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Tuesday, December 16, 2025
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Tennessee’s Lawson Takes Top Honor at Phoenix Bass Fishing League Regional on Lake Murray

Brian Carter
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Tennessee’s Lawson Takes Top Honor at Phoenix Bass Fishing League Regional on Lake Murray
Boater winner Landon Lawson of Jonesborough, Tennessee, and co-angler winner Kaleb Turner of Hartwell, Georgia.
Georgia’s Turner Claims Co-Angler Division

COLUMBIA, S.C. (Oct. 13, 2025) – Boater Landon Lawson of Jonesborough, Tennessee, caught a two-day total of 10 bass weighing 47 pounds, 7 ounces, to win the MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League (BFL) Presented by T-H Marine Regional on Lake Murray Presented by Mando Deodorant . The tournament, which was hosted by Capital City Lake Murray Country Regional Tourism, concluded Saturday. For his win, Lawson earned a prize package valued at $50,000, including a new Phoenix 819 Pro bass boat with a 200hp Mercury or Suzuki outboard.

The Lake Murray event served as the Regional championship for the BFL North Carolina and Savannah River divisions. The field included the top 60 boaters and co-anglers based on point standings, plus each division’s tournament winners.

Lawson practiced for the Lake Murray tournament for two days and said he caught 16 or 17 pounds a day but wasn’t really on the bass well enough to be confident. On the first day of competition, he asked his co-angler if there were any spots he wanted to try fishing.

“We ran to his place, and the wind was blowing on it,” Lawson said. “I had never fished this spot on Lake Murray. I had fished around it and on both sides of it but had never fished this spot. I just took off Scoping, and there were big ones swimming everywhere.

“I hadn’t caught anything in practice before 10 o’clock, but on Day 1 I caught 22 pounds before 9:30,” Lawson added. “Every fish wasn’t big, but every one out of five would be a big one.”

Lawson said he rotated baits on the mid-lake spot between a Rapala Crush City Freeloader and a drop-shot rig, fished in 15 to 30 feet of water. After his early limit, he spent the rest of his day searching for other areas that might be productive for the tournament. Lawson said he didn’t find anything of interest to him that had the potential of his Day 1 spot – he couldn’t seem to catch a bass that weighed more than 3½ pounds.

“On Day 2 I hunkered down in that same spot and just sat,” Lawson said. “I just let the wind blow me and fished as many cane piles and brush piles as I could.

“I know that lake is full of big ones, and a 27-pound bag can be had there,” Lawson went on to say. “This time of year it’s a little tougher. On the second day, around 3 o’clock, I had a 3.60-pound fish in the livewell along with a 5-pounder and a couple of 4-pounders to go with them. I ended up hooking one that jumped four feet in the air, and it was as thick as a basketball. I looked at my co-angler and said, ‘This is her. This is the ballgame.’ I landed her and she weighed 5-something. It was incredible.”

For his victory, Lawson now qualifies to compete in the 2026 Phoenix BFL All-American.

Jeff Knight of Lancaster, South Carolina, won the Berkley Big Bass Boater award and $1,000 for landing a bass that weighed 7 pounds, 5 ounces – the biggest of the tournament.



Kaleb Turner of Hartwell, Georgia, won the co-angler division Saturday after bringing a two-day total of six bass weighing 17 pounds, 1 ounce, to the scale. Turner earned the top co-angler award of $15,461 for his victory.

Trevor Lewis of Wake Forest, North Carolina, caught a bass that weighed 6 pounds, 14 ounces, to win the Berkley Big Bass co-angler award worth $500.

The 2025 Phoenix BFL Presented by T-H Marine was a 24-division circuit devoted to weekend anglers, with 134 events throughout the season – five qualifying tournaments in each division. The top 60 boaters and co-anglers from each division, along with the five qualifying tournament winners, now advance to one of 12 BFL Regional tournaments where they are competing to finish in the top three, which then qualifies them for one of the longest-running championships in all of competitive bass fishing – the 43rd annual BFL All-American. The BFL All-American will take place May 28-30, 2026, at Lake Murray in Columbia, South Carolina, and is hosted by the Capital City Lake Murray Country Regional Tourism Board.





