Canterbury Collects $20,000 Bonus Through Yamaha Power Pay
Courtesy of Alan McGuckin - Dynamic Sponsorships
Scott Canterbury would’ve needed to work a whole lot of weekend overtime jobs in his previous construction and plumbing career to make the kind of contingency bonusmoney he won after three days of impressive shallow water success at the Bassmaster Classic® in Knoxville. He finished third in the nation’s biggest bass fishing tournament and earned a $20,000 Yamaha Power Pay bonus.
This is the second time Canterbury has captured a big Power Pay bonus. He finished sixth at the 2021 Classic in Fort Worth and took home the $20,000 there, too.
His success illustrates one of the greatest aspects of the Yamaha Power Pay program. You don’t have to win the tournament to win the contingency money. You simply need to make sure you’re signed up and become the highest finishing eligible participant in one of the dozens of sanctioned events, ranging from high school tournaments to America’s top weekend team series events.
“People need to realize you don’t need to fish in the Bassmaster Classic to win Power Pay money. You just have to run the most reliable engine on the water and make sure you’re signed up for Yamaha Power Pay,” says Canterbury, who never caught a bass deeper than four feet from Loudon during the 2023 Classic.
His wisdom regarding bass fishing’s greatest outboard contingency program is simple and straight forward – just like that of a man who once turned pipe wrenches for overtime pay.
It’s free to sign-up, to learn more, please visit https://yamahapowerpay.com/.
The Snow Leopard Tames the Tennessee River
The winner of the 53rd Bassmaster Classic Jeff "Gussy" Gustafson tells us how he beat the rest of the field and made it to the summit of Rocky Top. The guys also give their takes on their experiences at the event as well.
Powerhouse Auburn duo secures College Series legacy on Bassmaster Classic stage in Knoxville
Logan Parks and Tucker Smith of Auburn University have won the 2023 Strike King Bassmaster College Classic presented by Bass Pro Shops with 16 pounds, 3 ounces.
Photo by James Overstreet/B.A.S.S.
March 28, 2023
KINGSTON, Tenn. — Representing Auburn University, Tucker Smith and Logan Parks found redemption on Watts Bar Reservoir, catching 16 pounds, 3 ounces of largemouth bass to win the Strike King Bassmaster College Classic presented by Bass Pro Shops.
Parks and Smith, who won the 2021 Team of the Year title and fished this event last year as well, hoisted the trophy on the stage of the Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic presented by Toyota inside Thompson-Boling Arena in downtown Knoxville.
Last years’ champions Hayden Gaddis and Ben Cully from Carson-Newman University finished second with 13-4 and Avery Hammock and Garrett Smith from Erskine College finished third with 12-8.
As a St. Croix Bassmaster Opens Elite Qualifiers division competitor, Parks hopes this win is only a preview of what is to come in his career.
“It was really special to hold up a big trophy on the biggest stage in bass fishing,” Parks said. “It is also my last college event ever. I didn’t even expect to be invited. I thought my college career was over. So, it was special to come back with my best friend and get the win.”
Parks and Smith fished an event on Watts Bar several years ago but only managed to catch one bass. For all of practice and much of Sunday, they thought they were doomed to repeat that performance. But with an hour to go, they pulled up on a prespawn staging area and filled their limit.
Their biggest bass weighed over 5 pounds.
“We caught all of our weight in an hour,” Smith said. “We caught our biggest one in the last seven minutes of the day. It was meant to be.”
The bass they found were located around bluff walls in anywhere from 5 to 20 feet of water. With the water temperatures not warm enough to start the spawning process, Smith and Parks believed the bass they found were setting up to spawn.
Spotted bass bit first, but they eventually weeded through them to find some bigger largemouth. The Auburn anglers rotated through a variety of baits including a Berkley Stunna and a Livingston jerkbait, as well as a Picasso spinnerbait and a jig.
“We were just so happy when we caught our second fish,” Parks said. “Then it went down. It was crazy. They were eating.”
Parks hopes he will be able to use what he found this week at the Bassmaster Open at Watts Bar that will be held in September.
“I don’t know if this will work again, but it was good to have a better experience than we did the last time,” he said. “September is a tough month and that will be a season-maker or breaker.”
Coastal Carolina University’s Andrew Vereen and Connor Cartmell, the winners of the 2022 Strike King Bassmaster College Series National Championship presented by Bass Pro Shops, claimed Big Bass of the Tournament honors with a 6-7 largemouth.
The city of Kingston hosted the event.
*****Beau Browning transferred from Drury to Montevallo this year and, as first angler, the standings automatically pulled in his school information *****
2023 Strike King Bassmaster College Classic presented by Bass Pro Shops 3/26
Watts Bar Reservoir, Knoxville TN.
(BOATER) Standings Day 1
Angler Club/School Pts
1. Logan Parks - Tucker Smith Auburn University 0
Day 1: 5 16-03 Total: 5 16-03
2. Hayden Gaddis - Ben Cully Carson-Newman University 0
Day 1: 5 13-04 Total: 5 13-04
3. Avery Hammock - Garrett Smith Erskine College 0
Day 1: 5 12-08 Total: 5 12-08
4. Brian Linder - Nathan Thompson Minnesota State - Mankato 0
Day 1: 5 10-14 Total: 5 10-14
5. Seth Jenkins - TJ McKenzie Emmanuel College 0
Day 1: 3 10-07 Total: 3 10-07
6. Beau Browning - Jake Peck Montevallo (8094) 0
Day 1: 5 09-08 Total: 5 09-08
7. Connor Cartmell - Andrew Vereen Coastal Carolina University 0
Day 1: 1 06-07 Total: 1 06-07
8. Michael Fugaro - Brycen Hendriks UNC Charlotte 0
Day 1: 1 04-04 Total: 1 04-04
9. Kaleb Brown - Chad Mrazek Lander University 0
Day 1: 1 03-10 Total: 1 03-10
10. Jackson Swisher - Seth Slanker Florida Gateway College 0
Day 1: 1 03-07 Total: 1 03-07
11. Lafe Messer - Matt Messer Kentucky Christian University 0
Day 1: 1 02-14 Total: 1 02-14
12. Mitch Straffon - Hank Sturm Adrian College Bass Team (8434) 0
Day 1: 1 01-09 Total: 1 01-09
13. Joshua DeKoning - Dalton Mollenkopf Adrian College 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Totals
Day #Limits #Fish Weight
1 5 34 94-15
----------------------------------
5 34 94-15
Martin Claims Victory at Phoenix Bass Fishing League Event at Harris Chain of Lakes
White Wins Strike King Co-Angler Division
OSAGE BEACH, Mo. (March 27, 2023) – Boater T.J. Martin of Claremore, Oklahoma, caught a five-bass limit weighing 26 pounds, 2 ounces, Saturday to win the MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League (BFL) Presented by T-H Marine on Lake of the Ozarks . The tournament, hosted by the Tri-County Lodging Association, was the second event of the season for the BFL Ozark Division. Martin earned $14,000, including the lucrative $7,000 Phoenix MLF Contingency Bonus, for his victory.
“I started out mid-lake fishing piles in 8 to 10 feet of water with an Alabama rig,” said Martin. “The first fish I caught was a 3½-pounder. The second was a 6-10. Then I ended up finishing out my limit before I decided to run again.”
Martin said he culled a few fish after relocating, but decided to go back to the general area where he had filled his limit. He added a 4½-pounder and a 5-pounder and filled out his final weigh bag by 1 p.m.
Martin said he was confident in his weight and wanted to work his way back to weigh-in early, and is glad he did, as he encountered motor problems on his way back during the 35-minute run. He made it to weigh-in with minutes to spare.
Martin, who also competes in Toyota Series events, said he fishes Lake of the Ozarks during the early part of every year.
“Lake of the Ozarks sets up for me a lot like my home lake – Grand Lake,” said Martin. “I spend my winters and springs on Grand; I spend a lot of time there. And Lake of the Ozarks, to me, is just a bigger Grand Lake.
“This feels awesome to win here,” Martin added. “I was in shock when I caught my last 5-pounder and culled a 3-pounder. I couldn’t believe the weight I had. It was unbelievable – truly a blessed day.”
The top 10 boaters finished the tournament:
1st: T.J. Martin, Claremore, Okla., five bass, 26-2, $14,000 (includes $7,000 Phoenix MLF Contingency Bonus)
2nd: Joe Wieberg, Freeburg, Mo., five bass, 19-6, $3,000
3rd: Brandon Ackerson, Afton, Okla., five bass, 18-4, $2,000
4th: Tyler Stuart, Fenton, Mo., five bass, 18-3, $1,400
5th: David Brand, Dittmer, Mo., five bass, 18-1, $1,200
6th: Lawson Hibdon, Versailles, Mo., five bass, 17-15, $1,050
6th: Kyle Kitts, Joplin, Mo., five bass, 17-15, $1,050
8th: Kyle Dowdy, Sunrise Beach, Mo., five bass, 16-11, $850
8th: Scott Hill, Fair Grove, Mo., five bass, 16-11, $850
10th: James Dill, Sunrise Beach, Mo., five bass, 16-3, $700
Complete results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
Jared Mataczynski of Wausau, Wis., caught a bass that weighed 6 pounds, 11 ounces, and earned the Berkley Big Bass Boater award of $1,000.
Jeremy White of Dittmer, Missouri, won the Strike King co-angler division and a total of $3,000 Saturday, after bringing three bass to the scale that totaled 13 pounds, 13 ounces.
The top 10 Strike King co-anglers finished:
1st: Jeremy White, Dittmer, Mo., three bass, 13-13, $3,000
2nd: Charlie Knight, Lebanon, Mo., four bass, 10-8, $1,250
2nd: Jake Hutton, Cornell, Ill., five bass, 10-8, $1,250
4th: Scott Shinn, Topeka, Kan., three bass, 10-6, $700
5th: Michael Sanderson, Eureka, Mo., three bass, 8-15, $600
6th: Jeff Moss, Oronogo, Mo, three bass, 8-14, $1,100
7th: Brayden Schaben, Westphalia, Mo., three bass, 8-13, $500
8th: Michael Mulberry, Galena, Mo., three bass, 8-11, $450
9th: Charles Coleman, Reeds Spring, Mo., four bass, 8-4, $400
10th: Tim Sisco, Fair Grove, Mo., two bass, 8-0, $850
Tim Sisco of Fair Grove, Missouri, earned the Berkley Big Bass co-angler award of $500, catching a bass that weighed in at 6 pounds, 1 ounce – the largest co-angler catch of the day.
After two events, T.J. Martin of Claremore, Oklahoma, leads the BFL Ozark Division Boater Angler of the Year (AOY) race with 489 points, while Adler Odle of Willow Springs, Missouri, leads the Strike King Co-Angler Division AOY race with 480 points.
The top 45 boaters and co-anglers in the region based on point standings, along with the five tournament winners of each qualifying event, will qualify for the Oct. 5-7 BFL Regional tournament on Lake Eufaula in Eufaula, Oklahoma. Boaters will fish for a top award of $60,000, including a new Phoenix 819 Pro with a 200-horsepower Mercury outboard and $10,000, while co-anglers will compete for a top award of $50,000, including a new Phoenix 819 Pro with a 200-horsepower Mercury outboard.
The 2023 Phoenix BFL Presented by T-H Marine is a 24-division circuit devoted to weekend anglers, with 128 events throughout the season, five qualifying tournaments in each division. The top 45 boaters and Strike King co-anglers from each division, along with the five qualifying event winners, will advance to one of six BFL Regional tournaments where they are competing to finish in the top six, which then qualifies them for one of the longest-running championships in all of competitive bass fishing – the BFL All-American. The 2023 All-American event will take place May 31-June 2, on Lake Hartwell in Seneca, South Carolina. The event is hosted by Visit Oconee SC.
Proud sponsors of the 2023 MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine include: 4WP, 13 Fishing, Abu Garcia, B&W Trailer Hitches, Berkley, Black Rifle Coffee, E3, Epic Baits, Favorite Fishing, General Tire, Grundéns, Gill, Lew’s, Lowrance, Mercury, Mossy Oak, Mystik Lubricant, Onyx, Phoenix, Polaris, Power-Pole, Strike King, Tackle Warehouse, T-H Marine, Toyota, Wiley X and YETI.
For complete details and updated tournament information, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular Bass Fishing League updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF5’s social media outlets at Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.
Harris Posts Third BFL Victory at Phoenix Bass Fishing League Event at High Rock Lake
Co-angler Hughes Wins Strike King Co-Angler Division
LEXINGTON, N.C. (March 27, 2023) – Boater Todd Harris of Lexington, North Carolina, caught a five-bass limit weighing 22 pounds, 5 ounces, Saturday to win the MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League (BFL) Presented by T-H Marine on High Rock Lake. The tournament was the second event of the year for the BFL North Carolina Division. Harris earned $4,119 for his victory.
“I’m a little bit sore today. It was a lot of rough water and wind,” said Harris when he was interviewed on Sunday. “I had a really good practice and found some giant females that had already moved into their spawning grounds. They weren’t spawning, but they were really close, and I thought I could catch 20 pounds.
“I ran in there and tried to make that work for at least a couple of hours and never had a bite, so I decided to go to my backup pattern and flip piers around cover,” Harris said.
The flipping began to work for Harris, and he caught two keepers before he decided he had to regroup.
“I took a little break and started to think, ‘Where would they be?’” Harris said. “So, I decided to run in the wind and fish flat shoals next to spawning grounds. When that light bulb came on, I started to catch them.”
Harris said he caught his fish in 3 to 5 feet of water on the main river, and in Abbott’s Creek, with custom flat-sided crankbaits he makes. He said he caught one of his biggest bass on a Strike King 1.5 crankbait he custom painted. Harris had seven keeper bites during the tournament and landed six of the bass.
“High Rock is my home lake, and I’ve won here before, but this one is a lot sweeter because I’m older now and I’m retired,” Harris said. “My last win came in 2014, so it’s been a while, and I always wanted that third one.”
The top 10 boaters finished the tournament:
1st: Todd Harris, Lexington, N.C., five bass, 22-5, $4,119
2nd: Josh Stafford, Kernersville, N.C., five bass, 21-3, $2,059
3rd: Robert Mixon, Lexington, N.C., five bass, 20-2, $1,374
4th: Bradley Staley, Sophia, N.C., five bass, 18-14, $1,181
5th: Chad Sims, Lancaster, S.C., five bass, 17-12, $1,024
6th: Tommy Jones, Salisbury, N.C., five bass, 16-14, $755
7th: Larry Whittington, Purlear, N.C., five bass, 16-11, $686
8th: Charlie Saucier, New Orleans, La., five bass, 16-0, $618
9th: Austin Wike, Salisbury, N.C., five bass, 15-13, $549
10th: Jacob Adams, Hamptonville, N.C., four bass, 15-12, $480
Complete results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
Joseph Floyd of Charlotte, North Carolina, caught a bass that weighed 7 pounds, 11 ounces, and earned the Berkley Big Bass Boater award of $565.
Mark Hughes of Lexington, North Carolina, won the Strike King co-angler division and a total of $2,059 Saturday, after bringing five bass to the scale that totaled 17 pounds, 8 ounces.
The top 10 Strike King co-anglers finished:
1st: Mark Hughes, Lexington, N.C., five bass, 17-8, $2,059
2nd: Christopher Davis, Roanoke Rapids, N.C., four bass, 14-8, $1,030
3rd: David Deciucis, Chester, Va., five bass, 13-2, $687
4th: Chip Crews, Trinity, N.C., five bass, 12-15, $480
5th: Andy Kearns, High Point, N.C., four bass, 11-1, $412
6th: Greg Fox, Bonita Springs, Fla., two bass, 9-12, $860
7th: Dustan Hudson, Grover, N.C., three bass, 9-8, $343
8th: Stacy Metz, Staley, N.C., two bass, 9-1, $309
9th: Lewis Brown, Asheboro, N.C., four bass, 9-0, $275
10th: Arthur Harris, York, S.C., four bass, 8-15, $240
Greg Fox of Bonita Springs, Florida, earned the Berkley Big Bass co-angler award of $282, catching a bass that weighed in at 6 pounds, 7 ounces – the largest co-angler catch of the day.
After two events, Todd Harris of Lexington, North Carolina, leads the BFL North Carolina Division Boater Angler of the Year (AOY) race with 482 points, while Arthur Harris of York, South Carolina, leads the Strike King Co-Angler Division AOY race with 479 points.
The top 45 boaters and co-anglers in the region based on point standings, along with the five tournament winners of each qualifying event, will qualify for the Oct. 5-7 BFL Regional tournament on the Potomac River in Marbury, Maryland. Boaters will fish for a top award of $60,000, including a new Phoenix 819 Pro with a 200-horsepower Mercury outboard and $10,000, while co-anglers will compete for a top award of $50,000, including a new Phoenix 819 Pro with a 200-horsepower Mercury outboard.
The 2023 Phoenix BFL Presented by T-H Marine is a 24-division circuit devoted to weekend anglers, with 128 events throughout the season, five qualifying tournaments in each division. The top 45 boaters and Strike King co-anglers from each division, along with the five qualifying event winners, will advance to one of six BFL Regional tournaments where they are competing to finish in the top six, which then qualifies them for one of the longest-running championships in all of competitive bass fishing – the BFL All-American. The 2023 All-American event will take place May 31-June 2, on Lake Hartwell in Seneca, South Carolina. The event is hosted by Visit Oconee SC.
Proud sponsors of the 2023 MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine include: 4WP, 13 Fishing, Abu Garcia, B&W Trailer Hitches, Berkley, Black Rifle Coffee, E3, Epic Baits, Favorite Fishing, General Tire, Grundéns, Gill, Lew’s, Lowrance, Mercury, Mossy Oak, Mystik Lubricants, Onyx, Phoenix, Polaris, Power-Pole, Strike King, Tackle Warehouse, T-H Marine, Toyota, Wiley X and YETI.
For complete details and updated tournament information, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular Bass Fishing League updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF5’s social media outlets at Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.
Moll Grinds Out Victory at Phoenix Bass Fishing League Event at Kentucky/Barkley Lakes
Bivins Wins Strike King Co-Angler Division
GILBERTSVILLE, Ky. (March 27, 2023) – Boater Sam Moll of Hershey, Pennsylvania, caught a five-bass limit weighing 22 pounds, 15 ounces, Saturday to win the MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League (BFL) Presented by T-H Marine on Kentucky and Barkley lakes . The tournament, hosted by the Kentucky Lake Convention and Visitors Bureau, was the second event of the season for the BFL LBL Division. Moll earned $4,806 for his victory.
“I started out at my best spot pretty close to the ramp because on the Tennessee River the morning bite is pretty good,” said Moll. “I caught a 5-pounder on my ninth or tenth cast. Then things started to slow down from there.”
Moll said recent rains had muddied a lot of his fishable water, so he relocated to find clean water and added a couple of 3-pound bass to his livewell. Another relocation produced two 4-pounders and a 5-pounder. Moll said his fish came on an Alabama rig as well as a swimbait. He relied heavily on his Garmin LiveScope to target fish.
“There wasn’t a lot of current, so the fish were really hard to catch,” Moll said. “I would see them down there and would just hit them in the face and eventually get them to bite.”
Moll also won the March 4 BFL event on Kentucky/Barkley Lakes. While he said felt like he was on good fish to have a chance to win in the earlier March tournament, he didn’t know what to expect for this event because he thought the lack of current would make fishing very tough. He said he caught only 12 bass during the course of the day.
“I was fishing for big fish, so it worked out,” Moll said. “I didn’t catch a lot, but I caught the right ones.”
The top 10 boaters finished the tournament:
1st: Sam Moll, Hershey, Penn., five bass, 22-15, $4,806
2nd: Stephen Barga, Benton, Ky., five bass, 22-1, $2,403
3rd: Clint Knight, Lewisburg, Ky., five bass, 17-3, $1,805
4th: David Young, Mayfield, Ky., five bass, 15-5, $1,121
5th: Drew Boggs, Lebanon, Tenn., five bass, 14-7, $1,461 (includes $500 Phoenix MLF Contingency Bonus)
6th: Joe Johnson, Clarksville, Tenn., five bass, 13-5, $881
7th: Marty Sisk, Evansville, Ind., five bass, 12-10, $801
8th: Dan Shoraga, West Frankfort, Ill., four bass, 12-9, $721
9th: Tyler Brown, Elsberry, Mo., four bass, 12-6, $641
10th: Levi Kohl, Edinburg, Ill., five bass, 12-5, $561
Complete results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
Dustin Vaal of Farmington, Kentucky, caught a bass that weighed 5 pounds, 13 ounces, and earned the Berkley Big Bass Boater award of $725.
Bo Bivins of Evansville, Indiana, won the Strike King co-angler division and $2,360 Saturday, after bringing five bass to the scale that totaled 13 pounds, 8 ounces.
The top 10 Strike King co-anglers finished:
1st: Bo Bivins, Evansville, Ind., five bass, 13-8, $2,360
2nd: Cayman Wilhelmus, Boonville, Ind., three bass, 10-7, $1,180
3rd: Ron Robinson, Pittsburg, Ill., five bass, 10-0, $787
4th: Don Shaffer, Odin, Ill., four bass, 8-15, $551
5th: Anthony Bell Jr., Cincinnati, Ohio, four bass, 8-4, $472
6th: Philip Wright, Bedford, Ky., three bass, 7-15, $433
7th: Marcus Mann, Benton, Ky., three bass, 7-14, $393
8th: Cody Oliver, Kokomo, Ind., three bass, 7-10, $354
9th: Todd Haynes, Philpot, Ky., two bass, 7-6, $515
10th: Mike Westfall, Norris City, Ill., two bass, 6-14, $425
Greg Warren of Rosiclare, Illinois, earned the Berkley Big Bass co-angler award of $347, catching a bass that weighed in at 5 pounds, 8 ounces – the largest co-angler catch of the day.
After two events, Sam Moll of Hershey, Pennsylvania, leads the BFL LBL Division Boater Angler of the Year (AOY) race with 500 points, while Bo Bivins of Evansville, Indiana, leads the Strike King Co-Angler Division AOY race with 489 points.
The top 45 boaters and co-anglers in the region based on point standings, along with the five tournament winners of each qualifying event, will qualify for the Oct. 19-21 BFL Regional tournament on Lake of the Ozarks in Osage Beach, Missouri. Boaters will fish for a top award of $60,000, including a new Phoenix 819 Pro with a 200-horsepower Mercury outboard and $10,000, while co-anglers will compete for a top award of $50,000, including a new Phoenix 819 Pro with a 200-horsepower Mercury outboard.
The 2023 Phoenix BFL Presented by T-H Marine is a 24-division circuit devoted to weekend anglers, with 128 events throughout the season, five qualifying tournaments in each division. The top 45 boaters and Strike King co-anglers from each division, along with the five qualifying event winners, will advance to one of six BFL Regional tournaments where they are competing to finish in the top six, which then qualifies them for one of the longest-running championships in all of competitive bass fishing – the BFL All-American. The 2023 All-American event will take place May 31-June 2, on Lake Hartwell in Seneca, South Carolina. The event is hosted by Visit Oconee SC.
Proud sponsors of the 2023 MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine include: 4WP, 13 Fishing, Abu Garcia, B&W Trailer Hitches, Berkley, Black Rifle Coffee, E3, Epic Baits, Favorite Fishing, General Tire, Grundéns, Gill, Lew’s, Lowrance, Mercury, Mossy Oak, Mystik Lubricants, Onyx, Phoenix, Polaris, Power-Pole, Strike King, Tackle Warehouse, T-H Marine, Toyota, Wiley X and YETI.
For complete details and updated tournament information, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular Bass Fishing League updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF5’s social media outlets at Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.
Bryant Posts Victory at Phoenix Bass Fishing League Event at Toledo Bend
Hawkins Wins Strike King Co-Angler Division
ZWOLLE, La. (March 27, 2023) – Boater Daniel Bryant of Scott, Louisiana, caught a five-bass limit weighing 22 pounds, 10 ounces, Saturday to win the MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League (BFL) Presented by T-H Marine on Toledo Bend. The tournament was the third event of 2023 for the BFL Cowboy Division. Bryant earned $4,509 for his victory.
“When my boat number was called and I left the launch, I didn’t know which way I was going to head – north or south,” said Bryant. “The night before the tournament I had rigged up for both north and south situations that I fished in practice. When it came time to turn the boat, something told me to go north.”
Bryant said he picked an area and started the day with a 2¾-pound fish and knew he had made the right decision. He stayed in a half-mile stretch of Toledo Bend on a hard grass line in 8 feet of water and used a vibrating jig to catch his bass.
“You’d get it up to the edge of the grass, and when it hit the grass you’d pop it free, and that’s when they would it eat it,” Bryant said. “I kept that bait in my hands all day.”
Bryant said he relied on gut instinct to tell him when and where to move the boat when the active bite slowed down, and he kept catching fish as they reloaded in his areas. Bryant said he and his co-angler caught more than 50 fish during the course of the tournament.
“This feels amazing,” said Bryant. “A lot of people this time of year focus on sight-fishing, so the weights can be lower. And it’s not that the fishery is bad; It’s just people get hung up on trying to sight-fish for the bass. They’ll spend two or three hours on fish that aren’t ready to bite yet. I told myself I wasn’t going to get sucked into that. I wanted to target pre-spawn fish.”
The top 10 boaters finished the tournament:
1st: Daniel Bryant, Scott, La., five bass, 22-10, $4,509
2nd: Tater Reynolds, Florien, La., five bass, 18-11, $1,897
3rd: Kristopher Pickett, Coushatta, La., five bass, 18-6, $1,265
4th: Trent Manuel, Iowa, La., five bass, 18-1, $885
5th: Ernie Hillebrandt, Lafayette, La., five bass, 17-3, $759
6th: Dominick Whatley, Colfax, La., five bass, 15-12, $696
7th: Sieg Kilby, Kilgore, Texas, five bass, 14-11, $632
8th: Jon Despino, Colfax, La., five bass, 14-9, $569
9th: John Ellender, Lake Charles, La., five bass, 14-5, $506
10th: Calvin Bogan, Livingston, Texas, five bass, 13-14, $443
Complete results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
Bryant also caught a largemouth that weighed 7 pounds, 7 ounces, and earned the Berkley Big Bass Boater award of $495.
