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New Hampshire’s Estes Claims Victory at Phoenix Bass Fishing League Event on Lake Champlain

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New Hampshire’s Estes Claims Victory at Phoenix Bass Fishing League Event on Lake Champlain

Boater Stephen Estes of Auburn, New Hampshire, and Strike-King co-angler Frederick Chilluffo of Camden, New York.

Camden’s Chilluffo Wins Strike King Co-Angler Division

PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. (Aug. 8, 2022) – Boater Stephen Estes of Auburn, New Hampshire, caught five bass Saturday weighing 21 pounds, 10 ounces, to win the MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine on Lake Champlain . The tournament, hosted by the City of Plattsburgh, was the fourth event for the Bass Fishing League Northeast Division. Estes earned $13,057, including a $7,000 Phoenix MLF Contingency Bonus, for his victory.

Estes said he focused on the northern end of the lake using a drop-shot rig to catch around 20 smallmouth keepers during the course of the day.

The top 10 boaters finished the tournament in:

1st:        Stephen Estes, Auburn, N.H., five bass, 21-10, $13,057 (includes $7,000 Phoenix MLF Contingency Bonus)
2nd:       Tristan McCormick, Burns, Tenn., five bass, 20-10, $2,528
3rd:       Rob Messenger, Sunapee, N.H., five bass, 20-6, $1,432
3rd:       Joseph Thompson, Coatesville, Pa., five bass, 20-6, $1,432
5th:        Josh Bragg, Fayetteville, Ga., five bass, 20-4, $1,011
6th:        Brent Heyn, South Hero, Vt., five bass, 20-1, $927
7th:        Matt Becker, Finleyville, Pa., five bass, 19-15, $843
8th:        Spencer Shuffield, Hot Springs, Ark., five bass, 19-11, $758
9th:        Colby Miller, Elmer, La., five bass, 19-1, $632
9th:        Brett Carnright, Plattsburgh, N.Y., five bass, 19-1, $632

Complete results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

T.J. Daniels of Plattsburgh, New York, had a bass that weighed 5 pounds, 3 ounces that was the heaviest of the event in the Boater Division and earned the day’s Berkley Big Bass Boater award of $780.

Frederick Chilluffo of Camden, New York, won the Strike King Co-angler Division and $2,628 Saturday after catching five bass weighing 19 pounds, 14 ounces.

The top 10 Strike King co-anglers were:

1st:        Frederick Chilluffo, Camden, N.Y., five bass, 19-14, $2,628
2nd:       Justin Bronson, Glenn Dale, Md., five bass, 17-11, $1,264
3rd:       Nate Coy, Pennsburg, Pa., five bass, 17-9, $845
4th:        David Paszkiewicz, Kearny, N.J., five bass, 17-0, $590
5th:        Shawn Gokey, Georgia, Vt., five bass, 16-14, $506
6th:        David Archibald, Somerset, Mass., five bass, 16-11, $464
7th:        Corey Germano, Staatsburg, N.Y., five bass, 16-8, $771
8th:        Andrew Hostler, Tyrone, Pa., five bass, 16-6, $579
9th:        Benjamin Kapp, Benton, Pa., five bass, 16-3, $337
10th:     Al Norman, Lake Mary, Fla., five bass, 16-2, $295

Erik Gaffron of Robbinsdale, Minnesota caught the largest bass in the Co-angler Division, a fish weighing in at 5 pounds, 2 ounces. The catch earned him the day’s Berkley Big Bass Co-angler award of $390.

After four events, Joseph Thompson of Coatesville, Pennsylvania, leads the Bass Fishing League Northeast Division Boater Angler of the Year (AOY) race with 912 points, while David Paszkiewicz of Kearny, New Jersey, leads the Strike King Co-Angler Division AOY race with 918 points.

The top 45 boaters and co-anglers in the region based on point standings, along with the five winners in each qualifying event, will be entered in the Oct. 20-22 Bass Fishing League Regional Championship on the James River in Richmond, Virginia. Boaters will compete for a top award of $60,000, including a new Phoenix 819 Pro with a 200-horsepower Mercury outboard and $10,000, while co-anglers will fish for a new Phoenix 819 Pro with a 200-horsepower Mercury outboard.

The 2022 Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine is 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, will advance to one of six Regional Championships where they are competing to finish in the top six, which then qualifies them for one of the longest-running championships in all of competitive bass fishing – the Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American.

The top 45 boaters and Strike King co-anglers plus tournament winners from each Phoenix Bass Fishing League division will also earn priority entry into the MLF Toyota Series, the pathway to the MLF Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit and ultimately the MLF Bass Pro Tour.

Proud sponsors of the 2022 MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine include: 4WP, 13 Fishing, Abu Garcia, AFTCO, A.R.E. Truck Caps, B&W Trailer Hitches, Berkley, Black Rifle Coffee, E3, Epic Baits, Favorite Fishing, Gary Yamamoto Baits, General Tire, Lew’s, Lowrance, Lucas Oil, Mercury, Mossy Oak, Onyx, Phoenix, Polaris, Power-Pole, Revital Outdoors, Strike King, Tackle Warehouse, T-H Marine, Toyota, Wiley X, YETI and Yo-Zuri.

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 Pro Pipkens Part Of Annual Charity Golf Event Benefiting JDRF

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Bassmaster Pro Pipkens Part Of Annual Charity Golf Event Benefiting JDRF

Bassmaster Elite Series pro Chad Pipkens (left) joined Douglas J President Scott Weaver and his wife, Mel, at the 20th annual Douglas J Golf Outing benefiting the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.  

