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Top student athletes named to the 2024 Bassmaster High School All-State Fishing Team

Brian Carter
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Top student athletes named to the 2024 Bassmaster High School All-State Fishing Team

Oct. 25, 2024

Top student athletes named to the 2024 Bassmaster High School All-State Fishing Team

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Forty-five of the best high school anglers from across the country have been named to the 2024 Bassmaster High School All-State Fishing Team.

The students were selected for the honor based on their success in bass tournament competition, academic achievement and leadership in conservation and community service.

To be considered for the All-State Fishing Team, a student must have been nominated by a parent, coach, teacher or other school official. Students enrolled in grades 10-12 with a current-year grade point average of 2.5 or higher were eligible.

B.A.S.S. received nearly 300 nominations from across 31 states. From these, judges selected 45 student anglers to make the All-State Fishing Team. Additionally, 47 students received Honorable Mentions recognizing them for their tournament success as well as community service and academic achievement.

“Congratulations! This goes to show your efforts on and off the water do not go unnoticed,” said Glenn Cale, B.A.S.S. tournament manager for the College, High School and Junior series. “I’m super-proud of you all. This is something to truly be proud of. Be sure to chase all of your dreams, because they do not chase you back.”

A second panel of judges will review the nominations of the 45 All-State team members and select the 12 members of the 2024 Bassmaster High School All-American Fishing Team. As in All-State judging, criteria include success in high school fishing tournaments, involvement in conservation efforts and other community service activities.

The 12 finalists will be honored on the most prestigious stage in bass fishing at the 2025 Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Classic in Fort Worth, Texas March 21-23.

Below is the list of the 45 All-State anglers and 47 Honorable Mentions, in order by state:

Alabama

Fisher Anaya, Eva

Mason Martin, Harvest

Ethen Gardner, Titus (Honorable Mention)

James Hunter Travis, Bay Minette (Honorable Mention)

Colton Trotter, Rehobeth (Honorable Mention)

Thomas Turnbull, Crane Hill (Honorable Mention)

Arkansas

Ely Hagans, Scotland

Griffin Ralph, Hot Springs

Isaac Garvin, Everton (Honorable Mention)

John Klanchar, Benton (Honorable Mention)

Cole Pennington, Bee Branch (Honorable Mention)

Daniel Romine, Little Rock (Honorable Mention)

California

Kaine Navarro, Glendora

Florida

Ragyn Mohney, Okeechobee

Briley West, Lakeland

Brady Biles, Sanford (Honorable Mention)

Nick Hawkins (Claussen), Dover (Honorable Mention)

Michael John Teate, Winter Haven (Honorable Mention)

Alex Tyler, Lakeland (Honorable Mention)

Georgia

Brody Kellum, Bowersville

Cooper Moon, Cartersville

Caleb Logue, Bainbridge (Honorable Mention)

Hayden Reynolds, Bainbridge (Honorable Mention)

Illinois

Grace Olsen, Gardner

Landon Gabby, Marion

Drake Pfeiffer, Rochester (Honorable Mention)

Carter Pjesky, Sugar Grove (Honorable Mention)

Indiana

Conner McClellan, Coatesville

Ryan Seitz, Fishers

Joseph Childs, South Bend (Honorable Mention)

Iowa

Kael Moore, Cedar Falls

Brodie Scott, Center Junction

Kaden Dorman, Lake City (Honorable Mention)

Marshall Nesheim, Johnston (Honorable Mention)

Grant Nore, Grimes (Honorable Mention)

Tyson Rauser, Ankeny (Honorable Mention)

Kansas

Kyle Herrman, Topeka

Nicholas Herrman, Topeka

Lucas Sheafer, Louisburg (Honorable Mention)

Kentucky

Elijah Coleman, Mt. Sterling

Coleman Stewart, Danville (Honorable Mention)

Keenan Stewart, Danville (Honorable Mention)

Louisiana

Carsen Adcock, Haughton

Garrett Hooker, Boyce

Justin Blais, Forest Hill (Honorable Mention)

Carter Lanclos, Sulphur (Honorable Mention)

Maryland

Nicholas Riley, Friendsville

Michigan

Rylan Hamlin, Jackson

Luke Hendrick, Jackson

Colten Dickerson, Zeeland (Honorable Mention)

Jack Miner, Brighton (Honorable Mention)

Carson Tithof, Grand Haven (Honorable Mention)

Zach Waters, Macomb Township (Honorable Mention)

Minnesota

Isaac DeZurik, Randall

Andrew Mailer, White Bear Lake

Keaton Dahlke, Lakeville (Honorable Mention)

New Hampshire

Tanner Moulton, Enfield

New York

Caleb Hildenbrand, Clermont

Logan Wood, Adams

Parker Terrell, Vestal (Honorable Mention)

Ohio

Connor Bower, Aurora

Hoyt Nicely, Canton

Rance Eddleblute, Stockport (Honorable Mention)

