Bass Edge’s The Edge – Episode 256 – Kelly Jordan
May 15, 2017
Bass Edge Radio, presented by MegaWare KeelGuard is happy to have BASS Elite Series Veteran, Kelly Jordan featured in their latest podcast. Bass Edge Radio hosts Aaron Martin and Kurt Dove talk with Kelly about his knack for catching big bass and some ways our listeners can achieve more success targeting them.
Nick Harris and Keith Phillips Win 2017 Alabama Bass Trail Lay Lake
Coby Carden and Chris Rutland Claim South Division AOY Title
by Dan O’Sullivan
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June 3, 2017 – Columbiana, Ala. – It seems as though every time there is a bass tournament these days, nature is going to throw the anglers for a loop. Whether it was and unseasonably warm and mild winter or heavier than normal spring and early summer rains, the conditions have been “different” this year.
That scenario was once again the case as the final event of the 2017 Alabama Bass Trail Southern Division schedule kicked off at Lay Lake the morning of June 3. The whole Coosa River chain had seen high dirty water thanks to torrential rains the past two weeks, and while Alabama Power worked to make room for more, the water at Lay Lake had been fluctuating.
While Lay Lake had stabilized, it was a little lower than normal for the year, and anglers were adjusting, but the overall bite was a little tough, and random compared to what it normally is. The one thing many of theteams were excited about was the tail end of a shad spawn that was making the morning bite critical.
Then the fog rolled in. As takeoff approached, the field found the Beeswax Creek launch area socked in with a thick fog that resulted in a half hour fog delay for safety, and the whole complexion of the event changed in an instant.
In the end, the team that made the right adjustments were Nick Harris and Keith Phillips. The local anglers from Alabaster and Calera, started the morning looking for shallow largemouth that were feeding on bream, but adjusted to offshore brushpiles to catch just enough to seal the victory. The pair came to the scales with a five fish limit that weighed 17.63 pounds and earned the $10,000 first prize.
The pair was not sure that they would end up in the catbird seat when they returning to weigh-in. “We knew the delay was going to make it a tighter tournament, they said. “But we really thought we were one fish short of having enough to win; we’re pleased and surprised to be standing here right now.”
They reported fishing “anything and everything shallow” early, but when that didn’t work, they went to a series of brushpiles to catch the bulk of their weight. “We caught four of our fish deep on a DT10 crankbait and a Texas Rigged Zoom Magnum Trick Worm, but were one fish short of our limit at 1:30,” they said. “We went back to the shallows and caught the final fish Flipping grass with a big weight and a Sweet Beaver at 1:45; that was the end of our day.”
They reported adding a hint of orange to a Sexy Shad color on the crankbait to mimic the bluegill, the Magnum Trick Worm was Red Bug color and the Sweet Beaver was Juicy. They also reported catching fewer than 10 keeper bass for the day.
At the beginning of the season, teams in the Alabama Bass Trail are allowed to name an alternate angler to be used in case of an emergency, and in the case of Terry Stevens and Mike McCartney, they selected well. With McCartney unable to make the final event of the season due to a family event, they called on their alternate, Mark McCaig – a previous ABT North Division winner – to fill in. Stevens and McCaig collaborated to finish second in the final event of the season with 17.44 pounds.
They reported throwing All Terrain swim jigs and Flipping Big Bite Baits Dean Rojas Fighting Frogs combinations of water willow and Coontail grass in the middle section of the lake. “Things went well today, we only lost one fish in that grass, and put everything else in the boat,” they said. “We’re pleased with how it turned out.” They earned $5,000 for their efforts on the day.
Barry Isbell and Bobby Freeman produced a 15.81-pound limit to finish the event in third place, earning $4,000 in the process. They were followed by Stanley Fairchild and Derrick Percival with 15.57 pounds in fourth, which earned them $3,000 and Mike McCullers and Jason Shockley rounded out the top five with 15.30, worth a $2,000 payday.
The team of Jeff and Howard Richey caught a 5.61-pound largemouth, which was enough to earn the Big Bass prize of $500. The fish anchored their 13.12-pound limit, which was good enough for 19th place; theyr earned a total of $1,000 for their day.
The top 10 standings are below, for complete standings go to http://www.alabamabasstrail.org/tournament-series/ll-results/.
| Place | Anglers | Weight | Big Fish | Winnings |
| 1 | Nick Harris / Keith Phillips | 17.63 | 4.60 | $10,000 |
| 2 | Terry Stevens / Mark McCaig | 17.44 | $5,000 | |
| 3 | Barry Isbell / Bobby Freeman | 15.81 | 4.00 | $4,000 |
| 4 | Stanley Fairchild / Derrick Percival | 15.57 | 5.56 | $3,000 |
| 5 | Mike McCullers / Jason Shockley | 15.30 | $2,000 | |
| 6 | Rob Lee / Steve Winslett | 15.12 | $1,500 | |
| 7 | Jeff Tapley / Paul Tarpley | 15.07 | $1,100 | |
| 8 | Keith Mayfield / Daryl Adams | 14.73 | $1,100 | |
| 9 | Mark Mott / Matt Salter | 14.71 | 4.58 | $1,100 |
| 10 | Samuel Fish / Michael Smith | 14.55 | 5.48 | $1,100 |
Wrapping up the regular season, Coby Carden and Chris Rutland – who have won two previous ABT event on Lay Lake – produced 13.07 pounds, which helped them finish the event in 21st place. That finish was enough to earn them the title of South Division Anglers of the Year. Despite their record of excellence ABT competition, this is their first AOY win.
Rutland said the pair was thrilled with the result. “Coby and I have fished the ABT all four years and one of our major goals was to win the AOY award. We have finished in the top three or four in points the previous three seasons. So, to win this year is a huge deal to us and really means a lot,” he said. “It is especially gratifying to do so with a full field of 225 teams. We really enjoyed the schedule this year and greatly appreciate all of the hard work put in by Kay, Clay and their staff to make the ABT the best team tournament trail in our state.”
For complete season’s standings, visit this link; http://www.alabamabasstrail.org/tournament-series/south-division-standings/
The sponsors of the 2017 Alabama Bass Trail include; Bill Penney Toyota, Phoenix Bass Boats, GP8 Oxygen Water, Garmin, Academy Sports & Outdoors, Wind Creek Hospitality – Wetumpka, Wind Creek Hospitality – Montgomery, Alabama Tourism Department, SCA Performance, T-H Marine Supplies, Wedowee Marine, AFTCO, Fish Neely Henry Lake.com, Lew’s Fishing, Crossed Industries, YETI, E3 Apparel, TVA and Alabama Power.
For information about Alabama Bass Trail and for complete tournament standings visit www.alabamabasstrail.org.
Mark Davis of Mount Ida, Ark., maintains the lead on the third day of the GoPro Bassmaster Elite at Lake Dardanelle presented by Econo Lodge, bringing 14 pounds, 15 ounces to the scales on Sunday for a three-day total weight of 48-8.
