Josh Bertrand Goes Wire-to-Wire to win 2022 WON Bass U.S. Open

October 13, 2022

Laughlin, Nev. – October 12, 2022 – It’s very rare to have a bass fishing event in the deserts of Nevada and Arizona where wind is not a factor in the event. It is even more rare for a three-day event to have a complete lack of wind. Warm, calm conditions greeted the anglers who ventured out onto the waters of Lake Mohave each day for the 2022 Bass Cat / Mercury WON BASS U.S. Open has been presented by Laughlin Tourism Commission and Visit Laughlin.

Calm slick conditions on a clear water fishery often means difficult conditions, but for the first two days, San Tan Valley, Ariz. pro Josh Bertrand seemingly made it look easy with consecutive limits that eclipsed 20 pounds. With a two-day total of 43.79 pounds, he held a little more than a four–pound lead over second place pro Spencer Shuffield of Hot Springs, Ark., who started the final day with 39.43 pounds. Three–time U.S. Open champion Clifford Pirch, from Payson, Ariz. stood in third with 39.36 pounds.

The trio, and those chasing them spent a long day on Lake Mohave, but in the end, it was San Tan Valley, Ariz. pro Josh Bertrand, the man who led since the opening bell who proved to put the pieces of the puzzle together the best and walked away with the title of 2022 WON Bass U.S. OpenChampion. Bertrand added a final day limit of Lake Mohave smallmouthweighing 17.99 pounds to bring his three-day winning total to 61.78.

In claiming victory, Bertrand not only held the trophy, but also grabbed the keys to the Bass Cat Cougar FTD / Mercury ProXS 250 prize package worth $86,000 and the winner’s share of the purse worth another $75,000.

Bertrand outlasted Shuffield who posted his second consecutive limiteclipsing 20 pounds on the final day. His 20.75-pound limit brought his total to finish the tournament with 60.18 pounds, good enough for second place.

AAA angler Joe Ahrens of San Diego, Calif. began the final day in eighthplace and fished with Fort Worth, Tex. pro Chris Zaldain. The pair weighed 18.83 pounds on the final day to bring his total weight to 46.40 pounds to claim the title of WON Bass U.S. Open AAA Champion. His victory earned him the keys to a Honda Fortrax ATV valued at $5,600 and $9,000 cash.

Bertrand, who began his fishing career guiding and competing in tournaments in Arizona, said that this title was something he had wanted for years. “The U.S. Open has always been one of the most important and special tournaments I’ve fished in,” he said. “I’d always wanted to earn this trophy, but I didn’t know how much it meant to me until I was on the water today; it was a very stressful day, and I am so happy that it turned out this way.”

The Major League Fishing Bass Pro Tour angler, who has turned into one of the most consistent anglers in the business, said that he fished deep with a dropshot rig to put his weight together. “I fished the middle section of the lake on structure in 20 to 40 feet of water,” he said. “I would use my Garmin Livescope Plus to make sure the fish were there and cast my dropshot rig to them; they were relating heavily to school of baitfish.”

Bertrand revealed that each of his keepers came on a Berkley Flatworm in green pumpkin, with the late exception of two of his final fish that bit the same worm in a black color. “I used the Flatworm because I have so much confidence in how it appeals to smallmouth,” he said. “I threw it on my new Abu Garcia dropshot rod ad reel spooled with 6-pound-test Trilene fluorocarbon, a 3/8-ounce dropshot rig with a Fusion 19 Dropshot Hook; that was my whole program.”

Bertrand, who won a Bassmaster Elite Series event on the St. Lawrence River in New York in 2018, said that the personal importance of this win is at a premium. “I am really fortunate to compete on a national level, and to have won there,” he said. “But this win ranks at the top of my list because of what it has meant to me over my career; the U.S. Open has been the event all of us in the West want to win, and I’ve dreamt of it my whole life; I’m absolutely in shock right now.”

Fishing his first U.S. Open, Shuffield found comfort in the fact that he was smallmouth fishing and put together a run at the win. “I really loved the way this lake fished, it is an amazing lake,” said Shuffield. “I used a dropshot rig and a Ned Rig to catch all of my fish this week fishing in the area they call “The Bowl.”

