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DeFoe/Montgomery and Gill/Robinson Advance after Elimination Round Match 2 at Knighten Industries Heritage Cup

Team BUBBA (DeFoe/Montgomery) catches 38 scorable bass totaling 56-1 to win Elimination Round Match 2, top two teams move on to Knockout Round

MINOCQUA, Wis. (Sept. 15, 2025) – The defending champions were at it again as Day 2 of the Knighten Industries Heritage Cup Presented by Bass Boat Technologies continued on Monday . Team BUBBA – Bass Pro Tour standouts Ott DeFoe and Andy Montgomery – looked every bit like the duo that hoisted the Heritage Cup trophy in Neenah, Wisconsin last season, cruising through Elimination Match 2 to end the competition day with 56 pounds, 1 ounce of scorable bass. Their steady performance on Minocqua Lake not only secured the win but also sent a clear message that they remain the team to beat at the second event of the 2025 Major League Fishing (MLF) Fishing Clash Team Series.


Link to HD Video Clip of Heritage Cup Elimination Round Match 2 Highlights
Link to Morning Photo Gallery: Second fleet of teams embark on Minocqua Lake for Heritage Cup
Link to Afternoon Photo Gallery: Minocqua heats up during Elimination Match 2

“That’s got to be the least stressful day of fishing I’ve ever had on the Team Series,” DeFoe said. “We got in a good area right away, caught them on the docks, and really just settled in. After that, we spent most of the last period practicing and looking for more water, which is always important in this format.”

Montgomery echoed the comfort of fishing to their strengths.

“We only caught one scorable bass after we left that first stretch, but it didn’t matter,” Montgomery said. “That spot was everything. If we had to pick one thing to do when we came up here, it was exactly this – fishing boat docks with a wacky worm and a jig.

“Ott’s throwing his Bass Pro Shops Wacky Stik-O, and I’m skipping a Strike King jig with a Strike King Rage Bug. It’s a one-two punch that works.”

DeFoe leaned into the details of the winning setup.

“That’s just a deadly combination for us,” he said. “I can skip that Wacky Stik-O way up under a dock, and Andy can hit every angle with his jig. Between the two of us, we’re efficient and we cover water. When you get in the right area and they’re biting, it just works.”

While Team BUBBA left little doubt about their advancement, the real drama came down to the wire between Team Star Tron and Team Knighten Industries. Marshall Robinson carried the load in the final period for Star Tron, boating seven scorable bass for 14 pounds to push their total to 41-7 and edge out Knighten by just 2 pounds, 4 ounces.

Drew Gill’s consistency and Robinson’s late surge gave Team Star Tron the second advancing spot, while Team Knighten Industries – last year’s Challenge Cup winners Matt Becker and Spencer Shuffield – fell just short despite a furious comeback in the third period.

The Knighten Industries duo found a productive offshore milfoil stretch and caught four bass in the final seven minutes but ultimately ran out of time.

“We got on them late, and we almost pulled it off,” Shuffield said. “That’s the way this format goes – every ounce matters. We just needed one more bite.”

For Team Kubota’s Nick Hatfield and Cole Floyd, the day never quite came together. After an early attempt in the grass fizzled, they shifted to docks but struggled to generate consistent bites, finishing in fourth and heading home.

In the end, the day belonged to the veterans from Team BUBBA, who combined for 38 scorable bass and showed the same chemistry that carried them to victory in Wisconsin last year.

“We complement each other really well and together we can keep them biting,” Montgomery said.

 “We’ve won with this formula before, and it gives us confidence moving forward,” DeFoe added. “Now it’s about finding the next good stretch and keeping the momentum rolling.”

The top two teams from Elimination Round Match 2 at the Knighten Industries Heritage Cup Presented by Bass Boat Technologies that now advance to the Knockout Round are:

1st:     Team BUBBA, 38 bass, 56-1
           Ott DeFoe, Blaine, Tenn., 22 bass, 31-9
           Andy Montgomery, Blacksburg, S.C., 16 bass, 24-8
2nd:    Team Star Tron, 23 bass, 41-7
            Drew Gill, Mount Carmel, Ill., 12 bass, 19-11
            Marshall Robinson, Landrum, S.C., 11 bass, 21-12

Eliminated from competition are:

3rd:    Team Knighten Industries, 26 bass, 39-3
           Matt Becker, Ten Mile, Tenn., 14 bass, 19-13
           Spencer Shuffield, Hot Springs, Ark., 12 bass, 19-6
4th:    Team Kubota, 15 bass, 20-11
           Cole Floyd, Leesburg, Ohio, five bass, 6-10
           Nick Hatfield, Greeneville, Tenn., 10 bass, 14-1

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

Overall, there were 102 bass weighing 157 pounds, 6 ounces caught by the four teams in Elimination Round Match 2 on Lake Minocqua. Team BUBBA pro Andy Montgomery caught the Berkley Big Bass of the day – a largemouth weighing 3 pounds, 2 ounces. 

The four teams that will compete Tuesday in Elimination Round Match 3 at the Knighten Industries Heritage Cup Presented by Bass Boat Technologies are:

Team 7Brew Coffee:
Zack Birge, Blanchard, Okla.
Keith Poche, Pike Road, Ala.

Team B&W Trailer Hitches:
Todd Faircloth, Jasper, Texas
Jared Lintner, Covington, Ga.

Team O’Reilly Auto Parts:
Jacob Wheeler, Harrison, Tenn.
Mark Daniels Jr., Tuskegee, Ala.

Team Smokey Mountain:
Terry Scroggins, San Mateo, Fla.
Casey Ashley, Donalds, S.C.

The Knighten Industries Heritage Cup Presented by Bass Boat Technologies is hosted by the Minocqua Area Visitors Bureau and takes place over six days in Minocqua, Wisconsin . The competition water for each day is top-secret and is only revealed to the anglers when they arrive at the boat ramp each morning. Anglers are driven directly to the day’s competition area launch ramp by their officials. Competition begins on the water at 8:45 a.m.