Tim Hawkins of Anna, Texas, won the Strike King co-angler division and$1,897 Saturday, after crossing the stage with five bass weighing 13 pounds, 11 ounces.
The top 10 Strike King co-anglers finished:
1st: Tim Hawkins, Anna, Texas, five bass, 13-11, $1,897
2nd: Nick Stanislaus, Porter, Texas, five bass, 13-10, $1,149
3rd: Tyrell Harmon, Manor, Texas, five bass, 12-6, $633
4th: Korby Friday, Elizabeth, La., five bass, 12-3, $443
5th: J.J. Matzke, League City, Texas, five bass, 12-1, $379
6th: Greg Boik, College Station, Texas, five bass, 12-0, $348
7th: Michael Mooney, Diana, Texas, five bass, 11-15, $316
8th: Braden Berryman, Kirbyville, Texas, five bass, 11-3, $285
9th: Gary Medley, Vidor, Texas, five bass, 10-11, $253
10th: Velin Sims, Spring, Texas, three bass, 10-7, $468
Velin Sims of Spring, Texas, earned the Berkley Big Bass co-angler award of $247, catching a largemouth that weighed in at 5 pounds, 13 ounces – the largest co-angler catch of the day.
After three events, Tater Reynolds of Florien, Louisiana, leads the BFL Cowboy Division Boater Angler of the Year (AOY) race with 712 points, while J.J. Matzke of League City, Texas, leads the Strike King Co-Angler Division AOY race with 730 points.
The top 45 boaters and co-anglers in the region based on point standings, along with the five tournament winners of each qualifying event, will qualify for the Oct. 5-7 BFL Regional tournament on Lake Eufaula in Eufaula, Oklahoma. Boaters will fish for a top award of $60,000, including a new Phoenix 819 Pro with a 200-horsepower Mercury outboard and $10,000, while co-anglers will compete for a top award of $50,000, including a new Phoenix 819 Pro with a 200-horsepower Mercury outboard.
The 2023 Phoenix BFL Presented by T-H Marine is a 24-division circuit devoted to weekend anglers, with 128 events throughout the season, five qualifying tournaments in each division. The top 45 boaters and Strike King co-anglers from each division, along with the five qualifying event winners, will advance to one of six BFL Regional tournaments where they are competing to finish in the top six, which then qualifies them for one of the longest-running championships in all of competitive bass fishing – the BFL All-American. The 2023 All-American event will take place May 31-June 2, on Lake Hartwell in Seneca, South Carolina. The event is hosted by Visit Oconee SC.
Proud sponsors of the 2023 MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine include: 4WP, 13 Fishing, Abu Garcia, B&W Trailer Hitches, Berkley, Black Rifle Coffee, E3, Epic Baits, Favorite Fishing, General Tire, Grundéns, Gill, Lew’s, Lowrance, Mercury, Mossy Oak, Mystik Lubricants, Onyx, Phoenix, Polaris, Power-Pole, Strike King, Tackle Warehouse, T-H Marine, Toyota, Wiley X and YETI.
For complete details and updated tournament information, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular Bass Fishing League updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF5’s social media outlets at Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.
Way Claims Victory by One Ounce at Phoenix Bass Fishing League Event at Lake Guntersville
Childers Wins Strike King Co-Angler Division
SCOTTSBORO, Ala. (March 27, 2023) – Boater Joe Way of Bedford, Indiana, caught a five-bass limit weighing 22 pounds, 12 ounces, Saturday to win the MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League (BFL) Presented by T-H Marine on Lake Guntersville by one ounce. The tournament, hosted by the Mountain Lakes Chamber of Commerce, was the third event for the BFL Choo Choo Division. Way earned $5,165 for his victory.
“Fishing this tournament was a spur-of-the-moment kind of thing,” said Way, who concentrated his efforts on the south end of Guntersville. “I did not have a good practice. I didn’t really know what I was going to do come tournament day.”
Way said he started his tournament with a couple of quick keepers, then lost three good keepers in a row.
“I felt like I had been punched in the gut,” Way said. “But I was persistent and stayed in the area and knew there were fish there. I ended up collecting five fish and managed to cull three or four of them to bring back what I had.”
Way’s fish came on a vibrating jig in 2 to 4 feet of water, in areas that held grass. Way said finding clumps of grass near a mudline where muddy water met clear water was the key to his win.
“When I caught my fifth fish and had my limit I was satisfied,” Way added. “That was my goal; I just wanted to catch a limit.
“This win is a big monkey off my back,” Way added. “This is the eighth BFL event that I’ve fished, and it really hasn’t even really sunk in yet that I have won.”
The top 10 boaters finished the tournament:
1st: Joe Way, Bedford, Ind., five bass, 22-12, $5,165
2nd: Hayden O’Barr, Scottsboro, Ala., five bass, 22-11, $2,882
3rd: Joshua Butts, Springville, Ala., five bass, 20-8, $1,722
4th: Jordan Lee, Cullman, Ala., five bass, 19-6, $1,205
5th: Creig Kimbro, Monteagle, Tenn., five bass, 18-3, $1,033
6th: Charlie Craycraft, Grant, Ala., five bass, 17-9, $1,867 (includes $500 Phoenix MLF Contingency Bonus)
7th: Charles Murphy, Gaylesville, Ala., five bass, 16-1, $818
7th: Will Robinson, Columbia, Tenn., five bass, 16-1, $818
9th: Danny Hall, Ellijay, Ga., five bass, 15-11, $689
10th: Josh Butler, Hayden, Ala., five bass, 15-9, $603
Complete results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
Lamar Patterson of Fyffe, Alabama, caught a largemouth that weighed 6 pounds, 14 ounces, and earned the Berkley Big Bass Boater award of $805.
Craig Childers of Taft, Tennessee, won the Strike King co-angler division and $2,577 Saturday, after bringing three bass to the scale that totaled 14 pounds, 12 ounces.
The top 10 Strike King co-anglers finished:
1st: Craig Childers, Taft, Tenn., three bass, 14-12, $2,577
2nd: Clint Haley, Franklin, Ky., five bass, 14-8, $1,288
3rd: Dennis Putthoff, Old Hickory, Tenn., five bass, 13-13, $729
3rd: Zach Britton, Fayetteville, Tenn., five bass, 13-13, $729
5th: Pop Catalin, Cookeville, Tenn., five bass, 13-10, $515
6th: Justin Stephenson, Jasper, Ala., five bass, 13-3, $472
7th: Jose Serna, Albertville, Ala., four bass, 13-2, $429
8th: Dalynn Teeftaller, Lawrenceburg, Tenn., three bass, 13-0, $387
9th: Michael Jones, Rome, Ga., three bass, 12-2, $744
10th: Michael Corbett, Oxford, Ala., four bass, 9-8, $286
10th: Neil Strickland, Sulligent, Ala., three bass, 9-8, $286
Daniel Corkern of Florence, Mississippi, earned the Berkley Big Bass co-angler award of $397, catching a largemouth that weighed in at 7 pounds, 4 ounces – the largest co-angler catch of the day.
After three events, Jordan Lee of Cullman, Alabama, leads the BFL Choo Choo Division Boater Angler of the Year (AOY) race with 730 points, while Justin Stephenson of Jasper, Alabama, leads the Strike King Co-Angler Division AOY race with 715 points.
The top 45 boaters and co-anglers in the region based on point standings, along with the five tournament winners of each qualifying event, will qualify for the Oct. 12-14 BFL Regional tournament on Lake Eufaula in Eufaula, Alabama. Boaters will fish for a top award of $60,000, including a new Phoenix 819 Pro with a 200-horsepower Mercury outboard and $10,000, while co-anglers will compete for a top award of $50,000, including a new Phoenix 819 Pro with a 200-horsepower Mercury outboard.
The 2023 Phoenix BFL Presented by T-H Marine is a 24-division circuit devoted to weekend anglers, with 128 events throughout the season, five qualifying tournaments in each division. The top 45 boaters and Strike King co-anglers from each division, along with the five qualifying event winners, will advance to one of six BFL Regional tournaments where they are competing to finish in the top six, which then qualifies them for one of the longest-running championships in all of competitive bass fishing – the BFL All-American. The 2023 All-American event will take place May 31-June 2, on Lake Hartwell in Seneca, South Carolina. The event is hosted by Visit Oconee SC.
Proud sponsors of the 2023 MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine include: 4WP, 13 Fishing, Abu Garcia, B&W Trailer Hitches, Berkley, Black Rifle Coffee, E3, Epic Baits, Favorite Fishing, General Tire, Grundéns, Gill, Lew’s, Lowrance, Mercury, Mossy Oak, Mystik Lubricants, Onyx, Phoenix, Polaris, Power-Pole, Strike King, Tackle Warehouse, T-H Marine, Toyota, Wiley X and YETI.
For complete details and updated tournament information, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular Bass Fishing League updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF5’s social media outlets at Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.
Bean Wastes No Time in Win at Phoenix Bass Fishing League Event at DeGray Lake
Duggan Tops Strike King Co-Angler Division
ARKADELPHIA, Ark. (March 27, 2023) – Boater Brian Bean of Hot Springs, Arkansas, caught a five-bass limit weighing 18 pounds, 6 ounces, Saturday to win the MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League (BFL) Presented by T-H Marine on DeGray Lake. The tournament, hosted by the City of Caddo Valley, was the second event of the season for the BFL Arkie Division. Bean earned $5,844 for his victory.
“I started out and was throwing a Berkley PowerBait Power Lizard and caught my big fish, a 9-5, 10 minutes into the tournament,” said Bean. “That started me off right, and I thought all I’d have to do was go catch a couple of two pounders and I’d be in pretty good shape. But, it was a struggle.”
After fishing got a little more challenging for Bean, he changed tactics and began using a Berkley PowerBait MaxScent The General Worm on a spinning reel near the bank on the edge of the grass line and caught more fish, including a 3-pounder that was his last fish of the day. Bean said he caught only five keepers in the mid-to-lower end of DeGray during the tournament. Those five keepers turned out to be the right five, and Bean posted his second career BFL win.
“The deepest I got was eight feet,” Bean said. “The lake had come up and back down, and there’s some algae that had grown, and I tried to stay in the clean spots where the fish were coming to spawn. I had another 5-pounder I was trying to catch, and I had a few minutes left, but I thought it wasn’t worth it, and decided to head back to weigh-in with what I had.
“I love fishing DeGray,” Bean added. “I have won a ton of money there, but that 9-5 is nowhere the biggest fish I’ve caught there. There are some dang big ones in there. Four years ago I caught one that weighed 12.69 on certified scales.”
The top 10 boaters finished the tournament:
1st: Brian Bean, Hot Springs, Ark., five bass, 18-6, $5,844
2nd: Blake Martin, Dardanelle, Ark., five bass, 13-13, $2,122
3rd: Quincy Houchin, Mabelvale, Ark., five bass, 13-12, $1,913 (includes $500 Phoenix MLF Contingency Bonus)
4th: Ben Blaschke, Roland, Okla., five bass, 13-6, $990
5th: Teddy Bogard, White Hall, Ark., five bass, 13-2, $849
6th: William Mahan, Malvern, Ark., five bass, 12-14, $778
7th: Mike Rhinehart, Pottsville, Ark., five bass, 12-8, $707
8th: Wayne Dixon, Morrilton, Ark., five bass, 12-1, $637
9th: Tim Rasberry, Clarksville, Ark., five bass, 11-6, $566
10th: Devin Garner, Arkadelphia, Ark., four bass, 11-5, $495
Complete results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
Bean also caught a largemouth that weighed 9 pounds, 5 ounces, and earned the Berkley Big Bass Boater award of $600.
Steve Duggan of Pearcy, Arkansas, won the Strike King co-angler division and a total of $2,122 Saturday, after bringing five bass to the scale that weighed 12 pounds, 12 ounces.
The top 10 Strike King co-anglers finished:
1st: Steve Duggan, Pearcy, Ark., five bass, 12-12, $2,122
2nd: Randy Allen, Russellville, Ark., five bass, 10-12, $1,261
3rd: Reid Prescott, Little Rock, Ark., five bass, 10-11, $707
4th: Frank Reynolds, Bryant, Ark., five bass, 10-1, $495
5th: Todd Christen, Conway, Ark., five bass, 9-12, $424
6th: John McCullar, Benton, Ark., four bass, 9-9, $389
7th: John Hankins, Atkins, Ark., five bass, 9-7, $354
8th: Clayton Self, Benton, Ark., five bass, 9-3, $468
9th: Colton Arnold, Hope, Ark., five bass, 8-2, $265
9th: Adam Wright, Benton, Ark., five bass, 8-2, $265
Michael Morgan of Hot Springs, Arkansas, earned the Berkley Big Bass co-angler award of $300, catching a largemouth that weighed in at 5 pounds, 5 ounces – the largest co-angler catch of the day.
After two events, Blake Martin of Dardanelle, Arkansas, leads the BFL Arkie Division Boater Angler of the Year (AOY) race with 499 points, while John Hankins of Atkins, Arkansas, leads the Strike King Co-Angler Division AOY race with 489 points.
The top 45 boaters and co-anglers in the region based on point standings, along with the five tournament winners of each qualifying event, will qualify for the Oct. 5-7 BFL Regional tournament on Lake Eufaula in Eufaula, Oklahoma. Boaters will fish for a top award of $60,000, including a new Phoenix 819 Pro with a 200-horsepower Mercury outboard and $10,000, while co-anglers will compete for a top award of $50,000, including a new Phoenix 819 Pro with a 200-horsepower Mercury outboard.
The 2023 Phoenix BFL Presented by T-H Marine is a 24-division circuit devoted to weekend anglers, with 128 events throughout the season, five qualifying tournaments in each division. The top 45 boaters and Strike King co-anglers from each division, along with the five qualifying event winners, will advance to one of six BFL Regional tournaments where they are competing to finish in the top six, which then qualifies them for one of the longest-running championships in all of competitive bass fishing – the BFL All-American. The 2023 All-American event will take place May 31-June 2, on Lake Hartwell in Seneca, South Carolina. The event is hosted by Visit Oconee SC.
Proud sponsors of the 2023 MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine include: 4WP, 13 Fishing, Abu Garcia, B&W Trailer Hitches, Berkley, Black Rifle Coffee, E3, Epic Baits, Favorite Fishing, General Tire, Grundéns, Gill, Lew’s, Lowrance, Mercury, Mossy Oak, Mystik Lubricants, Onyx, Phoenix, Polaris, Power-Pole, Strike King, Tackle Warehouse, T-H Marine, Toyota, Wiley X and YETI.
For complete details and updated tournament information, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular Bass Fishing League updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF5’s social media outlets at Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.
Lake Murray Country Ready to Host MLF Bass Pro Tour Fox Rent A Car Stage Three Presented by Mercury
COLUMBIA, S.C. (March 27, 2023) – Major League Fishing (MLF) and the Bass Pro Tour, featuring the top anglers in professional bass fishing, is set to visit Columbia, South Carolina, and Lake Murray next week, April 2-7, for the third regular-season event of the 2023 season – the Fox Rent A Car Stage Three at Lake Murray Presented by Mercury.
The six-day tournament, hosted by Capital City/Lake Murray Country, will showcase 80 of the top professional anglers in the world, including bass-fishing superstars like Kevin VanDam, REDCREST 2023 Champion Bryan Thrift, Jacob Wheeler, Jordan Lee , and local favorite Anthony Gagliardi of Prosperity, South Carolina. They’ll be competing for a purse of more than $805,000, including a top payout of $100,000 and valuable Angler of the Year (AOY) points in hopes of qualifying for the General Tire Heavy Hitters All-Star event and REDCREST 2024, the Bass Pro Tour championship.
"Lake Murray Country is excited to welcome Major League Fishing's Bass Pro Tour to Lake Murray,” stated Miriam Atria, President and CEO of Capital City/Lake Murray Country. “This event and tournament trail is so popular with bass fishing audiences, and our regional tourism office always loves the community support and television exposure this event provides for our region. Lake Murray is an amazing fishery that offers the professional anglers a competitive experience along with great catches."
The Jewel of South Carolina has hosted prior MLF Cup events and numerous events with FLW and MLF over the years, but the Bass Pro Tour’s arrival for Stage Three marks the tour’s first trip to the famed lake.
Lake Murray’s most recent professional event was a Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit tournament in 2021. That event, also in April, was won by Bass Pro Tour rookie Matt Becker. Second place in that event was Anthony Gagliardi, who also won the 2014 Forrest Wood Cup on his home waters.
Gagliardi says that historically, the first week of April is dead center in the bass spawn.
“There will be fish spawning, but still plenty of fish that are in the prespawn mode and feeding heavily,” Gagliardi said. “It should be a fun event and there will be various ways to catch fish. The lake is in good shape and full of 3- to 5-pound fish.”
While the lake is known for the blueback herring and the nomadic bass that chase them in open water, Gagliardi believes the event’s timing will make them less of a factor.
“It’s awful early for them to be on the bluebacks,” Gagliardi said. “Anything could happen if we get a milder winter and warmer spring, but I believe most of the bass will be on the bank. You should be able to target the prespawn fish or also try to catch spawners.”
Anglers will launch each day at 7:30 a.m. ET each day from Dreher Island State Park, located at 3677 State Park Road in Prosperity. Each day’s General Tire Takeout will be held at the launch locations, beginning at 4 p.m. Fans are welcome to attend all launch and takeout events and also encouraged to follow the event online throughout the day on the MLF NOW!® live stream and SCORETRACKER® coverage at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
On Championship Friday, April 7, from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. MLF will welcome fans of all ages to visit Dreher Island State Park and celebrate the top 10 and crown the Fox Rent A Car Stage Three at Lake Murray Champion at the Watch Party and Trophy Presentation. The final 10 Championship Round Bass Pro Tour anglers will be on hand at the trophy celebration to meet and greet fans, sign autographs, and take selfies.
The Fox Rent A Car Stage Three at Lake Murray Presented by Mercury will feature pros competing using the MLF catch, weigh, immediate-release format, with each angler’s five (5) heaviest bass per day tallied as their day’s weight. Anglers strive to catch their heaviest five fish each day, while also feeling the pressure and intensity of the live scoring SCORETRACKER® leaderboard. Minimum weights are determined individually for each competition waters that the Bass Pro Tour visits, based on the productivity, bass population and anticipated average size of fish in each fishery.
The 2023 MLF Bass Pro Tour features a field of 80 of the top professional anglers in the world competing across seven regular-season tournaments around the country, fishing for millions of dollars and valuable points to qualify for the annual General Tire Heavy Hitters all-star event and REDCREST 2024, the Bass Pro Tour championship, held March 13-17, 2024, on Lay Lake in Birmingham, Alabama.
The 40 Anglers in Group A compete in their two-day qualifying round on Sunday and Tuesday – the 40 anglers in Group B on Monday and Wednesday. After each two-day qualifying round is complete, the top 20 anglers from each group advance to Thursday’s Knockout Round. In the Knockout Round, weights are zeroed, and the remaining 40 anglers compete to finish in the top 10 to advance to the Championship Round. In Friday’s final day Championship Round, weight carries over from the Knockout Round and the angler with the heaviest two-day total wins the top prize of $100,000.
The MLF NOW!® broadcast team of Chad McKee, Marty Stone and J.T. Kenney will break down the extended action live on all six days of competition from 7:45 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. ET. MLF NOW!® will be live streamed on MajorLeagueFishing.com and the MyOutdoorTV (MOTV) app.
Television coverage of the Fox Rent A Car Stage Three at Lake Murray Presented by Mercury will air as two, two-hour episodes starting at 7 a.m. ET, on Saturday, Sept. 30 and Saturday, Oct. 7 on the Discovery Channel. New MLF episodes premiere each Saturday morning on Discovery, with re-airings on the Outdoor Channel.
Proud sponsors of the 2023 MLF Bass Pro Tour include: 13 Fishing, Abu Garcia, Ark Fishing, ATG + Wrangler, B&W Trailer Hitches, Bally Bet, Bass Cat Boats, Bass Pro Shops, Berkley, Black Rifle Coffee, Daiwa, Epic Baits, Favorite Fishing, Ferguson, Fox Rent A Car, General Tire, Grundéns, Humminbird, Lowrance, Minn Kota, Mercury, Mossy Oak, Onyx, Power-Pole, Rapala, Star tron, T-H Marine, TORO, Toyota, U.S. Air Force, Yellowstone Bourbon, Yo-Zuri and Zoom Baits.
For complete details and updated information on Major League Fishing and the Bass Pro Tour, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF’s social media outlets at Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.
James Adams, Many, LA tops over 1500 anglers at Techron Mega Bass on Fork with a 9.64 lbr. Takes home a new Skeeter ZX 200 - Yamaha SHO + $15,000 Cash.
Top 50 finishers below - Full results on http://www.basschamps.com
Angler City State Weight Prize Amount JAMES ADAMS Many LA 9.64
2023 Skeeter ZX200 YamahaSHO Skeeter Built Trailer JAMES ADAMS Many LA 9.64
$15000.00 BRANDON POTTER Decatur TX 8.38
$15000.00 DON PENICK Alba TX 2.56
$15000.00 CURT CULBERTSON Godley TX 2.42
$15000.00 JASON MAY Grand Prairie TX 2.33
$15000.00 KURT HAGGARD Orange TX 2.44
$8000.00 DYLAN WASHINGTON Godley TX 2.44
$8000.00 MIKE HARP Linden TX 2.38
$8000.00 JOSHUA JAMISON Lufkin TX 2.38
$8000.00 CHRISTOPHER AMPERSE Terrell TX 2.63
$1000.00 TOMMY GRIMES Baytown TX 2.46
$1000.00 DOUGLAS GIBBONS Longview TX 2.41
$1000.00 NICK BROWN Lindale TX 2.40
$1000.00 KENNETH BARFIELD Belton TX 2.22
$1000.00 LORNE SMITH Ardmore OK 2.49
$900.00 ERIC ELDER Scroggins TX 2.39
$900.00 MATTHEW BROUILLETTE West Monroe LA 2.37
$900.00 DON PENICK Alba TX 2.36
$900.00 CHARLIE BUNCH Spiro OK 2.26
$900.00 AARON WALKER Mt Vernon TX 2.04
$900.00 STEVEN STROMAN Mt Vernon TX 2.44
$800.00 CHRISTOPHER WOODS Ardmore OK 2.33
$800.00 JOHN BLUE Sachse TX 2.32
$800.00 TONY EARLY Cedar Hill TX 2.28
$800.00 ROLAND HOWLE Emory TX 2.28
$800.00 JAMES WATSON Hope AR 2.28
$800.00 KEVIN MACHADO Fort Worth TX 2.01
$800.00 MIKE SWIFT Broken Bow OK 2.38
$750.00 CHAD ARNOLD Mena AR 2.38
$750.00 JOHN LEWIS Kilgore TX 2.24
$750.00 RANDY BUNCH Yantis TX 2.24
$750.00 AUSTIN ROACH Big Sandy TX 2.40
$700.00 JAY KENDRICK Fort Worth TX 2.31
$700.00 DONNIE ADNEY Bristow OK 2.29
$700.00 KENNETH COLE Kennard TX 1.99
$700.00 TYLER GOTTULA Billings OK 2.37
$600.00 JOE DEPAOLA Grapevine Lane TX 2.33
$600.00 PHILLIP MAYFIELD Alba TX 2.29
$600.00 SHAWN OMALLEY Wylie TX 2.28
$600.00 LARRY BEVANS Milam TX 2.27
$600.00 HERB POWELL Yantis TX 2.21
$600.00 COREY STOKES Weatherford TX 1.94
$600.00 JEFF BRINEGAR Waco TX 2.33
$500.00 CALVIN SHORT Rusk TX 2.32
$500.00 TOMMY WASHINGTON Milam TX 2.27
$500.00 STEVEN WOOD Emory TX 2.27
$500.00 DAVID BURTON Wylie TX 2.26
$500.00 DEEN HOPSON Kaufman TX 2.15
$500.00 STEVE HODGE Emory TX 1.92
$500.00
Simms Pro, Jeff Gustafson Takes Top Honors at the 2023 Bassmaster Classic
Bozeman, Mont. (March 26, 2023) – Simms Fishing Products, preeminent manufacturer of waders, outerwear, footwear, and technical apparel in fishing proudly announce the victory of Simms Pro, Jeff Gustafson in what is widely considered to be the most prestigious fishing tournament in the world — the Bassmaster Classic.
The 2023 Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic kicked off Friday March 24th, at Volunteer Landing in Downtown Knoxville, Tennessee and concluded at the weigh-ins that took place in the Thompson-Boiling Arena on the campus of the University of Tennessee on Championship Sunday.
Hailing from Kenora, Ontario, Simms Pro, Jeff Gustafson’shighly decorated nine-year career include highlights such as 11 top 20 finishes, one of which was first place at the Bassmaster Elite on the Tennessee River in 2021. When Gustafson launched at Volunteer Landing last Friday, he wasn’t simply aiming to double up on his success history on the Tennessee River, he was focused on fulfilling a childhood dream — winning the Super Bowl of fishing, the Bassmaster Classic.
Flowing southwest from Knoxville, through East Tennessee into Chattanooga before crossing into Alabama, the Tennessee River is home to a healthy population of various bass species, most notably, largemouth and smallmouth. On day 1, a fleet of 55 of the best anglers in the world were greeted with hundreds of fans, favorable weather conditions, and stiff competition in the air. Throughout the day, Gustafson methodically worked his zones and managed to find a few solid flurries of action which resulted in a day 1 bag of 18.8 lbs., a mere pound over his closest competitor, Brandon Lester.
On day 2, Gustafson opted to stick with a technique that what was working the day before, and also the same tactic he leaned on to win on the Tennessee River back in 2021 — moping. After his best spot from day 1 became cold, Gustafson motored to his second spot with two smallmouth in the well and high hopes of finding more cooperative fishelsewhere. By the time lines out was called, Gustafson filled his limit with three more smallmouth for a day 2 total weight of 17.3 lbs. and a two-day aggregate weight of 35.11 lbs.
