? We need your input! Should we continue adding audio to our press releases and original content? ??️?️ Are you actually listening? ? Let us know your thoughts!
[forminator_poll id=”149263″]
Barnes, Grooms Tie for Win at Phoenix Bass Fishing League Event at Kerr Lake
| Boater winners Wade Grooms of Bonneau, South Carolina and Jason Barnes of Concord, North Carolina, and Strike-King co-angler winner Nicholas Burke of Maiden, North Carolina. |
| Maiden’s Burke Tops Strike King Co-Angler Division HENDERSON, N.C. (May 6, 2024) – Boaters Jason Barnes of Concord, North Carolina, and Wade Grooms of Bonneau, South Carolina, each caught five-bass limits weighing 16 pounds, 13 ounces, Saturday to tie for the win at the MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League (BFL) Presented by T-H Marine on Kerr Lake . Hosted by the Vance County Tourism Development Authority, the tournament was the third event of the season for the BFL North Carolina Division. For their share of the victory, Barnes earned $10,412, which includes the lucrative $7,000 Phoenix MLF Contingency Bonus, and Grooms took home $2,502. Barnes and Grooms fished unique patterns to earn their share of a tie. “What I found was really a postspawn bite,” Grooms said. “The fish were grouped up. I caught them on a pencil popper running real shallow points.” Grooms rotated through about eight points – all but one on the main lake – and each was good for multiple fish. He made three rotations throughout the day, keeping his boat in about 6 feet and casting up into about 4 feet. “I did have one in a creek that was real good, but most of them were main lake,” he said. “They were probably the first point out from a spawning pocket or creek where they would go to spawn.” Barnes caught his fish targeting shallow wood cover. “I pretty much just ran up the lake, and we were running shallow pockets, pretty well power-fishing throwing buzz baits and a spinnerbait. I did catch some flipping a creature bait,” he said. Barnes only managed seven keeper bites all day, but they were the right ones, including a 5-pound, 13-ounce kicker that earned him the Berkley Big Bass award of $410. The key to his success? Simple: “Staying persistent,” he said. “Keeping at it.” The top 10 boaters finished the tournament: 1st: Jason Barnes, Concord, N.C., five bass, 16-3, $10,412 (includes $7,000 Phoenix MLF Contingency Bonus) 1st: Wade Grooms, Bonneau, S.C., five bass, 16-3, $2,502 3rd: Rob Digh, Denver, N.C., five bass, 16-0, $1,112 4th: Joseph Sharpe, Henderson, N.C., five bass, 15-11, $779 5th: Marty Warren, Elon, N.C., five bass, 15-4, $667 6th: Greg Lahr, Fayetteville, N.C., five bass, 14-14, $612 7th: Scott Hamrick, Denver, N.C., five bass, 14-10, $556 8th: Tom Wilkinson, Oxford, N.C., five bass, 14-6, $501 9th: David Wright, Lexington, N.C., five bass, 14-3, $417 9th: Scooter Lilley, Williamston, N.C., five bass, 14-3, $417 Complete results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.  Nicholas Burke of Maiden, North Carolina, won the Strike King co-angler division and $1,668 Saturday, after bringing five bass to the scale that totaled 15 pounds, 6 ounces. The top 10 Strike King co-anglers finished: 1st: Nicholas Burke, Maiden, N.C., five bass, 15-6, $1,668 2nd: Keith Wood, Mooresville, N.C., five bass, 13-2, $834 3rd: Jared Jones, Denver, N.C., five bass, 12-14, $558 4th: Arthur Harris, York, S.C., five bass, 11-13, $389 5th: Jean Lacerte, Elm City, N.C., five bass, 11-0, $334 6th: Jonathan Ceaser, Maidens, Va., five bass, 10-13, $306 7th: Brandon Miskell, Vienna, Va., five bass, 10-11, $278 8th: Russell Nicewander, Bluefield, W.Va., five bass, 10-5, $250 9th: Robert Green, Sedalia, N.C., five bass, 10-4, $222 10th: Amos Minard, Akron, Ohio, five bass, 10-3, $195 Samuel Jones of Fuquay Varina, North Carolina, earned the Berkley Big Bass co-angler award of $205, catching a bass that weighed in at 4 pounds, 11 ounces – the largest co-angler catch of the day. After three events, Lucas Murphy of West Columbia, South Carolina, leads the Fishing Clash North Carolina Division Angler of the Year (AOY) race with 723 points, while Jared Jones of Denver, North Carolina, leads the Fishing Clash North Carolina Co-Angler of the Year race with 736 points. The next event for BFL North Carolina Division anglers will be held June 15, at High Rock Lake in Lexington, North Carolina. To register for the event as a boater or a co-angler, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com or call (270)-252-1000. The top 45 boaters and co-anglers in the region based on point standings, along with the five tournament winners of each qualifying event, will qualify for the Oct. 10-12 BFL Regional tournament on Santee