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High-risk, high-reward strategy pays off for Burgess at B.A.S.S. Nation Qualifier at Lake Champlain

Brian Carter
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High-risk, high-reward strategy pays off for Burgess at B.A.S.S. Nation Qualifier at Lake Champlain

Massachusetts’ Mark Burgess wins the B.A.S.S. Nation Qualifier at Lake Champlain with a three-day total of 62 pounds, 1 ounce.

Photo by Chase Sansom/B.A.S.S.

July 26, 2024

High-risk, high-reward strategy pays off for Burgess at B.A.S.S. Nation Qualifier at Lake Champlain

PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. — Everything about Mark Burgess’ strategy for the Mercury B.A.S.S. Nation Qualifier at Lake Champlain presented by Lowrance was high risk, but the risk was well worth the reward as the Massachusetts angler claimed the victory with a three-day total of 62 pounds, 1 ounce. 

A former Elite Series angler, Burgess caught bags of 17-6, 21-15 and then 22-12 on the final day to edge out Dan Tavilla by 15 ounces. Along with the victory, Burgess earned $8,793 and qualified for the 2024 Mercury B.A.S.S. Nation Championship presented by Lowrance at Grand Lake, putting him one step closer to achieving the dream of fishing the Bassmaster Classic.

“I’m amazed, really. When I signed up for this tournament, I knew (Garmin) LiveScope would play for smallmouth, and that’s not my deal. I was in my total comfort zone this week. I had a flipping stick almost the whole time with a little bit of ChatterBaiting and square billing. I just made the right decisions each day.

“I’m so stoked. This is my best Bassmaster event ever.”

Burgess has been fishing Lake Champlain since the 1990s when he flew a plane over the Ticonderoga region of the lake to locate milfoil beds. This week, Burgess was about as far from Ticonderoga as he possibly could be, instead making a long run north towards the Canadian border. 

Heavy rain before the event lifted the lake levels 2 feet higher than normal, and with dirtier water than normal to go along with it, Burgess decided to focus on the shallows and targeted a mix of laydowns, milfoil and docks. 

It was one magic tree, however, that produced the majority of his bass. This specific laydown sits mostly on the bank, but the water has created a void where the bass sit to ambush prey, and Burgess used that to his advantage.

“It’s in a deep creek, but this tree is on the bank,” he explained. “The waves have washed out the area under the tree, so even though it looks like it is in the mud, there is a hollow spot under the tree. That is where the fish lay, right on the edge of the drop.”

His best bait was a YUM Wooly Hawg Craw rigged on a 4/0 VMC heavy-duty flipping hook and a ⅜-ounce weight. In clearer water, he used a green pumpkin color and dyed the tails orange. Black neon was his choice of color in dirtier water. 

He also caught several key fish on a ChatterBait and an old-school Lucky Craft RC 1.5 squarebill. All of the bass he brought to weigh-in were largemouth, but he did land several quality smallmouth, as well. 

Not only did Burgess have to fight the wind and waves to reach his area, but he had to battle through a variety of mechanical issues all week. On the final day, his navigation lights at the bow of the boat malfunctioned, so his co-angler downloaded an app to his phone and then taped his phone to the trolling motor so they could take off on time.

After landing in 33rd after Day 1, Burgess knew he was within range of qualifying for the Nation Championship, but an impressive Day 2 bag anchored by a 6-4 largemouth lifted him into contention for the final day.  

“Days 1 and 2 started really rough. I had two big fish pull off on the first day. I set my sights on 20th at that point and putting the biggest bag I could put together in the boat. The second day I didn’t have a fish until 9 a.m. I was starting to spin out a little bit but realized you don’t get these opportunities very often.”

After not catching a bass off the laydown to start Day 2, Burgess returned later in the morning and filled out his limit, including the 6-4 largemouth. Later in the day, he caught a 5-pounder off a set of docks he had only seen 2-pounders on in practice. 

On the final day, the wind slowed down, and Burgess was able to move around much easier. He started on the magic laydown and filled out another quality limit before running to several other key pieces of cover and a row of docks to upgrade his bag.

“I went straight to the juice, and it was a good decision because another competitor, an absolute hammer on this lake, was basically fishing the same stuff. I got to it first. I was culling by the time he arrived. I had the start of a good bag there, around 19 pounds.”

After taking the Day 2 lead, Tavilla fell to second on the final day with a total of 61-2. He opened the tournament with 21-2 before landing 19-14 on the second day and 20-2 on Championship Friday. 

“I have fished against Mark since I started bass fishing in 2009,” Tavilla said. “He deserves this. He has put the time in and has done it forever. He got the big largemouth for sure. I’m happy for him.”

The boater from Portsmouth, N.H., scoured the Inland Sea for pelagic smallmouth that were chasing groups of white and yellow perch as well as alewives in 25 to 40 feet of water outside of a boulder ridge. Using his forward-facing sonar, Tavilla pitched a ¼-ounce tungsten ball-head jig rigged with a 5-inch Deps Sakamata Shad to the bait balls. 

At the end of each day, Tavilla would fish for largemouth and landed two quality green fish using a ChatterBait. 

The final day started well for Tavilla, but he could not find a 5-pounder to bolster his limit.

“It was fast and furious this morning, but the size wasn’t as consistent,” he said. “There were more 3-pounders today. I caught a 4-5 pretty early on and then I had to grind after that. The first two or three hours I probably caught 12 bass. I caught a bonus fish on a Carolina rig.”

With bags of 20-14, 18-9 and 20-9, University of Montevallo senior Jacob Swanson finished third with a three-day total of 60-0. The Framingham, Mass., angler split his time between smallmouth and largemouth this week. With his forward-facing sonar, Swanson found smallmouth chasing bait in 35 feet of water and used a Z-Man Scented Jerk ShadZ on either a ¼-ounce or ⅛-ounce jighead to catch those bass. 

He searched for largemouth by tossing a ⅜-ounce jig paired with a Strike King Rage Menace trailer around docks and rock. As the tournament progressed, the largemouth bite became increasingly more reliable.

Day 1 leader Frankie Appaluccio landed the Phoenix Boats Big Bass of the Tournament, a 6-15 largemouth he caught the first day. 

Craig Morris won the $200 Garmin Rewards Trolling Motor contingency and Justin Yenter earned a $300 Garmin Rewards Electronics bonus.

By catching three-bass limits of 7-14, 12-9 and 12-5, Rob Ross won the nonboater division with a three-day total of 32-12. Guiseppe Andreoli finished second with a total of 31-14 and Ernest Weathersby finished third with 31-4. 

Sophon Chhoeun landed the Phoenix Boats Big Bass of the Day on Championship Friday, a 5-3. 

All 40 final day competitors punched tickets to the 2024 Mercury B.A.S.S. Nation Championship presented by Lowrance at Grand Lake scheduled for Nov. 6-8.

The winner of that event will earn the title of Nation’s Best and will earn an invite to the 2025 Bassmaster Elite Series plus a spot in the 2025 Bassmaster Classic. The second- and third-place finishers at the Nation Championship will also compete in the 2025 Bassmaster Classic. 

2024 Mercury B.A.S.S. Nation Qualifier at Lake Champlain presented by Lowrance 7/24-7/26
Lake Champlain, Plattsburgh  NY.
(BOATER) Standings Day 3

   Angler                   Hometown              No./lbs-oz  Pts   Total $$$

1.  Mark Burgess           Norton, MA              15  62-01    0   $8,793.00
  Day 1: 5   17-06     Day 2: 5   21-15     Day 3: 5   22-12   
2.  Dan Tavilla            Portsmouth, NH          15  61-02    0   $4,271.00
  Day 1: 5   21-02     Day 2: 5   19-14     Day 3: 5   20-02   
3.  Jacob Swanson          Framingham, MA          15  60-00    0   $3,015.00
  Day 1: 5   20-14     Day 2: 5   18-09     Day 3: 5   20-09   
4.  Matt Pangrac           Shawnee, OK             15  58-03    0   $2,780.00
  Day 1: 5   20-07     Day 2: 5   16-06     Day 3: 5   21-06   
5.  J Judd                 Saint Albans, VT        15  58-01    0   $2,186.00
  Day 1: 5   20-05     Day 2: 5   20-01     Day 3: 5   17-11   
6.  Jonathan Carter        Portland, ME            15  56-13    0   $2,010.00
  Day 1: 5   18-04     Day 2: 5   18-09     Day 3: 5   20-00   
7.  Frankie Appaluccio     Ogdensburg, NJ          15  56-09    0   $1,884.00
  Day 1: 5   24-05     Day 2: 5   16-03     Day 3: 5   16-01   
8.  Cody Peryea            Altona, NY              15  56-08    0   $1,759.00
  Day 1: 5   20-13     Day 2: 5   16-07     Day 3: 5   19-04   
9.  Robert Williamson II   Gorham, ME              15  56-08    0   $1,530.00
  Day 1: 5   20-00     Day 2: 5   20-00     Day 3: 5   16-08   
10. Jay Walls              Milford, DE             15  56-04    0   $1,131.00
  Day 1: 5   18-08     Day 2: 5   18-05     Day 3: 5   19-07   
11. Connor Jacob           Auburn, AL              15  56-04    0   $1,005.00
  Day 1: 5   19-02     Day 2: 5   18-14     Day 3: 5   18-04   
12. Scott Robert           Greene, ME              15  55-11    0     $975.00
  Day 1: 5   16-02     Day 2: 5   19-06     Day 3: 5   20-03   
13. Justin Yenter          Stevens Point, WI       15  55-01    0     $991.00
  Day 1: 5   18-14     Day 2: 5   19-02     Day 3: 5   17-01   
14. Jed Worthington        Eden Mills, VT          15  55-00    0     $691.00
  Day 1: 5   18-06     Day 2: 5   17-09     Day 3: 5   19-01   
15. Craig Morris           Frankford, DE           15  54-03    0     $891.00
  Day 1: 5   22-04     Day 2: 5   18-11     Day 3: 5   13-04   
16. Joseph Tefft           Fort Edward, NY         15  53-15    0     $691.00
  Day 1: 5   17-14     Day 2: 5   17-15     Day 3: 5   18-02   
17. Chase Loftus           Iowa City, IA           15  53-06    0     $691.00
  Day 1: 5   18-04     Day 2: 5   20-03     Day 3: 5   14-15   
18. Anthony Lorefice Jr    Johnson City, NY        15  51-11    0     $691.00
  Day 1: 5   20-08     Day 2: 5   16-10     Day 3: 5   14-09   
19. Ty Austin              Rush, NY                15  49-14    0     $691.00
  Day 1: 5   19-07     Day 2: 5   16-02     Day 3: 5   14-05   
20. David Mathieu          Woodstock, CT           15  49-04    0     $691.00
  Day 1: 5   18-12     Day 2: 5   17-02     Day 3: 5   13-06   
———————————————————————–
Totals
Day   #Limits    #Fish      Weight
 1       126       648      1993-11
 2       101       546      1705-14
 3        20       100       356-14
———————————-
         247      1294      4056-07

2024 Mercury B.A.S.S. Nation Qualifier at Lake Champlain presented by Lowrance 7/24-7/26
Lake Champlain, Plattsburgh  NY.
(NON_BOATER) Standings Day 3

