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Monday, April 13, 2026
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Mark Davis Tops Knockout Round at MLF Bass Pro Tour Suzuki Marine Stage 2 at Harris Chain of Lakes

Brian Carter
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Mark Davis Tops Knockout Round at MLF Bass Pro Tour Suzuki Marine Stage 2 at Harris Chain of Lakes

B&W Trailer Hitches pro catches 22 bass weighing 62-2 to pace Knockout Round, final 10 anglers set for Championship Sunday in final-day shootout for top prize of $150,000

LEESBURG, Fla. (Feb. 15, 2025) – The Major League Fishing (MLF) Bass Pro Tour Suzuki Marine Stage 2 Presented by YETI on the Harris Chain of Lakes has largely turned into an old-school Florida flipping fest. And no one on the Bass Pro Tour does old-school quite like Mark Davis .

The 61-year-old Davis led the way through Saturday’s Knockout Round, stacking up 60 pounds, 2 ounces on 22 scorable bass. That put him 8-4 clear of Fletcher Shryock and easily earned him a trip to Sunday’s Championship Round. There, Davis will look to add his first Bass Pro Tour victory to his Hall of Fame resume, which already includes two national-tour Angler of the Year titles and a Bassmaster Classic win.

Davis and the rest of the top nine finishers from the Knockout Round will be joined by Qualifying Round winner Jacob Wheeler in a one-day sprint for the Stage 2 trophy. The angler who amasses the most weight will take home $150,000.

Link to Photo Gallery of Day 3 Knockout Round On-the-Water Highlights
Link to HD Video of Highlights from Day 3 Knockout Round Competition

Like many of the top anglers this week, Davis has been fishing slowly, using his years of experience to identify sweet spots among the emergent vegetation that lines the shallows of Lake Apopka and methodically picking them apart with a Yamamoto Senko.

Once he got into the right zone Saturday, he stacked up weight in a hurry. During a stretch that lasted a little more than 2 hours (including the break between Periods 1 and 2), Davis boated 16 scorable bass that weighed a combined 43-6. The flurry shot him to the top of SCORETRACKER® and only ended because he decided he’d done enough to secure a spot in the Championship Round and set off to scout new water.

“It was a lot of fun,” Davis said. “It was the way I love to fish, just casting a Senko and getting a lot of bites. Had a few mishaps there in that first period, but I got it lined out and caught a 5 1/2-pounder there in the second period. I said, ‘Yep, we need to get out of here,’ and I just went kind of looking around after that.” 

Davis is optimistic that he not only left some fish in that zone that he might be able to catch during the Championship Round; he said he has two other productive areas that he never visited Saturday.

That said, Davis is “not counting any chickens” yet. The veteran knows how fickle Florida bass can be, especially given the strong south wind forecast for Sunday. He experienced that firsthand in 2023, when the Bass Pro Tour opened its season on the nearby Kissimmee Chain of Lakes. Davis sacked up a gaudy five-fish total of 34-10 during that Knockout Round, but the wind switched, and he was only able to muster 14-0 the following day, opening the door for Chris Lane to pass him and steal the win.

“There’s no telling what’s going to happen,” Davis said. “Everything down here is susceptible to wind and weather. If you get bad wind and weather, you can go from a hero to a zero. You just never know. It’s hard; there’s no protected areas, so depending on direction and how hard the wind is blowing, it could just take you right out of it.”

Regardless of the weather, Davis said he’s committed to Apopka. He and the rest of the anglers fishing there will benefit from the MLF trailering policy, which will be enacted on Sunday to accommodate for the wind. That frees up a minimum of 90 minutes traveling to Apopka and dealing with the lock.

“I really don’t have any other options,” he said. “I’ll have to go down there and try to make something happen no matter what the weather does.” 

Davis would love to get some redemption and leave Florida with a trophy in tow. He knows better than just about anyone that opportunities like this don’t come often. His last national victory came in an FLW Tour event on Fort Loudon and Tellico Lakes in 2007, and he’s realistic about the fact that he doesn’t have too many years left in his career to earn another one.

“It’d mean a bunch,” Davis said. “At my age – I’m 61, been at this now for 40 years – it would be great to lift a trophy one more time.”

Shryock awoke Saturday morning feeling “awful.” Battling a stomach bug that brought with it a fever, he wasn’t sure he’d be able to endure the 8-hour competition day.

A red-hot punching bite was the best medicine he could ask for.

Shryock, long one of the best on tour with a big weight, returned to the hydrilla mats where he’d spent virtually the entire event and found the bass biting. By the midpoint of the day, he had hauled in 16 scorable bass totaling 47-6 – more than enough to advance to his first Championship Round since 2022. So, Shryock used the second half of the day to check some new water and conserve his strength.

“If I had to go hard all day – it’s going to be hell tomorrow, I know that,” Shryock said.

While his chosen technique – wielding a heavy rod and winching bass out of thick grass mats – might not be the most suitable for someone feeling less than 100%, Shryock put a positive spin on it.

“I’m looking at it as a positive, like it might slow me down just a little bit,” he explained. “Because I got to the point today, like, it was hurting to set the hook. I’ve just got body aches and stuff. So, I’m definitely a lot more patient. Maybe that’s the deal.”

Shryock has had to deal with some company in his primary area this week – he said he spent most of Day 2 “playing defense.” But he’s the only angler in the Top 10 who has found the punching pattern, which excites him.

“I really feel good about just fishing my own deal tomorrow, and there’s no excuses,” he said.

Like Davis, though, Shryock knows how temperamental Florida bass can be. Fishing the same technique in largely the same area for the past three days, he’s now experienced two in which the action has been fast and furious and one that saw him “begging for a bite until noon.” He thinks he’ll be around enough fish to earn his first career BPT win, but whether they cooperate remains to be seen.

“When the sun comes up in Florida, you don’t ever know what you’re going to get,” Shryock said. “I know that much. Today was phenomenal. I don’t expect tomorrow to be as easy, just because it never is.

“Can I win? Absolutely. Can I go out tomorrow and finish ninth? Absolutely. I’m going to flip around and find out.”

The top nine pros from the Knockout Round that now advance to Championship Sunday on the Harris Chain of Lakes are:

1st:         Mark Davis, Mount Ida, Ark., 22 bass, 60-2
2nd:        Fletcher Shryock, Guntersville, Ala., 17 bass, 51-14
3rd:         Keith Poche, Pike Road, Ala., 21 bass, 50-14
4th:         Bobby Lane, Lakeland, Fla., 21 bass, 50-9
5th:         Terry Scroggins, San Mateo, Fla., 16 bass, 44-8
6th:         Matt Becker, Ten Mile, Tenn., 14 bass, 41-10
7th:         James Elam, Tulsa, Okla., 17 bass, 38-13
8th:         Andy Morgan, Dayton, Tenn., 15 bass, 34-13
9th:         Jacob Wall, New Hope, Ala., 16 bass, 32-12
*QR Winner: Jacob Wheeler, Harrison, Tenn.

Eliminated from competition is:

11th:      Drew Gill, Mount Carmel, Ill., 11 bass, 29-5, $15,900
12th:      Todd Faircloth, Jasper, Texas, 13 bass, 27-13, $15,800
13th:      Zack Birge, Blanchard, Okla., 13 bass, 27-0, $15,700
14th:      Takahiro Omori, Tokyo, Japan, 11 bass, 25-10, $15,600
15th:      Adrian Avena, Vineland, N.J., nine bass, 23-11, $15,500
16th:      Nick Hatfield, Greeneville, Tenn., 13 bass, 23-0, $15,400
17th:      Edwin Evers, Talala, Okla., eight bass, 22-1, $15,300
18th:      Michael Neal, Dayton, Tenn., eight bass, 18-3, $15,200
19th:      John Hunter, Shelbyville, Ky., seven bass, 14-4, $15,100
20th:      Justin Cooper, Zwolle, La., five bass, 11-10, $15,000

A complete list of results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

Becker won Saturday’s Berkley Big Bass Award with a 7-pound, 15-ounce largemouth. Berkley awards $1,000 to the angler who weighs the heaviest bass each day.

The full field of anglers competed in the two-day Qualifying Round on Thursday and Friday. After the two-day Qualifying Round was complete, leader Jacob Wheeler advanced directly to Sunday’s Championship Round. The anglers that finished 2nd through 20th competed in Saturday’s Knockout Round. In the Knockout Round, weights were zeroed, and the top nine finishers now join Wheeler in Sunday’s Championship Round. In the Championship Round, weights are zeroed, and the highest one-day total wins the top prize of $150,000.

Based on the forecast for stronger winds, MLF will enact the trailering policy for Championship Sunday. The final 10 anglers will arrive at 5:30 a.m. ET to the Venetian Gardens, located at 201 E. Lake Harris Drive in Leesburg. Anglers will depart the Venetian Gardens at 6:15 a.m. to approved launch ramps located around the fishery. Anglers will return to the Venetian Gardens Sunday evening, following the end of competition at 3:45 p.m.  Fans are welcome to attend all launch and takeout events and also encouraged to follow the event online throughout the day on the MLFNOW!® live stream and SCORETRACKER® coverage at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

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

On Sunday, Feb. 16, from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. MLF welcomes fans of all ages to visit the Venetian Gardens for the MLF Fan Experience & Watch Party. Fans can watch the pros live on the MLFNOW! big screen, enjoy free food, enter to win hourly giveaways, listen to live music and cheer on their favorite pros. The first 50 kids 14 and under will receive a free rod and reel. The Bass Pro Tour anglers will be on hand both days to meet and greet fans, sign autographs and take selfies.

