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Burroughs Stays on Top at Hartwell
South Carolina angler Jason Burroughs keeps his lead heading into Championship Sunday.
Story by Justin Brouillard | Photos by Tanner & Travis Lyons
Day-one leader Jason Burroughs maintains his lead at the 2025 NPFL Championship on Lake Hartwell with a two-day total of 32‑4. Hosted by Visit Anderson and Anderson County, Lake Hartwell has hosted the NPFL two previous occasions—this time, with 42 anglers competing for the $100,000 first prize.
After 17‑12 on day one, giving him a 14-ounce margin over Brandon Perkins, he added 14‑8 on day two, keeping him in control with only one day left in the 2025 Championship.
In second place, Michael Stout added the biggest bag on day two, a 16‑12 limit, to go with his day-one weight of 14‑4. Stout is working a run-and-gun offshore pattern and has a two-day total of 31‑0.
Timmy Reams holds down the tenth-place spot with a two-day total of 27‑9, adding 15‑4 to his day-one weight of 12‑5. Georgia pro Trent Palmer still holds the event’s biggest bass honors with his 5‑10 lunker on day one. Palmer has moved into fifth place with a two-day total of 29‑6.
Burroughs Moves Shallow
After trusting his gut on day one, making a move from deeper water where he spent his entire practice period, Day One leader Jason Burroughs carries a 1‑4 lead going into Championship Sunday.
With a topwater locked in hand, Burroughs put his trolling motor on high and burned the bank searching for largemouth. After making a move “shallower” on day one around noon, he uncovered the potential in Lake Hartwell’s creeks. Today, he repeated his plan but found the bite tougher as the pressure increased.
“I made the move shallow, but it was slower today,” he said. “I committed this morning after yesterday afternoon’s flurry, but today it was not as easy to get them to bite. Overall, I had fewer bites, of course, but I did lose one good one that cost me a couple pounds—that one stings.”
Burroughs claims he didn’t change much on day two and is just fishing a main creek on Hartwell, covering as much water as possible and looking for rocky points and shallow pockets, holding bass making the fall transition.
“I am not seeing many other anglers, and with the projected cloudy weather tomorrow, I would think it should help those of us that are fishing a topwater,” he said. “I am catching them all day long when they bite, and I can’t wait to get out there tomorrow.”
Stout Moves to Second
With a solid day-one weight of 14‑4, keeping him just outside the top ten, Tennessee pro Michael Stout rockets to second place, rallying in the afternoon with the day’s biggest limit of 16‑12. Coming into the event, he had one good day of practice to go off and made the most of it through two days.
“With limited practice and different conditions than the clouds in practice—Day One sun and high skies—I had to adjust what I was doing a bit to catch fish,” he said. “Today, things were different again, and I had about 8 pounds at the noon time.”
Unsure what had changed, he decided to rerun his primary areas, and some new water for the afternoon. His decision paid off.
“I don’t know what changed, but this afternoon it went down for me,” he said. “I ran the same water and some new, of course, but I know I am around fish—I saw some big ones in practice, and I saw some big ones today—it has potential.”
Stout, who has held daily leads in the NPFL before, is looking to catch all he can on the final day and hopefully close things out. Fishing a “mostly offshore” pattern, similar to many other anglers in the field and locals, he is rotating through several baits to catch his fish.
“It is very weather dependent,” he said. “Based on the conditions, I rotate baits, but they are all finesse-style baits. I am seeing most of them before I catch them. The biggest thing for me is if they will bite, and when they will bite. I am covering over 50 places each day, and again, on the final day, I plan on fishing new stuff—looking at the map and finding similar water.”
Top Ten Anglers:
Jason Burroughs 32‑4
Michael Stout 31‑0
Scott Hamrick 29‑13
Will Harkins 29‑13
Trent Palmer 29‑6
Drew Cook 29‑5
Patrick Walters 29‑4
Wes Logan 28‑6
Jason Meninger 28‑3
Timothy Reams 27‑9
Howell holds on to win Bassmaster EQ at Wheeler Lake
Alabama’s Laker Howell has won the Nitro Boats Bassmaster Elite Qualifier at Wheeler Lake presented by Bass Pro Shops with a three-day total of 65 pounds, 11 ounces.
Photo by Andy Crawford/B.A.S.S.
Oct. 4, 2025
Howell holds on to win Bassmaster EQ at Wheeler Lake
DECATUR, Ala. — For a guy who finished first, the number two came up a lot in Laker Howell’s victory story.
After three days of competition, the pro from Guntersville, Ala., tallied 65 pounds, 11 ounces and won the Nitro Boats Bassmaster Elite Qualifier at Wheeler Lake presented by Bass Pro Shops.
“I feel like a weight has been lifted off my back, because this morning when I got up, I was so nervous, I literally woke up (nauseous),” Howell said. “The whole day, I was just a cat trying to catch a bass. But right now, I can’t even describe how incredible this is.”
By the numbers, Howell caught 21-6 on Day 1 and placed second to Matt Adams. In the second round, Howell caught 25-4 — the event’s heaviest bag — and moved ahead of Adams by 4 ounces. Championship Saturday saw the 6-foot-5 pro stood tall with a final limit of 19-1.
His winning margin — 2 ounces.
Continuing the numerical theme, Howell has won two of the last three tournaments he’s fished. In mid-August, he won the St. Croix Bassmaster Open at Leech Lake presented by SEVIIN.
Finally, Howell’s family has claimed two wins at this Tennessee River impoundment. In 1998, Laker Howell’s father, Progressive Bassmaster Elite Series angler Randy Howell won his first major event at Wheeler Lake.
And if the story wasn’t already good enough, Randy Howell was 24 when he won his Wheeler Lake trophy. His son’s age — 24.
“That’s why this tournament is so special to me,” the younger Howell said. “I literally watched that video during practice with my roommate. I said, ‘Wouldn’t it be crazy if I won this tournament.’”
All week, Howell committed to a section of the Decatur Flats about 2 miles from takeoff. He focused on a saddle with shell bottom between two bars near the river channel.
“The fish would come off the main river and funnel in,” Howell said. “The best I can figure, there’s current in there that sets them up. They get on that shell and feed on the shad as they come through.”
Howell caught all of his fish on a bone colored Livingston Lures Walking Boss topwater, which features a cupped face, a No. 2 feathered tail hook complementing the No. 4 trebles on the front and middle, and Livingston’s patented Electronic Baitfish Sound technology.
Howell said his spot slowed considerably in the final round, even though the action started earlier than it had the previous two days.
“I hadn’t had a bite in there before 8 a.m. and this morning, in the first 10 minutes, I caught a 5-pounder that blew up 10 feet from the boat,” he said. “I never left that area. I got six blow ups today and I missed one.
“That same fish came back about 20 minutes later — there weren’t many there. I caught that fish and I knew that was the one that did it for me.”
For his efforts, Howell won the $52,467 first-place prize and an invitation to fish the 2026 Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Classic presented by Under Armour, March 13–15 at the Tennessee River. Because Howell also received a Classic invitation for his Leech Lake win, his second invitation goes back to the Progressive Bassmaster Elite Series field.
Wisconsin pro Kyle Norsetter, previously the first Elite angler outside the Classic cut, is now qualified to fish the sport’s biggest event.
