Redding, Calif. – February 5, 2025 –– Lake Shasta, in extreme Northern California can prove to be one of the more unique fisheries in the Western Unite States. Known for its spotted bass population, Lake Shasta can produce very average limits one week and then become a big weight event the next.
Such was the case on day one at the 2025 WON bass Lake Shasta Open as 126 WON Bass Pros and their AAA partners ventured out onto the Lake from Bridge Bay Marina to try and start the quest at earning the 2025 Ranger Boats Z518 with Mercury 150 ProXS outboard presented by Bass Pro Shops with Power-Pole Charge and Volta Power Lithium Power Batteries, a package valued at $55,000.
With practice conditions that brought cold temperatures and driving rains, many anglers in the field reported tough results, and outlook for a big weigh event was not bright. However, as day one of the event dawned, the rains stopped, the temperatures warmed slightly with the sun and breezes broke up the surface of the water and the fish began to bite.
One angler who reported a slow practice was Surprise, Ariz. pro Joe Uribe Jr. who ran to one of his favorite areas on the lake hoping to catch a limit – he did better. Uribe power fished his way to 12 bites – one of which was a 7.36-pound largemouth that was big fish of the day – to bring 20.32-pounds to the scales with his day one AAA Damon Motley to take the lead.
Rocklin, Calif. pro Chris Martin, who manages the Marine Department at Bass Pro Shops in his hometown, and his AAA partner Phillip Lopez reported catching as many as 50 spotted bass between them to weigh 18.75 pounds to open the event in second place.
Third place went to pro Logan Huntze of Discovery Bay, Calif. and his AAA Steven Brackman with 17.91 pounds. They were followed by Redding, Calif. pro Randy Doyle and AAA partner Daniel Nehrer placed fourth with 17 pounds even, and Millville, Calif. pro Stev Frick and his AAA Scott Holman bagged 16.95 pounds to round out the top five.
Uribe said that he decided to try to make the best of the situation. “I went to an area that has produced for me, put my trolling motor down and fished a swimbait, “he said. “I had never caught a 20-pound bag on Shasta before, and while I didn’t expect it today, I’m certainly glad my name is on that list; it was a blessed day.”
Uribe reported making long casts with a swimbait, then watching the lure as he retrieved it on his Livescope Forward Facing Sonar, and he would see the spotted bass rise off the bottom to take a look. “I had to trigger most of them into biting by playing with the retrieve once I saw them,” he said. “But, we were able to capitalize on enough good bites to have a great day and I’m looking forward to tomorrow.”
Martin made a medium run to the northeast and threw 3/4-ounce Bass Patrol Jigs and reaction baits in three cuts until they had what proved to be their final weigh at around 11:00AM, then he went looking for a big bite. “We caught the majority of our fish in 30 to 50 feet of water,” he said. “Once I had the 18 pounds, I decided to run around and try for a big swimbait bite, which didn’t happen, but I feel good about tomorrow, a solid limit will keep me in contention.”
The daily livestream of the weigh-ins airs on at Facebook.com/WONBassTournaments. Daily weigh-ins from Bridge Bay Marina in Redding, Calif. begin after the first flight checks in at 3:00 PM Pacific Time.
The Top 20 in each division are below, for complete standings go to: https://wonbassevents.com/pages/won-bass-shasta-open-pairings-results.
