Rose Wins; Neal Knocks Out Lee for $50,000
Major League Fishing Heavy Hitters Field Set for Friday's $325,000 Championship
June 11, 2020 (Kissimmee, Fla.) Major League Fishing (MLF) Pro Mark Rose won the Toyota Heavy Hitters presented by Venmo Knockout Round today in a nine-hour, action-packed, slug fest that logged over 818 pounds of scorable bass into SCORETRACKER®. In a “buzzer-beater” moment, 24th-place finisher Michael Neal knocked out Jordan Lee’s biggest catch of the day by only one ounce to win $50,000. The top eight finishers from today’s field of 38 will join Qualifying Round Winners Zack Birge and Skeet Reese in Friday’s Championship Round and compete for their share of the $325,000 remaining from this week’s $753,000 purse, including $100,000 for Friday’s Berkley Big Bass.
Rose ended the day with 52 pounds, five ounces and a comfortable seven-pound, nine-ounce lead over Dustin Connell. The General Tire pro caught 13 scorable fish today including the fifth largest bass of the day weighing seven pounds, 12 ounces. With no money on the line for winning the Round, Rose elected to stop fishing and head back to the ramp with ten minutes remaining in regulation.
“I feel good about making the top eight,” Rose relayed to MLFNOW! viewers as he traversed Lake Toho. “It’s good to be back (fishing the Bass Pro Tour). I feel blessed to have had a great day. Yesterday I lost a few; today I caught a few. I love this (MLF) format! I’m going to try to get a good night’s rest and a good meal and get up tomorrow to make a run for it.”
Favorite Fishing pro Dustin Connell ended the day in second place with 44 pounds, 12 ounces on 16 fish, the most scorable bass caught in the Knockout Round. Connell’s largest catch was four pounds, 10 ounces. He hustled throughout the day at the mouth of a creek on the Kissimmee Chain bouncing between a jerkbait and jig.
“I was using a soft jerkbait and then I was using a bandito bug made by Googan baits,” said Connell. “I was fishing current and the mouth of the creek, where fish were schooling. I fish currents at home in Alabama; I can’t stand fishing stagnant water, so I had to find moving water. I was right at home all day.”
Third place finisher Jordan Lee caught 44 pounds, nine ounces for the day, only three ounces shy of Connell, on 14 fish. Lee’s most exciting moment came midway through Period 2 at 11:20 a.m., when an eight-pound, 14-ounce lunker nearly pulled him off his boat as he set the hook. This catch put him in the lead for today’s $50,000 big fish bonus. Lee hung onto that lead for four hours, a timeline that included a 50-minute weather delay, giving him plenty of opportunity to get excited about winning the Berkley Big Bass. Michael Neal, the other 28-year-old on the Bass Pro Tour, landed an eight-pound, 15-ounce largemouth to knock Lee out of the running with only 20 minutes remaining on the clock.
“I’m pretty bummed that right there at the end there, Michael Neal beat me by one ounce,” said Lee. “All day I thought I was going to win it. Hats off to him; that’s just how it goes (in competitive bass fishing). I had a good day and I’m pretty stoked to get to be moving on. Hopefully I saved some fishing spots for the Championship Round.”
Big Bites Baits pro Neal, who finished second on Lake Okeechobee in the Favorite Fishing Stage Two presented by BassCat this past February, ended the day with three scorable bass weighing 15 pounds, 14 ounces. After a slow morning and a 50-minute weather delay, Neal landed the winning fish to earn $50,000 at 3:25 p.m. ET. MLF Official Dean Cox presented Neal with the trophy before the pair returned to the ramp.
“Thank you,” said Neal. “It was definitely a grind today, no doubt. I will gladly take this. I had four bites all day, all in the third period, including this one. I caught this on a ½-ounce vibrating jig that has a lot of miles on it. As long as one today was an 8-15, Heavy Hitters fish worth $50,000, I will take a day like this every day.”
Toyota Heavy Hitters presented by Venmo concludes Friday with the Championship Round where the top eight finishers from today’s Knockout Round will join Qualifying Round Group A winner Zack Birge and Group B winner Skeet Reese for their share of the remaining $325,000 of prize money.
The Top eight of the Toyota Heavy Hitters presented by Venmo Knockout Round finished as follows:
Place MLF Pro One-Day Total Weight One-Day Total Fish Largest Fish over Knockout Round
1 Mark Rose 52-05 13 7-12
2 Dustin Connell 44-12 16 4-10
3 Jordan Lee 41-10 13 8-14
4 Justin Lucas 40-03 13 4-12
5 Bryan Thrift 37-08 12 4-14
6 Adrian Avena 37-07 13 4-02
7 Jacob Wheeler 36-04 10 5-00
8 Gary Klein 36-03 11 4-08
For complete results, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com, Bass Pro Tour, Results.
In addition to the traditional payout schedule based on finishing order, Toyota Heavy Hitters presented by Venmo bonuses the angler for the biggest bass caught in each Group. The two-day Qualifying Rounds (June 7-10) will pay a $25,000 big bass bonus ($50,000 total), which were won by Mark Rose and Brent Ehrler respectively. The Knockout Round on day five (June 11), will feature a $50,000 big bass bonus, won today by Neal, and the Championship Round (June 12) will feature a $100,000 big bass bonus, on top of the Stage Title $100,000 prize.
In response to the shortened season, MLF revised the payout schedule for Toyota Heavy Hitters presented by Venmo to include all 80 anglers: 1st $100,000; 2nd $40,000; 3rd $15,000; 4th $13,000; 5th $12,000; 6th $11,000; 7th $10,000; 8th $9,000; 9th $8,000; 10th$7,000; 11th – 20th $6,000; 21st – 40th $5,000; 41st – 80th $4,000. Each competitor is guaranteed a $4,000 check.
Pending no weather delays, the Championship Day begins with launch at Big Toho Marina, Kissimmee, Fla., 6:15 a.m. ET before lines-in at 7:00 a.m. Period 1 ends at 9:30 a.m. Period 2 spans 9:45 a.m. until 12:15 p.m. Period 3 begins at 12:30 p.m. and lasts until day’s end at 3:00 p.m. The General Tire Takeout show airs approximately 3 – 4 p.m. ET from the water. Fans can catch all the action on MLFNOW! livestream on MajorLeagueFishing.com or download the MLF App for their Apple or GooglePlaydevice or on MyOutdoorTV (MOTV).
Toyota Heavy Hitters presented by Venmo on the Kissimmee Chain will air on Discovery Channel as six, two-hour original episodes beginning August 15. For additional details, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com/tv-schedule.
WOODS AND PHILLIPS WIN ROUND 2 OF RAYBURN DOUBLE HEADER
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Lester sorting through peanuts to find elephants
Courtesy of Alan McGuckin - Dynamic Sponsorships
Team Toyota’s Brandon Lester isn’t having problems catching bass at the DeWALT Bassmaster Elite Series on lake Eufaula. In fact, he caught a highly respectable 19-pound limit yesterday to end Day 1 in 21st place.
Fact is, the easy-going resident of Fayetteville, TN with the beautiful beard tends to catch ‘em everywhere he goes. He’s made the last three Bassmaster Classics in a row, and cashes a check in nearly 70% of the B.A.S.S. events he enters.
Lester’s struggle at Eufaula is having to sort through a ton of peanut-sized bass to connect with the 5-pounders you have to catch to move way up the leaderboard.
“I think I caught 43 fish yesterday to end up with the 19 pounds I brought to the scales, and at one point I know I caught 15 little ones in a row before I caught that 5-pounder,” said a slightly perplexed Lester just before Day 2 began.
He and his wife Kim, and their two daughters are staying at a friend’s home about 30 minutes from launch in the town of Baker Hill, and you can bet he spent most of his morning commute to the ramp thinking about how to make the big ones bite Thursday.
“Typically, not always, but typically, the biggest fish in a school will bite a moving bait like a crankbait or a swimbait first, versus a jig or worm. So I’ll definitely keep winding this crankbait a ton,” says Lester.
He’s certainly not short on schools to wind his plug through. He spent roughly 38 hours practicing in three days, and only fished 2 of those 38 hours. The rest of the time was spent riding around looking at his sonar screens and marking schools of bass with waypoints.
“I’ve never fished Eufaula prior to this week, but it fishes really similar to the Tennessee River impoundments I feel at home on like Guntersville, so I’ll just keep cranking until I run into a big one,” says Lester.
“If I catch one of the 7 or 8 pounders that live here, I’ll be near the top of the leaderboard real quick,” he concludes.
Don’t bet against him. The top of the leaderboard is generally a pretty familiar place for Lester.
Lowen Stays Shallow, Takes Lead At Bassmaster Elite Series Event On Lake Eufaula
Bill Lowen, of Brookville, Ind., is leading after Day 1 of the 2020 DEWALT Bassmaster Elite at Lake Eufaula with 23 pounds, 4 ounces.
Photo by Seigo Saito/B.A.S.S.
June 10, 2020
EUFAULA, Ala. — Conventional wisdom says a tournament held on Lake Eufaula during 90-degree weather in June should be won offshore on the ledges.
But Bill Lowen isn’t buying it. He never buys that anywhere B.A.S.S. takes him.
The Indiana pro who cut his teeth fishing the shallow waters of the Ohio River stayed near the shoreline during Wednesday’s opening round of the DEWALT Bassmaster Elite at Lake Eufaula and grabbed the lead with five bass that weighed 23 pounds, 4 ounces.
The tournament, which marked a return to competition for the Elite Series after a three-month break due to COVID-19, was carried live on ESPN2 — and for Lowen, it couldn’t have set up any better.
“Today was just one of those awesome days when every decision I made worked out perfectly,” Lowen said. “I fished clean, didn’t lose any fish — and yes, it’s no secret I’m fishing shallow.
“I always like to fish in my comfort zone, and if I get out there in the middle of the lake, I’m not in my comfort zone. So, I’m gonna stay shallow the rest of the week.”
Despite Lake Eufaula’s glowing history as a big-bass factory, this is the first time the Elite Series has visited the 45,000-acre Chattahoochee River fishery that runs between the Alabama and Georgia borders. This is also the first time Lowen has fished a tournament on the lake.
Because of that, he said his electronics — especially his Humminbird LakeMaster cards — played a key role in helping him find specific pieces of shallow cover. Lowen is also one of four anglers on the Elite Series who runs an Xpress aluminum boat, which he says gives him better access to the 2- to 4-foot water he keyed on all day.
Since shallow fish sometimes don’t replenish like the ones that have plenty of space to roam in deep water, Lowen only made one good pass through the area that produced most of his bass. He said he intends to be right back there Thursday.
“I didn’t want to burn ‘em because I don’t know how many are there,” he said. “I don’t feel by any means that I burned the fish that were there. I just hope I can keep running that same pattern up and down the lake.”
Lowen said there are plenty of things that keep fish shallow this time of year, including the bluegill spawn — which is underway on Eufaula — and quick access to a creek channel. He also said he believes some bass call those shallow areas home year-round.
“I’m a firm believer that there’s always resident fish, or I call them ‘shallow fish,’ that don’t even know there’s a main lake out there,” he said. “I try to find those fish everywhere we go, and I was able to stumble across some here today.”
Lowen’s catch was one of 15 bags that topped the 20-pound mark on a sweltering Day 1. His closest competition came from Kyle Monti, a third-year Elite Series pro from Florida who brought in 22-15.
Knowing Eufaula’s reputation as a ledge fishery, Monti intended to spend most of his time offshore. But a series of early events ended up sending him to the shallows as well.
“I had three schools of fish marked,” Monti said. “But there were three boats that drew out in front of me, and every one of them went right to those schools. So, I went to another offshore spot and caught a keeper and lost one. Then everything just shut down for me.
“I picked up and went shallow at about 9:30 or 10. I caught one big one and then another, and that gave me confidence to stick with it the rest of the day.”
One angler who found success in slightly deeper water was Chris Zaldain. The California native, who now lives in Texas, got off to a fast start with a limit that included two 5-pounders and wound up in third place with 22-2.
“The research I did said you need 20 to 30 pounds to hang here, depending on the time of year,” Zaldain said. “So, for three whole days of practice, I spent eight or nine hours just idling around looking for offshore structure.”
Zaldain said even though he’s fishing offshore (15 to 20 feet deep), it’s not a typical ledge bite.
“It’s not like the heavy current and 90-degree drops you see on the Tennessee River,” he said. “You’re basically just looking for offshore structure, whether it be a rockpile, a brushpile, a shellbed or whatever.
“I got off to a great start and spent the rest of the day looking — to the point that I know tomorrow what to do in the middle of the day and what not to do.”
Kentucky pro Mike Huff took the lead in the race for Phoenix Boats Big Bass of the week with a 6-12 largemouth.
Competition resumes Thursday with takeoff at 5:25 a.m. CST from Lakepoint State Park and the weigh-in back at the park at 2 p.m. After Thursday’s weigh-in, only the Top 40 anglers will advance to Friday’s semifinals.
Live coverage of the event will be available from 7-10 a.m. and 11 a.m.-2 p.m. on Bassmaster Live at Bassmaster.com with simulcasts on ESPN2 and ESPN3. Check local listings for ESPN2 times.
(PROFESSIONAL) Standings Day 1
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Pts Total $$$
1. Bill Lowen Brookville, IN 5 23-04 100
Day 1: 5 23-04
2. Kyle Monti Okeechobee, FL 5 22-15 99
Day 1: 5 22-15
3. Chris Zaldain Fort Worth, TX 5 22-02 98
Day 1: 5 22-02
4. Clark Wendlandt Leander, TX 5 22-00 97
Day 1: 5 22-00
5. Todd Auten Lake Wylie, SC 5 21-15 96
Day 1: 5 21-15
6. Jamie Hartman Newport, NY 5 21-13 95
Day 1: 5 21-13
7. Lee Livesay Gladewater, TX 5 21-11 94
Day 1: 5 21-11
8. Jake Whitaker Fairview, NC 5 21-02 93
Day 1: 5 21-02
9. Cody Hollen Beaverton, OR 5 20-14 92
Day 1: 5 20-14
10. Chad Pipkens Lansing, MI 5 20-13 91
Day 1: 5 20-13
11. Scott Canterbury Odenville, AL 5 20-12 90
Day 1: 5 20-12
12. Drew Benton Blakely, GA 5 20-12 89
Day 1: 5 20-12
13. Matt Arey Shelby, NC 5 20-06 88
Day 1: 5 20-06
14. Clent Davis Montevallo, AL 5 20-05 87
Day 1: 5 20-05
15. Kyle Welcher Opelika, AL 5 20-03 86
Day 1: 5 20-03
16. John Cox Debary, FL 5 19-13 85
Day 1: 5 19-13
17. Gary Clouse Winchester, TN 5 19-07 84
Day 1: 5 19-07
17. Garrett Paquette Canton, MI 5 19-07 84
Day 1: 5 19-07
19. Clifford Pirch Payson, AZ 5 19-04 82
Day 1: 5 19-04
20. Brandon Cobb Greenwood, SC 5 19-03 81
Day 1: 5 19-03
21. Brandon Lester Fayetteville, TN 5 19-00 80
Day 1: 5 19-00
22. Caleb Sumrall New Iberia, LA 5 18-13 79
Day 1: 5 18-13
23. Caleb Kuphall Mukwonago, WI 5 18-12 78
Day 1: 5 18-12
23. Brad Whatley Bivins, TX 5 18-12 78
Day 1: 5 18-12
25. Drew Cook Midway, FL 5 18-10 76
Day 1: 5 18-10
26. Brock Mosley Collinsville, MS 5 18-08 75
Day 1: 5 18-08
27. Mike Huff Corbin, KY 5 18-06 74 $1,000.00
Day 1: 5 18-06
28. Shane LeHew Catawba, NC 5 18-06 73
Day 1: 5 18-06
29. Keith Combs Huntington, TX 5 18-05 72
Day 1: 5 18-05
30. Wes Logan Springville, AL 5 18-03 71
Day 1: 5 18-03
31. Taku Ito Chiba JAPAN 5 18-00 70
Day 1: 5 18-00
32. Skylar Hamilton Dandridge, TN 5 17-09 69
Day 1: 5 17-09
33. Greg DiPalma Millville, NJ 5 17-09 68
Day 1: 5 17-09
34. Stetson Blaylock Benton, AR 5 17-08 67
Day 1: 5 17-08
34. Austin Felix Eden Prairie, MN 5 17-08 67
Day 1: 5 17-08
34. Matt Herren Ashville, AL 5 17-08 67
Day 1: 5 17-08
37. Jeff Gustafson Keewatin Ontario CANADA 5 17-08 64
Day 1: 5 17-08
38. Cliff Prince Palatka, FL 5 17-05 63
Day 1: 5 17-05
39. John Crews Jr Salem, VA 5 17-04 62
Day 1: 5 17-04
39. Bryan Schmitt Deale, MD 5 17-04 62
Day 1: 5 17-04
41. Hank Cherry Jr Lincolnton, NC 5 16-15 60
Day 1: 5 16-15
41. Rick Clunn Ava, MO 5 16-15 60
Day 1: 5 16-15
43. Buddy Gross Chickamauga, GA 5 16-14 58
Day 1: 5 16-14
44. Paul Mueller Naugatuck, CT 5 16-12 57
Day 1: 5 16-12
45. Bill Weidler Helena, AL 5 16-09 56
Day 1: 5 16-09
46. Rob Digh Denver, NC 5 16-08 55
Day 1: 5 16-08
46. Ray Hanselman Jr Del Rio, TX 5 16-08 55
Day 1: 5 16-08
48. Patrick Walters Summerville, SC 5 16-07 53
Day 1: 5 16-07
49. Brandon Card Knoxville, TN 5 16-07 52
Day 1: 5 16-07
50. Chris Groh Spring Grove, IL 5 16-06 51
Day 1: 5 16-06
50. Jason Williamson Wagener, SC 5 16-06 51
Day 1: 5 16-06
52. Seth Feider New Market, MN 5 16-05 49
Day 1: 5 16-05
52. Chris Johnston Peterborough Ontario CA 5 16-05 49
Day 1: 5 16-05
54. Rick Morris Lake Gaston, VA 5 16-01 47
Day 1: 5 16-01
55. Frank Talley Temple, TX 5 16-00 46
Day 1: 5 16-00
56. Gerald Swindle Guntersville, AL 5 15-12 45
Day 1: 5 15-12
57. Bernie Schultz Gainesville, FL 5 15-11 44
Day 1: 5 15-11
58. Carl Jocumsen Queensland TN AUSTRALIA 5 15-09 43
Day 1: 5 15-09
59. Tyler Carriere Youngsville, LA 5 15-05 42
Day 1: 5 15-05
60. Jesse Tacoronte Kissimmee, FL 5 15-04 41
Day 1: 5 15-04
61. Derek Hudnall Baton Rouge, LA 5 15-02 40
Day 1: 5 15-02
62. Bob Downey Hudson, WI 5 14-09 39
Day 1: 5 14-09
63. Shane Lineberger Lincolnton, NC 5 14-06 38
Day 1: 5 14-06
64. Micah Frazier Newnan, GA 5 14-00 37
Day 1: 5 14-00
65. David Mullins Mt Carmel, TN 5 13-14 36
Day 1: 5 13-14
66. Cory Johnston Cavan CANADA 5 13-13 35
Day 1: 5 13-13
67. Luke Palmer Coalgate, OK 5 13-12 34
Day 1: 5 13-12
68. David Fritts Lexington, NC 5 13-11 33
Day 1: 5 13-11
68. Jay Yelas Lincoln City, OR 5 13-11 33
Day 1: 5 13-11
70. Randy Pierson Oakdale, CA 5 13-10 31
Day 1: 5 13-10
71. Brett Preuett Monroe, LA 5 13-04 30
Day 1: 5 13-04
72. Ed Loughran III Richmond, VA 5 12-15 29
Day 1: 5 12-15
73. Brandon Palaniuk Rathdrum, ID 5 12-13 28
Day 1: 5 12-13
74. Tyler Rivet Raceland, LA 5 12-01 27
Day 1: 5 12-01
75. Chad Morgenthaler Reeds Spring, MO 5 12-00 26
Day 1: 5 12-00
76. Brian Snowden Reeds Spring, MO 5 12-00 25
Day 1: 5 12-00
77. Hunter Shryock Newcomerstown, OH 5 11-13 24
Day 1: 5 11-13
78. Quentin Cappo Prairieville, LA 5 11-11 23
Day 1: 5 11-11
79. Robbie Latuso Gonzales, LA 5 11-10 22
Day 1: 5 11-10
79. Randy Sullivan Breckenridge, TX 5 11-10 22
Day 1: 5 11-10
81. Koby Kreiger Alva, FL 5 11-09 20
Day 1: 5 11-09
82. Dale Hightower Mannford, OK 5 09-11 19
Day 1: 5 09-11
83. Destin DeMarion Grove City, PA 5 09-04 18
Day 1: 5 09-04
84. Harvey Horne Bella Vista, AR 4 08-12 17
Day 1: 4 08-12
85. Steve Kennedy Auburn, AL 3 08-03 16
Day 1: 3 08-03
86. Kelley Jaye Dadeville, AL 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
86. Mark Menendez Paducah, KY 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
PHOENIX BOATS BIG BASS
Day
1 Mike Huff Corbin, KY 06-12 $1,000.00
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Totals
Day #Limits #Fish Weight
1 83 422 1413-06
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83 422 1413-06
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B.A.S.S. LLC, 3500 Blue Lake Drive, Suite 330, Birmingham, AL 35243 United States
Plano EDGE™ Specialty Boxes Lead Anglers in Creative Storage
Grand Prairie, TX (June 10, 2020) Plano continues to redefine tackle storage by giving anglers the 'EDGE' Specialty Boxes.
The EDGE line is a complete collection of storage boxes, catering to all schools of anglers and the species they pursue. Plano took the angler-approved features of the 3600 and 3700 StowAway units and challenged its research and development team to make them even better. The result is the EDGE line providing optimal storage with prolonged tackle life, increased accessibility, reduced corrosion, and maximized time on the water. Specialty Boxes are the solution to knowing where every hook and snap is located and how to find it.
The EDGE Series of boxes includes 10 new product SKUs. Four EDGE Series boxes are built for general storage in either standard, thin or deep box configurations. Six EDGE boxes are designed specifically for custom storage solutions, including terminal tackle, crankbaits, spinnerbaits, blade baits and jigs and soft plastics.
The standard features on throughout the EDGE Series include a Duraview™ crystal-clear lid and one-handed, easy-to-use latch that allows anglers to locate lures quickly. When closed, the Dri-Loc™ seal makes a water-tight barrier between the lid and the base. Also, durable, steel-pin hinges marry the lid to the EDGE's base for long-lasting use. Plano's revolutionary Rustrictor™ infused bases prevent terminal tackle and expensive baits from corroding. Further corrosion defense comes from Water Wick™ - a water-absorbing, rechargeable, desiccant divider. All EDGE boxes feature an innovative labeling system on their lids to keep anglers organized.
The EDGE Terminal box has a unique lift out retainers for weights, hooks and other small terminal tackle. The three weight retainers have a molded-in EZ label for quick identification, and they feature cushioned foam inserts to keep heavy weights from chipping or scuffing while in storage. Other clear-lid retainers provide ideal access for hooks, swivels and other small tackle items. With ultimate customization in mind, anglers can move the retainers and dividers around as they see fit. Although sleek in design, the EDGE Terminal box is built for maximum functionality. Anglers can quickly remove one or more of the internal boxes to keep frequently used items close at hand without having to access the larger EDGE Terminal box during a day on the water.
The EDGE Jig and Blade Bait box is designed to hold up to 90 jigs or bladed baits. Its unique design features movable rows or vertical dividers that grip the collar of any dressed jig or blade bait. This design keeps bucktail jigs and chatter baits in place without crushing the hair or kinking a skirt or trailer. The adjustable dividers allow you to store jigs or blade baits with trailers still attached making for quick lure changes.
The base of the EDGE Spinnerbait box has a center rail designed to hang spinnerbaits vertically. This allows spinnerbaits to dry naturally, without crushing their skirts or trailers. The box includes four sliding dividers that can be removed or adjusted as needed to provide superior customization.
The EDGE Plastics/Bulk Utility box is a large storage container that includes two removable dividers and has two large side-mounted handles. This box provides ideal storage for soft plastics and molded swimbaits. Remove the dividers, and the box could be used to store a first aid kit, tools or anything else that may be needed on the water.
The EDGE Crankbait boxes are available in two sizes. Both use Crankbait Catchers to grip and protect expensive lures and crankbaits. The extra-large, EDGE Crankbait box is perfect for storing deep running, large-lipped crankbaits. Larger crankbaits are placed tail-first and nestle among the silicone "fingers". The small EDGE Crankbait box is ideal for lipless crankbaits, low-profile search baits and spy baits. Both boxes provide infinitely customizable storage solutions for just about any hard body lure. Both Crankbait boxes keep your lure suspended above the bottom of the boxes, allowing water to run off while assisting Rustrictor in blocking rust and corrosion on expensive lures.
Product Features:
Dri-Loc™ - water-tight seal
Rustrictor™ - rust prevention infused base
DuraView™ crystal-clear lid
One-Handed latch
Water Wick™ - rechargeable water-absorbing desiccant divider
Innovative labeling system
Ribbed lid and steel-pin hinges for durability
Stackable and durable design
For more information, please visit: www.planomolding.com
Matt Lee – Go Big or Go Home?
Courtesy of Luke Stoner - Dynamic Sponsorships
KISSIMMEE, Fla. – The field is officially set for the Knockout Round of Toyota Heavy Hitters presented by Venmo here on the Kissimmee Chain of Lakes. Carhartt pro Matt Lee finished Group A’s Qualifying Round in 5th place and is one of thirty-eight anglers competing tomorrow. On top of the opportunity to move on to Friday’s Championship Round, someone in tomorrow’s field will win an incredible $50,000 for catching the big bass of the day.
The Heavy Hitters format includes unparalleled Big Bass Bonuses for every round of competition, but the $50K and $100K Big Bass Bonus tied to the Knockout and Championship Rounds respectively, has captured Lee’s attention.
“Knowing I can earn an extra $50,000 with a single cast is hard to even wrap my mind around,” Lee said with a laugh. “It’s amazing and it’ll absolutely be on every anglers’ mind tomorrow, especially as the day wears on and some guys get too far behind on the SCORETRACKER.”
But Lee wasn’t overly concerned with catching the big bass of the day as he readied tackle for the Knockout Round; instead he was focused on catching enough scoreable bass to continue fishing and have a shot at a Bass Pro Tour trophy on Friday.
“I’m in an interesting position,” Lee explained. “I found a unique area out on the middle of Lake Toho I’ve had all to myself this week. I’ve mostly been fishing a unique squarebill crankbait (6th Sense Crush Flat 75X Crankbait) and have been catching a lot of fish out there. I’m talking like 40 fish with 14 scoreable bass over two days, but I’ve yet to catch anything over four-pounds.
“My back-up pattern has been flipping a 6th Sense Stroker Craw in thick vegetation, but it’s been way less consistent. I had zero bites flipping Sunday and only caught one on it Tuesday, but it was a 5-plus pounder. That’s been my biggest all week and I
know the opportunity to catch a giant is there.”
While there has been a plethora of big bass caught on the Kissimmee Chain this week, including multiple fish over 8-lbs, catching numbers of scoreable bass has proved difficult. It’s Florida and a big bite can happen to anyone at anytime, but concentrations of fish have been harder to come by.
The Big Bass Bonus provides an interesting new wrinkle for BPT competitors and fans alike. Does the allure of a chance at $50,000 persuade angler like Lee, whose primary area has yielded numbers of quality bass but no giants, to search for a big bite and risk going home?