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DNA of an AOY

Brian Carter
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DNA of an AOY
Image courtesy of B.A.S.S.
DNA of an AOY
DAIWA’s Chris Johnston believes a well-rounded life and competitive mindset fuels his winning engine
FOOTHILL RANCH, CA (October 14, 2025) – There’s a migration underway and it has nothing to do with snowbirds or climate change. Bass anglers, not fowl, have been descending from the north and flocking to lakes and rivers once dominated by local species – southern bassers.It really started when KVD – the G.O.A.T. of competitive fishing – dropped down from Michigan in the late 80’s, winning 26 major tournaments and four Bassmaster Classics while feathering future nests for northern anglers. Many followed, too, with recent north of the Mason Dixon Line victors including Canada’s Jeff “Gussy” Gustafson and his 2023 Bassmaster Classic win, Easton Fothergill from Minnesota who scored the 2023 Bassmaster Classic, Wisconsin’s Jay Przekurat – the youngest to ever win a Bassmaster Elite event, and Pat Schlapper from Wisconsin, who won the Elite’s final event of the 2025 season. 
Double Dose of AOYBut perhaps the most notable modern feat of a northern angler is Canada’s Chris Johnston and his back-to-back Bassmaster Elite Angler of the Year titles. For the second-straight season, Johnston claimed the Progressive Bassmaster Angler of the Year title, accumulating 776 points during the nine-tournament season. Only KVD, Roland Martin and the late Guido Hibdon have earned back-to-backs. 
Image courtesy of B.A.S.S.
More of a Live Scoper?The established DAIWA pro hails from Otonabee, Ontario, which is north of Lake Ontario, near Peterborough and Toronto. Might sound like a remote outpost for trappers along Hudson Bay, but it’s not. Geographically, Otonabee is parallel to southern Minnesota and central Wisconsin.“I grew up flipping grass and reeds, punching, and frogging,” said the man often stereotyped as a “live scoper”. “It wasn’t until my 20’s that I really got into smallmouth and finesse fishing, especially after smallmouth bass basically took over the St. Lawrence River.” In fact, Johnston says 90-percent of his time on the water is fishing for non-brown bass.Truthfully, it’s improbable to win a Bassmaster Elite AOY fishing one-dimensionally. Two AOY’s? Impossible. Too many assorted environments, lakes, and rivers to employ only a trick or two, as competitors go from slop one week to pristine Great Lakes waterways the next… 
Image courtesy of B.A.S.S.
Offseason Athletics This, however, is not another story about winning techniques and secret lures. Plenty of those to search online. Rather, it’s about Johnston’s life outside competitive fishing.Johnston’s competitive nature does translate to the hardwater, though, just not of the ice fishing variety. The now 36-year old athlete still plays full-contact hockey whenever he’s home. But not getting any younger, Johnston did say it might be time to slow things down a bit and play in a men’s league, not one laced with players still living the dream.Johnston’s hockey lifestyle includes coaching his boys Becket and Beau as well. “We’re on the ice almost every day,” said Johnston. And during the tail end of the Bassmaster Elite season, Johnston starts picking up the baseball bat and continues swinging it throughout the summer. “I grew up playing sports, and I apply that same competitive nature to tournament fishing,” said Johnston, who is also the first Canadian to ever win a Bassmaster Elite Series Event, sacking the St. Lawrence River in 2020.  
There’s a Hunting HeritageNot a shock that most professional bass anglers also commute with the fields and forests. Most are four season guys who trade rods for shotguns and bows and swap back again before the first rules meeting of the year.“I’m very fortunate to have private hunting access within 20 minutes of my house,” said Johnston, who sits the woods for whitetail deer from October through the end of December. He hunts the same terrain for spring and fall turkeys, too. “Hunting resets and refreshens me to fish the next season,” said Johnston. “It also lets me spend time with the boys. Sometimes, I’ll get them out of school early to hunt or we’ll go out before school.Most recently, Johnston and his dad Lynn returned from a hugely successful elk hunt in Utah. 
DAIWA ListensSponsoring manufacturers regularly slap the names of influential pros on products to elevate sales. Works, too, in many cases. Unfortunately, though, pros don’t always have influential input, and the finished product sports a name, even a signature, but the resulting manifestation isn’t what the pro imagined.DAIWA is different. They worked closely with Johnston from start to finish crafting his now trademark models in the TATULA Elite and TATULA Elite AGS rod series. “It was a really long process, but well worth it,” said Johnston about the testing and retesting progression. “It started with me talking to DAIWA’s rod builders about specifically what I wanted in specialty spinning rods, one for hair jigs and the other for Ned rigs. We considered everything – length, sensitivity, tapers, stiffness, guides, the tips, and styles of handles.”Three rounds of samples were exchanged between DAIWA and Johnston. “I’d say it needed a bit more stiffness or power, maybe a change in the guides, and that input resulted in some excellent spinning rods.”
One of these specialty rods is the TATULA Elite AGS, model TTEL711MXS-AGS, which was crafted for working a Ned rig with precision. “It’s for bottom contact fishing with light jigs, so the rod needed to be sensitive – feel everything,” explained Johnston. “At the same time the rod needed to be fairly soft at the tip, so you don’t pull the hook, but still have some backbone.”The culminating 7’ 1” rod is a masterpiece, sporting medium-power and an extra-fast tip. 
Image courtesy of B.A.S.S.
Johnston’s second effort was the TATULA Elite AGS model TTEL761MLFS-AGS, a precision instrument for operating hair jigs. “This was even more specific, for even lighter baits,” said Johnston. “It had to be long and soft with some whip to cast light jigs a long way. DAIWA didn’t have anything like it in their assortment until this one was released.”Now, bass anglers have a 7’ 6”, medium-light power, fast-action spinning rod for flinging hair with finesse.Johnston’s contribution to the TATULA Elite series is the TTEL761MLFS, a 7’ 6” medium-light power, fast-action spinning rod for hair jigs and Neko rigs. 
800 Pound Gorilla in the RoomJohnston isn’t an only child. His older brother Cory is also a DAIWA pro and formidable competitor on the Bassmaster Elite circuit. So, is there sibling rivalry? Damn straight there is.“There’s always been a rivalry fishing – who has bragging rights,” jabbed the younger of the Johnstons. “He’d be the first one to give it right back to me if the tables were turned. Cory knows he’ll get his opportunity!”Cory, too, has contributed to the TATULA Elite and TATULA Elite AGS programs. Known for his finesse baitcasting techniques, the older Johnston has rods for football jigs, stick baits, and flippin’. 
For DAIWA’s latest color catalog and/or information on DAIWA dealers in your area, call DAIWA’s Customer Service Department at 562-375-6800 or e-mail inquiries to: [email protected]. The URL for DAIWA’s web site is daiwa.us





Pell City’s Gossett Wins at Phoenix Bass Fishing League Regional on Logan Martin Lake

Brian Carter
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Pell City’s Gossett Wins at Phoenix Bass Fishing League Regional on Logan Martin Lake
Boater winner Zeke Gossett of Pell City, Alabama, and co-angler winner Rodney Graham of Childersburg, Alabama.
Alabama’s Graham Claims Co-Angler Division

LINCOLN, Ala. (Oct. 13, 2025) – Boater Zeke Gossett of Pell City, Alabama, caught a two-day total of 10 bass weighing 27 pounds, 6 ounces, to win the MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League (BFL) Presented by T-H Marine Regional on Logan Martin Lake Presented by Mando Deodorant . The tournament, which was hosted by the City of Lincoln, concluded Saturday. For his win, Gossett earned a prize package valued at $50,000, including a new Phoenix 819 Pro bass boat with a 200hp Mercury or Suzuki outboard.

The Logan Martin Lake event served as the Regional championship for the BFL Bama and Choo divisions. The field included the top 60 boaters and co-anglers based on point standings, plus each division’s tournament winners. The top three boaters and co-anglers have also now qualified for the 2026 BFL All-American.

Gossett said he approached Logan Martin with three key baits. Early in the day Gossett said he fished a Strike King KVD Sexy Dawg topwater and a black buzzbait down seawalls and docks in 2 to 3 feet of water. Later in the day Gossett switched to an electric shad-colored 3.75 Strike King Rage Swimmer swimbait, targeting rock piles in 10 feet of water.

“The first morning I had a really good start and a little over 12 pounds, which as tough as it’s been fishing, that’s a good start for this lake,” Gossett said. “Then I went through a big lull from 10 o’clock to 1 o’clock, but I made a key cull late in the day – a 3 pounder.

“Day 2 was just about the same story,” Gossett went on to say. “Then, around 2:30, I made back-to-back casts and caught a 2½-pounder and a 3¼ for two last-minute culls on the swimbait on a rock pile.”

Gossett said his home-lake experience led him to think that 30 pounds would be needed to win the two-day Regional.

“This lake has had a lot of pressure lately, so I knew it was going to fish tough,” Gossett said. “I didn’t think I had enough for the win, I thought I needed at least one more good bite each day. So this is surprising, but it feels really good to get this done on my home lake. I put in a lot of work for this tournament and practiced very hard. I knew I had to keep my head down, and I usually do better in grinder tournaments, anyway, so this one felt really good to come out on top.”