Oklahoma

Parker Eubanks, Wilson

Carl Robbins, Park Hill

Brock Flanagan, Inola (Honorable Mention)

Jace Hannon, Muskogee (Honorable Mention)

Pennsylvania

Nolan Fernandez, Mechanicsburg

Colegan Stiner, Wellsboro

Ander Cowan, Breezewood (Honorable Mention)

South Carolina

Cody Abbott, Woodruff

Bryson Osment, Duncan

Heaven Davis, Greer (Honorable Mention)

South Dakota

Max Flatten, Watertown

Tennessee

Presley Lannom, Lebanon

Joe Vaulton, Knoxville

Kaden Casey, Clarksville (Honorable Mention)

Carson Holbert, Louisville (Honorable Mention)

Walker LaRue, Alcoa (Honorable Mention)

James Sumrell, Hixson (Honorable Mention)

Texas

Carsten Dunn, Lucas

Dylan Sorrells, Dallas

Karson Denton, Splendora (Honorable Mention)

Braden Norton, Vidor (Honorable Mention)

Morgan Payne, Kilgore (Honorable Mention)

Caden Williamson, Vidor (Honorable Mention)

Virginia

Logan Brown, Broadway

Caleb Southerly, Fulks Run

Gage Jones, Buffalo Junction (Honorable Mention)

Eli Walker, Buffalo Junction (Honorable Mention)

West Virginia

Cole Joy, Washington

Wisconsin

Ben Tesch, Larsen



Bart Hill & Wyatt Hill Win CATT Yadkin Badin Lake, NC Oct 19, 2024

Brian Carter
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Bart Hill & Wyatt Hill Win CATT Yadkin Badin Lake, NC Oct 19, 2024

Next Yadkin CATT Fall Qualifier is Nov 9 at High Rock!

Bart Hill & Wyatt Hill win Badin Lake with 5 bass weighing 19.60 lbs! They also weighed in the BF at 6.25 lbs!

Matt Stanley & Mike Kiser 2nd with 15.90 lbs!

Zac Ridenhour 3rd with 14.42 lbs!

TeamBFWeightWinningsPoints
Bart Hill – Wyatt Hill6.2519.60$1,060.00110
Mike Kiser – Matt Stanley4.2215.90$450.00109
Zac Ridenhour3.5314.42$150.00108
Michael Kinard -Aaron Harwood0.0013.77$100.00107
Zach Scelsi – Kris Scelsi0.0013.34106
Jeff Faircloth – Todd Gibson0.0012.98105
Tom & Tate Coleman0.0012.18104
Jarrett Freeze – Rodney Adams0.0011.65103
Mike Allen – Shawn Williams3.7911.64102
Michael Huffman – Mike Alman0.0010.90101
Micah Speights – Chad Coley0.009.82100
Chris Brown2.868.0599
Michael Swaringen – CJ Johnston0.007.5598
Kevin Stowell3.287.3797
Danny Nifong – Dean Robertson0.000.0087
Greg Skerven – Kyle Joyce0.000.0087
Wesley Lineberg – Greg Gooch0.000.0087
Derek Crumbley – Calvin McAskill0.000.0087
Jeff White – Tommy Coleman0.000.0087
Mark Mohler – Graeme Bosch0.000.0087
Cody Thompson0.000.0087
Total Entrys$1,680.00
BONUS $$500.00
Total Paid At Ramp$1,760.00
CATT$50.00
2024 Yadkin Fall Final Fund$320.00
2025 CATT Championship Fund$50.00
2024 Yadkin Fall Final Fund Total$1,090.00



Tennessee’s Snyders repeats as Bassmaster Kayak Series Angler of the Year

Brian Carter
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Tennessee’s Snyders repeats as Bassmaster Kayak Series Angler of the Year

Tennessee’s Rus Snyders has won back-to-back Dakota Lithium Bassmaster Kayak Series Angler of the Year titles in the Yamaha Rightwaters Bassmaster Kayak Series scored by TourneyX. 

Photo by Mark Cisneros/B.A.S.S.

Oct. 24, 2024

Tennessee’s Snyders repeats as Bassmaster Kayak Series Angler of the Year

Bassmaster_Kayak_YamahaRW_4C.jpg

SHREVEPORT, La. — For the second year in a row, Tennessee’s Rus Snyders has won the Dakota Lithium Bassmaster Kayak Series Angler of the Year title, accumulating 730 points throughout the five-event season. Along with a customized trophy, Snyders earned a prize of $5,000.  

It is the first time in Kayak Series history an angler has repeated as Angler of the Year. 

“I’m just grateful to do what I love,” Snyders said. “We had big-time attendance at all of the events this year. I’m guessing there were an average of 200 anglers this year. Most of the top kayak anglers committed to the Kayak Series this year. It was the most talent we’ve had in these tournaments.”