The Suzuki Marine Stage 2 at the Harris Chain of Lakes Presented by YETI is hosted by Discover Lake County Florida and features anglers competing with a 1-pound, 8-ounce minimum weight requirement for a bass to be deemed scorable. The MLF Fisheries Management Division determines minimum weights for each body of water that the Bass Pro Tour visits, based on the productivity, bass population and anticipated average size of fish in each fishery.

The 2025 Bass Pro Tour features a field of 66 of the top professional anglers in the world, competing across seven regular-season tournaments around the country, for millions of dollars and valuable points to qualify for the annual Heavy Hitters all-star event and the REDCREST 2026 championship.

Television coverage of the Suzuki Marine Stage 2 at the Harris Chain of Lakes Presented by YETI will premiere as a two-hour episode starting at 7 a.m. ET, on Saturday, Sept. 13 on Discovery, with the Championship Round premiering the following Saturday on Sept. 20. New MLF episodes premiere each Saturday morning on Discovery, with re-airings on Outdoor Channel.

Proud sponsors of the 2025 MLF Bass Pro Tour include: 7Brew Coffee, Abu Garcia, Athletic Brewing, Bass Force, B&W Trailer Hitches, Bass Pro Shops, Berkley, BUBBA, E3 Sports Apparel, Fishing Clash, Grizzly, Lowrance, Mercury, MillerTech, Mossy Oak Fishing, NITRO, O’Reilly Auto Parts, Power-Pole, Rapala, Star brite, Suzuki Marine and Toyota.

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






Iowa’s Miller ‘times it just right’ in weather-shortened Bassmaster Open at Sam Rayburn

Brian Carter
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Iowa’s Miller ‘times it just right’ in weather-shortened Bassmaster Open at Sam Rayburn

Iowa’s Chris Miller wins the St. Croix Bassmaster Open at Sam Rayburn Reservoir presented by SEVIIN with a total weight of 28 pounds, 10 ounces.

Photo by Andy Crawford/B.A.S.S.

Feb. 14, 2025

Iowa’s Miller ‘times it just right’ in weather-shortened Bassmaster Open at Sam Rayburn

JASPER, Texas — Foul weather trimmed the St. Croix Bassmaster Open at Sam Rayburn Reservoir presented by SEVIIN from a three-day tournament to a one-day derby. So, before competition even began, the 233 competing anglers knew they’d have to go big if they wanted to go home a winner.

Chris Miller of Spirit Lake, Iowa, found the right bites Friday, weighing a limit of five bass totaling 28 pounds, 10 ounces. That clinched the win for the 37-year-old homebuilder who’d fished in only eight B.A.S.S. events prior to his victory at Rayburn.

Miller collected a hefty $52,086 cash prize with the win, part of a $345,850 cash purse split among the top 45 anglers competing on the 114,500-acre reservoir in east Texas.

“I knew it was just a matter of keeping my head down and running into a few (big bass),” Miller said, noting a 41-pound limit caught in a team tournament on Rayburn earlier this month. “And still, you’re either around them or you’re not. You still have to catch them.”

Stiff winds forced Thursday’s Day 1 competition to be postponed, though B.A.S.S. officials remained hopeful they still could pull off a two-day tournament. Saturday’s forecast of severe thunderstorms and sustained winds of 15-20 mph forced that day to be cancelled, as well, which dialed up the pressure to perform on Friday.

Miller shined in the spotlight. He set up near natural drains and fished for spawning bass in as little as 6 feet of water, as well as transitioning fish that cruised ledges some 15 to 20 feet below the surface.

“They were stationed a little deeper in practice, but I knew they would come to the drains,” he said. “These storms had them messed up, but they came to me. I went from shallow to deep all day … I timed it just right.”

Miller jumped to the top of the BassTrakk board around 10:30 a.m. on Friday after boating a pair of monster bass within a 15-minute span. His biggest fish, a 9-6 bucketmouth bass, came on a Strike King Z-Too jerkbait. It paired perfectly with the 7-pounder he caught in the same area using a white, 7-inch Berkley PowerBait Nessie swimbait. He credited Berkley Forward Braid for helping him put the lures precisely where he wanted them over big bass.

“The key was keeping the bait on top of them, not letting it fall,” Miller said.

Miller primarily fishes Spirit Lake and West Okoboji Lake back home in Iowa. He noted the differences between those smaller fisheries and a mammoth reservoir like Rayburn but said he’s getting increasingly comfortable on other water bodies.

“(The lakes I fish at home) are more deep weedlines, a lot of docks,” he said. “There’s no shad. It’s a whole different animal. But these last couple of years fishing in the Opens, I’ve really started to pick up on how these shad lakes work.

“You cut your teeth and learn a lot fishing these big tournaments … Hopefully I can keep the momentum rolling at Kentucky Lake,” which is the next Division 2 Open, scheduled for March 6-8 in Paris, Tenn.

The Top 50 anglers in both the Division 1 and Division 2 Open standings will qualify for the Bassmaster Elite Qualifiers series. Top anglers following the three EQ tournaments, which are scheduled for September through November, will earn invitations into the vaunted 2026 Bassmaster Elites Series.

Rounding out the Top 5 at Sam Rayburn Reservoir are second, Michigan’s Garrett Paquette, 23-15, $20,834; third, Texas’ Pake South, 23-11, $15,626; fourth, Virginia’s Jack Dice, 23-3, $14,584; and fifth, Texas’ Jaden Parrish, 23-2, $13,542.

Missouri’s Brad Jelinek caught a 9-8 largemouth on Friday and won the Phoenix Boats Big Bass Award of $750. He finished sixth overall with 22-7 and won $12,501.

2025 St. Croix Bassmaster Open at Sam Rayburn Reservoir presented by SEVIIN 2/14-2/16
Sam Rayburn Reservoir, Jasper  TX.
(Standings Day 1