Also hailing from Guntersville, Ala., Adams took the early lead with a first-round limit of 23-14. He weighed 22-8 on Day 2 and slipped to second. Adams finished in that position after turning in a final-round limit of 19-3 and tallying 65-9.
Adams did all of his first two day’s work on a specific current break at the Guntersville Dam tailrace, but Day 3 was a scramble. He caught fish on a Sixth Sense 300 DD deep diving crankbait and a jighead minnow with a Sixth Sense Shad on a 3/16-ounce head.
“For some reason, this morning, it just didn’t happen,” Adams said. “I noticed that fish were coming up and going down. They wouldn’t commit completely. I caught one that was a little over 4, a 3-pounder and a couple small fish.
“I had to run everything I had. I caught a 5-pounder on a bar downriver from the tailrace, then I ran all the way back up to my starting spot and caught two good ones. I wish I’d had another hour to fish (the tailrace).”
Yui Aoki of Minamitsurugun, Japan finished third with 58-4. Aoki placed eighth on Day 1 with 17-8 and rose to third with a second-day bag of 20-10. He closed out his tournament with a final limit of 20-2.
“I was on the Decatur Flats and I fished a drop that went from 4 feet to 20 feet,” Aoki said.
Aoki won the St. Croix Bassmaster Open at Kentucky Lake/Lake Barkley presented by SEVIIN in early March, caught his fish on a Neko-rigged dice style bait and an Evergreen Last Ace with a line-through treble hook rig.
Howell won the $500 Phoenix Boats Big Bass award with his 6-0.
Matt Messer of Warfield, Ky. leads the Nitro Boats Bassmaster Elite Qualifiers standings with 175 points. Aaron Jagdfeld of Rochester Hills, Mich., is in second with 174, followed by Fisher Anaya of Eva, Ala., with 170, Grae Buck of Green Lane, Pa. with 170, and Russ Lane of Prattville, Ala., with 164.
2025 Nitro Bassmaster Elite Qualifier at Wheeler Lake presented by Bass Pro Shops 10/2-10/4
Wheeler Lake, Decatur AL.
(BOATER) Standings Day 3
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Pts Total $$$
1. Laker Howell Guntersville, AL 15 65-11 95 $52,467.00
Day 1: 5 21-06 Day 2: 5 25-04 Day 3: 5 19-01
2. Matt Adams Guntersville, AL 15 65-09 94 $15,285.00
Day 1: 5 23-14 Day 2: 5 22-08 Day 3: 5 19-03
3. Yui Aoki Minamitsurugun JAPAN 15 58-04 93 $12,228.00
Day 1: 5 17-08 Day 2: 5 20-10 Day 3: 5 20-02
4. Colby Dark West Monroe, LA 15 51-02 92 $11,616.00
Day 1: 5 12-14 Day 2: 5 22-00 Day 3: 5 16-04
5. Fisher Anaya Eva, AL 15 50-15 91 $11,005.00
Day 1: 5 14-14 Day 2: 5 18-03 Day 3: 5 17-14
6. Pake South Winnsboro, TX 15 50-02 90 $10,394.00
Day 1: 5 15-10 Day 2: 5 18-05 Day 3: 5 16-03
7. Lucas Lindsay Auburn , AL 14 47-05 89 $9,782.00
Day 1: 5 19-07 Day 2: 5 14-13 Day 3: 4 13-01
8. Stephen Browning Hot Springs, AR 15 45-15 88 $9,171.00
Day 1: 5 17-11 Day 2: 5 18-04 Day 3: 5 10-00
9. Nic Rand Paw Paw, MI 15 44-03 87 $8,559.00
Day 1: 5 20-11 Day 2: 5 11-10 Day 3: 5 11-14
10. Ryan Salzman Huntsville, AL 14 43-07 86 $7,948.00
Day 1: 5 18-09 Day 2: 5 15-08 Day 3: 4 09-06
———————————————————————–
BIG BASS OF TOURNAMENT
Laker Howell Guntersville, AL 06-00 $500.00
———————————————————————–
Totals
Day #Limits #Fish Weight
1 77 436 1087-14
2 81 443 1156-13
3 8 48 153-00
———————————-
166 927 2397-11
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Howell moves atop Bassmaster EQ at Wheeler Lake
Alabama’s Laker Howell has taken the lead on Day 2 of the Nitro Boats Bassmaster Elite Qualifier at Wheeler Lake presented by Bass Pro Shops with a total of 46 pounds, 10 ounces.
Photo by Andy Crawford/B.A.S.S.
Oct. 3, 2025
Howell moves atop Bassmaster EQ at Wheeler Lake
DECATUR, Ala. — Literally and figuratively, Laker Howell was on top of his game and that truth carried him to the Day 2 lead of the Nitro Boats Bassmaster Elite Qualifier at Wheeler Lake presented by Bass Pro Shops.
The first round saw the Guntersville, Ala., pro catch 21 pounds, 6 ounces and place second to Matt Adams, who also hails from Guntersville. Today, Howell overcame a 2 1/2-pound deficit by catching 25-4 — the event’s heaviest bag. He heads into Championship Saturday with a two-day total of 46-10 and a 4-ounce lead over Adams.
“Oh my goodness, I gotta thank the Lord for that bag,” Howell said. “Golly, 46-10 for two days is crazy on Wheeler.
“It was the most insane day. That was all on topwater. If you like topwater fishing, you would have loved to have been a fly on the wall. Tomorrow on Bassmaster Live is going to be fun, because I left them biting.”
Howell, who won the St. Croix Bassmaster Open at Leech Lake presented by SEVIIN in mid-August, stuck with his Day-1 strategy and caught all of his fish on a bone colored Livingston Lures Walking Boss topwater.
“I threw other baits just to try, but I never got another bite on anything but that,” Howell said.
Howell said his lure’s design provided multiple strategic features.
“It has two No. 4 hooks and the back hook is a No. 2, so you can hook the fish better,” he said. “When they get that back hook, you don’t want them to come off.
“When you walk that bait, it’s weighted in a way that you can snap it really good, so when the wind blows, it really doesn’t affect my bite.”
Howell said he’s retrieving his bait with a specific speed/cadence that seems to be stimulating the bites. Essential to this appeal, he said, is Livingston’s patented Electronic Baitfish Sound, which employs a Smart Chip technology to emit actual baitfish recordings.
“A lot of times today, when I would slow the bait down and barely move it, they’d blow up and miss it, but with that sound, I wouldn’t move the bait and they’d come back and get it,” Howell said. “My biggest fish — a 6-pounder — came completely out of the water.”
Howell kept the details of his target area under wraps, but he said he’s fishing a current-dependent area about 2 miles from the tournament site.
“I’m sitting in one spot for 8 hours; I don’t move,” Howell said. “It’s one cast.”
Notably, Howell’s father, Progressive Bassmaster Elite Series angler Randy Howell won his first major event at Wheeler Lake. During that 1998 event, the elder Howell was 24 — the same age as his son.
“I watched the video of my dad’s (Wheeler Lake) win this week on YouTube and now, I have a shot at it,” Howell said. “I’m gonna have a blast tomorrow, if the fish are still there. If they leave, we’ll see what happens. It’s all in God’s hands.”
Adams, who opened with a Day-1 limit of 23-14, added a second-round bag of 22-8 and slipped to second with 46-6. He also replicated his Day 1 game plan, which involved making a 45-minute run upriver to the Guntersville Dam tailrace.