“In my case… no,” Lee grinned. “My first goal is to make it to the Championship Round, so I have to start in my numbers area slinging around a crankbait and a dropshot. From there we’ll see what happens in the afternoon. If my primary area doesn’t pan out, you’ll probably see me running around the lake like I’m lost about lunchtime looking for a biggun.”
Rose Wins $25,000; Reese Wins Group B to Skip Knockout:
Major League Fishing Live Action Continues on the Kissimmee Chain Thursday with a $50,000 Big Bass Bonus
June 10, 2020 (Kissimmee, Fla.) Major League Fishing (MLF) Pro Skeet Reese won the Qualifying Round, Group B on Kissimmee Chain in the inaugural Toyota Heavy Hitters presented by Venmo. Reese will advance directly to Friday’s Championship Round for a chance to win $200,000. General Tire Pro Mark Rose won $25,000 for this Round’s Heavy Hitters big bass bonus with a nine-pound, two-ounce catch from Monday, his first day of the competition for Group B. Bass Fishing Hall of Famer Mark Davis caught the most weight on Wednesday with 26 pounds, five ounces, which catapulted him into fourth place from 24th place after Day One. 20 anglers fell below the Elimination Line and will head home with their $4,000 consolation prizes, including local angler Bobby Lane. Each angler’s score resets to zero as the top 20 Pros top advance. Competition continues tomorrow when 38 Pros compete in the Knockout Round for one of eight remaining spots in Friday’s Championship Round.
Reese rocked Period one with seven scorable fish in the first two hours for nearly 20 pounds. He continued his Day-One strategy of using a crankbait in the creek mouth to one mile off the main lake, where he leveraged the current flow for much of the day. The General Tire pro finished with a two-day total of 20 scorable bass and a cumulative weight of 67 pounds, one ounce. With the confidence of a significant lead after the first Period, the General Tire Pro did use Periods two and three to explore new areas rather than racking up SCORETRACKER®.
“The first period was perfect; everything was clicking, the bite was on,” recalled Reese. “I was pulling away from the field. I was pretty pumped! My lead gave me the chance to relax and explore some areas I hadn’t tried yet.”
This Qualifying Round win is significant to Reese’s standings on the 2020 Bass Pro Tour Points race. The Auburn, California resident entered this event in 65th place in overall points, well below qualifying for REDCREST 2021 in Tulsa. Reese did not qualify for the inaugural REDCREST in August 2019 after a 62nd place finish overall last season.
“It’s been a tough two years of fishing, but my decision to get over that sand bar on Day One was one of the best decisions I’ve made,” remarked Reese. “I had a great run on Lake Fork during (Bass Pro Tour) Stage Three and that boosted my confidence to get back to my way of fishing. I did exactly what I wanted to do today and so hopefully I have a chance to win this thing on Friday. Stay tuned; let’s see what happens. I want one of those trophies!”
General Tire Pro Mark Rose held onto the Berkley Big Bass of the Group B Qualifying Round with the nine-pound, two-ounce largemouth he caught on Monday landing him a $25,000 bonus. Rose’s MLF Official, Dino Goode, awarded Rose his trophy at the end of the Round.
“Wow! Nice trophy,” exclaimed Rose. “What a blessing! Thank you, Lord for a big, old 9-2. I caught it on a Strike King worm. I was finessing a little bit just trying to catch a bunch of fish and I ended up catching a big one. Thank you, MLF.”
Rose finished in second place, 16 pounds behind Reese at 50 pounds, 12 ounces over two days. A slow day for most of the field, Rose picked up four bass throughout the day for a one-day weight of 12 pounds, three ounces. The Memphis-area resident will advance to the Knockout Round for a chance to win $50,000 for the Berkley Big Bass and/or one of eight spots remaining in Friday’s Championship.
Veteran angler Mark Davis rallied Wednesday to move from 24th place after the first day of Qualifying Round for Group B to finish in 4th place. The B&W Hitches Pro tallied the most scorable bass by landing 12 for 37 pounds, 11 ounces making his two-day total 44 pounds, 12 ounces. His offshore, crankbait strategy worked well for Davis all day long, which ironically was exactly what he had done in Day one will less fortune.
“Oddly enough, I caught those fish today on the same lure in the same water as I had fished on Monday,” said Davis. “Once I caught a few, I gained confidence and stuck it out.”
Local favorite, Bobby Lane, who calls the Kissimmee Chain home, fell below the elimination line in 21st place. The Pure Fishing Pro did not go down without a fight as he landed six scorable bass totaling 16 pounds, two ounces for the day and a two-day total of 23 pounds even, three pounds shy of advancing. His biggest fish of the day (three pounds, 14 ounces) came in the final minutes of regulation. Lane took the loss with grace and wished brother Chris Lane, who finished in 7th place, well as he advances into tomorrow’s Knockout Round.
“This is my home lake and it’s tough, but Chris made it and so I’m glad there’s a Lane in there,” said Lane at the end of Period 3. “I’m really glad to be back fishing (on the Bass Pro Tour). The adrenaline of catching that last one - that’s why I do this; it’s what I love.”
The Top Five, Toyota Heavy Hitters presented by Venmo Qualifying Round, Group B finished as follows:
Place Angler Two-Day Total Weight Two-Day Total Fish Largest Fish over Two Days
1 Skeet Reese 67-01 20 5-01
2 Mark Rose 50-12 15 9-02
3 Jeff Sprague 46-00 13 5-11
4 Mark Davis 44-12 15 5-13
5 David Walker 41-14 15 4-06
Russ Lane, Jonathon VanDam, Chris Lane, Adrian Avena, Takahiro Omori, Bradley Roy, Andy Morgan, Mark Daniels Jr., Fletcher Shryock, Jeff Kriet, Britt Myers, Stephen Browning, James Elam, David Dudley, and Luke Clausen will join Rose, Sprague, Davis, Walker, and the 19 qualifiers from Group A in Thursday’s Knockout Round. With a total field of 38, only eight anglers will join Reese (Group B winner) and Birge (Group A winner) in the ten-angler Championship Round on Friday, June 12.
For complete results, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com, Bass Pro Tour, Results.
In addition to the traditional payout schedule based on finishing order, Toyota Heavy Hitters presented by Venmo bonuses the angler for the biggest bass caught in each Group. The two-day Qualifying Rounds (June 7-10) will pay a $25,000 big bass bonus ($50,000 total). The Knockout Round on day five (June 11), will feature a $50,000 big bass bonus, while the Championship Round (June 12) will feature a $100,000 big bass bonus, on top of the Stage Title $100,000 prize. Despite Mark Daniels Jr. holding the lead much of the day with a 7-15, Rose’s 9-2 late in Period 3 landed him in the lead for the $25,0000 “Heavy Hitter” big fish bonus for Qualifying Round, Group B, which concludes on Wednesday.
In response to the shortened season, MLF revised the payout schedule for Toyota Heavy Hitters presented by Venmo to include all 80 anglers: 1st $100,000; 2nd $40,000; 3rd $15,000; 4th $13,000; 5th $12,000; 6th $11,000; 7th $10,000; 8th $9,000; 9th $8,000; 10th$7,000; 11th – 20th $6,000; 21st – 40th $5,000; 41st – 80th $4,000. Each competitor is guaranteed a $4,000 check.
Pending no weather delays, the day begins with launch at Big Toho Marina, Kissimmee, Fla., 6:15 a.m. ET before lines-in at 7:00 a.m. Period 1 ends at 9:30 a.m. Period 2 spans 9:45 a.m. until 12:15 p.m. Period 3 begins at 12:30 p.m. and lasts until day’s end at 3:00 p.m. The General Tire Takeout show airs approximately 3 – 4 p.m. from the water. Fans can catch all the action every day of competition on MLFNOW! livestream on MajorLeagueFishing.com or download the MLF App for your Apple or GooglePlaydevice or on MyOutdoorTV (MOTV).
Sumrall says it’s not all about the deep bite on Eufaula
Courtesy of Alan McGuckin - Dynamic Sponsorships
Chris Zaldain is already hovering near the top of the leaderboard on Day 1, but he picked Caleb Sumrall as a guy fans should have their eye on here at the Lake Eufaula Bassmaster Elite Series presented by DEWALT.
Sumrall might seem like an odd pick given the fact he’s known for being a shallow water vegetation assassin from the bayous of Southern Louisiana, and this derby will surely be dominated by the deep post-spawn river ledge bite that Zaldain has already capitalized on today.
But if you believe in signs – then heed Zaldain’s advice – because the only thing that broke Sumrall’s mental focus on his shallow water game was spotting a very large gator floating in the takeoff harbor at Lakepoint State Park Marina.
“Oh my gosh, look at that thing, it’s gotta be 10-feet long!” said Sumrall in the midst of our interview minutes before Day 1’s competition began.
Suddenly, Sumrall seemed to feel right at home. The former petroleum supply yard worker who has spent most of his life running around the Atchafalaya Basin has seen his share of gators – and the size of this one impressed him.
The amount of shoreline vegetation at Lake Eufaula impresses him too. “I’m definitely confident around shallow vegetation. I’ve got 11 Kistler rods on the front deck, and 9 of ‘em are rigged for shallow vegetation,” said Sumrall.
“Look, I’m not ruling out the deep bite for a minute. I spent a ton of time the past two days marking waypoints out deep, so I for sure have that in my back pocket,” says Sumrall. “But I’ll probably spend 90% of my day fishing shallow with everything from buzzbaits to punch-weighted Texas rigs.”
Sumrall says he’ll lean on roughly 15 to 20 shallow water areas, and realizes he probably won’t be able to catch five fat keepers from a single spot. But he’s also highly confident he’ll have the chance to catch the sort of 5 to 7 pounders currently roaming the shallow water gator grass and water willow jungles while chewing on spawning bluegills around Eufaula’s shoreline.
“I absolutely believe the guy who wins this tournament Saturday will have to mix the deep bite with a few good fish from the shallows,” says Sumrall.
Sumrall has got plenty of deep-water waypoints, nine rods rigged for the shallows, and a feeling of being right at home here. So while Zaldain might currently be gunning for the lead himself, don’t ignore his advice to keep your eye on Sumrall too.
Zaldain talks ledge fishing, fantasy picks, and gators at Eufaula
Courtesy of Alan McGuckin - Dynamic Sponsorships
This week marks the first time Carhartt pro Chris Zaldain has ever competed on Lake Eufaula. But after three long days of practice on the famed reservoir, he says he’s fired up to get started, and shares a few things fans can look forward to keeping their eyes on as competition unfolds Wednesday through Saturday on ESPN2, ESPN3 and Bassmaster.com.
Q: You’ve never been here before, what are your impressions of this history rich reservoir after three days of practice?
CZ: It’s for sure the original “OG” of ledge lakes that everybody says it is. The river channel is super defined, and more importantly, the channel is filled with twists and turns that break current and set these bass up to feed along the ledge.
Q: What percentage of all the fish weighed-in this week will be caught deeper than 10-feet of water?
CZ: I’ll say 75%, but there are bluegill spawning, so there’s definitely going to be a number of good fish caught shallow that are up there picking-off spawning bluegills.
Q: Give fans a heads-up on something to look for that might surprise them.
CZ: I think there’s a chance this big reservoir is going to fish pretty small and put a lot of anglers in a few select concentrated areas.
Q: Speaking of other anglers, who should fans have on their Rapala Bassmaster Fantasy Fishing team?
CZ: Caleb Sumrall because he’s so comfortable picking apart shallow vegetation, and there’s a ton of that here. And on the opposite end of the spectrum, Keith Combs, because he’s one of the best deep crankbait anglers on the planet.
Q: This place has plenty of alligators swimming in it, what’s the biggest one you’ve seen in practice?
CZ: I’ll guess around 9-feet long.
Lee Calmly Visits Thump City
Courtesy of Luke Stoner - Dynamic Sponsorships
Jordan Lee may have been the final boat to leave Big Toho Marina this morning for his second competition day on the Kissimmee Chain, but that didn’t stop him from lighting up the SCORETRACKER early and often. An impressive morning flurry in “Thump City” helped Lee finish Group A’s Qualifying Round(s) in 3rd place and qualify for Thursday’s Knockout Round in Toyota Heavy Hitters presented by Venmo.
“Thump City” is an offshore area on Lake Toho and Lee jokingly explained its name was derived from the aggressive “thump” his swimbait commonly receives when he visits this spot in the early mornings.
“I had a feeling (the spot) could end up being a special place,” Lee said. “In practice I found the area by idling and staring at my Lowrance units. I made a cast in there and immediately hook a two-pounder, but when I reeled that fish in I watched one about six-pounds try to take the bait from the little one’s mouth. That sorta thing doesn’t happen too often, so I knew it had the chance to be really good.”
Realistically, finding a special place or two seems to be somewhat common for Lee in Bass Pro Tour competition. On top of winning 2019’s inaugural BPT event, which was held on the Kissimmee Chain, Lee has amassed four more top tens and only missed qualifying for the Knockout Round twice in thirteen Bass Pro Tour tournaments. Pretty strong for an angler yet to celebrate their 30th birthday.
Many have speculated on what makes Lee so dynamic on the water; does he think like a fish, is it a God given talent, his tireless work ethic, or as MLF color analyst Marty Stone pointed out on today’s coverage could it have something to do with Lee’s cool and calm demeanor?
In reality Lee’s success is likely due to a combination of all these things, but there is certainly something to be said for Lee’s cool-as-a-cucumber disposition. If you tuned into today’s live stream, you witnessed a perfect example to the upside of Lee’s even-keeled nature.
After leaving Big Toho Marina as boat 40 and leaning on a group of fish inhabiting “Thump City”, Lee experienced battery issues. Even though it was minor, the issue forced Lee to run his Yamaha Outboards powered Ranger Boat to the service crew back at the marina, costing him about an hour of fishing time.
Losing precious competition time is something we’ve seen spin out even the most veteran professional angler, but Lee seemed absolutely un-phased. Lee sat on the front deck and calmly waited while service techs worked on his boat. Upon returning to the water Lee bypassed “Thump City”, ran to a completely different area and promptly caught a five-pound bass. Unbe-Lee-vable.
“I try to avoid letting myself get too high or too low,” Lee explained. “Whether we like it or not, mechanical issues and things we can’t control are going to happen every so often. Throwing a fit doesn’t help anything. To be honest my personality has always been pretty even-keeled… I think it definitely helps in our sport.”
AC Insider Podcast - Winners Abound!
This week Chris and the Boys welcome in the newest NPFL Angler to the show, Chris Kanute to talk about his new fishing platform and to dive a little deeper into his involvement in High School Fishing. The boys also welcome in Toyota Series Winner Josh Stracner to talk about his Eufaula win and David has a surprise in the opening segment. Check it out!
Swindle’s Eufaula Favorites
Courtesy of Alan McGuckin - Dynamic Sponsorships
Obviously, you would think the first thing 2-time Bassmaster Angler of the Year, Gerald Swindle would talk about in reference to Lake Eufaula would be fishing related. But in fact, Swindle’s mind quickly drifted back to his days as a framing carpenter when asked what he loves most about Lake Eufaula.
“You know man, the thing that really captures me every time I come down here is all the old homes and mansions that line the streets,” says Swindle. “I’ve traveled all over this country, and I’ve never seen any place that looks like this. You can’t help but be impressed by the master craftsmanship that went into building so many of the big old homes in this town, especially when you think about the fact they were built long before power tools came along.”
He’s right. Eufaula is famous for its Grand Antebellum and Victorian mansions that were mostly built in the 1800s by planters and town merchants when cotton was king. Not only do dozens of eye-capturing homes line streets canopied in huge live oak trees, there are roughly 700 total structures in this famous bass tournament town listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
While Eufaula is nearly a 4-hour drive from where Swindle grew up, he’s got some history here too. Fond memories actually, from simpler times when he was still framing houses and fishing the old Red Man tournament trail on a really tight budget.
“Believe it or not, my favorite memory of this place was in the early 1990s when my buddy Bradley Duke and I came down here for a Red Man tournament, piled about six of us in one cheap hotel room, and I caught 25 pounds on a buzzbait, but lost to a real good angler named Don Hogue by two ounces,” says Swindle.
Don’t be shocked if Swindle slings a buzzbait around this week too. He’s as good with the topwater known for attracting big bites as anybody in America. But like most of the 87 Elite Series anglers, he’ll focus mainly on getting the deeper offshore post-spawn bites the next few days.
“My favorite lures this week will likely be a 3/4-ounce Buckeye Ballin’ Out jig, a big Zoom Ol’ Monster worm, a Zoom Magnum Trick Worm, and a 5” Zoom swimbait on a 3/8 once head,” shares the longtime Team Toyota pro.
Oh, and one more of Swindle’s favorite things about Eufaula … alligators.
“Not only do I love the look of all the old houses in this town, but when you’re on the water here, along with the cool looking flooded cypress trees, this place offers one of the biggest populations of gators I’ve ever seen. Eufaula is just a cool place on and off the water,” smiles Swindle.
Ehler Wins $25,000; Birge Bags Berth to the Championship:
MLF Pro Kevin VanDam advanced to Thursday's Knockout Round after an 8th Place finish. Photo: Major League Fishing / Garrick Dixon
Major League Fishing Live Action Continues on the Kissimmee Chain Wednesday with a Second $25,000 Big Bass Bonus
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: June 9, 2020 (Kissimmee, Fla.) Major League Fishing (MLF) Pro Zack Birge won the Qualifying Round, Group A on Kissimmee Chain in the inaugural Toyota Heavy Hitters presented by Venmo. Birge will advance directly to Friday’s Championship Round for a chance to win $200,000. California Pro Brent Ehrler won $25,000 for this Round’s Heavy Hitters big bass bonus with an eight-pound, six-ounce catch on Sunday, the first day of the competition. Matt Lee caught the most weight on Tuesday with 26 pounds, five ounces, which moved him into fifth place for this Round. 20 anglers fell below the Elimination Line and will head home with their $4,000 consolation prizes. Each angler’s score resets to zero as the top 20 Pros top advance. Competition continues tomorrow when Group B takes to the water for their second day of the Qualifying Round.
Birge grew his lead to 22 pounds to end the day in first place with a two-day total of 74 pounds, three ounces. Birge caught 20 pounds 12 ounces today, which meant that seven anglers caught more scorable weight than him, including Matt Lee, who caught themost Tuesday with 26 pounds, five ounces. Birge will advance directly to Friday’s Championship Round where he will compete against nine other anglers for the $100,000 Heavy Hitters Title and an additional $100,000 big bass bonus.
“Thank goodness; I’m advancing directly to the Final,” said Birge at the conclusion of Tuesday’s competition. “Today was a trying day start to finish. I didn’t really get on like I wanted this morning. But I get to advance directly to the Championship (Round), which was my goal.”
Despite an otherwise slow day, Daiwa Pro Brent Ehrler held his lead in the race for biggest fish caught in the two-day Qualifying Round for Group A with the eight-pound, six-ounce largemouth he landed on Sunday. The lunker scored him a $25,000 big-fish bonus. Ehrler finished in 12th place with a two-day total of 29 pounds, 15 ounces and will advance to Thursday’s Knockout Round. Upon receiving the trophy for the first Heavy Hitters bonus, Ehrler said he’s grateful and looking forward to trying for another big fish on Thursday.
“Oh, I love it!” exclaimed Ehrler when he received the trophy from MLF on-the-water correspondent Rob Newell. “I was scared all day that someone was going to catch a bigger fish, but I’m so happy for this and I can’t wait to fish the Knockout Round for a chance to win $50,000.”
Carhartt Pro Matt Lee tallied the most weight Tuesday moving him from 12th place to finish fifth with 43 pounds, seven ounces over the two-day Qualifying Round, including his biggest fish of the Round, which weighed in at five pounds, five ounces.
“Today started really slow with only two, non-scorable catches in the first Period,” recalled Lee. “I thought I could make more happen with a moving bait, but I focused on the changing conditions and adapted my strategy, which led to six fish in a row in Period 2. I’m really happy with how it ended up.”
Abu Garcia Pro Scott Suggs fell just below the Elimination Line in 21st place after catching no fish on Sunday’s first day of competition and rallying 21 pounds today, including a five-pound, eight-ounce bass midday. With only one fish caught in the third Period, Randy Howell landed a four-pound, 13-ounce largemouth with only 32 minutes left in regulation pushing Suggs out. When asked what he changed to go from zero to the seventh highest weight of the day, Suggs says he didn’t make a change in his game, the conditions changed around him.
“You can ask my (MLF) Official,” said Suggs after he returned to the ramp. “I went to the exact same place, threw the exact same thing - speed worm and magnum finesse worm in June bug - as I was at on Sunday where I caught a lot but no keepers. Today, I caught fewer fish but more quality. Luckily, I got a couple bites early, which led me to stick with it. I got some good points for the year, which is my saving grace.”
Suggs started Stage Four Heavy Hitters in 39th Place for the overall 2020 Bass Pro Tour. His finish today will help his standings in points to qualify for REDCREST, the MLF Championship, which is scheduled for February 2021 in Tulsa, Okla.
The Top Five, Toyota Heavy Hitters presented by Venmo Qualifying Round, Group A finished as follows:
Place Angler Two-Day Total Weight Two-Day Total Fish Largest Fish over Two Days
1 Zack Birge 74-03 24 5-08
2 Bryan Thrift 55-09 18 4-02
3 Jordan Lee 51-09 13 6-13
4 Gary Klein 48-04 16 5-04
5 Matt Lee 43-07 15 5-05
Kelly Jordon, John Murray, Kevin VanDam, Michael Neal, Gerald Spohrer, Casey Ashley, Brent Ehrler, Anthony Gagliardi, Wesley Strader, Justin Lucas, Jared Lintner, Jacob Wheeler, Randy Howell, Dustin Connell, and Fred Roumbanis will join Thrift, J. Lee, Klein, and M. Lee in Thursday’s Knockout Round. Group B Qualifying Round concludes Wednesday, which will round out the Knockout Round to a field of 38 Pros.
For complete results, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com, Bass Pro Tour, Results.
In addition to the traditional payout schedule based on finishing order, Toyota Heavy Hitters presented by Venmo bonuses the angler for the biggest bass caught in each Group. The two-day Qualifying Rounds (June 7-10) will pay a $25,000 big bass bonus ($50,000 total). The Knockout Round on day five (June 11), will feature a $50,000 big bass bonus, while the Championship Round (June 12) will feature a $100,000 big bass bonus, on top of the Stage Title $100,000 prize. Despite Mark Daniels Jr. holding the lead much of the day with a 7-15, Rose’s 9-2 late in Period 3 landed him in the lead for the $25,0000 “Heavy Hitter” big fish bonus for Qualifying Round, Group B, which concludes on Wednesday.
The competition continues Wednesday when Group B returns for their second and last day of the Qualifying Round. The anglers who finish in 21-40th place in Group A will be eliminated, which the top 20 will advance to the Knockout Round on Thursday. The winner of Group B will earn an automatic berth to Friday’s Championship Round or the opportunity to fish in the Knockout Round and a chance to land the $50,000 big bass bonus. Major League Fishing rules indicate that if the Qualifying Round Group winner chooses to fish Knockout Round, they forfeit their automatic berth and will need to secure a top-ten finish in the Knockout Round to advance to the Championship. General Tire Pro Skeet Resse leads Group B by nearly five pounds. Mark Rose leads the $25,000 Heavy Hitters bonus with a nine-pound, two-ounce largemouth.
In response to the shortened season, MLF revised the payout schedule for Toyota Heavy Hitters presented by Venmo to include all 80 anglers: 1st $100,000; 2nd $40,000; 3rd $15,000; 4th $13,000; 5th $12,000; 6th $11,000; 7th $10,000; 8th $9,000; 9th $8,000; 10th$7,000; 11th – 20th $6,000; 21st – 40th $5,000; 41st – 80th $4,000. Each competitor is guaranteed a $4,000 check.
Pending no weather delays, the day begins with launch at Big Toho Marina, Kissimmee, Fla., 6:15 a.m. ET before lines-in at 7:00 a.m. Period 1 ends at 9:30 a.m. Period 2 spans 9:45 a.m. until 12:15 p.m. Period 3 begins at 12:30 p.m. and lasts until day’s end at 3:00 p.m. The General Tire Takeout show airs approximately 3 – 4 p.m. from the water. Fans can catch all the action every day of competition on MLFNOW! livestream on MajorLeagueFishing.com or download the MLF App for your Apple or GooglePlaydevice or on MyOutdoorTV (MOTV).
Toyota Heavy Hitters presented by Venmo on the Kissimmee Chain will air on Discovery Channel as six, two-hour original episodes beginning August 15. For additional details, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com/tv-schedule.
FLW Cancels 2020 High School Fishing Minicamps
BENTON, Ky. (June 9, 2020) – FLW, the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization, announced today the cancellation of the three High School Fishing minicamps that were to be held in conjunction with three 2020 Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit events.
Traditionally a three-day summer camp held at Murray State University, FLW shifted the format to three single-day minicamps in response to the coronavirus pandemic and to allow more anglers, coaches and boat captains the opportunity to attend. However, the uncertainty created by ongoing group-size restrictions and mask requirements has made execution of the camps impractical.
FLW is committed to ensuring that the High School Fishing camps are the absolute best experience for students, parents, coaches and boat captains alike. The tournament organization is looking forward to returning in 2021 with both the traditional camp and the minicamps to provide more opportunities for young anglers to learn about bass fishing from the world’s top professionals.
For more information on future High School Fishing camps, visit FLWFishing.com/camp. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow FLW’s social media outlets at Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.
ESPN2 Televises Live Coverage Of Bassmaster Elite Event
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Enthusiastic fans of bass fishing — and sports fans who have missed the thrill of competition — can catch live on-the-water action from Lake Eufaula on ESPN2 when the Bassmaster Elite Series heads to this historic fishery June 10-13.
Complementing the award-winning Bassmaster LIVE coverage on Bassmaster.com and ESPN3 fans are familiar with during an Elite Series event, the DEWALT Bassmaster Elite at Lake Eufaula will also be televised live on ESPN2 beginning Wednesday, June 10, at 8 a.m. ET.
Live coverage of this highly anticipated tournament pits 87 of the top bass anglers in the world against one another as they compete for the $100,000 first-place prize and a total purse of more than $700,000.
“Lake Eufaula is one of the best fisheries in the country,” said Elite Series pro Clent Davis, of Montevallo, Ala. “We’re excited to compete again, and fans are going to love seeing big bass again.”
Schedule:
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Date
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Time (ET)
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Event
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Networks
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Wed, June 10
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8-11 a.m.
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The DEWALT Bassmaster Elite at Lake Eufaula
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ESPN2, ESPN3, Bassmaster.com
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12-2 p.m.
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The DEWALT Bassmaster Elite at Lake Eufaula
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ESPN2, ESPN3, Bassmaster.com
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2-3 p.m.
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The DEWALT Bassmaster Elite at Lake Eufaula
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ESPN3, Bassmaster.com
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|
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Thu, June 11
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8-11 a.m.
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The DEWALT Bassmaster Elite at Lake Eufaula
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ESPN2, ESPN3, Bassmaster.com
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12-1 p.m.
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The DEWALT Bassmaster Elite at Lake Eufaula
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ESPN3, Bassmaster.com
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|
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1-3 p.m.
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The DEWALT Bassmaster Elite at Lake Eufaula
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ESPN2, ESPN3, Bassmaster.com
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|
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Fri, June 12
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8-11 a.m.
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The DEWALT Bassmaster Elite at Lake Eufaula
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ESPN2, ESPN3, Bassmaster.com
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12-3 p.m.
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The DEWALT Bassmaster Elite at Lake Eufaula
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ESPN2, ESPN3, Bassmaster.com
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Sat, June 13
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8-11 a.m.