June 4, 2017
Davis Still On Top At Bassmaster Elite on Lake Dardanelle
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RUSSELLVILLE, Ark. — Mark Davis of Mount Ida, Ark., caught a five-bass limit that weighed 14 pounds, 15 ounces during today’s semi-final round to maintain his lead at the GoPro Bassmaster Elite at Lake Dardanelle presented by Econo Lodge.
With $100,000 on the line for Mondays champion, Davis still thinks 16 to 17 pounds will be required to win. He’s averaging just over 16 pounds with a three-day total of 48-8.
“I’ve really beat up on the fish I’ve been depending on this week,” Davis said. “I believe the right fish are still there, and that I can catch a decent limit tomorrow. But I didn’t get as many big bites today as I had hoped.”
Davis’ spot did receive some additional local pressure before he could get there, and that certainly could be contributing to the reduced action during Sunday’s competition.
“I have no problem sharing water with local anglers, heck they’ve got just as much right to fish there as I do — if not more so,” he said. “When I arrived he moved off and let me have it, which was appreciated.
“I will go back there again tomorrow, there’s no way around it. I have to,” he said. “It’s a commitment, though; 40 miles from takeoff. It’s the only spot I have on that part of the lake, and it’s a small area, but it’s been key to my success this week. I’ll give it the time it requires in the morning, and hopefully it will pay off.”
He said it’s unfortunate that his spot is so isolated, but that’s likely why other Elite Series anglers haven’t been fishing it. Davis plans to fish there until about 9 a.m. before relocating down the lake.
“The water dropped in my areas yesterday, and that is a condition that positions the fish in predictable areas,” Davis explained. “The water rose some earlier today, then it began to pull out in the afternoon. If it continues to drop tomorrow I am confident that I can catch another 14 to 16 pounds, but that’s not enough to make me comfortable.”
New York resident and Bassmaster Elite Series rookie Jamie Hartman is just 9 ounces behind Davis. He caught 16-6 today pushing his total to 47-15.
He has finished in the Top 12 three times during his first season as an Elite Series pro, second at Cherokee Lake, third at Toledo Bend and will begin Championship Monday on Dardanelle in third place.
“I’m very surprised. Based on my practice, I didn’t think I could be this consistent. It’s certainly been a grind,” the 44-year-old angler said. “I’m fishing a very specific ledge with a couple specific presentations, and I managed to get a couple quality bites that kept me in the hunt for this title.”
Hartman has not been fishing conservatively this week, but he also hasn’t been getting many bites. Friday he caught seven keepers, six on Saturday and seven again today.
“I’m not catching very many fish, but when I do they’re pretty good ones,” he said. “I think tomorrow will be similar, but this lake has been known to change dramatically from day to day. I’ll probably need 19 to 20 pounds tomorrow to have a shot at winning.”
Rounding out the Top 12 include: Steve Kennedy (47-3), Michael Iaconelli (45-13), Dean Rojas (45-13), David Mullins (44-14), Kevin VanDam (43-11), Brandon Palaniuk (43-2), Mark Menendez (42-12), Cliff Pace (42-8), Cliff Prince (42-8) and Matt Lee (42-6).
David Mullins of Mount Carmel, Tenn., is still leading the Phoenix Boats Big Bass Award thanks to a 6-pound, 8-ounce largemouth he caught on Friday.
Championship Monday will begin with takeoff at 6:15 a.m. CT at Lake Dardanelle State Park, and weigh-in will be in the same location at 3:15 p.m.
The event is hosted by the Russellville Advertising and Promotion Commission.
2017 GoPro Bassmaster Elite at Lake Dardanelle presented by Econo Lodge 6/2-6/5
Lake Dardanelle, Russellville AR.
(PROFESSIONAL) Standings Day 3
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Pts Total $$$
1. Mark Davis Mount Ida, AR 15 48-08 110 $500.00
Day 1: 5 14-05 Day 2: 5 19-04 Day 3: 5 14-15
2. Jamie Hartman Newport, NY 15 47-15 109
Day 1: 5 17-05 Day 2: 5 14-04 Day 3: 5 16-06
3. Steve Kennedy Auburn, AL 15 47-03 108
Day 1: 5 16-10 Day 2: 5 14-03 Day 3: 5 16-06
4. Michael Iaconelli Pitts Grove, NJ 15 45-13 107
Day 1: 5 12-05 Day 2: 5 14-10 Day 3: 5 18-14
5. Dean Rojas Lake Havasu City, AZ 15 45-13 106
Day 1: 5 16-12 Day 2: 5 14-01 Day 3: 5 15-00
6. David Mullins Mt Carmel, TN 15 44-14 105
Day 1: 5 17-02 Day 2: 5 11-15 Day 3: 5 15-13
7. Kevin VanDam Kalamazoo, MI 15 43-11 104
Day 1: 5 19-03 Day 2: 5 12-08 Day 3: 5 12-00
8. Brandon Palaniuk Hayden, ID 15 43-02 103
Day 1: 5 13-14 Day 2: 5 15-01 Day 3: 5 14-03
9. Mark Menendez Paducah, KY 15 42-12 102
Day 1: 5 12-05 Day 2: 5 15-02 Day 3: 5 15-05
10. Cliff Pace Petal, MS 15 42-08 101
Day 1: 5 16-03 Day 2: 5 12-09 Day 3: 5 13-12
11. Cliff Prince Palatka, FL 15 42-08 100
Day 1: 5 15-02 Day 2: 5 14-07 Day 3: 5 12-15
12. Matt Lee Guntersville, AL 15 42-06 99
Day 1: 5 13-09 Day 2: 5 16-08 Day 3: 5 12-05
13. Casey Ashley Donalds, SC 15 42-03 98 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 15-14 Day 2: 5 11-08 Day 3: 5 14-13
14. Greg Hackney Gonzales, LA 15 42-01 97 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 12-15 Day 2: 5 14-00 Day 3: 5 15-02
15. Ott DeFoe Knoxville, TN 15 41-12 96 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 18-12 Day 2: 5 10-03 Day 3: 5 12-13
16. Edwin Evers Talala, OK 15 41-05 95 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 12-01 Day 2: 5 15-06 Day 3: 5 13-14
17. Kelly Jordon Flint, TX 15 40-10 94 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 16-00 Day 2: 5 10-14 Day 3: 5 13-12
18. Rick Clunn Ava, MO 15 40-05 93 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 15-08 Day 2: 5 14-09 Day 3: 5 10-04
19. Clifford Pirch Payson, AZ 15 40-04 92 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 12-10 Day 2: 5 13-08 Day 3: 5 14-02
20. Jacob Wheeler Indianapolis, IN 15 40-00 91 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 13-11 Day 2: 5 12-15 Day 3: 5 13-06
21. Stetson Blaylock Benton, AR 14 39-15 90 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 16-06 Day 2: 4 13-07 Day 3: 5 10-02
22. Micah Frazier Newnan, GA 14 39-13 89 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 14-14 Day 2: 5 11-13 Day 3: 4 13-02
23. Mike McClelland Bella Vista, AR 14 38-11 88 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 10-13 Day 2: 5 16-14 Day 3: 4 11-00