Targeting a particular current break, Adams caught his fish on a Sixth Sense 300 DD deep diving crankbait and a jighead minnow. Upon arrival, he experienced rally that delivered most of his weight. Adams would make a couple of culls later in the morning before giving his fish a rest, in hopes of leaving enough for Day 3.
“I laid off of them four hours early,” Adams said. “I just ran around for 4 hours and checked other stuff.”
Adams lamented a couple of lost opportunities that likely bumped him out of the lead.
“I didn’t fish very clean today; I broke off a really big fish — a 6-pound-plus smallmouth and lost another one that was inexcusable on my part,” he said.
Yui Aoki of Minamitsurugun, Japan placed eighth on Day 1 with 17-8 and rose to third with a Day 2 limit that went 20-10. His two-day total is 38-2.
“It was an amazing day,” Aoki said. “I’m happy to have made the Top 10 and I’m excited for tomorrow.”
Aoki, who won the St. Croix Bassmaster Open at Kentucky Lake/Lake Barkley presented by SEVIIN in early March, caught his fish on a soft plastic jerkbait. He said most of his bites came in the afternoon, when the bigger fish in his area became more active.
Howell is in the lead for Phoenix Boats Big Bass honors with his 6-0.
Matt Messer of Warfield, Ky., leads the Nitro Boats Bassmaster Elite Qualifiers standings with 175 points. Aaron Jagdfeld of Rochester Hills, Mich., is in second with 174, followed by, Grae Buck of Green Lane, Pa., with 170, Fisher Anaya of Eva, Ala., with 166, and Russ Lane of Prattville, Ala., with 164.
Saturday’s takeoff is scheduled for 7 a.m. CT at Ingalls Harbor. The weigh-in will be held at Ingalls Harbor at 3 p.m.
Coverage of the Nitro Boats Bassmaster Elite Qualifier at Wheeler Lake presented by Bass Pro Shops can be found on Bassmaster.com each day. Live coverage of Championship Saturday will be streamed on Bassmaster.com as well as the Roku Sports Channel from 7-10 a.m. ET and 11 a.m.-2 p.m.
This event is being hosted by Decatur Morgan County Tourism.
2025 Nitro Bassmaster Elite Qualifier at Wheeler Lake presented by Bass Pro Shops 10/2-10/4
Wheeler Lake, Decatur AL.
(BOATER) Standings Day 2
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Pts Total $$$
1. Laker Howell Guntersville, AL 10 46-10 95
Day 1: 5 21-06 Day 2: 5 25-04
2. Matt Adams Guntersville, AL 10 46-06 94
Day 1: 5 23-14 Day 2: 5 22-08
3. Yui Aoki Minamitsurugun JAPAN 10 38-02 93
Day 1: 5 17-08 Day 2: 5 20-10
4. Stephen Browning Hot Springs, AR 10 35-15 92
Day 1: 5 17-11 Day 2: 5 18-04
5. Colby Dark West Monroe, LA 10 34-14 91
Day 1: 5 12-14 Day 2: 5 22-00
6. Lucas Lindsay Auburn , AL 10 34-04 90
Day 1: 5 19-07 Day 2: 5 14-13
7. Ryan Salzman Huntsville, AL 10 34-01 89
Day 1: 5 18-09 Day 2: 5 15-08
8. Pake South Winnsboro, TX 10 33-15 88
Day 1: 5 15-10 Day 2: 5 18-05
9. Fisher Anaya Eva, AL 10 33-01 87
Day 1: 5 14-14 Day 2: 5 18-03
10. Nic Rand Paw Paw, MI 10 32-05 86
Day 1: 5 20-11 Day 2: 5 11-10
11. Jack Dice Lynchburg, VA 10 31-11 85 $6,114.00
Day 1: 5 17-02 Day 2: 5 14-09
12. Aaron Jagdfeld Rochester Hills, MI 10 31-09 84 $6,114.00
Day 1: 5 16-05 Day 2: 5 15-04
13. Brock Reinkemeyer Warsaw, MO 10 31-09 83 $6,114.00
Day 1: 5 15-05 Day 2: 5 16-04
14. Tristan McCormick Bon Aqua, TN 10 31-06 82 $6,114.00
Day 1: 5 15-01 Day 2: 5 16-05
15. Bailey Gay Union, KY 10 30-12 81 $6,114.00
Day 1: 5 15-01 Day 2: 5 15-11
16. Matt Messer Warfield, KY 10 30-08 80 $3,668.00
Day 1: 5 13-06 Day 2: 5 17-02
17. Grae Buck Green Lane, PA 10 30-03 79 $3,668.00
Day 1: 5 19-08 Day 2: 5 10-11
18. Jace Lindsay Beckville, TX 10 29-02 78 $3,668.00
Day 1: 5 13-13 Day 2: 5 15-05
19. Paul Marks Cumming, GA 10 29-02 77 $3,668.00
Day 1: 5 15-02 Day 2: 5 14-00
20. Russ Lane Prattville, AL 10 29-01 76 $3,668.00
Day 1: 5 13-00 Day 2: 5 16-01
21. Tanner Hadden Appling, GA 10 28-11 75 $3,668.00
Day 1: 5 12-01 Day 2: 5 16-10
22. Erik Brztowski Lemont, IL 10 28-06 74 $3,668.00
Day 1: 5 14-05 Day 2: 5 14-01
23. Austin Cranford Moore, OK 10 28-03 73 $3,668.00
Day 1: 5 11-11 Day 2: 5 16-08
24. Buddy Benson Dahlonega, GA 10 27-15 72 $3,668.00
Day 1: 5 12-12 Day 2: 5 15-03
25. Kyle Austin Ridgeville, SC 10 27-13 71 $3,668.00
Day 1: 5 13-02 Day 2: 5 14-11
26. Tai Au Glendale, AZ 10 27-09 70 $3,668.00
Day 1: 5 15-02 Day 2: 5 12-07
27. Clint Knight Russellville, KY 10 27-06 69 $3,668.00
Day 1: 5 11-09 Day 2: 5 15-13
28. Riley Nielsen Salt Lake City, UT 10 27-06 68 $3,668.00
Day 1: 5 15-02 Day 2: 5 12-04
29. Caleb Hudson Lincolnton, GA 10 27-04 67 $3,057.00
Day 1: 5 12-00 Day 2: 5 15-04
30. Joey Nania Cropwell, AL 10 27-03 66 $3,057.00
Day 1: 5 15-13 Day 2: 5 11-06
31. Lucas Murphy West Columbia, MI 10 27-01 65 $3,057.00
Day 1: 5 15-10 Day 2: 5 11-07
32. Tommy Wood Peregian Springs AUSTRA 10 26-13 64 $3,057.00
Day 1: 5 13-04 Day 2: 5 13-09
33. Blake Smith Lakeland, FL 10 26-11 63 $3,057.00
Day 1: 5 13-09 Day 2: 5 13-02