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

1.  Chris Miller           Spirit Lake, IA          5  28-10  200
  Day 1: 5   28-10   
2.  Garrett Paquette       Canton, MI               5  23-15  199
  Day 1: 5   23-15   
3.  Pake South             Winnsboro, TX            5  23-11  198
  Day 1: 5   23-11   
4.  Jack Dice              Lynchburg, VA            5  23-03  197
  Day 1: 5   23-03   
5.  Jaden Parrish          Liberty, TX              5  23-02  196
  Day 1: 5   23-02   
6.  Brad Jelinek           Lincoln, MO              5  22-07  195
  Day 1: 5   22-07   
7.  Brennan Flick          West Monroe, LA          5  22-03  194
  Day 1: 5   22-03   
8.  Tommy Parker           Delano, MN               5  21-11  193
  Day 1: 5   21-11   
9.  Fisher Anaya           Eva, AL                  5  21-06  192
  Day 1: 5   21-06   
10. Yui Aoki               Minamitsurugun JAPAN     5  21-05  191
  Day 1: 5   21-05   
11. Nic Rand               Paw Paw, MI              5  20-12  190
  Day 1: 5   20-12   
11. Joey Teofilo           Richmond Hill Ontario C  5  20-12  190
  Day 1: 5   20-12   
13. Mark Condron           Murfreesboro, TN         5  20-07  188
  Day 1: 5   20-07   
14. Tripp Bowman           Princeton, LA            5  20-03  187
  Day 1: 5   20-03   
15. Tristan McCormick      Bon Aqua, TN             5  20-00  186
  Day 1: 5   20-00   
16. Michael Harlin         Gravois Mills, MO        5  19-08  185
  Day 1: 5   19-08   
17. Wyatt Burkhalter       Coker, AL                5  19-07  184
  Day 1: 5   19-07   
17. Josh Pladies           Belton, MO               5  19-07  184
  Day 1: 5   19-07   
19. Ty Faber               Pagosa Springs, CO       5  19-02  182
  Day 1: 5   19-02   
20. Greg Bohannan          Bentonville, AR          5  18-11  181
  Day 1: 5   18-11   
21. Aaron Jagdfeld         Rochester Hills, MI      5  18-10  180
  Day 1: 5   18-10   
22. Trey Schroeder         Theodosia, MO            5  18-09  179
  Day 1: 5   18-09   
22. Bo Thomas              Edwardsburg, MI          5  18-09  179
  Day 1: 5   18-09   
24. Riley Nielsen          Salt Lake City, UT       5  18-06  177
  Day 1: 5   18-06   
25. Kenta Kimura           Osaka OK JAPAN           5  18-05  176
  Day 1: 5   18-05   
25. Joe Wieberg            Freeburg, MO             5  18-05  176
  Day 1: 5   18-05   
27. Chris Beaudrie         Princeton, KY            5  18-00  174
  Day 1: 5   18-00   
27. Jack York              Emory, TX                5  18-00  174
  Day 1: 5   18-00   
29. Sam Hanggi             Knoxville, TN            5  17-14  172
  Day 1: 5   17-14   
30. Logan Johnson          Jasper, AL               5  17-06  171
  Day 1: 5   17-06   
31. Jacob Bigelow          Cecil, WI                5  17-05  170
  Day 1: 5   17-05   
32. Stephen Browning       Hot Springs, AR          5  17-03  169
  Day 1: 5   17-03   
32. Jacob Policka          Twin Lake, MI            5  17-03  169
  Day 1: 5   17-03   
34. Chris Hellebuyck       White Lake, MI           5  17-02  167
  Day 1: 5   17-02   
34. Laker Howell           Guntersville, AL         5  17-02  167
  Day 1: 5   17-02   
34. Jimmy Washam           Stantonville, TN         5  17-02  167
  Day 1: 5   17-02   
37. Dalton Smith           Taylorsville, KY         5  17-01  164
  Day 1: 5   17-01   
38. Ian Waterer            East Selkirk CANADA      5  17-00  163
  Day 1: 5   17-00   
39. Wyatt Marler           Oldfield, MO             5  16-15  162
  Day 1: 5   16-15   
40. Tyler Campbell         Martin, GA               5  16-13  161
  Day 1: 5   16-13   
41. Tommy Wood             Peregian Springs AUSTRA  5  16-11  160
  Day 1: 5   16-11   
42. Cole Breeden           Lebanon, MO              5  16-09  159
  Day 1: 5   16-09   
43. Cody Bird              Granbury, TX             5  16-08  158
  Day 1: 5   16-08   
43. Christian Nash         Allons, TN               5  16-08  158
  Day 1: 5   16-08   
45. Dillon Falardeau       Hixson, TN               5  16-07  156
  Day 1: 5   16-07   
45. Alec Morrison          Peru, NY                 5  16-07  156
  Day 1: 5   16-07   
47. Randall Tharp          Port St. Joe, FL         5  16-05  154
  Day 1: 5   16-05   
48. Evan Kung              Pickering Ontario CANAD  5  16-04  153
  Day 1: 5   16-04   
49. Colby Dark             West Monroe, LA          5  16-00  152
  Day 1: 5   16-00   
49. Tanner Hadden          Appling, GA              5  16-00  152
  Day 1: 5   16-00   
49. Matthew Kennedy        Littlefork, MN           5  16-00  152
  Day 1: 5   16-00   
49. Bryan Partak           Marseilles, IL           5  16-00  152
  Day 1: 5   16-00   
53. Josh Douglas           Isle, MN                 5  15-15  148
  Day 1: 5   15-15   
54. Christian Ostrander    Turlock, CA              5  15-14  147
  Day 1: 5   15-14   
55. Austin Cranford        Norman, OK               5  15-11  146
  Day 1: 5   15-11   
56. Matt Baker             Glenwood, AR             5  15-08  145
  Day 1: 5   15-08   
56. Billy Gilbert          Hamburg, NY              5  15-08  145
  Day 1: 5   15-08   
58. Kenny Mittelstaedt     Minnetonka, MN           5  15-06  143
  Day 1: 5   15-06   
59. Joey Nania             Cropwell, AL             5  15-04  142
  Day 1: 5   15-04   
60. Tommy Dickerson        Orange, TX               5  14-15  141
  Day 1: 5   14-15   
61. Jordan Knutson         Saint Croix Falls, WI    5  14-14  140
  Day 1: 5   14-14   
61. Isaac Peavyhouse       Monroe, TN               5  14-14  140
  Day 1: 5   14-14   
63. Dillon Harrell         New Caney, TX            5  14-13  138
  Day 1: 5   14-13   
64. Anthony Garcia         Los Angeles, CA          5  14-12  137
  Day 1: 5   14-12   
65. Tai Au                 Glendale, AZ             5  14-11  136
  Day 1: 5   14-11   
65. Jamie Bruce            Kenora Ontario CANADA    5  14-11  136
  Day 1: 5   14-11   
67. Kollin Crawford        Broken Bow, OK           5  14-09  134
  Day 1: 5   14-09   
68. Alex Heintze           Denham Springs, LA       5  14-07  133
  Day 1: 5   14-07   
69. Clint Knight           Russellville, KY         5  14-04  132
  Day 1: 5   14-04   
70. Brooks Anderson        Marietta, GA             5  14-03  131
  Day 1: 5   14-03   
71. Zach Goutremout        Chaumont, NY             5  14-01  130
  Day 1: 5   14-01   
72. Sho Egawa              Osaka JAPAN              5  14-00  129
  Day 1: 5   14-00   
72. Ethan Fields           Breese, IL               5  14-00  129
  Day 1: 5   14-00   
74. Chad Grigsby           Maple Grove, MN          4  14-00  127
  Day 1: 4   14-00   
75. Rylan Hamlin           Jackson, MI              5  13-15  126
  Day 1: 5   13-15   
75. Jace Lindsay           Beckville, TX            5  13-15  126
  Day 1: 5   13-15   
75. Ryan Thompson          Seymour, MO              5  13-15  126
  Day 1: 5   13-15   
78. Brock Bila             Republic, MO             5  13-14  123
  Day 1: 5   13-14   
79. Connor Cunningham      Springfield , MO         5  13-13  122
  Day 1: 5   13-13   
80. Aaron Yavorsky         Palm Harbor, FL          5  13-12  121
  Day 1: 5   13-12   
81. Neal Gilmore           Magnolia, TX             4  13-12  120
  Day 1: 4   13-12   
82. Joseph Titus           Bemidji, MN              5  13-10  119
  Day 1: 5   13-10   
83. Cliff Crochet          Pierre Part, LA          5  13-09  118
  Day 1: 5   13-09   
83. Danny McGarry          Newcastle CANADA         5  13-09  118
  Day 1: 5   13-09   
85. Easton Lindus          Woodville, WI            5  13-08  116
  Day 1: 5   13-08   
85. Jay Nyce               Rogers, AR               5  13-08  116
  Day 1: 5   13-08   
87. Drake Hemby            Tallbot, TN              5  13-06  114
  Day 1: 5   13-06   
88. Cameron Mattison       Benton, LA               5  13-05  113
  Day 1: 5   13-05   
88. Wade Werner II         Portland, TN             5  13-05  113
  Day 1: 5   13-05   
90. Brandon Ackerson       Afton, OK                5  13-04  111
  Day 1: 5   13-04   
91. Nate Caldwell          Fort Collins, CO         5  13-02  110
  Day 1: 5   13-02   
91. Tyler Lubbat           Wheeling, IL             5  13-02  110
  Day 1: 5   13-02   
93. Bailey Bleser          Burlington, WI           5  13-01  108
  Day 1: 5   13-01   
93. Douglas Chapin         Tigerton, WI             5  13-01  108
  Day 1: 5   13-01   
95. Kyle Palmer            Winchester, TN           5  13-00  106
  Day 1: 5   13-00   
96. Blake Milligan         Nashville, TN            5  12-14  105
  Day 1: 5   12-14   
97. Tyler Conde            Chepachet, RI            5  12-13  104
  Day 1: 5   12-13   
97. Bailey Gay             Union, KY                5  12-13  104
  Day 1: 5   12-13   
97. Nathan Thompson        Eagan, MN                5  12-13  104
  Day 1: 5   12-13   
100. Jim Moynagh            Outing, MN               5  12-12  101
  Day 1: 5   12-12   
100. Matt Pangrac           Shawnee, OK              5  12-12  101
  Day 1: 5   12-12   
100. Brock Reinkemeyer      Warsaw, MO               5  12-12  101
  Day 1: 5   12-12   
103. Brian Post             Janesville, WI           5  12-11   98
  Day 1: 5   12-11   
103. Kane Weekley           Davie, FL                5  12-11   98
  Day 1: 5   12-11   
105. James Chandler         Liberty, TX              5  12-10   96
  Day 1: 5   12-10   
106. Josh Butler            Hayden, AL               5  12-07   95
  Day 1: 5   12-07   
106. Trevor McKinney        Noble, IL                5  12-07   95
  Day 1: 5   12-07   
108. Lane Olson             Forest Grove, OR         5  12-06   93
  Day 1: 5   12-06   
109. Danny Ramsey           Trinidad, TX             5  12-05   92
  Day 1: 5   12-05   
109. Clark Reehm            Elm Grove, LA            5  12-05   92
  Day 1: 5   12-05   
109. Keith Tuma             Brainerd, MN             5  12-05   92
  Day 1: 5   12-05   
112. Adam Rasmussen         Sturgeon Bay, WI         5  12-04   89
  Day 1: 5   12-04   
113. Evan Cox-VanVliet      Loveland, CO             5  12-03   88
  Day 1: 5   12-03   
113. Brandon Hightower      Edgerton, KS             5  12-03   88
  Day 1: 5   12-03   
113. Andy Newcomb           Camdenton, MO            5  12-03   88
  Day 1: 5   12-03   
116. Andrew Behnke          Fond Du Lac, WI          5  12-02   85
  Day 1: 5   12-02   
116. Darold Gleason         Leesville, LA            5  12-02   85
  Day 1: 5   12-02   
116. Blake Smith            Lakeland, FL             5  12-02   85
  Day 1: 5   12-02   
