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Thursday, October 10, 2024
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Georgia’s Smith Holds On to Victory By Two Ounces at Phoenix Bass Fishing League Event at Lake Keowee

Brian Carter
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Georgia’s Smith Holds On to Victory By Two Ounces at Phoenix Bass Fishing League Event at Lake Keowee
Boater winner Brendan Smith of Lavonia, Georgia, and Strike-King co-angler winner Chris Wilson of Easley, South Carolina.
Easley’s Wilson Tops Strike King Co-Angler Division

SENECA, S.C. (Jan. 29, 2024) – Boater Brendan Smith of Lavonia, Georgia, caught a five-bass limit weighing 15 pounds, 5 ounces, Saturday to win the MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League (BFL) Presented by T-H Marine on Lake Keowee. Hosted by Visit Oconee, South Carolina, the tournament was the first event of the season for the BFL Savannah River Division. Smith earned $3,514 for his victory.

“I was boat number 89 of 90,” said Smith, who said Keowee had proved to be a difficult fishery for him in the past. “I had found some fish in an area that I thought would be my only opportunity to catch a limit. When I got to that place it was occupied.

“I went about the day fishing a pattern that I thought could work,” Smith continued. “It was a pattern that evolved throughout the day. Essentially, I junk fished Lake Keowee from 2 feet to 50 feet. The good Lord shined on me, and I caught some good fish.”

Smith focused on the lower part of Lake Keowee and said his junk fishing approach consisted of a Berkley Stunna Jerkbait 112, which produced his biggest bass of the day, as well as a Zoom Zlinky Stick Worm on a drop-shot rig in 50 feet of water. He said he also caught a few bass on a Keitech Swing Impact FAT 2.8-inch Swimbait in a ditch.

“I had a limit by 9:30 and figured I had 9 or 10 pounds and was pretty happy to have that weight that early in the day,” Smith said. “When I got to 13 pounds, I knew that was a decent catch for Lake Keowee this time of year. I knew when I was culling that 15 pounds would be pretty respectable.

“I’ve been doing this a long time, and I’ve been through several of these squeakers, and I’m usually on the other end of it,” Smith added. “Did I ever think I had the win? No. I weighed in last and didn’t have a clue that I would win until the fish were weighed.”

The top 10 boaters finished the tournament:

                1st:        Brendan Smith, Lavonia, Ga., five bass, 15-5, $3,514
                2nd:       Randy Childers, Anderson, S.C., five bass, 15-3, $1,757
                3rd:       Joe Anders, Easley, S.C., five bass, 15-1, $1,672 (includes $500 Phoenix MLF Contingency Bonus)
                4th:        Daniel Atkins, Anderson, S.C., five bass, 14-11, $722
                4th:        Cody Hoyle, Rutherfordton, N.C., five bass, 14-11, $722
                4th:        Matt O’Connell, Brooks, Georgia, five bass, 14-11, $1,022
                7th:        Grayson Brewster, Anderson, S.C., five bass, 14-9, $586
                8th:        Michael Smith, Lexington, S.C., five bass, 14-8, $527
                9th:        William Bryson, Greer, S.C., five bass, 13-14, $469
                10th:     Hunter Cseledy, Waynesville, N.C., five bass, 13-13, $410

Complete results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

Jason Burroughs of Hodges, South Carolina, caught a bass that weighed 4 pounds, 9 ounces, and earned the Berkley Big Bass Boater award of $450.



Chris Wilson of Easley, South Carolina, won the Strike King co-angler division and $1,982 Saturday, after bringing five bass to the scale that totaled 11 pounds, 10 ounces.

The top 10 Strike King co-anglers finished:

                1st:        Chris Wilson, Easley, S.C., five bass, 11-10, $1,982
                2nd:       Kevin Henderson, Honea Path, S.C., five bass, 11-9, $879
                3rd:       Dale Ball, Asheville, N.C., five bass, 11-6, $585
                4th:        Colby Matthews, Madison, Ga., five bass, 11-4, $610
                5th:        Kyle Rogers, Cleveland, Ga., five bass, 10-10, $351
                6th:        Justin Thompson, Gainesville, Ga., five bass, 10-3, $322
                7th:        Andy Burgess, Greenville, S.C., five bass, 10-2, $293
                8th:        Renee Price, Seneca, S.C., five bass, 10-0, $249
                8th:        Brock Martin, Cross Hill, S.C., five bass, 10-0, $249
                10th:     Arthur Harris, York, S.C., five bass, 9-9, $205

Wilson earned the Berkley Big Bass co-angler award of $225, catching a bass that weighed in at 3 pounds, 13 ounces – the largest co-angler catch of the day.

The next event for BFL Savannah River Division anglers will be held Feb. 24, at Lake Hartwell in Anderson, South Carolina. To register for the event as a boater or a co-angler, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com or call (270)-252-1000.

The top 45 boaters and co-anglers in the region based on point standings, along with the five tournament winners of each qualifying event, will qualify for the Oct. 3-5 BFL Regional tournament on Pickwick Lake in Counce, Tennessee. Boaters will fish for a top award of $60,000, including a new Phoenix 819 Pro with a 200-horsepower Mercury or Suzuki outboard and $10,000, while co-anglers will compete for a top award of $50,000, including a new Phoenix 819 Pro with a 200-horsepower Mercury or Suzuki outboard.

The 2024 Phoenix BFL Presented by T-H Marine is a 24-division circuit devoted to weekend anglers, with 128 events throughout the season, five qualifying tournaments in each division. The top 45 boaters and Strike King co-anglers from each division, along with the five qualifying event winners, will advance to one of six BFL 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.

Proud sponsors of the 2024 MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine include: 7Brew, Abu Garcia, B&W Trailer Hitches, Berkley, BUBBA, E3, Epic Baits, General Tire, GSM Outdoors, Lew’s, Mercury, Mossy Oak, Onyx, Phoenix, Polaris, Power-Pole, Strike King, Suzuki, Tackle Warehouse, T-H Marine, Toyota and YETI.

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



Trickledown Technology by DAIWA

Brian Carter
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Trickledown Technology by DAIWA
Trickledown Technology
Loaded with advancements, DAIWA’s new Regal LT offers extraordinary performance at a reasonable price. 
FOOTHILL RANCH, CA (January 30, 2024) – “Trickledown” gets a bad rap these days. But whether you fall on the Reaganomics or Bidenomics side of things doesn’t matter when we’re talking about fishing. To DAIWA, trickledown means taking features and technologies once reserved for premium-priced products and introducing them into lower priced models.Such is the case with DAIWA’s new Regal LT spinning reel, which is attractively priced, yet bursting with features and technology.  
DAIWA Marketing Director Marc Mills speaks about the new Regal LT: “The original Regal has been our best seller in this popular price range. We expect dealers and anglers to truly appreciate the enhanced Regal LT with all its improvements…and make it a huge seller.”Species-wise, Mills says the Regal LT is a do-it-all reel. “It’ll be popular with bass, walleye, panfish, and about every freshwater angler. And, with the new 5000- and 6000-sizes, it has applications for saltwater fishing, like lighter offshore, nearshore, and jetty fishing. It really is an affordable fish-for-everything series.”The Regal LT’s notable and foundational characteristics begin with an advanced ZAION V body. DAIWA’s exclusive ZAION V material is lighter, stronger, and more rigid than traditional composite graphite – material used by other brands in its price range.DAIWA’s cornerstone AIRDRIVE features also made it into the new Regal LT. First, the reel’s AIRDRIVE ROTOR fosters a lighter rotation – simply meaning its easier to spin. Its solid AIRDRIVE BAIL is noticeably smooth and durable. Collectively, they also reduce the reel’s overall weight. 
Users will also benefit from Regal LT’s TOUGH DIGIGEAR. DAIWA’s specialty gears are large, smooth, and durable. The silky spinning is immediately apparent and will stay that way for a long time.Another key feature once reserved for reels double its price is Advanced Tournament Drag (ATD). The Regal LT’s ATD system uses an improved drag grease that exhibits a low viscosity at rest yet becomes more viscous immediately after drag start up, making it smooth from initial hook up.You’ll also appreciate the L/R folding machined aluminum handle with oversized grip. The folding handle shrinks the reel’s profile for storage and travel. Cosmetically, DIAWA’s Regal LT lives up to its noble name. A nautical blue that Mills says “shifts color at every angle” is accented with majestic silvers.  Top performance. Affordable. And smashing good looks. That’s DAIWA’s new Regal LT.
REGAL LT FEATURES: ZAION® V Frame AIRDRIVE ROTOR AIRDRIVE BAIL TOUGH DIGIGEAR™ Advanced Tournament Drag System (ATD) Machined Aluminum Folding Handle Sizes 1000 to 6000 MSRP $69.99 and $79.99
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



Lite Skiff The Ultimate Lightweight Ready-to-Go Fishing Boat

Brian Carter
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Lite Skiff The Ultimate Lightweight Ready-to-Go Fishing Boat
Lightweight Mini Bass Boat Design

The 13′ Milha Lite Skiff is the perfect choice for anglers looking for a lightweight and easy-to-handle boat. Weighing in at just 175 pounds, this skiff can be easily transported on a trailer or lifted onto a car roof rack. The lightweight design of this boat also makes it easy to maneuver in the water, giving you greater control and a more enjoyable fishing experience.