Cooper Lakes in Clarendon County, South Carolina. Boaters will fish for a top award of $60,000, including a new Phoenix 819 Pro with a 200-horsepower Mercury or Suzuki outboard and $10,000, while co-anglers will compete for a top award of $50,000, including a new Phoenix 819 Pro with a 200-horsepower Mercury or Suzuki outboard. The 2024 Phoenix BFL Presented by T-H Marine is a 24-division circuit devoted to weekend anglers, with 128 events throughout the season, five qualifying tournaments in each division. The top 45 boaters and Strike King co-anglers from each division, along with the five qualifying event winners, will advance to one of six BFL Regional tournaments where they are competing to finish in the top six, which then qualifies them for one of the longest-running championships in all of competitive bass fishing – the BFL All-American. Proud sponsors of the 2024 MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine include: 7Brew, Abu Garcia, B&W Trailer Hitches, Berkley, BUBBA, E3, Epic Baits, Fishing Clash, General Tire, GSM Outdoors, Lew’s, Mercury, Mossy Oak, Onyx, Phoenix, Polaris, Power-Pole, REDCON1, Strike King, Suzuki, Tackle Warehouse, T-H Marine, Toyota, WIX Filters and YETI. For complete details and updated tournament information, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular Bass Fishing League updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF5’s social media outlets at Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. |
SoCal Jr. Bass Anglers Win MLF Abu Garcia High School Fishing Presented by Tackle Warehouse Open on Lake Havasu
LAKE HAVASU CITY, Ariz. (May 6, 2024) – The MLF High School Fishing team of Bryce Deheyn of San Marcos, California, and Talon Patton of Santee, California, brought five bass to the scale Sunday weighing 19 pounds, 1 ounce to win the MLF Abu Garcia High School Fishing Presented by Tackle Warehouse Open at Lake Havasu in Havasu City, Arizona.
A field of 16 teams competed in the no-entry fee tournament, which was hosted by Go Lake Havasu. In MLF High School Fishing competition, the top 10 percent of teams competing advance to the High School Fishing National Championship.
The top 10 teams finished:
1st: SoCal Jr. Bass Club, Poway, Calif. – Bryce Deheyn and Talon Patton, five bass, 19-1
2nd: Lake Havasu, Lake Havasu City, Ariz. – Daniel McCoy and Logan Maltese, five bass, 16-6
3rd: Arizona High School Bassmasters – Wyatt Massey and Degan Dougherty, five bass, 16-2
4th: Chandler High School, Chandler, Ariz. – Ty Lauzon and Robbie Livar, five bass, 15-11
5th: SoCal Jr. Bass Club, Poway, Calif. – Ryder and Brenner Lynn, five bass, 14-6
6th: Oakdale High School, Oakdale, Calif. – David Onsager and Luke Walther, five bass, 14-4
7th: Oakdale High School, Oakdale, Calif. – Gage Galdos and Ivan Nieto, five bass, 13-3
8th: SoCal Jr. Bass Club, Poway, Calif. – Kaine Navarro and Chris Cangas, five bass, 13-3
9th: Delta Teen Team, Oakley, Calif. – Ruby Bulling and Evan Birck, five bass, 12-12
10th: Valley Bass Club, Ariz. – Cooper Springsteel and Dylan Mladick, four bass, 9-13
Complete results from the event can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
MLF Abu Garcia High School Fishing presented by Tackle Warehouse tournaments are free, two-person (team) events for students in grades 7-12 and are open to any MLF and TBF Student Angler Federation-affiliated high school club. The top 10 percent of teams at each Open event, along with the TBF High School Fishing state championships, advance to the High School Fishing National Championship. Tournaments held on or before May 6, 2024, advance teams to the 2024 National Championship. Tournaments held after May 6, 2024, advance teams to the 2025 National Championship.
The 2024 Abu Garcia High School Fishing National Championship & World Finals events will take place June 19-22, at Lake Hartwell in Anderson, South Carolina. The High School Fishing National Champions each receive a $5,000 college scholarship to the school of their choice and advance to the 2024 MLF Toyota Series Championship to compete as co-anglers.
Proud sponsors of the 2024 MLF Abu Garcia High School Fishing Presented by Tackle Warehouse include: 7Brew, Abu Garcia, B&W Trailer Hitches, Berkley, BUBBA, E3, Epic Baits, General Tire, GSM Outdoors, Lew’s, Mercury, Mossy Oak, Onyx, Phoenix, Polaris, Power-Pole, REDCON1, Strike King, Suzuki, Tackle Warehouse, T-H Marine, Toyota, WIX Filters and YETI.
For complete details and updated tournament information, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular High School Fishing updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF5’s social media outlets at Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.