The MLFNOW!® broadcast team of Chad McKee and J.T. Kenney will break down the extended action live every day of competition from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. CT. MLFNOW!® is live streamed on MajorLeagueFishing.com, the MLF and MyOutdoorTV (MOTV) apps, RFD-TV Now, Game & Fish TV and Rumble. The final period of every day of competition of the 2025 Fishing Clash Team Series is broadcast live on RFD-TV, from 1:30 p.m. to 4 p.m. CT.

The Heritage Cup features 12 two-man teams divided into three groups as they enter the one-day Elimination Round matches. Each of the three Elimination Round matches will feature four new teams, with the top two teams from each match of the Elimination Round advancing to the Knockout Round on Days 4 & 5. In the Knockout Rounds, three teams compete each day, with the top two teams from each Knockout Round match moving on to the Championship Round on Day 6. In Friday’s Day 6 Championship Round, the final four teams will compete in a one-day shootout to determine which team will win the 2025 Knighten Industries Heritage Cup Presented by Bass Boat Technologies.

The MLF Fishing Clash Team Series Presented by Bass Pro Shops will feature four Cup events in 2025 – the Challenge, Heritage, Patriot, and Summit Cups – with 12 two-man teams of Bass Pro Tour anglers competing for a share of $560,000 in prize money. Teams were formed through a selection process, where 48 team captains – based on Fishing Clash Angler of the Year (AOY) standings throughout the 2025 Bass Pro Tour season – selected a teammate. Teams will compete throughout the fall of 2025.

The MLF Fishing Clash Team Series Knighten Industries Heritage Cup Presented by Bass Boat Technologies will also air on Outdoor Channel as six two-hour original episodes each Saturday afternoon starting Feb. 14, 2026. The complete television schedule for the Fishing Clash Team Series on Outdoor Channel will be posted at MajorLeagueFishing.com.





Glenn Altman & Britt Brown win the Waccamaw River with 5 bass weighing 16.30 lbs!

Next Waccamaw River Fall Qualifier is Oct 25 at Bucksport!

Glenn Altman & Britt Brown win the Waccamaw River with 5 bass weighing 16.30 lbs! They also weighed in the 1st BF at 5.84 lbs! All total they took home $1,100.00!

Ed Owens & Chris Jones earned 2nd with 5 bass weighing 13.19 lbs!

Mike & Kaleb Gerald 3rd with 12.53 lbs!

TeamBFWeightWinningsPoints
Britt Brown & Glenn Altman5.8416.30$1,100.00110
Chris Jones & Ed Owens4.4813.19$505.00109
Mike & Kaleb Gerald2.8212.53$120.00108
Gary Pope & Brian Howard2.4411.25107
Brian Hughes & Noah Jones2.7010.97106
Danny McLean2.379.72105
David McCarter & Kyler Reed2.769.37104
River Squiers & Caine Conyers0.009.08103
Shane Hollar & Jesse McCormick2.829.07102
Rickey Bellamy & Josh Jones0.008.33101
Darren & Karen Leeper2.378.26100
Robby Byrum & Eric Cox3.267.7699
Ron Swanston & Juan Lawerence0.007.2998
Marion Humpfries & Pete Yates0.006.5997
Adam Watts0.006.2096
Chad Williams & David Wilder0.000.0086
Total Entrys$1,800.00
BONUS $$250.00
Total Paid At Ramp$1,725.00
CATT$50.00
2025 Waccamaw Fall Final Fund$225.00
2026 CATT Championship Fund$50.00
2025 Waccamaw Fall Fund Total$100.00
2025 Waccamaw Fall Point Fund$125.00





West Salem’s Weber Frogs his Way to Second Career Win at Phoenix Bass Fishing League Event at the Mississippi River-La Crosse

Boater winner Clayton Weber of West Salem, Wisconsin, and co-angler winner Timothy Wittren of Ontario, Wisconsin.
Ontario’s Wittren Tops Co-Angler Division

LA CROSSE, Wis. (Sept. 15, 2025) – Boater Clayton Weber of West Salem, Wisconsin, caught a total of 10 bass weighing 37 pounds, 1 ounce, over two days to win the MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League (BFL) Presented by T-H Marine at the Mississippi River – La Crosse Presented by Lew’s . The tournament, hosted by Explore La Crosse, was the fifth and final event of the season for the BFL Great Lakes Division. Weber earned $5,831 for his victory.

Weber came out strong on Day 1, landing a quality limit off his starting spot earlier than expected and then spending the remainder of the afternoon scouting.

“The first day, I got to my starting spot and the fish bit better than expected. I had my weight pretty quickly, and then just went practicing the rest of the day,” Weber said. “I wasn’t really sure what to expect going into Day 2.”

On Championship Sunday, those same areas didn’t produce, forcing Weber to scrap his plan and make major adjustments.

“I got to my spot where I caught them all the first day, and I got one, and then there was nothing there,” he recalled. “I had to re-change everything. The weather changed, so I just went and ran a whole new pattern the rest of the afternoon, slowly catching one here and there.”

Weber leaned on two staple river presentations – a frog and a swimjig – but it was the frog that ultimately delivered most of his weight.

“The frog was definitely the shining star of the event,” he said.

He targeted grass edges with the swim jig and worked duckweed mats and the heaviest vegetation with the frog, often wrestling fish out of cover.

“It was super thick, gnarly Mississippi River vegetation,” he explained. “I definitely lost some that I thought might be crucial, but I managed to put enough together.”
Weber’s clutch moment came late on Day 2, when he added two key fish to seal the win.

“I had about 11 pounds around 11 o’clock, and it wasn’t looking good,” he said. “Then with an hour left, I caught one over 4 pounds, and five minutes before check-in I caught a 3½-pounder that culled a small one. At that point, I knew I had a chance.”

For Weber, the win was made even sweeter by the conditions he battled through.

“There are so many good, talented fishermen up here, and it’s hard to win against this group,” he said. “That makes it feel even more special.”