24. Skeet Reese Auburn, CA 14 38-10 87 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 16-12 Day 2: 4 08-07 Day 3: 5 13-07
25. Randy Howell Guntersville, AL 15 38-07 86 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 16-02 Day 2: 5 09-02 Day 3: 5 13-03
26. Bobby Lane Jr. Lakeland, FL 15 38-01 85 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 10-01 Day 2: 5 11-15 Day 3: 5 16-01
27. Justin Lucas Guntersville, AL 14 37-14 84 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 16-04 Day 2: 4 07-06 Day 3: 5 14-04
28. Mark Daniels Jr. Tuskegee, AL 15 37-14 83 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 09-01 Day 2: 5 14-00 Day 3: 5 14-13
29. Terry Scroggins San Mateo, FL 15 37-11 82 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 12-11 Day 2: 5 12-05 Day 3: 5 12-11
30. Chris Zaldain Laughlin, NV 15 37-06 81 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 08-15 Day 2: 5 17-10 Day 3: 5 10-13
31. Gerald Swindle Guntersville, AL 15 37-03 80 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 16-07 Day 2: 5 11-00 Day 3: 5 09-12
32. Shane Lineberger Lincolnton, NC 13 36-10 79 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 17-07 Day 2: 4 11-02 Day 3: 4 08-01
33. Tommy Biffle Wagoner, OK 13 36-05 78 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 16-09 Day 2: 5 09-10 Day 3: 3 10-02
34. Jordan Lee Grant, AL 15 36-00 77 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 11-13 Day 2: 5 09-14 Day 3: 5 14-05
35. Greg Vinson Wetumpka, AL 15 35-15 76 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 13-09 Day 2: 5 09-06 Day 3: 5 13-00
36. James Elam Tulsa, OK 15 35-14 75 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 11-12 Day 2: 5 13-03 Day 3: 5 10-15
37. Scott Rook Little Rock, AR 15 35-14 74 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 12-11 Day 2: 5 12-08 Day 3: 5 10-11
38. Bernie Schultz Gainesville, FL 14 35-09 73 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 16-01 Day 2: 5 10-15 Day 3: 4 08-09
39. Jacob Powroznik North Prince George, VA 15 35-07 72 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 10-04 Day 2: 5 15-09 Day 3: 5 09-10
40. Alton Jones Lorena, TX 15 35-06 71 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 12-00 Day 2: 5 11-07 Day 3: 5 11-15
41. Russ Lane Prattville, AL 15 35-05 70 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 13-02 Day 2: 5 12-12 Day 3: 5 09-07
42. Tim Horton Muscle Shoals, AL 12 35-04 69 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 18-07 Day 2: 2 04-11 Day 3: 5 12-02
43. David Walker Sevierville, TN 15 35-04 68 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 09-07 Day 2: 5 12-05 Day 3: 5 13-08
44. Gary Klein Mingus, TX 15 35-02 67 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 13-13 Day 2: 5 10-15 Day 3: 5 10-06
45. Paul Elias Laurel, MS 15 34-15 66 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 14-05 Day 2: 5 13-07 Day 3: 5 07-03
46. Morizo Shimizu Suita, Osaka JAPAN 15 34-13 65 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 13-05 Day 2: 5 09-11 Day 3: 5 11-13
47. Brent Chapman Lake Quivira, KS 15 33-03 64 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 10-04 Day 2: 5 14-06 Day 3: 5 08-09
48. Jesse Wiggins Cullman, AL 13 31-08 63 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 11-08 Day 2: 5 14-13 Day 3: 3 05-03
49. Jeff Kriet Ardmore, OK 12 31-04 62 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 11-09 Day 2: 5 15-06 Day 3: 2 04-05
50. Keith Poche Pike Road, AL 15 31-04 61 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 11-07 Day 2: 5 11-07 Day 3: 5 08-06
51. Fred Roumbanis London, AR 12 30-02 60 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 15-07 Day 2: 4 06-03 Day 3: 3 08-08
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Totals
Day #Limits #Fish Weight
1 80 487 1213-10
2 65 451 1080-13
3 43 242 621-14
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188 1180 2916-05
TENNESSEE’S DEAKINS LEADS WIRE-TO-WIRE, WINS T-H MARINE BFL ALL-AMERICAN TOURNAMENT ON PICKWICK LAKE
Marshall Deakins tops Boater Division, wins $125,000 and invitation to Forrest Wood Cup
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Link to HD video of Deakins’ winning moment
FLORENCE, Ala. (June 3, 2017) – Marshall Deakins of Dunlap, Tennessee, brought a five-bass limit to the scale weighing 15 pounds, 5 ounces Saturday to win the 34th annual T-H Marine Bass Fishing League (BFL) All-American on Pickwick Lake. Deakins’ three-day cumulative catch of 15 bass weighing 60 pounds, 6 ounces was enough to earn him $125,000 and a berth into the world championship of bass fishing – the Forrest Wood Cup.
“This is the biggest win of my career by far,” said Deakins, who had five prior wins at the BFL level in FLW competition. “I didn’t think I had a shot at winning at this tournament, even with my 10-pound lead going into the final day. I figured somebody would catch them better – but it worked out.”
Deakins’ primary areas this week were located between the Natchez Trace Bridge and Kogers Island. His first – which produced the majority of his fish – was a ledge just downriver from the Natchez Trace Bridge that had a large rock pile protruding from it. Deakins said he took advantage of the current to make the spot work for him.
“I couldn’t catch fish there unless the current was really strong to wash my jig up over the rocks,” said Deakins. “Yesterday there was a lot of current and I could fish the jig over it, but today it got hung up.”
Deakins’ second area was a shell bar on top of a main-river ledge, just upriver from Kogers Island.
“I kept the boat in 18 to 21 feet of water and I threw up to 4 to 6 feet on top of it,” said Deakins. “I weighed two from the shell bar today, and finished out my limit back at the bridge.”
Deakins’ key bait throughout the event was an October Pumpkin-colored Profound Lures football-head jig with a Rootbeer Pepper Green-colored Zoom Fat Albert Twin Tail Grub trailer. Today’s final limit was also caught with the help of a Morning Dawn-colored Roboworm on a drop-shot rig, but Deakins said the jig and its color were the most crucial factor to his strategy this week.
“I fished with (former FLW Tour pro) Lionel Botha before he competed in the 2013 All-American on Nickajack Lake, which sets up a lot like Pickwick Lake,” said Deakins. “He used that color and caught a lot on it. I’ve fished it ever since then and it works – especially early in the summer.”
