled him to a second place finish. Good friend and fellow Elite Series competitor Hank Cherry ultimately won his second Classic trophy, but Arey’s 18-pound limit of largemouth kept things interesting and helped award him an extra $7,500 from Costa Compete + Conserve.

The new contingency program for tournament bass anglers rewards the highest finishing angler in Compete + Conserve supported events. The always-friendly and humble Arey was thrilled to learn he’d be taking home the impressive payout for the 51st Bassmaster Classic.

Along with an angler payout, the Compete + Conserve program includes a corresponding donation to be awarded to one of five freshwater conservation partners that the winning angler gets to choose from. The conservation payout for the Bassmaster Classic is $1,000, and Arey chose the National Fish & Wildlife Foundation to receive the donation.

“As I’ve grown older and matured I’ve realized how important conservation is to our sport, and more importantly to future generations,” Arey said. “I’ve been blessed to enjoy the magic of the outdoors my whole life. I want the same magic to be available to my kids and your kids. For Costa to build a conservation component into the Compete + Conserve program speaks volumes. We all need to follow their lead.”

Arey’s Costa frame of choice is Tuna Alley, and he swaps between two different 580G (glass) polarized lenses based on the conditions. He wore a sunrise silver mirror lens in the mornings and during low light conditions, and switched to a green mirror lens during bright, sunny conditions.

The North Carolina pro has been wearing Costa Sunglasses throughout his 14-years as a professional angler, and swears by the benefits they give him on the water. With Arey focusing on shallow water presentations on Lake Ray Roberts, the importance of his sunglasses and lens combinations were accentuated.

“I was flipping bushes with a jig and using a hollow-belly frog around shoreline grass to catch my fish,” Arey explained. “For the frog fish especially, a lot of the vegetation I targeted was submerged grass that usually isn’t even in the water, but was this week due to flooded conditions. Being able to see submerged grass from a long cast away was absolutely critical and helped me catch several key fish.”

Arey hopes to keep some momentum rolling from the Classic into his last two Elite Series events of 2021, in pursuit of his first Bassmaster trophy and more Compete + Conserve bonuses.

But you don’t have to be a pro angler to benefit from Costa Sunglasses’ new tournament angler rewards program. If you wear Costas and compete in one of a myriad of supported tournaments, you can earn bonus money just like Arey, and it’s absolutely free to register.

For a full list of supported events, to get signed up, or for more information on the new program just follow this link: https://www.costacompeteandconserve.com/ . If you’d rather call than click, dial (309) 202-2018 and ask for Luke.

by AnglersChannel

Lawson Hibdon Leads Day 1 of Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit Federal Ammunition Stop 5 Presented by Lucas Oil at Potomac River

MARBURY, Md. (June 17, 2021) – Major League Fishing pros brought down the hammer on Day One of the MLF Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit Presented by Bad Boy Mowers, Federal Ammunition Stop 5 Presented by Lucas Oil at the Potomac River on Thursday, with a total of 149 five-bass limits and more than 20 pros weighing in bags over 15 pounds. Rookie Lawson Hibdon of Versailles, Missouri, weighed a five-bass limit totaling 17 pounds even to grab the early lead going into Day Two of the event. Pro Zell Rowland of Montgomery, Texas, ended the day in second place – a mere ounce behind Hibdon after bringing a 16-15 limit to the scale – with pro Joey Cifuentes right on his heels with 16-14, good for third place.

The fifth stop on the Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit features bass fishing professionals from around the world competing for a shot to win up to $135,000 on the tidal fishery – an opportunity made even more accessible to a number of anglers after the Potomac’s stellar showing on Day One.

Although Lawson has practiced on the Potomac with his dad – legendary pro Dion Hibdon – and fished it as a co-angler three or four times in the past, he said he doesn’t have much experience on the fishery.

“I’m trying to stay away from other anglers, but still had to fish around people a time or two,” said Hibdon. “The biggest thing I had to figure out today was that I needed to slow way down. I only expected to weigh in 12 to 13 pounds like we saw a lot of other guys do, but I slowed down with a worm and caught some more quality fish this afternoon. It was very unexpected, and I wasn’t ready for it at all, but it worked out for me today.”

While anglers with more experience on tidal fisheries may plan to use the tide to their advantage, Hibdon said that’s not part of his strategy.

“I don’t know anything about how the tide works in this area and how it affects the fish or fishery,” said Hibdon. “I had 11 pounds by 9 a.m. but then I started catching some big ones. Not sure if it had anything to do with the tide, or just me slowing down, but I caught the bulk of my weight from 10 to 2 today.”

Lack of experience on the Potomac didn’t seem to hinder Hibdon, who moved around the fishery to find what worked for him; however, with mere ounces separating the top three spots, the rookie still has his work cut out for him on Day Two if he wants to stay at the top of the leaderboard.

“I hopped around a couple different creeks today and caught fish out of each creek I went to,” said Hibdon. “Two of the creeks fished better, so I’ll probably start with those two tomorrow and see if they are still in play. Hopefully I can bounce around and do the same thing tomorrow and pull some big fish.

“I probably caught more than 20 keepers today, on moving baits – spinnerbaits and ChatterBaits – before slowing down with the worm,” continued Hibdon. “I got less bites overall with the worm, but they were definitely better-quality fish.”

The top 10 pros after Day 1 on the Potomac River are:

1^st:           Lawson Hibdon of Versailles, Mo., five bass, 17-0
2^nd:          Zell Rowland of Montgomery, Texas, five bass, 16-15
3^rd:          Joey Cifuentes of Clinton, Ark., five bass, 16-14
4^th:           Adrian Avena of Vineland, N.J., five bass, 16-6
5^th:           Terry Bolton of Benton, Ky., five bass, 16-3
5^th:           Justin O’Brian Cooper of Zwolle, La., five bass, 16-3
7^th:           Michael Neal of Dayton, Tenn., five bass, 16-2
8^th:           Tom Monsoor of La Crosse, Wis., five bass, 16-1
9^th:           Ron Nelson of Berrien Springs, Mo., five bass, 15-11
9^th:           Bradley Dortch of Atmore, Ala., five bass, 15-11

For a full list of results visit MajorLeagueFishing.com.

Avena won the day's $500 Berkley Big Bass award in the pro division after bringing a bass weighing 5 pounds, 9 ounces to the scale.

Overall, there were 778 bass weighing 1,919 pounds, 7 ounces caught by 158 pros Thursday. The catch included 149 five-bass limits.

The MLF Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit Presented by Bad Boy Mowers, Federal Ammunition Stop 5 Presented by Lucas Oil at the Potomac River is hosted by the Charles County Board of Commissioners.

In Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit competition, the full field of anglers compete in the two-day opening round on Thursday and Friday. The top 50 pros based on their two-day cumulative weight advance to Saturday. Only the top 10 pros continue competition on Sunday, with the winner determined by the heaviest accumulated weight from the four days of competition.

Anglers will take off at 6:30 a.m. ET each day from Smallwood State Park, located at 2750 Sweden Point Road in Marbury. Weigh-ins will also be held at the park daily at 3 p.m. Fans are welcome to attend the event or follow the action online through the MLF NOW! live stream and coverage at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

by AnglersChannel

Auburn's Parks, Smith Rally To Bassmaster College Series Victory At Saginaw Bay

Tucker Smith and Logan Parks of Auburn University have won the Carhartt Bassmaster College Series at Saginaw Bay presented by Bass Pro Shops with a two-day total of 40 pounds, 9 ounces.
Photo by Kyle Jessie/B.A.S.S.

June 17, 2021

BANGOR CHARTER TOWNSHIP, Mich. — The Auburn University duo of Logan Parks and Tucker Smith entered the final regular-season Carhartt Bassmaster College Series presented by Bass Pro Shops event at Saginaw Bay with the lead in the Team of the Year standings and left little doubt who will be hoisting that trophy come August.

After starting Day 2 in fifth, Parks and Smith increased their two-day total to 40 pounds, 9 ounces with a final-day bag of 19-9 to earn the victory on Saginaw Bay, beating the second-place team of Zach Salters and Jenson Kay from Adrian College in Michigan by just 3 ounces. They defeated the third-place team of Ryan Park and Sam Niemeyer from Murray State in Kentucky by just 5 ounces.

It was a victory — and a season — Parks wasn’t sure was even going to be possible after Auburn University suspended the team in March for a year for violating COVID-19 protocols set forth by the school. The suspension was ultimately reduced to a couple of weeks and Parks, Smith and the rest of the Tigers squad entered each event after that with a new drive.

“I’m happy to be here and happy to be fishing again. When we got suspended, I felt like it was my fault because I was the president of the team and I worked as hard as I could to overturn that suspension — and we were able to,” Parks said. “Every event we have been at we’ve dominated. You can tell these boys are ready to fish, and we are happy to be back.”

Throughout the week, Parks and Smith focused their efforts on finding smallmouth that were staging on rockpiles outside of spawning flats. Smith said they caught most of their bass using a Berkley MaxScent Flat Worm on a drop shot.

“They would pull off and sit on those rockpiles to feed back up,” Smith said. “Some were prespawn and some were postspawn.”

Parks said the largemouth they caught were set up around reeds along the bank on points that were moved tighter to the cover by the wind.

On Day 1, the duo caught all smallmouth bass to fill their limit of 21-0. Parks said they started the day fishing for largemouth, but conditions did not set up right early.

“You never know if they are going to bite tomorrow, and we leaned on our spots harder,” Parks said. “We definitely caught better size yesterday. We left them biting and thought we saved enough for today. Managing it is difficult, but I think we did alright. I think that cold front yesterday shut the largemouth down.”

After catching a big smallmouth to start the morning and filling a limit of smallmouth early on Day 2, Parks and Smith moved to a grassy area of the lake they found during practice and made an important cull, hauling in a 4-pound largemouth that crushed a black buzzbait. From there, they returned to the Bay and caught several more 3-pound smallmouth that helped the cause.

“Everything we did we caught fish,” Smith said. “It was a fun day.”

Sitting in fourth place after Day 1 with 21-4, Salters and Kay went back to the same area of the Bay on the final day and caught 19-2 of smallmouth to jump to second.

“We had a few saved from yesterday. We went in there and thankfully were able to get five decent ones,” Kay said. “We had a couple that were 4-plus that we couldn’t get to go yesterday, and we were hoping they would go today and just didn’t. What can you do? It was still a great day for us.”

The Adrian College duo found a spawning flat with enough beds to last for two days. They used tubes, hair jigs, a 2.5-inch Keitech swimbait and a drop shot.

“We took that and ran with it,” Salters said. “We were really worried about getting locked in on Day 1. We didn’t practice the river too much but everything ended up working out.”

Kay added that he broke off a 4-pounder that would have culled a smaller fish and potentially given them the win.

Park and Niemeyer overcame a navigational mistake early in the day to land 22-11 of largemouth — the biggest bag of the tournament — and jumped from 21st place to third.

“It started off rough. We tried to make a run to Charity Island and (Ryan) got lost on the map,” Niemeyer said. “We went out for smallmouth and they weren’t there like we thought they would be.”

With the smallmouth not firing, Park and Niemeyer went searching for largemouth and built a 14-pound bag by midday. As the day progressed, they made a move to a place that Niemeyer called a subimpoundment, an area of water surrounded by concrete with a 50-yard opening leading in that they found big largemouth around during practice, and were able to upgrade their limit on a wacky-rigged Senko.

“We were chatting and the conditions were really setting up right for that spot,” Park said. “We pulled in there and we made all of our upgrades in about 20 minutes.”

Jake Maddux and Carson Maddux, also from Auburn, took home the Carhartt Big Bass of the Tournament award thanks to a 5-13 largemouth, earning them a $500 Carhartt gift card.

The Top 17 teams from this event punched their tickets to the 2021 Carhartt College National Championship presented by Bass Pro Shops to be held on the famed St. Lawrence River Aug. 12-14. The Team of the Year champions will officially be announced during the tournament festivities.

Teams that did not qualify for the championship during the four regular-season events will have one more opportunity to do so next week at the 2021 Carhartt Bassmaster College Series Wild Card Tournament presented by Bass Pro Shops on Alabama's Lay Lake.

Festivities from Saginaw Bay continue on Saturday with the Mossy Oak Fishing Bassmaster High School Series presented by Academy Sports + Outdoors and the Mossy Oak Bassmaster Junior Series.

2021 Carhartt Bassmaster College Series presented by Bass Pro Shops 6/16-6/17
Saginaw Bay, Saginaw MI.
(BOATER) Standings Day 2

Angler Club/School Pts

1. Logan Parks - Tucker Smith Auburn University 250
Day 1: 5 21-00 Day 2: 5 19-09 Total: 10 40-09
2. Zach Salters - Jenson Kay Adrian College 249
Day 1: 5 21-04 Day 2: 5 19-02 Total: 10 40-06
3. Ryan Park - Sam Niemeyer Murray State University 248
Day 1: 5 17-09 Day 2: 5 22-11 Total: 10 40-04
4. Brian Linder - Nathan Thompson 247
Day 1: 5 21-07 Day 2: 5 18-07 Total: 10 39-14
5. Christian Wright - Conner Giles Bryan college 246
Day 1: 5 18-03 Day 2: 5 20-07 Total: 10 38-10
6. Mitchell Gunn - Kyle Kunst 245
Day 1: 5 17-13 Day 2: 5 20-02 Total: 10 37-15
7. Jacob Emery - Aaron Jagdfeld Adrian College 244
Day 1: 5 17-10 Day 2: 5 20-04 Total: 10 37-14
8. Nathan Doty - Bailey Bleser McKendree University 243
Day 1: 5 18-13 Day 2: 5 18-13 Total: 10 37-10
9. Joshua DeKoning - Dalton Mollenkopf Adrian College 242
Day 1: 5 20-13 Day 2: 5 16-08 Total: 10 37-05
10. Robert Cruvellier - Sam Harvey Auburn University 241
Day 1: 5 19-15 Day 2: 5 17-04 Total: 10 37-03
11. Hayden Gaddis - Ben Cully Carson-Newman University 240
Day 1: 5 16-02 Day 2: 5 19-14 Total: 10 36-00
12. Lucas Smith - Dalton Mize Jacksonville State University 239
Day 1: 5 20-14 Day 2: 5 15-01 Total: 10 35-15
13. Tyler Vanbrandt - Jarrod Layton Adrian College 238
Day 1: 5 21-10 Day 2: 5 13-13 Total: 10 35-07
14. Ryan Winchester - Joe McClosky Bethel University 237
Day 1: 5 18-02 Day 2: 5 17-05 Total: 10 35-07
15. Carson Maddux - Jake Maddux Auburn University 236
Day 1: 5 18-06 Day 2: 5 16-15 Total: 10 35-05
16. Gunner Whitaker - Mitchell Johnson Kentucky Christian University 235
Day 1: 5 15-04 Day 2: 5 19-15 Total: 10 35-03
17. Robert Gee - Chase Dawson University of Tennessee 234
Day 1: 5 15-08 Day 2: 5 19-11 Total: 10 35-03
18. Spencer Black - Lucas Oliver Catawba Valley Community College 233
Day 1: 5 18-01 Day 2: 5 17-02 Total: 10 35-03
19. Peyton McCord - Caleb Whitehurst Auburn University 232
Day 1: 5 16-13 Day 2: 5 18-04 Total: 10 35-01
20. Tyler Cory - Scott Sledge University of Montevallo 231
Day 1: 5 16-01 Day 2: 5 18-09 Total: 10 34-10
21. Connor Jacob - Sam Smith Auburn University 230
Day 1: 5 14-15 Day 2: 5 19-08 Total: 10 34-07
22. Kyle Palmer - Brad Ableman Bethel University 229
Day 1: 5 16-09 Day 2: 5 17-08 Total: 10 34-01
23. Caleb Dachenhaus - Elliot Wielgopolski Adrian College 228
Day 1: 5 18-00 Day 2: 5 15-13 Total: 10 33-13
24. Chase Clarke - Mitchell Peterson Auburn University 227
Day 1: 5 15-03 Day 2: 5 18-07 Total: 10 33-10
25. Hunter Fillmore - Coleman Bingham Bethel University 226
Day 1: 5 17-00 Day 2: 5 16-10 Total: 10 33-10
26. Easton Fothergill - Nick Dumke University of Montevallo 225
Day 1: 5 20-06 Day 2: 5 12-14 Total: 10 33-04
27. Conner Crosby - James Cobbs Auburn University 224
Day 1: 5 15-11 Day 2: 5 17-05 Total: 10 33-00
28. Austin Carr - Justin Carr 223
Day 1: 5 17-04 Day 2: 5 15-09 Total: 10 32-13
29. Jamesen Simion - Alex Strunk Bowling Green State 222
Day 1: 5 17-11 Day 2: 5 14-13 Total: 10 32-08
30. Wyatt Pearman - Kyle Workman Campbellsville University 221
Day 1: 5 14-14 Day 2: 5 17-10 Total: 10 32-08
31. Matthew Cummings - Joseph Woods Bethel University 220
Day 1: 5 15-12 Day 2: 5 16-12 Total: 10 32-08
32. Zach Mcnary - Eric Hanover 219
Day 1: 5 15-03 Day 2: 5 17-04 Total: 10 32-07
33. Clent Blackwood - Bryar Chambers Wallace State 218
Day 1: 5 21-15 Day 2: 4 10-06 Total: 9 32-05
34. Garrett Thompson - Caden Haines West Virginia University 217
Day 1: 5 15-03 Day 2: 5 17-02 Total: 10 32-05
35. Cody Griffith - Drew Jennings Auburn University 216
Day 1: 5 16-14 Day 2: 5 15-07 Total: 10 32-05
36. Hunter Enlow - Reed Green Lander University 215
Day 1: 5 16-07 Day 2: 5 15-14 Total: 10 32-05
37. Alden Keel Jr - Lake Norsworthy Blue Mountain College 214
Day 1: 5 15-11 Day 2: 5 16-04 Total: 10 31-15
38. Fisher Overton - Fisher Young Blue Mountain College 213
Day 1: 5 14-07 Day 2: 5 17-03 Total: 10 31-10
39. Chase Mundhenke - Blake Milligan Auburn University 212
Day 1: 5 16-13 Day 2: 5 14-11 Total: 10 31-08
40. Chase Carey - Dylan Akins Emmanuel College 211
Day 1: 5 18-13 Day 2: 5 12-10 Total: 10 31-07
41. Morgan Miracle - Jake Thornbury Campbellsville University 210
Day 1: 5 13-15 Day 2: 5 17-05 Total: 10 31-04
42. Kurt Antonowitsch - Isaac Toms Western Michigan University 209
Day 1: 5 16-09 Day 2: 5 14-10 Total: 10 31-03
43. Tyler Price - Ethan Shaw Bryan College 208
Day 1: 5 15-01 Day 2: 5 16-02 Total: 10 31-03
44. Dalton Smith - Cade Hayford Campbellsville University 207
Day 1: 5 13-09 Day 2: 5 17-08 Total: 10 31-01
45. John Kirk - Brycen Hendriks 206
Day 1: 5 16-07 Day 2: 5 14-10 Total: 10 31-01
46. Austin Tapley - Carter Ball Adrian College 205
Day 1: 5 15-06 Day 2: 5 15-11 Total: 10 31-01
47. Judd Morgan - Joey Bissing University of Tennessee 204
Day 1: 5 17-01 Day 2: 5 13-15 Total: 10 31-00
48. Jacob Autry - Nick Montilino Murray State University 203
Day 1: 5 12-13 Day 2: 5 18-01 Total: 10 30-14
49. Jacob Frazier - Maddux Walters Carson-Newman University 202
Day 1: 5 15-06 Day 2: 5 15-05 Total: 10 30-11
50. Troy Gibson - University of Louisville 201
Day 1: 5 13-00 Day 2: 5 17-10 Total: 10 30-10
51. Levi Mullins - Chase Milholen Bethel University 200
Day 1: 5 14-10 Day 2: 5 16-00 Total: 10 30-10
52. Matt Messer - Lafe Messer Kentucky Christian University 199
Day 1: 5 13-04 Day 2: 5 17-05 Total: 10 30-09
53. GL Compton - Hunter Bond Clemson University 198
Day 1: 5 16-08 Day 2: 5 14-01 Total: 10 30-09
54. Brenton Godwin - Hunter Odom University of Montevallo 197
Day 1: 5 15-07 Day 2: 5 15-01 Total: 10 30-08
55. Colby Kerr - Hunter Jones Kentucky Christian University 196
Day 1: 5 17-05 Day 2: 5 13-01 Total: 10 30-06
56. Kobie Koenig - Ben Anderson 195
Day 1: 5 15-06 Day 2: 5 15-00 Total: 10 30-06
57. Justin Botts - Conner Dimauro Bryan college 194
Day 1: 5 16-13 Day 2: 5 13-07 Total: 10 30-04
58. Nate Triplett - Cody Barnes University of North Alabama 193
Day 1: 5 14-12 Day 2: 5 15-05 Total: 10 30-01
59. Matthew Davis - Zach Manneback Adrian College 192
Day 1: 5 15-11 Day 2: 5 14-04 Total: 10 29-15
60. Ty Black - Avry Thomason Georgia Southern University 191
Day 1: 5 15-00 Day 2: 5 14-14 Total: 10 29-14
61. Shane Nelson - Brayden Federer Adrian College 190
Day 1: 5 16-04 Day 2: 5 13-09 Total: 10 29-13
62. Jack Risch - Matthew Mikolajczak University of Wisconsin - Madiso 189
Day 1: 5 16-03 Day 2: 5 13-10 Total: 10 29-13
63. Thad Simerly - Tate Sloan Tennessee Tech University 188
Day 1: 5 15-03 Day 2: 5 14-10 Total: 10 29-13
64. JJ Kocevar - Logan Knoebel Kent State University 187
Day 1: 5 14-00 Day 2: 5 15-08 Total: 10 29-08
65. Wyatt Montle - Austin Ware Missouri State University 186
Day 1: 5 12-03 Day 2: 5 17-04 Total: 10 29-07
66. Reed Kochan - Nate Boenning University of Wisconsin Stevens 185
Day 1: 5 16-04 Day 2: 5 13-03 Total: 10 29-07
67. Andrew Howell - Tommy Sendek University of Montevallo 184
Day 1: 5 14-11 Day 2: 5 14-12 Total: 10 29-07
68. Reese Kingston - Caleb Barrow Brewton-Parker College 183
Day 1: 5 13-10 Day 2: 5 15-08 Total: 10 29-02
69. Kyle Ashe - Steven Gawron 182
Day 1: 5 12-01 Day 2: 5 16-13 Total: 10 28-14
70. Jacob Welch - Grant Harris Drury University 181
Day 1: 5 13-07 Day 2: 5 15-05 Total: 10 28-12
71. Jarred Jones - Logan Tate Jacksonville State University 180
Day 1: 5 15-04 Day 2: 5 13-08 Total: 10 28-12
72. Alex Richmond - Riley Bowen 179
Day 1: 5 15-09 Day 2: 5 13-00 Total: 10 28-09
73. Beau Browning - Hunter Baird Drury University 178
Day 1: 5 13-04 Day 2: 5 15-05 Total: 10 28-09
74. Jeremy Dellinger - Nathan Smith Catawba Valley Community College 177
Day 1: 5 13-11 Day 2: 5 14-14 Total: 10 28-09
75. Drew Traffanstedt - Dakendrick Patterson University of Montevallo 176
Day 1: 5 15-05 Day 2: 5 13-02 Total: 10 28-07
76. Cameron Smith - Cole Breeden Drury University 175
Day 1: 5 11-06 Day 2: 5 17-00 Total: 10 28-06
77. Sam Hoesley - Sam Hanggi Auburn University 174
Day 1: 5 13-02 Day 2: 5 15-04 Total: 10 28-06
78. Tyler Christy - Trey Schroeder McKendree University 173
Day 1: 5 13-10 Day 2: 5 14-12 Total: 10 28-06
79. Bo Thomas - Cole Zagrzebski Western Michigan University 172
Day 1: 5 14-05 Day 2: 5 14-01 Total: 10 28-06
80. Russel Buffa - Sam Shoemaker Adrian College 171
Day 1: 5 13-00 Day 2: 5 15-04 Total: 10 28-04
81. Dylan Matus - Ethan Valdes Ferris State University 170
Day 1: 5 15-14 Day 2: 5 12-05 Total: 10 28-03
82. Garrett Warren - Will Jones Auburn University 169
Day 1: 5 13-11 Day 2: 5 14-08 Total: 10 28-03
83. Seth Roberts - Austin Aikins Bethel University 0
Day 1: 5 13-14 Day 2: 5 14-05 Total: 10 28-03
84. Tyler Lubbat - Hayden O'barr 167
Day 1: 5 12-13 Day 2: 5 15-02 Total: 10 27-15
85. Andrew Mega - 166
Day 1: 5 12-02 Day 2: 5 15-08 Total: 10 27-10
86. Anthony Fazio - Caleb Jacob Illinois State University 165
Day 1: 5 19-11 Day 2: 4 07-14 Total: 9 27-09
87. Hunter Waldrop - Mark Kershaw University of South Carolina Uni 164
Day 1: 5 13-10 Day 2: 5 13-15 Total: 10 27-09
88. Mason Vernia - Samuel Mateer Western Michigan University 163
Day 1: 5 12-03 Day 2: 5 15-03 Total: 10 27-06
89. Cole Rankin - Ewing Minor Carson-Newman University 162
Day 1: 5 13-11 Day 2: 5 13-11 Total: 10 27-06
90. Hunter Palmer - Tim Herrmann bryan college 161
Day 1: 5 14-05 Day 2: 5 12-14 Total: 10 27-03
91. Drake Shipman - Mason Phillpotts Independent 160
Day 1: 5 15-02 Day 2: 5 12-00 Total: 10 27-02
92. George Gore - George Fallon Clemson University 159
Day 1: 5 14-03 Day 2: 5 12-13 Total: 10 27-00
93. Jeremy Pinkowski - Tomas Matual McKendree University 158
Day 1: 5 10-15 Day 2: 5 15-15 Total: 10 26-14
94. Hunter Bailey - JR Young Jacksonville State University 157
Day 1: 5 14-06 Day 2: 5 12-08 Total: 10 26-14
95. Rob Lindsey - Mason Cizek Bryan College 156
Day 1: 5 11-00 Day 2: 5 15-13 Total: 10 26-13
96. Matthew Roberts - Alice Lloyd College 155
Day 1: 5 13-15 Day 2: 5 12-10 Total: 10 26-09
97. Ben Rand - Mason Grossbauer Davenport University 154
Day 1: 5 12-13 Day 2: 5 13-12 Total: 10 26-09
98. Drew Gill - Zebulon Frasure Wabash Valley College 153
Day 1: 5 13-05 Day 2: 5 13-04 Total: 10 26-09
99. Austin Anderson - Calan Cameron Stephen F. Austin 152
Day 1: 5 11-10 Day 2: 5 14-13 Total: 10 26-07
100. Rudy Worley - John Nowlin Blue Mountain College 151
Day 1: 5 11-01 Day 2: 5 15-04 Total: 10 26-05
101. Solomon Glenn - Ryan Thomas University of Montevallo 150
Day 1: 5 12-15 Day 2: 5 13-05 Total: 10 26-04
102. Hayden Bartee - Syon Barnes Jacksonville State University 149
Day 1: 5 13-01 Day 2: 5 13-02 Total: 10 26-03
103. Tanner Shriver - Jacob Klicman Kent State University 148
Day 1: 5 13-11 Day 2: 5 12-06 Total: 10 26-01
104. Drake Hemby - Griffin Heffington Carson-Newman University 147
Day 1: 5 15-08 Day 2: 5 10-05 Total: 10 25-13
105. Hunter Loftin - Mac Johnston-Herzberg Missouri State University 146
Day 1: 5 13-00 Day 2: 5 12-12 Total: 10 25-12
106. Isaac Duncan - Taylor Owens Blue Mountain College 145
Day 1: 5 11-07 Day 2: 5 14-02 Total: 10 25-09
107. James Yuska - Adam Troyer Indiana University 144
Day 1: 5 12-07 Day 2: 5 13-00 Total: 10 25-07
108. Josh Kelly - Nick Crawford Kent State University 143
Day 1: 5 12-05 Day 2: 5 13-00 Total: 10 25-05
109. Bobby Beck - Anthony Degregorio 142
Day 1: 5 11-01 Day 2: 4 14-03 Total: 9 25-04
110. TJ Edwards - Camdon Lewis Blue Mountain College 141
Day 1: 5 12-01 Day 2: 5 13-00 Total: 10 25-01
111. Noah Stauffer - Trevor Campbell Ferris State University 140
Day 1: 5 12-12 Day 2: 5 12-05 Total: 10 25-01
112. Donavan Carson - Landon Lawson King University 139
Day 1: 5 10-15 Day 2: 5 14-01 Total: 10 25-00
113. Jake Kimbrough - Grant Busby Blue Mountain College 138
Day 1: 5 11-09 Day 2: 5 13-05 Total: 10 24-14
114. Dylan Chambers - Brock Bila Drury University 137
Day 1: 4 09-09 Day 2: 5 15-04 Total: 9 24-13
115. Cordell Beckman - Mark Burnham Greenville University 136
Day 1: 5 12-05 Day 2: 5 12-08 Total: 10 24-13
116. Wil Rigdon - Dustin Jones Campbellsville University 135
Day 1: 5 10-11 Day 2: 5 14-01 Total: 10 24-12
117. James Ge - Paul Tabisz University of Michigan - An Arbo 134
Day 1: 5 14-10 Day 2: 3 10-01 Total: 8 24-11
118. Chase Sansom - Tyler Drown Marshall University 133
Day 1: 5 14-09 Day 2: 5 10-02 Total: 10 24-11
119. Lane Bailey - Adam Seagle CVCC RedHawks 132
Day 1: 5 11-08 Day 2: 5 13-02 Total: 10 24-10
120. Louis Monetti - 131
Day 1: 5 11-07 Day 2: 5 12-15 Total: 10 24-06
121. Dale Hansard - Mason Lee Jacksonville State University 130
Day 1: 5 12-11 Day 2: 5 11-10 Total: 10 24-05
122. Branden Burrill - Andy Clark Western Michigan University 129
Day 1: 5 11-14 Day 2: 5 12-07 Total: 10 24-05
123. Bryant Marsh - Tyler Hill Blue Mountain College 128
Day 1: 5 12-07 Day 2: 5 11-13 Total: 10 24-04
124. Gavin Cloutier - Calvin Rogers King University 127
Day 1: 5 11-05 Day 2: 5 12-14 Total: 10 24-03
125. Jack Dice - Jeramy Evans Liberty University 126
Day 1: 5 12-02 Day 2: 5 12-00 Total: 10 24-02
126. Jacob Butts - Trevor Gorman Erskine College 125
Day 1: 5 11-07 Day 2: 4 12-10 Total: 9 24-01
127. Kaden Brown - Brandon Leach Eastern Kentucky University 124
Day 1: 5 10-13 Day 2: 5 13-03 Total: 10 24-00
128. Cody Prichard - Zach Mefford University of Dubuque 123
Day 1: 5 12-09 Day 2: 5 11-06 Total: 10 23-15
129. Chandler Ellis - Parker Lambert Lander University 122
Day 1: 5 11-06 Day 2: 5 12-08 Total: 10 23-14
130. Justin Eggers - Caleb Lonca Catawba County Community College 121
Day 1: 5 10-12 Day 2: 5 13-01 Total: 10 23-13
131. Conner Johnson - Hunter Osborne Georgetown college 120
Day 1: 5 10-02 Day 2: 5 13-10 Total: 10 23-12
132. Nicholas Gilbert - Hunter MCClaskey King University 119
Day 1: 5 12-03 Day 2: 5 11-07 Total: 10 23-10
133. Max Schweikert - Grand Valley State University 118
Day 1: 5 11-00 Day 2: 5 12-08 Total: 10 23-08
134. Christopher Lemaster - Damon Stepp Eastern Kentucky University 117
Day 1: 5 12-11 Day 2: 5 10-09 Total: 10 23-04
135. Dawson Burton - Jonathan Fraley Kentucky Christian University 116
Day 1: 5 12-10 Day 2: 5 10-08 Total: 10 23-02
136. Eric Rasmussen - Nick Redlin 115
Day 1: 5 11-06 Day 2: 4 11-08 Total: 9 22-14
137. Garrett Smith - Erskine College 114
Day 1: 5 10-02 Day 2: 5 12-11 Total: 10 22-13
138. Kobe Thompson - Bryce Kostman Adrian College 113
Day 1: 5 11-09 Day 2: 5 11-02 Total: 10 22-11
139. Sean Clayton - Owen Dimaio Clemson University 112
Day 1: 5 11-00 Day 2: 5 11-09 Total: 10 22-09
140. Austin Owen - Carter Thompson Clemson University 111
Day 1: 5 09-08 Day 2: 5 11-14 Total: 10 21-06
141. Jared Minor - Michael Miller Ohio State University 110
Day 1: 4 08-15 Day 2: 5 12-05 Total: 9 21-04
142. Nate Overocker - Evan Seggerman Greenville University 109
Day 1: 4 09-13 Day 2: 5 10-07 Total: 9 20-04
143. Alek Masters - Hunter Hodge Eastern Kentucky University 108
Day 1: 3 07-00 Day 2: 5 12-15 Total: 8 19-15
144. Matt Short - Colton Combs Eastern Kentucky University 107
Day 1: 5 10-15 Day 2: 4 08-08 Total: 9 19-07
145. Nolan Yeager - Ethan LeGare Stephen F. Austin State Universi 106
Day 1: 5 12-14 Day 2: 3 06-07 Total: 8 19-05
146. Hayden Scott - Griffin Fernandes Adrian College 105
Day 1: 5 17-00 Day 2: 0 00-00 Total: 5 17-00
147. Patrick Henry - Mekenzie Vander Molen Ohio State University 104
Day 1: 4 09-09 Day 2: 3 06-04 Total: 7 15-13
148. Steve Kinard - Jimmy Mitchum Lander University 103
Day 1: 4 02-11 Day 2: 5 11-13 Total: 9 14-08
149. John Pope - Walker Leslie UNC Charlotte 102
Day 1: 5 13-14 Day 2: 0 00-00 Total: 5 13-14
150. Luke Chaddock - Chase Noland West Virginia University 101
Day 1: 3 01-13 Day 2: 5 12-01 Total: 8 13-14
151. David Hendel - Jacob Blackburn Ohio State University 100
Day 1: 4 07-10 Day 2: 3 06-04 Total: 7 13-14
152. Tyler Thompson - Charles Snawder Rougeux University of Louisville 99
Day 1: 5 13-07 Day 2: 0 00-00 Total: 5 13-07
153. Logan Anderson - Tyler Little North Carolina State University 98
Day 1: 5 13-04 Day 2: 0 00-00 Total: 5 13-04
154. Tristen Dubbs - Cameron Ross Grace College 97
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 5 13-00 Total: 5 13-00
155. Brock Williams - Christopher Batts Ohio State University 96
Day 1: 3 05-13 Day 2: 3 06-12 Total: 6 12-09
156. Whit Edmonds - Bobby Long Lander University 95
Day 1: 3 07-12 Day 2: 1 02-15 Total: 4 10-11
157. Walker Brown - University of North Alabama 94
Day 1: 4 10-00 Day 2: 0 00-00 Total: 4 10-00
158. Seth Elkins - John Russell Reaves Jacksonville State University 93
Day 1: 1 02-07 Day 2: 3 06-04 Total: 4 08-11
159. Jason Zubris - Aidan Gordinier Penn State University 92
Day 1: 3 06-13 Day 2: 0 00-00 Total: 3 06-13
160. Jacob Middleton - Will Lutes Ohio State University 91
Day 1: 1 02-08 Day 2: 2 03-13 Total: 3 06-05
161. Jd Clarke - Ben Tschoerner Stephen F Austin State Universit 90
Day 1: 3 05-11 Day 2: 0 00-00 Total: 3 05-11
162. Tyler Pendergrass - University of North Alabama 89
Day 1: 1 04-02 Day 2: 0 00-00 Total: 1 04-02
163. Austin Paulus - Justin Gillilan Ohio State University 88
Day 1: 2 03-14 Day 2: 0 00-00 Total: 2 03-14
164. Dalton Coleman - Noah Hurford Kentucky Christian University 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
164. Ryan Franks - Kent State University 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
164. Riley Lawson - Jay Issac Morehead State University 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
164. Jacob Miller - Jack York Stephen F. Austin State Universi 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00