2025 WON Bass Lake Shasta Open Day One Pro Standings
| Place | PRO Angler | Hometown | Fish | Weight | Big Bass |
| 1 | Joe Uribe, Jr. | Surprise AZ | 5-5 | 20.32 | 7.36 |
| 2 | Chris Martin | Rocklin CA | 5-5 | 18.75 | 4.24 |
| 3 | Logan Huntze | Discovery Bay CA | 5-5 | 17.91 | 5.99 |
| 4 | Randy Doyle | Redding CA | 5-5 | 17.00 | |
| 5 | Steve Frick | Milville CA | 5-5 | 16.95 | |
| 6 | Joe Mariani | Winters CA | 5-5 | 16.88 | |
| 7 | Ian Boehm | Desrt Hills AZ | 5-5 | 16.87 | 5.53 |
| 8 | Alex Klein | Oroville CA | 5-5 | 16.84 | 5.02 |
| 9 | Ed Arledge | Valley Center CA | 5-5 | 16.39 | 3.63 |
| 10 | Greg Gutierrez | Red Bluff CA | 5-5 | 16.31 | 4.27 |
| 11 | Aaron Britt | Yuba City CA | 5-5 | 16.16 | |
| 12 | Robert Nakatomi | Sacramento CA | 5-5 | 16.06 | |
| 13 | Mark Crutcher | Lakeport CA | 5-5 | 15.66 | |
| 14 | Phil Dutra | Arab AL | 5-5 | 15.60 | |
| 15 | Cody Meyer | Eagle ID | 5-5 | 15.25 | |
| 16 | Roy Hawk | Lake Havasu City AZ | 5-5 | 15.00 | |
| 17 | Bill Townsend | Redding CA | 5-5 | 14.57 | |
| 18 | Brian Conder | Smartsvile CA | 5-5 | 14.48 | |
| 19 | Chris Raza | Orangvalle CA | 5-5 | 14.47 | |
| 20 | Todd Kline | San Clemente CA | 5-5 | 14.42 |
2025 WON Bass Lake Shasta Open Day One AAA Standings
| Place | AAA Angler | Hometown | Fish | Big Bass | Weight |
| 1 | Damon Motley | Orange CA | 5-5 | 20.32 | |
| 2 | Phillip Lopez | Shingle Springs CA | 5-5 | 5.37 | 18.75 |
| 3 | Steve Brackmann | Wilder ID | 5-5 | 17.91 | |
| 4 | Daniel Nehrer | Borrego Springs CA | 5-5 | 5.06 | 17.00 |
| 5 | Scott Holman | Orange CA | 5-5 | 16.95 | |
| 6 | Eddie Bouslaugh Jones | Redding CA | 5-5 | 16.88 | |
| 7 | Jake Etcheverry | Hughson CA | 5-5 | 16.87 | |
| 8 | Steven Cook | Willow AK | 5-5 | 4.08 | 16.84 |
| 9 | Dante Ray | Fernley NV | 5-5 | 4.42 | 16.39 |
| 10 | Michael Grisham | Glendale AZ | 5-5 | 16.31 | |
| 11 | Glen Wyatt | Stockton CA | 5-5 | 16.16 | |
| 12 | Kody Sindorf | Anderson CA | 5-5 | 3.93 | 16.06 |
| 13 | Scott Stanfield | Anderson CA | 5-5 | 5.13 | 15.66 |
| 14 | Derek Andersen | Meadow Vista CA | 5-5 | 15.60 | |
| 15 | Paul Howard | Sacramento CA | 5-5 | 3.65 | 15.25 |
| 16 | Dennis Saiki | Torrance CA | 5-5 | 4.37 | 15.00 |
| 17 | John Garrett | Elk Grove CA | 5-5 | 14.57 | |
| 18 | Steve W. Clark | Fresno CA | 5-5 | 14.48 | |
| 19 | Thaddeus Vinson | Medford OR | 5-5 | 14.47 | |
| 20 | Chad LeBlanc | Weatland CA | 5-5 | 4.57 | 14.42 |
The 2025 WON Bass Western Opens Series of events Consisting of five events in California, Arizona and Nevada, will culminate with the 2024 WON Bass U.S. Open at Lake Mohave in October. The five event dates are as follows:
Feb. 5 to 7, 2025 – Lake Shasta
April 9 to 11, 2025 – Clear Lake
May 7 to 9, 2025 – Lake Havasu
Sept. 10 to 12, 2025 – Lake Mead
Oct. 6 to 8, 2025 – U.S. Open at Lake Mohave
For complete details or to register, look to wonbassevents.com and WONews.com to hear the latest news about the 2024 season and beyond and follow along at Facebook.com/WONBassTournaments.
The 2025 WON Bass Lake Shasta Open is brought to you by Bass Pro Shops, Ranger Boats, Mercury Marine, Nitro Boats, Triton Boats, Bridgford Foods, Volta Power Lithium, Power Pole, Lowrance, Daiwa, AFTCO, Costa, Berkley, Abu Garcia, Fenwick Rods, Anderson Toyota, A&M Graphics, Anglers Marine, Signature Gates, DD26 Fishing, Bad Ass Bearings, Cipher Fishing Megaware Keelguard.
Local presenting sponsors are Visit Redding, Phil’s Propellers Huff’s Restaurant.