The top 10 boaters on Pickwick Lake finished:
1st: Marshall Deakins, Dunlap, Tenn., 15 bass, 60-6, $125,000
2nd: Brent Anderson, Kingston Springs, Tenn., 15 bass, 52-12, $20,200
3rd: Justin Atkins, Florence, Ala., 15 bass, 48-0, $23,100
4th: Brandon Gray, Bullock, N.C., 15 bass, 46-3, $14,000
5th: Lloyd Pickett Jr., Bartlett, Tenn., 15 bass, 44-9, $19,000
6th: Mike Brueggen, La Crosse, Wis., 15 bass, 43-14, $17,000
7th: William Merrick, Mount Juliet, Tenn., 15 bass, 43-3, $11,000
8th: Ronald Nutter, Saint Louisville, Ohio, 15 bass, 43-2, $10,000
9th: Brad Fowler, Townville, S.C., 14 bass, 40-2, $9,000
10th: Jeff Knight, Cleveland, Tenn., 10 bass, 34-6, $11,000
For a full list of results, visit FLWFishing.com.
Overall there were 44 bass weighing 116 pounds, 3 ounces caught by nine boaters Saturday. The catch included eight five-bass limits.
Alex Hester of Crossville, Tennessee, won the Co-angler Division and $50,000 Saturday with a three-day total of 15 bass weighing 49 pounds even, followed by Jacob Harris of Bonne Terre, Missouri, in second place with 14 bass weighing 36-10.
The top 10 co-anglers finished:
1st: Alex Hester, Crossville, Tenn., 15 bass, 49-0, $50,000
2nd: Jacob Harris, Bonne Terre, Mo., 14 bass, 36-10, $15,200
3rd: Randy Westerfield, Constantine, Mich., 11 bass, 35-3, $6,000
4th: Jim Budde, Waterloo, Ill., 13 bass, 32-10, $5,050
5th: Brody Campbell, Oxford, Ohio, 12 bass, 31-1, $4,500
6th: Peter Balishin, Sharps Chapel, Tenn., 12 bass, 30-15, $4,000
7th: Dennis Taylor, Murray, Ky., 11 bass, 30-4, $3,500
8th: Jim Stone, Greenwood, Ind., 12 bass, 28-3, $3,000
9th: Pat Kendrick, Bumpass, Va., 11 bass, 28-2, $2,500
10th: Greg Ravitsky, Ashburn, Va., 10 bass, 25-3, $2,000
Overall there were 32 bass weighing 90 pounds even caught by nine co-anglers Saturday. The catch included two five-bass limits.
Hosted by the Florence/Lauderdale Tourism Bureau, the BFL All-American featured 98 of the best boaters and co-anglers from across the 24-division T-H Marine BFL circuit and the TBF National Championship casting for cash prizes of up to $125,000 in the Boater Division and $60,000 in the Co-angler Division, plus an opportunity to compete for bass fishing’s most coveted prize – the Forrest Wood Cup – held Aug. 11-13 on Lake Murray in Columbia, South Carolina.
Television coverage of the T-H Marine BFL All-American at Pickwick Lake will premiere in high-definition (HD) on NBC Sports Network (NBCSN) Oct. 11 from Noon-1 p.m. EDT. The Emmy-nominated “FLW” television show airs on NBCSN, the Pursuit Channel and the World Fishing Network and is broadcast to more than 564 million households worldwide, making it the most widely distributed weekly outdoors-sports television show in the world.
The 2017 BFL is a 24-division circuit devoted to weekend anglers, with 128 tournaments throughout the season, five qualifying events in each division. The top 45 boaters and co-anglers from each division, along with the five winners of the qualifying events, will advance to one of six regional tournaments where they are competing to finish in the top six, which then qualifies them for one of the longest-running championships in all of competitive bass fishing – the BFL All-American. Top performers in the BFL can move up to the Costa FLW Series or even the FLW Tour.
For a full schedule of events, complete details and updated information visit FLWFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow FLW on Facebook at Facebook.com/FLWFishing and on Twitter at Twitter.com/FLWFishing.
TEXAS’ MABANK HIGH SCHOOL WINS TBF/FLW HIGH SCHOOL FISHING NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP ON WHEELER LAKE
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FLORENCE, Ala. (June 3, 2017) – The Mabank High School duo of Justin Shelton of Seven Points, Texas, and Dakota Pfoh, of Eustace, Texas, brought a five-bass limit to the scale Saturday weighing 17 pounds, 7 ounces to win the 2017 TBF/FLW High School Fishing National Championship on Wheeler Lake in Florence, Alabama. The win earned the team trophies, the title of national champions and each angler a $5,000 scholarship to their college of choice.
A field of 13 teams competed in the event, which launched from Joe Wheeler State Park in Rogersville. The Mabank High School duo won by an 8-pound, 2-ounce margin over second place Harmony High School from St. Cloud, Florida, who weighed in five bass totaling 9-5. Mabank’s 17-7 limit was greater than any limit weighed in by the YETI FLW College Fishing National Championship teams that fished Wheeler for three days prior to the high school event.
The key to Mabank’s win was one key area on the main lake of Wheeler that was loaded with bait. They camped on the spot all day long.
“We found one place in practice and kind of left it alone,” says Shelton. “We went in there today and wore ’em out.”
The spot was located near some large barge tie-offs. A ledge sloped up to a shell bed that was about 5 feet deep on top. Above the shell bed was a 2-foot-deep island. Pfoh and Shelton positioned above the shell bed and cast out, dragging jigs back up the slope. They also circled the island, which produced a key fish but also gave the shell bed time to replenish. Each time they fished through the main spot again produced another keeper.
Their jigs were either black and blue or green-pumpkin and rigged with matching Strike King Rage Craw trailers. While the jig bite was key, according to Pfoh the team also caught a couple of fish on a Strike King 5XD crankbait and a Bass Pro Shops Speed Shad swimbait, Texas-rigged with a screw-in weight, which they worked through some grass.
Both anglers graduated in 2016 – the year they qualified for this championship. Shelton is attending community college and working, while focusing on his fishing. Pfoh is angling for a fishing career as well. Both hope to land on a YETI FLW College Fishing club
The top 10 teams on Wheeler Lake finished:
1st: Mabank High School, Mabank, Texas – Dakota Pfoh, Seven Points, Texas, and Justin Shelton, Eustace, Texas, five bass, 17-7, $10,000 Scholarship
2nd: Harmony High School, St. Cloud, Fla. – Cole Thompson and Nick Cora, both of St. Cloud, Fla., five bass, 9-5
3rd: Lawrenceburg Tigers, Lawrenceburg, Ind. – Hunter Schneider, Milin, Ind., and William Halbig, Aurora, Ind., five bass, 7-13
4th: South Florence High School, Florence, S.C. – Cole Drummond, Effingham, S.C., and Piercen Lynch, Timmonsville, S.C., five bass, 7-4
5th: Mortimer Jordan High School, Kimberly, Ala. – Parker Davis, Morris, Ala., and Aaron Stephens, Kimberly, Ala., five bass, 7-4
6th: Phoenix HS Bassmasters, Phoenix, Ariz. – Taj White, Glendale, Ariz., and Nathan Cummings, Peoria, Ariz., three bass, 7-4
7th: Corbin High School, Corbin, Ky. – Marcus Davis and Noah Metzger, both of Corbin, Ky., five bass, 7-0
8th: Peru Senior High School, Peru, N.Y. – Perry Marvin and Alexandre Lawliss, both of Peru, N.Y., three bass, 3-14
9th: Creek Wood High School, Charlotte, Tenn. – Daniel Cheshire and Steven Mills, both of White Bluff, Tenn., two bass, 3-8
10th: Alfred M. Barbe High School, Lake Charles, La. – Colby Robinson and Nick Nocilla, both of Lake Charles, La., four bass, 3-1
Complete results for the remaining teams and photos from the event can be found at FLWFishing.com.