The top three boaters who qualified for the 2026 Phoenix BFL All-American finished:

1st:        Zeke Gossett, Pell City, Ala., 10 bass, 27-6, $50,100
2nd:       James Willoughby, Gulfport, Miss., 10 bass, 26-12, $7,623
3rd:       Tom Frink, Southside, Ala., 10 bass, 24-0, $4,392 (includes $500 Phoenix MLF Contingency Bonus)

Rounding out the top 10 boaters were:

4th:        Ben Foster, Owens Cross Roads, Ala., 10 bass, 23-2, $2,399
5th:        Brandon McGinnis, Pell City, Ala., 10 bass, 23-1, $1,653
6th:        Michael Smith, Andalusia, Ala., 10 bass, 22-13, $1,504
7th:        Alex Hester, Guntersville, Ala., 10 bass, 22-9, $1,355
8th:        Stihl Smith, Alexander, Ala., 10 bass, 22-7, $1,206
9th:        Matthew Bennett, Eclectic, Ala., 10 bass, 22-6, $1,056
10th:     Hunter Davidson, Reform, Ala., 10 bass, 22-2, $982

Complete results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

Michael Smith of Andalusia, Alabama, won the Berkley Big Bass Boater award and $1,000 for landing a bass that weighed 4 pounds, 15 ounces – the biggest of the tournament.



Rodney Graham of Childersburg, Alabama, won the co-angler division Saturday after bringing a two-day total of six bass weighing 14 pounds, 4 ounces, to the scale. Graham earned the top co-angler award of $14,999 for his victory.

The top three co-anglers who qualified for the 2026 Phoenix BFL All-American finished:

1st:        Rodney Graham, Childersburg, Ala., six bass, 14-4, $14,999
2nd:       Bejamin Roop, Tullahoma, Tenn., six bass, 14-3, $3,807
3rd:       Mason Franklin, McCalla, Ala., six bass, 13-7, $1,991

Rounding out the top 10 co-anglers were:

4th:        Randy Wiggins, Birmingham, Ala., six bass, 13-1, $1,195
5th:        Michael Pate, Dadeville, Ala., six bass, 12-10, $822
6th:        Stuart Vitollo, Vance, Ala., six bass, 12-5, $748
7th:        Darren Merhoff, Killen, Ala., six bass, 12-4, $673
8th:        Gary Marlowe, Montgomery, Ala., six bass, 12-0, $698
9th:        Jason Argo, Trinity, Ala., six bass, 11-9, $524
10th:     Pop Catalin, Cookeville, Tenn., six bass, 11-7, $487

Randy Wiggins of Birmingham, Alabama, caught a bass that weighed 4 pounds, 7 ounces, to win the Berkley Big Bass co-angler award worth $500.

The 2025 Phoenix BFL Presented by T-H Marine was a 24-division circuit devoted to weekend anglers, with 134 events throughout the season – five qualifying tournaments in each division. The top 60 boaters and co-anglers from each division, along with the five qualifying tournament winners, now advance to one of 12 BFL Regional tournaments where they are competing to finish in the top three, which then qualifies them for one of the longest-running championships in all of competitive bass fishing – the 43rd annual BFL All-American. The BFL All-American will take place May 28-30, 2026, at Lake Murray in Columbia, South Carolina, and is hosted by the Capital City Lake Murray Country Regional Tourism Board.





Kaestner & Wadford Win 5 Alive/STATE CONSTRUCTION Fall Trail Tournament #2

Brian Carter
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Kaestner & Wadford Win 5 Alive/STATE CONSTRUCTION Fall Trail Tournament #2

Tournament #2 of the STATE CONSTRUCTION Fall Trail is in the books.

We had 29 teams come out yesterday to Hyco Lake to get in on some Fall fishing. It was a picture perfect Fall day and the fish were biting good. Lots of fish caught by all but in typical Fall fashion it’s tough to find those good bites. As always tho somebody’s going to get on some good ones.

This week it was the team of Grant Kaestner & Colby Kolby Wadford that found the big bites to take home the WIN 🏆 in the 2nd tournament of the Fall Trail.

They had a 5 fish limit weighing 20.22 pounds👀 anchored by a 6.47 pounder that also won them Big Fish for the tournament. They took home everything possible to win! They went home with a total of 💰$1340.00.💰 ABSOLUTE GREAT JOB GUYS!!!!

They were followed by the team of Rhew & Rhew. They had a 5 fish limit weighing 16.37 pounds earning them a total of 💵$625.00💵

GOOD JOB FELLAS!

BIG CONGRATULATIONS to everyone who placed in the money!

The next tournament for the STATE CONSTRUCTION Fall Trail will be at Mayo Lake on 10/25/25.

Hope to seenyall there!

If you want to pre register or have any questions contact me Kevin Sheppard at 336-264-8416. 

Thanks!

Results. 

1st. Kaestner & Wadford- 20.22 pounds-$1340.00TWT

2nd. Rhew & Rhew- 16.37 pounds-$625.00 TWT 

3rd. Moore & Moore- 16.01 pounds-$450.00 TWT 

4th. Dalton & West- 15.50 pounds-$225.00

5th. Brann & Cox- 14.88 pounds- $125.00

6th. Cook & Rimmer- 13.36 pounds 

7th. J. Walker & Wyatt- 12.86 pounds 

8th. Nickey & Nickey- 12.62 pounds 

9th. Edward’s & Carver- 11.95 pounds

9th. Hicks & Norwood – 11.95 pounds

Big Fish. 

Kaestner & Wadford- 6.47 pounds-$290.00





Murray’s Berger Dominates Field for Second-Consecutive Win at Phoenix Bass Fishing League Regional on Kentucky-Barkley Lakes Presented by Mando Deodorant

Brian Carter
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Murray’s Berger Dominates Field for Second-Consecutive Win at Phoenix Bass Fishing League Regional on Kentucky-Barkley Lakes Presented by Mando Deodorant
Boater winner Justin Berger of Murray, Kentucky, and co-angler winner Brady Kendall of Paducah, Kentucky.
Kentucky’s Kendall Tops Co-Angler Division

PARIS, Tenn. (Oct. 13, 2025) – Boater Justin Berger of Murray, Kentucky, caught a two-day total of 10 bass weighing 41 pounds even to win the MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League (BFL) Presented by T-H Marine Regional on Kentucky-Barkley Lake Presented by Mando Deodorant . The tournament, which was hosted by the Henry County Tourism Authority, concluded Saturday. For his win, Berger earned a prize package valued at $50,000, including a new Phoenix 819 Pro bass boat with a 200hp Mercury or Suzuki outboard.