Photo courtesy of Chad Pipkens

August 8, 2022

Bassmaster Pro Pipkens Part Of Annual Charity Golf Event Benefiting JDRF

WILLIAMSTON, Mich. — Bassmaster Elite Series angler Chad Pipkens was on the golf course Monday raising money for a great cause. The Douglas J Golf Outing benefiting the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation has raised over $1 million to help combat type 1 diabetes through their charity tournament, silent auction and fundraising dinner over the past 20 years. JDRF is the leading global type 1 diabetes (T1D) research and advocacy organization.

Up for auction this year is a fishing trip for two on Lake Erie and Lake St. Clair with Pipkens. Along with the day’s outing, Pipkens will be supplying all of the tackle, rods and reels needed to take on these world-class smallmouth fisheries.

“It’s great when you can surround yourself with good people and be able to be part of an awesome company that gives back in so many ways,” said Pipkens, who has been part of the fundraising event for 10 years.

Douglas J President Scott Weaver has been a champion of JDRF for more than two decades after his daughter Sami became the youngest person in Michigan to be diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at just 18 months old. Weaver’s nephew was also diagnosed just a few years later.

According to JDRF, about 200,000 youth (less than 20 years old) and 1.4 million adults in America are living with T1D, with 64,000 people being diagnosed each year in the U.S. Since 1970, the foundation has contributed more than $2 billion to T1D research and is currently funding more than 70 human clinical trials of potential T1D therapies.

To make a donation to the Douglas J Golf Outing benefiting JDRF, visit douglasj.com/jdrf.

Michael Neal Leads Early for Group B at MLF Bass Pro Tour Fox Rent A Car Stage Six at Cayuga Lake Presented by Googan Baits

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Michael Neal Leads Early for Group B at MLF Bass Pro Tour Fox Rent A Car Stage Six at Cayuga Lake Presented by Googan Baits

Tennessee Pro Boats 21 Scorable Bass Weighing 83 Pounds, 3 Ounces to Lead Group B by Nearly 8 Pounds – Group A to Wrap Up Qualifying Round Monday

UNION SPRINGS, N.Y. (Aug. 7, 2022) – The fishing wasn’t quite as fast and furious as it was for Group A competitors on Saturday, but it was still a fantastic day on the water for Group B anglers as they opened their two-day Qualifying Round Sunday at the Major League Fishing (MLF) Bass Pro Tour Fox Rent A Car Stage Six on Cayuga Lake Presented by Googan Baits. Pro Michael Neal of Dayton, Tennessee , who just last week clinched his second straight Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit Angler of the Year (AOY) title, kept his momentum train rolling, catching 21 scorable bass weighing 83 pounds, 3 ounces, to take the lead in Group B after their first day of competition.

Link to Hi-Res Photo of Qualifying Group B Leader Michael Neal
Link to Photo Gallery of Day 1 Highlights
Link to Video – Fish-Catch Highlights of Group B Qualifying Round Day 1 on Cayuga Lake

Favorite Fishing pro Mark Daniels, Jr., of Tuskegee, Alabama, sits in second place, 7 pounds, 13 ounces back of Neal with 22 scorable bass totaling 75-6. Pro Brent Ehrler of Redlands, California, finished the day in third place with 25 bass for 72-8, while B&W Trailer Hitches pro Mark Davis of Mount Ida, Arkansas , caught 20 bass totaling 71-13 to end the day in fourth place. Lorena, Texas pro Alton Jones rounds out the top five, as he caught 25 bass weighing 71-4.

The 40 anglers in Group B will now have an off day on Monday, while the 40 anglers competing in Group A will complete their two-day Qualifying Round of competition. Group B will conclude their Qualifying Round on Tuesday.

The six-day tournament, hosted by the Village of Union Springs, showcases 80 of the best professional anglers in the world competing for a purse of more than $805,000, including a top payout of $100,000 to the winner. The tournament is livestreamed each day at MajorLeagueFishing.com and the MOTV app, and also filmed for television broadcast later this fall on the Discovery Channel.

“I’m super happy with how the day went,” Neal said in his post-game interview. “I caught a ton of fish roaming on the very outside break of the lake. The fish don’t have anything else to relate to out past there, besides bait, and I think that is the big key to where I’ve been fishing at –a ton of baitfish in the area. I’m looking for the bass that are chasing those balls of bait around on the edge of that drop.”

Neal credited his Lowrance ActiveTarget Live Sonar as being critical to his success. He caught his fish drop-shotting a pearl-colored Big Bite Baits Scentsation Swim Minnow, using a No. 1 Gamakatsu hook with a 3/8-ounce Denali Kovert tungsten weight. He threw the drop-shot rig on a 7-foot, 6-inch Denali Kovert rod with 8-pound Sunline Shooter fluorocarbon line.

“I feel like I’m definitely on the right pattern, catching both species of largemouth and smallmouth,” Neal said. “I expected to catch mostly smallmouth but was surprised at how many largemouth there were out here.

“It seems like everybody has found the same fish and it’s only going to get tougher and tougher because of the fishing pressure,” Neal went on to say. “Winning the Qualifying Round and getting that automatic berth into the Championship Round is a big deal this week, more so than normal. I’m trying to focus on getting to that point, but it is not going to be an easy task. I’m looking forward to getting back out there.”