Virginia’s Casey Reed finished second with 717 points, Ohio’s Jason Isaacs finished third with 711 points, Mississippi’s Clint Pippen was fourth with 709 points and Massachusetts’ Derek Brundle was fifth with 707 points. 

“I respect Casey a lot,” Snyders said. “He is a great angler and very respectful. There have been a number of times where we have shared water, and he is a guy that I know will treat others the way he wants to be treated.”

As a Dakota Lithium angler, Snyders has watched the company grow over the last couple of years and has been grateful for the support they have given him and the kayak industry as a whole.

“Dakota Lithium has been a big supporter of kayak fishing for a number of years now. It is how they got their foot in the door and have evolved into working with Bassmaster not only in the Kayak Series, but (with their) bass boat series too. They are a huge supporter of kayak fishing, and they take care of their pro staff. They put a lot into helping us with a number of different things, and their support means a lot to me.”

Fishing out of his Bonafide PWR 129 with a Torqeedo motor, Snyders wanted to make sure he fished consistently all year long, and he certainly accomplished that goal by cashing checks in four of the five events. The one tournament that he didn’t cash a check in — the final event of the season on Caddo Lake/Lake Bistineau — he missed out by only two places.

“I only had one Top 5, but I had the consistency of being able to cash a check. That was a big part of my goal. I played it safe a few times just to make sure I got a limit and solid fish rather than swing for the fences.

“I couldn’t have picked a better schedule,” he added.

As a shallow-water power angler, the 2024 schedule set up perfectly for Snyders. However, a variety of different strategies came into play this year for the California native who currently resides in Tennessee, including several finesse presentations. But a squarebill crankbait was what he used whenever he needed to get a quality bite.

Just like in past years, Snyders made winning Angler of the Year a priority, and he set the tone for the season with a 12th-place finish at Lake Murray. One big catch in particular late on the second day propelled him into check range and gave him positive momentum for the following events. 

“Within the last half hour of that second day, I caught a 22-incher,” he explained. “Getting a last-minute big bass like that is always something that stands out. It gave me that positive energy and momentum (and that) can really carry on into the next tournament.”

Then came a weather-shortened Possum Kingdom event where Snyders veered slightly out of his comfort zone to notch a fourth-place finish in central Texas.

“There were some giant bass caught. I caught one that was nearly 10 pounds in practice,” he said. “It was one of the few tournaments where I ended up using my electronics a little more. I used LiveScope and worked a shaky head and Texas-rigged worms in brushpiles that were in 5 to 12 feet of water.”

Two of his favorite fisheries were next on the schedule, a May event at Lake Guntersville and a July event at the Susquehanna River. He finished ninth and 10th respectively in those events but used very different techniques to earn checks. On Guntersville, the crankbait shined, while a weightless Senko was his primary presentation at the Susquehanna.

“I had a little more of a finesse approach at the Susky,” he said. “I let the Senko drift with the current. I had to find as many ambush points as I could in practice and hit as many waypoints as I could.” 

He then sealed the title with a 21st-place finish at Caddo Lake/Lake Bistineau, where he mined the vast cypress swamps for quality keepers. 

“I’m not sure there is a better place to fish in the fall,” he said. “I really love fishing cypress trees. It is one of my favorite things to do.”



Strader/Chapman and Lucas/Ehrler Advance from Elimination Round Match 1 on O.H. Ivie at General Tire Team Series Folds of Honor Patriot Cup

Brian Carter
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Strader/Chapman and Lucas/Ehrler Advance from Elimination Round Match 1 on O.H. Ivie at General Tire Team Series Folds of Honor Patriot Cup

O.H. Ivie challenges four teams as Team Knighten Industries boats 10 bass totaling 16 pounds, 15 ounces to pace field and earn Elimination Round victory

EARLY, Texas (Oct. 24, 2024) – Perhaps no fishery in the country has garnered more recent public attention than Texas’ O.H. Ivie Lake. And with good cause – the reservoir has tallied dozens of largemouth bass weighing in at 13 pounds or more over the past three years as a part of the Toyota ShareLunker program managed by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department’s Inland Fisheries Division.

Thursday demonstrated to the world that even though giants lurk beneath the waters, sometimes they can still be pretty difficult to catch.

The third General Tire Team Series Presented by Bass Pro Shops event of the 2024 season launched from O.H. Ivie and Early, Texas, Thursday, and the four teams competing at the Folds of Honor Patriot Cup Presented by recteq faced a challenging playing field. Recent water level fluctuations made the fishing extremely tough for the eight pros competing on the fishery, and the big ones never came out to play.