Shuffield used the same Berkley Flatworm that won the event, but also used a green pumpkin Z Man TRD to boat his fish. He threw them on a 7’4” Phenix M1rod and Daiwa Ballistic reel spooled with 15-pound-test Hi-Viz Yellow Yozuri Super Braid and an 8-pound-test Yozuri T7 Fluorocarbon leader.”

The Arizona pro said that he let himself listen to the dock talk that said that 18 pounds a day would win the event, and it cost him. “I had 18 pounds early then laid off my fish trying to conserve the areas on the first day and weighed in two under four pounds,” he said. “I tried to make up for it, but that first day really cost me. But I have to give it Josh, he knew what he had to do and went out and did it; congratulations to him.”

Patrick Touey from Nipomo, Calif. caught 19 pounds today and moved into third place for the championship with 56.75 pounds. 18-year-old Zach VerBrugge brought 17.71 pounds to the scales at Katherine Landing to move his total weight to 53.47 pounds, landing the Lake Havasu, Ariz. pro in fourth place. Rounding out the top five was Zaldain, the Bassmaster Elite Series pro weighed a total of 51.61 pounds for the event.

Following the AAA winner Ahrens, in second place was Brian Tressen from Corona, Calif with 45.72 pounds. In third place was Mike Crothers of Chandler, Ariz. with 44.03 pounds. Jim Vretzos of El Dorado Hills, Calif. finished the event in fourth place with 43.54 pounds and Tyler Head of Eugene, Ore. Rounded out the top five with 41.71 pounds.

The 2022 Bass Cat / Mercury WON BASS U.S. Open has been presented by Laughlin Tourism Commission and Visit Laughlin. Takeoffs and weigh-ins were held at Katherine Landing at Lake Mohave Marina located at 2690 Katherine Spur, Bullhead City, AZ 86429.

Look to wonbass.com and WONews.com along with WON BASS and Western Outdoor News social media platforms for event details and updates.

Complete final standings can be found below.

The 40th Anniversary 2022 WON BASS U.S. Open is presented by the following sponsors; Bass Cat Boats, Mercury Marine, Costa, CenturyMarine, Power–Pole, Western Outdoor News, Next Gen Lithium, Daiwa, Berkley, Abu Garcia, Frabill, Plano, Seaguar, Chevron Techron Marine, Lowrance, DD26 Fishing, Phenix Rods, Gamakatsu, Livingston Lures,Roboworm, HydroHoist, Bridgford Foods, Last Chance Performance Marine, Anglers Marine, Katherine Landing, Sure Life, LifeSource Water Systems, HUK Fishing, Huntington Beach Honda, Anderson Ford, Tuff Bunk, Laughlin Tourism Commission, Visit Laughlin and Edgewater Hotel, Casino & Resort.

Final Standings:

	PRO				AAA
1	$75,000 + Fully Loaded Bass Cat	Josh Bertrand	61.78	1	$9,000 + Honda Fourtrax ATV	Joe Ahrens	46.40
2	$16,500	Spencer Shuffield	60.18	2	$5,750	Brian Tressen	45.72
3	$10,000	Patrick Touey	56.75	3	$4,750	Mike Crothers	44.03
4	$9,000	Zach VerBrugge	53.47	4	$3,350	Jim Vretzos	43.54
5	$8,000	Chris Zaldain	51.61	5	$2,500	Tyler Head	41.71
6	$7,500	Luke Clausen	51.06	6	$2,300	Michael Gabrielson	40.34
7	$6,500	Sean Coffey	50.64	7	$2,000	Brian Kemp	39.72
8	$6,000	Austin Bonjour	48.88	8	$1,750	Phillip Dijulio	39.47
9	$5,500	Jeremy McKay	48.12	9	$1,500	Ty Crofts	38.34
10	$4,500	Todd Kline	46.49	10	$1,250	Mike Gowey	38.02
11	$3,750	Scott Hellesen	45.88	11	$1,000	R. Stephen Gustafson	36.95
12	$3,750	Justin Kerr	45.34	12	$1,000	Mike Rasso	36.71
13	$3,750	Conrad Demecs	45.25	13	$1,000	Gary Freeman	36.32
14	$3,500	Clifford Pirch	45.24	14	$1,000	Mike Kizis	35.65
15	$3,500	Kyle Grover	43.09	15	$1,000	Tom Creasy	35.62
16	$3,000	Ben Byrd	40.62	16	$900	Eric Hammer	35.59
17	$3,000	Joe Uribe, Jr.	39.68	17	$900	Charles Jett	35.55
18	$3,000	Kalib Lund	39.35	18	$900	Max Howarth	35.33
19	$2,750	Dan Frazier	39.23	19	$900	Dylan Watson	34.98
20	$2,750	Cody Kurz	38.72	20	$900	Bo McNeely	34.96
21	$2,500	Jonathan Schuyler	38.64	21	$800	Kyle Keegan	34.93
22	$2,500	Mark Williams	37.61	22	$800	Pete Marino	34.66
23	$2,500	Roy Hawk	37.30	23	$800	Brandon Diamond	34.52
24	$2,500	Jon Bell	37.15	24	$800	Jeff Stuart	34.46
25	$2,500	Brett Leber	37.05	25	$800	Junior Mora	33.64
26	$2,250	Kyle Richins	36.99	26	$750	Joe Uribe, Sr.	33.45
27	$2,250	Douglas Jones	36.97	27	$750	Michael Reynolds	33.14
28	$2,250	Byron Velvick	36.67	28	$750	Anthony Stanfa	32.99
29	$2,250	Marvin Finley	36.24	29	$750	Andrew Packard	32.97
30	$2,250	Bryan Grier	36.14	30	$750	Nick Lara	32.96
31	$2,000	Mike Bird	36.10	31	$600	Makoto Otani	32.72
32	$2,000	Michael Phua	35.86	32	$600	Dave Phillips	32.66
33	$2,000	Ken Whalen	35.69	33	$600	Kurt Hodges	32.25
34	$2,000	Tim Klinger	35.62	34	$600	Noah Sanford	31.58
35	$1,600	Max Hernandez	35.51	35	$600	Joseph Riordan	30.87
36	$1,600	Mike Steckel	35.37	36	$600	Dean Yamagata	30.85
37	$1,600	Billy Hines	34.84	37	$600	Brian Reaves	30.65
38	$1,600	Mark Poe	34.82	38	$600	Richard Johnson	30.48
39		John Basmadjian	34.58		39	Ray Kawabata	30.12
40		Samuel Collins	34.51		40	Zach Gines	29.83
41		Clayton Meyer	34.47		41	Robert Brondyke	29.81
42		John Fuqua	34.07		42	Jonathan Green	29.61
43		Paul Hodges	33.92		43	Kevin A. Smith	29.58
44		Brandon Morton	33.9		44	Sonny Yee	29.51
45		Gunnar Stanton	33.77		45	Darren Wilson	29.50
45		Johnny Johnson	33.77		46	William McAninch	29.39
47		Bill Brown	32.76		47	Colton Underwood-Garside	29.15
48		Kevin Wiggins	32.53		48	Steve W. Clark	28.80
49		Dennis Kolender	32.51		49	Bryan Ledford	28.51
50		Jeff Baird	31.61		50	Clif Gallagher	28.50
51		Chris Patek	30.88		51	James Pena	28.24
52		Dylan Maxon	30.85		52	Douglas Bullard	28.18
53		Jason Reyes	30.15		53	Adam Arp-Romero	28.14
54		Mike Williams	29.74		54	Melanie McBride	28.13
55		John Martinez	29.55		55	Tom Kruse	27.99
56		Kevin Johnson	29.3		56	Tony Witt	27.88
57		Chris Costello	29.14		57	Ethan Hammer	27.57
58		Micah Jones	29.06		58	Brian Avila	27.54