34. Jack York Emory, TX 10 26-10 62 $3,057.00
Day 1: 5 12-13 Day 2: 5 13-13
35. Brandon McMillan Clewiston, FL 10 26-01 61 $3,057.00
Day 1: 5 11-10 Day 2: 5 14-07
36. Sam Hanggi Knoxville, TN 10 26-01 60 $3,057.00
Day 1: 5 11-13 Day 2: 5 14-04
37. Beau Browning Hot Springs National Pa 10 26-01 0 $3,057.00
Day 1: 5 12-06 Day 2: 5 13-11
38. Michael Neal Dayton, TN 10 25-13 59 $3,057.00
Day 1: 5 13-12 Day 2: 5 12-01
39. Tyler Campbell Martin, GA 10 25-06 58 $3,057.00
Day 1: 5 09-11 Day 2: 5 15-11
40. Mark Menendez Paducah, KY 10 25-04 57 $3,057.00
Day 1: 5 16-00 Day 2: 5 09-04
41. Robert Gee Knoxville, TN 10 25-04 0
Day 1: 5 10-12 Day 2: 5 14-08
42. Ryan Broughman Corapeake, NC 10 24-15 56
Day 1: 5 15-03 Day 2: 5 09-12
43. Brad Jelinek Lincoln, MO 10 24-13 55
Day 1: 5 15-00 Day 2: 5 09-13
44. Chad Pipkens Dewitt, MI 9 24-04 54
Day 1: 5 13-11 Day 2: 4 10-09
45. Matt Baker Glenwood, AR 10 24-03 53
Day 1: 5 11-03 Day 2: 5 13-00
46. Cody Stahl Barnsville, GA 10 24-02 52
Day 1: 5 08-02 Day 2: 5 16-00
47. Dillon Falardeau Hixson, TN 10 23-15 51
Day 1: 5 11-00 Day 2: 5 12-15
48. Danny McGarry Newcastle CANADA 9 23-14 50
Day 1: 4 08-11 Day 2: 5 15-03
49. Jaden Parrish Liberty, TX 10 23-14 49
Day 1: 5 11-05 Day 2: 5 12-09
49. Brady Vernon Sterrett, AL 10 23-14 49
Day 1: 5 11-05 Day 2: 5 12-09
51. Bo Thomas Edwardsburg, MI 10 23-10 47
Day 1: 5 10-03 Day 2: 5 13-07
52. Connor Jacob Peoria, IL 10 23-02 46
Day 1: 5 11-15 Day 2: 5 11-03
53. Ty Faber Pagosa Springs, CO 8 22-14 45
Day 1: 3 04-04 Day 2: 5 18-10
54. Bailey Bleser Burlington, WI 10 22-05 44
Day 1: 5 10-15 Day 2: 5 11-06
55. Ryan Lachniet Gum Spring, VA 10 22-04 43
Day 1: 5 10-08 Day 2: 5 11-12
56. Chase Clarke Virginia Beach, VA 8 22-00 42
Day 1: 3 06-08 Day 2: 5 15-08
57. Joe Wieberg Freeburg, MO 10 22-00 41
Day 1: 5 12-07 Day 2: 5 09-09
58. Aaron Yavorsky Palm Harbor, FL 10 21-13 40
Day 1: 5 12-00 Day 2: 5 09-13
59. Chris Blanchette Chapin, SC 10 21-12 39
Day 1: 5 11-11 Day 2: 5 10-01
60. Trey Schroeder Theodosia, MO 10 21-11 38
Day 1: 5 09-02 Day 2: 5 12-09
61. John Duvall Madison, GA 10 21-02 37
Day 1: 5 11-09 Day 2: 5 09-09
62. Bryson Osteen Live Oak, FL 10 20-14 36
Day 1: 5 09-13 Day 2: 5 11-01
63. Michael Corbishley Raleigh, NC 8 20-13 35
Day 1: 5 12-12 Day 2: 3 08-01
64. Chris Beaudrie Princeton, KY 10 20-08 34
Day 1: 5 08-14 Day 2: 5 11-10
65. Brandon Coulter Knoxville, TN 10 20-06 33
Day 1: 5 09-12 Day 2: 5 10-10
66. Bobby Bakewell Orlando, FL 9 20-00 32
Day 1: 5 12-09 Day 2: 4 07-07
67. Lane Olson Forest Grove, OR 10 19-14 31
Day 1: 5 09-03 Day 2: 5 10-11
68. Parker Guy Ocilla, GA 10 19-05 30
Day 1: 5 09-01 Day 2: 5 10-04
69. Evan Cox-VanVliet Loveland, CO 8 19-04 29
Day 1: 4 10-08 Day 2: 4 08-12
70. Bryan Partak Marseilles, IL 10 18-14 28
Day 1: 5 11-03 Day 2: 5 07-11
71. River Lee Diboll, TX 10 18-12 27
Day 1: 5 09-03 Day 2: 5 09-09
72. Blaine Bunney Claremore, OK 9 18-11 26
Day 1: 5 12-04 Day 2: 4 06-07
73. Alec Morrison Peru, NY 10 18-10 25
Day 1: 5 07-01 Day 2: 5 11-09
74. Ethan Fields Carlyle, IL 8 18-01 24
Day 1: 3 04-09 Day 2: 5 13-08
75. Dillon Harrell New Caney, TX 10 18-00 23
Day 1: 5 08-08 Day 2: 5 09-08
76. Casey Scanlon Eldon, MO 10 17-11 22
Day 1: 5 09-09 Day 2: 5 08-02
77. Cameron Mattison Benton, LA 8 17-09 21
Day 1: 3 06-03 Day 2: 5 11-06
78. Hayden Gaddis Dandridge, TN 10 17-08 20
Day 1: 5 08-12 Day 2: 5 08-12
79. Christian Nash Allons, TN 9 17-07 19
Day 1: 4 07-00 Day 2: 5 10-07
80. James Chandler Liberty, TX 9 17-06 18
Day 1: 5 10-11 Day 2: 4 06-11
81. Timothy Dube Nashua , NH 9 16-11 17
Day 1: 4 05-05 Day 2: 5 11-06
82. Brian Post Janesville, WI 8 16-10 16
Day 1: 3 05-01 Day 2: 5 11-09
83. Jimmy Washam Stantonville, TN 7 15-10 15
Day 1: 2 03-13 Day 2: 5 11-13
84. Zach Goutremout Chaumont, NY 7 15-04 14
Day 1: 3 06-01 Day 2: 4 09-03
85. Dylan Akins Flowery Branch, GA 9 14-11 13
Day 1: 5 08-10 Day 2: 4 06-01
86. Adam Rasmussen Sturgeon Bay, WI 7 14-01 12
Day 1: 2 02-05 Day 2: 5 11-12
87. Alex Wetherell Middletown, CT 7 14-00 11
Day 1: 2 06-02 Day 2: 5 07-14
88. Wyatt Marler Oldfield, MO 8 12-10 10
Day 1: 3 04-12 Day 2: 5 07-14
89. Paul Mueller Naugatuck, CT 6 11-10 9
Day 1: 1 01-14 Day 2: 5 09-12
90. Chris Hellebuyck White Lake, MI 6 11-04 8
Day 1: 3 05-04 Day 2: 3 06-00
91. Trey Swindle Cleveland, AL 3 09-06 7
Day 1: 3 09-06 Day 2: 0 00-00
92. Garrett Paquette Canton, MI 6 09-05 6
Day 1: 5 08-01 Day 2: 1 01-04
93. Casey Smith Victor, NY 5 08-00 5
Day 1: 5 08-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
94. Andrew Behnke Fond Du Lac, WI 4 08-00 4
Day 1: 1 01-15 Day 2: 3 06-01
95. Cole Drummond Effingham, SC 5 06-04 3
Day 1: 5 06-04 Day 2: 0 00-00
———————————————————————–
Totals
Day #Limits #Fish Weight
1 77 436 1087-14
2 81 443 1156-13
———————————-
158 879 2244-11
Burroughs Leads NPFL at Hartwell
South Carolina’s Jason Burroughs leads after day one of the 2025 NPFL Championship.