On Championship Sunday, Gustafson set out in the first-place position with a 6 lb. lead over fellow Simms Pro, John Cox. To start his day, Gustafson continued with the tactic that put him in the lead – moping in deep water while using forward facing sonar with a Z-Man Jerk Shad. Compared to the previous two days, the water jumped up in temperature and his tried and true method waned in effectiveness. In many cases in professional bass fishing, finding and catching fish isn’t the hard part — it’s keeping the mental aspect of your game sound. True to form, instead of panicking and scratching his intended game plan, Gustafson remained calm. Anglers focused on largemouth in shallow water slowly began to close the gap on Gustafson’s lead but Gustafson continued grinding until he had two quality smallmouth in the well. At weigh-ins, Gustafson’s bag settled on the scale at 6.12 lbs. for a three-day total weight of 42.7 lbs. — 2.5 lbs. more than runner up, Bryan Schmitt.
“When we signed Gussy on the Simms Pro Team a little over five years ago, it wasn’t because we knew what he was going to accomplish as an angler — it was because of what he’s already done as an individual,” says Simms Director of Brand Marketing, Patterson Leeth. “You would be hard pressed to find a more widely respected angler who not only has the fans cheering him on but also, the vast majority of his competitors as well. We are unbelievably proud to see him raise the 2023 Bassmaster Classic trophy.”
The Bassmaster Classic is never a layup for any particular angler, no matter what their history is on that particular body of water. This year’s event attracted more fans than ever before in the history of the Bassmaster Classic – and the excitement level was also at an all-time high. On behalf of Simms Fishing Products, congratulations to Jeff Gustafson on achieving such a monumental, hard earned, and well-deserved victory on the Tennessee River.
Keith Poche Sees the Roadmap to Victory with Fin-Nor Sunglasses
Today for Poche, everything was on the line, and he knew what he needed to do - use every tool in his tacklebox to pull off what only skill and perseverance can achieve. It was a cloudy day, visibility was mediocre, and only one pair of sunglasses would do the job. Fin-Nor Flybridge with silver mirrors, a perfect frame, and lens color engineered to give Keith Poche the edge he needed to see below the surface, spot his target, and bring glory home.
“When I look for a pair of sunglasses, I don’t want to worry one moment about my vision or discomfort on my face,” says Poche, Fin-Nor Pro. “I want to be able to see what’s in front of me clearly so that I can do my best on the water. Today I fished under cloud cover and foggy conditions, and never did my vision fail me. I was fishing some tricky areas on the Cherokee, and the polarization of my sunglasses cut through the glare like butter.”
Fin-Nor Flybridge is designed for elite angler performance - lightweight, comfortable, and provides maximum coverage for any weather condition. Fin-Nor silver mirror lenses are designed for full sun or cloudy days, provide excellent contrast for spotting structures and fish below the waterline, and are optimized for clarity with color-enhancing accuracy. Pro anglers like Poche know that when you’re pushing to get over the finish line, having high quality eyewear that combines style, fit, and performance is key.
Jeff Gustafson Bringing Home Canada’s First Ever Bassmaster Classic Crown
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Jeff Gustafson Finds $300,000 of Bassmaster Classic Gold with MEGA Live Imaging
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Gustafson struggles on the final day but holds on for historic Bassmaster Classic victory on the Tennessee River
Jeff Gustafson of Kenora, Canada, has won the 2023 Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic presented by Toyota with a three-day total of 42 pounds, 7 ounces, becoming the first Canadian to be crowned the Classic champion.
Photo by James Overstreet/B.A.S.S.
March 26, 2023
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Canadian pro Jeff “Gussy” Gustafson’s bass refused to play fair on the final day of the Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic presented by Toyota on the Tennessee River.
But fortunately for him, the bulk of his work was already done.
Despite catching only two smallmouth bass that weighed 6 pounds, 12 ounces on Championship Sunday and falling three fish short of the 15 he’d been counting down toward all week, Gustafson held on to win the most treasured title in professional fishing with a three-day total of 42-7.
As the first Canadian Classic champion ever, he takes home the Ray Scott Trophy and a $300,000 first-place check.
“I had an hour ride back to check-in, and it was horrible,” said Gustafson, who now holds two-straight wire-to-wire victories on this fishery. “I thought I’d blown it for sure. I thought there was no way I’d even be in the mix.
“When I got back and looked at BassTrakk, I still wasn’t sure. I knew I didn’t have much more than what mine said and the guys behind me both had limits that might have been heavier than what they had entered.”
As it turned out, Gustafson received hard charges from both Maryland pro Bryan Schmitt and Alabama pro Scott Canterbury, but neither could quite pull it off. Schmitt caught a five-bass limit that weighed 11-1 and finished less than 2 pounds shy of a win at 40-14, while Canterbury caught one of the biggest limits of the day at 12-1 and finished just over 2 pounds back at 40-1.
Gustafson spent the day in Tellico Lake doing the same thing that had worked for him six days in a row on the fishery — four during his 2021 regular-season Elite Series win and two to start this Classic — but something was different. Though plenty of smallmouth were still visible on his Humminbird MEGA Live electronics, they simply weren’t as cooperative as they had been previously.
“I think it was a combination of they’ve been getting fished hard and there’s some heat coming and they’re ready to move up and spawn,” Gustafson said. “I’ve been working them pretty hard, and you could tell they were lazy.
“The last couple of days, they would just skyrocket up to the bait when they saw it. But today it wasn’t like that at all.”
After catching 18-8 on Friday and 17-3 on Saturday, Gustafson didn’t catch his first keeper until around 9:30 a.m. Sunday. Then it was another three hours before he caught his second and final keeper — and by then, he had unofficially lost the lead on BassTrakk.
But in the end, his “moping” tactic won out.
A technique that dates heavily back to his Canadian roots, Gustafson used a Z-Man Jerk ShadZ in the smelt color on a 3/8-ounce Smeltinator jighead with a 1/0 hook, fishing straight down for bass he could see on his Humminbird MEGA Live forward-facing sonar. He fished the rig on a G. Loomis NRX+ 872 rod — a 7-foot, 3-inch medium action rig — with a Shimano Stella 3000 spooled with 10-pound PowerPro and a 10-pound Shimano Mastiff fluorocarbon leader.
He said the angle of the bait was key to many of his bites.
“I use a knot called a San Diego Jam or a three tag-in knot,” he said. “You can really tie whatever knot you want, but you want that bait to sit horizontal and natural in the water.
“I’ve been using that Z-Man Jerk ShadZ for years — long before they sponsored me — just because I feel really comfortable with them and they work.”
As for the action he was imparting to the bait, he said every fish was different.
“There’s no real jigging,” he said. “It’s more of a quiver. If they’re kind of eyeballing it, coming slower toward it, I just give the bait a little bit of a quiver.”
Sometimes Gustafson said he “plays games” with finicky fish.
“When they’re coming slow, I pull it up away from them a little bit sometimes,” he said. “You get a lot of bumps, too, where they hit it with their mouths closed. When they do that, I drop it back down and start the quiver like it’s an injured baitfish.”
Gustafson said he relied heavily on his Minn Kota Ultrex trolling motor to stay on top of the fish, especially on Day 2 when the winds topped 20 mph.
“Spot-Lock is one of the greatest things ever invented,” he said. “Every time I’d catch a fish before I’d even put it in the livewell, I’d hit Spot-Lock because, a lot of times, there were other fish following it. So, Spot-Lock kept me on them.”
Still, he said MEGA Live was the key to his event.
“I know everyone doesn’t love the forward-facing sonar, but it’s mandatory equipment if you want to compete with these guys. Everyone has it, and if you don’t, you’re not even gonna come close to competing.”
The magnitude of being the first Canadian to win a Classic trophy was still dawning on Gustafson 30 minutes after the trophy was placed in his hands.
“It’s insane,” he said. “I’m kind of speechless. I wish I could have spoken a little better up there on stage. There are a lot of good anglers up there, a lot of people who love bass fishing in Canada.
“So, this is for everybody up there.”
The 2023 Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic presented by Toyota set a new record, welcoming a crowd of 163,914 fans to Classic Week activities.
Gustafson claimed the $7,000 Rapala Monster Bag of the Week with the 18-8 limit he caught on Day 1.
As a member of the Yamaha Power Pay program, Canterbury is bringing home an additional $20,000. He also earned the $1,000 BassTrakk contingency for the closest estimate of his weight throughout the first two days of the event.
Florida's Drew Benton took home an additional $7,500 for being the highest-placing entrant in the Toyota Bonus Bucks program, while John Cox earned $2,500 for being the second-highest placing entrant.
Kentucky pro Matt Robertson won $1,000 for the Mercury Big Bass of the Day with a 5-6. Oklahoma pro Luke Palmer claimed the $2,500 prize for Mercury Big Bass of the Week with a 5-13 he caught on Day 2.
2023 Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic presented by Toyota 3/24-3/26
Tennessee River, Knoxville TN.
(ANGLER) Standings Day 3
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Pts Total $$$
1. Jeff Gustafson Kenora, Ontario CANADA 12 42-07 0 $307,000.00
Day 1: 5 18-08 Day 2: 5 17-03 Day 3: 2 06-12
2. Bryan Schmitt Deale, MD 15 40-14 0 $50,000.00
Day 1: 5 16-01 Day 2: 5 13-12 Day 3: 5 11-01
3. Scott Canterbury Odenville, AL 15 40-01 0 $41,000.00
Day 1: 5 12-13 Day 2: 5 15-03 Day 3: 5 12-01
4. Drew Benton Panama City, FL 14 38-03 0 $30,000.00
Day 1: 5 13-05 Day 2: 5 15-01 Day 3: 4 09-13
5. John Cox DeBary, FL 14 36-13 0 $25,000.00
Day 1: 5 14-04 Day 2: 5 15-11 Day 3: 4 06-14
6. Brandon Lester Fayetteville, TN 14 35-10 0 $22,000.00
Day 1: 5 17-07 Day 2: 5 10-02 Day 3: 4 08-01
7. Jay Przekurat Stevens Point, WI 15 34-09 0 $21,500.00
Day 1: 5 14-00 Day 2: 5 11-06 Day 3: 5 09-03
8. Brandon Cobb Greenwood, SC 15 34-00 0 $21,000.00
Day 1: 5 12-01 Day 2: 5 09-08 Day 3: 5 12-07
9. Jacob Powroznik North Prince George, VA 15 31-12 0 $20,500.00
Day 1: 5 12-09 Day 2: 5 08-06 Day 3: 5 10-13
10. Greg Hackney Gonzales, LA 12 30-14 0 $20,000.00
Day 1: 4 12-07 Day 2: 4 10-04 Day 3: 4 08-03
11. Cory Johnston Cavan CANADA 12 30-08 0 $15,000.00
Day 1: 5 14-02 Day 2: 5 12-07 Day 3: 2 03-15
12. Caleb Kuphall Mukwonago, WI 13 30-00 0 $15,000.00
Day 1: 3 06-09 Day 2: 5 14-01 Day 3: 5 09-06
13. Jonathan Dietz Corry, PA 13 29-15 0 $15,000.00
Day 1: 5 10-01 Day 2: 3 07-12 Day 3: 5 12-02
14. Jason Christie Dry Creek, OK 13 29-10 0 $15,000.00
Day 1: 5 12-06 Day 2: 5 10-13 Day 3: 3 06-07
15. Lee Livesay Longview, TX 13 28-15 0 $15,000.00
Day 1: 5 10-03 Day 2: 5 12-09 Day 3: 3 06-03
16. Brandon Card Salisbury, NC 11 28-15 0 $13,000.00
Day 1: 5 11-15 Day 2: 4 11-03 Day 3: 2 05-13
17. Bob Downey Detroit Lakes, MN 12 28-12 0 $13,000.00
Day 1: 4 10-00 Day 2: 3 09-13 Day 3: 5 08-15
18. Matt Robertson Kuttawa, KY 7 26-12 0 $14,000.00
Day 1: 3 10-15 Day 2: 2 08-01 Day 3: 2 07-12
19. Bryan New Saluda, SC 11 25-15 0 $13,000.00
Day 1: 5 09-08 Day 2: 3 06-08 Day 3: 3 09-15
20. Brock Mosley Collinsville, MS 13 24-10 0 $13,000.00
Day 1: 5 11-02 Day 2: 5 09-02 Day 3: 3 04-06
21. Tyler Rivet Raceland, LA 12 24-04 0 $13,000.00
Day 1: 4 08-07 Day 2: 4 09-05 Day 3: 4 06-08
22. Austin Felix Eden Prairie, MN 9 23-10 0 $13,000.00
Day 1: 4 07-14 Day 2: 5 15-12 Day 3: 0 00-00
23. Louis Monetti Brielle, NJ 13 22-13 0 $13,000.00
Day 1: 5 07-13 Day 2: 5 09-07 Day 3: 3 05-09
24. JT Thompkins Myrtle Beach, SC 12 21-05 0 $13,000.00
Day 1: 4 08-04 Day 2: 5 08-11 Day 3: 3 04-06
25. Matt Arey Shelby, NC 12 20-15 0 $13,000.00
Day 1: 5 09-07 Day 2: 5 08-00 Day 3: 2 03-08
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
BIG BASS
Day
1 Chris Johnston Otonabee Ontario CANADA04-15 $1,000.00
2 Luke Palmer Coalgate, OK 05-13 $1,000.00
3 Matt Robertson Kuttawa, KY 05-06 $1,000.00
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
MERCURY BIG BASS
Luke Palmer Coalgate, OK 05-13 $2,500.00
RAPALA MONSTER BAG
Jeff Gustafson Keewatin, 18-08 $7,000.00
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Totals
Day #Limits #Fish Weight
1 24 200 465-12
2 24 196 442-09
3 8 88 190-01
----------------------------------
56 484 1098-06
Rambo & Clark Take TXTT #2 Tournament on Sam Rayburn Reservoir
Florida anglers conquer Watts Bar in Bassmaster High School Classic
Bryce Balentine and Dalton Loos of Florida's Seminole Junior Anglers have won the Strike King Bassmaster High School Classic presented by Academy Sports + Outdoors with 8 pounds, 2 ounces.
Photo by Chase Sansom/B.A.S.S.
March 25, 2023
KINGSTON, Tenn. — Where Bryce Balentine and Dalton Loos are accustomed to fishing, rock is hardly ever a prominent piece of cover to target for a winning bag of bass.
So, when the team from the Seminole Junior Anglers arrived at Watts Bar for the Strike King Bassmaster High School Classic presented by Academy Sports + Outdoors, they felt like they were on a different planet.
It didn’t take them long to figure it out, however, as the central Florida duo caught four bass weighing 8 pounds, 2 ounces to win the event. They were awarded the trophy on the stage of the Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic presented by Toyota inside Thompson-Boling Arena on the campus of the University of Tennessee in Knoxville.
“This means a lot to me,” an emotional Balentine said.
“This is what you go to bed and dream about. I’m just glad we were able to come across the stage and bring home (a trophy),” Loos added. “We picked what we liked fishing around the most and went to work. We tried not to worry about what other people were doing.”
BJ Collins and Banks Shaw from Tennessee's Sale Creek High School finished second with 5-14 followed by Clay County High School’s Parker Stalvey and Jacob Deel in third place with 4-15.
Calling the Harris Chain of Lakes home — and being new to the Tennessee River system — Loos and Balentine didn’t catch a single keeper bass during a tough practice. They did, however, catch two nonkeepers on a specific stretch of bank in the back of a creek that keyed them in to their tournament game plan.
The back of this creek featured riprap and other rock elements and also had dirty water moving through it. They caught their largemouth with a red Strike King Chick Magnet.
“We found some dirty water that had a little flow in it, and that current held those bass there,” Loos said. “We were in that one creek all day long.”
It wasn’t an easy day for any of the eight teams competing. Winds were blowing hard out of the southwest all day after heavy thunderstorms moved through the area overnight. No team reached their five-bass limit, and the Florida anglers considered themselves fortunate to get the bites they had.
“We grinded out all day,” Balentine said. “They were in about 5 feet of water. We went all the way to the back and found a certain stretch. We found it in practice. We decided that was (basically) all we had and we were going to come back in the tournament and see what happens. Well, we saw what happened.”
Loos has graduated since qualifying for this event, but Balentine will continue to work this season to reach the Classic stage again next year.
*****Third place in HS was a tie between Clay County HS and Spain Park HS, both with 4-15*****
2023 Strike King Bassmaster High School Classic presented by Academy Sports + Outdoors 3/25-3/25
Watts Bar Reservoir, Knoxville TN.
(BOATER) Standings Day 1
Angler Club/School Pts
1. Bryce Balentine - Dalton Loos Seminole Junior Anglers - FL 0
Day 1: 4 08-02 Total: 4 08-02
2. BJ Collins - Banks Shaw Sale Creek Anglers - TN 0
Day 1: 3 05-14 Total: 3 05-14
3. Parker Stalvey - Jacob Deel Clay County High School - FL 0
Day 1: 2 04-15 Total: 2 04-15
3. Benjamin Travis - Andrew Kunz Auburn University (7892) 0
Day 1: 2 04-15 Total: 2 04-15
5. Mark Cerja Jr - Gus Richardson Lone Star Jr Bassmasters TX 0
Day 1: 2 03-11 Total: 2 03-11
6. Brady Pinwar - Alec Albrecht Midland High School 0
Day 1: 1 03-00 Total: 1 03-00
7. Hunter Holland - Walker High School - LA 0
Day 1: 1 01-07 Total: 1 01-07
8. Huntlee York - Colton Smith Y and S Fishing (10013) 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Totals
Day #Limits #Fish Weight
1 0 15 32-00
----------------------------------
0 15 32-00
Gustafson continues march toward possible Bassmaster Classic title with big Day 2 on Tennessee River
Jeff Gustafson of Kenora, Canada, is leading after Day 2 of the 2023 Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic presented by Toyota with a two-day total of 35 pounds, 11 ounces.
Photo by James Overstreet/B.A.S.S.
March 25, 2023
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Since the opening moments of the Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic presented by Toyota, Jeff “Gussy” Gustafson has been counting down.
Not to a five-bass daily limit, but to the three-day limit of 15 he needs to be crowned a Classic champion.
After Saturday, he can say, “Ten down, five to go.”
Using the same moping technique he used to win a regular-season Bassmaster Elite Series event here on the Tennessee River in 2021 — and to take the lead in this Classic on Friday with 18 pounds, 8 ounces — Gustafson added five more smallmouth Saturday that weighed 17-3 and now holds a commanding lead with a two-day total of 35-11.
His closest competition going into Championship Sunday will be Florida largemouth specialist John Cox, who sits almost 6 pounds back in second with 29-15.
“I’ve just got to go out and get it done tomorrow,” said Gustafson, who has now led all six days of the two tournaments he’s fished here on Fort Loudoun and Tellico lakes. “I don’t have any good backup plans. I just need to keep doing what I’ve been doing.”
In 2021, Gustafson did most of his damage in the canal that connects the two lakes, but his two best spots this week have been in Tellico. He started Saturday morning on the spot where he caught all of his Friday weight but found the bass were finicky after he'd pressured them.
With only two bass in his livewell, he moved to his second spot and quickly found the fish more cooperative.
“I didn’t really have to burn that second spot yesterday, but I went there today and took three fish off it,” he said. “They were three good ones. There were quite a few there when I pulled up, but I just kept missing them and scuffing them.
“Tomorrow, I’ve gotta fish perfectly. I don’t think I was really doing anything wrong. Maybe that’s just a little bit of the luck factor.”
As the water temperature continues to rise, Gustafson said he saw fewer bass in the deep holes he’s been targeting — something he said was predictable as more bass move toward the shallow areas for their annual spring spawn.
He has been identifying smallmouth on Humminbird MEGA Live forward-facing sonar and dropping his bait — a Z-Man Jerk ShadZ on a 3/8-ounce Smeltinator jighead — straight down, with an emphasis on keeping it just above their heads. That was more challenging Saturday with the winds topping 20 mph, and he relied heavily on his trolling motor to stay on the fish.
“It was tougher than it probably looked on TV, and it could get even tougher,” he said. “But I really believe I’ll have my chances. I just have to stay committed and do what has to be done.”
While Gustafson was out deep, Cox was using a technique that was basically the polar opposite. The noted shallow-water specialist employed a Berkley Frittside crankbait in water so shallow he had to hold his rod tip high to keep the bait from digging into the bottom.
With the winds blowing so hard, Cox went back to a protected area where he fished during the 2021 regular-season event where he placed third.
“I stayed in there, bounced around and grinded all day,” Cox said. “I picked up some other stuff — a bladed jig and a couple of other baits — but nothing felt right. So, I just stayed with that Frittside.”
Using the Kentucky blue and ghost morning dawn colors, Cox targeted shallow cover where largemouth are anxious to spawn. He said a predicted cold snap with an expected nighttime low of 49 degrees could actually work in his favor.
“With the water temperature where it is, the bass are ready to spawn,” he said. “I would rather them stay in this prespawn mode where they want to eat. That cooler weather could help out with that.”
Knowing he’s facing a 6-pound deficit and chasing a red-hot angler, Cox said he believes he might need 20 pounds or more to have a chance to win. But he believes that bag is possible.
“When I was fishing that spot back in 2021, there were three of us sharing it,” he said. “Between us, our biggest ones would have weighed 20. So, it can happen.”
Maryland pro Bryan Schmitt started the day in third place and held steady despite a slow start. Schmitt is targeting prespawn largemouth around shallow offshore cover, and he believes he found a spot late in the day Saturday that could play big during the final round.
“I found one little deal this afternoon that, if it fires for me in the morning, we could be good,” he said. “It’s the same scenario I’ve been fishing all week, just new water.”
Even though the bite on that spot took place in the afternoon Saturday, Schmitt believes it could be good early Sunday morning.
“For whatever reason, there’s some current there,” he said. “I’m thinking maybe they don’t have any choice but to be there.
“They’re the same kind of staging fish I’ve been catching all week. One leaves and another one moves in there — and that’s good.”
Gustafson leads the race for Rapala Monster Bag of the Week, which carries a $7,000 bonus, with the 18-8 he caught on Day 1.
Oklahoma pro Luke Palmer claimed the $1,000 prize for Mercury Big Bass of the Day with a 5-13 largemouth and took the lead for Mercury Big Bass of the Week, an honor that pays an additional $2,500.
Competition will continue Sunday with the remaining Top 25 anglers taking off at 7:30 a.m. ET from Volunteer Landing. The weigh-in will start at 3:30 p.m. at Thompson-Boling Arena, with one angler claiming the coveted Ray Scott Trophy and the $300,000 first-place check.
FS1 will broadcast live with the tournament leaders on Sunday beginning at 11 a.m. ET before afternoon action from Championship Sunday picks up on FOX at 12 p.m. with additional coverage on Bassmaster.com. A full viewing schedule can be found at Bassmaster.com/how-to-watch.
The annual Bassmaster Classic Outdoors Expo presented by the U.S. Army will take place across the Knoxville Convention Center and adjacent World’s Fair Exhibition Hall with exhibitors on-site selling a variety of merchandise for fishing, hunting, camping and more. Hours for the Expo will be 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday.
The Bassmaster Classic is being hosted by Visit Knoxville.
Snyders takes home Bassmaster Kayak Series title at Chickamauga; honored on Classic stage
Rus Snyders of Pegram, Tenn., has won the 2023 Yamaha Rightwaters Bassmaster Kayak Series Championship powered by TourneyX on Chickamauga Lake with a two-day total of 180 inches.
Photo by Mark Cisneros/B.A.S.S.
March 24, 2023
DAYTON, Tenn. — Rus Snyders has spent 10 years in the state of Tennessee, and in that time he has become one of the most dominant anglers in the state.
On Friday, Snyders continued his success in the Volunteer state by winning the Yamaha Rightwaters Bassmaster Kayak Series Championship at Chickamauga Lake powered by TourneyX with a two-day total of 180 inches.
Snyders landed in third after Day 1 with 93.75 inches before adding 86.25 inches on Day 2 to outlast Damian Thao, Luke Graham and the rest of the 132-boat field.
“It means a lot to win in this state. I love Tennessee,” Snyders said. “I don’t think I’m leaving. This is an awesome place with some great fisheries. Chickamauga is a lake I am pretty familiar with, but (I’ve) never fished it with the conditions we had and the water being so low. It was like being on a whole new lake.”
Normally even-keeled and steady, Snyders’ emotional side shined when he was announced the winner onstage at Thompson-Boling Arena during the Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic presented by Toyota.
“Bassmaster has been something I have followed my whole life. I always watch the Classic,” Snyders said. “To be on this stage and to hoist that trophy was really special. This is the highest level in kayak fishing right now.”
Snyders focused his efforts on the upper end of Chickamauga. With the water so low, much of the water had been sucked out of the backwater areas, so he targeted stumps on the main river where he believed the bass had moved.
“I had a little bit of current. I didn’t get a lot of bites but I got the right bites,” he said. “I didn’t lose a single fish the entire tournament and that was very fortunate.”
A 7-inch Bass Mafia Daingerous Swimbait rigged on a iRod Genesis III rod with 20-pound Sunline fluorocarbon and a 10/0 Owner Beast Hook was the primary setup for Snyders.
It produced all of his bites but one, including his biggest bass, a 22.5 that he landed first thing on Day 1. The lunker bit several inches from the boat, and when it bit, Snyders said it ran straight under his kayak, running his line to the other side and resulting in a chaotic fight.
He landed his fish and proceeded to quickly fill his limit.
On the final day, he caught three fish in the first half hour and then a fourth shortly after that. It took Snyders six hours to catch his final bass, a 16-incher that bit a red crankbait.
“I went hours without getting a bite. With a couple of hours left, I abandoned everything and went to some new water. I went into a little backwater area and caught a 16-incher that was barely hooked in the corner of the lip. I didn’t know it was going to win it for me, but I knew it was a significant bass.”
Thao, meanwhile, had never fished outside of California before heading to east Tennessee. He made the most of his first time on a Tennessee River reservoir, catching a two-day total of 176 inches.
