Marietta Angler’s Time Spent on Lake Hartwell Pays Off With All-American Championship Title and Top Payout of $122,300
SENECA, S.C. (June 2, 2023) – Boater Emil Wagner of Marietta, Georgia, a 25-year-old bass-fishing guide on Lake Lanier who competes in the Phoenix Bass Fishing League Bulldog Division, said after Thursday’s weigh-in that he would need at least18 pounds a day, with a 20-pound limit on at least one of the days to win this week on Lake Hartwell.
On Day 1 of competition on Wednesday, Wagner posted 18 pounds, 2 ounces. He got his 20-pound limit on Thursday but fell just short of his predicted 18-pound mark on Championship Friday. However, his limit weighing 17 pounds, 7 ounces, was still enough to win the 40th annual Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American Championship on Lake Hartwell Presented by T-H Marine in Seneca, South Carolina. With the win, Wagner also earned a qualification into REDCREST 2024, Major League Fishing’s most prestigious event.
Link to Photo of 2023 All-American Champion Emil Wagner of Marietta, Georgia
Wagner led after the second day of competition and sealed the deal Friday with a three-day total of 55 pounds, 11 ounces – a 1-pound, 5-ounce margin of victory. For his victory Wagner earned $122,300, including the lucrative $20,000 Phoenix MLF Contingency Bonus, and joined a list of heavy hitters such as Rick Clunn, Shaw Grigsby, Clark Wendlant, Jacob Wheeler and Jeremy Lawyer that call themselves BFL All-American Champions.
“It’s crazy,” Wagner said with a laugh. “I’ll buy dinner for anyone who wants it. That’s more money than I’ve ever had, that’s for sure.
“I’ve been waiting for this event ever since it was announced,” Wagner continued. “This is the one tournament that’s been on my mind the entire time. I put a bunch of hard work into it, and to have it pay off is unreal, especially in front of my buddies. It’s unreal.”
Wagner said he prepared for the All-American from “daylight to dark” probing the water with his graph looking for structure on banks and points.
“A lot of my better fish didn’t even come off of brush piles, which I think is what a lot of people were fishing,” Wagner said. “They were coming off of drops, really shallow, like 6 to 10 feet where it drops to 20, and they’d just be on top of the drop.”
Wagner said he used baits that mimicked blue herring, and caught every fish he weighed during the tournament on either a Sebile Swimbait, a chrome and purple 6th Sense Catwalk Topwater Walking Bait or a Texas-rigged Zoom Fluke on a 4/0 Gamakatsu worm hook . He said he fished from Green Pond Landing to the dam and “everywhere in between.” Wagner’s largemouth came from Anderson Island to Green Pond and his big spotted bass came near the dam.
“Today I put some weight on the fluke because it was so tough and they didn’t want to come up on anything,” Wagner said. “If you could twitch it and it stay a foot or two below the surface, they’d see it better, and that made them eat it.
“Any time I had wind, I threw the swimbait,” Wagner added. “But I got way less bites on it. You’d throw over 10 schools and not catch anything, but when you did catch one it was usually a good one.”
Although Wagner said he’s excited about his All-American win, he’s already looking forward to one weekend in 2024 – REDCREST on Lay Lake in Birmingham, Alabama, March 13-17, 2024.
“Obviously the money is awesome, but I’m more excited for REDCREST than anything, “Wagner said. “To get to fish against those guys – the pros on the Bass Pro Tour – that doesn’t even seem real.”
The top 10 boaters at the 2023 Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American on Lake Hartwell are:
1st: Emil Wagner, Marietta, Ga., 15 bass, 55-11, $122,300 (includes $20,000 Phoenix MLF Contingency Bonus)
2nd: Matthew O’Connell, Brooks, Ga., 15 bass, 54-6, $35,500 (includes $15,000 Phoenix MLF Contingency Bonus)
3rd: Buddy Benson, Dahlonega, Ga., 15 bass, 47-10, $25,000 (includes $10,000 Phoenix MLF Contingency Bonus)
4th: Anthony Johnson, Excelsior Springs, Mo., 15 bass, 42-9, $21,000 (includes $7,000 Phoenix MLF Contingency Bonus)
5th: Jesse Wiggins, Addison, Ala., 15 bass, 41-6, $13,000
6th: Tyler Trent, Nathalie, Va., 15 bass, 39-9, $14,000 (includes $2,000 Phoenix MLF Contingency Bonus)
7th: Brian Laclair, Denton, Md., 15 bass, 38-5, $11,000
8th: Jimmy Neece, Jr., 15 bass, 37-12, $10,000
9th: Ian Leybas, McAlester, Okla., 15 bass, 37-5, $9,200
10th: Nick Ubelhor, Jasper, Ind., 13 bass, 32-10, $8,000
Full results for the entire field can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
Overall, there were 48 bass weighing 121 pounds, 14 ounces caught by the final 10 boaters Friday. Nine of the final 10 boaters caught a five-bass limit.
The highest-finishing boater from each Regional Championship (including the Wild Card) at the All-American now advance to the Toyota Series Championship for a shot at winning $235,000.
The eight boaters that finished highest from their region earned an automatic qualification in to the 2023 Toyota Series Championship Presented by Simms on Table Rock Lake are:
Edward Gettys, Dover, Tenn.
Anthony Johnson, Excelsior Springs, Mo.
Brian LaClair, Denton, Md.
Jeremy Lawyer, Sarcoxie, Mo.
Ian Leybas, McAlester, Okla.
Chandler Todd, Wake Forest, N.C.
Emil Wagner, Marietta, Ga.
Jesse Wiggins, Logan, Ala.
After starting the day in ninth place, Larry Taylor of Seaford, Delaware, won the Strike King Co-angler Division Friday with a three-day total of 11 bass weighing 24 pounds, 8 ounces to earn the top prize package of $50,000. Co-angler Gary Haraguchi of Murfreesboro, Tennessee, finished runner up with a three-day total of 15 bass weighing 23 pounds, 4 ounces, good for $10,000.
“This hasn’t sunken in yet,” said Taylor, who qualified for the All-American by placing fifth at the TBF National Championship on Lake of the Ozarks. “I thought there would be another 10-pound bag today, but that’s fishing.”
The top 10 Strike King co-anglers at the 2023 Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American on Lake Hartwell finished:
1st: Larry Taylor, Seaford, Del., 11 bass, 24-8, $50,000
2nd: Gary Haraguchi, Murfreesboro, Tenn., 15 bass, 23-4, $10,000
3rd: Keith Gunsauls, Dandridge, Tenn., 12 bass, 23-3, $6,000
4th: Daniel Bryant, Scott, La., 11 bass, 22-1, $5,000
5th: Brandon Bell, Starkville, Miss., 13 bass, 20-7, $4,500
6th: Aaron Calvert, Russellville, Ark., 14 bass, 19-10, $4,000
7th: Chris Wilson, Easley, S.C., 12 bass, 19-3, $3,700
8th: Joshua Jernigan, Rocky Top, Tenn., 10 bass, 16-2, $3,000
9th: Benjie Winkler, Cleveland, Ga., 10 bass, 15-8, $2,500
10th: Jerry Armstrong, Shelbyville, Tenn., 8 bass, 15-4, $2,000
Overall, there were 25 bass weighing 41 pounds, 12 ounces caught by eight the final 10 Strike King Co-anglers on Friday. Taylor and Haraguchi were the only co-anglers to bring five-bass limits to the scale on Friday.
The highest-finishing Strike King Co-angler from each Regional Championship (including the Wild Card) at the All-American advance to the Toyota Series Championship for a shot at winning $33,500.
The eight Strike King Co-anglers that finished highest from their region and earned an automatic qualification in to the 2023 Toyota Series Championship Presented by Simms on Table Rock Lake are:
Daniel Bryant, Scott, La.
Keith Gunsauls, Dandridge, Tenn.
Gary Haraguchi, Murfreesboro, Tenn.
Trent Killian, Bostic, N.C.
Shawn Overton, Coal Valley, Ill.
Larry Taylor, Seaford, Del.
Daren Tindle, Owensboro, Ky.
Benji Winkler, Cleveland, Ga.
The three-day Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American Presented by T-H Marine on Lake Hartwell was hosted by Visit Oconee SC. The event featured the nation’s best weekend grassroots anglers competing for a top prize of up to $120,000, and a top prize of $50,000 for the winning Strike King co-angler.
Television coverage of the 2023 Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American will premiere November 11 on CBS Sports and the Sportsman Channel. The full television air schedule can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
The full field of 49 boaters and 49 Strike King co-anglers competed on Days 1 (Wednesday) and 2 (Thursday) of the event. After two days of competition the field was cut to just the top 10 boaters and co-anglers based on two-day total cumulative weight, and the final 10 anglers competed on Championship Friday. The boater and co-angler that caught the heaviest three-day total weight earned the title of the 40th Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American Champions.
The 2022 Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine was a 24-division circuit devoted to weekend anglers, with 128 tournaments throughout the season, five qualifying events in each division. The top 45 boaters and Strike King co-anglers from each division, along with the five winners of the qualifying events, advanced to one of six Regional Championships where they competed to finish in the top six, which then advanced them to compete in the Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American.
Proud sponsors of the 2023 MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine include: 13 Fishing, Abu Garcia, B&W Trailer Hitches, Berkley, Black Rifle Coffee, E3, Epic Baits, Favorite Fishing, General Tire, Grundéns, Gill, Lew’s, Lowrance, Mercury, Mossy Oak, Mystik Lubricants, Onyx, Phoenix, Polaris, Power-Pole, Strike King, Tackle Warehouse, T-H Marine, Toyota, Wiley X and YETI.
For complete details and updated tournament information, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular Bass Fishing League updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF5’s social media outlets at Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.
Georgia’s Emil Wagner Hangs on for Win at 40th Phoenix All-American Presented by T-H Marine at Lake Hartwell
Mosley overcomes adversity and takes lead in Bassmaster Elite at Sabine River
Brock Mosley of Collinsville, Miss., is leading after Day 2 of the Folds of Honor Bassmaster Elite at Sabine River with a two-day total of 21 pounds, 6 ounces.
Photo by Seigo Saito/B.A.S.S.
June 2, 2023
Mosley overcomes adversity and takes lead in Bassmaster Elite at Sabine River
ORANGE, Texas — Despite losing about two hours of fishing time to a mechanical issue, Brock Mosley of Collinsville, Miss., tallied a two-day total of 21 pounds, 6 ounces to take the lead in the Folds of Honor Bassmaster Elite at Sabine River.