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The DEWALT Bassmaster Elite at Lake Eufaula
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ESPN3, Bassmaster.com
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12-3 p.m.
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The DEWALT Bassmaster Elite at Lake Eufaula
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ESPN2, ESPN3, Bassmaster.com
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For more information, visit Bassmaster.com.
Mammoth Becomes Official Hand Sanitizer Of Bassmaster
June 9, 2020
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — As the Bassmaster Tournament Trail prepares to resume events this week, Blackbird Products Group, known for its popular Mammoth Coolers, is partnering with B.A.S.S. to help ensure fans, anglers and staff stay safe and healthy. Mammoth has signed on to make their new U.S.A.-made sanitizers the “Official Sanitizer Product of Bassmaster.”
“B.A.S.S. is committed to making our events both fun and safe for everyone involved,” said Bruce Akin, B.A.S.S. CEO. “We are so proud to have Mammoth join us to offer hand sanitizing stations at events as well as all-natural sanitizing products for anglers and staff beginning with our Bassmaster Elite event at Lake Eufaula.”
Introduced in April, Mammoth Hand Sanitizer is made in the United States with USDA Certified Organic ingredients. Formulated to meet international standards for alcohol-based hand sanitizer use in medical settings, Mammoth Hand Sanitizer is proven to kill 99.9% of germs without the harmful ingredients found in many other sanitizers.
“The Mammoth family takes great pride and satisfaction in having the opportunity to work with such a strong and conservation-driven organization as B.A.S.S.,” said Mike Hannigan, CEO of parent company Blackbird Products Group, LLC. “Mammoth looks forward to assisting B.A.S.S. in ensuring safe and enjoyable events for anglers, spectators and staff.”
In rescheduling the remainder of the 2020 season, B.A.S.S. emphasized that it will heed each state’s mandates on crowd sizes and public spaces as well as monitor federal guidelines to ensure both competition and fan activities can resume safely.
According to Bob George, Director of Sales and Marketing for Mammoth, “With our current sponsorship of veteran Elite Series angler Bill Lowen, we felt this was a natural extension and a great opportunity to introduce our sanitizer product and assist B.A.S.S. in locking down their needs for a U.S.A.-made product that has been challenging to find in the current retail environment.”
To learn more and see the complete tournament schedule, visit Bassmaster.com.
Team Wilson/Moore Wins Texas Team Trail Presented by Bass Pro Shops & Cabela's Event on Sam Rayburn
Anglers win Nitro Z18 with a 175-horsepower Mercury outboard
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (June 9, 2020) - Kris Wilson and Harold Moore weighed 26.04 pounds to win the second regular-season event of the Texas Team Trail presented by Bass Pro Shops & Cabela's (TXTT) June 5 on Lake Sam Rayburn. The anglers won a fully rigged Nitro Z18 with a 175-horsepower Mercury outboard valued at $34,635.
This event was the first of two back-to-back tournaments held on this Angelina River reservoir. This double-header replaced the Toledo Bend and Lake Amistad qualifying events that were postponed earlier in the season due to COVID-19 restrictions.
Outpacing the field by more than 4 pounds, Wilson and Moore relied on a strategy of mobility. As Wilson explained, they committed to playing the numbers game.
"We ran around so much, we fished from above the 147 Bridge all the way to the south end and everywhere in between," Wilson said. "We probably fished 25 or so spots. That was pretty much our game plan; we'd pull up and try to catch the active fish on the spot and then we'd move on.
"It was a timing deal on most of these spots. The way I look at it, the more spots you hit, the more potential you have to hit one at the right time. We would run six or eight spots and not even get a bite, then we'd pull up on one and catch four or five fish."
Noting that they bagged their big fish - a 9.16 - around 10:30, Wilson said he and Moore were targeting deep drops; some in 12-14 feet, most in 28-30. The deeper spots proved most productive and yielded the majority of their 20-plus keepers.
"We spent a lot of time on the lake, several days before cutoff," Wilson said. "I graphed 13 hours a day for three days. I didn't event pick up a rod. Some spots had stumps, some had brush and then some had nothing; just slick points.
"There was a period of time when it got really slick calm and it seemed like we could get bites on some places with brush; but when we had a little bit of breeze, the slick spots, or the ones with just a little bit of rubble were better. In practice, the bigger fish were coming off the more obscure stuff - the spots where other people might overlook."
In addition to the fully rigged Nitro Z18, the team claimed $2,370 of Anglers Advantage cash and a $1,130 Big Bass award. Their total payday was $38,135.
Second-place finishers Randy Turner and Justin Morton brought 21.90 pounds to the scales. After striking out at mid-lake, the anglers opted to run north and flip the cypress trees.
"We keyed on some shady areas up in the day," said Turner. "Plus, the bream were spawning, so I think the fish were using the shade for cover, but they were able to feed under there."
Turner said he and his partner caught their three biggest fish - a 7-pounder, a 5 1/2 and a 5 - off one particular tree. They'd fish the tree, catch one, move on and fish elsewhere, then return to that magic spot and pop another good one.
Working in about 3 feet of water, Turner and Morton caught all of their weight on Texas-rigged Zoom Old Monster worms in the redbug color. They used 1/2-ounce tungsten weights and No. 5 wide gap hooks.
"You had to get your boat in a certain angle because some of the limbs were blocking your cast," Turner said. "You had to get your bait right up against the tree."
For second place, Turner and Morton earned $7,613, which included $1,738 in Anglers Advantage cash and a $250 Ranger Boats bonus.
The remaining Top 10 are Boulware/Collins (third) Phillips/Sparks (fourth); Shook/Iles (fifth): Taylor/Neugebauer (sixth); Nitschke/Bonds (seventh); Cox/Reese (eighth); Jordan/Bush (ninth); and Rambo/Clark (tenth).
The next stop for the TXTT is the championship event set for October 24-25 with the location to be announced at a later date. The Texas Team Trail presented by Bass Pro Shops & Cabela's consists of four regular-season events and a year-end championship. The championship is a two-day tournament open to teams who have fished all four regular-season events.
Arey and other Elite Series pros logging 14-hour practice days at Eufaula
Courtesy of Alan McGuckin - Dynamic Sponsorships
Other than the pressure to find more offshore mega-schools than 86 other top pros, perhaps the biggest challenge during practice at the DEWALT Bassmaster Elite Series tournament at Lake Eufaula is packing enough food in the boat cooler to fuel a 14-hour practice day.
“I cooked kielbasa last night for Jay Yelas, Scott Canterbury, Wes Logan and myself, and I’ve been eating the leftovers most of the day. But here it is nearly 6 o’clock in the evening, I’ve been on the water 13 hours so far, and I’m down to eating Smucker’s Uncrustables,” said Matt Arey, late Monday afternoon, near the end of the secondconsecutive 14-hour day of practice.
The official sunrise in Eufaula, Alabama this week is right around 5:30 a.m., but there’s plenty of casting light long before that. So this bunch of hyper-competitive pros are launching around 5:00 a.m. – and roughly 14 hours later – at about 7:00 p.m. – they’re finally loading it back on the trailer.
Eufaula has hosted 16 previous B.A.S.S. events, but it’s been awhile since the last one, 14 years to be exact -- and this legendary 45,000-acre reservoir that’s home to Humminbird and Mann’s Bait Company,has gotten real healthy since then.
“I think you’ll need to average 14-pounds a day just to make the Top 40 cut after two days,” says Arey. “And I also think fans are going to be pretty surprised to see 6 and 7-pounders caught shallow here. Maybe not a ton of those, but you can bet they’ll be a few of those random giants roaming shallow and eating bluegill that get caught this week.”
Fans can also count on 20-pound limits being the necessary average for the guy who eventually claims the $100,000 on Saturday afternoon, and Arey says he’ll be shocked if it’s not won away from the bank around deeper post-spawn locations.
“I’ll have spent 28 hours on the water after the first two days of practice – and 20 of those hours were spent never making a cast while riding around looking at my Lowrance units for offshore sweet spots and getting the tops of my knees sunburned,” grins Arey.
As far as lures … count on seeing plenty of big crankbaits, long plastic worms, swimbaits, and magnum-sized 6 to 8” flutter spoons being cast during Live coverage of the event on ESPN2 several hours each daybeginning Wednesday at 8:00 EST/7:00 CST.
But on Tuesday, count on Arey packing plenty of Uncrustables and raingear for another long day of practice. The kielbasa is long gone.
Reese Rocks Period Two to End with 43 Pounds
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McAlester’s Eldridge and Bokchito’s Burkett Earn Wins at Phoenix Bass Fishing League Double-Header on Eufaula Lake
Co-angler Division Victories Go to Kansas’ Schmidt & Claremore’s Bradfield
EUFAULA, Okla. (June 1, 2020) – It was a double-header for bass anglers this past weekend in Eufaula with the Phoenix Bass Fishing League presented by T-H Marine on Eufaula Lake events. FLW, the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization, rescheduled the events after the coronavirus pandemic forced the organization to pause competition in mid-March.
Boater Heath Eldridge of McAlester, Oklahoma, brought five bass to the scale totaling 18 pounds, 1 ounce to win Saturday’s event, while boater Hayden Burkett of Bokchito, Oklahoma, brought in three bass weighing 15 pounds, 8 ounces, on Sunday to earn the win. Eldridge earned a total of $5,380 for his victory and Burkett won Sunday’s top prize of $5,779.
“I had boat issues, so I only was able to run 3 or 4 miles from takeoff,” said Eldridge, who earned his first BFL victory as a boater. “There was no wind, but there was a lot of boat traffic, so I found some current near some rip rap on bridges and that turned out to be the key area.”
Eldridge said the majority of his bass came on a shaky-head rig with a junebug-colored GrandeBass Airtail worm, but he also added a solid keeper on a shad-colored Bomber crankbait.
The top five boaters on Saturday were:
1st: Heath Eldridge of McAlester, Okla., five bass, 18-1, $5,380
2nd: Brandon Mosley of Choctaw, Okla., five bass, 16-13, $2,690
3rd: Jeremy Whitson of Denison, Texas, five bass, 16-7, $1,794
4th: Nick Kincaid of Coweta, Okla., five bass, 15-5, $1,255
5th: Mark Johnson of Weleetka, Okla., five bass, 15-1, $1,031
5th: Samuel Byrd of Tahlequah, Okla., five bass, 15-1, $1,031
Complete results for Saturday can be found at FLWFishing.com.
Cory Carter of Muskogee, Oklahoma, brought a 5-pound, 11-ounce bass to the scale to win Saturday’s Boater Big Bass award of $855.
Justin Lillie of Edmond, Oklahoma, was the highest-finishing FLW PHOENIX BONUS member and took home an extra $500. Boaters are eligible to win up to an extra $7,000 per event in each Phoenix Bass Fishing League presented by T-H Marine tournament if all requirements are met. More information on the FLW PHOENIX BONUS contingency program can be found at PhoenixBassBoats.com.
Chad Schmidt of Clearwater, Kansas, won the Co-angler Division and $2,690 Saturday after catching five bass weighing 13 pounds, 15 ounces.
The top five co-anglers Saturday finished as follows:
1st: Chad Schmidt of Clearwater, Kan., five bass, 13-15, $2,690
2nd: Billy Johnson of McAlester, Okla., five bass, 12-11, $1,345
3rd: Randy Staton of Muskogee, Okla., five bass, 12-10, $899
4th: Eli Brumnett of Wagoner, Okla., five bass, 12-9, $628
5th: Bill Black of McAlester, Okla., five bass, 12-3, $538
Danny Kindle of Stilwell, Oklahoma, caught the largest bass in the Co-angler Division Saturday, weighing in at 4 pounds, 8 ounces. The catch earned him the day’s Co-angler Big Bass award of $427.
Due to the extreme heat on Sunday, Tournament Director Robert Evans made the decision to change the format to a three-fish limit – instead of the normal five – and opened the scales at noon for anyone that wanted to weigh their fish early.
Hayden Burkett took advantage of Evans change, bringing in three bass – including the day’s big bass – right at noon and earning the win.
“I was mainly cranking them a little bit, but I also had a little dock pattern going,” said Burkett. “Everywhere I went today, I was catching them. I caught a big one out deep, and I caught a big one fishing docks.”
Burkett mentioned his crankbait of choice was a Sexy Shad-colored Strike King Series 6, but did not divulge the baits that he used on the docks.
The top five boaters on Sunday were:
1st: Hayden Burkett of Bokchito, Okla., three bass, 15-8, $5,779
2nd: Jeremy Whitson of Denison, Texas, three bass, 15-4, $2,507
3rd: James Marsh of Thomas, Okla., three bass, 12-1, $1,670
4th: Lance Williams of Billings, Mo., three bass, 11-1, $1,170
5th: Dane Coale of Norman, Okla., three bass, 10-13, $1,003
Complete results for Sunday’s event on Dale Hollow can be found at FLWFishing.com.
Burkett brought a 7-pound, 13-ounce lunker to the scale Sunday to add to his winnings and earn the day’s Boater Big Bass award of $765.
Steve Bradfield of Claremore, Oklahoma, won the Co-angler Division and $2,474 Sunday after catching three bass weighing 8 pounds, 13 ounces.
The top five co-anglers Sunday finished as follows:
1st: Steve Bradfield of Claremore, Okla., three bass, 8-13, $2,474
2nd: Dalton Ross of Centerton, Ark., three bass, 8-9, $1,237
3rd: Raymond Moody of Norman, Okla., three bass, 8-7, $824
4th: Cody Abbott of Fort Gibson, Okla., three bass, 8-2, $536
4th: Hunter Alsip of Chouteau, Okla., three bass, 8-2, $536
Michael Wood of Guthrie, Oklahoma caught Sunday’s largest bass in the Co-angler Division, weighing in at 5 pounds, 1 ounce. The catch earned him the day’s Co-angler Big Bass award of $377.
The 2020 Phoenix Bass Fishing League presented by T-H Marine Double-Header on Eufaula Lake was the first and second of five qualifying events in the Okie Division.
The top 45 boaters and co-anglers in the Okie Division based on point standings, along with the five winners of each qualifying event, will be entered in the Oct. 22-24 Phoenix Bass Fishing League Regional Championship on Table Rock Lake in Branson, Missouri, hosted by ExploreBranson.com. Boaters will compete for a $60,000 prize package, including a new Phoenix 819 Pro bass boat with a 200-horsepower Mercury outboard and $10,000, while co-anglers will fish for a new 18-foot Phoenix bass boat with a 200-horsepower outboard.
The 2020 Phoenix Bass Fishing League presented by T-H Marine is a 24-division circuit devoted to weekend anglers, with 128 tournaments throughout the season, five qualifying events in each division. The top 45 boaters and co-anglers from each division, along with the five winners of the qualifying events, will advance to one of six regional tournaments where they are competing to finish in the top six, which then qualifies them for one of the longest-running championships in all of competitive bass fishing – the Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American.
The 2020 Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American will be held Nov. 11-13 at Lake Hartwell in Anderson, South Carolina and is hosted by Visit Anderson. The top 45 boaters and co-anglers plus tournament winners from each Phoenix Bass Fishing League division earn priority entry into the FLW Series, the pathway to the FLW Pro Circuit and ultimately the MLF Bass Pro Tour, where top pros compete with no entry fees.
For complete details and updated information visit FLWFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow the Phoenix Bass Fishing League presented by T-H Marine on FLW’s social media outlets at Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.
Thomas Wins Phoenix Bass Fishing League on High Rock Lake, Earns Lucrative PHOENIX Bonus
Salisbury’s File Wins Co-angler Division
SALISBURY, N.C. (June 8, 2020) – Boater Jason Thomas of Lexington, North Carolina, earned the win Saturday at the Phoenix Bass Fishing League presented by T-H Marine event at High Rock Lake after bringing a five-bass limit to the scale weighing 17 pounds, 10 ounces. For his victory, Thomas earned a total of $11,794, including the lucrative $7,000 FLW PHOENIX Bonus contingency award. The victory was the first win of Thomas’ FLW career.
"I’m good friends with a lot of guys that have wins, so this is really a nice notch in my belt,” said Thomas. “I was out practicing every day this week and it was a huge advantage for me – it showed me where not to fish.”
Thomas mainly focused on the creeks of High Rock Lake during the tournament, paying special attention to Second Creek where he seemed to catch most of his fish.
“Pretty much the only creeks that I didn’t fish today were Abbott’s Creek, or up the river,” Thomas said. “I caught a few on a jig, but then things got tough and I switched to a shaky-head rig to fill out my limit.
Thomas said his jig of choice was a ½-ounce Shooter Jig with a Strike King Rage Bug trailer, and he threw a 3/8-ounce shaky-head rig with a Zoom Trick Worm.
The top 10 boaters finished the tournament as follows:
1st: Jason Thomas of Lexington, N.C., five bass, 17-10, $11,794
2nd: Doug Young of Salisbury, N.C, four bass, 16-11, $1,897
3rd: Scott Henley of Randleman, N.C., five bass, 15-13, $1,265
4th: Jack Dice of Lynchburg, Va., five bass, 15-7, $885
5th: Robert Walser of Lexington, N.C., five bass, 13-11, $759
6th: Mike Miller of Trinity, N.C., five bass, 13-10, $664
6th: Rick Tilley of Moneta, Va., five bass, 13-10, $664
8th: James Funk of Chesapeake, Va., five bass, 13-5, $569
9th: Landon Whicker of Winston-Salem, N.C., five bass, 12-12, $506
10th: Randall Vanlear of Madison Heights, Va., five bass, 12-10, $443
Complete results can be found at FLWFishing.com.
Craig Wright of Rustburg, Virginia, claimed the day’s Boater Big Bass Award of $495 after bringing a 5-pound, 15-ounce bass to the scale.
Thomas took home an extra $7,000 as the highest finishing FLW PHOENIX BONUS member. Boaters are eligible to win up to an extra $7,000 per event in each Phoenix Bass Fishing League presented by T-H Marine tournament if all requirements are met. More information on the FLW PHOENIX BONUS contingency program can be found at PhoenixBassBoats.com.
Tom File of Salisbury, North Carolina, won the Co-angler Division and $1,897 Saturday after catching three bass weighing 10 pounds, 6 ounces.
The top 10 co-anglers finished as follows:
1st: Tom File of Salisbury, N.C., three bass, 10-6, $1,897
2nd: Orlando Giles of Lexington, N.C., four bass, 10-5, $949
3rd: Anthony Rife of Max Meadows, Va., three bass, 9-14, $538
3rd: Terry Graham of Leesburg, Va., four bass, 9-14, $538
5th: Jesse Jodon of Windber, Pa., three bass, 8-4, $379
6th: Brandon Shaver of Albemarle, N.C., three bass, 8-0, $332
6th: Micah Speights of Oakboro, N.C., three bass, 8-0, $332
8th: Michael Trivette of Blackstone, Va., three bass, 7-14, $285
9th: Barry Burford of Charlotte, N.C., two bass, 7-10, $253
10th: David Miller of China Grove, N.C., two bass, 7-9, $221
Martin Rushing of Albemarle, North Carolina, caught the largest bass in the Co-angler Division, weighing in at 5 pounds, 9 ounces. The catch earned him the day’s Co-angler Big Bass award of $247.
The 2020 Phoenix Bass Fishing League presented by T-H Marine on High Rock Lake was the opening event of five qualifying tournaments in the Piedmont division.
The top 45 boaters and co-anglers in the Piedmont Division based on point standings, along with the five winners of each qualifying event, will be entered in the Oct. 22-24 Phoenix Bass Fishing League Regional Championship on Lake Lanier in Gainesville, Georgia, hosted by the Gainesville Convention & Visitors Bureau. Boaters will compete for a $60,000 prize package, including a new Phoenix 819 Pro bass boat with a 200-horsepower Mercury outboard and $10,000, while co-anglers will fish for a new 18-foot Phoenix bass boat with a 200-horsepower outboard.
The 2020 Phoenix Bass Fishing League presented by T-H Marine is a 24-division circuit devoted to weekend anglers, with 128 tournaments throughout the season, five qualifying events in each division. The top 45 boaters and co-anglers from each division, along with the five winners of the qualifying events, will advance to one of six regional tournaments where they are competing to finish in the top six, which then qualifies them for one of the longest-running championships in all of competitive bass fishing – the Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American.
The 2020 Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American will be held Nov. 11-13 at Lake Hartwell in Anderson, South Carolina and is hosted by Visit Anderson. The top 45 boaters and co-anglers plus tournament winners from each Phoenix Bass Fishing League division earn priority entry into the FLW Series, the pathway to the FLW Pro Circuit and ultimately the MLF Bass Pro Tour, where top pros compete with no entry fees.
For complete details and updated information visit FLWFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow the Phoenix Bass Fishing League presented by T-H Marine on FLW’s social media outlets at Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.
Cooper and West Liberty’s Adkins Earn Wins at Phoenix Bass Fishing League Double-Header on Dale Hollow Lake
Co-angler Division Wins Go to Flintville’s Gault & Stanford’s Dean
BYRDSTOWN, Tenn. (June 8, 2020) – It was a double-header for bass anglers this past weekend in Byrdstown with the Phoenix Bass Fishing League presented by T-H Marine on Dale Hollow Lake events. FLW, the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization, rescheduled the events after the coronavirus pandemic forced the organization to pause competition in mid-March.
Boater Dustin Cooper of Livingston, Tennessee, brought a five-bass limit to the scale totaling 18 pounds, 3 ounces to win Saturday’s event, while Brad Adkins of West Liberty, Kentucky, brought in a limit weighing 18 pounds, 8 ounces on Sunday to earn the win. Cooper earned a total of $5,763 for his victory Saturday while Adkins won Sunday’s top prize of $5,584.
“I fished on the lower end of the lake, close to the dam,” said Cooper, who earned the first win of his career. “I was fishing offshore humps all day, throwing a Zoom Ol’ Monster worm.
“I’ve got a lot of experience here, and it paid off big for me. I know where the fish like to go in their summertime patterns and it worked out today.”
The top five boaters on Saturday were:
1st: Dustin Cooper of Livingston, Tenn., five bass, 18-3, $5,763
2nd: Nick Ratliff of Vine Grove, Ky., five bass, 17-13, $3,091
3rd: Marcus Jackson of Rockwood, Tenn., five bass, 16-2, $1,216
3rd: Blake Smith of Byrdstown, Tenn., five bass, 16-2, $1,216
3rd: Eric Foister of Clarksville, Tenn., five bass, 16-2, $1,216
Complete results for Saturday can be found at FLWFishing.com.
Ratliff brought a 5-pound, 4-ounce bass to the scale to win Saturday’s Boater Big Bass award of $710.
Seth Davis of Harrison, Tennessee, was the highest-finishing FLW PHOENIX BONUS member and took home an extra $500 Saturday. Boaters are eligible to win up to an extra $7,000 per event in each Phoenix Bass Fishing League presented by T-H Marine tournament if all requirements are met. More information on the FLW PHOENIX BONUS contingency program can be found at PhoenixBassBoats.com.
Alex Gault of Flintville, Tennessee, won the Co-angler Division and $2,381 Saturday after catching a five-bass limit weighing 15 pounds, 3 ounces.
The top five co-anglers Saturday finished as follows:
1st: Alex Gault of Flintville, Tenn., five bass, 15-3, $2,381
2nd: Wayne Crouch of Jamestown, Tenn., five bass, 12-11, $1,191
3rd: Tracy Helton of London, Ky., five bass, 12-2, $673
3rd: Bryce Shockley of Byrdstown, Tenn., five bass, 12-2, $673
5th: Bert Kissick of Danville, Ky., five bass, 12-0, $476
Dakota Cantrell of Decherd, Tennessee, caught the largest bass in the Co-angler Division Saturday, weighing in at 4 pounds, 2 ounces. The catch earned him the day’s Co-angler Big Bass award of $355.
On Sunday, Adkins won the event flipping a jig, throwing a Carolina rig and on a crankbait.
“I caught a big one early flipping, then it really slowed down on me,” Adkins said. “Around 11 o’clock I caught two on a Carolina rig. A little later my co-angler caught one on a drop-shot rig and when he brought that fish up, there were 40 to 50 fish right with it.
“So, I picked up a crankbait and caught them right then in a flurry. It happened quick and was magical for about 30 minutes. It was one of the same spots where I caught a few Saturday, but today it was just lights out.
“When it’s your time, it’s your time and everything just came together for me,” Adkins went on to say.
The top five boaters on Sunday were:
1st: Brad Adkins of West Liberty, Ky., five bass, 18-8, $5,584
2nd: Blake Smith of Byrdstown, Tenn., five bass, 16-3, $2,292
3rd: Talmadge Marcum of McKee, Ky., five bass, 15-0, $1,529
4th: Eric Foister of Clarksville, Tenn., five bass, 14-14, $1,070
5th: Josh Bolen of Wayland, Ky., five bass, 13-10, $917
Complete results for Sunday’s event on Dale Hollow can be found at FLWFishing.com.
Sam Morgan of Coalmont, Tennessee, brought a 4-pound, 11-ounce bass to the scale to win Sunday’s Boater Big Bass award of $675.
William Merrick of Mount Juliet, Tennessee, was Sunday’s highest-finishing FLW PHOENIX BONUS member and took home an extra $500.
Jimmy Dean of Stanford, Kentucky, won the Co-angler Division and $2,292 Sunday after catching five bass weighing 15 pounds, 13 ounces.
The top five co-anglers Sunday finished as follows:
1st: Jimmy Dean of Stanford, Ky., five bass, 15-13, $2,292
2nd: Wayne Crouch of Jamestown, Tenn., five bass, 12-15, $1,146
3rd: Bill Haunert of Byrdstown, Tenn., five bass, 12-9, $765
4th: Brandon Barker of Nicholasville, Ky., five bass, 12-8, $496
4th: Jared Rudd of Salyersville, Ky., five bass, 12-8, $496
Doug Dewar of Burlington, Kentucky, caught the largest bass in the Co-angler Division, weighing in at 4 pounds, 3 ounces. The catch earned the day’s Co-angler Big Bass award of $337.
The 2020 Phoenix Bass Fishing League presented by T-H Marine Double-Header on Dale Hollow Lake was hosted by Star Point Marina & Resort. It was the second and third of five qualifying events in the Mountain Division.
The top 45 boaters and co-anglers in the Mountain Division based on point standings, along with the five winners of each qualifying event, will be entered in the Oct. 8-10 Bass Fishing League Regional Championship on Lake Chickamauga in Dayton, Tennessee, hosted by the Rhea Economic & Tourism Council. Boaters will compete for a $60,000 prize package, including a new Phoenix 819 Pro bass boat with a 200-horsepower Mercury outboard and $10,000, while co-anglers will fish for a new 18-foot Phoenix bass boat with a 200-horsepower outboard.
The 2020 Phoenix Bass Fishing League presented by T-H Marine is a 24-division circuit devoted to weekend anglers, with 128 tournaments throughout the season, five qualifying events in each division. The top 45 boaters and co-anglers from each division, along with the five winners of the qualifying events, will advance to one of six regional tournaments where they are competing to finish in the top six, which then qualifies them for one of the longest-running championships in all of competitive bass fishing – the Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American.
The 2020 Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American will be held Nov. 11-13 at Lake Hartwell in Anderson, South Carolina and is hosted by Visit Anderson. The top 45 boaters and co-anglers plus tournament winners from each Phoenix Bass Fishing League division earn priority entry into the FLW Series, the pathway to the FLW Pro Circuit and ultimately the MLF Bass Pro Tour, where top pros compete with no entry fees.
For complete details and updated information visit FLWFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow the Phoenix Bass Fishing League presented by T-H Marine on FLW’s social media outlets at Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.