Eufaula, Alabama Readies for MLF Tackle Warehouse Invitational Stop 4 on Lake Eufaula
| Eufaula, Alabama pro Ethan Greene will be among the 150 anglers competing next week at the MLF Tackle Warehouse Invitational Stop 4 at Lake Eufaula Presented by E3 Sports Apparel. (Jody White). |
Top prize of up to $115,000 and qualification into REDCREST 2025 on the line for 150 tournament anglers competing in Eufaula, Alabama next week EUFAULA, Ala. (May 6, 2024) – Major League Fishing (MLF) is set to launch the fourth Tackle Warehouse Invitational event of the season this week, May 10-12, with the MLF Tackle Warehouse Invitational Stop 4 at Lake Eufaula Presented by E3 Sports Apparel. The three-day tournament features a roster of 150 anglers competing for a top prize of up to $115,000 and an invitation to compete at REDCREST 2025 – the Bass Pro Tour championship – for the chance to win up to $300,000. Hosted by the Eufaula Barbour County Chamber of Commerce, the event also showcases competitors competing for valuable points to win the coveted Fishing Clash Angler of the Year (AOY) title – including a $50,000 payout – and to qualify for the 2025 Bass Pro Tour, MLF’s premiere circuit. “We are always excited for our good friends at Major League Fishing to return and fish Lake Eufaula,” said Ann Sparks, Executive Director of Main Street Eufaula and Tourism. “We appreciate their professionalism, willingness to give back to the community and friendship. It means a lot to our community and the local benefits from their tournaments are astronomical. We hope everyone catches a lot of big bass and has a great time!” Lake Eufaula, often referred to as the “Big Bass Capital of the World” is a familiar venue for MLF, as the fishery has played host to numerous major bass tournaments over the years, including multiple FLW Tour and Tackle Warehouse Invitational tournaments and REDCREST 2021, MLF’s most prestigious event. In this year’s tournament, expect to see a postspawn event, with most of the fish expected to be caught out of brush according to Eufaula, Alabama, competitor Ethan Greene, who will be among the 150 competitors on the water. “This is going to be a postspawn tournament – most of the fish have just gotten off the bed not too long ago and they’re working their way out to brush,” said Greene, who has six top-10 finishes on Lake Eufaula in MLF competition. “This might make things kind of tough – the fish are moving, and they could be in that postspawn funk. “But, if I’m wrong on timing and the fish are starting to pull out to the ledges, it’s going to be an absolute slugfest,” Greene continued. “When those fish get out on the ledges for the first time of the year, you can throw a bare hook and catch ‘em. I’m just not sure if we’ve had enough warm weather yet to see them in that stage yet, so I think the tournament is likely going to be won fishing brush.” Greene said that the reason brush will be so popular is because of the shad spawn. He said the shad spawn in the brush, so he expects reaction baits – jerkbaits and moving baits – to be strong choices for competitors, especially in the mornings. “I think jerkbaits and jigs are going to be dominant,” Greene said. “Another strong player will be Damiki-rigged baits – something like a 5-inch (Deps) Sakamata Shad soft jerkbait over the brush. Everywhere you go, that’s how tournaments are being won right now. And it works. I also think we’ll see guys throwing big worms and shaky-head rigs.” Greene offered two weight predictions, depending on where the fish are located. “If they end up moving out and they’re out on the ledges, we’ll see quite a few 20-pound bags. The top 10 will have 19 to 20 pounds,” Green said. “If they’re still in the transition and in the brush, it’s going to be tougher – 15 pounds is going to be a good limit. That is what is going to set you apart in this event – catching 14 to 16 pounds every day when other guys can’t.” Anglers will launch at 6:30 a.m. CT each day from Lakepoint Resort State Park, located at 104 Lakepoint Drive in Eufaula. Weigh-ins will also be held at the State Park and will begin at 2:30 p.m. Fans are welcome to attend all launch and weigh-in events and also encouraged to follow the event online throughout the day on the MLFNOW!® live stream and coverage at MajorLeagueFishing.com. The 2024 Tackle Warehouse Invitationals feature a field of 150 professional anglers competing across six invitational tournaments around the country, for a total purse of $3.9 million and valuable Fishing Clash Angler of the Year (AOY) points to qualify for a coveted spot on the MLF Bass Pro Tour, the sport’s top level. In Tackle Warehouse Invitational competition, the full field of 150 anglers compete in the two-day opening round on Friday and Saturday in a five-fish, weigh-in format. Only the top 30 pros, based on their two-day cumulative weight, advance to the final round on Championship Sunday, where they will compete for the grand prize of up to $115,000. The winner of the Tackle Warehouse Invitational Stop 4 at Lake Eufaula Presented by E3 Sports Apparel will be determined by the heaviest three-day cumulative weight and will receive an invitation to compete at REDCREST 2025 on Lake Guntersville in Huntsville, Alabama. The MLFNOW! broadcast team of Chad McKee and Rob Newell will break down the extended action live all three days of competition from 7 a.m. to 2:15 p.m. CT. MLFNOW! will be live streamed on MajorLeagueFishing.com and the MyOutdoorTV (MOTV) app. Television coverage of the MLF Tackle Warehouse Invitationals Stop 3 at Lake Eufaula Presented by E3 Sports Apparel will air as a two-hour episode, premiering at 9 a.m. ET, on Saturday, Oct. 26 on CBS Sports Network. Proud sponsors of the 2024 MLF Tackle Warehouse Invitationals include: 7Brew, Abu Garcia, B&W Trailer Hitches, Berkley, BUBBA, E3 Sports Apparel, Epic Baits, Fishing Clash, General Tire, Lew’s, Mercury, Mossy Oak Fishing, Onyx, Phoenix Boats, Polaris, Power-Pole, REDCON1, Strike King, Suzuki, Tackle Warehouse, T-H Marine, Toyota, WIX Filters and YETI. For complete details and updated information on Major League Fishing and the Tackle Warehouse Invitationals, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular Tackle Warehouse Invitational updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow the MLF5 social media outlets at Facebook, Instagram and YouTube. |
What goes on behind the scenes with VA Game & Fish at the Big Bass Tour event Smith Mountain Lake
Each year, as part of the Big Bass Tour festivities at Smith Mountain Lake, the Virginia Game & Fish Department plays a crucial but often overlooked role in ensuring the lake continues to be a top fishing spot. We took a closer look at what they do and discovered that their work is essential in keeping the lake’s fish population healthy and thriving.