The top 20 pros in Group B after Day 1 of their Qualifying Round on Cayuga Lake are:

1st:          Michael Neal, Dayton, Tenn., 21 bass, 83-3
2nd:         Mark Daniels, Jr., Tuskegee, Ala., 22 bass, 75-6
3rd:         Brent Ehrler, Redlands, Calif., 25 bass, 72-8
4th:         Mark Davis, Mount Ida, Ark., 20 bass, 71-13
5th:         Alton Jones, Lorena, Texas, 25 bass, 71-4
6th:         Andy Morgan, Dayton, Tenn., 19 bass, 63-3
7th:         Dakota Ebare, Brookeland, Texas, 16 bass, 58-5
8th:         Jordan Lee, Cullman, Ala., 19 bass, 57-11
9th:         James Elam, Tulsa, Okla., 17. bass, 55-14
10th:       Fred Roumbanis, Russellville, Ark., 16 bass, 52-10
11th:       Cody Meyer, Star, Idaho, 15 bass, 47-1
12th:       Timmy Horton, Muscle Shoals, Ala., 13 bass, 45-9
13th:       Mark Rose, Wynne, Ark., 14 bass, 43-15
14th:       Randall Tharp, Port Saint Joe, Fla., 13 bass, 43-6
15th:       James Watson, Lampe, Mo., 14 bass, 43-2
16th:       Jared Lintner, Covington, Ga., 15 bass, 41-4
17th:       Britt Myers, Lake Wylie, S.C., 14 bass, 41-1
18th:       Anthony Gagliardi, Prosperity, S.C., 11 bass, 40-12
19th:       Shinichi Fukae, Osaka, Japan, 12 bass, 38-10
20th:       Bobby Lane, Lakeland, Fla., 13 bass, 36-13

A complete list of results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

Overall, there were 493 scorable bass weighing 1,585 pounds, 15 ounces caught by the 40 pros Sunday.

Pro Timmy Horton of Muscle Shoals, Alabama, earned Sunday’s $1,000 Berkley Big Bass Award after catching a 6-pound, 9-ounce largemouth in Period 1 that was the largest of the day. Berkley awards $1,000 to the angler who weighs the heaviest bass each day, and a $3,000 bonus to the angler who weighs the heaviest bass of the tournament.

The 40 Anglers in Group A compete in their two-day qualifying round on Saturday and Monday – the 40 anglers in Group B on Sunday and Tuesday. After each two-day qualifying round is complete, the anglers that finish in 2nd through 20th place from both groups advance to Wednesday’s Knockout Round, while the winner of each group advances directly to Thursday’s Championship Round. In the Knockout Round, weights are zeroed, and the remaining 38 anglers compete to finish in the top 8 to advance to the Championship Round. In the final day Championship Round, weights are zeroed, and the highest one-day total wins the top prize of $100,000.

Anglers will launch each day at 7:30 a.m. ET from Frontenac Park, located at 15 Creamery Road in Union Springs. Each day’s General Tire Takeout will be held at the park, beginning at 4 p.m. Fans are welcome to attend all launch and takeout events and also encouraged to follow the event online throughout the day on the MLF NOW!® live stream and SCORETRACKER® coverage at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

As a part of the event on Monday, Aug. 8 from 8 to 10 a.m., the MLF Fisheries Management Division (FMD) will be participating in a clean-up event at Frontenac Park – the FMD Costa Clean Water Matters Program.  MLF Pro Anglers and Volunteers will walk the park and shorelines to clean up trash and debris from the shores of Cayuga Lake.

On Championship Thursday, Aug. 11, from 4:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. MLF will host a Celebration Event for fans of all ages, inviting fans to come out and celebrate with the professional anglers from the Bass Pro Tour as they crown the champion of the Fox Rent A Car Stage Six on Cayuga Lake Presented by Googan Baits. Before the celebration, an MLF watch party starts at 1:30 p.m., and the first 50 middle school or high school anglers in attendance will receive a free Abu Garcia rod and reel combo valued at $100. The final 10 Championship Round Bass Pro Tour anglers will be on hand at the trophy celebration to meet and greet fans, sign autographs, and take selfies.

The Fox Rent A Car Stage Six on Cayuga Lake Presented by Googan Baits will feature anglers competing with a 2-pound minimum weight requirement for a bass to be deemed scorable. Minimum weights are determined individually for each competition waters that the Bass Pro Tour visits, based on the productivity, bass population and anticipated average size of fish in each fishery.

The Bass Pro Tour features a field of 80 of the top professional anglers in the world competing across seven regular-season tournaments around the country, competing for millions of dollars and valuable points to qualify for the annual General Tire Heavy Hitters all-star event and REDCREST IV, the Bass Pro Tour championship, which will be held next March on Lake Norman in Charlotte, North Carolina.

The MLF NOW!® broadcast team of Chad McKee, Marty Stone and J.T. Kenney will break down the extended action on all six days of competition from 7:45 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. ET. MLF NOW!®  will be live streamed on MajorLeagueFishing.com and the MyOutdoorTV (MOTV) app.

Television coverage of the Fox Rent A Car Stage Six on Cayuga Lake Presented by Googan Baits will premiere as a two-hour episode at 7 a.m. ET, on Saturday, Nov. 12 on the Discovery Channel. New MLF episodes premiere each Saturday morning on the Discovery Channel, with additional re-airings on the Outdoor Channel. Each two-hour long reality-based episode goes in-depth to break down each day of tournament competition.

Proud sponsors of the 2022 MLF Bass Pro Tour include: 13 Fishing, Abu Garcia, A.R.E. Truck Caps, B&W Trailer Hitches, Bally Bet, Bass Cat, Bass Pro Shops, Berkley, Covercraft, Favorite Fishing, Garmin, General Tire, Googan Baits, Grundéns, Guaranteed Rate, Humminbird, Lowrance, Luminox, Mercury, Minn Kota, Mossy Oak, Nitro Performance Boats, Onyx, Plano, Power-Pole, Power Stop, Rapala, Starbrite, Toro, Toyota, Wrangler, Yellowstone Bourbon and Zoom.

For complete details and updated information on Major League Fishing and the Bass Pro Tour, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF’s social media outlets at Facebook, Twitter,  Instagram, and  YouTube.

Kevin Flint Wins Bass Cast Kayak Series Shenandoah River Aug 6th 2022

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Kevin Flint Wins Bass Cast Kayak Series Shenandoah River Aug 6th 2022

Shenandoah River Wrap up by Danielle Englund

Twenty three anglers joined us for our last regular season tournament of 2022 on the Shenandoah River – one of the few rivers in Virginia that flows from south to north. This is a special event for us, as we often have several anglers come out for just this one tournament each year. The fish were plentiful, with a good mix of smallmouth and largemouth caught, and many were very close in size. Over 170 fish were submitted, and many of the anglers finished with only .25” between them and the angler above or below them in the standings.