After placing 12th on Day 1 with 9-15, Mosley added a second-round limit of 11-7 on Friday. He heads into Semifinal Saturday with a half-pound lead over Kyle Welcher of Opelika, Ala., and a 3/4-pound margin over Keith Poche of Cecil, Ala.
“This place fishes a lot like how I do back home,” Mosley said. “You just put your head down and grind it out and know that you’re only going to get a handful of bites and you’re going to have to capitalize on them.”
Mosley, who finished second the last time the Elites fished the Sabine (2021), spent the first three days of that event fishing 110 miles west in the Houston area. This time, he traded that long-range game plan for a more local strategy that began on the main river within a couple miles of takeoff.
“Every year, I’ve caught them a different way,” Mosley said. “This morning I got off to a good start and then I made a long run up Taylor Bayou, but I had boat problems and had to come back in. The service crews did a good job getting me back on the water and I ended up making that long run (back up Taylor) and got some bites.
“I was kind of questioning if I had enough fuel to make the run again, so I took my time, eased over there and conserved my fuel. I got over there and realized that I still had enough fuel to make it back.”
Mosley began his day with a mix of topwater and flipping baits. Prior to his mechanical issue, he had about 10 pounds in his livewell.
“I had 8 pounds pretty quickly and then I slowly culled up,” he said. “I caught one that I lost in practice by trying to boat flip it. The fish was on a piece of structure I fished today. It looked like about the same quality.
“I have a whole other deal going in Taylor that’s different from in the Sabine. Over here, I just want to get a limit and get my day started. They just seemed to be a little better quality.”
Noting a key difference in his first two days, Mosley said Day 1 saw him lose a couple of nice bass early. Fishing clean on Day 2 propelled him to the top of the leaderboard.
Summarizing his improvement, Mosley said: “Everything just went right today, other than the boat problem.”
Welcher placed 17th on Day 1 with a limit that weighed 9-6. Adding 11-8 and climbing 15 spots to second with 20-14 was a matter of capitalizing on the right opportunities.
“Yesterday, I got two quality bites — two 2 1/2-pounders — and today I got two quality bites, but one of them just happened to be a 4-pounder,” Welcher said. “That’s the difference maker. A lot of us are catching a bunch of 1- to 1 1/4-pound fish. The person that catches two fish over 2 pounds a day stays up (high) on the leaderboard.”
Welcher said he’s catching his bass on a mix of flipping and reaction baits. He found the latter produced his best results.
“Yesterday, both of my biggest bites were on reaction baits,” he said. “Today, my 4-pounder was on a reaction bait. I caught my 3-pounder today flipping.”
Welcher said he figured out that proximity was his ally. In his mind, it is all about physics.
“I actually get really close to the bank because when you’re fishing really shallow cover and you know the fish are up there tight to the cover, I don’t want my bait to make a big splash when it hits the water,” Welcher said. “I don’t feel like fish are boat shy. I feel like they’re trolling motor shy. So, when I’m up there around those trees and grass, I want a really natural presentation.”
Poche caught a seventh-place limit of 11-2 on Day 1 and moved into third with a second-round bag that went 9-8. His two-day total was 20-10.
Employing his signature strategy of seeking secluded backwaters, Poche drove his 18-foot Gatortrax aluminum boat through a narrow passage off the Neches River, which led to an inner sanctum with 20-foot depths.
The deep water had produced good bites in practice. But today, Poche could only find quality fish on the shallow flow-through. After boating a few keepers in his backwater area, Poche moved to Cow Bayou and finished his bag.
“I like this place. It sets up well for me because I’m a shallow-water guy,” Poche said. “The tides were terrible today, so I’m so fortunate to have those fish I had. I had two good bites, but I had to run all over the place to get my limit today.”
Poche caught his fish flipping a Texas-rigged 3-inch Berkley Pit Boss.
Day 1 leader Chad Pipkens of DeWitt, Mich., is in the lead for the $2,000 Phoenix Boats Big Bass of the Tournament award with a 5-12. David Williams of Newton, N.C., earned the daily $1,000 Big Bass award for a 5-8.
Pipkens is currently in the lead for the VMC Monster Bag award with his opening-round limit of 14-7.
By placing second, Welcher took the lead in the Progressive Insurance Bassmaster Angler of the Year standings with 516 points. John Cox of DeBary, Fla., is in second with 507, while Brandon Cobb of Greenwood, S.C. — the AOY leader coming into the event — fell to third place with 499. Tyler Rivet of Raceland, La., is fourth with 467, and Will Davis, Jr. of Sylacauga, Ala., is fifth with 457.
Davis, Jr. also leads the Dakota Lithium Bassmaster Rookie of the Year standings with 457 points.
The Top 50 remaining anglers will take off Saturday at 6 a.m. CT from the City of Orange Boat Ramp. The weigh-in will be held at the ramp at 3 p.m., with only the Top 10 advancing to Championship Sunday with a chance to win the $100,000 first-place prize.
FS1 will broadcast live with the leaders beginning at 6 a.m. CT with continuing coverage on Bassmaster.com.
The Folds of Honor Bassmaster Elite at Sabine River is being hosted by the Greater Orange Chamber of Commerce.
2023 Folds of Honor Bassmaster Elite at Sabine River 6/1-6/4
Sabine River, Orange TX.
(PROFESSIONAL) Standings Day 2
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Pts Total $$$
1. Brock Mosley Collinsville, MS 10 21-06 104
Day 1: 5 09-15 Day 2: 5 11-07
2. Kyle Welcher Opelika, AL 10 20-14 103
Day 1: 5 09-06 Day 2: 5 11-08
3. Keith Poche Cecil, AL 10 20-10 102
Day 1: 5 11-02 Day 2: 5 09-08
4. Chad Pipkens DeWitt, MI 10 20-06 101 $1,000.00
Day 1: 5 14-07 Day 2: 5 05-15
5. Matty Wong Honolulu, HI 10 20-04 100
Day 1: 5 06-07 Day 2: 5 13-13
6. Jacob Powroznik North Prince George, VA 10 19-15 99
Day 1: 5 11-05 Day 2: 5 08-10
7. Kenta Kimura Osaka JAPAN 10 19-09 98
Day 1: 5 13-01 Day 2: 5 06-08
8. Larry Nixon Bee Branch, AR 10 19-05 97
Day 1: 5 10-13 Day 2: 5 08-08
9. Clark Wendlandt Leander, TX 10 19-00 96
Day 1: 5 10-03 Day 2: 5 08-13
10. Hunter Shryock Ooltewah, TN 9 18-10 95
Day 1: 5 13-02 Day 2: 4 05-08
11. Caleb Sumrall New Iberia, LA 10 18-05 94
Day 1: 5 05-14 Day 2: 5 12-07
12. John Cox DeBary, FL 10 18-04 93
Day 1: 5 07-02 Day 2: 5 11-02
13. Wes Logan Springville, AL 10 18-04 92
Day 1: 5 09-09 Day 2: 5 08-11
14. Stetson Blaylock Benton, AR 10 18-00 91
Day 1: 5 11-03 Day 2: 5 06-13
15. David Williams Newton, NC 10 17-12 90 $1,000.00
Day 1: 5 06-01 Day 2: 5 11-11
16. Alex Wetherell Middletown, CT 10 17-11 89
Day 1: 5 11-09 Day 2: 5 06-02
17. Jake Whitaker Hendersonville, NC 10 17-04 88
Day 1: 5 07-00 Day 2: 5 10-04
18. Bryan New Saluda, SC 10 17-01 87
Day 1: 5 08-09 Day 2: 5 08-08
19. Joey Cifuentes III Clinton, AR 10 16-14 86
Day 1: 5 08-15 Day 2: 5 07-15
20. Ray Hanselman Jr Del Rio, TX 10 16-14 85
Day 1: 5 08-09 Day 2: 5 08-05
20. Frank Talley Temple, TX 10 16-14 85
Day 1: 5 08-09 Day 2: 5 08-05
22. Mike Huff London, KY 10 16-11 83
Day 1: 5 10-08 Day 2: 5 06-03
23. Patrick Walters Eutawville, SC 10 16-08 82
Day 1: 5 10-15 Day 2: 5 05-09
24. Matt Herren Ashville, AL 10 16-08 81
Day 1: 5 08-15 Day 2: 5 07-09
25. Masayuki Matsushita Tokoname-Aichi JAPAN 10 16-03 80
Day 1: 5 09-07 Day 2: 5 06-12
26. Lee Livesay Longview, TX 10 16-02 79
Day 1: 5 07-09 Day 2: 5 08-09
27. John Crews Jr Salem, VA 10 16-00 78
Day 1: 5 05-02 Day 2: 5 10-14
28. Jason Williamson Aiken, SC 10 15-14 77
Day 1: 5 06-06 Day 2: 5 09-08
29. Matt Robertson Kuttawa, KY 10 15-10 76
Day 1: 5 08-05 Day 2: 5 07-05
29. Bryan Schmitt Deale, MD 10 15-10 76
Day 1: 5 07-05 Day 2: 5 08-05
31. Will Davis Jr Sylacauga, AL 10 15-09 74
Day 1: 5 05-06 Day 2: 5 10-03
32. Logan Latuso Gonzales, LA 10 15-08 73
Day 1: 5 08-15 Day 2: 5 06-09
33. Shane LeHew Catawba, NC 10 15-06 72
Day 1: 5 08-02 Day 2: 5 07-04
34. Seth Feider New Market, MN 10 15-04 71
Day 1: 5 07-03 Day 2: 5 08-01
35. Gregory DiPalma Millville, NJ 10 15-02 70
Day 1: 5 07-12 Day 2: 5 07-06
36. Jay Przekurat Stevens Point, WI 10 15-00 69
Day 1: 5 07-12 Day 2: 5 07-04
37. Kyoya Fujita Minamitsuru, Yamanashi 10 14-12 68
Day 1: 5 07-05 Day 2: 5 07-07
38. Cole Sands Calhoun, TN 10 14-11 67
Day 1: 5 09-02 Day 2: 5 05-09
39. Austin Felix Eden Prairie, MN 10 14-11 66
Day 1: 5 07-01 Day 2: 5 07-10
40. Greg Hackney Gonzales, LA 10 14-08 65
Day 1: 5 07-14 Day 2: 5 06-10
41. Steve Kennedy Auburn, AL 10 14-07 64
Day 1: 5 09-03 Day 2: 5 05-04
42. Paul Mueller Naugatuck, CT 10 14-07 63