What Happens After a Fish is Caught
When a fish is brought on board by the VA Game & Fish team, it marks the start of a detailed process:
- Checking for a Previous Tag: The team first checks if the fish has been caught and tagged before. This helps avoid double-counting and ensures the data collected is accurate.
- Weighing and Measuring: Every new fish is weighed and measured. These statistics are crucial for monitoring the growth of the fish in the lake and assessing the overall health of the population.
- Collecting a Fin Clip: A small piece of the fin is taken for genetic testing. This step helps determine whether the fish is one originally stocked by the department or a native to the lake.
- Tagging: New fish receive a unique ID tag before being released back into the lake. This tag makes it easy to identify the fish if it’s caught again in the future.
This process is not just routine; it’s part of a larger effort to manage the fish population effectively.
Goals and Outcomes
The primary goal of these efforts is to track the success of fish stocking programs and to understand the proportions of large fish in the lake that result from these initiatives. By focusing on bass over 4 lbs, the team can better gauge the success of their stocking programs. Their findings reveal that about 25% of bass over this size can be attributed to stocked fish as of 2023. This indicates that the stocking efforts are making a significant impact on the fish population’s size and health.
Broader Impact
The work done by the VA Game & Fish goes beyond just ensuring a successful fishing tournament. Their efforts contribute to maintaining a balanced ecosystem in Smith Mountain Lake, ensuring that both fish and anglers can enjoy the benefits for years to come. This careful management helps keep the lake as one of the best places for fishing in the region.
Looking Ahead
Understanding the work the Virginia Game & Fish Department does during the Big Bass Tour offers a new perspective on the event. It highlights how critical these behind-the-scenes efforts are in preserving the quality and sustainability of fishing at Smith Mountain Lake. As we look forward, it’s clear that the continued success of the lake as a fishing destination depends significantly on these ongoing conservation and management efforts.
Zack Birge Claims First MLF Bass Pro Tour Win at Lake Eufaula
Oklahoma pro catches 17 bass totaling 46-10 on final day to earn top award of $100,000
EUFAULA, Okla. (May 5, 2024) – As he idled out of Peter’s Point-Nichols Point Marina for the Championship Round on Lake Eufaula, Zack Birge of Blanchard, Oklahoma, planned to run down the lake to some spawning bass he’d located earlier during the Major League Fishing (MLF) Bass Pro Tour MillerTech Stage Four Presented by REDCON1. But when he turned the corner, a stretch of flooded bank grass caught his eye.
“What the heck,” Birge figured. Might as well fish the pocket, where he’d started the first day of the Qualifying Round on Wednesday, while he was in the neighborhood.
Birge never left. His last-second decision paid off in the form of 17 scorable bass for 46 pounds, 10 ounces, earning the Oklahoma native the win that has narrowly eluded him throughout his 5 1/2 years on the Bass Pro Tour and four prior seasons on the FLW Tour.
Link to HD Video – Fish-Catch Highlights of Championship Round on Lake Eufaula
Link to Photo Gallery of Championship Round On-The-Water Highlights on Lake Eufaula
“I was telling my official that I wanted to go down lake and start on a couple of bed fish that I thought I could catch quick, and then after that just kind of play it on the fly,” Birge said. “And then as I was idling around the corner, I glanced over to where I started the first day, and I thought, ‘You know what? I better just go there. I’m right here, might as well just give it a half hour and see if I can get some bites.’ And I’m glad I did. That was the best decision of the whole tournament.”
Pitching a bladed jig around the flooded grass and brush, it took Birge just three minutes to land his first scorable bass. He added two more in the next 15, bringing his total to 8-0. While Drew Gill and Skeet Reese threatened at times, Birge would go on to defend the top spot on SCORETRACKER® all day. His final tally, the best of any angler during the event, put him 15-13 clear of Gill.
While Birge garnered a bit of pre-tournament buzz thanks to his experience on Eufaula, prior to Sunday, he never really looked like the angler to beat. It took a clutch catch — a 3-10 largemouth off a bed, which put him 7 ounces clear of the cut line — with about 20 minutes left in the second day of the Qualifying Round for him to sneak into the Knockout Round. And while he started Saturday strong, he didn’t catch a scorable bass during the final 3½ hours, at one point wondering aloud on MLFNOW! what to do if he did make the final day.
But, with the conditions on Eufaula changing by the day, so did the bite, and Birge used his Oklahoma instincts to take advantage. A week that brought tornadoes and thunderstorms, a 4-foot spike in the lake level and constantly fluctuating water clarity threw one last curveball at the Championship Round competitors in the form of an all-day drizzle. Birge believes the stabilized water level combined with the overcast conditions prompted more bass to move into the newly flooded cover and feed.