The Kentucky-Barkley Lake event served as the Regional championship for the BFL Mississippi and Hoosier divisions. The field included the top 60 boaters and co-anglers based on point standings, plus each division’s tournament winners. The top three boaters and co-anglers have also now qualified for the 2026 BFL All-American.

Berger entered the Regional event just weeks after winning the Sept. 6-7 BFL Super Tournament on Kentucky Lake.

“My goal during practice was to find topwater fish,” Berger said. “This time of year, if you can find a couple of places that’s got them, you can win. Period. So, if I could find one spot per day, it would have been the best practice ever. And in five days, I got seven bites. Which was not good.”

Berger said the first day of the tournament provided ‘super cold’ air temperatures and no wind, but he did not abandon his topwater approach for winning fish.

“I was not feeling good at all going into this tournament,” Berger said. “I was just going to have fun. I went through all five of my best topwater spots and never had a bite the first day. So I went to different subsurface baits, and still nothing. A complete ghost town.”

Berger said he moved the boat a couple of hundred yards away from one of his topwater spots and made some Scoping casts to clear his mind and gather his thoughts. He hooked into a couple of 4-pounders in a matter of 15 minutes. Another move provided a 17-inch keeper and a 4¼-pound bass. Yet another relocation provided another 17-incher.

“I had salvaged my day by 1:30, and I told my co-angler I had enough weight to give myself a chance for the second day,” Berger said. “So, for the next 2½ hours I fished new water just trying to find something for the next day, and never got another bite. I had five keeper bites on Friday and boated them all.”

The second day of competition provided warmer weather, and Berger said he wanted to run his same topwater spots in hopes that bite would pay off.

“On the very first spot my co-angler caught a 3½-pound fish,” Berger said. “It just demolished his topwater bait. So, I took that as a good sign.”

Berger’s topwater spots put two 3½-pound bass in the livewell and boosted his confidence. Berger soon boated a 3-pounder, and a smallmouth he estimated to be 5½ to 6 pounds followed. Berger said he wanted one more bass to fill his limit for a chance to make a strong showing in the tournament and secure an All-American berth.

“Not five casts later I caught a 5½-pound largemouth,” Berger said. “At 10 a.m. I had a really good bag. I couldn’t  have scripted it any better. I knew I was going to the All-American at that point. That’s all I wanted. I wanted to go back to the All-American. It is such a cool event and I’m so excited that I will be there again next year.”

The top three boaters who qualified for the 2026 Phoenix BFL All-American finished:

1st:        Justin Berger, Murray, Ky., 10 bass, 41-0, $50,000
2nd:       Matteo Turano, Puryear, Tenn., 10 bass, 36-0, $7,173 (includes $500 Phoenix MLF Contingency Bonus)
3rd:       Gary Singleton, Dickson, Tenn., 10 bass, 34-10, $3,419

Rounding out the top 10 boaters were:

4th:        Colton Boelkes, Roscoe, Ill., 10 bass, 34-9, $3,158
5th:        Jackson Bennett, Knoxville, Tenn., eight bass, 25-5, $1,527
6th:        Skip Howell, Okolona, Miss., eight bass, 25-3, $1,401
7th:        Nick Uebelhor, Jasper, Ind., seven bass, 24-15, $1,274
8th:        Jordan Hartman, Benton, Ky., seven bass, 24-10, $1,148
9th:        Brian Funkhouser, Bloomington, Ind., eight bass, 24-2, $1,022
10th:     John Anderson, Bay Springs, Miss., eight bass, 24-1, $958

Complete results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

Colton Boelkes of Roscoe, Illinois, won the Berkley Big Bass Boater award and $1,000 for landing a bass that weighed 6 pounds, 2 ounces – the biggest of the tournament.



Brady Kendall of Paducah, Kentucky, won the co-angler division Saturday after bringing a two-day total of four bass weighing 13 pounds, 5 ounces, to the scale. Kendall earned the top co-angler award of $12,790 for his victory.

The top three co-anglers who qualified for the 2026 Phoenix BFL All-American finished:

1st:        Brady Kendall, Paducah, Ky., four bass, 13-5, $12,790
2nd:       Jojo Walsh, Lyles, Tenn., four bass, 12-14, $3,278
3rd:       Larry Stewart Jr., Brandon, Miss., four bass, 11-14, $1,701

Rounding out the top 10 co-anglers were:

4th:        Joe Cornelius, Corinth, Miss., five bass, 11-13, $1,070
5th:        Johnny Suratt, Lawrenceburg, Tenn., four bass, 11-5, $755
6th:        Tim Rampaul, Dickson, Tenn., four bass, 11-1, $792
7th:        Judd Linette, Jasper, Ind., four bass, 10-1, $629
8th:        Cory Kaiser, Lanesville, Ind., three bass, 9-10, $566
9th:        Kilpatrick Thompson, Carrollton, Miss., three bass, 9-8, $503
10th:     Peyton Nolen, Lexington, Tenn., four bass, 9-0, $471

Steve Hammack of Caledonia, Mississippi, caught a bass that weighed 5 pounds, 10 ounces, to win the Berkley Big Bass co-angler award worth $500.

The 2025 Phoenix BFL Presented by T-H Marine was a 24-division circuit devoted to weekend anglers, with 134 events throughout the season – five qualifying tournaments in each division. The top 60 boaters and co-anglers from each division, along with the five qualifying tournament winners, now advance to one of 12 BFL Regional tournaments where they are competing to finish in the top three, which then qualifies them for one of the longest-running championships in all of competitive bass fishing – the 43rd annual BFL All-American. The BFL All-American will take place May 28-30, 2026, at Lake Murray in Columbia, South Carolina, and is hosted by the Capital City Lake Murray Country Regional Tourism Board.





Harrah’s Teply Goes ‘Old School’ for Win at Phoenix Bass Fishing League Regional on Grand Lake Presented by Mando Deodorant

Brian Carter
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Harrah’s Teply Goes ‘Old School’ for Win at Phoenix Bass Fishing League Regional on Grand Lake Presented by Mando Deodorant
Boater winner Joshua Teply of Harrah, Oklahoma, and co-angler winner Scott Stallings of Glencoe, Oklahoma.
Oklahoma’s Stallings Claims Co-Angler Division

GROVE, Okla. (Oct. 13, 2025) – Boater Joshua Teply of Harrah, Oklahoma, caught a two-day total of 10 bass weighing 38 pounds, 14 ounces, to win the MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League (BFL) Presented by T-H Marine Regional on Grand Lake Presented by Mando Deodorant . The tournament, which was hosted by City of Grove, wrapped up on Saturday. For his win, Teply earned a prize package valued at $50,000, including a new Phoenix 819 Pro bass boat with a 200hp Mercury or Suzuki outboard.