Link to HD Video Clip of Patriot Cup Elimination Round Match 1 Highlights
Link to Photo Gallery of Patriot Cup Elimination Round Match 1 Highlights

The Team Knighten Industries duo of Wesley Strader of Spring City, Tennessee, and Brent Chapman of Lake Quivira, Kansas, paced the field and caught 10 bass totaling 16 pounds, 15 ounces to win the first match of the Elimination Round by a 1-pound, 3-ounce margin. Also advancing to the Knockout Round in second place is the 7 Brew Coffee team of Guntersville, Alabama’s Justin Lucas and Brent Ehrler of Redlands, California, who caught 12 scorable largemouth bass weighing 15-13.

“It feels awesome to get the win today,” Chapman said in his post-game interview. “It was tough, but what a blast. Today was a good reminder. Here we are on a phenomenal fishery for big fish, but you have to take what the day has to offer you. We could have went out and tried to ‘Scope and maybe found something, but we stuck with our strengths, and it paid off.” 

The Strader-Chapman duo caught the majority of their fish way back in some shallow, grassy cover. They were on their way to fish another location when they took a shortcut that ended up being a wrong turn. They ended up fishing in the thick cover and added five scorable bass in the final hour and 15 minutes – including a 1-15 with just two minutes remaining – to overtake Lucas and Ehrler.

“Wow, what a freaking move, dude,” Strader said. “Who said getting lost can’t turn into good things? We were catching them so shallow – like 6 inches deep. It was stupid. But today was a grinder. The most challenging part was being able to get (through the grass) to where you could get to the bank.”

Strader caught two scorable bass in the first period – one on a buzzbait and one on a spinnerbait. He added three more on a buzzbait in Period 2. In the final period, Strader caught one on a buzzbait and two on a frog, while Chapman tallied his two scorables with a frog as well.

“There is nothing that beats a buzzbait in the fall,” Strader said. “I like a big one that clacks the head, and I used a black toad (trailer). I threw it on a 7-foot, 5-inch crankbait rod, but it’s a heavy cranking rod – so it has a little bit of tip so you can get that bait in their mouth when they pull away from it – and a Lews Custom Tournament Light reel.”

Team Knighten Industries will now move on to the first match of the Knockout Round on Sunday, while Team 7 Brew Coffee will compete Monday in Knockout Round Match 2.

“I’m excited to get back out here with Wesley and laugh a little more and do this all over again,” Chapman said.

The top two teams from Elimination Round Match 1 at the Folds of Honor Patriot Cup Presented by recteq that advance to the Knockout Round are:

1st:        Team Knighten Industries, 10 bass, 16-15
                Wesley Strader, Spring City, Tenn., eight bass, 13-13
                Brent Chapman, Lake Quivira, Kan., two bass, 3-2
2nd:       Team 7 Brew Coffee, 12 bass, 15-13
                Justin Lucas, Guntersville, Ala., 10 bass, 12-15
                Brent Ehrler, Redlands, Calif., two bass, 2-14

Eliminated from competition are:

3rd:       Team REDCON1, four bass, 6-8
                Michael Neal, Dayton, Tenn., three bass, 5-5
                Andy Morgan, Dayton, Tenn., one bass, 1-3
4th:        Team U.S. Air Force, two bass, 2-9
                Gerald Spohrer, Gonzales, La., two bass, 2-9
                James Elam, Tulsa, Okla., zero bass, 0-0

Complete results from throughout the week can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

Overall, there were 28 bass weighing 41 pounds, 13 ounces caught by the four teams on the first day of the Elimination Round on O.H. Ivie Lake. Team Knighten Industries pro Wesley Strader caught the Berkley Big Bass of the day – a largemouth weighing 2 pounds, 14 ounces.  

The Folds of Honor Patriot Cup Presented by recteq is hosted by Visit Early and takes place over six days in west-central Texas. The competition water for each day is top-secret and is only revealed to the anglers when they arrive at the boat ramp each morning. Anglers are driven directly to the day’s competition area launch ramp by their officials. Competition begins on the water at 8:45 a.m.

The MLFNOW!® broadcast team of Chad McKee and J.T. Kenney will break down the extended action live every day of competition from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. CT. MLFNOW!® is live streamed on MajorLeagueFishing.com, the MyOutdoorTV (MOTV) app and Rumble.

The Patriot Cup features 12 two-man teams divided into three groups as they enter the one-day Elimination Round matches. Each of the three Elimination Round matches will feature four new teams, with the top two teams from each match of the Elimination Round advancing to the Knockout Round on Days 4 & 5. In the Knockout Rounds, three teams compete each day, with the top two teams from each Knockout Round match moving on to the Championship Round on Day 6. In Tuesday’s Day 6 Championship Round, the final four teams will compete in a one-day shootout to determine which team will win the 2024 Folds of Honor Patriot Cup Presented by recteq.

The 2024 General Tire Team Series is comprised of four events – Challenge Cup, Heritage Cup, Patriot Cup and Summit Cup – featuring two-man teams of MLF Bass Pro Tour pros competing from the same boat. Each event features a roster of 24 anglers, teamed up and working together to claim part of a season purse of more than $720,000. Teams were formed through a selection process, where 48 team captains – based on Fishing Clash Angler of the Year (AOY) standings throughout the 2024 Bass Pro Tour season – selected a teammate. Teams will compete throughout the fall of 2024.