“I think the biggest factor was the water has settled now for several days, and a good number of fish have finally swam up there where they’re catchable for me,” he explained. “When it came up 4 feet, not all the fish swam up to the bank, to the water line. It was really hard to get any bites at all. And I just think over the past day or two, it really got good, and it showed today. I mean, I got a ton of bites today. Much more than I’ve gotten all week.”
While the area Birge patrolled during the Championship Round is far from a secret, he credited his experience on the lake for getting him to the final day amid challenging conditions. It also helped to know that the area near takeoff tends to have one of the healthiest bass populations on the lake, even though the water there stayed fairly dirty.
“Knowing where to go and what to do a little bit earlier in the week helped, and really knowing how many fish live in this creek and how good it can be,” he said.
Like he had all week, Birge relied on an Omega Rapture vibrating jig to cover water. He wielded it on a 6-foot-11 “Power Skip” rod from Alpha Angler spooled with 30-pound Yo-Zuri SuperBraid. Birge said he made “an unbelievable amount of casts each day,” using the bladed jig to identify which of the thousands of pieces of flooded cover housed fish. Seven of the nine bass he boated during the first period Sunday ate the bait.
At that point, he led by nearly 8 pounds over his nearest pursuer. But as his bite slowed, both Reese and Gill gained ground, with Gill pulling within 4 pounds midway through the second period.
Birge didn’t panic, staying in the same zone but slowing down, using a black Toad Thumper frog to dissect the cover. Every time it seemed like his lead might be in jeopardy, Birge answered with a flurry of his own. He delivered the dagger with about 50 minutes left when a 5-9 slurped his frog. As Birge boat-flipped the brute (which earned him an extra $1,000 as the Berkley Big Bass), he knew he’d won, exclaiming “that’s it, baby!”
“That was awesome, because I was starting to stress it a little bit,” Birge said. “They caught them good yesterday afternoon when I didn’t catch hardly anything, and I knew that they would probably start catching some again, and it was getting kind of close. … Then I caught that 5-9 with a little bit to go, and I was like, this has got to be it.”
Cracking a 5 1/2-pounder on a frog fits any angler’s definition of fun. But even before then, Birge clearly enjoyed himself on Eufaula — as evidenced by the Hulk Hogan-esque horseshoe mustache he rocked all week, which just might become a permanent fixture.
“It seems like it’s pretty good luck, so might sport it a little while,” Birge said with a chuckle.
While he enjoys fishing with forward-facing sonar, Birge relished the throwback nature of this derby — wielding heavy tackle, making precise casts around shallow cover, his electronics turned off. Plus, his wife, children and a host of other family and friends made the roughly 2-hour drive from his home in Blanchard, Oklahoma, to watch the action firsthand. His proximity to the boat ramp Sunday meant he could hear their cheers every time he added to his total.
“It was awesome,” he said. “They got to watch me from the bank this morning for a long time, and a buddy of mine showed up, put his boat in and was following me around, and a little while later I looked back and my wife had gotten in the boat with him. So, that was cool. It was cool to have that support.”
As the final minutes ticked by in Period 3, the whoops and cheers reached a crescendo. Birge’s emotions showed as the accomplishment sunk in and he struggled to find the words to describe his first win after 11 prior Top-10 finishes on the Bass Pro Tour.
One thing he made clear: The first-place paycheck will be nice. But the feeling of finally lifting a trophy at a national tour event is one he’ll never forget.
“I’ve been so close so many times,” Birge said. “I’ve finished second. My rookie season I should have won an event, and I choked the last day and made some bad decisions. And looking back on it, I kind of think it was a good thing it went that way. This is year nine or 10 that I’ve been doing this now, and it means a lot to finally get one. I’m super, super competitive, and that’s everything I do in life, so it sure feels good to win.”
The top 10 pros from the MillerTech Stage Four at Lake Eufaula Presented by REDCON1 finished:
1st: Zack Birge, Blanchard, Okla., 17 bass, 46-10, $100,000
2nd: Drew Gill, Mount Carmel, Ill., 13 bass, 30-13, $45,000
3rd: Skeet Reese, Auburn, Calif., 12 bass, 28-6, $38,000
4th: Randy Howell, Guntersville, Ala., 12 bass, 27-13, $32,000
5th: Nick LeBrun, Bossier City, La., nine bass, 25-2, $30,000
6th: Cole Floyd, Leesburg, Ohio, eight bass, 24-5, $26,000
7th: Jeff Sprague, Wills Point, Texas, seven bass, 15-13, $23,000
8th: Luke Clausen, Spokane, Wash., six bass, 15-8, $21,000
9th: Martin Villa, Charlottesville, Va., four bass, 9-8, $19,000
10th: Britt Myers, Lake Wylie, S.C., two bass, 3-10, $16,000
A complete list of results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
Overall, there were 90 scorable bass weighing 227 pounds, 8 ounces caught by the 10 pros Sunday, which included four 5-pounders, eight 4-pounders and 12 3-pounders.