by AnglersChannel

Bassmaster Fishing 2022 Game Showcases Stunning Scenery In Eight Real-World Venues

June 17, 2021

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Dovetail Games, developer and publisher of authentic sports simulation titles, is giving aspiring anglers a first look at the eight exciting venues available at launch in Bassmaster Fishing 2022, the official video game of B.A.S.S.

Anglers will be hooked with eight unique locales to choose from to start their fishing careers. These locations offer different challenges and opportunities, ranging from dense swamps and cluttered boatyards to acres of open water, all featuring stunning scenery and an all-new day and night cycle designed to enhance the immersive experience. Players can use the new GPS map marker system to keep track of hotspots and underwater structures where they find more bites to improve their performance when they return.

Locations will include Lake Ray Roberts, where Bassmaster Elite Series angler Hank Cherry, featured as a playable angler in Bassmaster Fishing 2022, just reeled in a victory during the 51st Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic presented by Huk and became only the fourth angler to win the Bassmaster Classic two years in a row. The official lineup of venues confirmed for launch include:

St. Lawrence River, New York: Connecting the Great Lakes with the Atlantic Ocean is the St. Lawrence River, where smallmouth bass take center stage.
Chickamauga Lake, Tennessee: This lake has become “The Land of the Giants” for largemouth bass, ranking in the Top 10 in best bass fishing lakes in the U.S. in the 2018 Bassmaster Magazine 100 Best Bass Lakes rankings.
Lake Ray Roberts, Texas: Selected as the venue for the 2021 Bassmaster Classic, Lake Ray Roberts in Texas is sure to be a hit with pros and fans alike.
St. Johns River, Florida: A regular stop on the Bassmaster Elite Series and the longest river in Florida, the St. Johns River is packed with honey holes and hawgs.
Lake Guntersville, Alabama: The largest lake in Alabama and a firm favorite on the Elite circuit, Lake Guntersville always produces top-level competition.
Sabine River, Texas: A huge variety of areas to fish in makes the Sabine River a fascinating venue for competitive B.A.S.S. events.
Lake Hamilton, Arkansas: Nestled in the Ouachita Mountains near Hot Springs, Lake Hamilton is one of the most popular fisheries in Arkansas.
Toledo Bend, Texas/Louisiana: This reservoir separates Texas and Louisiana in the heart of the beautiful Sabine National Forest.

Developed and published by Dovetail Games, Bassmaster Fishing 2022 is due to release this fall in North America and Europe on the PlayStation®5, PlayStation®4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One family of devices, including the Xbox One X, and windows PC via Steam and the Microsoft Store. The developer is accepting closed alpha sign-ups for anglers who cannot wait to get their hands on the game.

For regular updates and more information, please visit www.bassmasterthegame.com.

by AnglersChannel

Canterbury Places 6th in Classic, Earns $20K Yamaha Power Pay Bonus

KENNESAW, Ga. - June 17, 2021 - While the Bassmaster Classic’s top prize of $300,000 is keenly on the minds of fans and pros alike, the rather astonishing $20,000 Yamaha Power Pay bonus offered to the highest-finishing eligible Yamaha pro also created a pretty exciting ‘side pot’ at bass fishing’s biggest event, June 11-13 in Fort Worth, Texas.

When the Classic scales stopped spinning, Scott Canterbury proved you don’t have to place first to cash in on Power Pay. Canterbury finished 6^th, just ahead of fellow Yamaha pros Drew Cook and Patrick Walters, to haul home the big bonus. He later admitted it wasn’t even top of mind until Drew Cook told him about it minutes before weigh-in.

“Drew was the first to congratulate me on winning the Power Pay money when we were outside Dickie’s Arena coming into weigh-in. He said something comical about his mistake leading to $20,000 slipping through his hands and into mine. That’s when I realized what an awesome bonus I was about to receive on stage from Yamaha,” he grinned.

Cook had the misfortune of bringing a bass to weigh-in that measured just barely short of a legal keeper, which cost him a penalty, allowing Canterbury to pass him in the standings.

“Whether you’re fishing for a living or just an avid local tournament angler like I was when I was still working as a plumber, you buy a Yamaha for its reliability and dependability,” said Canterbury.” And now that you can make a cash bonus for doing well in your event, I can’t think of a single good reason why a tournament angler would run any other brand of outboard.”

You don’t have to compete in the Bassmaster Classic to cash-in on Yamaha’s Power Pay contingency money, and you don’t have to win tournaments to take home Power Pay cash.

Anglers simply have to be the highest finishing registered participant in a Power Pay-supported tournament. Power Pay is not just for bass anglers - it also includes eligible saltwater, walleye, high school and college anglers (over the age of 18) through hundreds of events.

Introduced in the fall of 2019, Power Pay gives anglers the opportunity to receive compensation for running eligible Yamaha outboards. Eligible anglers running Yamaha outboards can sign up for the program by visiting yamahapowerpay.com. All applicants are required to accept and adhere to the Yamaha Angler Code of Ethics before completing the registration for the program. Once registered, the highest placing angler in specified Power Pay sanctioned tournaments that meets all eligibility requirements will be compensated by Yamaha accordingly.

New tournaments for 2021 include the MLF Bass Pro Tour, Bass Champs Texas, Carolina Bass Challenge, Texas Team Trail^®, Skeeter XFL, Nichols Team Series Oklahoma, Phoenix BFL Regionals, EFL™ Redfish Contender Series and EFL™ Redfish Tour. Additional eligible Power Pay tournaments and trails include the Bassmaster Classic^®, Bassmaster^® Angler of the Year, Bassmaster Opens, B.A.S.S. Nation^®, Bassmaster Elites, Bassmaster College Series, Bassmaster High School series, A.B.A. Bass Pro Shops^®Open Series, Alabama Bass Trail, MWC, The National Walleye Tour^®, AIM^® Walleye, Kingfish Cup and Flatsmasters^®.

For more information and complete terms and conditions about Power Pay, visit yamahapowerpay.com. Some restrictions apply. Void where prohibited by law.

by AnglersChannel

Dill Wins Phoenix Bass Fishing League on Lake Truman

Sullivan’s Bunk Wins Strike King Co-Angler Division

WARSAW, Mo. (June 16, 2021) – Boater James Dill of Sunrise Beach, Missouri, won the Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine at Lake Truman Presented by Fenwick in Warsaw, Missouri on Saturday. Dill earned $5,565 for his victory at the event.

TOP 10 RESULTS

RANK	BOATER NAME/HOMETOWN	BASS	WEIGHT	AWARD
1^st	James Dill of Sunrise Beach, Mo.	5	14-11	$5,565
2^nd	Connor Cunningham of Springfield, Mo.	5	14-9	$3,283
3^rd	Josh Busby of Rogersville, Mo.	5	13-15	$1,853
4^th	Cory Steckler of Rocky Mount, Mo.	5	13-14	$1,299
5^th	Dereck Dirschuweit of Florissant, Mo.	5	13-13	$1,563
6^th	Travis Rivest of Smithville, Mo.	5	13-8	$1,020
7^th	Matt Gunter of Wheatland, Mo.	5	13-3	$928
8^th	Shane Long of Willard, Mo.	5	13-2	$835
9^th	Roger Cook of Lebanon, Mo.	5	13-1	$742
10^th	Jeremy Johnson of Kansas City, Kan.	5	12-13	$649

RANK	STRIKE KING CO-ANGLER NAME/HOMETOWN	BASS	WEIGHT	AWARD
1^st	Chris Bunk of Sullivan, Mo.	5	16-11	$2,783
2^nd	Tom Kaufmann of Warsaw, Mo.	5	15-2	$1,391
3^rd	Larry Rothweil of St. Charles, Mo.	5	12-7	$926
4^th	Walton Hendricks of Milan, Mo.	4	12-0	$649
5^th	Drake Bradshaw of Milan, Mo.	5	11-11	$557
6^th	Mark Hancock of Olathe, Kan.	5	10-15	$510
7^th	Chase Simpson of Marionville, Mo.	5	10-8	$464
8^th	William Liam Cutright of St. Louis, Mo.	5	10-6	$417
9^th	Cody Carl of Lake Lotawana, Mo.	4	10-4	$371
10^th	Lynn Gideon of Preston, Mo.	5	9-15	$325

CONTINGENCY AWARDS

AWARD	NAME	CONTINGENCY	PAYOUT
Boater Big Bass	Dereck Dirschuweit of Florissant, Mo.	5-pound, 10-ounce bass	$450
Boater Big Bass	Craig Rose of Olathe, Kan.	5-pound, 10-ounce bass	$450
Strike King Co-Angler Berkley Big Bass	Brian Coats of St. Louis, Mo.	4-pound, 6-ounce bass	$450
Phoenix MLF BIG5 Bonus	Connor Cunningham of Springfield, Mo.	Eligible Phoenix Boat*	$ 500

* Boaters are eligible to win up to an extra $7,000 per event in each Phoenix Bass Fishing League presented by T-H Marine tournament if all requirements are met. More information on the Phoenix MLF BIG5 Bonus contingency program can be found at PhoenixBassBoats.com.

WINNING BAITS

ANGLER	BAIT	COLOR
Boater	Shaky-head rig	Did Not Disclose
Strike King Co-Angler	Crock-O-Gator Jig	Did Not Disclose

2021 QUALIFICATION OPPORTUNITIES

EVENT	DATE	LOCATION	HOST
Ozark Division – Phoenix Bass Fishing League Regional Championship	Oct. 7-9	Lake Norfork, Mountain Home, Ark.	Mountain Home Area Chamber of Commerce

The 2021 MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League presented by T-H Marine is a 24-division circuit devoted to weekend anglers, with 128 tournaments throughout the season, five qualifying events in each division. The top 45 boaters and Strike King co-anglers from each division, along with the five winners of the qualifying events, will advance to one of six Phoenix Bass Fishing League Regional Championships. Boaters will compete for a $60,000 prize package, including a new Phoenix 819 Pro bass boat with a 200-horsepower Mercury outboard and $10,000, while Strike King co-anglers will fish for a new Phoenix 819 Pro bass boat with a 200-horsepower Mercury outboard.

The top six finishers in each regional will then qualify for one of the longest-running championships in all of competitive bass fishing – the Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American.
The top 45 boaters and Strike King co-anglers plus tournament winners from each Phoenix Bass Fishing League division will also earn priority entry into the Toyota Series, the pathway to the Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit and ultimately the MLF Bass Pro Tour.

For complete details and updated information visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow the Phoenix Bass Fishing League presented by T-H Marine on MLF’s social media outlets at Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube .

by AnglersChannel

Long Trip Lands Alabama Team In Lead At Bassmaster College Series Event On Saginaw Bay

Clent Blackwood and Bryar Chambers of Wallace State Community College are leading after Day 1 of the Carhartt Bassmaster College Series at Saginaw Bay presented by Bass Pro Shops with 21 pounds, 15 ounces.
Photo by Kyle Jessie/B.A.S.S.

June 16, 2021

BANGOR CHARTER TOWNSHIP, Mich. — Despite a three-hour run and a slow start to the day, the Wallace State Community College team of Clent Blackwood and Bryar Chambers sacked up 21 pounds, 15 ounces of smallmouth bass on Saginaw Bay to take the lead on Day 1 of the Carhartt Bassmaster College Series presented by Bass Pro Shops.

The Alabama anglers hold a 5-ounce lead over the second-place team of Tyler Vanbrandt and Jarrod Layton from Adrian College in Michigan and an 8-ounce lead over third-place Brian Linder and Nathan Thompson.

“We were thinking this would be tough,” Blackwood said. “We knew what was in this lake, and we didn’t find anything in practice. We found some largemouth but nothing of size. In practice, we only saw one smallmouth, and we took a gamble this morning and made a long run.”

Despite only catching one smallmouth in practice, Blackwood and Chambers made the run out of Saginaw River and into the Bay and arrived at their spot around 9 a.m. After Blackwood landed their first bass in just three casts, the bite stalled and the duo made a couple of moves.

After two hours without a bite, Blackwood and Chambers hit a flurry, catching almost all of their weight in a matter of minutes before heading back to check-in.

“We fished around for like two hours and then it was bam, bam, bam,” Chambers said. “We just started catching them. It really didn’t matter what we were throwing, I don’t think (the fish) had ever seen baits before. They just reacted to anything that came past them.”

Blackwood said the water was so clear on Saginaw Bay that they could see the smallmouth on the bottom in 12 feet.

“We were fancasting, zigging around, and when we found one, we would focus on that fish until it was in the box,” he said. “We are going to have a lot fewer rods on the deck tomorrow. We were able to close in on what they are keying in on. We are feeling good, but we are still anxious.”

Heading into the final day, Chambers said he and Blackwood are going to fish the same way, but isn’t sure if their spot will reload tomorrow.

“I don’t know if we can repeat it on the same hole, but I think we can repeat it not far from there,” he added.

While much of the Top 5 focused on smallmouth, Vanbrandt and Layton caught five largemouth bass for 21-10 to land in second place.

In practice, they fished for largemouth with little success. But on tournament day, they made an adjustment and found the quality they needed.

“We came out here and practiced and looked for mostly largemouth and didn’t find anything great. We caught one 4-pounder,” Layton said. “Today we pulled up to our areas and fished them a little differently than most people would and caught 4-pounders. It was a crazy day. The conditions were perfect.”

During a breezy final day of practice Tuesday, Layton said the water in the area got pushed to the south shore. As winds calmed Wednesday, the water began flowing back into the area, creating current that helped the Adrian College duo locate their fish with several different baits.

“We had a limit of 11 pounds by 10 a.m., and then between 10 and noon we jumped up to between 15 and 17 pounds,” Vanbrandt said. “We caught our last big one around 1:30 and came in early to make sure we were in. It was an all-day thing, but the big ones were toward the end of the day.”

Layton said he and Vanbrandt plan on hitting some of the same areas they fished on Day 1 and have a spot they located in practice saved for the final day.

Linder and Thompson focused their efforts on smallmouth, and while they only had six bites throughout the day, landed a five-bass limit weighing 21-7 using predominantly a drop shot.

“We had a pretty long run and caught our fish in about three hours, but we only had six bites the whole day,” Thompson said. “We caught our fish off boulders in a certain area. The area is huge and they are extremely spread out. (Humminbird) MEGA 360 helped us a lot with that, for sure.”

Having never been on the lake prior to this week, the Minnesota duo used their knowledge of their home lakes to help them eliminate unproductive water on Saginaw Bay.

“The first couple days of practice we just looked for the stuff that looks good on our home ponds,” Linder said. “We caught a couple and rolled the dice on it and it paid off.”

The sixth-place team of Lucas Smith and Dalton Mize from Jacksonville State University caught a largemouth weighing 5-9 to earn Carhartt Big Bass honors on Day 1. Meanwhile, the Bassmaster Team of the Year leaders Logan Parks and Tucker Smith from Auburn University caught 21-0 to land in the Top 5 heading into the final day of the regular season.

The full field of 167 boats will compete Thursday for a chance to not only take home the tournament victory but to punch their ticket to the 2021 Carhartt Bassmaster College National Championship presented by Bass Pro Shops at the St. Lawrence River in August.

Teams will take off from Independence Boat Launch at the USS Edison Battle Ship starting at 6 a.m. ET and return for weigh-in starting at 3 p.m.