He also credited his equipment for powering through the heavy grass mats. “I was trolling through super thick grass all weekend, and having reliable PowerHouse Lithium batteries was huge,” Weber added. “That gave me the confidence to fish the way I needed to and know my equipment was going to perform as it should.”

The top 10 boaters finished the tournament:

1st:        Clayton Weber, West Salem, Wis., 10 bass, 37-1, $5,831
2nd:      Casey Goode, La Crosse, Wis., 10 bass, 35-10, $3,415 (includes $500 Phoenix Bonus)
3rd:       Mike Brueggen, La Crosse, Wis., 10 bass, 35-4, $1,945
4th:        Jeff Ritter, Prairie du Chien, Wis., 10 bass, 33-6, $1,511
5th:        Steve Lopez, Oconomowoc, Wis., 10 bass, 33-4, $1,266
6th:        Brent Schroeder, Caledonia, Minn., 10 bass, 32-11, $1,069
7th:        Marcus Livingston, Augusta, Wis., 10 bass, 31-12, $972
8th:        Tyler Fitch, Fall River, Wis., 10 bass, 31-8, $875
9th:        Dan Mohn, Lansing, Iowa, 10 bass, 31-6, $777
10th:     Devin Teigen, Nelson, Wis., 10 bass, 30-12, $680

Complete results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

Ryan Redmann of Brandon, Wisconsin, caught a bass that weighed 5 pounds, 13 ounces, and earned the Berkley Big Bass Boater award of $787.



Timothy Wittren of Ontario, Wisconsin, won the co-angler division and $2,966 after bringing six bass to the scale that totaled 19 pounds even.

The top 10 co-anglers finished:

1st:        Timothy Wittren, Ontario, Wis., six bass, 19-0, $2,966
2nd:      Brian Brecka, Alma, Wis., six bass, 18-14, $1,458
3rd:       Dante Johnson, Gurnee, Ill., six bass, 16-6, $971
4th:        Lance Arnoldussen, Oconomowoc, Wis., six bass, 16-4, $680
5th:        Jason Swanson, Waterloo, Iowa, six bass, 16-3, $583
6th:        Mason Peters, La Crosse, Wis., six bass, 16-3, $535
7th:        Nick Kramersmeier, Johnston, Iowa, six bass, 16-0, $880
8th:        Chia Xiong, Onalaska, Wis., six bass, 15-7, $437
9th:        Chase Traeger, Lino Lakes, Minn., six bass, 15-6, $389
10th:     Levi Schmidt, Caledonia, Minn., six bass, 15-1, $340

Nick Kramersmeier of Johnston, Iowa, earned the Berkley Big Bass co-angler award of $394, catching a bass that weighed in at 4 pounds, 12 ounces – the largest co-angler catch of the day.

With all five events in the division now complete, boater Tyler Fitch of Fall River, Wisconsin, won the Fishing Clash Great Lakes Division Angler of the Year (AOY) race with 1,337 points and earned the $1,000 prize, while Timothy Wittren of Ontario, Wisconsin, won the Fishing Clash Great Lakes Division Co-Angler of the Year race with 1,336 points and earned the $500 payout.

The top 60 boaters and co-anglers in the division based on point standings, along with the five tournament winners of each qualifying event, will qualify for the Oct. 3-4 BFL Regional tournament on the Mississippi River in Quad Cities, Illinois. Boaters will fish for a top award of a new Phoenix 819 Pro with a 200-horsepower Mercury or Suzuki outboard worth $50,000, while co-anglers will compete for a top award of $20,000.

The 2025 Phoenix BFL Presented by T-H Marine is a 24-division circuit devoted to weekend anglers, with 134 events throughout the season, five qualifying tournaments in each division. The top 60 boaters and co-anglers from each division, along with the five qualifying tournament winners, will advance to one of 12 BFL Regional tournaments where they are competing to finish in the top three, which then qualifies them for one of the longest-running championships in all of competitive bass fishing – the BFL All-American.





Harrison McCall & Cole Moulton win CATT Lake Greenwood with 5 bass weighing 13.92 lbs!

Next Lake Greenwood Fall CATT Qualifier is Oct 4 at the Hwy 72 ramp!

Harrison McCall & Cole Moulton win Lake Greenwood with 5 bass weighing 13.92 lbs!

Jason Skinner & Jason Snyder took 2nd place with 5 bass weighing 12.48 lbs!

3rd Place went to Alex Cummings & Garrett Smith with 5 bass weighing 12.24 lbs!

Ryan Franklin & Graham Price weighed in a 5.08 lb Hawg good enough for BF!

TeamBFWeightWinningsPoints
Harrison McCall – Cole Moulton3.4313.92$885.00110
Jason Skinner – Jason Snyder3.6312.48$210.00109
Alex Cummings – Garrett Smith4.5412.24$90.00108
Claire Weaver – Mitchell Robinson0.0011.64107
Darryl Redfern – John Williams0.0011.55106
Colden Baker – Jaylen White3.2011.52105
Britt Myers – Gabby Booker0.0010.97104
Carl Rogers – Tony Cook3.979.13103
Anthony Kiker – Brandon Wilson0.008.65102
Ryan Franklin – Graham Price5.087.90$160.00101
John Parker – Ray Pettit2.507.81100
Kenin Newman – Gary New0.006.8199
Chad Barbare – Landon Barbare0.006.0698
Anthony Burnett & Christopher Burnett2.424.2097
Brian Hohn – Curtis Baird0.004.0496
Wesley Underwood – Alan Shifferly3.673.6795
Total Entrys$1,440.00
BONUS $$400.00
Total Paid At Ramp$1,345.00
CATT$0.00
2025 Greenwood Fall Final Fund$285.00
2026 CATT Championship Fund$50.00
2025 Greenwood Fall Final Total$285.00





Camdenton’s Messina Earns First BFL Win of Career at Phoenix Bass Fishing League Event at Lake of the Ozarks

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Boater winner Kaden Messina of Camdenton, Missouri, and co-angler winner D.J. Pugh of Overland Park, Kansas.
Kansas’ Pugh Takes Co-Angler Division

OSAGE BEACH, Mo. (Sept. 15, 2025) – Boater Kaden Messina of Camdenton, Missouri, caught a total of 10 bass weighing 35 pounds, 6 ounces, over two days to win the MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League (BFL) Presented by T-H Marine at Lake of the Ozarks. The tournament was the fifth and final event of the season for the BFL Ozark Division. Messina earned $6,242 for his victory.

