Flw Bfl Recap – Northeast, Buckeye, Gator, Savannah River, Music City Events From April 23, 2016
PITTSBURGH’S STASIAK WINS FLW BASS FISHING LEAGUE NORTHEAST DIVISION OPENER ON POTOMAC RIVER
Maurer wins co-angler title
MARBURY, Md. (April 25, 2016) – Matt Stasiak of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, weighed a five-bass limit totaling 19 pounds, 13 ounces, Saturday to win the first FLW Bass Fishing League (BFL) Northeast Division tournament of 2016 on the Potomac River. For his victory, Stasiak took home $7,498.
Stasiak said he spent his day focusing on a spawning area in Piscataway Creek. He said the bass were actively feeding on perch, which ended up being a crucial part of his pattern.
“I started out throwing a green-pumpkin Zoom Brush Hog,†said Stasiak, who earned his first win in FLW competition. “I was fan casting and dragging it. In tidal waters, sometimes you can’t see the beds, so dragging is the best option.â€
Around midday, Stasiak said he switched to using a green-pumpkin and orange-colored Z-Man ChatterBait.
“When the tide was moving, the bass were active and really wanted the ChatterBait,†said Stasiak. “At high-tide, I ran it slow over the top of grass. If it got caught, I’d pop it, let it fall, then keep reeling. At low tide, I kept my rod tip up as there was only about a foot of water where I was throwing.â€
Stasiak went on to say that he was able to catch 15 keepers throughout the event.
“A lot of people were throwing white Chatterbaits out there, but I don’t think they were dialed in on the shad,†said Stasiak. “I had a lot of perch bites up near my boat which made me choose the green-pumpkin and orange. That’s what got me the better bites.â€
The top 10 boaters finished the tournament in:
1st: Matt Stasiak, Pittsburgh, Pa., five bass, 19-13, $5,498 + $2,000 Ranger Cup Bonus
2nd: Al Fiorille, Mount Airy, Md., five bass, 19-6, $2,249
3rd: Ryan Ingalls, Fairfax, Va., five bass, 18-7, $1,498
4th: Michael Durbak, Woodbourne, N.Y., five bass, 18-0, $975
4th: Ernie Freeman, Broad Run, Va., five bass, 18-0, $975
6th: Grae Buck, Harleysville, Pa., five bass, 17-15, $825
7th: Joseph Thompson, Coatesville, Pa., five bass, 17-14, $750
8th: Mark Schafer, Williamstown, N.J., five bass, 17-11, $675
9th: Bruce Ring, Front Royal, Va., five bass, 17-10, $600
10th: Anthony Ebel, Davidsonville, Md., five bass, 17-7, $525
Complete results can be found at FLWFishing.com.
Brian Christy of Media, Pennsylvania, caught a 6-pound, 9-ounce bass – the biggest of the tournament in the pro division – and earned the day’s Boater Big Bass award of $645.
Ken Maurer of Herndon, Pennsylvania, weighed in five bass totaling 19 pounds, 7 ounces, Saturday to win the co-angler division and earn $2,249.
The top 10 co-anglers were:
1st: Ken Maurer, Herndon, Pa., five bass, 19-7, $2,249
2nd: Griffen Hurt, Bound Brook, N.J., five bass, 18-1, $1,125
3rd: Kenneth Henderson, Fredericksburg, Va., five bass, 17-11, $752
4th: Robert Parmer Jr., Linden, Pa., five bass, 17-9, $525
5th: Dennis Jones, La Plata, Md., five bass, 16-13, $450
6th: Brandon Esterly, Fleetwood, Pa., five bass, 16-11, $412
7th: Richard Pace, Frederick, Md., five bass, 16-3, $375
8th: Bill Naron, Beaverdam, Va., five bass, 15-13, $318
8th: Wyatt Morris, Little Falls, N.Y., five bass, 15-13, $318
10th: Damon Reid, Bowie, Md., five bass, 15-7, $262
Ron Terlop of Cleveland, Ohio, caught the biggest bass of the tournament in the co-angler division, a fish weighing 6 pounds, 2 ounces and earned the day’s Co-angler Big Bass award of $322.