2021 Carhartt Bassmaster College Series presented by Bass Pro Shops Saginaw Bay 6/16-6/17
Saginaw Bay, Saginaw MI.
(BOATER) Standings Day 1

Angler Club/School Pts

1. Clent Blackwood - Bryar Chambers Wallace State 250
Day 1: 5 21-15 Total: 5 21-15
2. Tyler Vanbrandt - Jarrod Layton Adrian College 249
Day 1: 5 21-10 Total: 5 21-10
3. Brian Linder - Nathan Thompson 248
Day 1: 5 21-07 Total: 5 21-07
4. Zach Salters - Jenson Kay Adrian College 247
Day 1: 5 21-04 Total: 5 21-04
5. Logan Parks - Tucker Smith Auburn University 246
Day 1: 5 21-00 Total: 5 21-00
6. Lucas Smith - Dalton Mize Jacksonville State University 245
Day 1: 5 20-14 Total: 5 20-14
7. Joshua DeKoning - Dalton Mollenkopf Adrian College 244
Day 1: 5 20-13 Total: 5 20-13
8. Easton Fothergill - Nick Dumke University of Montevallo 243
Day 1: 5 20-06 Total: 5 20-06
9. Robert Cruvellier - Sam Harvey Auburn University 242
Day 1: 5 19-15 Total: 5 19-15
10. Anthony Fazio - Caleb Jacob Illinois State University 241
Day 1: 5 19-11 Total: 5 19-11
11. Chase Carey - Dylan Akins Emmanuel College 240
Day 1: 5 18-13 Total: 5 18-13
11. Nathan Doty - Bailey Bleser McKendree University 240
Day 1: 5 18-13 Total: 5 18-13
13. Carson Maddux - Jake Maddux Auburn University 238
Day 1: 5 18-06 Total: 5 18-06
14. Christian Wright - Conner Giles Bryan college 237
Day 1: 5 18-03 Total: 5 18-03
15. Ryan Winchester - Joe McClosky Bethel University 236
Day 1: 5 18-02 Total: 5 18-02
16. Spencer Black - Lucas Oliver Catawba Valley Community College 235
Day 1: 5 18-01 Total: 5 18-01
17. Caleb Dachenhaus - Elliot Wielgopolski Adrian College 234
Day 1: 5 18-00 Total: 5 18-00
18. Mitchell Gunn - Kyle Kunst 233
Day 1: 5 17-13 Total: 5 17-13
19. Jamesen Simion - Alex Strunk Bowling Green State 232
Day 1: 5 17-11 Total: 5 17-11
20. Jacob Emery - Aaron Jagdfeld Adrian College 231
Day 1: 5 17-10 Total: 5 17-10
21. Ryan Park - Sam Niemeyer Murray State University 230
Day 1: 5 17-09 Total: 5 17-09
22. Colby Kerr - Hunter Jones Kentucky Christian University 229
Day 1: 5 17-05 Total: 5 17-05
23. Austin Carr - Justin Carr 228
Day 1: 5 17-04 Total: 5 17-04
24. Judd Morgan - Joey Bissing University of Tennessee 227
Day 1: 5 17-01 Total: 5 17-01
25. Hunter Fillmore - Coleman Bingham Bethel University 226
Day 1: 5 17-00 Total: 5 17-00
25. Hayden Scott - Griffin Fernandes Adrian College 226
Day 1: 5 17-00 Total: 5 17-00
27. Cody Griffith - Drew Jennings Auburn University 224
Day 1: 5 16-14 Total: 5 16-14
28. Justin Botts - Conner Dimauro Bryan college 223
Day 1: 5 16-13 Total: 5 16-13
28. Peyton McCord - Caleb Whitehurst Auburn University 223
Day 1: 5 16-13 Total: 5 16-13
28. Chase Mundhenke - Blake Milligan Auburn University 223
Day 1: 5 16-13 Total: 5 16-13
31. Kurt Antonowitsch - Isaac Toms Western Michigan University 220
Day 1: 5 16-09 Total: 5 16-09
31. Kyle Palmer - Brad Ableman Bethel University 220
Day 1: 5 16-09 Total: 5 16-09
33. GL Compton - Hunter Bond Clemson University 218
Day 1: 5 16-08 Total: 5 16-08
34. John Kirk - Brycen Hendriks 217
Day 1: 5 16-07 Total: 5 16-07
35. Hunter Enlow - Reed Green Lander University 216
Day 1: 5 16-07 Total: 5 16-07
36. Shane Nelson - Brayden Federer Adrian College 215
Day 1: 5 16-04 Total: 5 16-04
37. Reed Kochan - Nate Boenning University of Wisconsin Stevens 214
Day 1: 5 16-04 Total: 5 16-04
38. Jack Risch - Matthew Mikolajczak University of Wisconsin - Madiso 213
Day 1: 5 16-03 Total: 5 16-03
39. Hayden Gaddis - Ben Cully Carson-Newman University 212
Day 1: 5 16-02 Total: 5 16-02
40. Tyler Cory - Scott Sledge University of Montevallo 211
Day 1: 5 16-01 Total: 5 16-01
41. Dylan Matus - Ethan Valdes Ferris State University 210
Day 1: 5 15-14 Total: 5 15-14
42. Matthew Cummings - Joseph Woods Bethel University 209
Day 1: 5 15-12 Total: 5 15-12
43. Conner Crosby - James Cobbs Auburn University 208
Day 1: 5 15-11 Total: 5 15-11
43. Matthew Davis - Zach Manneback Adrian College 208
Day 1: 5 15-11 Total: 5 15-11
43. Alden Keel Jr - Lake Norsworthy Blue Mountain College 208
Day 1: 5 15-11 Total: 5 15-11
46. Alex Richmond - Riley Bowen 205
Day 1: 5 15-09 Total: 5 15-09
47. Robert Gee - Chase Dawson University of Tennessee 204
Day 1: 5 15-08 Total: 5 15-08
47. Drake Hemby - Griffin Heffington Carson-Newman University 204
Day 1: 5 15-08 Total: 5 15-08
49. Brenton Godwin - Hunter Odom University of Montevallo 202
Day 1: 5 15-07 Total: 5 15-07
50. Jacob Frazier - Maddux Walters Carson-Newman University 201
Day 1: 5 15-06 Total: 5 15-06
50. Kobie Koenig - Ben Anderson 201
Day 1: 5 15-06 Total: 5 15-06
50. Austin Tapley - Carter Ball Adrian College 201
Day 1: 5 15-06 Total: 5 15-06
53. Drew Traffanstedt - Dakendrick Patterson University of Montevallo 198
Day 1: 5 15-05 Total: 5 15-05
54. Jarred Jones - Logan Tate Jacksonville State University 197
Day 1: 5 15-04 Total: 5 15-04
54. Gunner Whitaker - Mitchell Johnson Kentucky Christian University 197
Day 1: 5 15-04 Total: 5 15-04
56. Chase Clarke - Mitchell Peterson Auburn University 195
Day 1: 5 15-03 Total: 5 15-03
56. Zach Mcnary - Eric Hanover 195
Day 1: 5 15-03 Total: 5 15-03
56. Thad Simerly - Tate Sloan Tennessee Tech University 195
Day 1: 5 15-03 Total: 5 15-03
59. Garrett Thompson - Caden Haines West Virginia University 192
Day 1: 5 15-03 Total: 5 15-03
60. Drake Shipman - Mason Phillpotts Independent 191
Day 1: 5 15-02 Total: 5 15-02
61. Tyler Price - Ethan Shaw Bryan College 190
Day 1: 5 15-01 Total: 5 15-01
62. Ty Black - Avry Thomason Georgia Southern University 189
Day 1: 5 15-00 Total: 5 15-00
63. Connor Jacob - Sam Smith Auburn University 188
Day 1: 5 14-15 Total: 5 14-15
64. Wyatt Pearman - Kyle Workman Campbellsville University 187
Day 1: 5 14-14 Total: 5 14-14
65. Nate Triplett - Cody Barnes University of North Alabama 186
Day 1: 5 14-12 Total: 5 14-12
66. Andrew Howell - Tommy Sendek University of Montevallo 185
Day 1: 5 14-11 Total: 5 14-11
67. James Ge - Paul Tabisz University of Michigan - An Arbo 184
Day 1: 5 14-10 Total: 5 14-10
67. Levi Mullins - Chase Milholen Bethel University 184
Day 1: 5 14-10 Total: 5 14-10
69. Chase Sansom - Tyler Drown Marshall University 182
Day 1: 5 14-09 Total: 5 14-09
70. Fisher Overton - Fisher Young Blue Mountain College 181
Day 1: 5 14-07 Total: 5 14-07
71. Hunter Bailey - JR Young Jacksonville State University 180
Day 1: 5 14-06 Total: 5 14-06
72. Hunter Palmer - Tim Herrmann bryan college 179
Day 1: 5 14-05 Total: 5 14-05
72. Bo Thomas - Cole Zagrzebski Western Michigan University 179
Day 1: 5 14-05 Total: 5 14-05
74. George Gore - George Fallon Clemson University 177
Day 1: 5 14-03 Total: 5 14-03
75. JJ Kocevar - Logan Knoebel Kent State University 176
Day 1: 5 14-00 Total: 5 14-00
76. Morgan Miracle - Jake Thornbury Campbellsville University 175
Day 1: 5 13-15 Total: 5 13-15
76. Matthew Roberts - Alice Lloyd College 175
Day 1: 5 13-15 Total: 5 13-15
78. John Pope - Walker Leslie UNC Charlotte 173
Day 1: 5 13-14 Total: 5 13-14
78. Seth Roberts - Austin Aikins Bethel University 0
Day 1: 5 13-14 Total: 5 13-14
80. Cole Rankin - Ewing Minor Carson-Newman University 171
Day 1: 5 13-11 Total: 5 13-11
80. Tanner Shriver - Jacob Klicman Kent State University 171
Day 1: 5 13-11 Total: 5 13-11
82. Jeremy Dellinger - Nathan Smith Catawba Valley Community College 169
Day 1: 5 13-11 Total: 5 13-11
82. Garrett Warren - Will Jones Auburn University 169
Day 1: 5 13-11 Total: 5 13-11
84. Tyler Christy - Trey Schroeder McKendree University 167
Day 1: 5 13-10 Total: 5 13-10
84. Reese Kingston - Caleb Barrow Brewton-Parker College 167
Day 1: 5 13-10 Total: 5 13-10
84. Hunter Waldrop - Mark Kershaw University of South Carolina Uni 167
Day 1: 5 13-10 Total: 5 13-10
87. Dalton Smith - Cade Hayford Campbellsville University 164
Day 1: 5 13-09 Total: 5 13-09
88. Tyler Thompson - Charles Snawder Rougeux University of Louisville 163
Day 1: 5 13-07 Total: 5 13-07
88. Jacob Welch - Grant Harris Drury University 163
Day 1: 5 13-07 Total: 5 13-07
90. Drew Gill - Zebulon Frasure Wabash Valley College 161
Day 1: 5 13-05 Total: 5 13-05
91. Logan Anderson - Tyler Little North Carolina State University 160
Day 1: 5 13-04 Total: 5 13-04
91. Beau Browning - Hunter Baird Drury University 160
Day 1: 5 13-04 Total: 5 13-04
91. Matt Messer - Lafe Messer Kentucky Christian University 160
Day 1: 5 13-04 Total: 5 13-04
94. Sam Hoesley - Sam Hanggi Auburn University 157
Day 1: 5 13-02 Total: 5 13-02
95. Hayden Bartee - Syon Barnes Jacksonville State University 156
Day 1: 5 13-01 Total: 5 13-01
96. Russel Buffa - Sam Shoemaker Adrian College 155
Day 1: 5 13-00 Total: 5 13-00
96. Troy Gibson - University of Louisville 155
Day 1: 5 13-00 Total: 5 13-00
96. Hunter Loftin - Mac Johnston-Herzberg Missouri State University 155
Day 1: 5 13-00 Total: 5 13-00
99. Solomon Glenn - Ryan Thomas University of Montevallo 152
Day 1: 5 12-15 Total: 5 12-15
100. Nolan Yeager - Ethan LeGare Stephen F. Austin State Universi 151
Day 1: 5 12-14 Total: 5 12-14
101. Jacob Autry - Nick Montilino Murray State University 150
Day 1: 5 12-13 Total: 5 12-13
101. Tyler Lubbat - Hayden O'barr 150
Day 1: 5 12-13 Total: 5 12-13
101. Ben Rand - Mason Grossbauer Davenport University 150
Day 1: 5 12-13 Total: 5 12-13
104. Noah Stauffer - Trevor Campbell Ferris State University 147
Day 1: 5 12-12 Total: 5 12-12
105. Dale Hansard - Mason Lee Jacksonville State University 146
Day 1: 5 12-11 Total: 5 12-11
105. Christopher Lemaster - Damon Stepp Eastern Kentucky University 146
Day 1: 5 12-11 Total: 5 12-11
107. Dawson Burton - Jonathan Fraley Kentucky Christian University 144
Day 1: 5 12-10 Total: 5 12-10
108. Cody Prichard - Zach Mefford University of Dubuque 143
Day 1: 5 12-09 Total: 5 12-09
109. Bryant Marsh - Tyler Hill Blue Mountain College 142
Day 1: 5 12-07 Total: 5 12-07
109. James Yuska - Adam Troyer Indiana University 142
Day 1: 5 12-07 Total: 5 12-07
111. Cordell Beckman - Mark Burnham Greenville University 140
Day 1: 5 12-05 Total: 5 12-05
112. Josh Kelly - Nick Crawford Kent State University 139
Day 1: 5 12-05 Total: 5 12-05
113. Nicholas Gilbert - Hunter MCClaskey King University 138
Day 1: 5 12-03 Total: 5 12-03
113. Wyatt Montle - Austin Ware Missouri State University 138
Day 1: 5 12-03 Total: 5 12-03
113. Mason Vernia - Samuel Mateer Western Michigan University 138
Day 1: 5 12-03 Total: 5 12-03
116. Andrew Mega - 135
Day 1: 5 12-02 Total: 5 12-02
117. Jack Dice - Jeramy Evans Liberty University 134
Day 1: 5 12-02 Total: 5 12-02
118. Kyle Ashe - Steven Gawron 133
Day 1: 5 12-01 Total: 5 12-01
118. TJ Edwards - Camdon Lewis Blue Mountain College 133
Day 1: 5 12-01 Total: 5 12-01
120. Branden Burrill - Andy Clark Western Michigan University 131
Day 1: 5 11-14 Total: 5 11-14
121. Austin Anderson - Calan Cameron Stephen F. Austin 130
Day 1: 5 11-10 Total: 5 11-10
122. Jake Kimbrough - Grant Busby Blue Mountain College 129
Day 1: 5 11-09 Total: 5 11-09
122. Kobe Thompson - Bryce Kostman Adrian College 129
Day 1: 5 11-09 Total: 5 11-09
124. Lane Bailey - Adam Seagle CVCC RedHawks 127
Day 1: 5 11-08 Total: 5 11-08
125. Jacob Butts - Trevor Gorman Erskine College 126
Day 1: 5 11-07 Total: 5 11-07
125. Isaac Duncan - Taylor Owens Blue Mountain College 126
Day 1: 5 11-07 Total: 5 11-07
125. Louis Monetti - 126
Day 1: 5 11-07 Total: 5 11-07
128. Chandler Ellis - Parker Lambert Lander University 123
Day 1: 5 11-06 Total: 5 11-06
128. Cameron Smith - Cole Breeden Drury University 123
Day 1: 5 11-06 Total: 5 11-06
130. Eric Rasmussen - Nick Redlin 121
Day 1: 5 11-06 Total: 5 11-06
131. Gavin Cloutier - Calvin Rogers King University 120
Day 1: 5 11-05 Total: 5 11-05
132. Bobby Beck - Anthony Degregorio 119
Day 1: 5 11-01 Total: 5 11-01
132. Rudy Worley - John Nowlin Blue Mountain College 119
Day 1: 5 11-01 Total: 5 11-01
134. Sean Clayton - Owen Dimaio Clemson University 117
Day 1: 5 11-00 Total: 5 11-00
134. Max Schweikert - Grand Valley State University 117
Day 1: 5 11-00 Total: 5 11-00
136. Rob Lindsey - Mason Cizek Bryan College 115
Day 1: 5 11-00 Total: 5 11-00
137. Donavan Carson - Landon Lawson King University 114
Day 1: 5 10-15 Total: 5 10-15
137. Jeremy Pinkowski - Tomas Matual McKendree University 114
Day 1: 5 10-15 Total: 5 10-15
137. Matt Short - Colton Combs Eastern Kentucky University 114
Day 1: 5 10-15 Total: 5 10-15
140. Kaden Brown - Brandon Leach Eastern Kentucky University 111
Day 1: 5 10-13 Total: 5 10-13
141. Justin Eggers - Caleb Lonca Catawba County Community College 110
Day 1: 5 10-12 Total: 5 10-12
142. Wil Rigdon - Dustin Jones Campbellsville University 109
Day 1: 5 10-11 Total: 5 10-11
143. Conner Johnson - Hunter Osborne Georgetown college 108
Day 1: 5 10-02 Total: 5 10-02
143. Garrett Smith - Erskine College 108
Day 1: 5 10-02 Total: 5 10-02
145. Walker Brown - University of North Alabama 106
Day 1: 4 10-00 Total: 4 10-00
146. Nate Overocker - Evan Seggerman Greenville University 105
Day 1: 4 09-13 Total: 4 09-13
147. Dylan Chambers - Brock Bila Drury University 104
Day 1: 4 09-09 Total: 4 09-09
147. Patrick Henry - Mekenzie Vander Molen Ohio State University 104
Day 1: 4 09-09 Total: 4 09-09
149. Austin Owen - Carter Thompson Clemson University 102
Day 1: 5 09-08 Total: 5 09-08
150. Jared Minor - Michael Miller Ohio State University 101
Day 1: 4 08-15 Total: 4 08-15
151. Whit Edmonds - Bobby Long Lander University 100
Day 1: 3 07-12 Total: 3 07-12
152. David Hendel - Jacob Blackburn Ohio State University 99
Day 1: 4 07-10 Total: 4 07-10
153. Alek Masters - Hunter Hodge Eastern Kentucky University 98
Day 1: 3 07-00 Total: 3 07-00
154. Jason Zubris - Aidan Gordinier Penn State University 97
Day 1: 3 06-13 Total: 3 06-13
155. Brock Williams - Christopher Batts Ohio State University 96
Day 1: 3 05-13 Total: 3 05-13
156. Jd Clarke - Ben Tschoerner Stephen F Austin State Universit 95
Day 1: 3 05-11 Total: 3 05-11
157. Tyler Pendergrass - University of North Alabama 94
Day 1: 1 04-02 Total: 1 04-02
158. Austin Paulus - Justin Gillilan Ohio State University 93
Day 1: 2 03-14 Total: 2 03-14
159. Steve Kinard - Jimmy Mitchum Lander University 92
Day 1: 4 02-11 Total: 4 02-11
160. Jacob Middleton - Will Lutes Ohio State University 91
Day 1: 1 02-08 Total: 1 02-08
161. Seth Elkins - John Russell Reaves Jacksonville State University 90
Day 1: 1 02-07 Total: 1 02-07
162. Luke Chaddock - Chase Noland West Virginia University 89
Day 1: 3 01-13 Total: 3 01-13
163. Dalton Coleman - Noah Hurford Kentucky Christian University 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
163. Tristen Dubbs - Cameron Ross Grace College 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
163. Ryan Franks - Kent State University 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
163. Riley Lawson - Jay Issac Morehead State University 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
163. Jacob Miller - Jack York Stephen F. Austin State Universi 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Totals
Day #Limits #Fish Weight
1 145 776 2217-05
----------------------------------
145 776 2217-05

by AnglersChannel

Cherry Collects Trophy and Checks

Courtesy of Luke Stoner - Dynamic Sponsorships

Hank Cherry made history last weekend in Fort Worth, Texas by becoming only the fourth angler in Bassmaster Classic history to hoist the iconic trophy in back-to-back years. Along with the $300,000 payday and bass fishing’s most coveted title, Cherry won $7,500 from Toyota Bonus Bucks.

The two-time Bassmaster Classic champ has been a longtime supporter of Toyota in his tow-vehicle selection and has won $18,000 from the popular bass fishing contingency program in the last year and a half alone.

“The Bonus Bucks program and Toyota’s reliability should be enough to convince any angler who tows a boat to trust this brand,” Cherry said. “I bought a new 2021 Tundra from Scott Clark Toyota in North Carolina at the start of this season. It’s the 6th Tundra I have owned and I’ve enjoyed every one of them.”

Even though Cherry’s Classic wins were just over a year apart, it seems there are more differences than similarities between the two victories. His 2020 win took place in March on the Tennessee River as opposed to a scorching hot, flooded Texas fishery in June. The type of structure Cherry targeted and the pattern(s) he employed were vastly different.

Throw in the fact that his two Classic wins were essentially bookends to a global pandemic that stopped the world from turning for several months, and it’s quite the contrast when you sit back and think about it.

On the water Cherry had a two-prong pattern that included targeting flooded bushes like most of his fellow competitors, as well as employing a new Berkley Stunna Jerkbait on Lake Ray Roberts’ dam in the afternoons. Both patterns proved critical for Cherry as he held off a hard-charging Matt Arey on the final day to have less than a two-pound winning margin.

Chris Jones, an Oklahoma pro who qualified through the Bassmaster Opens and finished in 3rd place was the second-highest placing Bonus Bucks angler due to Arey (2nd place) being a sponsored Team Toyota pro. Jones took home an impressive $2,500 from the Bonus Bucks rewards program.

Fortunately for most of us, you don’t have to fish in the Bassmaster Classic or be a professional angler like Hank Cherry to reap the rewards of Toyota Bonus Bucks. This program supports hundreds of bass and walleye tournaments across the country and is eligible to anyone who tows their boat with a 2017 or newer Toyota Tundra, Tacoma, Sequoia, or 4Runner.

For a full list of events, payouts, more information, or to register for the program head to: https://www.toyotatrucksbonusbucks.com/overview or call (918) 742-6424 and ask for Kendell.

by AnglersChannel

Why VanDam carries toy truck towels

Courtesy of Alan McGuckin Dynamic Sponsorships

At first glance it might seem odd that pro bass fishing’s most accomplished and sometimes intimidating angler carries bath towels decorated with toy trucks. But take a closer look and you see the names of his now 24-year-old twin sons Jackson and Nicholas embroidered on them.

“When the boys got older and Sherry retired these towels, she suggested I might want them to take on the road as ‘boat towels’ and I’m really glad she did. I’ve carried ‘em for more than 15 years, and they definitely help me feel a little better connected to home,” says VanDam.

Born very premature, Jackson and Nicholas have grown into healthy and prosperous young men since their days of drying off with toy truck towels. And now they’re driving Toyota Tacomas and Tundras as they pursue college degrees and careers.

Nicholas is working at the family’s iconic outdoor retail store, D & R Sports, and finishing his business degree at Western Michigan University. And he sometimes helps his famous bass fishing father with social media, photography, and in other marketing assistance roles.

Jackson has a passion for food prep. So he’s currently interning with accomplished chefs and often practices his craft at home with Mom, Dad, and brother Nick.

“He makes a ‘cowboy rib eye’ that he sears in a cast iron pan complete with a special butter he compounds himself. Plus, he does a great lemon chicken dish, and the crème brulee he makes for dessert is off-the-chain!” says his proud dad. “Jackson’s always experimenting, and he rarely cooks us the same dish twice.”

You see, even after 31 seasons, life on the road as a touring professional angler never gets easier. Not even for Kevin VanDam. So, if two navy blue cotton bath towels provide a heartfelt link back home to Kalamazoo to the twin boys he dearly loves, then so be it. Besides, they also serve as great tools for wiping down his Nitro after a trip to the car wash.

by AnglersChannel

Record-Breaking Fan Attendance Highlights 2021 Bassmaster Classic

A total of 147,197 fans, the second-largest crowd in Classic history, attended Classic Week activities in Fort Worth and at Lake Ray Roberts State Park. Festivities concluded Sunday night, when Hank Cherry won the 2021 Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic presented by Huk.

Photo by James Overstreet/B.A.S.S.

June 16, 2021

FORT WORTH, Texas — The 2021 Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic presented by Huk marked just the third time the iconic event has been held in Texas, but the tournament has already claimed a spot in the record books.

Fort Worth’s first Classic reeled in 147,197 fans across a variety of Classic Week activities and proved to be a true celebration of the sport, shattering previous records for the state and becoming the second-highest attended Classic in history just behind the 153,809 fans at the 2019 Classic in Knoxville, Tenn.

In 2017, the last time the Super Bowl of Bass Fishing was held in Texas, Houston and Lake Conroe drew 115,000 fans for Classic Week.

The total Classic Week attendance was recorded at a variety of activities across the region, including the Classic Kickoff Party, weigh-ins and the Bassmaster Classic Outdoors Expo in Fort Worth, daily takeoffs on Lake Ray Roberts in Pilot Point and the Bassmaster B.A.S.S. Nation Kayak Series National Championship powered by TourneyX on Possum Kingdom Lake near Mineral Wells.

“This incredible attendance would not have been possible without the loyalty of our incredible Bassmaster fans and the partnerships between B.A.S.S. and our sponsors, exhibitors, the media and our local hosts with the Fort Worth Sports Commission and Visit Fort Worth, who worked with us to shift the Classic from its original dates,” said B.A.S.S. CEO Bruce Akin. “The entire event is a celebration of sportfishing and the outdoors, and we’re thankful for everyone who gathered with us in Texas to celebrate fishing and make this Classic such a success.”

Classic Week officially kicked off Thursday night at Fort Worth’s historic Stockyards with the Bassmaster Classic Kickoff Party. Highlighting the party was a performance by 2021 ACM New Male Artist of the Year, Jimmie Allen. In addition to the daily weigh-ins at Dickies Arena and the hands-on Go Out{side} Experience and Bassmaster Classic Outdoors Expo held at Will Rogers Memorial Center, large crowds — including Sen. Ted Cruz — gathered lakeside each morning for takeoff at Lake Ray Roberts State Park – Isle du Bois Unit.

“It was our absolute honor and privilege to welcome nearly 150,000 visitors from around the country to Fort Worth, Texas for one of the most epic Bassmaster Classics ever,” said Jason Sands, Director of the Fort Worth Sports Commission.

Enthusiastic sports fans not only showed up, they tuned in. FOX’s inaugural airing of the Bassmaster Classic on Saturday morning drew more than 1.6 million viewers and ranked as the most-watched Bassmaster telecast in over a decade. Fans also avidly followed the action on Bassmaster.com, viewing 18 million pages during Classic week and checking BassTrakk more than 2.4 million times for real-time updates. The website was visited more than 1.7 million times by fans from 170 countries, including Australia, Brazil, Finland, Italy, Japan, South Africa, Switzerland and Zimbabwe.

Classic Week culminated Sunday with Hank Cherry of Lincolnton, N.C., lifting the coveted Classic trophy for the second consecutive time after winning the 2021 tournament with a three-day total of 50 pounds, 15 ounces. Cherry is only the fourth angler in the 51-year history of the Super Bowl of Professional Bass Fishing to win the event in back-to-back years.

Economic impact for the week is expected to top $25 million and will be announced once the calculations are completed by the local hosts.

by AnglersChannel

Texas Team Trail Presented by Bass Pro Shops & Cabela’s Reschedules Championship Event on Lake Whitney

Championship now set for October 23-24

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (June 15, 2021) – The Texas Team Trail (TXTT) presented by Bass Pro Shops & Cabela’s has rescheduled its championship event at Lake Whitney for October 23-24. Originally slated for June 5-6, the event was cancelled due to flooding from local storms.

Registration for event is already underway – anglers can secure an opportunity to pre-fish Thursday and Friday, October 21-22, by completing their registration online or via phone prior to 5 p.m. on Wednesday, October 20. Additionally, all anglers that pre-register online at www.texasteamtrail.com will be entered into a drawing for a $100 Cabela’s gift card.

The championship event wraps a season where anglers fish three 2021 qualifying, regular-season events that guarantee a fully rigged, 18-foot boat, motor, trailer package as first-place prize. The winning anglers at the championship tournament will walk away with a brand-new Ranger Z519 powered by a 225HP Mercury ProXS, valued at $53,044. Additionally, the second-place finishers will take home a Ranger Z518 with a 150HP Mercury ProXS, valued at $42,995.

In addition to the payout, the event offers anglers an unprecedented opportunity in terms of sponsor bonuses and television coverage. The budget-friendly $250 entry fee, plus multiple contingency programs and a guaranteed, over-100 percent payback at every event provides tremendous value to the weekend angler.

The TXTT Team of the Year title is also up for grabs at the championship event. With points being doubled at the final event, many anglers are poised to take the lead with a strong showing. The top team will be awarded custom Lucas Oil rings and paid entry fees for the 2022 season.