“Chickamauga has a lot of stuff I like,” he said. “The lake is so huge and there are so many options. You can really fish your strengths. We had a lot of cold conditions and I didn’t think these fish were getting ready to move up. They were still out on the ledges. That is what I do a lot back home.”
Practice did not indicate Thao would have a productive event, as he did not catch a fish the first day of the practice period. But he applied some of the concepts he has learned in his home state to Chickamauga, focusing on a specific ledge that featured standing timber.
He dragged a lighter Carolina rig with a watermelon red-colored Zoom Brush Hog down the ledge, starting in 8 feet of water and ending his retrieve in 25 feet. His bite was consistent, catching 88 inches both days with his biggest measuring 20 inches, which he landed on Day 2.
“They didn’t turn on until the afternoon. It wasn’t until 12 o’clock,” he explained. “As soon as it hit 12, though, the water temperatures started to get a little warmer and I started capitalizing on the bigger bites.”
Graham finished third with 173.25 inches. The Knoxville native anchored his bag with a 21-inch smallmouth. After catching 94 inches on Day 1, Graham struggled much of Day 2 and only had two bass in his total at 2:30 p.m.
But in the last half hour, he landed three bass to achieve 79.25 inches and salvaged a third-place finish.
Ohio angler Aaron Stallbaum landed the big bass of the tournament, a 23.25-inch largemouth.
Gustafson revisits history, takes Day 1 lead at Bassmaster Classic with five smallmouth
Jeff Gustafson of Kenora, Canada, is leading after Day 1 of the 2023 Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic presented by Toyota with 18 pounds, 8 ounces.
Photo by James Overstreet/B.A.S.S.
March 24, 2023
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Jeff Gustafson’s motto during the opening round of the Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic presented by Toyotaseemed to be, “Why make it complicated?”
The fifth-year Bassmaster Elite Series angler from Kenora, Ontario, Canada, took the lead Friday in the Super Bowl of Bass Fishing on the Tennessee River — and instead of starting over or trying to reinvent something, he caught his bass the same way he did when he won a regular-season Elite Series event on this same venue back in 2021.
Fishing the same canal that connects Fort Loudoun Reservoir and Tellico Lake where he parked himself during that 2021 event, the 40-year-old pro caught a five-bass limit of smallmouth that weighed 18 pounds, 8 ounces and positioned himself for a run at a spot in pro fishing history.
“There’s just something about this place,” he said. “I’m jiving with it, and it’s worked so far. The technique I’m doing is one of my favorites. It’s a technique that I feel like I’m probably pretty good at compared to the rest of the field.
“You don’t get that opportunity at most of the venues we go to, but here it works.”
During his 2021 victory, Gustafson used a tactic referred to as “moping” that involves identifying smallmouth on forward-facing sonar — he uses Humminbird MEGA Live technology — and dangling a bait just within their strike zone. He did the same thing on Friday and expanded the areas where it will work.
“There’s a lot of fish in those same spots as 2021, but they’ve just been fished so hard that they’re really hard to catch,” he said. “The bites are real nippy and they look at it and they’re lazy.
“In the couple of places that I’ve found where I don’t think they’ve really been fished, they’re a lot easier to catch.”
Since he’s targeting deeper fish, Gustafson didn’t seem quite as concerned as some about an approaching weather system that is expected to bring 20 to 30 mph winds to the region for Saturday’s second round.
“It’s gonna make it a little more challenging, but it’s not like we’re going out on Lake Ontario,” he said. “It’s just going to make it a little more challenging on the motor. You make a bit more noise. But hopefully, it’s not going to bother the fish.”
Gustafson’s total was 1-1 better than that of Brandon Lester, an Elite Series pro from Fayetteville, Tenn., whose five-bass limit of 17-7 gave the impression that he had a much more productive day than he really did.
Lester said he caught only nine keepers — all largemouth — and none of the bass he weighed in were in his livewell until around 11:30 a.m. But a quick flurry saw him put three good keepers in the boat in a little over 30 minutes, and then he finished strong with a 4-10 just before 2 p.m. and a 2-8 just before quitting time at 3.
“I was honestly getting a little tight around 11, but I just kept telling myself it was gonna happen,” said Lester, who claimed his first career Elite Series victory last year on another Tennessee River fishery, Pickwick Lake. “When it started happening, it was just ‘bam, bam, bam.’”
Lester said it was a typical prespawn largemouth scenario, with the bass roaming around during the morning hours with the cooler water temperatures and then locking down on shallow cover as the water temps rose.
“On up in the day, they’ll slide up next to something — something you can pitch a bait next to — and you’ll catch them,” he said. “I did most of my damage in 57.9-degree water today, and that’s what I want to see.
“It was 52 degrees during practice. That’s cold. There’s a big difference between 52- and 57-degree water.”
Lester expects a similarly slow morning Saturday.
“I’m going go into it with the mindset that anything I catch before 10 o’clock is a bonus,” he said. “We’ve got a weather system coming in tomorrow with some wind that’s supposed to blow pretty hard.”
The weather concerns third-place angler Bryan Schmitt of Maryland as well since he’s basically following the same strategy as Lester of fishing shallow cover for largemouth with his best bites coming later in the day.
Schmitt, who has two Elite Series wins on his resume, started slowly just like Lester but then moved from his planned depth of 8 to 12 feet to a shallower range of 4 to 8 feet. That’s where he found all of the bass he weighed in for a solid limit of 16-1.
“What I noticed is that the water has come up a little bit and the water temperature came up a little bit,” Schmitt said. “I kind of moved up with the fish and found them. The patterns and lures were the same, just a little bit further up the hill.”
Schmitt said the bass could move even shallower, but the approaching weather could make his strategy difficult.
“I feel like I’m fishing places where more will just keep coming to me,” he said. “They’re just staging, staging, staging.
“If the water temperature keeps rising, they could go from 4 to 8 feet up into zero to 4 feet. But the wind is supposed to blow 20 to 30, and if there are 3-foot rollers crashing onto the fish, that could mess everything up.”
Canadian pro Chris Johnston claimed $1,000 for Mercury Big Bass of the Day with a 4-15 largemouth.
Competition will continue Saturday with the full field of 55 anglers taking off at 7:30 a.m. ET from Volunteer Landing. The weigh-in will be held at 3:30 p.m. at Thompson-Boling Arena, with only the top 25 anglers advancing to Championship Sunday with a chance to win the Ray Scott Trophy — the most coveted prize in professional angling — and the $300,000 first-place check.
FS1 will broadcast live with the tournament leaders on Saturday beginning at 8 a.m. ET with additional coverage on Bassmaster.com. A full viewing schedule can be found at Bassmaster.com/how-to-watch.
The annual Bassmaster Classic Outdoors Expo presented by the U.S. Army will take place across the Knoxville Convention Center and adjacent World’s Fair Exhibition Hall with exhibitors on-site selling a variety of merchandise for fishing, hunting, camping and more. Hours for the Expo will be 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday.
Keith Poche Blasts the Competition on Fenwick Rods to Win Stage Two of the Major League Fishing Bass Pro Tour
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DAIWA: New 23 Tatula Elite Rods
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New features and models designed by top pro anglers and their signature techniques |
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Cypress, CA (March 24, 2023) – Relying on extensive input from some of the best pro anglers competing on the B.A.S.S. and Major League Fishing tournament circuits, DAIWA brings new blank construction technology and a lighter ‘Air Sensor’ reel seat to its expanding, now 29-model technique specific Tatula Elite bass rod series. Along with the upgrade to rods in the existing Tatula Elite lineup, models have been added for today’s advanced fishing techniques. In the nine all new rods now being offered, bass anglers will find unique spinning rods for casting hair jigs long distances, and longer length cranking rods built with lighter glass blank material, so baits will dive even deeper. |
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At the core of the redesigned Tatula Elite bass rods is DAIWA’s exclusive SVF NANOPLUS graphite and X45 Bias blank construction. “Plus, these new rods are even lighter by using our ‘Micropitch’ heating process that puts extensive pressure on the blank to give them more muscle while keeping that light-in-hand feel,” said DAIWA’s Marketing Manager Marc Mills. “The new carbon graphite ‘Air Sensor’ reel also adds to the rods’ overall lightness. And on the Tatula Elite cranking rods, anglers will also notice lighter glass material used, which combined with the Air Sensor reel seat brings better overall sensitivity." Within new Tatula Elite lineup, bass anglers will also notice new lengths and actions designed for even more advanced techniques, each designed by DAIWA’s Team Tatula pro anglers Brett Ehlers, Randy Howell, Takahiro Omori, Cody Meyer, Seth Feider, Ish Monroe, Patrick Walters, Corey Johnston, and Chris Johnston. |
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Brett Ehlers’ key contribution to the new rods in the series is the Tatula Elite TTEL801MHRB-G, an 8’ medium-heavy power deep-cranking rod with an EVA split grip so he can make longer casts to make his baits run as deep as possible. Randy Howell takes the ‘universal’ approach with his Tatula Elite TTEL721MHRB 7’2” EVA split grip power casting rod for finesse techniques and smaller topwater lures when accurate casts are a must. Takahiro Omari worked on his Tatula Elite TTEL701MHRB-G 7’ glass cranking rod with an EVA split grip to handle 1/2- to 2-ounce cranking and moving baits. It’s all about small searchbaits and paddle-style swimbaits with Cody Meyer’s new Tatula TTEL761MHRB 7’6” casting rod with an EVA split grip, which he says offers a soft tip for added sensitivity and the length needed for long distance casting. |
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“DAIWA worked with me to design what I feel is the perfect weapon to fish jerkbaits,” said Seth Feider. His new Tatula TTEL691MLRB 6’9” medium-light power casting rod with an EVA split grip has a medium action, so that big smallmouth won’t pull away from jerkbaits with smaller treble hooks. Ish Monroe went with an extra-sensitive tip on his Tatula Elite TTEL801XHB 8’ extra heavy power casting rod with an EVA split grip to keep it lighter, making it ideal for punchin’ and flippin’ with heavier J-Braid to handle big bass. Going with a straight cork grip, Patrick Walters designed his go-to Tatula Elite TTEL761HRB-G heavy-power 7’6” glass cranking rod to make long casts and drive his crankbaits deep. He notes the new ‘Air Sensor’ reel seats now featured on the Tatula Elite rods keep them light and adds sensitivity. The ‘Canadian Invasion’ makes it mark within the new Tatula Elite rods with two unique models. Corey Johnston brings to the new lineup his Tatula Elite TTEL751MHRB soft stickbaits/football jig 7’5” medium-heavy power casting rod with a straight cork grip. He calls it his ‘everything’ rod for all his bottom contact techniques. Chris Johnston designed what he says, “is the absolute best rod out there for when it comes to durability and sensitivity.” His Tatula Elite TTEL761MLFS 7’6” medium-light power hair jig spinning rod with a cork split grip enables anglers to make long cast and offers a whip action for solid hooksets when using lighter line. |
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DAIWA’s new Tatula Elite bass rod lineup offers models in lengths, powers, and actions for every bass fishing technique, from bladed jigs, small and large crankbaits, lipless cranks, dropshot and shaky head situations, to casting frogs and spinnerbaits, and working big worms. “There’s a great deal of excitement as we celebrate the 10th anniversary of our Tatula brand,” said DAIWA’s Mills. “These new Tatula Elite rods take us into the next decade and demonstrate our commitment to bring the best bass fishing tackle we can to avid anglers.” |
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TATULA ELITE BASS RODS: OVERVIEW Being introduced at the Bassmaster Classic Expo in Knoxville on Friday, March 24, DAIWA launches a redesign and new models to its popular Tatula Elite bass rod series, which now total 29 technique specific models developed in collaboration with leading B.A.S.S. and MLF tournament pros. Anglers will experience the muscle and light feel from DAIWA’s new Micropitch heating process to the exclusive SVF NANOPLUS graphite and X45 Bias blank construction, along with a component upgrade to Air Sensor reel seats for added sensitivity. New technique-specific rods being added include a hair jig spinning rod from Chris Johnston and Corey Johnston’s casting rod to work football jigs – both showcasing the impact of the ‘Canadian Invasion’ is having on bass fishing – along with glass cranking rods from Brett Ehlers and Takahiro Omari. All 29 rods are offered for $189.99 (USD). |
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Wiggins Wins MLF Toyota Series at Lewis Smith Lake
CULLMAN, Ala. (March 24, 2023) – Pro Jordan Wiggins of Cullman, Alabama, crossed the stage with a five-bass limit Thursday weighing 14 pounds, 8 ounces to win the Toyota Series Presented by Phoenix Boats at Lewis Smith Lake and earn the top payout of $90,500, including the lucrative $35,000 Phoenix MLF Bonus. Wiggins’ three-day total of 15 bass weighing 44-14 earned him the victory by a 4-pound, 3-ounce margin over second-place finisher Emil Wagner of Marietta, Georgia, who weighed in 15 bass totaling 40-11 to earn $22,300.
“Man, I am speechless,” Wiggins said. “I’ve been close so many times. I blew it on an Open down here where all I had to do was catch 12 pounds, and I couldn’t do it. That was not going to happen today. I was going to do whatever I had to do to catch 13 to 15. I went as fast as I could go to places where I have caught them this time of year and it just worked out.”
Wiggins got started early on the final day, limiting and culling quickly to work his way into the low teens.
“The start this morning was just unbelievable,” he said. “I mean I won it in the first hour, to be honest with you. I had 13-something then, and in the end, it all worked out. I thought if I could catch 15 pounds, I was for sure going to win it because 17 pounds down here is hard to do. But you can pull into a spawning pocket on a herring bite and catch 17 pounds, and that was what made me nervous.”
After chasing fish that were staging in ditches and drains to open the event, Wiggins switched gears midway through the morning of Day 2. He went to work on shelf rock and structure with immediate deep-water access that spotted bass were using to spawn. He said he focused on darker-colored banks that featured large chunk rocks and docks, a mix he felt was key to attracting spawners.
“I feel like I kind of got lucky because they were moving up as the tournament went along,” Wiggins said. “I had a ditch bite going the first day. I caught two big ones, like a 4 and about a 3¼ and that’s what got me [almost] 16 the first day. I tried to make the ditch bite work [on Day 2], I caught a limit but there just weren’t any big ones. So, I abandoned it and went to a stretch where they typically spawn every year and they were all the right ones.”
Wiggins attempted to take advantage of the herring spawn as bluebird skies and moderate winds took hold on Lewis Smith, but it didn’t turn out to be productive. Ultimately, the same spawning pattern he’d been on since Day 2 showed him the path to victory, as he used a 3/16-ounce homemade shaky head and a green pumpkin 6.5-inch Reaction Innovations Flirt Worm to seal the deal.
“I tried to make the wake bait bite work and it just wasn’t happening,” he said. “I’d gone into two places towards the end of the day and caught two 3-pounders on the shaky head that kind of bumped me up to what I had.”
Jordan’s brother, Bass Pro Tour angler Jesse Wiggins, made an appearance on Day 3 also, showing up with his own kids in tow to support his brother and lifelong fishing buddy.
“That’s awesome,” he said. “He drove all the way back from the Bass Pro Tour event just to watch me fish. That is special, man. If he fishes in a bigger tournament down here, then I follow him around. It’s just solid support, you can’t ask for anything better. [The family] has my back through thick and thin, it’s awesome. We are just a fishing family.”
Jesse wasn’t the only Wiggins member deserving of a shoutout in Jordan’s eyes, as the whole Wiggins family came out to weigh in to show support throughout the week.
“I got to give a shoutout to my wife Whitney,” said Wiggins. “She puts up with me fishing week in and week out, I’m always gone it seems like, but she’s stuck with me so far. My kids keep me going also, they support me big time.”
The top 10 pros on Lewis Smith Lake finished:
1st: Jordan Wiggins, Cullman, Ala., 15 bass, 44-14, $90,500 (includes $35,000 Phoenix MLF Bonus)
2nd: Emil Wagner, Marietta, Ga., 15 bass, 40-11, $22,300
3rd: Wesley Sams, Vinemont, Ala., 15 bass, 40-0, $15,250
4th: Joseph Webster, Winfield, Ala., 15 bass, 39-6, $13,250
5th: Austin Swindle, Grant, Ala., 15 bass, 39-1, $12,250
6th: Johnny Patterson, Grant, Ala., 15 bass, 38-6, $9,625
7th: Grant Galloway, Houlka, Miss., 15 bass, 38-1, $8,300
8th: Jeremy Gordon, Rutledge, Tenn., 15 bass, 37-15, $7,300
9th: Paul Marks, Cumming, Ga., 15 bass, 37-5, $6,300
10th: Jimmy Neece, Jr., Bristol, Tenn., 15 bass, 36-12, $4,700
Complete results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
Pro Pat Eichmann of Nancy, Kentucky, won the $500 Day 1 Berkley Big Bass award in the pro division Tuesday with a bass weighing 6 pounds, 2 ounces. On Wednesday, Steele, Alabama’s Josh Johnson earned the $500 Berkley Big Bass prize with a 6-pound, 19-ounce bass.
Chris Graham of Epworth, Georgia, won the Strike King Co-angler Division Thursday with a three-day total of 15 bass weighing 37 pounds, 9 ounces. Graham took home the top co-angler prize of $35,250, including a new Phoenix 518 Pro bass boat with a 115-horsepower Mercury outboard motor.
The top 10 Strike King co-anglers on Lewis Smith Lake finished:
1st: Chris Graham, Epworth, Ga., 15 bass, 37-9, Phoenix 518 Pro boat w/115-hp Mercury outboard + $1,750
2nd: Drexal Hubbard, Connersville, Ind., 15 bass, 36-5, $6,625
3rd: Pop Catalin, Cookeville, Tenn., 15 bass, 34-13, $5,300
4th: Doug Vaughn, Houston, Ala., 15 bass, 34-3, $4,150
5th: Sakae Ushio, Tonawanda, N.Y., 14 bass, 28-9, $3,650
6th: Hoyt Tidwell, West Point, Tenn., 15 bass, 28-5, $3,150
7th: Jose Salgado, Artemus, Ky., 14 bass, 27-11, $2,650
8th: Larry James, Helena, Ala., 13 bass, 27-7, $2,075
9th: Justin Stephenson, Jasper, Ala., 12 bass, 26-12, $1,630
10th: Andrew Harper, Shelbyville, Ill., 12 bass, 25-10, $1,390
Andy Vance of Danville, Indiana, earned Tuesday’s $150 Berkley Big Bass award after weighing in a 5-pound, 14-ounce bass, while the Day 2 $150 award went to Dominic Bogolo of Hamilton, Ohio, with a 4-pound, 14-ounce fish.
With two regular-season events in the Toyota Series Presented by Phoenix Boats Central Division now complete, Trent Suratt of Lawrenceburg, Tennessee, leads the Central Division Angler of the Year (AOY) race with 481 points, while Alan Hults of Gautier, Mississippi, leads the Strike King Co-angler Division AOY race with 508 points.
The Toyota Series Presented by Phoenix Boats at Lewis Smith Lake was hosted by the Cullman County Tourism Bureau. It was the second of three regular-season events for the Toyota Series Central Division. The next event for Toyota Series anglers will be the Toyota Series at Lake Okeechobee, March 30-April 1, in Clewiston, Florida. For a complete schedule of events, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com.
The 2023 Toyota Series Presented by Phoenix Boats consists of six divisions – Central, Northern, Plains, Southern, Southwestern and the Western Division Presented by Tackle Warehouse – each holding three regular-season events, along with the International and Wild Card divisions. Anglers who fish in any of the six divisions or the Wild Card division and finish in the top 25 will qualify for the no-entry-fee Toyota Series Championship for a shot at winning up to $235,000 and a qualification to REDCREST 2024. The winning Strike King co-angler at the championship earns a new Phoenix 518 Pro bass boat with a 115-horsepower Mercury outboard. The 2023 Toyota Series Championship will be held Nov. 2-4 on Table Rock Lake in Branson, Missouri, and is hosted by ExploreBranson.com.
Proud sponsors of the 2023 MLF Toyota Series include: 4WP, 13 Fishing, Abu Garcia, B&W Trailer Hitches, Black Rifle Coffee Company, E3, Favorite Fishing, Fox Rent a Car, General Tire, Gill, Grundéns, Lew’s, Lowrance, Mercury, Mossy Oak, Next Gen Lithium, Onyx, Phoenix, Polaris, Power-Pole, Strike King, Tackle Warehouse, T-H Marine, Wiley X and YETI.
For complete details and updated information visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular Toyota Series updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow the MLF5 social media outlets at Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.
DAIWA Adds Premium STEEZ Baitcasting Reel Family
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New STEEZ A 100 offers anglers an ultra-high-end, professional-grade baitcasting reel that merges cutting-edge design, performance, and longevity for mission-critical fishing applications |
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Cypress, CA (March 24, 2023) – DAIWA is proud to share news of a brand-new premium baitcasting reel product launch in the form of its latest addition to the high-end, tournament-proven DAIWA STEEZ baitcaster product family. Behold the new DAIWA STEEZ A 100, new for March 2023. Launching today at the Bassmaster Classic, the new DAIWA STEEZ A 100 is loaded with features including HYPER DRIVE DESIGN, MAGFORCE-Z Boost, G1 Duralumin MAG-Z BOOST Spool, and much more. |
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HYPER DRIVE DESIGN
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MAGFORCE-Z BOOST
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T-WING SYSTEM, REDUCED WEIGHT, RIGIDITY & MORE The TWS (T-Wing System) reduces friction on a cast and extreme line angles by allowing line to flow freely through the wide, top section of the T-wing system. When the handle is engaged on the retrieve, the line then drops into the lower channel of the T-Wing for even distribution across the spool width. The result is longer, more precise casting, even spool speed, and virtually zero backlashes. The aluminum frame and side plate (gear side) keep the STEEZ A 100 lightweight yet rigid, and the ATD drag is designed to the ultimate in consistent and reliable performance when fighting fish. The STEEZ A 100 features DAIWA’s the controlled casting of the G1 Duralumin MAG-Z BOOST Spool. Additionally, the TWS (T-Wing System) reduces friction on a cast and extreme line angles by allowing line to flow freely through the wide, top section of the T-wing system. |
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On the retrieve when the handle is engaged, the line then drops into the lower channel of the T-Wing for even distribution across the spool width. The result is longer, more precise casting, even spool speed, and virtually zero backlashes. The aluminum frame and side plate (gear side) keep the STEEZ A 100 lightweight and DAIWA’s ATD drag system provides consistency and reliability throughout the entire drag range. DAIWA’S Automatic Tournament Drag uses an improved drag grease that exhibits a low viscosity at rest, yet becomes more viscous immediately after drag start-up. This reduces initial drag start-up inertia and combined with the structural changes of the ATD Drag System, results in a smoother drag from the initial hook up. Delivering casting performance you have to experience to believe, the STEEZ A 100 continues to push the limits of what is possible in a baitcasting reel. |
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STEEZ A 100 FEATURES
STEEZ A 100 Executive 5 Year Service / Warranty
If you’re considering a professional-grade baitcasting reel, look no further than DAIWA’s new STEEZ A 100… a reel intended to bring a whole new level of cutting-edge design, high-end performance, longevity, and stunning good looks to discerning anglers. MSRP $649.99 |
DAIWA Launches TATULA MQ LT Spinning Reel
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More power and torque, performance, and longer life characterize the new Tatula MQ LT |
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Cypress, CA (March 24, 2023) – Behold the new standard in spinning reels, DAIWA’s brilliantly-designed Tatula MQ LT. The new Tatula MQ LT embodies a rich features set, which starts with its one-piece MONOCOQUE ZAION V body. This design framework yields more space for larger gears, thus promoting increased torque and power from the get-go… and at the same gear ratios (5.8:1 and 6.2:1) of competitive spinning reels. |
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“What makes this reel special is the new Tatula MQ LT family features a MONOCOQUE frame and body. And there’s been no price increase over the standard, ever-popular DAIWA Tatula LT. From the 1000 through 4000 sizes, the all new Tatula MQ LT has an MSRP of $199.99. There’s simply no better spinning reel on the market at this price,” says DAIWA Marketing Manager, Marc Mills. “The ZAION V MONOCOQUE body carbon fiber body and frame are lightweight and corrosion resistant, yet still very rigid. The technology has allowed us to put a much larger main gear and pinion gear in the reel and still create the same amount of gear ratio. You’re still getting the usual gear ratio; but with more power, more torque, and better leverage—plus, it’ll give you longer gear life,” adds Mills. |
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In terms of construction, the inventive ZAION V MONOCOQUE body also offers 360 degrees of stability and improved waterproofing over standard spinning reels with conventional, screw-in side plates. 360 degrees of stability means the gearing is held firmly and in precise alignment; the less gears shift side to side, the less binding and wear take place, and longer your new reel will feel fresh out-of-the-box. Engineering-wise, when you introduce screw holes to a reel body, the holes must be built up with metal or plastic. That adds weight and decreases the amount of space inside the reel body for large gearing. In short, with MONOCOQUE, DAIWA can increase interior space to facilitate larger gearing and reduce overall weight, simultaneously. Lighter and more corrosion resistant than aluminum, ZAION V is an exceptionally light but rigid material, which minimizes flex in the handle stem and gear box. |
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MONOCOQUE Body |
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The Tatula MQ LT also boasts an AIRDRIVE ROTOR engineered to be incredibly rigid and with minimal flex, especially at high drag pressures. Critically designed cut-outs reduce the weight of the rotor, itself. The lighter the rotor, the less force it takes to spin around the reel, making it easier to turn the handle. As mentioned, the screw-less rotor is super light in weight (15% lighter than the Tatula LT rotor) and with a drag inertia point that’s been reduced by 15%. The rotor weight reduction at the front of the reel also improves balance when paired with your favorite spinning rod. The Tatula MQ LT also features a solid AIRDRIVE BAIL, which further reduces weight and offers more rigidity than standard wire, minimizing concerns over flex, bending, or breaking. The thicker material feels better to the fingers when flipping the bail as well. Other benefits include excellent line entanglement prevention performance and a 31% weight reduction from the standard Tatula LT’s wire bail. |
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Anglers fishing Tatula MQ LT reels will appreciate DAIWA’s brilliant ball bearing-supported ADVANCED TOURNAMENT DRAG (ATD™) when setting the hook and fighting fish. The smart system applies an increased, instantaneous, and calculated resistance during the hookset. After the hook drives home and the fish starts pulling, ATD™ automatically returns to the selected drag setting. Where reel meets angler, the new Tatula MQ LT features a machined screw-in handle that connects directly to the main drive gear. |
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TATULA MQ LT Features:
For anglers seeking their next premium, precision spinning reel, look no further than the Tatula MQ LT, a reel engineered with advanced technology and constructed of the finest and most durable materials available and at a realistic, real-world price. MSRP $199.99 |
Fin-Nor Continues the Legacy of Performance-Driven Eyewear by Announcing Five New Styles
lumbia S.C. (March 23, 2023) Fin-Nor, the iconic fishing brand known for innovation and performance, adds five new eyewear styles to its collection: Dropfly, Cleat, Sportfisher, Tillies Bank, and Spring Tide. Inspired by the barriers watermen and women face while pursuing their passion, these new styles continue to deliver superior lens technology designed to perform and provide for all-day comfort while lending stylish function.