Lite Skiff, by Milha Boat, the most popular kayak brand in Brazil, is a new rotomolded skiff built for anglers. This completely customizable skiff is packed with features.

The lightweight rotomolded hull has multiple internal access points for running your favorite electronics and bow mount trolling motor – we can rig to fit with EPropulsion or Suzuki Motors, Electronics, Lighting, etc. 

CLICK TO LEARN MORE



Tackle Warehouse claims title sponsorship of Elite Qualifiers, Champlain Elite

Brian Carter
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Tackle Warehouse claims title sponsorship of Elite Qualifiers, Champlain Elite

Tackle Warehouse claims title sponsorship of Elite Qualifiers, Champlain Elite

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — The St. Croix Bassmaster Opens presented by SEVIIN means a lot of things to a lot of anglers. To some competitors, the series is a way to test their competitive mettle against the best anglers in a region. To many others, the Opens are the singular gateway to the biggest stage in bass fishing: the Bassmaster Elite Series. For the latter group, Tackle Warehouse is stepping up to support this dream by becoming the title sponsor of the Elite Qualifiers division (EQs) within the Opens, B.A.S.S. announced today.

Last year, B.A.S.S. unveiled the EQs, which required anglers vying to qualify for the Bassmaster Elite Series to fish all nine Opens events to be eligible, with the top nine anglers in the Opens EQ Angler of the Year points standings moving up to the big leagues. This new concept sought to ensure that incoming Elite Series anglers would be prepared for the rigorous travel required by the Elite schedule, as well as understand the financial demands and skill sets needed to compete at the highest level in the sport. In 2023, 175 anglers signed up for all nine events to try and achieve the Elite Series dream. The EQs were a raging success.

“The product of a proud partnership between Tackle Warehouse and Bassmaster, the 2024 Tackle Warehouse Bassmaster Elite Qualifiers are going to be so fun to watch,” said Joey Reggio of Tackle Warehouse. “We will be paying close attention to the EQ leaderboard, which allows viewers to keep track of the high-stakes points race throughout the year to see who’s going to qualify for the 2025 Bassmaster Elite Series.”

For 2024, the Opens have been greatly enhanced. Live coverage from every Open event will be streamed on Bassmaster.com, with expanded coverage on FOX Sports platforms. Also new, EQ anglers will now be competing for a combined Angler of the Year purse of $110,000, which includes an increased first-place cash prize of $45,000. The prize payouts for every event also increased, as one in five competitors (the top 45 anglers) will receive a check. All in all, more than $3.1 million will be paid to competitors throughout the Opens season. Of course, the opportunity to qualify for the Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Classic remains a tremendous benefit of competing in the Opens.

“The Opens Series has become one of the most challenging circuits on the planet, with well over 200 anglers competing in each event,” said Chase Anderson, CEO of B.A.S.S. “This year, we expect more than 150 of those pros to fish the EQs in an effort to qualify for the Elites. It’s exciting to have Tackle Warehouse supporting these anglers, as they will compete on very different fisheries throughout the nation, each requiring specific gear and tackle for success.”

Along with its sponsorship of the EQs, Tackle Warehouse will also serve as the title sponsor of the Lake Champlain Elite event to be held out of Plattsburgh, N.Y., August 8-11. This will be the eighth event of the Elite season and will no doubt focus on the nail-biting conclusion of the Progressive Insurance Bassmaster Angler of the Year race leading into the final event.

“Here at Tackle Warehouse, we’re tournament anglers and huge Bassmaster Elite Series fans, so we know how much excitement surrounds the stop at Lake Champlain,” said Reggio. “With big smallmouth and largemouth, long runs and unpredictable weather all in play, it’s going to be an action-packed and dynamic stop. We can’t wait to follow the action at the Tackle Warehouse Bassmaster Elite at Lake Champlain.”

The St. Croix Bassmaster Opens presented by SEVIIN kick off Feb. 1-3 on Lake Okeechobee out of Clewiston, Fla. The Tackle Warehouse Elite Qualifiers points race, as well as the complete Opens schedule, can be found on Bassmaster.com.



SIMMS-ering Good Looks

Brian Carter
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SIMMS-ering Good Looks
SIMMS-ering Good Looks
Buy Any TATULA Rod or Reel and Get a FREE DAIWA / SIMMS Hooded Performance Shirt
Cypress, CA (January 29, 2024) – For over a decade, anglers have required no added incentive to fish DAIWA’s TATULA branded rods and reels. The fantastic performance at a fair price is motivation enough.So why the 2024 TATULA promotion? It’s really a reward for loyalty as anglers add to their DAIWA TATULA collection. Beginning February 1, 2024, anglers purchasing any TATULA rod, reel, or combo can register to receive a FREE TATULA branded SIMMS hooded performance shirt.SIMMS lightweight, technical hooded performance shirt feels smooth and stretches with each cast, while wicking moisture away from the skin to keep you comfortable in hot weather. The hood is constructed to comfortably protect your ears, neck, and back of your head from the sun.Qualify with the purchase of any DAIWA TATULA reel, rod or combo between February 1, 2024, and May 31, 2024 (NO EXCEPTIONS). US and Canadian residents only. Visit DAIWA website for details and redemption instructions.
NEW TATULA GEAR TO CONSIDER
TATULA MQ LTThe new TATULA MQ LT embodies a rich features set, which starts with its one-piece MONOCOQUE ZAION V body. This design framework yields more space for larger gears, thus promoting increased torque and power from the get-go. The inventive MONOCOQUE ZAION V body also offers 360 degrees of stability and improved waterproofing over standard spinning reels with conventional, screw-in side plates. 360 degrees of stability means the gearing is held firmly and in precise alignment.The TATULA MQ LT also features an AIRDRIVE ROTOR 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. The lighter the rotor, the less force it takes to spin around the reel, making it easier to turn the handle.The TATULA MQ LT’s solid AIRDRIVE BAIL further reduces weight and offers more rigidity than standard wire, minimizing concerns over flex, bending, or breaking.Anglers will also appreciate TATULA MQ LT’s brilliant ball bearing-supported 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.MSRP $199.99
TATULA Elite AGS Bass Rod SeriesLightweight and sensitivity are the key focus points bass anglers will experience with the new TATULA Elite AGS rods, where DAIWA relied on noted professional anglers including Brent Ehrler, Seth Feider, Randy Howell, Chris Johnston, Cory Johnston, Cody Meyer, Ish Monroe, Takahiro Omori, and Patrick Walters in developing the actions and powers.At the core of the TATULA Elite AGS rods are lightweight SVF Nano Plus blanks to provide each rod with its crisp action, along with X45 Bias construction to prevent blank twisting for greater strength, excellent sensitivity, and hook-setting power.DAIWA also includes its exclusive Air Guide System (AGS), considered the lightest and most sensitive guides on the market, which dampen vibrations during the cast to provide anglers with a quicker response and feel for increased lure action sensitivity. The carbon frame AGS guides are up to 40% lighter and more rigid than those made from titanium and have proven their effectiveness in reducing overall rod weight and added sensitivity.The Air Sensor reel seats, built with carbon fiber, provide anglers with a further increase in sensitivity throughout the entire rod. Both the AGS guides and Air Sensor reel seats are also found on DAIWA’s flagship Steez AGS bass rod series.The 16 rod series includes specialized spinning and casting models.MSRP’s from $299.99
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.