On-site registration is set for Friday, June 4, from 4-6 p.m. at Loafers Bend Day Use Park. At least one team member must attend, as boat numbers will be assigned during this time. Anglers will launch each day at safe light from Loafers Bend Day Use Park with anglers returning to the park for the weigh-ins at 3 p.m. each day.

Anglers with questions or anyone interested in more details on the event are encouraged to visit www.texasteamtrail.com or call 210-281-1752 or 210-788-4143.

2021 TXTT scheduled events:

Championship

October 23-24 – Lake Whitney

by AnglersChannel

UA Fish Classic Recap

This week Chris, Kenneth & the Ninja look back over the last week and recap the 51st Bassmaster's Classic and Hank Cherry's back-2-Back win. David gives a new products reviewer from the Expo and his overall feel for the event. KG gives us his from home view point and more.

by AnglersChannel

Federal Sponsors MLF’s Pro Circuit Stop 5 at the Potomac River

ANOKA, Minnesota – June 15, 2021 –The nation’s best bass anglers will attempt to tame the Potomac River this week during the MLF Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit Presented by Bad Boy Mowers, Federal Ammunition Stop 5 Presented by Lucas Oil at the Potomac River. It is the fifth stop on the tour with action running June 17-20, 2021, near Marbury, MD.

“Federal is excited to partner with the leading bass fishing organization and bringing exposure to our ammunition brands to this audience,” stated Brian Kelvington, Federal’s Media Director. “While the competitors won’t be utilizing bullets to fill bag limits of largemouth bass, exposing our brand and product messaging to the fishing audience is crucial in growing our relationship with this passionate audience,” stated Kelvington.

Federal fans can learn more about bass fishing, buzz baits, Major League Fishing and the Pro Circuit at www.majorleaguefishing.com and follow the results from the intense competition on the historic Potomac River.

Federal Ammunition is also excited to announce its continuing sponsorship of Major League Fishing Cups Series in 2022. This made for TV ratings-winner pits the top pros of the Bass Pro Tour against each other in an innovative and intense format, keeping bass fishing fans on the edge of their seats.

“The Federal Ammunition brand is synonymous with the outdoors and they will find an appreciative audience among the hundreds of thousands of anglers that Major League Fishing touches each month,” said MLF President and CEO Jim Wilburn. “Their continued support shows their commitment to outdoorsmen, our anglers, and the sport of professional bass fishing. The sponsorship is a great fit and we look forward to continuing our partnership with this well-known ammunition brand.”

Federal Ammunition can be found at dealers nationwide or purchased online direct from Federal. For more information on all products from Federal or to shop online, visit www.federalpremium.com.

by AnglersChannel

Gunter Wins Phoenix Bass Fishing League on Clarks Hill Lake

Jefferson’s Healan Wins Strike King Co-Angler Division

APPLING, Ga. (June 15, 2021) – Boater Bryan Gunter of Ninety Six, South Carolina wins the Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine at Clarks Hill Lake Presented by Googan Baits in Appling, Georgia. Gunter earned $6,213 for his victory at the event.

TOP 10 RESULTS

RANK	BOATER NAME/HOMETOWN	BASS	WEIGHT	AWARD
1^st	Bryan Gunter of Ninety-Six, S.C.	5	17-7	$6,213
2^nd	Sterling Banks of Beech Island, S.C.	5	16-9	$2,684
3^rd	Bobby Stanfill of Greenwood, S.C.	5	15-11	$1,789
4^th	Daniel Atkins of Anderson, S.C.	5	15-9	$1,253
5^th	Zack Lamb of Martinez, Ga.	5	14-15	$1,074
6^th	Randy Childers of Anderson, S.C.	5	14-14	$1,184
7^th	Andy Wicker of Pomaria, S.C.	5	14-13	$850
7^th	Sammy Landrum of Appling, Ga.	5	14-13	$850
9^th	Greg Rikard of Leesville, S.C.	5	14-12	$716
10^th	Eric Mora of Evans, Ga.	5	14-8	$626

RANK	STRIKE KING CO-ANGLER NAME/HOMETOWN	BASS	WEIGHT	AWARD
1^st	Tom Healan of Jefferson, Ga.	5	15-2	$2,684
2^nd	James Akins of Cumming, Ga.	5	14-11	$1,342
3^rd	Gregory Littles, Sr. of Columbia, S.C.	5	14-10	$893
4^th	Cameron Holley of Anderson, S.C.	5	13-7	$1,048
5^th	Johnny Hancox of West Union, S.C.	5	12-12	$537
6^th	Bradley Gunter of Greenwood, S.C.	5	12-2	$492
7^th	Joey Alexander of Salem, S.C.	5	12-0	$447
8^th	David Daniel of Gainesville, Ga.	5	11-8	$403
9^th	Westley Denny of Westminster, S.C.	5	11-6	$358
10^th	Kyle Rogers of Cleveland, Ga.	5	11-3	$313

CONTINGENCY AWARDS

AWARD	NAME	CONTINGENCY	PAYOUT
Boater Big Bass	Bryan Gunter of Ninety-Six, S.C.	6-pound, 8-ounce bass	$845
Strike King Co-Angler Berkley Big Bass	Cameron Holley of Anderson, S.C.	6-pound, 4-ounce bass	$422
Phoenix MLF BIG5 Bonus	Danny Kirk of Bartow, Ga.	Eligible Phoenix Boat*	$500

WINNING BAITS

ANGLER	BAIT	COLOR
Boater	Buzzbait & Zoom Brush Hog	Did Not Disclose
Strike King Co-Angler	Zoom Fluke & Shaky-head rig	Did Not Disclose

2021 QUALIFICATION OPPORTUNITIES

EVENT	DATE	LOCATION	HOST
Savannah River Division – Phoenix Bass Fishing League Regional Championship	Oct. 14-16	Lake Murray, Columbia, S.C.	Capital City Lake Murray Country Regional Tourism Board
Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American	June 3-5	Douglas Lake, Dandridge, Tenn.	Jefferson County Department of Tourism

by AnglersChannel

Stephen F. Austin University Wins MLF Wiley X College Faceoff at Lake O’ The Pines

JEFFERSON, Texas (June 15, 2021) – The Stephen F. Austin University duo of Hunter Muncrief of Pineland, Texas, and River Lee of Nacogdoches, Texas, won the Major League Fishing (MLF) Wiley X College Faceoff at Lake O’ The Pines in Jefferson, Texas, Saturday. The Lumberjacks’ bass club boated 24 bass weighing 70 pounds, 12 ounces to win the second of four Wiley X College Faceoff Events in the 2021 season and earn the win by a 45-pound, 14-ounce margin over Arkansas Tech University’s Austin Johnston and Karson Hamilton.

“We caught our fish cranking a 6th Sense Cloud 9 C-10 crankbait,” the duo told MLF officials. “We fished on a point that had shells on it, and we also seemed to believe that there was bream spawning on it as well. When they wouldn’t eat the crankbait. we caught them dragging a Carolina-rig with a 6th Sense Flush . We also caught a few flipping the bushes, but the majority came on that same point.”

The 10 teams that competed in the Wiley X College Faceoff at Lake O’ The Pines finished:
1^st: Stephen F. Austin University – Hunter Muncrief, Pineland, Texas, and River Lee, Nacogdoches, Texas, 24 bass, 70-12
2^nd: Arkansas Tech University – Austin Johnston, Mena, Ark., and Karson Hamilton, Hot Springs, Ark., nine bass, 24-14
3^rd: Arkansas Tech University – Matt Baker, Glenwood, Ark., and Jordan Mungle, Jessieville, Ark., five bass, 19-6
4^th: Lamar State University – Kaiden Dubose, Bridge City, Texas, and Trace Moore, Orange, Texas, five bass, 16-12
5^th: Tarleton State University – Caden Cowan, Stephenville, Texas, and Trevor Easter, Morgan, Texas, four bass, 11-0
6^th: Lamar State University – Dakota Posey, Orange, Texas, and Trent Buchholz, Beaumont, Texas, three bass, 8-12
7^th: Stephen F. Austin University – Dakota Hickman and Benjamin Doss, both of Longview, Texas, two bass, 6-13
8^th: Tarleton State University – Collin Reyes, Saginaw, Texas, and Reagan Nelson, Athens, Texas, two bass, 5-0
9^th: Sam Houston State University – William Vega, Richmond, Texas, and Mason Hoke, Conroe, Texas, two bass, 4-11
10^th: Sam Houston State University – Cash Gideon, Jacksonville, Texas, and Dylan Dunn, Huntsville, Texas, zero bass, 0-0

Complete results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

The Wiley X College Faceoffs are single-day tournaments where competitors fish in an MLF-style catch, weigh, immediate-release format at each event. The College Faceoff tournaments occur the Saturday following an Abu Garcia College Fishing competition, on the same body of water. The results from the College Fishing tournament the previous day determine the 20 competitors for the Wiley X College Faceoff, with the top two teams (four anglers) from the top five schools in the regular season tournament qualifying to fish in the ten-boat faceoff the following day.

The Wiley X College Faceoff tournament was the second of four Faceoff events for MLF collegiate anglers. The next College Faceoff event will be held July 31 at the Mississippi River in La Crosse, Wisconsin.

Abu Garcia College Fishing presented by YETI teams compete in three regular-season qualifying tournaments in one of five conferences – Central, Northern, Southern, Southeastern and Western. Registration is accepted from any eligible college team from across the United States. The top ten teams from each division’s three regular-season tournaments and the top 20 teams from the annual Abu Garcia College Fishing Open advance to the following year’s Abu Garcia College Fishing presented by YETI National Championship. One additional team will automatically qualify for the National Championship for every 10 teams over 200 competing.

For complete details and updated information visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow the MLF Wiley X College Faceoffs on MLF’s social media outlets at Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.

by AnglersChannel

Laufenberg Wins Phoenix Bass Fishing League on Wolf River Chain Presented by TINCUP

Vonwald Wins Strike King Co-Angler Division

WINNECONE, Wis. (June 15, 2021) – Boater Cade Laufenberg of La Crosse, Wisconsin, won the Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine at the Wolf River Chain of Lakes Presented by TINCUP in Winneconne, Wisconsin. Laufenberg earned $12,235 for his victory at the event, including the lucrative $7,000 Phoenix MLF BIG5 contingency bonus.

TOP 10 RESULTS

RANK	BOATER NAME/HOMETOWN	BASS	WEIGHT	AWARD
1^st	Cade Laufenberg of La Crosse, Wis.	5	15-3	$12,235
2^nd	Brandon Briscoe of McHenry, Ill.	5	15-0	$2,118
3^rd	Clayton Reitz of Morton, Ill.	5	14-9	$1,413
4^th	Mike Feldermann of Galena, Ill.	5	14-4	$988
5^th	Steve Mortenson of Oshkosh, Wis.	5	13-15	$847
6^th	Mark Myers of Cedar Falls, Iowa	5	13-12	$776
7^th	Andrew Behnke of Fond Du Lac, Wis.	5	13-11	$706
8^th	Charles Wright of Becker, Minn.	5	13-10	$600
8^th	Kory Krienke of Annandale, Minn.	5	13-10	$600
10^th	Daniel Ragan of Braceville, Ill.	5	13-5	$494

RANK	STRIKE KING CO-ANGLER NAME/HOMETOWN	BASS	WEIGHT	AWARD
1^st	Paul Vonwald of La Crosse, Wis.	5	13-10	$2,392
2^nd	Mongshua Xiong of La Crosse, Wis.	5	12-14	$1,050
3^rd	Brady Rufenacht of Lavalle, Wis.	5	11-15	$701
4^th	Kalvin Korotka of Manawa, Wis.	5	11-12	$490
5^th	Danny Mancini of Necedah, Wis.	5	10-15	$420
6^th	Jake Minch of Stevens Point, Wis.	5	10-14	$385
7^th	Zeb Mathews of Waunakee, Wis.	5	10-12	$350
8^th	Tom Lyskawka of Arlington Heights, Ill.	5	10-9	$315
9^th	Kevin Anderson of Ettrick, Wis.	5	10-3	$262
9^th	Justin Oppegard of Eagan, Minn.	5	10-3	$262

CONTINGENCY AWARDS

AWARD	NAME	CONTINGENCY	PAYOUT
Boater Big Bass	Kevin Johnson of Sparta, Wis.	4-pound, 15-ounce bass	$590
Strike King Co-Angler Berkley Big Bass	Paul Vonwald of La Crosse, Wis.	4-pound, 12-ounce bass	$292
Phoenix MLF BIG5 Bonus	Cade Laufenberg of La Crosse, Wis.	Eligible Phoenix Boat*	$7,000

WINNING BAITS

ANGLER	BAIT	COLOR
Boater	Frog 3/8-ounce Jig	N/A Black
Strike King Co-Angler	Tube Frog Worm	N/A Black N/A

2021 QUALIFICATION OPPORTUNITIES

EVENT	DATE	LOCATION	HOST
Great Lakes Division – Phoenix Bass Fishing League Regional Championship	Oct. 21-23	Lake Ouachita, Mount Ida, Ark.	Visit Hot Springs
2022 Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American	June 2-4, 2022	Lake Hamilton, Hot Springs, Ark.	Arkansas Dept. of Parks and Tourism & Visit Hot Springs

by AnglersChannel

Wasden Wins Phoenix Bass Fishing League on Kentucky-Barkley Lakes Presented by TINCUP

Benton’s Thompson Wins Strike King Co-Angler Division

GILBERTSVILLE, Ky. (June 15, 2021) – Boater Michael Wasden of Paris, Tennessee, won the Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine at Kentucky and Barkley Lakes Presented by TINCUP in Gilbertsville, Kentucky. Wasden earned $4,559 for his victory at the event, which was hosted by the Kentucky Lake Convention & Visitors Bureau.

TOP 10 RESULTS

RANK	BOATER NAME/HOMETOWN	BASS	WEIGHT	AWARD
1^st	Michael Wasden of Paris, Tenn.	5	19-15	$4,559
2^nd	Brian Futch of Herrin, Ill.	5	19-2	$2,505
2^nd	Edward Gettys of Paris, Tenn.	5	16-10	$1,336
4^th	Bill Schroeder III of Benton, Ky.	5	14-1	$935
5^th	Scott Patton of Dayton, Tenn.	5	13-9	$802
6^th	Dan Shoraga of West Frankfort, Ill.	5	13-0	$735
7^th	Lance Freeman of Eddyville, Ky.	5	12-9	$668
8^th	Tyler Brown of Almo, Ky.	5	12-7	$601
9^th	Larry Bailey of Paducah, Ky.	5	12-4	$985
10^th	Daniel Langton of Evansville, Ind.	5	12-1	$468

RANK	STRIKE KING CO-ANGLER NAME/HOMETOWN	BASS	WEIGHT	AWARD
1^st	Jack Thompson of Benton, Ky.	5	13-9	$1,944
2^nd	Dalton Wilson of Bowling Green, Ky.	5	11-9	$972
3^rd	John Dunn of Paducah, Ky.	5	10-0	$649
4^th	Alan Brasher of Decaturville, Tenn.	2	8-15	$716
5^th	Chuck Ledbetter of Fort Campbell, Ky.	4	7-15	$389
6^th	Dennis Taylor of Murray, Ky.	4	7-8	$340
6^th	John Sturdivant of Obion, Tenn.	3	7-8	$340
8^th	Thad Jones of Madisonville, Ky.	4	7-5	$292
9^th	Bryce Newsome of Clarksville, Tenn.	4	6-15	$259
10^th	Benton Peoples of Bardstown, Ky.	4	6-10	$227

CONTINGENCY AWARDS

AWARD	NAME	CONTINGENCY	PAYOUT
Boater Big Bass	Michael Wasden of Paris, Tenn.	5-pound, 12-ounce bass	$550
Strike King Co-Angler Berkley Big Bass	Alan Brasher of Decaturville, Tenn.	5-pound, 3-ounce bass	$262
Phoenix MLF BIG5 Bonus	Brian Futch of Herrin, Ill.	Eligible Phoenix Boat*	$500

WINNING BAITS

ANGLER	BAIT	COLOR
Boater	Swimbait	N/A
Strike King Co-Angler	Strike King Jig	Black and Blue

2021 QUALIFICATION OPPORTUNITIES

EVENT	DATE	LOCATION	HOST
LBL Division – Phoenix Bass Fishing League Regional Championship	Oct. 7-9	Norfork Lake, Mountain Home, Ark.	Mountain Home Area Chamber of Commerce
2022 Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American	June 2-4, 2022	Lake Hamilton, Hot Springs, Ark.	Arkansas Dept. of Parks and Tourism & Visit Hot Springs

by AnglersChannel

Tennessee’s Short Wins Phoenix Bass Fishing League on Cherokee Lake

Jones Wins Strike King Co-Angler Division

JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. (June 15, 2021) – Boater Joshua Short of Bean Station, Tennessee, won the Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine at Cherokee Lake in Jefferson City, Tennessee. Short earned $13,376 for his victory at the event, including the lucrative $7,000 Phoenix MLF BIG5 contingency award. The event was hosted by the Jefferson County Department of Tourism.

TOP 10 RESULTS

RANK	BOATER NAME/HOMETOWN	BASS	WEIGHT	AWARD
1^st	Joshua Short of Bean Station, Tenn.	5	17-2	$13,376
2^nd	Hunter Sales of Blaine, Tenn.	5	13-13	$2,343
3^rd	Tim Hoskins of Middlesboro, Ky.	5	13-9	$1,562
4^th	Jerry Reagan of Byrdstown, Tenn.	5	12-14	$1,093
5^th	Gregory McDavid of Blountville, Tenn.	5	12-8	$1,187
6^th	Brant Grimm of Church Hill, Tenn.	5	12-6	$859
7^th	Jake Morris of McKee, Ky.	5	12-4	$781
8^th	Jesse Burnett of Norris, Tenn.	5	11-11	$703
9^th	Dylan Wright of Murfreesboro, Tenn.	5	11-10	$625
10^th	Scott Stults of Jamestown, Tenn.	4	11-8	$547

RANK	STRIKE KING CO-ANGLER NAME/HOMETOWN	BASS	WEIGHT	AWARD
1^st	Matthew Jones of Bean Station, Tenn.	4	8-4	$2,270
2^nd	Kendall Parnell of Monticello, Ky.	4	7-15	$1,135
3^rd	Jackie Hatfield of Sweetwater, Tenn.	4	7-10	$757
4^th	Andrew Adams of London, Ky.	3	7-8	$530
5^th	Shaun Sparks of Allardt, Tenn.	2	7-1	$454
6^th	Dean Dalton of Keeling, Va.	3	6-13	$416
7^th	Johnny Douglas of Liberty, Ky.	4	6-10	$378
8^th	Keith Gunsauls of Dandridge, Tenn.	3	6-1	$341
9^th	Todd Stopher of London, Ky.	2	5-14	$284
9^th	Gilbert Jolley of Livingston, Tenn.	2	5-14	$284

CONTINGENCY AWARDS

AWARD	NAME	CONTINGENCY	PAYOUT
Boater Big Bass	Joshua Short of Bean Station, Tenn.	6-pound, 4-ounce bass	$690
Strike King Co-Angler Berkley Big Bass	Sean Connors of Louisville, Ky.	4-pound, 2-ounce bass	$330
Phoenix MLF BIG5 Bonus	Joshua Short of Bean Station, Tenn.	Eligible Phoenix Boat*	$7,000

WINNING BAITS

ANGLER	BAIT	COLOR
Boater	Buzzbait Swimbait	N/A N/A
Strike King Co-Angler	Yamamoto Senko	N/A

2021 QUALIFICATION OPPORTUNITIES

EVENT	DATE	LOCATION	HOST
Mountain Division – Phoenix Bass Fishing League Regional Championship	Oct. 7-9	Wheeler Lake, Decatur, Ala.	Decatur Morgan County Tourism
2022 Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American	June 2-4, 2022	Lake Hamilton, Hot Springs, Ark.	Arkansas Dept. of Parks and Tourism & Visit Hot Springs

by AnglersChannel

Benton High School Wins U.S. Army High School Fishing Presented by Favorite Fishing Lake O' the Pines

JEFFERSON, Texas (June 15, 2021) – The Benton High School duo of Peyton Grantham of Benton, Louisiana, and Tanner Underwood of Bossier City, Louisiana, won the U.S. Army High School Fishing Presented by Favorite Fishing Lake of the Pines Presented by Googan Baits Presented by Hosting Pro Jeff Sprague on Saturday in Jefferson, Texas. The victory advanced the winning team to the 2021 U.S. Army High School Fishing Presented by Favorite Fishing National Championship.

TOP 10 RESULTS

RANK	SCHOOL/CLUB NAME/CITY	ANGLER NAME	BASS	WEIGHT
1^st	Benton High School*	Peyton Grantham* Tanner Underwood*	5	22-15
2^nd	Hallsville*	Noah Jarrett* Cooper Mayes*	5	22-4
3^rd	Henderson*	Brayden Cross* Jack Hacker*	5	16-1
4^th	Elizabeth High School	Ty Haymon Bryce Tichy	5	15-10
5^th	Carlisle High School	Colby Crim Caleb Crim	5	15-9
6^th	Harleton	Brayten Harper Corbin Sanders	5	15-8
7^th	Winnsboro	Gage Ivey Pake South	5	15-4
8^th	North Desoto	Will Henderson Justin Lafitte	5	15-1
9^th	North Desoto	Evan Howe Drake Wadsworth	5	13-14
10^th	Queen City Bass Fishing Assoc.	Dylan Benson Carson Dillinger	5	13-10

*Top 10% of teams advance to the 2021 U.S. Army High School Fishing presented by Favorite Fishing National Championship

Complete results from the event can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

2021 UPCOMING QUALIFICATION OPPORTUNITIES

EVENT	DATE	LOCATION	HOST
U.S. Army High School Fishing Presented by Favorite Fishing Mississippi River Open Presented by Googan Baits	July 31	Mississippi River, La Crosse, Wis.	La Crosse County Convention & Visitors Bureau
2021 U.S. Army High School Fishing National Championship & World Finals	Jun. 30 – Jul. 3	Lake Hartwell, Anderson, S.C.	Anderson Convention & Visitors Bureau

The first 25 high school teams that enter each U.S. Army High School Fishing presented by Favorite Fishing tournament will receive a free Favorite Fishing package, including one Favorite Fishing casting rod and reel, one Favorite Fishing spinning rod and reel, six packs of Googan Baits and two Favorite Fishing hats, a total package value of $230. Most tournaments will also be hosted by a Bass Pro Tour angler or Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit angler, giving high school students the chance to meet the sport’s top pros. As an added bonus, the winning team at each tournament will receive a guided fishing trip with their pro angler host.

U.S. Army High School Fishing presented by Favorite Fishing tournaments are free, two-person (team) events for students in grades 7-12 and are open to any MLF and Student Angler Federation-affiliated high school club. The top 10 percent of teams at each Open event along with the TBF High School Fishing state championships will advance to the 2021 U.S. Army High School Fishing presented by Favorite Fishing National Championship. The U.S. Army High School Fishing national champions will each receive a $5,000 college scholarship to the school of their choice.

In addition to the U.S. Army High School Fishing National Championship, all High School Fishing anglers nationwide automatically qualify for the world’s largest open high school bass tournament, the 2021 High School Fishing World Finals, held in conjunction with the National Championship. More than $2.8 million in scholarships and prizes were offered at the 2020 World Finals.
Full schedules and the latest announcements, photos and articles are available at HighSchoolFishing.org and MajorLeagueFishing.com.

by AnglersChannel

University of Louisiana-Monroe Wins Abu Garcia College Fishing Tournament on Lake O' the Pines

JEFFERSON, Texas (June 15, 2021) – The University of Louisiana duo of Jacob Andrews and Connor Nimrod, both of Monroe, Louisiana, took the win on Friday at the Abu Garcia College Fishing Presented by YETI at Lake of the Pines. The victory earned the University of Louisiana team $2,000 and qualified the duo to compete in the 2022 College Fishing National Championship.

TOP 10 RESULTS*

RANK	COLLEGE NAME	ANGLER NAME/HOMETOWN	BASS	WEIGHT	AWARD
1^st	University of Louisiana-Monroe	Jacob Andrews of Monroe, La. Connor Nimrod of Monroe, La.	5	26-5	$2,000
2^nd	Stephen F. Austin	Jacob Miller of Fort Worth, Texas Jack York of Colleyville, Texas	5	25-11	$1,000
3^rd	Tarleton State – Stephenville	Caden Cowan of Stephenville, Texas Trevor Easter of Morgan, Texas	5	24-13	$500
4^th	LSU – Shreveport	Tyler Tamburo of Bossier City, La. Blakely Young of Hallsville, Texas	5	24-0	$500
5^th	University of Louisiana - Lafayette	Dylan Friloux of Lafayette, La. Hayden Pinho of Patterson, La.	5	23-5	$500
6^th	Dallas Baptist University	Tanner Foster of Venus, Texas Andrew Rickman of Canton, Texas	5	22-14
7^th	Stephen F. Austin	River Lee of Nacogdoches, Texas Hunter Muncrief of Pineland, Texas	5	22-14
8^th	Arkansas Tech University	Karson Hamilton of Hot Springs, Ark. Austin Johnston of Mena, Ark.	5	22-6
9^th	East Texas Baptist University	Cannon Bird of Marshall, Texas Jacob Keith of Jefferson, Texas	5	21-14
10^th	Louisiana College	Harrison Bieber of Dry Prong, La. Ben South of Dry Prong, La.	5	21-4

*Top 10 teams advance to the 2022 College Fishing National Championship

Complete results for the entire field can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

2021/2022 QUALIFICATION OPPORTUNITIES

EVENT	DATE	LOCATION	HOST
Abu Garcia College Fishing Presented by YETI	July 30	Mississippi River, La Crosse, Wis.	La Crosse County Convention & Visitors Bureau
Abu Garcia College Fishing Presented by YETI National Championship Presented by Lowrance	TBA - 2022	TBA	TBA

The event was the second of three qualifying tournaments for Southern Conference anglers.

Abu Garcia College Fishing presented by YETI teams compete in regular-season qualifying tournaments in one of five conferences – Central, Northern, Southern, Southeastern and Western. The top ten teams from each division’s three regular-season tournaments and the top 20 teams from the annual Abu Garcia College Fishing Open advance to the following year’s Abu Garcia College Fishing presented by YETI National Championship.

For complete details and updated information visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow the Abu Garcia College Fishing presented by YETI on MLF’s social media outlets at Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.

by AnglersChannel

ETBU’s Ross And Thurston Leverage Kicker For College Classic Win

Ethan Thurston and Cody Ross, of East Texas Baptist University, have won the Carhartt Bassmaster College Series Classic presented by Bass Pro Shops on Eagle Mountain Lake and Lake Worth with 16 pounds, 6 ounces.
Photo by Chris Mitchell/B.A.S.S.