Kevin Flint, of Broadway, VA, took the win with 79.50”. Close behind were Dustin Good of Shenandoah, VA, with 77.50” and Victor Hendrix of Harpers Ferry, WV, with 76.00”. Rounding out our four paid winners was Adam Flint (yes, the brother of our winner) from Christiansburg, VA. Dustin Shifflett, of Port Republic, VA, took home the big bass prize with a 20.00” smallmouth.

With this final event complete and our points standings finalized, we are able to announce the three anglers who will be competing for the title of Angler of the Year at our Championship on September 17:

– Adam Flint
– Jonathan Graham
– Ryan Murphy

Nineteen anglers qualified to fish the Championship by fishing at least four regular season events. The names highlighted in orange on the points list below are those who qualified. If you believe you should have qualified or there has been an error, please reach out to us as soon as possible.

As always, we thank each angler who joined us for this event, and give a huge shout out to our title sponsor, Journey Outdoors.

CLICK HERE TO SEE RESULTS

The names highlighted in ORANGE are qualified for the Championship

CLICK HERE TO SEE FINAL POINTS STANDINGS

Justin Lucas Leads Catch Fest at Day 1 of MLF Bass Pro Tour Fox Rent A Car Stage Six at Cayuga Lake Presented by Googan Baits

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Justin Lucas Leads Catch Fest at Day 1 of MLF Bass Pro Tour Fox Rent A Car Stage Six at Cayuga Lake Presented by Googan Baits

Lucas and Wheeler Both Target Largemouth, Catch 100+ Pounds Saturday to Pace Group A – Group B to Compete Sunday

UNION SPRINGS, N.Y. (Aug. 6, 2022) – It was a blazing fast start Saturday, on Day 1 of the the Fox Rent A Car Stage Six on Cayuga Lake Presented by Googan Baits. And Cayuga Lake was the day’s brightest star.

Two anglers broke the century mark, both tallying more than 100 pounds in just the first day of competition. As time expired on SCORETRACKER®, Abu Garcia pro Justin Lucas of Guntersville, Alabama, ended the day atop the leaderboard, catching 35 scorable bass, 34 of which were largemouth, totaling 127 pounds, 1 ounce. Academy Sports + Outdoors pro Jacob Wheeler of Harrison, Tennessee, also broke the 100-pound barrier, catching 37 scorable bass weighing 107-15 to finish the day in second place.

The six-day event, hosted by the Village of Union Springs, will showcase 80 of the best professional anglers in the world competing for a purse of more than $805,000, including a top payout of $100,000 to the winner. The tournament is livestreamed each day at MajorLeagueFishing.com and the MOTV app, and also filmed for television broadcast later this fall on the Discovery Channel.

Link to Hi-Res Photo of Qualifying Group A Leader Justin Lucas
Link to Photo Gallery of Justin Lucas’ Day 1 Highlights
Link to Video – Fish-Catch Highlights of Group A Qualifying Round Day 1 on Cayuga Lake

Although Lucas and Wheeler seem to have a substantial lead on the rest of the field, numerous anglers held the lead throughout the day, including Favorite Fishing pro Dustin Connell of Clanton, Alabama, who finished the day in third place with 23 bass totaling 88-5. Waco, Texas’ Alton Jones, Jr., caught 26 bass weighing 82-8 to end the day in fourth. Spokane, Washington’s Luke Clausen rounds out the top five with 25 bass weighing 78-9.

The 40 anglers in Group A will now have an off day from competition, while the 40 anglers competing in Group B will begin their first day of competition Sunday. Group A will resume competition on Monday.

Lucas caught his 35 scorable bass from just three spots Saturday, drop-shotting a trio of Berkley baits. He caught plenty of fish on a Berkley PowerBait MaxScent Flat Worm and a Berkley Havoc Bottom Hopper, but most of his damage was done with a Berkley PowerBait The General . If competing in a five-fish limit format event, Lucas’ best five largemouth would have went for 27-14.

“Today was just an insane day,” Lucas said in his post-game interview. “I’m really, really stoked right now. I felt like I had two really good spots coming into the event, and I feel like I kind of found a third area today. Other than that, I caught some just junk-fishing around. But I feel really good with how my day went.

“As good as it was today, I do think it is only going to get tougher as the week goes on,” Lucas continued. “Catching all of these bass and not laying off of them – there is no way that this a fishery can pump out the heavy weight like it did today for every day of the tournament. It will still be really good, but I think its going to slow down a little bit.”

Lucas credited his gear as being crucial to his success, Saturday.

“The key today was my Fantasista X rod from Abu Garcia,” Lucas said. “The fish are biting really light. I’m shaking my drop-shot bait just a little bit, and I can feel the slightest tick in the line – it almost feels like a bluegill bite. But this rod is so sensitive, I’m catching them and that really was the reason why I think I caught so many, today.”

Like Lucas, Wheeler also caught and weighed all largemouth bass on Saturday. Unlike Lucas, however, Wheeler opted for a bluegill-colored Rapala DT 16 crankbait to catch his keepers.

“Man, how much fun to come up here to Cayuga Lake and smash them on a dang crankbait,” said Wheeler, the reigning Bally Bet Angler of the Year. “We never really got on them in the last period, and that was our downfall at the end. I was able to check out a few things, but it just wasn’t going down.

“I’m looking forward to the day off and getting a chance to regroup and put the full gameplan together,” Wheeler went on to say. “I’m not exactly sure how I’m going to go about this one, yet, but I’ll have it figured out by Monday.”