The top 50 boaters and 50 co-anglers based on point standings will qualify for the Oct. 6-8 Regional Championship on Kerr Lake in Henderson, North Carolina. Boaters will compete for a top award of a Ranger Z518C with a 200-horsepower Evinrude or Mercury outboard and $20,000, while co-anglers will fish for a new Ranger Z518C with a 200-horsepower Evinrude or Mercury outboard.
The BFL is a 24-division circuit devoted to weekend anglers, with 120 tournaments throughout the season, five in each division. The top 50 boaters and co-anglers from each division qualify for a regional tournament and 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. Top winners in the BFL can move up to the Costa FLW Series or even the Walmart FLW Tour.
MAPLEWOOD’S GINTER WINS FLW BASS FISHING LEAGUE BUCKEYE DIVISION OPENER ON GRAND LAKE
Knapmeyer wins co-angler title
CELINA, Ohio (April 25, 2016) – Gary Ginter of Maplewood, Ohio, weighed a five-bass limit totaling 13 pounds, 1 ounce, Saturday to win the first FLW Bass Fishing League (BFL) Buckeye Division tournament of 2016 on Grand Lake. For his victory, Ginter took home $5,905.
“I started out my day on the south side of the lake fishing canals that I had marked in practice,†said Ginter, who earned his third win in FLW competition. “I had to adjust my pattern a bit due to boat traffic and ended up at my backup spot targeting wood and caught a few fish fairly quick.â€
Ginter said he flipped the wood using a custom black soft-plastic creature bait.
“I moved it slow with short hops,†said Ginter. “It resembles a Zoom Brush Hog and it got me through the seven areas I hit throughout my day.â€
At 12:30 p.m., Ginter said he had four fish in the boat and decided to finish the event running his bait along rocks.
“After the sun came out, I filled my limit and culled when I could,†said Ginter. “I ended up with nine keepers. Basically I paid attention to what others were doing and did the opposite.â€
The top 10 boaters finished the tournament in:
1st: Gary Ginter, Maplewood, Ohio, five bass, 13-1, $5,905
2nd: Todd Hahn, Heath, Ohio, five bass, 12-0, $2,453
3rd: Scott Tangeman, Chickasaw, Ohio, five bass, 11-4, $2,375
4th: Kenneth Pincombe, Hamilton, Ohio, five bass, 10-15, $1,063
4th: Dan Moran, London, Ohio, five bass, 10-15, $1,063
6th: Brad Baldwin, Waynesville, Ohio, five bass, 10-14, $899
7th: Miles Johnson, Kettering, Ohio, five bass, 10-4, $1,118
8th: Cody Seeger, Lewistown, Ohio, five bass, 10-3, $695
8th: Ray Philhower, Milford, Ohio, four bass, 10-3, $695
10th: Bob Abrams, Williamsburg, Ohio, four bass, 10-0, $572
Complete results can be found at FLWFishing.com.
Tangeman caught a 5-pound, 3-ounce bass – the biggest of the tournament in the pro division – and earned the day’s Boater Big Bass award of $740.
Brandon Knapmeyer of Union, Kentucky, weighed in four bass totaling 8 pounds, 2 ounces, Saturday to win the co-angler division and earn $2,436.
The top 10 co-anglers were:
1st: Brandon Knapmeyer, Union, Ky., four bass, 8-2, $2,436
2nd: John Long, New Bremen, Ohio, four bass, 8-1, $1,016
2nd: Dennis Sepeck, Bethel, Ohio, three bass, 8-1, $1,016
4th: Brett Warrick, Westerville, Ohio, five bass, 7-9, $568
5th: Mark Henderson, Martinsville, Ohio, four bass, 7-3, $487
6th: Jacob Bierman, Cincinnati, Ohio, four bass, 6-15, $447
7th: Owen Warner, Fairborn, Ohio, three bass, 6-9, $406
8th: Brody Campbell, Oxford, Ohio, three bass, 5-12, $345
8th: Brent Jones, Okeana, Ohio, three bass, 5-12, $345
10th: William Miller, Perry, Ohio, one bass, 5-11, $651
Miller caught the biggest bass of the tournament in the co-angler division, a fish weighing 5 pounds, 11 ounces and earned the day’s Co-angler Big Bass award of $367.