Messina admitted he went into the event with no practice time, but leaned on past experience and local knowledge to find the right fish.

“I did not practice at all,” Messina said. “I just ran into an area of the lake that I know very well and have a lot of confidence in.”

That decision paid off quickly on Day 1, as he boxed a limit of solid keepers before boating a key 5-pounder around noon. Skipping a 3/4-ounce jig around docks produced steady action and gave him 18 pounds to start the tournament.

On Championship Sunday, Messina returned to the same general area but made sure to mix in fresh stretches of docks rather than revisiting the same water. That move kept the bites coming early, and his biggest bass of the day – another 5-pounder – came around 7:30 a.m.

“It was probably the third dock I pulled up to,” he said. “I caught that big one and then went through a stretch catching a bunch of shorts and a small keeper.”

From there, he pieced together the rest of his limit by running both proven stretches from last fall’s Toyota Series and brand-new water. By mid-day, Messina had four fish for roughly 11 to 13 pounds, but a clutch 3-pounder late in the afternoon pushed his weight to 17-5 and sealed the victory.

“I kind of burned up everything I knew about in that area and then just started fishing random stuff looking for another big one,” he said. “I never did get another giant, but 17-5 was enough.”

When weigh-in came around, Messina said he felt confident he’d be near the top.

“I knew I was at least going to stay in the top three, 100%,” he said. “Usually, it takes around 35 pounds to win this one, and I figured I’d be right there. The computers went down and things got confusing at the scales, but when it was official, I was pretty hyped up.”

For Messina, the victory was especially rewarding after coming up short on the same lake in past events.

“It feels insane – I’ve been wanting to win one of these for a while,” he said. “Last year I was around the same fish, but I didn’t execute. This time I knew I needed to fish my best stretches in the first couple hours because it gets tougher as the day goes on. That made all the difference.”

The top 10 boaters finished the tournament:

1st:        Kaden Messina, Camdenton, Mo., 10 bass, 35-6, $6,242
2nd:      Jason Weast, Macks Creek, Mo., 10 bass, 34-0, $3,121
3rd:       Matt Ells, Shell Knob, Mo., 10 bass, 33-12, $2,182
4th:        Cory Steckler, Rocky Mount, Mo., 10 bass, 30-15, $1,956 (includes $500 Phoenix Bonus)
5th:        Corbin Bailey, Camdenton, Mo., 10 bass, 29-8, $1,248
6th:        Chase Fitzpatrick, Eldon, Mo., 10 bass, 29-4, $1,144
7th:        Anthony Scoma, Spring Hill, Kan., 10 bass, 29-0, $1,040
8th:        Michael Harlin, Sunrise Beach, Mo., 10 bass, 28-12, $936
9th:        Chad Allison, Junction, Mo., 10 bass, 28-4, $832
10th:     Jonathan Pimentel, Camdenton, Mo., 10 bass, 12-13, $728

Complete results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

Jacob Welch of Jefferson City, Missouri, caught a bass that weighed 6 pounds, 2 ounces, and earned the Berkley Big Bass Boater award of $870.



D.J. Pugh of Overland Park, Kansas, won the co-angler division and $3,171 after bringing five bass to the scales that totaled 17 pounds, 4 ounces.

The top 10 co-anglers finished:

1st:        D.J. Pugh, Overland Park, Kan., five bass, 17-4, $3,171
2nd:      Kasen Uthe, Camdenton, Mo., six bass, 15-13, $1,560
3rd:       Walt Hammond, Lees Summit, Mo., six bass, 15-4, $1,042
4th:        Alex Thomas, Fulton, Mo., five bass, 15-0, $728
5th:        Kody Yates, O’Fallon, Mo., six bass, 14-14, $624
6th:        Landon Gerlach, Lohman, Mo., six bass, 14-5, $572
7th:        Christopher Becker, Kansas City, Mo., six bass, 13-10, $520
8th:        Jeff Moss, Oronogo, Mo., six bass, 13-8, $568
9th:        Stephen Babcock, Belton, Mo., five bass, 13-3, $416
10th:     Ted Holverson, El Cajon, Calif., six bass, 12-14, $364

Landon Vogt of Winfield, Missouri, earned the Berkley Big Bass co-angler award of $435, catching a bass that weighed in at 4 pounds, 15 ounces.

With all five events in the division now complete, boater Eric Olliverson of Shell Knob, Missouri, won the Fishing Clash Ozark Division Angler of the Year (AOY) race with 1,310 points and earned the $1,000 prize, while Dennis Spell of Bonne Terre, Missouri, won the Fishing Clash Ozark Division Co-Angler of the Year race with 1,292 points and earned the $500 payout.

The top 60 boaters and co-anglers in the division based on point standings, along with the five tournament winners of each qualifying event, will qualify for the Oct. 10-11 BFL Regional tournament on Grand Lake in Grove, Oklahoma. Boaters will fish for a top award of a new Phoenix 819 Pro with a 200-horsepower Mercury or Suzuki outboard worth $50,000, while co-anglers will compete for a top award of $20,000.

The 2025 Phoenix BFL Presented by T-H Marine is a 24-division circuit devoted to weekend anglers, with 134 events throughout the season, five qualifying tournaments in each division. The top 60 boaters and co-anglers from each division, along with the five qualifying tournament winners, will advance to one of 12 BFL Regional tournaments where they are competing to finish in the top three, which then qualifies them for one of the longest-running championships in all of competitive bass fishing – the BFL All-American.