In 2022, Fin-Nor brought together the foremost experts on human vision and lens and frame engineering from across the globe to create a line of purposefully-designed performance eyewear for anglers. Now expanding the collection, these new frames offer best-in-class frame construction designed for comfort and airflow, perfect for any outdoor condition. All Fin-Nor eyewear has Lateral LineTM lens technology, which features the most advanced technology on the market that provides maximum protection, clarity, and polarization. Fin-Nor eyewear comes in both glass and plastic lenses and features five lens colors to choose from: grey, blue mirror, silver mirror, copper, and green mirror.
The Dropfly is a fishing-centric style, with a 6-base performance Unisex frame made with lightweight, flexible materials that include adjustable nose pads and integrated spring hinges which prevent pressure points and allow for all-day comfort. These frames are lightweight and highly breathable, perfect for long days in all outdoor environments. Frame colors include Matte Brown Shoals (NEW) and Matte Black, and retail starts at $189.00.
The Cleat is a male-oriented 8-base frame designed for ultimate performance on and off the water. It includes features to ensure optimal performance, including an innovative venting system, built-in peripheral shields for light management, an adjustable nose pad, and integrated spring hinges, which provide a snug fit on a broader range of face shapes and sizes. Frame colors include Matte Blue Wave (NEW) and Matte Black, and retail starts at $189.00.
The Sportfisher is a stylish 8-base frame designed for a full day on the water. It features lightweight, flexible materials, adjustable nose pads, and integrated spring hinges, which help lessen fatigue and discomfort, ensuring a comfortable fit. The frame features a venting system that prevents the frames from trapping heat, creating a more comfortable experience, no matter the conditions. Frame colors include Matte Black and Matte Sienna Tort, and MSRP starts at $189.00.
The Tillies Bank is a female-targeted 6-base frame with a modern performance style, a comfortable nose pad that helps them stay in place, and integrated spring hinges that lessen discomfort and fit a wider range of faces. Frame colors include Flats Pool Tort (NEW), Matte Deep Shallow Blue (NEW), and Honey Ripple Fade. MSRP starts at $179.00.
The Spring Tide is an extremely stylish 6-base frame that translates performance and lifestyle. Whether poolside on vacation or traversing the open water, these frames provide all-day protection while keeping photo ready. The frame comes in multiple eye-catching colors, which include Silver/Seafoam Swirl (NEW), Rose Gold/Brown-Amber Stripe, and Silver/Matte Charcoal Stripe, and MSRP starts at $209.00.
Fin-Nor Technology Features:
• Distortion-free color – A balanced approach to color enhancement that intensifies primary colors without color distortion. It creates a more natural and realistic experience that limits eye fatigue and makes it easier for the brain to quickly identify and process the view on and beneath the water's surface.
• Unmatched sharpness and a new era of polarization - Designed to cut through glare and haze, eliminating confusing light and optimizing visibility in aquatic environments, Fin-Nor's superior lens technology reduces blue light transmittance, allowing your vision to cut through mist and haze like no other.
• Engineered for the elements - Enhanced abrasion resistance and the industry's only hydrophobic/oleophobic coatings on both sides of the lenses significantly reduce the negative impact of smudges, dust, and saltwater, which impede the ability to see and can cause permanent lens scratches.
• Precision optics – Fin-Nor sunglasses feature the world's best 7-layer anti-reflective coating on the glass lenses and 5-layer anti-reflective coating on the polycarbonate lenses, which prevents glare on the backside of lenses, sharpens vision, reduces eye strain, and allows for better visual acuity on the water.
For more information about Fin-Nor Eyewear, please visit www.Fin-Nor.com
Alabama’s Keith Poche Earns First Bass Pro Tour Victory at MLF U.S. Air Force Stage Two
Alabama Pro Catches Five-Bass-Limit Weighing 19-2 to Earn First Bass Pro Tour Win and Top Award of $100,000
JEFFERSON COUNTY, Tenn. (March 23, 2023) – After spending two grueling days running over an hour up the river, off the beaten path, pro Keith Poche of Pike Road, Alabama , weighed a five-bass limit Thursday totaling 19 pounds, 2 ounces to earn his first Bass Pro Tour win and the top award of $100,000 at the Major League Fishing (MLF) U.S. Air Force Stage Two Presented by Power-Pole on Cherokee Lake. Poche’s two-day total of 10 bass weighing 35-6 earned him the win by a 1-pound, 1-ounce margin over second-place finisher Dakota Ebare of Brookeland, Texas, who was hot on his heels throughout most of the day.
Poche started the Championship Round on Thursday in third place but despite catching several scorable bass, had dropped to seventh by 11 a.m. However, his luck – and his catch count –drastically changed.
The Alabama pro caught 20 scorable bass throughout the day, most of them smallmouth, but it was a hefty 4-pound, 5-ounce largemouth mid-way through Period 2 that moved Poche into the top spot, a position he then maintained throughout the remainder of the Championship Round.
Poche said he had a decent first day on Cherokee Lake during the Knockout Round but lost a couple key fish that he felt would have helped him.
“Losing those fish was unfortunate, but I just kept reminding myself that there was a lot of fish there,” said Poche. “I was on this lake last year around the same time and I sacked almost 18 pounds, so I knew it could happen. But I wasn’t 100% sure, because I didn’t practice on this lake prior to this event.
“I focused all my practice time on Douglas Lake, because I knew if I got to Cherokee Lake, I had a chance,” continued Poche. “I’ve been up the river here on Cherokee, and I know what lives up there. I also knew I had those off-the-grid opportunities that no one else in the field would have. So, I just went fishing the past two days.”
With more than an hour run to his area up by the dam both days, in a boat that tops out at 46 miles per hour, Poche said he knew he would win it or lose it in that spot.
“It took me a little over an hour to get up to the dam today and the first period was just okay,” said Poche. “I caught three scorable fish, but they really turned on and started feeding in that second period. When you’re fishing current, the fish typically group up, move in and feed, and then move out, so you just have to stay with them and keep casting. Eventually you’ll hit a stretch and boom – you’ll catch them one after the other.”
Poche said he caught most of his fish on a 4-inch sexy-shad colored Berkley Powerbait Hollow Belly Swimbait.
“I’m just going fishing and having fun and for so many years I fought that, but I’ve finally come into myself to just do it how I like to do it and I’m having such a great time,” said Poche. “I was lucky enough to get the right bites at the right time. I caught that 4-pounder on a jig, and without that bass, I don’t know if I would have won or not.
“That was my last big fish before they turned off, and I said out loud, ‘Baby, I don’t know where you came from, but I love you,’” Poche said, laughing. “I also caught a chunky smallmouth that weighed 4-10. I didn’t even know there were smallmouth that big up there, but I got her today.”
Poche said at the end of the day, it’s really all about putting in the work and knowing that eventually, it will pay off.
“The Gator Trax boat floats really shallow, so you have to maneuver through the rocks and try not to tear anything up, but that’s just what it takes,” said Poche. “You have to get in there and get where they live. A lot of people don’t want to go the extra mile and put in the extra work to find these places off the beaten path – and they can’t always get to them in their bigger boats – but that’s my style and that’s what I look forward to.
“It was a journey, each day, but I’m so happy we got it done,” Poche continued. “To have a day like this and to beat these other fantastic anglers – it was just my week and I’m so thankful. My family is here to support me and that’s what it’s all about.”
The top 10 pros from the U.S. Air Force Stage Two on Cherokee and Douglas Lakes Presented by Power-Pole finished:
2nd: Dakota Ebare, Brookeland, Texas, 10 bass, 34-5, $45,000
3rd: Michael Neal, Dayton, Tennessee, 10 bass, 32-0, $38,000
4th: Spencer Shuffield, Hot Springs, Ark., 10 bass, 31-14, $32,000
5th: Justin Lucas, Guntersville, Ala., 10 bass, 31-0, $30,000
6th: Matt Becker, Ten Mile, Tenn., 10 bass, 29-10, $26,000
7th: Ott DeFoe, Blaine, Tenn., 10 bass, 29-6, $23,000
8th: Jacob Wheeler, Harrison, Tenn., 10 bass, 28-1, $21,000
9th: Todd Faircloth, Jasper, Texas, 10 bass, 26-13, $19,000
10th: Nick LeBrun, Bossier City, La., 10 bass, 25-13, $16,000
Thursday’s Championship Round $1,000 Berkley Big Bass award went to Poche with the 4-pound, 10-ounce smallmouth that he caught on a swimbait in Period 1. Hot Springs, Arkansas pro Dylan Hays earned the $3,000 Berkley Big Bass award for the overall largest bass of the event with his 6-pound, 13-ounce largemouth that was weighed on Day 3 of competition.
The U.S. Air Force Stage Two on Cherokee and Douglas Lakes Presented by Power-Pole features anglers competing with a 1-pound, 6-ounce minimum weight requirement for a bass to be deemed scorable on Douglas Lake and a 1-pound, 12-ounce minimum weight for scorable bass on Cherokee Lake. Minimum weights are determined individually for each competition waters that the Bass Pro Tour visits, based on the productivity, bass population and anticipated average size of fish in each fishery.
The six-day event, hosted by the Jefferson County Department of Tourism Sports Commission, showcases 80 of the top professional anglers in the world, competing for a purse of more than $805,000, including a top payout of $100,000 and valuable Angler of the Year (AOY) points in hopes of qualifying for the General Tire Heavy Hitters All-Star event and REDCREST 2024, the Bass Pro Tour championship.
Television coverage of the U.S. Air Force Stage Two on Cherokee and Douglas Lakes Presented by Power-Pole will air as two, two-hour episodes starting at 7 a.m. ET, on Saturday, September 16 on the Discovery Channel. New MLF episodes premiere each Saturday morning on the Discovery Channel, with re-airings on the Outdoor Channel.
The 2023 MLF Bass Pro Tour features a field of 80 of the top professional anglers in the world competing across seven regular-season tournaments around the country, fishing for millions of dollars and valuable points to qualify for the annual General Tire Heavy Hitters all-star event and REDCREST 2024, the Bass Pro Tour championship, held March 13-17, 2024, on Lay Lake in Birmingham, Alabama.
Proud sponsors of the 2023 MLF Bass Pro Tour include: 13 Fishing, Abu Garcia, Ark Fishing, ATG + Wrangler, B&W Trailer Hitches, Bally Bet, Bass Cat Boats, Bass Pro Shops, Berkley, Black Rifle Coffee, Daiwa, Epic Baits, Favorite Fishing, Ferguson, Fox Rent A Car, General Tire, Grundéns, Humminbird, Lowrance, Minn Kota, Mercury, Mossy Oak, Onyx, Power-Pole, Rapala, Star tron, T-H Marine, TORO, Toyota, U.S. Air Force, Yellowstone Bourbon, Yo-Zuri and Zoom Baits.
For complete details and updated information on Major League Fishing and the Bass Pro Tour, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF’s social media outlets at Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.
Yamaha Power Pay Pick 3
Courtesy of Luke Stoner - Dynamic Sponsorships
Practice days, off days, and media obligations have concluded. Tomorrow morning is officially game time for the 55 competitors fishing in the 2023 Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic presented by Toyota. Bassmaster Elite Series pros Jason Christie, Carl Jocumsen, and Bryan New all come from vastly different places with independent backgrounds, but they have a common goal this weekend… to be the last man standing on Sunday.
On top of the most coveted trophy in the sport of bass fishing and the $300,000 payday that comes with it, there is a $20,000 Yamaha Power Pay bonus up for grabs for anglers running a Yamaha SHO Outboard this weekend. Though all three of these guys absolutely intend to win this Classic, they don’t need to win the event to win the Power Pay money, they just need to finish higher than the other Power Pay registered anglers.
Thursday’s Media Day marked the final off-the-water responsibility for the competing pros, so we used this time as a chance to catch up with these three Yamaha pros to get their picks heading into day one of competition.
Q – What are three lures / techniques you expect to play a major role in this tournament?
Bryan New – “A Damiki rig type bait like a Greenfish Tackle Bad Little Shad. A shallow crankbait like a Spro Speed Demon, and a jig. I’ll say the Greenfish Tackle Bad lil Dude finesse jig.”
Carl Jocumsen – “I’m going to say the Rapala OG Tiny crankbait, a Bassman Spinnerbait, and and a simple jig will all be key players.”
Jason Christie – “Cranking will be key, both shallow and mid-depth cranking. A jerkbait could be a big player if a guy finds some fish that are just pulling up. And then a spinnerbait – we’re forecasted to have pretty strong winds and the spectator boat traffic will keep things churned up. I’m really hoping a spinnerbait plays.”
Q – Who are three anglers you’d pick to win this weekend on the Tennessee River?
Bryan New – “Greg Hackney, Taku Ito, and John Cox.”
Carl Jocumsen – “I’d have to pick Brandon Palaniuk, Gussy (Jeff Gustafson), and Swindle. Then in brackets… me! But those three are my boys and could absolutely win this thing.”
Jason Christie – “I’m going to say Hackney because he is Hackney... and he’s due. Gussy, because I think he’ll commit to catching all 18-inch smallmouth, and Swindle because I believe this could be a junk-fisherman’s Classic and he’s one of the best at that.”
Q – What are three differences between the Fort Loudon Reservoir and Tellico Lake?
Bryan New – “Pressure, water clarity and smallmouth. Tellico gets less fishing pressure, has cleaner water, and more smallmouth.”
Carl Jocumsen – “I’d say color difference – Tellico has clearer water. Smallmouth vs largemouth, Loudon has fewer smallmouth than Tellico and maybe more largies. And current… Loudon has more current than Tellico.”
Jason Christie – “Tellico is cleaner (clearer water), it’s steeper, and it doesn’t have as much current. Fort Loudon is a lot flatter than Tellico and has more color and current running through it.”
Q – What are three things you’ll spend the impressive $20,000 Power Pay bonus on if you win it?
Bryan New – “I’ve got a baby due in about 4 months. So, my answer is diapers times three.”
Carl Jocumsen – “I’d use the money for a deposit to build a house here in Tennessee to go with our shop.”
Jason Christie – “My girls and my fiancé really want horses. So, I think I’d use that money for some fences, and maybe a horse or two.”
Toyota pros pick their “Go To” lures to win the Classic
Courtesy of Alan McGuckin - Dynamic Sponsorships
Imagine you had to pick one lure -- just one -- to be your “go to” bait for a shot at winning $300,000 at the Bassmaster Classic. That’s exactly the question we asked Gerald Swindle, Brandon Lester, and Matt Arey on the eve of bass fishing’s biggest event.
Interestingly, they all chose some variation of a shad imitator with treble hooks, but that’s about where the commonality of their three picks ended.
Gerald Swindle – Rapala DT 6
“I’ve thrown what feels like about 127 different crankbaits in practice, and this Rapala DT 6 is the one that got me a couple good bites to get my confidence going. So, this Helsinki Shad-colored one is going to be my team captain on game day,” says Swindle.
He ties it on 10-pound Sunline Shooter to get it a little deeper, and his LiveScope shows it running about 8-feet deep.
Brandon Lester – ½-ounce Live Target lipless crankbait
“A lipless crankbait will be a major player for a lot of guys in this tournament because there’s so many shallow flats with 1 to 3-feet of water. Plus, a lipless bait is notorious for triggering bites in the colder pre-spawn water temps,” explains Lester.
Matt Arey – Tater Hog “Hog Father Jr.”
“It’s the Bassmaster Classic! Go big or go home!” laughs Arey. “No really, this is not a bait I’m going to throw all day long, but it’s a 6” bait that’s capable of getting the kind of bigger quality bites to help you win the biggest tournament in the world, so I’ll definitely be slinging it around,” he reasons.
All good logic. All hard-to-argue choices. But only one can go down as the 2023 Bassmaster Classic “winning lure.” Is it one of the three you see here?
Stay tuned. We’ll all know for sure by Sunday evening.
Tennessee’s Michael Neal Leads Top Ten to Championship Round at MLF U.S. Air Force Stage Two
Dayton Pro Catches Five-Bass-Limit Weighing 16-14 to Win Knockout Round on Cherokee Lake, Final 10 Anglers Set for Championship Thursday in the Competition for $100,000
JEFFERSON COUNTY, Tenn. (March 22, 2023) – Pro Michael Neal of Dayton, Tennesseecaught 11 scorable bass Wednesday – his best five weighing 16 pounds, 14 ounces – to win the Knockout Round and advance to the final day of competition at the Major League Fishing (MLF) U.S. Air Force Stage Two Presented by Power-Pole on Cherokee Lake.
After taking over the lead in the first period, the back-to-back Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit Angler of the Year (AOY) winner rose to the top of a stacked field going into Thursday’s Championship Round. Among the star-studded field of pros competing in the Championship Round are four past Bass Pro Tour winners, three Bass Pro Tour rookies and four Tennessee natives, including four-time Bass Pro Tour winner Ott DeFoe of Blaine, Tennessee, and reigning two-time Bass Pro Tour AOY Jacob Wheeler of Harrison, Tennessee .
Neal’s limit weighing 16 pounds, 14 ounces gives him a 7-ounce cushion over second place pro Dakota Ebare of Brookeland, Texas, who ended the day with a five-bass-limit weighing 16-7. Pro Keith Poche of Pike Road, Alabama, sits in third place with a limit weighing 16-4, while Bass Pro Shops pro DeFoe advanced in fourth with five scorable bass totaling 16-2. Abu Garcia pro Justin Lucas of Guntersville, Alabama weighed in five bass totaling 16 pounds even to round out the top five.
The final 10 anglers are now set, and competition resumes Thursday morning with the Championship Round. In the Championship Round, weight carries over from the Knockout Round and the angler with the heaviest two-day total will win the top prize of $100,000.
“This is definitely where you want to be at the end of the day, in first, but I feel like I haven’t figured out enough to come back out and duplicate it,” said Neal. “One area is really all you need though, especially in a five-fish tournament, so hopefully it’s as good to us tomorrow as it’s been today. But if it’s not, I’ll go down swinging.”
With four pros within 14 ounces of the Tennessee native going into the Championship Round, and only 3 pounds separating the top 10, all 10 pros going into the final round are easily still in contention for the win.
“I just have to regroup and stay positive for tomorrow, that’s going to be the main thing,” said Neal. “With everyone bunched up right here at the end, and stacked up at the top, it’s anybody’s ball game. Pretty much whoever catches the biggest bag tomorrow will win, no matter what place you ended in today.
“Things are going to change a little bit. We had clouds and rain today, but tomorrow’s going to be really warm and sunny, so that might hurt some guys and help others,” Neal continued. “I just hope I’m one of the ones it helps.”
Neal said he hopes the warmer temperatures and sunshine will push the fish out a little deeper, out toward bait where he caught them in practice on Cherokee Lake.
“I just have to keep an open mind and figure out how to catch another 17 pounds or so to win,” said Neal. “I had at least a shot at an 18 or 19 pound-bag with that first one I had hooked this morning and lost – but that’s how it goes, especially smallmouth fishing. You can’t catch every single one you hook.”
The top 10 pros from Wednesday’s Knockout Round that now advance to Thursday’s Championship Round on Cherokee Lake are:
2nd: Dakota Ebare, Brookeland, Texas, five bass, 16-7
3rd: Keith Poche, Pike Road, Ala., five bass, 16-4
4th: Ott DeFoe, Blaine, Tenn., five bass, 16-2
5th: Justin Lucas, Guntersville, Ala., five bass, 16-0
6th: Matt Becker, Ten Mile, Tenn., five bass, 15-5
7th: Spencer Shuffield, Hot Springs, Ark., five bass, 14-2
8th: Jacob Wheeler, Harrison, Tenn., five bass, 14-2
9th: Nick LeBrun, Bossier City, La., five bass, 13-15
10th: Todd Faircloth, Jasper, Texas, five bass, 13-13
12th: Jacob Wall, New Hope, Ala., five bass, 13-1, $10,000
13th: John Hunter of Shelbyville, Ky., five bass, 12-15, $10,000
14th: Brent Ehrler, Redlands, Calif., five bass, 12-12, $10,000
15th: David Dudley, Lynchburg, Va., five bass, 12-4, $10,000
16th: Jared Lintner, Covington, Ga., five bass, 12-4, $10,000
17th: Anthony Gagliardi, Prosperity, S.C., four bass, 12-3, $10,000
18th: Andy Morgan, Dayton, Tenn., five bass, 12-3, $10,000
19th: Greg Vinson, Wetumpka, Ala., five bass, 11-14, $10,000
20th: Chris Lane, Guntersville, Ala., three bass, 11-13, $10,000
21st: Adrian Avena, Vineland, N.J., five bass, 11-13, $10,000
22nd: Bradley Roy, Lancaster, Ky., five bass, 11-0, $10,000
23rd: Brett Hite, Phoenix, Ariz., four bass, 10-12, $10,000
24th: Edwin Evers, Talala, Okla., five bass, 10-12, $10,000
25th: Cliff Pace, Petal, Miss., five bass, 10-12, $10,000
26th: Mark Rose, Wynne, Ark., five bass, 10-6, $10,000
27th: Jonathon VanDam, Kalamazoo, Mich., three bass, 9-6, $10,000
28th: Josh Butler, Hayden, Ala., three bass, 8-0, $10,000
29th: Dustin Connell, Clanton, Ala., three bass, 7-12, $10,000
30th: Jeremy Lawyer, Sarcoxie, Mo., four bass, 7-11, $10,000
31st: James Elam, Tulsa, Okla., two bass, 6-4, $10,000
32nd: Alton Jones, Sr., Lorena, Texas, three bass, 6-1, $10,000
33rd: Fletcher Shryock, Guntersville, Ala., two bass, 5-4, $10,000
34th: Zack Birge, Blanchard, Okla., two bass, 4-11, $10,000
35th: Jordan Lee, Cullman, Ala., two bass, 4-10, $10,000
36th: Fred Roumbanis, Russellville, Ark., two bass, 4-7, $10,000
37th: Britt Myers, Lake Wylie, S.C., two bass, 4-7, $10,000
38th: Jeff Sprague, Wills Point, Texas, one bass, 2-3, $10,000
39th: Andy Montgomery, Blacksburg, S.C., one bass, 1-13, $10,000
40th: Dylan Hays, Hot Springs, Ark., zero bass, 0-0, $10,000
Power-Pole pro Chris Lane of Guntersville, Alabama caught a 4-pound, 13-ounce largemouth on a glide bait in the first period to earn Wednesday’s $1,000 Berkley Big Bass Award. Berkley awards $1,000 to the angler who weighs the heaviest bass each day, and another $3,000 bonus to the angler who weighs the heaviest bass of the tournament.
The six-day event, hosted by the Jefferson County Department of Tourism Sports Commission, showcases 80 of the top professional anglers in the world, competing for a purse of more than $805,000, including a top payout of $100,000 and valuable Angler of the Year (AOY) points in hopes of qualifying for the General Tire Heavy Hitters All-Star event and REDCREST 2024, the Bass Pro Tour championship.
The 40 Anglers in Group A competed in their two-day qualifying round on Saturday and Monday – the 40 anglers in Group B on Sunday and Tuesday. The top 20 anglers from each group advanced to Wednesday’s Knockout Round, where weights were zeroed, and the remaining 40 anglers competed to finish in the top 10 and advance to the Championship Round. In the Championship Round on Thursday weight carries over from the Knockout Round, and the angler with the heaviest two-day total wins the top prize of $100,000.
The final 10 anglers will launch Thursday at 8:30 a.m. ET from the TVA Boat Launch on Renfro Road in Jefferson City. The General Tire Takeout will be held at the boat launch, beginning at 5 p.m. Fans are welcome to attend all launch and takeout events and also encouraged to follow the event online throughout the day on the MLF NOW!® live stream and SCORETRACKER® coverage at MajorLeagueFishing.com .
On Championship Thursday, March 23, from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m., MLF will welcome fans of all ages to come in to celebrate the top 10 and crown the Stage 2 Champion at the Trophy Presentation. The final 10 Championship Round Bass Pro Tour anglers will be on hand at the trophy celebration to meet and greet fans, sign autographs and take selfies. The celebration will take place at the TVA Boat Launch on Renfro Road in Jefferson City, Tennessee.
The U.S. Air Force Stage Two on Cherokee and Douglas Lakes Presented by Power-Pole features anglers competing with a 1-pound, 6-ounce minimum weight requirement for a bass to be deemed scorable on Douglas Lake and a 1-pound, 12-ounce minimum weight for scorable bass on Cherokee Lake. Minimum weights are determined individually for each competition waters that the Bass Pro Tour visits, based on the productivity, bass population and anticipated average size of fish in each fishery.
The 2023 MLF Bass Pro Tour features a field of 80 of the top professional anglers in the world competing across seven regular-season tournaments around the country, fishing for millions of dollars and valuable points to qualify for the annual General Tire Heavy Hitters all-star event and REDCREST 2024, the Bass Pro Tour championship, held March 13-17, 2024, on Lay Lake in Birmingham, Alabama.
The MLF NOW!® broadcast team of Chad McKee, Marty Stone and J.T. Kenney will break down the extended action Wednesday and Thursday from 8:45 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. ET. MLF NOW!® will be live streamed on MajorLeagueFishing.com and the MyOutdoorTV (MOTV) app.