The 2017 TBF/FLW High School Fishing National Championship was a two-person (team) no-entry fee event for students in grades 7-12. The tournament featured the top anglers from the 2016 TBF/FLW High School Fishing Conference Championship events. An additional High School Fishing National Championship will be held this year, June 27-July 1 on Pickwick Lake, for teams that qualified during the 2017 season. Going forward, a yearly championship will be held following the preceding school year.
Full schedules and the latest announcements are available at HighSchoolFishing.org and FLWFishing.com.
KSU’S ALSOP WINS YETI FLW COLLEGE FISHING NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP FISH-OFF ON WILSON LAKE, ENTRY TO FORREST WOOD CUP
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FLORENCE, Ala. (June 3, 2017) – For just the second time in YETI FLW College Fishing history, the National Championship winners Travis Blenn and Kyle Alsop from Kansas State University faced off Saturday in a one-day fish-off on Wilson Lake in North Alabama to decide which team member would represent their school at the 2017 Forrest Wood Cup, the world championship of bass fishing.
After the scales settled and the final fish had been weighed, Alsop won the Forrest Wood Cup qualification with a five-bass limit totaling 10 pounds, 5 ounces. Blenn weighed a five-bass limit totaling 7 pounds, 7 ounces, giving Alsop the win and advancing him to compete against the best anglers in the world on Lake Murray in Columbia, South Carolina at the Forrest Wood Cup.
“This has been such an unbelievable experience this week,” said Alsop, a recent KSU mechanical engineering graduate who resides in Overland Park, Kansas. “I can’t believe that I’m going to fish in the Forrest Wood Cup. I might get my tail whipped, but I’m going to have fun doing it.”
Anderson is guaranteed at least a $10,000 paycheck, as that amount is awarded to the last-place finisher at the Forrest Wood Cup. The angler that wins the Forrest Wood Cup will earn $300,000 – professional bass fishing’s most lucrative prize.
“I can’t wait to sit down and start looking at some maps and doing a little research,” Alsop said. “I’m going to treat it like every other tournament I guess, but we’ll see what happens. Our old teammate on the fishing team Ryan Patterson won a national championship there in 2012, so I’m definitely going to talk to him for some advice. I cannot wait until August.”
The final standings after the one-day fish-off on Wilson Lake were:
1st: Kansas State University – Kyle Alsop, Overland Park, Kan., five bass, 10-5, Entry into 2017 Forrest Wood Cup
2nd: Kansas State University – Travis Blenn, Westmoreland, Kan., five bass, 7-7
Full results and standings for the 2017 YETI FLW College Fishing National Championship can be found at FLWFishing.com.
The 2017 YETI FLW College Fishing National Championship, hosted by the Florence/Lauderdale Tourism Bureau, featured 139 of the top college bass fishing clubs from across the nation competing for a $30,000 prize package, including a new Ranger Z175 boat with a 90-horsepower Evinrude outboard and entry into the 2017 Forrest Wood Cup. The Forrest Wood Cup, the world championship of bass fishing, will be held Aug. 11-13 on Lake Murray in Columbia, South Carolina, and will offer Alsop the opportunity to compete for a top award of $300,000.
Television coverage of the YETI FLW College Fishing National Championship will premiere in high-definition (HD) on NBC Sports Network (NBCSN) Oct. 4 from Noon -1 p.m. EDT. The Emmy-nominated “FLW” television show airs on NBCSN, the Pursuit Channel and the World Fishing Network and is broadcast to more than 564 million households worldwide, making it the most widely distributed weekly outdoors-sports television show in the world.
College Fishing is free to enter. All participants must be registered, full-time students at a college, university or community college and members of a fishing club recognized by their college or university.
For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow College Fishing on Facebook at Facebook.com/FLWFishing and on Twitter at Twitter.com/FLWFishing. Visit CollegeFishing.com to sign up or to start a club at your school.
Mark Davis of Mount Ida, Ark., takes the lead on the second day of the GoPro Bassmaster Elite at Lake Dardanelle presented by Econo Lodge bringing a two-day total weight of 33 pounds, 9 ounces to the scales.
June 3, 2017
Arkansas Native Mark Davis Takes Lead At Lake Dardanelle Bassmaster Elite
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RUSSELLVILLE, Ark. — Mark Davis of Mount Ida, Ark., is no stranger to tough tournaments, and during Saturday’s second round of competition, he caught 19 pounds, 4 ounces of bass to take the lead at the GoPro Bassmaster Elite at Lake Dardanelle presented by Econo Lodge. His two-day total is 33-9.
Davis has accomplished nearly everything during his distinguished career on the Bassmaster tour, including three Toyota Bassmaster Angler of the Year titles and one Bassmaster Classic world championship in 1995.
One thing has escaped him, however — a good finish on Lake Dardanelle.
“Dardanelle has been my career nemesis,” Davis said. “I live only an hour and a half from here, and I’ve always struggled. I’d have a good practice and be excited about getting the tournament started, then have a hard time even catching a limit.”
For someone who has done so much in this sport, a win here would mean a lot to the 54-year-old angler.
“It would be huge to win this tournament,” he said. “This place has whipped me down so many times, it feels good to just do well. I would love to finally conquer these bass, and I think I am on the right fish to make it happen.”
Davis said he has a few productive spots, and is burning quite a bit of gas running between them.
“I’m making a pretty long run up the river, and one of my most productive spots is very small,” he said. “So small, in fact, it takes just one easy cast to effectively cover it. But I keep catching fish off of it, so there’s something special going on there.”
He believes an average of 16 to 17 pounds per day will keep an angler in the hunt to win.
“It’s very easy to not catch them on this lake,” he said. “But, I’m fishing where the right fish are, and this is the kind of fishery where you can’t force it. These bass are experienced, they’ve seen it all and can be hard to fool from time to time. But by slowing down and letting it happen, I feel like I’m making good decisions. Hopefully I can stay consistent and it’ll finally pay off for me at Dardanelle.”
To prove the point about how easy it can be to lose track of Dardanelle bass, Kevin VanDam of Kalamazoo, Mich., fished for over six hours Saturday without catching a single keeper.
“Painful,” VanDam said when asked to define his second day. “Everything I did this morning was wrong. At this level you can’t make bad decisions and expect to win.”
The four-time Classic champion’s pattern produced 19-3 during Friday’s opening round, but fizzled out Saturday forcing him to improvise and quickly adapt.