   Angler                   Hometown              No./lbs-oz  Pts   Total $$$

1.  Rob Ross               Hopedale, MA             9  32-12    0   $3,500.00
  Day 1: 3   07-14     Day 2: 3   12-09     Day 3: 3   12-05   
2.  Guiseppe Andreoli      Foster, RI               9  31-14    0   $2,000.00
  Day 1: 3   10-13     Day 2: 3   11-03     Day 3: 3   09-14   
3.  Ernest Weathersby      Leominster, MA           9  31-04    0   $1,000.00
  Day 1: 3   12-03     Day 2: 3   09-09     Day 3: 3   09-08   
4.  Sophon Chhoeun         Fall River, MA           9  31-02    0     $926.00
  Day 1: 3   10-03     Day 2: 3   09-15     Day 3: 3   11-00   
5.  Grant Fry              Bay City, MI             9  31-00    0     $685.00
  Day 1: 3   09-04     Day 2: 3   12-02     Day 3: 3   09-10   
6.  Jacob Muir             Milford, DE              9  31-00    0     $575.00
  Day 1: 3   08-15     Day 2: 3   10-11     Day 3: 3   11-06   
7.  Josh Giran             Elizabeth, PA            9  30-04    0     $514.00
  Day 1: 3   12-06     Day 2: 3   09-03     Day 3: 3   08-11   
8.  Stephen Sanders        New Britain, CT          9  30-01    0     $480.00
  Day 1: 3   08-10     Day 2: 3   11-03     Day 3: 3   10-04   
9.  Conner Petropoulos     South Portland, ME       9  29-02    0     $450.00
  Day 1: 3   08-06     Day 2: 3   12-00     Day 3: 3   08-12   
10. Travis Rockett         Intervale, NH            9  28-15    0     $400.00
  Day 1: 3   09-09     Day 2: 3   08-07     Day 3: 3   10-15   
11. Jake Minch             Stevens Point, WI        9  28-03    0     $400.00
  Day 1: 3   08-09     Day 2: 3   10-00     Day 3: 3   09-10   
12. Vic Brown II           Glen Burnie, MD          9  27-11    0     $350.00
  Day 1: 3   07-06     Day 2: 3   11-07     Day 3: 3   08-14   
13. Dave Reed              Westminster, MD          9  27-08    0     $300.00
  Day 1: 3   07-10     Day 2: 3   10-11     Day 3: 3   09-03   
14. Wes Vyverberg          Rochester, NY            9  27-08    0     $300.00
  Day 1: 3   06-12     Day 2: 3   10-10     Day 3: 3   10-02   
15. Mike Wotanowski        Lake Hopatcong, NJ       9  26-15    0     $250.00
  Day 1: 3   08-09     Day 2: 3   09-00     Day 3: 3   09-06   
16. Robert Rull Jr         Coventry, RI             9  26-08    0     $250.00
  Day 1: 3   10-13     Day 2: 3   07-06     Day 3: 3   08-05   
17. Joe Devoe              Aberdeen, MD             9  26-04    0     $250.00
  Day 1: 3   11-04     Day 2: 3   07-02     Day 3: 3   07-14   
18. Brian Marino           Vineland, NJ             8  25-09    0     $250.00
  Day 1: 3   08-02     Day 2: 3   11-04     Day 3: 2   06-03   
19. Dylan Stowe            Weybridge, VT            9  25-09    0     $250.00
  Day 1: 3   08-14     Day 2: 3   10-14     Day 3: 3   05-13   
20. JT Fitzgerald          Lincoln, DE              9  23-06    0     $250.00
  Day 1: 3   10-02     Day 2: 3   07-08     Day 3: 3   05-12   
———————————————————————–
Totals
Day   #Limits    #Fish      Weight
 1        54       210       557-15
 2        61       203       581-07
 3        19        59       183-07
———————————-
         134       472      1322-13



Freedom to Explore: Introducing the Arcade | National Geographic Belt Collection

Brian Carter
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Freedom to Explore: Introducing the Arcade | National Geographic Belt Collection

Freedom to Explore: Introducing the Arcade | National Geographic Belt Collection

Collection Represents the Drive for Exploration of our World and Beyond

OLYMPIC VALLEY, Calif. – July 26, 2024 – Arcade (https://arcadebelts.com), a brand founded on the belief that belts could be designed to function better, last longer, and be more comfortable, today launches a new collection with National Geographic. 

Based on the idea that everyone should live for the freedom to explore, the collaboration with the National Geographic brand represents the wide open space and curiosity to explore the world. Combining Arcade’s original performance engineering and progressive design with National Geographic’s iconic yellow portal, the new belts celebrate the pinnacle of adventure, travel, and a life lived through rich experiences. Each of the three belts in the new Arcade | National Geographic collection is designed with the goal to create a connection with the countless inspirational stories told and adventures yet to be written. 

“It is an absolute honor to introduce the Arcade | National Geographic collection,” said Kevin Walker, Director of Marketing, Arcade. “Our core as a brand is about living experiences through travel, community and adventure, and we’re thrilled that our latest  collaboration is with a brand that has inspired millions and millions of people to seek adventure by exploring the world.” 

The three new belts are the National Geographic Topo, featuring black with yellow trim, Arcade’s A2 buckle, and the National Geographic and Arcade logos; National Geographic Collective, an eye-catching belt in National Geographic’s signature yellow with logos and A2 buckle; and National Geographic 1888 (the year of the first edition of National Geographic magazine), a black belt with a globe printed on a larger buckle, the yellow portal and National Geographic-inspired trim.

The collection is available today at https://arcadebelts.com and in select retail. MSRP $37.95-$42.95

Arcade National Geographic Collection Features: 

  • Contoured Buckle – Low-profile and contoured to follow the curve of your form for maximum comfort
  • Performance Stretch – Freedom of motion to move with your body, providing a secure hold with no pinching
  • Easy On & Off – Tapered buckle design feeds easily through belt loops
  • Patented A2 Buckle System – holds securely while in use and releases with less pressure
  • Custom Fit – More precise than holes, micro-adjustable buckle dials in your exact fit
  • Recycled Materials – Webbing is made with 85% post-consumer recycled REPREVE®️ polyester
  • Long-lasting – Our buckle is molded with high density plastic that is durable, yet lightweight, designed to endure the toughest outdoor adventures
  • Machine Washable and Dryable – Throw ’em in the laundry with your pants
  • Travel Friendly – Metal-free materials make airport security a breeze
  • Belt Keeper – Elastic loop keeps excess belt tucked in place.

About Arcade: 

Arcade was founded on the belief that belts could be designed to function better, last longer, and be more comfortable. Developed from the ground up with materials that are built to go everywhere and anywhere, each Arcade belt provides a custom fit, sturdy hold, and the right amount of flexibility to move with you. Love for our planet and the adventurous people on it is the spark that lights our fuse. We celebrate and protect the places and communities that are the fabric of an active, fun, and healthy life. Arcade is proud to partner with and support the High Fives Foundation, Protect Our Winters, Save the Waves Coalition, and Big City Mountaineers. Learn more at http://www.arcadebelts.com.



Florida Pro Keith Carson Leads After Day 1 at Tackle Warehouse Invitational Stop 6 at Detroit River

Brian Carter
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Florida Pro Keith Carson Leads After Day 1 at Tackle Warehouse Invitational Stop 6 at Detroit River

DETROIT (July 26, 2024) – With most of the contenders (but not all) making the trek to Lake St. Clair on Day 1 of Stop 6 Presented by B&W Trailer Hitches at the Detroit River, the standings are packed tight as you’d expect in a smallmouth event. Leading the way, pro Keith Carson of DeBary, Florida, tallied 22 pounds, 15 ounces, and pro Alec Morrison of Peru, New York, is an ounce back with 22-14. Behind the leaders, Jon Canada, Jacob Wheeler and Jesse Wiggins all weighed more than 22 pounds, which has set the stage for a fantastic weekend of action.

Notable Friday, with both tournament-specific and Fishing Clash Angler of the Year implications on the line, Morrison was assessed a 2-pound penalty for making a cast with six fish in the livewell. Though he doesn’t have much higher to climb in the standings, you never know when 2 pounds could come in handy. 

Link to Photo Gallery of Day 1 Highlights
Link to Video of Fish-Catch Highlights of Day 1 on the Detroit River

The full field of pros 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 Detroit Sports Commission, features a roster of professional anglers competing for a top prize of up to $115,000 and an invitation to compete at REDCREST 2025.

Running to St. Clair and hunting smallmouth with Lowrance ActiveTarget, tournament leader Keith Carson put together a fantastic day of smallmouth fishing.

“I found in practice that the big ones seem to be all by themselves,” explained Carson. “If you get in schools, you’re catching 3s and 4s; if you get out and see one every once in a while, they’re all over 4, every one of them. I’m just out there roaming around. I don’t have a single spot anywhere. I’ve got an area where there’s some perch, and there seems to be bass around them. But you really have to search and move a lot. I’m only seeing one fish every 20 minutes or so.”

Culling multiple 4-pounders on the day, Carson did most of his damage with a drop-shot and a Berkley PowerBait MaxScent Flat Worm or a minnow.

While some folks reported that the fish were very difficult to trick in practice, Carson ran pretty good percentages today.

“I love smallmouth fishing. There’s something about them, I’ve been able to find bigger ones and figure out the structure almost everywhere,” said Carson. “Every day in practice and today, I’ll get a flurry where I catch three in a row, and then I’ll get three in a row that won’t bite it or will nip it or get the tail. So, it’s about 50 percent, I’d say.”

Carson is mired in a pretty tough rookie season on the Bass Pro Tour, but his Invitationals performance has been strong, as it usually is. With a couple more good days, he could be heading to the season finale at the St. Lawrence with some serious smallmouth mojo.

The top 20 pros after Day 1 on the Detroit River are:

1st:        Keith Carson, DeBary, Fla., five bass, 22-15
2nd:       Alec Morrison, Peru, N.Y., five bass, 22-14
3rd:       Jon Canada, Helena, Ala., five bass, 22-12
4th:        Jacob Wheeler, Harrison, Tenn., five bass, 22-6
5th:        Jesse Wiggins, Logan, Ala., five bass, 22-3
6th:        Scott Dobson, Clarkston, Mich., five bass, 21-15
6th:        Matteo Turano, Puryear, Tenn., five bass, 21-15
8th:        Connor Cunningham, Springfield, Mo., five bass, 21-14
9th:        John Cox, DeBary, Fla., five bass, 21-12
9th:        Troy Stokes, Trenton, Mich., five bass, 21-12
11th:     Brad Jelinek, Lincoln, Mo., five bass, 21-10
12th:     Colby Dark, West Monroe, La., five bass, 21-9
13th:     Jeremy Gordon, Rutledge, Tenn., five bass, 21-8
14th:     Adrian Avena, Marmora, N.J., five bass, 21-7
14th:     Robby Lefere, Jackson, Mich., five bass, 21-7
14th:     Brock Reinkemeyer, Warsaw, Mo., five bass, 21-7
17th:     Nick LeBrun, Bossier City, La., five bass, 21-5
18th:     Justin Atkins, Florence, Ala., five bass, 21-4
19th:     Chris Groh, Spring Grove, Ill., five bass, 21-0
19th:     Jaden Parrish, Liberty, Texas, five bass, 21-0
19th:     Mitchell Robinson, Landrum, S.C., five bass, 21-0

Complete results for the entire field can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

Pro Brad Jelinek of Lincoln, Missouri, earned the Day 1 $1,000 Berkley Big Bass award Friday with a bass that weighed in at 5 pounds, 8 ounces.

Overall, there were 672 bass weighing 2,357 pounds 14 ounces caught by 137 pros Friday. The catch included 130 five-bass limits.

In Tackle Warehouse Invitational competition, the full field of 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 6 at the Detroit River Presented by B&W Trailer Hitches 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. ET each day from Elizabeth Park, located at 202 Grosse Ile Parkway in Trenton, Michigan. Weigh-ins will also be held at the 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 each day of competition from 7:30 a.m. to 2:15 p.m. ET. MLFNOW! will be live streamed on MajorLeagueFishing.com and the MyOutdoorTV (MOTV) and Rumble apps.

Television coverage of the MLF Tackle Warehouse Invitationals Stop 6 at the Detroit River Presented by B&W Trailer Hitches will air as a two-hour episode, premiering at 9 a.m. ET, on Saturday, Nov. 9 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, PowerStop Brakes, 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.




MLF Announces 2025 Tackle Warehouse Invitationals Schedule, New Invitationals Championship

Brian Carter
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MLF Announces 2025 Tackle Warehouse Invitationals Schedule, New Invitationals Championship

BENTON, Ky. (July 26, 2024) – Major League Fishing (MLF) announced Friday the 2025 Tackle Warehouse Invitationals schedule, highlighted by the addition of a no-entry-fee championship featuring a $135,000 top award and a REDCREST 2026 berth for the winner.

The 2025 Tackle Warehouse Invitationals will showcase 150 pros competing across six regular-season stops for a season-long purse of more than $4.3 million and valuable points to qualify for the new Tackle Warehouse Invitationals Championship and ultimately an invitation to compete on the 2026 Bass Pro Tour.

Each Invitational will feature anglers competing over three days in a five-fish, weigh-in format for a top award of up to $115,000. The top pro from the point standings at the end of the season will win the Fishing Clash Angler of the Year title and $50,000, while the top five pros qualify for the 2026 Bass Pro Tour and the top 50 pros advance to the new Tackle Warehouse Invitationals Championship.

“We at Tackle Warehouse are very excited about the addition of a championship event for the 2025 Tackle Warehouse Invitationals. It’s a great goal and incentive for Invitationals anglers to work towards all year, and really completes the TWI circuit,” said Tackle Warehouse’s Joey Reggio. “We can’t wait to join with MLF in crowning the winner of the very first Tackle Warehouse Invitationals Championship in 2025.”

The Tackle Warehouse Invitationals Championship, set for Sept. 5-7, 2025, on the Mississippi River in La Crosse, Wisconsin, will feature a $522,000 purse with a top award of $135,000 and every angler guaranteed at least $5,000.    

“We’re excited to announce our 2025 schedule and the addition of the Invitationals Championship,” said Kevin Hunt, Senior Director of Tournament Operations of the Tackle Warehouse Invitationals. “The Invitationals are the only way into the Bass Pro Tour, and the competitiveness and intensity that comes in the race for those five spots has created some extraordinary moments over the first two years. We look forward to another great season on some incredible fisheries and can’t wait to watch how 2025 shakes out.”

Every day of Tackle Warehouse Invitational competition will be broadcast live on MLFNOW!  at MajorLeagueFishing.com and streamed to the Major League Fishing app, MyOutdoorTV (MOTV) and Rumble app. Each tournament will also be televised on CBS Sports.

Invitations for the 2025 season will be sent to qualified anglers following Stop 6 on the Detroit River, which wraps up the 2024 season on Sunday.