Barnett Wins Phoenix Bass Fishing League Event on Indian Lake
Okeana’s Jones Wins Co-angler Division
LAKEVIEW, Ohio (June 8, 2020) – Boater John Barnett of Huntsville, Ohio, brought a five-bass limit to the scale Saturday weighing 13 pounds even to win the 2020 Phoenix Bass Fishing League presented by T-H Marine event at Indian Lake in Lakeview, Ohio. For his victory, Barnett earned a total of $4,872.
The tournament was the first of five events in the Buckeye Division presented by A.R.E. Truck Caps.
“I fished on the north end of the lake, by Long Island,” said Barnett, who earned his first career FLW win. “I was punching a mixture of grass – a lot of coon tails – keying in on patches that had deeper water around it. I got most of my good bites around 3½- to 4-foot-deep, which on this lake is relatively deep.”
Although he didn’t divulge any specifics, Barnett said he punched with both beaver- and craw-type baits with ¾- and 1¼-ounce weights, cycling through different setups to see what the bass wanted.
“I found those fish two weeks ago and pretty much just expanded on my area,” Barnett went on to say. “I had a set game plan of what I wanted to do in this tournament, and everything worked out for me.”
The top 10 boaters finished the tournament as follows:
1st: John Barnett of Huntsville, Ohio., five bass, 13-0, $4,872
2nd: Brody Campbell of Oxford, Ohio, five bass, 12-13, $2,436
3rd: Benjamin Quisno of Maineville, Ohio, five bass, 11-4, $1,623
4th: Gaige Hennon of New Hampshire, Ohio, five bass, 11-3, $1,137
5th: Robert Grosse of Thornville, Ohio, five bass, 11-0, $1,474
6th: Douglas Lyon of Cincinnati, Ohio, five bass, 10-10, $893
7th: Todd Miller of Hamilton, Ohio, five bass, 10-8, $812
8th: Ronald Nutter of Newark, Ohio, five bass, 10-5, $731
9th: Michael Nesbitt of St. Paris, Ohio, five bass, 10-3, $609
9th: Brandon Cline of Wheelersburg, Ohio, five bass, 10-3, $609
Complete results can be found at FLWFishing.com.
William Redmond of Sciotoville, Ohio, claimed the day’s Boater Big Bass Award of $735 after bringing a 4-pound bass to the scale.
Grosse was the highest-finishing FLW PHOENIX BONUS member and took home an extra $500. Boaters are eligible to win up to an extra $7,000 per event in each Phoenix Bass Fishing League presented by T-H Marine tournament if all requirements are met. More information on the FLW PHOENIX BONUS contingency program can be found at PhoenixBassBoats.com.
Brent Jones of Okeana, Ohio, won the Co-angler Division and $2,436 Saturday after catching five bass weighing 9 pounds, 4 ounces.
The top 10 co-anglers finished as follows:
1st: Brent Jones of Okeana, Ohio, five bass, 9-4, $2,436
2nd: Eric Wild of Brooklyn, Mich., five bass, 8-12, $1,383
2nd: Jefferey Shields of Covington, Ohio, five bass, 8-12, $1,016
4th: John McKenzie of Athens, Ohio, five bass, 8-8, $568
5th: Aaron Stahley of Batavia, Ohio, five bass, 8-7, $487
6th: Joel Berelsman of Minster, Ohio, five bass, 7-15, $447
7th: James Mayle of Newark, Ohio, four bass, 7-10, $406
8th: Chris McCusker of Beaver Falls, Pa., four bass, 7-9, $345
8th: Steve Sorrell of Beavercreek, Ohio, five bass, 7-9, $345
10th: Jeff Gauspohl of Dayton, Ky., four bass, 7-8, $284
Wild caught the largest bass in the Co-angler Division, weighing in at 3 pounds, 11 ounces. The catch added to his winnings as he earned the day’s Co-angler Big Bass award of $367.
The top 45 boaters and co-anglers in the Buckeye Division presented by A.R.E. Truck Caps based on point standings, along with the five winners of each qualifying event, will be entered in the Oct. 16-18 Phoenix Bass Fishing League Regional Championship on Cherokee Lake in Jefferson City, Tennessee, hosted by the Jefferson County Chamber of Commerce. Boaters will compete for a $60,000 prize package, including a new Phoenix 819 Pro bass boat with a 200-horsepower Mercury outboard and $10,000, while co-anglers will fish for a new 18-foot Phoenix bass boat with a 200-horsepower outboard.
The 2020 Phoenix Bass Fishing League presented by T-H Marine is a 24-division circuit devoted to weekend anglers, with 128 tournaments throughout the season, five qualifying events in each division. The top 45 boaters and co-anglers from each division, along with the five winners of the qualifying events, will advance to one of six regional tournaments where they are competing to finish in the top six, which then qualifies them for one of the longest-running championships in all of competitive bass fishing – the Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American.
The 2020 Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American will be held Nov. 11-13 at Lake Hartwell in Anderson, South Carolina and is hosted by Visit Anderson. The top 45 boaters and co-anglers plus tournament winners from each Phoenix Bass Fishing League division earn priority entry into the FLW Series, the pathway to the FLW Pro Circuit and ultimately the MLF Bass Pro Tour, where top pros compete with no entry fees.
For complete details and updated information visit FLWFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow the Phoenix Bass Fishing League presented by T-H Marine on FLW’s social media outlets at Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.
Inaugural Alabama Bass Trail 100 Series Sells Out in less than Two Days
Decatur, Ala. (June 4, 2020) – Tournament officials announce registration is closed for the inaugural 2021 Alabama Bass Trail (ABT) 100 Series, with all 100 of the available boat entries selling out in 39 hours. The 2021 ABT 100 series gets underway January 9.
Registration for the 2021 ABT 100 Series opened to the public June 1, 2020, and reached its limit within 39 hours. “The Alabama Bass Trail 100 was created to continue efforts to grow the economic impacts of tourism in smaller lakeside communities. We are thrilled to have anglers, including 10 professional anglers, from 12 states competing in these events while showcasing our lakes to the world. I can't thank the anglers, sponsors and host cities enough for believing in the Alabama Bass Trail 100,” said Kay Donaldson, program director for the Alabama Bass Trail.
According to Donaldson, teams will be traveling from 12 states, Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi, Tennessee, Florida, North Carolina, Ohio, Minnesota, Missouri, Indiana, Illinois and Texas to compete in the 2021 ABT 100 series. The Alabama Bass Trail and its tournaments create an estimated economic impact of over $3 million dollars for the state of Alabama annually.
The ABT 100 Series is open to professional and amateur anglers and features three tournaments. Tournament dates and locations for 2021 Alabama Bass Trail 100 Series:
January 9, 2021 Lay Lake / hosted by Shelby County Commission
June 5, 2021 Lake Eufaula / hosted by Eufaula-Barbour Chamber of Commerce
November 20, 2021 Lake Guntersville / hosted by Marshall County Convention and Visitors Bureau
Each tournament features a $25,000 guaranteed first place prize and pays 20 places plus a $1,000 big fish totaling $100,000.
Payout Schedule:
First place $25,000
Second place $12,500
Third place $10,000
Fourth place $ 9,000
Fifth place $ 7,500
Sixth place $ 6,000
Seventh place $ 5,000
Eighth place $ 4,000
Ninth place $ 3,000
Tenth place $ 2,000
11th – 20th $ 1,500 each
Big Fish $ 1,000
The ABT 100 Series will be televised on Fox Sports Southeast later in 2021. The weigh-in and live leaderboard will be streamed live on www.AlabamaBassTrail100.org and on Facebook at Alabama Bass Trail 100 Series.
ABT 100 Series sponsors include Phoenix Bass Boats, FishAlabama.org, Bill Penney Toyota, America’s First Federal Credit Union, American Baitworks, T-H Marine Supplies, Inc., Wedowee Marine and Garmin.
For more information, call Donaldson at 855.934.7425 or visit online at www.AlabamaBassTrail100.org, on Facebook at Alabama Bass Trail 100 Series and on Instagram at albasstrail100.
| First Name | Last Name | City | State | First Name | Last Name | City | State |
| Lee | Holmes | Talladega | AL | Alan | Guinn | Talladega | AL |
| Eric | Morris | Lineville | AL | Alex | Davis | Albertville | AL |
| Walt | Roberts | Gautier | MS | Justin | Sward | D'iberville | MS |
| Gerald | Swindle | Guntersville | AL | Ryan | Anaya | Eva | AL |
| Steve | Hatfield | Ashland | OH | Jim | Leary | Guntersville | AL |
| Rusty | Mask | Dadeville | AL | Cody | Farr | Alexander City | AL |
| Ken | Walters | Deatsville | AL | Dallas | Weldon | Tallassee | AL |
| Travis | Clemen | Clarks Hill | IN | Ricky | Clemen | Lebanon | MO |
| Ashley | Brasher | Clanton | AL | Roger | Perkins | Verbena | AL |
| Shane | Meers | Rome | GA | James | Meers | Rome | GA |
| James | Blount | Kinsey | AL | Robert | Blount | Dothan | Al |
| Phillip | Dukes | Rainsville | AL | Bailey | Dukes | Rainsville | AL |
| David | Pair | Abbeville | AL | Chad | Wise | Dothan | AL |
| Teron | Prince | New hope | AL | Jeff | Stubblefield | Grant | AL |
| Kevin | Allman | Bryson City | NC | Jack | Tibbs | Eufaula | AL |
| Paul | Thornton | Laurel | MS | James | Carter | Laurel | MS |
| Darian | Kyle | Athens | AL | Billy | Adcock | Athens | AL |
| Mike | Rasco | Madison | AL | Eric | Johnson | Columbus | IN |
| Matthew | Adams | Oxford | AL | Jason | Borden | Union Grove | AL |
| James | Grogan | Fort Mitchell | AL | Ryan | Ingram | Phenix City | AL |
| Greg | Lamb | Birchwood | TN | Jason | Lambert | Miche | TN |
| Scott | Canterbury | Odenville | AL | Terry | Stevens | Marianna | FL |
| Jerry | Evans | Semmes | AL | Cody | Evans | Semmes | AL |
| Kevin | Stubblefield | Guntersville | AL | Scott | Randles | Grant | AL |
| Derrick | Smith | Waleksa | GA | Brian | Shook | Taylorsville | GA |
| Walker | Kent | Chelsea | AL | Nick | Harris | Alabaster | AL |
| Heath | Greene | Eufaula | AL | Ethan | Greene | Eufaula | AL |
| Sean | Kendrick | Calera | AL | Tommy | Leverette | Chelsea | AL |
| Randy | Tolbert jr | Rome | GA | Josh | Butler | Hayden | AL |
| Charlie | Williams | Lagrange | GA | Michael | Smith | Luthersville | GA |
| Wesley | Sams | Vinemont | AL | Jordan | Wiggins | Cullman | AL |
| Jordan | Lee | Cullman | AL | Wes | Ward | Guntersville | AL |
| Tim | Daily | Tuscaloosa | AL | Todd | Watkins | Berry | Al |
| Matthew | Fincher | Tuscumbia | AL | Jacob | Kimbrough | Florence | AL |
| William | Tager | Arab | AL | Ray | Baker | Madison | AL |
| Scott | Dondlinger | Birmingham | AL | Garrett | Warren | Hoover | AL |
| Dale | Manning | Scottsboro | AL | Kevin | Beasley | Hollywood | AL |
| Thomas | Garbacz | Cumming | GA | Frank | Spacil | Downers Grove | IL |
| Shane | Horton | Wilsonville | AL | Brandon | Horton | Wilsonville | AL |
| Wendell | Edgil | Winfield | AL | Charlie | Harris | Athens | AL |
| Aaron | Knott | Anoka | MN | Adam | Bartusek | Lakeville | MN |
| Daniel | Robison | Collinsville | AL | Brody | Robison | Collinsville | AL |
| Jerry | Hartline | Cedartown | GA | Robbin | Vaughn | Arley | AL |
| Ethan | Franklin | Hayden | AL | Hunter | Mccarty | Hayden | AL |
| Ronnie | Ray | Phenix City | AL | Danny | Cotney | Camp Hill | AL |
| Blaine | Stevens | Ozark | AL | Mark | Tindol | New Brockton | AL |
| Jason | Cannon | Lawrenceburg | TN | Michael | Brewer | Lawrenceburg | TN |
| Jackie | Flack | Cullman | AL | Ethan | Flack | Baileyton | AL |
| Lisa | Johnson | Centre | AL | Mike | Johnson | Centre | AL |
| Anthony | Goggins | Clanton | AL | Dustin | Wood | Eufaula | AL |
| Don | Thomas | Smith Station | Al | Scott | Flournoy | Salem | AL |
| Paul | Davis | Pell City | AL | Josh | Chapple | Pell City | AL |
| William | Davis jr. | Sylacauga | AL | Scott | Montgomery | Eufaula | AL |
| Philip | Junkin | Northport | AL | Joe | Bridges | Northport | AL |
| Ronald | Terry | Seale | AL | Taylor | Terry | Seale | AL |
| Taylor | Ashley | Warrior | AL | Chase | Kanute | Warrior | AL |
| Caleb | Mcneal | Prattville | AL | Taylor | Luna | Prattville | AL |
| Tim | Hurst | Oxford | AL | Mark | McCaig | Oxford | AL |
| Brent | Crow | Hartselle | Al | Jssse | Wiggins | Logan | AL |
| Jimmy | Miller | Eclectic | AL | Mark | Stillwell | Eclectic | AL |
| Jeston | Anderson | Mobile | Al | Lee | Carpenter | Wilmer | AL |
| Robert | Croxton | Lilburn | GA | Mark | Compton | Lilburn | GA |
| Logan | Johnson | Tuscaloosa | AL | Jeremy | Christian | Mccalla | AL |
| Jonathan | Collins | Vinemont | AL | Derek | Hicks | Dalton | GA |
| Sam | Long | Gadsden | AL | Jason | Atkins | Section | AL |
| Randal | Hamilton | Plantersville | AL | Randal | Hamilton | Plantersville | AL |
| Jace | Thompson | Opelika | AL | Thomas | Eden | Salem | AL |
| Clent | Davis | Montevallo | AL | Lance | Poe | Jemison | AL |
| Nicholas | Turner | Clanton | AL | Joe | Lay | Coker | AL |
| Brian | Adamson | Bowdon | GA | Ryan | Lloyd | Carrolton | GA |
| Matt | Henry | Milledgeville | GA | Justin | Kimmel | Athens | GA |
| Brain | Stiffler | Pelham | AL | Chad | Hall | Cullman | AL |
| Kristian | Cabarcas | Springfield | TN | Kendale | Roach | Lebanon | TN |
| Matt | Lee | Bremen | AL | Grant | Hopson | Bremen | AL |
| Jimmy | Whaley | Mcdonough | GA | Terry | Adams | Mansfield | GA |
| Timothy | Hatcher | Trussville | AL | Bob | Behrle | Hoover | AL |
| Kyle | Schuchard | Mulga | AL | Adam | Christen | Arab | AL |
| Morgan | Brown | Spanish Fort | AL | Michael | Roush | Mobile | AL |
| Justin | Lynch | Guntersville | AL | Nathan | Martin | Tuscumbia | AL |
| Waylon | Mullis | Duncanville | AL | Ridge | Mullis | Duncanville | AL |
| Mickey | Mchenry | Eatonton | GA | Kim | Carver | Milledgeville | GA |
| Jason | Christy | Jackson's Gap | AL | Brandon | Pritchard | Auburn | AL |
| John | Brown | Wedowee | AL | Trey | Sorrells | Wedowee | AL |
| Andy | Chappell | Warrior | AL | Johnny | McCombs | Morris | AL |
| Nolen | Spencer | Beechgrove | TN | Robby | Spencer | Shelbyville | TN |
| Matt | Allen | Lewisburg | TN | Ted | Paisley | Christana | TN |
| Joel | Green | Moulton | AL | Allen | Johnson | Trinity | AL |
| Stephen | Mcavoy | Springville | AL | Joshua | Butts | Springville | AL |
| Kris | Colley | Ragland | AL | Adam | Bain | Talladega | AL |
| John | Fredrick | Hamilton | GA | John | Lee | Cataula | GA |
| Lonnie | Cochran | Section | AL | Lee | Livesay | Longview | TX |
| Steve | Graziano | Phenix City | AL | Steve | Graziano | Phenix city | AL |
| Mark | Succi | Midland | GA | Frank | Bradfield | Fortson | GA |
| Mike | Young | Suwanee | GA | Mel | Kennedy | Cumming | GA |
| Eric | Daugherty | Hiram | GA | Tate | Gragg | Hiram | GA |
| Stephen | Perry | Montgomery | AL | Matt | Tanaka | Cecil | AL |
| Scott | Saucer | Frisco city | AL | William | Bean | Mccalla | AL |
| Bo | Quinnie | Tuscaloosa | AL | Deandrae | Kimbrough | Tuscaloosa | AL |
| Zachariah | Smith | Decherd | TN | Bill | Darby | Fayetteville | TN |
| Lavoyd | Lemmond | Decatur | AL | Zachary | Lemmond | Hillsboro | AL |
Major League Fishing Resumes Live Competition: Birge Buries the Field
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Vandiver’s Stracner Wins Toyota Series Tournament at Lake Eufaula
EUFAULA, Ala. (June 6, 2020) – Alabama boater Josh Stracner of Vandiver, Alabama, brought a five-bass limit to the scale Saturday weighing 22 pounds, 3 ounces to win the three-day Toyota Series at Lake Eufaulatournament in Eufaula, Alabama. Stracner’s three-day total of 15 bass weighing 64-15 earned him the win by a 2-pound, 2-ounce margin over second-place angler Ryan Ingram of Phenix City, Alabama, and earned Stracner the top payout of $29,034 in the first tournament of the 2020 Toyota Series Southeastern Division.
This is Stracner’s fourth FLW win on Lake Eufaula – first on the Toyota Series – but midway through the day, it didn’t look like he was going to be able to pull off the come-from-behind victory after starting the day in third place.
Stracner started the day doing what he’d done the previous two days of competition – fishing deep ledges in the mid-lake area. But today, it just wasn’t happening. With 13 to 14 pounds in the livewell and a few hours left to fish, Stracner knew he needed to change up. Eventually, he shifted to fishing shallow brush – in this case 12 to 15 feet deep – which quickly proved to be the right move.
“I did not even think about it moving shallow until about 12 o’clock, and the deep stuff wasn’t working,” Stracner said. “So I went shallow and started catching a few. I caught enough that I just stayed with it the rest of the day. And right before this storm came through, I caught three good ones on back-to-back stops.”
Stracner said that he used about a half-dozen baits throughout the week to catch the winning fish. His main ledge baits on the first two days of competition were a Strike King 10XD and 6-inch Scottsboro Tackle Co. Swimbait on a Scottsboro Recon Head. Saturday, fishing brush, he caught some on a Reaction Innovations Fat Flirt Worm, and a Z-Man ChatterBait.
“I can’t believe it,” Stracner went on to say. “I never really thought I could’ve won it. I was just hoping to stay in second or third. I just had to work real hard this week. You’ve got to be on the right stuff at the right time. Everything’s got to go right, and today was just my day. That’s really all I can say. I feel very fortunate right now.”
The top 10 pros on Lake Eufaula finished:
1st: Josh Stracner of Vandiver, Ala., 15 bass, 64-15, $29,034
2nd: Ryan Ingram of Phenix City, Ala., 15 bass, 62-13, $10,669
3rd: Bryan New of Belmont, N.C., 15 bass, 61-8, $8,260
4th: Michael M. Smith, Andalusia, Ala., 15 bass, 61-2, $6,883
5th: Shane Powell of Dothan, Ala., 15 bass, 61-0, $6,195
6th: Josh Butler of Hayden, Ala., 15 bass, 58-0, $6,507
7th: Scott Montgomery of Eufaula, Ala., 15 bass, 56-8, $4,899
8th: Dustin Smith of Grand Island, Fla., 15 bass, 54-13, $4,130
9th: Austin Lang of Kinsey, Ala., 15 bass, 53-12, $3,442
10th: Kacy Mims of Randolph, Ala., 15 bass, 53-11, $2,753
A complete list of results can be found atFLWFishing.com.
Butler took home an extra $1,000 as the highest finishing FLW PHOENIX BONUS member. Boaters are eligible to win up to an extra $35,000 per event in each Toyota Series tournament if all requirements are met. More information on the FLW PHOENIX BONUS contingency program can be found at PhoenixBassBoats.com.
Hank Golden of Tallassee, Alabama, brought a 6-pound, 12-ounce largemouth bass to the scale Friday – the largest fish weighed by a boater in the event – to earn the day’s Big Bass award of $81.
Blake Lewis of Pace, Florida, won the Co-angler Division Saturday with a three-day total of 15 bass weighing 44 pounds, 4 ounces. Lewis took home the top prize package of a new Phoenix 518 Pro bass boat with a 115-horsepower outboard motor.
The top 10 co-anglers on Lake Eufaula finished:
1st: Blake Lewis of Pace, Fla., 15 bass, 44-4, Phoenix 518 Pro bass boat w/115-hp outboard
2nd: Cal Culpepper of Hamilton, Ga., 15 bass, 43-9, $3,544
3rd: Bryce Goff of Haines City, Fla., 15 bass, 40-14, $2,836
4th: Chuck Laslie of Havana, Fla., 15 bass, 39-7, $2,481
5th: Joseph Chilcott of Crestview, Fla., 13 bass, 39-1, $2,127
6th: Daniel Corkern of Florence, Miss., 15 bass, 38-14, $1,772
7th: Todd Beaver of Richland, Ga., 15 bass, 38-0, $1,418
8th: Tony Muina of Wewahitchka, Fla., 13 bass, 37-8, $1,241
9th: Alan Ray of Georgetown, Ga., 12 bass, 37-1, $1,117
10th: Ronald Harris of Jefferson, Ga., 14 bass, 33-5, $886
Rob Lyerly of Smyrna, Georgia, weighed in the largest bass in the co-angler division on Thursday, bringing a 6-pound, 7-ounce bass to the stage. He earned the days Co-angler Big Bass award of $54.
The Toyota Series at Lake Eufaula was hosted by the Eufaula Barbour County Chamber of Commerce. It was the first of three regular-season tournaments in 2020 for Southeastern Division anglers. For a complete schedule, visit FLWFishing.com.
The Toyota Series consists of eight divisions – Central, Eastern, Northern, Plains, Southeastern, Southern, Southwestern and Western – each holding three regular-season events, along with the International division. Anglers who fish all three qualifiers in any of the eight divisions and finish in the top 25 will qualify for the no-entry-fee Toyota Series Championship for a shot at winning $235,000 cash, including a $35,000 FLW PHOENIX Bonus for qualified anglers. The winning co-angler at the championship earns a new Phoenix 518 Pro bass boat with a 115-horsepower outboard. The 2020 Toyota Series Championship will be held Dec. 3-5 on Lake Cumberland in Burnside, Kentucky, and is hosted by the Somerset Tourist & Convention Commission and the Burnside Tourism Commission.
For complete details and updated information visitFLWFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow the Toyota Series on FLW’s social media outlets at Facebook,Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.
Smith remains in the lead at Eufaula with 50 pounds even
June 5, 2020 by Curtis Niedermier - FLWFishing.com
If you could pick which days you’d catch your two biggest limits ever on a lake, you’d probably want them to come on the first two days of a major bass tournament, right?
Well, Michael Smith can attest to just how fun it is when the dream scenario occurs. Competing in the Toyota Series Southeastern Division event at Lake Eufaula this week, the Andalusia, Ala., pro weighed in 25 pounds, 7 ounces yesterday to take the lead and backed it up with 24-9 today. His 50-pound two-day total has Smith ahead of second-place pro Scott Montgomery by 5 pounds, 9 ounces.
“It’s been a magical week,” says Smith. “Those are the two biggest bags I’ve ever weighed on Eufaula, and they were back to back. I picked the right week to figure it out. I put a lot of time in and found a lot of good places. I could’ve probably had a bigger bag. I jumped off a 4 1/2 and broke one off today that I couldn’t even get off the bottom. So, I don’t know. I’m cautiously optimistic.
“I said yesterday I had about 30 places to hit and only hit 15 to get to what I had, and I probably only hit 15 again today. I’ve still got some places that I haven’t even hit in the tournament. The places that I have been catching them I haven’t pressured at all the last two days. I’ve pulled up, caught two or three, and then left before I’ve broke the schools up.”
Smith is targeting schools of bass on offshore ledges. Today, he couldn’t even get on the four schools that were his best from yesterday. There were boats on them this morning, and he never needed them in the afternoon.
“We’re going to hit every one of them tomorrow,” he adds. “I’ve quit fishing every day at 12 because it’s hard to cull 4-pounders. Tomorrow, there’s only going to be 10 people out here, and we’re going to burn ’em to the ground.”
Smith is fishing a combination of moving baits and slower soft plastics. The moving options are working well early in the day, but he slows it down midday once the lull sets in.
He also thinks he’s got some “sneaky” places on Eufaula that his competition might not have found. That’s one explanation for why he’s catching 25 pounds a day and some of the other sticks in this tournament, all of whom seem to be sharing schools, aren’t able to keep the same pace.
“I think just having a lot of places is key,” Smith says. “And some of it is probably just being fortunate to not get in a bad rotation. If you get in a bad rotation and you’re fishing behind people all day, you’re going to be having a tough time and wondering what’s going on. I think hitting as many fresh places as you can early while they’re biting is key. Almost every one of those fish I weighed in was the first cast I made on the place that I stopped on. If you pull up and make five casts and you haven’t caught one, you need to go somewhere else. A lot of these are one-cast deals, and they’re either there or they’re not. And if a big one’s there, he’s gonna bite it.”
Top 10 pros
1. Michael M. Smith – Andalusia, Ala. – 50-0 (10)
2. Scott Montgomery – Eufaula, Ala. – 44-7 (10)
3. Josh Stracner – Vandiver, Ala. – 42-12 (10)
4. Josh Butler – Hayden, Ala. – 41-9 (10)
5. Shane Powell – Dothan, Ala. – 40-12 (10)
6. Bryan New – Belmont, N.C. – 38-14 (10)
7. Ryan Ingram – Phenix City, Ala. – 38-14 (10)
8. Austin Lang – Kinsey, Ala. – 37-13 (10)
9. Kacy Mims – Randolph, Ala. – 37-11 (10)
10. Dustin Smith – Grand Island, Fla. – 37-8 (10)
CULPEPPER MOVES INTO CO-ANGLER LEAD
After opening up the tournament with a second-place showing yesterday, Hamilton, Ga., co-angler Cal Culpepper caught 13 pounds, 5 ounces today to move into first place. His two-day total of 31-7 has Culpepper just 1 pound, 6 ounces ahead of Alan Ray in second place.
Top 10 co-anglers
1. Cal Culpepper – Hamilton, Ga. – 31-7 (10)
2. Alan Ray – Georgetown, Ga. – 30-1 (8)
3. Tony Muina – Wewahitchka, Fla. – 29-13 (10)
4. Blake Lewis – Pace, Fla. – 28-14 (10)
5. Bryce Goff – Haines City, Fla. – 28-7 (10)
6. Joseph Chilcott – Crestview, Fla. – 26-11 (8)
7. Todd Beaver – Richland, Ga. – 26-11 (10)
8. Daniel Corkern – Florence, Miss. – 25-4 (10)
9. Chuck Laslie – Havana, Fla. – 25-2 (10)
10. Ronald Harris – Jefferson, Ga. – 23-11 (10)
Smith tops 25 pound limit. Leads day 1 of FLW TOYOTA Series on Eufaula
June 4, 2020 by Curtis Niedermier - FLW
It’s a 90-minute drive from Michael Smith’s Andalusia, Ala., home to Lakepoint Resort State Park where the Toyota Series Southeastern Division kicked off its season today on Lake Eufaula. That’s just close enough, says Smith, that he fishes here more than anywhere else. His understanding of how Eufaula’s bass transition from the bank to postspawn ares to the main lake really showed today while Smith put together an impressive 25-pound, 7-ounce limit to gain the day-one tournament lead.