“This lake is changing by the minute, which means the bass are repositioning just as often,” he said. “Staying on active fish requires moving around a lot and trying multiple presentations.”
With time dwindling, VanDam slowed down and focused on making very precise casts to specific pieces of structure, which ultimately produced 12-8 taking his two-day total to 31-11, which was good enough to start Sunday’s semifinal round in second place.
David Mullins of Mount Carmel, Tenn., is still in position to win the Phoenix Boats Big Bass Award, thanks to a 6-8 largemouth he caught Friday.
The field will be cut to the Top 51 anglers for Sunday’s semifinal round. Competition will resume with take-off at 6:15 a.m. CT at Lake Dardanelle State Park. Weigh-in will occur in the same location at 3:15 p.m.
However, fans can come out early and enjoy the Bassmaster Elite Series Outdoors Expo beginning at noon. Companies including GoPro, Econo Lodge, Huk, Berkley and Power-Pole will be onsite featuring their latest products. Skeeter, Yamaha, Nitro, Triton and Mercury will be giving free boat and motor demo rides. Toyota will also be onsite with interactive displays such as designing your own lure and a NASCAR video game vs. your friend. All venues and activities are free and open to the public.
The event is hosted by the Russellville Advertising and Promotion Commission.
2017 GoPro Bassmaster Elite at Lake Dardanelle presented by Econo Lodge 6/2-6/5
Lake Dardanelle, Russellville AR.
(PROFESSIONAL) Standings Day 2
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Pts Total $$$
1. Mark Davis Mount Ida, AR 10 33-09 110 $500.00
Day 1: 5 14-05 Day 2: 5 19-04
2. Kevin VanDam Kalamazoo, MI 10 31-11 109
Day 1: 5 19-03 Day 2: 5 12-08
3. Jamie Hartman Newport, NY 10 31-09 108
Day 1: 5 17-05 Day 2: 5 14-04
4. Dean Rojas Lake Havasu City, AZ 10 30-13 107
Day 1: 5 16-12 Day 2: 5 14-01
5. Steve Kennedy Auburn, AL 10 30-13 106
Day 1: 5 16-10 Day 2: 5 14-03
6. Matt Lee Guntersville, AL 10 30-01 105
Day 1: 5 13-09 Day 2: 5 16-08
7. Rick Clunn Ava, MO 10 30-01 104
Day 1: 5 15-08 Day 2: 5 14-09
8. Stetson Blaylock Benton, AR 9 29-13 103
Day 1: 5 16-06 Day 2: 4 13-07
9. Cliff Prince Palatka, FL 10 29-09 102
Day 1: 5 15-02 Day 2: 5 14-07
10. David Mullins Mt Carmel, TN 10 29-01 101
Day 1: 5 17-02 Day 2: 5 11-15
11. Ott DeFoe Knoxville, TN 10 28-15 100
Day 1: 5 18-12 Day 2: 5 10-03
12. Brandon Palaniuk Hayden, ID 10 28-15 99
Day 1: 5 13-14 Day 2: 5 15-01
13. Cliff Pace Petal, MS 10 28-12 98
Day 1: 5 16-03 Day 2: 5 12-09
14. Shane Lineberger Lincolnton, NC 9 28-09 97
Day 1: 5 17-07 Day 2: 4 11-02
15. Paul Elias Laurel, MS 10 27-12 96
Day 1: 5 14-05 Day 2: 5 13-07
16. Mike McClelland Bella Vista, AR 10 27-11 95
Day 1: 5 10-13 Day 2: 5 16-14
17. Gerald Swindle Guntersville, AL 10 27-07 94
Day 1: 5 16-07 Day 2: 5 11-00
18. Edwin Evers Talala, OK 10 27-07 93
Day 1: 5 12-01 Day 2: 5 15-06
19. Mark Menendez Paducah, KY 10 27-07 92
Day 1: 5 12-05 Day 2: 5 15-02
20. Casey Ashley Donalds, SC 10 27-06 91
Day 1: 5 15-14 Day 2: 5 11-08
21. Bernie Schultz Gainesville, FL 10 27-00 90
Day 1: 5 16-01 Day 2: 5 10-15
22. Jeff Kriet Ardmore, OK 10 26-15 89
Day 1: 5 11-09 Day 2: 5 15-06
23. Michael Iaconelli Pitts Grove, NJ 10 26-15 88
Day 1: 5 12-05 Day 2: 5 14-10
24. Greg Hackney Gonzales, LA 10 26-15 87
Day 1: 5 12-15 Day 2: 5 14-00
25. Kelly Jordon Flint, TX 10 26-14 86
Day 1: 5 16-00 Day 2: 5 10-14
26. Micah Frazier Newnan, GA 10 26-11 85
Day 1: 5 14-14 Day 2: 5 11-13
27. Jacob Wheeler Indianapolis, IN 10 26-10 84
Day 1: 5 13-11 Day 2: 5 12-15
28. Chris Zaldain Laughlin, NV 10 26-09 83
Day 1: 5 08-15 Day 2: 5 17-10
29. Jesse Wiggins Cullman, AL 10 26-05 82
Day 1: 5 11-08 Day 2: 5 14-13
30. Tommy Biffle Wagoner, OK 10 26-03 81
Day 1: 5 16-09 Day 2: 5 09-10
31. Clifford Pirch Payson, AZ 10 26-02 80
Day 1: 5 12-10 Day 2: 5 13-08
32. Russ Lane Prattville, AL 10 25-14 79
Day 1: 5 13-02 Day 2: 5 12-12
33. Jacob Powroznik North Prince George, VA 10 25-13 78
Day 1: 5 10-04 Day 2: 5 15-09
34. Randy Howell Guntersville, AL 10 25-04 77
Day 1: 5 16-02 Day 2: 5 09-02
35. Skeet Reese Auburn, CA 9 25-03 76
Day 1: 5 16-12 Day 2: 4 08-07
36. Scott Rook Little Rock, AR 10 25-03 75
Day 1: 5 12-11 Day 2: 5 12-08
37. Terry Scroggins San Mateo, FL 10 25-00 74
Day 1: 5 12-11 Day 2: 5 12-05
38. James Elam Tulsa, OK 10 24-15 73
Day 1: 5 11-12 Day 2: 5 13-03
39. Gary Klein Mingus, TX 10 24-12 72
Day 1: 5 13-13 Day 2: 5 10-15
40. Brent Chapman Lake Quivira, KS 10 24-10 71
Day 1: 5 10-04 Day 2: 5 14-06
41. Justin Lucas Guntersville, AL 9 23-10 70
Day 1: 5 16-04 Day 2: 4 07-06
42. Alton Jones Lorena, TX 10 23-07 69
Day 1: 5 12-00 Day 2: 5 11-07
43. Tim Horton Muscle Shoals, AL 7 23-02 68
Day 1: 5 18-07 Day 2: 2 04-11
44. Mark Daniels Jr. Tuskegee, AL 10 23-01 67
Day 1: 5 09-01 Day 2: 5 14-00
45. Morizo Shimizu Suita, Osaka JAPAN 10 23-00 66
Day 1: 5 13-05 Day 2: 5 09-11
46. Greg Vinson Wetumpka, AL 10 22-15 65
Day 1: 5 13-09 Day 2: 5 09-06
47. Keith Poche Pike Road, AL 10 22-14 64
Day 1: 5 11-07 Day 2: 5 11-07
48. Bobby Lane Jr. Lakeland, FL 10 22-00 63
Day 1: 5 10-01 Day 2: 5 11-15
49. David Walker Sevierville, TN 10 21-12 62
Day 1: 5 09-07 Day 2: 5 12-05
50. Jordan Lee Grant, AL 10 21-11 61
Day 1: 5 11-13 Day 2: 5 09-14