Adrian College Claims Title at MLF Abu Garcia College Fishing Tournament on the Potomac River Presented by Columbia PFG

MARBURY, Md. (Sept. 15, 2025) – The Adrian College duo of Ryan Kahut, and Brady Osborn, won the MLF Abu Garcia College Fishing Presented by YETI event on the Potomac River Presented by Columbia PFG Sunday with a five-bass limit weighing 14 pounds, 11 ounces. The victory earned the school’s bass club a qualification into the 2026 MLF College Fishing National Championship.

Adrian College showed up strong for the event, as three of the top four spots in the tournament were claimed by Bulldog anglers. Kahut and Osborn, both sophomores, sealed the deal with an approach that took them to an out-of-the-way bite.

“We had found some fish kind of far away in the back of a creek at a marina,” Osborn said. “We figured there would be no one there, so we decided to go back there. It was a 15-minute run and a 30-minute idle to the back of the creek. We fished the marina for about three hours, but we really caught all of them in the first hour on a drop-shot on the marina posts.”

Osbourn said the key bait on the drop-shot rig was an Aaron’s Morning Dawn-colored Roboworm. The setup accounted for nine keepers during the day.

“It was kind of tough, but we were able to get those quality bites,” Osborn said.

Osborn said he figured that 14 pounds would get the duo qualified for the 2026 MLF College Fishing National Championship but didn’t think it was enough to win the Potomac event.

“We figured it would take 15 to 16 pounds to win it,” Osborn said. “We’re very ecstatic with this win and how the teams all placed.”

The top six teams that now qualify to compete in the 2026 MLF College Fishing National Championship are:

1st: Adrian College – Ryan Kahut, Brighton, Mich., and Brady Osborn, Fishers, Ind., five bass, 14-11
2nd: Adrian College – Braylon Eggerding, Grand Rapids, Mich., and Brady Pinwar, Midland, Mich., five bass, 13-7
3rd: Oklahoma State University – Nevan Osburn, Lipan, Texas, five bass, 12-15
4th: Adrian College – Derek Rodriguez, Okemos, Mich., and Nicholas Seitz, Maumee, Ohio, five bass, 12-14
5th: The Apprentice School – Jeremy Harmon, Capron, Va., and Caleb Russell, Disputanta, Ga., five bass, 12-14
6th: University of Rio Grande – Cameron Burgess, Hamilton, Ohio, and Tyler Eggers, Jackson, Ohio, five bass, 12-8

Rounding out the top 10 were:

7th: University of Pikeville – Aaron Mills, Tomahawk, Ky., and Seth Shular, Whittier, N.C., five bass, 12-6         
8th: University of South Carolina –Jacob Buzin, Downington, Pa., and Finley Maher, Weston, Mass., five bass, 12-2               
9th: Youngstown State University – Jake Campbell, Stroudsburg, Pa., and Richard Hassel II, Austintown, Ohio, five bass, 12-0          
10th: University of Pikeville – Carson Holbrook, Prestonburg, Ky., and Silas Jones, Kalispell, Mont., five bass, 11-12          

Complete results for the entire field can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

The Abu Garcia College Fishing Presented by YETI event on the Potomac River Presented by Columbia PFG was hosted by the Charles County Board of Commissioners. The next tournament for MLF College Fishing anglers will be the Abu Garcia College Fishing Presented by YETI event on Pickwick Lake Presented by Columbia PFG, October 3, in Florence, Alabama.

The 2025 MLF Abu Garcia College Fishing Presented by YETI season features college teams from across the country competing in six regular-season open tournaments. The top 15 percent of teams from each regular-season tournament advance to the 2026 Abu Garcia College Fishing Presented by YETI National Championship.

Proud sponsors of the 2025 MLF Abu Garcia College Fishing Presented by YETI include: 7Brew Coffee, Abu Garcia, B&W Trailer Hitches, Berkley, BUBBA, Columbia PFG, Deep Dive App, E3 Sports Apparel, Epic Baits, Fishing Clash, Humminbird,  Lew’s, Mercury, Minn Kota, Mossy Oak, Onyx, O’Reilly Auto Parts, Phoenix Boats, Polaris, Power-Pole, Precision Sonar, Strike King, Suzuki Marine, Tackle Warehouse, T-H Marine, Toyota , WIX Filters and YETI.

For complete details and updated tournament information, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular College Fishing updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF5’s social media outlets at Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.






Tennessee’s Peavyhouse Earns Fourth Career Win at Phoenix Bass Fishing League Event at Lake Cumberland

Boater winner Isaac Peavyhouse of Jamestown, Tennessee, and co-angler winner Barry King of Liberty, Kentucky.
Kentucky’s King Takes Co-Angler Division

MONTICELLO, Ky. (Sept. 15, 2025) – Boater Isaac Peavyhouse of Jamestown, Tennessee, caught a total of 10 bass weighing 33 pounds, 2 ounces, over the course of two days to win the MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League (BFL) Presented by T-H Marine at Lake Cumberland Presented by Suzuki Marine . The tournament was the fifth and final event of the season for the BFL Mountain Division. Peavyhouse earned $3,950 for his victory.

Peavyhouse leaned heavily on his electronics throughout the event, targeting suspended fish with forward-facing sonar. By following bait schools and adjusting on the fly, he was able to steadily put keepers in the boat each day.

“I was mostly just targeting suspended fish, with LiveScope of course,” Peavyhouse said. “I was probably catching 15 to 20 keepers a day, just staying around the bait.”

Every fish that hit the scales came on a Rapala CrushCity Freeloader, which Peavyhouse used to trigger both largemouth and smallmouth feeding in the mid-depths.

“The fish were suspended anywhere from 5 to 40 feet,” he explained. “The smallmouth were up higher, and the largemouth were down deeper. It was pretty much 50-50, but the smallmouth are what you want to be around on Cumberland – they weigh a little heavier.”

That balance showed up in his daily bags. On Day 1, Peavyhouse weighed two smallmouth and three largemouth. On Championship Sunday, his mix shifted to four smallmouth and one largemouth, giving him the edge he needed.

“I caught quite a few of both, just going through them,” he said. “Neither day did I really have what I wanted, but I managed to put enough together.”

Peavyhouse admitted that confidence in a win didn’t settle in until late in the final round.