Cade Blackwell & Mitchell Robinson Win CATT Lake Greenwood, SC Jan 27, 2024

Brian Carter
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Cade Blackwell & Mitchell Robinson Win CATT Lake Greenwood, SC Jan 27, 2024

Next lake Greenwood CATT Spring Qualifier is Feb 24 at the Greenwood State Park! At the conclusion of the Spring Lake Greenwood Qualifiers, we will crown a Point Champ and award Point money! To view the Greenwood Points, tap on the Greenwood Division and scroll all the way down!

Cade Blackwell & Mitchell Robinson win Greenwood with 5 Bass weighing 14.17 lbs!

2nd Place went to Michael Brown & Patrick Ricks with 11.08 lbs!

Andrew Allen & Chase Stewart weighed in the BF at 5.71 lbs!

TeamBFWeightWinningsPoints
Cade Blackwell – Mitchell Robinson3.2514.17$665.00110
Michael Brown – Patrick Ricks3.2711.08$200.00109
Andrew Allen – Chase Stewart5.719.31$130.00108
John Williams – Darryl Redfern3.678.64107
TJ Eubanks – Derrick Hutchins4.268.13106
Josh Kirby – Treven Mode2.213.59105
Brian McDade – Eddie Burgess3.443.44104
Patrick Hobson – Brett Douglas2.232.23103
Brian Ruppe – Darryl Deaton1.671.67102
Chris Benson – Austin Henry0.000.0092
Gregg Williams – Mark Williams0.000.0092
Jason Moyer – Sam Metts0.000.0092
Jermaine Roach – Daniel Skipper0.000.0092
Total Entrys$1,040.00
BONUS $$275.00
Total Paid At Ramp$995.00
CATT$50.00
2024 Greenwood Spring Final Fund$220.00
2024 CATT Championship Fund$50.00
2024 Greenwood Spring Final Total$220.00



Early bites carry Montevallo to victory in Bassmaster College Series event at Lake Murray

Brian Carter
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Early bites carry Montevallo to victory in Bassmaster College Series event at Lake Murray

Peyton Harris and Dalton Head of the University of Montevallo have won the Strike King Bassmaster College Series at Lake Murray presented by Bass Pro Shops with a two-day total of 43 pounds, 12 ounces. 

Photo by Tyler Bridges/B.A.S.S.

January 27, 2024

Early bites carry Montevallo to victory in Bassmaster College Series event at Lake Murray

COLUMBIA, S.C. — Throughout Day 2 of the Strike King Bassmaster College Series at Lake Murray presented by Bass Pro Shops, Peyton Harris and Dalton Head thought they were one fish away from claiming their second College Series title.

It turned out that they had all they needed.

The University of Montevallo duo added 20 pounds, 10 ounces on Saturday to their Day 1 total of 23-2 and claimed the victory with a two-day total of 43 pounds, 12 ounces.

“I thought we were going to need the same weight as yesterday,” Head said. “There are so many big fish out here. It is kind of comparable to a Florida lake with how many giants there are. Every spot you pull up to has 20 to 25 pounds on it. We felt we were one bite away and it was a huge surprise we pulled it off today.”

Bryan College’s Bryce DiMauro and Tripp Berlinsky finished second with 42-7 and Elliot Wielgopolski and Aaron Jagdfeld from Adrian College finished third with 41-5.

Harris and Head, who have been fishing together since high school, claimed their first title last season at Cherokee Lake, but a canceled Day 2 left the duo feeling like they still had something to prove.

“It means so much to win a two-day Bassmaster tournament because you legit have to catch them both days,” Head said. “There is no slacking up. You have to catch them both days.”

Not only did they claim a spot in the 2024 Strike King Bassmaster College National Championship presented by Bass Pro Shops and the $6,162 first-place prize, but Harris and Head can now set their sights on the Team of the Year title.

The Montevallo duo knew early in practice they had found quality bass. Whether they could get them to bite would be the question.

“These were probably the smartest fish I have ever fished for,” Harris said. “I knew we were around really big fish, and after Day 1 when we got off to a quick start we knew we had a shot at it.”

After catching over 23 pounds on Day 1 to land in second place, Head and Harris made a detailed plan of moves they needed to make on Day 2.

“We knew we probably weren’t going to get on our starting spot, so we made an ABC plan where we listed our best hole, second best and third best,” Head said. “We couldn’t get on our best hole, so we went to a hole that we didn’t know how good it was, but it looked right.”

That secondary spot provided an early limit weighing about 16 to 17 pounds. From there, bouncing between 30 different spots, they made several key culls that lifted them to their final tally.

“The main thing was getting on a good starting hole,” Head added. “That was the best time to catch them. You could catch them early. But yeah, we ran the whole lake all day long.”

Three-pronged approach

Head and Harris targeted three different types of cover and structure during the event — rock, brush and stumps. Each of those needed to be near a hard break or a channel swing. The majority of their bites came from between 15 and 35 feet of water.

Using Garmin LiveScope, Head and Harris used two different baits. The most effective was a Damiki rig, which they built with a 1/4-ounce Queen Tackle Live Sonar jighead paired with a 3 1/2-inch Z-Man shad-imitating bait.

“You had to work it super slow and just hover it over those bass,” Harris said. “If it was moving fast, they wouldn’t commit to it.”

A Megabass Vision 110 +1 jerkbait was also key. Harris said they weighted the bait down to get it to the desired depth.

“You had to fish that bait really slow too. You had to let them look at it and talk them into biting it,” he added.

Weather throws a curveball

Water temperatures on Lake Murray started around 48 degrees and warmed to as high as 52 Saturday. Day 1 and the beginning of Day 2 were relatively calm, which really helped Head and Harris target their bass. But when rain and storms moved through around midday, the bite suffered.

“It was like they got confused. They didn’t want to eat or move. They didn’t have that get up like they did in previous days,” Head said. “They would actually move to it at a decent speed the first day, but today they were sluggish and didn’t want to eat. It was a grind.”

The weather also took a toll on DiMauro and Berlinsky, as their bite shut down once the nasty weather began.

Freshman duo surprises

In their first college tournament, DiMauro and Berlinsky were the most consistent team, catching 21-0 and 21-7. After landing in fifth on Day 1, the Bryan College team got off to a quick start on Day 2 and culled twice after filling their limit.

“We took advantage of our opportunities,” Berlinsky said. “It was just a great day. The bass we did catch were good quality and we just came up short. For our first tournament together, we were pretty happy with it.”

Throughout the weekend, DiMauro and Berlinsky targeted wood cover like brushpiles and stumps in 15 to 30 feet using their forward-facing sonar. Around brushpiles, DiMauro said the bass would come away from the structure to meet the bait. Around the stumps, however, they didn’t see the bass before they made a cast to them.

“A lot of our bigger bass came around the stumps,” DiMauro said. “We could not see the fish because they were sitting so close to the cover. If we saw a stump, we would throw our Damiki rig to it and we would watch it go down. When the bait got 5 feet above the stump, the bass would rise.”

They built their Damiki rig with a 3/8-ounce Z-Man jighead and a 5-inch Z-Man Scented Jerk ShadZ.

Key audible aids third-place finishers

Around noon, Wielgopolski and Jagdfeld had just one bass in the livewell after their key brushpiles dried up. Instead of continuing down the same path, the Adrian College duo moved to a rock shoal that had a number of stumps and filled a limit weighing 19-13 to add to their 21-8 Day 1 tally. Larger stumps were more productive.

“We could see them and a little bit of magic happened,” Wielgopolski said. “We culled our way up to 19 and a half.”

During the first day, they targeted between 40 and 50 brushpiles in the 15- to 20-foot range.

A Damiki rig was also a key bait for the Adrian College team. Their jighead of choice on Day 1 was a 5/16-ounce VMC Hybrid jighead and a Rapala Freeloader in the albino color, which helped trigger reaction strikes. On Day 2, they downsized to a 3/16-ounce Keitech tungsten ball-head jig with a Great Lakes Finesse Drop Minnow in grape.

UNA duo claims Big Bass

Jake Brown and Walker Brown from the University of North Alabama, who led the first round, caught the big bag of the tournament at 23-14 as well as the Big Bass of the Tournament. The 7-14 lunker largemouth earned the duo $100 in prize money.

This week’s event is being hosted by Capital City Lake Murray County.