59		Ricky Shabazz	28.23		59	Lyle Valador	27.41
60		Marty Lawrence	27.96		60	Kenneth Murata	27.09
61		Levi Samz	27.72		61	Michael Nugent	26.82
62		Jerry Ballesteros	27.6		62	Alf Penland	26.72
63		Chris Kinley	26.9		63	Rick Correa	26.72
64		Kevin Hugo	26.63		64	Patrick S. Donoho	26.59
65		Steve Lund	26.17		65	Gary Wasson	26.52
66		Mike Folkestad	25.89		66	Stephen Byrum	26.36
67		James Weaver	25.82		67	Nathan Foreman	26.04
68		Phillip Emery	25.58		68	Daymond Allen	26.01
69		Tom Kilduff	25.55		69	Mick Karshner	25.95
70		Louis Fernandes	25.35		70	Matthew Matus	25.78
71		Joe Cole	25.12		71	Ken Hromada	25.63
72		Sunny Hawk	24.98		72	Chris Ricci	25.59
73		Jim Herrero	24.84		73	Matt Thomas	25.07
74		Jordan Collom	24.47		74	Dylan Moore	25.03
75		Christopher Allen	24.33		75	John Younce	25.02
76		Steve Molinari	23.91		76	Rick Mason	24.83
77		Daylon Smith	23.9		77	John Bitting	24.81
78		Anthony Salazar	23.85		78	DJ Virzuela	24.57
79		Carl Limbrick, Jr.	23.78		79	David Hutto	24.44
80		John Morrow	23.68		80	Todd Tobiasson	24.34
81		Dan Davis	23.47		81	David Stanberry	24.33
82		Tony Lain	22.85		82	William Penrod	24.27
83		Travis Pitt	22.76		83	Randy Ricafort	24.24
84		Jamie Shaw	22.75		84	Tim Demecs	24.22
84		Rick Clunn	22.75		85	Ron Goldshine	23.98
86		Rusty Salewske	22.43		86	David Childress	23.92
87		Aaron Bartelt	22.4		87	Fisher Griffith	23.90
88		Adam Cacal	22.03		88	Brandon Smith	23.74
89		Mike Luiere	21.97		89	Tom Warren	23.68
90		Matt Frazier	21.78		90	David Zrebiec	23.58
91		Daniel Uptain	21.44		91	Bridger Richins	23.45
92		Justin Patti	21.29		92	Trait Zaldain	23.43
93		Tyler Ivie	21.16		93	Steve Larsen	23.41
94		Kevin Finley	21.03		94	Bryan Davis	23.37
95		Eddie Rodriguez	20.78		95	Zack Willis	23.37
96		Paul Bailey	20.66		96	Nathan Hill	23.36
97		Kazuki Kodama	20.64		97	Fred Buelna	23.35
98		Robert Morales	20.45		98	Rick Moore	23.12
99		Kevin Martin	20.29		99	Chuck Turner	23.01
100		John Gayo	19.74		100	Darin Folkestad	22.81
101		Andrew Napoleon	19.68		101	Craig Duvall	22.61
102		Mark Rauenzahn	19.57		102	Creston Carroll	22.61
103		Jeff Rutt	19.52		103	Geoff Pierce	22.60
104		Ray Arbesu	19.42		104	Joseph Weber	21.90
105		Ron Hammett	19.21		105	Shawn Carnahan	21.82
106		Tom Leedom	19.19		106	Kevin Burgess	21.73
107		Allen Bratton	19.04		107	David Thies	21.69
108		Wayne St. John	18.93		108	Josh Buller	21.29
109		Scooter Griffith	18.82		109	Chris Harvey	21.26
110		Benjamin Green	18.65		110	Jonathan Jackson	21.19
111		Tom Ormsby	18.19		111	Kaden Argyle	21.16
112		Patrick Whitaker	17.98		112	Vincent Alcantara	21.10
113		Mike Bartley	17.77		113	Anthony Romano	21.10
114		Lyle Dalby	17.68		114	Gary Volpe	21.08
115		CJ Hinkle	17.62		115	Todd Belzner	21.04
116		Matthew Luna	17.53		116	Kelly Burns	20.77
117		Robert Ostercamp	17.41		117	Hayden Metz	20.59
118		Travis Jewell	17.4		118	Kenny Johnson	20.59
119		Corey Williams	17.06		119	Jay Corbett	20.41
120		Lowell Mickelson	16.9		120	Mike Dailey	20.37
120		Jeff Hudson	16.9		121	James Scott	20.36
122		Jiggs Benn	16.83		122	Robbie Espinosa	20.33
123		Frankie Mueller	16.64		123	Norman Uptain	20.19
124		Todd Holverson	16.48		124	Joel Chin	19.77