119. Kaden Casey            Clarksville, TN          5  12-00   82
  Day 1: 5   12-00   
120. Niko Romero            Coldspring, TX           5  11-15   81
  Day 1: 5   11-15   
120. Jack Tindel III        Orange, TX               5  11-15   81
  Day 1: 5   11-15   
122. Caz Anderson           Hayesville, NC           5  11-14   79
  Day 1: 5   11-14   
123. Brent Shores           Savannah, TN             5  11-13   78
  Day 1: 5   11-13   
123. Jacob Welch            Jefferson City, MO       5  11-13   78
  Day 1: 5   11-13   
125. Josh Wiesner           Fon du Lac, WI           5  11-12   76
  Day 1: 5   11-12   
126. Blaine Bunney          Claremore, OK            5  11-11   75
  Day 1: 5   11-11   
127. Chase Clarke           Virginia Beach, VA       5  11-10   74
  Day 1: 5   11-10   
127. Brad Leuthner          Victoria, MN             5  11-10   74
  Day 1: 5   11-10   
129. John Soukup            Sapulpa, OK              5  11-09   72
  Day 1: 5   11-09   
130. Connor Jacob           Auburn, AL               5  11-08   71
  Day 1: 5   11-08   
130. Matt Robertson         Kuttawa, KY              5  11-08   71
  Day 1: 5   11-08   
132. Ish Monroe             Oakdale, CA              5  11-07   69
  Day 1: 5   11-07   
133. Kevin Ledoux           Choctaw, OK              4  11-06   68
  Day 1: 4   11-06   
134. Evan Barnes            Dardanelle, AR           5  11-05   67
  Day 1: 5   11-05   
134. Buddy Benson           Dahlonega, GA            5  11-05   67
  Day 1: 5   11-05   
136. Kolby Cox              Edmond, OK               5  11-04   65
  Day 1: 5   11-04   
137. Mike McClelland        Blue Eye, MO             5  10-15   64
  Day 1: 5   10-15   
138. Dylan Akins            Flowery Branch, GA       5  10-14   63
  Day 1: 5   10-14   
139. Jacob Lang             Bullard, TX              5  10-13   62
  Day 1: 5   10-13   
139. Julius Mazy            Phoenix, AZ              5  10-13   62
  Day 1: 5   10-13   
141. Billy McDonald         Greenwood, IN            2  10-13   60
  Day 1: 2   10-13   
142. Jason Barber           Gun Barrel City, TX      5  10-11   59
  Day 1: 5   10-11   
143. Miles Burghoff         Dayton, TN               5  10-07   58
  Day 1: 5   10-07   
143. Jonathan Pimentel      Camdenton, MO            5  10-07   58
  Day 1: 5   10-07   
145. Michael Corbishley     Raleigh, NC              5  10-06   56
  Day 1: 5   10-06   
145. Kyle Metzger           Pearl River, LA          5  10-06   56
  Day 1: 5   10-06   
145. Blake Schroeder        Bullard, TX              5  10-06   56
  Day 1: 5   10-06   
148. Matt Wieteha           Port St Lucie, FL        5  10-04   53
  Day 1: 5   10-04   
149. Grae Buck              Green Lane, PA           5  10-03   52
  Day 1: 5   10-03   
149. Brian Neal             Big Lake, MN             5  10-03   52
  Day 1: 5   10-03   
151. Paul Browning          Monahans, TX             5  10-02   50
  Day 1: 5   10-02   
152. Chancy Walters         West Des Moines, IA      5  09-14   49
  Day 1: 5   09-14   
153. Billy Billeaud         Lafayette, LA            5  09-13   48
  Day 1: 5   09-13   
153. Jonathon VanDam        Gobles, MI               5  09-13   48
  Day 1: 5   09-13   
155. Casey Scanlon          Eldon, MO                5  09-12   46
  Day 1: 5   09-12   
155. Matt Stefan            Junction City, WI        5  09-12   46
  Day 1: 5   09-12   
157. Mikey Weems            Hull, TX                 5  09-11   44
  Day 1: 5   09-11   
158. Cole Lamb              Russellville, AR         5  09-10   43
  Day 1: 5   09-10   
159. Chase Carey            Hoschton, GA             4  09-09   42
  Day 1: 4   09-09   
160. Dylan Mayo             Athens, TX               5  09-08   41
  Day 1: 5   09-08   
161. Mike Mayo              Athens, TX               2  09-08   40
  Day 1: 2   09-08   
162. Ron Johnson            Skanee, MI               5  09-07   39
  Day 1: 5   09-07   
163. Derek Sandlin          Mount Ida, AR            5  09-05   38
  Day 1: 5   09-05   
164. Stephanie Hemphill-Pellerin Village Mills, TX        4  09-05   37
  Day 1: 4   09-05   
165. Randy Millender        Teague, TX               5  09-02   36
  Day 1: 5   09-02   
166. Rick Clunn             Ava, MO                  5  08-15   35
  Day 1: 5   08-15   
167. Wyatt Wisian           Ardmore, OK              5  08-12   34
  Day 1: 5   08-12   
168. John Hammersmith       Branson, MO              5  08-09   33
  Day 1: 5   08-09   
169. John Murray            Spring City, TN          5  08-05   32
  Day 1: 5   08-05   
170. Ryan Michl             Newton, IL               4  08-05   31
  Day 1: 4   08-05   
171. Ken Day                Kennewick, WA            3  08-04   30
  Day 1: 3   08-04   
172. Joey Hanna             Corsicana, TX            4  08-03   29
  Day 1: 4   08-03   
173. Trent Palmer           Cumming, GA              5  08-02   28
  Day 1: 5   08-02   
174. Brett Hite             Phoenix, AZ              4  08-01   27
  Day 1: 4   08-01   
174. Evan Poroznik          Nestleton Station Ontar  4  08-01   27
  Day 1: 4   08-01   
176. Aaron Brewer           Clovis, NM               4  07-11   25
  Day 1: 4   07-11   
177. James Niggemeyer       Van, TX                  3  07-10   24
  Day 1: 3   07-10   
178. Chris Groh             Spring Grove, IL         3  07-05   23
  Day 1: 3   07-05   
179. Allan Nail             Sand Springs, OK         4  07-00   22
  Day 1: 4   07-00   
179. Jacob Thompkins        Myrtle Beach, SC         4  07-00   22
  Day 1: 4   07-00   
181. Kirk Stickler          Eden, UT                 3  06-14   20
  Day 1: 3   06-14   
182. Joey Punko             Broomfield, CO           3  06-11   19
  Day 1: 3   06-11   
183. Teb Jones              Yalaha, MS               4  06-10   18
  Day 1: 4   06-10   
184. Shannon Abbott         Louisville, TN           3  06-10   17
  Day 1: 3   06-10   
185. Tim Tyndell            Mineola, TX              4  06-08   16
  Day 1: 4   06-08   
186. Chris Whitson          Louisville, TN           3  06-06   15
  Day 1: 3   06-06   
187. Russ Lane              Prattville, AL           3  06-04   14
  Day 1: 3   06-04   
188. Freddy  Palmer         Estill Springs, TN       4  05-14   13
  Day 1: 4   05-14   
189. Rick Harris Jr         Carlsbad, NM             3  05-14   12
  Day 1: 3   05-14   
189. Timothy Matt           Lake Village, IN         3  05-14   12
  Day 1: 3   05-14   
189. Dave Parsons           Yantis, TX               3  05-14   12
  Day 1: 3   05-14   
192. Robert Davenport       Brooksville, FL          3  05-13    9
  Day 1: 3   05-13   
193. Satoshi Egawa          Fort Lee, NJ             2  05-11    8
  Day 1: 2   05-11   
194. Matt Molitor           Canton, IL               3  05-08    7
  Day 1: 3   05-08   
195. Scott Isaacs           Ladonia, TX              3  05-07    6
  Day 1: 3   05-07   
196. Jeremy Simmons         Argyle, MO               3  05-06    5
  Day 1: 3   05-06   
197. Josh Gauthier          Petawawa CANADA          3  05-05    4
  Day 1: 3   05-05   
198. Lucas Ragusa           Gonzales, LA             2  05-04    3
  Day 1: 2   05-04   
199. David Boelkins         Waukesha, WI             3  05-02    2
  Day 1: 3   05-02   
200. Nick Trim              Galesville, WI           2  04-06    1
  Day 1: 2   04-06   
201. Paul Hodges            Glendale, AZ             2  04-03    0
  Day 1: 2   04-03   
201. Troy O’Rourke          Bentonville, AR          2  04-03    0
  Day 1: 2   04-03   
203. Denny Fiedler          Wabasha, MN              2  04-00    0
  Day 1: 2   04-00   
204. Bj Miller              Adams, NE                2  03-15    0
  Day 1: 2   03-15   
205. Kara Pasma             Golden Valley, MN        1  03-15    0
  Day 1: 1   03-15   
206. Tim Sprouse            Clarksville, TN          2  03-14    0
  Day 1: 2   03-14   
207. Charlie Hartley        Grove City, OH           2  03-12    0
  Day 1: 2   03-12   
208. Tommy Durham           Whitney, TX              1  03-09    0
  Day 1: 1   03-09   
209. Aaron Davis            Glenn Heights, TX        2  03-07    0
  Day 1: 2   03-07   
210. Travis Ledford         Tuttle, OK               1  02-10    0
  Day 1: 1   02-10   
211. Seiji Kato             Los Alamitos CA JAPAN    1  02-05    0
  Day 1: 1   02-05   
211. Johno Roberts          Golden, CO               1  02-05    0
  Day 1: 1   02-05   
213. Doc Wootton            Collierville, TN         1  02-00    0
  Day 1: 1   02-00   
214. Trent Holloway         Groesbeck, TX            1  01-13    0
  Day 1: 1   01-13   
215. Darrell Ivey           Lebanon, MO              1  01-09    0
  Day 1: 1   01-09   
216. Scott Ashmore          Broken Arrow, OK         0  00-00    0
  Day 1: 0   00-00   
216. Ryan Bass              Royse city, TX           0  00-00    0
  Day 1: 0   00-00   
216. Keith Brashers         Rogers, AR               0  00-00    0
  Day 1: 0   00-00   
216. Sammy Burks Jr         Joplin, MO               0  00-00    0
  Day 1: 0   00-00   
216. Gary Clouse            Winchester, TN           0  00-00    0
  Day 1: 0   00-00   
216. Lance Crawford         Broken Bow, OK           0  00-00    0
  Day 1: 0   00-00   
216. Jim Dillard            West Monroe, LA          0  00-00    0
  Day 1: 0   00-00   
216. Tony Dumitras          Winston, GA              0  00-00    0
  Day 1: 0   00-00   
216. Clay Dyer              Fayetteville, TN         0  00-00    0
  Day 1: 0   00-00   
216. Bryan Finch            Belton, TX               0  00-00    0
  Day 1: 0   00-00   
216. Dewayne French         Mammoth Spring, AR       0  00-00    0
  Day 1: 0   00-00   
216. Jason Lieblong         Conway, AR               0  00-00    0
  Day 1: 0   00-00   
216. Richard Lowitzki       Fort Myers, FL           0  00-00    0
  Day 1: 0   00-00   
216. Yusuke Miyazaki        Forney, TX               0  00-00    0
  Day 1: 0   00-00   
216. Anastasia Patterson    Sumter, SC               0  00-00    0
  Day 1: 0   00-00   
216. Rick Pierce            Mountain Home, AR        0  00-00    0
  Day 1: 0   00-00   
216. Dustin Reneau          Mckinney, TX             0  00-00    0
  Day 1: 0   00-00   
216. Yukihiro Sawamura      Harker Heights, TX       0  00-00    0
  Day 1: 0   00-00   
216. Scott Suggs            Alexander, AR            0  00-00    0
  Day 1: 0   00-00   
———————————————————————–
Totals
Day   #Limits    #Fish      Weight
 1       163       958      2661-01
———————————-
         163       958      2661-01