Day 1: 5 08-01 Day 2: 5 06-06
43. Clifford Pirch Payson, AZ 10 14-04 62
Day 1: 5 07-08 Day 2: 5 06-12
44. Drew Benton Panama City, FL 10 14-01 61
Day 1: 5 06-06 Day 2: 5 07-11
45. Kyle Norsetter Cottage Grove, WI 10 14-00 60
Day 1: 5 06-12 Day 2: 5 07-04
46. Todd Auten Lake Wylie, SC 10 13-12 59
Day 1: 5 05-10 Day 2: 5 08-02
47. Joseph Webster Hamilton, AL 8 13-08 58
Day 1: 5 09-08 Day 2: 3 04-00
48. Justin Atkins Florence, AL 10 13-08 57
Day 1: 5 05-05 Day 2: 5 08-03
49. Buddy Gross Chattanooga, TN 10 13-08 56
Day 1: 5 06-02 Day 2: 5 07-06
50. Bob Downey Detroit Lakes, MN 10 13-04 55
Day 1: 5 05-10 Day 2: 5 07-10
51. Koby Kreiger Alva, FL 10 13-03 54 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 07-14 Day 2: 5 05-05
52. Taku Ito Chiba JAPAN 9 13-01 53 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 06-13 Day 2: 4 06-04
53. Tyler Rivet Raceland, LA 10 12-15 52 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 07-08 Day 2: 5 05-07
54. Clent Davis Montevallo, AL 10 12-15 51 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 06-00 Day 2: 5 06-15
55. Hank Cherry Jr Lincolnton, NC 10 12-13 50 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 07-08 Day 2: 5 05-05
56. Jamie Hartman Newport, NY 10 12-12 49 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 05-07 Day 2: 5 07-05
57. Brad Whatley Bivins, TX 10 12-08 48 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 05-06 Day 2: 5 07-02
58. Derek Hudnall Zachary, LA 10 12-08 47 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 05-14 Day 2: 5 06-10
59. Brandon Palaniuk Rathdrum, ID 10 12-08 46 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 06-06 Day 2: 5 06-02
60. Josh Douglas Isle, MN 10 12-07 45 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 06-11 Day 2: 5 05-12
61. Brandon Card Salisbury, NC 10 12-06 44 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 06-09 Day 2: 5 05-13
62. Skylar Hamilton Jefferson, TN 8 12-05 43 $2,500.00
Day 1: 4 04-07 Day 2: 4 07-14
63. Chris Johnston Otonabee Ontario CANADA 10 12-05 42 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 07-00 Day 2: 5 05-05
64. Brandon Lester Fayetteville, TN 10 12-05 41 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 05-08 Day 2: 5 06-13
65. Chris Zaldain Fort Worth, TX 9 12-03 40 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 08-05 Day 2: 4 03-14
66. Scott Canterbury Odenville, AL 10 12-03 39 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 06-10 Day 2: 5 05-09
67. Darold Gleason Many, LA 8 12-00 38 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 08-03 Day 2: 3 03-13
68. Michael Iaconelli Pittsgrove, NJ 10 11-15 37 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 07-00 Day 2: 5 04-15
69. Bryant Smith Roseville, CA 10 11-12 36 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 05-11 Day 2: 5 06-01
70. Luke Palmer Coalgate, OK 10 11-11 35 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 04-09 Day 2: 5 07-02
71. Bill Lowen Brookville, IN 10 11-11 34 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 05-09 Day 2: 5 06-02
72. Rick Clunn Ava, MO 10 11-08 33 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 04-15 Day 2: 5 06-09
73. Cooper Gallant Bowmanville Ontario CAN 9 11-08 32 $2,500.00
Day 1: 4 05-06 Day 2: 5 06-02
74. Jonathan Kelley Old Forge, PA 10 11-04 31 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 06-07 Day 2: 5 04-13
75. Cory Johnston Cavan CANADA 10 11-04 30 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 06-03 Day 2: 5 05-01
76. Jason Christie Dry Creek, OK 10 11-04 29 $2,500.00
Day 1: 5 06-00 Day 2: 5 05-04
77. KJ Queen Conover, NC 8 11-03 28 $2,500.00
Day 1: 3 03-05 Day 2: 5 07-14
78. Jeff Gustafson Kenora Ontario CANADA 9 11-03 27
Day 1: 4 03-14 Day 2: 5 07-05
79. Bernie Schultz Gainesville, FL 8 11-03 26
Day 1: 3 04-00 Day 2: 5 07-03
80. Keith Combs Huntington, TX 7 11-02 25
Day 1: 5 09-08 Day 2: 2 01-10
81. David Mullins Mt Carmel, TN 10 11-01 24
Day 1: 5 05-08 Day 2: 5 05-09
82. Gerald Swindle Guntersville, AL 10 10-15 23
Day 1: 5 05-01 Day 2: 5 05-14
83. Pat Schlapper Eleva, WI 10 10-15 22
Day 1: 5 05-09 Day 2: 5 05-06
84. Bradley Hallman Edmond, OK 8 10-13 21
Day 1: 4 05-09 Day 2: 4 05-04
85. Drew Cook Cairo, GA 10 10-11 20
Day 1: 5 05-15 Day 2: 5 04-12
86. Caleb Kuphall Mukwonago, WI 8 10-08 19
Day 1: 3 02-11 Day 2: 5 07-13
87. Mark Menendez Paducah, KY 9 10-05 18
Day 1: 5 06-03 Day 2: 4 04-02
88. Alex Redwine Blue Ash, OH 10 09-15 17
Day 1: 5 04-13 Day 2: 5 05-02
89. Marc Frazier Newnan, GA 9 09-13 16
Day 1: 5 05-15 Day 2: 4 03-14
90. Justin Hamner Northport, AL 8 09-12 15
Day 1: 3 03-00 Day 2: 5 06-12
91. Brandon Cobb Greenwood, SC 9 09-09 14
Day 1: 5 06-03 Day 2: 4 03-06
92. Ed Loughran III Richmond, VA 9 09-09 13
Day 1: 4 04-09 Day 2: 5 05-00
93. Carl Jocumsen Queensland AUSTRALIA 8 09-08 12
Day 1: 3 03-02 Day 2: 5 06-06
94. Scott Martin Clewiston, FL 7 09-02 11
Day 1: 2 01-12 Day 2: 5 07-06
95. Micah Frazier Newnan, GA 6 09-00 10
Day 1: 2 04-09 Day 2: 4 04-07
96. David Gaston Sylacauga, AL 8 08-14 9
Day 1: 5 05-13 Day 2: 3 03-01
97. Cliff Prince Palatka, FL 7 08-13 8
Day 1: 5 06-09 Day 2: 2 02-04
98. Cody Huff Ava, MO 5 08-03 7
Day 1: 5 08-03 Day 2: 0 00-00
99. Gary Clouse Winchester, TN 6 07-15 6
Day 1: 5 07-00 Day 2: 1 00-15
100. Jacob Foutz Charleston, TN 6 07-06 5
Day 1: 5 05-02 Day 2: 1 02-04
101. David Fritts Lexington, NC 6 06-07 4
Day 1: 1 01-01 Day 2: 5 05-06
102. Matt Arey Shelby, NC 5 06-03 3
Day 1: 3 03-10 Day 2: 2 02-09
103. John Soukup Sapulpa, OK 3 04-06 2
Day 1: 3 04-06 Day 2: 0 00-00
104. Joshua Stracner Vandiver, AL 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
———————————————————————–
PHOENIX BOATS BIG BASS
Day
1 Chad Pipkens DeWitt, MI 05-12 $1,000.00
2 David Williams Newton, NC 05-08 $1,000.00
———————————————————————–
Totals
Day #Limits #Fish Weight
1 88 486 720-09
2 84 473 678-05
———————————-
172 959 1398-14
Pipkens takes early lead at Bassmaster Elite event on Sabine River
Chad Pipkens of DeWitt, Mich., is leading after Day 1 of the Folds of Honor Bassmaster Elite at Sabine River with 14 pounds, 7 ounces.
Photo by Seigo Saito/B.A.S.S.
June 1, 2023
Pipkens takes early lead at Bassmaster Elite event on Sabine River
ORANGE, Texas — Chad Pipkens of DeWitt, Mich., broke with two of his historical patterns and sacked up a 14-pound, 7-ounce limit to lead Thursday’s opening round of the Folds of Honor Bassmaster Elite at Sabine River.
On a fishery where limits are never assumed and only 11 anglers eclipsed 10 pounds, Pipkens heads into Day 2 with a lead of 1-5 over Hunter Shryock of Ooltewah, Tenn. Suffice it to say, Pipkens has positioned himself well to end a streak he’d rather forget.
“It’s about time Sabine River!” Pipkens happily exclaimed. “I have fun at this place, but I have gotten my teeth kicked in every time I come here. This is the fifth time I’ve fished here and the good news is I think I can fish Saturday without catching a fish.
“I’m going to go out tomorrow and have some fun and try to put a few in the boat. We’ll see what happens.”
As Pipkens explained, breaking his streak of Sabine disappointment was the result of abandoning his previous preference.
“It was just a good day,” he said. “I had a good start and I was just able to mill around. That has not been the deal for me in the past. I would have three or four different areas and I would fish too quickly.
“That’s how I like to fish, but it’s not the deal in this place. You have to mill around (an area). It changes every 30 to 40 minutes and you might roll up and catch one.”
Pipkens caught his bass on a mix of reaction baits and slower presentations. Doing so produced several day-changing opportunities. Two-pound bass are welcome on the Sabine, so Pipkens was stoked to put a 5-12, a 3 and a 2 1/2 in the boat.
He said his main area has a few sweet spots that he’s cycling through and trying to get a bite every hour.
“I’m not getting a lot of bites, but there was one place that was pretty special this morning,” he said. “I caught a limit on my first spot. I caught probably half a dozen keepers. They weren’t there in practice, but they were there today.
“Outside of those sweet spots, I’m just fishing — keeping my bait wet. In years past, I tried to run too much. I didn’t fish where the fish moved to. Today, I fished where they moved to.”
Pipkens said most of that fish movement was tide related. The early morning’s combination of low light and incoming tide proved most productive. Surprisingly, his biggest fish came later in the day.
Looking ahead to Day 2, Pipkens said: “I’ll just keep my head down and stay focused. You need a bite about every hour to hour and a half.”
Shryock is in second place with 13-2. Making a bold decision to trash his pre-event work and opt for minimal running proved to be the right call.