The Grand Lake event served as the Regional championship for the BFL Ozark and Okie divisions. The field included the top 60 boaters and co-anglers based on point standings, plus each division’s tournament winners. The top three boaters and co-anglers have also now qualified for the 2026 BFL All-American.

Boat malfunctions limited Teply’s practice time on Grand, but he didn’t let that hamper his chances for the tournament.

“Everybody is on Grand this time of the year,” Teply said. “I had an idea of what was going on. Fishing is pretty simple to me right now, and I caught a lot of fish each day.

“For the most part I stayed in the mid-lake region and covered a ton of water,” Teply added. “Once I found fish I stayed put for as long as I kept catching fish.”

Teply, who mentioned he was very adept with forward-facing sonar, said he concentrated his efforts offshore and fairly deep in 25 feet of water. He said the rest of the field seemed to be focusing on shallow water, and he had the depths to himself during the tournament.

“I look for whatever looks good when I’m fishing with the sonar,” Teply said. “Sometimes it’s rocks, sometimes it’s trees that have floated in, sometimes it’s brushpiles or schools of fish. I just look for anything that looks good. I tell everybody, ‘Look for stop signs for bass.’ I look for places with not a lot of cover. But then when you do find a piece of cover, it is a key piece of cover with a group of fish on it.”

Teply said he doesn’t use sonar to pick out individual fish on his electronics. Rather, he uses it as a tool to locate structure, then approaches the fish with a self-described ‘old-school’ technique.

“I throw a big ¾-ounce brown and purple Destroyer jig and a big worm,” Teply said. “I like a redbug Zoom Magnum Ol Monster or a Zoom Magnum Trick Worm, with a ½-ounce tungsten unpegged weight and a big, heavy flippin’ hook on 22-pound Sunline Shooter . Big rod, big line, big hook, big bait. Just set the hook and flip ‘em in the boat – none of this netting stuff.

“I caught fish shaking a minnow this week, but they weren’t the right ones,” Teply added. “I just couldn’t catch the right ones on it. The bait had to be fished on the bottom and fished very slowly. I had to quit looking at that screen and just drag that bait.”

The top three boaters who qualified for the 2026 Phoenix BFL All-American finished:

1st:        Joshua Teply, Harrah, Okla., 10 bass, 38-14, $50,000
2nd:       Derek Felton, Shell Knob, Mo., 10 bass, 36-0, $9,268 (includes $500 Phoenix MLF Contingency Bonus)
3rd:       Brandon Ackerson, Afton, Okla., 10 bass, 32-0, $4,422

Rounding out the top 10 boaters were:

4th:        Cody Miller, Shell Knob, Mo., 10 bass, 30-0, $3,783
5th:        David Youngblood, Owasso, Okla., 10 bass, 29-14, $1,814
6th:        Jeremy Johnson, Sapulpa, Okla., 10 bass, 28-14, $1,640
7th:        Kolton Dauber, Osage Beach, Mo., 10 bass, 28-6, $1,466
8th:        William Gaddis, Afton, Okla., 10 bass, 28-5, $1,293
9th:        Micah Littlejohn, Grove, Okla., 10 bass, 27-14, $1,119
10th:     Scott Ross, Claremore, Okla., 10 bass, 27-10, $1,032

Complete results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

Cody Miller of Shell Knob, Missouri, won the Berkley Big Bass Boater award and $1,000 for landing a bass that weighed 6 pounds, 11 ounces – the biggest of the tournament.



Scott Stallings of Glencoe, Oklahoma, won the co-angler division Saturday after bringing a two-day total of six bass weighing 19 pounds, 8 ounces, to the scale. Stallings earned the top co-angler award of $17,421 for his victory.

The top three co-anglers who qualified for the 2026 Phoenix BFL All-American finished:

1st:        Scott Stallings, Glencoe, Okla., six bass, 19-8, $17,421
2nd:       Jordan Clayton, Wichita Falls, Texas, six bass, 17-0, $4,382
3rd:       Mark Taylor, Oklahoma City, Okla., six bass, 15-14, $2,309

Rounding out the top 10 co-anglers were:

4th:        Tad Harp, Cave Springs, Ark., six bass, 15-6, $1,340
5th:        Eian Odle, Willow Springs, Mo., six bass, 14-13, $905
6th:        Caleb Arterberry, Republic, Mo., six bass, 14-8, $818
7th:        Kaleb O’Brien, Wagoner, Okla., six bass, 14-7, $731
8th:        Steve Cummins, Bartlesville, Okla., six bass, 14-6, $645
9th:        J.P. Northcutt, Grove, Okla., six bass, 14-4, $558
10th:     Clay Tresler, Fayetteville, Ark., six bass, 14-3, $514

Scott Stallings of Glencoe, Oklahoma, and Donnie Agnew of Farmington, Missouri, each caught a bass that weighed 3 pounds, 12 ounces, to split the Berkley Big Bass co-angler award worth $500.

The 2025 Phoenix BFL Presented by T-H Marine was a 24-division circuit devoted to weekend anglers, with 134 events throughout the season – five qualifying tournaments in each division. The top 60 boaters and co-anglers from each division, along with the five qualifying tournament winners, now advance to one of 12 BFL Regional tournaments where they are competing to finish in the top three, which then qualifies them for one of the longest-running championships in all of competitive bass fishing – the 43rd annual BFL All-American. The BFL All-American will take place May 28-30, 2026, at Lake Murray in Columbia, South Carolina, and is hosted by the Capital City Lake Murray Country Regional Tourism Board.





McMinnville’s Bouldin Posts Victory at Phoenix Bass Fishing League Regional on Douglas Lake

Brian Carter
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McMinnville’s Bouldin Posts Victory at Phoenix Bass Fishing League Regional on Douglas Lake
Boater winner Hunter Bouldin of McMinnville, Tennessee, and co-angler winner Aiden Roberson-Barber of Livingston, Tennessee.
Tennessee’s Roberson-Barber Takes Co-Angler Division

DANDRIDGE, Tenn. (Oct. 13, 2025) – Boater Hunter Bouldin of McMinnville, Tennessee, caught a two-day total of 10 bass weighing 30 pounds, 12 ounces, to win the MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League (BFL) Presented by T-H Marine Regional on Douglas Lake Presented by Mando Deodorant . The tournament, which was hosted by Visit Jefferson County TN, concluded Saturday. For his win, Bouldin earned a prize package valued at $50,000, including a new Phoenix 819 Pro bass boat with a 200hp Mercury or Suzuki outboard.