Story by Justin Brouillard | Photos by Tanner & Travis Lyons
When one plan doesn’t work, just switch it up—that’s exactly what Day One leader Jason Burroughs did at the 2025 NPFL Championship on Lake Hartwell, hosted by Visit Anderson and Anderson County. His 17‑12 limit reflects that decision, and his history on Hartwell gave him the confidence to scratch practice and fish elsewhere.
Already qualified for next year’s Championship and with nothing to lose, 2024 winner Tennessee angler Brandon Perkins went all in. His commitment to the largemouth bite paid off, giving him 16‑14 on the day and putting him in second place.
Hartwell isn’t unfamiliar territory for Trent Palmer, who has earned a lot of money in the state of South Carolina. The Georgia pro anchored his 12th-place limit of 14‑4 with the event’s biggest bass so far, a 5‑10 lunker.
Burroughs Adjusts Strategy
Coming into the event, Jason Burroughs committed to one thing and one thing only. Focusing on suspended fish, he dedicated his practice period to locating as many areas as he could to try and stay consistent across three days.
Around noon on Day One, with only a few small fish in his well, he knew it was time to make a move, so he pulled the plug and switched things up. He quickly landed on fish.
“I knew coming in the offshore deal was going to give me the best chance, and I’m comfortable enough on this lake to make a change if needed,” he said. “I gambled—opting to switch things up and move shallower, but not necessarily shallow, if that makes sense.”
Taking a calculated approach, he fished familiar areas where he knew the pressure would be lighter on the fish and made the move to get away from other anglers.
“I really took a chance because I had not practiced anything else this week,” he said. “I haven’t pre-practiced or practiced anything new this week, and all the spots I fished were old, but the fish were there.”
Pretty quickly, he culled four times, replacing several smaller fish he caught offshore, fishing dropshots and flukes for fish feeding. He built a solid limit, enough to grab the day-one lead by almost a pound – now facing key decisions for day two.
“I caught a couple big ones right away, but even beyond that I caught a couple more nice fish,” he said. “Tomorrow is going to be tough. Do I go back offshore, which I suspect will turn on eventually, or stick with what I did this afternoon? That’s the question. I’m going to try to replicate it, obviously, and will have to run a lot of new water. I’ll see how things go before I fully decide.”
Perkins Goes Green
Fishing for largemouth on Hartwell suits Brandon Perkins. It’s the spotted bass that are the difference-makers, and despite some effort in practice, it wasn’t something he was willing to focus on too heavily on day one.
“I feel like I know how to fish for largemouth here, so in practice, I kind of focused on spotted bass,” he said. “I caught some good ones on day one of practice, but it did not hold up for the other two days. My goal was to catch 14 pounds of spots, and then go head hunting, but that changed.”
Committing to largemouth, he did weigh in two spotted bass fishing how he was fishing and culled later in the afternoon—about 15 minutes before check-in—with a big spotted bass. His pattern involves fishing a lot of specific targets and covering lots of water.
“I am having to move around a lot, and I know what I need to fish when I come across it,” he said. “The hard part is getting them to bite. Some of the fish are individuals, and some are small groups. I do not have many folks around me, but I did see two competitors today, which doesn’t help. At this point, I think I am committed.”
With “decent weather” for day two and the need to stay consistent, Perkins is likely to stick to his pattern rather than running around looking for spotted bass on brush. His areas are so vast, and the bites are random, leaving little time for alternatives.
“It is a lot of water; I could fish it for 30 days and never fish it all,” he laughed. “I have no idea why some spots don’t produce and some do – I just need to come across one here and there. I am fishing my style and not burning a lot of boat gas—more trolling motor. I am excited for tomorrow.”
In third place, Oklahoma angler Zack Birge weighed in 15‑9, with Georgia pros Will Harkins and Drew Cook, as well as Florida pro Jason Meninger tied for fourth with 15‑8. North Carolina pro Scott Hamrick rounds out the top ten with 14‑10.
Top Ten:
Jason Burroughs 17‑12
Brandon Perkins 16‑14
Zack Birge 15‑9
Will Harkins 15‑8
Drew Cook 15‑8
Jason Meninger 15‑8
Mike Quinlin 15‑3
Joey Bloom 15‑1
Joseph Webster 14‑13
Scott Hamrick 14‑10
Kyle Welcher 14‑10
October Smith Mountain Lake fishing report by Captain Chad Green
SMITH MOUNTAIN LAKE FISHING REPORT
By: Captain Chad Green
www.lastcastguideservicesml.com
October is here and the fall fishing is coming quick. Get out on the water when you can and enjoy the sunrises and sunsets. Practice catch and release as much as possible to preserve our great fisheries out there. As always, just make one more Last Cast as it could be the next trophy fish.
Visit Indian Point Marina at Hales Ford Bridge for any tackle that you may need and they will fix you up.
Visit https://missilebaits.store/and check out all they have to offer.
Special Thanks to Brian Carter at the https://thebasscast.com/
Check out Smith Mountain Boat and Tackle Penhook for your boating needs https://www.smboats.com
PRACTICE CATCH AND RELEASE ON CITATION SIZE FISH
BIG BASS TOURNAMENT
You will need a 8 plus pound fish to even have an opportunity to win Big Bass event coming up. Use lures that target big fish to increase your odds of that type of fish. Large topwater, Jigs, Spinnerbaits, Texas rigged plastics. These larger fish tend be in places you expect to catch them and usually are in shallower water than expected. They can be found around any type of cover this time of year, look in larger pockets and larger tributaries, windy areas, and shade could be a major factor by the weekend. The fall turnover has happened here on smith mountain and the bass will be in a mixture of places.
Largemouth Bass/Smallmouth Bass
The bass will start their transition this month in to their fall patterns. Look for fish to be in many depth ranges and a variety of lures will be needed with changing weather. Target rocky areas, flat points shallow drop offs and deeper docks. Topwater in the mornings can be productive this month and will produce some quality fish. Primary baits in the Fall are usually crawfish imitating lures and will produce the most bites. Shakey Heads, Plastic worms, Drop shots and Jigs will produce fish anywhere from 5 to 15ft in the fall. Topwater and Crankbaits will also be a player in October as well. This is a great opportunity to catch some trophy fish as well. Smallmouth will still be found near humps, shoals and rocky areas using the same lures. Schooling fish can be found on the lower end of the lake early morning or late evening. Make sure you take care of your fish in the early fall as they can have Barotrauma and may need air released to survive.
Striped Bass
Striper fishing will be good this month and look for them in larger schools as they start to group up for fall. They will travel in smaller schools searching for feeding opportunities. This jigging in the 30-50ft range will produce fish throughout the day as well and larger fish will show up this month as well at times and may be in smaller schools. The lower end of the lake to mid lake is where most of the action will be this month. Some fish have been found on the surface feeding early mornings and late evenings and can be fast and furious action. Look for fish in the mouths of the larger tributaries and large bays this month. Larger topwater plugs can be productive. Swing by Indian Point Marina they provide you with a great selection of what you need.