“I actually won a BFL here a few years ago and won a bunch of other little bit smaller events than this, so I’ve had a lot of success out here,” he says. “This isn’t really my favorite time of year, so I put in a lot of work before this tournament because I really knew I needed to. A lot of those places I found really paid off today.”
Smith says the bass in Eufaula are doing a “little bit of all of it,” meaning they’re still on the bank, transitioning to postspawn areas, setting up on summer spots, and now returning to the bank to capitalize on a mayfly hatch and spawning bluegills.
He spent part of his morning trying to find a big bite up shallow before switching gears and moving offshore. Once he made the move, Smith pounded out his 25-and-change limit by noon and then went back to the bank to “mess around” and see if he could luck into a giant. He never did.
“You couldn’t catch anything over 2 pounds [up shallow],” he says. “I kind of figured that, but there were a couple places where I thought I could get lucky and maybe catch a big one, but I didn’t.
“I don’t think I’ll fish shallow any tomorrow, but I think it was worth giving it a shot.”
Of the offshore bite, he says bass are in the “in between” range in 8 to 15 feet as well as on true river-channel ledges.
“I kind of tasted all of it today, but I’m kind of in more that mid-depth range,” Smith adds. “I did catch a few out deeper, but I’m in the mid-depth crowd catching them that are just getting out there. They seem to be the ones that are willing to bite. They just got off the bank, just got done spawning, and they’re feeding up to recuperate.”
With new fish coming to him, Smith is cautiously optimistic about his chances at a repeat performance tomorrow.
“I had about 30 places that I caught one over 4 pounds in practice, and I only had to hit about half of those today to catch what I had, and really had almost quit,” he says. “I had 22 at, like, 9 o’clock and kind of was just messing around from there. And from 9 to 12 I caught a 4 1/2 and a 5. That kicked me up to 25. So after that I was for sure done. I left a lot of stuff out there, [but don’t know] whether people hit it today. But it got to the point where I was culling almost 4-pounders, and I didn’t feel like that was a good idea for the rest of the event. I definitely left some stuff, so we’ll see if it works out.”
Top 10 pros
1. Michael M Smith – Andalusia, Ala. – 25-7 (5)
2. Josh Stracner – Vandiver, Ala. – 23-9 (5)
3. Scott Montgomery – Eufaula, Ala. – 23-5 (5)
4. Shane Powell – Dothan, Ala. – 23-0 (5)
5. Josh Bragg – Jacksonville, Ala. – 20-12 (5)
6. Laker Howell – Guntersville, Ala. – 20-5 (5)
7. Bryan New – Belmont, N.C. – 19-11 (5)
8. Clabion Johns – Social Circle, Ga. – 19-7 (5)
9. Ryan Ingram – Phenix City, Ala. – 19-4 (5)
10. Chandler Ray – Georgetown, Ga. – 19-1 (5)
CHILCOTT SETS CO-ANGLER PACE WITH 19-2
Crestview, Fla., co-angler Joseph Chilcott had himself a big day today fishing with pro Matt Baty. Chilcott cracked 19 pounds, 2 ounces to open the event in first place with a 1-pound cushion over Cal Culpepper, setting himself up for a shot at a brand-new Phoenix bass boat.
"We started the day off shallow and weren't really getting bit, so we jumped around and hit some ledges and brush," Chilcott says. "We pretty much just went spot to spot and never really stayed anywhere too long. For me, everything just worked out perfect. I didn't lose any fish. Every fish I set the hook on came in the boat, and I just lucked up and got into some good fish. Matt's an excellent guide, obviously. It was a really good day for me."
Top 10 co-anglers
1. Joseph Chilcott – Crestview, Fla. – 19-2 (5)
2. Cal Culpepper – Hamilton, Ga. – 18-2 (5)
3. Alan Ray – Georgetown, Ga. – 17-4 (5)
3. Andrew Wade – Thomaston, Ga. – 17-4 (5)
5. Tacorrie Johnson – Columbus, Ga. – 16-7 (5)
6. Garrett Brown – Trion, Ga. – 15-14 (5)
7. Blake Lewis – Pace, Fla. – 15-11 (5)
8. Greg Bearden – Oxford, Ala. – 14-11 (5)
9. Bob Morin – Seymour, Tenn. – 14-1 (5)
10. Tony Muina – Wewahitchka, Fla. – 14-0 (5)
10. Chuck Laslie – Havana, Fla. – 14-0 (5)
ASA Reveals Plans for ICAST 2020 Online
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Minn Kota® and Humminbird® One-Boat Challenge Series to be Featured on Mossy Oak Go App
RACINE, Wis. (May 27, 2020) — Many of you fish-heads have witnessed the One-Boat Challenge on the internet over the past month or so, and now it’s heading to Mossy Oak’s streaming app. This branded entertainment series from Humminbird® and Minn Kota®, will also debut on the Mossy Oak Go Appstarting Wednesday, May 27th.
Utilizing the technological advantages of the One-Boat Network™, which combines Humminbirdelectronics, Minn Kota trolling motors and Talon shallow-water anchors into a single, integrated system, the eight competitors compete on the famed Mexican bass fishery using One-Boat Network-equipped Vexus boats to see which team can catch the most — or the biggest — fish. While competition winners reap rewards and gain immunity, losing teams receive penalties and face early elimination from the competition.
The reality TV-style competition took place at Anglers Inn on Lake El Salto, a proven big-bass lake surrounded by the picturesque Sierra Madre Mountains of Sinaloa, Mexico. Two-angler teams faced a series of challenges testing their fishing skills, their ability to think on their feet and adapt to changes, as well as their technical savvy with the One Boat Network. For the entirety of the competition, anglers relied on Humminbird SOLIX® units, MEGA Imaging®, Minn Kota Ultrex™ trolling motors, and Talon shallow water anchors to help them locate and catch some of the most famous black bass in the world.
In addition to bragging rights, the teams battled for $10,000 in prize money to be donated to the charity of their choice. Contestants and their charity of choice include:
- Tyler Anderson, Bass Fishing YouTuber – Kids Outdoor Zone
- Mike Roy, Striped Bass Guide – Saltwater Guide’s Association
- Seth Funt, Pelagic Fisherman – Coastal Conservation Association
- Charlie Breitenbach, Inshore Fly Fisherman – Captains for Clean Water
- Cameron Black, Salmon and Steelhead Guide – Hatchery Wild Coexist
- Ashley Nichole Lewis, Salmon and Steelhead Guide – Brown Folks Fishing
- Willie Young, NFL Defensive End – Keep America Fishing
- Louie Vito, Olympic Snowboarder – Take Me Fishing
“We’ve been waiting for this moment to launch the One-Boat Challenge and we are thankful to everyone that helped to make this happen and the industry who continue to share the fun of fishing around the globe,” said Brad Henry, Minn Kota Brand Manager. “The episodes are meant to be entertaining and bring awareness to current and new consumers of the benefits of the One-Boat Network.”
The teams were outfitted with gear from some of fishing’s most esteemed brands, including AFTCO, Abu Garcia, Berkley, Gerber Gear, Old Town Kayak, Rapala, Plano, Shimano, St. Croix Rods, StrikeKing, and VMC. Vexus Boats, rigged with the One-Boat Network, were towed by Toyota USA trucks and SUVs throughout the competition.
How to watch:
You can catch the One-Boat Challenge on the Mossy Oak Go app and website at https://go.mossyoak.com/one-boat-challenge.
Other streaming options include http://www.OneBoatChallenge.com and Minn Kota’s YouTube channel, each episode chronicles the experience of a group of amateur bass anglers competing for top fishing honors on Mexico’s venerable Lake El Salto.
For more information visit www.humminbird.com or www.minnkotamotors.com.
Major League Fishing Announces Toyota as Title Sponsor of Heavy Hitters
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DEWALT To Sponsor Elite Event At Lake Eufaula
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — As tournament fishing prepares to restart in June, power tool manufacturer DEWALT has signed on as the title sponsor for the second event of the 2020 Bassmaster Elite Series season, B.A.S.S. announced today. The 2020 DEWALT Bassmaster Elite at Lake Eufaula will be held June 10-13 in Eufaula, Ala.
“We are proud to partner with DEWALT as we get back to competition,” said Bruce Akin, B.A.S.S. CEO. “Interest in fishing is booming across our country, and enthusiastic fans of fishing will be tuning in for four days of on-the-water action. I can’t imagine a better audience for DEWALT to promote their professional-grade tools.”
According to Tony Merritt, Stanley Black & Decker Director of Global Sponsorships & Activations, “We are excited to partner with B.A.S.S. as the title sponsor of the Bassmaster Elite Series event at Lake Eufaula, Alabama. It is a great opportunity for us to promote the DEWALT brand at the highest level of professional bass fishing and reach the many anglers and fans within the sport.”
Interest and participation in fishing is enjoying tremendous growth so far this year.
While tournament anglers are eager to jump back into competitive fishing, states across the country have seen remarkable growth in fishing license sales as many seek to reconnect with their families and the outdoors. Iowa, Minnesota, Vermont and Louisiana all report more than 50% higher fishing license sales in 2020, according to their state conservation agencies. Considered a hotbed of recreational fishing, even Alabama has experienced a 37% jump in resident fishing license sales.
Live coverage of the DEWALT Bassmaster Elite at Lake Eufaula starts Wednesday, June 10 at 8 a.m. EST, and for the first time, fans will enjoy three ways to catch the action. In addition to the insightful Bassmaster LIVE coverage on Bassmaster.com and ESPN3 that fans are familiar with during an Elite Series event, multiple hours will also be broadcast on ESPN2. Check listings for times.
About DEWALT
DEWALT is obsessed with how users work in the real world and is relentlessly pursuing total jobsite solutions. By incorporating its latest technology and industry innovations, DEWALT is leading the charge for the jobsite of the future. DEWALT products. GUARANTEED TOUGH®. For more information, visit www.dewalt.com or follow DEWALT on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn.
Crankin' up & Ready to go Fishing!
This week Chris and the boys welcome in good friend Roger & Taylor Metz with Woods and Water SC and our buddy Neil Paul with Visit Anderson as a continuation to Roger and Taylors radio show last weekend. Senior Director of Tournamet Ops for FLW, Mr. Daniel Fennel also joins us to talk about the remainder of the FLW season. Check it out!
Homan: a Purple Heart and Bonus Bucks
Courtesy of Alan McGuckin with Dynamic Sponsorships
Bassmaster Open Series angler Brent Homan sees every target he casts to with one eye. He lost the other eye on June 10, 2007 when an IED blew up the U.S. Army Bradley Fighting Vehicle he was commanding in Iraq while protecting the world from terrorism.
Homan, a successfully married father of three who now lives in Graham, Texas west of Forth Worth, also suffered a mangled thumb. “Doctors in Balad, Iraq told me they thought they could save my eye but not my thumb. I told them I needed my thumb to fish with,” recalls the Purple Heart recipient.
Five days later, back on American soil at Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio, Homan lost his right eye, but kept the thumb. Apparently, God knew he was a bass angler and would need the thumb to fish with – ultimately, Homan’s greatest therapy.
Thirteen years after the injury, when it was time to buy a new truck, Homan’s vision for the brand of vehicle he’d purchase was perfectly clear. On Memorial Day, 2020 – he bought a brand new Toyota Tundra, and then signed up for Toyota Bonus Bucks.
“The biggest reason I bought a Tundra was to be aligned with Toyota and B.A.S.S. – those two brands do a ton for bass anglers and one another,” says Homan. “Plus, it’s just a bad to the bone truck that’s assembled by American workers in Texas,” he says proudly.
Homan says his dream day of fishing would involve casting Scum Frogs and vibrating bladed jigs around matted vegetation on the Potomac River. But this year, his eighth season to compete in the Bassmaster Opens, he’ll focus on working hard to collect Toyota Bonus Bucks checks at the Arkansas River, Sam Rayburn and Neely Henry, before finishing the season near home on Lake Lewisville.
“Wherever we go, I’ll promise you I’ll have plenty of towing power for my Skeeter-Yamaha. I’ve literally had to learn to ease into accelerating with this Tundra, because the torque is so unreal compared to other trucks I’ve driven – especially going uphill,” says Homan.
In a sense, his new Tundra’s power to move forward reflects the supreme determination shown by Homan himself – a deeply admired Purple Heart recipient rich with kindness, humility, and perseverance.
Much like Homan, you too can cash-in on Toyota Bonus Bucks. You just have to own or lease a 2016 or newer Toyota Truck, sign up free for Bonus Bucks, and be the highest finishing registered participant in one of the hundreds of tournaments supported by the Program. To learn more, please visit www.toyotafishing.com.
Pro Angler Jamey Caldwell Joins Team Lew’s Former Special Operations Operator to Represent American Hero Series
Lexington, S.C. – May 28, 2020 – Not long after its reintroduction to the fishing industry, Lew’s has shown its heart for the men and women who provide the blanket of protection for the United States of America and its communities. In 2013, Lew’s established the American Hero Series, a lineup of rods, reels and combos in which a portion of the proceeds is used to help veterans and first responders enjoy the sport of fishing.
Today, Lew’s is proud to announce that former Special Operations Operator, SGM (ret) Jamey Caldwell; a professional angler from Carthage, N.C., has signed on to represent the American Hero Series of gear to anglers, veterans and first responders everywhere.
While serving, Caldwell learned how much fishing could help him when coming back from assignments. “After numerous combat deployments, I found myself needing an escape,” he said. “Fishing allowed me to relax and reset my mind which has continued to this today.”
As a professional angler, Caldwell knows that quality equipment can make all the difference competitively. He also knows what having a company support military and first responders can do for the psyche. “I’ve always admired the Lew’s brand for their quality of product and their pledge to support our Military and First Responders,” said Caldwell. “Being part of Team Lew’s and the American Hero program means a lot to me. With the donation of fishing equipment and proceeds from the sales of the American Hero line, this program provides that same opportunity to veterans; I am proud to be representing the brand and this program.”
As a longtime member of the Strike King pro staff, Caldwell is no stranger to the company as a whole. Mark Copley, Director of Pro Staff and Media Relations said that the decision was an easy one. “Though he would never say this himself, Jamey is the epitome of an American Hero,” said Copley of Caldwell’s service record. “He is also a tremendous angler and representative of a brand; he is the perfect choice to represent Lew’s and the American Hero Series; we are proud and grateful that he has chosen to fly these banners with us.”
About Sergeant Major (r) Jamey Caldwell
A 21-year United States Army veteran, who served his entire career in Special Operations. SGM Caldwell served 7 years with the 75th Ranger Regiment then spent the following 14 years in a Special Missions Unit that maintained a high operational tempo in Bosnia, Iraq, Afghanistan, and numerous other countries in the world. He has deployed to combat 14 times and has conducted well over 500 missions. SGM Caldwell has been awarded three medals for valorous actions in combat while under direct fire from the enemy. During his career SGM Caldwell has consistently dedicated himself to the success of the mission and put the unit’s goals in front of his own. He has been sought after for his leadership skills, planning, leading combat operations, marksmanship and CQB instruction, culminating from years of adaptive thinking in combat situations. Jamey is also the owner of 1 Minute Out a tactical training company. As an angler, Caldwell has competed in Bassmaster Opens, FLW Series and FLW Tour events. In 68 professional level events, Caldwell has posted four top 10 finishes; including one victory.
About Strike King
Strike King is a Springfield, MO based supplier of fishing tackle and sunglasses. The Company supplies hard baits, wire baits, soft plastics and related accessories through the mass market, sporting goods, and specialty outdoor channels. For further information about Strike King, please visit www.strikeking.com.
About Lew’s
Lew's Fishing is a Springfield, MO based supplier of fishing equipment and tackle. The Company supplies branded fishing reels, rods, and related accessories through the mass market, sporting goods, and specialty outdoor channels. For further information about Lew’s, please visit www.lews.com.
Sloan and Jackson win Bass Champs Cedar Creek event with overt 24 pounds!
| Place | Boat | Truck | Angler 1 | Angler 2 | Fish | Big Bass | Wt. | Prize Amt. | |
| 1 | DREW SLOAN SCURRY , TX |
NOLAN JACKSON ROYSE CITY , TX |
5 | 0 | 24.18 |
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| 2 | STEVEN STROMAN SCROGGINS , TX |
AARON WALKER MT VERNON , TX |
5 | 0 | 21.38 |
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| 3 | RYAN AUTERY RICHARDSON , TX |
TOM BROUILLETTE NEED INFO |
5 | 0 | 20.59 |
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| 4 |  |
BUSTER JOHNSON KRUM , TX |
ZACH PARKER DENTON , TX |
5 | 0 | 19.55 |
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| 5 | CODY NIX PLANO , TX |
CORY NIX DALLAS , TX |
5 | 0 | 18.93 |
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| 6 | CHARLIE HERRON EUSTACE , TX |
DAVID COLE COMBINE , TX |
5 | 0 | 18.87 |
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| 7 | MIKE WILLIAMS GREENVILLE , TX |
BRAD SMITH MANSFIELD , TX |
5 | 7.90 | 18.76 |
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| 8 | RANDY MILLENDER TEAGUE , TX |
KENNETH NICHOLS TEAGUE , TX |
5 | 0 | 18.68 |
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| 9 | KEITH TAYLOR ROCKWALL , TX |
LARRY LADNIER ROCKWALL , TX |
5 | 0 | 18.64 |
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| 10 |  |
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JOE ROME FLOWER MOUND , TX |
JOEL MCBRIDE CORINTH , TX |
5 | 0 | 18.63 |
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| 11 | DON STAPLETON YANTIS , TX |
5 | 0 | 18.58 |
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| 12 | MIKE BURNS LUCAS , TX |
ROB BURNS PLANO , TX |
5 | 0 | 18.36 |
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| 13 |  |
PERRY TAYLOR ROWLETT , TX |
DENNIS FARMER TRINIDAD , TX |
5 | 0 | 17.96 |
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| 14 | |
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JOHN BYLER ARGYLE , TX |
MATT FRANCE COLLEYVILLE , TX |
5 | 0 | 17.73 |
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| 15 | TONY CLIMER MESQUITE , TX |
TOMMY CLIMER JR MESQUITE , TX |
5 | 0 | 17.71 |
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| 16 | |
WILLIAM PALMER MIDLOTHIAN , TX |
JERAMIE BYRD MIDLOTHIAN , TX |
5 | 0 | 17.50 |
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| 17 | |
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KY MARTIN GRANDVIEW , TX |
CHRIS MOORE ROCKWALL , TX |
5 | 0 | 17.46 |
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| 18 | LEE BATSON HEATH , TX |
JOHN FLEMING COMBINE , TX |
5 | 0 | 17.28 |
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| 19 | ROCKIE MARTIN ROCKWALL , TX |
CLINT NOWELL FORT WORTH , TX |
5 | 0 | 17.26 |
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| 20 | |
DOUG BRUNDIDGE FARMERSVILLE , TX |
BERNARD GUNN JR FARMERSVILLE , TX |
5 | 0 | 16.66 |
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| 21 | JACOB BAKER TERRELL , TX |
MATTHEW KIRKLIN HAWKINS , TX |
5 | 0 | 16.61 |
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| 21 | ANTHONY JONES WILLIS , TX |
5 | 7.84 | 16.61 |
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| 23 | RICK NEWTON GRAPEVINE , TX |
JEFF ARNOLD LEWISVILLE , TX |
5 | 8.53 | 16.53 |
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| 24 | TERRY PEACOCK ROYSE CITY , TX |
SCOTT DEAN TERRELL , TX |
5 | 0 | 16.41 |
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| 25 | JOEFRANK THOMAS FORNEY , TX |
JUSTIN SPOERL TERRELL , TX |
5 | 0 | 16.26 |
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| 26 | |
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JOE HUCHOWSKI AZLE , TX |
NORMAN MINERICH FORT WORTH , TX |
5 | 0 | 16.16 |
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| 27 | |
MARK PARKER SHERMAN , TX |
RON SAUCEMAN COLLINSVILLE , TX |
5 | 0 | 16.03 |
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| 28 | RON ROGERS ROCKWALL , TX |
MIKE REID FATE , TX |
5 | 0 | 15.89 |
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| 29 | |
BRYON HARRISON QUINLAN , TX |
DIRK SMITH FARMERSVILLE , TX |
5 | 0 | 15.65 |
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| 30 | RONNIE CASTLEBURY ELGIN , OK |
JAKE CASTLEBURY ELGIN , OK |
5 | 0 | 15.53 |
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| 30 | SCOTT BARNETT MANSFIELD , TX |
BRIAN CLARK HALTOM CITY , TX |
5 | 0 | 15.53 |
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| 32 | JEREMY LAMBERT DECATUR , TX |
BRANDEN HOLLINGSHEAD AZLE , TX |
5 | 0 | 15.15 |
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| 33 | JAMES SEYMOUR OGLESBY , TX |
TONY MCBRIDE WEST , TX |
5 | 0 | 15.09 |
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| 34 | JOHN CARTER MABANK , TX |
JOHN CARTER MABANK , TX |
5 | 0 | 14.96 |
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| 35 | |
DAVID REYNOLDS MCKINNEY , TX |
ROBERT BROCK JR MCKINNEY , TX |
5 | 6.88 | 14.94 |
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| 36 | MATT CANNON TROY , TX |
JARED SIEGELER BELTON , TX |
5 | 0 | 14.78 |
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| 36 | DALE GOSSETT GREENVILLE , TX |
SEAN GOSSETT EMORY , TX |
5 | 0 | 14.78 |
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| 38 | |
TOMMY HULSEY JR CORSICANA , TX |
JUSTIN GARNETT FAIRFIELD , TX |
5 | 0 | 14.74 |
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| 39 | BLAKE HENDERSON ATHENS , TX |
BRAD CARTER SCURRY , TX |
5 | 0 | 14.57 |
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| 40 | |
MARC SCHILLING CARROLLTON , TX |
SHAWN TEMPLE KRUGERVILLE , TX |
5 | 0 | 14.38 |
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| 41 | |
TYLER WOODS BENBROOK , TX |
MATTHEW ANTHONY FT WORTH , TX |
5 | 0 | 14.31 |
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| 42 | CRAIG DOWIS DALLAS , TX |
MICHAEL VASQUEZ TEMPLE , TX |
5 | 0 | 14.26 |
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| 43 | |
STEVE TRIMBLE DUNCANVILLE , TX |
CHRIS BAUGH PROSPER , TX |
5 | 0 | 14.16 |
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| 44 | BOBBY BADARACK FT WORTH , TX |
CHRISTIAN KAPRELIAN LEWISVILLE , TX |
5 | 0 | 14.06 |
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| 45 | |
TOM MOCNY LITTLE ELM , TX |
KURT KLOSOWSKI PLANO , TX |
5 | 0 | 14.02 |
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| 46 | |
JUSTIN KEITHLEY ARLINGTON , TX |
JOSH KEITHLEY FORT WORTH , TX |
5 | 0 | 14.01 |
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| 47 | CHRISTOPHER KELLY TRINIDAD , TX |
CLYDE WELKER KELLER , TX |
5 | 0 | 13.72 |
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| 48 | RANDY HALE ROWLETT , TX |
DANNY SHAW RED OAK , TX |
4 | 0 | 13.55 |
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| 49 | |
SCOTT SCROGGINS SULPHUR SPRNGS , TX |
BRUCE POWELL WINNSBORO , TX |
5 | 0 | 13.52 |
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| 50 | DESMEND SAGE WEATHERFORD , TX |
AUSTIN KIMBALL FORT WORTH , TX |
4 | 0 | 13.51 |
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| 51 | |
RICK CLARK TERRELL , TX |
JOHN ADAMS FRISCO , TX |
5 | 0 | 13.46 |
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| 52 | KENNETH COLLARD CANTON , TX |
STEVE WHITE EUSTACE , TX |
5 | 0 | 13.43 |
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| 53 | |
RONALD MAPLES CLEBURNE , TX |
MICHAEL EDGETT GRAND PRAIRIE , TX |
5 | 0 | 13.41 |
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| 54 | |
GIB COATS FORT WORTH , TX |
BARRY STOVAL FT WORTH , TX |
5 | 0 | 13.39 |
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| 55 | MATT WILSON NORTH RICHLAND HILLS , TX |
DANIEL HERRING WATUAGA , TX |
5 | 0 | 13.31 |
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| 55 | |
MARK TRAEWEEK DENISON , TX |
CHRIS COLE BELLS , TX |
4 | 0 | 13.31 |
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| 57 | |
KEITH IVY PONDER , TX |
TOMMY MURRAY BEDFORD , TX |
5 | 0 | 13.26 |