2024 Strike King Bassmaster College Series at Lake Murray presented by Bass Pro Shops 1/26-1/27
Lake Murray, Columbia  SC.
(BOATER) Standings Day 2

    Angler                                       Club/School                       Pts

1.  Peyton Harris – Dalton Head                  University of Montevallo            250
  Day 1: 5   23-02     Day 2: 5   20-10   Total:  10  43-12
2.  Bryce Dimauro – Tripp Berlinsky              Bryan College                       249
  Day 1: 5   21-00     Day 2: 5   21-07   Total:  10  42-07
3.  Elliot Wielgopolski – Aaron Jagdfeld         Adrian College                      248
  Day 1: 5   21-08     Day 2: 5   19-13   Total:  10  41-05
4.  Caleb Hudson – Tanner Hadden                 University of South Carolina – U    247
  Day 1: 5   18-15     Day 2: 5   21-07   Total:  10  40-06
5.  Logan Plueger – Charlie Wright               University of Montevallo            246
  Day 1: 5   19-05     Day 2: 5   20-15   Total:  10  40-04
6.  Dylan Akins – Chase Carey                    Emmanuel College                    245
  Day 1: 5   17-13     Day 2: 5   21-10   Total:  10  39-07
7.  James Willoughby – Phillip Herring           University of Montevallo            244
  Day 1: 5   19-13     Day 2: 5   18-11   Total:  10  38-08
8.  Hayden Marbut –                              Auburn University                   243
  Day 1: 5   17-02     Day 2: 5   20-03   Total:  10  37-05
9.  Adrian Urso – Corbin Templon                 Murray State University             242
  Day 1: 5   16-15     Day 2: 5   19-15   Total:  10  36-14
10. Nick Seitz – Paxton Giem                     Adrian College                      241
  Day 1: 5   16-02     Day 2: 5   20-10   Total:  10  36-12
11. Carter Nutt – Dylan Nutt                     University of North Alabama         240
  Day 1: 5   18-05     Day 2: 5   18-03   Total:  10  36-08
12. Casey Cornelius – Zion Dunaway               Purdue University                   239
  Day 1: 5   22-00     Day 2: 5   14-00   Total:  10  36-00
13. Banks Shaw – Nathan Reynolds                 University of North Alabama         238
  Day 1: 5   19-04     Day 2: 5   16-09   Total:  10  35-13
14. Blake Milligan – Carson Maddux               Auburn University                   237
  Day 1: 5   18-07     Day 2: 5   16-15   Total:  10  35-06
15. Billy Erdakos – Davis Klimczak               Southwestern Michigan College       236
  Day 1: 5   18-15     Day 2: 5   16-01   Total:  10  35-00
16. Tyler Finley – Christopher Kistler           University of North Alabama         235
  Day 1: 5   18-13     Day 2: 5   15-13   Total:  10  34-10
17. Jake Peck – Carty Shoen                      Auburn University                   234
  Day 1: 5   17-10     Day 2: 5   16-09   Total:  10  34-03
18. Quade Lobo – Nick Owens                      Adrian College                      233
  Day 1: 5   18-04     Day 2: 5   15-09   Total:  10  33-13
19. Cole Moulton – Kaleb Brown                   Lander University                   232
  Day 1: 5   17-15     Day 2: 5   15-14   Total:  10  33-13
20. Jerry Brumbaugh Jr. – Brady Pinwar           Adrian College                      231
  Day 1: 5   19-04     Day 2: 5   14-07   Total:  10  33-11
21. Harmon Marien – Maxwell Trotter              McKendree University                230
  Day 1: 5   17-13     Day 2: 5   15-01   Total:  10  32-14
22. Peyton Dunn – Michael Avery                  Emmanuel College                    229
  Day 1: 5   17-11     Day 2: 5   15-03   Total:  10  32-14
23. Anderson Jones –                             Lander University                   228
  Day 1: 5   13-04     Day 2: 5   19-02   Total:  10  32-06
24. Peyton Sorrow – Garrett Ring                 University of Montevallo            227
  Day 1: 5   19-03     Day 2: 5   12-12   Total:  10  31-15
25. Hayden Pirman – Luke Chaddock                West Virginia University            226
  Day 1: 5   16-00     Day 2: 5   15-15   Total:  10  31-15
26. Levi Seagraves – Scooter Ligon Jr            Emmanuel College                    225
  Day 1: 5   15-06     Day 2: 5   16-04   Total:  10  31-10
27. Hunter Sandschafer – Blake Beckmann          Wabash Valley College               224
  Day 1: 5   16-14     Day 2: 5   14-11   Total:  10  31-09
28. Luke Davis – Chance Schwartz                 University of Montevallo            223
  Day 1: 5   16-05     Day 2: 5   15-04   Total:  10  31-09
29. Max Heaton – Brooks Anderson                 Emmanuel College                    222
  Day 1: 5   17-00     Day 2: 5   14-07   Total:  10  31-07
30. Kobe Thompson – Cole Carr                    Adrian College                      221
  Day 1: 5   13-14     Day 2: 5   17-07   Total:  10  31-05
31. Mitch Johnson – Jonathan Fitch               Kentucky Christian University       220
  Day 1: 5   17-04     Day 2: 5   14-00   Total:  10  31-04
32. Nick Staub – Sam Schmitz                     University of North Alabama         219
  Day 1: 5   18-14     Day 2: 3   12-05   Total:   8  31-03
33. Hank Sturm – Matt Amosby                     Adrian College                      218
  Day 1: 5   15-10     Day 2: 5   15-05   Total:  10  30-15
34. Andrew Blanton – Garrett Smith               Lander University                   217
  Day 1: 4   11-09     Day 2: 5   18-13   Total:   9  30-06
35. Carson Calvert – Austin Thomas               University of North Alabama         216
  Day 1: 5   14-13     Day 2: 5   15-09   Total:  10  30-06
36. Kyle Smith – Aaron Mills                     Kentucky Christian University       215
  Day 1: 5   19-05     Day 2: 5   10-08   Total:  10  29-13
37. Chase Milholen – Koltyn Harbin               Bethel University                   214
  Day 1: 5   14-08     Day 2: 5   14-13   Total:  10  29-05
38. Carson Winn – Preston Kolisek                University of North Alabama         213
  Day 1: 3   11-09     Day 2: 4   17-10   Total:   7  29-03
39. Will Hart – Logan Fisher                     Emmanuel College                    212
  Day 1: 5   16-06     Day 2: 4   12-05   Total:   9  28-11
40. Hunter Petrovic – Kaiya Ziga                 Southwestern Michigan College       211
  Day 1: 5   15-07     Day 2: 5   13-03   Total:  10  28-10
41. Wyatt Pearman – Ridge Rutledge               Campbellsville University           210
  Day 1: 5   11-07     Day 2: 5   16-15   Total:  10  28-06
42. Turner Hart – Summer Dees                    Bryan College                       209
  Day 1: 5   14-05     Day 2: 4   14-01   Total:   9  28-06
43. Brody Robison – Colton White                 University of Montevallo            208
  Day 1: 4   12-09     Day 2: 5   15-11   Total:   9  28-04
44. Owen Januszewski – Mitch Straffon            Adrian College                      207
  Day 1: 5   13-14     Day 2: 5   14-06   Total:  10  28-04
45. Caden Pearson – Nathan Kallstrand            Wabash Valley College               206
  Day 1: 4   13-01     Day 2: 5   15-02   Total:   9  28-03
46. Mitchell Dean – Zachary Nolan                Georgia College                     205
  Day 1: 5   14-11     Day 2: 4   13-07   Total:   9  28-02
47. Evan Sutton – Grant Olsen                    McKendree University                204
  Day 1: 5   17-01     Day 2: 3   10-07   Total:   8  27-08
48. Lucas Washburn – Braylon Eggerding           Adrian College                      203
  Day 1: 5   15-01     Day 2: 3   12-05   Total:   8  27-06
49. Chris Baker – Elijah Kelley                  Kentucky Christian University       202
  Day 1: 5   13-15     Day 2: 5   13-06   Total:  10  27-05
50. Braden Thompson – Mason Gross                Wabash Valley College               201
  Day 1: 2   09-07     Day 2: 5   17-12   Total:   7  27-03
51. Brenton Godwin – Hunter Odom                 University of Montevallo            200
  Day 1: 5   14-12     Day 2: 5   12-07   Total:  10  27-03
52. Henry Vincent – Tommy Parker                 Adrian College                      199
  Day 1: 5   11-09     Day 2: 5   15-07   Total:  10  27-00
53. Nick Redlin – Ben Redlin                     University of Wisconsin – Platte    198
  Day 1: 4   10-08     Day 2: 5   16-06   Total:   9  26-14
54. Ben Brockwell – Will Rooker                  Kentucky Christian University       197
  Day 1: 4   11-08     Day 2: 5   15-04   Total:   9  26-12
55. Cameron Yates – Harrison McCall              Lander University                   196
  Day 1: 5   14-01     Day 2: 5   12-10   Total:  10  26-11
56. Owen Wheeler – Caleb Neu                     Bethel University                   195
  Day 1: 5   13-11     Day 2: 5   12-06   Total:  10  26-01
57. Riley Hendricks – Jared Hubbard              Lander University                   194
  Day 1: 5   18-15     Day 2: 3   06-12   Total:   8  25-11