“My practice was just a waste,” he said. “I tried to go to so many different areas and never really found something, so I stayed close and maximized my fishing time. I knew I had a long day, so I knew if I could keep my line wet for as long as possible, that was going to give me my best chance.”
Shryock said his success was predicated on being in the right place when the fish started biting. He found the morning outgoing tide most productive. Although he managed a couple of bites later in the day, all of his weight came earlier.
“I fished everything — rock, wood, grass; it didn’t matter,” Shryock said. “Basically, I fished whatever was in front of me. I just put my head down and kept fishing.
“It was mostly reaction baits that produced my weight, but I did catch a few flipping and dragging baits.”
Kenta Kimura of Osaka, Japan, is in third place with 13-1. Running about 100 miles from takeoff, he benefitted from the recent heavy rains.
“I didn’t expect this,” Kimura said. “That spot I fished was dry in practice. The rain from yesterday raised the water level. I know it’s going to be dry tomorrow, so I’m not going to do it again.
“I just tried to catch as many as I could catch because I don’t think I’m going there (on Friday).”
Describing an active day that produced 30 keepers, Kimura said he caught the majority of his fish on a Deps Evoke 1.2 squarebill. Multiple colors produced keepers, but Kimura found precision casting critical to his success.
“All of my fish were concentrated on one spot about the size of (a golf cart),” Kimura said. “That was the coolest experience I’ve had in a tournament day.
“I think current is the whole key. That’s what I’m concentrating on.”
Brandon Cobb of Greenwood, S.C., placed 60th with 6-3, but still leads the Progressive Insurance Bassmaster Angler of the Year standings with 530 points. Kyle Welcher of Opelika, Ala., is in second with 501 points, followed by Tyler Rivet of Raceland, La., with 483, John Cox of DeBary, Fla., with 476, and Drew Cook of Cairo, Ga., with 474.
Joey Cifuentes III of Clinton, Ark., is in 20th place with 8-15 and reclaimed the lead in the Dakota Lithium Bassmaster Rookie of the Year standings with 419 points. Previous ROY leader Will Davis Jr. fell to second with 407 points.
Pipkens took Phoenix Boats Big Bass of the Day honors with his 5-12 largemouth. He also currently leads for the VMC Monster Bag award with his catch of 14-7.
Friday’s takeoff is scheduled for 6 a.m. CT at the City of Orange Boat Ramp. The weigh-in will be held at the ramp at 3 p.m., with only the Top 50 anglers advancing to Championship Saturday. Bassmaster LIVE coverage starts at 7 a.m. on Bassmaster.com, Tubi and the FOX Sports digital platforms.
The Folds of Honor Bassmaster Elite at Sabine River is being hosted by the Greater Orange Chamber of Commerce.
2023 Folds of Honor Bassmaster Elite at Sabine River 6/1-6/4
Sabine River, Orange TX.
(PROFESSIONAL) Standings Day 1
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Pts Total $$$
1. Chad Pipkens DeWitt, MI 5 14-07 104 $1,000.00
Day 1: 5 14-07
2. Hunter Shryock Ooltewah, TN 5 13-02 103
Day 1: 5 13-02
3. Kenta Kimura Osaka JAPAN 5 13-01 102
Day 1: 5 13-01
4. Alex Wetherell Middletown, CT 5 11-09 101
Day 1: 5 11-09
5. Jacob Powroznik North Prince George, VA 5 11-05 100
Day 1: 5 11-05
6. Stetson Blaylock Benton, AR 5 11-03 99
Day 1: 5 11-03
7. Keith Poche Pike Road, AL 5 11-02 98
Day 1: 5 11-02
8. Patrick Walters Eutawville, SC 5 10-15 97
Day 1: 5 10-15
9. Larry Nixon Bee Branch, AR 5 10-13 96
Day 1: 5 10-13
10. Mike Huff London, KY 5 10-08 95
Day 1: 5 10-08
11. Clark Wendlandt Leander, TX 5 10-03 94
Day 1: 5 10-03
12. Brock Mosley Collinsville, MS 5 09-15 93
Day 1: 5 09-15
13. Wes Logan Springville, AL 5 09-09 92
Day 1: 5 09-09
14. Keith Combs Huntington, TX 5 09-08 91
Day 1: 5 09-08
14. Joseph Webster Hamilton, AL 5 09-08 91
Day 1: 5 09-08
16. Masayuki Matsushita Tokoname-Aichi JAPAN 5 09-07 89
Day 1: 5 09-07
17. Kyle Welcher Opelika, AL 5 09-06 88
Day 1: 5 09-06
18. Steve Kennedy Auburn, AL 5 09-03 87
Day 1: 5 09-03
19. Cole Sands Calhoun, TN 5 09-02 86
Day 1: 5 09-02
20. Joey Cifuentes III Clinton, AR 5 08-15 85
Day 1: 5 08-15
20. Matt Herren Ashville, AL 5 08-15 85
Day 1: 5 08-15
20. Logan Latuso Gonzales, LA 5 08-15 85
Day 1: 5 08-15
23. Ray Hanselman Jr Del Rio, TX 5 08-09 82
Day 1: 5 08-09
23. Bryan New Saluda, SC 5 08-09 82
Day 1: 5 08-09
23. Frank Talley Temple, TX 5 08-09 82
Day 1: 5 08-09
26. Matt Robertson Kuttawa, KY 5 08-05 79
Day 1: 5 08-05
26. Chris Zaldain Fort Worth, TX 5 08-05 79
Day 1: 5 08-05
28. Darold Gleason Many, LA 5 08-03 77
Day 1: 5 08-03
28. Cody Huff Ava, MO 5 08-03 77
Day 1: 5 08-03
30. Shane LeHew Catawba, NC 5 08-02 75
Day 1: 5 08-02
31. Paul Mueller Naugatuck, CT 5 08-01 74
Day 1: 5 08-01
32. Greg Hackney Gonzales, LA 5 07-14 73
Day 1: 5 07-14
32. Koby Kreiger Alva, FL 5 07-14 73
Day 1: 5 07-14
34. Gregory DiPalma Millville, NJ 5 07-12 71
Day 1: 5 07-12
34. Jay Przekurat Stevens Point, WI 5 07-12 71
Day 1: 5 07-12
36. Lee Livesay Longview, TX 5 07-09 69
Day 1: 5 07-09
37. Hank Cherry Jr Lincolnton, NC 5 07-08 68
Day 1: 5 07-08
37. Clifford Pirch Payson, AZ 5 07-08 68
Day 1: 5 07-08
37. Tyler Rivet Raceland, LA 5 07-08 68
Day 1: 5 07-08
40. Kyoya Fujita Minamitsuru, Yamanashi 5 07-05 65
Day 1: 5 07-05
40. Bryan Schmitt Deale, MD 5 07-05 65
Day 1: 5 07-05
42. Seth Feider New Market, MN 5 07-03 63
Day 1: 5 07-03
43. John Cox DeBary, FL 5 07-02 62
Day 1: 5 07-02
44. Austin Felix Eden Prairie, MN 5 07-01 61
Day 1: 5 07-01
45. Gary Clouse Winchester, TN 5 07-00 60
Day 1: 5 07-00
45. Michael Iaconelli Pittsgrove, NJ 5 07-00 60
Day 1: 5 07-00
45. Chris Johnston Otonabee Ontario CANADA 5 07-00 60
Day 1: 5 07-00
45. Jake Whitaker Hendersonville, NC 5 07-00 60
Day 1: 5 07-00
49. Taku Ito Chiba, JAPAN 5 06-13 56
Day 1: 5 06-13
50. Kyle Norsetter Cottage Grove, WI 5 06-12 55
Day 1: 5 06-12
51. Josh Douglas Isle, MN 5 06-11 54
Day 1: 5 06-11
52. Scott Canterbury Odenville, AL 5 06-10 53
Day 1: 5 06-10
53. Brandon Card Salisbury, NC 5 06-09 52
Day 1: 5 06-09
53. Cliff Prince Palatka, FL 5 06-09 52
Day 1: 5 06-09
55. Jonathan Kelley Old Forge, PA 5 06-07 50
Day 1: 5 06-07
55. Matty Wong Honolulu, HI 5 06-07 50
Day 1: 5 06-07
57. Drew Benton Panama City, FL 5 06-06 48
Day 1: 5 06-06
57. Brandon Palaniuk Rathdrum, ID 5 06-06 48
Day 1: 5 06-06
57. Jason Williamson Aiken, SC 5 06-06 48
Day 1: 5 06-06
60. Brandon Cobb Greenwood, SC 5 06-03 45
Day 1: 5 06-03
60. Cory Johnston Cavan CANADA 5 06-03 45
Day 1: 5 06-03
60. Mark Menendez Paducah, KY 5 06-03 45
Day 1: 5 06-03
63. Buddy Gross Chattanooga, TN 5 06-02 42
Day 1: 5 06-02
64. David Williams Newton, NC 5 06-01 41
Day 1: 5 06-01
65. Jason Christie Dry Creek, OK 5 06-00 40
Day 1: 5 06-00
65. Clent Davis Montevallo, AL 5 06-00 40
Day 1: 5 06-00
67. Drew Cook Cairo, GA 5 05-15 38
Day 1: 5 05-15
67. Marc Frazier Newnan, GA 5 05-15 38
Day 1: 5 05-15
69. Derek Hudnall Zachary, LA 5 05-14 36
Day 1: 5 05-14
69. Caleb Sumrall New Iberia, LA 5 05-14 36
Day 1: 5 05-14
71. David Gaston Sylacauga, AL 5 05-13 34
Day 1: 5 05-13
72. Bryant Smith Roseville, CA 5 05-11 33
Day 1: 5 05-11
73. Todd Auten Lake Wylie, SC 5 05-10 32
Day 1: 5 05-10
73. Bob Downey Detroit Lakes, MN 5 05-10 32
Day 1: 5 05-10
75. Bill Lowen Brookville, IN 5 05-09 30
Day 1: 5 05-09
75. Pat Schlapper Eleva, WI 5 05-09 30
Day 1: 5 05-09
77. Bradley Hallman Edmond, OK 4 05-09 28
Day 1: 4 05-09
78. Brandon Lester Fayetteville, TN 5 05-08 27
Day 1: 5 05-08
78. David Mullins Mt Carmel, TN 5 05-08 27
Day 1: 5 05-08
80. Jamie Hartman Newport, NY 5 05-07 25
Day 1: 5 05-07
81. Will Davis Jr Sylacauga, AL 5 05-06 24
Day 1: 5 05-06
81. Brad Whatley Bivins, TX 5 05-06 24
Day 1: 5 05-06
83. Cooper Gallant Bowmanville Ontario CAN 4 05-06 22
Day 1: 4 05-06
84. Justin Atkins Florence, AL 5 05-05 21
Day 1: 5 05-05
85. John Crews Jr Salem, VA 5 05-02 20
Day 1: 5 05-02
85. Jacob Foutz Charleston, TN 5 05-02 20
Day 1: 5 05-02
87. Gerald Swindle Guntersville, AL 5 05-01 18
Day 1: 5 05-01
88. Rick Clunn Ava, MO 5 04-15 17
Day 1: 5 04-15
89. Alex Redwine Blue Ash, OH 5 04-13 16
Day 1: 5 04-13
90. Luke Palmer Coalgate, OK 5 04-09 15
Day 1: 5 04-09
91. Ed Loughran III Richmond, VA 4 04-09 14
Day 1: 4 04-09
92. Micah Frazier Newnan, GA 2 04-09 13
Day 1: 2 04-09
93. Skylar Hamilton Jefferson, TN 4 04-07 12
Day 1: 4 04-07
94. John Soukup Sapulpa, OK 3 04-06 11
Day 1: 3 04-06
95. Bernie Schultz Gainesville, FL 3 04-00 10
Day 1: 3 04-00
96. Jeff Gustafson Kenora, Ontario CANADA 4 03-14 9
Day 1: 4 03-14
97. Matt Arey Shelby, NC 3 03-10 8
Day 1: 3 03-10
98. KJ Queen Conover, NC 3 03-05 7
Day 1: 3 03-05
99. Carl Jocumsen Queensland AUSTRALIA 3 03-02 6
Day 1: 3 03-02
100. Justin Hamner Northport, AL 3 03-00 5
Day 1: 3 03-00
101. Caleb Kuphall Mukwonago, WI 3 02-11 4
Day 1: 3 02-11
102. Scott Martin Clewiston, FL 2 01-12 3
Day 1: 2 01-12
103. David Fritts Lexington, NC 1 01-01 2
Day 1: 1 01-01
104. Joshua Stracner Vandiver, AL 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
———————————————————————–
PHOENIX BOATS BIG BASS
Day
1 Chad Pipkens DeWitt, MI 05-12 $1,000.00
———————————————————————–
Totals
Day #Limits #Fish Weight
1 88 486 720-09
———————————-
88 486 720-09
June Smith Mountain Lake Fishing Report by Captain Chad Green
