West Virginia’s Luke Stewart and Austin Craze, of Clay County Middle School and Clay County Elementary School, have won the Mossy Oak Fishing Bassmaster Junior Series at Lake Cumberland with 10 pounds, 1 ounce.

Photo by Chris Brown/B.A.S.S.

May 2, 2021

RUSSELL COUNTY, Ky. — Luke Stewart and Austin Craze were one of only three tandems to catch a limit on Sunday, and their 10-pound, 1-ounce haul was just enough to win the Mossy Oak Fishing Bassmaster Junior Series at Lake Cumberland.

Luke, 11, and Austin, 10, hail from the tiny town of Clay, W.Va., population 500, but they fished big in the derby that featured 32 duos from seven different states. The first cousins won $517 for the Clay County Middle School and Clay County Elementary School bass fishing team, part of a $1,360 purse split by the top four teams.

“The boys caught three fish on swimbaits and then caught two spawning fish, a smallmouth and a largemouth on a white wacky rig,” said the boys’ boat captain Mike Samples, who is Luke’s father and Austin’s uncle. “We were fishing in only a couple feet of water, mostly in the back of pockets around midlake. There were only five keepers today, but they were the right ones.”

The heavy of their bag was a 3-6 smallmouth Luke caught with the wacky rig.

“It swam into a bush, so I had to get it out of there,” Luke said. “Then he came right into the net. When I hooked it, I thought it was gonna be a big fish.”

Austin caught a 2-pound largemouth on a clear, 5-inch Senko worm to start the day right. He lost a 5-pounder later in the day that the boys wound up not needing to claim victory in the one-day event.

“This place is a lot like where we fish at home,” Austin said. “There are a lot of trees and a lot of rocks.”

The win continued a hot streak for the boys. Luke paired with his dad to win a 75-boat tournament three weeks ago on Summersville Lake back in West Virginia, and he and Austin teamed to win the state’s B.A.S.S. Nation Youth Championship last week.

The Kentucky team of Miles and Macgregor Allen (Holy Trinity) finished second with three fish weighing 9-12. They caught the big bass of the day — a 4-0 that earned them a $100 cash prize.

The Tennessee tandem of Jackson Leath and Hudson Clark (Mt. Juliet Fishing) placed third with five bass weighing 7-9, and Landon Gabby and Carson Bruner of the Southern Illinois Future Anglers finished fourth with a limit weighing 6-12.

2021 Mossy Oak Fishing Bassmaster Junior Series at Lake Cumberland 5/2-5/2
Lake Cumberland, Jamestown KY.
(BOATER) Standings Day 1

Angler Club/School Pts

1. Luke Stewart – Austin Craze Clay Co Middle School and Clay C 0
Day 1: 5 10-01 Total: 5 10-01
2. Miles Allen – Macgregor Allen Holy Trinity 0
Day 1: 3 09-12 Total: 3 09-12
3. Jackson Leath – Hudson Clark MT.JULIET FISHING 0
Day 1: 5 07-09 Total: 5 07-09
4. Landon Gabby – Carson Bruner Southern Illinois Future Anglers 0
Day 1: 5 06-12 Total: 5 06-12
5. Tristan Stewart – DJ Johnson Mt. Pleasant High School (357) 0
Day 1: 2 05-13 Total: 2 05-13
6. Rex Reagan – Jonah Johnson Pickett County Elementary Fishin 0
Day 1: 2 05-08 Total: 2 05-08
7. Camden Randall – Peyton Davidson Mt Pleasant Junior Bass (297) 0
Day 1: 3 04-04 Total: 3 04-04
8. Lainie Holbert – Sarah Swindle Riverside Bass Team 0
Day 1: 3 04-00 Total: 3 04-00
9. Landon Pierce – Korbin Neat Casey County 0
Day 1: 2 03-05 Total: 2 03-05
10. Wyatt Downs – Brayden Huddleston Upperman (198) 0
Day 1: 1 03-00 Total: 1 03-00
11. Fletcher Brasington – Jaxon Melancon Headland High School 0
Day 1: 1 02-11 Total: 1 02-11
12. Owen Ray – Jackson Ray Rhea County Eagle Anglers 0
Day 1: 2 02-05 Total: 2 02-05
13. Jackie Hatfield – Levi Huffstetler Alcoa Fishing Team (244) 0
Day 1: 1 02-03 Total: 1 02-03
14. Mason Grose – Sailor Mckinney Southern West Virginia Jr Bassma 0
Day 1: 1 02-01 Total: 1 02-01
15. Carson Howell – Colton Howell mount pleasant high school (200) 0
Day 1: 1 01-14 Total: 1 01-14
16. Brayden Rivest – Christopher Volpe Off the Hook Junior Bassmasters 0
Day 1: 1 01-03 Total: 1 01-03
17. Austin Benson – Aubrey Hicks 0
Day 1: 1 01-02 Total: 1 01-02
18. Tate Reynolds – Blane Smith Russell County High School 0
Day 1: 1 01-01 Total: 1 01-01
19. Parker Batts – Brody Jones Jefferson County Patriots 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
19. Gabe Browning – Evan Bradshaw Russell County Middle School 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
19. Dawson Bryant – Shelby County Jr Anglers 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
19. Kaden Chadwell – Kaleb Chadwell Campbell County Middle School ( 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
19. Cole Drawdy – Carter Rouse Mckeel Fishing team (225) 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
19. Tybee Flanery – Landon Chenault George Rogers Clark (605) 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
19. Cullen Howell – Talen Ashworth MOUNT PLEASANT high school (268) 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
19. Walker Larue – Jason Bennett Alcoa Middle School (219) 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
19. Annie Lassiter – Jameson Pursley warren county (451) 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
19. Mackenzie Muntz – Jacob Muntz Gibsonburg 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
19. Jaxson Pierce – Tucker Larrance Jefferson County Patriots (410) 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
19. Gunnar Rhodus – Tre Smith Garrard County High School 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
19. Kayden Waller – Michael Harris Mt. Juliet high school (263) 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00
19. Kaleb Winstead – Gabriel Avalos Scotts Hill High School Anlgers 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Total: 0 00-00