Former Auburn University angler catches limit to take 14-ounce lead into Day 2 of competition Saturday
EUFAULA, Ala. (May 10, 2024) – A month ago, today may not have been expected, but after practice for Stop 4 Presented by E3 Sport Apparel on Lake Eufaula wrapped up, many had high hopes for the offshore bite and the fishing overall. On cue, the Tackle Warehouse Invitationals pros delivered. Ten pros caught 20 pounds or better on Day 1, and 17 pounds went all the way to 23rd place, with an offshore bite that is starting to fire responsible for a lot of the damage.
In the lead, former Auburn University star Tucker Smith of Birmingham, Alabama, sacked up 22 pounds, 11 ounces. Behind him, Hemphill, Texas pro Marshall Hughes bagged 21-13, local favorite Justin Barnes of Ellaville, Georgia, tallied 21-11, and Flint Davis, Cal Lane and Jake Lawrence also crossed the 21-pound mark. It’s safe to say we’re in for a good one.
Link to Photo Gallery of Day 1 Highlights
Link to Video of Fish-Catch Highlights of Day 1 on Lake Eufaula
The full field of 150 anglers will conclude the two-day opening round on Saturday, with only the top 30 pros based on their two-day cumulative weight advancing to Championship Sunday. The three-day tournament, hosted by the Eufaula Barbour County Chamber of Commerce, features a roster of 150 anglers competing for a top prize of up to $115,000 and an invitation to compete at REDCREST 2025.
Just 22-years-old, Smith has put college aside to chase a pro fishing career, and early on, it’s looking like a good move. A talented offshore angler who’s very proficient with his electronics, Smith also has spent plenty of time on Lake Eufaula.
“It went really good,” he said of Day 1. “I ended up running around a bunch and landed on some. It was a rough morning. I didn’t catch anything really big this morning. And then, I’d say about 10:30, I pulled up on a place and there was a bunch of fish. I ended up catching around 18 pounds and then started bouncing, just graphing a bunch of places. I ended up catching a bunch of bigger ones that upgraded.”
Smith put most of his eggs in the offshore basket early on.
“I kind of had an idea that I wanted to fish offshore,” he said. “That’s my favorite way to fish – offshore. This time of year is tricky because the fish are just moving off the bed. They’re not super fat – a lot of them are pretty skinny, and they’re kind of finicky right now, so you kind of have to work for them to get them to bite.”
Fishing brush and schools, Smith saved some stuff for tomorrow and has high hopes for the rest of the event.
“I left some places untouched that I think I can catch them on,” he said. “At the end of the day, I left them biting on a place and caught my last 4-pounder and then ran in with an hour left. I think tomorrow should be fun. Hopefully there is not too much wind, and I can get on some places and catch some more.”
Though perhaps not a local by the typical definition, Smith is definitely on familiar grounds this week.
“I’ve fished here (Eufaula) a bunch – it’s one of my favorite lakes,” he said. “I’ve spent countless hours out here. Going to school at Auburn, this is the only place that I would come to.”
The top 20 pros after Day 1 on Alabama’s Lake Eufaula are:
1st: Tucker Smith, Birmingham, Ala., five bass, 22-11
2nd: Marshall Hughes, Hemphill, Texas, five bass, 21-13
3rd: Justin Barnes, Ellaville, Ga., five bass, 21-11
4th: Flint Davis, Leesburg, Ga., five bass, 21-8
5th: Cal Lane, Guntersville, Ala., five bass, 21-4
6th: Jake Lawrence, Buchanan, Tenn., five bass, 21-0
7th: Kyle Hall, Granbury, Texas, five bass, 20-14
8th: Dakota Ebare, Brookeland, Texas, five bass, 20-13
9th: Paul Marks, Jr., Cumming, Ga., five bass, 20-10
10th: Mark Condron, Murfreesboro, Tenn., five bass, 20-0
11th: Jaden Parrish, Liberty, Texas, five bass, 19-2
12th: Justin Lucas, Guntersville, Ala., five bass, 19-1
12th: Buddy Benson, Dahlonega, Ga., five bass, 19-1
14th: James Maupin, Stanardsville, Va., five bass, 18-14
15th: Jon Canada, Helena, Ala., five bass, 18-3
16th: Matt Baty, Bainbridge, Ga., five bass, 18-2
17th: Adrian Avena, Vineland, N.J., five bass, 18-0
18th: Blake Hall, Rogersville, Ala., five bass, 17-14
19th: Jordan Wiggins, Cullman, Ala., five bass, 17-13
20th: Kyle Cortiana, Broken Arrow, Okla., five bass, 17-11
Complete results for the entire field can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
Flint Davis earned the $1,000 Berkley Big Bass award on Friday with a bass that weighed in at 6 pounds, 5 ounces.
Overall, there were 113 five-bass limits caught by 144 pros on Friday.
In Tackle Warehouse Invitational competition, the full field of 150 anglers compete in the two-day opening round on Friday and Saturday in a five-fish, weigh-in format. Only the top 30 pros, based on their two-day cumulative weight, advance to the final round on Championship Sunday, where they will compete for the grand prize of up to $115,000. The winner of the Tackle Warehouse Invitational Stop 4 at Lake Eufaula Presented by E3 Sports Apparel will be determined by the heaviest three-day cumulative weight and will receive an invitation to compete at REDCREST 2025 on Lake Guntersville in Huntsville, Alabama.
Anglers will launch at 6:30 a.m. CT each day from Lakepoint Resort State Park, located at 104 Lakepoint Drive in Eufaula. Weigh-ins will also be held at the State Park and will begin at 2:30 p.m. Fans are welcome to attend all launch and weigh-in events and also encouraged to follow the event online throughout the day on the MLFNOW!® live stream and coverage at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
The MLFNOW! broadcast team of Chad McKee and Rob Newell will break down the extended action live all three days of competition from 7 a.m. to 2:15 p.m. CT. MLFNOW! will be live streamed on MajorLeagueFishing.com and the MyOutdoorTV (MOTV) app.
Television coverage of the MLF Tackle Warehouse Invitationals Stop 4 at Lake Eufaula Presented by E3 Sports Apparel will air as a two-hour episode, premiering at 9 a.m. ET, on Saturday, Oct. 26 on CBS Sports Network.
Proud sponsors of the 2024 MLF Tackle Warehouse Invitationals include: 7Brew, Abu Garcia, B&W Trailer Hitches, Berkley, BUBBA, E3 Sports Apparel, Epic Baits, Fishing Clash, General Tire, Lew’s, Mercury, Mossy Oak Fishing, Onyx, Phoenix Boats, Polaris, Power-Pole, REDCON1, Strike King, Suzuki, Tackle Warehouse, T-H Marine, Toyota, WIX Filters and YETI.
For complete details and updated information on Major League Fishing and the Tackle Warehouse Invitationals, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular Tackle Warehouse Invitational updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow the MLF5 social media outlets at Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.