June 13, 2021

FORT WORTH, Texas — Missing a limit usually dooms championship hopes, but East Texas Baptist University’s Cody Ross and Ethan Thurston defied the odds by winning the Carhartt Bassmaster College Series Classic presented by Bass Pro Shops on Eagle Mountain Lake and Lake Worth with a four-fish bag that weighed 16 pounds, 6 ounces.

The winners anchored their catch with a 7-8 kicker that Ross caught with a bone-colored Strike King Popping Perch on his third cast. Thurston also caught a big fish on the Popping Perch and added two keepers with a green pumpkin V&M J-Bugs Texas-rigged on a 4/0 hook with a 3/4-ounce weight.

“We were fishing midlake and we just decided this morning where we wanted to go,” Ross said. “We were running up the lake and pulled in there because that’s where we had the most bites in practice.

“It was a tough practice because there’s not a big population of fish in this lake, so we decided where the best place was to get bites.”

That spot was a main-lake point with reeds and other vegetation. Ross, a senior, noted that a late-season shad spawn was the key to his team’s success.

“It was very surprising because the shad normally don’t spawn this late in the year,” he said. “But we’ve had an unseasonably rainy and cooler spring.”

While the anglers agreed that a slow, vulnerable presentation was the key to making their frog infiltrate the spawning baitfish activity, Thurston said their flipping bite was far more random.

“If you got it in front of their face, they’d bite it, but you couldn’t put a pattern together in the reeds for anything,” the sophomore said. “It was just making as many casts as you could to cover water.”

Ross agreed: “In practice, one of them would be on reeds, one would be on water willows, the next one would be on the bulkhead. But today, reeds were where we got bit.”

The winners got their work done in short order Sunday. Following Ross’ big catch, they had what they weighed in in the first 30 minutes. Despite missing a limit, Ross said he and Thurston were pleased that their game plan delivered what they needed.

“We knew we were on a better-than-average size fish whenever we would get one to bite,” Ross said. “We had a pretty good idea that it was going to take a mid- to upper-teens bag to win, so we knew that if we could just get three or four key bites in the boat that it would go a long way for us.”

Cody Gregory and Levi Mullins of Bethel University finished second with 11-13, and Zeke Gossett and Lucas Smith of Jacksonville State University were third with 10-6.

by AnglersChannel

Cherry Puts Finishing Touches On Second-Straight Bassmaster Classic Win At Ray Roberts

Outdoors Bassmaster Classic presented by Huk with a three-day total of 50 pounds, 15 ounces.
Photo by Chris Brown/B.A.S.S.
June 13, 2021

FORT WORTH, Texas — Hank Cherry now occupies some rare air in the sport of professional bass fishing, and he has the bank statements to prove it.

The Lincolnton, N.C., pro, caught five bass Sunday that weighed 13 pounds, 1 ounce and won the Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic presented by Huk with a three-day total of 50 pounds, 15 ounces.

He is only the fourth angler in the 51-year history of the Super Bowl of Professional Bass Fishing to win the event in back-to-back years. He earned another of the iconic Classic trophies and his second $300,000 check in 18 months.

Another North Carolina pro, Matt Arey, finished second with 49-1 and lost at least one big bass on Championship Sunday that might have put him over the top.

“I feel bad for Matt, and I told him I’ve been where he was,” Cherry said. “I had the same thing happen to me and mine happened a lot closer to the boat.

“I’m not giving it back — not apologizing for it. If it’s meant to be, it’s meant to be.”

Cherry, a nine-year veteran of the Bassmaster Elite Series, finished third in his first Classic back in 2013 on Grand Lake O’ the Cherokees. Like Arey, he lost a crucial fish in that event that would have given him the trophy.

He went through a tough stretch in the Classic after that, finishing no higher than 27th in three tries. But then he put the bad memories of 2013 behind him last year on Lake Guntersville when he caught 29-3 on the first day and rode that mammoth bag to a wire-to-wire victory.

He didn’t quite go wire-to-wire this year, starting in third place on the first day with a limit of 20-4. But as suffocating heat moved into the area, the fishing got tougher and Cherry remained consistent enough to stay on top with a Day 2 catch of 17-10 and a final-round bag of 13-1 that was just enough.

He caught the bulk of his weight during the week flipping flooded bushes along the shoreline and throwing a jerkbait around riprap along the dam.

“The bite in the bushes is going away,” Cherry said. “It’s so hot out there right now. The water temperature was 71 degrees when we got here for practice, and I saw it as high as 87 today. A lot of those bushes are starting to break down, and those fish just don’t want to be there.

“I was fortunate to get enough out of them to win.”

For flipping the bushes, Cherry used a 3/4-ounce tungsten weight with a 4/0 flipping hook and a variety of soft-plastic baits, including a Berkley Pit Boss, a craw lure and a beaver-style bait.

“I would just alternate between five or six baits, back and forth,” he said. “That probably wasn’t as much for the fish as it was for me. Whatever I was using, I was doing the same thing. But it felt like I was doing something different.”

When the bass got extremely lethargic in the 99-degree heat Sunday, Cherry did actually make a change to his flipping setup, switching to a 1/4-ounce tungsten weight with a 3/0 hook. He had two fish in his livewell at the time but caught three bass to fill his limit within 30 minutes after making the switch.

“I caught maybe the dumbest bass in the lake,” Cherry said. “I flipped into a bush and instead of going into the bush, that lighter bait kind of ricocheted off of it. The bass actually swam out of the bush to get the bait and swam back in with it.”

That fish weighed almost 4 1/2 pounds and helped Cherry recharge on a day when he said sweat was constantly rolling into his eyes and blinding him.

When Cherry fished the rocks along the dam, he used a new jerkbait called a Berkley Stunna in the stealth shad color. He believes he caught the tail end of the jerkbait bite, just as he did with the flipping bite.

“The bushes I was fishing, if the lake was at normal pool, they wouldn’t even be in the water,” Cherry said. “So, you know the fish are probably itching to move away from there and go offshore.

“I think the same is true around those rocks. The heat is just radiating off those things — and if it makes us miserable, you know it probably makes them miserable, too.”

Cherry joins Rick Clunn (1976-77), Kevin VanDam (2010-11) and Jordan Lee (2017-18) as the only back-to-back Classic winners. This marks his fourth victory with B.A.S.S., including last year’s Classic, an Opens win on Smith Lake in 2012 and an Elite Series victory on Muskegon and White Lakes in 2013. He was the 2013 Bassmaster Elite Series Rookie of the Year.

Cherry said he enjoyed his reign as the 2020 Classic champion even though the year was marred by the COVID-19 pandemic and many of the personal appearances he might have made as Classic champ didn’t happen.

Whether this next reign will be different, he couldn’t say for sure.

“I don’t know what to expect, I really don’t,” Cherry said. “I’ll just take it as it comes — and I’ll never doubt just how blessed I am.”

Frank Talley of Temple, Texas, took home Berkley Big Bass honors and an additional $2,500 for his 8-3 caught on Day 1.

As part of the Yamaha Power Pay program, sixth-place finisher Scott Canterbury of Odenville, Ala., earned a $20,000 bonus.

Cherry took home an additional $7,500 for being the highest-placing entrant in the Toyota Bonus Bucks program, and Chris Jones of Bokoshe, Okla., earned $2,500 for being the second-highest placing entrant.

The Bassmaster Classic was hosted by the Fort Worth Sports Commission and Visit Fort Worth.

2021 Bassmaster Classic Hosts: Fort Worth Sports Commission; Visit Fort Worth

2021 Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic presented by Huk 6/11-6/13
Lake Ray Roberts, Fort Worth TX.
(ANGLER) Standings Day 3

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

1. Hank Cherry Jr Lincolnton, NC 15 50-15 0 $300,000.00
Day 1: 5 20-04 Day 2: 5 17-10 Day 3: 5 13-01
2. Matt Arey Shelby, NC 15 49-01 0 $50,000.00
Day 1: 5 15-05 Day 2: 5 15-12 Day 3: 5 18-00
3. Chris Jones Bokoshe, OK 15 45-09 0 $40,000.00
Day 1: 5 17-02 Day 2: 5 15-07 Day 3: 5 13-00
4. Justin Kerr Lake Havasu, AZ 14 45-02 0 $30,000.00
Day 1: 5 13-06 Day 2: 4 19-12 Day 3: 5 12-00
5. Brock Mosley Collinsville, MS 13 42-00 0 $25,000.00
Day 1: 4 08-10 Day 2: 4 14-05 Day 3: 5 19-01
6. Scott Canterbury Odenville, AL 15 41-06 0 $22,000.00
Day 1: 5 14-11 Day 2: 5 14-06 Day 3: 5 12-05
7. Matt Robertson Kuttawa, KY 14 40-03 0 $21,500.00
Day 1: 5 16-04 Day 2: 4 09-02 Day 3: 5 14-13
8. Chris Johnston Otonabee Ontario CANADA 14 40-02 0 $21,000.00
Day 1: 5 16-00 Day 2: 5 13-09 Day 3: 4 10-09
9. Drew Cook Cairo, GA 14 38-07 0 $20,500.00
Day 1: 5 16-10 Day 2: 5 12-08 Day 3: 4 09-05
10. Patrick Walters Summerville, SC 11 38-01 0 $20,000.00
Day 1: 5 22-07 Day 2: 1 02-06 Day 3: 5 13-04
11. Cory Johnston Cavan CANADA 13 37-00 0 $15,000.00
Day 1: 5 16-02 Day 2: 3 05-09 Day 3: 5 15-05
12. Ed Loughran III Richmond, VA 11 36-07 0 $15,000.00
Day 1: 5 15-08 Day 2: 1 07-13 Day 3: 5 13-02
13. Steve Kennedy Auburn, AL 11 35-08 0 $15,000.00
Day 1: 5 23-00 Day 2: 4 09-11 Day 3: 2 02-13
14. Todd Auten Lake Wylie, SC 12 34-04 0 $15,000.00
Day 1: 5 15-12 Day 2: 4 10-15 Day 3: 3 07-09
15. Matt Herren Ashville, AL 14 33-11 0 $15,000.00
Day 1: 4 10-02 Day 2: 5 11-04 Day 3: 5 12-05
16. Kyle Welcher Opelika, AL 14 33-03 0 $13,000.00
Day 1: 4 11-14 Day 2: 5 09-09 Day 3: 5 11-12
17. Brandon Palaniuk Rathdrum, ID 12 32-00 0 $13,000.00
Day 1: 5 14-04 Day 2: 4 08-04 Day 3: 3 09-08
18. Jamie Hartman Newport, NY 13 31-09 0 $13,000.00
Day 1: 5 16-04 Day 2: 3 05-07 Day 3: 5 09-14
19. Cody Bird Granbury, TX 12 29-15 0 $14,000.00
Day 1: 5 15-08 Day 2: 5 10-05 Day 3: 2 04-02
20. Paul Mueller Naugatuck, CT 10 29-02 0 $13,000.00
Day 1: 5 15-01 Day 2: 4 09-14 Day 3: 1 04-03
21. Jeff Gustafson Keewatin Ontario CANADA 12 28-07 0 $13,000.00
Day 1: 4 08-08 Day 2: 5 13-05 Day 3: 3 06-10
22. Frank Talley Temple, TX 9 27-13 0 $15,500.00
Day 1: 4 15-10 Day 2: 3 08-04 Day 3: 2 03-15
23. Clark Wendlandt Leander, TX 11 27-12 0 $13,000.00
Day 1: 5 11-01 Day 2: 3 10-12 Day 3: 3 05-15
24. Chad Pipkens Dewitt, MI 8 27-02 0 $13,000.00
Day 1: 4 12-05 Day 2: 2 10-10 Day 3: 2 04-03
25. Seth Feider New Market, MN 10 26-09 0 $13,000.00
Day 1: 5 12-10 Day 2: 2 08-06 Day 3: 3 05-09
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
BERKLEY BIG BASS
Frank Talley Temple, TX 08-03 $2,500.00

by AnglersChannel

Cullman’s Hopper And Franks Get Redemption In High School Classic

Brody Hopper and Landon Franks, of Cullman (Ala.) High School, have won the Mossy Oak Fishing Bassmaster High School Series Classic presented by Academy Sports + Outdoors on Eagle Mountain Lake and Lake Worth. with 13 pounds, 1 ounce.

Photo by Chris Mitchell/B.A.S.S.

June 12, 2021

FORT WORTH, Texas — Implementing a two-stage game plan, Brody Hopper and Landon Franks of Alabama’s Cullman High School caught a five-bass limit of 13 pounds, 1 ounce to win the Mossy Oak Fishing Bassmaster High School Series Classic presented by Academy Sports + Outdoors on Eagle Mountain Lake and Lake Worth.

Heading into their junior year, Hopper and Franks edged Madison County High School’s Logan Fisher and Will Hart by 6 ounces. In the event’s nine-boat field, Cullman was one of only two teams to catch a limit.

“We started on the south end of the lake because of the clear water and we found the fish right up on the bank. They were right in the dirt,” Franks said.

The winners started their day on seawalls in about 3 feet of water. Franks threw 3/8-ounce jigs in watermelon and green pumpkin colors with a green pumpkin blue flake Strike King Menace, while Hopper fished a 1/4-ounce watermelon shaky head with a watermelon candy Zoom Needle Worm.

“I was throwing my jig right along the seawalls and dragging it off; they were right there,” Franks said. “We tried to focus on shaded banks. We caught a couple off main river seawalls, but most of them were shaded banks.”

Later in the day, the anglers transitioned to docks, where they caught their fish on the same baits. Franks said they were picky about their dock selection.

“We’d try to find docks in about 6 feet of water, but not floating docks; we’d try to find stationary docks,” he said. “The fish will stack up on the poles and find shade under there. You could skip up under there and catch them."

Hopper noted that long casts were essential for the morning seawalls, while his afternoon presentations were shorter and more targeted.

The Cullman team fished last year’s Classic and experienced a disappointing finish. Hopper said that sore memory motivated him and Franks to seek redemption.

“We had one fish and got beat pretty badly last year,” Hopper said. “I knew it was going to change this year.

“We were planning for Lake Grapevine (the original site) and we were going to try deep cranks, but when we heard it was moved to Eagle Mountain, we switched it up and went shallow. Smith Lake, near Cullman, is full of docks, so it was pretty much the same thing.”

Hopper’s father, Jeremy, serves as the team’s boat captain. He said his team focused on the mental toughness necessary to maintain focus in tough conditions.

“I always tell Brody to stay positive,” Jeremy Hopper said. “When it gets hot during the day and your mind wants to wander off from the heat and the exhaustion, I always tell him, ‘Put your head in it, keep it in it and you can do it.’”

In second place, Fisher and Hart caught four fish for 12-11. Chase Hubble and Brent May of Strawberry Crest High School finished third with a limit catch of 10-7.

by AnglersChannel

Cherry Takes Lead On Weather-Shortened Day At Bassmaster Classic On Lake Ray Roberts

Hank Cherry, of Lincolnton, N.C., is leading after Day 2 of the 2021 Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic presented by Huk with a two-day total of 37 pounds, 14 ounces.
Photo by Seigo Saito/B.A.S.S.
June 12, 2021

FORT WORTH, Texas — The 54 anglers competing in the Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic presented by Huk had planned to start fast and take advantage of an early-morning shad spawn bite that has been extremely reliable this week on Lake Ray Roberts.

But Mother Nature threw up an electric stop sign.

Freak thunderstorms with dangerous lightning delayed the tournament by more than two hours and negated much of the morning bite. While many of the Day 1 leaders struggled, North Carolina pro Hank Cherry landed 17 pounds, 10 ounces to move from third place into the lead with a two-day total of 37-14.

The winner of last year’s Classic on Alabama’s Lake Guntersville, Cherry will now begin Championship Sunday with nearly a 5-pound lead and a chance to become only the fourth angler in the 51-year history of the event to claim back-to-back titles.

“There was definitely more pressure to win the first one last year,” Cherry said. “Winning is one thing, but to win it twice, it’s got to all go right.

“What’s eerie about this is that it’s the same feeling as last year. I’m out there on the dam today and people are stopped all the way down the dam getting out watching me fish — it just feels the same.”

Despite the late takeoff, Cherry got off to a fast start, catching two bass in the 4-pound range flipping a jig into wooden structure. The fish came only four or five casts apart and gave Cherry the shot in the arm he needed to fish confidently all day.

That was especially important when he lost a big bass later in the day on a jerkbait.

“Of course, Day 2, in Hank Cherry fashion, I lose the biggest fish I’ve hooked in the two days of competition and it breaks me off on a jerkbait,” Cherry said. “I don’t know how big it was, but I’ve caught thousands of them on a jerkbait and I know when they bite how big they are. When I set the hook, it didn’t move. When it started diving down, I knew it was gonna go right to the rock and brush.

“It would have been a great fish to have, but I didn’t let it bother me.”

Cherry said he’s taking the same approach with the pressure of leading the Classic once again going into the final day.

“I’ve played in a lot of big games,” Cherry said. “I’ve won this big game — and I’m not going to cry if I don’t win it tomorrow.

“I’ve got my trophy at home. I’ll hand the trophy to the winner tomorrow and go hard at it again next year.”

The biggest mover of the day was B.A.S.S. Nation qualifier Justin Kerr, who rose from 22nd place to second with four bass that weighed 19-12. Kerr put together the day’s biggest limit flipping submerged bushes and using an Evergreen JackHammer ChatterBait.

Though his bag was one shy of a limit, one of his bass weighed 7-2 and another weighed 6-12.

“I have this one area that has a bunch of big ones in it, and I got two bites there yesterday and lost one of them,” Kerr said. “Today, with the half day that we had, I was hoping for two bites that would put me in the 11-pound range, but they just happened to be 7-pounders.”

An Arizona resident and longtime successful angler in the western United States, Kerr has not been exploiting the early-morning shad spawn bite like much of the field. That’s a big part of why he weighed in only a small five-bass limit (13-6) on Day 1 and missed a limit on Day 2.

But he believes he’s around the bass to win — he said he’s seen another bass in the 10-pound range this week — and he realizes the gravity of his situation.

Kerr is vying to become just the second Nation qualifier ever to win professional fishing’s biggest event. Connecticut angler Bryan Kerchal claimed the title in 1994 on North Carolina’s High Rock Lake but was killed in a plane crash months later.

“To represent the Nation this way is an awesome deal,” he said. “It shows that people like me who don’t get the opportunity to fish the Elites or get on tour because of financial or personal reasons … It doesn’t matter who you are, you can get a chance to compete in the Classic.

“It’s a pretty humbling experience to be in this position, for sure.”

Perhaps no one was hurt more by the late start than Auburn, Ala., pro Steve Kennedy.

After catching a big limit of 23 pounds — mostly before 7 a.m. — on Day 1, Kennedy managed just four bass that weighed 9-11 Saturday and tumbled to third with 32-11. He said he plans to spend all day on Championship Sunday fishing for deep suspended bass he found in practice.

He lost a bass he estimated at 8 pounds fishing that way Saturday.

“It was on a jig on standing timber out in the middle of the lake,” Kennedy said. “I got him to the boat without a problem, and the way I remember it, he just kind of laid there for a second like he wasn’t even going to fight. Then he took off and pulled off. Huge fish.”

Though Kennedy had major success fishing the early-morning shad spawn bite on Day 1, he said he may mostly forego that action Sunday to target those big suspended bass.

“I may spend 30 minutes up shallow,” Kennedy said. “But I’ve had this other deal in my back pocket, and you only get so many chances like this. There aren’t big numbers out there, but those big females are there.

“Those are the ones I want to fish for.”

Frank Talley of Temple, Texas, still holds the lead for Berkley Big Bass of the week with the 8-3 largemouth he caught on Day 1. Chad Pipkens of Holt, Mich., came close to topping that mark Saturday with an 8-1.

The Top 25 anglers will take off at 6:15 a.m. CT Sunday from Lake Ray Roberts State Park - Isle du Bois Unit in Pilot Point, Texas. The weigh-in will be held at 4 p.m. at Dickies Arena in Fort Worth.

The winning angler will claim a life-changing title, a $300,000 first-place check and the iconic trophy that only a handful anglers have ever had the privilege to hold.

The final day of the annual Bassmaster Classic Outdoors Expo will be held Sunday from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Exhibitors are on-site selling a variety of merchandise for fishing, hunting, camping and more. As part of the Bassmaster Classic Outdoors Expo, the Go Out{side} Experience will offer fun options for families, including inflatable archery, cornhole, jumping dogs and knot tying. Kids can even catch their first fish at an on-site catfish pond.

The Bassmaster Classic is being hosted by the Fort Worth Sports Commission and Visit Fort Worth.

2021 Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic presented by Huk 6/11-6/13
Lake Ray Roberts, Fort Worth TX.
(ANGLER) Standings Day 2

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

1. Hank Cherry Jr Lincolnton, NC 10 37-14 0
Day 1: 5 20-04 Day 2: 5 17-10
2. Justin Kerr Lake Havasu, AZ 9 33-02 0
Day 1: 5 13-06 Day 2: 4 19-12
3. Steve Kennedy Auburn, AL 9 32-11 0
Day 1: 5 23-00 Day 2: 4 09-11
4. Chris Jones Bokoshe, OK 10 32-09 0
Day 1: 5 17-02 Day 2: 5 15-07
5. Matt Arey Shelby, NC 10 31-01 0
Day 1: 5 15-05 Day 2: 5 15-12
6. Chris Johnston Otonabee Ontario CANADA 10 29-09 0
Day 1: 5 16-00 Day 2: 5 13-09
7. Drew Cook Cairo, GA 10 29-02 0
Day 1: 5 16-10 Day 2: 5 12-08
8. Scott Canterbury Odenville, AL 10 29-01 0
Day 1: 5 14-11 Day 2: 5 14-06
9. Todd Auten Lake Wylie, SC 9 26-11 0
Day 1: 5 15-12 Day 2: 4 10-15
10. Cody Bird Granbury, TX 10 25-13 0
Day 1: 5 15-08 Day 2: 5 10-05
11. Matt Robertson Kuttawa, KY 9 25-06 0
Day 1: 5 16-04 Day 2: 4 09-02
12. Paul Mueller Naugatuck, CT 9 24-15 0
Day 1: 5 15-01 Day 2: 4 09-14
13. Patrick Walters Summerville, SC 6 24-13 0
Day 1: 5 22-07 Day 2: 1 02-06
14. Frank Talley Temple, TX 7 23-14 0
Day 1: 4 15-10 Day 2: 3 08-04
15. Ed Loughran III Richmond, VA 6 23-05 0
Day 1: 5 15-08 Day 2: 1 07-13
16. Brock Mosley Collinsville, MS 8 22-15 0
Day 1: 4 08-10 Day 2: 4 14-05
17. Chad Pipkens Dewitt, MI 6 22-15 0
Day 1: 4 12-05 Day 2: 2 10-10
18. Brandon Palaniuk Rathdrum, ID 9 22-08 0
Day 1: 5 14-04 Day 2: 4 08-04
19. Jeff Gustafson Keewatin Ontario CANADA 9 21-13 0
Day 1: 4 08-08 Day 2: 5 13-05
20. Clark Wendlandt Leander, TX 8 21-13 0
Day 1: 5 11-01 Day 2: 3 10-12
21. Jamie Hartman Newport, NY 8 21-11 0
Day 1: 5 16-04 Day 2: 3 05-07
22. Cory Johnston Cavan CANADA 8 21-11 0
Day 1: 5 16-02 Day 2: 3 05-09
23. Kyle Welcher Opelika, AL 9 21-07 0
Day 1: 4 11-14 Day 2: 5 09-09
24. Matt Herren Ashville, AL 9 21-06 0
Day 1: 4 10-02 Day 2: 5 11-04
25. Seth Feider New Market, MN 7 21-00 0
Day 1: 5 12-10 Day 2: 2 08-06
26. Hunter Shryock Ooltewah, TN 7 20-13 0 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 15-14 Day 2: 2 04-15
27. Drew Benton Blakely, GA 7 20-10 0 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 15-14 Day 2: 2 04-12
28. Luke Palmer Coalgate, OK 7 20-10 0 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 13-06 Day 2: 2 07-04
29. Clent Davis Montevallo, AL 8 20-00 0 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 12-11 Day 2: 3 07-05
30. Jordan Wiggins Cullman, AL 7 19-13 0 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 16-03 Day 2: 2 03-10
31. Trevor McKinney Benton, IL 9 19-09 0 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 12-12 Day 2: 4 06-13
32. Brandon Cobb Greenwood, SC 8 19-00 0 $10,000.00
Day 1: 3 07-05 Day 2: 5 11-11
33. John Cox DeBary, FL 8 17-09 0 $10,000.00
Day 1: 3 04-00 Day 2: 5 13-09
34. Bryan New Belmont, NC 7 17-02 0 $10,000.00
Day 1: 4 11-08 Day 2: 3 05-10
35. Brandon Lester Fayetteville, TN 6 16-04 0 $10,000.00
Day 1: 2 05-15 Day 2: 4 10-05
36. Chad Morgenthaler Reeds Spring, MO 7 15-14 0 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 10-03 Day 2: 2 05-11
37. Jason Williamson Wagener, SC 6 15-01 0 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 12-07 Day 2: 1 02-10
38. Chris Zaldain Fort Worth, TX 5 15-00 0 $10,000.00
Day 1: 4 13-11 Day 2: 1 01-05
39. Austin Felix Eden Prairie, MN 5 15-00 0 $10,000.00
Day 1: 4 12-15 Day 2: 1 02-01
40. Brandon Card Salisbury, NC 7 15-00 0 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 12-02 Day 2: 2 02-14
41. Taku Ito Chiba JAPAN 6 14-10 0 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 12-02 Day 2: 1 02-08
42. Masayuki Matsushita Tokoname-Shi JAPAN 8 14-01 0 $10,000.00
Day 1: 3 05-09 Day 2: 5 08-08
43. Bill Lowen Brookville, IN 6 13-15 0 $10,000.00
Day 1: 3 08-04 Day 2: 3 05-11
44. Brad Whatley Bivins, TX 6 13-12 0 $10,000.00
Day 1: 2 04-10 Day 2: 4 09-02
45. Pat Schlapper Eleva, WI 7 13-10 0 $10,000.00
Day 1: 2 03-09 Day 2: 5 10-01
46. Jake Whitaker Fairview, NC 6 13-05 0 $10,000.00
Day 1: 2 05-10 Day 2: 4 07-11
47. David Mullins Mt Carmel, TN 5 13-03 0 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 13-03 Day 2: 0 00-00
48. Stetson Blaylock Benton, AR 5 12-13 0 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 12-13 Day 2: 0 00-00
49. Keith Carson DeBary, FL 6 12-06 0 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 10-15 Day 2: 1 01-07
50. Tommy Williams Shepherdsville, KY 6 11-14 0 $10,000.00
Day 1: 1 01-05 Day 2: 5 10-09
51. Micah Frazier Newnan, GA 5 11-11 0 $10,000.00
Day 1: 2 03-00 Day 2: 3 08-11
52. Buddy Gross Chickamauga, GA 4 11-05 0 $10,000.00
Day 1: 2 05-08 Day 2: 2 05-13
53. Shane LeHew Catawba, NC 5 10-11 0 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 10-11 Day 2: 0 00-00
54. Blake Sylvester Plaquemine, LA 4 06-04 0 $10,000.00
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 4 06-04

by AnglersChannel

Adjustment Leads Pendergraf To Narrow Bassmaster Kayak Series Championship

Mark Pendergraf of Fort Worth, Texas, has won the Bassmaster B.A.S.S. Nation Kayak Series Championship powered by TourneyX on Possum Kingdom Lake with a two-day total measuring 209.25 inches.
Photo by Chris Mitchell/B.A.S.S.