58. Dylan Fogarty – Hunter Fillmore              Bethel University                   193
  Day 1: 5   14-03     Day 2: 5   11-08   Total:  10  25-11
59. Sam Harvey – Jordan Brewer                   Auburn University                   192
  Day 1: 5   13-04     Day 2: 5   12-05   Total:  10  25-09
60. Lane Stephens – Ethan Fields                 McKendree University                191
  Day 1: 5   18-14     Day 2: 3   06-09   Total:   8  25-07
61. Hayden O’Barr – Cooper Gilroy                University of Alabama               190
  Day 1: 3   08-01     Day 2: 5   17-05   Total:   8  25-06
62. Tyler Campbell – Parker Guy                  Emmanuel College                    189
  Day 1: 5   13-07     Day 2: 5   11-04   Total:  10  24-11
63. Hunter Shelton – Colten Drawdy               Bethel University                   188
  Day 1: 5   12-13     Day 2: 3   11-13   Total:   8  24-10
64. Easton Fothergill – Nick Dumke               University of Montevallo            187
  Day 1: 5   17-08     Day 2: 3   06-14   Total:   8  24-06
65. Jake Brown – Walker Brown                    University of North Alabama         186
  Day 1: 5   23-14     Day 2: 0   00-00   Total:   5  23-14
66. Briggs Alavezos – Solomon Glenn              University of Montevallo            185
  Day 1: 5   12-11     Day 2: 4   10-11   Total:   9  23-06
67. Cameron Dials – Brantley Anders              Kentucky Christian University       184
  Day 1: 3   08-07     Day 2: 5   14-13   Total:   8  23-04
68. Collin Barnett – Sander Ludeman              Minnesota State University – Man    183
  Day 1: 3   10-01     Day 2: 5   13-02   Total:   8  23-03
69. Harrison Terry – Zachary Bowen               Bethel University                   182
  Day 1: 5   14-06     Day 2: 2   08-12   Total:   7  23-02
70. William Vickery – Hunter Starling            Georgia Southern University         181
  Day 1: 5   08-02     Day 2: 5   14-13   Total:  10  22-15
71. Jonathon Garbacz – Owen Moss                 University of North Georgia         180
  Day 1: 5   12-01     Day 2: 3   10-10   Total:   8  22-11
72. Merrick Diaz – Cade Hayford                  Campbellsville University           179
  Day 1: 5   20-10     Day 2: 1   02-00   Total:   6  22-10
73. Dalton Phelps – Gannon Stork                 Wabash Valley College               178
  Day 1: 5   10-13     Day 2: 5   11-13   Total:  10  22-10
74. Andrew Howell – Jordan Pennington            University of Montevallo            177
  Day 1: 5   13-11     Day 2: 4   08-12   Total:   9  22-07
75. Cole Taylor – Clay Taylor                    Lander University                   176
  Day 1: 5   11-10     Day 2: 5   10-08   Total:  10  22-02
76. Connor Westerman – Michael Mcnulty           West Virginia University            175
  Day 1: 5   10-12     Day 2: 5   11-02   Total:  10  21-14
77. Dylan Levin – Dalton DeFelice                Southwestern Michigan College       174
  Day 1: 5   17-10     Day 2: 1   04-03   Total:   6  21-13
78. Brandon Berry – Hunter Bright                University of Montevallo            173
  Day 1: 4   11-02     Day 2: 3   10-11   Total:   7  21-13
79. Brooks Parker – Hudson Choquette             University of Montevallo            172
  Day 1: 5   17-02     Day 2: 1   04-10   Total:   6  21-12
80. Jack Mcillwain – Jake Krauth                 University of North Alabama         171
  Day 1: 5   13-00     Day 2: 5   08-12   Total:  10  21-12
81. Lake Norsworthy – Calup Williams             Blue Mountain Christian Universi    170
  Day 1: 5   17-02     Day 2: 2   04-09   Total:   7  21-11
82. Aiden Larson – Clayton Greer                 Georgia College                     169
  Day 1: 5   13-15     Day 2: 3   07-06   Total:   8  21-05
83. Andrew Oswalt – Evan Mabrey                  University of Montevallo            168
  Day 1: 3   08-08     Day 2: 5   12-11   Total:   8  21-03
84. Kyle Zainitzer – Brock Vogel                 University of North Alabama         167
  Day 1: 2   06-06     Day 2: 5   14-12   Total:   7  21-02
85. Brock Blazier – Colby Joseph                 Campbellsville University           166
  Day 1: 5   15-07     Day 2: 2   05-09   Total:   7  21-00
86. Carter Doren – Brett Hill                    Campbellsville University           165
  Day 1: 2   06-14     Day 2: 4   13-15   Total:   6  20-13
87. Bennett Slinkard – Matthew Parrish           Auburn University                   164
  Day 1: 3   05-07     Day 2: 5   15-03   Total:   8  20-10
88. Spencer Knight – Colton Cybulski             Ohio State University               163
  Day 1: 2   08-00     Day 2: 3   12-08   Total:   5  20-08
89. Brady Metzger – Mason Bohland                Purdue University                   162
  Day 1: 5   16-07     Day 2: 2   03-15   Total:   7  20-06
90. Evan Eckstrom – Ben Williams                 University of South Carolina        161
  Day 1: 5   13-10     Day 2: 2   06-08   Total:   7  20-02
91. Ryan Daugherty – Brantley Barrentine         Campbellsville University           160
  Day 1: 3   11-08     Day 2: 3   08-06   Total:   6  19-14
92. Jacob Butts – Mark Kershaw-Klara             University of South Carolina – U    159
  Day 1: 4   09-02     Day 2: 3   10-10   Total:   7  19-12
93. Tyler Altizer – Landon Lawson                King University                     158
  Day 1: 4   12-03     Day 2: 2   07-05   Total:   6  19-08
94. Nick Pemberton – Will Holloway               University of Montevallo            157
  Day 1: 4   09-00     Day 2: 4   10-03   Total:   8  19-03
95. Jack Stephens – Jason Qualich                McKendree University                156
  Day 1: 3   06-10     Day 2: 4   12-07   Total:   7  19-01
96. Derek Rodriguez Jr. – Dalton Mollenkopf      Adrian College                      155
  Day 1: 3   06-09     Day 2: 5   12-07   Total:   8  19-00
97. Colby Carrier – Justin Frey                  Bethel University                   154
  Day 1: 5   11-15     Day 2: 2   07-01   Total:   7  19-00
98. Nick Shoffner – Drake Page                   UNC – Charlotte                     153
  Day 1: 3   10-09     Day 2: 3   08-07   Total:   6  19-00
99. Tomas Matual – Colton Hill                   McKendree University                152
  Day 1: 4   08-12     Day 2: 4   10-03   Total:   8  18-15
100. Sam Moll – Will Burch                        Murray State University             151
  Day 1: 5   14-12     Day 2: 2   04-02   Total:   7  18-14
101. Robert Richbourg – Cal Austin                Catawba Valley Community College    150
  Day 1: 2   04-07     Day 2: 5   14-02   Total:   7  18-09
102. Zane Roberts – Levi Harris                   University of North Alabama         149
  Day 1: 4   10-06     Day 2: 3   08-00   Total:   7  18-06
103. Bryson Dotson – William Travis               Bryan College                       148
  Day 1: 5   15-03     Day 2: 1   03-02   Total:   6  18-05
104. Nate Triplett – Holden Johnson               University of North Alabama         147
  Day 1: 2   05-04     Day 2: 4   12-14   Total:   6  18-02
105. Jack Alexander – Ryan Thomas                 University of Montevallo            146
  Day 1: 1   02-14     Day 2: 5   15-03   Total:   6  18-01
106. Reece Keeney – Blayner  Leeman               Kentucky Christian University       145
  Day 1: 4   09-04     Day 2: 4   08-13   Total:   8  18-01
107. Peyton Rose – Brogan Gregg                   Wabash Valley College               144
  Day 1: 5   13-14     Day 2: 2   04-02   Total:   7  18-00
108. Carson Aarup – Matt Peine                    UNC – Charlotte                     143
  Day 1: 5   11-00     Day 2: 3   06-15   Total:   8  17-15
109. Ethan Vue – Christian Vue                    UNC – Charlotte                     142
  Day 1: 4   12-07     Day 2: 3   05-05   Total:   7  17-12
110. Tyler Cory – Scott Sledge                    University of Montevallo            141
  Day 1: 2   06-01     Day 2: 5   11-06   Total:   7  17-07
111. Drew Bradstreet –                            Florida Gateway College             140
  Day 1: 4   08-07     Day 2: 4   09-00   Total:   8  17-07
112. Cole Edwards – Owen Zugel                    University of Montevallo            139
  Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 4   16-12   Total:   4  16-12
113. Jaxson Freeman – Connor Hall                 McKendree University                138
  Day 1: 2   04-10     Day 2: 5   12-01   Total:   7  16-11
114. Joseph Woods – Anthony Cicero IV             Bethel University                   137
  Day 1: 3   07-02     Day 2: 3   09-05   Total:   6  16-07
115. Will Gordon – Grant Meisenhelter             Murray State University             136
  Day 1: 5   16-00     Day 2: 0   00-00   Total:   5  16-00
116. Cole Hadlock – Braiden Koerber               Murray State University             135