Birge also won Championship Sunday’s Berkley Big Bass Award, with a largemouth totaling 5 pounds, 9 ounces in the third period. Berkley awards $1,000 to the angler who weighs the heaviest bass each day, and a $3,000 bonus to the angler who weighs the heaviest bass of the tournament. Gill earned the $3,000 Berkley Big Bass award for the overall largest bass of the event with his 5-pound, 12-ounce smallmouth that was weighed on Day 1 of competition.
The top of the Fishing Clash Angler of the Year standings didn’t change Sunday, with Jacob Wheeler maintaining a 12-point advantage over Alton Jones Jr. However, several anglers entered the Top 10, positioning themselves to factor into the race for the $100,000 first-place prize across the final three regular-season events.
With his win, Birge moved from 19th place at the start of the event to ninth with 245.5 points. Immediately ahead of him are fellow Championship Round competitors Jeff Sprague (248.5 points) and Nick LeBrun (252). Gill moved into fifth place with 269.5, while Cole Floyd continued his strong season and climbed to fourth place, 3 points ahead of Gill and 3 back of Dustin Connell in third.
Fishing Clash, an interactive 3D fishing simulation game that’s played by more than 80 million people worldwide, is the official AOY sponsor of the Bass Pro Tour, Tackle Warehouse Invitationals, Toyota Series and Phoenix Bass Fishing League. You can download Fishing Clash for free in the App Store and on Google Play or log on to www.fishingclash.game for more information.
The MillerTech Stage Four at Lake Eufaula Presented by REDCON1 featured the MLF catch, weigh, immediate-release format, in which anglers caught as much weight as they could each day, while also feeling the pressure and intensity of the SCORETRACKER® leaderboard. The tournament featured 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 six-day tournament, hosted by Vision Eufaula, showcased 79 of the top professional anglers in the world, competing for a purse of $659,000, including a top payout of $100,000 and valuable Fishing Clash Angler of the Year (AOY) points in hopes of qualifying for the General Tire Heavy Hitters all-star event and REDCREST 2025, the Bass Pro Tour championship.
Television coverage of the MillerTech Stage Four at Lake Eufaula Presented by REDCON1 Knockout Round will air as a two-hour episode starting at 7 a.m. ET, on Saturday, Oct. 12 on Discovery, with the Championship Round premiering on Oct. 19. New MLF episodes premiere each Saturday morning on Discovery, with re-airings on Outdoor Channel.
The Bass Pro Tour features a field of 79 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 General Tire Heavy Hitters all-star event and the REDCREST 2025 championship.
Proud sponsors of the 2024 MLF Bass Pro Tour include: Abu Garcia, B&W Trailer Hitches, Bass Pro Shops, Berkley, BUBBA, Epic Baits, Fishing Clash, Garmin, General Tire, Humminbird, Lowrance, Mercury, MillerTech, Minn Kota, Mossy Oak Fishing, NITRO, Onyx, Plano, Power-Pole, Rapala, REDCON1, Star brite, Suzuki, Toyota, WIX Filters and U.S. Air Force.
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.
Thomas Lee 7.72 Wins 2024 Big Bass Tour event on Smith Mountain Lake
Thomas Lee, an angler who had only competed in four tournaments before, experienced something incredible during his fifth tournament. This wasn’t just any tournament for Lee; it was the day he would make a catch that would change his life. Despite the challenges he faced throughout the day, such as his lures finding their way into trees instead of the water, Lee’s persistence paid off in a big way.
Lee, who had just hope to make his money back at the BBT on Smith Mountain Lake, found his luck turning around in Indian Creek. It was there, in 10 to 15 feet of water, where Lee’s determination were about to be rewarded. Using a Rick Clunn Trixter white spinner with silver blades, combined with a zoom Ultra Vibe 3.5 speed Craw creature bait trailer in white, Lee made a catch that would astonish anyone.
The water stirred, the line tensed, and Lee reeled in a bass weighing an impressive 7.72 pounds. This wasn’t just any bass; it was the largest bass Lee had ever caught in his life.
But the story doesn’t end with the catch. For his remarkable achievement, Lee took home a prize that many anglers only dream of – a Nitro Z18 Bass boat. Valued at over $40,000, this boat represents more than a prize; it’s a symbol of Lee’s determination, and the unforgettable moment that he and his family will cherish forever.
To Thomas Lee, congratulations on your incredible catch and your new Nitro Z18 Bass boat. Your story is a testament to never giving up, even when the day seems to be going against you. Your success at Smith Mountain Lake is an inspiration to anglers everywhere, reminding us all that with patience, perseverance, and perhaps a bit of luck, remarkable things can happen.
See you all again in 2025, and who knows? Maybe there will be another amazing story like Thomas Lee’s to celebrate.
CLICK HERE TO SEE FINAL RESULTS
Stories from behind the Mic with BBT Scott Gordon
Take a listen as we talk to one of the most famous men in all of tournament Bass Fishing Scott Gordon.