2025 MLF Tackle Warehouse Invitationals Schedule:

Feb. 21- 23                      Stop 1 at the Kissimmee Chain of Lakes                                         Kissimmee, Fla.
                    Hosted by Experience Kissimmee

March 14-16                   Stop 2 at Lake Hartwell                                                                       Anderson, S.C.
                   Hosted by Visit Anderson

April 15-17                      Stop 3 at Smith Lake                                                                            Cullman, Ala.
                   Hosted by Visit Cullman, Alabama

May 9-11                          Stop 4 at Pickwick Lake                                                                      Counce, Tenn.
                    Hosted by the Explore Pickwick Lake/Hardin County Tourism

June 20-22                       Stop 5 at the James River                                                                    Richmond, Va.
                    Hosted by Richmond Region Tourism

July 25-27                         Stop 6 at the St. Lawrence River                                                        Massena, N.Y.
                    Hosted by the Town of Massena

Sept. 5-7                            Invitationals Championship at the Mississippi River                   La Crosse, Wis.
                                             Hosted by Explore La Crosse

Payouts:

Qualifiers 1-6
Place                                                    Pro           Phoenix MLF Bonus                                                       
1                                                    $80,000                               $35,000
2                                                      30,000                                                                                           
3                                                      20,000                   
4                                                      18,000                   
5                                                      17,000                   
6                                                      16,000                   
7                                                      15,000                   
8                                                      14,000                   
9                                                      13,000                   
10                                                    12,000                   
11-20                                              10,000                                                       
21-30                                               9,000
31-50                                               8,000                   
Berkley Big Bass – Day 1     1,000                   
Berkley Big Bass – Day 2     1,000                   

Entry Fee:                   $5,500 per tournament

Tackle Warehouse Invitationals Championship
Place                                                    Pro          Phoenix MLF Bonus                                                       
1                                                 $100,000                               $35,000
                                                   + REDCREST 2026
2                                                      50,000                                                                                           
3                                                      25,000                   
4                                                      20,000                   
5                                                      15,000                   
6                                                      14,000                   
7                                                      13,000                   
8                                                      12,000                   
9                                                      11,000                   
10                                                    10,000                   
11-20                                               6,000                                                       
21-30                                               5,500
31-50                                               5,000
Berkley Big Bass – Day 1     1,000                   
Berkley Big Bass – Day 2      1,000

No Entry Fee

Proud sponsors of the MLF Tackle Warehouse Invitationals include: 7 Brew, 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, PowerStop Brakes, REDCON1, Strike King, Suzuki, Tackle Warehouse, T-H Marine, Toyota, WIX Filters and YETI.

For complete details and updated information, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow the Tackle Warehouse Invitationals on the MLF5 social media outlets at Facebook, Instagram and  YouTube.




Big-water persistence vaults Tavilla to lead in B.A.S.S. Nation Qualifier at Lake Champlain

Brian Carter
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Big-water persistence vaults Tavilla to lead in B.A.S.S. Nation Qualifier at Lake Champlain

New Hampshire’s Dan Tavilla takes the Day 2 lead in the B.A.S.S. Nation Qualifier at Lake Champlain with a two-day total of 41 pounds even.

Photo by Chase Sansom/B.A.S.S.

July 25, 2024

Big-water persistence vaults Tavilla to lead in B.A.S.S. Nation Qualifier at Lake Champlain

PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. — Despite windy and wavy conditions this week, Dan Tavilla has stuck to his smallmouth gameplan and the persistence has paid off as the New Hampshire angler leads the Mercury B.A.S.S. Nation Qualifier at Lake Champlain presented by Lowrance with a two-day total of 41-0. 

Opening the tournament in third place with a 21-2 limit of mostly smallmouth, Tavilla landed 19-14 on Day 2 to move into the lead. His lead is slim, however, as Delaware’s Craig Morris is just an ounce behind in second place and Day 1 leader Frankie Appaluccio is third with 40-8.

Not only is Tavilla in contention for the victory, he also qualified for his first B.A.S.S. Nation Championship which will be held at Grand Lake in November. 

“I thought I was on 18 to 19 (pounds) a day, and that was in optimal conditions. I think the wind has been a little too much this week,” he said. “I caught more 4-pound smallmouth than I thought I would catch yesterday. I wasn’t catching three 4-pound smallmouth in practice. So, if things went well, I thought I would be around 19 pounds a day.”

Changing conditions and wind direction made for a much tougher day of fishing for the field of 138 boats. Only four bags of 20 pounds or better were caught by boaters and only 101 limits crossed the weigh-in stage, down from 126 on Day 1.

While the wind forced many anglers to target largemouth in this tournament, Tavilla has focused much of his attention on several areas within the Inland Sea region of Lake Champlain, catching smallmouth that are keying in on a variety of bait anywhere from 20 to 45 feet of water. 

“My best days of practice were on big wind days,” he explained. “I know there is a general consensus that smallmouth like sun, but I don’t mind a little bit of clouds, and I definitely don’t mind a little bit of wind. There is obviously a point where it gets to be too much.”

Along with alewives, Tavilla has seen smallmouth around both yellow and white perch, but the wind positions the bait differently every day. Two baits have caught the bulk of his weight this week. 

“When you get a little shallower, there are perch, and when you get a little deeper the alewives show up,” he said. “There’s a little bit of a secret to what is different.”

While smallmouth have been consistent for Tavilla, he has caught one critical largemouth each afternoon of the event. 

Tavilla started in the spot that yielded the majority of his Day 1 weight but did not find the same quality Thursday. While he caught several smaller bass, only one 3½-pounder made his final bag on Day 2. A change in wind direction also made fishing more difficult as the morning progressed, so he decided to check several of his backup areas.

“I couldn’t really present the bait properly at that point,” he said. 

After landing a 4-pounder in what he called a community area, he moved to an area he found on Sunday of practice and found the area was loaded with bait.

“I’m just going around looking for pods of bait. When there is enough bait, there is always bass,” he said. “The wind positions the bait differently each day, and you have to find where the wind has put the bait.”

Things have gone well for the most part this week, but Tavilla did lose a 5-pounder at the boat that would have given him a little cushion heading into the final day. The wind is set to shift once again on Friday, which has him somewhat concerned about his best areas. 

“I’m a little worried about the wind. The two spots I really want to fish are going to be exposed,” he said. “But I will say, I was running to largemouth at the end of the day and I saw a pod of birds going crazy. I stopped for a couple minutes and caught two bass really quick. It is protected from the northwest wind. I’m hopeful that’s a spot I can catch some fish on.”

Morris suffered a disappointing end to his Delaware Nation season just prior to this event. He finished tied for first in the state standings but lost the automatic bid to the Nation Championship via a tiebreaker. This week, he redeemed himself in a big way.

With bags of largemouth weighing 22-4 and 18-11, the Ocean City, Del., native is sitting in second place for the tournament with 40-15, punching his ticket to the Nation Championship in the process.  

After catching around 150 bass on Day 1, Morris returned to his primary area on the northern end of Lake Champlain, but the change in wind direction made it more difficult for him to stealthily navigate the area. 

“Once the wind started blowing, the bite got a lot tougher. Every time we had lulls in the wind, we would catch four or five,” he explained. “It was challenging to move in that area quietly. We had 2-foot waves coming in there at times today, so I was always on the trolling motor. It’s not super deep, so it’s making a lot of noise.” 

Still, Morris landed around 25 total bass on the day using one key moving bait, which he feels is mimicking the forage. He has found the quality largemouth in a specific depth range and relating to one particular type of vegetation. There is still plenty of life in the area. Morris caught several smaller smallmouth, a 30-inch walleye as well as white and yellow perch. 

“I probably filled out a limit in the first 20 minutes or so doing the same thing as yesterday,” Morris said. “It was definitely not as good as yesterday as far as the quantity of bites. I feel like they were hitting the bait with their mouth closed, and I caught some with the hook outside of the mouth. It wasn’t as good of a bite. I lost one around 1 o’clock that really cost me because it was a 4½- to 5-pounder.” 

Mark Burgess caught the Phoenix Boats Big Bass of the Day, a 6-4 largemouth that helped lift him into fifth place for the tournament. It wasn’t enough to unseat Appaluccio’s 6-15 largemouth from Day 1 for Phoenix Boats Big Bass of the Tournament honors. 

With bags of 10-13 and 11-3, Guiseppe Andreoli moved into the lead in the nonboater division with a two-day total of 22-0. Ernest Weathersby follows in second with a total of 21-12 and Josh Giran is third with 21-9. Massachusetts angler Michael Schrader landed the Big Bass of the Tournament so far amongst nonboaters on Day 2, a 5-5.  

The Top 20 boaters and nonboaters after today’s weigh-in will launch from Plattsburgh City Marina beginning at 6 a.m. ET and return for weigh-in at 2 p.m. Those 40 anglers also punched their tickets to the Mercury B.A.S.S. Nation Championship presented by Lowrance scheduled for Grand Lake Nov. 6-8.

The winner of that event will earn the title of Nation’s Best and will earn an invite to the 2025 Bassmaster Elite Series plus a spot in the 2025 Bassmaster Classic. The second and third place finishers at the Nation Championship will also compete in the 2025 Bassmaster Classic. 

2024 Mercury B.A.S.S. Nation Qualifier at Lake Champlain presented by Lowrance 7/24-7/26
Lake Champlain, Plattsburgh  NY.
(BOATER) Standings Day 2