“I thought once I got to what I got to today, I had a good chance,” he said. “I had a couple of really good bags in practice, but it got tougher during the tournament. Still, when I looked at what I had, I thought I had a shot.”

After hoisting the trophy, Peavyhouse was quick to credit his equipment.

“That feeling never gets old,” he said. “I feel like the key to my victory was my gear, especially my Yank-Um Custom Tackle Signature Series rods.”

The top 10 boaters finished the tournament:

1st:        Isaac Peavyhouse, Jamestown, Tenn., 10 bass, 33-2, $3,950
2nd:      Rex Reagan, Livingston, Tenn., 10 bass, 31-10, $1,725
3rd:       Evan Fields, Shelbyville, Ky., 10 bass, 29-13, $1,149
4th:        Branden Grubb, Eufaula, Lily, Ky., 10 bass, 29-7, $905
5th:        Wyatt Pearman, Hodgenville, Ky., 10 bass, 27-0, $1,190 (includes $500 Phoenix Bonus)
6th:        Lee Sinclair, Albany, Ky., 10 bass, 26-2, $633
7th:        Logan Vicars, Corinth, Ky., 10 bass, 23-9, $575
8th:        Gavin Cloutier, Jonesborough, Tenn., 10 bass, 23-10, $518
9th:        Ethan Burnette, Monticello, Ky., five bass, 14-6, $460
10th:     Luke Lamb, Nicholas, Ky., five bass, 13-1

Complete results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

Brandon Jones of London, Kentucky, caught a bass that weighed 4 pounds, 1 ounce, and earned the Berkley Big Bass Boater award of $345.



Barry King of Liberty, Kentucky, won the co-angler division and $1,857 after bringing four bass to the scales that totaled 7 pounds, 9 ounces.

The top 10 co-anglers finished:

1st:        Barry King, Liberty, Ky., four bass, 7-9, $1,857
2nd:      Briley West, Lakeland, Fla., five bass, 6-8, $894
3rd:       Joshua Mounce, Somerset, Ky., two bass, 4-11, $562
4th:        Luke Shrader, Monticello, Ky., three bass, 4-10, $394
5th:        Dylan Reed, London, Ky., two bass, 4-0, $338
6th:        Matthew Faulkner, Corbin, Ky., one bass, 3-4, $409
7th:        Scotty Reagan, Red Boiling Springs, Tenn., two bass, 2-13, $281
9th:        Robert Pepiot III, Lexington, Ky., one bass, 1-14, $253
10th:     Dustin Forrest, Knob Lick, Ky., one bass, 1-11, $450

Barry King of Liberty, Kentucky, earned the Berkley Big Bass co-angler award of $169, catching a bass that weighed in at 3 pounds, 5 ounces.

With all five events in the division now complete, boater Lee Sinclair of Albany, Kentucky, won the Fishing Clash Mountain Division Angler of the Year (AOY) race with 1,333 points and earned the $1,000 prize, while Allen Neal of Whitley City, Kentucky, won the Fishing Clash Mountain Division Co-Angler of the Year race with 1,317 points and earned the $500 payout.

The top 60 boaters and co-anglers in the division based on point standings, along with the five tournament winners of each qualifying event, will qualify for the Oct. 10-11 BFL Regional tournament on Dandridge Lake in Douglas, Tennessee. Boaters will fish for a top award of a new Phoenix 819 Pro with a 200-horsepower Mercury or Suzuki outboard worth $50,000, while co-anglers will compete for a top award of $20,000.





Livingston Lures Announces Strategic Partnership With Sokol Associates

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This collaboration will strengthen Livingston Lures’ retail presence and provide expanded support for dealers, distributors, and, above all,l end consumers.

San Antonio, TX — Livingston Lures, a leader in fishing lure innovation and creators of the patented Electronic Baitfish Sound EBS Technology™., has announced a new partnership with Sokol Associates. With more than six decades of proven success, Sokol Associates has built a reputation for honesty, integrity, and results. Its sales team consistently delivers for customers and manufacturers alike by adapting to the demands of an ever-changing market.

“We are excited to partner with Sokol Associates, a company that shares our values and commitment to growth,” said Erick Arnoldsson, Vice President of Sales for Livingston Lures. “Their reputation for professionalism and their ability to adapt in today’s market make them the perfect partner as we expand our retail footprint and continue to bring innovative products to anglers everywhere.”

“Excitement sparks when visions align, and our team could not be more thrilled about our new partnership with Livingston Lures,” added Jon P. Sokol of Sokol Associates. “Their continued product innovation, customer-first focus, and unique go-to-market strategies provide a perfect opportunity for us to maximize results with our customers in the field.”

The partnership comes at a time of rapid growth for Livingston Lures, as the company continues to expand its product lines in both the U.S. and Europe while maintaining its commitment to providing anglers with the most advanced and effective fishing lures on the market. With Sokol Associates’ expertise in retail representation and Livingston’s cutting-edge lure designs, the collaboration is expected to drive strong growth and deeper dealer support across key markets.





Hamilton’s Martinkovic Earns Career Win No. 6 at Phoenix Bass Fishing League Event at Mosquito Lake Presented by Lew’s

Boater winner Chris Martinkovic of Hamilton, Ohio, and co-angler winner Ryan Sykes of Hamilton, Ohio.
Ohio’s Sykes Tops Co-Angler Division

CORTLAND, Ohio (Sept. 15, 2025) – Boater Chris Martinkovic of Hamilton, Ohio, caught a total of 10 bass weighing 30 pounds, 5 ounces, over two days to win the MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League (BFL) Presented by T-H Marine at Mosquito Lake Presented by Lew’s. The tournament was the fifth and final event of the season for the BFL Buckeye Division. Martinkovic earned $5,782 for his victory.

Martinkovic’s winning game plan was less about finding a secret spot and more about avoiding the crowd. With Mosquito Lake only about 14 miles long and heavy fishing pressure from the field, he focused on covering water and targeting overlooked stretches.