The top 20 pros in Group A after Day 1 on Cayuga Lake are:

1st:          Justin Lucas, Guntersville, Ala., 35 bass, 127-1
2nd:         Jacob Wheeler, Harrison, Tenn., 37 bass, 107-15
3rd:         Dustin Connell, Clanton, Ala., 23 bass, 88-5
4th:         Alton Jones, Jr., Waco, Texas, 26 bass, 82-8
5th:         Luke Clausen, Spokane, Wash., 25 bass, 78-9
6th:         Zack Birge, Blanchard, Okla., 20 bass, 76-12
7th:         Terry Scroggins, San Mateo, Fla., 23 bass, 65-5
8th:         Fletcher Shryock, Guntersville, Ala., 22 bass, 63-14
9th:         Adrian Avena, Vineland, N.J., 18 bass, 63-1
10th:       Cliff Pace, Petal, Miss., 20 bass, 58-7
11th:       Dylan Hays, Hot Springs, Ark., 18 bass, 58-0
12th:       Casey Ashley, Donalds, S.C., 16 bass, 57-0
13th:       Ott DeFoe, Blaine, Tenn., 15 bass, 52-14
14th:       Matt Lee, Cullman, Ala., 16 bass, 52-2
15th:       Todd Faircloth, Jasper, Texas, 16 bass, 49-7
16th:       Jonathon VanDam, Kalamazoo, Mich., 15 bass, 46-1
17th:       Josh Bertrand, Queen Creek, Ariz., 15 bass, 44-7
18th:       Roy Hawk, Lake Havasu City, Ariz., 12 bass, 44-4
19th:       David Walker, Sevierville, Tenn., 11 bass, 43-0
20th:       Chris Lane, Guntersville, Ala., 12 bass, 42-12

A complete list of results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

Overall, there were 580 scorable bass weighing 1,877 pounds, 6 ounces caught by the 40 pros Saturday.

Power-Pole pro Chris Lane of Guntersville, Alabama, boated a 6-pound, 13-ounce largemouth to earn the first $1,000 Berkley Big Bass Award of the event. Berkley awards $1,000 to the angler who weighs the heaviest bass each day, and a $3,000 bonus to the angler who weighs the heaviest bass of the tournament.

The 40 Anglers in Group A compete in their two-day qualifying round on Saturday and Monday – the 40 anglers in Group B on Sunday and Tuesday. After each two-day qualifying round is complete, the anglers that finish in 2nd through 20th place from both groups advance to Wednesday’s Knockout Round, while the winner of each group advances directly to Thursday’s Championship Round. In the Knockout Round, weights are zeroed, and the remaining 38 anglers compete to finish in the top 8 to advance to the Championship Round. In the final day Championship Round, weights are zeroed, and the highest one-day total wins the top prize of $100,000.

Pro Mark Rose of Wynne, Arkansas, who will be among the 40 anglers competing in Group B, Sunday, has been penalized one hour of fishing time and will begin his tournament at 9 a.m. ET tomorrow. Rose inadvertently fished one hour longer than allowed during the final day of the angler’s official practice period. When he returned to the launch ramp and realized his error, Rose immediately self-reported his violation to Tournament Director Aaron Beshears, who assessed the penalty.

Anglers will launch each day at 7:30 a.m. ET from Frontenac Park, located at 15 Creamery Road in Union Springs. Each day’s General Tire Takeout will be held at the park, beginning at 4 p.m. Fans are welcome to attend all launch and takeout events and also encouraged to follow the event online throughout the day on the MLF NOW!® live stream and SCORETRACKER® coverage at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

As part of the event, on Sunday, Aug. 7, from Noon to 5 p.m., fans are invited out to the Major League Fishing Festival at the Frontenac Park. Hosted by the Village of Union Springs, the event will feature fans meeting and getting autographs from their favorite pro anglers that compete on the Bass Pro Tour. Children are welcome to visit the Kids Zone to meet Skye & Marshall from PAW Patrol, fish for live fish in the Kids Fishing Pond, show off their artistic skills at the coloring stations, and more. Vendor booths from MLF sponsors, food, prizes and giveaways, including a FREE Abu Garcia rod and reel combo for the first 50 youth in attendance both days. One lucky attendee will play for a brand-new Toro 42-inch TimeCutter Zero Turn Mower in the Toro Pick ‘Til You Win game, with runner up prizes of a new 70-inch LED 4K Smart TV or a $500 VISA gift card. For more information on the Major League Fishing Festival, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com/Attend.

On Monday, Aug. 8 from 8 to 10 a.m., the MLF Fisheries Management Division (FMD) will be participating in a clean-up event at Frontenac Park – the FMD Costa Clean Water Matters Program.  MLF Pro Anglers and Volunteers will walk the park and shorelines to clean up trash and debris from the shores of Cayuga Lake.

On Championship Thursday, Aug. 11, from 4:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. MLF will host a Celebration Event for fans of all ages, inviting fans to come out and celebrate with the professional anglers from the Bass Pro Tour as they crown the champion of the Fox Rent A Car Stage Six on Cayuga Lake Presented by Googan Baits. Before the celebration, an MLF watch party starts at 1:30 p.m., and the first 50 middle school or high school anglers in attendance will receive a free Abu Garcia rod and reel combo valued at $100. The final 10 Championship Round Bass Pro Tour anglers will be on hand at the trophy celebration to meet and greet fans, sign autographs, and take selfies.

The Fox Rent A Car Stage Six on Cayuga Lake Presented by Googan Baits will feature anglers competing with a 2-pound minimum weight requirement for a bass to be deemed scorable. Minimum weights are determined individually for each competition waters that the Bass Pro Tour visits, based on the productivity, bass population and anticipated average size of fish in each fishery.