   Angler                   Hometown              No./lbs-oz  Pts   Total $$$

1.  Dan Tavilla            Portsmouth, NH          10  41-00    0
  Day 1: 5   21-02     Day 2: 5   19-14   
2.  Craig Morris           Ocean City, DE          10  40-15    0
  Day 1: 5   22-04     Day 2: 5   18-11   
3.  Frankie Appaluccio     Ogdensburg, NJ          10  40-08    0
  Day 1: 5   24-05     Day 2: 5   16-03   
4.  J Judd                 Saint Albans, VT        10  40-06    0
  Day 1: 5   20-05     Day 2: 5   20-01   
5.  Robert Williamson II   Gorham, ME              10  40-00    0
  Day 1: 5   20-00     Day 2: 5   20-00   
6.  Jacob Swanson          Framingham, MA          10  39-07    0
  Day 1: 5   20-14     Day 2: 5   18-09   
7.  Mark Burgess           Norton, MA              10  39-05    0
  Day 1: 5   17-06     Day 2: 5   21-15   
8.  Chase Loftus           Iowa City, IA           10  38-07    0
  Day 1: 5   18-04     Day 2: 5   20-03   
9.  Justin Yenter          Stevens Point, WI       10  38-00    0
  Day 1: 5   18-14     Day 2: 5   19-02   
10. Connor Jacob           Auburn, AL              10  38-00    0
  Day 1: 5   19-02     Day 2: 5   18-14   
11. Cody Peryea            Altona, NY              10  37-04    0
  Day 1: 5   20-13     Day 2: 5   16-07   
12. Anthony Lorefice Jr    Johnson City, NY        10  37-02    0
  Day 1: 5   20-08     Day 2: 5   16-10   
13. Matt Pangrac           Shawnee, OK             10  36-13    0
  Day 1: 5   20-07     Day 2: 5   16-06   
14. Jonathan Carter        Portland, ME            10  36-13    0
  Day 1: 5   18-04     Day 2: 5   18-09   
15. Jay Walls              Milford, DE             10  36-13    0
  Day 1: 5   18-08     Day 2: 5   18-05   
16. Jed Worthington        Eden Mills, VT          10  35-15    0
  Day 1: 5   18-06     Day 2: 5   17-09   
17. David Mathieu          Woodstock, CT           10  35-14    0
  Day 1: 5   18-12     Day 2: 5   17-02   
18. Joseph Tefft           Fort Edward, NY         10  35-13    0
  Day 1: 5   17-14     Day 2: 5   17-15   
19. Ty Austin              Rush, NY                10  35-09    0
  Day 1: 5   19-07     Day 2: 5   16-02   
20. Scott Robert           Greene, ME              10  35-08    0
  Day 1: 5   16-02     Day 2: 5   19-06   
21. Joshua Smith           Coventry, RI            10  35-07    0     $628.00
  Day 1: 5   20-07     Day 2: 5   15-00   
22. Mark Hogan             Milford, DE             10  35-06    0     $628.00
  Day 1: 5   17-10     Day 2: 5   17-12   
23. Brian La Clair         Denton, MD              10  35-03    0     $628.00
  Day 1: 5   18-06     Day 2: 5   16-13   
24. Bret Winegardner       Swanton, MD             10  35-02    0     $628.00
  Day 1: 5   18-02     Day 2: 5   17-00   
25. Brandon Mosley         Harrah, OK              10  34-15    0     $628.00
  Day 1: 5   16-00     Day 2: 5   18-15   
26. Rich Ortiz             Fort Ann, NY            10  34-12    0     $628.00
  Day 1: 5   19-07     Day 2: 5   15-05   
27. Daniel Gray            Butler, PA              10  34-12    0     $578.00
  Day 1: 5   19-05     Day 2: 5   15-07   
28. Mikey Mello Jr         Manville, RI            10  34-10    0     $578.00
  Day 1: 5   17-08     Day 2: 5   17-02   
29. Jared Leicht           Millville, NJ           10  34-05    0     $578.00
  Day 1: 5   14-06     Day 2: 5   19-15   
30. Matthew Lazor          Evans City, PA          10  34-03    0     $578.00
  Day 1: 5   17-06     Day 2: 5   16-13   
31. Cam Sterritt           Newfields, NH           10  34-02    0     $578.00
  Day 1: 5   17-04     Day 2: 5   16-14   
32. Louis Monetti          Brielle, NJ             10  34-00    0     $578.00
  Day 1: 5   14-11     Day 2: 5   19-05   
33. Corey Gillis           Ayer, MA                10  33-12    0     $578.00
  Day 1: 5   15-09     Day 2: 5   18-03   
34. Travis Lepage          Lewiston, ME            10  33-11    0     $578.00
  Day 1: 5   16-04     Day 2: 5   17-07   
35. Colin Gaudette         Saint Albans, VT        10  33-06    0     $578.00
  Day 1: 5   15-14     Day 2: 5   17-08   
36. Randy Huffman          Charleston, WV          10  33-05    0     $578.00
  Day 1: 5   16-09     Day 2: 5   16-12   
37. Casey Baroffio         Northfield, VT          10  33-04    0     $578.00
  Day 1: 5   15-04     Day 2: 5   18-00   
38. Brennan Chuprinko      Flanders, NJ            10  33-03    0     $578.00
  Day 1: 5   18-07     Day 2: 5   14-12   
39. Max Meister            Atco, NJ                10  32-15    0     $578.00
  Day 1: 5   14-13     Day 2: 5   18-02   
40. Jacob Marcantonio      Moosup, CT              10  32-14    0     $578.00
  Day 1: 5   14-07     Day 2: 5   18-07   
41. Phil Curtis            Rosseau ONTARIO CANADA  10  32-13    0
  Day 1: 5   16-03     Day 2: 5   16-10   
42. Robert Bordeaux III    Williston, VT           10  32-12    0
  Day 1: 5   15-02     Day 2: 5   17-10   
43. Steven Griffith        Schellsburg, PA         10  32-10    0
  Day 1: 5   15-10     Day 2: 5   17-00   
44. Josh Cotier            Clinton, MA             10  32-09    0
  Day 1: 5   16-15     Day 2: 5   15-10   
45. Fabian Rodriguez       Ocean City, MD          10  32-07    0
  Day 1: 5   17-06     Day 2: 5   15-01   
46. Anthony Dulac          Harpswell, ME           10  32-06    0
  Day 1: 5   17-06     Day 2: 5   15-00   
47. Trevor Topken          Hickory, NC             10  32-04    0
  Day 1: 5   16-04     Day 2: 5   16-00   
48. John Fitzgerald        Salisbury, VT           10  32-02    0
  Day 1: 5   14-05     Day 2: 5   17-13   
49. Keith Poulin           Lisbon, ME              10  31-09    0
  Day 1: 5   17-10     Day 2: 5   13-15   
50. Bradley Baxter         Willshire, OH           10  31-07    0
  Day 1: 5   16-00     Day 2: 5   15-07   
51. Keith Aucoin           Hollis Center, ME       10  31-05    0
  Day 1: 5   14-01     Day 2: 5   17-04   
52. Joe McClosky           Swanton, MD             10  31-04    0
  Day 1: 5   16-05     Day 2: 5   14-15   
53. Tim Dubuc              Bowdoinham, ME          10  31-02    0
  Day 1: 5   13-02     Day 2: 5   18-00   
54. Martin Osborne         Glen Burnie, MD         10  31-00    0
  Day 1: 5   15-05     Day 2: 5   15-11   
55. Paul Baker             New Fairfield, CT        9  30-15    0
  Day 1: 5   18-10     Day 2: 4   12-05   
56. Sheron Brown Sr        Leominster, MA          10  30-13    0
  Day 1: 5   16-05     Day 2: 5   14-08   
57. Brian Hensley          Edwardsburg, MI         10  30-09    0
  Day 1: 5   11-06     Day 2: 5   19-03   
58. David Torres II        Fallston, MD             9  30-08    0
  Day 1: 5   20-02     Day 2: 4   10-06   
59. Thomas Waltz           St. Albans, VT           9  30-08    0
  Day 1: 4   13-07     Day 2: 5   17-01   
60. Steve Wilson           East Waterboro, ME      10  30-03    0
  Day 1: 5   14-06     Day 2: 5   15-13   
61. Johnathan Sheehan      Lynn, MA                10  30-02    0
  Day 1: 5   14-04     Day 2: 5   15-14   
62. Eric Low               Buxton, ME              10  30-00    0
  Day 1: 5   13-15     Day 2: 5   16-01   
63. Carson Forrester       Chambersburg, PA        10  30-00    0
  Day 1: 5   15-04     Day 2: 5   14-12   
64. Kevin Clark            Westport, MA            10  29-11    0
  Day 1: 5   15-15     Day 2: 5   13-12   
65. Jeffrey Patch          Rutland, VT             10  29-11    0
  Day 1: 5   14-06     Day 2: 5   15-05   
66. Brent Valere           Mississauga CANADA      10  29-10    0
  Day 1: 5   15-07     Day 2: 5   14-03   
67. Dennis Rocheford       Pembroke, NH            10  29-06    0
  Day 1: 5   14-01     Day 2: 5   15-05   
68. John Mayo              Maiden, NC              10  29-02    0
  Day 1: 5   15-05     Day 2: 5   13-13   
69. Ed Powell              Sandyville, WV          10  29-01    0
  Day 1: 5   13-11     Day 2: 5   15-06   
70. Andrew Sams            Easton, MD              10  28-13    0
  Day 1: 5   13-06     Day 2: 5   15-07   
71. Matt Mosby             Dryden, MI              10  28-13    0
  Day 1: 5   14-03     Day 2: 5   14-10   
72. Nausori Osasa          Grand Isle, VT          10  28-11    0
  Day 1: 5   12-14     Day 2: 5   15-13   
73. Randy Kukral           Chagrin Falls, OH       10  28-11    0
  Day 1: 5   13-03     Day 2: 5   15-08   
74. John Rottman           Dudley, MA              10  28-10    0
  Day 1: 5   14-10     Day 2: 5   14-00   
75. Ross Bartolo           Caesarea CANADA         10  28-07    0
  Day 1: 5   14-13     Day 2: 5   13-10   
76. Woody McKechnie        Lynn , MA               10  28-06    0
  Day 1: 5   10-11     Day 2: 5   17-11   
77. Jason Muir             Milford, DE             10  28-06    0
  Day 1: 5   14-12     Day 2: 5   13-10   
78. Tony Despot II         Monroeville, PA         10  28-01    0
  Day 1: 5   11-14     Day 2: 5   16-03   
79. Trevor Poulin          Nashua, NH              10  28-01    0
  Day 1: 5   13-01     Day 2: 5   15-00   
80. Craig Castro           North Attleboro, MA     10  28-00    0
  Day 1: 5   12-12     Day 2: 5   15-04   
81. Jeff Jensen            Beech Creek, PA         10  28-00    0
  Day 1: 5   13-07     Day 2: 5   14-09   
82. RJ Ricci               Cranston, RI            10  27-15    0
  Day 1: 5   14-04     Day 2: 5   13-11   
83. Scott Rondeau          Charlestown, RI         10  27-14    0
  Day 1: 5   14-08     Day 2: 5   13-06   
84. Peter Owen Jr          Barnstead, NH           10  27-10    0
  Day 1: 5   13-04     Day 2: 5   14-06   
85. Randy Elliott          Severn, MD              10  27-09    0
  Day 1: 5   12-05     Day 2: 5   15-04   
86. Brian Wisniewski       Allentown, PA           10  27-09    0
  Day 1: 5   14-13     Day 2: 5   12-12   
87. Dylan Dew              Valencia , PA            8  27-05    0
  Day 1: 5   19-00     Day 2: 3   08-05   
88. Chris Guncheon         Warwick, RI              8  26-13    0
  Day 1: 5   19-05     Day 2: 3   07-08   
89. Mason Phillpotts       Fenton, MI              10  26-13    0
  Day 1: 5   14-13     Day 2: 5   12-00   
90. Scott Kerslake         Okeechobee, FL          10  26-11    0
  Day 1: 5   14-09     Day 2: 5   12-02   
91. Dylan Minch            Stevens Point, WI        9  26-11    0
  Day 1: 4   12-10     Day 2: 5   14-01   
92. TJ McKenzie            Andrews, SC             10  26-07    0
  Day 1: 5   16-13     Day 2: 5   09-10   
93. Chris Washinger        Chambersburg, PA        10  26-06    0
  Day 1: 5   14-05     Day 2: 5   12-01   
94. Jeffrey Davis Jr       Wendell, NC             10  26-05    0
  Day 1: 5   16-06     Day 2: 5   09-15   
95. Austin Littler         Camden, NY               9  26-05    0
  Day 1: 5   14-13     Day 2: 4   11-08   
96. Ryan Smith             Galloway, NJ             9  26-01    0
  Day 1: 5   15-07     Day 2: 4   10-10   
97. John Roth              Lawrenceburg, IN        10  26-01    0
  Day 1: 5   13-06     Day 2: 5   12-11   
98. Stefan Lillios         Loudon, NH               9  26-00    0
  Day 1: 4   09-12     Day 2: 5   16-04   
99. Mike Morris            Dover, DE               10  25-14    0
  Day 1: 5   11-05     Day 2: 5   14-09   
100. Clayton Grimm          Mechanic Falls, ME      10  25-01    0
  Day 1: 5   09-07     Day 2: 5   15-10   
101. Michael Trimarchi      Peabody, MA             10  24-11    0
  Day 1: 5   15-01     Day 2: 5   09-10   
102. Butch Marietta Jr      Hunker, PA               9  24-04    0
  Day 1: 5   14-04     Day 2: 4   10-00   
103. Steven Kotvas          Apollo, PA              10  24-00    0
  Day 1: 5   12-06     Day 2: 5   11-10   
104. Arthur Magurn          Lunenburg, MA            8  23-13    0
  Day 1: 3   07-12     Day 2: 5   16-01   
105. Nick Lepone            Fieldsboro, NJ          10  23-09    0
  Day 1: 5   11-05     Day 2: 5   12-04   
106. Ben Hale               Rowley, MA               9  23-01    0
  Day 1: 5   16-02     Day 2: 4   06-15   
107. Robert Batchelder Jr   Mechanicville, NY       10  23-01    0
  Day 1: 5   13-11     Day 2: 5   09-06   
108. Jeremy Sadowski        Voluntown, CT            9  22-13    0
  Day 1: 5   12-11     Day 2: 4   10-02   
109. Roger LaFlamme Jr      Lyman, ME               10  22-11    0
  Day 1: 5   09-07     Day 2: 5   13-04   
110. Tony Kibler            Milford, DE              9  20-12    0
  Day 1: 5   11-01     Day 2: 4   09-11   
111. Derek Severns          Carnegie, PA             8  20-01    0
  Day 1: 3   07-01     Day 2: 5   13-00   
112. Addison Kelly          Queensbury, NY           5  18-10    0
  Day 1: 5   18-10     Day 2: 0   00-00   
113. Chris Ogan             Bixby, OK                8  15-04    0
  Day 1: 5   12-01     Day 2: 3   03-03   
114. Darryl Halbert         Enoree, SC               5  14-14    0
  Day 1: 5   14-14     Day 2: 0   00-00   
115. Michael Adams          Portland, ME             5  14-12    0
  Day 1: 5   14-12     Day 2: 0   00-00   
116. Robert Ramasci         Wakefield, MA            5  14-11    0
  Day 1: 5   14-11     Day 2: 0   00-00   
116. Jeff Salmon            Mechanicsville, VA       5  14-11    0
  Day 1: 5   14-11     Day 2: 0   00-00   
118. Chris Groman           Whiting, VT              5  14-07    0
  Day 1: 5   14-07     Day 2: 0   00-00   
119. Ed Lapierre            Lebanon, ME              5  13-09    0
  Day 1: 5   13-09     Day 2: 0   00-00   
120. David Maiorano         Durham, CT               5  13-05    0
  Day 1: 5   13-05     Day 2: 0   00-00   
121. Evan Poroznik          Nestleton Station Ontar  5  12-13    0
  Day 1: 5   12-13     Day 2: 0   00-00   
122. Kevin Wilkes           Ballston Lake,, NY       5  12-07    0
  Day 1: 5   12-07     Day 2: 0   00-00   
123. Erick Markstaller      New Milford, CT          5  12-04    0
  Day 1: 5   12-04     Day 2: 0   00-00   
124. Frank Ramsey           Spring Grove, IL         5  12-01    0
  Day 1: 5   12-01     Day 2: 0   00-00   
125. Robert Smith           Farmington, ME           5  11-11    0
  Day 1: 5   11-11     Day 2: 0   00-00   
126. Jeffrey Perron         South Berwick, ME        5  11-10    0
  Day 1: 5   11-10     Day 2: 0   00-00   
127. Neal Wisinski          Stevens Point, WI        5  11-09    0
  Day 1: 5   11-09     Day 2: 0   00-00   
128. Kirk Smith             Edmond, OK               5  11-02    0
  Day 1: 5   11-02     Day 2: 0   00-00   
129. Chris McCarthy         Woonsocket, RI           5  10-00    0
  Day 1: 5   10-00     Day 2: 0   00-00   
130. William Barrett        Bridgewater, MA          5  09-11    0
  Day 1: 5   09-11     Day 2: 0   00-00   
131. Cameron Creamer        Bremen, ME               5  08-09    0
  Day 1: 5   08-09     Day 2: 0   00-00   
132. Steve Deguzis          Bristol, CT              0  00-00    0
  Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 0   00-00   
132. Henry Fristik          Blandford, MA            0  00-00    0
  Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 0   00-00   
132. Josh Giroldi           Beachville CANADA        0  00-00    0
  Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 0   00-00   
132. Eric Johnson           Kingston, MA             0  00-00    0
  Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 0   00-00   
132. Alex Legg              Milford, DE              0  00-00    0
  Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 0   00-00   
132. Joe Raposo             North Dighton, MA        0  00-00    0
  Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 0   00-00   
132. Craig Rexford          Grand Isle, VT           0  00-00    0
  Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 0   00-00   
———————————————————————–
Totals
Day   #Limits    #Fish      Weight
 1       126       648      1993-11
 2       101       546      1705-14
———————————-
         227      1194      3699-09