“I just tried to go where all the other boats weren’t,” Martinkovic said. “It’s a small lake, so I wanted to stay away from the pressure.”

His approach turned into a classic case of junk fishing, rotating through multiple techniques depending on the cover in front of him. Milfoil, lily pads and grass beds all played a role, and Martinkovic mixed a frog, a ChatterBait, and a flipping jig to trigger bites.

“Frogging and flipping a jig in the pads was probably the most productive for me,” he explained. “But I caught some key fish on a ChatterBait, too. It was all kind of mixed in.”

The pattern delivered steady action throughout the weekend, with Martinkovic boating an estimated 25 keepers on Day 1 and another 15 on Championship Sunday, despite a two-hour fog delay.

“The first day was definitely better for me, both in numbers and size,” he said. “Day 2 was tougher, and losing a 4-pounder really hurt because I ended up weighing one that was only about a pound and a half.”

Even with the missed opportunity, Martinkovic felt he had a chance at the win as weigh-in approached.

“When I lost that big one, I thought I might have lost the tournament right there,” he admitted. “But I also knew I had a good shot with what I had.”

The victory was especially meaningful for Martinkovic, as after a five-year stretch of BFL wins each season, he went through a bit of a drought as his last win was 2017.

“It feels good, because I’ve probably had 10 second-place finishes in the last five years,” he said. “It felt like I’ve been the king of second place. These wins are so hard to come by — everything’s got to go just right. To finally get it done after eight years feels great.”

The top 10 boaters finished the tournament:

1st:        Chris Martinkovic, Joplin, Hamilton, Ohio, 10 bass, 30-5, $5,782
2nd:      Dan Moran, London, Ohio, 10 bass, 28-4, $2,341
3rd:       Mervin Miller, Sugarcreek, Ohio, 10 bass, 25-8, $2,124
4th:        Brandon Smith, Mason, Ohio, 10 bass, 25-6, $1,092
5th:        Zak Wiseman, Macedonia, Ohio, 10 bass, 23-7, $936
6th:        Nick Morgan, Gallipolis, Ohio, 10 bass, 23-3, $1,108
7th:        Dave Fricke, Hamilton, Ohio, 10 bass, 22-9, $780
8th:        Joel Berelsman, Minster, Ohio, 10 bass, 21-9, $702
9th:        Richard Knoll, Pittsburgh, Pa., 10 bass, 21-2, $624
10th:     Mike Blake, Carrollton, Ohio, 10 bass, 20-13, $1,046 (includes $500 Phoenix Bonus)

Complete results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

Mervin Miller of Sugarcreek, Ohio, caught a bass that weighed 5 pounds, 12 ounces, and earned the Berkley Big Bass Boater award of $562.



Ryan Sykes of Hamilton, Ohio, won the co-angler division and $2,922 after bringing six bass to the scales that totaled 20 pounds, 8 ounces.

The top 10 co-anglers finished:

1st:        Ryan Sykes, Hamilton, Ohio, six bass, 8-6, $1,504
2nd:      Steven Logan, Hugo, Okla., five bass, 8-6, $1,504
3rd:       Markus Mills, Norman, Okla., six bass, 8-4, $668
4th:        Mason Eudy, Muskogee, Okla., six bass, 8-2, $468
5th:        Bryan Schuster, Oklahoma City, Okla., six bass, 7-14, $401
6th:        Mark Johnson, Weleetka, Okla., four bass, 7-12, $351
7th:        Ryan Doel, Springfield, Mo., five bass, 7-12, $351
8th:        Fred Fielder, Afton, Okla., five bass, 7-11, $284
9th:        Robert Shedrick, Blanchard, Okla., six bass, 7-11, $284
10th:     Berton Pritchett, Gentry, Ark., six bass, 7-10, $234

Sykes also earned the Berkley Big Bass co-angler award of $281, catching a bass that weighed in at 5 pounds, 2 ounces.

With all five events in the division now complete, boater Chris Martinkovic of Hamilton, Ohio, clinched the Fishing Clash Buckeye Division Angler of the Year (AOY) race with 1,350 points and earned the $1,000 prize, while Ryan Sykes of Hamilton, Ohio, won the Fishing Clash Buckeye Division Co-Angler of the Year race with 1,292 points and earned the $500 payout.

The top 60 boaters and co-anglers in the division based on point standings, along with the five tournament winners of each qualifying event, will qualify for the Oct. 3-4 BFL Regional tournament on Lake Erie in Sandusky, Ohio. Boaters will fish for a top award of a new Phoenix 819 Pro with a 200-horsepower Mercury or Suzuki outboard worth $50,000, while co-anglers will compete for a top award of $20,000.

The 2025 Phoenix BFL Presented by T-H Marine is a 24-division circuit devoted to weekend anglers, with 134 events throughout the season, five qualifying tournaments in each division. The top 60 boaters and co-anglers from each division, along with the five qualifying tournament winners, will advance to one of 12 BFL Regional tournaments where they are competing to finish in the top three, which then qualifies them for one of the longest-running championships in all of competitive bass fishing – the BFL All-American.

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.





Team Fishing Clash’s Carson, Clausen Lead Wire-to-Wire in Elimination Round Match 1 at Knighten Industries Heritage Cup

Team Ferguson rallies late with LeBrun’s smallmouth surge to secure second-place finish

MINOCQUA, Wis. (Sept. 14, 2025) – Team Fishing Clash wasted no time setting the pace on Day 1 of the Knighten Industries Heritage Cup Presented by Bass Boat Technologies, as Florida pro Keith Carson and Washington veteran Luke Clausen went wire-to-wire to claim the opening victory and advance to the Knockout Round of the second Major League Fishing (MLF) Fishing Clash Team Series event of the season.

The duo’s simple but deadly formula – weightless stick worms, wacky-rigged around boat docks – delivered 29 scorable bass and nearly 60 total catches in six hours of competition.