51. Fred Roumbanis London, AR 9 21-10 60
Day 1: 5 15-07 Day 2: 4 06-03
52. Jesse Tacoronte Orlando, FL 8 21-10 59
Day 1: 4 08-08 Day 2: 4 13-02
53. Chad Pipkens Lansing, MI 10 21-04 58
Day 1: 5 12-13 Day 2: 5 08-07
54. Keith Combs Huntington, TX 10 21-04 57
Day 1: 5 11-12 Day 2: 5 09-08
55. Clent Davis Montevallo, AL 10 20-08 56
Day 1: 5 09-15 Day 2: 5 10-09
56. Brandon Coulter Knoxville, TN 9 20-03 55
Day 1: 5 11-01 Day 2: 4 09-02
57. Aaron Martens Leeds, AL 10 20-01 54
Day 1: 5 10-05 Day 2: 5 09-12
58. Fletcher Shryock New Philadelphia, OH 9 20-00 53
Day 1: 5 12-01 Day 2: 4 07-15
59. Bill Lowen Brookville, IN 10 19-13 52
Day 1: 5 10-14 Day 2: 5 08-15
60. Brock Mosley Collinsville, MS 10 19-13 51
Day 1: 5 09-10 Day 2: 5 10-03
61. John Murray Spring City, TN 9 19-12 50
Day 1: 5 11-08 Day 2: 4 08-04
62. Randall Tharp Port St. Joe, FL 10 19-12 49
Day 1: 5 10-05 Day 2: 5 09-07
63. Josh Bertrand San Tan Valley, AZ 6 19-10 48
Day 1: 5 14-10 Day 2: 1 05-00
64. Chad Morgenthaler Reeds Spring, MO 9 19-05 47
Day 1: 4 07-04 Day 2: 5 12-01
65. Alton Jones Jr. Lorena, TX 9 19-03 46
Day 1: 5 08-11 Day 2: 4 10-08
66. Todd Faircloth Jasper, TX 9 19-02 45
Day 1: 4 05-13 Day 2: 5 13-05
67. Adrian Avena Vineland, NJ 9 19-01 44
Day 1: 5 11-01 Day 2: 4 08-00
68. John Crews Jr Salem, VA 9 19-01 43
Day 1: 5 08-09 Day 2: 4 10-08
69. Matt Herren Ashville, AL 9 18-10 42
Day 1: 5 10-11 Day 2: 4 07-15
70. Koby Kreiger Bokeelia, FL 9 18-09 41
Day 1: 5 11-10 Day 2: 4 06-15
71. Ish Monroe Hughson, CA 7 18-06 40
Day 1: 5 14-06 Day 2: 2 04-00
72. Jason Christie Park Hill, OK 10 18-05 39
Day 1: 5 10-06 Day 2: 5 07-15
73. Chris Lane Guntersville, AL 6 18-03 38
Day 1: 1 05-00 Day 2: 5 13-03
74. James Niggemeyer Van, TX 8 18-02 37
Day 1: 5 09-14 Day 2: 3 08-04
75. Jared Lintner Arroyo Grande, CA 7 17-14 36
Day 1: 5 13-10 Day 2: 2 04-04
76. Andy Montgomery Blacksburg, SC 9 17-11 35
Day 1: 5 10-07 Day 2: 4 07-04
77. Britt Myers Lake Wylie, SC 9 17-07 34
Day 1: 4 07-01 Day 2: 5 10-06
78. Darrell Ocamica New Plymouth, ID 9 17-03 33
Day 1: 4 08-03 Day 2: 5 09-00
79. Takahiro Omori Emory, TX 8 17-02 32
Day 1: 4 06-02 Day 2: 4 11-00
80. Bradley Roy Lancaster, KY 9 17-02 31
Day 1: 4 08-04 Day 2: 5 08-14
81. Hank Cherry Jr Lincolnton, NC 7 17-01 30
Day 1: 5 13-01 Day 2: 2 04-00
82. Dave Lefebre Erie, PA 7 17-01 29
Day 1: 5 11-13 Day 2: 2 05-04
83. Drew Benton Panama City, FL 7 17-00 28
Day 1: 4 10-00 Day 2: 3 07-00
84. Tyler Carriere Youngsville, LA 8 16-15 27
Day 1: 3 06-14 Day 2: 5 10-01
85. Dustin Connell Clanton, AL 8 16-13 26
Day 1: 3 06-02 Day 2: 5 10-11
86. Brandon Lester Fayetteville, TN 10 16-10 25
Day 1: 5 06-09 Day 2: 5 10-01
87. David Williams Newton, NC 8 16-06 24
Day 1: 5 11-10 Day 2: 3 04-12
88. Brian Snowden Reeds Spring, MO 8 16-06 23
Day 1: 4 06-14 Day 2: 4 09-08
89. Luke Clausen Otis Orchards, WA 7 16-05 22
Day 1: 2 04-00 Day 2: 5 12-05
90. Brandon Card Knoxville, TN 6 15-15 21
Day 1: 1 01-12 Day 2: 5 14-03
91. Marty Robinson Lyman, SC 6 15-12 20
Day 1: 3 05-08 Day 2: 3 10-04
92. Gerald Spohrer Gonzales, LA 7 15-06 19
Day 1: 5 11-07 Day 2: 2 03-15
93. Kelley Jaye Dadeville, AL 7 15-03 18
Day 1: 5 11-15 Day 2: 2 03-04
94. Seth Feider Isle, MN 6 15-01 17
Day 1: 2 03-05 Day 2: 4 11-12
95. Brent Ehrler Newport Beach, CA 7 14-09 16
Day 1: 2 04-02 Day 2: 5 10-07
96. David Fritts Lexington, NC 8 14-06 15
Day 1: 5 09-08 Day 2: 3 04-14
97. Robbie Latuso Gonzales, LA 7 14-04 14
Day 1: 4 09-11 Day 2: 3 04-09
98. Jonathon VanDam Kalamazoo, MI 6 13-14 13
Day 1: 4 10-04 Day 2: 2 03-10
99. Stephen Browning Hot Springs, AR 7 13-04 12
Day 1: 4 08-05 Day 2: 3 04-15
100. Brett Hite Phoenix, AZ 7 13-04 11
Day 1: 4 07-09 Day 2: 3 05-11
101. Shaw Grigsby Jr. Gainesville, FL 7 13-03 10
Day 1: 4 08-02 Day 2: 3 05-01
102. Skylar Hamilton Dandridge, TN 5 12-00 9
Day 1: 5 12-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
103. Jason Williamson Wagener, SC 5 10-02 8
Day 1: 2 04-07 Day 2: 3 05-11
104. Chad Grigsby Maple Grove, MN 4 09-10 7
Day 1: 4 09-10 Day 2: 0 00-00
105. Paul Mueller Naugatuck, CT 5 08-11 6
Day 1: 2 03-01 Day 2: 3 05-10
106. Cliff Crochet Pierre Part, LA 3 07-00 5
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 3 07-00
107. John Hunter Jr Shelbyville, KY 4 06-08 4
Day 1: 3 04-13 Day 2: 1 01-11
108. Brett Preuett Monroe, LA 3 05-10 3
Day 1: 3 05-10 Day 2: 0 00-00
109. Boyd Duckett Guntersville, AL 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
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Totals
Day #Limits #Fish Weight
1 80 487 1213-10
2 65 451 1080-13
——————————
145 938 2294-07
TENNESSEE’S DEAKINS EXTENDS LEAD ON DAY TWO OF T-H MARINE BFL ALL-AMERICAN TOURNAMENT ON PICKWICK LAKE
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FLORENCE, Ala. (June 2, 2017) – Boater Marshall Deakins of Dunlap, Tennessee, extended his lead at the 34th annual T-H Marine Bass Fishing League (BFL) All-American on Pickwick Lake Friday with five bass weighing 20 pounds, 11 ounces, bringing his two-day cumulative total to 10 bass weighing 45 pounds, 1 ounce. Deakins will begin the final day of competition with a commanding 10-pound, 10-ounce advantage over second-place angler Brent Anderson of Kingston Springs, Tennessee, who has a two-day total of 10 bass weighing 34 pounds, 7 ounces.