June 11, 2021

Adjustment Leads Pendergraf To Narrow Bassmaster Kayak Series Championship

FORT WORTH, Texas — When conditions trashed his practice findings, Mark Pendergraf of Fort Worth, Texas, made a key adjustment and won the inaugural Bassmaster B.A.S.S. Nation Kayak Series Championship powered by TourneyX on Possum Kingdom Lake with a two-day total of 209.25 inches.

Edging second-place Joe McElroy of Alabama by 1/2 inch, Pendergraf won the $20,000 first-place award. TourneyX owner/operator Dwayne Walley confirmed that the winner notched the highest two-day total in TourneyX history.

Possum Kingdom, an 18,000-acre Brazos River reservoir located 90 miles west of Fort Worth, is normally relatively clear. However, Day 1 brought muddy conditions. McElroy had graphed chunk rock sweet spots on bluff walls during practice, but the declining clarity fizzled that bite.

“From about 6:30 to 1, I caught fish on bluff walls with a Strike King 5XD in the sexy shad color, but I fished closer than I did in practice because of the muddy water,” Pendergraf said. “I had a rough start to the day and I only had 4 fish at 12:30.”

Frustrated with his low productivity, Pendergraf steered his Old Town Autopilot 120 kayak back to his launch ramp where he assumed he’d wind up his day with a few random casts.

“I made a cast and caught a striper. So, I thought, that’s not a bad way to spend the last 30 minutes of the tournament,” Pendergraf said. “I made a cast to the left and caught a 19-inch (largemouth). I made another cast, 20 1/2; made another cast, 18 3/4.

“Day 2, I literally launched my kayak, I went out, made a U-turn, waited until lines-in and I stayed there for 10 hours. I punched some heavy, heavy fish. I think my first fish was a 24-inch bass. That was my fourth cast, about 6:05.”

Pendergraf targeted the concrete boat ramp with a Strike King 6XD (sexy shad) and quickly dialed in a particular positioning preference.

“I would crank from about 3 feet down to 12,” Pendergraf said. “On Day 1, it was a fast flurry, just a lot of fish in a short amount of time, so I didn’t have anything pinpointed on that boat ramp that they were attracted to.

“Day 2, I found that one side of the boat ramp had a lip on it. There was a solid drop-off on it and the fish were tucking down on the side of that. If I could land my bait on that lip and run it down, they would smash it cast after cast after cast.”

Reflecting on the way his tournament played out, Pendergraf said he should have spent his entire tournament on that boat ramp. “I could have just gone out with one rod and one bait and just been done.”

Daniel Lyons earned Big Bass honors on Day 1 with his 24 1/2-inch fish. Pendergraf’s 24-inch bass took top honors for Day 2.

McElroy finished second with 208.75 inches. Mississippi's Brad Case finished third with 201.75.

by AnglersChannel

Kennedy Starts Fast, Takes Day 1 Lead At Bassmaster Classic On Lake Ray Roberts

Steve Kennedy, of Auburn, Ala., is leading after Day 1 of the 2021 Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic presented by Huk with 23 pounds.
Photo by Chris Brown/B.A.S.S.
June 11, 2021

FORT WORTH, Texas — Steve Kennedy caught a five-bass limit that weighed 23 pounds Friday to take the lead during the opening round of the Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic presented by Huk.

And the scary thing is, he said he didn’t even get to go to the biggest bass he found in practice.

The Auburn, Ala., pro made the most of an early-morning shad spawn bite, putting the bulk of his limit in the livewell before 7 a.m. Then with the winds blowing hard across Lake Ray Roberts, he decided he wouldn’t be able to proceed with the second part of his game plan.

On Saturday, he hopes to exploit that morning bite again — and hopefully move on to Phase 2.

“I kind of got stuck up on one end of the lake because the wind was blowing so hard,” said Kennedy, a 10-time Classic qualifier who has finished as high as second in the event. “I didn’t go anywhere near where I was planning on fishing my second deal.

“Maybe I will tomorrow. Maybe I won’t have to. If I don’t have to show that until the final day, I sure don’t want to.”

During Kennedy’s final day of practice, he said he got 18 bites the first two hours of the morning. But those came during cloudy conditions — and since he didn’t know if there would be cloud cover Friday, he said he tried to cover water as quickly as he could.

“I was trying to condense that two hours into 30 minutes,” he said. “I was fishing a jig, and they were just eating it like crazy. The morning went just like I had hoped it would.”

After the morning bite died down, Kennedy had hoped to move to deeper water and target larger bass with big glide baits. But the weather nixed those plans.

“It was extremely rough,” he said. “My core was hurting. There were times when I was on my tippy-toes and times when I was on my heels trying not to go over.

“I was headed to my other fish and taking waves over the bow. If I had gone all the way there, I might not have been able to stand up.”

South Carolina pro Patrick Walters is right on Kennedy’s heels in second place with 22-7 — and like Kennedy, Walters found the morning conditions much more favorable.

“I was really hoping for an afternoon bite, but the wind made that nonexistent,” said Walters, who earned his first Bassmaster Elite Series victory last season on Lake Fork in Texas and finished second in another event on Fork earlier this year. “I planned to spend the entire afternoon fishing offshore, but you really couldn’t position on the fish and present your bait the way you needed to.”

That left him to rely on the early-morning bite — and, as it was for most of the field, that was short-lived.

“The shallow bite is good first thing,” Walters said. “But then about 9 o’clock, it cuts off like a light switch. I don’t know what happens, if they just move out or what. But you have until about 9, and then you have to go do something different.”

Walters — who earned Bassmaster Century Belts in both Fork events with four-day limits that weighed more than 100 pounds — did so by targeting big suspended bass in standing timber. He said Ray Roberts features a different kind of structure than Fork, but he’s counting on those same suspended fish to earn the biggest win of his career.

“You have to cover so much water out there offshore just to get a bite or two,” Walters said. “If you can’t fish efficiently, it’s just not worth it.”

But if conditions allow, Walters said the tournament could certainly be won offshore.

“You’re talking about isolated bass that are eating white bass and crappie instead of the ones up shallow that are eating little shad,” Walters said. “A fish that suspends owns the water column. When they get up that high in the water column, they’re usually pretty big fish — and in Texas, they’re especially big.

“I only need 15 fish to win this tournament, so those are the ones I’m looking for.”

A familiar name — reigning Classic champ Hank Cherry of North Carolina — finished the day in third after landing five bass that weighed 20-4.

“This was actually my worst day since I’ve been here,” said Cherry, who caught 29-3 on the first day of last year’s Classic at Lake Guntersville. “I never got comfortable today. The situation, the water color, the wind.

“I kept second-guessing myself and thinking I should be somewhere else.”

It was a midmorning revelation that finally made Cherry feel at home.

“I kind of slowed down and started kind of retracking how the morning went and noticing that I got more bites on the trees than I did in the bushes,” Cherry said. “So, I picked up a jig and kind of went back to that and started getting bit.”

Though he weighed in 20-plus pounds, Cherry said fans shouldn’t confuse Friday’s bag with the big opening-round total he weighed in last year’s event.

“This was a lot of work,” he said. “I spent a lot of time wondering what was going on, and I tried to force it. I tried to get up on some of those shallower points and really fish it, but I just wasn’t comfortable there.

“I figured out what I needed to be doing, and I’m not leaving the area I fished today.”

The full field of 54 anglers will take off again at 6:15 a.m. CT Saturday from Lake Ray Roberts State Park - Isle du Bois in Pilot Point, Texas. The weigh-in will be held at 4 p.m. CT at Dickies Arena in Fort Worth. After Saturday’s weigh-in, only the Top 25 anglers will advance to Championship Sunday with a chance at the $300,000 first-place prize.

FOX network will broadcast four hours of live coverage with tournament leaders beginning at 7 a.m., and full event coverage is available on Bassmaster.com.

The annual Bassmaster Classic Outdoors Expo will be held Saturday from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. and Sunday from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Exhibitors are on-site selling a variety of merchandise for fishing, hunting, camping and more. As part of the Bassmaster Classic Outdoors Expo, the Go Out{side} Experience will offer fun options for families, including inflatable archery, cornhole, jumping dogs and knot tying. Kids can even catch their first fish at an on-site catfish pond.

The Bassmaster Classic is being hosted by the Fort Worth Sports Commission and Visit Fort Worth.

2021 Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic presented by Huk 6/11-6/13
Lake Ray Roberts, Fort Worth TX.
(ANGLER) Standings Day 1

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

1. Steve Kennedy Auburn, AL 5 23-00 0
Day 1: 5 23-00
2. Patrick Walters Summerville, SC 5 22-07 0
Day 1: 5 22-07
3. Hank Cherry Jr Lincolnton, NC 5 20-04 0
Day 1: 5 20-04
4. Chris Jones Bokoshe, OK 5 17-02 0
Day 1: 5 17-02
5. Drew Cook Cairo, GA 5 16-10 0
Day 1: 5 16-10
6. Jamie Hartman Newport, NY 5 16-04 0
Day 1: 5 16-04
6. Matt Robertson Kuttawa, KY 5 16-04 0
Day 1: 5 16-04
8. Jordan Wiggins Cullman, AL 5 16-03 0
Day 1: 5 16-03
9. Cory Johnston Cavan CANADA 5 16-02 0
Day 1: 5 16-02
10. Chris Johnston Otonabee Ontario CANADA 5 16-00 0
Day 1: 5 16-00
11. Drew Benton Blakely, GA 5 15-14 0
Day 1: 5 15-14
11. Hunter Shryock Ooltewah, TN 5 15-14 0
Day 1: 5 15-14
13. Todd Auten Lake Wylie, SC 5 15-12 0
Day 1: 5 15-12
14. Frank Talley Temple, TX 4 15-10 0
Day 1: 4 15-10
15. Cody Bird Granbury, TX 5 15-08 0
Day 1: 5 15-08
16. Ed Loughran III Richmond, VA 5 15-08 0
Day 1: 5 15-08
17. Matt Arey Shelby, NC 5 15-05 0
Day 1: 5 15-05
18. Paul Mueller Naugatuck, CT 5 15-01 0
Day 1: 5 15-01
19. Scott Canterbury Odenville, AL 5 14-11 0
Day 1: 5 14-11
20. Brandon Palaniuk Rathdrum, ID 5 14-04 0
Day 1: 5 14-04
21. Chris Zaldain Fort Worth, TX 4 13-11 0
Day 1: 4 13-11
22. Justin Kerr Lake Havasu, AZ 5 13-06 0
Day 1: 5 13-06
22. Luke Palmer Coalgate, OK 5 13-06 0
Day 1: 5 13-06
24. David Mullins Mt Carmel, TN 5 13-03 0
Day 1: 5 13-03
25. Austin Felix Eden Prairie, MN 4 12-15 0
Day 1: 4 12-15
26. Stetson Blaylock Benton, AR 5 12-13 0
Day 1: 5 12-13
27. Trevor McKinney Benton, IL 5 12-12 0
Day 1: 5 12-12
28. Clent Davis Montevallo, AL 5 12-11 0
Day 1: 5 12-11
29. Seth Feider New Market, MN 5 12-10 0
Day 1: 5 12-10
30. Jason Williamson Wagener, SC 5 12-07 0
Day 1: 5 12-07
31. Chad Pipkens Dewitt, MI 4 12-05 0
Day 1: 4 12-05
32. Brandon Card Salisbury, NC 5 12-02 0
Day 1: 5 12-02
33. Taku Ito Chiba JAPAN 3 12-02 0
Day 1: 3 12-02
34. Kyle Welcher Opelika, AL 4 11-14 0
Day 1: 4 11-14
35. Bryan New Belmont, NC 4 11-08 0
Day 1: 4 11-08
36. Clark Wendlandt Leander, TX 5 11-01 0
Day 1: 5 11-01
37. Keith Carson DeBary, FL 5 10-15 0
Day 1: 5 10-15
38. Shane LeHew Catawba, NC 5 10-11 0
Day 1: 5 10-11
39. Chad Morgenthaler Reeds Spring, MO 5 10-03 0
Day 1: 5 10-03
40. Matt Herren Ashville, AL 4 10-02 0
Day 1: 4 10-02
41. Brock Mosley Collinsville, MS 4 08-10 0
Day 1: 4 08-10
42. Jeff Gustafson Keewatin Ontario CANADA 4 08-08 0
Day 1: 4 08-08
43. Bill Lowen Brookville, IN 3 08-04 0
Day 1: 3 08-04
44. Brandon Cobb Greenwood, SC 3 07-05 0
Day 1: 3 07-05
45. Brandon Lester Fayetteville, TN 2 05-15 0
Day 1: 2 05-15
46. Jake Whitaker Fairview, NC 2 05-10 0
Day 1: 2 05-10
47. Masayuki Matsushita Tokoname-Shi JAPAN 3 05-09 0
Day 1: 3 05-09
48. Buddy Gross Chickamauga, GA 2 05-08 0
Day 1: 2 05-08
49. Brad Whatley Bivins, TX 2 04-10 0
Day 1: 2 04-10
50. John Cox Debary, FL 3 04-00 0
Day 1: 3 04-00
51. Pat Schlapper Eleva, WI 2 03-09 0
Day 1: 2 03-09
52. Micah Frazier Newnan, GA 2 03-00 0
Day 1: 2 03-00
53. Tommy Williams Shepherdsville, KY 1 01-05 0
Day 1: 1 01-05
54. Blake Sylvester Plaquemine, LA 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00

by AnglersChannel

College Champion is Ready to Fish

Courtesy of Luke Stoner - Dynamic Sponsorships

After spending nearly a week in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, the 2021 Carhartt Bassmaster College Series champion Trevor McKinney is ready to put the busy BassmasterClassic itinerary behind him and get to fishing on Lake Ray Roberts. Not only is the Classic the biggest tournament of the year, the week leading into the derby includes the most stressful media and events schedule of the season.

Even though he is twenty-two years young, McKinney is an avid tournament angler and has been competing at a high level on the Bassmaster Opens throughout 2021. The tournament aspect of this week isn’t exactly new, but the Classic hustle and bustle has been a bit of a learning experience for McKinney.

“So far this week has been pretty much what I expected,” McKinney said. “Whenever I’m not on the water fishing, it’s been pretty hectic and super busy. Which I was warned about and tried to mentally prepare for coming into this deal. I’ll be honest… at this point I’m just ready to go fishing.”

McKinney grew up in southern Illinois and was an extremely accomplished high school angler before attending McKendree University where he excelled at the collegiate level, too. In 2020 McKinney out worked and out fished all his peers to be named college fishing’s representative at the biggest stage in bass fishing.

Along with a ticket to compete in the Classic, McKinney was given a brand new Toyota Tundra and Nitro Boat package wrapped in his alma maters colors and decked out with the latest and greatest in bass fishing equipment. McKinney also was given the opportunity to compete in the 2021 Bassmaster Opens with his entry fees paid for; a dream package for any aspiring collegiate angler.

“This year really has been a dream come true,” McKinney reflected. “I’m proud to represent college fishing this week, along with McKendree and the incredible list of sponsors I’ve been blessed to work with. It’s hard to put into words.”

McKinney has been competitive in the Bassmaster Opens, only missing one check thus far, while sharpening his skills in preparation for the Classic. He has half a season behind him and he’s been able to get into a bit of a groove… that fact isn’t lost on McKinney who has proven to be mature beyond his years.

“Initially I was bummed to learn the Classic was pushed from March to June, but looking back on it I think it was a blessing,” McKinney explained. “I was able to get comfortable with my new boat, put some miles on the Tundra, and work out those early season kinks. Ray Roberts is fishing to my strengths right now and I think I’m as ready as I’ll ever be.”

by AnglersChannel

Arey and Zaldain talk Classic magic and rubber fish

Courtesy of Alan McGuckin - Dynamic

Class acts, and two of professional angling’s most accomplished pros, Matt Arey and Chris Zaldain, talked Classic memories, magical moments, and what fans can expect at the 51st Bassmaster Classic that begins Friday on Lake Ray Roberts, Texas.

Q: What excites you most about Lake Ray Roberts?

Arey: The potential to catch a 10-pounder at the biggest event in bass fishing.

Zaldain: The fact that we’re weighing-in 12 miles from my home, and the chance to share the incredible excitement of this event with all the people I call friends and neighbors here who love bass fishing.

Q: You’re a fan of the sport. What is your favorite Classic memory?

Arey: Attending the 2004 Bassmaster Classic in Charlottesoon after graduating from North Carolina State and watching Takahiro Omori win in the final hours. That lit a serious fire in me to do this for a living.

Zaldain: Without a doubt, the 2004 Classic. Watching Takahiro Omori follow his heart and run up the river to throw a balsa crankbait on laydowns because “he knew it” could be the chance to win – and do so – was so inspiring!

Q: How much weight will you need to average per day on Lake Ray Roberts for a chance to win the 2021 Bassmaster Classic?

Arey: 19 ½ pounds per day

Zaldain: 18 ½ pound per day

Q: Name three lures you won’t leave the dock without on Friday morning.

Arey: Flipping jig, Lunker Hunt compact frog, and a big worm.

Zaldain: Frog, flipping jig, and a big fake rubber fish (laughs).

Q: What’s been the coolest moment of your Classic week so far?

Arey: Seeing my wife and little girls arrive in the hotel lobbyfrom the airport, and my little girls jumped into my arms. There’s absolutely nothing better in this life than that.

Zaldain: All of us walked into Dickie’s Arena for a sound check this morning, and the sounds and smells of that new arena just put off an incredible vibe. I can’t imagine how awesome it will be when so many fans are in there!

by AnglersChannel

Sportsmans Product Spotlight - Under Armour ISO-Chill

As the weather gets HOTTER AnglersChannel.com's Social Ninja, David Xiong walks you through the new Under Armour Fish ISO-Chill Shorebreak Hoodie and the new Canyon Cargo Pants! Find these items and more at your local Sportsmans Warehouse, Sportsmans.com or UAFish.com

by AnglersChannel

Berkley Bringing Promotions, Seminars from Top Pros to Bassmaster Outdoor Expo

COLUMBIA, S.C. (June 9, 2021) –– Professional bass fishing fans headed to the 2021 Bassmaster Classic and the accompanying Bassmaster Classic Outdoor Expo can visit the Berkley booth to cash in on sales promotions and get tips from their favorite pros, including bass fishing legend, Hank Parker.

Attendees who purchase a reel at the Classic Outdoor Expo can bring their new reel to the Berkley booth to have it spooled with Berkley monofilament (Trilene XL or XT), fluorocarbon (Vanish or Trilene 100% Fluorocarbon) or braid (X5 or X9). Reel spooling is limited to three reels per person and no more than 1,000 yards of line.

Berkley fans looking for ways to win tackle can visit one of the Berkley Bait Vending Machines located near the Bassmaster Classic venues. The vending machine can be accessed via a QR code displayed on the machine. Vending machines will be located near the Bassmaster Classic boat launch on Lake Ray Roberts, outside the main exhibit hall for the Classic Outdoor Expo and in popular locations in the Fort Worth Stockyards.

Throughout the three-day run of the Classic Outdoor Expo, Berkley’s top bass fishing pros will appear on the Berkley Bass Tank to teach fans about the best ways to utilize the company’s science-fueled innovations to catch more and bigger fish.

To learn more about Berkley products and the company’s legacy for research and innovation, go to https://www.berkley-fishing.com/.

Berkley Booth - Bass Tank Seminar Schedule

Friday, June 11
12:30 p.m. - Justin Atkins
1:30 p.m. - Hank Parker
2:30 p.m. - Mike Huff
3:00 p.m. - Josh Bertrand

Saturday, June 12
10:30 a.m. - Josh Bertrand
11:00 a.m. - Scott Suggs
11:30 a.m. - Jordan Lee
12:00 p.m. - Edwin Evers
1:00 p.m. - David Fritts
2:00 p.m. - Hank Parker
3:00 p.m. - Mike Huff

Sunday - June 13
10:30 a.m. - David Fritts
11:00 a.m. - Josh Bertrand
11:30 a.m. - Scott Suggs
12:00 p.m. - Chris Groh
1:00 p.m. - Hank Parker

by AnglersChannel

Academy Sports + Outdoors Announces Deion Sanders as Celebrity Fishing Tournament Winner

LEWISVILLE, Texas (June 9th, 2021) Academy Sports + Outdoors held its second annual celebrity fishing tournament this week ahead of the 51st Bassmaster Classic in Fort Worth, Texas. Athletes, celebrities, country music stars, and members of the bass community hit the water to battle for the top spot with Deion Sanders's team edging out the competition to take home the title. The winning team presented their charity of choice, Tiger Fund Athletic Foundation, with a $5,000 check from Academy. All other participants were given $1,000 to their respective non-profits as well.

SEC Network and ESPN reporter Marty Smith kicked off the event on Lake Lewisville Wednesday morning. The six teams were led by pro bass anglers who worked hard to put their teams atop the leaderboard.

Deion Sanders's team reeled in the winning Largemouth Bass weighing in at 3 lbs 6 oz on an H2O XPRESS Tac 40 spinning rod paired with an H2O Mettle spinning reel. The cumulative total weight in Sanders's boat of 12 lbs 8 oz put Deion and his partners Sydnie Wells, James Hall, and Bassmaster Pro Greg Hackney in first-place at the 2021 Academy Sports + Outdoors Celebrity Tournament.

This year’s field of anglers included NFL Hall of Famer and Jackson State Head Football Coach Deion Sanders, former NFL star and current ESPN talent Marcus Spears, WNBA legend Sheryl Swoopes, country music artist Jimmie Allen, and country music duo Maddie & Tae. These celebrities joined Greg Hackney and other members of the bass community at the event. Video and images from the day on the water are available here: Photo/Video Assets

Academy is the title sponsor of the upcoming Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic presented by Huk, where 55 of the world’s best bass anglers will compete on the storied waters of North Texas’ Lake Ray Roberts.

Academy Sports + Outdoors has 30 locations across North Texas, where customers can find a wide assortment of fishing products including rods and reels, baits, lures, fish finders, tackle, storage, waders, kayaks, sunglasses, fishing apparel, footwear, and more. For store locations and to shop Academy’s selection of fishing products, customers can visit academy.com.

by AnglersChannel

The Best-Equipped Boats in Fishing: Humminbird® Pros Arrive at the Bassmaster Classic

MEGA Live Imaging™ gives Humminbird pros an added advantage as they look to build on an already successful 2021 Elite Series season.

RACINE, Wis. (June 9, 2021) — Already some of the most accomplished pros in professional bass fishing this year, eight members of the Humminbird pro team are headed to the 2021 Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic presented by Huk on Lake Ray Roberts equipped with the latest live sonar technology from fishing’s preeminent electronics maker.

Humminbird announced the launch of its MEGA Live technology this week, bringing to reality the pairing of live sonar with the unsurpassed clarity and detail of MEGA Imaging (Side, Down and 360 Imaging). Humminbird fans will have their chance to upgrade to the platform later this summer and, when they do, they’ll be able to turn to Humminbird’s pro team for tips, tricks and insights about how to get the most out of fishing’s most powerful live-imaging technology.

"The addition of MEGA Live to the One Boat Network is going to change the book on how we understand fish behavior,” said Humminbird Pro and Bassmaster Elite Series angler Brandon Palaniuk. “It’s adding one step to my process of finding and catching fish. First step is using my Lakemaster mapping to find areas. Second is launching the boat. Third is using my MEGA Side imaging and down imaging to find the fish. Fourth is using my MEGA 360 imaging to relocate that structure from the front of the boat. And now I have a fifth, MEGA Live, giving me a real-time shot of what the fish are doing and how they’re behaving.”

MEGA Live Imaging delivers on the Humminbird benchmark of the finest sonar available by providing MEGA Imaging-level images throughout the entire live sonar view. In addition, an optimized sonar cone angle provides ample coverage area to easily keep both fish and lure within view while maintaining precision and the ability to target individual fish. No matter the fishing scenario, the versatility and performance of MEGA Live makes it easy to see and catch fish in real time on the Humminbird display.

"My electronics setup is already extremely efficient at finding fish and structure by using MEGA Side, Down and 360 imaging," said Humminbird pro Chris Zaldain. "But now, with MEGA Live, there’s a clear cut image of the fish that helps me focus on individual fish or schools of fish and catch them faster. I can see my giant flutter spoon and how fish behave toward it, allowing me to adjust my presentation and waste less time.”
The launch of Humminbird’s MEGA Live combined with MEGA Side and Down Imaging Dual Spectrum CHIRP 2D sonar, MEGA 360 Imaging® and High-Definition LakeMaster® charts means that some of the best anglers in the world will be that much more effective thanks to the most complete set of fish-catching features available anywhere. In addition, Humminbird pros will have seamless from their HELIX and SOLIX units to their Minn Kota trolling motors and Raptor shallow water anchors via the One-Boat Network™.

Palaniuk is one of eight Humminbird pro staff members who will be vying for the most prestigious title in professional fishing when the Bassmaster Classic kicks off its three-day run June 11. Each Humminbird pro qualified for this year’s Bassmaster Classic by virtue of their Angler of the Year points total from the 2020 Bassmaster Elite Series and each is in search of their first Classic title.

"Humminbird pros have already left their mark on the 2021 Bassmaster Elite Series schedule by winning four of the season’s seven tournaments so far and with Seth Feider leading in the Angler of the Year standings and multiple others in the Top 15. We’re incredibly proud of their on-the-water successes and wish them all the best in this year’s Classic,” said Humminbird Brand Manager Matt Cook.

"If initial pro reactions are any indication, the process of perfecting a live-sonar technology that delivers the exceptional detail and crystal-clear images for which MEGA Imaging is known has definitely been worth the effort. We can’t wait to see what these incredibly talented anglers can do with MEGA Live and all the tools Humminbird provides anglers at the Classic and the two remaining Elite Series events.”

Humminbird’s new MEGA Live Imaging retails for $1,499.99 and will begin shipping in September 2021. Humminbird MEGA Live Imaging transducers are compatible with all APEX and SOLIX models, as well as HELIX 8-15 G3N / G4N models with MEGA Imaging.

For more information on Humminbird’s new MEGA Live technology, visit www.humminbird.com/MEGALive.