Wheeler Advances to Championship Round at MLF Bass Pro Tour Suzuki Marine Stage 2 at Harris Chain of Lakes

Brian Carter
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Wheeler Advances to Championship Round at MLF Bass Pro Tour Suzuki Marine Stage 2 at Harris Chain of Lakes

Tennessee pro draws closer to his ninth Bass Pro Tour win with two-day total of 32 bass weighing 101-9, 2nd through 20th advance to Saturday’s Knockout Round

LEESBURG, Fla. (Feb. 14, 2025) – When Jacob Wheeler took the water for the second day of the Major League Fishing (MLF) Bass Pro Tour Suzuki Marine Stage 2 Presented by YETI on the Harris Chain of Lakes, his goal wasn’t necessarily to finish atop SCORETRACKER®.

Sure, the winner of the two-day Qualifying Round would earn a direct berth to Sunday’s Championship Round, and Wheeler started the day with a lead of nearly 11 pounds over his nearest pursuer. But he was more concerned with positioning himself to earn his ninth Bass Pro Tour victory than notching his 34th Top 10 (both far and away the highest marks among BPT anglers), and he didn’t want to handicap his chances by catching too many of the fish he’d found during practice.

Turns out, Wheeler achieved both objectives. He added 21 pounds, 6 ounces on six scorable bass, bringing his two-day total to 101-9. That was easily enough to retain his spot atop the leaderboard, 13-14 ahead of Takahiro Omori. As a result, he’ll take Saturday off, while finishers 2 through 20 contest the Knockout Round, then join the top nine from there in the winner-take-all Championship Round.

Link to Photo Gallery of Day 2 On-the-Water Highlights
Link to HD Video of Highlights from Day 2 Competition

One of the leaders when it comes to tournament strategy, Wheeler didn’t decide to fish for the Qualifying Round win (rather than using all of Day 2 to scout new water) until he’d made the long run to Lake Apopka Friday morning.

Wheeler, who spent both days of practice as well as Day 1 in the southernmost lake on the Harris Chain, suddenly found himself with more company. As a result, he decided to return to the areas where he’d done most of his damage on Thursday. He figured they’d get fished hard by someone, so it might as well be him.

“Today, there was probably 30-plus local anglers and probably 25 or 30 of our guys that decided to move down (to Apopka), so it fished really small, and things got pressured a ton,” Wheeler explained. “And so, in that instance, you’ve got to start thinking through things and saying, alright, it’s not going to be as easy now as it would have been, because things are getting more pressure than I anticipated. Once I saw the pressure, I’m like, it’s not a guarantee I make the Top 10 (during the Knockout Round).”

Wheeler, who has amassed all his weight flipping a Rapala CrushCity Bronco Bug around reed clumps, also chose to ply a stretch that he figures will be unfishable during the Championship Round due to the strong southwest wind forecast for Sunday. The area yielded his biggest bass of the day, a 6-9. Through two days, he’s now boated seven bass of 5 pounds or bigger.

“I knew even if I fished the Championship Round, I would never be able to fish the fish that I caught midway through the second period, so I just caught them,” Wheeler said.

After pushing his lead back above 20 pounds, Wheeler used just about all of Period 3 to check out new water – “eliminating places” for the Championship Round, he said. The benefit of having spent his entire practice in Apopka – which much of the field initially avoided due to reports of a recent fish kill – is that he still has a few areas in his back pocket that he’s yet to visit during competition.

“There’s still areas that I have not visited that I will fish in the Championship Round,” Wheeler said. “There’s probably three different zones that I have not made a cast on.”

In some ways, Wheeler said, sitting out the Knockout Round could be a disadvantage. Those anglers who take the water will have a better idea which zones are getting pressured the hardest and have a better chance of finding fresh groups of spawners that might be more willing to bite. That said, he’s excited about the opportunity to spend a day with his six-year-old daughter, Olivia, and three-year-old son, Hudson, who made the trip to Florida to cheer him on.

Wheeler is confident he can put himself around the winning fish. The key to cementing victory No. 9 will be making the right adjustments to counter the changing weather and mounting fishing pressure – something he’s historically done better than any of his peers.

“I feel like the tournament will be won in Apopka,” Wheeler said. “Now, do I feel like there’s an outside chance that I turn on (forward-facing sonar) in the last period or something like that? There is. I’ll make a decision based on the conditions, and I’ll fish the conditions exclusively. The guy who makes the right decisions and makes adjustments will win this tournament on that final day. It’ll all come down to the adjustments made on that day, and that’s what is going to be fun about it.”

While Wheeler held the top spot on SCORETRACKER® all day, Friday brought plenty of movement around the Elimination Line. Seven anglers who started the day outside the Top 20 moved across the cut and qualified for the Knockout Round: Jacob Wall, Terry Scroggins, Zack Birge, Matt Becker, John Hunter, Edwin Evers and Justin Cooper.

Evers and Hunter made the most dramatic rallies. Both anglers found themselves on the wrong side of the Elimination Line with 30 minutes left in Period 3 but manufactured clutch flurries to make the cut. Hunter boated three scorable bass totaling 6-9 in the final 15 minutes, while Evers caught three for 6-1 in the last 22 minutes.

The top 20 pros that now advance in competition on the Harris Chain of Lakes are:

1st:         Jacob Wheeler, Harrison, Tenn., 32 bass, 101-9
2nd:       Takahiro Omori, Tokyo, Japan, 32 bass, 87-11
3rd:        Mark Davis, Mount Ida, Ark., 27 bass, 84-14
4th:        Andy Morgan, Dayton, Tenn., 35 bass, 80-12
5th:        Keith Poche, Pike Road, Ala., 34 bass, 80-9
6th:        Michael Neal, Dayton, Tenn., 34 bass, 80-6
7th:        Adrian Avena, Vineland, N.J., 29 bass, 68-9
8th:        Jacob Wall, New Hope, Ala., 34 bass, 68-3
9th:        Bobby Lane, Lakeland, Fla., 27 bass, 68-2
10th:      Todd Faircloth, Jasper, Texas, 26 bass, 67-14
11th:      Drew Gill, Mount Carmel, Ill., 23 bass, 66-0
12th:      Fletcher Shryock, Guntersville, Ala., 24 bass, 64-8
13th:      James Elam, Tulsa, Okla., 29 bass, 63-0
14th:      Terry Scroggins, San Mateo, Fla., 22 bass, 62-8
15th:      Zack Birge, Blanchard, Okla., 29 bass, 61-15
16th:      Nick Hatfield, Greeneville, Tenn., 28 bass, 61-12
17th:      Matt Becker, Ten Mile, Tenn., 23 bass, 57-13
18th:      John Hunter, Shelbyville, Ky., 25 bass, 57-9
19th:      Edwin Evers, Talala, Okla., 20 bass, 56-13
20th:      Justin Cooper, Zwolle, La., 24 bass, 55-0

A complete list of results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

Wheeler earned the Day 2 Berkley Big Bass Award Friday with a 6-pound, 9-ounce largemouth that he caught in Period 2. Berkley awards $1,000 to the angler who weighs the heaviest bass each day.

The full field of anglers competed in the two-day Qualifying Round on Thursday and Friday. With the two-day Qualifying Round now complete, Wheeler advances directly to Sunday’s Championship Round. The anglers that finished 2nd through 20th advance to Saturday’s Knockout Round. In the Knockout Round, weights are zeroed, and the top nine anglers will join Wheeler in Sunday’s Championship Round. In the Championship Round, weights are zeroed, and the highest one-day total wins the top prize of $150,000.