www.lastcastguideservicesml.comJune offers some great fishing. The Shad spawn will start winding down and summer patterns will start. 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 Captains Quarters 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
Largemouth Bass/Smallmouth Bass
The Bass are moving in to their summer patterns starting in June They will be located on primary and secondary points that have transition areas near them. The depth range will vary each day this month depending on rain, sunlight and temperatures. 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 if you find the right areas with shad activity. Crankbaits can be a key player early in the morning and later in the evening as well. Primary baits in June are usually soft plastics producing the most bites. Shakey Heads, Plastic worms, Drop shots and Jigs in the 5-15 ft range. Night time fishing will be great this month as well while the shad spawn is in swing. Try topwaters on riprap banks from dark until whenever you don’t catch any more. This is a great opportunity to catch some trophy fish and multiples per night is very common. Smallmouth will still be found near humps, shoals and rocky areas using the same lures.
Striped Bass
Striper fishing will be great this month and the best way to catch a trophy fish is large topwaters on rip rap banks, main points, large flats, or shoals. They will travel in smaller schools searching for feeding opportunities. They will feed during this time even during bright sunlight in shallow water. Many times you can spot them cruising around and properly presented topwater will provide some exciting action. Bait on down lines pulled 10-30ft will produce a lot of fish as well pull some on float rigs as well. This month flukes, swimbaits, jerkbaits etc. in the 10-20 ft range will produce fish throughout the day as well. The lower end of the lake is where most of the action will be this month. Night time fishing is great this time of year in shallow water with topwater lures and will produce some trophy fish as well. Stripers will be surfacing this month in bigger schools on the lower end of the lake and can be fast and furious action. Larger topwater plugs and bomber long A’s, rapala stickbaits will be good lures to use as well. Captains Quarters Marina can provide you with a great selection of what you need.
Crappie
Most of the Crappie have started their summer journey as well. Try deeper trees and larger docks with deep water in the 10-20 foot range.
Tournaments June
Basscast 6-3-23 Crazy Horse Marina
Tues night 630-1030pm and Friday night 8pm-2am Tournaments all summer at captains quarters marina
Saturday night Tournaments 8pm-2am Foxport Marina
Special Thanks to Brian Carter at the www.TheBassCast.com
Georgia’s Wagner Takes Lead into Final Day of Phoenix All-American Presented by T-H Marine at Lake Hartwell
Bulldog Division Boater Catches 20-Pound, 2-Ounce Limit to Take Slim Lead of 12 Ounces, Final 10 Boaters and Co-anglers Ready for Championship Friday
SENECA, S.C. (June 1, 2023) – After the first day of competition of the 40th annual Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American Championship on Lake Hartwell Presented by T-H Marine in Seneca, South Carolina, Emil Wagner of Marietta, Georgia, sat in second place behind leader Elijah “Buddy” Benson of Dahlonega, Georgia. Wagner predicted he would need 18 pounds a day with a 20-pound limit at least one of the days to win the tournament. On Thursday, Wagner got his 20-pound weight – 20 pounds, 2 ounces to be exact – and now holds a slim 12-ounce lead going into Championship Friday.
Wagner has a two-day total of 10 bass weighing 38-4 heading into the final day of competition. Boater Matthew O’Connell of Brooks, Georgia, weighed in a two-day total of 10 bass for 37 pounds, 8 ounces to finish Day 2 in second place and easily within striking distance of the title, while Day 1 leader Benson rounds out the close top three with a two-day total of 35 pounds even.
Link to Photo of Day 2 Boater Leader Emil Wagner of Marietta, Georgia
The final 10 boaters and Strike King Co-anglers are now set, and competition will resume tomorrow morning on Championship Friday. The three-day tournament, hosted by Visit Oconee SC, showcases the nation’s best weekend grassroots anglers, and awards the winning boater a top prize of up to $120,000, and a top prize of $50,000 for the winning Strike King co-angler.
“There was a boat on my best place when I pulled up there (this morning),” said Wagner. “I hadn’t seen anyone there, so I went to another place that I found late yesterday and caught quite a few there.”
Wagner said he started culling fish when he changed locations and caught one of the fish he weighed. After a few more keepers, he boated a 4½-pound spotted bass. Wagner said at noon he hit a stretch where he caught two big largemouth within 10 minutes of each other. He estimated he hit about 40 spots during the day and caught one more spotted bass to add to his livewell late in the afternoon.
“I did the same thing today that I did yesterday – fishing offshore,” Wagner said. “I put in about seven days graphing and looking around before the cutoff and did the same thing in the official practice. I’ve just been running all the places I found.
“The fish move around a lot,” Wagner added. “I’m sure tomorrow will be different, and I’ll have to adjust.”
Second-place angler O’Connell said he hit 50 to 60 spots during the second day of competition and keyed in on one-hour bite windows or “flurries.”
“I’d cull three or four times in an hour and then go maybe an hour without culling,” O’Connell said.
O’Connell said he was mimicking Lake Hartwell’s blueback herring with topwater baits and swimbaits to fill his limit. He said he knows it will take a solid weight on Championship Friday and predicts a total 3-day weight of 55 pounds, to secure the title.
“I think Emil or Buddy will catch a big bag again,” O’Connell said.
After leading the first day of the All-American Championship, Benson chalked his slide to third place on Day 2 up to missed opportunities.
“I lost a couple of big ones and broke one off in my trolling motor,” Benson said. “I could have had at least 18 or 19 pounds. Hopefully tomorrow I can get the same bites and not break them off and get them in the boat.”
The top 10 boaters advancing to the final day of the All-American on Lake Hartwell are:
1st: Emil Wagner, Marietta, Ga., 10 bass, 38-4
2nd: Matthew O’Connell, Brooks, Ga., 10 bass, 37-8, $500
3rd: Buddy Benson, Dahlonega, Ga., 10 bass, 35-0
4th: Jesse Wiggins, Addison, Ala., 10 bass, 31-3
5th: Anthony Johnson, Excelsior Springs, Mo., 10 bass, 30-12
6th: Tyler Trent, Nathalie, Va., 10 bass, 27-10
7th: Jimmy Neece, Jr., Bristol, Tenn., 10 bass, 26-14
8th: Nick Ubelhor, Jasper, Ind., 10 bass, 26-9
9th: Brian Laclair, Denton, Md., 10 bass, 26-4
10th: Ian Leybas, McAlester, Okla., 10 bass, 25-5
Finishing in 11th through 49th are:
11th: Jeremy Lawyer, Sarcoxie, Mo., 10 bass, 25-0, $3,000
12th: Darren Ashley, Calhoun Falls, S.C., 10 bass, 24-5, $3,000
13th: Jeremy York, Conyers, Ga., 10 bass, 24-5, $3,000
14th: Tristan Abbott, Somerset, Ky., 10 bass, 23-5, $3,000
15th: Travis Harriman, Huntsville, Ark., 10 bass, 23-4, $3,000
16th: Edward Gettys, Dover, Tenn., 10 bass, 22-14, $3,000
17th: Dave Hodges, Farmington, Ark., 10 bass, 22-6, $3,000
18th: Jack Daniel Williams, Kingsport, Tenn., 10 bass, 22-5, $3,000
19th: Chandler Todd, Wake Forest, N.C., 10 bass, 22-2, $3,000
20th: Dustin Lippe, Blue Eye, Mo., 10 bass, 22-1, $3,000
21st: Grant Adams, Campbellsville, Ky., 10 bass, 21-5, $2,000
22nd: Hunter Baird, Salina, Kan., 10 bass, 21-3, $2,000
23rd: Mike Brueggen, Lacrosse, Wis., 10 bass, 20-14, $2,000
24th: Joe Anders, Easley, S.C., 10 bass, 20-14, $2,000
25th: Brian Wilson, Nancy, Ky., 10 bass, 20-12, $2,000
26th: Cade Laufenberg, Onalaska, Wis., nine bass, 20-8, $2,000
27th: Tony Eckler, Lebanon, Tenn., nine bass, 19-7, $2,000
28rd: Cody Casey, Chester, Va., 10 bass, 19-3, $2,000
29rd: Chris Atwell, Mechanicsville, Va., nine bass, 18-13, $2,000
30th: Shane Long, Willard, Mo., eight bass, 18-11, $2,000
31th: Andy Fryer, Sidney, Ohio, 10 bass, 18-5, $1,500
32nd: Keith Estes, Spring Grove, Va., 10 bass, 18-4, $1,500
33th: Jake Lee, Powell, Tenn., 10 bass, 18-1, $1,500
34th: Timothy Kelley, Irmo, S.C., 10 bass, 18-0, $1,500
35th: Chris Huselton, Conway, Ark., 10 bass, 17-14, $1,500
36th: Chris Baldwin, Lexington, N.C., 10 bass, 17-11, $1,500
37th: Kip Carter, Eatonton, Ga., 10 bass, 17-3, $1,500
38th: Trey McKinney, Carbondale, Ill., nine bass, 16-11, $1,500
39th: John Levesque, Nashua, N.H., nine bass, 16-11, $1,500
40th: Rick Taylor, Hooper, Utah, 10 bass, 16-2, $1,500
41nd: Michael Downes, S. Chesterfield, Va., 10 bass, 15-8, $1,500
42th: Chad Poteat, Mount Airy, N.C., nine bass, 14-2, $1,500
43th: Drew Boggs, Lebanon, Tenn., nine bass, 12-9, $1,500
44th: Yeej Moua, Missoula, Mont., seven bass, 12-6, $1,500
45th: Phillip Lunceford, Stigler, Okla., five bass, 10-4, $1,500
46rd: Michael Pruitt, Martinsville, Ind., eight bass, 10-3, $1,500
47st: Robert Holland, Columbia, S.C., three bass, 7-10, $1,500
48nd: Jason Lambert, Savannah, Tenn., three bass, 6-2, $1,500
49th: David McLean, Carrollton, Va., three bass, 3-13, $1,500
A full list of results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
Overall, there were 232 bass weighing 505 pounds, 15 ounces caught by 49 boaters Thursday. The catch included 43 five-bass limits.
