Waterford’s Hellebuyck Wins Phoenix Bass Fishing League on Detroit River
Mattawan’s Quackenbush Wins Strike King Co-Angler Division
TRENTON, Mich. (Aug. 2, 2021) – Boater Chris Hellebuyck of Waterford, Michigan wins the Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine at Detroit River Presented by TINCUP Whiskey in Trenton, Michigan. Hellebuyck earned $5,979 for his victory at the event on Saturday, July 31.
TOP 10 RESULTS
| RANK | BOATER NAME/HOMETOWN | BASS | WEIGHT | AWARD |
| 1st | Chris Hellebuyck of Waterford, Mich. | 5 | 23-10 | $5,979 |
| 2nd | Ryan Hochstetler of Shipshawana, Ind. | 5 | 22-11 | $2,640 |
| 3rd | Ryan Hartman of Cygnet, Ohio | 5 | 22-0 | $1,426 |
| 4th | Dan Mittlestat of Woodhaven, Mich. | 5 | 21-10 | $998 |
| 5th | Jonathon Dewey of Fort Gratiot, Mich. | 5 | 21-8 | $856 |
| 6th | Elijah Meyers of Fort Wayne, Ind. | 5 | 21-4 | $785 |
| 7th | Ralph Blasey of Pinckney, Mich. | 5 | 21-2 | $713 |
| 8th | Neil Heisler of Plymouth, Mich. | 5 | 19-13 | $642 |
| 9th | Daniel Sepeck of Norwood, Ohio | 5 | 19-11 | $506 |
| 9th | Drew Six of Clinton, Ohio | 5 | 19-11 | $506 |
| 9th | Robby Lefere of Jackson, Mich. | 5 | 19-11 | $506 |
| RANK | STRIKE KING CO-ANGLER NAME/HOMETOWN | BASS | WEIGHT | AWARD |
| 1st | John Quackenbush of Mattawan, Mich. | 5 | 23-6 | $2,442 |
| 2nd | Gregory Jantovsky of Livonia, Mich. | 5 | 20-13 | $1,070 |
| 3rd | Kristian Dus of Chicago, Ill. | 5 | 19-15 | $837 |
| 4th | James Marcum of Catlettsburg, Ky. | 5 | 19-11 | $499 |
| 5th | Trevor Bethke of Cadillac, Mich. | 5 | 18-0 | $428 |
| 6th | Brian Perdieu of Rochester, Ind. | 5 | 17-13 | $392 |
| 7th | Bryce Amberg of South Bend, Ind. | 5 | 17-12 | $357 |
| 8th | Tom Lyskawka of Arlington Heights, Ill. | 5 | 17-10 | $321 |
| 9th | Andy White of Canton, Mich. | 5 | 17-7 | $285 |
| 10th | Dan Housel of Carlisle, Pa. | 5 | 17-1 | $250 |
CONTINGENCY AWARDS
| AWARD | NAME | CONTINGENCY | PAYOUT |
| Boater Big Bass | David Gloden of Ionia, Mich. | 5-pound, 10-ounce bass | $605 |
| Strike King Co-Angler Berkley Big Bass | John Quackenbush of Mattawan, Mich. | 5-pound, 11-ounce bass | $302 |
| Phoenix MLF BIG5 Bonus | Ryan Hochstetler of Ship Shawana, Ind. | Eligible Phoenix Boat* | $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 | Unspecified Ned Rig/Drop Shot | N/A |
| Strike King Co-Angler | Unspecified Drop Shot | N/A |
2021 QUALIFICATION OPPORTUNITIES
| EVENT | DATE | LOCATION | HOST |
| Michigan Division – Phoenix Bass Fishing League Regional Championship | Oct. 14-16 | Potomac River, Marbury, Md. | Charles County Board of Commissioners |
| 2022 Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American | June 2-4 | Lake Hamilton, Hot Springs, Ark. | Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism & Visit Hot Springs |
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 .