Television coverage of the Folds of Honor Patriot Cup Presented by recteq will premiere on Outdoor Channel as six two-hour episodes in March 2025. New MLF General Tire Team Series episodes will premiere each Saturday morning on Outdoor Channel and posted to MOTV.

Proud sponsors of the MLF General Tire Team Series include: 7 Brew Coffee, Abu Garcia, B&W Trailer Hitches, Barbasol, Bass Boat Technologies, Bass Pro Shops, Berkley, BUBBA, Builders FirstSource, C-MAP, Coign, Epic Baits, Ferguson, Fishing Clash, General Tire, Knighten Industries, Kubota, Lowrance, Lucas Oil, Mercury, Mossy Oak, Nitro Boats, Onyx, Plano, Power-Pole, Ranger Boats, Rapala Baits, REDCON1, Smokey Mountain Herbal Snuff, Star brite, Toyota, USAA, WIX Filters and YETI.

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



B.A.S.S., Castaway Coffee partner to launch B.A.S.S. Kickin’ Blend

Brian Carter
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B.A.S.S., Castaway Coffee partner to launch B.A.S.S. Kickin’ Blend

B.A.S.S. and Castaway Coffee have partnered to offer B.A.S.S. Kickin’ Blend highly caffeinated coffee.

Photo courtesy of Castaway Coffee

Oct. 24, 2024

B.A.S.S., Castaway Coffee partner to launch B.A.S.S. Kickin’ Blend

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — B.A.S.S., the worldwide authority on bass fishing, and Castaway Coffee have partnered to offer the B.A.S.S. Kickin’ Blend, an exclusive, highly caffeinated coffee boasting nearly twice the amount of caffeine as a regular cup of coffee. A portion of every bag of the medium-roast B.A.S.S. Kickin’ Blend will go to support the conservation efforts of B.A.S.S.

“Castaway Coffee is committed to fueling adventures while preserving the environment,” said Castaway Coffee Conservation Coordinator and Co-Founder Laura M. Sixto. “Our partnership with B.A.S.S. will amplify our impact supporting initiatives that address key issues such as habitat conservation, aquatic invasive species and responsible fishing practices within the bass fishing community.”

“We’re very excited to be partnering with Castaway Coffee on this unique brew,” said Phillip Johnson, B.A.S.S.’s Chief Operating Officer. “In our role as a conservation leader, we want to continue to work with brands that have a like-minded approach to preserving the sport and the waters we all fish.”

The B.A.S.S. Kickin’ Blend joins Castaway Coffee’s lineup of custom blends alongside Café Cubano Espresso, Guatemalan Delight, Monsoon Malabar, Breakfast Blend and Dark Roast. Castaway Coffee also offers flavored coffees, including Paradise Crunch, Hazelnut, Bourbon Infused Coffee, Pumpkin Pie and Holiday Blend.

The B.A.S.S. Kickin’ Blend is available for purchase online at castawaycoffee.com and will also be available at B.A.S.S.’s official on-site stores at Bassmaster Elite Series events as well as the 2025 Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Classic during the upcoming season.

Castaway Coffee subscribers can also save 5% on Café Cubano Espresso, Dark Roast and Breakfast Blend by subscribing to regular deliveries at castawaycoffee.com.

About Castaway Coffee

At Castaway Coffee our mission is to keep providing you with the best coffee you’ll ever drink. We also think it’s important to give back. For each bag of Castaway Coffee sold, we give a portion of sales to environmental initiatives and other worthy causes. Castaway Coffee has joined the 1% for the Planet initiative, which reinforces our commitment to our community, our customers and our planet. We are committed to addressing the health of our oceans — a focus that is at the core of our organization’s mission. We’re excited to partner with other like-minded organizations working to solve the most urgent environmental issues.

We’re not just talk; our co-founder, marine artist Steve Diossy, has helped to raise millions for oceanographic research, conservation and education by creating artwork such as the 1998 “Protect Wild Dolphins” license plate and the 2021 “Protect Marine Wildlife” license plates for the state of Florida. Coastal living is all about the water, and Castaway Coffee is committed to doing what we can to help protect our oceans and waterways.



Nick Brown Charges into Lead at Lake of the Ozarks

Brian Carter
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Nick Brown Charges into Lead at Lake of the Ozarks

Texas pro brings in the biggest bag of the event to take the lead into Finale Friday.

Story by Justin Brouillard | Photos by Tanner & Travis Lyons

With a two-day total of 33 pounds, 3 ounces, Texas angler Nick Brown takes the lead at the Chompers/NPFL Stop #5 presented by Bait-Wrx with a monster bag on day two. After being one fish shy of a limit on day one, he started the event with 11 pounds, 11 ounces. On day two, he caught the biggest bag of the event, anchored by a 6-pound, 5-ounce kicker, totaling 21 pounds, 8 ounces to take a 1-pound, 9-ounce lead going into Finale Friday.