The Bass Pro Tour features a field of 80 of the top professional anglers in the world competing across seven regular-season tournaments around the country, competing for millions of dollars and valuable points to qualify for the annual General Tire Heavy Hitters all-star event and REDCREST IV, the Bass Pro Tour championship, which will be held next March on Lake Norman in Charlotte, North Carolina.

The MLF NOW!® broadcast team of Chad McKee, Marty Stone and J.T. Kenney will break down the extended action on all six days of competition from 7:45 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. ET. MLF NOW!®  will be live streamed on MajorLeagueFishing.com and the MyOutdoorTV (MOTV) app.

Television coverage of the Fox Rent A Car Stage Six on Cayuga Lake Presented by Googan Baits will premiere as a two-hour episode at 7 a.m. ET, on Saturday, Nov. 12 on the Discovery Channel. New MLF episodes premiere each Saturday morning on the Discovery Channel, with additional re-airings on the Outdoor Channel. Each two-hour long reality-based episode goes in-depth to break down each day of tournament competition.

Proud sponsors of the 2022 MLF Bass Pro Tour include: 13 Fishing, Abu Garcia, A.R.E. Truck Caps, B&W Trailer Hitches, Bally Bet, Bass Cat, Bass Pro Shops, Berkley, Covercraft, Favorite Fishing, Garmin, General Tire, Googan Baits, Grundéns, Guaranteed Rate, Humminbird, Lowrance, Luminox, Mercury, Minn Kota, Mossy Oak, Nitro Performance Boats, Onyx, Plano, Power-Pole, Power Stop, Rapala, Starbrite, Toro, Toyota, Wrangler, Yellowstone Bourbon and Zoom.

For complete details and updated information on Major League Fishing and the Bass Pro Tour, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF’s social media outlets at Facebook, Twitter,  Instagram, and  YouTube.

BassCast Kayak Series Shenandoah River Captain’s Meeting

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BassCast Kayak Series Shenandoah River Captain’s Meeting

NEW 6-INCH WORMS ARE NOW AVAILABLE!

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NEW 6-INCH WORMS ARE NOW AVAILABLE!
Using a stick-style worm is one of the most tried and true ways to catch fish. Our new 6-inch Fresh Worms are designed to catch both size and numbers. You can now get 6-inch Bone Worms, Chocolate Mint Worms, Charmeleon Worms, Rainbow TRT Worms, and Fire TGR Worms. Each worm is scented for complete attraction and made of a durable high-grade non-salt plastic which provides superior life-like action and positive buoyancy. Perfect to fish in any condition.
This time of the year all of the fish roam around in a feeding frenzy. Our 6-inch Fresh Worms catch the eyes of nearby fish because of their natural ability to imitate an actual worm. It’s always good to practice different rigging techniques in clear waters so you’re able to see how the worm truly moves underwater.
There are multiple ways to rig one of our 6-inch Fresh Worms, but we’ve found the most success using only a couple of different methods. Using a Wacky Rig is one of our favorites, but you also can’t go wrong using a Texas Rig, Drop Shot Rig, or even a Carolina Rig. Our 6-inch Fresh Worms actually float underwater so they look more realistic and catch the eyes of patrolling fish.

Florida Grown Bass and Gators by Dustin Catrett

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Florida Grown Bass and Gators by Dustin Catrett

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FLO GROWN
Florida reigns supreme for growing big bass and big alligators
With his hand on the tiller our guide Hunter Hall keeps the skiff’s bow close to the shoreline as Bob points to several Jurassic sized alligators along its edge. Hunter, whose family owns https://floridahuntingadventures.com/ conducts year round bass fishing charters and alligator hunts in south Florida where my friend Bob Carnes is attempting to complete both in a single day.

Located a little more than hour’s drive southeast of Orlando, Bob and I met Hunter at the Headwaters Lake public ramp at first light to fish in the morning before we would head south to his family’s ranch for the gator hunt that afternoon. After a short boat ride along the Lake’s main navigation channel we veered left through an opening of hyacinths and into a small cattail lined cove. After only a few casts Bob set the hook into a monster sized largemouth that was too heavy to jump completely out of the water yet managed to spit the hook after sloshing under the matted hydrilla. “Did you see the size of that fish?” He said excitedly, while reeling in his line. “I told you there’s some big ones in this lake,” laughed Hunter. Although we never connected with another lunker of that size as late summer isn’t exactly prime fishing for any Florida lake, Bob and I did however manage to both land at least a dozen or so thick Florida largemouth with several nearing five pounds before the unbearable midday heat signaled the end to our charter.

Headwaters Lake
After opening to the public less than two years ago, the popularity of this manmade 10,000-acre impoundment in Florida’s Indian River County has exploded. Celebrity anglers like Roland and Scott Martin have filmed dozens of giant stringers they’ve caught on the lake and various media outlets have reported local anglers catching ten pound fish on every outing during springtime that has fueled the frenzy as evident by the dozens of boat trailers parked at its ramp every day of the week. Like most of the famous big bass lakes that Florida is known for, Headwaters or Fellsmere Reservoir as its officially titled is located in the southern region of the state within the golden triangle of largemouth heaven. Sharing a border with the famed Stick Marsh, the lake sits 50 miles to the southeast of West Lake Toho and 50 miles to the northeast of Lake Okeechobee which also include Lake Kenansville and the Kissimmee Chain of Lakes.

The St. John’s River Water Management District (SJRWMD) and Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) manage the reservoir’s fishery which was first constructed by excavating the impoundment leaving several pre-existing deep pockets that were already within the former marsh, then using heavy equipment placed underwater structures and beneficial vegetation throughout prior to flooding it. The result became thousands of acres of prime largemouth habitat. With an average depth of around six feet, the lake follows the successful blueprint of both its predecessors Stick Marsh and Farm 13, both modeled with the same shallow topography, flood control infrastructure, and catch and release only regulation.