125		Robert Lutes	16.29		125	Jordan Werner	19.73
126		Bill O’Shinn	16.23		126	Geoff Peterson	19.30
127		Donnie Scroggins	16.21		127	Gerald Kimzey	19.23
128		Shane Noel	16.16		128	Gerred Curwick	18.97
129		Louis Ulrich	16.01		129	Colin Harrell	18.76
130		Darius Arberry	15.9		130	Ray Gauerke	18.71
131		Jimmy Reese	15.55		131	Michael Grisham	18.40
132		Garrett Howard	15.54		132	Mark Chadeayne	18.40
133		David Valdivia	15.38		133	Blake Rose	18.23
134		Cody Steckel	15.21		134	Tim Domingues	18.18
135		Ryan Yamagata	15.16		135	Greg Stevens	18.11
136		Andy Manahl	15.1		136	Kevin Holmgreen	18.07
137		Chip Gilbert	15.09		137	Thor Dusenberry	18.01
138		Cameron Karber	15.03		138	Andrew Jayne	17.98
139		Shawn Herring	15.02		139	Chris Thatcher	17.77
140		Allen Clark	14.85		140	Mark J. White	17.62
141		Chris Nickerson	14.84		141	Lonnie Foster	17.50
142		Matt Shura	14.61		142	Chris Beverly	17.26
143		Rob Sanford	14.36		143	Jeff Giffen	17.18
144		Gil Valadez	14.33		144	Joe Ramos	17.11
145		Robert Sedillo, Jr.	14.29		145	Wade Goodwin	17.01
146		Shawn Cooley	13.58		146	Logan Walker	16.78
147		Russ Barger	13.53		147	Tim Roden	16.72
148		Greg Garcia	13.41		148	J.D. Madden	16.29
149		Austin Gutzwiller	13.33		149	Roger Nelson	16.18
150		Shane Spinning	13.2		150	Darin Guglielmo	15.98
151		Dick Watson	13.14		151	Shawn Byrne	15.96
152		Jason Bryan	13.06		152	Brian P. Day	15.93
153		Brian Nunn	12.75		153	Kirk Beardsley	15.85
154		Dung Van Vu	12.7		154	Steven Cook	15.13
155		Jesse A. Marquez	12.68		155	Scott Robertson	15.07
156		Brad Szarkowski	11.98		156	Bill Eastes	14.88
157		James Hansen	11.77		157	Anthony Souza	14.77
158		Ayaaz Ismail	11.57		158	Rick Cofield	14.73
159		Scott Davis	11.31		159	Trevor Love	14.68
160		Travis Darrough	11.17		160	Mark Shelden	14.68
161		Jeremy Mann	11.04		161	Joey Aliberto	14.09
162		Jim Hawkes	10.88		162	Joe Leonard	13.98
163		Rodney Reed	10.7		163	Jeremie Wraight	13.41
164		Rusty Brown	10.69		164	Steve Rice	13.37
165		Brent Becker	10.34		165	David Meza	12.85
166		Steven Bowlin	10.27		166	Ellison Hubbard	12.85
167		Mike Huseman	10.19		167	William Hill Sr	12.76
168		Tom White Jr.	9.27		168	Melvin Cromwell	12.64
169		Mag Gimbel	8.88		169	Stacy Teeters	12.22
170		Jesse Halstead	8.67		170	Ron Smith	12.19
171		Joshua Glenn	8.62		171	Steve Baker	11.73
172		Dan Merchant	8.42		172	David Shearrer	11.66
173		Victor Azevedo	8.27		173	Bret Felter	11.04
174		David Gliebe	7.8		174	Mike Hawkins	10.03
175		Michael Kuzara	7.75		175	Ralph Wells	9.81
176		Tony Capparelli	7.31		176	Larry Ballesteros	9.72
177		Marco Fenelli	7.24		177	Jamie Johnson	9.61
178		David Kemper	6.81		178	Rick Melead	9.23
179		Josh Albee	6.36		179	Rod Livermore	8.60
180		Zachary Elrite	6.23		180	John D. Helm	8.00
181		Jeffery Klicka	5.92		181	Len Scinto	7.98
182		Sheldon Johnson	5.84		182	Kevin McBean	7.65
183		Greg Halliman	5.59		183	Adam Glasscock	7.49
184		Mike Menne	4.85		184	Adam Gragg	7.19
185		Keith Newby	4.49		185	Scott Holman	5.59
186		Hermie Romero	3.89		186	Brayden Weaver	5.30
187		Kevin Duncan	2.52		187	Willie Waller	4.81
188		Shannon Perkins	2.33		188	Wayne Larsen	3.44
189		Melvin Williams	0		189	David King	2.33