  Day 1: 4   12-14     Day 2: 1   03-02   Total:   5  16-00
117. Sam Hoesley – Malcolm Patton                 Auburn University                   134
  Day 1: 3   06-00     Day 2: 4   10-00   Total:   7  16-00
118. Kai Barnett – Parker Welch                   McKendree University                133
  Day 1: 5   11-07     Day 2: 2   04-07   Total:   7  15-14
119. Butler Cochran – Bryce Evans                 University of South Carolina        132
  Day 1: 4   08-02     Day 2: 3   07-10   Total:   7  15-12
120. Matthew Welcher –                            Auburn University                   131
  Day 1: 4   09-07     Day 2: 3   06-04   Total:   7  15-11
121. Dawson Burton – Ethan Burnette               Kentucky Christian University       130
  Day 1: 3   07-09     Day 2: 3   08-02   Total:   6  15-11
122. Kyle Hopping – Colsyn Head                   McKendree University                129
  Day 1: 5   13-03     Day 2: 1   02-07   Total:   6  15-10
123. Joe Lutz – Jake Monti                        UNC – Charlotte                     128
  Day 1: 3   08-10     Day 2: 1   06-11   Total:   4  15-05
124. Bryson Holderness – Isaac Greene             University of South Carolina – U    127
  Day 1: 4   13-06     Day 2: 1   01-12   Total:   5  15-02
125. Benjamin Travis – Brendin Simich             Auburn University                   126
  Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 5   14-14   Total:   5  14-14
126. Dylan Thomson – Trey Marco                   King University                     125
  Day 1: 5   09-15     Day 2: 2   04-15   Total:   7  14-14
127. Hunter Russell – Benny Blank                 Wabash Valley College               124
  Day 1: 1   04-11     Day 2: 3   10-02   Total:   4  14-13
128. Zach Pocos – Tucker Siminak                  McKendree University                123
  Day 1: 4   09-09     Day 2: 2   05-04   Total:   6  14-13
129. Cole Mitchell – Hayden Mare                  High Point University               122
  Day 1: 1   01-11     Day 2: 5   13-01   Total:   6  14-12
130. William Brogan – Cole Bubenzer               Indiana University                  121
  Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 5   14-11   Total:   5  14-11
131. Robie Vines Jr – Zeb Roberts                 Catawba Valley Community College    120
  Day 1: 2   04-01     Day 2: 5   10-00   Total:   7  14-01
132. Gus Dietrich – Jack Wilson                   University of Alabama               119
  Day 1: 1   01-15     Day 2: 5   12-00   Total:   6  13-15
133. Colton Odom – Reagan Mills                   Auburn University                   118
  Day 1: 5   10-15     Day 2: 2   02-15   Total:   7  13-14
134. Tanner Barclay – Lloyd Laconsay              Auburn University                   117
  Day 1: 3   08-10     Day 2: 2   05-02   Total:   5  13-12
135. Chan Barber II – Ben Hutchins                NC State University                 116
  Day 1: 3   06-09     Day 2: 3   07-03   Total:   6  13-12
136. Cole Hunter – Kaleb Butts                    University of South Carolina – U    115
  Day 1: 5   10-03     Day 2: 1   02-11   Total:   6  12-14
137. Branson Campbell – Hayden Short              Kentucky Christian University       114
  Day 1: 1   02-12     Day 2: 4   09-08   Total:   5  12-04
138. Tyler Eggers – Dustin Swafford               Catawba Valley Community College    113
  Day 1: 3   06-03     Day 2: 2   06-01   Total:   5  12-04
139. Hunter Palmer – Eli Stevenson                Bryan College                       112
  Day 1: 5   11-13     Day 2: 0   00-00   Total:   5  11-13
140. Andrew Jones – Tyler Malone                  Southern Union State Community C    111
  Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 5   11-11   Total:   5  11-11
141. Chase Loftus –                               University of Iowa                  110
  Day 1: 4   09-05     Day 2: 1   02-01   Total:   5  11-06
142. Thomas Smith – MJ Lutz                       University of South Carolina – U    109
  Day 1: 3   09-09     Day 2: 1   01-12   Total:   4  11-05
143. Caleb Griffin – Kobi May                     Bryan College                       108
  Day 1: 1   01-15     Day 2: 2   09-06   Total:   3  11-05
144. TJ McKenzie – Will Wester                    Emmanuel College                    107
  Day 1: 3   07-11     Day 2: 2   03-08   Total:   5  11-03
145. Parker O’Bryan – Miller Dowling              University of Montevallo            106
  Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 3   11-02   Total:   3  11-02
146. Jacob Highley – William Copley               Kentucky Christian University       105
  Day 1: 1   02-13     Day 2: 2   08-04   Total:   3  11-01
147. Payton Sodervick – Adam Troyer               Indiana University                  104
  Day 1: 1   02-03     Day 2: 3   08-10   Total:   4  10-13
148. Jackson Holbert – Joshua Hayes               University of North Alabama         103
  Day 1: 5   10-04     Day 2: 0   00-00   Total:   5  10-04
149. Riley Lawson – Joe Bob Burchett              Kentucky Christian University       102
  Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 3   09-13   Total:   3  09-13
150. Archer Smith – Hunter Holguin                Murray State University             101
  Day 1: 3   09-12     Day 2: 0   00-00   Total:   3  09-12
151. Wes Newman Jr. – Holden Zinda                Liberty University                  100
  Day 1: 3   09-10     Day 2: 0   00-00   Total:   3  09-10
152. Jake Thornbury – Lane Pohlman                Campbellsville University            99
  Day 1: 2   03-11     Day 2: 2   05-14   Total:   4  09-09
153. Cy Lambert – Austin King                     University of North Alabama          98
  Day 1: 2   05-06     Day 2: 2   03-14   Total:   4  09-04
154. Blake Bullock – John Mark Berry              Blue Mountain Christian Universi     97
  Day 1: 2   04-13     Day 2: 2   04-07   Total:   4  09-04
155. Jonathan Yazdi – James Yuska                 Indiana University                   96
  Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 4   09-01   Total:   4  09-01
156. Jake Buzin – Finn Maher                      University of South Carolina         95
  Day 1: 3   09-01     Day 2: 0   00-00   Total:   3  09-01
157. Hunter Jeffcoat – Reese Melven               University of South Carolina         94
  Day 1: 1   02-15     Day 2: 3   06-02   Total:   4  09-01
158. Tyler Leachman – Mark Bixler                 Murray State University              93
  Day 1: 2   06-12     Day 2: 1   02-04   Total:   3  09-00
159. Hayden Fry – Vance Roberts                   McKendree University                 92
  Day 1: 1   02-06     Day 2: 2   06-10   Total:   3  09-00
160. Easton Lindus – Seth Jenkins                 Emmanuel College                     91
  Day 1: 2   07-03     Day 2: 1   01-11   Total:   3  08-14
161. Brendan Vinton – Jacob Vanscoik              Catawba Valley Community College     90
  Day 1: 2   05-04     Day 2: 2   03-10   Total:   4  08-14
162. Jonah Barrow – Logan Russell                 University of Nebraska – Lincoln     89
  Day 1: 2   04-14     Day 2: 2   04-00   Total:   4  08-14
163. Alex Geroulis – Harrison Bomba               Indiana University                   88
  Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 3   08-10   Total:   3  08-10
164. Luke Willis – Brandon Wingo                  University of South Carolina         87
  Day 1: 4   06-09     Day 2: 1   01-15   Total:   5  08-08
165. Tim Richardson Jr – Gerard Kelly             Newberry College                     86
  Day 1: 3   08-07     Day 2: 0   00-00   Total:   3  08-07
166. Ryan Foster – Will Hornsby                   McKendree University                 85
  Day 1: 1   03-00     Day 2: 2   05-06   Total:   3  08-06
167. Jacob Swanson – Zack Cooper                  University of Montevallo             84
  Day 1: 2   03-02     Day 2: 1   05-04   Total:   3  08-06
168. Jackson Kulijof – Aiden Clark                Murray State University              83
  Day 1: 3   08-03     Day 2: 0   00-00   Total:   3  08-03
169. Jack Hay – Eli Jaime                         Southwestern Michigan College        82
  Day 1: 3   08-01     Day 2: 0   00-00   Total:   3  08-01
170. Kyle Knoll – Evan Conn                       Auburn University                    81
  Day 1: 2   03-03     Day 2: 2   04-09   Total:   4  07-12
171. Drake Sturgill –                             University of Montevallo             80
  Day 1: 2   03-10     Day 2: 1   03-15   Total:   3  07-09
172. Hunter Kellogg – Roen Chenevey               Ohio State University                79
  Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 3   07-05   Total:   3  07-05
173. Kyler Murray – Chase Rogers                  University of South Carolina – U     78
  Day 1: 2   07-04  