After two days of competition, co-angler Keith Gunsauls of Dandridge, Tennessee, leads the Strike King Co-angler Division at Lake Hartwell with a total of 10 bass weighing 19 pounds, 7 ounces. Gunsauls will bring a 2-pound, 6-ounce lead into Championship Friday over second-place co-angler Chris Wilson of Easley, South Carolina, who weighed in a two-day total of 10 bass totaling 17 pounds, 1 ounce.
“Neither day has been easy at all,” said Gunsauls. “It’s been claw and scratch. I had five keepers yesterday and six today, and I could get zero tomorrow. Just go out and fish hard is all I can do.”
The top 10 Strike King co-anglers advancing to the final day of competition at the All-American on Lake Hartwell are:
1st: Keith Gunsauls, Dandridge, Tenn., 10 bass, 19-7
2nd: Chris Wilson, Easley, S.C., 10 bass, 17-1
3rd: Gary Haraguchi, Murfreesboro, Tenn., 10 bass, 16-6
4th: Brandon Bell, Starkville, Miss., 10 bass, 15-14
5th: Benjie Winkler, Cleveland, Ga., 10 bass, 15-8
6th: Jerry Armstrong, Shelbyville, Tenn., eight bass, 15-4
7th: Joshua Jernigan, Rocky Top, Tenn., nine bass, 15-1
8th: Daniel Bryant, Scott, La., eight bass, 14-11
9th: Larry Taylor, Seaford, Del., six bass, 14-7
10th: Aaron Calvert, Russellville, Ark., 10 bass, 13-11
Finishing in 11th through 49th are:
11th: Chris Bunk, Sullivan, Mo., eight bass, 13-9, $1,500
12th: Daren Tindle, Owensboro, Ky., eight bass, 13-7, $1,500
13th: Trent Killian, Bostic, N.C., seven bass, 13-3, $1,750
14th: Safulla Rana, Warrenton, Va., eight bass, 12-15, $1,500
15th: Shawn Overton, Coal Valley, Ill., seven bass, 12-13, $1,500
16th: Brent Jones, Okeana, Ohio, seven bass, 11-8, $1,500
17th: Cody Carl, Lake Lotawana, Mo., six bass, 10-13, $1,500
18th: Michael Miller, Greenville, S.C., seven bass, 10-1, $1,500
19th: Bobby Simmons, Chancellor, Ala., six bass, 9-13, $1,500
20th: Eric Eden, Hartsville, Tenn., five bass, 9-10, $1,500
21st: Alan Bernicky, Joliet, Ill., six bass, 9-8, $1,000
22nd: John Walker, Log Cabin, Texas, four bass, 9-7, $1,000
23rd: Clint Horton, Falkner, Miss., six bass, 8-15, $1,000
24th: Dustin Riddle, Hiwassee, Va., six bass, 8-11, $1,000
25th: David Allen, Mableton, Ga., four bass, 8-7, $1,000
26th: Chuck Davis, Farmington, Ill., five bass, 7-13, $1,000
27th: Christopher Stites Jr., La Vergne, Tenn., six bass, 7-11, $1,000
28th: Branden Hardesty, Nineveh, Ind.., three bass, 7-10, $1,000
29th: Mekye Barnes, Raleigh, N.C., four bass, 7-3, $1,000
30th: Will Doud-Martin, Essex Junction, Vt., three bass, 7-0, $1,000
31st: Billy French, Hamilton, Ohio, five bass, 6-15, $750
32nd: Ronnie Cutshall, Piedmont, S.C., five bass, 6-13, $750
33rd: Joe Harmon, Wooster, Ohio, five bass, 6-7, $750
34th: Wayne Smelser, Wytheville, Va., three bass, 5-13, $750
35th: Brian Brecka, Alma, Wis., four bass, 5-11, $750
36th: David Deciucis, Chester, Va., three bass, 5-9, $750
37th: Bullet Helms, Charlotte, N.C., four bass, 5-5, $750
38th: John Robinson, Montpelier, Va., three bass, 5-0, $750
39th: John Hankins, Atkins, Ark., three bass, 4-14, $750
40th: Dominic Bogolo, Hamilton, Ohio, three bass, 4-11, $750
41st: Mandy Myers, Santaquin, Utah, three bass, 4-11, $750
42nd: William Chadick, Auburn, Ala., three bass, 4-8, $750
43rd: Tim Privette Jr., Wendell, N.C., two bass, 4-2, $750
44th: Brian Umstead, New Brockton, Ala., two bass, 3-14, $750
45th: Cornell Badra, Clarksburg, Md., two bass, 2-8, $750
46th: Steve Duncan, Amarillo, Texas, one bass, 2-6, $750
47th: Barry Gunter, Trafalger, Ind., two bass, 2-4, $750
48th: Marc Proctor, Gilbert, S.C., two bass, 2-0, $750
48th: Jason Anderson, Heron, Mont., two bass, 2-0, $750
Overall, there were 140 bass weighing 226 pounds, 15 ounces caught by 45 Strike King Co-anglers on Thursday. The catch included 15 five-bass limits.
The full field of 49 boaters and 49 Strike King co-anglers competed on Days 1 (Wednesday) and 2 (Thursday) of the event. Now, after two days of competition, the field is cut to just the top 10 boaters and co-anglers based on two-day total cumulative weight, and the final 10 anglers compete tomorrow on Championship Friday. The boater and co-angler that catch the heaviest three-day total weight will be crowned the 40th Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American Champions.
The final 10 boaters and Strike King Co-anglers will launch Friday morning at 6:30 a.m. ET from the Seneca Creek Boat Ramp, located at 280 Seneca Creek Road in Seneca. Weigh-in Friday will be held at the boat ramp and will begin at 2:50 p.m. Fans are welcome to attend all launch and weigh-in events and encouraged to follow the event’s online coverage at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
The 2022 Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine was a 24-division circuit devoted to weekend anglers, with 128 tournaments throughout the season, five qualifying events in each division. The top 45 boaters and Strike King co-anglers from each division, along with the five winners of the qualifying events, advanced to one of six Regional Championships where they competed to finish in the top six, which then advanced them to compete in the Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American.
Television coverage of the 2023 Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American will premiere November 11 on CBS Sports and the Sportsman Channel. The full television air schedule can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
Proud sponsors of the 2023 MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine include: 13 Fishing, Abu Garcia, B&W Trailer Hitches, Berkley, Black Rifle Coffee, E3, Epic Baits, Favorite Fishing, General Tire, Grundéns, Gill, Lew’s, Lowrance, Mercury, Mossy Oak, Mystik Lubricants, Onyx, Phoenix, Polaris, Power-Pole, Strike King, Tackle Warehouse, T-H Marine, Toyota, Wiley X and YETI.
For complete details and updated tournament information, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular Bass Fishing League updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF5’s social media outlets at Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.
Bassmaster College Series takes on Lay Lake for last-chance championship qualifier
College teams from around the country will compete on Lay Lake June 9-10 at the 2023 Strike King Bassmaster College Series Wild Card presented by Bass Pro Shops.
Photo by Kyle Jessie/B.A.S.S.
June 1, 2023
Bassmaster College Series takes on Lay Lake for last-chance championship qualifier
Shelby County, Ala. —For the third year in a row, the Strike King Bassmaster College Series Wild Card presented by Bass Pro Shops will return to the Coosa River. This time anglers will take on Lay Lake, and Bassmaster Elite Series rookie David Gaston believes consistency will be the key to success.
“There will be a lot of mixing up of the standings from Day 1 to Day 2,” Gaston said. “If you have 15 a day, you will do really well. I’m sure there will be one or two 20-pound bags, but they can’t back that up two days in a row.”
Competition days will be June 9-10 with teams taking off from Beeswax Creek Park each day at 5:30 a.m. CT and returning to the park at 1:30 p.m. for weigh-in. Full coverage will be available on Bassmaster.com.
With the four regular-season events complete, this will be the last chance for anglers to punch their tickets to the 2023 Strike King Bassmaster College Series National Championship at Pickwick Lake presented by Bass Pro Shops August 10-12.
Lay Lake has played host to several historic moments in Bassmaster history, and earlier this year, the Elite Series made its return to the fishery that features spotted and largemouth bass. Most of these bass will be keying on shad, although the bass on the upper end of the lake will target crawfish.
When the college teams hit the water, Gaston anticipates the bass will be at the beginning of their summer patterns.
“This time of year, it is either won with all largemouth or with a good mixed bag,” Gaston said. “Unless someone figures it out around the dam and they are able to catch 15 or 16 pounds a day doing it.”