On paper, Brown had a slow day one. With some misfortune, he found himself one fish shy of a limit and scrambling to make up ground on day two. But his confidence remained high as his starting spot this morning was a dud.

“Man, today was just one of those days where nothing I did was wrong,” said Brown. “Yesterday I should have had 16-18 pounds, and today I lost fish and could have been in the 25-pound range; it was incredible. I broke off some fish on dock cables, broke off fish while boat flipping them—anything you can imagine—and it worked out.”

Differing from most of the field, Brown enjoyed a fairly productive practice, actually catching a limit each day, despite not trying to catch fish. His goal was to locate the coldest water in Lake of the Ozarks, and he found what he believed was the spot.

“I fished this ‘area’ on day one and hardly got a bite,” he added. “I found the magic number temperature, and the fish in there are just ready to bite; I think they are actually coming to me. They are holding to a certain type of cover, and I can see every fish, or the target, they are holding on.”

As seen on Live Coverage, most of the top ten are targeting docks with some sort of plopper-style bait. Brown changed things up and, after his misfortune on day one, he completely abandoned the dock pattern, except for a couple of backup plans.

“This lake is aerated because so many guys fish a ‘plopper’ here—it is insane,” he laughed. “With the docks, you can only do so much, and with the cables and such, it’s just hard. I’m fishing a flat, just fishing around with a different bait. Today I got to explore more. Tomorrow I’m going to keep doing more of the same, but I have some backup plans where the fish have been schooling in the afternoons. LOZ is wild—you can think you’re on them, and the next day it’s a ghost town.Today, they were there.”

Brown launched this morning with one goal: to catch 13 pounds and move up enough to have a live camera on the final day. Now, his goal is to slam the door shut.

“I don’t think the fish move too far from where they’re holding. I caught 45 bass yesterday and only 25 today, but the right ones. We’ve got one more day!”

Perkins Charges into Contention

In a showdown with leader Nick Brown, Tennessee angler Brandon Perkins is making his own push. With the second-largest bag of the event—20 pounds, 6 ounces on day two—he staged an impressive comeback, moving into second place, and now sits less than two pounds behind for another NPFL victory.

Fresh off a win at the inaugural NPFL Championship in March, Perkins is already qualified for next year’s championship. With no pressure to fish for points, he’s fishing freely and came into the event confident in his approach.

“I’ve been here in the fall twice and learned how the fish respond to different weather conditions,” Perkins explained. “Yesterday I had more bites but smaller fish, and today I had fewer bites but better quality.”

After what he described as a “horrendous practice,” Perkins saw an opportunity with cooler weather and cloud cover this morning, predicting the conditions would play to his strengths—and he was right.

“I caught them on top, on a jig, and they were the right fish,” he said. “This fall has been unusual, but I know enough to fish the entire dock, cleaning up with a Buckeye Lures Mop Jig and Yamamoto YamaCraw, on a Rockohl rod.”

Noticing early on that the fish had repositioned on day two, he timed his adjustments perfectly, avoiding the growing pressure from anglers around him.

“Today I had four big ones and lost another over six pounds. They were exactly where I hoped they’d be,” Perkins added. “I’m not under pressure for points this year, so I’m going to fish hard tomorrow. I came in aiming for a check, and I think I’ve secured that. Tomorrow could be another strong jig day.”

Top Ten Anglers:
Nick Brown 33-3
Brandon Perkins 31-10
Joseph Webster 30-2
John Cox 29-3
Drew Cook 25-7
Zack Birge 25-6
Michael Stout 25-3
John Soukup 25-3
Dustin Perry 24-4
Kyle Glasgow 23-10

Progressive AOY Update

After day one, the leaderboard saw a shakeup in the Progressive Angler of the Year race. Kyle Welcher, who started the day in second place behind Drew Cook, dropped to 31st before climbing back to 13th with 12 pounds, 9 ounces. Cook, who began the day in 11th place, moved up to fifth. As it stands, Cook holds a narrow two-point lead over Welcher heading into Finale Friday. Be sure to check Ken Duke’s AOY Update tomorrow morning for more details.

Day Two Leaderboard



Randy Gibson & Jeremy Hernandez win CATT Cooper River with 5 bass weighing 14.45 lbs

Brian Carter
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Randy Gibson & Jeremy Hernandez win CATT Cooper River with 5 bass weighing 14.45 lbs

Next Cooper River Fall Qualifier is November 2nd! This will be the last Fall Qualifier, and you only have to enter 1 Qualifier to be eligible to fish the November 16th Fall Final!

CATT raffle for the Fall is here! See Sean for the tickets!