The Douglas Lake event served as the Regional championship for the BFL Mountain and Music City divisions. The field included the top 60 boaters and co-anglers based on point standings, plus each division’s tournament winners. The top three boaters and co-anglers have also now qualified for the 2026 BFL All-American.

“I started off fishing shallow, specifically throwing topwater,” Bouldin said. “I caught one close to 3 pounds right out of the gate. I kept fishing around and had a bit of bad luck when I broke two off back-to-back. While I was throwing the topwater I was looking for brush, because I didn’t see any evidence of a good floating-bait bite.”

A jig thrown to brush produced a 3-pounder for Bouldin, so he changed his tactics and the day picked up for him. However, on the second day he didn’t stick to the jig early in the day.

“I fished some schools and some topwater to start out with, and something wasn’t feeling right,” Bouldin said. “Then I went to a brush pile and lost three good ones out of it. I felt like I had blown my opportunity right there. Four fish out of one brush pile, and I only landed one of them.”

Bouldin said he then ran the lake looking for schooling fish but ended up returning to the brush pile. The brush pile didn’t produce for him, but a nearby rock outcropping held a 4-pounder that ended up being the largest bass Bouldin weighed.

“So, I just stayed in that one holler and fished that brush, and for whatever reason that one little holler was just loaded with good, healthy fish,” Bouldin said.

The top three boaters who qualified for the 2026 Phoenix BFL All-American finished:

1st:        Hunter Bouldin, McMinnville, Tenn., 10 bass, 30-12, $50,000
2nd:       Tim Smiley, White Pine, Tenn., 10 bass, 28-4, $6,884
3rd:       Cody Mackie, McMinnville, Tenn., 10 bass, 28-0, $3,115

Rounding out the top 10 boaters were:

4th:        Wyatt Pearman, Hodgenville, Ky., 10 bass, 27-11, $2,607 (includes $500 Phoenix MLF Contingency Bonus)
5th:        Drew Boggs, Lebanon, Tenn., 10 bass, 26-14, $1,453
6th:        Rex Reagan, Livingston, Tenn., 10 bass, 26-7, $1,342
7th:        Levi Kohl, Edinburg, Ill., 10 bass, 25-4, $1,232
8th:        Steven Miracle, White Pine, Tenn., 10 bass, 25-2, $1,120
9th:        Grant Meisenhelter, Decatur, Ill., 10 bass, 24-5, $1,003
10th:     Timothy Wacker, Clinton, Tenn., 10 bass, 24-0, $944

Complete results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

Tim Smiley of White Pine, Tennessee, won the Berkley Big Bass Boater award and $1,000 for landing a bass that weighed 4 pounds, 15 ounces – the biggest of the tournament.



Aiden Roberson-Barber of Livingston, Tennessee, won the co-angler division Saturday after bringing a two-day total of six bass weighing 16 pounds, 4 ounces, to the scale. Roberson-Barber earned the top co-angler award of $11,237 for his victory.

The top three co-anglers who qualified for the 2026 Phoenix BFL All-American finished:

1st:        Aiden Roberson-Barber, Livingston, Tenn., six bass, 16-4, $11,237
2nd:       Dustin Forrest, Knob Lick, Ky., six bass, 14-12, $3,430
3rd:       Mike Swetland, Tamaroa, Ill., six bass, 14-7, $1,545

Rounding out the top 10 co-anglers were:

4th:        Blake Whittaker, Cookeville, Tenn., six bass, 13-11, $991
5th:        Brad Barton, Middlesboro, Ky., six bass, 13-2, $714
6th:        Tracy Helton, London, Ky., six bass, 12-14, $659
7th:        Wayne Crouch, Jamestown, Tenn., five bass, 12-14, $753
8th:        Chesney Cameron, Rutledge, Tenn., five bass, 12-12, $548
9th:        Gregory Goodwin, Louisville, Ky., six bass, 12-6, $491
10th:     Trevor Medley, Sparta, Tenn., five bass, 12-6, $462

Dustin Forrest of Knob Lick, Kentucky, caught a bass that weighed 3 pounds, 10 ounces, to win the Berkley Big Bass co-angler award worth $500.

The 2025 Phoenix BFL Presented by T-H Marine was a 24-division circuit devoted to weekend anglers, with 134 events throughout the season – five qualifying tournaments in each division. The top 60 boaters and co-anglers from each division, along with the five qualifying tournament winners, now advance to one of 12 BFL Regional tournaments where they are competing to finish in the top three, which then qualifies them for one of the longest-running championships in all of competitive bass fishing – the 43rd annual BFL All-American. The BFL All-American will take place May 28-30, 2026, at Lake Murray in Columbia, South Carolina, and is hosted by the Capital City Lake Murray Country Regional Tourism Board.





Matt Foster & Matt Atkins win CATT Smith Mountain Lake with 23.48 lbs

Brian Carter
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0
Matt Foster & Matt Atkins win CATT Smith Mountain Lake with 23.48 lbs

CLICK TO SEE RESULTS





Fall Fishing with Proven Tactics!