The top 50 boaters and 50 co-anglers based on point standings will qualify for the Oct. 13-15 Regional Championship on Kentucky Lake in Gilbertsville, Kentucky. Boaters will compete for a top award of a Ranger Z518C with a 200-horsepower Evinrude or Mercury outboard and $20,000, while co-anglers will fish for a new Ranger Z518C with a 200-horsepower Evinrude or Mercury outboard.
SARASOTA’S MIZELL WINS FLW BASS FISHING LEAGUE GATOR DIVISION EVENT ON LAKE OKEECHOBEE PRESENTED BY MINN KOTA
Mut wins co-angler title
OKEECHOBEE, Fla. (April 25, 2016) – Jessie Mizell of Sarasota, Florida, weighed a five-bass limit totaling 25 pounds, 11 ounces, Saturday to win the FLW Bass Fishing League (BFL) Gator Division tournament on Lake Okeechobee presented by Minn Kota. For his victory, Mizell took home $5,336.
Mizell said he targeted bass that were feeding on bluegill in a lagoon along a 100-yard stretch near Harney Pond.
“When I heard the bluegill popping, I would head into the pads,†said Mizell, who earned the win in his first-ever event with FLW. “The water was clean on the outside of the hydrilla line, but that morning there was a southwest wind that blew in some dirty water so I decided to focus on the back side of the pads.
“I used a green-pumpkin Z-Man ChatterBait rigged with a Gambler Little EZ to catch my limit for the day,†Mizell continued. “I rolled it as slow as I could and just kept pecking at them. It was a grind, but I knew the fish were in there.â€
Mizell said he made a midday adjustment which helped him catch nearly 12 keepers.
“In the morning, I lost a lot of fish,†said Mizell. “I was pulling the bait aside when they swiped at it and it scared them off. But after a while, I figured them out. I noticed they would eat it after I stopped cranking to let it drop, so that’s what I did throughout the rest of the day and it worked.â€
The top 10 boaters finished the tournament in:
1st: Jessie Mizell, Sarasota, Fla., five bass, 25-11, $5,336
2nd: Kail Stevens, Boynton Beach, Fla., five bass, 24-5, $2,668
3rd: Raymond Trudeau, Saint Cloud, Fla., five bass, 23-7, $1,780
4th: Jared Dial, Winter Haven, Fla., five bass, 23-6, $1,245
5th: Steve Yeatts, Palm Springs, Fla., five bass, 22-10, $1,487
6th: Richard Held, Lake Worth, Fla., five bass, 19-14, $978
7th: Mike Keyso Jr., North Port, Fla., five bass, 19-11, $889
8th: Victor Knight, Lehigh Acres, Fla., five bass, 19-9, $800
9th: Gary Milicevic, Labelle, Fla., five bass, 19-6, $712
10th: Roger Crafton, Boca Grande, Fla., five bass, 19-4, $623
Complete results can be found at FLWFishing.com.
Yoan Alvarez of Miami, Florida, caught an 8-pound, 5-ounce bass – the biggest of the tournament in the pro division – and earned the day’s Boater Big Bass award of $420.
Alex Mut of Miami, Florida, weighed in five bass totaling 22 pounds, 11 ounces, Saturday to win the co-angler division and earn $2,668.