Link to HD Video Clip of Heritage Cup Elimination Round Match 1 Highlights
Link to Afternoon Photo Gallery: Team Series action resumes with Heritage Cup on Minocqua Lake

“It was a really good day,” Carson said. “We got the lead early, we stayed steady, and we just kept fishing the way we knew we could. To get that many bites and put together that kind of day, it feels really good to lock in a win right out of the gate.”

Clausen credited the conditions for steering them toward finesse.

“The fish just weren’t aggressive today,” Clausen said. “It was calm and sunny, and you could tell they weren’t in the mood to chase anything. Once we picked up the wacky rig, it was game on. My very first cast with it, I caught one, and from that point forward it was locked in our hands.”

Carson noted how consistent the dock bite proved to be.

“We caught two on one of the first docks we pulled up to this morning, and that gave us confidence,” Carson said. “From there, we just kept rolling, and on a lot of those docks, there was more than one fish waiting. The wacky rig just flat-out got more bites than anything else.”

Clausen added that versatility kept them moving.

“We threw it around docks, pads, laydowns, grass, even seawalls,” Clausen said. “It didn’t matter what kind of cover it was, if it looked fishy, we fired a wacky worm in there. We tried some other things, but nothing else compared. That bait was our best chance to get bit.”

“Six hours of fishing, close to 60 bass. That’s about as fun as it gets. Hopefully we can carry this momentum all the way to Championship Day,” Carson went on to say.

While Carson and Clausen ran away with the top spot, the Team Ferguson duo of Nick LeBrun and Marty Robinson made the loudest noise in the closing stretch. LeBrun ignited a third-period rally offshore, catching 11 scorable smallmouth for more than 17½ pounds using Lowrance ActiveTarget to locate schools. His surge lifted Ferguson past Team Lucas Oil into second place and safely into the next round.

“Going into that final period, we were six pounds down and on the bubble,” LeBrun said. “But once we found those smallmouth offshore, the whole match flipped for us. That last-hour push was exactly what we needed.”

The top two teams from Elimination Round Match 1 at the Knighten Industries Heritage Cup Presented by Bass Boat Technologies that now advance to the Knockout Round are:

1st:        Team Fishing Clash, 29 bass, 45-2
                Keith Carson, DeBary, Fla., 14 bass, 20-10
                Luke Clausen, Spokane, Wash., 15 bass, 24-8
2nd:       Team Ferguson, 18 bass, 29-4
                Nick LeBrun, Bossier City, La., 13 bass, 22-4
                Marty Robinson, Lyman, S.C., five bass, 7-0

Eliminated from competition are:

3rd:       Team Lucas Oil, 18 bass, 24-0
                James Elam, Tulsa, Okla., 11 bass, 14-10
                Gerald Spohrer, Gonzales, La., seven bass, 9-6
4th:        Team YETI, 12 bass, 17-9
                Jeff Sprague, Point, Texas, six bass, 11-1
                Bryan Thrift, Shelby, N.C., six bass, 6-8

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

Overall, there were 77 bass weighing 115 pounds, 15 ounces caught by the four teams in Elimination Round Match 1 on Lake Minocqua. Team YETI pro Jeff Sprague caught the Berkley Big Bass of the day – a largemouth weighing 3 pounds, 10 ounces. 

The four teams that will compete Monday in Elimination Round Match 2 at the Knighten Industries Heritage Cup Presented by Bass Boat Technologies are:

Team BUBBA:
Ott DeFoe, Blaine, Tenn.
Andy Montgomery, Blacksburg, S.C.

Team Knighten:
Matt Becker, Ten Mile, Tenn.
Spencer Shuffield, Hot Springs, Ark.

Team Kubota:
Cole Floyd, Leesburg, Ohio
Nick Hatfield, Greeneville, Tenn.

Team Star Tron:
Drew Gill, Mount Carmel, Ill.
Marshall Robinson, Landrum, S.C.

The Knighten Industries Heritage Cup Presented by Bass Boat Technologies is hosted by the Minocqua Area Visitors Bureau and takes place over six days in Minocqua, Wisconsin. The competition water for each day is top-secret and is only revealed to the anglers when they arrive at the boat ramp each morning. Anglers are driven directly to the day’s competition area launch ramp by their officials. Competition begins on the water at 8:45 a.m.

The MLFNOW!® broadcast team of Chad McKee and J.T. Kenney will break down the extended action live every day of competition from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. CT. MLFNOW!® is live streamed on MajorLeagueFishing.com, the MLF and MyOutdoorTV (MOTV) apps, RFD-TV Now, Game & Fish TV and Rumble. The final period of every day of competition of the 2025 Fishing Clash Team Series is broadcast live on RFD-TV, from 1:30 p.m. to 4 p.m. CT.

The Heritage Cup features 12 two-man teams divided into three groups as they enter the one-day Elimination Round matches. Each of the three Elimination Round matches will feature four new teams, with the top two teams from each match of the Elimination Round advancing to the Knockout Round on Days 4 & 5. In the Knockout Rounds, three teams compete each day, with the top two teams from each Knockout Round match moving on to the Championship Round on Day 6. In Friday’s Day 6 Championship Round, the final four teams will compete in a one-day shootout to determine which team will win the 2025 Knighten Industries Heritage Cup Presented by Bass Boat Technologies.

The MLF Fishing Clash Team Series Presented by Bass Pro Shops will feature four Cup events in 2025 – the Challenge, Heritage, Patriot, and Summit Cups – with 12 two-man teams of Bass Pro Tour anglers competing for a share of  $560,000 in prize money. Teams were formed through a selection process, where 48 team captains – based on Fishing Clash Angler of the Year (AOY) standings throughout the 2025 Bass Pro Tour season – selected a teammate. Teams will compete throughout the fall of 2025.

The MLF Fishing Clash Team Series Knighten Industries Heritage Cup Presented by Bass Boat Technologies will also air on Outdoor Channel as six two-hour original episodes each Saturday afternoon starting Feb. 14, 2026. The complete television schedule for the Fishing Clash Team Series on Outdoor Channel will be posted at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

For complete details and updated information on the MLF Fishing Clash Team Series, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF’s social media outlets at FacebookXInstagram and YouTube.