Crappie
Most of the Crappie have been in the 15-25 foot range.
Adams “current”ly leading Bassmaster EQ at Wheeler Lake
Alabama’s Matt Adams has taken the lead on Day 1 of the Nitro Boats Bassmaster Elite Qualifier at Wheeler Lake presented by Bass Pro Shops with a total of 23 pounds, 14 ounces.
Photo by Andy Crawford/B.A.S.S.
Oct. 2, 2025
Adams “current”ly leading Bassmaster EQ at Wheeler Lake
DECATUR, Ala. — More was better. At least that’s how it worked out for Matt Adams, whose 23-pound, 14-ounce limit leads Day 1 of the Nitro Boats Bassmaster Elite Qualifier at Wheeler Lake presented by Bass Pro Shops.
Starting his day at the Guntersville Dam tailrace, which feeds Wheeler, the Guntersville, Ala., pro intended to capitalize on the current seams that create feeding opportunities. As the dam releases water, baitfish are pushed past various current breaks where bass pick off the easy meals.
Upon arriving, Adams found greater water flow than he had encountered during practice. That changed the scenario, but Adams adjusted and once he dialed in his focus it was game-on for a brief, but intense rally.
“It lasted about 45 minutes and it was done,” Adams said, with an optimistic outlook. “It’s going to get interesting the next couple of days.”
The tailrace pattern is widely known throughout the Tennessee River system, so Adams had plenty of company. He held his cards low, but attributed his success to understanding the dynamics and leveraging that knowledge with precise presentations.
“There’s a lot of pressure up there, with bank pressure and local (boat) anglers, but there are some specific things (that impact the bite),” Adams said. “I went back later in the day and I couldn’t get them to eat later in the day. It could be a first daylight thing, so I’m gonna have to expand a little tomorrow.”
Despite losing a 5 1/2-pound smallmouth, Adams said this was one of the best fall day’s he’s had on Wheeler. He believes his opportunity was spurred by an increase in current strength as the Tennessee Valley Authority moved more water through the system.
“They had five gates open, whereas in practice they only had two,” Adams said. “The water came up, so I couldn’t really fish the backup areas that I wanted to.
“I actually prefer it when there’s not as much current. As soon as I got up there and saw that there was five gates open, I deviated from what I had initially planned to do.”
Adams, who guides on Lake Guntersville and Wheeler Lake, jokingly lamented weighing in one largemouth bass along with a quartet of stout smallmouth.
“When you come here, you gotta love on the smallmouth if you’re gonna be in the current,” Adams said.
Adams caught that largemouth on a Heddon Spook. His smallmouth preferred subsurface baits. Adams opted for confidentiality on those, but he said he believes he has a unique tool.
“I was throwing two subsurface baits, but there’s one very specific bait that nobody’s throwing right now,” he said.
Four of Adams’ final five fish came from the tailrace, with one coming from a different location. This location also benefitted from the increased current.
“I culled up by a couple of ounces downriver,” he said. “I tried to lay off some stuff, but it didn’t seem like even the stuff I laid off had as much as what I saw in practice. So, I’m kinda all in on what’s going on (at the tailrace).”
Laker Howell, who also makes his home in Guntersville, Ala., is in second place with 21-6. Howell, who won the St. Croix Bassmaster Open at Leech Lake presented by SEVIIN, said a few extra moments of patience ended up changing his day’s outcome.
“I got in my area and at 9 a.m. I hadn’t had a bite,” Howell recalled. “I was about to leave and a 4 1/2 just smoked my ChatterBait. He hit it so hard, I thought it was a catfish but he came up with the bait (deep in his mouth), so I thought, ‘Maybe I shouldn’t leave.’
“I picked up my Livingston Lures Walking Boss, started throwing it around and it was history from there.”
Howell described his target area as place where current dynamics positioned fish for strategic feeding. He didn’t offer specifics, but he noted that he was not far from the takeoff site at Ingalls Harbor.
Acknowledging what he believes was divine intervention, Howell said: “I have to give all the glory to God. There’s no doubt in my mind that a bag that big, as tough as it is right now, happens any other way besides him.”
Nic Rand of Paw Paw, Mich., is in third place with 20-11. After enduring a lean day, Rand’s afternoon delivered the rally he needed.
“I only had 13 pounds at 1 o’clock and I was really just trying to beg for a big bite and I finally got it,” Rand said. “I just plucked away at them and in the last 5 minutes it just went down. It was crazy. I just have just found a little pod of them.”
Rand said he was in “super shallow” water where a big flat feeds a little drain that runs out to the river channel. He caught his fish on a Rapala DT-10 crankbait, a Strike King Sexy Dog topwater and a ChatterBait.
Adams is in the lead for Phoenix Boats Big Bass honors with his 5-15.
Grae Buck of Green Lane, Pa., leads the Nitro Boats Bassmaster Elite Qualifiers standings with 183 points. Aaron Jagdfeld of Rochester Hills, Mich., is in second with 176, followed by Matt Messer of Warfield, Ky., with 162, Jace Lindsay of Beckville, Texas with 157 and Bailey Gay of Union, Ky., in fifth with 154.
Friday’s takeoff is scheduled for 7 a.m. CT from Ingalls Harbor. The weigh-in will be held at Ingalls Harbor at 3 p.m.
Coverage of the Nitro Boats Bassmaster Elite Qualifier at Wheeler Lake presented by Bass Pro Shops can be found on Bassmaster.com each day. Live coverage of Championship Saturday will be streamed on Bassmaster.com as well as the Roku Sports Channel from 7-10 a.m. ET and 11 a.m.-2 p.m.
This event is being hosted by Decatur Morgan County Tourism.
2025 Nitro Bassmaster Elite Qualifier at Wheeler Lake presented by Bass Pro Shops 10/2-10/4
Wheeler Lake, Decatur AL.