Television coverage of the U.S. Air Force Stage Two on Cherokee and Douglas Lakes Presented by Power-Pole will air as two, two-hour episodes starting at 7 a.m. ET, on Saturday, September 16 on the Discovery Channel. New MLF episodes premiere each Saturday morning on the Discovery Channel, with re-airings on the Outdoor Channel.
Proud sponsors of the 2023 MLF Bass Pro Tour include: 13 Fishing, Abu Garcia, Ark Fishing, ATG + Wrangler, B&W Trailer Hitches, Bally Bet, Bass Cat Boats, Bass Pro Shops, Berkley, Black Rifle Coffee, Daiwa, Epic Baits, Favorite Fishing, Ferguson, Fox Rent A Car, General Tire, Grundéns, Humminbird, Lowrance, Minn Kota, Mercury, Mossy Oak, Onyx, Power-Pole, Rapala, Star tron, T-H Marine, TORO, Toyota, U.S. Air Force, Yellowstone Bourbon, Yo-Zuri and Zoom Baits.
For complete details and updated information on Major League Fishing and the Bass Pro Tour, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF’s social media outlets at Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.
KVD’s Pick to Win the Classic
Courtesy of Luke Stoner -Dynamic Sponsorships
I called Kevin VanDam Tuesday afternoon to congratulate him for moving onto the Knockout Round at Stage Two of the Bass Pro Tour on Douglas and Cherokee Lakes. KVD employed his namesake Strike King Jerkbait to catch over 13-lbs a day throughout his Qualifying Rounds on Douglas Lake amidst brutally cold and tough conditions and was excited for what the next day of fishing on a new body of water might bring.
While his attention was obviously directed towards the Knockout Round, VanDam mentioned his thoughts on the upcoming Bassmaster Classic on the Tennessee River. Along with being who most consider to be the greatest competitor to ever fish a bass tournament, VanDam is also a huge fan and proponent of the sport.
If anyone is qualified to give their two cents on the eventual winner of the Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic presented by Toyota, it’s KVD. With twenty-eight Classic appearances and four Classic trophies sitting on his mantle in Kalamazoo, VanDam knows a thing or two when it comes to excelling in Bassmaster’s championship shootout.
“I have a lot of good friends and teammates fishing the Classic this weekend and I don’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings… but if I had to bet, I’m putting my money on Brandon Lester,” VanDam said with confidence. “Other guys like Greg Hackney, Swindle, and Carl Jocumsen are great picks and hard to bet against with these conditions, but Lester gets my nod.”
If Lester didn’t already have enough eyes on him this week, he just got some added pressure curtesy of the G.O.A.T… Lester has been vocal about not having a local advantage in this tournament, but that didn’t matter to his Team Toyota colleague. VanDam listed several reasons why he thinks this 2023 Classic sets up in Lester’s wheelhouse.
“I know Lester’s no local, but he understands the Tennessee River and the important role current plays on these fisheries,” VanDam explained. “The two main reasons he gets my pick is his maturation as an angler these last few years, and the fact that we fished around each other quite a bit in the 2019 Classic in Knoxville. We crossed paths a lot in 2019. I saw what he was targeting and how he turned that into a great (6th place) finish.”
VanDam believes the winner of this Classic will need to exploit a few different patterns and not be a one trick pony. Specifically, he thinks power fishing with a shallow crankbait, bladed jig, or spinnerbait will play a big factor – along with having the knowledge and ability to catch a few key fish off the bank over the course of the three-day event.
KVD saw this ability in Lester’s gameplan back in 2019 and is confident he will have only added to his repertoire on this fishery since then. But perhaps no consideration is as pivotal to VanDam as the x-factor of becoming a tournament closer.
“Lester’s progression as an angler has been solid as a rock,” VanDam noted. “He has notched consistently high finishes for years, but in 2022 he got his first two big wins, one of which being on the Tennessee River (Pickwick). Those first wins do so much for your confidence as an angler and truly make you a bigger threat moving forward. He knows how to win now, and I guarantee you he has more trophies in his future.”
That’s high praise coming from the man who has won more major tournaments and money than any other person in the history of competitive bass fishing.
Bassmaster and Marathon expand partnership for 2023 season
March 22, 2023
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — B.A.S.S. and Marathon Petroleum Corporation (MPC), which operates the nation’s largest refining system and supplies fuel to thousands of retail locations from coast to coast, have expanded their relationship for the 2023 season, officials announced today. Not only will the brand continue to serve as the title sponsor for Bassmaster Studios and as a supporting sponsor for the Bassmaster Tournament Trail, but for the first time in the three-year partnership Marathon has now stepped up as the title sponsor for the Elite Series event on Lake Murray. The Marathon Bassmaster Elite at Lake Murray will be held April 20-23 in Columbia, S.C.
“Marathon is extremely excited to expand our sponsorship with B.A.S.S. to include the Elite Series event on Lake Murray,” said John Rice, Manager, Advertising & Brand Management at Marathon Petroleum. “Partnering with Bassmaster is a win-win for both brands and we look forward to rooting on some of the best anglers in the world at the Marathon Bassmaster Elite tournament.”
As a supporting sponsor of the Bassmaster Tournament Trail, Marathon will be heavily featured during the award-winning Bassmaster LIVE show. The show, which is broadcast on FS1 and streamed on Bassmaster.com and the FOX Sports digital platforms, is hosted from the Marathon Bassmaster Studios. In 2022, avid fishing fans watched more than 704 million minutes of Bassmaster LIVE coverage and — after two 2023 Elite tournaments — viewership is already on a record-breaking pace.
Additionally, Marathon will enjoy exposure in Bassmaster and B.A.S.S. Times magazines and across various social media platforms. Among the Marathon-sponsored content will be “Peak Performance” interviews, which focus on the pros’ winning ways and aim to help anglers of all levels improve their own techniques.
“We are proud to partner with Marathon to reach our anglers and fans,” said B.A.S.S. CEO Chase Anderson. “Whether anglers are traveling to a dream destination or hauling their boat to home waters, Marathon can help them reach their destination.”
Missile Baits Making Mini Magic Worm
Salem, Va. – March 22, 2023 –Missile Baits is adding to their collaborationwith Roboworm to make the new 4” Mini Magic Worm. The 6” Magic Worm was introduced in 2022 and already played a part in two BASS Elite Series wins. Missile Baits is adding another fish catching size option. The 4” Mini Magic Worm has the same body proportions that make both sizes effective and easy to rig in most of the popular finesse techniques including drop shot, finesse Neko rig, Texas rig, shaky head, and wacky rig.
“After all the bass I caught on the 6” Magic Worm last year, it was obvious that the worm is a winner. The Mini Magic is the natural progression for us to add. The Mini Magic is nasty on a drop shot when you need a smaller profile,but the big deal is that it is perfect on a drop shot wacky style. I promise you that I will be serving that combo when we go up north this summer,” says John Crews, BASS pro angler and Missile Baits owner.
The Mini Magic Worm will come in the same 12 totally unique colors as the 6” Magic Worm that only Roboworm can pour. Some of the top colors include Green Pumpkin Money, Junebug Dream, Missile Morning, and John’s Juice. Each bag will be loaded with 16 worms (2 more worms per bag than the 6”) for a suggested retail price of $10.99. First production run is here now.
Link to release: https://missilebaits.store/pages/missile-baits-making-mini-magic-worm
Product video link: https://youtu.be/HSfShR0ajbk
6,000 Pounds of Trash Removed from Bassmaster Classic® Waters
Courtesy of Alan McGuckin - Dynamic Sponsorships
A group of good-hearted volunteers, under the direction of Keep the Tennessee River Beautiful and with support from Yamaha Rightwaters™, removed 6,742 pounds of trash from Bassmaster Classic shorelines and waters on Tuesday.
Even top pro anglers Bobby Lane, Bill Lowen, Ish Monroe and Pat Schlapper showed-up to lend a hand. Lowen actually had his entire family of four participating, including son Fischer and daughter Nevaeh.
“When we got in the truck after the event ended, Nevaeh told me how shocked she was about the amount of trash she helped pick up -- and that’s a young lady who has spent her entire 14 years on Earth around the hunting and fishing lifestyle. Today was a pretty disturbing eye-opener for her,” says Lowen.
Sadly, Lowen’s generous family saw just a micro-fraction of the pollution that plagues our freshwater bass fisheries.
In fact, Keep the Tennessee River Beautiful has removed more than 500,000 pounds of trash in just the past five years from popular fisheries like Pickwick, Chickamauga, Cherokee, and this week, Loudon, just to name a few.
That doesn’t count the trash removal works of equally concerned groups like “Nobody Trashes Tennessee” and “Keep Knoxville Beautiful.” On Tuesday, the volunteers removed 201 bags of litter, 24 tires, 173 pounds of scrap metal, and 241 pounds of random plastic.
Two giant 26-foot heavy duty work boats powered by Yamaha 90-horsepower V MAX SHO® four-stroke outboards carried the loads of AFTCO yellow trash bags that volunteers stuffed full of unsightly debris back to Duncan Boat Dock in Knoxville.
And while perhaps the day’s efforts only put a dent in America’s freshwater trash pollution problem, thanks to passionately committed environmental stewards such as Yamaha Rightwaters, Keep the Tennessee River Beautiful, and a host of good-hearted volunteers, the waters that will play host to the 2023 Bassmaster Classic flow a little cleaner.
As indeed they should for bass fishing’s biggest event.
Alton Jones, Sr. Earns Group B Qualifying Round Win at MLF U.S. Air Force Stage Two
Texas Pro Moves to Top Spot to Win Qualifying Round After Day 2 for Group B – Field of 40 Anglers Set for Wednesday’s Knockout Round on Cherokee Lake
JEFFERSON COUNTY, Tenn. (March 21, 2023) – After taking over the lead early in the first period, pro Alton Jones, Sr., of Lorena, Texas , held his ground throughout the day to finish first on Tuesday, catching a five-bass-limit weighing 14 pounds, 14 ounces, to cruise to a Group B Qualifying Round win at the Major League Fishing (MLF) U.S. Air Force Stage Two Presented by Power-Pole on Douglas Lake. Jones’ two-day total of 10 bass weighing 28 pounds, 12 ounces gave him a 1-pound, 9-ounce margin over second place pro Todd Faircloth of Jasper, Texas, who finished with a two-day total of 10 scorable bass weighing 27-3.
“I’m so happy finishing in 20th place,” said Lee on the MLF NOW! live stream. “I’m drained. I literally feel like I won the tournament.
“My heart can’t take it – it’s beating so fast,” Lee continued, laying down on the floor of his boat. “We gave it all we had boys. I feel bad for the guys who barely missed it, I really do, but sometimes it’s just your lucky day. I’ve been right out of the cut and have been right inside it. Those last two fish today are really what made the difference for us, and I couldn’t be more excited to get to regroup and get on them tomorrow on Cherokee Lake.”
The remaining 40 anglers – the top 20 from each group – now advance to Wednesday’s Knockout Round, where weights are zeroed, and the anglers compete to finish in the top 10 to advance to the Championship Round on Thursday. Weights will carry over from the Knockout Round into the Championship Round, which will feature the final 10 anglers competing for the heaviest two-day cumulative total and the top prize of $100,000.
Among the 40 pros moving on to Wednesday’s Knockout Round are Tennessee’s own Andy Morgan and Michael Neal, both of Dayton, Ott DeFoe of Blaine, Matt Becker of Ten Mile and Jacob Wheeler of Harrison.
Jones started the day in fifth place but caught two fish within the first 45 minutes to jump from 5thto 1st – and never looked back.
“This was a good round, but it was a tough round for me,” said Jones. “I only caught five scorable bass, and I lost one and missed a couple. I just didn’t get a lot of bites today, but fortunately I found a few places that had some quality on them.
“I’m grateful to have made the cut and am ready to move on to Cherokee Lake. It’s great winning the day and winning the round, but it all zeroes tomorrow, so this is just bragging rights at the dock – and I’ll probably do a little bragging while we’re there,” Jones continued, laughing.
Jones is a four-time Qualifying Round winner, and did most of his damage up the river on a jerkbait, although he did catch one key fish on a football jig with a Zoom Baby Brush Hog as a trailer.
“Usually when I do well, it’s because I’ve made a game plan and executed it and bass fishing is no different than any other sport,” he went on to say. “You have to have a plan that you’re confident in. A plan is something you develop as you go through practice and something you develop in preparation before practice ever begins, and the Bass Force app is key to helping me develop my game plans.”
Jones said now it’s time to totally shift gears going into the Knockout Round.
“Cherokee is an entirely different lake, a whole different mindset from what we’ve been fishing over here on Douglas,” said Jones. “We’ve got to forget everything we thought we knew over here about what the fish were doing, and totally retrain ourselves to dial in on what’s happening over there right now, and that’s going to be a big challenge for all of us.”
The top 20 pros from Group B that now advance to Wednesday’s Knockout Round on Cherokee Lake are:
2nd: Todd Faircloth, Jasper, Texas, 10 bass, 27-3
3rd: Andy Morgan, Dayton, Tenn., 10 bass, 26-12
4th: Michael Neal, Dayton, Tenn., 10 bass, 25-7
5th: Josh Butler, Hayden, Ala., 10 bass, 25-1
6th: Brett Hite, Phoenix, Ariz., 10 bass, 24-12
7th: Spencer Shuffield, Hot Springs, Ark., 10 bass, 24-11
8th: Mark Rose, Wynne, Ark., 10 bass, 24-11
9th: Greg Vinson, Wetumpka, Ala., 10 bass, 24-9
10th: Ott DeFoe, Blaine, Tenn., 10 bass, 24-0
11th: Jonathon VanDam, Kalamazoo, Mich., 10 bass, 23-0
12th: Jeff Sprague, Wills Point, Texas, nine bass, 22-14
13th: Jeremy Lawyer, Sarcoxie, Mo., 10 bass, 22-7
14th: David Dudley, Lynchburg, Va., 10 bass, 22-6
15th: John Hunter, Shelbyville, Ky., 10 bass, 22-5
16th: Britt Myers, Lake Wylie, S.C., seven bass, 21-8
17th: James Elam, Tulsa, Okla., 10 bass, 21-3
18th: Fletcher Shryock, Guntersville, Ala., 10 bass, 20-15
19th: Zack Birge, Blanchard, Okla., 10 bass, 20-13
20th: Jordan Lee, Cullman, Ala., 10 bass, 20-13
Tuesday’s $1,000 Berkley Big Bass Award went to pro Spencer Shuffield of Hot Springs, Arkansas, who caught a 4-pound, 13-ounce largemouth on a glide bait in Period 2. Berkley awards $1,000 to the angler who weighs the heaviest bass each day, and another $3,000 bonus to the angler who weighs the heaviest bass of the tournament.
The six-day event, hosted by the Jefferson County Department of Tourism Sports Commission, showcases 80 of the top professional anglers in the world, competing for a purse of more than $805,000, including a top payout of $100,000 and valuable Angler of the Year (AOY) points in hopes of qualifying for the General Tire Heavy Hitters All-Star event and REDCREST 2024, the Bass Pro Tour championship.
The 40 Anglers in Group A competed in their two-day qualifying round on Saturday and Monday – the 40 anglers in Group B on Sunday and Tuesday. Now that each two-day qualifying round is complete, the top 20 anglers from each group advance to Wednesday’s Knockout Round. In the Knockout Round, weights are zeroed, and the remaining 40 anglers compete to finish in the top 10 to advance to the Championship Round. In the Championship Round on Thursday, weight carries over from the Knockout Round and the angler with the heaviest two-day total wins the top prize of $100,000.
Anglers will launch Wednesday and Thursday at 8:30 a.m. ET from the TVA Boat Launch on Renfro Road in Jefferson City. Each day’s General Tire Takeout will be held at the boat launch, beginning at 5 p.m. Fans are welcome to attend all launch and takeout events and also encouraged to follow the event online throughout the day on the MLF NOW!® live stream and SCORETRACKER® coverage at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
On Championship Thursday, March 23, from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m., MLF will welcome fans of all ages to come in to celebrate the top 10 and crown the Stage 2 Champion at the Trophy Presentation. The final 10 Championship Round Bass Pro Tour anglers will be on hand at the trophy celebration to meet and greet fans, sign autographs and take selfies. The celebration will take place at the TVA Boat Launch on Renfro Road in Jefferson City, Tennessee.
The U.S. Air Force Stage Two on Cherokee and Douglas Lakes Presented by Power-Pole features anglers competing with a 1-pound, 6-ounce minimum weight requirement for a bass to be deemed scorable on Douglas Lake and a 1-pound, 12-ounce minimum weight for scorable bass on Cherokee Lake. Minimum weights are determined individually for each competition waters that the Bass Pro Tour visits, based on the productivity, bass population and anticipated average size of fish in each fishery.
The 2023 MLF Bass Pro Tour features a field of 80 of the top professional anglers in the world competing across seven regular-season tournaments around the country, fishing for millions of dollars and valuable points to qualify for the annual General Tire Heavy Hitters all-star event and REDCREST 2024, the Bass Pro Tour championship, held March 13-17, 2024, on Lay Lake in Birmingham, Alabama.
The MLF NOW!® broadcast team of Chad McKee, Marty Stone and J.T. Kenney will break down the extended action Wednesday and Thursday from 8:45 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. ET. MLF NOW!® will be live streamed on MajorLeagueFishing.com and the MyOutdoorTV (MOTV) app.
Television coverage of the U.S. Air Force Stage Two on Cherokee and Douglas Lakes Presented by Power-Pole will air as two, two-hour episodes starting at 7 a.m. ET, on Saturday, September 16 on the Discovery Channel. New MLF episodes premiere each Saturday morning on the Discovery Channel, with re-airings on the Outdoor Channel.
Proud sponsors of the 2023 MLF Bass Pro Tour include: 13 Fishing, Abu Garcia, Ark Fishing, ATG + Wrangler, B&W Trailer Hitches, Bally Bet, Bass Cat Boats, Bass Pro Shops, Berkley, Black Rifle Coffee, Daiwa, Epic Baits, Favorite Fishing, Ferguson, Fox Rent A Car, General Tire, Grundéns, Humminbird, Lowrance, Minn Kota, Mercury, Mossy Oak, Onyx, Power-Pole, Rapala, Star tron, T-H Marine, TORO, Toyota, U.S. Air Force, Yellowstone Bourbon, Yo-Zuri and Zoom Baits.
For complete details and updated information on Major League Fishing and the Bass Pro Tour, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF’s social media outlets at Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.
Clewiston and Lake Okeechobee Set to Host MLF Toyota Series
CLEWISTON, Fla. (March 21, 2023) – The Major League Fishing (MLF) Toyota Series Presented by Phoenix Boats is set to visit Lake Okeechobee in Clewiston, Florida, next week, March 30-April 1, for the second event of the season in the Toyota Series Southern Division – the Toyota Series at Lake Okeechobee . The three-day tournament, hosted by the Hendry County Tourism Development Council, will feature a roster of the region’s best bass-fishing pros and Strike King co-anglers competing for a top prize of up to $100,000 in the pro division and a new Phoenix 518 Pro boat with a 115-horsepower Mercury outboard motor in the co-angler division.
“This is going to be a good tournament,” said pro Matt Wieteha of Miami, Florida, who has two top-10 finishes on Lake Okeechobee in MLF competition. “The water is still very high – almost 15 feet – and with the high water the outside grass doesn’t do a good job of filtering, so the wind is going to be a very important factor.
“The fish don’t like the dirty water, but they are getting a bit more accustomed to it and you can still catch them,” Wieteha continued. “Managing the wind and finding the clean water is going to be the key in this one, though.”
Wieteha said that the Lake Okeechobee community holes will still be big players – areas like Tin House, Indian Prairie, and the entire South Bay area.
“If the wind lays down guys might be able to find something off the beaten path with not as much pressure,” Wieteha said. “But those spots are not going to reload as well as the community holes and it can be tough to try to win a multi-day event with those types of areas.”
Wieteha said that he expects casting tactics to be more effecting than flipping and punching.
“I’m a big Gambler (Lures) guy – I’d have a GOAT Swim Jig tied on, black and blue because of the dirty water,” Wieteha said. “If you can find a nice expansive grass flat, that’d be tough to beat. Or a Gambler Big EZ, buzzing around and covering water.
“Regardless of the weather, it’s still Lake Okeechobee and it’ll still kick out some good bags,” Wieteha went on to say. “If there is a cold front in the mix, I think it’ll still take 20 pounds a day to win. But with stable weather and light winds, it easily could take 23 (pounds) a day – 69 pounds overall.”
Anglers will take off each day at 7 a.m. ET from Roland & Mary Ann Martin’s Marina & Resort, located at 920 E. Del Monte Ave., in Clewiston. Weigh-ins will also be held at the marina and will begin at 3 p.m. Fans are welcome to attend and encouraged to follow the event online through the “MLF Live” weigh-in broadcasts and daily coverage at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
In Toyota Series regular-season competition, payouts are based on the number of participants competing in the event, scaling up for every 20 boats over 160 and scaling down for every boat below 160. With a 160-boat field, pros fish for a top prize of $40,000, plus an extra $35,000 if Phoenix MLF Bonus qualified. Strike King co-anglers cast for the top prize of a new Phoenix 518 Pro bass boat with a 115-horsepower Mercury 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 Phoenix MLF Bonus qualified. Strike King co-anglers cast for the top prize of a new Phoenix 518 Pro bass boat with a 115-horsepower outboard (valued at $33,500) plus $5,000 cash.
The 2023 Toyota Series Presented by Phoenix Boats consists of six divisions – Central, Northern, Plains, Southern, Southwestern and the Western Division Presented by Tackle Warehouse – each holding three regular-season events, along with the International and Wild Card divisions. Anglers who fish in any of the six divisions or the Wild Card division and finish in the top 25 will qualify for the no-entry-fee Toyota Series Championship for a shot at winning up to $235,000 and a qualification to REDCREST 2024. The winning Strike King co-angler at the championship earns a new Phoenix 518 Pro bass boat with a 115-horsepower Mercury outboard. The 2023 Toyota Series Championship will be held Nov. 2-4 on Table Rock Lake in Branson, Missouri, and is hosted by ExploreBranson.com.
Proud sponsors of the 2023 MLF Toyota Series include: 4WP, 13 Fishing, Abu Garcia, B&W Trailer Hitches, Black Rifle Coffee Company, E3, Favorite Fishing, Fox Rent a Car, General Tire, Gill, Grundéns, Lew’s, Lowrance, Mercury, Mossy Oak, Onyx, Phoenix, Polaris, Power-Pole, Strike King, Tackle Warehouse, T-H Marine, Wiley X and YETI.
For complete details and updated information visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular Toyota Series updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow the MLF5 social media outlets at Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.
From the Cheap Seats to the Big Stage
Courtesy of Luke Stoner - Dynamic Sponsorships
The last time the Bassmaster Classic came to Knoxville, Louis Monetti was a bass fishing-obsessed college sophomore sitting in the upper deck of the Thompson-Boling arena. Like many in the crowd, Louis dreamed of one day walking across that stage, but for the most part he was just happy to be at his second Classic, taking in the spectacle.
“My college fishing buddy Trevor Topkin and I drove over to Knoxville for the 2019 Classic on a whim,” Monetti recalled. “We absolutely had a blast. We stayed in a slummy hotel, attended the Expo and Weigh-in all three days and even watched Mike Iaconelli catch them every cast from a bridge on Championship Sunday in person. The whole weekend was one of the coolest experiences of my life.”
That was four years ago – nearly to the day. Louis posted the picture below on his Instagram with a bold, but simple caption… “one day”. Fast forward to 2023 and “one day” is here. Louis Monetti is back in Knoxville, TN for the Bassmaster Classic, but this time as a competitor.
Monetti is representing college fishing in the 2023 Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic presented by Toyota as the College Classic Bracket Champion. Last year, he and his partner Michael Fugaro fished their way to a Strike King Team of the Year Title somewhat infamously in a 1996 Ranger Boat with the original 115-HP outboard on the back.
With torn boats seats and tattered carpet, the boat wasn’t much to look at, but it served as the perfect vessel to promote Monetti’s message that, “It doesn’t take the latest and greatest equipment to fish tournaments and have fun on the water or even compete at a high level.”
Monetti put an exclamation point on his college fishing campaign by winning the Bassmaster College Classic Bracket; earning full use of a 2022 Toyota Tundra and a brand-new Nitro Z20 wrapped in his Alma Maters’ colors, decked out with the latest Minn Kota / Humminbird accessories, a pile of Strike King and Lew’s tackle plus paid entry fees to all nine 2023 Bassmaster Open EQs. But no prize or opportunity meant more to Monetti than the chance to fish in the Classic.
“As a kid who grew up in New Jersey I’d give Iaconelli’s story credit for lighting a fire to fish competitively,” Monetti said. “But the whole experience of the Classic… the confetti falling, the crowds, the energy in the arena – that’s what really started the dream for me. I’ve been to two Classics since 2019, and I’ve always had this tradition with myself where I purposefully sit in the upper deck to watch the weigh-in and take in the show. I told myself I’d sit in the cheap seats until it was my time to be on that stage.”
Well Mr. Monetti, exactly four years later, your time on the big stage is now. I can’t think of any other sport or championship event where this dream could be a reality in such a short timeframe. This is the equivalent of attending a Super Bowl as a fan, not as a prospect or a future star, a fan like everyone else in the arena and then four years later finding yourself across the line of scrimmage from Tom Brady on Super Sunday. It really is mind-boggling.
But that’s exactly where 23-year-old Monetti finds himself this week. He has gone from the cheap seats to the big stage in a few short years with nothing more than a dream, an old boat, and a half dozen well-worn rod and reel combos.
“I ate lunch at Calhoun’s on the River yesterday right next to where we’ll launch at Volunteer Landing and it kinda hit me just how bizarre this whole deal is,” Monetti admitted. “I remembered eating there four years ago with my buddy Trevor… it seems like yesterday. But this week I’ll be one of the boats out there running the river. In many respects it doesn’t feel real yet and it probably won’t until I roll in that arena to cross the stage.”