Offshore, Gaston said you will find largemouth and spotted bass in the same areas. Shallow ledges and gravel bars will be key areas, and further down south, there is standing timber and stump fields the bass will relate to.
Traditional ledge baits like football head jigs, shaky heads, big worms and crankbaits have been historically productive at the beginning of June, while LiveScope will be key to dialing in the deep timber bite.
“It isn’t real deep stuff either,” he said. “The ledges are between 3 and 6 feet on the top, so you aren’t fishing very deep.”
Depending on rainfall and water levels, the tailrace of the Logan Martin Dam could also come into play. But if low-water conditions are present, Gaston said it will be too shallow to safely navigate.
“Whether you are on the upper end of the lake or the lower end of the lake, current will play an important role,” Gaston said.
The largemouth will also gravitate to healthy willow grass, although Gaston said this can be hard to come by depending on how much lake management has sprayed. Flipping and pitching will come into play in the grass, and a frog and swim jig could also play early in the morning.
The tournament will be hosted by Discover Shelby.
2023 Bassmaster College Series Title Sponsor: Strike King
2023 Bassmaster College Series Presenting Sponsor: Bass Pro Shops
2023 Bassmaster College Series Platinum Sponsor: Toyota
2023 Bassmaster College Series Premier Sponsors: Dakota Lithium, Humminbird, Mercury, Minn Kota, Nitro Boats, Power-Pole, Progressive Insurance, Ranger Boats, Rapala, Skeeter Boats, Yamaha
2023 Bassmaster College Series Supporting Sponsors: AFTCO, Daiwa, Garmin, Lew’s, Marathon, Triton Boats, VMC
2023 Bassmaster College Series Youth Sponsors: 13 Fishing, Seaguar, Shimano
Georgia Boater Buddy Benson Leads Day 1 of Phoenix All-American Presented by T-H Marine at Lake Hartwell
Bulldog Division Angler Catches 19-Pound, 9-Ounce Limit to Take Early lead
SENECA, S.C. (May 31, 2023) – Cool weather greeted anglers Wednesday morning at Lake Hartwell and the bite started out slow, but after the scales were closed one angler stood alone atop the leaderboard at the 40th annual Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American Championship on Lake Hartwell Presented by T-H Marine in Seneca, South Carolina. Anchored by a stout 5-pound largemouth, 18-year-old boater Elijah “Buddy” Benson of Dahlonega, Georgia, brought a five-bass limit to the scale Wednesday weighing 19 pounds, 9 ounces, to jump out to the early lead.
Benson, who competes in the Bulldog Presented by Mystik Lubricants division, will start Day 2 with a slim 1-pound, 7-ounce advantage over second place boater Emil Wagner of Marietta, Georgia, who caught five bass totaling 18 pounds, 2 ounces. Of the 98 competitors – 49 boaters and 49 Strike King co-anglers – competing in the event, 50 anglers weighed in a five-bass limit.
Link to Photo of Day 1 Boater Leader Buddy Benson of Dahlonega, Georgia
The three-day tournament, hosted by Visit Oconee SC, showcases the nation’s best weekend grassroots anglers, and awards the winning boater a top prize of up to $120,000, and a top prize of $50,000 for the winning Strike King co-angler.
“I caught most of my fish early – before 10 o’clock – just running and gunning down the lake on brush,” said Benson, who said he fishes Hartwell a couple of times every week and calls it his home water.
Benson said he caught most of his bass on main-lake points and humps with topwater baits and a swimbait.
“The weather was perfect for what I was doing today,” Benson said. “I’m hoping I can repeat it. I’m hoping I can stay consistent at 18 plus (pounds) a day.”
Second-place angler Emil Wagner got off to a shaky start, but quickly adjusted to Hartwell’s conditions, and his day turned around with the change in approach.
“It started off super slow, and I did my typical missing fish and losing fish,” Wagner said. “I filled a limit really quick – between 8:30 and 9. Around noon I made a critical adjustment and culled out almost everything I had. I lost quite a few big ones, too. I think I know what to do for tomorrow.”
Wagner, who guides on Lake Lanier, said he spent a lot of time searching for “special” offshore spots with his graph. Those spots, along with a knowledge of Lake Hartwell, kept him within striking distance of the lead.
“I fish up here a decent bit,” Wagner said. “I wouldn’t say I’m a local, but I have fished here quite a bit. I feel really good about (tomorrow). I had some motor issues today, and as long as they don’t impair me the next two days, I think I can be pretty consistent.
“I said it would take around mid-50s to win it, so I think if I catch 18 a day and maybe catch 20 one of the days, I’ll be pretty close,” Wagner added.
The top 20 boaters after Day 1 of the All-American on Lake Hartwell are:
1st: Buddy Benson, Dahlonega, Ga., five bass, 19-9
2nd: Emil Wagner, Marietta, Ga., five bass, 18-2
3rd: Anthony Johnson, Excelsior Springs, Mo., five bass, 18-1
4th: Matthew O’Connell, Brooks, Ga., five bass, 17-4
5th: Jesse Wiggins, Addison, Ala., five bass, 14-11
6th: Tyler Trent, Nathalie, Va., five bass, 14-1
7th: Cade Laufenberg, Onalaska, Wis., five bass, 14-0
8th: Jimmy Neece, Jr., Bristol, Tenn., five bass, 13-8
9th: Nick Ubelhor, Jasper, Ind., five bass, 13-1
10th: Jeremy Lawyer, Sarcoxie, Mo., five bass, 13-0
11th: Ian Leybas, McAlester, Okla., five bass, 12-15
11th: Brian Laclair, Denton, Md., five bass, 12-15
13th: Jack Daniel Williams, Kingsport, Tenn., five bass, 12-14
14th: Jeremy York, Conyers, Ga., five bass, 12-5
15th: Andy Fryer, Sidney, Ohio, five bass, 12-3
16th: Chandler Todd, Wake Forest, N.C., five bass, 12-2
17th: Travis Harriman, Huntsville, Ark., five bass, 12-1
17th: Dave Hodges, Farmington, Ark, five bass, 12-1
19th: Edward Gettys, Dover, Tenn., five bass, 12-0
19th: Keith Estes, Spring Grove, Va., five bass, 12-0
A full list of results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
Overall, there were 218 bass weighing 500 pounds, 6 ounces caught by 47 boaters Wednesday. The catch included 37 five-bass limits.
Larry Taylor of Seaford, Delaware, leads the Strike King Co-angler Division at Lake Hartwell after Day 1 with four bass weighing 11 pounds, 1 ounce. Taylor will begin Day 2 of competition on Thursday with a 1-pound, 2-ounce advantage over second-place co-angler Safulla Rana of Warrenton, Virginia, who weighed in five bass totaling 9 pounds, 15 ounces.
Taylor was paired with Day 1 third-place boater Anthony Johnson, who caught fish early in the day. Taylor, however, struggled to boat a bass until mid-morning, when he caught his first fish – a 2½-pound spotted bass.
“All day I was fan casting around,” Taylor said. “I caught my last two at the end of the day when Anthony was helping me and telling me some places to cast. The key was fishing really slow and making long casts. You also had to weed through all of the stripers – this place is full of them.
“I thought I had around 9 pounds,” Taylor added. “The big fish weighed more than I thought. We went to a shoal and I cast way up on it and caught the 5-11. It was a tough day, though.
Tylor qualified for the All-American through the TBF by winning the semifinal on his home river, the Nanticoke River in Seaford, Delaware. He then finished fifth on Lake of the Ozarks and won the Mid-Atlantic Division.
“The only reason this is even happing was because my buddy back home, Jason Vaughn, needed a co-angler to guarantee his spot as a boater in the TBF,” Taylor said. “It’s crazy to be here, and all of this is just a bonus.”
The top 20 Strike King co-anglers after Day 1 of the All-American on Lake Hartwell are:
1st: Larry Taylor, Seaford, Del., four bass, 11-1
2nd: Safulla Rana, Warrenton, Va., five bass, 9-15
3rd: Brandon Bell, Starkville, Miss., five bass, 9-10
3rd: Joshua Jernigan, Rocky Top, Tenn., five bass, 9-10
5th: Chris Bunk, Sullivan, Mo., five bass, 9-4
6th: Benjie Winkler, Cleveland, Ga., five bass, 9-2
7th: Chris Wilson, Easley, S.C., five bass, 8-14
8th: Keith Gunsauls, Dandridge, Tenn., five bass, 8-10
9th: Gary Haraguchi, Murfreesboro, Tenn., five bass, 8-7
10th: Brent Jones, Okeana, Ohio, five bass, 7-14
11th: Branden Hardesty, Nineveh, Ind., three bass, 7-10
12th: Aaron Calvert, Russellville, Ark., five bass, 7-3
12th: Daniel Bryant, Scott, La., three bass, 7-3
12th: Bobby Simmons, Chancellor, Ala., five bass, 7-3
15th: Chuck Davis, Farmington, Ill., four bass, 6-8
16th: Joe Harmon, Wooster, Ohio, five bass, 6-7
16th: Daren Tindle, Owensboro, Ky., five bass, 6-7
18th: Mekye Barnes, Raleigh, N.C., three bass, 5-9
19th: Christopher Stites Jr., La Vergne, Tenn., four bass, 5-2
20th: John Robinson, Montpelier, Va., three bass, 5-0
Overall, there were 124 bass weighing 215 pounds, 15 ounces caught by 43 Strike King co-anglers on Wednesday. The catch included 13 five-bass limits.
The full field of 49 boaters and 49 Strike King co-anglers compete on Days 1 (Wednesday) and 2 (Thursday) of the event. After two days of competition, the field is cut to just the top 10 boaters and co-anglers, based on two-day total cumulative weight, and the final 10 anglers compete on Championship Friday. The boater and co-angler that catch the heaviest three-day total weight will be crowned the 40th Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American Champions.
Anglers will launch each day at 6:30 a.m. ET from the Seneca Creek Boat Ramp, located at 280 Seneca Creek Road in Seneca. Weigh-in each day will be held at the boat ramp and will begin at 2:30 p.m. Fans are welcome to attend all launch and weigh-in events and encouraged to follow the event’s online coverage at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
The 2022 Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine was a 24-division circuit devoted to weekend anglers, with 128 tournaments throughout the season, five qualifying events in each division. The top 45 boaters and Strike King co-anglers from each division, along with the five winners of the qualifying events, advanced to one of six Regional Championships where they competed to finish in the top six, which then advanced them to compete in the Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American.