Anglers will launch at 7:15 a.m. ET each day from the Venetian Gardens, located at 201 E. Lake Harris Drive in Leesburg. Each day’s takeout will be held at the same location, beginning at 3:45 p.m. Fans are welcome to attend all launch and takeout events and also encouraged to follow the event online throughout the day on the MLFNOW!® live stream and SCORETRACKER® coverage at  MajorLeagueFishing.com.

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

On Saturday and Sunday, Feb. 15-16, from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. MLF welcomes fans of all ages to visit the Venetian Gardens for the MLF Fan Experience & Watch Party. Fans can watch the pros live on the MLFNOW! big screen, enjoy free food, enter to win hourly giveaways, listen to live music and cheer on their favorite pros. The first 50 kids 14 and under will receive a free rod and reel each day. The Bass Pro Tour anglers will be on hand both days to meet and greet fans, sign autographs and take selfies.

The Suzuki Stage 2 at the Harris Chain of Lakes Presented by YETI is hosted by Discover Lake County Florida and features anglers competing with a 1-pound, 8-ounce minimum weight requirement for a bass to be deemed scorable. The MLF Fisheries Management Division determines minimum weights for each body of water that the Bass Pro Tour visits, based on the productivity, bass population and anticipated average size of fish in each fishery.

The 2025 Bass Pro Tour features a field of 66 of the top professional anglers in the world, competing across seven regular-season tournaments around the country, for millions of dollars and valuable points to qualify for the annual Heavy Hitters all-star event and the REDCREST 2026 championship.

Television coverage of the Suzuki Stage 2 at the Harris Chain of Lakes Presented by YETI will premiere as a two-hour episode starting at 7 a.m. ET, on Saturday, Sept. 13 on Discovery, with the Championship Round premiering the following Saturday on Sept. 20. New MLF episodes premiere each Saturday morning on Discovery, with re-airings on Outdoor Channel.

Proud sponsors of the 2025 MLF Bass Pro Tour include: 7Brew Coffee, Abu Garcia, Athletic Brewing, Bass Force, B&W Trailer Hitches, Bass Pro Shops, Berkley, BUBBA, E3 Sports Apparel, Fishing Clash, Grizzly, Lowrance, Mercury, MillerTech, Mossy Oak Fishing, NITRO, O’Reilly Auto Parts, Power-Pole, Rapala, Star brite, Suzuki Marine and Toyota.

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





SPRO Launches Game-Changing Bite Powder

Brian Carter
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SPRO Launches Game-Changing Bite Powder

SPRO Launches Game-Changing Bite Powder

  • By FTR Industry Wire
  • February 14, 2025

SPRO, a trusted leader in premium fishing products, is excited to announce the launch of the powerful fish-attracting Nories Bite Powder, previously used exclusively by renowned professional angler and Bassmaster Elite Series champion Takumi Ito.

Kennesaw, GA – Anglers can now harness this game-changing innovation to elevate their fishing success. 

This advanced Nories Bite Powder is infused with Ebi (shrimp) flavor, a proven attractant for a wide variety of freshwater and saltwater species. Engineered to outperform traditional oil-based scents, the formula offers a superior solution for maximizing lure effectiveness and keeping fish biting longer.

The Nories Bite Powder, developed with Takumi Ito’s secret formula, is now available to all anglers seeking a competitive edge on the water. The innovative powder absorbs into lures, creating a durable shell that retains and releases scent over an extended period, significantly increasing its effectiveness. Unlike oil-based scents, the formula disperses rapidly in the water, attracting fish from a greater distance.

CLICK TO FINISH READING





The Ultimate Angler World Championship Bass Fishing Tournament Announces Sanctioned Qualifiers by Ikon Boats at Lake of the Ozarks and Lake Guntersville

Brian Carter
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The Ultimate Angler World Championship Bass Fishing Tournament Announces Sanctioned Qualifiers by Ikon Boats at Lake of the Ozarks and Lake Guntersville

The Ultimate Angler World Championship Bass Fishing Tournament Announces Sanctioned Qualifiers by Ikon Boats at Lake of the Ozarks and Lake Guntersville

Date: February 14, 2025

The Ultimate Angler World Championship Bass Fishing Tournament is proud to announce its partnership with Ikon Boats to sanction two of the qualifying events for the prestigious competition. The Ikon Tailgate Tour presented by Mercury Outboards, a highly anticipated grassroots team bass fishing tournament series for amateur anglers, will feature four qualifying events, with two of them taking place at iconic fishing destinations—Lake of the Ozarks (June 7, 2025) and Lake Guntersville (September 6, 2025). These events will provide an opportunity for anglers to earn a spot in the Ultimate Angler World Championship, which will take place at Lake Guntersville, Alabama from October 5-11, 2025.

The Ultimate Angler World Championship is the most prestigious and inclusive bass fishing competition ever created. It is set to crown a World Champion by bringing together top anglers from all leagues and backgrounds, providing a platform for every level of angler to compete for the ultimate title. The championship will feature the best of the best, with the world’s top anglers competing for bragging rights and a grand prize.

Details of the Qualifying Ikon Events:

  • Lake of the Ozarks, Missouri – June 7, 2025
  • Lake Guntersville, Alabama – September 6, 2025
  • Entry Fee: $200 per team + $95 for membership
  • Expected Participation: 150-200 boats per event
  • Prize Structure: 100% of entry fees paid back to anglers, with a guaranteed $10,000 for 1st place

The Ikon Tailgate Tour presented by Mercury Outboards is a grassroots tournament series focused on offering amateur anglers a chance to compete in team-based events, with substantial cash prizes. The series is open to all anglers who meet the eligibility requirements, and teams are not required to fish more than one event. The tournaments are designed to provide a level playing field for non-professional anglers, with a structure that promotes competition, community, and fun.

Each event will feature a conventional 5-fish weigh-in format, hosted through Fishing Chaos, a leading tournament management platform. Ikon Boats, Ikon Dealers, and well-known professional anglers such as Jacob Wheeler, Kyle Welcher, and Hunter Shryock will promote and support the events, alongside other Ikon pro-staffers.

Tournament weigh-ins will be held in an event-style manner, with additional attractions including food, raffles, boat demos, and sponsor booths for a family-friendly atmosphere.

About Ikon Boats:

Ikon Boats is a premier manufacturer of high-performance bass fishing boats that combine cutting-edge technology, durability, and precision engineering. Known for their versatility and exceptional performance, Ikon Boats provides anglers with the tools they need to compete at the highest level. The 2025 Ikon VLX20 is the latest model from the brand, offering unmatched reliability and fishing capabilities. Through their support of grassroots events like the Ikon Tailgate Tour presented by Mercury Outboards, Ikon Boats demonstrates its commitment to fostering the next generation of bass anglers.





High winds lead to shortened competition at Bassmaster Open at Sam Rayburn Reservoir

Brian Carter
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High winds lead to shortened competition at Bassmaster Open at Sam Rayburn Reservoir

The St. Croix Bassmaster Open at Sam Rayburn Reservoir has been shortened due to high winds and the threat of severe weather.

Photo by Andy Crawford/B.A.S.S.

MEDIA ALERT

High winds lead to shortened competition at Bassmaster Open at Sam Rayburn Reservoir

JASPER, Texas — Due to severe weather threats and high winds forecast for Saturday, B.A.S.S. tournament officials have canceled Saturday’s competition day at the St. Croix Bassmaster Open at Sam Rayburn Reservoir presented by SEVIIN. The decision was made after officials consulted with local meteorologists.

“The National Weather Service is forecasting sustained winds out of the SSW of 15 to 20 mph with gusts up to 25 mph,” said Executive Director of Tournaments Hank Weldon. “In addition, there is a significant threat of severe weather. The meteorologist I just spoke with is confident a severe line will come through early- to midafternoon, which will be before we can complete weigh-in for a full field.”

As a result, Friday will be the only day of competition for the Bassmaster Open at Sam Rayburn Reservoir, and the tournament will conclude at the end of the day.

Takeoff will be Friday at 7 a.m. CT at Umphrey Family Pavilion in Brookeland, Texas, with weigh-in at 3 p.m. at the same location.

The event is being sponsored by the Jasper County (Texas) Development District No. 1.

2025 Bassmaster Opens Series Title Sponsor: St. Croix

2025 Bassmaster Opens Series Presenting Sponsor: SEVIIN

2025 Bassmaster Opens Series Platinum Sponsor: Toyota
2025 Bassmaster Opens Series Premier Sponsors: Bass Pro Shops, Dakota Lithium, Humminbird, Mercury, Minn Kota, Nitro Boats, Power-Pole, Progressive Insurance, Ranger Boats, Rapala, Skeeter Boats, Yamaha
2025 Bassmaster Opens Series Supporting Sponsors: AFTCO, Daiwa, Garmin, Lew’s, Lowrance, Marathon, Triton Boats, VMC

About B.A.S.S.

B.A.S.S., which encompasses the Bassmaster tournament leagues, events and media platforms, is the worldwide authority on bass fishing and keeper of the culture of the sport, providing cutting-edge content on bass fishing whenever, wherever and however bass fishing fans want to use it. Headquartered in Birmingham, Ala., the organization’s fully integrated media platforms include the industry’s leading magazines (Bassmaster and B.A.S.S. Times), website (Bassmaster.com), TV show, radio show, social media programs and events. For more than 50 years, B.A.S.S. has been dedicated to access, conservation and youth fishing.