No matter how he finishes this week, Monetti’s story will serve as inspiration for every high school or college angler with a dream for years to come. He’s proof that if you work hard, put the time in and stay true to yourself anything can be possible.
New preview and Super Six shows highlight Bassmaster Classic viewing options
Fans have a variety of ways to catch live coverage of the Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic presented by Toyota.
Photo by Seigo Saito/B.A.S.S.
March 21, 2023
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — After 4.3 million viewers enjoyed live coverage of the Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic presented by Toyota on FOX, FS1 and the FOX Sports platforms in 2022, enthusiastic fans will have even more opportunities to catch Classic action this year.
Before anglers take to the Tennessee River for competition March 24-26, the Classic LIVE Preview show on Wednesday, March 22 will feature predictions, conditions and hits from the lake.
Bassmaster LIVE kicks off tournament coverage Friday morning at 8 a.m. ET on Bassmaster.com, Tubi and the FOX Sports digital platforms. FS1 will broadcast live with the tournament leaders on Saturday and Sunday mornings before afternoon action from Championship Sunday picks up on FOX.
“When every catch can mean the difference between bringing home the sport’s biggest prize or falling down the leaderboard, Championship Sunday at the Bassmaster Classic can be full of emotional and heartbreaking moments,” said B.A.S.S. CEO Chase Anderson. “We’re so excited to bring Bassmaster LIVE to the largest possible audience by broadcasting on FOX in the hours leading up to the final weigh-in. Our FOX Sports partnership has allowed us to reach new fans over the past two seasons. And whether they are already a fishing fan or not, the passion and drama of the Classic are sure to hook viewers.”
Later Sunday night, a special Super Six highlight show will recap the Classic’s iconic winning moments.
While the Bassmaster LIVE team covers the leaders on FOX and FS1, viewers can also join Bass Fishing Hall of Fame journalist Steve Bowman, a stable of Elite Series anglers and fishing legends — including Rick Clunn, Bill Dance, Larry Nixon and Hank Parker — for LIVE Mix streaming on Bassmaster.com.
Daily weigh-in festivities can be streamed on Bassmaster.com beginning at 3:30 p.m.
For a full schedule, including program reairs, visit Bassmaster.com/how-to-watch.
| Date | Time (All times Eastern) | Show | Network |
| Wednesday, March 22 | 9-10 a.m. | LIVE Preview | Bassmaster.com |
| Friday, March 24 | 8 a.m.-3 p.m. | Bassmaster LIVE | Bassmaster.com; Tubi; FOX Sports Digital |
| 8 a.m.-3 p.m. | LIVE Mix | Bassmaster.com | |
| 3:30-6:30 p.m. | Day 1 Weigh-In | Bassmaster.com | |
| Saturday, March 25 | 8-11:30 a.m. | Bassmaster LIVE | FS1; FOX Sports Digital |
| 8 a.m.-3 a.m. | LIVE Mix | Bassmaster.com | |
| 11:30 a.m.-3 p.m. | Bassmaster LIVE | Bassmaster.com | |
| 3:30-6:30 p.m. | Day 2 Weigh-In | Bassmaster.com | |
| Sunday, March 26 | 8-11 a.m. | Bassmaster LIVE | Bassmaster.com |
| 8 a.m.-3 p.m. | LIVE Mix | Bassmaster.com | |
| 11 a.m.-12 p.m. | Bassmaster LIVE | FS1; FOX Sports Digital | |
| 12-3 p.m. | Bassmaster LIVE | FOX | |
| 3:30-6:30 p.m. | Day 3 Weigh-In | Bassmaster.com | |
| 10-10:30 p.m. | Super Six Recap | FS1; FOX Sports Digital |
The 2023 Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic presented by Toyota is being hosted by Visit Knoxville.
2023 Bassmaster Classic Title Sponsor: Academy Sports + Outdoors
2023 Bassmaster Classic Presenting Sponsor: Toyota
2023 Bassmaster Classic Premier Sponsors: Bass Pro Shops, Dakota Lithium, Humminbird, Mercury, Minn Kota, Nitro Boats, Power-Pole, Progressive Insurance, Ranger Boats, Rapala, Skeeter Boats, Yamaha
2023 Bassmaster Classic Outdoors Expo Presenting Sponsor: U.S. Army
2023 Bassmaster Classic Local Partners: Calhoun’s, Lithium Pros, Tennessee Tourism, TNT Fireworks, TVA
2023 Bassmaster Classic Host: Visit Knoxville
Connect with #Bassmaster and the #BassmasterClassic on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and TikTok.
BASS FISHING HALL OF FAME KICKS OFF ‘CLASSIC WEEK’ ONLINE AUCTION TO BENEFIT EFFORTS TO CELEBRATE, PROMOTE, PRESERVE THE SPORT
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – For Immediate Release – March 21, 2023 – With its mission of celebrating, promoting, and preserving the sport of bass fishing, the Bass Fishing Hall of Fame (BFHOF) invites bass anglers both in the U.S. and Canada to support that mission by bidding on items during its ‘Classic Week’ online auction. To participate, simply visit BidPal.net/Classic2023 and bid on a large lineup of jerseys from many Bassmaster Classic anglers, along with an assortment of fishing tackle, marine items, and many other fishing-themed gear. The auction is now live and will end at noon on Monday, March 27.
Among the more unique items up for bid include pro angler Tyler Rivet’s ripped-sleeve jersey from his win at the B.A.S.S. Elite event on Lake Okeechobee earlier this year, a large list of new bass rods and reels being introduced at the Classic Expo from leading brands including Abu Garcia, Academy Sports & Outdoors, Lew’s, St. Croix, and Daiwa, along with lure bundles to fill any tackle box from the likes of Bizz Baits, Booyah Bait Co., Damiki, Missile Baits, Rapala, Strike King, and YUM. There’s also a special package for two to attend the 2023 BFHOF Induction Ceremony being held on Sept. 28 at Johnny Morris’ Wonder of Wildlife Museum & Aquarium in Springfield, Mo. where the Hall’s venue is located.
“We want to offer a big thanks to the folks at B.A.S.S. for letting us be a small part of all the activities that take place at the Classic, and to all the pro anglers and companies supporting the auction,” said BFHOF Board president John Mazurkiewicz. “During Classic Week, the Hall’s Board will also be hosting its annual ‘Classic Mixer’ for past supporters, pro anglers, fishing industry executives and invited guests. This year we will also honor ‘Big Jim’ McLaughlin from Seeley Bay, Ontario with our special Meritorious Service Award.”
The Hall uses the funds raised to support bass fishing conservation efforts nationwide, a scholarship program to assist students pursuing degrees in natural resource fields, and for its annual induction ceremony and dinner where it honors its most recent inductees. For more information on this year’s event taking place on Sept. 28, visit www.bassfishingHOF.com.
To view all the online auction items, visit https://one.bidpal.net/classic2023/welcome
Costa Sunglasses expands PRO series with launch of Corbina PRO
Corbina, a legacy frame and longtime fan favorite in the bass fishing community, now features six PRO upgrades for long days on the water.
JUPITER, Fla. (MAR. 21, 2023) – Costa Sunglasses, manufacturer of the first color-enhancing all-polarized glass sunglass lens, brings next-level performance to its legacy frame Corbina for spring 2023. The enhanced Corbina PRO features new performance upgrades that keep your frames locked in place and vision clear so you can stay focused on what's most important - finding fish.
For the past 40 years, Costa has supplied anglers with the best sunglasses on the market for long days on the water. In 2021, the brand debuted its PRO Series with the award-winning Blackfin PRO and Fantail PRO. Today, the collection has grown to a family of six with its latest addition, Corbina PRO. The best-selling frame now features an updated style and six added features to help anglers better manage sweat, reduce fogging and keep their frames in place, even when the water gets rough.
Corbina has been a legacy favorite and sport staple among bass anglers for years. The new PRO frame takes it up a notch with eyewire drains and sweat management channels to move sweat away from your eyes, improved Hydrolite™ grip on the nose and earpiece to keep your frames locked in place, a fully-adjustable and ventilated nose pad for a custom fit and to reduce fogging, hooding and side shields to maximize coverage and metal keeper slots to keep your frames from going overboard.
“Corbina has been my go-to frame for a while now. I always joke that even if I didn’t have them on, you could tell they’re my favorites just by my Costa tan," says Justin Lucas, Costa PRO and two time MLF Champion. “I was stoked when the team reached out to me to test the Corbina PRO. The PRO Series has been a game changer. Having the added features to my favorite frames has been the best of both worlds.”
“Bass is one of our largest communities of anglers. With Corbina being so beloved in the bass community, it was a no-brainer to add it to our PRO collection and launch it right before the tour season,” says John Acosta, Costa Sunglasses Vice President of Marketing NA. “We’re always looking at ways to support the bass community - from making the best performance sunglasses for the water to conserving the resources within. That is the motivation behind our super successful Costa Compete + Conserve program - rewarding anglers for wearing Costa and raising money for freshwater conservation efforts. When anglers win, they get to choose one of five conservation partners for Costa to donate to. We hope to see more Costa anglers wearing the PRO Series on the podium this year!”
The Corbina PRO is equipped with Costa's cutting-edge polarized 580® glass lens technology, providing exceptional clarity and color enhancement. These scratch-resistant lenses effectively reduce haze and blur, while boosting essential colors for superior definition. Built with Bio-Resin, Costa's PRO Series frames are lightweight and maintain the durability necessary for any watery adventure.
Starting at $284, Corbina PRO is currently available at local dealers or Costasunglasses.com. For more information about Costa’s complete collection of award-winning performance, optical and lifestyle frames, visit Costasunglasses.com. For more information about Costa Compte + Conserve and to sign up for future tournaments, visit Costacompeteandconserve.com.
U.S. Army signs on as Bassmaster Classic Expo presenting sponsor
March 21, 2023
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — The U.S. Army’s Outdoor Team will be spotlighted to thousands of avid fishing fans from around the country as part of the iconic Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic presented by Toyota March 24-26. The Bassmaster Classic Outdoors Expo presented by the U.S. Army is recognized as fishing’s biggest consumer show and annually draws 200 exhibitors ranging from major international brands to local retailers.
“The Army Outdoor Team connects with America through the shared passion of outdoor sports,” said MSG Josh Watkins, one of two soldiers who, along with SFC Daniel Hodge, travels the country participating in key fishing tournaments and appearing at local venues. “We are armed with the latest outdoor gear, including a bass boat.”
Launched two years ago, the Army Outdoor Team uses the latest gear and soldier savvy to show their skills nationwide. The team is part of the Mission Support Battalion from Fort Knox, Ky. The battalion is co-located with its headquarters, the Army Marketing and Engagement Brigade.
The Outdoors Expo is one of the main attractions of the Bassmaster Classic, which drew 153,809 spectators and tourists from across the U.S. and multiple countries to Knoxville in 2019 and was a major contributor to the $32.2 million economic impact for Knoxville and east Tennessee, according to a report released by the Visit Knoxville Sports Commission.
The 2023 Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic presented by Toyota Outdoors Expo presented by the U.S. Army will take place across the Knoxville Convention Center and adjacent World’s Fair Exhibition Hall and is B.A.S.S.’s largest show to date.
To learn more about opportunities in the Army, visit goarmy.com.
The Bassmaster Classic is being hosted by Visit Knoxville.
Knoxville Classic is Not a Home Game for Lester
Courtesy of Alan McGuckin - Dynamic Sponsorships
Other than the fact his wife Kim is an avid Vols fan, and they are residents of Tennessee, the perception by many that Team Toyota’s Brandon Lester is fishing ‘home waters’ this week at the Bassmaster Classic in Knoxville is absolutely false.
“From fans to media interviews, I hear people say all the time that this is a home game for me. But it’s not. Other than the 2019 Classic, the Elite Series event we had here two years ago, and the past three days of practice, I’ve never fished here,” laughs Lester.
In fact, it’s nearly a four-hour drive from downtown Knoxville to Lester’s beloved hometown of Fayetteville. And frankly, there are so many legendary fisheries between the two, he simply never had much reason to fish Loudon and Tellico out of Knoxville.
Tims Ford and Guntersville are actually the two lakes he callshis home lakes and spends considerable time fishing when not on tour. So how then, did he make such a strong showing at the 2019 Classic in Knoxville, when he notched a 6th place finish having never been here before?
“It’s the Tennessee River, and it’s no secret I love Tennessee River impoundments. This place reminds me a lot of Wheeler, especially the Loudon part of it. Loudon features a lot of the really typical pre-spawn stuff I’m familiar with on other Tennessee River lakes like gravel bars, mud bars, a few stumps, shallow flats, laydowns, and lots of off-colored water,” explains Lester.
That said, Lester thinks that while the smallmouth in Tellico remain the big X-factor at most tournaments here, Loudon provides a fun Classic playing field for old school power fishing techniques with spinnerbaits, squarebill crankbaits, chatterbaits, and jigs in less than 6-feet of water where he feels very much at home.
So, while this week is by no means a home game for Lester, much like his wife Kim on gameday Saturdays at NeylandStadium in the fall, he feels very comfortable and confident here, with a 6th place finish at the mid-March 2019 Bassmaster Classic to prove it.
Adrian Avena Surges to Group A Qualifying Round Win at MLF U.S. Air Force Stage Two
New Jersey Pro Fires Up During Period 3 on Douglas Lake to Win Qualifying Round After Day 2 for Group A – Group B Resumes Competition Tuesday
JEFFERSON COUNTY, Tenn. (March 20, 2023) – After ending the second period in 14th place, with only three fish, Berkley pro Adrian Avena of Vineland, New Jersey went on a third period flurry to win the Group A Qualifying Round Monday at the Major League Fishing (MLF) U.S. Air Force Stage Two Presented by Power-Pole on Douglas Lake. The New Jersey pro finished the day with a five-bass limit weighing 16 pounds, 2 ounces, for a two-day total of 30-13, earning him the Qualifying Round win by a 2-pound, 5-ounce margin over second place angler Favorite Fishing pro Dustin Connell of Clanton, Alabama, who finished with a two-day total of 10 scorable bass weighing 28-8.
Abu Garcia pro Justin Lucas of Guntersville, Alabama ended the day in third place with a two-day total of 10 bass weighing 27-7, while Pike Road, Alabama pro Keith Poche finished the round in fourth place with a two-day total of 10 bass weighing 27-2. Rounding out the top five was Bass Pro Tour rookie Nick LeBrun of Bossier City, Louisiana, with a two-day total of 10 bass totaling 26-15.
Frigid morning temperatures in the teens and a strong afternoon warm-up also made for a lot of third period movement around the Toro Cutline, with pro Fred “Boom Boom” Roumbanis dancing back and forth across the cutline throughout the day to slide into the 20th spot by the end of the third period and pro Dakota Ebare moving from 26th place to finish the day in 15th. Georgia pro Jared Lintner made big moves in the final period as well, jumping from 30th place into the 12thspot, but General Tire pro Edwin Evers made the biggest jump, moving from 25th to end the day with a fifth place finish.
Avena began the morning in second place, but had dropped to 20th by the end of Period 1 after not catching a single fish.
“When we’re talking about springtime fishing, it’s always going to warm up in the afternoons, so the first day of competition I was able to catch a few key fish late in the day and today was no different,” said Avena. “I was having a bunch of fish follow my bait throughout the morning, but they just weren’t committing to it. When the water is that cold early in the day, they’re just sluggish and not willing to bite.”
Avena said he spent both days of competition focusing on isolated wood – targeting lay downs, pine trees, logs in the water – pretty much anything isolated, especially on shallow flats. He said he caught the majority of his fish on a Berkley Stunna Jerkbait, one on the brand-new Berkley Cull Shad and the other two on a KGB Chad Shad Glide Bait.
“As mid-day began, the bite started to pick up,” said Avena. “I caught a couple in the second period and seven in that third period and was able to finish out my limit and cull several times. That last hour was just magical and I caught some really nice fish.”
The top 20 advancing anglers from Group A will now have an off day from competition Tuesday, while the 40 anglers competing in Qualifying Group B will complete their two-day Qualifying Round. The top 20 anglers from each group advance to Wednesday’s Knockout Round. In the Knockout Round, weights are zeroed, and the remaining 40 anglers compete to finish in the top 10 to advance to the Championship Round on Thursday. In the final day Championship Round, weight carries over from the Knockout Round and the angler with the heaviest two-day total wins the top prize of $100,000.
The top 20 pros from Group A that now advance to Wednesday’s Knockout Round on Cherokee Lake are:
2nd: Dustin Connell, Clanton, Ala., 10 bass, 28-8
3rd: Justin Lucas, Guntersville, Ala., 10 bass, 27-7
4th: Keith Poche, Pike Road, Ala., 10 bass, 27-2
5th: Nick LeBrun, Bossier City, La., 10 bass, 26-15
6th: Kevin VanDam, Kalamazoo, Mich., 10 bass, 26-13
7th: Anthony Gagliardi, Prosperity, S.C., 10 bass, 26-4
8th: Chris Lane, Guntersville, Ala., 10 bass, 26-1
9th: Brent Ehrler, Redlands, Calif., 10 bass, 24-15
10th: Cliff Pace, Petal, Miss., 10 bass, 24-10
11th: Edwin Evers, Talala, Okla., 10 bass, 24-7
12th: Jared Lintner, Covington, Ga., nine bass, 23-13
13th: Bradley Roy, Lancaster, Ky., 10 bass, 23-13
14th: Dylan Hays, Hot Springs, Ark., nine bass, 23-11
15th: Jacob Wall, New Hope, Ala., 10 bass, 23-9
16th: Matt Becker, Ten Mile, Tenn., 10 bass, 23-9
17th: Andy Montgomery, Blacksburg, S.C., 10 bass, 23-5
18th: Dakota Ebare, Brookeland, Texas, 10 bass, 22-13
19th: Jacob Wheeler, Harrison, Tenn., 10 bass, 22-8
20th: Fred Roumbanis, Russellville, Ark., 10 bass, 22-7
The six-day event, hosted by the Jefferson County Department of Tourism Sports Commission, showcases 80 of the top professional anglers in the world, competing for a purse of more than $805,000, including a top payout of $100,000 and valuable Angler of the Year (AOY) points in hopes of qualifying for the General Tire Heavy Hitters All-Star event and REDCREST 2024, the Bass Pro Tour championship.
The 40 Anglers in Group A competed in their two-day qualifying round on Saturday and Monday – the 40 anglers in Group B on Sunday and Tuesday. After each two-day qualifying round is complete, the top 20 anglers from each group advance to Wednesday’s Knockout Round. In the Knockout Round, weights are zeroed, and the remaining 40 anglers compete to finish in the top 10 to advance to Thursday’s Championship Round. In the final day Championship Round, weight carries over from the Knockout Round and the angler with the heaviest two-day total wins the top prize of $100,000.
Anglers will launch Tuesday at 8:30 a.m. ET from Dandridge Ramp, located at 100 Public Drive in Dandridge and Wednesday and Thursday at 8:30 a.m. ET from the TVA Boat Launch on Renfro Road in Jefferson City. Each day’s General Tire Takeout will be held at the respective launch locations above, beginning at 5 p.m. Fans are welcome to attend all launch and takeout events and also encouraged to follow the event online throughout the day on the MLF NOW!® live stream and SCORETRACKER® coverage at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
On Championship Thursday, March 23, from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m., MLF will welcome fans of all ages to come in to celebrate the top 10 and crown the Stage 2 Champion at the Trophy Presentation. The final 10 Championship Round Bass Pro Tour anglers will be on hand at the trophy celebration to meet and greet fans, sign autographs and take selfies. The celebration will take place at the TVA Boat Launch on Renfro Road in Jefferson City, Tennessee.
The U.S. Air Force Stage Two on Cherokee and Douglas Lakes Presented by Power-Pole features anglers competing with a 1-pound, 6-ounce minimum weight requirement for a bass to be deemed scorable on Douglas Lake and a 1-pound, 12-ounce minimum weight for scorable bass on Cherokee Lake. Minimum weights are determined individually for each competition waters that the Bass Pro Tour visits, based on the productivity, bass population and anticipated average size of fish in each fishery.
The 2023 MLF Bass Pro Tour features a field of 80 of the top professional anglers in the world competing across seven regular-season tournaments around the country, fishing for millions of dollars and valuable points to qualify for the annual General Tire Heavy Hitters all-star event and REDCREST 2024, the Bass Pro Tour championship, held March 13-17, 2024, on Lay Lake in Birmingham, Alabama.
The MLF NOW!® broadcast team of Chad McKee, Marty Stone and J.T. Kenney will break down the extended action live on all six days of competition from 8:45 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. ET. MLF NOW!® will be live streamed on MajorLeagueFishing.com and the MyOutdoorTV (MOTV) app.
Television coverage of the U.S. Air Force Stage Two on Cherokee and Douglas Lakes Presented by Power-Pole will air as two, two-hour episodes starting at 7 a.m. ET, on Saturday, September 16 on the Discovery Channel. New MLF episodes premiere each Saturday morning on the Discovery Channel, with re-airings on the Outdoor Channel.
Proud sponsors of the 2023 MLF Bass Pro Tour include: 13 Fishing, Abu Garcia, Ark Fishing, ATG + Wrangler, B&W Trailer Hitches, Bally Bet, Bass Cat Boats, Bass Pro Shops, Berkley, Black Rifle Coffee, Daiwa, Epic Baits, Favorite Fishing, Ferguson, Fox Rent A Car, General Tire, Grundéns, Humminbird, Lowrance, Minn Kota, Mercury, Mossy Oak, Onyx, Power-Pole, Rapala, Star tron, T-H Marine, TORO, Toyota, U.S. Air Force, Yellowstone Bourbon, Yo-Zuri and Zoom Baits.
For complete details and updated information on Major League Fishing and the Bass Pro Tour, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF’s social media outlets at Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.
Peavyhouse Nets Win at Phoenix Bass Fishing League Event on Dale Hollow Lake
Fitzpatrick Takes Strike King Co-Angler Division
BYRDSTOWN, Tenn. (March 20, 2023) – Boater Isaac Peavyhouse of Jamestown, Tennessee, caught a five-bass limit weighing 23 pounds, 7 ounces, Saturday to win the MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League (BFL) Presented by T-H Marine on Dale Hollow Lake . The tournament, hosted by Star Point Marina & Resort, was the first event of the season for the BFL Mountain Division. Peavyhouse earned $13,943, including the lucrative $7,000 Phoenix MLF Contingency Bonus, for his victory.
Peavyhouse said he ran around a lot during the tournament, hitting spots from mid-lake to the dam to produce a winning weight. He said he looked for suspending fish in 30 to 50 feet of water with his Lowrance ActiveTarget Sonar Kit. A Damiki rig with½-ounce Damiki Rig Jig Heads provoked the bikes he needed.
“I started off the day with a little over 20½ pounds in the first 45 minutes,” said Peavyhouse. “That calmed me down quite a bit, and after that, I just went big fish fishing the rest of the day.”
Peavyhouse said he culled bass three or four times after his initial flurry and was throwing back good bass that just wouldn’t improve his final weight.
“I caught about 20 keepers, and I threw back another 20-pound limit,” Peavyhouse said. “I never lost a fish. It was one of those deals where it was just meant to be.
“I’m a local, and I’ve been fortunate enough to weigh a lot of 22- to 24-pound bags,” Peavyhouse added. “So, I never felt like I had it won. I knew as tough as it was this week that people would have to earn it to beat me, but I never felt like I had it won.”
The top 10 boaters finished the tournament:
1st: Isaac Peavyhouse, Jamestown, Tenn., five bass, 23-7, $13,943 (includes $7,000 Phoenix MLF Contingency Bonus)
2nd: Lee Sinclair, Albany, Ky., five bass, 21-7, $2,722
3rd: Josh Womack, Gallatin, Tenn., five bass, 21-6, $2,679
4th: Christian Nash, Allons, Tenn., five bass, 20-1, $1,270
5th: Alex Wright, Bowling Green, Ky., five bass, 19-7, $1,089
6th: Bryce McDonald, Paintsville, Ky., five bass, 19-4, $952
6th: Cole Logsdon, Brownsville, Ky., five bass, 19-4, $952
8th: Bennie Mutter, Glasgow, Ky., five bass, 18-10, $817
9th: Brody Campbell, Oxford, Ohio, five bass, 18-9, $1,246
10th: Jarrod Conn, Burgin, Ky., five bass, 17-8, $635
Complete results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
Josh Womack of Gallatin, Tennessee, caught a bass that weighed 6 pounds, 8 ounces, and earned the Berkley Big Bass Boater award of $865.
John Fitzpatrick of Baxter, Tennessee, won the Strike King co-angler division and a total of $3,032 Saturday, after bringing five bass to the scale that totaled 16 pounds, 13 ounces.
The top 10 Strike King co-anglers finished:
1st: John Fitzpatrick, Baxter, Tenn., five bass, 16-13, $3,032
2nd: Lukas Owens, Berea, Ky., five bass, 15-11, $1,310
3rd: Keith Bridges, Spring City, Tenn., five bass, 14-11, $877
4th: Glen Alan Ruth, Frankfort, Ky., five bass, 13-3, $611
5th: James Wheatley, Coxs Creek, Ky., five bass, 12-15, $502
5th: Jeff Sears, Byrdstown, Tenn., four bass, 12-15, $502
7th: Anthony Scott, Byrdstown, Tenn., five bass, 12-11, $437
8th: Gilbert Jolley, Livingston, Tenn., five bass, 12-0, $593
9th: Michael Weimann, Murfreesboro, Tenn., five bass, 11-2, $349
10th: Mike Bowman, Cincinnati, Ohio, four bass, 10-7, $306
Fitzpatrick also earned the Berkley Big Bass co-angler award of $412, catching a bass that weighed in at 5 pounds, 5 ounces – the largest co-angler catch of the day.
The top 45 boaters and co-anglers in the region based on point standings, along with the five tournament winners of each qualifying event, will qualify for the Oct. 19-21 BFL Regional tournament on Lake Norman in Huntersville, North Carolina. Boaters will fish for a top award of $60,000, including a new Phoenix 819 Pro with a 200-horsepower Mercury outboard and $10,000, while co-anglers will compete for a top award of $50,000, including a new Phoenix 819 Pro with a 200-horsepower Mercury outboard.