Television coverage of the 2023 Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American will premiere November 11 on CBS Sports and the Sportsman Channel. The full television air schedule can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
Proud sponsors of the 2023 MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine include: 13 Fishing, Abu Garcia, B&W Trailer Hitches, Berkley, Black Rifle Coffee, E3, Epic Baits, Favorite Fishing, General Tire, Grundéns, Gill, Lew’s, Lowrance, Mercury, Mossy Oak, Mystik Lubricants, Onyx, Phoenix, Polaris, Power-Pole, Strike King, Tackle Warehouse, T-H Marine, Toyota, Wiley X and YETI.
For complete details and updated tournament information, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular Bass Fishing League updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF5’s social media outlets at Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.
NORSK Lithium: Future-Proofed Design
| NORSK Lithium: Future-Proofed Design |
| NORSK Lithium products offer a unique case design that allows serviceability, upgradeability, improved longevity, and eco-friendly lifespan |
| New Hope, Minn. (May 31, 2023) – The marine lithium battery industry is bursting at the seams with companies putting out “me-too” batteries of marginal quality only distinguishable from each other by the color of the label stuck to the front of the case. As such, there’s no real advantage choosing one lithium marine battery over another as these companies don’t possess any engineering capabilities or commitment to producing a truly great product with original features and capabilities. They simply order what the last company ordered and change the label. “NORSK Lithium is not a follower in this ‘me-too’ marketplace,” says NORSK Lithium CMO, James Holst. “And we reinforce this claim by demonstrating a new level of commitment to innovation and problem-solving through manufacturing stand-out products that will benefit the angler or boater. For starters, our 100% serviceable proprietary lithium battery case design is truly unique in the marketplace, just one example.”One of the issues with most marine lithium batteries is they’re sealed up with no way to get to internal components. So, if a customer experiences performance issues with most lithium marine batteries, it’s game over. In fact, you’d need a saw to cut the battery apart to look inside. And then there would be no way to seal it back up and put it back into use. These batteries end up in landfills across the country. |
| NORSK Lithium: Easy ServiceabilityOn the contrary, NORSK Lithium’s unique lithium battery case allows a certified NORSK Lithium technician to safely open the battery and repair, replace, or upgrade any requirement, then close it back up, returning the battery to good-as-new status. First, NORSK Lithium utilizes prismatic cells, which are incredibly reliable and will last forever and a day. Inevitably, if something does fail in a NORSK battery, it’s going to be a temperature problem or BMS module, components that are nowhere near as costly as the entire battery itself. If you have a BMS module that goes bad—which is pretty rare—NORSK Lithium can replace it and make the battery as good as new. That said, the NORSK Lithium case design allows the company to double-stand behind the product and take care of customers. NORSK Lithium can repair or replace just about anything, which should bring peace-of-mind to any angler or boater who makes the investment in NORSK Lithium power solutions. NORSK Lithium founder and Engineering Director, Derek A., comments: “The biggest factor in our case design was offering serviceability, allowing technicians the ability to open the battery up and repair or replace cells or any electrical component.”“Necessity is the mother of invention,” adds Holst. “First, we utilize prismatic versus cylindrical cells which will last the full extent of our 10-year-warranty. Secondly, we are not a fly-by-night company; NORSK Lithium is going to be here for a long time. Our parent company is Sea Foam. So, we’re not one of those companies that’s going to run into the marketplace, offer a 10-year-warranty and then close up shop and disappear. We’re going to be here when your kids are shopping for boat batteries.” |
| NORSK Lithium: Future-Proof UpgradeabilityThe impetus for NORSK Lithium’s unique marine battery case design was to offer a 10-year-warranty and actually mean it. If you offer a decade warranty and BMS modules or temperature probes fail, previously the only option from other battery companies was to tell the customer to go away or send the customer a brand-new battery, disposing the problematic battery into a landfill. Those options were not acceptable to NORSK Lithium. It would be like replacing your entire truck tire because the air cap fell off. That was NORSK’s approach to the serviceable case design: Why replace the entire battery if components are serviceable?Holst remarks: “From day one, our goal has been to provide exceptional customer service and longevity and keep batteries out of landfills. NORSK Lithium prismatic cells are designed to last 4,000+ cycles, which, in real-world terms, is a battery that will last as long as the boat you put it in. This is why it’s so important to us to be able to put the cells in a case that actually allows us to service the product for our customers.”Right now, LiFePO4 is the best lithium battery chemistry available, absolutely no doubt about it, but NORSK Lithium is privy to more advanced designs and chemistries coming down the pipeline. The idea that lithium marine batteries will be using the same LiFePO4 chemistry in 3 – 5 years that we’re using today, given the pace of current research and development into lithium battery cells, would have to be seen as incredibly naive to anyone paying attention. Eventually, an angler might be able to, for example, get double the runtime of what NORSK is currently offering in the same size cell. As such—with its case and modular cell design—NORSK Lithium anticipates being able to offer a cost-effective upgrade option to customers when these new chemistries emerge. “Every time an angler or boater purchases a NORSK Lithium product we’re entering into a long-term partnership. Lithium cell technology is advancing very fast and we want to offer our customers the option to upgrade as these new chemistries emerge,” notes Holst. “Now, if you’re a company not willing to invest in a serviceable case design, when cell improvements do become available, the alternative is to look a customer in the eye and tell them that the lithium battery they purchased a few years back is now out-dated and to have access to the new technology they need to discard their current batteries and buy a completely new set of batteries. As my grandfather used to say, that dog don’t hunt.” |
| Improved LongevityNORSK Lithium also considered battery longevity when designing their unique battery case. First, the internal case design allows appropriate air flow between the cells, important because you don’t want cells overheating. Most lithium battery companies pack cells internally in a bundle and wrap them in tape and foam which doesn’t allow for much heat dissipation and cooling. Likewise, the spacing between prismatic cells in NORSK Lithium’s heated batteries allows heat to actually get to all the battery cells—not just the outside cells close to a temperature probe. NORSK Lithium founder and Engineering Director, Derek A., offers: “Our internal rack design holds our prismatic cells in place in a way that spaces them a little bit, which is unique compared to other lithium battery designs where cells are sandwiched and taped together. By having the space we’ve allowed, we provide the room needed to adequately heat and cool the cells.”NORSK Lithium’s internal plastic rack design also greatly reduces vibration; nothing bounces inside a NORSK Lithium battery. If you pick up a NORSK Lithium battery and shake it, nothing moves, unlike competitive products. Over time, when you’re out on-the-water in big waves, the cells in other lithium batteries shift and spot welds and other connections are stressed. This invariably leads to performance issues. |
| Eco-Friendly DesignNORSK Lithium also approached their marine lithium battery design with a level of environmental consciousness. “Given our serviceable case design, we’re not throwing thousand dollar batteries into the landfill because of an issue with something small and serviceable like a BMS module or temperature probe. NORSK Lithium is committed to making sure that the lithium customer gets their full life-cycle out of the battery. If something does go wrong with the battery, we can fix it and get it back into service—it’s not just thrown into a landfill.”Additional Case FeaturesNORSK Lithium also departed from the typical cylindrical terminal post design found on most marine batteries.Derek A. comments: “The terminals on the cover have a square base so you cannot over-torque them. Standard lithium battery terminal design is a cylindrical post where it connects to the plastic which can be easily over-torqued and lead to cracked plastic.”“We also increased the strength of the handles, a known weak point in many marine lithium battery designs.” |
Stracner not fishing Bassmaster Elite at Sabine River
May 31, 2023
Stracner not fishing Bassmaster Elite at Sabine River
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Elite Series pro Josh Stracner of Vandiver, Ala., will not be fishing this week’s Folds of Honor Bassmaster Elite at Sabine River. B.A.S.S. officials have ruled him ineligible for the sixth stop of the 2023 Bassmaster Elite Series season because he is unable to secure the required Texas fishing license.
Bassmaster Elite Rule C6. IV, for Sportsmanship states: “In both official practice and competition, competitors are required to have all licenses and permits required on the tournament waters in which they fish.”
After contacting the Texas Parks & Wildlife Department in an attempt to resolve the issue, Stracner notified B.A.S.S. officials in advance of the tournament.
Safu Rana Wins CATT Potomac River, VA May 28, 2023
Next up is the Potomac River Spring Final June 17th at Hope Spring Marina! We have 56 teams eligible to enter! To view the Potomac River Spring Points, go to the Potomac River Division page and scroll all the way down!
2023 Spring Potomac CATT Season Points CHAMPIONS 
Congratulations David Hooker & Kenny Henderson !!! 406 Total Season Points
David & Kenny will fish our Championship tournament for free on Saturday, June 17th and will be positioned as Boat #1
David & Kenny will also receive a $100 LEW’S gift card!
We have $1,715.00 in the Potomac River Final Fund! At the Final we will add the Final Fund and 100% of the entry’s together to make the Final purse! Final entry is $160 or $170 at the ramp! If we have 50 of the eligible teams enter the purse will be over $8,000 not including the side pot! Thanks for fishing with us!
Safu Rana fished solo and took the largest prize this past weekend which was 1st Place of $1,400.00 with 18.30 lbs. Great job!
Chris Jackson & Chase Blaise took 2nd place $660 with 18.20 lbs.
Mike Ramey & Mike Nelms took 3rd place with a total weight of 18.10 lbs.
$370 3rd Place Finish + $96 2nd Biggest Bass 5.89 lbs. + $575 Side Pot = Total of $1,041
4th Place – Clifton Cooper & Donald Heflin 17.22 lbs. $250
5th Place – Chris McManus 17.03 lbs. $190
6th Place – Karl Sampson & Donnie Caldwell 16.79 lbs. $130
7th Place – Steve Schantz & Billy Boyd 16.72 lbs.
8th Place – Dan Weber & Bob Weber 16.69 lbs.
9th Place – William Gordon & Taylor Gordon
$600 30+ lb. Bag Bonus Winners
Cumulative 6 fish limit (5 EA Bass + 1 EA Snake) weighing 30 pounds or greater.
5 Bass 16.53 lbs. + 1 Snake 14.98 lbs. = 31.51 lbs. Total
31.51 lbs. is the New Potomac CATT Record
Snakehead Side Pot Winners $420 William Gordon & Taylor Gordon 14.98 lbs.
Here’s Big Bass winner Mike Hepburn with his gorgeous 6.21 lb. post spawn beauty. Mike Hepburn and Shawn Phipps $224 big bass winners at tournament #4