Brian Carter
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Fall Fishing with Proven Tactics!
Fall is one of the most unpredictable seasons for bass anglers because fish can be spread throughout the water column. Some bass will push shallow to follow schools of baitfish, while others remain suspended in deeper water. This wide distribution means anglers must adapt quickly and avoid relying on just one method. A pattern that works well one day can completely shut down the next as fish reposition. Success often comes from recognizing these shifts early and having multiple techniques ready. Flexibility is key, as the fall bite rewards anglers who adjust to changing conditions rather than sticking with a single approach. Bass often follow the bait, so understanding seasonal forage movements is essential to staying on top of the bite. Wind, current, and weather changes can all play major roles in where bass set up from day to day. Covering water efficiently helps identify active fish rather than just waiting for them to come to you. Anglers who think of shallow, mid-depth, and deep zones are better prepared to find feeding bass regardless of conditions. Above all, keeping an open mind ensures you won’t overlook opportunities when bass shift locations unexpectedly.Our Fresh HellaMite is designed to imitate a major aquatic food source, delivering a realistic profile of an insect larva that fish can’t resist. Each is scented for complete and total attraction underwater, along with being made in the USA by real fishermen. We recently restocked the HellaMite Pro Pack, which is loaded with 60 baits in all six proven colors, plus three Owner Block Head Ned Jigs and a handy storage bag. This kit has everything you need to stay rigged and ready year-round. Grab our newest Lil Bass, Hot Sauce, MidNight, Glow, 10w30 Synthetic, Slimer Green, and Barbie Pink HellaMite colors. We’ve also restocked our Green Pumpkin and Smoke Purple HellaMite. The HellaMite’s solid body and hyperactive ribbed tail design produce a life-like quivering action with every twitch of the rod. Its unique flat underbelly detail enables this bait to be fished as a drop shot, Ned rig, neko rig, and even a small Carolina-rig, making it the ideal bait in any condition year-round. When the water is clear, the fish can see the bait and look like real food, causing strikes. Each cast becomes an opportunity for an exhilarating catch, thanks to its superior performance and versatility.
Targeting bass around schools of baitfish in open water is a reliable tactic in the fall. One effective method is to present a soft plastic, such as an insect larva or small worm, just above the school to imitate wounded prey. Light rod action allows the bait to quiver naturally, which often triggers strikes from hesitant fish. Sometimes pulling the bait slightly away from the school can spark a reaction bite, as it mimics escaping forage. Anglers should pay close attention to how bass are reacting, since small adjustments in presentation can make a big difference. This approach works throughout the season because it matches the way bass feed heavily on shad and other forage in autumn. It’s also effective at multiple depths, since bass may rise to the surface one moment and drop into 30–40 feet the next. Precision is critical, as keeping the bait just above the fish often makes the difference between followers and strikes. Using common electronics to track the movement of both shad and bass helps anglers stay locked onto the action. Patience is also necessary, since fish may ignore the bait at first before suddenly committing. When executed correctly, minnow shaking is a highly effective way to connect with large groups of bass that are actively feeding.We use our Fresh Scorpion because it closely imitates a crawfish. Our newest 10w30 Synthetic, Slimer Green, and Barbie Pink Scorpion colors work wonders. The Scorpion is a revolutionary new look to soft plastics. Its intricate detailing and texture mimic the nuances of a real crawfish, making it hard for bass to resist. Of course, water clarity always plays a role in color selection but in any season, you can’t miss using colors such as Green Pumpkin Seed, Brown Bark, and the Magneto. This bait not only appears natural to fish but gives them something to become curious about. The Scorpion paired with a stand-up jig is deadly because the jig actually sits the bait upright in a defensive stance. The subtle color variations across the bait further enhance its appeal, mimicking the natural color shifts found in live prey. Each Fresh Scorpion has a unique and exclusive 3-axis tail design that is engineered like no other soft plastic bait. Our Scorpions are made by anglers from high-grade non-salt plastic to provide superior life-like action that triggers strikes!
When the water turns stained or muddy in fall, big bass often tuck into heavy cover. Using a soft plastic craw or lizard rigged for flipping is an excellent way to reach fish hiding in brush, laydowns, or along rock walls. Short, precise pitches allow the bait to slip into small openings and tempt fish in tight quarters. Stealth is really critical, as noise or excess movement in shallow areas can spook these larger bass. Anglers should focus on the backs of creeks or areas with runoff, where dingy water concentrates big fish. This tactic not only produces consistent bites but also often delivers the kicker fish that separates a decent day from a winning one. Working slowly and methodically is important, since bass in heavy cover often strike after a bait has settled. Stronger hooksets and steady pressure are necessary to pull fish out of thick vegetation or wood. The angler’s choice of line also plays a big role here, as heavier setups prevent break-offs when wrestling bass out of cover. Flipping also allows anglers to dissect small pieces of habitat that other techniques might overlook. By targeting high-percentage spots with precision, this method consistently puts quality bass in the boat.The new FreshBaitz Lizards deliver a realistic profile that excels in both power and finesse techniques. Act fast, we’ve recently just released new Hot Sauce, MidNight, Ghost, and 10w30 Synthetic Lizard designs! The unique forward-facing leg design creates drag that holds it in the strike zone longer or produces wild flapping action with every pull of the rod. Additionally, its slightly ribbed solid body and large head hold your hook in place and provide much better weedless performance making it the ideal bait to use in any condition. Water clarity always plays a super big role in color selection but in any season year-round, you can’t miss when using colors such as Watermelon Red, Black & Blue, or Green Pumpkin. Its flexible tail design ensures added movement, tempting even the most cautious fish. The superior 5.5-inch profile stretches to a whole 7 inches which is perfect for predatory fish including bass year round. Made from long-lasting durable high-grade non-salted plastic for total and maximum attention-grabbing action underwater.
A drop shot is a versatile option for bass that suspend in the water column or gather around bait schools. In fall, bright-colored soft plastics such as lizards, worms, or beetles often outperform more natural tones, even when bass are feeding on shad. The contrast and visibility seem to trigger more strikes, especially in deeper or slightly stained water. This setup excels when fish are scattered, since it can be fished vertically beneath the boat or cast long distances to roaming schools. The ability to keep the bait in one place while maintaining a natural action makes it particularly effective. Anglers should always keep a drop shot rig ready, as it consistently produces bites across a wide range of conditions. Another strength of this approach is how it works across multiple depth zones, from shallow flats to deep ledges. It also allows anglers to detect subtle bites, since bass often inhale the bait without aggressive strikes. By experimenting with leader lengths and weight sizes, presentations can be fine-tuned to match changing conditions. When bass are grouped up, a drop shot can produce fish after fish without having to relocate. It’s a dependable system that keeps anglers in the action even when other methods slow down.Our Fresh Beetle delivers ultimate versatility in a soft plastic bait. Its slim yet wide body design and four claws are engineered to naturally glide and wobble as it moves through the water. This design ensures they remain enticingly active longer than conventional baits. Its unique texture also provides a realistic feel, making bass hold on longer once they bite. Water clarity plays a big role in color selection but year-round you can’t miss when using go-to colors such as Chocolate Mint, Ox Blood, or 10w30 Synthetic beetles. The hyper-active swimming claws are designed thin with long-lasting durable non-salt plastic to make them come alive with the slightest movement. The Fresh Beetle offers an enticing 4-inch profile and is scented for complete and total attraction! You can rig these Beetles as a Jig/ Chatter Trailer, Flippin/ Punching, Texas Rig, Swing Jig, and Carolina Rig. Making the beetle beyond perfect in any weather condition year-round!