Humminbird Pros Competing in the 2021 Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic presented by Huk:

Seth Feider — New Market, Minnesota

Jeff Gustafson — Keewatin, Ontario, Canada

Matt Herren — Ashville, Alabama

Bill Lowen — Brookville, Indiana

Brandon Palaniuk — Rathdrum, Idaho

Chad Pipkens — Lansing, Michigan

Brad Whatley — Bivins, Texas

Chris Zaldain — Fort Worth, Texas

by AnglersChannel

"Its all about Deception"

XZone Angler Blog with Elite Series Pro Brandon Palanuik

Photo Courtesy of BASS - James Overstreet

They say everything is bigger in Texas and this year that equals rain and rising water in the Lonestar state. After pre-practice for this week’s Bassmaster’s Classic on Ray Roberts and now official practice I think it’s safe to say, it’s still anyone’s ball game.

We haven’t had a Classic since March of 2020. When it was originally scheduled for March, I kind of expected a lot of those fish to be working their way back towards spawning pockets and doing things like they often do for that time of year. I had not planned to do much pre-practice before the lake went off limits, but when the event got changed, I felt like I still needed to go and look for navigation purposes. As with the typical Texas reservoir, Ray Roberts has tons of flooded timber. The only difference is that it's one of the “newer” reservoirs in the state and there are no man-made boat lanes here. So, I went and looked around to take the navigation factor out of play so when I started this past Friday morning.

As in the past, I'm still holding true to not looking at points during this Elite season. I know that I’ve had a good season, but I don't know exactly how good of a season it's been. It’s been one of those years where I have had to grind every single event to put something together. One of the baits I have relied on heavily this year has been the XZone Deception worm, especially on a drop shot. It’s a bait I have had to utilize a lot of this year because well, we’ve had weird, changing conditions with crazy weather, and it seems like everywhere we go that bait on a drop shot seems to take fish who are in a negative mood and make them bite, even when they aren’t actively feeding. It just makes them mad!

The Deception worm has such a cool size and shape and the fact that it floats makes it set horizontal in the water and a lot of places we fish this year have been places that have a lot of soft bottom. Anytime you're around any type of vegetation or anything, you get kind of that bottom decay and a worm like the Deception worm that floats above that allows those fish to see it better and be right in their face. I also think having that horizontal presentation requires a lot less movement from the angler making it a more natural looking presentation to the fish.

When this tournament kicks off on Friday, the Deception worm is a no brainer to have tied on to a drop shot for me. Another BIG player for me I think in this event will be the XZone Adrenaline Craw tied on in three different ways. A Texas-Rig to flip with, a football jig, a buzzbait and maybe a Carolina-Rig just in case…….I will also have a variation of the Swammer tied on depending on the size of the bait fish, as a swim bait, as a trailer on a chatter bait and if I had to have one though, it’s going to be the Mega Swammer, I mean we are in Texas for the Bassmaster’s Classic so go big or go home right!

by AnglersChannel

Kevin VanDam Wins Major League Fishing Bass Pro Tour B&W Trailer Hitches Stage Four at Lake Chickamauga

Professional Bass Fishing’s G.O.A.T. Earns First Career Victory on Bass Pro Tour, Takes Home $100,000

DAYTON, Tenn. (June 9, 2021) – Bass Pro Shops angler Kevin VanDam of Kalamazoo, Michigan, promised that MLF NOW!® livestream viewers would see fireworks on Lake Chickamauga, Wednesday, and the man most consider the G.O.A.T. of professional bass fishing did not disappoint. VanDam caught 25 bass weighing 70 pounds, 1 ounce to win the Major League Fishing (MLF) Bass Pro Tour B&W Trailer Hitches Stage Four Presented by ATG by Wrangler at Lake Chickamauga in Dayton, Tennessee, and earn the top prize of $100,000.

It was a tight five-angler race to start the third and final period of competition but VanDam quickly pulled away, boating a dozen scorable bass weighing 34 pounds, 2 ounces, in just 30 minutes. VanDam won by a 6-pound, 10-ounce margin over second-place pro Jacob Wheeler, who caught 24 bass totaling 63 pounds, 7 ounces, good for $45,000.

“That last period – to get on a flurry like that. Man, that was incredible,” said VanDam, who pushed his career earnings to more than $6.9 million. “Any time you can have that kind of day fishing is special, but to do it on the last day of a Bass Pro Tour event is pretty dang awesome. This (trophy) was something that I’ve really wanted since we started this, so today was a pretty special day for me.”

VanDam earned his victory this week on Lake Chickamauga doing what he loves to do – fishing the deep Tennessee River ledges.

“I found those fish in practice and when I hit that school, I knew that I’d really found something special,” VanDam said. “I just had to wait for that window when the current gets just right and when it happened, it was magical.

“I caught fish on a lot of different baits this week, but far and away the Strike King Series 5 (green gizzard) and Strike King 5XD (blue gizzard shad) crankbaits were my money baits, all week long,” VanDam continued. “I fished them on my signature system – a Lew’s CC4 Cranking rod paired with a Lew’s BB1 Pro reel , 12-pound Bass Pro XPS fluorocarbon line, and I threw a couple of No. 2 Mustad Triple Grip (treble hooks) on there. I was fishing the bait real fast and really making the fish react to it, even when they didn’t want to bite.”

VanDam also credited his Humminbird electronics and HydroWave as being crucial to his success.

“My confidence was through the roof today,” VanDam said. “I had all of the tools that I needed. My whole system – my boat, my electronics, my rods, my reels, my hooks – it’s a whole system that I’ve developed over the past 31 years and I was really able to showcase them today.

“I finished runner-up to (Jacob) Wheeler the last time we were here, so today was really gratifying,” VanDam went on to say. “To go against the field that I did – Wheeler, Jordan (Lee), Michael Neal and Jason Lambert – two Tennessee ledge hammers – and win is just really special. I’ve won a lot of events and I promise you this – you appreciate every win more than the last, because you never know when you’re going to get your next one. And you never know when it could be your last one.”

The top 10 pros at the Bass Pro Tour B&W Trailer Hitches Stage Four on Lake Chickamauga finished:

1st: Kevin VanDam, Kalamazoo, Mich., 25 bass, 70-1, $100,000
2nd: Jacob Wheeler, Harrison, Tenn., 24 bass, 63-7, $45,000
3rd: Jason Lambert, Michie, Tenn., 16 bass, 59-8, $38,000
4th: Michael Neal, Dayton, Tenn., 15 bass, 46-1, $32,000
5th: Brent Ehrler, Redlands, Calif., 14 bass, 40-13, $30,000
6th: Shinichi Fukae, Osaka, Japan, 15 bass, 36-13, $26,000
7th: Stephen Browning, Hot Springs, Ark., 10 bass, 25-3, $23,000
8th: Jordan Lee, Cullman, Ala., six bass, 17-4, $21,000
9th: Casey Ashley, Donalds, S.C., four bass, 13-13, $19,000
10th: Anthony Gagliardi, Prosperity, S.C., three bass, 10-11, $16,000

Full results for the entire field can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

Overall, there were 132 bass weighing 383 pounds, 9 ounces caught by the final 10 pros on Wednesday.

VanDam and Lambert split Wednesday’s $1,000 Berkley Big Bass Award, each weighing a 6-pound, 5-ounce largemouth to split the prize. Favorite Fishing pro Matt Becker of Finleyville, Pennsylvania, earned the $3,000 Berkley Big Bass award for the largest bass of the event with his 8-pound, 12-ounce largemouth that he weighed on Day 5 of competition.

Pro Ott DeFoe of Blaine, Tennessee, finished the event in 17th place and did not qualify for Wednesday’s Championship Round, but his finish was still good enough to overtake Lakeland, Florida’s Bobby Lane in the MLF Bass Pro Tour Angler of the Year standings. DeFoe’s total of 283 points gives him a 17-point lead over the second-place pro, California’s Brent Ehrler (266), with three events remaining in the season. Wheeler is third with 258, followed by Kansan Brent Chapman in fourth place with 257 and Lane with 256 to fall into fifth place. Full AOY standings for the entire Bass Pro Tour field can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

The MLF Bass Pro Tour B&W Trailer Hitches Stage Four at Lake Chickamauga Presented by ATG by Wrangler was hosted by Fish Dayton and the Rhea Economic & Tourism Council. The six-day tournament featured 80 of the top professional anglers from around the world competing for a purse of $805,000, including a top cash prize of $100,000 to the winner.

Television coverage of the B&W Trailer Hitches Stage Four Presented by Wrangler at Lake Chickamauga will be showcased across two two-hour episodes, premiering at 7 a.m. ET, Oct. 9 on the Discovery Channel. New MLF episodes premiere each Saturday morning on the Discovery Channel, with additional re-airings on the Outdoor Channel and the Sportsman Channel. Each two-hour long reality-based episode goes in-depth to break down each day of competition.

The Bass Pro Tour features a field of 76 of the top professional anglers in the world – joined at each event by 4 pros that qualify from the Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit – competing across seven regular-season tournaments around the country, competing for millions of dollars and valuable points to qualify for the annual Heavy Hitters all-star event and the REDCREST 2022 championship. The next event for Bass Pro Tour anglers will be the General Tire Stage Five at the St. Lawrence River Presented by Berkley, June 25-30 in Massena, New York.

For complete details and updated information on the Bass Pro Tour, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF’s social media outlets at Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.

by AnglersChannel

Humminbird® Introduces MEGA Live Imaging™, Delivering the Detail and Clarity of MEGA Imaging® in Live Motion

RACINE, Wis. (June 9th, 2021) – Humminbird®, long known as the leader in fishing electronics, expands the performance of its MEGA Imaging ® sonar technology with the introduction of MEGA Live Imaging™.

This new sonar technology delivers the clarity and detail of MEGA Imaging in live action, allowing anglers to see fish and structure in real time, even watching fish on screen as they move in to bite an angler’s lure. With the release of this technology, anglers have access to the most complete package of industry-leading technologies and products offered by a single brand.

MEGA Live Imaging sonar views are provided by a compatible Humminbird fish finder and a state-of-the-art transducer, designed to mount to a trolling motor shaft, providing rapid deployment into the water and easy steering control of the live sonar views. The MEGA Live Imaging transducer comes with a multi-position bracket that provides three sonar views, each suited for different fishing applications and techniques.

MEGA Live Imaging Views

• Down Mode: Live imaging looking directly below the transducer• Forward Mode: Live imaging looking out and away from the transducer, steered using the trolling motor’s foot pedal or remote

• Landscape Mode: Live imaging from a wide, bird’s-eye view looking out and around the boat.

Across all three views, MEGA Live Imaging delivers on the Humminbird benchmark of the finest sonar available by providing MEGA Imaging-level images throughout the entire live sonar view. In addition, an optimized sonar cone angle provides ample coverage area to easily keep both fish and lure within view while maintaining precision and the ability to target individual fish. No matter the fishing scenario, the versatility and performance of MEGA Live Imaging makes it easy to see and catch fish in real time on the Humminbird display.

"We have taken the world-class imaging quality that anglers have come to expect from our MEGA Imaging sonar and brought that to life in our new MEGA Live Imaging product,” said Matt Cook, Humminbird brand manager. “MEGA Live Imaging will allow anglers to watch structure and fish in real time, which is not only an effective tool but a fun and entertaining way to catch fish.”

The MEGA Live Imaging transducer is offered as an accessory and comes with everything needed to install on a trolling motor, including a 20-foot Ethernet cable, 10-foot power cable and trolling motor mounting bracket and hardware.

MEGA Live Imaging connects to compatible Humminbird APEX ®, SOLIX ® and HELIX® control heads via an Ethernet connection and requires no external sonar module, leaving more room in the boat for gear. This Ethernet connection also allows anglers to connect additional sonar sources to the same control head, such as Humminbird’s MEGA 360 Imaging® or Built-in MEGA Imaging on Minn Kota® trolling motors.

"Bringing MEGA Live Imaging to our already best-in-class imaging capabilities has added one more reason for anglers to choose Humminbird,” Cook said. “With Humminbird’s MEGA Imaging and Dual Spectrum CHIRP 2D sonar, along with premium accessories like MEGA 360 Imaging® and LakeMaster® charts, anglers who run Humminbird will have the most complete picture on the water. With the added ability to integrate and control Minn Kota products via the One-Boat Network™, Humminbird provides the most comprehensive offering of fish-catching features and capabilities available anywhere.”

Humminbird’s new MEGA Live Imaging retails for $1,499.99 and will begin shipping September 2021. MEGA Live Imaging transducers are compatible with all APEX and SOLIX models, as well as HELIX 8-15 G3N / G4N models with MEGA Imaging. For optimal performance, the MEGA Live Imaging transducer is designed to be paired with a Minn Kota Ultrex™ trolling motor.

For more information, call Humminbird at 800-633-1468 or visit www.humminbird.com/MEGALive.

by AnglersChannel

AC Insider Podcast - West Bound & Down

This week Chris & the boys prepare for Classic week in Fort Worth. David is headed out to a celebrity fishing event on Lake Lewisville & Chris is getting his camera gear straight to provide you guys with some awesome content. Chris sat down before Classic Pre-Practice with Patrick Walters to talk about strategy prior to the event and then welcomed in All- American Champ Brant Grimm to the show to talk about his awesome win on Douglas last week!

by AnglersChannel

3 Lures Lester thinks can win the 2021 Bassmaster Classic

Courtesy of Alan McGuckin - Dynamic Sponsorships

Brandon Lester is fishing his 6th Bassmaster Classic, and yet the super-likeable God-fearing family man from Tennessee doesn’t have a lure sponsor. So, there’s no bias, no sponsor-satisfying commercial slant to his opinion on three lures that could win the 51st Bassmaster Classic on Lake Ray Roberts.

“There’s a 70% chance this Classic will be won in less than 10-feet of water around flooded bushes, but there’s still a 30% chance a deep water post-spawn spot could play a major role too, so I’m giving you two shallow lures and one for the deep stuff,” says Lester on the eve of the 2001 Classic’s final practice day.

5/8-ounce jig – “This particular one is from Dirty Jigs and I dress it with a Zoom Big Salty Chunk. When you’re dealing with a crazy amount of flooded bushes and cover, you need a little heavier jig to cover more water. Plus, with 77-degree water I like my lure to fall a little faster, so I prefer a little heavier jig,” says the Team Toyota pro.

Big Creature Bait – “I truly believe a big creature bait gets bites from bigger fish. It’s one of my all-time favorites. It’s bulky, it’s invasive, and it looks like a lot of the prey bass eat -- from bluegill to crawdads. I’ll rig it with a Mustad Grip Pin flippin’ hook and a 3/8-ounce Mustad tungsten weight on 25-pound Vicious fluorocarbon line, and cover a lot of water,” he says.

Deep crankbait – “This one is just to keep ‘em honest. Again, I’m not counting on deep schools to win, but I will check a couple spots I found in practice in that 12 to 18-feet deep zone, and a crankbait always seems to get bites from the bigger bass faster than dragging a jig or worm around,” concludes Lester.

by AnglersChannel

Kevin VanDam Earns Knockout Round Win at Major League Fishing Bass Pro Tour

Michigan Pro Catches 18 Bass Weighing 46-6 to Pace Knockout Round Field, Final 10 Anglers Set for Wednesday’s Final-Day Shootout for $100,000

DAYTON, Tenn. (June 8, 2021) – Bass Pro Shops pro Kevin VanDam of Kalamazoo, Michigan, caught 18 bass Tuesday totaling 46 pounds, 6 ounces to win the Knockout Round and advance to the final day of competition at the Major League Fishing (MLF) Bass Pro Tour B&W Trailer Hitches Stage Four Presented by ATG by Wrangler at Lake Chickamauga in Dayton, Tennessee. The final 10 anglers are now set, and competition will resume Wednesday morning with the Championship Round. Weights are zeroed, and the angler that catches the most weight will win the top prize of $100,000.

The six-day tournament, hosted by Fish Dayton and the Rhea Economic & Tourism Council, featured 80 of the top professional anglers from around the world competing for a purse of $805,000, including a top cash prize of $100,000 to the winner.

The top eight pros from Tuesday’s Knockout Round that will compete in Wednesday’s Championship Round on Lake Chickamauga are:

1^st:        Kevin VanDam, Kalamazoo, Mich., 18 bass, 46-6
2^nd:       Jordan Lee, Cullman, Ala., 14 bass, 45-12
3^rd:       Jacob Wheeler, Harrison, Tenn., 15 bass, 39-15
4^th:       Stephen Browning, Hot Springs, Ark., 16 bass, 38-10
5^th:       Michael Neal, Dayton, Tenn., 14 bass, 38-1
6^th:       Brent Ehrler, Redlands, Calif., 13 bass, 36-15
7^th:       Anthony Gagliardi, Prosperity, S.C., 13 bass, 36-4
8^th:       Casey Ashley, Donalds, S.C., 12 bass, 33-9

They’ll be joined by Qualifying Round Winners:

Group A: Jason Lambert, Michie, Tenn.
Group B: Shinichi Fukae, Osaka, Japan

Full results for the entire field can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

“Today was a really good Knockout Round for me,” said VanDam, who qualified for his first Championship Round of the season. “It started off pretty slow, but I made a good decision and started to get a little movement going. I got a few fish on the SCORETRACKER™, and once that happened I knew that if I just stuck to my game plan, I could make it happen today. Lo and behold, we’re moving on to Championship Round and I couldn’t be more excited.”

VanDam said that he is fishing how he loves to fish this week – out on the Tennessee River ledges.

“This is my favorite way to fish. I love ledge fishing. It’s something that I’ve got a lot of experience in, and I’ve had a lot of success up and down the Tennessee River,” VanDam said. “I’ve got a whole cranking system that I’ve built around it with Lew’s. We’ve got a whole new series of rods and reels for it, and that’s what I’m using. I’m doing what I’ve got the most confidence in. I’m pretty dang dialed in this week and I understand the timing of these fish and how they’re moving.

“There is a lot of things changing by the minute, though, and that’s why you’re seeing the diversity from a lot of guys,” VanDam went on to say. “It’s going to be a shootout tomorrow. It’s going to be a really, really fun day to watch as a fishing fan. I’m fishing against some of the best guys in the world at this type of fishing. It’s going to come down to some fireworks, and hopefully I’m in contention at the end and can make it happen. The last time we were here at Chickamauga for the Bass Pro Tour I didn’t have a great event, so I’m looking forward to rectifying that with this one.”

Also making his first Championship Round on the Bass Pro Tour this season is the reigning Angler of the Year, Jordan Lee. Although he didn’t divulge any real details, he did say that he was dialed in to two main baits, and specifically mentioned a hair jig.

“I had one good flurry this morning and got out to the lead, and then I just kind of hit a lull for a couple of hours in the middle of the day,” Lee said. “This afternoon I caught two that really just sealed the deal for me. I caught them on two main baits, using my new line of Abu Garcia rods that I’ve got coming out this summer. I’m real excited about them. They’re affordable, and they have really good blanks. That’s what I’ve been using, just dragging stuff like a hair jig.

“I’m tickled to death to be going back out there again tomorrow,” Lee continued. “It’s my first final-day cut of the year, and I can’t wait to see what happens.”

Rounding out the top 40 finishers were:

11^th:     Andy Morgan, Dayton, Tenn., 12 bass, 32-13, $10,000
12^th:     Mark Davis, Mount Ida, Ark., 14 bass, 32-9, $10,000
13^th:     Edwin Evers, Talala, Okla., 12 bass, 32-4, $10,000
14^th:     Dustin Connell, Clanton, Ala., 10 bass, 30-2, $10,000
15^th:     Jesse Wiggins, Addison, Ala., 10 bass, 28-12, $10,000
16^th:     Greg Vinson, Wetumpka, Ala., 11 bass, 28-11, $10,000
17^th:     Ott DeFoe, Blaine, Tenn., 12 bass, 28-10, $10,000
18^th:     Matt Becker, Finleyville, Pa., eight bass, 27-15, $10,000
19^th:     Luke Clausen, Spokane, Wash., 10 bass, 27-4, $10,000
20^th:     Matt Lee, Cullman, Ala., nine bass, 26-4, $10,000
21^st:     Bradley Roy, Lexington, Ky., seven bass, 25-14, $10,000
22^nd:    Justin Lucas, Guntersville, Ala., seven bass, 24-9, $10,000
23^rd:    Ish Monroe, Oakdale, Calif., six bass, 18-2, $10,000
24^th:     Takahiro Omori, Tokyo, Japan, six bass, 17-10, $10,000
25^th:     Mark Rose, Wynne, Ark., five bass, 17-9, $10,000
26^th:     Bryan Thrift, Shelby, N.C., seven bass, 16-13, $10,000
27^th:     Britt Myers, Lake Wylie, S.C., four bass, 15-7, $10,000
28^th:     Shaw Grigsby, Gainesville, Fla., five bass, 14-10, $10,000
29^th:     James Elam, Tulsa, Okla., five bass, 14-9, $10,000
30^th:     Terry Scroggins, San Mateo, Fla., five bass, 14-7, $10,000
31^st:     Zack Birge, Blanchard, Okla., six bass, 13-7, $10,000
32^nd:    Cliff Pace, Petal, Miss., five bass, 12-8, $10,000
33^rd:    Wesley Strader, Spring City, Tenn., five bass, 11-12, $10,000
34^th:     Roy Hawk, Lake Havasu City, Ariz., four bass, 11-4, $10,000
35^th:     Josh Bertrand, Queen Creek, Ariz., three bass, 8-11, $10,000
36^th:     Alton Jones Jr., Waco, Texas, three bass, 7-7, $10,000
37^th:     Russ Lane, Prattville, Ala., three bass, 7-3, $10,000
38^th:     Todd Faircloth, Jasper, Texas, three bass, 7-0, $10,000
39^th:     Randy Howell, Guntersville, Ala., one bass, 4-2, $10,000
40^th:     Scott Suggs, Alexander, Ark., zero bass, 0-0, $10,000

Overall, there were 312 bass weighing 871 pounds, 12 ounces caught by 37 pros on Tuesday.

Favorite Fishing pro Matt Becker won the $1,000 Berkley Big Bass Award on Tuesday, catching an 8-pound, 12-ounce largemouth on a Ned rig in Period 2. Berkley will award $1,000 to the angler who weighs the biggest bass each day, and a $3,000 bonus to the angler who weighs the largest bass of the tournament.

The MLF Bass Pro Tour B&W Trailer Hitches Stage Four at Lake Chickamauga Presented by ATG by Wrangler is hosted by Fish Dayton and the Rhea Economic & Tourism Council.

The 40 Anglers in Group A competed in their two-day qualifying round on Friday and Sunday – the 40 anglers in Group B on Saturday and Monday. After the two-day Qualifying Round, the anglers that finished in 2^nd through 20^th place from both groups advanced to Tuesday’s Knockout Round, while the winner from each group advanced directly to Wednesday’s Championship Round. In the Knockout Round, the weights were zeroed and the remaining 38 anglers competed to finish in the top 8 to advance to the Championship Round. Tomorrow, in the final day Championship Round, weights are zeroed and the highest one-day total wins.

The final 10 anglers will take off from the Dayton Boat Dock, located at 175 Lakeshore St., in Dayton, at 6:30 a.m. ET Wednesday. The General Tire Takeout and Championship Moment will also be held at the Dayton Boat Dock, beginning at 3:30 p.m. Fans are welcome to attend all takeoff and takeout ceremonies and also encouraged to follow the event online throughout the day on the MLF NOW!® live stream and SCORETRACKER® coverage at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

The MLF NOW!® broadcast team of Chad McKee, Marty Stone and J.T. Kenney will break down the extended action from the final day of competition on Wednesday from 7:45 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. ET. MLF NOW!® will be live streamed on MajorLeagueFishing.com and the MyOutdoorTV (MOTV) app.

by AnglersChannel

Plano Pros Feider, Gustafson Set for 2021 Bassmaster Classic

COLUMBIA, S.C. (June 8, 2021) — June on Texas’s Lake Ray Roberts could hold a lot of options for anglers fishing the 2021 Bassmaster Classic. Off-shore structure could be key, but it’s Texas, and the shallows and the shorelines could produce a world championship-clinching bass on any cast.

While a variety of techniques could factor into this year’s Classic, quick and easy access to the entire tackle collection is going to be key for pros to remain efficient. Plano’s acclaimed EDGE boxes give Classic qualifiers Seth Feider and Jeff Gustafson the features they need to make quick work of rigging up for a new presentation.

Features like the DuraView crystal-clear lid lets anglers know exactly what’s in the Plano EDGE boxes without opening. The Polycarbonate lid, one handed latch and stainless-steel hinge pins add to the overall durability of the Plano EDGE boxes, making them more than tough enough for professional bass fishing’s biggest stage. Moisture inside tackle boxes can lead to oxidation and ruined tackle—even in Texas—so Plano EDGE boxes feature Rustrictor technology for 360 degrees of effective rust-prevention, as well as a reuseable Water Wick divider and a Dri-Loc O-ring seal to keep water out.

“We’re extremely proud of the fact that the best anglers in the world turn to us to provide them with the most advanced storage options they need to compete for the most prestigious titles in the sport,” said Plano Vice President of Marketing Allen Gerten. “We wish Seth and Jeff the best of luck in this year’s Classic and hope they can use some of the momentum they’ve produced in this year’s Elite Series to propel them to a Classic title.”

Feider, who leads the 2021 Bassmaster Elite Series Angler of the Year race with two regular-season events remaining, is appearing in his fourth Bassmaster Classic. His best finish came in the 2020 Bassmaster Classic on Lake Guntersville where he finished fourth. Gustafson, who won his first Bassmaster Elite Series tournament earlier this season on the Tennessee River, is making his second Bassmaster Classic appearance.

For more information about Plano’s legendary line of fishing tackle storage solutions, go to www.planomolding.com.

by AnglersChannel

Lew’s partners with YouTube’s Kickin’ Their Bass TV Introduces New Kickin’ Their Bass TV Baitcasting and Spinning Combos

Lexington, SC — June 8, 2021 – Kickin Their Bass TV’s Noah Pescitelli, Internet sensation and fishing’s newest rising star, has a maxim in life and in fishing; Put your head down and work hard. This sums up why Team Lew’s is proud to partner with Noah to introduce, new for 2021, the Kickin’ Their Bass baitcasting and spinning combos. This combo is a legend in the making as the sturdy workhorse in an angler's arsenal.

"I fish hard, and I fish often," Pescitelli said at the announcement of the combos. "I wanted to create a combo at an affordable price while maintaining an exceptional performance."

The Kickin Their Bass reel is built on a sturdy, yet lightweight, SLP graphite frame with high strength and solid brass Speed Gears. The premium 4+1 stainless steel, double shielded bearing system is built to last, and the durable Rulon drag system provides up to 15 pounds of fish fighting power.

"This rig can take serious pressure, but my favorite feature is the versatility," Pescitelli proclaimed. "My fans don’t want to haul 20 different combos around a farm pond or a private lake; they want two or three rigs that can get the job done,” he said. “I use the 7'-1” medium-heavy baitcasting combo to fish soft plastics, crankbaits, and topwater. The 7’1 medium heavy combo is one of the most versatile in the market.."