The Bassmaster Tournament Trail includes the most prestigious events at each level of competition, including the Bassmaster Elite Series, St. Croix Bassmaster Opens Series presented by SEVIIN, Mercury B.A.S.S. Nation Qualifier Series presented by Lowrance, Strike King Bassmaster College Series presented by Bass Pro Shops, Strike King Bassmaster High School Series, Bassmaster Junior Series, Bassmaster Team Championship, Newport Bassmaster Kayak Series presented by Native Watercraft, Bassmaster College Kayak Series, Yamaha Bassmaster Redfish Cup Championship presented by Skeeter and the ultimate celebration of competitive fishing, the Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Classic presented by Under Armour.





Jacob Wheeler Leads Early at MLF Bass Pro Tour Suzuki Marine Stage 2 Presented by YETI at Harris Chain of Lakes

Brian Carter
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Jacob Wheeler Leads Early at MLF Bass Pro Tour Suzuki Marine Stage 2 Presented by YETI at Harris Chain of Lakes

Tennessee pro catches 26 largemouth weighing 80-3 to lead after Day 1 on the Harris Chain of Lakes, full field to complete Qualifying Round Friday

LEESBURG, Fla. (Feb. 13, 2025) – Across a Bass Pro Tour career that has seen him earn eight wins and three Fishing Clash Angler of the Year titles, Jacob Wheeler has enjoyed a lot of memorable days on the water. Even though there wasn’t a trophy up for grabs (yet), Thursday’s opening day of Suzuki Marine Stage 2 Presented by YETI just earned a spot near the top of the list.

On a day that saw the Harris Chain produce impressive numbers of bass including 10 over 6 pounds, Wheeler set a scorching pace. He stacked up 80 pounds, 3 ounces on 26 scorable bass, including an 8-7 and a 7-15, to claim the top spot on SCORETRACKER®. Wheeler leads Michael Neal by 10-15, and no other angler is within 28 pounds of his total.

“One of the best days I’ve ever had,” Wheeler said. “And to do it in a tournament, that’s always a great thing. Catching the quality of fish that we caught, whew, it was a lot of fun.”

Link to Photo Gallery of Day 1 On-the-Water Highlights
Link to HD Video of Highlights from Day 1 Competition

Wheeler has embraced forward-facing sonar as enthusiastically as just about anyone during his domination of the Bass Pro Tour. His mastery of the technology is a big reason why he’s won three AOY crowns and six events since the start of the 2021 season.

But that kind of sustained excellence requires versatility, and Wheeler showed Thursday that he’s quite capable of catching bass without the beam, too. He made it a point to never unlock his forward-facing sonar transducers, even though the Bass Pro Tour’s 2025 rules allow each angler to utilize the technology for one period each day.

Instead, Wheeler glued a flipping stick in his hands and spent his entire day methodically picking apart reed patches.

“That was a point that I wanted to make: It doesn’t really matter,” Wheeler said. “The anglers that do well in these tournaments, it doesn’t matter whether you’re using (forward-facing sonar) or you’re not. It’s all strategy; it’s all part of the game we play, and I just wanted to say, hey, look, it doesn’t matter, guys.”

Wheeler’s day actually got off to a slow start. He made a long run from takeoff at Venetian Gardens in Lake Harris to his starting spot that included a wait to pass through a lock, which resulted in him missing a good chunk of Period 1. By the time he arrived at his destination, he was more than 19 pounds back of Dean Rojas, the early leader, and it took a few moments to settle himself down.

He made up the deficit in a hurry. Wheeler boated his first scorable bass around 9:30 a.m. Over the next 34 minutes, he added seven more for a total of 27-9, which vaulted him into the lead. He’d hold the top spot for almost the entire rest of the day.

That early flurry included the 8-7, which earned Berkley Big Bass honors for the day. Wheeler also landed another near-8-pounder and three bass of 5 pounds or bigger – plus he hooked and lost one that he estimated to be around 7. He attributed his ability to generate bigger-than-average bites to his bait selection. He caught all his fish on a Rapala CrushCity Bronco Bug, which he helped design.

“That bait does some things that just gets bites,” Wheeler said. “It has a pretty big profile; it has a little bit more meat to it. But I’m able to maneuver it, really get into those areas, generate those big ones to bite.”

After another string of catches early in Period 3 extended his cushion on the rest of the field, Wheeler already started to think about his strategy for the days ahead. He hasn’t yet decided whether to return to the area that produced most of his Day 1 weight on Friday and fish for the Qualifying Round win – which would allow him to bypass the Knockout Round and advance directly to the Championship Round – or to search for new water.

He’s hoping he can do both, as he thinks fishing pressure and the strong southwest wind that’s forecast to blow Sunday will force him to fish elsewhere.

“If I happen to catch them practicing, too, I could still win (the Qualifying Round),” Wheeler said. “So, I don’t know yet. I’m going to sleep on it, think about it. You know, my mind is always working, trying to figure out how to win this tournament.

“I can’t win doing what I was doing,” he continued. “The wind is just not going to cooperate, I don’t think. Now, maybe I’m wrong. We’ll see. I need to find a couple little sneaky stretches to myself or a couple areas that are going to be protected from the wind with that really bad forecast for Championship Day.”

The top 20 pros after Day 1 on the Harris Chain of Lakes are:

1st:         Jacob Wheeler, Harrison, Tenn., 26 bass, 80-3
2nd:       Michael Neal, Dayton, Tenn., 29 bass, 69-4
3rd:        Drew Gill, Mount Carmel, Ill., 20 bass, 52-1
4th:        Andy Morgan, Dayton, Tenn., 24 bass, 52-1
5th:        Takahiro Omori, Tokyo, Japan, 20 bass, 51-14
6th:        Keith Poche, Pike Road, Ala., 21 bass, 49-8
7th:        Mark Davis, Mount Ida, Ark., 16 bass, 46-1
8th:        Anthony Gagliardi, Prosperity, S.C., 22 bass, 45-9
9th:        Fletcher Shryock, Guntersville, Ala., 14 bass, 39-15
10th:      Bobby Lane, Lakeland, Fla., 15 bass, 37-11
11th:      Cole Floyd, Leesburg, Ohio, 17 bass, 36-14
12th:      Nick Hatfield, Greeneville, Tenn., 16 bass, 36-9
13th:      Adrian Avena, Vineland, N.J., 16 bass, 35-11
14th:      Luke Clausen, Spokane, Wash., 16 bass, 35-7
15th:      Alton Jones Jr., Waco, Texas, 15 bass, 33-13
16th:      Todd Faircloth, Jasper, Texas, 12 bass, 33-2
17th:      James Elam, Tulsa, Okla., 15 bass, 32-12
18th:      Jeremy Lawyer, Sarcoxie, Mo., 17 bass, 32-8
19th:      Martin Villa, Charlottesville, Va., 17 bass, 31-12
20th:      Andy Montgomery, Blacksburg, S.C., 12 bass, 30-10

A complete list of results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

Wheeler earned the Day 1 Berkley Big Bass Award Thursday with an 8-pound, 7-ounce largemouth that he caught in Period 1. Berkley awards $1,000 to the angler who weighs the heaviest bass each day.

The full field of anglers compete in the two-day Qualifying Round on Thursday and Friday. After the two-day Qualifying Round is complete, the pro with the highest two-day total advances directly to Sunday’s Championship Round. Anglers that finish 2nd through 20th will advance to Saturday’s Knockout Round. In the Knockout Round, weights are zeroed, and the remaining anglers compete to finish in the top nine to advance to Sunday’s Championship Round. In the final-day Championship Round, weights are zeroed, and the highest one-day total wins the top prize of $150,000.

Anglers will launch at 7:15 a.m. ET each day from the Venetian Gardens, located at 201 E. Lake Harris Drive in Leesburg. Each day’s takeout will be held at the same location, beginning at 3:45 p.m. Fans are welcome to attend all launch and takeout events and also encouraged to follow the event online throughout the day on the MLFNOW!® live stream and SCORETRACKER® coverage at  MajorLeagueFishing.com.

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

On Saturday and Sunday, Feb. 15-16, from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. MLF welcomes fans of all ages to visit the Venetian Gardens for the MLF Fan Experience & Watch Party. Fans can watch the pros live on the MLFNOW! big screen, enjoy free food, enter to win hourly giveaways, listen to live music and cheer on their favorite pros. The first 50 kids 14 and under will receive a free rod and reel each day. The Bass Pro Tour anglers will be on hand both days to meet and greet fans, sign autographs and take selfies.

The Suzuki Stage 2 at the Harris Chain of Lakes Presented by YETI is hosted by Discover Lake County Florida and features anglers competing with a 1-pound, 8-ounce minimum weight requirement for a bass to be deemed scorable. The MLF Fisheries Management Division determines minimum weights for each body of water that the Bass Pro Tour visits, based on the productivity, bass population and anticipated average size of fish in each fishery.

The 2025 Bass Pro Tour features a field of 66 of the top professional anglers in the world, competing across seven regular-season tournaments around the country, for millions of dollars and valuable points to qualify for the annual Heavy Hitters all-star event and the REDCREST 2026 championship.