The top 10 co-anglers were:
1st: Alex Mut, Miami, Fla., five bass, 22-11, $2,668
2nd: Walter Sargent, Boynton Beach, Fla., five bass, 19-2, $1,334
3rd: Christopher Kelley, Port Saint Lucie, Fla., five bass, 17-1, $888
4th: Michael Chadwick, La Belle, Fla., five bass, 14-9, $623
5th: Terry Chapman, Brooksville, Fla., five bass, 13-15, $534
6th: Robert Turcotte, Naples, Fla., five bass, 13-7, $489
7th: Matthew Wolfe Jr., Casstown, Ohio, five bass, 13-6, $445
8th: David Bozeman, Ocala, Fla., five bass, 13-5, $400
9th: General Johnson, Fort Myers, Fla., four bass, 13-3, $356
10th: Greg Smith, Naples, Fla., five bass, 13-1, $311
William Brown of Davie, Florida, caught the biggest bass of the tournament in the co-angler division, a fish weighing 7 pounds, 4 ounces and earned the day’s Co-angler Big Bass award of $420.
EASTANOLLEE’S MORROW WINS FLW BASS FISHING LEAGUE SAVANNAH RIVER DIVISION EVENT ON LAKE HARTWELL PRESENTED BY NAVIONICS
Rogers wins co-angler title
ANDERSON, S.C. (April 25, 2016) – Pro angler Troy Morrow of Eastanollee, Georgia, weighed a five-bass limit totaling 17 pounds, 11 ounces, Saturday to win the FLW Bass Fishing League (BFL) Savannah River Division tournament on Lake Hartwell presented by Navionics. For his victory, Morrow took home $7,684.
“My original intention was to head up the river and look for bedding fish, but when I arrived at my area they were gone,†said Morrow, a four-time Forrest Wood Cup qualifier. “I had to adjust on the fly.â€
“I flipped a tree laydown using a plum-apple-colored Zoom Lizard and had some success,†said Morrow. “I found that there was also a flipping bite near smaller bushes. There were a bunch of bucks in them. At some larger willow bushes, I caught one that I eventually weighed in.â€
Around 1 p.m., Morrow said he ran south to a pocket where he ended up catching the heaviest bass of the tournament.
“I saw a big female in there and threw the Lizard, but she wasn’t biting,†said Morrow. “I left her alone for awhile, then went back, pitched in a green-pumpkin Lizard, and she bit.â€
Morrow said his final two limit fish came on a Zoom swimbait off of docks on a nearby main-lake flat.
“Even though I wasn’t able to go with my original pattern, I was still able to patch things up,†said Morrow. “It was an interesting day out there.â€
The top 10 boaters finished the tournament in:
1st: Troy Morrow, Eastanollee, Ga., five bass, 17-11, $5,684 + $2,000 Ranger Cup Bonus
2nd: Derek Champion, Tryon, N.C., five bass, 17-5, $2,059
3rd: Matthew Roesch, Toccoa, Ga., five bass, 16-10, $1,374
4th: Randy Childers, Anderson, S.C., five bass, 15-9, $961
5th: Greg Glouse, Liberty, S.C., five bass, 15-1, $824
6th: Mike Bouknight, Greenwood, S.C., five bass, 14-12, $755
7th: Eddie Whiten Jr., Pickens, S.C., five bass, 14-3, $652
8th: Chris Baxter, Winder, Ga., five bass, 14-3, $952
9th: David Wright, Lexington, N.C., five bass, 14-2, $514
9th: Michael Brehm, Rock Hill, S.C., five bass, 14-2, $514
Complete results can be found at FLWFishing.com.
Morrow also caught a 7-pound, 6-ounce bass – the biggest of the tournament in the pro division – and earned the day’s Boater Big Bass award of $565.
Jody Rogers Sr. of Clarkesville, Georgia, weighed in five bass totaling 12 pounds, 6 ounces, Saturday to win the co-angler division and earn $2,059.
The top 10 co-anglers were:
1st: Jody Rogers Sr., Clarkesville, Ga., five bass, 12-6, $2,059
2nd: Christopher Chavis, Rincon, Ga., five bass, 12-0, $1,030
3rd: Barry Myers, Anderson, S.C., five bass, 11-13, $687
4th: Bill Hawkins, Piedmont, S.C., five bass, 11-3, $480
5th: Bobby Smith, Asheville, N.C., five bass, 10-10, $412
6th: Lesley Childers, Anderson, S.C., five bass, 10-9, $378
7th: Stewart Uldrick, Anderson, S.C., five bass, 10-5, $326
7th: Tony Holbrooks, Franklin, N.C., five bass, 10-5, $326
9th: Keith Lewis, Franklin, N.C., five bass, 10-2, $275
10th: Stephen Burress, Mills River, N.C., five bass, 9-14, $240
Ethan Monk of Long Creek, South Carolina, caught the biggest bass of the tournament in the co-angler division, a fish weighing 4 pounds, 9 ounces and earned the day’s Co-angler Big Bass award of $282.