Randy Gibson & Jeremy Hernandez win the Cooper River with 5 bass weighing 14.45 lbs!

Michael Craven & Justin Craven 2nd with 11.63 lbs!

Brian Crosby & Elvis Black 3rd with 11.11 lbs!

Joseph Giampa & Justin Giampa with their catch!

TeamBFWeightWinningsPoints
Randy Gibson – Jeremy Hernandez3.8514.45$840.00110
Michael Craven – Justin Craven3.2311.63$185.00109
Elvis Black – Brian Crosby2.9111.11$95.00108
Joseph Giampa – Justin Giampa2.498.54107
Bubba Dennis – Kevin Brock2.518.01106
John Ford – Robert Thornley2.197.76105
Matt Baker – Charlie Baker0.007.36104
TJ Bancroft – Jimmy Bieler0.006.63103
Kyle Welch – James Fender4.156.18102
Will Weatherford – Findley Weatherford0.006.06101
Garvin Miles0.005.85100
Joey Robertson0.005.1599
David Kelly – Brad Matthews3.574.9298
Chris Jones – Noah Jones0.000.0088
Wayne Weathers – Jeff Preseau0.000.0088
Timothy Tyson – Chris Thrush0.000.0088
David Driggers – Jimmy King0.000.0088
Total Entry’s$850.00
BONUS $$425.00
Total Paid at Ramp$1,120.00
Cooper River 2025 Fall Final Fund$110.00
2024 CATT Championship Fund$50.00
Cooper River 2024 Fall Final Fund Total$460.00



Michael Stout takes the day one NPFL lead at Lake of the Ozarks

Brian Carter
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Michael Stout takes the day one NPFL lead at Lake of the Ozarks

Story by Justin Brouillard | Photos by Tanner & Travis Lyons

Tennessee angler Michael Stout takes the day one lead at the Chompers NPFL Stop #5 presented by Bait-Wrx, with a total weight of 17 pounds, 12 ounces, and anchored by a 6-pound, 7-ounce kicker. Despite having no prior experience on Lake of the Ozarks, Stout is fishing with confidence, running a pattern and adjusting on the fly.

“Man, I don’t know, but I had a tough practice only getting a few bites, and today I was able to fish more thoroughly through my areas and caught some better quality bass,” said Stout. “I locked one bait in my hand and just went fishing.”

As simple as it may seem, Stout is fishing with intent and knows which docks to target, and where to position his bait. As long as it’s got the right depth, the right “stuff,” in the right area, he has been able to get bites – but keepers are the issue.

“I hooked six keepers today, and only landed five,” he added. “I am fishing a reactive style bait, and mostly what I fished today was new water for me. I have never been here, so it is all new water. I am not sure if it’s the area I am in, but I am learning more about it as I go.”

He plans on fishing some of the same water on day two, and seeing how far he can take his pattern. As long as he can stay focused mentally, and continue to grind, he is confident in catching more quality fish throughout the event.

“Timing is a little bit key, but overall, it seemed like when I got one to bite, I could catch a couple,” he concluded. “The big fish came super shallow, and I do not plan on making any chances tomorrow.”

Josh Watkins

In second place after day one, Tennessee angler Josh Watkins caught a total weight of 15 pounds even. Despite the tough bite, his confidence in Lake of the Ozarks led him to scrap his practice plan and focus on new water. He caught six keepers on day one, including a 4-pounder and his biggest, a 5-pound, 1-ounce bass, which solidified his decision.

“Honestly, practice was horrible for me,” said Watkins. “I only had a few bites overall, and I focused on the wrong section of the lake. Today, I started on a deal and it was not happening, so I made a move to a different area and it paid off.

He is fishing around other boats, but his history on LOZ allowed him to quickly figure out a pattern – one that requires both precision and timing.

“I wanted to catch them this way,” he added, referring to his pattern fishing a specific type of “cover.”. “I noticed in practice they were nosing up to the bait and not committing, so I swapped baits and started connecting on more bites.”

Watkins learned long ago from his fishing mentor that “if you’re not getting bit, pull the motor and move on,” and that is exactly what he did on day one. He could see the potential that the area of the lake he fished has, and plans on doing more of the same on day two.

“If we were a week or two later here, it would be going off,” he added. “But, it’s tougher, and the water is warmer, so they really are not set up correctly. Tomorrow, I’ll plan on running some of the same stuff and expanding on new water. It is also a timing deal, and that is crucial to getting not only bites but keepers.”

Michael Stout holds the big bass after one day with a 6-pound, 7-ounce bass caught in “less than 10 inches of water.” Tennessee angler Michael Brewer weighed in a 5-pound, 15-ounce bass, moving him to fourteenth-place.