(BOATER) Standings Day 1
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Pts Total $$$
1. Matt Adams Guntersville, AL 5 23-14 95
Day 1: 5 23-14
2. Laker Howell Guntersville, AL 5 21-06 94
Day 1: 5 21-06
3. Nic Rand Paw Paw, MI 5 20-11 93
Day 1: 5 20-11
4. Grae Buck Green Lane, PA 5 19-08 92
Day 1: 5 19-08
5. Lucas Lindsay Auburn , AL 5 19-07 91
Day 1: 5 19-07
6. Ryan Salzman Huntsville, AL 5 18-09 90
Day 1: 5 18-09
7. Stephen Browning Hot Springs, AR 5 17-11 89
Day 1: 5 17-11
8. Yui Aoki Minamitsurugun JAPAN 5 17-08 88
Day 1: 5 17-08
9. Jack Dice Lynchburg, VA 5 17-02 87
Day 1: 5 17-02
10. Aaron Jagdfeld Rochester Hills, MI 5 16-05 86
Day 1: 5 16-05
11. Mark Menendez Paducah, KY 5 16-00 85
Day 1: 5 16-00
12. Joey Nania Cropwell, AL 5 15-13 84
Day 1: 5 15-13
13. Lucas Murphy West Columbia, MI 5 15-10 83
Day 1: 5 15-10
13. Pake South Winnsboro, TX 5 15-10 83
Day 1: 5 15-10
15. Brock Reinkemeyer Warsaw, MO 5 15-05 81
Day 1: 5 15-05
16. Ryan Broughman Corapeake, NC 5 15-03 80
Day 1: 5 15-03
17. Tai Au Glendale, AZ 5 15-02 79
Day 1: 5 15-02
17. Paul Marks Cumming, GA 5 15-02 79
Day 1: 5 15-02
17. Riley Nielsen Salt Lake City, UT 5 15-02 79
Day 1: 5 15-02
20. Bailey Gay Union, KY 5 15-01 76
Day 1: 5 15-01
20. Tristan McCormick Bon Aqua, TN 5 15-01 76
Day 1: 5 15-01
22. Brad Jelinek Lincoln, MO 5 15-00 74
Day 1: 5 15-00
23. Fisher Anaya Eva, AL 5 14-14 73
Day 1: 5 14-14
24. Erik Brztowski Lemont, IL 5 14-05 72
Day 1: 5 14-05
25. Jace Lindsay Beckville, TX 5 13-13 71
Day 1: 5 13-13
26. Michael Neal Dayton, TN 5 13-12 70
Day 1: 5 13-12
27. Chad Pipkens Dewitt, MI 5 13-11 69
Day 1: 5 13-11
28. Blake Smith Lakeland, FL 5 13-09 68
Day 1: 5 13-09
29. Matt Messer Warfield, KY 5 13-06 67
Day 1: 5 13-06
30. Tommy Wood Peregian Springs AUSTRA 5 13-04 66
Day 1: 5 13-04
31. Kyle Austin Ridgeville, SC 5 13-02 65
Day 1: 5 13-02
32. Russ Lane Prattville, AL 5 13-00 64
Day 1: 5 13-00
33. Colby Dark West Monroe, LA 5 12-14 63
Day 1: 5 12-14
34. Jack York Emory, TX 5 12-13 62
Day 1: 5 12-13
35. Buddy Benson Dahlonega, GA 5 12-12 61
Day 1: 5 12-12
35. Michael Corbishley Raleigh, NC 5 12-12 61
Day 1: 5 12-12
37. Bobby Bakewell Orlando, FL 5 12-09 59
Day 1: 5 12-09
38. Joe Wieberg Freeburg, MO 5 12-07 58
Day 1: 5 12-07
39. Beau Browning Hot Springs National Pa 5 12-06 0
Day 1: 5 12-06
40. Blaine Bunney Claremore, OK 5 12-04 57
Day 1: 5 12-04
41. Tanner Hadden Appling, GA 5 12-01 56
Day 1: 5 12-01
42. Caleb Hudson Lincolnton, GA 5 12-00 55
Day 1: 5 12-00
42. Aaron Yavorsky Palm Harbor, FL 5 12-00 55
Day 1: 5 12-00
44. Connor Jacob Peoria, IL 5 11-15 53
Day 1: 5 11-15
45. Sam Hanggi Knoxville, TN 5 11-13 52
Day 1: 5 11-13
46. Chris Blanchette Chapin, SC 5 11-11 51
Day 1: 5 11-11
46. Austin Cranford Moore, OK 5 11-11 51
Day 1: 5 11-11
48. Brandon McMillan Clewiston, FL 5 11-10 49
Day 1: 5 11-10
49. John Duvall Madison, GA 5 11-09 48
Day 1: 5 11-09
49. Clint Knight Russellville, KY 5 11-09 48
Day 1: 5 11-09
51. Jaden Parrish Liberty, TX 5 11-05 46
Day 1: 5 11-05
51. Brady Vernon Sterrett, AL 5 11-05 46
Day 1: 5 11-05
53. Matt Baker Glenwood, AR 5 11-03 44
Day 1: 5 11-03
53. Bryan Partak Marseilles, IL 5 11-03 44
Day 1: 5 11-03
55. Dillon Falardeau Hixson, TN 5 11-00 42
Day 1: 5 11-00
56. Bailey Bleser Burlington, WI 5 10-15 41
Day 1: 5 10-15
57. Robert Gee Knoxville, TN 5 10-12 0
Day 1: 5 10-12
58. James Chandler Liberty, TX 5 10-11 40
Day 1: 5 10-11
59. Ryan Lachniet Gum Spring, VA 5 10-08 39
Day 1: 5 10-08
60. Evan Cox-VanVliet Loveland, CO 4 10-08 38
Day 1: 4 10-08
61. Bo Thomas Edwardsburg, MI 5 10-03 37
Day 1: 5 10-03
62. Bryson Osteen Live Oak, FL 5 09-13 36
Day 1: 5 09-13
63. Brandon Coulter Knoxville, TN 5 09-12 35
Day 1: 5 09-12
64. Tyler Campbell Martin, GA 5 09-11 34
Day 1: 5 09-11
65. Casey Scanlon Eldon, MO 5 09-09 33
Day 1: 5 09-09
66. Trey Swindle Cleveland, AL 3 09-06 32
Day 1: 3 09-06
67. River Lee Diboll, TX 5 09-03 31
Day 1: 5 09-03
67. Lane Olson Forest Grove, OR 5 09-03 31
Day 1: 5 09-03
69. Trey Schroeder Theodosia, MO 5 09-02 29
Day 1: 5 09-02
70. Parker Guy Ocilla, GA 5 09-01 28
Day 1: 5 09-01
71. Chris Beaudrie Princeton, KY 5 08-14 27
Day 1: 5 08-14
72. Hayden Gaddis Dandridge, TN 5 08-12 26
Day 1: 5 08-12
73. Danny McGarry Newcastle CANADA 4 08-11 25
Day 1: 4 08-11
74. Dylan Akins Flowery Branch, GA 5 08-10 24
Day 1: 5 08-10
75. Dillon Harrell New Caney, TX 5 08-08 23
Day 1: 5 08-08
76. Cody Stahl Barnsville, GA 5 08-02 22
Day 1: 5 08-02
77. Garrett Paquette Canton, MI 5 08-01 21
Day 1: 5 08-01
78. Casey Smith Victor, NY 5 08-00 20
Day 1: 5 08-00
79. Alec Morrison Peru, NY 5 07-01 19
Day 1: 5 07-01
80. Christian Nash Allons, TN 4 07-00 18
Day 1: 4 07-00
81. Chase Clarke Virginia Beach, VA 3 06-08 17
Day 1: 3 06-08
82. Cole Drummond Effingham, SC 5 06-04 16
Day 1: 5 06-04
83. Cameron Mattison Benton, LA 3 06-03 15
Day 1: 3 06-03
84. Alex Wetherell Middletown, CT 2 06-02 14
Day 1: 2 06-02
85. Zach Goutremout Chaumont, NY 3 06-01 13
Day 1: 3 06-01
86. Timothy Dube Nashua , NH 4 05-05 12
Day 1: 4 05-05
87. Chris Hellebuyck White Lake, MI 3 05-04 11
Day 1: 3 05-04
88. Brian Post Janesville, WI 3 05-01 10
Day 1: 3 05-01
89. Wyatt Marler Oldfield, MO 3 04-12 9
Day 1: 3 04-12
90. Ethan Fields Carlyle, IL 3 04-09 8
Day 1: 3 04-09
91. Ty Faber Pagosa Springs, CO 3 04-04 7
Day 1: 3 04-04
92. Jimmy Washam Stantonville, TN 2 03-13 6
Day 1: 2 03-13
93. Adam Rasmussen Sturgeon Bay, WI 2 02-05 5
Day 1: 2 02-05
94. Andrew Behnke Fond Du Lac, WI 1 01-15 4
Day 1: 1 01-15
95. Paul Mueller Naugatuck, CT 1 01-14 3
Day 1: 1 01-14
———————————————————————–
Totals
Day #Limits #Fish Weight
1 77 436 1087-14
———————————-
77 436 1087-14
Chuck Douthit & Zach Pringle win CATT Lake Norman, NC with 5 bass weghing 19.69 lbs
USE PHANTOMCATT15 AT CHECKOUT TO RECEIVE 15% OFF YOUR PHANTOM OUTDOORS TOURNAMENT GRADE FISHING APPAREL ORDER! CLICK ON THE PHANTOM LOGO TO BEGIN SHOPPING!