MOUNT JULIET’S MERRICK WINS FLW BASS FISHING LEAGUE MUSIC CITY DIVISION EVENT ON PERCY PRIEST PRESENTED BY NAVIONICS
Foutz wins co-angler title
SMYRNA, Tenn. (April 25, 2016) – William Merrick of Mount Juliet, Tennessee, weighed a five-bass limit totaling 18 pounds, 4 ounces, Saturday to win the FLW Bass Fishing League (BFL) Music City Division tournament on Percy Priest presented by Navionics. For his victory, Merrick took home $3,648.
“I spent my day on the south end of the lake throwing a large swimbait,†said Merrick, who earned his second win in FLW competition. “I slow-rolled it out deep for both pre- and postspawn bass in about 20 different spots. I preferred spawning banks that had a specific mix of rock and gravel.â€
Merrick said he used a 7-inch, trout-colored Osprey Swimbait and caught nearly 13 keepers on a fairly consistent basis.
“It’s a lot larger than most swimbaits used in this part of the country,†said Merrick. “It was definitely something the fish weren’t accustomed to seeing.â€
Merrick said his limit consisted of three postspawn smallmouth and two prespawn largemouth bass.
The top 10 boaters finished the tournament in:
1st: William Merrick, Mount Juliet, Tenn., five bass, 18-4, $3,648
2nd: Chris Fondren, Lebanon, Tenn., five bass, 16-9, $1,324
3rd: Jeff Lokken, Lebanon, Tenn., five bass, 15-14, $882
4th: Brandon Edel, Hendersonville, Tenn., five bass, 13-10, $903
5th: Billy Hinson, Mount Juliet, Tenn., five bass, 13-6, $530
6th: Jeremy Ethridge, Murfreesboro, Tenn., five bass, 12-14, $463
7th: Charlie Crisp Jr., Catlettsburg, Ky., five bass, 12-14, $463
8th: Josh Tramel, Smithville, Tenn., five bass, 12-5, $397
9th: Adam Militana, Nashville, Tenn., five bass, 12-3, $353
10th: Brandon Maynard , Cookeville, Tenn., five bass, 12-2, $309
Complete results can be found at FLWFishing.com.
Edel caught a 5-pound, 9-ounce bass – the biggest of the tournament in the pro division – and earned the day’s Boater Big Bass award of $285.
Jacob Foutz of Charleston, Tennessee, weighed in five bass totaling 11 pounds, 10 ounces, Saturday to win the co-angler division and earn $1,324.
The top 10 co-anglers were:
1st: Jacob Foutz, Charleston, Tenn., five bass, 11-10, $1,324
2nd: Jim Fontaine, Smyrna, Tenn., five bass, 10-12, $804
3rd: Jason McCanless, Lebanon, Tenn., five bass, 10-10, $440
4th: Michael Birdwell, Granville, Tenn., five bass, 10-4, $309
5th: Greg Whittaker, Monterey, Tenn. five bass, 10-2, $265
6th: Brandon Russell, Murfreesboro, Tenn., four bass, 8-14, $243
7th: Larry Anderson, Hillsboro, Ohio, three bass, 8-5, $221
8th: Jake Short, Lebanon, Tenn., four bass, 8-3, $199
9th: Alex Hester, Crossville, Tenn., four bass, 7-11, $177
10th: Brennon Binkley, Franklin, Tenn., three bass, 7-10, $154
Fontaine caught the biggest bass of the tournament in the co-angler division, a fish weighing 3 pounds, 14 ounces and earned the day’s Co-angler Big Bass award of $142.
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