2024 Mercury B.A.S.S. Nation Qualifier at Lake Champlain presented by Lowrance 7/24-7/26
Lake Champlain, Plattsburgh  NY.
(NON_BOATER) Standings Day 2

   Angler                   Hometown              No./lbs-oz  Pts   Total $$$

1.  Guiseppe Andreoli      Foster, RI               6  22-00    0
  Day 1: 3   10-13     Day 2: 3   11-03   
2.  Ernest Weathersby      Leominster, MA           6  21-12    0
  Day 1: 3   12-03     Day 2: 3   09-09   
3.  Josh Giran             Elizabeth, PA            6  21-09    0
  Day 1: 3   12-06     Day 2: 3   09-03   
4.  Grant Fry              Bay City, MI             6  21-06    0
  Day 1: 3   09-04     Day 2: 3   12-02   
5.  Rob Ross               Hopedale, MA             6  20-07    0
  Day 1: 3   07-14     Day 2: 3   12-09   
6.  Conner Petropoulos     South Portland, ME       6  20-06    0
  Day 1: 3   08-06     Day 2: 3   12-00   
7.  Sophon Chhoeun         Fall River, MA           6  20-02    0
  Day 1: 3   10-03     Day 2: 3   09-15   
8.  Stephen Sanders        New Britain, CT          6  19-13    0
  Day 1: 3   08-10     Day 2: 3   11-03   
9.  Dylan Stowe            Weybridge, VT            6  19-12    0
  Day 1: 3   08-14     Day 2: 3   10-14   
10. Jacob Muir             Milford, DE              6  19-10    0
  Day 1: 3   08-15     Day 2: 3   10-11   
11. Brian Marino           Vineland, NJ             6  19-06    0
  Day 1: 3   08-02     Day 2: 3   11-04   
12. Vic Brown II           Glen Burnie, MD          6  18-13    0
  Day 1: 3   07-06     Day 2: 3   11-07   
13. Jake Minch             Stevens Point, WI        6  18-09    0
  Day 1: 3   08-09     Day 2: 3   10-00   
14. Joe Devoe              Aberdeen, MD             6  18-06    0
  Day 1: 3   11-04     Day 2: 3   07-02   
15. Dave Reed              Westminster, MD          6  18-05    0
  Day 1: 3   07-10     Day 2: 3   10-11   
16. Robert Rull Jr         Coventry, RI             6  18-03    0
  Day 1: 3   10-13     Day 2: 3   07-06   
17. Travis Rockett         Intervale, NH            6  18-00    0
  Day 1: 3   09-09     Day 2: 3   08-07   
18. JT Fitzgerald          Lincoln, DE              6  17-10    0
  Day 1: 3   10-02     Day 2: 3   07-08   
19. Mike Wotanowski        Lake Hopatcong, NJ       6  17-09    0
  Day 1: 3   08-09     Day 2: 3   09-00   
20. Wes Vyverberg          Rochester, NY            6  17-06    0
  Day 1: 3   06-12     Day 2: 3   10-10   
21. Zachary Catoe          Lancaster, SC            6  17-01    0     $250.00
  Day 1: 3   10-03     Day 2: 3   06-14   
22. Jeff Lin               Natick, MA               6  17-01    0     $250.00
  Day 1: 3   08-09     Day 2: 3   08-08   
23. Joe Sodora             Garfield, NJ             6  17-00    0     $250.00
  Day 1: 3   09-02     Day 2: 3   07-14   
24. Dale Libby             Buxton, ME               6  16-12    0     $250.00
  Day 1: 3   08-15     Day 2: 3   07-13   
25. Jp Harrell             Chevy Chase, MD          5  16-09    0     $250.00
  Day 1: 2   04-13     Day 2: 3   11-12   
26. Matt Belmore           Indian Lake, NY          5  16-07    0     $250.00
  Day 1: 2   05-05     Day 2: 3   11-02   
27. Jacob Nicholson        Burlington, MA           6  16-02    0     $250.00
  Day 1: 3   09-15     Day 2: 3   06-03   
28. Kendry Jerez           Paterson, NJ             6  16-00    0     $250.00
  Day 1: 3   07-01     Day 2: 3   08-15   
29. Scott Shrewsbury       Rocky Mount, NC          5  15-14    0     $250.00
  Day 1: 2   04-07     Day 2: 3   11-07   
30. Robert Mccoy           Mount Airy, MD           6  15-09    0     $250.00
  Day 1: 3   09-11     Day 2: 3   05-14   
31. Craig Winegardner      West River, MD           5  15-06    0
  Day 1: 2   06-01     Day 2: 3   09-05   
32. Cole Wessner           Southgate, KY            6  15-05    0
  Day 1: 3   05-01     Day 2: 3   10-04   
33. Brad Dekraai           Epsom, NH                6  15-03    0
  Day 1: 3   07-07     Day 2: 3   07-12   
34. Michael Griffiths      Cherry Tree, PA          6  15-03    0
  Day 1: 3   07-10     Day 2: 3   07-09   
35. Frank Campisi          Londonderry, NH          5  14-13    0
  Day 1: 3   09-05     Day 2: 2   05-08   
36. Zach Queeney           Atco, NJ                 6  14-11    0
  Day 1: 3   07-01     Day 2: 3   07-10   
37. Chris Newton           Whitesboro, NY           5  14-08    0
  Day 1: 2   07-10     Day 2: 3   06-14   
38. Michael Schrader       North Attleboro, MA      6  14-06    0
  Day 1: 3   04-05     Day 2: 3   10-01   
39. Garrett Sicely         Albany, VT               4  14-02    0
  Day 1: 3   09-12     Day 2: 1   04-06   
40. Michael Hunt           Watertown, NY            5  14-00    0
  Day 1: 3   10-11     Day 2: 2   03-05   
41. Jimmy  Eney            Baltimore, MD            5  14-00    0
  Day 1: 2   04-11     Day 2: 3   09-05   
42. Michael Stewart        Wrentham, MA             6  13-14    0
  Day 1: 3   08-03     Day 2: 3   05-11   
43. Roger Stahl JR         Ogdensburg, NY           6  12-12    0
  Day 1: 3   07-01     Day 2: 3   05-11   
44. John Nichols           Milford, DE              5  12-11    0
  Day 1: 2   04-05     Day 2: 3   08-06   
45. Tommy Kopach           Gansevoort, NY           6  12-10    0
  Day 1: 3   06-06     Day 2: 3   06-04   
46. Andrew Dick            Wilmington, DE           6  12-09    0
  Day 1: 3   06-01     Day 2: 3   06-08   
47. Steven Dorsey          Warwick, RI              4  12-07    0
  Day 1: 3   09-07     Day 2: 1   03-00   
48. Frank Moore            Topsham, ME              5  12-07    0
  Day 1: 3   06-10     Day 2: 2   05-13   
49. David Evans            Memphis, NY              6  12-03    0
  Day 1: 3   06-12     Day 2: 3   05-07   
50. John Hritsko           Northern Cambria, PA     4  11-15    0
  Day 1: 1   02-15     Day 2: 3   09-00   
51. Michael Caudle         Taunton, MA              5  11-14    0
  Day 1: 2   05-06     Day 2: 3   06-08   
52. Kevin Waden            Melrose, MA              5  11-09    0
  Day 1: 2   02-13     Day 2: 3   08-12   
53. Jeffrey Graiff         Vineland, NJ             5  11-06    0
  Day 1: 2   02-14     Day 2: 3   08-08   
54. James Blue             Canton, MA               4  11-03    0
  Day 1: 1   03-04     Day 2: 3   07-15   
55. David Pfeiffer         Milton Mills, NH         4  11-02    0
  Day 1: 1   03-12     Day 2: 3   07-06   
56. Lyn England            Danbury, NH              4  10-14    0
  Day 1: 3   08-02     Day 2: 1   02-12   
57. Ben Hilfrank           Falmouth, ME             4  10-11    0
  Day 1: 3   08-02     Day 2: 1   02-09   
58. Corey Thornton         Mcgraw, NY               5  10-07    0
  Day 1: 3   06-09     Day 2: 2   03-14   
59. Bryce Poulin           Lisbon, ME               3  10-05    0
  Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 3   10-05   
60. Jesse Manning          Athol, MA                5  10-05    0
  Day 1: 3   04-11     Day 2: 2   05-10   
61. Mike King              Lisbon, ME               4  10-02    0
  Day 1: 1   01-08     Day 2: 3   08-10   
62. Michael Briggs         N Providence, RI         3  09-15    0
  Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 3   09-15   
63. Evan Young             Hancock, ME              4  09-13    0
  Day 1: 1   02-02     Day 2: 3   07-11   
64. Frank  Wisneski        North Haven, CT          4  09-13    0
  Day 1: 3   06-12     Day 2: 1   03-01   
65. Ricardo Cruz           New York, NY             5  09-05    0
  Day 1: 3   06-14     Day 2: 2   02-07   
66. Warren Cooper          Utopia CANADA            3  09-01    0
  Day 1: 3   09-01     Day 2: 0   00-00   
67. Jim Short              Ocean Pines, MD          3  09-01    0
  Day 1: 2   05-11     Day 2: 1   03-06   
68. Frank Daniels          Dover, DE                3  09-00    0
  Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 3   09-00   
69. Randy Marshall Sr.     Belgrade, ME             3  08-05    0
  Day 1: 3   08-05     Day 2: 0   00-00   
70. Angela Mayo            Maiden, NC               4  08-05    0
  Day 1: 1   00-14     Day 2: 3   07-07   
71. Tim Jensen             Phelps, NY               3  08-04    0
  Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 3   08-04   
72. Jim Kline              Hagerstown, MD           4  08-04    0
  Day 1: 1   00-15     Day 2: 3   07-05   
73. Mark Ramquar           Dundalk, MD              5  08-04    0
  Day 1: 2   02-11     Day 2: 3   05-09   
74. Jim D’Ambra            Hanover, MA              3  08-01    0
  Day 1: 3   08-01     Day 2: 0   00-00   
75. David Fletcher         Paterson, NJ             4  08-01    0
  Day 1: 1   00-13     Day 2: 3   07-04   
76. Philip Sheehan         Lynn, MA                 3  07-15    0
  Day 1: 3   07-15     Day 2: 0   00-00   
77. Steven Davis           Dover, PA                4  07-03    0
  Day 1: 1   01-09     Day 2: 3   05-10   
78. Gary Rondeau           Charlestown, RI          3  07-00    0
  Day 1: 3   07-00     Day 2: 0   00-00   
79. Zachary Grose          Huntingdon, PA           3  06-11    0
  Day 1: 1   01-13     Day 2: 2   04-14   
80. Olivia Baroffio        Burlington, VT           3  06-05    0
  Day 1: 3   06-05     Day 2: 0   00-00   
81. Scott Suckman          Hudson Falls, NY         2  06-04    0
  Day 1: 2   06-04     Day 2: 0   00-00   
82. Dwayne Turnage         Hollis, ME               2  05-06    0
  Day 1: 2   05-06     Day 2: 0   00-00   
83. Darryl Hunt            Haddonfield, NJ          2  05-02    0
  Day 1: 2   05-02     Day 2: 0   00-00   
84. Joseph Raguzin         Carmel, NY               2  03-15    0
  Day 1: 2   03-15     Day 2: 0   00-00   
85. Stanley Gshinsky       Pittsburgh, PA           1  03-13    0
  Day 1: 1   03-13     Day 2: 0   00-00   
86. Scott Himmelfarb       Poolesville, MD          2  03-03    0
  Day 1: 2   03-03     Day 2: 0   00-00   
87. Jerry Brown Jr         Hagerstown, MD           2  02-06    0
  Day 1: 2   02-06     Day 2: 0   00-00   
88. Mark Wisinski          Stevenson Point, WI      1  02-05    0
  Day 1: 1   02-05     Day 2: 0   00-00   
89. Skip Hinkley           Richmond, ME             0  00-00    0
  Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 0   00-00   
89. Devon Kitson           Montclair , NJ           0  00-00    0
  Day 1: 0   00-00   
89. Justin Mccarthy        Tiverton, RI             0  00-00    0
  Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 0   00-00   
89. Lewis Mendall          Winthrop, MA             0  00-00    0
  Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 0   00-00   
89. Dave Metivier          Gray, ME                 0  00-00    0
  Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 0   00-00   
———————————————————————–
Totals
Day   #Limits    #Fish      Weight
 1        54       210       557-15
 2        61       203       581-07
———————————-
         115       413      1139-06



Ray Hogge & Donnie Daniel Win CATT Potomac River, VA July 21, 2024

Brian Carter
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Ray Hogge & Donnie Daniel Win CATT Potomac River, VA July 21, 2024

Next up is the Potomac River Final July 21st at Hope Springs Marina!  You had to enter 2 Potomac River Qualifiers to be eligible to enter the Final. You can view the points list on the Potomac River Division page by scrolling all the way down! Tap on this link to view points!