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| 58 | |
CECIL TUBB DIKE , TX |
SAM HOOTEN WINNSBORO , TX |
5 | 0 | 13.25 |
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| 59 | TERRY JOHNSON FATE , TX |
TODD JOHNSON FORNEY , TX |
5 | 0 | 13.12 |
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| 60 | |
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JEFF NORRIS DECATUR , TX |
RONNIE NORRIS BOYD , TX |
5 | 0 | 13.11 |
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| 61 | |
STEVEN FARRELL CANTON , TX |
DAMON LEWIS NEED INFO |
5 | 0 | 13.03 |
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| 61 | |
SHANE GRAY PALESTINE , TX |
DUSTIN GRAY ELKHART , TX |
5 | 0 | 13.03 |
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| 63 | TOM GRIDLEY WIMBERLEY , TX |
DEREK ROGERS MALAKOFF , TX |
5 | 0 | 12.96 |
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| 64 | |
ROBERT DISANTO CHANDLER , TX |
CHRIS DISANTO TYLER , TX |
4 | 0 | 12.86 |
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| 65 | ALEC CASTONGUAY ROYSE CITY , TX |
SHAWN CASTONGUAY ROCKWALL , TX |
5 | 0 | 12.81 |
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| 66 | |
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STEVE LYNAM SOUTHLAKE , TX |
JUSTIN DUBOSE PARADISE , TX |
5 | 0 | 12.68 |
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| 67 | JONATHAN GREIG COMBINE , TX |
MATT ATTAWAY FORNEY , TX |
5 | 0 | 12.67 |
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| 68 | |
RYAN COHLMEYER WEATHERFORD , TX |
DARREN HEAVNER FORT WORTH , TX |
4 | 0 | 12.60 |
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| 69 | JOEY MARTIN HORSESHOE BAY , TX |
GREG MEHAFFEY GATESVILLE , TX |
5 | 0 | 12.55 |
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| 70 | BILL GUZMAN AUSTIN , TX |
5 | 0 | 12.52 |
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| 70 | |
EVAN OBRIEN EMORY , TX |
ANEIL KAMATH FORNEY , TX |
5 | 0 | 12.52 |
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| 72 | |
DANIEL BARRICK QUINLAN , TX |
JAMES KING JR WILLS POINT , TX |
5 | 0 | 12.38 |
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| 73 | MATT BROWNING SCURRY , TX |
AUSTIN BROWNING SCURRY , TX |
5 | 0 | 12.29 |
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| 74 | BRYCE CAIN COLLEYVILLE , TX |
JARRETT GABLE COLLEYVILLE , TX |
5 | 0 | 12.26 |
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| 75 | |
CHRIS FORD WINNSBORO , TX |
BILLY DEATON BURLESON , TX |
5 | 0 | 12.23 |
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| 76 | |
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TREVOR ROMANS CELINA , TX |
MATT MCMILLAN FORT WORTH , TX |
5 | 0 | 12.17 |
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| 76 | CHRIS CLARK HUBBARD , TX |
RAY PAGE CRANDALL , TX |
5 | 0 | 12.17 |
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| 78 | |
CODY MASON FORNEY , TX |
MATTHEW MOORE CADDO MILLS , TX |
5 | 0 | 12.14 |
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| 78 | JOHN WIMSATT LAKEWOOD VILLAGE , TX |
MARK WIMSATT LAKEWOOD VILLAGE , TX |
4 | 0 | 12.14 |
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| 80 | |
MARK MAYBEN PLANO , TX |
JOHN MAYBEN DALLAS , TX |
5 | 0 | 12.08 |
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| 81 | BRUCE MULLER LUCAS , TX |
MASON MULLER LUCAS , TX |
5 | 0 | 12.03 |
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| 82 | |
KEITH CARNEY ARLINGTON , TX |
KEVIN CARNEY ARLINGTON , TX |
5 | 0 | 11.95 |
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| 83 | |
KENT SIKES ROANOKE , TX |
DARRELL CAMPBELL ALBA , TX |
5 | 0 | 11.86 |
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| 84 | DON OVERSTREET SULPHUR SPRINGS , TX |
CHUCK RIZUTO ALBA , TX |
5 | 0 | 11.81 |
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| 85 | BRENT LYON HEATH , TX |
GABE KNOX ARLINGTON , TX |
5 | 0 | 11.77 |
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| 85 | CLYDE GLENN BELTON , TX |
JIM GOLDEN BELTON , TX |
5 | 0 | 11.77 |
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| 87 | |
KLAYTON REEVES WAXAHACHIE , TX |
JACOB CONGLETON KEMP , TX |
3 | 6.81 | 11.76 |
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| 88 | |
JODY KEA TYLER , TX |
JASON BURTON EUSTACE , TX |
3 | 0 | 11.74 |
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| 89 | |
RICKY CONWAY SULPHUR SPRINGS , TX |
HADEN SICKLES SULPHUR SPRINGS , TX |
5 | 0 | 11.64 |
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| 90 | DON KUYKENDALL GUN BARRREL CITY , TX |
VIRGIL KUYKENDALL GUN BARRELL CITY , TX |
5 | 0 | 11.59 |
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| 91 | |
AARON ASHMORE IVANHOE , TX |
ROBERT HOLLAND DODD CITY , TX |
5 | 0 | 11.58 |
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| 92 | |
GARY KINARD FORNEY , TX |
JACOB KINARD FORNEY , TX |
5 | 0 | 11.54 |
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| 93 | STEVE SCHMIDT MIDLOTHIAN , TX |
BILLY RYAN MANSFIELD , TX |
5 | 0 | 11.52 |
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| 94 | DAVID THOMAS MELISSA , TX |
KYLE ROBINSON ANNA , TX |
5 | 0 | 11.51 |
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| 95 | DAVID SPEAKMAN PLANO , TX |
GARY LEE ROCKWALL , TX |
5 | 0 | 11.45 |
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| 96 | |
SCOT MCDONALD CELINA , TX |
KEITH KRZEMINSKI AUBREY , TX |
5 | 0 | 11.42 |
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| 97 | BOBBY POINTER ALVORD , TX |
COLBY BURDINE CHICO , TX |
5 | 0 | 11.39 |
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| 98 | |
PAUL MCCOLLUM CORSICANA , TX |
COEY MCCOLLUM CORSICANA , TX |
4 | 0 | 11.38 |
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| 99 | BYRON BIONDI ARLINGTON , TX |
JASON GREENFIELD KENNEDALE , TX |
5 | 0 | 11.32 |
|
|||
| 100 | |
|
ALLEN SHELTON FARMERS BRANCH , TX |
JOHN MCCALMONT ROCKWALL , TX |
5 | 0 | 11.30 |
|
|
| 101 | CHARLES BENEDICT FORNEY , TX |
BRUCE BENEDICT FORNEY , TX |
4 | 0 | 11.09 |
|
|||
| 102 | |
AARON DAVIS GLEN HEIGHTS , TX |
CHAD DAVIS ENNIS , TX |
5 | 0 | 10.99 |
|
||
| 103 | STEVE SIMS SANGER , TX |
RONNIE SIMS LEWISVILLE , TX |
4 | 0 | 10.96 |
|
|||
| 104 | |
ROGER RITCHIE WICHITA FALLS , TX |
RICHARD RITCHIE BENTON , AR |
5 | 0 | 10.90 |
|
||
| 105 | |
SHANNON MCCALEB JOSHUA , TX |
JAMES MCCALEB GRANBUY , TX |
4 | 0 | 10.89 |
|
||
| 105 | |
ZACH HUGHES QUITMAN , TX |
JEREMY SIMS EMORY , TX |
5 | 0 | 10.89 |
|
||
| 107 | MARK VOS PLANO , TX |
DANIEL RUEDI DALLAS , TX |
5 | 0 | 10.85 |
|
|||
| 108 | JONATHAN LANCASTER QUITMAN , TX |
JOSH PRIEST QUITMAN , TX |
5 | 0 | 10.83 |
|
|||
| 109 | |
KHRISTIAN SALCEDO LINDALE , TX |
RONNIE MANNING CAMPBELL , TX |
5 | 0 | 10.73 |
|
||
| 110 | |
CHRIS DUROY KINGSTON , OK |
BOE FOSSETT KINGSTON , OK |
4 | 0 | 10.60 |
|
||
| 111 | |
STEPHEN COOKSEY BULLARD , TX |
TROY SLAUGHTER TRINIDAD , TX |
5 | 0 | 10.54 |
|
||
| 112 | CHADD DEAREN ROWLETT , TX |
SHANE HENDERSON YANTIS , TX |
3 | 0 | 10.47 |
|
|||
| 113 | |
JOHN NEWKIRK BENBROOK , TX |
BRANDON STONE DENNIS , TX |
2 | 0 | 10.38 |
|
||
| 114 | |
|
ERIC ELDER SUNNYVALE , TX |
TIM WILCOXSON ROCKWALL , TX |
4 | 0 | 10.20 |
|
|
| 115 | STEPHEN HOPE ALBA , TX |
RICKY CAMPBELL ALBA , TX |
5 | 0 | 10.11 |
|
|||
| 116 | KEITH PIPPENGER COMBINE , TX |
DANNY MAGEE MESQUITE , TX |
5 | 0 | 9.98 |
|
|||
| 117 | |
TIM CLINE SHERMAN , TX |
RAYMOND SMITH WHITESBORO , TX |
4 | 0 | 9.79 |
|
||
| 118 | |
ROBERT WEST MCKINNEY , TX |
LOGAN FORBESS NEVADA , TX |
5 | 0 | 9.71 |
|
||
| 119 | CHRIS GILROY FRISCO , TX |
MICHAEL FULLER BLUE RIDGE , TX |
5 | 0 | 9.57 |
|
|||
| 120 | |
JONATHAN HESTER WEATHERFORD , TX |
DOUGLAS NOLAN BOWIE , TX |
5 | 0 | 9.34 |
|
||
| 121 | GREG COOPER EDDY , TX |
MATTHEW MCGILVRAY AXTELL , TX |
3 | 0 | 9.14 |
|
|||
| 122 | |
RONNY HALBERT LARUE , TX |
CODY RAYBURN ATHENS , TX |
4 | 0 | 9.08 |
|
||
| 123 | |
MARK MCDONALD WILLS POINT , TX |
LORI MCDONALD WILLS POINT , TX |
4 | 0 | 8.93 |
|
||
| 124 | |
|
DEREK THOMPSON ARGYLE , TX |
BRIT LEQUIEU JUSTIN , TX |
3 | 0 | 8.79 |
|
|
| 125 | |
ROBERT FINTA WYLIE , TX |
CHRIS DERRICK MCKINNEY , TX |
4 | 0 | 8.65 |
|
||
| 126 | |
SAM MCCOLLUM CORSICANA , TX |
EARL SCHWARTZLANDER CORSICANA , TX |
5 | 0 | 8.62 |
|
||
| 127 | |
JESSE ULTSCH DENISON , TX |
JAMES BLAKE POTTSBORO , TX |
4 | 0 | 8.24 |
|
||
| 127 | MICHAEL DRECHSEL FORT WORTH , TX |
WESLEY PRICE GRAPEVINE , TX |
4 | 0 | 8.24 |
|
|||
| 129 | DAVID GILLHAM HEATH , TX |
RICH DALBEY GREENVILLE , TX |
5 | 0 | 8.13 |
|
|||
| 130 | |
ALAN PAYNE KERENS , TX |
DARRELL COBB CORSICANA , TX |
5 | 0 | 8.02 |
|
||
| 131 | |
KELVIN HOGG ARLINGTON , TX |
BRIAN ROUSSEL ARLINGTON , TX |
5 | 0 | 7.94 |
|
||
| 132 | |
KIRK MAREZ LEWISVILLE , TX |
CHRIS BACHTA GRAPEVINE , TX |
4 | 0 | 7.93 |
|
||
| 133 | SHAWN TAYLOR ABILENE , TX |
3 | 0 | 7.69 |
|
||||
| 134 | |
LARRY BENCH DENISON , TX |
HI HILLBURN COLBERT , OK |
2 | 0 | 7.43 |
|
||
| 135 | |
|
JIMMY HARRISON BOYD , TX |
JIMMY HARRISON JR DECATUR , TX |
3 | 0 | 7.30 |
|
|
| 136 | |
WILLIAM VONROSENBERG ALBA , TX |
CURTIS DANIELS EMORY , TX |
5 | 0 | 7.15 |
|
||
| 137 | DAVID LIVINGSTON III GLADEWATER , TX |
DAVID LIVINGSTON IV GLADEWATER , TX |
2 | 0 | 7.08 |
|
|||
| 138 | |
MARK PARKER GRAPEVINE , TX |
BRYAN TURNER COLLEYVILLE , TX |
3 | 0 | 7.07 |
|
||
| 139 | JOEY CANTRELL SADLER , TX |
SHANE ALLISON COLLINSVILLE , TX |
3 | 0 | 6.93 |
|
|||
| 140 | |
|
EDDIE HALL CADDO MILLS , TX |
BRANDON BREWER CADDO MILLS , TX |
4 | 0 | 6.83 |
|
|
| 141 | |
SAMMY GRAY TISHOMINGO , OK |
RODNEY BROOKS DURANT , OK |
3 | 0 | 6.76 |
|
||
| 142 | |
PAUL BRINKMAN AZLE , TX |
BOB NASH JR AZLE , TX |
3 | 0 | 6.36 |
|
||
| 143 | MERLE HALCOM IRVING , TX |
CRAIG HANNA DALLAS , TX |
3 | 0 | 5.84 |
|
|||
| 144 | BRIAN WHITE CELINA , TX |
TRISTAN WHITE CELINA , TX |
3 | 0 | 5.66 |
|
|||
| 145 | PHOEBE SCOTT KINGWOOD , TX |
ROBERT SCOTT KINGWOOD , TX |
3 | 0 | 5.24 |
|
|||
| 146 | |
COREY WALDROP FT WORTH , TX |
CRAIG WALDROP BENBROOK , TX |
3 | 0 | 5.07 |
|
||
| 147 | |
RICHARD FAULKNER PROVIDENCE VILLAGE , TX |
GEORGE SHIPPEY MT PLEASANT , TX |
1 | 4.84 | 4.84 |
|
||
| 148 | TOM MCELROY NORTH RICHLAND HILLS , TX |
CHERYL SPEAR NORTH RICHLAND HILLS , TX |
2 | 0 | 4.72 |
|
|||
| 149 | |
CHARLES ARNOLD QUITMAN , TX |
RANDY STEELE SULPHUR SPRINGS , TX |
2 | 0 | 4.67 |
|
||
| 149 | JUSTIN CLARK RED OAK , TX |
TONY CLARK RED OAK , TX |
2 | 0 | 4.67 |
|
|||
| 151 | GARRY MCADAMS FORT WORTH , TX |
KURTIS WALKER N RICHLAND HILLS , TX |
3 | 0 | 4.48 |
|
|||
| 152 | |
LARRY LANDIS JR GRAFORD , TX |
LARRY LANDIS III GRAFORD , TX |
2 | 0 | 4.37 |
|
||
| 153 | |
TIM HAWKINS ANNA , TX |
COLTON CLARK ANNA , TX |
2 | 0 | 4.24 |
|
||
| 154 | ROBB TAYLOR IRVING , TX |
JOHN JACKSON KELLER , TX |
2 | 0 | 3.37 |
|
|||
| 155 | |
CHRISTOPHER MCMINN BALKO , OK |
FELIX GONZALES CORSICANA , TX |
2 | 0 | 3.34 |
|
||
| 156 | |
MICKEL KELLY BLUE RIDGE , TX |
LUCAS KELLY BLUE RIDGE , TX |
1 | 0 | 2.98 |
|
||
| 157 | |
ZACHARY WYMER MCKINNEY , TX |
JOSHUA WYMER HALTOM CITY , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
||
| 157 | JOHN BIONDI ARLINGTON , TX |
DONNA BIONDI ARLINGTON , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
|||
| 157 | DERRICK CORSO MCKINNEY , TX |
COREY BREEDING MELISSA , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
|||
| 157 | DEAN TRUDELL HIGHLAND VILLAGE , TX |
MIKE KUBANEK HIGHLAND VILLAGE , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
|||
| 157 | CODY MORRISON COLLINSVILLE , TX |
BARRETT MCCLENDON DENTON , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
|||
| 157 | LEE YOWELL ENNIS , TX |
MARK CROW PALMER , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
|||
| 157 | |
MICHAEL HARP LINDEN , TX |
AARON HARP LINDEN , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
||
| 157 | |
DANIEL WILLIAMSON FT WORTH , TX |
DOUG DURRWACHTER KELLER , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
||
| 157 | |
STAN LAWING POETRY , TX |
JD LAUGHERY ROCKWALL , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
||
| 157 | |
KENT SKOGLUND TIOGA , TX |
KYLE SKOGLUND SANGER , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
||
| 157 | RYAN MOROTT PRINCETON , TX |
TAZZ FERRELL VAN ALSTYNE , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
|||
| 157 | |
|
NEIL RICHEY CHICO , TX |
COLETON MILLER DURANT , OK |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
|
| 157 | JAY WATKINS WEATHERFORD , TX |
DENNIS HASTINGS FLOWER MOUND , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
|||
| 157 | |
TRENT MENEES NORTHLAKE , TX |
TERRY BOLLOM FRISCO , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
||
| 157 | CHRIS MCLAIN SANGER , TX |
CHRIS TILTON WYLIE , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
|||
| 157 | |
|
ROB MEDDERS MCKINNEY , TX |
ROB WILSON SHERMAN , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
|
| 157 | JERRY DAVID II PILOT POINT , TX |
JACOB DAVID PILOT POINT , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
|||
| 157 | |
|
CHRIS DIGINO DALLAS , TX |
ZEB STRICKLAND PILOT POINT , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
|
| 157 | |
MATT TALLAS CANTON , TX |
ERNIE SISTRUNK WILLS POINT , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
||
| 157 | DAVID WALLER FORT WORTH , TX |
ROGER HAVERKAMP SOUTHLAKE , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
|||
| 157 | |
JAY EICHLER EMORY , TX |
CASEY CHEATHAM DALLAS , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
||
| 157 | JACOB ROANE CELINA , TX |
GG BOYD AZLE , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
|||
| 157 | BRUCE ANDERSON SHERMAN , TX |
JOHN ANDERSON SHERMAN , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
|||
| 157 | |
STEVE FOUSHEE MURPHY , TX |
BRYAN TUCKER CARROLLTON , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
||
| 157 | RANDY TURNER GREENVILLE , TX |
TREY TURNER ROYSE CITY , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
|||
| 157 | |
TOM WARD TYLER , TX |
JIM CRAWFORD NACOGDOCHES , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
||
| 157 | RYAN WARREN GATESVILLE , TX |
JASON DERRICK VALLEY MILLS , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
|||
| 157 | |
LARRY WHEELER JR KAUFMAN , TX |
DAVID DEALVA JR EUSTACE , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
||
| 157 | |
SONNY WILSON WAXAHACHIE , TX |
KYLE WILSON WAXAHACHIE , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
||
| 157 | PAUL TURNER GRANBURY , TX |
TOBY JACINTO WACO , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
|||
| 157 | |
RICK HORTON NEVADA , TX |
DEREK AMMERMAN CADDO MILLS , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
||
| 157 | DAVID GORE KOUNTZE , TX |
JUSTIN SOWELL SILSBEE , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
|||
| 157 | MIKE MURSKI MERIDIAN , TX |
JOHN NEWLAND BLUFF DALE , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
|||
| 157 | DAN PHIFER GRAPEVINE , TX |
RUSSELL ROLAND FORNEY , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
|||
| 157 | LIONEL SERNA COOLIDGE , TX |
MITCHELL FRIDMAN COLLEYVILLE , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
|||
| 157 | |
LANCE ROBOLIA WACO , TX |
DENIS SCHMEDTHORST WACO , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
||
| 157 | |
MATT MORTON DALLAS , TX |
MARK SPURGIN MCKINNEY , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
||
| 157 | |
CHARLES SIMMONS WACO , TX |
L J CASTILLO WACO , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
||
| 157 | BRANDON MCCOMBS ARLINGTON , TX |
JACOB PARMA ARLINGTON , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
|||
| 157 | RAY HELVESTON POWDERLY , TX |
JOHN MAKERNEY BROOKSTON , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
|||
| 157 | |
RONALD SISK RIO VISTA , TX |
JOHNNY MATTHEWS LAGUNA PARK , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
||
| 157 | |
MEGAN NICHOLS FREEPORT , TX |
RICK JOHNSON ROCKWALL , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
||
| 157 | ZACHERY WATSON FORT WORTH , TX |
TYLER MIRANDA ARLINGTON , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
|||
| 157 | KYLE MIERS MALAKOFF , TX |
ERIC PHILLIPS KERENS , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
|||
| 157 | |
JEFFREY MCCOLLUM LAKE JACKSON , TX |
BOBBY MCCOLLUM CORSICANA , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
||
| 157 | |
RANDY PAGE GIDDINGS , TX |
CAMERON PAGE GIDDINGS , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
||
| 157 | |
EASTON HEIGLEY BROOKELAND , TX |
KYLE DRAGULSKI LUFKIN , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
||
| 157 | RAY ALLEN AXTELL , TX |
AUSTIN MONTGOMERY BRUCEVILLE , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
|||
| 157 | |
DONNIE COVERT MALAKOFF , TX |
JAMES COVERT MALAKOFF , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
||
| 157 | |
CHAD GRANT CHATFIELD , TX |
CARTER GRANT CHATFIELD , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
||
| 157 | |
DEVIN BUSHLAND ALLEN , TX |
CARSON KIRKHUFF COLLEYVILLE , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
||
| 157 | CODY COBB CORSICANA , TX |
TAYLOR MOREHEAD CORSICANA , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
|||
| 157 | TIM BROCKWAY KAUFMAN , TX |
ANGELA BROCKWAY KAUFMAN , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
|||
| 157 | JOHN LITTLE TEXARKANA , AR |
SHANE MOORE TEXARKANA , AR |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
|||
| 157 | BRADY BURLSMITH MABANK , TX |
KEITH BLUE KEMP , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
|||
| 157 | |
RICKY MAYO ARDMORE , OK |
SEAN DAVIS DENISON , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
||
| 157 | |
JOHN FILGO RED OAK , TX |
KOLE MINCHER WOLFE CITY , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
||
| 157 | W T DYSON II LAKE DALLAS , TX |
JOSEPH FLOWERS HICKORY CREEK , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
|||
| 157 | |
CODY EASLEY CANTON , TX |
SHANNON EASLEY CANTON , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
||
| 157 | GARRETT KOSLAN LINDALE , TX |
MARSHALL KOSLAN CHANDLER , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
|||
| 157 | |
|
DAVID LAINE HORSESHOE BAY , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
||
| 157 | |
ERIC CHONKO ALEDO , TX |
CHRIS WIGGINS ALEDO , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
||
| 157 | |
HUNTER JORDAN CLEBURNE , TX |
BRAD LAMPMAN MORGAN , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
||
| 157 | ROY CHEANEY GRAND SALINE , TX |
MONROE NIVENS GRAND SALINE , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
|||
| 157 | |
JIM EDWARDS BLUM , TX |
AUSTIN EDWARDS BLUM , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
||
| 157 | COOPER BUSCH MALAKOFF , TX |
JEREMY ZAMALIE MABANK , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
|||
| 157 | PAUL SEWELL COMBINE , TX |
KENNETH MOORE RED OAK , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
|||
| 157 | |
|
JEFF MASSEY JUSTIN , TX |
COLE MASSEY JUSTIN , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
|
| 157 | BRANDON CLAYTON HASLET , TX |
JORDAN CLAYTON WICHITA FALLS , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
|||
| 157 | |
WESLEY BARNARD HALLSVILLE , TX |
ANDREW SCOTT MARSHALL , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
||
| 157 | |
TIM WILCOXSON EDGEWOOD , TX |
JERAMY MARINELLI ROYSE CITY , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
||
| 157 | ED BLACKBURN GRAND PRAIRIE , TX |
LARRY WALKER GRAND PRAIRIE , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
|||
| 157 | |
|
MIKE CALLAHAN SPRINGTOWN , TX |
JOHNNY TRAMMELL BOYD , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
|
| 157 | MERLE LITTLE FARMERSVILLE , TX |
DON MEEK PILOT POINT , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
|||
| 157 | |
MONTE REAGAN BURLESON , TX |
DYLAN REAGAN BURLESON , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
||
| 157 | |
JOHN HILL PIEDMONT , OK |
CHASE JACKSON OKLAHOMA CITY , OK |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
||
| 157 | CHRISTOPHER WADE CANTON , TX |
ARCHIE WADE CANTON , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
|||
| 157 | ROBERT JOHNSON ALLEN , TX |
EDWARD LEWIS FAIRFIELD , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
|||
| 157 | TYLER ROANE GUNTER , TX |
TANNER KINCHELOE GUNTER , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
|||
| 157 | |
JUNIOR MITCHELL KRUGERVILLE , TX |
JEFF BAUGUS CROSS ROADS , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
||
| 157 | |
BENSON KELLY PONDER , TX |
LARRY MCCASKEY KELLER , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
||
| 157 | |
JOE SMITH FORNEY , TX |
BRUCE SPRING TERRELL , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
||
| 157 | MARK ELGIN WICHITA FALLS , TX |
JEFF PIERCE HENRIETTA , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
|||
| 157 | |
JOSHUA GLASGOW LARUE , TX |
CHRISTOPHER LEDBETTER CRANDALL , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
||
| 157 | LANCE KENNY NORTH RICHLAND HILLS , TX |
JORDAN KENNY NORTH RICHLAND HILLS , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
Danger Kelly Wins BFL Tournament on South Holston Reservoir
Virginia’s Austin Wins Co-angler Division
BRISTOL, Tenn. (June 1, 2020) – Boater Danger Kelly of Somerset, Kentucky, brought five bass to the scale Saturday totaling 14 pounds, 14 ounces to win the 2020 Phoenix Bass Fishing League presented by T-H Marine event on South Holston Reservoir in Bristol, Tennessee. For his victory, Kelly earned a total of $3,021.
“I took a huge gamble and put all of my eggs into one basket – the shad spawn,” said Kelly, who earned the first victory of his FLW career. “It was an all or nothing deal, because all of my fishing time was going to be from 6:45 a.m. to 8 a.m. As soon as the sun was out the shad spawn would die, and my pattern was done.
“I targeted bass on the main-lake that were located on laydowns and submerged timber near the flooded bushes and trees along the shoreline,” Kelly continued. “It was extremely difficult casts – I had to get my lures back behind the rocks, behind bushes and under low-hanging branches. I couldn’t get a clean hookset. I knew it was going to be tough. I lost six fish, but I managed to put five nice smallmouth in the boat.”
Kelly’s bait of choice was a Strike King swimjig (Chartreuse Sexy Shad) with a Strike King Rage Swimmer swimbait (Pearl Flash).
“I ended up catching one or two more during the day, but I never culled. The five that I caught in the morning were the five that I brought to the scale,” Kelly went on to say. “I knew that committing to the shad spawn was going to be a huge gamble and I was either going to win or take dead last. I’m thankful that I had a great day and caught enough early to get the win.”
The top 10 boaters finished the tournament as follows:
1st: Danger Kelly of Somerset, Ky., five bass, 14-14, $3,021
2nd: Corey Neece of Bristol, Tenn., five bass, 13-14, $2,011
3rd: Jaime Ratliff of Abingdon, Va., five bass, 13-9, $1,007
4th: Eddie Richards of Corbin, Ky., five bass, 13-8, $705
5th: Craig Powers of Rockwood, Tenn., five bass, 13-3, $604
6th: Bryan Leonard of Blountville, Tenn., five bass, 12-15, $554
7th: Jeffrey Mahaffey of Bristol, Tenn., five bass, 12-14, $504
8th: Jerry Gallogly of North Tazewell, Va., five bass, 12-6, $453
9th: Brandon Stanley of Johnson City, Tenn., five bass, 11-14, $403
10th: Ken Vicchio of Bluff City, Tenn., five bass, 11-13, $352
Complete results can be found at FLWFishing.com.
Tyler Altizer of Abingdon, Virginia, brought a 4-pound, 8-ounce bass to the scale to win the day’s Boater Big Bass award of $345.
Neece was the highest-finishing FLW PHOENIX BONUS member and took home an extra $500. Boaters are eligible to win up to an extra $7,000 per event in each Phoenix Bass Fishing League presented by T-H Marine tournament if all requirements are met. More information on the FLW PHOENIX BONUS contingency program can be found at PhoenixBassBoats.com.
Will Austin of Abingdon, Virginia, won the Co-angler Division and $1,683 Saturday after catching four bass weighing 11 pounds, 7 ounces.
The top 10 co-anglers finished as follows:
1st: Will Austin of Abingdon, Va., four bass, 11-7, $1,683
2nd: Henry Bryan of Sevierville, Tenn., four bass, 10-14, $755
3rd: Joshua Jernigan of Rocky Top, Tenn., five bass, 10-4, $504
4th: Dennis Lane of Rutledge, Tenn., four bass, 9-6, $352
5th: Fletcher Griffith of Hendersonville, N.C., four bass, 9-0, $302
6th: Jim Thrift of Kingsport, Tenn., four bass, 8-15, $277
7th: Justin McGaha of Knoxville, Tenn., four bass, 7-13, $252
8th: Ben Arnold of La Follette, Tenn., three bass, 7-0, $227
9th: Jacob Linkous of Rogersville, Tenn., three bass, 6-14, $201
10th: Curtis Brown of Loudon, Tenn., two bass, 6-4, $167
10th: Chris Hamby of Harriman, Tenn., three bass, 6-4, $167
Austin also caught the largest bass in the Co-angler Division, weighing in at 4 pounds, 1 ounce. The catch added to his winnings as he earned the day’s Co-angler Big Bass award of $172.
The 2020 Phoenix Bass Fishing League presented by T-H Marine on South Holston Reservoir was the second of five qualifying events in the Volunteer Division.