Alligator
After a short drive south from Headwaters, Bob and I arrived at the ranch to prepare for the alligator hunt. The FWC issues seasonal alligator hunting tags statewide but now also offers tags to land owners like the Hall family to allow guests to hunt alligator year round on private property. With close to 1000 acres of piney flatwoods and wet prairie bordering the vast 50,000 acres Kissimmee Prairie Preserve State Park, the wet terrain of the property creates the ideal habitat for finding a giant gator lurking in the marsh. In fact earlier this year a monster that was only one foot shy of the state record measuring over 13 feet and weighing over 900 pounds was shot just a few miles down the road from the ranch near the city of Okeechobee. https://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/article257882013.html
After a late lunch Bob and I strategized with Hunter on where to find the biggest gator on the property. “We have a lot of gators out here,” he explained, “And I know where at least two big ones hang out,” Armed with an offshore tuna rod and reel spooled with 200 pound braided line attached to a weighted treble hook and a scoped rifle, Bob and Hunter set off on foot towards a field of high grass on the north end of the ranch near several ponds teeming with alligators. “Not big enough.” whispered Hunter, as he and Bob crept towards the edge of the marsh to take a closer look at a lone eight footer that was sunning. Scanning the water from safely behind them I spotted about a dozen more swimming around. “Let’s keep moving,” whispered Hunter. After creeping a few more yards through the high grass he pointed to the wide head of a giant that quickly descended. Hunter hurriedly cast the treble hook across the residual bubbles emanating at the water’s surface and hooked into the big reptile before handing the reel to Bob. After half an hour of cranking and pulling on the rod which required all three of us to take turns on, the huge gator’s enormous head eventually emerged near the water’s surface allowing Bob a shot with the rifle that finally ended the battle.

After Hunter’s father Ian arrived with a tractor the four of us loaded the massive reptile into the excavator bucket. “Ten feet six inches,” said Ian, after measuring it from head to tail. After photos and a few refreshments the gator was taken south to Okeechobee to be processed, and in a few weeks Bob will have a few hundred pounds of sealed gator meat along with a ten foot tanned skin to commemorate the experience.

End
Story and Photos by Dustin Catrett

For more information contact:
https://floridahuntingadventures.com/

Headwaters Lake Public Boat Ramp Access
Located off Fellsmere Grade Road less than 10 miles west of Fellsmere, FL off I-95. Parking for around 44 trailers and restroom facilities are available. Additional parking available 2 miles away at the Stick Marsh/Farm 13 boat ramp.

The Increased Cost of Chasing Your Dreams

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The Increased Cost of Chasing Your Dreams

The Increased Cost of Chasing Your Dreams

How NPAA pros are tackling higher expenses on the tournament trail

Forestville, WI (August 4, 2022) – There’s no doubt professional anglers and weekend warriors are both feeling the sting of inflation these days. With gas prices still hovering around $4 per gallon, and food and lodging significantly more costly than last year, you can bet just about every tournament angler is reeling from the bites taken out of their bottom line.

At the same time, many are rising to the challenge by increasing efficiency, cutting expenses, and plugging the leaks. That, says Patrick Neu, president of the National Professional Anglers Association (NPAA), is exactly what it takes to not only survive in the recreational fishing industry, but to thrive.

“In short,” he says, “you need to increase your professionalism to stay afloat. A great way to do just that is follow the lead of NPAA members who are making the grade.”

Walleye pro and NPAA member Isaac Lakich.

Consider 27-year-old Isaac Lakich from Richfield, Wisconsin. The full-time angler fishes traveling walleye tournaments–including the National Walleye Tour (NWT)–and is also a full-time guide.

“I got my start through the tourney world, but decided to diversify as the economy began to slip at the start of the pandemic,” Lakich says. “That’s an important part of being a tournament pro – keeping an eye on the horizon and reacting swiftly to changes in the game.”

As a relatively young professional angler, Lakich may not have the most experience among circuit regulars, but his age provides an advantage when understanding the latest electronic technology.

“In addition to guiding clients for walleye, I’ve started offering on-the-water electronics lessons,” says Lakich. “It has been a great move so far and I’m on pace to book 75 electronics trips for the year.”

In staying ahead of the curve, Lakich advises other aspiring angling pros to recognize that if your sponsor contracts don’t increase from year-to-year, you’re losing ground.

“Each year, I renegotiate my contracts and request a cost-of-living increase–plus a little extra–because I’m more experienced and better able to represent my sponsors. It’s early August now and I’m already cutting next year’s deals. That extra 5- to 8-percent you might get helps cover increasing costs,” Isaac says. “For me to stay in business, I need to maintain my standard of living. I’m a professional and I need to charge professional prices–so do you.”

While Lakich seems to be hitting full stride in his professional endeavors, NPAA member John Crews, 44, of Salem, Virginia, has been fishing at the highest levels for 20 years now. The full-time bass tournament angler has qualified for 14 Bassmaster Classics, won two Bassmaster Elite series events, and ran his own lure company, Missile Baits, for over a decade.

“I’m sure this economy is putting the most hurt on anglers who are new to the trail, but it stings for all of us to some degree,” reveals Crews. “No matter what level you fish in the tournament world, your expenses are always increasing. For a professional bass angler, entry fees are usually your biggest expense, with fuel costs generally number two – more than lodging expenses or truck costs on a yearly basis.”

To keep your head above water, Crews suggests cutting expenses wherever possible. “Rather than eating out every night on the road,” he advises, “Hit the grocery store and stock-up for a few days. Also, look for lower-cost lodging. You don’t have to stay in a flea-bag hotel, but there’s nothing wrong with midrange options.”

At the same time, it’s important to not skimp on tackle, lures or electronics. Those, Crews points out, are the professional tools you need to succeed – so bite the bullet elsewhere. You can also help keep things in check by being a little more selective as to which tournaments to fish, cutting down on travel, and by staying with friends or splitting a room with other anglers.