Potomac River Final Entry $170 – $180 at Ramp

CATT Potomac River – Carolina Anglers Team Trail (cattteamtrail.com)

Top 3 Teams in the Points!

1Ray Hogge – Donnie Daniel$500
2David Hooker – Kenny Henderson$275
3Greg Dent – Cody Dent$155

Ray Hogge – Donnie Daniel win the Potomac River with 5 bass weighing 18.85 lbs! they also won the Points and will receive $500 plus free entry & Boat #1 at the Final!

Greg Dent – Cody Dent 2nd with 16.65 lbs!

Mike Kruse finished 3rd with 15.11 lbs plus brought in the Big Snakehead at 8.68 lbs!

Big
TeamSnakeBFWeightWinningsPoints
Ray Hogge – Donnie Daniel0.005.2718.85$1,925.00110
Greg Dent – Cody Dent4.933.8116.65$650.00109
Mike Kruse8.683.7715.11$460.00108
John Stevens – Jake Keller0.000.0014.98107
Brian Kline – Luke Beard0.000.0014.49106
Nick Sapio – Nick Lober0.000.0013.88105
Scottie Melton – Shawn Smith0.004.1613.45105
Steven Schantz – Billy Boyd0.000.0012.75103
David Hooker – Kenny Henderson0.000.0012.24102
Robbie Henderson – Rick Boutchyard0.000.0011.51101
Mike Nelms – Scott Batton0.000.0011.48100
Clayton Payne – Waylon Etherton0.000.009.9699
Desmond Allen0.000.009.1498
Karl Sampson – Donnie Caldwell0.000.008.4297
Sam Musselman – Ryan Musselman0.000.007.9696
Total Entrys$2,100.00
BONUS $$975.00
Snakehead Side Pot$160.00
Total Paid At Ramp$3,035.00
Potomac River 2024 Spring Final Fund$150.00
2024 CATT Championship Fund$50.00
2024 Potomac River Spring Final Fund$930.00



MLF Bass Pro Tour Set for 2024 Season Finale with Minn Kota Stage Seven at St. Lawrence River

Brian Carter
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0
MLF Bass Pro Tour Set for 2024 Season Finale with Minn Kota Stage Seven at St. Lawrence River

MASSENA, N.Y. (July 25, 2024) – The Major League Fishing (MLF) Bass Pro Tour is set to wrap the 2024 season of the Bass Pro Tour next, week, Aug. 6-11, in Massena, New York, with the seventh and final event of the year – the Minn Kota Stage Seven at the St. Lawrence River Presented by Humminbird.

The six-day event, hosted by the Town of Massena, will feature a field of 78 professional anglers, including superstars like Ott DeFoe, Jacob Wheeler, REDCREST 2024 Champion Dustin Connell and reigning Fishing Clash Angler of the Year (AOY) Matt Becker. They’ll be competing for a season-long purse of $3.9 million – including a top prize of $100,000 at the St. Lawrence River – and valuable AOY points in hopes of qualifying for the General Tire Heavy Hitters all-star event and REDCREST 2025, the Bass Pro Tour championship.

The tournament will showcase the MLF catch, weigh, immediate-release format, in which anglers catch as much weight as they can each day, while also feeling the pressure and intensity of the SCORETRACKER® leaderboard. The tournament will be live streamed on MajorLeagueFishing.com, the MyOutdoorTV (MOTV) app, and Rumble.

“We are pleased to host Major League Fishing again this year for the 2024 Bass Pro Tour,” said Don Meissner, Director of Tourism for the Town of Massena. “This promises to be one of the most exciting events that the town of Massena has had the good fortune to bring to the folks in northern New York.  Our partnership with MLF and their key personnel continues to provide great benefit and promise to the community and all of the North Country.”

The St. Lawrence River has hosted hundreds of MLF (and FLW) tournaments over the years, but this event will mark just the second time that the venue has hosted the Bass Pro Tour, MLF’s top circuit. When the Bass Pro Tour last visited Massena in 2021, pro Jacob Wheeler of Harrison, Tennessee, caught a final-day Championship Round total of 35 bass weighing 129 pounds even to win by an impressive 28-pound, 10-ounce margin over his nearest competitor, pro Jeff Sprague of Wills Point, Texas.

“I was able to spend three days there at the St. Lawrence River before it went off limits, and the fishery is just incredible,” said pro Spencer Shuffield of Hot Springs, Arkansas, who won the 2022 Tackle Warehouse TITLE championship event on the St. Lawrence River and will be among the 78 competitors. “That place has so many 4-to 5-pound smallmouth. I expect the weights to be really big – I’ll be interested to see the numbers after we wrap up, but I’m willing to bet the average fish that is weighed in averages 3-12 to 3-15.

“It’s also a really good largemouth fishery, but you just can’t compete against the smallmouth over the multiple days,” Shuffield continued. “I think the (Garmin Live)scope guys will dominate again, but the river is a little bit tricky. With the current, the fish suck down to the rocks so tight it can be really hard to see them on your electronics. So, there will be a lot of fish caught dragging with the current – Carolina rigs, drop-shot rigs and Ned rigs.”

With so many accolades on the line – Fishing Clash Angler of the Year, REDCREST 2025 and Heavy Hitters qualifications, requalification into the 2025 Bass Pro Tour – the final event of the year on the St. Lawrence River is sure to be a nail-biter.

“It’s just an awesome fishery – one of my favorite places in the country, no doubt,” Shuffield went on to say. “I think on the final day, you’re going to need to catch at least 140 to 160 pounds to have a chance. It’s going to be a smallmouth smash fest, and a great event to wrap up the season.”

Anglers will launch at 7:30 a.m. ET each day from the Massena Intake Boat Launch, located at 1415 State Highway 131 in Massena. Each day’s General Tire Takeout will be held at the launch, beginning at 4 p.m. Fans are welcome to attend all launch and takeout events and also encouraged to follow the event online throughout the day on the MLFNOW!® live stream and SCORETRACKER® coverage at MajorLeagueFishing.com .

In addition to the competition, numerous events held in conjunction with the tournament will be taking place around the North Country during the week. On Friday, Aug. 2, pro Dave Lefebre and his band, The Band 814, in conjunction with Fish Massena, NY presents: The Break Every Chain Live Concert Series, a powerful night of praise, worship and testimony at the Massena Town Beach. Additional Bass Pro Tour anglers scheduled to appear at the concert include Alton Jones, Jr., Alton Jones, Sr., Nick LeBrun and Ott DeFoe. Gates open at 7:30 p.m., and the concert starts at 8 p.m.

On Monday, Aug. 5, the MLF pros will participate in the Johnson Outdoors Clean Earth Challenge, from 4 to 5 p.m. at the Massena Intake Boat Launch. The National Wildlife Federation and Johnson Outdoors teamed up to launch the Clean Earth Challenge in 2022 to inspire people to get outdoors and take simple conservation actions to help preserve and restore the outdoor spaces we all love. The pros will spend their time collecting trash and debris from the Massena Intake Boat Launch and surrounding areas, with a post-clean up weigh-in taking place to determine how much trash and debris was collected during the challenge. In addition to the pros, MLF staff in Benton, Kentucky, will also participate in the challenge, collecting trash and debris from the Kentucky Dam Marina.

On Saturday and Sunday, Aug. 10-11, from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. MLF welcomes fans of all ages to visit the Massena Intake Boat Launch for the MLF Watch Party. Fans can watch the pros live on the MLFNOW! big screen, enjoy free food, enter to win hourly giveaways and cheer on their favorite pros. Live music will begin each day at 4 p.m. The first 50 kids 14 and under will receive a free rod and reel from Pure Fishing each day. The final 10 Championship Round Bass Pro Tour anglers will be on hand at the trophy celebration on Championship Sunday to meet and greet fans, sign autographs and take selfies.

The Minn Kota Stage Seven at the St. Lawrence River will feature anglers competing with a 2-pound minimum weight requirement for a bass to be deemed scorable. The MLF Fisheries Management Division determines minimum weights for each body of water that the Bass Pro Tour visits, based on the productivity, bass population and anticipated average size of fish in each fishery.

The 2024 Bass Pro Tour features a field of 78 of the top professional anglers in the world, competing across seven regular-season tournaments around the country, for millions of dollars and valuable points to qualify for the annual General Tire Heavy Hitters all-star event and REDCREST 2025, the Bass Pro Tour championship, set for April 3-6, 2025 on Lake Guntersville in Huntsville, Alabama.

The 39 Anglers in Group A compete in their two-day Qualifying Round on Tuesday and Thursday – the 39 anglers in Group B on Wednesday and Friday. After each two-day Qualifying Round is complete, the anglers that finish first through 10th from both groups advance to Saturday’s Knockout Round. In the Knockout Round, weights are zeroed, and the remaining 20 anglers compete to finish in the top 10 to advance to Sunday’s Championship Round. In the final-day Championship Round, weights are zeroed, and the highest one-day total wins the top prize of $100,000.

The MLFNOW!® broadcast team of Chad McKee and J.T. Kenney will break down the extended action live on the final four days of competition from 7:45 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. ET. MLFNOW!®  will be live streamed on MajorLeagueFishing.com and the MyOutdoorTV (MOTV) app.

Television coverage of the Minn Kota Stage Seven at the St. Lawrence River will premiere as a two-hour episode starting at 7 a.m. ET, on Saturday, Nov. 16 on Discovery. New MLF episodes premiere each Saturday morning on Discovery, with re-airings on Outdoor Channel.

Proud sponsors of the 2024 MLF Bass Pro Tour include: Abu Garcia, B&W Trailer Hitches, Bass Pro Shops, Berkley, BUBBA, Epic Baits, Fishing Clash, Garmin, General Tire, Humminbird, Lowrance, Mercury, MillerTech, Minn Kota, Mossy Oak Fishing, NITRO, Onyx, Plano, Power-Pole, PowerStop Brakes, Rapala, REDCON1, StarBrite, Suzuki, Toyota, WIX Filters and U.S. Air Force.

For complete details and updated information on Major League Fishing and the Bass Pro Tour, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF’s social media outlets at Facebook, X,  Instagram and  YouTube.



Bill Dance Signature Lakes signs as sponsor of 2024 Strike King Bassmaster High School National Championship 

Brian Carter
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Bill Dance Signature Lakes signs as sponsor of 2024 Strike King Bassmaster High School National Championship 

July 25, 2024

Bill Dance Signature Lakes signs as sponsor of 2024 Strike King Bassmaster High School National Championship 

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — B.A.S.S. has announced a partnership with Bill Dance Signature Lakes to help connect the world’s most-loved angler with some of Tennessee’s greatest natural resources — its lakes.

The Bill Dance Signature Lakes program’s goal is to make Tennessee a best-in-class destination for anglers worldwide — beginners, experts and every skill level in between.

As part of the partnership, Bill Dance Signature Lakes also is sponsoring the 2024 Strike King Bassmaster High School National Championship presented by Bill Dance Signature Lakes at Chickamauga Lake in Dayton, Tenn., Aug. 1-3.

“We’re excited to partner with Bill Dance Signature Lakes for the High School National Championship,” said B.A.S.S. CEO Chase Anderson. “B.A.S.S. is proud to honor Bill’s legacy, and the partnership with his Signature Lakes program will benefit anglers not just in Tennessee, but anglers worldwide as they discover some of the best bodies of water in the United States.”

“We’re excited about the partnership with B.A.S.S. and couldn’t think of a better partner to join forces with to showcase the Bill Dance Signature Lakes project,” said Tennessee Department of Tourist Development Chief Customer Officer Dennis Tumlin. “And Chickamauga Lake is a great highlight of the amazing fisheries in Tennessee that are part of the project.”