Nick LeBrun Leads Top Ten to Championship Round Stage Four at Lake Eufaula
Louisiana pro catches 12 bass weighing 30-15 to lead Knockout Round, final 10 anglers set for Championship Sunday in final-day shootout for top prize of $100,000
EUFAULA, Okla. (May 4, 2024) – Through five days of fishing at the Major League Fishing (MLF) Bass Pro Tour MillerTech Stage Four Presented by REDCON1, on Lake Eufaula, Central Oklahoma’s notoriously capricious spring weather has been mirrored by the clarity of the water and behavior of the bass living in the Sooner State’s largest lake.
Heavy rains and high, chocolate-brown water greeted the field early in the week, followed by dropping, clearing water and bass rushing to beds midway through the six-day competition. The bite has been equally volatile this week, coming in brief onesy-twosy flurries on just about everything in the tackle box. And with heavy rains and thunderstorms in the forecast for the final day on Eufaula, that’s all just fine with pro Nick LeBrun of Bossier City, Louisiana.
Link to HD Video – Fish-Catch Highlights of Knockout Round on Lake Eufaula
Link to Photo Gallery of Knockout Round Highlights on Lake Eufaula
The final 10 anglers are now set, and competition resumes Sunday morning with the Championship Round. In the Championship Round, weights are zeroed, and the highest one-day total wins the top prize of $100,000.
Mixing a dash of buzzbait and flipping jig with a hearty dose of a vibrating jig that he wound in and around flooded trees and brush in the Canadian River, LeBrun harkened back Saturday to his days of fishing Phoenix Bass Fishing League tournaments on the Red River, Toledo Bend and Sam Rayburn. LeBrun connected with 12 fish for 30 pounds, 15 ounces to claim the top spot in the Knockout Round and enter Sunday’s final day with both momentum and a high level of comfort for the conditions.
“With the high, muddy water and the lake being flooded in the trees and bushes, that’s definitely one of my comfort zones,” said LeBrun, who has a string of Top 10s on fisheries known for off-colored water. “It takes me back to fishing BFLs at Sam Rayburn and Toledo Bend. New fish are pulling up. The water (level) is still changing, but it’s revealing fish and it’s causing some other fish to move up.”
Sitting on the front deck of his boat retying a rod during the first period break of the day in Saturday’s Knockout Round, LeBrun delivered a telltale statement about the fishing conditions on Eufaula, and how he planned to conquer them.
“When conditions are tough and things are slow like this, a guy has to make a few casts he normally wouldn’t make,” LeBrun said. “They’re not biting good today just casting down the bank, so you have to take a few chances and throw into places that you might not have an easy time getting a fish out of. You might have to do things a little bit different.”
Less than five minutes prior, LeBrun had hooked a fish that he judged to be 5-plus pounds on a deadeye flip he had made deep into a tangle of cover. He set the hook on that fish and fought it briefly, trying to pull it over the limbs and branches he had cast over, but lost it after a brief fight. It proved to LeBrun that there was potential to access new fish.
“I call it the ‘cobweb pattern’: If you see cobwebs across a spot, you know that nobody has thrown there,” LeBrun said. “In my short career, I’ve had a little success fishing like that. I’m going to try to keep doing it (Sunday) – even make casts that I haven’t made yet. I think there are still some fish pulling up and there are probably some fish that just haven’t been thrown at yet, so I’m excited to get back out there.”
LeBrun has done most of his damage this week with a vibrating jig, specifically a white 1/2-ounce Z-Man/Evergreen ChatterBait Jack Hammer with a 4-inch Yamamoto Zako trailer. He caught two fish during the Knockout Round flipping a jig and landed his biggest fish of the day (a 4-14) on a black Buckeye Buzzerk buzzbait. As he heads into his second Bass Pro Tour Championship Round, LeBrun plans to stick with what got him this far.
“I’m all-in on the shallow, power-fishing deal,” he said. “I’m going to have a few different rods out. I’m not going to totally live or die with the ChatterBait – there are just some places that you can’t throw that bait without getting hung up, so I’m probably going to implement some flipping, a buzzbait and the ChatterBait. It’s been fun grinding and just fishing, getting back to those BFL roots.”
The top 10 pros from Saturday’s Knockout Round that now advance to Sunday’s Championship Round on Lake Eufaula are:
1st: Nick LeBrun, Bossier City, La., 12 bass, 30-15
2nd: Drew Gill, Mount Carmel, Ill., 11 bass, 27-4
3rd: Cole Floyd, Leesburg, Ohio, 10 bass, 25-12
4th: Randy Howell, Guntersville, Ala., 10 bass, 23-7
5th: Skeet Reese, Auburn, Calif., nine bass, 21-15
6th: Martin Villa, Charlottesville, Va., 10 bass, 21-1
7th: Jeff Sprague, Wills Point, Texas, eight bass, 20-14
8th: Luke Clausen, Spokane, Wash., eight bass, 19-5
9th: Zack Birge, Blanchard, Okla., eight bass, 18-13
10th: Britt Myers, Lake Wylie, S.C., five bass, 14-15
Finishing in 11th through 20th place are:
11th: Alton Jones Jr., Waco, Texas, six bass, 14-4
12th: Jason Vance, Battle Ground, Ind., six bass, 13-13
13th: Dean Rojas, Lake Havasu City, Ariz., five bass, 10-10
14th: Anthony Gagliardi, Prosperity, S.C., four bass, 8-3
15th: Takahiro Omori, Tokyo, Japan, three bass, 7-12
16th: Gerald Spohrer, Gonzales, La., four bass, 7-12
17th: Jacob Wheeler, Blaine, Tenn., three bass, 6-4
18th: Marty Robinson, Lyman, S.C., one bass, 3-12
19th: Brent Chapman, Lake Quivira, Kan., one bass, 2-13
20th: Dave Lefebre, Erie, Penn., one bass, 1-10
A complete list of results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
Overall, there were 125 scorable bass weighing 301 pounds, 2 ounces caught by the 20 pros Saturday, which included one 5-pounder, five 4-pounders and 17 3-pounders.