The top 45 boaters and co-anglers in the Volunteer Division based on point standings, along with the five winners of each qualifying event, will be entered in the Oct. 8-10 Bass Fishing League Regional Championship on the James River in Richmond, Virginia, hosted by Richmond Region Tourism. Boaters will compete for a $60,000 prize package, including a new Phoenix 819 Pro bass boat with a 200-horsepower Mercury outboard and $10,000, while co-anglers will fish for a new 18-foot Phoenix bass boat with a 200-horsepower outboard.
The 2020 Phoenix Bass Fishing League presented by T-H Marine is a 24-division circuit devoted to weekend anglers, with 128 tournaments throughout the season, five qualifying events in each division. The top 45 boaters and co-anglers from each division, along with the five winners of the qualifying events, will advance to one of six regional tournaments where they are competing to finish in the top six, which then qualifies them for one of the longest-running championships in all of competitive bass fishing – the Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American.
The 2020 Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American will be held Nov. 11-13 at Lake Hartwell in Anderson, South Carolina and is hosted by Visit Anderson. The top 45 boaters and co-anglers plus tournament winners from each Phoenix Bass Fishing League division earn priority entry into the FLW Series, the pathway to the FLW Pro Circuit and ultimately the MLF Bass Pro Tour, where top pros compete with no entry fees.
For complete details and updated information visit FLWFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow the Phoenix Bass Fishing League presented by T-H Marine on FLW’s social media outlets at Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.
Jacob Wheeler Wins Toyota Series Tournament at Pickwick Lake
FLORENCE, Ala. (May 30, 2020) – Major League Fishing (MLF) Bass Pro Tour angler Jacob Wheeler of Harrison, Tennessee, brought five bass to the scale weighing 17 pounds, 11 ounces to win the three-day Toyota Series at Pickwick Lake event Saturday in Florence, Alabama. Wheeler’s three-day total of 15 bass weighing 56-8 earned him the win by a 5-pound, 8-ounce margin over second-place angler Buddy Gross of Chickamauga, Georgia, and earned Wheeler the top payout of $38,545 in the second tournament of the 2020 Toyota Series Central Division season.
“I truthfully can’t even believe that just happened,” said Wheeler, the reigning MLF World Champion who earned the first Toyota Series win of his career. “I’ve competed at all levels, and it is so tough to win one of these Toyota Series events. A lot of pros compete in them, but they also have the great local fisherman that know their home bodies of water so well. They’re extremely hard to win, so to come out today with the victory – I am tremendously tickled.”
Wheeler said that he had no magic spot on Pickwick Lake, but estimated he fished around 30 different places throughout the week, throwing a variety of baits.
“I tried to find little 3- to 5-fish schools that were a little out of the way off the beaten path, and then when a community hole opened up I’d stop in there and try to catch a few fish. I caught fish from 10 feet to 30 feet, and I was constantly changing my baits based on where I was fishing,” Wheeler said.
Wheeler said that his key baits this week were a Rapala DT20 crankbait (Caribbean Shad), a Texas-rigged Googan Baits Mondo Worm and a 6-inch Lunker Log stick bait, and an Accent Ol’ Big Spinnerbait. He also mixed in some other baits, including a scrounger and a swimbait.
“My electronics setup was a huge deal for me this week, as well,” Wheeler went on to say. “Instead of signing with one company, I’m running Lowrance, Garmin and Humminbird units this year and that really helped me tremendously when I was finding those 3 to 5 fish schools.”
The top 10 pros on Pickwick Lake finished:
1st: Jacob Wheeler of Harrison, Tenn., 15 bass, 56-8, $38,545
2nd: Buddy Gross of Chickamauga, Ga., 15 bass, 51-0, $14,936
3rd: Michael Bean of Bowling Green, Ky., 15 bass, 49-9, $11,563
4th: Michael Brewer of Lawrenceburg, Tenn., 10 bass, 48-13, $9,636
5th: Justin Atkins of Florence, Ala., 15 bass, 48-12, $8,673
6th: Marshall Deakins of Dunlap, Tenn., 15 bass, 47-15, $7,709
7th: Brent Anderson of Kingston Springs, Tenn., 15 bass, 46-4, $6,745
8th: John Murray of Spring City, Tenn., 13 bass, 44-15, $5,782
9th: Jimmy Washam of Covington, Tenn., 13 bass, 39-11, $4,959
10th: Ricky Robinson of Greenback, Tenn., 10 bass, 36-14, $3,854
A complete list of results can be found at FLWFishing.com.
Seth Davis of Harrison, Tennessee, took home an extra $1,000 as the highest finishing FLW PHOENIX BONUS member. Boaters are eligible to win up to an extra $35,000 per event in each Toyota Series tournament if all requirements are met. More information on the FLW PHOENIX BONUS contingency program can be found at PhoenixBassBoats.com.
Washam brought an 8-pound, 9-ounce largemouth bass to the scale Friday – the largest fish weighed by a boater in the event – to earn the day’s Big Bass award of $141.
Josh Lockard of Somerset, Kentucky, won the Co-angler Division Saturday with a three-day total of 15 bass weighing 48 pounds, 7 ounces. For his win, Lockard took home the top prize package of a new Phoenix 518 Pro bass boat with a 115-horsepower outboard motor, worth $33,500.
The top 10 co-anglers on Pickwick Lake finished:
1st: Josh Lockard of Somerset, Ky., 15 bass, 48-7, $33,500
2nd: Phil Williams Jr. of Jamestown, Ky., 13 bass, 36-13, $4,868
3rd: Nathan Woodruff of Iuka, Miss., 14 bass, 33-14, $3,894
4th: Chris Quaintance of Muscle Shoals, Ala., 11 bass, 32-4, $3,502
5th: Clint Pegg of Columbus, Miss., 12 bass, 31-14, $2,921
6th: Andrew Gordon of Columbus, Miss., 12 bass, 29-11, $2,434
7th: Todd Lee of Jasper, Ala., 11 bass, 29-1, $1,947
8th: Benton Peoples of Bardstown, Ky., 11 bass, 26-8, $1,704
9th: Bryan Dowdy of Florence, Ala., 11 bass, 25-10, $1,460
10th: Samuel Maxwell of Vincennes, Ind., 10 bass, 23-12, $1,217
Quaintance weighed in the largest bass in the co-angler division on Thursday, bringing a 7-pound, 3-ounce bass to the stage. He earned the days Co-angler Big Bass award of $95.
The Toyota Series at Pickwick Lake was hosted by Florence/Lauderdale Tourism. It was the second of three regular-season tournaments in 2020 for Central Division anglers. For a complete schedule, visit FLWFishing.com.
The Toyota Series consists of eight divisions – Central, Eastern, Northern, Plains, Southeastern, Southern, Southwestern and Western – each holding three regular-season events, along with the International division. Anglers who fish all three qualifiers in any of the eight divisions and finish in the top 25 will qualify for the no-entry-fee Toyota Series Championship for a shot at winning $235,000 cash, including a $35,000 FLW PHOENIX Bonus for qualified anglers. The winning co-angler at the championship earns a new Phoenix 518 Pro bass boat with a 115-horsepower outboard. The 2020 Toyota Series Championship will be held Dec. 3-5 on Lake Cumberland in Burnside, Kentucky, and is hosted by the Somerset Tourist & Convention Commission and the Burnside Tourism Commission.
For complete details and updated information visit FLWFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow the Toyota Series on FLW’s social media outlets at Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.
Ranger Pro John Murray leads by an ounce on Pickwick
May 29, 2020 by Rob Newell
Five years ago legendary western pro John Murray moved from Arizona to Spring City, Tenn., for one very specific reason: to learn how to fish Tennessee River lakes, especially to better understand the Tennessee River’s current and bass’ relationship to it. Today, Murray’s move to Tennessee paid off as he took the day-two lead in the Toyota Series Central Division event on Pickwick Lake. On day one Murray weighed in a respectable 16 pounds, 4 ounces. Today, he added 22 pounds, 10 ounces for a two-day total of 38 pounds, 14 ounces. He now has a slim one-ounce lead over Jacob Wheeler going into the final day.
“Tennessee River tournaments invariably are always on tournament schedules,” Murray says. “And nearly every time I’d go to a Tennessee River lake in the summer, I just bomb. I finally got tired of it and moved out here to learn these lakes.”
Murray gave credit to his Spring City, Tenn., neighbor Wesley Strader for teaching him some of the finer points of fishing Tennessee River current. Today, Murray utilized those lessons well.
“I’m not out there fishing the deep places and the deep schools,” Murray says. “I’m fishing more of the 7- to 10-foot range, on top of bars. I think this heavy current has the fish and shad pushed up on those places. If this current wasn’t running this hard, I don’t think they would be up where I’m catching them. Those shallower places are providing the necessary breaks that I’ve learned are so critical on these lakes.”
In addition, Murray believes there is some sort of shad spawn going on up on the shallower bars he is fishing. He can’t physically see visible evidence of the shad spawning, but he can electronically see them thanks to his forward-looking sonar.
“My boat is setting out, but I’m using that to scan across the tops of those bars and I every now and then a flurry of activity come across the screen,” he explains. “I believe that activity is big schools of shad spawning on and crossing those bars. At times I can literally see them being chased by bass.”
Hence Murray’s 22-pound, 10-ounce catch, which started with three 5-pounders first thing this morning. His key baits have been a big worm and big jig cast up into the areas where he sees the activity on the screen, about 45 feet in front of the boat.
“I have to make the casts at the right angle in that current to get the bite,” he says. “If I cast across the bar, that fast current bows the line too much. So I have to cast more parallel with the bar so I can bring the lure down the bar with the current.”
Obviously, Murray’s Tennessee River current lessons are starting to pay off. With another big bag tomorrow, he could get one of the biggest paydays of his storied career: winning a tournament on the river system that has been a thorn in his side for so long.
Top 10 pros
1. John Murray – Spring City, Tenn. – 38-14 (10)
2. Jacob Wheeler – Harrison, Tenn. – 38-13 (10)
3. Buddy Gross – Chickamauga, Ga. – 37-2 (10)
4. Michael Brewer – Lawrenceburg, Tenn. – 36-15 (10)
5. Ricky Robinson – Greenback, Tenn. – 36-14 (10)
6. Michael Bean – Bowling Green, Ky. – 35-14 (10)
7. Brent Anderson – Kingston Springs, Tenn. – 35-5 (10)
8. Justin Atkins – Florence, Ala. – 35-1 (10)
9. Marshall Deakins – Dunlap, Tenn. – 34-13 (10)
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10. Jimmy Washam – Covington, Tenn. – 33-2 (10)
Gross leads Pickwick with over 24 pounds!
Story & Photos Courtesy of FLW
Buddy Gross won his first FLW Tour event on Pickwick Lake in May of 2016 fishing a shad spawn on eelgrass along the Tennessee River channel. Today, Gross rekindled those old memories from four years ago to bring in 24 pounds, 1 ounce and take the day one lead in the Toyota Series Central Division event on Pickwick.
While he is fishing the same general area where he won before, Gross says the cover is much different this time around.
“Last time it was all about the eelgrass,” he says. “This time the eelgrass is not as dominant – it’s not as tall – to create current breaks. This time there is more hydrilla there. But the common denominator is the shad spawn. The shad are still spawning, but it doesn’t last long. I caught a few big ones quickly, but it died fast.”
Gross says he normally likes to fish out much deeper on Pickwick than the 6- to 7-foot zone he is targeting now. But since he had a late boat draw (128) he figured the best deep community spots would be covered up, so he took a chance on the shallow grass first thing this morning because the spot was “open” and the gamble paid off.
Though Gross didn’t want to give up his exact baits just yet, he did say they are all big gizzard shad imitating baits.
“They are big baits and difficult to fish in that stringy hydrilla,” he adds. “I fought the grass all day, constantly slapping baits in the water to clear them. But if I could ever get a bait to come through the right zone clean, it would get inhaled.”
Gross has an earlier boat position tomorrow morning, which will give him a few more precious minutes in the height of shad spawn to make hay.
“There was no one on it this morning and no one ever tried to stop on it all day, so I should have it to myself first thing tomorrow and I’m looking forward to it.”
Top 10 pros
1. Buddy Gross – Chickamauga, Ga. – 24-1 (5)
2. Justin Atkins – Florence, Ala. – 21-14 (5)
3. Brent Anderson – Kingston Springs, Tenn. – 20-8 (5)
4. Michael Brewer – Lawrenceburg, Tenn. – 19-11 (5)
5. Josh Butler – Hayden, Ala. – 18-14 (5)
6. Seth Davis – Harrison, Tenn. – 18-13 (5)
7. Sloan Pennington – Childersburg, Ala. – 18-8 (5)
8. Keith Amerson – Bethel Springs, Tenn. – 18-6 (5)
9. Jacob Wheeler – Harrison, Tenn. – 18-2 (5)
10. Jason Lambert – Michie, Tenn. – 17-9 (5)
Corkern leads co-anglers
Daniel Corkern of Florence, Miss., leads the Co-angler Division after day one with a five-bass limit weighing 16 pounds, 4 ounces. Corkern is no stranger to Pickwick as he has racked up three top 10’s in the Phoenix Bass Fishing League. This is his first Toyota Series event and he has now put himself in the pole position going into day two.
| PLACE | ANGLER | DAY 1-4 WT (Fish) |
WINNINGS |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | BUDDY GROSS | 24 - 1 (5) | |
| 2 | JUSTIN ATKINS | 21 - 14 (5) | |
| 3 | BRENT ANDERSON | 20 - 8 (5) | |
| 4 | MICHAEL BREWER | 19 - 11 (5) | |
| 5 | JOSH BUTLER | 18 - 14 (5) | |
| 6 | SETH DAVIS | 18 - 13 (5) | |
| 7 | SLOAN PENNINGTON | 18 - 8 (5) | |
| 8 | KEITH AMERSON | 18 - 6 (5) | |
| 9 | JACOB WHEELER | 18 - 2 (5) | |
| 10 | JASON LAMBERT | 17 - 9 (5) | |
| 11 | NATHAN MARTIN | 17 - 6 (5) | |
| 12 | MICHAEL BEAN | 17 - 2 (5) | |
| 13 | CAMERON GAUTNEY | 16 - 15 (5) | |
| 14 | WAYNE DENNISON | 16 - 4 (5) | |
| 14 | JOHN MURRAY | 16 - 4 (5) | |
| 16 | JIM NEECE JR | 16 - 2 (5) | |
| 17 | RICKY ROBINSON | 15 - 14 (5) | |
| 18 | MARSHALL DEAKINS | 15 - 12 (5) | |
| 19 | LAWSON TILGHMAN | 15 - 11 (5) | |
| 20 | GRANT GALLOWAY | 15 - 10 (5) | |
| 21 | RYAN SALZMAN | 15 - 7 (5) | |
| 22 | RICK BOWEN | 15 - 6 (5) | |
| 23 | RAYMOND OWEN | 15 - 2 (5) | |
| 24 | WILLIAM MERRICK | 15 - 1 (5) | |
| 25 | COLE FLOYD | 15 - 0 (5) | |
| 26 | CURREY HOLLEY | 14 - 14 (5) | |
| 27 | DONNY BECK | 14 - 12 (5) | |
| 28 | NICK RATLIFF | 14 - 11 (5) | |
| 29 | ANDY COY | 14 - 10 (5) | |
| 30 | GARY ISGRIGG | 14 - 8 (5) | |
| 31 | CURT MCGUIRE | 14 - 6 (5) | |
| 32 | MATT ROBERTSON | 14 - 2 (5) | |
| 33 | SPENCER SHUFFIELD | 14 - 1 (5) | |
| 33 | BRENT BUTLER | 14 - 1 (5) | |
| 35 | BRYAN WALDON | 13 - 15 (5) | |
| 36 | MICHAEL NEAL | 13 - 12 (5) | |
| 37 | MICHAEL CORBISHLEY | 13 - 11 (5) | |
| 37 | JOE RUCKER | 13 - 11 (5) | |
| 39 | MICKEY BECK | 13 - 10 (5) | |
| 40 | CODY HARRISON | 13 - 9 (5) | |
| 41 | ETHAN FRANKLIN | 13 - 6 (5) | |
| 42 | RUSTY WHITE | 13 - 5 (5) | |
| 42 | DREW BOGGS | 13 - 5 (5) | |
| 44 | NATHAN ASHMORE | 13 - 3 (5) | |
| 44 | BILL SMITH JR | 13 - 3 (5) | |
| 46 | FREDDY PALMER | 13 - 2 (5) | |
| 47 | BOB BLACKERBY | 13 - 0 (5) | |
| 47 | JEFF CANNON | 13 - 0 (5) | |
| 47 | JORDAN NETTLES | 13 - 0 (5) | |
| 50 | MATT BECKER | 12 - 15 (5) | |
| 51 | WILLIAM CAMPBELL | 12 - 13 (5) | |
| 52 | ANTHONY HAGEWOOD | 12 - 9 (5) | |
| 53 | BRODY CAMPBELL | 12 - 8 (5) | |
| 53 | JOEY WALTERS | 12 - 8 (5) | |
| 53 | JORDAN HARTMAN | 12 - 8 (5) | |
| 56 | BRANDON PERKINS | 12 - 7 (5) | |
| 57 | KYLE HALL | 12 - 6 (5) | |
| 58 | DENNIS SHAWN PERRIGO | 12 - 4 (5) | |
| 58 | JACK DALZELL | 12 - 4 (5) | |
| 58 | ALEX HESTER | 12 - 4 (5) | |
| 61 | GIL SUMMERLIN | 12 - 2 (5) | |
| 61 | TIMMY HORTON | 12 - 2 (5) | |
| 63 | DUSTIN BERRYMAN | 12 - 1 (5) | |
| 64 | WESLEY STRADER | 12 - 0 (5) | |
| 64 | JIMMY WASHAM | 12 - 0 (5) | |
| 66 | KRISTOPHER QUEEN | 11 - 14 (5) | |
| 66 | CHRIS MALONE | 11 - 14 (5) | |
| 68 | LOGAN COLLIER | 11 - 11 (5) | |
| 69 | MATT STANLEY | 11 - 9 (5) | |
| 69 | JIM LITTLE | 11 - 9 (4) | |
| 71 | CODY NICHOLS | 11 - 6 (5) | |
| 71 | ROBERT REAGAN | 11 - 6 (4) | |
| 73 | JONATHAN BOWLING | 11 - 5 (5) | |
| 74 | KOTA KIRIYAMA | 11 - 1 (5) | |
| 75 | TRAVIS LOYD | 10 - 15 (5) | |
| 76 | DUSTIN EVANS | 10 - 13 (5) | |
| 77 | JEFF MCLAIN | 10 - 6 (5) | |
| 78 | MICHAEL ROACH | 10 - 3 (5) | |
| 79 | JASON REYES | 10 - 1 (5) | |
| 80 | DEREK MILLS | 10 - 0 (5) | |
| 81 | BRENNON MCCORD | 9 - 13 (4) | |
| 82 | BLAKE SCHROEDER | 9 - 11 (4) | |
| 83 | BILL DAY | 9 - 6 (5) | |
| 84 | JOSEPH WEBSTER | 9 - 4 (4) | |
| 85 | RON SMITH | 8 - 14 (3) | |
| 85 | CRISPIN POWLEY | 8 - 14 (4) | |
| 87 | BRENT CROW | 8 - 13 (4) | |
| 88 | ROBB YOUNG | 8 - 11 (3) | |
| 89 | BRAD ADKINS | 8 - 9 (3) | |
| 90 | SHAWN HAWKS | 8 - 8 (4) | |
| 91 | SCOTTY ESTES | 8 - 7 (3) | |
| 92 | KEVIN MEUNIER | 8 - 6 (4) | |
| 93 | JASON FOSTER | 8 - 3 (4) | |
| 94 | BRAD ROBERTS | 8 - 2 (4) | |
| 95 | MASON SAPP | 7 - 15 (4) | |
| 96 | JIMMY GAYHART | 7 - 6 (2) | |
| 96 | WAYNE COOK | 7 - 6 (4) | |
| 98 | JIMMY BREWER | 6 - 15 (3) | |
| 99 | TIM WILSON | 6 - 14 (2) | |
| 100 | SHANE MELTON | 6 - 13 (3) | |
| 101 | JOSH SHIRLEY | 6 - 12 (3) | |
| 102 | JOHN JANICK | 6 - 9 (3) | |
| 103 | JEFF DYER | 6 - 8 (3) | |
| 104 | EDWARD GETTYS | 6 - 6 (3) | |
| 104 | CHARLES WATTS | 6 - 6 (3) | |
| 106 | BRAD MCCLURE | 6 - 3 (1) | $141 |
| 107 | JIM MOYNAGH | 6 - 2 (4) | |
| 108 | CHRIS HURD | 6 - 1 (3) | |
| 109 | TOMMY BROWN | 5 - 12 (3) | |
| 110 | DUSTIN NEAT | 5 - 11 (2) | |
| 111 | JOEY SCHMIDT | 5 - 10 (2) | |
| 112 | DAVID DOVE | 5 - 8 (2) | |
| 112 | KYLE GLASGOW | 5 - 8 (3) | |
| 114 | JEFF CARMAN | 5 - 7 (3) | |
| 115 | JACOPO GALLELLI | 5 - 5 (2) | |
| 116 | PARKER MAPLES | 5 - 4 (2) | |
| 117 | BILLY HURT | 5 - 3 (3) | |
| 118 | COLE LOGSDON | 4 - 9 (2) | |
| 118 | MICHAEL WOOLEY | 4 - 9 (2) | |
| 120 | JOSH NORRIS | 4 - 8 (2) | |
| 120 | JEFF RICHEY | 4 - 8 (2) | |
| 122 | JASON HAGEWOOD | 4 - 3 (2) | |
| 122 | BRIAN BAKER | 4 - 3 (2) | |
| 124 | TONY PRINCE | 4 - 0 (2) | |
| 124 | CLAY REECE | 4 - 0 (1) | |
| 126 | BRIAN HATFIELD | 3 - 15 (2) | |
| 126 | ALLEN BROOKS JR | 3 - 15 (2) | |
| 128 | HERMILO SALGADO | 3 - 13 (2) | |
| 129 | WESLEY ANDERSON | 3 - 12 (2) | |
| 130 | TRENT SURATT | 3 - 11 (2) | |
| 131 | JOHN WELLS | 3 - 6 (2) | |
| 132 | STEVE WHITAKER | 3 - 4 (1) | |
| 133 | RYAN DAVIDSON | 2 - 7 (1) | |
| 134 | JAMES TAYLOR | 2 - 6 (1) | |
| 135 | JAMES CHRISTIAN | 2 - 4 (1) | |
| 135 | STEVE BARNES | 2 - 4 (1) | |
| 137 | COLVIN HENSON | 2 - 3 (1) | |
| 137 | THOMAS ESCUE | 2 - 3 (1) | |
| 139 | COLTON BREEDING | 1 - 15 (1) | |
| 140 | DAVID WOOTTON | 1 - 13 (1) | |
| BRIAN ELDER | 0 - 0 (0) | ||
| CHRIS WOOTEN | 0 - 0 (0) | ||
| KURT MITCHELL | 0 - 0 (0) | ||
| JADE KEETON | 0 - 0 (0) | ||
| DAKOTA EBARE | 0 - 0 (0) | ||
| ANDREW LUXON | 0 - 0 (0) | ||
| WALTER OGLE | 0 - 0 (0) | ||
| WILLIAM CRUM | 0 - 0 (0) | ||
| DILLON SAFFLE | 0 - 0 (0) | ||
| ANTHONY ROY | 0 - 0 (0) | ||
| ADAM HORNBERGER | 0 - 0 (0) |
FLW Shares COVID-19 Guidelines for Upcoming Tournaments
BENTON, Ky. (May 28, 2020) – FLW, the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization, announced today COVID-19 guidelines intended to assist anglers and staff as the organization resumes tournament operations with the Toyota Series event at Pickwick Lake (Tenn.). These guidelines apply to all 2020 FLW tournaments including the Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit and the Phoenix Bass Fishing League. FLW referenced state, local, and Public Health resources, as well as industry examples, to develop these guidelines during this unprecedented time for the sport of competitive bass fishing.
The organization paused all FLW competition in mid-March in an effort to minimize the spread of the coronavirus. FLW tournaments will resume under an abundance of caution with attendance limited to competing anglers and essential tournament staff. The Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit resumes June 23-26 on Lake Chickamauga (Tenn.).
FLW shared the guidelines with all competitors via standard tournament communication channels to assist all participants in understanding how their events will be operated in accordance with current CDC protocols.
“We’re all looking forward to getting back to fishing,” said FLW Executive Vice President and General Manager Kathy Fennel. “And while these guidelines are not what we’re used to at an FLW event, they’re extremely important as we work to respect everyone involved – anglers, staff, our families back home, and the host communities - during this unprecedented time.”
The FLW guidelines include:
- Anglers should not participate in the tournament if they have had any of the following symptoms within the last 14 days:
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- Fever of 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit or higher
- Shortness of breath
- Chills
- Dry cough
- Running nose
- Muscle pain
- Sore throat
- Diminished sense of taste or smell
- Anglers are advised to wear a cloth mask and/or face covering at takeoff and weigh-in and while seated in the boat. Masks may be removed while fishing on the front and rear deck of the boat.
- Only pre-tournament meetings that can comply with physical distancing guidelines will be conducted. All other rules and guidance will be communicated electronically to participants prior to each tournament.
- Flights will be spaced with adequate time to allow for physical distancing at the weigh-in.
- Queues for weigh-in will be clearly marked with cones to maintain a minimum 6-foot spacing between anglers.
- A limited number of weigh-in bags will be distributed to provide for adequate physical distancing at the weigh-in tubs. Tubs will be spaced so that anglers waiting to weigh their catch will always be at least 6 feet apart.
- FLW staff working the weigh-in tubs will wear cloth masks/face coverings and face shields.
- Gloves (non-latex) will be provided to anglers and staff for handling weigh-in bags.
- Hand sanitizer will be provided to anglers and staff.
- Anglers that take the stage for weigh-in are asked to place their fish on the scale, then step behind a 6-foot line marked on the stage while the tournament director weighs their fish. After the weight is recorded, anglers will take their fish off the stage while the tournament director maintains a 6-foot distance. Anglers are advised to wear a cloth mask and/or face covering while crossing the stage.
- Each tournament director will use a dedicated microphone.
- A second microphone that is sanitized between uses will be provided for anglers who wish to give interviews. Otherwise no on-stage interview will be conducted.
- Weigh-in bag handles will be disinfected between uses.
For additional information, including the updated 2020 tournament schedule and registration, visit FLWFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news regarding this weekend’s event on Pickwick Lake, follow the Toyota Series on FLW’s social media outlets at Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.
High School Fishing Digital Tournament from Lew’s and Strike King in Home Stretch
57 Teams Currently Competing in 12-week competitions
Lexington, S.C. – May 28, 2020 – The Lew’s / Strike King High School Fishing Digital Tournament has passed the halfway mark, and competitors are turning in some impressive results.
Seven weeks into the 12-week long competition, the 57 high school fishing teams, competing in their own regions have been battling for a weekly Big Bass prize of a Mach rod and reel combo, and a random weekly drawing for a Strike King “Tie One On” prize drawing. At the end of the 12-week period, the team with the overall grand prize for the most total inches reported in each region, will receive two Lew’s Mach combos and a $200 retail value Strike King prize pack.
Thus far, results of the competition are as follows: In total, all 57 teams competing have logged 3,150 total catches, measuring a total of 50,139 inches to the leaderboard using the Hook’D Fishing Tournaments App during the seven weeks of competition.
As far as the Grand prize cumulative leaderboard goes; leading the North region is the Brownsburg Fishing Club, and leading the West is the Delta Saints Bass, while the South Forsyth High Fishing Team is at the top of the Southern Region.
The largest bass of the event thus far is a 26.25-inch largemouth caught by the Seminole Junior Anglers during week 5 of the competition.