The BFL All-American features 98 of the best boaters and co-anglers from across the 24-division T-H Marine BFL circuit casting for cash prizes of up to $120,000 in the Boater Division and $60,000 in the Co-angler Division. In addition to the six-figure payout, the top boater will receive an invitation to compete for bass fishing’s most coveted prize – the Forrest Wood Cup – held Aug. 11-13 on Lake Murray in Columbia, South Carolina.
“I caught a lot of small ones today and had 15 pounds in the boat for a long time,” said Deakins, who is competing in his first career All-American. “I was throwing the same Profound Lures football-head jig that I did yesterday, and hit seven or eight areas. I caught fish at each of them, but most were 2- to 2½-pounders.”
Deakins said the areas that he targeted were between Waterloo and the end of Seven Mile Island. He said most of his fish today were relating to shell beds and rocks.
“I’m working the jig slow and letting the current do the fishing,” said Deakins. “I’m throwing up the ledges and along them. There was one area – a 50-yard stretch – that had a pile of rocks sticking out from the ledge, and that’s where they were positioned.”
Deakins said he capped of his limit at 2 p.m. with his two biggest fish of the day. He said he plans to return to his same areas from Days One and Two to finish out the event.
“They are the only areas I’ve got, and I’ve caught big ones from them this week,” said Deakins.
The top 10 boaters advancing to the final day of competition on Pickwick Lake are:
1st: Marshall Deakins, Dunlap, Tenn., 10 bass, 45-1
2nd: Brent Anderson, Kingston Springs, Tenn., 10 bass, 34-7
3rd: Jeff Knight, Cleveland, Tenn., 10 bass, 34-6
4th: Justin Atkins, Florence, Ala., 10 bass, 34-4
5th: Brandon Gray, Bullock, N.C., 10 bass, 32-13
6th: Ronald Nutter, Saint Louisville, Ohio, 10 bass, 32-11
7th: Mike Brueggen, La Crosse, Wis., 10 bass, 32-2
8th: Brad Fowler, Townville, S.C., 10 bass, 31-11
9th: William Merrick, Mount Juliet, Tenn., 10 bass, 31-11
10th: Lloyd Pickett Jr., Bartlett, Tenn., 10 bass, 31-4
For a full list of results, visit FLWFishing.com.
Overall there were 208 bass weighing 572 pounds, 13 ounces caught by 47 boaters Friday. The catch included 34 five-bass limits.
Alex Hester of Crossville, Tennessee, leads the Co-angler Division with a two-day total of 10 bass weighing 28 pounds, 2 ounces, followed by Randy Westerfield of Constantine, Mich., in second place with nine bass weighing 27-5.
The top 10 co-anglers are:
1st: Alex Hester, Crossville, Tenn., 10 bass, 28-2
2nd: Randy Westerfield, Constantine, Mich., nine bass, 27-5
3rd: Greg Ravitsky, Ashburn, Va., 10 bass, 25-3
4th: Dennis Taylor, Murray, Ky., eight bass, 23-14
5th: Jim Budde, Waterloo, Ill., 10 bass, 23-7
6th: Pat Kendrick, Bumpass, Va., eight bass, 22-11
7th: Jacob Harris, Bonne Terre, Mo., nine bass, 22-6
8th: Brody Campbell, Oxford, Ohio, eight bass, 21-14
9th: Peter Balishin, Sharps Chapel, Tenn., eight bass, 21-4
10th: Jim Stone, Greenwood, Ind., nine bass, 21-1
Overall there were 148 bass weighing 356 pounds even caught by 47 Co-anglers Friday. The catch included 16 five-bass limits.
The final 10 boaters will take off from McFarland Park located at 200 Jim Spain Drive in Florence at 7 a.m. CDT Saturday. Saturday’s championship weigh-in will be held at McFarland Park, and will begin at 3:30 p.m. Takeoffs and weigh-ins are free and open to the public.
The 2017 BFL All-American on Pickwick Lake is being hosted by the Florence/Lauderdale Tourism Bureau.
Television coverage of the T-H Marine BFL All-American at Pickwick Lake will premiere in high-definition (HD) on NBC Sports Network (NBCSN) Oct. 11 from Noon-1 p.m. EDT. The Emmy-nominated “FLW” television show airs on NBCSN, the Pursuit Channel and the World Fishing Network and is broadcast to more than 564 million households worldwide, making it the most widely distributed weekly outdoors-sports television show in the world.
The 2017 BFL is a 24-division circuit devoted to weekend anglers, with 128 tournaments throughout the season, five qualifying events in each division. The top 45 boaters and co-anglers from each division, along with the five winners of the qualifying events, will advance to one of six regional tournaments where they are competing to finish in the top six, which then qualifies them for one of the longest-running championships in all of competitive bass fishing – the BFL All-American. Top performers in the BFL can move up to the Costa FLW Series or even the FLW Tour.
For a full schedule of events, complete details and updated information visit FLWFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow FLW on Facebook at Facebook.com/FLWFishing and on Twitter at Twitter.com/FLWFishing.