The 2023 Phoenix BFL Presented by T-H Marine is a 24-division circuit devoted to weekend anglers, with 128 events throughout the season, five qualifying tournaments in each division. The top 45 boaters and Strike King co-anglers from each division, along with the five qualifying event winners, will advance to one of six BFL Regional tournaments where they are competing to finish in the top six, which then qualifies them for one of the longest-running championships in all of competitive bass fishing – the BFL All-American. The 2023 All-American event will take place May 31-June 2, on Lake Hartwell in Seneca, South Carolina. The event is hosted by Visit Oconee SC.
Proud sponsors of the 2023 MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine include: 4WP, 13 Fishing, Abu Garcia, B&W Trailer Hitches, Berkley, Black Rifle Coffee, E3, Epic Baits, Favorite Fishing, General Tire, Grundéns, Gill, Lew’s, Lowrance, Mercury, Mossy Oak, Onyx, Phoenix, Polaris, Power-Pole, Strike King, Tackle Warehouse, T-H Marine, Toyota, Wiley X and YETI.
For complete details and updated tournament information, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular Bass Fishing League updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF5’s social media outlets at Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.
Bryson Peed Posts Win at Phoenix Bass Fishing League Event on Kerr Lake
Driscoll Claims Strike King Co-Angler Division Victory
HENDERSON, N.C. (March 20, 2023) – Boater Bryson Peed of Clarksville, Virginia, caught a five-bass limit weighing 17 pounds, 14 ounces, Saturday to win the MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League (BFL) Presented by T-H Marine on Kerr Lake. The tournament, hosted by the Vance County Tourism Development Authority, was the first event of 2023 for the BFL Shenandoah Division. Peed earned $5,665 for his victory.
Water temperatures on Kerr had been in the 60s in days prior to the tournament, but a cold front moved through the area and pushed water temps back into the 50s. Peed said he drew on his knowledge of Kerr to help him locate fish during the tougher tournament conditions.
“We started out near Nutbush (Creek), but didn’t get bit, so I moved up the lake and started getting bites pretty quickly,” said Peed. “So, we just settled in and fished a little key area of the lake the rest of the day.”
Peed said he was targeting isolated rock piles with stumps nearby in two to six feet of water, casting crankbaits and jigs to entice bites. His methods produced 10 fish – all keepers – during the course of the day.
“This is a tough group of guys to fish against and a hard lake to win on,” Peed said. “It’s taken 20 to 21 pounds to win lately, and I figured it would take at least 20 pounds to win this. I couldn’t cull my last 2½-pounder, and I didn’t think I had enough to win, so this feels really good.”
The top 10 boaters finished the tournament:
1st: Bryson Peed, Clarksville, Va., five bass, 17-14, $5,665
2nd: Rodney Sorrell, Stokesdale, N.C., five bass, 14-9, $2,458
3rd: Tony Black, Broad Run, Va., five bass, 14-5, $1,640
4th: Lee Cox, Frederick, Md., five bass, 13-11, $1,147
5th: Bryan Welch, Greensboro, N.C., five bass, 13-2, $1,483 (includes $500 Phoenix MLF Contingency Bonus)
6th: Ron Rousseau, Raleigh, N.C., five bass, 13-1, $860
6th: Dustin Riddle, Hiwassee, Va., five bass, 13-1, $860
8th: Ryan Harrell, Roanoke Rapids, N.C., five bass, 12-8, $737
9th: Christopher Grenier, Clarksburg, W.V., five bass, 12-6, $614
9th: Zachary Stoupa, Prince George, Va., five bass, 12-6, $614
Complete results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
Peed also caught a bass that weighed 5 pounds, 9 ounces, and earned the Berkley Big Bass Boater award of $750.
Thomas Driscoll of Annandale, Virginia, won the Strike King co-angler division and a total of $2,458 Saturday, after bringing five bass to the scale that totaled 12 pounds, 14 ounces.
The top 10 Strike King co-anglers finished:
1st: Thomas Driscoll, Annandale, Va., five bass, 12-14, $2,458
2nd: David Deciucis, Chester, Va., five bass, 11-11, $1,229
3rd: Steve Kiser, Tarboro, N.C., four bass, 10-5, $817
4th: John Robinson, Montpelier, Va., three bass, 9-12, $573
5th: Tim Privette Jr., Wendell, N.C., five bass, 9-1, $692
6th: Jeff McBeth, New Philadelphia, Ohio, four bass, 8-5, $451
7th: Curtis Vick, Boydton, Va., four bass, 7-12, $760
8th: Roland Gittings, Perryville, Md., two bass, 7-7, $369
9th: Joshua McGeary, Mount Pleasant, Pa., three bass, 7-6, $328
10th: Sean Lane, Culpeper, Va., three bass, 7-3, $287
Steve Cannon of Wilkesboro, North Carolina, earned the Berkley Big Bass co-angler award of $375, catching a bass that weighed in at 5 pounds, 5 ounces – the largest co-angler catch of the day.
The top 45 boaters and co-anglers in the region based on point standings, along with the five tournament winners of each qualifying event, will qualify for the Oct. 19-21 BFL Regional tournament on Lake Norman in Huntersville, North Carolina. Boaters will fish for a top award of $60,000, including a new Phoenix 819 Pro with a 200-horsepower Mercury outboard and $10,000, while co-anglers will compete for a top award of $50,000, including a new Phoenix 819 Pro with a 200-horsepower Mercury outboard.
The 2023 Phoenix BFL Presented by T-H Marine is a 24-division circuit devoted to weekend anglers, with 128 events throughout the season, five qualifying tournaments in each division. The top 45 boaters and Strike King co-anglers from each division, along with the five qualifying event winners, will advance to one of six BFL Regional tournaments where they are competing to finish in the top six, which then qualifies them for one of the longest-running championships in all of competitive bass fishing – the BFL All-American. The 2023 All-American event will take place May 31-June 2, on Lake Hartwell in Seneca, South Carolina. The event is hosted by Visit Oconee SC.
Proud sponsors of the 2023 MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine include: 4WP, 13 Fishing, Abu Garcia, B&W Trailer Hitches, Berkley, Black Rifle Coffee, E3, Epic Baits, Favorite Fishing, General Tire, Grundéns, Gill, Lew’s, Lowrance, Mercury, Mossy Oak, Onyx, Phoenix, Polaris, Power-Pole, Strike King, Tackle Warehouse, T-H Marine, Toyota, Wiley X and YETI.
For complete details and updated tournament information, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular Bass Fishing League updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF5’s social media outlets at Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.
University of Nebraska Wins MLF Abu Garcia College Fishing Tournament on Lake of the Ozarks
OSAGE BEACH, Mo. (March 20, 2023) – The University of Nebraska-Lincoln duo of Brett Lubeck and Trevor Schleich, both of Lincoln, Nebraska, won the MLF Abu Garcia College Fishing Presented by YETI event on Lake of the Ozarks Friday with a five-bass limit weighing 20 pounds, 2 ounces. The victory earned the Cornhuskers’ bass club $2,000 and a qualification into the 2024 MLF College Fishing National Championship.
Schleich said the team fished the entire lake during practice and eliminated as much water as they could for the competition. They started the tournament day off right on a bluff wall by catching a 5-pound largemouth, but changed tactics to seek out dirtier water where they thought the fish were holding shallow and as a result would be more catchable. The team began slow-rolling a squarebill crankbait in three to five feet of water to deflect it off rocks and brush and began to fill their limit.
“It was a bit of a grind and hard to have confidence with it, but we stuck with it all day,” Schleich said.
The next bass boated were a 2-pounder and a 5-pounder, and the team stuck with it and finished their limit by 3 p.m. Schleich said they caught about 15 fish during the course of the day, many of them between 13½ and 14½ inches long.
The Lake of the Ozarks victory is the second for Schleich, who also won in 2022 on the Mississippi River in La Crosse, Wisconsin.
“That Mississippi River win was kind of like a dream,” Schleich said. “The second time is a little sweeter. There was a lot of work put in for it, and it’s a blessing for sure.”
“It’s a great feeling,” Lubeck said with a laugh. “This is the first bass tournament I’ve ever fished.”
The teams that qualified to compete at the 2024 College Fishing National Championship are:
1st: University of Nebraska-Lincoln – Brett Lubeck and Trevor Schleich, both of Lincoln, Nebraska., five bass, 20-2, $2,000
2nd: Auburn University – Blake Milligan, Auburn, Ala., and Matthew Parrish, Decatur, Ala., five bass, 18-10, $1,000
3rd: Kentucky Christian University – William Copley, Louisa, Ky., and Braden Fairbanks, Grove City, Ohio, five bass, 17-11, $700
4th: University of North Alabama – Kolby Clark, Florence, Ala., and Rees Williams, Aurora, Ohio, five bass, 17-10, $600
5th: Adrian College – Aaron Jagdfeld, Rochester, Mich., and Dalton Mollenkopf, Pendleton, Ind., five bass, 17-6, $500
6th: University of Montevallo – Nicholas Dumke and Easton Fothergill, both of Grand Rapids, Minn., five bass, 16-13
7th: Arkansas Tech University – Asa Chism, Benton, Ark., and Michael McCarty, Cabot, Ark., five bass, 16-8
8th: Kentucky Christian University – Branson Campbell, Russell Springs, Ky., and Blayne Leeman, Kokomo, Ind., five bass, 16-4
9th: Louisiana State University-Shreveport – Tripp Bowman and Matthew Nesbit, both of Haughton, La., five bass, 16-1
10th: McKendree University – Colton Hill, Patoka, Ill., and Maxwell Trotter, Decatur, Ill., five bass, 15-15
Complete results for the entire field can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
The Abu Garcia College Fishing Presented by YETI event on Lake of the Ozarks was hosted by the Tri-County Lodging Association. The next event for College Fishing anglers will be the Abu Garcia College Fishing Presented by YETI on the California Delta Presented by Tackle Warehouse, April 21 in Oakley, California.
The 2023 MLF Abu Garcia College Fishing Presented by YETI features college teams from across the country competing in nine regular-season tournaments. The top 12 percent of teams from each regular-season tournament advance to the 2024 Abu Garcia College Fishing Presented by YETI National Championship.
Proud sponsors of the 2023 MLF Abu Garcia College Fishing Presented by YETI include: 4WP, 13 Fishing, Abu Garcia, B&W Trailer Hitches, Black Rifle Coffee Company, E3, Favorite Fishing, Fox Rent a Car, General Tire, Grundens, Lawless Lures, Lew’s, Lowrance, Mercury, Mossy Oak, Onyx, Phoenix, Polaris, Power-Pole, Strike King, Tackle Warehouse, T-H Marine, Wiley X and YETI.
For complete details and updated tournament information, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular College Fishing updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF5’s social media outlets at Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.
Heaton Claims Victory at Phoenix Bass Fishing League Event on Lake Hartwell
Phillips Wins Strike King Co-Angler Division
SENECA, S.C. (March 20, 2023) – Boater Max Heaton of Hartwell, Georgia, caught a five-bass limit weighing 18 pounds, 13 ounces, Saturday to win the MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League (BFL) Presented by T-H Marine on Lake Hartwell. The tournament, hosted by Visit Oconee, was the third event of the season for the BFL Savannah River Division. Heaton earned $4,037 for his victory.
“I had a pretty good practice, even though it poured rain on me,” said Heaton. “I caught 17½ pounds just messing around on some new stuff to fish.
“Tournament day started off pretty slow, but there was a good bite window between 8 and 11 o’clock,” Heaton added. “That’s when I caught everything I weighed in. I never culled a fish after 11 o’clock.”
Heaton said he stayed near Anderson Island and his first five bass weighed 13 pounds. He said he culled up a few times after that to get his final weigh weight. He added that he targeted bass on points and used his Garmin LiveScope System to deliver his shaky-head rig with accuracy to the fish.
“I was very surprised with this win,” Heaton said. “It’s been taking more weight than this to win around here. But I knew it was going to be tougher today on everybody. I didn’t think I was going to pull off the win with what I weighed in, but I’ve got the hardware in the front seat with me right now, so this feels great.”
The top 10 boaters finished the tournament:
1st: Max Heaton, Hartwell, Ga., five bass, 18-13, $4,037
2nd: Bo Price, Seneca, S.C., five bass, 18-1, $2,564
3rd: Paul Marks, Cumming, Ga., five bass, 17-13, $1,845 (includes $500 Phoenix MLF Contingency Bonus)
4th: Tab Anderson, Pendleton, S.C., five bass, 17-2, $1,192
5th: Jaxson Pace, Canton, N.C., five bass, 16-15, $807
6th: Joe Anders, Easley, S.C., five bass, 16-8, $740
7th: Aspen Martin, White, Ga., five bass, 16-6, $673
8th: Bradley Day, Anderson, S.C., five bass, 16-3, $606
9th: Andrew Allen, Waterloo, S.C., five bass, 15-15, $538
10th: Grayson Cook, Canton, N.C., five bass, 15-13, $471
Complete results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
Bo Price of Seneca, South Carolina, caught a bass that weighed 5 pounds, 13 ounces, and earned the Berkley Big Bass Boater award of $545.
Damon Phillips of Anderson, South Carolina, won the Strike King co-angler division and a total of $2,019 Saturday, after bringing five bass to the scale that totaled 15 pounds, 14 ounces.
The top 10 Strike King co-anglers finished:
1st: Damon Phillips, Anderson, S.C., five bass, 15-14, $2,019
2nd: Benjie Winkler, Cleveland, Ga.., five bass, 14-5, $1,009
3rd: Gavin Ballew, Travelers Rest, S.C., five bass, 12-6, $675
4th: Corey Veal, Royston, Ga., five bass, 12-4, $471
5th: Chris Wilson, Easley, S.C., five bass, 12-2, $604
6th: Scott Williams, Canton, Ga., five bass, 12-1, $570
7th: Dwayne Parton, Anderson, S.C., five bass, 11-10, $336
8th: Kevin Henderson, Honea Path, S.C., five bass, 11-9, $303
9th: Johnny Hancox, West Union, S.C., five bass, 11-7, $269
10th: Michael Miller, Greenville, S.C., five bass, 11-6, $223
10th: Brian Egan, Atlanta, Ga., five bass, 11-6, $223
Casey English of Demorest, Georgia, earned the Berkley Big Bass co-angler award of $272, catching a bass that weighed in at 5 pounds even – the largest co-angler catch of the day.
After three events, Paul Marks of Cumming, Georgia, leads the BFL Savannah River Division Boater Angler of the Year (AOY) race with 742 points, while Michael Miller of Greenville, South Carolina, leads the Strike King Co-Angler Division AOY race with 733 points.
The top 45 boaters and co-anglers in the region based on point standings, along with the five tournament winners of each qualifying event, will qualify for the Oct. 12-14 BFL Regional tournament on Lake Eufaula in Eufaula, Alabama. Boaters will fish for a top award of $60,000, including a new Phoenix 819 Pro with a 200-horsepower Mercury outboard and $10,000, while co-anglers will compete for a top award of $50,000, including a new Phoenix 819 Pro with a 200-horsepower Mercury outboard.
The 2023 Phoenix BFL Presented by T-H Marine is a 24-division circuit devoted to weekend anglers, with 128 events throughout the season, five qualifying tournaments in each division. The top 45 boaters and Strike King co-anglers from each division, along with the five qualifying event winners, will advance to one of six BFL Regional tournaments where they are competing to finish in the top six, which then qualifies them for one of the longest-running championships in all of competitive bass fishing – the BFL All-American. The 2023 All-American event will take place May 31-June 2, on Lake Hartwell in Seneca, South Carolina. The event is hosted by Visit Oconee SC.
Proud sponsors of the 2023 MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine include: 4WP, 13 Fishing, Abu Garcia, B&W Trailer Hitches, Berkley, Black Rifle Coffee, E3, Epic Baits, Favorite Fishing, General Tire, Grundéns, Gill, Lew’s, Lowrance, Mercury, Mossy Oak, Onyx, Phoenix, Polaris, Power-Pole, Strike King, Tackle Warehouse, T-H Marine, Toyota, Wiley X and YETI.
For complete details and updated tournament information, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular Bass Fishing League updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF5’s social media outlets at Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.
Chico State Wins MLF Abu Garcia College Fishing Tournament on California Delta
OAKLEY, Calif. (March 20, 2023) – The California State University-Chico duo of Jared Defremery of Brentwood, California, and Miles Kaneko of Berkeley, California, won the MLF Abu Garcia College Fishing Presented by YETI event on the California Delta presented by Tackle Warehouse Friday with three bass weighing 13 pounds, 13 ounces. The victory earned the Wildcats’ bass club a qualification into the 2024 MLF College Fishing National Championship.
“The Delta has been fishing really tough, so we ran to our first spot and really just decided to stay there and pick it apart thoroughly,” Kaneko said. “We managed a big one for our first fish on a drop-shot rig with a 5-inch black-and-blue Yamamoto Senko. It was just so tough because of the recent rains and the water clarity is so dirty on the Delta right now.”
Keneko said the team targeted bass roaming shallow by keeping the boat in six feet of water and casting to the bank in two to four feet of water. Keneko said they would let the Senko sit for five to 10 seconds after the cast before moving it.
“Any riprap banks that had healthy grass seemed to hold more fish than other spots did,” Kaneko said. “We only had five bites all day, and we only landed three of those.
“The storms that have come through bringing cold weather have got the fish kind of adjusting right now, and they haven’t really moved up and they’re hard to catch,” Kaneko added. “Jared and I were really happy with our performance, and it’s a great feeling to win this tournament.”
The top 10 teams on the California Delta were:
1st: Chico State – Jared Defremery, Brentwood, Calif., and Miles Kaneko, Berkeley, Calif., three bass, 13-13
2nd: Simpson University – James Hawkinson, Granite Bay, Calif., and Ty Manterola, Pasco, Wash., five bass, 7-2
3rd: Simpson University – Jacob Greene, American Canyon, Calif., and Austin Rojas, Lake Havasu City, Ariz., five bass, 6-11
4th: Simpson University – Michael Bray, Merced, Calif., and Brennan Osborn, Beaverton, Ore., three bass, 6-5
5th: Sacramento State – Quinn Alexander and Nathan Nelson, both of Sacramento, Calif., three bass, 5-12
6th: University of Alabama – Rein Golub, Pittsford, N.Y., and Taylor Wake, Rocklin, Calif., two bass, 5-9
7th: Sonoma State University – Ari Forman, Westlake Village, Calif., and Cody Wyatt, Rohnert Park, Calif., two bass, 4-12
8th: Fresno State – Kelby Keeling, Visalia, Calif., and Bryce Powell, Acampo, Calif., three bass, 4-0
9th: University of Idaho – Ethan Leininger, Vina, Calif., and Connor Patterson, Moscow, Idaho, one bass, 2-12
10th: Oklahoma State University – John Lucostic, Stillwater, Okla., and Walker Niver, Sperry, Okla., one bass, 1-13
Complete results for the entire field can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
The next event for College Fishing anglers will be the Abu Garcia College Fishing Presented by YETI event on the California Delta presented by Tackle Warehouse, April 21 in Oakley, California.
The 2023 MLF Abu Garcia College Fishing Presented by YETI features college teams from across the country competing in nine regular-season tournaments. The top 12 percent of teams from each regular-season tournament advance to the 2024 Abu Garcia College Fishing Presented by YETI National Championship.
Proud sponsors of the 2023 MLF Abu Garcia College Fishing Presented by YETI include: 4WP, 13 Fishing, Abu Garcia, B&W Trailer Hitches, Black Rifle Coffee Company, E3, Favorite Fishing, Fox Rent a Car, General Tire, Grundens, Lawless Lures, Lew’s, Lowrance, Mercury, Mossy Oak, Onyx, Phoenix, Polaris, Power-Pole, Strike King, Tackle Warehouse, T-H Marine, Wiley X and YETI.
For complete details and updated tournament information, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular College Fishing updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF5’s social media outlets at Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.
Two Ounces are Enough as Yulee’s Sheppard Takes Phoenix Bass Fishing League Victory at Second Harris Chain of Lakes Event of Weekend
Elmore Wins Strike King Co-Angler Division
LEESBURG, Fla. (March 20, 2023) – Boater Tyler Sheppard of Yulee, Florida, caught a five-bass limit weighing 28 pounds, 4 ounces, Sunday to win the MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League (BFL) Presented by T-H Marine at Harris Chain of Lakes by a mere two ounces. The tournament, hosted by Visit Lake County, Florida, was the third event of the season for the BFL Gator Division, and the second event of a back-to-back double-header of events held in Leesburg this past weekend. Sheppard earned $6,765 for his victory.
“We had back-to-back BFL events scheduled this weekend due to a rescheduled event,” said Sheppard, who is a veteran of MLF College Fishing, BFL and Toyota Series competitions, with 12 top-10 finishes and three wins to his credit. “We faced two very different weather conditions for each event. Sunday morning it was 48 degrees when we woke up, and typically in Florida, that’s not good for catching fish.”
Sheppard said he had located a good group of fish in the previous day’s tournament.
“I didn’t know how good until today,” Sheppard said. “It just kind of all snowballed into a great day on the water.”
Sheppard said he targeted offshore grass with hard bottom next to it, and dragged a big worm and bladed jig to coax bites – what he calls typical offshore patterns. He said he fished multiple lakes on the Harris Chain and caught 25 fish during the tournament.
“Where I did most of my damage today I had never caught a fish previously,” the Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania native said. “I’ve been in Florida for about four years now, but the Harris Chain is where I’ve spent most of my time here in Florida.
“This win means a lot to me,” Sheppard added. “Coming from Pittsburgh and having success in other areas is one thing; This is my first win in Florida with MLF. So, to be able to get to notch this first win in Florida and get that monkey off my back is pretty special.”
The top 10 boaters finished the tournament:
1st: Tyler Sheppard, Yulee, Fla., five bass, 28-4, $6,765
2nd: Joey Bloom, Winter Springs, Fla., five bass, 28-2, $3,383 (includes $500 Phoenix MLF Contingency Bonus)
3rd: Aaron Yavorsky, Palm Harbor, Fla., five bass, 25-14, $1,922
4th: Bobby Bakewell, Orlando, Fla., five bass, 22-3, $1,345
5th: Lane Jacobs, Summerfield, Fla., five bass, 20-10, $1,153
6th: Rodney Marks, Apopka, Fla., five bass, 19-15, $1,057
7th: Bradley Enfinger, Donalsonville, Ga., five bass, 19-2, $961
8th: Bryan Honnerlaw, Moore Haven, Fla., five bass, 18-7, $1,337
8th: John Adkinson, Winter Haven, Fla., five bass, 18-7, $817
10th: Elijah Meyers, Fort Wayne, Ind., five bass, 18-4, $673
Complete results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
Darrell Munday of Wesley Chapel, Florida, caught a largemouth that weighed 9 pounds, 8 ounces, and earned the Berkley Big Bass Boater award of $940.
Jordan Elmore of Saint Petersburg, Florida, won the Strike King co-angler division and $2,883 Sunday, after bringing five bass to the scale that weighed 19 pounds, 9 ounces.
The top 10 Strike King co-anglers finished:
1st: Jordan Elmore, Saint Petersburg, Fla., five bass, 19-9, $2,883
2nd: Bryan Cox, Sanford, Fla., five bass, 17-10, $1,441
3rd: Bryan Lefefbvre, Grand Island, Fla., five bass, 17-5, $960
4th: Brandon St. Pierre, Lehigh Acres, Fla., five bass, 16-9, $673
5th: Terry Hussey, Nickerson, Neb., five bass, 16-8, $577
6th: Preston Williams, Tallahassee, Fla., five bass, 16-6, $528
7th: Scott Corliss, Kissimmee, Fla., five bass, 15-9, $480
8th: Ronny Wiemer, Wesley Chapel, Fla., five bass, 15-6, $384
8th: Tyler Nekolny, Coral Springs, Fla., five bass, 15-6, $384
8th: Ben Baran, Mound, Minn., four bass, 15-6, $384
Patrick Bartolotta of Lake Mary, Florida, earned the Berkley Big Bass co-angler award of $470, catching a largemouth that weighed in at 7 pounds, 9 ounces – the largest co-angler catch of the day.
After three events, Bryan Honnerlaw of Moore Haven, Florida, leads the BFL Gator Division Boater Angler of the Year (AOY) race with 714 points, while Tyler Nekolny of Coral Springs, Florida, leads the Strike King Co-Angler Division AOY race with 731 points.
The top 45 boaters and co-anglers in the region based on point standings, along with the five tournament winners of each qualifying event, will qualify for the Oct. 12-14 BFL Regional tournament on Lake Eufaula in Eufaula, Alabama. Boaters will fish for a top award of $60,000, including a new Phoenix 819 Pro with a 200-horsepower Mercury outboard and $10,000, while co-anglers will compete for a top award of $50,000, including a new Phoenix 819 Pro with a 200-horsepower Mercury outboard.
The 2023 Phoenix BFL Presented by T-H Marine is a 24-division circuit devoted to weekend anglers, with 128 events throughout the season, five qualifying tournaments in each division. The top 45 boaters and Strike King co-anglers from each division, along with the five qualifying event winners, will advance to one of six BFL Regional tournaments where they are competing to finish in the top six, which then qualifies them for one of the longest-running championships in all of competitive bass fishing – the BFL All-American. The 2023 All-American event will take place May 31-June 2, on Lake Hartwell in Seneca, South Carolina. The event is hosted by Visit Oconee SC.
Proud sponsors of the 2023 MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine include: 4WP, 13 Fishing, Abu Garcia, B&W Trailer Hitches, Berkley, Black Rifle Coffee, E3, Epic Baits, Favorite Fishing, General Tire, Grundéns, Gill, Lew’s, Lowrance, Mercury, Mossy Oak, Onyx, Phoenix, Polaris, Power-Pole, Strike King, Tackle Warehouse, T-H Marine, Toyota, Wiley X and YETI.
For complete details and updated tournament information, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular Bass Fishing League updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF5’s social media outlets at Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.