Benton’s Defew Claims Victory at Phoenix Bass Fishing League Event on Kentucky-Barkley Lakes

GILBERTSVILLE, Ky. (June 13, 2022) – Boater Jeff Defew of Benton, Kentucky, caught five bass Saturday weighing 21 pounds, 10 ounces, to win the MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine on Kentucky-Barkley Lakes. The tournament, hosted by Kentucky Lake Convention and Visitors Bureau, was the third event for the Bass Fishing League LBL Division. Defew earned $5,428 for his victory.

“We’ve got a lot of really good fishermen in this area, and a lot of people come in and fish Kentucky Lake,” Defew said. “It’s very competitive. It’s a dream to win one of these trophies. I’ve always wanted one.

“It just feels awesome,” Defew went on to say. “I own a body shop and work 50 hours a week, and I fish on weekends and after work. So, for an ordinary guy to win one of these against guys who get to fish a lot feels really good.”

Defew, who said he considers himself a “north end” fisherman on Kentucky Lake, said he focused on fishing from Kenlake Resort State Park to the dam during the event. Defew said he caught eight to 10 keepers during the course of the day. The bass fell for a Berkley Power Worm, as well as a jig and a Strike King 10XD crankbait.

“Kentucky Lake is as competitive as any other body of water out there,” Defew said. “Our lake has changed, but it’s definitely getting better. Even on its worst day it’s still a lot better than a lot of lakes you can go to.”

The top 10 boaters finished the tournament in:

1st:        Jeff Defew, Benton, Ky., five bass, 21-10, $5,428
2nd:       Dan Morehead, Paducah, Ky., five bass, 17-4, $3,049
3rd:       Sam Boss, Paducah, Ky., five bass, 16-0, $1,478
4th:        David Seaton, Springville, Tenn., five bass, 15-13, $1,033
5th:        Keith Amerson, Bethel Springs, Tenn., five bass, 15-5, $886
6th:        Drew Lynch, Paducah, Ky., five bass, 15-1, $812
7th:        Gary Singleton, Dickson, Tenn., five bass, 14-15, $738
8th:        Larry Bailey, Paducah, Ky., five bass, 14-11, $864
9th:        Bobby Wade, Mayfield, Ky., five bass, 14-7, $590
10th:     Stu Moyer, Hardin, Ky., five bass, 14-1, $491
10th:     Kasey Alexander, Dawson Springs, Ky., five bass, 14-1, $491

Complete results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

Dan Morehead of Paducah, Kentucky, had a largemouth that weighed 7 pounds, 4 ounces that was the heaviest of the event in the Boater Division and earned the day’s Berkley Big Bass Boater award of $635.

Jim Elmore of Independence, Ky., won the Strike King Co-angler Division and $2,314 Saturday after catching five bass weighing 15 pounds, 13 ounces.

The top 10 Strike King co-anglers were:

1st:        Jim Elmore, Independence, Ky., five bass, 15-13, $2,314
2nd:       Drake Horn, Murphysboro, Ill., five bass, 14-10, $1,424
3rd:       William Walsh, Bon Aqua, Tenn., five bass, 12-1, $738
4th:        Ed Daniell, West Frankfort, Ill., five bass, 11-15, $667
5th:        Jay Fields, Breese, Ill., five bass, 10-14, $443
6th:        Barry Gunter, Trafalger, Ind., four bass, 10-3, $406
7th:        Ronald Franks, Hermitage, Tenn., four bass, 9-14, $369
8th:        Shane Ross, Pembroke, Ky., three bass, 8-15, $332
9th:        Stan Evans, Newburgh, Ind., four bass, 8-11, $276
9th:        Chanler Fleetwood, Vallonia, Ind., three bass, 8-11, $276

Drake Horn of Murphysboro, Illinois, caught the largest bass in the Co-angler Division, a fish weighing in at 5 pounds, 14 ounces. The catch earned him the day’s Berkley Big Bass Co-angler award of $317.

After three events, Billy Schroeder of Paducah, Kentucky, leads the Bass Fishing League LBL Division Boater Angler of the Year (AOY) race with 694 points, while Ed Daniell of West Frankfort, Illinois, leads the Strike King Co-Angler Division AOY race with 723 points.

The top 45 boaters and co-anglers in the region based on point standings, along with the five winners in each qualifying event, will be entered in the Oct. 13-15 Bass Fishing League Regional Championship on Pickwick Lake in Counce, Tennessee. Boaters will compete for a top award of $60,000, including a new Phoenix 819 Pro with a 200-horsepower Mercury outboard and $10,000, while co-anglers will fish for a new Phoenix 819 Pro with a 200-horsepower Mercury outboard.

The 2022 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 Regional Championships where they 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 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 MLF Toyota Series, the pathway to the MLF Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit and ultimately the MLF Bass Pro Tour.

Proud sponsors of the 2022 MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine include: 4WP, 13 Fishing, Abu Garcia, AFTCO, A.R.E. Truck Caps, B&W Trailer Hitches, Berkley, Black Rifle Coffee, E3, Epic Baits, Favorite Fishing, Gary Yamamoto Baits, General Tire, Lew’s, Lowrance, Lucas Oil, Mercury, Mossy Oak, Onyx, Phoenix, Polaris, Power-Pole, Revital Outdoors, Strike King, Tackle Warehouse, T-H Marine, Toyota, Wiley X, YETI and Yo-Zuri.

For complete details and updated tournament information, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular Bass Fishing League updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF5’s social media outlets at Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.