David May, Executive Vice President of Marketing for Lew’s Holding continues to be impressed with the performance of the teams and the level of involvement. “We are extremely pleased to see the engagement and eagerness of these high school anglers with our digital tournament,” said May. “Lew’s has always been a strong supporter of youth and high school fishing. This has been a lot of fun so far, we’re always excited about seeing the results posted to the leaderboard.”
He also said having a great partnership has made this program happen. “With this being the first time we’ve hosted an event like this, we’re happy to have a partner like the Hook’D Fishing Tournaments app involved,” said May. “We’re glad to be able to provide a safe outlet for fishing competition with high school teams over the past several and coming weeks. It’ll be exciting to see who takes the grand prizes in the end!”
It is never too late for a team to enter, it only takes one fish catch submission to win a weekly big bass prize, but your team has to be entered into the competition at the time of the catch to win. The 12-week program runs through Sunday, June 28.
For weekly results, and for more information about the High School Fishing Digital Tournament from Lew’s and Strike King, go to https://www.lews.com/digital-fishing-tournament.
For more information about how high school fishing teams can get involved with Lew’s and Strike King, go to https://www.lews.com/academicprograms or https://www.strikeking.com/resources/academic-programs
BRP Advances Marine Strategy by Focusing on Boats and New Technologies
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Fort Worth, Lake Ray Roberts Poised To Host First Bassmaster Classic
Fort Worth and Lake Ray Roberts will host the 2021 Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic March 19-21, 2021.
May 27, 2020
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — For just the third time in the event’s storied history, the 2021 Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic will be coming to Texas. The eyes of Texas — and the world — will be watching March 19-21, 2021 as the Super Bowl of Professional Bass Fishing heads to Fort Worth with fishing taking place at Lake Ray Roberts in nearby Denton.
It will mark the first time Fort Worth will host the Bassmaster Classic, as well as the first time a major B.A.S.S. tournament has been held on this fishery.
“There are very few firsts in the world of sports,” said Chase Anderson, Chairman of B.A.S.S. “We can’t wait to have a historic first next year when fishing’s biggest stage comes to Fort Worth. Our fans, sponsors and anglers are sure to be in for an incredible experience.”
Downtown Fort Worth will be on full display during the event, hosted by the Fort Worth Sports Commission and Visit Fort Worth. Outdoors enthusiasts can browse at the Bassmaster Classic Outdoors Expo, which will be held at the Will Rogers Memorial Center, before taking in daily weigh-in festivities at nearby Dickies Arena.
“We could not have secured this world-class event without the support of our community partners,” said Bob Jameson, President and CEO for Visit Fort Worth, parent organization of the Fort Worth Sports Commission. “We are grateful to Dickies Arena, Will Rogers Memorial Center, the City of Fort Worth, Texas Parks & Wildlife Department, Lake Ray Roberts, The Stockyards and many more for their time and thoughtful collaboration to ensure Fort Worth offers a world-class experience to anglers, their families and fans.”
Recent Classics held in Birmingham, Ala., and Knoxville, Tenn., have drawn record-breaking crowds of more than 120,000 fans to Classic Week events, including the Bassmaster Classic Outdoors Expo. The Outdoors Expo has grown into the largest consumer fishing show in the country, with 200 exhibitors from around the world onsite selling a variety of merchandise for fishing, hunting, camping and more — an outdoor enthusiast’s dream. Exhibition space fills quickly for this in-demand show, so interested businesses are encouraged to get on the waiting list today at Bassmaster.com/Expo.
“The Fort Worth Sports Commission is proud to host the 2021 Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic in Fort Worth,” said Jason Sands, director of the Fort Worth Sports Commission. “This is the Super Bowl of Bass Fishing and it will be an incredible privilege to welcome anglers, their families and fans from around the country to Fort Worth. This championship will bring over 70,000 visitors with an expected $20 million in direct spending including in our hotels, restaurants, retail, attractions and more. The Fort Worth Sports Commission will be monitoring event protocol and safety procedures as they evolve over the next several months to ensure Fort Worth is ready to host this prestigious tournament next spring.”
According to numbers released by the Greater Birmingham Convention & Visitors Bureau, the Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic provided a direct economic impact of $20.8 million and an indirect boost in business sales of $15.1 million. This total of $35.9 million for the 2020 event is an increase over the 2019 Bassmaster Classic in Knoxville, Tenn., which generated a total economic impact of $32.2 million, according to Visit Knoxville.
A perennial contender on Bassmaster Magazine’s annual 100 Best Bass Lakes list, Lake Ray Roberts was the No. 15 fishery in the Central Region for 2019, and historically, has appeared in the Top 10 multiple years. In a state known for producing big bags, Lake Ray Roberts continues to shine. Tournaments on this 29,350-acre reservoir regularly require anglers to average at least 5-pounders to win.
“Academy Sports + Outdoors has helped families in Fort Worth have fun for over 25 years,” said Lawrence Lobpries, Academy Sports + Outdoors’ senior vice president of marketing. “We’re excited to be a part of providing pro and recreational anglers alike access to bass fishing’s biggest event. We hope the experiences shared at this event will inspire growth in fishing participation across Texas and the rest of the country.”
The 2021 Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic in Fort Worth will be covered live and streamed on Bassmaster.com, ESPN3 and the ESPN App, and five hours of original programming will be aired on ESPN2 and the Pursuit Channel following the event.
For complete details and more information as it becomes available, visit Bassmaster.com.
About Visit Fort Worth
Visit Fort Worth is the official destination marketing organization of the 13th-largest city in the United States, dedicated to promoting Fort Worth as a premier business and leisure destination with thriving centers of creativity, culture and commerce. Visit Fort Worth is the parent organization of The Fort Worth Herd, the Fort Worth Film Commission, the Fort Worth Sports Commission and music initiative Hear Fort Worth.
About the Fort Worth Sports Commission
The Fort Worth Sports Commission advances the city as an international sports destination. A division of Visit Fort Worth, the Sports Commission attracts youth, collegiate and professional events that deliver economic impact and boost Fort Worth’s image. The Commission supports development of and access to facilities that enhance the quality of life for all Fort Worth. For more information, visit www.FortWorth.com/Sports.
About B.A.S.S.
B.A.S.S. is the worldwide authority on bass fishing and keeper of the culture of the sport, providing cutting edge content on bass fishing whenever, wherever and however bass fishing fans want to use it. Headquartered in Birmingham, Ala., the 515,000-member organization’s fully integrated media platforms include the industry’s leading magazines (Bassmaster and B.A.S.S. Times), website (Bassmaster.com), television show (The Bassmasters on ESPN2 and The Pursuit Channel), radio show (Bassmaster Radio), social media programs and events. For more than 50 years, B.A.S.S. has been dedicated to access, conservation and youth fishing.
The Bassmaster Tournament Trail includes the most prestigious events at each level of competition, including the Bassmaster Elite Series, Basspro.com Bassmaster Opens Series, TNT Fireworks B.A.S.S. Nation Series, Carhartt Bassmaster College Series presented by Bass Pro Shops, Mossy Oak Fishing Bassmaster High School Series presented by Academy Sports + Outdoors, Bassmaster Team Championship, new Huk Bassmaster B.A.S.S. Nation Kayak Series powered by TourneyX presented by Abu Garcia and the ultimate celebration of competitive fishing, the Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic presented by Huk.
"Pinching it off" with the Crews Missile
This week Chris and the boys welcome in Bassmaster Elite Series Pro and industry veteran John Crews to the show to talk about his time in quarantine, his video making prowess and what its like being a business owner in the fishing industry. All this and more, just hit play!
Seaguar® Expands Its Ranks of Pro Team Anglers
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Throughout the world, across the country, and even within your state, innovative anglers develop unique presentations and perfect creative refinements to help them catch more fish. Many of the advances to the art and science of fishing originate with professional anglers, as success within the fiery cauldron of competition often requires out-of-the-box thinking to transfer wary, pressured bass from lake to livewell. Seaguar®, the inventors of fluorocarbon fishing line and leading innovators in line technology, embraces the insights developed by tournament anglers, and is pleased to welcome a new group of touring professionals to their pro team. MLF Bass Pro Tour and FLW Tour Anglers |
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Luke Clausen is one of only a handful of anglers to win both Forrest L. Wood Cup and Bassmaster Classic trophies. Clausen notched those two victories early in his career, winning the FLW title in 2004 and the Classic in 2006 – just 18 months into his time as a professional angler. That kick start has turned into one of the most successful tournament fishing careers to date: Clausen has racked up 32 top 10 finishes and over $2.5 million in tournament winnings, and currently competes on the MLF Bass Pro Tour. Finesse swimbaits are one of Clausen’s favorite presentations, and he relies on 20-pound test Seaguar Smackdown™ to get his bite-sized baits deep and keep them in the strike zone. |
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Gerald Spohrer traces his fishing roots to early childhood trips with his Grandfather in pursuit of the Louisiana bayous’ abundant redfish and speckled trout. After cutting his teeth in Bassmaster Opens and Elite Series events and qualifying for his first Bassmaster Classic in 2019, Spohrer made the move to the MLF Bass Pro Tour during its inaugural season. Spohrer feels that the willingness to listen to your own instincts can separate good anglers from great ones, and will be leveraging Seaguar fluorocarbon and braided lines in pursuit of tournament victories this season. |
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Miles “Sonar” Burghoff enters his second year on the FLW Tour after fishing competitively for well over a decade, including 17 top 10 finishes and the distinction of being the only angler to qualify for the BFL All-American through the college ranks. A successful Tennessee River guide with a very active social media presence, Burghoff is also the co-host of Sweetwater Fishing TV and an FLW Cup qualifier. Burghoff prefers Seaguar fluorocarbon and braided lines because they consistently have smaller diameters than other lines at the same pound test rating, giving anglers the edge and putting more fish in the boat. |
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Matt Becker, the 2018 FLW Tour Rookie of the Year and two-time FLW Cup qualifier, is in his third year fishing on the FLW Tour. With seven top 10 finishes and one victory under his belt, Becker is a believer in linking the power and sensitivity of Seaguar Smackdown™ with the abrasion resistance and near invisibility underwater of Seaguar AbrazX®. For example, at his recent fourth place finish at the FLW event on Lake Martin, Becker targeted largemouth on wacky rigs using 20-pound Smackdown™ in Flash Green, coupled to a 10- or 12-pound test AbrazX leader. |
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Bassmaster Elite Series and Bassmaster Opens |
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Chris and Cory Johnston are two Canadian brothers who are pursuing their professional fishing dreams together as Bassmaster Elite Series anglers after several successful seasons on the FLW Tour. The Johnston brothers have fished together for over 20 years, sharing expenses, tournament winnings, and sponsor support through a partnership that is unique in professional angling circuits. Chris and Cory also share a tournament-tested appreciation for Seaguar lines and leaders – they spool their spinning gear with Tatsu and their baitcasters with AbrazX, and also turn to the enhanced abrasion resistance of AbrazX leaders for any presentation that involves bottom contact. |
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Drew Cook won the 2019 Rookie of the Year title on the Bassmaster Elite Series and is starting his second year of fishing the Elite circuit. A professed “self-taught” angler, Cook has been fishing competitively since the age of 13, winning the Bassmaster Florida State Championship while in high school. A season-long fan of lipless rattlebaits, Cook spools up with 30- to 50-pound test Seaguar Smackdown™ to rip his lures through grass and bounce them off stumps. |
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Marc Frazier has set his sights on qualifying for the Bassmaster Elite Series as he begins his second season fishing the Bassmaster Opens. Frazier, who was once drafted by the San Francisco Giants to play Major League Baseball, decided instead to pursue a college education – and eventually, professional bass fishing. Join us in watching this Georgia native climb through the ranks and earn his way to the Elites! |
FLW Set for Return to Competition with Toyota Series Tournament on Pickwick Lake
FLORENCE, Ala. (May 21, 2020) – FLW is set to return to tournament competition next week in Florence, Alabama, with the three-day Toyota Series event at Pickwick Lake, May 28-30. Hosted by Florence/Lauderdale Tourism, the event will feature a return to action for the region’s best bass-fishing pros and co-anglers.
The event will be the first FLW tournament held since the organization paused all competition in mid-March due to the coronavirus pandemic. The tournament will be held under an abundance of caution, with limited attendance to anglers and essential tournament staff only. Fans are encouraged to forgo daily takeoffs and weigh-ins and follow the event online through “FLW Live” weigh-in broadcasts and coverage at FLWFishing.com.
“It’s definitely going to be an offshore deal, and it’s going to be a slugfest,” said Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit rookie Cole Floyd.
Floyd said that on Kentucky Lake, the fishing has been a little behind this year, but he thinks that only makes the timing better at Pickwick.
“I’ll usually start finding fish out on mid-range stuff now, or a week before now (mid-May),” said Floyd of the offshore bite. “It’s kind of behind here (at Kentucky Lake). We haven’t had a shad spawn yet, and usually it’s going on now. I’ve heard that it hasn’t quite happened yet there (at Pickwick), but I think this tournament will hit it right on the nail.”
For catching offshore fish, Floyd thinks that cranking will be clutch, as that’s usually one of the best early producers offshore on the Tennessee River. Other traditional ledge-fishing baits will work as well, including football jigs and other dragging baits. Swimbaits, hair jigs and fluke-style baits on Scrounger-style heads could also produce, and they have a history of success in the summer on Pickwick.
For the shallow-water stuff, Floyd said that big spinnerbaits can be very good around spawning shad. Big, shallow-running crankbaits may also be a good bet to catch the better-than-average largemouth that are shallow and gorging on big gizzard shad.
“I bet it’s going to be crazy. There will also be guys that catch them out of shallower stuff, too. They will be tough to beat if they find that stuff,” Floyd went on to say. “I bet the weights will be crazy. I’d say it’ll take high 60s to win over three days.”
Anglers will take off from McFarland Park, located at 200 Jim Spain Drive, in Florence at 6 a.m. CDT each day of competition. The weigh-ins will be broadcast at FLWFishing.com each day from McFarland Park, beginning at 2 p.m.
In Toyota Series regular-season competition, payouts are based on the number of participants competing in the event, scaling up for every 20 boats over 160 and scaling down for every boat below 160. With a 160-boat field, pros fish for a top prize of $40,000, plus an extra $35,000 if FLW PHOENIX BONUS qualified. Co-anglers cast for the top prize of a new Phoenix 518 Pro bass boat with a 115-horsepower outboard (valued at $33,500). With a 260-boat field, pros fish for a top award of $65,000, plus an extra $35,000 if FLW PHOENIX BONUS qualified. Co-anglers cast for the top prize of a new Phoenix 518 Pro bass boat with a 115-horsepower outboard (valued at $33,500) plus $5,000 cash.
The Toyota Series consists of eight divisions – Central, Eastern, Northern, Plains, Southeastern, Southern, Southwestern and Western – each holding three regular-season events, along with the International division. Anglers who fish all three qualifiers in any of the eight divisions and finish in the top 25 will qualify for the no-entry-fee Toyota Series Championship for a shot at winning $235,000 cash, including a $35,000 FLW PHOENIX Bonus for qualified anglers. The winning co-angler at the championship earns a new Phoenix 518 Pro bass boat with a 115-horsepower outboard. The 2020 Toyota Series Championship will be held Dec. 3-5 on Lake Cumberland in Burnside, Kentucky, and is hosted by the Somerset Tourist & Convention Commission and the Burnside Tourism Commission.
For complete details and updated information visit FLWFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow the Toyota Series on FLW’s social media outlets at Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.
Booming Interest In Bassmaster Opens Brings First Live Coverage, More Angler Opportunities For Rest Of Season
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — The excitement of sportfishing kicks off again in June with seven tournaments remaining in the hotly contested Basspro.com Bassmaster Opens Series. With fan interest at an all-time high and a stacked field of anglers that includes some of the sport’s biggest names, B.A.S.S. officials announced plans today to expand live coverage and make it easier for additional pro anglers to compete in the Opens.
“Our anglers, fans and sponsors are excited to get back to the fun and excitement of tournament fishing when the season resumes this summer,” said B.A.S.S. CEO Bruce Akin. “The 2020 Bassmaster Opens has set up to be among the most competitive in history, and we were thrilled to get the season rescheduled.
“While it was disappointing to postpone events, our team worked diligently during the unexpected downtime to improve Opens Series coverage options and implement additional technology that fans and anglers alike are sure to love. Now we just have to wait and see what these talented anglers catch!”
Over the course of January’s Bassmaster Eastern Open at Harris Chain, the leaderboard was visited an astounding 392,000 times as fans tuned in to follow the progress of their favorite anglers! Now, fishing fans will have two new options for following the on-the-water action. Beginning June 18 with the Basspro.com Bassmaster Central Open at Arkansas River, both boaters and co-anglers will use BASSTrakk for real-time updates. Plus, fans can follow the final-day drama by streaming Nationwide Bassmaster Opens LIVE presented by Grizzly as camera boats provide coverage of the leaders.
But it is not just fans who will have more access to on-the-water action. More anglers will also have an opportunity to compete for the coveted Falcon Rods Angler of the Year title!
While Opens tournaments have traditionally seen a pro angler and co-angler competing from the same boat, new rules going into place when the season restarts on the Arkansas River in June will allow for some pros to compete without a co-angler on one of the first two full-field days of the tournament on a random basis. Those pro anglers currently on the waiting list for tournaments will be added to the field. Registration for the first Bassmaster Central Open on the Arkansas River has been extended through May 29, 2020 and all late fees will be waived. Registration information can be found at Bassmaster.com/Opens.
“In these unprecedented times, it’s understandable that fewer co-anglers may want to commit to a tournament and be in close proximity to others,” said Chris Bowes, Tournament Director for the Opens Series. “But we wanted to ensure that pro anglers still have an opportunity to compete and collect valuable points toward the Falcon Rods Angler of the Year race as well as qualify for a spot on the Elite Series.”
Adding to the drama of the 2020 Bassmaster Opens, the new Falcon Rods Bassmaster Opens Angler of the Year title awards $10,000 to the overall points winner in the pro division. The top co-angler will have the pro division entry fees into the 2021 Basspro.com Bassmaster Opens division of his or her choice paid for — a value of approximately $7,200!
The 2020 Basspro.com Bassmaster Opens features four events in two divisions — Eastern and Central — with the winners of each event earning an automatic berth into the 2021 Bassmaster Classic, provided he or she has fished all four events in that division. The Top 4 anglers from each division’s final points standings will receive an invitation to fish the 2021 Bassmaster Elite Series. As a new addition, Elite Series invitations will also be extended to the Top 4 anglers from the cumulative standings for both divisions for a total of 12 invitations.
Among those fighting for those coveted Elite Series invitations are 46 anglers who have registered to fish all eight Opens Series tournaments plus two current Elite pros, Brandon Palaniuk and Gerald Swindle, who are fishing the entire season to help ensure they requalify for the Series.
Daisuke Aoki, Minamitsurugun, Japan
Cody Bertrand, Dyer, Ind.
Randy Blaukat, Joplin, Mo.
Wyatt Burkhalter, Coker, Ala.
Todd Castledine, Nacogdoches, Texas
Jason Christie, Park Hill, Okla.
Josh Douglas, Isle, Minn.
Anthony Dumitras, Winston, Ga.
Denny Fiedler, Wabasha, Minn.
Marc Frazier, Newnan, Ga.
John Garrett, Union City, Tenn.
Caleb Gibson, Locust Grove, Okla.
Cody Hahner, Wausau, Wis.
Bradley Hallman, Norman, Okla.
Charlie Hartley, Grove City, Ohio
Andy Hribar, Lakeville, Minn.
Cody Huff, Ava, Mo.
John Hunter Jr., Simpsonville, Ky.
Ken Iyobe, Tokoname, Japan
Rex Jaeger, Fairfield Township, Ohio
Teb Jones, Hattiesburg, Miss.
Seiji Kato, Outsu Shiga, Japan
Kenta Kimura, Osaka, Japan
Brad Knight, Lancing, Tenn.
Brian Latimer, Belton, S.C.
Greg Mansfield, Olathe, Kan.
Scott Martin, Clewiston, Fla.
Kenny Mittelstaedt, Minnetonka, Minn.
Bryan New, Belmont, N.C.
Brandon Palaniuk, Rathdrum, Idaho
Scott Pellegrin, Chippewa Falls, Wis.
Luke Plunkett, Pinson, Ala.
KJ Queen, Catawba, N.C.
Chad Randles, Elkhorn, Neb.
Dustin Reneau, Mckinney, Texas
Matthew Robertson, Kuttawa, Ky.
Garrett Rose, Pipecreek, Texas
Jake Rossi, Columbus, Ohio
Steve Sennikoff, Edgewood, Texas
Scott Siller, Milwaukee, Wis.
Bryant Smith, Roseville, Calif.
Chandler Stewart, Waco, Texas
Gerald Swindle, Guntersville, Ala.
Andrew Thomasson, Dublin, Va.
Andrew Upshaw, Tulsa, Okla.
Joel Willert, Prior Lake, Minn.
Tommy Williams, Shepherdsville, Ky.
Trait Zaldain, Fort Worth, Texas
The "Juice" and the "Squeeze"
This week Chris and the boys welcome in longtime listener Matt Lazenby to the show to join in on the interviews with FLW Pro Brad Knight and MLF BPT Pro's Justin Lucas and Matt Lee. Getting to the bottom of the Super Tournaments and the field size and dissecting how each of them feel about the changes.
Memorial Day weekend fishing tips from a pro
Alan McGuckin - Dynamic Sponsorships
With more than $600,000 in prize winnings to his credit, Team Toyota angler Brandon Lester has proven himself to be one of America’s most accomplished young professional bass anglers. The Tennessean is also one heck of a family man, and was gracious enough to lend some advice to parents who soon might be taking their children fishing for the first time.
Fishing license and life vests
A lot of families overlook the fact adults who are handling a rod and reel are required to have a fishing license -- even if fishing is simply a brief part of your family camping trip or picnic.
“Don’t be intimidated by buying a license,” says Lester. “Most states offer a 1-day or 3-day license versus a full year to save new anglers money. And you can nearly always get a license over the phone with a fast Google search for the state fishing license sales center and phone number for wherever you plan to fish,” he explains.
In addition to making sure you have a valid fishing license for whatever day(s) you’ll be fishing – safety needs to be the absolute top priority. That said, Lester reminds us children are required to wear a properly fitted life jacket on a boat at all times, and common sense dictates it’s wise for them to wear one when fishing from a dock or pier too.
Bait and Tackle
While everybody dreams of catching a fish the length of your arm, for kids it’s all about getting bites – and no species provides more easy action than bluegills and other shoreline oriented panfish sized about like your hand. Most know a container of red worms or Canadian nightcrawlers are the fast route to success, but where many beginning anglers go wrong is on the size of hooks and bobbers they buy.
“Bluegills are a ton of fun for kids. But keep in mind they’re not big fish, and they don’t have big mouths. So don’t buy a bobber so big they can’t pull it under. And make sure your hook is tiny enough for bluegills and other panfish to get their mouth around too,” says Lester.
As a rule of thumb, a typical round bobber should not be any larger than a golf ball at the very biggest. Hooks should be sized about like a nickel. Ideally, find a pack of hooks such as Mustad’s classic baitholder in a size #6 marked on the package, and you’ll be right on target.
Keep it fun, and don’t stay too long
“You shouldn’t expect your kids to fish for eight hours, because the reality is they often lose interest after 20 minutes if the fish aren’t biting. So the key is to keep them entertained – and if that means throwing rocks in the water – a short walk down the shoreline – watching for turtles - or whatever – that’s fine – keep it fun!” emphasizes Lester.
“Don’t wear them out. Make fishing a short adventure for them. Take some snacks and drinks, and a wet rag to wipe your hands on. If you catch a few for a photo, and make some great memories, there’s a good chance they’ll want to go again. If that’s the case, you’ve succeeded as a parent, no matter what your level of fishing experience was previously,” concludes the top pro.
McCaig and Hurst take the win at Weiss with a 6-pound lead over 2nd place
By Jason Duran
Photos Chris Brown
With anglers chomping at the bits to get back to fishing, the Alabama Bass Trail North Division was back in action this weekend. The previous two events have been re-scheduled for later this year, so anglers picked the season up with stop number 2 on Weiss Lake in Cherokee County, AL.
With 22.60 pounds of all largemouth, the team of Mark McCaig and Tim Hurst took a commanding win on Weiss Lake with 6-pound lead over the rest of the field along with $19,250 in winnings and bonuses.
Mark and Tim spent a day and a half practicing in separate boats where they both found their own areas they thought they could catch some fish. However, neither of them felt the areas they found were winning areas. They both had a decent bite in one similar area and decided the night before they would go to that area to get started and try to fish something new in that area.
At the first stop, they caught a three and a half and a five pounder that “clued them in to what they had been missing in practice.” Mark said, that clue was “I felt like a lot of fish were still spawning but had expected this to be a post spawn bite with most of the fish out deep.” Once we realized it wasn’t a deep bite this morning “we started running around fishing similar areas upriver all the way down to the dam.”
The team said they “targeted fish in the spawning areas”- not necessarily bed fishing but primarily fishing shallow areas where fish were spawning or headed to and from spawning. Mark said, “we realized that the farther we went back in pockets, the smaller the fish were, so we targeted shallow areas instead of the backs of pockets.” They caught their fish primarily on two baits; in the morning, they started with a Spro Poppin frog, and later in the day when it got tough, they used a Bass Pro Shops Green Pumpkin Senko.
The up and down temperature changes in the seasonal weather have broken up the spawn cycle on Weiss causing this lake to fish tough for a couple reasons. Mark said “there are fish in many different stages and there is a lot of shallow water in this lake, so when these fish get post-spawn, they can be 50 yards off the bank and still be in shallow water. You can go through an area and you might be around the better fish, but you can’t get them to bite because they are so spread out.” It is really hard to target and catch post spawn fish.
Mark said “winning a tournament with 225 boats is more about the decisions that you make during the day or the maybe decisions you make to start somewhere more so than fishing ability. This field is packed with great fishermen who all have the same fishing ability, and there are a lot of winners here.” Their key decision today was to “sit down before we made move, look at the map and say if the fish spawned here, this is where we are going and just try and catch them somewhere in between.”
Second place went to Stephen Mcavoy and Josh Butts with 16.14. They started their morning on a shad spawn point that was about two feet deep. Their second cast with a Booya Buzz Clacker in white caught a four pounder. On the third cast, they caught a three pounder. Within ten minutes they had a limit that was pushing 12 pounds. They described this point as a mid-pocket point with grass right next to a wooden seawall.
The shad spawn was over in about an hour, and from there they tried to fish docks, but it didn’t pan out. So, they went back to the grass and started catching fish and made a few culls using a Dirty Jigs White Sim Jig. They, like others, found them in the back of pockets, but they were the smaller fish. The team felt that the better fish were moving out of the pocket and heading to deeper water. So, they targeted them about mid-way out and caught better fish there.
Third place was separated by just two hundredths of an ounce with the team of Bryan Dowdy and Kyle Lewellen weighing in at 16.12 pounds. They caught them flipping a Strike King Rage Craw and swimming a Dirty Jigs 3/8 swim jig in white with a Strike King Menace trailer. They targeted shallow grass areas in the Yellow Creek area. They said they “didn’t catch a fish over two-feet deep. “First, we went to a couple bed fish spots we found in practice and caught one off the bed but couldn’t find the others.” They spent the rest of the day “junk fishing” their way into third place. They caught over 20 fish up until 11:00 when they got their last bite. They had a mixed bag of two spotted bass and three largemouth.
To review the top ten standings and a full list of results, visit https://www.alabamabasstrail.org/tournament-series/wel-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.