Top Ten:
Michael Stout 17-12
Josh Watkins 15-0
Gary Adkins 14-15
John Cox 14-15
Joseph Webster 14-0
John Soukup 13-12
Dustin Perry 13-10
Jason Meninger 13-3
JTodd Tucker 12-10
Spencer Peters 12-10

DAY ONE LEADERBOARD



Chase Stewart & Dalton Dowdy win CATT Lake Greenwood with 5 bass weighing 22.67 lbs with the BF at 6.29 lbs

Brian Carter
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Chase Stewart & Dalton Dowdy win CATT Lake Greenwood with 5 bass weighing 22.67 lbs with the BF at 6.29 lbs

Next Lake Greenwood Fall Qualifier is Oct 26 this Saturday at Buzzards Roost!

CATT raffle for the Fall is here! See Scott for the tickets! $10 each!

Chase Stewart & Dalton Dowdy win Lake Greenwood with 5 bass weighing 22.67 lbs with the BF at 6.29 lbs!

Alex Cummings and Garrett Smith take 2nd with a nice bag weighing 18.47 lbs!

Jordan and Greg Knight take 3rd with 16.41 lbs!

A few more nice Lake Greenwood bass!

TeamBFWeightWinningsPoints
Chase Stewart – Dalton Dowdy6.2922.67$950.00110
Alex Cummings – Garrett Smith5.7118.47$200.00109
Jordan Knight – Greg Knight5.9216.41$80.00108
Jason Snyder – Jason Synder3.9513.03107
Ryan Franklin – Graham Price4.8212.58106
Tim Parker – Darrell Deaton3.3711.56105
Anthony Kiker – Truett Hill3.1511.03104
Ross McGahey – Emory Reiser0.0010.59103
Gregg Williams – Mark Williams0.009.76102
Brian Hohn – Curtis Baird0.009.57101
Tony Everhart – Will Everhart0.008.56100
Jermaine Roach – Christina Roach0.006.8799
Christopher Burnett – Anthony Burnett0.002.9598
Andrew Blanton – Jonathan Hopkins0.000.0088
Candi Underwood – Mike Underwood0.000.0088
Total Entry’s$1,200.00
BONUS $$350.00
Total Paid at Ramp$1,230.00
CATT$50.00
2024 Greenwood Fall Final Fund$220.00
2025 CATT Championship Fund$50.00
2024 Greenwood Fall Final Total$440.00



Fishing Structure in the Fall for More Bass!

Brian Carter
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0
Fishing Structure in the Fall for More Bass!

Fishing Structure in the Fall for More Bass! Hey there, fellow bass enthusiasts! It’s Don Baron here, and today we’re diving into one of my favorite topics: fishing structure in the fall for more bass. Trust me, if you’re looking to up your game this season, you’re in for a treat.

Why Fall Structure Fishing is a Game-Changer

Let’s face it, as the leaves start to turn and the air gets crisp, bass fishing can get tricky. But here’s the secret sauce: structure fishing in the fall can be absolute dynamite. Why? Because bass are on the move, following baitfish and looking for their next meal.

Locating Prime Fall Structure

When I’m out on the water in autumn, I’m always on the lookout for these key structures:

  • Creek channel bends
  • Long tapering points
  • Deep coves

These spots are like bass highways in the fall. They’re using these structures to migrate and feed, so if you can find them, you’re golden.

The Fall Transition: What You Need to Know

Here’s the deal: the fall transition isn’t a slow dance. It’s more like a quick step that happens almost overnight. One day you’re crushing it with topwater, and the next, it’s like the bass have vanished. But don’t worry, I’ve got you covered.

Tactics for Tackling Fall Structure

Go Deep and Stay Mobile

In the early fall, I’m all about covering water. I’ll use baits that mimic the prevalent forage – usually shad or herring in my neck of the woods

5. Crankbaits and jerkbaits are my go-to lures for this.

Focus on the Edges

Bass love to hang out along the deeper edges of vegetation or along channels that cut through weed beds1. These areas act like underwater highways for bass, so make sure you’re hitting them hard.

Lure Selection for Fall Structure Fishing

Alright, let’s talk tools of the trade. Here are my top picks for fall structure fishing:

  1. Chatterbaits in green pumpkin shad
  2. Squarebills in gizzard shad or abalone shad colors
  3. Jerkbaits in bone or Tennessee shad patterns

Pro Tip: Match the Hatch

Remember, in fall, it’s all about matching what the bass are feeding on. If you’re fishing a pond with bluegills, don’t be afraid to throw a black and blue bladed jig.

Timing is Everything

Pay attention to those nighttime temperatures. When they start to cool down, that’s your cue to hit the water hard. The bass will be actively feeding to bulk up for winter.

Wrapping It Up

Fall structure fishing for bass is all about understanding their movements and being in the right place at the right time. Keep these tips in mind, and you’ll be well on your way to some epic fall fishing sessions. Remember, fishing structure in the fall for more bass isn’t just about the catch – it’s about the thrill of the hunt and outsmarting these crafty fish. So get out there, hit those structures, and let me know how you do! Tight lines, everyone!



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