The effectiveness of any fall technique is closely tied to matching the right rod and line setup. Lighter rods with finesse presentations like insect larvae or worms allow small movements that look more natural to suspended fish. Heavier rods and stronger line are needed for flipping soft plastics into dense cover, where bass hit hard and fights are short but powerful. Choosing the right line also matters. Braid offers strength in heavy cover, while fluorocarbon or much lighter monofilament can increase bites in clearer water. Selecting the wrong setup can reduce sensitivity, limit lure control, and result in missed strikes. Paying attention to these details ensures that each presentation works the way it’s designed to. Rod length also influences casting distance and accuracy, which can be critical when covering large areas in the fall. The action of the rod, such as fast, moderate, and slow, directly affects how well you can control a bait and set the hook. Matching line diameter to the presentation is equally important, since heavier lines can alter how soft plastics sink or move. Even reel choice, such as gear ratio, plays a role in keeping pressure on fish or working lures properly. When all components are balanced together, anglers maximize efficiency and greatly improve their hookup ratios.Using a stick-styled worm is the most tried and true ways to catch fish. We have a variety of 5-inch Worms to choose from but we just added MidNight, Glow, and Ghost Worms! Our popular Watermelon Red Worms have been restocked as well. You can also experience our new wacky rigging kit while it’s ON SALE! The WACKY Pack offers our most popular colors and essential tools for wacky rigging. If you’re fast enough you might be able to grab the limited-release Pumpkin Spice Worm before it’s completely sold out, along with some of our newest colors, including the Brown Worm, Electric Chicken Worm, and Goby Wan Worm colors. The high-grade non-salt plastic they’re made from provides positive buoyancy and it even floats underwater! We also Restocked 6-inch Worms, including Watermelon Red, Green Pumpkin, Black & Blue, Fire TGR, Wild Berries, Bone, 10w30 Synthetic, Zombie Blood, and Chocolate MNT! — all available in 5 and 6-inch. We’ve also recently released new 8-count packs of worms available in Watermelon Red, Black & Blue, and Green Pumpkin. We also offer worms that have the unique ability to shift from one color to another. Scented for total attraction underwater.
Although three primary techniques often dominate fall fishing, anglers should not overlook other productive options. Topwater presentations with soft plastic lizards or worms can draw explosive strikes during calm, low-light conditions. Slow-moving beetles or craw-styled baits dragged along deeper structure can trigger bites when fish push down. Jerk-style retrieves with soft plastics can also shine in cooler, clearer water where bass key on erratic movement. Having a variety of techniques ready allows anglers to cover multiple depths and scenarios. The more tools in your arsenal, the better prepared you are to adjust when bass shift their patterns suddenly. Transition zones such as points, channel swings, and bridge pilings often call for experimenting with multiple lures until fish reveal their preference. Some days bass may only respond to aggressive retrieves, while on others they favor subtle presentations. Weather fronts can also influence feeding behavior, making adaptability even more critical. Rotating between different soft plastics can reveal overlooked opportunities when the bite seems tough. Ultimately, versatility ensures that anglers remain effective no matter how unpredictable fall conditions become.Introducing the Newest 8-Inch MagDingo Worms! These are the ultimate game-changer in bass fishing! Engineered for anglers who know SIZE does matter, this lure is designed to attract only the BIGGEST bass with a fixation for the larger bait. The MagDingo Worm boasts a solid 8-inch body enhanced with a hyperactive ribbed design, ensuring irresistible mouth-watering action for those trophy bass. The 10-count packs are now available in a variety of 6 crucial colors, including the 10w30 Synthetic, Black & Blue, Zombie Blood, Green Pumpkin, Wild Cherry, and Watermelon Red. Each worm is made in the USA from durable, high-grade Non-Salted plastic for lifelike action and unparalleled durability. Perfectly balanced for a variety of rigging options and scented for maximum attraction, the 8-inch MagDingo Worm promises year-round effectiveness in lakes, rivers, and streams. Whether you’re rigging it on a Shakey Head, Drop Shot, Texas Rig, or Carolina Rig, these worms are your ticket to landing trophy-sized smallmouth and largemouth bass.
As temperatures drop and days shorten, bass can sense the coming winter and feed extra aggressively to build energy reserves. This seasonal feeding frenzy creates some of the best opportunities of the year for numbers of quality fish. Anglers who locate active schools can experience days with dozens of bass caught in a single outing. Soft plastics like worms and insect larvae, worked at the right depth, often match the small forage bass that are chasing. The key is to stay mobile until you find concentrations of fish, then work the area thoroughly. Fall fishing rewards persistence and adaptability, often producing memorable catches before the winter slowdown. It’s really not uncommon for bass to shift between shallow flats, mid-depth points, and deeper ledges all in the same day, so covering water is essential. Once a school is found, varying retrieves can keep fish biting longer, preventing the action from dying off too quickly. Paying close attention to the baitfish activity on the surface or seen on electronics can reveal where schools are most active. Double hookups are possible when fish are feeding aggressively. For anglers willing to chase the bite, fall offers the chance to stack numbers and land some of the biggest fish of the year.
We have a wide variety of terminal tackle to choose from, but we’ve released new Nako Tungsten Tear Drop Shot Weights, crafted from 97% eco-friendly tungsten for stealth, durability, and vibration, with easy-to-read size stamps and a crimped swivel for quick changes. Owner Mosquito Hooks work for dropshotting and perfectly accommodates a wide range of soft plastics. The new Haymaker EWG Worm Hooks are also now available, featuring an extra-wide gap for various soft plastics, a Z-lock shoulder bend for secure bait placement, and an angled-up super needle point for fast, powerful hooksets. The popular All Purpose Hooks are built with an extra-wide gap and are made to accommodate a wide range of soft plastics. For creature-styled baits, a more popular choice to use is the Stand-Up Jig because it sits the bait up-right in a defensive stance! The WEEDLESS Block Head Jig features high-quality construction that helps increase your hook-up ratios and keep your bait clean from snagging rocks or vegetation. The Block Head Jig is perfect for ned rigging the HellaMite with its mushroom-style head that seamlessly matches a wide variety of soft plastics. The Offset Block Head Jig, offers the same mushroom-style head with a unique offset hook, making it a go-to for weedless Ned Rig applications. The Shakey Ultrahead can permanently secure baits by inserting the pin in the center and screwing the twist lock coil spring for perfect rigging every time! The Ultrahead Wacky Jig features precise weight positioning and hook orientation for the ultimate wacky presentations. For fast Texas rigging, we use the Bullet-Type Rig which has an attached weight saving you precious time when fishing cover. The 4x Jungle Flippin Hook is designed for big fish and the toughest conditions. The Range Roller Jig Head is crafted for precision with its high center axis design, perfect for hover-strolling and mid to bottom strolling with forward facing sonar, ensuring an enticing rolling action that triggers bites. We also just released Keep’em Fresh Bait Bags! These bags are the ultimate solution for anglers who need their gear to perform. Built like a tank, this bag is 20x stronger than regular zip bags and offers 100% waterproof protection with a rock-solid double zipper seal. Whether it’s for soft plastics, snacks, or your smartphone, this reusable and versatile bag keeps everything safe from water, mud, and grime. It’s lightweight yet spacious, it fits snugly in your tackle box or backpack, making it perfect for your next adventure.
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