Epting Wins Phoenix Bass Fishing League on Lake Murray
Boiling Springs’ Pennell Wins Strike King Co-Angler Division
PROSPERITY, S.C. (Feb. 15, 2021) – Boater Chris Epting of Chapin of South Carolina won the Phoenix Bass Fishing League presented by T-H Marine at Lake Murray in Prosperity, South Carolina, earning $6,509 for his victory.
TOP 10 RESULTS
| RANK | BOATER NAME/HOMETOWN | BASS | WEIGHT | AWARD |
| 1st | Chris Epting of Chapin, S.C. | 5 | 24-06 | $6,509 |
| 2nd | Cody Hoyle of Rutherfordton, N.C. | 5 | 23-0 | $2,555 |
| 3rd | Ross Burns of Columbia, S.C. | 5 | 20-2 | $1,336 |
| 4th | Jeremiah Jensen of Columbia, S.C. | 5 | 19-7 | $935 |
| 5th | Christopher Marshall of Forest City, N.C. | 5 | 18-15 | $802 |
| 6th | Andy Wicker of Pomaria, S.C. | 5 | 18-4 | $735 |
| 7th | Ronald W. Catoe, Jr. of Lugoff, S.C. | 5 | 17-15 | $668 |
| 8th | Michael Stephens of Gastonia, N.C. | 5 | 17-2 | $601 |
| 9th | Justin Hadden of Leesville, S.C. | 5 | 16-14 | $535 |
| 10th | Ronnie Wilson of Grover, N.C. | 5 | 16-11 | $468 |
| RANK | STRIKE KING CO-ANGLER NAME/HOMETOWN | BASS | WEIGHT | AWARD |
| 1st | Thomas Pennell, III of Boiling Springs, S.C. | 5 | 18-9 | $2,005 |
| 2nd | Brennan Gunther of Mount Pleasant, S.C. | 5 | 14-3 | $1,002 |
| 3rd | Michael Campbell of Pineville, S.C. | 5 | 13-1 | $668 |
| 4th | Rodney Tapp of Inman, S.C. | 5 | 12-13 | $434 |
| 4th | Andrew Starnes of Chapin, S.C. | 5 | 12-13 | $434 |
| 6th | Bill Hawkins of Piedmont, S.C. | 3 | 11-11 | $568 |
| 7th | Zahreed McClinton of Fort Bragg, N.C. | 4 | 10-10 | $334 |
| 8th | Richie Dixon of Camden, S.C. | 4 | 10-7 | $301 |
| 9th | Lonnie Drusch of Sumter, S.C. | 3 | 10-0 | $267 |
| 10th | Brian Bultman of Aiken, S.C. | 3 | 9-10 | $234 |
A complete list of results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
CONTINGENCY AWARDS
| AWARD | NAME | CONTINGENCY | PAYOUT |
| Boater Berkley Big Bass | Cody Hoyle of Rutherfordton, N.C. | 8-pound, 12-ounce bass | $550 |
| Strike King Co-Angler Berkley Big Bass | Markice Johnson of Thomson, Ga. | 7-pound bass | $275 |
| Phoenix MLF BIG5 Bonus | Chris Epting of Chapin, S.C. | Eligible Phoenix Boat* | $2,500 |
* Boaters are eligible to win up to an extra $7,000 per event in each Phoenix Bass Fishing League presented by T-H Marine tournament if all requirements are met. More information on the Phoenix MLF BIG5 Bonus contingency program can be found at PhoenixBassBoats.com.
WINNING BAITS
| ANGLER | BAIT | COLOR |
| Boater | Did Not Divulge | Did Not Divulge |
| Strike King Co-Angler | Square Bait | Did Not Divulge |
2021 QUALIFICATION OPPORTUNITIES
| EVENT | DATE | LOCATION | HOST |
| South Carolina Division – Phoenix Bass Fishing League Regional Championship | Oct. 21-23 | St. Johns River, Palatka, Fla. | Putnam County Tourist Development Council |
| Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American | June 3-5 | Douglas Lake, Dandridge, Tenn. | Jefferson County Department of Tourism |
The 2021 MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League presented by T-H Marine is a 24-division circuit devoted to weekend anglers, with 128 tournaments throughout the season, five qualifying events in each division. The top 45 boaters and Strike King co-anglers from each division, along with the five winners of the qualifying events, will advance to one of six Phoenix Bass Fishing League Regional Championships. Boaters will compete for a $60,000 prize package, including a new Phoenix 819 Pro bass boat with a 200-horsepower Mercury outboard and $10,000, while Strike King co-anglers will fish for a new Phoenix 819 Pro bass boat with a 200-horsepower Mercury outboard.
The top six finishers in each regional will then qualify for one of the longest-running championships in all of competitive bass fishing – the Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American.
The top 45 boaters and Strike King co-anglers plus tournament winners from each Phoenix Bass Fishing League division will also earn priority entry into the Toyota Series, the pathway to the Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit and ultimately the MLF Bass Pro Tour.
For complete details and updated information visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow the Phoenix Bass Fishing League presented by T-H Marine on MLF’s social media outlets at Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.