Television coverage of the Suzuki Stage 2 at the Harris Chain of Lakes Presented by YETI will premiere as a two-hour episode starting at 7 a.m. ET, on Saturday, Sept. 13 on Discovery, with the Championship Round premiering the following Saturday on Sept. 20. New MLF episodes premiere each Saturday morning on Discovery, with re-airings on Outdoor Channel.

Proud sponsors of the 2025 MLF Bass Pro Tour include: 7Brew Coffee, Abu Garcia, Athletic Brewing, Bass Force, B&W Trailer Hitches, Bass Pro Shops, Berkley, BUBBA, E3 Sports Apparel, Fishing Clash, Grizzly, Lowrance, Mercury, MillerTech, Mossy Oak Fishing, NITRO, O’Reilly Auto Parts, Power-Pole, Rapala, Star brite, Suzuki Marine and Toyota.

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





Bassmaster launches new Oh-Fish-ally, Unofficial podcast with Dave Mercer

Brian Carter
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0
Bassmaster launches new Oh-Fish-ally, Unofficial podcast with Dave Mercer

Feb. 13, 2025

Bassmaster launches new Oh-Fish-ally, Unofficial podcast with Dave Mercer

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Bassmaster is bringing fans an all-new, sometimes-raw podcast with the launch of Oh-Fish-ally, Unofficial, hosted by legendary Bassmaster emcee Dave Mercer. Premiering Feb. 17 exclusively on Bassmaster.com, this fresh take on fishing talk will deliver raw, real and ridiculously entertainingconversations straight from the biggest names in the sport.

Each episode, Mercer will be joined by a rotating panel of Bassmaster pros and industry icons to tackle the hottest topics in bass fishing. Expect a rapid-fire breakdown of everything happening on and off the water, as the show pulls back the curtain and gives fans an inside look at the uncensored, behind-the-scenes conversations that happen when the cameras are off.

“I can’t think of a better way to kick off the year than by having the best voice in our sport, both on stage and in the fishing podcast world, joining our Bassmaster Channel in such a meaningful way,” said Mike McKinnis, VP of media/content for JM Associates. “We are fortunate to have Dave leading our lineup of content.”   

“I could not be more excited to jump into this new podcast on the Bassmaster Channel,” said Dave Mercer. “About the only constant in pro angling today seems to be inconsistency. It does not matter the subject, everyone has an opinion, and they are almost never the same. On this show, we are gonna hear ’em all.”

What makes Oh-Fish-ally, Unofficial different?

  • Big Names, Bigger Opinions – The sport’s biggest pros & industry voices weigh in
  • Unfiltered & Unscripted – What happens on this podcast, stays on this podcast
  • Behind-the-Scenes Access – The debates, stories and laughs you don’t see on TV
  • A Perfect Blend of Fun & Fishing – Serious discussions meet seriously funny moments

With one simple rule — say what you want, nothing can be held against you — this podcast promises candid conversations that will have fans both laughing and learning every episode.

Oh-Fish-ally, Unofficial will be available on Bassmaster.com (with additional platforms coming soon) Feb. 17.





Water and weather foretell favorable fishing for Bassmaster Elite at St. Johns River

Brian Carter
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Water and weather foretell favorable fishing for Bassmaster Elite at St. Johns River

The world’s best bass anglers will be watching Florida’s weather leading up to the FXR Pro Fish Bassmaster Elite at St. Johns River in Palatka, Fla., Feb. 20-23.

Photo by Seigo Saito/B.A.S.S.

Elite_eventLogo_2025_StJohnsRiver_Raster.png

Feb. 13, 2025

Water and weather foretell favorable fishing for Bassmaster Elite at St. Johns River

PALATKA, Fla. —  “Cold” typically is a four-letter word in Florida, but Bassmaster Elite Series pro Drew Benton said winter weather in the right measure and with the right timing could unleash an eruption of Sunshine State potential during the 2025 FXR Pro Fish Bassmaster Elite at St. Johns River.

Competition days will be February 20-23 with daily takeoffs from Palatka City Dock and Boat Ramp at 7 a.m. ET and weigh-ins each day at Palatka Riverfront Park at 3 p.m.

“The big thing that is going to positively influence this event is the cold weather we had leading up to the (recent) warming trend,” Benton said. “Any time we get cold weather in Florida, and it warms up, it makes these lakes explode.

“The power of weather on these Florida fisheries is incredible. When we have a good, cold winter and the fish can’t just trickle spawn and do their thing whenever they want to, it makes them flood the bank all at the same time. They don’t all spawn at once, but they get up there where you can catch them all at once.”

Acknowledging late winter’s notoriously fickle nature, Benton wisely hedges his prediction. Late January saw a historic winter storm drop 8 inches of snow at his home in Panama City, Fla., so he’s taking nothing for granted.

“That was unheard of, but barring any (extreme) weather, all things are pointing to two strong Florida events (at St. Johns on Feb. 20-23 and at Lake Okeechobee Feb. 27-March 2),” Benton said. “People think cold weather is a bad thing in Florida, but it can really set up the fishing.”

Last year’s Elite at the St. Johns was held mid-April and saw Canadian hammer Cory Johnston win by targeting spawning bass in the Salt Springs area of the fishery. Even though this year’s tournament takes place approximately two months earlier in the year, Benton expects the warming trend to again highlight the spawn.

Benton, who has placed fourth at the St. Johns twice (2024, 2016), also points to water level as a key factor. The St. Johns suffered a tremendous loss of submersed aquatic vegetation (SAV) — mostly eelgrass — during past hurricanes, with winds ripping up much of the vegetation and lingering high water choking out any resurgence.

While it takes years to regrow the eelgrass that once carpeted much of the system and made areas like Crescent Lake and Lake George spawning meccas, Benton said the current scenario will deliver immediate impacts.

“One thing I’ve been watching is the water level, and it has been down this year, which is a positive,” Benton said. “That’s what has negatively affected the grass growth. I don’t know if the current water level is going to impact the grass growth, but as a whole, it’s going to make the river healthier.

“Typically, as long as it’s not high it’s going to be clear. And (the Florida Fish and  Wildlife Conservation Commission) put in a lot of work on the fishery with eelgrass planting and (protective fencing around planted areas). From what I’ve seen online, some of those planted areas have taken off. That little bit of grass will help with water quality.”

Despite a major change in fishable waters, Benton believes anglers will find significant opportunities throughout tournament waters. Last year, competitors were allowed to fish Rodman Reservoir — a man-made reservoir on the Ocklawaha River that connects to the St. Johns through a canal south of Palatka.

This year, Rodman is off-limits, but Benton remains optimistic. Tournament boundaries stretch from the Fuller Warren Bridge (I-95) in Jacksonville down to State 44 in DeLand. Past events have seen anglers push far north of Palatka and nearly to the southern boundary.

With the combination of lower water and favorable weather, Benton believes competitive bags could come from both extremes and all points in between.

“Initially, I didn’t like that Rodman was out of the equation this year, because in the past it attracted a lot of boats and kept them off the river,” he said. “I was afraid that would make the river fish extremely small this year, but because of that weather we’ve had, I think it’s going to spread guys out.

“I think the entire range is hitting the magical water temp. I think that as far as you want to go north or south could be in play.”

Sight fishing likely will make up a large portion of the angling effort, but Benton said late prespawners preparing to move up will also present solid opportunities. He’s also pondering the potential for a traditional postspawn pattern.

“Shellbeds always play, because not all the fish are gonna bed at the same time,” Benton said. “If a guy finds a place where they’re pulling up before they spawn and they’re stopping on a shellbed or a little drop on that river, that’s what’s gonna win this tournament. That’s because you’ll have fish coming to you and fish stopping on their way back out.

“The guys doing the shellbed game will have a rotation of jerkbaits, Carolina rigs, Ned rigs and rattling baits, depending on tide and depth. It’s a little early, but any time water temperatures are in the 70s, you have the potential to have a shad spawn.”

Benton went on to say that in the absence of any significant SAV, spawning bass will utilize any hard cover, including wood and lily pad root systems standing above the bottom substrate. Past events have seen anglers targeting spawning fish on cypress tree roots. That also could be in play this time around, but Benton warned of navigational challenges.

“Some of that stuff is deceptively shallow,” he said. “You may be 100 yards out trying to get in, and your trolling motor is hitting the bottom. Finding that stuff with the right amount of water on it is going to be the big deal.”

Benton said he’s looking for a four-day winning total of 88 pounds, with 19 pounds a day making the Top 10 cut. Johnston won with 93-6 last year, so if weather and water factors remain as Benton expects, the field should easily meet or exceed those numbers.

Bassmaster LIVE will be streaming on Bassmaster.com all four days, and coverage will also be available on FS1 on Saturday and Sunday. Stay up-to-date on all tournament coverage at Bassmaster.com/how-to-watch/.

Florida’s Putnam County Chamber of Commerce is hosting the event.

2025 Bassmaster Elite Series Platinum Sponsor: Toyota
2025 Bassmaster Elite Series Premier Sponsors: Bass Pro Shops, Dakota Lithium, Humminbird, Mercury, Minn Kota, Nitro Boats, Power-Pole, Progressive Insurance, Ranger Boats, Rapala, Skeeter Boats, Yamaha
2025 Bassmaster Elite Series Supporting Sponsors: AFTCO, Daiwa, Garmin, Lew’s, Lowrance, Marathon, Triton Boats, VMC





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