Luke Clausen of Spokane, Washington, caught a 5-pound, 3-ounce largemouth on a wacky rig in the third period to claim Saturday’s Berkley Big Bass Award. Berkley awards $1,000 to the angler who weighs the heaviest bass each day, and a $3,000 bonus to the angler who weighs the heaviest bass of the tournament.
Jacob Wheeler entered Stage Four with a 17-point lead over Alton Jones, Jr. in the Fishing Clash Angler of the Year, but Jones made up a little ground in the Knockout Round: Jones finished just outside the cut in 11th while Wheeler finished 17th, gaining Jones 6 points on Wheeler. Wheeler leads the race for the 2024 Fishing Clash AOY (and it’s $100,000 payday) with 301 points to Jones’ 289.
Five of the anglers fishing Championship Sunday on Eufaula are currently in the Top 10 in AOY points: Cole Floyd, Drew Gill, LeBrun, Jeff Sprague and Martin Villa.
The six-day tournament, hosted by Vision Eufaula, showcases 79 of the top professional anglers in the world, competing for a purse of $659,000, including a top payout of $100,000 and valuable Fishing Clash Angler of the Year (AOY) points in hopes of qualifying for the General Tire Heavy Hitters all-star event and REDCREST 2025, the Bass Pro Tour championship.
The 39 Anglers in Group A competed in their two-day Qualifying Round on Tuesday and Thursday – the 40 anglers in Group B on Wednesday and Friday. After the two-day Qualifying Rounds were complete, the anglers that finished first through 10th from both groups advanced to Saturday’s Knockout Round. In the Knockout Round, weights were zeroed, and the remaining 20 anglers competed to finish in the top 10 to advance to Sunday’s Championship Round. Tomorrow, in the final-day Championship Round, weights are zeroed, and the highest one-day total wins the top prize of $100,000.
The final 10 anglers competing in Sunday’s Championship Round Anglers will launch at 7:30 a.m. CT Sunday from the Peter’s Point-Nichols Point Boat Ramp, located on Dabbs Road in Eufaula. Each day’s General Tire Takeout will be held at the boat ramp, beginning at 4 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 7:45 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. CT. MLFNOW!® will be live streamed on MajorLeagueFishing.com and the MyOutdoorTV (MOTV) app.
On Sunday, May 5, from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. MLF welcomes fans of all ages to visit Peter’s Point-Nichols Point for the MLF Watch Party and Kids Fishing Derby. Fans can watch the pros live on the MLFNOW! big screen, enjoy free food, enter to win hourly giveaways and cheer on their favorite pros. The first 50 kids 14 and under will receive a free rod and reel from Pure Fishing each day. Additional fishing gear will be provided onsite for the fishing derby or kids can bring their own. The final 10 Championship Round Bass Pro Tour anglers will be on hand at the trophy celebration on Championship Sunday to meet and greet fans, sign autographs and take selfies.
Television coverage of the MillerTech Stage Four at Lake Eufaula Presented by REDCON1 Knockout Round will air as a two-hour episode starting at 7 a.m. ET, on Saturday, Oct. 12 on Discovery, with the Championship Round premiering on Oct. 19. New MLF episodes premiere each Saturday morning on Discovery, with re-airings on Outdoor Channel.
The MillerTech Stage Four at Lake Eufaula Presented by REDCON1 features the MLF catch, weigh, immediate-release format, in which anglers catch as much weight as they can each day, while also feeling the pressure and intensity of the SCORETRACKER® leaderboard. The tournament 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 Bass Pro Tour features a field of 79 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 General Tire Heavy Hitters all-star event and the REDCREST 2025 championship.
Fishing Clash, an interactive 3D fishing simulation game that’s played by more than 80 million people worldwide, is the official AOY sponsor of the Bass Pro Tour, Tackle Warehouse Invitationals, Toyota Series and Phoenix Bass Fishing League. You can download Fishing Clash for free in the App Store and on Google Play, or log on to www.fishingclash.game for more information.
Proud sponsors of the 2024 MLF Bass Pro Tour include: Abu Garcia, B&W Trailer Hitches, Bass Pro Shops, Berkley, BUBBA, Epic Baits, Fishing Clash, Garmin, General Tire, Humminbird, Lowrance, Mercury, MillerTech, Minn Kota, Mossy Oak Fishing, NITRO, Onyx, Plano, Power-Pole, Rapala, REDCON1, Star brite, Suzuki, Toyota, WIX Filters and U.S. Air Force.
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.