Florida Pro Jessie Mizell Leads Wire-to-Wire and Wins Season-Opening Toyota Series at Lake Okeechobee

Brian Carter
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0
Florida Pro Jessie Mizell Leads Wire-to-Wire and Wins Season-Opening Toyota Series at Lake Okeechobee

CLEWISTON, Fla. (Jan. 27, 2024) – This week, pro Jessie Mizell of Myakka City, Florida, was absolutely untouchable on his home pond. 

Weighing 24 pounds each of the first two days and finishing off with 23 pounds, 13 ounces, Mizell totaled 72-9 to beat out Brody Campbell by nearly 3 pounds and win the Toyota Series Presented by Phoenix Boats Southern Division opener on Lake Okeechobee.

Now with six MLF wins to his credit on Lake Okeechobee, Mizell has won over $90,000 in less than 12 months, as he also won last year’s Toyota Series event on the Big O. For this one, Mizell takes home another trophy for a rapidly growing collection, plus $44,000 and qualification to the Toyota Series Championship. 

Mizell started each tournament morning on the north side of Okeechobee, easing into a staging bay and going to work. His bite shut down before noon each day of the event, though, as anglers coming and going muddied up the water. When Mizell arrived Saturday, he had a small audience of Bassmaster Open pros starting practice, and he put on a show. 

“I got there first thing, it was a good thing I was boat No. 1, and there were already a couple boats – BASS guys, in there,” he said. “But they just sat there and watched – I got my first, second, third, my biggest one. After that, there were boats going in and out, and they stirred it up. I didn’t get a bite after 11 o’clock, it got muddy and (the fish) shut down. But I was lucky enough to get my limit, and get those couple key fish. They were eating a frog like crazy – just absolutely destroying it.”

All week, Mizell was anticipating the warming water, watching it climb out of the 60s and into the low 70s. 

“I knew it was going to happen this morning,” he said. “I wanted to see 74 degrees, that’s the magic number for me. Everybody has their magic number. When I got there, it was right at 74 and started warming up, and that’s when I got my bites. Everything was on a frog, that new Gambler Popping Frog. I normally use my bread and butter (frog), but Val Osinski at Gambler Baits gave me some frogs yesterday, and it’s the same thing, so I broke it in.” 

While Campbell and others targeted fish that were spawning or prespawn, Mizell believes he was mostly catching postspawn bass that were easing out of a spawning bay and stopping on isolated pieces of cover on the way out. To catch them, he used a vibrating jig and a worm a little, but mostly relied on a prop bait and a frog. 

Mizell’s biggest fish of the event ate a Rapala X-Rap Prop on Day 1, but the frog was his standby. Using either a doctored up SPRO or a Gambler Popping Frog in yellow belly, Mizell threw them on a 7-foot, 6-inch, heavy/fast 13 Fishing Muse Black  with an 8.3:1-gear ratio  13 Fishing Concept A2 reel and 65-pound Sufix 832 braid. 

“They stage in these heads – little buggy whip heads, or cattail heads,” Mizell said. “They’re about as big as a coffee table. I would hit the edges first, and then hit the center, or go through the head, and work it through. Today, my biggest one, I threw into the head, and it exploded and totally missed the frog. I went back with a Senko, and it did not commit. But, I know how these fish work. when they’re postspawn. They’re worn out from laying eggs, so they use all their energy to bite once. You have to come back to them. So, I went around, gave her five minutes, and then came back and Power-Poled down. I threw, pop, pop, pop, and I didn’t even get to pop it again – she just absolutely caved it in.” 

Fishing his frog quickly, with a pop, pop, pop, stop retrieve, Mizell was focused on the key spots within his area. 
“Every time I throw, I want to think there’s a fish on that key spot,” he said. “If I was just fishing a pad field, I’d be just randomly throwing, not throwing at a target. I love to fish isolated stuff, I love pointing at stuff, because I feel like a fish is there. I would Power-Pole down, hit every isolated clump, then go forward, Power-Pole down again, and hit every isolated clump.” 

A fishing guide and mobile mechanic, Mizell didn’t practice much for the event. He took a guide trip out on Tuesday, and then rode around the lake on Wednesday without making a cast. It turned out, that was all he needed to earn the win. 

“That was my gameplan, I did not want to spin out – I knew they were coming and going,” he said. “I didn’t stress about this event, I just wanted to go fishing and do what I do. I knew the fish were in there, because a couple months ago I caught 34 pounds on the outside – they were staging. When it’s your time to shine, it’s your time to shine.”

The top 10 pros on Lake Okeechobee finished:

1st:        Jessie Mizell, Myakka City, Fla., 15 bass, 72-9, $44,000
2nd:       Brody Campbell, Oxford, Ohio, 15 bass, 69-10, $18,500
3rd:       Brandon Tallhamer, Parkersburg, W. Va., 15 bass, 66-1, $12,750
4th:        Benny Townend, Lake Worth Beach, Fla., 15 bass, 65-2, $10,750
5th:        Steve Lopez, Oconomowoc, Wis., 15 bass, 58-0, $9,750
6th:        Rafe Sexton, Okeechobee, Fla., 15 bass, 57-0, $8,375
7th:        Christian Greico, Tampa, Fla., 15 bass, 56-4, $7,800
8th:        Robert Camp, Port St. John, Fla., 15 bass, 54-6, $6,300
9th:        Bo Collins, Robbinsville, N.C., 13 bass, 53-2, $5,300
10th:     Michael Venditto, Boca Raton, Fla., 15 bass, 52-13, $4,200

Complete results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

Pro Kyle Wieczorek of Nokomis, Florida, earned the Day 1 $500 Berkley Big Bass Award on Thursday with an 8-pound, 15-ounce brute, while Friday’s Day 2 $500 Berkley Big Bass Award went to pro Christian Greico of Tampa, Florida, who weighed in a nice 8-pound, 11-ounce largemouth.

Casey Gonzalez of Lake Wales, Florida, won the Strike King Co-angler Division Saturday with a three-day total of 13 bass weighing 53 pounds, 1 ounce. Gonzalez took home the top co-angler prize package worth $33,500, including a new Phoenix 518 Pro bass boat with a 115-horsepower Mercury outboard motor.