Ten large reservoirs feature Bill Dance Signature Lake access points constructed to a standard of excellence endorsed and designed by Bill Dance Outdoors in collaboration with Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency, Tennessee State Parks and Tennessee Department of Tourist Development. These 10 reservoirs include “Bill Dance Signature Lake access areas” with new or improved assets driving economic activity year-round for each surrounding community.

In addition, four “small venue” lakes entice anglers of all ages and experience levels to enjoy the outdoors while experiencing an above-average catch rate.

The Signature Lakes include:

  • 10 large reservoirs – Chickamauga Lake, Dale Hollow Lake, Douglas Lake, Kentucky Lake, Norris Lake, Old Hickory Lake, Pickwick Lake, Reelfoot Lake, Tims Ford Lake and Watauga Lake.
  • Four “small venue lakes” – Brown’s Creek Lake, Fall Creek Falls Lake, Herb Parsons Lake and Lake Halford.

About Bill Dance

Bill Dance, professional bass fishing’s first superstar, began competing — and winning — in bass tournaments in the early 1960s. With more than 2,000 shows under his belt since 1968, he has educated millions of fishing enthusiasts as host and producer of Bill Dance Outdoors and Bill Dance Saltwater, airing respectively on the Outdoor Channel and Sportsman Channel. Dance oversees a fishing empire from his production studio in Collierville, Tenn., that includes his TV shows, tackle endorsements, how-to seminars, and a series of popular “blooper” videos. Dance has written seven books and his articles have been published in Sports Afield, Field & Stream, Bassmaster® Magazine, Outdoor Life and more.

Bill Dance’s accomplishments, techniques and fishing savvy have been recognized through countless awards alongside a fishing career that encompasses 23 national B.A.S.S. titles, three Bassmaster Angler of the Year titles, 52 Top 10 B.A.S.S. finishes and eight Bassmaster Classic qualifications. Country superstar Luke Bryan celebrated the fishing legend in 2020 with the release of his song titled “Bill Dance.” In 2021, Dance received his honorary doctorate from the University of Tennessee for his outstanding contributions to the sport. For more than five decades, Bill Dance has served as an ambassador to the state of Tennessee, always filmed or photographed wearing his trademark orange and white University of Tennessee cap.



Largemouth carry Appaluccio to Day 1 lead in B.A.S.S. Nation Qualifier at Lake Champlain

Brian Carter
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0
Largemouth carry Appaluccio to Day 1 lead in B.A.S.S. Nation Qualifier at Lake Champlain

New Jersey’s Frankie Appaluccio takes the Day 1 lead in the B.A.S.S. Nation Qualifier at Lake Champlain with a five-bass limit weighing 24 pounds, 5 ounces.

Photo by Chase Sansom/B.A.S.S.

July 24, 2024

Largemouth carry Appaluccio to Day 1 lead in B.A.S.S. Nation Qualifier at Lake Champlain

PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. — Frankie Appaluccio has fished Lake Champlain for years, but Day 1 of the Mercury B.A.S.S. Nation Qualifier presented by Lowrance was his best outing so far.

With a 24-pound, 5-ounce limit of largemouth, anchored by a 6-15 Phoenix Boats Big Bass, the New Jersey boater holds a 2-pound, 1-ounce lead over Delaware’s Craig Morris in the final Nation Qualifier of the 2024 season. 

The former University of Alabama angler has been visiting Lake Champlain since he was a child. Now 33, Appaluccio’s final tally on Day 1 was his best performance on the famous fishery that straddles the New York/Vermont border. 

“This was my best tournament day for sure,” the Ogdensburg, N.J., angler said. “Probably my best day in general, too. I’ve been coming up here since I was 10 years old, and everyone who knows me has been on those vacations and knows all of these spots. They weren’t surprised about the bigger fish, but they were surprised by the amount of big fish on the same day.”

A fishery dominated by smallmouth in recent years, Lake Champlain kicked out many quality bags of largemouth bass on Day 1. That was due in part to the increase in wind speed during the day, which rose to around 20 mph by the afternoon ahead of a cluster of storms. Wind will also play a factor on Day 2 as forecasts call for even gustier breezes. 

Despite the tough fishing conditions, 11 bags of 20 pounds or better were brought to the stage by boaters and 28 bags of more than 18 pounds were caught.

What Appaluccio did on Thursday morning was not in his original gameplan. But looking at the forecast with his travel partner the night before, he decided to pivot and make a run to one of his largemouth areas north of takeoff. 

“I made a gametime decision and it paid off, clearly,” he said. “My backup plan was largemouth. But I knew I needed to hit them first.”

One bait produced the bulk of his bag by 10 a.m., but Appaluccio was able to make several key culls along the way, including a 5½-pounder he saw chasing rock bass before catching it with a bait he rarely uses. 

“My co-angler was like, ‘I can’t believe that just happened,’” he said. “This was the craziest day of fishing ever.”

While there is always the potential to catch big largemouth at Champlain, Appaluccio knows it can also be inconsistent. He isn’t exactly sure what type of quality is left in his primary spot, but he does have smallmouth areas to target if the weather allows. 

“I’d love to fish my smallie stuff, but I didn’t need to do that today. I wasn’t going to be catching smallmouth that big.”

Morris, meanwhile, has only been to Lake Champlain once in his life. But the Ocean City, Del., angler applied some of his tidal water skills and overcame motor issues to find success on Day 1. 

“I had a late draw this morning and decided to go for green fish just because of my poor draw,” he said. “I ran north and had motor troubles. I decided to not move from one of my primary areas. I probably had 19 pounds at 8 o’clock this morning. I culled little bits here and there and it worked out. I stayed until about 1:30 just so I could try and make it back.”

In total, he estimated he caught more than 120 largemouth, as well as 40 pike, during the day in one large area of the lake. One specific type of vegetation in one specific depth range produced the majority of his quality bass, including a 5-5. All of the bass in his final limit were caught using one bait.

“The depth range is critical to the size of the bass, and the type of vegetation that is there is different than 90 percent of what you find on the lake,” he said. “I sure hope it will happen again tomorrow. It is a big area, and I didn’t have much traffic (around).”

Dan Tavilla of Portsmouth, N.H., is third in the boater standings with 21-2 followed by Jacob Swanson from Massachusetts in fourth with 20-14 and New York’s Cody Peryea in fifth with 20-13. 

Josh Giran of Elizabeth, Pa., leads the nonboater division with a three-bass limit weighing 12-6. Ernest Weathersby of Leominster, Mass., is second with 12-3 and Maryland’s Joe Devoe is third with 11-4. New York’s Michael Hunt caught the Big Bass of the Day, a 4-12.

The full field is scheduled to launch from Plattsburgh City Marina beginning at 6 a.m. ET and return for weigh-in at 2 p.m. The field will be cut to the Top 20 boaters and nonboaters after the Day 2 weigh-in, and those anglers will punch their tickets to the Mercury B.A.S.S. Nation Championship presented by Lowrance scheduled for Grand Lake Nov. 6-8.

The Adirondack Coast is hosting the tournament.

2024 Mercury B.A.S.S. Nation Qualifier at Lake Champlain presented by Lowrance 7/24-7/26
Lake Champlain, Plattsburgh  NY.
(BOATER) Standings Day 1