Pescitelli leans on the Kickin’ Their Bass spinning combo for its versatility and strength as well. The 7'-1” Medium Fast spinning combo has the strength to pull fish out of heavy cover but is light enough and sensitive enough for any finesse application. "It is the perfect set up for a drop shot, a weightless Texas rig, or a jerkbait," Pescitelli added.

This versatile spinning combo is also ideal for those fans who aren’t yet fishing a baitcasting rig. "I would not be afraid at all to throw a crankbait on this combo or use it to drag a big worm across the bottom," he said. For the legions of Pescitelli's fans who only have a handful of rods in their arsenal, the Kickin’ Their Bass Spinning combo is a must.

Both the 7'-1 Medium Heavy Baitcasting rod and the 7'-1 Medium Fast Spinning rod are built on premium IM6, high modulus graphite blanks, with stainless steel and zirconia line guides and inserts. Both rods feature Lew's exclusive graphite skeletal real seat for light weight and sensitivity, and with the popular Winn Dri-Tac grip and EVA rod butt for all day fishing comfort. These rods are priced for great value at with the spinning combo 89.99 MSRP and the casting combos 139.99 MSRP.

by AnglersChannel

Strike King Introduces New Skip’ N Buzz

Lexington, S.C. – June 8, 2021 – With a relentless drive to offer anglers new tools to catch more fish, Strike King Lure Company is pleased to announce the new Andy Montgomery Skip’ N Buzz. This game-changing lure is specifically built to help anglers target out-of-reach fish in places where few baits will go. The legendary Strike King buzzbait, with a new design twist, is reshaping the way anglers find and catch fish.

To engineer this innovative design, Strike King turned to arguably the most proficient skipping and pitching angler on the water, Bass Pro Tour veteran Andy Montgomery. For two of his tour-level wins in his career — on Lake Norman and Smith Lake — the Blacksburg, SC native credits his ability to skip a lure into the dark recesses underneath a dock to target tournament-winning fish.

He said it took a company like Strike King to capture his extended vision for lure offerings. “My guys at Strike King and I designed this buzzbait to go where other buzzbaits just don’t go, and you can cast and pitch them too.” Montgomery said. “Overall, it is an amazing lure to run down the bank with and fish whatever comes your way without changing lures. But, there is simply nothing better than to skip it under a low hanging tree or put it beneath a dock and hear the explosion of the strike.”

To augment the skipping design of the buzzbait, Montgomery and Strike King also replaced the traditional buzzbait skirt with a soft plastic Strike King Toad. The bait is also sold with an interchangeable Rage Swimmer.

The Andy Montgomery Skip’ N Buzz comes in four colors. Andy favors the white design when fish are targeting shad. In low light conditions, and when fish are feeding on bluegill, Andy will switch to a green pumpkinseed or black to get the job done, and pink when the fish want something different.

The Skip’ N Buzz will be available in a 3/8-ounce size with an MSRP of $8.99

- SKBZ-204 (White)

- SKBZ-10 (Black)

- SKBZ-46 (Green Pumpkin)

- SKBZ-98 (Pink)

by AnglersChannel

Linganore High School Wins U.S. Army High School Fishing Open at Potomac River

Marbury, Md. (June 8, 2021) – The Linganore High School duo of Clifton Bennett of Damascus, Maryland, and Garyden Scibila of Hagerstown, Maryland, won the U.S. Army High School Fishing presented by Favorite Fishing Open at the Potomac River Presented by Googan Baits on Saturday in Marbury, Maryland.

The event was hosted by the Charles County Board of Commissioners and the victory advanced the winning team to the 2021 U.S. Army High School Fishing presented by Favorite Fishing National Championship.

TOP 10 RESULTS

RANK	SCHOOL/CLUB NAME/CITY	ANGLER NAME	BASS	WEIGHT
1^st	Linganore High School*	Clifton Bennett, Damascus, Md. Grayden Scibilia, Hagerstown, Md.	5	16-32021
2^nd	Fishaholics Bass Club	Trenton Carey, York Springs, Pa. Josh Kaufman, Marysville, Pa.	5	14-5
3^rd	Carroll Fish Hawks	Peter Sheggrud, Phoenix, Md. Haden Sisk, Reisterstown, Md.	5	12-8
4^th	Capital City Jr. Bass Masters	Wade Detweiler, Dillsburg, Pa. Jacob Vanscoik, Dauphin, Pa.	5	11-2
5^th	Pequannock Township	Dylan Aulbach, Monroe Twp., N.J. Nicholas Dellaporta, Pequannock, N.J.	5	10-9
6^th	Jr. Potomac River Bassmasters	Jarren Crowder, Clearspring, Md. Kyle Petrisko, Kearneysville, W. Va.	4	9-14
7^th	New Breed Bassers	Kyle Gilson, Cedarville, N.J. Billy Whitehead IV, Cedarville, N.J.	4	9-11
8^th	Bass Legends BBT	Joey Booker, Elkton, Md. Spencer Grishkot, Abingdon, Md.	3	6-2
9^th	Bass Legends BBT	Chris Nolte, Bowie, Md. Alex Walsberg, Chester Springs, Pa.	2	4-12
10^th	Madison County	Austin Blow, Rochelle, Va. Mason Brunner, Madison, Va.	1	3-3

*National Championship Qualifier. The top 10% of teams advance to the 2021 U.S. Army High School Fishing presented by Favorite Fishing National Championship

Complete results from the event can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

2021 UPCOMING QUALIFICATION OPPORTUNITIES

EVENT	DATE	LOCATION	HOST
2021 U.S. Army High School Fishing National Championship & World Finals	Jun. 30 – Jul. 3	Lake Hartwell, Anderson, S.C.	Anderson Convention & Visitors Bureau

Full schedules and the latest announcements, photos and articles are available at HighSchoolFishing.org and MajorLeagueFishing.com.

by AnglersChannel

California University of Pennsylvania Wins Abu Garcia College Fishing Tournament on the Potomac River

MARBURY, Md. (June 8, 2021) – The California University of Pennsylvania’s David Blaker of Rices Landing, Pennsylvania, and Nick Fulks of Burgettstown, Pennsylvania, took the win on Friday at the Abu Garcia College Fishing presented by YETI at the Potomac River. The victory earned the Vulcans’ bass club $2,000 and qualified the duo to compete in the 2022 College Fishing National Championship.

TOP 10 RESULTS*

RANK	COLLEGE NAME	ANGLER NAME/HOMETOWN	BASS	WEIGHT	AWARD
1^st	California University of Pennsylvania	David Blaker, Rices Landing, Pa. Nick Fulks, Burgettstown, Pa.	5	17-4	$2,000
2^nd	University of Massachusetts Amherst	Julian Burgoff, Amherst, Mass. Jared Muzyka, Hadley, Mass.	5	16-10	$1,000
3^rd	Adrian College	Caleb Dachenhaus, Whitehouse, Ohio Elliot Wielgopolski, Waterville, Ohio	5	16-0	$500
4^th	Adrian College	Brayden Federer, Deerfield, Mich. Shane Nelson, Wadsworth, Ohio	5	15-2	$500
5^th	Roanoke College	Will Hamilton, Roanoke, Va. Branen McKeon, Henrico, Va.	5	15-1	$500
6^th	SUNY-College of Environmental Science and Forestry	Nicholas Sanderson, Williamsville, N.Y. Nathan Wojslaw, Avon, N.Y.	5	14-15
7^th	Auburn University	Robert Cruvellier, Alburgh, Vt. Sam Harvey, Auburn, Ala.	5	14-12
8^th	Adrian College	Jenson Kay, Milford, Mich. Sam Shoemaker, Martinsville, Ind.	5	14-9
9^th	Shippensburg University	Nathan Housel, Carlisle, Pa. Evan Paules, Shippensburg, Pa.	5	14-7
10^th	SUNY-College of Environmental Science and Forestry	Patrick Durand, Cherry Hill, N.J. Thomas Harvey, Delmar, N.Y.	5	14-5

*Top 10 teams advance to the 2022 College Fishing National Championship

Complete results for the entire field can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

2021 QUALIFICATION OPPORTUNITIES

EVENT	DATE	LOCATION	HOST
Abu Garcia College Fishing presented by YETI National Championship	TBD	TBD	TBD

The event was the second of three qualifying tournaments for Northern Conference anglers and was hosted by the Charles County Board of Commissioners.

by AnglersChannel

Arey’s Midseason Turnaround

Courtesy of Luke Stoner - Dynamic Sponsorships

Matt Arey is feeling good as he prepares for his second appearance in the Bassmaster Classic on Lake Ray Roberts here in the Lone Star State. The Team Toyota pro is coming off of four solid finishes on the Bassmaster Elite Series, including a top five finish a few weeks ago on Neely Henry and back-to-back checks here in Texas prior to that.

Arey is fishing well and mentally in tune, exactly how you’d hope to be feeling heading into the biggest event of the season. But if you had talked to Arey just a couple months ago you would have gotten a completely different impression.

“Just a few short months ago I felt a little lost out there on the water if I’m being honest,” Arey said. “I had two of the worst finishes of my career in Knoxville and at Pickwick and mentally I was just in a weird place. For the first time in years I found myself having doubts in practice and never felt quite right.”

After finishing a disappointing 72^nd at Pickwick Lake, Arey said the only positive thought he could muster was getting home to see his wife and daughters.

As usual, Arey’s girls lifted his spirits and allowed him to focus on what he could do to bust the fishing downturn he’d been living in.

“We’ve all watched guys go through slumps but foolishly I think I believed I was too far in my career for it to happen to me,” the 14-year pro admitted. “Of course that’s not true. Slumps can happen to anyone at anytime and I’m convinced it’s about 95% mental. “

Heading into the Sabine River Elite Series event, a notoriously fickle and tough-to-crack fishery, Arey talked to his travel mates Scott Martin and Scott Canterbury to try and help himself out of his rut.

After consulting with several respected peers, Arey ultimately decided that for better or worse… he was just going to have to put his head down and fish his way through it.

“Gerald Swindle put a video up on his Instagram about losing and learning,” Arey recalled. “The video was for his fans, but I watched it and it hit home. I texted Swindle and told him thank you. Told him I needed to hear that video.”

It turns out a little R&R with family, time to reflect, and motivation from fellow anglers did the North Carolina family man a lot of good. Arey turned things around at the Sabine River with a solid 36^th place finish, before backing it up with a top-20 result at the big bass factory of Lake Fork.

Arey has now fished well enough to work himself back in contention to qualify for his third Bassmaster Classic in 2022 and is riding some momentum into his second trip to the Super Bowl of bass fishing.

“I’m not going to tell you I’ve completely turned things around, the first part of this season proved to me just how fragile a fisherman’s brain can be,” Arey laughed. “But I’m fishing with confidence again and I feel like I’m moving in the right direction.”

Rough days on the water, bad tournaments, and slumps are bound to happen when it comes to bass fishing. Whether you’re a rookie or a seasoned tournament veteran, you are going to fail and leave the lake mad sometimes.

Instead of letting those shortcomings seethe and simmer in your head, learn a lesson from your failures, cut yourself some slack and keep moving forward.

“Don’t be afraid to reach out to your peers and simply fish way your way through it,” Arey offered. “It might take two weeks or it might take a year but if you keep your mind right and work hard, things will turn around. I think that’s true whether it’s fishing or we’re talking life.”

by AnglersChannel

Jason Lambert Earns Qualifying Round Win at Major League Fishing Bass Pro Tour B&W Trailer Hitches Stage Four at Lake Chickamauga

Tennessee Ledge-Hammer Catches Two-Day Total of 109-13 to Advance Directly to Wednesday’s Championship Round, 19 Anglers Advance to Knockout Round

DAYTON, Tenn. (June 6, 2021) – Pro Jason Lambert of Michie, Tennessee, overtook Day 1 leader Russ Lane of Prattville, Alabama , early in Period 1 Sunday and never looked back. Lambert boated 17 bass on the day totaling 60 pounds, 8 ounces, to win the Qualifying Round for Group A at the Major League Fishing (MLF) Bass Pro Tour B&W Trailer Hitches Stage Four Presented by ATG by Wrangler at Lake Chickamauga in Dayton, Tennessee.

Lambert’s two-day total of 34 bass weighing 109 pounds, 13 ounces earned him the win by a 22-pound, 1-ounce margin over Lane, who finished the round in second place with a two-day catch of 26 bass totaling 77-12. The reigning Bass Pro Tour Angler of the Year (AOY) Berkley pro Jordan Lee of Cullman, Alabama, boated a two-day total of 20 bass weighing 73-13 to end the round in third place, while his brother, Matt Lee, also of Cullman, Alabama, finished in fourth place with a two-day total of 20 bass for 59-12. Rounding out the top five is Berkley pro Justin Lucas of Guntersville, Alabama, who caught a two-day total of 16 bass weighing 59-1.

The top 20 anglers from Group A will now enjoy an off day, while the 40 anglers in Qualifying Group B will complete their two-day Qualifying Round of competition on Monday. The Knockout Round, featuring 38 anglers competing to finish in the top eight, will take place on Tuesday. Wednesday’s Championship Round will feature Lambert, Monday’s Group B winner, and the top eight anglers from the Knockout Round competing in a final-day shootout for the top prize of $100,000.

“I was sitting in third coming in to today, and my objective was to go out and have a good first period,” said Lambert, who qualified for his first career Championship Round on the Bass Pro Tour. “If I did, I knew that I would have a good chance to win the round. That happened, we got ahead in the first period, and we never looked back.

“I ended up with a little more than 60 pounds today,” Lambert continued. “It wasn’t as good as I thought it was going to be - especially in the afternoon – but this morning is what mattered. What was really cool for me, though, was catching them the way I want to catch them. Not only the way I want to catch them, but on the stuff that I’ve designed like the Hardcore (Bullet) Crank 7+, a crankbait that we worked very hard on to get put together just right, and the Kitana Stagger (Scrounger) Head with a (Castaic) Jerky J. Catching them the way you want to catch them, on the stuff you built to catch them, is really cool.”

With six career victories on the Tennessee River in MLF competition – two FLW Tour (now Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit) wins on Kentucky Lake, one Toyota Series win on Kentucky Lake and three Phoenix Bass Fishing League wins on Pickwick Lake – Lambert is known to be a tournament-closer on the ledges, and he will absolutely be one of the favorites heading into Wednesday’s Championship Round.

“I’m really looking forward to getting back out there for the Championship Round on Wednesday,” Lambert went on to say. “I’ve just got to go out there and catch them again. I think I’ve got just as good of a shot as anyone.”

The top 20 pros from Qualifying Group A that now advance to Tuesday’s Knockout Round on Lake Chickamauga are:

1^st:           Jason Lambert, Michie, Tenn., 34 bass, 109-13 – ADVANCES TO CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND
2^nd:          Russ Lane, Prattville, Ala., 26 bass, 77-12
3^rd:          Jordan Lee, Cullman, Ala., 20 bass, 73-13
4^th:           Matt Lee, Cullman, Ala., 20 bass, 59-12
5^th:           Justin Lucas, Guntersville, Ala., 16 bass, 59-1
6^th:           Wesley Strader, Spring City, Tenn., 20 bass, 51-1
7^th:           Andy Morgan, Dayton, Tenn., 16 bass, 51-0
8^th:           Zack Birge, Blanchard, Okla., 19 bass, 50-14
9^th:           Mark Rose, Wynne, Ark., 14 bass, 50-12
10^th:        Ott DeFoe, Blaine, Tenn., 17 bass, 50-5
11^th:        Luke Clausen, Spokane, Wash., 14 bass, 48-15
12^th:        Cliff Pace, Petal, Miss., 16 bass, 48-9
13^th:        Bryan Thrift, Shelby, N.C., 18 bass, 47-6
14^th:        Roy Hawk, Lake Havasu City, Ariz., 16 bass, 44-7
15^th:        Jesse Wiggins, Addison, Ala., 17 bass, 43-1
16^th:        Matt Becker, Finleyville, Pa., 12 bass, 42-13
17^th:        Mark Davis, Mount Ida, Ark., 14 bass, 40-8
18^th:        Ish Monroe, Oakdale, Calif., 14 bass, 40-4
19^th:        Anthony Gagliardi, Prosperity, S.C., 14 bass, 35-13
20^th:        Scott Suggs, Alexander, Ark., 10 bass, 35-8

A complete list of results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

Overall, there were 224 bass weighing 667 pounds even caught by 38 pros on Sunday.

Clausen won Sunday’s $1,000 Berkley Big Bass Award, weighing in a 7-pound, 14-ounce largemouth on a shaky-head rig during Period 1. Berkley will award $1,000 to the angler that weighs the biggest bass each day, and a $3,000 bonus to the angler who weighs the largest bass of the tournament.

The MLF Bass Pro Tour B&W Trailer Hitches Stage Four at Lake Chickamauga Presented by ATG by Wrangler is hosted by Fish Dayton and the Rhea Economic & Tourism Council.

The 40 Anglers in Group A competed in their two-day qualifying round on Lake Chickamauga on Friday and Sunday – the 40 anglers in Group B on Saturday and Monday. After each two-day qualifying round is complete, the anglers that finish in 2nd through 20th place from both groups advance to Tuesday’s Knockout Round, while the winner of each group advances directly to Wednesday’s Championship Round. In the Knockout Round, weights are zeroed and the remaining 38 anglers compete to finish in the top 8 to advance to the Championship Round. In the final day Championship Round, weights are zeroed and the highest one-day total wins the top prize of $100,000.

Anglers will take off from the Dayton Boat Dock, located at 175 Lakeshore St., in Dayton, at 6:30 a.m. ET each day of competition. Each day’s General Tire Takeout will also be held at the Dayton Boat Dock, beginning at 3:30 p.m. Fans are welcome to attend all takeoff and takeout ceremonies and also encouraged to follow the event online throughout the day on the MLF NOW!® live stream and SCORETRACKER® coverage at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

The MLF NOW!® broadcast team of Chad McKee, Marty Stone and J.T. Kenney will break down the extended action on all six days of competition from 6:45 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. CT. MLF NOW!® will be live streamed on MajorLeagueFishing.com and the MyOutdoorTV (MOTV) app.

by AnglersChannel

BASS FISHING HALL OF FAME WILL HONOR WESTERN BASS CLUB AT BASSMASTER CLASSIC

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – For Immediate Release – 6.7.21 – The Bass Fishing Hall of Fame’s Board of Directors announced this week that the Western Bass Club will be honored prior to the upcoming Bassmaster Classic as a recipient of the Hall’s Meritorious Service Award. This special award is for groups and people whom the Board deems to have made a significant contribution to bass fishing. The club will be formally honored at the Hall of Fame Classic Mixer for Hall inductees, supporters and media on Thursday, June 10, 2021, in Ft. Worth, Texas.

The Western Bass Club (www.westernbassclub.com), which bills itself as the “oldest chartered bass club in the United States,” was founded in 1938 by anglers from western Washington, but eventually grew to include residents of Oregon, Idaho and Northern California. The organization has remained in continuous operation since that time. They are not affiliated with any particular umbrella organization, but continue to conduct tournaments, meetings and conservation projects.

“The bass club structure has been integral in teaching anglers both the techniques and the ethics surrounding our sport,” said Bass Fishing Hall of Fame President John Mazurkiewicz. “There are challenges for all of them, but those removed geographically from the ‘bass belt’ of the southeast have to be particularly strong to persevere. The Western Bass Club’s longevity demonstrates their importance both to its region and to the sport as a whole.”

While the Western Bass Club existed as the State of Washington’s only organized bass club for nearly 40 years, since that time it's worked diligently to seed the growth of bass fishing in the west by helping to establish numerous other clubs.

The Board greatly appreciates the efforts of Richard “Dick” Streater to make the Western Bass Club’s achievements known.

The BFHOF’s next event will be its annual Hall of Fame Induction dinner at Johnny Morris’ Wonders of Wildlife Museum in Springfield, Mo., on September 30, 2021, honoring both the 2020 and 2021 classes. Information on event and table sponsorships, dinner seats and tickets for a special VIP unveiling reception, along with details about the Hall and its mission are available at www.BassFishingHOF.com, or by contacting BFHOF executive director Barbara Bowman at [email protected].

by AnglersChannel

Steve Hatfield and Jim Leary win Alabama Bass Trail 100 on Lake Eufaula with 25.26 pounds

By Jason Duran

Photos by Chris Brown

June 5, 2021 - Eufaula, AL- 100 Teams launched at Lakepoint State Park for the second of three events in the brand-new Alabama Bass Trail 100 series. The ABT 100 series features 100 teams, 100 percent payback and a $100,000 total payout in each event. Steve Hatfield and Jim Leary claimed the first-place title, took home the hardware and $25,000.

The team said this was the first time for them to fish Lake Eufaula. “We began to prepare for this lake right after the Lay Lake event” starting practice last weekend and spending the whole week here developing a game plan. “We spent two days idling, mapping and marking. We marked everything because we didn’t know what we would need until we actually started fishing."

They found their key spot in practice on Monday “on the side of a road bed with some key brush piles on it and standing timber around it. The water depth was 8-12 feet, and it was near a channel that came from shore out to the main lake. We believe the fish were working their way out to the ledges." They fished the road bed and found it to be holding the quality fish they were looking for.

They feared that this spot wouldn’t hold up because the fish were headed out to the ledges and would pass through this area quickly, so they spent the rest of the week looking for the same type areas. They also fished the ledges “but struggled getting any size or very many bites on them.”

On tournament morning they made the run to the road bed and quickly went to work. They were surprised that no one else was already on the spot and hoped the fish were still there. They targeted the fish using “big snake style worms,” and found that a Zoom and Big Bite Baits 8-13 inch worm Texas Rigged, Red Bug and Plum Apple were the most productive. They quickly discovered the fish were still there, and in ten minutes, they caught three fish close to 17 pounds including the 6.32 pound largemouth that took big fish in the event. Most of the ten minutes was spent trying to land those big fish. They said, “the fish were so strong they actually pulled the boat onto the brush pile.” They fished around the area catching a few smaller fish returning to the key spot throughout the day but did not get any bigger bites. However, it was more than enough to take the win with 25.26 pounds- almost a 4 pound lead over second place. They collected a $25,000 check plus bonuses including a Phoenix Boats bonus.

The second-place team of Ken Walters and Dallas Weldon weighed in 21.31 pounds of Lake Eufaula Bass. Dallas shared, “in practice we didn’t get on anything out deep.” They practiced separately and he focused out deeper while Ken focused in the mid-range water depth. They both “found a shad spawn that they hoped would produce early, but because of the warmer weather, the water temps warmed up about six degrees and caused that bite to die out” on Saturday. Combine warming water with falling water and “the fish are going to have to move somewhere.” After they discovered that the shad bite had gone away, they headed out to fish other areas and they defined “stuff fish get on when they leave the bank, like the first little piece of cover.” Ken said, it was the “kind of stuff he was marking in practice.” It's why you have to “practice and find those kind of areas” because today it paid off using the backup plan,” said Dallas. The baits used were a Texas rigged 10 inch worm and unnamed creature bait paired up with a Crusher Lures ½ oz head. Key colors were Green Pumpkin and red bug. They felt this event “fished more like a club tournament that pays a lot more and the field size really helped them have more water to fish.” They also added the Wedowee Marine Bonus to their $12,000 payday.

Anthony Goggins and Dustin Wood claimed third place with 20.93. Dustin was a favorite in this event after winning an event the previous weekend with over 22 pounds. The morning was tough for them because they didn’t get to fish anything they wanted to fish- they had a “local following them trying to figure them out.” They work hard to keep the areas they fish a secret, so instead of helping someone else figure out their spots, they left their main areas to go and “fish community holes and get a limit around lake point.” After they got a limit they went back to some of their key areas, and since the on-looker didn’t follow them, they were able to get to their areas. Dustin said, “the Lord really blessed us because every time we made a cast where we felt something was good we caught a four pounder.” The team shared their frustration in having to protect their areas, but they felt it was something worth protecting for future events. “We really baby our areas and don’t fun fish them during the week. They are kind like pets, and we wanted to take care of them. It takes hard work to find them, and we don’t want to give them up.” They targeted the fish using a Red Shad worm on a ¾ oz drop shot. They also shared that the Garmin Live Scope really helped them to be able to find the fish on the cover. In spite of the circumstances, they were able to be successful and cash the third place $10,000 check.

The third and final stop of the Alabama Bass Trail 100 will be on Lake Eufaula, Saturday, November 20, where, once again, 100 teams will go for the $100,000 total payout. The Angler of the Year points race is really tight with lots of big names at the top of that list.

Top five standings are below for a complete list see https://www.alabamabasstrail100.org/lake-eufaula-results/

Download and listen to the ABT Podcast on your favorite Podcast app by searching for “Alabama Bass Trail Podcast.” The Podcast is released each week on Tuesday. This week podcast will feature winners form Lake Eufaula.

The sponsors of the 2021 Alabama Bass Trail 100 include; Phoenix Bass Boats, Bill Penney Automotive Group, Garmin, America’s First Federal Credit Union, Sweet Home Alabama, Alabama Tourism Department, T-H Marine Supplies, Wedowee Marine, Big Bite Bait Company, Black Rifle Coffee Company, Anheuser- Busch, Inc., fishalabama.org and American Baitworks.

For information about Alabama Bass Trail 100 visit www.alabamabasstrail100.org

by AnglersChannel

#MyClassicChallenge from Humminbird and Minn Kota Allows Fans to Compete in the Classic from Anywhere

Prizes include multiple $250 brand apparel prize packs and a chance to fish with a Humminbird / Minn Kota pro.

RACINE, Wis. (June 7, 2021) — While the world’s top bass pros battle for the 2021 Bassmaster Classic title on Lake Ray Roberts, fans across the country have the chance to compete for a Classic title of their own. Through June 12, anglers can post a fishing picture to Facebook or Instagram along with #MyClassicChallenge to be entered into a drawing for prizes from Humminbird and Minn Kota.

Branded apparel prize packages from Humminbird and Minn Kota, valued at $250, will be awarded each day between June 10-12. The grand prize winner will get home-lake advantage in a one-on-one fishing showdown against a Humminbird/Minn Kota pro. The grand prize winner will be announced on or before July 1.

“The eyes of the professional bass fishing world might be turned toward the 2021 Bassmaster Classic, but we know so many more people may be searching for fish of their own and posting pictures on social media while the pros compete in Texas,” said Joe Brown, Senior Director of Brand Management. “#MyClassicChallenge is a great way for anglers across the country to share in the excitement of the Classic, no matter if they attend the event in-person or follow online, with a chance to win prizes that help them dress like a pro—or even compete against one.”

There is no limit to the number of times fans can enter using the sweepstakes hashtag, #MyClassicChallenge, and the contest is open to U.S. residents age 18 and over.

For official rules and additional information, please visit www.minnkotamotors.com/myclassicchallenge .

by AnglersChannel

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