The top 10 Strike King co-anglers on Lake Okeechobee finished:

1st:        Casey Gonzalez, Lake Wales, Fla., 13 bass, 53-1, Phoenix 518 Pro boat w/115-hp Mercury outboard
2nd:       Brady Lunsmann, Citrus Springs, Fla., 13 bass, 50-6, $5,375
3rd:       Stephen Draghi, Sparrowbush, N.Y., 15 bass, 49-5, $4,300
4th:        David Honsted, Ocala, Fla., 14 bass, 47-11, $3,800
5th:        Cooper Jett, Norton Shores, Mich., 15 bass, 45-1, $3,150
6th:        David Archibald, Somerset, Mass., 15 bass, 43-8, $2,800
7th:        Michael Duarte, Baltimore, Md., 13 bass, 42-8, $2,150
8th:        Alex Dempsey, Orangeburg, S.C., 15 bass, 41-10, $1,825
9th:        Keith Honeycutt, Temple, Texas, 15 bass, 41-5, $1,530
10th:     Fernando Rosa, Margate, Fla., 15 bass, 41-0, $1,290

David Honsted of Ocala, Florida, earned Thursday’s $150 Berkley Big Bass co-angler award with an 8-pound, 14-ounce largemouth, while Friday’s Day 2 $150 co-angler award went to Marc Snyder of St. Johns, Michigan,  who weighed in a bass that totaled 7 pounds, 15 ounces.

The Toyota Series Presented by Phoenix Boats at Lake Okeechobee was hosted by the Hendry County Tourism Development Council. It was the first of three regular-season tournaments for the Toyota Series Southern Division. The next event for the Toyota Series Southern Division will be the Toyota Series at the Harris Chain of Lakes, March 19-21, in Leesburg, Florida. For a complete schedule of events, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com.

The 2024 Toyota Series Presented by Phoenix Boats consists of six divisions – Central, Northern, Plains, Southern, Southwestern and the Western Division Presented by Tackle Warehouse – each holding three regular-season events, along with the International and Wild Card divisions. Anglers who fish in any of the six divisions or the Wild Card division and finish in the top 25 will qualify for the no-entry-fee Toyota Series Championship for a shot at winning up to $235,000 and a qualification to REDCREST 2025. The winning Strike King co-angler at the championship earns a new Phoenix 518 Pro bass boat with a 115-horsepower Mercury outboard. The 2024 Toyota Series Championship will be held Nov. 7-9 on Wheeler Lake in Huntsville, Alabama, and is hosted by the Huntsville/Madison County Convention & Visitors Bureau, the Madison County Commission, and the Huntsville Sports Commission.

Proud sponsors of the 2024 MLF Toyota Series include: 7Brew, Abu Garcia, B&W Trailer Hitches, Berkley, BUBBA, E3, Epic Baits, FX Custom Rods, General Tire, Lew’s, Mercury, Mossy Oak, Onyx, Phoenix, Polaris, Power-Pole, Strike King, Suzuki, Tackle Warehouse, T-H Marine, Toyota and YETI.

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



Ken Duke to Host NPFL Round Table Live Stream

Brian Carter
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0
Ken Duke to Host NPFL Round Table Live Stream

WILKESVILLE, OH (JANUARY 27, 2024) — The National Professional Fishing League’s popular “Round Table” Live Stream will be hosted by Ken Duke in 2024. The shows will be available live online each Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday night before events. The first episode will air on Sunday, January 28, 2024 at 8:00 p.m. ET (7:00 p.m. CT) before the NPFL season opener on Alabama’s Logan Martin Lake. It will feature pro anglers David Fritts (winner of the 1993 Bassmaster Classic on Logan Martin and a rookie with NPFL) and Thomas Shelton.

Duke is a longtime bass fishing industry media person. He’s written two books on the sport, and his work has appeared in dozens of national and regional outdoor magazines over the past 40 years. In addition, he’s the host of two bass fishing podcasts, and a serious student of the sport.

“It’s a thrill for me to be working with NPFL and to be hosting ‘Round Table’,” Duke said. “The list of professionals at NPFL doesn’t end with star and rising star anglers, it goes to the entire team of people who deliver a great product and experience for the fans and competitors. I’m excited to be a part of that team, and I’ll do my best to live up to their high standards.”

NPFL President Brad Fuller says he’s excited to have Duke onboard.

“Ken is extremely passionate and authentic about our sport,” Fuller said. “’Round Table’ is one of our vehicles for introducing our anglers to the audience — particularly our tournament winners, Angler of the Year leaders, and newsmakers. Having Ken as the host not only puts the show in experienced hands, but it gives us the opportunity to utilize other key team members in different roles that will add to our mix and make us even stronger.”

To learn more about the NPFL, visit https://thenationalprofessionalfishingleague.com/.



Back-and-forth winter weather could make Clarks Hill Reservoir tough for Bassmaster College Series anglers to decipher

Brian Carter
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0
Back-and-forth winter weather could make Clarks Hill Reservoir tough for Bassmaster College Series anglers to decipher

Georgia’s Clarks Hill Reservoir will kick off the Lunkers Trail division of the 2024 Strike King Bassmaster College Series presented by Bass Pro Shops February 1-2.

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

January 27, 2024

Back-and-forth winter weather could make Clarks Hill Reservoir tough for Bassmaster College Series anglers to decipher

CollegeSeries_StrikeKing_BPSjm_4C.png

COLUMBIA COUNTY, Ga. — Teams competing on the Lunkers Trail of the 2024 Strike King Bassmaster College Series presented by Bass Pro Shops will kick off their season at Clarks Hill Reservoir. The College Series introduced a new format this year that features two divisions — the Legends Trail and the Lunkers Trail — with three tournaments each. Teams will fish one of the two divisions in hopes of qualifying for the 2024 College Series National Championship, details of which will be released at a later date. Emil Wagner, who fishes the Elite Qualifiers division of the St. Croix Bassmaster Opens presented by SEVIIN, believes wintertime patterns could still prevail.

Tournament days are scheduled for Feb. 1-2, with daily takeoffs at 7 a.m. ET from Wildwood Park in Appling, Ga., and weigh-ins held back at the park each day at 3 p.m.

“It is really going to depend on the weather,” the Marietta, Ga., pro said. “If there is a massive warm front before the event, it will be nuts. The bass will be prespawn, and you will see a bunch of big bags shallow. But since it’s early February, it will probably be a lot more wintertime fishing.”

That weather forecast has been all over the place as of late, with nighttime lows in the mid-20s earlier this month and a major warming trend recently that brought showers and thunderstorms. For the week leading up to the event, nighttime temps are expected to be back in the 30s.

So, who knows which pattern the bass will be in?

What we do know is that the Savannah River fishery, which straddles the border between South Carolina and Georgia, has been kicking out impressive tournament results in recent years. Wagner said Clarks Hill is full of spotted bass — big ones, at that — as well as largemouth.

“The spotted bass have gotten way bigger. Even if you go back three years ago, the spots were rats. There were a bunch of 12-inchers, and they were a nuisance,” Wagner said. “They have gotten a lot bigger now. You will see people weigh in 16 or 17 pounds of all spots. That will be a factor that people normally wouldn’t think of when they go there. They are really easy to catch.”

The diets of these bass, particularly on the main lake, revolve around blueback herring, a baitfish found in every lake on the Savannah River chain.

“The herring always play, but even if you find a school of big ones, it doesn’t mean they are eating herring. But the south ends of these lakes typically have the most herring, and the bass are just bigger.”

Wagner guides on Lake Lanier and Lake Hartwell and expects the bass on Clarks Hill to act similarly this time of the year.

“When it is cold, in terms of winning or doing really well, it usually happens down by the dam ditch fishing or fishing around brush and rockpiles,” he said. “There are a couple of bridges down there that play as well. You can catch them on forward-facing sonar and catch bass out of bait balls.”

There are also bass to be caught way up the river beneath the Russell Lake Dam. It is risky, and a difficult run, particularly in low water, but it could pay off.

“It is a major gamble, but every time I’ve been (to Clarks Hill), there have been rumblings about guys going up there and winning. There are mega-bags caught as far up the river as you can go. I’ve personally never been up there.”

No matter which section of the lake anglers choose to fish, Wagner said crankbaits and ChatterBaits will be popular choices.

Following the College Series event, Clarks Hill Reservoir will also host the kickoff tournaments of the 2024 Strike King Bassmaster High School Series and the 2024 Bassmaster Junior Series seasons, with young anglers hitting the water on Feb. 4.

The event is being hosted by Visit Columbia County, GA.



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