Chuck Douthit & Zach Pringle weigh in 5 bass at 19.69 lbs taking 1st Place & $1,325.00 at Laker Norman!
Corey & Colby Lassiter weighed in 5 bass at 18.11 lbs to claim 2nd Place! They also weighed in the Academy BF at 5.37 lbs!
Wyatt & Bart Hill finished 3rd with 5 bass weighing 13.59 lbs!
Steve Addington & Scott Beattie 4th Place 13.56 lbs!
Zac Ridenhour 5th with 13.43 lbs!
| TEAM | BF | WEIGHT | WINNINGS | POINTS |
| CHUCK DOUTHITT & ZACH PRINGLE | 5.30 | 19.69 | $1,325.00 | 110 |
| COREY LASSITER & COLBY LASSITER | 5.37 | 18.11 | $860.00 | 109 |
| WYATT HILL & BART HILL | 3.34 | 13.59 | $260.00 | 108 |
| STEVE ADDINGTON & SCOTT BEATTIE | 3.59 | 13.56 | $100.00 | 107 |
| ZAC RIDENHOUR | 4.43 | 13.43 | $80.00 | 106 |
| GAVIN WILLIAMS & LEE WILLIAMS | 0.00 | 13.07 | 105 | |
| MICHEAL BLEVINS & KIERAN HUSKINS | 0.00 | 11.70 | 104 | |
| JOSH PRESSLEY & GABE KLUTTZ | 0.00 | 11.60 | 103 | |
| CHRISTIAN JOHNSON | 3.64 | 11.56 | 102 | |
| KENNY SEAGLE & DREW MONTGOMERY | 0.00 | 11.39 | 101 | |
| ZACK ABSHER & BRANDON EGGERS | 0.00 | 11.39 | 100 | |
| CHRIS PASSMORE & MICHAEL GAULDIN | 0.00 | 11.27 | 99 | |
| TITUS WARD & DANIEL RAY | 0.00 | 11.05 | 98 | |
| JERRY RAMSEY & PATRICK MARSHALL | 0.00 | 10.28 | 97 | |
| TIM WADDELL & MARK BESHEARS | 3.05 | 10.02 | 96 | |
| JUSTIN ROYCE & WILL NICHOLS | 0.00 | 9.68 | 95 | |
| JOHN DULUC | 3.60 | 9.45 | 94 | |
| DALTON RUSSELL | 0.00 | 9.42 | 93 | |
| JEFF NICHOLS & T.J. PENNINGER | 2.38 | 8.94 | 92 | |
| RUSSELL HOYLE | 0.00 | 8.30 | 91 | |
| JONATHAN HOBBS & TREVOR HOBBS | 2.59 | 5.98 | 90 | |
| ROGER ADAMS | 4.29 | 4.29 | 89 | |
| CHRIS BROWN | 0.00 | 0.00 | 79 | |
| ARTHUR HARRIS & ERIC RAINES | 0.00 | 0.00 | 79 | |
| JEFFREY LOTIERZO & LUKE BRAMHALL | 0.00 | 0.00 | 79 | |
| JEREMY TALBERT & TOD HAYNES | 0.00 | 0.00 | 79 | |
| Lake Norman Fall Final Fund | $235.00 | |||
| Lake Norman Fall Point Wnners | $250.00 |
Shreveport-Bossier City, Louisiana, Revealed as Venue for Major League Fishing’s Fishing Clash Team Series Summit Cup
SHREVEPORT-BOSSIER CITY, La. (Oct. 2, 2025) – Major League Fishing (MLF), the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization, announced today that Shreveport-Bossier City, Louisiana, will be the location for the fourth and final event of the 2025 Fishing Clash Team Series Presented by Bass Pro Shops season – the Bass Pro Shops Summit Cup, Sunday, Nov. 16, through Friday, Nov. 21.
The Bass Pro Shops Summit Cup is a six-day competition hosted by the Shreveport-Bossier Sports Commission. In keeping with traditional MLF Cup protocols all fishable waters within 60 miles of Shreveport-Bossier City, Louisiana, are now off limits to competing anglers. The competition waters for each day are top secret and only revealed to the anglers when they arrive at the boat ramp each morning. Anglers are driven directly to the day’s competition area launch ramp by their officials.
The Fishing Clash Team Series features four Cup events in 2025 – the Challenge, Heritage, Patriot and Summit Cups – each showcasing 12 two-man teams of Bass Pro Tour anglers competing for a share of $560,000 in prize money.
All six days of competition will be streamed live on MLFNOW!, starting at 9 a.m. CT with every catch, cast and strategic decision unfolding in real-time as teams break down unfamiliar waters and adapt together on the fly. The final period of each day of competition will be broadcast live from 1:30-4 p.m. CT on RFD-TV, and each event will also be featured in a series of six original, two-hour episodes set to premiere on Outdoor Channel in the first quarter of 2026.
The 12 teams that will compete in the Summit Cup in Shreveport-Bossier City, Louisiana, Nov. 16-21 are:
Team Kubota:
Cole Floyd, Leesburg, Ohio
Nick Hatfield, Greeneville, Tenn.
Team Fishing Clash:
Ron Nelson, Berrien Springs, Mich.
Keith Carson, DeBary, Fla.
Team BUBBA:
Wesley Strader, Spring City, Tenn.
Brent Chapman, Lake Quivira, Kan.
Team Ferguson:
Justin Lucas, Guntersville, Ala.
Brent Ehrler, Redlands, Calif.
Team 7Brew:
Zack Birge, Blanchard, Okla.
Keith Poche, Pike Road, Ala.
Team O’Reilly Auto Parts:
Adrian Avena, Vineland, N.J.
Mark Daniels Jr., Tuskegee, Ala.
Team Knighten:
Spencer Shuffield, Hot Springs, Ark.
Matt Becker, Ten Mile, Tenn.
Team Star brite:
Jacob Wall, New Hope, Ala.
Bobby Lane, Lakeland, Fla.
Team Smokey Mountain:
Britt Myers, Lake Wylie, S.C.
Terry Scroggins, San Mateo, Fla.
Team Lucas Oil:
Drew Gill, Mount Carmel, Ill.
Marshall Robinson, Landrum, S.C.
Team B&W Trailer Hitches:
Todd Faircloth, Jasper, Texas
Nick LeBrun, Bossier City, La.
Team YETI:
Jeff Sprague, Wills Point, Texas
Fred Roumbanis, Russellville, Ark.
Fans can follow the action live on MajorLeagueFishing.com, the MLF and MyOutdoorTV (MOTV) apps and Rumble, with hosts Chad McKee and J.T. Kenney breaking down every minute of competition on MLFNOW!.