“We all go through some rough times when climbing the ladder,” says Crews with a chuckle. “When it comes to saving money, you name it and I have done it.”

Bass pro and NPAA member Griffin Fernandes

Which is exactly what NPAA member Griffin Fernandes is trying to do. At 22, you might think of him as a newcomer to the tourney trail, but he started fishing the junior circuit at 13, excelled on his high school team, and helped lead Michigan’s Adrian College to the 2021 Bassmaster College Series National Championship. Chat with him personally and you’ll discover a surprisingly seasoned professional angler.

“I was fortunate to get off to a strong start in tournament fishing at the college level because Adrian College paid for a lot of our expenses. They covered our gas, lodging and food, and we had school trucks and school boats to use,” Fernandes says. “It was a great experience.”

Now that he’s graduated, Griffin is doing all he can to keep expenses low, while fishing regional Buckeye Fishing League (BFL) events.

“I’m saving money by living with my parents,” he says, “and I’m trying to keep my expenses under $500 per tourney. That breaks down to two boat and truck gas fills, plus entry fees. I usually lodge with a group of friends that travel the circuit together. We’ll buy two small pizzas for dinner and split up any leftovers for lunch on our boats.”

Fernandes says that fishing events that are close to home and on smaller waters equates to big savings on lodging, gas and entry fees.

“The larger tourneys can put you in the hole $500 to $700 dollars before you’ve even made a cast,” he notes. “They’re great if you can afford them, and I aspire to compete at the highest levels, but I’m just not there yet. I plan to take my time, building up an emergency fund, and monitoring my tournament performances before jumping in head-first.”

One tip Fernandes offers for anyone thinking about launching a professional career in the recreational fishing industry – whether joining the professional trail or some other fishing related occupation – is joining NPAA.

“I attended the 2019 conference at the suggestion of my college coach,” he recalls. “It turned out to be a great opportunity to meet and introduce myself to significant movers and manufacturers in the industry. Now I have those connections, so I’m not a blank page when I’m looking to jump to the next level. Talking to more senior members of the organization also helped me realize that I don’t need to rush. It opened my eyes to new ways of thinking about professional fishing and staying on track. That help has been invaluable, both in learning to be patient and in looking ahead to my fishing future.”

Lakich agrees with Fernandes’ NPAA assessment. “The NPAA has given me quite a few professional contacts over the years, and these have proved invaluable. I’ve met several people that have already gone to bat for me when I needed someone with more tenure in the industry to vouch for my abilities, strengths and character. Having that core NPAA group support is a really great membership perk.”

As for Crews, he’s enjoyed the benefits of being an NPAA member and is happy to be in a position to return the favor. “It’s amazing how much even veteran anglers can learn when comparing notes with other members. It’s also important to give back to the sport and fishing community by sharing your knowledge and experience with others who are chasing their dreams,” he states. “I try to support the NPAA as much as possible. It’s a terrific organization with the potential to help a lot of people succeed in this industry.”

For information on joining the NPAA and exploring the many benefits of membership, visit www.npaa.net.

August 2022 Smith Mountain Lake Fishing Report by Captain Chad Green

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August 2022 Smith Mountain Lake Fishing Report by Captain Chad Green

SMITH MOUNTIAN LAKE FISHING REPORT
By: Captain Chad Green
www.lastcastguideservicesml.com

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Summer has arrived and August fishing will be heating up and time to enjoy great weather and relaxing days on the water. 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.
Special Thanks to Brian Carter at the www.BassCast.com

Largemouth Bass/Smallmouth Bass
With the high water temperatures bass are in their summer areas and begin to focus on crawfish as the primary forage. Look for rocky points, and brush piles. Mornings can be a great time to find schooling fish on topwater baits. With all of the rain lately the baitfish have been staying shallower than normal for this time of year. Look for bait to start gathering in the mouths of the tributaries this month. Later in the morning the fish will move offshore in to deeper water and deep docks. Night time fishing will still be productive will be great in July. Best lures in June will be topwater lures, jigs, shakey head, drop shots, Texas rig worms, crankbaits, and Carolina rigs. Depths of water would be most productive in 10-20’ throughout July. Please be sure to release bass quickly in the summer due to air bladders from stress. Be informed of how to care for fish in the summer months as this is very critical to the survival in livewells. Bass that are caught deep in the mouth that may bleed can increase its survival rate by pouring sprite or 7up on the injured area that will stop the bleeding. Rejuvenade is also a good additive to your livewells. I have had many years of success with these procedures and very rarely lose a fish. Reach out if you have questions.

Striped Bass
Look for stripers to start to school up on the lower end of the lake as they follow schools of baitfish around. They can be found in the mouths of larger pockets and tributaries around standing timber in early morning as they work out to the main channel. Depths of 30-60’ should be a good location to look along with baitfish presence. With all of the rain lately the baitfish have been staying shallower than normal for this time of year. Look for bait to start gathering in the mouths of the tributaries this month. Occasional schools may be seen feeding on the surface this time of year around shoals and or islands on cloudy or rainy days. Keep in mind current from the dam generations can help you find these schools of fish and locate baitfish movements. As water temps warm please use caution releasing stripers quickly as stress under the warm conditions can be fatal to stripers. Practice your 2 fish limit per person to avoid releasing fish that could possibly die due to heat stress.

Crappie
July crappie fishing tends to slow a little in the summer but can still be found in brushpiles and trees located in 15-25’ of water. Small jigs and minnows will always be the baits of choice

Tournaments in May
Tues night tournaments 630pm-1030pm Captains Quarters Marina
Fri night tournaments 8pm-2pm Captains Quarters Marina
Sat night tournaments 8pm-2pm Foxport Marina
Special Thanks to Brian Carter at the www.BassCast.com

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