   Angler                   Hometown              No./lbs-oz  Pts   Total $$$

1.  Frankie Appaluccio     Ogdensburg, NJ           5  24-05    0
  Day 1: 5   24-05   
2.  Craig Morris           Ocean City, DE           5  22-04    0
  Day 1: 5   22-04   
3.  Dan Tavilla            Portsmouth, NH           5  21-02    0
  Day 1: 5   21-02   
4.  Jacob Swanson          Framingham, MA           5  20-14    0
  Day 1: 5   20-14   
5.  Cody Peryea            Altona, NY               5  20-13    0
  Day 1: 5   20-13   
6.  Anthony Lorefice Jr    Johnson City, NY         5  20-08    0
  Day 1: 5   20-08   
7.  Matt Pangrac           Shawnee, OK              5  20-07    0
  Day 1: 5   20-07   
7.  Joshua Smith           Coventry, RI             5  20-07    0
  Day 1: 5   20-07   
9.  J Judd                 Saint Albans, VT         5  20-05    0
  Day 1: 5   20-05   
10. David Torres II        Fallston, MD             5  20-02    0
  Day 1: 5   20-02   
11. Robert Williamson II   Gorham, ME               5  20-00    0
  Day 1: 5   20-00   
12. Rich Ortiz             Fort Ann, NY             5  19-07    0
  Day 1: 5   19-07   
13. Ty Austin              Rush, NY                 5  19-07    0
  Day 1: 5   19-07   
14. Daniel Gray            Butler, PA               5  19-05    0
  Day 1: 5   19-05   
15. Chris Guncheon         Warwick, RI              5  19-05    0
  Day 1: 5   19-05   
16. Connor Jacob           Auburn, AL               5  19-02    0
  Day 1: 5   19-02   
17. Dylan Dew              Valencia , PA            5  19-00    0
  Day 1: 5   19-00   
18. Justin Yenter          Stevens Point, WI        5  18-14    0
  Day 1: 5   18-14   
19. David Mathieu          Woodstock, CT            5  18-12    0
  Day 1: 5   18-12   
20. Paul Baker             New Fairfield, CT        5  18-10    0
  Day 1: 5   18-10   
21. Addison Kelly          Queensbury, NY           5  18-10    0
  Day 1: 5   18-10   
22. Jay Walls              Milford, DE              5  18-08    0
  Day 1: 5   18-08   
23. Brennan Chuprinko      Flanders, NJ             5  18-07    0
  Day 1: 5   18-07   
24. Brian La Clair         Denton, MD               5  18-06    0
  Day 1: 5   18-06   
25. Jed Worthington        Eden Mills, VT           5  18-06    0
  Day 1: 5   18-06   
26. Jonathan Carter        Portland, ME             5  18-04    0
  Day 1: 5   18-04   
26. Chase Loftus           Iowa City, IA            5  18-04    0
  Day 1: 5   18-04   
28. Bret Winegardner       Swanton, MD              5  18-02    0
  Day 1: 5   18-02   
29. Joseph Tefft           Fort Edward, NY          5  17-14    0
  Day 1: 5   17-14   
30. Mark Hogan             Milford, DE              5  17-10    0
  Day 1: 5   17-10   
30. Keith Poulin           Lisbon, ME               5  17-10    0
  Day 1: 5   17-10   
32. Mikey Mello Jr         Manville, RI             5  17-08    0
  Day 1: 5   17-08   
33. Mark Burgess           Norton, MA               5  17-06    0
  Day 1: 5   17-06   
33. Matthew Lazor          Evans City, PA           5  17-06    0
  Day 1: 5   17-06   
33. Fabian Rodriguez       Ocean City, MD           5  17-06    0
  Day 1: 5   17-06   
36. Anthony Dulac          Harpswell, ME            5  17-06    0
  Day 1: 5   17-06   
37. Cam Sterritt           Newfields, NH            5  17-04    0
  Day 1: 5   17-04   
38. Josh Cotier            Clinton, MA              5  16-15    0
  Day 1: 5   16-15   
39. TJ McKenzie            Andrews, SC              5  16-13    0
  Day 1: 5   16-13   
40. Randy Huffman          Charleston, WV           5  16-09    0
  Day 1: 5   16-09   
41. Jeffrey Davis Jr       Wendell, NC              5  16-06    0
  Day 1: 5   16-06   
42. Joe McClosky           Swanton, MD              5  16-05    0
  Day 1: 5   16-05   
43. Sheron Brown Sr        Leominster, MA           5  16-05    0
  Day 1: 5   16-05   
44. Travis Lepage          Lewiston, ME             5  16-04    0
  Day 1: 5   16-04   
45. Trevor Topken          Hickory, NC              5  16-04    0
  Day 1: 5   16-04   
46. Phil Curtis            Rosseau ONTARIO CANADA   5  16-03    0
  Day 1: 5   16-03   
47. Ben Hale               Rowley, MA               5  16-02    0
  Day 1: 5   16-02   
48. Scott Robert           Greene, ME               5  16-02    0
  Day 1: 5   16-02   
49. Bradley Baxter         Willshire, OH            5  16-00    0
  Day 1: 5   16-00   
50. Brandon Mosley         Harrah, OK               5  16-00    0
  Day 1: 5   16-00   
51. Kevin Clark            Westport, MA             5  15-15    0
  Day 1: 5   15-15   
52. Colin Gaudette         Saint Albans, VT         5  15-14    0
  Day 1: 5   15-14   
53. Steven Griffith        Schellsburg, PA          5  15-10    0
  Day 1: 5   15-10   
54. Corey Gillis           Ayer, MA                 5  15-09    0
  Day 1: 5   15-09   
55. Ryan Smith             Galloway, NJ             5  15-07    0
  Day 1: 5   15-07   
55. Brent Valere           Mississauga CANADA       5  15-07    0
  Day 1: 5   15-07   
57. John Mayo              Maiden, NC               5  15-05    0
  Day 1: 5   15-05   
57. Martin Osborne         Glen Burnie, MD          5  15-05    0
  Day 1: 5   15-05   
59. Casey Baroffio         Northfield, VT           5  15-04    0
  Day 1: 5   15-04   
59. Carson Forrester       Chambersburg, PA         5  15-04    0
  Day 1: 5   15-04   
61. Robert Bordeaux III    Williston, VT            5  15-02    0
  Day 1: 5   15-02   
62. Michael Trimarchi      Peabody, MA              5  15-01    0
  Day 1: 5   15-01   
63. Darryl Halbert         Enoree, SC               5  14-14    0
  Day 1: 5   14-14   
64. Ross Bartolo           Caesarea CANADA          5  14-13    0
  Day 1: 5   14-13   
64. Austin Littler         Camden, NY               5  14-13    0
  Day 1: 5   14-13   
64. Max Meister            Atco, NJ                 5  14-13    0
  Day 1: 5   14-13   
64. Mason Phillpotts       Fenton, MI               5  14-13    0
  Day 1: 5   14-13   
64. Brian Wisniewski       Allentown, PA            5  14-13    0
  Day 1: 5   14-13   
69. Jason Muir             Milford, DE              5  14-12    0
  Day 1: 5   14-12   
70. Michael Adams          Portland, ME             5  14-12    0
  Day 1: 5   14-12   
71. Louis Monetti          Brielle, NJ              5  14-11    0
  Day 1: 5   14-11   
71. Robert Ramasci         Wakefield, MA            5  14-11    0
  Day 1: 5   14-11   
71. Jeff Salmon            Mechanicsville, VA       5  14-11    0
  Day 1: 5   14-11   
74. John Rottman           Dudley, MA               5  14-10    0
  Day 1: 5   14-10   
75. Scott Kerslake         Okeechobee, FL           5  14-09    0
  Day 1: 5   14-09   
76. Scott Rondeau          Charlestown, RI          5  14-08    0
  Day 1: 5   14-08   
77. Chris Groman           Whiting, VT              5  14-07    0
  Day 1: 5   14-07   
78. Jacob Marcantonio      Moosup, CT               5  14-07    0
  Day 1: 5   14-07   
79. Jared Leicht           Millville, NJ            5  14-06    0
  Day 1: 5   14-06   
79. Jeffrey Patch          Rutland, VT              5  14-06    0
  Day 1: 5   14-06   
79. Steve Wilson           East Waterboro, ME       5  14-06    0
  Day 1: 5   14-06   
82. Chris Washinger        Chambersburg, PA         5  14-05    0
  Day 1: 5   14-05   
83. John Fitzgerald        Salisbury, VT            5  14-05    0
  Day 1: 5   14-05   
84. Butch Marietta Jr      Hunker, PA               5  14-04    0
  Day 1: 5   14-04   
85. Johnathan Sheehan      Lynn, MA                 5  14-04    0
  Day 1: 5   14-04   
86. RJ Ricci               Cranston, RI             5  14-04    0
  Day 1: 5   14-04   
87. Matt Mosby             Dryden, MI               5  14-03    0
  Day 1: 5   14-03   
88. Keith Aucoin           Hollis Center, ME        5  14-01    0
  Day 1: 5   14-01   
88. Dennis Rocheford       Pembroke, NH             5  14-01    0
  Day 1: 5   14-01   
90. Eric Low               Buxton, ME               5  13-15    0
  Day 1: 5   13-15   
91. Robert Batchelder Jr   Mechanicville, NY        5  13-11    0
  Day 1: 5   13-11   
92. Ed Powell              Sandyville, WV           5  13-11    0
  Day 1: 5   13-11   
93. Ed Lapierre            Lebanon, ME              5  13-09    0
  Day 1: 5   13-09   
94. Jeff Jensen            Beech Creek, PA          5  13-07    0
  Day 1: 5   13-07   
95. Thomas Waltz           St. Albans, VT           4  13-07    0
  Day 1: 4   13-07   
96. John Roth              Lawrenceburg, IN         5  13-06    0
  Day 1: 5   13-06   
96. Andrew Sams            Easton, MD               5  13-06    0
  Day 1: 5   13-06   
98. David Maiorano         Durham, CT               5  13-05    0
  Day 1: 5   13-05   
99. Peter Owen Jr          Barnstead, NH            5  13-04    0
  Day 1: 5   13-04   
100. Randy Kukral           Chagrin Falls, OH        5  13-03    0
  Day 1: 5   13-03   
101. Tim Dubuc              Bowdoinham, ME           5  13-02    0
  Day 1: 5   13-02   
102. Trevor Poulin          Nashua, NH               5  13-01    0
  Day 1: 5   13-01   
103. Nausori Osasa          Grand Isle, VT           5  12-14    0
  Day 1: 5   12-14   
104. Evan Poroznik          Nestleton Station Ontar  5  12-13    0
  Day 1: 5   12-13   
105. Craig Castro           North Attleboro, MA      5  12-12    0
  Day 1: 5   12-12   
106. Jeremy Sadowski        Voluntown, CT            5  12-11    0
  Day 1: 5   12-11   
107. Dylan Minch            Stevens Point, WI        4  12-10    0
  Day 1: 4   12-10   
108. Kevin Wilkes           Ballston Lake,, NY       5  12-07    0
  Day 1: 5   12-07   
109. Steven Kotvas          Apollo, PA               5  12-06    0
  Day 1: 5   12-06   
110. Randy Elliott          Severn, MD               5  12-05    0
  Day 1: 5   12-05   
111. Erick Markstaller      New Milford, CT          5  12-04    0
  Day 1: 5   12-04   
112. Chris Ogan             Bixby, OK                5  12-01    0
  Day 1: 5   12-01   
113. Frank Ramsey           Spring Grove, IL         5  12-01    0
  Day 1: 5   12-01   
114. Tony Despot II         Monroeville, PA          5  11-14    0
  Day 1: 5   11-14   
115. Robert Smith           Farmington, ME           5  11-11    0
  Day 1: 5   11-11   
116. Jeffrey Perron         South Berwick, ME        5  11-10    0
  Day 1: 5   11-10   
117. Neal Wisinski          Stevens Point, WI        5  11-09    0
  Day 1: 5   11-09   
118. Brian Hensley          Edwardsburg, MI          5  11-06    0
  Day 1: 5   11-06   
119. Nick Lepone            Fieldsboro, NJ           5  11-05    0
  Day 1: 5   11-05   
119. Mike Morris            Dover, DE                5  11-05    0
  Day 1: 5   11-05   
121. Kirk Smith             Edmond, OK               5  11-02    0
  Day 1: 5   11-02   
122. Tony Kibler            Milford, DE              5  11-01    0
  Day 1: 5   11-01   
123. Woody McKechnie        Lynn , MA                5  10-11    0
  Day 1: 5   10-11   
124. Chris McCarthy         Woonsocket, RI           5  10-00    0
  Day 1: 5   10-00   
125. Stefan Lillios         Loudon, NH               4  09-12    0
  Day 1: 4   09-12   
126. William Barrett        Bridgewater, MA          5  09-11    0
  Day 1: 5   09-11   
127. Roger LaFlamme Jr      Lyman, ME                5  09-07    0
  Day 1: 5   09-07   
128. Clayton Grimm          Mechanic Falls, ME       5  09-07    0
  Day 1: 5   09-07   
129. Cameron Creamer        Bremen, ME               5  08-09    0
  Day 1: 5   08-09   
130. Arthur Magurn          Lunenburg, MA            3  07-12    0
  Day 1: 3   07-12   
131. Derek Severns          Carnegie, PA             3  07-01    0
  Day 1: 3   07-01   
132. Steve Deguzis          Bristol, CT              0  00-00    0
  Day 1: 0   00-00   
132. Henry Fristik          Blandford, MA            0  00-00    0
  Day 1: 0   00-00   
132. Josh Giroldi           Beachville CANADA        0  00-00    0
  Day 1: 0   00-00   
132. Eric Johnson           Kingston, MA             0  00-00    0
  Day 1: 0   00-00   
132. Alex Legg              Milford, DE              0  00-00    0
  Day 1: 0   00-00   
132. Joe Raposo             North Dighton, MA        0  00-00    0
  Day 1: 0   00-00   
132. Craig Rexford          Grand Isle, VT           0  00-00    0
  Day 1: 0   00-00   
———————————————————————–
Totals
Day   #Limits    #Fish      Weight
 1       126       648      1993-11
———————————-
         126       648      1993-11

The KAGE Family Grows

Brian Carter
-
0
The KAGE Family Grows
The KAGE Family Grows
DAIWA’s new multispecies KAGE LT engineered to be the lightest spinning reel in its class.
FOOTHILL RANCH, CA (July 24, 2024) – In Japanese, KAGE means “shadow,” or metaphorically, refers to someone who is “secretive” or “elusive.” Think about that elite, stealthy angler who patrons only independent dealers and has all the insights into local fishing. That’s the guy and gal DAIWA considered when they developed the KAGE series – available only at independent brick and mortar dealers.   The new KAGE LT spinning reel sports rich features, beginning with its extremely lightweight and rigid ZAION body. The woven high-density carbon resin ZAION material is also durable and corrosion resistant to extend the life of the reel.The KAGE LT’s AIR ROTOR was engineered to be incredibly rigid and with minimal flex, especially at high drag pressures. Critically designed cut-outs reduce the weight of the rotor itself while adding stability and almost eliminating rotor “wobble”. The lighter the rotor, the less force it takes to spin around the reel, making it easier to turn the handle. 
The KAGE LT also features a tubular AIR bail, which further reduces weight and offers more rigidity than standard wire, minimizing concerns over flex, bending, or breaking. The thicker material feels better to the fingers when flipping the tubular air bail as well.A7075 aircraft-grade aluminum TOUGH DIGIGEAR® technology is another hallmark of the KAGE LT. The especially hard and lightweight aluminum is precision machined and digitally cut, making it considerably more resistant to wear than traditional gear materials on the market.Anglers will also appreciate DAIWA’s brilliant Advanced Tournament Drag (ATD™) when setting the hook and fighting fish. The smart system applies an increased, instantaneous and calculated resistance during the hookset. After the hook drives home and the fish starts pulling, ATD automatically returns to the selected drag setting.Where reel meets angler, the KAGE features a machined screw-in handle that connects directly to the main drive gear. The business end of the handle features a premium, compressed cork handle on the smaller 1000-2500 sizes and a larger rubberized T-handle for added grip on the larger 3000-4000 sizes.DAIWA Field Marketing Manager, Chris Martin, said, “We developed the KAGE LT to be incredibly lightweight for its size. This, while maintaining rigidity, bolstering sensitivity, and adding a level of corrosion resistance.”Martin continued, “The KAGE LT is the perfect utility spinning reel for multispecies anglers. Whether you’re chasing bass, walleyes, trout, or panfish, this reel will do it all. And with options down to a 1000-size, it’s tailormade for finesse fishing.” 
KAGE LT (1000, 2000, and 2500 sizes with premium cork handle)
THE PERFECT MATCHMartin said DAIWA has made matching the new KAGE LT to a spinning rod simple. The recently released KAGE Bass and Walleye Series’ balance and fish ideally with premium, yet reasonably priced rods. Key features in both the bass and walleye versions include an Air Sensor Reel Seat, Fuji guides with Alconite rings, DAIWA’s elite SVF Nanoplus carbon resin, and x45 to eliminate blank twist. SPECIAL NOTE FROM DAIWA: The KAGE series is available exclusively at independent dealers. DAIWA strongly supports its vast network of dealers that are the heartbeat of fishing. 
KAGE LT (3000 and 4000 sizes with rubber T handle)
KAGE LTFEATURES:ZAION BodyExtremely strong and lighter than aluminum and magnesium, the woven high-density carbon resin ZAION material is durable and corrosion resistant to extend the life of the reel.AIR RotorThe smart design lessens weight, provides even rotary balance and stress distribution, and reduces vibrations, all while maintaining strength. Delivers a more precisely balanced reel performance than competitors.AIR BailInnovative bail design features a hollow, tubular stainless steel bail that delivers maximum rigidity and strength with minimum weight. The smooth protrusion-free construction lets the line easily flow to the line roller for trouble free line control.TOUGH DIGIGEARA7075 Aircraft Grade aluminum is forged into bigger gears with larger tooth patterns and perfectly meshed between an ultra-tough drive gear and pinion gears for optimized speed, torque, exactness, smoothness, and durability.2BB Supported ATD (Advanced Tournament Drag)The lightweight spool sits atop a pair of BB’s, resulting in a smooth, frictionless payout as the spool engages and rotates. This prevents fish from coming unhooked as drag pressure remains steady.Machined Aluminum Screw in HandlePrecision tooling renders a smooth and secure fit. The ergonomic design delivers the ultimate in control and comfort with a secure grip.
For Daiwa’s latest color catalog and/or information on Daiwa dealers in your area, call Daiwa’s Customer Service Department at 562-375-6800 or e-mail inquiries to: CSR@Daiwa.com. The URL for Daiwa’s web site is daiwa.us



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